Addressing the Precarious Religious Freedom in Iraq

Jeremy Barker, Associate Vice President for International Strategy at the Religious Freedom Institute moderated a panel concerning religious freedom in Iraq at the International Religious Freedom Summit on February 4. He said that legislation to protect religious freedom in Iraq is being formulated to be presented in the Iraqi Council of Representatives. It aims to protect all religious, and especially minority communities for "long-term survival" in Iraq. Given the greatly reduced numbers of religious minority adherents due to the chaos following the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in 2003, long term survival of these communities is in question. Some seek laws aimed at protecting particular communities, as was done with the Yazidi Survivors Law. But the overall religious freedom situation in Iraq remains precarious, and Barker said that "religious freedom for one community [in Iraq] is best protected by a law that protects religious freedom for every community."

Religious Freedom at the National Level

Youhanna Towaya, Director of the Humanitarian at Ninevah Relief Organization, and a member of the Steering Committee for the Iraq Religious Freedom and Antidiscrimination Roundtable spoke first. He said that for several years, his organization has been working on draft legislation protecting freedom of religion in Iraq, since the Iraqi constitution does not adequately do this. The constitution does state that Islam is the "official religion" of Iraq. Islam is held to provide whatever religious freedom people should have. He said that writing a religious freedom law has not been an easy process, because parliamentary leaders were unwilling to consider it, and many laws in Iraq inhibit religious freedom.

One law, the National Cult Law, says that children must be Muslim if at least one parent is Muslim. "We still have cases of people who were forced to embrace Islam who find it very difficult to go back to their original religions." They encounter many difficulties and legal issues regarding their personal life, particularly regarding marriage and inheritance. Iraq's current Personal Status Law is held by many to impede the rights of women and children generally. It has been subsequently sustained by Iraq's highest court. Christians are not allowed to inherit from their parents if their parents were Muslims. All religious groups must (to some degree) use Islamic law governing domestic relations, most notably in law pertaining to marriages and inheritance.

Yazidis in Iraq

Ghanm Saleem, another member of the Iraqi Religious Freedom Roundtable spoke next concerning the Yazidis in Iraq. He recalled his parents saying that "we can't live, but under the flag of the government." It is thought by some that religious freedom is "not possible in Iraq." But advocates for the proposed religious freedom legislation had support from the Legal Committee in Parliament. Legislators on the committee understood the proposed religious freedom law will not only protect minorities, but protect everyone's religious freedom, thus making it more acceptable. Yazidis are particularly interested in passing the law, after the persecution of the Yazidis during the ISIS war of the 2010s. They are a small minority, with only the law to protect them. "After the displaced Yazidis went back to their cities, there were many questions, like to choose between displacement or going back, and if going back is the answer, then what to do when we are back."

Saleem said that the proposed religious freedom law is needed "not only for the Christians and Yazidis, but also other religious minorities that are not mentioned in the Iraqi constitution. We always say that the Yazidis as [a] weak community need this legislation to give them trust to go back to their cities and areas and live there." Especially, with much hostile rhetoric against non-Muslims in the area that encourages "killing and displacement" of Yazidis, a religious freedom law is needed. According to Saleem, the legislation would penalize not only acts of violence, but also speech against religious minorities, putting it at odds with classic religious freedom and speech. He also saw a need to change school curricula, which also contains hostile statements about minorities.

Religious Freedom in Kurdistan

Another member of the Iraqi Religious Freedom Roundtable, Amir Mawloud, from Kurdistan, spoke next. The Kurds are a large minority in Iraq, with their own regional government, and he pointed out that Arabic and Kurdish are the formally recognized languages in the country.

He said that there is a "red line" that there must be laws that guarantee religious freedom and prohibit discrimination against "all communities and components of Kurdistan." There is a marked difference, he said, between the situation in Kurdistan and that in the rest of Iraq. In the rest of Iraq, there is a claim that people are free in regard to religion, but this is not the reality. But in Kurdistan, there is much interest in guaranteeing religious freedom. He focused on particular legislation in Kurdistan about "minorities rights," referring specifically to Kurdistan Law no. 5 (2015). This deals with religious and ethnic minorities from other parts of Iraq that have come to Kurdistan. Kurdistan was a "safer place" than the rest of Iraq. Minorities have official representatives in the government of Kurdistan, and there is a strong commitment to religious freedom. He asked how Iraqi society could be restructured to prevent a return to the terrible experiences of the past. Religious freedom and a pluralistic society with a place of all religious and ethnic groups are essential for this, he said. Kurdistan's experience could be a guide for all of Iraq, he suggested.

Bahai Aspiration for Religious Freedom

Dr. Tahira Sadiq spoke for the Bahai community. She observed that historically, Iraq has had "a diversity of religions, sects, and ethnicities." She said that the various religions of Iraq, including the Bahai faith, "are very deeply rooted in the history of Iraq." "Unity and peace" was declared by the founder of the faith, Bahaulluh, in 1863 in Bagdad. "Social cohesion" is a key objective of the faith, and legislation to ensure freedom of religion, such as that currently being formulated by the Iraq Religious Freedom Roundtable "plays a crucial role" in this regard. But some current laws in Iraq impede this. To have religious freedom in Iraq, it is necessary to be properly mentioned in the constitution, but some groups, such as the Bahais, Jews, and others, are not mentioned. She would like all religions in Iraq to have representatives in the committee drafting the law.

Assyrian Struggle for Survival

The Secretary General of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, Yaqoob Yaqo, said that inability of Iraq's factions to agree on a vision of the country has resulted in continued instability since the end of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. This opened the door for terrorists to enter. He said that "Iraq has paid a heavy price" for the 2003 invasion and subsequent instability. The Assyrian, Yazidi, and Mandaean communities have suffered greatly. He pointed to the oft stated observation that Iraq had a population of 1.5 million Assyrian Christians in 2003, and it has now fallen to less than 300,000, with continuing decline. There have been "ongoing, targeted attacks" since 2003 on the Assyrian people, and their churches and monasteries. This has resulted in a real erosion of "cultural, ethnic, and religious identity." The Assyrian homeland on the Nineveh plain was largely captured by ISIS in the mid-2010s. Horrific acts of violence were committed. Today, this region is disputed between the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan regional government (KRG).

"A security collapse" in this area is possible. Self-defense is important for anyone living on the Ninevah plain, and he believes that assistance should be provided to enable this. Yaqo expressed appreciation for the international support given Assyrians in Iraq but asked for political support for the "Assyrian nation," in view of Assyria's 6,000-year-old history, as well as "a profound Christian heritage close to 2,000 years." Requirements for the survival of the Assyrian people on their ancestral homeland are: 1) "the Ninevah plain has long been neglected" due the conflict between the national government in Bagdad and the KRG government in Irbil. The central government should be pressured, he believes, to respect the decision of the Iraqi Council of Ministries on January 21, 2014, appealing to Article 125 of the Iraqi constitution for an Assyrian province in Iraq, 2) "locally embedded Assyrian armed forces," approved by the Iraqi government, are necessary for security, 3) promote "the political and demographic existence of the Assyrian community" living in Iraq, ending "land-grabbing" and allowing people to return to their ancestral homeland.

Yaqo's remarks were supplemented by another Assyrian advocate, and an organizer of the legislative track at the IRF Summit, Carmella Borashran. She observed that due to the ISIS war the "Ninevah plains were emptied of indigenous inhabitants," and church bells silent for the first time in 1,700 years, and many irreplaceable cultural artifacts have been destroyed. Prospects for survival of indigenous peoples are not good. Land-grabbing, Islamization law of minors, Parliament codifying seizure, hostile rhetoric, dislodgement of Assyrians from the historic homeland, and the territorial expansion of the KRG are all grave problems. She said that both the KRG and the federal government must "demonstrate in good faith ... a commitment to resolving their dispute and taking meaningful steps to improve the overall condition for all Iraqis, especially vulnerable, indigenous groups and minorities." There must be more than words, she said. Most important is the right of indigenous minorities "to manage their own affairs in their historical regions and lands."

Conclusion

Barker then asked each panelist to briefly state what legislation they believe would improve the situation with which they are concerned.

Towaya said the Iraqi government should approve the proposed religious freedom legislation, because as far as religious freedom is concerned, "reality is different than the talk."

Saleem said the Yazidi community would not be "safe and secure" except under the proposed religious freedom law. The law is not only relevant to religious minorities, but to ethnic minorities. He hoped that religious minorities could go back to their homes, and that religious freedom would prevail in Iraq generally, as it does in Kurdistan.

Mawlaud said that the Kurds were "ready for real partnership with the Iraqi government to work together" for the religious freedom law. He said that the Kurdish government and people hoped to improve religious freedom not only in Iraq, but in the Middle East more generally.

Dr. Sadiq said that "a formal recognition" of the Bahai faith is the most important thing that her religious group would want. She would like this for the Bahai faith, but also for other religions, not only in Iraq, but among Middle Eastern nations generally. She believes the desire for "unity and cohesion" is there with the Iraqi people, and this should be reflected "on the legislative level as well."

Barker agreed that actions as well as words are important but said that words written into law are also needed to "provide a basis for action."

Overall, religious minorities are a greatly diminished presence in Iraq. What the future holds for them is far from clear. It will depend critically on the good will of both the Iraqi national government and the Kurdish Regional Government, and to some degree on whether many individuals living in diaspora choose to return to their ancestral homelands. But from a moral standpoint, these minority groups are certainly entitled to the protection that the proposed religious freedom legislation would provide.
Chinese official calls for advancing legacy of 1995 World Conference on Women

Xinhua) 09:26, March 17, 2025

UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming Global Summit of Women, set to take place in Beijing in the latter half of this year, holds great significance for advancing the spirit of the 1995 World Conference on Women, a Chinese official has said.

Huang Xiaowei, deputy head of the National Working Committee on Children and Women of the State Council, made the remarks on Monday at the ongoing 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.

Marking the 30th anniversary of the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, China will co-host the Global Summit of Women with UN Women later this year, Huang told the CSW69.

"This is not only a tribute to and continuation of history, but also a commitment to and innovation for the future," she said, highlighting the summit's crucial role in fostering global solidarity, carrying forward the legacy of the 1995 conference, and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Huang noted that as the host country of the 1995 conference, China has consistently honored its commitments to promoting the synchronized development of women alongside economic and social progress.

Huang underscored the historic achievements of Chinese women, sharing insights into the country's efforts to advance gender equality. She also outlined China's comprehensive policy framework and implementation strategies, which focus on strengthening institutional support, increasing investment and empowering women.

Over the past 30 years, China has made remarkable strides in poverty alleviation, healthcare, education, and other key areas concerning women's well-being, reflecting the rapid progress of women's development in the modern era.

During discussions at the UN session, representatives from various countries expressed confidence that the upcoming Global Summit of Women will help forge consensus, accelerate tangible action, and inject fresh momentum into global efforts for women's advancement.

They also voiced hope that China would continue to play a leadership role, particularly as the global push for gender equality faces mounting challenges.

Beyond her participation in multilateral activities, including a general debate, a ministerial roundtable, thematic side events and a Chinese-hosted reception, Huang also held several meetings with Sima Bahous, UN under-secretary-general and executive director of UN Women, as well as senior officials from various countries.

CSW69, the UN's largest annual event dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment, is expected to conclude on March 21.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Syed Abubakr, Sumit Singh/TwoCircles.net

New Delhi: Thousands gathered at the citys Jantar Mantar on March 17 to voice their opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, with some protestors declaring that Muslims will not forgive if the bill is passed. Members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which called for the agitation, rallied against what they describe as a direct assault on their religious rights.

AIMPLB President Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani emphasised the larger battle at stake: the protection of Indias Constitution. This fight is not just for Waqf. It is a battle for our Constitution. We are against the Centres draconian Bill. We will not stop until it is rolled back, he said, addressing the crowd.

Among the demonstrators were several Members of Parliament (MPs) and influential Muslim religious leaders.

On February 27, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government cleared all 14 amendments proposed by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies to the Bill, as put forward by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) headed by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal. It rejected 44 amendments proposed by the Opposition.

Speculation now surrounds whether the Bill will be introduced during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament that began on March 10.

The Bill, which aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995  governing the management of waqf properties in India  has become a point of contention due to its sweeping changes. Critics argue it would grant the government excessive control over waqf properties and the authority to intervene in disputes related to them.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi denounced the Bill and stressed that the government was undermining Indias secular values. We should respect each others religion. That is what we have been taught. But the Modi government is working against the very secular values of India and Babasaheb Ambedkars Constitution.

AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, also an AIMPLB member, argued that the Bill was designed to escalate tensions between Hindus and Muslims. He accused the BJP of attempting to erase the political and religious identity of Muslims. He claimed that it is a conspiracy to destroy waqf.

The BJP wants to snatch away the political and religious identity of Muslims, he added.

He further warned that Muslims would not forgive the parties supporting the Bill, including Chandrababu Naidus Telgu Desam Party (TDP), Chirag Paswans Lok Janshakti Party-Ramvilas and Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United) or JD(U).

A waqf refers to a property given by Muslims for specific religious, charitable or private purposes. While beneficiaries may vary, the ownership is considered to belong to God. Once declared Waqf, the propertys status cannot be reversed.

The 2024 Bill mandates that all waqf properties be registered on a central portal within six months of the laws implementation. Properties marked as government property would be flagged to the district collector, who could initiate inquiries and submit reports to the state government. Moreover, failing to register properties within the stipulated timeframe would forfeit the right to pursue legal action in case of encroachment or disputes involving waqf land.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, addressing the crowd, criticised the BJPs actions. This Bills only motive is to disenfranchise the Muslims of this country. It is sacred in law and must be protected. Modi government wants to snatch away the land of Muslims, she said. They can bulldoze the proceedings and bring the Bill in Parliament, but we will never allow its implementation.

Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav emphasised his partys opposition to the Bill. Whether this Bill goes through Parliament, the courts, or the streets, we will always stand against it.

The 2024 Bill grants district collectors the power to decide whether a property is waqf or not, a shift from the previous authority of the Waqf Tribunal. Any disputed land would be treated as government property until the government makes a decision.

Maulana Syed Arshad Madani, president of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, made it clear that the dispute was not just a legal matter but one of faith. The Bill aims to seize waqf properties. How is it fair that properties that belong to us be taken care of by someone else? We do not welcome any interference in our religious issues, he said.

The JPC has reportedly accepted amendments to replace the district collector with a more senior officer in the dispute resolution process. This designated officer would be responsible for updating revenue records if properties are deemed government property.

One of the most controversial aspects of the 2024 Bill is its provision allowing non-Muslim appointments to the waqf boards at the state level, including a non-Muslim chief executive officer and at least two non-Muslim members.

Owaisi strongly objected to this, while Mahua Moitra raised a provocative question: Will the BJP put two Muslims on the Ram temple board in Ayodhya?

Talha Mannan, a research scholar at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) and National Secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, pointed out that the Bill is part of a larger pattern of marginalisation of Muslims.

When the government is intoxicated with power, they stop listening to the people, minorities and backward communities. Every right-thinking person in this country should register their protest against this Bill, he added.

The governance of waqf properties in India has been regulated by the Waqf Act of 1995, which replaced earlier laws dating back to the British era. The law was amended in 2013 to include stronger penalties for encroachment on waqf land.

The 2024 Bill also proposes to redefine how a property is deemed to be in the possession of waqf. It seeks to remove the concept of waqf by use, under which a property used by Muslims for religious purposes could be considered waqf property. This could affect numerous mosques and graveyards.

Chairman of the JPC Jagadambika Pal criticised the AIMPLB for its protest, claiming it could create divisions and challenge Parliaments authority to legislate. He called the rally a politically motivated one.

BJPs national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the AIMPLB of using waqf as an excuse to incite riots in the country. Waqf is an excuse to incite riots in the country. Be it the AIMPLB or its political masters Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party or AIMIM, they all are constantly trying to incite Muslims in the name of Waqf, he added.

All eyes are now on the ongoing Budget Session to see if the ruling BJP will introduce the Waqf Bill, with the Joint Committee of Parliament having already submitted its report on the proposed legislation.
Lawmakers want to turn the tide on the growing number of unprepared and uncertified teachers by restricting who can lead Texas classrooms. But school leaders worry those limits will leave them with fewer options to refill their teacher ranks.

Tucked inside the Texas Houses $7.6 billion school finance package is a provision that would ban uncertified teachers from instructing core classes in public schools. House Bill 2 gives districts until fall 2026 to certify their K-5 math and reading teachers and until fall 2027 to certify teachers in other academic classes.







Texas would help uncertified teachers pay for the cost of getting credentialed. Under HB 2, those who participate in an in-school training and mentoring program would receive a one-time $10,000 payment and those who go through a traditional university or alternative certification program would get $3,000. Special education and emergent bilingual teachers would get their certification fees waived. Educator training experts say it could be the biggest financial investment Texas made in teacher preparation.

District leaders, once reluctant to hire uncertified teachers, now rely on them often to respond to the states growing teacher shortage. And while they agree with the spirit of the legislation, some worry the bill would ask too much too soon of districts and doesnt offer a meaningful solution to replace uncertified teachers who leave the profession.

Whats going to happen when were no longer able to hire uncertified teachers? Class sizes have to go up, programs have to disappear. We wont have a choice, said David Vroonland, the former superintendent of the Mesquite school district near Dallas and the Frenship school district near Lubbock. There will be negative consequences if we dont put in place serious recruitment efforts.

Floodgate of uncertified teachers

Nowadays, superintendents often go to job fairs to recruit teachers and come out empty-handed. There are not as many Texans who want to be teachers as there used to be.

The salary in Texas is about $9,000 less than the national average, so people choose better-paying careers. Teachers say they are overworked, sometimes navigating unwieldy class sizes and using weekends to catch up on grading.

Heath Morrison started to see the pool of teacher applicants shrink years ago when he was at the helm of Montgomery ISD. Many teachers left the job during the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the problem.

This teacher shortage is getting more and more pronounced, said Morrison, who is now the CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow, a popular alternative teacher certification program. The reality of most school districts across the country is youre not making a whole lot more money 10 years into your job than you were when you first entered  And so that becomes a deterrent.

As the pool of certified teachers shrunk, districts found a stopgap solution: bringing on uncertified teachers. Uncertified teachers accounted for roughly 38% of newly hired instructors last year, with many concentrated in rural districts.

The Texas Legislature facilitated the flood of uncertified teachers. A 2015 law lets public schools get exemptions from requirements like teacher certification, school start dates and class sizes  the same exemptions allowed for open enrollment charter schools.

Usually, to teach in Texas classrooms, candidates must obtain a certification by earning a bachelors degree from an accredited college or university, completing an educator preparation program and passing teacher certification exams.

Teacher preparation experts say certifications give teachers the tools to lead a high quality classroom. To pass certification tests, teaching candidates learn how to plan for lessons and manage discipline in a classroom.

But the 2015 law allowed districts to hire uncertified teachers by presenting a so-called district of innovation plan to show they were struggling to meet credential requirements because of a teacher shortage. By 2018, more than 600 rural and urban districts had gotten teacher certification exemptions.

Now, what weve seen is everyone can demonstrate a shortage, said Jacob Kirksey, a researcher at Texas Tech University. Almost every district in Texas is a district of innovation. That is what has allowed for the influx of uncertified teachers. Everybody is getting that waiver for certification requirements.

This session, House lawmakers are steadfast on undoing the loophole they created after new research from Kirksey sounded the alarm on the impacts of unprepared teachers on student learning. Students with new uncertified teachers lost about four months of learning in reading and three months in math, his analysis found. They missed class more than students with certified teachers, a signal of disengagement.

Uncertified teachers are also less likely to stick with the job long-term, disrupting school stability.

The state should act urgently on how to address the number of uncertified teachers in classrooms, said Kate Greer, a policy director at Commit Partnership. The bill rights a wrong that weve had in the state for a long time.

The price of getting certified

Rep. Jeff Leach, a Plano Republican who sits on the House Public Education Committee, said his wife has worked as an uncertified art teacher at Allen ISD. She started a program to get certified this winter and had to pay $5,000 out of pocket.

That cost may be not only a hurdle but an impediment for someone who wants to teach and is called and equipped to teach, Leach said earlier this month during a committee hearing on HB 2.

House lawmakers are proposing to lower the financial barriers that keep Texans who want to become teachers from getting certified.

Quality preparation takes longer, is harder and its more expensive. In the past, weve given [uncertified candidates] an opportunity just to walk into the classroom, said Jean Streepey, the chair of the State Board for Educator Certification. How do we help teachers at the beginning of their journey to choose something thats longer, harder and more expensive?

Streepey sat on the teacher vacancy task force that Gov. Greg Abbott established in 2022 to recommend fixes to retention and recruitment challenges at Texas schools. The task forces recommendations, such as prioritizing raises and improving training, have fingerprints all over the Texas Houses school finance package.

Under HB 2, districts would see money flow in when they put uncertified teachers on the path to certification. And those financial rewards would be higher depending on the quality of the certification program.

Schools with instructors who complete yearlong teacher residencies  which include classroom training and are widely seen as the gold standard for preparing teacher candidates  would receive bigger financial rewards than those with teachers who finish traditional university or alternative certification programs.

Even with the financial help, lawmakers are making a tall order. In two years, the more than 35,000 uncertified teachers in the state would have to get their credential or be replaced with new, certified teachers.

The shortages have grown to be so great that I think none of us have a really firm handle on the measures that its going to take to turn things around. said Michael Marder, the executive director of UTeach, a UT-Austin teacher preparatory program. There is financial support in HB 2 to try to move us back towards the previous situation. However, I just dont know whether the amounts that are laid out there are sufficient.

Restrictions like handcuffs

Only one in five uncertified teachers from 2017 to 2020 went on to get a credential within their first three years of teaching. Texas can expect a jump in uncertified teachers going through teacher preparatory programs because of the financial resources and pressure on schools through HB 2, Marder said.

But for every teacher who does not get credentialed, school leaders will have to go out and find new teachers. And they will have to look from a smaller pool.

The restrictions on uncertified teachers handcuffs us,said Gilbert Trevino, the superintendent at Floydada Collegiate ISD, which sits in a rural farming town in West Texas. In recent years, recruiters with his district have gone out to job fairs and hired uncertified teachers with a college degree and field experience in the subjects they want to teach in.

Rural schools across the state have acutely experienced the challenges of the teacher shortage  and have leaned on uncertified teachers more heavily than their urban peers.

We have to recruit locally and grow our own or hire people who have connections or roots in the community, Trevino said. If we hire a teacher straight out of Texas Tech University, we may have them for a year.  And then they may get on at Lubbock ISD or Plainview ISD, where theres more of a social life.

Floydada Collegiate ISD recruits local high school students who are working toward their associates degree through what is known as a Grown Your Own Teacher program. But Trevino says HB 2 does not give him the time to use this program to replace uncertified teachers. From recruitment to graduation, it takes at least three years before students can lead a classroom on their own, he said.

School leaders fear if they cant fill all their vacancies, theyll be pushed to increase class sizes or ask their teachers to prepare lessons for multiple subjects.

Our smaller districts are already doing that, where teachers have multiple preps, Trevino said. Things are already hard on our teachers. So if you add more to their plate, how likely are they to remain in the profession or remain in this district?

At Wylie ISD, which sits in Collin County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, its been difficult to find teachers to keep up with student growth. Uncertified teachers in recent years have made up a large number of teacher applicants, according to Cameron Wiley, a school board trustee.

Wiley said restrictions on uncertified teachers is a good end goal but would compound the districts struggles.

It limits the pot of people thats already small to a smaller pot. Thats just going to make it more difficult to recruit, Wiley said. And if we have a hard time finding people to come in, or were not allowed to hire certain people to take some of that pressure off, those class sizes are just going to get bigger.

Learning suffers when class sizes get too big because students are not able to get the attention they need.

This bill, its just another obstacle that we as districts are having to maneuver around and hurl over, Wiley said. Were not addressing the root cause [recruitment]. Were just putting a Band-Aid on it right now.
In the heart of New London, the London Museum & Cafe stands as a place of solace and remembrance. This town treasure is dedicated to the memory of the nearly 300 students and teachers who lost their lives in the devastating school explosion on March 18, 1937.

A recent donation allowed for preservation of the museum. Meanwhile, an upcoming event at the museum commemorates the 88th anniversary of the explosion.







Helpful donation

For decades, the museum has honored those lost and celebrated the resilience of the survivors.

However, the building itself had begun to show its age. One persistent issue was a leaky roof that, if left untreated, could have impacted the very artifacts that told the stories of that fateful day and its aftermath. The leaks were particularly problematic around the vent hood pipe, where water would trickle down.

Recognizing the importance of the museum, Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) stepped in to help donating the necessary funds for repairs. With this support, the museum was able to fabricate and install steel flashing around the vent hood pipe, effectively sealing off the leaks and safeguarding the precious memories housed within its walls.

This museum is a vital part of our communitys history, said Lisa Rogers, manager of the London Museum. SWEPCOs support has been invaluable in preserving the artifacts that tell the story of the 1937 explosion and its impact on our town.

This isnt the first time SWEPCO has offered assistance. On March 18, 1937, news of the incident quickly reached the companys Henderson and Kilgore offices, and within 45 minutes, several employees were on the ground to assist initial rescue efforts following the explosion, according to an April 1, 1937, edition of The Southwestern  SWEPCOs monthly magazine. Working alongside Humble Oil Company and L.E. Meyers Company, they set poles for floodlights to illuminate the wreckage, enabling rescuers to uncover survivors and recover bodies. Once the area was lit, SWEPCO employees also assisted in pulling the wreckage, ensuring a thorough and efficient search.

Our team was honored to be part of the rescue efforts back in 1937, said Mark Robinson, SWEPCO external affairs manager. And we are equally proud to support the London Museum today, ensuring that the memories and lessons from that tragic event are preserved for future generations.

88 years later

As the 88th anniversary of the school explosion approaches on March 18, the museum welcomes visitors to stop by and learn more about this significant event in history. By visiting, you can pay tribute to those who lost their lives and appreciate the resilience of the New London community.

On March 18, the museum will offer free tours and host a Day of Remembrance beginning at 2:15 p.m. at the Cenotaph monument situated on a median on Texas 42 midway between West Rusk High School and the London Museum, 10690 S. Main St. The event includes an address by Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Pastor Pete Thompson, laying of flowers and playing of Taps at 3:17 p.m.  the exact time of the school explosion.

Participating in the ceremony are Laurie Burns, pastor at London Methodist Church; the Overton Boy Scout Troop No. 319; the West Rusk Stage Band; Pete Thompson, pastor at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church; and Fred Parsons, pastor at Overton Methodist Church.

Refreshments will be served at the London Museum following Taps.
A Texas Senate panel on Monday heard a mix of staunch opposition and measured support for a bill that would require sheriffs to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Sheriffs of Texas counties with more than 100,000 residents would be mandated to request and enter partnerships with ICE  known as 287(g) agreements  under Senate Bill 8, filed by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown.







SB 8  designated a top priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick  would offer some funds for sheriffs of counties with fewer than 1 million residents to partner with ICE for performing limited immigration enforcement but not for the largest Texas counties. Gov. Greg Abbott has also endorsed the idea.

ICE has three models for 287(g) agreements. Two are for local jails, where officers can be deputized to question inmates about their immigration status or serve administrative warrants. In the field, officers can be permitted to question people about their immigration status through a program the Trump administration has revived after it fell into disuse following allegations it led to racial profiling.

Forty-three Texas law enforcement agencies had 287(g) agreements in place as of early March, all but three of which are for the jail programs, according to ICE.

On Monday, the calculated endorsements of SB 8 came from sheriffs concerned about the strain it could place on their budgets and resources, immigration hardliners who said the bill did not go far enough and at least one representative from a left-leaning advocacy group who said that with modifications it could be legislation the group could let go of their opposition.

Among those who testified before the Senate State Affairs committee was Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne, who also serves as the legislative chair of the Sheriffs Association of Texas.

Hawthorne said the group supported the bill, but not every member supported making ICE agreements mandatory because many sheriffs already operate under tight budgets and adding more responsibilities costs money.

This could potentially be another budget issue, Hawthorne testified. We think it would be wonderful for the state Legislature to fund the program.

Other sheriffs raised concerns about the staffing impact of sending officers to the ICE training for the program, which means traveling to the East Coast for several weeks. During an exchange about those worries, Schwertner said President Donald Trumps immigration adviser, Tom Homan, is considering shortening the training and holding regional training sessions.

Chris Russo, the president of anti-immigration group Texans for Strong Borders, testified that the 287(g) program is essential to strengthen interior immigration enforcement but that SB 8 should require all Texas law enforcement, not just sheriffs, to enter into the agreements.

Although we support this bill, the mandate for participation we think should be broadened, Russo said.

Luis Figueroa of Every Texan, a public policy group that advocates for equity, told lawmakers it was problematic to pass costs onto counties and that SB 8 could be strengthened by limiting it to the jail programs and ensuring that any agreements require training. Still, the group was worried about the blurring of jurisdictional lines between local and federal authorities, who have long been solely responsible for immigration enforcement, he said.

Would your organization support the bill with those changes? Schwertner asked Figueroa.

I think we could let it go, Figueroa said. If we could limit this to jails, that would be a very strong improvement to the bill and wed love to work with you on that.

Meanwhile, a series of speakers from organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Texas Civil Rights Project blasted the bill as a waste of money and slippery slope into racial profiling.

This is a completely unfunded mandate, said Sarah Cruz of the ACLU of Texas, pointing to Harris County  the states most populous  ending its participation in the program a few years ago after determining money was better spent on bolstering public safety through other initiatives. How much more are we willing to put towards an anti-immigrant agenda than the needs of our communities?

 This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune, a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

Smith County will implement jail and task force models

In February, Smith County signed an agreement with ICE to enforce the 287(g) task force model. The department will begin implementation of the task force model once selected officers complete required training. Once certified, deputies will have the authority to question individuals suspected of being in the U.S. unlawfully and process them for immigration violations.

These deputies will have the ability to arrest individuals without a warrant if they are found to be unlawfully entering the country or are suspected of violating immigration laws and are likely to flee before a warrant is obtained. Upon completing training, certified deputies will also have the power to arrest individuals for immigration-related felonies without a warrant under similar circumstances.

Additionally, they will be authorized to serve and execute immigration arrest warrants, administer oaths, collect evidence  including fingerprinting, photographing and interviewing  and prepare affidavits.

While the task force model will be new to Smith County, the sheriffs office will also soon reinstate its jail enforcement model. The office has used this model before, beginning in 2017 until Smith later put it on hold about a year and a half ago. Under this model, ICE trains local personnel to process these cases themselves, allowing them to assume some of ICEs responsibilities.
The University of Texas System has signaled it will not permit drag performances on its campuses.

In a letter to the systems board of regents Thursday, Tarrant County Judge Tim OHare said a University of Texas at Arlington event last month that prominently featured a drag performer may have violated a recent executive order barring the use of federal funds for promoting gender ideology.







In a statement through a spokesperson, Kevin Eltife, chairman of the systems Board of Regents, said all campuses were expected to comply with applicable laws and executive orders, including those restricting the use of public funds.

Our public university facilities, supported by taxpayers, will not serve as venues for drag shows. Our institutions will not sponsor them, Eltife said Friday in the statement to The Dallas Morning News. If the Board of Regents needs to take further action to make this clear, we will do so.

The move by the UT system, the states largest with 14 academic and health institutions, comes after the Texas A&M University System passed a resolution last month banning on-campus drag performances  a move that drew a lawsuit from LGBTQ student groups raising First Amendment concerns.

OHare in the letter characterized drag shows as degrading to women by reducing them to stereotypes and body parts.

I would be encouraged to see the UT System focus on fostering environments of learning and not use resources to prop up sexually-oriented events, the Republican county judge and University of Texas, Austin alumni wrote in the letter.

The letter does not identify the event in Arlington. University of Texas, Arlington spokespeople did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Friday afternoon.

On Jan. 20, within hours of being sworn in, President Donald Trump signed an executive order forbidding the use of federal funds for promoting gender ideology, defined by his administration as an ill-conceived effort to replace the biological category of sex with an ever-shifting concept of self-assessed gender identity.

While the executive order does not explicitly mention drag shows, those events have drawn scrutiny from conservative lawmakers. Critics of those efforts have cast the executive order and other laws aimed at limiting drag shows as part of a broader effort to curtail LGBTQ expression.

On Feb. 28, citing Trumps executive order and Gov. Greg Abbotts subsequent call for compliance, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents passed its resolution banning drag performances from its 11 university campuses.

The resolutions passage spurred a lawsuit from LGBTQ student groups, called the Queer Empowerment Council. That lawsuit was pending Friday.

OHares letter, in part, echoed the A&Ms systems resolution, which states drag shows are likely to create or contribute to a hostile environment for women.
They call it click bait.

Its when you come across something online that sounds amazing, so you click on it to learn more.







Click bait is something that turns out to be nothing as good as it sounded. Bait-and-switch. You think youre get something that youre not.

But in this case, what I thought was click bait turned out to be a good catch. Actually, a great catch.

Pencils.

I love pencils. Love is a light word. If I wrote out the word love in regard to my affinity for pencils, Id write it by pressing hard on the paper, write it again, and then underline it.

In pencil, of course.

There are three things I always have in my work areas: a typewriter, yellow legal pads and pencils. Really good pencils.

Composing on a typewriter isnt something I regularly do, but having one around is important. A manual typewriter doesnt need electricity. If the grid fails, a manual typewriter does not.

Same is true for paper and pencils.

It used to be that just about any pencil you bought was good. Not true anymore.

A lot of the pencils you find now are cheaply made. The wood isnt good. Often, it isnt even wood. Its some composite substance. And the lead isnt good graphite.

Good pencils are made of cedar wood. Specifically, a type of California cedar.

Back to the click bait.

In a feed on social media, an article came up from the Wall Street Journal discussing a $30 pencil.

Thats right. One pencil for $30. Its called a Blackwing.

My curiosity was piqued.

When I was growing up in Ashdown, Arkansas, all kids used pencils. Big, fat pencils. They were called Husky.

Why they put big pencils in little hands, I never understood. But they worked and were the instrument that I first used to write my name, write the alphabet and tell my momma I loved her.

I loved going to the pencil sharpener and smelling the cedar as I ground my pencil to a point. And the feel of the lead was like writing with butter.

Thats how you know if the lead is good. It feels like butter. But its not butter. Nor is it lead.

Pencils have never had lead in them. Its graphite. I guess saying, Look at this. Sonja Yates broke off pencil graphite in my arm, doesnt sound as good as, Hey, look. Sonya Yates broke off pencil lead in my arm.

Knowing a good pencil came early for me. So when I saw an article in a respectable newspaper that touted a revived brand of pencil, I had to click on it. And I was glad that I did.

The Blackwing Palomino pencil had been a favorite of writer John Steinbeck, composer John Williams, Looney Toons animator Chuck Jones and Walt Disney.

One of Disneys animators even requested to be buried with a Blackwing. And he was.

In 1998, sales for the Blackwing had diminished, one of the machines that made them couldnt be fixed and the company that made them just stopped. This caused demand for the remaining Blackwings to skyrocket.

In 2010, a company called Heritage brought them back by buying the brand and making them again. Quality cedar and Japanese waxed interiors are used. Theyre fantastic.

Yes, I ordered one. Actually, I ordered a box of them. It wasnt $30 per pencil, but they werent cheap. I got a small box for $35.

And they write like butter.

Theyre strategically located around the house and at the office. Theres one by my chair in the living room for crossword puzzles. One by the bed near a writing pad for ideas. And of course one near the typewriter so that I can make notes before and after writing a newspaper column.

I love Blackwing pencils a lot, but I dont plan to be buried with them. But if my wife sees what I paid for them, I might be.
By Lili Bayer

BRUSSELS/PRAGUE (Reuters) -EU powers said on Monday they would try to save Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - the U.S.-funded news outlet set up to reach people under communism during the Cold War - but warned they might struggle to replace funding cut by Donald Trump.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky urged EU ministers at a meeting in Brussels to consider ways to allow the Prague-based service to continue to provide news coverage in countries where free media is banned or in its infancy.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Radio Free Europe "a beacon of democracy" and said it was sad that the U.S. had decided to cut its funding. She said ministers had agreed to look at what the EU could do to help but it would not be easy.

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"Can we come in with our funding to ... fill the void that U.S. is leaving? The answer to that question is ... not automatically, because we have a lot of organisations who are coming with the same request to us," she told reporters.

"But there was really a push from the foreign ministers to discuss this and find the way, so this is the tasking to our side, to see what can we do."

Touted by U.S. President Trump as a move to cut back on federal bureaucracy, the U.S. Agency for Global Media over the weekend terminated grants to RFE/RL, which broadcasts to Iran, Russia, Belarus and war-torn Ukraine among other countries.

RFE/RL journalists kept working on Monday with stories appearing on its website.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in a statement over the weekend that the cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys grant agreement "would be a massive gift to America's enemies".

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Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Monday "we will look at what can be done" to assist both Radio Free Europe and Voice of America, where more than 1,300 employees were placed on leave on Saturday.

Trump also signed an executive order on Friday aimed at gutting the parent of U.S. government-funded media outlet Voice of America and six other federal agencies, shortly after his government cancelled more than 80% of all the programmes at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Trump ally Elon Musk called for RFE/RL to be shut down in a post on X last month, saying "it's just radical left crazy people talking to themselves".

(Reporting by Lili Bayer, Andrew Gray and Geert De Clercq, writing by Krisztina Than and Jason Hovet, editing by Andrew Gray, Timothy Heritage, Ed Osmond and Andrew Heavens)
HA NOI  The special consumption tax should be lifted for petrol and air conditioners since they are not luxury products, according to some National Assembly (NA) deputies.

Regarding the revision of the draft amended Law on Special Consumption Tax, Le Thi Nga, Permanent Deputy Chair of the NAs Committee for Judicial Affairs, said that the tax is intended for luxury goods and items discouraged for consumption. However, in Viet Nam, petrol is an essential commodity.

"Imposing a special consumption tax on an essential product of the people is not in line with the taxs purpose," she said.

Commenting on the draft, Nga pointed out that it doesnt provide any explanation that can justify the need to continue imposing special consumption tax on petrol.

The drafting agency needs to review this point, otherwise the tax should be abolished for this product, she said.

Nga held the same opinion for air conditioners. They were considered luxury items 10 years ago, but now they are not, she said.

"We propose abolishing the special consumption tax for petrol and air conditioners with normal capacity, Nga said. If the tax is not abolished, then there needs to be a clear explanation as to why such essential goods are included in the list of items subject to this tax."

Hoang Thanh Tung, chair of the NAs Committee on Legal Affairs, had the same opinion.

Petrol is an essential product and a key product of the economy that is used by everyone. So it is not truly a luxury product to be taxed with a special consumption tax, especially when it is already subject to an environmental protection tax, he said.

The imposition of the tax on air conditioners should also be reconsidered, he added, which was an issue that had been discussed over and over at the eighth meeting of the NA last year.

In response to the NA deputies opinions, Deputy Minister of Finance Cao Anh Tuan explained the Governments viewpoint to continue imposing the special consumption tax on both items.

In recent years, the demand for refrigeration equipment and air conditioners in Viet Nam has increased significantly, according to Tuan.

While some air conditioners have adopted technology to reduce the use of refrigerants that are harmful to the environment, they still use substances that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming.

On June 11 last year, the Prime Minister issued Decision 496 to approve a national plan to manage and eliminate ozone-depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are synthetic chemicals used in cooling and refrigeration, the official added.

Globally, countries like South Korea, India and Norway do impose special consumption taxes on HFCs in air conditioners.

Europe has limited the use of air conditioners to conserve energy. Spain bans air conditioners from being set below 27 degrees Celsius, the UK requires permits for air conditioner installation and energy efficiency checks and Switzerland has a complicated permitting process for the item, Tuan said.

"It is necessary to continue imposing the special consumption tax on air conditioners with capacities of up to 90,000 BTU to raise awareness on environmental protection and reduce electricity consumption," he said.

As for petrol, Tuan proposed that the tax continue to be imposed, but at a lower rate on biofuels, similar to what has been done in several countries.

Popular biofuels in Viet Nam are E5 and E10, which are typically a mixture of RON92 petrol (95-90 per cent) and biofuels (5-10 per cent).

Viet Nam has been taxing petrol since 1995, and the tax has remained stable for over 20 years, according to Tuan.

"The current law imposes an 8 per cent tax on E5 and a 7 per cent tax on E10, which is lower than the tax on regular petrol and encourages the use of environmentally friendly biofuels, he said.

Since we have been collecting this tax steadily, there shouldnt be a reason to abolish it.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams insurance industry is experiencing a wave of strategic capital expansion, reinforcing investor confidence and driving renewed interest in insurance stocks.

Major players are actively raising funds to strengthen their financial foundations, signalling a shift towards long-term growth and market resilience.

Notably, Post and Telecommunication Insurance Corporation (PTI) has successfully issued 40.2 million shares, increasing its charter capital to over VN1.2 trillion (US$47 million).

This move strengthens PTIs ability to expand its business operations, improve risk management capacity and enhance financial security for policyholders.

Likewise, Military Insurance Company (MIC) has embarked on a public offering, aiming to raise additional capital in the first months of 2025.

On December 10, 2024, MIC finalised the shareholder list for its 2024 public offering, issuing 25.9 million MIG shares at VN10,000 per share.

The offering ratio is 15 per cent, meaning that shareholders can buy 15 new shares for every 100 held.

Additionally, MIC plans to issue 2.86 million shares to employees, with payment from February 20 to March 5, 2025.

With 25.9 million shares already issued, completing the employee share plan would raise MICs charter capital from nearly VN1.73 trillion to over VN2 trillion.

Another significant capital expansion comes from OPES Insurance, which has received approval to increase its capital from VN1.26 trillion to VN1.9 trillion.

The injection of new funds is expected to enable OPES to expand its digital insurance services, leveraging technology to attract younger and tech-savvy policyholders.

With PVI Insurance, in 2024, the company successfully raised its capital twice within a span of five months, increasing its charter capital to VN3.9 trillion.

These continuous capital increases are a crucial foundation for PVI Insurance, allowing it to strengthen its financial capacity and enhance its competitiveness in the market.

In 2024, three non-life insurance companies received in-principle approval from the Ministry of Finance to increase their capital.

Meanwhile, nine non-life insurance companies applied for an increase in their charter capital and were granted licences for adjustments by the Ministry, resulting in a total approved capital increase of over VN3.96 trillion.

Significant changes

Recently, a notable development has been the decision of Aviation Insurance (VNI) to rebrand as DBV Insurance.

Backed by DBI Insurance Group, which holds a 75 per cent stake and is one of the top two insurance groups in South Korea, DBV aims to leverage its advantages to drive business growth.

DBV and its strategic shareholder, DBI, are expected to unveil breakthrough business development strategies at the upcoming shareholders meeting.

It is anticipated that DBV will present a plan to increase its charter capital, especially in light of its rebranding strategy and nationwide expansion, including the transition of some units from Sai Gon - Ha Noi Insurance, which is also 75 per cent owned by DBI.

Not only with DBV or BSH, but DBI is also a significant player in PTI, holding a 37 per cent stake.

This unprecedented situation in the Vietnamese insurance market involves a foreign company holding large shares in three domestic insurance firms, all of which rank among the top ten in non-life insurance by premium revenue.

Consequently, every move within this group attracts market attention, particularly regarding whether DBI intends to divest from PTI, given its significant influence as a major shareholder.

In another development, AXA Group, a French multinational insurance corporation, recently met with the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC), both being major shareholders in Bao Minh Insurance.

AXA representatives shared their global growth strategies, including plans for expanding in Southeast Asia, particularly in Viet Nam.

SCIC and AXA reached a consensus on development directions for Bao Minh, focusing on enhancing financial resources, upgrading IT systems and boosting training and capacity for the staff.

By the end of 2024, Bao Minh's shareholder structure included three major shareholders: SCIC with 50.7 per cent, AXA with 16.65 per cent and Firstland with 5.65 per cent.

On February 28, Bao Minh received notice from Firstland about its reduction in stake to 4.9 per cent, no longer qualifying as a major shareholder.

Bao Minh made a significant advancement by becoming the first insurance company in Viet Nam to offer film and event insurance products.

It has partnered with Circles Group to develop specialised insurance products in this sector.

The collaboration with Bao Minh to introduce film and event insurance to Viet Nam is a crucial step in their regional expansion strategy, according to APAC Development Director of Circles Group, Kenneth Tan,.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam does not need to choose between a specialised or a comprehensive regional financial centre but can instead adopt a flexible approach to seize opportunities, said Dr. Ho Quoc Tuan, Senior Lecturer in Finance and Accounting at the UKs University of Bristol.

Talking with the Vietnam News Agency's reporter based in London ahead of Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binhs visit to the UK from March 16-20, Tuan explained that financial centres traditionally split two paths: specialisation or diversification.

A specialised approach could position Viet Nam as an ASEAN niche player, like Tel Aviv or Mumbai, focusing on select services, or as a global player akin to Dubai, Hong Kong, or Luxembourg. Alternatively, a diversified model could see Viet Nam begin locally, like Lisbon or Atlanta, then grow to rival Bangkok or even London and New York.

Even if Viet Nam aims to develop into a comprehensive financial centre, it can adopt Dubais specialised model to accelerate fintech services, particularly in AI/Machine Learning and digital assets, areas where Vietnam excels in training and application.

He cautioned, however, that HCM City and a Nang should avoid "stepping on each other's toes" in choosing areas of specialised development, adding that one could lead on fintech and the other on AI.

Tuan also highlighted the importance of human capital, one of the five important factors to successfully build a financial centre, citing the Global Financial Centres Index, which ranks business environment, human capital, infrastructure, market development and reputation as the key drivers of success.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has recently issued a circular providing guidance on the management and use of the State budget to implement a programme to support private enterprises in sustainable business operations.

According to Circular No. 09/TT-BTC, the State budget will be used to support the sustainable business ecosystem, including developing materials and assessment tools for sustainable business models, producing media publications (newspapers, posters, banners, slogans and electronic boards) and broadcasting related television programmes.

Funding will also be allocated for organising conferences, seminars and online or in-person discussions to share information and experiences and promote these models.

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are supported by facilitating connections with financial institutions, investors and domestic and international experts.

Training and capacity-building programmes for government officials and public servants engaged in sustainable business support will also be implemented. As part of this initiative, a network of consulting experts to assist SMEs will be established.

In terms of direct support for SMEs, the State budget will be allocated in accordance with the provisions outlined in Programme 167 and Government Decree No. 80/2021/N-CP.

Organisations and agencies responsible for SME support will clearly define the scope and target beneficiaries of assistance, ensuring compliance with regulations. The specific level of support will be determined based on the highest limits prescribed in Decree No. 80/2021/N-CP.

The Ministry of Finance also emphasised that all procedures must strictly adhere to regulations on state budget management, ensuring transparency, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and avoiding duplication with other programmes.

Support activities must be maximally integrated into relevant targeted programmes, ensuring alignment with the intended beneficiaries, expenditure categories and spending limits as stipulated.

This circular is expected to serve as a catalyst for promoting sustainable development within the private sector, particularly as the economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  Nine industry associations have pointed out some shortcomings in the regulations on the conformity announcement and made recommendations to the Party General Secretary.

The associations include the Viet Nam Animal Husbandry Association, Veterinary Association, Animal Feed Association, Poultry Association, Large Cattle Breeding Association, Veterinary Pharmaceutical Association, Fertilizer Association, Dairy Association, and Food Safety Science and Technology Association.

According to their letter to General Secretary To Lam, the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations and the Law on Product Quality have played a role in controlling product and goods quality and safety over nearly two decades of implementation.

However, because of advancements in production capabilities and product development, many provisions in these two laws have become outdated. This has led to unnecessary production costs and missed opportunities for Vietnamese goods to compete in international markets.

The key shortcomings lie in their approach to quality and safety management, which still leans heavily on pre-inspection, imposing excessive administrative procedures and business conditions.

They place excessive emphasis on the role of the state while failing to promote the autonomy, creativity and accountability of manufacturers, businesses and industry associations in complying with legal regulations and ensuring product quality for consumers.

They are also inconsistent with current scientific and technological advancements as well as international best practices, which focus on systematic quality management and risk control.

The business community and industry associations have proposed merging the two laws into a single, comprehensive law. These laws contain numerous overlapping and redundant provisions.

The associations also urge the removal of the requirement for conformity announcement. They argue that this requirement is the root cause of numerous difficulties and negative impacts on individuals and businesses.

It adds unnecessary administrative procedures, business conditions, production costs and delays in getting goods into production and circulation.

The regulation also increases inspection costs and customs clearance time for imported goods.

The associations have submitted recommendations to the General Secretary about the regulations on export products. They propose that the state should not impose specific requirements but instead allow compliance with the regulations of the importer's country to facilitate exports.  BIZHUB.VN/VNS
HA NOI  The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Swiss government have launched the second phase of their supply chain finance (SCF) programme in Viet Nam, aiming to improve access to working capital for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Backed by a five million Swiss Francs (US$5.6 million) grant from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the initiative will run until 2029, helping over 500,000 SMEs access up to $35 billion in financing.

With nearly half of Viet Nams economy and jobs linked to exports, local businesses often struggle with cash flow due to long payment cycles. According to a recent World Bank survey, fewer than 20 per cent of local firms were connected to global value chains in 2023.

SCF solutions can ease these constraints by converting sales receivables into cash, enabling SMEs to take on larger orders and expand their operations.

We estimate that the first phase of the program has unlocked over $30 billion in capital for around half a Vietnamese SMEs, said Thomas Gass, Swiss Ambassador to Viet Nam.

By providing financial support to these businesses, the program not only helped SMEs to thrive but also contributed to the growth of the broader economy, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable marketplace.

Since its launch in 2018, the IFC-SECO SCF programme has helped improve regulations, enhance institutional readiness and stimulate market demand and awareness. Over the past five years, it facilitated $33 billion in financing for 500,000 SMEs. In this next phase, the focus will be on strengthening regulations, improving lender capacity and increasing awareness of SCF solutions among businesses.

Deputy Governor Nguyen Ngoc Canh said that the State Bank of Viet Nam, in collaboration with IFC and SECO, will continue reviewing and adjusting regulations to foster a more favourable environment for SCF, including refining rules for e-financing platform lending and encouraging financial institutions to diversify their offerings to improve credit access for SMEs.

"IFC is very happy and proud to be working with SECO and our bank partners to really help stimulate the market for supply chain finance, which is going to be a critical part of the financial ecosystem for SMEs. We really want to be a positive force for supply chain finance and better trade finance for Vietnam as a whole," said Thomas Jacobs, IFC Country Manager for Viet Nam, Cambodia and Lao PDR.  VNS
HA NOI  The delegation of licensing authority to localities along with newly planned and expanded industrial zones is driving the growth of the industrial real estate segment, providing a major boost for investors.

According to the approved planning schemes of 63 localities, by 2030, Viet Nam will have 221 newly planned industrial zones, while 76 existing zones will be expanded and 22 have their planning adjusted.

The acceleration of legal obstacles removal in recent industrial real estate projects is creating growth opportunities for many businesses participating in this segment. Notably, this is also one of the key factors contributing to attracting investment and boosting growth for real estate in 2025.

In November 2024, the National Assembly adopted the Law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Planning, the Law on Investment, the Law on Investment under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and the Law on Bidding.

Notably, the amended Law on Investment requires the delegation of investment certification for industrial zones to the provincial People's Committees, instead of the Prime Minister. This decentralisation of industrial land management will accelerate the establishment of new industrial zones.

According to experts, the licensing procedures for the establishment of new industrial zones will be sped up this year.

For example, in January, the Kinh Bac Urban Development Corporation (KBC) made significant legal progress in key projects, such as receiving approval for the investment policy of the 687-ha Trang Due 3 Industrial Park, the 585-ha Trang Cat Urban Area, and Phase 1 of the Kim Thanh 2 Industrial Park covering 235ha. As a result, the company's total industrial land fund has increased to 6,402ha, accounting for 5.1 per cent of the national industrial land area.

Nguyen Van inh, Chairman of the Viet Nam Association of Real Estate Brokers, stated that industrial real estate remains a "star" of the market, and is predicted to continue "carrying" the overall market's recovery at the top tier.

Notably, not only large, well-known developers such as Kinh Bac (KBC), Viglacera (VGC), Becamex (BCM), Idico (IDC) and others who dominate the industrial real estate market, but many other companies are also being drawn into the "race" by the segment's appeal.

Recently, Saigon Thuong Tin Real Estate Joint Stock Company (TTC Land) has announced its upcoming strategy to expand into the industrial and logistics real estate sectors in the southern market. Meanwhile, DIC Holdings, a member of DIC Corp, has also partnered with Van Thuong Industrial Park Infrastructure Development Co., Ltd. to be prioritised as the general contractor for the 400-ha infrastructure project in Phu My township in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.

Thomas Rooney, senior expert at Savills Ha Noi, assessed that although the potential is "huge", most industrial park projects in Viet Nam are currently being developed using the traditional model.

Converting a conventional industrial park into an environmentally friendly zone is necessary. However, this is not a simple task, as it involves high costs and requires time, as well as careful consideration from the Government regarding the legal framework and incentive policies. Additionally, credit support for investors is needed to help reduce the initial cost burden.

For industrial real estate to maintain its appeal and continue to grow strongly in the future, the expert stated that infrastructure and transport systems must continue to be developed and planned in a synchronised and efficient manner. At the same time, developers and investors need to pay attention to the general trends of the industry.

In 2025, experts forecast that the growth potential of this segment will stem from the trend of shifting FDI capital into Viet Nam, along with support from land rental prices and policies from the Government. BIZHUB/VNS
Following Peru's ratification, the UK has secured the sixth and final ratification needed to trigger its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

As the UK officially becomes the first non-founding economy to join the CPTPP, Viet Nam News reporter Thu Ngan spoke with British Consul General in HCM City Alexandra Smith about the UK's inclusion in the CPTPP and how this milestone will benefit the UK - Viet Nam bilateral trade relationship.

On December 15, CPTPP enterted into force for the UK. How does this significant milestone enhance the bilateral relationship between Viet Nam and the UK?

UK  Viet Nam trade has roughly doubled over the last decade, from 3 billion (US$3.8 billion) in 2014 to 6 billion ($7.7 billion) in 2024, largely underpinned by our bilateral UK  Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and will further expand with UKs accession to the CPTPP.

CPTPP is a gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific and Americas region, bringing new opportunities for British businesses in the region that will account for the majority of global growth and half of the worlds middle-class consumers in the decades to come.

In terms of further promoting the bilateral trade and investment that benefits both of our countries and enabling this relationship to reach its full potential, stability, predictability, and transparency continue to be the key for businesses and for attracting investment, as does enabling workers and investors to come to Viet Nam.

Foreign investors, including those from the UK, are also becoming increasingly sensitive to environmental and climate concerns, which is why Im pleased to see Viet Nam beginning to lead the way in the region in sustainability.

With CPTPP coming into force in December, opening up a new trade era for UK and Vietnamese businesses, our teams at the British Embassy in Ha Noi and British Consulate General in HCM City are always ready to provide support.

In addition to the UKVFTA, what other benefits will Vietnamese and UK enterprises gain from the CPTPP when the UK becomes a member of the agreement?

The UK is the 15th largest foreign investor in Viet Nam, with bilateral trade between the two countries doubling over the last 10 years, hitting 6 billion ($7.7 billion) by 2024. This was largely possible because of the UKVFTA, which came into force in 2021 and has accelerated the volume of trade, bringing more consumer choice to citizens in both countries.

For example, in 2023, UK food and drink exports to Viet Nam reached 126 million, an increase of 97 per cent since 2019, showing Viet Nams appetite for British whisky, frozen seafood, and confectionary.

In turn, Viet Nams agricultural products are now on the shelves in UK supermarkets. Besides the existing UKVFTA, this December, CPTPP will come into force between the UK, Viet Nam, and the majority of CPTPP members.

I am optimistic that CPTPP will help boost UK  Viet Nam trade. Working together, these agreements will make it even easier for UK and Viet Nam businesses to expand operations and increase exports in agriculture, healthcare, financial services, and e-commerce.

Businesses will not only benefit from reduced trade barriers but will also have a stable and predictable trading environment. This will enable firms to compete globally and partner together to trade across the Indo-Pacific, which includes some one the worlds most dynamic and fast-growing markets.

What advice do you think Vietnamese companies should heed to successfully capitalise on the opportunities presented by both the UKVFTA and the CPTPP?

The United Kingdom is the second-largest exporter of financial services in the world, with exports reaching 88.7 billion ($113 billion) in 2022. This achievement reflects the UK's position as a global hub for high-quality professional and financial services.

The country is home to world-leading firms across various sectors, including architecture and design, auditing, legal, consultancy, and many others. These industries are renowned for their expertise, innovation, and ability to deliver solutions tailored to diverse markets.

Viet Nam, on the other hand, is undergoing rapid and transformative development, particularly in its infrastructure sector. From urban planning and transportation systems to energy and telecommunications, demand for professional services is growing exponentially as the country advances its modernisation agenda.

This creates significant opportunities for collaboration, where the UK's expertise in delivering complex services can contribute to Viet Nam's ambitious projects.

Moreover, the UK's role extends beyond services delivery to include robust support in financing. UK Export Finance (UKEF), a globally recognised Export Credit Agency, offers government-backed financing to promote international trade with the UK.

For the Vietnamese market, UKEF has earmarked 5 billion ($6.4 billion) in available finance to support projects and ventures that involve UK goods, services, and expertise. This initiative underscores the UK's commitment to fostering strong economic ties with Viet Nam while enabling businesses to overcome financial barriers to growth.

As Vietnamese businesses embark on new phases of development, I strongly encourage them to explore the UK's comprehensive offer of expertise and financing solutions. The UKs track record in delivering high-quality services, coupled with UKEF's substantial financial support, can make a pivotal difference in ensuring the success and sustainability of projects in Viet Nam.

At the same time, I remain committed to promoting the vast opportunities available in Viet Nam to businesses in the UK. By fostering collaboration and building strong partnerships, we can unlock mutual benefits and drive economic growth in both nations. This is a dynamic and promising time for UK-Viet Nam relations, and I am confident that by working together, we can achieve remarkable outcomes.

Could you please share specific plans that the UK will implement in Viet Nam after becoming a member of the CPTPP?

The UK in Viet Nam network always stands ready to promote to British businesses Viet Nams appetite to trade with the world, with Viet Nams skilled workforce, manufacturing capability and growing domestic market.

This December, we have held a CPTPP Business Reception in Ha Noi. This event marked an important milestone - the official entry into force of the CPTPP commitments for UK trade in Viet Nam on December 15. This agreement will open up new opportunities for co-operation between the UK and countries in the Pacific region, including Viet Nam, in areas such as sustainable growth, innovation and economic development.

We will partner with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant Vietnamese authorities to organise a series of deep-dive training workshops for both UK and Vietnamese businesses to better understand CPTPP and maximise its opportunities in February 2025.

Looking ahead, the UK is planning multiple events to bring our business communities together. At the end of March 2025, the UKs Southeast Asia Tech Week will launch in HCM City, where the UK Government will bring a delegation of exceptional technology companies to engage with Vietnamese partners, seeking to build and create more opportunities for trade between the rapidly growing digital and technology sectors in UK and Viet Nam.

London Tech Week will take place in June 2025 and this is a great opportunity for Vietnamese tech and fintech companies to engage with UK businesses. 2025 will also mark the 15-year anniversary of the UK - Viet Nam Strategic Partnership.

In the upcoming four years, I look forward to further deepening relations between our two countries for a better future for people in both our countries. Recently, we often talk about Viet Nam's ambition and aspiration to become a developed country by 2045 and in some speeches by Party General Secretary To Lam at home and abroad, he mentioned the message "Viet Nam is facing a new historical moment, a new era - the era of national growth".

I and our growing team at the British Embassy in Ha Noi and the British Consulate General in HCM City, look forward to further deepening relations between our two countries, especially in education with a vision towards our mutual growth and sustainability.  VNS
By Nguyen Hang

HA NOI  Ha Noi, the capital of Viet Nam, recently ranked 7th among 121 global capitals surveyed for average annual PM2.5 concentrations in 2024, is urgently looking for solutions to address the increasingly severe air pollution plaguing the capital.

Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of the capital People's Committee, said Ha Noi is a special urban area, playing a central role in the nations economy, culture, science and national security.

It is also one of the countrys largest cities in terms of both area and population.

Along with rapid urbanisation, particularly in the inner city, Ha Noi has experienced a significant rise in mechanical population growth.

Moreover, as the heart of the Hong (Red) River Delta region, it is home to the nations fastest-growing economic zone.

Given the unique context, Ha Noi continually faces numerous environmental challenges, including air pollution, waste management overloads and wastewater treatment issues.

As such, environmental protection in the capital has always been a priority, with the Government and city leaders placing it at the forefront of the agenda, he said.

The commitment is evident in various key Government and city documents, which have been actively implemented in recent years.

Most recently, three important documents were adopted: the revised Capital Law of 2024 and two newly approved master plans for Ha Noi.

The revised Capital Law specifically outlined several tasks to establish low-emission zones.

In the master plans, environmental concerns are prioritised as urgent tasks to be addressed from 2025 to 2030.

In line with these efforts, Ha Noi is implementing a series of measures to improve the urban environment.

The city is tackling air pollution by reducing the use of private vehicles, increasing investment in public transport, transitioning to green traffic systems, eliminating the use of coal stoves, enhancing street cleaning, and monitoring construction site sanitation.

The city is also addressing wastewater issues and cleaning the citys rivers, including urgent efforts to replenish water in the To Lich River, with a goal to complete the task by September, as instructed by Party General Secretary To Lam.

The capital is modernising waste collection services, with a pilot project to separate waste at source in five inner-city districts.

However, despite the efforts, the quality of the environment in Ha Noi has yet to meet expectations, particularly in terms of air quality, Thanh added.

Therefore, Ha Noi is seeking collaboration and support from experts, scientists, organisations, businesses and the local community to address the challenge.

Thanh made the call at a conference co-held last Friday by the capital Peoples Committee and the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology to seek solutions for pressing environment issues in the city.

Professor Chau Van Minh, President of the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, said that like many large cities around the world, Ha Noi faces significant environmental issues such as air pollution, water contamination, waste and solid waste management.

The issues not only affect the quality of life and public health but also threaten Ha Nois attractiveness for investment and its sustainable development.

"Thus, addressing Ha Nois environmental challenges must be a top priority, and effective solutions must be found quickly," he added.

Professor Minh further emphasised the growing importance of science and technology in managing and protecting the environment.

Globally, many cities have successfully applied technological solutions to improve environmental quality, such as automated air quality monitoring systems, advanced wastewater treatment technologies, circular economy models for waste management, and artificial intelligence (AI) in environmental monitoring and forecasting.

The academy has launched several research projects on air quality monitoring and simulation, offering early warnings and pollution control solutions.

The academy stands ready to assist Ha Noi in research, technology transfer and the application of scientific solutions to address the citys pressing environmental issues, he said.

Why are efforts falling short?

Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Viet Nam Clean Air Network, said that although Ha Noi has made considerable strides in combating air pollution, the results have not yet met expectations.

Why, despite all our efforts, are we still not seeing the desired results? he asked.

In his view, there are several reasons for this.

First, he believes that awareness of air pollution and the commitment to addressing it remains limited in certain localities, particularly in districts, communes and smaller urban areas.

The issue is often only raised at the city level, and while the Government frequently discusses environmental matters, the responsibility for tackling air pollution is often placed solely on the specialised environmental agency  the citys Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

This, according to Tung, is concerning.

Many authorities at the district and commune levels do not fully understand their responsibilities in fighting air pollution.

Secondly, Tung pointed out that there is a lack of comprehensive solutions.

We need to improve our approaches, he said.

Thirdly, he highlighted the importance of developing high-quality policies and plans aimed at reducing air pollution.

Industrial facilities in Ha Noi, he noted, do not yet have comprehensive emission inventories, which are crucial for evaluating sources of pollution.

Tung stressed that the city suffers from a shortage of environmental management expertise, particularly with regard to air quality.

Currently, there is no air quality management office within the department and there is insufficient collaboration with universities and research institutions that could provide valuable support about the issue, he added.

Lastly, he identified a lack of coordination between Ha Noi and neighbouring provinces, noting that air pollution is a regional issue that cannot be tackled in isolation.

We must solve this problem in a coordinated way, not as separate efforts, Tung said.

The timing is right

Tung also added: The opportunities to address air pollution in Ha Noi have now reached a critical point, with several factors converging recently.

First and foremost, there is the political will at the highest levels of both the Party and Government, as well as from the Ha Noi city authorities. Party General Secretary To Lam has repeatedly emphasised the need to decisively tackle Ha Nois air pollution.

Significant changes have been observed in recent months, such as the ban on 16-seat vehicles in the Old Quarter, which has already been implemented.

Secondly, the new Capital Law, with its unique provisions for Ha Noi, represents a major opportunity.

Additionally, the citys master plans have been approved, further reinforcing the path forward.

Thirdly, Ha Noi boasts a large and dedicated group of experts and scientists, which is another positive factor in the fight against air pollution.

Importantly, many businesses are now actively participating. A prime example is Vingroups successful deployment of green buses, a step towards a cleaner urban transport system.

There is a high level of public awareness and consensus among the residents of Ha Noi regarding the need to combat air pollution.

This provides a strong foundation for further action, he said.

Lastly, valuable lessons have been learnt from other capitals around the world, such as Beijing in China and Bangkok in Thailand.

In short, we have many opportunities and favourable conditions to address air pollution, he said.

Proposed solutions

Tung further emphasised that improving Ha Nois air quality should be a top priority in the citys socio-economic development policy over the coming years.

He recommended incorporating air quality targets into the citys five-year economic development plans.

There must be clear responsibilities for air quality at all levels of Government, from the city down to districts, communes and wards.

Each locality should have specific air pollution reduction targets, with designated accountability, clear timelines and measurable results, he added.

It needs specific data to inventory emissions and, from this, develop plans to reduce air pollution.

A dedicated office within the Department of Natural Resources and Environment is essential for managing air quality.

He also urged the city to leverage the expertise of scientists and researchers from Ha Nois universities.

As I know, the team of experts from Chinas Tsinghua University has been deeply involved in air quality management in Beijing, and this has yielded significant results, he added.

Furthermore, he suggested that penalties for air pollution violations should be progressively increased day by day, with fines growing larger the longer the issue is unresolved, thereby incentivising pollution sources to adjust their practices voluntarily.

Another key measure is to limit the number of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the city.

In Beijing, for example, a quota system restricts the number of new petrol and diesel cars and motorbikes each year, while encouraging a shift towards electric vehicles.

Lessons learned

Zbigniew Klimont, Head of Pollution Management Research Group at International Institution of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)s Energy, Climate and Environment Programme stressed the importance of recognising that pollution knows no boundaries - whether it concerns air, water, or soil.

He highlighted the critical need for collaboration between urban centres and neighbouring regions in addressing pollution.

The future of the blue sky every day in Ha Noi needs true collaboration of Ha Noi with neighbouring provinces and across many stakeholders, he said, adding I think recognition and the importance of the high political level of this issue and the way forward is absolutely essential, as has been also demonstrated in Beijing.

Klimont also noted that Beijings battle against air pollution has succeeded due to strong support from central and local governments. Substantial investments in time, resources, and politics have been made.

The city reformed its air quality laws and expanded its air quality monitoring network from just 35 stations in 2013 to over 1,000 stations today.

Between 2013 and 2017, PM2.5 concentrations in Beijing dropped by 35 per cent, while the greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw a 25 per cent reduction.

Key policies implemented in Beijing included reducing coal consumption, closing outdated, polluting factories and strictly enforcing emission limits.

The city also invested in green transport, phasing out old, high-emission vehicles.

Professor Kiwao Kadokami, from the Faculty of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Kitakyushu, Japan, also shared experiences in urban environmental management in Kitakyushu, a city that faced severe air pollution in the 1960s due to rapid economic development and the widespread use of coal.

The citys pollution control measures not only include treating emissions at the point of discharge but also focus on improving production processes by introducing cleaner technologies.

He said that the approach helps improve the environment and provide economic benefits through increased productivity.

The local administration also implemented effective responses in collaboration with businesses, including the signing of Pollution Prevention Agreements with companies to supplement existing legal regulations.

As a result, after 15 years, the citys skies had returned to their pre-pollution state.

He concluded that the cooperation between citizens, businesses, local authorities and scientists is key to solving environmental problems.  VNS
TEL AVIV  Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly uc Trung has recently had a talk live broadcast on Israel's FM 100 radio to introduce Viet Nam, its people and bilateral cooperative relations.

The ambassador briefed listeners on Viet Nam's socio-economic development achievements in recent years during the programme on March 14.

With its diverse natural landscapes, friendly and hospitable people, and rich culture and cuisine, Viet Nam is increasingly becoming a favourite travel destination for Israeli holidaymakers.

Highlighting key milestones in the bilateral relationship, particularly in the economic and trade sectors, Trung noted that the bilateral free trade agreement, which took effective in 2024, has helped reduce tariffs on hundreds of imported and exported items, pushing bilateral trade turnover to US$3 billion.

Additionally, there is tremendous potential for cooperation between the two countries in areas such as construction, agriculture, technology transfer, and especially in the spirit of creative startups, the ambassador said.

As a specific example, Trung brought to the studio to introduce Israeli listeners to avocados, which are cultivated in Viet Nam using Israeli varieties and care methods, achieving initially very good yields and economic efficiency.  VNA/VNS
The average area of Viet Nams cities and provinces is expected to increase as the country looks into merging several of its localities, following the request of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.

ang Huy ong, President of the Planning and Development Institute and former Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, spoke to Voice of Vietnam (VOV) about the impacts of this rearrangement in terms of traffic infrastructure development.

How can merging provincial and municipal administrative units benefit the development of traffic infrastructure?

In my opinion, [the mergers] will bring positive opportunities in several aspects.

In the past, when we planned for regional traffic connectivity improvements, local areas which benefited more from these investments would be more proactive than others. The funding came from the State budget, but these local authorities would make more efforts in land clearance. However, localities with fewer benefits from this infrastructure were less enthusiastic, leading to slow progress in land clearance.

For example, there was a stretch of road passing through Nam inh Province to reach Thai Binh Province, including a section linking Nam inh City to Tan e Bridge situated between the two localities.

This project took years to complete on the Nam inh side, while the construction in Thai Binh had been finished long ago. Nam inh made minimal efforts because it did not benefit much from this road section.

The upcoming mergers of provincial administrative units are expected to address this type of issue. The rearrangement will also allow for the adjustment of spatial planning and traffic connectivity for local socio-economic development.

I believe that this adjustment will bring better results in terms of investment, operations, budget costs and overall efficiency.

Regarding investment effectiveness, how will merging cities and provinces help reduce small-scale and scattered investment projects?

Reducing small-scale and scattered investments is an issue to be addressed at both the central and local levels. Projects using the state budget include national, regional, and interprovincial routes, but they have encountered problems with untimely and insufficient funding allocation.

Meanwhile, too many plans for regional and interprovincial roads would lead to a lack of funds. Therefore, the administrative rearrangement will allow focus on the main large routes connecting major provinces.

Regarding local routes using local budgets, investments have been scattered because every locality has limited investment funding, which forces them to make small, separate investments. This situation has led to unfinished and delayed projects, causing wasteful investments and slow realisation of project benefits.

The administrative replanning increases the scale of a province, coupled with priority funding from the state budget and better prioritisation of infrastructure projects, which will help accelerate investments and ensure the construction schedule. Combined with new approaches and mechanisms, I believe that small-scale, scattered investments will be greatly reduced.

What are the other advantages that the mergers of cities and provinces can bring?

The mergers will certainly reduce unhealthy local competition and increase the collective benefits. In particular, I see great opportunities for us to increase connectivity through inter-regional railways.

The benefits have not been very visible in smaller provinces. However, with larger areas [after municipal and provincial mergers], a railway network that improves linkages between localities, regions and across the country will have great impacts when demands increase.

A larger province can also facilitate mobilising investments for railway connectivity to boost public transport use, which is a very good thing.  VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary To Lam has called for a nationwide push toward 'lifelong learning,' emphasising its critical role amid a global scientific and technological revolution, according to a recent article penned by the leader.

Education experts say the piece not only sets a strategic direction but serves as a rallying cry for society to embrace continuous learning. For Viet Nam to thrive in the digital era, lifelong learning must evolve from a slogan into a cultural norm and an intrinsic need for every individual, they argue.

Tong Lien Anh, an education specialist and member of the international PIMA network, said the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), automation and rapid technological change, is reshaping job markets and societal structures.

"Lifelong learning is no longer optional - its a prerequisite for individuals, communities and nations to adapt and grow," she said.

The traditional model of learning once-for-a-lifetime career is obsolete, Anh added, urging people to continuously update their knowledge and skills to stay ahead of the curve.

Stable jobs in manufacturing, for instance, are being overtaken by robots that cut labour costs and boost productivity. In finance, AI systems now handle data analysis, sidelining junior analysts, while chatbots and virtual assistants have displaced thousands of call centre workers in customer service.

Even journalism faces disruption, with AI capable of producing news reports and financial summaries in seconds, reducing the demand for reporters.

This harsh reality underscores a stark choice: adapt through learning or risk obsolescence.

Yet, experts also see opportunity amid the challenge.

While technology eliminates some jobs, it also creates new industries requiring modern skills, fields that workers must prepare for even before they fully emerge.

"Lifelong learning doesnt just help individuals cope with change; it drives societal progress," Anh said.

She argued that a workforce equipped with knowledge, skills, and a readiness to innovate will position a nation strongly in the global economy.

"The tech revolution wont stop, but we can choose to move with it, and the only way to avoid being left behind is to keep learning and advancing," she said.

Despite its urgency, many Vietnamese still view lifelong learning as a policy-driven campaign rather than a personal imperative, as Anh noted. Overcoming this inertia requires synchronised efforts, from supportive policies and mechanisms to a shift in individual mindsets.

The key to this transformation is creating an accessible learning environment. Technology has already enabled flexible education models, such as online courses, open educational resources and short-term training programmes that allow continuous skill updates.

A credit accumulation system could further empower learners to tailor their education to their needs and circumstances.

Government and corporate support are equally vital. Some countries offer personal learning accounts to fund skill development, while progressive companies retrain employees to meet technological demands rather than replace them.

In Viet Nam, similar policies could spur proactive learning and enhance workforce competitiveness.

Beyond infrastructure, education must extend beyond classrooms into workplaces, communities, and practical experiences, via libraries, museums, cultural centres or real-world challenges.

"When people see tangible benefits, like a better job from an online course, or higher income from a new skill, theyll embrace learning willingly," she said.

The Deputy Chair of the National Assemblys Culture and Social Affairs Committee, Nguyen Thi Mai Hoa, praised General Secretary Lams article for sparking widespread debate on the issue.

She echoed his view that lifelong learning, a concept rooted in Party documents and President Ho Chi Minh's teachings, has gained fresh urgency in todays rapidly changing world.

"Its the key to unlocking a new era," she said, stressing that a knowledge-based economy demands a highly skilled workforce capable of constant adaptation.

The chairwoman advocated for an 'open education ecosystem' that is flexible in access, resources, methods, timing, and technology to ensure that all citizens can learn.

Formal schooling, she noted, lays the foundation by fostering self-learning skills, but lifelong education hinges on modern facilities, passionate teachers and community-based models like 'lifelong learning citizens' and 'lifelong learning communities.'

"Learning is tough. Building a habit of lifelong learning is tougher still. It takes determination, persistence, and adaptability," she said, urging stronger public awareness campaigns to highlight learning as both a right and a duty.

The Ministry of Education and Training is drafting a Lifelong Learning Law to codify these principles, defining citizens rights and responsibilities. Hoa called for workplace incentives, such as tying promotions to skill development, to break the 'resistance' to learning and foster a culture of self-improvement.

"To stay ahead, we must learn relentlessly," she said. "Knowledge from school is finite and fades while what we gain from practise, books, and people is boundless and enduring," Hoa said.  VNS
LAO CAI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and relevant units to expedite the implementation of the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project within six months, ensuring its completion before August 31.

The project must achieve six key improvements: faster progress, better quality, lower costs, enhanced safety and efficiency, improved social welfare and better environmental protection.

He made the request while attending the groundbreaking ceremony and launching the construction emulation movement for the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project in Vinh Phuc Province on Sunday.

The 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project is a national key project approved by the Prime Minister for investment, with EVN as the investor and Power Project Management Board 1 as the representative of the investor.

This double-circuit 500kV transmission line spans a total length of 229.5 km, with 468 transmission tower foundation positions. The project passes through four provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc.

The total investment for the project exceeds VN7.41 trillion (US$290.4 million).

At the event, leaders of EVN, Power Project Management Board 1, design consulting firms, supervision consultants and construction contractors pledged to strive for on-time completion.

Once operational, the 500kV transmission line will have a transmission capacity of approximately 3,000 MW from hydropower plants in the northwest region and neighbouring provinces to the national grid. It will enhance electricity imports, strengthen interconnections, improve the safety and stability of the national power system, reduce transmission losses and boost EVN's business efficiency.

Speaking at the ceremony, PM Chinh praised the efforts of local authorities and the people of the four provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc for their cooperation in land clearance and site handover for construction.

The Prime Minister emphasised that 2025 marks the final year of the 13th Party Central Committees term, and Viet Nams economy needs a substantial breakthrough to achieve its socio-economic development goals for the 2021-2025 period.

The Government is focused on directing and managing economic growth, aiming for at least an 8 per cent GDP growth rate in 2025, to lay a solid foundation for double-digit growth in the following years. While this is a challenging task, it is necessary to achieve the goal of making Viet Nam a high-income developed country by 2045.

Stressing that economic growth cannot be achieved without sufficient energy supply, with electricity demand growing at roughly 1.5 times the economic growth rate, PM Chinh urged the removal of unnecessary administrative procedures.

He pointed out that the groundbreaking of the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project is only the beginning. Much work remains to be done to complete and put the project into operation.

He instructed the authorities of the four provinces involved, EVN and relevant ministries to mobilise the collective efforts of the entire political system, organisations and local communities.

The provincial party secretaries were tasked with directly overseeing land clearance, including tower foundation positions, route corridors and temporary construction sites, ensuring handovers to the contractors by this March.

He particularly emphasised the need for adequate land allocation for resettlement, ensuring the swift relocation and resettlement of affected households and guaranteeing that those who give up their land for the project will have better living conditions and livelihoods than before.

During the project's implementation, PM Chinh stressed that the investor, contractors and related units must strictly adhere to the Partys policies, government directives and his instructions. Regular inspections and timely solutions to construction challenges were necessary.

He urged ministries, agencies and local areas to actively coordinate and support the investor in promptly resolving any difficulties that arise. Consulting, construction and equipment supply contractors must strictly comply with contractual commitments and legal regulations to ensure that the project is completed on schedule and is of high quality.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment were tasked with supporting and guiding forest owners and relevant units in clearing trees at tower foundation sites and along construction routes to facilitate timely site handover. - VNS
HA NOI  State President Luong Cuong hosted separate receptions in Ha Noi on Monday for the Ambassadors of Greece, Colombia, Panama, along with six other non-resident ambassadors who came to present their credentials to begin their duties in Viet Nam.

Welcoming Greek Ambassador Antonios Papakostas, President Cuong expressed his belief that the diplomat will act as a bridge contributing positively to further strengthening the traditional friendship between the two countries.

He thanked Greece for being one of the earliest partners to ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and expressed his delight at the positive development in bilateral trade cooperations.

However, President Cuong noted that the investment cooperation remains modest compared to the potential for growth in the economic, trade and investment sectors.

The President requested the ambassador, during his tenure, to work closely with Vietnamese partners to promote measures that further enhance bilateral cooperation, including efforts to sign several cooperation agreements in areas of mutual interest to create a legal framework for businesses from both countries to expand their bilateral collaboration.

Showing his hope that both sides will continue to effectively use the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), President Cuong urged Greece to prompt other EU countries to soon ratify the EVIPA, support the European Commission in lifting its 'yellow card' warning against Vietnamese seafood to ensure livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of fishermen and meet the interests of European consumers.

The State leader commended the active cooperation between the two countries and their consistent mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations. He expressed his desire for continued close collaboration at the United Nations, and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and in promoting ASEAN-EU relations in the coming time.

For his part, Ambassador Papakostas vowed to contribute to further promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Congratulating Camila Maria Polo Flores on her appointment as the Colombian Ambassador to Viet Nam, President Cuong expressed his confidence that the diplomat will make significant contributions to further enhancing the friendship and collaboration between Viet Nam and Colombia in a more substantive and effective direction for the benefit of each country.

The State leader showed his desire for both sides to maintain existing cooperation mechanisms and continue actively supporting each other at multilateral forums, especially the UN.

He also appreciated Colombia's successful chairmanship of the 2024 Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit, and emphasised the importance of its close cooperation with Vietnam in successfully hosting P4G 2025 next month.

Ambassador Flores shared that her mission during this term is to further promote bilateral relations, especially by coordinating with relevant Vietnamese agencies to organise celebrations of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Confirming that Viet Nam is a model of development and economic growth in recent years, which Colombia can learn from, the diplomat stated that Colombia, as a developing country like Viet Nam, is ready to cooperate with the Southeast Asian nation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy, as well as support it at multilateral and international forums.

Regarding the direction of future cooperation, President Cuong suggested the ambassador, during her tenure in Viet Nam, work closely with local agencies and localities to further strengthen the multifaceted relations between the two countries, particularly in politics-diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

The State, ministries and sectors of Viet Nam will closely coordinate with and create all favourable conditions for the ambassador to successfully complete her term of service in the country, he pledged.

Welcoming Ambassador of Panama Nubiela Ayala Modes, the State leader underscored the traditional friendship and solidarity between the two countries, demonstrated through the Panamanian peoples support for Viet Nam's struggle for national liberation in the past and the process of national construction and development at present.

President Cuong affirmed that Viet Nam highly evaluates Panamas role and position in Central and Latin America, expressing his desire to strengthen the sound traditional friendship, enhance political trust, and improve the efficiency of cooperation, particularly in economy, trade, investment, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, for the benefit of both and contributing to peace, stability, and development in both regions and the whole world.

He suggested the Ambassador work closely with the Vietnamese side to further enhance the relations and multi-faceted cooperation, especially in politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, and investment. He also encouraged coordination in organising activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

The President stressed that Viet Nam and Panama should continue strengthening cooperation and coordination while supporting each other at multilateral forums and in international organisations, for the interests of their people as well as for peace, stability, and development in the regions and the world.

He expressed his hope that the diplomat will serve as a bridge to consolidate and develop the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, affirming the Vietnamese State, ministries and sectors will create favourable conditions for the Ambassador to successfully complete her tenure in Viet Nam.

President Cuong also took the occasion to convey an invitation to Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino and his spouse to visit Viet Nam.

The Panamanian diplomat, for her part, expressed her honour to be appointed as the head of Panama's diplomatic mission in Viet Nam. She conveyed her deep impression with Viet Nam's long-standing culture and her special affection for the country and its people, where she had previously lived and worked.

The Ambassador affirmed that she will spare no effort to promote the traditional friendship and effective cooperation between the two countries, particularly in politics, economy, trade, and investment. She also hoped that both sides will expand their cooperation areas to align with each countrys potential and strengths.

Also on March 17, President Cuong received credentials from the non-resident ambassadors of Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Portugal, and Tanzania, affirming that this event marked a new milestone in the development of relations between Viet Nam and these countries.

Highlighting Viet Nam's major celebrations in 2025, including 80th founding anniversary of the nation and 50th anniversary of national reunification, President Cuong said that Viet Nam is entering a new era  the era of the nations rise with development and prosperity for the people.

Viet Nam is determined to realise its development objectives by 2030 when it marks the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and become a developed country with high income by 2045 when it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the nations founding.

Viet Nam always highly values and cherishes peace and stability, and always bears in mind the assistance of international friends during the past struggle for national liberation and the current process of national construction and defence, he said, emphasising Viet Nam has consistently pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and is always a reliable friend, partner, and active and responsible member of the international community.

Sharing the goal of elevating bilateral relations to new heights, he expressed his hope that the ambassadors will work with Viet Nam to further explore cooperation potential, increase delegation exchanges, especially at high levels, share development experiences, bolster economic, trade, and investment cooperation, particularly in complementary fields, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.

Amid complicated developments in the world, the President said he is confident that the countries will partner with Viet Nam at multilateral forums to address global issues, build a peaceful world with a fair political and economic order based on the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law.  VNS
HA NOI  The livestock industry is facing growing pressure to reduce emissions and transition towards more sustainable production methods.

This is not just an environmental issue but also one that affects public health and the economy and is necessary for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector.

The industry is one of the largest sources of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The production process generates three main greenhouse gases: methane (CH), nitrous oxide (NO), and carbon dioxide (CO), of which methane is particularly significant because it has a heat-trapping potential 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

Dr Nguyen The Hinh, vice head of management board of agriculture projects, said that in 2022, Viet Nam had eight million cows and buffalos, 14.7 million pigs and 380 million poultry.

According to the approved Livestock Strategy, by 2030, Viet Nam will have about ten million cattle, 30 million pigs and about 670 million poultry, Hinh said.

The results of the greenhouse gas inventory show that the livestock industry emits about 18.5 million tons of CO2e annually, accounting for 19 per cent of agricultural emissions, he said.

According to the expert, the largest methane emissions usually occur in concentrated livestock farms that use a lot of water for cleaning barns, such as pig and dairy farming, which results in animal manure mixing with water, creating conditions for anaerobic bacteria to thrive.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr Cao The Ha from the Viet Nam-Japan University said that pig farming is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. An average pig emits 0.36kg of organic manure, while greenhouse gas emissions are 1.8kg CO2 per kilogramme of pig manure.

By 2030, the number of pigs is expected to reach 30 million, which would result in approximately 5,913,000 tonnes of CO emissions per year.

Livestock waste is considered a valuable input resource with great potential for developing biogas energy, Ha said.

Biogas produced from livestock waste could be a key solution in promoting sustainable energy in the future. Currently, thousands of biogas systems have been installed across Viet Nam, mainly at the household level for cooking purposes.

Additionally, some decentralised biogas power generators have been installed on livestock farms as a replacement for diesel-powered generators.

However, biogas digesters still contribute to air pollution.

For example, in Ha Nam Province, some local officials have reported that 30 per cent of pig-raising households using biogas digesters release odours and discharge waste improperly, leading to severe water pollution in areas near livestock farms.

While making a significant contribution to the economy, the livestock industry also poses challenges to environmental protection and green gas emission control.

The vice president of the Viet Nam Clean Water and Environment, Pham Thi Xuan, said that the livestock industry contributes over 25 per cent of the agriculture sectors GDP. It is one of the fastest developing industries, even during COVID-19.

Thus, it is considered a key industry needing to shift from small-scale farming to larger, commercial-scale farming, Xuan said. However, she said those bigger commercial operations also challenge environment protection and greenhouse gas emission control.

The rapid increase in livestock populations, especially cattle and pigs, and the coexistence of small-scale and industrial farms have complicated the issue of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.

Livestock production, particularly the digestive process of cattle, contributes significantly to methane emissions.

Intensive livestock farming also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide.

The expansion of livestock farming is often associated with converting forests into pastures or cropland for animal feed production, which further contributes to deforestation and climate change, Xuan said.

Using fertilisers in agricultural activities also contributes to the emission of potent greenhouse gases.

Another significant environmental concern related to livestock farming is water pollution caused by animal waste that seeps into nearby water sources, leading to pollution and the degradation of aquatic ecosystems.

Transportation of animal feed also contributes to climate change. Feed sources are often transported over long distances to sustain large numbers of livestock, resulting in significant carbon emissions from transport vehicles.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector is no longer an option but an urgent necessity in the fight against climate change.

Livestock farming contributes up to 14.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, placing severe pressure on the climate system and natural resources.

Experts believe that only by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock can we hope to stabilise the global climate system, protect the environment, and secure a future for the next generations.

This is no longer a distant goal but an essential mission in the battle against climate change.

It is necessary to define that environment treatment in the livestock industry and greenhouse gas emission inventory is a big deal that requires financial resources, technology and policies, said Nguyen Xuan Duong, president of the Viet Nam Animal Husbandry Association. VNS
HAI DUONG  The People's Court of the northern province Hai Duong has just held a first-instance trial for five defendants charged with illegally storing bank account information and money laundering.

According to the indictment, from December 2023 to April 12, 2024, in Hai Duong and several other provinces and cities, Hoang inh Hien (born 1999, residing in Binh Xuyen Commune, Binh Giang District) purchased 132 bank accounts from 38 individuals and then sold them to Nguyen Van Hau (born 1993, residing in Luong Tai Commune, Van Lam District, Hung Yen Province).

Subsequently, Hau handed these accounts over to three Taiwanese: Tai Ching Yu (born 1996), Lin Xin Ying (born 2001), and Wang Pei De (born 1999), who managed and used them.

These individuals rented Apartment 802 at Green Pearl Residence in Bac Ninh City as their base of operations.

The three foreigners received a total of US$6.5 million transferred from overseas accounts, which they converted into Vietnamese ong of over VN162.6 billion.

About VN160 billion was used to purchase digital cryptocurrencies, which were transferred to electronic wallets and withdrawn abroad  an effort to disguise the criminal origins of the funds.

More than VN2 billion, which had not yet been converted into cryptocurrencies, was discovered and seized by Hai Duong Provincial Polices Investigation Agency. In this case, all defendants played direct roles in committing the crimes.

The court sentenced Tai Ching Yu, Lin Xin Ying, and Wang Pei De each to 14 years in prison for illegally storing bank account information and money laundering.

Nguyen Van Hau and Hoang inh Hien were each sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison for illegally trading bank account information.  VNS
HA NOI  A passenger flying from Thailand to Viet Nam via a Nang International Airport was found carrying 3.745 kg of suspected cannabis in their luggage.

According to information from the Customs Department, at 10:30am on March 15, during an inspection for an inbound flight from Thailand to Viet Nam, a multidisciplinary task force discovered a Vietnamese national passenger carrying both checked and hand luggage showing suspicious signs.

By simultaneously conducting professional procedures, including scanning luggage with X-ray machines, using drug detection devices, and sniffer dogs, the task force discovered a substance suspected to be cannabis, weighing 3.745 kg (including packaging), with its value yet to be determined.

The case has been handed over to relevant authorities for further investigation and handling in accordance with regulations.

Marijuana is illegal in Viet Nam, with possession, sale, transportation, and cultivation all constituting criminal offences, while Thailand has decriminalised cannabis since 2022.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Health (MoH) has ordered medical facilities across the country to concentrate efforts to fully adopt digital medical records before September 30 this year.

This action is part of the health sectors push for digital transformation in alignment with national strategies on the matter.

Digital medical records are also expected to be integrated into the national e-identification app VNeID. Chip-based ID cards and citizen biometrics will also be used for health check-ups and online registration for healthcare services.

Health facilities are also encouraged to employ technologies to exchange medical data, send referral applications, schedule follow-up appointments, reference past test results and promote telemedicine and e-prescriptions.

Preventive health service providers should use technology for disease prevention and control, especially for emerging and serious diseases, both infectious and non-communicable. They must also provide timely and accurate updates on vaccinations.

The MoH also ordered improving the overall quality of online public services, focusing on customisation regardless of administrative areas.

The goal is that by the end of 2025, 100 per cent of administrative procedures that meet legal requirements will be available online, while 80 per cent of all administrative records will be processed digitally.

By the end of June this year, all administrative records should be linked to citizen identification.

The health ministry also asked medical facilities to increase the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in diagnosis, treatment and analysis. They should also promote cashless payments to improve citizens convenience.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Health (MoF) has received 500,000 doses of measles vaccine presented by the Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) to support a nationwide immunisation campaign.

The donation aligns with the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No 23/C-TTg, issued on March 15, on accelerating vaccination against measles as the number of cases is on the rise.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong praised the VNVC for its timely valuable support, affirming that the vaccine will be delivered immediately to localities, contributing to speeding up the campaign's rollout in accordance with the Prime Minister's direction.

Since early 2025, Viet Nam has recorded approximately 40,000 suspected measles cases and five measles-related deaths. The southern region reported the highest number of cases (57 per cent), the central region accounted for 19.2 per cent, the north 15.1 per cent, and the Central Highlands 8.7 per cent.

The suspected measles cases are mainly in children from nine months to under 15 years old with 72.7 per cent, while the rate of infection in children under nine months old is 15.3 per cent. Most cases involve unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children or those too young to receive the vaccine.

Since last September, the MoH has rolled out measles vaccination campaigns for children aged 110 years across 31 localities.

Looking ahead, the ministry has drafted a 2025 measles prevention plan targeting high-risk areas. Children aged six months to under nine months in 24 localities with active outbreaks will be prioritised, alongside those aged 1 to 10 years in designated regions.  VNA/VNS
PNHOM PENH  Ahead of the possible introduction of new US visa restrictions, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has explained that Cambodia expects positive consideration, based on the Kingdoms full cooperation on Cambodian citizens who are subject to US removal orders.

In recent days, the administration of US President Donald Trump was reportedly planning to issue new travel restrictions on 43 countries. The rumoured restrictions will be separated into three colour-coded categories: Red, Orange and Yellow, depending on the severity of the restrictions.

Cambodia is one of 21 nations reportedly on the yellow list, the least restrictive of the three.

Under the red category, citizen from 11 countries will be banned from entering the US. They include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

The Orange category will see 11 countries facing heavy visa restriction. They include Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Turkmenistan.

Yellow consists of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe, as well as the Kingdom.

Nations on the yellow list will reportedly be given 60 days to address the administrations concerns, or risk falling into either of the two more serious categories.

Although there no details have been provided about the concerns in question, it may refer to the deportation of Cambodian citizens who committed offences in the US.

Chum Sounry, Cambodia's foreign ministry spokesperson, told The Phnom Penh Post that the ministry has not received any formal notification regarding the case and is seeking information through diplomatic channels.

He explained that Cambodia has reaffirmed full cooperation with the US to facilitate the repatriation of Cambodian nationals who are subject to removal orders.

In this spirit, the foreign ministry, the Ministry of Interior and the Cambodian embassy to the US have all been working closely with US authorities. Cambodia has consistently conducted interviews and issued travel documents to speed up the process. At present, we do not see any obstacles that would hinder this process, he said.

Given Cambodias demonstrated cooperation in this matter and the overall good trajectory of bilateral relations between the two countries, we remain confident that these efforts will be considered in a positive light, he added.

No figures were available regarding the number of Cambodians who are awaiting deportation. In November 2024, the figure stood at 1,747, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  THE PHNOM PENH POST/ANN
Singapore and Malta, despite their geographical separation and distinct economic paths, share a fascinating historical connection. Both nations' legacies of British administration have significantly influenced their modern legal, financial, and political systems.

Giacomo Merello (left) and Federico Vasoli

This shared past has imbued them with strong institutional frameworks, business-friendly regulations, and English as an official language, making them particularly attractive to international investors.

Singapore, once a critical maritime hub in the British Empire, rapidly transformed post-independence into a global financial powerhouse, leveraging its strategic location and disciplined governance to become Asias premier business destination.

Malta, on the other hand, has played a strategic role in European history for centuries, positioned at the crossroads of major Mediterranean trade routes. Its accession to the European Union in 2004 further solidified its role as a financial and corporate hub, offering businesses seamless access to the EU market.

Despite their colonial roots, the two nations have taken distinct approaches to economic development.

Singapore has become synonymous with cutting-edge technology, world-class infrastructure, and financial services, while Malta has capitalised on its EU membership to foster industries like gaming, maritime trade, tourism, yachting, and investment migration.

Yet, they remain alike in their ability to entice foreign investors seeking strategic advantages in either the Asian or European markets.

The business and investment landscape

Entrepreneurs looking for a jurisdiction to establish or expand their businesses will find both Singapore and Malta to be uniquely compelling.

Singapore, with its pro-business climate, is renowned for its swift company incorporation process, modern banking system, and an ecosystem that fosters innovation.

A business can be incorporated in a matter of days, and foreign ownership is fully permitted. The regulatory environment is transparent, and government agencies actively support new ventures, making it a magnet for multinational corporations and high-growth startups.

Malta, while smaller in scale, provides a similarly attractive business landscape, particularly for those seeking a European base of operations.

Companies registered in Malta benefit from its membership in the EU, allowing seamless access to the Single Market. The country has also emerged as a top jurisdiction for fintech, online gambling, yacht and aircraft leasing, and asset management businesses, thanks to its business-friendly regulations and competitive incentives.

For investors evaluating where to set up, the decision often depends on whether they are targeting Asian or European markets.

Singapore is the undisputed gateway to Asia, boasting strong ties with China, India, and ASEAN economies. Malta, with its deep integration into the EU and geographical proximity to Africa, offers businesses the ability to operate within one of the largest economic blocs in the world as well as one of the most promising ones.

A glimpse of Singapore. Photo: Federico Vasoli

Tax advantages and fiscal policies

One of the strongest incentives for choosing either Singapore or Malta as a business jurisdiction lies in their respective tax systems, both designed to attract international investors and enterprises.

Singapore has a flat corporate tax rate of 17 per cent, with numerous exemptions and incentives available that can significantly lower effective tax rates.

Furthermore, there is no capital gains tax, and dividends are tax-free, making it an attractive option for companies and individuals alike. The city-state also boasts an extensive network of double taxation treaties with over 80 countries, ensuring tax efficiency for international businesses.

Malta, on the other hand, offers one of the most competitive tax systems in Europe. While its standard corporate tax rate stands at 35 per cent, foreign-owned businesses often benefit from an effective tax rate as low as 5 per cent through the countrys full imputation system.

Additionally, Malta imposes no withholding taxes on dividends, interest, or royalties paid to non-residents, which makes it an attractive holding company jurisdiction.

The island nation also offers VAT exemptions for certain industries, further reducing operational costs for businesses engaged in global trade.

A glimpse of Singapore. Photo: Federico Vasoli

Both jurisdictions apply the principle of taxation of locally sourced or remitted income only. In Malta, this is particularly true for companies with non-domiciled shareholders, which is different from the at least theoretical worldwide taxation approach of most of its neighbours.

Residency and lifestyle benefits

For those considering not just business opportunities but also personal relocation, Singapore and Malta provide attractive residency options that cater to high-net-worth individuals and professionals.

Singapores Global Investor Programme (GIP) allows entrepreneurs to obtain permanent residency by investing at least S$2.5 million ($1.87 million) in a local business or an approved investment fund.

This scheme is particularly appealing to individuals seeking stability, security, and access to one of the worlds most advanced economies.

There are other very effective ways to obtain residency and, eventually, citizenship that can be fully explored in a holistic way.

The city-states quality of life is unparalleled, with world-class healthcare, excellent international schools, and a safe, cosmopolitan environment.

Malta, in contrast, offers residency and citizenship initiatives that appeal to those looking for greater global mobility. The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) provides a pathway to permanent residency through a combination of real estate investment and financial contributions.

For those seeking an EU passport, the Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment offers a fast-track route to citizenship, granting the right to live, work, and travel freely within the European Union.

Other interesting options, like the 'self-sufficient' type of residency, may be open depending on the current citizenship of the applicant and other considerations. Given its Mediterranean climate, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant social scene, Malta has become an increasingly popular destination for expatriates and entrepreneurs alike.

The expertise of dMTV Global

Navigating the complexities of setting up a business or securing residency in a foreign country requires expert guidance. This is where dMTV Europe, led by its founder, lawyer Federico Vasoli, in Malta, comes into play, with specific expertise in international contracts, residency, and relocation services; Federico, a dedicated professional that is serving a term as vice-president of Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, also acts as the first point of contact for high-profile Vietnamese personalities in need of a broader scope of assistance.

At the same time dMTV Global, in Singapore, provides assistance on most local major regulatory, residential and international legal needs through its director, Giacomo Merello, a lawyer and locally licensed filing agent. The latter, in his role as Lord of Leslie in the Baronage of Scotland, also assists qualified individuals in dynastic and nobiliary matters both in Singapore and in Malta.

Unlocking financial access for Vietnamese entrepreneurs Startup Vietnam Foundation (SVF) announced the launch of Collaboration for Growth (Co4Growth) Season 4: "The accelerator master the money game" on December 17.

Agoda's 2025 Travel Calendar: A Month-by-Month Guide to Asia Digital travel platform Agoda has unveiled a list of destinations in Asia for each month of 2025, providing travelers with a month-by-month guide to the continent's seasonal attractions, cultural highlights, and unique experiences.
Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang received an Airbus delegation led by Wouter van Wersch. Photo: Duc Minh

"Vietnam hopes that Airbus will continue to invest in areas of its strength such as aerospace, and cooperate with Vietnamese partners in researching and evaluating aircraft so that they can select suitable planes and conduct highly effective flights," the minister said.

He suggested that Airbus research and invest in component manufacturing factories and participate in developing Vietnam's aviation industrial ecosystem.

In addition, he called on the company to encourage French enterprises and Airbus partners to increase their investments in Vietnam and develop supporting industries.

The MoF leader said he hoped that Airbus will continue to promote activities with Vietnamese agencies, ministries, and sectors, especially in new areas of cooperation such as aerospace, science and technology, and aviation training.

He said Vietnam is committed to creating favourable conditions for French investors to do business effectively and sustainably in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang. Photo: Duc Minh

Speaking at the reception, Wersch thanked Thang for taking the time to meet him and for informing him about the policies and proposals for Airbus to expand in Vietnam.

Wouter van Wersch shared Airbus' industry development strategy. Photo: Duc Minh

Wouter van Wersch shared Airbus' industry development strategy with the minister, and solutions for developing space technology in Vietnam, especially Earth observation satellites and low-orbit satellites, and solutions for developing helicopter production in Vietnam.

The minister wished the group further success, contributing to technology transformation, digital transformation, and diversification of global supply chains with Vietnam.

Photo: Duc Minh

Vietnam a key market for Airbus Helicopters Vietnam will be the top-priority and long-term partner of Airbus Helicopters, according to a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and Olivier Michalon, executive vice president Global Business at Airbus Helicopters, on March 20.

Vietjet receives latest aircraft from Airbus in France The new A321neo aircraft, which bears a symbolic image commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France, was delivered by Airbus to Vietjet at Orly Airport (Paris) on October 8.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. (Photo: Bernama)

Hanoi  Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned that trade wars, tariffs, and sanctions are no longer just economic tools but have become weapons in the struggle for dominance, eroding trust and undermining the foundations of international cooperation.

In an article titled "The Global South Path's to Economic Resilience", published on Project Syndicate, Anwar noted that nations once seen as partners or market competitors now view each other merely as players in a global power struggle.

He wrote that with a new world order taking shape, countries must also recognise the growing challenges faced by nations across the Global South. Many mechanisms that once fueled their development are weakening, while development aid is being closely scrutinised by some of the worlds most powerful countries.

He warned that economic interdependence, once the backbone of global prosperity, has now become a source of tension. If this trend continues, connectivity itself can become a vulnerability, even for countries that have long thrived under globalisation.

As a trade-dependent nation, Malaysia acknowledges that global instability and protectionism make adaptability more crucial than ever, Anwar said.

However, he reaffirmed Malaysias commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and equitable growth, as well as its ambition to strengthen its position as a key hub for trade, investment, and technological innovation.

For these reasons, Malaysia has made the strategic decision to seek membership in BRICS, a bloc of major emerging economies, he added, emphasising that joining BRICS aligns with Malaysias goal of bridging the development gap between the Global North and South.

Malaysian automaker builds new EV production plant Malaysian automaker Proton has begun construction of its new electric vehicle (EV) production plant at its high-tech Tanjung Malim facility in Malaysia.
HCM City is now a regional specialised financial centre (Photo: VNA)

London (VNA) - Vietnam does not need to choose between a specialised or a comprehensive regional financial centre but can instead adopt a flexible approach to seize opportunities, said Dr. Ho Quoc Tuan, Senior Lecturer in Finance and Accounting at the UKs University of Bristol.

Talking with the Vietnam News Agency's reporter based in London ahead of Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binhs visit to the UK from March 16-20, Tuan explained that financial centres traditionally split two paths: specialisation or diversification.

A specialised approach could position Vietnam as an ASEAN niche player, like Tel Aviv or Mumbai, focusing on select services, or as a global player akin to Dubai, Hong Kong, or Luxembourg. Alternatively, a diversified model could see Vietnam begin locally, like Lisbon or Atlanta, then grow to rival Bangkok or even London and New York.

Even if Vietnam aims to develop into a comprehensive financial centre, it can adopt Dubais specialised model to accelerate fintech services, particularly in AI/Machine Learning and digital assets  areas where Vietnam excels in training and application.

He cautioned, however, that Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang should avoid "stepping on each other's toes" in choosing areas of specialised development, adding that one could lead on fintech, and the other on AI.

Tuan also highlighted the importance of human capital, one of the five important factors to successfully build a financial centre, citing the Global Financial Centres Index, which ranks business environment, human capital, infrastructure, market development, and reputation as the key drivers of success.

Milcon Gulf Group expresses interest in international financial centre Private conglomerate Milcon Gulf Group on February 25 expressed its interest in the establishment of the Vietnam International Financial Centre (IFC) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam seeks UK expertise in financial centre development Vietnam is keen to draw on the United Kingdoms experience in structuring and managing financial centres as it moves forward with plans to establish international finance hubs in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh said.
Michael Kagan, CTO of Nvidia Corporation

Michael Kagan, chief technology officer of Nvidia Corporation declared that AI was the backbone technology of the future. This is one of the most important inventions, second only to the wheel. AI will transform and completely change human life.

The CTO said that Nvidia is investing in Vietnam by setting up an office in Hanoi and expanding the Nvidia team here. "Vietnam will be the centre of talent in AI and semiconductors in a near future," he said.

Nvidia has great confidence in the aspirations and ambitions of the Vietnamese government. This corporation believes that its strategy is very suitable for Vietnam's AI development strategy in the next decade. Therefore, Nvidia will realise this vision with Vietnam.

"We have also seen impressive growth, which is a result of the Vietnamese government's forward-looking policies. We see Vietnam's transformation as very relevant to Nvidia's mission," Kagan said. "We forecast the growth of this market to reach $1.5 billion in the next 10 years, which is the result of Vietnam's effective policies."

He saw that Vietnam possessed important capabilities such as technological acumen, a rapidly growing economy, a large and young population, and the government's commitment to encouraging innovation.

In the future, Nvidia will carry out support initiatives on AI and semiconductor education. Nvidia is collaborating with more than 65 universities in Vietnam to integrate AI and semiconductor training programmes into schools and institutes. They also work with Vietnamese partners to create a platform to build an AI innovation ecosystem in Vietnam.

Infrastructure is also critical and essential for AI development. The Group is committed to supporting Vietnam in developing infrastructure by partnering with FPT Group. This continuous investment cooperation will enable Vietnam to become one of the largest AI and semiconductor R&D centres in the world.

"We want to become a long-term partner of Vietnam. We are here to support innovation and empower Vietnamese talent," Kagan emphasised.

He believes this cooperation will build an infrastructure for Vietnam to master AI, data, and seize value from AI. From then, Vietnam will become an important centre in the region and rise to the top and pioneering innovation.

Truong Gia Binh, FPT Corporation's chairman

Truong Gia Binh, FPT Corporation's chairman said that Vietnam had one million IT engineers, half of whom are software engineers who can be moved to AI, and is proceeding with the target of one million AI experts. If this happens, Vietnam will be at the top of the list in terms of developed countries in this area.

"Many years ago, Vietnam was almost unknown on the world IT map. Today, it has become a hub for high-quality human resources. Investors can consider Vietnam as a large talent centre, where people with aspirations and a strong spirit of progress are gathered," he said.

With the current goals, FPT commits to transforming and training AI capacity for 500,000 people. Vietnam aims to train 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030 and will move towards hundreds of thousands of workers in the future. In the context of global investment in training semiconductor workers, FPT has committed to training 5,000 people by the end of this decade, including 1,600 students studying semiconductors.

In the past, more than a dozen leading universities have quickly opened training programmes on AI and semiconductors. FPT has prepared a force for a new generation of experts, integrating into the global technology flow. This is a gold mine waiting for international businesses to exploit.

Moreover, the Party and state leaders have issued affirmations of Vietnam's determination to choose innovation and sci-tech, including AI and semiconductors, as the roadmap for future development.

"We are mobilising the participation of the whole of society in digital transformation activities, and technology adoption in daily life," Binh said.

Christopher Nguyen, CEO and founder of Aitomatic spoke about the compatibility of Vietnams semiconductor and AI development with global trends. "Technological autonomy is the key to the strong development of Vietnams digital economy," he said.

Vietnam is aiming for a new position in the international arena, opening up strategic cooperation opportunities, creating a solid foundation for the digital transformation process, grasping and mastering technologies, and achieving the goal of rapid and sustainable development in the future. This is an important step for scientists and international partners to work with Vietnamese partners to build a new era for Vietnam's digital economy.

AISC 2025: Vietnam's new role in AI and semiconductors The 2025 International Conference on AI and Semiconductors (AISC), organised by US-based Aitomactic and the National Innovation Centre (NIC) under Vietnam's Ministry of Finance, will run from March 12-14 in Hanoi.

VPBank builds digital branchless bank to serve millions of customers To realise the dream of developing comprehensive AI, a single organisation is not enough, but it is vital to create a seamless and strong digital ecosystem with thorough investment, according to Bui Hai Quan, vice chairman of the Board of Directors at VPBank, at the AI-Semiconductor Conference (AISC 2025) in Hanoi on March 12.
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Plaid Cymru calls for fair share from HS2 voted down in Senedd

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 17th, 2025

he Senedd rejected Plaid Cymru calls to demand HS2 be redesignated as an England-only project to unlock billions of pounds of consequential funding for Wales.

Senedd members voted 42-12 against a Plaid Cymru motion on HS2, a high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, following a debate on March 12.

The project was classified as a Wales-and-England project in 2015 by David Camerons UK Government despite not an inch of track crossing the border.

As a consequence, no funding has come to Wales under the Barnett formula but Scotland and Northern Ireland have received a population share of HS2 spending.

Plaid Cymru has made the case for 4bn in compensation based on estimates of the total cost but the Welsh Government has quoted a 400m figure based on spending to date.

Decades of neglect

Peredur Owen Griffiths, the partys shadow transport secretary in the Senedd, warned Welsh rail infrastructure has been systematically underfunded by the UK Government.

Calling for an end to fundamental injustice, he said: Wales has received a fraction of the rail enhancement funding it is owed, our infrastructure has suffered from decades of neglect and the UK Government has failed to deliver the fair funding Wales needs.

The Plaid Cymru politician pointed to an acknowledgment from Heidi Alexander, the UK transport secretary, that Wales has received low levels of funding historically.

But this underfunding is not just historical, it is ongoing, he warned. Westminster, whether red or blue, continues to deny Wales the consequentials it is due.

Mr Owen Griffiths raised concerns about reports that UK chancellor Rachel Reeves plans to freeze spending on major new rail projects until after the 2029 general election.

Collective amnesia

Pointing out that Welsh ministers previously called for 5bn in consequential funding, he told the Senedd: Clearly, the people of Wales cannot trust this Labour party to stick to its word.

Mr Owen Griffiths criticised the Welsh Governments delete-all amendment, which was narrowly agreed, for U-turning on previous policy positions.

He said: Now, when it truly matters, they have collective amnesia. What has changed?  The only thing that has changed is Labours willingness to stand up for Wales when they finally got the chance to do something about it.

Peter Fox, the Tories shadow transport secretary, accused Labour of playing politics. It must be embarrassing for Labour backbenchers, hence not many here, he said.

Labours Alun Davies pointed out: Theres nobody on your front bench.

Mr Fox said: Politicians in both Wales and England were calling for billions of pounds  but now Labour are in power in Westminster, their call is for just a meagre 400m.

Grotesque imbalance

Labour backbencher Mick Antoniw pointed out that the previous Conservative UK Government could have designated HS2 as an England-only project.

Mr Fox, a former council leader, said the Tory Senedd group has stood against its own party on HS2 funding, adding: Its a kick in the teeth that you are turning your back.

His Conservative colleague Gareth Davies warned of a grotesque imbalance between spending on rail in north Wales compared with the south of the country.

Labours Hefin David remarked: The closer we get to an election, the poorer the standard of debate happens to be in this chamber. You would swear  that actually theres been no progress whatsoever on rail in Wales which is manifestly not the case.

Dr David pointed out that the newest trains in the whole of Europe now run on the Rhymney line through his Caerphilly constituency following an incredible transformation.

Transformation

Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds said: I feel these  debates are really the opposition parties putting down a motion and the Welsh Government saying delete all, and it feels like on this occasion just for the point of doing it and that depresses me beyond belief.

Labours Alun Davies agreed, saying: I dont believe thats the correct way of approaching these debates. We should look for consensus where possible  and thats coming from me. We should look towards amending motions rather than deleting them.

Wales transport secretary Ken Skates said the Welsh Government took ownership of the core valley lines and transformed a liability into an asset.

He told the Senedd: And now that we have a Labour UK Government we will transform services across north Wales as well, increasing services by 50% next year.

Mr Skates said a review of Network Rail processes will ensure Wales finally receives a fair share of all future rail infrastructure investment.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
Retired North Wales Police dog Rufus passes away after years of service

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 17th, 2025

Cheshire and North Wales Police Dogs have paid tribute to retired police dog Rufus, who passed away after years of dedicated service.

Rufus joined the force in 2015 with his handler, PC Neil Jukes. From the start, he showed strong character and enthusiasm for his work.

Licensed as a scanning and rummage drugs dog, he played a key role in detecting illegal substances and supporting police operations  and had been featured on Wrexham.com several times due to his work locally.

A statement from the Cheshire and North Wales Police Dogs unit described his passion for the job: His love was scanning, and he could often be seen working tirelessly to help keep communities safe.

His passing has saddened colleagues and the wider community, with tributes pouring in for the loyal and hardworking canine.

Police dogs like Rufus play a crucial role in policing, using their skills to detect drugs, explosives and missing persons.

Many go on to enjoy retirement with their handlers, continuing the bond formed during service.

The police dog unit thanked Rufus for his service, adding: He had a lovely retirement and was spoilt rotten, regularly enjoying days out with his family. He will never be forgotten and will be sadly missed. RIP Rufus.
Revived All-Party Parliamentary group advocates for air ambulances

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 17th, 2025

An All-Party Parliamentary Group which advocates for the life-saving work of air ambulances has been revived.

The inaugural meeting of the APPGAA (All-Party Parliamentary Group on Air Ambulance) on Tuesday 4 March was chaired by Steve Witherdern, MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr.

Steve Witherden MP was also confirmed as an Officer of the APPGAA, alongside Baroness Foster and Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP.

The meeting set out aims and objectives for supporting air ambulance charities in the coming year, and on plans to provide the Government with evidence around return on investment to bolster lobbying efforts.

During the 2024 election campaign Steve Witherden MP joined the chorus of voices opposing the closure of the Welshpool Air Ambulance base as a candidate, which together with the Caernarfon base could mean a marked decline in the ability of air ambulances to reach patients in rural areas across North, West, and Mid Wales.

He has remained committed to the cause in office, meeting with campaigners as people across Wales await the delayed outcome of a judicial review into the closure.

Steve Witherden MP commented: The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Air Ambulances is back off the ground.

As we await the outcome of the judicial review into the closure of the Welshpool base, this group will continue to make the policy case for properly supporting these lifesaving services at a UK-wide level.

As myself and many others have said time and again, living in a rural area should not preclude you from access to timely healthcare.

While everyone in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr is hoping for a positive ruling, we must try and change the national conversation around rural healthcare more widely. I intend for this group to do just that.

We should not have consistently worse local provision just because the services we rely on are easy pickings for savings.

For many of us in Wales, the air ambulance is literally a lifeline and I will not stop working to push it up the agenda with colleagues across both governments.
Warning amid rise in QR code parking scams in North Wales

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 17th, 2025

A warning has been issued amid a rise in scam QR codes being placed on ticket machines across the region.

The most recent incident was in Conwy, where more than 20 of the fraudulent stickers were stuck onto parking meters.

The fake QR codes take individuals who are paying for their parking to a fake website, which encourages the user to enter their bank information.

However this is a scam.

Similar incidents have also been recorded by Denbighshire Council, with the stickers being placed on ticket machines that are operated by the local authority.

A police spokesperson said: These stickers once scanned are leading to a fake website that for all intents and purposes look legitimate.

The victim is therefore entering their bank card information to pay for their parking, which the offenders then use to go on a spending spree.

North Wales Police are working closely in conjunction with the affected County Councils to assist and to further progress the investigations.

Any persons who have fallen foul of this scam typology are encouraged to contact North Wales Police to report the matter.

It is very possible that other areas of North Wales will also be targeted by the offenders, particularly as it gets busier into the spring and summer.

Please share this information with your family, friends and neighbours to make sure that they dont get caught out.

Picture: Denbighshire Council
A woman accused of shooting a man near the Peppermill casino in March has pleaded guilty to a felony charge.

Prosecutors say Loiselle Catalano pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon on May 13th.

In exchange for her plea, she could face up to 1-5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine when she's set to be sentenced on July 15th.

UPDATE MARCH 18, 2025:

Reno Police have arrested a woman they say shot a man near the Peppermill casino on Sunday night.

Police say they responded around 8 p.m. to find a man with an apparent gunshot wound.

Officers arrested 31-year-old Loiselle Catalano they say while she tried to run away.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Catalano was booked into the Washoe County Jail on charges of Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Carrying a Concealed Firearm without a Permit and Possession of a Firearm while Intoxicated.

Police say there's no threat to the public.

If you have any information that can help authorities, call or text your anonymous tip to Secret Witness at 775-322-4900.
You have permission to edit this article.

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Diane Morrisey, 58, originally got on Instagram to spy on her kids. 

Then one day in 2017, the mother of six posted a photo of a birthday cake shed made for her daughter, Frances. Users noticed. My kids were like, Mom, you got so many likes! Im like, Whats a like? 

Members only

She started regularly posting shots of food, beautifully photographed and arranged.

I was an art major in college, so I have always been creative with a good eye for composition, she says. Later in her career, she ran the Prepared Foods department at Whole Foods. I learned how to present food in a creative and attractive way ... so the jump to composing pretty food pictures for Instagram was not a big one. I understood what looked nice and what people responded to.

You Got This! Recipes Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love hits shelves March 25. Courtesy Simon & Schuster Cook with Diane Morrisey shared three recipes from You Got This for AARP members to try: Sheet Pan Jambalaya While this preparation isnt an authentic version of the Louisiana classic, this sheet pan rendition will certainly be a welcome addition to your recipe arsenal. Chicken and Barley Soup with Lemon and Dill This soup is loaded with the perfect balance of tender chunks of chicken, hearty barley and vegetables in a flavorful broth. Strawberry-Oat Bars This variation is super versatile because you can make them with any combination of jam and berries that you want.

A fan base quickly formed  not just for the food, but also for Dianes genuine encouragement and down-to-earth delivery in her posts, ending with a you got this! message. New chefs could appreciate her patient explanations, while seasoned cooks could enjoy unexpected ingredients or techniques. Popular recipes on her page include decadent Roasted Garlic Garlic Bread and sweet-and-salty Carmelita Bars, and twists on old-school classics, like a green bean casserole topped with onion rings. Today, her Instagram following has hit an impressive 1.4 million followers  a big surprise to her, considering she didnt always consider herself much of a chef.

When I got married 30 years ago, I really didnt know how to cook, she says. I had strong cooking influences  my mom and my grandmother, who came over from Italy  and I have been the recipient of amazing food all my life. I paid attention. But when I got married, I was like, Oh yikes, I actually have to do this. 

Her forthcoming cookbook, You Got This! Recipes Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love, includes more than 100 recipes and captures the same pep-talk energy she needed all those years ago. Cooking is 90 percent confidence and 10 percent being able to read a recipe, she insists. You learn by getting in the kitchen. You cant be afraid.

Here, AARP catches up with Diane about the new cookbook, her best hack for plating food and her unconventional path to the food world.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For some, St. Patricks Day is all about donning the green, wandering down to the pub, ordering a pint of Guinness and dialing up the Clancy Brothers on the jukebox. But you know what else is a great way to celebrate the holiday? Cozying in and streaming a film that celebrates the Emerald Isle or explores the Irish immigrant experience here in America. Here are 13 Irish movies to stream this St. Patricks Day.

The Banshees of Inisherin (R, 2022)

Hey, an In Bruges reunion! Brendan Gleeson, 69, and Colin Farrell reteam with writer-director Martin McDonagh, 54, for this charmingly quirky dramatic comedy that racked up nine Oscar nominations. Set on a remote, wind-lashed island off of the western coast of Ireland, the story centers on a pair of longtime mates Colm (Gleeson) and Padraic (Farrell) who, for some inexplicable reason, sever their friendship. Its hardly mutual. Colm just decides one day that he doesnt like his buddy anymore. The confused Padraic does everything he can to mend things while everyone on the island offers their unsolicited two cents. Both stars are absolutely note-perfect, as are Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan in smaller but no less vivid roles that bring the odd rural rhythms of the tiny Irish community  and breathtaking island scenery  to life.

Watch it: The Banshees of Inisherin on Prime Video

Members only

Belfast (PG-13, 2021)

Kenneth Branagh, 64, travels back in time to the place of his youth  Belfast, 1969. Mostly shot in gorgeous black and white, Branaghs lyrical valentine tells the story of a 9-year-old boy named Buddy (the adorable Jude Hill) and his working-class family who get swept up in the political and cultural turbulence of the times. Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan are excellent as Buddys concerned parents, while Judi Dench, 90, and Ciaran Hinds, 72, soar like a pair of generous and frisky wise old owls as Granny and Pop. This is as personal as personal filmmaking gets; it sparkles like an emerald.

Watch it: Belfast on Prime Video

Brooklyn (PG-13, 2015)

Saoirse Ronan was nominated for a best actress statuette for her performance in this beautiful, melancholy and hopeful immigrants tale. And after watching it, youll probably agree that its a crime that she didnt win. Ronan, who grew up in Ireland, plays a young Irishwoman with a head full of dreams who leaves her parochial small town behind and ventures across the Atlantic to start a new, exciting life in 1950s New York City. Of course, the big city hardly embraces her with smiles and open arms as she chases after the American dream. But her homesickness soon starts to fade when she meets a blue-collar Italian immigrant (Emory Cohen channeling Stanley Kowalski). Life in her adopted homeland is looking up  until she has to return to Ireland due to a family tragedy and is forced to decide which country is truly her home. Thanks to Ronan, Brooklyn belongs right next to Avalon and The Godfather: Part II in the pantheon of movies about the immigrant experience.

Watch it: Brooklyn on Peacock

The Departed (R, 2006)

Martin Scorseses best picture winner isnt set in Ireland, but it does take place in our closest approximation, South Boston. This crackling cat-and-mouse game stars Leonardo DiCaprio as an undercover cop assigned to infiltrate the neighborhoods Irish mafia while Matt Damon, 54, plays a young, streetwise gangster who infiltrates the state police to channel intel back to the mobs menacing, hair-trigger boss (Jack Nicholson, 87). Like a fuse lit at both ends, its only a matter of time before these two moles finally intersect and the whole thing goes kaboom. Loyalty on the mean streets is obviously a theme that Scorsese, 82, has trafficked in before, but The Departed shows us a director at the top of his game.

Watch it: The Departed on Prime Video


Half Year Report and Accounts

Perth, Mar 14, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Vertex Minerals Limited ( ASX:VTX ) ( VTXXF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased with its achievements in the half-year to 31 December 2024 in pursuit of Vertex's stated strategy to become a significant Australian gold producer.



Completion of the Gravity Gold Plant



In December 2024, Vertex confirmed that the processing facility rebuild, refurbishment and installation of the plant had progressed safely, efficiently and to plan, enabling the power-up of the facility with the focus now turning to dry and wet commissioning of the respective operating circuits.



This included the installation of power generation units and plant components, with all electrical works completed along with completion of the dry stack tailing storage facility and tailings pipe work installation. With all works completed, Vertex initiated the start-up of the plant for mechanical testing, with wet commissioning and ore feed commissioning to follow in the new calendar year.



Construction of the Gravity Gold Plant required disciplined execution of a targeted rebuild and refurbishment program which included the procurement and installation of key equipment. As the plant moved toward commissioning, Vertex was also pleased to attract strong support from a network of large investors who believed in the Company's value-add strategy. With commissioning at the plant successfully underway post period end, Vertex is positioned with a unique opportunity to unlock additional value for our shareholders in what remains a positive gold price environment.



Mine Operations



At the date of this report, Vertex has processed the first ore with the newly installed Gravity Gold plant. The plant processed ore to a gold concentrate with visible gold evident in concentrate.



In early February 2025, Vertex completed the installation of a laser ore sorter and commissioning of the ore sorter/pre concentrator is underway. The plant commissioning process is utilising the Company's stockpiled gold ore which is located adjacent to the plant.



This material will be the focus of initial production.



Vertex has appointed Chris Hamilton as General Manager, Operations for the Hill End Reward Gold Mine. Several key personnel and operators have been recruited to operate the Reward plant and Mine to coincide with the commencement of production. Refinement of operating systems is ongoing to transition Hill End operations to be 'business ready' ahead of plant commissioning Acquisition of Boart Longyear LM90 underground drill rig During the period, Vertex acquired a Boart Longyear LM90 underground drill rig to advance exploration at the Reward gold mine below the existing resource.



Acquisition of the LM90 followed an extensive review of the mineralisation potential below the Reward resource, which has only been drilled up to 50m below the Amalgamated Adit.



This area targeted is referred to as the 'Reward mid depths' as it is located just 80m to ~200m below the Amalgamated Adit.



The LM90 has several attributes which will provide flexibility for on-site drilling operations, where Vertex will be able to maintain drill sites with the Company's own underground mining crew. The deployment of the LM90 also means Vertex does not have to pay stand-down time or mobilisation fees, and its drillers can be assigned to other jobs.



The Vertex team are planning diamond drill programs below the current JORC-2012 Reward Resource with the aim of expanding upon the existing resource, as well as the Fosters Exploration Target and the South Star prospect area.



*To view the full Half Year Report, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/2K179YBT





About Vertex Minerals Limited





Vertex Minerals Limited (ASX:VTX) is an Australian based gold exploration company developing its advanced Hargraves and Hill End gold projects located in the highly prospective Eastern Lachlan Fold Belt of Central West NSW. Other Company assets include the Pride of Elvire gold project and Taylors Rock gold/nickel/lithium project both located in the Eastern Goldfields of WA. The focus of Vertex Minerals is to advance the commercial production of gold from its NSW projects embracing an ethical and environmentally sustainable approach.

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Sale Complete of Ineligible Shareholdings from POS Merger

Perth, Mar 17, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) wishes to provide an update on the Ineligible and unmarketable Shareholdings from the Poseidon Nickel Ltd merger, which have now all been sold.



Computershare Investor Services and the Company have received confirmation from Argonaut Securities Limited that the sale of all Unmarketable Parcels to the value of $500 or less and all Ineligible Foreign Shareholdings, as disclosed in the Scheme Booklet, has now been completed, and a scheduled distribution of the proceeds will occur on Friday 21 March 2025.



- An amount of $1,263,929.90 from the share sales will now be distributed to the participants being the net proceeds confirmed by Argonaut Securities Limited.



- Based on the sale of 20,588,030 shares through the share sale facility and the total proceeds of $1,263,930.20 the amount to be distributed will be $0.0613915 per Horizon Share sold (after rounding each holder to the nearest cent). The number of Horizon shares sold in the sale facility was 0.1156 Horizon shares for every 1 Poseidon share held on the Scheme Record Date





About Horizon Minerals Limited





Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.

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Continuous High-Grade Titanium and Rare Earths Mineralisation Results from Tiros Central Drilling Campaign



Continuous High-Grade Titanium and REE Mineralisation - Tiros

Toronto, Mar 17, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. ( ASX:RAU ) ( CVE:RSM ) ( 8TX:FRA ) ( RSGOF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce the remaining results from the infill drilling campaign undertaken at its Tiros Titanium and Rare Earth Elements Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil ("Tiros Project" or "Tiros" or "Project").



Highlights



- Results for the remaining 32 infill and step-out diamond drill holes from the Tiros Central Project demonstrate significant mineralization of titanium and rare earth elements in all holes.

- 72% of holes contain high-grade mineralisation defined using a cut-off grade of 6,000ppm Total Rare Earth Oxide ("TREO") and/or 16% for Titanium Dioxide ("TiO2").



- A total of 1,891m drilled with the following selective significant intervals:



- 54m at 13.04% TiO2 and 3,593ppm TREO from surface down hole in FDTIR-49:

o Including 3m at 26.05% TiO2 and 7,936ppm TREO from 5m.



- 50m at 12.80% TiO2 and 4,491ppm TREO from 17m down hole in FDTIR-50:

o Including 6m at 25.34% TiO2 and 10,036ppm TREO from 23m.



- The region selected for this campaign is confirmed as highly prospective, due to the elevated grades and the thin cover of overburden.



- The Company is now in the process of finalising the mineral resource estimate update for the Tiros Central Block based on the new drill assay information.



The infill and step-out campaign, developed after the publication of the Mineral Resource Estimation ("MRE") in July 2024 (refer ASX announcement 18 July 2024/TSXV 17 July 2024), consisted of 46 drill holes for 2,922m at the Central Block at Tiros. The results for 14 holes have been previously published while this announcement refers to a batch of 32 holes, for 1,891m drilled.



The selection of notable intervals is made using cut-off grades of 1,000ppm for TREO and 6% for TiO2 while the high-grade zone is defined using a cut-off grade of 6,000ppm for TREO and/or 16% for TiO2.



Table 1 in link below lists the intervals with the above cut-off grade criteria with significant titanium and rare earths mineralization in all drill holes. The high-grade zone is identified in 23 drill holes, or 72% of the holes being reported. This proportion is higher than the anticipated ratio of occurrence indicating that the region selected for the infill and step-out drilling is a highly prospective region.



Commenting on the results of the latest assays from the infill and step-out drilling, Resouro's CEO, Alistair Stephens, said:



"We continue to see world-class assay results from near-surface at the Tiros Central Project. These results will be used for a review of the mineral resource estimate that we anticipate will be published in the near term. Outcomes of metallurgical test works that are also very close to finalisation."



Figure 1*, in link below, is a map of the Tiros Central block, indicating the holes used in the current MRE, in red, and the infill and step-out drilling campaign, in blue. Two valleys in the northern part of this block were selected for this campaign, due to their thin overburden and high grades of TiO2 and TREO. Much of this area was not included in the MRE reported in July 2024.



The drilling reported is located in a valley primarily used for cattle grazing, with a high-capacity 350 kV power line visible in the foreground of Figure 3*. The location is well served by roads and water.



NEXT STEPS



The finalisation of these drill hole assays will support a review of the MRE which the Company looks forward to publishing in the near term. The Company is on track to announce outcomes of metallurgical test works and commencement of a scoping study in the next quarter.



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/8FRMC71A





About Resouro Strategic Metals Inc.





Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. (ASX:RAU) (CVE:RSM) (OTCMKTS:RSGOF) (FRA:8TX) is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in Brazil, including the rare earth elements and titanium Tiros Project and the Novo Mundo and Santa Angela gold projects.



The Tiros Project, located in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, is an exploration project focused on rare earth elements and titanium covering an area of approximately 450 km2. The Tiros Project comprises 17 exploration permits, and one exploration permit application held by the Company's Brazilian subsidiary; and 6 exploration permits and one exploration permit application that have been validly assigned to the Company's Brazilian subsidiary and are awaiting ANM approval. The Company holds, via its wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary, a 90% interest in the Tiros Project and the remaining 10% interest in the Tiros Project is held by RBM Consultoria Mineral Eireli (RBM), an unrelated third-party vendor.



The Novo Mundo Project is located in the Alta Floresta Gold Province close to the northern border of the state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil. Within the licensed area is the small town of Novo Mundo, which is 30km west from the larger town of Guaranta do Norte. It comprises three exploration permits. The Company also has another interest in an exploration permit, being the Santa Angela Project, which is not considered material to the Company's operations. Interests in the Novo Mundo Project and Santa Angela Project are held via the Company's wholly owned subsidiary.

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Malibu, CA, Mar 17, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Welcome to Money Talk Radio. Join Ellis Martin for a conversation with Rana Vig, the CEO of Blue Lagoon Resources ( CNSX:BLLG ) ( BLAGF:OTCMKTS ) ( 7BL:FRA ).



Exciting developments are underway at the company's Dome Mountain Gold Project in British Columbia! With final mine permits secured, full-scale underground mining operations are set to begin, targeting an annual production of approximately 15,000 ounces of gold. The company is gearing up for an operational launch as early as July 2025, with infrastructure, equipment, and key personnel being finalized. A toll-milling agreement with Nicola Mining ensures efficient processing, while final preparations-including the installation of a water treatment facility-are on track for completion within the next three months.



Rana Vig is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 35 years of business experience, launching multiple ventures in the private sector and leading publicly traded companies since 2010. He has held executive roles in mining exploration, including Musgrove Minerals and Continental Precious Minerals, and played a pivotal role in record-breaking cannabis financings as CEO of Lead Ventures and Rockbridge Resources, a struggling oil and gas venture, transforming it by acquiring Harvest Health & Recreation (HARV), closing a $300 million financing-making it the third-largest cannabis financing of 2018.



Recognizing a commodities supercycle, he founded Blue Lagoon Resources, securing a rare mining permit in British Columbia. Beyond business, Rana has been actively involved in public service, serving on boards and charitable organizations, and was honored with the Senate 150th Anniversary Medal for his contributions to the community.



Stay tuned as Blue Lagoon Resources move closer to production and the next chapter in Dome Mountain's mining journey.



To Listen to the Interview, please visit:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/517889RL





About Blue Lagoon Resources Inc.





As of February 2025, Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. (CNSX:BLLG) (OTCMKTS:BLAGF) achieved a major milestone by securing its mining permit, making it one of only nine companies to receive such approval in British Columbia since 2015. With this critical permit in place, the company is now focused on completing its state-of-the-art water treatment plant-expected to be operational by the end of May 2025. This marks a pivotal step in Blue Lagoon's transition from an exploration company to a fully operational producer, with first production targeted for Q3 2025.

About The Ellis Martin Report

The Ellis Martin Report (TEMR) is an internet based radio program showcasing potentially undervalued companies to an audience of potential retail investors and fund managers that comprise our listening audience. TEMR is broadcasted on the VoiceAmerica Business Channel and The Opportunity Radio Network. CEO and company interviews are paid for by those represented on the program.

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Adrian Chapman, UK Sales Lead at Spence & Partners said: The general mood music across all regulated industries is for Regulators to lighten the burden, remove duplication and encourage innovation. This has to be seen as a good thing generally, but consumer protections need to remain robust. Vigilance is needed where competing commercial interests exist. For example, outside of pensions in the water industry there has clearly been tensions between commitments to shareholders versus investment in consumer water services. In the Pension industry Defined Benefit schemes are overseen by Trustees whose primary mandate is consumer protection with little or no conflicting commercial interest save for the efficiency (and therefore cost) of how they fulfil this mandate. On the face of it this looks like a regime that could benefit from lighter touch regulatory oversight particularly where professional trustees are involved on the trustee board. Helen Forrest Hall, Chief Strategy Officer at the PMI comments: The PMI supports targeted regulation that fosters high workplace standards through industry qualifications and education, ensuring optimal outcomes for scheme members. We are committed to continuous innovation, exemplified by our Lifetime Savings Initiative (LSI) which has driven actionable recommendations to address barriers to financial security and help build a sustainable UK savings model. We welcome TPRs focus on innovation and eagerly anticipate collaborating with the new Innovation Hub, sharing insights from our growing Global Innovation Centre, including the LSI. London Market Group CEO, Caroline Wagstaff, commented on the Plan: The London Market Group has consistently lobbied for a bespoke concierge service, more efficient regulatory processes, including metrics, and mechanisms to drive improvement. These steps, announced by H.M Treasury today, are strong responses to those asks, and critical in helping London remain the global centre for risk transfer. We are particularly pleased that the Treasury sees a key role for industry in driving the accountability of regulators in delivering this change. We look forward to the rapid implementation of all of the proposals. ABI Director General Hannah Gurga said: Appropriate regulation of our financial services is essential to a well-functioning system. But it also must be proportionate if its going to encourage the innovation, investment and growth our customers and economy need. The governments commitment to making a more effective, streamlined system through its Action Plan is a welcome intervention. We look forward to working together with the government, other trade bodies and the wider financial services sector to progress this and provide predictability, stability and certainty for our industry and its customers. Government announcement on New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth


Ad space per Publication in print witnessed a substantial 58% surge in 2024 compared to 2020, with a marginal 1% increase over the previous year, while ad space per publication increased by 57% in 2023 over 2020. While comparing 2024 with 2023, growth of 1% in ad space/per publication was reflected. In Quarterly Trends, Q4 of 2024 witnessed growth of 9% compared to Q1 of 2024.

The Auto sector rose two spots to lead Print advertising in 2024 with 15% share, followed by Services sector which slid one spot to second position. During 2024, the top 2 sectors  Personal Accessories and Durables  retained their respective positions compared to 2023. Also, the Top 10 Sectors collectively added 84% share of the ad space on Print medium.

Cars was the leading category with 8% share of the ad space, followed by Two Wheelers with 6% share in 2024. Out of the Top 10 categories, three of them belonged to the Education Sector and two each from Auto, Services and Retails sector during 2024. Together, the Top 10 Categories had a collective share of 44%.

Maruti Suzuki India ascended to the 1st position in 2024 compared to 2023 on Print medium. Both Samsung India Electronics, TVS Motor Company and Tata Motors entered the top advertisers list and secured 6th, 8th and 9th positions, respectively, during 2024 over 2023. The Top 10 Advertisers contributed 14% share of the Ad Space in Print.

The Top 10 Brands contributed 5% share of the Print Ad Space in 2024. Honda Activa H Smart claimed the top brand position in print, with over 181K brands actively advertising in 2024. In 2024, four brands in the Top 10 list were from the Auto sector. Five new entrants emerged in the top brand list for 2024, marking a notable shift from 2023.

Over 265+ Categories registered positive growth. Two Wheelers among the categories saw highest increase in Ad secondages with growth of 29%, followed by Cars with 13% growth during 2024 compared to 2023. In terms of growth %, Ecom-Wallets category witnessed highest growth % among the Top 10, that is, 2.6 times growth.

Over 73 K+ advertisers and 97 K+ brands exclusively advertised during 2024 in Print compared to 2023. Reliance BP Mobility and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra were the top exclusive advertiser and brand, respectively, in 2024 compared to 2023.

Ad innovations in Print

Figured Outline was the leading Innovative Ad Layout during 2024, followed by French Window. In addition to the Top 5 Innovations, there were 27 more Ad Innovations with a total share of 0.23%. The Top 5 Innovative Ad Layouts together added 0.6% share of the ad spaces during 2024.

Jacket-Full Page was the most preferred Ad Position by advertisers on Print during Y 2024. Over 8,400+ brands advertised as Jacket-Full Page (Newspaper & Magazine) during 2024 among which Allen Career Institute was the top brand.

Top Ad Positions in 2024

Sales Promotion ads accounted for 32% of the total ad space in Print during 2024. Among Sales Promotions, Multiple Promotion was on top with 48% share of ad space, followed by Discount Promotion. The Top 2 promotions solely covered 86% share of ad space during year 2024.

Deepavali remained the most significant festival for print advertising, contributing 28% of the total ad space in 2024, followed by Navratri/ Durga Puja and Christmas/ New Year with 21% & 15% share, respectively.
Flipkart has named Akash Jain as its new Director of Marketing, Head of Media. Jain shared the news of his appointment on LinkedIn, marking a significant milestone in his nearly decade-long journey with the company.

In his new role, Jain will spearhead digital and ATL (Above The Line) media strategies, overseeing Flipkarts core business as well as its emerging verticals, including the newly introduced quick commerce initiative, Flipkart Minutes. His key responsibilities will involve driving innovative advertising campaigns and optimizing media strategies to bolster Flipkarts presence in India's competitive e-commerce market.

Jain has been a part of Flipkart for almost seven years, previously serving as Head of Media  Associate Director. During this tenure, he played a crucial role in shaping media strategies across major categories such as mobiles, electronics, appliances, fashion, and beauty. Additionally, he worked closely with emerging businesses in health, fintech, and grocery, enhancing their media presence on the platform.

Before joining Flipkart, Jain honed his expertise in digital marketing at Odigma (an Infusion company) and also founded ContentKulture.in, a platform dedicated to coupons and giveaways. With his extensive experience, he is set to lead Flipkarts marketing strategies to new heights.
The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC) are thrilled to announce the much-anticipated return of Goafest to its iconic home in Goa for the 18th edition of South Asias largest creative festival. Scheduled to take place from May 21st to 23rd, Goafest 2025 will be hosted at the Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa. This year, the festival is proud to welcome Amazon MX Player as the Title Sponsor. For the first time ever, Goafest 2025 will bring alive a never-seen-before concept of the Goafest Village with multiple venues and experiences under one roof.

Designed to be fluid and adaptable, the 2025 theme Ignite ______ unlocks an array of critical conversations that spark change. Each session, panel, and keynote will explore different facets of the industry, Igniting through multiple themes that resonate with the evolving landscape of brands, creativity, and consumer engagement. Aligning with Goafest Village, attendees can expect diverse and immersive experiences that reflect the multifaceted nature of the industry, making Goafest 2025 more engaging than ever before.

Goafest has long been the marquee event for the advertising, media, and marketing industries, celebrating creativity, innovation, and excellence. With a renewed focus on collaboration and transformation, the 2025 edition will once again provide an unparalleled platform for industry leaders, visionaries, and young talent to engage, learn, and be inspired. The festival will also witness the prestigious ABBY Awards Powered by One Show 2025, the regions most coveted creative accolades, honoring outstanding achievements across advertising and media.

Expressing enthusiasm about bringing the festival back to Goa, Prasanth Kumar, President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India and CEO of GroupM, South Asia, said, Goafest has always stood as a beacon of creativity, innovation, and connection. After last years momentous edition in Mumbai, we are thrilled to return to the vibrant shores of Goa, the birthplace of its illustrious legacy. Centered around this years theme, Ignite _____, the festival aspires to kindle groundbreaking conversations, ignite visionary perspectives, and illuminate the path forward for advertising and marketing. This edition introduces the Goafest Villagea bold, immersive concept designed as a nexus for collaboration, networking, and the free exchange of ideas. It promises to redefine how the industry comes together to celebrate brilliance and spark meaningful dialogues about the future of our craft. With Amazon MX Player as our Title Sponsor, we anticipate an extraordinary 2025 edition that will truly elevate the festivals legacy."

Highlighting the evolution of Goafest and the ABBY Awards Powered by One Show, Rana Barua, President of The Advertising Club and Group CEO of Havas India, South East and North Asia, said, Taking Goafest back to Goa is a celebration in itself. The festival has always been synonymous with creativity, collaboration, and industry excellence. With Ignite_____ as our theme, we are setting the stage for ideas that push the boundaries of creativity. The ABBY Awards Powered by One Show continue to push boundaries, setting new creative benchmarks year after year. The ABBY Awards Powered by One Show continue to raise the bar, and this years edition will be even more inspiring, bringing together the brightest minds in the industry.



Jaideep Gandhi, Chairman of the Goafest 2025 Organising Committee and Founder of Another Idea, said, Year on year, Goafest has set new industry benchmarks, gaining prominence beyond South Asia. This year, we introduce Goafest Village, new initiatives and avenues for attendees to connect, engage, learn, and evolve. Staying true to our theme Ignite _____, we aim to foster collaboration and elevate Indias creative and marketing ecosystem globally, with Sam Balsara, Sundar Swamy, and Shashi Sinha as the torchbearers, guiding us, inspiring us, and pushing us to make Goafest bigger and better. We look forward to an exciting Goafest 2025.



Mohit Joshi, Co-chair of the Goafest 2025 Organising Committee and Chief Executive Officer of Havas Media Network India, said, Technology and data are reshaping advertising, demanding agility, creativity, and purpose. At Goafest 2025, the industrys sharpest minds will ignite powerful conversations - challenging norms, sparking innovation, and shaping the future. We will curate discussions that dont just inform but transform, fuelling ideas that drive real impact

Goafest has always been a platform where the brightest minds in advertising, media, and marketing converge to exchange ideas and push creative boundaries. Bringing the festival back to Goa this year is about rekindling the energy and spirit that makes Goafest truly special. With a larger-than-ever scale, immersive experiences, and an inspiring lineup of industry leaders, Goafest 2025 will be a space where innovation meets opportunity. We are excited to welcome the entire industry to Goa for three days of learning, networking, and, most importantly, celebrating creativity. We also look forward to honoring the best minds in the industry with the ABBY Awards Powered by One Show, added Ajay Kakar, Head - Corporate Branding, Adani Group.

At Amazon MX Player, our mission is to deliver high-quality entertainment for free while offering advertisers unmatched reach, engagement, and innovative advertising solutions. Partnering with Goafest 2025 as the Presenting Sponsor is a testament to this commitment. This years theme, Ignite ____, perfectly aligns with our vision of pushing the boundaries of content and entertainment. Goafest stands as a beacon of excellence in the advertising and media landscape, and we are thrilled to be part of this dynamic celebration of ideas and talent, said Aruna Daryanani, Director, Amazon MX Player, said Aruna Daryanani, Director, Amazon MX Player.

Drawing over 2000 industry professionals each year, South Asias premiere festival, Goafest 2025 is co-hosted by The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC).
Pukka, UK's Herbal Infusions brand has recently been launched in India by Unilever. The brand launched its new campaign - Self Care in a Cup by unveiling possibly the most calming film on the internet, inspiring individuals to relax, unwind, and experience self-care. This immersive experience, paired with Pukkas specially curated three herbal infusions, invites consumers to take time out for their daily wellness needs. As HULs entry into the herbal tea category, Pukka is poised to lead a growing wellness movement in India.



At the heart of the campaign - Self Care in a Cup is a visually captivating, aesthetic ASMR-inspired film designed to soothe the senses. Created by Lowe Lintas, the film beautifully brings this vision to life, transporting viewers through calming nature-inspired imagery, rhythmic sounds, and a gentle narrative that fosters relaxation. By merging audio-visual therapy with the natural benefits of herbal infusions, Pukka creates a unique pathway to self-care. Lowe Lintas has brilliantly captured the need for relaxation and self-care, bringing it to life through a visually soothing and immersive film. As modern lifestyles become increasingly hectic, this campaign reminds consumers of the importance of winding down and prioritizing self-care and well-being.

Pukka also gently interrupted people staying up late at night, nudging them toward better sleep with thoughtfully timed ads on Spotify and Instagram. These activations, running during nighttime hours, served as a reminder to embrace relaxation and unwind with a soothing cup of herbal infusion.

Pukka Chamomile and Lavender for Night Time Sleep offers natural, caffeine-free care to support better sleep. Blending Ayurvedic wisdom with the power of herbs, this delicious infusion includes handpicked chamomile and lavender, which are traditionally known to helps calm the mind, manage stress, and promote restful slumbermaking it the perfect companion for a relaxing bedtime routine.

Unveiling the Internets most calming film, Ishtpreet Singh, Beverages India Head, Unilever commented, "With Pukka, we are committed to bringing the power of herbal wellness to every home. Our worlds most calming film is more than just a visual retreat. It is an invitation for India to sip mindfully, embrace self-care, and build healthier relaxation rituals. With our infusions, we aim to transform the way people unwind, sleep, and recharge."

Now available across top metro cities and major e-commerce platforms, Pukkas infusions make wellness more accessible than ever.
Salman Khans dance move and Rashmikas charm sweeps you away in the latest song teaser of Sajid Nadiadwalas Sikandar directed by A R Murugadoss. Sikandar is undoubtedly the biggest film of the year, all set for its release on Eid. While the audience is already hooked after watching its action-packed teaser, the songs are further building excitement. After Zohra Jabeen and Bam Bam Bhole, the makers released a teaser of Sikandar Naache today. Every week makers have releasing assets and building more and more anticipation of the fans to enter the world of Sikandar.



This song promises to set the stage on fire with some cool and swag-worthy hook steps. This song reunites superstar Salman Khan, visionary producer Sajid Nadiadwala and choreographer Ahmed Khan after blockbuster Jumme Ki raat from Kick.

With this reunion Sikandar Naache is to be yet another chartbuster in the making from the trio. The grand setup and the massive crowd of dancers who flew from Turkey specially for this song promises an explosion tomorrow.

So, stay tunedSikandar Naache is set to arrive tomorrow!

As excitement reaches a fever pitch, the buzz around Sikandar is unstoppable! Get ready for a game-changing cinematic experience this Eid 2025 as the one and only Salman Khan makes his highly anticipated return to the big screen. Joined by the dazzling Rashmika Mandanna, the duo promises an unforgettable ride. Produced by the visionary Sajid Nadiadwala and helmed by the legendary A.R. Murugadoss, Sikandar is set to redefine the action-packed blockbuster. With jaw-dropping thrills and heart-racing surprises in store, this film is poised to take the audience on a rollercoaster like never before. The countdown has begun, and the excitement is only going to soar higher!
Square Inches Public Relations, one of Indias leading regional PR agencies with over a decade of experience, has become the PR Partner for inDrive, the global mobility and urban services platform.



Pavit Nanda Anand, Communication Lead-APAC, inDrive, shared her thoughts on the collaboration, stating, Square Inches PR has a deep understanding of regional nuances and their ability to craft compelling narratives have been invaluable in engaging diverse audiences. We are confident that Square Inches PR will continue to elevate our communication efforts and support our vision of creating a positive impact on one billion lives by 2030.



inDrive, the second most downloaded mobility app for three consecutive years, operates in 888 cities across 48 countries. The platforms fair pricing model and commitment to social justice have redefined urban mobility. Through its non-profit arm, inVision, inDrive also drives initiatives in education, sports, arts, sciences, and gender equality, furthering its mission of community empowerment.



Sameer Alam, Director of Square Inches PR, expressed his enthusiasm about the ongoing partnership, saying, Securing the PR mandate for inDrive is a significant milestone for our agency. We are committed to amplifying their brand story through innovative and impactful communication strategies. We look forward to driving meaningful engagement and positioning inDrive as a leader in the mobility space."



Square Inches PRs comprehensive PR strategy for inDrive includes media outreach, press conferences, press releases, and crisis communication. The agencys regional expertise and personalized approach have been key to building a strong media network and ensuring consistent brand messaging across India.
The rapid evolution of marketing technology (Martech) is transforming how brands connect with consumers, optimize campaigns, and drive engagement. At the forefront of this revolution is artificial intelligence (AI), which is reshaping everything from predictive analytics to hyper-personalization, making marketing more efficient, data-driven, and customer-centric. However, as companies adopt these advanced tools, they also face challenges in integration, data privacy, and delivering seamless omni-channel experiences.

In this two-part series leading up to DIGIXX Summit and Awards 2025, the prestigious annual event from Adgully for digital marketing and advertising, we explore the future of Martech, the impact of AI on creativity and strategy, and how brands can adapt to the evolving landscape while ensuring compliance and customer trust. From AI-driven automation to privacy-first personalization, he explores the key trends shaping the next era of marketing innovation.

Martech innovations

When asked how AI is transforming Martech, and what innovations can be expected in the next five years, Gandharv Sachdeva, Country Head at Hybrid, highlights how Artificial Intelligence has transformed social media, email marketing, and CRM platforms by automating processes, enabling personalization, and providing deep insights to predict customer behaviour. As AI continues to advance over the next five yearswith ethical implementations that prioritize trust and privacyit will drive hyper-personalized interactions, predictive content, and intelligent AI interfaces. Sachdeva predicts that these innovations will enhance efficiency, boost engagement, and strengthen customer relationships over time.

AIs transformation in Martech lies in the way companies optimize campaigns, personalize user experiences, and scale their marketing efforts with greater precision, points out Yaron Tomchin, CEO, Mobupps.

Today, Tomchin adds, AI is already at the heart of marketing innovation. It powers predictive analytics, helping businesses anticipate customer behaviour before it happens. It enables automated content creation, generating ads, emails, and even landing pages in real time. Also, it drives hyper-personalization, making sure every interaction is tailored to the individual user based on real-time data.

He, however, predicts that the next five years will take AI in Martech even further. Were at the stage where AI becomes a driving force behind creativity, strategic decision-making, and deeper user engagement. Instead of merely streamlining tasks, AI will empower brands to innovate, adapt, and connect with their audiences in various ways. Chatbots and voice assistants will sound like humans, delivering natural and intuitive interactions that enhance customer experiences. AI-driven creative optimization will enable ads to refine themselves in real time, learning from user engagement and continuously improving performance. At the same time, no-code AI solutions will make advanced marketing technology more accessible, allowing teams to leverage powerful tools without needing technical expertise, Tomchin notes.



Anushka Dey, Vice President - Public Relations, SRV Media, notes that the marketing tech landscape is going to see radical changes as we head into 2025. It is not an incremental transformationit is redefining how we interact with brands and audiences.

Right now, Dey adds, AI is already revolutionising our ability to process and respond to massive volumes of data in real-time. Were using it to customise content at scale, predict customer behaviour with ever-more unsettling precision, and automate complex workflows that used to require entire teams.

In the next five years, she sees a series of revolutionary shifts taking place. First, well see truly predictive marketing become mainstreamnot just looking at what happened but exactly anticipating customer needs before they even know to ask. The brands that master this will create experiences that feel almost mystical to customers. Second, AI content generation will mature. What we have now is good but still requires massive human oversight. Shortly, we will have platforms that are able to generate creativity that's on-brand, emotionally resonant, and contextually true without having to hold their hands the whole time. Third, expect autonomous marketing systems to appear that can test, learn, and optimise in channels independentlynot just to implement proven strategies but to develop and refine their strategies based on real-time feedback, Dey adds.

Most interesting is how AI will democratise advanced marketing capabilities.Small businesses can use tools that provide advanced insights and capabilities, similar to those used by large companies. However, they wont need to spend as much as big enterprises to access these benefits. The companies that will thrive won't be those who simply employ the newest AI, but the ones that judiciously add it to their human numbersaugmenting their imagination and strategic minds rather than replacing them. A Forrester report indicates that 57% of marketers plan to increase their AI budgets by 2025, thus allowing for more targeted campaigns and efficient use of resources. A Gartner study indicates that 80% of marketers will use AI-powered personalisation by 2025 in a bid to boost client loyalty and engagement. AI will revolutionise the use of human labour in marketing while at the same time boosting efficiency and personalisation, Dey adds.

Nidhi Dua Dhingra, AVP - Sales & Strategy, DangleAds Technologies, points out that AI has transformed the digital industry, streamlining daily tasks and revolutionizing Martech by simplifying complex processes, enhancing hyper-personalization, and elevating customer engagement. By automating data analysis, audience segmentation, and content creation, AI allows marketers to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth.

According to Dhingra, the key AI-driven advancements that are already reshaping Martech and will continue to improve efficiency in the coming years are:

Hyper-Personalization  AI analyzes customer behaviour to deliver tailored content and recommendations.

Dynamic Content Optimization  Real-time adjustments to content and ad placements for maximum impact.

Predictive Analytics  AI anticipates customer needs, helping brands stay ahead of trends.

Creative Automation  AI automates video, text, and graphic creation, scaling content production.

Conversational AI  More human-like chatbots and virtual assistants enhance customer interactions.

As AI continues to evolve, it will drive smarter, more targeted marketing strategies. Over the next five years, expect advancements in real-time decision-making, automated creative production, and more sophisticated conversational marketing powered by AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants, she adds.

(Tomorrow: Part 2 will explore the challenges of integrating Martech tools, how brands can balance personalization with data privacy, and the role of Martech in creating seamless omnichannel experiences.)
Debating the Legacy of Aurangzeb: Should His Tomb Be Erased or Preserved as a Lesson in History? 2

The tomb of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, located in Khuldabad, Maharashtra, was built in 1707, the year of his death. It stands as a simple yet historically significant monument, marking the final resting place of one of the most controversial rulers in Indian history. For years, the site remained largely untouched by significant debate, even during the Maratha Confederacy (16741818), when the Marathas, despite their political and cultural rivalry with the Mughals, showed respect toward Mughal monuments. Notably, Chhatrapati Shahu I, the fifth ruler of the Maratha Empire, visited Aurangzebs tomb to pay his respects.

However, recent developments have reignited tensions surrounding the tomb. A Hindi film, Chhava, has sparked renewed emotional reactions against Aurangzeb, with Hindu organisations now demanding the removal of the tomb. These calls for its demolition are in stark contrast to the historical context in which the monument was largely left undisturbed, even after India gained independence. The shift in sentiment is further fuelled by the visits of controversial figures such as Akbaruddin Owaisi, who has paid homage to the emperor, a man widely reviled for his oppressive actions, particularly toward Hindus.

Aurangzeb, often depicted as a religious zealot, is criticised for his policies of religious persecution, including the execution of Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Shivaji Maharaj, and for enforcing Islamic law across much of India. His reign is viewed by many as one of intolerance and brutality, which led to significant suffering among Hindus. These actions have contributed to his status as one of the most hated figures in Indian history. His legacy has come to symbolise a period of division and conflict that ultimately played a role in shaping the religious dynamics of South Asia.

The calls for the destruction of Aurangzebs tomb are part of a larger political and cultural debate. Hindu organisations such as Bajrang Dal have warned of a Babri Masjid-like fate for the tomb if the state government does not act on their demands. This has led to heightened security around the site in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), where the number of visitors to the tomb has significantly droppedfrom about 2,500 to 3,000 daily visitors before the controversy to just 200 to 400 visitors now.

Aurangzebs strict religious views and ascetic lifestyle earned him titles such as Zinda Pir (living saint) and Darvesh (ascetic), reflecting his devotion to Islam. His reign, which lasted nearly 50 years, is considered by many to be the last effective period of the Mughal Empire, but his legacy is marred by the heavy-handedness of his rule, which included the destruction of Hindu temples and the forced conversion of Hindus to Islam.

The debate over whether to preserve or demolish Aurangzebs tomb raises broader questions about how we engage with history. Why, some argue, are the tombs of Mughal emperors like Aurangzeb well-maintained while the memorials to figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are sometimes neglected? The answer lies in complex cultural, historical, and political factors, but there is also a deeper, more philosophical question at play.

While the revulsion many feel toward Aurangzebs actions is understandable, it is crucial to consider the ethical implications of erasing historical sites. History, however painful, is a part of our collective heritage. As a culture, India has largely adhered to the belief that even those who caused harm should be treated with respect in death. This is reflected in the example set by Shivaji Maharaj, who, despite defeating Afzal Khan and having his body beheaded, admonished his soldiers for mocking the dead. This cultural respect for the deceased, regardless of their actions in life, is a key aspect of Indian tradition.

While the anger toward Aurangzeb is justified in many respects, the desecration or destruction of his tomb would represent a troubling shift in how we approach our history. Such an act would be an attempt to erase the past rather than learn from it. History, even the parts we find difficult to accept, must be preserved for future generations. The tomb of Aurangzeb, like any historical site, should be seen as an opportunity to reflect on the past, acknowledge its complexities, and learn valuable lessons from it.

In the end, the tomb of Aurangzeb should not be destroyed. Rather than erase this reminder of Indias tumultuous history, it should be preserved as a historical monument. Its continued existence can serve as a lesson about the dangers of intolerance and the consequences of absolute power. The tomb, while a symbol of a painful past, should remain a part of Indias heritage, not as an endorsement of Aurangzebs actions but as a tool for reflection and learning.
Maharashtra Erupts as Congress Leader Compares CM Fadnavis to Aurangzeb 2

A massive political storm erupted in Maharashtra on Monday after state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal compared Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The controversial remark triggered outrage in both Houses of the state legislature, with leaders from the ruling Mahayuti coalition demanding strict action.

The uproar intensified during the ongoing Budget session, as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule (BJP) assured lawmakers that legal action against Sapkal would be considered. Pawar criticized the statement, suggesting that some politicians make controversial remarks to impress party leaders but ultimately expose their true colors.

Sapkal, in his Sunday statement, had called Aurangzeb a cruel ruler and likened Fadnavis to him, accusing the chief minister of supporting religious issues while neglecting critical cases like the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. His remarks infuriated the BJP, with party leaders calling it an insult to Maharashtra.

As the Assembly Speaker struggled to maintain order, the House had to be adjourned for ten minutes amid relentless disruptions. The controversy also spilled over to the Legislative Council, where BJP group leader Pravin Darekar slammed Sapkal, demanding immediate legal action to set an example.

NCP (SP) legislator Shashikant Shinde and opposition leader Ambadas Danve also weighed in, with Danve arguing that the government itself had an Aurangzeb-like mentality. Meanwhile, Congress leader Bhai Jagtap denied that Sapkal had made such a statement, attempting to diffuse tensions.

Despite opposition voices, Bawankule assured the Council that the government was considering strict action against Sapkal for his objectionable remarks. As the political firestorm rages on, the controversy has further deepened the divide between Maharashtras ruling coalition and the opposition.
Nitesh Rane Sparks Row: "Hindutva Groups Must Do Their Duty" Amid Aurangzeb Tomb Row 2

Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Monday stirred controversy by invoking the demolition of the Babri Masjid while addressing ongoing demands from right-wing groups to remove Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb in Khuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Rane, known for his hardline Hindutva stance, declared that while the government would do its job, Hindutva organisations must fulfill their role.

The government will do its part while Hindutva outfits must do theirs. When the Babri Masjid was being demolished, we did not sit and talk. Our karsevaks did what was appropriate, Rane said while speaking at Shivaji Maharajs birthplace, Shivneri Fort, in Pune on the occasion of the Maratha kings birth anniversary.

His statement came amid intensified protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which has labeled Aurangzebs tomb a symbol of pain and slavery. The VHP has staged demonstrations across Maharashtra, demanding the sites removal and warning that if the government fails to act, they will take matters into their own hands.

Rane also took aim at efforts to portray Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a secular king, rejecting such claims. Shivaji Maharaj was the founder of Hindvi Swarajya, and this identity must be reinforced. Some people are trying to distort history, but we will not allow it, he asserted.

Reiterating his controversial stance, Rane claimed that Shivaji Maharajs army never had Muslim soldiers. The British referred to my king as a Hindu General. When Adil Shah sent Afzal Khan to kill Shivaji Maharaj, the decree clearly stated that the spread of Islam had been hindered during his reign. These historical records are now coming to light, he said.

The minister also praised the upcoming Bollywood movie Chhaava, which depicts the life of Shivaji Maharajs son, Sambhaji Maharaj. Aurangzeb demanded that Sambhaji Maharaj convert to Islam. If their battle was not about religion, then what was it? Rane asked, reinforcing his assertion that the Marathas fought a religious war against Mughal rulers.

Speaking on the calls for Aurangzebs tomb to be razed, Rane called the movement significant and hinted at his personal support. As a minister, I have limitations on how much I can openly say, but you all know my views. Today, I am a minister. Tomorrow, I may not be. But until my last breath, I will remain a Hindu, he declared.

The remarks have sparked fresh political debate in Maharashtra, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of fueling communal tensions for electoral gains. While the government has yet to take a clear stand on the fate of Aurangzebs tomb, Ranes comments have further escalated tensions over the issue.
Stranded in Space for 9 Months, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Finally Get a Ride Home 2

More than nine months after they were supposed to return, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set for their long-delayed journey back to Earth. Their unexpected extended mission began last June when they launched aboard Boeings Starliner capsule, which was meant to be a short one-week test flight. However, technical failures forced NASA to leave the capsule behind and delay their return indefinitely.

Their long wait is coming to an end as a SpaceX crew capsule successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, carrying four replacement crew members from the United States, Japan, and Russia. After a brief transition period, Williams and Wilmore will board the same SpaceX capsule that has been docked at the ISS since last year and begin their long-awaited journey home later this week.

Wilmore and Williams were originally expected to return in September, but repeated delaysincluding the need for extensive battery repairs on their replacements brand-new capsulekept pushing their return date further. Now, weather permitting, they will finally undock from the ISS no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Floridas coast.

For now, the ISS is unusually crowded, hosting 11 astronauts from the US, Russia, and Japan. As Williams described the arrival of the relief crew, she expressed relief and excitement, saying, It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive. Soon, she and Wilmore will get their long-overdue homecoming after an unexpected space odyssey.
Tribal Mob Kills Cop in Madhya Pradesh, Police Arrest Six; CM Announces 1 Crore Aid 2

A day after Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ramcharan Gautam was brutally killed and several police officials were injured in a violent clash with tribals in Madhya Pradeshs Mauganj district, authorities have arrested six suspects and launched a manhunt for others involved in the attack.

Following Chief Minister Mohan Yadavs directives, State Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana flew to Rewa district to assess the situation. The CM has ordered strict action against the perpetrators and announced 1 crore in financial assistance to Gautams family. He also declared Gautam a martyr, ensuring that one of his family members will receive a government job.

The violence erupted in Gadra village, around 25 km from Mauganj, after members of the Kol tribe abducted and allegedly killed a man named Sunny Dwivedi, whom they blamed for the death of a tribal man, Ashok Kumar. While police records confirm that Kumar died in a road accident months ago, the Kol tribe suspected Dwivedis involvement.

When a police team, led by Shahpur Police Station House Officer Sandeep Bhartiya, arrived to rescue Dwivedi, they discovered he had already been lynched. As they attempted to intervene, they were attacked by a mob wielding sticks and stones. In the ensuing chaos, ASI Gautam suffered fatal injuries and later succumbed during treatment. Other police personnel were also injured and rushed to hospitals.

To control the situation, police fired shots in the air to disperse the mob. Heavy police deployment remains in Gadra, with Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita imposed to prevent further disturbances.

Rewa Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Saket Pandey confirmed that six individuals have been arrested, and efforts are underway to track down the remaining attackers. Rewa Division Commissioner B.S. Jamod reported that seven government officials and police personnel injured in the attack are receiving treatment.

CM Yadav, who also oversees the states home department, condemned the attack, calling it an inhuman and unfortunate incident. He assured that law and order would be restored swiftly. Meanwhile, Mauganj BJP MLA Pradeep Patel linked the deteriorating security situation to rampant illegal drug activity in the region, demanding urgent intervention.

The opposition Congress seized the moment to criticize the government, alleging a complete breakdown of law and order in Madhya Pradesh. Congress state chief Jitu Patwari pointed out that police personnel had been attacked in at least five different incidents in recent days.

ASI Gautams last rites were conducted in Gulua Pawaiya village in Satna district, with officials and locals paying tribute to his sacrifice.
Dear Eric: My dad and I are super close. Or so I thought. I have six siblings, four of which live in the same town he does. I live many hours away.

I speak to him daily. Whenever he needs anything, I drive down to help him, often staying for days or weeks at a time.

During health issues, I stayed with him for five months, and was his in-home caregiver, fed him, drove him to all appointments, cooked, cleaned, did his laundry and have never asked for or expected anything. We had a good time together. We rarely heard from the others, some never.

Our family dynamics have always been terrible. My siblings constantly talk behind my back, they have been physically and mentally abusive throughout our childhood and as young adults.

My dad just did his will; he is 86. He has named three of the siblings, who never call, never help or check in, as his executors, as well as his power of attorneys. I am absolutely dumbfounded.

How do I resolve this in my brain that I am not respected, even though I am the person who has been there for every single difficult issue for him?

My siblings are rude, cruel, opinionated, controlling and dramatic. They choose to criticize and berate me any chance they get. I dont get the logic, and I am afraid if something happens to dad, they will not look after him with his best interests at heart. I know it is Dads choice who he picks, but I am surprised his choice is his children who rarely visit or call over those who help without question. Any insight is appreciated.

 Disrespected

Dear Disrespected: Im really sorry about this; I know its painful. Start off by talking to your dad about his decision. Ask him about his thinking, in a nonjudgmental way, and talk with him through his plans for care. Has he had conversations with your siblings about what the power of attorney arrangement means? Do they know what his wishes are regarding long-term care? Is there a system in place to help him should other health issues arise? Getting some insight into whats going on in his head will help you to see the full picture. Ask your dad to talk to his estate lawyer about the possibility of you meeting with them. This may not be an option either of them is open to, but its worth trying so that you can get clarification and also so that you can be assured that your siblings arent exerting undue influence on your father.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.
The effects of an Alabama anti-DEI law have cascaded beyond the classroom and are affecting the lives of many students and professors, according to six plaintiffs behind a federal lawsuit suing the University of Alabama System board of trustees and Gov. Kay Ivey.

The lawsuit is an attempt to roll back the impact of a state law that bans colleges from promoting divisive concepts. It comes amid a national effort by President Donald Trump to stop colleges from continuing DEI practices .

Plaintiffs say normal educational activities, such as a mock sit-in for a class project, have been stifled by an administration afraid of running afoul of the state law.

Campus, as a whole, feels sort of resentful toward the state for the bill, Isabella Campos, a plaintiff and a political science student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told AL.com.

On Jan. 14, students and professors at the systems Tuscaloosa and Birmingham campuses sued, saying that the law violates their constitutional rights , including the First Amendment.

In response to the complaint, the Gov. Ivey said that plaintiffs havent adequately demonstrated that they or other people are specifically harmed by the new law. The plaintiffs have asked for an immediate injunction on the law.

The legislation, SB 129, prohibits state-funded programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion, including at colleges and universities .

Colleges around the state shuttered DEI offices. At Auburn and UA, the areas designated for LGBTQ students closed. The Black Student Union space was closed at UA.

Plaintiff Miguel Luna, a junior studying political science and history at UAB, told AL.com that the lawsuit isnt about pushing an agenda.

Were just trying to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table and that we can all be equitable in how were moving, Luna said. He said classifying topics such as race as divisive is dangerous, because different communities face disproportionate issues, and these issues still affect a lot of us today.

The plaintiffs believe SB 129 was enacted, at least in part, with the purpose of discriminating against Black people. They said divisive concepts is too ambiguous for faculty and students to follow. The defendants argue the law is clear and states in everyday English the acts that are prohibited.

UAs guidance for faculty includes adding a disclaimer on their class syllabus, a document which outlines class goals, assignments and outcomes. The professors claim the recommended disclaimer isnt enough, including telling students they may present difficult, objectionable or controversial topics for consideration, but will do so through an objective scholarly lens. According to the complaint, this included sensitive topics such as discrimination during the Holocaust.

UAB students, according to the complaint, observed that professors have been less willing to share their opinions. The professors would stop mid-sentence or comment, I could go to jail for saying this.

Gov. Ivey said in her response that the Alabama constitution is color-blind, so they forbid the professors it pays to teach its curriculum from compelling students at its universities to affirm, as part of their coursework, that white students are inherently superior to black students, that Jewish students should be discriminated against and that Germans are inherently racist.

One of the plaintiffs, Cassandra Simon, is an associate professor at UAs School of Social Work. She said in the past, her students watch documentaries such as Eyes on the Prize about the Civil Rights Movement. Students expressed feelings of anger, guilt, complicity and shame after watching the movie, which Simon worried may run afoul of SB 129.

Gov. Iveys lawyers responded that an an objectively reasonable professor would have no reason to think that merely presenting and discussing Eyes on the Prize violates any provision of the law.

When students planned a sit-in for a project in her class in November, Simon received an email from the schools dean saying that the sit-in should be canceled.

The email quoted a section of the faculty handbook that said failure to comply could lead to progressive disciplinary actions up to and including termination. The event was canceled two hours before it began, according to reporting from The Crimson White .

Are we going to get you fired because we chose to do this? students have asked Simon. She said students are normally engaged and excited to learn about unfamiliar topics. Now, theyve backtracked on sensitive issues.

Students are not getting a complete comprehensive education when we have these kinds of limitations placed on us, Simon told AL.com.

In the Gov. Iveys response to the complaint, they said Simons speech can be regulated because she is not acting as a citizen but as a state employeeat a state university, in a state classroom, on the States time and paid by the States dime."

------

The story was updated on March 18 to indicate the response to the complaint is on behalf of Gov. Kay Ivey.
An Alabama journalist is the latest victim in a recent string of nationwide swatting calls directed at conservatives. His Ring camera captured the March 17, 2025, ordeal. (Contributed)

An Alabama man is the latest victim in a recent string of swatting calls directed at conservatives.

Sheriffs deputies in full body armor and automatic rifles descended on Larry Tauntons rural Talladega County home in Mondays pre-dawn hours after receiving a 911 call that there were three armed men in hoodies in the house shooting people and there was blood everywhere. The caller purported to be in Tauntons home.

In reality, Taunton, an international journalist and author who has written extensively about The United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, corruption and the war in Ukraine, was about to go join his wife who already was asleep in their bed.

I look out onto my deck, its like 1:15 a.m., I see two other guys, but I couldnt see uniforms or anything like that, just figures, men, with rifles, Taunton told AL.com. Im thinking, What the hell?

Taunton at that moment became the latest victim of swatting, which is a bogus phone call to report serious crimes taking place in an effort to draw police SWAT teams to a specific location. People have died in past swatting incidents.

The incident was captured on Tauntons Ring camera, which he posted to X on Monday.

FBI Director Kash Patel on Friday said the agency is investigating a recent spike in swatting incidents after several conservative media figures said they were targeted.

I want to address the alarming rise in Swatting incidents targeting media figures, Patel wrote on X. The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.

This isnt about politicsweaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers," Patel wrote.

Social media influencer Gunther Eagleman, radio host Joe Pagliarulo, and Infowars' Chase Geiser each claimed to be among a slew of figures who were victims of false swatting calls this week. Also reporting swatting incidents were commentators Shawn Farash, Nick Sortor and parody account Catturd, according to Fox News.

Larry Taunton founded Fixed Point Foundation in 2004 as a Christian ministry defending the faith against atheism. (File/The Birmingham News)

On Monday, he chronicled his ordeal in an interview with AL.com.

His wife was asleep, and he was about to do the same when his German Shepherd, Ranger, became agitated.

His fur was up, and he was very much in vigilant mode, Taunton said. Ive learned to pay attention to his moods because theres usually a reason for it.

Taunton thought maybe there was a rodent in the home. He was going around investigating and I couldnt hear anything, he said of his dog.

Taunton went to his bedroom, and a short time later saw a flash of light outside. Then there was a second flash.

Im very rural, he said. Its not like any cars drive by.

Taunton grabbed his weapon and exited his bedroom. It was then he saw a silhouette of a man with an automatic rifle on his deck.

No one accidentally ends up on my deck with automatic rifles, he said.

Taunton turned on a light inside the house, and a sheriffs deputy said, Police.

Im still confused, Taunton said. I stayed where I was, still holding my weapons, and said, Identify yourselves, show me your badges.

One of the officers used a flashlight to illuminate his uniform. Ultimately, Taunton turned on the deck lights.

I could see they were all in uniform. Theyre all wearing body armor, he said. In a situation like this, the adrenaline is flowing. Im on edge and theyre on edge.

Taunton told one of the deputies he could come inside. Thats when the deputy told him they had received a 911 from someone in the home.

Im thinking, Nobody called you, Taunton said.

An Alabama journalist is the latest victim in a recent string of nationwide swatting calls directed at conservatives. His Ring camera captured the March 17, 2025, ordeal. (Contributed)

The conversation quickly deescalated.

These were sensible guys, Taunton said.

He learned there were about nine sheriffs cruisers at the end of the driveway, and they had approached his house under the cloak of darkness.

It was a very different scenario than police coming with their lights on, he said. These guys were tiptoeing around my deck in total darkness with flashlights and automatic rifles.

It looked like was about to die in an Alamo type situation and I didnt even know why, Taunton said.

Authorities later told Taunton it appeared the 911 caller dialed in on Wi-Fi and knew how to hide the location. So, the likelihood of tracking down the person is going to be very hard, he said.

Taunton said he was already aware of other swatting incidents aimed at conservative journalists.

I had just come back from Africa where I had a run in with the Egyptian secret police outside of USAID headquarters that was extremely intense, more intense than what happened last night here, he said. So, these are on your mind.

Taunton said ironically, he had taken his wife to dinner in Birmingham Sunday night where they discussed the dangers of his job.

She said to me, The work you do is so dangerous, and I said, Yeah, but sweetheart look around. Were in Birmingham. Theres not anybody in this restaurant who knows what I do or cares.

Taunton was the founder of Fixed Point Foundation, a Christian ministry in Birmingham that organized high-profile debates between atheists and Christian evangelists. He resigned from his executive director position in 2018 following revelations of improper relationships but was reinstated the following year.

Taunton said he doesnt know exactly why he was targeted, again mentioning his coverage of USAID.

I have for the past several years been tracking migrant caravans in South America as they make their way acrossto the us border, he said. USAID has been funding a lot of this while taking a public position that theyre trying to stem the tide.

Is this related to USAID? Possibly. Taunton said. Its also possible that its related to, and its maybe even more probable, that its related to my criticism of our policy in Ukraine.

I havent taken a pro-Ukraine or pro-Russia approach, said Taunton, who adopted his daughter from Ukraine. Ive taken a pro-peace approach.

I dont have the visibility of some conservatives, he said, but I have a decent following, and I publish pretty regularly and do a lot of commentary on these topics.

Efforts to reach sheriffs officials for comment on the investigation were unsuccessful, but Taunton said hed like to see the FBI brought in.

There should be very serious consequences for something like this, Taunton said. I would never ever want to see harm come to you and your family because I dont like your political opinions.

The people who are doing this, at the very least they want to terrorize, but theyre OK with the possibility of people getting killed, he said. Had it not been for the fact that I was restrained with my weapon, and the deputies were restrained with their weapons, this could have gone sideways very quickly.

These things should not happen to people, he said. These people have to be found, and they have to be prosecuted.

Whoever did this, theyre wasting taxpayer resources theyre putting lives at risk, Taunton said. Its a very evil thing to do.
A Georgia man was taken into custody Friday morning after police say he stole a SUV from a Buc-ees gas pump and then led police on a chase that ended with a crash in Shelby County. (ALGO)

Formal charges have been filed against a Georgia man accused of stealing a car from a Buc-ees gas pump and then leading lawmen on a chase that ended in Shelby County.

Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin on Monday said the suspect, 33-year-old Kujuan Prince Ash, of Lawrenceville, was dropped off at Buc-ees by another law enforcement agency.

He did not say which agency took Ash to the business, or why, but called the move unfortunate.

It is unfortunate that another agency dropped this person off at Buc-ees early in the morning without identifying him or charging him with a crime, Irwin said. We are working with the agency whose officer dropped him off in one of the most populated areas inside the City of Leeds than dealing with this perpetrator who posed a danger to their community. We must all work together to protect the public regardless of jurisdiction.

The incident began about 6:30 a.m. Friday when police say Ash jumped into an occupied vehicle at the Leeds store, and forcibly took the vehicle.

The victim seated in the vehicle was able to escape without injury, said Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin.

The suspect left in the stolen Toyota 4-Runner.

Officers a short time later spotted the SUV at the Interstate 20/59 junction and a chase began.

Vestavia Hills, Homewood and Alabaster police, as well as the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, joined in.

Ash ultimately wrecked in the area of Interstate 65 and U.S. 31. After the crash, he fled on foot but was quickly captured.

Irwin said Ash initially gave police a fake name, but his true identity was later learned with the assistance from the University of Alabama Police Department.

The investigation showed, the chief said, that while at Buc-ees, Ash committed a theft inside of the store and also attempted to enter two other vehicles, which were parked in the parking lot.

Ash is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle by force, attempting to elude, first-degree theft of property, first-degree criminal mischief, obstruction of justice using a false identity, third-degree theft of property, two counts of attempted unlawful breaking and enter a vehicle and third-degree retail theft.

Ash is in the Jefferson County Jail with bonds totaling $88,000.
Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis, in blue suit, at the press conference to announce he is running for mayor. Carol Robinson

Longtime Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis announced today he is running for mayor.

Derzis, 70, joined the citys force in 1979 and was named chief in 2005.

He made the announcement at a news conference, ending of months of widespread speculation that he would run for the office currently held by Mayor Frank Brocato.

For over four decades, I have had the honor of serving Hoover, protecting its residents, and building a culture of excellence in public safety, Derzis said.

During that time, Ive seen law enforcementand our citychange. I have witnessed Hoover grow from a small suburb to one of Alabamas largest cities.

Derzis said Hoover needs leadership that embraces innovation rather than allows stagnation.

One of my wifes closest friends, a successful business owner in Hoover, recently told me something that stuck with me: Hoover feels tired, and I agree, Derzis said.

The energy, momentum, and vision that once defined our city are fading.

Derzis said state law allows him to continue in his position of police chief until the last day of qualification, which is the latter part of June. He will take vacation for the remainder of the campaign.

He said he spoke with Brocato Monday morning.

I think hed probably heard things in the past several weeks but we had a very good conversation wished each other good luck and were moving on, Derzis said.

Brocato released this statement to AL.com:

Hoover is a strong, vibrant city and one of the top communities in Alabama for families.

Our schools consistently rank among the best both locally and nationally, and our economy continues to grow with a strong vision for the future. The progress weve made hasnt happened by accidentits taken leadership, dedication, and a community of engaged citizens who care deeply about our city.

Serving Hoover has been the greatest honor of my lifefirst as the citys first fire marshal and paramedic, and now as mayor.

Weve come a long way, but theres still work to do. Im excited to continue moving Hoover forward and ensuring it remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family."

Derzis when asked what would happen to his job if he loses the mayoral race said, That would be left up to the mayor.

Derzis said he believes hes the right man for the job.

Ive been here 45 years, I know the community, I know the citizens, I know what they want and I know that Ive done a good job in the position Ive been in as 20 years as police chief, he said. Ive got great relationships."

Derzis said there are transparency issues with the current administration that people have a lot of questions about.

I just want to bring back good, strong, decisive leadership, he said. From the crowd today and some of the social media stuff Ive seen, people are just ready for a change."

The chief said it wasnt an easy decision.

I didnt ask for this position, it really wasnt even on the radar, he said.

He said he was first approached about seven or eight months ago and discounted the idea.

In the past six or seven weeks, Ive just been inundated with people, people I didnt expect, that are behind my candidacy.

Among those in attendance at the announcement were Jefferson County Commissioner and retired Alabama Supreme Court Judge Mike Bolin, former Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos, retired executive director of Hoover Allen Pate, retired Hoover fire Chief Chuck Wingate, Hoover City Council members Steve McClinton and Sam Swiney.

Derzis said he believes in a Hoover that is safe, prosperous and united.

Im ready to serve, Im ready to lead and Im ready to Make Hoover Hoover Again, he said.

The son of a colonel in the U.S. Army, Derzis was born in Berlin, Germany and later moved to Alabama in 1977.

He began his law enforcement career as an officer with the Hoover Police Department in 1979 and was steadily promoted through the ranks.

Derzis was promoted to assistant chief December 1999 and to chief in January 2005.

Throughout the years, he has been responsible for numerous initiatives within the department, such as the Special Response Team, School Resource Officer program, and the development and construction of a new police operations center and jail facility.

Derzis has a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Samford University and is a graduate from the FBI National Academy.

Derzis said his priorities as mayor will include:

- Public Safety: Ensuring Hoovers first responders have the resources they need to protect the community and maintain the citys reputation as one of the safest in the nation.

- Education: Partnering with school leaders to support Hoovers schools and ensure students have access to the best educational opportunities in Alabama.

- Fiscal Responsibility & Transparency: Ending reckless spending, making every taxpayer dollar count, and bringing openness and accountability back to City Hall.

Derzis said he wants to restore trust in city government.

Government should serve the peoplenot the other way around, he said.

As mayor, I will work hand-in-hand with the City Council, hold regular town halls, and ensure Hoovers government operates with full transparency.

Brocato has been mayor of Hoover, the states sixth largest city, since 2016. He has said he plans to seek a third term.

Hoovers last election was held in 2020, according to the city website.

In 2021, the state moved municipal elections off the same calendar year as presidential elections. Officials elected in 2020 will serve until 2025.

The municipal elections will be held Aug. 26, 2025.
Respect the polygon, people. And while youre at it, show a little respect for the weatherman, too.

Folks who follow James Spann on social media got that message, loud and clear, if they saw a Sunday morning exchange between Spann, Alabamas preeminent meteorologist, and the unfortunate person who trolled him on X.

Spann, the chief meteorologist at ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, was taking no guff from this guy, who criticized the weathermans coverage of severe storms that swept across Alabama this weekend.

Several areas across the state were struck by storms and tornadoes on Saturday night, resulting in multiple reports of damaged buildings and vehicles. Two people were killed in Dallas County when the storms ripped through, and a man in Talladega County died when his mobile home was destroyed.

35 1 / 35 Severe Weather in Alabama: March 15th weekend

But Spanns detractor, who appears to live in Birmingham, apparently wasnt looking beyond his own backyard. His Sunday post on X said, Good call this weekend @spann. Bham got a light drizzle and you acted like we were going to get (expletive) nuked."

The tweet, which was later deleted, prompted a response from Spann that said, Looks like you need some attention, so I will play.

At least ten tornadoes with multiple fatalities across Alabama yesterday and last night. This video is just one example of what people dealt with.

I would suggest you might be happy one of these tornadoes didnt hit your home, and nobody in your family was one of those fatalities.

Being a social media troll isnt a good look for you or your family.

Hi Jacob looks like you need some attention, so I will play.



At least ten tornadoes with multiple fatalities across Alabama yesterday and last night. This video is just one example of what people dealt with.



I would suggest you might be happy one of these tornadoes didnt hit https://t.co/hrU7nxKGlD pic.twitter.com/zdyhcZbpuw  James Spann (@spann) March 16, 2025

Spann also showcased the exchange on Facebook Sunday morning, with a photo of the original tweet and a 6:30 a.m. post that said, Good morning to everyone except this guy .

Good morning to everyone except this guy. Posted by James Spann on Sunday, March 16, 2025

Spanns 1.3 million followers were quick to leap to the weathermans defense, posting more than 11,000 comments of praise and support. Heres a small sampling:

Thats right get him, said Moe Crawford. I myself am also glad my family and community werent affected as I live in Alabaster and right by Shelby County Airport. Not too far from Calera, which was hit. Im grateful God heard my prayers, youre the #GOAT James you always do an amazing job. I hope you stay on TV long as you can, not sure what well do without you. Keep up the great work."

I love the snap back Mr. Spann, said Shawana MsChelle McCormick. Anybody with sense knows that James Spann is the man with the plan. We appreciate you.

I appreciate your dedication and expertise, said Terry Hermes. You and your whole staff do great work. There is no one, or no staff, better, and I am thankful for it.

Big Unk you want us to pull up on him you know we dont do no @James Spann slander, said Justus Herring.

You cant fix stupid, said Pam Huff. You did an outstanding job as always. Thank God the storm underperformed in the metro  but wonder how that guy feels about the three people in the state who lost their lives in the storms. Thanks for all you and other meteorologists around the state do to keep up safe.

I dont understand why someone is disappointed that their home wasnt blown away and their family was spared of injury or worse! said Charlene CJ Jackson Sims. We are blessed to have such a dedicated, educated, God-fearing man watching out for us. Even my nine-year-old granddaughter who watched cartoons on her iPad in the bathtub last night has known for years that James Spann is the man!

Thank you James Spann! I watched you for hours yesterday and am so thankful for your dedication, said Tara N. Seahorn. Some people are just ignorant (you can tell especially with that kind of language). As one of the FB posts that I saw said, if we are missed dont blame the meteorologist, but thank God for the answered prayers.' God bless you and thank you! Get some rest.

And if youre wondering about the whole respect the polygon thing: Spann typically urges viewers to plan ahead, pay attention to storm warnings and respect the polygon (a specific area highlighted on a map) when severe weather looms in the state.

All these crazy sayings like respect the polygon, theres a reason for that, Spann said in a 2024 interview with Heather Gann of AL.com. We now have storm-based warnings, and we use geometrical shapes to define the risk. And we came up with that just as a way of trying to get people to think about these polygons. And if youre in it, do something and if youre not, its OK.

READ: Meteorologist James Spann on the science behind saving lives
Nine men have been arrested for human trafficking and child exploitation in north Alabama, according to the Limestone County Sheriffs Office.

An investigation resulted after Deputy Dylan Legg responded to a disturbance call on March 6, and discovered a juvenile reported missing from another state, the sheriffs department said.

A total of 36 charges were listed against the men, who were arrested between March 9 and 15, the sheriffs office said.

Three men were charged with two counts each of human trafficking in the first degree, electronic solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act:

Darris Moore II, 24, of Harvest.

Donald Devaney, 52, of Russellville.

Raul Alvarez-Lopez, 28, of Huntsville.

Six more were charged with one count each of human trafficking in the first degree, electronic solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act:

Macario Mina, 30 of Huntsville.

Robin Morneault, 40, of Athens.

Quan Zeng, 33, of Gadsden.

Kevin Brooks, 34, of Huntsville.

Lavoris Mitchell, 36, of Huntsville.

Stephen Carmac, 53, of Cameron, North Carolina.

The juvenile was returned to their family in coordination with law enforcement agencies, according to the sheriffs department.

The investigation remains ongoing.
Alabamas major metro areas all grew last year, along with the beaches and the Wiregrass, while the sparsely populated Black Belt continued to lose people.

Related: These 2 counties are home to 1 in 3 new Alabama residents

Forty-one of the states 67 counties, or 61%, gained population between July 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024, according to new population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

[Cant see the list? Click here.]

Limestone County, part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area in north Alabama, was the fastest growing county in the state. It has kept that crown every year since the 2020 Decennial Census.

And Limestones growth is accelerating. It grew by 3.6% from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024. Not including the 2020 Census, which is an actual count, Limestones estimated annual growth rate last year was its fastest in more than a decade. It grew faster than any county in the state since Pickens surged by 5% in 2014.

[Cant see the chart? Click here.]

The recent growth helped push Limestone County into the top 10 in Alabama for total population, passing Calhoun County. Limestone is now home to an estimated 118,942 people.

Baldwin County, home to Alabamas beaches, ranked second on the fastest growing counties list. It grew by 3%, roughly the same growth rate it has seen for the last three years.

Madison County, home to Huntsville, came in at No. 3. Madison County is just east of Limestone, and is the second largest county in Alabama. It grew by 2.3%, adding roughly 9,500 total people  the highest total population gain in the state. Thats about 26 new people per day.

Lee County, home to Auburn, ranked 4th, with a growth rate of 1.9%, and Autauga County, in the northern part of the Montgomery metro area, rounded out the top 5 at 1.7%.

Across the state, most urban areas grew, including every county in the Birmingham metro area. Its the first time thats happened in more than a decade.

Jefferson County, the most populous county in Alabama, stopped its years-long slide in population. It only grew by 0.1%, or about 700 people, but in the three previous years it had lost a combined 10,600 people.

Bibb County, one of those Birmingham metro counties, was tied for 5th at 1.7% growth. And Chilton County, also in the Birmingham area, was 8th at 1.6%.

Alabama also saw growth on its eastern border, with both Cherokee (1.7%, T-5th) and Cleburne (1.6%, T-8th) ranking inside the top 10.

Henry County, in Alabamas Wiregrass region, rounded out the top 10 at 1.5% growth. Every county in the Wiregrass region grew in 2024.

That wasnt the case for Alabamas Black Belt region.

[Cant see the map? Click here.]

Nearly every Black Belt county lost people last year. Greene County, already the smallest in the state, saw a 2.4% loss in population  the fastest decline in Alabama. It now has just 7,100 people.

For context, Madison County added 1.3 Greene Counties worth of people in 2024.

Dallas County, home to Selma and long one of the fastest shrinking areas in Alabama, lost 2.1% of its population.

One bright spot within the Black Belt was Hale County, just east of Greene. It gained population  one of the only Black Belt counties to do so  to the tune of 1.2% growth, 13th highest in the state.

Ramsey Archibald is an award winning data reporter and editor at al.com. To read more Alabama data stories, click here. Have an idea for an Alabama data story? Email rarchibald@al.com or follow him on Twitter and Bluesky.
The Birmingham Black Business Census wants to collect data on every Black-owned business in the city in order to better support those companies and entrepreneurs.

The project is asking Black-owned businesses to fill out a form and be counted.

By collecting information on companies revenue ranges, industries, number of employees and overall economic impact, leaders say they will be able to better understand minority-owned businesses. And in the future, it will be easier to get resources and assistance to those businesses.

It really takes an effort to get people to share the data that matters in any sort of conversation. Were trying to make sure that we get the business data we need, said Autumn Sanders with Quire Consulting, who is helping organize the census.

When talking about business in Birmingham typically we are talking about small businesses, Sanders said. You cant be a big business without being a small business.

Without consistent and reliable data, Black-owned businesses risk being left out of the citys broader economic strategy.

Its important that businesses flourish because business is how streets get paid, lights get handled and positions get funded. All of those things happen because people are building growing businesses... The success of Birmingham is nobodys business but ours, Sanders said.

Local experts say that in order to improve Birminghams economy, more support is needed for minority employees and employers.

According to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 2,653 minority employer firms in the Birmingham region in 2022, the last year of available figures. Together, those companies produced $4.23 billion in annual sales.

Sanders said that entrepreneurs, small businesses and large companies should all fill out the form.

If your mother thinks you have a business and your best friend thinks you have a business, then you have a business.

If you live in Birmingham, if your business is physically in Birmingham and if your customers are in Birmingham, we ask you to complete the census, she said. It doesnt matter if the business is widely successful or not, this isnt about only finding the best. We want everyone to be counted.

To be included in the census you can go here and fill out the census form. The survey will be open through April 30.

Breonna Atkins is a senior at Carver High School in Birmingham and a reporting intern at AL.com through the Birmingham Promise program.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said on the Alabama Public Television show Capitol Journal on March 14, 2025, that he would be ready to make a quick decision on whether to run for the U.S. Senate if Sen. Tommy Tuberville enters the 2026 governor's race. John Sharp

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he would be ready to make a quick decision on whether to run for the U.S. Senate if Sen. Tommy Tuberville decides to run for governor.

Marshall has been twice elected attorney general after initially being appointed to the job by Gov. Robert Bentley in 2017. Marshall is barred by term limits from seeking a third term as the states top prosecutor.

Speculation about Marshalls future once included a potential run for governor. He has ruled that out but has not ruled out seeking another elected office.

Todd Stacy, host of the Alabama Public Television show Capitol Journal, interviewed Marshall about a broad range of topics on Friday night.

Stacy brought up the 2026 campaign season and noted that Tuberville has said he is considering a run for governor instead of reelection to the Senate.

Lets say Tuberville runs for governor. Could we see your name on the ballot for U.S. Senate? Stacy asked Marshall.

Tommy Tuberville hasnt announced that, Marshall said. So there is no open seat. And I have great support for what hes done in the U.S. Senate.

If that seat comes open, the Senates been sort of an overlay interest for what Ive had as attorney general, the work that weve done federally and the issues weve been involved with.

If thats an open seat, I think well be prepared to pivot quickly and make an announcement on whether or not wed run.

The Republican primary is in May 2026.
President Donald Trump, from left, speaks as Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick listen and Rupert Murdoch listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, as Trump prepares to sign an executive order. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP

President Donald Trump has flirted with the idea of abolishing the IRS and creating a revenue stream from tariffs to offset major tax cuts. His latest pitch reportedly calls to end taxes for individuals earning less than $150,000 a year.

I know what his goal is  no tax for anybody making under $150,000 a year, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CBS News. Thats his goal. Thats what Im working for.

The Trump administrations tax strategy also aims to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits, tips, and overtime pay, and implement significant tax cuts that experts argue largely benefit the wealthy.

The likelihood that this proposal to end taxes for such a large portion of the population will move forward is dubious. Though Trump has previously made comments about his wishes to abolish income taxes, the Trump administration has not shared any further details.

However, heres what we know so far.

How many U.S. taxpayers earn less than $150K?

President Trumps pitch to eliminate taxes for individuals earning less than $150,000 could arguably benefit most of the U.S. population. According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, over 76% of individuals in the country earn less than that income limit. (Though some estimates put that number closer to 90%.)

In 2025, data show the average household income was $80,610. A breakdown of average earnings by age group wasnt close to $150K. For instance, the median household income was:

$85,780 for those between the ages of 25 to 34

$101,300 for 35 to 44 year olds

$110,700 for 45 to 54 year olds

$90,640 for 55 to 64 year olds

Meanwhile, those 65 and older earned an average of $54,710. That figure may count in retirement earnings such as Social Security benefit checks. A deeper dive into the numbers shows that less than a quarter of individuals in the U.S. earn more than $150,000.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Table A-2 Households by Total Money Income, Race, and Hispanic Origin of Householder: 1967 to 2023.

Trump $150K tax proposal concerns

However, the proposal to end taxes for individuals making under $150K raises several serious practical and economic concerns:

How would ending taxes for certain income groups impact work incentives? Could this plan result in a nationwide sales tax? What about tax fairness? Would those earning just above $150K bear a disproportionate tax burden? How will the U.S. build revenue if it abolishes income taxes for most of its population?

According to Lutnick, offsetting the lack of taxes for that segment of the population would be achieved by implementing tariffs on foreign nations. That suggests the U.S. wouldnt be paying existing deficits due to the tax cuts proposed by Trump.

His [Donald Trumps] goal is to have external revenue, Lutnick said, referring to placing duties on imported goods to the U.S. ...The rest of the world leans on our economy, breathes off our economy. Let them pay a membership fee.

Who pays for tariffs?

Mr. Lutnicks statement on tariffs raises other concerns touted by economists. While abolishing taxes for certain income groups sounds like a good idea on paper, tariffs alone may not be enough to drive revenue to fulfill this promise.

For instance, tax policy experts at the Tax Policy Center already doubt that tariffs would be enough to afford Trumps campaign promises such as addressing the childcare affordability crisis.

As mentioned, the Trump administration added cutting taxes on overtime and tips, as well as potentially extending tax provisions from the expiring Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) under one, big beautiful bill to his list of pledges.

To make those cuts work and balance U.S. deficits, GOP lawmakers have floated enacting budget cuts to popular tax breaks and programs like Medicare.

Its worth noting that tariffs on imported goods from Canada, for example, are paid by United States businesses. That import tax is generally passed on to consumers like you. That means that tariffs arent external revenue, as the Trump administration is swaying people to believe.

The tax can also cause financial strain.

Tariffs are also known as regressive taxes because they disproportionately impact lower and moderate-income households. For instance, during the 2018 trade war with China, the Trump administration authorized $61 billion in emergency relief payments to farmers and ranchers impacted by retaliation.

Trump taxes: Whats next?

The Trump administration hasnt detailed plans to end taxes for those earning less than $150,000. Instead, President Trump has been busy doubling down on tariffs.

In his first 50 days in office, Trumps administration has been embroiled in tariff wars with Canada, Mexico, Colombia, China, India, and the European Union.

As reported by Kiplinger, President Trump recently placed global blanket 25% tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports to the U.S. on March 12.

The Trump administration plans to place global reciprocal tariffs on all foreign nations on April 2, and reinstate 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports.

Additionally, the Trump administration has said it plans to create an External Revenue Service to collect tariffs from foreign nations. The new government agency would seemingly be an effort to replace the IRS and, apparently, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

But stay tuned. The Republican-led Congress is currently working to extend or make permanent the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which is the signature tax legislation from Trumps first term. Whether promised tax cuts for overtime pay, Social Security benefits, tips, and the newest pledge for those making less than $150K make their way into any final legislation remains to be seen.

All contents copyright 2025 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
In this photo taken June 13, 2011, Bob Olding, president of Damilic Corp., demonstrates the features of the older model Autopen Model 80 in Rockville, Md. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ASSOCIATED PRESS

Former President Joe Bidens preemptive pardons for members of a House committee on the Jan. 6 attack are void and vacant because Biden used an autopen to sign them, President Donald Trump said.

Trump made the argument in a post on Truth Social early on Monday, according to Axios.

He declared the pardons VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT and that the necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden, Axios said.

I think so. Its not my decision. Thatll be up to a court. But I would say that theyre null and void because Im sure Biden didnt have any idea that it was taking place, Trump said on Air Force One.

I dont think Biden knew anything about it.

Members of the House committee, which investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level, Trump wrote, according to Axios.

He also claimed, without evidence, that the committee members themselves were responsible for their own pardons, without Bidens knowledge, according to ABC News.

In the final days of his presidency, Biden issued a number of preemptive pardons. They granted immunity to people Trump had targeted with threats to investigate or jail, Axios said.

The list includes members of the Jan. 6 panel.

The panels members were Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who was then a House member; former Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla.; and current Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., according to NBC News.

Experts said it was unlikely a court would allow a president to revoke a predecessors pardons, according to Axios.

NBC noted that the Constitution grants the president unique powers to issue pardons. It contains no provision for rescinding them for issues relating to how they were signed or anything else.

Trump has faced push back from judges in some of the legal cases that have been filed against his actions during his second term so far, including efforts to fire some federal workers.
On Sunday at 12:51 a.m. an updated tornado watch was released by the National Weather Service in effect until 3 a.m. for Barbour, Bullock, Pike and Russell counties.

Tornado watches and warnings: Your safety guide

When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the difference between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Let's break it down:

Tornado watch: Be prepared!

A Tornado watch serves as an early warning that conditions are conducive to tornado formation.

It's your cue to review and discuss your emergency plans, check your supplies, and locate your safe room.

While it doesn't mean a tornado is imminent, it's a heads-up that you should be ready to act quickly if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.

Watches come from the Storm Prediction Center and often cover a large area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states.

Tornado warning: Take action!

A Tornado warning signifies that a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar.

This is the real deal  there's an immediate threat to life and property.

Your response should be swift: move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

If you're in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, seek the nearest substantial shelter and shield yourself from flying debris.

Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or by trained spotters and law enforcement.

Knowing the difference between these two alerts is essential in staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger approaches.

Prepare for a tornado

Stay weather-ready:

Keep an eye on the weather forecast to stay informed about tornado risks. Tune in to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for updates on tornado watches and warnings

Sign up for notifications:

Familiarize yourself with your community's warning systems. Some places have outdoor sirens, while others rely on media and smartphone alerts for severe storm notifications.

Establish a communication plan:

Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get to quickly, such as a church or family member.

Choose a secure shelter:

Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.

Establish a communication plan:

Conduct regular family drills for severe thunderstorms so everyone knows what to do when a tornado threat arises. Ensure that all family members are aware of the safe location to seek shelter, and don't forget about your pets if time permits.

Prepare your home:

Consider having your safe room reinforced. You can find plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Help your neighbor:

Encourage your neighbors and loved ones to prepare for possible tornadoes. Consider taking CPR training to be of assistance in case of injuries.

Tornado survival guide: Immediate actions for your safety

When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service:

Stay informed:

Stay vigilant and stay informed by tuning in to local news broadcasts or using a NOAA Weather Radio to receive updates on tornado watches and warnings.

At home:

If you find yourself under a tornado warning, immediately seek refuge in your basement, safe room, or an interior room without windows. If there's enough time, bring your pets with you.

At work or school:

Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.

Outdoors:

When you are outdoors and a tornado is approaching, seek immediate refuge inside a sturdy building. Remember that sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe options. If there is sufficient time, make your way to a secure structure.

In a vehicle:

Being inside a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe. Your best course of action is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car while covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek safety in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

Remember, acting swiftly and following safety protocols are essential for your well-being when a tornado is imminent.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Two waves of storms prompted many damage reports across Alabama on Saturday. Above are preliminary storm reports. That map could change depending on storm surveys, which are going on this week. Storm Prediction Center

Was Saturdays severe weather really all that bad?

In a word, yes. In two words definitely, yes.

Two waves of severe storms rolled across the state on Saturday.

The first began in the early morning hours, and the second more substantial one started that afternoon and lasted well into the night.

Three people lost their lives in Alabama.

Others were injured. More lost their homes or had extensive damage.

35 1 / 35 Severe Weather in Alabama: March 15th weekend

But the bigger cities in the state  Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile  escaped on Saturday relatively unscathed.

Some of those places or their suburbs had severe thunderstorms, but no tornadoes.

That may have prompted some to grouse about meteorologists crying wolf about Saturdays weather.

But the evidence doesnt support those grumblings.

It's an odd time we live in. Severe weather outbreak was talked about 8 days out, lead times for outlooks and watches were incredible. Still, 40 people so far have died. Then, to cap it all off, online commentary is focused on this odd notion that nothing happened and it was all https://t.co/aXXiypNPiX  Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) March 17, 2025

Alabama was put on high alert on Saturday in anticipation of a severe weather outbreak.

A large part of the state had a Level 5 out of 5 risk for severe weather, which is otherwise known as a high risk. The rest of the state had a Level 4 (moderate) risk.

Heres the severe weather outlook from last Saturday, March 15. The area in pink was in a Level 5 risk:

Part of Alabama had a rare Level 5 out of 5 risk for severe weather on Saturday. It was the first Level 5 risk for the state since 2021. Storm Prediction Center

It was the first high-risk day for severe weather in the state since March of 2021.

NOAAs Storm Prediction Center defines a high-risk day as one when an outbreak of severe weather is likely.

According to the SPC: The HIGH risk area almost always means a major severe weather outbreak is expected, with great coverage of severe weather and enhanced likelihood of extreme severe (i.e., violent tornadoes or extreme convective wind events over a large area).

What exactly qualifies as an outbreak?

Definitions vary, but one of the guidelines from the SPC is: At least 20 tornadoes with at least two of them rated F3+, or an extreme derecho causing 50+ widespread wind events (50+) with numerous higher-end wind (80+ mph) and structural damage reports.

The National Weather Service hasnt even surveyed the full scope of the damage in Alabama yet, but eight tornadoes have been confirmed as of Monday afternoon.

The weather service in Birmingham at one point said it had 16 possible tornado tracks to survey  and thats just in central Alabama.

The weather service office in Huntsville was also looking at two areas of potential tornado damage on Monday.

At least one of the tornadoes surveyed so far, the deadly Plantersville storm in Dallas County, was an EF-3 with top winds estimated at 140 mph.

Other states had their share of severe weather as well. According to The Weather Channel more than 30 tornadoes were reported across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday, a day after 49 twisters were confirmed in the Midwest and South.

But that hasnt stopped the complaining from those that didnt end up in the paths of the storms.

Heres the response to a complaint shared on X (formerly Twitter) by veteran Alabama meteorologist James Spann (It appears the original tweet has since been deleted following Spanns response but you will get the idea):

At least 16 tornadoes in Alabama, three fatalities, and much human suffering So we were wrong? Theres a big world out there beyond your neighborhood. https://t.co/dT06IDrDsb  James Spann (@spann) March 17, 2025

Thats not the only time he has had to refute forecast bust allegations in the past two days.

On the flip side, Spanns X feed is full of photos of damage and stories from those who were hit head on.

Spann responded to one complainer directly on Facebook, saying My response to the guy: Looks like you need some attention, so I will play.

At least ten tornadoes with multiple fatalities across Alabama yesterday and last night. This video is just one example of what people dealt with.

I would suggest you might be happy one of these tornadoes didnt hit your home, and nobody in your family was one of those fatalities. Being a social media troll isnt a good look for you or your family.

Why are some angry at forecasters?

Some of that comes from the it cant happen to me mindset, according to Dr. Laura Myers, the senior research scientist and director of resilience at the University of Alabamas Center for Risk and Insurance Research.

Some people dont want to have to take action unless they absolutely have to. With most events, they hear the messaging but assume it wont happen to them, she said Monday via e-mail.

In the case of the weekend event, it was forecast to be very serious several days out and everyone was talking about it. Since everyone was talking about it, people were getting the message multiple times from all kinds of sources and that led to some high expectations for the impacts.

Those high expectations may have included memories of the superoutbreak of April 27, 2011, when Alabama was hit by 62 tornadoes, including several EF-5s. More than 250 people were killed in the storms on the single day in Alabama.

Saturdays second round of storms didnt arrive until later in the day, and  ... I think people decided it was fizzled out and nothing much was going to happen, Myers said.

When it did kick in, some people felt like they had waited too long and they were tired of waiting so they had moved on. Many may have moved away from the coverage and the awareness of impacts.

And since many of the areas that were hit hard were smaller and more rural, that could also lead to that loss of awareness.

And if they did not know people where the impacts were, it did not get their attention and for them it was not as bad as the messaging had indicated, she said.

The weather service will likely be surveying storm damage for the next two days, and the number of tornadoes is all but certain to climb.

Its a great opportunity to educate the public about the warning process and how they actually play out, Myers continued.

The message is and should be that if it didnt happen at your location, you were lucky. Others were not as lucky.
Business schools and military schools borrow extensively from each others academic literature. Although the workings of the boardroom and the battlefield might seem mismatched, there is considerable overlap. Both require leaders capable of assessing assets and liabilities dispassionately, developing short-term strategies that complement long-term objectives, and comprehending an adversarys point of view. Both demand critical thinking.

Organizational theory, as a scholarly discipline, reflects the shared language of businesspeople and military planners. Business executives go to war against rivals and cordon off associates in war rooms when their firms interests are under attack. Military commanders seek to maximize opportunity and leverage while minimizing loss. Allocating resources efficiently and avoiding waste are crucial for both vocations. Just as an accountant is essential for a healthy business, a quartermaster is essential for a healthy army. In business and war, technical knowhow, tactical skill, and logistical expertise separate winners from losers, victors from the vanquished.

What is striking about President Trumps return to the White House is how completely he embodies this business-military mindset. If a plan of action (a government program) is ineffective in achieving its goals, then the Trump administration terminates it immediately. If government bureaucrats within the Executive Branchs ranks serve no purpose or fail in their day-to-day missions, then they are relieved of their duties. Just as fat, incompetent armies devour supplies and lose battles, bloated, incompetent bureaucracies devour resources and sabotage nations. Military commanders have no time to worry about an individual soldiers feelings when operational success and lives are on the line. The chief executive of the United States has no time to worry about an individual bureaucrats feelings when the nations success and all Americans lives are at stake.

Anybody with a connection to the world of business or the armed forces recognizes in Trump certain qualities that successful CEOs and battle-hardened commanders often possess: a penchant for plain speaking, a no-nonsense attitude, and a steady focus on the larger mission. Dont get me wrong; President Trump might just be the funniest, most entertaining man to ever hold the office. But he uses humor strategically. With a single rhetorical jab, he lifts friends up and destroys enemies. His humor is particularly effective because he pulls no punches. He paints and demolishes targets in quick succession. Before his opponents regain their balance, Trump has already changed directions and readied another attack. As Democrats in Congress have slowly come to understand, it is very difficult to defend your position when you cant even stay on your feet.

Trumps no-holds-barred return to the presidency has taken the Democrat party by surprise. Democrats have controlled the permanent administrative state for nearly a hundred years. During this prolonged occupation, their Marxist colleagues in the State Department have steered the countrys foreign policy, and their ideological comrades in the courts have rewritten the Constitution to advance Democrats socialist policies. Barack Obama and Joe Biden used the IRS and FBI to target political opponents. They used the DOJ and regulatory bodies as weapons to force DIE, ESG, and other woke pathologies upon private businesses. They directed the Intelligence Community to spy on and censor American citizens. Because Democrats have controlled the permanent bureaucracy for so long, the Obama and Biden administrations received astonishingly little pushback against their efforts to complete Americas transformation into a one-party state.

From Democrats point of view, President Trumps opening salvo against the administrative state is inexplicable and abhorrent because they have long labored under the delusion that only they may wield government power. If you believe the unelected bureaucracy is a threat to the U.S. Constitution and the American Republic (as I do), then the war that the Democrats and their administrative state friends have waged against the American people this last century has been entirely one-sided. They have been the only army occupying the battlefield, and no one has effectively contested their bureaucratic siege of the country.

President Trump has only just begun to land blows on the Deep State blob, but the Democrat party is already losing whats left of its collective mind. Although Trumps victory over the administrative state is far from certain, Democrats never expected anyone to fight back. The unelected, unaccountable bureaucracy has advanced uncontested for so long that the mere arrival of an opposing commander willing to face it on the field of battle is unsettling. The Trump administrations clear preparation for the larger war to reclaim Executive Branch powers illegitimately seized by the Deep State has left Washingtons Establishment Class deeply afraid.

If the Democrat-controlled Deep State in America is struggling to defend itself from President Trumps MAGA insurgency, foreign governments are faring no better.

For eighty years, the United States has expended tremendous military resources in defending Canada and most of Europe. At the same time, the U.S. has permitted Canada and the European Union to construct tariff walls that keep American exports out without imposing reciprocal tariffs of its own. In effect, the U.S. has been subsidizing Canadas and Europes economies since WWII, while paying for their collective defense. Although this arrangement has kept Western allies united under Americas leadership, American households have borne a great cost in lost jobs and transferred wealth. The arrangement  combined with international trade deals that only further accelerated the offshoring of American jobs  has severely diminished Americas once-formidable industrial and manufacturing self-sufficiency.

President Trump has thrown a whole hardware stores worth of wrenches into this arrangement. He is implementing reciprocal tariffs that help balance the economic playing field and is insisting that nations benefiting from Americas security umbrella pay for the privilege. By the way Canadian and European politicians are freaking out over Trumps demands, youd think all these proud and sovereign nations believed they were entitled to American military protection and economic welfare.

In business and war, you cannot fight an opponent effectively without understanding that opponents motivations. Fortunately for Europe and Canada, President Trump has been exceedingly clear: economic security is national security. Therefore, the Trump administration will do whatever it must to rebuild Americas manufacturing and industrial strength. Increasing the incentives for entrepreneurs to invest in the United States furthers this goal.

Europe and Canada have made no effort to understand President Trumps goals. How do we know? Because their politicians have done nothing but threaten new tariffs. Tariffs are no threat, however, to a country that is blessed with abundant natural resources and striving to reclaim its self-sufficiency. A tariff war exacerbated by European and Canadian politicians gives President Trump and his economic team what they want  an opportunity to fuel American investment and bring blue-collar jobs back to the United States.

President Trump is a remarkably creative problem-solver who approaches obstacles from many different (and often unexpected) angles. He intuitively puts into practice something President Eisenhower famously advised: When you run into a problem that you cant solve, make it bigger. Where Trumps critics see chaos, business and military minds see brilliance.

How do you rectify Americas industrial vulnerabilities as quickly as possible? You set in motion tough-love trade battles that force American entrepreneurs to rebuild. How do you prepare Fortress America for future conflicts in a multipolar world? You re-energize the Monroe Doctrine by asserting American power north to the Arctic via Greenland and Canada and south to Central America via the Panama Canal. How do you end an unnecessary nuclear standoff with Russia that consumes valuable military resources? You expand economic cooperation agreements that turn old foes into unexpected business partners.

Strategic minds solve problems by playing parts of the board that others dont see. His detractors will deny it, but President Trump is a master strategist. Thats why hes winning.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Non-profit Chinese language course for foreign talents opens in Shanghai

09:28, March 17, 2025 By Huang Lanlan ( Global Times

(Photo/Courtesy of Hongkou District Talent Work Bureau)

In a classroom, a large screen displays a conversation in Chinese: in it, two people are adding each other on WeChat. Encouraged by the teacher, Pakistani Muhammad Ajmal, a postdoctoral researcher in mathematics at Shanghai University, stands up, unlocks his phone, and says in Putonghua to another participant seated behind him, "Hello, nice to meet you. May I add you on WeChat?"

This happened on Sunday, during a government-supported non-profit Chinese language class held in Shanghai's Hongkou district. Targeting foreign talents working in Shanghai, this course is scheduled to continue with classes every Sunday until April 20.

Including Ajmal, over a dozen foreign professionals from universities, research institutions, and foreign-invested enterprises in Shanghai attended the first class on Sunday. There they learned to introduce themselves in a more authentic manner, and to get to know one another in Putonghua.

Ajmal has been in China since 2016 and already has a foundation in Putonghua. When he heard about this course, he signed up right away. "I know a lot of Chinese words, but I'm working on adding more natural, authentic vocabulary to improve my fluency," he told the Global Times after class.

He explained that, previously, he only knew the number "one" as "yi" in Putonghua, but thanks to this course, he learned the number's informal pronunciation "yao" which is more commonly used in daily life.

Unlike some other language courses, this course focuses more on teaching participants practical and everyday language, as well as elements of Chinese culture and customs, according to the class teacher Zhang Yicheng, a Chinese language instructor at the Shanghai International Studies University.

"For example, about numbers, in this class I taught them the pronunciation, and in the next class, I will explain which numbers are generally favored or disliked by Chinese people," Zhang told the Global Times.

For foreign participants, this class can serve as a small but vivid window to better understand China and Shanghai, and to connect more effectively with local people. Vietnamese participant HaiSam Mai, who has been working at an international school in Shanghai, believes she can still learn something new from this class, even though she has lived in Shanghai for 13 years.

"Today, for the first time, I learned a more polite way to add someone on WeChat, and the phrases were quite new to me. The topics we discussed in class were all very interesting," Mai told the Global Times.

The one-month course consists of six classes in total, four of which focus on different topics including food, shopping, transportation, travel, hobbies, and sports. The remaining two are workshops, one dedicated to making herbal sachets and another to making Chinese-style jewelry, allowing participants to experience China's intangible cultural heritage firsthand, said Zhang.

This Chinese language course is one of the latest initiatives by the Shanghai local government aimed at welcoming foreign talent and helping international professionals living in Shanghai better adapt to daily life, integrate into local culture, and stimulate interest in learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture, the Global Times learned from the Hongkou District Talent Work Bureau, organizer of the course.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been sounding the alarm on a bird flu pandemic in 2025, and the plandemic  for that is what it is  is well upon us.

Caused by the H5N1 virus, bird flu has been transmitted to humans, killing more than half of those infected  460 out of 950 cases  in the past 22 years. Transmission between humans hasnt occurred so far, but the prospects are alarming. While mutations or interaction with other viruses could certainly wreak havoc, the fear could be used  as in the 202021 Covid pandemic  to force people to isolate, get vaccinated, and remain under surveillance.

And that is exactly what some experts fear is happening  a Covid redux, with the same playbook in operation. Only, this time, a slightly different approach is being taken. Instead of directly targeting humans, our food is the focus for the creation and mandating of ineffective vaccines.

Its a plausible scenario, considering how the authorities and the WHO have been ratcheting up the fear. In 2024, there were 81 cases of bird flu in humans, with 66 of those cases in the U.S. In 2025, so far there are three cases in the U.S., and one fatality (from Louisiana). Egg prices are skyrocketing  over $8 a dozen in some parts of the country  and more than 166 million wild and domestic fowl have died of the flu or been culled since 2022. During the last quarter alone 20 million chickens have died or been culled.

Last week, Harvard Medical School put out a warning quoting Dr. Jacob Lemieux, an infectious diseases expert at Massachusetts General Hospital, as saying, I think we are living next to a volcano, and it may erupt or it may not. But we need to prepare for the possibility of a pandemic.

But Dr. Clayton J. Baker of the Brownstone Institute, an internist and former professor of medical humanities and bioethics at the University of Rochester, believes the crisis is artificial. He says it has been created by so-called pandemic experts who are actively seeking to perpetuate it.

Baker goes so far as to say that the bird flu virus was bioengineered for transmission across animal species and made potent to be able to infect humans. Meanwhile, technologies were developed and patented for making vaccines against this bioweapon.

Baker alleges that one of the labs where reckless gain-of-function has been conducted for decades, with multiple lab leaks, is the Kawaoka bird flu lab at the University of Wisconsin. According to him, in 2022, a strategic leak of the virus was arranged  from USDA Southeast Poultry Research Lab in Athens, Georgia, and other laboratories in the U.S. and abroad. As PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing for bird flu turns up many false positives, causing alarm, the media dials it up further, allowing globalist agents in the government to use the fear factor to force the use of vaccines in the food supply chain.

This is not conspiracy theory, Baker writes. This is basic pattern recognition.

He calls for shutting down and investigating the Southeast Poultry Research and Kawaoka labs. The best course for preventing a real outbreak  as opposed to an engineered one  is to stop culling the flocks and allow them to develop immunity.

Dr. Peter McCullough, a cardiologist who championed alternative treatments during the Covid scare, echoes Bakers suspicions, particularly those of a vaccine cartel at work. On February 16, he tweeted: (The) vaccine cartel gets closer to realizing its dream of vaccinating 308 million egg-laying hens in the U.S., even though leaky vaccines are likely to result in new pathogens. He says poultry vaccination has failed miserably in China and southeast Asia for decades because it breeds resistant strains and increases transmission to other animals. The U.S., he believes, is making the same mistake.

According to McCullough, culling and the compensatory payouts to poultry farms  some $1.25 billion so far  have created a perverse profit incentive. Instead of stopping the spread, culling, he says, has led to the transmission of the virus to humans. He cites a New England Journal of Medicine study that found almost all human cases linked to such efforts.

The connection to the agents of the Great Reset is evident. In an interview, McCullough says,

GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, which is part of this bio-pharmaceutical alliance Ive written about, said in 2021 that bird flu is the next disease X. And now the World Economic Forum (WEF), WHO, and CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness)  all have bird flu positioned as disease X.

Like Baker, he alleges that the strain causing the current bird flu outbreak was gain-of-functioned.

The Trump administration, first and foremost, needs to have all the gain-of-function and lab leak allegations investigated. Besides the Southeast Poultry Research and Kawaoka labs, many military laboratories need to be investigated for infiltration by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

The suspicion may seem unfounded, but Col. Lawrence Sellin, an Afghanistan veteran and PhD in physiology who has worked with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), believes PLA infiltration of American medical research has been going on since the 1990s, with a steady trickle of PLA-trained scientists arriving to study or work at American universities.

He alleges that the armys Fort Detrick, Maryland, lab, where he spent four years, has long been a PLA target. He says Chinese researchers at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Maryland, have worked with the virology division of USAMRIID and Dr Anthony Faucis National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), dealing with dangerous pathogens which are part of Chinas biowarfare program. These scientists, he alleges, have even received funds for collaborative research with PLA labs.

The second major step the Trump administration needs to take is to disband the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR), something the president had vowed to do as a candidate in April 2024, if elected. As Baker puts it: Mr. Trumps instinct was correct then, and it remains correct now.

The OPPR, created by Congress in 2022, advises the president on pandemics and other emergencies. On February 6, Trump nominated Col. Gerald Parker, a champion of Covid vaccines and gain-of-function research, as its director. Parker is a staunch advocate of One Health, and as someone who has spoken of strengthening the WHO, his views align with the globalist elite who are pushing for a Great Reset. Under the Biden administration, he was charged with crafting recommendations for rules governing research that could create riskier pathogens. He also headed the USAMRIIDs Fort Detrick labs, which Col. Sellin alleges has been compromised by PLA infiltration.

Trumps appointment of Col. Parker to the OPPR is at odds with both his promise to disband OPPR and to withdraw from the WHO.

The third major step the Trump administration needs to take is to thwart the attempts of the vaccine lobby to profit from the bird flu scare. The risk with such vaccines is that they allow the virus to replicate in the vaccinated hosts and develop immunity, as well as to gain the ability to infect humans. Field tests of such vaccines may already have caused resistant viruses to enter the food chain.

Former president Joe Biden had issued a $590 million contract to Moderna for developing a bird flu vaccine. Baker is convinced this should be cancelled, as should the U.S. Department of Agricultures conditional approval of a bird flu vaccine developed by Zoetis, the worlds largest producer of medication and vaccines for pets and livestock. The company, as might be expected, is linked to the usual Great Reset suspects  Pfizer, BlackRock, the Gates Foundation. Similar conditional approval is awaited on a bird flu vaccine for cattle, created by Medgene.

McCullough calls the bird flu scare a six-sigma event. In real terms, it could devastate our food supply and cause mass starvation. With the Covid-19 conspiracy and its objectives coming to light, its time for us to oppose this dangerous iteration and say: We will not comply!

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
The Democrats stand primarily for their own personal power, prestige, and wealth. To maintain these, theyve patched together a rogues gallery of supporters, forcing party leaders to navigate an array of contradictions. These incongruities between rhetoric and action blast torpedoes straight into their brand's tattered remains. Four obvious contradictions were on full display this week.

Democrats claim to care about government workers, which is unsurprising since the bureaucracy is a core Democrat constituency. Many government agencies are manned almost exclusively by Democrats.

Because of this, the Democrat-media complex portrays these workers as selfless public servants while accusing the heartless Republicans of destroying lives. These raw emotional appeals are never balanced with any discussion on the existential debt bomb that is driving the government cuts, these workers bureaucratic resistance to a duly elected president, or the true villains who created a situation where cuts are an absolute necessity. The auto-penners who sat perched atop America for the last four years like vultures feasting on a carcass hold a healthy share of that blame.

Yet, at the time of writing, we stand on the brink of the Democrats shutting down the government and sending home every one of these government workers they claim to cherish. They will do it with a filibuster, setting another precedent that will bite them if the pendulum swings back.

This seemed inevitable ever since the presidents address to Congress, when Democrats were beaten like mad mules thanks to their foolish unwillingness to stand for Americans. They are desperate for anything they can claim as a win to their crazy base, no matter how pyrrhic.

Send the bums home is a bold strategy when the Corruptocrats are trying to convince the public that all government workers are essential. Chuck Schumer is playing a pair of twos and expecting the Republicans to fold. Its not going to happen, and Republicans have no reason to negotiate when they are being threatened with a plastic water gun, especially when the Democrats are stepping so furiously on their own messaging rake.

The second core message Democrats assaulted this week was their lunatic argument that climate change is an existential threat. Tesla is the American company that has done more than any other in cutting greenhouse gases. Its not even close, since the companies the Democrats laundered gold bars into in service to their climate religion imploded. In fact, Tesla is the only company that has created a profitable business model centered on electric vehicles. Its everything Democrats claim to dream about.

So what did Democrats do? They reached into their usual Marxist bag of tricks and settled on political intimidation and violence as their preferred tools of choice, declaring war on Tesla. They attacked dealerships, defaced cars, and firebombed charging stations.

Clearly, even Democrats dont believe their virtue-signaling nonsense that elevated climate change as the issue of the day. It brings back memories of Barack Obama being so concerned about oceans rising that he built a $12M mansion next to one.

With more Republicans now likely to buy Teslas, they will be doing more than Democrats to reduce greenhouse gases, which is par for the course.

In other news, the Democrats claim to stand for Israel and against antisemitism. How did they show that support this week? By rushing to turn a terrorist-supporting thug into a hero. If you listened to the Democrats all lining up to support Mahmoud Khalil, youd think he was the combination of George Washington and Gandhi. Hey, hes going to have a baby!

The reality is that hes an evil man. He celebrates the October 7 atrocities, and his group has called for the eradication of Western civilization. His group also encourages violent extremists to fight the U.S. If Americans actually had the full picture of Khalil, this would be a 90-10 issue, with his only support coming from the terrorist-hugging Rashida TlaibIlhan Omar wing of the country. No sane leader would keep such a hostile non-citizen around.

Fourteen Democrats wrote a letter demanding his release as Democrats compete to be his loudest defender. The irony-challenged Dems wrote that universities through the country must protect their students from this vile assault on free thought and expression in defense of a guy who is leading an assault on the free thought and expression of Jewish students. Democrats do love their shock troops.

This happened around the same time universities discovered they would face consequences for not protecting their students when Columbia lost $400 million in federal funding. The biggest question is why they had such obscene federal funding in the first place. Considering that universities are the incubator of anti-American evil, all taxpayer funding of universities, save the military academies, should end.

That batty bartender, AOC, was horrified that we could disappear a legal US permanent resident without reason. After all, he isnt so awful as to be a Trump-supporter. Thats what passes for Democrat wisdom these days.

That tension in the party between their Jewish voters and their Jew-hating voters will worsen. Its already driving their foreign policy agenda, as their constant betrayals of Israel under the auto-penners made clear.

Jewish voters who have traditionally voted for Democrats have been slowly moving toward Republicans, hitting record levels in 2024 since the message vote for us so we can hate you better has a rather limited appeal. That movement will pick up steam as the mask increasingly falls away.

Finally, we saw the ongoing contradiction in the Democrats argument that they are the defenders of women as they continue to champion men in womens spaces. They are determined to continue their 20-80 crusade, convinced that the 80 percent will eventually rally to their cause. Not only are they determined to die on this hill, but they intend to silence anyone who opposes them wherever they have the power to do so. A robust debate isnt your friend when your position is despised by anyone with even a smidgen of logic. Thats why Democrats in Maine censured Republican state representative Laurel Libby for her efforts to keep boys out of girls sports.

The week's bizarre news was that all of Maines federal judges recused themselves from hearing Libbys lawsuit. There is no apparent conflict of interest, so it appears that they dont want to touch this issue. The lawsuit will now be heard in Rhode Island. Until Democrats bow to reality, they will fail to convince anyone that they stand for women instead of putting them at great risk from mentally ill men.

The Democrats are a party that values rhetoric over action, particularly when their actions consistently run counter to that rhetoric. This week, we saw the party of government champion shuttering the government, the party of climate doom actively attacking the most successful climate-conscious company, the party of faux tolerance championing a ruthless antisemite, and the party that pretends to be for women continuing its ruthless crusade against them.

When a political party goes insane, consistency of message becomes a casualty. The contradictions are causing the mask to slip off, revealing the maggots wiggling in the pile of dung underneath. That leaves Democrats hopes vested in the media helping them to make America blind again.

Fletch also writes Christian-based Y.A. fiction. You can check out his novels on Amazon.

Image: Chris Dodds via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The second Trump administration has refocused Americas attention on trade, tariffs, and national securitya conversation long overdue. But while pundits and policymakers wrangle over Chinas economic warfare and Mexicos growing defiance, few are paying attention to the real story hiding in plain sight:

China and Mexico arent just separate trade problems. They are one and the same.

Its a sleight of hand worthy of a seasoned con artistand too much of Washington is still staring at the wrong set of cards.

Whats worse, this is more than massive trade manipulation. Its a staggering wealth transferfrom American consumers to Mexico and the Peoples Republic of China.

The Escalating Trade Deficit: A Historical Perspective

Its important to remember that Mexicos trade surplus is Americas trade deficit. When Mexico runs a surplus, American consumers and businesses send more money abroad than they bring in.

For decades, the imbalance was manageable. Before NAFTA, in 1990, Mexico ran a $1.9 billion trade surplus with the U.S. By the time NAFTA was in full effect in 2000, that number had ballooned to $24.6 billion.

Then things spiraled.

2010: The surplus hit $66.3 billion.

2023: It reached $152.5 billion.

2024: It soared to nearly $172 billion.

Today? It projected at $175 billionclosing in on Chinas trade surplus with the U.S.

As Victor Davis Hanson recently pointed out:

Its mostly due to China evading tariffs on China by sending raw product materials to Mexicocomputers, phones, appliancesto be assembled by Mexicans, and then sent under free trade agreements with us, to the benefit of Mexico and China.

The Trojan Horse Strategy: How China Exploits Mexicos Trade Status

Washington has imposed tariffs on Chinese goods for years to protect American workers. Rather than absorb the costs, Beijing found a highly effective workaround that the media deliberately ignored. Instead of shipping directly to the U.S., China now routes raw materialselectronics, auto parts, appliancesthrough Mexican factories, exploiting USMCAs tariff-free advantages. Once assembled, these products enter the U.S. labeled as Made in Mexico, bypassing the tariffs meant to protect American industry.

Heres how the scheme works:

Chinese firms flood Mexico with raw materials , where they are assembled and rebranded for duty-free shipment into the U.S.

, where they are assembled and rebranded for duty-free shipment into the U.S. Mexico profits by using its free-trade status under USMCA while acting as a middleman for Beijing.

by using its free-trade status under USMCA while acting as a middleman for Beijing. The U.S. takes the hitAmerican manufacturers cant compete, while China secures access to the U.S. market without paying a dime in tariffs.

The result? China gets access to U.S. markets without paying tariffs. Mexico profits from assembling cheap Chinese goods while benefiting from a trade agreement to help North American manufacturing.

But this isnt just a trade loophole. Its a calculated maneuver letting Beijing exploit the trade system meant to strengthen American industry. Instead of competing on fair terms, China uses Mexico as a pass-through, keeping its supply chains intact while dodging the penalties imposed to protect U.S. jobs. If Washington doesnt act, this workaround will only expand, giving China even greater leverage over Americas economywhile Mexico keeps cashing the checks.

The Impact on American Industry

This loophole undercuts American industry in three ways:

China effectively sidesteps U.S. tariffs by routing its goods through Mexico, where even partial assembly or repackaging can allow products to qualify for preferential trade treatment under USMCA. Instead of manufacturing in China and paying duties, Chinese firms send parts to Mexico, slap on a Made in Mexico label, and enter the U.S. freely. Mexicos economy benefits at Americas expense. Mexico is now the top trading partner of the U.S., but much of that Mexican trade is just a backdoor for Chinese goods. U.S. workers and businesses take the hit. American factories cant compete with Chinese supply chains using Mexico as a front.

Trumps Tariffs WorkedBut Now Mexico Needs to Be Held Accountable

During Trumps first term, the USMCA helped stop some of the bleeding. But Mexico is exploiting loopholes, and China is taking full advantage.

If the U.S. doesnt close this loophole, Mexico will continue growing its trade surplus while China uses it as a Trojan Horse to flood American markets.

What Needs to Happen?

End Chinas free ride through Mexico. The U.S. must tighten USMCA to prevent Chinese goods from skirting tariffs. Hold Mexico accountable. If Mexico wants access to U.S. markets, it cant serve as Chinas manufacturing outpost. Use economic leverageagain. Trumps tariff threats worked beforethey may need to be reinstated if Mexico wont crack down.

Will America Wake Up?

Donald Trump and his second presidential administration have once again sounded the alarm on trade. The question is: Will Americans listen?

Will they recognize that tariffs, balanced trade, and reinvigorating American industry arent just economic policies but matters of national survival? That closing the China-Mexico backdoor is essential for manufacturing and safeguarding Americas wealth, power, and security?

Or will the United States continue enriching a neighbor that hardly acts neighborlya country that aids illegal migration, shelters cartels, and willingly serves as Chinas economic mule?

Will we keep funding a chief geopolitical adversaryone that brazenly exploits Mexicos proximity and free trade status to funnel American dollars into the coffers of the Chinese Communist Party?

These arent hypothetical concerns. They are immediate, existential choices.

And yet, you wont hear this debate on CNN, MSNBC, or in the editorial pages of The Washington Post.

Instead, the political establishmenton both sides of the aislewill tell you that trade imbalances dont matter. That tariffs are bad for business. That open markets and global supply chains are inevitable, unstoppable forces of modern economics.

Theyll hand-wave away Mexicos skyrocketing trade surplus. Theyll ignore Chinas infiltration of North American supply chains. Theyll gloss over the fact that much of what America imports from Mexico isnt Mexican at allits Chinese goods disguised by geography.

Why? Because a weakened America benefits the ruling class.

Because the consultants, global financiers, and Beltway think tanks dont manufacture anything. They dont work on the factory floors of Ohio or the shipping yards of Louisiana. They trade influence, not goods.

For them, its easy to defend the status quo.

For the average American? That status quo means lower wages, fewer jobs, and a slow, grinding transfer of wealthfrom the U.S. middle class to the Chinese Communist Party.

But it doesnt have to be this way.

The first Trump administration proved that tariffs work, trade can be rebalanced, and Americas economy doesnt have to be at the mercy of foreign powers.

The only question left is: Will we act?

Or will we keep lining the pockets of a Mexican government that mocks our sovereignty and a Beijing regime that dreams of surpassing us?

The Trojan Horse is already inside the gates. What we do next determines whether America still controls its destiny.

Charlton Allen is an attorney, former chief executive officer, and chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder of the Madison Center for Law & Liberty, Inc., editor of The American Salient, and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast. X: @CharltonAllenNC

Image from Grok.
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(See also, Mark Kelly exposes the hypocrisy behind the Democrats electric vehicle fixation by Andrea Widburg.)

With the facade of war between DOGE and the federal government waging in Washington, politicians on both sides of the aisle are capitalizing on the opportunity to signal the virtue, either one way or anotherweve got Republicans cheerleading for DOGEs workbut then refusing to officialize the cuts and codify them into any new spending bill, and here weve got Mark Kelly, Arizona senator, explaining how hes offloading his already-purchased Tesla car to protest Elon Musk:

I bought a Tesla because it was fast like a rocket ship. But now every time I drive it, I feel like a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people. So Tesla, youre fired!



New ride coming soon. pic.twitter.com/N4Anmsi6cH  Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) March 14, 2025

The obvious irony is Kellys chosen to make his anti-Musk announcement on Xthe very social media platform owned by Musk. What an idiot.

And, I have a sneaking suspicion that this is where Kellys commitment to consistently protesting companies and business leaders with whom you disagree politically, or causes youd prefer not to support.

Is Kelly also throwing out any already-purchased groceries? I mean, if he ever buys avocados and tomatoes, most of which come from Mexico90% of avocados and 91% of tomatoes in the American market come from Mexicothen theres little doubt hes directly enriching the cartels. About eight months ago, Fortune Magazine reported on how deeply entwined the cartels were in the Mexican economy:

Drug cartels are distorting Mexicos economy by hitting big corporationswe are hostages Nuevo Laredo has long been dominated by the Northeast Cartel  an offshoot of the old Zetas cartel  but the problem is starting to hit larger companies nationwide. Sectors ranging from agriculture, fishing and mining to consumer goods have been plagued by cartels trying to essentially take over their industries. This week, the American Chamber of Commerce, whose members tend to be larger Mexican, American or multinational corporations, released a survey of its members in which 12% of respondents said that organized crime has taken partial control of the sales, distribution and/or pricing of their goods. That means drug cartels are distorting parts of Mexicos economy, deciding who gets to sell a product and at what price  and in return they are apparently demanding sellers pass a percentage of sales revenue back to the cartel.

Seems like this enriching and enabling a criminal organization that deals in drug and human trafficking should be more offensive than a nerdy autist who loves space and efficiency?

Will Kelly be forgoing his luxury clothes and high-end timepieces? Kelly has often been pictured wearing Breitling watches, a company that has been lambasted by mainstream media for reportedly degrading women, following the lead of Donald Trump, in its advertising campaigns. Doesnt Kelly claim to respect women?

If he ever patronizes European fashion housesand this picture with Alex Soros sure seems to indicate he doesthen hes no doubt supporting Kering, the parent company of designer brands like Cartier, Gucci, and Balenciaga. If theres any company to boycott, its a company that uses toddlers in marketing campaigns alongside sexual fetish gear.

Is he surrendering all his personal property in the name of supporting native and indigenous descendants? Of course not. Yet, he sure grandstands like hes an ally, announcing in a press release that he stands with Tribal leaders and delivered significant wins for these groups. Yes, he delivers hundreds of millions of dollars of other peoples money, and American sovereignty on a platter.

If politicians werent consistently inconsistent, theyd have no consistency at all.

Image: Public domain.
I confess to a tiny drop of pity for Trump-haters within the tidal wave of amusement I experience watching them deal with the successes President Trump already has experienced. The worst of it for TDS sufferers right now must be the border, where within mere weeks, and to the enthusiastic approval of the American people, President Trump has stanched the flow of millions of unvetted foreigners down to an almost undetectable trickle.

Consider the dilemma this creates for the Ministry of Progressive Propaganda, also known as the New York Times. What should be the Party Line (Progs always need a Party Line to know how to react to new developments) when the steps Trump has taken already have been anathemized by them, yet the results are popular and resonating with the public in a way that surely induces shudders and could lead to doubts about the wisdom of electing Democrats?

The stress has led to the TDS-infected Times going bipolar, in the words of a friend of mine. Heres the headline:

How Trumps Hard-Line Tactics Are Driving Down Migration

Hard-line is bad and migration is good, according to most Times readers, so the tone is one of concern verging into alarm. The subhead is where they go bipolar:

Building on Biden-era policies, President Trump is strong-arming regional leaders, deploying military force and shredding decades of precedents when it comes to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Building on Biden-era policies right from the start of the article? Who actually believes that? Only people paying no attention. Trumps hard-line tactics and strong-arming leaders are shredding decades of precedent. And yet, hes building on Biden era policies? No explanation about how those awful tactics of 20212024 work under Trump but not Biden. If Trump were actually building upon Bidens policies, thousands of people would still be crossing the border daily, and migrant caravans would be being organized, underwritten by taxpayer funds laundered through USAID and NGOs.

The Gray Lady wants to have it both ways throughout the article.

Now, President Trump has choked off the flow of migrants even more drastically, solidifying a sweeping turn in U.S. policy with measures that many critics, especially those on the left, have long considered politically unpalatable, legally untenable and ultimately ineffective because they dont tackle the root causes of migration.

Lots more negative words like drastically, unpalatable, and ineffective to soften the good news of paradigm change. Ultimately ineffective translates to: We (dear readers and Times staffers) are correct, but you just need to be patient.

A bit further in, the Times tries to make its case:

Mr. Trumps hardened stance on migration is, in some ways, an extension of Mr. Bidens moves at the end of his term. Mr. Biden had promoted less-restrictive policies that swelled the number of migrants entering the United States during his first three years in office. But as the backlash to the surge grew, Mr. Biden barred asylum for migrants if they crossed illegally and pressured the Mexican and Panamanian governments to do more to curb migrant flows, delivering to his successor a relatively calm situation at the border.

This executive order was signed while Biden was still running for re-election, and at the time the Times reported that he claimed he was forced to do so by those terrible Republicans, who were completely dominated by Donald Trump.

In remarks at the White House, Mr. Biden said he was forced to take executive action because Republicans had blocked bipartisan legislation.

So, Trump is following those few policies Biden said he was forced to adopt by Trumps GOP minions, and somehow that means that Trump is building upon Biden-era policies.

This is pathetic, but its all that Democrat propagandists have got.

Image generated by Grok.

AT's founder and editor emeritus Thomas Lifson recently started a Substack page. You can read his introductory post here.
All of a sudden, I want to buy a Tesla. Not really. Its a great car but my paid-for, practical Ford is doing everything that a car should do. In the meantime, its easy to see why so many people are fond of looking to buy a Musk Mobile. Anything to anger a lefty, right?

The mighty Tesla, once the pride of the college professors invested in climate change and committed to saving us from fossil fuels, is now the latest exhibit of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Who saw that coming? Who sees anything coming anymore? Its like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits packed into one daily episode.

Tesla badge by Ivan Radic. CC BY 2.0.

It turns out that some people want to destroy everything Tesla. This is from Ingrid Jacques:

I dont know who needs to hear this, but if youve been tempted lately to set a Tesla on fire, it may be you. The lefts hatred of President Donald Trump and his government cost-cutting helper Tesla CEO Elon Musk seems to have driven some people completely nuts. How are they expressing their outrage? They are torching and otherwise vandalizing Teslas, Tesla dealerships and Tesla charging stations. Thats right. Liberals across the country are attacking a bunch of electric vehicles and infrastructure  once a symbol of Democrats climate-saving agenda. Essentially, they are sabotaging their own cause.

Yes. They are destroying electric cars so that people can replace them with those that run on fossil fuels. Or, they set them on fire so our air gets more polluted. Or they destroy jobs so they can blame the unemployment on Trump tariffs.

My late Cuban mother had a word for this: Explica eso or loosely translated to Explain that. She would look in our eyes, not always in a cheerful mood, and demand an explanation. The episode would always end the same way, for we couldnt explain logically whatever foolish thing we did.

So, explain yourself and tell me how destroying Teslas or the dealership or the jobs associated with building and selling Teslas makes any sense at all. It doesnt, but then these fools make no sense at all, either.

So join the chorus and sing along:  Shes my little Musk Coupe You dont know what I got.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.
The Autopen is a fascinating device.

Developed to allow celebrities to mass-produce autographs for hordes of swooning fans, it was never intended to enable a Muppet to serve as president of the United States.



But that seems to be exactly what happened .



Evidence has been emerging for a week that nearly every document Joe Biden allegedly signed after his first few days in office  every executive order, every pardon, every Congressional bill signed into law, every international treaty, every lifetime judicial nomination (including the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson)  was signed with not one, but two Autopens.

The only known exception was Bidens withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.



Of course, the Democratic Party Deep State (DPDS) propaganda bureaus, formerly known as news media, are carefully ignoring this development. MSNBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, PBS, NPR, New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic  the silence is deafening.



The sole exception is Newsweek, which observed that the MAGA community is furious:

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has called for the Justice Department to investigate whether Biden's "cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval." If that was the case, "these executive orders, pardons, and all other actions are unconstitutional and legally void," Bailey wrote on X.

An interview with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) reveals just one of many examples where Joe the Vegetable didnt even read the documents that bear his purported signature:

MIKE JOHNSON: Sir, why did you pause LNG exports?  Liquified natural gas is in great demand by our [European] allies. Why would you do that? Because you understand, we just talked about Ukraine. You understand, youre fueling Vladimir Putins war machine, because they got to get their gas from him, you know.



And he looked at me, stunned, and he said, I didnt do that.



And I said, Mr. President, yes you did. It was an executive order, like three weeks ago.



I didnt do that. And hes arguing with me. I said, Mr. President, respectfully, can I, could I go out here and ask your secretary to print it out? Well read it together. You definitely did that.



 He said, No, no. You misunderstand. He said, What I did is I signed this thing to were going to conduct a study on the effects of LNG.



I said, No, youre not, sir. You paused it. ... This is doing massive damage to our economy, national security  It occurred to me, Barry, he was not lying to me. He genuinely did not know what he had signed.



And I walked out of that meeting with fear and loathing. Because I thought, were in serious trouble. Who is running the country? Like, I dont know who put the paper in front of him, but he didnt know.

This writer has been saying, ever since Biden ran his campaign from his Delaware basement in the summer of 2020, that he wasnt really all there. He was already senile: a Muppet, operated by a committee of POCs and LGBTQs.

This committee  most likely co-chaired by Barack Obama, Jill Biden and Kamala Harris  was actually running the United States government for four years. It was really Obamas third term in office.

There were so many Team Obama officials who took a four-year sabbatical in January 2017, then returned in January 2021 to serve on this committee or do its bidding, that American Thinker doesnt have the space to list them all here.

Just a week ago, this writer assumed (incorrectly) that all these vitally important documents were signed by Joe Bidens own trembling hand:

James Comer and Mike Johnson said theyll look into declaring Bidens pardons invalid.  It's unprecedented: we had a vegetable for president, whose handlers directed him to massively abuse his pardon power. He was reading whatever they put on a Teleprompter, and signing whatever they put on his desk. But whether Bidens pardons survive or not, justice demands a creative solution. Bondis DOJ could argue that because Biden didnt understand what he was signing, his pardons arent worth the paper theyre printed on.

Now theres even more reason to believe that nothing Joe the Vegetable allegedly signed is worth the paper its printed on. He didnt even read it, much less sign it.

Whats truly dismal about this is that millions of voters have short memories. Theyll forget this, or theyll never even hear about it, and theyll vote for the next DPDS nominee.



And the propaganda bureaus will help them forget, by never mentioning this DPDS scandal, or that one, or this other one. For the entire week, theyre focused like lasers on Donald Trump being a bit impolite to Volodymyr Zelensky, and the factions of the DPDS turning against each other over keeping the government running.

Its nice to know that Trump is at least capable of reading whatever document hes signing, and signing it with a real pen. Heres an Associated Press video of him signing a whole stack of them on Inauguration Day  mostly, repealing so-called executive orders from Bidens team of Muppeteers.

A signature On Hunters Pardon. AI image created by Jim Davis with Hailuo AI.
The Heritage Foundations Oversight Project revealed last week that a majority of the documents that Joe Biden purportedly signed while in the Oval Office actually came from an autopen. As the Oversight Project tweeted, WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY. The plot has now thickened because it turns out that those documents that didnt come from one autopen may have come from another. Sadly, though, the ramifications of this probable constitutional fraud on the American people may be very limited.

Autopens are cool devices for those who need to repeat their signature over and over, whether its a celebrity signing those old-fashioned photographs they used to mail out or the Treasury Secretary putting his signature on millions of Social Security checks. We all recognize that these are tasks that cry out for automation, because they can be done with the signatorys general, rather than specific, consent.

Public domain.

It's different, though, when you occupy an important position and your decisions must clearly emanate from you, and not from an automated process or someone acting on your behalf. Under Article II of the Constitution, the president of the United States has certain unique decision-making responsibilities that cannot be delegated.

Yet it seems that delegating is precisely what happened in the Biden Oval Office. Youve already seen reported here and elsewhere that the Heritage Foundation looked at dozens of executive orders and other documents that Joe Biden allegedly signed, many of which have important consequences (e.g., the final step in creating laws, the predicate act needed to nominate judges, the executive orders around COVID, pardons and commutations, etc.), and learned that they were actually signed by a machine.

WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY



We gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency.



All used the same autopen signature except for the the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the https://t.co/CC3oJUkNr4 pic.twitter.com/mtNrZsALDu  Oversight Project (@OversightPR) March 6, 2025 A few days later, the Oversight Project was back with more evidence that the signatures were faked:  Autopen Update 

We analyzed Biden's Jan. 19, 2025 "pardons" for:



-Biden Family Members

-Anthony Fauci

-General Milley

-J6 Committee

-Gerald Lundergan



They all have the same exact Biden autopen signature https://t.co/jc6mkx37il pic.twitter.com/8VeBDwLNv7  Oversight Project (@OversightPR) March 11, 2025 A few days later, the Oversight Project was back with more evidence that the signatures were faked:

However, while the machine may have done the signing, there was a human intelligence behind those signatures. There werent so many signatures that Biden was incapable of signing them himself (that is, these werent Hollywood fan photos or Treasury checks) even assuming some arthritis or Parkinsons shakes.

The logical conclusion, therefore, is that someone who was not the President of the United States was making consequential decisions on Bidens behalf and then instructing the machine to sign the relevant documents. And, indeed, although the NY Post wouldnt name names, insiders in the Biden White House think they know which shadowy, unelected figure was handling the responsibilities and decisions that the Constitution assigns solely to the president:

A key aide to former President Joe Biden may have exceeded their authority by liberally using an autopen to sign official documents, according to two former White House sources, as President Trumps aides set up far more restrictive rules governing the use of the mechanical device. [snip] A small group of officials under both Biden and Trump have been delegated the power to get documents signed robotically, but 82-year-old Bidens perceived cognitive decline sparked debate about whether some aides may have assumed his wishes in his final stretch as commander-in-chief. One Biden White House source told The Post they suspect that a key aide to the then-president may have made unilateral determinations on what to auto-sign. The Post is not publishing that staffers name due to the lack of concrete evidence and refutations by other colleagues. The Biden aide, who did not respond to requests for comment, would frequently make mention of what the boss wanted, the source said, but compatriots would have no idea if it was true because the internal culture was to not ask questions.

This sounds like old news, but its not. Thats because the Heritage Foundation, after some more investigation, discovered a second autopen in use on those documents that werent signed by the first autopen:

The Biden White House issued 51 clemency warrants in 4 years. 4,245 people received clemency during the Biden Administration.



This includes 37 of the most brutal murderers on federal death row, a person who murdered two FBI agents, people who provided military support to Iran,  Oversight Project (@OversightPR) March 13, 2025

Perhaps the unnamed staffer was switching out autopens. Or perhaps, more chillingly, Biden wasnt just a puppet for one close aide. Its entirely possible at this point that we were governed by a shadow committee, with different staffers controlling different decisions and autopens.

At this point, given Bidens manifest cognitive declinewhich went back to his first days in officeand given the fact that we now know that two separate autopens were in use, its possible he was never the president at all (separate from whether election fraud put him into office in the first place).

The irony of these discoveries, though, is that almost nothing changes even if we know that his whole presidency was faked.

Many of the worst things that happened on his watch cant be undone. Thus, the dead in the Ukraine war, those massacred on October 7, and those who have died since Israel responded to October 7 cannot be resurrected. The lives destroyed by Bidens manic COVID response or his push to mutilate children in the name of so-called transgenderism cannot be reclaimed. The damage he did to the economy will not return peoples savings to them or reopen their bankrupted businesses. The millions of illegal aliens here via the open border and the economic and criminal havoc theyve wrought are done deals.

Other things that Biden ostensibly did Trump is already reversing at warp speed. The ill effects will linger, but the damage wont continue moving forward. (Assuming, of course, that activist courts allow Trumps executive orders to stand, even if Bidens were only signed by an autopen.)

Indeed, thinking hard about it, there are only two classes of things that arent irremediably done deals or matters Trumps already addressing. The first is that the judges whom Biden allegedly nominated can be removed from the bench on the ground that their nominations were invalid, voiding their confirmations and their subsequent rulings. The second is that all the pardons and commutations Biden granted can be revoked, including those to Hunter Biden and the rest of Bidens friends and family.

However, I doubt either of those things will happen. If Trump acts, lawsuits will follow and, should the matter reach the Supreme Court, its highly unlikely that the Supremes, whether male or female, will have the testicular fortitude to conclude that Bidens was a phony presidency and that acts carried out by an aide cannot stand.
In the early 1990s, the Voice of America (VOA) Somali Service launched a 15-minute radio program aimed at audiences in Somalia and the Somali diaspora. This initiative coincided with the United States 1992-1993 humanitarian intervention, Operation Restore Hope, which sought, under United Nations resolutions, to address the humanitarian crisis in southern Somalia. After U.S. forces withdrew from Somalia in early 1994, America remained engaged in the region through AFRICOM, headquartered in Djibouti, allowing it to oversee strategic interests in the Horn of Africa and monitor Somalias ongoing instability.

The VOA Somali Service was part of a broader U.S. strategy to engage with Somalia, counter insurgencies, and promote democratic values and human rights. Although discontinued for several years, the service was relaunched in January 2007 as a half-hour program at a time when Somalia was engulfed in conflict. The rise of the Union of Islamic Courts (ICU) and its militant offshootsincluding the precursor to Al-Shabaabposed significant threats to regional stability.

Decline Under Questionable Leadership

For the first two years, the VOA Somali Service was led by Fred Cooper, a retired American journalist who worked to establish credibility. However, following Coopers departure, control shifted to Abdirahman Yabarow, a Somali-born journalist who has now held the position for nearly 18 years. Under his leadership, the service has reportedly been plagued by corruption, nepotism, and political bias.

Multiple sources, including former VOA employees, allege that Yabarow has received substantial kickbacksup to $50,000 or morefor conducting interviews with Somali government officials. These interviews, facilitated through his clan-based network, raise serious ethical concerns about the integrity of VOAs reporting.

Furthermore, Yabarow is accused of pressuring employees to pay portions of their salaries in exchange for job security. His close associates, such as Palestine Iman and Aisha Ibrahim Adan, have reportedly played key roles in maintaining his control over the service, ensuring loyalty through internal monitoring and exclusion of dissenting voices. This environment was allegedly what forced many respected journalists to resign, including Mohamed Omar Haydara, the late Ahmed Hassan Awke, and Fathia Absiiye, all of whom were instrumental in the programs early success.

Politicization and Loss of Credibility

Beyond internal corruption, the VOA Somali Service has increasingly aligned itself with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Yabarows presence at Mohamuds swearing-in ceremony and his exclusive interview with the new presidentdespite little public interestreflect this bias. His previous criticism of former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo appears to have been driven by clan differences rather than journalistic objectivity.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (left) and Abidrahman Yabarow (right). Public domain.

This politicization has also influenced VOAs coverage of key military operations. In May 2022, when President Mohamud declared war on Al-Shabaab, the service broadcast exaggerated reports of government victories while downplaying challenges on the ground. The omission of setbacks, including Al-Shabaabs counteroffensive that inflicted heavy losses on Somali forces, undermined VOAs credibility.

More recently, VOA has failed to provide adequate coverage of the ongoing conflict in eastern Somalia between Puntland forces and ISIS-Daesh insurgents. Despite U.S. airstrikes supporting Puntlands efforts and significant casualties on both sides, the service has largely ignored this major security development, raising further concerns about its commitment to balanced reporting.

Conclusion: A Call for Reform

The VOA Somali Service, originally intended as a tool for democratization, human rights advocacy, and counterterrorism, has instead become a vehicle for personal enrichment and political influence. With U.S. taxpayer funds supporting this operation, it is imperative that the Biden administration and Congress reassess its leadership and effectiveness. A thorough audit and leadership overhaul are necessary to restore the integrity of this service and ensure it aligns with U.S. counterintelligence and foreign policy objectives.

If the U.S. government is serious about reducing waste and holding publicly funded institutions accountable, the VOA Somali Service must be subject to the same scrutiny as any other taxpayer-funded entity. Ending corruption and restoring journalistic integrity should be a priority before further public funds are allocated.

Mohamud Ahmed and Abdirahman Warsame are freelance writers, based in Seattle and Washington, D.C.
There are three things that ordinary Americans need (but often fail) to understand about the Middle East.

These three things are necessary parts of U.S. policy.

Team Trump, as well as our European allies, would do well by completely adopting all three.

1. The Iranian Kraken Must Be Defeated

President Trump ordered a series of airstrikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen this weekend. Theyve engaged in pitched battles directed at U.S. and allied shipping in the Red Sea area for years with missiles and drones. It's intensified in the last 16 months.

Access to the Suez Canal is vital to the entire world; the Houthis are trying to cut it off. Unarmed oil tankers are avoiding the area since a $1,000 drone can sink a billion-dollar oil tanker. Thats an exchange rate the Houthis and their Iranian sponsors can easily afford. Its like destroying the World Trade Center on 9/11, starting with a few $2.00 box cutters.

The Houthis are just one tentacle of the Iranian Kraken. For all practical purposes, people who treasure liberty are faced with two great enemies besides China: the Star Trek Borg of the Democrat Party Deep State (DPDS), and the Kraken of Islamic radicalism.

Iran is the instigator of Islamic radicalism worldwide and is the head of the Kraken. It wages proxy wars throughout the world, using terrorist groups as its tentacles. Pick one tentacle, nail it down, chop it off, and incinerate it. Then move in with NATO peacekeepers from Europe; then do the same to the next tentacle.

Because our NATO allies are itching to fight a war and expand eastward (exhibited by their martial interests in Ukraine), and because peacekeepers from anywhere else bring a lot of problems with them, NATO allies can and should be relied upon to get the job done on the ground. They helped us in Afghanistan; theyll help us now.

Iran needs to be defeated. Any nation that holds rallies with a million people in its capital chanting Death to America, sponsors terrorists who kill Americans, and is developing nuclear weapons needs very badly to be defeated. Weve been hoping theyd become more moderate for 45 years. They keep doubling down on radicalism. Its time.

Weve started with the Houthis, and we need to finish them. Then we need to move on to Hezb'allah, which is responsible for the truck-bombing deaths of 241 U.S. servicemen in 1983, and which Israel has already gotten a good start on. If the Israelis havent already wiped Hezb'allah off the face of the planet, we take them out. And if Israel has not already finished off Hamas, we take them out, too.

Every member of all three factions, from their newest 12-year-old draftees to their commanders-in-chief, must be killed or captured. The 12-year-old draftees can probably be rehabilitated quickly and released  unless theyre from Gaza, where even 12-year-olds are thoroughly brainwashed into killing machines.

They believe their most glorious death would be a suicide mission, taking 1,000 Americans and/or Israelis with them. There are a million such children who need years of closely supervised therapy to become anything but lethal. Of course, their commanders-in-chief need to be in prison facilities like Guantanamo Bay for the rest of their lives.

All three  the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas, in that order  need to be completely eradicated and should be by 2026. All three exist solely for the purpose of Iran waging war against the United States and its most valuable allies without directly involving Iran.

2. Muslim Refugees Need To Be Sent Home

More radical Islamic tentacles are reaching into Europe and North America as a tsunami of Muslim refugees, roughly 90% of whom are men of military age.

Muslims pour into the West, ostensibly to flee from wars in their homelands. But in the end, they become colonists and conquerors through their enormous birthrates.

Theyve already turned formerly placid European cities like Stockholm into the rape capitals of the West. To a radical Muslim, any woman out in public who isn't wearing a hijab and a long skirt is a whore, and is his for the taking (if he can get away with it).

When you invite the Third World in, you become the Third World. They want to make cities like Stockholm and Cologne just like their Third World homelands, but with constitutional rights and DEI for Third World criminals, and without the secret police or the draconian sentencings.

Ask any American in Minneapolis. During the 2020 BLM riots, Somali gangs (led by Somali warlords) were indistinguishable from native-born Vice Lords and Gangster Disciples. All three groups vigorously indulged in the looting and burning.

And both Ilhan Omar (who represents Somalis, not Americans) and Rashida Tlaib (who represents Palestinians, not Americans) thought it was wonderful. A riot is the voice of those who arent being heard, and all that.

Much like Latin Americans who are here illegally  far too many of them dealing fentanyl, raping and murdering women and children, and committing other violent felonies  these Muslim colonists need to simply be sent home.

Stockholm pays them $38,000 each to self-deport. Thats far too generous. They should just be loaded onto planes, and disembarked at the largest airports in their home countries. Whatever legal processes are necessary need to be expedited, as in the case of Mahmoud Khalil.

This has become a colonial war between the Third World and the First World. The Third World has infiltrated and colonized us long enough. Unlike the European immigrants who produced the majority of U.S. citizenry, Third Worlders refuse to assimilate.

First World languages are difficult for them to learn; First World values seem impossible. They want us to be the ones assimilating with them, on our own soil, such that every one of our urban neighborhoods is a clone of either Caracas or Mogadishu, with violent crime rates to match.

The 2015 attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, in retaliation for posting a satirical cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, illustrates how they demand that we conform to their values, rather than conforming to ours. In this one respect, theyre more like the Borg than the Kraken.

Wed prefer our cities to be like Bedford Falls, in Jimmy Stewarts Its a Wonderful Life, or any city in any T.V. sitcom. But our cities have become stewpots rather than melting pots, with each component retaining its unique flavor, particularly if that flavor is unpalatable or even toxic.

Theres only one way to reverse that trend. We must start deporting them by the millions; we mustnt stop until our cities become melting pots again.

3. Israel Deserves Our Support  And Its A Bargain

Many Americans, on both left and right, wonder why support for Israel is so essential (and expensive). In the past 75 years, there were more than a few when we spent more on military aid for Israel than for the rest of the world combined.

And its most confusing when Americas lunatic left-wing fringe expresses its loathing for Israel and its embrace of Hamas. Israel is the only place in the Middle East that (a) allows LGBTQs (or Christians, for that matter) to come out of the closet without killing them or (b) cares even slightly about global warming.

Also, Israel is always being attacked or trying to prevent the next attack. Oct. 7, 2023, demonstrated what happens when Israel lets its guard down for even a day for a music festival close to the border with Gaza.

Every day of every year is either Pearl Harbor or 9/11 for them, or prevention of the next one and recovery from the last one. Israel is still trying to recover the last of its starved, beaten, and sexually enslaved hostages from Oct. 7, 2023  if theyre still alive.

That day was the worst for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Its appalling that such a thing could still happen in a civilized Western nation, but thats the nature of radical Islam and Gaza. And it will happen again and again as long as radical Islam flourishes and Western leftists are foolish enough to invite these vipers into our homeland.

Image courtesy of Jim Davis.
Google is reportedly getting ready to work with MediaTek for its next set of AI chips, also known as Tensor Processing Units. Not to be confused with the Tensor chips that are used in Pixel devices. These will be chips used in Googles own servers around the world.

Previously, Google was working with Broadcom for these chips, though it appears that the search giant has not cut ties with Broadcom. In late 2024, Google rolled out its sixth-generation TPU, which was set to give itself and its cloud customers an alternative to NVIDIA. Who also makes their own AI chips. Currently, NVIDIAs AI chips are the most sought-after in the industry, which is why they are so hard to get ahold of.

By designing their own chips, gives Google a competitive edge in the race for AI, because they arent as reliant on NVIDIA. Considering how hard it is to get NVIDIAs AI chips, as well as their GPUs in general, this is a huge edge for Google. And why Google Cloud continues to be one of the larger cloud companies, even beating out AWS.

Google went with MediaTek over pricing

According to The Information, Google decided to work with MediaTek because it has a strong relationship with TSMC (both of which are based in Taiwan), and it also charges Google less per chip compared to Broadcom. For reference, Google spend between $6 billion and $9 billion on TPUs last year. So this is no small feat for MediaTek to get this contract with Google.

MediaTek has been making some pretty impressive waves over the past couple of years, and this latest relationship proves its more than just about smartphone chips. However, on the smartphone side of things, MediaTeks newest flagship processor, Dimensity 9400, has been proven to be on par with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Apple launched the iPhone 16e in late February, and it arrived in stores in early March. The device was surrounded by a bit of controversy due to the price increase compared to the previous iPhone SE. However, if you thought this would dampen interest in it, you might want to think again. A report claims that initial sales of the iPhone 16e have far surpassed those of the latest iPhone SE model.

iPhone 16es sales exceed the iPhone SE 3s by 60% in its first three days

The last device in the SE lineup was the 2022 iPhone SE 3. That particular model had a lower price tag, although it still maintained the old design language of classic iPhones with massive top and bottom bezels, in addition to the classic Touch ID sensor. It seems that many fans of the brand were eagerly awaiting a new entry-level iPhone model after almost three years.

According to Bloomberg, sales of the iPhone 16e were 60% higher than those of the iPhone SE 3 during its first three days. The 2022 iPhone SE had a starting price of $429, significantly lower than the $599 price tag of the new iPhone 16e. This led many to believe that the handsets sales could be affected by the price increase. However, this was not the caseat least initially.

Apple promotes that the iPhone 16 offers the iPhone 16 experience at a lower price. However, the device has some significant compromises compared to the iPhone 16 devices. While this was expected given its more affordable nature, some have viewed the phone as overpriced. That said, this is not affecting its popularity.

Reasons behind the devices popularity

There are some reasons that explain the reported healthy sales of the new iPhone 16e. First, it remains the cheapest iPhone in Apples current lineup. There are voices recommending buying the iPhone 15 instead of the iPhone 16e. After all, Apple designed the iPhone 15 as a premium model, so it surpasses the later iPhone 16e in multiple key areas. However, the base iPhone 15 is still priced at $699, which is $100 more expensive than the iPhone 16es starting price.

Plus, while the iPhone 15 outperforms the latest affordable iPhone in aspects like the camera experience, display quality, design, connectivity, MagSafe support, and other features, theres one key area where it falls behind: memory. The new iPhone 16e boasts 8GB of RAM, something the base and Plus iPhone 15 models lack (6GB for both models). This, in turn, gives it support for Apples Intelligence suite. It seems that Apple didnt have plans to heavily invest in AI when it designed the iPhone 15 series, so only the Pro and Pro Max models are compatible.

Lastly, the iPhone 16e could also be a very interesting business phone. Companies that provide mobile devices to their employees will likely welcome Apples release of a new, more affordable model. Its no secret that iPhones are more popular as business phones than Androids. The availability of updates for all models from day one is a key aspect.
Samsung is doing everything possible to reverse the complicated situation of its semiconductor division. The development of the Exynos 2600 chip appears to be a critical point for the companys present and future. So, it is placing considerable importance on its 2nm process. In line with this, a new report claims that Samsung may have canceled work on the 1.4 nm manufacturing process.

According to tipster Jukanlosreve on X/Twitter, the South Korean giant may cancel development of its 1.4 nm process, at least for now. The post raises the possibility of closing the Samsung Foundry, although it is more of a question than a statement.

Samsung could cancel its 1.4 nm manufacturing process

There are no official reasons for the potential cancellation of Samsungs 1.4 nm processif it is true. However, some speculate on two reasons that could lead to this decision. One possibility is that Samsung Foundrys business is experiencing such severe financial difficulties that it is becoming unsustainable. The other is that the company is putting all its effort into improving its 2nm processes.

Currently, the closure of Samsung Foundry seems unlikely. Even with all the problems the division has experienced in recent years, no leaks have pointed to such a possibility. On the other hand, multiple reports have highlighted the companys hard work to ensure the successful development of the Exynos 2600 chip. A recent leak said that the company has set a new team specifically dedicated to this chip within Samsung Foundry.

The Exynos 2600 will be the South Korean giants first commercial 2nm chip. Samsung hopes its 2nm process will not be limited to producing this SoC but will also recapture the interest of big clients who have been lost in recent years. Therefore, the success of these wafers seems crucial for the company. It makes sense that the main focus is currently on the 2nm process.

The company could have rushed to develop advanced processes

Samsung seems to have wanted to rush things to gain a competitive advantage. TSMC, Samsung Foundrys direct rival, is also focused on its 2nm process, and there is no news on sub-2nm developments yet. On the other hand, Samsung was already working on 1.4 nm even before completing 2 nm development and optimization. It seems like a smart decision to reallocate resources to focus on whats important today.

Samsungs 2nm production tests yielded a 30% yield rate. For initial tests, the yield rate figures are promising. However, TSMC is leading the way in this field. According to reports, TSMCs 2nm wafer yield rate is as high as 60%. This means that, even now, Samsungs biggest rival could profitably mass-produce 2nm chips.

Its notable that TSMC recently reinforced its position as a global leader in the segment. Financial reports for Q4 2024 revealed that the company boasts a 67.1% share of the semiconductor production market.
Sihoo, a company behind ergonomic office and home furniture, has launched its Spring Sale. The discounts go up to 50%. As part of it, the company is offering a limited-time discount on its Doro C series office chairs. The chairs that stand out are the Sihoo Doro C300 and Doro C300 Pro.

The Sihoo C series ergonomic chairs are built for all-day comfort

Sihoo says that the Doro C300 and Doro C300 Pro chairs are built for all-day comfort and that they are reducing the strain of sitting for hours. They also offer self-adaptive lumbar support, which will adapt to your spine. That way, you should have proper posture while writing down and working or whatever else youre doing.

Needless to say, there are a lot of benefits to this. In addition to reducing your health problems, both in the near future and down the road, this can also boost your productivity, of course. If you feel fine, youll be more productive.

There are some differences between them

So, what are the differences between these two chairs? They do look quite similar, but there are differences that you should note. The Sihoo Doro C300 is the companys best-selling chair, while the Pro model only enhances it.

The Doro C300 offers self-adaptive lumbar support, a flexible backrest, and 4D coordinated armrests. Those armrests do synchronize with the backrest when you recline, though, so they offer continuous support.

Their armrests offer different levels of functionality

The Doro C300 Pro offers all that, but ups the 4D coordinated armrests to 6D ones, while it also has a bigger seat cushion and includes seat depth adjustment. It also offers a wide adjustability range in height and numerous parts. The 6D armrests are adjustable in multiple directions, and they also synchronize with the backrest when you recline.

The Doro C300 Pro is the better option for people in the extremes when it comes to size. If youre 5 feet tall, for example, or 63 tall, the Doro C300 Pro is the chair you should be aiming at.

The Doro C300 offers a multi-adjustable headrest. As you move your upper body, the backrest adjusts and conforms to your back. Therefore, its providing continuous support, which is the best way to adhere to your needs during the day.

The Pro model offers complete control via one handle

The Doro C300 Pro, on the flip side, offers complete control in one handle, basically. The height, seat depth, and reclining angle can be adjusted using that handle. Its conveniently positioned on your right-hand side. This chair offers a maximum reclining angle of 135 degrees.

The Doro C300 also allows you to recline comfortably, though. It offers a generous amount of tilt, along with dynamic lumbar support for your lower back. There are three tilt angles: 110-degree, 120-degre, and 130-degree angles.

The Doro C300 has a waterfall-shaped seat, which ensures optimal weight distribution and pressure reduction on your thighs and hips. A top-notch mesh design that promotes airflow is also a part of the design, and it will also reduce sweating.

That breathable mesh design is also included in the Pro model. It is highly elastic, soft, and skin-friendly. It ensures a refreshing level of comfort. That mesh is also durable, stain-resistant, and easy to maintain.

Quality certifications are in place as well

Both of these chairs come with quality assurances. The Sihoo Doro C300 has the American BIFMA Testing Standards rating and the German TUV Product Safety and Quality Certification. The Doro C300 Pro offers BIFMA rating as well, as well as the SGS certification.

The company recommends the Doro C300 ergonomic office chair to professionals who require all-day support and individuals with chronic back pain. The Doro C300 Pro, on the other hand, is recommended to users who value advanced adjustability and enhanced comfort features for extended sitting periods.

The Sihoo Doro C300 & C300 Pro ergonomic office chairs are discounted by almost 50%

Both of these chairs come in Black and White options, as youll see in the gallery below. Both of these chairs now come with a massive discount. The Sihoo Doro C300 can be yours for only $269.99 (down from $399.99), while the Doro C300 Pro costs $359.99 ($699.99). Those discounts are almost at half-off.

In addition to the Sihoo Doro C300 and Doro C300 Pro office chairs, some other products are on sale. For example, you can get the Sihoo Doro S100 and Sihoo M59As at a considerable discount.

Do note that Sihoo offers free shipping on all orders and a 3-year warranty as well! The company also has a very high customer rating, with over 10,000 satisfied customers. The rating is 4.8/5, which is, needless to say, immensely high.

If you need a proper ergonomic chair for your office, regardless if its for work or gaming, the Sihoo Doro C300 and Sihoo Doro C300 Pro are more than worth considering. Theyre usually much more expensive than they are now. These discounts make them very appealing. Just note that the Spring Sale ends on March 23. So, this is a limited-time offer, you can shop and save! The Amazon sale will kick off after this one ends, it will run from March 24 to March 30. All the purchase links are highlighted below.

Sihoo's Spring Sale

Buy the Sihoo Doro C300 ergonomic chair (Sihoo)

Buy the Sihoo Doro C300 Pro ergonomic chair (Sihoo)

Buy the Sihoo Doro C300 ergonomic chair (Amazon)

Buy the Sihoo Doro C300 Pro ergonomic chair (Amazon)

Sihoo Doro C300:

Sihoo Doro C300 Pro:
Adolescence co-writer Jack Thorne has praised his fellow writer and actor Stephen Graham for the extraordinary idea for the show.

Each of the four episodes of the Netflix crime drama about a boy accused of killing his classmate  written and created by Graham and Thorne  was filmed in a single shot in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.

The show sees This Is England star Graham as Eddie Miller, the father of 13-year-old Jamie, played by newcomer Owen Cooper, who sees armed police burst into his home to arrest his son.

The closing part of the second episode of Netflix show Adolescence (Netflix)

Eddie is then chosen as Jamies appropriate adult, accompanying him at the police interview, and learning the extent of what his son is accused of doing.

Speaking about the shows topic on BBC Radio 2 with Jo Whiley and Graham, Thorne, 46, said: I thought it was an extraordinary thing to look at, and I thought it was a very important thing to look at.

The first thing I said is, what if we wrote it together? And would you be prepared to put on a different hat with me for the first time?

Wed done five things before together as actor and writer, but working with Stephen as a writer was so exciting.

It was so interesting to have a totally different conversation with him before words were on the page and we had to look into ourselves.

We had to, in order to understand this problem, in order to look at male anger, male rage, we sort of had to understand our own anger and our own rage, and our own problems and our own cruelty, and the ways that we have been less than perfect.

And Stephen and I were able to have some very honest discussions, and we went to some very dark places, and I think that honesty hopefully shows on the screen.

It came after Graham, 51, explained the idea for Adolescence had come from a short film called Boiling Point, also directed by the shows director Philip Barantini, which was nominated for Bafta and Bifa awards.

The Kirkby-born actor said: So we knew we were going to do it, and I just wasnt too sure what it was going to be about at first, and then all of a sudden, it hit me like a lightning bolt.

I read an article in the paper about a young boy whod stabbed a young girl, and then a few months later on the news, there was a piece, and it was, again, it was a young boy who had stabbed a young girl, and they were opposite ends of the country.

When I watched the news article, it really hurt my heart, not just as a father and as a parent, but I kind of just wondered what was going on with society, where this kind of thing is something thats happening quite regularly.

So I knew that that was what I wanted to make it about, and straight away, I said to Hannah (Walters, actress and Grahams wife), this is kind of what I want to do.

I had a rough idea of what it was, and I said, I know who I want to write it, Im going to ask Jack to write it, because I knew if there was anyone that could pull this rough idea that I had within my head out and bring it to life, that would be Jack.

So thats kind of where it came from.

The show has already earned critical praise and a number of celebrity fans.

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson singled out the second episode, which follows Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe as he tries to find a possible motive at Jamies school, before the final shot pans out to travel to the place of the young girls death, and Eddie leaving flowers.

Q: How did they film the drone shot at the end of Ep 2? The DOP carries the camera and follows a school pupil to the traffic lights with a wide shot as she goes at the end of the school day. Before she crosses the road, a team attach the camera to a drone, which then flies a pic.twitter.com/kKk7ocLCkU  Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) March 15, 2025

Clarkson wrote on X: Adolescence. The camera at the end of show two. How on earth did they do that? Its impossible.

Explaining how the shot was done on the Netflix Tudum behind-the-scenes site, director of photography Matthew Lewis said that he found a way to make the camera fly, by attaching it to a drone.

The streaming site also said on X that the director of photography was carrying the camera, until the production team attached it to a drone.

They added that this then flies a distance of 0.3 miles across the site to the murder scene, where it comes down to a camera operator and team of grips who smoothly catch the camera and transition into a close shot of Stephen Graham, easy.

A video posted by Netflix on X shows videographers running to film the chase scene between Jamies friend and DI Bascombe, before the drone is placed on top of the camera to lift it into the air and bring it to where Eddie is paying his respects.

The cast also features Top Boy star Ashley Walters as DI Bascombe, and Chloe actress Erin Doherty taking on the role of Briony Ariston, the clinical psychologist assigned to Jamies case.
Amy Coney Barrett and America's 3-3-3 SCOTUS By Todd Gregory and Erik Gregory

web posted March 17, 2025 The forever mendacious media deliberately gaslight the American public whenever they refer to a 6-3 "conservative majority" (or supermajority) on the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS), implying Republicans enjoy dictatorial one-party rule on the Court. It is true that six of the nine Justices were nominated by and confirmed under Republican presidents but it is a glaring misnomer to declare that conservatives have a 6-3 majority on the Court, let alone that the SCOTUS is far-right or rubber-stamping conservative legal priorities. To illustrate, Justice Amy Coney Barrett probably didn't wear this contemptuous, disgusted expression on her face when she interviewed with Donald Trump for the SCOTUS judgeship back in 2020. Coney Barrett is merely the latest Republican-confirmed letdown on the Court. There are no mulligans, no do-overs. The youthful Coney Barrett could remain on the bench for another half century, exerting a profound influence over the direction of public policy and American society. Somewhere, Dianne Feinstein is smiling. There are precedents for Coney Barrett, of course. Indeed, in her four plus years on the Court, Coney Barrett is shaping up to be David Souter 2.0 . It was Republican George H. W. Bush 41 who foisted the counterfeit conservative Souter onto the Court. In yet another Bush classic, George W. Bush 43 bypassed highly qualified constitutional jurists like Janice Rogers Brown and Miguel Estrada in order to install the fickle John Roberts , a judge whose moistened index finger is always held up to the wind of public opinion (Bush 43 even elevated the neophyte Roberts to Chief Justice over vastly more accomplished sitting Justices like Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia). Even the sainted Ronald Reagan whiffed on two of his three SCOTUS appointments. Sandra Day O'Connor was a stealth liberal who voted to uphold the " constitutionality " of Affirmative Action (DEI's predecessor), even though she personally disagreed on both legal and moral grounds, believing affirmative action and racial quotas to be unconstitutional. Former Justice Anthony Kennedy, the other Reagan misstep on the Court, relished his "independent" swing vote as it made him the constant center of attention and speculation  with all eyes on Anthony, which way would Anthony vote? And would the New York Times editorial board approve? Anthony Kennedy's (perhaps hand-picked) successor on the Court and mini-me Brett Kavanaugh has also fallen short of expectations. Trump 45 nominated and then fought for Kavanaugh's confirmation in 2018 through patently ridiculous but well-coordinated Democrat attacks and baseless media conspiracy theories ( rape trains , et al.). Yet, the payoff hasn't been there as Kavanaugh has proven to be an underwhelming replicant of his changeling mentor, Kennedy. And true to form, Roberts and Coney Barrett both voted with the Court's progressive wing to undermine Trump and DOGE, compelling billions of taxpayer dollars to be spent (money laundered through the DNC, stolen, grifted) by the shuttered and thoroughly discredited USAID federal agency. Rather than being strict constitutional originalists or constructionists, perhaps the Roberts-Coney Barrett duo conceive of themselves as judicial mavericks and were persuaded or otherwise guided by unspecified " penumbras and emanations " with their USAID ruling? The latest Coney Barrett and Roberts defections from the Constitution are a 2nd hand embarrassment to Trump, the Federalist Society, and others who unreservedly promoted the two Justices. By contrast, ever notice how Democrat presidents never screw up their SCOTUS picks? Bill Clinton put noxious left-wing ideologues Ruth Bader Ginsburg (the Notorious RBG ) and Stephen Breyer onto the court. The tag team of Barack Obama and Joe Biden managed to get self-described wise Latina Sonia Sotomayor , Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to the SCOTUS with virtually no push-back from GOP senators. Those three progressive Justices can be counted on to vote their ideology over the law on each case before the court. All are upper deck grand slam home runs for the hard Left. Supreme Court Justices are not like cabinet heads or even presidents, here today and gone tomorrow, rising and then disappearing with each new administration. They are like supersized, near-permanent bureaucrats, unelected immovable objects arguably wielding more power than the other (supposedly) co-equal branches of government. Any honest assessment of the first Trump administration (Trump 45) must acknowledge there were numerous personnel blunders (Omarosa? Scaramucci? Wray?), and recent Republican SCOTUS appointees have mostly disappointed. Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts are distressed assets today, and Coney Barrett appears to be a colossal, David Souter-level catastrophe. Contra the psy-ops of the debunked news media , conservatives do not enjoy a 6-3 supermajority on the SCOTUS. With Thomas and Samuel Alito joined by the generally reliable Neil Gorsuch, the SCOTUS is (at most) a 3-3-3 Court. If Trump 47 is fortunate enough to nominate another Justice for the SCOTUS, he needs to avoid the hireling fiascos of Trump 45. Trump's presidency and the nation cannot afford any more FUBAR personnel decisions when it comes to the SCOTUS. Erik Gregory and Todd Gregory are previous contributors to ESR. Home
Street artist Banksy has explained why he has used the tag of Londons most imprisoned graffiti writer, Tox, in the background of some of his works in a rare interview.

Banksy, whose official identity still remains unknown, speaks to Tox, whose real name is Daniel Halpin, for a special edition of the Big Issue magazine, which goes on sale on St Patricks Day.

The magazine has been taken over from cover to cover by graffiti writer 10Foot, and will also feature an Irish language poem from rap trio Kneecap.

Banksy interviews Tox for a special edition of Big Issue (Big Issue/PA)

Tox is best known for spraying his tag on the London Underground network, and has been dubbed Londons most imprisoned graffiti writer, having claimed to have been arrested more than 40 times.

In 2011 Tox was jailed and prosecutors referred to him as no Banksy, which inspired Banksy to do his Child Blowing Bubbles work in Camden Town featuring Toxs tag.

Banksy is quoted as opening the interview saying: Hello Tox. Are you allowed to carry pens on a bus yet?, a reference to Tox reportedly being banned from carrying pens on public transport, under threat of jail time.

Tox, whose signature tag features the word Tox followed by the year, says: It wasnt 30 days, it was five years maximum cos it was breach of Asbo, I think thats what youre on about init?

Asbo means anti-social behaviour order where they could lock you up for stuff that wasnt actually a criminal offence, stuff like trespass and carrying a can of spray paint.

I done nine prison sentences in all, six months here, six months there, I got sent to prison for not having a train ticket once, a couple times for just possessing a can of spray paint without even using it.

I served four months for having a glass bottle in my hand cos they said I could use it to scratch windows.

From age 18 I was going in and out of Feltham with all the other unfortunate childhood souls of society.

Banksy also tells Tox: In several of my paintings Ive put your tag in the background.

I kind of use it to signify generic urban decay, damage and abandonment. No offence. I guess I shouldve asked beforehand, but is that OK?

Tox responds: I dont mind.

I always had people saying, Banksys using your name, when are you going to call him and cash in, he owes you money and I was like Nah I dont care, he stuck me up, I dont care, let him do it.

I just cared about painting graffiti and stealing spray paint and being me init.

It comes as 10Foot prepares to launch Long Dark Tunnel, a top secret London exhibition featuring his work and that of Tox and graffiti artist Fume, with its location being revealed on March 21.

At the exhibitions opening night, an exclusive 10Foot, Tox25 and Fume DDS limited edition print will be on sale, with all proceeds going to the Big Issue.

Also featuring in the issue will be a short story by writer Jonathan Meades, and contributions from musician and composer Mica Levi, as well as war reporter and Popular Front founder Jake Hanrahan.

10Foot previously said of the Big Issue takeover: Ive given all the space to people who do great work and dont get recognised. London is not dead, however hard the system tries to strangle it.

I hope the vendors come up hard from this and I hope everyone goes to see the 10Foot Tox25 Fume show  its so far from a bunch of pictures in a white room, its emotional and messy and is the culmination of decades and decades of underground artwork.

The 10Foot Big Issue special will go on sale on Monday March 17 across the UK, and can be bought from street vendors or online through the Big Issue Shop.
Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne has died at the age of 43, her agent confirmed.

She revealed in an Instagram post in October 2023 that she had a rare cancer and, according to reports, had been suffering from adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), an aggressive cancer of the adrenal gland.

Dequenne was co-winner of the Cannes Film Festivals best actress award in 1999 for her role in Palme dOr winning film, Rosetta, which tells the story of a young girls efforts to keep her job in the face of her own schizophrenia.

Paula Beer, Alice Winocour, John C Reilly, Emilie Dequenne and Davy Chou attending the photocall for Un Certain Regard during the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 2023 (Doug Peters/PA)

The actress, who was 18 at the time, cried after receiving the award for what was her first role in film.

On TV she was known for playing Laurence Relaud in British anthology drama The Missing, which starred James Nesbitt as the father of a boy who disappears during a family holiday.

Her second movie was horror/action film Brotherhood Of The Wolf (2001) where she starred alongside Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci and Samuel Le Bihan.

Her other roles included 2009s The Girl On The Train, where her character Jeanne makes up a shocking story about a racially motivated attack on a train, and 2012 crime drama Our Children.

She also played a sound recordist called Charlotte, who learns that her mother has been murdered, in noughties film Ecoute Le Temps, and Sophie in 2022 coming-of-age film Close.

Dequenne was married to actor Michel Ferracci.

Her agenct con
David Lammy said he has seen no sign that Russian president Vladimir Putin is serious about a peace deal with Ukraine.

The Foreign Secretary urged Mr Putin to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire now before warning Britain and its allies have more cards that we can play to help force Russia to negotiate seriously.

This includes action to further squeeze Russias oil revenues and make use of frozen assets, according to Mr Lammy.

His remarks came in a statement to the House of Commons following the latest meeting of the G7 countries, which also include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

After Mr Lammy said the G7 countries are united in supporting Ukraine and its pursuit of peace, he told MPs: Now it is Putin who stands in the spotlight, Putin who must answer, Putin who must choose  are you serious, Mr Putin about peace?

Will you stop the fighting or will you drag your feet and play games, pay lip service to the ceasefire whilst still pummelling Ukraine?

My warning to Mr Putin is this: if you are serious, prove it with a full and unconditional ceasefire now.

And if Putin does not deliver, and I must tell the House that I currently see no sign yet that he is, the G7 meeting helped us ready the tools to get Russia to negotiate seriously.

Were not waiting for the Kremlin.

If they reject a ceasefire, we have more cards that we can play.

We can all see the impact the G7s unprecedented sanctions have had on Russias faltering economy; social spending down, inflation and interest rates sky high.

St Basils Cathedral, in Moscows Red Square (Ian Nicholson/PA)

There can be no let up in our efforts.

In Canada we discussed where we can go further to target their energy and defence sectors, further squeeze their oil revenues and use frozen Russian assets.

At the same time we will keep up our support to Ukraine, Europeans clearly need to shoulder our share of this responsibility.

We in the UK are stepping up on drones, on munitions and on training.

Mr Lammy highlighted the Governments commitment to increase defence spending before adding: Were urging our allies to do the same so that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position now and in any peace that follows.

He said there needs to be a new era in UK-EU security cooperation and he will host the European Commissions Kaja Kallas on Tuesday.

Mr Lammy went on: Were taking steps to ensure Russia does not come back for more.

We know the history  Budapest, Minsk, paper promises betrayed by Putin.

Together with France were establishing a coalition willing to deter Russia from invading again.

To be credible, it will need US support.

But Britain and our allies recognise that we need to step up and this Government is leading the effort on multiple fronts.
Brown University. The Trump administration has been escalating its immigration policies and targeting universities. Photograph: Boston Globe/Getty Images

A Brown University medical professor was deported to Lebanon over the weekend despite having a valid US work visa, defying a judges order blocking her immediate removal from the country.

Federal prosecutors on Monday alleged that they deported 34-year-old Rasha Alawieh after discovering sympathetic photos and videos on her cellphone of prominent figures of Iran-backed Hezbollah. Alawieh told federal agents that she had recently attended the funeral of the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom she supported from a religious perspective, according to Reuters.

The case centering on Alawieh comes as Donald Trumps second presidential administration has been escalating its immigration policies and targeting universities.

On Sunday, the US deported more than 250 immigrants, allegedly members of a Venezuelan and Salvadorian gang, to El Salvador despite a judges order halting the flights.

Alawieh was detained at Bostons Logan international airport on Thursday after a trip to Lebanon to visit family. Her cousin, Yara Chehab, filed a lawsuit soon after in Massachusetts federal court on her behalf.

On Friday, US district court judge Leo Sorokin issued an order scheduling a hearing for Alawieh on Monday  and said that the federal government must give 48 hours notice to the court before her removal from the country. That hearing, however, was delayed at the request of an attorney for Chehab after other lawyers representing Chehab withdrew from the case, citing further diligence, as CNN reported. No other details were immediately available.

Nonetheless, in clear defiance of Sorokins order from Friday, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) put Alawieh on a flight to Paris that presumably was a layover back to Lebanon.

On Sunday, Sorokin said in court documents that CBP had received notice of the court order but nonetheless thereafter willfully disobeyed the order by sending [Alawieh] out of the United States. Sorokin ordered the government to respond to the serious allegations with a legal and factual response and a description of their version of events by Monday morning, ahead of a scheduled court hearing.

CBP did not immediately respond to the Guardians request for comment. In a comment to Reuters, a CBP spokesperson said that officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats and the burden is on people to establish admissibility into the US.

In a statement obtained by Reuters, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, called the deportation commonsense security.

A visa is a privilege, not a right  glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied, she said.

In a statement, a Brown spokesperson said that the university was seeking to learn more about what has happened, but we need to be careful about sharing information publicly about any individuals personal circumstances.

Brown noted that Alawieh had a clinical appointment with the university but was an employee of Brown Medicine, a non-profit that is affiliated with the medical school but is not operated by the university.

On Sunday, after Alawiehs deportation, Brown sent an email advising international students and faculty members to avoid international travel due to potential changes in travel restrictions and travel bans.

Dr George Bayliss, a Brown medical professor who works with Alawieh at the universitys division of kidney disease and hypertension, told the New York Times that the staff are all outraged.

None of us know why this happened, he said.

Before Sundays mass deportation to El Salvador, the US district court judge James Boasberg said that the Trump White House could not accelerate the deportations out by invoking the Alien Enemies Act, a centuries-old wartime law giving the president that ability. Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to explain whether it had violated the judges order with its mass deportation at a hearing scheduled for late Monday afternoon.

On Sunday, the White House released a statement upbraiding Boasberg, an extraordinary display of defiance against the judiciary, which has served as a check on presidential power throughout the history of the US.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movement of an aircraft  full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from US soil, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said in a statement.

Alawiehs removal also comes at a time when the Trump administration has targeted universities, particularly Columbia University, after the series of pro-Palestinian protests it saw in 2024.

Recently, federal law enforcement with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detained Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia graduate student with a green card who was a leader of the protests, for deportation.

Ranjani Srinivasan, a graduate student at Columbia from India, was also targeted by immigration authorities at the beginning of March despite having no ties to the protests. Srinivasan fled to Canada, which US officials have described as a self-deportation, according to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also considering new travel restrictions for citizens of dozens of countries. A draft list of countries showed three separate groups that would undergo either full or partial visa suspensions.
Mark Carney (right) is greeted by British PM Keir Starmer at Downing Street. Photograph: Sean Kilpatrick/AP

Canada is the most European of the non-European countries, Mark Carney said during his first overseas trip as prime minister to France and the UK, where he is seeking stronger alliances to deal with Donald Trumps attacks on his countrys sovereignty and economy.

Without mentioning the US president by name, Carney and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, made a joint appearance in Paris to show a united stance against what they said were economic and geopolitical crises  a reference to Trumps trade war and America first diplomacy that has left longtime allies scrambling.

Canada is a unique friend, Macron said, adding that fair trade was more effective than tariffs. Carney spoke in French and English, and said it was important for Canada to strengthen ties with reliable allies.

I want to ensure that France and the whole of Europe work enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries, determined like you to maintain the most positive possible relations with the United States, he said.

A senior Canadian government official who briefed reporters on Carneys plane said the purpose of the trip was to strengthen partnerships with Canadas two founding countries. The official said Canada was a good friend of the United States but we all know what is going on.

Carney, who turned 60 on Sunday, travelled later on Monday to London where he was received at Buckingham Palace by King Charles, Canadas head of state. After a 30-minute private conversation with the king, he was greeted warmly by Keir Starmer on the doorstep of No 10.

The UK prime minister said: The relationship between our two countries has always been strong. Two sovereign allies, so much in common  a shared history, shared values, shared king.

Carney said the relationship between the two countries was built on shared values and that were at a point in history where the world is being reordered.

The trip to London is something of a homecoming for Carney as a former governor of the Bank of England, the first non-citizen to be named to the role in its more than 300 years.

The former economist is deliberately making his first foreign trip to the capital cities of the two countries that shaped Canadas early existence. At his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, he noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples: Indigenous, French and British.

He said Canada was fundamentally different from the US and would never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States.

Carney also noted the US, France, UK and Canada are members of Nato and it would be unthinkable for the US to annex Canada through military means.

Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, said: The Trump factor is the reason for the trip. The Trump factor towers over everything else Carney must deal with.

On his trip home from Europe, Carney will travel to the edge of Canadas Arctic to reaffirm Canadas Arctic security and sovereignty before returning to Ottawa, where he is expected to call an election within days.

Carney said he did not plan to visit Washington at the moment but hoped to have a phone call with the president soon. He added that Trump must stop making disrespectful comments about Canada before the two countries can start serious talks about future ties.

Sweeping tariffs of 25% and Trumps talk of making Canada the 51st US state have infuriated Canadians, and many are avoiding buying American goods. Carneys government is reviewing the purchase of US-made F-35 fighter jets in light of Trumps trade war.

The governing Liberal party had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war. Now the party and its new leader, Carney, could come out on top.

Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said Carney was wise not to visit Trump. Theres no point in going to Washington, Bothwell said. As [the former prime minister Justin] Trudeaus treatment shows, all that results in is a crude attempt by Trump to humiliate his guests.

Bothwell said Trump demanded respect, but its often a one-way street, asking others to set aside their self-respect to bend to his will.

Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said it was absolutely essential Canada diversified amid the trade war with the US. More than 75% of Canadas exports go to the US.

Beland said Arctic sovereignty was also a key issue for Canada. He said: President Trumps aggressive talk about both Canada and Greenland and the apparent rapprochement between Russia, a strong Arctic power, and the United States under Trump have increased anxieties about our control over this remote yet highly strategic region.

A No 10 spokesperson said Starmer underlined that the UK and Canada are the closest of sovereign allies and friends during their meeting.

Carney praised Starmers leadership on Ukraine, they added, and the two leaders agreed to work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to see a just and lasting peace.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Sir Keir Starmer is due to host the new Prime Minister of Canada on Monday.

The Prime Minister will meet the ex-governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney, as he undertakes his first foreign trips since being sworn in to office in Canada last week.

Mr Carney will also meet the King after he arrives in the UK from Paris later on Monday.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney with President of France Emmanuel Macron on Monday (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Charles, who is also King of Canada, will hold an audience with the Canadian leader at Buckingham Palace.

Canada has been taking part in discussions around a coalition of countries willing to contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, and it comes amid tensions between Ottawa and Washington DC.

The country took part in a virtual meeting of world leaders hosted by Sir Keir on Saturday, focused on the so-called coalition of the willing, alongside Australia and New Zealand was well as European nations.

President @ZelenskyyUA and I spoke today. He updated me on Ukraines defence and global efforts to advance peace. Canada strongly supports Ukraines fight for freedom against Russian aggression. Lasting peace in Ukraine means security for us all.  Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 17, 2025

Sir Keir said after the call that: The group that met this morning is a bigger group than we had two weeks ago, there is a stronger collective resolve and new commitments were put on the table this morning, both in relation to the coalition of the willing in terms of defending the deal, also in relation to the wider point, which is the collective defence and security of Europe.

Canada is facing a trade war with the US, with Donald Trump imposing tariffs on steel and aluminium since his return to the White House, and repeatedly proposing Canada should become the 51st state.

Mr Carney arrived in Paris on Monday to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and will later travel onwards to London.

The then-Bank of England governor Mark Carney with the then-Prince of Wales during a tour of the Bank of England in 2016 (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

He replaced Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Canada last week.

Mr Carney served as governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, the first non-Briton to hold the position.
Kids Company supported vulnerable children through therapeutic and practical services. The late Camila Batmanghelidjh in her office in London, 27 May 2010. Photograph: Susannah Ireland/Rex/Shutterstock

We support the judicial review of the Charity Commissions 2022 report on Kids Company, scheduled for 19-20 March. This review is crucial not only for seeking justice for the charity and its founder, Camila Batmanghelidjh, who sadly died on 1 January 2024, but also for upholding the integrity of the entire charitable sector in the UK.

In February 2021 the high court unequivocally stated that false allegations, not operational issues, led to Kids Companys closure. No evidence of wrongdoing or fund misuse was found. But in its 2022 report, the Charity Commission chose not to accurately represent these findings, prompting this judicial review to ensure that the report is consistent with the facts.

In 2014 Kids Company, with a team of 600 professionals and 10,000 volunteers, supported vulnerable children through therapeutic and practical services. The organisation filled gaps left by government services, advocating for systemic change under Camila Batmanghelidjhs leadership. The tragic closure of Kids Company in 2015 halted the redesign of childrens services through the See the child, change the system initiative.

The Charity Commissions report raises serious concerns about regulatory ethics and impartiality. The report inaccurately depicts the reasons for Kids Companys closure, abjectly failing to acknowledge the harmful impact of unfounded allegations and external pressures on the charity.

For 19 years, Kids Company regularly submitted and passed all its audits to the government, and consequently received further funding. We call on the Charity Commission to amend its report in line with Mrs Justice Falks high court findings at the end of a 10-week court case in February 2021 and a detailed 225-page judgment. We seek accountability, transparency and justice from the Charity Commission.

Chris Martin Coldplay, Joanna Lumley Actor and presenter, Joy Madeiros Co-founder, Oasis Charitable Trust, Susie Orbach Psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, Rowan Williams Former archbishop of Canterbury, Alan Yentob Former chair of trustees, Kids Company, and 48 others
Rising Tide climate activists attempted to blockade the Port of Newcastle in November 2024. Many were charged under anti-protest laws. Photograph: Dean Sewell/Oculi/The Guardian

More than 100 climate protesters will plead not guilty to offences under New South Waless controversial anti-protest laws, with campaigners claiming it could become the largest climate protest defence case in Australia.

Last year, 173 people were arrested after they allegedly entered the Port of Newcastle on kayaks and rafts to blockade the coal port  the largest in the world.

The NSW supreme court had earlier allowed police to deny the protesters form 1 application, meaning they were not protected from being charged under obstruction and unlawful assembly offences.

A separate attempt by the state government to enact an exclusion zone around the port in November was deemed invalid by the court as an improper use of the Marine Safety Act.

Related: Courts, politicians and police in the sea: the many battles for climate activists at NSWs Rising Tide protest

Organisers say police charged 130 of the activists under anti-protest laws, which carry a maximum of two years in jail or a $22,000 fine. Over Monday and Tuesday, all 130 will enter not guilty pleas in the Newcastle local court.

The anti-protest laws are over the top and they need to be challenged, said 21-year-old Alexa Stuart, who is a spokesperson for the protest organisers Rising Tide and not among those charged.

Thats why 130 people will be pleading not guilty. While Australians are counting the cost in billions of dollars of climate-supercharged damage caused by Cyclone Alfred, the Labor government continues to pour fuel on the climate fire with every new coal and gas approval.

Stuart said those arrested last year were angry at the governments lack of response to the climate crisis. Of those not charged under the anti-protest laws, 29 were fined under the Marine Safety Act for obstructing a vessel and 14 were aged under 18 and were not charged.

The Greens said in September last year that the Albanese government had approved 26 new coal and gas projects since it was elected. The federal climate change minister, Chris Bowen, has said the country wants to become a renewable energy superpower but such a big task would take time.

Stuart said were seeing increasing attempts by the government and police to repress climate protest.

The ALP needs to learn that you cant arrest your way out of a climate crisis, she said.

The issue of hundreds of everyday people engaging in civil disobedience is not going away until the government stops approving new coal and gas projects, and starts funding an urgent and just transition for fossil fuel workers.

Over the past two decades, there have been 49 laws introduced by state and federal governments eroding rights to protest, according to a report released by the Human Rights Law Centre in June.

NSW has introduced the most. Sections of the anti-protest laws introduced by the former Coalition government in 2022 were found by the supreme court in 2023 to be unconstitutional.

In February, the Minns government passed a new anti-protest measure that one Labor MP called the most draconian anti-protest measure in decades. It gives police broad powers to move on protesters near a place of worship  regardless of whether the protest was directed at the place of worship.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has said he does not believe the broad nature of the new laws has left them open to misuse, and that the Labor MPs comments were hyperbole.

We do put a lot of trust in NSW police, and I believe that they exercise it judiciously.

A spokesperson for the NSW government said it supports action on climate change and the right to lawful protest.

Protests must be held lawfully and safely, they said. The ships coming in and out of Newcastle port have 400-metre-long blind spots.

NSW police acted responsibly to ensure the safety of protesters, port users and police officers themselves.
Controversial Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has been welcomed at the White House for a St Patricks Day meeting with President Donald Trump.

McGregor answered questions from reporters as he joined press secretary Karoline Leavitt in the West Wing briefing room on Monday ahead of the expected meeting with the president.

The fighter told the media he was going to voice concerns about immigration issues in Ireland when he spoke to Mr Trump.

In response, Irish premier Micheal Martin later said McGregors comments were wrong, and did not reflect the views of the Irish people.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE!  @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Deputy premier Simon Harris said that McGregor is not in the US to represent Ireland and does not speak for the people of Ireland, and has no mandate to.

Ms Leavitt confirmed a meeting was scheduled.

Conor is here to meet with the president, she told reporters.

Hell be meeting with him later this afternoon. We couldnt think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day.

McGregors visit to the White House comes months after he was found civilly liable in a High Court damages case in Dublin taken by a woman who accused him of rape.

Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, won her claim against McGregor after accusing the professional fighter of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

Ms Hand, 35, was awarded damages and costs after a three-week trial last year in which the jury found him civilly liable for assault.

Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor will meet the president at the White House (Brian Lawless/PA)

A judge at the High Court in Dublin later said the jury had conclusively determined that McGregor had raped Ms Hand.

Last week, President Trump described McGregor as great when asked who his favourite Irish person was.

Mr Trump said the MMA fighter had the best tattoos Ive ever seen.

Conors great, right. But you have a lot of great Irish fighters actually, great fighters, he said.

Irelands always had a lot of good fighters. You know why, because theyre tough people, theyre smart people and theyre passionate people.

During his exchange with reporters in the briefing room on Monday, McGregor criticised the Irish government on immigration issues.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Irelands ears, he said.

Never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland faced been spoke.

Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty.

Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability.

Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people.

The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country. There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

St. Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship. Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 17, 2025

Taoiseach Mr Martin later posted a response on social media.

St Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship, he wrote on X.

Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

Mr Harris said: Its for President Trump to invite wherever he wants to his home, and hes perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.

But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. Hes here in a personal capacity.

He doesnt speak for Ireland. He doesnt speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such.

My views on him are very clear, well established, previously articulated, long standing and on the public record.

He added: Ive spoken to Nikita Hand. I admire her bravery, her courage, and Id much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.

Mr Harris also said he does not see McGregor becoming the next president of Ireland.

I think its always better for for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country, and by the people of Ireland. Thats how our presidential election will be decided, he added.

I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor. I dont expect hes going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency at Aras an Uachtarain.

McGregor earlier described the US as Irelands big bro during his back and forth with reporters in the West Wing.

Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling, he said.

So its important for Ireland to be a peaceful, happy, prosperous country for the 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home so we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro.

The United States should look after its little bro. And thats how we feel about Ireland and America.
There is also a growing and deeper malaise in Keir Starmers party  a sense that the government has started to lose its compass. Photograph: Tayfun Salc/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

This week may come to be the moment when Keir Starmers reputation as the hard man of the Labour party was tested to its limits. How far is the prime minister really prepared to push his MPs?

He has the raw numbers to do whatever he chooses  there is no chance of the changes being halted in parliament  but the consequences of forcing his MPs to swallow harsh welfare cuts affecting millions of people will be long-lasting.

Labour MPs are anguished at the torment of disabled constituents in limbo over the governments planned changes, which will finally be announced on Tuesday. The wait has been intolerable, caused by internal Whitehall battles and then a major party backlash that have repeatedly delayed and changed the governments plans.

Related: Labours plan to overhaul long-term benefits is laudable, putting a moral slant on it is not

From the start, the government has struggled to communicate a clear vision for its planned reform  because it is trying to do two different and perhaps incongruent things at the same time. It is trying to tackle a deep-rooted and complex societal problem, and trying to save money to present to the budget watchdog at the spring statement. In reality, ministers know the problem is far more complicated than a balance sheet.

When Starmer speaks to Labour MPs, or when they receive their briefings in Downing Street, they speak of the disturbing phenomenon of growing numbers of young people too sick to work, a justified fear from many that to risk trying a job may end up with them back in a queue for a cruel benefits reassessment and in potential destitution.

A powerpoint presented by key No 10 officials, including manifesto author turned economic adviser Rav Athwal, attempted to demonstrate how the UK was a major outlier among Europe nations in the projected growth of its spend on disability benefits.

But what MPs know is that no matter how many times they are told there is a moral case for reform, it is cold, hard numbers that are the major driving factor. If they are to cut the top rate of incapacity benefit in order to drive more young people to seek work, that will also be a cut hitting the most vulnerable disabled people in society, who will never be able to work.

Freezing Pip  the most controversial of all the proposals so far  is the one measure most likely to deliver concrete numbers to a Treasury balance sheet. But that looks set to be dumped because Labour MPs are in uproar.

It is easy perhaps to agree with Starmers principle that it is wrong that one in eight young people are not in work  but harder to swallow the reality when you look at the criteria which is set to be amended in order to make PIP harder to obtain.

Ministers will reportedly set the criteria for PIP higher than needing help to wash your lower body below the waist or those who need help with eating or who need prompts to communicate.

The intention is clearly intended to raise the bar higher in order to exclude those with autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions who also have mental health issues, but already there are fears that people who are deaf or suffer with conditions like MS or dementia will find themselves newly excluded.

The original intention of Pip was to help with the cost of living, which is by necessity much higher for disabled people. There is no doubt that MPs will see child poverty rise on their watch because of these measures  a cause many of them came in to politics to fix.

Faced with that, the moral case becomes far harder to make. And Labour MPs say they will not make it. And there will be no blame laid at the feet of the welfare secretary, Liz Kendall, who MPs say has been making a clear and compassionate case to them for many months, and fighting to keep her own departments savings in order to start new programmes to help people back into work. Any anger will come direct to the gates of Downing Street.

There is also a growing and deeper malaise in the Labour party, which should worry No 10  a sense that the government has started to lose its compass for why voters delivered such a resounding verdict on the Conservatives  the cost of living and the state of public services. Many are already loudly grumbling about how little they can speak to voters about the promise of AI or the reorganisations of some quangos.

If Starmer follows through with yet another bitter pill for them to swallow this week, there will come a time many will start refusing to take the medicine.
Why PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas decided to appoint a deputy By Yoni Ben Menachem

web posted March 17, 2025 The PLO's Central Council is set to convene in mid-month to approve the creation of the new position of Palestinian Authority (PA) Deputy Chairman. The council serves as the body linking the Executive Committee and the Palestinian National Council (PNC). Senior Fatah officials claim that the United States is pressuring the PA to appoint Palestinian General Intelligence Chief Majed Faraj as the PA's deputy chairman. Faraj is closely linked to the CIA and maintains extensive security cooperation. Faraj's opponents within Fatah argue that the candidate must be a member of the movement's Central Committee or the PLO Executive Committeepositions Faraj does not hold. Moreover, Fatah's Central Committee members refuse to add new names to the committee, making it difficult for Faraj to be appointed. Another name that has surfaced is Hussein Al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee and Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee. While Al-Sheikh lacks a security background and does not hold a strong standing within Fatah, he is close to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and is his loyal confidant. Fatah insiders believe that Abbas will likely ignore the American demand to appoint Faraj and choose Hussein Al-Sheikh instead. What Happened Behind the Scenes? A senior PA official revealed that Abbas's announcement at last week's Arab League summit in Cairo regarding the creation of a new deputy chairman position and amnesty for expelled Fatah officials came after three months of intense discussions within the PA leadership and consultations with Jordan and Egypt. The decision marks a shift after years of Abbas resisting Arab and American pressureswhich began as early as 2013to appoint a deputy. As Fatah chairman, Abbas already has a deputy within the movementMahmoud Al-Aloul. However, constitutionally, there has never been an official position titled "Deputy PA Chairman" since the PA's establishment. There are several reasons behind the timing of Abbas's announcement: Mounting Regional and U.S. Pressure  Pressures on Abbas have intensified since October 7, 2023. Additionally, this decision was effectively imposed on Abbas after the PA leadership recognized that it was at its weakest point, facing an existential threat or a potential shift in its role amid dramatic regional changes. A Prerequisite for the Egyptian-Arab Plan for Gaza  Abbas realized that appointing a deputy was essential for advancing the Egyptian-Arab plan to rehabilitate Gaza and manage it under an independent government sponsored by the PA, with the hope of ultimately regaining control of the Strip. Deep Political and Economic Crisis  The PA is grappling with a severe political and economic crisis, which is compelling it to comply with regional and international demands. The United States and moderate Arab states have clarified to Abbas that he must implement substantial reforms within the PA and create a "renewed PA." The 'Trump Effect'  Abbas is highly concerned about U.S. President Donald Trump and is attempting to appease him. Financial Incentives  According to Fatah sources, Abbas received assurances from Arab states and European countries for financial aid in exchange for appointing a deputy chairman and granting amnesty to expelled senior Fatah members. These assurances come after years of frozen aid to the PA due to political considerations and corruption allegations. Conclusion The PA is striving to improve its political standing amid Israel's war in Gaza, which necessitates some flexibility in response to regional and international demands for significant reforms within its institutions. Abbas avoided these demands for years, but he is now compelled to adapt to the changing political reality. Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as Director General and Chief Editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority. Home
A fifth person has been charged with the murder of Joanne Penney in Talbot Green, South Wales.

Ms Penney, 40, died after being shot in the chest at an address in Llys Illtyd on March 9.

Jordan Mills-Smith, 32, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, has been charged with her murder and is due to appear at Merthyr Magistrates Court on Monday March 17.

He was arrested on Friday March 14 in the Suffolk area.

Marcus Huntley, 20, from St Mellons, Cardiff; Melissa Dashpre Quiley, 39, from Leicester; Joshua Gordon, 27, from Oadby, Leicestershire; and Tony Porter, 68, from Braunstone Town, Leicestershire; have already been charged with Ms Penneys murder.

Kristina Ginova, 21, from Oadby, Leicestershire, has been charged with assisting an offender.

They appeared before Cardiff Magistrates Court on Saturday and were remanded into custody.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ceri Hughes said: Our team of detectives and specialist staff are continuing to piece together the circumstances behind Joannes tragic death and I would still urge anyone who has information, either about her death or what happened at the property in Llys Illtyd on Sunday evening, to come forward  the smallest piece of information could be of vital importance.

I would like to thank the local community for their support of the investigation so far and to everyone who has spoken to us and provided information.

Police said Ms Penneys family has been updated with the additional charge and they continue to be supported by family liaison officers.

In a tribute last week, they said Ms Penney was loved deeply by all who knew her and her family were devastated by her death.

Her kindness, strength and love for her family will never be forgotten, their statement added.
Well-wishers have welcomed home the Royal Navys flagship as it returned to its home port after hosting the King at sea.

HMS Prince of Wales sailed into Portsmouth Naval Base after it completed preparations ahead of a major deployment to Australia.

The King visiting HMS Prince of Wales as the Royal Navy finalises preparations for a major global deployment this spring (PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA)

Charles flew to the 3 billion warship in the English Channel on March 4, where he spoke to sailors and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for their service.

He also watched as F-35B fighter jets carried out landing exercises on the deck of the 65,000-tonne carrier.

HMS Prince of Wales returns to Portsmouth Naval Base (Ben Mitchell/PA)

Members of the public waved the warship home and took photos from the harbour walls as it returned to the Hampshire base.

A member of the public watches as HMS Prince of Wales returns to Portsmouth Naval Base (Ben Mitchell/PA)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced in December that the flagship will head the carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific this spring during which it will become the first of the two Queen Elizabeth class carriers to visit Australia.

The carrier will also take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre, a multi-national exercise hosted by Australia involving 19 nations.
Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the new prime minister of Canada to Downing Street on his first foreign trip since being sworn in last week.

Mark Carney also met the King at Buckingham Palace after he arrived in the UK from Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron.

Sir Keir said it was fantastic to have Mr Carney in the UK so early in his tenure and that the relationship between the two countries has always been strong.

Two sovereign allies with so much in common, shared history, shared values, shared King.

The King holds an audience with Mark Carney (Aaron Chown/PA)

Sir Keir also praised Mr Carney for helping to protect us against some of the economic chaos of the Conservatives during his time as governor of the Bank of England.

Canada has been taking part in discussions around a coalition of countries which could contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, and Mr Carneys travels come amid tensions between Ottawa and Washington DC.

The country took part in a virtual meeting of world leaders hosted by Sir Keir on Saturday, focused on the so-called coalition of the willing, alongside Australia and New Zealand as well as European nations.

President @ZelenskyyUA and I spoke today. He updated me on Ukraines defence and global efforts to advance peace. Canada strongly supports Ukraines fight for freedom against Russian aggression. Lasting peace in Ukraine means security for us all.  Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 17, 2025

At No 10, Sir Keir thanked his Canadian counterpart for his approach to Ukraine.

It doesnt surprise me that our two countries see this through a similar lens, with the same objectives, Sir Keir said.

The Canadian premier said his country and the UK have a remarkable history built on shared values.

Were at a point in history where the world is being reordered, and your leadership, the leadership of the UK, Ill use the example of Ukraine, what youve been able to do with President Macron to bring together a coalition of the willing at a crucial time, I think, will be decisive, must be decisive, in coming to a lasting solution there.

Sir Keir Starmer with Mark Carney in 10 Downing Street (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Mr Carney told Sir Keir he was honoured to take part in the Saturday call as his first international engagement since taking office, Downing Street said in a readout of the meeting.

Canada is facing a trade war with the US, with Donald Trump imposing tariffs on steel and aluminium since his return to the White House, and repeatedly proposing Canada should become the 51st state.

Mr Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister of Canada last week.

He served as governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, the first non-Briton to hold the position.
The prime ministers official spokesperson said there was a clear case for fixing our broken social security system thats holding our people back, and our country back. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/Reuters

Keir Starmer will unveil drastic cuts to disability benefits on Tuesday, despite deep opposition from Labour MPs and poverty campaigners, and warnings from economists against making kneejerk savings to hit fiscal targets.

In the governments most controversial move yet, it will announce a package of changes expected to affect some of the UKs most severely disabled people.

The measures could deny benefits for people who need some help washing themselves, preparing food or remembering to go to the toilet, as ministers attempt to overhaul the welfare system and balance the books.

However, Downing Street has denied the plans to cut between 5bn and 6bn from the welfare bill were purely the result of the UKs difficult fiscal situation, arguing there is a moral and economic case for reforming benefits.

The prime ministers official spokesperson said there was a clear case for fixing our broken social security system thats holding our people back, and our country back.

Weve got a duty to fix the system, to ensure that safety net is always there for the most vulnerable and severely disabled, but also [that it] supports [people] back into work, rather than leaving people written off, the spokesperson said.

The work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, was expected to announce that as part of the package, her department would spend up to 1bn a year extra on helping people back into jobs.

As debate over the welfare changes continued to rage, the former Bank of England deputy governor Charlie Bean warned the chancellor against making kneejerk cuts to try to hit fiscal targets that are five years away.

The welfare plans are expected to form part of a package of cuts the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will announce in next weeks spring statement, in response to weaker forecasts from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

But Bean  who is also a former member of the OBRs committee, which agrees the forecasts  told the chancellor: Weve got ourselves into a, frankly, pretty ridiculous position, where were doing fiscal fine-tuning to control the OBR forecast five years ahead.

The OBR forecast embodies all sorts of adjustments, judgments  its pretty flaky. People who do the forecasts understand the uncertainty.

He told an event of the Resolution Foundation thinktank: I think we want to get away from this idea that we continually have to be neurotically changing taxes and spending to try to control this OBR forecast so that its hitting our target.

Bean also warned that approaching welfare reform with a savings target was the wrong way around, and the government should instead be thinking about how to help those on disability benefits who were able to work back into employment.

Reeves defended her approach on Monday. When were spending 100bn a year on servicing government debt, I dont think anyone could seriously argue that we dont need to get a grip on government borrowing and government debt, she said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. It is important that there is headroom against the shocks we face.

While ministers have acknowledged deep anxiety among welfare recipients, the disability minister, Stephen Timms, refused to guarantee, when pressed by MPs, that the most disabled in society, who would never be able to work, would not see their support cut.

The Labour veteran Diane Abbott said cutting benefits for disabled people was not a Labour thing to do, warning that, over time, many voters would look at policies such as cuts to benefits and think: is this my Labour party?

Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, has also warned against tightening the eligibility criteria for benefit payments or reducing the amounts, saying this would trap too many people in poverty.

A number of experts have also privately raised alarm at figures the government has been using to justify the cuts. Government sources have routinely briefed that the growing benefits bill must be tackled because of the rise in numbers of people signed off sick with mental illness.

But new analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found those on the highest benefit for disabled people signed off from work had a physical disability in the vast majority of cases.

The anti-poverty charitys data, obtained from the Department for Work and Pensions under freedom of information, found that five in every six people receiving the benefit with a mental health condition had at least one physical condition as well.

The JRF found that 90% of the forecast spending growth on personal independence payments (Pip) between now and 2030 will be for those who get both components  meaning they are people with significant difficulties with mobility and conducting daily tasks such as washing and cooking.

The charity said its research found that 70% of those families with someone with a disability were already going without essentials such as food, heating and hot showers. The figure was particularly high for those with a learning disability or mental health condition.

Related: Ofsted ex-chief says schools bill very likely to make education in England worse

There was also considerable concern from campaigners about some of the ways the statistics had been portrayed in order to justify the forthcoming cut, in particular a government press release that claimed the number of people considered too sick to work had quadrupled since the pandemic, referring to a 383% rise.

The rise was attributable to the move on to universal credit, according to the JRFs senior policy adviser, Iain Porter, who said although there was concern it had risen, the real rise was more like 40%.

Peter Matejic, the JRFs chief analyst, said: This analysis shows there is no way to achieve the suggested 5bn cut without taking money from people who both need help with everyday tasks, such as preparing food or using the toilet, and help getting around.

A government that came to office pledging to end the moral scar of food bank use clearly should not be taking steps that could leave disabled people at greater risk of needing to use one.
The King told Mark Carney, the new Canadian prime minister, that it was a real treat to see him at Buckingham Palace - WPA Pool/Getty

The King has been praised for being a steadfast defender of Canada by its new prime minister in the wake of threats made by Donald Trump.

Charles III, who is King of Canada, welcomed Mr Carney to Buckingham Palace during his visit to the UK and was told by the leader they had much to catch up on.

Very good to see you. Congratulations, said the King, as he hailed the former governor of the Bank of England for the first time since his own accession.

The King and Mr Carney spent around half an hour in a private audience in the 18th Century Room at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Carney posted on the social media platform X after the meeting: My thanks to His Majesty King Charles III for his warm welcome and gracious hospitality today.

Canada is fortunate to have a steadfast defender in our sovereign.

It comes as the King continues to show support to Canada after Mr Trumps threat to annex one of the USs nearest neighbours as its 51st state.

Mr Trump has also threatened to his planned tariffs on steel and aluminium for Canada from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

Last week, the King re-expressed his deepest affection for Canada, and moved to reaffirm remarks he shared on the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag in February about the proud, resilient and compassionate country.

Mr Carney has prioritised the trip to Paris and London days after being sworn in as the Canadian prime minister, and will meet Emmanuel Macron, the French president, and Sir Keir Starmer.

At Buckingham Palace on Monday afternoon, the King greeted Mr Carney with a handshake.

Mr Carney told him: Your Majesty. Lovely to see you Thank you very much.

Pointing to his own lapel, he admitted: Bit of a disaster today, sir. My Order of Canada pin broke.

The King replied: Oh.

Mr Carney, who was wearing a Canadian flag pin instead, prompted a chuckle from the King, adding: Yes. It fell on the tarmac which is proof that our founding people are the British.

The King joked: Do you want mine?

He added: Its a great treat to see you again.

Mr Carney replied Much to catch up on, as the King directed him towards a pair of ornate chairs, saying: Come and have a seat.

The King added of their audience I know these things are rather important, with Mr Carney agreeing: They are important.

Last Wednesday, the King held an audience at Buckingham Palace with two senior Canadian officials: Greg Peters, the Canadian senates Usher of the Black Rod, and Raymonde Gagne, the senates speaker.

While such meetings are classed as private, they are understood to have discussed topics of great concern to all parties, both nationally and internationally.

The King has so far been unable to travel to Canada since becoming monarch, and is expected to wait until after the countrys federal elections.

The King and Queen had hoped to visit Canada last spring, in a 2024 realm visit that was postponed after his diagnosis with cancer.

There are calls for him to attend the state opening of its parliament in spring 2025 but no date has been set.

The public show of support for Canada follows the Governments recent campaign to win over Mr Trump by extending an unprecedented second state visit invitation in the Kings name.

Two weeks ago, Sir Keir hand-delivered a letter signed by the King, inviting Mr Trump to Balmoral and Dumfries House.

The King also wrote privately to Mr Carney as he was sworn in as Canadas new leader.

Proud British heritage

Mr Carney swore allegiance to the King during the ceremony in Ottawa on Friday and paid tribute to the countrys proud British heritage in a speech afterwards.

During his speech, the former Bank of England governor said: The ceremony we just witnessed reflects the wonder of a country built on the bedrock of three peoples, indigenous, French and British.

The Office of the Governor General links us through the Crown and across time to Canadas proud British heritage, he added.

Mr Carney said he would be discussing trade, economic and security issues with the president of France and Sir Keir on his trip to Paris and London.

On Friday, Mr Carney addressed the trade war and said Canada will never, ever, in any way shape or form be part of the United States.

The 59-year-old replaces Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader, and is widely expected to trigger a general election in the coming days or weeks.

The King met Mr Trudeau at the start of March, a day after he received Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, at Sandringham.
Chat show host Lorraine Kelly has hailed Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Lady Sarra Hoy as absolutely remarkable following their respective diagnoses with stage four cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Six-time Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris, 48, was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in 2023, and revealed in October 2024 that it was terminal.

His wife Lady Sarra has MS and speaks to Kelly about her and Sir Chris health conditions in an interview on her eponymous ITV show.

Kelly hailed Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Lady Sarra Hoy (Jonathan Brady/PA)

You meet some extraordinary people, dont you, doing this job? She (Lady Sarra) is unbelievable, Kelly told ITVs Good Morning Britain (GMB), ahead of their interview on her Monday morning show.

Kelly said she wanted to help promote March4March,a new mental health campaign launching on Lorraine throughout the month to support those who suffer with low mood.

She (Lady Sarra) finds a lot of peace and comfort in going for a walk, going for a walk with the kids or with Chris, Kelly said.

She added: Chris has got stage four cancer and Sarra has got MS, and she didnt tell Chris for a while because the focus was on how he was doing, and then she had to tell him, because she was going for check-ups and treatment, and he would be thinking: Wheres she off to?'

Theyve had some tough times, but what she says is: Were fine, just now.

And they are absolutely remarkable, she added.

GMB co-host Richard Madeley told Kelly he had received a prostate check-up purely because of him.

Richard Madeley said he had received a prostate health check thanks to Sir Chris Hoy (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Its the Chris Hoy effect. That has actually happened and it has saved lives and they are a remarkable couple and I went away from that feeling really hopeful and uplifted, said Kelly.

Were going to show it today, later on in the show, but the hope cause she says: You never know.

She said that when he (Sir Chris) was coming out of an interview, and theyd be talking about his diagnosis and all of that, and then he almost got run over by a bus.

She went: See, see what can happen? You never know whats happening. Just live in the now.'

After Sir Chris revealed his diagnosis, the charity Prostate Scotland credited an increased awareness of the disease to the former cyclists openness, and said there had been record spikes in visits to its webpages.
Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne has been remembered as extraordinary by her fellow stars of French cinema, Marion Cotillard and Eva Green.

The Missing star died at the age of 43, her agent said on Monday, after she revealed she had been diagnosed with a rare cancer in October 2023.

According to reports, Dequenne had been suffering from adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), an aggressive cancer of the adrenal gland.

On Instagram, Green wrote: Emilie was already a star, an extraordinary actress who I revered, when they first met during a drama school presentation, and called her humble, encouraging, so full of light and pure kindness.

The Penny Dreadful and Casino Royale star added that she last saw Dequenne at the Cannes Film Festival, where the star was a co-winner in 1999 for her role in Palme dOr winning film Rosetta.

When I saw her last summer, she was so vibrant and full of life, we were both certain that she had vanquished the rare form of cancer she had been battling, she added.

Her death has left me stunned heartbroken as it has left all those who knew her, and even those who knew her only in her films. She was grace, light, and all things excellent.

Cotillard wrote in French that she will forever cherish what we shared, and called Dequenne a sublime human and a genius actress.

The Oscar winner said you have been and will be an source of infinite inspiration for me, and added that she had studied Dequennes work.

I am going to find a hard time realising, she said. I will always find this unjust.

Cotillard said she loved and will miss the actress, also known for playing police officer Laurence Relaud in British anthology drama The Missing.

The Missing stars James Nesbitt as the father of a boy who disappears during a family holiday in France.

Paula Beer, Alice Winocour, John C Reilly, Emilie Dequenne and Davy Chou (Doug Peters/PA)

Dequenne also starred in horror-action film Brotherhood Of The Wolf (2001) alongside Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci and Samuel Le Bihan.

Her other roles included 2009s The Girl On The Train, in which her character Jeanne makes up a shocking story about a racially motivated attack on a train, and 2012 crime drama Our Children.

She also played a sound recordist called Charlotte, who learns that her mother has been murdered, in noughties movie Ecoute Le Temps, and a mother in 2022 coming-of-age film Close.

Dequenne cried after receiving the Cannes prize for Rosetta, in what was her first role in film when she was 18.

She returned to the festival in 2024 for the 25th anniversary of Rosetta, which tells the story of a young girls efforts to keep her job in the face of her own schizophrenia.

Her last film was the post-apocalyptic thriller Survive, by French director Frederic Jardin.

Dequenne was married to actor Michel Ferracci and had a daughter, Milla Savarese.
Snaresbrook Crown Court

An alleged knifeman will not face trial for three and a half years because of court backlogs, it has emerged.

Shah Jaman, 31, received an apology from the judge after the court was forced to schedule his three-day trial for October 2028 because of the record backlogs of crown court cases.

It is thought to be the longest delay to date for scheduling a trial as a result of the backlogs, which have grown to more than 70,000 outstanding cases.

The delay was announced at a pre-trial hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in east London, where Mr Jaman appeared charged with affray and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.

Mr Jaman, who denies the charges, is accused of threatening members of the public with a machete on Masjid Lane in Tower Hamlets, east London, on Feb 10.

Court documents show that Mr Jaman, of Tower Hamlets, attended the hearing virtually from HMP Thameside  but was bailed to Derby by Judge Charles Falk to await trial.

I am so sorry, Judge Falk told Mr Jaman after being told the earliest date available for the trial, expected to last three days, was Oct 16 2028.

Daniel Cloake, a court blogger known online as the Mouse in the Court, told how the judge was audibly shocked at the delay.

Wow, he is reported to have said, before adding: Im so sorry we cant try you in what is a serious matter for three and a half years... I recognise youre going to have your life on hold. Im sorry about that.

Even if Mr Jaman was found guilty and given the maximum prison sentence of three years for affray and four years for possession of a weapon, to run consecutively, he would still only serve three and a half years  the same amount of time as the court delay.

The judge told the court: That is the furthest away I have ever set a trial date, but that is the position the crown court is in. We will have to have a pre-trial review to ensure everyone is still alive.

Mr Jamans defence council is said to have asked whether the judge would be free for the trial. I wont have retired by then, he replied.

The court system is in crisis

Seven of Snarebrooks 20 courts were closed and therefore not sitting on Wednesday.

Claire Waxman, Londons victims commissioner, said she would raise the delay with Sir Brian Leveson, a retired barrister who is currently carrying out an independent review of the criminal courts.

The court system is in crisis, and the fact we are listing serious cases more than three and a half years away is an indictment on our justice system, she said.

We place an unfair expectation that victims will put their lives on hold to stay engaged in a process this long, often without good communication or support, and we risk securing justice outcomes and keeping the public safe.

The case comes just a week after Baroness Newlove, the victims commissioner, warned that nearly half of victims have suffered adjournments in their cases at least once and often multiple times amid waits of two years or more before their alleged perpetrator was brought to court.

In a report on the impact of the record backlogs, she said victims were turning to alcohol, drugs, self-harming and even contemplating ending their lives because of the delays, with their suffering compounded by last-minute adjournments.
Houthi supporters protest against US airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen - YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Over the weekend, the United States launched what it called powerful and decisive airstrikes against the Houthis, the Iranian backed rebel group that controls much of Yemen. The Houthis say the death toll so far stands at 53, including two children. American officials said the strikes aimed at the Houthi leadership and came in response to the groups threat to resume strikes on shipping in the Red Sea. But its not just about Yemen. On Monday afternoon, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, and from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran.

Iran, he said, will be held responsible and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire. So what does this new wave of strikes mean for the people of Yemen and for the wider Middle East? Roland Oliphant speaks with Farea Al-Muslimi, research fellow at Chatham Houses Middle East and North Africa program.

Plus: as a UN helicopter is attacked in South Sudan raising fears of a return to civil war, we hear diary extracts from Dr Ryan McHenry who spent three months working in the countrys arduous circumstances.

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.

Listen to Battle Lines using the audio player in this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favourite podcast app.
Scorched parts of the Amazon in Canutama, Brazil. Photograph: Michael Dantas/AFP/Getty Images

Edelman, the worlds largest public relations agency, is in talks to work with the Cop30 team organising the UN climate summit in the Amazon later this year despite its prior connections to a major trade group accused of lobbying to roll back measures to protect the area from deforestation, the Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting can reveal.

The summit is set to take place in November in the city of Belem on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, which has been ravaged by deforestation linked to Brazils powerful agriculture industry. For the first time, the talks will be at the epicenter of the climate crisis, the summits president wrote last week. As the Cop comes to the Amazon, forests will naturally be a central topic, he added.

But now questions are being asked about a possible conflict of interest after his team confirmed to the Guardian and CCR that it is considering bringing in the American PR giant Edelman to work on the summit. As well as its past work with some of the worlds biggest fossil fuel companies, Edelman previously developed a communications strategy and message playbook for a trade group representing major players in the Brazilian soy industry, according to US Foreign Agent Registration Act filings.

Edelmans conflicts of interest at a climate conference are almost too many to count, said Duncan Meisel, the executive director of Clean Creatives, which campaigns for the PR and ad industry to cut ties with fossil fuel clients. He said the agency maintains at least a dozen contracts with fossil fuel polluters like Shell and Chevron.

These conflicts of interest make it impossible for Edelman to be effective advocates for Cop30s agenda, and put the outcome of the talks in jeopardy.

Edelman defends its approach, saying it works with a range of companies and organizations to help clients reduce emissions while meeting global energy demands.

Brazil is the worlds largest producer and exporter of soy. Rather than directly owning farms, most of the major companies in the countrys soy industry source from a complex network of suppliers across Brazil. Members of the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oils Industry group, known as Abiove, include the biggest soy traders, such as Cargill, Bunge and Cofco. JBS, the controversial Brazilian meatpacker whose complex beef supply chain has been linked to deforestation of the Amazon, is also a member.

Abiove members agreed in 2006 not to source soy from recently cleared tracts of the Amazon, a major milestone that experts credit with drastically reducing the impact of the industry on deforestation in the region. But in 2022, an investigation by the Guardian  in collaboration with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Greenpeace Unearthed, Reporter Brasil and Ecostorm  revealed that Cargill had bought soy from a farm linked to deforestation in the Amazon. And recently, Abiove has been seeking to amend the 2006 moratorium which campaigners worry will put the rainforest in jeopardy once again.

Meanwhile, deforestation has continued apace elsewhere. Driven in part by the countrys booming soy industry, deforestation of the Cerrado, a vast grassland in central Brazil, has reached record levels in recent years. The campaign group Global Witness has described it as an ecological catastrophe for the worlds most biodiverse savannah.

An agreement similar to the Amazons soy moratorium was first mooted for the Cerrado in 2017 by a group of 60 NGOs. Nearly two dozen major companies, including McDonalds, Tesco and Walmart, supported its aims. In 2020, the head of Abiove said that such an agreement for the Cerrado was unfeasible.

Between 2017 and 2023 (the most recent data available), 520,200 hectares of the Cerrado  an area larger than the Grand Canyon national park  were cleared and planted with soy, according to figures provided to the Guardian and CCR by the research group Trase. This was significantly higher than in any other biome: over the same period, there were 146,800 hectares cleared for soy planting in the Amazon, the group said.

Cargill and JBS have said they are taking efforts to help curb deforestation.

Edelman was hired by Abiove in 2023 to develop an overarching communications strategy and message architecture playbook, a copy of a contract filed with the US Department of Justice shows. The firm was paid $75,000 over a three-month period for work including narrative development and risk analysis and scenario planning.

The firm was also scoping a potentially more lucrative second phase of its work with Abiove, which involved coalition building and an ongoing communications program. This second phase could have generated more than $50,000 per month for the agency, according to estimates included in the contract.

A spokesperson for Edelman said its contract with Abiove ended in December 2023. They declined to answer questions about whether its work with Abiove involved developing messaging on deforestation and if it had informed the Cop30 team of its prior relationship with the group. Abiove did not respond to a request for comment.

While press reports last month suggested Edelman had already been awarded the Cop30 contract, a spokesperson for the summit said a final decision had not yet been made. The Brazilian Cop30 presidency is in talks with multiple consulting firms, including Edelman, the spokesperson said. The hiring process will involve an open bid conducted through the UNDP [United Nations Development Program].

If Edelman were to ultimately win a bid to work on Cop30 in Brazil, it would be the second time in three years it has been closely involved in efforts to deliver one of the major UN climate summits.

Edelman was hired by the United Arab Emirates team hosting Cop28 in Dubai in 2023. One of Edelmans managing directors  a former deputy press secretary for Donald Trump during his first term  was working as the summits president Sultan Al Jabers media support, according to an internal Cop28 document previously reported by CCR. The agencys work with Al Jaber, who alongside his role as the UAEs climate envoy now heads the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, dates back to the mid-2000s, DoJ filings show.

Edelmans work on Cop28 came after a period of intense scrutiny of the agencys relationship with one of the worlds biggest oil producers, ExxonMobil, and other major fossil fuel companies.

A petition circulated at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 by campaign group Clean Creatives called on Edelman to cut its ties with the industry. But during a videoconference for employees that year to address the issue, Richard Edelman was reportedly resolute: the agency would not walk away from its fossil fuel clients, he told staff, according to a New York Times report at the time.

In a blogpost on the companys website reflecting on the summit in Glasgow, Edelman praised a number of commendable pledges including ones to end deforestation and cut methane emissions. The summit will serve as an important milestone in the march towards progress, it said.

According to Clean Creatives, Edelmans work with ExxonMobil has since ended but the group claims that in recent years it has inked contracts with three more fossil fuel companies. An Edelman spokesperson said one of those three, the South African energy company Sasol, is no longer a client.

Last year, the Guardian revealed that the agency had also recently worked for the Charles Koch Foundation, which is part of the libertarian network of non-profits funded by the billionaire Koch family that has pushed back against climate policies.

Edelman works with a wide range of companies, associations and organizations across every sector of the global energy industry, a statement posted on the agencys website states. We are proud of the work we do to support our energy clients as they work to reduce emissions while continuing to provide reliable, affordable, and ever cleaner energy to meet the demands of a growing global population.

 This article was amended on 18 March 2025. An earlier version had an incorrect spelling of the research organisation Trase.
Beacons of light in the dark academic wilderness

By Mark Alexander

web posted March 17, 2025

At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month on anti-Semitism in America, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) declared that the Democrat Party has a "deep and pervasive problem confronting" anti-Semitism. Not one Democrat showed up for that hearing.

Leftists will feign shock and dismay at this assertion, but it should surprise nobody.

The Democrat Party has a long and sordid history of racism. Its leaders were, are, and will continue to be the agents of Black oppression. Democrats are now simultaneously the historical authors and political beneficiaries of systemic racism, which they have institutionalized over the last century.

It is Democrat policies that have kept generations of poor, mostly-Black Americans ensnared and enslaved on urban poverty plantations  which they both seeded and cultivated since the 1960s.

Fact is, Democrats are the architects of white supremacy, so why would anyone be surprised that their academic institutions are now promoting anti-Semitism?

There is now an unprecedented partisan gap of 50 points (83%-33%) between Republican and Democrat support for Israel.

And that gap is about to get bigger...

Recall that the week after Donald Trump took office, he issued an executive order titled, "Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism." It was a directive ordering all government agencies to confront anti-Semitism within their bureaucracies and to withdraw any funding from taxpayer-supported institutions that do not prosecute those who promote hatred toward Jews and other groups.

This aggressive defense of Jews is coming from the man Demos have repeatedly claimed is "literally Hitler."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made clear that the Trump administration has "zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists" because they "threaten our national security." His warning was aimed specifically at international students, who would be subject to "visa denial or revocation, and deportation" for actions supporting organizations such as the fascist Hamas network responsible for the barbaric October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

Recently, ICE agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the pro-Hamas demonstrations by students and others at Columbia University. Astoundingly, Columbia had posted a "protocol" with phone numbers for free legal advice if its Jew-hating Middle Eastern students were questioned by law enforcement, including advice on how university staff could obstruct ICE agents.

Apparently, the academic elite at Columbia thought Trump was joking ... until they got notice that the government was revoking $400 million in grants and contracts. And Leo Terrell, who leads the Justice Department Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, let Columbia know  and by extension every other elitist university  that losing its $400 million in taxpayer subsidies was "just the beginning."

Naturally, Democrats are defending Columbia, with New York Demo Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Adriano Espaillat declaring that the Trump administration's actions constitute a "war on education and science" that "sends a chilling message that universities must align with the MAGA agenda or face financial ruin." Well, if "aligning with the MAGA agenda" means defending "students targeted by radical mobs," sign me up!

And now, after four long years of systemic "redlining" of free speech by the Biden/Harris regime, in collaboration with their Leftmedia and social media propagandists, Demos are now claiming that curbing hate speech and violence on college and university campuses violates free speech. Go figure.

In other good academic news overshadowed by the $400 million penalty against Columbia, the University of Virginia's board of visitors adopted a plan to "dissolve all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs on campus as well as all DEI offices and positions across the UVA system."

According to The Wall Street Journal: "This is a major departure for UVA, which has been all-in for DEI. In 2020 the school's Racial Equity Task Force called for $950 million for racial equity initiatives. By 2021 the school tied for the second largest number of DEI personnel among major universities with 94 and had 6.5 DEI staff for every 100 professors. ... In March 2024, Open the Books reported UVA was spending $20 million a year for 235 DEI employees."

In response, UVA's Faculty Senate Executive Council committee chair, Eric Ramirez-Weaver, insisted his committee would look for "workarounds" to preserve the racist preferences and figure out "how new recruiting techniques can be done post the Harvard decision." That is a reference to the Supreme Court's 2023 decision striking down race-based admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina.

Notably, Virginia's Jefferson Council is also going after free speech suppressors, declaring, "UVA has fallen into a monoculture that rejects the free exchange of competing ideas." Expect to see more reforms correcting this disgraceful circumstance at a university founded on the fundamentals of American Liberty.

The Harvard/UNC decision launched far-reaching and long-overdue corrections not just in academia but in many large corporations, including the META/Facebook/Instagram conglomerate and other Big Tech companies, which are moving to eliminate their biased DEI practices.

Of course, what some companies and institutions are doing is removing the DEI label and calling the same activity something else, but in the case of UVA, defunding the DEI network entirely should bury it.

Finally, I previously wrote about my cousin David Decosimo in a column titled, "A Brave Voice in the Leftist Academic Wasteland." David was a bold lone voice of dissent at Boston University, challenging Ibram Xolani Kendi, a.k.a. Henry Rogers, the loudest purveyor of the critical race theory fraud. That scam metastasized from the specious and historically fallacious 1619 Project.

Over the last decade, Kendi has been employed by six universities. Since 2020, he has been indoctrinating his lemmings as a "professor of history" at Boston University, which hosted his so-called Center for Antiracist Research.

Last month, BU decided it'd had enough of the Kendi grift and booted him down to Howard University, his new safe space for hate.

So, what happened to Professor David Decosimo?

Well, good things have been brewing at the University of North Carolina since the Harvard/UNC SCOTUS decision striking down race-based admissions, and David is now part of that genesis.

Recall that last May, UNC students rose up against anti-Semitic campus protests. In one symbolic incident that became national news, they took down a Hamas flag that protesters had raised on campus and restored our American flag to its rightful place.

They were backed by UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts, who declared: "This university doesn't belong to a small group of protesters. It belongs to every citizen of North Carolina. Everybody in North Carolina, everybody who goes to school here, everybody who lives and works here. The flag represents all of us. Take down that flag, and put up another flag, no matter what flag it is  that's antithetical to who we are, what this university stands for."

He concluded that the American flag "will stand here as long as I'm chancellor."

Among other great things that have happened at UNC since Lee Roberts took the helm last year is the creation of its School of Civic Life and Leadership, which he calls "the most important initiative" on UNC's campus. Headed by Dean Jed Atkins, the SCLL mission is to "prepare students for the responsibilities of citizenship and civic leadership by fostering a free-speech culture and providing an education grounded in encouraging the human search for meaning and developing the capacities for civil discourse and wise decision-making."

And that is precisely where David Decosimo landed as an associate professor. He will no doubt be a voice for freedom and reason at UNC.

Oh, and UNC's board of trustees voted to eliminate their $2.3 million in DEI funding and redirect the funds to improve campus police operations. This is clearly a shot across the bow of Hamas and other leftist protesters.

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
Imogen Nunn died on New Years Day in 2023 after reportedly struggling with mental health problems

A deaf TikTok star who took her own life after she was sent a suicide kit was failed, her parents have said.

Imogen Nunn, 25  known as Deaf Immy on the social media platform, where she highlighted hearing and mental health issues  died on New Years Day 2023.

It later emerged she had sourced a suicide kit online and was sent a package containing a lethal chemical.

An inquest into her death on Monday was told Ms Nunns death was avoidable.

She warned her community care nurse that she had bought a reportable substance and planned to use it to end her life on Nov 22, two months before her death, the hearing was told.

Sussex Police visited but did not bring a sign language interpreter. It then decided to take no further action, it was said.

Ms Nunn was admitted to hospital in Brighton on Dec 29 after self-harming, the coroner was told. The next day she told Julia Lord, her psychologist, that she had considered suicide by drinking chemicals.

Imogen Nunn was described by her mother as having a special aura

Ms Nunns mother told how she felt hopeless and let down by the time of her death, and that she was failed.

The hearing was told that Ms Nunn, who was diagnosed as profoundly deaf at 18 months, was a happy child.

Her mother, Louise Sutherland, from Bognor Regis, described her as a rainbow and said she had a special aura about her.

But her mental health declined after she moved to secondary school, and she began to suffer severe problems from the age of 14. As well as self-harming, she attempted to take her life on numerous occasions.

She was sectioned and admitted to various hospitals throughout her teenage years, remaining in one hospital for more than three years.

The inquest in Horsham, West Sussex, heard Ms Nunn was discharged in September 2021 but had a system of mental health support in place for her.

But her parents say she began to miss and cancel planned appointments, which should have been viewed as clear warning signs that her mental health was deteriorating.

Her mother said: We believe that Immys death was avoidable, and that had appropriate actions been taken in response to the numerous times Immy contacted professionals she trusted asking for help, she would still be alive today.

The reports [that she was missing appointments] should have been a cause for serious alarm that Immy was struggling  a repeated pattern with Immy was of disengaging with professionals when she was particularly unwell or a danger to herself, when she in fact needed an escalation in her care to keep her safe.

She added that there were several missed opportunities to help her and in which it is clear to us that Immy was calling out for help. She said: Immy didnt want to die.

We knew that Immy had hopes and dreams

In 2018, Ms Nunn was admitted as a patient at the specialist St Georges Hospital in London, where she was placed in the Bluebell ward  a specialist unit for deaf people with mental illness.

There, she was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and an emotionally unstable personality disorder as well as depression and anxiety. She remained a patient at the hospital for more than three years before being discharged in September 2021.

The inquest was told Ms Nunn, who had a talent for technology, had joined TikTok and begun making videos highlighting the battles of being a deaf person with mental health issues. In a very short period, her Deaf Immy account built up about 800,000 followers.



The inquest heard that after she was discharged in 2021 she moved into a flat in Brighton with her hearing dog, Whitney.

In February 2022, she was admitted to hospital in Brighton after a suicide attempt. However, she continued to miss and cancel appointments and failed to respond to texts from her community care nurse.

Ms Sutherland added: Immy spent 11 years fighting a battle. She never gave up fighting the voices in her head, she found strength and determination where others would have fallen, her fight for life was heartbreaking to watch, but we knew that Immy had hopes and dreams and a whole future and an amazing life ahead of her.

The inquest continues.
Katharine Birbalsingh said discourse in education seemed to be driven more by identity politics than academic excellence - Geoff Pugh/The Telegraph

Katharine Birbalsingh, known as Britains strictest head teacher, has defended Sir Hamid Patel, the religious leader appointed as the new interim Ofsted chairman.

It was announced last week that Sir Hamid would take up the role until a successor for Dame Christine Ryan was found.

He was previously the head teacher of Tauheedul Islam Girls High School in Blackburn, Lancs, which urged pupils to wear a hijab outside school and reportedly told them to recite the Koran at least once a week.

Ms Birbalsingh defended Sir Hamids appointment in The Spectator on Monday, saying: The public discourse on education appears to be driven more by identity politics than by genuine concern for academic excellence.

Sir Hamid Patel is not only Muslim, he is a distinguished school leader who has been knighted for his services to British education. Under his leadership, Tauheedul Islam Girls High School in Blackburn has consistently ranked amongst the top five schools for Progress 8 since the measure was introduced.

Yet his critics choose to focus on the fact that Muslim students at his school were encouraged to recite the Koran, as though such an expectation within a faith-based institution were an aberration. Just as I have prohibited prayer in my secular school, Hamid Patel has upheld the traditions of his Islamic schools, encouraging girls to wear the hijab.

Sir Hamid Patel was also defended by Lord Young, the director of the Free Speech Union - X

On Monday, Lord Young, the director of the Free Speech Union and co-founder of the West London Free School, said he agreed with Ms Birbalsinghs comments.

He wrote on X: If people are worried that [Sir Hamid] will encourage secular school leaders to visit Tauheedul Islam Boys School and Tauheedul Islam Girls School to learn from their success, they shouldnt be.

All school leaders can learn valuable lessons from the success of those schools, as I did. They are successful ... because they combine the discipline and high expectations of the best grammar schools with the inclusive, welcoming atmosphere of the best comprehensives.

Sir Hamid is the chief executive of the Star Academies Trust, which runs nearly 40 primaries and secondaries, including several Islamic schools. The trust also runs a Christian school and grammar schools, with many of its institutions rated as outstanding by the regulator.

He has been on the board of Ofsted since 2019 and has led Star Academies since its inception in 2010.
Winston Churchill skipped booze during his meeting with Dwight Eisenhower - Mirrorpix/Getty

The D-Day meal so important Winston Churchill didnt have an alcoholic drink can be revealed.

A signed menu from Churchill and Dwight Eisenhowers secret train where they plotted the landings known as Operation Overlord has emerged for sale for 4,000.

The wartime prime minister met the American military supremo and future US president on the train, named Alive, in March 1944.

While there they planned the Normandy invasion, which was launched three months later on June 6, 1944.

During the train journey, Churchill inspected US troops at Newbury, Tidworth and Winchester who went on to take part in D-Day.

The pair took a break from discussing strategy to enjoy a dinner of fillet steak, French fries and savoy greens.

They had a starter of tomato soup, while dessert was peach melba and pudding princess. This was followed by cheese and biscuits.

So serious was the meeting Churchill apparently went without an alcoholic beverage, opting instead for coffee.

Bottomless capacity for alcohol

Churchill, renowned for drinking throughout the day, once said the four essentials of life were hot baths, cold champagne, new peas and old brandy.

A menu from Churchill and Dwight Eisenhowers secret train meeting will go under the hammer at Bonhams - Bonhams/BNPS

He promoted the idea he had a bottomless capacity for alcohol, according to historian Richard Langworth.

And after losing the 1945 election, he went on holiday to Lake Como, with Sarah, his daughter, and Lord Moran, his doctor.

Between them they drank 96 bottles of champagne in a fortnight. Churchill also drank six or seven whisky and sodas a day, as well as three daily brandies.

Alive was one of four special trains put together by Great Western Railway for senior military and political figures during the Second World War.

It consisted of 67 berths, two conference cars, the saloon car Bayonet and storage for vehicles, and was fitted with armour plating and metal shutters for added security.

After July 1945, the train was relinquished by the Americans and taken over for the use of British Army Officer Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

The archive, which also includes a letter of thanks from Eisenhower to a guardsman and several interior photos of the train, is going under the hammer at London-based auctioneers Bonhams.

It was amassed by Frederic Daw, of the Grenadier Guards, who worked on the train and accompanied Eisenhower throughout Britain.

Mr Daw, the vendors uncle, died in 1995.

The train was codenamed Alive - Bonhams/BNPS

The menu was signed by Churchill, Eisenhower, US military commanders James Lawton Collins and Omar Bradley, and Churchills daughter Sarah Oliver, who was in the WAAF and served as his aide-de-camp.

Critical preparations

A Bonhams spokesperson said: This group relates to Churchill and Eisenhowers secret train, Alive, including a signed menu.

The recipient of our menu and correspondence, Frederic Daw, signed up with the Grenadier Guards at the outbreak of war, when one of his first tasks was to guard Windsor Castle.

From there, he joined the office of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force and continued his duties on Eisenhowers secret command train, codenamed Alive, where he became a trusted member of his staff.

He travelled with Eisenhower throughout the UK and witnessed at first hand the preparations for the Allied invasion of Europe, and thence to Germany and France, the spokesman added.

March 1944, when our menu was signed, was a critical time in the preparations for the allied invasion of Europe.

The sale takes place on Thursday.
A photo issued by the RSPB of plastic pellets on the shoreline at Titchwell Marsh in King's Lynn, Norfolk, following the collision in the North Sea. Photograph: RSPB/PA

An operation is under way to retrieve thousands of plastic pellets from the North Sea that were spilt in a collision between two ships last week, in which one man died.

The coastguard said the pellets, made of plastic resin and known as nurdles, were spotted by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and have begun to wash up in melted clumps on beaches in Norfolk and the surrounding coast.

Although they are not toxic, they do pose a danger to wildlife, the coastguard said.

The small pieces of plastic, between 1mm and 5mm, are thought to have entered the water when a container ship crashed into a tanker carrying jet fuel for the US military on Monday 10 March.

Both vessels caught fire after several explosions, and 36 crew were rescued, including Americans onboard the tanker, Stena Immaculate, and members of the Russian and Filipino crew of the Solong, the container ship.

The chief coastguard, Paddy OCallaghan, said: Yesterday [Sunday], the RNLI advised the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of a sighting in waters just off the Wash [a bay of the east coast of England] of a sheen that we now know to be plastic nurdles. This was confirmed by aerial surveillance flights, and other assets have subsequently been deployed. Some nurdles have now also been identified on the shore.

Retrieval has started today. This is a developing situation and the transport secretary continues to be updated regularly.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust said they were very concerned about the pollution from the collision and said seabirds could die from choking or starvation if they ate the nurdles.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trusts head of conservation, Tammy Smalley, said: Were very concerned about the nurdles and burnt material that is adrift at sea as well as being washed up along the Wash and the Norfolk coast following the tanker collision last week, and we will continue to support the authorities in their efforts to clean up the pollution.

At this time of the year there is also the risk that the birds return to their nests and feed the nurdles to their chicks. The plastic may also work its way up the food chain to larger marine mammals which feed on fish or smaller animals which have eaten nurdles.

Sophie Benbow, the director of marine at the conservation organisation Fauna & Flora, said plastic pellets were one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution globally and pose a grave threat to nature and coastal communities.

She added: It is extremely concerning that the North Sea ship collision has resulted in a mass plastic pellets spill. Once lost into the ocean, these tiny pieces of plastic are almost impossible to contain.

The master of one of the vessels appeared in court at the weekend charged with gross negligence manslaughter.

Vladimir Motin, 59, a Russian national, was in charge of the Solong when it collided with the US-flagged tanker about 12 miles (19km) off the East Yorkshire coast.

The Crown Prosecution Service said a Filipino national, Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, was missing and presumed dead after the collision.

On Saturday, Motin appeared at Hull magistrates court. He did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey in London on 14 April.

On Friday, OCallaghan said both vessels were stable and salvors had boarded them to continue damage assessments.

He added: There are now only small periodic pockets of fire on the Solong, which are not causing undue concern. Specialist tugs with firefighting capability remain at both vessels locations.

Regular aerial surveillance flights continue to monitor the vessels and confirm that there continues to be no cause for concern from pollution from either the Stena Immaculate or from the Solong.

It was initially feared the Solong, a container ship with a Portuguese flag, was carrying the highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide, but its owner, the Hamburg-based maritime company Ernst Russ, said four containers that had previously held the substance were empty.
The form produced by Inspira Health asks parents about their newborn babys gender identity and sexual orientation

Parents are asked if their newborn babies identify as transgender on a form that is required under New Jersey state law, it has been claimed.

A form distributed by several hospitals asks parents about their newborn babys gender identity and sexual orientation.

Lawmakers said that the form was not required to be filled out for patients so young, however, the group which represents the hospitals distributing the form insisted it was a legal requirement.

The form asks parents a number of questions, including: Do you identify your baby as a transgender male/ trans man/ female to male, other options include genderqueer or an additional gender category, and if the baby is lesbian or gay, heterosexual, self-describes or is questioning/unsure.

The form was produced by Inspira Health, which operates four hospitals and eight health centres across the state, the New York Post reports.

The form asks parents a number of questions, including: Do you identify your baby as a transgender male/ trans man/ female to male

Inspira claims that it created the questionnaire to comply with a New Jersey law requiring healthcare providers to collect race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity in a culturally competent and sensitive manner.

The questions are intended to provide a safe and compassionate experience and comply with recently-enacted state legislation, the form states.

Republican State Senator Holly Schepisi told the Post: The entire thing lacks such common sense, and serves no purpose whatsoever.

As a mom myself, I know youre exhausted after giving birth, youve got a crying newborn and youre trying to figure out how to feed it. To be handed that sort of form in the midst of all that has no medical value, it makes no sense.

She added that she would introduce a bill next week to revise New Jersey law to limit the data collection to patients aged over 16 years.

No parent obligated to answer question

However, Democrat Herbert Conaway, who worked on the bill, said that it was never intended to collect information about babies sexual orientation.

The bill was modelled after an Indiana statute and is designed to provide public health officials with the data they need to develop public health measures that effectively serve all New Jerseyans, Mr Conaway said.

Under the law, hospitals are required to collect and report demographic data on the patients they serve; however, no patient or parent is obligated to answer any question that makes them uncomfortable.

He continued: Newborns are not subjected to this data collection because parents are not required to fill out the form. Many health decisions for newborns are left to the parents discretion.

Inspira Health told The Telegraph that it was required by New Jersey law to request their patients provide their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity.

It continued: Patients are permitted to decline to provide this information.

Per recent guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health stating that health systems can collect that data in a clinically appropriate and culturally competent manner, Inspira Health will request this information from adults.

This update in protocol remains compliant with the law, and we respect patients right to decline to respond.

He added that the company had sought a waiver from the state but that it had not been granted.
Alexander Grushko, Russias deputy foreign minister, revealed details of some of Moscows demands for a peace treaty - AFP

Russia will seek to exclude Ukraine from Nato membership as part of its ironclad guarantees for a peace deal, according to the countrys deputy foreign minister.

In an interview published on Monday with the Russian outlet Izvestia, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that any long-lasting peace treaty with Ukraine must meet Moscows demands.

We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, Mr Grushko told the outlet.

Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance.

Donald Trump said he would speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as Washington continues to press Moscow to accept a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

I think well be talking about land... well be talking about power plants, Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday night.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

Donald Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Force One - Reuters

Steve Witkoff, Mr Trumps envoy to the Middle East, who met with Putin several days ago, told CNN on Sunday he believed a ceasefire deal could be reached within weeks.

I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week, he said.

[Mr Trump] really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, maybe, and I believe thats the case.

Putin has previously said that crucial conditions must be met in order for him to agree to any deal.

Britain and France are both willing to send a peacekeeping force to monitor a ceasefire. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said his country was also open to requests.

However, Moscow remains categorically against the deployment of Nato observers to Ukraine.

Mr Grushko said a deployment of unarmed post-conflict observers could be only discussed once a peace deal had been agreed.

In the meantime, its just hot air, he said.

Mr Grushko added: It does not matter under what label Nato contingents were to be deployed on Ukrainian territory: be it the European Union, Nato, or in a national capacity.

If they appear there, it means that they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that the stationing of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine was a question for Kyiv to decide and not Moscow.

Mr Grushko said European allies of Kyiv should understand that only the exclusion of Ukraines membership in Nato and the elimination of the possibility of deploying foreign military contingents on its territory would work for the region.

Then the security of Ukraine and the entire region in a broader sense will be ensured, since one of the root causes of the conflict will be eliminated, he said.
John Swinney accused the Scottish Tory leader of using First Ministers Questions to hurl abuse at a woman - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

The First Minister has insisted that the SNP does not have a problem with women after it was revealed that two thirds of the partys MSPs who are standing down are female.

Twenty-one SNP MSPs have so far announced that they will step down from Holyrood at next years elections, 14 of whom are women. They include Nicola Sturgeon, the former first minister, and three Scottish Cabinet ministers.

John Swinney, the leader of the SNP and the First Minister, admitted that there were big issues with how women in politics were treated but insisted the SNP did not have a problem.

But a high-profile former SNP MP lashed out at his denial, saying that she had not tried to stand for the Scottish Parliament because the party has done nothing about male members abusing and threatening female members.

Joanna Cherry KC, who lost her Edinburgh South West seat in last years general election, said that Mr Swinneys denial was not true and accused the party of refusing to condemn a party member convicted of threatening to rape me.

She was highly critical of Ms Sturgeons plans to allow trans people to self-identify their legal gender by simply signing a statutory declaration.

Ms Sturgeons controversial Gender Recognition Reform Bill was vetoed by the UK Government over concerns it undermined womens safe spaces.

However, large parts of Scotlands public sector, including the Scottish Government, have nevertheless adopted self-ID to give trans people access to female-only spaces such as womens changing rooms and lavatories.

Nicola Sturgeon applauds John Swinney in the Scottish Parliament a day after announcing she would be stepping down as an MSP - Ken Jack/Getty Images

Asked if the SNP had a woman problem, Mr Swinney said: No, I dont think that. I think there are some big issues about how women feel in public life because of the amount of abuse thats hurled about.

We had a classic example of it, last week, from Russell Findlay at First Ministers Questions, where he used four questions to, basically, hurl abuse at a woman.

Mr Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, lambasted Ms Sturgeons vast back catalogue of failure in office after she announced she was standing down as an MSP.

Mr Swinney added that he was very pleased with the female candidates in his party who are seeking election next year.

I want to give every signal I possibly can, I want to encourage women to participate in public life and in politics and to come forward for election and for us to benefit from their contribution, he said.

Gender balance

A majority of SNP MSPs returned in the 2021 election were women, but the SNP has axed a rule that stated retiring female MSPs must be replaced by another woman.

Having achieved a 50-50 gender balance in 2021, the party has said there was no legal basis for continued positive-discrimination measures.

Approved candidates can now seek nominations to stand as the partys constituency candidates, with local members deciding who is chosen.

Of more than 150 people who passed vetting, which included several of the departing women, 55 per cent are male.

It was reported last week that a disgraced former SNP minister who charged the taxpayer 11,000 for internet roaming charges he racked up on a foreign holiday had passed the partys vetting to be a candidate.

However, on Sunday, Michael Matheson announced that he would not seek re-election as Falkirk West MSP.

John Swinney posing with members of his government in May 2024  three female Scottish cabinet members have announced they will resign next year - Andy Buchanan/AFP

Among the women standing down are the long-serving MSPs Shona Robison, the Finance Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, the Transport Secretary and 80-year-old Christine Grahame.

However, they also include 39-year-old Mairi Gougeon, the Rural Affairs Secretary, who has served in the Scottish Cabinet since 2021. Her announcement last week took many by surprise.

Audrey Nicoll, the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine MSP, is standing down rather than face a potentially fierce selection contest with the partys Westminster leader.

Stephen Flynn, who holds the equivalent seat in the Commons, is considering switching to Holyrood and is touted as a potential successor to Mr Swinney.

Mr Flynn has a reputation as an alpha male and was recently forced to deny reports that his allies had drawn up an all-female hit list of five SNP MSPs he was plotting to oust from Holyrood.

Desperate deflection

Rachael Hamilton, the deputy Scottish Tory leader, said Mr Swinneys attack on Mr Findlay was desperate deflection.

She said: The reason Russell highlighted Nicola Sturgeons record is because its truly dismal and John Swinney supported her every step of the way.

We wouldnt be doing our job as an opposition party if we ignored the many policy failures and broken promises of Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney, which continue to negatively affect Scots lives.
The president defended his decision to remove 200 illegal alleged Venezuelan gang members - Kevin Lamarque

Donald Trump has insisted that this is a time of war amid a showdown over invoking an act allowing for mass deportation of migrants.

The president defended his decision to remove 200 illegal alleged Venezuelan gang members, as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.

James E Boasberg, a US District Judge, issued an order at the 11th hour temporarily blocking the deportations but the two planes were already in the air  one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras.

Judge Boasberg verbally ordered the flights to be turned around, but the planes, which were mobilised by Mr Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act, continued.

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 has been used only three times in US history.

The law, invoked during the War of 1812, the First World War and the Second World War, gives the president extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws.

Credit: X/@nayibbukele

It was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during the Second World War.

These were bad people. That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres, the president told reporters.

Asked about using the controversial law outside of wartime, Mr Trump added: This is a time of war because [Joe] Biden allowed millions of people  many of them criminals, many of them at the highest level.

They emptied jails out  other nations. Its an invasion and these are criminals.

Venezuelas government rejected the use of Mr Trumps declaration of the law on Sunday, characterising it as evocative of the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, responded to speculation about whether the administration was flouting court orders.

She said: The administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from US territory.

The acronym refers to the Tren de Aragua gang, which Trump targeted in his unusual proclamation that was released on Saturday.

More than 250 suspected Tren de Aragua members arrived in El Salvador by plane - REUTERS

Over 250 suspected gang members were flown to El Salvador after Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act - Anadulu

A White House spokesperson said on Monday: This weekend, the Trump Administration deported ruthless terrorist gang members  illegal immigrants who invaded our country and brought unspeakable devastation to our communities  as part of president Donald J Trumps utilisation of every possible tool to protect the safety and security of the American people and reverse the damage done by years of feckless Democrat leadership.

This bold, necessary action was immediately heralded by administration officials, members of Congress, and the American people.

Nayib Bukele, the Salvadoran president, agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of (4.6) $6m in his countrys prisons.

Mr Bukele celebrated the departure of the flights on X, formelly Twitter, mocking the 11th hour attempts to block the deportations. Oopsie too late, he wrote.
There is too much bureaucracy which is making it too slow to get things done across the UK, Rachel Reeves has told regulators as she announced more plans aimed at cutting the cost of red tape.

The Chancellor told watchdog chiefs on Monday morning she wanted to reduce duplication and speed up the regulatory process.

As the Government continues its war on red tape, the Treasury released an action plan outlining plans to reform unnecessarily complex and burdensome requirements placed on firms.

In it, the Government pledged to cut the financial burden of regulation for business by 25% by the end of the parliament, including by establishing a baseline for administrative costs and streamlining processes.

Only last week, Sir Keir Starmer announced that NHS England  an administrative body dubbed the worlds largest quango  would be scrapped as part of efforts to cut costs and boost economic growth.

Speaking as the meeting began on Monday morning, Ms Reeves said: You know that the number one mission of this Government is to grow the economy.

There are a number of things over the last decade or so that have held back growth, and one of them  if we are honest and you know better than anyone  is the regulatory landscape.

Too much overlapping regulation, too much bureaucracy, too slow to get things done. It is something that myself and other ministers hear all the time.

At the top of her meeting with regulators, Ms Reeves said she appreciated their suggestions to cut red tape, adding they would discuss cross-cutting work that we could be doing across Government to reduce some of the duplication.

As well as abolishing NHS England, the Government has already announced plans to fold the Payments Systems Regulator into the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and Ms Reeves is likely to scrap more regulators over the course of the Parliament.

The Chancellor said she wanted to reduce duplication by regulators (Jonathan Brady/PA)

A third watchdog, the Regulator for Community Interest Companies is to be folded into Companies House  and ministers will be instructed to report back to the Chancellor by the summer with further suggestions for bodies that could be culled.

The Chancellor unveiled 60 measures Britains regulators have agreed to take in order to boost economic growth following Mondays meeting.

These include fast-tracking new medicines, reviewing the 100 limit on contactless payments, simplifying mortgage rules and holding two major drone-flying trials to pave the way for drone delivery services.

The measures follow a demand from the Prime Minister at the end of last year that regulators come up with concrete proposals to boost growth as the Government attempts to turn around Britains struggling economy.

Although the UK avoided a recession in the second half of 2024, the economy continues to falter and figures released last week showed a 0.1% fall in GDP in January.

Other measures announced on Monday include:

 Reviewing environmental guidance given to planning authorities on protecting bats.

 Simplifying the process for agreeing environmental permits, with just one agency in charge of the system and permits being scrapped for low-risk or temporary projects.

 Slimming down the legal duties of financial services regulators, Ofgem, Ofwat and the Office for Road and Rail.

 Reviewing the role of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Ms Reeves hosted a meeting in Downing Street with regulators (Jonathan Brady/PA)

 Streamlining Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) by easing environmental permit and licence requirements for what the Government describes as low-risk activities within the planning process.

 Consulting before Easter on reforms to permitting legislation that will free up regulators to make sensible decisions on which low-risk activities should be exempt from environmental permits.

 Consulting in June on a package of reforms to modernise permitting for industry and energy sectors, and appointing a single lead regulator for major projects.

 A growth-focused strategic steer to the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) in the coming weeks which recognises the importance of competition in driving growth, as well as bringing forward a consultation in the coming months on legislative reform proposals where the Government can take action to speed up the UKs competition regimes.

The Government hopes some of the changes, particularly those relating to environmental regulation, will speed up delivery of major infrastructure projects such as the long-delayed Lower Thames Tunnel and the prospective third runway at Heathrow.

Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the CBI, said the announcement signalled a shift towards a more proportionate, outcomes-based approach that should deliver more sustainable growth and investment.

But Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Ms Reeves and her job-destroying, tax-hiking budget were the biggest barrier to growth in the UK.

Friends of the Earth campaigner Sienna Somers meanwhile said it would be incredibly short-sighted, and also rather desperate to weaken environmental regulations with the UKs environment in a dire state.
Donald Trump will speak to Putin on Tuesday - AFP

Donald Trump is willing to impose more sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin tomorrow does not go well, the White House has said.

Its something the president has floated, and certainly hes willing to do if necessary, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters.

Ms Leavitt said however that peace in Ukraine was closer than ever before.

We are on the 10th-yard line of peace and weve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment.

The president is determined to get one done, she added.

Donald Trump said on Sunday that US negotiators had already identified issues to be discussed before the phone call with the Russian leader.

Well be talking about land, he said. A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war Were already talking about that  dividing up certain assets.

Russia has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over Crimea, which it invaded in 2014, and four Ukrainian provinces: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine has insisted it will not give up land not currently occupied by Russian forces nor recognise the annexed territories as Russian.

The US president also said he would be talking about power plants in what was understood to be a reference to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since 2022.

Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity. It has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russias attacks on energy infrastructure.

Follow the latest developments here

07:08 PM GMT

Todays live coverage has ended

Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a roundup of the days events:

Donald Trump is considering recognising Crimea as Russian territory as part of a peace deal, according to a report

Russia said it has pierced through Ukrainian lines near the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia

The White House said that a peace deal in Ukraine is closer than ever.

Ukraine could be open to the relaxation of Western sanctions on Russia if it leads to a secure and just peace, Kyivs top sanctions official has said.

Donald Trump would be willing to impose more sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin tomorrow does not go well, the White House has said.

07:08 PM GMT

Pictured: Trump raises fist after arriving in Maryland

Donald Trump raises his fist upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Mar 17 - BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP

06:55 PM GMT

Trump considering recognising Crimea as Russian

Donald Trump is considering recognising Crimea as Russian territory as part of a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, according to a report.

White House officials have also discussed urging the UN to do the same, US news website Semafor reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

The US president is set to hold a phone call with Vladimir Putin tomorrow, and said on Sunday that negotiators had already discussed dividing up certain assets.

The Trump administration has openly talked about the need for Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia, but has not publicly divulged specifics about which areas could be turned over to the Kremlin.

06:14 PM GMT

Russia pierces front line in eastern Ukraine

Russia said it has pierced through Ukrainian lines near the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia and that it was advancing across southern Ukraine.

Russian forces took the village of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia, according to a statement by the Kremlins defence ministry.

Yuri Podolyaka, one of Russias most influential military bloggers, said Russian forces had also taken the nearby village of Maly Shcherbaky.

Our units have broken through the first line of defence in the Zaporizhzhia direction, he said.

The fresh advance came a day before Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were due to speak on the phone on Tuesday for the first time since the US and Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

Ukraine has been making modest gains in the east in recent weeks but has been forced into a retreat in the Russian region of Kursk.

05:45 PM GMT

White House: Peace in Ukraine is closer than ever

The White House has said that a peace deal in Ukraine is closer than ever.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said, we are on the 10th yard line of peace and weve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment.

The president is determined to get one done, she added.

Ms Leavitt also suggested that Donald Trump would consider putting sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin does not go well tomorrow.

Its something the president has floated, and certainly hes willing to do if necessary, she said.

05:32 PM GMT

Russian spies set fire to Ikea because colours are same as Ukraine flag

Russian agents set fire to a huge Ikea store because the colours are same as Ukraine flag, Lithuanian prosecutors have alleged.

The Kremlins military intelligence has been accused of orchestrating an arson attack on the shop in Vilnius in May 2024, which will now be tried as an act of terror.

The fire broke out in the store in Lithuanias capital three days before a shopping centre in neighbouring Poland went up in flames.

Authorities there said they suspected it may have been part of a growing Russian sabotage campaign, noting that the Swedish flat-pack furniture chain used the same colours as the Ukrainian flag.

You can read the full story here.

05:16 PM GMT

Italy and Spain not ready to back EUs plan to boost Ukraine aid

Italy and Spain have made clear they are not ready to back a European Union proposal to pledge up to 40 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine this year.

The proposal, made by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, would effectively double the blocs support for Kyiv after 20 billion euros were given last year.

Italian and Spanish ministers said it was too early to take a definitive position on the proposal. France has also raised questions about the plan, diplomats said.

Jose Manuel Albares, Spains foreign minister, said: Well see how the debate goes, but at this point theres no decision on it.

Antonio Tajani, Italys foreign minister, said the proposal should be discussed after the phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin set to take place tomorrow.

We are waiting for the Trump-Putin telephone call to see if there will be any steps forward in order to reach a ceasefire, he said.

04:47 PM GMT

Pictured: Russian soldier raises flag in Kursk

A Russian soldier prepares to raise a flag of his unit atop a house in Staraya Sorochina village in Sudzha district in the Kursk region of Russia - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

04:42 PM GMT

Ukraine could be open to relaxing Russia sanctions as part of peace deal

Ukraine could be open to the relaxation of Western sanctions on Russia if it leads to a secure and just peace, Kyivs top sanctions official has said.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Volodymyr Zelenskys commissioner for sanctions policy, told Politico it was simply a matter of time before countries begin easing economic restrictions on Russia, but that this must happen under the right conditions.

He said sanctions should not be a punishment of any kind. Instead, they should have a clear objective, which might be pushing Russia to stop its aggression and to make them make a deal on lasting peace.

If Russia at some point will come back to more or less normal politics toward its partners and neighbours, most importantly, I dont think that they should be excluded from competitive markets, Mr Vlasiuk added.

03:31 PM GMT

Watch: Russian drones hunt retreating Ukrainian vehicles

Footage shows Russian drones hunting Ukrainian vehicles retreating from Kursk along the R200 highway.

Videos posted on social media show numerous destroyed cars and vans littering the road, which connects Sudzha in Kursk with Sumy in Ukraine.

Credit: Telegram/@Brigada83

03:13 PM GMT

Canada must boost ties with reliable France, Carney says in apparent jibe at Trump

Canada must boost ties with reliable partners like France and the EU, Mark Carney, the new Canadian prime minister, said in an apparent dig at Donald Trump.

With Canadas economy facing crippling US tariffs and Mr Trump continuing to claim he wants to annex his neighbour, Mr Carney said his country and France respected other countries sovereignty and security.

It is more important than ever for Canada to reinforce its ties with reliable allies like France, he said during a joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on his first trip abroad since becoming prime minister on Friday.

I want to ensure that France and the whole of Europe works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries, determined like you to maintain the most positive possible relations with the United States, said Mr Carney.

We both stand for sovereignty and security, demonstrated by our unwavering support for Ukraine under your leadership, the Canadian leader said, two days after both leaders took part in a Saturday morning video conference of countries backing Ukraine organised by Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Macron said that France and Canada were both peaceful powers who would carry on supporting Kyiv and continue to demand clear commitments from Russia towards implementing lasting peace in Ukraine and ensuring the security of the whole of Europe.

After Paris, Mr Carney heads for London, where he once worked as governor of the Bank of England, for talks with Starmer and King Charles.

03:04 PM GMT

Canadian PM invites Zelensky to G7 summit

Canadas prime minister has invited Volodymyr Zelensky to the G7 summit in June, which will be held in Alberta.

Mark Carney, who took office after winning the Liberal Party leadership election this month, invited Mr Zelensky during a conversation with the Ukrainian leader at the weekend, a Canadian government official told the AFP news agency.

Mr Carney said Mr Zelensky had updated me on Ukraines defence and global efforts to secure peace.

Canada strongly supports Ukraines fight for freedom against Russian aggression. Lasting peace in Ukraine means security for us all, he added.

02:51 PM GMT

Pictured: Putin meets president of Tajikistan in Moscow

Vladimir Putin is pictured shaking hands with Emomali Rahmon, Tajikistans president, during a meeting in Moscow.

Russian state media said the two leaders had approved a strategic military partnership and that relations between Russia and Tajikistan were truly allied in nature.

It added that Putin and Mr Rahmon held a video call with the presidents of Belarus and Azerbaijan in which the four leaders agreed to meet in Moscow on May 9 for victory day celebrations, when Russia will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Emomali Rahmon, the president of Tajikistan, during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Mar 17 - YURI KOCHETKOV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Shutterstock

02:10 PM GMT

Downing Street: 30 countries to be involved in coalition of the willing

More than 30 countries could be involved in defending a future peace deal in Ukraine, Downing Street has said.

The plan, led by Britain and France, would see peacekeeping troops deployed from each nation to enforce a future ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Each country would have different capabilities, a No10 spokesman said today.

But this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops and a larger group contributing in other ways, he said.

Were expecting more than 30 countries to be involved.

The US will not send any peacekeepers but the UK says the plan hinges on American support, possibly in the form of air cover.

01:43 PM GMT

Sumy residents tense amid fears of fresh assault

Residents in Sumy, northern Ukraine, are feeling tense after Volodymyr Zelensky revealed Russian troops were amassing at the border.

The situation is really tense, Liza Sherstyuk, an aid worker in the region, told the Telegraph. The enemy forces are right on the border of our region...we are constantly asking people if they want to leave, but as of now, nobody does.

A destroyed Ukrainian T-64BV tank is seen at an area in the Kursk region of Russia after it was taken over by Russian troops - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

01:04 PM GMT

Trump says he will speak to Putin on Tuesday

Donald Trump has said he will speak to Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine on Tuesday and that discussions are already ongoing about dividing up certain assets between the warring parties.

US officials expressed optimism on Sunday that a ceasefire deal could be reached within weeks.

Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One: I think well be talking about land... well be talking about power plants.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

The US president is likely referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe and has been under Russian occupation since 2022.

Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity.

Moscow also claims full sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions - Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia - none of which is completely controlled by Russian troops.

12:30 PM GMT

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12:00 PM GMT

Zelensky holds first call with new Canadian PM

Volodymyr Zelensky has held his first call with Mark Carney, the new prime minister of Canada.

The two leaders discussed how to pile pressure on Russia to end the war, according to a readout from the Ukrainian president.

The Prime Minister made the right points about how we need to step up pressure on Moscow. The shadow fleet, the banking sector, Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

We must impose all-out sanctions on everything that provides Russia with funding for its war. Only then can we force Putin to a just and lasting peace.

I spoke with Canada's Prime Minister @MarkJCarney. It was a good and substantive conversation covering many important topics.



I congratulated him on his assumption of office and thanked Canada for its assistance, particularly for the defense packages and support of our energy pic.twitter.com/53MKpd1ypm  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 16, 2025

11:39 AM GMT

Rubio asked Hungary not to block EU sanctions

Hungary reportedly dropped its opposition to extending EU sanctions against Russia following pressure from Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.

Budapest had initially planned to veto a sanctions renewal, citing Donald Trumps return to the White House.

Mr Rubio reportedly urged Peter Szijjarto to avoid undermining the EU sanctions system, Politico reported.

10:49 AM GMT

Kremlin confirms Trump-Putin phone call

The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will speak on the phone tomorrow.

Mr Trump had said earlier that he planned to speak to Putin on Tuesday and discuss ending the war in Ukraine after what he said had been positive talks between Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, and Putin in Moscow.

Asked about the planned call, a Kremlin spokesman said: Yes, thats how it is. Such a conversation is planned for Tuesday.

10:34 AM GMT

PM cannot dodge the hard questions over Ukraine

The Prime Minister says he will send British soldiers to Ukraine, on a mission that may require them to fight Russian troops, risking confrontation with a nuclear power unlike anything we experienced in the Cold War.

Yet Keir Starmer has been asked few questions about his policy.

The PM says planning for the coalition of the willing is entering the operational phase, when military commanders work out the logistics of deployment. But Ukraine remains a war zone.

The Russian constitution now declares Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia parts of Russia, but Ukraine still controls territory in the last four.

If the war continues, or Putin accepts a truce and then resumes fighting, what is the plan?

09:55 AM GMT

Pictured: Firefighters tackle blaze in Kharkiv

Firefighters put out the fire at a storehouse following a Russian attack in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv - Ukrainian Emergency Service

Russia regularly attacks storehouses in eastern Ukraine - Ukrainian Emergency Service

09:14 AM GMT

Russia claims village in Zaporizhzhia region

Russian forces have taken the village of Stepove, in Ukraines Zaporizhzhia region, according to a statement by the countrys defence ministry.

09:03 AM GMT

Protests against pro-Russian leaders sweep Eastern Europe

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Budapest, Belgrade and Bucharest on Saturday for separate pro-Europe and anti-Russia protests.

At least 50,000 people marched in Hungary to demand an end to Viktor Orbans 15-year rule, while Serbia saw its largest anti-government rally in recent history and thousands in Romania demonstrated in support of the European Union.

In Budapest, Hungarians came out in force against Mr Orban, considered Vladimir Putins closest ally among EU leaders, in favour of the surging pro-Europe opposition Tisza Party, led by Peter Magyar.

08:30 AM GMT

Ukrainian soldier says Kursk withdrawal was catastrophic

UOne soldier told the BBC there was panic and collapse on the frontline in Sudzha, the small but strategically important town in Kursk that Ukraine had been clinging on to.

He told the BBC it was impossible to leave the region during the day given the sheer number of drones flying above.

The movement of men, logistics and equipment had relied on one road, which by March 9 had come under intense fire by Russian forces.

In one minute you can see two to three drones. Thats a lot, he said.

We have all the logistics here on one Sudzha-Sumy highway. And everyone knew that the [Russians] would try to cut it. But this again came as a surprise to our command.

Another soldier said he almost died several time, describing the withdrawl as catastrophic.

08:13 AM GMT

In pictures: Ukrainian soldier treated near Pokrovsk

Medics of the 3rd Operational Assignment Spartan Brigade treat wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a medical stabilization point near the frontline in Pokrovsk - Anadolu

Ukrainian soldiers have been pushing back Russian forces in Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine - Anadolu

07:40 AM GMT

Russia does not want peace, says EUs top diplomat

Conditions demanded by Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine show Moscow does not really want peace, the European Unions foreign policy chief has said.

Those conditions that they have presented - it shows that they dont really want peace, actually, because they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war, Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels.

07:18 AM GMT

Decoding Trumps comments on power plants, assets and land

Donald Trump said he would speak with Vladimir Putin about power plants, assets, and land as part of any ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

The US president is likely referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe and has been under Russian occupation since 2022.

Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity. It has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russias attacks on energy infrastructure.

As for land, Russia has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over Crimea, which it invaded in 2014, and four Ukrainian provinces: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

Russian forces do not occupy the entirety of any of those four provinces, which were annexed illegally by Moscow in 2022.

Ukraine has insisted it will not give up land not currently occupied by Russian forces nor recognise the annexed territories as Russian.

06:51 AM GMT

Rubio: We must stop the shooting before securing real peace

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has said there are two phases to ending the war in Ukraine: implementing a ceasefire and then negotiating a long-term settlement

This is a complex, three-year war thats been ongoing along a very long military front, with a lot of complexity to it, Mr Rubio told CBS News.

So no ones claiming that its easy, but I want everyone to understand, heres the plan. Plan A is, get the shooting to stop so that we can move to Plan B, phase two, which is have everybody at a table, maybe with some shuttle diplomacy, to figure out a way to permanently end this war in a way thats enduring and it respects everybodys needs and so forth.

No one is saying that that second part is easy, but we cant get even to that second part until we get past the first part.

06:36 AM GMT

Drone attack bombards Kyiv

Russia hit Kyiv with a drone attack overnight, Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of the capital said early on Monday.

Mr Klitschko said that Ukrainian air defence units were trying to repel the attack.

Reuters reported that witnesses heard blasts in parts of the city in what sounded like air defence systems in operation.

05:56 AM GMT

Russia demands Ukraines Nato exclusion as part of peace deal

Russia will seek to exclude Ukraine from Nato membership as part of its ironclad guarantees for a peace deal, according to the countrys deputy foreign minister.

In an interview published on Monday with the Russian outlet Izvestia, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that any long-lasting peace treaty with Ukraine must meet Moscows demands.

We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, Mr Grushko told the outlet.

Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance.

Alexander Grushko - AFP

Read the full story here

05:45 AM GMT

Trump plans to talk to Putin on Tuesday

Donald Trump plans to talk to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in the hope that the Russian leader will agree to a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday, he told reporters while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening.

I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.

05:41 AM GMT

Welcome

We will be bringing you the latest news out of Ukraine-Russia today.

In breaking news this morning, Donald Trump has said he will speak to Putin on Tuesday as he pushes to end the war.
Why mainstream journalists cannot be nonpartisan, fair or objective By Rachel Alexander

web posted March 17, 2025 The mainstream media has become so biased in recent years that President Donald Trump popularized the phrase "fake news" and Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, posts rants about them almost daily on his X platform. Both have sued the media for libel or defamation. But little has changed; outside of some pushback at a few publications like The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times due to their publishers, the mainstream media is doubling down with the slant and partisan bias against Trump and conservatives, further decimating their shrinking numbers. As I've written about extensively , the AP Stylebook Orwellianly dictates what words and phrases mainstream journalists must use, such as "election denier" and "insurrection" to refer to J6, so there is no way around that built-in bias. Mainstream journalists are required to follow that style, and even the few newspapers like The New York Times which have their own style guides mostly copy the AP Stylebook. Another way the bias is built in is due to their funding structure. There is a perception that news makes money from subscriptions and advertising  but a primary source of the money actually comes from wealthy partisan nonprofits. The far left Arabella Advisors is a key funder of the mainstream media, especially the most partisan sites. Not surprisingly, left-wing billionaire George Soros funds many of them. Much of the money from Soros and others like him is funneled through an organization first called States Newsroom , which then passes it on to these sites. The Capital Research Center has done some incredible research into this organization's dark money network. If journalists dare to write articles that show any semblance of respect for the right, they risk having the funding pulled. The transition from print newspapers and magazines to the internet has forced news organizations to become more heavily dependent on this type of funding, since subscriptions and advertising have not kept up pace with the level they were when print newspapers were prevalent. With the journalism industry now shrunk to almost half of its size in the mid-2000s, and reporters making much smaller paychecks with fewer benefits, they are even less likely to buck the traditional left-leaning line. Considering how much big tech censors conservative information now, why would an average mainstream journalist want to spend the extra time trying to dig up the conservative side for an article? Thankfully, the emergence of the Luxxle search engine has evened the playing field a little, even offering a right-leaning only search function. The Trump administration's DOGE led by Musk conducted an investigation into USAID funding and found that lots of money was going to left-leaning mainstream media organizations. Most notably, the federal government was spending millions on subscriptions to outlets like the AP, Reuters and Politico. Politico alone received $8.2 million from the federal government. With federal agencies dominated by deep state leftists, it created yet another incentive for journalists to skew their coverage in order to ensure continued funding. The Trump administration said the payments will be canceled. Another problem created by the transition to the internet is the need to get clicks, which drives racier and racier writing. Before, revenue was pretty stable from subscriptions and advertising, not dependent on views. Now, many news sites have policies about how many views journalists need to get on their articles. The most partisan articles generate the most attention; their Democratic base eats them up. The partisan fake "fact checking" no doubt grew out of this; basically an easy lazy way to state that "Trump lied" or similar outrageous sounding headline. Journalists always had to cozy up to elected officials in order to get the best access, but with Democrats increasingly dominating offices in large cities  which is where most of the mainstream media is located  this fawning has become worse than ever. Studies show that only about 3 percent of journalists are Republican, the smallest number ever. Driving some of this is the indoctrination in college, with professors also now overwhelmingly on the left. Charismatic journalism professors charm their young impressionable students, creating this fake ivory tower impression of what the job is like. In reality, being a journalist is no walk in the park  a few years ago it was reported that New York Times reporters make the same pay as an airline flight attendant. Several of my journalist friends don't even get paid, it's become so difficult to find a decent paying job in the industry. Instead, they're told to pay a PR firm to place their article in a publication somewhere. There's a revolving door between Democrats in office and partisan journalists. No one thinks anything of it anymore when George Stephanopoulos leaves the Clinton administration to work for ABC, or Jen Psaki leaves the Biden administration to work for MSNBC. And they may likely return to work in the next Democratic administration. Fortunately, conservative watchdog organizations like the Media Research Center , Accuracy in Media and NewsCartels are keeping close tabs on the ongoing bias. AI is advancing quickly, and soon many of these biased journalists will find themselves out of a job. Go to Grok and tell it to generate an article about Trump's plans to fix the border. You can even tell it to generate the article in the style of some writer you prefer. With information overload, even the unique types of stories that only a human could do (for now), such as interviewing a politician, aren't so necessary since people will have so many other interesting articles thrown at them that they won't realize what they're missing. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home
David Lammys comments were made in the House of Commons on Monday - Saul Loeb/AP

The UK on Monday night accused Israel of breaking international law for the first time since the start of the conflict in Gaza.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said Benjamin Netanyahus country had committed a breach of international law, in a significant hardening of the British position.

Over the past two weeks, Mr Netanyahus government has blocked humanitarian aid including food, fuel and medicine from entering Gaza, putting further pressure on Hamas to abide by a fragile ceasefire.

In 2024, the Government suspended around 30 arms export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, after a review of Israels compliance with international humanitarian law.

Mr Lammys comments during a debate in Parliament were the first time the UK has explicitly accused Israel of a breach.

Rupa Huq, the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, used her contribution in the Commons to accuse Israel of taking provocative action during Ramadan.

She went on to ask about the potential consequences of what people are saying is a breach of international law.

Mr Lammy replied: This is a breach of international law. Israel quite rightly must defend its own security. But we find the lack of aid  its now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza  unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.

We would urge Israel to get back to the amount of trucks we were seeing  way beyond 600  so Palestinians can get the necessary humanitarian support that they need at this time.

No excuse

Mr Lammy has previously said there is no excuse for Israel withholding humanitarian aid to Palestine during its conflict with Hamas.

But until now he has prevaricated on whether international law has been broken during the Israeli bombardment of the West Bank since the Hamas terror attacks on Oct 7 2023.

In November 2024, Mr Lammy prompted criticism by promising 100 per cent co-operation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu.

In September 2024, Sir Keir Starmer marked a key moment with some of the Governments toughest rhetoric about Israels actions at the UN General Assembly in New York.

He demanded that more aid be let in to Gaza, saying that there could be no more excuses and calling for an immediate ceasefire. He also described the civilian suffering in Gaza as beyond belief and said the fighting must stop immediately to allow more aid in.

He added that the UN Security Council must come up with a long-term plan to break repeating cycles of violence in the Middle East.

Compliance with international law has been a key pillar of Sir Keirs time in No 10 to date.

It has been cited as the basis for his controversial Chagos Islands deal which will see the archipelago handed to Mauritius.

The Prime Minister has sought to strike a balance between speaking out in favour of Israels right to defend itself and the importance of a proportionate response.

At Prime Ministers Questions last week, he said he was appalled by reports of Israel blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Tories stopped short

Mr Lammys remarks are likely to prompt criticism, particularly as the previous Tory government did not go as far as making such an accusation of Israel.

Instead, Lord Cameron, foreign secretary at the time, insisted the policy position and response would be guided by the most up-to-date legal advice.

There is currently a fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict following a year and a half of hostilities.

The war has proven highly divisive in Labour and in December 2023 10 MPs quit or were sacked from Sir Keirs front bench for supporting an SNP motion demanding a ceasefire.

Sir Keir has adjusted Labours position five times on the conflict, and called for a cessation of hostilities towards the beginning of 2024.

This position was subsequently adopted by Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives.

The Labour Party has faced a significant backlash from some of its own members and activists for its response to the conflict.

Mr Lammy was heckled by pro-Palestine protesters in January 2024 while addressing the Fabian Society conference, when two flag-waving demonstrators mounted the stage shouting: When will you condemn the genocide? How many more children need to die?

Mr Lammy insisted that he had huge respect for protesters but said that for the Labour Party, its about change through power, not protest.
Known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Bhutan is nestled high up in the mountains between India and China - Peter Adams

When a list of 43 countries slated for possible travel bans to the US was leaked over the weekend, citizens of one tiny Himalayan nation were left baffled as to why their kingdom was in the red column.

Along with North Korea, Iran and Afghanistan, Bhutan  the Buddhist-majority nation of 800,000 people  faces a complete ban on its citizens entering the US.

Known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Bhutan is nestled high in the mountains between India and China.

It hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales  as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge  in 2016, and the King, then Prince Charles, in 1998. This year, Ed Sheeran played a concert at the national stadium.

The new travel ban, which has not yet been signed off, is the result of Donald Trumps executive order in January that required the State Department to identify countries for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.

The US president said he was taking the action to protect American citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.

The red group, comprising 11 countries including Bhutan, would face the most severe restrictions  a complete ban on their citizens entering the US.

The potential blacklisting has caused concern in Thimphu, and other capitals, as observers try to understand why they have been targeted.

Why ban Bhutanese travellers?

The US draft list has sparked debate over Bhutans own immigration policies, where it has barred exiled citizens from returning to their homeland.

Bhutan introduced a one nation, one people policy after a 1988 census revealed a Nepalese majority in the countrys southern districts. Tens of thousands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were evicted and forced into refugee camps in Nepal.

By the early 1990s, Bhutan had expelled about 80,000 people  about a sixth of its population  using threats, destruction of property, imprisonment and torture.

Most of these refugees have since been resettled in countries such as the US, Canada and Australia. However, Bhutan has refused to allow exiled communities to return, drawing criticism from human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch.

Sudarshan Pyakurel, the executive director of the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, accused the country of hypocrisy.

For decades, Bhutan has barred Bhutanese-Americans from visiting their homeland, seeing their families, attending funerals, weddings, and religious pilgrimages. Was that fair? Bhutan defends its right to impose restrictions, yet when other nations do the same, it suddenly feels wrong? Fairness isnt a one-way street, Mr Pyakurel said.

If Bhutan truly seeks fairness, it should start with its own people  grant visitation rights to Bhutanese-Americans, release political prisoners, repatriate the remaining refugees from Nepal, he added.

The King, then the Prince of Wales, met with King Wangchuck of Bhutan in 1998 - John Stillwell/PA

Nepalese immigration scandal

Another possible reason for the exclusion could be the fallout from a major immigration scandal in 2023, in which Nepalese nationals posed as Bhutanese refugees to gain entry to the US.

The scam, involving high-ranking Nepalese politicians and bureaucrats, led to the arrest of Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, the former deputy prime minister, and Bal Krishna Khand, the former home minister, who were accused of extorting more than $2 million from Nepali citizens.

They allegedly charged between $7,600 and $38,000 per person for fake refugee documents to facilitate entry into the US. The scam defrauded at least 875 people, sparking protests in Kathmandu and raising concerns in Washington about the integrity of Bhutanese refugee resettlement.

Infiltration via Canada and Mexico

Another factor contributing to Bhutans red-listing may be an increase in Bhutanese nationals illegally entering the US via Canada and Mexico. Bhutans high unemployment rate has driven a significant outflow of young professionals and civil servants.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement data show that between 2021 and 2024, at least 51 Bhutanese nationals were arrested for immigration violations, The Bhutanese newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, the figures from the US Department of Homeland Security indicate that between 2013 and 2022, at least 200 Bhutanese were caught residing illegally in the US and 61 were deemed inadmissible upon arrival.

Visa overstays

There are also concerns over Bhutanese visa overstay rates, with the Trump administration targeting countries whose nationals have demonstrated patterns of remaining in the US beyond their authorised periods of stay.

In 2022, 112 out of the 295 visitors from Bhutan failed to leave the US as required. In 2023, 72 out 371 overstayed their visas, The Bhutanese reported.

Bhutan had previously been flagged for high overstay rates in a 2019 Homeland Security report, which identified it alongside Chad (44.94 per cent), Djibouti (37.91 per cent), Mauritania (30.49 per cent), Iran (21.64 per cent), and Afghanistan (11.99 per cent).

During Mr Trumps first term, Bhutan was among several nations whose citizens were required to post bonds of up to $15,000 before being granted US visas because of overstay concerns.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited the kingdom in 2016 - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph

Fake cultural groups

The US has long suspected Bhutanese nationals of exploiting cultural exchange programmes to gain entry to the country.

According to a 2010 Wikileaks cable, a group claiming to be a Bhutanese Buddhist folk music and dance troupe was discovered to be a front for human smuggling. They would charge between $3,000 and $ 4,000 (2,312 and 3,083) from people for the US visa.

What does Bhutans government say?

Bhutans ministry of foreign affairs and external trade has formally requested a review of the listing, insisting that Bhutanese citizens did not pose a significant security threat to the US, according to local media outlet Kuensel.

Karma Loday, a former politician, wrote an open letter to Mr Trump on his Facebook page, expressing disappointment over the US ban.

Mr Loday said: I feel it is unfair for whatever reason to have my beloved country enlisted with some of the countries with terrorism history. We are in no capacity to even defend our nation militarily without seeking help from others let alone wage an act of terrorism to the United States if that is a suspicion.
Families gather with Illinois state legislators outside the Illinois State Capitol to support homeschooling Colin Moseley

(The Center Square)  Nearly 4,000 opposition slips have been filed against a measure in Illinois to regulate homeschooling. Thats 100 times more than the nearly 40 who have filed in support.

House Bill 2827 would create the Homeschool Act and require parents to inform their local school district if they decide to homeschool their children. If not, the children could be labeled truant. Proponents argue the bill would ensure children are protected from potential harm, including making sure that they are receiving adequate schooling.

Every child has the right to be safe, to learn, and to access resources. HB 2827 would protect those rights for children who are homeschooled in Illinois, said Coalition for Responsible Home Education Executive Director Angela Grimberg.

The coalition said the measure ensures every school-age child in Illinois is accounted for, has a record of their academic progress, learns from educated instructions and is protected from convicted sex offenders. They also say the measure streamlines the process for homeschooled children to take part in public school activities.

State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said he has had many constituents say they dont like the bill because it takes away parents autonomy over their children.

I'm not for it, Ford told The Center Square. From the constituents that I've gotten calls from, Im understanding why they don't like it. The loss of their autonomy, that's a major concern that they lose the autonomy over their children, which is why they choose homeschooling. They want to have control over their childrens education, including the curriculum, how they teach and the philosophy.

Under the bill proposed by Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, homeschool parents could face tighter restrictions that include requiring them to submit additional forms to school officials and follow specific curriculum guidelines.

The bill would also require the states Regional Offices of Education to collect data on homeschooled children, with the findings being compiled into an annual report that includes the grade level and gender of all the students being educated in that way.

Other factors are also at play for the opposition, Ford said.

There are some things that we have to consider for why people have chosen homeschooling, Ford said. Theyre things in there for vaccinations, immunization and health requirements. Some people don't like that.

The measure is set for a House Education Policy Committee hearing at 8 a.m. Wednesday at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. As of Monday afternoon, 38 people filed in support. Nearly 4,000 have filed in opposition.

The total number of witness splits in support of HB 2827 is 723. The total number in opposition for the bill is 31,882.

Glenn Minnis contributed to this report.
Courtesy of Netflix 2024 Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in 'Adolescence'.

Adolescence tells the frightening story of a 13-year-old boy accused of the stabbing murder of his female classmate. Sadly, the story isnt far from real-life events.

In England and Wales, the Office for National Statistics reported that the number of knife attacks has nearly doubled over the past decade. In March 2023, the Ministry of Justice convicted or cautioned  a formal warning typically given to people over the age of 10 for minor offenses  almost 18,500 knife-related crimes.

Approximately 17.3% of those offenders were between the ages of 10 and 17.

One of our aims was to ask, What is happening to our young men these days, and what are the pressures they face from their peers, from the internet, and from social media?  Stephen Graham, who co-created the drama series and played the accused teens father, told Tudum in March 2025.

He continued, And the pressures that come from all of those things are as difficult for kids here as they are the world over.

To that end, the series isnt based on a singular case but on a rising trend in violence against young girls at the hands of their male peers.

Heres everything to know about the real-life events that inspired Adolescence  and the terrifying internet movement the show cautions against.

Warning: Adolescence spoilers ahead!

What is Adolescence about?

Courtesy of Netflix  2024 Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in 'Adolescence'.

In Adolescence, 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is accused of murdering a girl named Katie Leonard at his school. The four-episode series follows the investigation in real time, starting with Jamies arrest after Katies body is found. Subsequent episodes pick up 72 hours, seven months and over a year after her murder.

Rather than focusing on the details of the crime, the series unpacks what led a typical young man like Jamie to commit such a harrowing offense. Graham told The Wrap that he and co-creator Jack Thorne didnt want to take the easy route and blame the parents.

We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime, or about a kid whose mother is an alcoholic or whose father is a violent abuser, Graham told Tudum. Instead, we wanted you to look at this family and think, My God. This could be happening to us! And whats happening here is an ordinary familys worst nightmare.

Is Adolescence based on a true story?

Courtesy of Netflix 2024 Mark Stanley as Paulie Hunter, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller and Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in 'Adolescence'.

Adolescence isnt based on a true story, but rather the U.K.s real-life rise in knife-related crimes among juveniles. Graham revealed during the shows London premiere that he was inspired by two different crimes  both involving adolescent boys who had allegedly stabbed girls.

They are young boys, the co-creator told reporters, per Birmingham Live. They're not men. And it was the complete opposite end of the country  it really hurt my heart. For many different reasons. Predominantly as a father but also, kind of, where we're at in society for this to happen.

The rise in violent crime within this demographic motivated U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to declare in January 2025 that loners, misfits, young men in their bedroom, accessing all manner of material online, desperate for notoriety should be considered terror threats, per the Deccan Herald.

That statement came after a then-17-year-old boy pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing three schoolgirls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England the previous year.

What is incel culture?

Courtesy of Ben Blackall/Netflix  2024 Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller and Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston in 'Adolescence'.

Without the parents to blame for Jamies actions, Thorne said he used incel culture to craft the fictional teens motivation for murder.

He told The Wrap in 2025 that the online movement  described by the Anti-Defamation League as a group of heterosexual men who blame their involuntary celibacy on women and society at large  isnt easy to put into a box.

In lots of ways, I could understand what would attract Jamie to these ideas, Thorne said. That idea of there is a reason why you arent liked. There is a reason why you find it very difficult to talk to women."

He continued, "Theres a reason why you feel isolated from your parents. Theres a reason why youre struggling academically. If you can put all these things in an argument that makes sense, thats really, really dangerous.

Adolescence also makes references to the manosphere, a broader culture of internet misogynists. Incels believe that women hold too much power in romantic relationships and are the most violent subset of this group, per ADL.

Many violent and fatal attacks against women, including the six people killed by Elliot Rodger in 2014, have been linked to incel ideology.

Who is Andrew Tate?

DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty British-US former professional kickboxer and controversial influencer Andrew Tate after having been released from detention on March 12, 2024 in Bucharest, Romania.

In addition to shining a light on the radicalization of young men through incel culture, Adolescence also name-drops Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer turned podcaster whos popular within the manosphere. The American-British internet personality has amassed over 10 million followers on X, where he shares his controversial and misogynistic views.

Graham told GQ U.K. that he first came across Tate when his son sent him an unrelated workout video that led to the influencer popping up on his social media feeds.

I thought, Well, I'm a semi-put-together 51-year-old man who knows a little bit of who I am and what I'm about,  the Boiling Point actor said during the March 2025 interview. So what if I was a 13-year-old boy who didn't have the greatest relationship with my father, didn't really have that solid connection with a role model, and was finding my feet out there? 

He continued, When I was a kid, when I was in my bedroom, my mum knew I was safe. There wasn't really much I could be doing that would bring me to harm. But in today's day and age, these phones are very dangerous. And these so-called influencers, I think there's a huge responsibility there.

As of 2025, Tate is under multiple investigations for human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime group. Hes denied the allegations.



Read the original article on People
Proud socialist Zohran Mamdani brought in nearly a million dollars in donations over the last two months  as his dark horse run for New York Citys mayor continues to gain momentum.

The 33-year-old Queens state Assembly members campaign reported collecting around $845,000, with the majority of the haul coming from New Yorkers in all five boroughs.

Zohran Mamdani raises over $845,000 in last fundraising period, surpassing candidates Lander and Stringer. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post

Zohran Mamdani recently told the post about his plans for New Yorkers in an exclusive interview. Matthew McDermott

We have the momentum, the movement and the money to win, Mamdani said in a statement.

More than $500,000 of the cash raised since January is eligible for the citys eight-to-one matching funds program, the campaign said  meaning the lefty candidate is set to get $4 million in taxpayer cash next month.

Mamdanis haul was second only to ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo, who led the field of candidates for the June Democratic primary, bringing in a whopping $1.5 million since announcing his candidacy on March 1.

He is expected to qualify for over $4 million in matching funds next month.

Mamdanis haul was second only to ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo, who led the field of candidates for the June Democratic primary, bringing in a whopping $1.5 million since announcing his candidacy on March 1. William Farrington

Mamdani  whose socialist platform centers on free public buses, childcare, rent freezing for millions of city dwellers and opening city-run food stores  emphasized the strife of New Yorkers in an exclusive interview with The Post last week.

We have a North Star, that is all driven by the belief that working-class New Yorkers cannot afford to worry about anything beyond cost, because its cost that is pushing them out of the city that they love, Mamdani said.

City Comptroller Brad Lander is expected to reach his $8.3 million spending cap soon. James Keivom

His campaign boasted that it got donations from more than 16,000 people, 73% of them Big Apple residents during during the latest fundraising period  which took place between Jan. 11 and March 13.

Mamdani drastically outperformed City Comptroller Brad Lander and ex-Comptroller Scott Stringer in this reporting period  with Lander bringing in $227,867 and Stringer raising $186,986.

That fundraising success has also translated into promising poll numbers for the relatively unknown anti-Israel lawmaker.

Mamdani drastically outperformed ex-Comptroller Scott Stringer in this reporting period. Matthew McDermott

Just last month, one survey had Mamdani going seven rounds with the early frontrunner, Cuomo, and Lander.

Still, the money margins are thin between Mamdani, Lander, and Stringer who have been in the mayoral race for the long haul compared to recent entrants Cuomo and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.

Landers team said he was rapidly approaching the $8.3 million spending cap, having raised over $6.7 million total since announcing his candidacy  and Stringer has recently surpassed $5 million raised for his campaign, including matching funds.

Still, the money margins are thin between Mamdani, Lander, and Stringer who have been in the mayoral race for the long haul compared to recent entrants Cuomo and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (pictured). James Keivom

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams has been denied matching public funds due to his ongoing controversies and federal indictments but still has millions on hand to cash in. However, it was not immediately known how he made out with his latest haul.

Meanwhile, Adrienne Adams campaign coffers lag in comparison. She raised $128,000 in her first week of campaigning  falling far short of qualifying for any matching funds, which wont be available for her until mid-May at the earliest.
A doctor who was arriving in the United States to teach medicine was detained at Boston's Logan International Airport on March 13 and deported -- despite a court order blocking her removal from the country, according to legal documents obtained by ABC News.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh had a valid H1B visa, or work visa, that had been issued on March 11. A Lebanese citizen, Alawieh was employed by Brown Medicine as an assistant professor of medicine.

A kidney transplant specialist, Alawieh had also previously trained at both the University of Washington and Yale University.

According to court documents filed by attorneys for the federal government and reviewed by ABC Boston affiliate WCVB, Alawieh was detained at the airport and questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents before she was deported. Agents also inspected her cellphone, according to the documents.

PHOTO: Dr. Rasha Alawieh, pictured in this undated photo, was detained at Boston's Logan International Airport on March 13, 2025, by Customs and Border Patrol officers and deported back to her home country, Lebanon. (George Bayliss)

"During the interview, Dr. Alawieh was questioned about multiple photos she had on her phone of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the terrorist organization in Lebanon, Hezbollah...In explaining why these multiple photos were deleted by her one to two days before she arrived at Logan airport, Dr. Alawieh stated that she did not want to give authorities the perception that she supports Hezbollah and the Ayatollah politically or militarily," according to the document filed by the government.

Nasrallah and other Hezbollah commanders were killed in September 2024 Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, according to Hezbollah and Israeli officials.

During the interview, Alawieh purportedly told customs officers, according to the document, "I think if you listen to one of his sermons, you would know what I mean. He's a religious, spiritual person. As I said, he has very high value. His teachings are about spirituality and morality."

In a post Monday on the social media site X, the Department of Homeland Security said, "Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah -- a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree. Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah."

"A visa is a privilege not a right -- glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security," the DHS added in its post.

In a statement on Monday, Hilton Beckham, Customs and Border Patrol assistant commissioner for public affairs, added, "Officers act swiftly to deny entry to those who glorify terrorist organizations, advocate violence, or openly support terrorist leaders and commemorate their deaths. Anyone found with extremist materials linked to a U.S.-designated terrorist group will be removed."

A hearing on Alawieh's case was scheduled for Monday in federal court in Massachusetts, but it was postponed to allow Alawieh's new attorneys time to review the facts. It would also allow the federal government to further respond to why the professor was deported against a judge's order to keep her in the her country.

MORE: Judge blocks Trump from deporting noncitizens under Alien Enemies Act, orders flights turned around

After Alawieh's hearing was postponed Monday, Dr. Susie Hu, interim director of the Division of Kidney Disease & Hypertension at Brown Medicine, told reporters that Alawieh is a respected and hardworking colleague.

"She's only one of three transplant nephrologists in the state of Rhode Island, and her absence will be felt deeply," Hu said, according to WCVB.

Alawieh's attorneys claimed in a court filing that Brown's Division of Nephrology was "extremely distressed" that she had been deported.

"She is an assistant professor and has serious responsibilities," the document attested, according to WCVB. "Her colleagues have been covering for her, but that is no solution. Dr. Alawieh is an outstanding academic in Transplant Nephrology, and she is needed at Brown Medicine.

Alawieh was detained at Logan after she arrived from a visit with family in Lebanon.

MORE: Trump administration ignores judge's order to turn deportation planes around: Sources

A U.S. district court judge in Massachusetts ordered that Alawieh should not be deported without 48 hours' notice and a reason why from DHS.

Instead, according to a notice of apparent violation, DHS willfully disregarded the court order and deported Alawieh to France, with a scheduled flight to continue to Lebanon. The government said Monday that notice of the court order did not reach Customs and Border Protection officers at Logan Airport until after Alawieh was on her way out of the country.

Her lawyers today reported that she is now in Lebanon.

DHS alleges deported Lebanese doctor sympathized with Hezbollah originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Sayles Hall is at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. - Education Images/Universal Images Group Editorial/GHI/Getty Images

A Brown University assistant professor and doctor was deported over the weekend from Boston to Lebanon after federal agents found photos of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Irans supreme leader on her cell phone, a source familiar with the case told CNN.

Following Dr. Rasha Alawiehs return Thursday from a visit to Lebanon, federal agents at Boston Logan International Airport found the photos, the source familiar said. It was not immediately clear why officers were examining her phone.

The existence of the photos was outlined in a court filing Monday obtained by CNN affiliate WCVB. In explaining why these multiple photos were deleted by her one to two days before she arrived at Logan Airport, Dr. Alawieh stated that she did not want to give authorities the perception that she supports Hezbollah and the Ayatollah politically or militarily, the filing reads, per WCVB.

I think if you listen to one of his sermons, you would know what I mean, Alawieh allegedly told the agents, according to WCVBs copy of the filing. He is a religious, spiritual person. As I said, he has very high value. His teachings are about spirituality and morality.

Alawieh, 34, acknowledged to federal agents she attended Nasrallahs February 23 funeral  a public event attended by thousands  during her visit, said the source.

Our client is in Lebanon, and were not going to stop fighting to get her back in the US to see her patients, and were also going to make sure that the government follows the rule of law, Stephanie Marzouk, an attorney representing Alawiehs family in a federal complaint fighting the deportation, told reporters Monday outside a Boston courthouse.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh - George Bayliss/BrownDailyHerald

Alawieh described Nasrallah, who was killed last September by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, to the officers as a highly regarded religious leader and told them she follows his religious and spiritual techniques but not his politics, the source said.

Alawieh also acknowledged to immigration officers Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, according to the source. The group, which enjoys broad support among Shia Muslims across the Middle East, is a designated terror organization in the US and many other Western countries.

Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah  a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said.

Mourners gather on the day of a public funeral ceremony for late Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, who were killed in Israeli airstrikes last year, in Beirut on February 23. - Mohammed Yassin/Reuters

A visa is a privilege not a right  glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security, the spokesperson added.

In a separate statement, Customs and Border Protection said foreigners traveling to the US with a visa are not guaranteed entry, adding that border patrol agents have final say on who can enter the country following security checks.

Foreign nationals who promote extremist ideologies or carry terrorist propaganda are inadmissible to the US, plain and simple, CBP spokesperson Hilton Beckham told CNN Monday.

The US Attorneys Office for Massachusetts, which is representing the Trump administration in court, declined to comment.

Alawiehs expulsion came as Republican President Donald Trumps administration has sought to sharply restrict border crossing and ramp up immigration arrests. It came less than a week after the detention of Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestinian protest organizer Mahmoud Khalil, whose attempted deportation was put on hold by a judge.

Over the weekend, hundreds of immigrants with alleged gang ties were deported by the Trump administration, despite a judges order blocking their removal. The White House said the judges order came after the migrants, most from Venezuela, had left the US.

Court hearing over removal canceled today

A hearing about Alawiehs deportation was abruptly canceled Monday morning by a federal judge who had ordered immigration officials to give him notice before her removal.

US District Judge Leo Sorokin, an Obama appointee, had been monitoring the case pursuant to a complaint claiming Alawieh had not been given access to an attorney during her detainment. It was filed on Alawiehs behalf by her cousin, Yara Chehab.

In an order filed just as Mondays hearing was set to get underway, Sorokin said he had received testimony that (o)fficers at Logan did not receive notice of the Courts Order from their legal counsel until after Dr. Alawieh had already departed the United States and that [a]t no time would CBP not take a court order seriously or fail to abide by a courts order.

Sorokin on Friday had ordered Alawieh shall not be moved outside the District of Massachusetts without providing the Court 48 hours advance notice, saying it was necessary to give the Court time to consider the matter.

Sorokin said he was delaying Mondays hearing until later this month at the request of Chehabs attorney after other lawyers representing her withdrew from the case as a result of further diligence. The attorneys who withdrew from the case did not respond to CNNs requests for comment.

A Lebanese citizen who was living in Rhode Island, Alawieh was approved for an H-1B visa last year to work in the Division of Nephrology at Brown Universitys medical school  after studying at three US universities since 2018  the federal complaint states.

Alawieh in February went to Lebanon for what she thought would be a short visit but was delayed in returning while trying to get paperwork from the US Consulate in Beirut, the court document says.

Her paperwork was approved March 11, but when Alawieh arrived at the Boston airport two days later, she was immediately detained and told she would be sent back to Lebanon the next day, according to the complaint.

Customs and Border Protection has refused to provide any information on the reason for her detention and expedited removal, nor to confirm the flight, the initial complaint stated.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations believes Alawieh was wrongly deported, it said early Monday.

Regarding claims that Alawieh attended Nasrallahs funeral, CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell told CNN on Monday, We have not yet seen the filing or any evidence to support this belated claim, but we would defer to her immigration attorney to comment first and foremost before we address it.

Deporting lawful immigrants like Dr. Alawieh without any basis undermines the rule of law and reinforces suspicion that our immigration system is turning into an anti-Muslim, white supremacist institution that seeks to expel and turn away as many Muslims and people of color as possible, CAIR said Sunday in a statement.

Democratic Rep. Gabe Amo of Rhode Island remains committed to getting answers from the Department of Homeland Security on Alawiehs status, he said on X Sunday.

Supporters gathered outside the Rhode Island State House in Providence Monday evening, demanding Brown University do everything in its power to allow Alawieh to return to the US. Those attending the rally also voiced concerns over the Trump administrations recent deportation policies.

Im worried about my travel, if I choose to go visit my family, said Dany Khalife, a green card holder and first generation Lebanese-Palestinian living in the US with their wife and son.

Khalife added that the administrations immigration policies could be weaponized to target US citizens who hold citizenship in other countries.

In a statement Monday, a Brown University spokesperson said the Ivy League school would be looking into exactly what occurred.

We are seeking to learn more about what has happened, but we need to be careful about sharing information publicly about any individuals personal circumstances, Brown University spokesperson Brian Clark told CNN on Monday.

The university sent an email Sunday titled, Travel guidance and resources for international community.

Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage international students, staff, faculty and scholars  including US visa holders and permanent residents (or green card holders)  to consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States until more information is available from the US Department of State, the guidance reads.

CNNs Dakin Andone and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Mysterious drone sightings in the US have been recorded as far back as 2019  including when dozens of unidentified aircraft hovered over the countrys most sensitive military sites for 17 straight days, according to a new report.

The drone sightings  similar to ones over the Eastern Seaboard months ago  involved stalking naval warships off the California coast to more recently over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, home to dozens of highly advanced F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets, CBSs 60 Minutes reported.

Gen. Gregory Guillot  a combat veteran who oversaw a 90-day operations assessment at NORAD and NORTHCOM  said although the investigation into drone sightings over Langley are ongoing, addressing them is a high-level priority. NurPhoto via Getty Images

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) indicated to anchor Bill Whitaker that the drone swarms over Langley  some of which were recorded with an iPhone  could very well have been spying on the USs military capabilities.

I am privy to classified briefings at the highest level. I think the Pentagon and the national security advisors are still mystified, he said in a December interview that aired Sunday night.

Clearly, there is a military intelligence aspect of this, said Wicker, who chairs the Armed Service Committee overseeing the Pentagon.

While at his familys cabin on the James River in Virginia in December 2023, eyewitness Jonathan Butner recorded nearly 90 minutes of footage showing upwards of 40-plus drones on a direct path to Langley, video he later shared with the FBI to aid in its investigation.

Im very familiar with all the different types of military craft. We have Blackhawks, we have the F-22s. And these were like nothing Ive ever seen, he told the outlet.

Butner wasnt the only one who saw the unidentified aircraft swarming the key military installation.

Langley Air Force Base in Virginia is home to dozens F-22 Raptors, one of the most advanced stealth aircraft ever built, representing an alarming potential risk if the drones were equipped for spying on US military capabilities. TNS

The reports were coming in 20-to-30 sightings, same time every evening, 30-to-45 minutes after sunset, said retired four-star Gen. Mark Kelly, who witnessed the drones with his own eyes at Langley.

What you saw was different sizes of incursions of aircraft. You saw different altitudes, different air speeds. Some were rather loud. Some werent near as loud, he shared, noting the sizes of the drones ran the gamut from small to alarmingly large.

The smallest, you know youre talking about a commercial-size quadcopter. And then the largest ones are probably size what I would call a bass boat or a small car, he said.

Retired General Mark Kelly, who was at Langley during the 17 days of sightings, said the aircraft ranged in size from a commercial quad-copter to a small car. Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During the 17-day period where the drones were spotted before suddenly vanishing from the night skies, the military, apparently aware of the risk, moved some of the F-22 Raptors to another air base nearby, according to the outlet.

Retired Gen. Glen VanHerck rattled off a laundry list of potential threats, including that the drones could be used to bomb or otherwise disable the stealth jets, and that drones could be equipped to do a myriad of missions.

He dismissed the idea that the drones were piloted by hobbyists, due to their size and the duration of the flights, but wouldnt rule out something more sinister.

The White House in January took pains to reassure Americans that the waves of drones seen over New Jersey over the winter were not the enemy, with President Trump chalking them up to hobbyists or individuals conducting research. Obtained by NY Post

It certainly could have a foreign nexus, a threat nexus. They could be doing anything, from surveilling critical infrastructure, just to the point of embarrassing us from the fact that they can do this on a day-to-day basis and then were not able to do anything about it, he said.

Gen. Gregory Guillot  a combat veteran who oversaw a 90-day operations assessment at NORAD and NORTHCOM  said the drone flights over Langley became the central focus of the investigation.

While he says the investigation is still ongoing, addressing the security gap is a high priority for NORTHCOM.

However, these assertions only raised more questions, including among elected officials and former military leaders. AP

It is alarming. And, I would say that our hair is on fire here in, in NORTHCOM, in a controlled way. And were moving out extremely quickly.

The White House in January took pains to reassure Americans that the waves of drones seen over New Jersey over the winter were not the enemy, with President Trump chalking them up to hobbyists or individuals conducting research.

However, these assertions only raised more questions, including among elected officials and former military leaders.

Asked how it was possible for such an incursion to take place over an American Air Force base, VanHerck pointed to a capability gap due to NORAD radar systems being unable to detect the low-flying drones.

Certainly they can come and go from any direction. The FBI is looking at potential options. But they dont have an answer right now.

That gap was also the reason the military didnt simply shoot the invading aircraft out of the sky.

Well, first, you have to have the capability to detect, track, identify, make sure its not a civilian airplane flying around. If you can do that, Bill, then it becomes a safety issue for the American public. Firing missiles in our homeland is not taken lightly, the retired general said.

Gen. Guillot said updated radar systems capable of detecting drones are being installed at select strategic sites, and that hes hopeful theyll be up and running inside of a year.

VanHerck, Guillots predecessor, said the US government  from the Pentagon to the White House to Congress  has not treated the glaring security vulnerability with the seriousness it deserves.

Its been one year since Langley had their drone incursion and we dont have the policies and laws in place to deal with this? Thats not a sense of urgency, he said.

Theres a perception that this is fortress America: two oceans on the east and west, with friendly nations north and south, and nobodys gonna attack our homeland. Its time we move beyond that assumption.
Voting ballot being dropped in drop box Pexels

(The Center Square)  Voters can start casting ballots in Wisconsins races for Supreme Court and state ssuperintendent this week.

Early, in-person absentee voting begins Tuesday.

Starting on Tuesday, March 18  two weeks before Election Day  clerks can begin to issue in-person absentee ballots at the clerks office or at other designated locations, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said in a statement. The in-person absentee voting process involves a voter both requesting a ballot and completing that ballot on the same trip to the clerks office or designated location.

Voters have been able to mail in absentee ballots for a while.

In-person absentee voting can run until the Sunday before Election Day.

According to state law, clerks can make in-person absentee voting available through Sunday, March 30. Municipalities are not required to offer [in-person absentee voting] through March 30, but they cannot offer it beyond that date, the Elections Commission added.

Communities are not required to offer in-person absentee voting, but can if they wish, and many Wisconsin communities do.

The Elections Commission also says the clock is ticking on people who want a mail-in ballot as well. March 27 is the last day a voter can ask for an absentee ballot.

As always, voters will need an ID in order to cast an in-person absentee ballot.

The Wisconsin DMV on Monday sent its regular reminder about voter ID.

A federally compliant REAL ID card is not required to show at the polls. The Wisconsin Elections Commission notes other forms of identification are valid for voting, such as military or student ID cards, the DMV said in a statement.

Most people already have some form of identification they can use for voting purposes, including a driver license or ID, DMV Administrator Tommy Winkler said.

The last Supreme Court race in Wisconsin drew about 40% of eligible voters in the state.

The Supreme Court race in Wisconsin is, once again, the most expensive ever. The latest analysis says the two campaigns and outside groups have spent $59 million so far.
Sign at a media event urging consumers to buy Canadian products at Cadbury's chocolate factory in Toronto on Feb. 14. (Andrew Francis WallaceToronto Star via Getty Images)

Beyond Meat recently flagged the risk that "anti-American sentiment" could hurt sales if it loses customers in other countries or faces other forms of retaliation that affect its sourcing and manufacturing. That's as US tariffs trigger a global backlash against American products.

Beyond Meat, a producer of plant-based meat substitutes, recently warned that its status as a US company could hurt sales amid an international backlash against President Donald Trump's tariffs.

The El Segundo, Calif.-based company filed a 10-K annual report with the SEC earlier this month that included a section on risk factors.

In regulatory filings, such sections are often a laundry list of a wide universe of potential headwinds, with some more likely than others. Beyond Meat's flagged the possible risks associated with epidemics, natural disasters, severe weather, civil strife, war, terrorist activity and other geopolitical tensions.

It also mentioned Trump's tariffs and plans for retaliation by US trade partners like Canada, saying the company may have to raise prices, increase inventory levels, or find new sourcing for products that it imports.

"There is no assurance that we would be able to pass on any cost increases, in full or at all, to our customers, and/or we could lose customers in countries such as Canada due to anti-American sentiment, any of which could materially affect our revenue, gross margin and results of operations," Beyond Meat warned.

Any trade wars that feature "buy national" policies or other forms of retaliation against US tariffs could hurt the company's supply chains, prices, demand, and macroeconomic markets, the filing added.

For example, Beyond Meat sources almost all of its pea protein from Canada and manufactures some of its products there.

"We cannot predict future trade policy and regulations in the United States and other countries, the terms of any renegotiated trade agreements or treaties, or tariffs and their impact on our business. A trade war could have a significant adverse effect on world trade and the world economy," it said, noting that uncertainty on trade policy can also impact consumer confidence and spending.

The company didn't immediately respond to a request for further comment.

To be sure, Beyond Meat's sales had previously been in a slump before Trump returned to the White House as demand for meat substitutes waned more broadly.

But sales had recently started to turn around. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 4% to $76.7 million, marking the second consecutive quarter of annual growth, the company said last month.

Still, the backlash against US products is real, from alcohol to cutting-edge weapons. Canadians are pulling bottles of American liquor off shelves, and sales of Tesla cars are collapsing in Europe as CEO Elon Musk interjects himself in national elections and becomes more closely associated with Trump's policies.

Even the F-35 stealth fighter is not immune. NATO allies Canada and Portugal are now having second thoughts about buying the fighter from the US and are taking a look at European alternatives.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Restore Medicaid's intent: Prioritize the most vulnerable over able-bodied childless adults By Rachel Barkley

web posted March 17, 2025 As Republicans unveil proposed cuts to government programs, they should take this opportunity to reform a program that is the fourth-largest driver of spending: Medicaid. Congress should refocus the program on its original intent: vulnerable Americans, especially those with disabilities who have nowhere else to turn for health coverage. Nearly 700,000 people with disabilities are sitting on Medicaid waitlists for vital home and community-based care, and they will wait an average of three years to get it. People like Whit Downing in Kansas, who wrote in the Kansas City Star about spending eight desperate years waiting. Downing said during her time on the list, "I experienced more psychiatric hospital stays than I can count or even remember. I survived a suicide attempt. I wore my family out emotionally and physically as they tried to help me navigate a world that often felt unaccommodating and overwhelming." "I've spent countless hours sitting in emergency rooms, waiting for help that often felt out of reach," she added. When Congress created the Medicaid program in 1965, they could have never envisioned that it would become the largest single source of health coverage in the U.S. Medicaid now represents $1 out of every $5 spent on health care. The original intent was to pay medical expenses and nursing home care for vulnerable Americans: low-income children, individuals with disabilities and seniors. The Medicaid program changed in 2010 with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which expanded Medicaid to work-capable, able-bodied childless adults. This shifted resources away from those who need it most. The Affordable Care Act overwhelmed the Medicaid system with nearly 17 million new work-capable, non-disabled adult enrollees under Medicaid expansion. In some states, expansion increased enrollment by more than 30 percent. Adding to the incongruity, people with disabilities must continue to comply with the $2,000 asset limitation in Medicaid, whereas the expansion population does not. The number of health care providers that serve Medicaid enrollees has not kept pace. As a result, access to care for traditional enrollees has disintegrated. We've learned that increased coverage is not the same as better care. Compounding this problem, the act incentivizes states to shift their priority to the expansion population over those with disabilities. States receive a higher federal dollar amount, called the enhanced federal matching rate, which reimburses 9 out of every 10 state dollars spent on able-bodied adults while only reimbursing 5.7 out of 10 state dollars spent on the traditional population. People with disabilities, like Downing, are left waiting for years to receive vital long-term care services through Medicaid home and community-based services. According to a 2018 Congressional Revenue Service report, total Medicaid long-term service spending was $154.4 billion in 2016, making Medicaid the largest single-payer of long-term care. Private insurance usually does not cover this kind of care, as it can run from $50,000-$200,000 per year in the private market. It is unfair to prioritize work-capable, non-disabled Medicaid enrollees and leave people with disabilities with worse or no care. As Republicans in Congress and the Department of Government Efficiency look to reform Medicaid, they should do three things to ensure that the program retains its integrity and serves those who truly need it. First, Congress should shift resources from the expansion population to the traditional population by ending the enhanced federal match. Next, they should reallocate Medicaid funding formulas to boost Medicaid home and community-based services funding in states to increase long-term services and eliminate their wait lists. States have led by example. Virginia's Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, announced an additional $300 million to fund waivers for every Virginian with a developmental disability on the waitlist. Kansas has introduced a similar plan in its legislature. Congress should follow their lead and prioritize funding for Medicaid's intended enrollees. It would be a mistake to implement broad across-the-board Medicaid cuts that apply equally to an enrollee with a disability as it would an able-bodied adult enrollee. Lastly, the DOGE effort should require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service to audit state programs and end fraudulent enrollment, which steals resources from those who truly need it. DOGE could also ensure Medicaid implements Sen. Eric Schmitt's (R-Mo.) Think Differently Database Act to bring lasting transparency. This requires Medicaid to establish a website database of all of its services and resources for people with disabilities. This effort is sorely needed, as demonstrated when Able Americans' Project Access sought to catalog all the programs and policies at the Department of Health and Human Services meant to serve those with disabilities. Project Access found 2,605 initiatives across 22 disability categories throughout Medicaid and the Department of Health and Human Services. Many of these are duplicative programs or difficult to access. Congress and DOGE have a huge opportunity to prioritize Medicaid services for the vulnerable, bring transparency to the program and eliminate waste and fraud. By doing this, we can accomplish the true intent of Medicaid to achieve better health outcomes for people with disabilities and the vulnerable in our nation. Rachel Barkley is the director of the National Center for Public Policy Research's Able Americans program. This was originally published at The Hill. Home
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Five years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the U.S. government has suspended its free at-home coronavirus test distribution program.

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, shut down ordering via covidtests.gov Sunday, posting a notice that says, "The free at-home COVID-19 test distribution program is not currently accepting orders."

Orders placed before 8 p.m. ET March 9 will still be shipped, the notice said. The U.S. Postal Service website for ordering likewise said that "ordering through this program has been suspended effective March 9, 2025."

Before that time, American households were able to place orders through the website for free at-home tests, which were then shipped for no cost through the U.S. Postal Service. Ordering via the website has been closed and reopened periodically since it was launched in late 2021, usually with renewed eligibilities.

It was last suspended in March 2024 before reopening with the four free tests per household offer in September.

A screenshot of the message posted to covidtests.gov as of March 9.

The Postal Service landing page for the program points back to covidtests.gov for more information on other free COVID-19 testing options. However, the government website simply advises on where to purchase tests, saying "At-home COVID-19 tests are sold at pharmacies, grocery stores and many other retailers nationwide."

The agency did not indicate whether the suspension was permanent or temporary as with past closures. The HSS did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Free program sent more than 900 million COVID tests to American households

The news comes less than a month after The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration had reversed a decision to shut down the program and potentially dispose of or destroy 160 million, or more than half a billion dollars' worth, of mostly unexpired tests.

The initiative initially was set to be shuttered Feb. 18, but just minutes before the site was set to go dark, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon issued a statement saying it would remain open for the time being. He also told the newspaper that unexpired stockpiled tests would not be destroyed.

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, the statement sent to The Post said.

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, in partnership with the Postal Service, had sent more than 900 million tests directly to U.S. households via covidtests.gov by Oct. 2024, according to a Postal Service release from that time. Millions more were distributed to community centers including nursing homes, libraries, local health departments and food banks.

Other ways to get free or cheap COVID testing

COVID-19 antigen tests generally cost $12 to $35 for a pack of two at pharmacies and retail locations, though the price can be even higher. PCR testing done by a medical professional can cost much more, depending on a patient's insurance coverage.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still offering free testing for uninsured adults who have symptoms of or have been exposed to COVID-10 through the Increasing Community Access to Testing, Treatment and Response (ICATT) program.

About 10,000 ICATT sites nationwide continue to offer testing and disease surveillance in non-emergency situations to uninsured people, and more than 19,000 are offering no-cost COVID-19 vaccines under the CDC Bridge Access program.

A list of free COVID-19 testing sites can be found on the COVID-19 Testing Locator website. Locations offering free vaccines can be found at vaccines.gov.

Some insurance plans also cover the full cost of COVID-19 tests. You can check your eligibility and order insurance-covered tests through pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS.

State, county and city health departments may also have free or low-cost testing sites operating out of community locations like churches, rec centers and schools. Check your local departments' websites and social media channels or give them a call to ask about testing options.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US suspends free COVID test program: Where to get one for free
Rippling CEO Parker Conrad and Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz. Amy Osborne/The Washington Post/Getty Images; Deel; Melia Russell/Business Insider; Deel; Melia Russell/Business Insider

The HR software company Rippling is suing Deel, alleging it used a spy to steal company secrets.

The lawsuit says Rippling caught the spy through a honeypot email to Deel's top leaders.

It alleges the man locked himself in a bathroom when approached with a court order.

The executives at Rippling had a problem.

Private information from the company kept leaking, the company says in a lawsuit filed Monday.

The suit says recruiters at one of its chief rivals, Deel, had contacted more than a dozen Rippling employees using their unlisted personal phone numbers.

Then, it adds, a journalist approached Rippling, a workforce management software company, with a story claiming it may have violated sanctions, citing messages from Rippling's Slack channels.

After launching an investigation, Rippling says, the company found an employee in Ireland it now says was a spy digging for corporate secrets to pass off to the company's competition.

The lawsuit, filed against Deel in San Francisco federal court, says the employee, who oversaw payroll issues in Europe, was looking at Slack channels with "no connection to his payroll operations job responsibilities" and searching for the term "Deel" more than a dozen times a day.

The suit says the man  who is not named in the lawsuit  found sensitive information about prospective customers who were looking to switch from Deel to Rippling. It adds that he downloaded a 31-slide deck that explained Rippling's strategy for competing with Deel.

Rippling's leaders believed they found their mole. So they set up a honeypot operation, the company says.

Believing that Deel "was most likely to activate its spy if faced with potentially damaging press," Rippling's general counsel emailed a legal letter to three of Deel's top leaders, the lawsuit says. The letter identified a Slack channel called "#d-defectors," on which Rippling employees discussed information that Deel would find embarrassing if it was made public, it adds.

In reality, the lawsuit says, the #d-defectors channel did not exist until shortly before Rippling sent the letter to Deel.

"Rather than being a gathering place for ex-Deel employees, the channel was set up as part of a ruse designed to confirm that Deel was instructing D.S. to search for specific information in Rippling's Slack," Rippling's lawsuit says, referring to the person it says was "Deel's spy."

Deel "took the bait," the suit says. Just hours after Rippling sent the letter, it adds, this person searched for and accessed the channel.

It was a "smoking gun," Rippling says in the lawsuit, that Deel's highest echelon  or someone working on its behalf  fed information to that person.

Over the course of four months, the lawsuit says, the man pulled information from Rippling's Slack, shared Google Drive, Salesforce database, and internal human resources directory.

A representative for Deel denied "all legal wrongdoing" and said Rippling was trying to distract from claims that it violated sanctions laws, which Rippling denies.

"Weeks after Rippling is accused of violating sanctions law in Russia and seeding falsehoods about Deel, Rippling is trying to shift the narrative with these sensationalized claims," a Deel spokesperson said in a statement. "We deny all legal wrongdoing and look forward to asserting our counterclaims."

A tech rivalry for the ages

Rippling's lawsuit, which demands a jury trial, marks a fiery escalation in its rivalry with Deel.

Founded in 2016 by Parker Conrad, a mainstay of the workforce software market, Rippling creates tools to streamline a company's back office. It launched with the idea of gathering all of a customer's data about its employees and placing it in one system.

Deel came onto the scene with a different proposition. In 2019, the company functioned as an "employer of record" for companies, allowing its customers to hire globally without having to worry about compliance regulations in different countries. Over time, Deel, led by its cofounder and CEO, Alex Bouaziz, bolted a wider variety of products onto its system, building them in-house and buying up small players in payroll and IT.

The two firms now go head-to-head in the workforce software market, raising bigger and faster rounds of funding to expand their operations.

Their competition has often unfolded in the public eye. This past spring, when Rippling held a tender offer, which refers to the sale of a shareholder's stock in a company, the company barred former employees who work for its competitors, including Deel, from cashing out.

In January, a class action complaint alleged that Deel lacked the proper licenses to process payments for a company accused of operating a Ponzi scheme but that it did so anyway.

The plaintiff's lawyer, Thomas Grady, has been reported to be an investor in Rippling. In a motion to dismiss, Deel denied any wrongdoing and rejected the complaint as a feckless attack by its biggest competitor.

A court order and a flushing toilet

Rippling says it picked up the trail of the person it alleges was a corporate spy partly by looking at his Slack activity. The employee, who joined Rippling in 2023, had rarely used the "preview" function on Slack, which allows users to view a channel's contents without notifying colleagues, the lawsuit says.

In November, the suit says, the employee started previewing dozens of channels a month, sometimes peeking at particular channels more than 100 times each month.

The channels were dedicated to information about Rippling's services and software sales, as well as information about competitors like Deel, the lawsuit adds.

Rippling's suit says the employee's browser and email history indicate he may have also met with Bouaziz and Deel's global head of expansion, Olivier Elbaz, in December.

On Wednesday, after the honeypot operation, Rippling sought a court order in Ireland to seize and inspect the employee's phone.

When a court-appointed solicitor served the employee with the order at Rippling's Dublin office, the suit says, the employee said his phone was in a bag on another floor.

It was a lie, the lawsuit alleges.

"The bag only contained a notebook. It held no mobile device," the lawsuit says.

The suit says the man then went to the bathroom and locked the door, "despite the independent solicitor's repeated warnings that these actions were in violation of the court order."

"I'm willing to take that risk," the employee said, the lawsuit adds.

The employee "then stormed out of the office and fled the scene," the lawsuit says.

Rippling says in the lawsuit the solicitor heard the employee flush the toilet, suggesting he "may have attempted to flush his phone down the toilet rather than provide it for inspection," though a later inspection of the building's plumbing "did not locate any mobile devices."

Have a tip? Contact the reporters via email at mrussell@businessinsider.com and jshamsian@businessinsider.com or Signal at @meliarussell.01 or @JacobShamsian.07. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

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Sam Rockwell in The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 5 Credit - Courtesy of HBO

Another HBO Sunday night, another episode-stealing Walton Goggins White Lotus scene. But this time, in the fifth installment of the shows Thailand-set third season, it wasnt Goggins depressive Rick making viewers jaws drop. It was Ricks old buddy Frankplayed, in a surprise guest appearance, by Sam Rockwellwith whom he reunites in Bangkok. Since they last saw one another, Frank has undergone a true sea change. Once a big partier, the expat is now 10 months sober. And hes found his higher power in the form of Buddhism. As he recounts to Rick, while Rick looks at Frank the way many of us looked at Rick when he freed the snakes a couple episodes back, this transformation began with a sexual odyssey of surreal proportions.

Franks monologue is the centerpiece of an episode that is, in its basic structure, unique for Lotus. For more than two seasons, the shows episodes have generally begun when characters awakened in the morning and ended when they went to bed at night. But this one inverts that timeframe, opening midway through the evening that closed Episode 4 andlike the Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Phangan that is its partial backdropraging till the brink of dawn. Its the perfect context for a wild hour of TV that journeys into the dark heart of desire, examining the things characters want and crave and demand through the lens of Buddhist non-attachment.

Frank lives up to his name

Rockwell as Frank Courtesy of HBO

Rick doesnt seem like the kind of guy who pays social calls, and indeed his reunion with Frank comes with an agenda. When they meet up at the Bangkok hotel bar, Frank hands over a leather bag containing a gun that Rick has presumably requested because he wants to shoot the hotel owner who killed his saintly father. (Now that troubled Southern patriarch Tim has Gaitoks gun, there are two desperate middle-aged white guys running around with firearms.)

But when Frank starts talking, you can see why Lotus auteur Mike White bothered to recruit Rockwell for this relatively minor role. (It probably also didnt hurt that Rockwells longtime partner, Leslie Bibb, was part of this seasons main cast.) Like so many dissolute American guys, losers back home or otherwise, Frank explains, he came to Thailand for the women. Before long, he recalls, "I was out of control. I became insatiable. And, you know, after about a thousand nights like that, you start to lose it. I started to wonder: Where am I going with this? Why do I feel the need to f-ck all these women? What is desire? The form of this cute Asian girl, why does it have such a grip on me? Cause shes the opposite of me? Is she gonna complete me in some way? I realized I could f-ck a million women, Id still never be satisfied."

So far, so typical of a Western man-childs debaucherous, libido-driven sojourn to the East. But the monologue continues, veering into the kind of territory that illustrates what White means when he says hes got minor edgelord tendencies: Maybe what I really want is to be one of these Asian girls. By now, Ricks eyes are wide and his mouth is hanging open. Really? he says. Yes, it turns out Frank couldnt be more serious. Soon, he says, he was dressing up in ladies lingerie and bottoming for white guys much like himself in an attempt to feel what the women he hooked up with felt during their trysts. Then I got addicted to that, he explains. Sometimes he would hire a local woman to watch. Id think: I am her. And Im watching me.

This is a tangled web of desire and identity, to say the least. It would be a mistake to interpret Franks anecdote as some kind of coming-out story; how he chooses to label his gender or sexuality is of minimal importance. What hes talking about are the slipperiness of identity and the mysteries of attraction. It isnt always clear whether we want to possess other people (if only for a night) or to become them, whether theyre our opposites or our doubles. (It feels relevant that doppelgangers and multiples are everywhere this season, from Rick and his girlfriend Chelseas May-December mirror, Greg/Gary and Chloe, to the three blonde girlfriends to the many guests who resemble characters from seasons past.) Hes getting at a fundamental confusionone perhaps inherent in Western culturebetween what we desire and who we are.

Frank makes an explicit connection between his uncanny sex spree and his Buddhist breakthrough. Exhausted from his endless pursuit of pleasure, he has replaced it by learning about spirit versus form, detaching from self, getting off the neverending carousel of lust and suffering. (Alas, hes no bodhisattva yet. I still miss that pussy, he confesses.) It seems likely that these concepts have flown right over the head of the determinedly unenlightened, palpably suffering Rick, who is so attached to his self that he cant get out of his own head. As Frank speaks, Rick is aching to satisfy his desire for revenge in what Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) correctly identifies as a ridiculous, Princess Bride-style plot to kill the man who killed his father.

About that neverending carousel of lust and suffering

Carrie Coon in The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 5 Fabio LovinoHBO

It isnt just Rick who could stand to embrace some of the ideas Frank introduces. From the Full Moon Party to Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) & Co.s wild night on the town to the few characters who stuck around at the resort, the episode was defined by desire and its discontents.

In a vignette that could have come straight out of Lotus love-and-sex-themed second season, Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius) takes Jaclyn, Kate (Bibb), and Lori (Carrie Coon) out with two of his most muscular Russian friends. Its long been obvious that what Lorithe only single girl of the threewants is Valentin. Throughout the night, she makes herself the center of attention, dancing like a madwoman, taking her top off in the pool, and, though it probably does her no favors in seducing such macho men, bragging about her lawyerly chops. At one point, it seems possible that shell hook up with more than one of the guys. But, to the apparent frustration of Jaclyn, who has been pushing her and Valentin together all week, Lori lets them leave without making a move. Cut to the wee hours of the morning, when Lori is snoring in bed. (The shot of her scratching her butt is just brutal.) Valentins back, and the woman hes here to see is Jaclyn. Lets f-ck, she breathes into his ear, in case theres any confusion about whose idea this was.

Sam Nivola, left, and Patrick Schwarzenegger in The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 5 Fabio LovinoHBO

If Jaclyn, the benefactor behind this lavish girls trip, is also turning out to be its villain, its because she has proven to be ruthless in satisfying her desires. This puts her in alignment with the loathsome Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), who has made it his mission to get his timid little brother, Lochlan (Sam Nivola), laid. On the yacht to the Full Moon Party with Chelsea and Charlotte Le Bons Chloe, now temporarily out from under the brooding eye of Gary/Greg (Jon Gries), Saxon bellows his philosophy of life. Confidence, Loch. Thats how you get people to do what you want. Because most people dont know what they want, he opines. They just wanna be used Theyre just waiting for someone to come tell them what to do. Never mind that he seems to have gleaned his philosophy of life from a Eurythmics song. Whats salient is that hes articulating essentially the opposite of the ideals to which Frank aspires. For Saxon, who we are is defined by what we wantand the harder we exert our will, the more we win at life.

Hes been talking this way all season. More illuminatingand alarmingare Lochs responses to his brother. Whether hes parroting his sister, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), or arrived at the idea independently, he counters Saxons hyperacquisitive mentality with what is more or less the definition of karma: What if this life is just a test, like, to see if we can become better people? Later, he playfully but probably not jokingly tells his brother, One day, Im gonna take you down. This desire to conquer Saxon manifests in the most perverse of ways, in the now-rather-intoxicated boys final scene of the episode, where Chloe and Chelsea goad them into kissing each other. They oblige with a quick peck on the mouth. But then Loch goes back in with tongue, leaving Saxon noticeably reeling. Given all the ominous energy on display this season between the Ratliff kids, and particularly Saxons creepiness towards his siblings, Loch seems to be responding to a psychosexual power imbalance that dates back to childhood.

Jason Isaacs in The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 5 Fabio LovinoHBO

Incredibly, this wasnt even the darkest Ratliff storyline of the episode. Back at the resort, Piper finally comes clean to her parentsand reveals that shes not perfect, either. The thesis shes supposed to be researching never existed; the real reason she dragged the family to Thailand is because she wanted to check out the meditation center where she hopes to study for at least a year after college. This, of course, sets off Victoria (Parker Posey), who wont hear of her daughter converting to a Chinese religion or moving to Taiwan (does she literally not know where she is?). It also proves that Piper is just as desire-driven as anyone else in her scandal-stricken, pill-popping family. I need to figure out what makes me happy, she insists.

Pipers father, Tim (Jason Isaacs), cant muster much concern about her revelation because, again, hes taken Gaitoks (Tayme Thapthimthong) weapon and, as we learn in the final scene of the episode, is planning to use it to kill himself. But just as hes aimed it at his head and is about to pull the trigger, Victoria wanders out with a laughably clueless assessment of a predicament she knows nothing about.Theres no reason to be stressed, Tim, she reassures her husband, who's quickly hidden the weapon. Youve already succeeded in every way. As she drifts away, he does laugh, bitterly. Then he prays: Please, God, please. Tell me what to do. What would Saxon say if he could see the father he idolizes pleading for the one thing Saxon most associates with weakness?

Happily, not every manifestation of desire in the episode leaves a bad taste. The hour also includes a dollop of hard-earned pleasure in the form of Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and Pornchais (Dom Hetrakul) bedside kiss. Unaccustomed to expressing her own wants, Belinda is adorably awkward in inviting him to sleep in her bed (who says Whatevers clever?). A contrast to the other storylines that leaves room for ambivalence regarding the pursuit of earthly desire, the scene finally gives this chronically mistreated character something she yearns forand, in turn, satisfies the most purehearted wishes of viewers whove been rooting for her for years.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Hvar, Croatia, is one of the cities I recommend visiting in Europe. Dreamer4787/Shutterstock

I've been living in Europe for a few years, and have tried to visit as many cities as possible.

I enjoyed spending time in places like Prague and Hvar, Croatia, and can't wait to return.

However, I was a little disappointed by my visits to Marseille, France, and Stockholm.

One of the biggest perks of living in Europe for the past couple of years has been the ease of hopping on a flight to explore new destinations.

During my time here, I've visited 26 cities in countries like France, Portugal, Iceland, Croatia, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.

Each destination brought something unique to the table, but unfortunately, not every experience lived up to my expectations.

Here are the four cities I'd return to in a heartbeat  and two I'd probably skip next time.

I loved visiting Faro, Portugal.

Faro is a beautiful city in Portugal. Digitalsignal/Getty Images

Located in the Algarve region of Portugal, Faro is a vacation hot spot with gorgeous beaches, unique architecture, and a relaxed atmosphere.

One of the highlights of my trip was walking along the cliffs for an hour with a friend to find a secluded beach. The views were magical, and the experience felt like something out of a dream.

Faro's warm weather and welcoming charm make it a place I'd gladly return to.

I'd happily revisit Reykjavik, Iceland.

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland. Tsuguliev/Shutterstock

Iceland is known as being a pricy tourist destination, but my visit was worth every penny. The capital, Reykjavik, is packed with charm and incredibly walkable.

The local cuisine, including fresh seafood and lamb, was some of the best I've had in Europe. What stood out the most, though, were the unplanned magical moments.

One night, after leaving a karaoke bar, I looked up to see the northern lights dancing across the sky. It was an awe-inspiring experience that felt almost surreal. That kind of spontaneous magic makes Iceland a place I'd visit again and again.

Hvar, Croatia, is unlike anywhere else I've been.

Croatia's beaches are gorgeous. xbrchx/Getty Images

Croatia is a dream for beach lovers, and the island of Hvar was definitely a highlight of my trip.

Hvar combines charming cobblestone streets, fantastic restaurants, and dreamy beaches with crystal-clear water.

The surrounding smaller islands are just as stunning, offering secluded spots to relax and unwind.

On this trip, I stepped out of my comfort zone by visiting a nude beach, and even made new friends who shared my love for exploring.

Hvar's blend of adventure and relaxation has earned it a permanent spot on my list of favorite European travel destinations.

Prague felt like a fairytale.

I loved walking through Old Town Square. Pauline Lewis/Getty Images

In my opinion, Prague's fairytale-like architecture, vibrant nightlife, and rich history make it a top contender for one of Europe's most beautiful cities.

Walking through Old Town Square feels like stepping back in time, and every corner of the city holds something fascinating.

The food scene is also worth mentioning  traditional Czech dishes like goulash and trdelnik (chimney cake) are must-try items.

Despite spending a few days there, I felt like I barely scratched the surface of what the city has to offer.

However, I'm not rushing to return to Marseille, France.

I wasn't blown away by my visit to Marseille, France. Steve Lorillere/Getty Images

Although France is brimming with beauty and culture, my visit to Marseille felt a bit lackluster. The city's architecture is undeniably stunning, but Marseille seemed to lack anything that made it truly special.

Exploring the city can also be a workout  it's very hilly, and unless you're prepared for a lot of uphill walking, it can be a bit exhausting.

Next time, I'd prioritize neighboring French spots like Aix-en-Provence or Nice instead.

Unfortunately, Stockholm didn't live up to my expectations.

Stockholm felt a bit underwhelming. Angel Villalba/Getty Images

I had heard so much about Stockholm and couldn't wait to visit. However, I left feeling a bit underwhelmed.

The city is undeniably beautiful, with its waterways and historic buildings, but it lacked the spark I hoped for. After visiting a few other Nordic cities, Stockholm just felt a bit monotonous.

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Luigi Mangione

Pennsylvania cops illegally collected Luigi Mangiones DNA when they gave him food and a soda at a police station the day of his arrest, the accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killers lawyers claim in court papers.

Mangiones lawyers claim he was illegally arrested at McDonalds in Altoona, Pa. on Dec. 9 since cops lacked probable cause during the encounter and allegedly failed to read him his rights and inform him he was a suspect for at least 20 minutes when he was swarmed by over ten officers.

Luigi Mangione claims cops illegally took his DNA when he was caught. Steven Hirsch for NY Post

Mangione was apprehended at a McDonalds in Pennsylvania in December. Pennsylvania State Police

Since the arrest was illegal to begin with, any further statements and evidence the cops collected that day, including his DNA taken from the items he ate and drank from at the police station were also illegal, Mangiones lawyers claimed in court papers from last week.

While illegally seized, arrested, and detained, [Mangione] was provided food and soda while at the Altoona Police Department Station, his lawyers said in the filing. The purposes for the same, was to obtain DNA from [Mangione] for further investigative purposes.

Cops were only able to track Mangione to the fast food joint because of an anonymous 911 call, and they didnt have any independent corroborating evidence that [Mangione] was in fact the suspect sought in New York during the arrest, the filing alleges.

Officers had no probable cause or grounds for the arrest other than a hunch and/or unparticularized suspicion, the court documents argue.

In addition to the DNA evidence, Mangiones lawyers also want to keep out evidence taken from his backpack, including a ghost gun, a silencer, a loaded Glock magazine and multiple fake IDs.

Mangiones lawyers are trying to keep all the evidence from that arrest out of trial and are even trying to get the charges in the Pennsylvania case dismissed on the same grounds.

Mangione is accused of executing healthcare honcho Brian Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4 and then going on the lam for five days until authorities tracked him down to the Keystone state.

After a manhunt, Mangione was nabbed at this McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania. AFP via Getty Images

He faces weapons possession charges and forgery and false identification crimes in Altoona.

He also faces more serious state and federal charges in New York for Thompsons murder.

Hes pleaded not guilty in all the cases.

Mangione, 26  who graduated from the elite University of Pennsylvania  has garnered a cult-like following from people disenchanted with the American healthcare system and corporate greed.

A campaign that proclaims him innocent has collected nearly $740,000 for his legal defense fund to date.

The Blair County District Attorneys Office  which is prosecuting the Pennsylvania case  didnt immediately return a request for comment Monday.
A Peruvian fisherman was found alive after drifting at sea for 94 days, a navy official said Saturday, as he was discharged from hospital following his ordeal.

Maximo Napa, 61, was rescued in his small fishing boat on Tuesday after being spotted by an Ecuadoran vessel off the coast of Chimbote in northern Peru.

He told local media in a tearful interview that he survived at sea by eating cockroaches, birds and turtles.

"I didn't want to die, for my mother. I have a two-month-old granddaughter  I clung to that. Every day I thought about my mother," Napa said.

The Peruvian navy posted images of the rescue, including one showing Napa reuniting with his brother after being rescued and another showing the fisherman receiving medical attention.

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent over 90 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screen grab taken from handout video. / Credit: La Republica/Handout via REUTERS

On Saturday, he was discharged from hospital in the coastal city of Paita.

"Mr. Napa arrived in good physical condition. He could walk, wash himself. Shocked, but in good physical condition," said Peruvian Navy port captain Jorge Gonzalez.

The fisherman had set sail on Dec. 7 from the port of San Juan de Marcona but bad weather conditions and the current caused him to lose course.

His small boat, which had no radio beacon, ended up on the high seas.

"It is a miracle that my father has been found," his daughter Ines Napa told the RPP radio station. "We, as a family, never gave up hope of finding him."

His niece, Leyla Torres Napa, told the RPP radio station the family planned to celebrate his birthday, which passed while he was lost at sea, according to the BBC.

"The day of his birth was unique because all that he could eat [while at sea] was a small cookie, so it is very important for us that we celebrate because, for us, he has been reborn," she said.

A military medical team provides care to Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent over 90 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, after his rescue in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screen grab taken from handout video. / Credit: La Republica/Handout via REUTERS

Napa's ordeal comes just months after the dramatic rescue of another man lost at sea for an extended period of time. In October, Russian Mikhail Pichugin was rescued after spending more than two months adrift in a small inflatable boat in the Sea of Okhotsk, off the coast of Russia. He said he survived by battling shivering cold and drinking rainwater. Pichugin, 46, had set off to watch whales with his 49-year-old brother and 15-year-old nephew. But the boat's engine shut down on their way back on Aug. 9. Pichugin's brother and nephew later died, and he tied their bodies to the boat to prevent them from being washed away.

In 2023, an Australian sailor said he survived more than two months lost at sea with his dog. Tim Shaddock, 51, and his dog Bella were sailing from Mexico to French Polynesia when rough seas damaged their boat and its electronics system, leaving them adrift and cut off from the world.

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Noticias S.I.N.

The man last known to be seen with a University of Pittsburgh student before she vanished from a beach in the Dominican Republic gave more details to local prosecutors about the last time he saw her, Dominican news station Noticias SIN reported.

Sudiksha Konanki, 20, disappeared from the beach of the Riu Republica Hotel in the early hours of March 6, sparking a frantic search involving authorities from the Dominican Republic, the United States and India, where Konanki was born.

The man who was with her at the beach, Joshua Steven Riibe, told prosecutors he and Konanki were hit by an intense wave and were swept out to sea when the water returned, according to Noticias SIN. Riibe, a 22-year-old American, is not considered a suspect in the case and has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Dominican Republic attorney general Yeni Berenice Reynoso interviewed Riibe on Saturday as part of the investigation into Konankis disappearance, according to a source with firsthand knowledge of the interview. CNN has contacted Riibes family attorney for comment.

Two detectives with the sheriffs office in Loudoun County, Virginia, where Konankis family lives, traveled to the Dominican Republic to interview Riibe and help clear up inconsistencies found during his interviews, Loudon County Sheriff Michael Chapman told CNN on Sunday.

I think some of the inconsistencies had to do probably with the language barrier  Spanish to English, English to Spanish  during the initial interviews, Chapman said. But I think the interview that was conducted, he seemed to be very forthright with our detectives.

I dont see any inconsistencies with certainly what he said, he added.

During his fourth interview with prosecutors on Wednesday, Riibe described a harrowing attempt to save Konanki after they were jostled by the wave and she got tired of swimming.

It took me a long time to get her out. It was difficult, Riibe said, according to Noticias SIN. He said he was trained as a lifeguard, but worked at pools, not at the beach.

I was trying to get her to breathe the whole time. That didnt allow me to breathe all the time, and I swallowed a lot of water. I could have lost consciousness several times. When I finally reached the ground on the beach, I held her in front of me.

He said he last saw Konanki when she was walking in knee-deep water.

The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didnt hear her answer because I started vomiting up all the seawater I had swallowed.

After vomiting, I looked around, and I didnt see anyone. I thought she had grabbed her things and left, Riibe said.

I felt very sick and tired. I lay down on a beach chair and fell asleep because I couldnt go far.

This photo shows Joshua Riibe, the last known person to see US college student Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana before she was reported missing March 6. - From Southeast Technical College

The sun and biting mosquitoes woke Riibe up, he said, and he went to his friends room to get his phone and then went to his room to sleep.

I was sleeping in the room and my friend asked me if I had seen her; I told him no, I thought she had gone to her room, Riibe said. His friend told him Konanki never returned to her room, which Riibe said surprised him.

When asked whether he saw Konanki after that night on the beach, Riibe said, After I saw her walk away while she was walking in the water, I never saw her again.

Konankis sarong-style cover-up was found on a lounge chair on the beach, but there were no signs of violence, a source familiar with the investigation previously told CNN. Photos of the light-colored sarong and flip-flops on the lounge chair were obtained by Dominican news station Noticias SIN on Saturday.

Konanki's sarong, which was discovered on a lounge chair on the beach after her disappearance, is seen in a photo obtained by Dominican news station Noticias S.I.N. - Noticias S.I.N.

Riibe declined to answer some of the prosecutors questions, according to the transcript obtained by Noticias SIN. CNN has seen a copy of the transcript.

Since the incident, Riibe, who was in the Dominican Republic on spring break vacation with a classmate, said he has only been in his room being interviewed.

Riibe is a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and is majoring in land surveying and mapping sciences, a university spokesperson told CNN. He is from Rock Rapids, Iowa.

His parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, expressed their sorrow for Konankis family. We wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through, they said in a statement obtained by CNN.

Riibe has been cooperating with law enforcement, but was detained under irregular conditions and questioned without official translators or legal counsel until March 12, his parents said.

CNN reached out to prosecutors regarding allegations that Riibe was interrogated without a translator or lawyer. Prosecutors said they are not commenting at this time.

Riibe has remained under police surveillance in his hotel room and taken to the police station for interrogation multiple times, which which compelled the family to retain a lawyer to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights, his parents said.

His parents described Riibe as a beloved son, brother, and friend, known for his kind nature, sense of humor, and commitment to his community.

Our only interest is that due process be respected and that actions be taken with the fairness that the situation requires, Albert and Tina Riibe said. We share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible.

Konanki remains a missing person and officials are refraining from any speculation regarding whether she may have drowned, according to Chapman.

Its still premature to make any kind of a judgment call on this, the sheriff said. And until we know more, were not ready to do that.

The moments before Konanki disappeared

Riibe said he first met Konanki in the hotel when he and his friend introduced themselves to Konankis group.

She had gone to Punta Cana for spring break, her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, said. My daughter is a very nice girl, he said. Shes ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine.

Konanki was at the resort with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh, according to the sheriffs office in Loudoun County.

The two friend groups went to the bar together where they drank until someone suggested we go to the beach, Riibe said in his interview. Two of the females stayed behind.

Konanki 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. March 6, the Dominican Republic 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 Republic National Police told CNN.

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.

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.

Video evidence points to additional people being on the beach around the time Konanki went missing, the law enforcement officials assisting with the probe said. Investigators are trying to identify these people while asking they come forward with any information about Konanki. CNN has not seen the footage.

Because other people were around the beach early on March 6, without discovering a body authorities must allow for the possibility Konanki may have encountered one or more of them.

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.

Dominican officials previously said they were investigating Konankis disappearance as a drowning. The night of her disappearance, sea conditions were dangerous with high waves, Agustin Morillo Rodriguez, general commander of the Dominican Republic navy, told CNN on Wednesday.

But the general prosecutors office said Wednesday officials are also investigating whether Konankis disappearance could extend beyond a possible accidental event.

The Dominican Republic navy has deployed divers to search along the coast about 24 nautical miles from the hotel where Konanki was reported missing, Rodriguez said. Authorities are searching along the coast because they believe if the student drowned, her body would be pushed away from the sea into the coast or the coral reefs.

The victim assistance unit of the Loudoun County sheriffs office met with Konankis family to provide them with help as they navigate this very, very difficult time, Chapman said on Sunday.

Last night we had our victim assistance unit go out and meet with the family as well to make sure that theyre getting all the resources and the counseling that they need, Chapman said. I mean, its just such a tragic situation for the family.

The sheriffs office urged caution around public speculation about Konankis disappearance, according to an earlier news release.

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.

Konankis disappearance comes nearly two months after four tourists drowned in Punta Cana at the same beach where Konanki was last seen, according to the Dominican Republics civil defense agency. Strong currents swept the tourists off the Arena Gorda beach, where the Riu Republica Hotel is located, the civil defense agency said January 18 in a Facebook post.

CNNs Lex Harvey, Caroll Alvarado and Jillian Sykes contributed to this report.

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KCBD NewsChannel 11 - Lubbock, TX/YouTube Brooklyn Boyer and Alan Mann.

Nearly five years after a woman was left paralyzed from a pool accident, the man who jumped in to save her proposed.

At the time of the 2020 accident, Brooklyn Boyer and Alan Mann had been dating for about a week, local news outlet KCBD reported. One day, the pair were swimming with some friends when Boyer hit her head on the bottom of the pool. Mann had recently become a trained lifeguard and knew how to help until an ambulance arrived.

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That day was hard, but looking back at all the good things and blessings that came from it  [it's] just really amazing to look back and be like, 'God was with us this entire time,' " Mann told the outlet.

Following her injury, Boyer stayed at Craig Hospital in Denver for three months as she recovered. Despite the newness of their relationship, Mann and his parents remained by her side the entire time.

Boyer had to relearn many basic skills, from driving to dancing in her wheelchair. She told Mann at the time that she'd understand if he didn't want to date anymore, acknowledging that her recovery and treatments weren't necessarily what he had signed up for.

"I told him again when I was in rehab at Craig, and he was like, 'I don't want to hear you say that again,' " Boyer recalled.

Mann had a feeling early on that he wanted to be with Boyer for the long haul. Their first date, shortly before Boyer's accident, was a secret trip to Sonic  and that's when Mann realized his future was with Boyer, currently a senior at Lubbock Christian University in Texas.

"Someday this is going to be the girl that I'm going to marry," he remembered thinking to himself. "I was like, 'I don't know why I feel this or know this,' but it just felt right, and it hasn't changed since."

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The couple got engaged just after Valentine's Day last month. The moment was incredibly romantic  Mann and Boyer were having a sweet dinner together when he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife, the bride-to-be recalled to KCBD.

"I sit all day just looking at the ring, and then I'm like, 'That's probably bad,' but I just can't stop," Boyer said. "I just am so happy  so, so happy."

As for her fiance, Boyer describes him as such a blessing."

"Like, thats one of the No. 1 words that comes to my brain when I think of Alan  [he's] just a blessing straight from God," she told KCBD.

Mann is impressed by his future wife's strength and resilience amid adversity.

To witness firsthand all that shes got to accomplish and do, even with the injury, has been nothing less of amazing, he told the outlet. Im very blessed that I get to have one of the front-row seats to that experience.

Read the original article on People
Courtesy of Miranda Watson/Phillip Harris

Miranda Watson loves to ride the subway. Born and bred in New York City (her mother is the artist Sharon Gold), shes always found the train to be a rich source of inspiration for her namesake fashion label. I really like to people-watch, she said. Im very into the nitty-gritty of clothinghow its put together, where people have pockets, how they function. Can they sit down in what theyre wearing? How does the fabric work [for them]? Watson is fascinated by function and, as she said, seeing so many bodies.

Practicality is a key component of Watsons designs, but so is sensitivity. She launched her eco-conscious brand in 2017 with a collection of deadstock leather jackets and minimalist ready-to-wear pieces crafted with natural linen and cotton. Her current offering includes everyday pieces like a cropped halter top in emerald green and sapphire blue, sepia-hued dresses and skirts, and fluid silhouettes, as well as cropped t-shirts with oversized front pockets. Theyre the kind of clothes youd see on the street (and on the subway) and admire the person wearing them, not just the garments themselves. Watsons designs are meant to give confidence to the wearer, to allow them a feeling of freedom and, yes, function, but also great style.

Recently, the Brooklyn-based Watson has started a new passion project, which sprouted naturally from within her own community: shes been doing alterations and tailoring work for her friends and friends of friends, as well as some Instagram followers, many of whom identify as LGBTQ+. It really began in the fall of 2023. According to Watson, she was hearing from a lot of my friends that theyre always looking for a good tailor, but theyve not always had the best experiences at traditional tailorsthey havent felt safe. Thats when I came in and was like, I got this. For the average city-dweller, going to get a piece of clothing altered is a quick in-and-out errand, one that hopefully doesnt cost an arm and a leg (though in New York City, thats rarely the case for someone good). Theyre incredibly skilled and efficient but with quick, sometimes too-loose hands and an impersonal way of working. Traditional tailors are often 3rd or 4th generation in the business, whose work has always revolved around singularly defined bodies and gender profiles. Typically, you tell them what you want, change in a tiny fitting room with loose curtains, get your measurements taken with little conversation, and youre on your way.

Phillip Harris

Watson received a lot of feedback, namely from those whod recently transitioned or were in the process of coming out, that this kind of classic tailoring environment was uncomfortable. The designer wanted to change the process, to start with a conversation and bring a more personal approach. When someone comes in, she explained, I have a form that will ask for your pronouns, ask for any boundaries, as for any sensitive areas so that I have all of the information before we even interact. She added, This is so I know how to approach you in a way that will make you feel safe.

Watson and her client will sit down and talk about what they need, whether its a simple hemming of a trouser or dress or something more elaborate for a creative project (she works with a lot of artists and creatives, specifically). Sometimes, she pointed out, people dont necessarily know what they need or what might make them feel good, so Watson helps present new alternatives to clothing, whether its a sleeve that comes off to expose the arms or making something tighter to fit and form to the body.

Courtesy of Miranda Watson

I love going to Miranda because I feel like a person, not a mannequin, noted Carolyn John, a mechanical engineer also based in Brooklyn whose pronouns are they/them. John discovered Watson through an author they follow on Instagram and first went to her to try on a dress from her label. But then, they said, The first tailoring project I brought her was a dress for my partner Keegan. It had a slit in the back of the skirt that Keegan wanted moved to the side. They added, Keegan often presents as masculine, so I was excited to be able to support them in exploring their gender presentation.

Anya Schulman, a Brooklyn-based writer, also discovered Watsons work on Instagram. Its rare that you can go to a tailor and tell them you want something to look gayer and they get it, she said. Clothing is such an important part of how so many people in the queer community express who they are. Having a queer tailor is similar to having a queer therapist in that you dont need to spend as much time explaining your identity to someone in order for them to be able to help you. Its true that Watsons design work is therapeutic for many people for many reasons, especially at a moment like this one when LGBTQ+ rights are being stripped away by the currentand disturbingly eviladministration. Right now, safe spaces in fashion and beyond are lifelines. Miranda offers a private environment for people who might be experimenting with their look to explore, Schulman went on to say. I can imagine it might be nerve-wracking to do this with a stranger in a tailoring shop around lots of other people.

Courtesy of Miranda Watson

Its never been more important to protect and support the trans and non-binary communities, Watson emphasized. Its just so simple to be like, may I touch you? or how are you feeling? Literally just being a normal person. We take it for granted. Watson admits that she never thought about this aspect of tailoring and alterations since she was mainly focused on her own personal tinkering and reworking of clothing, as well as her designs. She also pointed out that she is a tailor for everybody, inclusive of anyone and everyone who is seeking a more personal, intimate alterations experience. Now, people wont just bring her one thing to alter but stacks of clothing, some of which have been sitting in their closets for years, waiting to be worn.

Watson sees the majority of her clients in her studio, but shes starting to do in-home appointments and traveling tailor pop-ups in various stores around the city. Though she will continue to build her eponymous brand, Watson is eager to expand her alterations business, meet new clients, and find inspiration in connecting to people through clothes. As she said, I have a lot of big dreams for my tailoring.



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Nigel Killeen/Getty A photo of a Victoria Police car

Joanna Kathlyn Kinman has avoided jail time after plotting to sell a dead man's toes online, according to multiple reports

Kinman found the toes while working at an animal shelter in Melbourne, Australia, after two dogs vomited the human remains of their owner in February 2024

The mother of five was sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order on Monday, March 17

An Australian woman has narrowly avoided jail after plotting to sell a dead mans toes on an online black market, a court has heard.

On Monday, March 17, Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, of Melbourne, Australia, pleaded guilty to offensive conduct involving human remains and was sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The mother of five had been working as a ranger at an animal shelter in Melbourne in February 2024 when two dogs vomited the toes and other remains, according to ABC, 9News and U.K. newspaper The Guardian.

The dogs were taken to the shelter after their owner, whose name has not been revealed, died of natural causes, per The Guardian. According to ABC, prosecutor Melissa Sambrooks said the man had died for some time", and the pets ate parts of his body before he was found.

SimpleImages/Getty Stock image of a judge holding a gavel

The animals then "became ill and vomited up human remains" when they were taken to the shelter, Sambrooks said.

Kinman collected the "clearly identifiable" human toes from the trash and took them home with her, per the outlet.

9News reported that Sambrooks said Kinman was not present when the dogs vomited but went searching for the toes in an outdoor trash bin.

"She located two human toes and took them home and placed them in a jar containing formaldehyde," Sambrooks said.

The outlet added that Kinman later told her daughter her plans to sell the toes and that she discovered she could earn around $254 ($400 Australian dollars).

Getty Stock image of handcuffs

However, after a tip-off from an unknown source, police arrived at the womans home, where she admitted to the plot and her possession of the remains.

She also revealed that the toes were located in a jar alongside other items including a bird skull, guinea pig trotter, alligator claw and her children's teeth.

Authorities went on to find that Kinman was part of a Facebook group called 'Bone Buddies Australia,' which is used to trade specimens online, per 9News.

According to ABC, the court was told that Kinman was an "avid contributor" of the group and had previously sold "wet specimens" of a stillborn puppy and kitten.

She also reportedly had a book called A History of Punishment and Torture.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

According to 9News, Kinman told police during an interview, "I know someone who collects weird things ... I thought 'cool' its a toe.

While the deceased mans son is aware of Kinmans crime, he reportedly chose not to tell other relatives due to the news being too much for them to handle.

Kinman's lawyer Rainer Martini said his client was regretful for her actions, adding that she had suffered from abuse following media coverage of the case, per the outlet.

"She has regretted fulsomely ... not just for herself but for the impact on the family of the deceased," Martini said, per 9News.

Addressing the defendant in court, Magistrate Andrew Sim said, "By the barest of possible margins you will not be going to jail today.

"You were dealing with body parts of a deceased person, he continued. That person would have expected they would have been treated with dignity and respect by any person who came into contact with their remains. You failed to do that."



PEOPLE has contacted Ringwood Magistrates' Court and Victoria Police for comment.

Read the original article on People
By Lili Bayer

BRUSSELS/PRAGUE (Reuters) -After 75 years of operating through historic times that marked the end of communism and return to democracy across eastern Europe, the future of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is now at risk after U.S. President Donald Trump cut its funding.

This has prompted a call from the Czech government urging European Union foreign ministers to discuss the matter at their meeting in Brussels on Monday, to allow RFE/RL to continue to provide news coverage in countries where free press is banned or still in its infancy.

"We have to start with the political readiness to do something, so I will ask for that today," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said.

He added on social media platform X that ministers would discuss how to at least partially maintain its broadcasting.

Touted by Trump as a move to cut back on federal bureaucracy, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) over the weekend terminated grants to RFE/RL, which broadcasts to countries in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, including Russia, Belarus, war-torn Ukraine and Iran.

Trump ally Elon Musk called for the Prague-based RFE/RL to be shut down in a post on X last month, saying "it's just radical left crazy people talking to themselves".

Trump signed an executive order on Friday aimed at gutting the parent of U.S. government-funded media outlet Voice of America and six other federal agencies, shortly after his government cancelled more than 80% of all the programs at U.S. Agency for International Development.

While USAID distributes billions of dollars of humanitarian aid, it has also been involved in projects aimed at strengthening civil society and supporting media and democracy globally, including in eastern Europe and the Balkans.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in a statement that the cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys grant agreement "would be a massive gift to America's enemies".

RFE/RL journalists kept working on Monday with stories appearing on its website.

Set up in 1950, initially RFE and RL were funded principally by the U.S. Congress through the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) broadcasting to Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania, countries behind the Iron Curtain.

In 1953, RL began broadcasting to the former Soviet Union in Russian and 17 other national languages.

"Radio Free Europe must be the voice not only of our people, but of the people of all of Europe. RFE must continue to help get the truth behind the Iron Curtain," President John F. Kennedy said in his prepared remarks to Radio Free Europe Fund in 1962.

After the end of the Cold War, RFE/RL launched new language services in Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian to the Yugoslav successor states in early 1994.

At the invitation of former Czech President Vaclav Havel, the leading figure in the "Velvet Revolution" that toppled Communist rule there, RFE/RL relocated its broadcasting center from Munich to Prague in 1995.

(Reporting by Lili Bayer, writing by Krisztina Than and Jason Hovet, editing by Andrew Gray, Timothy Heritage and Ed Osmond)
By Nate Raymond

BOSTON (Reuters) -U.S. authorities on Monday said they deported a Rhode Island doctor to Lebanon last week after discovering "sympathetic photos and videos" of the former longtime leader of Hezbollah and militants in her cell phone's deleted items folder.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh had also told agents that while in Lebanon she attended the funeral last month of Hezbollah's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom she supported from a "religious perspective" as a Shi'ite Muslim.

The U.S. Department of Justice provided those details as it sought to assure a federal judge in Boston that U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not willfully disobey an order he issued on Friday that should have halted Alawieh's immediate removal.

The 34-year-old Lebanese citizen, who held an H-1B visa, was detained on Thursday at Logan International Airport in Boston after returning from a trip to Lebanon to see family. Her cousin then filed a lawsuit seeking to halt her deportation.

Her expulsion came as Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has sought to sharply restrict border crossings and ramp up immigration arrests.

In its first public explanation for her removal, the Justice Department said Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist and assistant professor at Brown University, was denied re-entry to the United States based on what CBP found on her phone and statements she made during an airport interview.

"It's a purely religious thing," she said about the funeral, according to a transcript of that interview reviewed by Reuters. "He's a very big figure in our community. For me it's not political."

Western governments including the United States designate Hezbollah a terrorist group. The Lebanese militant group is part of the "Axis of Resistance", an alliance of Iran-backed groups across the Middle East that also includes the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which sparked the Gaza war by attacking Israel 17 months ago.

Based on those statements and the discovery of photos on her phone of Nasrallah and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, the Justice Department said CBP concluded "her true intentions in the United States could not be determined."

"A visa is a privilege not a right - glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied," U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "This is commonsense security."

FIGHT CONTINUES

Stephanie Marzouk, a lawyer for Alawieh's cousin Yara Chehab, told reporters outside of court on Monday that they would continue pushing to secure Alawieh's return to the United States.

"We're not going to stop fighting," she said.

A spokesperson for Providence-based Brown University said it was seeking to learn more about what happened. Alawieh has been employed by Brown Medicine, a non-profit medical practice affiliated with Brown's medical school.

As news of Alawieh's deportation spread during the weekend, the school on Sunday issued guidance advising its international students, staff and faculty to consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States "out of an abundance of caution."

In Monday's filing, the Justice Department also defended CBP officials against claims by the cousin's legal team that Alawieh was flown out of the country on Friday evening in violation of an order issued by U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin that day.

The judge had issued an order barring Alawieh's removal from Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice. Yet she was put onto a flight to France that night and is now back in Lebanon.

The judge on Sunday had directed the government to address "serious allegations" that his order was willfully violated ahead of a hearing that had been scheduled for Monday.

That hearing was canceled on Monday at the request of the cousin's lone remaining attorney, after lawyers at the law firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer representing her pro bono withdrew, citing "further diligence" about the quickly-moving case.

A lawyer with that firm said she had gone to the airport on Friday and shown a CBP officer a copy of Sorokin's order on her laptop before Alawieh's Air France flight departed, and another CBP official in a declaration on Monday said he was made aware that occurred before taking Alawieh to the boarding area.

But the Justice Department said the notification needed to be received through standard channels and be received by the agency's legal counsel for their review and guidance, which did not happen.

"CBP takes court orders seriously and strives to always abide by a court order," Justice Department attorneys wrote.

The Justice Department's filing was later sealed by Sorokin at the request of a lawyer for the cousin. Reuters reviewed it from a public terminal in the courthouse before access was further restricted.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Stephen Coates)
By Mohammed Ghobari

ADEN (Reuters) - The United States carried out new airstrikes on Yemen on Monday, the Houthis' Al Masirah TV said, expanding the biggest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Responding to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement's threats to international shipping, the U.S. launched a new wave of airstrikes on Saturday. On Monday, the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and Al Jawf governorate north of the capital Sanaa were targeted, Al Masirah said.

At least 53 people have been killed in the attacks, the Houthi-run health ministry said on Sunday. Five children and two women were among the victims and 98 have been hurt

The Houthis, an armed movement that has taken control of the most populous parts of Yemen despite nearly a decade of Saudi-led bombing, have launched scores of attacks on ships off its coast since November 2023, disrupting global commerce.

The strikes, which one U.S. official told Reuters might continue for weeks, come as Washington ramps up sanctions pressure on Iran while trying to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.

The Houthis say their attacks, which have forced companies to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.

The U.S. and its allies characterise them as indiscriminate and a menace to global trade.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Sunday the militants would target U.S. ships in the Red Sea as long as the U.S. continues attacks on Yemen.

Under the direction of al-Houthi, who is in his 40s, the ragtag group has become an army of tens of thousands of fighters and acquired an arsenal of armed drones and ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia and the West say the arms come from Iran. Tehran denies this.

While Iran champions the Houthis, the Houthis deny being puppets of Tehran, and experts on Yemen say they are motivated primarily by a domestic agenda.

The Houthis' military spokesman, without providing evidence, said in a televised statement early on Monday that the group had launched a second attack against the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea.

'AXIS OF RESISTANCE'

The Houthis are part of what has been called the "Axis of Resistance" - an anti-Israel and anti-Western alliance of regional militias that also includes the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah as is backed by Iran.

Israel has severely weakened many of Iran's regional allies since being attacked by Hamas gunmen in October 2023.

Israel has assassinated the top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, and the fall of another Iranian ally, Syria's Bashar al-Assad, also dealt a blow to Tehran. But the Houthis, who defied a Saudi-led bombing campaign for nearly a decade, are still standing, along with pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.

In further violence in the Middle East, an Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinian men in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, medics said on Monday.

Israel's military, which began its Gaza campaign after the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October, 2023, said it had conducted operations in central Gaza and Rafah against "terrorists" operating near their forces and trying to plant bombs.

The bloodshed underscores the fragility of a three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. There was no sign of progress from renewed talks on sustaining a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The Houthis said last week they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea if Israel did not lift a block on aid entering Gaza. Its fighters have also fired drones and missiles towards Israel.

Israel, which has hit multiple Houthi-linked targets in Yemen, has warned the militants to halt their strikes, saying they risked the same "miserable fate" as Hamas, Hezbollah and Assad. Trump has warned Iran to halt support for the Houthis.

U.S. warplanes shot down 11 Houthi drones on Sunday, a U.S. official told Reuters. U.S. forces also tracked a missile that splashed down off the coast of Yemen, the official said.

(Reporting by Yomna Ehab, Hatem Maher, Ahmed Tolba; additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo; Writing by Michael Georgy, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Elon Musk is no ordinary billionaire. Hes the worlds richest man, the head of multiple frontier technologies, a chainsaw-wielding exhibitionist, and direct advisor to President Trump. That alone raises concerns. But add in his deep financial ties to China, his influence over U.S. defense infrastructure, and his alleged ketamine use, and those concerns increase exponentially.

When we think of national security threats, we think of foreign adversaries, spies, rogue actors and hostile governments. We think of cyberattacks, intelligence leaks and backdoor deals made in smoky rooms. But what if one of the greatest risks isnt an outsider trying to break in, but rather an insider so deeply enmeshed in Americas technological and defense systems that his personal interests could compromise the entire structure? One could argue that this is the risk posed by Elon Musk.

The 53-year-olds relationship with China is lucrative; its also dangerous. He has long heaped praise on the Chinese Communist Party, calling the Chinese smart and hardworking. Musk has even parroted Beijings talking points on Taiwan, likening it to Hawaii. Unlike other Western CEOs who take a more cautious stance, Musks demeanor is clearly deferential, even sycophantic.

Why? Because China holds significant leverage over him.

Teslas Shanghai Gigafactory exists because the Chinese Communist Party greenlit it. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his colleagues offer Tesla rare privileges not afforded to other foreign automakers. In turn, Tesla relies on China for manufacturing, battery production and a massive chunk of its revenue. Teslas presence in China is a privilege, not a right; the moment Musk falls out of favor with Beijing, it can all be taken away. If the Chinese Communist Party were to pull the plug, Teslas valuation would plummet. That alone is concerning.

However, as readers know all too well, Musk isnt just producing cars.

His private ventures  SpaceX, Neuralink, xAI  control technologies with direct military applications. And according to the Financial Times, wealthy Chinese investors have been quietly pouring tens of millions into these firms. Theyre doing so through special-purpose vehicles, legal structures designed to shield their identities from scrutiny.

Three China-backed asset managers admitted to selling over $30 million worth of shares in SpaceX, xAI, and Neuralink to anonymous investors in the last two years. The real figure could be much higher.

This should concern all Americans, regardless of their political affiliations. China operates under a fundamentally different economic mode to the U.S. One where private industry and state interests are deeply intertwined. Any Chinese investor, particularly those with access to significant capital, is subject to Beijings influence, if not outright control. If the Communist Party decides it needs access to a specific technology, it has ample tools  legal and extralegal  to extract cooperation from any company with Chinese funding.

And Musks companies are particularly valuable targets. SpaceXs Starlink system has already played a critical role in military operations, most notably in Ukraine, where it has provided battlefield communications independent of terrestrial infrastructure. But Musk has also demonstrated a willingness to unilaterally restrict access, at one point denying Ukraine coverage near Crimea to avoid escalating tensions with Russia.

If China gains even indirect influence over Starlink through its financial backchannels, it raises urgent questions. For instance, could Beijing pressure Musk to restrict or deny access to U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific during a conflict over Taiwan?

Neuralink presents another, more insidious risk. Brain-machine interface technology is still in its infancy, but its potential military applications are profound  from human performance enhancement to next-generation cyberwarfare capabilities. If China-backed investors have access, even peripherally, to Neuralinks breakthroughs, it could accelerate Beijings own bio-digital research, a field in which the Chinese military has already expressed interest.

Then theres xAI.

Artificial intelligence is fast becoming the new arms race. Musks ambition to challenge OpenAI puts him in direct competition with U.S. national security priorities. If Chinese money is filtering into xAI through shadow investments, it creates an unseen pathway for Beijing to influence the development of next-generation AI models  ones that could be used in autonomous weapons systems, cybersecurity and intelligence gathering.

To be absolutely clear, China doesnt just want to compete with the United States in these fields; it wants to dominate them. And it doesnt play fair. Beijing is notorious for forcing Western companies into joint ventures, extracting intellectual property and using economic leverage to manipulate decision-making.

Yet Musk, for all his supposed brilliance, has positioned himself in such a way that China can exert enormous influence over his empire  without ever needing to threaten or hack a single system.

Then theres the personal issue.

Musk has admitted to using ketamine to treat depression. But there are reports that his use extends beyond medical purposes and into recreational indulgence. The Atlantic recently explored the effects of long-term ketamine use, citing research from Celia Morgan, a leading expert in psychopharmacology.

Her extensive study followed 120 frequent ketamine users over a year. The results were damning.

Every participant suffered profound memory issues. They became increasingly dissociated from reality. They exhibited signs of delusional thinking.

Ketamine is not some mild, benign substance. Unlike traditional antidepressants, it acts on the brain in ways that can distort perception. Chronic ketamine consumption has been linked to extreme paranoia and even psychosis.

Musk has direct influence over U.S. military assets, AI research and advanced neurotechnology.

Suppose his ketamine use is anything beyond occasional therapeutic doses. In that case, it means Musk is functioning under the influence of a dissociative anesthetic while making decisions that could shape geopolitics, warfare and technological advancement.

The precedent here is unthinkable. If a top general, a CIA director or a Cabinet-level official were known to be abusing a hallucinogenic drug, they would be immediately removed from their position. And for good reason.

Yet, rather incredibly, Musk, a man with arguably more power than many high-ranking government officials, faces no such scrutiny.

This isnt about moralizing drug use; its about the security of each and every American. A man whose mind appears to be chemically altered by a substance known to cause delusions should not be dictating the future of Americas most sensitive technologies. A mentally compromised individual with financial vulnerabilities tied to a hostile foreign power is not just a liability.

Its a national security crisis waiting to happen.

John Mac Ghlionn is a writer and researcher who explores culture, society and the impact of technology on daily life.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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German defense contractor Rheinmetalls stock price has skyrocketed more than 1,000% since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. As the EU plans a 800 billion boost in defense spending, Rheinmetall expects growth to remain strong.

German defense contractor Rheinmetall sees unprecedented gains ahead as Europe embarks on a massive military buildup, even after reporting already-strong growth.

Headquartered in Dusseldorf, Germany, the company reported 2024 total revenue of 9.8 billion on Wednesday, up 36% from 2023. The defense business led the companys sales growth last year, surging 50% to 7.6 billion. Additionally, the backlog increased 44% to 55 billion a new record high.

Last years growth was helped by Europes continued military aid for Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Rheinmetalls stock price has climbed more than 1,000%.

Meanwhile, the European Union recently announced plans to increase its defense spending by 800 billion ($867 billion) as historic US allies seek to take more responsibility for their security.

An era of rearmament has begun in Europe that will demand a lot from all of us, CEO Armin Papperger said in a statement. However, it also brings us at Rheinmetall growth prospects for the coming years that we have never experienced before.

For this year, Rheinmetall expects total sales to increase 25%-30% and defense sales to climb 35%-40%. While those numbers would fall short of 2024's, actual sales by the end of the year could turn out to be even bigger.

Rheinmetall noted in its report the outlook does not take into account geopolitical developments in recent weeks, saying updates to its forecasts could come later as requirements of its military customers become clearer.

With a 50% sales growth in the defence business, Rheinmetall is on its way from being a European systems supplier to a global champion, Papperger said.

In recent years, the European leader in munition production invested nearly 8 billion in new manufacturing facilities, acquisitions, and supply-chain security. In January, Rheinmetall announced it acquired a majority share in a Bavarian software developer that specializes in digitizing warfare.

In addition to manufacturing missiles and bombs, Rheinmetall also makes tanks, air-defense systems, and autonomous ground vehicles. Most notably, it produces the Panther KF51 main battle tank. A major supplier to Ukraine, Rheinmetall has plants in the war-torn country along with Lithuania, Hungary, and Romania.

Additionally, the company looks to continue its growth in Germany and is reportedly interested in a Volkswagen plant in Osnabruk.

On Wednesday, Papperger said the facility would be very suitable for the companys expansion plans and would be more affordable than building a factory from the ground up.

Papperger cautioned that while there was no concept for Rheinmetall to move onto Volkswagens turf, things could still move quickly.

One thing is clear: before Ill build a new tank factory in Germany, well of course take a look at it, he said.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
A photo and red dress calling for a search of the landfills for Marcedes Myrans remains, in downtown Winnipeg, Canada, on 27 September 2023. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images

Canadian police have confirmed the identity of a second woman whose body was dumped at a private landfill near Winnipeg by a serial killer who preyed on Indigenous women and left their bodies hidden in trash.

The Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted police said in a statement on Monday that the human remains found in the Prairie Green Landfill, north of Winnipeg, were those of Marcedes Myran, 26.

Myrans family has been notified and the Manitoba government continues to ask that the familys privacy be respected.

The young woman from Long Plain First Nation was killed in 2022 by Jeremy Skibicki, who was given a life sentence in July 2024 after he was found guilty of first-degree murder over four murders described as jarring and numbing by the judge overseeing the case.

Last week, police announced that another set of human remains found at the Prairie Green Landfill, north of Winnipeg had been identified as those of Morgan Harris, 39.

The discovery came after local officials were forced into a U-turn, launching a large search operation after initially suggesting that it would be too costly to examine the refuse, much of which was buried under tonnes of clay.

The remains of a third victim, Rebecca Contois, a member of Crane River First Nation, were found in a dumpster near Skibickis home in 2022.

Investigators are still trying to locate the remains of Skibeckis fourth victim, an unidentified woman known as Mashkode Bizhikiikwe (Buffalo Woman).

Police first suggested in 2022 that the some of the victims bodies were buried in the landfill, but said that any recovery would be too challenging, prompting disbelief and outrage from family members.

Related: The daughter fighting to recover her mothers remains from a landfill

They keep saying it comes down to feasibility. But it doesnt come down to feasibility when its about human beings and bringing these people home, Cambria Harris, Morgans daughter, said at the time. After meeting with former prime minister Justin Trudeau, she was blunt: I told him these women need to be found, and they need to come home.

The provinces former Progressive Conservative premier Heather Stefanson nonetheless defended the decision not to search the landfill in 2023.

My heart goes out to the families. Its a horrific situation that theyre facing right now, but Im also the premier and we have to make what are difficult decisions, she said. These are decisions that need to be made, and I continue to stand by the decision that has been made.

She and others in her government said the search was too costly and too hazardous  a conclusion other experts rejected.

At the time, Federal Crown-Indigenous Relations minister Marc Miller called the decision heartless and said a search was necessary.

A search of the landfill became central to a provincial election in 2023, in which New Democratic party leader Wab Kinew campaigned on a search of the landfill. Kinews party won a majority government and last year, the federal government pledged C$40m to search for the victims.

When the positive identification of Harriss remains were first announced, Kinew praised the family members as having been the people who called us to our better nature and to do the right thing.

Related: Canadian police identify remains of murdered Indigenous woman at landfill

Excavation began at the privately run landfill in December, with teams sorting through nearly 20,300 cubic metres of material with rakes and by hand.

An enormous steel heated building was also constructed to allow teams to sift though wet material by hand while outside temperatures hovered at about -20C.

Of the 45 search technicians hired, including family liaisons, a forensic anthropologist, a health and safety officer, and a director of operations, half are Indigenous.

Kinew said: The effort itself is a microcosm of where were at as a country  people from different walks of life coming together to try to do the right thing for these families.
FILE - Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP)  The suspect in the attempted assassination of Slovakia populist Prime Minister Robert Fico last year has been indicted on terror charges, prosecutors said Monday.

Fico, a divisive figure in Slovakia over his pro-Russia stance, was shot in the abdomen on May 15 as he greeted supporters in the town of Handlova, and has since recovered from multiple wounds.

The suspected assailant, who has been identified by prosecutors only as J.C., was immediately arrested after the attack. Police wrapped up their investigation into him last month and recommended he face trial. It was not immediately clear when the trial might happen.

The suspect originally was charged with attempted murder. Prosecutors in July dropped that charge and said they were instead seeking the more serious charge of engaging in a terror attack, based on evidence the investigators obtained, but they gave no further details.

Government officials initially said they believed the attack was politically motivated and committed by a lone wolf, but also claimed that a third party might have been involved in acting for the benefit of the perpetrator.

Thousands have repeatedly rallied across Slovakia to protest Ficos pro-Russian stance and other policies.

Fico returned to power for the fourth time after his leftist party Smer, or Direction, won the parliamentary election in 2023.
President Donald Trump's administration made a calculated decision to ignore a judge's directive to turn around two flights containing hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The verbal order from the chief judge of the Washington, D.C., District Court, James Boasberg, explicitly told the government to turn around any aircraft that had already departed the country if it was still in the air.

PHOTO: Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center prison, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, obtained March 16, 2025. (Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia via Reuters)

"You shall inform your clients of this immediately any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States," Boasberg said during a hearing on Saturday. "However that's accomplished, turning around the plane, or not embarking anyone on the plane.  This is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately."

Finding the deportations would cause irreparable harm, Boasberg barred the Trump administration from deporting "all non-citizens who are subject to the AEA proclamation" for at least 14 days, imposing a temporary restraining order or TRO.

During that time, while the lawsuit makes its way through the courts, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is meant to keep the noncitizens in its custody.

MORE: Judge blocks Trump from deporting noncitizens under Alien Enemies Act, orders flights turned around

However, top lawyers and officials in the administration made the determination that since the flights were over international waters, Boasberg's order did not apply.

The administration said that the planes needed to land because of "operational" and "national security" reasons, sources told ABC News.

It was during the hearing that the two planes took off.

Sources said that the administration wanted to get these planes in the air and over international waters prior to any ruling from the judge.

MORE: DHS arrests another student involved in Columbia university protests

However, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on Sunday evening that the administration did not refuse to comply with a court order.

She said the order was issued after the alleged gang members had already been removed from U.S. territory, arguing that the written order and the administrations actions do not conflict.

Federal courts generally have no jurisdiction over the Presidents conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion, Leavitt said in a statement.

MORE: Trump admin live updates: Did deportation flights defy a judge's order?

Also on Sunday, the Trump administration asked the D.C. Circuit Court for a stay of Boasberg's ruling.

Administration officials contend that Boasberg lacked jurisdiction to enter the TRO, which the administration describes in a filing to the appellate court as "unprecedented."

"This Court should halt this massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive's authority to remove people that Defendants had determined to be members of TdA, a group the President and the Secretary of State have found to be a threat to national security. This Court should halt this unprecedented intrusion upon the Executive's authority to remove dangerous aliens who pose grave threats to the American people," wrote a Justice Department attorney in an emergency motion for a stay, referring to the passengers aboard the flight, whom the administration alleges are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Trump announced on Saturday that he had signed a proclamation declaring that the Tren de Aragua gang was "conducting irregular warfare" against the U.S. and therefore would deport its members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

PHOTO: Alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua who were deported by the U.S. government, are detained at the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador in a photo obtained Mar. 16, 2025. (Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia via AFP via Getty Images)

The stay argued that Trump's actions in invoking the AEA "are not subject to judicial review" and that there was "no lawful basis" for the court to enjoin the implementation of the president's proclamation.

"If this TRO allowed to stand," the DOJ wrote in the filing, "district courts would have license to enjoin virtually any urgent national-security action upon bare receipt of a complaint."

The D.C. Circuit Court ordered a response to be filed by Tuesday at 5 p.m. by the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the underlying case.

Trump administration ignores judge's order to turn deportation planes around: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The White House on Monday was facing a legal battle over its use of the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law, under which the United States began deporting Venezuelans allegedly linked to organized crime.

President Donald Trump also said he planned on Tuesday to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the U.S. president seeks to find common ground for a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.





Latest Developments





Mar 18, 9:48 AM

Trump takes aim at judge amid court battle over deportation flights

President Donald Trump is ramping up criticism of U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, who conducted a "fact-finding" hearing on Monday over whether the Trump administration knowingly violated a court order when it flew more than 200 alleged gang members to El Salvador over the weekend.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the media during a guided tour of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before leading a board meeting, Mar. 17, 2025 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In a new social media post, Trump suggested the federal judge should be impeached.



"This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges' I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!" Trump wrote. "WE DON'T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY."



-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh





Mar 18, 8:47 AM

DOGE, DC police force way into independent US Institute for Peace

DOGE staffers entered the independent nonprofit U.S. Institute for Peace (USIP) on Monday night. Acting President and CEO George Moose told reporters that the group had "broken in" to the building after being rebuffed on Friday. USIP posted a statement on Saturday following the incident.



The White House and DOGEare saying that Moose is no longer in charge of USIP and was removed on March 14, and that Kenneth Jackson has now been installed as CEO.

PHOTO: A sign for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is seen on its' building headquarters on February 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

The administration has also apparently fired most of the 15-member board, save for the officials who are legally mandated to sit on it: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Defense University President Peter Garvin. The remaining 12 members are typically selected by the president and confirmed through the Senate.



-ABC News' Chad Murray and Nicholas Kerr





Mar 18, 4:42 AM

Tulsi Gabbard backs Trumps clear-eyed Ukraine-Russia negotiations

The Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said President Donald Trump is clear-eyed and is focused on peace in efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, speaking during two interviews in India.



When asked about an upcoming meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Gabbard said, With any of these kinds of negotiations, there's a lot of work that goes between people representing both countries, or all of the countries involved in this situation, and at the appropriate time, I'm sure that President Trump will have a very productive conversation with Putin, once again, rooted in his current commitment to peace.



She added, "In a very short period of time, President Trump has made much more progress towards peace than any effort that has occurred by anyone previously. So we're very encouraged by this progress, and President Trump remains committed to the objective of peace.



He's looking forward to success in those negotiations, not for himself, but for the cause of peace and to stop the killing of innocent and taking of innocent lives there, she said.





Mar 17, 10:07 PM

Trump says he looks 'very much forward' to call with Putin

President Donald Trump teased teased his forthcoming phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he looks "very much forward to the call" Tuesday morning.



"Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine. Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains," Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday night.



"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin," the president added.



-ABC News' Molly Nagle





Mar 17, 6:53 PM

Trump pulls Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden

Trump announced Monday on Truth Social that Hunter and Ashley Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection.



"Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer. There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous! He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned," Trump wrote on his social media platform.



Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list," Trump said.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden, accompanied by Hunter Biden walks out of a bookstore in downtown Nantucket, Massachusetts, Nov. 29, 2024. (Craig Hudson/Reuters)

The President was asked earlier Monday who was paying for Hunter Bidens Secret Service protection and he said he would look into the matter later in the day.



It's not unusual for the children of an outgoing president to receive an extension on their protection as a courtesy extended to the outgoing president and his family. Trumps four adult children and their two spouses received Secret Service protection for an additional six months after Trump's first term.



-ABC News Molly Nagle, Hannah Demissie and Luke Barr





Mar 17, 6:21 PM

Miller questions judges authority over immigration policy

Shortly after Trumps border czar Tom Homan flat out stated he didn't "care" what judges thought, Stephen Miller, Trumps deputy chief of staff for policy, questioned the authority of a district court judge to rule over the president's immigration policies.



I asked Miller if this administration believes it needs to comply with a verbal court order. He took it one step farther.



The American people said, to get these terrorist gangs the hell out of our country. The President has plenary authority under the Constitution, under the Alien Enemies Act, under the IMA, under core article, two powers to achieve that and no district court judge, who presides over to some small like little geography of the whole country could possibly presume to have the authority to direct the expulsion of terrorists from our soil, who by the way are also here illegally, he stated, calling the order patently unlawful.

PHOTO: Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington, Mar. 17, 2025. (Ben Curtis/AP)

The White House has not provided the names of the alleged gang members who were deported or any substantial evidence of the crimes they committed in the United States.



I asked Miller why the White House has released images and videos of the people they deported but has not released their names. He cited "operational security reasons.



"Well, they are actually foreign terrorists and alien enemies the United States and everything that we do is for operational security reasons. We are dealing with one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations on planet Earth," he said.



He added, "They're even more ruthless and violent than MS-13, and so operational security and public safety and national security always going to guide any decisions that are made in this regard."



-ABC News Rachel Scott





Mar 17, 5:41 PM

Trump says unredacted Kennedy assassination files will be released Tuesday

Trump said Monday during a visit to the Kennedy Center that he will release all of the files related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy on Tuesday.



But while we're here, I thought it would be appropriate. We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files, Trump told reporters after attending his first Kennedy Center board meeting after being elected chair by the board he installed.



Trump said there were 80,000 pages of documents and there would be no executive summary.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the media after attending a board meeting at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, Mar. 17, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

We have a tremendous amount of paper. You've got a lot of reading, he said.



Trump said the effort is being led by Tulsi Gabbard, his director of national intelligence, and that he didnt think anything would be redacted.



I said, Just don't redact. You can't redact, he said, noting that he was fulfilling a campaign promise.



When asked if hes seen the files, Trump said he has heard about them.



-ABC News Molly Nagle





Mar 17, 8:17 PM

FAA reinstating more than 100 employees who were laid off, union says

The Federal Aviation Administration is reinstating 132 FAA employees represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists who were terminated as part of the mass layoffs across federal agencies, according to the union.



Those being reinstated include aeronautical information specialists who evaluated and prepared navigation maps, routes, charts, procedures and flight paths -- such as helicopter routes around Reagan National Airport and introduction of drones, the union said.

PHOTO: FAA Headquarters In Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Reagan National was the site of a midair collision between a regional jetliner and an Army helicopter last month that killed all 67 people on the two aircraft.



Others returning to work include maintenance mechanics responsible for servicing air traffic control facilities, as well as environmental protection specialists and aviation safety assistants.



Employees will return to work March 20 and will receive back pay from February 15. the union said.



ABC News has reached out to the FAA and Department of Transportation for comment on the reinstatement.



-ABC News' Ayesha Ali





Mar 17, 3:12 PM

IRS probationary workers temporarily reinstated, placed on leave

Probationary IRS workers on Monday received emails reinstating them at the agency but placing them on administrative leave in light of the court order, according to notices reviewed by ABC News.



"While you are being reinstated to federal service, you are also being placed on Administrative Leave," the note read. "You should not report to duty or perform any work until receiving further guidance."



--ABC News' Benjamin Siegel





Mar 17, 2:09 PM

White House defends deportation flights amid scrutiny

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's defiance of a judge's order to turn around two flights containing hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members as she was peppered with questions during Monday's briefing.



"What do you say to Americans who want safe streets but are concerned due process is being violated?" one reporter asked.



"The president is using every lever of his executive authority and his constitutional authority within the bounds of the immigration laws of our country to ensure that our streets are safer for law-abiding American citizens," Leavitt responded.

PHOTO: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Mar. 17, 2025, in Washington. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

When pressed for more details about the individuals deported and how they were determined for removal, Leavitt said that ICE and CBP were "sure about the identities of the individuals who were on these planes and the threat that they posed to our homeland."



On ignoring the judge's order over the weekend, Leavitt contended that the flights had already departed by the time the written ruling was handed down at 7:26 p.m. When asked about the judge's verbal order, which was given earlier than the written ruling, Leavitt repeated her statement and questioned the validity of verbal orders.

Click here to read the rest of the blog.
RYLSK, Russia  A few miles behind the front line with Ukraine on Monday, there were clear signs of fierce fighting in Russias southwestern Kursk even as the Trump administration touted its efforts to end the three-year war.

On Monday, an NBC News team saw three trucks carrying what appeared to be bodies of Russian soldiers, and many more transporting the injured away from the battlefield in the heavily militarized region. Two other trucks hauled a pair of American Bradley Fighting Vehicles  a tank-like workhorse used to carry troops into battle  apparently left by retreating Ukrainian forces.

Meanwhile, Russia's Kommersant newspaper also ran a large picture of President Donald Trump, who said late Sunday that negotiators in Washington and Moscow have begun discussing the division of assets between Russia and Ukraine in an effort to end the fighting.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and that they would discuss dividing up certain assets, including land and power plants.

A tank drives through a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine on Saturday.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed by both sides  Ukraine and Russia, Trump said. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned call between the two leaders during a press briefing Monday, but provided no further details.

In the talks expected to get underway Tuesday, Trump will attempt to win Putins support for a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. and Ukraine after their delegates met in Saudi Arabia last week. Putin said they needed to meet crucial demands made by the Kremlin.

The Russian leader and his officials have repeatedly indicated that they want to cement his country's land grabs during the war and stop Kyiv from ever joining NATO.

Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko reiterated those goals, telling the Russian outlet Izvestia that the Kremlin will seek iron-clad security guarantees to ensure Kyivs exclusion from NATO in any peace deal and Ukraines neutrality regarding the bloc.

Pressure has been mounting on Russia to cede to Trump's demands after Ukraine accepted the ceasefire proposal last week, though Grushko's comments Monday made no reference to it.

Grushko also said that Russia would oppose any troops in Ukraine as part of post-conflict guarantees, including NATO troops, with Britain and France both saying in recent weeks that they are willing to send forces to monitor any ceasefire.

If [those soldiers] appear there, it means that they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict, he added.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels on Monday that the stipulations the Russians have given show that they dont really want peace, actually, because they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war, according to Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with international leaders hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday.

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also told reporters that a significant number of European countries were willing to provide peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as part of a peace deal, according to Reuters.

The comments came after heavy fighting in Kursk over the weekend as Russian forces continued to slowly take territory in the region where Ukrainian forces have maintained a foothold for the past seven months.

The Ukrainian government sees Kursk as a valuable bargaining chip in any peace talks, but in recent weeks, it has been forced to retreat from parts of the region.

New images shown on Russian government channels over the weekend displayed an intensified military offensive by the country's forces, bolstered by support from North Korean troops and the Trump administration's temporary suspension of military and intelligence assistance to Kyiv.

Even as Trump has attempted to play peacemaker, saying on Truth Social Friday that he had asked the Kremlin not to attack Ukrainian troops in Kursk, Putin has urged his troops on, appearing in military fatigues during a visit to the region last week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, accused Putin of prolonging the war and ignoring U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy, Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Saturday.

We are ready to provide our partners with all the real information on the situation at the front, in the Kursk region and along our border, he added.

Keir Simmons reported from Rylsk and Astha Rajvanshi from London.
On Monday, President Donald Trump signaled that he intends to nullify the presidential pardonsissued to those on the House Jan. 6 committee that investigated Trumpexecuted by President Joe Biden because, he said, they were signed via autopen.

The 'Pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen, the President shared on his social media platform Truth Social. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden.

But according to the U.S. Constitution, the President has no such authority to overturn his predecessors pardons, especially not based on the type of signature, legal experts say. The Constitution doesn't even require that the pardon be written, so the idea that the signature is by autopen rather than by handwritten signature seems not relevant to the constitutionality because Article II just says that the President has the power to pardon, says Bernadette Meyler, a Stanford Law School professor and constitutional law expert.

Autopen is an electronic signature that allows individuals to sign a document without physically being there. The signature mimics a handwritten signature, but is done by a computer. A vast number of statutes and other documents have been signed by autopen, experts say. For instance, former President Barack Obama signed a national security measure via autopen while he was in France. Meyler says that if presidential pardons were to be invalidated because of an autopen signature, that could bring into question other policies that were signed by such measures. When so much is being automated and put online, requiring some literalness in the signature really would be a step backwards," she says.

A 2005 guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) noted that a President does not need to personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law. Rather, the President may sign a bill within the meaning of Article I, Section 7 by directing a subordinate to affix the Presidents signature to such a bill, for example by autopen.

Jeffrey Crouch, a professor at American University, told Axios that pardons are final so long as they are valid.

But aside from criticizing the use of the autopen, Trump also appears to be undermining President Bidens cognitive ability at the time such pardons were issued. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden, Trump wrote on Monday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed this position during a White House briefing on Monday, when she questioned whether Biden knew his signature was on such pardons. When asked if the White House had any evidence to support such a claim, Leavitt responded, You're a reporter, you should find out.

These concerns were previously flagged by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who called on the DOJ to investigate Bidens actions on March 5. I am demanding the DOJ investigate whether President Bidens cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval, Bailey posted on X.

If Trump were to try to prosecute someone who received a presidential pardon, experts say the case would likely go to courts, where Trumps actions are unlikely to stand. I can't imagine the court saying that it wasn't a valid pardon because of the autopen issue, says Meyler. Biden made statements regarding these pardons, so it would be hard to show that they weren't a decision of the President.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A member of the U.S. Air Force has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Sahela Sangrait, whose body was discovered nearly seven months after she was first reported missing.

The investigation into Sangraits death  which began earlier this month after a hiker found her body in an area south of Hill City, S.D.  led authorities to arrest Quinterius Chappelle, an active-duty airman currently stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in the state. The Pennington County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) announced the arrest on Facebook on Saturday, March 15.

Chappelle, 24, was arrested on federal charges for second-degree murder, according to the PCSO. He was booked into Pennington County Jail on Friday, March 14, at 11:41 p.m. local time, per jail records viewed by PEOPLE.

Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota

In the same update, the PCSO also said that investigators have determined that Sangrait was murdered at the South Dakota Air Force base. And, "due to the jurisdiction of the crime, the case will be prosecuted by the United States Attorneys Office, police said.

The PCSO also said the investigation was a collaborative effort between local, state and federal law enforcement, including the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

It is not immediately clear whether Chappelle has legal representation to comment on his behalf.

The South Dakota sheriffs office said that authorities had identified the remains of Sangrait and officially announced that the case was being investigated as a homicide on Wednesday, March 12.

Sahela Sangrait

The identification came about a week after a hiker first discovered the remains and reported them to police with a call about a "badly decomposed body" on March 4. Sangrait was first reported missing on Aug. 10, 2024.

According to a post on the South Dakota Missing Persons Alerts Facebook page, Sangrait was last believed to be staying with a friend in Eagle Butte, KOTA-TV reported.

She "left stating that she would be traveling to Box Elder to get some of her things" ahead of a trip to California, and there had been "zero contact" since, per a missing persons flyer.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Gofundme Sahela Sangrait

After police identified the remains, a GoFundMe was created to raise money for Sangraits funeral expenses. It also shared more insight into the beautiful Box Elder woman, who mostly went by the name Shy.

"Shy is a beautiful, inclusive and mesmerizing spirit, the fundraiser states. She entered the world on March 26, 2003, to a slew of misfortune, only to attack it all head-on with a smile on her face.

She is intelligent, witty, intuitive, and all around a good spirit to be close to, the description continues. We are all so lucky to know her.

Read the original article on People
USPS mail boxes.

A Washington, D.C., postal worker was found guilty last week of stealing more than $1.6 million worth of U.S. Treasury and private party checks from the mail to fund a "lavish lifestyle," officials said.

Hachikosela Muchimba, 44, was an employee at the U.S. Postal Service. Between Dec. 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba deposited altered checks into bank accounts under his control, according to a news release from the U.S. attorneys office, District of Columbia, on Friday.

Bank surveillance footage captured him making deposits and withdrawals of the funds, the release said.

Muchimba used the proceeds from his scheme "to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and purchases at gentlemens clubs," the attorneys office said.

A jury Thursday found Muchimba guilty of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud, theft of mail, bank fraud and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity. The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison and five years for mail theft.

Muchimba was also found guilty of unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization. He falsely told U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers that he had not committed any crimes for which he had not been arrested when applying to become a naturalized citizen. This offense has a maximum penalty of 10 years of incarceration and possible administrative denaturalization.

Muchimba is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 8 and will remain in custody until that time.
Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic are partnering to bring electric air taxis to the United Kingdom. John Keeble/Getty Images

Joby Aviation is partnering with Virgin Atlantic to launch flying taxis in the United Kingdom.

The company said the air taxi can carry up to four passengers.

Joby also plans to launch air taxis in the US in New York and Los Angeles.

UK residents can soon skip the Tube, Uber, and hours of traffic by gliding through the skies in long-imagined flying taxis.

Electric air taxi company Joby and British airline Virgin Atlantic announced a new partnership on Sunday to bring flying taxis to the UK.

Joby said its air cabs use "six tilting propellers" that allow them to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise of a helicopter.

The aircraft is designed for back-to-back flights and can carry up to four passengers at a time. They can fly at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and be used for trips of up to 100 miles. A more than hourlong car ride from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf would become an 8-minute flight by air taxi.

The company plans to build a network of landing locations, known as vertiports, across the UK. At launch, it expects pricing to be in line with "premium" ride-sharing options.

Joby and Delta Air Lines  which has a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic  announced a partnership in 2022 to use air taxis for transporting customers to the airport across the US and UK. Joby is also backed by Toyota and Uber.

"Virgin Atlantic's commitment to delighting its customers reflects our experience with Delta and we couldn't imagine a better partner to work with in the UK," Joby's founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt, said in the company's press release.

Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said, "As a leader in sustainability and with innovation firmly in our DNA, we are delighted to be partnering with Joby to bring short-haul, zero-emission flight to airports and cities throughout the UK."

Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles , or eVTOLs, the technical name for air taxis, still need to clear a few regulatory hurdles before they're ready to take flight. But the UK has a roadmap called the Future of Flight Action Plan that aims to have the first eVTOL in the air by 2026.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration cleared Joby's air taxis for flight in a "final rule" published in October that provides guidelines for training pilots and operations. Joby has plans to launch its first air taxis in Dubai in late 2025 or early 2026, a spokesperson said.

United Airlines, which has a partnership with eVTOL company Archer Aviation, is also planning to launch its first air taxis this year.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Marcin Jozwiak | Unsplash

(The Center Square)  The Washington Senate unanimously passed a bill earlier this month that would require the state Department of Ecology to release a report on statewide carbon emissions every year, rather than two years as it currently does.

The bills backers say the change is needed to better set environmental policies and track whether taxpayer dollars spent to meet those goals are spent well.

We just got data from 2020, it is now 2025, Senate Bill 5036s sponsor Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, told the Senate Ways & Means Committee at a Feb. 18 public hearing. We are using a lot of data throughout the state. This is a good bill to utilize that data sooner, quicker and more current data. I think it allows to get to better decisions that will impact that soon as we move to the future.

According to the latest data from Ecology, carbon emissions increased in 2021 from 2020, but remained below 2019 levels. However, The Center Square has reported that despite the decrease in emissions the state is still not meeting its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set by the Legislature.

Though the goals were met in 2020, some environmental analysts have noted that this was due to the state-imposed lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 virus, which among other things significantly reduced transportation, a sector that makes up half of all statewide emissions annually. Although the 2021 Climate Commitment Act forces emitters to either reduce their carbon footprint or purchase allowances via quarterly auctions, only 11% of CCA revenue goes towards projects that reduce carbon emissions. In the fiscal year 2024, the projects related to carbon reduced statewide annual emissions by roughly .3%.

Boehnke told colleagues on the Senate floor prior to a bill vote that were putting millions of dollars into these projects. Theyre going throughout our state. This just gives us a measuring stick to see if we're accurate, we're transparent, and our money is actually going to that return on investment that we want to see.

Also speaking also in favor of the bill was Sen. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, who told Senate colleagues it is hard to improve on what you don't measure. This bill is a good little bill to improve transparency and also make sure that our what we measure is meaningful.

The bill is now being considered in the House of Representatives.

SB 5036 is scheduled for a March 20 public hearing in the House Environment & Energy Committee.
President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2025. - Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The White House is denying that it violated a judges order Saturday to halt the deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, which, if it did occur, would take legal showdowns over the administrations claims of vast presidential power closer to the edge of a constitutional crisis.

The drama surrounds Venezuelan migrants expelled with the rare use of an 18th-century law  the Alien Enemies Act  another controversial decision and one that may represent overreach by President Donald Trump.

US District Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked the deportations to consider the implications of using the act  and said in court that any planes already in the air carrying migrants should return to the US. But the administration announced on Sunday that 250 deportees that it said were affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang were in El Salvadorian custody.

A carefully worded statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Sunday evening only deepened intrigue over whether officials defied the judge.

The Administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist (Tren de Aragua) aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory, Leavitt said.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil, she added.

A distinction Leavitt made about the judges written order, and the fact she noted the migrants had left US soil but did not say when in the timeline they arrived in El Salvador, seem significant. Her use of the phrase aircraft carrier is confusing, however. And White Houses dont have the power to decree whether court orders are lawful.

As he flew back to Washington on Sunday night after a weekend in Florida, Trump defended his administrations actions but dodged a question on whether the judges instructions had been followed.

I can tell you this, these were bad people. That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres, he said. But asked whether his government violated court orders he replied: Youd have to speak to the lawyers about that.

The exact timing of Boasbergs orders and how they correspond to the deportation operation is not yet clear. But if the administration defied the judge, it would potentially create the most serious legal quagmire of the administration so far and would fuel fears that an authoritarian presidency could openly defy the rule of law.

Attorneys from the ACLU/Democracy Forward asked Boasberg in an overnight filing into Monday to seek immediate clarification in sworn declarations, about the conduct of officials regarding his orders. They want to know whether flights with migrants took off after the judges written or oral instructions were issued and whether flights subject to them landed or were in the air and whether those expelled were handed to a foreign country after he ordered the temporary halt.

In a separate case, a judge in Boston will hold a hearing Monday into whether Customs and Border Protection officials willfully disobeyed his order blocking the removal of a Rhode Island doctor, Reuters reported. Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, a Brown University assistant professor and US visa holder was deported to Lebanon after returning from a trip to visit relatives in the country.

Trump is acting now and not waiting for the consequences

The drama points to a trend.

Trump is wielding huge power now. This leaves those who might constrain him  including the courts and his political opponents  to ask questions later, after his actions have wrought almost irrevocable change.

The invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to speed up deportations is a significant step, as it is meant to be limited to use in wartime.

Meanwhile, a crackdown on student protests highlighted by the arrest of a Palestinian green card holder is being justified on the grounds that his anti-Israel views hurt US foreign policy interests  but critics see an attempt to crush First Amendment rights and dissent in education by a White House untamed by the Constitution.

Trumps sudden shutdown of the taxpayer-funded international radio and television service Voice of America over the weekend, meanwhile, renewed debate over whether he has the power to unilaterally ignore spending authorized in laws passed by Congress and followed his chilling claims on Friday that media outlets that do not promote his MAGA views are corrupt and illegal.

Millions of voters sent Trump to Washington to destroy institutions that they believe do not reflect their culture, values, and material interests. And polls show that among his supporters, Trumps actions are popular.

His mantra is to act fast, since limits on presidential power are mostly retrospective  meaning that Trump can get the desired results before he can be stopped. A government department, for example, can be dismantled beyond repair by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency even if a judge subsequently orders fired workers, programs and funding to be restored.

Deportations to El Salvador trigger legal challenge

The 1798 Alien Enemies Act has resulted in abuses that stained American history. It tarnished the reputation of the second president  John Adams  and was used to justify the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

The text of the law says that it can be invoked whenever a war is declared between the United States and any foreign nation or government or when an Invasion or predatory incursion is perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States by any foreign nation or government and the president makes a proclamation to that effect.

But the United States is not at war with Venezuela, and while Trump has frequently claimed the country is subject to an invasion by undocumented migrants, criminals and gang members, Congress  not the president  has the constitutional responsibility to declare war. So, the question immediately became whether Trump went beyond the powers of the law and his office with the deportations.

Boasbergs temporary restraining order was meant to create time to allow these critical legal arguments to play out.

South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union Sunday that he didnt know whether the administration had ignored the judges order to block the deportations. But he added: We expect the executive branch to follow the law. We have said in the past that we will follow the law  we are a constitutional republic, and we will follow those laws.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday on X that over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua had been sent to El Salvador to be held in their very good jails at a fair price. The US is paying $6 million for their accommodation.

The timing of the various court orders and the deportations is now at issue.

Boasberg had initially blocked the administration from deporting five individuals who lodged a legal challenge. After a later hearing, he broadened his action to cover all noncitizens in US custody subject to Trumps proclamation. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other top DOJ officials argued in a Sunday filing that some gang members were deported between Boasbergs two orders on Saturday. They said the five initial plaintiffs were not removed. The administration has already appealed the judges moves.

The case is significant beyond the judges instructions.

International law generally prohibits the deporting of individuals to places where they could face persecution. The brutal, crowded conditions faced by inmates in El Salvador could meet that threshold. And the government of President Nayib Bukele  whom Trump officials frequently praise  stands accused of constitutional and human rights abuses that infringe most understandings of American foreign policy values in recent decades.

Then there are the concerns about why Trump is using the notorious Alien Enemies act at all, given that other mechanisms exist to expel gang members. The administrations lack of transparency about the identities of those it deported could also raise the possibility that undocumented migrants who are not gang members are being deprived of their legal rights, swept up in the purge and sent to a grim fate in El Salvadors custody.

Giving them this wide latitude to just  claim that anybody is anything is wrong, Texas Democratic Rep Jasmine Crockett told Tapper. We do have courts, we do have processes, we do have laws, and we should just go ahead and use those.

But the political benefits for Trump of acting with strongman zeal are obvious and allow him to imply that anyone who questions his actions are siding with vicious criminals who no one wants in the United States.

Thank you to El Salvador and, in particular, President Bukele, for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to happen to the United States because of incompetent Democrat leadership, the president wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

Free speech concerns raised by detention of green card holder

The administration is also facing questions over the handling of the detention of former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian refugee whose green card was revoked over his involvement in the last years protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

Mahmoud Khalil is seen being arrested on March 8, 2025, in a screengrab from a video recorded by his wife Noor Abdalla. Portions of this video have been obscured by the source. - Noor Abdalla/ACLU

Was Khalil arrested for activities that could legally be categorized as material support for a terrorist organization, or is he being held in infringement of his First Amendment rights as a legal permanent resident of the United States? His supporters say he was targeted purely for speaking up against Israels onslaught against Gaza after the October 7 attacks in 2023.

But Rubio argued on CBS Face the Nation on Sunday that it was very simple to see that Khalil had lied when applying for a green card about his future political activities that included taking part in pro-Hamas events. We never should have allowed him in, in the first place. If he had told us, Im going over there and Im going over there to become the spokesperson and one of the leaders of a movement thats going to turn one of your allegedly elite colleges upside down  people cant even go to school, library buildings being vandalized  we never would have let him in, Rubio said. The secretary of state repeated his contention that Khalils activity ran counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States of America.

US law states that anyone who endorses or espouses terrorist activities or persuades others to do so is ineligible for a visa to enter the country. But the coming case is likely to partly focus on whether those prohibitions apply to a legal permanent resident already in the United States.

Rubio didnt provide evidence in the interview that Khalil had committed a crime or had materially supported a terrorist group or espoused terrorism. If Khalil was merely voicing support for Hamas in a general sense no matter how vile that might seem to many Americans  he may be regarded to be exercising his right to free speech, which is protected by the Constitution, and which cannot be constrained by the government.

This case has caused deep concern because it raises the possibility that any immigrant who is not a citizen could be arrested and deported if they say things that the president or his government unilaterally decide are contrary to the interests of US foreign policy.

Khalils case is also being litigated in the courts. A federal judge has blocked his deportation, and he remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. Like the matter of the alleged Venezuelan gang members, the case seems destined to end up in the Supreme Court  which will face an unprecedented flurry of cases that will define both this administration and the presidency in future.

All the cases contain this question in one form or the other: Does Trump have the vast authority that hes assigned to himself in the most aggressive attempt to wield power in the history of the modern presidency?

The president isnt waiting for the results. Hes bent on forging deep changes to American governance, values and culture that will be hard for any future president or Congress to reverse.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Devan Cole contributed to this report.

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Crystal Beale Facebook

Police have launched a homicide investigation after an Australian mother of two went to dinner with her kids and then met up with her former partner before being found dead in a local river the next morning.

Crystal Beale, 49, is believed to have met up with a former partner after having dinner with her two children on the night of Feb. 21, according to the Brisbane Times. Her body was found by a rower in the Brisbane River the following morning. Police believe Beale's body had been in the water for approximately six hours.

Because her body was found with no immediately visible injuries, per the Times, police originally believed Beale's death was not suspicious. However, police have since reclassified her death as suspicious.

At the time of her discovery, there werent any obvious injuries, which is why it was originally reported as non-suspicious, Detective Acting Inspector Rod Watts said, per the Brisbane Times. Since [the] postmortem ... we do now believe the death is suspicious.

Crystal Beale Facebook Crystal Beale

Beale had been dining with her children and friends in the Sunnybank neighborhood before being driven to another location in the West End  police believe to meet up with her ex. Police have not charged the unnamed man at this time, and they have also not ruled out the possibility that Beale was the victim of a random attack, according to ABC.net.au.

"She's going about her business, having dinner with family, dropped off in an area around that West End, Ryan Street, and at this point in time, we're still trying to piece together what's happened since then, Detective Acting Inspector Rod Watts said, per ABC.net.Au. However, Det. Watts told the outlet police don't believe that she's died under natural circumstances.

"We can't quite accurately identify where she was last seen or how or where she went into the river," Detective Watts said, per AAP.



Queensland Police Service Crystal Beale

Police released a CCTV image of Beale from the restaurant she visited in Sunnybank. In it, shes walking down a hallway wearing a long white dress and holding a large purse.

Officials are still not sure what Beales cause of death was, and they are also awaiting her toxicology results.

According to 7News, there was an expired domestic violence order between Beale and her ex-partner.

Beales 22-year-old daughter Charlie-Rose Wagner wrote in an Instagram post that her mother was SO unique, she was beyond intelligent and she was someone everyone wanted to be around  Taken by the hands of someone else. Wagner also encouraged anyone who might have seen Beale on the night of Feb. 21  or anyone with relevant CCTV footage around Orleigh Park in West End, Brisbane  to contact police.

PEOPLE was unable to immediately reach the Queensland Police Service for comment.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



Read the original article on People
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The agreement between Kyrgyz and Tajiks-sealed by the embrace between Zaparov and Rakhmon-affects as much as 1,000 kilometers of border and and comes after discussions and clashes dating back to the twentieth century, when both states were under Moscow's control. As recently as three years ago, armed clashes had occurred with several casualties on both sides.

Bishkek (AsiaNews) - The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Sadyr Zaparov and Emomali Rakhmon, in previous meetings had never even shaken hands. They finally embraced in Bishkek on March 13, when they signed the border demarcation agreement after many years of even bloody conflict, in what is being called the triumph of diplomacy between the two smaller Central Asian states, the one more closely related to Mongolian ethnicity with the one of predominantly Iranian tradition. The ceremony was sealed by the opening of the first border crossings, the Kajragac and Kyzyl-Bel, after it had not been possible to cross from one country to the other since May 2021, and the next day the air link was reopened on the Biskek-Dusanbe and Biskek-Khudzand routes.

While the whole world remains with bated breath over the negotiations on the cessation of the war between Russia and Ukraine, two Central Asian countries show how it is possible to resolve long-standing disagreements, also derived from the aftermath of the breakup of the Soviet Union, and made even more dramatic precisely by the new aggressions of the Russians to impose a new vision of the world order. The agreement between Kyrgyz and Tajiks covers as much as 1,000 kilometers of border and deserves the status of historic peace of the 21st century in the region, after discussions and clashes dating back to the 20th century, when both states were under Moscow's control.

Even three years ago, more than 400 kilometers remained disputed, and armed clashes had occurred between 2021 and 2022 with several casualties on both sides. A meeting had been held in September 2022 with the mediation of Vladimir Putin, who has since effectively disinterested himself in the issue, having quite other goals to achieve, and Zaparov and Rakhmon had looked at each other in a scowl on both sides of the Moscow czar. Now the three-way embrace at the Biskek airport was solemnized by a parade of Kyrgyz horsemen, dressed in medieval fashions, along with musicians and dancers performing music from both traditions, and a large banner dedicated to the Tajik president, hailed as Your Excellency.

Now the border between the two countries spans more than 1,000 kilometers, 519.9 of which were set in 2011, and the remaining 486.94 in the past three years. Now the agreement will have to be ratified by the parliaments of Biskek and Dushanbe, but this is a formality given both presidents' control over their democratic institutions. It will remain to be seen how it will change the lives of the inhabitants of the areas affected by the borders, which have repeatedly come into conflict and are now reshuffled in territorial exchanges, in a fairly populous but very poor area with severe water shortages. The clashes of the past years, even before they involved the military, were in fact taking place precisely between the population of the two ethnic groups, mainly over access to water sources.

Then in 2021 it had gone directly to the use of heavy artillery, as well as various shootings, all the way to the assault of foreign-made drones (Kyrgyzstan boasted Turkish Bayraktar Tb2 drones), with numerous deaths left on the ground. The following year the clashes had led to evacuations on the Kyrgyz side alone of over 100,000 people, with serious violations of the law of war on both sides, as Human Rights Watch noted at the time, with assaults even on emergency room ambulances.

The head of Kyrgyzstan's security services, Kamcybek Tasiev, explained in his last speech to parliament that the final negotiations were very difficult, mainly because of divisions in the herding areas around Borukh, Tajik land surrounded by Kyrgyz-owned areas. Another sticky point involved a strategic bridge of only about 20 meters to move between the two sides of the Kyrgyz Batken region, which was discussed for six full months. Maps from the 1920s, those still established in Stalin's time, had to be set aside, and the Kyrgyz gave in symbolically, granting their neighbors the village of Dostuk, which translates as Friendship, what is hoped to be the normal relationship between the two peoples, in favor of the unity of all of Central Asia.
by Shafique Khokhar

On 15 March 2015, the 21-year-old died to stop a suicide bomber at St John's Church, saving over 800 worshippers. In Youhanabad, thousands of people gathered to remember him. Fr Khalid Rashid Asi told AsiaNews that the state must learn from his example, and put an end to terrorism and extremism. His cause of beatification is progressing.

Lahore (AsiaNews)  On 15 March 2015, Akash Bashir, 21, stopped a suicide bomber who was trying to enter St John's Catholic Church in Lahore. Although the terrorist blew himself up, Akash managed to save more than 800 faithful gathered at the price of his own life.

In Youhanabad (Lahore), thousands of people gathered for Mass and pay tribute to his memory, offering support and solidarity to his family on the tenth anniversary of his death.

Akash Bashirs legacy continues to inspire and the memory of Pakistan's first servant of God remains etched in the hearts of many people.

Akash Bashir was born on 22 June 1994 and studied at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Lahore. He was an exemplary student, deeply moved to serve others; turning to volunteering, he joined the group that provide security at St Johns Catholic Church.

Ten years ago, Saturday, Akash bravely stood in the way of the attacker together with his colleagues, showing great courage and exceptional promptness.

The Vatican has approved the opening of the cause of beatification for his martyrdom and he was recognised as a servant of God in 31 January 2022.

Akash Bashir's life is a reflection of faith for other religions, said Fr Lazar Aslam, a Franciscan Capuchin. People admire and appreciate his sacrifice. He lived and died for the people of God, giving his life to protect the lives of other believers who came to pray in the church.

For Father Lazar, Akash represents a great example for all Christian denominations and for people of every other faith.

His sacrifice echoes the words of the Book of Revelation, which speaks of those killed for their faith: When He (the lamb) open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God.

Akash Bashir sacrificed his life against extremism and terrorism therefore he has earned great respect in the hearts of all Christians and even other people admire him, Fr Khalid Rashi Asi said, speaking to AsiaNews.

Unfortunately, our state has failed to end terrorism and extremism in the country. Quetta still grapples with the presence of extremists. We urge the government to take concrete actions against this menace, transcending mere verbal commitments.

With the diocesan phase concluded, the cause of beatification of the young Pakistani is moving forward in Rome at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

I am really thankful to Vatican for giving respect to Akash and I humbly request that it declare him a saint because he is really a saint for us for what he did for all of us, Fr Rashid Asi said.

Our wounds are still fresh; we cannot forget the burning of our churches, Bibles and other sacred things in churches, the clergyman lamented.

We Catholics should use the ash of our churches and Bibles that were burnt during the terrorist attacks on Ash Wednesday, because we have lots of ash in our churches, and we should use it on our face during Lent season and record our protest against extremism and terrorism.
Junta soldiers attack St Patrick's Catholic Church in Bhamo, Kachin, a day before Saint Patricks. In Mandalay at least 27 dead are killed in an airstrike today. Meanwhile, civilians protest against ethnic militias for abuses and forced recruitment. In Rakhine Chinese security personnel are already present to protect Chinese investments.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  Myanmar troops set fire to St Patrick's Cathedral in Bhamo, Kachin State, leaving it in total ruin. The attack took place yesterday, around 4 pm, on eve of St Patricks. The priest's house, the three-storey building that houses the diocesan offices and the high school had already been set on fire on 26 February.

In the Mandalay region, the military today struck a village, killing at least 27 people, including some children, in Singu Township, which has been held since July last year by the People's Defence Forces (PDF), an armed militia fighting the military regime.

These are but the latest tragic incidents in the countrys civil war, which broke out in February 2021 following s military coup. More than four years after the start of the fighting, the country is more fragmented. Civilians are protesting again, but now, it is against ethnic militias who have liberated some areas from the military.

Last week, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) began conscripting men aged 18 to 45 in Mogok, a town in the Mandalay region that it controls, in order to set up a local garrison. At least one male from each family is expected to join.

When this became public, residents began complaining. We do not accept this  it looks like its mandatory  and theyd likely use force to collect conscripts if people refuse, a local source said. After facing objections, they are abducting men in the streets. The TNLA treats people like the regime did, one woman told The Irrawaddy.

The TNLA, whose members are mostly ethnic Palaung, is accused of forcibly recruiting women and girls as well; according to another source, it is also trying to ban Internet, like the military junta.

Last year, Myanmars military regime imposed compulsory military service for men aged 18 to 45 and for women between 18 and 35 in all cities under its control.

Mogok, like other cities, was liberated from the regime in July last year, during the second phase of Operation 1027, an offensive launched by the TNLA, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army (AA).

Civilians are also dissatisfied with the MNDAA in the areas it controls.

Last week, came out against gold mining near Pying Kham, a village in Kutkai Township, a predominantly Kachin area, calling Chinese workers employed at the site to stop working because of damage that it is causing to farming. Militiamen fired on the crowd, killing six people and wounding six others.

The MNDAA has been accused of forcing residents of Hseni Township to lease their lands to the group for banana plantations at rates lower than the market price since last week.

The MNDAA is already ploughing our lands. We dont dare to protest since they have arms, a source said to a local newspaper.

In August last year, the group captured the city of Lashio, which held an important Myanmar military base. The militia and the military later signed a ceasefire brokered by China, which has relations with both, but it is unclear whether the MNDAA will withdraw from the city or not.

The TNLA also met with Chinese officials last month, but no agreement was reached.

Also last week, junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing met Deng Xijun, Chinese special envoy for Asian affairs, in the capital Naypyidaw, two days after returning from Russia and Belarus.

According to Global New Light of Myanmar, the military regime's mouthpiece, the two men discussed the junta's plan to hold elections, but also talked about cooperation to crack down on online fraud and drug trafficking.

According to some observers, however, the Chinese official was trying to follow up on an agreement that provides for the deployment of Chinese security personnel in areas with infrastructure projects financed by Beijing.

Fighting between the Arakan Army and Myanmar troops have been going on for weeks in Kyaukphyu, a city in the western state of Rakhine, site of several Chinese projects, including a deep-water port and some gas and oil pipelines that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative that reach Kunming, in China's Yunnan province.

This is a key project because it would allow China to bypass the Strait of Malacca and have direct access to the Indian Ocean.

Local residents have reported that Chinese security personnel have already arrived in the region, which China would like to turn into a special economic zone, an initiative backed by Myanmars military.

In his recent meeting with Deng Xijun, General Min Aung Hlaing, whose forces are facing large losses in Rakhine, may have discussed the possibility of signing a ceasefire with the AA as well.

The situation on the ground, however, seems to be going in the opposite direction: This morning an offensive was reportedly underway against a military base in Nayungyo, on the Irrawaddy River, with the AA in control of almost the whole of Rakhine State.
by Melani Manel Perera

About 10,000 people visit Kachchatheevu to honour Saint Anthony in celebrations promoted by the Diocese of Jaffna and led by the bishop of Sivagangai. The latter calls on both parties to work together to find a lasting solution to the conflict in the sea.

Jaffna (AsiaNews)  Almost 10,000 people from Sri Lanka and India gathered last Friday and Saturday on Kachchatheevu, an uninhabited island in the Palk Strait that separates the countries, for the annual feast of Saint Anthony, patron saint of local fishing communities.

Devotees from both countries sailed on fishing boats to the island for the annual Mass.

The Diocese of Jaffna organises the annual feast with the support of the Sri Lankan Navy and the District Secretariat.

Bishop Lourdu Anandam of Sivagangai (southern India) led the service together with Fr P J Jebaratnam, vicar general of the Diocese of Jaffna.

In his homily, the prelate stressed the island's historical role among the fishing communities in the two countries.

Though this feast is conducted once every year with the participation of two fisher folk communities, both remember and recall the blessings of St Anthony throughout the year," Bishop Anandam said.

For his part, Fr Jebaratnam noted that, This is not a carnival event. We urge people to join the feast of Saint Anthony in the name of unity and engage in prayers that would help us move forward.

The feast comes at an important time, with the fishing communities of Sri Lanka and India at loggerheads. The Catholic faith and the common devotion to Saint Anthony thus become a sign of unity.

Sri Lanka's Minister of Fisheries, Ramalingam Chandrasekar, was also present at the event. In his address, he urged Indian fishers to stop entering Sri Lankan territorial waters for bottom trawling activities.

"As a sovereign nation, we will take action against those who violate them," he said, adding that he hopes and prays to solve the problems faced by both communities while he is minister.

Rameshwaram Mechanised Fishermen Union leader, A Sesuraja, who also attended the ceremony, reiterated that both sides have to work together to find a lasting solution to this conflict at sea.
Trump's latest wave of executive orders has reached Radio Free Asia and other related news outlets such as Voice of America. Funded by the US government, the latter have been an essential source of information in at-risk regions like Tibet and Xinjiang, against Chinese censorship. For a former US ambassador, this is a giant gift to China.

Bangkok (AsiaNews)  US President Donald Trump strikes again. One of his latest executive orders risks sinking, perhaps definitively, independent journalism in Asia and the few media outlets not aligned with local governments.

These include websites and portals that have conveyed information for years, reporting on human rights violations in countries like China, where media are under strict control media and independent journalists and media are systematically repressed.

Now Radio Free Asia (RFA), one of the few independent and authoritative media in Asia, is on the chopping block, together with the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), all of whom are government-funded.

Federal grants for RFA and partner networks were revoked on Saturday, according to a grant termination notice received by the same news agency under an executive order signed by Trump the previous day.

The order slashes non-statutory members of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the federal agency that finances not only RFA, but also several independent global news organisations in the world.

The letter sent to RFA president, signed by USAGM Special Counsel Kari Lake, who is listed as Senior Advisor to the Acting CEO with Authorities Delegated by Acting CEO", signals that the agency's federal grant is terminated.

In addition, the RFA is required to promptly refund any unobligated funds, which it can appeal within the next 30 days. It is currently unclear how and when operations will cease, but RFA operates only on federal grants.

In a statement, RFA chairman Bay Fang said the outlet intends to appeal. The termination of RFAs grant is a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space, her statement reads.

Todays notice not only disenfranchises the nearly 60 million people who turn to RFAs reporting on a weekly basis to learn the truth, but it also benefits Americas adversaries at our own expense, she goes on to say.

As an independent news agency funded through an act of Congress, Radio Free Asia began its first broadcasts in Mandarin Chinese in 1996, expanding in the following years to a total of nine language services: Cantonese, Uyghur, Tibetan, Korean, Khmer, Vietnamese, Burmese and Lao.

News are relayed via radio, television, social media, and the web in countries where there is little or no free press, often being as the only source of uncensored and non-propaganda news.

Moreover, its English-language translations remain the primary source of information for countries like North Korea, Tibet, and Xinjiang.

I learned this morning that virtually the entire staff of Voice of America  more than 1,300 journalists, producers and support staff  has been placed on administrative leave today, writes VOA director Michael Abramowitz on Facebook.

In response, the programme director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Carlos Martinez de la Serna, urged the US Congress to restore funds to ensure uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted.

China experts add that the cuts to RFA in particular could have an impact on the US ability to counter Beijing.

Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul called the dismantling of RFA and its sister publications giant gifts to China.

Last but not least, for Human Rights Watchs Maya Wang, in places like Xinjiang and Tibet, Radio Free Asia has been one of the few which can get info out. Its demise would mean that these places will become info black holes, just as the CCP wants them.
Today's news: Talks between Trump and Putin on Ukraine are scheduled for tomorrow; Burmese military junta ravages St. Patrick's Cathedral in Bhamo;Taipei expels pro-reunification Chinese influencer; Jakarta is set to sign a moratorium to reinstate sending Indonesian workers to Saudi Arabia; North Korean soldiers sell military equipment to buy food; In Afghanistan, a woman dies in childbirth every two hours.

YEMEN

The death toll of U.S. raids on Yemen has risen to 53, including five children and two women. A decisive and powerful wave as Washington calls it against Houthi targets launched March 15 to counter rebel attacks on boats in the Red Sea. In response, between yesterday and today pro-Iranian militias claimed assaults on a US aircraft carrier.

RUSSIA - UNITED STATES

Several oil companies in Moscow are using cryptocurrencies to trade oil with India and China to circumvent international sanctions and convert yuan and rupees into rubles, according to Reuters reports. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced direct talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Ukraine tomorrow, in which they will touch on several issues including land and power plants.

MYANMAR

Soldiers of Myanmar's ruling coup military junta (Sac, State Administration Council) set fire to and destroyed St. Patrick's Cathedral in Bhamo, northern Kachin State. The burning occurred yesterday around 4 p.m. local time, on the eve of the feast day dedicated to the patron saint. The priest's house, the three-story building housing the diocesan offices and the high school had already been set on fire on Feb. 26.

TAIWAN - CHINA

A Chinese influencer living in Taiwan must leave the island by March 24 or she will be deported. This is reported by authorities in Taipei, who accuse Liu (only last name known) of disseminating pro-reunification videos in accordance with Beijing's sights. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) says his behavior supports the elimination of Taiwan's sovereignty and is not tolerated.

INDONESIA - SAUDI A.

Jakarta is set to sign an agreement to lift a decades-long moratorium on sending citizens to Saudi Arabia as domestic workers and employees, following Riyadh's guarantees of labor and personal protections. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed by ministers of both by the end of the month. More than 25,000 undocumented migrants still enter the kingdom illegally each year.

NORTH KOREA

Starving North Korean soldiers sell military equipment to buy food, while officials have launched surprise inspections to make sure the military has their equipment available. Items provided to the military are generally better than those provided to civilians, so they are more palatable. These include tents, food boxes and waterproof containers.

AFGHANISTAN

In Afghanistan, a woman dies in childbirth every two hours, with a staggering maternal mortality rate that is among the highest in the world. A situation that, under the Taliban's rule in power since August 2022, has been worsening. According to 2024 data from the United Nations, at least 638 mothers died for every 100,000 births, but the real number could be much higher.

TAJIKISTAN - QATAR

The Migration Service of Tajikistan's Ministry of Labor has invited Tajik citizens between the ages of 20 and 45 to go to work in Qatar, with average salaries of 0 in the livestock, hotel chain and trade sectors. This opportunity is the result of agreements with employers who provide airfare, room and board and medical insurance.
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Village in SW China's Yunnan captivates tourists with melodic charm

People's Daily Online) 09:30, March 17, 2025

Visiting Laodabao village in Jiujing township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, is like stepping into a world of music.

In Laodabao, a village home to the Lahu ethnic group, people of all ages, from 3-year-old kids to elders in their 70s, can sing and dance.

In recent years, Laodabao village has quietly become a popular artistic retreat, with more and more visitors coming to study, explore, and immerse themselves in the local culture.

Normally quiet, the village of 116 households comes alive when music fills the air.

Photo shows Laodabao village in Jiujing township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Jia Xiang)

Laodabao village is the place where the Lahu songs and dances, as well as the traditional Lahu culture, are best preserved, with eight inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, including two at the national level.

Music is Laodabao's hallmark. Walking through the village, one often hears residents playing guitars and singing on their stilted balconies. From lively pop songs to traditional Lahu folk tunes, music fills the village. At night, tourists may find themselves enjoying an impromptu concert around the fire with local people.

A villager herds cattle while carrying a guitar on his back in Laodabao village, Jiujing township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Jia Xiang)

For 36-year-old Li Zhasi, a performer with a local performance company called "Happy Lahu," music is not just a passion  it's a livelihood.

In 2013, a performance company was founded in Laodabao village, and Li returned home from working elsewhere to join as a performer. "Now, I can make money right at my doorstep," said Li.

Today, over 200 of the village's more than 400 residents are performers of the company.

Tao Zi, a tourist from Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, visited Laodabao with her family after exploring Xishuangbanna in Yunnan.

"If I had more time, I'd love to stay longer and experience Lahu music in full," Tao said.

Villagers sing and play musical instruments around the fireplace in Laodabao village, Jiujing township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Jia Xiang)

Zha Nu, a local villager, runs a music-themed guesthouse, with guitars and other instruments placed throughout. Here, guests can pick the instruments up and play at any time.

"With the growth of in-depth tourism, more visitors from across the country are coming to Laodabao," said Zha. Many stay for several days, learning Lahu songs or trying their hand at traditional crafts like playing the lusheng (a reed-pipe wind instrument) or root carving, a traditional carving art.

Laodabao has four guesthouses and over 10 agritainment restaurants. Zha believes that as the village's facilities improve, Laodabao will attract even more visitors from major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, encouraging them to stay longer.

Around 4 p.m., a group of tourists from south China's Guangdong Province arrived at Laodabao and gathered at the performance center to watch a show presented by actors and actresses of "Happy Lahu." The villagers have performed over 1,000 such shows, drawing more than 500,000 visits.

Villagers sing in Laodabao village, Jiujing township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Jia Xiang)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
17 March 2025 14:52 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

During the trial at the Baku Military Court on March 17, accused Lyova Mnatsakanyan acknowledged that appointments to high-ranking positions in the so-called regime's "army" were directly decided by Armenia, Azernews reports.

He revealed that appointments at the rank of lieutenant colonel and higher were made by the Chief of Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, the Minister of Defense, and the President of Armenia.

"As the 'commander' of the 'army,' I could appoint positions lower than that, including majors, and give ranks up to majors," Mnatsakanyan stated.

He also admitted that the so-called armys financial affairs were handled by the Armenian Ministry of Defense, while its weapons and ammunition were fully supplied by the Armenian Armed Forces.

"We had a supply service. The supply service received them, then they were provided to each unit. That is, the provision of weapons and ammunition was carried out by the Armenian Ministry of Defense," he added.

Mnatsakanyan further disclosed that his appointment as "defense minister" and "commander" of the illegal armed formations in June 2015 was approved by then-Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

"Initially, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan made a presentation on my 'appointment' to this 'position,' and Serzh Sargsyan approved it. Sargsyan accepted me for the appointment and told me that this is a very important position," Mnatsakanyan recounted.

It is worth recalling that, in 2015, the so-called regime had claimed that Bako Sahakyan, the so-called president of the entity, had appointed Mnatsakanyan as its minister of defense.

The trial at the Baku Military Court continues against citizens of Armenia accused of war crimes, genocide, terrorism, and the forcible seizure and retention of power as a result of Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan.
17 March 2025 16:58 (UTC+04:00)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

Large-scale provocations are often subtle in their initial stages, designed to cause significant damage over time. While their preparation may escape widespread notice, when the moment arrives, they can lead to severe confrontations that are difficult to avert.

For over two years, the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMA) has been monitoring the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, occasionally using binoculars to observe Azerbaijan's positions. Officially, the mission claims to secure Armenia's safety, but in reality, under the guise of its self-proclaimed status, it hinders the security of Azerbaijan with its binocular drama. The EUMA arrived in Armenia without Azerbaijans consent, and crucially, the details of its personnel were not disclosed to Azerbaijan, with only the fact that the group was unarmed being shared. Operating very close to Azerbaijan's borders, the mission exploits even minor pretexts to justify its actions and, when necessary, uses them to its advantage.

The EUMAs role on the ground serves two main purposes: First, to create artificial tension in the region through Armenia, extending its stay in the area, and second, to broaden the European missions influence in the South Caucasus. These efforts are driven by a broader ambition to shape the future of the region through Armenian involvement.

But what kind of future are they shaping?

Armenia, which has been issuing baseless and hypothetical predictions of an "impending attack" by Azerbaijan, claims to be concerned about the security of its territories. Using this purported concern, it seeks European backing, yet this approach risks destabilizing the South Caucasus rather than improving its security.

It is no secret that the South Caucasus has long been of interest to European powers. However, their access to the region has not been straightforward  until now, when Armenia has conveniently facilitated that entry. While the initial impression might be that the mission serves Armenias interests, there are other objectives at play, as is becoming increasingly evident.

For instance, just recently, the mission was unaware when Armenian forces launched attacks on Azerbaijani positions during the evening hours. The EUMA, reporting that the situation was stable and secure, claimed no incidents had occurred. To make matters worse, the mission went further to accuse Azerbaijan of spreading false information about ceasefire violations. A curious question arises: what if Azerbaijan had responded with return fire?

There is little doubt that the missions daily surveillance of Azerbaijani positions is part of a deliberate strategy to provoke and escalate tensions, aiming to maintain the missions status quo while positioning Azerbaijan as the aggressor. This tactic has sometimes yielded results, but so far, it has not succeeded in pushing Azerbaijan into a conflict.

Furthermore, with Armenia's increasing militarization, the EUMA seems intent on drawing Azerbaijan into a provocation, hoping to rekindle hostilities. For the European mission, the onset of war could provide the green light to entrench itself fully in the South Caucasus. The critical factor, however, is Azerbaijans response, which will determine whether this escalation occurs.

Azerbaijan is well aware of these dynamics and, for the sake of regional security, has refrained from reacting to Armenias provocations. However, there remains a critical issue: how long can Armenia continue its provocations without facing consequences?

Recent reports suggested that Armenia is preparing for war in April, fueled by its recent agreements with India for arms purchases. While war may not come to pass, this could serve as a signal of the growing threat from Armenia. Given Armenias history of occupying its neighbours territories for three decades, it is clear that its desire to re-arm is not born of peaceful intentions. Despite repeated warnings from Azerbaijan to the countries supplying arms to Armenia, no significant action has been taken. It appears that it is not Armenia alone, but the nations supplying it with weapons, that are preparing the ground for future conflict.
17 March 2025 20:25 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Unfortunately, the words of the German philosopher Georg Hegel, "The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history," have been proven to be true for all periods. Being an egoist, mankind are prone to think that what happened to others will not happen to him/her and easily repeat the same mistakes.

In 1991, when the Soviet Union conducted a referendum on whether to restore the USSR, 95% of Azerbaijanis voted in favour of restoration, whereas 75% of Armenians voted against it. At the time, Azerbaijan was considered the most pro-Russian country in the region. Despite Azerbaijan's goodwill and favourable attitude towards Russia and Russians, the Kremlin chose to appease Yerevan and sided with Armenia during the Garabagh conflict. Baku was pressured into making concessions.

However, this strategy backfired. Against all odds and threats, within just two years, the very Azerbaijanis who had voted for the Soviet Union banded together like a fist, becoming the first country in the region to drive the Russian army out of its territory. In comparison, it took Georgia 12 years to achieve the same outcome. As for Armenia, a Russian military base remains stationed there to this day. In no time, Baku found a new ally in Turkiye to replace Russia. As a result, today Russias South Caucasus strategy is on the ropes.

Following the dissolution of the USSR, during one of the direst periods in its history, Azerbaijan turned to Iran in hopes of enlisting its support. Iran soon became Azerbaijan's largest trade partner. Unfortunately, much like the Kremlin, Tehran aligned itself with Yerevan. Despite having all the leverage to force Armenia into peace, Iran sat on its hands, offering only lip service.

It did not take long for Azerbaijan to find a new ally in Israel. With Israel's assistance, Azerbaijan not only navigated political challenges in Europe and America but also developed one of the most formidable armies in the region, which led to the liberation of its occupied territories. Similar to Russias, Irans South Caucasus strategy hit a dead end. Today, as Iran voices concerns over its diminishing influence in the region, it finds that it is too late, as the proverb goes, 'the genie is out of the bottle'.

All these prove that Azerbaijan neither succumbs to any threats nor is lured by any shiny words. However, the West thinks that they can gain something from Azerbaijan by using the methods that both Russia and Iran failed with. Thus, as is known, Azerbaijan detained the leaders of separatist groups who headed armed organizations that killed, raped, and plundered Azerbaijanis during the Garabagh Conflict and put them on trial. Some of the European Politicians are running around as headless hens to get them free by threatening Azerbaijans sanctions. Blowing smoke to the face of the world, these politicians go to extreme lengths to pass the separatist leaders off as POWs. Even they managed to bring the issue to the European Parliament.

Additionally, yesterday, National Security Advisor of the Trump Administration Mike Waltz shared a post which touched upon this issue as well. Noting that the USA is pleased Azerbaijan and Armenia have taken a big step forward and agreed to a peace treaty.

I told him we should finalize this peace deal now, release the prisoners, and work together to make the region more secure and prosperous.

America's Golden Age will bring peace and prosperity to the world, and we won't stop working until that happens, concluded the post.

Needless to say, Armenians and their mouthpieces did not miss any minute to use the post as a flag. However, the post raises questions: why do we  Azerbaijanis  need Americas Golden Age if it will not bring justice to the victims of Garabagh, including Khojaly? Why do we need Americas Golden Age if it will not bring justice to thousands of Azerbaijanis who were uprooted from their luxury homes and spent their life in tents? Why do we need Americas Golden Age if it will not bring justice to killed infants? And so on

Instead of using threats to force Azerbaijan or constructing posh words to lure it, I think the West would be better off reading the history of Azerbaijan and understanding that these actions will not work, as they did not work before.
17 March 2025 11:24 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

As of February 1 this year, the number of wage-based employees totaled 1,757,000. Of these, 879,500 worked in the state sector, and 877,500 worked in the non-state sector. Official statistics show that the number of employees on employment contracts decreased by 21,500 compared to January 1. Thus, the employment sector started the year with 1,778,500 employment contracts.

Azernews reports that this information was shared by Vugar Bayramov, a deputy of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan, on his social media account.

He noted that the decrease in the number of employees under contract occurred in both the state and private sectors:

The drop in the private sector was more significant, with a reduction of 18,200 employees. The State Statistics Committee reported a decrease of 3,300 employees in the state sector compared to the previous month.

Bayramov highlighted that the decline in contracts was mainly driven by changes in the private sector. He explained that the reduction was related to tax breaks for microentrepreneurs, which began on January 1, 2025. Microentrepreneurs with annual revenues under 45,000 manats now receive a 75% tax discount, and the requirement for having at least three employees was removed, leading to fewer labor contracts in the private sector.

While the decrease in the public sector was attributed to structural reforms, the MP stressed that increasing private sector employment is essential for job creation. He also noted that the public sector still dominates in terms of labor contracts, with 2,000 more contracts registered in the state sector compared to the private sector.

Boosting the private sector's role in employment should be a priority, as it is crucial for driving job creation, Bayramov concluded.
17 March 2025 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

As part of our working visit to #Israel , we held a meeting with Eli Cohen ( @elicoh1 ), Israels Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. Our discussions focused on initiatives and projects aimed at strengthening #economic relations and advancing the #energy cooperation agenda pic.twitter.com/DV0bMeoZMO

The minister shared details of the meeting on his "X" social media account, stating that they reviewed key directions of Azerbaijani-Israeli relations as outlined by the heads of state, along with opportunities for further economic collaboration.

Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to discuss economic cooperation and bilateral relations, Azernews reports.

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17 March 2025 10:43 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

A book "1000000 Codes of Intelligence" by writer and publicist Aydin Taghiyev, a member of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, has been presented at Nizami Cinema Center, Azernews reports.

Representatives of culture, art and other guests attended the ceremony. The event began with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs and the playing of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan.

Well-known scientists, parliamentarians, intellectuals, pen pals of the writer, media representatives and book lovers attended the book presentation.

At the presentation, Aydin Taghiyev spoke about the purpose, content and main idea of the book.

The writer stated that his third book aims to instil a deep way of thinking in readers and increase their intellectual potential. Noting that he wrote the book with readers of all age categories in mind, the author gave a detailed explanation of the various sections in the work.

Later, scientists, intellectuals, writers, as well as people who contributed to the creation of the book and the team that carried out the organizational issues of the event, made speeches. The guests spoke about the scientific and philosophical value of the book and highly appreciated the author's creativity. It was noted that "1000000 Codes of Intelligence" is not only a book, but also a work that brings a new perspective to human thought.

In the conclusion, Aydin Taghiyev presented his books to the readers.

Aydin Taghiyev is the author of the "First Victory March" and "Homeland March". The list of authors' books include "Fathers for the sake of a great cause" and "101 Martyrs of the Great Victory" dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
17 March 2025 14:04 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Board Directors of Azerbaijan Composers' Union have evaluated their activities in a recent meeting, Azernews reports.

Chairman of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, Corresponding Member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), People's Artist, Professor Frangiz Alizade provided insight into the organization's work plan.

Thus, discussions were held with the members of the Board of Directors about the national competition of Composers for writing works for choirs and orchestras of various compositions dedicated to the 5th anniversary of Azerbaijan's Victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, musicology competitions in connection with the 140th anniversary of the genius Uzeyir Hajibayli, and a series of events related to the outstanding composer.

At the same time, they also shared their suggestions and opinions regarding the next events of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union.

One of the issues on the agenda of the meeting was the election of the secretaries of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union.

For this purpose, Honored Art Worker, Doctor of Philosophy in Art History, Professor Elnara Dadashova, and Doctor of Science in Art History, Associate Professor Leyla Zohrabova were elected secretaries of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union.

Azerbaijan Composers' Union has played an important role in helping develop a strong national identity through music.

The Union was founded with the assistance of Uzeyir Hajibeyli on June 30, 1934, as a department of the USSR Composers Union.

The founding assembly was attended by 17 composers from the USSR countries, including three Azerbaijani composers - Afrasiyab Badalbayli, Zulfugar Hajibeyov, and Niyazi. The current chairman of the Union is Peoples Artist Frangiz Alizade.

In 2019, the Azerbaijan Composers' Union celebrated its 85th anniversary. As part of the festival, a series of marvelous concerts were solemnly held in the Philharmonic Hall, Azerbaijani Composers' Union, Baku Music Academy, the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, and the Rashid Behbudov State Song Theater. The festival's closing ceremony took place in Heydar Aliyev Palace.

Along with concert programs, a scientific conference titled "Achievements of Azerbaijani musical culture in recent years and prospects" was also held as part of the festival.

Azerbaijan Composers' Union serves as a space for both well-known and new composers, giving them chances to share their music, work together, and take part in different festivals both in Azerbaijan and around the world.
17 March 2025 17:55 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

An exhibition "Wind of Flowers" has been presented at the National Art Museum on the occasion of Novruz holiday, Azernews reports.

The project was organized by the museum in partnership with the Culture Ministry.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Director of the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art Shirin Malikova, Doctor of Philosophy in Art History, architect Elchin Shamilli, and Honored Artist Sabina Shikhlinskaya.

The exhibition showcases around 50 still lifes from the museum's collection, many of which are being exhibited for the first time. These works of art convey the "wind" or cycle of the time when flowers dominated nature in their most beautiful age.

The colorful paintings belong to prominent Azerbaijani artists of different generations, including Sattar Bahlulzadeh, Salam Salamzadeh, Taghi Taghiyev, Davud Kazimov, Tofig Javadov, Elmira Shahtakhtinskaya, Khalida Safarova, and many others.

In addition, the exhibition features works by Vera Kvitko and Zinaida Bogoslovskaya-Kosichkina, who contributed to the development of Azerbaijani fine arts in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as copies of the charming flower murals of the Sheki Khan Palace created by Master Gambar Karabakh. These paintings create an oriental fairy tale atmosphere in the exhibition.

One of the most striking exhibits was the work of People's Artist Davud Kazimov "Daffodils", which creates the feeling that the flowers have gone beyond the canvas and turned into a real still life.

Along with still lifes, works by famous Azerbaijani sculptors celebrating spring are also presented here. In the works of Gorkhmaz Sujaddinov, Ibrahim Zeynalov, Akif Asgarov, Sahib Guliyev and Teymur Rustamov, the spring of human life - youth is celebrated through perfect plastic language.

Speaking with journalists, Shirin Malikova emphasized that the presented works demonstrate the mastery of artists and sculptors, and at the same time convey the festive atmosphere:

"A wonderful exhibition has opened at the Azerbaijan National Art Museum. On the eve of Novruz holiday, we have presented an exhibition of still lifes selected from the museum's collection. Along with the works of the Azerbaijani sculptors, beautiful paintings and graphics are also presented here."

Architect Elchin Shamilli emphasized that the exhibition demonstrates the symbolism and versatility of still life:

"The exhibition is very interesting, because it is built around one genre - still life, with special attention paid to flowers. From the point of view of art criticism, this is an interesting event, because there are symbolic aspects here. The exhibition is truly remarkable and I think our viewers will enjoy it".

Art lovers have a chance to enjoy the exhibition "Wind of Flowers" until April 30.

Founded in 1937, Azerbaijan National Art Museum offers art connoisseurs some of the best examples of decorative-applied arts of Western Europe.

Over 3,000 items in 60 rooms are on permanent display at the museum, and around 12,000 items are kept in storage. Here, you can see masterpieces of the Italian, French, German, and Polish masters of brush.

The museum has successfully organized and hosted numerous high-level international exhibitions, showcasing the works of renowned artists.

These exhibitions have not only attracted art enthusiasts but have also contributed to the cultural exchange between Azerbaijan and other countries.
17 March 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Azernews reports that US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, shared his remarks on "X" regarding the latest developments in the South Caucasus, Azernews reports.

"The conflict in the South Caucasus must end. This week I spoke with Mr. Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

We are pleased that Azerbaijan and Armenia have taken a big step forward and have agreed on a peace treaty," Waltz emphasized.

He also underlined the importance of finalizing the agreement: "We must work together to make the region more secure and prosperous. America's Golden Age will bring peace and prosperity to the world, and we will not stop until this happens."

Meanwhile, on March 13, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the completion of negotiations on the draft text of the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"We once again reaffirm Azerbaijans long-term and principled position that the main condition for signing the agreed text is the amendment of Armenia's constitution to remove claims to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We also stress the need for the official dissolution of the outdated and non-functional OSCE Minsk Group and related structures. We are ready to continue bilateral dialogue between the two countries on these and other issues related to the normalization process," the MFA stated.
17 March 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

A delegation led by Ramin Mmmdov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, visited Georgia on March 16. Azernews reports that the delegation included Arzu Nagyev, the head of the Azerbaijan-Georgia Parliamentary Working Group, Faiq Quliyev, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Georgia, and other official representatives.

The delegation first visited the statue of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the Rustavi Park. They paid their respects to the monument, a symbol of the strong ties between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Following the visit, the delegation participated in an iftar dinner organized for the Azerbaijani community in Rustavi. The event was attended by members of both the Azerbaijani and Georgian parliaments, Rustavis Mayor Nino Latsabidze, religious figures, and community members. The iftar dinner was a collaborative effort by the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, the Moral Values Promotion Fund under the Committee, and the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia.

Ambassador Faiq Quliyev expressed the significance of the iftar event, calling it a joyful occasion that emphasizes solidarity, brotherhood, and unity.

"Such events allow us to reiterate our unity and shared values," he said.

Chairman Ramin Mmmdov highlighted that the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia are based not only on official protocols but also on deep friendship and mutual respect between the peoples.

"These relations reflect the brotherly and cooperative feelings shared by our nations," he stated.

Mmmdov also referenced the words of National Leader Heydar Aliyev: "The peoples of Azerbaijan and Georgia are fraternal and neighboring nations."

He emphasized that the foundation of the friendship between the two countries is strong and based on shared strategic goals and mutual cooperation.

"Our primary goal today is the development of our states, the well-being of our peoples, and the continuation of independent policies," he added.

Georgian Parliament Deputy Irakli Shatakishvili commented on the symbolism of the flags of Azerbaijan and Georgia, noting that the Azerbaijani flag carries the crescent and star, symbols of the Muslim world, while the Georgian flag features the cross, a symbol of the Christian world. "The sight of these two flags together symbolizes our unity," he said.

Rustavis Mayor Nino Latsabidze spoke about the spiritual and physical purification that the month of Ramadan brings, emphasizing how it nurtures both individuals and society by fostering inner peace and harmony.

Other speakers congratulated the global Muslim community, wishing prosperity, abundance, and purity to all.
17 March 2025 13:06 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The latest "Global Terrorism Index 2025" (GTI) report has been released, presenting the rankings of countries based on their exposure to terrorism and terror threats.

Azernews reports that the countries with the highest levels of terrorism activity and risk include Burkina Faso (8.581), Pakistan (8.374), and Syria (8.00) at the top of the list.

In the same ranking, Israel holds the 8th position (7.463), Russia is in 16th place (6.267), Iran is 18th (6.056), Turkiye ranks 32nd (3.968), the United States is 34th (3.517), France is 40th (2.712), the Netherlands is 60th (1.402), Norway is 66th (1.198), and Finland and Japan are both 72nd (0.949). Denmark and Armenia rank 79th (0.72), while Austria and South Korea are 82nd (0.582), and Latvia and Lithuania share the 86th spot (0.423).

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) ranking is based on indices that take into account factors such as terrorist events, fatalities, serious consequences, hostages, counter-terrorism efforts, the effectiveness of counterterrorism investigations, and a variety of other indicators.

In the 2025 ranking, Azerbaijan has achieved an improved position, ranking 90th with an index of 0.233. This marks an improvement compared to its 2024 ranking of 89th, making it one of the safest countries in the world concerning terrorism. Azerbaijan ranks high among the safest nations with a potential ranking scale from 1 to 100.

The Global Terrorism Index reports, which serve as a reference for international academic institutions, the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank, and other international organizations, are periodically published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

Azerbaijans achievement of such a high safety level is especially remarkable considering the attempts by destructive forces to create shelters in forests and other efforts to undermine the country through religious, ethnic, and other destabilizing activities. Despite these challenges, the nation has managed to maintain a high level of security.

As reflected in the reports of international organizations, Azerbaijan, despite being situated in a sensitive and complex geopolitical environment, has been able to establish development, peace, and stability. This success is largely attributed to effective state policies and the actions of the security forces in combating terrorism, ensuring the country enjoys a high domestic security rating in recent years.
17 March 2025 11:36 (UTC+04:00)

Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, led a delegation to the Alley of Honor in Baku, on March 17, Azernews reports.

The delegation paid tribute to the memory of Heydar Aliyev, the architect and founder of our modern independent state and the national leader of our people, by laying a wreath at his tomb.

The memory of the prominent ophthalmologist and academician, Zarifa Aliyeva, was also honored, with fresh flowers placed on her tomb.
17 March 2025 15:33 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

As is well known, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which spanned more than three decades and began with violence against Azerbaijanis in Armenia's Qafan district in 1987, caused significant damage to the Republic of Azerbaijan and immense suffering for its people.

According to Azernews, this statement was included in a declaration by the West Azerbaijan Community.

With the Republic of Azerbaijan restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty, the conflict is now in the past, opening the door for permanent peace and justice in the region. A political process addressing these issues has been initiated between the two states, thanks to Azerbaijans efforts.

Recently, it was reported that Armenia, during negotiations on a draft agreement covering multiple topics, has accepted Azerbaijans proposals on two outstanding points. However, this is not sufficient," the statement noted.

The declaration emphasizes that for lasting peace and justice, Armenia must fulfill its remaining obligations. These include creating conditions for the safe and dignified return of Western Azerbaijanis to their homes, ensuring unhindered transit, removing territorial claims against Azerbaijan from its constitution and laws, and formally requesting the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Other commitments include acknowledging responsibility for its occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the resulting significant damage, and violence against Azerbaijanis, as well as compensating for these harms. Armenia must dismantle all institutions of the illegal regime in its territory, end the glorification of war criminals, halt its armament programs, and return weapons it has acquired.

The West Azerbaijan Community has called on the international community to pressure Armenia to meet these obligations, ensuring progress toward lasting regional stability.
17 March 2025 15:48 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a condolence letter to President of the Republic of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Azernews reports.

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17 March 2025 15:41 (UTC+04:00)

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Italy has significantly increased its imports of crude oil and crude oil products from Azerbaijan in the first two months of this year, Azernews reports, citing the State Customs Committee.

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.

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17 March 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed on Sunday that Washington could start discussions with different countries to establish new trade deals once tariffs are applied to major trading partners, Azernews reports.

"We are going to put tariffs on countries reciprocal to what they impose on us. It's not against Canada, it's not against Mexico, it's not against the EU, it's everybody," Rubio told CBS News. "and then, from that new baseline of fairness and reciprocity, we will engage, potentially, in bilateral negotiations with countries around the world on new trade arrangements that make sense for both sides," he added.

Moreover, Rubio claimed that the US was treated unfairly "for 30 or 40 years" because it wanted other countries "to be rich," stressing that the European Union showed a particularly unfair treatment of the US. "It's not a low-wage economy. It's very comparable to ours in terms of its composition and so forth. Why do they have a trade surplus with us," he concluded.
17 March 2025 21:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The North Korean Foreign Ministry has referred to the Group of Seven (G7) as a "nuclear grouping" and urged its member countries to abandon nuclear weapons, Azernews reports.

This statement was a response to a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, during which Western nations criticized North Koreas use of its sovereign right to develop nuclear capabilities and called for its denuclearization. Pyongyang viewed these calls as provocative, pointing out that the countrys nuclear status is enshrined in its constitution.

"The DPRK Foreign Ministry expresses serious concern that the G7 countries, the instigators of violations of global peace and security and the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, have questioned the right of a sovereign state to possess legitimate means of deterring war," the statement read. North Korea also criticized the concept of "joint nuclear weapons use" and "extended deterrence" as examples of violations of the non-proliferation regime.

The North Korean statement further emphasized that the United States is the only country to have ever used nuclear bombs and has been the "first distributor of nuclear weapons." Pyongyang's diplomats argued that Washington is exacerbating tensions, creating risks of nuclear conflict not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Europe. The DPRK also expressed concerns over Britains efforts to "bring American nuclear weapons into its territory" and its involvement in transferring nuclear submarine construction technologies to a non-nuclear state.

North Korea's statements highlight the growing rhetoric around nuclear weapon proliferation in the global arena. Pyongyang's stance reflects an ongoing tension between nuclear powers, as well as the broader debate over the legitimacy of nuclear deterrence versus efforts to curb nuclear weapons development worldwide. The G7s position and North Koreas response underscore the complexities of nuclear diplomacy, especially in regions with ongoing geopolitical instability.
Floodwaters Cause Rescues on S. Oregon Coast, Coos County Sheriffs Urge Caution

Published 03/17/25 at 8:45 p.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Coos Bay, Oregon)  A few rescues on the south Oregon coast due to floodwaters have the Coos County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) concerned, one of which had to involve the US Coast Guard. (Photo of Coos Bay during King Tides, courtesy Robert More / Oregon King Tides).

Heavy rainfall has been hitting the areas of Coos and Curry counties, and the National Weather Service (NWS) still has some flood advisories out until the early hours of Monday morning.

CCSO wished to remind people  locals or visitors  to be extremely cautious when encountering flooded roads. The Coquille and Coos River drainages have caused significant flooding.

During this event, four individuals have been rescued from the floodwaters so far, the CCSO said. In one incident, a person drove into the floodwaters and was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. Floodwaters also rose around Sheriffs Office vehicles, requiring them to be towed out.



Flooding near Coos Bay earlier this year / Oregon State Parks

Another incident involved floodwaters breaching a home on the south coast, which led to the evacuation of three people and their dog. This required boats and jet skis.

The CCSO issued these reminders:

Do not drive through standing water - it can be deeper and more dangerous than it looks, the CCSO said. Stay aware of your surroundings. Leave early as waters can rise quickly.

There is still a flood advisory in effect for the south Oregon coast's Coos and Curry counties  meaning Coos Bay, Bandon, Port Orford, Langlois and Brookings. It is in effect until just after midnight.

More urban small stream flooding is expected because of excessive rainfall, the NWS said.



Oregon Coast Beach Connection

Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated heavy rain, the NWS said. This will cause urban and small stream flooding. Between 6 and 7 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding.

Areas to look out for include Brookings, Port Orford, Bandon, Ophir, Humbug Mountain State Park, Edson Creek Campground, Sixes, Langlois, Harbor and Denmark, the NWS said.

The NWS reiterated the CCSO's advise with Turn Around, Don't Drown when encountering flooded roads.

Most flood deaths happen because of being trapped in a vehicle, the NWS said. MORE COOS BAY AND BANDON PHOTOS BELOW

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Flooding at Bandon in '96 / courtesy Bandon Historical Museum

courtesy Manuela Durson - Manuela Durson Fine Arts

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Minor Road Work on Two Oregon Coast Towns This Week: Astoria, Lincoln City

Published 03/15/25 at 4:45 a.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Lincoln City, Oregon)  Two Oregon coast towns are getting a fair amount of roadwork this week and into spring break. There are some minor traffic issues to look out for in Astoria and Lincoln City.

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) said the Astoria area is getting new signs, and curb ramps are still being installed on the central Oregon coast.

Construction teams in Lincoln City are hard at work updating hundreds of curb ramps along U.S. 101 to meet ADA accessibility standards. These upgrades aim to improve access for all pedestrians, regardless of mobility needs.

As spring break approaches, residents and visitors can expect an uptick in both pedestrian activity and vehicle traffic along the coastal corridor. Oregon officials are advising the public to stay informed and follow these guidelines:

- Spring Break Work Schedule: Crews will temporarily halt construction in the downtown area during spring break, focusing instead on projects near Lincoln Beach. Work in the downtown area will resume afterward.





- Traffic Signals Undergoing Updates: Signal improvement efforts continue throughout the town. Drivers are urged to remain cautious and patient while navigating affected areas.



- Safety at Crossings: For the safest experience, use designated crossings. Some crossings may be closed temporarily to ensure the safety of pedestrians and workers during construction.

Spring break is also a good time to practice the zipper merge to keep traffic flowing smoothly, ODOT said.

Using the zipper merge may take a change in your mindset, ODOT said. Many drivers were taught to merge early and believe they are being 'cut off' by vehicles merging from the lane that is ending. But sharing the road with a zipper merge means being patient and taking turns.

Drivers should remain in their current lane until reaching the merge point and then alternate with other vehicles to ease into the open lane - akin to the teeth of a zipper. While this may require a shift in mindset for those accustomed to merging early, it is proven to reduce congestion and improve safety.





In Astoria, it's a similar story. Some of the signs along U.S. 101 and U.S. 101B are worn and outdated. Work is currently underway on the New Youngs Bay Bridge and is expected to continue for about another week.

Drivers should plan for the following:



Lincoln Beach

- Overnight work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Thursday.

- Single-lane and shoulder closures as required.

- Flaggers assisting with traffic management.

- Possible delays.

These new signs aim to enhance road safety by improving visibility of speed limits, landmarks, and upcoming destinations.

Both projects highlight the ongoing efforts to improve accessibility and safety along Oregon's highways while maintaining a steady flow of traffic. Travelers are encouraged to exercise caution and patience, ensuring a safer experience for all.

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Oregon State Parks See Record Visits, Especially on the Coast

Published 03/16/25 at 5:45 p.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Salem, Oregon)  State parks in Oregon set a new record last year. Oregon State Parks said it welcomed an estimated 53.85 million day-use visits in 2024, setting a new record and surpassing the previous high in 2021 by approximately 200,000 visits. (Above: Ecola State Park at Cannon Beach is one of the state's biggest attractions. Oregon Coast Beach Connection photo.)

Day-use of parks  especially on the Oregon coast  bumped up by three percent, as more visitors sought out beaches than ever before. Other regions saw slight decreases.

Visitors also logged 2.83 million camper nights, which is down slightly due in part to construction closures at popular state parks including Beverly Beach, Bullards Beach and Nehalem Bay state parks, Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) said. [See the Note on Methodology below]

This milestone continues a trend of record-breaking attendance across the states park system. However, the growing popularity comes with challenges, including increased operational costs and wear on aging infrastructure.

During peak camping season, Oregon State Parks accommodate as many as 17,000 overnight campers per night - essentially managing the daily movement of a community the size of Canby in and out of campgrounds.



Fun fact: Lincoln City, as large as it is, has only two state parks with the D River access and Roads End.

Another example: some of the busiest parks consume nearly a semi-truck load of toilet paper annually. Additionally, more than one-third of restroom facilities are over 50 years old, requiring extensive maintenance due to heavy use. Replacing a single restroom or shower building now exceeds $1 million.

Despite the increased visitation, the costs of operations and maintenance have outpaced revenue by over 30%. To address this, Oregon State Parks raised visitor fees this year and plans to continue evaluating fee structures over the next two years in an effort to close the budget gap.

Raising fees is not a long-term solution, said Lisa Sumption, Director of Oregon State Parks. We need to have a broader conversation about what Oregonians envision for the future of our state parks and how we can ensure sustainable funding for future generations.



Cape Blanco State Park on the south Oregon coast is a true standout: the headland near Port Orford is the farthest west you can go in Oregon.

Unlike many public services, Oregon State Parks does not receive general fund tax dollars for operations. The system relies on revenue from recreational vehicle fees, the state lottery, and visitor services.

The surge in visitation also highlights the need for additional staff. In response, Oregon State Parks launched its 2025 seasonal hiring campaign last month, aiming to recruit over 200 seasonal rangers and assistants statewide to ensure parks remain clean, safe, and enjoyable for all visitors.



Nehalem Bay State Park

Park rangers and staff work tirelessly to maintain the parks while providing educational and recreational programs. Visitors can help reduce the impact by following park rules, staying on designated trails, and practicing leave no trace principles. Exploring lesser-known parks in the system is another way to discover new outdoor adventures while easing congestion at popular destinations.

Note on Stats Methodology:

OPRD said the overnight camping figure is derived by taking the total number occupied sites and applying a multiplier to estimate the number of camper nights. The day-use figure is derived by taking car counts and applying a multiplier to estimate the number of visits. Car counters sometimes require maintenance and replacement, which can impact individual numbers. The overall results are OPRDs best estimate for tracking trends over time.

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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.
Friedrich Merz had been seen as the savior of small "c" conservatives in Germany but following the German election is now seen within and outside his party as more of a German version of Benedict Arnold. Merz was Angela Merkel's main rival and she cut him out of politics inside the traditional conservative Christian Democratic Uion (CDU) as she moved the party leftward. Merz retired from politics only to return after Merkel's retirement to defeat her handpicked successor and take leadership of the party himself. Merz put his stamp on the party ousting Merkel loyalists from key positions and moving party positions rightward.

In last month's election, Merz ran as a staunch conservative, taking hardline positions on illegal immigration, pushing sound economic policies and tax cuts, and calling for an easing of climate policies of the previous government. Polling showed that a majority of Germans supported the CDU forming a coalition with the populist nationalist anti-immigration Alternativ fur Deutschland (AfD).

While the CDU came in first place in the election, it had its second worst showing in party history. Close behind was the AfD in second place, with the lead party of the outgoing government, the Social Democrats (SPD) a distant third. The SPD had its worst election result since 1887 when Wilhelm the first was still on the throne of Imperial Germany. Polls showed illegal immigration was the top issue for voters in the election.

Bowing to the globalists in the EU, Merz categorically ruled out a coalition with the AfD, although that is what German voters wanted. That left a coalition with the center-left SPD his only real option to form a government, and it gave the SPD an effective veto power over coalition policies. Merz' stupidity has left him a prisoner of the party that spectacularly lost the recent election. Having categorically ruled out a coalition with the AfD, he has lost the ability to play two potential partners off against each other to control policy.

Within 24 hours of the election, Merz already found himself backpedalling on immigration policy to meet the demands of the SPD and was already taking criticzim from voters. Merz has further softened his position on immigration and may even go along with the SPD's most recent demand of allowing half a million Third World migrants into the country each year and making it easier for them to get citizenship. Merz has also agreed to a huge round of deficit spending and weakening Germany's "debt brake" which had stopped such deficit spending, all contrary to his election promises. The only part of the CDU election promises that appeared to remain intact was on reducing the climate rules. However, there are fears he may have bargained that away, too, to secure the Green Party's votes on weakening the debt brake.

In short, the anti-Merkel has become the new Merkel and betrayed voters on the main issues on which they voted for the CDU in last months election. The result is that even though he has not even formally announced his new government, his poll numbers are tanking badly and there is wide dissention within his own party. Merz' kowtowing to the EU elite may finish off his party as a viable force in German politics and he may well be the last chancellor from that party.

https://rmx.news/article/biggest-voter-deception-of-all-time-criticism-grows-after-eu-and-germany-aim-mega-debt-package-at-weapons-manufacturers/

https://rmx.news/article/germany-is-not-getting-a-u-turn-on-migration-says-spd-party-leader-on-state-television/

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/foreign-interference-brussels-pressures-cdu-and-spd-to-form-government-in-germany/

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/sleeping-with-the-enemy-coalition-talks-on-track-despite-cdus-war-on-the-left/

UPDATE: In another aboutface, Merz has now gone silent on his demand during the campaign to get to the bottom of the millions of euros the previous Social Democrat led left-liberal government had distributed to NGOs to protest against the German right, including his own CDU.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/has-merz-suddenly-lost-interest-in-left-wing-ngos-funding-secrets/
America is supposed to have a doctrine of Separation of Powers where the legislative, executive, and judicial branches stay in their own lanes instead of trying to exercise the functions of the other branches. Over the last century, we have seen an increase in the judicial branch invading the province of the legislative branch by "legislating from the bench". Now a handful of radical extremist leftwing judges are also trying to invade the perogatives of the executive branch. To these rogue judges, usually appointed by Obama or Biden, political ideology is more important than the law and they will abuse their powers to seek political results in politically motivated cases.

These judicial tyrants do not care about the law. In the most recent case, a radical DC judge completely ignored controlling Supreme Court ruling to try to save members of a violent Venezuelan crime gang from deportation. Consistency is also out the window. In another case, a radical judge trying to block Trump's elimination of DEI by executive order in spite of the fact that it was an executive order of Biden, without Congressional approval that had originally set up those programs. This dunderhead was saying that what Biden did by executive order, Trump could not undo by executive order.

Past presidents have sometimes ignored the courts. Most recently, Biden repeatedly defied the US Supreme Court rulings on student loans. LIncoln was the president most prone to tell the court to pound sand, defying the Supreme Court on a number of issues during the War Between the States. Lincoln even once got so annoyed with the Supreme Court that he issued a warrant for the arrest of its Chief Justice. The US Marshall was conflicted on what to do with it, and sat on the warrant for several days, after which Lincoln calmed down and recalled the warrant.

The usual remedy is to appeal the outrageous rulings of rogue judges and they generally get taken care of on appeal. In some circuits like the DC circuit, the Court of Appeals also has its share of radical judges, so that sometimes takes a while.

The spate of recent rulings by radical activist judges has led to calls more action against these judges. Impeachment proceedings against several are in the works in the House but are unlikely to get the 2/3rds needed in the Senate for removal. There are questions about ethics charges given the highly political background of most of these rogue judges, including one who has a history of a Democrat mega-donor. There are also increasing calls for criminal charges against some of these judges. A RICO investigation against both the judges and the lawyers involved is one possibility.

When judges do things like side with violent foreign criminal gangsters just to try to stop a popular policy of a president, they are completely out of control and something needs to be done. Our Constitutional republic is facing a judicial coup d'etat and that must be stopped if we are to preserve our democratic system.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/activist-judges-overreach-judicial-authority-case-sedition-treason/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/must-read-lefts-judicial-insurrection-against-trump-is/

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/welcome-fafo-land

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2025/03/16/report-the-reason-why-wh-ignored-judges-order-requiring-planeload-of-gang-members-to-turn-around-n2186736

https://amac.us/newsline/society/trump-wins-obama-judge-loses/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/demented-obama-judge-who-wants-liberate-venezuelan-gang/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/newt-gingrich-judicial-activism-this-last-castle-left/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/ag-pam-bondi-files-emergency-motion-dc-circuit/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/wayne-root-federal-judges-are-payroll-china-ccp/
Duke recently rolled out Abridge, an ambient listening tool for clinicians, to roughly 5,000 providers across the health system.

Ive been in this business 30 years, and nothing has come close to being this impactful, this quickly, at the right time, Eric Poon, MD, chief health information officer of Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Health System, told Beckers at the HIMSS conference in Las Vegas.

But to get there, Duke  and the industry as a whole  had to try out a lot of technologies that didnt work.

With AI, you need to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince or princess, Dr. Poon said. You have to let go of frogs that arent royalty material.

Or, to use another analogy, not all plants become bouquets, he said. But he noted that ambient AI can meet pressing healthcare needs, including reducing costs and burnout. The technology uses a smartphone app to ambiently record patient visits and draft a clinical note for the EHR.

AI has to work in a real-world environment not just a pitch meeting, Dr. Poon said, and be backed by evidence and able to solve problems. How do we fail fast and get value when resources are really tight? he said.

I was telling junior staffers at Abridge, You are working for a prince or princess. There may not come another one for a while,' Dr. Poon said. Theyve iterated quickly. Theyve been bold at pushing the envelope. There seems to be some clinical intelligence in the notes. They pull together facts that are pertinent to the issue. There is pattern recognition: Burgers go with fries.'

Since the launch, he said, staffers have been coming out of the woodwork asking to use the platform, which Duke may expand to occupational and physical therapists, for instance. The health system also offers the tool to residents who have been in training for at least six months.

Duke has been at the forefront of healthcare AI, with governance initiatives including being a founding member of both the Coalition for Health AI and Trustworthy and Responsible AI Network, and also works closely with Microsoft.

The health system also has AI tools for revenue cycle, clinical documentation improvement, chart abstraction and summarization, and patient portal messages.

The pace of change is accelerating, partly because of the rightful excitement around AI and generative AI and the significant investments from companies large and small, Dr. Poon said. The pace of change is going to continue to accelerate, because these companies, not only are they innovating quickly themselves, but they are making tools to make it easier for others to innovate.
On March 13, according to a news release from the U.S. attorneys office for the District of New Jersey, Rostislav Panev, 51, was extradited to the U.S. after being arrested in Israel in August. He was flown to the U.S. and appeared before Magistrate Judge Andre M. Espinosa, who ordered his detention pending trial.

Mr. Panev is accused of serving as a developer for LockBit since its inception in 2019, helping to create malware that enabled the group to execute ransomware attacks on more than 2,500 victims across 120 countries, including 1,800 in the U.S. Victims included hospitals, schools, critical infrastructure and government agencies, resulting in at least $500 million in ransom payments and billions in damages, according to the Justice Department.

Following his arrest, Mr. Panev confessed to Israeli authorities that he had coded and consulted for LockBit in exchange for cryptocurrency payments, aligning with the transactions identified by U.S. officials. He also admitted to developing code that disabled antivirus software, deployed malware and printed ransom notes on all printers within a victims network. Additionally, Mr. Panev acknowledged writing and maintaining the ransomwares malware code and providing technical support to the group.
Oftentimes physicians will have a thought of how they would solve a problem, Jackie Gerhart, MD, vice president of clinical informatics at Epic, told Beckers at the HIMSS conference in Las Vegas. But if we can actually have our developers there seeing the problem in real time, the answer the clinician might come up with might not be as efficient or as effective as something we could come up with to solve the problem in a better way.

The Epic developers might spot, say, a role for AI or automation in a previously manual process at the health system, she said.

Immersion trips are part of our core requirements as software developers, said Sean McGunigal, director of AI at Epic. The excursions typically last a couple of days but no longer than a week. Developers take about a half-dozen immersion trips a year.

Usually you try to get on site during go-lives, because thats an interesting way to get a view of how someone interfaces with the software whos never seen the software before, he said. Its really helpful for us as a software company to take that back to the software.

Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner said in December that she lets the developers pick their own trips, unless its for a big, yearslong project.
Here are six planned hospital reopenings that Beckers has reported on since Dec. 6:

1. Madera (Calif.) Community Hospital is reopening March 18 after it closed more than two years ago and sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2023. American Advanced Management took over operations of the shuttered hospital in April 2024.

Madera Community Hospital CEO Steve Stark said in October that they were aiming to reopen the hospital by mid-December, but that timeline was delayed due to more-than-expected renovation work and IV fluid shortages.

2. Sharon (Pa.) Regional Hospital, a former Dallas-based Steward Health Care facility that closed in early January, will reopen under Tenor Health Foundation and begin accepting patients March 18.

Tenor Health will operate the hospital under Stewards former license while it pursues a change in ownership to transfer licensing at a later date, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Health said in a March 17 statement shared with Beckers. Tenor Health has been working to retain and recruit employees for the hospital, which will be fully staffed prior to welcoming patients. It also plans to share a phased reopening plan for the hospital in the coming weeks.

3. The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative  an independent nonprofit organization  finalized a purchase agreement March 13 with Hospital Sisters Health System for the St. Josephs Hospital building in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Last year, Springfield, Ill.-based HSHS closed St. Josephs and Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis., terminating its presence in Western Wisconsin. The cooperative has 90 days to complete due diligence to determine the financial feasibility of reopening the facility. If viable, it could welcome patients to the St. Josephs campus by winter 2025.

4. Jamestown, Tenn.-based Phoenix Rural Health secured a lease for a hospital facility in Jellico, Tenn., with plans to reopen it as a rural emergency hospital in six to eight months. Since opening in 2020, Jellico has closed multiple times and has been managed by three different companies. The hospital ceased operations in March.

5. Greensboro, N.C.-based BradenHealth acquired Perry Community Hospital in Linden, Tenn. on Dec. 25 with plans to rebuild the facility and restore its services.

The hospital closed in 2020, citing several factors, including the pandemics effect on staff, poor financial conditions and low patient volume. Braden Health said reconstruction work was set to begin immediately.

6. BradenHealth in November purchased the building of a former hospital in Stuart, Va., with plans to restore services. Pioneer Community Hospital of Patrick County closed in 2017. The building was acquired by Chicago-based Foresight Health in 2022, but the company scrapped its plan to reopen the facility earlier in 2024.

BradenHealth purchased the building through a public auction as a real estate-only transaction. The new owner plans to reopen the facility as a full-service hospital and emergency department.
Palomar reported a $165.1 million operating loss (-18.5% margin) in fiscal 2024, which ended June 30. Through the first half of fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31), the two-hospital system reported an operating loss of $65.5 million (-13.8% margin).

Fitch said in its March 14 report that while it still views the systems financial performance as weak, operations have begun to demonstrate some improvement since fiscal 2024s low point.

Fitchs downgrade comes one month after Moodys lowered Palomars rating to Caa1 from B2. Moodys said in its Feb. 12 report that high expenses, large physician subsidies and an increasing governmental payer mix will continue to challenge performance. The ratings agency did note that the system, with consulting help, has identified opportunities for performance improvement in fiscal 2025. Those include potential savings related to its labor force, revenue cycle, physician enterprise, supply chain and purchased services.

Both Fitch and Moodys also downgraded Palomars ratings in 2024. Moodys downgraded Palomars rating to B2 from Baa3 in October. Fitch downgraded the system to B from BB+ in December.

Palomar has a negative outlook at its newest credit rating with Fitch, reflecting the persistent and severe challenges the systems management faces as they navigate significant financial stress and uncertainty. Fitch said it may consider revising Palomars outlook to stable if management succeeds with strategic and operational priorities over the next 18 months and improves operating performance and unrestricted balance sheet resources.

Palomar recently borrowed $20 million from UC San Diego Health to help the system continue to provide care to patients in the region. Palomar also recently told bond investors that it is halfway to its $150 million turnaround goal to stabilize its $700 million revenue bond debt.
Tenor Health will operate the hospital under Stewards former license while it pursues a change in ownership to transfer licensing at a later date, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Health said in a March 17 statement shared with Beckers.

In September 2024, the state agreed to pay Steward, which sought Chapter 11 protection May 6, $4.5 million over three months to keep the hospital open. Pennsylvania then filed an emergency motion after Steward requested $3 million per month on Dec. 1 lest it begin the closure process.

Steward filed a Jan. 6 closure notice for the 163-bed hospital and received bankruptcy court approval after a proposed transaction from Meadville (Pa.) Medical Center was withdrawn. Tenor Health Foundation, a hospital turnaround company, received bankruptcy court approval Jan. 10 to purchase the hospital for $1.9 million and has since been working to reopen it.

We recognize the difficult challenges and frustrations our community has faced without a local hospital, Radha Savitala, founder and CEO of Tenor Health Foundation, said in a March 14 news release shared with Beckers. Our top priority is reopening Sharon Regional Medical Center as quickly and safely as possible, with an unwavering commitment to patient safety, high-quality care, and the restoration of essential services  including a fully operational emergency room, critical care, inpatient care, behavioral health, and other specialty services.

The hospital will comprise a full array of services, including medical-surgical admissions, on-call specialists, emergency care, laboratory, radiology, pharmaceuticals and anesthesiology. Tenor Health is working to restore resources for the hospitals hermitage diagnostic center, rehabilitation services, wound and sleep care, pain clinic and behavioral health programs.

Tenor Health has been working to retain and recruit employees for the hospital, which will be fully staffed prior to welcoming patients. It also plans to share a phased reopening plan for the hospital in the coming weeks, the release said.
Nicole Stallings, President and CEO of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, joined the Beckers Healthcare Podcast to shed light on the challenges ahead  chief among them, the battle to protect Medicaid.

With 3.2 million Pennsylvanians relying on the program, potential funding cuts could send shockwaves through hospitals, communities and the states economy. In this conversation, Ms. Stallings unpacks the policy noise, outlines the stakes for hospital leaders, and shares how advocacy can shape the future of healthcare access.

Editors note: This is an excerpt from an episode of the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. Responses are lightly edited for length and clarity. Click here to listen to the full episode.

Question: With the new administration, what are the biggest healthcare policy shifts hospitals should be preparing for? With so many moving parts, how are you advising hospital leaders to stay informed and on top of potential changes?

Nicole Stallings: Were very focused on protecting and preserving Medicaid. Pennsylvania is an expansion state, with 3.2 million residents currently covered by Medicaid. If expansion were rolled back, projections indicate Pennsylvania would see the fifth-largest increase in uninsured residents nationwide. Beyond the immediate rise in the uninsured population  leading to delayed care and poorer health outcomes  we would also see a significant financial impact. Estimates suggest uncompensated care costs could rise by 25% to 30%, ultimately driving up healthcare costs overall.

These Medicaid proposals could have devastating consequences for healthcare delivery. While Pennsylvania doesnt have public hospitals, we do have hospitals where Medicaid accounts for half  or in some cases, up to 69%  of net patient revenue. Cuts to Medicaid wouldnt just reduce access to care; they could financially cripple hospitals, forcing service reductions or even closures. That impact would then ripple across communities, affecting jobs and economic stability.

What weve been emphasizing to our congressional delegation is that protecting Medicaid isnt just about coverage for the 3 million Pennsylvanians who rely on it  its about maintaining access to care for entire communities. However, Medicaid is just one of many issues currently being debated in Washington. Our role as a hospital association is to help our members distinguish between true policy signals and political noise, ensuring they have clear avenues to share their stories with lawmakers.

We know that maintaining access to care is a bipartisan priority, and thats where were focusing our efforts right now.

Q: Republican lawmakers said they wont cut Medicaid, yet the Congressional Budget Office reported that it would be impossible for the GOP to achieve its projected $880 billion in savings over the next 10 years without doing so. Theres a lot of noise right now, but behind closed doors, are you hearing any specifics about what these potential Medicaid cuts might actually look like?

NS: Any potential Medicaid proposal involves incredibly difficult decisions. I agree  its hard to see how they reach that level of savings without touching Medicaid. From a healthcare provider perspective, how deep do these cuts go before they hit the bone? And what does that really mean for hospitals and patients?

Right now, our job is to make sure lawmakers fully understand the implications. This isnt just about coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries  there are significant community and economic impacts, both here in Pennsylvania and across the country. Were still early enough in the process that we can keep telling these stories and, hopefully, change some hearts and minds. The alternative would be devastating  not just for healthcare access, but for the broader economy.

Q: What role should hospital leaders and associations play in shaping the conversation around healthcare funding and reimbursement at both the state and federal levels?

NS: We have to tell our story. Very few people outside the industry truly understand the complexities and financial pressures hospitals face. Its crucial to connect the dots between adequate reimbursement and the ability to sustain the care that communities rely on. Communicating that message is critical, and it must be framed as a shared issue. Hospital stability isnt just a hospital issue  its a community issue. You cant have a healthy, vibrant community without a financially viable hospital.

We also have natural allies in this effort. The business community and local governments understand the essential role hospitals play. And because politics are local, hospital leaders are some of our strongest advocates. They are engaged with local businesses and community organizations, they serve on local boards, and they can use those platforms to elevate this issue.

My advice to hospital leaders: Tell the story that only you can tell  how your hospital supports the community, and why adequate funding and reimbursement are essential to that mission. Bring strong allies to the conversation and make sure everyone understands that access to care isnt just a hospital issue  its a community issue.
Ms. Lawson, who brings more than 34 years of experience, will lead WVU Medicine Summersville (W.Va.) Regional Medical Center and WVU Medicine Braxton County Memorial Hospital in Gassaway, W.Va., according to a March 17 health system news release.

She has served as COO of South Charleston, W.Va.-based WVU Medicine Thomas Hospitals since Sept. 30, overseeing Thomas Memorial Hospital and Saint Francis Hospital, which have 383 beds combined. Before joining Thomas Hospitals, she played a key role in the growth of Morgantown-based WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, the release said.

The West Virginia University Health System, which operates under the WVU Medicine brand, comprises 3,400 beds and 35,000 employees.
From acquiring a community hospital to expanding outpatient services, CEO Patty Maysent is leading efforts to meet growing demand.

An increase in demand for services, especially quaternary care, has prompted the system to explore new strategies to manage capacity, she told Beckers.

One key move was UC San Diego Healths December 2023 acquisition of a 302-bed community hospital from Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare, now known as UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center. The acquisition shifted patient volume from the systems main campuses to care sites closer to where patients live and expanded services in eastern San Diego.

2024 was a big learning period for us as we aligned the teams, updated facilities and built out the strategic plan and relationships with the physician community, Ms. Maysent said. That hospital includes both our own faculty physicians as well as community physicians. Building out that model was a lot of work, and we learned a lot, but it has been central to trying to serve more of the community closer to home, create better access and quality, and help our own tertiary and quaternary services grow.

As part of the integration, UC San Diego Health implemented Epics EHR at the hospital to ensure systemwide connectivity.

On the culture side, we integrated and collaborated with their existing teams and leadership, Ms. Maysent said. A physician clinical medical officer and chief operating officer, who had extensive backgrounds working in the community, were dedicated to the hospital site.

15-year revitalization plan kicks off

Looking ahead, UC San Diego Health is continuing to update facilities and expand services to address capacity challenges.

In July, the system will open a 251,000-square-foot outpatient pavilion at its Hillcrest campus, housing clinical and surgical services.

Its going to be the first integrated cancer center, with radiation, infusion and multidisciplinary clinical trials all under one roof, Ms. Maysent said. It will also expand the services that are already at capacity.

The pavilion marks the first of five phases in the systems 15-year revitalization project, which will later include an expanded medical campus.

Imperial Valley collaboration

For the past decade, UC San Diego Health has worked to stabilize care in Californias Imperial Valley, a region with healthcare access challenges.

The system manages El Centro (Calif.) Regional Medical Center through a joint powers agreement and has been collaborating with the Imperial Valley Healthcare District, which operates Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley, Calif., in support of unifying the hospitals.

Weve been working with them to come together as a single health system, which is completely needed out there, Ms. Maysent said. They need enough scale to build more clinical services. I think before the end of the year, well see the amalgamation of these health systems into the Imperial Valley Health District and in a position to stabilize healthcare in Imperial Valley.

The countys payer mix is challenging, and historically the two hospitals have competed with one another, she said.

The only sustainable long-term solution is for them to come together and to have enough scale, so that we can have a cancer footprint out there, 24/7 critical care, a single radiology service that could cover the whole region, so that they have better care closer to home, Ms. Maysent said. The point is not to bring patients into San Diego or to Palm Desert. The point is to keep patients there and ensure that they have access to the best community-based and tertiary care that we can build out there.
In September 2024, the FTC submitted its first comment urging the state to reject the merger, arguing that it was proposed under a certificate of public advantage that could protect it from antitrust scrutiny and lead to a deal that could worsen health outcomes for Indiana patients, raise costs and lower hospital worker wages.

Union Health then withdrew its COPA application nine days prior to the state making its final decision on the merger in late November 2024 and resubmitted a new COPA application in February.

The FTC argued in its second comment that the new COPA exhibits the same anticompetitive harms as the first application, according to a March 17 news release.

This repackaged COPA application presents the same problems as before, Clarke Edwards, acting director of the FTCs Office of Policy Planning, said in the release. Competition consistently results in better outcomes for patients and workers than consolidation subject to COPAs. The Indiana Department of Health should deny this attempt by Vigo Countys only two hospitals to eliminate competition and avoid antitrust review.

A spokesperson for Terre Haute Regional Hospital said in a March 17 statement shared with Beckers that the hospital is focused on the COPA process and is working with the state health department to make sure they have the information needed to make an informed decision regarding the healthcare needs of the Wabash Valley.

Beckers has reached out to the Indiana Department of Health and Union Health, and will update this story should more information become available.
In the lawsuit filed March 11, South County Health alleges Claudia Swain, South County Hospitals former vice president of development, violated a contract to not disclose confidential financial information, including details about the hospitals donor base. The lawsuit alleges Ms. Swain, who left the organization in 2020, disclosed confidential donor data to members of Save South County Hospital, a group formed in fall 2024.

The lawsuit follows the formation of Save South County Hospital and an open letter to South Countys leadership from 40 physicians and staff, calling for leadership change and expressing concerns over staffing shortages, service eliminations and CEO Aaron Robinsons abrupt, callous and confrontational management style.

Save South County Hospital was formed in direct response to careless and capricious decisions by hospital administration, according to a March 15 statement from the group shared with Beckers. The hospitals alleged mismanagement has driven away primary care physicians, cancer specialists, urologists and cardiologists from South County Medical Group, the organization said.

We have repeatedly confronted hospital leadership and the Board of Trustees, only to have our urgent warnings tossed aside and ignored, as they did the pleas and concerns of the communitys most respected doctors, the group said in its statement.

In a webpage last updated March 12, South County Health said the groups actions have caused confusion, concern, and anxiety in our community.

Their efforts have specifically targeted disrupting our critical relationships with donors  efforts that have been aided by a former employee of South County Health who violated their fiduciary duty to protect confidential donor information, placing millions of dollars in philanthropic support at risk, the system wrote.

Save South County Hospital denied the allegations in its statement.

Any compromise to donor trust threatens the hospitals ability to grow essential programs, and long-term stability and ultimately jeopardizes patient access, the system said in the statement. At a time when we are actively engaged in potential partnership discussions, the conduct of the individual and group involved may hinder our ability to secure a beneficial partnership.

South County Health remains financially stable, with more than $90 in pooled assets and an average of 143 days cash on hand, according to the system. The lawsuit will not affect patient care, staffing or daily operations, it said.
Dartmouth Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in Lebanon, N.H., has yet to receive funding from the government agency, despite being told the center was approved for the award in July, according to a March 13 report from MedPage Today.

The center, which has held the NCIs comprehensive cancer center designation for almost 50 years, has not received funding since Dec. 1, the report said.

Dartmouth Cancer Center Director Steven Leach, MD, told MedPage Today that while funding delays have occurred before, they have never lasted this long. He also said he knew of three other cancer centers in similar situations.

The National Institutes of Health recently began reconvening study sections group meetings, where expert scientists review research grant applications. The agency has not yet reconvened the advisory councils that determine final funding allocation, the report said.

A federal judge in Massachusetts recently blocked a proposed NIH policy that would cap reimbursements for indirect research costs at 15%.

Amid other ongoing federal funding cuts, Worcester, Mass.-based UMass Chan Medical School and Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have experienced operational disruptions including lay-offs and rescinded applications.

Read the full MedPage Today report here.

Editors Note: This article was updated March 18, 2025 at 3:02 pm CT.
States are stepping in with legislation that has been proposed or is set to take effect, including those focused on establishing violence prevention plans at healthcare workplaces, mandating safety training and protections for employees who report an incident of violence or act in self-defense.

Below are the eight states that have passed or are considering workplace violence legislation in 2025.

Alaska

Alaska Senate Bill 49, which was prefiled Jan. 17, would allow Alaskan employers to seek legal protection against individuals who have committed or threatened violence that could reasonably be carried out at the workplace. Under the bill, employers could file a petition for a protective order in such cases. It also expands the definition of violating a protective order to include workplace violence protective orders.

Indiana

Indiana Senate Bill 419, introduced Jan. 13, would expand criminal penalties for battery against healthcare workers. Current Indiana law applies enhanced penalties for battery committed against certain healthcare workers, including all hospital emergency department staff, according to a Feb. 11 Indiana Hospital Association news release. The bill would broaden these protections by defining health care provider and making battery against them a Level 6 felony. If passed, the law would take effect July 1.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts lawmakers have introduced multiple workplace violence prevention bills in 2025. Bill H.2655, which was referred to the committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security on Feb. 27, would require healthcare employers to conduct annual risk assessments and create a written violence prevention plan based on the findings. It also mandates that healthcare employers provide paid leave for employees assaulted in the line of duty and if they are using the time off to seek or obtain victim services or legal assistance.

Similarly, Bill H.2364 would require home healthcare employers to provide annual workplace safety training and implement a program to reduce the risk of workplace violence.

New York

New Yorks Assembly Bill A203 would require general hospitals to create a violence prevention program. Hospitals in cities or counties with a population of at least 1 million would also be required to have at least one off-duty law enforcement officer or trained security personnel stationed in the emergency department at all times.

Ohio

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in January signed House Bill 452 into law, requiring hospitals to strengthen protections against workplace violence. The law, set to take effect April 9, mandates hospitals develop violence prevention plans, implement incident reporting systems and provide staff training. It also grants civil immunity for healthcare workers who act in self-defense or defense of others during violent incidents under certain circumstances.

Oregon

House Bill 2552 in Oregon, which sits in committee, would require entities to have safety committees to take on various tasks, such as prescribing procedures for entities for investigating, collecting and reporting on workplace violence incidents. Additionally, the bill would require entities to compile data concerning incidents and submit reports to the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The Oregon Health Authority would also develop and administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to eligible entities for their efforts to combat violence. A similar bill, Senate Bill 537, was filed in the Senate, and a public hearing is scheduled for March 20.

Virginia

House Bill 1919, which would require employers with at least 100 employees to implement and maintain a workplace violence policy by Jan. 1, 2027, has passed the House and Senate and awaits a signature by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The bill includes a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation and prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee for reporting a workplace violence incident. Its delayed effective date is July 1, 2026.

Also in Virginia, House Bill 1620 was filed in January. The bill would require the Department of Labor and Industry to convene a work group to assess workplace violence in the state. The work group would be required to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor by Dec. 1, 2026. The Virginia House Rules Committee tabled the bill.

Washington

In Washington, House Bill 1162 was introduced in January related to healthcare employer workplace violence prevention plans, and Substitute HB 1162 passed the House earlier in March. The Senate is currently considering companion legislation, Senate Bill 5162. The legislation would require hospitals to implement a workplace violence prevention plan. A safety committee, or workplace violence committee of employee-elected and employer-selected members, would develop, implement and monitor progress on the plan. The legislation would also require hospitals to review and update the plan at least once annually.

Editors note: This story was updated March 18 at 4:01 p.m. Central time to include Indiana.
Man accused of exposing himself at Co Down beach remembers nothing after drinking bottle of vodka, court hears

Warning: Some readers may find details in this article distressing

Seapark in Holywood. (Stock image)

Alan Erwin Mon 17 Mar 2025 at 17:00







A Belfast man who allegedly exposed himself in full view of children on a Co Down beach has appeared in court.
The victims is reported to be in his twenties

A business in Belfast city centre was the target of a burglary, during which tills were ransacked, and a sum of money stolen.

Police are appealing for information following the incident, which occurred yesterday.

Sergeant Rooney said: At around 6:50am, it was reported that entry was gained by two men to a property in the area.

It was reported that the tills inside the premises had been ransacked and a sum of money had been taken during the incident.

"It is believed that the men made off towards the Castle Street area following the incident.

One of the men is described as being aged in his 40s, of large build and wearing a dark coloured hooded top and blue coloured jogging bottoms.

"The second man is described as aged in his 20s/30s, of average build and wearing a black coloured jacket and black coloured bottoms.

Enquiries are continuing and police would appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident, to contact them on 101 quoting reference number 348 16/03/25. Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
The annual St.Patricks Day Spring Carnival in the Derry which made its way through the city centre on Monday. The parade was watched by thousands of spectators and was led by Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr and St. Patrick. Picture Martin McKeown. 17.03.25

The parade was watched by thousands of spectators and was led by Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr. Picture Martin McKeown.

St Patricks Day celebrations get underway in Belfast on March 17th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Belfast was a sea of green on Monday as tens of thousands of people from Northern Ireland and further afield soaked up the spectacle of culture, dance and music which overtook the city.

Many watching were in their finest green regalia to celebrate the occasion, as the parade snaked its way through the city.

Joining them at the annual event was a collection of dance troupes, schools, community groups, live music performers, fantastical floats, and the Beat Carnival show.

The parade celebrated everything around St Patrick, while also embracing the growing diversity of Belfast during the performances.

Irish dancers and bold floats wowed the crowds gathered along the side of the road, with performers waving to onlookers as they danced through the streets.

The main parade is the culmination a 17-day celebration leading up to the main celebration on the date.

Dressed in a bold green and orange suit was Belfast photographer, Aidan Murray.

Lauren Mathieu (L), Haylee Albert (R) Photo: Gabrielle Swan

It took me about an hour to sort this outfit out this morning. I knew I was going to wear green, white and orange, he said.

I made the decision on what was going to be green, which was going to be white and what was going to be orange.

I come here ever year to take photographs. I was here last year, I was only dressed in green, but this year I made more of an effort to go the whole way this year.

A lot of people have taken my photograph today.

St Patricks Day celebrations get underway in Belfast on March 17th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Watch: Tourists come to Belfast to celebrate St Patrick's Day

Those coming to enjoy the citys celebrations included visitors from Spain, America and tourists from across the UK and island of Ireland.

Also in attendance were student teachers, Haylee Albert and Lauren Mattieu, who came appropriately dressed in a green dress with shamrock face paint, head bands and sunglasses.

We are from Kentucky in the United States, we are studying abroad right now. St Patricks Day is very big in the States, so this is probably what we would normally wear on St Patricks Day.

Veronica Pobre (L), Juna Abbon (R) Photo: Gabrielle Swan

This is our first time in Ireland for St Patricks Day, we are super excited. I think this evening we will go to a pub, said Haylee.

The thing I noticed in America is that we would dress up a lot more. I dont really see as many people here dressed up. We like making it a big thing, added Lauren.

Both originally from Madrid, are Angela Jorge and Edu Bonilla, they decided to celebrate their first St Patricks Day in Belfast.

The parade was watched by thousands of spectators and was led by Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr. Picture Martin McKeown.

I lived in Dublin since September. We are from Madrid, we are really excited. This is our first St Patricks in Ireland, said Angela

We are going to stay to see the parade, then later we are going to see the Titanic Museum, because we have never gone there before.

We spent the long St Patricks weekend here to see the Giants Causeway, we were going to see the parade in Dublin, but we decided to stay here.

This is the first St Patricks Day for us in Ireland. We really like the nature and the city of Belfast, added Edu

Coming from Navan and Cavan in the Republic was Veronica Pobre and Juna Abbon.

This is our first time, I am so excited to be in Belfast, I came from the Republic just to come here to celebrate, it is my first time, said Juna.

It is my fourth time celebrating, but it is my first time in Belfast for St Patricks day, said Veronica.

We are looking forward to the parade, then celebrating.

Sharon (L) and Debby (R) Photo: Gabrielle Swan

Coming up appropriately dressed with large green and orange hats for the occasion from Downpatrick was Debby.

We havent been here for ages, there is a lot of stuff going on in the Cathedral Quarter as well, we havent been for a couple of years now, she said.

Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray led from the front as the parade left the city hall.

The parade just gets bigger and better every year, he said.

Its a real celebration of the community.

Before the parade, revellers were up early to cheer on the thousands taking part in the SPAR Craic 10k.

Runners in their appropriate green kit and costumes took off from the City Hall at 9am.

Other celebrations took Northern Ireland by storm.

In Londonderry ,thousands flocked to the streets to enjoy the annual St.Patricks Day Spring Carnival took place, led by Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor, councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr.

There were also similarly spectacular displays of colour and pageantry as St Patrick himself led the way through the streets of Downpatrick, with the parade offering a feast for eyes and ears as swirling dancers, community floats and costumed characters entertained the crowds.

Meanwhile, children waved the Irish tricolour while visitors watched the long and energetic parade make its way through the streets of Dublin.

Edu Bonilla (L) and Angela Jorge (R) Photo: Gabrielle Swan

Spectators were adorned in all shades of green, many with shamrocks and the Irish tricolour painted on their faces, while others wore leprechaun hats and Irish jerseys.

It is estimated around half a million people lined the parade route.

The theme of this years event was adventures, or eachtrai in Irish.

People gathered at the barriers from early Monday morning in green and tricolour gear.

The Dublin parade included 12 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and Austria  as well as dozens of performers and extravagant floats.

There were around 4,000 parade participants from across the globe in Mondays parade.

The parade featured members of An Garda Siochana, a float from Dublin Zoo, the Irish Coast Guard, baton twirlers and Artane Band.

President Michael D Higgins attended the Dublin parade for the final time as president as his term in office comes to end this November. He thanked the people of Ireland before the parade got underway alongside his partner, Sabina.
Emergency services at the scene of the fire

Emergency services extinguished a blaze caused by accidental ignition at a bakery in Belfast City centre.

Firefighters attended a fire at Bakari bakery in Donegall Street shortly before 2pm.

Four fire appliances arrived to the scene where the blaze was understood to have been extinguished at approximately 2.45pm.

The cause of the incident was concluded to be an accidental ignition.

All fire crews had left the scene by 5pm.

A spokesperson for the NIFRS said: "We got called to the incident just after 2pm where we had four fire appliances attend. The crews extinguished the fire while wearing breathing apparatus.

"It was confirmed to have been extinguished at approximately 2.45pm and it was deemed to be an accidental ignition. All our crews were away by 5pm.

Emergency services at the scene of the fire

News Catch Up - Monday 17 March
File photo of someone using social media on their phone. (Yui Mok/PA)

A community pharmacist from Northern Ireland created a fake social media profile and posted false information which caused his victim undue anxiety, a tribunal has heard.

Matthew Nethery accepted a police caution over his improper online behaviour in October 2023 and has now been issued with a warning by the professions regulator here over the same episode.
Shelter found that 90,000 additional affordable houses were needed each year for the next 10 years to clear social housing wait lists (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Plans to build 5,850 new social homes in Northern Ireland by 2027 could be at risk, as budget constraints could see fewer than 1,000 started in the next financial year.

The recently published Programme for Government (PfG) set out a commitment to have started construction on at least 5,850 new social homes by 2027.

It is understood that the clock on the target set in the PfG started during the current financial year, and would mean over 2,000 new starts a year.

But at a Communities Committee meeting on February 27  the day the Executive approved the PfG  it was revealed the department will not meet that target under current budget allocations.

During the meeting committee members heard that the department is projected to deliver at most 1,500 new starts for the 24/25 financial year.

But this number could drop to less than 1,000 new homes in the next financial year unless additional funding is unlocked.

John Greer, Deputy Secretary of Corporate Services Group in the Department for Communities

Deputy Secretary of the Corporate Services Group at the Department for Communities, John Greer, outlined the departments financial position under the initial allocations provided in the draft budget in 2025/6.

He noted the department is facing a significant shortfall after bidding for 431.3m of capital funding, but receiving an allocation of 270m.

He went on to highlight that the department requires 217.6m to cover its inescapable and pre-committed projects, and that only leaves 50m for the minister to make decisions on with regard to other capital projects."

Brian Kingston.

After a question from DUP MLA Brian Kingston, the departments Finance Director Kathy Sands clarified the implications of the limited capital budget for new social homes.

"Weve only about 50m to deal with our new homes and all of our projects right across the department, she said.

"If we took that 50m and put that all into social homes, the indications would be 50m would get us about 1,000 homes, but that would mean no investment in anything else in capital across our department as a new investment.

Mark Baillie, Head of Policy and Programmes at Homeless Connect, said: This society is in a situation where just under 31,000 households, including almost 60,000 individuals, have homelessness status on the social housing waiting list.

The inclusion of a specific target of starting over 5,850 new social homes by 2027 is welcome. However, for the target to be met, significant and consistent investment will be required.

Last week, John Glass of Alpha Housing warned that funding may need to double in order to tackle the backlog of some 50,000 people waiting for a social home.

He added: "The final budget allocation for the coming year provided to the Department for Communities must include the investment needed to ensure these new homes can be started.

A spokesperson for the Department for Communities said: While mindful of the financial pressures faced by DfC and all Executive departments, the minister is committed to the housing targets outlined in both the Executives Housing Supply Strategy and Programme for Government.
Princess of Wales makes solo St Patricks Day visit to Irish Guards

Kate was at Wellington Barracks in London to take part in the Irish Guards St Patricks Day celebrations.

Wearing a bottle green coat, she was greeted by senior officers before heading to the Officers Mess to present medals.

The visit marks her second St Patricks Day as Colonel of the Irish Guards, a role she took on in 2023.

The princess presented operational medals to Irish Guards soldiers who recently returned from deployment in Iraq.

Following tradition, Kate also presented fresh sprigs of shamrock to officers, warrant officers, and the regiments Irish wolfhound mascot, Turlough Mor.

Following the regiment's annual St Patrick's Day parade Kate joined soldiers in the Junior Ranks cookhouse at Wellington Barracks for a half pint of Guinness.

She spoke with soldiers, including those recently deployed overseas and others involved in training Ukrainian troops, about their experiences.

Guardsman Barry Loughlin, who led the toast, said afterwards: She wanted to know how things were going with the blokes in general.

She was really nice and really warm. I was kind of flustered. You could tell she had a genuine interest in us.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listens as UFC fighter Conor McGregor speaks with reporters in the briefing room of the White House, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listens as UFC fighter Conor McGregor speaks with reporters in the briefing room of the White House, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listens as UFC fighter Conor McGregor speaks with reporters in the briefing room of the White House, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

UFC fighter Conor McGregor speaks with reporters in the briefing room of the White House, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Former UFC champion and Irish businessman Conor McGregor briefly speaks with reporters alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt before meeting with President Donald Trump in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

SDLP MP Colum Eastwood has said that Irish people are embarrassed by Conor McGregor following the MMA fighters appearance at the White House.

Press wrangler Allison Schuster shared photos of Mr McGregor at the podium in the White House briefing room on Monday afternoon, where she said he took surprise questions and signed a Make Ireland Great Again hat.

He described Ireland as the little bro which should be looked after by the United States as he said he was in Washington to raise issues like an illegal immigration racket that is running ravage on the country.

Commenting on X, Foyle MP Mr Eastwood said: Conor McGregor has never been elected to anything, he doesnt represent the Irish people. In fact, were all pretty embarrassed by him.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said that McGregor does not speak for Ireland while Taoiseach Micheal Martin said his remarks are wrong and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

St. Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.



Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 17, 2025

In a post shared to X, Mr Martin said: St. Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said Mr Trump can invite whoever he wants to the White House and he is perfectly entitled to invite whoever he wishes.

President Donald Trump and MMA fighter Conor McGregor in the Oval Office.

Conor McGregor criticises Irish Government during speech at the White House

"But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. He is here in a personal capacity. He does not speak for Ireland, he does not speak for the people of Ireland, he has no mandate to do such.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Mr Harris said his views on Mr McGregor are long-standing and on the public record.

The White House shared video of Mr McGregor walking from the building on Monday afternoon saying: Happy Paddys Day, America.

It comes just days after Taoiseach Micheal Martin met with Mr Trump in the Oval Office, during which the American leader was asked who his favourite Irish person was.

"I do happen to like your fighter. Hes got the best tattoos Ive ever seen. Conors great, right? But you have a lot of great Irish fighters actually, Mr Trump said.

Mr McGregor told those gathered in the briefing room today that Ireland and America are siblings and it is important for Ireland to have a peaceful, happy, prosperous country for the 40 million Irish-Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home.

"We wish for our relationship with the United States to continue and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro. The United States should look after its little bro.

He added that he was in Washington to raise the issues that Irish people face, which he said have "never" been spoken "on the main stage".

"Our Government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland.

He accused the Irish Government of having zero accountability and said Irish money was being spent on overseas issues that has nothing to do with the Irish people, adding that the illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country.

He said rural towns have been overrun and Irish-Americans need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

Mr McGregor said he is inspired by Mr Trumps work ethic.

In a post shared yesterday, Mr McGregor had said he was due to land in Washington for the most important meeting of my countries (sic) future.

"I am beyond ready. The world will hear Irelands call.

The official White House account also shared a photo of Mr McGregor posed with his fists up in front of two portraits of Mr Trump and his vice president JD Vance today.

Last November, a High Court civil jury found Nikita Hand was assaulted by Mr McGregor in the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on 9 December, 2018.

She was awarded 248,603 in damages against Mr McGregor.

The mixed martial arts fighter has lodged an appeal against the verdict in the civil rape case, which is listed to come before the Court of Appeal on March 21.

The former UFC champion instructed his lawyers to lodge an appeal directly after the verdict was handed down last November following a 12-day trial.

Speaking in New York today, Tanaiste Simon Harris said he did not want to comment on matters that may again appear before the courts, but added that he has previously spoken with Ms Hand.

"I admire her bravery, her courage and I would much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.

On whether he believed Mr Martin should have said something in the Oval Office when Mr Trump discussed Mr McGregor as one of his favourite Irish people, Mr Harris said: I think the Taoiseach did a very good job representing our country in the Oval Office and Im very proud of the job that he did.

Asked whether he believed a potential endorsement of Mr McGregor by Mr Trump in the Irish presidential race would amount to election interference, Mr Harris said: In general I think its always better for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country and by the people of Ireland, and thats how our presidential election will be decided.

"I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor. I dont expect he is going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency to Aras an Uachtarain.
Around 20 cars were damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast. Photo by Pacemaker

Around 20 cars were damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast. Photo by Pacemaker

Around 20 cars were damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast. Photo by Pacemaker

Around 20 cars were damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast. Photo by Pacemaker

Approximately 20 cars have been damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast.

The incident took place in the Boucher Road area yesterday.

Most cars had their wing mirrors knocked off, while others also had windows smashed or were dented.

Sergeant Rooney said: "The damage is believed to have occurred at some point in the last 24 hours.

"Approximately twenty vehicles have been targeted. Most have had their wing mirrors knocked off, while others have also had windows smashed or received dents to the bodywork.

"Enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.

"We would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in the area since Saturday afternoon, or who may have CCTV footage that could assist, to contact police on 101, quoting reference 692 of 16/03/25."

Tesla have been contacted for comment.

Around 20 cars were damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast. Photo by Pacemaker

News Catch Up - Monday 17 March
Hair and beauty sector owners and employees during a protest in Parliament Square, London to demand urgent tax reform for the struggling sector (Pol Allingham/PA)

Hairdressers gathered in Westminster for a protest calling for tax reform in the Spring Statement to save our salons.

Protesters wore black cutting gowns and uniforms, with many sitting in fold-up chairs while receiving hair and beauty treatments on Monday in Parliament Square.

The British Hair Consortium (BHC) has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to address structural flaws in the tax system having a disproportionate impact on the hair and beauty sector.

The group wants VAT on labour costs to be cut from 20% to 10% in the Spring Statement.

The BHC said the industry faces a 93% employment decline by 2030 without reform, with no new apprenticeships by 2027, pushing the industry to the brink of collapse.

It added that a study by CBI Economics found that without intervention, independent salons will continue to close, jobs will be lost, and an entire generation of skilled professionals could disappear.

The BHC said the study showed that the sector is far more labour intensive than most other high street businesses, with limited chances to reclaim VAT cost.

Hair and beauty sector owners and employees during a protest in Parliament Square, London to demand urgent tax reform for the struggling sector (Yui Mok/PA)

Signs held by protesters on Monday included Give Tax the Chop and Cut the VAT to save jobs.

Discussing the protest, Toby Dicker, co-founder of the BHC, told the PA news agency: It was an amazing turnout, 400-plus hairdressers, hair salon owners coming together for the first time to protest about our industry.

Whats next for us is that were going to continue to forge bringing different business owners together and to create a really positive platform to share whats going on in our industry.

All we want the Government to understand is that if they dont sit down and talk to us now and understand whats going to happen in the future, then theyre going to lose 90,000 employees across our sector and a whole future generation of apprentices.

Mr Dicker added: Our industry has been ignored for years and were calling on the Government to correct decades of mismanagement.

Most owners havent had a pay rise in many years and simply cant consider expanding their business, let alone take on an apprentice.

Laura Geary, director at Headmasters, one of the UKs biggest salon groups, said: The changes from the last Budget have made it very hard for salons to continue to offer the benefits of employment and we will certainly not be able to take on as many apprentices going forward.

This will kill the future of our industry.

Denise Thomas, owner of Denise Thomas Hair Salons in Liverpool, said one of the biggest challenges she had faced over the years had been VAT.

Ms Thomas, who has been a salon owner for 25 years, added: A growing number of salons now operate with chair renters who dont have to pay VAT, which allows them to keep their prices low and creates an uneven playing field.

If salons like mine continue to be squeezed, theyll become less and less viable, making it even harder for employers like me to secure a stable future.
Russian interference networks tried to disrupt the UK general election last year, but did not cause a notable impact, the security minister has said.

Efforts to promote pro-Russian messages during the election period were not deemed by officials to have influenced the voting process, which overall saw relatively low levels of attempted interference.

Dan Jarvis told the National Security Strategy Joint Committee of the findings as he was quizzed on the Governments approach to defending democratic institutions on Monday.

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Mr Jarvis said: I can tell the committee that the UK witnessed relatively low levels of attempted interference activity, which we judged to have not reached the relevant thresholds to impact or influence the outcome of elections.

But I think the committee will also be interested to know that the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) monitored known Russian foreign information manipulation and interference networks as part of the collaborative HMG effort to tackle the information threats to the general election.

We saw Russian attributed networks such as Doppelganger promote pro-Russian messages with the intent to disrupt normal functions of election and voting processes.

However, this was not judged to have caused a notable impact on the last election. But as I say, we are not remotely complacent about the potential for it happening in the future.

Doppleganger is known as a vast online network which floods social media with fake posts, counterfeit documents and deepfake material, according to the FCDO.

Last October, the Government placed sanctions on Russian state-backed agencies it said was responsible for Doppleganger, called the Social Design Agency and a partner company, Structura, over their attempts to destabilise Ukraine.

Asked if we are too timid in responding and taking action against adversaries, Mr Jarvis rejected the notion, adding: I would say that we take these threats incredibly seriously.

We are well organised, and weve got the work strands in place that we need to make sure that weve got the policy foundation, and the resources in place to address the threats that we face.

Online safety minister Baroness Jones added that when faced with Russian bots trying to change the election we acted very quickly coordinating responses from across Government with the FCDO but also with fellow countries, including a response from the G7.

We do have the mechanisms in place, and we are watching very very carefully whats occurring, the minister added.

Mr Jarvis also said he would come back to the committee with a response when asked what punitive action was taken in light of efforts made to disrupt the election last year.
Fighting continues in Ukraine as Moscow insists on conditions before accepting a ceasefire (Alex Babenko/AP)

Donald Trump has said he will speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as military chiefs prepare to discuss peacekeeping plans in London.

The call, announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, comes as Mr Putin continues to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Although Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accepted the proposed unconditional ceasefire, the Russian president has said Ukraine must agree to give up its ambitions of joining Nato and cede territory to Russia before any pause in hostilities.

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Mr Putin of seeking to delay a ceasefire, while French president Emmanuel Macron has said the Russian president does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace.

But on Sunday, Mr Witkoff insisted that Mr Putin was making a constructive effort and that the upcoming call with Mr Trump showed there was positive momentum.

While flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, Mr Trump told reporters the aim of his conversation with Mr Putin will be to bring the conflict to an end.

He said: We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday.

A lot of works been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.

Mr Trump said dividing up certain assets will form part of the conversation about bringing the war to a close.

We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants, he said.

Sir Keir Starmer said planning for a peacekeeping force would move into an operational phase, with military leaders meeting in London on Thursday (Leon Neal/PA)

Meanwhile, military chiefs from the coalition of the willing convened by Sir Keir and Mr Macron will meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

Following a virtual meeting on Saturday with the leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and Nato, the Prime Minister said there had been new commitments offered and planning would now move into an operational phase.

But it remains unclear which nations have committed troops to a peacekeeping operation, while several have suggested such talks are premature given the lack of a ceasefire.

Mr Putin is also likely to object to any agreement that involves European or Nato troops being stationed in Ukraine, although Mr Zelensky sees this as essential to deterring future Russian aggression.

Meanwhile, the fighting continues, with Ukraine said to be under increasing pressure in the eastern Donetsk region, part of which has been under Russian control since 2014.

Ukrainian troops are also reported to be in retreat in the Kursk region of Russia, which they seized in a surprise raid in August in an attempt to secure a bargaining chip for future negotiations.
The Princess of Wales enjoys a glass of Guinness during a visit to the Irish Guards for their St Patricks Day parade at Wellington Barracks (Eddie Mulholland/Daily Telegraph/PA)

The Princess of Wales bought a round of drinks for troops at Wellington Barracks to celebrate St Patricks Day.

Kate made the touching gesture during her first return to the parade ground since she revealed her cancer diagnosis last year.

Money was put behind the bars serving junior guardsmen and officers at the military barracks in Westminster, central London, to mark the Irish Guards 125th anniversary.

The Princess of Wales during a visit to the Irish Guards (Aaron Chown/PA)

Before the parade, Kate, who is colonel of the regiment presented operational medals to soldiers recently deployed in Iraq, recognising their service overseas.

She also awarded long service and good conduct medals to two soldiers during a ceremony in the officers mess.

The princess  dressed in a bottle-green coat and percher hat  then joined the regiment for their traditional parade, taking her place on the saluting dais as soldiers from Number 9 Company, Number 12 Company and the Rear Operations Group marched onto the parade square, led by their Irish wolfhound mascot, Turlough Mor.

Following tradition, Kate handed out sprigs of shamrock to officers, warrant officers and the mascot.

The Princess of Wales presents the traditional sprigs of shamrock to the Irish Guards Mascot Turlough Mor (Aaron Chown/PA)

Following tradition, Kate handed out sprigs of shamrock to officers, warrant officers and the mascot.

Huge crowds braved the biting cold to gather at the gates of Wellington Barracks and catch a glimpse of the ceremony.

Kate missed the Guards celebrations last year after being diagnosed with cancer.

Meanwhile, officers from the regiment deployed in eastern England paused their training of Ukrainian troops to present shamrocks to their recruits as part of Operation Interflex, a UK-led programme providing battlefield skills to Ukrainian soldiers.

The Irish Guards have played a key role in the programme, which has trained more than 45,000 Ukrainian recruits since Russias full-scale invasion.

Kate is colonel of the regiment (Aaron Chown/PA)

During the parade, a tribute was paid to soldiers stationed in eastern England, with Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ben Irwin-Clark describing St Patricks Day as a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the friendships that are so fundamental to our regimental ethos and identity.

After the parade, Kate posed for official photographs with the regiment.

She laughed and joked with soldiers as two children playfully held up the pictures, before joining soldiers in the junior ranks cookhouse, where she enjoyed a half pint of Guinness.

Nursing the drink, she chatted with soldiers about their experiences on deployment.

She said: Being able to manage that work-life balance  its tough.

Kate poses for a photo during a visit to the Irish Guards (Aaron Chown/PA)

Guardsman Barry Loughlin, who led the toast, said afterwards: She wanted to know how things were going with the blokes in general.

She was really nice and really warm. I was kind of flustered.

You could tell she had a genuine interest in us.

Kate later visited the sergeants mess, where she met families of soldiers and heard about their experiences.

She told Corporal Adam Hamilton, from Australia, about her fondness for the country.

She said: I loved our trip to Australia.

The princess enjoys a glass of Guinness during the visit (Eddie Mulholland/Daily Telegraph/PA)

There are so many opportunities now to travel.

We tend to go further afield when its official visits.

George always finds it fascinating that weve been there.

The princess last made an official royal visit to the country in 2014 with William and George  who was just a baby at the time.

Adams wife, Grace Hamilton, said afterwards: We spoke about Australia.

Kate posing for official photographs with the regiment (Eddie Mulholland/Daily Telegraph/PA)

She looks into your eyes when she speaks to you.

It just shows shes giving you her full attention.

The days celebrations concluded with a toast in the officers and sergeants mess, where Lt Col Irwin-Clark praised the regiments commitment to operations worldwide and reflected on its proud 125-year history.

In 2023, Kate visited the Irish Guards on St Patricks Day with the Prince of Wales at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire, after taking over the role of colonel from William.

Last year, the guardsman gave three cheers for their absent colonel while the princess was away from public duties after abdominal surgery.
Houthi supporters chant slogans during an anti-US and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

US President Donald Trump has explicitly linked the actions of Yemens Houthi rebels to the groups main benefactor, Iran, warning Tehran would suffer the consequences for further attacks by the group.

The comments by Mr Trump on his Truth Social website further escalate his administrations new campaign of air strikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 53 people this weekend alone and appear poised to continue.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to weigh how to respond to a letter Mr Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehrans rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (Luis M Alvarez/AP)

Houthi supporters themselves rallied in several cities on Monday after the strikes, vowing revenge against America and Israel over blocking aid to the Gaza Strip after its war on Hamas there.

The Houthis al-Masirah satellite news channel put young boys on air live, who chanted the groups slogan: God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.

The Yemeni position is an irreversible position (regarding Gaza), so do whatever you (Americans) want, for we are men who fear no-one but God, said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi leader who spoke to the demonstration in Yemens rebel-held capital Sanaa.

The United Nations called for a halt to all military activities in Yemen and the Red Sea, urging utmost restraint and warning that any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.

Describing the Houthis as sinister mobsters and thugs, Mr Trump warned any attack by the group would be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.

Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which theyve lost control, but they havent lost control, Mr Trump alleged in his post.

Theyre dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, Intelligence.

And in a marked departure from the previous administration, Mr Trump has given US Central Command the authority to launch offensive strikes against the Houthis when it deems it appropriate.

The Biden administration had required White House approval to conduct offensive strikes like the ones over the weekend.

It did allow US forces to launch defensive attacks, including to take out weapons that appeared to be ready to fire.

Delegating the authority to the regional commander, said Lt Gen Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, allows us to achieve a tempo of operations where we can react to opportunities that we see on the battlefield in order to continue to put pressure on the Houthis.

He added that it also allows the US to hit a broader array of targets.

The US officials said Mr Trump made the decision last week.

The weekend strikes targeted headquarters positions and drone sites where what the Pentagon identified as key leaders for the Houthis drone programme were located at the time, said Lt Gen Grynkewich.

The Pentagon said there was no evidence that any civilians were killed in the attacks.

Houthi supporters during an anti-US and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

Irans ambassador to the United Nations delivered a strong rebuke on Monday to Mr Trumps recent rhetoric about the Islamic Republic, saying Mr Trump and US officials are making reckless and provocative statements and threatened to retaliate if those words turn to actions.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said his country would defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests under international law against any hostile action.

It is unclear what sparked Mr Trumps post.

However, the head of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard sought to separate the Houthis actions from those of Tehran this weekend.

The Houthis also launched drones and missiles targeting the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, though none reached the ship as it continues flight operations in the region.

Iran did not immediately comment on the post.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Mr Trump added.

The Houthi rebels attacked more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year when a ceasefire began in Gaza.

The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.

The Houthis claimed there had been additional US air strikes overnight, though American officials did not immediately acknowledge them.
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Jesus first miracle was turning water into wine but did He in fact drink? What does the Bible tell us?

John 2:1-11 describes the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. According to Jewish wedding tradition, fermented wine was always served at weddings. In this Gospel account, Jesus, His mother and His disciples are invited to a wedding and when the wine runs out, Jesus delivers the first of his signs by turning water into wine. John 2:11 says that it revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

While Jesus turning water into wine doesnt prove He drank water at the wedding, the likelihood is very high as traditional Jewish celebrations included drinking wine. Jesus likely drank wine during those celebrations in moderation.

We also know that the Nazirites are the only group who are instructed to never drink wine/alcohol (Numbers 6:1-4). Jesus was a Nazarene given He was from the town of Nazareth. Since He was not a Nazirite, He did not take vows to abstain from alcohol.

Luke 7 does indicate that Jesus drank alcohol at times. Jesus surely shared the Passover cup. We know from Scripture that John the Baptist didnt drink wine, but it is implied that Jesus did drink wine. The religious leaders of the day accused Jesus of being a drunk. Jesus said, "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'" (Luke 7:3334). Despite this accusation, Jesus was never drunk or gluttonous. We know this because He lived a sinless life.

While the Bible doesnt prohibit drinking, it does prohibit drunkenness. If millions of Americans have been brutalized and devastated by the abuse of alcohol, what message does drinking or refraining from it send? We can turn to Scripture for the answers.

Jesus Himself warned against drunkenness because it prevents people from being ready for His return (Luke 21:34-36). The Bible also forbids drunkenness. Ephesians 5:18 says, And do not get drunk with win, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit Drinking wine isnt a sin, but there are consequences if we overindulge and abuse it.

We see from reading Romans chapter 14 that everything we do as Christians needs to be done with wisdom. If eating meat, which is not a sin, can in some circumstances be an offense to someone who may see the association with idolatry as the issue, then clearly there are applications here for other practices as well. In the case of the Romans 14 example, the real issue is one of protecting the weak believer from stumbling through observation of conduct on the part of other Christians which might lead that weak believer into sin whether or not the observed conduct is sinful.

The issue of the passage is not the way we may look at believers who may not agree with what we are doing but wont be tripped up by our behavior, whatever the non-sinful behavior we are talking about may be. Rather, the issue is the spiritual welfare of our fellow believers who may have preconceived notions about certain behaviors and who may be tripped up in their faith when they see others have violated these notions.

It is important for Christians to do what is right and to avoid what is wrong, to have a good reputation and to comport ourselves in a respectful way. But it is also important not to be intimidated by legalism. For example there are many cultures in the world where drinking without drunkenness has always been part of the social norm. An evangelist in such cultures who made a point of abstaining might be sending exactly the wrong message. This, however, is not a valid defense for recreational drinking under all circumstances in our own culture, which can also send the wrong message.

While the Bible does prohibit drunkenness, the Bible does not prohibit drinking. Virtually every great believer you can name in Scripture drank wine. Proverbs 23:29-35 outlines some of the dangers of drinking, but elsewhere Proverbs commends wine under certain circumstances. There are New Testament passages which condemn being unduly under the influence (Ephesians 5:18), but Paul actually tells Timothy to have some wine on account of his ailments (1 Timothy 5:23) and of course, our Lord turned water into wine (John 2). These and similar well-known passages would seem to indicate that drinking is acceptable as long as one does not become drunk. But it is important to note that the culture of the ancient world was very different from ours.

For instance, the water could be very bad, and mixing some wine with the water was known to neutralize some of the bacteria. That was the point of Pauls command to Timothy. Also, it was rare in Mediterranean culture to drink wine straight, so that it took a great conscious effort to become drunk than is generally true for us today. Finally, the culture of that day was very much oriented to wine as a staple, similar to how we drink orange juice or milk with our breakfast. The idea that someone might deliberately refrain from drinking wine would have struck the average person in biblical times as peculiar. In short, the message sent by a Christian who drinks in American culture is very much different from that of Peter or Paul having wine at dinner time.

Drinking alcohol has been a hot topic among Christians that has been argued and discussed for thousands of years. God warns us to not be drunk and describes certain situations where some should not drink, but the Bible never says that alcohol is wrong. If we could drink and never go over the line and never give offense, then there would be very little problem with drinking. On the other hand, if this is a standard that is deemed difficult to uphold, then the issue of drinking, particularly public drinking should be given some serious thought.

Since the Bible doesnt absolutely forbid drinking alcohol, whether or not you should drink is a personal decision you must make for yourself. Consider the impact of drinking not only on your personal life, but also the lives of the people around you.

Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
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When you Google love is patient love is kind, you receive 417 million search results  proving that 1 Corinthians 13 is a very popular bible verse. Odds are, if you have ever attended a wedding, youve most likely heard the popular bible verse, 1 Corinthians 13, in the ceremony. In fact, according to Mark Woods from Christianity Today, the wedding market has saturated ceremonies and unions by reciting 1 Corinthians 13. What may come as a surprise is the fact that the wedding market has inadvertently portrayed the wrong idea of love.

The love is patient, love is kind verse continues with it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. With only that context, the popular bible verse probably seems like the answer to every holy union of marriage. However, if you dive deeper into the words and the theology, youll begin to understand that the love in 1 Corinthians 13 is not a romantic love. The Apostle Paul wrote this chapter. Oftentimes chapter 13 is referred to as The Hymn of Love. It is a dramatic chapter that doesnt hold the same meaning once you dissect the true meaning and see the intricacy of Gods design.

In the Christianity Today article, Woods said, Pauls Love is list isnt a statement of the dewy-eyed emotional state in which couples stand in front of the altar. Its a commitment to a rigorous practice of spiritual discipline in relation to other people in general  and not just to the object of amorous desire.

Now, as a sidebar, if you are reading this analysis and want to find an appropriate verse for a wedding ceremony, wed like to suggest Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Ruth 1: 16-17, Matthew 19:4-6, or Ephesians 3: 14-19. Those bible verses are hinged upon the union of two people and the fullness of God.

With that said, youre probably wondering, What kind of love is used in 1 Corinthians 13? The love is kind verse articulates an agape love.

Agape is one of several Greek words for love. When the word agape is used in the Bible, it refers to a pure, willful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires anothers highest good. Having a deeper understanding of the different types of love can be helpful when differentiating the types of love that exist. For example, your love for your favorite food is different than the love you have for your partner.

In the love is patient, love is kind verse, love represents a selfless love that promotes the greatest good for another. Unlike romantic love, agape isnt born just of emotions, feelings, familiarity and attractiveness. Moreover, agape requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return. Many may argue that the basis of faithfulness and commitment are foundational elements for any marriage; however, relationships are not one-sided, and they require both individuals to sacrifice with the idea that the other will reciprocate.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the verse lays out the definition of agape word for word  patience, kindness, no envy, no boasting, no proudness, only honoring, not self-seeking, not easily angered, and no records of wrongfulness. While the generalities exist in a loving relationship between partners, the romance that initiates a courtship and continues into a marriage is non-existent in the love portrayed in the popular bible verse.

To truly understand 1 Corinthians 13, you must also read Galatians 5:22-23. The verse said, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 advises if you dont have the fruit of the Spirit, then the gifts of the Spirit are functioning in the flesh. Ultimately, the believer must walk in the Spirit in order to produce the fruit of the Spirit. Thus, out of the fruit of the Spirit comes the gifts of the Spirit operating in the power of the Spirit. Even though the Corinthians had all the gifts of the Spirit, they were exercising their gifts in the flesh and not actually acting as a Spirit.

When Paul was writing this, he wasnt picturing a young couple. On the contrary, he was writing to a group of Christians, a congregation in the city of Corinth, who were very different people. They had different ideas for the future, opposing ideas of who should be in charge, conflicting passions and different ways of operating and processing the world. As you can imagine, there was a lot of bickering and disagreements.

It is evident that Paul was pleading for the people to adopt an agape love  one that is patient, kind, not envious, and not boasting. 1 Corinthians 13 serves as what we would call today an ah-ha moment.

Christians should treat each other, no matter what their disagreements are, with respect and kindness. In this popular verse, love is not a feeling; it is an act of the will. Paul is saying that we should love each other and put each others needs first despite our differences and misunderstandings. Love is crucial. Ultimately, love is the thing that takes a gift from God and turns that gift into a blessing for others  without love, the gift has no value.

Now that you know the true meaning behind the love is patient, love is kind bible verse, I hope that you live out your life with an agape love for others. The world can be a much happier place if we all accept each others differences and learn how those differences bring out the best in each other.

Angela Guzman is a Writer at Large and a Huffington Post contributor.
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A Miss Hall's School parent has created a petition to push for approval for Rep. Leigh Davis' bill. The bill would make it a crime for people like teachers and coaches to have sex with children in their care.
Eagle Archives, July 2, 1957: The Marauders drum and bugle corps will be absent from the 1957 Fourth of July Parade after a split with the Pittsfield Firemens Association, which demanded the return of all instruments amid tensions over name changes and sponsorship.
Williams College President Maud Mandel is navigating the impacts of Trump-era federal policies that threaten the schools endowment, diversity programs, international student access and research funding. In a calm but firm response, Mandel says the college will adapt while remaining true to its educational mission and values of inclusion and autonomy.
Marriage is an important part of life for people who are called to it, and there are many dynamics that come to the marital relationship. While everyone has different expectations, obligations, and goals for their marriages, the Bible is clear that for people who are saved and belong to Christ, that God has certain expectations for marriage.

Marriage is a part of Gods design, and He instituted it to honor Him. One of the ways that a marital relationship honors God is through appropriate sexual boundaries, with the Apostle Paul writing:

A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does (1 Corinthians 7:4).

This verse does not require spouses to meet a quota in their relationship, but it does encourage them to be giving to one another to avoid sin. Intimacy between a man and a woman is a gift from the Lord, but God set appropriate boundaries on it. For people who love God and love each other, the Bible encourages them to see their bodies as belonging to their spouse to avoid sin, but also to experience the deep love that husbands and wives are designed to have.

What Is the Context of This Verse?

The verse in question is in Pauls first letter to the church in Corinth, a gentile church that had many difficulties, particularly around sexual immorality. Even some of the directives that seem unrelated to sexuality are related. For example, the concern about women wearing head coverings actually ties back to the local custom of temple prostitution.

Paul had to admonish the church for affiliating with someone committing extreme sexual sin, It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles  a man is sleeping with his fathers wife (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul, however, did not spend the whole book chastising the church. He equipped them with knowledge and advice to have appropriate sexual expression, starting with the idea of one man and one wife.

In his letter, he wrote:

A husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. Do not deprive one another  except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control (1 Corinthians 7:3-5).

Before Paul gave this directive, he warned against sexual sin, encouraging believers to glorify God with their bodies by not sinning with those bodies. He noted, Dont you know that your bodies are a part of Christs body? So should I take a part of Christs body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! (1 Corinthians 6:15).

After this warning, he went on to encourage married believers not to deny each other, in part to avoid sexual sin. Afterward, he provided a little more advice to married people, including believers married to unbelievers. These ideas he touched on  like being married to an unbeliever, not indulging in inappropriate sexual relationships, and living in a way that is appropriate to God  touched directly on issues in the Corinthian church. They apply to us today as well.

What Does This Verse Mean?

In a simple interpretation, the expectation is that a husband and a wife will not deny one another sexual intimacy unless they are fasting. It should be clear that forcing a spouse to have intercourse when they are tired, ill, or for any reason is inappropriate. Generally though, if both the husband and the wife are healthy and things are good, they should be together physically.

A husband and wife should enjoy one another physically. They should do it to express love, to protect one another from sexual sin, and for the procreation of children. Another important facet of this instruction from Paul is avoiding adultery. If a wifes body belongs to her husband, she should not go and give another person access to it, and a husband cannot go and give his body to another.

This idea is not just about the sexual aspect of a marriage, it also extends out to other parts of the relationship. In his letter to the Ephesians Paul wrote, Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.  For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, since we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh (Ephesians 5:21-31).

Spouses are to create a life together, to make plans, have children if it is Gods will, and to pursue sanctification and evangelism as one mind and one person. A womans body is not her own in part because her life is no longer her own. Likewise a husbands body is not his own because his life belongs to his wife and his marriage. They are supposed to pray together, go together, and work together, rather than for individual interests.

Where Else Does the Bible Talk about the Marital Relationship?

This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh (Genesis 2:24).

Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth. A loving deer, a graceful doe  let her breasts always satisfy you; be lost in her love forever (Proverbs 5:18-19).

You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28).

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5).

Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers (Hebrews 13:4).

Prayer for a Healthy Marriage

Holy Father,

Thank you for the blessing of marriage. Thank you for granting us companionship, love, support, and friendship in another person. We give you glory and honor for bringing my spouse and I together to work together for your Kingdom.

Please help us to have a marriage that is glorifying to you. Give us understanding, so that we do not fight. Fill us with patience, kindness, charity, and wisdom so that our marriage is strong, and not prone to problems. Help all the aspects of our marriage to be healthy.

Help us to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, so that we both can be sanctified, as well as to be guided by you. We want our marriage to be a picture for others about the relationship between Jesus and the Church, and to be used by you to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of you. We surrender our marriage and our lives to you, to be used for eternal purposes.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray,

Amen.

Sources

Keller, Timothy and Kathy Keller. The Meaning of Marriage Facing the Complexities of Committment with the Wisdom of God. Riverhead Books: New York, 2011.

Noble, John-William. Biblical Marriage Two Sinners and A Gracious God. Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2020.

Spurgeon, Charles. Commentary on 1 Corinthians. eBooks: Ravenio Books, 2014.

Photo credit: Getty Images/PeopleImages

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.
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Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman assumes charge of CEO of Anusandhan National Research Foundation

March 17, 2025 | Monday | News

Dr Shivkumar is a distinguished alumnus awardee of IIT Madras & Ohio State University

image credit- pib

Secretary Department of Science and Technology (DST) Professor Abhay Karandikar who was acting as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has handed over the charge to Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman who has been appointed the CEO.

Dr Shivkumar who earlier held the post of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Energy Industry, Asia at Microsoft is a Distinguished Alumnus Awardee of IIT Madras & Ohio State University (2021). He is also a Fellow of the IEEE (2010), Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering (2015), ACM Distinguished Scientist (2010), Microsoft Gold Club (2024) and Technology Review TR100 young innovator (1999).

ANRF will act as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP).

ANRF will forge collaborations among the industry, academia, and government departments and research institutions, and create an interface mechanism for participation and contribution of industries and State governments in addition to the scientific and line ministries.


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Buying your new home may seem like a complex and intimidating process. Weve compiled this simple step-by-step checklist to help you navigate through the various steps to finding your dream home.

1. Establish your budget

Make use of any one of the financial planning online calculators available online to establish, based on your income, how much you can borrow and how much your monthly repayments are likely to be.

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2. Know how to boost your buying power

Research the various grants and supports available to you to understand how you can boost your buying power, including help to get your deposit together, and what are the options if you are considering buying a second hand, vacant or derelict property.

3. Prepare and gather your financial information

Be ready to apply for your mortgage by having everything you will need for your broker or lender. This may take some time, especially if you need to address any red flags in your bank statements, such as late payments or referral fees.

4. Get your professional team ready

Reach out to your bank or broker as well as your solicitor so that they are aware of your plans to purchase your new home. As well as the financial side of things, make sure you have surveyor ready to inspect prospective properties. Make sure you agree all fees in advance.

5. Explore options for your new home

Its no harm to begin thinking about what kind of property youre interested in  From a new house or a second-hand home to a vacant or derelict property. Your broker or lender will be interested in this as it may affect the mortgage options open to you, e.g. Green mortgage

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6. Apply for your mortgage

You can do this through a broker who can offer you multiple options, or directly with your bank or lender.

Click HERE to find out what documents you are likely to need for your mortgage application.

7. Begin and refine your property search

This is where you begin to really understand the kind of property you are looking for: from location, to size, to arrangement and structure to the number of bedrooms you need. This will really help when you begin your conversations with Estate Agents, to let them know what you are in the market for.

8. Explore and prepare to apply for life insurance and mortgage protection

You will be asked by your lender to provide mortgage and life insurance before you can draw down your mortgage.

9. Engage with your Estate Agent

Make sure that you engage with your estate agent and that they know you, what youre looking for and that you are a serious buyer. That way, when it comes to making an offer on your dream home youre not a stranger to them and they can vouch for you to the vendor.

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10. Make an offer

When you have found your dream home and are ready to make an offer, make sure that you dont delay. Make an offer as soon as you make the decision so that you dont loose out. The bidding process can be concluded quickly, and you dont want to miss out.

11. Mobilise your team

Once your offer has been accepted, you should let your team know, notify your solicitor, your broker / lender and book in your surveyor to carry out the survey on the property.

12. Get your structural survey done

Its important that you have your survey carried out by a professional. They will let you know about any major  and minor  issues that may affect your decision to complete the purchase.

13. Go Sale Agreed

Onces your offer has been accepted you will have to secure the sale by paying the agreed booking deposit to your estate agent. From here the paperwork is transferred to your solicitor to complete your purchase.

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14. Organise your home insurance and mortgage protection

Before you draw down your mortgage, you will need to have organised your home insurance as the property needs to be covered before the sale goes through.

15. Formal mortgage offer

Both you and your solicitor will be issued with your formal letter of offer. This document will cover all the details of your mortgage. Once you accept the mortgage offer, you are ready to sign contracts.

16. Contracts are drawn up

Your estate agents will send all contracts for the sale of the property to your solicitor. Contracts are legally binding, so you need to be sure of your decision before signing.

17. Contract Exchange

Both parties, you as the Buyer and the Vendor, exchange signed Contract of Sale. Once these contracts have been signed, and exchanged, you have legally agreed to buy the property.

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18. Pay your deposit

Once contracts have been exchanged, the full deposit must be paid. If you are buying a newly built property, this is usually 10% of the sale price.

19. Create a new build snag list

If you have bought a new build this is when you will have the chance to inspect the property and create a snag list, this is anything that is not finished in the space or issues you might see. Once these issues are amended you can continue with closing the sale.

20. Stamp duty and other fees

The payment of stamp duty and any other fees and expenses due are looked after on your behalf, by your solicitor. You will be required to repay your solicitor for these amounts in full.

Once this is done, you can officially close the sale and pick up your keys to your new home.
Conor McGregor has met with US president Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC.

On Monday evening, footage emerged of the mixed martial arts star meeting Mr Trump in the Oval Office.

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Mr Trump showed Mr McGregor a map of the Gulf of Mexico which he has dubbed the Gulf of America.

Mr McGregor said congratulations, adding: Ill tell you what, your work ethic is inspiring. Your work rate is inspiring.

Mr Trump praised Mr McGregor back, saying, Yours is too. You are fantastic.

Your work ethic is inspiring - Conor McGregor and President Trump meet in the Oval Office  (@MargoMartin47) pic.twitter.com/qdA1KYjpCh  The Mac Life (@TheMacLife) March 17, 2025

The White House posted a video of the Dublin-born fighter on its X account earlier on Monday.

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The video shows Mr McGregor walking out the door and saying, "Happy Paddy's Day, America."

White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who confirmed McGregor was to meet the president on Monday afternoon, said the administration could not think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day.

Mr McGregor also took surprise questions at the White House briefing room and signed a "Make Ireland Great Again" hat.

He said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics.

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The fighter said he was in Washington "to raise the issues of the people of Ireland."

Conor Mc Gregor accused the Irish Government of "abandoning the voices of the people of Ireland" saying it's "high time that America be made aware" of, what he called, a "travesty" happening in Ireland.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin rejected Mr McGregors remarks. In a post on X, he said: St Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.

Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE!  @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Tanaiste Simon Harris also told journalists in New York that Mr McGregor does not speak for Ireland.

"President Trump can invite whoever he wants to his home, and he's perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.

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"But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland, he's here in a personal capacity, he doesn't speak for Ireland, he doesn't speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such," the Tanaiste said.

During his exchange with reporters on Monday, Mr McGregor criticised the Government on immigration issues.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Irelands ears, he said.

Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland.

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What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people. The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country," Mr McGregor said.

There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

Mr McGregor posted on X last night that he would be landing in Washington shortly for "the most important meeting of my countries future. I am beyond ready. The world will hear Ireland's call."

Last week, Mr Trump said Mr McGregor is great when asked who his favourite Irish person is during his Oval Office press conference with the Taoiseach.

Hes got the best tattoos Ive ever seen, Mr Trump said, adding, "Conor's great."

The White House further posted a photo of Mr McGregor in front of portraits of US president Donald Trump and his vice-president JD Vance.

Mr Harris also said he does not see McGregor becoming the next president of Ireland.

I think its always better for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country, and by the people of Ireland.

Thats how our presidential election will be decided, he added.

I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor.

I dont expect hes going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency at Aras an Uachtarain."

Mr McGregor, a controversial figure, is known in the United States for his successful MMA career.

In Ireland, his appeal aimed at overturning a civil jurys finding that he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel will come before the Court of Appeal later this week.

Mr McGregor is expected to argue the jury finding in the original civil case is unsafe and should be overturned, with a retrial ordered if necessary.

The appeal is listed for March 21st before the three-judge appeal court for the purpose of making directions to progress it. If the sides are ready to proceed, a hearing date could be fixed within the next few months.

Last November, a High Court civil jury awarded 248,603 damages to Ms Hand against Mr McGregor after finding she was assaulted by him in the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on December 9th, 2018.

Ms Hand, a 35-year-old mother of one, alleged she was raped by Mr McGregor in the hotel and he would not take no for an answer. Mr McGregor denied her claim and told the jury they had fully-consensual sex.
Micheal Martin has ruled out running for the Presidency this year.

Mr Martin said he was focused on his work as Taoiseach, highlighting housing and disability issues as a priority.

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A presidential election will take place later in 2025 with the current President, Michael D Higgins, having served the maximum two terms permitted.

Asked if he would consider putting his name forward, Mr Martin said: No, I will not be running for president.

Ive the honour now of being elected as Taoiseach.

Mr Martin said he had made a commitment to people in his Cork South Central constituency that he would represent them for the full Dail term.

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He added: Thats something I take seriously. Fortunately, the election went well and Im Taoiseach as well as a TD and thats a great honour.

Ireland Presidential election: Tommy Tiernan emerges as po... Read More

I will focus on my work as Taoiseach and as a member of this Government.

Housing is the number one issue. Disability is something that, for me, is unfinished business.

The Taoiseach said he wanted Government departments to work together to make life better for people with disabilities.
The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs has accused the Russian president of being the holdout in reaching a peace deal with Ukraine.

Simon Harris questioned whether Vladimir Putin wanted peace or was dragging out negotiations by calling for further conditions while continuing its attacks on Ukraine.

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Speaking in New York, Mr Harris said that no one wanted peace more than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Donald Trump is expected to speak to his Russian counterpart on Tuesday, as the US president continues his attempts to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.

The call, announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, comes as Mr Putin continues to resist an American-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Mr Harris said Ireland and the rest of Europe was focused on reaching a peace deal.

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We cant forget at any time that theres only one aggressor in relation to this war, Mr Harris said.

US President Donald Trump is expected to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (Pool via AP)

The people of Ukraine were living peacefully in their sovereign country when Vladimir Putin took the decision to brutally and illegally invade a sovereign territory on the continent of Europe.

So we in the European Union, we as Irish people, as part of the European Union, of course have a very active interest in making sure that the people of Ukraine get a lasting peace, a just peace, and enduring peace, but also from a European security point of view, the importance of European voices being in the room.

Lets hope some good comes from conversations in the days ahead. But what Id be most interested to see is how any process to bring about peace is constructed in a way that, of course, Ukraine are in the room, and I think Europe obviously needs to be in the room as well.

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Mr Harris went on to say that aggression could not be rewarded.

He added: The United States is perfectly entitled to have a conversation with whoever he wishes.

But I hope what happens after that conversation is that we can really move the focus back onto answering the question, does Vladimir Putin want peace?

Because for all the talk of peace, all that weve actually seen from Putin in recent days is continued attacks on civilians, on civilian infrastructure, on Ukraine, on the people of Ukraine.

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Remember, Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to try and bring a process in place to bring about lasting peace.

At the moment, Putin is the holdout here, and I hope we can see clarity in relation to that. Well know very soon, does Vladimir Putin actually want peace?

Or is he just trying to drag this out with condition after condition? Zelensky has been very clear, wanting to see a cessation of violence, but then its really important that the peace that is brought about is just, is enduring, and, of course, recognises that there is only one aggressor in this world.
North Macedonias leaders have vowed to hold those responsible to account after a nightclub fire in the eastern town of Kocani left dozens dead.

The fire tore through the nightclub early Sunday, leaving 59 people dead and 155 injured from burns, smoke inhalation and being trampled amid a bid to escape towards the buildings single exit.

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People as young as 16 were among the casualties, and the nation declared seven days of mourning.

We are all in shock, and I am shocked myself: as a mother, as a person, as a president, North Macedonias President Gordana Davkova Siljanovska said in an address to the nation on Sunday night.





I still cannot believe that the terrible tragedy in Kocani is a reality. I do not know with what words to express my condolences to the parents and loved ones of the deceased, she said.

No one responsible should escape the law, justice and punishment. Let us not allow anyone to endanger the lives of innocent people anymore.

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The fire that shook the nation of two million  where close-knit extended family bonds made the disaster personal to many  was the latest deadly nightclub fire around the world.

Authorities say they are investigating allegations of bribery surrounding the nightclub that was crammed with young revellers and at double capacity. And North Macedonias government ordered a sweeping three-day inspection to be carried out at all nightclubs across the country, starting Monday.

The country was in mourning as people watched harrowing scenes in the town of 25,000 people, where rescuers for hours carried out their grim task of removing the bodies of clubgoers. The fire caused the roof of the single-storey building to partially collapse, revealing the charred remains of wooden beams and debris.



A woman cries outside a hospital in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, following a massive fire in a nightclub (Visar Kryeziu/AP)

Anxious parents gathered outside hospitals in Kocani and the capital Skopje, some 72 miles west, for updates about the injured. Many of the most seriously injured were receiving treatment in Greece and other neighbouring countries.

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Flags around the country have been lowered to half-mast and the death toll may rise further, with 20 of the injured in a critical condition, health minister Arben Taravari said.

Although the investigation into the fires cause is ongoing, videos showed sparkling pyrotechnics on the stage hitting Club Pulses ceiling and igniting the blaze as a band played.

We even tried to get out through the bathroom, only to find bars (on the windows), 19-year-old Marija Taseva told the Associated Press. I somehow managed to get out. I fell down the stairs and they ran over me, trampled me I barely stayed alive and could hardly breathe.

She suffered an injury to her face.

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Girls cry as they light candles in the town of Kocani (Armin Durgut/AP)

Interior minister Panche Toshkovski said 15 people had been detained for questioning after a preliminary inspection revealed the club was operating without a proper licence. He said the number of people inside the club was at least double its official capacity of 250.

We have grounds for suspicion that there is bribery and corruption in this case, he told reporters without elaborating.

Condolences poured in from leaders around Europe as well as from the office of Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for a month with double pneumonia.

I have had many difficult moments and challenges in my life but today is by far the most difficult day of my life, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said in a televised address. My heart is breaking, and I have no strength to speak today. I am broken and my spirit is broken.

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Kocanis residents held a candlelight vigil on Sunday night in support of mourning families, waiting in long lines to light church candles.
A French politician has suggested the US is no longer worthy of keeping the Statue of Liberty.

The call from Raphael Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party, for the return of the monument is not going to make it happen.

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But his claims in a speech this weekend that some Americans have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants reflect the broad shockwaves that US President Donald Trumps seismic policy shifts are triggering in Europe.



Raphael Glucksmann at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France (Pascal Bastien/AP)

Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Mr Glucksmann said, speaking on Sunday to supporters of his Public Place party, who applauded and whistled.

It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us, he said.

The White House brushed back on the comments on Monday, saying France instead should still be grateful for US support during the First World War and Second World War.

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Unesco, the United Nations cultural arm that has the statue on its list of World Heritage treasures, notes that the famous monument is US government property.

It was initially envisaged as a monumental gesture of French-American friendship to mark the 100th anniversary of the July 4 1776 Declaration of Independence.

But a war that erupted in 1870 between France and German states led by Prussia diverted the energies of the monuments designer, French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi.

The gift also took time to be funded, with a decision taken that the French would pay for the statue and Americans would cover the costs of its pedestal.

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Transported in 350 pieces from France, the statue was officially unveiled on October 28 1886.





French-US relations would have to drop off a cliff before Mr Glucksmann found support from French President Emmanuel Macrons government.

For the moment, the French president is treading a fine line  trying to work with Mr Trump and temper some of his policy shifts on the one hand but also pushing back hard against some White House decisions, notably Mr Trumps tariff hikes.

Mr Macron has let his prime minister, Francois Bayrou, play the role of being a more critical voice.

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Mr Bayrou tore into the brutality that was shown to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his White House visit and suggested that Mr Trumps administration risked handing victory to Russia when it paused military aid to Ukraine.

Mr Glucksmanns party has been even more critical, posting accusations on its website that Mr Trump is wielding power in an authoritarian manner and is preparing to deliver Ukraine on a silver platter to Russia.

In his speech, Mr Glucksmann referenced New York poet Emma Lazaruss words about the statue, the mighty woman with a torch who promised a home for the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was, Mr Glucksmann said.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked on Monday about Mr Glucksmanns comments, and responded that the US would absolutely not be parting with the statue.

My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that its only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now, Ms Leavitt said, apparently referencing the US fight with allied powers to free France from Nazi occupation in the Second World War and alongside France during the First World War.

They should be very grateful.

But the debt of gratitude runs both ways.

Ms Leavitt skipped past Frances key role in supporting the future United States during its war for independence from the United Kingdom.

She is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press (AP) on First and Fifth Amendment grounds.

The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose.

The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
Pope Francis is registering new slight improvements in his month-long treatment for double pneumonia, the Vatican said on Monday, as it also provided some details on the first photo of the pope released since his hospital admission.

The 88-year-old pontiff is now able to spend some time during the day off high flows of oxygen and use just ordinary supplemental oxygen delivered by a nasal tube, the Holy See press office said.

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Doctors are also trying to cut back on the amount of time he uses a non-invasive mechanical ventilation mask at night, to force his lungs to work more.



Faithful pray in St Peters Square at the Vatican during a vigil rosary for the recovery of Pope Francis (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

While those amount to slight improvements, the Vatican is not yet providing any timetable on when Francis might be released from the Gemelli hospital or confirming any upcoming events.

Known events include a planned visit by King Charles III and Holy Week in April.

When Francis is being wheeled to his private chapel down the hall from his hospital room, for example, he does not need to be attached to the oxygen, the press office said.

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It was at that moment that Francis was photographed on Sunday, from behind, as he sat in his wheelchair before the chapel altar in prayer without any sign of nasal tubes.

The photo, showing Francis wearing a Lenten purple stole, marked the first image of the pope since he was admitted to Gemelli on February 14 with a complex lung infection that developed into double pneumonia.

It followed an audio message Francis recorded on March 6 in which he thanked people for their prayers, his voice soft and laboured.

Together, they suggested Francis is very much controlling how the public follows his illness to prevent it from turning into a spectacle.

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While many in the Vatican have held up St John Paul IIs long and public battle with Parkinsons disease and other ailments as a humble sign of his willingness to show his frailties, others criticised it as excessive and showy.



Nuns pray the rosary in St Peters Square at the Vatican on Sunday for the health of Pope Francis (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

Franciss doctors told reporters on February 21 that the pope authorised them to clearly explain the gravity of his situation, in detail, and their regular medical bulletins have suggested that Francis is comfortable with such information being in the public domain.

The Vatican press office said Francis approved the photo being released, but the fact that his face was hidden suggested something of a compromise in terms of how his sickness is seen visually.

Francis does not want to hide his illness and the difficult moment he is going through but he is not dramatising it either, noted La Repubblicas Vatican correspondent Iacopo Scaramuzzi.

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The first three weeks of Franciss hospital admission were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit in which he inhaled vomit.

Over the last week, his condition has stabilised and doctors said he was no longer in imminent danger of death.

With gradual improvements, the Vatican has suspended morning updates and is issuing less frequent medical bulletins.

The next one is not expected before Wednesday.
Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov said he has travelled from France to Dubai as French authorities continue to investigate criminal activity on his messaging app.

He revealed his whereabouts in a post on his Telegram channel.

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He had been detained last year after arriving in Paris, where French authorities handed him preliminary charges for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform.

After his arrest, Mr Durov was barred from leaving France pending further investigation, and was required to report to a police station twice a week.





As you may have heard, Ive returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram, he wrote. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home.

French investigators say Telegram was used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that the platform refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

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In his post, Mr Durov thanked the investigative judges for letting this happen.

Investigators detained Mr Durov last August when he arrived at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris and questioned him for four days as part of a sweeping probe.

Mr Durov said in his post that when it comes to moderation, co-operation and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.

He insisted last year after his arrest that Telegram is not some sort of anarchic paradise, and blamed surging numbers of Telegram users, which caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are very good friends who are focused on ways to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Russia, US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said.

The two presidents plan to speak on Tuesday about the war in Ukraine.

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Ms Gabbard said ties between Russia and the US go very far back and that Mr Trump is committed to expanding a relationship centred around peace, prosperity, freedom and security.



Russian President Vladimir Putin (Yury Kochetkov/Pool Photo via AP)

We have two leaders of two great countries who are very good friends and very focused on how we can strengthen the shared objectives and shared interests, Ms Gabbard said in an interview with Indias NDTV, portions of which were released on Monday ahead of its broadcast.

Ms Gabbards comments reflect the dramatic shift in US-Russia relations under Mr Trump, who has boasted of his relationship with Mr Putin, blamed Ukraine for Russias invasion and taken a hard line against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Under Mr Trumps administration, the US briefly suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine and has also suspended some offensive cyberoperations against Russia.

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Ms Gabbard, who oversees the nations intelligence services, has in the past echoed Russian propaganda about the war and expressed sympathy for Russia.

A veteran, Ms Gabbard became the first Hindu elected to Congress when she served as a representative from Hawaii.

The comments about the friendship between Mr Trump and Mr Putin and the ties between the US and Russia  longtime adversaries  alarmed some critics of Mr Trumps call for warmer relations with Moscow.

What are the shared objectives and interests of the United States and Putins Russia? Russian chess star Garry Kasparov posted on Monday on X.

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Destroying Ukraine? Killing NATO? Conquering Europe? Fascism? Its not peace or ending the war, because Russia could do that today and doesnt.

In the portions of the interview released by NDTV, Ms Gabbard criticised former president Joe Bidens handling of the war in Ukraine and said Mr Trumps push for both sides to agree to a ceasefire comes from an unwavering commitment to peace.

Under the previous administration, there was no effort at all towards peace or direct dialogue with Putin to bring an end to this war.

So, in a very short period of time, Trump has made much more progress towards peace than any other previous effort, Ms Gabbard said.

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While in India, Ms Gabbard will speak to an international security conference.

Her trip also includes stops in Japan and Thailand.
Four people allegedly robbed a grocery store while wielding pythons.

Pythons were allegedly utilised in a store theft

Police in Tennessee are looking for two females and two males, who entered a Citgo on 4 March and stole CBD oil "valued at $400", with employees telling how the group were "waving" the non-venomous snakes around to scare the staff.

Employee Mayur Raval, who was on duty with his brother, told WREG-TV News: They were just waving [the pythons] around and putting them on the counter.

They pulled their car up to the front of the door. I think they planned to successfully come here and rob the store. The snake is a weapon, you know.

Authorities in Madison County have shared photos from store surveillance footage on their CrimeStoppers account and are appealing for information.
US President Donald Trump has explicitly linked the actions of Yemens Houthi rebels to the groups main benefactor, Iran, warning Tehran would suffer the consequences for further attacks by the group.

The comments by Mr Trump on his Truth Social website further escalate his administrations new campaign of air strikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 53 people this weekend alone and appear poised to continue.

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Meanwhile, Iran continues to weigh how to respond to a letter Mr Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehrans rapidly advancing nuclear programme.



President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (Luis M Alvarez/AP)

Houthi supporters themselves rallied in several cities on Monday after the strikes, vowing revenge against America and Israel over blocking aid to the Gaza Strip after its war on Hamas there.

The Houthis al-Masirah satellite news channel put young boys on air live, who chanted the groups slogan: God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.

The Yemeni position is an irreversible position (regarding Gaza), so do whatever you (Americans) want, for we are men who fear no-one but God, said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi leader who spoke to the demonstration in Yemens rebel-held capital Sanaa.

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The United Nations called for a halt to all military activities in Yemen and the Red Sea, urging utmost restraint and warning that any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.

Describing the Houthis as sinister mobsters and thugs, Mr Trump warned any attack by the group would be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.

Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which theyve lost control, but they havent lost control, Mr Trump alleged in his post.

Theyre dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, Intelligence.

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And in a marked departure from the previous administration, Mr Trump has given US Central Command the authority to launch offensive strikes against the Houthis when it deems it appropriate.

The Biden administration had required White House approval to conduct offensive strikes like the ones over the weekend.

It did allow US forces to launch defensive attacks, including to take out weapons that appeared to be ready to fire.

Delegating the authority to the regional commander, said Lt Gen Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, allows us to achieve a tempo of operations where we can react to opportunities that we see on the battlefield in order to continue to put pressure on the Houthis.

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He added that it also allows the US to hit a broader array of targets.

The US officials said Mr Trump made the decision last week.

The weekend strikes targeted headquarters positions and drone sites where what the Pentagon identified as key leaders for the Houthis drone programme were located at the time, said Lt Gen Grynkewich.

The Pentagon said there was no evidence that any civilians were killed in the attacks.

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Houthi supporters during an anti-US and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

Irans ambassador to the United Nations delivered a strong rebuke on Monday to Mr Trumps recent rhetoric about the Islamic Republic, saying Mr Trump and US officials are making reckless and provocative statements and threatened to retaliate if those words turn to actions.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said his country would defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests under international law against any hostile action.

It is unclear what sparked Mr Trumps post.

However, the head of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard sought to separate the Houthis actions from those of Tehran this weekend.

The Houthis also launched drones and missiles targeting the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, though none reached the ship as it continues flight operations in the region.

Iran did not immediately comment on the post.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Mr Trump added.

The Houthi rebels attacked more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year when a ceasefire began in Gaza.

The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.

The Houthis claimed there had been additional US air strikes overnight, though American officials did not immediately acknowledge them.
Qantas has warned a Senate committee that any passenger refund law brought into Australia could result in higher prices for tickets.

Qantas domestic CEO Markus Svensson told an inquiry into passenger rights on Monday that an European Union-style compensation-based scheme would not help consumers in terms of reduced delays or cancellations.

Seeking answers on airline competition: Senator Bridget McKenzie. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Compensation-based regimes such as those in Europe and Canada have shown these schemes do not deliver better outcomes for consumers in terms of reduced delays and cancellations, and they increase the cost of travel, he said.

The potential effect on fares, implications for low-cost carriers and the likely negative effect on economically marginal routes  particularly on Australias regional network  should all be closely considered.
A man was found dead, riddled with stab wounds, inside a notorious unit block in Sydneys inner west before his best mate was taken into custody by police but later released.

Police were called to the unit block on Lakemba Street in Belmore at 9pm on Saturday, where they found a man, aged in his 30s, dead.

The unit block in Belmore where a man, aged in his 30s, was found stabbed to death. His friend was released without charge. Credit: James Brickwood

The body of the man, who is yet to be formally identified, had multiple stab wounds.

Also at the scene was a 24-year-old man described by locals as the victims best mate.
A plan to disaster-proof critical state infrastructure has been floated after a Brisbane electrical substation came within inches of being inundated during ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.

Premier David Crisafulli said the crisis at the Nudgee substation was averted by quick thinking from staff from RoadTek, Energex, the SES, and the council, but highlighted the need for new investment.

The workers constructed makeshift sandbags out of fertiliser bags, dumped them in the creek, and created a temporary levee that stopped the water, he said, avoiding absolute chaos.

Energex crews working in the wake of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred. Credit: Energex

We cant have key infrastructure completely at the mercy of Mother Nature, Crisafulli told reporters on Monday morning.
Police believe they have dealt a blow to underworld kingpin Kazem Kaz Hamads multimillion-dollar illicit tobacco empire with the arrest of a crew of alleged extortionists and money couriers during a series of early morning raids.

Lunar taskforce boss Detective Inspector Graham Banks announced the arrests during a press conference on Monday afternoon where he publicly named Hamad for the first time since the so-called tobacco war erupted in March 2023.

Police will allege that the 10 persons who were arrested in relation to extortion were doing so under a syndicate operation that is headed by a person who lives offshore, a person by the name of Kazem Hamad, Banks said.

These are significant arrests, and they will impact the syndicate. While its been widely reported in the media in recent weeks that theres been a truce, there is evidence that is certainly not the case.
The court heard Kinman worked as a ranger at an animal shelter, where her job involved after-hours collection of stray and seized animals.

The court heard Joanna Kinman was a member of Bone Buddies Australia, an online group for skull and bone enthusiasts. Credit: AAP

Lilydale woman Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, appeared in Ringwood Magistrates Court on Monday to plead guilty to a single charge of offensive conduct involving human remains.

A Melbourne mother who put a dead mans toes in a jar to sell them on the black market had a treasure trove of other oddities in her house.

Leading Senior Constable Melissa Sambrooks said that on February 19 last year, two dogs that had partially consumed the toes after their owner died from natural causes were seized and taken for an assessment.

While at the facility where Kinman worked, the dogs became ill and vomited up the remains.

Sambrooks said shelter staff cleaned up the vomit and placed it and the remains, which included two human toes, in a general waste bin. When a distressed staff member left work early, Kinman remained behind to lock up, taking the opportunity to search the wheelie bins.

She located two human toes and took them home and placed them in a jar containing formaldehyde, Sambrooks said.

The following day, Kinman called her daughter and told her about the toes, saying she had researched selling them on the internet and believed she could get $400 for them.
A man charged with murder over the death of Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey vomited during a police interview after he was shown photos of the 15-year-olds head injuries.

Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, was arrested on October 27, 2022, four days after Cassius died from bleeding on the brain after allegedly being bashed with the handle of a shopping trolley.

Brodie Palmer, 29, is accused of murder. Credit: Facebook

The Swan View Senior High School student had got off a bus in the north-eastern Perth suburb of Middle Swan on October 13 with a group of friends to watch a fight when they became embroiled in an altercation with Palmer and his friends Jack Brearley, 23 and Mitchell Forth, 26.

Brearley allegedly believed the group was there to run through his house and was angry after the windows on his car were smashed days earlier.
If butter tastes like heaven, La Grande Epicerie de Paris might just be Gods pantry. Located in the heart of Paris, the gastronomic department store has been part of the citys culinary tapestry for decades. Its hardly an unknown quantity among visiting gourmands but it pinged back on the tourist radar recently when Instagrammers discovered that not only could you buy high-quality French butter but get it vacuum-sealed to take home on the plane, too.

Super spread: A wide selection of butters and flavours at La Grande Epicerie de Paris. Credit: Alamy

Now, it might sound silly to go all the way to Paris to buy butter, but when I mentioned my quest, everyone leaned in. My in-laws and friends  even a work acquaintance  got in touch to ask if I could bring some home to Australia for them.

Its easy to understand why. Stretching across culture and class, delightful in both the savoury and the sweet, and possessing both simplicity and versatility, butter is the hero of innumerable dishes. Its also big business in France. Strict laws exist to preserve the providence and quality: unsalted doux butter must be at least 82 per cent butterfat; semi-sel or salted butter more than 80 per cent.

The 150 different varieties of butter stocked at La Grande Epicerie are considered some of the best in the world. Most are made with milk from grass-fed, free-range cows in northern France. The butter is churned and fermented in the traditional way, then shaped with paddles by hand and stacked behind the giant glass doors of La Cremerie, where tourists with little or no understanding of French crowd three-deep, trying to decipher what to buy (and what theyre actually buying).
Washington: US President Donald Trump says he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine after positive talks between US and Russian officials in Moscow.

Ill be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend, Trump said on Air Force One during a late flight back to Washington DC from Florida, where he spent the weekend.

Donald Trump leaves Air Force One after flying back to Washington on Sunday night. Credit: AP

We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance, Trump said.

When asked about what concessions are being considered in ceasefire negotiations, Trump said: Well be talking about land. Well be talking about power plants.
Harnessing the power and brand recognition of Aussie to achieve economies of scale just made sense, and while the process has been complex, the results have been very positive  both in the trial stage and since the switch began, Watkins said.
Commentary: Lai Ching-te's separatist bubble

Xinhua) 09:32, March 17, 2025

BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te recently unveiled 17 strategies to counter so-called "threats" from the Chinese mainland facing the island. The latest move once again revealed the authoritarian nature behind his "Taiwan independence" attempts and his stance against cross-Strait communication, peace and democracy.

Such remarks, together with other separatist attempts by Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, would lead to nothing but a bubble that will undoubtedly burst.

It is worth noting that during his campaign for Taiwan's leadership, Lai repeatedly claimed that he does not oppose healthy and orderly exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.

However, his latest statements, oozing with clear malice, tell a totally different story -- an evident intent to expand restrictions or even close the door on cross-Strait exchanges.

By referring to the mainland as a "hostile external force," Taiwan authorities led by Lai are making an unscrupulous provocation. This raises questions about how it could be possible for him to define the mainland as a "hostile force" and still maintain peace across the Strait.

This move further testifies that the Lai-led authorities are an out-and-out troublemaker and saboteur for cross-Strait peace. If left unchecked, it could only push Taiwan to the perilous brink of war.

Since its inception, the DPP has portrayed itself as "democratic" to reap electoral benefits. However, with this latest move, the DPP's hypocritical disguise was eventually stripped away by Lai himself, exposing its anti-democratic and authoritarian nature to the world, making many in the island doubt whether Taiwan is stepping toward a state of "quasi-martial law."

The public in Taiwan mocked the DPP-claimed "democratic rule" is actually the Democratic Progressive Party's autocracy.

Looking back on the years of cross-Strait relations, despite the DPP's regressive attempts, the momentum of the forward-moving waves of cross-Strait ties has never been stopped, and any temporary turbulence, like Lai's hysterical "Taiwan independence" farce, will ultimately burst and dissipate like bubbles.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Gene Hackmans wife Betsy Arakawa was still alive a full day after authorities initially believed she had died, according to newly uncovered phone records.

Gene Hackmans wife Betsy Arakawa was still alive a full day after authorities initially believed she had died, according to newly uncovered phone records

Preliminary data shows the actors spouse Betsy, 65, made multiple calls to a Santa Fe medical centre on 12 February  24 hours after her reported death on 11 February.

The revelation by the Santa Fe Sheriffs Department contradicts earlier reports and adds a layer of mystery to the timeline surrounding her passing.

Authorities from the Santa Fe Sheriffs Department told Fox News: We can now confirm that Mrs Hackmans phone was utilised on the morning of 12 February to call a medical centre in Santa Fe, Cloudberry Health.

A total of three calls were made that morning, all to the medical centre. One incoming call was made to Mrs Hackman from the same medical centre that afternoon. That appeared as a missed call on Mrs Hackmans cell phone.

The finding supports claims made by Dr Josiah Child, a former emergency care specialist who runs Cloudberry Health.

Dr Child, who had spoken to Betsy a few weeks prior to her death, previously stated she had scheduled an appointment for 12 February.

He said: She made an appointment for herself for 12 February. It was for something unrelated to anything respiratory.

He noted Betsy later cancelled the appointment, citing concern for her husbands deteriorating health.

Betsy had been diagnosed with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare and potentially deadly disease transmitted through rodent exposure.

But Dr Child questioned whether her condition was as severe as reported.

He added: It is surprising that Mrs Hackman spoke to my office on the phone on 10 February and again on 12 February and didnt appear in respiratory distress.

Most patients who have hantavirus die in hospital.

Adding to the uncertainty, Gene, 95, who suffered from advanced Alzheimers, was reportedly alone in the couples home for days following Betsys death.

Authorities later confirmed he passed away on 18 February, a week after his wife.

His cause of death was ruled as hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimers playing a significant role.

Neither Gene or Betsys bodies were discovered until 26 February, when a neighbours caretaker called 911 after finding them unresponsive.

The discovery of Betsys phone activity on 12 February raises further questions about the timeline and circumstances of her death.

Meanwhile, Genes $80million estate could now be inherited by his three children  Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and 58-year-old Leslie  despite none being named in his will.

Legal experts say Genes will, last updated in 2005, named only Betsy as the beneficiary.

With her death preceding his, the estate may now be subject to intestate succession laws.

California attorney Tre Lovell told the BBC: The estate will actually be probated in accordance with intestate succession laws and the children would be lawfully next in line to inherit.

However, Genes children would likely need to provide legal evidence their fathers will is invalid due to Arakawas earlier death.
In February, the non-bank lender revealed that it had exceeded $10 billion in loans, and was planning to surpass the $13 billion mark by the end of the year. Rate Money also said it plans to open more than 50 locations before 2025 is out, with the addition of new offices in South Australia. The non-bank lender also said it was rolling out a new CRM, updated training and compliance methods and an expanded marketing strategy throughout the year.
Grabill named new dean of College of Arts and Sciences

University of Leeds administrator Jeffrey T. Grabill will succeed Robin Schulze as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective Aug. 1. Photo: Mark Dorey

Dr. Grabill stood out because of his significant leadership experience, impressive scholarly accomplishments, strong commitment to the liberal arts and proven ability to work with faculty across disciplines to create and implement a shared vision. 

Jeffrey T. Grabill, deputy vice chancellor for student education at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The appointment, effective Aug. 1, was announced today by A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, following an extensive international search.

As dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Grabill will oversee UBs largest and most diverse academic unit. The college has 30 departments, 16 academic programs and 23 centers and institutes in the arts and humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, and the social sciences.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Grabill to UB to lead our College of Arts and Sciences, said President Satish K. Tripathi. Dr. Grabill is a highly engaged and impactful scholar who has demonstrated creative, strategic leadership in service of educational excellence and student success. We look forward to working with him to build upon the College of Arts and Sciences reputation as an academic home of outstanding students and internationally recognized faculty who are dedicated to using their expertise to contribute meaningfully to the world.

Grabill succeeds Robin Schulze, who announced her intention to step down as dean and return to her faculty role this past summer.

Dr. Grabill stood out because of his significant leadership experience, impressive scholarly accomplishments, strong commitment to the liberal arts and proven ability to work with faculty across disciplines to create and implement a shared vision, Weber said. Under his leadership, I am confident that the College of Arts and Sciences will build on its strengths; achieve even greater prominence in research, scholarship, creative activities and education; and enhance its impact on our local and global communities.

Grabill said hes thrilled to be joining UB at a time when the university and New York State are leading efforts to harness AI for the betterment of society.

The investments of Empire AI in the state and at the university provide far more than computing power, Grabill said. Empire AI is an opportunity for academics and students across the arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences to explore possibilities and engage the challenges of the moment.

The college is exceptional in its depth and breadth, and it is an honor to join as a colleague and partner in the important work we will do together, he added.

Since 2021, Grabill has helped lead one of the largest higher education institutions in the U.K. Leeds has an enrollment of roughly 40,000 students from 170 countries and is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of leading U.K. public research universities.

At Leeds, Grabill led a comprehensive, innovative, education strategy focused on enhancing assessment, teaching, active learning and skills development across the university. Prior to Leeds, Grabill was at Michigan State University for nearly 20 years, including as a professor and former chair of the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures, and as associate provost for teaching, learning and technology.

As associate provost at Michigan State, he was responsible for facilitating educational excellence and innovation, reimagining professional development for educators, supporting student success, creating the universitys online strategy and leading the pivot to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also served as an assistant professor of English at Georgia State University from 1997 to 2002.

Grabill is an expert in rhetoric and professional writing who researches how digital writing is associated with citizenship and learning in community contexts, museums and classrooms at all levels.

A prolific scholar whose research has been supported by numerous grants, Grabill has published three books and nearly 60 articles and book chapters that have garnered several book and paper awards. He has also served on the editorial boards for nine journals and book series, and is the former president of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication. He also co-founded Drawbridge, an educational technology company.

Grabill holds a PhD in English from Purdue University, and masters and bachelors degrees from Kent State University and Wabash College, respectively.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dean S. Todd Brown and the members of the search committee for their outstanding service, which was crucial to the successful outcome of this search, Weber said. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dean Robin Schulze for her dedicated leadership of UBs College of Arts and Sciences over the last nine years.
Kim Kardashian is reportedly considering changing her custody agreement with ex-husband Kanye West after he released a song featuring their eldest daughter, North West, without her approval.

Kim Kardashian is reportedly considering changing her custody agreement with ex-husband Kanye West after he released a song featuring their eldest daughter, North West, without her approval

According to TMZ, Kardashian, 44, is seriously debating taking West, 47  who now goes by Ye  to court to request a judge strip him of joint legal custody.

The former couple, who married in 2014, settled their divorce in 2022, agreeing to joint physical and legal custody of their four children: North, 11, Saint, 9, Chicago, 7, and five-year-old Psalm.

Physical custody is reportedly not an issue, as Kanye rarely sees his children, and Kim still wants them to have a good relationship with their father.

However, decision-making regarding the children has become a point of contention, TMZs report said.

The former couples divorce agreement states they must attend a private hearing with a judge if conflicts arise regarding their children.

Kim requested an emergency hearing with their lawyers, a mediator, and a judge after learning Kanye planned to release a song featuring North and rapper Sean Diddy Combs.

Although Kanye skipped the meeting, he reportedly agreed not to release the track, titled Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine.

However, the rapper released the song on X the following day, declaring men make the final decision. He also shared a text exchange with Kim, in which she opposed their daughters involvement with Combs, who is currently facing legal issues.

Kim apparently texted Kanye: I asked you at the time if I can trademark her name. You said yes. When shes 18, it goes to her. So stop.

I sent paperwork over so she wouldnt be in the Diddy song to protect her.

Kanye responded by asking Kim to amend the legal papers or risk going to war.

He added: And neither of us will recover from the public fallout. Youre going to have to kill me.

Kanye later posted a lengthy rant on X, accusing the Kardashian mob of restricting his parental rights and likening their custody arrangement to visitation in jail.

An insider told Page Six: Kims priority is the well-being and safety of her children and to protect them from being around Kanyes controversial behavior.
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Salma Hayek avoids technology as much as she can.

Salma Hayek isn't a fan of technology

The Hollywood actress, 58, has revealed she "barely" uses a mobile phone and doesn't own a computer- preferring instead to write by hand - and she also avoids shopping online and ordering takeaways - and Salma hopes keeping a low profile on the Internet helps her avoid artificial intelligence-driven algorithm.

She told Marie Claire magazine: "[AI] takes away your intelligence because the brain grows lazy.

"I write everything by hand. I have papers everywhere. I barely touch the phone. They cannot profile me. I dont buy online. I dont order food online. The artificial intelligence doesnt know me."

It comes after Salma recently revealed she feels "pressure" to make money despite being married to billionaire businessman Francois-Henri Pinault.

The actress tied the knot with Pinault - who runs luxury brand company Kering - in 2009 but she has continued working in Hollywood and has admitted she likes to support herself and make her own living.

She told the Wall Street Journal: "I support a lot of the aspects of my life and myself. I have the pressure to make a certain amount of money, and I like it. And now, I decided, I want to make more."

Salma added she's working on a number of money-making schemes and her husband finds her ambition attractive.

She said: "I think he finds it kind of sexy."

However, the 'From Dusk till Dawn' star admitted that despite having a healthy bank balance, she doesn't like talking about her finances - especially with other wealthy people.

She added: "To me, the excitement about having a lot of money was that I didnt have to think about money, and it turned out all people wanted to talk to me about was money ... Strangers coming to me that arent even friends, but they think we should be friends because theyre rich, too."
Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 10:54AM

Photo: Amazon

Amazon is set to eliminate a key privacy feature for its Echo devices, requiring all voice recordings to be sent to its cloud for processing, effective March 28. This change will impact users who previously opted for local processing via the "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" setting.

According to Ars Technica, Amazon notified affected customers via email, citing the need for cloud processing to support the expanding capabilities of Alexa, particularly its generative artificial intelligence features, now known as Alexa+.

This decision raises fresh privacy concerns, especially given Amazon's recent rollout of Alexa+. The move comes after previous scrutiny of Alexa's privacy implications, including a US$25 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in 2023 over children's privacy violations.

SOURCE
Monday, March 17, 2025 at 9:15AM

A year ago, Dyson unveiled a revolutionary new professional hair dryer at Paris Fashion Week to stylists at some of the most coveted runway shows including Chloe, Stella McCartney, and Issey Miyaki. The new Dyson Supersonic r enabled by new power-dense technologies was a hit with stylists. This month, Dyson announces that the Dyson Supersonic r hair dryer will be available for general sale to the public, making salon-finishes open to all.

The new Dyson Supersonic r has a new technology streamlined heater, the Dyson Hyperdymium motor, and intelligent Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensors in attachments which communicate with the hair dryer, automatically adjusting the motor and heater to deliver optimal airflow and temperature. The Dyson Supersonic r hair dryer is Dysons most powerful, yet lightest and most precise hair dryer to date. 30% smaller, 20% lighter, and more manoeuvrable than the original Supersonic hair dryer, it delivers fast drying, smoother and shinier results.

Developed and tested with professionals, the machine has only been available for stylists to purchase so far,being unveiled at Fashion Week in the A/W24 season. It has since become an essential in the kits of talent such as Sam McKnight, Eugene Souleiman and Lacy Redway, who choose the Dyson Supersonic r hair dryer for its enhanced manoeuvrability, comfort and precision. Following participation in design reviews with Dyson engineers over five years, Matthew Collins, Global Styling Ambassador at Dyson, says this is the best blow dryer I have ever used. Elsewhere, Stylist Anthony Turner, backstage at the Issey Miyake A/W24 show, describes the machine as a magic wand, and stylist Gary Gill says, at first glance it is visually astonishing, even strange. But I like it. I felt like it could never work, but its the complete opposite.

Gill used Dysons professional range in 24 at the first show imagined by Chloe's new Creative Director, Chemena Kamali. It was a collection that paid homage to the late 1970s, a decade when the natural beauty of women was celebrated but also their courage and strength. Gill created a look that was as effortless as it was natural, altering between loose, subtly curled hair and relaxed low buns.

This latest Dyson announcement comes following demand from consumers eager to achieve high- quality results at home between appointments. The Dyson Supersonic r machine will be available at Dyson Demo Stores and online beginning April 3, 2025, in two new colours  Ceramic Pink, inspired by the orient of a pearl, and Jasper Plum, inspired by the rare purple jasper gemstone. The price tag is $729.99

More details can be found here.
INVESTIGATING gardai are renewing their appeal for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision on the M50 in west Dublin that occurred on the afternoon of Sunday 9 March.

A Danish man whod been living in Carlow for several years, Christian Rasmussen, was killed of his motorbike as a result of the accident. Mr Rasmussen was a motorbike enthusiast who was well known in the biking community in Co Carlow and beyond.

Shortly after 12.30pm, gardai and emergency services were alerted to a collision between Mr Rasmussens bike and a car on the southbound carriageway of the M50 near Junction 7 at the Lucan/Palmerstown exit.

Gardai continue to appeal for any witnesses to this collision to come forward.

In particular, gardai are appealing to any road users who may have camera footage, including dashcam, and were travelling on the M50 in either direction at the time to make this footage available to them.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Ronanstown Garda Station on 01 6667700, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111 or any garda station.
Stephen Maguire

Two men who were struck by a runaway car in Co Donegal in the early hours of St Patrick's Day were brothers who lived less than 100 yards from the scene of the tragedy.

Anthony and Martin Gallagher, both in their 60s, were walking home from a night out in Letterkenny.

The men were critically injured after being struck by a taxi being driven by a teenager at the town's Lower Main Street just before 3am.

The car crossed a roundabout before hitting the men and then striking the front of a local house causing some damage to the building.

The men were rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital to receive emergency treatment.

However, one of the men subsequently died from his injuries.

Anthony Gallagher was a well-known figure in the town where he was employed as a lollipop man, helping schoolchildren to cross the road - less than 50 yards from where he was fatally injured.

His brother Martin has been transferred to Galway University Hospital where he is being treated for serious injuries sustained in the incident.

Both men lived together at the family home at Charlie Daly Terrace.

A young man suspected of driving the vehicle involved in the incident was arrested at the scene and is being questioned at Letterkenny Garda Station.

The area was immediately sealed off and a Garda forensic team later arrived at the scene of the tragedy.

A decision was later made to cancel the local St Patrick's Day parade in the town as a mark of respect.

Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny and Milford Municipal District, Councillor Gerry McMonagle, said a day of planned celebrations for St Patrick's Day had changed so suddenly.

He said "This was going to be a great day, a great day for Letterkenny and Donegal to celebrate our heritage and all there is to appreciate what it is to be Irish.

"Instead, we are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and this loss. These two men are very well-known in our community and it's still hard to take in that something like this has happened in our town."

Mayor McGonagle said he supported the decision to cancel the local St Patrick's Day parade and that the thoughts and prayers of the entire community were with the victims and their family.

"I do appreciate that a lot of work and preparation went into organising the parade but I think it was the right decision to cancel it.

"These two men were very much part of the local community and the right decision was taken in my opinion," he added.

Gardai are still investigating the exact circumstances of the moments leading up to the tragedy.

The vehicle involved in the incident is a Skoda Octavia estate car which is owned by a local taxi driver.

How a teenager came to be driving the vehicle is one of the main questions being asked by Garda investigators.

Gardai continue to appeal for witnesses to come forward.

They have also confirmed the matter has been referred to GSOC due to an earlier interaction between An Garda Siochana and the driver of the vehicle.

Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 2.30am and 3.30am this morning, Monday 17th March 2025, are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai.

In particular, Gardai are appealing to anyone who was in the area between Dry Arch Roundabout and Oldtown Road at the time.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on (074) 916 7100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

Meanwhile, the local community has planned to come together for a candle-lit vigil at the scene on Monday evening at 8 oclock.
Cork

Rap collective Kabin Krew will lead the St Patrick's Day festivities in Cork this afternoon.

The group of schoolchildren will act as Grand Marshalls for the event, which is due to feature 2,500 participants.

The parade will start at 1pm and travel from South Mall to Merchants Quay with a theme of "building a better world".

Belfast

Some people in Belfast are celebrating St Patrick's Day by going for a run.

The Spar Craic 10k event is taking place in Belfast this morning with participants travelling through the city centre before finishing in Ormeau Park.

The fun run started 10 years ago and aims to be the greenest race in the world.

Belfast's main parade will begin from City Hall at 1.30pm.

Galway

Over 30,000 people are expected to attend the St Patrick's Day Parade in Galway.

Irish musician Sharon Shannon will lead the festivities as Grand Marshal with 50 community groups taking part in the fun.

The parade will start at 11.30am from the University of Galway campus before finishing up at the Dyke Road Car Park.

This years theme is Sea and Stone, celebrating the Town of the Tribes unique location on the Atlantic coast.

Derry

A parade staged by the North West Carnival Initiative will have a "Forest, Sky and Sea" theme as Derry celebrates the arrival of spring.

The parade is due to get under way at 3pm.

A stage at Guildhall Square and the Guildhalls Main Hall will host live traditional Irish music from 1pm-3pm featuring some of the best local musicians. There will also be live music in the Craft Village until 6pm.

Limerick

A crowd of up to 50,000 people is expected to watch the parade in Limerick city this afternoon, which has the theme "A more fun Limerick".

The parade starts at 12pm, but there's plenty going on in the run up to it including a ceili mor at the city's famous Milk market.

The tales of St Patrick storytelling event will take place at the Hunt museum and a big post-parade block party at Merchants Quay starts at 2pm.

Kilkenny

Award-winning band Kila will close out the St Patrick's Day parade in Kilkenny this afternoon.

Sixty floats will take to the city streets as part of the event which starts on John Street at 1.30pm.

Irish Olympian Mia Griffin will act as Grand Marshal with Ireland's Junior Eurovision entry Enya Cox Dempsey alongside her.

Festival organisers say the parade will be live streamed for those who can't attend this year.

Armagh

St Patricks Day celebrations started at dawn in the city which claims the most authentic connection with the national saint.

Now known as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, Armaghs ties to Patrick stretch back to 445AD when he founded the first church.

Events started at daybreak at the Navan Centre and Fort which hosted the Dawn Light, an event which transported attendees back to the 5th century, through drama and live music, to witness Patricks fateful encounter with Chieftain Daire.

The festivities also include a colourful and musical parade later in the day.

Dingle

Ireland's earliest St Patrick's Day parade is already over.

Thirty members of the local fife and drum band took to the streets of Dingle in Kerry at 6am.

The tradition dates back to the Land War of the 1870s when British authorities banned gatherings between sunrise and sunset.
John Dilworth, the creator of Cartoon Networks classic comedy horror series Courage the Cowardly Dog, has recently unveiled a new short comedy-horror film, Howl If You Love Me. This seven-minute, energetic take on the problems of living with a lycanthropic lover adds another intriguing entry to Dilworths eclectic body of work.

Accompanied by Pavel Tsvetanskis oddly fitting, yet delightfully out-of-place piano score, and showcasing Dilworths Tex Avery-inspired animation style, Howl If You Love Me tells the story of Jules and Jim, a couple deeply in love. (The characters names are a nod to filmmaker Francois Truffauts 1962 arthouse classic Jules and Jim.)

However, rather than the love-triangle that Truffauts film explored, Dilworths characters have another complication: Jules is a werewolf. During a full moon, Jim locks Jules away for her safety, but when the authorities arrive at their apartment, Jim is forced to take drastic action, making a profound sacrifice to protect the one he loves.

Speaking with Cartoon Brew, Dilworth shared insights into the films genesis, production process, and his enduring passion for storytelling.

Inspiring Howl

After completing his off-the-wall, 22-minute comedy Goose in High Heels (2017), Dilworth sought a project that was more accessible and less unconventional. In 2019, I wrote a premise exploring the relationships between family, lovers, and friends, and the contrast between who we believe them to be and who they become under stress, he explains. Its astonishing how our loved ones can seem possessed when stress takes hold  and this condition can be contagious. Horror felt like the appropriate genre to express these ideas, but comedy was essential too. Thank Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein for that influence.

Dilworth initially envisioned his new short as a portrait of young lovers framed by the commercial tropes of traditional romance. However, as the creative process unfolded, his intentions often diverged from the final outcome. What I intend to occur and what actually occurs are contradictory, he admits.

New York Citys former World Trade Center twin towers feature prominently in Howl If You Love Me, serving as a metaphor for the duality of relationships. The towers reflect our lovers and symbolize their fragility and impermanence, Dilworth explains. We see how their strength and confidence can easily disintegrate before our eyes. The film also juxtaposes the Moon and the Sun, symbolizing lifes temporal and timeless elements. The Moon, ever dying and reborn, parallels Jules disintegrating into a monster and returning, while the Sun embodies the eternal light binding Jules and Jim as lovers  as tightly as any troubadour might sing.

Horror Themes

Comedy tinged with horror has been a recurring theme throughout Dilworths career. He recalls a deeply personal moment: I remember when my kid brother slipped out of the room and my mother and I were holding his expired body in the hospital, and we began laughing violently. This is an example. The expression of our grief took this form. How absurd and ridiculous it was, to have life happen and me only a witness! Dilworth reflects on how, whether through laughter or despair, energy is released. The passion is to eject the energy of all my grief up and down the line.

In his animation, he intentionally counters the frightening with the comical, embracing a duality, a contradiction he sees throughout life: I wish to soften the edges of the unrelenting rigor and sorrow of our world  the impotence  so as to avoid suggesting that a dominant force overwhelms love. In Howl, Dilworth illustrates this through Jules and Jim, who become violent to ensure their love endures. That particular love and the violence are equal parts frightening and ridiculous, he notes.

Dilworth believes that comedy and horror are essential elements of humanity. I have a doctrine, he states, that humanity needs three qualities if we are to make it out alive: possessive love, horror, and courage. To me, all three require being able to laugh at ourselves, not holding on too tightly. We need a zeal to move forward, horror to teach us how we wish to live with one another, and courage to suffer nobly.

Reflecting on Howl, Dilworth describes it as a romantic comedy with horror: I have been fortunate to know the joys and sorrows of being in love. I like being in love. Jules and Jim are lovers, doomed yet ever joyful for the living knowledge of the temporal and timeless elements of life.

Documenting Howl

The production of Howl If You Love Me was meticulously documented in more than 200 YouTube videos, a practice that originated during the creation of Goose in High Heels. Dilworth explains: I was producing that film at a residency in Uruguay. I was so far from home, and the insects were so very large and formidable. A way to feel less unnerved and stay in touch was recording the daily progression of the work.

He continued this practice with Howl, transforming the videos into a tutorial on animation: I documented the entire production, from the writing of the premise, through storyboarding, pre-production, and animation processes. I started on paper, then switched to Toon Boom one minute into production, he adds. The videos also covered music, sound design, and mixing, followed by a review of how the short was received at festivals. Beyond showcasing the making of Howl, the videos also included Dilworths personal feelings and experiences at the time, functioning as a video journal.

Although Dilworth seems to be shifting from traditional festival films toward more genre-oriented ones, he remains uncertain of his works current marketplace viability. I never felt that I had a commercial touch, he reflects. Ive been unconcerned with practical and material considerations. I do enjoy when larger audiences relate to my animation, but I dont have a formula. I feel I would make a worse mess of a work if I planned on making a universally relatable piece.

Instead, Dilworth trusts his instincts, letting his internal drive shape his creations: I follow my organs and whatever most compels me to expression. He notes that his most popular shorts  The Dirdy Birdy (1994), The Chicken from Outer Space (1996), and Life in Transition (2005)  were all surprises. He explains: The relative success of these works is unrelated to any genre but stems from a shared experience.

That said, Howl has performed well at horror festivals, while traditional festivals, in Dilworths words, have overwhelmingly declined it. Nine months into submitting, he focused on festivals more attuned to the short films gothic themes. Surprise! I made a horror short I did not intend, he quips.

Animation and Independence

Dilworth has been part of the animation scene for nearly 40 years, witnessing numerous changes in the industry, some for the better, some for the worse. The Dirdy Birdy was the last short I shot on 35mm film, he recalls. Today, the tools have changed. I have not been concerned with the market, and thus my independence  and my lack. Howl was made using computer software for practical and economic expediency.

Despite the advantages of technological advances, he remains cautious about the industrys increasing homogenization. He parlayed these concerns into the dilemma facing the protagonist of Howl.

For Jim, he says, turning into a werewolf to safeguard against loneliness would be a big change. Do you think the market is more and more homogenizing sentiments, suggesting how we should feel, think, and experience our unique lives? It may be stunting our spiritual discovery of ourselves directly. Dilworth, however, sees hope in independent animation: I see fewer dominating forces in the indie sphere, where the expression to eject is very much personal and inviting to those still tuned into their aesthetic prejudices.

The Legacy of Courage

After more than two decades, Cartoon Networks series Courage the Cowardly Dog remains Dilworths most iconic work, a testament to his creative principles. The continued popularity of Courage, he reflects, affirms my three principles stated above, and of that, I am not surprised. For Dilworth, Courage embodies humanitys resilience against forces that seek to strip away what makes us human.

Dilworth draws parallels between this theme and the dualism explored in Howl: The supernatural phenomena of human beliefs in werewolves, for instance, are being eclipsed by technology. I include technology in Howl as another dualism between the organic and the synthetic, and its suggested dialectic. Technology has no emotion. Courage has emotion. He is afraid. Technology is not afraid. How would a world be if humans became more like technology? What would be the value of turning into a werewolf? There would be no need for Courage.

As for new episodes of Courage, he admits that network interest has waned: I had wanted to make a fifth season back in 2002, but there was no network will. The system was changing. In the past, weve been invited to do holiday specials, which I began writing, and those got reversed. We even produced a cg Courage pilot funded by Turner in Hong Kong, but that got the kibosh from Hollywood. The prequel suffered similarly. There isnt any network will to make new episodes, and there it is  until it isnt. Thats showbiz. Its living Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, he has written a feature-length script based on Howl, though he doesnt rule out the idea of a series. A series could also be attractive, he says, if I could come up with a formula, of course.
Sarah Snook had a spooky encounter at a "haunted" theatre in London.

Sarah Snook is convinced she saw a ghost at a haunted theatre in London

The 'Succession' star appeared in a production of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' at the Theatre Royal Haymarket last year but the show has since transferred to Broadway, and Sarah has now opened up about the ghostly going-ons at the venue in the British capital which has a reputation for being haunted.

She told New Yorker magazine: "I do feel like I saw one [a ghost]. I saw somebody get up, and I was like: 'Oh, cool. Theyre getting up and leaving. They must need to go to the toilet'.

"But I look back and they were not there. They were in a very white, kind of Victorian play-dress, a big floofy white dress and a bow. I did ask the people who run the theatre, and they said that its haunted, but theyve never seen that ghost."

The Theatre Royal Haymarket is said to be haunted by the ghost of actor/playwright playwright John Baldwin Buckstone, who died in 1879, and actor Sir Patrick Stewart previously claimed to have seen the spook while he was performing in a production of 'Waiting for Godot' with Sir Ian McKellen.

Sarah had another spooky encounter during her time in London when the lights and heating went haywire at the apartment she was renting while performing in Oscar Wilde's play.

She added to the publication: "When we moved into our apartment in London it was very fucking cold, so we went out quickly to get beanies and gloves, a scarf.

"When we came back, the lights were going [flashing] and the heaters were going up to twenty-nine and down to three and up and down, up and down.

"And then everything went out. We went downstairs, and theres a gunpowder smell - and my stepson was, like: 'Gunpowder! That means theres a ghost!'

"The fuse box had blown in the basement."

After the incident, the family decamped to a hotel which happened to overlook a place with links to Wilde.

She explained: "We had to go to Browns Hotel, and our room was directly opposite the Albemarle Club, where Oscar Wilde had been, which was the beginning of the end of him, where he was accused of being a sodomite by the Marquess of Queensbury.

"The argument happened on the steps which we could see from our window."

Sarah concluded: "I call it the benevolent haunting."
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Cemex has signed an agreement with EDP Energia Poland to build solar installations at several Cemex plants in Poland, with a total capacity of over 14MWp. This investment is part of Cemex's global "Future in Action" strategy to combat climate change.



Currently, Cemex has one solar farm at its ready-mix concrete plant in Pruszkow. New solar installations will be added to cement plants in Chelm, Rudniki, and Gdynia, as well as concrete plants in Myslowice, Warsaw Annopol, Lublin, Szczecin and Gdansk. These installations will start operating in the second quarter of 2025 for the concrete plants. For the cement plants, the schedule assumes PV generation will begin in the first quarter of 2026.



The project will be carried out in collaboration with EDP Energia Polska, under a 15-year agreement where EDP will install and manage the solar installations, providing clean energy to Cemex facilities.



"Cemex sets ambitious decarbonisation goals, and investing in renewable energy is an important step towards reducing emissions. The concluded agreement is important in this context because it will guarantee us access to green energy in the long term. Additionally, the mentioned contract will enable the diversification of energy sources powering our plants," said Michal Weglorz, regional energy negotiator at Cemex Poland.



"We are glad that Cemex Poland, as a leader in its industry, has chosen photovoltaic solutions from EDP to implement its ambitious decarbonisation goals. This cooperation is part of our mission to support the energy transition and provide clean energy for every type of industry. We are convinced that Cemex's investments in renewable energy will contribute to building a sustainable future and will become an inspiration for other companies from the energy-intensive sector. At EDP, we make every effort to be a reliable partner for our clients and, together with them, implement projects that have a real impact on reducing emissions and protecting the climate. In Poland, we have installed nearly 270MWp of power in various facilities, thus supporting businesses in building a sustainable future," said Ireneusz Kulka, country lead of EDP in Poland.
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The import of cement to Kyrgyzstan increased by 3.3 times in January 2025 compared to January 2024, according to the National Statistics Committee. A total of 38,000t of cement were imported in January 2025, including 24,700t from Kazakhstan and 13,100t from Uzbekistan. The third-largest supplier was Iran with 189t.



Cement imports increased by 2.2 times to 0.5Mt in 2024. Domestic cement production increased by 4.3 per cent to 3.1Mt, according to AKI Press. Kyrgyzstan has an installed domestic cement capacity of approximately 3.49Mta. This includes production at five integrated cement plants and a single grinding plant. The largest domestic plant is the United Cement Group's Kant plant which has a cement capacity of 1Mta.
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CIMAFs subsidiary in Chad, CIMAF Chad, has officially denied any increase in the ex-works price of cement. The company stated that the rates applied at the factory remain unchanged and that no decisions regarding a price increase had been made.

In addition, the producer said that its cement capacity enable it to regularly supply the market, eliminating any risk of shortages. Increases at the point of sale appear to be down to logistical issues and speculation by intermediaries.

The countrys Minister of Trade and Industry, Guibolo Fanga Mathieu, has responded to the price increases by denouncing the speculative practices of certain traders and retailers. He reiterated that his ministry's services are working to strengthen market control and ensure price stability. "There is no valid reason for cement prices to increase on the market while factory prices remain unchanged," the minister declared during a presentation of his ministry's achievements in 2024 and priorities for 2025.
Tim Burton told Helena Bonham Carter he "was a dog".

Tim Burton relates to dogs

The 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' filmmaker has always felt an affinity to his canine companions and his former partner - with whom he has Billy, 21, and 17-year-old Nell - admitted that is reflected in his visual communication style.

Speaking in Tara Wood's new four-part untitled documentary series about the 66-year-old director, People magazine reports she said: "He loves dogs. Pepper was his childhood dog. He's always felt at ease with dogs. He said very early on in our relationship that he was a dog, so maybe that's where he came from  dog land."

And discussing his communication style, the 58-year-old actress - who was in a relationship with Tim from 2001 to 2014 - added: "[He is] entirely visual. He doesn't need words  that's why he relates to a dog."

In the series, a number of Tim's creative collaborators reflected on how dogs feature in "all of his creative projects", with film editor Chris Lebenzon talking about the bond the 'Big Eyes' director had with his late Chihuahua Poppy, who he shared with former partner Lisa Marie.

Chris said: "Poppy, he and Lisa Marie picked up on a street in Tokyo. How do you get a dog back from Tokyo? Maybe somebody's purse  I'm not sure. And [Poppy] was always with him."

In 2012, the director admitted his animated movie 'Frankenweenie' - which was adapted from his 1984 short film of the same name - was inspired by his childhood pet.

He told UK Screen: The film is based on a memory that I had when I was growing up and with my relationship with a dog that I had.

The great thing about expanding 'Frankenweenie' is that thinking about other things that were personal, like the other kids that I remember and the teachers and the kind of place, so I put a lot of memories of things into the whole.
Like many in Southeast Tennessee, I grew up hunting and fishing. My father was instrumental in teaching me about the love of the outdoors and for the importance of conserving the land and waters that are important, not only for survival for us as humans, but for our wildlife, which is a precious resource in Tennessee.

Something that we dont talk a lot about, though, in East Tennessee is the importance of protecting wetlands. I hear a lot from my friends in the western part of the state, where the land is a little flatter and swampier, about wetlands and why they are important to duck hunting and fish habitat, but I dont hear a lot about it out this way. Wetlands are here in the eastern part of Tennessee as well. They exist throughout our mountains, hills and valleys all over the region. Protecting them here is just as important as other parts of our state.

Wetlands are important for our regions fishermen and hunters, as these areas serve as important ecosystems supporting a variety of wildlife species. Wetlands act as breeding grounds, nurseries, and feeding areas for fish and wildlife, which are central to both fishing and hunting activities.

In addition, they are also crucial filtration for water flowing into our rivers, streams and lakes.

Clean water is essential for maintaining healthy fish populations and a thriving aquatic environment, which directly impacts fishing quality and success. Wetlands act as natural filters, trapping pollutants and improving water quality.

Outside of helping our states wildlife, wetlands also act an important buffer for flood control and erosion prevention. Wetlands help regulate water flow and mitigate flooding. In our mountainous areas, they act as natural sponges absorbing excess water during heavy rainfall. These sponges reduce the flow of water from rushing downstream and help prevent flash flooding. Wetlands also stabilize soil where mountainous areas can see heavy erosion during heavy rainfall.

There is a bill in the Tennessee General Assembly which could severely affect our states wetlands. It would take away the protections of these areas to support increased development. Let me say, I love our state, and I want to see Tennessee grow economically, but I am concerned about the direction we will take if this bill passes. It will open the floodgate in continuing to destroy our wetlands and severely harm Tennessees ecosystem.

Let me be clear, I am for economic growth, but we must do it in a responsible and conservative way. Lets ask our legislators to continue to find reasonable solutions for our states growth, which helps our economy, but also protect our wetlands for future generations of sportsmen and women in Tennessee.

Tony Sanders

Former Tennessee Fish Wildlife and Commissioner, Hamilton County Republican Chairman, and host of Tony Sanders Outdoors, a weekly talk radio show in Chattanooga.






We are being told HB 809 protects farmers, but in reality, it shields pesticide manufacturers like Bayer and ChemChina from lawsuitseven when their products cause harm. This bill prioritizes corporate profits over personal and environmental health, taking away Tennesseans right to hold these companies accountable.

Supporters claim this bill is necessary to keep pesticides like glyphosate (Roundup) available, but thats simply not true. Glyphosate is off-patent, widely produced, and wont disappear even if this bill fails. This is a scare tactic designed to pressure lawmakers into granting pesticide companies broad immunity. Foreign chemical companies are pouring millions into this campaign so they can dodge responsibility for pesticides banned overseas. These chemical companies want to operate above our laws so they can reap profits while American families suffer the health consequences. Instead of prioritizing industry lobbyists, lawmakers should focus on real solutions that support farmers and protect public health, and the right to hold powerful industries responsible for their actions.

Our American economy depends on transparency. This bill undermines fundamental legal protections. It sets a dangerous precedent, rewarding corporate misconduct while stripping citizens of their legal rights. The 7th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 17 of the Tennessee Constitution guarantee the right to seek redress in court. HB 809 erodes these rights by prioritizing corporate profits over public health and safety. If history has taught us anything, its that shielding powerful industries from liability rarely benefits the publicit simply enables bad actors to continue harmful practices without consequence.

Please call your representatives today and tell them to vote no on HB 809. Tennesseans deserve accountability, not corporate immunity.

Please contact the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee before 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Gail Greene

HCGOP Chairwoman






Lee University has been awarded a Healthcare Collaborative Grant from the Tennessee Hospital Association to support clinical placements and faculty training, helping to address the ongoing healthcare workforce shortage.

Lees School of Nursing received $7,100 through this grant in partnership with Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga and Bradley Medical Center in Cleveland (Vitruvian Health). The funding is designated to enhance the Immersion Clinical placement experience for Lees nursing students, strengthening their transition from education to professional practice.

As part of their final semester, all Bachelor of Nursing students at Lee must complete an Immersion Clinical internship in an acute healthcare setting. Under the supervision of a registered nurse preceptor, students apply their classroom knowledge in real-world settings while receiving valuable feedback to prepare them for the workforce.

This grant provided us an incredible opportunity, said Madison Faller, a senior nursing major from Guilford, In. It helped bridge the gap between a textbook and hands-on experience, and for that I am so very grateful.

With the support of the THA grant funding, a formal hospital orientation and meet-and-greet took place in February for Immersion Clinical students and their RN preceptors at both healthcare facilities. The event included refreshments and provided an opportunity for students and preceptors to connect in a relaxed environment before starting their clinical experience.

The orientation not only set clear expectations and objectives for the Immersion Clinical experience, but it also allowed students to accompany their preceptor to the unit where they would be working, said Shannon McBrayer, director of simulation and experiential learning at Lee University. This experience gave students the chance to coordinate schedules, become familiar with the unit layout, and ask questions  helping them feel more confident and prepared for their clinical roles.

This enhanced orientation experience aims to improve communication, confidence, and readiness for both students and preceptors, strengthening the overall learning process.

"It has been such a blessing to do my Immersion Clinicals at Bradley Medical Center this semester, said Elise Meyers, a senior nursing major from Prior Lake, Mn. Everyone has been so kind and helpful, and it was such a gift to have the orientation so we could see our units, meet our preceptors before clinicals started, and get more resources to help us succeed.

For more information about the Healthcare Collaborative Grant through the THA, click here.

For more information about Lees School of Nursing, click here.
For nearly half a century, Dr. R. Phillip Burns has shaped the future of surgery in Chattanooga  not just in the operating room, but in the lives of the students and residents he has mentored. The first endowed chair in the history of the UT Health Science Center College of Medicine  Chattanooga has been installed to honor the dedication, leadership, and overall excellence of Dr. R. Phillip Burns.

Dr. Burns is an extraordinary surgeon, teacher, and leader who has left an indelible mark on the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the Chattanooga community, the fields of medicine and surgery across our state and country, and on the lives of countless patients, students, residents, and fellow physicians," said Dr. James Haynes, dean of UTHSC College of Medicine - Chattanooga. "There is no more fitting and worthy person to honor through creation of the first endowed chair at the UTHSC College of Medicine  Chattanooga."

Dr. Burns served as the chair of the Department of Surgery at the College of Medicine  Chattanooga for 46 years and is still a practicing faculty member and professor in the surgery residency program. Dr. Burns is a previous member of the National Surgery Residency Committee, has served as president of two nationally renowned organizations: Southeastern Surgical Congress and the Southeastern Surgical Association, was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees for Erlanger in 2019 and has been honored by the American College of Surgeons with the Distinguished Service Award at the Clinical Congress in 2019.

Whether in the operating room or out on the farm, Dr. Burns has devoted his life to investing in the next generation. Every day he is not at the hospital, he is alongside his son and current business manager, David Burns, working on the farm. Burns Farms, a family-run operation, partners with businesses across the country, as well as the Farm-to-School program, providing fresh, locally-raised foods across the nation, all while reflecting the same values Dr. Burns has instilled in his students  commitment, resilience, and care for the future.

The R. Phillip Burns Endowed Chair is not only a title, but an investment for the future of surgical training in Chattanooga. It ensures future generations of surgeons will have the mentorship, resources, and state-of-the-art tools needed to continue Dr. Burns legacy, said officials.

Help the R. Phillip Burns Endowed Chair initiative reach their goal to surpass $1.5 million.




Cherokee Federals latest unveiling offers an unmatched mobile versatility for Vertical Take-Off and Landing and electric VTOL aircraft. Mobile Vertipad Platform, MVP, operates across diverse sectors  from commercial airports and defense operations to emergency response and humanitarian efforts in austere environments.
Catherine, Princess of Wales wants to take her children to Australia and New Zealand.

Catherine, Princess of Wales enjoyed a Guinness with the Irish Guards

The 43-year-old royal - who has Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, with husband Prince William - and her spouse were joined by their eldest child on a tour Down Under when he was just eight months old, and she's keen to take her brood there again now they're old enough to remember the trip.

Catherine paid a visit to the Irish Guards - of which she is Colonel - in honour of St. Patrick's Day on Monday (17.03.25) and while chatting to the soldiers and their families, she revealed her hopes for family travel.

According to Britain's HELLO! magazine, she told Corporal Adam Hamilton, an Australian reservist: "George finds it fascinating that he has been to Australia and New Zealand.

"I would like to go back there with them now. It's finding time to do that. But I love to travel  yes, it's a long flight. But I love the Middle East because that's familiar to me [from] growing up. There are so many opportunities now to travel, I think it's brilliant to experience it."

The princess explained it is key to be able to balance "a bit of work" with the children's needs and a desire to explore the countries when she and William make such trips.

She added: "We tend to go further afield when its official visits, it's being able to carve out time to experience these countries in a more private capacity.

"Because otherwise you end up seeing lots of insides of amazing buildings but you don't get to meet that many people.

Its making sure that you can combine a bit of work with the children. I might see you down there!"

Catherine - who put money behind the bar for the troops and sipped a half pint of Guinness - revealed she and her family appreciate having more "green space" since leaving London for Windsor.

Asked where they live, she said: "We are in Windsor at the moment. We were in London but moved there for more green space. It's close enough to London, not too far away."

William has caused a stir in recent months with his new beard, but his wife admitted she isn't sure how long he will keep it.

She said: These trends come and go. I was saying to my husband, I'm not sure how long hes going to keep his for."

Catherine took over as Colonel of the Irish Guards from Prince William following a reshuffle in 2022 after King Charles took the throne, and Monday marked the first St. Patrick's Day parade she has carried out without her husband.

The princess - who missed the celebrations last year after being diagnosed with cancer - took the salute during a march-past and presented traditional sprigs of shamrock to officers and guardsmen, after earlier awarding long service and good conduct medals in a private ceremony.
200,000 Christians protested against an anti-conversion law in a village in Arunachal Pradesh, India, on March 6, 2025. | Screenshot: YouTube/ Frontier Herald

Around 200,000 Christians gathered in Borum village, Arunachal Pradesh, a northeastern Indian state, to protest the impending enforcement of an anti-conversion law, which many view as a means to target the Christian community.

The protest, organized by the Arunachal Pradesh Christian Forum, took place last week and represents the culmination of weeks of opposition to the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.

According to a statement from the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the law has been dormant since its enactment in 1978, but the Gauhati High Court ordered its implementation last September, directing the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government to finalize the regulations within six months.

The law prohibits conversions achieved through force, inducement, or fraudulent means and requires individuals seeking religious conversion to obtain prior approval from district authorities.

The Christian community, which comprises over 30% of Arunachal Pradeshs population, argues that the law infringes upon their constitutional right to freedom of religion. They contend that the legislation disproportionately targets Christians while leaving other religious groups, such as Buddhists and followers of indigenous faiths, unaffected.

The push for this law was initiated by a Public Interest Litigation filed by Tambo Tamin, a former general secretary of the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh, which advocates for the preservation of traditional tribal religions.

During a meeting with the states interior minister in February, Christian leaders requested the repeal of the law but were told that the government must comply with the courts directive. In light of this, the Forum has vowed to escalate its protests, including plans for a referendum rally if the law is not repealed by the end of March.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society argues that conversions to Christianity threaten tribal cultural practices. They have organized a counter-rally and a Sadbhavna Pad Yatra (foot march) in favor of the legislation, calling for its swift implementation. Reports indicate that the BJPs ideological parent organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is a prominent Hindu nationalist group in India, has influenced the Society.

Supporters of the anti-conversion law claim that Christians force or provide monetary incentives to Hindus to persuade them to convert. They assert that no one can use the threat of divine displeasure in their arguments against the law.

Christians, making up 2.3% of Indias population, are often subjected to violence under the guise of preventing forcible conversions, as similar anti-conversion laws are enforced in 11 states across the country.

While Hindu nationalists often allege that forced or coerced conversions occur, only a handful of individuals have been convicted under these laws, with those convictions often still under appeal.
A firetruck is stationed outside Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, on December 24, 2024, following an incident involving the identified suspect, Aaron Suppes. | Screenshot: KHOU 11 via YouTube

A homeless man has been indicted on a federal terrorism charge after allegedly threatening a deadly gas attack on Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, on Christmas Eve, 2024.

The grand jury in Harris County indicted 33-year-old Aaron Suppes earlier this month for one terroristic threat count related to his actions against the megachurch.

According to the indictment, Suppes threaten[ed] to commit an offense involving violence against the church's head of security, intending to place a substantial group of the public in fear of serious bodily injury.

Following these allegations, a district court set Suppes' bail at $15,000, along with instructions prohibiting him from going near any church property, including Lakewood.

During a candlelight service at Lakewood, attended by approximately 5,000 people on December 24, Suppes called an FBI tipline and stated he would release sarin gasan extremely toxic chemical weaponduring the gathering.

Worshippers continued without interruption as security confirmed there was no actual threat, finding the duffel bags that Suppes had left on church property to be harmless.

Authorities were able to track down Suppes through security camera footage, arresting him without incident while he was still near the church. Lt. Willkens of the Houston Police Department later commented that Suppes had made another call on Christmas Eve, expressing strange claims that suggested a mental health issue.

Records indicate that Suppes had been unemployed and homeless for at least six months before the incident. Upon initially appearing in court, he falsely identified himself as a pastor from Florida.

Suppes was initially held at the San Jacinto Jail in Harris County before being transferred to the LaSalle Correctional Center in Louisiana.
King Charles has been praised for his "modern vision" for royal buildings.

King Charles is to allow tourists to visit St James Palace

The 76-year-old monarch is set to open the doors of St. James Palace for guided tours for the first time, and his former butler Grant Harrold - who worked at Highgrove for the then-Prince of Wales between 2004 and 2011 - thinks it will be a "great experience" for tourists because there are so many "interesting" things to see there.

Speaking on behalf of JeffBet, Grant said: "For any royal enthusiasts, its a very exciting prospect, and equally of the East Wing at Buckingham Palace, and Balmoral last year, the fact theyve opened both of these is also a big thing...

"Its got one of the oldest surviving Tudor fireplaces which has got Anne Boleyns initials in which is unusual. That's one of the major features visitors might get to see.

"Youve also got the throne room and youll get to see where the King had his privy council, where the proclamation was done. Itll be an interesting experience.

"It just shows the King is taking on a more modern vision for homes that were once very, very private. Now, they want to have people walk through the doors many monarchs, presidents and celebrities have.

"Its a great experience and one the public are sure to enjoy."

Royal fans are most likely to recognise the "stunning" rooms from when Prince William and then-Kate Middleton, who is now known as Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced their engagement.

Grant said: "Its really interesting the King is opening up St James Palace. Last year it was Balmoral and St James is an equally private place.

"You only get to see it if you're invited to royal events. Its where a lot of them take place, such as farewell parties, Christmas parties.

"The rooms are stunning, people will recognise them from the famous engagement photos of William and Kate."

Grant was speaking on behalf of JeffBet. Visit https://www.jeffbet.com/casino/ for more information.
Home News 12-year-old Christian girl kidnapped in Pakistan freed by police Young girl was raped, beaten, forcibly converted to Islam and coerced into sham marriage

LAHORE, Pakistan  A 12-year-old Christian girl was reunited with her parents last week after being abducted two months ago by a Muslim neighbor who forcibly converted her to Islam and coerced her into marrying him, sources said.

Saba Shafique was abducted by Muhammad Ali, 35, from outside her home in the Walton Model Colony No. 2 neighborhood of Lahore Cantonment, Punjab Province on Jan. 5, the sources said. Ali first took her to Sialkot city in Punjab where he prepared a fake religious conversion and marriage certificate on Jan. 8 and then moved her to Shaheed Benazirabad city, formerly known as Nawabshah, in Sindh Province, rights advocates said.

Lahore Police, with help from Sindh Police, on March 5 raided an outhouse in a village of Shaheed Benazirabad, recovered Saba and arrested Ali, the sources said. Officers brought her back to Lahore the next day.

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I cannot express my joy when I hugged Saba after so many days, her mother, Rakhil Shafique, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Her father and I havent been able to sleep properly all this time, but now we will finally take rest.

Saba said Ali used to tell her that he liked her very much and would keep her happy.

On the day he took me from my home, he asked me to accompany him to the bazaar where he would buy me presents, she told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. After some time, I asked him to take me back home as my parents would be worried about me, but he snubbed me and forced me to sit on a bus.

She said she had no idea Ali was taking her to another city, Sialkot, where he arranged for a cleric to fabricate a false religious conversion certificate and conduct a sham Islamic marriage that claimed she was 18 years old.

Ali then forced me to record a video saying that I had converted to Islam and married him of my free will, said Saba, who is Catholic. I was also forced to state that Im 18 years old, and that my parents shouldn't take any action against us.

After a few days in Sialkot, Ali took Saba to a relatives village in Shaheed Benazirabad District, Sindh Province, fearing police would act on the complaint of her father, Shafique Masih. Ali filed a petition in the Hyderabad Sessions Court on behalf of Saba seeking legal protection for the so-called marriage, a common tactic perpetrators use to prevent families from reclaiming kidnapped daughters.

During the time I was there, Ali did bad things with me which numbed my mind and body, she said. He also beat me whenever I used to cry for my parents and told him that I wanted to go back home. I was kept locked in a room most of the time.

Saba said she was relieved when she saw her parents after the police broke open the door of the room in the early morning raid.

I was very happy to see them  I had already started regretting going with Ali without my parents knowledge, and I dont want to cause them any worry in future, she added.

Her mother said she had no idea that their neighbor had any bad intention toward Saba.

His behavior with our children was such that we never suspected what was going on in his mind, Rakhil Shafique said.

Her recovery was made possible with support from Christian paralegal organization HARDS Pakistan, which obtained permission for the interprovincial police action.

We are grateful to the senior leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party, which is in government in the Sindh Province, for facilitating the recovery of the minor Christian girl, Sohail Habil, executive director of HARDS Pakistan, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.

Habil said police had initially registered an abduction case against Ali, but that the groups legal team would now seek the additional charges related to rape, child marriage and other crimes.

Saba was expected to retract her earlier statements in court and describe how Ali enticed her to go with him and then forcibly converted and married her, he said.

Christian rights activist Napolean Qayyum, who traveled with the police team to Shaheed Benazirabad to recover Saba, said Ali had initially denied sexually exploiting her, claiming he was impotent.

However, he admitted to his crime during police interrogation, Qayyum said. He is now in the custody of the Lahore police and will face the consequences.

Urging church leaders to use their influence to raise awareness about child abduction and forcible conversion and marriage, Qayyum said that it was important to teach children how predators like Ali employ various tactics to lure victims from their homes.

In many cases, young girls are trapped on false pretexts of love and giving them gifts, and then they are emotionally blackmailed to go with the perpetrators, he said. It is abduction nonetheless, because the innocent victims are not aware of the underlying motives of such predators.

Typically, kidnapped girls in Pakistan, some as young as 10, are abducted, forced to convert to Islam and raped under cover of Islamic marriages and are then pressured to record false statements in favor of the kidnappers, rights advocates say. Judges routinely ignore documentary evidence related to the childrens ages, handing them back to kidnappers as their legal wives.

Recorded cases of abduction and forced conversion numbered 136 in 2023, the highest annual total ever, according to the Center for Social Justice. Among these, 110 Hindu girls were abducted in Sindh Province and 26 Christian girls in Punjab Province. A majority of incidents took place in Sindh, where 77% of the abducted females were minors younger than 18, according to the center.

Unofficial sources suggest that forced religious conversions linked to forced marriages affect as many as 1,000 girls belonging to religious minorities annually.

Pakistan is ranked No. 8 on Open Doors 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe discrimination and persecution.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News
Home News Calif. city greenlights new megachurch, reverses vote rejecting project

A California city has agreed to allow a megachurch to build a new building for its growing congregation, reversing an earlier decision opposing the construction project.

The San Diego City Council voted 5-4 last Tuesday to allow All Peoples Church to construct a new 900-seat building with 300 parking spaces and classrooms on the property.

Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who voted in favor of the proposal, said a lawsuit filed against the city by the church was a factor in his decision to support the project.

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While it may seem like no big deal to say we will fight this to the ends of the Earth, there are real costs associated with that, said Elo-Rivera, according to CBS 8. I cannot in good faith say that we should fight this to the ends of the Earth when I do not think that we will succeed.

Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who voted against the proposal, believed that the property, which was originally zoned for residential buildings, should be exclusively used for housing.

"Using residentially zoned land to build a project that has no housing, my view, is irresponsible under the current conditions that we face in our city, said Whitburn, as quoted by CBS 8.

All Peoples Church was looking to develop property it owns in Del Cerro, a neighborhood located in eastern San Diego, to serve as a new church home. They called the endeavor The Light Project.

In January of 2024, the city council voted 6-2 to reject the churchs application to turn the property into a worship facility after hearing hours of public comments for and against it.

Its just too large, too intense for this particular property, said Michael Livingston with the group Save Del Cerro at the meeting last year, as quoted by CBS 8. They are trying to get a dedicated traffic signal for themselves on College Avenue, a major arterial through our neighborhoods going to San Diego State, [it's] just going to cause all kinds of difficulties.

In response to the rejection, the church filed a lawsuit against city officials in March of last year, accusing San Diego of engaging in religious discrimination against the congregation.

According to church officials, they had already received approval from the citys planning commission the year before, which commended their proposal and layout.

The church claimed that some members of the neighborhood had engaged in an intimidation campaign that misrepresented the actual impact of the building project.

The law is clear, the city cannot discriminate against a religious use using different rules and analysis from a non-religious project in a similar situation, said Dan Dalton, a lawyer for the church, in a statement released last year.

Federal law protects churches from the abuse of government in creating different standards for a religious facility, which is what the council did in justifying its motion to deny the All Peoples Church Light Project.
Home News Christian ministry distributes nearly 4 million dresses to impoverished girls worldwide

A Christian charity has distributed almost 4 million dresses to girls living in poverty abroad through a campaign that oversees dress-making efforts from numerous churches and nonprofits.



Dress a Girl Around the World, a program of Hope 4 Women International, has reportedly distributed over 3 million locally made dresses for girls since it launched in 2009.



H4WI President Rachel Eggum Cinader told The Christian Post that the campaign started after she made multiple trips to Uganda and "saw a need for dresses" because many girls were "wearing threadbare clothing."



"My sister Joan and I took pillowcases to Uganda and taught the women to make dresses from them on treadle sewing machines," Cinader said. "Soon, the idea caught on, and people from all over wanted to make dresses."



"We soon realized making dresses from pillowcases wasn't a good idea and switched to using new cotton or cotton-blend fabrics."



The number of dresses distributed through Dress a Girl is nearing the 4 million mark as the organization has received dresses from "around the world," she said.



"Many sewers have said this program gives them purpose. We've seen women who were depressed and are now fired up to get out of bed and sew for girls living in poverty. They pray over the dresses and for the girls who will receive them," Cinader continued.



"We send dresses with people going on mission trips so the dresses are hand carried and given out by those who carry them. This gives the teams an opportunity to share Jesus and His love."



In addition to providing clothes for needy girls, the charity also uses the opportunity of distributing the clothes to "enlighten people on the dangers of trafficking, exposing tricks that traffickers use to lure girls in."



One of the churches involved in the program is Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene of Oro Valley, Arizona, which started sewing clothes for the charity in 2012.



David Hillis, a pastor at Oro Valley Church who oversees missions and evangelism, told CP that his congregation views Dress a Girl "as a way to empower people in our church to use their gifts to serve on mission."



"We are a church that believes and encourages all those who make OVCN their church home to find a way to serve on mission either locally or globally every year, and for many, this is a great way to serve on mission from home," said Hillis.



According to Hillis, members of Oro Valley Church made 138 dresses in its first year working with Dress a Girl but have since created more than 28,000 dresses to date.



Each November, the church holds a "Sew-a-Thon" event, in which hundreds of volunteers come together to create more than 1,500 dresses over a single day.



"These dresses have been sent from OVCN to dozens of countries across the globe  mostly across Latin America, Africa and Asia. They are distributed by short-term mission teams traveling from OVCN to these areas or are distributed inside shoeboxes through Operation Christmas Child," Hillis added.



"Whenever these dresses are distributed by our teams, we share with the girls that God sees them as princesses in His sight, and these dresses serve as a reminder of how much God cherishes them and wants to have a relationship with them. The girls are connected to local churches, where follow-up discipleship can take place."



Another congregation that takes part in the Dress a Girl program is Leduc Alliance Church, a Christian and Missionary Alliance church located in Leduc, Alberta, Canada.



Kathy Drader, leader and administrator of the Dress a Girl group at Leduc Alliance, told CP that her church became involved in the charity a decade ago when a couple from her church came across the program at a church in Hawaii.



From October until either May or June, Leduc Alliance's group meets every week for three hours to make dresses, with volunteers also including items like flat dolls for the girls.



"We have started other groups and individuals sewing on their own. Others have heard about us and send their dresses to us to distribute," explained Drader.



"They went to many African countries, including Malawi, Namibia, Egypt, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Botswana, Kenya and Cameroon. Many deliveries of dresses to Mexico. Other locations include Jamaica, India, Brazil, Haiti, Panama, and Guatemala."



The Leduc Alliance group has sewn or donated over 3,500 dresses for the Dress a Girl campaign. Drader told CP the "dresses are always taken by an individual or group ministering in Jesus' name."



"Therefore, they are being told that Jesus loves them and people who love Jesus made the dresses for them," she added.



"We pray and trust that God will speak to them through this act of kindness."

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Home News Christian man stabbed in Fulani attack sentenced to death by hanging for killing in self-defense

ABUJA, Nigeria  The Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the death sentence for a Christian man who defended himself against an attack by Fulani herdsmen.

Calling the March 7 ruling a horrendous miscarriage of justice, attorney and international human rights advocate Emmanuel Ogebe said in a press statement that the original trial judge substituted her opinion in place of facts in the 2021 death sentence handed to Sunday Jackson, who at that time had been imprisoned for several years after herdsmen attacked his farm in Adamawa state.

The judge had confused the facts of the case resulting in a horrendous miscarriage of justice, and as such it must be voided, the U.S.-based Ogebe said. From appellants brief of argument, it is patently clear that his constitutional right and protection of self-defense was unjustly and injudiciously denied him by the trial judge.

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Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida, a Muslim, sentenced Jackson to death on Feb. 10, 2021. Religious freedom advocates fear the upholding of the death sentence will result in Jackson being killed in prison and called for a state pardon and clemency.

In the Fulani herdsmen attack on Jacksons farm, one of the assailants stabbed him with a knife, which the Christian managed to seize and admittedly used to kill him, Ogebe said.

Despite injuries he sustained, Jackson overpowered his attacker, wresting the weapon from him and stabbed him as well, following which his attacker died, Ogebe said.

The trial judge misinterpreted the Nigerian Constitution to mean Jackson had the option of fleeing rather than fighting, though the Constitution clearly empowers citizens to defend themselves, he said.

Indeed the trial judge contorted and distorted logic on its head by saying the plaintiff should have run away while having admitted into evidence that he was stabbed in the leg and thus was momentarily handicapped, Ogebe said.

The discrepancy between the judges reasoning and the facts came atop the failure of the conviction and sentence to be delivered within the constitutionally mandated 90 days from the end of trial; the verdict came after 167 days, adding to the grievous miscarriage of justice, he said.

This is a sad day for Nigerians, as their ability to protect themselves from violent attackers has been further diminished, Ogebe said.

Also contributing to the textbook case of miscarriage of justice was that Jackson awaited trial for several years for just five days in court, he said.

Instead of a five-day trial, he spent six years in custody in a non-controversial trial in which he did not deny that the death of the deceased occurred as a result of an altercation, Ogebe said. Having spent all this time, Mr. Jackson was further subjected to 167 days of agonizing wait for judgment as to whether he should be freed or hanged in violation of constitutional protections against such protracted delays.

Jackson had been charged under Section 211 of the Adamawa State Penal Code for intentionally killing the Fulani assailant, identified as Ardo Bawuro.

Leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressed concern that the countrys highest court could accept a ruling rife with glaring evidence of discrimination against a Christian who will be hanged to death after being attacked by an armed herdsman without provocation and in self-defense.

CAN Chairman John Joseph Hayab and Bishop Mohammed Naga, the associations secretary general for northern Nigeria, said it was painful that both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court upheld the sentence of death by hanging. They also cited the trial judge misinterpreting Section 23 of the Adamawa State Penal Code Laws to mean that Jackson should have fled and not fought in self-defense.

It is a distortion of logic to suggest that the defendant should have run away, despite admitting into evidence that he was stabbed in the leg, they said in a press statement.

The CAN leaders appealed to Adamawa Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to kindly exercise his constitutional duties and prerogative of mercy, and in the spirit of peace building and reconciliation, which both the state and the nation now desperately need, to please pardon Sunday Jackson.

Mr. Sunday Jackson has truly been subjected to the excruciating pain of waiting for death in the midst of the shadow of death by the grave travesty of the misinterpretation of Section 23 of the Adamawa State Penal Code Laws and the unnecessarily prolonged trial that lasted six-and-a-half years, which ordinarily should not have lasted such a lengthy period, they said.

Nigeria is ranked No. 7 on Open Doors 2025 World Watch List list of the 50 worst countries for Christians, remaining among the most dangerous places on Earth for followers of Jesus. Of the 4,476 Christians killed for their faith worldwide during the reporting period, 3,100 (69%) were in Nigeria, according to the WWL.

The measure of anti-Christian violence in the country is already at the maximum possible under World Watch List methodology, the report stated.

In the countrys northcentral zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the Northeast and Northwest, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report.

Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the countrys northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.

The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist al-Qaeda insurgency Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News
Home News Death toll rises after powerful storms hit 7 US states; over 100,000 remain without power

The death toll has risen to at least 40 across seven U.S. states following powerful storms, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity. Severe weather, including tornadoes and wildfires, swept through Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama and Mississippi, causing extensive damage and numerous injuries.

Missouri experienced the highest number of fatalities, with at least 12 deaths confirmed from scattered tornadoes overnight, according to NBC News.

Butler County coroner Jim Akers described one devastated home as unrecognizable, noting rescuers walked on walls and found a floor flipped upside down.

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A Wayne County resident, Dakota Henderson, was quoted as saying that rescuers discovered five bodies outside the remains of his aunt's house.

In Kansas, at least eight individuals died in a pile-up involving more than 55 vehicles caused by a dust storm, resulting in numerous injuries, CBS News reported.

Arkansas reported three deaths in Independence County and at least 29 injuries spread across eight counties.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed six deaths across three counties due to tornadoes, with 27 additional injuries reported statewide. Around 217 residents were displaced by the storms, and nearly 8,000 customers remained without power by Sunday evening after an initial peak of about 36,000 outages.

Oklahoma faced deadly wildfires driven by strong winds, resulting in at least four confirmed fatalities. The fires, fueled by gusty conditions, destroyed around 293 homes and buildings, including Gov. Kevin Stitts farmhouse.

About 70,000 acres burned statewide, prompting evacuations in multiple communities, including Stillwater, where officials urged residents to leave due to dangerous fires.

Texas experienced four fatalities, some caused by vehicle crashes amid near-zero visibility conditions from dust storms. Sgt. Cindy Barkley of the states Department of Public Safety described the visibility as the worst she had ever witnessed.

Wildfires in Texas, notably in Roberts County, expanded rapidly to over 32 square miles before crews successfully halted their progression.

Alabama saw at least three deaths from tornadoes, confirmed in the central communities of Plantersville and Winterboro. Tornadoes caused considerable damage across the state, prompting urgent warnings and forcing National Weather Service employees in Birmingham to temporarily take shelter.

The National Weather Service reported at least 557 storms on Friday and another 135 on Saturday, including 66 tornadoes across the impacted states.

The storm system, classified under a rare high risk category, generated intense winds and severe weather conditions affecting more than 100 million people from the Canadian border down to Texas.

Power disruptions were widespread, with over 250,000 households and businesses experiencing outages across Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Mississippi, according to poweroutage.us.

Severe weather threats, including tornadoes, remain possible as the storms move eastward along the Appalachian Mountains and the lower Great Lakes region. Forecasters anticipate this system exiting overnight Monday, though lingering effects may affect New Englands coast into Tuesday.

Another winter storm originating from the Pacific Ocean is impacting Northern California with heavy snowfall and strong winds forecasted for the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Federal forecasters also predict an expanding low-pressure system developing in the Rocky Mountains and the High Plains, potentially elevating fire risks again across states like Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.
Home News Futures Church Youth Pastor Daniel Menelaou arrested for possession of child porn

Officials at Futures Church headquartered in Australia were left in shock last Wednesday after Daniel Menelaou, a youth pastor with the Alpharetta, Georgia, campus of the global megachurch, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.

Arrest records from the Roswell Police Department lists six counts of possession or control any material depicting minor in sexually explicit conduct, against Menelaou who began working at the Alpharetta campus of the church in August 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile.

A report from Fox5 said Roswell Police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation raided 28-year-old Menelaous home after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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During the course of that search warrant, we seized several electronic devices that will be analyzed for additional evidence," Roswell Police Officer Tim Lupo told the news outlet.

Investigators said the youth pastor, who also worked as a student mentor at Temple Christian College in Australia prior to his work in Georgia, uploaded multiple videos that "depict a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct" and shared the images using the messenger app called Kik.

Our hearts are heavy as we share heartbreaking news with you. In recent days, one of our youth [pastors] working overseas, Daniel Menelaou, was arrested and charged with possession of materials depicting minors in sexually explicit content. Like you, we are deeply shocked, grieved, and blindsided by this news. We also want to be absolutely clear that these charges have no connection to anyone in our church community, wrote Pastor Tony Cornbridge of Futures Church in Australia.

We understand that this is difficult to process, and our hearts go out to all those affected, as well as Emma and their families. In moments like these, we lean into the grace, wisdom, and justice of God, trusting Him to bring healing, clarity, and comfort.

Futures Church, which is formerly Influencers Church, is a Pentecostal church affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. According to the churchs website, it has 16 campuses located in Australia, the United States and Indonesia.

Reacting to the charges, another spokesperson for the church said in a statement to The Christian Post that they condemned Menelaous actions in the strongest possible terms.

Until his arrest, we had no prior knowledge of any allegations or indication of wrongdoing. The details outlined in the arrest warrant are deeply disturbing and stand in total opposition to our unwavering commitment to protecting children, the spokesperson said.

Our hearts go out first and foremost to any victims who have been harmed. We remain committed to standing with all survivors of abuse, particularly children, whose suffering should never be ignored or minimized, the spokesperson continued.

Futures Church has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any form of abuse. The moment we became aware of Daniel Menelaous arrest, we placed him on immediate administrative leave. However, the full extent of these charges was unknown to us until the last few hours and his position has now been terminated. Let us be unequivocally clear this behavior is reprehensible and has no place in our church.
Home News Gateway Church offers prayers to members after indictment of Robert Morris for child sex crimes

Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, offered prayers to congregants and reminded them on Sunday that the church had drawn a "bright line" of separation from founder Robert Morris following his indictment last Wednesday on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma.

"I wanted to just briefly update you related to the news that many of you have seen by now  the media coverage of Robert Morris," Nic Lesmeister, Gateway Church's executive pastor of global outreach, began in an address about Morris' indictment.

The charges stem from allegations made by Cindy Clemishire last June that Morris sexually abused her over multiple years in the 1980s when he was a traveling evangelist, beginning when she was 12.

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"We know that stirred up a lot of emotion for all of us," Lesmeister added. "It stirred up a lot of emotion for us and we want to be available to pray with you, to pray for you, to support you, to counsel you in any way that we can  as we continue to move forward and heal and step into the great things that God's doing in our church."

Lesmeister reminded members that Morris, who resigned over the allegations on June 18, 2024, no longer has any formal ties to the church.

"Last November, our elders made it clear that we had drawn a bright line as a church, and we were moving forward. And because we're moving forward, and Gateway is no longer involved in this legal matter, we won't be continuing to update you on the proceedings of the case, but we're continuing to pray for everybody that's involved and affected in this matter," Lesmeister explained.

"So thank you to all of you who have been a part of our church family through all of the highs and the lows that we've gone through together. We're so grateful, and we know that God's going to continue to do great things as we're all experiencing Him doing in our church right now," he ended before praying.

In a statement following Morris' indictment, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who had served as Clemishire's attorney while he was in private practice in 2005, said Morris' alleged crimes were "more despicable" because he was a pastor when they occurred.

"There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children," he said. "This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done."

In 2005 and 2007, Drummond tried to negotiate a settlement with Morris for the abuse Clemishire suffered. However, Morris allegedly refused to provide any assistance unless she signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Clemishire went public with her story last June, sparking national headlines. Now, as Oklahoma's attorney general, Drummond revealed in an NBC News interview Thursday that his prosecutors asked for permission to examine a criminal case against Morris as he had a personal connection.

"I frankly have walled myself from that investigation and prosecution and was pleased that the grand jury believed that there was enough evidence to indict Mr. Morris," Drummond told NBC News.

Drummond said his staff used a frontier-era statute written more than a century ago to prosecute outlaw cowboys who roved the Old West committing crimes in different states. He said Oklahoma and other frontier states have a provision in their laws that allows them to pause the statute of limitations when someone from out of state commits a crime and then flees the state.

Since Morris was a traveling evangelist who did not reside in Oklahoma when he is alleged to have committed the crimes, Drummond and his prosecutors argue that there was a pause on the statute of limitations.

"Certainly, that will be challenged in a court of law, and we are prepared to meet that challenge," Drummond said in the interview. "I anticipate that there will be, ultimately, case law made on this case."
Home News Pa. Board of Education rejects Christian schools association as accreditor

The Pennsylvania Board of Education has unanimously rejected an application from the Association of Christian Schools International to be recognized as an official accreditation agency for private schools in the state, drawing accusations of religious discrimination.

The board made the decision at a public meeting Thursday, the day after a special committee opposed Colorado-based ACSI's application, Lancaster Online reported.

The ACSI already accredits 2,200 private schools nationwide, including 116 in Pennsylvania. The association sought formal recognition under Pennsylvania's Private Academic Schools Act to enhance its credibility and support its member schools.

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The decision came amid arguments from Democratic lawmakers and progressive advocacy groups that the agency's policies on "biblical sexuality" are discriminatory.

Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center, who served as ACSI's legal counsel, said the association had undergone a rigorous review process and was on track for approval until external pressures intervened.

Wenger described the board's decision as "religious discrimination," claiming that the organization was denied recognition solely because of its faith-based mission.

"Unfortunately, there are some groups that would want to derail ACSI's application to be recognized as an accrediting agency, not because of the quality of the work that they do, or the completeness of the application, but solely because of its religious beliefs," Wenger was quoted as saying.

In arguments opposing ACSI's application, the liberal advocacy organization Education Law Center stated that ACSI's policies on sexual orientation and gender identity were discriminatory and harmful to LGBT-identified students.

Specifically, the group referred to ACSI's 2023 document, "Guiding Principles on Biblical Sexuality," as evidence of the purportedly "discriminatory" practices, saying its approach was narrow, exclusionary and detrimental to students.

During Thursday's meeting, board members did not explicitly mention the ACSI's policies. Instead, State Sen. Lindsey Williams, a Pittsburgh Democrat and board member, gave three reasons for opposing the application.

Williams argued that there is legal uncertainty regarding whether the board can endorse accrediting organizations that indicate they will only accredit certain types of schools. She also stated that ACSI does not require state approval to endorse private schools. Further, she contended that ACSI's application lacks details of how it would properly evaluate academic instruction and curriculum.

ACSI is exploring its options, which could include appealing the decision or reapplying at a later date. Wenger noted that the organization has been approved as an accrediting body in every other state where it has applied. ACSI representatives maintained that the application met all state requirements.

Republican state Rep. Bryan Cutler, the House Education Committee minority chairman, said the board's decision shows how private schools "lose the freedom to be independent" when the state oversees the approval process for accreditors.

"The State Board of Education does not need to approve accreditation for ACSI, because it's already permitted to function under current Pennsylvania law," Cutler said in a statement. "The actions today at the state board meeting will not affect ACSI's current ability to meet the objectives expressed in its application. I have been a longtime advocate for less government in our schools. I will continue to be a voice for educational freedom for Pennsylvania schools, students and families."
Home News 'It's a Christian phrase': Rev. Johnnie Moore urges the Church to reclaim 'Christ is King' ahead of Easter Sunday New report: 'Extremists,' bot networks co-opting phrase 'central to the Christian faith'

Nearly a year ago this month, the phrase Christ is King became a source of division among Evangelicals and Christians in general following remarks from two staffers at the conservative news site The Daily Wire.

Now, almost one year to the day, another Daily Wire figure is among the authors of a new report warning that extremist actors have co-opted Christian language  specifically the phrase Christ is King  to advance what researchers say are exclusionary ideologies.

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, a columnist and podcaster for Daily Wire, and the Rev. Johnnie Moore, president of the Congress of Christian Leaders, released a 21-page report Thursday from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) at Rutgers University, which warns that individual social media users and bot networks are co-opting a phrase the studys authors acknowledge has been central to the Christian faith for centuries and is being manipulated online by Neo-Nazi and other extremists to promote various forms of hatred, especially targeting Jews.

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With a primary focus on Elon Musks social platform X, Thy Name in Vain: How Online Extremists Hijacked Christ is King documents what researchers say is a five-fold spike in mentions of Christ is King from 2021 through 2024, when, in March of that year, Daily Wire podcaster Andrew Klavan said the phrase was being used as an antisemitic attack in the wake of the outlets firing of commentator Candace Owens.

Acknowledging Christ is King has deep theological roots in the Christian, but especially, Catholic tradition, deriving from various New Testament sources, the report warns extremists in America have weaponized the phrase to destabilize the nation and encourage hatred towards minorities.

The report identifies a number of controversial  and some say antisemitic  social media influencers like Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens and Jake Shields as serving to amplify Christ is King, in comparison with more benign use of the same phrase by podcaster and former U.S. Navy intel officer Jack Posobiec, Republican Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers, and conservative Christian influencer Mark Lutchman.

According to the report, nearly half of all X posts using the phrase Christ is King are driven by figures promoting hateful  and especially antisemitic  narratives, a conclusion which appears to link the intent of the phrase with the identity of the user rather than the language itself. Engagement with posts using the phrase soared around Easter 2024, with roughly 17% of all mentions linked to hateful rhetoric, the report found.

Using a customized large language model trained to detect implicit hate speech against a variety of groups, researchers say they found that in addition to the spike in use around Easter 2024, the overall semantic context in which Christ is King is employed has become increasingly hateful since at least 2021, with the monthly proportion of hateful tweets reaching a historic maximum of 17.3% in May 2024, the report states.

The findings are based on data analysis from researchers at NCRI, which used cutting-edge social media analysis and AI-driven language modeling to trace how the phrase Christ is King has been systematically weaponized online, according to the report.

As president of the Congress of Christian Leaders, Moore says the groups interest in religious freedom issues drove their partnership with Rutgers University and NCRI after alarming trends were identified, prompting them to "join the effort to basically notify the Christian community that this is something to pay attention to."

While deferring to the reports statisticians for technical details, Moore told CP on Friday the research team used AI in order to not only identify when something is harmful or not [...] but also whether its artificial, whether its authentic or inauthentic." This technology helped distinguish real from manipulative content, a distinction Moore calls critical in a "changing digital environment."

Inauthentic speech, such as bot activity, can skew public discourse, Moore added, pointing to online reactions to the report. "There was an avalanche of antisemitic content," with "at an absolute minimum 20 percent of the responses [...] from a bot network or a series of bot networks," he said. These bots, added Moore, had previously targeted figures like Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, indicating a broader pattern of interference.

Moore praised NCRIs prior work identifying pro-Hamas content on TikTok following the October 7 attacks on Israel, as well as NCRIs work uncovering links between "CCP affiliated organizations and some of the funding that was going toward the pro-Hamas protests on our college campuses," which Moore said showcased their ability to trace digital trends and their sources.

But when it comes to questions about how many members of either the reports research team or NCRI are professing Christians, Moore said he believes it's not relevant to the validity of the reports finding.

To say that in order for research to be legitimate, in order to legitimately criticize Christians or Jews or anybody else, or Muslims, it has to be written by or researched by their respective faith group [], said Moore. I'm not saying that everybody that says that is, you know, is a bigot, but it's sort of like, the fact that we even are asking those questions [].

Moore said there was very little interaction between himself and the NCRI research team. Most of the researchers on the front of the report I didn't interact with at all, he said. They're just quietly laboring behind the scenes, crunching numbers, looking at data.

The question of whether Christians were involved in the report's findings is not relevant from my point of view, he added. Several of the reports authors, noted Moore, are Jewish, a fact which Moore says has resulted in backlash on social media.

There's several people online that, reading [the report authors] last names, you would, you know, believe that they were Jewish by their last name and people [are] just attacking them because they're Jewish, he said. It just sort of proved everything that we were saying, and I hope it fires up Christians to say, We don't want our faith used in this in this way, and especially now with this historic rise of antisemitism.

Above all else, Moore clarified that, in his view, the phrase Christ is King is not hateful.

I certainly dont believe that its antisemitic to say Christ is King or Jesus is Lord, he said. It's a Christian phrase, but like all phrases, it can be used by people who hate others in a hateful way, and unfortunately, some very, very prominent figures chose to do that in the last year.

In the run-up to Resurrection Sunday, the highest holy day on the Christian calendar, Moore encouraged believers to proclaim the truth of the King of Kings without reservation.

My whole call to action was my hope that many, many millions of Christians would actually say Christ is king ... more than ever ... as a means of, in effect, taking back the phrase from a small group of people that want to use it in a way that is targeting Jews, he said. "I do hope that Catholics and Evangelicals this Easter post either Christ is King or Jesus is Lord ... so loud and so frequent and so sincerely that these threats of hate become irrelevant."
New York Court Allows Pro-Life Protest, Teacher Settles Over Pronoun Dispute, Robert Morris Faces Charges

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 08:29 08:29

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Top headlines for Monday, March 17, 2025

We examine a New York judge's recent decision allowing a pro-life group to continue their sidewalk counseling efforts near abortion clinics, a ruling poised to stir discussions on freedom of speech and access to healthcare. Next, we explore the case of Robert Morris, whose bond has been set at $50,000 as he confronts serious allegations of child sex abuse that could result in decades-long imprisonment. Plus, we address a groundbreaking settlement in Wisconsin where a teacher, fired for opposing the use of preferred pronouns for trans-identified students, reaches an agreement with his former employer.

00:11 Pro-life group can protest near abortion clinic

00:59 Robert Morris bond set at $50K, could spend decades in prison

02:03 School district settles with teacher fired over trans pronouns

02:53 Hamas claims its ready to release US-Israeli Edan Alexander

03:48 Sponsor Message WatersEdge

04:46 Franklin Graham proclaims 'unchanging Gospel' at Ethiopia event

05:53 Episcopal bishop denounces Trump attempt to deport Mahmoud Khalil

06:44 Pastor Joel Webbon: No place for non-Christians in US leadership

#ChristianNews #ReligiousFreedom #ProLifeMovement #ChurchAndState #FaithNews #ChristianPodcast #CurrentEvents #ChristianPerspective #NewsFromAChristianPerspective
Many migrants arriving at the U.S. southern border, both those trying to enter the country and the ones being deported, show signs of malnourishment, an expert said.

Speaking to Border Report, Aaron Morales, coordinator with United Borders for Health, said most migrants also suffer from intestinal illnesses and dehydration. The organization reached the conclusion after providing care for some 22,000 migrants at different shelters across Tijuana over the past year.

The expert added that most migrants also "suffer from poor dental hygiene, which has led to periodontal and gingivitis issues."

Conditions at border shelters vary, especially when locations deal with heavy influxes of migrants. That was the case at Casa del Migrante in Hidalgo, which last month was operating above capacity as many chose to wait at the border and see if conditions allowed them to try to enter the U.S.

Mayra Guadalupe Garza, a volunteer known as "Mayra Migrantes" due to her dedication to the migrant communities in Reynosa and Matamoros, told The Latin Times that every migrant shelter in the city is facing similar problems since Trump's first executive orders left thousands of asylum seekers in limbo.

With deportations increasing and no legal pathways left for most asylum seekers, the number of stranded migrants is expected to rise. Garza and other volunteers continue to provide support but resources are running low, making it difficult to sustain the growing number of migrants in need.

Garza started a private Facebook community in which she announces some of the shelters' most critical needs. Volunteers have been requesting diapers of all sizes, winter clothing, food, and prayers.

"The food is getting worse," Garza explained. "Now, it's just lentils every day. If you're at home, lentils are fine once in a while, but imagine eating them every day. And dinner? Just bread with coffee or milk."

Conditions are reportedly not much better at many ICE immigration centers, many of which have been accused of engaging in abusive practice. Last September, a study conducted by Temple University law students and the Philadelphia-based immigrant advocacy group Juntos detailed "inhumane, punitive and dangerous conditions."

One of the most revealing testimonies in the study belonged to Santiago, an Afro-Latino immigrant from Colombia, who recounted his experience of being detained at Moshannon for six months, during which he said he was "treated like an animal" and subjected to racist behavior by officers:

"Two months they put me in the hole, locked up in a cell. As if I were a criminal, as if I had murdered someone, when all I had done was argue with a fellow detainee. I felt very frustrated, I felt like I was going to go crazy in that place."

Of the 77 immigrants interviewed for the report, more than half reported medical or mental health issues, with 50% experiencing general mistreatment by facility staff. Additionally, 30% reported being subjected to racial or derogatory slurs, and 6% said they were victims of physical force.

Originally published on Latin Times
Home Opinion Is Gen Z truly experiencing a religious revival?

My Christian higher education colleagues and I are witnessing a trend-reversal emerging among Gen Z teens and young adults  and not just at Asbury University.



In the last few years, we have seen:

Describing some of the radical expressions of faith witnessed in our own community by younger generations, my wife made the provocative comment: Perhaps Gen Z is willing to die because they are already dead. Culture is deadening. The scripts handed to younger generations are deadening. The nihilism and malaise of a world optimized around dopamine surges  a dopamine nation as psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr. Anna Lembke puts it  has left Gen Z teens and young adults disoriented and unsettled, no longer at ease in Zion.

Consistent with data from the Pew's Religious Landscape Study released in February, younger generations are demonstrating religiously oriented sensibilities that attract them to the Christian faith and challenge the status quo. Christianitys long-documented decline has leveled off.

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I've seen this first hand with the young adults at Asbury University, where I serve as president. In February 2023, a routine chapel service on the campus led to a 16-day, non-stop worship gathering that brought over 50,000 people to the two-stoplight town of Wilmore, Kentucky. Everything I witnessed during that time ran counter to prevailing scripts of modern life. The space was peaceful, unified, apolitical, radically humble, hopeful, and age/class/ethnically diverse. It was nameless and faceless. No celebrities but Jesus, we said. I have never seen such deep and penetrating spiritual hunger in my life  a demonstrative ache for a right relationship with God and others.

Importantly, though, I saw the loosened chains of a younger generation unevenly burdened by the pathologies of modern life (isolationism, digitization, social discord, mental health challenges, and waning institutions). Students from nearly 300 colleges and universities made the trip to Asbury for a transformative spiritual encounter. Their testimonies were raw; unedited. They embraced strangers like family. They occupied the altar, sometimes for hours. They led, fearlessly. They prayed, zealously. Describing Gen Z, a friend remarked, They are ready to follow the Jesus whose following is changing the world.

Gen Z young adults dont want to tribalize and divide. They want to include others. They prioritize belonging. Sensitive to hypocrisy, they dont want a do as I say and not as I do religion; they are less interested in propositions. They are won over through the currency of relationship and trust, not empty platitudes. They value authenticity. The next generation isnt chasing worldly success and comfort. They want to commit to a cause. They want purpose. And they can no longer exist in a flattened, disenchanted existence that is deadening. They desire meaning, the kind increasingly found in traditional Christianity.

For these reasons and many others, I have called Gen Z the corrective generation. In a challenging moment, I am inspired by the Religious Landscape Survey and to a greater degree by what is being embodied and lived out in teens and young adults. A resurgence of spiritual commitment among forthcoming generations is not only good for our religious institutions, but also for democracy and America.



The corrective generation is coming.
Home Opinion The kingship of Christ is a historical reality, not a political prop

Bad actors are trying to weaponize Christs kingship by turning it into a manipulative political slogan. But Christ is King must only be declared as an invitation to faith and a shout of praise.

Last month, right-wing Twitter was set ablaze with the breaking news of Candace Owens divorce from Daily Wire. Though the specifics of who left whom remain unclear, the split seemed to be a long time coming. Owens, always a lightning rod for controversy, has been embroiled in a months-long public feud with Daily Wire host and co-founder Ben Shapiro concerning the war in Gaza. Since the start of the war, Owens has come under fire for statements that many have called hateful and antisemitic. Though the Daily Wire initially expressed support for Owens, another round of antisemitism allegations ultimately spelled doom for the increasingly tumultuous relationship.

Although initial commentary over Owens departure from the Daily Wire focused on concerns about free speech and right-wing cancel culture, the conversation quickly evolved as critics called out her abuses of her Christian faith. In a recent episode, Daily Wire podcast host Andrew Klavan questioned Owenss use of the phrase Christ is King, calling it a wicked use of the truth and comparing her use of Scripture to the tactics employed by Satan. The comment sparked an intense debate among conservative Christians online over whether the phrase Christ is King can be used as a dog whistle for antisemitism.

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Some commentators, like Allie Beth Stuckey and Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing, argued that declaring Christ is King can be done in furtherance of evil purposes, and recommended caution in how we as Christians invoke the name of God. Others though, like BlazeTV host Lauren Chen, argued the phrase isnt antisemitic and is simply being used to boldly proclaim Christs divinity. Never one to miss out on a controversy, Owens waded into the conversation to state that no one is shouting Christ is King at Jews and argued further that anyone claiming Christ is King is antisemitic demonstrates their contempt for Christianity.

The conversation over Christs kingship occurred at an auspicious time: Easter season. Easter is a time for pious reflection on the humility of Christ and the power of his sacrifice. Eastertide is a reminder that Christ is indeed king and that this is indeed good news. And of course, no Christian should fear proclaiming Christs lordship over creation.

Yet, some corrupt this good news for their own private ends. Undoubtedly, many proclaim Christs kingship for the sake of truth, but others do so to communicate cultural or political affiliation or even to taunt Jews and non-believers. But Christianity is not a costume to be donned when it suits us. Its not a political prop, and its not a shield for sin.

Whats more, to imagine biblical truths cannot be subverted to further evil purposes is an exercise in biblical ignorance. The Third Commandment shows that there is no good so great that man cannot corrupt it through his wickedness. We can see such corruption playing out in the New Testament when the Roman soldiers and Jewish leaders mocked Christs kingship during his Passion, and when the Devil tempted Christ by twisting Scripture to suit his vicious purposes. Certainly, it would be foolish to say these insults and lies belittle the glory of Christs kingship or confuse the sincerity of Gods Word. However, to say they are not corruptions or misuses of the truth would be equally foolish.

Calling out the sinful abuse of the biblically true phrase Christ is King is not a denial of Christs kingship or an expression of shame for ones faith. Rather, it is to say that when we invoke Christs name, we should be careful to ensure we are not doing so in vain but in worship. Any other use is to dress vice as virtue. God commands us not to take his name in vain. Implicit in that command is our need to discern the difference between a reverent declaration of praise and a vicious slander.

Certainly, as Paul says in Philippians 1, God can take Gospel truths spoken out of selfish ambition and work them toward righteous ends. Yet, does this mean we should suffer sin in gladness so that Gods grace may abound? Paul says no. Gods intercession to transform our wicked works for good does not diminish the hypocrisy of perverting Gods message, nor does it give absolution to the one who takes the Lords name in vain.

The faithful should not fear speaking the truth of Christ in boldness, nor should we be ashamed of our Lord or his command to call non-believers to repentance. However, we also must not misappropriate Christs name for our own purposes. After all, Christ said that not everyone who calls Him Lord will come into His kingdom, only those who do the will of His Father. If we are to confess that Christ is king, we must live as our king has commanded, conforming our image to his and showing that he is indeed the king of our own lives.

Christians should boldly and joyously proclaim Christ is King. Yet, this truth must be declared to give glory to God. As we contemplate the enduring power of Christs sacrifice, we must embrace the reality that Christ is King and reject profaning Christs name for political or sinful purposes.
Home News 5 interesting facts about Saint Patrick

Some see it as a day for heavy drinking. Others see it as a day to honor the memory of a famous saint of the early church. And others see it as both.

Across the world, people will celebrate Saint Patrick's Day in memory of the fifth century church leader credited with converting Ireland to Christianity.

But who exactly was St. Patrick? Few details are known about his life, and some of those have been disputed by at least one scholar.

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The story goes that Patrick was a native of Great Britain who was enslaved as a teenager by pirates, sent to Ireland, had a deep religious experience while in captivity, and later returned to Ireland as an adult who converted much of the island to Christianity.

Here are five interesting facts about St. Patrick, including parts of his personal history and a correction to a common misconception.
Home News Gateway Church founder Robert Morris surrenders, expects to plead not guilty

Robert Morris, founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, formally surrendered to the Osage County Sheriff's Office in Oklahoma Monday morning and is reportedly expected to enter a not-guilty plea in court days after being indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child by a multi-county grand jury in that state last Wednesday.

Arrest documents reviewed by The Christian Post show that Morris was formally booked at 7:57 a.m. and released at 8:11 a.m. on a $50,000 bail bond.

Morris' attorney, Mack Martin, declined to comment more specifically on the charges but told The Associated Press he expects to enter not guilty plea on the megachurch founder's behalf at an arraignment scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday.

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Morris' surrender comes just hours after Gateway Church officials offered prayers to congregants and sought to distance the church from their embattled former leader.

The charges stem from allegations made by the now 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire last June that Morris sexually abused her over multiple years in the 1980s when he was a traveling evangelist, beginning when she was 12.

Nic Lesmeister, Gateway Church's executive pastor of global outreach, reiterated in an address Sunday that Morris, who resigned over the allegations last June, no longer has any formal ties to the church.

"Last November, our elders made it clear that we had drawn a bright line as a church, and we were moving forward. And because we're moving forward, and Gateway is no longer involved in this legal matter, we won't be continuing to update you on the proceedings of the case, but we're continuing to pray for everybody that's involved and affected in this matter," Lesmeister explained.

In a statement following Morris' indictment, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who served as Clemishire's attorney while he was in private practice in 2005, said Morris' alleged crimes were "more despicable" because he was a pastor when they occurred.

"There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children," he said. "This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done."

In 2005 and 2007, Drummond tried to negotiate a settlement with Morris for Clemishire. But Morris allegedly refused to provide assistance unless she signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Nearly 43 years after Clemishire's alleged abuse, she told CP in a statement that she was grateful that the law had finally caught up with Morris.

"After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child. Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable," she said. "My family and I are deeply grateful to the authorities who have worked tirelessly to make this day possible and remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail."
Home News Suspect arrested after Kansas church vandalized, Satanic website written on wall

Authorities have arrested one suspect after a Kansas church was vandalized with physical damage, as well as the reported writing of a Satanic website and the burning of a flag.

St. Patrick Catholic Church of Wichita announced on Facebook that its building was the target of a vandalism attack on Saturday morning. The Saturday evening's mass was canceled as a result.

"Our priests are safe," the church stated. "We will keep you posted in regard to the scheduled events for this weekend and Mass tomorrow."

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Photos posted by the public policy group Kansas Catholic Conference showed that the vandalism included the breaking of a statue, the damaging of candles and the smashing of at least one window.

According to the KCC, a "Satanic website was scrawled on a wall." The group claims that this is "the same type of group that will be holding a Satanic wordship ritual on the grounds of the Kansas State Capitol on March 28."

"This is the face of evil," they added.

The Wichita Police Department announced Sunday they arrested a 23-year-old man from Saline County, believed to be responsible for the damage, which included the burning of a United States flag.

The unnamed suspect was arrested without incident and then booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is charged with burglary, criminal damage to property and criminal desecration.

When one commenter asked why a hate crime charge was not included, WPD replied, "Kansas doesn't have a Hate Crime statute considered separate from other criminal statutes." The department stated that hate crimes charges are "considered later in the process and not something we can add when arresting an individual."

"This reprehensible act of vandalism will not be tolerated," said WPD Chief Joe Sullivan. "Our officers and investigators worked tirelessly to bring this suspect to justice."

"I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated staff, civilian and commissioned. Our commitment to protecting every member of this community remains unwavering."

According to a report released by the conservative Christian organization the Family Research Council in February 2024, there were over 400 attacks against churches in 2023, which was over twice the number reported by the group in 2022.

From January through November 2023, the FRC report found at least 315 acts of vandalism, 75 acts of arson or attempted arson, 10 gun-related incidents, 20 bomb threats and 37 other incidents at churches.

"Although the motivations for many of these acts of hostility remain unknown, the effect is unmistakable: religious intimidation. They send the message that churches are not wanted in the community or respected in general," said Arielle Del Turco, author of the report, in a statement at the time.

"Our culture is demonstrating a growing disdain for Christianity and core Christian beliefs, and acts of hostility against churches could be a physical manifestation of that. Regardless of the motivations of these crimes, everyone should treat churches and all houses of worship with respect and affirm the importance of religious freedom for all Americans."
Home News Vatican releases image of frail Francis; plan for wealthy donors to join king's private meeting with pope withdrawn

The Vatican has released a photograph of Pope Francis in a wheelchair, offering the public a glimpse of the 88-year-old pontiff as he recovers from double pneumonia. Meanwhile, proposals surfaced about wealthy donors potentially joining King Charles on his forthcoming state visit to the Vatican.

The image shared on Sunday shows Francis wearing a purple stole, seated in front of an altar in the chapel of his hospital suite at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. The pope had concelebrated Mass earlier on Sunday, marking another step in his gradual recovery, according to the Vatican press office.

In a message to his followers, the pope acknowledged his frailty, referring to his hospitalization as a period of trial, while expressing gratitude for the prayers and support he has received, The Telegraph reported.

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Francis has been recovering steadily since being hospitalized on Feb. 14, though he continues to require medical therapies, including motor and respiratory physiotherapy.

The Vatican reassured the public that his condition remains stable but stressed that he has yet to be discharged.

Despite his absence from public appearances, the pope has remained connected with his followers, addressing them through written messages and offering words of hope and encouragement.

Sunday marked the fifth-consecutive week that the pope was unable to deliver the Angelus prayer in person. Still, well-wishers gathered outside the hospital, demonstrating their affection and support for the Argentine pontiff.

Though the Vatican has indicated that the pope is no longer in immediate danger, concerns linger about his ability to preside over Easter celebrations, the holiest period in the Christian calendar. Traditionally, the pope leads a series of events, including the Good Friday procession and Easter Mass in St. Peters Square.

Meanwhile, preparations for King Charles and Queen Camillas state visit to Italy and the Vatican, scheduled for April, continue, The Times of London reported.

Reports emerged concerning a proposal for wealthy donors connected to the Kings Foundation to attend a private meeting with the pope at Castel Gandolfo, historically used as a papal summer residence.

Kristina Murrin, chief executive of the Kings Foundation, suggested involving high-net-worth benefactors in the royal visit, framing it as a money-cant-buy experience to honor longstanding supporters of the charity.

However, shortly after the proposal was sent via email to the Foreign Office, it was withdrawn.

It remains unclear who decided to abandon the idea  whether the charity itself, the Foreign Office, or Buckingham Palace.

A representative from the Kings Foundation told the Times of London that although informal discussions regarding attendees were held, no donors were officially invited or will attend any events during the state visit.

The Kings Foundation has experienced management turbulence recently, notably following the departure of Michael Fawcett amid allegations related to donor privileges. Subsequent investigations by charity regulators in England and Scotland suggested significant managerial failings during Fawcett's tenure, though a police inquiry resulted in no charges.
Fifty-one people were killed and more than 100 others injured when a fire broke out early on Sunday in a nightclub in the North Macedonian town of Kocani, according to Interior Minister Pance Toskovski.

The fire was caused by "pyrotechnic devices" used during a concert, Toskovski explained. He added, "Sparks caused fire ... and fire spread through the discotheque."

A video from the event shows a band performing on stage with two flares shooting white sparks into the air, according to Reuters. The sparks ignited the ceiling above the band, causing the fire to spread. The band members can be seen stepping away as the video cuts.

Firefighters were shown dousing the smoldering entrance to the nightclub, named 'Pulse,' in local TV footage. According to North Macedonia's MRT public broadcaster, 27 people were hospitalized at the Skopje City Hospital with severe burns, while another 23 were treated at the Clinical Center. Among the injured were minors, the broadcaster reported.

The blaze began at 3:00 a.m. in Kocani. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski expressed his sorrow in a post on Facebook, saying, "This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia! The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, the pain of the families, loved ones, and friends is immeasurable."

He also urged authorities to take urgent measures, calling for health services and relevant institutions to assist the injured and support the families affected.

This is a developing story.
As relations between the US and Europe escalate, there is increasing talk every day about how Europe can build an impactful tech industry on its own and reduce its dependence on the US, both in the short and long term.

The discussions actually began after the Draghi report and cover everything from policy initiatives to concrete projects, large and small, to strengthen the European tech ecosystem, which is almost unanimously condemned as more or less hopeless.

One example is Project Europe, launched last week, in which 120 European tech entrepreneurs have joined forces to help young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 25. The size of the fund is still quite modest, 10 million, but the idea is good because access to early capital is something that is highlighted as an obstacle by, among others, the European Investment Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he was seeking to dismiss the head of Israel's internal security agency, who swiftly called the move political and said the premier expected "personal loyalty".

Netanyahu and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar have been engaged in a public spat in recent weeks over reforms to the agency, which has been accused of failing to prevent the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered war in Gaza.

At the same time, the Shin Bet has been conducting an investigation into some of Netanyahu's aides for allegedly receiving payments from Qatar even as the Gaza war raged, according to Israeli media reports.

"Due to ongoing lack of trust, I have decided to bring a proposal to the government to end the tenure of the Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

Attorney general Gali Baharav Miara, a critic of Netanyahu, said the prime minister's move is "unprecedented" and its legality needs to be assessed.

In a letter to Netanyahu she said he cannot initiate the process "until the factual and legal foundation of your decision is fully clarified, and until the possibility of addressing the issue at this time is determined."

Netanyahu, in his statement, said that "there must be complete trust between the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet," given that Israel is at war.

"I have had a persistent lack of confidence in the head of the Shin Bet, a distrust that has only grown over time," he said.

Netanyahu said Bar's dismissal "is necessary to restore the organisation, achieve all our war objectives, and prevent the next disaster."

Previously, he has accused Bar of being behind what he called "part of an ongoing campaign of threats and media leaks" aimed at preventing him "from making the necessary decisions to restore the Shin Bet after its devastating failure on October 7".

Following Netanyahu's announcement, Bar said he did not believe Netanyahu's decision was related to the failures on October 7, suggesting instead that the motive was political.

"I took responsibility for the agency's part (in failing to prevent the attack) ... it is clear that the intent behind my dismissal is not related to October 7," said Bar, whose term is due to expire in October 2026.

"The prime minister's expectation of a personal loyalty that contradicts the public interest is an entirely improper expectation" that goes against the agency's ethics, he said.

Bar has led the Shin Bet since 2021, but his relations with Netanyahu were strained even before the Hamas attack, notably over proposed judicial reforms that had split the country.

Relations worsened after the March 4 release of the internal Shin Bet report on the Hamas attack.

It acknowledged the agency's own failure in preventing the attack, but also said "a policy of quiet had enabled Hamas to undergo massive military buildup".

The attack resulted in 1,218 deaths on the Israeli side, mostly civilians. Israel's retaliatory response in Gaza has killed at least 48,572 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from both sides.

In his statement on Sunday, Bar repeated previous comments that a broader probe is necessary to understand the failure to stop the attack.

Bar emphasised the need to "investigate all parties, including the government's policy and the prime minister, not just the IDF (military) and the Shin Bet".

Bar's responsibilities appear to have been curtailed already.

Media reports say he was excluded from a recent security cabinet meeting and also the Israeli negotiating delegation for Gaza truce talks in Qatar. The talks are being led by Bar's deputy, known only as 'M'.

Bar had been involved in previous sessions of indirect negotiations with Hamas, including those that led to the current fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's main opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid, who's government appointed Bar, said his political party, Yesh Atid, would file a legal petition with the Supreme Court to appeal Netanyahu's decision.

Lapid said on X that the move to remove Bar was to "sabotage a serious criminal investigation into the Prime Minister's Office".
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Charities that get on the front foot and have the correct structures in place will reap the benefits further down the line. Charities are currently being presented with a unique opportunity to restructure their long-term financial planning by embracing the growing trend of legacy giving. An increasing percentage of the population is choosing to leave gifts to charities in their wills. Legacy Foresights most recent Legacy Market Review predicts that legacy income (currently 4.1bn) will exceed 10bn per year by 2050. Charities that understand the motivations behind these contributions are well positioned to capitalise on this growing trend.

Gaining momentum

The ongoing cost-of-living crisis, along with the long-lasting ramifications of the global pandemic, has dampened regular charitable giving and fundraising levels. According to research published in Charities Aid Foundations 20th annual UK Giving Report, in the past 12 months 58% of the population regularly donated to or sponsored charities, compared to 65% in 2019 and 69% in 2016. This steady decline highlights the urgent need for charities to update their approaches to attracting and retaining donors.
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Charities of different sizes have been named in an annual list of the UKs top employers.

Last week, Great Place To Work (GPTW) published the 25th edition of its Best Workplaces List , which includes charities in its super large (over 1,001 employees), large (201-1,000 employees), medium (51-200 employees) and small (10-50 employees) categories.

Alternative Futures Group (AFG), which employs 1,800 people and supports people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions across the north west, was the only charity in the super large category, ranking in 45th place.

Other charities named in GPTWs list include the Fuel Bank Foundation (41st in the small category), Leeds Mind (57th in the medium category) and Citizens Advice Gateshead (65th in the large category).

AFG: Our people are our greatest asset

To determine the 350 organisations listed as the UKs best workplaces, GPTW looked at confidential survey feedback shared by 285,000 employees.

Some 85% of its evaluation was based on what staff have to say about their experiences of trust and reaching their full human potential as part of their organisation.

The remaining 15% was based on an assessment of staffs daily experiences of innovation, their companys values and the effectiveness of their leaders.

AFG said it was proud to have been recognised for its work to continually develop our offer as an employer of choice.

Last year, the charity announced it would increase how much it pays its health and social care workers at sites across Lancashire, Cheshire, Manchester and Liverpool.

It also recently launched a new reward platform, long-service awards, equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and a salary advance scheme.

Kirsty Murphy, chief people officer at AFG, said: Were constantly seeking new ways to create meaningful, positive work environments.

From investing in training to launching a new reward platform, we want to recruit and retain the best people to be able to deliver amazing personalised support that creates independence and value.

Our people are our greatest asset. Their dedication, compassion and professionalism allow AFG to deliver personalised support and independence outcomes that go above and beyond what other providers can do.

That is why were delighted to be recognised as a top 50 great place to work, by those who matter  those who work for us.
A rare Faberge cigarette case has been gifted to the Wildlife Trusts as part of a legacy donation.

The case, created in Russia in 1915, will be sold by auction on 27 March as part of a fine art sale and is expected to attract between 30,000 and 50,000.

Created by House of Faberge craftsman Feodor Ruckert, the case features enamel flower patterns and an image of a man on a rearing horse, which was inspired by a 1913 painting by Mikhail Ivanovich Avilov of one of Ivan the Terribles sons.

Exciting to see how much we can raise

Thirzah McSherry, director of development at the Wildlife Trusts, said: Were deeply grateful to the donor who left us this beautiful gift. It'll be so exciting to see how much we can raise at auction.

Gifts left to the Wildlife Trusts in wills  whether they are objects such as this one or financial donations  have helped us achieve many amazing things, from supporting species reintroduction to standing up for the natural world in the corridors of power.

The generosity of our supporters helps to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the wonders of the natural world.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: We are thrilled to offer this extraordinary Faberge cigarette case at auction, especially as it represents not only the exceptional artistry of the House of Faberge but also a chance to support the Wildlife Trusts.

This sale is a unique opportunity to own a piece of history and contribute to the preservation of our natural world. We hope that bidders will be inspired by the charity aspect of this sale and that it will help raise much-needed funds for wildlife conservation.

The auction will take place at the Hansons Auctioneers Derbyshire saleroom in Etwall at 9:30am on 27 March and will be available for online bidding for those unable to attend in person.

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Late last month, we learned of three consequential pieces of personnel news related to Voice of America, the overseas broadcaster that is funded by the US government but designed to be editorially independent of it. First, it was announced that Kari Lakea local news anchor turned 2020 election denier and failed Republican candidate for officewould be joining the US Agency for Global Media, the body that oversees VOA, as a special adviser; Trump had tapped her to lead VOA outright, but her appointment had stalled. The next day, USAGM placed Steve Herman, a high-profile VOA journalist, on excused absence pending an HR probe that would, it seemed, decide whether his social media activity was excessively anti-Trump. The same day, Patsy Widakuswara, VOAs White House bureau chief, was involuntarily reassigned to a new beat. Her last day on White House pool duty came last week, when she covered a St. Patricksadjacent Oval Office visit by Micheal Martin, the Irish taoiseach. Widakuswara asked Martin to respond to Trumps plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza, but before he could respond, Trump interjected, denying that anyone was expelling Palestinians and asking Widakuswara who she worked for. When she replied, Trump visibly scoffed. No wonder, he said, then flicked his hand dismissively.

All this rhymed with the end of Trumps first term, when he called VOAs reporting disgusting and tapped Michael Pack, a right-wing filmmaker and Steve Bannon ally, to lead the USAGM, which he was then widely accused of attempting to politicize; back then, too, Herman was reportedly investigated for supposed anti-Trump tweets and Widakuswara was taken off the White House beat after challenging a senior official. (On that occasion, she had asked Mike Pompeo, the outgoing secretary of state, to respond to the January 6 attack on the Capitol; Widakuswara was reinstated shortly after the Biden administration took office and Pack was asked to resign.) There were key differences this time, though. As David Folkenflik, who covered the Pack era in depth, noted recently, a federal judge ruled back then that the investigation of Herman violated his First Amendment rights and breached a legal firewall intended to protect VOA from political meddling. This time, journalistic leaders at VOAincluding Michael Abramowitz, its current director, who formerly worked at the Washington Post and, per Folkenflik, is not seen as an ideological figureapproved the probe. The leaders told associates they are simply basing the review of Hermans work on journalistic concerns, Folkenflik wrote. But there were clearly internal concerns as to Trump and Lakes designs for the outlet and wider agency. David Enrich, of the New York Times, reported yesterday that even prior to Lakes arrival as an adviser, VOA leaders began discouraging its journalists from saying or writing things that could be construed as critical of Mr. Trump, in an apparent attempt to fend off attacks by the president.

If this was the case, it didnt work: on Friday, Trump signed an executive order mandating that USAGM be gutted. The agency was one of seven targetedothers included the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Institute of Museum and Library Servicesand the order was cast as a continuation of the Trump administrations reduction of the federal bureaucracy, a grand slashing of government that has been spearheaded by Elon Musk and his memeily named Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. On Saturday, however, the White House put out a press release, headlined The Voice of Radical America, that ticked off examples of supposed VOA propaganda, from its reluctance to routinely characterize Hamas as terrorists to a 2019 segment about transgender migrants seeking asylum in the United States. A USAGM press release went further, alleging (vaguely) that the agency had engaged in eye-popping self-dealing and even been infiltrated by spies. Lake shared the release on X, while endorsing the idea that USAGM is pound-for-pound the most corrupt agency in Washington DC. Musk, for his part, posted that USAGM would be renamed the Department of Propaganda Everywhere, or DOPE, while it is wound down, alongside a logo featuring a wide-eyed cartoon cat with a US flag.

The reality for USAGM staffers was a lot less cute, and a lot more real. On Saturday, all full-time employees at VOA and the Office for Cuba Broadcasting, which seeks to serve people in that country, were placed on administrative leave, effectively shuttering them in the process; meanwhile, contracts funding the rest of USAGMs core broadcasting offerRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networkswere canceled. Abramowitz said that VOA had been silenced for the first time in its eighty-three-year history and that he was deeply saddened by the development; VOA needs thoughtful reform and we have made progress in that regard, he said, but the mass suspensions will leave it unable to carry out its vital mission. Grant Turner, a former USAGM executive, was blunter, referring to the cuts as Bloody Saturday. Sunday was bloody, tooaccording to Agence France-Presse, USAGM began laying off staffers who had worked on a contract basis. Among those fired was Liam Scott, a VOA reporter who had done excellent work covering global press freedoma dedicated beat, he noted, that is rare among newsrooms. Scott wrote online that he had stayed on at VOA because he wanted to fight to protect its editorial independence and document the unprecedented threats facing press freedom in the United States from the Trump administration, only to ultimately fall victim to them. In his time covering press freedom globally, he added, he has never seen something like whats happened in the US over the past couple months.

Various observers, including the heads of other USAGM broadcasters and at least one Republican member of Congress, criticized the gutting of the agency as, among other things, a boon to Americas geopolitical adversaries, which have typically disdained the broadcasters dogged reporting on their countries, where the domestic press is often neutered. (Herman echoed the point in a requiem that he posted to Substack.) As Ive written before, some defenders of VOA and its sister broadcasters have characterized them as normal news organizations, but that isnt quite rightthey were created to be instruments of American soft power abroad, and have retained that function to this day. Other defenders have argued, however, that they achieve this by exporting independent journalism to closed societies, and there is no question that the broadcasters have done vital work that has not only shined light into those societies and reached residents in their own languages, but informed readers all around the world about routine goings-on in countries that otherwise scarcely get covered in Western media. As Scott pointed out over the weekend, a number of USAGM journalists have so angered foreign despots that they have paid for such work with their freedom. Perhaps ironically, Trump had only just won plaudits, from RFE/RL brass and press-freedom watchers, for getting one of them out of jail in Belarus, as I reported last month. That journalist, Andrey Kuznechyk, had been looking forward to getting back to work.

Trump, seemingly, has always envisioned a bluntly propagandistic role for the broadcasters; at least, thats long been the fear. Now that he has actually moved against them, however, it isnt quite clear what future role theyll play or whether theyll even be around to play it; if, as I argued back in 2020, the Pack-era chaos at VOA could be seen through the prism of Trumps fitful, amoral approach to foreign policy as much as his animus toward the press, the current chaos can also be seen through the prism of Musk and co.s seemingly totalizing desire to set fire to the federal government. The Washington Post reported yesterday that Lake once spoke as if she intended to retool VOA, but Musk had called for it and its sister outlets to be shut down, and Lakes allies are reportedly now claiming that there is no daylight between the pair; yesterday, she practically said as much on X, claiming that she would stay in DC only as long as was needed to help Trump root-out fraud, waste, and abuse and reduce the size & scope of the federal government. For now, some VOA frequencies around the world are apparently just playing music (which has a whiff of the late Soviet about it).

There are alsoas with so much of Trumps agendaoutstanding questions as to the legality of what he just did to USAGM; his executive order spoke of minimizing the agencys operations to the fullest extent possible within the law, though NPRs Folkenflik noted on Saturday that the scope and legality of these acts are not yet in full focus, and that Lake appears to have signed off on some of the cuts without having the statutory authority to do so. There are already indications that some idled VOA staffers might take the government to court. And USAGM has a complicated structure, with the aforementioned legal firewall designed to protect its programming from politicization, and layers of other checks governing its governance. (Lakes formal appointment to VOA had been held up because both the head of USAGM and members of a bipartisan board overseeing it have yet to be confirmed by the Senate; Trump fired the previous board after taking office.) The agencys work is, ultimately, mandated by Congress. On Meet the Press yesterday, Chris Murphy, an increasingly outspoken Democratic senator, described the USAGM cuts as unconstitutional since funding for the agency had just been reauthorized by Congress as part of a stopgap bill that it passed to avoid a government shutdown.

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The interview with Murphy soon moved on to discuss whether he still has confidence in Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader who roiled the Democratic Party when he smoothed the bills passage last week, arguing that a shutdown would give Trump and Musk even more license to slash away. (Murphy voted the other way.) The episode fed into a broader story about the current rudderlessness of the Democrats, one that has hogged many headlines of late; in many ways, the focus feels urgent, given the stakes of the policies that the Democrats must decide whether (and how) to resist, but in others, it feels process-y and small. (Is it so surprising that a party that just lost a crucial election is rudderless?) There is a risk, in any case, that the stakes themselves are getting diluted when they demand laser focus, amid a cascade of news about the detention of students, legally dubious deportations, and possible administration violations of court orders. The stakes are growing for press freedom, too. The hammer falling on USAGM is one manifestation, even if, again, that move can be seen through various lenses. Another came on Friday, when Trump spoke at the Justice Departmentan alarming development in itselfand effectively declared basic acts of journalism on the part of various major news outlets to be illegal.

The next day, media elites met in DC for the Gridiron Dinner, a yukky white-tie affair at which politicians and the press roast each other; typically, the president and/or a senior surrogate shows up to speak and is toasted, but this year, Trump stayed away, and the toast was to the First Amendment instead. (Scott Turner, the housing and urban development secretary, did at least attend the dinner; so did Daniel Driscoll, the Army secretary, though he reportedly walked out after a joke was told about Vice President J.D. Vance.) All this attracted coverage, including in the Times, which paired a story about the dinner with one about the USAGM cuts on its homepage yesterday, and in Politicos influential Playbook newsletter, under a headlinewhite-tie media snubs the presidentthat seemed entirely the wrong way around. (Even aside from his recent aspersions of criminality, Trump was invited but declined.) Politico noted that Trump had shown up back in 2018and praised members of the mediacalling those remarks a time capsule of just how much the rift between him and the press has grown. Of course, Trumps anti-media animus was evident even then. His anti-press moves now dont constitute a break with his first term so much as a sharp escalation of the same trends. Look no further than Exhibit VOA.



Other notable stories:

On Friday, the faculty of Columbia Journalism School put out a statement responding to the recent detention by immigration authorities of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia student and US green card holder who participated in campus protests against the war in Gaza but has not been charged with any crime; the statement noted that many international students in the Journalism School have felt afraid to come to classes and to events on campus, and that the detention of Khalil and other actions jeopardize First Amendment principles. The statement also noted reports that officials are trying to deport Mosab Abu Toha, a Palestinian poet and journalist who has written for The New Yorker about threats to journalists in Gaza, among other topics. Over the weekend, yet more journalists were reportedly killed in Gaza.

Politicos Michael Schaffer explores how the Dallas Express, a small website run by a conservative operative, managed to beat the entire congressional press corps to an explosive story about Kay Granger, a powerful Republican lawmaker who began struggling with dementia and eventually moved into an assisted-living facility. Its tempting to view the Expresss scoop as a fable about idealistic outsiders beating entitled insiders, Schaffer writes, but it actually reflects a more specific dynamic: while politics- or policy-centric outlets with a national focus have established major footholds in DC, theres been a hollowing out of the hometown outlets who once sent reporters to Washington with orders to watchdog their local lawmaker.

Recently, Sling TV, a subsidiary of Dish Network that offers online access to TV channels including the big three cable news networks, has been running an ad titled Paperboy, in which a bicycle-riding news carrier is depicted throwing newspapers to residents who throw them straight back. (They dont need them because they have Sling, you understand.) Erik Wemple, a media critic at the Post, was unimpressed, arguing that the ad makes fun of a noble, sometimes dangerous job while ignoring the fact that newspaper scoops still fuel a lot of cable coverage. (Wemple referenced a 2018 article that I wrote on the dangers of the paper route; you can read it here.)

For the Times, Martin Fackler profiled Makoto Watanabe, a reporter who quit his job at the Asahi Shimbun, a major newspaper in Japan, after it retracted an explosive story about the Fukushima nuclear disaster under political pressure, then founded the countrys first nonprofit investigative outlet, known as Tansa. Challenging official narratives remains rare in Japanese journalism, Fackler writes, but Watanabes outlet is finally starting to stand out in a media landscape that has long been dominated by legacy newspapers and television networks.

And K.W. Leewho, in 1956, became the first Korean immigrant to work for a major mainstream newspaper in the continental US, and would later become known as the godfather of Asian American journalismhas died. He was ninety-six. Lee, who founded the Koreatown Weekly in LA to counter unfair media coverage of Koreans, was perhaps best known for investigating the murder conviction of a Korean immigrant who would go on to be acquitted. The LA Times has an obituary.
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As I write this, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is in The Hague, where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court. I watched video footage of his arrest, on March 11, and saw photos of the Gulfstream 550 jet lifting off from Manila airport, bound for the Netherlands.

And yet I still could not believe it was happening.

For years, Filipinos had been subjected to Dutertes unrelenting barrage of shock and awe. His malevolent persona had so conquered our information spaceand our imaginationthat we believed he was invincible. Holding him to account seemed unimaginable.

Duterte was president for six years, starting in 2016. Even before Steve Bannon boasted of Donald Trumps strategy to flood the zone with shit, Duterte had already unleashed a deluge. He seemed to be everywhere all at once, giving fiery speeches on TV and radio, streamed online and echoed across social media. On Facebook, his messages surged with such force and velocity that they drowned out all other voices.

His language was profane, his call for blood and vengeance compelling. Many cheered when he vowed the fish in Manila Bay would grow fat on the corpses of drug dealers. They applauded when he told policemen that if they killed more, we could cure what ails this country.

And so the bodies began to pile up.

Daily, during the first months of his presidency, corpses appeared on the streets of Manila. Some had their faces swaddled in masking tape, with cardboard signs bearing crude warningssometimes even smiley faces or Batman drawingsplaced beside them. Others had rags stuffed in their mouths or wires wound around their necks, as if strangled. The dead bodies amplified Dutertes message of redemptive violence in ways that social media could not. By the end of his term, the official death toll was around six thousand. Human rights groups say the real number could be four or even five times higher.

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Duterte hated the press and lashed out at journalists who documented the carnage. He called them bullshit, garbage, and sons of bitches. He said they had no shame, that they were corrupt hypocrites who pretend to be the moral torch of the country.

He banned the feisty news site Rappler from covering the presidential palace. At his behest, police arrested Rapplers CEO, Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa, twice. Prosecutors filed twenty-three lawsuits against her and her staff. Duterte also threatened the Philippine Daily Inquirer, one of the countrys biggest newspapers, accusing its owners of evading taxes. His coup de grace came when he engineered the shutdown of ABS-CBN, the countrys largest and most powerful TV network, by ensuring his congressional allies denied it a franchise renewal. The equivalent in the US would be if Trump shuttered NBC.

Many newsrooms bent the knee. Fearful of Dutertes wrathand of the troll armies that flooded their phones with rape threats and death warningseditors shushed criticism, reporters held back on stories, and self-censorship became the norm.

Duterte came to power when the media was already losing its profits and prestige. After the fall of Ferdinand Marcos, in 1986, there was a hunger for truth. Journalists were hailed as democracys heroes. But before long, powerful families bought up newspapers and broadcast networks, using their media clout to advance their own interests. Sensationalism ruled in a crowded and competitive industry.

By the 2010s, audiences and advertisers had migrated online, where more than one hundred million Filipinos85 percent of the populationspent hours scrolling Facebook. Duterte attacked the press where it was weakest. His tirades against sensationalist journalists and elite media owners resonated, accelerating the medias decline and demoralizing its ranks.

Never mind that the smaller, feistier news organizations persisted. Never mind that many others were quietly collecting evidence of state-sanctioned killings, protecting witnesses, mobilizing protests, filing cases, feeding and caring for communities ravaged by the war on drugs. None of that seemed to matter. Until it did.

If you had told me before March 11 that Duterte would be arrested by the policethe same force he had ordered to kill, the same men he had promised to protectI would have said you were delusional. Nearly three years after stepping down, he remained powerful. His daughter Sara Duterte is vice president. He still held the loyalty of many Filipinos, especially on Mindanao, in the south of the country. As recently as November, testifying before Congress, Dutertewho turns eighty on March 28grabbed a microphone and threatened to punch a former senator questioning him about suspicious bank transactions. He did not act like a man whose time was up.

What ultimately sealed Dutertes fate was his familys falling-out with the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the former dictator. Sara Duterte ran with Marcos in 2022; her family believes its support made him president. The Dutertes wanted more power than Marcos was willing to concede, knowing Sara would use it to fuel her own run in 2028. But the Marcoses had their own plans for succession.

By late last year, the already frayed alliance had turned toxic. Sara Duterte claimed she had contracted an assassin to kill Marcos, his wife, and his cousin, the House Speaker, if anything happened to her. Last month, Marcos allies in Congress voted to impeach her. The political rift made it far easier for the administration to surrender Rodrigo Duterte to the ICC.

But the Marcoses are no paragons of accountability. Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos were accused of amassing up to $10 billion in ill-gotten wealth, and for nearly forty years, their family has fought efforts to make them forfeit their stolen assets. They still owe some $4 billion in unpaid taxes on the estate of Ferdinand Sr., who died in exile in Hawaii in 1989.

Impunity is the norm for the powerful in the Philippines. Dutertes arrest is a fluke. Yet it would not have been possible without years of difficult, dangerous, painstaking work. Journalists, photographers, lawyers, Catholic clergy, and human rights activists persisted even when hope for accountability seemed nonexistent. There would have been no case if the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the drug war dead had not dared to tell their stories. If former death squad assassins had not found protection and safe passage out of the country, they would not have been able to testify in The Hague.

Anyone who reads the ICC prosecutors request for an investigation will see how much of it was built on the collective efforts of so many. It takes a nation to hold a president to account.

We had forgotten the lesson we once learned from dictatorship: strongmen project invincibility to convince people resistance is futile. They want to crush any hope of justice. By sowing fear, they seek to stifle our democratic imagination. They perform omnipotence so convincingly that only when they fall do we see how brittle their power truly was.
Four former Citigroup Inc. equity sales traders filed wrongful termination claims against the U.S. bank in Hong Kong this month, after a court in the city ruled that one of their ex-colleagues shouldnt have been summarily dismissed in 2019.

Christopher So and Alrick Lee, who used to be directors in Citigroups Asia Sales Trading division, and Kenny Cheung, a former vice-president, are seeking at least compensation for unpaid pension benefits and notice-period payments, according to a Hong Kong judiciary notice and people familiar with the matter. James Gleeson, a former director at Citi, also filed a claim this week.

The traders were among employees fired by the bank in 2019, after securities regulators identified problematic trading practices in Citigroups Asia markets division that had occurred over more than a decade.

In late 2024, Cindy Lui, an ex-sales trader on the same team, won a favorable ruling from Hong Kongs Labour Tribunal after she filed an unfair dismissal claim against the bank. That prompted others to file similar claims, said the people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.

Hong Kongs Employment ordinance requires claims on labor disputes to be lodged within six years of an event such as a job termination. Most of the ex-Citigroup traders were fired in March 2019, and had to file their cases by this month.

A Citigroup spokesman in Hong Kong declined to comment, as did Lee, So, Cheung and Gleeson.

Citigroup disbanded its Asia high-touch equities sales trading desk in 2019, after accusing multiple staffers of misconduct and firing them without advance notice. The Hong Kong-based employees who were terminated also lost the retirement benefits they had accrued at the firm, Bloomberg News reported earlier.

Regulators subsequently fined Citigroup about $45 million for misrepresenting its own financial interest in stock trades as client interest to attract business, and said the pervasive dishonest behavior occurred from 2008 to 2018. The Securities and Futures Commission also reprimanded the bank for regulatory failures, internal control deficiencies and poor management oversight.

The regulator noted at the time that Citigroup Global Markets Asia had taken steps to rectify and strengthen its internal controls, including the appointment of an independent reviewer to review and validate its controls framework.

Prior to this year, three ex-Citigroup sales traders in London, Tokyo and Hong Kong had filed wrongful dismissal suits against the bank, accusing it of conducting unfair and hostile internal investigations and scapegoating them. Citigroup has disputed those characterizations and maintains that its investigations were conducted in accordance with its policies. Employment tribunals in all three cities ruled that Citigroup had to compensate the former employees.

In December 2024, the Hong Kong Labour Tribunal said Citigroup had failed to justify its summary dismissal of Lui in March 2019. It said the bank had a valid reason to dismiss her after she misrepresented the nature of a trading position to a client, but that it should have given Lui proper notice before taking action.

Lui, who worked at Citigroup for 12 years, was awarded her earned pension benefits and contractual pay equivalent to what she would have received with notice. The court denied her request to be compensated for loss of job opportunities. Neither party was awarded costs. Citigroup appealed the decision. Lui has sought a review and a hearing is scheduled on April 2, according to a court diary.

Last October, the U.S. bank separately agreed to settle a case with Ian Weir, an ex-sales trader for Asia Pacific markets based in London, after employment judges in 2023 ruled that Weir was unfairly and wrongfully dismissed by the bank.

In Tokyo, a court ruled in July that Citigroup has to compensate a trader it fired in 2020 with pay he would have earned under his employment contract until the time of the judgment. The bank has filed an appeal with the High Court.

Top photo: A Citibank branch in New York, on Saturday, June 29, 2024. Citigroup Inc. is scheduled to release earnings figures on July 12. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
A Missouri judge has ordered Abbott Laboratories and Reckitt Benckiser unit Mead Johnson to face a new trial over allegations that they failed to warn a mother about the risks of their specialized baby formulas for premature infants, re-opening a case that had resulted in a victory for the defendants.

The Thursday ruling comes months after a St. Louis, Missouri state court found that the companies were not responsible for a young boys debilitating intestinal disease. The case had been a victory for the two companies following large losses in similar trials that had rattled investors.

Missouri Circuit Judge Michael Noble in St. Louis, Missouri, said the defendants lawyers had engaged in misconduct that resulted in an unfair verdict from the jury and ordered a new trial.

Abbott and Reckitt said they would appeal.

Abbott spokesperson Scott Stoffel said the jury had reached the correct decision, based on evidence from scientists and governmental regulators who have said there is no conclusive link between preterm infant formula and the plaintiffs sons intestinal disease.

We are disappointed by the courts extraordinary decision to set aside the jurys work, Stoffel said.

This decision is at complete odds with the law and the facts, and we will appeal, Reckitt said in a statement Friday.

Noble said Abbott and Mead Johnsons lawyers intentionally and repeatedly violated clear instructions when presenting evidence to the jury. The defense attorneys flooded the zone with objections, presented evidence that the judge had previously disallowed, and confused the jury by attacking straw man arguments and saying that babies would starve to death if the products were pulled from the market, according to Nobles ruling.

One of Abbotts lawyers was sanctioned at one point during the trial, and he was not allowed to present evidence or make arguments during the latter half of the five-week trial.

The misconduct in this case was appalling, and we certainly felt it led to an unfair trial and unjust result for our client, said attorney Tim Cronin, who represented the plaintiff, a young boy named Kaine Whitfield, and his mother.

At the five-week trial in St. Louis, Missouri state court, lawyers for plaintiff Kaine Whitfield had urged jurors to award more than $6.2 billion.

The case is one of about 1,000 similar lawsuits around the country, which have raised alarm from doctors who say the litigation could threaten the formulas availability or affect medical decisions.

The lawsuit alleged that the companies failed to warn that their specialized formulas used by newborn intensive care units in hospitals could cause necrotizing enterocolitis.

It is a disease that almost exclusively affects premature infants and has an estimated mortality rate of more than 20%.

(Reporting by Koilparambil in Bengaluru and Knauth in New York; Editing by Anil DSilva, Shinjini Ganguli, Alexia Garamfalvi and Diane Craft)
China transforming into innovation powerhouse

09:39, March 17, 2025 By Ma Si ( China Daily

A Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is presented in Mixc Mall in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Feb 28. (Zhang Lang/China News Service)

China's sharpened focus on pursuing integrated advancements in technological and industrial innovation showcases its determination to translate scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications, and such a strategy will help it transform into a global innovation powerhouse and maintain its edge amid competition and uncertainties, experts and company executives said.

Highlighting that bridging the gap between laboratories and production lines is a key pillar of China's push for new quality productive forces, they said this emphasizes not only breakthroughs in frontier technologies, but also scientific achievements that fuel economic vitality.

As 2025 marks the last year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the nation's emphasis on nurturing sectors such as 6G, quantum computing, robotics and artificial intelligence will also help it establish a beachhead in these future industries for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, they added.

President Xi Jinping underlined the need for Jiangsu province, one of China's economic powerhouses, to lead the integration of sci-tech and industrial innovation when he took part in a deliberation with his fellow lawmakers during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, earlier this month.

According to China's 2025 Government Work Report, "We should pursue integrated advancements in technological and industrial innovation, press ahead with new industrialization, expand and strengthen advanced manufacturing, and vigorously develop modern services. This will enable us to build up the momentum of new growth drivers while upgrading and reviving traditional ones."

Pan Jiaofeng, a deputy to the 14th NPC and president of the Institutes of Science and Development, which is part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said economically developed provinces such as Jiangsu should seize the opportunity from a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation.

"By relying on a solid industrial foundation, they should promote the renewal and upgrade of traditional industries, cultivate new momentum, take the lead in shaping new development advantages and drive more regions to catch up," he said.

People check out a newly released AI studying pad from tech company iFlytek in a shopping center in Shanghai on Jan 17. (Photo/China Daily)

To integrate technological innovation and industrial innovation, Pan said it is necessary to build platforms, improve institutional mechanisms, strengthen the position of enterprises as the main innovators, and seamlessly connect the innovation and the industrial chains.

Lei Jun, a deputy to the 14th NPC and chairman of Xiaomi Corp, said: "We are full of confidence in developing new quality productive forces and remain unwavering in driving high-quality development through innovation. This year's Government Work Report consistently emphasizes 'innovation' and 'high-quality development', which deeply inspires me as a private entrepreneur in the tech sector and reinforces my confidence in achieving high-quality growth.

"I am moved by the nation's resolve to enhance the overall efficiency of its innovation system. One line from the report particularly resonates with me  promoting the spirit of scientists and fostering an innovative environment that encourages exploration and tolerates failure. This is the greatest encouragement for scientific research and entrepreneurial innovation."

He added, "Additionally, the report also emphasizes the need to leverage the leading role of sci-tech enterprises to advance high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in technology, which reminds me of the immense responsibility we shoulder."

The senior executive said that Xiaomi, which has invested 105 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) in research and development over the past five years, will continue to pursue breakthroughs in more crucial technologies and apply them to products.

Jin Li, vice-president of the Southern University of Science and Technology and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said: "Relying on the aggregation of scientific and technological resources, China is well-placed to coordinate the comprehensive reform and development of the education, science and technology talent system, so as to unleash a powerful momentum for scientific and technological innovation to lead high-quality development."

In 2024, China's total R&D expenditure reached 3.6 trillion yuan, an 8 percent increase from the previous year. The proportion of basic research funding within the total R&D budget hit 6.91 percent, and there were 14 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, data from the government work report showed.

These figures reflect China's commitment to increasing its R&D intensity, which stood at 2.68 percent in 2024, surpassing the average level of European Union countries, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

Meanwhile, China possesses the most complete and largest industrial system globally. It ranks first globally in the production of over 220 industrial products and is the only country in the world that has all industrial categories in the United Nations' industrial classification, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Zhang Li, a deputy to the 14th NPC and president of the China Center for Information Industry Development, said: "Boasting such a strong, complete industrial system, China provides rich application scenarios and enormous market potential for technological innovation, as well as solid support for the development of emerging industries and future industries."

Li said that by combining new ideas and technologies with China's robust manufacturing capabilities and vast market potential, the nation can better harness its strengths.

Industrial innovation must remain rooted in the real economy, emphasizing both the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and the development of strategic emerging industries and future sectors, Zhang said.

"China's economy has historically relied on the real economy, and it is through this foundation that it will continue to progress," he added.

According to the Government Work Report, China "will establish a mechanism to increase funding for industries of the future and foster industries such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied AI and 6G technology".

Guo Guoping, a deputy to the 14th NPC and deputy director of the Key Lab of Quantum Information at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said he was deeply impressed by China's emphasis on nurturing strategic future technologies such as quantum computing.

"China has become the third country in the world capable of delivering complete quantum computers, positioning itself in the global first tier of quantum computing research. But challenges remain in some areas," he said.

Guo also stressed the need for increased investment in basic research, which he describes as the foundation of high-level scientific and technological independence. He advocated for leveraging China's unique advantages in mobilizing resources to tackle key core technologies and advance frontier and disruptive technologies.

"We need to build a robust industrial ecosystem that can support the transition from laboratory prototypes to commercial products," he added.

Qiao Hong, a member of the National Committee of CPPCC and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said China has made rapid progress in robotics and artificial intelligence.

"Over the past three years, China has accounted for more than half of the global installations of industrial robots, and its lunar exploration robots have successfully returned lunar soil samples," Qiao said.

Qiao pointed to the development of humanoid robots as a particularly promising area, with China establishing a core technological foundation for large-scale, cost-effective production of high-performance robotic systems.

Her insights underscore the importance of integrating AI and robotics into traditional industries to enhance efficiency and productivity.

People discuss a quantum computer exhibited at the Zhongguancun Exhibition Center in Beijing on April 28. (Ren Chao/Xinhua)

By leveraging digital technologies such as the internet of things, big data and cloud computing, companies like Unitree Robotics are transforming their operations and creating more efficient supply chains. This approach not only improves competitiveness, but also contributes to the broader goal of developing new quality productive forces.

Zhejiang province is a bellwether for China's regional innovation strategies.

As a manufacturing and e-commerce hub, Zhejiang has channeled its entrepreneurial culture into tech innovation, and startups like Deep-Seek exemplify Zhejiang's knack for aligning private-sector agility with national goals, experts said.

Gao Yingzhong, an NPC deputy and head of the department of science and technology of Zhejiang province, said the province added 18 national key labs last year, bringing the total to 38, and it achieved 110 major scientific and technological achievements and received 30 national science and technology awards.

Denis Depoux, global managing director of market consultancy Roland Berger, said China is making a strategic shift toward modern and sustainable economic growth.

"The China stories of the past  low labor costs, relatively few added-value products, massive exports and massive fixed-asset investments in infrastructure building and fueling the economy  are gone," he said. "The new China story relies on factors such as advanced manufacturing, decarbonization, growing innovation prowess and the services economy."

The evidence is already clear.

China dominates the Global Lighthouse Network list, a project launched by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with consultancy McKinsey &Company to track advanced manufacturing plants, known as lighthouse factories, that apply state-of-the-art digital technologies.

To date, China is home to 79 lighthouse factories, the highest number of any country and accounting for more than one-third of the global total.

China also ranked 11th in the 2024 Global Innovation Index, solidifying its status as one of the fastest-improving economies, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization.

As the nurturing of new quality productive forces gains traction in China, "In the future, we may see more similar patterns in industries such as healthcare, new materials and AI, and these efforts will provide big opportunities for foreign companies," Depoux added.

Ma Jun, senior vice-president of Volvo Group and president of Volvo (China) Investment Co Ltd, said: "We see great potential in China's AI growth. With its vast market and diverse application scenarios, China provides a unique space for AI innovation. I look forward to seeing more creative AI solutions in the transport and infrastructure sectors, to help reduce logistics costs further and support sustainable development in China and globally."

Ma said that the Swedish company aims to drive prosperity through sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions, which is in line with China's top agenda for nurturing new quality productive forces.

"We are committed to leading the industry to move toward electrification, and we are doing this with an international setup, and China matters a lot in our plans," Ma said.

"Through our R&D center in Jinan, Shandong province, and production base in Shanghai, Volvo CE has launched a range of electrified equipment, which has helped expand our new energy product lineup in both Chinese and international markets," she added.

Volvo is not alone in seeing great opportunities that China's innovation-driven strategy brings to foreign enterprises.

David Poon, president of Infineon Technologies Greater China, said, "China's focus on green, low-carbon and high-quality development aligns with Infineon's strengths and opens a new growth opportunity."

He said that new quality productive forces span a wide range of industries, such as intelligent connected new-energy vehicles, renewable energy, new materials, and humanoid robots, and Infineon's semiconductors empower innovation across all these fields.

"With our 'In China, For China' strategy, we plan to increase local production of general-purpose semiconductors to address customer needs about supply resilience In the coming years, we aim to expand collaboration with local partners and broaden our local production to cover a wide range of automotive products," Poon said.

Zheng Yongnian, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) and president of the Qianhai Institute for International Affairs, said, "For a country to develop new quality productive forces, it needs to possess three core elements, namely promoting basic scientific research, facilitating the translation of basic research into applied technology, and ensuring a supportive financial environment."

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Prince Harry's immigration records must be made public by Tuesday, March 18, following allegations that the Duke of Sussex may have lied about his past drug use on his visa application.

The decision comes after a lawsuit filed by the conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, which sought access to the documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The think tank argues that the documents could reveal whether Harry misrepresented his history of drug use, which could have prevented him from being granted a US visa.

Judge Carl Nichols has since ordered the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release a redacted version, ensuring that sensitive personal information remains confidential, according to Sky News. It is important to note that the same judge previously said there was no public interest in the disclosure of the Duke of Sussex's immigration files. However, the Heritage Foundation pressed for the release of the documents.

The controversy stems from Harry's public admissions in his 2023 memoir, Spare, where he detailed his past use of drugs. In the book, he recounts using cocaine as a teenager, describing it as an attempt to "feel different" during a period of deep unhappiness following the death of his mother, Princess Diana. Harry also discussed his use of marijuana, which he found more beneficial, saying it "actually really did help me." Additionally, he described taking psychedelic mushrooms at a party hosted by actress Courteney Cox in 2016, where he experienced hallucinations after consuming them with tequila.

The Heritage Foundation later claimed that if Harry answered "no" to drug-related questions on his visa application, it could raise legal and ethical questions about the integrity of the immigration process.

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, moved to the US in 2020 after stepping back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family. They currently reside in California with their two children.

Originally published on Enstarz
Indian IT services provider Infosys said it had reached an agreement with the plaintiffs of lawsuits pending against its U.S. unit over the 2023 cyber incident.

Infosys McCamish Systems has agreed to pay $17.5 million into a fund to settle all the pending class action lawsuits and resolve all allegations made in the incident.

In November 2023, Infosys had disclosed that Infosys McCamish Systems was impacted by a cyber security event, resulting in the non-availability of certain applications and systems.

In April last year, Infosys said McCamish, in coordination with its third-party vendor eDiscovery, identified up to 6.5 million individuals whose information was subject to unauthorized access and data exfiltration in the incident.

(Reporting by Chandra in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
Cable outlet Newsmax Media has paid $40 million to settle allegations it defamed Smartmatic by reporting false claims that the voting machine company helped rig the 2020 U.S. election for Joe Biden over Donald Trump, according to a regulatory filing.

The companies settled privately last year, but the amount was disclosed in a Newsmax investor document dated March 7.

A Smartmatic representative said in a statement the company could not discuss details of the deal but that it is looking forward to taking Fox News to trial over similar claims about its election coverage.

Newsmax representatives did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

Smartmatic sued Newsmax in 2021, alleging it broadcast damaging misinformation falsely claiming the company switched votes in the 2020 presidential election, that its machines were hacked and that it was funded by corrupt dictators.

Smartmatic alleged that Newsmax profited from its false reporting. Trump amplified Newsmaxs reporting on social media and the broadcasters audience jumped 10-fold after the election, vaulting it over cable news rivals such as CNBC and Fox Business, according to Nielsen Ratings.

Newsmax said it had a First Amendment right to report claims by Trump and his supporters, which were often made in court filings challenging the election.

The company clarified its reporting about Smartmatic in December 2020 and invited Smartmatic representatives to come on air to explain their side of the story to Newsmax viewers. Smartmatic did not accept that invitation.

Smartmatic did not publicly estimate the damages at stake, but Newsmax has told the court the voting machine company was seeking $400 million to $600 million.

Smartmatic has sued Fox News in New York for $2.7 billion over the conservative networks 2020 election coverage, the case referred to in Smartmatics statement on Thursday.

Fox last year agreed to settle defamation claims by Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million, which legal experts said was the biggest defamation settlement by a U.S. media company in history.

(Reporting by Pitas and Queen; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Tom Hogue)
The former Deutsche Bank AG employee suing the German lender for around 152 million ($165 million) over a criminal case was a top manager from its asset and wealth management division, Dario Schiraldi.

Schiraldi filed the suit in the Frankfurt Regional Court, the tribunal confirmed on Friday. The parties are in the process of exchanging briefs and a hearing will be scheduled once that will have been completed, a court spokeswoman said by email.

Deutsche Bank declined to comment. Schiraldi didnt respond to requests for comment.

Deutsche Bank said in its annual report on Thursday that an ex-staffer filed the case alleging harm caused to his career by criminal proceedings in Italy related to Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA. Deutsche Bank didnt disclose his name.

Five other former Deutsche Bank employees involved in the Monte Paschi case also threatened to bring their own claims in an English court, the bank said in the report.

In the original criminal case, Monte Paschi managers were accused of colluding with Deutsche Bank staff to hide losses at the Italian lender by using complex derivatives trades, leading to a misrepresentation of the firms finances between 2008 and 2012.

After a conviction at the first instance in 2019, the six Deutsche Bank staffers  including Schiraldi  were fully acquitted in 2022 by a Milan appeals court, which found that there were no grounds for trial. In October 2023, Italys Supreme Court upheld the acquittal, a final ruling on the matter.

In the annual report, Deutsche Bank said it considers the claims now filed in the Frankfurt court to be entirely without merit and will defend itself against them robustly, including disputing inflated, unrealistic alleged losses.

The lender said it isnt disclosing whether it has established a provision or contingent liability as it could affect the outcome of the proceedings.

Schiraldi joined Deutsche Bank in 2004 after stints at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co. At Deutsche Banks investment bank unit he oversaw the institutional client group for Europe. Later he moved to the asset-and-wealth-management division where he was head of distribution. He left in 2016, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
Great Lakes Brewing Co., Masthead Breing and Southern Tier Brewing Co. all make variations of a dry Irish stout. Alex Darus

CLEVELAND, Ohio  When St. Patricks Day rolls around, everyone likes to don green and sip Guinness in the spirit of celebration.

As of 2025, Guinness is more popular than ever. While the New York Times cites multiple reasons for a rise in popularity, Guinness is also going viral.

Online trends such as splitting the G, or gulping enough of the draft to aim that the line between the beer and the foam falls in the middle of the G on the brands signature glasses, are huge on platforms like TikTok.

Guinness is a classic and mainstream Irish stout. With 4.2 percent alcohol, its remarkably light for its dark hue and thick foam. Notes of malt and subtle bitterness similar to coffee or chocolate are common.

Its undeniable that Guinness is trending right now, and even more during St. Patricks Day celebrations. However, several craft breweries in Northeast Ohio and beyond make their own delicious renditions of Irish stouts for those looking to try something new and locally made.

Check out 12 Irish stouts to drink on St. Patricks Day besides Guinness. Guinness is always a delicious and reliable option, but its good to expand your horizons once in a while. For those who arent beer drinkers, dont forget about the wonderful world of Irish whiskey.

Brighten Brew Coffee, Not Coffee

1374 S. Cleve-Mass Road, Copley

Akrons Brighten Brew plays on roasted coffee beans with its Coffee, Not Coffee Irish Stout. The 4.1% ABV beer is slightly bitter with notes of toasted barley giving it a signature flavor.

Jackie Os OHooleys Dry Irish Stout

Locations in Columbus and Athens

Jackie Os doesnt have a Cleveland-based brewery, but many local bars and liquor stores carry its brews. The OHooleys pays homage to a 90s era brewpub in Athens of the same name, which is now the home of Jackie Os Brewpub. The 5.3% dry Irish stout is a year-round staple for its drinkability and depth of flavor.

Conway's Irish Stout from Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland. Alex Darus

Great Lakes Brewing Co. Conways Irish Stout

2516 Market Ave., Cleveland

Conways Irish Stout is as classic to Cleveland as Guinness is to Ireland during St. Patricks Day season. The 4.8% ABV beer is named after the founders grandfather and is remarkable for its rich, roasted quality.

Noble Beast Brewing Co. Kilbanes Nitro Dry Irish Stout

1470 Lakeside Ave. E., Cleveland

Noble Beast took inspiration from old-school Guinness recipes to create its sessionable Kilbanes stout. The 4.2% ABV beer is refreshing, thanks to a slightly sour mash, but remains classically dry and malted.

Brick and Barrel Brewing The Sweeney

1844 Columbus Road, Cleveland

Brick and Barrel Brewing is debuting a new Irish milk stout on nitro for St. Patricks Day 2025. Folks can visit the brewery starting at 10 a.m. on Monday to try it out.

Forest City Brewery Furbelly Leann Dubh

2135 Columbus Road, Cleveland

Forest City Brewerys 4.6% Irish dry stout is another Cleveland tradition for St. Patricks Day. Leann Dubh Stout translates to Black Stout in Gaelic, so it truly pays homage to the traditional stouts.

What's the Craic? Irish dry stout from Masthead Brewing Co. in Cleveland. Alex Darus

Masthead Brewing Company Whats the Craic?

1261 Superior Ave., Cleveland

Masthead Brewings Whats the Craic? is a traditional dry Irish stout with a light 4.4% ABV. Dark and toasted with a delightfully dry finish makes this brew one to remember.

Sibling Revelry Brewing OKennedy Irish Dry Stout

29305 Clemens Road, Westlake

A traditional dry Irish stout from Sibling Revelry is named after the brewerys founding brothers. The 4.2% ABV stout is less bitter than others, with roasted dark chocolate notes that keep it interesting without weighing down the brew.

Missing Mountain Brewing Co. Book of World Records

2811 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls

Missing Mountain poked fun at the Guinness Book of World Records when naming its version of a dry stout. The creamy and quaffable brew contains 4% ABV, so its easy to drink all St. Patricks Day long.

Irish Cream Stout from Southern Tier Brewing Co. Alex Darus

Southern Tier Brewing Company Irish Cream Stout

811 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland

Southern Tier may be from New York, but the brewery found another home in downtown Cleveland where locals can enjoy the brands Irish Cream Stout. The 5.8% ABV beer is inspired by the Irish coffee cocktail while keeping the dry and creamy elements of a classic stout.

Birdfish Brewing Folkin Ale

140 E. Park Ave., Columbiana

Birdfish Brewings Folkin Ale is a cheeky pint of dry Irish stout perfect for St. Patricks Day and beyond. The 4.5% ABV beer is available on tap and in to-go cans.

Goldhorn Brewery Fogarty Clan

1361 E. 55th St., Cleveland

Fogarty Clan is Goldhorn Brewings take on a classically dry Irish stout. The 5.2% ABV is slightly bitter with roasted barley and malt dominating the flavor profile.

Alex Darus writes about food, dining and drinking for Cleveland.com, check out her latest posts here. You can reach her with story ideas at adarus@cleveland.com. Follow her on Instagram @alex_darus.

Be one of the cool kids and follow all Cleveland.coms food, dining and drinking coverage in the weekly DineDrinkCLE newsletter. It curates the latest on openings, closings, tastings and other events, plus recommendations, features and guides from our team of writers and critics. SUBSCRIBE Follow us on Instagram @dinedrinkcle
Rotunda Rumblings

At this moment in time: Laura Hancock looked at four school districts calendars from 20 years ago and found that generally students are in class a fewer number of days today. Students get more mid-year days off due to more professional development and work time for teachers, to accommodate religious holidays of more diverse student bodies, and in some instances, longer winter or spring breaks. The review comes after a new bill in the Ohio House that would increase the hours students must be in class.

Re-demonstrating: President Donald Trumps return to the White House has sparked a not-surprising resumption of protests in Northeast Ohio against his administrations policies, as well as against local Republicans for backing the presidents agenda. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, while the protests are similar in many ways to those held during Trumps first term, organizers and experts say theyre using more sophisticated tactics and that theres an increased feeling of urgency and desperation among participants.

Plant tour: On Friday, Vice President JD Vance took a tour of Vantage Plastics, near Bay City, Michigan, with Kelly Loeffler, the head of the Small Business Administration, Fox 2 Detroit reports. The Cincinnati Republican said he was happy to be out of the Washington, D.C., bubble to visit with American workers. We know in the industrial Midwest that companies like Vantage make Great Lakes states the powerhouse of American industry and that makes it the powerhouse of world industry, said Vance.

Report cards: Local researchers say Trump administration cuts to federal education data and research may threaten accountability for Ohio public schools and the ability to see how well students are doing, The Columbus Dispatch reports. On Monday, the Trump administration cut nearly $1 billion in contracts in the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), which contracts out much of its work in compiling data statistics for the National Center of Education Statistics, according to Inside Higher Ed.

Dogging DOGE: The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research in Cleveland is part of a class action lawsuit filed Thursday against DOGE and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development asserting that DOGE had no power to cancel federal grants made to fair housing agencies, Signal Cleveland reports. The suit argues that the recently created Department of Government Efficiency didnt have authority to tell HUD to halt more than $30 million in grants that were authorized by Congress for fair housing programs. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.

Back to work: Many state employees will stash their work-from-home sweatpants, get out their dress shirts and commute to the office starting on Monday, The Columbus Dispatch writes. A February executive order from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine requires state employees to return to the office full time by March 17, with some exceptions. The largest union representing state employees has noted the savings and extra productivity telework has brought and filed grievances about DeWines order.

Full Disclosure

Five things we learned from state Rep. Bob Petersons Feb. 20, 2024, financial disclosure. Peterson is from Fayette County.

1. In addition to working as a state representative he owns Peterson Farm LLC.

2. He reported having stock in Goodview LLC and a pension fund with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.

3. He reported receiving food and beverages in 2023 from Caresource, a health insurer.

4. American Honda Motor Co. Inc. gave him a commemorative groundbreaking shovel worth $182.71. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce covered transportation to a winery and a winery tour, worth $75. Ohio State University covered a $46 meal when he met a college dean.

5. Peterson holds a pesticide and fertilizer applicators license with the state.

On the Move

Jonathan Ewing has been hired as manager for Vivek Ramaswamys 2026 Republican campaign for governor. Ewing previously managed West Virginia Gov. Pat Morriseys campaign last year and now-U.S. Sen. Dave McCormicks unsuccessful 2022 Senate campaign in Pennsylvania.

Michaela Burriss is the new policy director for the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit legal clinic. Burriss is a former Upper Arlington City Council member and served as a legislative aide to multiple Democratic state representatives.

Vice President JD Vance was booed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Thursday night while attending a concert with his wife, The New York Times reports.

Baldwin Wallace Universitys political science department will host a discussion of polarization, misinformation and civil discourse in U.S. politics from 7 to 9 PM on Tuesday, March 18 at the Universitys Center for Innovation and Growth, 340 Front Street, Berea.

Birthdays

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce

Straight from the Source

Veterans made America great since the Revolutionary War, for crying out loud. And then to just cut us loose because were gonna save money, save money on our backs? Thats not right. Find the money somewhere else. Thats ridiculous.

- Dick Lee, a 75-year-old U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient from suburban Columbus, speaking with the Columbus Dispatch while attending an Ohio Statehouse rally on Friday opposing the Trump administrations plans for mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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The Cleveland organization is one of dozens that lost federal grant funding on Feb. 27 Getty Images

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland-based fair housing nonprofit is one of four organizations suing the federal government after its grant funding was abruptly shut off last month in what it describes as an unlawful action by President Donald Trumps administration.

The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research, along with three similar nonprofits in Massachusetts, Idaho and Texas, are asking a U.S. District Court judge in Massachusetts to immediately restore their funding.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday against the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The group is seeking class-action status, as dozens of other fair housing nonprofits were also affected by the funding cuts that were announced Feb. 27 .

Such organizations use grant money from HUD to fight housing discrimination and enforce the Fair Housing Act of 1968 in communities across the U.S.

The Cleveland organization -- and many others, including one based in Painesville that serves Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga counties -- received a letter from HUD on Feb. 27 notifying them that their funding had been revoked at DOGEs direction.

In total, 78 HUD grants flowing to 33 fair housing organizations were terminated, with many of the grants accounting for a substantial amount of the nonprofits' budgets, according to a 36-page filing.

Clevelands Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research was slated to receive $112,500 in HUD grants at the time its funding was terminated, according to court records.

Executive Director Carrie Pleasants said in a statement that the abrupt termination of the grant caused substantial chaos and confusion, not only at our organization, but to thousands of Ohioans.

It sets a dangerous precedent, leaving countless individuals without the support they need to overcome housing inequality, she added. All of Ohio will bear the brunt of this detrimental decision.

The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research intended to use some of the canceled grant money to fight housing discrimination against those who pay with housing vouchers, and help voucher-users move around more freely, according to the suit.

They also planned to use some of the money to combat racial discrimination and intimidation, and bring more attention to the impacts of lead exposure, residential asthma triggers and other environmental factors.

The nonprofit said in its filing that it had not received any prior communication from HUD that it was not satisfying the requirements of the grant.

The abrupt cut-off in funding leaves people in perilous circumstances with nowhere to turn, the filing said.
Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas have once again fueled dating rumors after being spotted arriving together at the London Heliport on March 14.

The actors, who have been seen together multiple times in recent months, were photographed chatting and laughing with staff as they got off a helicopter. Cruise, 62, wore black jeans and a brown button-down shirt, while de Armas, 36, opted for a white tee, jeans, and white sneakers under a black trench coat.

This is the duo's second public appearance together in two days. They were last seen at the exact location the night before.

The rumors began in February when the pair were photographed together grabbing dinner the day before Valentine's Day. The "Ballerina" actress was seen carrying takeout bags as they greeted fans before getting into the same taxi. At the time, a source with knowledge of the pair's conversations told PEOPLE that Cruise and de Armas met to discuss "potential collaborations down the line." It can be noted that de Armas has previously praised the "Mission Impossible" star and said he inspired her to perform her own stunts in her films.

"I can appreciate what he does 100% now, and I totally get why he does it. He's so mind-blowing," she said.

Neither Cruise nor de Armas has publicly addressed the nature of their relationship. Representatives for both actors have yet to release an official statement addressing the rumors.

Cruise and de Armas are both gearing up for exciting projects in the coming years. Cruise will continue to dominate the action genre with his upcoming film, Mission: ImpossibleThe Final Reckoning, which will release on May 23. He is also collaborating with acclaimed director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu on an untitled apocalyptic film, which will hit theaters on Oct. 2, 2026. The project is described as a dramatic and psychological thriller.

De Armas, who has already made a significant impact in films like Blade Runner 2049 and No Time to Die, is set to star in Ballerina, a spin-off of the John Wick franchise, alongside Keanu Reeves. The film is scheduled for release in June 2025. Additionally, she is making her English-language series debut in Bananas, an Apple TV+ show where she stars alongside Oscar Isaac, directed by David O. Russell.

Originally published on Enstarz
PepsiCo announced Monday it has acquired the prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion. The deal, which includes $300 million in anticipated cash tax benefits, effectively brings the net purchase price to $1.65 billion.

PepsiCo's Chairman and CEO, Ramon Laguarta, emphasized that the acquisition aligns with the company's ongoing strategy to enhance its "better-for-you" offerings.

"Consumers are seeking choices that align with their lifestyles and growing interest in health and wellness," he said in a statement.

Laguarta also noted that this acquisition underscores PepsiCo's commitment to meeting the rising demand for healthier beverage options, a trend the company has been increasingly focused on.

Poppi, founded by Allison Ellsworth in Austin, Texas, is known for its low-calorie sodas made with prebiotics and fruit juice, with each serving containing no more than 5 grams of sugar. The brand initially gained traction when Ellsworth began selling her homemade concoctions at farmers' markets before securing investment on the ABC show Shark Tank. It quickly expanded to major retailers nationwide.

Ellsworth expressed her excitement about the acquisition, stating, "We can't wait to begin this next chapter with PepsiCo to bring our soda to more people."

She highlighted how the partnership will allow Poppi to expand its reach while maintaining the unique qualities that have made it popular.

PepsiCo's focus on healthier options is part of a broader industry trend. Coca-Cola is also expanding into the prebiotic soda space, launching its own offering, Simply Pop, targeting wellness-conscious Gen Z and millennial consumers.

The prebiotic soda market, as a whole, is expected to reach a value of $54.5 million by 2034, according to Future Market Insights.

Despite Poppi's success, the brand faced legal challenges last year when several class-action lawsuits were filed, alleging that its products did not live up to the advertised claims regarding gut health benefits.

In response, Poppi removed references to "gut health" from its packaging in late 2023 and agreed to a settlement, including an $8.9 million fund for consumer payments. A hearing regarding the settlement is set for May 8.

Laguarta has previously spoken about the broader shift toward health and wellness, acknowledging that the increased consumer awareness around topics like obesity drugs has influenced behavior.

He reiterated that PepsiCo is committed to adapting its portfolio, noting that the company has focused on reducing sodium, fat, and sugar, while incorporating healthier ingredients such as plant-based proteins and whole grains.

PepsiCo's acquisition of Poppi has been met with a positive market response, with PepsiCo shares rising nearly 2% in morning trading Monday.
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Private assets currently account for less than 1% of assets in 401(k)s and other defined contribution plans, but some major asset managers and plan administrators want to increase that share. "We are seeing institutions worldwide blend public and private markets, and in many cases, it's been a great investment," said Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock , at a summit on retirement that the company sponsored last week. More than half of the $11.6 trillion in assets under management at BlackRock are in retirement products. Fink and other proponents say a key reason for including private assets in the $12.5 trillion workplace retirement plan market is the need for greater portfolio diversification.

Over the last 20 years, the number of publicly traded companies has declined as firms backed by private equity have grown. In the U.S., about 87% of companies with annual revenues of more than $100 million are now private, according to the Partners Group, a Swiss-based global private equity firm. "So, how do we give 128 million Americans in the defined contribution system exposure to those asset classes?" asks Ed Murphy, CEO of Empower, the second-largest U.S. retirement services company, which administers 88,000 retirement plans. Murphy, whose company serves 19 million individual investors, supports efforts to add private assets to retirement plans as part of a target-date fund, managed account or collective investment trust fund rather than a "stand-alone" investment. "There's a lot of good work being done in the industry on bringing this together in a way that makes sense, and hopefully it gets employers comfortable," he said.

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Private equity comes with 'greater risk'

Yet, for many plan sponsors to feel secure about investing in private assets, several challenges must be addressed, including high fees, transparency of the assets, liquidity risk and increased volatility. "Private equity can pay higher returns than traditional public market investments, of course, with greater risk for retirement savers. This could offer an opportunity for higher growth for their assets, but it would mean more exposure to volatility, which is probably not ideal for people nearing retirement," said Olivia Mitchell, a professor of business economics and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania and executive director of the Pension Research Council. Employers offering 401(k) plans also must act as fiduciaries, meaning they are required to serve the best interests of the plan participants, not themselves.

Plan sponsors are responsible for financial education, which some experts say may be challenging in explaining less-well-known investments. "If they don't understand what they're buying, they shouldn't be in it," said Robert Burnette, a financial advisor and CEO of Outlook Financial Center in Troy, Ohio. Employers have to select and monitor investment options, ensure that fees are reasonable and provide participants with enough information to make informed decisions about their retirement savings.

Larry Fink, chief executive officer of BlackRock Inc., speaks during the 2025 National Retirement Summit in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Citigroup stock could be a standout among banking peers as President Donald Trump's tariffs continue to weigh on markets, according to Wells Fargo. The firm on Friday reiterated an overweight rating on Citigroup stock, which is also a top pick for Wells Fargo. Its $110 price target suggests nearly 60% upside. Analyst Mike Mayo said Citigroup is well positioned to navigate potential headwinds from the president's tariffs given its success navigating the first round of duties during Trump's first term. Moreover, Mayo added that the stock is also trading at a discount when accounting for its physical assets. C YTD mountain Citigroup stock in 2025. "Citigroup should benefit from tariffs as the company did during Trump 1.0 (Citi is a global intermediary across regions). That's important at a time when their buybacks could go a lot further at 3/4 of tangible book value," Mayo said, encouraging investors to "buy the chaos" as Citi shifts "from value destruction to value creation in 2026." Mayo explained that he anticipates Citi stock will trade based on the value of its physical assets during this period of heightened uncertainty. But that will mean that "opportunistic" stock buybacks will provide a tailwind this year. Citigroup shares have ticked down 1.8% in 2025, as many investors have been fearful of the uncertainty created by policy changes. But the analyst expects the moves will be front-loaded and eventually help the U.S. economy. Other headwinds include the risk of a recession and weakening CEO and consumer confidence, which could "create corporate paralysis." Banking stocks were some of the most notable beneficiaries on the heels of Trump's election win last November, given his rhetoric and stance on deregulation. "Deregulation remains the best in 3 decades for banks, and recent appointments reaffirm a pro business administration," Mayo said, adding that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is likely to get rid of "red tape" and let banks make their own lending decisions.
A lot of parents tell their children that can achieve anything if they work hard and apply themselves. But that doesn't account for luck, which is a huge factor that many highly successful people have said they owe their careers to, points out Anthony Mackie, star of the 2025 movie "Captain America: Brave New World."

"We are lying to our kids," Mackie, 46, said in a recent interview with The Pivot Podcast. "We tell [them]  if they do right and they make the good grades and they go to the programs, they will become successful. 'If you work hard enough, your work will [pay off].' And that's not true."

In many cases, "success is given [and] not earned," Mackie continued.

Mackie had been an actor for over 10 years before landing the role that many consider his big break, as Sam Wilson in 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," he said. After graduating from the prestigious Juilliard School in 2001, he performed in both on- and Off-Broadway productions and in Academy award-winning films, like 2008's "The Hurt Locker." However, the New Orleans native struggled to break out in Hollywood's highly competitive landscape.

Mackie estimates he "put in 10,750 hours of training" before landing that life-changing job. He was proactive, too: He wrote letters to executives at Disney's Marvel Studios over a decade ago in the hopes of landing a role in one of the studio's popular superhero films, he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023.

While the letters didn't result in any roles right away, Mackie eventually landed a meeting with directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. They offered him a part in an upcoming film, though they couldn't share many details: "[They said], 'We can't say what character you're playing or who else is going to be in it. Would you do it?'" Mackie said.

The actor agreed because he liked the directors and believed joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe was an opportunity he couldn't pass up, he said. Fortunately for Mackie, the role of Sam Wilson proved popular enough to grow from a small character into a headliner.
TONGREN, CHINA - MARCH 13, 2025 - Prosecutors explain to consumers how to buy qualified products at a supermarket in Pingxi street of Yuping Dong Autonomous County in Tongren, southwest China's Guizhou province on March 13, 2025. Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images

China announced a "Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption" on Sunday in a bid to prop up domestic consumption in the world's second largest economy.



The General Office of the Central Committee, an office directly under China's ruling party, said the plan was to vigorously boost consumption, expand domestic demand, and "enhance consumption capacity by increasing income and reducing burdens," according to a Google translation of the report. The wide-ranging release also outlined other steps, such as taking "multiple measures" to stabilize the stock market and developing more bond products suitable for individual investors. China's CSI 300 index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index were slightly up on Monday, registering gains of about 0.1%.

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This comes a week after China's Premier Li Qiang delivered an annual report on government work that named boosting consumption as the top task for the year ahead. Back then, Chinese policymakers had increasingly acknowledged the need to counter deflationary pressure at home. China is currently facing a sluggish consumer landscape, with the most recent consumer price index in February registering its steepest fall in over a year and producer price index in contractionary territory since October 2022.

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The plan announced on Sunday also called for support to promote inbound and domestic tourism, with support planned to be given to ice and snow regions to help them develop into globally recognized winter tourism destinations. Unilateral visa-free arrangements will be expanded and regional entry policies will be optimized. While the plan does not seem to contain "anything too new, setting this out as an action plan signals that concrete steps at local levels will follow." said Lynn Song, ING's chief economist for Greater China told CNBC. More importantly, she said the plan shows China's commitment towards addressing long-term structural issues such as the the slowdown of wages, the negative wealth effect from the property and stock markets, and the insufficient social safety net. The plan calls for actions to increase incomes of both urban and rural residents, as well as farmers, such as employment support plans and continuing to implement the unemployment insurance policy.



Song pointed out, "these are likely multi-year directions rather than something that can be fixed in a few months. Directionally, it is quite encouraging that policymakers are taking a sober look at these themes, and it should help the longer term transition to a consumption driven economy." "As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day  neither was BYD and China's EV dominance  many of China's major policy directives take time to bear fruit, and this document plants the seeds for the long-term development of the consumer industry," Song said.
On January 22, Andrew Nettels spent the morning onboarding for his Honors Program role with the Department of Justice. Later that day, an email put his future on hold. The third-year law student at George Washington University had his full-time offer with the Department of Justice rescinded due to the federal government's hiring freeze. He was planning on starting after his graduation in the spring. "At first, I thought it was an error," says Nettels, 25. "It was several days before I realized it wasn't." Nettels is one of many early-career professionals affected by the freeze, confirmed by rescission letters which CNBC Make It reviewed. The National Association for Law Placement says around 1,000 law graduates in the class of 2023 joined the federal government, including 250 placements into honors programs, which are highly competitive, entry-level fellowships. The total number of graduates entering federal government jobs has remained relatively steady since 2018, according to NALP data. Some, like Isaiah Gonzales, a third-year law student at Vermont Law and Graduate School who had an Honors Program offer with the Department of Justice rescinded, signed long-term leases in anticipation of their jobs. While Gonzales, 28, says he was able to get out of the lease, the disappointment of losing his "dream job" stung. "I was distraught," Gonzales says. "I worked my whole three years in law school to get this and somehow, with the strike of a pen, it's been taken away from me."

'That job security is gone'

Interns have been affected, too. Austin Mun, a second-year law student at Seton Hall, had a summer offer with the IRS rescinded. He says he was looking forward to taking a role with the agency, which he says has a "good re-hiring policy." He immigrated to the United States from South Korea when he was in middle school and planned on being the first in his family to buy a house if he received a full-time offer. Now, he fears those plans are in jeopardy. "That job security is gone, so all that dream is gone," says Mun, 31. He has found summer employment with the insurance company AIG but is "not sure how well it translates into full-time, like [the] IRS does." Many students decided to forego other opportunities in the private sector and with state and local governments in favor of the federal government offers. Now, a lot of them say they are left without a backup plan. "When I accepted the offer with the government, I didn't apply to a lot of other places that I could have," says Michael Stile, 25, a second-year student at Seton Hall who also accepted a summer role with the IRS. And now it's too late: "A lot of firms and everything that I could have applied to, the applications have closed."

The legal community scrambles to help: 'It's amazing to see the support'

The rescission of offers has left schools and industry professionals scrambling to help students find work, as well as recent graduates who were laid off. Students with rescinded job offers aren't just scrambling to find a new position. Many now don't know in which state they are going to take the bar exam, which often takes place in February and July, Nettels says. Where they take the bar determines the states in which they are licensed to practice law  and not every state has reciprocity. For example, if you are licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C., you would have to retake the bar to practice law in California. Daniela Kraiem, assistant dean for career and professional development at American University, says the school has tapped into its alumni network to help recent graduates and students find replacement opportunities. "In this case, we've especially reached out to our state and local government alumni, looking around for people who can provide similar training experience [to the federal government]," Kraiem says. "We've already had a couple of students obtain new job offers that way, through our alumni network, word-of-mouth." These efforts aren't limited to just American University; they're nationwide. Kraiem was one of more than 100 people on a recent call hosted by the NALP, she says, focused on sharing what strategies schools, non-profit organizations, and recruiters are using to help place candidates affected by the hiring freeze. "It's amazing to see the support of the legal community," she says.

The U.S. could 'lose future tax practitioners, professors, judges and government leaders'

Industry professionals, like Caroline Ciraolo, have also extended resources. Ciraolo, who specializes in tax law and is a partner at the law firm Kostelanetz LLP, initiated the email address taxhiring25@gmail.com to help provide employment opportunities for those affected by downsizing at the IRS and Department of Justice tax division. "This began with a feeling of frustration," says Ciraolo in an emailed statement to CNBC. "Rather than simply complain, the tax bar decided to act." Candidates send an email with their resume, a writing sample, their offer letter and offer rescission. After filling out a survey, they are entered into a spreadsheet, where employers can access their materials and get in contact with them. Between Feb. 8 and Feb. 28, approximately 100 candidates, including Mun and Stile, reached out to the email address, according to Ciraolo. So did 50 employers. The employers include "law and accounting firms, academia, for-profit and non-profit entities, and state tax authorities," Ciraolo says. They offer a variety of positions including one-year fellowships, summer internships, and even some full-time permanent positions. "As tax professionals, we are raised to support mentor, sponsor, and train the next generation," Ciraolo says of the group's efforts. "If we do nothing  we will lose future tax practitioners, professors, judges and government leaders."

We are raised to support, mentor, sponsor, and train the next generation. Caroline Ciraolo Partner at Kostelanetz LLP
Ferraris are becoming increasingly popular among younger buyers, with the CEO of the luxury automaker revealing that 40% of new buyers are now under the age of 40.

That reflects a significant upswing from just over 18 months ago, when Ferrari's chief said the figure stood at 30%.

"40% of the new clients are below 40 years," Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna told CNBC on the sidelines of CONVERGE LIVE in Singapore.

"I don't know for other brands, but for us, it is an achievement that is thanks to our team," he added.

The Maranello, Italy-based manufacturer is well known for keeping a tight rein on the production of its cars, seeking to maintain the brand's promise of exclusivity. Indeed, as of last year, nearly three-quarters of all Ferraris were sold to existing customers.

Famously, founder Enzo Ferrari once said that the company would "always deliver one less car than the market demands."

Vigna shared a couple of examples during a fireside chat at CONVERGE LIVE of prospective buyers urging the company to speed up production. He insisted, however, that the more-than-two-year wait time was an integral part of what he described as a "very pleasant" experience.
Google DeepMind co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Demis Hassabis speaks during the Mobile World Congress, the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024. Pau Barrena | Afp | Getty Images

LONDON  Artificial intelligence that can match humans at any task is still some way off  but it's only a matter of time before it becomes a reality, according to the CEO of Google DeepMind. Speaking at a briefing in DeepMind's London offices on Monday, Demis Hassabis said that he thinks artificial general intelligence (AGI)  which is as smart or smarter than humans  will start to emerge in the next five or 10 years. "I think today's systems, they're very passive, but there's still a lot of things they can't do. But I think over the next five to 10 years, a lot of those capabilities will start coming to the fore and we'll start moving towards what we call artificial general intelligence," Hassabis said. Hassabis defined AGI as "a system that's able to exhibit all the complicated capabilities that humans can." "We're not quite there yet. These systems are very impressive at certain things. But there are other things they can't do yet, and we've still got quite a lot of research work to go before that," Hassabis said.

Hassabis isn't alone in suggesting that it'll take a while for AGI to appear. Last year, the CEO of Chinese tech giant Baidu Robin Li said he sees AGI is "more than 10 years away," pushing back on excitable predictions from some of his peers about this breakthrough taking place in a much shorter timeframe.

Some time to go yet

Hassabis' forecast pushes the timeline to reach AGI some way back compared to what his industry peers have been sketching out. Dario Amodei, CEO of AI startup Anthropic, told CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January that he sees a form of AI that's "better than almost all humans at almost all tasks" emerging in the "next two or three years."

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Other tech leaders see AGI arriving even sooner. Cisco's Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel thinks there's a chance we could see an example of AGI emerge as soon as this year. "There's three major phases" to AI, Patel told CNBC in an interview at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona earlier this month. "There's the basic AI that we're all experience right now. Then there is artificial general intelligence, where the cognitive capabilities meet those of humans. Then there's what they call superintelligence," Patel said. "I think you will see meaningful evidence of AGI being in play in 2025. We're not talking about years away," he added. "I think superintelligence is, at best, a few years out." Artificial super intelligence, or ASI, is expected to arrive after AGI and surpass human intelligence. However, "no one really knows" when such a breakthrough will happen, Hassabis said Monday. Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted that AGI would likely be available by 2026, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said such a system could be developed in the "reasonably close-ish future."

What's needed to reach AGI?

Hassabis said that the main challenge with achieving artificial general intelligence is getting today's AI systems to a point of understanding context from the real world.

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While it's been possible to develop systems that can break down problems and complete tasks autonomously in the realm of games  such as the complex strategy board game Go  bringing such a technology into the real world is proving harder. "The question is, how fast can we generalize the planning ideas and agentic kind of behaviors, planning and reasoning, and then generalize that over to working in the real world, on top of things like world models  models that are able to understand the world around us," Hassabis said." "And I think we've made good progress with the world models over the last couple of years," he added. "So now the question is, what's the best way to combine that with these planning algorithms?" Hassabis and Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google's cloud computing division, said that so-called "multi-agent" AI systems are a technological advancement that's gaining a lot of traction behind the scenes. Hassabis said lots of work is being done to get to this stage. One example he referred to is DeepMind's work getting AI agents to figure out how to play the popular strategy game "Starcraft." "We've done a lot of work on that with things like Starcraft game in the past, where you have a society of agents, or a league of agents, and they could be competing, they could be cooperating," DeepMind's chief said. "When you think about agent to agent communication, that's what we're also doing to allow an agent to express itself ... What are your skills? What kind of tools do you use?" Kurian said. "Those are all elements that you need to be able to ask an agent a question, and then once you have that interface, then other agents can communicate with it," he added.
Japan is set to deploy long-range missiles on its southern island of Kyushu in response to rising security concerns. The missiles, with a range of approximately 1,000 km, will be capable of targeting North Korea and China's coastal regions.

The deployment is scheduled for next year across two bases that already house missile garrisons. The move is aimed at bolstering the defense of the strategically important Okinawa island chain and is part of Japan's broader development of "counterstrike capabilities" in the event of an attack, according to reports from Kyodo News citing government sources.

Although the deployment of long-range missiles on Okinawa, which lies within 110 km of Taiwan, is unlikely due to concerns about provoking China, the islands currently host several missile batteries with shorter ranges.

"As the threat from China and North Korea has been mounting, it is natural for Japan to counter this with more effective weapons systems," said Yoichi Shimada, professor emeritus at Fukui Prefectural University. "I think Japan should rapidly take measures such as the deployment of longer-range missiles to develop more robust security."

"We have a great relationship with Japan, but we have an interesting deal with Japan that we have to protect them, but they don't have to protect us," Trump said. "That's the way the deal reads... and by the way, they make a fortune with us economically. I actually ask who makes these deals?"

The security treaty was originally signed in 1951 when Japan was still occupied by US forces. Japan's military actions are constrained by its pacifist constitution, particularly Article 9, which was imposed by the U.S, after World War II.

Shimada believes that "proactive measures" such as the missile deployment will strengthen US-Japan ties and sees the Trump administration's calls for more reciprocal defense arrangements as "not so unreasonable."

However, Trump's broader remarks about NATO allies, including Canada and Denmark, have raised concerns in Japan regarding the US's commitment to honoring long-standing treaties.

Robert Dujarric, a professor at Temple University in Tokyo, expressed concerns over the U.S.-Japan alliance, saying, "It is clear to anyone who is watching this carefully that the U.S.-Japan alliance is in bad shape. Even if China attacked Japan, there is no guarantee that the US under Trump would do anything. That is a big problem."

Two Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) bases in Kyushu, Camp Yufuin in Oita and Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, are being considered for the missile deployment. Both bases already host missile batteries, and the new systems are expected to be upgraded versions of the GSDF's Type-12 land-to-ship guided missiles.

Dujarric noted that the deployment is part of Japan's broader military capacity increase, adding, "This is just one part of a gradual increase in Japanese military capacity." He also suggested that Japan may need to rethink its security policy in light of shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Despite Japan's pacifist stance since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago, Dujarric warned that if Japan concludes it can no longer rely on U.S. military support, the country may reconsider its defense options, potentially sparking debate over the acquisition of nuclear weapons.
Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here's a recap of Monday's key moments. 1. U.S. stocks were mixed Monday. Friday's bounce-back rally was not enough to prevent the S & P 500 from dropping for a fourth straight week on tariff concerns. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he's not worried, calling market corrections healthy on Sunday during NBC's "Meet The Press." Jim Cramer on Monday begged to differ, saying corrections are just painful. Club stock Nvidia resumed its slide Monday after last week's nearly 8% gain ahead of CEO Jensen Huang's GTC keynote address Tuesday. Jim said Nvidia stock has "become very pedestrian" and Huang needs to wow Wall Street to win investors back . 2. Melius Research on Monday released a note in support of Apple after the stock sank nearly 11% last week. The analysts downplayed the delays of more AI updates to Siri. They believe Apple could take a few lessons from the 2017 launch of the iPhone X, which saw growth from higher average selling prices (ASPs) versus units sold. There are rumors of a new "iPhone Air" form factor coming in September, Melius said, which could replace the Plus and alter designs for the flagship Pro and Max models. That could drive customers to seek tiers with higher ASPs given new components, the analysts wrote. 3. DuPont has named Joe Kemp as CEO of its electronic business, which will be spun off into a separate company. Kemp isn't seen as much of a surprise since he is currently the president of DuPont's Electronics & Industrials unit. In the release, and perhaps more important than the CEO news, DuPont said the spin is still on track for Nov. 1. "We have continued to buy a lot of DuPont at this level. So, I can't just say let's buy more DuPont" for the Club, Jim said. But he said investors who do not own the stock should know that Monday's announcement is a very "positive development." 4. Stocks covered in Monday's rapid fire at the end of the video were: Netflix , Arista Networks , Blackstone, Affirm , and Norwegian Cruise Lines . (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long NVDA, DD, AAPL. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Here are Monday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Seaport upgrades Formula One to buy from neutral Seaport said the stock is "oversold" on tariff concerns. "We are back in the F1 cockpit, upgrading our FWONA/K recommendation to Buy from Neutral, with PTs of $91/$96 on FWONA/K." Morgan Stanley reiterates Nvidia as overweight Morgan Stanley is standing by the stock ahead of its Global AI Conference this week. " NVDA roadmap is well understood but still see GTC [Global AI Conference] as a positive." Redburn Atlantic Equities initiates Reddit as sell Redburn said consensus is not understanding the "vulnerability of Reddit's growth to Google Search." "While Reddit's financial performance has been stellar since its IPO in March 2024, consensus expectations fail to appreciate the vulnerability of Reddit's growth to Google Search and the structural challenges of Reddit's nascent advertising proposition. We see material downside to consensus estimates, relative to which Reddit's current valuation is already at an unjustified premium to peers." Deutsche Bank upgrades Sprouts Farmers Market to buy from hold Deutsche Bank said investors should buy the dip in the grocery chain. "In light of the stock's 23% pullback over the last month, we are upgrading SFM to Buy." Wells Fargo upgrades Genesis Energy to overweight from equal weight Wells Fargo said the master limited partnership midstream energy company has "visible growth." " GEL Has Significant Financial Flexibility." William Blair upgrades Docusign to outperform from market perform The firm said it sees a "pathway back to double digit growth" for the tech signature company. "We are upgrading our rating on shares of DocuSign to Outperform." UBS upgrades Blackstone to buy from neutral UBS said the stock has an "attractive long term growth profile." "We are upgrading BX to Buy with a $180 PT as we believe the recent 27% sell-off in BX provides a window to invest in a premier alts platform with structural & scale advantages at a reasonable valuation." JPMorgan upgrades Norwegian Cruise Line to overweight from neutral JPMorgan upgraded Norwegian following a series of meetings with management. "The definitive message from management was zero detectable change in demand behavior to date despite 'noise' in the macro backdrop, including no change in booking curves to indicate irregular patterns, no cracks in onboard spend, and no change in cancellation rates." Evercore ISI upgrades SL Green to outperform from in line Evercore ISI said investors should buy the dip in the real estate investment trust. " SLG's stock has dropped nearly 16% in 2025, underperforming both the office sector and the broader REIT index, which follows a very strong performance in 2024.  Midtown Manhattan remains the strongest office market in the country with companies seeking high quality space which is in short supply in certain submarkets such as Park Avenue." Bank of America adds O'Reilly to the US1 list The firm added the stock to its top ideas list. "We are adding O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY) to the US 1 List." Mizuho reiterates Tesla as outperform Mizuho lowered its price target on the stock to $415 per share from $515. "We believe TSLA's sales woes are the result of a deterioration in geopolitics, brand perception (US/EU), share loss due to stronger competition." JPMorgan adds Arista Networks to the focus list JPMorgan added the networking switch company to its focus list and says investors should buy the dip. " ANET shares are now trading at 28x 2026 consensus EPS, which although not inexpensive, is leaving ample room for upside in the shares both from earnings upsides as well as upside to the valuation multiple." TD Cowen reiterates Micron as buy The firm said it is sticking with Micron ahead of earnings later this week. "We are keeping our estimates unchanged as we believe it's still early to move them higher despite our checks trending more positively compared to a few months ago." JPMorgan adds Royal Caribbean to the focus list The firm added Royal Caribbean to its focus list following a constructive meeting with company management. "On the near-term backdrop - mgmt referenced back to the 'extremely bullish' C-Suite tone of the 3/4 Investor Day (or less than 2 weeks ago) driven by broad based strength seen at that time across Luxury, Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean, despite "noise" in the broader geopolitical/macroeconomic backdrop and lateral travel sector." Bank of America initiates UP Fintech as buy The firm said the online brokerage is a "key beneficiary of booming Asia wealth market." "We initiate coverage on UP FinTech Holding (known as Tiger Brokers) at Buy. It is a leading online broker, providing brokerage services, ESOP [employee stock ownership] management, IPO distribution, and wealth management services, for retail and corporate clients." Jefferies reiterates Nike as buy Jefferies said it is sticking with Nike ahead of earnings later this week. "F3Q results should be extremely challenging, but the market already knows that. We see revenues down over 10%, EBIT margins down ~600bps, and EPS down 69%." Wolfe reiterates Meta as outperform Wolfe said it is bullish on the company's business messaging opportunity. "In the near term, we think Meta's core product- driven initiatives have the highest potential to driving estimates upside. However, in the medium term, we believe Threads monetization and Business Messaging will likely emerge as more meaningful growth catalysts, in addition to Meta AI monetization and the option value of potentially lowering Reality Labs losses over time." RBC initiates Nextracker as outperform RBC said the solar tracking manufacturer is well positioned. "We are initiating coverage on NXT with an Outperform rating and a $55 price target." D.A. Davidson upgrades Monday.com to buy from hold D.A. Davidson said it sees a "lucky" entry point for the cloud software company. "With the recent pull back in MNDY now is an opportune time to take a second look at an attractive entry point." Baird upgrades Accenture to outperform from neutral The firm said DOGE fears are overdone for the IT services company. "We think ACN can return to favor given strong moat/ FCF/accelerating growth, and can ultimately benefit from GenAI demand." Oppenheimer reiterates Chipotle as outperform Oppenheimer said investors should "take advantage" of the sell-off in shares. "CMG is down -16% over the last month (vs. S & P's -9%) as investors adjust for challenging industry trends and grow more fearful of a prolonged slowdown." Melius reiterates Apple as buy Melius said in a note to clients that Apple shares have several ways to get back on track. "In September 2025, we expect Apple to ship a new form factor in the 'iPhone Air' that could replace the 'Plus' and altered designs for the flagship Pros and Max's that could all drive customers to "mix-up" to tiers with higher ASP's [average selling price] given new components." MoffettNathanson upgrades Netflix to buy from neutral The firm said it sees a slew of positive catalysts ahead for the streaming giant. "Despite all of Netflix's recent success in reinvigorating growth, we believe its engagement will allow the company to better monetize and unlock greater profits in the years ahead."
MIAMI BEACH, FL.  It's the time of year when Miami Beach and other Florida towns are inundated with spring breakers out to have a good time. In the middle of these festivities descends the Future Proof Citywide conference, a gathering of 2,500 financial advisors, family office, and wealth management executives. Future Proof is part of an effort to "dismantle the old boundaries" and knit together three disparate communities: 1) the old Wall-Street community (the Merrill Lynch's, UBS, State Street, etc.) with 2) the growing community of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), and 3) the growing "alt" community of crypto, hedge funds, family offices and other investors in the ultra-high net worth community. This is the fifth Future Proof conference, and the first in Miami following conferences in Huntington Beach, Ca. "The festival in California focuses on RIAs [Registered Investment Advisors], but this festival is broader, it focuses on the ecosystem of wealth and asset managers, including RIAs but also family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals," Matt Middleton, Founder and CEO of Future Proof, told me. It's mostly about networking Like the other Future Proof conferences, this one is on the beach. In this case, right in the heart of South Beach. As the conference began Sunday afternoon, Jeff Corey and Lincoln Hurney from Claro Advisors in Boston were taking refuge from the 85 degree heat, listening to a talk on private equity and credit. Corey said they were there for three reasons. "First, we're here to talk to other financial advisors in similar situations, and to try to figure out how to get to the next level. Second, we want to hear more about technology and how to use AI responsibly, and finally we want to reconnect with friends we have met at prior Future Proofs, because we follow each other's careers and we can rely on my fellow advisors to give us an unbiased opinion on products and platforms and even career paths." That desire to reconnect with other RIAs and investment professionals is the main reason many keep coming back. "It's great to reconnect with colleagues," Alex Barned from Absolute Capital Management told me. Barned runs a turnkey asset management program (TAMP), which are platforms designed to help financial advisors manage investment accounts more efficiently. "The biggest RIAs are all coming through here," he told me, "We get to meet with the decision makers for those firms. We established two dozen new relationships at the last Future Proof. And being here elevates our profile with our clients and potential clients." "The networking is what makes this work," Doug Gill from Castleview Partners in Dallas told me. He too runs a TAMP that is hired by asset managers to run their accounts more efficiently. "If I can meet one boutique asset manager who can use our platform, and one RIA that manages, say, $100 million, that will make the trip worthwhile." It's not just networking and socializing Gill adds another reason he comes: "The content is good." Besides advice on how financial advisors can better grow and manage their business, there are panels on everything from succession planning to family office governance to generational wealth transfer. There's also plenty for advisors who want to take home actionable ideas for their clients. Bitcoin is top of mind for many. I'll be interviewing Strategy's Michael Saylor Monday morning, whose firm owns 500,000 bitcoin and has very strong opinions on the future of crypto. The recent market turmoil is also top of mind. I'll be speaking with Fundstrat's co-founder, Tom Lee, to get his take on where the markets are going next, also on Monday morning. My colleague Dom Chu will be getting the macroeconomic outlook Tuesday when he interviews Brian Belski from BMO Capital, Emily Roland from John Hancock Investment Management, and Gabriela Santos, Chief Market Strategist, Americas, for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. And CNBC regular Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities will give his broad overview of where the AI revolution is going during an interview on Tuesday. Bridging public and private markets is also a hot topic. I'll be speaking with Joe DeVico, co-head of U.S. Wealth Advisory for BlackRock, on Tuesday. Not evident in this MIami Beach incarnation are some of the whackier classes that made the California Future Proofs so endearing ("Fish Taco Frenzy: Coastal Cooking Class."). "The main theme that makes FutureProof special is the networking, and it's all done through technology," Middleton told me. "We want people to catch up with current friends and clients, but more importantly we want to focus on expanding their network." Much of this is being accomplished through a "speed dating" service that matches investment professionals with sell-side providers for short, 15-minute one-on-ones. At the last Future Proof in September, MIddleton said they arranged 32,000 meetings. That's more than enough to keep the old Wall Street sell-side community happy.
People line up outside the Social Security Administration office in San Francisco. Getty Images

New leadership at the Social Security Administration tied to the Trump administration's so-called Department of Government Efficiency has implemented swift changes. Many experts say Americans will notice a difference when seeking help from the agency following staff cuts, regional office closures and new service policies. The Social Security Administration is currently under the temporary leadership of acting Commissioner Lee Dudek, who assumed that role in February after acting Commissioner Michelle King stepped down over DOGE privacy concerns. Dudek had previously said publicly that he had been placed on administrative leave for cooperating with DOGE, according to reports. More from Personal Finance:

DOGE layoffs may 'overwhelm' unemployment system for federal workers

Education Department staff cuts leave student loan borrowers in the dark

What potential FHA layoffs could mean for homebuyers in the U.S. As a temporary leader, Dudek is not required to answer to Congress. "When you are a confirmed commissioner, you get called up to the Hill to testify on various issues that are operating for the agency," Jason Fichtner, a former Social Security Administration executive, said during a panel Thursday hosted by the National Academy of Social Insurance, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. "It's a check and balance that we currently don't have," Fichtner said. As DOGE's actions have upended the status quo at the Social Security Administration, former agency leaders, retirement experts and Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about its new policies. Meanwhile, at a committee hearing Wednesday, Republicans in Congress praised DOGE, saying it has improved the agency's efficiency in processing benefit increases tied to a new law. The Social Security Administration did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.

'Economic security of millions of Americans is at stake'

The National Academy of Social Insurance released a statement Friday signed by recipients of its award named on behalf of former Social Security Administration Commissioner Robert M. Ball, who served in that role from 1962 to 1973. "The economic security of millions of Americans is at stake," the signees wrote of the "major, destabilizing changes" the agency has recently undergone. Among those signing the statement were former acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi, former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, and Stephen Goss, a former Social Security Administration chief actuary. The statement lists "unprecedented actions" it says were recently undertaken by the Social Security Administration, including: staff reductions of about 7,000 of the agency's 57,000 employees while the agency already has an employee shortage and hiring freeze;

the closure of 10 field offices, which may limit access to benefits;

a reorganized leadership structure that will have just five deputy commissioners, who will now be political appointees;

the closure of the Office of Civil Rights and Office of Transformation in an effort to cut costs; and

the termination of research focused on how to improve Social Security, both from administrative and legislative standpoints.

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"Getting benefits to the currently and newly eligible, and accurately determining how much those benefits should be, requires the work of current SSA staff and more," the NASI statement said. Among those most vulnerable to longer wait times for benefits are the 2 million disability benefits applicants who are currently waiting on decisions, the statement said. An estimated 10,000 applicants have died in recent years while waiting for disability benefits, it said. The customer service crisis faced by the Social Security Administration, including a record initial disability backlog and record customer service wait times, existed before DOGE, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said during the hearing. The Trump administration has said the president "will always protect" Social Security and will not cut benefits. "Any American receiving Social Security benefits will continue to receive them," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said via email Monday when asked about the NASI statement. "The sole mission of DOGE is to identify waste, fraud, and abuse only."

Confirmation process 'needs to move along quickly'

President Donald Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano, chief executive of payments and financial technology company Fiserv, to serve as commissioner of the agency. Bisignano's Senate confirmation hearing is expected to take place in the coming weeks. Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Michael Astrue, who led the agency from 2007 to 2013, said during the National Academy of Social Insurance's panel Thursday that while he doesn't know Bisignano, "he can't possibly be worse than what we have now." While the confirmation process has moved slowly in the past, it would be better to move swiftly and find a suitable leader for the agency, Astrue said. "The process needs to move along quickly," Astrue said.

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When Bisignano does sit before the Senate, he will have to answer "a lot of questions in the confirmation process, beginning with: What did you know, and when did you know it?" former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O'Malley, who led the agency from 2023 to 2024, said during Thursday's panel. Senators may want to know whether Bisignano "approved and blessed" changes after his nomination such as cutting staff, eliminating offices and closing regional headquarters, O'Malley said. Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon sent a letter to Bisignano on March 11 emphasizing that he will be responsible for any benefit interruptions that may be prompted by sweeping changes at the agency. In the letter, they also included questions on his views on DOGE access to sensitive data, further staff cuts or other possible future plans for the agency. CNBC was unable to reach Bisignano for comment before publication.

Seniors 'already seeing the benefit'

A new law that President Joe Biden signed on Jan. 5  the Social Security Fairness Act  will allow more than 3.2 million individuals who are eligible for public pensions to receive increased Social Security checks. Affected beneficiaries also stand to receive payments dating back to January 2024. Smith, the House Ways and Means chairman, said during the hearing Wednesday that the Social Security Administration told him it would take "1,000 work hours" to send those back payments, much of which had to be done manually on a case-by-case basis. In his written testimony, Smith said the agency told him it would take "1,000 work-years" to process the changes.
Tesla is about to hit a rough sales patch, leading Mizuho to trim its estimates on the stock. The firm slashed its price target on the electric vehicle stock to $430 per share from $515 but stood by an outperform rating. Mizuho's forecast implies 72% upside ahead from Friday's close. Analyst Vijay Rakesh said in a note that Tesla's February sales likely underperformed the broader automotive market, especially in the U.S., as well as in Europe and China. The biggest pain spots, Rakesh estimated, were in China and Germany, where he forecast declines of 49% and 76%, respectively. Germany is the largest EV market in Europe, he noted. TSLA YTD mountain Tesla stock in 2025. "We believe TSLA's sales woes are the result of a deterioration in geopolitics, brand perception (US/EU), share loss due to stronger competition (China), and softer-than-expected demand for the Model Y refresh," Rakesh said. Tesla has pulled back more than 38% in 2025. The stock, which just five months ago was riding high on the heels of President Donald Trump's election win, has seen analysts sour on its prospects in recent weeks. Last week, the company warned it could face headwinds due to retaliatory tariffs from countries responding to Trump's slate of duties. More broadly, Rakesh said Trump's levies have bleak implications for the entire automotive segment. Even though the president excluded several goods that fall under the jurisdiction of the North American trade agreement known as the USMCA, Rakesh estimated that as much as 20% of automotive parts are uncompliant with the trade agreement's rules. Analyst sentiment on Tesla is mixed. LSEG data shows that 28 of 54 analysts covering the stock rate it a hold, underperform or sell. The remaining 26 have a buy or strong buy rating.
Each year 36 million trees fall due to decay, disease, natural disasters or clearing for new development. The vast majority of those trees are either burned, sent to a landfill or ground up for mulch, which wastes energy and causes carbon emissions.

Now, new technology is being used to find, transport and recycle that wood and make it useful once again.

Cambium is a startup aiming to disrupt the wood recycling space. Its Baltimore-based researchers are working on new ways to track, treat and transfer old wood into the supply chain. It bills itself as the platform "where timber meets tech."

"We make it really easy to source wood that would have otherwise been wasted and we build technology for the wood industry so that we can save material, create new local jobs and address climate change at scale," said CEO Ben Christensen.

Every piece of Cambium's "carbon smart" wood has a barcode. Scan it, and Cambium's app will identify what the species is, when it was milled and what its grade is.

Cambium's technology helps find, recycle and then deliver the wood across the United States and to parts of Canada. The company works with local tree care services, trucking companies and saw mills as well as companies like Amazon , CBRE , Gensler and Room and Board.

"We help truckers coordinate loads so they can actually move this material, and then we help sawmills source that material, track that material when they're actually using it within their sawmill and then ultimately sell that material as well," Christensen said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a joint press conference after their summit on July 16, 2018, in Helsinki, Finland.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week on ways to end the three-year war in Ukraine, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN on Sunday after returning from what he described as a "positive" meeting with Putin in Moscow.

"I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we're also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians," said Witkoff, who met with Putin on Thursday night, adding that he thought the talk between Trump and Putin would be "really good and positive."

Trump is trying to win Putin's support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week, as both sides continued trading heavy aerial strikes through the weekend and Russia moved closer to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their months-old foothold in the western Russian region of Kursk.

Trump said in a social media post on Friday that there was "a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end." He also said he had "strongly requested" that Putin not kill the thousands of Ukrainian troops that Russia is pushing out of Kursk.

Putin said he would honor Trump's request to spare the lives of the Ukrainian troops if they surrendered. The Kremlin also said on Friday that Putin had sent Trump a message about his ceasefire plan via Witkoff, expressing "cautious optimism" that a deal could be reached to end the conflict.

In separate appearances on Sunday shows, Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, emphasized that there are still challenges to be worked out before Russia agrees to a ceasefire, much less a final peaceful resolution to the war.
James Boasberg, incoming chief judge of the US District Court, in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, March 13, 2023.

The Department of Justice on Monday asked a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., to replace the district court judge overseeing a case challenging the Trump administration's deportations of hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador under the wartime Alien Enemies Act.

The request, which cited Chief Judge James Boasberg's alleged "inappropriate exercise of jurisdiction," came as Boasberg conducted a hearing where he pressed a top-ranking DOJ lawyer about the circumstances of the deportations conducted over the weekend.

The DOJ earlier Monday asked Boasberg without success to cancel that hearing.

Boasberg in an oral order on Saturday had told the DOJ to order the return of any deportees who were still airborne on flights that originated in the United States.

The DOJ in a court filing claimed that "an oral directive is not enforceable as an injunction" and said that it had complied with Boasberg's written order issued hours later blocking any more deportation flights of Venezuelans.

Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli told Boasberg on Monday that he was not at liberty to talk about details of the controversial deportation flights in a public setting in U.S. District Court in Washington.

At the same hearing, Lee Gelernt, a lawyer for five Venezuelan men who sued to challenge their feared deportations, told Boasberg that he wanted to be careful about his language, but said, "There has been a lot of talk the last couple of weeks about a constitutional crisis."

"I think we're getting very close to that," said Gelernt, who argued that two deportation flights took off from the United States after Boasberg's oral order.

Gelernt appeared to be referring to Kambli's refusal to answer questions by the judge about the flights, and to the Trump administration's argument that the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act were not subject to judicial order after the flights left U.S. airspace.

"It doesn't matter if you're in U.S. airspace or not," Boasberg said during Monday's hearing.
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while flying to Washington, DC, from Florida, on March 16, 2025, above Virginia.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and discuss ending the war in Ukraine, after positive talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Moscow.

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end," Trump told reporters on Air Force One during a late flight back to the Washington area from Florida. "Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance.

"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend."

Trump is trying to win Putin's support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week, as both sides continued trading heavy aerial strikes through the weekend and Russia moved closer to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their months-old foothold in the western Russian region of Kursk.

There was no immediate response from the Kremlin to a request for comment from Reuters.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Putin had sent Trump a message about his ceasefire plan via U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who held talks in Moscow, expressing "cautious optimism" that a deal could be reached to end the three-year conflict.

In separate appearances on Sunday TV shows in the United States, Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, emphasized that there were still challenges to be worked out before Russia agrees to a ceasefire, much less a final peaceful resolution to the war.

Asked on ABC whether the U.S. would accept a peace deal in which Russia was allowed to keep stretches of eastern Ukraine that it has seized, Waltz replied, "Are we going to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil?" He added that the negotiations had to be grounded in "reality."

Rubio told CBS a final peace deal would "involve a lot of hard work, concessions from both Russia and Ukraine," and that it would be difficult to even begin those negotiations "as long as they're shooting at each other."

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he saw a good chance to end the Russian war after Kyiv accepted the U.S. proposal for a 30-day interim ceasefire.

However, Zelenskiy has consistently said that the sovereignty of his country is not negotiable and that Russia must surrender the territory it has seized. Russia seized the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and now controls most of four eastern Ukrainian regions since it invaded the country in 2022.
The Philippines' Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo, has said that a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with India is under discussion as both countries aim to deepen engagement in sectors such as automotives, batteries, value-added IT & IT-enabled services, pharmaceuticals, health, and agriculture.Stating that the Philippines is the world's largest exporter of nickel ore, with exports worth $1.95 billion primarily used in lithium-ion battery production , Manalo said that currently, 98% of the country's nickel exports go to China, while the remaining 2% go to Japan.He invited India to become an active player in the Philippines' nickel sector for export diversification, as well as for processing and the development of a value chain.With India importing raw nickel worth $707 million from Russia, Norway, and Japan, Manalo suggested that an opportunity for supply chain realignment would help both economies develop their potential to harness their complementarity.Emphasising the need to accelerate negotiations on a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) , which has been under preliminary discussion for nearly two years, he invited Indian commercial vehicle companies to actively participate in a major vehicle modernisation programme in the Philippines.Manalo highlighted an untapped export potential of $577 million from the Philippines to India, with the latter currently enjoying a favourable balance of trade. India-Philippines bilateral trade grew by 8.6% year-on-year to reach $3.5 billion in 2024. India primarily exports pharmaceuticals, automotive components, and agricultural products to the Philippines, while the Southeast Asian nation exports electronic goods, machinery, and select agricultural commodities to India.
The Donald Trump administration has prepared a red" list of 11 countries whose citizens will would be barred from entering the United States of America. This would be part of a broader travel ban plan that whose restrictions would be part of as many as 43 countries.US officials cautioned that the list had been developed by the State Department several weeks ago, and is likely to be changed by the time it reaches the White House, as mentioned in a New York Times report.Trump had issued an executive order when he took office on January 20 that required the State Department to identify countries for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries."He gave the department 60 days to finish a report for the White House with that list, meaning it is due next week.The draft lists prepared by diplomatic and security officials have been categories into: Red, Orange and Yellow.Citizens are from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen will be barred from entering the United States. News outlet Times had reported this month that Afghanistan, which was not part of Trumps first-term travel ban, but fell to Taliban after the US forces withdrew from Kabul, is likely to face the ban.It includes 10 countries for which travel would be limited but not banned. In those cases, rich businessmen might be allowed to enter, but not people travelling on immigrant visas. Citizens on that list would have to undergo mandatory in-person interviews in order to receive a visa. It included Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Turkmenistan.The remaining 22 countries are part of this list, which includes Angola, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Vanuatu. These countries would be given 60 days to clear up perceived deficiencies, with the threat of being moved to other categories if they dont comply. Issues include failing to share with the US information about incoming travellers, purported inadequate security practices for issuing passports, or selling citizenship to people banned from the countries, according to a New York Times report.Bhutan, which has been touted as one of the happiest countries in the world, has been banned due to national security concerns" and irregular migration patterns", the US government has cited. According to official sources, there has been an unexpected increase in Bhutanese nationals overstaying their visas or attempting to enter the US through unauthorised channels, as per The Feed.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported a 37% rise in Bhutanese visa violations in the past year, prompting stricter measures.The travel ban means Bhutanese citizens planning to visit the US will now face increased scrutiny, longer visa processing times, and outright visa denials in some cases. Those seeking student visas and work permits may find it much harder to secure entry. Additionally, Bhutanese nationals currently in the US on temporary visas might face additional checks, making renewals more difficult.The move is likely to impact the US-Bhutanese relations, which have largely been stable. Bhutans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially requested a review of the decision, stating that Bhutanese citizens do not pose a significant security threat to the US.US media reports suggest that it is not clear whether those with existing visas would be exempted from the ban, or if their visas would be cancelled. Nor is it clear whether the government intends to exempt existing green card holders, who are already approved for lawful permanent residency.The proposal to restrict and not ban visitors from Russia also raises issues. While the Russian government has a reputation for corruption, Trump has been trying to revamp US foreign policy in a more Russia-friendly direction.The administration had said last week that it had cancelled the green card of a Syrian-born former Columbia University graduate student of Palestinian descent, Mahmoud Khalil, because he led high-profile protests on US campuses against Israels role in Gaza that the government perceived as anti-Semitic.It should be noted that some of the countries on the red and orange travel ban lists were sanctioned by Trump in his first term. But several new ones have been added this time. The earlier lists contained a majority of Muslim countries, or non-white, poor and corrupt countries.Trump had signed an executive order titled Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States a week after entering office in his first term. The order was referred to as Muslim Travel Ban", as it largely targeted Muslim-majority nations.The ban barred entry of Syrian refugees and temporarily suspended the entry of individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.The action triggered chaos at airports and protests. Judges in several states blocked the initial ban soon after it went into place in 2017, claiming that it targeted Muslim countries and discriminated against people for their nationality without justification, violating US immigration law.The Supreme Court rewrote the notion that allowed banning citizens from Libya, Iran, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. The ban was upheld in 2018.When Joe Biden took office in 2021, he repealed the ban, calling it a stain on our national conscience" and inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all."During his campaign, Trump had vowed to reinstate the travel ban if he came to power. In July, at a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Trump told the crowd that he would restore the travel ban, suspend refugee admissions, stop the resettlement, and keep the terrorists the hell out of our country" and that he would do so on day one" of his presidency.
It is now clear that Google Assistant will be replaced by generative AI (genAI) tool Gemini in most Android-based phones. The process is expected to begin shortly and be completed before the end of the year, according to the official Google blog The Keyword.

Mobile phones running Android 9 or earlier will not be affected by the decision, as they would likely run into problems using Gemini.

In addition to smartphones, Gemini will also be integrated into tablets, smart watches, televisions, monitors, cars and headphones, according to 9to5Google.
Oof sorry, unfollowing now. I knew he was an authoritarian dictator, just learned he married his cousin.

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14 Lets Just Say: Eleanor Roosevelt Didnt Need to Change Her Name FDR gave non-incestual marriage the ol college try. In his sophomore year, he proposed to a wealthy heiress, who turned him down. He immediately turned his attention to his fifth cousin, Anna Eleanor, and later married her. His mother was apparently the only one who had a problem with this. Advertisement

13 Im Running an Evolutionary Experiment in My Boudoir Charles Darwin crashed with some family after one of his adventures, and fell in love with Emma Wedgwood, who Wikipedia bizarrely insists on describing as his charming, intelligent, and cultured cousin. Together, they popped out 10 kids, presumably to compare their diverse beak shapes.

12 Third Marriage, First Cousin In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis embarked on his third (of seven) matrimonial journeys, to his 13-year-old first cousin, Myra Gale Brown. His career absolutely tanked, for like two seconds. He spent 10 years writing love songs to a teenager, compiled them into an album and successfully reinvented himself as a country star.

11 War of the Wives Imagine youre convinced to let your brother-in-laws deadbeat son crash at your place for a while, and his comedy writer ass hooks up with and marries your daughter. Thats the love story of H.G. Wells and his first cousin, Isabel Mary Wells. Wells would later dump Isabel to kidnap and marry one of his students. Advertisement Advertisement

10 Kissin Kerries The only mention of cousin on John Kerrys Wikipedia page is French politician Brice Lalonde. But a search on his first wife Julia Thornes page proudly admits theyre distant cousins through a wealthy settler who helped to found Greenwich, Connecticut.

9 My Ex Left Me for Her Cousin Actress Greta Scacchi left her first husband to marry Vincent DOnofrio in 1989. She gave that a whirl for four years, then took four years to live the single life before settling down and making a new baby cousin with her own first cousin. Advertisement

8 Team Rocket Is Blasting Off Again (Derogatory) After he got shot in the chest, Jesse James moved into his uncles place to recuperate. There, he fell in love with Zerelda Mimms, his first cousin, who was named after his mom. They fooled around for nine years before finally getting married and having four kids. Advertisement

7 In His Defense, It Was an Arranged Marriage Saddam Husseins first wife was his first cousin, Sajida Talfah, an arrangement that was made when they were just lil tykes. Some sources say they met when he was 21, some say they were raised as siblings. Either way, his legacy is irreparably tarnished. Advertisement

6 Founding Father, Kissing Cousin Thomas Jeffersons marriage to Martha Wayles has been described as the happiest period of his life. For her part, she spent the last 10 years of her life enduring six pregnancies with her cousin, the last of which likely killed her at age 33. Doesnt sound like a party to me.

5 Ryans Daughter, Isabels Cousin Director David Lean helmed lots of classic movies: Lawrence of Arabia, Oliver Twist and one that no one remembers but sounds vaguely incestual, Ryans Daughter. He also married his first cousin, Isabel Lean, and had a kid with her. Advertisement

4 Americas Cousin Rudy Giuliani married his childhood friend (and second cousin) Regina Peruggi in 1968. They got a civil divorce in 1982, but it took an extra year to convince the Roman Catholic church to grant an annulment because hed just discovered they were cousins. Advertisement

3 Quoth the Raven, What the Hell, Dude? When he was about 20 years old, Edgar Allan Poe moved in with his widowed aunt and his seven-year-old cousin. He waited a respectable six years before he married her when they were 26 and 13, respectively. Advertisement

2 Its Not the Worst, But Ideally There Should Be a Few More Degrees of Kevin Bacon While filming the PBS series Finding Your Roots, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick learned that theyre ninth cousins, once removed.
A lot of Nathan Fielders work seems to be shrouded in mystery these days  from the surreal ending of last years The Curse, to the upcoming second season of The Rehearsal, to the recent news that Fielder has been visiting Elizabeth Holmes in prison for a top-secret project that may be a documentary. Or perhaps just an article for The Diarrhea Times?

But possibly even more perplexing is the fact that Fielder helmed a feature film thats barely seen the light of day. Tucked amongst his credits on the Internet Movie Database is a 2008 documentary, directed by Fielder, called Love and Cameras in America. According to the synopsis on IMDb, the film answers the question, What happens when a man with virtually no experience making movies and no interest in politics is sent to make a documentary about the 2008 United States presidential election? Noting that for better or for worse, Halifax-based comedian Nathan Fielder is going to find out.

But there hardly seem to be any evidence of this movies existence online. Hell, theres more footage of Jerry Lewis unreleased Holocaust clown comedy than there is of Love and Cameras in America. So a journalist from Canadas The Globe and Mail decided to try and track down a copy.

Don't Miss

Reporter Tom Cardoso went full Woodward and Bernstein (okay, maybe just Bernstein) in search of Love and Cameras in America because, as he points out, a lot of Fielder fans are passionate about seeing this movie. Well, at least whoever created the Re-Release Love and Cameras in America (2008) social media account definitely is.

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The most thorough description of the movie can be found in an article that was published in the Halifax alt-weekly The Coast in 2009, back when the movie played at the Atlantic Film Festival.

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Fielder, who at that point had recently left the Canadian comedy series This Hour Has 22 Minutes, told the outlet that the idea came from the films executive producer. I told him right away that I didnt know what I was doing. I had never done anything over five or six minutes, and this was unscripted and had to be an hour and a half. It was so daunting. I was overwhelmed, Fielder confessed.

The article also describes that the movie, although it features a brief encounter between Fielder and then-candidate Barack Obama ultimately has very little to do with the election, and everything to do with Fielders attempts to forge relationships with strangers. This obviously sounds a lot like Fielders later work, as does the detail involving an awkward mutual attraction between the director and an aspiring actress who may or may not be taking advantage of the situation; ill-defined awkward romantic moments involving Fielder and his subjects became a recurring theme in Nathan for You.

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Cardoso eventually tracked down the films executive producer who revealed that the project began as an hour-long TV election special, created purely to prove to the CBCs head of comedy that Fielder was a comedic genius deserving of his own series. It didnt work, so the footage was reworked as a documentary, and Fielder became a poster-child for the inability of Canada to keep talent at home.

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While none of Fielders collaborators were able to produce a copy, the article did note that the movies current rights-holders, WildBrain, confirmed that they have the original master tapes. But they dont want to spend the money digitizing it, because the company is focused on kids and family content.

Its also very possible that Fielder himself wants to keep this project from being released, and is exerting his influence to ensure that it stays buried. Possibly with help from his close friend Barack Obama.
No matter how offensive hes being, theres just something about Triumph the Insult Comic Dog that people find charming. Ever since he first appeared on Late Night with Conan OBrien in in 1997, hes gotten away with humiliating Star Wars nerds and crashing political conventions mostly without consequence. Hes even managed to endear himself to everyone from Stephen Colbert to Mike Huckabee.

On occasion, however, Triumph  and, by extension, his performer Robert Smigel  have managed to antagonize the wrong person. And, instead of laughing things off, Triumphs target has responded with genuine fury. Here are five such times when Triumph has truly pissed someone off, very much finding himself in the doghouse.

1 Security at the 1999 Westminster Dog Show Play When Triumph attended the Westminster Dog Show in 1999, the Montenegrin Mountain Hound wasnt yet the canine insult institution he is today, so not everyone was entertained by his antics. After repeatedly antagonizing a judge and humping several contestants, security personnel were tasked with throwing Triumph out of the convention, but not before he told one of them, Look, Chubby, dont mess with me. I know Conan OBrien  he could have all of you killed!

2 The Pets.com Sock Puppet Play In the late 90s, Pets.com, a one-stop shop for pet supplies, was the Chewy of its day. And in the summer of 1999, the companys profile exploded with the birth of a new mascot: a sock puppet performed by Michael Ian Black. Thanks to its funny commercials, the puppet was an overnight superstar, appearing on talk shows and even the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade just three months after its debut. Advertisement Still early into Triumphs career, Smigel didnt think much about the Pets.com puppet until others  most notably Daily Show host Jon Stewart  accused the online store of ripping off Triumph. Soon, Triumph joined the pile-on, and Smigel even wrote a letter to Pets.com threatening a lawsuit. Before Smigel could sue, however, Pets.com sued Smigel for $20 million for defaming their mascot. The mascot, though, was the only successful part of the company. Pets.com itself was bleeding cash. They ended up going out of business about six months after the lawsuit was filed. A month after that, Pets.coms lawsuit against Smigel was dismissed. Advertisement

3 Michael Jackson Supporters In a 2015 interview on The Dan Patrick Show, Smigel said that the most he ever pissed someone off as Triumph was at the 2005 Michael Jackson trial. At the time, the King of Pop was charged with molesting a child, and droves of his delusional supporters were camping outside the courthouse in Santa Maria. For days on end, Triumph showed up at the trial asking questions like, On a scale of one to ten, how old is Michaels boyfriend? In a particularly funny moment, he asked a Jackson impersonator to sing like Michael, then to moonwalk and finally to do Michael masturbating to Home Alone! Advertisement

4 Eminem Advertisement Of all the times Triumph really pissed someone off, most people will remember the incident at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards. Triumph was a hit the previous year for sniffing J.Los ass, so he was asked back for a segment with Moby. When Smigel was prepping the bit, the MTV producers encouraged him to also go after Eminem, seated just a few rows up. The only problem? No one told Eminem. The Real Slim Shady was unfamiliar with Triumph, so when the puppet dog got into his face during the awards, Eminem grabbed Triumph and pushed him down, saying, I already had my TV time. A member of Eminems entourage also threw Smigels script. Following that, Triumph did a press conference about the incident on Late Night with Conan OBrien wearing a neck brace. Advertisement Eminem later admitted that his temper and self-seriousness got the better of him during the incident. A few years later, Eminem wrote a song about Triumph  Ass Like That  in which he imitates Triumphs voice. Advertisement
As everyone who hasnt already muted the words trade war is well aware, the relationship between the U.S. and Canada isnt doing so great right now. For a lot of people, this has called to mind the plot of the South Park movie, which also concerned a dumb conflict between the two countries.

On March 15th, Colorado Governor Jared Polis celebrated the first ever Canada-Colorado Friendship Day, in response to the Trump administrations tariffs, which he previously called out for making no sense.

In honor of the new pseudo-holiday, Polis flew the Canadian flag at the Colorado State Capitol. Raising the Canadian flag today is symbolic of our friendship, showing that when we work together, even in challenging times, we grow our economy and make the people of both sovereign nations better off, he stated.

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While there are a number of good reasons for not wanting the federal government to pick a fight with Americas neighbor and key trading partner, Polis also highlighted Canadas ties to pop culture, asking, Who would captain the Enterprise without Captain Kirk? in reference to Montreals William Shatner.

The following day, Polis posted an image on social media featuring a South Park-ized caricature of himself standing alongside some of the shows most famous Canuck characters. Ike Broflovski, Kyle Broflovski's adopted brother, is from Canada, Polis wrote, adding, Dont forget the comedy duo Terrance and Phillip, beloved by our favorite fourth graders, and dont blame Canada!

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This isnt the first time that Polis has embraced the long-running cartoon set in his home state. He previously declared a South Park Day during the shows 25h anniversary concert. And the year before that, Polis hosted a sit-down interview with the shows creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, to discuss everything from the creation of Towelie, to the threat that is ManBearPig. That appearance was also where the pair officially announced that they were buying Casa Bonita.

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The governor's cartoon avatar has also popped up on other social media posts, like this one showcasing some real-life South Park locations that fans can visit.

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So its certainly not out-of-character for Polis to post about South Park, although this may be the first time that hes used the franchise in order to underscore an urgent political point, rather than simply celebrating the shows history and its connection to the state.

It remains to be seen whether or not name-checking an incomprehensible toddler and two fluctuating fictional comedians will accomplish all that much.
In a new phishing campaign, GitHub developers are being targeted with fake Security Alerts where they are prompted to authorize a malicious OAuth application.

Successful execution of the Click-fix campaign, which has reportedly targeted over 12,000 GitHub repositories, can allow attackers full control over the affected accounts and codes.

Cybersecurity researcher Luc4m first reported the fake alerts through an X post on Sunday morning, adding that the campaign made almost 4k attempts in a few minutes.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established a new Council for National Security to coordinate and strengthen the agencys efforts against foreign adversaries, with a particular focus on threats from China.

The Council will leverage the full range of the Commissions regulatory, investigatory, and enforcement authorities to promote Americas national security and counter foreign adversaries, particularly the threats posed by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP), FCC said in a statement.

The councils formation comes just two months after the Trump administration disbanded several cybersecurity advisory bodies, including the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that had been investigating the China-linked hacking group Salt Typhoon, signaling a significant reorganization of federal cybersecurity oversight.
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'Whatever sentence you are about to receive remember that after your days on earth are done, on your dying day, there will be no release for you.

'The screams of Hell, Kyle, I can hear them faintly now. The red carpet will come out for you your miserable fate will last for eternity.'

With these extraordinary words, the BBC racing commentator John Hunt concluded his victim impact statement at the sentencing (to a full-life term) of Kyle Clifford, for the murder of his wife and two of their daughters.

They were extraordinary not just for their force, but for being so unexpected.

The idea of Hell is entirely absent from our public discourse: it is  or so I am told  now almost never mentioned in church sermons, let alone the courtroom.

The disappearance of Hell, even from religious settings, has been a long time in the making.

My wife, a Catholic, recalls that in the 1960s a priest, Father O'Sullivan, told her: 'The fact that Hell is not mentioned much now is the Devil's work. And he is doing very well out of it.'

Damnation

The point being that the loss of the fear of eternal damnation was encouraging people to think they could get away with the behaviour that might, in that priest's view, consign them permanently to the Netherworld.

Court artist sketch of John Hunt as he concluded his victim impact statement at the sentencing of Kyle Clifford. He said: 'The screams of Hell, Kyle, I can hear them faintly now. The red carpet will come out for you your miserable fate will last for eternity'

BBC racing commentator John Hunt with two of his daughters, Hannah (left) and Louise, who were both murdered by Kyle Clifford

Or, in more political terms: the rise in criminality and anti-social disorder is intimately linked with the decline of belief in the idea of supernaturally ordained retribution.

But to see that as causation rather than mere correlation is itself unfashionable, and even regarded as scandalous. I discovered this as long ago as April 1992, when, as Editor of the Spectator, I published an Easter piece by the Catholic Conservative MP John Patten in which he argued: 'Fear of eternal damnation was a message reinforced through attendance at church every week. The loss of that fear has meant a critical motive has been lost to young people when they decide whether to be good citizens or to be criminals.'

This caused a sensation because in the period between the commissioning of the article and its publication, John Patten had been promoted to Secretary of State for Education by the then PM John Major.

As the Independent reported: 'It was read with horror by much of the educational establishment.

'I don't know what planet that man comes from,' one union official said.

'I mean, what were my members meant to do? Tell little Johnny to knock it off, or he'll go to Hell?' '

In 1992, the Spectator published an Easter piece by MP John Patten in which he bemoaned the loss of the fear of eternal damnation

Another newspaper ran a sardonic leading article entitled 'Hell: who needs it?' Though of the huge amount of letters which Patten received following his intervention, the overwhelming majority were supportive.

Many of them, I imagine, were influenced by nostalgic thoughts of the immediate post-war era. Crime in the UK had risen from fewer than 500,000 recorded offences in 1950, to 5.3million a year when Patten wrote that article.

But you don't have to be a Catholic, or even religious at all  and I am not  to recognise the constraining effects of a belief in divine punishment.

This was the theme of a remarkable book  God Is Watching You  published in 2016 by Professor Dominic Johnson of Oxford University.

Johnson, himself an atheist, drew on research from anthropology, evolutionary biology, experimental psychology and neuroscience to demonstrate that belief in supernatural reward and punishment was not merely a quirk of Judeo-Christian culture, but ubiquitous in human nature, and with 'pro-social' results.

Fear

As he wrote: 'This is not random, but a systematic belief which is very tightly associated with following social norms, including not breaking taboos, co-operating, and denying selfish behaviour it turns out that people primed particularly with concepts of supernatural punishment will co-operate more.'

Two other academics, a few years earlier, in a paper entitled Divergent Effects of Beliefs in Heaven and Hell on National Crime Rates, emphasised the crucial point not just that eternal damnation was quite some disincentive, but it was necessary for the invigilator to be supernatural as that meant no crime would be unobserved.

Triple murderer and convicted rapist Kyle Clifford was given three whole life orders

This is not something which could ever be achieved by even the most efficient of secular justice systems, with millions of CCTV cameras.

Or as they wrote: 'Unlike humans, divine punishers can be omniscient, omnipotent, infallible and untouchable  and therefore able to deter transgressors who may for whatever reason be undeterred by earthly policing systems.'

Their analysis, strikingly, was that there was a 'strong negative effect of rates of belief in Hell on crime, and a strong positive effect of rates of belief in Heaven on crime'.

In plain English: without the prospect of Hell for the wicked, the idea of an all-forgiving God is actually more likely to make people commit crimes.

The analogy with the behaviour of a child whose parents always praise but never punish is all too obvious.

Their point about the all-seeing and punitive deity is even more relevant to the UK today, where detection rates are pitifully low. Little more than 4 per cent of burglaries and only 2 per cent of vehicle thefts result in a charge.

And even for the tiny minority successfully prosecuted, the punishment is paltry, including for the most prolific offenders.

Last week the Mail published examples of this, including that of a criminal called Ross Philippart, who had 33 previous theft convictions: after his latest spree, while on bail, which included swiping a charity box for military veterans, he received a sentence of just six months (of which only half would be served in prison).

And analysis produced last week by the campaign group Crush Crime, suggest that of an estimated 13million crimes committed in the year to

September 2024, just 71,573 jail sentences were handed down by judges or magistrates, which implies that as few as one in 200 offences results in a custodial sentence.

Punish

In this context, it would hardly be surprising if the disappearance of a belief in an all-seeing deity capable of meting out eternal punishment has led to a sense of impunity among the criminally-inclined.

I understand why the preachers of today prefer to emphasise only the God of Forgiveness rather than of Vengeance: that is deemed to be very, well, Old Testament.

But the New Testament has numerous references to Jesus (who was of course a Jew) warning of the prospect of what he called 'Gehenna'  a fiery place of divine punishment in Jewish law. For example, in Luke 12.5: 'Fear the One who has authority to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, fear Him.'

This is now regarded as uncivilised, even barbaric. But the consequences of a loss of belief in divine punishment have been, in their own way, profoundly destructive of civil order  something governments of different political complexions seem unable to reverse, to the great anger of their electors. Or at least the law-abiding ones.

John Hunt was doubtless not thinking of all this when he invoked Hell in his shattering remarks at Kyle Clifford's sentencing last week (which the killer refused to attend).

But he certainly made me think.
Supernanny Jo Frost has warned parents that they may be 'neglecting' their children if they don't watch them brush their teeth.

Last week, the government's health minister Stephen Kinnock launched a 'toothbrushing scheme' in schools to boost oral health in youngsters.

The programme, which will take place in nurseries and schools up and down the country, will encourage children to brush their teeth using fluoride toothpaste.

With 11,000,000 in funding, the scheme will target children between the ages of three and five in the most deprived parts of the nation.

But the news did not do down well with British childcare expert, Jo Frost, who took to Instagram to lament her frustrations at parents failing to 'supervise' their children brushing their teeth.

Jo, now 54, became a household name in the noughties when she went into homes of unruly children across the UK for Channel 4's Supernanny, offering desperate parents some relief for dealing temper tantrums.

She's continued to give out advice since her time on the programme, offering insights on the dos and don'ts of parenting.

Parents if you are not supervising your young children or brushing your VERY young childrens teeth that is PARENTAL NEGLECT,' she wrote in a heated post.

Supernanny Jo Frost (pictured in 2020) has warned parents that they may be 'neglecting' their children if they don't watch them brush their teeth

What else will schools do for parents? First potty training now teeth brushing,' she raged.

'How many other life skill schemes will teachers have to take on, distracting them from their real role when in fact it is actually a parents responsibility to uphold.'

Continuing, she penned: 'In fact it is actually a parents responsibility to uphold, because not doing as such is child neglect. It is your child's basic fundamental right to be cared for and their basic needs met.'

The no-nonsense approach nanny repeated the word 'neglect' throughout the post and emphasised the importance of parents being 'the loving nurturing role models' to their children.

Elsewhere, she urged the health minister to consider prioritising making 'food that is cheaper to our families' who are struggling to feed their families.

The childcare expert added that they 'might consider having 500,000 supernannies trained across Great Britain' to provide support to families.

She pointed out that one in five children have decayed teeth, calling it 'deplorable' and emphasising the need for 'healthy oral hygiene' in youngsters.

'We are in a parenting crisis when we can not carve 4 mins out of our day twice a day to teach or clean our children's teeth,' she complained elsewhere in the post.

The no-nonsense approach nanny repeated the word 'neglect' throughout the post, emphasising the importance of parents being 'the loving nurturing role models' to their children (stock image)

Parents if you are not supervising your young children or brushing your VERY young childrens teeth that is PARENTAL NEGLECT,' Jo wrote in a heated post

Several agreed with her remarks, with one frustrated parent simply writing: 'When the hell did parents stop parenting.'

A second wrote: 'We went to the dentist yesterday and she recommended parents brush their children's teeth until they are eight.'

Another complained: 'If you don't have the time for basic life skills with your children don't have children!'

'My god these are the basics! School is not responsible for teaching children basic hygiene!', a fourth wrote.

It comes after the childcare expert made the shocking revelation that she was assaulted once while filming her hit Channel 4 show, Supernanny.

20 years on from launching the show the childcare expert has shared how a parent 'grabbed by the throat and pinned her against the wall' when he didn't like something she said.

Appearing on the Parenting Tools Podcast, Jo explained to hosts Jason Heron and Jordan Piano that she had been attacked while filming an episode filmed in Florida in 2007 for the US version of the show.

The television personality was visiting the Nitti family in West Melbourne, Florida, where she met Lisa, 28, her four sons, Darren, 10, Matthew, eight, Devin, six and Jared, five, as well as her boyfriend of two years, John, 44.

Several agreed with the nanny's remarks, writing in the comments. One frustrated parent simply wrote: 'When the hell did parents stop parenting'

The mischievous boys were frequently getting into trouble for their unruly and uncontrollable behaviour, despite efforts from Lisa and John - who even dubbed their home 'The Crazy House'.

The episode, which was eighth in the third season, proved difficult for Jo, who battled not only rowdy children, by the 'intimidation and aggression' from their stepfather, John.

'I helped a family called the Nitti family in Florida and there was a gentleman, a man, who was living with his girlfriend at the time and they had four children,' she said.

'During my observation, the man was very aggressive. He was a complex man for sure. But he was very intimidating and had the care of these four young boys.

'He was in this blended family, right? His girlfriend had four children and he came into the relationship with four boys.

'And you could see with the boys that a lot of the behaviour was mimic behaviour from the intimidation and the aggressiveness from John.

'I observed, I gave my comments on what I observed with the family. The children and their behaviour.

'During teaching, he didn't like what I said and he grabbed me by the throat and he pushed me up against the wall.

'But he didn't like what I had to say which was the truth of a situation of him being very intimidated and he tried to intimidate me by pushing me up against the wall and he has his hands round my throat.

She went on the say that a lot of what is filmed does not always make the final cut.

'A lot of things happen and I don't share. I choose not to or I choose to do so if the moment comes up like it has here.'
Many know the heartache of ordering a cold, creamy Guinness - only to be served a flat, lifeless pint that tastes more sour than satisfying.

Thankfully, Jonathan Sitson, whipped cream expert at Quick Whip, has shared how to spot whether a pub serves a decent pint of the black stuff this St Patrick's Day.

After chatting with Guinness owners, Diageo, Jonathan was given three main tips to make sure you are receiving the best creamy pint.

They said: 'The first thing to look for in a pub is other Guinness drinkers. If you can't spot any, chances are there's a good reason for it.

'Guinness needs to be poured consistently in order to keep its lovely creamy texture and rich taste. As a best-selling draft beer, it's no coincidence if it's being overlooked.'

Guinness sales have increased by 30 per cent in the past two years after becoming more popular with the younger generation thanks to trends like 'splitting the G' taking TikTok by storm.

The beloved party trick involves drinking the stout until the line of liquid has reached the correct spot, which is the half way mark of the G embellished on a Guinness pint glass.

But amid the rise in demand, what exactly do punters need to look out for to ensure they are getting the perfect pint at a pub...

Jonathan Sitson, whipped cream expert at Quick Whip, has shared how to spot whether a pub serves a decent pint of the black stuff this St Patrick's Day (stock photo)

Inspect the top of the pint

Diageo said: 'The perfect Guinness head should be thick and creamy, about half an inch tall, and last until the pint is finished. It should also leave foamy residue on the glass as it empties'

Check the glass

First, you need a clean, dry, and cool Guinness glass, also known as a 'tulip glass' due to its flower-like shape.

'You'd be surprised how many pubs use unclean glasses to pour a pint, look closely at the glass, and check for any bubbles that cling to the side, this is the first indication that its dirty, and aside from being a bit gross, will also ruin the pour of your pint of Guinness,' said Diageo.

Watch how it's poured

The glass should be at a 45-degree angle and the tap nozzle should be aimed at the gold harp logo on the glass. Bar staff must pour until they reach the top of the harp, then stop.

Diageo said: 'A pint of Guinness should be poured slowly, with the glass tilted at a 45-degree angle and executed in a two-part pour.

After chatting with Guinness owners, Diageo, Jonathan was given three main tips to make sure you are receiving the best creamy pint (stock image)

'This entails pouring it partially, letting it settle then topping off to achieve the perfect head.'

The half-poured Guinness is let to rest, which is known as the 'surge and settle' phase.

Once your Guinness has settled (typically for about a minute), the rest of the glass is filled.

This time, the glass stays straight, and is filled until the foam forms a slight dome over the top, which creates a beautiful Guinness head.

Guinness was created after Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a brewery in Ireland in 1759.

Every year, people across the world drink more than 13 million pints of Guinness on average.

Celebrities have also shown their love for the drink - including Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Kardashian during a trip to Dublin last year.
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Like Samba trainers or barrel jeans, 'designer' pantry staples have now been elevated to objets de desir coveted by the British middle-class, a new report has found.

Supermarkets are stocking up on marinades from Belazu and 'Queen' black beans from Dragons' Den approved-Bold Bean Co, to meet the rising demand for premium varieties of everyday foods.

Waitrose's annual food and drink report for 2024 found that a pantry stocked with beautiful jars, elegant glass bottles, and decorative tins of tuna, olive oil, chili oil, and olives has 'become a status symbol' in the UK.

Explaining the 'yassification' of these kitchen essentials, the report highlighted a greater customer interest in the provenance of 'store-cupboard stalwarts' as customers seek out sustainable and healthier alternatives to these products.

Shoppers in the UK are also gravitating towards luxe-looking labels that bolster their street credit in the age of Instagram and TikTok, as brand consciousness rises to an all-time high.

This has seen the market become flooded with boujie food brands like the purveyors of 19 extra virgin olive oil at Citizens of Soil or Ortiz tuna that's 'individually line-caught' and retails for 5.65 per 112g can.

Speaking to FEMAIL, food influencer and columnist Alexandra Dudley - who boasts 164,000 followers on Instagram - chalked up the rise of these companies to their commitment to quality, chef endorsements, and the trust associated with names like Ortiz and Perello.

Dudley, who is a staunch advocate of Bold Bean Co, said their products 'really do taste better than other beans...because they took the time to source the best'.

Supermarkets are stocking up on marinades from Belazu and 'Queen' black beans from Dragons' Den approved-Bold Beans Co, to meet the rising demand for premium varieties of everyday foods

'It's a bit like switching up your shampoo or mascara, once you try them you rarely go back to the lesser version,' she explained.

Another factor for the recent 'bean-aissance' is that Bold Bean Co 'tapped into the sustainable and vegetarian-curious millennial and Gen Z' market, Alexandra added.

'They showcased their products in recipes and ways that exampled how they could be used in a sustainable/vegan etc way but ultimately always made sure that taste was the priority and what they put out was delicious,' she continued.

The secret sauce to Belazu's success, according to Alexandra, is 'the cross use of their products in professional kitchens as well as domestic ones'.

'Today, people are more interested in eating and cooking good food today than ever before.

'Videos of chefs [like Fallow's Jack Croft and Cedric Grolet] have blown up and there is an appetite to learn how to recreate a version that is almost as good at home.

'Brands like Belazu help you to do that.'

Nutritional therapist Elena Rolt also told FEMAIL that pantry staples like tuna and beans are 'undergoing a transformation from humble essentials to glamorous ingredients' in part because of a social media-fuelled 'glow-up'.



'They are not just backup options for quick meals, they are now being reimagined as gourmet additions to appetisers and sophisticated dishes,' she continued.

'Tinned tuna is being used in refined tartares, delicate crudo-style preparations and bruschettas, while tinned beans are being blended into purees, infused with truffle oil or served as the base for tapas,' Elena added, referring to the surge in recipe videos that hero these ingredients.

As a result, brands that serve up these gourmet versions of beloved, comforting staples are the 'new rock stars of the food world' according to Charles Banks, the co-founder of trends experts The Food People.

'They're about taste, but they are also about people, sustainable sourcing, craft and tradition,' he told The Telegraph, while discussing the rise of brands like Perello, White Mausu, and Wildfarmed.

So, which of these sexy staples have found their way into your kitchen?

Bold Bean Co

The founder of Bold Bean Co, Amelie Christie-Miller poses with a jar of the brand's 'Queen Butter Beans'

Experts say that the gourmet beans brand set up in 2021 by Amelie Christie-Miller has single-handedly reimagined the tinned food category as a luxe item worthy of the most Instagramm-able kitchen shelves.

Lizzie Haywood, of Waitrose , told The Times that Bold Bean Co's glass-jarred offerings have disrupted the tinned market by introducing more premium offerings like Queen Butter Beans, Organic Chickpeas, and Queen Carlin Peas.

Christie-Miller, whose distaste for beans instantly dissipated after she tried a spoonful of heirloom butter beans on holiday in Spain, wanted to elevate the food group from a 'war staple' knocking around the back of kitchen cupboards to a mealtime hero.

She was inspired by the ways chefs were 'using beans at the centre of the plate' and decided to showcase their versatility while highlighting their nutritional benefits; packed with protein and fibre, beans are a sustainable alternative to processed meats.

Today, Bold Bean Co's variants of red beans, carlin peas, and chickpeas are available across the UK at stores like Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Ocado, and M&S.

While can of tinned chickpeas typically costs between 0.49 and 1, Bold Bean Co's six-packs retail for 27 or 4.50 each.

Belazu

British-founded Belazu's rose harissa paste has an ever-expanding fan base, but the Mediterranean food company - selling 'chef-grade' ingredients - stocks everything from jars of beans, pasta and rice, and saffron, to infused olive oils, flavoured pesto sauces, and tapenade.

Since it was founded in 1991, Belazu's ingredients have been widely loved and used by restaurant chefs - but it wasn't until Covid shut down the possibility of eating out that Belazu really began to thrive.

The company, started by Adam Wells, George Bennell, and Charlie Hodges, rebranded itself and declared their ranges were available both at the UK's 'most sought after restaurants and in Watrose' in a bid to endear the brand to home chefs 'in search for better ingredients.

Belazu's rose harissa paste, which is one of its most popular offerings, retails for 4.50 in comparison with Sainsbury's 1.70 version or Waitrose's own brand offering that costs 2.50.

Odysea

Another Mediterranean food firm, Odysea offers an extensive range of extra virgin olive oils sourced from Kalamata and Western Crete in Greece, as well as the UK's 'only legally labeled raw honey' as well as feta and halloumi cheese.

Its award-winning PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil will add 13 to your monthly food shop bill, as against the 7.38-average price of own-label variants at UK grocery stores.

Citizens of Soil

Citizens of Soil Extra Virgin Olive Oil A half-litre bottle costs 19 - more than double of regular supermarket versions - but Citizens of Soil also offers a subscription service that means each refill will cost 15

You can be forgiven for thinking Citizens of Soil is an indie wine brand if you've ever seen a bottle of it, but the chic 500ml bottle is filled with extra virgin oilive oil sourced from small-scale producers in Greek.

The UK-based, and purpose-led, EVOO company recently raised 1.8 million in seed funding, as Citizens of Soil focuses on scaling its business.

Commenting on the investment, Citizens of Soil's co-founder and CEO Sarah Vachon said: 'Shoppers are increasingly looking for high-quality, nutritious food experiences that offer total transparency' and we are committed to bringing the best extra virgin olive oils directly to their kitchens.'

A half-litre bottle costs 19 - more than double of regular supermarket versions - but Citizens of Soil also offers a subscription service that means each refill will cost 15.

Ortiz

Ortiza Tuna The bright yellow tins of Bonito tuna fillets in olive oil are popular with home cooks and chefs alike - despite the 4.50 price tag. Each can weighs 112g, whereas a 160g can of M&S's Tuna Chunks in Spring Water costs 0.80

Tuna has long been a kitchen cupboard staple but it wasn't until 2023 that tinned fish was reinvented as 'an unstoppable' trend when it was revealed as an unlikely aphrodisiac ingredient on TikTok.

Under the hashtag #tinfishdatenight, users shared how tuna and mackerel can be elevated to a chic supper a deux - with recipes flooding the video-sharing platform.

Patrick Martinez, of specialist retailer The Tinned Fish Market, told FEMAIL business was booming at the time.

'We've seen tinned fish rise in popularity every year but in the past few months it's reaching places it never did before.'

And one of the biggest gainers of the tinned fish resurgence has been Ortiz - the Spanish brand founded in 1891.

The bright yellow tins of Bonito tuna fillets in olive oil are popular with home cooks and chefs alike - despite the 4.50 price tag. Each can weighs 112g, whereas a 160g can of M&S's Tuna Chunks in Spring Water costs 0.80.

Gymkhana Fine Foods

If a meal at Mayfair hotspot Gymkhana feels out of budget, the Michelin-starred Indian restaurant has launched a range of curry sauces, marinades, and chutneys to elevate home-cooked meals for a fraction of the cost.

For example, a jar of the butter masala cooking sauce retails for 8 while a plate of its famed Chicken Butter Masala will set you back by 35 plus taxes.

Gymkhana's cooking sauce is, in turn, almost four times the price of Patak's Tikka Masala Curry Sauce that retails for 2.40.

White Mausu

White Mausu's range of spicy condiments might be more spenny than its counterparts, but the brand has still garnered a huge following of foodies.

It was founded in Dublin by Katie Sanderson in a bid to make 'store-cupboard essentials you can't live without' and, if Instagram recipes are anything to go by, White Mausu customers can't get enough of its peanut rayu.

Endorsements from Nigella Lawson and Jay Rayner helped White Mausu's street cred as foodies across the UK started drizzling its bespoke blend of garlic, peanuts, sesame, gochugaru, tamari, agave over their lunches and dinners with vigour.

A six-pack of the chilli oil costs 36 (or 6 each) whereas Laoganma's standard version sells for 2.75.

Perello

Perello pitted olives with chilli These stylish cans are now among the chicest gifts you can take to a dinner party - as these pantry staples become more desirable than a fancy bottle of wine

'2023 is the year of Salomon XT6s, weird small dogs, Perellos and Torres crisps,' according to Instagram account @socks_house_meeting.

As is 2025, as Perello olives remain just as popular two years after SHM noted how food shopping in the UK was changing - with its signature white and green can being spotted everywhere from pub stockrooms to off-licenses and high-end delis alike.

These stylish cans are now among the chicest gifts you can take to a dinner party - as these pantry staples become more desirable than a fancy bottle of wine.

The smallest tins cost a little over 4.

Torres Crisps

Torres black truffle crisps Each packet of these artisanal crips retail for a whopping 4.85

Available in variants such as Black Truffle, Caviar, Fried Egg, and Pickle, the Spanish crisps brand was founded in 1969 - but blew up in the UK in 2024.

While the distinctive white packs were previously only spotted at high-end delis, they're now widely available at corner shops and supermarkets alike - placed alongside bags of Doritos and sea salt-flavoured Kettle chips.

Unlike its shelf neighbours, however, each packet of these artisanal crisps retail for a whopping 4.85.
McDonald's has surprised customers with yet another surprise menu drop for 2025 - and it includes a controversial selection likely to divide thousands.

The Macca's Easter menu will drop on Wednesday, March 19, and include the Hot Honey and Hot Cross Bun ranges.

Those who visit stores Australia-wide will be able to score menu items with a sweet and sticky blend of honey spice with the Hot Honey McSpicy, Hot Honey McCrispy or Hot Honey Sauce to pair with McNuggets.

The latter is always a soft spot for diehard fans, who are notoriously picky about their nugget condiments.

Foodies will also be able to order a new $2 hot cross bun flavoured pie and McFlurry made with crispy cinnamon pastry, spiced fruit mix and a butter flavoured custard filling.

'You asked, we listened,' Amanda Nakad, Marketing Director of Menu and Brand for McDonald's Australia, said.

'Macca's has seen more and more demand for chicken and we are always looking for ways to grow our range, so we can continue offering our customers even more choice,' Amanda Nakad, Marketing Director of Menu and Brand for McDonald's Australia, said.

'Our new Hot Honey range is a little sweet and a little sticky but will have you willing to risk it all, so our advice is - embrace the drip.'

The Macca's Easter menu will drop on Wednesday, March 19, and include the Hot Honey and Hot Cross Bun ranges



There will also be a limited-edition Culture Kings x McDonald's Hot Honey T-Shirt (left)

It's not the only announcement this week, however, with Macca's also surprising Melbournians with their very own merch collab.

On Wednesday, the stores will drop exclusive merchandise in collaboration with premium streetwear brand Culture Kings.

The limited-edition Culture Kings x McDonald's Hot Honey T-Shirt will available via the Melbourne store and online.

Melbournians can head to Culture Kings Melbourne from 12pm on Saturday 22 March, sample the Hot Honey range and customise one of only a hundred tees with an embroidered patch on a first come, first served basis.

They'll be able to choose from a Chicken McNugget, Hot Honey Sauce, Hot Honey drip, 'Embrace the DRIP' text or flame for their new piece.

'Macca's and Culture Kings? Everyone loves a Macca's run and this collab is iconic in street culture - the Hot Honey Drip collection is a new spicy take on how your drip can rep what you love,' Dan Hutcheon, Marketing Manager for Culture Kings, said.
An employee has decided to stop giving his co-worker free rides home from work after he refused to lend him $1 for the vending machine.

The worker said he had been driving 6.4km out of his way every day for about two years to drop his co-worker off at home.

'I've been dropping him off at his place because he doesn't have a car. I haven't asked for anything, and he has never offered,' the driver said in a Reddit thread.

The arrangement seemed to be working well for the colleagues - who work in different departments - until one day when the driver asked his co-worker if he had any spare change to buy a soft drink.

'I was at the vending machine and I was short a dollar and had left my wallet in my car. I would usually go get my wallet, but it takes forever to wait for the elevators at my workplace, so I asked if he could spot me a dollar for the soda,' he explained.

'He straight up refused and said, "Just use your own money, man. I don't really give money to friends or co-workers, sorry".

'I was taken aback by that comment because I've probably spent well over $1,500 in fuel over the past two years for this guy, and he can't even spot me a dollar just this once?'

The driver said he was 'pretty upset' by his colleague's response, so he decided to stop offering the favour of driving him home from work.

An employee has decided to stop giving his co-worker free rides home from work after he refused to lend him $1 for the vending machine (file image)

'Once it hit 5pm, I told him I'm not giving him free rides anymore,' he said.

'He seemed upset and said, "I was petty".'

The driver turned to the internet to ask if he was being reasonable, with many defending his decision to stop giving free rides to his 'rude' co-worker.

'You asked him for a small favour and he refused and shamed you. You have no obligation to keep offering him a ride,' one said.

'I'd probably give a stranger a buck, especially if I rode the same slow elevator every day. How could that guy look you in the face and be that rude, after taking advantage of the nightly nice warm/cool car ride home instead of public transportation? Such an ungrateful person,' another shared.

'You have learned a lesson not to be nice to colleagues,' one added.

'I would've said, "Sorry man, I don't give rides to co-workers." Karma is a bitch,' another suggested.

However, not everyone agreed with the driver, with one suggesting: 'It's fine and legit that he doesn't want to give his money to someone, he shouldn't expect him to do so, he doesn't owe you just because you were nice.

'It seems like a transactional service but (driver) didn't communicate to him that he'd eventually expect some kindness or money in return. He could have definitely phrased it more nicely. And (driver) could have told him before the end of the work day that he doesn't want to go out of his way to drive him.'
A Spanish fly-in-fly-out tradie living in Australia couldn't believe what his boss did for him after he received devastating news his mum had died back in his home country.

The FIFO employee worked for a major mining company, flying onto the site to work for two weeks, then flying out to enjoy 14 days off.

During one of his shifts, he had just finished for the day when his superintendent told him to call his family immediately.

'I made the call and discovered that my mother had passed away in Spain,' he said.

'Obviously, I was devastated.'

When the heartbreaking news broke, his manager went above and beyond to make sure he was not alone in his grief.

'My superintendent arranged for an employee to stay with me and take me back to camp,' the employee said.

'Shortly after, the company's administrators got in contact. And with the support of my wife, they helped make all of the arrangements to fly me out to Spain so that I could be with my family.

The employee shared his bittersweet story with British career expert Ben Askins (pictured)

The FIFO worker said he was deeply touched by the company's support following the loss of his mum.

'They didn't have to do this and it's a beautiful gesture that's stayed with me,' he said.

The employee shared his bittersweet story with British career expert Ben Askins, who is known on social media for calling out 'toxic' bosses for their shocking behaviours.

'I'm so sorry this happened to you but what a great story,' Ben said in his video.

'I love these types of stories because it's great to see people doing the right thing and it's just the way to keep a business moving and help it grow.

'This company 100 per cent did the right thing morally, credit to them, but it's also a really smart business decision.

Ben explained how personal things like family deaths are inevitable so they're going to 'leak into your professional life'.

'It's one of those sad things that will happen at some point and companies have a choice: they can either stand up and support their employees or they can be an obstacle, get in the way and ruin the relationship,' he said.

'His company was smart commercially because if you look after your team, they're going to be so much more motivated to come back to work for you.'

A Spanish fly-in-fly-out tradie living in Australia couldn't believe what his boss did for him after he received devastating news his mum had died back in his home country (stock image)

His video has been viewed more than 180,000 times across his social media platforms, with many Aussies sharing their experiences after a family loss.

'When I was working at a car wash in Australia, my mum passed and my boss not only gave me an advance on my pay but gave me like $500 extra on top of that and told me to take off as much time as I need,' one revealed.

'I've worked FIFO for a while now and this isn't a rare occurrence. We get looked after pretty well. It's a very different work environment where we live with each other 24/7 for two weeks out of four,' another shared.

'My husband and I both worked in the Pilbara mines in Western Australia when he suddenly passed away. The company arranged for me to return home to my family, sending a person with me for support. They paid for everything,' one said.

However, not everyone had the same experience at work.

'My grandfather collapsed so I got on a train to go see him. I rang work to inform them I wouldn't be in for the rest of the week. Area manager called me back to say I'd be sacked if wasn't in the next day. I hung up and carried on my journey. Luckily my grandfather went on to live another 10 years,' one shared.

'When my father-in-law died, of course I had to up and leave work, travelling 90 minutes into London. All the company I worked for asked was, "When are you coming back?" Shocking,' another revealed.

Meanwhile, many were amazed with the FIFO worker's outcome, with one saying: 'Wait. That was really nice of the boss. Caught me off guard.'
A mum has made an unsettling discovery that her neighbour was 'stalking' her after leaving a seemingly harmless note on her door.

The woman, who's married with kids, returned home one day to find a handwritten note with the letters, 'HMU' (hit me up), along with a mobile number.

She decided to text a picture of the note to the number, assuming it was an 'estranged friend' who lost contact with her since she didn't have social media or the same phone number.

'Goodnight,' the anonymous person replied.

'Are you going to tell me who this is or be scared lol,' the mum responded.

But what followed was a string of 'creepy' messages.

'Definitely don't be scared since you can't go anywhere without your man counting your steps,' the person continued.

'Either way, don't worry no harm to you.'

A mum has revealed how she made an unsettling discovery that her neighbour was 'stalking' her after leaving a seemingly harmless note on their door

The stranger then told her to get back in touch with him when she's alone and able to make her own decisions.

Clearly confused, she replied: 'Bro why can't we just have a conversation?

'Who is this? Like how can I talk to you if I don't (know who you are)?'

The person asked: 'Are your to speak for yourself or do got (sic) your babysitter with you?'

She quickly responded, 'I can talk to you.'

After revealing his name was 'Robert', he then asked her: 'Do you got a OnlyFans or sum page (sic).'

The mum ended the conversation, bluntly saying: 'I don't know a Robert.'

She quickly uncovered that the identity behind the number was her 'weird' neighbour, who's twice her age - after she reverse-searched his number.

What followed was a string of 'creepy' messages. She quickly uncovered that the identity behind the number was her 'weird' neighbour, who's twice her age - after she reverse-searched his number

'Yes I know it was dumb to message this number but I honestly thought it had to be a close friend because only they know where I live,' the mum said in a Reddit thread

'The way we found the name of the stalker was that we reversed searched up the number and his address and name popped up. He's our f***ing neighbour.'

The mum said the neighbour made sure the couple were out of the house when he stuck the note to their front door.

'This stalker clearly watches us walk our dogs, take our kids to school, and just be outside like a peeping Tom,' she explained.

'I'm really scared and could not sleep. The fact he knows when we leave, unsettles me the most.'

The family has reported the matter to the police, and plans to contact their landlord to inform them of the neighbour's 'creepy behaviour'.

Her post has been met with nearly 80 comments, with many urging the mum to be 'careful' and 'don't give any attention' to him.

'The fact that he left his number KNOWING you have a whole family says a LOT about the dude - and none of it is good,' one said.

'Your landlord can't legally do anything without a judge ordered restraining order. You have to be your own hero in this moment and tell this man to leave you alone and that any further contact will be considered harassment and that you'll take legal steps,' another suggested.

The mum decided to text a picture of the note to the number, assuming it was an 'estranged friend' who lost contact with her since she didn't have social media or the same phone number

'Keep a log of when he contacts if he does again. But yes, asserting herself to show boundaries of refusing further communication, keep away from me and my family, I will pursue legal action if this persists, is good to show no relationship and no interest if escalates,' one advised.

Meanwhile, some shared their own stalking experiences.

'I had a stalker once who put a letter through my door with a random Pokemon card, saying how they watched me walk home from school every day. I was in my teens. My parents didn't take it seriously. Luckily nothing else came of it after that,' one said.

Another woman said her ex-boyfriend stalked her relentlessly after they broke up.

'He would wait outside my window at night, leave me notes, park outside my house and watch me come and go, and follow me in public. I regret not going to the police sooner,' she recalled.

'The police don't have to do anything if you don't want, but it's so important to at least open a case and have this officially on record as evidence.

'This way if he does something again, you go to the police again and they can actually do something since there would be proof of repetitive harassment.'
Adolescence - which tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who is accused of brutally murdering a classmate - is earning rave reviews for its storyline and videography.

The crime series, written by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, was only released on Netflix on Thursday, and has already become a huge hit.

Now, the streaming service has revealed the behind the scenes secrets after it was announced that the series was filmed in one-shot takes.

Director Philip Barantini used his unconventional approach to each of the four episodes, meaning one camera followed the action continuously for the entire hour.

Netflix took to X/Twitter over the weekend to answer some questions fans of the series have had - including how the series came to an end in episode two, when the camera glided from the school to the crime scene in one seamless take.

The streaming platform's post explained: 'The DOP (director of photography) carries the camera and follows a school pupil to the traffic lights with a wide shot as she goes at the end of the school day.

'Before she crosses the road, a team attach the camera to a drone, which then flies a distance of 0.3 miles across the site to the murder scene, where it comes down to a camera operator and team of grips who smoothly catch the camera and transition into a close shot of Stephen Graham. Easy.'

Netflix has revealed the behind the scenes secrets from Adolescence, which was written by Stephen Graham (pictured) and Jack Thorne, after it was announced that the series was filmed in one-shot takes

Elsewhere, the post revealed which takes were used for each episode, explaining how producers used the second take for the first episode, set mostly in a police station, which was captured on the first day of a five-day shoot for the episode.

The second episode, which was set inside a school, was filmed in take 13 on day five, amid a huge cast of 370 extras.

The third episode was filmed 11 times before the director was happy with the interaction between Adolescences breakout star Owen Cooper, who plays the accused teen Jamie Miller, and a psychologist played by Erin Doherty.

Meanwhile, the final episode was captured during take 16 as the Millers wrestled with the devastating realities of their sons situation. Like episodes two and three, the finale was shot on the final day of filming.

Netflix said the original plan was to film each episode in full 10 times, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, but a few attempts had to be abandoned, so some episodes had more than 10 takes.

Sometimes episodes were halted because actors fluffed their lines, but on other occasions, they made mistakes and carried on performing.

In some episodes, the crew are on screen but are in costume so they blend in with other extras.

Netflix added: 'During these rehearsals the cast would also work through the choreography, allowing the DOP (director of photography) to plan the positions of the camera through the whole take, as well as the movements of the crew.'

The third episode was filmed 11 times before the director was happy with the interaction between Adolescences breakout star Owen Cooper (pictured), who plays the accused teen Jamie Miller, and a psychologist played by Erin Doherty

Meanwhile, the final episode was captured during take 16 as the Millers wrestled with the devastating realities of their sons situation

Netflix took to X/ Twitter over the weekend to answer some questions fans of the series have had

Elsewhere, Netflix was asked how the cast prepared for the long one shot shoot days and they revealed it was built up gradually over a few days.

They explained: 'In preparation for the shoot, segments of the script were rehearsed and a little bit more added each day  starting with five minutes on the first day and then adding further material as they went through, so by the end of the week they would be doing full run-throughs.'

Fans of the show were impressed with the complex nature of filming the scenes and rushed to the comments to leave their thoughts.

One person said: 'Thanks for all that!!! Fascinating stuff. Must admit I didnt believe it was one shot. Explains a lot. Absolute masterpiece, bravo to all concerned.'

Another added: 'This absolutely blew my mind. I just couldnt believe how beautiful it looked and how seamless it felt. BAFTAs for everyone involved please!'

Someone else said: 'A simply astonishing piece of television. The best thing I've watched in 20+ years.'

A fourth added: 'Excellent show, brilliant acting, fantastic directing and superb script! I hope this wins all the awards out there! Top notch!'

Some claimed they might have spotted some of the mistakes but applauded the actors for seamlessly moving through the scenes.

Fans of the show were impressed with the complex nature of filming the scenes and rushed to the comments to leave their thoughts

Some claimed they might have spotted some of the mistakes but applauded the actors for seamlessly moving through the scenes

One person wrote: 'When Ashley Walters stumbled in the interview scene, and Stephen Graham laughed when Christine finished his sentence for him in the van, ah i love it. they played it off so well (if they were mistakes lol). gonna rewatch.'

Another said: 'When Jo Hartley ( Teacher ) forgot to introduce the female cop to the class?? .. good recovery from her though and I thought it only made it look more real.. ( if indeed it was a mistake) - great actress.'

Adolescence is showing signs that it will be a rating smash after episode one has been watched by 2.7 million people in just two days.

Fans have been left stunned by the psychological mini-series which has earned a perfect 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Its outstanding rating on review website has come from fans and critics alike praising its realistic portrayal of British society and its gripping plotline, with some even comparing it with Netflix's 2024 triumph Baby Reindeer.

The series was filmed in South Kirkby, West Yorkshire, and the cast and crew were based at Production Park a studio facility near Wakefield, for six months last summer.

Some on location filming also took place, one being the Miller house, which is located just a few minutes from the studio.

Stephen has taken on the role of Eddie Miller, the father of a young boy called Jamie (Owen Cooper), who is suspected of stabbing one of his classmates Katie (Emilia Holliday).

The series was filmed in South Kirkby, West Yorkshire and the cast and crew were based at Production Park a studio facility near Wakefield, for six months last summer

Some on location filming also took place, one being the Miller house, which is located just a few minutes from the studio

Stephen has taken on the role of Eddie Miller, the dad of a young boy called Jamie (Owen Cooper), who is suspected of stabbing one of his classmates Katie (Emilia Holliday)

Viewers may be shocked to know what heartbreaking real-life incidents that resulted in the programme being made.

Speaking with Radio Times, Stephen said: 'Where it came from, for me... Is there was an incident in Liverpool, a young girl, and she was stabbed to death by a young boy.

'I just thought, why? Then there was another young girl in south London who was stabbed to death at a bus stop.

'And there was this thing up North, where that young girl Brianna Ghey was lured into the park by two teenagers, and they stabbed her. I just thought, whats going on? What is this thats happening?'

16-year-old Brianna, who was transgender, was killed on February 11 2023 in Culcheth, Warrington.
A member of the King's Guard appeared to almost faint while on duty in footage shared online on Friday.

In a clip posted to X, captioned 'hope he's OK', the unidentified soldier begins to slowly wobble while standing in his place in London.

Soon, the guard in full uniform sways on his feet, moving forward and backwards ever so slightly as he struggles to keep his position.

He starts to lean towards the soldier beside him, who thankfully rushes to his aid by offering a helping hand on his back to try and steady his comrade.

The quick-thinking soldier then grabs onto the struggling guard's arm to stop him from toppling over.

Two other members of the King's Guard then reach the pair before gently removing the soldier who was 'about to faint' from the line-up.

Fans rushed to comment on the video to share their well-wishes for the stumbling guard, with one person writing: 'I hope hes ok', while another said: 'Bless him'.

It's unclear when or where the video was taken, however the footage could've been captured during a Changing of the Guard ceremony in London, at the Wellington Barracks.

A member of the King's Guard appeared to almost faint while on duty in footage shared online on Friday

An Army spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, teams of medics are on hand to provide appropriate medical treatment where required.'

Taking place four times a week, it sees The King's Guard handing over responsibility for protecting Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace to the New Guard.

The event - involving soldiers in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats parading with an army band through central London - attracts hundreds of tourists, who flock from around the world to see the military spectacle unfold.

The King's Guard is the name given to the group of soldiers responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace.

Traditionally, guards stand still while on sentry duty, which lasts for two hours, before they then have a four-hour break.

Every 10 minutes, they come to attention, slope their arms and do a march of 15 paces across the area of the post.

They must work regardless of the weather, and must follow strict rules such as not grinning or laughing, which can result in a 200 fine.

Guards are not generally allowed to talk to the general public, but in certain circumstances, such as when people obstruct them, they can shout a warning to get them to move.

HOPE HES OKEY  pic.twitter.com/aPeKcKIa4D  The Kings Guards Channel (@TheKingsGuardsX) March 14, 2025

Fans rushed to comment on the video to share their well-wishes for the stumbling guard, with one person writing: 'I hope hes ok', while another said: 'Bless him'.

Last year, a member of the King's Guard burst into tears after being surprised by her parents while on duty in a heart-warming moment.

Crowds gathered around the soldier in the heavy rain outside Buckingham Palace, posing for pictures next to the stoic guard's horse.

As a crowd gathered and tourists come forward to stroke the horse's nose, the guard remains still and calm until she spots her parents in the crowd.

The soldier starts to tear up and her face begins to crumple as her mother and father emerge from a sea of umbrellas and come to the front of the throng of tourists.

As her father, in a black mac and rucksack, strokes the nose of the horse, he seems to chatter away to his emotional daughter who tries to keep her tears at bay.

Her mother then comes to the front of the crowd and asks her daughter a question which she subtly nods at before breaking down in tears and wiping her eyes with her white gloves.

A member of the crowd asks the trio if they would like a picture and they nod as other tourists push in to get a quick snap with the guard and her horse as her parents patiently wait on the sidelines in the pouring rain.

The guard regains herself before her parents pose proudly on either side of the well-behaved horse, smiling with their hands tucked into their pockets.

Last year, a member of the King's Guard burst into tears after being surprised by her parents while on duty in a heart-warming moment (pictured)

They then move away and a phone is handed back to the mother who looks at the screen, seemingly pleased with the photo before moving away.

Other tourists then continue to stand in front of the guard, stroking the horse and posing, seemingly unaware of the emotional encounter the soldier has just had.

The video then shows the guard's father proudly snapping his daughter astride the brown steed, sticking to her duty and remaining unmoved and un-distracted by the crowd of tourists.

Later on in the video, the mother returns to her daughter's side, stroking the horse and speaking briefly to her daughter.

The pair have a brief conversation before the guard kicks her horse and re-adjusts her position in the guard's archway as tourists continue to flock to the landmark.
Less than a week after its release, Stephen Graham's latest show Adolescence has skyrocketed straight to the top of Netflix charts while earning its 15-year-old lead, Owen Cooper, widespread acclaim for his flawless acting debut.

The up-and-coming actor from Warrington is 'terrifying' as Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old accused of brutally murdering a schoolgirl, in the critically-acclaimed four-part British series that traces the fallout from his arrest.

Graham, 51, who co-wrote the show and stars in it as Jamie's father, Eddie Miller, told The Independent he wanted to explore the rise of 'incel' or involuntary celibate-fuelled misogyny among young boys, while asking 'who is to blame'.

In its simplest form, an incel or involuntary celibate refers to someone unable to find a romantic or sexual partner despite wanting one.

In recent years, a more radicalised sub-culture of incels has formed online, across a network of blogs and forums collectively known as the 'manosphere', that is characterised by an extreme hatred for women due to intense feelings of sexual frustration.

On Adolescence, Ashley Waters's character DI Luke Bascombe is forced to confront Jamie's exposure to these groups after his own teenage son alerts him to the secret incel codes on social media and the rise of toxic masculinity among his peers.

The show's release comes after a 2022 report found that incel sites in the UK grew from 114,420 monthly visits to 638,505 amid concerns that boys as young as 14 are being sucked into this community.

Against this backdrop, Graham told The Independent is incumbent upon parents to become more 'mindful' of 'external influences' that might be shaping the lives of their children - including access to these 'woman-hating' ideologies in the 'manoshere'.

Less than a week after its release, Stephen Graham's latest show Adolescence has skyrocketed straight to the top of Netflix charts while earning its 15-year-old lead, Owen Cooper (above), widespread acclaim for his flawless acting debut

The up-and-coming actor from Warrington is 'terrifying' as Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old accused of brutally murdering a schoolgirl, in the critically-acclaimed four-part British series that traces the fallout from his arrest

According to London-based psychotherapist Helen Villiers, from Liberation Therapy, radicalisation by incel type groups and influencers such as Andrew Tate will be shown in some very distinctive behaviour'.

In an interview with FEMAIL, she shared five 'subtle' signs parents should look out as well as her advice for trying to counter the narrative being propagated on these groups:

An increase in misogynistic comments

Helen advised parents may notice an increase in sexist or misogynistic comments and a deep aversion towards 'feminism or feminist ideas'.

This change might be subtle at first, while highlighting how they may say things like women should 'know their place' ot that the idea of equality is ludicrous.

They may also begin to brand 'any suggestion of equality' as being an example of a 'woke' or 'snowflake' mindset.

Disrespect towards women

Watch for any signs of disrespect towards the women and girls in his life - both at home and in school.

Stephen Graham, who co-wrote the show, stars as Jamie's father Eddie Miller as the family grapples with his arrest for fatally stabbing a schoolmate

A teen who may have encountered these extreme beliefs online might also alter his friendship group to accommodate 'those who hold similar views'.

'Or, perhaps if those people arent around him, [he might start] making connections online and frequenting forums or chat spaces that promote male supremacy or anti feminism,' Helen said.

Trying to become an 'alpha male'

If he's listening to misogynistic online influencers or consuming content created by them, your child might become obsessed with the idea of being an alpha male, and start focusing on his looks and body - but also those of the women he deems acceptable or attractive.

At one point in Adolescence, DI Bascombe highlights Jaime's aggressive comments under photographs of scantily-clad and conventionally good-looking women during a tense interrogation.

Helen highlighted that boys like Jaime's character may be 'judgemental or critical of different body types that are not in keeping with social expectations' such as peopl ewho arent thin, or have a stereotypically female appearance.

She also noted that an obsession with wealth - including both becoming wealthy and appearing wealthy - might be a sign of someething more sinister.

'If theres a sudden focus on buying designer brands, and wealth status symbols it may be a sign that hes embracing the "alpha male" culture,' she explained.

According to London-based psychotherapist Helen Villiers, from Liberation Therapy, radicalisation by incel type groups and influencers such as Andrew Tate will be shown in some very distinctive behaviour'

A lack of empathy

If your child starts hiding his emotions, or being critical and judgemental of people that display kindness or empathy, it might be time to intervene.

'Whilst its somewhat normal for teenagers to be self-centred and self-serving, a lack of empathy is not typical towards peers or friends - although it might be more typical to close family members for a short period of their teenage years,' she said.

Changing language patterns

Another signal your child might be influenced by incel culture lies in their changing language patterns.

If you notice an uptick in their use of words such alpha male, sigma male, top G or beta male - as well as references towards incel beliefs - it could indicate he is 'being exposed to this radicalisation'.

Helen warned: 'He will likely be very defensive if challenged on these ideologies, often being dismissive and using deflection or minimisation tactics to shut the conversation down.'

He may also talk about those who contradict his opinions as being triggered or brainwashed, she added.

In an interview with FEMAIL, she shared five 'subtle' signs parents should look out as well as her advice for trying to counter the narrative being propagated on these groups

If you fear your child has found himself in these dangerous online spaces, the key is to challenge their thinking while validating their feelings, according to Helen.

'Having open, curiosity based discussions is vital to keep communication open and offering contradictory ideas or concepts as part of those discussions will also be helpful,' she said.

It's crucial not to appear hypercritical of these ideas while creating a safe space for discussion while encouraging critical thinking, Helen continued.

'Asking pertinent questions such as "Why do you think Andrew Tate gets banned from platforms so often, or "Its an interesting idea, do you think that all men and women fit into those categories?" or even "What if you didnt fit into one of those categories, what would that mean?"

'Validate his feelings around masculinity and how hard it is to cope with the pressures of it,' Helen added.
A mother who was told she was cancer-free was given less than three years to live just six weeks later after doctors discovered an inoperable tumour so tiny it is 'almost invisible'.

Michelle Black, 50, from Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, was told she had beaten her rare case of bile duct cancer in November only to find out five days before Christmas a tumour 'less than a millimetre in size' had been found.

As few as three in a million people are diagnosed with bile duct cancer per year worldwide and only three in 10 survive longer than a year thereafter.

Full-time mother Michelle was first diagnosed in March 2024 after she lost her appetite, felt pain under her ribs and noticed her urine was dark and her skin was yellow.

After surgery to remove 60 per cent of Michelle's liver, doctors initially thought the cancer had gone but further tests in December 2024 revealed a tiny tumour remained in the tissues near her portal vein  a major vessel carrying blood from the liver.

Doctors have given her a prognosis of two to three years after discovering that the tumour is now stage three and incurable, but Michelle is determined to find a cure and be there for her son Mason, 16, her daughter, Shannon, 31, and her two granddaughters, aged six and nine, who she does not wish to name.

'It's impossible to believe that I've gone from being cancer-free at Christmas to a stage three incurable cancer six weeks later for something so small you can't even see it,' Michelle said.

'The cancer is so small, it is almost invisible  we're still baffled as to why it can't be cured. My son hasn't cried yet because he says "you're going to get through it"'.

Michelle Black, 50, from Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, who was told she was cancer-free, was given less than three years to live just six weeks later after doctors discovered an inoperable tumour so tiny it is 'almost invisible'

'It's crazy how something so tiny can be so aggressive. There has to be somebody out there who can help me and cure it. I only have two to three years and I don't want to leave my children and grandchildren.'

Michelle has lived a healthy life free of cigarettes and alcohol, but first realised something was wrong in December 2023 when her skin turned yellow and she experienced pain under her ribs, a loss of appetite, dark urine and pale stools.

Since then, she has endured 15 months of non-stop illness, hospital admissions, new diagnoses, repeat sepsis and surgery.

Best friend Kirstine Cox, 53, from Markyate, who has supported Michelle throughout her ordeal, recalled the early signs of the illness.

'We were sitting in our usual spot at our favourite cafe, Okka in Harpenden, after dropping our kids off at school,' Kirstine said. 'I asked Michelle "are you going to have breakfast?" and she said "I can't eat it" I just thought it was a virus or something.'

In the weeks that followed, Michelle began losing weight without trying, dropping up to 2lb (0.9kg) every 10 days.

Michelle was told she had beaten her rare case of bile duct cancer in November only to find out five days before Christmas a tumour 'less than a millimetre in size' had been found  adding it was now stage three and incurable

On April 8 last year, surgeons removed Michelle's gallbladder, 60 per cent of her liver and reattached her bowel in a bid to remove the cancer

Michelle immediately after liver surgery at the Royal Free hospital, London, in April 2024

Doctors have given her a prognosis of two to three years, but full-time mother Michelle is determined to find a cure and be there for her son Mason, 16, (pictured) her daughter, Shannon, 31, and her two granddaughters, six and nine, who she does not wish to name

A visit to the rheumatologist showed she had a high level of Bilirubin, produced by the breakdown of red blood cells, and Michelle was sent for further tests at Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

'She didn't think anything serious was going to happen but then she called me from the hospital in floods of tears,' said Kirstine. 'She said "I can't believe it, they say it could be cancer but they can't be sure".'

Kirstine drove Michelle to the Royal Free Hospital, in London, for further checks where doctors confirmed it was bile duct cancer  also known as cholangiocarcinoma.

'We sat in the canteen and we were both in tears,' said Kristine. 'If you get any cancer, you wouldn't want this one  it's one of the most aggressive you can get.

'Then Michelle said "I need to tell my son" so we met at my local Harvester and told him the news.'

On April 8 last year, surgeons removed Michelle's gallbladder, 60 per cent of her liver and reattached her bowel in a bid to remove the cancer.

'I went to visit and couldn't believe how terrible she looked,' Kirstine said. 'She was just like a zombie due to the medicine. She couldn't speak, she wasn't herself.'

Michelle spent the next few months in and out of hospital, being readmitted for MRSA and later sepsis.

Michelle has lived a healthy life free of cigarettes and alcohol, but first realised something was wrong in December 2023 when her skin turned yellow and she experienced pain under her ribs, a loss of appetite, dark urine and pale stools

Best friend Kirstine Cox, 53, (left) from Markyate, who has supported Michelle throughout her ordeal, recalled the early signs of the illness

Kirstine drove Michelle to the Royal Free Hospital, in London, for further checks where doctors confirmed it was bile duct cancer  also known as cholangiocarcinoma

By September, she still had discomfort under her ribs and went back to the Royal Free for further tests including a spyglass procedure where doctors took tiny biopsies from within her blood vessels.

'We waited a couple of weeks and went back to the Royal Free where an oncologist said "the biopsies have come back clear and there is no spread",' Kirstine said.

A second opinion was required and confirmed it was not cancer but likely just inflammation.

Believing she was cancer-free, Michelle celebrated her 50th birthday with friends and family at the Okka cafe in November 2024.

'I was told I was in the clear and it was the best birthday present ever,' said Michelle.

By December however, Michelle still 'wasn't feeling right' and underwent further scans and tests.

Five days before Christmas, doctors at the Royal Free confirmed she still had bile duct cancer in the tissues near her portal vein  and it was actually stage three and incurable.

'It was awful but we're talking about a microscopic area, it was really hard for doctors to know,' said Kristine. 'Because it is in the tissues, it is inoperable and they cannot cure it.'

Michelle and her son Mason enjoying a barge boat trip along the Thames

Kirstine has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for alternative treatments for Michelle and to enable her to make special memories with her family

In January, doctors suggested palliative care and chemotherapy as a means to give Michelle more time.

But Michelle is optimistic they caught the cancer early and remains determined to find a cure, while still battling the disease in and out of hospital.

'I am up and down like a rollercoaster,' Michelle said. 'It's like a countdown. I keep thinking "two months has gone already" and I need to try and stop that. It's really hard, how do you do that?'

So far, she has had one round of chemotherapy and remains in and out of hospital for treatment and recurring infections.

Kirstine has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for alternative treatments for Michelle and to enable her to make special memories with her family.

'I'd like to thank Kirstine as well as my mum, my sister Claire, my daughter Shannon, my neighbour Emma, my son Mason and everybody who has helped me so far as I try to beat this,' Michelle said.

Kirstine added: 'Michelle is the most wonderful friend you could ever imagine. She just wants people to love her and she would do anything for anyone  she radiates love and she radiates kindness.'

Michelle's fundraising page can be found at: gofundme.com/f/support-michelle-in-her-fight-against-bile-duct-cancer
Hilaria Baldwin has addressed the controversy surrounding her accent, claiming 'the whole world was mean to me'.

The 41-year-old mom-of-seven, real name Hillary Hayward-Thomas, who was born in an upscale neighborhood of Boston, has raised eyebrows over the years with her questionable dialect.

Although her parents live in Majorca, Spain, she grew up in the states and is American - but she often uses a Spanish accent in interviews.

Speaking in the latest episode of her TLC reality show, The Baldwins, Hilaria talked to her oldest daughter's friend about being forced to learn about code-switching.

'Growing up in a way where you have multiple cultural influences on you means that you're never going to be able to fit in,' she first said in her confessional. 'You can try.

'You can chameleon. You know, people who code-switch we're very good at chameleoning and you're not even thinking about it.'

Hilaria Baldwin has addressed the backlash to controversy surrounding her Spanish accent

The 41-year-old mom-of-seven said she learned about code-switching after 'the whole world was mean to me'

Addressing the teen, Hilaria continued: 'They say that it's like communication, if you ever talk to a really old person who cannot hear, and I'm gonna emphasize, I'm gonna speak slower.

'And you're not even really thinking about it. You just start to do it.'

She continued: 'You know what it's called? Code-switching I had to learn about it because the whole world was mean to me, and so I had to learn it. It's code-switching.'

Returning to her confessional, Hilaria opened up about the pressures that come with being in the spotlight.

She said: 'People say, "Oh, don't you get used to it?" No, you don't get used to it.

'You never get used to people being mean. But you take a deep breath, and I think you learn to distance yourself from it, and so, you know, you just try turning down the volume in my head a bit and I'm not gonna take it personally.'

Back in 2015, the entrepreneur went viral for seemingly forgetting a simple word in her native tongue while cooking.

At the time, Hilaria had appeared in a now infamous six-minute segment on the Today Show and made an 'authentic' gazpacho.

Hilaria also opened up about the pressures that come with being in the spotlight and stressed that you cannot get used to people being mean

The former yoga instructor revealed that she is raising her seven children to be bilingual in English and Spanish

The Living Clearly Method author listed the ingredients, and at one point, seemed to forget the English word for 'cucumber.'

'We have tomatoes, we have, um, how do you say in English? Cucumber,' Hilaria said at the time.

Hilaria was exposed four years ago by DailyMail.com for listing her birthplace as Majorca, Spain, on her agency's website.

In The Baldwin's first episode, Hilaria said she is 'normal' for mixing English and Spanish while also expressing upset over being criticized for her accent.

'My nuclear family now lives over in Spain,' she said. 'I want to teach my kids pride in speaking more than one language.

'I think just growing up speaking two languages is extremely special. I love English and I also love Spanish, and when I mix the two, it doesn't make me inauthentic.

'When I mix the two, it makes me normal!'

Hilaria, who shares seven kids with her husband Alec Baldwin, hinted that although the controversy over her accent has made her feel low, she has been able to lean on her loved ones for support.

She continued: 'I would be lying if I said it didn't make me sad and it didn't hurt and it didn't put me in dark places.

'But it was my family, my friends, my community who speak multiple languages, who have belonged in multiple places, and realize that we are a mix of all these different things and that is going to have an impact on how we sound and how we articulate things and the words that we choose and our mannerisms.

'That normal. That's what's called being human.'
Meghan Markle has insisted that she has 'normal' friends who are 'not in the public eye' after a slew of A-listers made appearances on new Netflix show.

The Duchess, 43, spoke about her inner circle with People off the heels of the premiere of her new home entertaining show.

The eight-episode series, called With Love, Meghan, shows the former Suits star hosting her her pals in a mansion of Montecito, California, as they whip up fabulous meals together and create magical home decor moments.

Notable guests have included actress Mindy Kaling, socialite Delfina Blaquie, and acclaimed makeup mogul Victoria Jackson - but despite the star-studded appearances, Markle vowed that she has some pals who are just like everyone else.

The former royal told People that she has 'a couple of girlfriends' who aren't in the spotlight, and explained that they connected over their love of Pilates or through her two kids, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.

'I have a couple of girlfriends up here - these are stay-at-home moms and working women with normal jobs, not in the public eye,' Markle dished.

'We went from just connecting through our kids to having girls' nights out or doing Pilates together.'

Despite being one of the most well-known faces on the globe, the former royal said she loves to go to group fitness classes.

Meghan Markle has insisted that she has 'normal' friends who are 'not in the public eye' after a slew of A-listers made appearances on new Netflix show

Notable guests have included actress Mindy Kaling (seen), socialite Delfina Blaquie, and acclaimed makeup mogul Victoria Jackson

But Markle told People that she has 'a couple of girlfriends' who aren't in the spotlight, and explained that they connected over their love of Pilates (stock image)

'I go to group classes that sometimes have 40 to 50 people in them and just walk in like, "Hi!"' Markle said.

'Of course, at the beginning, that felt like a lot. By the way, I think anybody walking into a yoga class with 50 people when youre one of the last people that walk in and everyone looks up, its going to feel a little uncomfortable,' she continued.

Markle explained that she prefers group classes because they are a great way to 'connect' with others.

'The other day in class, I was there by myself - sometimes I go with girlfriends, but I went by myself - and in the middle of the class they said, "Great, tell the person on your mat next to you that theyre doing a great job, give them a fist pump,"' Markle recalled to People.

'And I looked over and there was someone over there, and I was like [miming a fist bump], "Well done!" and then I looked to the other side and there was someone else and I went, "Nicely done! Come on, guys!"' she shared.

'I mean, thats part of how you connect. I love it. Its the best. I had missed it. Its awesome.'

In the past, Markle has spoken about her favorite ways to stay fit, and it doesn't only include Pilates.

According to Women's Health Australia, the former Tig blogger has also gushed about her love for yoga and running.

Despite being one of the most well-known faces on the globe, the former royal said she loves to go to group fitness classes

'I have a couple of girlfriends up here - these are stay-at-home moms and working women with normal jobs, not in the public eye,' Markle dished

Markle (seen with husband Prince Harry) added, 'We went from just connecting through our kids to having girls' nights out or doing Pilates together'

She has said that yoga has many benefits, including reduced anxiety and increased flexibility.

In addition, Markle also does some strength training, or at least she used to, during her days on Suits, which filmed in Canada.

In 2020, her former personal trainer, Craig McNamee, C.S.C.S., who is the founder of Catalyst Health in Toronto, told Women's Health Magazine that Markle worked out in the morning, where they did a 'low-weight strategy.'

'Generally speaking, we had a full-body approach,' McNamee told the outlet at the time.

'And since Meghan was onscreen, we really focused on posture,' he said, explaining that they particularly focused on glute, back, and hamstring exercises.

They would also work out the core - like her abs, back and pelvic floor.

'Meghan is dedicated to her health, its a big aspect of her lifeso for her, now its about keeping up with the workouts we did together, and making them count,' he added.
Mia had spent nearly her entire life at the RSPCA before she was finally adopted

Britain's 'most unwanted dog' has finally found her forever home after spending 800 days waiting for a family to adopt her.

Mia, a Dutch Shepherd who had spent nearly her entire life at the RSPCA, was finally adopted by a loving family in North Yorkshire, last month.

The 'sweet' pooch was initially rescued by RSPCA Inspectors when she was just nine days old in October 2019, and was later placed in the care of the Southridge Animal Centre in Hertfordshire.

Mia became available for rehoming in November 2022, but had to wait until February 2025 to find her forever home.

During that time, the gorgeous Shepherd had to watch a whopping 1,500 animals, including fellow pooches, cats and birds come and go.

Mia, meanwhile, spent nearly her whole life in the RSPCA facility and has waited more than two years to be adopted, making her the staying resident at the centre.

After celebrating turning five last October, the sweet pup's dreams of finding a family finally came true.

Last month, the RSPCA's longest-standing resident said goodbye to her friends at Southridge and made the 200-mile journey to her new home in North Yorkshire with Chris Greenwell.

Last month, Mia, a Dutch Shepherd who had spent nearly her entire life at the RSPCA, was finally adopted by a loving family in West Yorkshire (pictured)

Her new owner, Chris, said: 'Mia is a superb dog and a great companion - she brings a smile to my face every day. She's been with me for nearly a month, but it feels like she's been here forever, she's settled in so well.

'Considering she's not spent much time in a home environment, she adapted incredibly well.

'She immediately adopted a sofa, and it's been hard to get her out of it since - if I sit down and put my feet up, she gives me an exasperated sigh and moves over to the armchair instead.

'Mia adores my 15-year-old daughter Seren and loves playing with her dogs, they have great fun together. If I say "where's Seren?" Mia will immediately look to the door for her, which is very sweet.'

Mia is one of countless dogs rehomed by the RSPCA each year - and thankfully has quickly settled into her loving new home.

Chris added: 'As time has gone on she's really come out of her shell - she's very cheeky, creeping into my home office when I'm in meetings and turning my wicker bin into her new toy.

The 'sweet' pooch was initially rescued by RSPCA Inspectors when she was just nine days old in October 2019, and was later placed in the care of the Southridge Animal Centre in Hertfordshire

Last month, the RSPCA's longest-standing resident said goodbye to her friends at Southridge and made the 200-mile journey to her new home in North Yorkshire with Chris Greenwell

Staff at RSPCA Southridge - who organised a fifth birthday party for Mia before she was rehomed - said they were 'thrilled' that the 'one in a million' dog has been adopted

'She's very playful and full of energy - every day after breakfast she'll run to choose a toy. She loves anything with a squeak and playing tug of war - three toys have been destroyed already!

'Recently she has started coming hiking with me and encountering rivers, moorland, rocky trails and waterfalls for the first time.

'She's exceeded expectations in every way, Mia really is the epitome of man's best friend.'

Staff at RSPCA Southridge - who organised a fifth birthday party for Mia before she was rehomed - said they were 'thrilled' that the 'one in a million' dog has been adopted.

Claire Hoffman, behaviour and welfare advisor at RSPCA Southridge, said: 'Mia had spent almost her entire life in kennels - 35 years in dog years - and we're so happy she's finally found her forever home.

'She had a challenging start to life, but despite that she blossomed into such a pretty, friendly and very intelligent dog with so much love to give - she really is one-in-a-million and I'm so happy she's thriving in her new home.

'Her long wait was completely heart-breaking - we think she was the RSPCA's longest 'available for rehoming' pet and the country's most unwanted dog, a title no animal deserves.

'But we're all thrilled her story now has a happy ending,' she concluded.
Both Irish and non-Irish people around the world are celebrating St Patrick's Day today - but despite the holiday being a time for celebration, it has exposed a bitter divide among people who call themselves Irish.

This weekend and today, revellers in America donned their finest green outfits and took to the streets to celebrate the Irish saint, with pubs packed out to capacity and Guinness taps drunk dry.

But many people born and raised in the island of Ireland have been left frustrated - and in some cases, offended - by the way US punters celebrate 17 March.

Many on social media have blasted Americans for referring to the event as 'St Patty's Day', and for claiming to celebrate the day 'bigger' than revellers in Ireland.

With more than 30 million people in the US claiming to have Irish ancestry, Americans take St Patrick's Day seriously - however as TikTok weighs in on the holiday, a divide has emerged - between people born and raised in Ireland and Irish-Americans.

In fact, the worlds first St. Patricks Day parade took place in New York on 17 March 1762, featuring English military serving Irish soldiers.

The festivities soon became an annual celebration, with parties, parades and Guinness-fuelled bar crawls now taking place in cities across the States every single year. Meanwhile, around 30,000 Irish-born natives emigrate to the States each year.

But while nearly one in 10 Americans allege Gaelic roots, far fewer are impressed with the way the festivities go down.

But many Irish emigrants in America have been left frustrated and even 'offended' by the way their annual festival is celebrated in the US

Over the weekend and today, revellers in the US hit towns in waves of green to celebrate the Irish saints day, with pubs packed to capacity and celebrators knocking back copious quantities of Guinness

Earlier today, a news reel from the Irish broadcaster RTE shared celebrations from Chicago, where hundreds gathered to commemorate the day.

The city, which is located in the Midwestern state of Illinois, even makes an annual event of dyeing the river green, a tradition that dates back to 1962.

But, upon watching the reel on TikTok, many Irish people were left 'offended' by the American revellers in the clip - including one partygoer who said the celebrations in Chicago were 'bigger than in Ireland'.

'I think we have a bigger celebration of St Patrick's Day in Chicago than in Ireland,' one woman said in an American accent.

Commenting on the festivities in the Midwestern city, one American said she loved 'the energy and people' and said it was a 'great time to be in Chicago - even if you're not Irish'.

Several left comments on the video posted to TikTok by the news channel, with many Irelanders hitting out at the 'cringy' display.

'If countries were humans I feel the US would stalk Ireland,' one person joked while a second said revellers have 'obviously not been on a night out in Belfast'.

'In Ireland its an excuse for the drink, we dont care about green rivers and parades,' said another.

In another video, one Gallic native, Claire Cullen, took to TikTok to share the four things American's say that 'p**s Irish people off' (pictured)

Earlier today, a news reel from the Irish broadcaster RTE shared celebrations from Chicago, where hundreds gathered to commemorate the day (pictured)

Dozens of others slammed people who made cameos in the news reel, insisting the celebrations were 'much bigger', in Ireland.

One Irish native who is currently living in New York shared a video advising Americans ahead of the big day. 'As an Irish person living here, it's Paddy's Day, not Patty's day, big distinction,' she urged.

She also warned: 'If an Irish man tries to convince you of something this weekend, don't believe them - we lie for fun.'

In another video, one Irish native, Claire Cullen, took to TikTok to share the four things American's say that 'p**s Irish people off'.

'Number one is calling a drink an Irish car bomb - inappropriate. We can make that joke, you can't,' she said.

Second on her list was referring to siblings as 'Irish twins' - which refers to two children born to the same mother within a 12-month period - which Claire said was 'offensive'.

Third on her list was the 'Irish goodbye', often used to refer to people who slip out of social events early, which she said was actually 'a houdini'.

'An Irish goodbye takes at least an hour because you have to say goodbye to everyone individually,' she protested.

But top of the list of annoying habits was calling St Patrick's Day 'St Patty's Day'.

Many viewers of the clip were similarly outraged by what Claire called 'Irish American micro-aggressions', with one writing, 'if I see another person say American celebrates St Patrick's day more then Irish people.'

In another video, one Irelander, @3bucksleft_2, complained: 'It's Patrick's Day, it's not as the Yanks call it, "Patty's Day", it's not as the Brits call it "Paddy's Day", it's Patrick's Day (pictured)

Among complaints made by Irish natives, one appearing to stoke the most frustration is Americans referring to the annual day as 'St Patty's'.

In another video, one Irishman @3bucksleft_2, complained: 'It's Patrick's Day, it's not as the Yanks call it, "Patty's Day", it's not as the Brits call it "Paddy's Day", it's Patrick's Day.

'We don't call it Georgie's Day in England, we don't call it Davey's Day in Wales. It's Patrick's Day - get it right,' he fumed.

Other clips on the app reveal Americans decked in full greenery as they head to cities across the country to celebrate the annual day.

Extravagant revellery revealed jam packed parades, Leprechaun hats galore, and huge waving flags - all sounded to a backdrop of American accents.

One video posted to TikTok showed an Irish native mocking an American after she posted a video saying 'I'm Irish and I forgot it's St Patrick's Day'.

One wrote under the video: 'Americans pretending to be Irish is so funny', while a second joked 'Her great great great grandfather had a Guinness one time so now she's Irish I guess.'

Despite some Americans boasting bigger celebrations than anywhere else, a vox pop from revellers in Boston in the US revealed that a number of celebrators were unable to name three Irish cities.

In the clip, a patron interviewed multiple partygoers, challenging them to name three Gallic cities - but none could.

One youngster wearing a foam Leprechaun hat claimed to have Irish heritage but stammered when faced with answering whether he knew a city other than Dublin.
Disney scaled back the red carpet - but made sure all eyes were on one guest

The controversial live action remake premiered in Los Angeles over the weekend

Disney bosses have been accused of trying to 'distract' from the spate of Snow White controversies by inviting a fluffy rabbit to attend the film's Los Angeles premiere over the weekend.

On Saturday, actresses Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot stepped out on the red carpet at El Capitan Theatre, one of a handful of scaled back and tightly controlled press events for the movie.

Joining them was famous Netherland dwarf bunny influencer, BunnyDayOff, who posed for photos in front of the blue billboard.

BunnyDayOff has a legion of fans, with over one million followers on Instagram alone.

At one point, the pet, reported as Forest Rabbit #1, was even seen wearing a brown cable knit jumper.

Taking to Instagram after the star-studded outing, the bunny's owner said it was 'truly an honor to attend the Snow White world premiere and experience the magic of the red carpet alongside the incredible cast'.

Disney bosses have been accused of trying to 'distract' from the spate of Snow White controversies

Forest Rabbit attended the World Premiere of Snow White at El Capitan Theatre on March 15

The stunt didn't go unnoticed by eagle-eyed social media users, however, who were quick to declare the rabbit's appearance as a 'distraction'.

'This feels like a pathetic attempt at trying to distract everyone from the controversies surrounding this film,' one said on Reddit.

'This is so dystopian,' another user said.

'We are living in the strangest timeline,' added a third.

'Movie so bad they had to bring out the marketing big guns,' another said on X.

A fifth posted: 'Disney does the most with their PR stunts but can't make a good adaptation anymore.'

'They let bunnies and influencers on the red carpet but nary a journalist. Oh I have to laugh,' added a sixth.

Others expressed their concern for the rabbit's wellbeing.

The bunny posed for photos on the red carpet in front of the film's billboard

At one point, the pet was even seen wearing a brown cable knit jumper

'How is this little guy not terrified as all hell?' asked one user, while another said: 'I hate this. Rabbits can die from stress. Whoever owns this bunny doesn't give a sh** about its wellbeing.'

Cast members Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Andy Grotelueschen, Emilia Faucher, Lorena Andrea, Dujonna Gift, and Idris Kargbo, as well as director Marc Webb, screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, producers Marc Platt and Jared LeBoff, songwriters Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, composer Jeff Morrow and cinematographer Mandy Walker also walked the red carpet.

Putting the focus on local children who were invited to the event, the pre-party celebration featured an array of sponsored activities to entertain the young guests while they waited.

Speaking about the reaction she's had as the movie's young star, Zegler explained she interprets people's feelings about it as 'their passion for' the character.

She said: 'What an honor to be a part of something for which people feel so much passion. We're not always going to have the same sentiments as those around us and all that we can do is give the best of ourselves.'

The actress posed for snaps in a pale pink ballgown with a flowing satin skirt, stopping to meet some of the young fans attending, who were dressed up as the iconic Princess.

Snow White has been marred with controversies since it began filming.

Zegler initially sparked backlash after she called the storyline of the film 'weird' and also labeled the prince a 'stalker.'

In one past interview, Zegler revealed that the new film would be going in a different direction and said of the character of Snow White: 'She's not going to be saved by the prince and she's not going to be dreaming about true love.'

The star also faced backlash when she was first cast as Snow White as a Latina actress.

In response to the negative reception, Zegler penned in a since-deleted post: 'Yes I am Snow White no I am not bleaching my skin for the role.'

'They let bunnies and influencers on the red carpet but nary a journalist. Oh I have to laugh,' one social media user said

A select number of photographers and press were invited to attend the premiere on March 15

Gal Gadot is reportedly feuding with Rachel Zegler behind-the-scenes of Snow White

It was recently rumored that with Zegler and Gadot clashed over their contrasting views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A source told People that the two stars 'have nothing in common' and added, 'On top of that, their political views differ, adding to the tension.'

A large scale premiere would have also taken place at Leicester Square in London, but an insider informed DailyMail.com earlier this month that a decision was made to not hold one for the upcoming movie.

'Disney are already anticipating an anti-woke backlash against Snow White and have reduced the media schedule to just a handful of tightly controlled press events,' the source stated.

'That is why they have taken the highly unusual step not to host a London premiere for the film and are minimizing the amount of press questions that Rachel Zegler gets.'

It was also revealed that Disney has 'zero faith' in the upcoming film and that the movie bosses simply want to get the movie's limited promo 'over with,' per The Hollywood Reporter.

A source said: 'An advance sales cycle of less than two weeks just screams, 'We have zero faith in this thing.' And it couldn't come at a worse point, when the industry is just trying to limp along to May.'

However, insiders for Disney expressed that they, 'always intended to hold back the film's big promotional push until the final few weeks, beginning when Zegler and Gadot presented together at the Oscars on March 2.'
In the Victorian era, it was common for married men and women to have separate rooms from each other because doctors of the time warned against spreading germs to your partner when you slept in close proximity of them.

By the time the 1950s rolled around, this was no longer the case.

In fact, sleeping in a separate bedroom soon became the telltale sign of a poor marriage.

But today, one in five couples sleep in separate rooms - some because they have different sleeping patterns, don't want to disturb their partners, or simply because they like their space.

And now, it seems like this theme of individual spaces is catching on because some women aren't just limiting it to their sleeping arrangements - they're extending it to their bathrooms as well.

A couple in their 60s recently told the New York Post that having individual bathrooms saved their marriage.

In the piece, 66-year-old Debbie Weiner revealed that she got a 'bathroom divorce' from her husband, Jim Weinberger, 67.

Debbie explained that as she and Jim got older, their digestive systems became more sensitive.

Couples all across the globe are opting for separate bathrooms from their partners, and some have even said it saved their marriage (stock image)

And with this, apparently came Jim's 'disgusting' bathroom habits.

When Debbie realized she couldn't handle sharing one toilet with her husband, she decided to expand their family home so that their bathroom could have two suites - each with it's own toilet.

Debbie told the Post that it's fine for a couple to share a wet room, but that it was absolutely necessary for them to have separate toilets.

And she's not alone in this thinking.

In fact, many celebrities have even spoken out in the past in favor of this separate-bathroom idea.

Former first-lady Michelle Obama even went as far as to say that separate bathrooms were the key to a successful marriage.

Melania Trump, Joan Collins, and Sarah Michelle Gellar have all shared similar sentiments in regard to their own marriages and separate toilets.

But in the current economic climate, how realistic is this apparent marriage saver?

Celebrities like Michelle Obama and Joan Collins have confessed to having separate toilets from their partners

Whether you need space from your partner because he's the leader of the free world or simply because he's become 'disgusting,' the bathroom is a good place to start (stock image)

Surprisingly, a little more than you'd think.

In 2023, it was reported that single-family homes were the most common structure for renters in the U.S.

That same year, it was reported that more than 64 percent of these single-family homes had two full bathrooms.

So while it's true that not everyone can afford to have a separate bathroom from their partner, for those that can: it might be the way to go.

In the end, it just might be the thing that keeps your relationship strong.

Whether you need space from your partner because he's the leader of the free world or simply because he's become 'disgusting' with old age, the bathroom is a good place to start.
The Princess of Wales wowed in a festive green coat dress for St Patrick's Day - but attached to her lapel was a traditional sprig of Shamrock and a matching Cartier brooch.

Kate, 43, made her solo return to the celebration in the Wellington Barracks in Westminster, London, where she sipped on a pint of Guinness and was presented with the lush sprigs by a member of the guards.

The three-leaved shamrock is a popular symbol of Ireland and St Patrick as it grows all over the country, and takes its name from early Irish word seamair og, or 'young clover'.

Its association with St Patrick began centuries ago, when it was said that he used the plants three leaves as a symbol of the Holy Trinity while preaching Christianity in Ireland in the fifth century.

Each year on St Patrick's Day shamrocks are distributed to the Irish Guards who serve in the British Armed Forces. During times of war shamrocks are sent to troops on active duty, often placed inside their Kevlar helmets for good luck.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were also seen wearing young sprigs of Shamrock on their garments as they celebrated St Patricks Day with the Irish Guards in March 2023, during a Parade at Mons army Barracks in Aldershot, England.

But although the future queen pinned the plant to her Alexander McQueen coat with a beaming smile across her face, many may be unaware that the shamrock tradition has a grisly history.

Queen Victoria decided the celebrations should include the 'wearing of green' in 1900 in support of one of the British Empire's most brutal and bloody wars - The Boer War.

The Princess of Wales smiles as she joins the Irish Guards, their families and young cadets from Northern Ireland at a special St Patrick's Day parade

Princess of Wales presents traditional sprigs of shamrock to Officers and Guardsmen of the Irish Guard

Kate, who is colonel of the regiment after taking over from her husband, missed the Guards' annual occasion last year as she was undergoing treatment for cancer

On February 19, 1900, Queen Victoria received a 14-year-old bugler from The Royal Dublin Fusiliers. His name was James Dunne and he had been wounded in the arm and chest at Colenso on 15 December, 1899, where he had also lost his bugle in the Tugela river, according to the Royal Irish.

'Victoria thought he was "a nice-looking modest boy" and presented him with a new and inscribed bugle. Shortly after her encounter with Private Dunne, and following news of the heavy losses in the Boer fighting, Victoria's heartfelt reaction, dated February 28, 1900, was telegraphed to General Sir Redvers Buller.'

It was published in Natal Army Orders on March 5, 1900: 'I have heard with the deepest concern of the heavy losses sustained by my brave Irish soldiers. I desire to express my sympathy and my admiration of the splendid fighting qualities which they have exhibited throughout these trying operations.'

Following this, on March 14, 1900, Natal Army Orders promulgated an instruction stating: 'Her Majesty the Queen is pleased to order that in future on Saint Patrick's Day all ranks in Her Majesty's Irish regiments shall wear as a distinction a sprig of shamrock in their head-dress to commemorate the gallantry of Her Irish soldiers during the recent battles in South Africa.'

This meant that March 17, 1900, was the first opportunity for Irish soldiers to wear their shamrock, as prior to this date the 'Wearin' of the Green' had been banned.

Victoria then told her ministers 'I have decided to pay a visit to Ireland to thank those brave Irishmen' and visited from April 4 to April 25, 1900.

The princess pinned the sprig of shamrock to her lapel, making for a very festive display

Princess of Wales during the 2025 Irish Guards' St. Patrick's Day Parade at Wellington Barracks

The Princess of Wales, poses for a photo with members of the Irish Guards

The Princess of Wales greeted young participants, wearing the traditional sprigs

When she arrived in Kingstown Harbour she wore a large sprig of shamrock and carried a parasol edged with embroidered shamrocks.

The Queen's idea was to pick the shamrock, retain as much root as possible, and then wrap and pack consignments in damp moss.

These were then posted to arrive for sale in London by St Patrick's Day.

The wearing of a sprig of shamrock on St Patrick's Day is a symbol to commemorate Irishmen who fell in battle during the Anglo-Boer War. As a symbol of remembrance it preceded the red poppy.

Since the 1800 Acts of Union between Britain and Ireland the shamrock was incorporated into the Royal Coat of Arms, depicted growing from a single stem alongside the rose of England, and the of Scotland to symbolise the unity of the three kingdoms.

Since then, the shamrock has regularly appeared alongside the rose, thistle and leek for Wales in British coins and stamps.

The rose, thistle and shamrock motif also appears regularly on British public buildings such as Buckingham Palace.

Kate on Monday wore the sprig proudly as she paid homage to the fallen Irish soldiers.

Alongside the fresh sprig, she also wore a golden Cartier brooch in the shape of the three-leaved plant.

The princess looked as regal as ever as she participated in the day's events

After arriving at Wellington Barracks in Westminster, central London, Kate inspected the troops before being presented with traditional sprigs of shamrock to a member of the guards

The Princess of Wales dressed in festive green today as she arrived at the Irish Guards' St Patrick's Day parade, before being presented with a shamrock

Loaned to members of the Royal Family by the Irish Guards in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, Kate initially wore this leafy brooch to a medal parade for the regiment at Victoria Barracks in 2011, shortly after her wedding to Prince William.

It's reported to be the first broach she ever wore as an official member of the Royal Family.

Made from 18 carat yellow gold, it features a tiny, single emerald at the centre of the leaves and has an estimated value of 2,250.

Believed to have been designed by Cartier, the brooch was reportedly presented to Princess Mary by the regiment in 1961 and after her passing in 1965, it was bought by the regiment at an auction of her personal jewellery.

It's since been worn by both the Queen Mother and Princess Anne - the Queen Mother was pictured wearing the piece in 2000 and following her death in 2002, Princess Anne appeared to wear the pin annually on St Patrick's Day.

However Kate is now thought to be the only royal to exclusively wear it.

As well as to St Patrick's Day celebrations, Kate has also worn the brooch on several visits to Northern Ireland.

During Monday's celebrations Kate knelt down to pet the regimental mascot Turlough Mor, an adorable Irish Wolfhound known as Seamus. She then gifted him a sprig of shamrock.

The Princess of Wales dressed in festive green today as she was saluted by Irish Guards' at the St Patrick's Day parade before sipping on a pint of Guinness

In a further sweet moment, Kate knelt down to pet the regimental mascot Turlough Mor, an adorable Irish Wolfhound known as Seamus

Known to dress to theme, the Princess of Wales looked gorgeous in green today

Later, inside the Junior Ranks dining hall, Kate sipped on a pint of Guinness as a senior guardsman toasted her, but didn't quite manage to 'split the G' instead choosing to savour the drink slowly.

'Three cheers for the colonel in the regiment,' he said before raucous applause.

Kate, who is colonel of the regiment after taking over from her husband, missed the Guards' annual occasion last year as she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

But the royal, who is gradually returning to public duties, dressed in a lucky green Alexander McQueen coat dress as she came back today.

She styled her look with black heeled boots and a percher hat, and added a Shamrock pin, while tucked her hair up into a sleek updo and opting for a light make-up look.

She added Kiki McDonough Green Tourmaline earrings to her look - which she also wore at the St Patrick's Day Parade in 2018 and 2019.

In a very sweet gesture, the future queen also put money behind the bar for guardsmen, saying it's 'the least she could do'.

She later took the official salute from the Irish Guards, raising their Bearskin caps into the air.

After taking the salute on the dais, she handed out shamrocks to Guardsmen and officers.
READ MORE: Karlie Kloss is pregnant and expecting third child

Thanks to their lack of interactions, rumors of a rift have swirled for a while

Ivanka Trump has hinted that there's no bad blood between her and sister-in-law Karlie Kloss after she liked the former Victoria's Secret Angel model's pregnancy announcement.

Supermodel Karlie, 32, revealed on Monday that she is expecting her third child with her billionaire husband Joshua Kushner, 39.

She broke the news by participating in a stunning photoshoot with Vogue, in which she proudly showed off her growing bump.

'Family is everything to me,' she gushed to the publication. 'Josh and I are incredibly grateful for this blessing.'

Karlie also shared photos of her bump and her sons Elijah, one, and Levi, four, to Instagram with the caption: 'Three's a party.'

And it seems that businesswoman Ivanka, 43, is delighted by the baby bombshell news, as she gave it a big heart despite rumors of a rift between them.

It wasn't just Ivanka sharing the love though, with Lauren Sanchez, Yolanda Hadid, Paris Hilton, Serena Williams, and Kim Kardashian also sharing heartfelt likes and comments.

While sisters-in-laws Karlie and Ivanka both married into the Kushner family - which heralds a property dynasty and is known for its warm relations with the newly elected US President - the pair aren't often pictured together, and have found themselves on very different sides of the political fence.

Ivanka Trump has hinted there's no bad blood between her and sister-in-law Karlie Kloss

Supermodel Karlie, 32, revealed on Monday that she is expecting her third child

And their lack of interactions have sparked rumors of a rift between them; most recently, they both attended the same wedding but were not photographed together.

As Ivanka - who has said she's not making a return to the White House this time around - stunned in a custom recreation of an iconic 1954 couture gown worn by Audrey Hepburn at this week's inauguration ball, the contrasts between them couldn't have felt more stark.

She and Jared danced alongside Donald and Melania Trump - as well as Vice President JD Vance and his spouse, Usha Vance - along with her siblings Tiffany and Eric with their partners; making for a firmly GOP-aligned image.

Ivanka has in past endorsed the Democratic party - but following her father's foray into politics proclaimed to be a staunch 'proud Trump Republican' who along with her husband worked as a senior advisor in his first administration.

Meanwhile Victoria's Secret Angel Karlie has made it clear that she doesn't support her in-laws' views, and the same seems to be the case for Joshua.

In 2019, she admitted that it's been 'hard' to navigate the dissonance.

Speaking to British Vogue, she added: 'But I choose to focus on the values that I share with my husband, and those are the same liberal values that I was raised with and that have guided me throughout my life.'

Just two years prior, her husband voiced similar sentiments on his 'liberal values,' which have 'guided his life.'

Karlie broke the news in photoshoot with Vogue and proudly showed off her growing bump

Ivanka was amongst Karlie's celebrity pals to react with the sweet news

Ivanka and Karlie have found themselves on very different sides of the political fence (pictured with Dasha Zhukova in 2016)

'I have supported political leaders that share similar values,' he told Forbes in an interview.

'But neither political party has a monopoly on the truth or on constructive ideas for our country. It's important to be open minded and learn from differing opinions.'

Karlie is already a mom to two sons with husband Josh; Levi and Elijah born in 2021 and 2023 respectively.

Joshua, brother of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is the founder of Thrive Capital, a venture-capital firm that has backed technology companies including Instagram, GitHub, and Spotify.

Apart from being a model, Karlie is also the founder of Kode With Klossy, a coding camp for girls.

The couple began dating in June 2012 before tying the knot six years later in 2018.

They married in Upstate New York that October, and then decided to have renew their vows at a second ceremony in Wyoming in July 2019.

In March 2021, the couple welcomed Levi to the world, and in May 2023 Karlie shocked fans when she debuted a baby bump at the 2023 MET Gala, making the surprise announcement that baby number two was on the way.

During an interview with Glamour in June 2023, shortly before Elijah's arrival, she opened up about motherhood and also her postpartum journey after welcoming her first child.
Meghan Markle didn't appear to be too bothered about her husband Prince Harry's visa files being made public this week as she celebrated St. Patrick's Day on Monday.

Meghan, 43, showed off her baking skills on March 17 as she took to her Instagram Stories and shared a selection of videos of herself making a green waffles in honor of the holiday.

The first video showed her whisking the green batter in a large bowl, before she poured it carefully into a waffle maker.

'We love a theme!' the former Suits actress told her followers as she gave them a glimpse of five-year-old Prince Archie and three-year-old Princess Lilibet tucking into green drinks - before showing off their waffles and cream.

Meghan and Prince Harry, 40, enjoyed their green waffles with strawberries as they eagerly await for his visa files to be made public.

Over the weekend, it was revealed that a judge had ruled that it must happen by Tuesday, March 18, at the latest.

Judge Carl Nichols set the deadline to release the files which will give the clearest indication yet as to whether the Duke of Sussex, 40, lied on his immigration paperwork.

The judge, who sits in Washington, approved the redactions suggested by the Department of Homeland Security and said they were 'appropriate.'

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, se appear unbothered by the current drama surrounding his US visa

On Monday morning, Meghan revealed that she had made green waffles for breakfast to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

She also made a special breakfast for their two young children, Archie and Lilibet, too

While it is not clear what material will be released, it could include forms which indicate whether Harry said 'no' when asked if he was a drug user.

Lawyers for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have previously said that three items will be released with redactions but a fourth must remain private.

The right-wing Heritage Foundation sued the DHS last year after the agency, which oversees immigration in America, refused a Freedom of Information request for Harrys files.

Heritage claims that Harry may have lied on the forms under the section which asks if he had been a drug user.

In both his memoir, Spare, and his Netflix TV series Harry talked about using cannabis, cocaine, and magic mushrooms.

In his order, Judge Nichols, who was appointed by Donald Trump, said: 'The government has provided the court with its proposed redactions to the documentsthose redactions appearing appropriate, the government is ORDERED to lodge on the docket the redacted versions of those documents no later than March 18, 2025.'

The case has caused embarrassment and consternation for Harry and raised questions about whether he could be deported if he was found to have lied.

But President Trump recently said he would not order him out of the country, while taking a swipe at Meghan, who he called 'terrible.'

Heritage Foundation claims that Harry, seen here in June 2023, may have lied on the forms under the section which asks if he had been a drug user

Trump said he was only giving Harry a break because 'hes got enough problems with his wife.'

It comes after Meghan responded to claims that she is 'out of touch with the real world' after critics said her Netflix show made her look 'tone deaf.'

The Duchess of Sussex, who lives in a sprawling $14.65million Montecito mansion, insisted she and Prince Harry are trying to be like other families with children at school.

'Once you know us, I think you want us to have the same normalcy as parents and for our children as they do, despite however unique our situation is,' she told People.

'I have a couple of girlfriends up here - these are stay-at-home moms and working women with normal jobs, not in the public eye.'

'We went from just connecting through our kids to having girls' nights out or doing Pilates together,' she added.
When Ana De Armas and Tom Cruise were spotted grabbing dinner together on Valentine's Day, it sparked a firestorm of rumors that the two stars were dating.

Immediately, many began to wonder if we had a new Hollywood power couple... but despite the pair being photographed on a second cozy outing last week, a source told DailyMail.com on Monday that they are not romantically involved.

The insider insisted that the dates were strictly business as the actor is eyeing up Ana for future projects.

This was certainly not the first time that Ana's rumored romantic entanglements made headlines.

In fact, the actress, 36, has linked to a slew of high-profile men over the years, including multiple actors, a tech mogul, and an acclaimed Hollywood talent agent.

Arguably her most famous relationship was with Ben Affleck, who she dated between his split from Jennifer Garner and his whirlwind reconciliation with Jennifer Lopez.

She also previously got attention for her controversial relationship with Manuel Anido Cuesta, the stepson of Cuba's president.

They confirmed that they were dating last November, and immediately, the Knives Out star, who had fled Communist Cuba at age 18, faced scrutiny over the romance.

As the truth about Ana and Tom's relationship is finally revealed, take a look back at her rollercoaster ride love life.

Marc Clotet

Ana met Spanish actor and model Mac Clotet in 2010, while she was an up and coming actress living in Spain. They're seen together in September 2011

They wed in July 2011 during a private ceremony in Costa Brava, Spain, but they split in 2013 after two years of marriage. They're seen in December 2011

It's unclear what lead to their breakup, but Ana moved to Los Angeles soon after to focus on starring in American shows and movies. She and Marc are seen in September 2011

Ana met Spanish actor and model Mac Clotet in 2010, while she was an up and coming actress living in Spain.

Marc is best known for his roles in the soap opera El cor de la ciutat and the drama series Fisica o quimica.

They wed in July 2011 during a private ceremony in Costa Brava, Spain, but they split in 2013 after two years of marriage.

It's unclear what lead to their breakup, but Ana moved to Los Angeles soon after to focus on starring in American shows and movies.

Franklin Latt

After her divorce and move to the states, Ana started dating Hollywood talent agent Franklin Latt (seen in 2017)

They got together in 2015 and became engaged soon after. But Ana and Franklin, who manages Pedro Pascal, called off the wedding and went their separate ways less then a year later

After her divorce and move to the states, Ana started dating Hollywood talent agent Franklin Latt.

They first got together in 2015, right after her Hollywood breakout role in the Keanu Reeves-led flick Knock Knock.

The two became engaged soon after, but they called off the wedding and went their separate ways less then a year later.

Franklin now works for Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and currently manages actor Pedro Pascal.

Alejandro Pineiro Bello

Ana was linked to Cuban artist Alejandro Pineiro Bello in 2017. As she began rising at a Hollywood starlet, he was usually spotted by her side at events. They're seen in 2018

They were together for two years before they broke up in 2019

Ana was linked to Cuban artist Alejandro Pineiro Bello in 2017.

As she began rising at a Hollywood starlet, he was usually spotted by her side at events and often popped up on her social media accounts.

They were together for two years before they broke up in 2019.

Ben Affleck

Ana met Ben Affleck on set of the thriller Deep Water in 2019. Soon after, rumors began to erupt that they were dating after they were spotted on vacation in Cuba together (seen)

They then confirmed that they were indeed a couple when they were spotting kissing in March 2020 (seen), and by April 2020, they were Instagram official

Ana met Ben on set of the thriller Deep Water in 2019, in which they played husband and wife.

Soon after, rumors began to erupt that they had taken their love off screen and into real life after they were spotted on vacation in Ana's home country Cuba together.

At the time, Ana posted a loved-up selfie of her and Ben, in which he placed his hand tenderly on her stomach

They then confirmed that they were indeed a couple when they were spotting kissing in March 2020, and by April 2020, they were Instagram official.

At the time, Ana posted a loved-up selfie of her and Ben, in which he placed his hand tenderly on her stomach.

That June things heated up as she jetted off on vacation with him, his kids, and his mother in Georgia.

They spent much of 2020 inseparable, enjoying walks in LA with their dogs and casual outings for coffee.

But in January 2021, news broke that the couple had called it quits.

'Ben is no longer dating Ana. She broke it off. Their relationship was complicated,' a source told People at the time.

'Ana doesn't want to be Los Angeles-based, and Ben obviously has to since his kids live in Los Angeles.'

They spent much of 2020 inseparable, enjoying walks in LA with their dogs and casual outings for coffee

But in January 2021, news broke that the couple had called it quits

Another insider dished, 'This is something that was mutual and something that is completely amicable.

'They are in different points in their lives; there is deep love and respect there.'

Ana - who moved to Vermont in 2023 - later spoke of the highly publicized relationship to Elle, calling all the attention they received 'horrible.'

'That's one of the reasons why I left LA,' she shared.

'This is not the place for me to be,' she added of LA. 'It became a little bit too much. There's no escape. There's no way out.'

Paul Boukadakis

In June 2021, it was revealed that Ana had been 'quietly seeing' Tinder Vice President Paul Boukadakis. They're seen in September 2022

While they kept the details of their romance mostly out of the spotlight, they were spotted packing on the PDA on multiple occasions over the next few years. They're seen in 2022

In June 2021, it was revealed that Ana had been 'quietly seeing' Tinder Vice President Paul Boukadakis.

'Paul and Ana were introduced through friends,' a source told Page Six at the time.

'He has been spending a lot of time with Ana before she left the US to film her new movie.'

While they kept the details of their romance mostly out of the spotlight, they were spotted packing on the PDA on multiple occasions over the next few years.

It's not known when exactly they went their separate ways, but in November 2024, she was spotted smooching Manuel, seemingly confirming that she and Paul had ended their romance.

Manuel Anido Cuesta

It's not known when exactly they went their separate ways, but in November 2024, she was spotted smooching Manuel Anido Cuesta (seen)

The actress faced immense scrutiny online over the relationship at first. But they did not let the public outrage stop them from stepping out together for a loved-up stroll in Madrid weeks later

Ana and Manuel, who is the stepson of Cuba's president, made headlines when they were photographed kissing during a night out in Madrid, Spain, in November 2024.

The actress faced immense scrutiny online over the relationship at first.

She was savaged by her compatriots and others who accused her of dating the son of a dictatorship that she fled from.

But they did not let the public outrage stop them from stepping out together for a loved-up stroll in Madrid weeks later.

The couple held hands and looked perfectly in sync in similar outfits as they went for a walk together in mid-December.

Ana has stayed tight lipped on the romance, but many people took her Valentine's Day outing with Tom as a sign that she and Manuel had split.

However, she and Manuel were seen together again in Madrid days later, so it seems their relationship isn't over.

The Knives Out alum was photographed linking arms with her lawyer beau as they enjoyed a hot drink together.

Tom Cruise

Ana sparked romance rumors with Tom Cruise as they put on a close display after enjoying dinner together on Valentine's Day

But Ana seemed to put the speculation over her and Tom's date night to rest when she was spotted cozying up to Manuel again days later (seen)

Ana and Tom put on a close display as they were spotted out in Soho, London, for dinner together on Valentine's Day.

The Mission Impossible star and the Cuban-born actress were mobbed by fans during their evening out and stopped to take pictures as a crowd formed around them.

The A-list pairing put on animated display and carried two bags of takeaway food on their way out of the restaurant, before hopping into a taxi together.

Last week, the pair was seen arriving to a heliport in London together.

But a source told DailyMail.com afterwards, 'Everything with Tom and Ana is innocent. They are hanging out to talk about future movies that they could do together.

'One of those ideas is the Days of Thunder sequel that Tom wants to get off the ground. It is currently in its infancy.

'Hes talking [to Paramount] about and Its going to be what comes together first in terms of a script. It depends on the idea and, ultimately, the script.'
To everyone around her, Kerry Soorley appeared put-together. She seemed happy and was always the life of the party after a couple of drinks.

Behind closed doors, she was a different woman.

Feelings of depression, self-hatred and self-loathing had occupied her mind for as long as she could remember.

Working as a palliative care nurse and later in a chemotherapy ward, cancer patients would tell her: 'I just want to live for one more year, one more month, one more week.'

But Kerry would go home after a long day and write in her journal about wanting to end her own life.

'I would listen to my patients, who were as young as teenagers, talk about wanting to see out one more Christmas or birthday. Meanwhile I was writing in my diary that I just wanted to die,' Kerry, now 67, tells me.

'I thought to myself, "You piece of s***, Kerry. Some of the patients have nothing - no time left."

'I had no reason to be depressed, there was nothing "wrong" in my life.

Kerry Soorley lived a life of self-loathing until age 58 when a psychedelic drug 'reset' her mind

'In my mind, I hated myself. There has always been a sense of self-loathing.'

From the age of 20, Kerry tried 'every antidepressant under the sun', read self-help books, took courses, spoke to therapists, and even travelled to Peru for 12 weeks to drink ancient medicine to try to 'fix' her brain.

But nothing orally worked.

Kerry, from Tweed Heads in northern New South Wales, believes she can trace back the roots of her depression back to childhood.

As the youngest of six children, Kerry felt like a burden to her mother growing up and says she felt constantly rejected.

Canadian physician Gabor Mate calls this 'trauma by omission', meaning she was deeply impacted emotionally by being deprived of love, attention and affection.

'From the earliest age I felt non-existent. My mother never showed me any love,' Kerry says.

'The one time my mother told me she loved me was on her deathbed a few days before she died. We didn't have a relationship at all.'

Kerry tried 'every antidepressant under the sun', read books, took courses, spoke to therapists and even travelled to Peru for 12 weeks to drink ancient medicine to try to 'fix' her brain

Her father, on the other hand, was a 'jolly man' - but he worked all the time.

'I can't remember a moment of joy during my childhood, I don't remember much about being a child at all,' she adds.

'At home I was ignored and didn't have anyone to talk to, then I was bullied at school and it was a constant cycle of negativity.'

As a coping mechanism, Kerry turned to food for comfort. By the age of 10, she was a binge eater. She would later develop bulimia, then anorexia.

At 16, she secretly got engaged to her boyfriend then fell pregnant and was overjoyed by the news.

'I was so happy to be having a baby of my own to love and care for,' she says.

However, her mother was 'disgusted' and threatened to kick Kerry out of their home.

Kerry is pictured at 16 with her ex-husband when they were dating

At the time, Kerry's father was in Brisbane having surgery for a brain aneurysm, but she looked forward to telling him about the baby, assuming his reaction would be far more positive than her mother's.

Tragically, she never had the chance to share the news with him.

'We had a knock on our door and learned dad was in a serious condition and we had to race to the hospital to say our goodbyes,' Kerry says.

'When we arrived, we saw his hat sitting on his hospital bed. He had died during the operation. We were escorted to the morgue to view him. It was utterly heartbreaking.'

For months Kerry's mother was trying to convince her to give up her baby.

Three weeks before she was due to give birth, three family members sat her down and told her that, at age 16, she wasn't able to give her baby the opportunities it deserved.

Kerry protested, saying she loved her baby and would do her best to take care of it.

But it wasn't enough.

'I was forced to adopt my child out. They said, "It's best for the baby,"' Kerry adds.

Looking back, Kerry describes the decision as 'the most disgusting manipulation'.

'Things might have been different if my father were still alive. I might've been able to keep the baby, but who knows,' she says.

The birth was devastating for Kerry.

'They had a sheet up when I gave birth; I couldn't hold or even see the baby. I got a letter in the mail a month later revealing the gender. He was a boy,' she says.

'I actually had six weeks to change my mind about the adoption, but my mother never told me this was an option.'

A few years later, Kerry and her boyfriend married, and they went on to welcome three children together. But giving up her first baby remains 'one of the hardest things I've ever had to do'.

Kerry now has nine grandchildren and hasn't touched drugs or alcohol for 10 years

In her early twenties, Kerry was prescribed antidepressants, which were the 'first of their kind' at the time.

But she says they only made her feel worse. Different medications didn't help either.

'I went from antidepressant to antidepressant to antidepressant over the years. It was like going in circles,' she explains.

As a mother, she had to be strong for her children, but some days she struggled to get out of bed. She started to use alcohol and cannabis to cope.

Over the years, Kerry also tried therapy, read books and took various courses, but nothing seemed to help.

Every day she thought about the baby she'd been forced to give up and wondered if she'd be in a better place had she been allowed to keep him.

When her son was 18, Kerry managed to find him via the electoral roll. They arranged a meeting in a cafe.

Kerry says the meeting gave her some closure and described it as 'one of the highlights of her life'.

'You spend 18 years searching for someone, wondering what they'd look like, sound like, and what they are as a person. Then you finally meet them and they're a total stranger you love with all your heart,' she says.

Kerry thought seeing her son again would 'stop the depression and addictions', but it didn't. Now, mother and son have an 'amazing relationship'.

Shortly after that, Kerry split from her husband and 'everything kicked up a notch'.

'The depth of it was so bad I thought the world would be better place without me in it,' she admits.

By now her children were teenagers and had to be self-sufficient as Kerry spent weeks at a time in bed, drinking and smoking marijuana.

At the height of her problem, Kerry would drink two bottles of wine a night and wake with unexplained bruises and no recollection of the night before.

To hide her alcoholism, she would avoid going outside during daylight hours, even resorting to walking the dog at 1am.

Kerry made three attempts on her own life and ended up in a psychiatric ward for a month.

Given she had tried pretty much 'every antidepressant under the sun' at this stage, she didn't see the point in being there.

Shortly after that, a friend told her about an 'ancient Amazon drink' which contained psychedelics and was anecdotally said to help with depression.

Kerry decided to visit Peru, where the drinks could be found. Sadly, this didn't help either, despite working wonders for the friend who had recommended it.

But Kerry felt she was on the right path by thinking out of the box.

At 58, a therapist suggested a psychedelic drug known as dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, a strong psychedelic which is smoked.

While DMT is illegal in Australia, research into its efficacy for treating depression is gaining traction and it is currently being trialled in Britain.

'I strongly believe if my therapist didn't suggest it, I wouldn't be here today,' says Kerry, who had to source the drug through a dealer.

'My mind was completely changed forever after the first inhale.

'I was suicidal on the inhale and on the exhale I was instantly connected to God. I felt love and I couldn't believe it was possible could feel that way.'

Kerry experienced this incredible state of being for about six weeks. She says this short course of treatment alleviated her depression completely and 'reset' her mind.

Today, she hasn't touched a drop of alcohol or any taken any other drug in ten years.

Kerry, a grandmother of nine, is now on a mission to help others by campaigning for the legalisation of psychedelics as a treatment for depression.

'Psychedelics used for medicine is completely political but bringing them into effect would help so many people in so many different ways. Without it, I wouldn't be here today,' she tells me.

'DMT is a powerful psychedelic compound known for producing intense, short-lived hallucinations,' Dr Zac Turner, a medical practitioner specialising in preventative health and wellness, tells Daily Mail Australia.

'Unlike LSD or psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms), which can last for hours, a DMT trip hits within seconds and is over in about 20 minutes - earning it the nickname "the businessman's trip" because you could theoretically blast off to another dimension and still make it back for your lunch meeting.

'But this isnt just a party drug. Some researchers believe it could hold the key to treating conditions like depression, PTSD, and even addiction.

'While DMT is illegal in Australia, researchers in the UK are actively investigating its potential therapeutic benefits.

'Considering DMT's illegal status in Australia, it's not something youll be picking up at the pharmacy anytime soon.

'However, psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining traction worldwide, and Australia recently became one of the first countries to legalise psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and MDMA for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.

'If youre curious about DMT or other psychedelic therapies, speaking with a doctor is always a good idea. While its still an emerging field, medical professionals can offer guidance on what research is happening and whether future clinical trials could be an option.'

Disclaimer: Sudden withdrawal from SSRIs can cause severe side effects. Always consult your doctor before adjusting medication.

If you need support or someone to talk to in a personal crisis, call Lifeline Australia anytime on 13 11 14
A four year-old girl was left 'floppy and unconscious' after suffering a life-threatening reaction to popular slushy drinks.

Marnie Moore, from Lancashire, was rushed to hospital where she received urgent treatment for glycerol toxicity  dangerously low blood sugar triggered by the iced, artificially sweetened drinks.

Last week, researchers issued a stark safety warning over the drinks after reviewing the medical notes of 21 children who became acutely unwell shortly after drinking one.

Writing in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, the scientists urged public health chiefs to revisit guidance that states under fours should not consume the drinks.

This 'do not drink' warning should be extended to all children under eight, they said.

The problem lies with the sweetening agent glycerol, a sugar substitute that prevents slush drinks from freezing.

While older children and adults are able to process glycerol quickly, smaller bodies are unable to, leading to a build-up in the substance that can lead to a drastic drop in blood sugar and water.

At a mild level this can lead to signs of dehydration like headaches and nausea.

Four year-old Marnie Moore spent three days in hospital after consuming a 500ml slushy drink

Within 10 minutes of consuming the sweet beverage, the little girl was 'unresponsive and floppy', according to her mother.

But in rare cases it can cause hypoglycaemia  a low blood sugar condition usually associated with diabetes which leads to trembling, dizziness, seizures and in worst-case scenarios, coma.

The little girl's mother, Kim Moore, 35, is now calling for a ban on the drinks for under 12s.

'If I hadn't taken her to hospital, it may have had a different outcome,' she said.

'So many places promote free slushies when you play there but you're promoting poison.

'I don't think they should be sold to kids 12 and under. And I personally wouldn't allow my child to drink one at all. It's not a risk I'm willing to take.

'I wouldn't wish what we went through on our worst enemy.'

Recalling the ordeal, Ms Moore explained the symptoms began minutes after she Marnie drunk roughly 500ml of a slushy drink at a children's party.

'We bought two one-litre refillable cups and they [her daughters] were going off playing, eating, getting drinks and coming back but Marnie didn't drink the full cup, probably only half.

Kim Moore bought the slushy drinks for both her daughters: Marnie, four and Orla, six

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'Then about 10 minutes later, she started getting really aggravated then she started falling asleep so I just thought she was over-tired.

'It was only five minutes later when I tried to wake her up that I realised she wasn't waking up and was actually unconscious. She'd gone really pale.

'She wasn't rousing at all and I think it was mum's instinct that I knew something wasn't right. She was floppy and completely unconscious.

'I was shaking her trying to wake her up and there was nothing.'

Terrified, Ms Moore rushed Marnie to A&E where doctors confirmed she was in hypoglycemic shock  a medical emergency caused by dangerously low blood sugar that can, in worst case scenarios, lead to coma and even death.

Marnie remained unconcious for about 25 minutes, before doctors successfully increased her blood sugar.

When she eventually woke up, Ms Moore said she 'screamed out in agony saying her head hurt and threw up everywhere'.

'Looking back, she had every single symptom of glycerol toxicity,' she said.

'We got transferred to another hospital and they had no idea what had caused it.

'We started looking into the slushy because that was the only thing differently she'd had that day.

'Doctors couldn't tell me why it had happened but they knew it was the slushy that had caused it.'

Marnie was discharged after three days in hospital, and Ms Moore has since banned her daughter from ever ordering a slushed drink again.

Experts have previously warned a string of glycerol intoxication cases may be an 'unintended consequence' of the sugar tax.

Slushies were traditionally made with a sugar solution to prevent the liquid ingredients from freezing, at about 12g of sugar per 100ml.

But formulas using glycerol only need 5g per 100ml to achieve the same result.

Some brands have already removed glycerol from their recipes in response to the FSA guidance, with Slush Puppie being one of them.

Marnie Moore is not the only child to have suffered a frightening reaction to the slushy drinks.

In October last year, four-year-old Albie Green from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, became unresponsive after drinking a strawberry-flavoured slushy at an after-school bowling trip.

His mother, Beth, grew increasingly worried after Albie started 'hallucinating' and 'clawing at his face', prompting her to rush him to hospital.

Beth grew increasingly concerned when Albie started 'hallucinating' and 'clawing at his face' - prompting the mother to rush him to hospital

There medics had to start resuscitation as Albie's blood sugar levels had dropped to dangerously levels.

At one stage his heartbeat became so slow his parents thought he would die.

Medics later told the pair if they hadn't rushed Albie to hospital there and then he would have died.

Scottish mother Victoria Anderson also previously shared how her three-year-old son Angus almost died in January after drinking a slushy in January last year.

The 29-year-old, from Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, had taken her youngest son, three-year-old Angus, and an elder sibling out shopping.

Not long after the trio ventured out, Angus requested a raspberry-flavoured slushie after spotting the bright, pink-coloured ice drink while in a local corner shop.

Victoria purchased the drink for her son, who had 'never had a slushie before'.

Approximately 30 minutes later, the three-year-old unexpectedly collapsed and fell unconscious.

Victoria said Angus' body was limp and 'stone cold' as paramedics rushed to the scene and attempted to revive him after his blood sugars became dangerously low.

Angus was sped to Glasgow Children's Hospital, where he remained unconscious for two hours.

Both children got the medical care they needed.
If asked to name someone famous, fictional or real who is on the spectrum, most people give the same sorts of replies.

Raymond Babbitt from the movie Rain Man is usually a favourite, possibly followed by Sherlock Holmes in his recent incarnation by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Its extremely rare for people to reply with a womans name, thanks to a popular misconception of autism as a condition overwhelmingly affecting men  those often socially awkward, creative geniuses who drive human progress with their divergent thinking, but whose idea of small talk might involve a monologue about steam trains.

This belief in the maleness of autism has saturated science and medicine. It even informs the practice of IVF, where choosing a female embryo to avoid the possibility of autism is a practice in some places, such as Australia. This alone indicates what a powerful hold the notion of autism as male has on us.

Again and again, autism-related research papers, websites and even advice manuals for families claim that, on average, males are four times more likely to be diagnosed with the condition than females, before going on to paint an overall picture of it as something pretty much just affecting boys. The World Health Organisation also repeats this statistic.

And, until recently, so did I.

Now, however, Ive realised I have been part of the problem that I am hoping this article will begin to solve: that autistic girls and women have been systematically misdiagnosed and misunderstood by the psychological establishment, with catastrophic effects on their lives.

These misdiagnoses  more of which later  led to autistic girls and women to be deemed as suffering everything from anorexia to borderline personality disorder. Anything but autism was considered.

My day job as a professor of cognitive neuroimaging involves using state-of-the-art brain-imaging techniques to investigate autism, writes PROFESSOR GINA RIPPON

Unnecessary treatment was then given. One mother, who already had an autistic son, was brushed off when she raised the possibility that her daughter might also have the condition and told me of the agony of watching this child being referred to an eating disorder clinic by the special needs co-ordinator at her school.

Some have even been put on medication for conditions they do not have. For example, I have heard the story of one young woman who was wrongly diagnosed as bipolar and ended up taking drugs for this for a decade. This, as she put it, drove her chemically insane, with her brain either feeling it was whirring out of control, or operating at a painfully slow processing speed.

Today, I feel deeply perturbed by the role I unknowingly played in perpetuating this bias and misunderstanding  hence me working so hard to uncover the truth about autism in females.

My day job as a professor of cognitive neuroimaging involves using state-of-the-art brain-imaging techniques to investigate autism. The research group I work with has engaged in meticulous explorations of autistic brains to see if there are ways of profiling their activity to explain why their owners experience the world so differently. When talking about this outside my lab, many people would say something along the lines of autism  thats a boy thing, right?

And previously I would trot out the party line that autism was much more common in boys. There were autistic girls, but they were pretty rare. The fact that very few of the autistic individuals we were testing were female confirmed my impression.

Ironically, back then, I was very keen to highlight biases in sex/gender neuroscience research, without spotting that I was ignoring just such a bias in my own work on autism.

Over many years, both as a researcher and teacher as well as something of a social justice warrior, I had eagerly absorbed publications about how the world has short-changed women, not just way back in history but now in the 21st century, thanks to the worlds gender problem  seeing women as different from men.

When a group of other neuroscientists and I publicly criticised some researchers for, as we saw it, overplaying the importance of sex differences in the brain, we were taken to task.

If asked to name someone famous, fictional or real who is on the spectrum, most people give the same sorts of replies. Raymond Babbitt from Rain Man (left) is usually favourite, possibly followed by Sherlock Holmes in his recent incarnation by Benedict Cumberbatch

We were dubbed feminazis and sex difference deniers (just some of the more publishable epithets hurled our way).

It was pointed out to us that there were many brain-based physical and mental conditions where sex differences were clear, so it was vital that when researching such conditions we should assume biological sex was exerting some kind of powerful effect on who did or didnt succumb.

Top of the list for male conditions we were apparently wilfully ignoring as inconvenient to our argument were Parkinsons disease and autism.

It was at this moment I decided to pay much more attention to what research should be telling us about sex differences in autism in general, and about sex differences in autistic brains in particular.

For instance, given that autism is a brain-based condition, and there is little or no reliable evidence about sex differences in the brain, why were there significantly fewer women being diagnosed as autistic?

It was time to turn a critical eye on what research into sex differences in autistic brains had found so far. What I found certainly startled me out of my own biased view of autism as a male condition and made me ashamed of how much I had unthinkingly contributed to the disconcerting state of affairs in autism brain research.

Because this male spotlight problem has skewed just about everything in the world of autism, from what it actually is, how it is measured and how we are searching for the causes of this bewildering spectrum of behaviours.

All this has led to neglect of a group I have dubbed the lost girls of autism.

Hopefully, revealing the sorry truth about the treatment they have received will make sure they are now afforded their rightful place on the spectrum.

And there are signs that this is now, finally, beginning to happen  the diagnostic rates for females are increasing; not because more women are now being affected but because we are getting better at spotting those who have been ignored.

From the outset, it has been clear that women can be autistic. In the most well-known early description of autism, a 1943 report by psychiatrist Leo Kanner, three girls were described in addition to eight boys.

But the maleness of the condition was established so early in autisms timeline that it became a self-fulfilling prophecy, guiding diagnostic decisions and slowly, but surely, increasing the male-to-female ratio in diagnosis.

This had many consequences. Clinicians have refused referrals because women dont get autism or because they didnt appear to fit the male-based stereotype. Parents, even those with sons who had already been diagnosed with autism, have had to exaggerate their daughters symptoms to get help. Some researchers have suggested that as many as 80 per cent of females might not have received an initial diagnosis of autism when assessed.

Why should it matter that women had been overlooked?

Quite apart from the harm to the individual women, its because the model of autism as a boy thing has affected the efforts of people like me  a research scientist who has studied autism for decades  to find the causes.

Geneticists will root around on the female X chromosomes to see if they can discover the source of the female protective effect.

Endocrinologists will explore the effects of testosterone on behaviour in order to understand a male vulnerability factor.

Brain scientists will research links between male brains and autism. Researchers will only recruit their participants from those with an official diagnosis of autism and will build their models of autisms characteristics and causes from this skewed community: the male one. As a result, the carefully thought-out research programmes we have been putting together, the next round of tests we want to try out, the tentative explanations we are proposing, could be misinformed and potentially misleading.

As long ago as the 1980s, there were some early discussions about autisms missing females, with some researchers suggesting that perhaps autism had been overlooked in women because it presented differently.

Yet little attention was paid to this, up until the early 2000s. So, in another self-fulfilling prophecy, if you were a girl and didnt behave like an autistic boy, then it was assumed you werent autistic.

As Ive touched upon, girls were instead much more likely to be given alternative diagnoses, including depression, generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder and eating disorders.

Such bias is reflected tellingly in a multi-centre Dutch study from 2017, which reported on all child referrals to one of six mental health services between 2011 and 2012. Of the 1,200 children screened, 35 per cent of boys and 30 per cent girls were identified as fulfilling the criteria for a diagnosis of autism.

But after a full autism assessment, boys were 2.18 times as likely to receive an autism diagnosis than girls.

The authors looked for what might have tipped the balance: girls with more emotional or acting out problems were more likely to be identified as autistic, meaning that those who were more withdrawn (shy) or compliant (good girls) were being screened out.

Indeed, when I finally got out from under my brain scanner, and spent hours actually talking to autistic women and girls  the youngest aged ten, the oldest 72 (and just diagnosed!)  I found their powerful personal testimonies were certainly very different from that of autistic males.

These werent antisocial Rain Women, in the mould of Raymond Babbitt. Rather, they were desperate to belong, keen social observers and often consumed by their efforts to pretend to be normal.

So why are autistic females so different from the traditional socially awkward autistic male?

Many autistic females engage in a habit known as camouflaging or masking: employing a range of strategies to disguise autistic traits, such as training yourself to maintain eye contact, or mimicking gestures and body language, even devising and rehearsing elaborate social scripts in advance of social events.

This pretence can take a real mental toll.

As to why they behave this way, we might be looking at a social characteristic that is more true of females than males. As early as four months after being born, research suggests that girls, on average, maintain eye contact four times longer than boys, reported the journal Sex Roles.

It suggested this tendency relates to mothers spending longer in face-to-face contact with their daughters (think pulling funny faces, sticking out their tongue, and so forth) than with their sons, with whom they have higher rates of rough-and-tumble play that involve less eye contact.

Girls are also more often rewarded for socially appropriate behaviour, such as being polite, sitting still, being helpful, or joining in group play.

As a result, girls have a greater awareness of the importance of social rules, conformity and friendship networks.

A brain-based explanation for autistic girls greater social awareness focuses on the brain networks underpinning social behaviour. These include things such as being sensitive to social cues  someones facial expression or tone of voice, for example  or obeying unspoken social rules such as maintaining eye contact when youre speaking to someone, or observing turn-taking rules in conversation.

Brain imaging studies have shown that these kinds of networks are much more active and much more powerfully connected in autistic females than in males. Especially the networks involved in negative social experiences, such as being bullied or excluded  the same networks activated by physical pain. So not belonging or not fitting in  as autistic females seem to feel so keenly  is a powerfully aversive experience.

Autistic women and girls have told me how the daily effort to fit in can be mentally exhausting. They described the gruelling process of continuously monitoring and copying the social interactions that appear instinctive to their typical peers, always on high alert in case they are caught.

One of my interviewees told me of the real distress this caused her as a child, saying: I was terrified of going first in any group activity (and would have meltdowns if asked to do so). In hindsight, I was terrified at the prospect of having to demonstrate a behaviour without first being able to observe and copy an acceptable model of that behaviour. It shouldnt, then, be surprising to find surveys reporting that about 20 per cent of autistic women are hospitalised for a psychiatric condition by the age of 25, a figure more than five times higher than for women without autism and more than twice that of autistic men.

There are also reports of prevalence rates of 70 to 90 per cent of autistic adolescents having at least one co-occurring psychiatric disorder.

Significantly, there is a notable overlap between females who are autistic and also have anorexia or other eating disorders, anxiety, depression, or engage in self-harm.

Why? Firstly, there is that chance that clinicians, faced with troubled girls (who dont get autism, remember?) are reaching for alternatives from among the labels of things that girls do get, such as anorexia.

Secondly, internalising distress, as female autistic maskers do, has obvious links to physically self-destructive behaviours such as eating disorders or self-harm.

The loss of self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy associated with repeated failures to fit in can lead to depression and even suicide.

That drive for autistic females to find a place to belong can have far-reaching consequences.

Take, for example, anorexic females with autism. Their cases are often more severe, according to findings published in the journal Psychiatry Research  theyre more likely to have extremely low BMI, to have been tube-fed and to have experienced a record number of purging episodes.

I spoke about this to Sarah Wild, headteacher of Limpsfield Grange in Oxted, Surrey, the only state-funded residential school for girls with special needs in the UK.

She suggested the coincidence may be related to autistic girls passionate need to fit into a (or any) community and that, in an eating disorder unit, these girls could well be slavishly copying the behaviours around them.

She wryly commented that if an autistic girl was admitted to an anorexia clinic, characteristic levels of perfectionism could drive her to be the best anorexic there was, copying each and every manifestation of the condition, and competing for the kudos attached to the need for more extreme interventions, such as intubation.

All in all, then, autistic women could be said to pay a high price for putting on their best normal, as one described it to me. For their sake, it is high time we deconstruct the elaborate camouflages that have allowed autistic girls to fly beneath the radar, hiding in plain sight.
Infection with the virus-known as HPV-can trigger several types of cancers, including those in the head, neck and cervix. HPV is commonly spread through vaginal, anal and oral sex with someone who is already infected, with around a third of people infected at any one time. While a highly HPV effective vaccine has been offered to all girls in Year 8 since 2008, and all boys since 2019, latest data shows as few as a third of children in some areas of England are not getting it-leaving them vulnerable in later life. Experts have now urged parents to ensure their child gets the vaccine, labelling it 'one of the most powerful tools we have for cancer prevention'.
A top pharmacist has warned of a rise in patients on weight-loss injections needing to have invasive surgery after suffering an agonisingly painful complication.

Deborah Grayson, a pharmacist of 25 years, issued the alert on TikTok, claiming she was concerned by a rise in serious gallbladder problems in those people on the drugs.

In the clip, viewed over 100,000 times, she said: 'I'm seeing more and more patients taking weight loss injections who then need their gallbladders removed.'

Ms Grayson, known as The Godmother of Pharmacology, explained the way the drugs worked increased the risk of painful gallstones forming.

'The injections slow down the flow of bile through the gallbladder and delay emptying by suppressing the release of the hormone that controls it,' she said.

'Unfortunately, this can also mean that in some people, this can make bile more sludgy and even lead to the formation of gallstones.'

She added that patients suffering from this problem were more often taking the most powerful weight-loss jab currently available, which is Mounjaro.

Gallstones are small stones made of excess cholesterol which form in the gallbladder, a digestive organ that stores bile the body used to digest fats.

Deborah Grayson, who has worked as a pharmacist for 25 years and is also a nutritional therapist, issued the alert in a TikTok video on the potential hazards of the Mounjaro brand of weight-loss injections

In most cases the stones don't cause problems and don't need to be treated. However, if a stone becomes trapped in a duct inside the gallbladder, it can trigger a sudden wave of intense pain and other issues.

She said the problem can occur in as many as one in ten people taking Mounjaro, a warning also included on leaflets by its manufacturer Eli Lilly.

A similar risk of gallstones is also known to occur in patients taking the similar weight-loss jab Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, which also makes Ozempic.

However, she said certain patients may be more at risk of gallstones than others due to other factors increasing the chances of their development.

'We have a greater risk of developing gallstones if we're female, have thyroid disease, are menopausal or perimenopausal or have experienced rapid weight loss,' she said.

'If any of these apply to you, it's important to look out for the signs that your gallbladder is struggling.'

In a follow-up post, Ms Grayson said that high cholesterol and poorly managed blood sugar are also risk factors and added that the 'more of these that apply the greater the risk'.

Ms Grayson, who goes by moniker The Godmother of Pharmacology, explained said this was due to an increased risk in the formation of painful gallstones in those taking the drug

Ms Grayson added it was important to remember that not all patients experience all of these symptoms and if you have any of the signs, you should get advice from your GP.

She said there were a several potential signs of gallstones, or the sludgy bile that can lead to the stones forming, that patients taking the injections should be aware of.

'They include severe reflux, burping or trapped wind, chest pain, pain under the rib cage, left-sided shoulder pain, severe abdominal pain lasting for hours, diarrhoea, yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes and pale greasy floaty poo,' she said.

Some social media users who had taken the jabs said they wished they'd seen the expert's video earlier.

One woman wrote: 'Wish I had seen this before I started months ago - just been discharged from my second hospital visit (including several days in intensive care) and Ive got gallbladder surgery next week.'

Alongside pain, gallstones can cause jaundice, a sign that the liver is struggling, or pancreatitis, a potentially dangerous swelling of the pancreas.

These patients frequently live a normal life post-surgery as their liver can produce the bile needed for digestion without it being stored in the gallbladder.

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While hailed as a breakthrough in tackling obesity, weight-loss jabs have also been shown to have other benefits such as significantly reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

However, like any drug, they have side-effects which can vary by frequency and severity.

These range from nausea and abdominal pain to severe digestive issues, bone pain and a potential higher risk of thyroid cancer.

A Mail on Sunday investigation earlier this year revealed almost 400 patients had been hospitalised  some with life-threatening complications  since the rollout of the jabs in the UK.
Doctors are raising the alarm over an incurable virus that is spreading through popular vacation hotspots.

The oropouche virus, also known as 'sloth fever', has been reported in American patients returning from South and Central America and parts of the Caribbean, where it is continuing to spread.

Its most common symptoms are a fever of up to 104F (40C), chills and muscle aches, but it can also cause rashes, eye pain, and brain swelling in more serious cases.

The infection was previously considered to have a 'very low' fatality rate, but the deaths of two healthy young women died in Brazil have raised concerns.

The disease is spread by biting midges, but may also be spread by sexual contact. Vacation hotspots such as Barbados have recorded cases of the virus.

In a new report, doctors are warning travelers to these regions to wear long-sleeved clothing or insect repellant to ward off midges.

They are also advising pregnant women not to travel to the areas because the virus has been linked to miscarriages.

The virus is spread by small biting midges. It has been detected in vacation hotspots, including Brazil (Shown above are smiling women on a beach)

The above shows the number of cases diagnosed in the US in 2024 by month. All the cases were related to travel

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Once uncommon, cases have surged since an outbreak in the Brazilian Amazon that began in 2022, with the country having recorded 6,300 cases from 2022 to 2024. By August last year, the tally had reached 7,497 cases.

There is no cure, with about 60 to 70 percent of patients experiencing a recurrence of the disease a few days to months after the initial infection.

Oropouche virus is thought to cause recurrent symptoms either because it persists in the body or because the initial infection triggers prolonged inflammation, which can lead to a resurgence of symptoms when the body is under stress.

About 109 cases have been recorded in the US since January 2024, but all of these have been related to travel.

Three patients experienced brain swelling due to the disease, but there have been no fatalities reported in the US.

The doctors wrote in their warning: 'The Public Health Agency of Canada has recommended that, until more information is known, travelers take precautions to avoid insect bites.

'And for pregnant people or people planning pregnancy to consider deferring travel to areas experiencing outbreaks.'

They added: 'Currently, no antiviral drugs or vaccines for treatment or prevention of Oropouche virus disease exist.'

There are no antivirals or cures for the virus, with doctors instead relying on medications to ease symptoms. These include Tylenol, or acetaminophen, to bring down the fever.

Oropouche virus cases are thought to be rising because of deforestation and urbanization, which is providing more wet and humid conditions for the midges that carry the virus to survive.

Climate change is also spurring wetter and warmer conditions, expanding the range of diseased midges and allowing them to be active for longer each year.

The disease gets its 'sloth fever' nickname from the fact it first emerged in sloths, although there is no evidence that the virus can pass directly from the animals to humans.

It is thought to get to humans after a midge that bit a sloth, and became infected, then also bites a human. Sloths are major sources of food for the tiny insects.

People catch the virus from midge bites or potentially via sexual contact, after the virus was also detected in the semen of a patient.

Symptoms emerge two to ten days after infection, and then last for two to seven days. Many patients will the experience a recurrence of the disease at a later date.

The map shows the seven states where the disease has been diagnosed. It is most commonly diagnosed in Florida, which is near Cuba  where the disease spreads locally

The disease is typically diagnosed via PCR tests, which can take seven to ten days to complete.

The CDC has also issued warnings over Oropouche virus, writing online that it is an 'emerging virus' in the Americas.

The warning was revealed in an article written for the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
A schoolgirl was left in a coma and inflicted with horrific third-degree burns after a popular squishy toy she microwaved exploded in her face.

Scarlett Selby from Festus, Missouri, put a NeeDoh cube into the freezer and then microwaved it for a few seconds to make it more malleable after allegedly seeing a video of people trying to do the same on TikTok.

But harmless playtime soon turned to a living nightmare when she took the toy out and it exploded - showering the seven-year-old's face and chest with red-hot goo.

Horrified dad Josh Selby, 44, raced over to her when he heard a 'blood-curdling scream' and desperately tried to claw the sticky substance off her skin and clothes.

The machine operator rushed Scarlett to hospital where doctors placed her in an induced coma over fears the burns on her mouth would cause her airways to swell up and close.

Five months on from the ordeal on October 1, Scarlett faces an anxious wait to see if she'll need skin grafts on the second and third-degree burns she sustained.

Doctors are warning other parents to take note of the incident, to prevent similar scenarios from happening.

Dr William Schaffner, who based out of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, told DailyMail.com: 'Toys are not made to be microwaved, so children and adults are strongly advised not to do so. Tragic events such as exploding toys that cause serious burns can result. Beware - take care!'

Scarlett Selby, aged seven, was left in a coma and inflicted with horrific third-degree burns after a popular squishy toy she microwaved exploded in her face

Toy company Schylling Toys, which manufactures NeeDoh toys, have a warning on their website that reads 'Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave, may cause personal injury'

And similarly Dr Matthew Harris, co-chair of pediatric emergency medicine at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, warns: 'Toys often contain plastic or metal that can expand or ignite during heating in the microwave.

'This could set fire to the microwave and cause an explosion that can lead to devastating burns and blunt trauma.

'It's critical for parents to educate their children not just about the danger of putting any object in the microwave, but even some plates and plasticware can ignite and cause a fire or explosion.'

Scarlett's mom Amanda Blakenship said her daughter had seen clips of people microwaving the toy online and wanted to try it out for herself.

She is also urging anyone with these toys to throw them out to prevent the same thing happening to anyone else.

Toy company Schylling Toys, which manufactures NeeDoh toys, have a warning on their website that reads 'Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave, may cause personal injury'.

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TikTok said they don't allow content that shows or promotes dangerous behaviour, while YouTube said the safety of users is an 'utmost priority'.

Recalling the chain of events, Mr Selby said: 'She'd frozen the NeeDoh cube the night before and the next day she showed me it was rock solid and was playing with it.

'She stuck it in the microwave. I was watching her and saw her touch it to check it wasn't too hot when she pulled it out.

'It all happened so quickly. I heard her scream and it was like a blood-curdling scream. It had exploded all over her chest, mouth and chin.

'My first thought was to try and wipe it off her. Whenever I touched her, my hand stuck to her. It was really thick and sticky.

'I ripped her shirt off of her because it was stuck to her shirt as well. I took her as quickly as I could to the hospital.

'I was a complete mess. She spent a week in the hospital and for three days of that she was in the coma. I don't think I could speak to anybody without crying the entire time.'

Scarlett's mom Amanda Blakenship (pictured) said her daughter had seen clips of people microwaving NeeDoh cubes on other people's TikTok and YouTube accounts and wanted to try it out for herself

Hairdresser Ms Blakenship said her daughter was 'still screaming in pain' after the 30-minute drive to St Louis Children's Hospital, in St Louis, Missouri, and when they arrived, she was placed into an induced coma.

The 35-year-old said: 'She was in so much pain. She was still screaming when we got to the hospital and it's a good 30-minute drive from where we live. It was terrible how scared she was and how much that hurt her.

But harmless playtime soon turned to a living nightmare when the toy exploded - showering the seven-year-old's face and chest with red-hot goo

'I was panicked, devastated, terrified and heartbroken. It was [something] she followed that she'd seen on TikTok and YouTube.'

Scarlett was placed on a feeding tube for the duration of her week-long stay in hospital due to her lips being so badly burned.

Doctors decided against performing a skin graft on her, but her mom believes she may need one in the future as she's been left with such 'profound' scars.

Ms Blakenship explained: 'She ended up not getting the skin graft.

'After consulting with the doctors we're going to give her a couple of years, maybe until she's around 12, to see how her body grows and depending on if the scar stretches out and grows with her.

'The scarring is just so bad. We're still putting creams and silicon ointments on it daily - they're such profound scars that stick up off of her skin.

'She does get upset about it sometimes. I'll catch her looking in the mirror after the bath and she'll just cry.

'She gets very self conscious and I'll see her trying to cover her scar up with her shirt when we're out in public sometimes, or she'll come home from school and say another kid asked her about it.

'I tell her she doesn't need to be embarrassed about it. She went through a lot and it was a terrible, terrible accident.

'She came out of it and she's so strong. She's still beautiful and those scars make her who she is.'

Doctors decided against performing a skin graft on her, but her mom believes she may need one in the future as she's been left with such 'profound' scars

Scarlett's family say that they are still putting creams and silicon ointments on her burns daily to help them heal

Scarlett's dad is now urging anyone who has the toy to throw them out to avoid the same thing happening to them.

He said: 'I would have never thought of something exploding outside of the microwave like that.

'For that to happen to my daughter was the hardest thing that I've gone through. I've told absolutely everyone to throw them out if they have them.

'The product that's in it is like glue so you essentially have hot glue exploding on you. Once it touches you, there's no way to get it off.

'It should not be sold like it is and it definitely should not be marketed the way it is. If something can explode like that, it definitely shouldn't be frozen.'

In response to the incident, Schylling Toys told this website: 'Ensuring the safety of our consumers is fundamental for Schylling.

'We were disappointed to see there had been a trend on social media demonstrating product misuse of our NeeDoh brand.

'Misusing a NeeDoh product by microwaving, heating, or freezing is dangerous and may cause injury. Schylling has partnered with social media companies, such as TikTok, to remove influential content containing NeeDoh product misuse.

'Additionally, Schylling has added a product warning to NeeDoh packaging and our website to help combat product misuse.

'Schylling has made the Consumer Product Safety Commission aware and will continue to cooperate with them.'

TikTok said they don't allow content that shows or promotes dangerous behavior.

They also said they have created technology that alerts their safety teams to sudden increases in violative content linked to hashtags to help detect potentially harmful trends.

YouTube said it is a 13+ platform and accounts found belonging to people under 13 without parental supervision can either set up a supervised account or will be terminated.

They said they have strict rules prohibiting content that features minors engaging in dangerous activities, including content related to challenges that pose an imminent risk of physical injury.

They said the safety of users is an 'utmost priority' and they 'vigorously remove this type of content'.
The scientist behind the study used to ban a cancer-linked ingredient from US food has spoken out about how his work influenced the change.

Dr Joseph Borzelleca, 94, studied the effect of Red Dye No.3 in 1987, looking at its effect on male rats.

His study found that male rats consuming very high doses of Red Dye No.3 had a significantly higher risk of developing polyps, or abnormal cell growths, in their thyroids. It did not show that the additive caused cancer.

It was the only paper cited by the FDA in its order banning Red Dye No. 3 from use in foods, however, with the order set to go into force in January 2027.

Shockingly, Dr Borzelleca thinks the risks have been overblown.

In fact, he said he had no problem with his kids or grandkids consuming the dye that is found in thousands of sweet treats throughout the US.

The professor emeritus of toxicology and pharmacology at Virginia Commonwealth University said: 'If I thought there was a problem, I would have stated it in my paper.

'I have no problem with my family  my kids and grandkids  consuming Red 3. I stand by the conclusions in my paper that this is not a problem for humans.'

It comes as new HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior makes no secret of his mission to get artificial dyes out of products, telling food executives on March 10 to reformulate their foods or he would ban the additives.

Dr Joseph Borzelleca, behind the study used to suggest Red Dye No. 3 causes cancer, said that he was comfortable for his children and grandchildren to consume the dye. He is pictured above in 2001 receiving an award from Virginia Commonwealth University

Thousands of products sold in the US, from cereals to candies, beverages and cake toppings, use artificial food colorings.

The colorings are not strictly necessary for the foods, but they give them a bright color that makes them more appealing to consumers.

Speaking to KFF Health News, however, Dr Borzelleca  who has published dozens of studies on the toxicity of food dyes  said he was not concerned over Red Dye No. 3.

'I am surprised all this time has gone by and it's been safe for human use, and now it's being pulled from the market due to concerns not supported by the data,' he said.

'Our study did not find this was a carcinogen.'

The FDA says in its rule banning the additive that it can cause cancer, although it is not clear what research it is citing to make this claim.

Dr Borzelleca has published dozens of research papers on the toxicology of food additives, pesticides and water contaminants.

He is also a former president of the Society of Toxicology, and consulted for both the National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization.

In his 1987 research, Dr Borzelleca and two co-scientists administered doses of Red Dye No. 3 to 120 rats.

The rats were exposed to the dye in their foods for up to 30 months, and then examined afterward for any body changes.

Results showed male rats on the highest dose had significant increases in the weight of their thyroids compared to those that were not consuming the dye.

They were also found to have a higher risk of hyperplasia, an abnormal increase in the number of cells, and adenomas, non-cancerous tumors.

Many experts are concerned the dye might also have a similar effect in people.

Other countries including the European Union and UK have also banned Red Dye No.3, but in each case they have also cited studies suggesting the dye can cause hyperactivity in children.

Dr Borzelleca's work was funded by the industry, and published in the scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology. In 1990, it was also cited by the FDA in its decision to ban the additive from make-up.

Red Dye No.3 was approved for use in the US in 1907, and has been incorporated into thousands of products since to give them a cherry red coloring.
A teenager in Ohio suffered a mystery health crisis for two years before the culprit was found lurking in the family's home.

After coming down with Covid in 2020 at age 14, Ava Chambers' health quickly deteriorated.

A few months later, Ava was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a one-in-200 autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon and rectum.

The teen's hair soon began thinning and falling out in chunks, and she became so 'incredibly' fatigued and dizzy she had to walk with a cane.

Doctors were quick to blame Ava's symptoms on stress and her mental health.

Her mother, Anna, said: 'No one had answers. Her colon was healing, her blood work looked normal, and we were repeatedly told that it was all in her head.

'Ava was suffering so badly, and no one was listening. I knew something was seriously wrong, and I wasnt going to stop until I found out what it was.'

Two years after Ava's ordeal began, blood and urine tests finally revealed Ava had been sickened by toxins from mold growing in the family's basement.

Ava Chambers, pictured here, came down with Covid at age 14. Soon after, her health rapidly deteriorated

Ava, pictured here in the hospital, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and became so weak that she had to use a cane to walk

Further testing of the family's home showed mold from the basement would vent into Ava's room, leaving the rest of the family healthy while Ava deteriorated.

After removing mold from their home, Anna said her now 19-year-old daughter's recovery was 'like watching a miracle unfold.'

'It wasn't an easy process, and Ava is still healing, but she is doing so much better now,' she added.

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Black mold, more formally known as Stachybotrys chartarum, grows in damp, warm environments like basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and areas with leaks or other forms of water damage.

It releases naturally occurring compounds called mycotoxins, which can accumulate in the body and lead to a host of health issues.

In Ava's case, the mycotoxins likely damaged her intestinal lining, causing inflammatory issues like ulcerative colitis.

Mycotoxins can also suppress the immune system, irritate the lungs, and cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to neurological issues like headaches, dizziness, and seizures.

Ava also tested positive for a mutation of her HLA-DR gene, which affects one in four Americans.

The gene is believed to disrupt human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins, weakening the immune system.

It has also been shown to make patients more susceptible to mold-related injuries. In fact, nine in 10 patients being treated for mold injuries test positive for an HLA gene mutation.

Ava was also diagnosed with Lyme disease and Epstein-Barr virus, a common illness that stays dormant in most people but can be reactivated through certain exposures, such as mold.

Ulcerative colitis can lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, fatigue, and weight loss.

Anna said the family 'firmly believes mold was the root cause' of Ava's ulcerative colitis, and the teen has stopped taking medications for the illness.

Ava is also managing her condition with a 'tailored protocol and detoxification plan.'

The above shows six types of mold you're most likely to find in your home. While blue and pink molds are relatively safe, the other types may lead to allergy-like symptoms. Black mold is considered the most dangerous

Ava, pictured here with her mother, now manages her condition with a personalized detoxification plan. Her mother said: 'Shes cautious, and she knows that living a clean, non-toxic lifestyle is a part of her ongoing healing'

It's unclear what exactly this entails, though antifungal medications, nasal sprays, and home remedies like breathing in salty air - halotherapy - and activated charcoal are thought to help manage symptoms.

Anna said: '[Ava] knows she has the genetics that makes detoxing difficult, but now she also has the knowledge and skills to manage her health.

'Shes cautious, and she knows that living a clean, non-toxic lifestyle is a part of her ongoing healing.'

Anna now urges parents and caregivers to trust their instincts if their child is suffering from a mysterious illness and not getting answers from doctors.

She said: 'Our world is filled with toxins that can wreak havoc on the body. I believe people are starting to wake up to this reality, but theres still so much more to learn.

'Stories like ours can help raise awareness and bring about the changes in medicine that are desperately needed.'
Senior European politicians, military figures and financiers have signed a joint letter supporting the launch of a 100bn Defence Security & Resilience (DSR) bank for rearmament in the UK and the Continent.

The European Parliament also endorsed a white paper last week which urged members to back such an institution.

One proposal for a multi-lateral lender has been lodged by former Nato official and British Army officer Rob Murray.

It has been backed in a letter signed by influential supporters led by Lord [Stuart] Peach, Air Chief Marshal, former Chief of Defence Staff and chairman of Nato's Military Committee.

Statement of intent: A letter signed by influential supporters said Democratic allies faced their most acute security challenges since the end of the Cold War

Other signatories include former US Republican Senator Richard Burr and General Rick Hillier, the former chief of the defence staff of Canada.

The letter makes clear that 'democratic allies face their most acute security challenges since the end of the Cold War'.

Murray's plans for the DSR include lending countries money for defence at low rates over extended periods.
A small British clothing brand is grappling with a growing crisis after a Chinese company launched a near-identical version of its brand, leaving the original owner to deal with frustrated customers, bad reviews, and a mounting pile of returns.

Mehak Vig, the owner of Timeless London, has been inundated with complaints since last November from angry customers who purchased poor-quality clothes from an almost identical brand called Timeless Fashion London, a Chinese-based cheap store.

However, unbelievably the family-run business has only just finished going through a costly 18,000 rebrand after their original shop name Sheen, saw them running into similar problems with the fast-fashion giant Shein.

Mehak's father launched the clothing line four years ago under the name Sheen, selling wholesale products across Europe and the US. The shop focuses on sustainably made dresses in the style of 1940s and 1950s.

'I am getting 20 calls a day from angry customers, as well as emails and return packages to our warehouse, which are all now piling up, as people are saying they don't want them back.'

Mehak Vig, the owner of Timeless London, has been inundated with complaints since last November from angry customers who purchased poor-quality clothes from an almost identical brand called Timeless Fashion London

The family-run business has only just finished going through a costly 18,000 rebrand after their original shop name Sheen

Mehak's father launched the clothing line four years ago under the name Sheen, selling wholesale products across Europe and the US

Many customers, particularly older shoppers who purchased items via Instagram or Facebook ads, have received completely different products than what they saw online.

Timeless Fashion London makes their clothes out of 100 percent polyester and Mehak claims 'look nothing like the images on the website'.

She added: 'They're frustrated, and we're stuck dealing with returns and complaints. Some customers even said we should give the items to charity because they don't want them back.

'These foreign stores don't have to pay VAT like we do, so they can undercut us with their pricing. But the quality is awful. Even though the price is tempting, it's not worth it.'

Despite spending over 18,000 to rebrand and avoid confusion with Shein, Mehak's company has found itself caught in a cycle of mixed-up orders, with at least one return package arriving every day meant to be for Timeless Fashion London.

'It's a disaster. We can't afford another rebrand - it would cost us around 500,000 this time. We've invested so much into our brand and our direct-to-consumer business in the past two years,' she says.

To make matters worse, Timeless London's reputation has been tarnished on review platforms like Trustpilot.

Many customers, particularly older shoppers who purchased items via Instagram or Facebook ads, have received completely different products than what they saw online

Timeless Fashion London makes their clothes out of 100% polyester and Mehak claims 'look nothing like the images on the website'

The situation has left Mehak deeply concerned for her business's future: 'We're paying VAT, we're investing in quality, and yet we're struggling to survive against these rip-off shops'

What once was a strong 4.5-star rating has now dropped to 4.0, with some periods dipping as low as 3.9, as angry customers mistakenly left negative reviews for the wrong company.

'We've tried contacting Timeless Fashion London, but we only get automated responses. The frustration from our customers is palpable.

'They're asking why this is allowed to happen, and honestly, we don't have an answer,' Mehak says.

The knock-off business offers bargain prices, ranging from 20 to 40. Yet, when customers receive the items, the difference in quality is stark, leading to significant customer dissatisfaction.

'I don't know how we're supposed to compete with them,' Mehak laments. 'They have no overheads like we do, and their prices are so much lower. But when customers get their products, they're completely different from what they expected.'

The situation has left Mehak deeply concerned for her business's future: 'We're paying VAT, we're investing in quality, and yet we're struggling to survive against these rip-off shops.

'Without legal protection or stronger regulations, it's almost impossible to stay afloat.'

She continued: 'This is the worst-case scenario for any small business owner. We just need support because it feels like no one is protecting us.'

'British retail is dying, and if we can't compete with these rip-off stores. I don't know how we're going to survive.'
EXCLUSIVE

A tradie and his 'dumb' gym junkie mate, who was busted for a steroid empire he ran with his topless waitress girlfriend at the time, are facing life in jail for trafficking ice.

The two drug dealers from the NSW Central Coast - who have already been jailed for dealing drugs while under surveillance - were caught trying to do an ice deal while a police chopper hovered overhead.

Dylan Shaw and Jackson Stone, who used the names 'Tony Rhino' and 'teflonjohn55' in drug deals on the encrypted app Wickr as police listened in, will be sentenced next month in Downing Centre District Court for supplying a large commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

Shaw, whose former girlfriend once boasted they kept the 'whole Central Coast' supplied with human growth hormones, was arrested in the ice bust while on parole for a different drug deal, which he had carried out while on bail for selling steroids.

Shaw is believed to have been released from jail in December 2022 after serving time for dealing ice, MDMA and the 'rave party' hallucinogen 2CB, known as 'bromo'.

Stone, a plasterer from Erina who was previously jailed for ongoing supply of 170g of cocaine while under police surveillance, was paroled in April 2022.

The pair were caught red-handed with 912g of ice in a Woolies bag after a police chopper captured them behaving suspiciously on a street.

The drug sting unfolded on the afternoon of May 9, 2023, when the two men drove in Stone's Hilux ute to Shaw Place, a tiny cul-de-sac in Fairfield West in western Sydney.

Jackson Stone (left) got caught again with almost 1kg of ice in his ute. Dylan Shaw (right) was arrested in the ice bust while on parole for a different drug deal

They parked the ute outside a house at 2.20pm, and police received a triple-O call nine minutes later, reporting that gun shots had been fire at the property.

Police cars were dispatched to the location while the Air Wing helicopter made it in time to see Shaw and Stone running from the house to another property two doors away where they lingered in the driveway.

Police on foot watched the two men walk back up the street and when they told them to stop, Shaw bent behind a parked car and appeared 'to dispose of an item'.

Directed to lie on the ground, the two men were handcuffed and searched. The ute's keys were taken from Stone's pocket along with his phone, and Shaw's broken phone was found on the footpath.

Police searched the vehicle and found two lockable boxes in the tray: one had power tools and a Woolworths bag containing multiple freezer bags with an 'off-white coloured crystal substance'.

The substance was methylamphetamine and Shaw and Stone were taken into custody and sent to prison to await trial.

Stone, who was then aged 21, had served time when he was 18 for cocaine supply while under physical and electronic police surveillance.

Police had put a tail and phone tap on him after he had been stopped three times in two months in early 2021 while driving a family BMW under the influence of cocaine.

Dylan Shaw (above during a previous arrest) is an 'unsophisticated' dealer who sold drugs to undercover cops, left his prints over drug packages and tried to throw away his mobile phone as a police helicopter hovered above

On one of those occasions, police found resealable bags of cocaine and $10,000 in bundles of $50 notes in a Gucci bag.

Stone told officers: 'I haven't worked in eight months. I needed to get some money to help with my parents' bills 'coz my dad has been going through chemo.'

Stone's father owned a gyprocking business near Terrigal where Stone had worked as a plasterer.

The ice arrest in Fairfield West and Stone's entry back into jail came just days after his girlfriend held a baby shower ahead of the birth of their son.

She was forced to give birth without Stone, after a prison iPad he was watching the birth on stopped working during her labour.

Despite 'significant hurdles' to releasing Stone, a NSW Supreme Court judge granted him bail in August 2023. Shaw is also on bail awaiting sentence.

In 2019, a judge described Shaws drug dealing as 'unsophisticated' after his fingerprints were found 'all over' packages filled with MDMA and ice.

Undercover cops bought thousands of MDMA pills and 2CB from Shaw, with the drugs exchanged at service stations or McDonald's car parks.

Jackson Stone at the gender reveal for his first child, whose birth he could not attend because just weeks later he was arrested with 1kg of ice in his ute as police hovered overhead

Shaw would also send methamphetamine in light bulb boxes and Eclipse chewing gum tins enclosed in express post envelopes from post offices on the Central Coast.

He was convicted of two counts of drug supply and one of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime after police found $179,000 in his car.

'This offending was committed after the offender was charged for offences emanating from the importation of steroids. He was on bail for those offences while doing those offences,' Judge David Wilson told Gosford District Court.

Earlier in 2019, Shaw pleaded guilty to three charges of importing human growth hormone, anabolic steroids and the deemed supply of steroids and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Last August, Shaw and Stone pleaded guilty to the large commercial quantity supply of methamphetamine and will be sentenced at Parramatta District Court.
A family dog which went missing after running out the front door in London was found three months later 150 miles away in Lincolnshire - having been gifted to a young girl as a birthday present.

Husband and wife Alexandru and Olga Bobeica live in Ilford with their two children and two Pomeranians, Evy and Teddy.

On October 11, Teddy went missing without a trace, leading husband and wife to believing their dog had been stolen.

For three months the couple said they went through 'hell' as prank callers kept giving them false leads and even pretended to have killed their dog.

After contacting a volunteer group which helps locate stolen pets, they received a tip off that their dog had been spotted in a new home in Lincoln.

The couple took the situation into their own hands and made the journey to meet the person who they believed may have their dog.

They discovered Teddy had been gifted to a young girl as a birthday present from her grandfather.

The family was then forced to give him up after they discovered the mistaken identity.

Alexandru, 30, and Olga, 28, Bobeica with their two Pomeranians Teddy (left) and Evy

Teddy went missing after he escaped from the family home and disappeared

On October 11 last year, Olga was taking her dogs out for a walk with the children, when the two dogs flew out of the door.

Olga followed after them, having seen them disappear around the street corner.

As she got to the corner, Evy came back round but Teddy was nowhere to be seen, while Alexandru said their other dog returned with a 'look of fear'.

The couple began searching for Teddy in usual spots including their local park and asked neighbours if they had seen him.

'Teddy is very recognisable,' Mr Bobeica said, 'he has a distinctive blue tail and when he urinates, he stands on his front legs like an acrobat'.

However Teddy had vanished without a trace, apart from one sighting in South Woodford the day after he went missing.

The couple went to the police station, worrying their dog may have been stolen, but were told he could only be reported as missing due to a lack of evidence of theft.

Lisa Loops is an actor who runs a group called Muddy Paws Crime in her spare time to help families locate stolen dogs.

Teddy has a distinctive blue tint in his tail and his owners said he was easily recognisable

She was contacted my Mr Bobeica after Teddy went missing and told the family she believed their dog may have been stolen.

She said: 'When we get a case, we look at all circumstances. They are all different.

'There was something not adding up that Teddy disappeared off the face of the earth. Because their other dog looked uneasy, we thought it was possible that a person may have picked him up.

'When we think a dog has been stolen, we set up a support chat for the owner and a Facebook group in the area they have been taken from.

'We try to run a social media campaign locally and share it on our national page to reach more people.'

In February both Alexandra and Lisa received an anonymous tip off that Teddy was seen some 150 miles away in Lincolnshire.

Mr Bobeica said: 'The person told me that they know exactly where Teddy is and gave us the address, they gave us a description and mentioned his blue tail.

'We went there straight away the next day, the person told us that the person who had Teddy may not give him up easily so we called the Met Police ahead of time.'

Lisa Loops runs a group called Muddy Paws Crime which helps families locate stolen dogs

The Metropolitan Police told Mr Bobeica that Lincolnshire was out of their jurisdiction and they would not be able to help and told him to contact Lincolnshire Police to inform them about their potentially stolen dog.

He informed Lincolnshire Police, who told him they did not have enough resources to assist him and advised him to knock on the person's door.

Mr Bobeica said: 'I had no warrant to search the house, it was a risk. There was a risk they could relocate and I just wanted to see my dog again.

'The police told me to call 999 if there was any aggression. I was desperate, I didn't know what to tell them.'

Mr Bobeica along with his wife and two friends arrived at the home in Lincoln. They looked around to see if they could spot any signs of Teddy, or hear any sounds.

With no sightings, they decided to start a conversation with the property owner about his cat - in an attempt to avoid spooking him.

'We knocked on the door and asked the man if the cat we had seen wandering around was his. It was awkward but we wanted to say something. He said it was his cat.

'I then started to explain that my dog had been stolen three months ago and that I had got a lead that my dog was at his address.

Alexandru and Olga drove to Lincoln with two friends after a tip off that Teddy had been seen with a new family

'He invited us in, I thought it was strange but pleasant.

'I told him my dog is a Pomeranian with a blue tint in his tail, he told me 'he is with my daughter upstairs'.

'I could hear Teddy straight away. I had a microchip scanner which I asked if I could use to prove he is my dog.

'The owner said 'if he is yours, he is yours'. The microchip matched and he was shocked. They had got the dog as a gift for his daughter's birthday from her grandfather.

'I gave him the police reference number in case he wanted to take it further to get his money back.'

The couple were relieved to have finally found their dog, but had both been left with a sense of confusion at how easily their dog had been handed back to them.

Frustrated with the lack of help by police during their search, they also opted against pushing for answers on who may have taken their dog.

Mr Bobeica said: 'We didn't want to go any further because we found Teddy.

Teddy and his blue tail pictured in a pumpkin patch. He was found 150 miles away with a new family

'I was surprised how easily they gave him back. If I was in their situation I would have thought I would have grown a bond with the dog by then and would be reluctant to give him back.

'I probably would have put on more pressure at the start and asked if there was any proof, he believed us right from the start.'

Mrs Loops said: 'Myself and the owner received the anonymous message. I recommended they went to the police station but they took the opportunity to knock on the door.

'That wasn't advised by us due to safety reasons, but if it was my dog I probably would have done the same thing.

'The social media campaign helped them, they may not have found him if that had not been running.'

MuddyPaws Crime currently has 110 active cases of allegedly stolen dogs and Lisa is managing a social media campaign for all of them.

The online strategy helps cast a wider net for the search as stolen dogs do not often stay in the area where they were captured, Lisa said.

Mr Bobeica said the experience was 'hell' for him and his wife, as the social media campaign also caused them to receive malicious phone calls about their lost dog.

Lisa is currently managing around 110 cases of dogs which are suspected to have been stolen

He added: 'We had constant prank calls from people saying 'I know where your dog is, he is in a Chinese restaurant' or 'I ran over your dog', some people were trying to be helpful but a lot of locations we chased ended nowhere.

Mrs Loops added: 'It is horrible seeing owners emotional but to see the impact that has is useful for people sharing. We are an outlet that people can reach out to anonymously.

'I would have liked the case to have continued to press, but that was the owner's choice.

'My advice was to pursue with the police and we could have backtracked where we got the dog from.

'Only the police could ask that.'

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they had received a report of a missing dog.

Lincolnshire Police were informed that the dog was handed back to the owner.
Residents of a once thriving enclave are outraged by proposals to merge it into the capital - despite claims it could yet revive the place dubbed Britain's 'ugliest' and 'most miserable' town.

In plans set forward by well-meaning councillors, Slough could merge with a borough in West London or become part of Greater London.

But locals are fuming at the thought such a move by Slough Borough Council could have negative impacts - by making house prices and living costs unaffordable.

One resident said she had preemptively sold her car on the basis that if Slough were to become part of London it might be added to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

Emma Stuart told MailOnline: 'I have just traded my car in for a new one due to ULEZ. Why should people have to do that?'

And Ms Stuart is not the only one worried that London car restrictions will be imposed on Slough.

Data collector Terry Jones, 65, said it was 'stupid' to merge Slough into London.

He said: 'I work here and I travel here. The merger would be the worse thing they ever did.

Terry Jones (pictured) said Slough becoming part of London is a 'stupid' idea

Slough was dubbed Britain's 'most miserable' town, landing last in a 2024 happiness index

Florence Chidiebele (pictured), 69, would much rather Slough remain part of Berkshire

'For starters the congestion charge is a massive issue. I've got three vehicles, two are (congestion safe), one isn't and I can't always use it.

'Parking is atrocious in Slough anyway.

'It's a stupid idea, leave it as it is or get people who know what they're doing to modernise Slough.'

Slough Councillor Iftakhar Ahmed said he believed the town would 'boom' if it were to become part of London, but understood people's worries.

He said: 'ULEZ is definitely a cause for concern for many, because not everybody is well off and that is a cause for concern for some residents.

'Some sort of mitigation needs to be found for that and that is a genuine concern many people have spoken to me about ULEZ.'

The potential mergers are a response to the government's new English Devolution Policy, which seeks to decentralise government power and increase the number of large authorities in England.

The legislation introduced in December aims to streamline areas with a two-tier system of district/borough and county councils into one authority, it will create more directly elected mayors with greater decision-making powers.

Slough Borough Council believes that the six small Berkshire unitary authorities will be expected to develop Devolution proposals.

In their latest cabinet meeting, the cabinet outlined five options to join a strategic authority and five options to become part of new larger unitary authorities (pictured)

Slough Borough Council believes that the six small Berkshire unitary authorities will be expected to develop Devolution proposals

In 2021, the Slough Borough Council declared itself bankrupt after racking up a 760m debt

In their latest cabinet meeting, they outlined five options to join a strategic authority, including the Greater London Authority (GLA) and five options to become part of new larger unitary authorities, including merging with west London boroughs.

It is unclear when a decision will be made.

Councillor Ahmed added: 'I think overall it will be beneficial to Slough, a better transport system, a bus system as it operates in London and economically I think we will boom.

'Ideally, I think the vast majority of people want to remain in Berkshire as part of a smaller unitary authority, but these are early days.'

Florence Chidiebele, 69, is a resident who would much rather Slough remain part of Berkshire.

She told MailOnline: 'Honestly, I wouldn't like for us to be a part of London, because if you drive at a certain point you have to pay more.

'I want us to be connected to Windsor and Maidenhead instead because it's closer to home. They're just next door. Why can't we just be one?

'Let London be by themselves and let us be Berkshire. I don't think it's right. Everything is going to be like London, but we're not London we're Slough.'

John Cooper (pictured), 74, is worried a merger will make house prices in Slough unaffordable

Margaret Creighton (pictured), 81, was adamant Slough and London have nothing in common

Several Slough-based estate agents advised that if the town gains a London postcode, house prices will increase.

Amy James, a senior sales negotiator for Move Estate Agents Slough, said: 'When I first started working here three years ago I found many that were buying properties in Slough were from West London - they were coming here because the house prices were cheaper.

'So I believe we'll lose that portion of buyers, because the house prices will start to match west London.

'I think Slough will become unaffordable for people and at the moment Slough is affordable and commutable.

'In regards to rental price, people are starting to rent out here, because they can get to work in London and pay a little bit less, and we'll lose a proportion of buyers because the rental prices will match the house prices.'

Bob Odin, senior manager at Move Estate Agents Slough agreed, he said: 'House prices and rent has gone up massively and if it does go into the London boroughs it will be at the point where it's almost unaffordable for first time buyers to buy.'

John Cooper, 74, is extremely worried about a potential rise in Slough house prices, he said: 'We're outside the M25 so we're outside of London. But London postcodes mean they're gonna put prices up.'

Margaret Creighton, 81, however was more concerned by the incompatible nature of the two areas, adamant that Slough and London have nothing in common.

Christine Palmer (pictured), 63, hopes the potential merger will revamp the area and return Slough to its former glory

Tom Hawes (pictured), 36, who owns an independent coffee van situated outside of Slough station welcomes the potential merger

Several Slough-based estate agents expressed their belief that if Slough gains a London postcode, house prices will increase

She said: 'I don't want it to. I think we should be separate.

'I wouldn't mind merging with Windsor, because then we'd come under the Royal borough.

'I wouldn't want to live in London I was born here it's my hometown, everyone says we've got nothing in Slough now which is true there's no clothes shops like there used to be, but it's still my home and I'm not one for change.'

Once known as the 'Golden Mile', Slough had a thriving high street, but over the past decade more and more shops have been boarded up with the majority of units lying vacant.

In 2021, the council declared itself bankrupt having racked up a 760million debt.

An independent review later found the then Labour-run council had made the blackhole through 'several years of mismanagement of funds'.

And the now Conservative-run council is looking at further budget cuts which could affect local services.

But some residents are still holding out hope that Slough could return to its former glory and believe merging with London could be the key.

Christine Palmer, 63, told MailOnline: 'I was born in Slough, only ever worked in Slough and I walk through Slough today and it makes me want to cry.

The Conservative-run council is looking at budget cuts which could affect local services

Home to Europe's largest trading estate and just a 20-minute train rise from London, Paddington, on paper Slough sounds like an ideal place to live

'The fact it will merge with London I think it will get better. People used to come from London to shop here. It was known as the Golden Mile.

'Something needs to happen. |There needs to be an overhaul and if it could get people from London to come here that would be great.'

Home to Europe's largest trading estate and just a 20-minute train rise from London, Paddington, on paper Slough sounds like an ideal place to live.

But last year it was voted Britain's most miserable town, landing at the bottom of a 2024 happiness index.

And Slough is a far cry from the leafy west London suburbs the council want to merge with.

Tom Hawes, 36, who owns an independent coffee van situated outside of Slough station also believes the potentially merger could revamp the area.

He said: 'Slough Council has driven the area into the ground it used to be one of the biggest trading estates in the country all the businesses have left.

'I think it will be positive for the area and hopefully bring investment. There's so much land around the station that could be developed. It should be one of the most booming towns because it's so close to London, but it's dead.'

Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police declined to comment.

Slough Borough Council refused to comment.
At least 16 killed as storms, tornadoes sweep through central, southern U.S.

Xinhua) 09:47, March 17, 2025

HOUSTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Severe weather, including dust storms and tornadoes, has battered vast areas in central and southern U.S. states since Friday, claiming at least 16 lives and causing widespread havoc.

Ten people were killed in the midwestern U.S. state of Missouri after a tornado outbreak, said the Missouri State Highway Patrol Saturday, quoted by the Associated Press.

According to a weather.com report on Saturday, at least six tornadoes hit the state overnight.

In Arkansas, officials said Saturday that three people died in Independence County and 29 others were injured in eight counties as storms moved through the state overnight.

As many as 23 tornadoes were reported across the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Mississippi overnight.

In northern Texas, state police said up to 38 vehicles crashed during a massive dust storm on Friday, killing three people.

The severe weather also triggered more than 150 wildfires in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma, forcing mandatory evacuations in some areas, local media reported.

As of 9 a.m. Central Time (1400 GMT) on Saturday, severe weather had left about 270,000 homes and businesses without power across large areas in multiple states, according to the poweroutage.us website.

U.S. meteorologists warned that extreme weather conditions, including powerful tornadoes and large hail, could continue through the weekend.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
As a US diplomat for the nation's consulate in southern China, Mark Lenzi was used to dealing with master-codes and confidential information every day.

But while sitting at his desk in Guangzhou, the security engineering officer suddenly found his brain was so foggy he couldn't remember basic passwords.

Soon the New Hampshire native's head was pounding, the severe fatigue set in and even the office light seemed painfully blinding.

After struggling through the day, the longtime official found he could barely sleep at night at his government-provided high-rise located close to the Pearl River, around 75 miles northwest of Hong Kong.

It was the spring of 2018, and he didn't realize until later that the strange symptoms appeared to be sparked by something at the apartment, where he lived with his wife, daughter and son, then aged nine and four.

Now, in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail close to the Washington, DC, hospital where he is being treated, Lenzi, 50, has shared how one harrowing moment marked the start of what would be a lifetime affliction for his family.

State Department security engineering officer Mark Lenzi, 50, believes he suffered a false microwave attack by Russia while he was posted in China in 2018. (Pictured: the Lenzi family)

Pictured: the area of Guangzhou, China, where the Lenzis were staying in spring 2018

One of the sonic weapons that could cause Havana syndrome is said to be a smaller version of this 1990s Soviet microwave generator, which is kept at the University of New Mexico

Lenzi said the family's health troubles started with a single sound - an ominous 'clicking noise' emanating from the main bedroom which overlooked thousands of other buildings.

The strange audio seemed to trigger a visceral reaction for each member of the family, ranging from intense pressure in their heads accompanied by a wave of nausea to sudden severe nosebleeds.

My wife was giving the kids a bath in the Guangzhou apartment,' he said, remembering the upsetting incident from the spring of 2018.

'My wife heard the clicking sounds, and all of a sudden, both kids had bleeding noses so severely that the water turned red with blood.

Lenzi is now listed among more than 300 US officials based abroad who have reported experiencing the strange set of symptoms linked to 'Havana Syndrome' - a condition first seen in 2016 among Americans posted in Cuba.

Many of those impacted by the illness, including Lenzi, believe that Russian military intelligence operatives are using pulsed microwave attacks to target Americans on their enemy list.

The official, who said Vladimir Putin kicked him out of Russia in 2002, explained that his family was promptly medevac'd out of China on June 6, 2018, after he and his wife failed State Department medical tests.

As shown in medical documents seen by the Daily Mail, UPenn scientists determined that Lenzi had 'experienced uncharacterized environmental exposure' while DC doctors diagnosed them with 'mild brain injuries'.

In further implicit recognition of their suffering, the federal government gave the Lenzis $1 million under the Havana Act Compensation Act - despite the White House never admitting that what they experienced was real.

After being 'ignored and gas-lit' by the Biden administration for the past seven years, Lenzi is now hopeful President Donald Trump will hear his story and take the threat that Havana Syndrome poses to Americans around the world seriously.

Pictured: Lenzi undergoing brain EEG at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital in January 2025

Lenzi has been receiving treatment for a 'mild brain injury' diagnosis for the past few years

Lenzi has worked for the State Department in Russia, China and Finland for more than 22 years

State Department security engineering officer Lenzi believes he suffered a false microwave attack by Russia while he was posted in China in 2018. (Pictured: the Lenzi family)

Lenzi believes he was targeted because of his work with Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili in the former Soviet Union, a political enemy of Putin's who has since been imprisoned.

The fact that he (Putin) would do this to me is honestly the least surprising thing,' said Lenzi, who has worked for the State Department for 22 years.

'But I was surprised that my family was also being affected. That crossed a line.

'What was shocking was that my own government who I have worked for in Afghanistan and Iraq turned its back on me and my family the one time I asked them for anything. I never asked them for a goddamn thing.

Lenzi said when his family first experienced 'Havana Syndrome' symptoms in the spring of 2018, he thought it may have been them simply adapting to the thick smog that blanketed the Guangdong province.

What I couldnt explain though, was I was having severe short-term memory problems,' he told Daily Mail.

I have to have a lot of master-codes in my head and classified information for my job, but I couldnt even remember the most basic passwords.

'The short-term memory loss for me was the most distressing.

The Lenzi family lived next door to Catherine Werner, another US diplomat at the consulate, who said she also experienced the same odd symptoms. Her dog even began throwing up blood.

It took them a while to piece their cases together because, according to Lenzi, the US consulate 'was going to great lengths to have us not talk'.

'We were both experiencing the headaches, vertigo issues, sleep difficulties, and things like that,' he said.

Symptoms of Havana Syndrome include loud noise, ear pain, intense head pressure or vibration, dizziness, visual problems, and cognitive difficulties

Pictured: Lenzi's diagnosis of 'mild acquired brain injury'

The security official added that the symptoms were even worse for his then-four-year-old son, who was later diagnosed with severe working memory deficits.

My manager refused to listen to me. I was begging them,' Lenzi said, referring to State Department Diplomatic Security Regional Security Officer Eun 'Judy' Lim.

Lenzi said the most 'outrageous' part of the saga for him was when the US government denied treatment for his kids, claiming that children's brains were not impacted by the environment because their skulls weren't fully formed yet.

'They fed us a crock of s***,' he said. 'They didn't want to open that can of worms.'

This had devastating impacts for his young son, who is now aged 10.

One of the darkest days in my life was when I was at Walter Reed with my son and he was being put through all the balance tests,' Lenzi said.

'The doctors said, This is really severe. They said to me, Why didnt you get him treated right away? The fact that he didnt get treated right away means that his condition is even worse. I had tears streaming down my face. I have to live with this.

Lenzi said the State Department 'grudgingly' gave them Havana Acquired Brain Injury Tests in April 2018 after 'dangerous levels of pulsed microwave radiation were measured' around the home where they were saying.

The family failed the tests, triggering their evacuation from China.

Pictured: State Department official Lenzi with his daughter, who is now 15 years old

Lenzi said his son was four years old and his daughter nine when they suffered the attacks

State Department security engineering officer Lenzi believes he suffered a false microwave attack by Russia while he was posted in China in 2018. (Pictured: the Lenzi family)

Lenzi said the State Department is well aware that the clicking sounds they heard were 'due to thermoelastic expansion of the inner ear', known in the science community as 'Frey Effect hearing', caused by pulsed microwave radiation.

The US government transferred the family to UPenn on June 8, 2018, where they were treated for 'concussion' symptoms.

Lenzi said the treatment did not help, so he sought help from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in May 2022 based on a recommendation from a friend.

He said doctors at the DC hospital 'made a breakthrough' after diagnosing him with 'mild brain injury' and advising him to sleep for at least 12 hours a day while limiting exercise to very light workouts only.

Lenzi emailed his diagnosis to his superiors at the State Department while letting them know he was finally getting effective medical care - but they were 'apoplectic', telling him he was 'supposed to stay at UPenn.

The US Government knows exactly how to treat this injury, but they want us to be quiet about it,' Lenzi told the Daily Mail.

'I could swallow that if it was just me over in China on temporary assignment, but this impacts a lot of people and their families.

The hell that I had to go through to get treated thats what got me,' he added. The State Department continues to treat me horribly.

Lenzi has worked for the State Department in Russia, China and Finland for more than 22 years

The State Department diplomat wants Donald Trump to hear his story in the hopes Havana Syndrome victims will be taken more seriously

Lenzi said it took the advocacy of his local New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen to allow Americans afflicted with Havana Syndrome finally to get access to the treatment they needed.

Shaheen sponsored the WiRe Act requiring the Department of Defense to provide government employees and their relatives 'timely access to Walter Reed for assessment if they are determined to be experiencing certain anomalous health conditions'.

His uphill battle also allegedly involved being gas-lit by the State Department while he was still in China.

Lenzi said the government gave him 'increased emotionality counseling sessions' to make him believe he was experiencing a mental or emotional issue rather than a physical response to a material attack.

'Lim (his manager) and US Consulate Guangzhou leaders were trying to intimidate me into being quiet about my symptoms because they knew that me and my neighbor were injured and wanted to suppress this,' he told the DailyMail.com.

While many of his colleagues afflicted by Havana Syndrome simply 'gave up' and medically retired, Lenzi refused to back down.

He approached the State Department Inspector General with documents he said proved a government 'cover up' in July 2018, and again in August 2024, by which time he was posted in Helsinki.

'This time they listened and designated me officially as a whistleblower,' Lenzi said.

He added that State Department officials responded by 'freaking out' and ultimately terminating his employment early, as shown in official documents seen by the the Daily Mail.

Though Lenzi officially retains his title of security engineering officer for the State Department, in practice he said he has been 'sidelined' to sending visa applications from DC, while his family remains in Helsinki due to his children's schooling.

Now, Lenzi wants acknowledgement of what he has been through from the White House.

'The Biden administration went to great lengths to cover up these false microwave attacks,' Lenzi said.

'I want to see Tulsi Gabbard and Marco Rubio visit me in Walter Reed and hear directly from victims and our doctors.

When congressmen are able to talk to my doctors and see my MRIs and hear directly from victims and see proof, see evidence, its very powerful.

Daily Mail has contacted the State Department for comment.
Victoria's strict new bail laws could turn prisons struggling to cope with the influx of criminals into ticking timebombs, authorities fear.

There are also concerns prison overcrowding and stretched resources could lead to 'errors' where violent offenders such as deranged killer Sean Price slip through the cracks.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan recently announced her government will rush through harsher bail laws making it more difficult for criminals to be released back into the community.

The bombshell announcement came after years of escalating crime including home invasions and carjackings committed by repeat offenders hit boiling point.

It's also in response to Victoria's youth crime epidemic which reached 23,810 incidents in 2023-2024 - the highest it has been since 2009 and a jump of almost 17 per cent on the previous 12 months.

Many of the home invasions, aggravated burglaries, car thefts, assaults, brawls and knife attacks in Victoria occur in Melbourne.

An incident involving five teens including a 13-year-old boy who were arrested and charged after an alleged carjacking and multiple burglaries in Melbourne's east on February 11 made headlines prior to the law change.

The new laws will apply to violent and repeat offenders of all ages.

Five teens including a 13-year-old boy who were arrested and charged after an alleged carjacking and multiple burglaries in Melbourne

Port Phillip Prison, (above) a maximum-security prison in Melbourne's west which holds between 650 and 700 inmates, is scheduled to close by the end this year

Another incident, just hours after Ms Allan's bail law announcement, involved a 35-year-old Footscray man getting bail after he was charged with ramming a police car in Melbourne's west.

Police had attempted to intercept the man's silver Ford Ranger after officers spotted the accused driving erratically on the Princes Freeway near Laverton about 1am on March 12.

The harsher bail laws may have meant Sean Price would not have been free when he brutally stabbed Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic to death.

The 17-year-old Doncaster schoolgirl was stabbed 49 times by Price while walking through a park in Melbourne's east 10 years ago on March 17, 2015.

But questions were also raised regarding how Victoria's stretched correctional system allowed Price, a violent repeat sex offender, to live in the community without supervision after serving a jail term.

Former Supreme Court Justice Lex Lasry questioned why Price wasn't held at notorious paedophile centre Corella Place infamously known as 'The Village of the Damned' after he was handed a 10-year supervision order.

Instead, Price, who pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed for life in 2016, was living alone and unsupervised on bail in what Justice Lasry termed a 'catastrophic example of mismanagement'.

'Whether on the part of the Department of Corrections or the Adult Parole Board, a decision was made to release you into the community and from the moment that regrettable decision was made the supervision order ceased to have any protective effect,' Justice Lasry said during sentencing.

Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic was stabbed to death Sean Price who was living unsupervised in the community despite being a violent repeat offender

Sean Price (pictured)

Bourke Street Mall mass murderer James Gargasoulas had been bailed just six days before he mowed down and killed six pedestrians during his terrifying Melbourne CBD rampage in January 2017.

The serial offender's horrific crimes led to a review and tightening of bail laws before the Allan Government softened those laws in 2023.

As authorities scramble to get the new bails laws into affect a new problem regarding where to house all the alleged crooks has arisen.

Port Phillip Prison, a maximum-security prison in Melbourne's west which holds between 650 and 700 inmates, is scheduled to close by the end this year.

Dhurringile Prison, formerly located near Shepparton, was closed for good in August last year.

According to Corrections Victoria, data prisoner population numbers at the Metropolitan Remand Centre and the Melbourne Assessment Prison have increased by more than 20 per cent in the last 12 months.

Many new remands are housed at MRC, MAP or Port Phillip and prisoners yet to be sentenced make up 2356 of total inmates.

Staffing issues at prisons is also a major issue with Corrections Victoria offering sign-on cash incentives up to $8,000 to entice new employees.

Bourke Street Mall mass murderer James Gargasoulas (pictured) had been bailed just six days before he mowed down and killed six pedestrians

Gargasoulas' horrific crimes led to a review and tightening of bail laws before the Allan Government softened them in 2023

Corrections Victoria was allocated $1.8billion in the last budget while the state spent approximately $153,895 per prisoner per year or $422 per prisoner per day.

Victoria's already stretched budget will be at bursting point if the expected influx of new prisoners is realised.

A former prison guard, who does not wish to be named, told The Daily Mail Australia working conditions at jails were 'just f*****'.

'I got out, it was too hard, too rough, long hours for s**t pay and we were always short of staff,' the former guard said.

Liberal shadow minister for police and corrections David Southwick told the Daily Mail Australia he estimated the prison population will spike by 20 per cent when the new bail laws kick in.

Mr Southwick also said under-resourced prisons have 'no staff' and are 'not equipped' to deal with the expected influx.

'Labor has failed to manage crime and Victorians are paying the price,' Mr Southwick said.

'Premier Jacinta Allan is backpedalling under pressure, making last-minute bail changes she doesn't even believe in.

Liberal shadow minister for police and corrections David Southwick (pictured) estimated the prison population will spike by 20 per cent

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan (pictured) announced her government will rush through harsher bail laws

'Labor is scrambling to address the crime crisis it created. Their bail backflip is about securing their political future, not about keeping Victorians safe.

'Labor's underfunded prisons are unprepared for this change. With closed facilities and a shortage of prison staff, it's clear they haven't thought this through.'

Mr Southwick also said 'we can't afford to make errors including early release' which could lead to another Masa Vukotic tragedy.

"I think a big issue with overcrowding prisons is they become unsafe and harder to manage,' he said.

'We also can't afford to make errors including early release because we don't have enough beds available.

'This is policy on the run which means we will all pay more in cost and our safety, over a year ago we pushed for change but Labor shut down the debate and shut down prison beds.'

Ms Allan, who denied her bail reforms were a political move, said her priority was 'community safety above all'.

'I have listened and I have acted,' she said.

'The tough bail laws will jolt the system, community safety above all, toughest bail laws ever and consequences for breaking the rules.'

AFL mega-WAG Bec Judd applauded the announcement on Wednesday but scolded former premier 'the Dictator' Daniel Andrews

AFL mega-WAG Bec Judd applauded the announcement on Wednesday but scolded former premier 'the Dictator' Daniel Andrews who she says could've saved lives if he fixed Melbourne's crime scourge while in power.

The mother-of-four, who is married to former Carlton and West Coast star Chris Judd, has been a flag-bearer for fighting Victoria's spiralling crime crisis and weak bail laws for several years.

'Gee, this aged well,' Judd posted on Instagram with an accompanying image of a 2022 story in which she warned Melbourne has a crime crisis.

'Imagine the lives that could've been saved. Imagine the terror experienced by so many Victorians that could've been stopped if the Dictator had acted when I called this out.

'Today Jacinta Allan has announced the toughest bail laws in the country. Yes it is too late for so many but it is a start. And mark my words, if the government stuffs this up again, I will continue to let everyone know about it.'
The Parisian underworld gang alleged to have robbed Kim Kardashian at gunpoint are finally set to go on trial almost a decade after the $10 million heist that stunned the world.

And ahead of the long-awaited trial, a MailOnline investigation has pieced together the fullest picture yet of what happened the night masked gunmen burst into the star's 12,000-a-night penthouse where she was naked except for a bathrobe.

Kardashian was bound, gagged and locked in a bathroom, before the robbers made off with her lavish jewellery collection, including a $4million engagement ring from Kanye West.

Using detailed police and prosecution documents as well as the accounts of some who admit participating in the raid, we can today reconstruct exactly how the Hollywood-style heist was pulled off.

All the dozen defendants accused - who have been dubbed 'Kardashian's Twelve' after the Oceans heist film series starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt - are currently at liberty having been released from their high-security remand cells prior to their trial.

At the centre of the entire case is one Aomar Ait Khedache, a self-confessed career criminal.

Now 69, Old Omar, as he is affectionately known by French crime reporters, is hard of hearing, short-sighted and suffering from an acute heart condition - but he is far from shy about his involvement in the heist, which took place in the early hours of October 3rd 2016, describing it as the most memorable of his life.

Indeed, Old Omar freely admits that he was the leader of the gang that subjected the American reality TV star to an ordeal said to still haunt her.

And he is not alone in admitting it: one his key lieutenants, Yunice Abbas, now 72, has even written a book unambiguously entitled, I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian.

The Parisian underworld gang alleged to have robbed Kim Kardashian at gunpoint are finally set to go on trial almost a decade after the $10 million heist that stunned the world

A french police car is seen outside Kim Kardashian's Luxury Apartment after being robbed at gunpoint by masked men during Paris Fashion Week

Yunice Abbas, now 72, has even written a book unambiguously entitled, I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian

Yet, it will not be until the end of next month at the earliest that Ait Khedache, Abbas and the other ten accused will finally appear in the dock at the Paris Assizes, accused of 'armed robbery in an organised gang', 'kidnap' and 'criminal conspiracy'.

Despite the levity of some involved these are hugely serious charges which could well see the older defendants locked up for the rest of their lives

But delays have been constant throughout the nine years so no one will be surprised if the April date slips.

Officers from the elite Banditry Repression Brigade (BRB) of the Paris Judicial Police are particularly angry about this, having caught all of the alleged gang in simultaneous raids back as long ago in January 2017.

The detectives were convinced that justice would be swift and decisive, but timetabling problems caused by high-profile terrorist trials caused backlogs.

There were also fears that publicity because of the Kardashian connection process would destroy the upmarket Paris tourism industry at a time of prestige five-star events, right up until last summer's Olympics.

So nine years on, most of the key defendants are also old and sick, meaning that they were all freed from high-security remand cells where they were originally expected to remain until trial.

Frustrated by the continuous adjournments, investigators have meanwhile provided an extraordinary account of the raid to MailOnline.

Leaks include a neatly typed document listing Ms Kardashian's married name before her 2022 divorce, reading, VICTIM: Ms. Kimberly Kardashian-West (damage of $10,000,000).

Kardashian was bound, gagged and locked in a bathroom, before the robbers made off with her lavish jewellery collection, including a $4million engagement ring from Kanye West (above)

Officers from the elite Banditry Repression Brigade (BRB) (pictured) of the Paris Judicial Police are particularly angry about this, having caught all of the alleged gang in simultaneous raids back as long ago in January 2017

Inside the Kim Kardashian Paris heist crime scene: Chilling images emerge showing a gag used to silence the star and ripped tape used to bind her

Pictures of gaffer tape used to gag Kim and Serflex cable ties used to bind her

The police dossier shows how a combination of DNA and CCTV analysis, phone taps and geolocation, and dogged determination by detectives including the physical tailing of suspects, led to the smashing of Omar & Co within two months of their Hollywood-style heist.

The saga began back in the summer of 2016, when Old Omar got a tip that a 'big American star was coming to town' and that she was showing off her fabulous wealth on Instagram.

This was a time when old school criminals were abandoning traditional heists for so-called sauccissons  'sausage raids' which involve following rich people into their homes, 'wrapping them up like sausages' and then forcing them at gunpoint to say where they kept their valuables, before stealing them.

According to prosecutors, the Kardashian tip came from Florus Heroui, who ran a bar in Le Marais.

The central Paris district has always been a hotbed of professional criminals, but is now also populated by wealthy creatives, including actors and fashionistas.

Heroui is said to have got precise information about Ms Kardashian's movements during Paris Fashion Week from Gary Madar, a VIP greeter who regularly met stars as they arrived at Paris Le Bourget airport by private jet.

Crucially, Madar was trusted and liked by Ms Kardashian, and had close family links to the car company she always used when in France - and they were photographed together many times.

Old Omar was fleeing justice at the time, having been arrested for his alleged involvement in a drugs racket, and was relying on his petite blonde mistress, Christiane Glotin, for safe houses to stay in.

According to prosecutors, the Kardashian tip came from Florus Heroui (above), who ran a bar in Le Marais

Heroui is said to have got precise information about Ms Kardashian's movements during Paris Fashion Week from Gary Madar (above), a VIP greeter who regularly met stars as they arrived at Paris Le Bourget airport by private jet

Bodyguard Pascal Duvier, Gary Madar and Kourtney Kardashian are seen at Charles-de-Gaulle airport on September 29, 2016 in Paris

Michael Madar, Bodyguard Pascal Duvier and Gary Madar are seen at Charles-de-Gaulle airport on September 29, 2016 in Paris

Old Omar was fleeing justice at the time, having been arrested for his alleged involvement in a drugs racket, and was relying on his petite blonde mistress, Christiane Glotin (above), for safe houses to stay in

Better known simply as Cathy, the Marais-born 79-year-old who was first convicted of drug trafficking in the early 1990s, is on the Kardashian charge sheet as a key organiser of the heist.

Back in 2016, she allegedly joined Omar and other gang members 'oggling Kim's jewels after Googling pictures on a computer,' according to a police investigator.

'None of them had much idea who Kim was, but they liked her very expensive bling,' the source added.

All were particularly interested in Ms Kardashian's 18.88-carat engagement ring, especially after she proudly announced that she 'did not wear fake jewellery'.

Scouting out the star's Paris address was easy, Omar told detectives  the gang simply had to follow Ms Kardashian's Mercedes V-Class people carrier to find out that she was staying in the Hotel de Pourtales, a converted mansion close to La Madeleine church.

Better known as the 'No Address', Pourtales is a collection of dream apartments which have welcomed multiple Hollywood A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, as well as Madonna and the late Prince.

Crucially, the tip was that Ms Kardashian would enjoy some 'me time' alone in the Sky Penthouse at Pourtales, while allowing her staff and family members out on the town.

This is exactly what happened in the early hours of October 3rd, when, at 2.20am, three cyclists in fluorescent yellow vests approached the No Address and parked their bikes in the courtyard.

A general view of Kim Kardashian's luxury apartment Hotel de Pourtales on Rue Tronchet in the 8th arrondissement, where she was robbed at gunpoint by masked men

Kim Kardashian and her bodyguard Pascal Duvier seen out and about in Paris before the robbery on October 2, 2016

Francois 'Big Guy' Delaporte (left) and Pierre 'Big Pierrot' Bouianere (right)

Two more arrived on foot, and all of them were also wearing black balaclavas and police armbands before confronting the property's only concierge, Abderrahmane Ouatiki, an Algerian father-of-one and Paris University PhD student then aged 39.

Pointing an antique Mauser 7.65mm at his head, the gang led Mr Ouatiki upstairs to the penthouse, where Ms Kardashian was lying on her bed in her bathrobe.

The then 35-year-old mother-of-two was alone after her German bodyguard, Pascal Duvier  whom she later sacked  went out dancing at L'Arc, a nightclub by the Arc de Triomphe, with a group that also included her sister, Kourtney Kardashian.

Kim Kardashian recalled hearing noises outside the door, later telling officers: 'I said 'Hello!', but since no one answered, I knew something was wrong.'

Two 'aggressive men' in black police uniforms then burst in with the handcuffed Mr Ouatiki.

Ms Kardashian intially tried to call 911  the American police emergency number  on her iPhone 6, but of course it did not work in France.

'He puts a gun directly to her head,' Mr Ouatiki recalled. 'She's crying, she's screaming. She's saying, "Don't kill me, I have babies, please, I have babies! I'm a mom! Take what you want!" She's wearing just a robe and her hair is tied back.'

To prevent Ms Kardashian from screaming too loudly, the robbers taped her mouth shut before locking her in her bathroom.

They spent a full 49 minutes in the penthouse, before leaving with a haul estimated to be worth around $10million.

As they fled, one accidently dropped a platinum cross adorned with diamonds that was found the next morning.

After cutting through her ties herself, Ms Kardashian went to another apartment downstairs, where her stylist, Simone Harouche, had barricaded herself in a bathroom.

A suspect in Kim Kardashian West's Paris robbery is brought to BRB building, Brigade de Repression du Banditisme in 2017

A suspect in Kim Kardashian West's Paris robbery is brought to BRB building, Brigade de Repression du Banditisme in 2017

Police were then alerted, and they took statements from Ms Kardashian before she was allowed to travel to Le Bourget at 7.40am, to take her private jet home.

In turn, Kanye West ended a concert in New York early, because of 'a family emergency'. He was looking after the couple's young children, Saint and North.

Back in Paris, detectives soon gathered two genetic fingerprints on the Serflex ties used to restrain Ms Kardashian and Mr Ouatiki.

The samples corresponded to the prints of Ait Khedache and Abbas  both of whom had their details all over police forensic databases because of their criminal antecedents.

Painstackingly gathering all video recordings in the area, detectives also found plenty of incriminating images.

They included multiple sightings of a Peugeot 508 which was driven by Ait Khedache's son, Harminy Ait Khedache.

Brigadier Christophe Korrell  a police telephone specialist  also went through 7,591 cell phone calls made in the Madelaine area around the robbery between October 2nd and 3rd.

Among them was a number beginning with 07 50 that Brig. Korrell described as a classic disposal 'war phone' typically used by crime lords.

The 'war phone' in question was owned by Old Omar, while others were linked to all the other prime suspects.

These included Didier 'Blue Eyes' Dubreucq, who was allegedly the second robber to actually enter the penthouse, along with Old Omar.

Dubreucq had served 23 years in prison for a post office robbery and for importing two tons of Colombian cocaine into Europe via a Saudi Arabian prince's private jet.

Rather than arrest the suspects straight away, the BRB launched tailing operations, which included placing GPS surveillance devices on suspects' cars.

This is when new 'faces' appeared, including Marceau 'Rough Nose' Baumgertner  an alleged Paris fence who is charged with 'concealment of stolen gold, jewels and watches'.

Known as a gypsy market trader with a pet dog called Al Capone, the 70-year-old is recorded as having made trips to Antwerp  the diamond capital of Europe  with Old Omar and Glotin to allegedly sell the Kardashian jewellery.

Marceau 'Rough Nose' Baumgertner (left) and Didier 'Blue Eyes' Dubreucq (right)

By December 5th 2016, BRB officers were allegedly watching the gang 'sharing the loot' on the terrace of a Marais cafe (pictured)

Old Omar has told police the gold was melted down and resold, while saying he has 'no idea' where Ms Kardashian's ring ended up.

By December 5th 2016, BRB officers were allegedly watching the gang 'sharing the loot' on the terrace of a Marais cafe close to the one where Omar had received his first tip about Ms Kardashian.

Long-focus lenses caught them all smoking heavily and sipping espressos in the winter sunshine.

A month later  on January 9th 2017  the BRB burst into all their homes, handcuffed them, and placed them in custody.

Ait Khedache originally denied any wrongdoing, but when he heard about the DNA evidence against him, he made a full confession.

It followed one of the detectives telling him in a recorded interview: 'We have your kid [Harminy Ait Khedache] and your girlfriend [Cathy Glotin] in custody, and we're going to make their lives miserable if you don't talk'.

Deeply traumatized by the robbery, Ms Kardashian avoided Paris for more than a year, so investigating judge Armelle Briand had to travel to the USA to interview her.

The first thing Ms Kardashian told Judge Briand was: 'I have a feeling that it's not the right place for me, I mean Paris.

'I remember that I had an indescribable feeling, as if my heart would leave my body, I thought that I was going to die.'

According to her recorded testimony, Ms Kardashian added: 'This experience opened my eyes to the fact that the world was no longer a safe place.'

She said her 'relationship with valuables had changed', and that 'it's become a burden to be responsible for such expensive items.'

It remains to be seen whether Ms Kardashian arrives in Paris in April to give evidence in court against her alleged assailants.

Despite some confessions, and the legal right of police and prosecution to leak information about the case, all officially remain innocent until proved guilty in connection with the largest jewellery theft committed against a single person in France this century.

As the days go by, one of the defendants told Mail Online: 'At this rate we'll all be appearing in the dock in wheelchairs or coffins.'
Washington's lawmakers don't just fight over policy, they've got lines drawn in the sand over where to dine out too.

Members of Congress like to share stories of their humble roots and homely sensibilities, but nearly all have expensive taste when it comes to spending money out at D.C.'s finest restaurants.

Republicans like red meat while Democrats enjoy sipping their way through wine bars.

But when the gavel drops, everyone red, blue or any other color loves pizza.

From cozy bistros to mahogany-paneled steakhouses, the local haunts of lawmakers have raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars from just lawmakers alone last year, with some locations getting the lion's share of the spend.

And since lawmakers frequently dine out using campaign cash or political action committee funds, the receipts they get back must be reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

So if you ever come to Washington and want to catch a glimpse of your favorite reoccurring characters on MSNBC, Fox News or CNN, there are some places better suited than others.

Here are the places to go:

The bar at The Capital Grille in Washington, D.C.

Republican's Red Meat

Republicans like their dinner like their politics, red.

The top spot for members to spend their money was The Capital Grille, an old-school wood-laden business meeting steakhouse down the street from the Capitol.

Just a short ride done Pennsylvania ave. will bring lawmakers to the fine dining establishment where waiters still wear ties and the bar is popping with an upscale crowd.

According to Politico's analysis of FEC filings, The Capital Grille averaged more than one lawmaker a day last year, and raked in $900,000 from these congressional patrons, 90 percent of which were Republicans.

Republicans spent $880,000 while Democrats spent $34,000 at the restaurant. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., posted 37 transactions at the location, totaling over $155,000.

Charlie Palmer Steak was another majorly popular dining spot before it closed late last year. The steakhouse was also nearby the Capitol and served a more bipartisan crowd.

Republicans spent $477,000 and Democrats spent $257,000 there last year. Though now the non-partisan spot is no more, a reflection of Congress itself.

Surf and Turf was had most frequently at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, where the average bill was $1,627. The spot blocks from the White House raked in $385,000 from the GOP and $143,000 from the Democrats last year.

Crispy onion strings, snow crabs and a NY strip steak at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab photographed in Washington, DC on July 17, 2024

The view overlooking the bar at Joe's in Washington

The Capital Grille has private rooms for large parties with art on the walls

Bipartisan Bistros

Trattoria Alberto, the former haunt of ex-Speaker John Boehnera noted red wine enthusiast welcomed many on both sides of the aisle last year, according to the analysis.

There were close to 200 visits per party, with the Republicans spending $195,00 and the Democrats dishing out $124,000. The Eastern Market spot is a truly common ground.

Another magnet for both parties is The Monocle, a famous Senate-side American restaurant. Opened in 1960, it is a favorite of longtime senators, like Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, 91, and his wife.

The Eisenhower-era establishment brought in $531 per lawmaker on average. The bill for the GOP shook out to $100,00 and for Democrats it was $65,000.

The Monocle's exterior

Diners sit and order at the Monocle Restaurant on September 10, 2022 in NE Washington, DC

The Democratic Stronghold

Out of all the locations analyzed, one was by far and away the most popular among Democrats.

Bistro Cacao is a cozy French townhouse practically in the Senate's backyard.

The interior is draped with curtains and ornately colorful wallpaper. On average the bill costed lawmakers close to $800 per visit.

The GOP still showed up here, however, spending $171,000 compared to Democrats spending $280,000.

Former Senator John Tester, D-Mont., who lost reelection last November, spent more here than anyone else last year, dolling out $60,000 at the French restaurant.

The interior of Bistro Cacao

Pizza Partisans

As lawmakers work weekends and late nights they need to incentivize their staff to stick around for the additional work ordering in pizza is the tried and true method to get aides to stick around a while longer.

There are many pie shops around Capitol Hill, but none is more iconic and widely recognized than We, The Pizza.

The brand's iconic black and white pizza boxes get transported to Congress stacked high. Aides can frequently be seen roaming the halls with their arms full of the large, unwieldy boxes as they stumble back to their offices.

A Senate staffer carries in a stack of pizzas into the room where a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators are holding a meeting on infrastructure in the basement of the U.S. Capitol

The iconic black and white boxes of We, The Pizza

Staffers hold pizza boxes as going through security

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., had 17 transactions here worth $5,000 last year. Republicans spent $81,000 on the pie and Democrats half that at $42,000.

In total, the joint was visited by lawmakers over 530 times.

Other honorable pizza mentions include Ledo Pizza, Matchbox and Wiseguy Pizza.
Twin brothers from Georgia have been found shot dead on top of a remote mountain in the state, some 90 miles from home and hundreds more from Boston where they were supposed to be.

Qaadir and Naazir Lewis, both 19, from Lawrenceville near Atlanta, were discovered last weekend at the summit of Bell Mountain, a scenic but isolated peak in Towns County near the North Carolina border.

The twins had suffered fatal gunshot wounds before their bodies were found by a hiker.

But their grieving family is baffled as to what happened because they say the brothers were supposed to be on a plane to Boston to see their friends and instead were found dead in the rugged wilderness.

'They're very protective of each other. They love each other,' said their uncle Rahim Brawner to 11Alive. 'They're were inseparable. I couldn't imagine them hurting each other because I've never seen them get into a fistfight before.'

The twins had booked a 7am flight to Boston for Friday March 7 and had been excited to visit friends, but they never boarded their flight.

Just 24 hours later, they were found dead, with the family saying their plane tickets were still tucked inside their wallets.

'How did they end up out in the mountains? They don't hike out there; they've never been out there,' said their aunt Samira Brawner.

Qaadir and Naazir Lewis, both 19, from Lawrenceville near Atlanta, were found shot dead at the summit of Bell Mountain, a scenic but isolated peak in Towns County near North Carolina

'They're very protective of each other. They love each other,' their uncle Rahim Brawner said. 'They're were inseparable. I couldn't imagine them hurting each other.'

The boys' aunts and uncles desperate for some clarity as to how the teenagers died

'They don't know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia. They never even heard of Bell Mountain. So how did they end up right there?'

In a statement that has only deepened the family's anguish, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has indicated preliminary findings point to a murder-suicide - but the family is vehemently rejecting such findings.

The GBI confirmed autopsies have been completed, but said further forensic tests are still pending, leaving the official cause and manner of death unresolved.

'We knew right away that wasn't true,' Samira said. 'We want answers, we want to know exactly what happened to the twins.'

Another aunt, Yasmine Brawner, also shared the family's disbelief.

'They had a huge support system. We know them. They wouldn't do anything like this. To say they did this to each other? No. Something happened in those mountains, and we want answers.'

To the family, the idea that one brother killed the other before turning the gun on himself is not only unimaginable but also entirely inconsistent with their relationship.

'They came from a family of love, and twins wanted so much for their future - they had dreams of starting their very own clothing line,' Yasmine shared on the GoFundMe page set up to cover funeral expenses for the pair.

Qaadir and Naazir Lewis, both 19, had been expected by their friends in Boston on the weekend their bodies were discovered

To the family, the idea that one brother killed the other before turning the gun on himself is not only unimaginable but also entirely inconsistent with their relationship

Although Bell Mountain is a well known tourist spot, family members say it's not somewhere the brothers had ever mentioned or even visited before

he family are also confused by the location where the brothers were found, at the summit of Bell Mountain, a scenic but isolated peak in Towns County near the North Carolina border

The family are also confused by the location where the brothers were found.

Although Bell Mountain is a well known tourist spot, family members say it's not somewhere the brothers had ever mentioned or even visited before.

The family have since made an emotional plea for anyone who may have seen the twins in the days leading up to their deaths to come forward.

'Somebody knows something,' Samira Brawner said.

'They didn't just walk up that mountain and die. Something happened to them.'
A nine-year-old girl has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer  just three months after she was told the wrist pain she was experiencing was a sprain.

Maisie-Leigh, of Preston, Lancashire, has just begun gruelling treatment for Ewing sarcoma, starting with nine rounds of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, then another five rounds, with scans along the way.

Her mother Aimee Marsden, 30, told MailOnline she took her daughter to A&E in October last year, where she was diagnosed with a sprain after complaining of a sore wrist, following crashing her bike two weeks prior.

But Maisie-Leigh then spent the next two months having sleepless nights, constantly letting out 'an almighty scream cry' of pain, her mother said, culminating in an extremely swollen arm in the New Year. They returned to A&E where they got the devastating news a month later.

And after only two days of chemotherapy so far, the little girl is already wiped out, her mother said: 'Usually, she's running around, bouncing off the walls, running outside and playing and stuff, whereas we got back and already, she's struggling to walk, she's complaining that her legs are hurting. We've had to get her a wheelchair because she's struggling already.'

As her daughter has ADHD, the full-time mum added: 'She's laying on the settee which, with Maisie, she was bouncing off the settee it's like watching her just fade away.'

Maisie-Leigh's cancer diagnosis follows a lifelong battle with her health  she was born prematurely and was later diagnosed with audio and visual processing disorder, ADHD and chronic asthma, which has seen her hospitalized. On one occasion, a bout of chickenpox saw her rushed to hospital, close to cardiac arrest.

Her mother  who has started a GoFundMe page to pay for transport to and from hospital and measures to make Maisie-Leigh comfortable, including hats for her now bald head  said: 'Since she's been born, it's literally been one thing after another. She's never had a break.'

Maisie-Leigh (pictured), of Preston, Lancashire, has just begun gruelling treatment for Ewing sarcoma, starting with nine rounds of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, then another five rounds, with scans along the way

After only two days of chemotherapy so far, the little girl is already wiped out (pictured), her mother Aimee Marsden, 30, told MailOnline: 'She's laying on the settee which, with Maisie, she was bouncing off the settee it's like watching her just fade away'

Maisie-Leigh (pictured before her diagnosis) was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing sarcoma at the end of January  just three months after she was told the wrist pain she was experiencing was a sprain

Maisie-Leigh's wrist pain first began in October last year, her mother said: 'She crashed her bike into the kerb but she hadn't fallen off it fully. So, we thought, 'Oh, it's just a sprain or whatever', so obviously bandaged it up, got on with it.'

But two weeks later, she was still complaining it hurt so they went to the doctor, who then sent them to A&E. After an X-ray there, she said: 'They said, 'Oh no, it's just a sprain, off you go', basically.

'So, we were literally just given obviously paracetamol for the pain, we had got her a wrist splint which obviously, I think would have been tight around the wrist  it helped.'

But Maisie-Leigh's pain continued, her mother said, right up until Christmas: 'She wasn't sleeping because she was crying in pain. She was crying throughout the day, saying it was hurting. We had to pick her up from school three times because school rang saying she was in pain.'

She added: 'She was just crying all through the night. She'd be asleep then all of a sudden, you'd just hear this almighty scream cry.

'There was just no soothing her. It didn't matter what we did. The paracetamol wasn't touching it and then because she's got asthma, we couldn't really give ibuprofen.'

Ms Marsden felt really helpless: 'I just kept saying to Maisie, 'The hospital said it was a sprain, there's nothing much more I can do for you'.'

In the New Year, when her daughter was still having sleepless nights, the mother realised just how bad things were getting at her nephew's birthday party: 'She was quiet the whole time at my sister's and that's not Maisie at all. She's got ADHD so she's usually bouncing off the walls.'

Maisie-Leigh's wrist pain first began in October last year, her mother said: 'She crashed her bike into the kerb but she hadn't fallen off it fully. So, we thought, 'Oh, it's just a sprain or whatever''

But Maisie-Leigh's pain continued, her mother said, right up until Christmas: 'She wasn't sleeping because she was crying in pain'

She looked at the young girl's arm and she was shocked by what she saw: 'Obviously, I'd looked previously at the arm and there was nothing there, and it's only then when I've gone and looked again to see what has come, I've noticed just below her elbow, the whole arm was swollen.'

Ms Marsden then took her daughter straight to A&E that night, January 3, where they did more X-rays and raised the possibility it might be a fracture.

They waited a week to get into the fracture clinic, where there was another X-ray, after which two consultants decided Maisie-Leigh needed blood tests and an MRI scan.

At this stage, a nurse broke the news it could be more than a sprain or break: 'He said at that point, 'There could be something in the bone, it could be an infection, it could be bone disease.' So, at that point, my mind was racing. I ended up bursting out in tears.'

Around a week later, they had the MRI scan and were told to come back in a week after that. During this time, Maisie-Leigh was hospitalised because 'she was in so much pain'.

It was then  on January 29, just under a month after they had returned to A&E  they received the devastating news it was likely cancer, specifically Ewing sarcoma.

When they were told, Ms Marsden said: 'My mum and I literally burst out crying.'

Ewing sarcoma is a rare type of bone cancer, mostly found in those aged between ten and 20 years old. Only around 90 people are diagnosed with it in the UK every year, according to the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

It was then  on January 29, just under a month after they had returned to A&E  they received the devastating news it was likely cancer, specifically Ewing sarcoma

When they were told, Ms Marsden said: 'My mum and I literally burst out crying'

The consultant sent off all the paperwork, including biopsy results, to another hospital that day, just to be sure her diagnosis was right  and two weeks later, on February 19, the awful news was confirmed.

But it was difficult waiting for the confirmation, Ms Marsden said: 'It was horrible. It was just the not knowing, this consultant telling us, 'We're looking that it could be cancer but we need this biopsy... to clarify'.'

Prior to it all, the family had booked a holiday to Marrakesh, Morocco  which happened to fall in the period of time they were waiting for the final diagnosis confirmation. Ms Marsden explained: 'Obviously, we had to ask permission, was it OK for her to fly? Are we OK to take her?'

And 'luckily', doctors said, ''Go, take her, at least let her enjoy it''. With it looking like the confirmation would come after their return, the family decided they would let Maisie-Leigh enjoy one last trip away before that.

But it did not turn out that way, her mother explained: 'The day we landed [in Marrakesh], my phone was going, 'Ping, ping, ping', and I had all these missed calls and voicemails.'

They ended up on holiday, having just had it confirmed their daughter had cancer  which felt very strange, she said: 'So, thinking we were going to have the results once we'd landed home, we actually had the results the day we got there. But we literally just made the best out of it.'

Looking back, it was really important to give Maisie-Leigh that final time away before her exhausting treatment began, Ms Marsden said: 'She absolutely loved it.'

They went to hospital almost immediately after they returned from holiday to discuss treatment options. It was decided she would have nine rounds of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, then another five rounds, with scans along the way.

The consultant sent off all the paperwork, including biopsy results, to another hospital that day, just to be sure her diagnosis was right  and two weeks later, on February 19, the awful news was confirmed

It was decided she would have nine rounds of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, then another five rounds, with scans along the way. Pictured: Maisie-Leigh before her diagnosis

Maisie-Leigh officially started chemotherapy on March 5  and it has been 'horrible to watch' her undergo treatment, Ms Marsden said: 'We've had random bouts of sickness where she's literally just walking and then she's just throwing up.

'She's literally just sleeping all the time We've had a few nights where she's literally crying in pain because her head's hurting.'

The little girl also donated 14 inches of her 'long, brown, natural curly hair' to the Little Princess Trust before she began chemotherapy, her mother said: 'She was more than happy to donate her hair to help another little girl.'

Maisie-Leigh has now completely shaved her hair, after it began thinning after just one round of chemotherapy  and the family just received a wig, donated by the Little Princess Trust, a few days ago. Ms Marsden said: 'She loved it. She goes around saying, 'Oh, I look fresh!''

Ms Marsden explained how her nine-year-old daughter has reacted to the whole situation: 'She doesn't quite understand the whole thing of it right now. She understands, she'll tell people, 'I've got cancer', but she doesn't really quite understand the actual whole logistics sort of thing of it.'

Her mother reckoned that could be for the best: 'I'm just quite glad that she doesn't actually have the full understanding of it all.'

But even though the full emotional impact of it has not quite hit Maisie-Leigh yet, chemotherapy has really affected her physically, Ms Marsden said, even after just two days of it starting on March 5, before her rest week last week.

Her mother said: 'Usually, she'd be non-stop eating. But after this first lot, obviously she only had two days of it last week, and it literally just wiped her out completely.'

Maisie-Leigh's cancer diagnosis follows a lifelong battle with her health  she was born prematurely. Pictured: Maisie-Leigh as a baby

Ms Marsden said: 'Since she's been born, it's literally been one thing after another. She's never had a break'. Pictured: Maisie-Leigh as a baby, after she was born prematurely

She is even tired on her scheduled rest week, her mother added: 'She's got a bit of a spring back in the morning, but come afternoon, she's wiped out and lying on the settee and not moving and falling asleep.

'The smiley, happy, bouncy girl to now, she doesn't have the mobility she had, her legs are more tired than they used to be, and she's laying on the settee which, with Maisie, she was bouncing off the settee.'

As Maisie-Leigh has only done two days of chemotherapy so far, her mother said: 'I'm dreading next week because next week is her first full week of chemo, Monday to Saturday.'

She said: 'The bouts of sickness, I don't mind, but it's watching her not being able to do more, just and just sleeping and eating-wise, saying her mouth hurts and her throat hurts.'

Maisie-Leigh struggling to eat is one of her mother's main worries, she said: 'Obviously, with chemo, it's not going to make her want to eat and stuff  it's like watching her just fade away because she's very petite as it is.'

Ms Marsden also explained how Maisie-Leigh's two siblings, Millie-Rose, 10, and Reggie, four, have reacted to it: 'Her little brother, he's got autism so he's oblivious to any of this, luckily enough!

'But her big sister, they used to fight like cat and dog and since this, she's been so loving and caring towards her.'

Maisie-Leigh has struggled with her health her whole life. Ms Marsden said: 'Since she's been born, it's literally been one thing after another. She's never had a break.

She was later diagnosed with audio and visual processing disorder, ADHD and chronic asthma, which has seen her hospitalized. On one occasion, a bout of chickenpox saw her rushed to hospital, close to cardiac arrest. Pictured: Maisie-Leigh as a baby, after she was born prematurely

'Every time she goes out, I wrap her in bubble wrap because she's had broken bones and stuff from the simplest little things and it's like she's never had the chance to be a child, to go out and do what kids her age do.'

The family's GoFundMe page to fundraise for transport to and from hospital appointments and generally making Maisie-Leigh comfortable has raised 900 so far.

The mother hoped that sharing their story would help to raise awareness of the rare bone cancer: 'At least I can help other people and make people aware. This is the second rarest cancer.'

And all Maisie-Leigh's data is being inputted into a research study currently being conducted to find out more about Ewing sarcoma  which the family hope will help other children beat the disease too.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: 'Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases due to issues of patient confidentiality, it should be noted that some conditions are complex and are not always diagnosed immediately.

'If any patient has ongoing concerns about their or their child's health, their first port of call should be their GP who can refer them into the most appropriate place for assessment or treatment, which often isn't A&E.

'We are always sorry if patients or parents have any concerns about any aspect of their own or their child's care at any of our hospitals and would strongly encourage them to get in touch with the Patient Advice and Liaison team who can ensure that an investigation takes place as quickly as possible.'

A spokesperson for Alder Hey Children's Hospital Trust said: 'We are unable to comment on an individual case.

'However we can confirm that it can take up to two weeks to confirm a cancer diagnosis due to the thorough process involved in ensuring accuracy.

'After initial tests, this timeframe allows for additional necessary investigations sometimes involving specialist services.

'This ensures that the diagnosis is as accurate as possible before any treatment decisions are made. The two week timeframe is standard process in the UK.'

All relevant hospitals and NHS trusts have been contacted for comment.
A push to permanently end violence against women in Australia has been reignited as Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic is remembered on the 10th anniversary of her devastating murder.

Deranged killer Sean Price murdered Ms Vukotic while she walked near her home in Melbourne's east on March 17, 2015.

Price stabbed the 17-year-old Doncaster schoolgirl 49 times in a park in an attack that shocked Australia.

Ms Vukotic had been a happy and bright student at Canterbury Girls Secondary who had aspirations of becoming a lawyer.

The popular and much-loved teenager from a close-knit family dreamed of having a big family of her own, before her life was senselessly cut short by Price.

Multiple family member's including Ms Vukotic's mother, Natasa, and her siblings, Peter and Nadja, told of their pain in the aftermath of the brutal murder.

Former Supreme Court Justice, who handed Price a life sentence in 2016, said the victim impact statements highlighted the 'catastrophe that is a case like this'.

'They show that the effect of your fatal and violent actions will last a lifetime for these people,' Mr Lasry told Price during sentencing.

Masa Vukotic (pictured) had been a happy and bright Canterbury Girls Secondary who had aspirations of becoming a lawyer

Deranged killer Sean Price (centre) brutally murdered Ms Vukotic while she walked near her home in Melbourne's east on March 17, 2015

Masa's sister Nadja (front) described her sister as 'the best person that I have ever known and ever got the privilege to know'

'They illustrate that the sentence to be passed on you can never repair the damage they have suffered and which you have caused.

'For the families of you victims, particularly, the wounds of your violent conduct have developed into sadness and trauma that detracts from every aspect of their lives.'

Price, who pleaded guilty to murder, was a violent repeat sex offender who was astonishingly free on bail in the community after serving a jail term.

Mr Lasry questioned why Price wasn't housed in notorious paedophile centre Corella Place infamously known as 'The Village of the Damned' instead of living unsupervised in Melbourne's west.

Mr Lasry said Price committed the brutal murder after a 'catastrophic example of mismanagement'.

Ms Lasry also noted caseworker meetings in the month before Ms Vukotic's murder in which Price admitted he 'still harboured violent tendencies'.

The caseworker also noted Price was angry and paranoid and just days before Ms Vukotic's murder her deranged killer was 'angry, hostile and abusive' towards a corrections officer.

On the day before Ms Vukotic's murder, Price stormed out of a caseworker session after he had been 'increasingly abusive'.

Ms Vukotic was a much-loved teenager from a close-knit Melbourne family

The caseworker marked down concerns about Price's mental health and his 'persistent display of anti-social attitudes and paranoid beliefs'.

But Price, who later told a psychiatrist he was 'thinking a lot about killing', was still allowed to roam free.

Price also told authorities on his release in October 2014 that we was going to murder someone and it 'would be their fault'.

'How you were permitted to be released into the community following completion of the final sentence imposed on you is astonishing,' Mr Lasry said.

Price also raped another woman before his ultimate capture on March 19.

Price admitted in his police interview to killing Ms Vukotic.

'I have watched all of it and it is chilling, pathetic and sad,' Mr Lasry said.

Rallies calling for the end of violence against women and children were held around the country on the tenth anniversary of Ms Vukotic's senseless murder.

Masa and Nadja together as children

Nadja got a tattoo of Masa to honour and remember her sister

Australian Femicide Watch and Red Heart campaign founder Sherele Moody spoke at the Melbourne rally along with Justine Spokes, mother of 19-year-old Isla Bell who was allegedly murdered in October last year.

Australian Femicide Watch states 103 women and 16 children were killed in Australia since the start of 2024.

Ms Vukotic's sister, Nadja, has also become a campaigner to end violence against women.

She shared a video online calling for women to be better protected after five women were murdered during the Bondi Junction massacre on April 13 last year.

'My sister went for a walk about 500 metres from our house. She was killed, it wasn't even night-time, it was 6.50pm,' Nadja said.

'Enough has been enough for so long now, even before my sister passed away. something really needs to be done.

'I really don't understand the hatred towards women. We all came from a woman.

'Please just be better, be better.'

Ms Vukotic's coffin is carried away during a ceremony after her senseless murder

Nadja, who was 13 when her sister was murdered, described her as 'the best person that I have ever known and ever got the privilege to know'.

'She was 17 years old. She wanted to be a lawyer, she wanted to get married, she wanted to have a big family,' Nadja said.

'She is more than just a victim of a man. She's more than just a victim of knife violence.

'And she could have been so much more than she was, she was 17.

'She was just a f**king kid.'

Nadja also got a tattoo of Masa to honour and remember her sister.
A doctor sexually assaulted a female colleague while making her feel trapped at his home, a tribunal has heard.

Dr Astrit Rrukaj invited his colleague back to his house, where he tried to feed her pieces of mango, pressured her to drink vodka and played arousing music on his laptop.

He proceeded to stick his tongue in her ear and mouth and allegedly rubbed his groin against her and placed his hand underneath her clothes.

The Albanian doctor then insisted on driving her towards her home and assaulted her in the street as she tried to call a friend for help.

Dr Rrukaj, who is now 41, was working on the old age in-patient unit at St George's Hospital in Stafford when he asked a colleague to come home with him.

The woman, named only as Ms A for legal reasons, told a medical practitioners tribunal Dr Rrukaj became drunk shortly after taking her to a property where he was house-sitting at 6.30pm on August 11, 2021.

Repeatedly offering her alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, the doctor tried to feed her pieces of mango from his own fork, despite her saying she didn't like the fruit.

In a statement to police, Ms A said: 'He kept saying, You havent had your gin. He said, Try this, its really nice. This is good.

Dr Astrit Rrukaj (pictured) has been struck off after a tribunal found he assaulted a vulnerable colleague on several occasions at his home

'He said, We can drink what we like. This isnt my house but we can drink what we like and help yourself.'

But the evening started to take a turn for the worse after the adult psychiatry specialist began to play music of a 'sexual nature' and, by his own admission, asked her whether he should play the track 'sex on the beach'.

He then tried to place his arms around her back and dance with her before she wriggled out of his grasp. When he led her upstairs towards his bedroom and suggested she may like to spend the night with him, she refused.

The tribunal heard that, during the course of the evening, Dr Rrukaj kissed and placed his tongue on the woman's face and ear and put his hand under her jumper.

Despite her asking to go home, the doctor insisted Ms A share a salad he had prepared for dinner and that she have a shot of vodka.

Dr Rrukaj also handed her a glass of water which she claimed 'tasted funny' and shortly afterwards she began to feel sick and dizzy, although no evidence was found that the drink had been spiked.

He then proceeded to fondle her again before 'grabbing and squeezing' her breast and sticking his hand up her top.

When she pushed him away and pleaded with him to 'please stop', he ignored her and lifted her off the ground in an embrace so she was unable to get away.

By 9.41pm Ms A sent a message to a friend reading 'this is the weirdest night of my life' along with an emoji of an exploding head.

Despite insisting she would walk home, Dr Rrukaj told Ms A he would drive her to her house. Ms A told the tribunal that the doctor then came up behind as she was putting on her shoes by the front door and 'started rubbing his groin against her backside', claims which Dr Rrukaj denied.

The doctor drove Ms A back to where he picked her up earlier, where she sent a further message to her friend urging him to 'call me and help' and another at 10.18pm reading 'quick please'.

She then stumbled in some bushes in the dark, before the doctor grabbed her and assaulted her again.

After getting into her friend's car, Ms A allegedly broke down and 'cried hysterically' and insisted she had not drunk enough alcohol to become intoxicated.

Ms A was taken by her friend to A&E at Stoke Hospital. A toxicological analysis of her blood taken around seven hours after the incident found no evidence she was drunk, but in a picture shown to the tribunal taken after midnight on August 14 Ms A's face was 'puffy, reddened and swollen'.

In his own oral submission, Dr Rrukaj denied he had assaulted Ms A at any point during the night or that he was 'sexually aroused'. He admitted he had kissed his colleague on the cheek an unspecified number of times.

Contrary to Ms A's evidence she had refused to stay the night with him, Dr Rrukaj insisted the pair had agreed to 'spend the night under the same roof', either at his temporary home or her house.

He said that when they were both walking outside, Ms A had agreed to walk hand-in-hand as a 'pretend couple'.

On his own account, Dr Rrukaj was lonely and wanted a friendship with Ms A, albeit not romantically or sexually.

The doctor further alleged that Ms A's friend was giving her instructions to 'groom' him while the two were out walking.

Dismissing Dr Rrukaj's assertions that his actions were all consensual, the tribunal found his behaviour was 'sexually motivated' and found all allegations against the doctor proved.

The General Medical Council, which regulates doctors, submitted that the offences were committed against 'a junior colleague in circumstances where she was particularly vulnerable, by virtue of the locations and timing of the index incidents, her age and her level of intoxication'.

It added that Dr Rrukaj had completely denied the facts and had shown no evidence of remediation.

Dr Rrukaj was working as a ward doctor at St George's Hospital in Stafford (pictured) when he met Ms A and invited her back to his house

Kevin McMerney, defending Dr Rrukaj, said there was no risk of him reoffending and pointed to his 'unblemished work record and personal life'.

He said the incident was an 'unusual case' and a 'one-off' and was unlikely to be repeated.

The tribunal found that Dr Rrukaj had abused his position of seniority over Ms A and caused her to feel trapped in his home.

'Although the events occurred outside of the workplace, Ms A was in a vulnerable position, considering herself to be trapped within Dr Rrukajs home', the report said.

'She was the focus of an escalating course of conduct in Dr Rrukajs home, and later on a public path, which made her feel increasingly uncomfortable, such that not only did she want to escape, she sought the help of a friend to extricate her from the situation she found herself in.'

Barring Dr Rrukaj indefinitely from the profession, it concluded: 'Dr Rrukajs misconduct was so serious that members of the public would be appalled to learn that a doctor who sexually assaulted a vulnerable colleague, albeit in a social environment, were to be allowed to remain on the medical register.

'This was particularly so where he had sought to blame others, to deflect from his own responsibility.'
The Trump administration has completely dismantled a federally-funded media giant that it has blasted as 'radical propaganda.'

On Friday, the president signed an executive order that commands the dismantling of seven federal agencies, including the US Agency for Global Media - which serves as the parent of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

As a result, some 1,300 journalists, producers and support staff found themselves suddenly unemployed - with many showing up to work on Saturday only to find they were locked out of the studios, according to NPR.

Those workers then discovered they had received emails telling them their jobs have been terminated, but they will continue to receive full pay and benefits until otherwise noted.

The White House now says the executive order 'will ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.'

The US Agency for Global Media and Kari Lake, whom Trump appointed to serve as Voice of America's chief in December, similarly released a statement Saturday saying the agency is 'not salvageable'.

'From top to bottom, this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer - a national security risk for the nation - and irretrievably broken,' it said, Fox News reports.

'While there are bright spots within the agency with personnel who are talented and dedicated public servants, this is the exception rather than the rule.'

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday dismantling the US Agency for Global Media

The US Agency for Global Media serves as the parent of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

A deputy White House spokesperson also celebrated the end of the agency, posting 'goodbye' in 20 languages over a link to a story about how Voice of America refused to call Hamas terrorists following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency has been gutting federal agencies, also wrote about the end of the US Agency for Global Media.

'While winding down this global government propaganda agency, it has temporarily been renamed the Department of Propaganda Everywhere (DOPE),' he joked on his X platform.

The US Agency for Global Media was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda. Its broadcasters and their sister networks covering the Middle East and Cuba now reach 420 million people in 63 languages and more than 100 countries each week.

Its goal is to deliver news and cultural programming to places where a free press is threatened or doesn't exist, with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasting in Eastern Europe - including in Russia and Ukraine, and Radio Free Asia broadcasting in China and North Korea.

Executives at the network, and fans of its broadcasts, have argued that it plays an important role in American diplomacy.

US Agency for Global Media and Kari Lake (pictured), whom Trump appointed to serve as Voice of America's chief in December, released a statement Saturday saying the agency is 'not salvageable'

'I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,' Michael Abramowitz, the director of VOA, posted on LinkedIn, arguing it played an important role 'in the fight for freedom and democracy around the world.'

Steve Capus, the president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, also told NPR: 'The cancelation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's grant agreement would be a massive gift to America's enemies.

'The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years,' he claimed. 'Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker.'

President of the National Press Club in Washington Mike Balsamo similarly derided the cuts to the agency, saying it undermines America's commitment to a free and independent press.

'For decades, Voice of America has delivered fact-based independent journalism to audiences worldwide, often in places where press freedom does not exist,' he said.

But critics have claimed Voice of America has 'sanitized' Hamas when its executives told staff members to 'avoid calling' it and its members terrorists 'except in quotes.'

It then came under fire again in January when an article neglected to note that residents in Gaza celebrated Hamas when the terrorist group brought out coffins holding the remains of Israeli hostages - including two children.

'Let's get the facts straight: Hamas paraded the dead bodies of innocent Israelis, including two children, in front of cheering crowds,' House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, a Republican from Florida, told the National Review at the time.

'American taxpayers should not be paying the salaries of Hamas apologists who sprout terrorist propaganda.'

The US Agency for Global Media was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda. Its broadcasters and their sister networks covering the Middle East and Cuba now reach 420 million people in 63 languages and more than 100 countries each week

Voice of America was also previously criticized when it ran an article in 2020 that asked 'What is "White Privilege" and Whom Does it Help?' as well as a story and a video that downplayed the Hunter Biden laptop scandal in the days before the 2020 presidential election.

It even received some backlash from some of its own, when a former reporter at Voice of America slammed the outlet in an op-ed for the Washington Times.

'I have monitored the agency's bureaucracy along with many of its reporters and concluded that it has essentially become a hubris-filled rogue operation, often reflecting a leftist bias aligned with partisan national media,' Dan Robinson wrote in November.

'It has sought to avoid accountability for violations of journalistic standards and mismanagement,' he continued, arguing that 'taxpayers have certainly not gotten $950 million (the Biden administration's Fiscal 2024 budget request for USAGM) worth of accountability and transparency from USAGM and VOA in recent years.'

Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency has been gutting federal agencies , also wrote about the end of the US Agency for Global Media. Musk is pictured here with his son on Friday

It now seems the cuts to the USAGM have been planned for weeks, as three staffers for DOGE camped out at the agency, gaining access to its budget, social media and other activities, according to NPR.

The USAGM also previously withheld money Radio Free Asia needed to meet payroll, while freelancers told NPR they have not been paid since last month after the aides assigned to USAGM from DOGE froze its funds.

DOGE has also previously declared war against NPR and PBS, both of which are also federally-funded.

In two letters sent to the CEOs of the outlets last month - Katherine Maher and Paula Kerger - Marjorie Taylor Greene, the DOGE subcommittee chair, called on them to testify on Capitol Hill to defend the government funding they use to share 'systematically biased content.'

Greene said that the department plans to address its concerns about the station's 'blatantly ideological and partisan coverage' at the hearing, scheduled for either the week of March 3 or March 24.

In each letter, the subcommittee gave examples of 'bias' reporting done by both NPR and PBS against Musk, and also cited NPR's decision to not report on Hunter's laptop scandal.

At the same time, the Trump administration has ousted the Associated Press from the White House's press pool over its refusal to refer to a southern body of water as the 'Gulf of America' rather than the 'Gulf of Mexico.'

The president labeled the 177-year-old publishing agency 'radical left.'

'Well, we're going to be now calling the shots,' Trump said.

'AP has been terrible. I think they're radical left. I think they're third-rate reporters,' he continued.

'I know the person, that specific young lady that works on the account is terrible. She's a radical left lunatic, as far as I'm concerned.'
A Peruvian fisherman who spent 95 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean has told how he ate roaches, birds and sea turtles to survive.

Maximo Napa Castro, 61, had set off for a fishing trip from Marcona, a town on the southern Peruvian coast, on December 7.

He packed enough food for a two week trip but ten days in, stormy weather threw his boat off course and he ended up adrift in the Pacific.

His family launched a search but Peru's maritime patrols were unable to locate him until last Wednesday when an Ecuadorian fishing patrol discovered him some 680 miles off the coast, heavily dehydrated and in critical condition.

'I did not want to die,' Napa said in a tearful interview after reuniting with his brother, in Paita, near the Ecuadorian border.

'I ate roaches, birds, the last thing I ate was turtles.'

He said he stayed strong by thinking about his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter.

Napa says he managed to survive on rainwater he collected on the boat but soon ran out of food, ultimately spending the last 15 days without eating.

Maximo Napa Castro, 61, right, set off for a fishing trip from Marcona, a town on the southern Peruvian coast, on December 7, and spent 95 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean

Napa is seen embracing his brother upon finally returning to dry land after 95 days

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa Castro with one of his boats in a photo posted by his son

'I had a granddaughter who is a few months old, I held on to her. Every day I thought of my mother,' he said. 'I'm thankful to God for giving me a second chance.

His mother, Elena Castro, told local media that while her relatives had stayed optimistic she had began to lose hope.

'I told the Lord, whether he's alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it's just to see him,' she told TV Peru. 'But my daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, he'll come back, he'll come back.'

Napa's daughter Ines Napa Torres paid tribute to the Ecuadorian fishermen who saved her father's life.

'It is a miracle that my father has been found,' she told RPP Radio. 'We, as a family, never gave up hope of finding him.'

'Thank you, Ecuadorian brothers, for rescuing my dad Gaton, God bless you,' she wrote in a post to Facebook.

Napa embraced his mother who was seen smiling from ear to ear

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, 61, receives medical attention upon his arrival in Paita

Napa was wheeled into hospital to receive further medical attention

Napa is seen onboard a vessel with his rescuers being brought back to shore

'Every day is anguish for the whole family and I understand my grandmother's pain because as a mother I understand her. We never thought we would go through this situation, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, we will not lose hope, Dad, of finding you,' she had written on Facebook one week earlier on March 3.

Napa underwent further medical checks at Hospital Nuestra Senora in Paita before being discharged on Saturday and heading south to to the capital, Lima.

'Mr Napa arrived in good physical condition. He could walk, wash himself. Shocked, but in good physical condition,' said a Peruvian navy port captain, Jorge Gonzalez.
Greens leader Adam Bandt has called for the Albanese government to ditch the AUKUS pact with the UK and US because of Donald Trump.

Mr Bandt fronted ABC's Insiders on Sunday to label the US President a 'very dangerous man' and claimed the pact, which offers increased security in the Indo-Pacific, put a 'Trump-shaped target' on Australia.

As part of the $368billion deal, Australia would buy several nuclear-powered submarines - a major upgrade to its ageing Collins-class submarines.

'We should get out of AUKUS,' Mr Bandt said.

'Now is not the time to be hitching Australia's wagon to Donald Trump. It puts Australia at risk.

'It is billions of dollars that is being spent on submarines that might never arrive.'

Commander Jeffrey Cornielle, the commanding officer of the USS Minnesota, addressed accusations the submarine deal would falter.

During exercises showing off the Americans' advanced submarines on the West Australian coast, Commander Cornielle said Australia would 'operate a nuclear-powered, conventionally armed warship'.

Greens leader Adam Bandt (pictured) called for Australia to pull out of the AUKUS agreement

Mr Bandt claimed Donald Trump's (pictured)p presidency put Australia at risk, all while the US seemed slow on submarine production

'The role of the fast attack submarine, the submarine that I operate and I command, is so dynamic that everything changes on a dime, anything from weather, operations, things that are happening around the world - and we can answer at a moment's notice,' he said.

'The things that this brings to our navy and to every navy that has nuclear-powered warships is significant and allows us to operate with essentially unlimited endurance, just limited by food.'

Mr Bandt's accusations come just weeks after a fleet of Chinese warships were spotted on Australia's east coast as part of an unannounced trip.

The Greens leader claimed if Australia were to be involved in a conflict, it was unlikely the US would come to its aid.

'Thinking that Donald Trump will ride to our rescue if there's any security threat is now absolutely wishful thinking,' MR Bandt said.

With the federal election looming, Mr Bandt could soon play a bigger role in government decisions.

Although his party dwindles in comparison to the two major parties, Labor is unlikely to form a majority government.

The results could see the party reach an agreement with the Greens to form a minority government.

As part of the deal, Australia is set to buy several nuclear-powered submarines - a major upgrade to its ageing Collins-class submarines

'One commentator said that there's a 98 per cent chance of a minority government at this election,' Mr Bandt said.

'After the next election we can get Labor to act on the crises facing this country, including the crisis in our public schools.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied his party will reach a deal with the Greens.

However, Labor would require its support in the event of a hung parliament.

Mr Bandt said a Labor-Greens coalition was 'very unlikely' but he aims to form a 'stable, progressive and effective' relationship.
A tenant has lashed out after claiming she was threatened with a fine after she and her pregnant roommate tried to move out of their apartment on a weekend.

Darcy O'Malley, 30, wanted to use the lift to move out of her $760-a-week apartment in East Perth on a Saturday after spending the last five years in the 34 floor building.

She claimed the buildings strata company Richardson Strata Management prohibited tenants from using the lifts to move furniture on the weekend.

Ms O'Malley was infuriated after learning there was a kerbside collection scheduled on Monday - with residents encouraged to get rid of their bulky rubbish.

'In what world does an apartment building not let you move out on a weekend?' she said in a TikTok video on March 7.

'They'll be getting a nice Google review from me, one star, f*** your council of owners.'

Ms O'Malley was organising most of the move herself as her roommate is heavily pregnant and, as a result, requested permission for special circumstances to move out on a Saturday, which is not usually allowed.

Building management denied the request but Ms O'Malley decided to go ahead anyway.

'I was like, no worries, happy to dispute it in court,' she said.

As a result, Ms O'Malley claimed she faced the risk of a fine for using the lift despite the fact others in the building were using it to move furniture around.

The 34-year-old said that the 'kicker' was an email from management about a road-side collection of bulky furniture that was due on the Monday after her move.

'Our building managers sent out an email to everyone saying, in lieu of the kerbside collection, please put out all your furniture and all your s*** you want to move out [on] Saturday and Sunday,' she said.

'How does it make sense that we are going to get fined for moving furniture out on the weekend, but they've told all the residents in the building to move out s*** for kerbside collection this weekend?'

Ms O'Malley said everyone was 'tag-teaming' and moving their furniture down for the collection.

'So if they're going to look at the cameras and be like, "They moved out", so did every other man and their bloody dog,' she said.

Every strata building has its own set of articles or by-laws outlining what can and can't be done on the property, specifically in common areas.

Darcy O'Malley (pictured) criticised her building management from not letting residents move out on a weekend

O'Malley and other renters were emailed new guidelines for the property on March 11

These can include what actions should be taken by residents who are moving in and out of the property.

A strata manager joined the comments of Ms O'Malley's video to highlight this fact, but added that management cannot impose fines.

'Your rules or bylaws cannot be unreasonable and dictating when someone can and cannot move is not okay!' they said.

'Rule infringement notices are a thing if you breach the rules (or bylaws).

'In saying that, you cannot just jump straight to this infringement, you have to give warnings first to remedy.'

Richardson Strata Management, which runs O'Malley's building, said the rules were set by the strata company which is made up of owners of the units.

'The strata company, from day one, has never allowed people to move out on a Saturday,' executive director Karen Richardson told Yahoo.

'Every strata company has their own set of rules that they expect people to abide by.'

Strata Community Association WA told Daily Mail Australia that rules in strata buildings are important to accommodate the needs of all residents.

In the case of O'Malley, the association highlighted that the building's induction process included information on booking the lifts for moving.

'Building rules, like lift booking requirements, are essential to ensure shared facilities remain accessible, safe, and well-maintained for everyone,' the branch's general manager Kerrin Simmonds said.

'Even when individual circumstances are challenging.'

The association said encouraged communication between residents and building management when exceptional circumstances arise.

O'Malley and other renters were emailed new guidelines for the property on March 11.

In a follow-up video, she said there was 'nothing' included in the guide about moving in or out on a weekend.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Richardson Strata Management for comment.
A local swimming pool has come under fire over claims it kicked out 'every Aboriginal visitor' because of a couple of children misbehaving in the water.

An outraged parent shared footage of Aboriginal children standing on the side of a pool while police officers spoke to a lifeguard at Inverell Aquatic Centre, in northern NSW, on Sunday.

'We were going to the pool to drop money off for (my) son to get a feed,' they said on Facebook.

'We then saw [the police] talking to a couple of parents so we went to see what was going on.

'Apparently there were a couple of boys not listening and then they have just gone and kicked everyone out that was Aboriginal, adults included, and tried to justify by saying it was just for the day.'

In the footage, Aboriginal children were seen standing in groups and holding their towels at the entrance to the pool.

Belgravia Leisure, an organisation that co-manages the centre with Inverell Shire Council, said the video was inaccurate.

A spokesman said officers were called 'in response to a group of youths who refused to cease anti-social behaviour, despite multiple requests from team members'.

A local swimming pool has come under fire over claims it kicked out 'every Aboriginal visitor' because of a couple of children misbehaving in the water (pictured, children standing in groups near the entrance)

'These youths were escorted from the premises by police,' he said.

'Whilst at the venue, police identified two other adult patrons also displaying anti-social behaviour. Both adults were also escorted from the premises.

'We want to be clear that at no stage were any patrons asked to leave unless they were directly involved in anti-social behaviour.

'We are concerned about the inaccuracies in a live video posted on social media, which falsely suggests otherwise.'

The organisation said it has a 'zero-tolerance policy for anti-social, discriminatory, or abusive behaviour' and it is committed to inclusivity.

NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia officers arrived and heard from a manager who identified a group of 20 people, including adults and children who were being unsafe, not following instructions, and rude to staff.

'They had been asked to leave, however, were refusing,' a statement said.

'Police spoke to the group who continued to be hostile, yelling and filming officers.'

A parent shared video of Aboriginal children standing on the side of a pool while police officers spoke to a lifeguard at Inverell Aquatic Centre, in northern NSW , on Sunday

The group was issued a move on direction which was followed and they were escorted from Inverell Aquatic Centre.

The facility said it was cooperating with the police investigation.

Inverell mayor Kate Dight said the council was aware of an 'incident'.

'Management sought the assistance of NSW Police in dealing with the incident,' she said.

'Council supports the actions of the Centre Manager in ensuring the safety of users and staff.

Inverell locals were divided over the incident, with some from the scene claiming children were not following the rules while others slammed the 'degrading' behaviour of police and pool staff.

'That's disgusting. All their little faces look so confused,' a person wrote.

Another said: 'Disgraceful. Shame on you Inverell pool staff and Inverell Shire Council.'

'It's not about the pulling the 'racist card', it's straight up discrimination,' a third added.

Meanwhile, a local from the pool said: 'I have witnessed these kids all continuously not follow the rules!!

'How many warnings does it take for anyone to follow the rules.'

The multimillion-dollar aquatic centre opened in February, after construction began at the pool in November 2023.

It has a 20m indoor pool, a 50m outdoor pool, an indoor splash park and toddler pool.
She sent her former friend disturbing messages

An American hunter who sparked outrage by manhandling a baby wombat has sent a disturbing message to a friend from her new bolthole in Thailand after she fled the furious backlash in Australia.

Samantha Strable, 24, came under fire after sharing a now-deleted video of her grabbing the joey from a roadside and then running away from its distraught mother.

The distressed baby wombat could be heard hissing in distress while Strable's sheep shearer boyfriend Louis Sixt laughed as he filmed her and mocked the mother chasing after her joey.

Despite previous reports that the influencer had returned home to the US, Daily Mail Australia can reveal Ms Strable and Sixt are currently laying low in Thailand.

On my flight to Thailand today, guess what I saw?' she wrote to her friend. 'A bunch of old, bald Aussie dudes flying to Thailand...

They're [the public] not going to scrutinize them for going abroad to have sex with children but I'm the POS [piece of s***]

The former friend believes Ms Strable is on a pre-planned holiday in South East Asia with members of her American family.

But Ms Strable later sent the same ex-friend a series of abusive messages, vowing to make their life hell after she accused them of speaking to the media about her.

Samantha Strable and her Aussie boyfriend Louis Sixt pictured on a hunting expedition prior to fleeing Australia for Thailand

The US hunter posted a picture of herself proudly holding a cougar mountain lion

Just wanted to send you a personal F*** YOU, from me to you F*** YOU, her message began.

Well be SURE to make some personal efforts to make your life hell too, just as soon as we can okay? But, thankfully for me, it already is!

While you barely scrape by, I'll go enjoy it all. Buy that daughter of yours the food, life, and Up&Gos she DESERVES and stop wasting it on boat fuel.'

She signed off a kissing emoji and repeated the message: 'From me to you.

The friends had met in a spearfishing group on Facebook but said the relationship became strained when they clashed over the wombat clip when Ms Strable showed no regret.

She still has no remorse for her actions, said the former pal.

She claims it's just a media beat up for her being "a yank".

A wildlife professional has now warned Ms Strable may have caught sarcoptic mange from touching the joey, which is rife amongst Snowy Mountains wombats.

A message sent by Ms Strable to her former friend confirmed she had flown to Thailand

Ms Strable later vowed to make her former friend's life 'hell'

Samantha Strable during her Australian travels, posing on a beach by the Twelves Apostles on Victoria's Great Ocean Road

The disease is caused by a mange mite and can cause severe fur loss, itchy skin, diminished vision, and even death if left untreated.

In humans, it can cause a contagious condition when the microscopic mite Sarcoptes scabiei burrows into the skin, leading to intense itching and a rash.

Ms Strable was living with her sheep shearer boyfriend Louis Sixt in his hometown of Cooma in NSW's Snowy Mountains around the time of the wombat incident.

The couple are understood to have met through a Facebook group for hunting enthusiasts before things turned romantic.

According to a friend of Strable's family, the father-of-one is an experienced hunter in his own right.

The couple have shared photos of their adventures to social media and boasted of their kills on private Facebook groups for hunting enthusiasts.

In March last year, the couple travelled to the Great Barrier Reef for a spear fishing expedition.

Another video appeared to show Ms Strable pulling a small shark by the tail from a rock pool.

Louis Sixt's old Facebook account 'likes' the Facebook group dead Koalas

Louis Sixt (pictured) disabled his Facebook and Instagram account since his girlfriend's wombat clip caused international outrage

'Hooked into a massiveee shark tonight. Ran 200+ yards and eventually managed to get off after a long fight. Crap!' it was captioned. 'Little shark was ready to fight.'

Another photo shows her posing with a dead deer: 'Got my first chital (Axis deer).

'Australia is full of epic, wild deer and harvesting this beautiful stag marks my third deer species.'

In 2023 she also shared confronting images of two dead wallabies she killed during a trip to New Zealand.

The new details emerged as another of her former bosses stressed she was no longer employed by their firm. Her LinkedIn lists her as an environmental scientist for a company called Bowman.

But the firm hit back on Friday and said they 'condemned' her behaviour

'Ms Strable is NOT employed by Bowman as an Environmental Scientist or in any other capacity,' a company spokesman posted online.

'She was employed by Bowman for a very short period of time and apparently has not updated her LinkedIn profile to reflect her [exit] from Bowman.

Ms Strable pictured with a dead wallaby on a hunting trip to New Zealand

'The video of Ms Strable with a baby wombat was recorded following her brief time with the company and she was not acting as a Bowman employee in any capacity when this video was filmed.'

It added: 'As wildlife conservationists ourselves, we are dedicated to preserving wildlife and their habitats.

'The behavior depicted in the video is inconsistent with our values, and we do not condone or support such behavior in any way, shape or form.

'In fact, we condemn this type of behavior and only hope that Ms. Strable learns from this event.'

Prior to settling in Cooma the couple travelled in the US where their hunting continued.

'It's been three years since I hunted antelope last and it was so worth the wait to find this beautiful buck!' she wrote alongside another animal carcass.

'Thrilled to have had a successful hunt. Steaks for dinner!'

Ms Strable's adventures included killing a wild pig with a knife in New Zealand

Samantha Strable, 24, shared a since-deleted video to her Instagram account on Tuesday of her grabbing a wild wombat joey

Since facing national backlash Mr Sixt has gone to ground, deleting his once active Facebook account.

An old account in his name follows a Facebook group called 'Dead Koalas'.

'He is elusive at the best of times,' one Cooma local revealed.

'I wouldn't have a clue if he's fled overseas with Samantha but the locals aren't impressed.'

In social media posts since the furore erupted, Ms Strable has defended her actions, claiming she did not harm the joey and only held it for one minute.

The controversial influencer initially quit social media after a series of attacks from people she calls her 'haters' left her feeling unsafe and suicidal.

'For everyone that's worried and unhappy, the baby was carefully held for ONE minute in total and then released back to mum,' she wrote online.

'They wandered back off into the bush together completely unharmed. I didn't think I would be able to catch it in the first place, and took an opportunity to appreciate a really incredible animal up close.

'I don't ever capture wildlife that will be harmed by my doing so.'
A generation of young people risk is languishing on benefits after one in four said they considered quitting the workforce.

Poor mental health was the most frequent reason given by under-25s for wanting to drop out of employment.

A stark report lays bare the scale of Labour's challenge as it seeks to see off opposition from its own backbenchers to slash the ballooning welfare bill and encourage adults back to work.

And the crisis looks set to deepen as one in ten workers is said to be actively considering leaving the workforce, equivalent to 4.4million Britons. This rises to a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds, who are 40 per cent more likely than older generations to give poor mental health as a reason for quitting work.

A third of those classed as 'economically inactive' are 'not interested' in returning to jobs  with 37 per cent saying low 'self-esteem and confidence' acts as a barrier, a report from accounting firm PwC reveals. It concludes that considering leaving work has 'gone mainstream'.

Yesterday Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned there is an 'overdiagnosis' of mental health conditions leading to 'too many people being written off'.

It comes as Labour is expected to water down plans to cut benefits for disabled people over fears of a backbench rebellion.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall had been planning to freeze personal independence payments (PIP) to tackle the spiralling welfare bill. But the plans are said to have been axed in the face of a party backlash.

Health Wes Streeting warned that an 'overdiagnosis' of mental health conditions was seeing too many people written off

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall's plans to freeze personal independence payments (PIP) have reportedly been scrapped following a party backlash

Official figures show 9.3million people  a fifth of the working age population  were 'economically inactive' at the end of last year as they were not working or looking for a job. This includes 2.8million not working due to long-term sickness, with a large proportion of these claims due to mental health.

Last year the proportion of those receiving disability benefits whose main condition was mental or behavioural hit 44 per cent, up from 40 per cent in 2019 and just 25 per cent in 2002, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Among them are tens of thousands of youngsters who now go straight from studying to being economically inactive, raising concerns many could be consigned to a life on benefits. Meanwhile the cost of sickness and disability benefits for working age people is up 20billion since the pandemic.

The report from PwC  which surveyed more than 300 businesses and 4,000 adults  found 63 per cent of firms have seen a rise in people leaving work and becoming inactive, with 70 per cent of businesses saying mental health has been the key driver.

Some 57 per cent of employers said they would be worried about taking on someone who is economically inactive.

Marco Amitrano, of PwC, said: 'As well as the cost to individuals, businesses are understandably concerned about the direct impact on productivity and financial performance. Much of the current conversation focuses on how to get people outside the workforce back in, equally important is stemming the flow leaving the workforce in the first place.'

He said the research shows 'the path from work to inactivity is not set in stone', with 43 per cent saying they were interested in returning. But perhaps most worryingly it found 31 per cent are not interested in returning to work, with 48 per cent citing a long-term mental health condition as the reason.

Last year the proportion of those receiving disability benefits whose main condition was mental or behavioural hit 44 per cent, among which are thousands of youngsters who could go from studying to being economically inactive (file photo)

The report found that more than 300 businesses and 4,000 adults  found 63 per cent of firms have seen a rise in people leaving work and becoming inactive (file photo)

The Health Secretary told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show: 'Mental wellbeing, illness, it's a spectrum and I think definitely there's an overdiagnosis but there's too many people being written off and... too many people who just aren't getting the support they need.'

He added: 'Those three million [economically inactive] people who are shut out of the labour market because of long-term illness, That's a population the size of Greater Manchester. So you can see the scale of the problem.'

It comes after a recent report from Policy Exchange found the current welfare system will cost every taxpayer up to 1,500 per year by 2028/29 and does not incentivise claimants to seek work.

A government source said: 'The broken welfare system we inherited is trapping thousands of people in a life on benefits with no means of support, or any hope for a future of life in work.

'Our reforms will deliver fairness and opportunity for disabled people... protecting the welfare system so it is sustainable for the future and will be there for those who need it.'
Elon Musk has voiced his support to impeach a federal judge who blocked President Donald Trump's deportation of Venezuelan gang members.

The president had sought to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 on Saturday in an effort to accelerate the deportation of alleged members of the notorious Tren de Aragua.

He declared that the US was facing an 'invasion' from a criminal organization that has been linked to kidnapping, extortion, organized crime and contract killings.

But just hours later, Judge James Boasberg issued a ruling blocking the suspected gang members' deportations for 14 days and ordered planes carrying the Venezuelans back to their home country return to the United States.

One plane was able to land, however, following an agreement between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to hold the suspected gang members at the country's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center.

Amid the uproar over the ruling, Republican Congressman Brandon Gill vowed to file Articles of Impeachment against Boasberg - an Obama appointee.

'Necessary,' Musk wrote as he shared the post on X.

The Trump administration is already appealing Boasberg's order to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Elon Musk has voiced support to impeach Judge James Boasberg who blocked President Donald Trump 's deportation of Venezuelan gang members

Judge James Boasberg blocked the suspected gang members' deportations for 14 days and ordering planes carrying the Venezuelans back to their home country return to the United States

Under Trump's directive, all Venezuelan citizens 14 years of age or older who are determined to be members of the gang, are within the United States and are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the country are 'liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies.'

He claimed that gang members were 'conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States' with the goal of destabilizing the nation.

'Over the years, Venezuelan national and local authorities have ceded ever-greater control over their territories to transnational criminal organizations, including TdA,' the president explained.

'The result is a hybrid criminal state that is perpetrating an invasion of and predatory incursion into the United States, and which poses a substantial danger to the United States.'

Trump then went on to argue that invoking the 18th century law is justified because he contends the Tren de Aragua gang has ties to the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Saturday's directive also said that Tren de Aragua 'has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens.'

DailyMail.com was the first news organization in the US to report on TdA arriving in America over a year ago, however, the gang became a household name after video of them storming an apartment near Denver surfaced in August.

The Trump administration has since designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and six other criminal groups as global terrorist organizations.

Under Trump's directive, all Venezuelan citizens 14 years of age or older who are determined to be members of the gang, are within the United States and are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the country are 'liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies'

Saturday's directive said that Tren de Aragua 'has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens'

The gang became a household name after video of them storming an apartment near Denver surfaced in August

But Democrats and civil rights groups were quick to criticize Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to fuel mass deportations.

It has only ever been used three times before, all during wars.

Most recently, the act was invoked during World War II, when it was used to incarcerate Germans and Italians as well as for the mass internment of around 120,000 Japanese and Japanese-American civilians.

It was also used during World War I and the War of 1812.

'This proclamation is as lawless as anything the Trump administration has done,' Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, who argued in favor of an injunction at a hearing on Saturday said in an interview.

'We are on very dangerous ground when the administration is going to try to use wartime authority, when we're at peace, for immigration purposes or any other non-military purpose.'

Boasberg ultimately agreed.

Trump has designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and six other criminal groups as global terrorist organizations

He ruled that the Alien Enemies Act 'does not provide a basis for the president's proclamation given that the terms invasion, predatory incursion really relate to hostile acts perpetrated by any nation and commensurate to war.'

Boasberg also claimed he needed to issue his order immediately because the federal government was already flying migrants it claimed were newly deportable under Trump's proclamation to be incarcerated in El Salvador and Honduras.

'I do not believe I can wait any longer and am required to act,' he said during the Saturday evening hearing in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU and Democracy Forward.

'A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm,' Boasberg added, noting how the five remain in government custody but ordering that any planes in the air be turned around back to the US.

Under an agreement between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though, the alleged gang members are being held at the country's Terrorism Confinement Center where they will spend 23 and a half hours each day locked in their overcrowded cells, with just 30 minutes to stretch - chained in the middle of the hallway.

Under an agreement between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though, the alleged gang members are being held at the country's Terrorism Confinement Center

An alleged member of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua being shaved upon his arrival at the Terrorism Confinement Centre

The Trump administration hit out at the ruling, with Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign contending that the president has broad latitude to identify threats to the country and act under the 1798 law.

He noted the U.S. Supreme Court allowed President Harry Truman to continue to hold a German citizen in 1948, three years after World War II ended, under the measure.

'This would cut very deeply into the prerogatives of the president,' Ensign said of an injunction.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also said Boasberg 'had supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans' in his ruling.

'This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump's power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk,' she said in a statement.

Still, this is not the first time Musk has called for a judge to be impeached, arguing last month that US District Judge Paul Engelmeyer should similarly be ousted after the judge blocked the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury systems.

Musk has previously called for federal judges to be impeached as they go after his efforts with DOGE

Employee unions have sued demanding fired 'provisional' employees get their jobs back

'A corrupt judge protecting corruption,' Musk posted on X following the ruling. 'He needs to be impeached NOW.'

Musk's call for Boasberg's removal from the bench also came just days after another federal judge ruled that thousands of 'probationary' employees who were fired as part of DOGE's efforts must be reinstated.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup, a Bill Clinton nominee, called the large scale firings across government a 'sham' in a fiery decision, days after ruling that a government directive for the firings was 'unlawful.'

The ruling by the San Francisco based judge takes immediate effect, and applies to the Pentagon, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Interior and the Treasury Department.
In a stunning break from tradition, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced she will boycott the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner next month.

The move continues the Trump administration's deepening feud with the White House press corps - the group of journalists who cover the president and White House daily. The group attend briefings, travel with the president, and report for various media outlets.

'I will not be in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and that's breaking news,' Leavitt declared during Friday's podcast appearing with her predecessor and longtime Trump loyalist Sean Spicer on his self-titled podcast.

The annual WHCA dinner, scheduled this year for April 26, has long been considered the 'Oscars of Washington', an iconic, bipartisan night of comedy and charity where every US president since Calvin Coolidge in 1924 has attended at least once - except Donald Trump.

Trump snubbed the event throughout his first term and looks poised to do so again.

Leavitt's decision comes amid a fierce and ongoing power struggle between the White House and the press corps, with Leavitt herself at the center of efforts to reshape White House media access.

Leavitt, 27, has looked to exclude traditional outlets and favor right-wing platforms that align with Trump's political narrative.

But her final decision to skip the event entirely speaks volumes and is a clear message that the Trump White House sees no value in participating in what they view as a hostile gathering.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced she will boycott the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner next month

Trump's last appearance at the WHCA dinner was in 2015 as a private citizen, when he and Melania Trump were photographed at the glitzy event

Leavitt announced that the White House and not the WHCA would now control which reporters make up the prestigious press 'pool'. Pictured is CBS This Morning's Gayle King. CBS News still has a seat in the White House briefing room

By not attending, Leavitt is doubling down on the administration's confrontational approach, signaling that the Trump team sees little use in currying favor with a press they accuse of bias.

The WHCA dinner has essentially served for over a century as a rare evening of bipartisanship where presidents and the press can share laughs and jabs in a celebration of the First Amendment.

Presidents from FDR to Obama have used the evening to poke fun at themselves, even as journalists sharpen their critiques.

But Trump's refusal to attend during his first term shattered that precedent, and now Leavitt is following suit, taking a step further to publicly rebuke the WHCA as a 'monetized monopoly.'

'This is a group of journalists who've been covering the White House for decades,' Leavitt said on Spicer's show.

'They started this organization because the presidents at the time were not doing enough press conferences. I don't think we have that problem anymore under this president, so the priorities of the media have shifted, especially with this new digital age.'

She went on to accuse the WHCA of being an 'exclusive group' that has 'not really welcomed other people, new media, independent journalists, with open arms.'

'We thought it was time to expand the coverage and determine who gets to be part of that 13-person press pool, who gets to ask the president of the United States questions in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One,' Leavitt explained.

President Donald Trump snubbed the event throughout his first term and looks poised to do so again. He was last pictured at the dinner in 2015 when he attended as a private citizen

Two empty seats that traditionally would have been reserved for the Associated Press reporter and photographer are shown in the press cabin of Air Force One during a February flight

'Since we have started this new process of determining the daily rotation, so many new voices and outlets who have never been part of this small and privileged group of journalists have been able to access those very unique and privileged spaces and cover this presidency and that's very important,' she added.

Her rejection of the dinner is the latest salvo in what has become an open conflict between the Trump White House and the established press corps.

Just last month, Leavitt announced that the White House and not the WHCA, would now control which reporters make up the prestigious press 'pool' - the small group of journalists given close access to the president inside the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and in limited briefings.

In a controversial move, the Associated Press was booted from the pool after refusing to adopt Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America.'

The White House even trolled the AP by posting a victory sign - 'Victory: Gulf of America' - inside the briefing room, underscoring the administration's willingness to clash head-on with the media establishment.

Leavitt has framed such decisions as democratizing access to the president, explaining how more than 15,000 applications have poured in from 'new voices and outlets' eager to join the daily press pool and claim the 'new media' seat.

'For decades, a group of DC-based journalists, the WHCA, has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the president of the United States in these most intimate spaces,' she said in February. 'Not anymore.'

The Associated Press was barred access to some of President Donald Trump 's events, as well as the Oval Office and Air Force One for continuing to use the term 'Gulf of Mexico'

Karoline Leavitt, 27, is the youngest White House press secretary in history

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is seen straightening the curtains behind President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House

WHCA President Eugene Daniels has condemned the administration's actions, warning how they 'tear at the independence of a free press in the United States.

'Leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president,' Daniels said.

'In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps,' Daniels warned, fearing the precedent being set could outlast Trump's presidency.

The White House sold the move as them modernizing the press pool to expand it past legacy media.

The Trump administration said the three traditional wire services, (Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters), would no longer have a permanent spot in the pool and would instead rotate a single spot in the 13-member group.

Even Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich, a WHCA board member, blasted the move, writing that it 'gives power to the White House, not the people.'

The Associated Press filed lawsuit against the White House for its expulsion from the pool but a judge has so far refused to reinstate them.

Leavitt's no-show at the WHCA dinner also signals a deeper alignment with Trump's long-running campaign against what he calls the 'fake news media.'

Her decision mirrors Trump's refusal to attend the event during his first presidency.

The first time Trump refused to attend in 2017 was a dramatic departure from presidents who have historically used the night to reaffirm democratic values and even showing they can make and take a joke poking fun at their own foibles.

Trump's last appearance at the WHCA dinner was in 2015 as a private citizen, when he and Melania Trump were photographed at the glitzy event.

In 2011, President Barack Obama went after then-businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump, who had pushed the so-called 'birther' conspiracy theory about where Obama was born and was mulling a 2012 run for the White House

Ever since taking office Trump has treated the press as a political enemy describing them as 'an enemy of the people'.

This year's dinner was already poised for tension, as comedian Amber Ruffin, known for her scathing humor and left-leaning commentary, was tapped to headline.

'No one wants him there,' Ruffin said bluntly in a CNN interview. 'But he should go. He's missing out on one of the cool things about being president.'

Leavitt had previously hinted that she was still weighing up whether to attend, noting how Ruffin was an 'interesting choice' and suggesting she would 'talk to the boss.'

Meanwhile, the WHCA, which relies on the dinner as its primary source of revenue, faces a fundamental challenge: how to function as an independent watchdog when the president's team refuses to engage  and actively undermines its role.
A Labour minister is facing mounting questions over claims he played down intelligence warning the Covid pandemic began from a Chinese lab leak.

Lord Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser during the crisis, is accused of rubbishing claims in a dossier which warned the virus was engineered in a Wuhan facility.

Revelations about the classified report, submitted to No 10 in March 2020, last night led to growing calls for greater transparency across the UK's science community.

It also emerged Lord Vallance has continued to downplay the theory for long after the pandemic. Transcripts show he told MPs on the science committee in 2023 it 'is very, very, very unlikely' the virus came from a lab.

It has also emerged he collaborated on a paper which stifled debate into the origins of Covid in the early days of the pandemic  despite being aware the lab leak theory was possible.

Luke de Pulford, co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: 'Vallance has serious questions to answer... We don't expect our scientific advisers to play at geopolitics, and certainly not when Beijing's culpability for a virus that killed millions is under scrutiny.'

The Mail on Sunday revealed the report, by former MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove, said: 'It is now beyond reasonable doubt that Covid-19 was engineered in the Wuhan Institute of Virology'. The file argued that China was pushing a false narrative that the virus originated in an animal market.

Sir Richard told the MoS that it appears the 'scientific establishments in the US and the UK connived to prevent discussion about the origin of the Covid pandemic.'

Lord Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser during the crisis, is accused of rubbishing claims in a dossier which warned the virus was engineered in a Wuhan facility

This file photo taken on February 23, 2017 shows Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli inside the P4 laboratory in Wuhan

Members of staff of the Wuhan Hygiene Emergency Response Team drive their vehicle as they leave the closed Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the city of Wuhan in January 2020

A source close to former prime minister Boris Johnson pointed the finger at Lord Vallance for rubbishing the lab leak theory, saying: 'Boris repeatedly asked the [intelligence] agencies to do more work on the origins of Covid He was struck by the refusal of scientists, especially Patrick Vallance, even to contemplate this possibility.'

The theory is said to have been dismissed by the science community perhaps in fear of offending Beijing and jeopardising research funding.

In January, the US Central Intelligence Agency confirmed it believes Covid is 'more likely' to have leaked from a Chinese lab than to have come from animals.

And earlier this week, Berlin's Federal Intelligence Service said since 2020 it has considered the theory as 80 to 95 per cent likely.

MP Iain Duncan Smith last night said: 'Every single bit of evidence points to the laboratories... China has silenced all of this and too many scientists are happy to go along with it.'

Calling for an independent inquiry, Sir Iain added: 'Everybody who denied this has got to answer these questions.'

MP Esther McVey called for a register of interests for scientists, saying: 'We need to know who received funding from where, and who and what their political allegiances are.'

MP Steve Baker added: 'Science should be driven by evidence, not a desire to ignore inconvenient hypotheses.'

A source close to former prime minister Boris Johnson pointed the finger at Lord Vallance for rubbishing the lab leak theory

Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and then Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during a press conference in March 2020

Lord Vallance, the science minister who was the Government's chief scientific adviser at the time, is accused of ignoring the report, possibly for fear of offending the Chinese or jeopardising research funding

Lord Vallance claims he 'did not have sight' of the dossier but alerted the UK National Security Adviser about the lab leak theory when it was first brought to his attention in January 2020.

In the month Sir Richard submitted his report, Lord Vallance was said to have collaborated on a paper which supported Beijing's narrative of a natural occurrence.

The paper, The Proximal Origin Of SARS-CoV-2, published in Nature Medicine in March 2020, was instrumental in pushing towards a theory that the virus was from a natural origin.

But emails from early 2020 show that the authors held lengthy discussions with experts including Lord Vallance, in which they were warned that China had been carrying out research on bat-coronaviruses at worrying levels of biosecurity.

When the paper was published, the authors dismissed lab leak theory as Covid-19 contained 'o-glycans'  sugars which help the immune system  despite this being possible even if the virus had evolved in a lab, and having discussed this in emails.

Lord Vallance pushed this narrative years later in May 2023 while giving evidence to the science, innovation and technology committee, saying: 'The most likely, from all the evidence that I have seen, is that this is a zoonotic disease that spread from bats.'

A Government spokesman said: 'Patrick Vallance did not have sight of this dossier, and this theory would have been a matter for the security services, not him.'
The daughter of a man who died in Gaza after being taken hostage on October 7 has described the return of his body as 'one of the most profound things'.

Sharone Lifshitz's father, 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, was snatched from his home by Hamas alongside his wife - Yocheved.

Whilst Yocheved was released in later October 2023, Mr Lifshitz was still held captive by the terrorist until he was murdered more than. His body was returned in February this year.

Speaking to BBC News, Ms Lifshitz said that bringing her father back and being able to bury him was 'one of the most profound things'.

She said: 'It's not the outcome we were hoping for. But it's a relief to know that he is not suffering. We were so worried about his well being and his suffering, and he suffered before he died, and he died in the most horrific circumstances possible.

'Receiving my father's remains back, and being able to say goodbye to him has really has been incredibly meaningful to me, more than I could ever imagine, to bring him back to us, away from such horrific events that he was part of in his last days.'

Ms Lifshitz spoke to the outlet at a memorial event for relatives of those who lost loved ones on October 7 or had family members who were taken hostage.

The event held at JW3 Community Centre was attended by hundreds of people including MPs and the Chief Rabbi.

Sharone Lifshitz and her father Oded. The 83-year-old Mr Lifshitz, was snatched from his home by Hamas alongside his wife - Yocheved

Mr Lifshitz with his wife Yochevd. Whilst Yocheved was released in later October 2023, Mr Lifshitz was still held captive by the terrorists until his death

She added that it was 'hard to reconcile' that the family were not at Mr Lifshitz side when he passed away.

According to the Israeli Government, Mr Lifshitz was murdered while in captivity.

A UK-linked journalist and campaigner for peace Mr Lifshitz drove sick Palestinians to hospitals in Israel for treatment and met Yasser Arafat, the then head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, when he was still alive.

He was returned to Israel alongside the bodies fellow hostages Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

Last month, a shocking mishap rather than returning the body of Ariel and Kfir's mother Shiri, the remains of another woman were handed over to Israel instead.

Shiri's remains were eventually returned to Israel at a later date.

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that his government was prepared to continue ceasefire talks based on a US proposal for the release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased.

In a statement on X, his office said: 'Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an in-depth discussion this evening on the issue of the hostages, with the participation of the negotiating team and the heads of the security establishment.

Ms Lifshitz said that bringing her father back and being able to bury him was 'one of the most profound things'

A UK-linked journalist and campaigner for peace Mr Lifshitz drove sick Palestinians to hospitals in Israel for treatment and met Yasser Arafat, the then head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, when he was still alice

'Following the discussion, the Prime Minister instructed the negotiating team to prepare for the continuation of the talks as per the mediators' response to the Witkoff proposal for the immediate release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased hostages.'

The latest development comes just a day after Hamas said it would release the last living American-Israeli hostage and the remains of four other dual-national hostages after receiving a proposal from mediators to continue negotiations on the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal.

Edan Alexander, 21, who has been held for 525 days, will be released along with the bodies of four other hostages who died in captivity, Hamas has claimed.

Last night, Hamas said the release will only happen if Israel implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an 'exceptional deal' aimed at getting the truce back on track.

A senior Hamas official said long-delayed talks over the ceasefire's second phase would need to begin the day of the release and last no longer than 50 days.

Israel would also need to stop barring the entry of humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along Gaza's border with Egypt.
Russia and Ukraine are 'much closer' to agreeing a ceasefire as their differences have 'narrowed', the US said last night.

The claim came with Donald Trump poised to discuss a peace deal with President Putin this week.

The US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff, who visited the Kremlin last week, said: 'The two sides are today much closer.

'I would describe my conversation with Putin as positive. We've narrowed the differences between them. Now we're discussing how to narrow them even further.

'Nobody expected progress this fast. Lots of things that remain to be discussed, but I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week.'

He added that Putin 'accepts the philosophy of President Trump', who wants the fighting to end.

Meanwhile, a former UK national security adviser has warned British peacekeeping troops will be at 'considerable risk' in Ukraine unless Donald Trump agrees to back them.

Lord Ricketts said any 'reassurance force' sent to Kyiv must be prepared to fight because Putin is 'bound' to attack them.

Lord Ricketts said any 'reassurance force' sent to Kyiv must be prepared to fight because Putin is 'bound' to attack them

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer sits alongside Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Tony Radakin (L) and Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sharon Nesmith

The claim came with Donald Trump poised to discuss a peace deal with President Putin this week

The Russian leader was 'playing for time', he added, so his army can continue gaining ground in Ukraine.

'He's avoiding saying 'no' to Trump, but he's stringing it out,' he said. Sending a European peacekeeping force into Ukraine, including British soldiers, would be 'very risky', he added.

'To be credible, a deterrent force has to be willing to fight.

'The only way to avoid [fighting the Russians] is to have a cast-iron American guarantee that if the force got into trouble, the Americans would come and support them.

Trump's brand is to pull Americans out of military conflict, so I don't think he will give a credible guarantee that if a European force got into real trouble, he would come to the rescue and take on the Russians directly.'

Lord Ricketts added that Putin's army is 'bound to take on the force in some way, either with conflict directly or dark arts, deniable operations, sabotage  it would be a very risky situation'.

European military chiefs will meet in London on Thursday to formulate 'robust' plans for ensuring Ukraine's security. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he would be willing to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

It is understood that Russia is demanding four conditions (Pictured: Russia's President Vladimir Putin)

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he would be willing to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Russia

However, it is understood that Russia is demanding four conditions: international recognition that Russia gets to keep all Ukrainian territory it has already seized; limits on Ukraine's ability to mobilise its military; a halt to Western military aid in Ukraine; and total surrender in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion last year.

Last night, Ukraine was still clinging on in Kursk after its forces were ousted from Sudzha, the biggest town it had seized in the region. Moscow said it had moved 371 civilians to safety.

Mr Zelensky said Russia continued to pound Ukraine with artillery fire.

Writing on Telegram he said: 'This is definitely not what those who want the war to end as soon as possible do.'

In other developments, a Russian air strike on Kherson hit a residential area on Saturday, killing a 43-year-old man. Pictures showed his mother and sister mourning amid the rubble.

And Mr Zelensky yesterday appointed Andrii Hnatov as the new chief of Ukraine's armed forces, as the country looks to further strengthen its military.
Rocketing numbers of foreign workers are lodging asylum claims in a bid to stay in Britain permanently, figures reveal.

The new 'backdoor to Britain' has witnessed at least a 100-fold increase in the number of foreign nationals arriving here as 'skilled workers' and then claiming to be refugees.

Asylum claims made by this category of visa-holder jumped from 53 in 2022 to 5,300 in the first ten months of last year, an official report said.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the 'deeply concerning' figures showed 'abuse' of the work visa system.

It comes after the Daily Mail revealed last April how more than 21,000 asylum claims in a year had been lodged by foreign nationals who came to Britain under other types of visas, including students, visitors and seasonal workers.

The report into skilled worker visas  by government spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO)  found a series of shortcomings in the Home Office's performance.

The department 'does not fully understand' what happens to those who migrate to Britain under the scheme, the NAO found, raising the prospect some are remaining illegally in the UK after their visas expire.

It also revealed the Home Office expected 360,000 migrants to come here on skilled worker visas in the first three years after the scheme was relaunched in 2020  but the actual figure was 931,000.

Foreign nationals arriving in the UK as 'skilled workers' and then lodging asylum claims have increased 100-fold

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp (pictured) said the 'deeply concerning' figures showed 'abuse' of the work visa system

That huge underestimate was already known to be a driving factor in record net migration  the difference between those coming to live long-term in Britain and those emigrating  which peaked at 906,000 in the 12 months to June 2023.

The skilled worker route includes those coming to work in the health and social care sector who, including dependants, totalled nearly 383,000 in 2023 alone.

The NAO report, published yesterday, said: 'The higher-than-anticipated use of the route... has consequences, such as... the number of people claiming asylum after entering the UK on a skilled worker visa rising from 53 in 2022 to 5,300 in 2024.

'The Home Office reviewed the use of the route in 2022 but has not assessed the impact of changes to entry requirements. As a result, it does not fully understand how the route is being used, its contribution to the economy, or impacts on skill shortages across different sectors. Further, it does not monitor what happens to people at the end of their visa period.'

Officials lack data on whether foreign nationals comply with the time limits imposed by their visas, the report added.

'In 2020, the Home Office analysed exit checks to estimate the proportion of people who left the country at the end of their visa. It has not repeated checks since introducing the skilled worker visa.'

Tory frontbencher Mr Philp said: 'I am deeply concerned people who have entered the UK on temporary work visas are now trying to claim asylum. This is an abuse of the system and spurious asylum applications should be rapidly rejected.

'The truth is that recent immigration numbers have been far too high.

'That is why we have tabled amendments to the Borders Bill to create a binding annual immigration limit set by Parliament, introduce a 38,000 blanket salary threshold for work visas and disapply the Human Rights Act from immigration matters, to end spurious claims being granted.

'We have concrete ideas to fix this  we'll see if Labour votes for them in Parliament in the coming weeks.'

The skilled worker route includes those coming to work in the health and social care sector who, including dependants, totalled nearly 383,000 in 2023 alone (file photo)

The Conservatives tightened the rules on skilled worker visas a year ago  including barring care workers from bringing family members with them to Britain. It led to the number of health and care visas being granted in the ten months to February this year  including dependants  falling to 75,100 compared with 343,700 in the equivalent period in 2023-24.

A Migration Watch UK spokesman said: 'It's not unreasonable to assume a link between ending the right of care workers to bring dependants and the surge in asylum applications that followed.'

The NAO urged ministers to publish a full evaluation of the visa scheme within three months. Another assessment should be carried out by the end of the year into what happens to migrants at the end of their visas, it added.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Under the last government there were a large volume of visas granted seeing net migration in the millions.

'This government is getting a grip of this problem.

'Under our Plan for Change, our upcoming immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system, linking immigration, skills and visa systems to grow our domestic workforce, end reliance on overseas labour and boost economic growth.'
Pope Francis has offered his 'profound condolences' for the victims of a nightclub fire in North Macedonia which has killed 59 people.

A fire broke out at the Pulse club in Kocani, 100 kilometres east of the capital Skopje, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Around 1,500 people were attending a concert at the nightclub when the fire started.

The director of the Kocani General Hospital, where many fire victims were initially taken, said that most of the injured are aged 14 to 24. Many suffered from burns and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Pope wrote a message on a telegram signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, addressed to the Bishop Kiro Stojanov of Skopje.

He remains in hospital while he recovers from pneumonia and was pictured for the first time today since he was admitted last month.

In the message, Pope Francis assures 'his remembrance in prayer for those who lost their lives' and invokes the Lord's 'comfort for those suffering' from the consequences of such a difficult hardship.

Social media footage showed huge flames engulfing the nightclub, with large plumes of smoke billowing into the air.

Pope Francis, 88, offered his condolences to the victims of the nightclub fire in North Macedonia

At least 59 young partygoers were killed and another 155 injured in the fatal blaze

The nightclub, following a fire resulting in casualties, in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia

Clips from inside the venue showed the use of two pyrotechnics during the performance, known as stage jets - a type of indoor fireworks used during concerts.

Very shortly after their deployment flames are clearly visible above the band, which quickly spread.

As the flames began to engulf the venue, hundreds frantically ran towards the exits.

Minister of the interior Pance Toskovski said the fire was probably caused by sparks from the pyrotechnics hitting the ceiling, which was made of a highly flammable material.

North Macedonia's Prime Minister, Hristijan Mickoski, called it a 'difficult and very sad day' and asked for unity and support for the families of the victims and the injured while the government determines the cause of the fire.

According to witnesses, several people were subsequently crushed to death during a 'stampede', Skopje-based radio station Lider reported.

The wounded were transported to the local hospital in the town and to facilities in the town of Stip, 30 kilometres to the south, while helicopters ferried some of the injured to hospitals in the capital Skopje.

The director of the Kocani hospital, Kristina Serafimova, said 30 people were being treated for injuries at the hospital while another 60 were being transferred to another health facility, news site Klix Vijesti reported.

On Sunday night, crowds gathered for a candlelight vigil to those who lost their lives in the tragedy

As the performance unfolds, a small patch of flames become visible on the venue's ceiling

Flames rapidly spread across the ceiling of the nightclub as terrified concertgoers watch on

The message from the Pope comes after he was pictured for the first time since he was admitted to hospital, celebrating a mass in his prayer room.

The leader of the Catholic church had not been seen since he was admitted at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome in February.

Just a week later, the Pontiff's condition was described as critical as it was reported he required breathing assistance.

The Pope's condition is now stable amid a continuing battle with pneumonia and onset kidney failure.

Earlier today the Pope issued his prayer from his hospital bed, saying he faces a 'period of trial'.

It is the fifth week in a row that the Pontiff has had to issue the prayer as a written text as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

However his age and lack of mobility means that he remains in a physically vulnerable state.

Pope Francis concelebrates Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli hospital

A statement from the Vatican said: 'This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the 10th floor of the Policlinico Gemelli.'

In his prayer, The 88-year-old also took time to pay thanks to the medical staff who have been treating him during his latest sickness.

He said: 'How much light shines, in this sense, in hospitals and places of care!

'How much loving care illuminates the rooms, the corridors, the clinics, the places where the humblest services are performed!'

Recent reports have suggested an improvement in the state of the Pope's health following his treatment for double pneumonia.

The Argentina-born religious figurehead has chronic lung disease and still requires hospital care, but is in a 'stable' condition and showing 'gradual improvements,' Vatican News reported.

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

He had not been seen in public since entering hospital and his doctors have not said how long the treatment might last.

Doctors not involved in Francis's care have said the Pope is likely to face a long, fraught road to recovery, given his age and other factors.

A new statement issued by the Holy See Press Office yesterday evening said the pontiff's condition 'remains stable' and showed signs of 'gradual improvements'

The pontiff was initially hospitalized on Valentine's Day for a bad case of bronchitis.

The infection then progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined the Pope for the longest period of his 12-year papacy.

Pope Francis, who is well-known as a controversial advocate for social justice, also sent words of hope to nations around the world beset by military conflict.

The pontiff offered prayers to 'countries wounded by war...tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.'
People in the UK believe that Harry Potter, Spider-Man and Gandalf would vote for the same party as themselves, while Darth Vader, Cruella de Vil and Joffrey Baratheon would vote for a political rival, according to new research.

Researchers from University of Southampton say this tendency for the public to project their views on to others is 'fuelling polarisation in politics'.

As well as fictional characters, the survey found that when they are told of news stories of charitable and corrupt politicians, people tended to think that the 'good' politician was from the party that they support, while the 'bad' one was from the party they oppose.

Dr Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte, of the University of Southampton, said: 'If we see 'villains' as belonging to the other side, then we also tend to associate more and more negative attributes with that group.

'This is not only bad news for polarisation, but also makes us more easily susceptible to misinformation that confirms the existing biases we hold about the voters of certain parties.'

In the first of two studies, researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Vienna surveyed 3,200 people in the UK and US.

The participants were asked which party they thought characters from popular franchises including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Games of Thrones and Star Wars, would support.

In the UK they were asked if the characters were more likely to vote Labour or Conservative and Democrat or Republican in the US, with their answers cross-referenced with the respondents' own political leanings.

People believe that literary heroes such as Harry Potter would vote for the same party as them

Spider-man is also considered a fictional character who would vote in favour with the masses

Gandalf, from the popular book series Lord of the Rings, is also thought to vote the same way as those who were surveyed

People believe that classic villains such as Darth Vader and Cruella de Vil would vote for a political rival

The researchers for the study published in the journal Political Science Research and Method found that people were 20 per cent more likely to project their own politics onto a hero than a villain.

The respondents were also 20 per cent more likely to say a villain would vote for the opposing party than their own.

In the second study, 1,600 people in the UK were shown one of two contrasting news stories about a local councillor - one in which the councillor donated money to a local charity and another in which they had stolen money from the charity.

The results showed that about one in six people falsely remembered which party the councillor represented, with a 'strong tendency' to see the charitable donor as a member of their party, and the thief as a member of their rival party.

Dr Turnbull-Dugarte said: 'People believe heroes are more likely to belong to their group but can accept a proportion might not. Respondents were much more consistent when identifying a villain as belonging to the other group.

'In a context where polarisation is high, projection appears to be more about defining who we are not, than who we are.'

He added that the tendency to see heroes on their side and villains on the other was greater amongst those with stronger political identities with those on the political left more inclined to do so than those on the right.

Dr Turnbull-Dugarte added: 'To overcome increasing political division, we need to recognise this tendency to project heroic and villainous traits along partisan lines and recognise that reality is always more complex and nuanced than our biases would have us believe.'
The family of Brittanee Drexel, a teenage girl who was kidnapped and murdered on a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, has been awarded $700 million by a jury 16 years after her death.

Dawn Drexel, Brittanee's mother, filed a lawsuit in January 2023 accusing Raymond Moody, her daughter's murderer, and the South Carolina resort where she stayed of wrongful conduct that led to her death.

The jury decided last month that Moody, who pleaded guilty to her murder in October 2022, intentionally caused the girl's family emotional distress, county records showed.

The upstate New York family was awarded $200 million in actual damages and $500 million in punitive damages.

'I'm at a loss for words.' Moody said in court. 'I just have so much regret. I've realized it doesn't matter how sincere I am about how I feel about things I've done. It's just not enough.'

Brittanee was 17 years old when she left her hometown of Rochester, New York, to go on a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach without her mother's knowledge or permission.

'She asked me if she could go and I told her no,' her mother told ABC News shortly after Brittanee's body was found in May 2022, 'And she asked me why. I said, because I don't know the kids you're going with. I don't - there's no parental supervision and something's going to happen.'

On April 25, 2009, she left the Blue Water Resort by herself at around 8pm and was never seen alive again.

Brittanee Drexel was 17 years old when she vanished during a 2009 spring break trip to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. Her family has been awarded $700 million by a jury

Raymond Moody escaped justice for more than 10 years, but in May 2022, he was arrested and later led investigators to Brittanee's body

For years, no one knew what happened to her, but it would later become known that Moody, now 64, raped and killed her before burying her body the next day.

Investigators said in 2012 that Moody was considered a person of interest in her case but he was never charged and the case grew quiet.

A break in the case came in May 2022 when he was arrested on an obstruction of justice charge.

According to police, that's when he admitted to raping and killing Brittanee before leading them to her body.

After his guilty plea in October 2022, a judge sentenced Moody to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Speaking with FBI agents in January 2025 at the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville where he is being held, Moody finally described how his girlfriend, Angel Cooper Vause, at the time helped him stalk Brittanee.

Vause, 57, was driving up and down Myrtle Beach's main drag when she spotted Brittanee walking alone, he recalled.

Moody also revealed to FBI agents that Vause was attracted to him because of his criminal past. He was previously convicted of kidnapping and raping a nine-year-old girl in California.

Before the trip, he had texted Vause: 'So you want to go hunting with me, huh?', to which she replied: 'Yeah.'

Brittanee and her group of friends were staying at two different hotels, so was moving between the Blue Water Resort to the Bar Harbor Hotel, where she was staying.

'I had my eye on her and thought she was the one,' Moody said.

Pictured: The Bar Harbor Resort on Myrtle Beach where Brittanee stayed and was heading to when she was kidnapped and killed by Moody

Angel Cooper Vause, 57, sentenced to 18 years in prison for lying to federal law enforcement about her role in Brittanee's murder

Vause said she wanted to join him on a twisted quest, he said. Authorities saw text messages between the two demonstrating how they planned their attack.

Moody recalled how Vause got out of the car to speak with Brittanee. He said they believed that since Vause was a woman, she would 'trust us'.

They pretended to be tourists like Brittanee and offered her a lift to her hotel. Brittanee accepted, and once inside the car Moody pretended to get lost and Vause took over the driving.

It was at this point that Moody launched his sordid attack. He handcuffed Brittanee, telling her he was a kidnapper while demanding $5,000 in ransom fees.

Vause drove them to a tent beside the Santee River, and got out of the car with Brittanee. Moody left them momentarily to drive to his apartment where he retrieved a briefcase full of 'sex toys'.

He then raped and sodomized Brittanee before strangling her to death with a rope, he said. He then stabbed her with an ice pick to ensure she would die.

Vause was not involved in the rape or murder, but she sat inside the tent watching, before Moody buried the teenager's body in a shallow grave at a construction site.

In February 2025, Vause was sentenced to 18 years in prison for lying to federal law enforcement about her role in the crime.
A wealthy couple who attacked the owners of an upmarket country pub after a horse riding club Christmas dinner were scolded by a judge for laughing and seeming 'pleased with themselves' in court as they were handed their sentences.

Company director Nathan Sayer, 50, and his wife Catharine, 54, avoided jail after they assaulted and racially abused a staff member they mistakenly believed was a Muslim after being told they could not have another drink.

In January, both were found guilty of assault and religiously aggravated harassment.

But during sentencing this week, District Judge Stephen Apted found himself pausing proceedings and telling the couple off for laughing as a summary of their offending was read out in court.

He said he could not understand why the couple found their court appearance amusing and were seen laughing and shaking their heads.

'You fail to understand and appreciate how appalling and disgraceful your behaviour was,' he told them, The Telegraph reported.

Basingstoke Magistrates' Court heard the incident took place on December 9, 2023 when the Sayers visited The New Inn in Hook, Hampshire with 25 others who were all part of a horse riding club at the Wedgewood livery yard.

The Sayers had been seen throwing food and festive crackers during the gathering, prosecutors told magistrates.

Company director Nathan Sayer, 50, and his wife, Catharine, 54, were scolded by a judge for laughing and seeming 'pleased with themselves' in court as they were handed their sentences

Catharine Sayer avoided jail after they assaulted and racially abused a staff member they mistakenly believed was a Muslim after being told they could not have another drink

The incident took place on December 9, 2023, at The New Inn at Heckfield in Hook, Hampshire

They then became 'angry' and launched assaults on landlords Thomas and Laura Faulkner at closing time after being told they couldn't 'get the beers in' and were asked to leave.

Mrs Sayer, 53, was accused of injuring landlord Laura Faulkner by grabbing her shirt around the neck, swearing at her and beating her husband, Thomas, around the head as the couple were escorted by staff out of the pub.

During the fracas Mr Sayer, 49, who runs a sales consultancy company, allegedly racially abused an employee he mistakenly thought was Muslim - but who just had a deep tan from a recent holiday to Australia - by calling him 'Mustafa' and 'Sheikh Mohammed'.

The couple - who live in a house worth more than 800,000 just a mile from the pub - faced charges of racially or religiously aggravated harassment and assault, which they denied, claiming self defence.

But after being found guilty, they both received a 12-month community order.

Mr Sayer was handed a fine of 1,204, while Mrs Sayer was fined 1,554. The couple must also complete 15 sessions of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Having heard that she was 'petrified' to go to prison, Mrs Sayer was seen smiling and laughing after being sentenced.

A previous hearing had been told that at closing time the Sayers left the pub, but then came back inside the venue because he'd forgotten his scarf.

The couple are said to have become 'angry' and launched assaults on landlords Thomas (picturd) and Laura Faulkner at closing time after being told they couldn't 'get the beers in' and were asked to leave

Mrs Sayer was accused of injuring Mrs Faulkner (pictured) by grabbing her shirt around the neck and swearing at her

Mrs Faulkner told the court that Mrs Sayer went to the bar and 'demanded' another drink with her husband saying: 'Get the beers in'.

When they were refused, an altercation broke out, and Mrs Faulkner, along with three employees of The New Inn - two female and one male - then ushered the couple out of the venue.

In the pub foyer, as tensions rose and the couple became 'really angry' according to Mr Faulkner, he started recording a video on his phone which was played to the court.

The family-run rural inn is a Grade II listed building, and was once visited by world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977.

At their sentencing, District Judge Apted noted that CCTV footage of the incident showed how events had unfolded and that the couple had not shown remorse or accepted responsibility for their actions.

'Having been rejected from the pub, you were seen on the CCTV footage kissing and congratulating each other,' he added.

Business owner Mr Sayer had told the judge during proceedings that they were the victims.

He accused the landlord of trying to act like the 'Instagram police' and forcing a 'modern narrative' on the incident.

The family-run rural inn is a Grade II listed building, and was once visited by world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977

Mr Sayer also claimed his wife had been pushed around 'like a bowling ball' during the incident and said the staff were the aggressors, not them.

The company director - who lives with his wife in a house worth more than 800,000 just a mile from the pub - told the court: 'They have taken some modern narrative and tried to force it. It was just random names, I didn't know the origins of Mustafa.

'The reason we did not call the police is that we did not want playground nonsense, they [the landlords] tried to drag it into some sexual or race position.'

Mr Sayer added that the couple had been followed out of the pub by a 'lynch mob' and that the staff were 'actively seeking conflict' with them.

He said: 'These are staff that claim to be scared and anxious, they chose to leave the pub to chase us into the foyer.

'These are people that are actively seeking conflict, I personally was assaulted three times.

'If I was from any business with responsibility for my staff I would not have them follow everyone out as a lynch mob.

'My first instinct would be to protect my staff not get my phone out to be an Instagram policeman.'

Asked by Prosecutor Ryan Seneviratne if he had acted 'reasonably' during the melee Mr Sayer said he had 'acted like a man' following the assault he alleges his wife suffered.

'I could just hear something was going on and my wife is like a bowling ball between skittles,' he said.

Alphonsus Doran, Mrs Sayers defence lawyer, said the couple had been 'effectively ostracised' since the incident.

Mrs Sayer has lost her job, while Mr Sayer reported a 'massive impact' on his business.
A group of scientists trapped in a tiny base in Antarctica have sent an email pleading to be rescued after they say a member of their team threatened to kill another colleague.

A South African research group dispatched to Sanae IV base, a research station in Antarctica, are isolated on their mission for at least 10 more months.

Extreme weather makes leaving and entering nearly impossible and there are thousands of miles between the team and their home continent.

This leaves the group with only each other for company in the absence of animals, other humans and society as they know it.

Last week, one of the isolated researchers sent a worrying email in which they claimed one of their number had attacked them and was issuing further threats.

The group were living in fear of the man who posed a threat to the entire team, the researcher wrote.

The team member was also accused of sexually assaulting one of his colleagues.

The author of the email, which was shared with South Africa's Sunday Times, wrote: 'Regrettably, his behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing.

A group of scientists trapped in a tiny base in Antarctica have sent an email pleading to be rescued after they say a member of their team threatened to kill another colleague. The base is located in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica (file photo)

Researchers at the Sanae base only have each other for company in the absence of animals, other humans and society as they know it. Pictured is a different team of scientific researchers who were stationed at the base in 2014

In January 2013, a different group of scientists at the Sanae base launched 20 balloons up into the air to study an enduring mystery of space weather

'Specifically, he physically assaulted [X], which is a grave violation of personal safety and workplace norms.

'Furthermore, he threatened to kill [X], creating an environment of fear and intimidation.

'I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.'

The author expressed immense concern over the colleague's 'increasingly egregious behaviour' and called for immediate action to ensure their own safety and that of the team as a whole.

'I am experiencing significant difficulty in feeling secure in his presence,' the email continued.

Neither the author nor the accused have been named.

South Africa's environment minister Dion George said he would speak personally with the team to assess the situation.

'There was a verbal altercation between the team leader and this person. Then it escalated and then that person did physically assault the leader.

'You can imagine what it's like. It is close quarters and people do get cabin fever. It can be very disorientating.'

Living in harsh conditions among a remote landscape and staggering temperatures of minus 23 degrees, the team rarely, if ever, leaves the base for their own safety.

Mr George said that researchers are required to undergo rigorous psychological evaluation to determine their suitability for the mentally demanding environment.

The Barrel team that was station at the SANAE IV research centre in January 2013 celebrates their final launch in the Antarctica sun

Scientists on South African Antarctic research base Sanae IV have pleaded for help

Alan Chambers, an explorer who completed a 700-mile skiing expedition in the region last year, said that from a 'psychological perspective' the South Pole is a 'very very lonely place'.

'There's very little interaction with humans or animals so if you're in a camp or a research centre you're with those people for six months, if not a year,' he told The Times.

'Everything becomes heightened. It's all white - there's no colour, no noise and nothing you would see as normal so everybody's behaviour - including your own - gets magnified and the little things become the big things.'

Mr Chamber warned the 'loneliness of the continent' majorly impacts behaviour and said that those who are stationed in Antarctica 'really have to be happy with yourself'.

He claims that due to the fact that one spend 'lot of time inside your mind', small issues with others can escalate into larger problems.
An Irish hip-hop band has sparked outrage after a member was photographed holding the severed head of a King George V statue during an Australian gig.

Belfast-based Kneecap were playing a show at Melbourne venue 170 Russell on Friday evening, when they say a fan presented them with the head.

Band member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, 27, known as Mo Chara, was pictured beside the head on stage.

'Some madman dropped by with a huge King George's head so he could hear a few tunes for our last Melbourne show!' the post read.

'Allegedly, his head was cut off last year in the city ... anyways he was put on stage for a few tunes and then whisked away... remember every colony can fall.'

The head was torn from the King George V statue in the Kings Domain, on the southern bank of the Yarra River, on the King's Birthday public holiday on June 10.

Anti-monarchists at the time posted a clip of the beheading online, accompanied by 'God Save the Queen' by the Sex Pistols.

Vandals coated the remaining statue in red paint and sprayed 'the colony will fall' in black paint underneath it.

What is believed to be a head severed from a statue of King George V has resurfaced at a Kneecap concert, accompanying the Belfast rappers on stage for a 'few tunes'

A Victoria Police spokesman said at the time the head was still missing before it reappeared in a video on social media six months later.

King Charles V's head was filmed alight on a barbecue with an Australian flag behind it.

The video was posted by two activist groups before a spokesperson for Disrupt Wars told Daily Mail Australia the video was sent to the group anonymously.

It came with a note which read: 'We will BBQ a monarch every year on January 26 until Australia (Day) is abolished #NotMyKing the colony will fall'.

The photograph of the head being shown off at the gig in Melbourne divided social media users with some praising the incident.

'Best moment of any gig I've ever been to. Direct action gets the goods,' one woman wrote.

'This is wild, love these guys,' another said.

'King George had a lot to say a few hundred years ago, but he was fiercely quiet this evening,' another said.

The head of a King George V effigy was lopped from the body last year on the Kings Birthday holiday

The head has resurfaced once since the statue's Kings Birthday decapitation  ablaze in a barbecue on Australia day

Others were not supportive of the move and said it sent across the wrong message.

'Huge fan but promoting violence is not a means to what you are trying to achieve,' one wrote.

'You can be tough, hard, controversial, eye-opening, scary, but suggesting that at any time that was an "okay" thing to do isn't the type of progress you want to make.'

'What a rebel ... so cool ... sad, middle-class, leftie man in his late 20s to 30s acting like an 18-year-old hood,' another man unleashed.

Kneecap rose to fame for their mixed-language lyrics, both Gaelic and English, and republican themes.

Last year, their eponymous, fictionalised origin story became the first Irish language film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

The group have frequently referred to themselves as 'Republican Hoods' and their fans 'Fenians'.

The three artists don't shy from the provocative or the political in their music, stunts, nor media interviews.

They arrived to the Sundance Festival in Utah atop a UK divvy van, spray-painted with their band name and flying the Irish flag.

They were also vocal in their condemnation of Britain's far right riots, and expressed their support for the pro-Palestine movement just recently while playing to to thousands in Federation Square on Labour Day.

Despite the stunts, Mo Chara once told Rolling Stone his group is just about music.

'I think because of where were from, everything has to be about politics,' Mo Chara said last year.

'Were a band, for f***s sake. We make music. Obviously, we do things that are political. But I worry that just because were a band from Belfast that raps in Irish, any kind of political crisis, theyre like, "Oh, lets f***ing ask Kneecap what they think!"'
Donald Trump celebrated as a plane carrying suspected members of a notorious Venezuelan gang touched down at a prison in El Salvador despite a judge's order.

The plane carrying alleged members of Tren de Aragua touched down on Sunday, with the migrants quickly brought to the country's maximum security Terrorism Confinement Center under an agreement between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Photos and videos Bukele shared online showed several men in handcuffs and shackles being transferred from a plane to a heavily-guarded convoy.

Once at the prison, they were seen shackled on the ground as prison guards shaved their heads.

The suspected gang members were already in international airspace when a federal judge abruptly blocked the Trump administration's use of an 18th century law to deport them.

Judge James Boasberg verbally ordered the plane to return to the United States, but never included it in his written order - allowing the Trump administration to claim it did not disobey the order.

When the plane then landed on Sunday and the gangsters were seen being led into their prison cells, Trump blamed his predecessor and the Democratic party for letting them into the country into the first place.

'These are monsters sent into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats. How dare they!' the president posted on his Truth Social page Sunday night.

President Donald Trump hailed the sight of migrants arriving at a notorious Salvadoran prison on Sunday, calling them 'monsters'

The migrants were brought to the Terrorism Confinement Center under an agreement between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio

The president blamed Democrats for the gang's arrival in the United States

'Thank you to El Salvador, and in particular President Bukele, for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to happen to the United States because of Democrat leadership,' he continued.

'We will not forget.'

Rubio had also said in a separate statement that 'hundreds of violent criminals were sent out of our country.'

'I want to express my sincere gratitude to President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador for playing a pivotal role in this transfer.'

Of those now being held at the maximum security prison, 137 are suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang who were deported just moments after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, declaring that the US was facing an 'invasion' from a criminal organization that has been linked to kidnapping, extortion, organized crime and contract killings.

There were also 101 of the deportees to the Salvadoran prison were Venezuelans removed until Title 8, 21 were Salvadoran MS-13 gang members and two were MS-13 ring leaders and 'special cases' for El Salvador, a senior White House official confirmed to Fox News.

Trump has claimed that he is justified in invoking the act to deport Tren de Aragua members because he claims the gang has ties to the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Under his order, all Venezuelan citizens 14 years of age or older who are determined to be members of the gang, are within the United States and are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the country are 'liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies.'

They were already in international airspace when a federal judge abruptly blocked the Trump administration's use of an 18th century law to deport the alleged gangsters

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center

Gang members are pictured being taken to their cells on Sunday

The directive also notes that the notorious gang 'has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens.'

He contended that the gang is a hostile force noting members of the gang were 'conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States' with the goal of destabilizing the nation.

'Over the years, Venezuelan national and local authorities have ceded ever-greater control over their territories to transnational criminal organizations, including TdA,' Trump said in defense of his order.

'The result is a hybrid criminal state that is perpetrating an invasion of and predatory incursion into the United States, and which poses a substantial danger to the United States.'

DailyMail.com was the first news organization in the US to report on TdA arriving in America over a year ago, however, the gang became a household name after video of them storming an apartment near Denver surfaced in August.

The Trump administration has since designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and six other criminal groups as global terrorist organizations.

The United States sent over 130 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang

Bukele, in a meeting last month with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio , offered to house prisoners from the United States in his country

The gang has been linked to kidnapping, extortion, organized crime and contract killings

An alleged member of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua being shaved upon his arrival at the Terrorism Confinement Centre

But Boasberg has ruled that the Alien Enemies Act 'does not provide a basis for the president's proclamation' to deport suspected gang members 'given that the terms invasion, predatory incursion really relate to hostile acts perpetrated by any nation and commensurate to war.'

The Act was previously invoked during World War II, when it was used to incarcerate Germans and Italians as well as for the mass internment of around 120,000 Japanese and Japanese-American civilians.

At the prison, the suspected gang members will now spend 23 and a half hours locked in overcrowded cells, with just 30 minutes to stretch - chained in the middle of the hallway.

It is equipped with a system that blocks inmates from contacting the outside world with cellphones.

To enter the jail, staffers, guards and prisoners have to go through a complex registration system before they travel through three sections safeguarded by gates.

Jail cells with steel bars are split among the eight cell blocks and can hold up to 100 detainees.

Each cell comes equipped with 80 bare iron bunks - mattresses are not included - along with two toilets and two sinks.

Every pavilion also has its own windowless cell where unruly prisoners are sent.

Within the cells, the temperature can reach a staggering 95 degree during the day, and there is no other source of ventilation.

Stunning images taken from within the complex usually show inmates shirtless in white shorts as they attempt to keep cool.

Dubbed a 'black hole of human rights' by critics, the facility has drawn widespread condemnation for allegedly ignoring international prisoner rights.

Miguel Sarre, a former member of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture, for example, slammed the facility as a 'concrete and steel pit.'

The $100 million penitentiary, the largest in Latin America, was constructed over a span of seven months in 2022 as part of Bukele's plan to reign in street gangs after more than 60 people were murdered on March 26, 2022.

The following day, Bukele declared a State of Exception, which granted powers to the police and military as alleged gang members, including those belonging to the MS-13 and Barrio 18, were rounded up in raids without court orders and stripped away rights such as freedom of assembly and communication privacy.
A former animal shelter worker who attempted to sell human toes coughed up by the dog of a dead man had previously sold the bodies of stillborn kittens and puppies online.

Lilydale mum-of-five Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, from Melbourne's north-east, pleaded guilty in the Ringwood Magistrates' Court on Monday to one count of offensive conduct involving human remains.

The court heard she admitted planning to sell two human toes stored in a jar of formaldehyde for $400 on a twisted online black market.

The jar was later found by police in her home in a wall unit containing a 'pig trotter, alligator claw, bird skull and baby teeth belonging to her children'.

The former ranger was arrested on February 24 last year where she admitted to being member of the Facebook page 'Bone Buddies Australia' - an oddities site catered to 'skull and bone enthusiasts'.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Melissa Sambrooks told the court the site was commonly used by people to buy, swap and sell 'specimens' and share their discoveries.

'The accused is an avid contributor to the site and has sold multiple items, including a wet specimen of a stillborn kitten, a wet specimen of a stillborn puppy and a book titled "History Of Punishment And Torture",' the prosecutor said.

The court heard Kinman also engaged with the group about 'the processes of dead roadkill animals' and a television show that focused on 'buying and selling human remains'.

Joanna Kathlyn Kinman (pictured) pleaded guilty to collecting the human remains to sell on the black market. She is pictured outside the Ringwood Magistrates' Court on Monday

Kinman had come across the human toes in an animal shelter, which cannot be named for legal reasons, after dead man's dogs were sent there to find them a new home.

The court heard the dogs later vomited up the remains, which were tossed in the bin by disturbed staff - one whom was so distraught she went home sick.

Upon learning of the distressing incident, Kinman offered to cover for the worker, later diving into the bin and retrieving the man's bones.

The court heard Kinman discussed with her daughter selling the bones, suggesting her 'research' indicated they could fetch her up to $400 from online buyers.

Kinman told police she took the toes because she knew someone who collected 'weird things'.

'And it was a toe and I thought "cool, it's a toe",' Kinman told police.

Her lawyer, Rainer Martini, described his client's actions as 'reprehensible'. 'spontaneous' and 'insensitive'.

But argued she had already suffered enough by the media reporting of her atrocious behaviour.

Joanna Kathlyn Kinman is part of a ghoulish Facebook group of 'skull and bone enthusiasts'

Walk of Shame: Joanna Kathlyn Kinman (pictured)outside court on Monday

'Her name has already been spat out to the world at large - even overseas apparently there is that sort of interest,' he said.

'I can understand that interest. My client is already being punished as a result of that.'

Mr Martini argued his client ought escape a jail sentence with a community corrections order, with the possibility of being let go without conviction.

However Magistrate Andrew Sim suggested she would be lucky to leave the courtroom without wearing handcuffs.

A reference supplied by Mr Martini on his client's behalf was panned by the magistrate amid claims it attempted to 'condone' her actions.

'This is a strange thing to do, but if you're collecting stuff like this or having stuff like this in your home and that's something you want then I don't see it as a major issue,' the referee told the court via the statement.

Magistrate Sim condemned Kinman's behaviour, expressing disbelief she could not have understood what she did was wrong given her position of trust.

'It's just astounding that she would not have understood ... that taking two toes that have been vomited up by one or two dogs from a deceased person and then effectively trying to sell those on the internet would not be the wrong thing to do,' he said.

A human toe and bone fragments were kept in a jar by the former animal shelter volunteer (pictured) after the remains were vomited up by a surrendered dog

Joanna Kathlyn Kinman (left) was pursued by reporters outside a Melbourne court on Monday

'There's no real explanation and I'm struggling to understand what has caused this.'

The court heard Kinman had led an otherwise law-abiding life, completing her high school studies in her 20s and later studying psychology.

She then went onto complete her Certificate 2 in Animal Health Care and taking up the job that would ultimately lead to her facing court and international notoriety.

An expert doctor's report indicated Kinman had an ordinary childhood after being adopted, but had suffered from a 'destructive relationship' in her teens.

But the doctor believed she was unlikely to reoffend in such a way.

The hearing was stood down to allow Kinman to be accessed for a community order.
A woman who was allegedly scammed by a serial loverat and gave birth to his child over the weekend, now claims he's faked his own death.

Cassandra Taulaki, from the Gold Coast, said her former lover used the fake name 'Marcus Bennet,' and that he left her heartbroken and homeless because he lied 'about everything' during their year-long relationship.

Ms Taulaki recently took to social media to expose the alleged con artist, which caused Bennet to initially go to ground.

However, she believes the loose-lipped lothario resurfaced on Saturday under a new alias and claimed that Bennet had died.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia from her hospital bed on Sunday after giving birth, Ms Taulaki said the latest bizarre development was just more of Bennet's alleged twisted lies to try to silence her.

'He has done this before to other girlfriends,' she claimed. 'I am OK and in my newborn bubble with bub born last night.'

Ms Taulaki said she sold everything she owned in October last year in order to start a new life with the man she believed to be a successful civil engineer in Dubai.

They had met on a dating site almost a year prior and planned a new life together after she fell pregnant in May.

Cassandra Taulaki thought she'd met the man of her dreams when she started dating the man she knew as Marcus Bennet at the end of 2023

The man, who is of Pacific Island heritage, (pictured) allegedly lied to Cass, even claiming he had no children, but it's now believed he has at least seven

The single mum was looking for love and the successful jet-setter (pictured) ticked all the boxes. She believed he was a member of the Australian Defence Force, but has since found out the convincing snaps were taken in costumes he hired

Believing his money was 'tied up with the ATO,' Ms Taulaki gave him thousands of dollars before her world came crashing down when she flew to Dubai and found out he was really an unemployed barber who'd allegedly conned multiple other women with the same story.

'That's when I found his passport in a different name and started to work everything out,' she said.

'I didn't let him know and fled Dubai coming back to Australia without anything.

As she went into labour, Bennet allegedly used another one of his aliases and pretended to be a friend in Dubai. He claimed the QLD Police were involved in the saga.

'Hello, I urgently need your help,' read one message sent to a stranger who had shared Ms Taulaki's videos online.

'Is there any way you can contact her straight to TikTok... The family want to speak to her as he has sadly taken his own life.'

Ms Taulaki explained that although this kind of thing is portrayed in movies and documentaries, she didn't believe it could ever happen to her.

'I fell for a man who wasn't even real - he lied about everything, his name, his age, his job, his family, his entire life,' she said in an earlier social media post.

'I was in really deep and I'm currently pregnant with our child. I'm due in a week.

'We had made plans for our future and our life together, but it was a future that was built on the foundation of all his lies and I had no idea who I was really dealing with.

'He was creating a world of fake accounts and fake people - and doing this for years to other women.'

Taulaki sold everything she owned to move to Dubai with her new man and is now homeless and broke

It's claimed he even photoshopped himself to make it look like he had a twin

Ms Taulaki also believed Bennet when he claimed he was childless - but she's since found out he has allegedly fathered at least seven other children.

Tongan-born Ms Taulaki thought she'd met the man of her dreams when she started dating Bennet at the end of 2023.

The single mum was looking for love and the successful jet-setter appeared to tick all the boxes.

The tall, dark and handsome engineer told her that he was in Australia for Christmas before returning to his well-paid job in the Middle East.

'His name obviously is not Marcus,' Ms Taulaki revealed in social media posts lifting the lid on the alleged deception.

'He has many names actually - Paul, Pauly, Dartanian, Sam, Ryan, Dox, Antonio...

'He said he was 32 years old and was a civil engineer in Dubai and was returning to Dubai in Feb 2024.'

Ms Taulaki said the lies kept coming, from a fictional family to life events that simply never happened.

She has shared her story in social media vowing to expose his alleged lies

'He told me he had four brothers, all of which are not real people,' she said.

'He told me he was in the Australian Defence Force. It was believable, he had photos in his military uniform.'

She has since found out the convincing snaps were taken in costumes he hired.

By March 2024, her boyfriend had delayed his return to Dubai to send more time together and Ms Taulaki says she was footing the bill for everything.

'He had money when I met him, that's why I wasn't suspicious,' Ms Taulaki said.

'Then he must have ran out of money and that's when he spun a story about the ATO and his money being tied up in Dubai.

'That made sense to me because that's what would usually happen if he was in the situation he was telling me he was in.'

By May, the pair were expecting and Ms Taulaki said that's when his alleged con became even more complex.

She has been flooded with messages from a string of women who knew Marcus and had similar stories to tell

She received messages on Facebook from a man she believed was his twin brother, offering congratulations on falling pregnant.

But he later got back in touch with her to ask for money towards a surprise birthday gift for 'Marcus'.

Ms Taulaki later found out there was no brother - and the fake account had been set up by her boyfriend using edited pictures of himself to look like they were twins.

'He photoshopped himself in,' she said.

'He is so delusional. Who pretends they have a twin brother and photoshops themselves in to photos to look legit and sends to girls?'

With Bennets encouragement, Ms Taulaki sold everything she owned in October to head to Dubai with him.

'I sell everything, I close my business and my plan is to go to New Zealand and see my family and let them know I am pregnant and that I have met a really great guy and we are building a life together and they will meet him at Christmas,' she explained.

'Marcus's parents had [supposedly] bought us an apartment on the Gold Coast and the plan is to go to Dubai for a few months and then come back to Australia and move into this apartment that his parents have bought for us and have the baby.'

She hadn't heard from her ex until the fake texts claiming he died

But Ms Taulaki said when she arrived in New Zealand things started to unravel.

'There were a few red flags and I'm starting to think, ''that's strange'',' she admitted.

In Dubai, Taulaki became more suspicious after his story about a five-year work contract and flash apartment 'didn't add up'.

After some detective work online, including finding legal documents in his real name, she finally realised his whole story had allegedly been fake.

'I last spoke to him when I came back to Australia,' she said. 'I was pretending like everything was fine and we were still in a relationship.'

A few weeks later Ms Taulaki took to social media, posting a series of videos of her now ex-boyfriend, vowing to 'expose' him for what he had done

Within hours, she was flooded with messages from a string of women who knew Marcus and had similar stories to tell - including seven who were mothers to his children.

Her videos have since racked up millions of views with hundreds of supportive comments, prompting Ms Taulaki to launch a GoFundMe which has raised almost $6000.

'I am trying to raise funds so I can move into my own place for my children and I, furnish our home and start getting my life back on track as I navigate life with a new born again,' her plea read.

'I live in Australia but am an NZ citizen so I do not get government support after I have my baby. I am due in just over a week.

'I had my funds depleted by a man I had trusted and loved and thought was building a future with.

'I returned to Australia with no home, no job and little money after fleeing the relationship I was in. I have no family here and appreciate even just a few dollars.

'I don't get creator funds on TikTok and can't monetise my story there so hence why I've created this to try and get some help so me and my babies can have a stable home.'
A 16-year-old boy may have just become the youngest undertaker in Britain after leading his first funeral just a year after leaving school.

Alfie Taylor made the unusual career choice because he did not know what he wanted to do after his GCSEs.

He joined his uncle's business and now has no plans to quit any time soon.

Simon Taylor started Ashby Funeral Care in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, last year and began employing his teenage nephew shortly afterwards.

After six months of training, the youngster arranged and conducted his first ever funeral this week.

Alfie told the Mirror: 'It is not for everyone but it doesn't bother me. Loads of people have asked me how it feels to be a funeral director at just 16 and the only word I can think of is surreal.'

In a Facebook post, Ashby Funeral Care wrote: 'After six months of training, Alfie's knowledge, professionalism, and dedication have been outstanding.

'His attitude, attendance, timekeeping, and work ethic have all been exceptional, and it was clear he was ready for this important moment.

Alfie Taylor leads a funeral procession as he likely becomes Britain's youngest funeral director at age 16

The teenager took the unique career path and now sees a long-term future in the role

'The family of the funeral specifically asked if Alfie could take part in the service, a request he approached with great care and respect.

'Under Simon's supervision, he carried out his role with confidence and dignity, demonstrating a level of professionalism well beyond his years.

Alfie said he knew he wanted to continue his career after finding the funerals rewarding.

After sitting his GCSEs just last May, he took the opportunity to join his uncle's business and said he hasn't looked back since.

He added: 'I've done it for six months and I'm so used to it now. I just want to be there for the families and help them through their difficult times.'

In 2020, Seth Van Beek defied both age and gravity to become the UK's youngest commercial airline pilot.

His mother sold the family home in order to help her son achieve his dreams.

He had to move to Greece to take his 85,000 flight school course, completing 150 hours in the air before passing with flying colours.

Seth Van Beek became the UKs youngest qualified commercial airline pilot aged just 18

The teenager received his licence to fly passenger planes after completing nearly 18 months of training

Seth, from north-west London, had set his sights on being a pilot since the age of eight.

My mum was an avid traveller when she was younger, and when I was a boy shed take us on holidays to see the world, he said.

I loved everything about flying... Ive always felt safer in a plane than travelling on a bus or driving a car  though I do have a drivers licence!

Seth left school at 16 after doing his GCSEs and managed to pass the gruelling entrance exams to attended Egnatia Aviation Training College in Greece. In April 2018, he began 18 months training at the academy.

He sat 14 exams, alternating between learning theory and practical flying at Greeces Kavala International Airport.

The teenager would take to the skies up to five times a week during his practical stints, initially for just 60 minutes, but eventually flying for five hours.

He graduated in September at the top of his class, getting his licence from the European Aviation Safety Agency a month later.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Hazel Cassidy became the youngest person ever to win an age discrimination claim after being fired from her Saturday job for being too young in 2021.

In December 2019, Miss Cassidy had completed a trial shift at an equestrian centre owned by the Daimler Foundation near Kilmarnock, which has a cafe and restaurant.

The girl was working at an equestrian centre owned by the Daimler Foundation near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, which has a cafe and restaurant (pictured)

The panel heard that she had given her age when she applied for the role and filled in forms which included her date of birth.

At the end of her shift, where she waited on tables and worked at the till, the front of house manager Malcolm Easy told the teenager he was 'pleased' with her.

The following Saturday, under the impression she had passed her trial shift, Miss Cassidy worked for four hours.

But as she was taking an order at the till, another boss told her she should not be doing that and she was given two plates to deliver to a table instead.

She was then sent home early because the cafe was quiet, the panel heard.

Mr Easy later called her to say he 'enjoyed working with her' but she was being sacked as the accountant had said she was too young for 'health and safety reasons'.

The company claimed she was sacked because the 'role was too demanding'.

However, the panel ruled that there was no evidence of 'high demand'  as the teenager had been sent home when the cafe was 'quiet'.
When a former prime minister calls an impromptu media conference while visiting Parliament House, using the occasion to trash talk one of the few policy decisions both major parties agree on, you know his retirement isn't going as well as he might have hoped.

After enjoying last week's moment in the limelight verbally jousting with US President Donald Trump, Malcolm Turnbull has once again found his way in front of a microphone to offer some scathing assessments of Australia's nuclear submarine deal under the AUKUS pact.

Asked whether or not Trump will honour the deal, Turnbull replied that he was confident that he would.

But it wasn't praise for Trump's respect for signed and sealed agreements that was behind Turnbull's reasoning.

'At the back at his mind, he'll be thinking: "Who are these dumb guys that agreed to this deal?",' Turnbull said.

In other words, Turnbull is confident Trump will honour the deal because it's good for America but bad for Australia.

'AUKUS is a terrible deal. It is so unfair to Australia, and the reason it is unfair is that we are paying US $3billion to the Americans to support their submarine industrial base, but we have no guarantee that we will ever get any submarines,' Turnbull said.

Whether the former PM is right or not is almost beside the point and I happen to think that he is.

After enjoying last week's moment in the limelight verbally jousting with US President Donald Trump , Malcolm Turnbull has once again found his way in front of a microphone to offer some scathing assessments of Australia's nuclear submarine deal under the AUKUS pact

Turnbull says the US will continue to support AUKUS because it's a better deal for them

The subs deal also costs Australia a fortune, somewhere in the order of $350billion, and that's assuming it comes in on budget.

In truth, deals like AUKUS are as much about stimulating local manufacturing with government money as anything else.

It's also a chance to lock in the US alliance at a time when policy makers in Canberra have concerns about the rise of China's military presence and outward posturing.

Turnbull is alive to that, but he also sees basic downsides in the drafting of the agreement Australia made. Not that I suspect those finer points are what really motivates his desire to comment on what concerns him.

So what is really motivating Turnbull's scathing assessments of his successors' decision making?

It's hard not to think that it's driven by spite, at least to some extent anyway.

Turnbull has never gotten over the fact that his party unceremoniously removed him from the top job.

Peter Dutton challenged Turnbull for the Liberal leadership back in 2018, so he gets special attention.

The benchmark for post prime ministerial dignity other ex-PMs should learn from goes to Julia Gillard, writes Peter van Onselen

Scott Morrison came through the middle to win the prime ministership, and Turnbull now suspects Morrison orchestrated the whole thing to his advantage in the first place.

As a consequence, despite the pair being close for years and despite Turnbull backing Morrison over Dutton, Turnbull soon became one of Morrison's greatest critics.

This includes when Morrison inked the subs deal which scuttled Turnbull's previous submarines purchase agreement with the French.

When Labor got on board and supported the AUKUS deal to avoid a clash with the Coalition on national security, they put themselves in Turnbull's sights too.

There hasn't been a more intelligent PM in the last half century than Turnbull. But his time in power was a bitter disappointment to many of his biggest supporters. And deep down I suspect he feels the same way.

When negative sentiments dictate why former PM's choose to make public comments they do themselves a greater disservice than anyone else.

Even when their gripes might be reasonably founded they seem incapable of expressing such sentiments in a way that makes the issue at hand the focus, rather than the bile being sprayed around about them.

The savage nature of politics makes it difficult for former politicians to break out of the impact it has on them in the aftermath of their careers.

Some might argue that Turnbull was always likely to end up this way. Former Liberal Party powerbroker Nick Minchin long expressed such concerns when warning against electing Turnbull into the Liberal leadership.

Nonetheless the party room did it twice, before both times exiting him stage right a short while later.

The benchmark for post prime ministerial dignity other ex-PMs should learn from goes to Julia Gillard, who has managed to elevate what was a rather unsuccessful prime ministership in the eyes of many simply by acting with grace during her political retirement.

And few political leaders were more mistreated during their careers than Gillard was. Yet she still finds a way to leave the bitterness behind.

Gillard isn't a mute. She comments from time to time, but she doesn't let her history with others dictate when, and she isn't consumed by a desire to get her name back in lights.

If only all former PMs showed such dignity. Irrespective of whether they are right or wrong on what they comment about.
MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend left her panel speechless after declaring live on air that she will leave the Democratic Party to become an Independent.

Her announcement came while blasting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democrats for caving to Republican demands in order to avoid the latest government funding showdown.

'I'm p*****,' Sanders Townsend said bluntly during The Weekend show as she shared her outrage over Schumer's decision to suddenly back the Republican-led spending bill that averted a government shutdown.

'There's actually little that the Senate Minority Leader can say, and the 10 Democrats that voted with the Republicans can say, to appease somebody like me. I'm going to change my registration to Independent,' a frustrated Sanders Townsend said.

Her on-air bombshell stunned the panel, with her stance similar to what many are now calling the beginning of a political fracture within the Democratic ranks and a rift that could lead to a progressive uprising against the party's establishment.

Schumer, long regarded as a master of tactical voting in the Senate, found himself at the center of a political firestorm after voting in favor of a stopgap spending bill late on Friday night.

The 74-year-old top New York Democrat had claimed last week that his camp was united in opposition to the Trump-backed Republican proposal.

But on Thursday he relented and declared he would vote to keep the government's lights on.

MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend left her panel speechless after declaring live on air that she will leave the Democratic Party and become an Independent

Her on-air bombshell stunned the panel, signaling what many are now calling the beginning of a political fracture within the Democratic ranks

Chuck Schumer, the 74-year-old top Democrat had claimed last week his camp was united in opposition to the Trump-backed Republican proposal, but on Thursday he relented and declared he would vote to keep the government's lights on

Ten other Democrats joined with him Schumer to push the measure over the finish line in a 54-46 vote.

Trump signed the bill into law Saturday afternoon.

Schumer justified his position as the least-worst path, and 'the best way to minimize the harm that the Trump administration will do to the American people.'

Almost all Republicans backed the measure. Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted against the bill along with nearly all the Democrats, except Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine.

The bill keeps the government running, but at the cost of billions in spending cuts, including the continuation of devastating cuts to agencies already crippled by Trump and Elon Musk's sweeping federal layoffs.

'The reality here is there was no message, no strategy, and, at the end of the day, no leadership,' fumed former Democratic Congresswoman Donna Edwards, now an MSNBC analyst.

'This is really a black mark on Chuck Schumer. You cannot signal on Wednesday that you want to fight, and then on Thursday, you cave. And so now Republicans know that all they have to do is play Democrats, and it will work.'

Schumer calculated that by avoiding a shutdown would be handing President Trump a political gift.

Democratic Congresswoman Donna Edwards was fuming over Schumer's sudden climbdown

Almost all Republicans backed the measure except Senator Rand Paul and nearly all the Democrats apart from Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine

Trump himself gloated over the chaos, posting on his Truth Social on Friday: 'Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing. It took 'guts' and courage,' the president wrote

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has warned of 'catastrophic consequences' from the spending cuts, unleashed a scathing post on Bluesky

'It's much, much better not to be in the middle of a shutdown, which [would] divert people from the number one issue we have against these b*******,' Schumer told MSNBC on Friday - before quickly correcting himself, 'Sorry, these people.'

But for many within his party, including some of its most loyal progressive allies, the excuse fell flat.

Sanders Townsend appeared to be seething as she tore into Schumer and Senate Democrats for what she called a complete collapse of resistance against Trump's agenda.

'There's not another option for Senate Democrats or House Democrats to effectively push back. This was it. They blew it,' Sanders Townsend said, looking completely fed up.

'The Democratic Tea Party was born the same day that Chuck Schumer took to that podium to read that very well-crafted statement that told us he folded like a paper napkin.'

Reading from journalist Rebecca Traister's Substack, Sanders Townsend emphasized that the same Democrats who warn about Trump's danger to democracy now refuse to stand against him in practice, perhaps signaling the death of any authentic opposition within the party.

There was anger in New York and Washington DC as news of the deal spread.

Outside Schumer's home in New York, more than 100 furious protesters gathered to denounce his actions, while thousands more flooded Manhattan streets in opposition to both Trump and the Democratic leadership that, in their view, failed to fight back.

Demonstrators take part in a 'March to Stop the Cuts' protest in New York

Despite stark warnings from Democrats, the resolution passed the Senate late on Friday with the support of 10 Democrats, including Chuck Schumer

Thousands marched down Broadway including many unions demanding an end to Trump's cut

Michelle Vaughan, a 53-year-old artist holding a sign that read 'Elon out!  You too, Chuck!'

'The budget was our only leverage,' Vaughan said at the protest in Manhattan. 'It was a way to show the base of Democrats and the world that there's a resistance to this authoritarian takeover.'

At a rally in Manhattan, Aimee Reeves, recently laid off from a nonprofit hit by USAID cuts, said Democrats were normalizing Trump's destruction of government.

'The government is not functioning as it should, and the fact that they put forth a narrative that we needed to vote for this bill to continue the government to function is normalizing something that's entirely not normal,' Reeves said.

Even members of Schumer's own caucus are now questioning his leadership. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) told CNN on Sunday.

'I think Senate Democrats have to sit down and take a look and decide whether or not Chuck Schumer is the one to lead in this moment.'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has warned of 'catastrophic consequences' from the spending cuts, unleashed a scathing post on Bluesky, writing: 'Senate Democrats have destroyed their chances of future cooperation with the House through their fear-based, inexplicable abdication. They own what happens next.'

Around the table at MSNBC table, Alicia Menendez revealed how some Democrats are privately urging Ocasio-Cortez to run against Schumer in a primary.

'Anyone can primary him. Anyone,' Sanders Townsend declared, her frustration clear.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries attempted to calm tempers stating, 'Our party is not a cult, we are a coalition. On occasion, we may strongly disagree about a particular course of action.'

Outside Schumer's Washington office, young activists from the Sunrise Movement gathered with banners demanding 'No more cowardice - Step up or step aside.'

Other progressive groups like the Center for Biological Diversity accused Democrats of 'handing Musk and Trump free rein to destroy our environmental agencies and gut the civil service.'

Trump himself gloated over the chaos, posting on his Truth Social on Friday: 'Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing. It took 'guts' and courage,' the president wrote.

With progressives seething, the base disillusioned, and Trump emboldened, Sanders Townsend's declaration could be the canary in the coal mine and a warning the Democratic Party might be on the verge of an internal revolt.

Schumer may soon find himself facing the fiercest battle of his career, not from Republicans, but from within his own ranks.

'No more paper napkins,' one protester shouted outside Schumer's residence. 'If you can't fight, step aside.'
A Texas man accused of killing his wife with a clothing iron was found at his home with blood all over his clothes after abandoning her four dogs on the highway.

Houston police were called to the home of Chance Chavez, 34, who was found with blood on his arms, legs and clothing around 7:30am on Wednesday. He was standing in the doorway with his hands up, police said.

After officers secured Chavez in a squad car, they searched the home and found Kristen Chavez, 32, unresponsive in a bedroom.

Paramedics pronounced his wife of seven years dead at the scene. Investigators later determined that she died from blunt force trauma.

'Even though it was not a good situation, [she was] staying in it, hoping that things will change,' Kristen's mother Laura Bell told FOX 26.

'Were hoping that he remains in jail until the trial and throughout the trial for him to be held accountable for what hes done,' she added.

Kristen's family have claimed that after her death, Chavez her four dogs and dumped them on the Katy Freeway, a section of Interstate-10 that runs through the city of Houston.

'She doesnt have any children, so these dogs are her babies,' said Julia Green, Kristen's sister.

Kristen Chavez, 32, was found dead in the bedroom of the home she shared with her husband Chance Chavez, 34

Chance Chavez, 34, has been charged with murder after police found her body inside the Houston home they shared together

Kristen's dog Peaches was among the four dogs Chavez allegedly dumped on the side of the Katy Freeway. Peaches is the only dog that hasn't been found

Bell told KPRC that Kristen loved them 'like her children' and said they are her 'granddogs.'

All but one of Kristen's dogs, a Dachshund named Peaches, has been found and rescued.

Her family has asked the community for help in locating Peaches, a call that has been heeded by many residents who have been spreading the word on social media.

'My family and I want to thank each and everyone for the support, compassion, and love we have received these past few days,' Bell wrote Saturday on Facebook.

Bell added that her family wasn't aware of the fashion in which Kristen was killed until the news media reported that an iron was the murder weapon.

'I did need to mention that my children and I didnt receive details of the weapons used to commit Kristens murder,' she wrote.

'We were devastated to hear about one particular one used was on the news tonight and very descriptive. It crushed us to hear. The brutality and suffering my daughter endured was unimaginable.'

She also shared a petition demanding that Chavez's bond be set higher so he remains in jail as he awaits trial.

Kristen's family described her as a strong, loving woman who had dreams of being an attorney in the future (Pictured from L-R: Brother Devin Cervantes, mother Laura Bell and sister Julia Green)

Devin Cervantes, Kristen's brother, said she saw the good in people 'even though they tried to take advantage of that'

A judge originally set his bond at $500,000 before cutting it in half to $250,000.

Kristen worked as a paralegal and founded the paralegal consulting firm Nirvana Legal Solutions in February 2024, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Her family described her as a strong, loving woman who had dreams of being an attorney in the future.

'She was very logical. She was the voice of reason. She was headstrong in a positive way,' Bell said.

Devin Cervantes, Kristen's brother, said she saw the good in people 'even though they tried to take advantage of that.'

'She was my ride or die. She was my goofy twin. She always had a passion for others, helping others,' Cervantes said.

If convicted of Kristen's murder, Chavez faces life in prison without parole or the death penalty. He is due back in court on Monday.
An accused drug driver has admitted causing the accident which killed a young Melbourne model but the victim's family's fight for justice remains on hold.

Connor Mathiasson, 24, fronted a Melbourne court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Elise Hodder.

Ms Hodder, 24, was at Sir Zelman Cowen Park in Kooyong in inner-east Melbourne, when she was struck by the vehicle driven by Mathiasson just after 1am on October 13 last year.

The glamourous young model with the world at her feet had gone out to party with friends at a rave before she was tragically killed.

It's alleged Mathiasson, who turned 24 last month, attempted to reverse out of the car park when he struck three pedestrians including Ms Hodder.

Ms Hodder was trapped under the car and died at the scene.

Another female pedestrian, Emma Swords, 26 at the time, was rushed to the Alfred Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery to reconstruct both her ankles.

Mathiasson, of Sunbury in Melbourne's northwest, also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to Ms Swords.

Elise Hodder (pictured) was at in Kooyong in inner-east Melbourne when she was struck by the vehicle and killed on October 13

Connor Mathiasson, 24, fronted a Melbourne court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death

The third pedestrian struck was uninjured.

The incident was allegedly witnessed by police officers who were attending the park due to several triple-0 calls regarding noise complaints.

Investigators alleged Mathiasson had a blood alcohol content of 0.213, more than four times the legal limit.

Mathiasson, who admitted in court today he was unlicenced at the time he caused the accident which killed Ms Hodder, is also suspected of having cannabis THC in his system.

Many of Ms Hodder's family and friends including her parents were present at court to hear Mathiasson plead guilty however there is still a wait for full justice to be served.

Mathiasson pleaded not guilty to a more serious charge of culpable driving causing death and not guilty to negligent driving causing serious injury.

Rishi Nathwani KC, for Mathiasson, said his client 'accepted responsibility' for the accident 'as he did at the scene'.

Mr Nathwani also said it was a possibility Mathiasson will contest the remaining charges but it was 'unlikely it will be a trial hearing'.

Ms Hodder was a glamourous young model with the world at her feet had gone out to party with friends at a rave before she was tragically killed

Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz paid her respects to Ms Hodder's family for their courage in coming to court.

'Thank you for coming to court today,' Magistrate Mykytowycz said.

'It really heartens me to see the strong support your family has for your daughter Elise, so I thank you.'

Shortly after the tragedy, Ms Hodder's heartbroken parents, Pauline and Michael described their daughter to media as a 'beautiful soul with a radiance that touched everybody'.

They were especially 'proud' of Ms Hodder for recently achieving a full-page in the August edition of the New York-based fashion publication Vanguard Magazine.

Ms Hodder's shattered aunt also attended the crash scene the following day to lay flowers at a makeshift memorial.

Ms Hodder's former agency, FiveTwenty Model Management, described Ms Hodder as 'a delight to work with'.

'She was very curious about the industry and gave it her all, always showing up with a bubbly, bright attitude,' the agency said in a statement.

'It is with deep sadness to have received this news. Our condolences go out to her family and friends.

'Her presence and place in our hearts will never be forgotten. Rest in peace beautiful girl.'

A bail court heard previously Mathiasson's father Hoerdur Mathiasson said he was unaware of his son's alleged cannabis addiction.

Mathiasson was granted bail a few days after the tragedy

The incident was allegedly witnessed by police officers who were attending the park due to several triple-0 calls regarding noise complaints

Mr Mathiasson told the court in October he hadn't seen his son in-person since Christmas but agreed to supervise him '24-7' if he was to be granted bail and would provide a $100,000 surety.

Mathiasson, who was remanded directly after the incident, was granted bail a few days later.

Outside court, the father told reporters that he feels for Ms Hodder's family.

'It's devastating, absolutely devastating, I can't, really and I don't know what to say,' he said.

Mathiasson's bail application lawyer George Balot added: 'The family express their deepest and condolences to this woman's family and a speedy recovery to the other woman injured.'

Mathiasson had his bail extended with strict conditions he adhere to a curfew and not drive a vehicle.

He will front the County Court at a later date.
A Milwaukee mother-of-five with a drug dealing conviction has moaned about being deported to a country where she's never lived and blamed her lawyer.

Ma Yang, 37, was deported last month to Laos - despite not speaking the Lao language and having no friends or family in the country, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The military is now holding onto her papers, and Yang has been left without insulin for her diabetes and a dwindling supply of high blood pressure medication, she said.

'The United States sent me back to die,' she claimed. 'I don't even know where to go. I don't even know what to do.'

Yang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, the daughter of Hmong refugees after the Vietnam War, TMJ 4 reports. They then brought her to the United States when she was just eight months old.

But Yang decided to take part in a drug trafficking operation while on a green card, which can be revoked for criminal behavior.

She struck a plea deal which saw her jailed and now claims the lawyer who struck the deal for her told her that doing so would not endanger her immigration status.

She believed she would be allowed to stay in the country as Laos has typically refused to accept US deportees, with records showing that zero people were deported to the country in the last fiscal year.

But to her surprise, Yang was sent on a series of commercial flights from Chicago to Atlanta to South Korea and ultimately to Laos last year.

Ma Yang, 37, was deported last month to Laos - despite not speaking the Lao language and having no friends or family in the country

She left behind her five children, whose ages range from 22 to six years old

When she then arrived at the Laotian capital of Vientiane on March 6, Yang said she was questioned by military authorities - then was sent to a rooming house, where guards did not allow her to leave or contact anyone for five days.

She spent her days pacing around in circles as the guards refused to let her leave or contact anyone for five days.

Then, just recently, Yang was let out to withdraw cash and buy a cellphone - allowing her to finally reach out to her partner of 16 years, Michael Bub, a US citizen.

At that point, she was told she could leave if she wanted - but still, she says, she does not know where she would go.

'How do I rent, or buy, or anything with no papers?' she asked. 'I'm a nobody right now.'

Yang now struggles to get answers from the Laos military officials about her living situation and what she is supposed to do now.

Meanwhile, Bub - who has had two brain surgeries and is partially paralyzed - has been struggling to care for their children as a single father.

He hasn't been sleeping, noting that the last time he saw Yang was when he was rushing essentials and money to her before her flight.

The family has been left scrambling for answers from the Laos military

'I think I screamed in the car for like half an hour,' he said.

Their eldest daughter, Azia, at the age of 22, has also been forced to step in to care for her siblings - the youngest of whom is six.

The problems began shortly after the family moved into a house that prosecutors say was part of a marijuana trafficking operation.

Prosecutors have claimed that Yang helped count and package cash that was mailed to marijuana suppliers in California, saying they found bags of cash taped between pages of magazines.

Yang ultimately took a plea deal and served two-and-a-half years in prison, claiming her attorney incorrectly told her the plea deal would not affect her immigration status as a green card holder.

But her legal permanent residency was revoked.

Following her sentence, Yang was transferred to an ICE detention center in Minnesota, where at the advice of an attorney, she signed a document agreeing that a deportation order would be issued against her in exchange for being released from detention.

At that point, Yang said she expected her second attorney to reopen her criminal case, and get the conviction thrown out on the grounds she had poor legal representation the first time.

If it were thrown out, she reasoned, the deportation order would become irrelevant.

But the attorney never fought the charges.

'I just keep getting screwed in this system,' she said.

Her longtime partner, Michael Bub - who has had two brain surgeries and is partially paralyzed - has been struggling to care for their children as a single father

By mid-February, Yang said she got a call from ICE asking her to go to their downtown Milwaukee office for a check-in.

That is when she was detained and sent to Indiana, Yang said.

Still, someone told her she would likely just sit in jail for a few months, then get released, since Laos would likely not take her back.

But after just two weeks, she was sent to a holding facility in Chicago and then to the airport, where an officer forced her to put her fingerprints on a document stating she would not return to the US.

Now, Yang says she feels betrayed by the US - noting that Hmong soldiers recruited by the CIA helped the American military in the Vietnam War, then faced persecution and violence for their role.

'How did you send us back when we fought for you guys?' she asked, rhetorically. 'How is that OK?'
Australia's youngest-ever murderer, who stabbed a three-year-old girl through the heart, is free from jail and listed on dating websites.

'SLD' was just 13 when he murdered toddler Courtney Morley-Clarke in January 2001 on the NSW Central Coast after creeping into her house to steal her brother's video games.

Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal the twisted killer is online and looking for love - but having been granted lifetime anonymity, the public will never link him to his twisted crime.

Describing himself as a 'just a simple boy,' who resides 'in a beautiful city in Australia' the killer, now 38, says he 'lives alone,' and boasts he is a virgin.

Under the 'About me,' section of another popular website SLD has written that he is 'looking for a girlfriend or wife.'

SLD - who can't be named or pictured under the lifelong suppression order - has also added a single smiling photo of himself.

The page seems to have been made when SLD was briefly released in Wollongong NSW in September 2023 before he swiftly returned to custody after breaching conditions.

It is unclear if he has accessed any replies since his release on the weekend, however approaching woman in person or online is in breech of his supervision order.

SLD is on listed and pictured on dating apps hunting for a partner

Courtney Morley-Clarke was just three years old when she was murdered

SLD walked free from Long Bay Correctional Centre on Saturday morning

Murderer SLD, who later boasted about the killing on the Central Coast (the crime scene is pictured in 2001), was released on Saturday

Authorities believe he is at high risk of re-offending because of his obsession with finding a girlfriend and starting a sexual relationship after being locked up behind bars for more than 20 years.

Despite some disturbing concerns, he was still released last week on a supervision order.

During a two-day hearing last week, psychiatrists said the killer, is fixated on getting revenge for perceived wrongs and could react violently if he felt he was unfairly treated.

But they also said that keeping him in jail would be detrimental to his mental health and his ability to assimilate into the community at a later date.

Justice Mark Ierace agreed to his release but said the situation was unusual.

'It goes without saying this is a very challenging case,' he said. 'He has only been out in the community for four months since he was only 13 years old.'

Justice Ierace had options to impose a continuing detention order to keep him behind bars for another 12 months, or granting the extended supervision order.

While there are conditions around his release, SLD has previously admitted that he would be prepared to kill again if something 'big' took place.

In a chilling warning, he added: 'If I kill someone, it won't be a child.'

SLD carried his bag of belongings to a waiting car upon his release on Saturday morning

Aged 13 years and 10 months, SLD snatched Courtney in the middle of the night and stabbed her through the heart before leaving her body in long grass 300m from her home (pictured)

SLD breached his last release by approaching mothers with children at Bulli Beach (pictured) near Wollongong

His frightening confession and string of violent offences, which includes choking a nurse while jailed, were all considered by Justice Ierace.

After SLD was last released in September 2023, he was back behind bars after just a few weeks later when he was caught approaching women with young children at Bulli Beach in Wollongong, NSW asking them for a date.

He was also found to be accessing pornography online and psychologists warned he had become obsessed with losing his virginity after growing up in jail.

SLD had been adopted at the age of four by a family in Point Clare on the Central Coast, but his murder trial heard he remained 'disturbed' despite his new home.

At age 13 years and 10 months, he snatched Courtney from her bed in the middle of the night and stabbed her through the heart before leaving her body in long grass 300m from her home.

He was caught after it was noticed that he had gone missing from his home on the morning the three year old vanished.

He initially lied about the crime, leading police on a wild goose chase before later admitting he killed her.

Psychiatric assessments of the teen determined he'd never become a functioning social adult.

He was sentenced to 20 years behind bars in August 2002 and was first released in September 2023.

Justice Mark Ierace refused the states application for detention reverting to his original supervision order

On October 25 2023, SLD went to Bulli Beach near Wollongong with a supervisor and was spotted by an off-duty prison officer who noticed his electronic monitoring anklet.

The officer witnessed SLD approach a woman with a young girl, and then approach another mother washing an infant at the beach showers.

Both women picked up their children and walked away from SLD.

He then entered the Bulli Beach Cafe and struck up a conversation with a woman feeding an infant.

He allegedly said to the woman: 'I just got out of jail. Do you come here often?', followed by: 'I've only been here twice.'

Police came and arrested SLD, who told Wollongong Local Court the next day the encounters were 'incidental'.

SLD was found guilty of one count of failing to comply with an extended supervision order, which barred him from having contact with children.

He had also tried to access the internet, dating sites and encrypted chat apps.
Former US Rep. Nita Lowey, a long serving New York Democrat who was the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died at age 87.

Lowey's family, in a statement shared by the Westchester County Democratic Committee, said she died Saturday after battling metastatic breast cancer with the 'same tenacity and strength that she fought throughout her 32-year career in Congress for women, children and families.'

The family said she passed away peacefully in her home in Harrison, New York, surrounded by her husband, children and grandchildren.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who served with Lowey in Congress from 2011 to 2013, ordered flags flown at half-staff Sunday through Monday in honor of her former colleague.

'A public servant in the truest sense, she was guided by the Jewish core value of "Tikkun Olam," repairing the world,' the family's statement read. 'She was an indefatigable fighter and worked across the aisle to deliver results for her constituents and all Americans.'

Lowey represented suburban communities north of New York City, including parts of Westchester and Rockland Counties. In her earlier years, she served constituents in the Bronx and Queens before the lines of her district were redrawn.

She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1988 and served until her retirement at the end of the 117th Congress on January 3, 2021.

'After serving in the United States Congress for 31 years, I have decided not to seek re-election next year,' Lowey announced on October 10, 2019.

Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., is pictured speaking on March 10, 2020 during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention budget on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Lowey is pictured alongside other Democratic women including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez during President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address on February 5, 2019

Her resignation statement continued: 'It is my deep honor and privilege to serve my community and my country and I will always be grateful to the people of Westchester, Rockland, Queens and the Bronx who have entrusted me to represent them during my tenure in Congress.'

In her decades in the House, Lowey pushed for federal funding to combat AIDS and for economic aid to developing nations.

She supported women's health care and education initiatives. She notably led a successful fight to provide contraception coverage to federal workers via their federal health insurance plans in the late 1990s under the Republican-controlled House.

'Frankly to have a job that I love so very much made this a very difficult choice,' Lowey, who became chair of the House Appropriations Committee in 2018, told The Associated Press of her decision to retire. 'But I just felt it was time.'

Lowey was succeeded by Mondaire Jones, who ran as a progressive Democrat and was a member of the Squad, which includes representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib.

Jones would only serve one term after Sean Patrick Maloney, a centrist Democrat opted to run in his district.

Maloney was defeated in the 2022 general election by Mike Lawler, a Republican, who's been serving in Lowey's former district ever since.

Lawler praised Lowey's 'bipartisan spirit, commitment to our community, and dedication to the country.'

Then-First Lady Hillary Clinton poses with Lowey in 1999 at one of her congressional fundraisers at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City

Lowey stands at right of President Bill Clinton in 2000 as he signs a bill appropriating funding for the Treasury Department and the Postal Service

Lowey was also known for her closeness to the Clintons. Her loyalty was such that she said she would run for the vacant Senate seat in New York in 2000 only if Hillary Clinton opted not to (Pictured: Lowey sits at left from Hillary Clinton as she announced her run for Senate)

Nancy Pelosi, who joined the House two years before Lowey in 1987, described her as a 'master legislator' who is 'both gracious and tenacious'

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, now the ranking Democrat on the appropriations committee, remembered Lowey Sunday as a 'fierce negotiator and loyal public servant' who was 'courageous, humorous, and tenacious with a smile that lit up even the darkest rooms.'

She said Lowey was a tireless advocate on a range of important issues, from health care and the environment to after-school programs and public broadcasting.

Nancy Pelosi, who joined the House two years before Lowey in 1987, described her as a 'master legislator' who is 'both gracious and tenacious,' The New York Times reported.

Lowey was also known for her closeness to the Clintons. Her loyalty was such that she said she would run for the vacant Senate seat in New York in 2000 only if Hillary Clinton opted not to.

Clinton did run for that seat and won, serving one full term before running for president in 2008, a race she lost to Barack Obama. He picked her as Secretary of State.

Lowey's family said a private funeral and burial will be followed by a memorial service at a later date.

'We will miss her more than words can say and take great comfort in knowing that she lived a full and purposeful life,' the statement said.

'Her memory will forever be a blessing to all who had the honor of knowing and loving her, and to the millions of people whose lives she touched.'
A suspected mass poisoning has killed scores of cockatoos and corellas after volunteers found dozen of the birds dying at locations around Newcastle, NSW.

Newcastle-based animal hospital Hamilton Veterinary Clinic, which is treating the bird and stories bodies for testing said 60 had been already euthanised on Monday.

'I have never seen anything like this in the 13 years I have been here,' vet worker Bronwyn Evans told the Newcastle Herald.

'They are in agony. They spread their wings and look at you as if to say help me.

'It's absolutely horrible. I picked up several of them from the gutter this morning.'

Hunter Wildlife Rescue confirmed they had found at least 50 Australian native birds in distress or dead across three suburbs.

'We are currently managing a suspected intentional poisoning of birds in the Newcastle area,' a statement from the group confirmed.

'Today over 50 dead or dying birds have been collected from the Newcastle, Carrington and Hamilton areas.

Hunter Wildlife Rescue discovered at least 50 birds in distress or dead on Monday

'We fear many more birds will be impacted in the days to come.'

The rescue warned that anyone walking dogs should take care until the source of the suspected poisoning is found.

The NSW Environment Protection Australia (EPA) has launched an investigation into the slaughter, and warned of hefty fines for anyone caught poisoning birds.

'EPA officers are now investigating multiple sites and collecting samples for further testing,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

The testing will include ruling out bird flu and inspecting impacted locations for evidence of potential pesticide misuse.

'The negligent use of pesticides in a manner that harms any non-target animal or plant can attract penalties of up to $500,000 for an individual and $2,000,000 for a corporation,' they said.

A resident shared a photo of an animal rescue volunteer who had been dealing with the incident for hours.

'Thank you to the Wires volunteers who have been collecting birds for over five hours now,' they said.

One local shared a photo of a Wires volunteer, a member of Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation, collecting the dying, dead or distressed birds

Australians have also shared their horror at the mass loss of the birds in posts on social media.

'What a horrid person to do such a horrid thing to the local wildlife,' someone said.

One added: 'I just don't understand some people.'

Another said. 'Senseless, cruel, thoughtless act on innocent birds.'

The EPA asked anyone with information on the tragedy to call the 24/7 Environment Line on 131 555 or email info@epa.nsw.gov.au.
A Navy destroyer ship has been deployed to the southern border in an effort to bolster national security, amid President Trump's plan to 'reclaim the Panama Canal.'

The USS Gravely recently spent nine months in the thick of conflict in the Middle East, fighting off continuous assaults from Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

But now the 509ft guided-missile destroyer is en route to the US southern border as President Trump ramps up security to fight what he describes as an 'invasion' of American territory and rampant drug cartels.

The ship, which carries dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles, will be stationed in waters typically patrolled by the US Coast Guard. It will also operate in international waters.

According to US Northern Command General Gregory Guillot, the Gravely will help 'to protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty and security.'

The deployment will contribute to 'a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration,' Defense officials added.

Trump campaigned on a mass deportation policy and set to work cracking down on illegal immigration as soon as he returned to the White House.

He vowed to send an additional 10,000 troops to the border with Mexico to bolster security measures and reinstate his remain in Mexico policy, which requires migrants who are seeking asylum in the US to wait for their court date in the country from which they crossed.

A Navy destroyer ship has been deployed to the southern border in an effort to bolster national security

Trump campaigned on a mass deportation policy and set to work cracking down on illegal immigration as soon as he returned to the White House

USS Gravely left the Naval Weapons Station in Virginia on Saturday.

While few details have been made about Gravely's next mission, authorities made it clear that it was in response to Trump's executive order to secure the borders.

Upon returning to the White House, Trump declared a national emergency at the border with Mexico.

The Gravely will house a squad of US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment - elite operators who specialize in maritime missions like fighting piracy and intercepting drug trafficking rings.

Just 13 months ago, warplanes and missiles were launched from Gravely on Houthi targets in Yemen amid the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea.

That particular mission was a high-stakes attack in response to the deaths of three US troops in Jordan.

The Houthi targets were in 13 different locations and were struck by US F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, by British Typhoon FGR4 fighter aircraft and by the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and the USS Carney firing Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea, according to US officials and the UK Defense Ministry.

The Defense Department said the strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis' deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars and helicopters.

Trump's latest move comes after he allegedly ordered the US military to draw up plans to seize the Panama Canal in his bid to 'reclaim' the waterway (pictured)

The USS Gravely, USS Carney and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower were amongst US warships to have launched missiles at Houthi forces last February

Gravely was in the region for nine months and shot down missiles and drones from Houthi rebels.

Trump's latest move comes after he allegedly ordered the US military to draw up plans to seize the Panama Canal in his bid to 'reclaim' the waterway.

The US Southern Command has developed an array of potential plans to ensure the America has full access to the Panama Canal, two military sources confirmed to Reuters.

Trump has asserted that the US needs to take back the canal because China controls it and could use the waterway to undermine American interests.

In his inaugural speech in January, Trump repeated accusations that Panama has broken the promises it made for the final transfer of the canal in 1999.

Trump's latest move comes after he allegedly ordered the US military to draw up plans to seize the Panama Canal in his bid to 'reclaim' the waterway, and sent troops to the US-Mexico border to deter illegal crossings

The Panama Canal is located at the narrowest part of the isthmus between North and South America and is considered one of the world's most strategically important waterways.

Trump has said repeatedly he wants to 'take back' the waterway, but has not offered specifics about how he would do so, or if military action might be required.

Any move by a foreign power to take the canal by force would almost certainly violate international law.

A US invasion of Panama is unlikely, insiders cautioned, telling NBC News that such a move would only be seriously considered if increased presence of American troops in the area did not achieve Trump's goal to 'take back' the canal.
The family of a Queensland mum-of-three who has been missing for more than six weeks has hit out at untrue and hurtful rumours that have been circulating about her.

Tayla Spies, 29, was last seen on February 2 at 11.10am driving through the small rural town of Surat, 445km west of Brisbane.

She was driving her 2017 Toyota Hilux dual-cab utility through the Western Downs town, which is 80km south of her home in Roma.

Rebecca Spies has addressed rumours going around western Queensland communities about her beloved sister.

'She hasn't been found. There hasn't been a body found. Her car hasn't been found,' Rebecca said on Monday.

'I am getting a lot of condolence messages and 'so sorry to hear' messages.

'Tayla is still missing. I am not sure where the rumour that a body has been found has started from. I have a fair idea, but she's still missing.'

The Queensland Police said they were aware of untrue rumours that are circulating and denied they have searched a river.

Tayla Spies (pictured) was last seen on February 2 at 11.10am driving through the small rural town of Surat, 445km west of Brisbane

Her sister Rebecca Spies (pictured centre) has addressed rumours going around western Queensland communities about the missing mum-of-three from Roma

'No searches of the Ward River in Charleville have been conducted as part of ongoing investigations,' a spokesperson said.

Rebecca posted on Facebook that 'I can assure everybody that Tayla has not been found, she is still missing and so is her car.

'If everybody that has heard otherwise could please shut down this rumour we would really appreciate it.

'We need everyone searching for her, sharing and keeping her name and story out there.'

She added that any updates will be posted to her Facebook page and that 'until you see a post from myself stating that she has been found, she is still actively missing and we need your help'.

Tayla Spies - pronounced 'Speez' - had spent the nights before she went missing at the Windsor Hotel in Dalby and stopped at a service station in Condamine on the day she was last seen.

The police have been searching a 9,000 square kilometre area of remote bushland around the towns of Surat, Yuleba, Meandarra and Glenmorgan.

They have also accessed Ms Spies social media accounts and are monitoring her bank accounts.

Rebecca posted on Facebook that 'I can assure everybody that Tayla has not been found, she is still missing and so is her car.' Tayla is pictured

A friend of the Spies family has offered a $5,000 reward for information that could lead to her discovery.

Speaking on Monday on a video released by the Queensland Police, Rebecca Spies said the family has no knowledge of anybody having seen or spoken to Tayla since she went missing.

'We have no knowledge if she is OK. The pain and enormity of her absence increases with each each day that passes. And the worry is consuming us all,' she said.

Rebecca said her sister 'has blue eyes, a slim build, with brown hair that fades to dark blonde from the mid lengths of her hair to the ends.

'She has the word karma tattooed across her chest, the words you keep me wild on the lower left arm and a tattoo on an upper letter thigh.

'My sister Tayla is funny, brave, thoughtful and is always there for people when they need her. She loves her family wholeheartedly and never lets us forget it.'

Rebecca also thanked everyone who had helped in the search for her sister by sharing social media posts, putting out posters and searching on the ground.

'The amount of support we have received so far has been overwhelming, and we cannot begin to thank you all enough,' she said.

She then offered a personal message directly to Tayla. 'Sissy, if you're watching this, I want you to know that you are so loved and cherished by so many people.

'I want you to know that I miss my big sister, and I love you, you're my protector and the one that keeps me young at heart.

'Mum wants you to know that if you need a break and you're not ready to come home yet, that's OK, but please just let her know that you are OK.

Tayla (pictured) was last seen driving her 2017 Toyota Hilux dual-cab utility through the Western Downs town, which is 80km south of her home in Roma.

A friend of the Spies family has offered a $5,000 reward for information that could lead to her discovery. Tayla is pictured

'Nana wants you to know that she loves you and your babies love you. And if you need a break, that's OK.'

Rebecca then said that anybody who has any information about where Tayla might be to come forward and report it to the police.

'Even if it's not that important, it may help us find her.

'We just want to know that Tayla is OK and we're asking the public to help us find her and to bring her home.'
Neither King Charles nor any member of the British royal family will feature on the new design of Australia's $5 note.

The next version of the note, which had featured the late Queen Elizabeth II since 1992, will instead feature a theme honouring Indigenous Australians.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said 'The imagery on the $5 banknote should recognise the enduring connection that First Nations peoples have to Country  as an emotional and spiritual connection, as much as a physical one'.

The theme was chosen from more than 2,100 public submissions, but the final artwork has not been confirmed and the RBA said it wanted to 'avoid being tokenistic or stereotypical' when considering submissions.

The RBA said it wanted to recognise 'First Nations communities' contribution to the restoration and conservation of our environment'.

'Using traditional... knowledge First Nations peoples continue to act as custodians to sustain and conserve Country. There is an opportunity for all Australians to learn from Australia's original stewards on how to nurture and protect our fragile world.'

When the choice to remove the reigning British monarch was first mooted in 2023, Opposition leader Peter Dutton called it 'another attack on our systems, on our society and on our institutions'.

When the new theme was announced on Monday, there was swift and brutal backlash online, with one man writing on X: 'I'm disgusted, enough of the woke... c*** that divides our nation.'

Neither King Charles nor any member of the British royal family will feature on the new design of Australia's $5 note (pictured)

The next version of the note, which has featured the late Queen Elizabeth II (pictured) since 1992, will instead feature a theme honouring Indigenous Australians

The reverse side of the note will show Parliament House in Canberra, as it already does.

Queen Elizabeth had appeared on Australia's lowest banknote between 1966 and 1984, when it was the $1 note, and from 1992 to this year on the $5 note.

The new chosen theme will act as a guide to artists as they vie to create a new design for the next $5 Australian banknote.

'The tone for the banknote is of a hopeful future, where First Nation peoples' connection to Country is celebrated and respected,' the RBA said.

The other side of the note will show Parliament House in Canberra (pictured), as it currently does

The RBA announced in 2023 the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on one side of the note would be replaced.

It said the new design should 'honour the culture and history of the First Australians' following the monarch's death in 2022.

The new note is expected to take several years to be designed and printed before it enters circulation.

The use of notes and coins has fallen sharply in recent years, particularly since the pandemic, as more people use the tap-and-go feature of their bank cards.
It's time to ditch your winter coat as parts of the UK are expected to be hotter than Ibiza and Corfu this week.

The scorching temperatures are set to arrive after today's Equilux - a day where we get to enjoy 12 hours of daylight.

The Equilux, meaning 'equal light' occurs before the official start of Spring and marks when the day and night are equal.

And from tomorrow the days will officially become longer than nights.

The Equinox on Thursday marks the beginning of astronomical Spring and temperatures could reach 21C in the South of England.

Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said: 'We're expecting quite a lot of dry weather, increasing amounts of sunshine as we head through the next few days.

'By Wednesday, we're looking at highs of about 17C in the south. And then on Thursday, we could get as high as 19C.'

These temperatures are eight degrees hotter than average for this time of year and estimated to be hotter than Ibiza and Corfu on the same day.

The Equinox on Thursday marks the beginning of astronomical Spring and happens twice a year in March and September

Temperatures on Thursday are eight degrees hotter than average for this time of year and estimated to be hotter than Ibiza and Corfu on the same day

On Thursday, Ibiza is expected to be a mere 17C and Corfu will likely be 16C.

Ms Mitchell did warn that the start of the week will still feel chilly with some overnight frost.

The forecaster said: 'So the temperatures we have got currently are around average, which is about 10C.

'But we've also got quite a chilly wind at the moment, so it's making it feel even colder.

'But by the time we get to Wednesday and Thursday, temperatures will be about eight degrees above average in some places.

'The spring equinox will coincide with some nice warm weather, definitely feeling spring-like.'

The Equinox happens twice a year in March and September, and on March 20, will occur at exactly 9.01am.

It means the Earth's axis isn't pointed towards or away from the sun.

The start of the week will still feel chilly with some overnight frost before the Equinox on Thursday

The Equinox happens twice a year in March and September, and on March 20, will occur at exactly 9.01am

The Equinox on Thursday marks the beginning of astronomical Spring and temperatures could reach 19C in the South of England

And no matter where you are on the planet, the Equinox will occur at the exact same time.

Miss Mitchell added: 'Parts of the South East, across the Midlands will be the warmest spots on Wednesday.

'On Thursday that warmth travels a bit further north so it's going to feel pretty warm across southern Scotland, Northern Ireland and the whole of England and Wales.

'There's really just northern Scotland that will keep hold of the colder weather though the middle of the week.'
A couple who claimed they bought their dream home without realising a public bridleway ran through it due to a historical council blunder have been told it must stay by the Planning Inspectorate.

Cancer specialist Dr Dawn Carnell, 57, and husband David Moore, 61, bought Breach House for more than 1 million almost ten years ago before spending another small fortune renovating the dilapidated property.

But they ended up in a long-running and expensive legal battle with locals in Little Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, who said the right of way had run through the couples drive and paddock for more than 100 years.

The matter ended up at a Planning Inspection after the couple appealed against county council order stating the path ran through their property.

A council official admitted at the hearing in December that the Definitive Map of the area  used by conveyancing solicitors prior to the purchase of a property  showed the wrong route, going between two neighbouring cottages.

But he added the accompanying Definitive Statement  which indicated the bridleway went through Breach Houses land  was correct.

Planning Inspector Claire Tregembo has now ruled against Dr Carnell and Mr Moore, saying: I have concluded, on the balance of probabilities, that a public bridleway exists on the line [through Breach House].

Mr Moore, who has spent around 250,000 on the legal battle, insisted last week the matter wasnt over and he would be consulting his legal team.

A council official admitted at the hearing in December that the Definitive Map of the area  used by conveyancing solicitors prior to the purchase of a property  showed the wrong route

David Moore, pictured, and his wife bought Breach House for more than 1 million almost ten years ago before spending another small fortune renovating the dilapidated property

Locals in Little Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, said the right of way had run through the couples drive and paddock for more than 100 years

Cancer specialist Dr Dawn Carnell, 57, and husband David Moore, 61, bought Breach House for more than 1 million almost ten years ago

The businessman, who runs an oncology firm with his wife, told the Mail: There are a number of options open to us. This can be contested in court on appeal.

He also warned of the likelihood of civil action for damages against the council, stating: If you rely on a Definitive Map to purchase your property then, in my view, this opens up quite a large compensation case against the council.

'They provided searches for the property which were incorrect.

Locals  who complained the couple had removed right of way signs and locked gates, stopping ramblers and horse riders from going through  were jubilant, however.

Neighbour Wayne Morris, a retired Metropolitan Police inspector and chairman of the parish council, said: Im very pleased. There were a lot of upset people when it was closed off.

There were people who had been using it since the 1940s and there were 166 user evidence forms submitted to the inquiry.

All in all, I think its a just decision and the sooner its open and everyone can get back to their normal lives, the better.'

The dispute between Dr Carnell and her husband and residents began in 2019 when the route through the 1.75 acre property was shut off.

The bad blood in the community saw Mr Moore complaining of criminal damage, including scratches on his cars, and harassment

Mr Moore, who has spent around 250,000 on the legal battle, insisted the matter wasnt over and he would be consulting his legal team

During the four-day hearing, senior definitive map officer Gavin Harbour-Cooper revealed the council investigated the matter in 1956 and concluded the path ran through Breach House

The bad blood in the community saw Mr Moore  whose wife works at University College Hospital in London  complaining of criminal damage, including scratches on his cars, and harassment.

Meanwhile, the owners of the two neighbouring cottages where he said the path ran ploughed about 50,000 each into their legal costs.

Hertfordshire County Council became involved and passed an order stating the bridleway did run through land attached to six-bedroom Breach House, parts of which date back to the 17th century, leading to the Planning Inquiry.

During the four-day hearing, senior definitive map officer Gavin Harbour-Cooper revealed the council investigated the matter in 1956 and concluded the path ran through Breach House.

But when the first definitive map was drawn up three years later, it showed the wrong route between the cottages, although the Definitive Statement gave the correct information.

Nigel Adams, the founder of online estate agents BigBlackHen.com and whose parents owned Breach House from 1973 to 1985, said he handled the sale of the property to Mr Moore and his wife in 2015.

He added: During this process, I repeatedly discussed with the Moores the existing bridleway and its route through the Breach House land.

William Marques, who lived in the house in the 1960s, also recalled the bridleway passing through it.

Hertfordshire County Council became involved and passed an order stating the bridleway did run through land attached to six-bedroom Breach House

Locals  who complained the couple had removed right of way signs and locked gates, stopping ramblers and horse riders from going through  were jubilant

William Marques, who lived in the house in the 1960s, also recalled the bridleway passing through it

Describing how he used it to get to his grandparents home because the only other route, by road, was too dangerous.

But Mr Moore told the inquiry the council had admitted in 2020 the bridleway signs by his home were wrong, so they were removed.

He added; When I purchased the property, I was not made aware of the existence of a bridleway crossing the property.

A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said: We are pleased that the Planning Inspector has agreed with our position and confirmed the modification order that will allow the route of this bridleway to be correctly recorded.
Keir Starmer is bracing for an 'absolute horror' clash with Labour MPs on moves to cut the spiralling benefits bill.

As tensions mount ahead of the plan being unveiled tomorrow, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has warned the PM that reducing eligibility could leave people 'trapped in poverty'.

The resistance comes despite ministers already looking to have staged a climbdown on the idea of freezing personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit.

That sparked an outcry on Labour benches as it would have meant a real-terms cut for 3.6million claimants.

Some have claimed the proposal was leaked out in 'bad faith' before agreement between Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and Rachel Reeves.

The Chancellor is desperately scrambling to fill an estimated 15billion hole in the public finances at the Spring Statement this month, caused by stalling growth and higher debt interest costs.

Keir Starmer is bracing for an 'absolute horror' clash with Labour MPs on moves to cut the spiralling benefits bill

The benefits bill has been rising and is forecast to continue going up

Touring broadcast studios this morning, Treasury minister Emma Reynolds tried to play down tensions but again stressed the moral case for getting people off benefits and back into work.

She swiped that Labour colleagues were 'jumping to conclusions about our plans before they've heard them'.

But left-winger Diane Abbott demanded minister raise extra money from a 'wealth tax' instead of cutting welfare.

'I would introduce the wealth tax. If you brought in a wealth tax of just 2 per cent on people with assets over 10million, that would raise 24billion a year. That's what I would do,' she said.

Ms Kendall is expected to set out plans for reform tomorrow after Sir Keir branded the rising burden 'unsustainable'. They were originally mooted as saving 5billion a year for the Treasury, including 1billion reinvested in supporting people back to jobs.

However, the announcement has been pushed back a week as the premier tries to quell a prospective revolt.

No10 has been holding 'engagement sessions' to explain the changes, but they have been dismissed as 'a tick box exercise' by some Labour MPs.

One MP told the Guardian that they were anticipating the coming days with 'absolute horror'.

It is unclear whether there will need to be a vote on the benefits changes if PIP is not going to be frozen in real terms - in a possible relief for Downing Street.

Ministers point to the number of people in England and Wales claiming either sickness or disability benefit having soared from 2.8million to about 4million since 2019.

The bill for working age adults claiming these benefits was 48.5billion in 2023-24, according to the OBR.

It is forecast to continue rising to nearly 76billion in 2029-30  more than the current schools budget.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said yesterday that the full proposals are yet to come before Cabinet - where several ministers previously voiced concerns.

He told the BBC: 'What I do know is the Work and Pensions Secretary wants to support people who need help the most, and we've got to make sure that there is a wide range of support and that everyone's playing their part.'

Writing in The Times, Mr Burnham said he agreed that the welfare system needed 'a radical overhaul', but said the Government should focus on helping people into work rather than simply cutting benefits.

The mayor - often tipped as a successor to Sir Keir - said: 'I would share concerns about changing support and eligibility to benefits while leaving the top-down system broadly in place. It would trap too many people in poverty.

'And to be clear: there is no case in any scenario for cutting the support available to disabled people who are unable to work.'

Over the weekend, Government sources indicated that Ms Kendall's reforms would include a 'right to try guarantee' allowing disabled people to enter employment without risk of losing their benefits if it did not work out.

Downing Street said Sir Keir 'has been clear there is both a moral and an economic case for fixing our broken social security system that's holding our people back, and our country back'.

'Three million people are out of work for health reasons, and one in eight young people not currently in work, education or training,' the PM's spokesman said.

'So we've got a duty to fix the system, to ensure that that safety net is always there for the most vulnerable and severely disabled, but also supports back into work, rather than leaving people written off.'

He added: 'That is why tomorrow the Government will set out plans to overhaul the health and disability benefits system so it supports those who can work to do so, while protecting those who are most in need, and put the welfare system back on a more sustainable path.'

Asked if the reforms were being carried out because of the UK's fiscal backdrop, the spokesman replied: 'No, I think when you look at the fact that we have the highest level of working-age inactivity due to ill health in western Europe, we're the only major economy whose employment rate hasn't recovered since the pandemic, there is a duty to fix the broken system that is letting millions of people in this country down.'

But Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said Labour was 'divided' over welfare and 'cannot deliver the decisive change we need'.

She said: 'The Government's dithering and delay is costing taxpayers millions every day and failing the people who rely on the welfare system.

'Under new leadership, the Conservatives are the only party united in the need to reduce spending on benefits  which is why we committed to save 12 billion-a-year from the welfare bill which Labour scrapped. Labour must come forward with a serious plan to deliver savings.'

Ms Reynolds was asked on Sky News this morning whether MPs should fall in line.

She told the broadcaster: 'We have a big majority, we are a Government that secured a mandate for change.

As tensions mount ahead of the plan being unveiled tomorrow, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has warned the PM that reducing eligibility would leave people 'trapped in poverty'

'It is absolutely everyday business that we should have discussions with backbenchers, meetings between our MPs and ministers happen all day, every day. So this isn't something that is any different, but we're determined to strike the right balance here.

'We've got to reform a system that is failing everybody, and we've got to do that according to our values.

'As Liz Kendall has said, there is a Labour case for reform here, because too many people are locked out of the labour market market, and there is dignity in work, and we want people to to get back into work if they can.'
The Kremlin has threatened a full-scale war with NATO states if Britain and France deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron's proposed 'coalition of the willing', which could see the deployment of minehunters and 10,000 troops from the EU and NATO, is unacceptable to Vladimir Putin, his Russian security council deputy has warned.

'Macron and Starmer are playing dumb,' Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and prime minister, posted on X.

'Time and again they are told that peacekeepers must be from non-NATO states.

'No, we will send tens of thousands  just lay it out  you want to give military aid to the neo-Nazis in Kyiv.'

Medvedev implied that Donald Trump understood Putin's objections to NATO troops in Ukraine, yet a force from major Western states backed by the US is seen by Kyiv as vital to guarantee its future security from a new Russian invasion.

'That means war with NATO. Consult with Trump, scumbags,' he added.

Fighting continues to rage in the main war zones with Ukraine's air defence units claiming to have shot down 90 of 174 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack.

Trump has said he will speak to Putin tomorrow as military chiefs from Sir Keir and Mr Macron's coalition prepare to meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force.

Fighting continues to rage in the main war zones as Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron propose to deploy a 'coalition of the willing' to Ukraine. Pictured are firefighters put out a fire at a apartment building following a Russian drone attack in Chernihiv, Ukraine on Sunday

The proposed 'coalition of the willing', which could see 10,000 troops from the EU and NATO deployed to Ukraine, is reportedly unacceptable to Vladimir Putin. Pictured are rescuers working at the site of a building destroyed during a Russian air strike in Kherson, Ukraine on March 14, 2025

Russian security council deputy Dmitry Medvedev (pictured in 2023) has warned of a full-scale war with NATO states if Britain and France deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine

Medvedev's warning against Britain and France's coalition was backed by Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko who said that any force sent to Ukraine must be 'unarmed'.

'We absolutely do not care under what label NATO contingents may be deployed on the territory of Ukraine: be it the European Union, NATO or in a national capacity,' he said.

'In any case, if they appear there, it means that they are deployed in a conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as a party to the conflict.'

He said 'unarmed observers' or a 'civilian mission' might be acceptable but that Ukraine must be neutral and not pro-Western.

A deal must 'exclude Ukraine's membership in NATO and the possibility of deploying foreign military contingents on its territory or using it to exert military pressure on Russia', he said.

'Part of these guarantees should be Ukraine's neutral status and the refusal of NATO countries to accept it as a member of the alliance.'

Russian state media commentator Vladimir Kornilov said British troops sent to Ukraine faced death.

'What's the big deal, Sir Starmer? Admit it to your public: the British military will stay in Ukraine forever if they go in.

'Because they would be a legitimate target for Russia.'

People clear the rubble of a damaged apartment building after Russian attacks on March 13, 2025 in Kherson, Ukraine

Utility workers with backhoe clean up rubble at Central district after Russian attack with aerial guided bombs on March 15, 2025 in Kherson, Ukraine

The British Prime Minister has been leading efforts to support Ukraine along with French President Macron.

Sir Keir has accused Putin of seeking to 'delay' a ceasefire, while Macron has said the Russian president 'does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace.

Military chiefs from the 'coalition of the willing' will meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a peacekeeping force to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

Following a virtual meeting on Saturday with the leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and NATO, Sir Keir said there had been 'new commitments' offered and planning would now move into an 'operational phase'.

It remains unclear which nations have committed troops to a peacekeeping operation, while several have suggested such talks are premature given the lack of a ceasefire.

Discussing the deployment of British troops, a UK source told the Times: 'It would be a long-term commitment, we are talking about years.

'As long as it takes to preserve a peace deal and deter Russia.'

Macron had suggested he is considering mobilising civilians to help Ukraine, but said the return of compulsory military service is not 'a realistic option' because France does not have the 'logistics' for conscription.

'We are going to look at ways to mobilise civilians,' he told reporters at the weekend.

Other countries, including Turkey, Canada and Australia, are also discussing plans to help Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's forces.

Sir Keir Starmer held a virtual meeting on Saturday with the leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and NATO, to discuss a peacekeeping effort in Ukraine

Donald Trump expects to speak to Putin tomorrow, after claiming significant progress in peace talks. Trump and Putin are pictured together in 2019

Trump expects to speak to Putin tomorrow, after claiming significant progress in peace talks.

'I'll talk to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work has been done over the weekend,' Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Washington.

'We want to see if we can end this war. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance.'

Trump said 'dividing up certain assets' will form part of the conversation about bringing the war to a close.

'We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,' he said.

The call, announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, comes as Putin continues to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

The date for the talks may upset Ukraine as it is when Putin marks the Day of Crimea's Reunification with Russia after he grabbed it in 2014.

He claimed there was already talk of 'dividing up certain assets', referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, now under Russian military control, but which could come back to Ukraine.

Rubble and debris lie at Central district after Russian attack with aerial guided bombs on March 15, 2025 in Kherson, Ukraine

Mother and sister of deceased man mourn while utility workers with backhoe clean up rubble at Central district after Russian attack with aerial guided bombs on March 15, 2025 in Kherson, Ukraine

Ukraine's air force shot down 90 drones launched by Russia overnight. Military officials said 70 drones were lost, referring to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them.

'Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Sumy, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions were affected by the Russian attack,' the military said on the Telegram messenger app.

Russia has been attacking Odesa and the Odesa region with drones and missiles on a daily basis for three weeks. The region is key for Ukrainian maritime exports.

One civilian was injured during the attack, which damaged a kindergarten, a private residential house, a shop and a passenger car, Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram.

Kiper said about 500 residents in the suburbs of Odesa were left without electricity after drones hit energy infrastructure, providing no further details.

Dramatic footage showed Russia exploding one of 27 Ukrainian drones attacking industrial town Zheleznogorsk in the Kursk region, close to the border with Ukraine.

Ukraine also attacked a military airfield in Yeysk, a resort and port on the Sea of Azov, where ten explosions were heard.

An energy facility was attacked in Astrakhan region where a fire ignited and one person was hospitalised.

Soldiers of the 88th Gun Battery of the British Army prepare an L118 light artillery gun during the Allied Spirit 25 military exercise in Germany last week

Mr Putin is likely to object to any agreement that involves European or Nato troops being stationed in Ukraine, although Mr Zelensky sees this as essential to deterring future Russian aggression.

Russia said today 72 drones were destroyed over its territory, half of them over Kursk region.

Meanwhile, footage showed Russia hitting Odesa - destroying a warehouse and damaging a kindergarten and private housing.

The was one of 25 separate explosions across Ukraine, with other targets including Bucha, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kirovograd, and Vyshgorod.

Ukraine said to be under increasing pressure in the eastern Donetsk region, part of which has been under Russian control since 2014.

Zelensky's troops are also reported to be in retreat in the Kursk region of Russia, which they seized in a surprise raid in August in an attempt to secure a bargaining chip for future negotiations.

The US has notified its Western partners that it is leaving an international group investigating Russian war crimes in Ukraine, the New York Times reported.

Civilians walk through a devastated forest during their evacuation from the area of Sudzha town, which was recently retaken by Russia's armed forces in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Kursk region, Russia on March 16, 2025

People gather inside a school building as Russian service members evacuate civilians from the settlements of Kazachya Loknya and Sudzha on March 16, 2025

Although Zelensky has accepted the proposed unconditional ceasefire, Putin has said Ukraine must agree to give up its ambitions of joining NATO and cede territory to Russia before any pause in hostilities.

Putin is also likely to object to any agreement that involves European or NATO troops being stationed in Ukraine, although Zelensky sees this as essential to deterring future Russian aggression.

Conditions demanded by Russia to agree to a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine show that Moscow does not really want peace, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday.

'Those conditions that they have presented - it shows that they don't really want peace, actually, because they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war,' Kallas told reporters in Brussels.
Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has had a fiery exchange with one of the hosts of Channel 10's The Project.

Mr Turnbull was invited on to discuss the ongoing saga of the AUKUS nuclear submarines, and said he feared Australia will never even get them despite the huge amount of money taxpayers are forking out.

As part of the $368billion deal, Australia will buy several nuclear-powered submarines from the United States - a major upgrade to its ageing Collins-class submarines - to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

However, Mr Turnbull explained the deal requires the US to withhold the subs for themselves if there is a shortfall in their own navy, and he described the whole process as 'a fiasco'

This led the Project host Steve Price to have a crack at the former PM by asking him if he was still prime minister how would he feel about 'an ex-prime minister coming out and talking like this at such a delicate time' in the midst of heightened global tensions.

'Obviously, Peter Dutton would like you to shut up and so would Albo (Anthony Albanese), presumably,' Price said on Monday night.

A visibly shocked Mr Turnbull replied, 'Well so would you presumably - but then you shouldn't have asked me to come on the program.'

After the quick-witted response, it was Price who shut up and looked stunned, but eventually he joined the other hosts Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris in grinning at the on-air slap down.

Ex-Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) had a very tense exchange with one of the hosts of Channel 10's The Project on Monday night, firing back a blunt reply to a question

The Project co-host Steve Price (pictured) had a go at former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull

Price then regrouped and got another dig in. He said it was not 'his choice' to have Mr Turnbull appear as a guest on the show.

Mr Turnbull was far from shutting up, though. 'We believe in free speech in Australia,' he said.

'Every Australian is entitled to free speech, even former prime ministers.'

Harris then asked him what he would do about the nuclear submarines situation if he was prime minister again.

'If I was in Albanese's position, the one solution may be that we just don't have any submarines, we have Australians serving on American submarines under and American flag.

'But that's a big loss to our sovereignty.'

He added that 'the first thing you've got to do is tell the truth', but claimed that politicians are not doing that.

'With respect to Steve (Price) who'd like me to say nothing, it's one thing to say former prime ministers shouldn't say anything... I'd like current prime ministers and wannabe prime ministers like Peter Dutton, to be actually open to being honest about this and say, "Yes, there is a risk that we won't get these subs".'

Fellow Project host Sarah Harris (pictured) laughed out loud at Mr Turnbull's response

Malcolm Turnbull (right) is pictured with US President Donald Trump in November 2017

Australia will command a fleet of eight nuclear-powered submarines within the next three decades under a fast-tracked plan to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific

Mr Turnbull said the possibility of the US keeping the subs is 'in the legislation... it's contemplated by the parties ... but we've heard a big silence on that score'.

The former Liberal leader is not the only one to point out potential problems with the AUKUS nuclear subs agreement, with Greens leader Adam Bandt saying on Sunday that 'It is billions of dollars that is being spent on submarines that might never arrive.'

He also claimed if Australia was involved in a conflict with China, it was unlikely the US would come to its aid.

'Thinking that Donald Trump will ride to our rescue if there's any security threat is now absolutely wishful thinking,' Mr Bandt said.

What is AUKUS?
A UK border guard who sued the Home Office after breaking his ankle during a 14-hour shift spent rescuing asylum seekers in the Channel has won an 80,000 legal battle.

Alan Quartermain, 66, had been working since 2am and had just participated in his third rescue of the day when he was injured getting back onto his boat on the afternoon of June 3, 2021.

The veteran seaman was escorting a paramedic to attend to an injured person onboard his vessel at Dover when he fell whilst boarding, slipping on a surface he said was covered in water, fuel and vomit.

Mr Quartermain sustained a broken ankle in the accident and was in a protective boot for five weeks, but said the ongoing impact forced him to retire from the sea, the only work he had ever known.

He sued his former employer, the Home Office, which was this week ordered to pay out 9,000 in compensation and pay Mr Quartermain's lawyers' bills, estimated at more than 70,000.

As the Home Office is a government body, it is believed the compensation and legal bills will be funded with taxpayer cash.

The judge, Registrar Richard Davison, said there was no reason why a handrail had not been attached to make it safer for Mr Quartermain to get onto the boat.

London's Admiralty Court, a specialist branch of the High Court which deals with law at sea, heard that Mr Quartermain had been a seaman all his working life, starting at the age of 16.

He was engaged in patrolling the Channel in June 2021, when he was called out in a rigid inflatable boat at around 2am.

Alan Quartermain, 66, had been working since 2am and had just participated in his third rescue of the day when he was injured getting back onto his boat on the afternoon of June 3, 2021

Mr Quartermain, pictured outside court, sustained a broken ankle in the accident and was in a protective boot for five weeks, but said the ongoing impact forced him to retire from the sea

Giving evidence, he told the judge it had been 'a particularly busy day,' that his team had been 'constantly backwards and forwards' and on at least their third small boat rescue of the day when he was hurt 14-and-a-half hours later.

He had returned to Dover with migrants from a craft and disembarked them all, save for one who had been injured in their crossing and needed medical attention.

In escorting a paramedic to the boat, known as HMC Alert, he fell, slipping as he stepped onboard via a storage container referred to as a 'baton box.'

'The claimant submits that the deck and baton box had become befouled with vomit, urine, fuel or other contaminants, causing a foreseeable risk of slipping,' said his barrister, Benjamin Rose.

'A handle or guard rail ought to have been affixed to the baton box to allow for safe boarding and disembarkation.

'The claimant contends that the absence of this handle deprived the claimant of the ability to arrest his fall.

'The defendant's own investigation report...concludes that steps should be taken to reduce the effect of fouling and contamination of the deck and that a guard or handrail ought to be fitted to the baton box.'

In his evidence, Mr Quartermain said that, had the boat's removable handrail been attached at the time, he would have grabbed it as he boarded.

Mr Quartermain (third from right) sued his former employer, the Home Office, which was this week ordered to pay out 9,000 in compensation and pay Mr Quartermain's lawyers' bills, estimated at more than 70,000

A judge ruled there was no reason why a guard or handrail was not fitted on HMC Alert (pictured)

Mr Quartermain had been working for 14.5 hours when he had the accident, after rescuing asylum seekers from small boats in the Channel (stock image)

'I believe a handrail would have, if not prevented it, would have arrested that fall slightly and not had such consequences,' he said.

The seaman, who was an officer in the Border Force Marine Command at the time, was off work for 11 weeks after the accident.

But he said he suffered further problems after that, had to have a bone spur removed and was left concerned about his mobility, leading to him retiring in 2023.

'My confidence was affected and my ability to help my colleagues,' he said.

'I wanted to remain at sea. That's what I have known, but there wasn't much in the way of adjustments they could do.

'I thought, 'actually I'm not sure if I can do my job as well as I used to'.'

For the Home Office, barrister Alex Littlefair denied that it was under a duty to provide a handrail.

'Whatever method the Home Office took, there was necessarily going to be some balancing of the risk,' he said.

'If the handrail was left there, somebody might use it as a weapon.'

The Home Office also claimed that, because the vessel was engaged in search and rescue, its duty was limited to having to act 'so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure the health and safety of the worker when performing that activity.'

Giving judgment following a trial at the Admiralty Court, Registrar Davison found in favour of Mr Quartermain on his claim.

Although the boat was still engaged in search and rescue operations, health and safety risks could have been better mitigated by attaching the removable handrail.

'There seems to be no real reason why it wasn't fitted on this occasion,' he said.

He awarded Mr Quartermain 9,000 compensation and said the Home Office would have to pay his lawyers' bills, to be assessed at a later date, but estimated at more than 70,000.
The heiress of luxury hotelier Sir Rocco Forte's 300million hotel empire has been fined just 146 for driving her Mercedes too close to a cyclist near her 4.5million mansion.

Lydia Forte, 37, who is the Group Director of Food & Beverage at Rocco Forte Hotels, claimed she had to swerve to avoid an oncoming motorcyclist on Chelsea Embankment.

She did not appear at Bexley Magistrates' Court, where she was fined 146, with 110 costs, plus a 58 victim surcharge and given three penalty points on her licence.

The magistrates had no financial information on Lydia, an executive within her celebrated hotelier family who have an estimated wealth of over 300m.

She admitted driving her blue two-litre Mercedes without reasonable consideration for other road users on January 31, last year on Chelsea Embankment, near her 4.5million home.

Mother-of-two Lydia was reported to the police by the unnamed cyclist who was recording other road users and captured footage of her poor driving.

Prosecutor Alison Larkin told the court Lydia only admitted to the offence after her lawyers examined the video footage.

'She overtook a cyclist without leaving 1.5 metres between her vehicle and the cyclist and then moved near the kerb while the cyclist was still present.

Lydia Forte, 37, who is the Group Director of Food & Beverage at Rocco Forte Hotels, claimed she had to swerve to avoid an oncoming motorcyclist on Chelsea Embankment

Lydia Forte is the daughter of Sir Rocco Giovanni Forte (pictured) and the heir to his 300million Forte hotel empire

Lydia Forte pictured with her mother, Lady Aliai Forte, and father in London in June 2019

'There is no evidence of any contact or injuries.'

The video footage was not played in court.

In a letter read to the magistrates Forte's lawyers confirmed they viewed the video evidence and after a case conference the offence was admitted.

However, they stressed Forte only drove her Mercedes to the left due to an oncoming motorcyclist approaching her on the wrong side of the road.

Announcing their fine, based on an estimate of Forte's means, the Chairman Mehmet Tahsin announced: 'The bench feel that is commensurate with what we have heard.'

Lydia Forte is the daughter of Sir Rocco Giovanni Forte and Lady Aliai Forte. She has one sister, Irene Forte, and one brother, Charles Forte.

Their grandfather is Lord Charles Forte, who started his business with a single diner in London's Regent Street in 1935, before building an empire of 1,000 restaurants and 800 hotels. He died in 2007.

After a hostile takeover in 1995, Lydia's father Rocco, now 80, went on to start up Rocco Forte Hotels  a portfolio of 12 luxury hotels across Europe and Russia with plans to open three more in Sardina, Milan and Naples in the works.

There are two Rocco Forte hotels in the UK - Brown's Hotel in Mayfair, London, and The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland (pictured)

Lady Aliai Forte pictured after receiving her driving ban at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court in September 2024

Lydia (right) pictured with her sister Irene Forte at The Victoria and Albert Museum Summer Party in 2017

There are two Rocco Forte hotels in the UK - Brown's Hotel in Mayfair, London, and The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Lydia's driving fine comes just six months after her mother was given a driving ban.

The 59-year-old mother-of-three was caught on camera driving her black four-litre Audi A6 at 50mph in a 40mph zone.

She received three penalty points, which when added to the nine points already on her driving licence triggered an automatic statutory ban.

Italian-born Lady Forte, who married Sir Rocco in 1986, appeared at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court on September 17, 2024.

She admitted speeding along the A3 Kingston Road, near Tibbet's Corner roundabout, Putney at 9.20am on January 9, 2024.

The court heard Lady Forte has convictions for speeding on March 8, 2022 and January 29, 2024, and also for using her mobile phone while driving on December 21, 2023.

The one-time fashion designer also received a six-month driving disqualification in 2020.
UK troops could be deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers for years under Keir Starmer's plan to secure the country in the event of an end to the war with Russia.

Senior government officials said that UK soldiers' mission in the country's under any ceasefire agreement would be open-ended because of the need to deter Vladimir Putin from resuming fighting.

It comes as US president Donald Trump has said he will speak to dictator Putin on Tuesday, ahead of a meeting of military chiefs in London on Thursday.

The call, announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, comes as Mr Putin continues to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Sir Keir has accused Mr Putin of seeking to 'delay' a ceasefire, while French president Emmanuel Macron has said the Russian president 'does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace.

Mr Putin is also likely to object to any agreement that involves European or Nato troops being stationed in Ukraine, although Mr Zelensky sees this as essential to deterring future Russian aggression.

Discussing the deployment of UK troops, a UK source told the Times: 'It would be a long-term commitment, we are talking about years.

'As long as it takes to preserve a peace deal and deter Russia.'

Senior government officials said that UK troops' mission in the country's under any ceasefire agreement would be open-ended because of the need to deter Vladimir Putin from resuming fighting.

It comes as US president Donald Trump has said he will speak to dictator Putin on Tuesday, ahead of a meeting of military chiefs in London on Thursday.

Sir Keir has accused Mr Putin of seeking to 'delay' a ceasefire, while French president Emmanuel Macron has said the Russian president 'does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace.

Although Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accepted the proposed unconditional ceasefire, the Russian president has said Ukraine must agree to give up its ambitions of joining Nato and cede territory to Russia before any pause in hostilities.

On Sunday, Mr Witkoff insisted that Mr Putin was making 'a constructive effort' and that the upcoming call with Mr Trump showed there was 'positive momentum'.

While flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, Mr Trump told reporters the aim of his conversation with Mr Putin will be to bring the conflict 'to an end'.

He said: 'We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday.

'A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.'

Mr Trump said 'dividing up certain assets' will form part of the conversation about bringing the war to a close.

'We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,' he said.

Meanwhile, military chiefs from the 'coalition of the willing' convened by Sir Keir and Mr Macron will meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

Soldiers of the 88th Gun Battery of the British Army prepare an L118 light artillery gun during the Allied Spirit 25 military exercise in Germany last week

Mr Putin is likely to object to any agreement that involves European or Nato troops being stationed in Ukraine, although Mr Zelensky sees this as essential to deterring future Russian aggression.

Following a virtual meeting on Saturday with the leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and Nato, the Prime Minister said there had been 'new commitments' offered and planning would now move into an 'operational phase'.

But it remains unclear which nations have committed troops to a peacekeeping operation, while several have suggested such talks are premature given the lack of a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the fighting continues, with Ukraine said to be under increasing pressure in the eastern Donetsk region, part of which has been under Russian control since 2014.

Ukrainian troops are also reported to be in retreat in the Kursk region of Russia, which they seized in a surprise raid in August in an attempt to secure a bargaining chip for future negotiations.
A 29-year-old Albanian criminal has avoided being deported after a judge ruled that it would be too 'harsh' on his teenage stepson.

Dritan Mazreku, described as a 'fit and healthy young man', was jailed and faced deportation before a judge found it would be 'unduly harsh' on his stepson, who 'remembers no other father' and has 'experienced abandonment before'.

The criminal arrived in the UK in 2014 and entered a relationship with a Latvian before taking on a 'paternal role' with the son she had from a former partner.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had argued for his deportation, claiming he could continue to support his stepson from Albania.

However, the judge said that online communication was 'no substitute' for physical presence.

Judge Phillips, who upheld the decision not to deport Mazreku, added the family is 'relatively poor' and it was a 'remote possibility' that they would be able to travel to Albania frequently.

'There can be little doubt that regular visits to Albania would be unmanageable,' the judge found.

'[The ruling] was a logical conclusion based upon the fact that the family were being supported by [Mr Mazreku] at all times when he was in work and that his wife has only ever earned minimum wage.'

The Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (pictured) found it would be too 'harsh' to deport Dritan Mazreku

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had argued for his deportation, claiming he could continue to support his stepson from Albania

The Albanian married his partner in 2017, which gave him the right to remain in Britain. He later had a 'period of separation' with the Latvian.

His stepson, who was five when Mazreku started a relationship with his mother in 2015, had 'no relationship' with his biological father.

After facing deportation a First Tier Immigration Tribunal ruled in his favour. The judge said that the relationship between Mr Mazreku and the teenager has been genuine and subsisting since 2015 when they started to live together.

The Home Office appealed the decision, arguing that the judge erred in law and it was sent to the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.

Lawyers representing the government told the Upper Tribunal that the reasoning does not stand up to scrutiny and commented that the teen will still have his mother and grandmother to support him.

They said Mr Mazreku is a fit and healthy young man who could continue providing support from Albania.

'If [Mr Mazreku] and his family are in loving relationship he would continue to support them,' they argued.

'Limited weight can be given to the [Mr Mazreku] keeping his stepson safe bearing in mind his conviction.'

The Home Office unsuccesful appealed against a tribunal which ruled that the Albanian criminal could stay in the UK

They added the stepson was not supported during his time in prison.

Lawyers representing Mazreku said the judge's decision well reasoned.

'The judge makes it clear that the most important factor is that this is a child who has experienced abandonment before,' the judgement said.

'This is what makes the effect on him unduly harsh.'

'[The judge] notes that throughout his incarceration and his separation from the childs mother [Mr Mazreku] kept in contact,' it added.

The tribunal found that the judge's reasoning cannot be described as inadequate, despite Mrs Cooper's intervention.
Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 50 people including sex workers and foreign nationals as police crack down on 'immoral acts'.

The Ministry of Interior arrested 11 women into custody on prostitution charges, the Financial Times reports.

The newly established community security unit also detained dozens of foreigners on alleged offences in massage parlours and for forcing women and children into begging.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the creation of the new police unit to tackle 'community security and human trafficking'.

Analysts allege the community security unit was formed in response to 'notable increased activity' related to sex and other alleged issues of morality.

For years, the kingdom has moved to loosen its social restrictions and moved to diversify the economy.

The government did announce a 'public decency' law in 2019, but it has not been strictly enforced, according to the newspaper.

Some locals have praised the new community security unit, claiming that 'cracking down on human trafficking is a good thing'.

But others are comparing the unit to the country's religious police force that until Prince Mohammed stripped much of its power in 2016 had enforced some of the strictest moral codes and gender segregation policies in the world.

The Ministry of Interior's newly established community security unit has arrested more than 50 people including sex workers and foreign nationals as police crack down on 'immoral acts'. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured on March 11) ordered the creation of the new police unit to tackle 'community security and human trafficking'

Analysts allege the community security unit was formed in response to 'notable increased activity' related to sex and other alleged issues of morality. Pictured are two individuals who were recently arrested by the Ministry of Interior

Saudi authorities are allegedly dealing with a rise in drug abuse and prostitution, according to the Financial Times.

Some experts - despite data being limited - have suggested easing visa restrictions and curbs on women's liberty have enabled in the sex trade in Saudi Arabia.

They allege tourism, rapid social changes and the rising number of foreign workers in the country is yielding an increase in criminal activity.

The Saudi interior ministry last month framed the new unit as an effort to uphold personal rights, fundamental freedoms guaranteed by sharia law, the kingdom's legal framework and individual dignity.

But some analysts are now claiming this positioning was merely an attempt to prevent criticism from human rights organizations and western governments.

'Typically, the framing of such announcements would be around security rather than human rights,' Sultan Alamer, a senior resident fellow at the Washington-based New Lines Institute, told the newspaper.

Saudi authorities are allegedly dealing with a rise in drug abuse and prostitution. Pictured is a suspect who was recently arrested by security forces

Some locals have compared the new unit to the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, (pictured in 2007) religious police force that until Prince Mohammed stripped much of its power in 2016 had enforced some of the strictest moral codes and gender segregation policies in the world

Khalid al-Sulaiman, a columnist for the semi-official Okaz Daily, suggests the unit was created in direct response to public displays of morality and online advertisements for illicit services.

He hailed Saudi Arabia for having a 'special religious and social identity as the birthplace of Islam' and in a piece last month, wrote that no one should 'distort' the kingdom's image of 'high-level moral and social values'.

'If such immoral and illegal practices were previously done in secret, those who practice them today should never feel that they can appear in public without consequences,' the columnist added.
Conspiracy theorists sparked a Lurpak boycott after peddling false claims that Bill Gates was behind a decision to trial the controversial additive Bovaer.

Arla Foods, a Danish-Swedish dairy company which manufactures both Lurpak and Anchor butter, controversially announced in late November that 30 of its farms would test Bovaer, a methane-suppressing feed.

The additive, which was introduced to cattle food as part of the trial, is designed to reduce the amount of methane they produce in digestion, a gas that contributes to climate change.

After being approved for use by United Kingdom regulators, several of the country's biggest supermarkets agreed to stock Lurpark butter and Cravendale milk as part of a trial using the additive, sparking a huge amount of backlash online.

Arla's announcement of the trial, posted on X on 26 November, garnered the attention of the masses with both suspected conspiracy theorists and those with genuine concern taking to the comments section.

Thousands of social media users cited issues around the safety of certain compounds used in the additive - some claimed it could cause fertility issues and cancer.

In other conspiracies, disgruntled Tweeters alleged that billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates was involved in the production of Bovaer, which is developed by DSM-Firmenich.

The company, however, strongly disputed such a claim in a statement reading: 'Bill Gates is not involved in the development of Bovaer.'

Conspiracy theorists claimed Bill Gates was behind the trial of Bozaer in products produced by Arla

Arla Foods is one of the biggest dairy suppliers to the United Kingdom and manufactures Lurpak butter

Bovaer, which was introduced to cattle food as part of the trial, is designed to reduce the amount of methane they produce in digestion, a gas that contributes to climate change

Many X-users, nevertheless, were adamant Gates was behind the trial.

One user wrote: 'Do not buy any products from Arla foods, which include Lurpak, Puck, Castello, cravendale, lactofree, Anchor, and many other supermarket products.

'They are using Bill Gates's harmful synthetic food additives in their products.'

While another concerned online user posted: 'So even Tesco are in on Bill Gates and Arla! Do not buy!'

Gates, who has previously been subjected to claims he is trying to depopulate the world, had actually invested in rival to DSM Firmenich, Rumin8, and was indeed not involved with Bovaer.

In the days after the trial was announced, mentions of Bovaer on X rose from virtually none to over 71,000.

Disgruntled online users took to social media to express their dismay at the trial of Bovaer in the UK

Using #BoycottArla, thousands attempted to steer the population away from using milk or butter manufactured by Arla

Many thought that Microsoft founder Bill Gates was behind the trial of Bozaer

The UK chief of Arla, Bas Padberg, has now blamed the backlash his company has received on 'misinformed' claims on social media.

'Perhaps it was Bill Gates that got the attention,' he told The Telegraph.

'More people know about Bill Gates, there might be more interest in Bill Gates than us and it was claimed that he is working on a methane suppressor, I think it got mixed up.'

A number of British politicians too joined the row in early December, with a Reform UK politician announcing that he 'won't be consuming anything containing Bovaer' and calling for 'an urgent review of its use in our food system.'

The additive has, however, been approved by regulators in the United Kingdom, with the Food Standards Agency announcing: 'Milk from cows given Bozaer, a feed additive used to reduce methane emissions, is safe to drink.'

Mr Padberg of Arla added that the company 'would never, ever jeopardise anything that was related to the quality (of its food) and would never, ever put our food at risk.'

Arla is indeed pushing ahead with its trial despite experiencing a drop in sales following the backlash.

Bovaer is made using silicon dioxide, propylene glycol and synthetic organic compound 3-nitrooxypropanol (known as 3-NOP).

Bas Padberg (pictured), UK Chief of Arla, said that the company would 'never, ever jeopardise' its products

Social media users posted videos of themselves on X flushing away milk bought from supermarkets at the time the trial was announced

The latter element, 3-NOP, had previously been considered corrosive to the eyes, a skin irritant and potentially harmful by inhalation, the FSA claimed.

But experts stressed that during Arla's trial, no such elements would be found in milk or butter as they are initially broken down in a cow's stomach.

'It has gone through a series of regulatory processes around the world and all are satisfied that it actually does what's claimed around methane emissions and does not pose any food safety issues,' Professor Chris Elliot - an food and microbiology expert, told the BBC in December.

Despite its base being in Scandinavia, Arla plays a crucial role in the supply of dairy products to the UK. It is, in fact, the fifth biggest dairy company in the world.

'Arla foods date back to the 1880's,' the company website reads.

'When dairy farmers in Denmark and Sweden joined forces with one common goal: to produce and provide the best dairy products.'

MailOnline approached Arla Foods for comment.
Cape Town has become the latest city to be flooded with anti-tourism sentiment, after fuming local activists condemned the influx of selfie-taking digital nomads.

The South African capital has seen a massive surge of remote workers from wealthy countries who regularly move across the world to soak up the sun and embed themselves into different cultures.

While authorities have embraced this new wave of people flowing in and out of the city, local activists have accused digital nomads of pricing them out of their own homes.

The Times reported that a recent event by Nomad Week, an initiative run by the city and Work Wanderers, a firm that according to its LinkedIn page offers 'luxurious accommodation, chic co-working spaces, bucket-list activities, community, and networking opportunities' to digital nomads, became a flashpoint for anti-tourism sentiment.

The activist group, Dismantling the Ivory Tower, slammed the week-long event as 'a celebration of displacement' in a new era of colonisation armed by 'booking apps instead of gunboats.'

And it's not just activists who are up in arms over the rush of remote workers.

South African influencer Naledi Mallela took to her TikTok earlier this month to call out digital nomads.

In the video, she said: 'I need you guys to stop it! Stop it right now, stop coming to South Africa! No, I'm being serious! I have no problem with the fact that you guys are realising that South Africa is a beautiful country and we have cheap s***.

South African influencer Naledi Mallela (pictured) took to her TikTok earlier this month to call out digital nomads

Digital nomads are remote workers from wealthy countries who regularly move across the world to soak up the sun and embed themselves into different cultures (File image)

Cape Town has become the latest city to be flooded with anti-tourism sentiment, after fuming local activists condemned the influx of selfie-taking digital nomads (File image)

'But the problem with you guys coming here is that everything is getting expensive! Like every single second TikTok an American is here, someone is going to a safari, everything has become expensive, Nandos costs 600 [South African Rand] for a full chicken', she added.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town's mayor, defended the nomads as 'a blessing to our economy' and said the city's biggest scourges were poverty and unemployment.

But even he admitted there needed to be a 'level playing field' to balance the interests of locals and digital nomads.

He told South African newspaper Daily Maverick: 'You can't come into a very tourism-rich market and basically run a small hotel if you're running a permanent Airbnb, that's what it is, but you're not taxed like a hotel, you're taxed like a private house.'

Hill-Lewis said the city was putting a process in place to convert 'permanent Airbnbs' from residential to commercial taxes, which he said would bring in more money for the region.

'I think that's only fair. There has to be an equal playing field', he said.

A study conducted by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) revealed that the number of countries offering digital nomad visas has risen significantly since 2020.

The UNWTO looked at 54 destinations last year and found that 45% offered these visas for up to one year, while 39% exempted digital nomads from tax payments.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town's mayor, defended the nomads as 'a blessing to our economy'

Activists condemned the Nomad Week event as a 'a celebration of displacement' (File image)

The 2023 report recommended that host countries carefully evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing digital nomad visa programmes, noting that their effect on tourism is still difficult to measure.

It comes amid rising anti-tourist rhetoric and actions across the world, particularly in Europe.

Anti-tourism activists promised to wreck havoc across Spain this summer as they ramp up their campaign against holidaymakers by blocking beauty spots and torching hire cars ahead of planned international summit to discuss protest tactics.

Visitors to the party paradise of Ibiza were left disappointed last month after a popular viewing point was dramatically blocked off with boulders in the latest sign of growing local resentment towards mass tourism.

The famous Es Vedra viewpoint, where thousands gather to watch the sun sink behind the mountainous island each evening, is now off-limits after frustrated landowners declared they'd had enough of being overrun by crowds.

A blunt sign now warns visitors: 'Private Property. Restricted Access.'

But the blocked roadway was seemingly tame compared to the violence and chaos that erupted in Tenerife last week, where furious activists reportedly torched and smashed a fleet of hire cars in a shocking act of protest.

Disturbing footage circulating online shows masked vandals dousing around 20 rental vehicles with flammable liquid before setting them alight in the popular Costa Adeje resort - a favourite among British holidaymakers.

Graffiti reading 'kill a tourist' has been spotted on a wall in Tenerife amid Spain's anti-protest movement

Furious activists reportedly torched and smashed a fleet of hire cars in a shocking act of protest in Tenerife last week

Visitors to Spain's party paradise Ibiza last month were left disappointed after a popular viewing point was dramatically blocked off with boulders

More than 3,000 people demonstrated against the tourist overcrowding suffered by the city of Barcelona and in favor of tourism reduction policies in July

Some 6,500 people take part in a demonstration organised by a platform reflecting the growing discontent among locals with the current tourism model in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain on October 20, 2024

Angry demonstrators targeted visitors last year, blaming them for soaring rents and a cost of living crisis that's driving locals out of their homes. Some campaigners have even threatened to take their protests to the next level by blocking airports.

The anti-tourism movement is gaining momentum across southern Europe with at least 15 activist groups from holiday hotspots in Spain, Portugal, Italy and France set to meet in Barcelona next month to plot their next steps.

The Neighbourhood Assembly for Tourist Degrowth - a key player in the anti-tourism push - said it wants to 'strengthen the network of the territories of southern Europe against tourists.'

The recent vow for more protests follows a summer of major demonstrations across Spain's popular resorts, with anger particularly mounting over mass tourism.
Demonstrators who believe Lucy Letby is innocent today gathered outside the public inquiry to protest over her convictions.

Around 40 people waving placards saying 'Free Lucy Letby, no babies were murdered' and 'Lucy Letby not guilty' arrived at Liverpool Town Hall early this morning.

The protest was scheduled to coincide with the closing statements by barristers at the Thirlwall Inquiry, which has been investigating the circumstances of the former neo-natal nurse's crimes.

Letby, 35, was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more during a killing spree at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

Lucy Letby, 35, was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more during a killing spree at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016

Around 40 people waving placards saying 'Free Lucy Letby, no babies were murdered' and 'Lucy Letby not guilty' arrived at Liverpool Town Hall early this morning

Protesters came with signs and pamphlets that they handed out to passersby

Police officers were seen speaking with the protesters outside the Thirlwall Inquiry

A protester holds a sign that reads 'Lucy's not guilty' as he joined others outside Liverpool Town Hall

A young woman speaks at a protest in support of convicted baby serial killer Lucy Letby

Other signs called for Letby's release and accused authorities of a 'witch hunt'

Protesters held signs labelling the killer a 'whistleblower' who is being 'silenced'

Detectives say a separate investigation into Letby (pictured), which saw them interview her in prison last year over more alleged baby murders, remains ongoing

She has twice tried and failed to appeal those convictions but last month a panel of 14 experts claimed to have found natural explanations for the deaths and unexpected collapses of the children and said she has been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Their reports have been lodged with the Criminal Cases Review Commission by her new defence team, who want her case sent back to the Court of Appeal for a third review.

Last week Cheshire police revealed they had upgraded their corporate manslaughter inquiry into the Countess to include individual members of staff who worked at the Trust.

Detectives say a separate investigation into Letby, which saw them interview her in prison last year over more alleged baby murders, remains ongoing.
It may seem hard to credit now but, back in October 2022, Ukrainian forces were steadily liberating territory from the Russian invaders. That is until, suddenly, they werent.

The pushbacks on two fronts, the east and the south, ground to a simultaneous standstill as the troops reported a catastrophic breakdown in communications.

As Ukraines soldiers breached the Russian defences and found themselves in enemy territory, they discovered that their internet connection - vital to everything from directing artillery attacks and detecting enemy drones to communicating with each other - was suddenly lost. The offensive was plunged into chaos and troops had to start retreating.

Officials soon realised what had gone wrong. Elon Musk, who had given the beleaguered Ukrainians a lifeline by supplying them with Starlink, his state-of-the-art satellite internet system, after the Russians destroyed their own network, had cut them off.

Musk was frustrated that his company was providing the internet service for free when it was estimated to cost him $400 million (310 million) a year. That particular misunderstanding was quickly sorted out, thanks to a hefty payment to Musk from the Pentagon.

Yet at the weekend, the mercurial billionaire once again raised the issue of Starlink in a bizarre spat with Polands foreign minister.

The minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, intervened on X after Musk boasted that his satellite system was the backbone of the Ukrainian army and warned Ukraines entire frontline would collapse if he turned off Starlink.

Sikorski responded that his country paid for its use in Ukraine (to the tune of $50 million a year) and, 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.

A SpaceX rocket lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center with a payload of Starlink satellites. Reuters reported last month that US negotiators pressing Ukraine for American access to its critical minerals had raised the possibility of cutting the countrys access to Starlink

However, Musk has pledged that, no matter how much he disagrees with Ukraines leaders, Starlink will never turn off its terminals

At which point US Secretary of State Marco Rubio chimed in, accusing Sikorski of just making things up... no one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink.

And with classic petulance, he added: 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 then piled in with his customary arrogance, telling Sikorski: Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink.

It was typical bullyboy tactics from the richest man in the world. But shortly afterwards he appeared to relent and pledged that, no matter how much he disagreed with Ukraines leaders, Starlink will never turn off its terminals.

But can he be trusted? Not only did Starlink do just that, as we have seen, in 2022, it has threatened to do so much more recently. Reuters reported last month that US negotiators pressing Ukraine for American access to its critical minerals had raised the possibility of cutting the countrys access to Starlink. (Musk dismissed the story as false.)

But such episodes underline the dangers of vulnerable nations being so heavily reliant on services offered by the unelected and unaccountable Musk.

Starlink - which has taken its command and control capability to ever more sophisticated levels in recent years - is virtually irreplaceable. Without it, say defence experts, Ukraine wouldnt necessarily crumble instantly, but its war effort would certainly be dealt a grievous blow.

Musks periodic displays of petulance with regard to Ukraine represent quite a change of tack for a man who only three years ago was hailed as a hero in Kyiv. Just days after the Russian invasion in February 2022, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraines deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation, sent a desperate tweet to Musk asking for him to provide them with a Starlink service.

A Ukrainian serviceman on the front line prepares a Starlink satellite internet system

Amid Russia's attack in Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, local residents use a Starlink terminal to keep in touch with loved ones

Musk - in those days a fervent supporter of Ukraine - got back to him within hours, saying he had switched on the Starlink service over the country and that the necessary hardware would swiftly follow. Within two days, lorry-loads of the tripod-mounted routers - roughly the size of a computer screen - started arriving in the country.

Highly portable and capable of running off a car battery, they were ideal for use amid the shattered infrastructure of Ukraine. Financed by a combination of donations from Ukrainians in Silicon Valley, the US and European governments, and pro-bono contributions by SpaceX, Starlink dishes were soon being transported en masse to Ukraine.

Within three months, some 150,000 Ukrainians were using the service every day and there are now an estimated 42,000 Starlink terminals in the country.

Of course, no one was more dependent on Starlink than the military. It is our oxygen, said one soldier two years ago. Without it, he claimed, our army would collapse into chaos.

Starlink allows military units to talk to each other, enabling commanders to stay back from the frontline where theyd have to go - and become tempting targets - if they had to rely on radios.

It is also used to operate attack and reconnaissance drones, the latter streaming real-time footage to troops so they can respond immediately, and is critical in quickly and efficiently communicating targets to artillery. An expert described Starlink as a sort of Uber for howitzers.

Starlinks other great strength is that it is very difficult for the Russians to counter. Unlike traditional radio, its signal cannot be blocked. Russia could conceivably knock Starlink satellites out of the sky, but that would be a huge escalation of the conflict given that it would involve destroying the property of a US company.

And, besides, there are so many of them - just over 7,000 so far, with plans for a constellation of as many as 42,000 satellites in future.

Elon Musk started a spat on X between Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski (left) and US secretary of state Marco Rubio when he warned that Ukraines entire frontline would collapse if he turned off Starlink

Much smaller than other satellites - the original version was just over 9ft long, 4.6ft wide and 0.7ft thick - Starlink craft also orbit at far lower altitudes, around 550km above the Earth, than conventional satellites that tend to orbit at 36,000km.

That shorter distance also means the latency of the signal - the time taken for data to get up to the satellite and back down again - is much shorter, which decreases the chance of software glitches.

Sensing the threat of Musk turning on them, Ukraine is considering moving to European satellite providers but the service would be weaker, slower and more expensive.

For what was originally just a spin-off of Elon Musks long-term ambition to colonise Mars, Starlink has proved one of his biggest success stories. The business only started making a (small) profit in 2023, but revenue is expected to reach 9.1billion this year.

SpaceX started mass-producing Starlink satellites in 2019, and was able to get them into orbit quickly by adding up to 60 satellites to the payload of all the Falcon 9 rockets it launched.

Relatively cheap and, crucially, able to offer a fast and reliable internet connection to remote areas, Starlink is now available in 100 countries and territories.

A standard terminal costs 460 to buy, with a standard monthly service fee of 75. In the UK, for example, the NHS has just signed an 85,000 contract to keep GPs connected to the internet in rural parts in the north-east of England.

But Starlink does have its critics. Astronomers complain so many bright, orbiting objects will interfere with their work. Space safety experts say Starlink is now the number one collision hazard in Earths orbit. And eco activists are worried that redundant satellites burning up in our atmosphere will contribute to climate change.

Meanwhile, more and more sovereign states are unwilling to entrust their communications to the enduring goodwill of Elon Musk, among them Taiwan.

Aware that Musks largest Tesla factory is in China and that he goes out of his way not to offend the Beijing regime, instead of doing a deal with Starlink, it threw in its lot with a UK-European rival, Eutelsat OneWeb - a smaller company but, very possibly, a safer bet longterm.
Drone delivery trials, fast-tracked medicines and higher contactless payment limits are being mooted as Rachel Reeves tries to boost growth.

The Chancellor has been meeting regulators in Downing Street this morning as she pushes to cut cost of red tape for businesses by a quarter.

She is announcing a menu of 60 measures intended to reduce bureaucracy and encourage growth.

Those attending include the Financial Conduct Authority, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Health and Safety Executive.

Ms Reeves told the meeting there is 'too much bureaucracy'.

'You know that the number one mission of this Government is to grow the economy,' she said.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been meeting regulators in Downing Street this morning as she pushes to cut cost of red tape for businesses by a quarter

'There are a number of things over the last decade or so that have held back growth, and one of them  if we are honest and you know better than anyone  is the regulatory landscape.

'Too much overlapping regulation, too much bureaucracy, too slow to get things done. It is something that myself and other ministers hear all the time.'

She said: 'What we want to do going forward is to work more closely with you to unlock those things that are holding back investment.'

The talks came as Ms Reeves suffered a fresh blow with the OECD trimming UK growth expectations for his year and next as it warned of looming price rises from Donald Trump's trade war.

Ministers are desperate to find savings ahead of the Spring Statement following data showing the economy shrank by 0.1 per cent in January.

Plans set to be unveiled include fast-tracking new medicines by making regulators work together, helping international financial firms navigate UK regulation and making it easier to deliver packages by drone.

Other measures include reviewing contactless payment limits, simplifying mortgage lender rules and helping start-ups to secure funding.

Ministers will also target planning. They say that, in the future, developers will be able to consult one environmental regulator rather than the scores they are forced to at the moment.

Ms Reeves said: 'We are taking further action to free businesses from the shackles of regulation. By cutting red tape and creating a more effective system, we will boost investment, create jobs and put more money into working people's pockets.'

She has pledged a significant reduction in the number of regulators by the end of the parliament to reduce overlap and duplication.

It comes after NHS England  dubbed the world's largest quango  was scrapped as part of efforts to cut costs and boost economic growth.

Those attending include the Financial Conduct Authority , the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Health and Safety Executive

Cabinet ministers will report back to Ms Reeves in the summer with further suggestions.

Ministers will also pledge to scrap another body  the Regulator for Community Interest Companies  which will become part of Companies House.

They will also cut the legal duties of financial services regulators, energy watchdog Ofgem, water regulator Ofwat and the Office of Road and Rail.

But claims that the plans will save 'billions' will ring hollow, with the Employment Rights Bill set to cost businesses 5 billion alone.
Staff, parents and children have been left in shock after a Australia-wide chain of childcare centres collapsed and its director, according to the union, is nowhere to be found.

Genius Childcare centres in Victoria, NSW, WA, Queensland and the ACT have been taken over by administrators after a lengthy period of late wages and unpaid superannuation.

Vertical 4, the company forced into administration, was previously called Genius Learning and lists Darren Misquitta as company director and secretary.

Mr Misquitta's childcare business allegedly failed to pay staff wages and up to $7million in superannuation, the Courier-Mail reported.

Several of the centres suddenly closed in recent months, leaving hundreds of families desperately scrambling to find an alternative place for their children.

The United Workers Union (UWU) is taking action against Vertical 4 in the Federal Circuit Court on behalf of 57 of its ex-staff who are members. The union is seeking unpaid super and penalties for the late payment of wages.

UWU President Jo Schofield alleged Mr Misquitta was 'missing in action' and had not been seen for about six months.

'Genius Early Learning's director Darren Misquitta seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth,' Ms Schofield claimed.

Genius childcare centres have been taken over by administrators after employees had long complained of late payments and unpaid superannuation

Vertical 4, the company forced into administration, was previously called Genius Learning and lists Darren Misquitta (pictured) as company director and secretary

'The rumour mill is in overdrive, reporting him in Hong Kong, Japan, the Gold Coast and other locations, but the truth is no one seems to know for sure.'

The union served Mr Misquitta court papers through his lawyers in Melbourne last week.

Vertical 4 is responsible for 13 Genius childcare centres spread throughout four states along with a Canberra centre.

They locations are: Hamilton Hill, Lakelands and Mandurah in WA, Castle Hill and Pyrmont in NSW and Newcomb in Victoria. It also has two unopened centres in Eumemmerring and Cranbourne West, which are both in Victoria.

There are also another five other centres which the administrators are in the process of selling to a third party in Mount Albert, Beaumaris and Reservoir in Victoria, Kenmore in Queensland and Gowrie in the ACT.

Nicholas Charlwood, Glenn Livingstone and Alan Walker of WLP Restructuring have been appointed as the administrators of Vertical 4.

'Administrators were appointed by the company's secured creditor and have now taken control of the company and its assets,' WLP said in a statement.

'While the administrators examine the company's financial position, they are focused on stabilising operations and limiting any further disruption of services to families across the country.'

Several of the centres suddenly closed in recent months, leaving hundreds of families desperately trying to find an alternative place for their children (pictured is one of the centres)

The United Workers Union is taking action in the Federal Circuit Court on behalf of 57 of its members who worked for the daycare business ( a Genius branded centre is pictured)

Mr Charlwood said the administrators immediately moved to extend the company's debt facility.

'This is intended to allow the centres to resume trading, reinstate staff and pay outstanding wages while the administrators urgently seek either a purchaser for the centres or a party to recapitalise the company,' he said.

'We understand the urgency and concerns parents and staff have about the challenges facing some of the company's centres.

'We have already engaged in constructive discussions with the company's lender to extend its debt facility, which if agreed, will provide funding to keep centres open and reopen care services while a sales process is undertaken.'

Mr Charlwood said there would be no change to the operations of individual centres unaffected by recent closures.

'We are committed to exploring all avenues to facilitate continuity of care for families, preserve employment opportunities and ensure the company's ongoing viability,' he said.

A message from management reported by the Daily Telegraph said: 'We want to take a moment to acknowledge the uncertainty and concern that news of an administrator being appointed to Genius Learning Pty Ltd may bring.

'We understand that this is a challenging time and we are committed to keeping you informed and supported throughout this process.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Genius Childcare seeking comment from it and Mr Misquitta.


A watchdog which said girls in care should share a bedroom with boys who self-identify as the opposite gender is guilty of dangerous negligence, a former senior police officer claimed yesterday.

Cathy Larkman criticised the Care Inspectorate after it said looked-after transgender children should not be made to use the toilet or bedroom of their sex assigned at birth.

The edict adds that trans youngsters should be able to share a room with other young people who share their gender identity.

The Scottish Mail on Sunday revealed that astonishingly, it also states there is no law in Scotland that protects single-sex spaces.

Last night retired police superintendent Ms Larkman, national policing lead for the Womens Rights Network, said: I dont normally call for anyone to lose their jobs, but everyone involved in this decision should be removed.

They arent fit for their role.

Former senior police officer Cathy Larkman is critical of the Care Inspectorate's gender policy for looked-after children

The Care Inspectorate has been accused of 'dangerous negligence' over its stance on looked-after transgender children

Writing on social media platform X, she said: Its wilful and dangerous negligence towards vulnerable girls.

Research from the University of Stirling in 2019 showed that in Scotland, the majority of children who have been removed from their parents have endured maltreatment or neglect.

According to the Cass Review published last year, there is a high presentation of children who have had adverse childhood experiences and those who are looked after among the transgender population.

In light of those findings, the Care Inspectorate published updated guidance for care workers and accommodation providers in May 2024.

It said it supports schools guidance issued by the Scottish Government which states that a transgender youngster should not be made to use the toilet or bedroom of their biological sex.

It states that if a transgender young person wants to share a room with other young people who share their gender identity, they should be able to do so as long as the rights of, and risks to, all those involved are considered and respected.

In a move which critics believe displays a chilling lack of understanding of equalities legislation, it goes on to say: The provision of gendered facilities such as toilets is social convention. There is no law in Scotland about this.

Susan Smith, of campaign group For Women Scotland, said: Various pieces of legislation do mandate single-sex toilet provisions.

Care Inspectorate officials must be naive to the point of abject idiocy if they think gender identity will preclude children indulging in dangerous sexual behaviour.

Childrens human rights and physical safety matter: unless the Care Inspectorate want another child abuse inquiry on their hands, they will stop deliberately putting children at risk.

Scottish Conservative equalities spokesman Tess White added: Its frankly ludicrous that Scotlands care watchdog doesnt recognise there are legal obligations to provide single-sex spaces.

Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at human rights charity Sex Matters, called the guidance a terrifying failure of the states duty to protect some of Scotlands most vulnerable young people.

She said: This policy is grossly negligent, putting young people who deserve so much better at significant risk.

The Care Inspectorate was contacted last night for comment on Ms Larkmans intervention.

A spokesman for the watchdog told the Scottish Mail on Sunday: It is for care services to decide on the appropriate provision of facilities to meet the individual needs, rights and wishes of those experiencing care.
Only eight Albanian prisoners have been sent back to their homeland to serve their sentences as part of an 8million government scheme to deport the criminals.

In 2023, it was revealed that 200 Albanian thugs were being sent home to serve the rest of the, with the first 67 initially listed to serve

But only eight have left so far under the two year scheme which is costing the UK 4million a year, according to The Sun.

Twelve murderers, eight rapists and more than 100 found guilty of drug or firearm offences are just some of the Albanians who were expected to leave our shores.

The Ministry of Justice said when the deal was made that this scheme would 'free up' jail space in England and Wales and double the number of offenders without UK citizenship removed annually.

This comes as MailOnline revealed over the weekend that up to one in 36 Albanians registered in the UK are serving time in prison, making up more than any other foreign nationality in UK prisons.

Between October 2022 and August 2024, 99.7 per cent of space in adult male prisons were taken.

Ibraham Bezeti was jailed for 17 years for raping a drugged woman and putting her through 'every woman's worst nightmare' but he is yet to be repatriated to Albania

Rapist Klodjan Samurri, 31, is also expecting repatriation after the predator was caught buttoning up his jeans as his victim begged for him to leave

The then-Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said at the time 'the public expects that foreign criminals should serve their sentences overseas - not in our prisons at the expense of the taxpayer'.

'This deal will speed up the removal of these offenders and give victims confidence that serious criminals will continue to face justice and spend the remainder of their sentence behind bars,' he added.

The wait for the repatriation of the most violent criminals is allegedly due to lengthy administrative delays as Albanian courts must register a British sentence before the transfer can be completed.

One such criminal who was meant to be sent back was Ibraham Bezati.

The 38-year-old was jailed for 17 years after falsely imprisoning and raping a drugged woman in 2021.

A judge told Bezati that he 'treated her like she was less than human' and had put his victim through 'every woman's worst nightmare'.

But the 'dangerous sexual predator' has yet to continue the rest of his imprisonment in his own country.

Another violent lag is convicted killer Dorian Pirija, 36, who had been jailed for 19 years after planning to kill a rival Hartlepool drug dealer in 2021.

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Hamawand Ali Hussein, 30, was blasted in the head with a sawn-off shotgun after Pirija made efforts to expand his drug kingdom.

Pirija was only charged with manslaughter and is yet to be returned to Albania.

Rapist Klodjan Samurri, 31, is also expecting repatriation after the predator was caught buttoning up his jeans as his victim begged for him to leave.

Although he lied to the woman's friends saying she gave consent, Old Bailey Judge Bernard Richmond found that he had 'targeted a vulnerable woman in her own bed' and gave him seven years behind bars.

One criminal who has been sent back was drug kingpin Klodjan Copja.

He was flown back last March to serve his 17 years behind bars in Albania.

Erald Mema, who led an 'enormous' cocaine smuggling operation, has also been returned after being given 25 years in 2018.

However, it is believed he asked to go back because he could receive an earlier release granted by a parole board than he would of if he stayed in the UK.

Drug kingpin Klodjan Copja was flown back last March to serve his 17 years behind bars in Albania

Erald Mema, who led an 'enormous' cocaine smuggling operation, has also been returned after being given 25 years in 2018

These thugs are now serving their time in Albania's most secure jail - Drenova Priosn - where they will stay until they serve half their sentence in custody.

The Ministry of Justice said that they were deploying specialist staff to 80 jails to speed up the removal of prisoners 'who have no right to be in this country'.

The Sun reported that government sources stressed that only part of the 8million was paid each time a criminal was returned.

The money is said to be going towards the refurbishment of Albanian prisons, extra security, rehabilitation equipment, workshops and training for warders.

Prisoners cost 109 a day in the UK, compared to 32 in Albania.

The MoJ also highlighted that since the election, 2,925 foreign criminals have been removed, a 21% increase on the same period 12 months prior.

MailOnline revealed that almost 1,100 Albanians, including murderers, kingpins of the feared Balkan mafia which controls the UK drug market and rapists, were behind bars at the end of 2024. Just three were women.

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This is despite only 39,091 Albanian-born men reside here, according to Government data.

Albania topped MailOnline's league table of criminality by nationality, coming ahead of Guinea, Algeria, Vietnam, Sudan, Palestine and Eritrea.

In December, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that even though the government was planning to open 14,000 more prison spaces, there was still a chance that would not be enough.

Last summer, some prisons in the UK were just 100 spaces away from reaching full capacity and freed thousands of inmates early in a bid to stop overcrowding.


The SNPs failure to crack down on the rise of black market Botox is putting lives at risk, a leading cosmetic surgeon warned last night.

Dr Darren McKeown said the Nationalists proposed reforms to regulate the industry did not go far enough to ensure the safety of patients.

The plans mean people who are not medically trained will be able to continue administering Botox and other injectable beauty treatments.

This has led to fears that more people will fall victim to botched Botox procedures or black market versions of the medicine which can be highly dangerous.

The Mail reported in December that complaints about botched cosmetic procedures had soared across Scotland, prompting urgent warnings over so-called cowboy clinics.

The Scottish Government issued its consultation on December 20, seeking views from the public and practitioners on how to tighten regulation around the provision of treatments such as Botox and dermal filler.

Last night Dr McKeown, a Glasgow-based medic known for his expertise in facial rejuvenation, said it was too dangerous to permit non-healthcare practitioners to continue performing facial filler injections.

His intervention came just days after Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) cautioned against attending drink-fuelled parties organised with unregulated providers such as beauticians.

Ministers have been warned people that if people who are not medically trained can continue to administer Botox and other 'injectable' beauty treatments, lives could be at risk

There are plans to change the way the beauty industry is regulated, but critics fear they do not go far enough

He said: The risks are real  we had a patient who went to a Botox party and four months later still had a droopy eyelid, which is a possible symptom but normally wouldnt last for so long.

She was drinking and thought, Why not? but the problem is you dont know where this Botox has been sourced from  it could be black market Botox which someone has bought form the internet.

You dont know what the supply chain is like and Botox is temperature-sensitive - so there is a big risk getting injected at a Botox party.

Dr McKeown, a former NHS doctor, said his clinic carries out 10,000 injections per year - and once a week it will treat someone who has had a botched procedure elsewhere.

Fake Botox may contain impurities, including potentially toxic fillers such as saline, silicone, or other non-sterile substances.

These are used to dilute the botulinum toxin  the medical name for Botox - for easier injection but can lead to infections, allergic reactions, or other complications.

Dr McKeown told the Mail: We have this bizarre situation in the UK where anyone can pick up a syringe and carry out invasive procedures.

What the government is proposing is that this will still continue for injectables like Botox but would need to be done in registered premises  but that doesnt put a stop to the problem.

I represent a group of 20 colleagues who are experienced Scottish doctors working in this field, with real concerns over what is being proposed.

On their behalf, I wrote to Public Health Minister Jenni Minto but she wouldnt agree to meet me, apparently because she was too busy.

The SNP government consultation, which closed on February 14, proposes splitting procedures into three categories based on risk.

Group one covers non-invasive or minimally invasive treatments such as laser hair removal, tattoo removal, microneedling and chemical peels.

These could continue to be carried out by non-healthcare professionals, such as beauticians.

Procedures in group two, including Botox and dermal filler injections, would have to be restricted to premises regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, but could still be performed by non-healthcare professionals under supervision.

This means a health professional with prescribing credentials, such as a doctor, dentist, or nurse prescriber, must be on site in case something goes wrong.

Group three procedures would be strictly limited to healthcare professionals.

These include liposuction, the injection of dermal filler for breast or buttock augmentation  so-called liquid BBLs  or the use of any blood products.

In his letter to Ms Minto, Dr McKeown claimed only two of the 19-strong expert group advising ministers - the Scottish Cosmetic Intervention Expert Group - were doctors.

He said: The argument that not all healthcare professionals are properly trained in cosmetic procedures fundamentally misrepresents the very nature of medical training.

He added: You cannot simply skip the basics and go directly to the party you fancy, as the Scottish Government seem to be advocating by proposing to allow non-healthcare professionals to undertake invasive cosmetic procedures without having a primary medical qualification.

Dr McKeown said accidentally injecting dermal filler into a blood vessel can cause blockages which result in necrosis and potentially serious complications including blindness or lips requiring amputation.

Mother-of-five Alice Webb, 33, died last year in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital after falling unwell following a non-surgical procedure known as a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), which involved cosmetic fluid being injected into her buttocks.

Police later confirmed two people had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the tragedy.

In another case last year, a coroner concluded that a mother-of-three died after a BBL procedure for which she gave no informed consent.

Demi Agoglia, 26, from Salford, had travelled to Turkey for the procedure in January after seeing social media adverts for Comfort Zone, based in Istanbul.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: It should be a source of shame to SNP ministers that Scotland has been branded the worst country in Europe for unregulated cosmetic treatments.

Scotland has now become the wild west for people accessing potentially dangerous treatments.

While the vast majority of those in the industry will carry out good practice, ministers must engage with all those affected and explore ways to clamp down on bad practice, ensuring effective regulations are in place to deter unregulated treatments.

Only a trained and experienced healthcare professional should administer Botox.

I have seen the devastating consequences of these procedures first-hand which is why SNP ministers must introduce robust legislation to ensure fully registered practitioners are administering safe and licenced products.

A Scottish Government spokesman said it is considering the responses to the consultation, and feedback from wider engagement and will publish the analysis and announce our next steps before the Scottish parliaments summer recess in late June.

He said: Dr McKeown has been offered the opportunity to speak with officials.
A criminal gang armed with machetes and shotguns were captured on CCTV raiding a rival gang's property and making off with almost 250,000 of cocaine and heroin - after dopey dealers posed for photos with the drugs.

The group of thugs were captured on camera pulling up to an ordinary-looking house in an Audi and a BMW, before storming the property in Sparkhill, Birmingham in May 2021.

After kicking open the door, they brutally attacked Mohammed Ishaq, 32, with a machete - leaving him with a large slash wound and injuries to his arm.

The gang then fled the address with a large haul of drugs as police and paramedics rushed to the scene on Oakwood Road.

Witnesses told police the men had been seen hiding in bushes in nearby Sparkhill Park, where officers recovered a mixing bowl containing 8kg of heroin and 1kg of cocaine.

It was valued at more than 225,000 - but would have been worth much more once mixed and prepared for sale on the street, according to police.

The men later drove around the park trying to recover the drugs before police could - with one even phoning 999 with a false report of a shooting in a bid to divert officers away from the park.

Cops also searched the house which had been targeted and found more drugs, mixing agents, scales mixing bowls and plastic bags.

Mohammed Ishaq, 32, who was attacked with a machete by the gang, is seen posing in a photo with drugs and cash

The group of thugs were captured on camera pulling up to an ordinary-looking house in an Audi and a BMW, before storming the property in Sparkhill, Birmingham in May 2021

The gang was armed with machetes and shotguns and left their rival with serious wounds

After trawling CCTV and analysing mobile phone data, the group were arrested in a series of early morning raids on October 20, 2021.

Detectives found they controlled at least six separate drugs lines which customers would contact to buy class A drugs across Birmingham.

Officers also recovered a photo of one of the dopey dealers posing for a photo with bowls of the drugs.

Nine men have now been jailed for a combined total of more than 77 years following a 13 week trial at Birmingham Crown Court which ended in January.

The group's leader Mohammed Imran Khan, 37, of Bordesley Green, Birmingham, was jailed for 14 years and two months.

He had made a stamp advertising one of the drugs line phone numbers and its opening hours, and drove others around in his BMW trying to recover the dumped stash after the raid.

Rival Mohammed Ishaq, of Sparkhill, who was attacked in the Oakwood Road house where he was preparing drugs, was jailed for 10 years and two months.

He was pictured in a recovered photo by police posing alongside mixing bowls filled with drugs and bundles of bank notes.

The gang attacked the property while hooded and masked before fleeing with 9kg of cocaine and heroin

The drugs stolen were later recovered by police officers in a nearby park

Clockwise from top left - Mohammed Butt, Anwar Awais, Nowshad Mohammed, Sohail Hussain, Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Ishaq, Riaz Mohammed, Kaleem Khan and Ahmed Iqbal

Police officers arrested the men in a series of dawn raids on October 20, 2021

Officers from West Midlands Police forced entry into the gang members' homes in the early hours of the morning

A stamp made by Mohammed Imran Khan, 37, advertising his drugs line with a phone number and opening hours

Kaleem Ullah Khan, 37, of Saltley, Birmingham, was jailed for 13 years and three months while Sohail Hussain, 31, of Bordesley Green, was caged for nine years and nine months.

Riaz Mohammed, 39, of Bordesley Green, was jailed for seven years and six months and Anwar Awais, 28, of Kings Heath, was sentenced to seven years and four months.

Mohammed Hamza Butt, 25, of Bordesley Green, was jailed for eight years and Nowshad Mohammed, 29, of Bordesley Green, was jailed for seven years and two months.

Ahmed Iqbal, 19, also from Bordesley Green, will be sentenced at a later date.

Detective Sergeant Danny Wilson, of West Midlands Police, said afterwards: 'This was a gang that was trading in the human misery of class A drugs - exploiting vulnerable people and fuelling a violent trade.

'Our investigation was triggered by an act of extreme violence against the gang, and that exposed the property at Oakwood Road as the headquarters of the operation.

'They were at the higher end of the supply chain, and their illegal product was being used to supply people across the city.

'These lengthy sentences send a powerful message to those involved in the drugs trade that we are coming for you and you will spend years behind bars.'
A million children face losing free school meals over the next five years as parents on legacy benefits are forced to move on to universal credit, it has been revealed.

Since 2018, there have been protections for existing claimants to continue to receive free school meals while universal credit is rolled out.

These transitional protections were initially due to end in March 2022, but have twice been extended to, firstly, March 2023 and then the end of this month.

According to The Times, the Treasury has been resisting calls from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to extend the deadline again.

The newspaper reported that internal Government estimates suggest a million children will be stripped of free school meals by the end of the decade when they go from primary to secondary school over the next five years.

But there is unlikely to be a major drop-off in numbers immediately, as those already receiving free school meals are protected until the end of their phase of education.

Government sources said a further extension of the protections was 'completely off the table' given the expected cost to the Treasury.

In 2023/24, 2.1 million pupils were eligible for free school meals - up from 1.1 million in 2017/18. Ministers have said the annual cost of providing free school meals is 1.5billion.

A million children face losing free school meals over the next five years as parents on legacy benefits are forced to move on to universal credit, it has been revealed

According to The Times, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been resisting calls from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to extend transitional protections again

Earlier this month, a Labour MP called for all eligible children to be automatically enrolled for free school meals.

Peter Lamb, MP for Crawley, has introduced the Free School Meals (Automatic Registration of Eligible Children) Bill to the House of Commons.

It proposes the automatic registration of all children eligible for free school meals, with the option for parents to opt out.

Charities and campaigners, including celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Tom Kerridge, have recently hit out at the 'broken' free school meals system.

Barnardo's described current access to free school meals for most children in England as 'extremely restrictive', applying to families earning less than 7,400 after tax and excluding benefits.

The threshold is half that of Northern Ireland where families on universal credit with up to 15,000 in earnings after tax are eligible.

Wales and London have universal free school meals in primary education, while children in years one to five in primary schools run by local councils or funded by the Scottish Government are entitled to free school lunches during term-time.

Polling of 10,000 teachers across England last month for Food Matters suggested a quarter reported using their own money to feed children while two thirds said they supported introducing free school meals for all children.

Ministers plan to finish moving everyone to universal credit by the end of this year before closing the legacy benefits system by the end of March 2026.

A spokesman said the Government was 'determined to tackle the scourge of child poverty and break the unfair link between background and opportunity' and that 'wide-ranging action' had already been taken, including setting up a task force to tackle child poverty.

The first 750 schools will begin offering free breakfast clubs from April with 30million of investment, designed to boost standards, attendance and wellbeing, the spokesman said.

'This is alongside the free lunches for 2.1 million disadvantaged pupils and a further 1.3 million infants under our universal scheme,' they added.

'No pupil will feel any change as a result of the move to phase 2 of protections until after the summer and as with all Government policy, we keep our approach to free school meals under review.'
The Conservatives will seek a total ban on children using mobile phones in school today.

The opposition wants to rewrite the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require that teachers bar pupils using or even carrying phones during the academic day.

They argue that such policies boost attainment, with a fifth of students saying smartphones disrupt lessons every day.

But the Government - which is almost certainly gong to block the change - has so far resisted demands for a ban, with a source accusing the Tories of 'bandwagon jumping' and 'attention seeking'.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: 'We have overwhelming evidence of how damaging phones and social media are on our children's education.

'It is a shame that Labour won't put politics aside and back our amendment to ban phones in schools  it's the right thing for parents, teachers and children.'

In a bid to generate support for the amendment, the Conservatives have launched a petition asking the public to back the move, and has pointed to a survey by think tank Policy Exchange suggesting schools that ban smartphones are more likely to be rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will also host a roundtable alongside Ms Trott on Monday to discuss the proposals with campaigners including actor Sophie Winkleman.

The opposition wants to rewrite the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require teachers bar pupils using or even carrying phones during the academic day.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: 'We have overwhelming evidence of how damaging phones and social media are on our children's education.

But the Government - which is almost certainly gong to block the change - has so far resisted demands for a ban, with a source accusing the Tories of 'bandwagon jumping' and 'attention seeking'.

Mrs Badenoch said: 'We want to make sure children get the best possible education, and evidence shows that phones are disrupting learning.

'That's why we are amending the Bill currently before Parliament to require all schools to ban children carrying or using phones.

'So far the Government have dismissed our plans, and so we will be pressing this issue to a vote in the House of Commons this week.'

The government says heads already have sufficient powers to remove phones from students.

Under former prime minister Rishi Sunak, the Tories issued non-statutory guidance to schools in England intended to stop the use of mobile phones during break and lunch periods in schools, as well as in lessons.

But they now say this did not go far enough and want the ban written into law.

However, the amendment is almost certain to be voted down due to Labour's overwhelming Commons majority.

A Government source said: 'This is yet more bandwagon jumping and scattergun policy-making from a Conservative Party with no firm ideas to raise standards in our schools.

'Laura Trott and Kemi Badenoch as Cabinet ministers backed the guidance the previous government issued; they had 14 years to legislate for a ban and didn't.

'The public can see that this is yet more attention seeking from a party lost in the electoral wilderness.'

Although the Government is opposed to legislating to ban phones from classrooms, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told the Association of School and College Leaders last week they would have her 'full backing in ridding our classrooms of the disruption of phones'.

A Government spokesperson said: 'Mobile phones are a distraction from learning which is why our clear guidance sets out that school leaders should be restricting their use.

'Around 97 per cent of schools restrict mobile phone use in some way, while headteachers also have the ability to implement complete bans, with many choosing to exercise this right.'

An inquiry by the Welsh Senedd last week also recommended against a blanket ban on phones in schools, saying there was also evidence of devices supporting young people's welfare and safety.

It is among several flashpoints in the bill.

The former head of Ofsted launched a major attack on the Education Secretary today, accusing her of prioritising unions' interests above those of schoolchildren.

Amanda Spielman, who was chief inspector of the schools watchdog from 2017 to 2023, demanded Bridget Phillipson drop proposed reforms that would rein in academies.

She criticised the Bill, which returns to the Commons today, saying it was politically motivated rather than trying to help pupils.

Academies are state funded but have some freedom from local authority control to set their own curriculum and pay for teachers, and have long been opposed by unions.
A mother-of-two whose eyes were violently gauged out by her former partner has raised fears for her life after the savage ex was transferred to an open air prison.

Tina Nash, 44, from Cornwall was permanently blinded during a horrifying 12-hour domestic attack by Shane Jenkin in 2011.

She was held hostage, strangled, had her nose and jaw broken, and eyes gouged out - while her two sons slept in the room next door.

The 45-year-old thug was moved to an open air prison at the beginning of March this year despite having six bids for parole rejected.

He is now eligible to leave for short periods of time under licence to take part in paid or unpaid work or to see a family member who is seriously ill.

Jenkin, of Sea Lane, Hayle, in Cornwall, admitted grievous bodily harm (GBH) and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of six years in 2012.

Ms Nash said she had been left fearing for her safety and the safety of other women following his re-location.

She explained: 'I'm really scared, because I don't think he'll leave it, especially because I've spoken out about what he's done.

A mother-of-two whose eyes were violently gauged out by her former partner has raised fears for her life after the savage ex was transferred to an open air prison

Shane Jenkin (pictured) was moved to an open air prison at the beginning of March this year despite having six bids for parole rejected

'I think that he has been sitting there this whole entire time kicking himself that he did not finish me off.'

Laura Richards, a criminal behavioural analyst and former head of the Homicide Prevention Unit of the Metropolitan Police, said she is 'appalled' by the decision to move Jenkin to an open prison.

'I'm extremely concerned about the decision to move Jenkin to an open prison, readying him for release after such a short time and given his appalling and sadistic violent acts to Tina,' Ms Richards said.

'There is too much weight and focus on Jenkin's "right to freedom" rather than where it should be, on Tina's right to life and safety and the safety of the public.'

Ms Richards, who interviewed Ms Nash for her Crime Analyst podcast, said she believes the risk assessment is 'flawed' and Jenkin should be assessed for psychopathy.

Ms Nash, who met Jenkin at a club in Penzance in August 2009, said the first eight months of their relationship was loving until he 'turned on her'.

'The first time that he actually properly turned on me and actually beat me up was in April 2010,' she said.

'Then in that last year it was just nothing but beatings, strangulations, it was just constant the police raiding my house.

Tina Nash (centre) leaves Truro Crown Court, Cornwall, with two police officers following the sentencing of Shane Jenkin

Tina Nash (right) being supported by a police officer outside Truro Crown Court in 2011

'I've never felt like on edge before in all my life.

'I didn't even know I was a victim.'

Describing the night of Jenkin's attack, Ms Nash explained he had rolled her up in a blanket, while he continued to strangle and beat her.

'I didn't know what was going on - I didn't know I was blind,' she said.

'I was touching the left side of my cheek, and I felt my eyeball down on my cheek, I couldn't believe it.

'I don't remember him jumping on me. I don't remember him beating me. I don't remember him gouging my eyes out. I don't remember him rolling me up. He thought I was dead.'

Ms Nash had several operations following the attack but surgeons were unable to save her eyes.

She has since had reconstructive surgery to implant prosthetic eyes.

The mother-of-two who had her eyes gouged out by her former partner, Shane Jenkin, has said she fears for her life after learning he has been transferred to an open prison

Jenkin, who is 6ft 4in, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court in May 2012 and detained in a secure mental health unit.

Ms Nash said the attack by Jenkin has 'completely ruined' her life.

'I try every single day to stay positive, but no matter what, it's still always there, and it's not going away,' she said.

'I dream every single night and it feels like I've just lost my sight yesterday.'

Ms Nash said before meeting Jenkin she was a 'free spirit' who 'loved life', but 13 years later she still suffers panic attacks and is on medication for anxiety.

'I was a free spirit, I loved life, I was a DJ - I loved being out with my friends,' she said.

'All the panic attacks and the anxiety attacks just ruined me as a person.

'The amount of days and years that I sat downstairs on my own on the edge of the sofa, tortured, shaking, freaking out - he'll never know what he's done to me.'

Shane Jenkin pictured in 2012 after he admitted GBH with intent at Truro Crown Court

She told MailOnline earlier this month she was a 'sitting duck' amid reports Jenkin felt being 'vengeful'.

The fearful mother said: 'I'm terrified. He could be stood right behind me in a shop and I wouldn't have a clue because he blinded me.

'I know he wishes he'd killed me that night because then there would have been no witnesses and I couldn't speak out. I still live in Penzance, I'm a sitting duck.

'I feel very scared for my safety, the parole board has said he is vengeful and I've heard from people on his landing that he couldn't stop talking about me.

'I've been warned the first thing he's going to do is come straight for me.'

The night before Jenkin carried out his attack he had watched an eye-gouging scene in the zombie movie 28 Weeks Later.

Truro Crown Court heard it was one of the worst cases of domestic abuse the UK has ever seen.

Ms Nash said: 'People who knew him tell me he's twice the size he was when he went in, he looks like a meathead.

Tina recalled how she felt her face to discover her eye hanging out of the socket and 'thought she was dead'

Tina says she feels badly let down by the justice system after being assured it would be 'many, many years before he was released'

'He was big before but he just looks dangerous. I don't believe he will ever be safe in public - he has a violent past long before what he did to me.

'They told me that the decision to transfer him to an open prison was ratified by the secretary of state in December.

'I wasn't even told that I could lodge an appeal until after the 21 day window to do so had closed.

'I'm the one serving a life sentence, not him - I'll never see my children's faces again, and he's being given his freedom back.

'It's two-tier justice all over again - this government bends over backwards to give abusers another chance, and treats their victims like an afterthought.'

Tina became a campaigner against domestic violence after her nightmare ordeal with Jenkin.

She wrote a book highlighting the scourge of abuse in the home and begged other victims to seek help and not stay silent.

She spoke movingly of her own experience and urged women to flee abusive relationships 'before it is too late'.

Tina Nash, 44, was permanently blinded during a horrifying 12-hour domestic attack by Shane Jenkin in 2011

Her book Out Of The Darkness describes how Jenkin beat her unconscious and poked out her eyes at her home, telling her: 'You're never going to see your kids again.'

Shockingly, just over two years after the horror, Ms Nash was once again the victim of a brutal assault when her new partner, Roland Alli, 32, threatened her with a knife in her own home.

Recalling the moment of terror on June 16, which took place in her house, Ms Nash told how she heard the sound of knives clinking in the drawer and knew that Alli was about to attack her.

'It was happening again and my body shot into survival mode,' she said.

She added that on the night of the attack she had just returned from a visit to her ex-partner's home to drop off her son - and Alli began demanding what had happened.

She said an argument followed and she eventually went upstairs to bed.

But Alli followed her into the bedroom and pushed her shoulder, forcing her to fall to the ground.

He later seemed apologetic and went to put his arms around her waist, but Ms Nash pushed him away.

He suddenly grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. She also felt a sharp pain above her knuckles.

Ms Nash screamed at him to release her and asked him to leave the house.

At that point, she says Alli stormed out and shouted he was going to get a knife from the kitchen.

Two minutes later, the police had arrived at the scene.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said in relation to Jenkin's transfer: 'This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with Ms Nash.

'All prisoners, including those serving life sentences, must pass a robust risk assessment before any move to open conditions and we do not hesitate to move them back to closed prisons if they break the rules.'

Ms Nash said she has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to raise money for security improvements at her home if Jenkin is released.
Four British tourists have been paraded by Thai police after being arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 1.7million of cannabis out of an airport in Thailand.

The suspected traffickers reportedly tried to evade officials by boarding a plane with 290lbs (131 kg) of the drugs at the airport on the island of Koh Samui on March 15.

Customs officers scanned their eight suitcases and noticed they were stuffed with vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana grown on the island where the hit series The White Lotus was recently filmed.

Police detained the baggage owners, identified as Antony Paul Mudd, 62, from London, Billy Daniel Harman, 36, from Newham, Philip Edward Goldstone, 63, from West Ham, and John George Canning, 34, from London.

They all face up to ten years in prison, along with a maximum fine of 500,000 baht (11,469).

Photos show the embarrassed Brits covering their faces with paper as police photos were being taken. Their alleged scheme to buy cheap weed in Thailand - where it is legal - and sell in the UK for a handsome profit appeared to have been blown.

A police spokesman said: 'The suspects claimed they were hired by an employer abroad to travel to Thailand and smuggle cannabis out of the country.

'The employer arranged for travel tickets and accommodation for them, and they would receive the cannabis-packed suitcases at their hotels. They travelled to Koh Samui through a domestic flight from Bangkok. The alleged smugglers' were flying to Singapore with their final destination being London in England.

'Using cannabis is legal in Thailand but it cannot be exported or carried out of the country. That is a crime and police will catch offenders.'

The four men all face up to ten years in prison, along with a maximum fine of 500,000 baht (11,469)

The suspected traffickers reportedly tried to evade officials by boarding a plane with 290lbs (131 kg) of cannabis (pictured)

Authorities said a whopping 375kg (around 830 lbs) of cannabis worth 75 million Baht (1.7 million GBP) had been seized at the airport in the past few days. The controlled herbs had a street value of 200,000 Baht (4,600) per kilogramme - however the prices could be higher in the UK for potent Thai strains where the flowers thrive in the tropical weather on vast farms.

The four British men were charged under the Customs Act, Traditional Thai Medicine Wisdom Protection and Promotion Act, and a public health regulation on controlled herbal substances.

Police have been tightening security at Thai airports amid a spate of cannabis smuggling attempts in recent weeks. With marijuana legal - and widely available - many addicts have attempted to stock up on the product before returning to their homelands, while others hope to capitalise on the arbitrage between the two markets.

On March 13, Shaun Eric Bainbridge, 36, from Middlesbrough, and Mark Searson-Smith, 23, from Liverpool, were arrested at the same airport for alleged cannabis smuggling.

On March 12, British passengers Mark Siemaszkiewicz, 46, Richard McMahon, 46, Oluwatosin Peace Adefila, 27, and Bose Esther Fakuade, 26, were detained with 144kgs of cannabis buds.

On March 9, Daniel James Hallett, 38, from Hull, was detained by customs officials as he allegedly attempted to board a flight to London from the Krabi International Airport in the south of the country.

Thai authorities said they were discussing tighter security measures to intercept cannabis smugglers, who can achieve large profits from the arbitrage with their homelands.

Four British tourists were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle cannabis stuffed in seven giant suitcases from Thailand to the UK. Pictured: Oluwatosin Peace Adefila, 27 - one of the Brits arrested

Pictured: Bose Esther Fakuade, 26. She was one of the four Brits pulled aside at Koh Samui airport and was allegedly found to be smuggling cannabis

Pictured: Richard McMahon, 46. He is one of the Brits accused of allegedly trying to take marijuana out of Thailand

Pictured: Mark Siemaszkiewicz, 46

Cannabis with under 0.2 per cent of THC was decriminalised in Thailand in June 2022, as a potential cash crop for impoverished farmers and ministers connected to the pharmaceutical industry. Cannabis smoking is allowed for personal use in private areas but remains prohibited in public spaces.

However, bungling officials are now seeking to outlaw recreational cannabis, blaming poorly regulated use for allegedly fuelling drug abuse and a rise in the number of cases of tourists overindulging in the drug.

Tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya have seen the negative consequences of legalising the drug, with tourists regularly arrested for misbehaving while under the influence of cannabis.
A little girl was almost dragged away by a coyote seconds after stepping outside her family's stunning $2.3 million home in a ritzy Seattle suburb.

Chang Tong was right behind his daughter Lena when she stepped outside their gorgeous Craftsman home and was immediately attacked by the wild dog on Tuesday.

Tong said they thought the gray-and-white canine was a pet dog, so Lena reached out to pet it - but it responded by latching its jaws onto her palm and dragging her.

'She was about to pet the dog at that time, and with just one second, the coyote just bit her hand and tried to drag her,' Tong told CBS affiliate KIRO.

'She was dragged to the ground.'

The horror unfolded on the doorstep of their gorgeous home with an expensive Rivian SUV parked on its driveway in the desirable Bellevue neighborhood.

'It was just walking on the mat,' Tong recalled, adding that he was standing just inside the house while his daughter pushed the door open and took a step outside.

Tong's fatherly instincts kicked in, and he reacted by screaming at the coyote to scare it away.

An adorable four-year-old girl (pictured) has been bitten and dragged across the ground by a coyote just inches from her family home in an affluent area of Washington state

The girl's father, Chang Tong, said they thought the gray-and-white canine was a pet dog, so Lena reached out to pet it - but it responded by latching its jaws onto her palm

The wild animal attacked four-year-old Lena outside her family's $2.3 million home (pictured) in Factoria, Bellevue, close to Seattle, Washington, on Tuesday this week

The animal backed off, and Tong took Lena to the emergency room, where medics treated her for minor injuries to her palm and gave her a rabies shot.

Tong said he will be keeping his front gate closed moving forward, and will speak to his young children about the dangers of coyotes.

'We may have some weapons, like a stake or a knife, somewhere handy,' he told KIRO. 'If a neighbor saw it, it's better for them to recognize it's a coyote. It's not a dog.'

The affluent Bellevue city has been plagued by coyote attacks recently.

The same day that Lena was bitten, a coyote also approached a group of school students waiting at a bus stop in nearby Factoria and tried to bite them, tearing their clothes.

On Monday, another coyote stole a backpack after a student left it on the sidewalk close to Tyee Middle School.

'She was about to pet the dog at that time, and with just one second, the coyote just bit her hand and tried to drag her,' father Chang Tong said as he recalled the horrific incident

There have been several coyote attacks in the Bellevue area of Washington over the past week

A week before that, coyotes bit two adults in separate incidents.

One of the wild animals bit a man on his leg close to a garage in Factoria, while a woman was bitten on her leg while sitting on her patio in Norwood Village.

Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife responded by killing one of the coyotes involved, and they are still searching for another.

'We have officers in the morning coming out here when the kids get on the bus,' Sgt. Carlo Pace told KIRO.

It is unclear why the animals are becoming so bold.

Wildlife experts have warned that providing wild animals with easy access to food - or even feeding them - may make them lose their inbuilt fear of humans.

Coyotes are also causing carnage beyond Washington state. A pair of the adventurous animals were spotted in an unexpected place earlier this year - San Francisco's subway system.

The furry animals entered the Central Subway tunnel before dawn on January 27 and led baffled employees on an underground journey for more than one mile.

Early morning workers on board SFMTA's sweeper train first spotted the canines during a routine inspection before opening the transport system for the day.

A pair of adventurous coyotes were also spotted in an unexpected location - San Francisco's subway system. An image from the subway's surveillance system (shown above) showed the animals during their quest near Fourth and Bryant streets on January 27, 2025

They pursued the duo for more than a mile to the end of the line at Chinatown's Rose Pak Station, while trying to plot how to capture the creatures if they needed to do so.

The workers attempted to call San Francisco Animal Care and Control, but it was too early, and none of the officials were around to pick up the phones.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency interim Chief Julie Kirschbaum told SFGate she received a call about the subway invaders before 6 am.

She said the wake-up call was a real surprise. 'You never know what you're going to get,' Kirschbaum told the newspaper.

Luckily, the animals politely departed the subway by themselves before the first scheduled train of the day, so the intruders did not cause any disruption.
A Chinese military exercise took a turn for the worse last week when a fighter jet nosedived into the ground and exploded in a huge fireball.

A shocking clip filmed by horrified onlookers captured the moment the Shenyang J-15 fighter careened into the ground a short distance from the civilian viewing area in China's southern island province of Hainan, near Hong Kong, on Saturday.

The aircraft dipped out of sight behind a tall tree line and exploded seconds later. The blast was heard on camera, eliciting gasps and screams from the crowd, as a ball of orange flame and black smoke rose from behind the trees.

Meanwhile, the pilot was seen floating into view, dangling from his parachute. Their proximity to the crash site and the ground suggested they must have ejected moments before impact.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Southern Theatre Command said the plane crashed in an open area and no one else was affected, later confirming that the pilot survived his ejection.

A tight-lipped statement read: 'The pilot successfully ejected, and no collateral damage was caused on the ground,' adding that an investigation had been opened.

The PLA is highly secretive and rarely reports on accidents, despite having the world's largest navy and standing army.

Hainan is China's southernmost province and is home to numerous air force and naval bases, radar stations and other military infrastructure.

It is seen as a key location supporting the expansion of China's military presence in the vast South China Sea.

A shocking clip filmed by horrified onlookers captured the moment the Shenyang J-15 fighter careened into the ground

The aircraft dipped out of sight behind a tall tree line and exploded seconds later

The blast was heard on camera, eliciting gasps and screams from the crowd, as a ball of orange flame and black smoke rose from behind the trees. Meanwhile, the pilot was seen dangling from a parachute

J-15 fighter jets are seen on the flight deck of China's sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, as it arrives in Hong Kong waters on July 7, 2017

The Shenyang J-15 series fighter, known as the 'Flying Shark', is a Chinese-developed and manufactured multirole fighter jet based on prototype designs of Russia's Sukhoi Su-33.

The J-15's predecessor, the J-11, is also based on the Sukhoi Su-27 'Flanker' jet, a highly manoeuvrable fighter that was designed by the Soviet Union to counter the United States F-15 Eagle, which entered service in the 1970s.

The Flanker's design was so successful that it spawned several variants, including the twin-seat Su-30, the naval variant Su-33, the Su-34 fighter bomber and the Su-35, which is effectively a highly modernised and upgraded Flanker.

Russia's air force has exported Flanker series aircraft to air forces worldwide, including China.

But the Chinese People's Liberation Army sought to acquire the aircraft's blueprints to build a domestic fleet of fighter jets, thus avoiding import costs and limiting their reliance on foreign powers which typically deliver export variant aircraft with downgraded capabilities.

Now, China boasts one of the world's most fearsome militaries behind the United States and is no longer reliant on Russian designs.

Instead, it is pioneering the development of its own fifth-generation fighter aircraft, including the Chengdu J-20 'Mighty Dragon' and the J-35 to rival the likes of the US F-22 and F-35 jets and Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 - though the J-35 bears a striking resemblance to the F-35.

China has not fought in an actual war in 35 years but has embarked on a dramatic military expansion and modernisation campaign under President Xi Jinping.

The J-15 crash comes months after China unveiled what analysts believe to be a new stealth aircraft.

It was spotted conducting a test flight in December with its landing gear open while being accompanied by a Chengdu J-20.

The new jet was spotted alongside a Chengdu J-20, the current generation of fighters - compared to the US Air Force's F-22

The Chinese stealth aircraft is seen during a test flight in late 2024

The new aircraft appeared in social media posts revealing a large, three-engine warplane with a cockpit and diamond-style wing with no vertical tails - which may help the aircraft to avoid being detected in radars.

According to Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), while the aircraft's design is 'fascinating,' it is likely part of China's ongoing regional bomber/strike fighter development, rather than their sixth-generation fighter programme.

He said the aircraft might not match the performance expectations set by the US NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) - a United States Air Force sixth-generation air superiority initiative - but it could represent a significant leap in China's tactical airpower capabilities.

According to Aviation Weekly, the aircraft's engines are fed by a single dorsal inlet and two ventral inlets.

The dorsal inlet features a stealth-enhancing diverterless supersonic inlet.

The multiple intakes appear to be positioned for optimal stealth and high-speed performance, the UK Defence Journal has suggested.

The aircraft's large ventral fuselage section likely provides room for an internal weapons bay and the main landing gear features two wheels each, a hallmark of heavy fighter-bombers, such as the Sukhoi Su-34.

Images of the potential super fighter have also indicated that there are possible missile and bomb loading hatches under the fuselage, further enhancing radar stealth.

Engine nozzles located above the fuselage also reduce heat radiation and noise.
President Donald Trump denied that he refused a court order to turn around two planeloads of illegal Venezuelan gang members who were being deported from the United States.

Trump defended his operation to deport back to El Salvador the 200 'monsters' who were linked to gangs responsible for kidnapping, extortion and contract killings.

A federal judge, at the last minute, tried to block the planes when they were already in the air due to Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to make the deportations.

But Trump said: 'These were bad people. That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres.'

Asked about using the controversial law outside of wartime, Trump added: 'This is a time of war because Biden allowed millions of people  many of them criminals, many of them at the highest level.'

'They emptied jails out  other nations. It's an invasion and these are criminals.'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted U.S. District Judge James Boasberg had no jurisdiction over the flights because his order was issued after the illegal immigrants were over international waters.

Leavitt pushed back on the narrative in a post to X on Monday morning where she rejected suggestions that Trump 'refused to comply' with the judge's order.

She said the planes of alleged Tren de Aragua gang members had already taken off when the judge issued his order.

'The written order and the Administration's actions do not conflict,' she said.

The White House says it did not balk a judge's attempt to stop flights of alleged Venezuelan gang members from leaving the U.S. because the planes carrying roughly 250 illegal immigrants already were over international waters when the order was issued

Two planes carrying 238 members of the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs landed in El Salvador after their president offered to imprison them in the country's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT)

She added: 'Moreover, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly made clear  federal courts generally have no jurisdiction over the President's conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion.;

Leavitt railed against Judge Boasberg by concluding: 'A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrying foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil.'

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele confirmed on Sunday that his country received 238 of the TdA gang members deported from the U.S. to be imprisoned there.

In a meeting last month with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Bukele offered to house migrant prisoners from the U.S. in El Salvador's notorious maximum security Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT).

'These are the monsters sent into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats. How dare they!' Trump posted to his Truth Social account.

He continued: 'Thank you to El Salvador and, in particular, President Bukele, for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to happen to the United States because of incompetent Democrat leadership. We will not forget!'

Migrants were shoved off the planes as they landed in El Salvador over the weekend as police and other law enforcement revealed their gang tattoos and saved their heads and beards

The alleged gang members and terrorists are now imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison in El Salvador that was built in 2022 as a way to rein in gang activity in Central America

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says a 'single judge' did not have jurisdiction over the flights because the order was issued after the planes took off and the illegal immigrants were over international waters

Rubio said in a statement on the transfer that 'hundreds of violent criminals were sent out of our country.'

'I want to express my sincere gratitude to President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador for playing a pivotal role in this transfer.'

He added that included in the flights were 'top leaders' of the MS-13 gang 'plus 21 of its most wanted to face justice in their homeland.'

Video posted to social media on Sunday shows several men in handcuffs and shackles being transferred from a plane to a heavily guarded convoy.

The clips caused outrage among those against Trump's deportation operations.

It shows uniformed enforcement pushing around the alleged gang members, showing their gang-affiliated tattoos, shaving their heads and beards and entering them into El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order to stop the flights to El Salvador  but it was too late

The $100 million penitentiary is the largest of its kind in Latin America and was constructed over a span of seven months in 2022. It was part of President Bukele's plan to rein in street gangs after more than 60 people were murdered on March 26, 2022.

TdA is linked to kidnapping, extortion, organized crime and contract killings.

Trump deported the gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1789.

Republicans pushed back on any criticism, claiming that Democrats are defending gang members and terrorists.
Source: Deseret News

My dear friends, fellow Americans and Utahns. I am taking up my pen, not to say goodbye but to say thank you and express my living wish for you and the America I know.

My battle with brain cancer is coming to an end. The disease is no longer responding to treatment and my family and I have shifted our focus from treatments, to enjoying every moment and making memories with the time we have. My life has been extended by exceptional medical care, science and extraordinary professionals who have become dear friends. My extra season of life has also been the result of the faith and prayers of countless friends, known and unknown. The result of such humble faith and pleading prayers have been felt by me and my family in ways too numerous to count. I have always believed that faith and science are inextricably interconnected.

As a mayor, member of congress and media commentator I have seen the worst of petty politics, divisive rhetoric and disappointing lapses of moral character by some. These same roles also provided me a front row seat and backstage pass to be blessed and inspired by the courage, vision and hope of America's finest daughters, sons and citizens.

Couching this column as a 'dying wish' felt a little dramatic, even for a drama person like me. We are not certain how long this season of my battle will be and I do want to share, and reshare, some things with the world that I passionately believe. I write all of this as my 'living wish' and hopefully 'enduring wish' for you.

Let me tell you about the America I know. My parents immigrated to the United States with $10 in their pocket and a belief that the America they had heard about really did exist as the land of opportunity. Through hard work and great sacrifice they achieved success  so the America I came to know growing up was filled with all the excitement found in living the American dream. I was taught to love this country, warts and all, and understand I had a role to play in our nation's future. I learned to passionately believe in the possibilities and promise of America.

Watching my father and mother work odd jobs in order to provide for us and maintain their independence taught me valuable lessons in personal responsibility. When tough times came they didn't look to Washington, they looked within. Because the America they knew was centered in self-reliance, the America I know is founded in the freedom self-reliance always brings.

What makes America great is the idea that when government is limited and decisions are made closest to the people they impact, people are free  free to work, free to live, free to choose, free to fail and free to achieve. The America I know provides everyone an equal opportunity to be as unequaled as they choose to be.

The America I know gives back. Americans, regardless of financial status, are the most giving people on the planet. On their own, without government requirement, our people give their money, their time and their attention to causes, communities and people in need whether it is across the street or around the world. I've experienced this generosity throughout my life and during my battle with cancer. I am so grateful.

The America I know makes tough choices. As the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah, facing its own fiscal cliff, we put limited government, fiscal discipline and personal responsibility first in order to create an amazing community that could last. I have also seen that facing challenging choices head-on inspires our citizens to get involved, engage in meaningful dialogue, rally around shared values, do things differently and change the way government works.

Regardless of the difficulties we may face individually, in our families, in our communities and in our nation, the old adage is still true  you can make excuses or you can make progress, but you cannot make both! The America I know doesn't make excuses.

The America I know is grounded in the gritty determination found in patriots, pioneers and struggling parents, in small business owners with big ideas, in the farmers who work in the beauty of our landscapes and the artists who paint them, in our heroic military and our inspiring Olympic athletes, and in every child who looks at the seemingly impossible and says, 'I can do that.'

The America I know is great  not because government made it great but because ordinary citizens like me, like my parents and like you are given the opportunity every day to do extraordinary things. That is the America I know!

What the America I know deserves:

Some have forgotten the math of America  whenever you divide you diminish. What I know is that the goodness and compassion of the American people is a multiplier that simply cannot be measured. The goodness and greatness of our country is multiplied when neighbors help neighbors, when we reach out to those in need and build better citizens and more heroic communities.

You see, the America I know is built by citizens and leaders who respect, strengthen and serve each other not based on race, gender or economic status but because we are Americans! We all have a role to play in uniting the country around the principles that have made us extraordinary.

The America I know will continue as long as each of us simply remember that this country is exceptional  because it is! I know it is! I can see on the horizon that our best and brightest days as a nation are still to come.

The America I know deserves leaders who trust the people and will tell them the hard truth about where we are and what we need to do in order to preserve our future. We need leaders who are prepared to engage in a dialogue about realities, priorities and solving America's problems.

When I wrote my memoir, Qualified, the working title was 'By the Content of Your Character.' The American principles I wrote about in my book, are the principles that shaped and blessed my life. I have always felt that it was character that counts in this country. The America I know, while far from perfect, is the place where we strive every day to live up to the principles Dr. Martin Luther King declared from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. We will be judged in the end, individually and as a nation, by the content of our character.

Preserving the America We know:

The America I know isn't just my story and it isn't just your story. It is our story. It is a story of endless possibilities, human struggle, standing up and striving for more. Our story has been told for well over 200 years, punctuated by small steps and giant leaps; from a woman on a bus to a man with a dream; from the bravery of the greatest generation to the explorers, entrepreneurs, reformers and innovators of today. This is our story. This is the America we know  because we built it  together.

As my season of life begins to draw to a close, I still passionately believe that we can revive the American story we know and love. I am convinced that our citizens must remember the principles of our story so that our children, and those seeking freedom around the world, will know where to look to find a place for their story.

We must fight to keep the America we know as that shining city on a hill  truly the last best hope on earth. Like Benjamin Franklin and countless patriots down through the ages, I believe the American experiment is not a setting sun but a rising sun.

I thank each of you, and all of you, for being part of my journey in the American dream. You and I, we the people, will be forever connected in the cause of this country we love.

I want to invite you to join me in the last leg of the journey. On my social media pages (Instagram and Facebook) I will be sharing thoughts, excerpts from my book Qualified, photos and memories. These pages will be a celebration of the people who have blessed and inspired me and the principles I have tried to live and lead by. Like my very first political campaign, I will be running to the very end and hope you will run this leg with me and my family.

In the end, I hope that my life will have mattered and made a difference for the nation I love and the family and friends I adore. I hope you will see the America I know in the years ahead, that you will hear my words in the whisper of the wind of freedom and feel my presence in the flame of the enduring principles of liberty.

My living wish and fervent prayer for you and for this nation is that the America I have known, is the America you fight to preserve and that each citizen, and every leader, will do their part to ensure that the America we know will be the America our grandchildren and great grandchildren will inherit.

Mia
The family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron posted an AI video that included her face and voice, sending a heartfelt message to her fans.

In the video clip posted on March 14, the late actress appeared via artificial intelligence (AI) by the YouTube channel "Kwon Young-chan TV," titled, "[Exclusive] AI Video Created by Kim Sae-ron's Family in Memory of the Late Actress! We Don't Want to Let Her Go Alone Like This! Stay Strong, Family! Where Is Justice?

Kwon Young-chan TV wrote in the post showing the AI footage, "This tribute video was made by Kim Sae-ron [the actress'] family. Please watch over Sae-ron, who has gone to heaven."

In the emotional AI video, Kim starts with a "Hello, this is Kim Sae-ron." In her statement, she thanked her fans: "To everyone who loved and supported me, I value the moments I spent with you. Getting to meet you through the small screen and the big screen, and laughing and crying with you, it made me so very happy."

Looking back on her childhood career, Kim acknowledges both the love she received and her past mistakes.

"I began acting as a child, and such an abundance of love surrounded me. I may have, at times, not been the best and may have fallen short of your expectations. Nevertheless, I truly want to thank my fans who accepted me and waited for me," she said.

Kim also reaches out to her friends, thanking them for being there during the good times and the bad.

"To all my friends with whom I created all these memories, thanks for making me laugh." She added, "I hope I don't make you cry too much."

"To my amazing family, I am grateful for always being welcomed with open arms and taken care of. To my family  Mom, Dad, my siblings, thanks for being my cheerleaders and my backbone. My heart will always be with you, even if you are unable to see me anymore."

When the AI-generated message ends, her last wish for anyone who remembers her is: "If you do remember me, I hope you remember the good and warm times. My only advice for you is, be happy and healthy. As always, I sincerely appreciate it. I love you."

It was also accompanied by another video showing a montage of Kim Sae-ron's scenes from various projects, including The Man from Nowhere, as well as photos from her private life.

Kim Sae-Ron, a victim, tragically died under misunderstood circumstances, which has fueled continued discourse about her legacy.

Soon after her passing, her family posted accusations through the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute that actor Kim Soo-Hyun dated the young girl while she was still underage.

They further stated that her agency was forcibly making Soo-hyun pay a contract penalty of 700 million KRW (around 483,000 USD).

The representatives of Soo-hyon have refuted the claims, suggesting Soo-hyun only dated Kim Sae-ron after she turned 18.

In other news, on March 17, attorney Bu Ji-Seok, the legal representative of Kim Sae-ron's family, announced that they would be taking legal action against YouTuber Lee Jin-ho for defamation.

The statement noted that this lawsuit is to be filed with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Venetians were up in arms over a tourist's brazen decision to swim across the famed Grand Canal in an apparent effort to win an orienteering race over the weekend.

Footage shared online showed the unnamed visitor paddling across the waterway near the Rialto Bridge to astonishment from locals.

Dressed in a wetsuit, the man clambers up the bank via a dock meant for gondoliers and runs off, leaving bystanders perplexed.

Witnesses speculated that he was either taking part in an orienteering competition in the city on Saturday or training for an Ironman competition, per Corriere della Serra.

The outlet condemned the recent tide of what it called 'boorish' 'disrespectful behaviour' by tourists visiting the Floating City.

Residents braced last month as the city was overrun with thousands of visitors filling the streets for its iconic Carnival.

'But why do we have to live like this?', one X user said in the growing chorus of locals pushing back on perceived overtourism.

'Shouldn't we stop all the events that attract crowds of tourists? The city is full anyway, is it necessary to make it unlivable at these levels?'.

The Venetian authorities have sought to regulate the flow of visitors coming into the city with a controversial entrance fee following a successful trial last year.

The tourist was seen arriving at a dock for gondoliers near the Rialto Bridge

Italian media decried the 'boorish' 'disrespectful behaviour' of tourists

Witnesses speculated that the man had swam across the canal as a shortcut

Tourists crowd the Rialto Bridge on March 01, 2025 in Venice, Italy

Tourists will be charged a 5 fee every Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, between April 18 and July 27 this year.

The levy does not apply to people staying in hotels in Venice, who are already charged a lodging tax.

Exemptions also apply to children under 14, residents of the region, students, workers and people visiting relatives, among others.

The day trip fee could rise to 10 euros if tourists book fewer than four days in advance, however.

Venice's efforts to manage the 30million visiting tourists it receives each year comes amid growing backlash from residents.

But critics have said the fee misses the point, ignoring the more fundamental issue of short-stay Airbnb rentals keeping rents high and deterring permanent residents.

Matteo Secchi, president of the Venice residents' activist group, said the new fee would effectively turn the city into 'Disneyland'.

'Making visitors pay to get in turns Venice into a museum or a theme park rather than a city where people live, go to the supermarket and drop their kids off at school,' he said.

The man then carried on running down the street

Confetti explodes as decorated boats sail on the Grand Canal in front of Rialto bridge during Venice Carnival, on February 16, 2025

Thousands of visitors took to the streets during the Venice carnival

Venice has sought new ways to deal with the strain of overtourism on the city

The comments were echoed by Corriere della Serra, which also wrote on the announcement of the original entry fee system that, 'Venice is becoming more and more like Disneyland' with guests expected to pay a small fee to stay.

Locals reprised complaints that the policy had not tackled the key issues in August 2024, after the initial trial concluded.

Giovanni Andrea Martini, a Venice councillor for the opposition, said the policy 'has had absolutely no impact'.

'In fact, we have data showing that, on certain days when the fee was in place, visitor numbers were 5,000 higher than on the same days in 2023. We knew it wouldnt work  they were just desperate to appease Unesco,' he told the Guardian.

Tour guide Alejandro told the Guardian that a subsequent policy on limiting groups to 25 just meant that he toured with 24 visitors while 25 walked a few metres in front, with a second guide.

'It would be nicer to all be together  instead, the guide in the first group is doing the talking and Im just making sure we dont lose each other.'

Plans to introduce fees on day tourists were originally raised in 2019 but postponed due to the pandemic.

In 2022, Venice finally made plans to charge tourists 10 to enter the city all year round but ultimately scrapped the policy, with Venturini citing 'resistance'.

When the policy was finally brought in last year, between April 25 and mid-July, the city raised 1.8mn in additional revenues, according to city data.

Officials said the money would be used for essential services, which cost more in a city traversed by canals, including rubbish removal and maintenance.
Andrew Tate supporters are complaining about Netflix's hit new crime series Adolescence over a brief mention of the controversial influencer.

The four-part miniseries, which landed on the streaming platform on Thursday, follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is accused of stabbing his classmate Katie (Emilia Holliday) to death.

Stephen Graham, who stars as Jamie's father Eddie, co-wrote the show with Jack Thorne and told Sky News the story was inspired by the rise in attacks carried out by incels (males who are involuntary celibate).

The show's storyline suggests the boys involved in the stabbing have been radicalised by online incel culture which has made them view women and girls in a misogynistic and derogatory way.

Andrew Tate is mentioned in the second episode when DI Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and DS Misha Frank (Faye Marsay) are speaking to a teacher at Jamie's school Mrs Fenumore (Jo Hartley).

After speaking to his son Adam, who attends the same school, DI Bascombe tells DS Frank and Mrs Fenumore they misinterpreted some Instagram posts made by victim Katie as he now believes she was bullying Jamie over 'incel stuff'.

When the teacher is left confused by the word, DS Frank steps in to clarify, saying: 'It's the involuntary celibate stuff. It's the Andrew Tate sh**e.'

Self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, 38, who is currently under criminal investigations in Romania, Florida and the UK for multiple rape and human trafficking allegations, has amassed over 10 million followers online with his controversial views.

Andrew Tate supporters are complaining about Netflix 's hit new crime series Adolescence over a brief mention of the controversial influencer

The four-part miniseries, which landed on the streaming platform on Thursday, follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is accused of stabbing his classmate Katie (Emilia Holliday) to death

Stephen Graham, who stars as Jamie's father Eddie, co-wrote the show with Jack Thorne and told Sky News the story was inspired by the rise in attacks carried out by incels (males who are involuntary celibate)

Some of those loyal fans have come out in support of 'manfluencer' Tate after hearing him mentioned in Adolescence.

One wrote: 'Theyll do anything to drag Andrew Tates name through the mud. Now theyre trying to link him to a fictional murder in Netflixs new series Adolescence?

'This is beyond insaneblatant character assassination. The medias agenda knows no bounds.

Another said: 'There has been another baseless attempted character assassination of Andrew Tate. Netflix, you have a lot to answer for.'

'Finished that Adolescence on Netflix. Half decent but the whole thing is clearly some toxic masculinity b******s. Blaming Andrew Tate for a lade murdering a little girl, all a bit weird,' a third wrote.

A fourth post said: 'So the new Netflix drama Adolescence Episode 2 mocks @Cobratate and I quote "It's all that Andrew Tate s**t" when referring to "incel" in a school about a murder.'

Tate and his brother Tristan, 36, who have dual British and American citizenship, are both currently under investigation in Romania accused of human trafficking with Tate also accused of raping one of his victims.

However, they were allowed to flee to Florida last week after the Trump administration, which is heavily supported by the Tates, pressured the Romanian government to lift travel restrictions imposed on the pair.

DI Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and DS Misha Frank (Faye Marsay) pictured in a scene from Adolescence

After speaking to his son Adam (pictured), who attends the same school, DI Bascombe tells DS Frank and Mrs Fenumore they misinterpreted some Instagram posts made by victim Katie as he now believes she was bullying Jamie over 'incel stuff'

Both brothers were placed under criminal investigation in Florida just days after arriving in the US whilst Tate also faces multiple separate rape and human trafficking allegations in the UK.

Having been arrested in Romania in December 2022, the brothers were charged the following June, accused of tricking seven women into sexual exploitation on fake promises of a relationship or marriage - a technique authorities have dubbed the 'loverboy method'.

In episode two of Adolescence, DI Bascombe's son Adam tries to explain the subliminal messages in victim Katie's Instagram posts about Jamie before she was killed.

He mentions the blue and red pill sentiment synonymous with the 1999 sci-fi film The Matrix which is a common talking point amongst Tate and his fans as he encourages them to 'escape The Matrix'.

Upon his arrest in Romania, Tate's X account even put out a post which said: 'The Matrix sent their agents.'

Tate often reins home the importance of being a 'high value man' in order to appeal to 'high value women' - which they consider to be women who are modest and submissive to their partners.

Adolescence touches on this when Adam mentions the '80 to 20 rule' which suggest, off the back of a study conducted by an online dating service, 80 per cent of women seek to date the 'top' 20 per cent of men.

It wrongly implies women are too picky and, as DI Bascombe's son says, urges men to 'trick' women into dating them because 'you'll never get them in a normal way'.

Tate and his brother Tristan, 36, who have dual British and American citizenship, are both currently under investigation in Romania accused of human trafficking with Tate also accused of raping one of his victims (the Tate brothers are pictured above following a court appearance in Bucharest in January)

Both brothers were placed under criminal investigation in Florida just days after arriving in the US whilst Tate also faces multiple separate rape and human trafficking allegations in the UK

Adam also mentioned this rule being 'a call to action from the manosphere' - a word used to describe a vast online community of men promoting toxic masculinity, misogyny and an opposition to feminism.

Speaking about his inspiration for creating Adolescence, Stephen Graham said: 'I read an article about a young girl who was stabbed to death by a young boy, and then a few months later, on the news, there was a young girl who, again, had been brutally stabbed to death by a young boy in a completely different part of the country.

'If I'm really honest with you, that hurt my heart and I just thought, why? Why does this kind of thing happen? What is this society? Why have we reached this point where this kind of thing is happening? What was the reason?'

Many of Tate's cult-like followers refute the idea that his online influence is partly responsible for the rise in misogyny amongst young men and violent crime against women but police chiefs disagree.

In July last year, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, national lead for policing violence against women and girls, said 'toxic' misogynist Tate's influence on young boys online was 'quite terrifying'.

A report published last summer revealed police recorded more than a million crimes against women and girls in 2022/23 - accounting for almost a fifth of all offences excluding fraud - leading bosses to label the crisis a 'national emergency'.

Police records of violence against women and girls incidents have increased by 37 per cent in just five years, the report from the National Police Chiefs' Council found.

In October last year, The Mail revealed the Home Office is considering allowing teachers to report misogynistic comments to the government's Prevent programme, which was set up to combat Islamic extremists.

In July last year, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, national lead for policing violence against women and girls, said 'toxic' misogynist Tate's influence on young boys online was 'quite terrifying'

Tate often reins home the importance of being a 'high value man' in order to appeal to 'high value women' - which they consider to be women who are modest and submissive to their partners

The Home Office is looking at widening the Prevent programme to combat growing misogyny among teenagers, fuelled by vile social media influencers such as Tate.

Government plans will look to tackle violence against women and girls in the same way as Islamist and far-Right extremism, amid fears that current Home Office guidance is too narrow.

The upcoming change is part of a review ordered by the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in Britain's counter-extremism strategy to address gaps in the Government's stance.

The rapid review will form the basis of a new counter-extremism strategy which the Home Office said it plans to launch this year.
A teenager has admitted causing the death of three people - and leaving three others seriously injured - in a car crash just weeks after passing his test.

Edward Spencer had been due to go on trial over the deaths of the three teenagers who were killed in April 2023 as they travelled home from school.

But the case was instead listed for a plea hearing this morning in which the 19-year-old admitted three counts of causing death by careless driving.

Sixth formers Matilda Seccombe, the 16-year-old daughter of a parish councillor, Harry Purcell, a 17-year-old twin, and Frank Wormald, 16, were being driven in Spencer's Ford Fiesta when it crashed on the B4035 between Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, and Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.

A source told the Mail Spencer, a keen rugby player, had only passed his driving test around five weeks before the crash.

Spencer and the three dead were all sixth form students at Chipping Campden School, an Ofsted-rated 'outstanding' former grammar which was founded almost 600 years ago.

A woman and two children travelling in a second vehicle, a Fiat, were also hospitalised after the collision at Stretton-on-Fosse, Warwickshire, which saw four air ambulances attend the scene.

The children in the Fiat were aged 10 and 12 at the time.

Harry Purcell, 17, who was 'so kind in every way', was in the Ford Fiesta when Edward Spencer crashed last year

Matilda 'Tilly' Seccombe was 16 when she died. Her family said they were 'utterly devastated by the loss of our beautiful girl who made us so happy'

Spencer today admitted three counts of causing serious injury by careless driving in relation to those victims during the brief hearing at Warwick Crown Court.

Judge Andrew Lockhart KC adjourned the hearing for a pre-sentence report and released Spencer on conditional bail. But he warned the defendant that he faced a jail sentence when he returns for sentencing next month.

His guilty pleas come amid calls for the government to bring in restrictions for novice drivers covering their first few months behind the wheel  and just three days after a collision on a country road in Shropshire claimed the lives of two teenagers.

An 18-year-old male who was travelling in the silver Audi A1 was pronounced dead at the scene in Tong, near Shifnal, on Friday night. West Mercia Police announced on Sunday that one of two 17-year-old boys who suffered life-threatening injuries in the collision had died in hospital. The other 17-year-old remained in a critical condition while a fourth male who was travelling in the Audi, also 17, was in a stable condition after suffering life-changing injuries.

Bereaved parents of young drivers and their passengers  including Miss Seccombe's mother, Juliet  are amongst those backing the likes of motoring organisation the AA in calling for so-called 'graduated' driving licences.

Drivers in the US, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand are already subject to special rules. Novice drivers in Ireland face a two-year probation period, with 'N' plates required throughout, and are subject to lower drink-drive limits than more experienced road users. Every state in America has some form of graduated driver licensing in place.

Forget Me Not Families Uniting - a group of more than 100 people who have lost loved ones to collisions involving young drivers  is campaigning for the government to introduce graduated driving licences, which could include restrictions such as a ban on new drivers carrying younger passengers, a late-night driving curfew for the first six months after passing a driving test, or other measures such as a minimum learning period.

But at a Westminster Hall debate on road safety in January, the government told bereaved families it had no plans to place greater restrictions on young and newly qualified drivers.

Frank Wormald, 16, died in hospital a day after his friends, who were also fatally injured in the crash

Edward Spencer, 19, pleaded guilty to killing three of his friends in a Ford Fiesta crash in April 2023

Spencer, pictured here outside Warwick Crown Court at a previous appearance, also pleaded guilty to three counts of causing serious injury by careless driving

Roads minister, Lilian Greenwood, acknowledged this was an area of 'huge public concern' and said she was committed to engaging as her department develops its policies.

'Whilst we are not considering graduated licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic collisions on our roads, and that is why we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers,' she said.

In a letter to parents at the time of the fatal collision which claimed the lives of Frank, Harry, Matilda  who was thought to be distantly related to Warwickshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe, Chipping Campden School Principle John Sanderson said: 'There are no words that I can find to express the sense of loss that we feel, both as a community and for Harry's, Tilly's, and Frank's families and close friends.'

Paying tribute previously, Harry's family said in a statement: 'Our hearts are broken but our love for Harry will live forever.

'He was so kind in every way and carried with him a contagious smile that everyone around him loved so much.

'He will live on in everyone's hearts and memories forever and never be forgotten.'

The family of Matilda, who was known as Tilly, said: 'We are utterly devastated by the loss of our beautiful girl who made us so happy.

'Our hearts go out to all who knew her and will share this terrible pain. Thank you Tilly.'

The scene of the crash where Edward Spencer in a Ford Fiesta collided with a Fiat 500 carrying four people

Police notice at the scene of the crash. Three children and an adult were travelling in the other car; they suffered 'life-changing' injuries which they still receive treatment for nearly two years later

Speaking after Spencer appeared in court today, Inspector Michael Huntley warned: 'Drivers need to be aware of the devastating consequences that can occur if a car is driven carelessly.'

The officer, from the Warwickshire Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, urged young people and their parents to consider the limitations of being a newly qualified driver.

He said Spencer, of Newbold on Stour, Warwickshire, 'had only passed his test five weeks prior to the collision and his careless actions cost the lives of three young people travelling in his car.'

Insp Huntley added: 'Driving requires judgment and care, even more so when you lack experience. As this tragic case shows, the consequences of careless driving can be devastating.

'So many lives have been ruined by this terrible incident. I can't begin to imagine the pain this has caused, and our thoughts remain with the individuals and families affected.

'Edward Spencer will live with the consequences of his careless actions for the rest of his life, as will the families of all those involved.'

In a letter to parents, Principal John Sanderson said at the time: 'There are no words that I can find to express the sense of loss that we feel, both as a community and for Harry's, Tilly's, and Frank's families and close friends.

'Each one of these young people has been part of our extended school family and each loss is felt profoundly.

'In time, I would like to try and find the words to pay tribute to each of the young people we have lost, as each was remarkable and unique, having touched the lives of so many in such profound ways.

'We continue to hope and pray that he will make good progress in recovering from his injuries over the coming weeks and months.

'Edward and his family are very much in our thoughts.

'This is a very difficult time for us all but there is strength and hope in knowing we walk it together.'
Russia unleashed its leading TV propagandist to warn that British and French troops face death if they are deployed to Ukraine.

Vladimir Solovyov raged in a rant on Russian state television: 'You can station them wherever you want. We will kill you all, and we will kill you all.

'Just as we killed all of you who came to Kursk [region] and did not have time to run away or surrender. We will kill you all.'

His message echoes senior Russian security council official Dmitry Medvedev who predicted World War Three if Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron deploy troops from their proposed 'coalition of the willing' in Ukraine.

Solovyov - whose propaganda is choreographed with the Kremlin - ranted that Russians could march across Europe and storm Macron's capital.

'If necessary, we will enter Paris,' he told viewers across Russia. 'We have no experience of entering London, by the way.'

Renewing his threat to deploy Putin's high-speed Poseidon underwater nuclear drone to drown the capital in a tidal wave, he said: 'If necessary, we will sail in boats over the place where London was once built.'

'The only problem will be that the bottom will not accidentally hit Big Ben.

'And so the water surface will swallow this creche, and nobody will remember that there was something there. It'll be fun for scuba divers.'

Vladimir Solovyov raged in a rant on Russian state television about the plans to station European troops in Ukraine to help uphold a possible ceasefire

More than 30 countries will be involved in providing resources towards the coalition of the willing, Downing Street said on Monday

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For this not to happen, British people should 'notice the cretins you put in charge time after time.

'Illiterate, stupid [politicians].British Foreign Secretary David Lammy is now our undisputed favourite.'

He said: 'Macron, Starmer, [incoming German chancellor Friedrich] Merz are fighting for the title of defender of Europe.

'You must realise it will only end with you being destroyed.

'Every time another coalition of those who want to be destroyed plans to teach Russia a lesson, it always ends the same way.'

The Solovyov blast appears to be part of an increasingly intense effort by the Putin machine to persuade Donald Trump against agreeing to any NATO countries being designated as peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Putin would rather Chinese troops were deployed or other non-European forces.

More than 30 countries will be involved in providing resources towards the coalition of the willing, Downing Street said on Monday.

Asked how many countries would provide troops for the peacekeeping plan, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: 'The Prime Minister said over the weekend, there's going to be different capabilities from different countries, but these are now the operational discussions that are ongoing in relation to what the coalition of willing will be able to provide.

'We're expecting more than 30 countries to be involved.

'Obviously the contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops and a larger group contributing in other ways.'

Leading Putin TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov [R] pictured with Vladimir Putin.

Solovyov - whose propaganda is choreographed with the Kremlin - ranted that Russians could march across Europe and storm Macron's capital

Solovyov renewed threats to sink London under a nuclear tidal wave

The spokesman also said Sir Keir Starmer still believed an American security guarantee was necessary for the plan to operate successfully.

He added: 'The PM has said for the coalition of the willing, for UK troops to be deployed, it must be in the context of a secure and lasting peace with US backing being needed, but as I said, those discussions are ongoing, and part of the discussions that he had with President Trump at the White House.'

Trump is now expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as efforts continue to end to the war in Ukraine, a move that could represent a possible pivot point in the conflict and an opportunity for Trump to continue reorienting American foreign policy.

Trump disclosed the upcoming conversation to reporters while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, while the Kremlin confirmed Putin's participation Monday morning.

'We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday,' Trump said.

'A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday morning confirmed the plans for the two leaders to speak Tuesday, but refused to give details, saying 'we never get ahead of events' and 'the content of conversations between two presidents are not subject to any prior discussion.'
President Donald Trump on Monday declared he will hold Iran directly responsible for any future attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

The Houthis have targeted multiple U.S. and other foreign ships in the Red Sea.

Trump said: 'Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences.'

This live blog is now closed. Follow along for all updates below:
Nigel Farage tries to downplay the impact of a furious public row with former Reform MP Rupert Lowe today, insisting those upset were at the 'edges' of the party.

Mr Farage admitted there had been 'turbulence' after the Great Yarmouth MP was suspended and reported to police earlier this month, triggering a major spat played out on social media and TV.

Mr Lowe denies allegations he bullied staff and verbally threatened party chairman Zia Yusuf, and claims he was targeted for daring to question Mr Farage's leadership.

Appearing at a London press conference today, where Reform unveiled 29 council defectors ahead of local elections on May 1, Mr Farage said that an independent report into the allegations might be completed this week, adding: 'Has it caused some consternation?

'Of course it has  any argument that's seen to happen within the family does, but I can promise you that in terms of our progress and our planning, that upset is very much at the edges.'

Mr Farage admitted there had been 'turbulence' after the Great Yarmouth MP was suspended and reported to police earlier this month, triggering a major spat.

Mr Lowe denies allegations he bullied staff and verbally threatened party chairman Zia Yusuf, and claims he was targeted for daring to question Mr Farage's leadership.

Among the 29 new Reform councillors are 14 who have defected from the Conservatives.

Among the 29 new Reform councillors are 14 who have defected from the Conservatives.

They include Stephen Atkinson, who was leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council in Lancashire until he was unveiled this morning.

Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf has said the party will stand candidates in all council seats at the local elections.

Mr Yusuf told the press conference: 'Last May, Reform failed to stand in 88 per cent of the council seats that were up. This year, Reform will stand in all of the council seats that are up.'

Mr Farage added: 'In the last two weeks, we've not been obsessing about what's being written in the papers, or being said online.

'We've been getting on with the job.'

He added: 'We are big enough and ugly enough to take it, and we are cracking on.'
Most households in England are facing a third year of maximum council tax hikes from next month - while some are set to be hit by an extraordinary 10 per cent rise.

After all councils confirmed their plans, an analysis showed how nearly nine in 10 (88 per cent) of 153 upper-tier authorities in England will impose a 4.99 per cent increase.

This is the maximum hike allowed, in normal circumstances, before councils are required to hold a local referendum.

For just over two-thirds (68 per cent) of top-tier authorities, it will be the third year in a row that bills have gone up by at least the maximum legal amount.

By contrast, just nine councils are hiking bills by less than 4.5 per cent this year.

The 4.99 per cent cap, which includes a 2 per cent adult social care precept, has been in place over the last three years.

While 68 per cent of upper-tier councils have raised council tax by the maximum in each of the past three years, 84 per cent have done so in both 2025/26 and 2024/25.

Six councils in acute financial stress were granted permission by the Government to increase council tax beyond the established annual 4.99 per cent cap in April.

They are Windsor & Maidenhead, Newham, Bradford, Birmingham, Somerset, and Trafford.

Windsor & Maidenhead Borough Council had a request to be allowed a 25 per cent increase rejected - but will be able to impose a 8.99 per cent rise.

Newham Council in east London has been granted the same dispensation, while Bradford Council is being permitted 9.99 per cent.

Birmingham City Council, Somerset Council and Trafford Council can increase the levy by 7.49 per cent.

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Among the nine councils who are boosting bills by less than 4.5 per cent this year, Sunderland has chosen a 4.49 per cent increase.

Kensington & Chelsea has opted for 4 per cent, Doncaster and Derby have both chosen 3.99 per cent, and North East Lincolnshire will increase bills by 3.98 per cent.

Council tax in Essex will rise by 3.75 per cent, in Rotherham by 3 per cent, and in Lincolnshire by 2.99 per cent.

Wandsworth in London has approved the lowest increase in England of 2 per cent, representing a freeze on the main element of council tax for the third year in a row.

Data for individual regions show that of the 24 top-tier councils in the North West, all are increasing to the limit in 2025/26 except Warrington (4.98 per cent) and Trafford.

All 20 councils in the South East have approved an increase of 4.99 per cent or more this year.

Essex is the only council out of 10 in the East of England not to hit the cap threshold, along with three of the 10 councils in the East Midlands: Nottinghamshire, Derby and Lincolnshire.

Coventry has confirmed a 4.9 per cent increase, the only authority of the 14 in the West Midlands not to raise council tax to the limit or - in the case of Birmingham - higher.

All but two of the 15 councils in the South West are increasing council tax by the maximum or above, with Wiltshire (4.5 per cent) and Torbay (4.75 per cent) the exceptions.

Just three of the 33 London councils have opted to increase council tax by less than 4.99 per cent.

These are Wandsworth, Kensington & Chelsea and Barnet (4.80 per cent).

Meanwhile, three of the 12 councils in the North East have set council tax below the maximum: South Tyneside and Stockton-on-Tees (both 4.95 per cent) and Sunderland.

Five councils out of 15 in Yorkshire & Humber have set the council tax rise lower than than the limit.

Along with Rotherham, North East Lincolnshire and Doncaster, they are North Lincolnshire (4.89 per cent) and Barnsley (4.9 per cent).

The figures also show that maximum council tax increases are occurring across both the wealthiest and the poorest areas.

All of the 20 poorest council areas, according to the latest indices of deprivation compiled in 2019, are increasing council tax to the limit. This includes Newham, Bradford and Birmingham.

Similarly, only one of the 20 wealthiest council areas, Wiltshire, is not increasing council tax to the threshold.

With local government finances in crisis, the Government has provided exceptional financial assistance to 30 councils this year, including support for eight councils to balance the books in previous years.

Appearing before the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee last week, council leaders were questioned on the council tax system and its impact on finances.

Bill Revans, leader of Somerset Council which has been granted permission to raise council tax by 2.5 percentage points higher than the threshold, said the flexibility has enabled the authority to avoid issuing a section 114 order declaring effective bankruptcy.

But he said this approach was 'not a solution to local government finance'.

'It is, of course, welcome because we want to be able to manage our own affairs,' he added.

'But at the same time, it's incredibly difficult because ultimately our residents are having to pay more.

'And at a time when they are seeing less services because the services go to those people most in need of adults and children's social care.'

Critics of the council tax system claim that household charges are unfair and ineffective because they are based on property valuations carried out in 1991.

Bristol City Council leader Tony Dyer told the committee that the 'vast majority' of properties in the city were placed in the lowest bands A and B, which does not reflect current values and severely restricts council tax revenue.

'The first thing that needs to happen straight away is the revaluation of the various bands,' he said.

Mr Dyer added that, despite many residents living in homes with the lowest council tax, there are many people who are unable to pay their bills.

He said: 'We need to support these people, but that is being done, essentially, out of local authority budgets.

'In Bristol, we have a council tax reduction scheme which is costing us 43million pounds a year with no support from the government to provide that.'

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: 'While councils are ultimately responsible for setting their own council tax levels, we are clear that they should put taxpayers first and carefully consider the impact of their decisions.

'That's why we are maintaining a referendum threshold on council tax rises, so taxpayers can have the final say and be protected from excessive increases.'

A spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents councils across England, said: 'Councils continue to face severe funding shortages and soaring cost and demand pressures on local services.

'This means that many councils have faced the tough choice about whether to increase bills to bring in desperately-needed funding to provide services at a time when they are acutely aware of the significant burden that could place on some households.

'However, while council tax is an important funding stream, the significant financial pressures facing local services cannot be met by council tax income alone.

'It also raises different amounts in different parts of the country  unrelated to need.

'The spending review needs to ensure councils have adequate funding to deliver the services local people want to see.'
A hot mic has revealed exactly what a reporter said to President Donald Trump after hitting him in the face with a microphone during a press conference last week.

Trump was addressing the media at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before leaving the DC-area following his speech at the Department of Justice (DOJ) Friday in which he slammed the press.

The commander-in-chief was in high spirits as he took questions from reporters about the situation in the Middle East before departing.

As he did so, a female reporter's boom microphone - a mobile, soft, fuzzy but large mic that allows reporters to get sound when people are moving around - hit Trump in the mouth.

The president then closed his eyes and leaned back to avoid further contact as the unidentified reporter said: 'I'm so sorry.'

It's unclear what news outlet the reporter works for, but another angle of the moment showed a crowd of people gathered for the press conference.

The photo, shared on X, showed three people holding boom microphones - one of which was a woman with short hair, headphones over her ears and a tan trench coat on.

Although he appeared a bit agitated by the incident, Trump was able to see the funny side and cracked a joke about it.

Donald Trump had to shake off a bizarre moment when a boom microphone hit him in the face during a press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

The photo, shared on X, showed three people holding boom microphones - one of which was a woman with short hair who had headphones over her ears and a tan trench coat on (far left)

'She just made television tonight. She just became a big story tonight,' Trump said of the mic operator.

He asked while unable to stop from laughing: 'Did you see that?'

The president was praised by his supporters for how he dealt with the awkward scenario on camera.

'A reporter just HIT President Trump with a microphone. But 47 handled it like a PRO,' wrote one.

Others were a little more concerned that the mic was able to get so close to the president.

'President Trump was just smacked in the face by a reporter's boom mic. Unreal these people. Have some respect,' said Trump booster Charlie Kirk, who added that the president handled it 'gracefully.'

Another wrote: 'That is a horrible safety threat. Why does secret service allow this? That person should be arrested and thoroughly investigated.'

'An assassin with a ricin tipped microphone (an amount of only a few specs of dust would suffice) could kill the president in this manner,' another user wrote, adding: 'This is a security failure.'

Although he appeared a bit agitated by the incident, Trump was able to see the funny side and cracked a joke about it

Trump was in high spirits as he got ready to leave the area as he took a question about the situation in the Middle East just before the boom microphone hit him

While many were upset about what happened to Trump, others showed a bit of sympathy for the reporter.

'Obviously this was an accident and I genuinely feel terrible for the person that made that mistake. They must be very embarrassed.'

The now-viral moment came after Trump's speech at the DOJ in Washington was clear that the media had been biased against him, complaining at one point that some reporting by the news media is 'illegal.'

'These networks and these newspapers are really no different than the highly paid political operative. And it has to stop. It has to be illegal. It is influencing judges and it is really changing law and that just cannot be illegal. I don't believe it is legal,' he said.

Trump specifically had it out for the cable news networks like MSNBC, which he referred to with his traditional disdain.

'I believe that CNN and MSDNC, who literally write 97.6% bad about me, are political arms of the Democrat Party. And in my opinion, they are really corrupt and they are illegal. What they do is illegal.'

'She just made television tonight. She just became a big story tonight,' Trump said of the mic operator as he laughed

There were a few hundred people in the audience for his remarks - all of them ardent Trump supporters.

He often railed against the 'weaponization' of the government against him, referring to the federal investigations into him.

Trump has felt empowered by a Supreme Court ruling that gives presidents immunity for any act conducted while they are in office.

He has filled the Justice Department top ranks with loyalists and his own personal defense attorneys.

These include Pam Bondi, who defended him at his impeachment trial in his first term, and two of his lawyers in the porn star hush money trial that saw Trump convicted by a New York judge last year.

In one of her first directives following her confirmation, Bondi ordered DOJ officials to 'zealously defend' the interests of the presidency.

The now-viral moment came after Trump's speech at the DOJ in Washington was clear that the media had been biased against him, complaining at one point that some reporting by the news media is 'illegal.' (Pictured: Attorney General Pam Bondi escorting Trump into the Justice Department)

She escorted Trump into the department when he arrived to give his remarks. She showed him his official portrait on the wall.

'That's a nice picture,' Trump said.

The president and the other speakers delivered their remarks beside a pile of boxes and packages labeled as 'DEA Evidence.' The podium was flanked by signs with the message: 'Fighting Fentanyl in America.'

The packages represented 180 kgs of fentanyl, which Bondi noted could kill 90 million people - the population of Texas, California and Florida - in its pure form.

More than 200 local sheriffs, law enforcement officials, staff from Capitol Hill offices, families impacted by the fentanyl epidemic and others wearing red 'Make America Great Again' caps gathered to hear from Trump.
Thames Water has won a 3billion emergency bailout bid to stave off its collapse after judges dismissed an appeal against the debt-ridden company's restructure.

Appeal court judges dismissed a plea from environmental campaigners and a small group of Thames creditors to throw out the restructure plan.

Opponents argued the 'eye-watering' 3billion rescue loan for the ailing water firm - which has debts of 19billion - were not in the public interest.

Instead, campaigners said Britain's biggest water firm should temporarily be placed into temporary nationalisation under a special administration regime would be more cost effective.

However, in an order on Monday, Court of Appeal judge Sir Julian Flaux, sitting with Sir Nicholas Patten and Lord Justice Zacaroli, said the appeals were dismissed with reasons to follow in writing 'in due course'.

The decision in Thames's favour now means the firm can continue running long enough to attempt a restructuring of debts to keep it afloat.

Thames Water's chief executive Chris Weston said the firm was 'pleased' that the Court of Appeal had upheld a 'strong High Court decision'.

'We remain focused on putting Thames Water onto a more stable financial foundation as we seek a long-term solution to our financial resilience. Today's news demonstrates further progress,' he continued.

Thames Water has won a 3billion emergency bailout bid to stave off its collapse after judges dismissed an appeal against the debt-ridden company's restructure.

'We continue to work closely with our creditors, enabling us to access liquidity to continue to implement our turnaround plan so we can deliver better results for our customers and the environment while seeking to attract new capital into the business.

'As we have previously stated, the Company Plan will not affect customer bills but will provide continued investment in our network to fix pipes, upgrade our sewage treatment works, and maintain high-quality drinking water.

'We remain of the view that a market-led solution is in the best interest of customers, UK taxpayers and the wider economy.'

In February, a High Court judge sanctioned a plan proposed by Thames Water Utilities Holdings Limited (TWUH), the parent company of Thames Water Group, allowing the utility to stay afloat just weeks before it was due to run out of money.

But a group of the utility's secondary creditors, as well as TWUH's parent company, Thames Water Limited (TWL), appealed against the decision at a hearing last week.

Liberal Democrat MP Charlie Maynard also appealed against the ruling, claiming the firm should instead be placed into special administration.

Andrew Thornton KC, for TWL, previously told the Court of Appeal in written submissions that the approved plan was 'designed by senior lenders for the benefit of senior lenders'.

He said that the terms of the plan were 'mispriced and inappropriate'.

Thames Water's chief executive Chris Weston said the firm was 'pleased' that the Court of Appeal had upheld a 'strong High Court decision'.

He continued that the judge, Mr Justice Leech, 'failed to apply the correct principles' when making his decision to approve the scheme, and therefore 'wrongly exercised his discretion to sanction the plan'.

Thames Water serves about 16 million customers - about 25 per cent of the UK's population - and owns more than 20,000 miles of water mains and more than 68,000 miles of sewers across London, the Thames Valley and the Home Counties.

The High Court previously heard that the restructuring is intended to be an interim measure to keep the utility running before a substantive restructuring due later this year.

Before the decision, Colm Gibson, former head of economic regulation at the utility, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the company could collapse if the money is denied.

He said: 'Thames will need to get financing from somewhere.

'If it can't arrange that finance to carry on it will inevitably end up in special administration.

'If the court says no then there's a real risk that Thames ends up in special administration in the next few weeks.'

Thames Water's boss said the dismissal of a court appeal against its 3 billion rescue loan deal 'demonstrates further progress' for the company.

Chief executive Chris Weston said: 'We are pleased that the Court of Appeal has today decisively refused the appeals and upheld the strong High Court decision to sanction the Company Plan.

Thames Water serves about 16 million customers - about 25 per cent of the UK's population

'We remain focused on putting Thames Water onto a more stable financial foundation as we seek a long-term solution to our financial resilience.

'Today's news demonstrates further progress.'

Mr Weston said the decision 'will not affect customer bills but will provide continued investment in our network to fix pipes, upgrade our sewage treatment works, and maintain high-quality drinking water'.

'We remain of the view that a market-led solution is in the best interest of customers, UK taxpayers and the wider economy.'

Following Monday's decision, a spokesman for Thames Water's Class A creditors said: 'The decision from the court is clear and we hope this brings to an end the ongoing legal distractions so all parties can focus all efforts on securing billions in fresh equity and new long-term ownership for Thames Water.

'A market-based solution is the best route to achieving financial sustainability for the company in the coming months and will deliver the complex operational turnaround, improved service and environmental outcomes customers rightly expect and deserve.

'Customers will be placed at the centre of the rebuild and will not bear the costs of the restructuring. We will now be working with the company to allow it to move forward and access the money it needs to continue to invest in the business and work with stakeholders to complete an equity process this summer.'

A spokesperson for Thames Water's Class B creditors, who hold a smaller portion of the utility's debt and had drawn up a rival 'B plan', said: 'While we are disappointed with the Court of Appeal's decision to dismiss our appeal, we are pleased the court has struck out the proposed releases of the company's directors and advisers from legal liability, which the Class B creditors have consistently maintained are inappropriate in an interim restructuring plan such as this one.

'Until the Court of Appeal releases its judgment, our position remains unchanged, and we will continue to explore all available avenues, including seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, to ensure that customers and the broader public are not forced to bear the costs of a deeply flawed restructuring process.'
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing escalating calls to step aside as a Democratic Party leader after caving to Republicans in the government shutdown showdown.

Schumer has been under fire since Thursday when he announced on the Senate floor that he would vote for the Republican House spending bill to avert the shutdown.

The move was met with outrage from some left-wing Democrats who wanted the party to put up a fight after GOP members rammed the bill through without seeking bipartisan support.

On Monday, Schumer's team postponed his scheduled book tour amid a backlash as some Democrats shared his tour dates on social media with calls to protest.

Over the weekend, the progressive grassroots group Indivisible called for Schumer to step aside.

The group's co-executive director Ezra Levin said Schumer 'led the charge to wave the white flag of surrender' to Trump and Elon Musk and said the Senate needs a minority leader 'whos up for the fight this moment demands.'

A petition on Change.org demanding Schumer step down started by activist Charlotte Clymer has nearly 25,000 signatures.

'What we're seeing is sort of the public reveal of what Democrats are facing is a credibility crisis, and you solve a credibility crisis by doing things voters want you to do,' said Democratic strategist Max Burns.

'The problem that I'm seeing is that even after November, Democratic leaders still think they know better than their voters,' he said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is facing growing backlash after bucking House Democrats and voting to advance the Republican spending bill

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was among those who pressured Senate Democrats to vote against the so-called continuing resolution last week.

She said Schumer made a 'tremendous mistake.' Ocasio-Cortez also told reporters there is a 'wide sense of betrayal.'

'I think Senate Democrats have to sit down and take a look and decide whether or not Chuck Schumer is the one to lead in this moment,' Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) told CNN on Sunday.

House Democratic leaders were not rushing to Schumer's defense.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged Senate Democrats to buck Schumer's lead in the spending bill fight and 'listen to the women.'

On Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered a stunning response when asked if it was time for new Democratic leadership in the Senate, replying 'next question.'

On Sunday, he said he and Schumer 'disagreed' on the 'approach and outcome' of the GOP spending bill.

But Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) revealed over the weekend that Jeffries was 'blindsided' in the funding fight after all but one House Democrat voted against the continuing resolution.

That included those in Trump-won districts who put themselves on the line to oppose it.

Protesters in New York City carry an image of Schumer with the word 'shame' on March 15 as the Senate minority leader is accused of caving to Trump and Republicans on the stopgap spending bill

Across social media, Democrats have been blasting the Democratic Senate leader with calls for him to step aside or be challenged when he's up for reelection in 2028.

'Schumer is done as Senate minority leader. Its only a matter of time,' posted Democratic strategist Jon Cooper on Bluesky.

New polling released by CNN and NBC News on Sunday both showed Democrats have record low approval as even their base is dissatisfied with the party's approach to Trump.

Democrats are torn over the direction of their party should take, the CNN polling conducted March 6-9 found.

52 percent said that the party leadership is taking the party in the wrong direction while 48 percent said they are taking the party in the right direction.

A growing number of Democrats want the party leadership to do more to stop the Republican agenda as Trump barrels through the first two months of his second term.

The polling found 57 percent believe the party should do more to stop the GOP agenda while just 42 percent believe party leadership should work with Republicans.

It's a dramatic shift from 2017 when 74 percent of Democrats believed their party should try to work with Republicans.

'They effectively want to see the Democrats fight as hard against Trump as Trump fought against them,' said Burns.

'What they've been given is this, the same compromise where Democrats help Republicans pass bad legislation and then we sort of wait for a return on that, that never comes, and voters think that's nuts,' he warned.
A Missouri woman set to feature in a Netflix show about a historic tornado that hit the state vanished two days before its premiere.

Tara Fleming, 29, went missing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to her former boyfriend and father of her two young daughters, Steven Weersing, 30.

On Monday, Weersing filed a missing person's report asking anyone of her whereabouts as panic about her disappearance began to grow.

Weersing and Fleming were high school friends brought together by the 2011 Joplin tornado that killed 158 and injured 1,000.

He was severely-injured by the twister and developed a flesh-eating infection. Fleming kept him company afterwards as other friends stopped bothered and romance soon flourished.

The couple later split, with their story set to be retold by Weersing as he features prominently in The Twister: Caught in the Storm, which streams on Netflix from Wednesday.

Explaining his fears for his ex on Facebook, Weersing wrote that he'd received an 'alarming and distressing call' telling him that Fleming was in Tulsa.

The caller added that Fleming had been robbed of her phone and purse and car and that she was very scared.

Weersing said the people who'd seen Fleming shortly before her disappearance 'are being very suspicious' and says her vanishing 'isn't making any sense.'

Tara Fleming, 29, vanished in Tulsa just days before she was due to appear in a Netflix documentary about a devastating 2011 tornado that killed 158 in Missouri

The couple were teenagers when they survived the devastating tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011 that killed more than 158 people and injured more than 1,000

He further accused those unnamed friends of 'switching up story's' (sic) and claiming not to have seen Fleming.

The Tulsa Police Department told DailyMail.com that a missing person's report on Fleming was filed early Monday but could not provide further details on the case.

Weersing later took to Facebook to say that Fleming had been found safe, but that she was stuck in Tulsa and needed help to get back to Joplin.

Fleming's disappearance came just days before her and Weersing's story is set to be told to a global audience, although there is no suggestion her disappearance is in any way connected to the upcoming broadcast.

The 90-minute documentary shares terrifying footage of the tornado.

Fleming was at home with her mother and brother when is roof was ripped off by the deadly tornado that was moving at more than 200mph.

At the same time, Weersing was driving with friends when he turned straight into the voracious twister.

He was critically injured with cracked ribs, punctured lungs and a flesh-eating fungus that destroyed the skin on his chest due to black mold.

He was placed in a medically induced coma and doctors did not know if he would survive. Weersing woke up three weeks later.

After several surgeries, titanium rods were placed in his chest to help support his skin.

Weersing was a stay-at-home father and Fleming was working towards her nursing degree after the twister.

Fleming admitted that she believed that she and Weersing would not have 'gotten together unless the tornado happened.'

The Jolpin Tornado remains the seven deadliest tornado in the United State, and single deadliest tornado in the country since 1947

The twister remains one of the seven deadliest tornadoes in the country

The early years of their romance appeared to have been happy, until a dramatic development struck the pair in 2017.

That saw Weersing charged with second-degree domestic assault for allegedly choking Fleming during an argument in 2017.

The pair eventually went their separate ways: Weersing had a new love interest, a young woman named Lena Dawn and Fleming also had a new man.

Weersing's new girlfriend Lena Dawn also posted to her Facebook her concerns about Fleming's well-being.

'Has anyone seen or heard from Tara Fleming She was last known to be in the Tulsa ok area. She has an active missing report case and said she was last known to be 'walking' in the Tulsa area but did not have a location.

She gave a description of Fleming that is approximately 5ft. 9inches tall with bleach blonde hair. She asked anyone with information to call the Tulsa or Joplin PD or to reach out to her or Weersing.

The couple had known each other since middle school

A recent photo of the 29-year-old Tara Fleming and mother of two

In March 2023, Fleming shared on her Facebook that she was in a relationship with a man named Gabe Martin.

The Jolpin Tornado remains the seven deadliest tornado in the United States, and single deadliest tornado in the country since 1947.

The tornado also was the costliest in the country's history, with damage estimated to $2.8 billion.
The Iowa man who was the last person who saw missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiskha Konanki is fighting for his freedom after having his passport confiscated in the Dominican Republic.

Joshua Riibe, 22, was spotted at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, where he is under police surveillance, and told ABC overnight Monday, 'I just hope to go home.'

He has since filed a habeas corpus with a Dominican court, demanding to go before a judge to challenge his detention.

He is due in court tomorrow morning.

The St. Cloud student has not been charged, nor has he been formally named a suspect in Sudiksha's disappearance.

But his confusing and contradicting statements to police about what happened on the night Sudiksha vanished have led to raised eyebrows.

Riibe was the last person to be seen with Sudiksha shortly before 5am on March 6th. They had gone to the beach after a night of drinking with friends.

He told police that the pair went for a swim and were knocked out by a large wave. He claimed he used his lifeguard training to drag her back towards the shore, but that the last time he saw her she was waist deep in water.

He managed to get out and passed out on a sun bed, he said. Sudiksha was never seen again.

Experts say the story is unlikely and that her body would have washed up by now if she'd drowned.

New footage Sudiksha Konanki in the hotel lobby hours before she vanished. The missing Pittsburgh student hasn't been seen since the morning of March 6

Joshua Riibe is seen being questioned by authorities in Punta Cana. The 22-year-old has had his passport confiscated, but is yet to be named a suspect

Sudiksha Konanki disappeared from a beach at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6. Authorities in the Caribbean country believe she may have drowned

In a statement to NBC overnight, Riibe said: 'I'm just trying to help them out. The ocean is a dangerous place.'

'The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family,' the statement said. 'The Riibe family moved to town in 2015 and has been active in various school and community events and organizations.

'They are well known and loved.'

The statement, which was released by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office on behalf of the family's friends, described Riibe as being devoted to 'his faith' and always 'showing kindness to others.'

'He exemplifies the values of compassion, respect and integrity that are fundamental to our church and our community.'

Surveillance camera footage from the all-inclusive five-star hotel showed both Riibe and Konanki vomiting at a bar at 4:05 am on March 6 before they walked to the beach.

Surveillance video footage obtained by Dominican Republic news outlet Noticias SIN showed Joshua Riibe (left) and Sudiksha Konanki (second from left) following the young woman's friends and another man to the beach at the Riu Republica Hotel before Konanki disappeared March 6

A second camera spotted Riibe holding a cup and placing his arm around Konanki back as they trailed the group at 4:15 am. At about 4:55 am, the hotel security camera system showed two of her friends returning to the hotel.

The same camera picked up another female friend accompanied by Johnson walking into the building at 5:05 am.

The surveillance camera would show Riibe, barefoot and shirtless, as he slowly walked back to his room at 8:54am with Konanki nowhere in sight.

Riibe was peppered with over 50 questions last Wednesday and told a prosecutor that he and Konanki had kissed in the ocean before they almost got swept away by a wave.

He also said he saved her from drowning while almost losing consciousness.

University of Pittsburgh pre-med student Sudiksha Konanki vanished from the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6

The former wrestler has told several, slightly different versions of what transpired the last time Konanki was seen

Joshua Riibe was grilled by a prosecutor last Wednesday. He's the last person who saw Sudiksha Konanki before she disappeared March 6

But under the guidance of his attorneys, Riibe refused to reply to several questions, with the prosecutor probing him over how they could be sure what he was saying was truthful.

Riibe was also questioned if he knew if Sudiksha was able to swim, if she made any gestures or cries in the sea, if he called the cops or told the hotel, if he had told his friends about what happened and was also asked how he felt about the situation.

Each time he replied: 'My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice', before going silent.
A cheating Utah mom accused of killing her husband has been offered a plea deal - even as police are still looking for the man's remains.

Jennifer Gledhill, 42, will face trial in December for the suspected murder of her estranged husband Matthew Johnson, a judge ruled Friday. Johnson has been missing from their $1 million home near Salt Lake City since September 2024.

Gledhill's lawyer Jeremy Deus said in court Gledhill was offered a plea but did not say whether she is considering it, as reported by KSL.

No specifics of that plea deal have been shared.

The mother-of-three has pleaded not guilty to murder, obstruction of justice and desecration of a body. Her trial will last eight days and begin on December 8.

Deus said Cottonwood Heights police and the Army Reserve have searched for Johnson with no luck. 'Still no body, no weapon,' Deus told the court.

'We would really like to get this resolved. We would really like to find the victim, Sgt. Gary Young with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department told ABC4.

'Our hearts go out to the family. Its got to be trying for the children and family members and friends. Our community has suffered a loss.'

Gledhill will have one last opportunity - during a pretrial conference on November 6 - to change her plea before her trial starts.

Jennifer Gledhill, 42, was arrested in early October after her husband Matthew Johnson, 51, vanished and was later charged with his murder

Gledhill's lawyer says prosecutors have offered her a plea deal. It's unclear if she is considering it

Police claim the mom-of-three opened fire on Johnson as he slept at their $1 million home (pictured) in Cottonwood Heights, a suburb of Salt Lake City

Police say Gledhill shot her national guard husband dead after a night of whiskey-fueled sex that followed her confession of adultery.

A court saw images that officials say prove Gledhill brutally killed the father of her three children as he slept, before dragging his lifeless body and the blood-soaked evidence out of their home.

Prosecutors exhibited images of blood stains on a carpet that was underneath the bed in the couple's bedroom, where detectives believe Johnson was killed as he slept. DNA analysis confirmed it was Johnson's blood, per prosecutors.

Authorities showed a GPS tracking map showing that Gledhill traveled north the day after the alleged murder, on September 21, to a location where Matthew's red truck was found.

At the same location, police say they found a vehicle storage container floating in a creek. Investigators say the inside of the container tested positive for Matthew's blood.

An eerie snap of the couple's bedroom where the whiskey-fueled sex and subsequent murder took place was also shown in court.

GPS data also revealed that Gledhill traveled to another location in the same county where police found the couple's mattress and pillows wrapped up in a rug from the their home.

Prosecutors also showed the court a 2023 image they say shows Matthew by the same rug Gledhill dumped alongside the mattress.

Detectives say the above image shows a blood stain found in the rug directly under the couple's bed. Police say Gledhill killed Matthew Johnson as he slept in bed

GPS data also revealed that Gledhill traveled to another location where police found the couple's mattress and pillows wrapped up in a rug from the their home

Gledhill was allegedly having an affair with a man who told police she confessed to shooting Johnson while he slept. Gledhill allegedly said she out his body in a storage contained and then loaded it into her minivan.

Her alleged calls with her unidentified lover were shared at the bail hearing.

'Right before [Gledhill] reported Matthew missing, [her lover] recorded a phone call with the defendant,' prosecutors said.

'In the phone call, [Gledhill] apologizes for telling [her lover] about what happened, she tells him to not think of her as a monster and to remember her who she was before she opened her mouth.'

Prosecutors then began quoting Gledhill verbatim, including references to Johnson in the past tense before he'd been reported missing.

'I think that the fact that you got scared of me, that part like broke my heart because I was like "wow if you think I could even heard a fly," she said.

'Like he just, he is, he's not a person. He wasn't a person anymore he wasn't Matt anymore.'

But far more chilling words were to follow, the hearing was told.

Gledhill's lover, whose name has never been shared, told her that he was frightened by what she confessed.

He asked how she would feel if the roles were reversed, which she responded, 'not if I deserved it.'

'I always preach that I was like the queen of hearts in my past lives because I'm like "Off With Their Heads.",' Gledhill is then said to have bragged.

Johnson's remains have yet to be found, and Gledhill pleaded not guilty to the charges

Gledhill's parents Thomas and Rosalie Gledhill have also been charged in the murder after police revealed that witnesses saw them cleaning her house

'I'm like if we could just round up the scum of this Earth and put them on an island or just kill them all I could shipshape this country back into a good place,' Gledhill said.

He is said to have been shot dead as he slept and his body has never been found.

Attorneys for Gledhill claimed the newly-released phone calls were taken out of context.

Johnson was reported missing on September 23.

Gledhill was arrested after her lover told police that she'd told him about killing her husband.

In a police interview after her October 3 arrest, she claimed to have separated from Johnson- only to spend the evening of September 20 talking and drinking liquor with him.

She said they then had sex that night, and 'informed (the officer) due to the intoxication from the whiskey she had a hard time recalling the events that took place after her and Matthew had sex', the search warrant said.

Gledhill said Johnson 'became upset' during their evening together, but could not recall why.

Her lover told police Johnson was upset at discovering his wife had been cheating on him.

Gledhill's parents Thomas and Rosalie Gledhill have also been charged in the murder.

Police revealed that witnesses saw them cleaning her house for five hours following the alleged murder.

Gledhill's mother was even suspected of buying a new mattress for her daughter to replace the one Johnson is said to have bled out over after being shot dead.
Millions of Americans were shocked when President Trump invoked a war-time law to deport Tren de Aragua gangsters on planes that flew to El Salvador.

But one expert said the 238 men seen being handcuffed and led away may have been acting directly on behalf of Venezuela's rogue government.

Miami immigration attorney Rolando Vazquez says he believes communist dictator Nicolas Maduro deployed the Tren de Aragua gangsters as 'foot soldiers' to destabilize the US,

He agrees that Trump was well within his rights to get rid.

In my opinion, what Maduro did was an act of war.

'He sent his agents here to attack us,' Vazquez told DailyMail.com.

What Maduro did was send them over here for the purpose of expanding their operations and terrorizing and attacking US citizens.'

Tren de Aragua gangsters have been blamed for a horrific crime wave sine first crossing into the United States over the southern border in 2022.

It has also been linked to Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorist group, as DailyMail.com exclusively reported.

Law enforcement also believes the Venezuelan syndicate has been executing crimes on orders from the Maduro regime.

'They are directly connected to the Maduro regime in Venezuela- no question about it,' former ICE Special Agent Victor Avila told DailyMail.com Monday.

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government

'As a matter of fact, they're tied to Cartel de Los Soles, which Maduro is the head of. That in itself is enough to qualify them.'

Trump designated TdA, as the mobsters are known to law enforcement, as a terrorist organization when he took office in January.

The president invoked the Aliens Enemies Act Saturday.

That gives his administration the ability to deport any Venezuelan in the US over the age of 14 who is suspected of being a Tren de Aragua gangster without seeing a judge or following the normal due process.

Even though a US judge issued a retraining order, saying that three airplanes carrying TdA members bound for El Salvador must turn back, the Trump administration ignored the ruling and landed in the Central American country anyway.

They said that the jets were over international waters by the time the ruling came through, meaning the judge did not have jurisdiction.

Avila, the former ICE agent who has close ties to Trump border czar Tom Homan, adds that the Trump team is still planning on deporting more suspected TdA members under the Alien Enemies Act.

'Remember, they're terrorists, and that's what we need to start calling them because that's what they are,' Avila added.

'You would never release an ISIS member. We wouldn't be having this conversation if this was ISIS, so why are we having this conversation when it's Tren de Aragua.'

After arriving from the US, alleged Venezuelan gang members were taken to maximum security prison in the El Salvador. Even though the Venezuelan government agreed to take back its own citizens, the third country located in Central America is notorious for housing the worst of the worst in its Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison

El Salvador's leader, in a meeting last month with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, offered to house prisoners from the United States in his country

Many legal experts have made the case that Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act is illegal because the US has not at war with Venezuela, and the only times the law has been used is when the country was in a declared war.

Trump has made the case that TdA has attacked the US through 'irregular warfare.'

In the US, members of the gang have been charged in the murder of Laken Riley, the beating of NYPD officers and the take-over of multiple apartment complexes across the country.

Tren de Aragua, which means 'train from Aragua' for the Venezuelan province where the gang was born, has carried out the dictator's orders for years.

The Maduro regime is essentially a cartel. They have the name of the Cartel de los Soles,"' Miami immigration attorney Rolando Vazquez said in a interview with DailyMail.com.

'They are the largest cartel on this side of the hemisphere so all criminal organizations underneath him, if theyre not in line with them, they cant operate.

Under Maduro's regime, Tren de Aragua expanded outside of the walls of the Tocoron prison where it was born, spreading within Venezuela and later throughout South America.

In Venezuela, being a TdA member carries a status symbol, and they are well known 'Chavisitas'-- loyal supporters of the communist regime that began with Hugo Chavez.

'These guys are "Chavisitas." These guys are communists, they're socialists,' Avila explained.

The DOJ released these images in 2020, as it charged top members of the Venezuela's government, including current President Nicolas Maduro, with being drug traffickers

Nicolas Maduro remains president of Venezuela despite stealing two elections, most recently in 2023

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C) and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) shake hands before an inter-delegation meeting at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezula on August 27, 2016

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on July 30, 2006 in Tehran, Iran

'I don't like to call them a "gang" because they're a highly sophisticated network that goes all the way up to the (Nicolas) Maduro regime,' retired federal agent Victor Avila, Jr. told DailyMail.com.

'The connection that TdA has through Venezuela with terrorist organizations, with Iran and Hezbollah...for some reason people don't want to pick that up, they don't want to talk about it.'

In 2020, the Trump administration charged Maduro and 14 of his current and former officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking charges.

The Department of Justice announced a $15 reward for Maduro's arrest and multi-million rewards for his top lieutenants.

As the leader of the Cartel of the Suns, Maduro's government worked with the FARC, a paramilitary group in Colombia, to 'flood' the US with cocaine since 1999.

For years, Iran and Venezuela's dictators have engaged in a bromance fueled by their mutual hatred for the US and its economic sanctions that have crippled both the governments in Tehran and Caracas.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Lebanon, has been welcomed by the Maduro regime, who has rolled out the red carpet so the extremists can 'operate freely', according to the Miami Herald.

In 2021, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wrote an op-ed for the newspaper, urging the Biden administration that Hezbollah's presence in Venezuela posed a 'grave threat' to the United States.

The two international pariahs have been chummy since former communist dictator Hugo Chavez lead Venezuela from 1999-2013.

After Chavez died of cancer, his hand-picked successor Nicolas Maduro, took the countries relationship to the next level.

Under Madros illegitimate rule (he remained in power despite losing elections in 2018 and 2023 in what's been called the 'mother of all electoral frauds') the South American nation 'become a forward operating base in the Western Hemisphere for Iranian forces, Bush wrote.

Two of the 19 individuals arrested during the Oct. 19 raid at the Palatia Apartments in San Antonio where authorities say Tren de Aragua had been operating

At least four of the people arrested on October 5 in San Antonio have been confirmed as gang members

(L) Victor Avila is a retired Supervisory Special Agent with ICE-HSI U.S. Immigration and Customs (R) Rolando Vazquez is an immigration attorney in Miami, Florida and has strong ties to the Venezuelan community in the US

Tren de Aragua gang tattoos (pictured above) were part of a Department of Homeland Security bulletin that was recently shared with federal agents



As DailyMail.com first reported in 2023 when we broke the story about TdA arriving in the US, Maduro's soldiers went to cities across America, carrying out his orders.

'Think of them as the soldiers for these regimes,' Avila added.

'These are the guys who are actually on the ground carrying out the orders of whatever the regime wants to do. Is it going to be a terrorist attack? Is it going to be just murdering young girls and raping them?'

Under orders from the Maduro regime, Tren de Aragua got to work, establishing itself in the US while making money for their bosses back home.

TdA followed a model it repeated in several US cities of taking over apartment complexes in cities like Aurora, Colorado where they took over at least four rental properties.

'I believe that theyre setting up their network right now. These guys are setting up faster than MS-13 did. Theyre getting into these apartment complexes and what theyre doing is theyre starting with prostitution,' John Fabbricatore, the former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Colorado told DailyMail.com.

TdA has taken over at least four apartment buildings in the Denver area, exploiting and terrorizing their migrant neighbors.

'Prostitution is a big money-maker, and the thing with prostitution is that it brings guys in that they can then sell dope to,' Fabbricatore explained.

'These guys come in, they meet these Johns and shake them down. See if they want to buy drugs. Theyve started with moving these girls through, and if you go in these apartments, youll see these young girls. Its bad.

The Aurora model was copied and pasted in four apartment complexes in San Antonio, Texas and likely many other American cities.

San Antonio's police chief warned of TdA members who were caught wearing red-colored clothing.

'Red is the color of Maduros political party. Thats why TdA wears red,' Vazquez shared.

When Trump took office in January, his administration promised to arrest criminal migrants as part of the largest mass deportation plan the Republican campaigned on.

At least 236 TdA members have been arrested in raids across the nation, according to Immigrant and Customs Enforcement.
A man was arrested at Dublin airport this morning after being filmed throwing furniture around the terminal in a rage having missed his flight.

Footage shared online showed a topless man with a face covering pacing around Terminal 1 and launching items back and forth as bemused passengers looked on.

Dublin airport later confirmed that a passenger had been arrested after causing 'significant damage to our airport', as many travelled to celebrate St, Patrick's Day.

The unnamed individual was 'quickly apprehended' by Airport Police before being arrested by An Garda Siochana, they said in a statement.

He is scheduled to appear in court later today, Dublin Airport reported.

'We hope the justice system deals with him appropriately and also that we never see him at Dublin Airport again.'

Shocking video showed a man attacking and throwing furniture around the terminal

A trolley was seen knocked over in the airport as a suspect was being arrested

Dublin Airport confirmed that a man was detained by airport police and then An Garda Siochana

In another clip circling on social media, the man was seen trying to pull wires from built-in pieces of airport equipment around a section of Terminal 1 used for short-haul flights by budget airlines like Ryanair.

It was unclear which flight he had missed.

He struggled to pull a large metal box out of position before throwing it to the floor.

At one point the man flexed his muscles and bounced in his stride as he noticed he was being filmed.

He was also seen throwing chairs and tables attached to a cafe near the gate, BelfastLive reports.

At one point he kicked over a Ryanair baggage weight checker.

Airport furniture was later shown strewn across the terminal as the man was detained by airport police with his arms behind his back.

Gardai confirmed they had arrested a man in his 20s in connection with an incident of criminal damage at the airport.

'Gardai arrested a man in connection with incidents of criminal damage in Terminal 1, Dublin Airport, this morning, Monday, 17 March 2025,' they told the Irish Mirror.

'The man, aged in his 20s, has been charged and is due to appear before Court 2 of the Criminal Courts of Justice Dublin, this morning.'

The incident is reported to have taken place at about 7.20am on Monday, according to the Irish Examiner.

The man flexed for the cameras during his outburst at Gate 107 on Monday morning

At point point he appeared to pick up a stool from a nearby cafe

A man launches a piece of furniture at a stand before being arrested on Monday morning

A hammer-wielding passenger was shown on film smashing up several airport display screens at Santiago International Airport in Chile last month.

Emmanuel Bony lost his temper after an airline staffer reportedly declined to provide him assistance to return to Haiti on February 21.

Bony, who had Chilean his residency revoked for the earlier attack, was using megaphone to communicate with the workers and was told to leave by security, according to news outlets.

He returned 10 minutes later and violently chased the workers away.

Footage showed Bony using a hammer to shatter a row of screens behind and near the ticket counter.

He shouted as he paced around and walked past terrified passengers, who recorded the madness.

Eventually, Bony walked over to the airport's glass sliding doors and shattered one.

Security and bystanders attempted to calm him as he walked over to a restaurant and broke a chest-high row of glass panels.

The following day, Bony was placed under arrest by the Investigations Police of Chile and agents seized a knife, matches and flammable liquid.
A trove of possible suspects related to the DB Cooper case have been uncovered decades after the mysterious plane hijacking, thanks to newly released FBI files.

Dan Cooper, a well-dressed, middle-aged white man, hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 on November 24, 1971 during a trip between Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington.

Cooper - famously dubbed DB Cooper by the media - bought a $18.52 one-way ticket for the flight, bringing just a briefcase and paper sack with him.

While onboard, the man passed a note to a flight attendant that he had a bomb in his briefcase and demanded $200,000 - the equivalent of $1.2 million today - in stacks of $20 bills and four parachutes in exchange for the lives of the 42 people on board.

His demands were met and all of the passengers and most of the crew were set free while Cooper received his ransom in Seattle before telling the pilots to refuel and head to Mexico City.

While the plane flew somewhere over Washington state, the mystery man opened the rear staircase and parachuted from the aircraft never to be seen again.

Over the years, the FBI has investigated several possible suspects and relied on the only real piece of evidence Cooper left behind - a JCPenney clip-on tie that he removed before taking his storied leap of faith.

Now, the 472 newly released documents, reviewed by Popular Mechanics, have revealed just exactly who has been considered a suspect in the never-ending mysterious case, including people with expertise in parachuting training, former bank robbers and those with the same last name as the hijacker.

The FBI have released 472 new documents related to the mysterious DB Cooper case. The files reveal a slew of possible suspects that the agency went after in search of the hijacker

Dan Cooper, a well-dressed, middle-aged man, hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 on November 24, 1971 during a trip between Portland , Oregon , and Seattle, Washington

The new pages also revealed exactly how the agency were informed of specific suspects, as the public submitted letters and tips about who they thought the 'armed and dangerous' UNSUB, or unidentified subject of an investigation, was.

The FBI also looked into those with elite parachuting skills and those who appeared to suffer from oddly time injuries because of Cooper's daredevil jump out of the plane.

The agency also depended on past conversations to help them get answers.

During the lengthy investigation, the FBI investigated two men but ultimately ruled them out of the line-up because one didn't have enough hair on his head, while the other had a 'pot belly.'

The agency has also cross referenced ID pictures from driver's licenses to see if they match up with the sketch of the suspect that was given by witnesses.

The FBI also served a subpoena to a possible suspect in Bremerton, Washington, but the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office ruled him out because they didn't believe 'that he looked old enough to be the subject Norjack' - a name referring to the incident that is short for Northwest Hijacking.

Meanwhile, another man, Alvin Earle Cooper, was also ruled out of the bunch because an image of him was 'not identical with UNSUB in this case,' the documents revealed.

More subjects were ruled out after they were found not to be in the Pacific Northwest at the time of the incident.

Over the years, the FBI has investigated several possible suspects and relied on the only real piece of evidence Cooper left behind - a JCPenney clip-on tie that he removed before taking his storied leap of faith off the plane

The documents have revealed just exactly who has been considered a suspect in the never-ending mysterious case, including people with expertise in parachuting training, former bank robbers and those with the same last name as the hijacker

One was in Los Angeles, California that day, while another raised eyebrows after calling out of work two days after the hijacking.

The former bank robber called in sick to his place of employment in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but was let go as a possible suspect.

Another possible suspect was locked up near Sacramento, California on a narcotics charge at the time of the incident.

The FBI also looked into a Pittsburgh man who walked with a limp due to a sprained ankle. He also had ties to the Portland area, but he was also ruled out.

The documents also detailed pages on two specific men, Jay Whiteford and Charles Whittaker.

Whiteford was a Seattle-based pilot who was previously turned down from an aerial photography business loan, while Whittaker attended skydiving school in San Diego. Both were eventually ruled out as suspects.

The FBI also took it upon themselves to inform banks and financial institutions across the country, informing them to 'report any suspicious or unusual financial transactions concerning twenty-dollar federal reserve notes,' the pages showed.

Agents often caught up with Northwest Orient crew members and staff to show them photographs, the files showed.

One of the many declassified pages showed a letter from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to Washington Senator Henry Jackson thanking him for his letter that contained suggestions on the case. The information in the letter has been redacted.

The recent find of the clip-on tie has unearthed an important piece of evidence as a speck of chemical on the fabric could finally reveal the true identity of the elusive suspect.

The FBI closed its investigation into Cooper in July 2016, but the tie remains in the bureaus possession. Only a handful of people have ever been allowed access to it

The FBI closed its investigation into Cooper in July 2016, but the tie remains in the bureaus possession. Only a handful of people have ever been allowed access to it.

One of those people is Tom Kaye, a scientist who has twice tested the crucial artifact for the FBI in 2009 and 2011, looking for traces of certain metals, chemicals, and pollen - tiny clues that could help to unravel the mystery of Coopers true identity.

The FBI did recover a partial DNA profile from Coopers tie but repeated requests made by Kaye and independent investigator Eric Ulis to access that data have been denied.
Luigi Mangione has claimed police gave him a snack to obtain his DNA when he was arrested at a remote Pennsylvania McDonald's, according to bombshell new court filings.

Attorneys for the accused UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter alleged police violated his rights in court documents asking to exclude evidence from his arrest.

Mangione, 26, was arrested at an Altoona McDonald's on December 9 following a five-day search for the masked man who gunned down Brian Thompson outside a New York City hotel.

He was allegedly found with a 9-millimeter pistol and silencer, clothing that matched the apparel worn by the shooter in surveillance footage, and a notebook describing an intent to 'wack' an insurance company CEO, according to court filings.

Mangione was shipped back to the Big Apple for the murder trial but still faces lesser charges in the Keystone State.

However, his Pennsylvania attorney, Thomas Dickey, claimed the police had no 'proper legal justification' when they approached and argued that any evidence they obtained should be dropped, according to ABC News.

In a 36-page filing, Dickey said Altoona officers tricked Mangione into giving his DNA by offering him a snack and the samples are 'poisonous fruits' of an illegal search.

Dickey also claimed cops illegally took a personal notebook out of Mangione's bag and dubbed it a manifesto to taint public opinion about his client.

Luigi Mangione's attorneys alleged police violated his rights in court documents asking to exclude evidence from his arrest

Mangione claimed police gave him a snack to obtain his DNA when he was arrested. Mangione seen here eating a hash brown after being discovered by police at a McDonald's

Mangione, 26, was arrested at an Altoona McDonald's (pictured) on December 9 following a five-day search

'The Altoona Police Department illegally seized a notebook which allegedly contained numerous personal writings covering a plethora of personal experiences of [Mangione],' the filings said.

'This characterization of [Mangione's] alleged personal experiences and writings is incorrect, improper, and without justification and has no probative value... [that] was done so solely for the purpose to prejudice [Mangione] and put him in a negative light before the public; all in an effort to prejudice any potential jury pool.'

Dickey said the officers 'lacked reasonable suspicion to engage in such activity' and approached Mangione 'based on a hunch.'

'[Altoona police] had no independent corroborating evidence that [Mangione] was in fact the suspect sought in New York, prior to, or at the time of their stop and/or the investigatory detention of,' said the court documents.

'Any reasonable person, innocent of any crime, would have thought that he was being restrained if he had been in the Defendant's shoes.'

Dickey said the officers abused their power and violated Mangione's constitutional rights.

'[The cops] combined actions [at the McDonalds were] designed to not only exhibit their authority and control over [Mangione], but to also to restrict and totally curtail his liberty,' the filings said.

Mangione's New York lawyer, Karen Agnifilo, made a similar request in February, telling a judge that police illegally searched her client during his arrest and she would seek to exclude that evidence from his trial on state murder and terrorism charges.

He was allegedly found with a 9-millimeter pistol and silencer, clothing that matched the apparel worn by the shooter in surveillance footage

Mangione is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson (pictured) outside a New York City hotel

Mangione was shipped back to the Big Apple for the murder trial, but still faces lesser chargers in the Keystone State

Mangione pleaded not guilty on December 23 to an 11-count indictment charging him with murder as an act of terrorism and weapons offenses.

If convicted, Mangione could face life in prison without parole. He is now jailed in a federal lockup in Brooklyn.

He has been fiercely backed by a slew of fans who have praised Mangione for his alleged actions that day and started a GiveSendGo pages to raise money for his legal defense.

Allegations of Mangione's involvement in sex tapes have seemingly fueled a surge in donations to his defense fund from devoted fans, and the fundraiser has reached over $720,000.

Mangione allegedly recorded over 20 highly stylized sex tapes before his arrest for the fatal shooting.

The accused killer has denied he is the young man seen on a bathroom sex tape reportedly being offered for half a million dollars on the dark web.
Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury quit Parliament today, weeks after being jailed for drunkenly punching a constituent.

Amesbury stepped as MP for Runcorn and Helsby to trigger a by-election seen as a bellwether for Labour and Reform UK popularity less than a year after the general election.

The MP 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 Mr 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.

He 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.

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, formally relinquishing his seat, he said: 'This step, though immensely difficult, is the honourable course of action that I believe is in the best interests of my constituents whom I have been proud to represent throughout my tenure.'

He said he had 'endeavoured to give a voice to the voiceless' during his time in Parliament.

But he said he acknowledged that his time as an MP 'has been curtailed by a mistake for which I have taken full responsibility, both before the judiciary and now in this chamber'.

'I offer my sincerest apologies to Mr Fellows, his family, my own family, my constituents, and to Parliament as a whole,' he added.

Amesbury said he will step down as MP for Runcorn and Helsby to trigger a by-election seen as a bellwether for Labour and Reform UK popularity.

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 Starmer's Labour Party.

Mr Amesbury told GB News that 'as from today I will no longer be the Member of Parliament for Runcorn and Helsby after nearly eight years as being an MP'.

He said he was 'sad' and 'devastated', adding: 'Not only for me, but () my staff as well, because, course, it goes beyond me, for my family. This is a result of something that I did on October 26.'

Asked about the incident, Mr Amesbury said 'I should have walked away' and 'I don't recognise myself'.

He added: 'But it is me, and it's very important that I've owned that through the legal process () a plea of guilty.'

He said: 'I've paid a price, I've been punished and rightfully so, and I hope that I learn from this.'

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 Starmer's Labour Party.

Mr 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.
Labour's meltdown on benefits gathered pace today as ministers warned there is no option about cutting the spiralling bill.

As tensions mount ahead of plans being unveiled tomorrow, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has warned the PM that reducing eligibility could leave people 'trapped in poverty'.

Left-winger Diane Abbott demanded the government raises extra money from a 'wealth tax' instead of cutting welfare.

But Rachel Reeves has sounded defiance, saying benefits are 'unsustainable' and Labour must 'get a grip' on the public finances.

Dismissing suggestions that she could rip up fiscal rules instead of cracking down on welfare, the Chancellor told Bloomberg in an interview: 'When we're spending 100billion a year on servicing government debt, I don't think anyone could seriously argue that we don't need to get a grip of government borrowing and government debt.'

She added: 'Every day an additional 1,000 people are going onto Personal Independence Payments, disability benefits. That is not sustainable.'

The clashes come despite ministers already looking to have staged a climbdown on the idea of freezing PIP - personal independence payment, the main disability benefit.

That sparked an outcry on Labour benches as it would have meant a real-terms cut for 3.6million claimants.

Some have claimed the proposal was leaked out in 'bad faith' before agreement between Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and Ms Reeves.

The Chancellor is desperately scrambling to fill an estimated 15billion hole in the public finances at the Spring Statement this month, caused by stalling growth and higher debt interest costs.

Rachel Reeves has sounded defiance over a Labour revolt, saying benefits are 'unsustainable' and Labour must 'get a grip'

Keir Starmer is bracing for an 'absolute horror' clash with Labour MPs on moves to cut the spiralling benefits bill

The benefits bill has been rising and is forecast to continue going up

Touring broadcast studios this morning, Treasury minister Emma Reynolds tried to play down tensions but again stressed the moral case for getting people off benefits and back into work.

She swiped that Labour colleagues were 'jumping to conclusions about our plans before they've heard them'.

But Ms Abbott told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I would introduce the wealth tax. If you brought in a wealth tax of just 2 per cent on people with assets over 10million, that would raise 24billion a year. That's what I would do.'

Ms Kendall is expected to set out plans for reform tomorrow after Sir Keir branded the rising burden 'unsustainable'. They were originally mooted as saving 5billion a year for the Treasury, including 1billion reinvested in supporting people back to jobs.

However, the announcement has been pushed back a week as the premier tries to quell a prospective revolt.

No10 has been holding 'engagement sessions' to explain the changes, but they have been dismissed as 'a tick box exercise' by some Labour MPs.

One MP told the Guardian that they were anticipating the coming days with 'absolute horror'.

It is unclear whether there will need to be a vote on the benefits changes if PIP is not going to be frozen in real terms - in a possible relief for Downing Street.

Answering questions in the Commons this afternoon, Ms Kendall said the number of young people not working because of mental health conditions had risen by more than 25 per cent in the last year.

The Work and Pensions Secretary said the number of young people considered 'economically inactive' now totalled 270,000.

Labour MP Chris Curtis had said he was 'increasingly concerned by the rising number of young people in Milton Keynes who are out of work due to mental health issues'.

'Can the Secretary of State outline what steps the Government is taking to ensure these young people have the support and opportunities that they need to continue to improve their health, secure stable employment and live independently with better living standards?' he asked.

Ms Kendall said: 'I really share concern about the number of young people not in work due to mental health conditions.'

She added: 'That is why we are focusing on early intervention, providing mental health support in every school, recruiting an extra 8,500 more mental health staff, but also why this is such an important part of our youth guarantee.'

During the Commons grilling, Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash said he wanted to support people into work but it was 'imperative that those who are sick, vulnerable or disabled are always protected'.

Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms replied: 'That balance will be at the heart of the green paper that we're bringing forward.'

Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan urged the government to 'invest' in disabled people rather than trimming benefits.

'Disabled people often face additional barriers, of course, when it comes to trying to get back into work,' he said.

'Rather than freezing or cutting their benefits, does the minister acknowledge that we will need to invest in those people, to help them, and sustain them, back into work?'

Work and pensions minister Alison McGovern replied: 'Yes, I do agree. We see potential in every single person in this country and many of those who have been written-off and left on the scrap heap deserve a much better pathway back into work.'

Ministers point to the number of people in England and Wales claiming either sickness or disability benefit having soared from 2.8million to about 4million since 2019.

The bill for working age adults claiming these benefits was 48.5billion in 2023-24.

It is forecast to continue rising to nearly 76billion in 2029-30  more than the current schools budget.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said yesterday that the full proposals are yet to come before Cabinet - where several ministers previously voiced concerns.

He told the BBC: 'What I do know is the Work and Pensions Secretary wants to support people who need help the most, and we've got to make sure that there is a wide range of support and that everyone's playing their part.'

Writing in The Times, Mr Burnham said he agreed that the welfare system needed 'a radical overhaul', but said the Government should focus on helping people into work rather than simply cutting benefits.

The mayor - often tipped as a successor to Sir Keir - said: 'I would share concerns about changing support and eligibility to benefits while leaving the top-down system broadly in place. It would trap too many people in poverty.

'And to be clear: there is no case in any scenario for cutting the support available to disabled people who are unable to work.'

Over the weekend, Government sources indicated that Ms Kendall's reforms would include a 'right to try guarantee' allowing disabled people to enter employment without risk of losing their benefits if it did not work out.

Downing Street said Sir Keir 'has been clear there is both a moral and an economic case for fixing our broken social security system that's holding our people back, and our country back'.

'Three million people are out of work for health reasons, and one in eight young people not currently in work, education or training,' the PM's spokesman said.

'So we've got a duty to fix the system, to ensure that that safety net is always there for the most vulnerable and severely disabled, but also supports back into work, rather than leaving people written off.'

He added: 'That is why tomorrow the Government will set out plans to overhaul the health and disability benefits system so it supports those who can work to do so, while protecting those who are most in need, and put the welfare system back on a more sustainable path.'

Asked if the reforms were being carried out because of the UK's fiscal backdrop, the spokesman replied: 'No, I think when you look at the fact that we have the highest level of working-age inactivity due to ill health in western Europe, we're the only major economy whose employment rate hasn't recovered since the pandemic, there is a duty to fix the broken system that is letting millions of people in this country down.'

But Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said Labour was 'divided' over welfare and 'cannot deliver the decisive change we need'.

She said: 'The Government's dithering and delay is costing taxpayers millions every day and failing the people who rely on the welfare system.

'Under new leadership, the Conservatives are the only party united in the need to reduce spending on benefits  which is why we committed to save 12 billion-a-year from the welfare bill which Labour scrapped. Labour must come forward with a serious plan to deliver savings.'

Ms Reynolds was asked on Sky News this morning whether MPs should fall in line.

She told the broadcaster: 'We have a big majority, we are a Government that secured a mandate for change.

As tensions mount ahead of the plan being unveiled tomorrow, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has warned the PM that reducing eligibility would leave people 'trapped in poverty'

'It is absolutely everyday business that we should have discussions with backbenchers, meetings between our MPs and ministers happen all day, every day. So this isn't something that is any different, but we're determined to strike the right balance here.

'We've got to reform a system that is failing everybody, and we've got to do that according to our values.

'As Liz Kendall has said, there is a Labour case for reform here, because too many people are locked out of the labour market market, and there is dignity in work, and we want people to to get back into work if they can.'
Hairdressers and salon owners have gathered at Westminster to protest Rachel Reeves' 'disastrous' tax reforms.

It is set to be 'the largest ever protest about our industry in history,' say the Hair and Barber Council.

Hundreds rallied on the streets wearing black uniforms and cutting gowns with SOS - Save Our Salons - emblazoned on the front.

They are demanding Labour-based services be taxed at 10 per cent and goods at 20, to help them overcome the crippling economic instability they are set to face.

The protestors could be seen performing the beauty service on the streets of London's capital in Parliament Square, with one sitting on a fold up seat and the other performing a hair cut.

They chanted 'save our salons' and 'we just want 10 per cent, Rachel Reeves, don't relent', while brandishing placards with the SOS slogan, 'give tax the chop', and 'make hair fair'.

The British Hair Consortium has urged the whole industry to pull together to show its support for tax reform.

Jane, who runs Elite salon in Hampshire, said: 'We're here to get a fairer VAT system. We want a two tier VAT system - 10 per cent on all our services and 20 per cent on our goods because without that we can't develop and we can't grow.

Hairdressers and salon owners have gathered at Westminster to protest Rachel Reeves ' 'disastrous' tax reforms

The protestors could be seen performing hair cuts on the streets of London's capital in Parliament Square

Hundreds rallied on the streets wearing black uniforms and cutting gowns with SOS - Save Our Salons - emblazoned on the front

'We're hit three times harder because our industry is different to any other. We are not like your normal retail service. Most of our costs are on wages, 60 per cent.

'If this carries on we're never going to be able to continue.'

The salon owner added the impact of the October 2024 budget has meant businesses have taken a major hit.

'We've got national insurance contributions, we've got utility bills which are extremely high at the minute and then on top of that you've got the VAT.

'If this carries on, by 2027 companies like me won't be employing apprentices so there will be no new starters and 93 per cent of our industry will go down because we cannot carry on under these conditions with all the added costs.

'It really is sad, our industry will just decline,' she told GB News

Hairdressers and beauty salon owners are calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to throw the sector an 'economic lifeline', hairdresser and barber industry insights How To Cut It, said on its Instagram.

A recent report commissioned by the British Hair Consortium and carried out by CBI Economics, highlighted how an unbalanced tax system is decimating the hair and beauty industry.

They are demanding Labour-based services be taxed at 10 per cent and goods at 20, to help them overcome the crippling economic instability they are set to face

It showed that in the absence of change, there will be no new apprenticeships by 2027 and a 93 per cent fall in employment by 2030.

The Hair and Barber Council said: 'We invite you to take part this day of action to show those in power what our great profession means to us and how important tax reform is to save employees livelihoods and the livelihoods of a future generation of apprentices.'

Toby Dicker from The British Hair Consortium said: 'This is an opportunity for us to be seen and heard. Let's make this the biggest protest that our industry has ever embarked on and show the world that we are serious about the impact VAT reform could have on our entire industry.'
The captain of a diving boat from which a British tourist went missing following an explosion has been arrested as the search for her continues.

Backpacker Alexandra Clarke, 26, from Lambeth, was reportedly using the toilet when a blaze erupted from the engine of the wooden vessel near Koh Tao on Sunday morning.

Police on the island told MailOnline that the captain, who they named only as Tawee, 66 and a crew member, named only as Tae, 48 have been detained on charges of negligence.

Officials said at least 16 tourists, as well as two crew and four instructors from the scuba diving firm, were onboard the boat, named Davy Jones Locker. Local sources claim that it has now sunk after flames damaged most of it.

Those on board are understood to have been rescued by passing tourist boats, but Ms Clarke was still unaccounted for on Sunday afternoon.

Around a dozen divers are involved in the search for her in conditions that have been described as dangerous because of strong wind and currents.

The specialist divers are from the Thai navy and the Koh Tao Rescue Team, a local organisation that co-ordinates sea rescues.

Police revealed that crew member Tae was filling scuba oxygen tanks with compressed air close to the boats engine room when one of them exploded causing the inferno.

Backpacker Alexandra Clarke (pictured, right) was reportedly using the toilet when a blaze erupted from the engine of the wooden vessel near Koh Tao

Officials said at least 16 tourists, as well as two crew and four instructors from the scuba diving firm, were onboard the boat

Colonel Sarayuth Burivashira of Thai Police said: From our preliminary investigations the fire was caused by negligence and both the captain, and the crew member have been detained.

'The oxygen tanks should have been kept as far away as possible from the engine room.

Our investigations are continuing, and both the arrested men will be questioned in greater detail over the coming days.

The compressed air in the tanks filled to 3,000psi as well as fuel onboard are understood to have caused the fire to have spread. The toilet is often located at the back of the boat on the bottom deck.

Footage shows how the inferno ravaged the large wooden cabin at the rear of the boat as shocked holidaymakers on passing boats looked on.

Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started at around 9 am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after.

He said: 'The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao. It was between five and six nautical miles away from the island.

'A fire started in the engine room and spread through the boat rapidly.

Colonel Sarayuth Burivashira of Thai Police said: From our preliminary investigations the fire was caused by negligence and both the captain, and the crew member have been detained'

Footage shows how the inferno ravaged the large wooden cabin at the rear of the boat as shocked holidaymakers on passing boats looked on

Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started at around 9 am local time

Those on board are understood to have been rescued by passing tourist boats, but Ms Clarke was still unaccounted for on Sunday afternoon

'Thai-MECC Surat Thani coordinated with private vessels and volunteers to safely evacuate the tourists and crew members onto another boat.

'Meanwhile, another team of volunteers worked to control the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain's cabin, and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.'

An FCDO spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We are supporting the family of British woman reported missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
President Donald Trump savages his enemies and even some of his friends and relatives behind the scenes, author and White House reporter Alex Isenstadt reveals in his new book about the presidents return to power in the 2024 campaign.

The president had choice words for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who challenged him for the Republican presidential nomination before falling woefully short in Iowa.

Im going to squash this guy like a bug, Trump told then-Sen. JD Vance in January 2023 as the primary got underway.

In June, Trump reflected on the day that DeSantis came to him to ask for his endorsement for his campaign for governor.

He was like a beggar. I could have said: Drop to your f***ing knees, Ron, Trump recalled to guests on his plane.

Trump also joked about President Joe Bidens diminishing mental capacity as he ran for reelection.

After he got a CT scan following the assassination attempt in Butler Pennsylvania, Trump asked for a copy of the results.

Can you give me a copy of these? He asked. Because I want to make sure I can show reporters that my cognitive function is 100 percent. You cant say the same about Joe Biden.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on the campaign trail

Trump also enjoys taunting Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), as the senator continues lobbying the president behind the scenes.

Go tell Lindsey were not friends anymore, Trump told an aide after Graham criticized him on the issue of abortion.

Trump also savaged employees who made mistakes while traveling on his plane.

Hes f***ing fired. Get him fired now. Have someone walk him off the property, Trump said after a mechanic accidentally deployed the emergency slides on his jet which caused a travel delay.

President Donald Trump speaks at a White House press briefing

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner

Trump even poked fun at his son-in-law for being a Democrat behind the scenes, recalling Jared Kushners push for criminal justice reform.

It was Jareds thing, and Jareds a Democrat, he said.

Trump even joked about Republican donor and casino mogul Steve Wynn who suggested that he select Sen. Tom Cotton as a running mate.

Wow. Steve is even more blind than I thought he was if he thinks Tom Cotton has charisma, he reportedly said about Wynn who suffers from the eye disease retinitis pigmentosa.
A deaf TikTok star who took her own life after being sent a 'suicide kit' was failed by mental heath services, an inquest has heard.

Imogen Nunn, 25  known as Deaf Immy on the social media platform where she highlighted hearing and mental health issues  died on New Year's Day, January 2023.

The sudden death of the popular influencer sparked an outpouring of grief among her 800,000 followers.

It later emerged she had sourced a 'suicide kit' online and had been sent a package containing a lethal chemical.

Chef Kenneth Law, 57, was subsequently arrested and is facing trial in Canada in relation to a number of deaths.

An inquest into her death today was told Immy's death was 'avoidable' and could have been prevented if more support had been provided.

The hearing was told Immy, who was diagnosed as profoundly deaf at 18 months, had been a bright and sunny child while growing up.

Her mother, Louise Sutherland, described her as a 'rainbow' and said she had 'special aura' about her.

Imogen Nunn, known as Deaf Immy on Tiktok, had sourced a 'suicide kit' online after she was 'failed' by mental health services

Immy's mother, Louise Sutherland (right), described her as a 'rainbow' and said she had 'special aura' about her

Kenneth Law is accused of selling a lethal substance to people across the world, with Canadian police alleging that he sent at least 1,200 packages to over 40 countries

But her mental health declined after she moved to secondary school and she began to suffer severe problems from the age of 14.

As well as self-harming, she attempted to take her life on numerous occasions and it later emerged she may have been abused by a boy at school.

She was sectioned and admitted to various hospitals throughout her teenage years - remaining in one hospital for more than three years.

The inquest in Horsham, West Sussex, heard Immy had been discharged in September 2021 but had a system of mental health support in place for her.

But her parents, Ray Nunn and Louise Sutherland, believe she was failed by mental health services in the lead up to her death on January 1, 2023.

They say Immy had begun to miss and cancel planned appointments - clear warning signs her mental health was deteriorating.

Her mother Louise said: 'We believe that Immy's death was avoidable, and that had appropriate actions been taken in response to the numerous times Immy contacted professionals she trusted asking for help, she would still be alive today.

'The reports [that she was missing appointments] should have been a cause for serious alarm that Immy was struggling  a repeated pattern with Immy was of disengaging with professionals when she was particularly unwell or a danger to herself, when she in fact needed an escalation in her care to keep her safe.

Immy's parents Louise Sutherland and Ray Nunn said they believed Immy's death was 'avoidable'

Immy's father, Ray Nunn (pictured), believed that 'Immy felt hopeless and let down by the time of her death, and that she was failed'

'We believe that Immy's death was avoidable and that there were several missed opportunities to help her and in which it is clear to us that Immy was calling out for help.

'Immy didn't want to die, but she was exhausted from fighting desperately for the help she needed.'

She said: 'Ray and I believe that Immy felt hopeless and let down by the time of her death, and that she was failed.'

The inquest heard that Immy had been treated in various places for her mental health while growing up but her profound deafness mean she needed bespoke treatment which she had not received.

However in 2018 she was admitted as a patient at the specialist St George's Hospital in London where she was placed in the Bluebell ward - a specialist unit for deaf people with mental illness.

There she was diagnosed as suffering from complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and an emotionally unstable personality disorder as well as depression and anxiety.

She remained a patient at the hospital for more than three years before eventually being discharged in September 2021.

The inquest was told Immy, who had a talent for technology, had joined TikTok and begun making videos highlighting the battles of being a deaf person with mental health issues.

Immy's deafness meant that bespoke treatment was not always provided despite seeking treatment in various places for her mental health

Her account became hugely popular and the videos she posted were watched by millions.

In a very short period her Deaf Immy account built up around 800,000 followers.

However despite the confidence her TikTok account gave her, she still struggled badly with her mental health.

The inquest heard she continued to receive treatment at St George's Hospital and she was eventually discharged in 2021 and moved into a flat in Brighton with her hearing dog, Whitney.

However she began missing or cancelling appointments with her mental health support staff.

The inquest heard Immy's parents, Ray and Louise, from Bognor Regis, became increasingly worried about her disengagement with mental health services.

It became clear Immy's mental health was deteriorating and she told mental health staff she had considered suicide.

In February 2022 she was admitted to hospital in Brighton following a suicide attempt.

Immy was diagnosed with complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), an emotionally unstable personality disorder, depression and anxiety

However she continued to miss and cancel appointments and failed to respond to texts from her community care nurse, Carmen Jones.

In November 2022 she contacted Ms Jones and told her she had bought a chemical - classed as a 'reportable substance' in the UK - and that she planned to use it to end her life.

Immy told the nurse she was going to 'Catch the bus' and had joined a pro-suicide forum.

Sussex Police were contacted and visited her flat but failed to attend with a British Sign Language interpreter. They decided to take no further action.

Immy was admitted to hospital in Brighton on December 29 after seriously self-harming and causing a bad injury to her forearm.

The TikTok star saw her psychologist, Julia Lord, the following day and told her she had considered suicide by drinking chemicals.

In a statement her mother, Louise Sutherland, said: 'If there was a word for us to describe her it would be 'rainbow', there is something so beautiful about the way you feel when you see one, and that was how she would make you feel when she was around.

'She had an aura that was just so special. She was a gentle, kind and genuine young lady.

'Immy spent 11 years fighting a battle, she never gave up fighting the voices in her head, she found strength and determination where others would have fallen, her fight for life was heartbreaking to watch but we knew that Immy had hopes and dreams and a whole future and an amazing life ahead of her.'

The inquest continues.

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
An Oligarch who allegedly masterminded a massive money laundering scheme that saw billions in Russian money pour into Europe and the USA has been arrested in the UK.

Former Moldovan MP Veaceslav Platon was arrested on Thursday in central London in connection with the 'Laundromat' operation that is said to have moved vast sums of criminal cash through the country's banking system with the help of corrupt judges.

Beneficiaries of the funds  believed to be at least 16 billion but reportedly as high as 65 billion  have allegedly invested the laundered money in businesses and high-end property in London and other cities in wealthy nations, as well as splashing out on luxury goods.

In 2012, a photo of Platon's now ex-wife, Elina Cobaleva, was posted on social media showing her posing in dark glasses on the bonnet of one of two brand new Bentleys bought for 216,000 by Valemont Properties, a British firm caught up in the financial scam.

Platon, 52, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Friday for an extradition hearing. He was remanded into custody and will appear there again this Friday.

The General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Moldova announced his arrest in a Facebook post that said it was 'in contact with the British authorities to organise appropriate procedures, in view of presenting the citizen to the legal authorities in our country'.

Veronica Dragalin, who stepped down last month as head of Moldova's Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office, added in her own post: 'This significant step has been made possible thanks to the efforts of anti-corruption prosecutors  those who have worked for years on the Laundromat file and others, those who have travelled to the UK over the past two years for meetings with UK authorities.'

The complicated scam is said to have been run by criminals with links to the Kremlin and successor organisations to the KGB.

In 2012, a photo of Platon's now ex-wife, Elina Cobaleva, was posted on social media showing her posing in dark glasses on the bonnet of one of two brand new Bentleys

Former Moldovan MP Veaceslav Platon was arrested on Thursday in central London

It took advantage of lax rules  since tightened up  that allowed companies to be set up and fronted by 'nominee' directors paid for lending their names, allowing criminals to operate quietly behind the scenes.

Laundromat allegedly used 21 'ghost' companies, mostly based in the UK, and involved bogus trades and loans.

A Russian with dirty money would set up one firm, use it to provide a loan to a 'ghost' company without actually exchanging funds, and then demand repayment through courts in Moldova, where the judiciary and financial authorities were less likely to scrutinise transactions.

Once a Moldovan judge had 'authenticated' the debt and ruled it must be paid back, the money would be transferred out of Russia to a Moldovan bank and then to one in Latvia  another former Soviet Union member - which, crucially, was inside the EU. The funds could then be moved anywhere in the world with few questions asked.

Much of the money flowed into London with its buoyant property market, luxury shops and well-regarded private schools.

Business purchases in London are said to have included a historic building worth 200 million, a central car park and a hotel apartment. Other investments were flats in Manchester and land in Essex.

Platon  said to be one of the wealthiest people in Moldova with business interests in sugar and banking, as well as investments in atomic energy in Ukraine - was an MP in his home country from 2009-10.

He was arrested in Kiev in 2016 and extradited to Moldova where he was jailed for 18 years in 2017 for money laundering and fraud involving 770 million, labelled locally as the 'theft of the century'.

Platon was arrested in Kiev in 2016 and extradited to Moldova where he was jailed for 18 years in 2017 - but his conviction was overturned in 2021

He was controversially released and then acquitted in June 2021 following a retrial, moving to the UK the following month where he claimed political asylum. Months later, Moldovan prosecutors charged him with the fraud and forgery charges he currently faces.

In March 2022, an anonymous submission to an inquiry into Russian dirty money in the UK by the Foreign Affairs Committee stated he was 'considered one of the masterminds of the 'Laundromat' scheme'.

Platin is also reportedly wanted in Russia, where he also has citizenship, for illegally withdrawing hundreds of millions of pounds of funds.

In 2023, a Moscow court convicted him in his absence for these offences and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

A National Crime Agency spokesman said: 'Veaceslav Platon was arrested on 13 March in the Tower Hamlets area of London by specialist National Extradition Officers from the NCA's Joint International Crime Centre.

'He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on March 14 and was remanded into custody until his next appearance on Friday (Mar 21).'

The arrest warrant stated that 'between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014, in the Republic of Moldova, Veaceslav Platon conspired with others to conceal, disguise, convert and transfer criminal property.
An RAF officer groped and propositioned his colleague's wife on the dance floor at a Battle of Britain dinner, telling her 'I'd only need five minutes', a court martial heard today.

Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Gwynn allegedly told the woman he wanted to have sex with her to which she responded: 'Well, my husband would have something to say about that'.

Prior to the alleged incident, the officer was said to have tried to throw sweets down the military wife's cleavage during the formal dinner.

And while the pair later danced together he is accused of pressing himself against her and grabbing her bottom, leaving her 'shocked', a panel was told.

Flt Lt Gwynn was so drunk that by the time his alleged victim left shortly afterwards, he was asleep on the floor at the officer's mess, the court martial heard.

The father is on trial at Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, after pleading not guilty to one count of sexual assault.

Prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Chris Adair told the court that the incident happened at a 'relatively formal' Battle of Britain dinner.

There was music and dancing after the dinner portion of the evening, which the prosecutor described as a 'night of heavy drinking'.

Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Gwynn allegedly told his colleague's wife he wanted to 'f**k you hard'

'Flt Lt Gwynn pressed his groin area up against her and proceeded to reach around with his left hand and squeeze her left bottom cheek,' the court heard

Lt Col Adair said: '[The alleged victim] found herself on the dance floor with Flt Lt Gwynn.

'Flt Lt Gwynn pressed his groin area up against her and proceeded to reach around with his left hand and squeeze her left bottom cheek.'

In a video statement shown to the court, the woman said: 'It was intentional, it was borderline aggressive.

'And he leaned in and said to me 'I want to f**k you, I want to f**k you hard'.

'And I was absolutely... He was pushing himself, his groin area into me while he did it.

'He was physically trying to get close to me when he did it.

'I didn't know what to make of it, I was just shocked by it.'

The woman, who wore a floor-length dress to the event, said that he was clearly drunk by this point in the evening.

'He was very drunk, I don't even know if he would remember it,' she said.

Flt Lt Gwynn is on trial at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, after pleading not guilty to one count of sexual assault

'I think I said to him, "well, my husband would have something to say about that" and he said to me "I would only need five minutes".

'And then I moved away from him.'

The alleged victim found her husband and told him what had happened - this was at about 12.30am - and she asked him not to make a scene.

The couple left about half an hour later.

Lt Col Adair said 'Flt Lt Gwynn was blind drunk, and literally asleep on the floor in the foetal position' by the time the couple left.

She told the court that Flt Lt Gwynn had been throwing humbug sweets towards her cleavage at the earlier formal dinner, and she believed he was already drunk at this point of the evening.

She said: 'He did stop, but I don't know, maybe he threw three or four times to try and get it at my cleavage.

'No one joined in.

'At the time I thought 'God, that's really inappropriate'.'

The woman said that before the assault, she had trusted the officer as he 'dressed up as an elf for the Christmas family happy hour', and supported families on the RAF base where they were situated.

Lt Col Adair told the court that Flt Lt Gwynn 'strongly denied touching her in any way', and denied that he was drunk.

Flt Lt Gwynn admitted that he was throwing sweets at the dinner table, but denied that they were aimed at the alleged victim.

The trial continues.
A luxury hotel has been forced to apologise after a terminally ill child was prevented from using a breathing device.

Three-month-old Charlie is receiving end of life care at Robin House Children's Hospice in Balloch, in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

He was taken to the nearby Duck Bay Hotel and Restaurant on the banks of the nearby Loch Lomond, but his family were left furious after they were denied access to a plug socket to use a nebuliser.

The device sprays a liquid mist of medicine through a mouthpiece or mask but the hotel sparked a major backlash after staff refused to help the family out.

Hotel bosses have now issued a 'very humble apology' after a post about the incident went viral online.

Charlie's uncle, Bradley Raynham, said his sister and her fiance had been denied access to the plug after paying their 40 bill for coffee and cakes.

He wrote: 'It got to the time Charlie needed his nebuliser so as the restaurant was so busy, they asked at the reception of the hotel if they could use one of the plug sockets so he could get this.

'While they're holding him in their arms they were told 'no we don't do this here'. Even after explaining the situation they weren't interested one bit.

The Duck Bay Hotel and Restaurant (pictured) has been forced to apologise after a terminally ill child was prevented from using a breathing device

A luxury hotel has been forced to apologise after a terminally ill child was prevented from using a breathing device

'They had to leave and get back to the hospice immediately so they could give him this, when going back they spoke to the nurse there as they were obviously upset.

'The nurse has called them and they've told them they're not speaking to a manager and they're not interested essentially.

'The charge nurse has then phoned them and said they'd hold to speak to a manager to then be told 'other people will be waiting to call us and we can't help'.'

He added: 'How in this day and age can any place turn someone away for something like this. Especially after being there and spending money. Literally holding a baby in their arms who needs this.

'Not really going to make a massive difference but hopefully this gets shared far and wide and nobody bothers to go and spend their money there.'

A statement signed by hotel directors, management and staff was later posted online.

It said: 'Duck Bay Marina have recently been made aware of an incident which occurred earlier today and would like to profusely apologise for what happened.

'The incident involved a junior member of staff who has recently joined the company, acting without guidance, who entirely misunderstood and misjudged the situation.

'We are deeply upset at how this incident was handled and we are truly sorry for the upset it has caused.

'It is in absolutely no way a reflection of the values of Duck Bay Marina or our hard working staff, many of whom are devastated by the incident. A full investigation will follow and the necessary remedial action will be taken.

'We have made contact with both Robin House and Charlie's parents to offer a personal apology and to reassure them that the incident is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with as a matter of urgency.

Charlie was taken to the nearby Duck Bay Hotel and Restaurant on the banks of the nearby Loch Lomond. (File image)

'As long time supporters of local charities we will certainly make amends for the incident and will take the opportunity to review our training and procedures to ensure such an incident is never repeated.

'We are also aware of social media posts and comments regarding the incident.

'Whilst we completely understand people's reaction to what happened, we would like to remind you that this is an incident involving a very inexperienced young person who has made a mistake, they are absolutely devastated by what has happened and how they have handled things.'

On their website, Duck Bay describes itself as being 'a sanctuary of comfort and familiarity in a warm and family-friendly atmosphere'.
Harvard University has announced it is widening its free tuition threshold as the school looks to attract more students from diverse backgrounds.

Students from families with annual incomes of $200,000 or less will not have to pay tuition starting from the 2025-26 academic year, it was announced today.

'Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth,' Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said on Monday.

'By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University.'

The announcement comes after the prestigious Ivy League faced a slight decrease in applications last year, following a series of campus scandals and the resignation of its former president, Claudine Gay.

The $200,000 quota is a massive jump from the $85,000 threshold for free tuition it had in 2023.

Tuition at the Ivy League for the 2024 to 2025 academic year, including all fees, is over $80,000, according to the school website.

The university began covering the cost of tuition and other expenses through the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative in 2004 for families with annual incomes of $40,000 or less.

Harvard University announced it is widening its free tuition threshold for students from families with annual incomes of $200,000 or less

University President Alan M. Garber (pictured) said the increase is an effort to 'widen the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter'

It has expanded the threshold four times, including from $60,000 in 2006 to $85,000 in 2023. The latest move to $200,000 is the biggest jump so far.

The latest expansion will enable approximately 86 percent of U.S. families to qualify for Harvard Colleges financial aid.

Experts believe this is an effort to attract more minority students since the Supreme Court banned the use of racial preferences in college admissions.

'Now that universities can no longer employ racial preferences, if they want racial diversity, the best path forward is to boost the chances of admissions of non-wealthy and working-class students, a disproportionate share of whom are black and Hispanic,' Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, told The New York Times.

'To get such students to apply, and then to enroll, requires generous financial aid.'

Harvard saw a drop in applications for the class of 2028 following accusations of antisemitism in the wake of anti-Israel protests on campus over the war in Gaza.

Harvard received 54,008 undergraduate applications, about 5 percent fewer than last year, following the resignation of former president Claudine Gay amid plagiarism and antisemitism accusations.

Early applications to Harvard were down 17 percent, and regular ones dropped by almost 3 percent this year. The school accepted 1,937 students to its class of 2028, about 3.6 percent of applicants.

Despite the decline, it marked the fourth year in a row that it received more than 50,000 applications, according to the Harvard Crimson.

Harvard saw a drop in applications for the class of 2028 following accusations of antisemitism in the wake of anti-Israel protests on campus

The drop in applications followed the resignation of former president Claudine Gay (pictured) amid plagiarism and antisemitism accusations

The drop in applications follows accusations of antisemitism on campus at Harvard, which started with a student letter asserting that Israel was 'entirely responsible' for the October 7 attacks.

The student branch of the group Students for Justice in Palestine published the controversial letter blaming Israel for the Palestinian extremists' terror plot.

The letter launched an outcry from many Harvard alumni and led to dozens of top-tier donors pulling their tens of millions from the school.

It was that series of events that started the ball rolling toward the ultimate ousting of Harvard President Gay, 53, who only lasted just six months in the role.
Donald Trump has deported a Brown University doctor over her alleged links to Hezbollah and the terror group's longtime leader who was killed last year.

Dr Rasha Alawieh, 47, from Lebanon, was deported from Boston Logan International Airport to Paris on Friday despite having a US visa and a job teaching at the Ivy League college in Rhode Island.

Federal authorities told Politico that border officials moved to expel Alawieh from the country after they found 'sympathetic photos and videos' of prominent Hezbollah figures in a deleted items folder on her cell phone.

The physician, who specializes in kidney transplants alongside her professor duties at Brown, also told Customs and Border Protection agents that she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while visiting Lebanon.

Alawieh said she followed Nasrallah's teachings 'from a religious perspective' but did not align with him politically, according to an official report by an immigration officer.

'I have a lot of WhatsApp groups with families and friends who send them,' the doctor said, according to a transcript filed in court on Monday.

'So I am a Shia Muslim and he is a religious figure. He has a lot of teachings and he is highly regarded in the Shia community.

'I think if you listen to one of his sermons you would know what I mean. He is a religious, spiritual person, as I said, he has very high value. His teachings are about spirituality and morality.'

Donald Trump has deported Dr Rasha Alawieh, a Brown University doctor, over her alleged links to Hezbollah and the terror group's longtime leader who was killed last year

The physician, who specializes in kidney transplants alongside her professor duties at Brown, also told Customs and Border Protection agents that she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (pictured) while visiting Lebanon

Nasrallah, who led Shia Islamist paramilitary group Hezbollah for more than 30 years, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in September last year - a major victory for Israel.

Hezbollah has been recognized as a terrorist organization by the US for the last 20 years.

Dr Rasha Alawieh has been deported

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady summarized in a court filing on Monday that Alawieh's 'true intentions in the United States could not be determined' from her interview at the Massachusetts airport.

'As such CBP canceled her visa and deemed Dr. Alawieh inadmissible to the United States,' he added.

The court filings gave a public explanation for the first time about why Alawieh was deported despite holding a H1B visa for foreigners with special skills associated with jobs which are typically hard to fill using American recruits.

Justice Department lawyers filed the papers just before a hearing on Monday to decide whether the government had defied a judge's order made on Friday saying that Alawieh should not be deported without advance notice to the court.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin made a last-minute decision to postpone the hearing on Monday morning to give the government an extra week to submit evidence about Alawieh's case.

Federal authorities told Politico that border officials moved to expel Alawieh from the country after they found 'sympathetic photos and videos' of prominent Hezbollah figures in a deleted items folder on her cell phone. It's the latest deportation in Donald Trump's sweep of the nation

CBP official John Wallace said the federal government did not hear about the judge's order in time to halt Alawieh's deportation on an Air France flight.

'At no time, would CBP not take a court order seriously or fail to abide by a court's order,' Wallace wrote in a sworn declaration.

'Due to the extremely close timing between the issuance of the court order in this case and the boarding time of [the Air France flight] CBP did not receive the court's orders until after the flight departed the United States,' Wallace added.

Acting on her behalf while she is out of the country, Alawieh's cousin filed a motion accusing customs officials of 'willfully' disobeying the judge's order.

Alawieh lived in the US since 2018, when she moved on a student visa as part of her nephrology fellowship at Ohio State University.

She later attended programs at the University of Washington and Yale.

Brown Medicine, where Alawieh is currently employed, is a not-for-profit medical practice that is its own organization and serves its own patients directly.

It is affiliated with Brown University's medical school.

Pictured: Pedestrians make their way past a building housing the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island

Alawieh, who specializes in kidney transplants alongside her professor duties at Brown, also told Customs and Border Protection agents that she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (pictured) while visiting Lebanon

'My colleagues and I are outraged over Dr Alawieh's deportation. She is a valued colleague and we hope for justice and her return to Rhode Island,' said George Bayliss, an associate professor of medicine at Brown University.

U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo of Rhode Island, a Democrat, said in a statement over the weekend that is 'committed to getting answers from the Department of Homeland Security to provide Dr. Alawieh, her family, her colleagues, and our community the clarity we all deserve.'

A rally was planned to support her Monday night at the Rhode Island statehouse.

It's the latest deportation of a foreign-born person with a U.S. visa in the past week, following the arrest and planned deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student who led protests against the Gaza war.

He is currently being held in federal detention.

The Trump administration also transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.
St. Patrick's Day revelers painted the town green, celebrating the holiday with spirted parties and parades across the United States.

New York City kicked off one of the largest and oldest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country at 11 a.m. on Monday.

The rolling celebration, now in its 264th year, saw some 150,000 marchers and nearly 2 million spectators turn Manhattan's famed Fifth Avenue into a sea of green.

Other major U.S. cities known for their Irish heritage, such as Savannah, Georgia, saw swarms of shamrock-festooned revelers fill the streets over the weekend.

One woman in Savannah was seen on the street on Sunday - surrounded by first responder, administering an IV drip as she laid on the concrete. It's unclear what she was being treated for.

Others decked out in green, white and orange - the national colors of Ireland - were seen on the streets drinking cans of beer and taking swings from bottles of Jagermeister.

Crowds of young people waited in long lines to get inside bars and celebrate while trash piled up on the streets of downtown Savannah.

St. Patrick's Day revelers painted the town green, celebrating the holiday with spirted parties and parades across the United States

One woman in Savannah was seen on the street on Sunday - surrounded by first responder, administering an IV drip as she laid on the concrete. It's unclear what she was being treated for

Others decked out in green, white and orange - the national colors of Ireland - were seen on the streets drinking cans of beer and taking swings from bottles of Jagermeister

A group walks arm-in-arm while celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Savannah

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson warned there would be increase safety measures ahead of the celebration

Two women pose for a photo outside a Savannah bar during St. Patrick's Day weekend

One woman drinks from her BORG - which stands for 'blackout rage gallon'

A green-glad woman kneels on the ground in Savannah while a man holds a BORG

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson warned there would be increase safety measures ahead of the celebration, reported WJCL.

'This year, you'll continue to see not only our basic, but our enhanced, public safety measures that will be deployed throughout the weekend,' Johnson said

The mayor advised that the city's alcohol beverage compliance team is on high alert looking for underage drinkers, and making sure bars are pouring only what they should.

'If you should not be drinking, you should not drink. If you're underage, you should not be drinking, should not be in these alcohol-serving establishments. If you don't have an alcohol license, you shouldn't be serving alcohol. We will cite individuals and hold them responsible,' Johnson said.

Women celebrate at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah

Young people celebrating St. Patrick's Day party in the streets of Savannah over the weekend

A woman chugs from a plastic container of a homemade beverage in downtown Savannah

A group celebrating St. Patrick's Day in downtown Savannah where the mayor warned their would be increased public safety measures

People dance in the street at Savannah's St. Patrick's Day parade

Crowds watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City

Other major U.S. cities known for their Irish heritage, such as Savannah, Georgia, saw swarms of shamrock-festooned revelers fill the streets

Two women wearing drinking helmets take sips of beer while posing for a photo in Savannah

Crowds of young people waited in long lines to get inside bars and celebrate in downtown Savannah

First responders swarmed the street in Savannah while helping a woman passed out on the ground

New York City kicked off one of the largest and oldest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country at 11 a.m. on Monday

A group of women decked out in green pose for a photo while celebrating St. Patrick's Day

Boston - known as America's most Irish big city - marked the occasion Sunday with the South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade

Empty containers used for homemade drinks overflow the garbage cans after the St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston

Chicago's St. Patrick's Day celebration, which is punctuated by turning its namesake river bright green with dye, happened Saturday

People flocked to Irish themed bars in downtown Savannah to celebrate over the weekend

Boston - known as America's most Irish big city - marked the occasion Sunday with the South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade.

Before the parade kicked off, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority posted a photo on social media showing a pile of clear garbage bags filled with confiscated booze, including gallon-sized jugs filled with green liquid.

Chicago's St. Patrick's Day celebration, which is punctuated by turning its namesake river bright green with dye, happened Saturday.

Thousands lined the river and packed bridges Saturday and erupted in cheers as members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union Local 130 sprayed dye into the water from boats.
RuPaul's Drag Race star The Vivienne died from a cardiac arrest after taking ketamine, the performer's family has revealed.

The Vivienne, 32, whose real name was James Lee Williams, was found dead in the bathroom of their home, in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester, on January 5 this year, an inquest in February heard.

Their manager and friend Simon Jones said on Instagram that he and the the family feel it is 'important to say how James tragically died', after The Vivienne reportedly died due to cardiac arrest caused by the anaesthetic ketamine.

Mr Jones added: 'We hope that by us releasing this information, we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body.

'Ketamine usage is on the rise, particularly amongst young people, and I don't think the full dangers of the drug are being discussed.'

He added they hope to work with mental health and addiction service Adferiad to 'raise vital awareness and give information on how to get help if you are struggling with ketamine usage'.

A post mortem found The Vivienne's cause of death was 'unnatural', a coroner was told during the February hearing, but no further information was revealed about how the TV star died.

The body of the star was identified to police by their father, Cheshire Coroner's Court heard. There were no suspicious circumstances.

RuPaul's Drag Race star The Vivienne (pictured) died from a cardiac arrest after taking ketamine, the performer's family has revealed

The drag star, real name James Lee Williams (pictured out of drag) died on January 5 aged 32

Area coroner Victoria Davies adjourned the brief hearing for a full inquest in June.

The Vivienne were catapulted to international fame after winning the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019. But amid their rise to fame, Williams also battled with drug addiction - something they openly spoke about in the past.

News of their sudden and unexpected death in January sparked an outpouring of grief, with hundreds of family, friends and fans gathering in their adopted home city Liverpool to release green balloons into the air to The Vivienne's favourite songs from Wicked.

Mourners including Ian 'H' Watkins, Kim Woodburn, Jade Thirlwall, Aston Merrygold and Claire Sweeney attended the TV star's funeral in Denbighshire, North Wales.

The crown and sceptre The Vivienne won on Ru Paul's Drag Race UK were carried into the church ahead of their coffin, family and a host of stars.

Many wore green for the service while Vivienne Westwood badges were worn on the lapels of some of the men's suits.

Floral tributes in the hearse read 'Vivienne', 'James' and 'Son'. A fourth was made up of purple flowers in the shape of a witch's hat - a nod to their Wizard Of Oz stint.

Born in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, Williams grew up watching Lily Savage on TV, citing that as their first exposure to drag.

Describing Wales as a 'big-fish-in-a-small-pond situation', the star moved to Liverpool aged 16 to pursue a career as a makeup artist, first working on the beauty counter in Debenhams.

The Vivienne was identified by their father, Cheshire Coroners' Court heard (file picture of the star arriving at the British Soap Awards in 2023)

The Vivienne's funeral took place arrives at a church in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire

It was there that they earned their nickname The Vivienne for dressing entirely in Vivienne Westwood, developing their budding passion for drag while going out with friends in the evenings.

Williams shot to wider fame after winning the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

They competed in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2022 and finished third on Dancing On Ice in 2023.

During their career, The Vivienne also competed on an all-winners season of the RuPaul franchise in the US in 2022, the only UK contestant for that series.

They also starred in BBC Three show The Vivienne Takes On Hollywood in 2020, and appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Hunted For Stand Up To Cancer in 2022.

However Williams also struggled with drug addiction, previously saying: 'It was party drugs - but I couldn't leave the drugs at the party.'

After acknowledging they needed to seek help, Williams underwent treatment at The Armistead Centre in Liverpool.

The Vivienne was due to be back on tour in February performing in The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang musical in the role of the Childcatcher.

The news of Williams' death was announced by Jones, who described Williams as an 'incredibly loved' and 'amazing person'.

Tributes quickly poured in from co-stars, friends and loved ones.

The Vivienne (seen here in a file picture in 2022 from their appearance on Dancing on Ice) died suddenly last month

EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'What devastating news. Sleep easy beautiful soul. Thank you for being you.'

Paying tribute on Instagram, Oti Mabuse said: 'Some news hits you harder than others and stops you in your tracks. I absolutely loved The Viv. A beautiful human being, funny, kind, a trailblazer, creative and so warm.'

RuPaul's Drag Race judge Michelle Visage paid tribute to Williams, writing that their death was 'heartbreaking'.

The Government is seeking expert advice after illegal use of ketamine surged to record levels.

In the year ending March 2023, an estimated 299,000 people aged 16 to 59 had reported use of the substance, which is controlled as class B, according to the Home Office.

A full inquest into the death of The Vivienne was listed to take place on June 30.
Trade-in program vital to spur demand

10:08, March 17, 2025 By Liu Yukun ( China Daily

Further efforts are needed to propel the large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in program, so as to further unleash consumer and investment demand, said national legislators and political advisers.

The strategic move, discussed during the recently concluded two sessions, is vital for expanding domestic demand and fostering the growth of the circular economy, they said.

Their remarks follow the release of the Government Work Report recently, which stressed the importance of revitalizing consumption. The report announced plans to issue 300 billion yuan ($41.3 billion) in ultra-long-term special treasury bonds to support the consumer goods trade-in program, promoting the replacement of outdated items with newer, more environmentally friendly alternatives.

On the reasons behind the move, Shen Danyang, director of the Research Office of the State Council, highlighted the current economic challenge of insufficient overall demand and the potential challenges posed by external trade conflicts.

Tang Dongsheng, a professor at Foshan University, said that the consumer goods trade-in program significantly boosted demand in sectors like home appliances last year.

In 2024, under the trade-in policy, more than 36 million consumers purchased over 56 million household appliances, driving sales worth 240 billion yuan, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

"This year, the policy will expand to encompass a wider range of electronic products, smart devices, and intelligent, low-carbon equipment. It is also expected to drive the growth of the circular economy," he said.

Ding Jian, president of Xianyu, Chinese tech company Alibaba Group's online trading platform for used goods, said that the consumer goods trade-in policy encourages consumers to replace old products with more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient new products, thereby increasing the circulation of idle items, leading to an upswing in the used goods trading industry and the circular economy.

In addition to consumer goods trade-ins, the implementation of the large-scale equipment upgrade policy is also a key agenda for government work this year, as outlined by the Central Economic Work Conference in December.

Shan Zenghai, chief engineer and vice-president of the listed arm of construction equipment maker Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group, said further efforts are needed to promote the standardized and regulated development of the secondhand engineering machinery market to drive the green circular development of the industry.

Shan said China's secondhand vehicle market is expected to reach a market size of 150 billion yuan by the end of 2025.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
A domestic abuser who staged a mock execution on his wife in front of their young children and hit her with a claw hammer has been jailed for more than 12 years.

Akram Miah, 25, waged a three-year campaign of chilling, planned and sadistic terror against Ella Barry, during which he also sprayed bathroom cleaner in her mouth and forced her to drink bleach.

She was banned from leaving the house which left her isolated from family and friends, prevented from owning a mobile phone and insulted with derogatory words such as fat and ugly.

Miah, of Sprowston, Norfolk, admitted unlawful wounding, wounding with intent, controlling and coercive behaviour, threats to kill and criminal damage.

But the coward refused to appear in court for his sentence on Friday where Recorder Michael Turner said the offences were extreme, sadistic and on occasions ritualistic as he handed down a 12-year and nine-month jail term.

The significant psychological harm Ms Barry suffered had left her a mere husk of the woman she was, he added.

Other defendants who have refused to stand in the dock to hear their fate include crossbow killer Kyle Clifford, who was last week given three whole life terms for the murders of his ex-partner, her sister and mother, and hospital baby killer Lucy Letby.

Norwich Crown Court heard how Ms Barry was terrorised at the family home from August 2021 to January 2024.

Akram Miah, 25, staged a mock execution on his wife in front of their young children

The mock execution involved Miah tying a dressing gown cord around his wifes neck and looping the other end around a post on the banister.

He then punched and slapped her and told their terrified children to say goodbye to your mother.

The defendant goaded his innocent partner by saying he hated her before finally announcing: Actually, you can live.

On other occasions, he stabbed her in the thigh with a knife and hit her repeatedly on the legs with a hammer. The latter incident, in February last year, left her believing she was about to be murdered.

The court was told that Miah had been in the grip of a drug-addled psychosis but Recorder Turner said he was quick to rise to violence.

Miah denied charges of intentional strangulation and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and these will lie on file.

The indictment about the animal allegation stated he had hit [the kitten] with a metal broom, put a sock over its head and strangled it, resulting in its death.

Ms Barry, who has two young sons, was unavailable to comment yesterday at the end-of-terrace house she shared with her abusive partner.

A friend said: She told me that he beat her up. She also told me that he killed her cat and threw it over a wall. Hes in prison now  but for how long?

Miah was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his victim until further notice.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Jake Metcalf said: Miah is clearly a very dangerous individual who committed crimes of the most serious nature against his now ex-partner.

I commend the victims bravery and courage in this case in speaking to the police about the abhorrent crimes which she has been subject to.

The ways in which Miah committed the offences, namely the use of weapons including knives and hammers against the victim, go to show the significant risk he poses.
President Donald Trump sparked confusion when he declared President Biden's pardons 'void, vacant' overnight, but legal experts say not so fast.

The 78-year-old president posted that his predecessor's pardons for members of the January 6 committee and others were invalid because 'they were done by autopen.'

But multiple presidents including Trump have long used autopens, and the question over whether documents signed by a president using an autopen were valid has already been examined.

'The Bush Justice Department looked at this thoroughly and concluded that as long as the president makes the actual decision, he can delegate to secretarial staff the actual signing of the document,' said Berkeley Law professor and former Justice Department official John Yoo.

'I cannot see the courts rejecting this - it builds on centuries of practice and a long legal tradition of allowing agents to sign on behalf of their principals,' Yoo added.

It's believed that President Harry Truman was the first president to regularly use the modern autopen.

President George W Bush commissioned the Justice Department to look into the constitutionality of the use of an autopen.

In response to Trump's claims, multiple legal experts pointed to the Bush administration opinion.

President Trump claimed that President Biden's pardons of the January 6 committee members and others were 'void, vacant' because of his use of an autopen

In 2005, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Howard Nielson Jr. wrote in the memo that 'the president need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law.'

The legal counsel opinion noted the president could sign a bill by directing a subordinate to attach the signature including by autopen.

Despite the conclusion, Bush never used an autopen to sign legislation.

However, President Barack Obama used an autopen on numerous occasions including to sign legislation while overseas and on vacation in Hawaii.

Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution grants the president pardon power, but there is no power in the Constitution to overturn a pardon.

While legal experts point out that there is longstanding legal opinion on the matter, Trump's claim raises questions over his future plans.

'It's laughable in a senes that it's utterly absurd. No reasonable lawyer, no reasonable politician would ever say anything like this,' said American University Department of Government professor Chris Edelson of Trump's pardons claim.

'But it's dangerous because Donald Trump is operating without guardrails. He's operating on a system that has partially collapsed,' Edelson said.

If Trump is laying the groundwork to go after political foes on the committee regardless of legal basis, it could lead to a long and expensive battle.

'This is an administration that has made clear they do not think that the law matters,' Edelson said.

Trump posts unsubstantiated claims about Biden pardons that were signed with an autopen

In his post, Trump claimed without evidence that Biden did not know about the pardons and suggested others committed a crime.

It comes as the accusation against Biden has been floated by conservatives and conspiracy theorists online.

But when asked with a reporter on Air Force One while heading back to Washington whether Biden's pardons and executive orders were 'null and void' Trump signaled it was not cut and dry.

'Well I think so. It's not my decision. That would be up to a court,' Trump said.

'I would say that they're null and void because I'm sure that Biden didn't have any idea that it was taking place,' he repeated the unsubstantiated claim.

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt somewhat backtracked Trump's autopen claim when she argued that the president was 'begging the question' on whether Biden knew about the pardons.

One day before leaving office on January 19, Biden issued preemptive pardons to members of Congress who served on the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as well as committee staff and police who testified.

Committee member former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger took Trump's pardons post as a threat.

The longtime Trump critic fired back in a social media video post on Monday: 'Hey Trump, bring it on dude.'
A British tourist has been missing for almost a week following a trip to Italy - seeing his family issue a desperate plea.

Robert Cadger, 47, was last seen on Monday, March 10, after he visited the historic archaeological site, Pompeii, during a getaway to Naples.

The labourer from Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, had flown out with two friends to watch SSC Napoli take on Fiorentina - but never made it home as planned the following day.

Known to friends as Bob - he is described as having a slim build, and stands around 5ft 8in with a shaved head.

He was last seen wearing a yellow Aberdeen FC jacket and jeans. He also has a distinctive barcode tattoo on the back of his neck.

Alarmingly, Robert is without his phone or bank card, leaving his family increasingly worried.

His younger brother Euan Cadger, 43, said the disappearance is completely out of character.

'He's very old school, keeps to himself, and doesn't use social media but he would never just vanish without a word,' Euan told the Scottish Sun.

Robert Cadger, 47, was last seen on Monday, March 10, after he visited the historic archaeological site, Pompeii, during a getaway to Naples.

Known to friends as Bob - he is described as having a slim build, and stands around 5ft 8in with a shaved head

The family are now pleading with the public for help, and urging anyone with information on Robert's whereabouts to come forward

'He's really close to his 10-year-old daughter and always stays in touch with her, even when he's away. For him to drop off the radar like this is really worrying,' he added.

The mystery deepens as Robert vanished just days before Naples was rocked by its biggest earthquake in 40 years, adding further complications to the search effort.

Euan added that this has complicated matters as the Italian authorities are currently focused on dealing with the fallout from the natural disaster.

'If Robert is out there, were asking him to contact anyone just to let us know hes okay. Were all so worried about him,' the devastated brother added.

The family are now pleading with the public for help, and urging anyone with information on Robert's whereabouts to come forward.

Euan said the family are holding onto hop that he is well, but as time goes by they are becoming more and more concerned for his safety,

A Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper: 'We are supporting the family of a British man missing in Italy and are in contact with local authorities.'
Mark Carney was greeted by equerry Johnny Thompson as he met King Charles during his first foreign trip as Canada's new Prime Minister.

Lt Col Thompson was once one of the late Queen's most senior bodyguards and now serves His Majesty.

He and Mr Carney were seen meeting today as the politician got out a silver vehicle to enter Buckingham Palace in London.

Mr Carney was then met with a warm welcome from Charles in a gesture of support for Canada as it faces threats from US President Donald Trump.

Had it not been for his cancer diagnosis, it is understood Charles would have travelled to Canada for an intended visit in 2024, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, there are also suggestions that once Canada's election has taken place, a visit to Canada will be a priority, where Charles can further demonstrate his support.

Charles must show solidarity with Canada without impacting the UK's relationship with Trump, who has dealt economic threats to the country and called for it to become the US 51st state.

Mark Carney (centre) was greeted by equerry Johnny Thompson (right) as he met King Charles during his first foreign trip as Canada's new Prime Minister

Mr Carney was then met with a warm welcome from King Charles in a gesture of support for Canada

Charles held an audience with the Prime Minister of Canada Mr Carney at Buckingham Palace today

Last week, Canada's newly instated PM put Trump in the dog house just seconds after taking office following Justin Trudeau's exit.

After taking on his new role, Mr Carney made it his duty to stick up for the Canadian people and cemented that he won't be joining America in its 'crazy' idea of making its northern neighbor the 51st state.

'I've been clear, that we will never, ever, in any way, shape, or form, be part of the United States. America is not Canada,' he declared at a press conference on Friday.

'We are very fundamentally [a] different country,' he said, before forcibly stating: 'We're the masters in our home. We're in charge.

'Look at the ceremony we just had, you could not have had that ceremony in America. Look at the cabinet behind me, you could not have that cabinet in America.'

He also sternly reminded Trump that Canada was nothing to step on, especially as they proved to be valuable economic partners and demanded Trump treat the country appropriately.

Lt Col Thompson (right) was once one of the late Queen's most senior bodyguards and now serves His Majesty

Mark Carney was greeted by Sir Clive Alderton as he arrived for an audience with King Charles

Charles must show solidarity with Canada without impacting the UK's relationship with Trump, who has dealt economic threats to the country and called for it to become the US 51st state

Although Carney called Trump a 'successful business maker,' he was quick to remind the Commander-in-Chief that Canada is his 'largest client in so many industries'.

'Clients expect respect,' he admitted, before saying he expects America to work with them in a 'proper commercial way'.

His comments come after Trump has repeatedly threatened high tariffs on Canadian goods, which followed with Ontario Premier Doug Ford's proposal to cut off three US states' electricity.

Ford eventually folded after Trump postponed the high tariff until April.

Carney inherited the ongoing trade war between the two North American countries from his liberal predecessor Trudeau, and he made it clear on Friday that Canada will seek new endeavors abroad for the good of their own citizens.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt taunted CNN's Kaitlan Collins on Monday in a showdown over pardons issued by Joe Biden.

It came after President Donald Trump posted on social media that some of Biden's last-minute pardons were 'void' because they were allegedly signed using an autopen without his knowledge.

When CNN star Collins asked Leavitt if there was any 'evidence' supporting Trump's claim, the press secretary shot back: 'You're a reporter, you should find out...'

Trump had questioned the validity of Biden's pardons, claiming the former president had no idea what his autopen signature was being used for.

It included sweeping pardons for members of the January 6 Committee, which investigated Trump after the riot at the Capitol following the 2020 election.

The President wrote on Truth Social: 'The Pardons that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen.'

Just hours before leaving office, Biden issued preemptive pardons for all nine members of the committee - including chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney.

Biden also issued blanket pardon to Dr. Anthony Fauci and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, both of whom had been strongly criticized by Trump.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calls on reporters during a news conference i

CNN's Kaitlan Collins questions White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt

Collins asked Leavitt if the president's legal advisers had spoken to Trump before he posted his claim about the autopen.

Leavitt responded: 'The president (Trump) was raising the point. Did the president (Biden) even know about these pardons? Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge?'

She again urged reporters to ask whether Biden was aware of the pardons his electronic signature was used to approve.

Leavitt said Trump 'was begging the question that I think a lot of journalists in this room should be asking.'

She added: 'And so I think it's a question that everybody in this room should be looking into, because certainly that would propose perhaps criminal or illegal behavior if staff members were signing the President of the United States autograph without his consent.'

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One

Trump claimed former President Joe Biden was unaware of the pardons that his signature was being used for

Trump claimed that Biden 'knew nothing' about the pardons and also raised the question of whether his staff had committed a crime.

'The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime,' he said.

Trump additionally threatened to prosecute those who participated in the multiple investigations into his presidency, including members of the January 6 Committee.

He said: 'Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.'
A Santa Fe judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the release of pictures of the bodies of actor Gene Hackman and his wife.

A representative for the estates of the Oscar-winner, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, filed the request, which the court approved Monday.

A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for March 31.

The bodies of the Oscar winner and his wife were found earlier this month in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home.

The issued restraining order also includes images of the interior of the couple's home.

Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimers disease about a week after a rare, rodent-borne disease took the life of his wife. The screen legend, in the advanced stages of Alzheimers, apparently was unaware that his wife was dead.

Hackman was found in the homes entryway, and Arakawa was found in a bathroom.

Their beloved dog Zinna starved to death inside a kennel sometime after Arakawa died.

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa are seen in 1989. Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimers about a week after a rare disease took the life of his wife

Police are seen outside the couple's Santa Fe home. A judge has issued a temporary restraining orders in images of the couple's bodies and of the interior of their home

All three bodies were decomposing with some mummification, a consequence of body type and climate in Santa Fes especially dry air at an elevation of nearly 7,200 feet.

Arakawa, born in Hawaii, studied as a concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California and met Hackman in the mid-1980s while working at a California gym.

Hackman, a Hollywood icon, won two Oscars during a storied career in films including The French Connection, Hoosiers and Superman from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.

The pair led a private life after moving to Santa Fe decades ago. A representative for the couples estate has cited that privacy in seeking to block the public release of autopsy and investigative reports related to their deaths, especially photographs and video. It will be up to a state district judge to consider that request.

The couples German shepherd, named Bear, survived along with a second dog named Nikita, according to Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care, where Hackman and Arakawa often boarded their dogs. Both are being cared for.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa are seen with two unidentified dogs. Two of their three dogs survived and are in the care of one of their friends

Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills in January 2003

Following days of intense media attention and public speculation surrounding the couple's mysterious passing, investigators last week finally determined the cause of death and revealed Hackman and Arakawa had likely been lying dead in their home for up to two weeks before being discovered.

Autopsy results confirmed Hackman died of cardiovascular disease with advanced Alzheimer's as a contributing factor around February 18. His wife is believed to have died several days earlier on February 11, of the rodent-borne disease hantavirus.

An investigation into the deaths is still being completed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, who are using information gained from cell phones gathered at the residence in addition to last contacts made to finish the timeline of events, according to the AP.

'The case is considered active until we have that information to tie up the timeline,' Denise Womack Avila, a spokesperson for the sheriff, said, according to the AP.

Police, paramedics and the Fire Department rushed to the home on February 26 after a caretaker made the grisly discovery of Arakawa's dead body.
A protester has pleaded not guilty to attacking a statue by Eric Gill outside the BBC headquarters - said to have caused more than 150,000 worth of damage.

David Chick, 58, of Bozeat, Northamptonshire, scaled the scaffolding outside the building in Portland Place in central London and began attacking the statue, the court heard.

He allegedly used a hammer and chisel to cause damage to the statue of Prospero and Ariel from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest on May 20, 2023.

The area around the statue was cordoned off while Chick remained there for around eight hours until specialist officers arrived to arrest him.

He was found in possession of a rucksack, a chisel, a hammer and three boxes of fireworks.

According to court documents, the statue suffered 153,014.18 of damage from the incident.

The monument was created by controversial sculptor Eric Gill, who is said to have sexually abused two of his daughters.

Gill was one of the most prominent sculptors of the 20th century until his death in 1940, but his diaries, published much later, detailed the sexual abuse of his daughters.

A man wearing a Spiderman mask uses a hammer and chisel to damage the Prospero and Ariel statue by Eric Gill

David Chick, 58, arrived at Southwark Crown Court charged with causing 150,000 of damage

Chick was already facing trial for criminal damage to the same statue in a previous incident on January 12, 2022.

Judge David Tomlinson granted an application by prosecutor Nathan Palmer to join the two matters together during a plea hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

'They are two offences of not just the same or very similar nature but, in effect, identical offences,' the judge said.

The defendant, wearing a black jumper with a red Spiderman logo in the dock, spoke only to confirm his name and deny criminal damage to property over 5,000.

Protestors have been calling for the statue of Ariel and Prospero to be taken down after it was revealed Eric Gill, who passed away in 1940, was sexually abusive towards two of his daughters.

The judge released Chick on conditional bail, ordering the defendant not to go within 100 metres of the statue.

A trial date was set at the same court for May 6 next year.

A police officer watches as a man wearing a Spiderman mask uses a hammer and chisel to damage the Prospero and Ariel statue

David Chick was previously charged with damaging the same statue by Eric Gill (pictured in 2022)

Eric Gill: The dark side of a famous sculptor Pictured: English sculptor Eric Gill In 1907, Eric Gill moved with his wife Ethel Hester Moore to Ditchling in Sussex, where he established a bohemian artists' community

In Sussex and at his later home in a ruined Benedictine monastery in Wales he produced life drawings of his daughters as they grew up

He drew his daughter Petra, who he admitted having sex with, as a nude teenager in work Girl In Bath

In his diary, published after his death, he described his penchant for bestiality and incest - with his sister and with his daughters

He had a string of affairs with models for his work Advertisement

The Gill sculpture, depicting Prospero and Ariel from Shakespeare's play The Tempest, was said to have been installed in 1933.

'Prospero, Ariel's master, stands 10ft tall and is depicted sending Ariel out into the world. Ariel, as the spirit of the air, was felt to be an appropriate symbol for the new mystery of broadcasting,' the BBC says on its website.

It adds: 'After Broadcasting House was opened and the statues were installed, concern was voiced about the size of the sprite's genitalia.

'A question was tabled in the House of Commons, but the popular story, that Gill was ordered to modify the statue, is not substantiated.'

It is one of a number of Gill sculptures at the BBC's headquarters - the Sower can be found in the reception area, while he also contributed to Bas Reliefs of Ariel in the building as well.

The BBC describes the Sower as: 'The statue, made of English marble (Hopton Wood Stone) stands more than 2.6 metres tall in a niche by the doors leading to the artists' lobby and studios.

'A pedestal supports the statue, and bears the inscription 'Deus Incrementu Dat' ('God giveth the increase', Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 7).'

In 1990, the BBC adopted his typeface Gill Sans which he created in 1927. The corporation used the font for its wordmark and many of its onscreen television graphics.

The logo became one of the longest standing logos in the world and was only recently changed.

A biography on the Tate museum website said: 'Gill's religious views and subject matter contrast with his sexual behaviour, including his erotic art, and (as mentioned in his own diaries) his extramarital affairs and sexual abuse of his daughters, sisters and dog.'

Nearly 2,500 people have previously signed a petition demanding the removal of the sculpture on the website of political activist group 38 Degrees.
And then there were none.

The last of 'The Few' has now flown to his maker.

In 1940, John 'Paddy' Hemingway was one of that extraordinary band of brothers who were all that stood between Britain and enemy invasion during what Winston Churchill called our 'finest hour'.

Now, with both sadness and gratitude, the Daily Mail announces that the last of the 'fighter boys', the youthful victors of the Battle of Britain, passed into history today at 5.45pm at the age of 105.

It is no exaggeration to say that a very great chapter in the history of this country - and the wider world - has now drawn to a close.

Last night, Mr Hemingway's son, Brian, told the Mail his father had been 'happy' and 'in fighting form' to the end at the Dublin care home which had been his home for the last few years.

'He never felt that there was anything special about him,' Brian said. 'He thought the special ones were the friends who never returned. And now he is back with his squadron. It is very sad but his is a life to be both celebrated and mourned.'

Group Captain John Hemingway DFC, as he was by the time he retired from the Royal Air Force in 1974, served all through the Second World War, from the first day to the last, emerging from an astonishing series of near-death experiences almost unscathed.

The last of 'The Few', John 'Paddy' Hemingway, has died aged 105

His passing is a punctuation mark of our national history, Robert Hardman writes

The war hero believed his efforts during the Battle of Britain in 1940 were simply part of the job

In his last newspaper interview, with the Mail, Mr Hemingway told me he attributed his grand old age to being 'a lucky Irishman'. That he departed this world on St Patrick's Day seems entirely in keeping with the extraordinary story of his life.

He was shot down four times, survived a plane crash and was even saved by a tree when his parachute failed to open. There is no question that he enjoyed more than his share of good fortune.

Scrambled on the very first night of the Second World War and despatched to France a week later in September 1939, he saw his squadron decimated even before the start of the Battle of Britain ten months later. All through those bloody months of 1940, he was one of that small number of exhausted and impossibly brave young men defending Britain from wave after wave of enemy attacks. Even at the end of the battle, he was still only 21.

After most of his contemporaries had either made the ultimate sacrifice, suffered dreadful burns or deservedly moved on to other duties, 'Paddy' Hemingway was still volunteering to be in the thick of the action. His last brush with death came right at the end of the war in April 1945, when he was shot down over Italy, evaded capture and made it back through enemy lines, dressed as a peasant, with the help of a ten-year-old Italian girl.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer pays tribute Sir Keir wrote on X: 'Very sad to hear of the passing of Group Captain John "Paddy" Hemingway, the last known Battle of Britain pilot. 'His courage, and that of all RAF pilots, helped end WWII and secure our freedom. We will never forget their bravery and service. 'Thank you, John "Paddy" Hemingway.' Advertisement

During the war, he flew both Hurricanes and Spitfires, refusing to take sides in that age-old dispute over which was the better plane. He called the former a 'marvellous' aircraft, 'a gentle old lady, comfortable and old-fashioned' and a 'very stable platform for combat'. He would always be among the first to point out that this was the workhorse of the Battle of Britain, destroying more enemy planes than any other. The stronger, faster Spitfire was 'wonderful - except you had to be very careful landing. If you were not careful with a Spitfire, you would get into all sorts of trouble'.

As for aerial combat, the Hemingway advice to fighter pilots was clear: 'Stay busy amongst the enemy bombers, shoot as many targets as possible and don't wait to confirm any results beyond the most immediately obvious ones.'

Tributes will now start pouring in from around the world. There was a similar sense of collective loss after the death of Harry Patch, the last fighting 'Tommy' of the First World War, in 2009.

Such moments are the punctuation marks of our national history, a time to pause, reflect and pay tribute.

He retired from the RAF in 1974 as a Group Captain, having also been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross

A life-size statue of Mr Hemingway, ready for action and looking to the sky, will be on display at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum next month

John Hemingway's family will remember a much-loved father of three, a grandfather and a great-grandfather who was always faintly bemused by any fuss. He was not remotely religious, to the extent that he had no wish for a funeral ceremony. His response to those, like me, who might ask about his life was a genuine note of surprise. 'Is anyone remotely interested?' he would reply. The Kent Battle of Britain Museum at Hawkinge certainly was. Their new, life-size statue of Mr Hemingway (ready for action and looking to the sky) will be on display when the museum reopens next month.

A memorial service, however, will be held in due course. As with the passing of Harry Patch, that should be a moment to thank and honour not just Mr Hemingway but all his comrades, in this case all 2,927 airmen - mostly British but including nearly 700 from the Commonwealth and Allied nations - who were awarded the Battle of Britain clasp.

Come May, we will mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe - VE Day. Were it not for those who fought the Battle of Britain five years earlier, there would have been no VE Day in the first place.

One by one, they have left us and so it is Mr Hemingway who goes down in the annals as the very last of those whom Churchill exalted in one of the most famous lines of the 20th century: 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.'

Not that Mr Hemingway remembered it quite that way, of course. 'Just doing the job,' he would say  though he was touched by Churchill's sentiment.

As he put it to me: 'When all your friends who love you most are gone, and somebody says that, it means something.'

His commitment to 'the job' never faltered. In 2019, a team of aviation historians recovered the wreckage of a Hurricane from a stretch of coastal mud in Essex. It was the aircraft from which Mr Hemingway had bailed out in August 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, after his engine was hit and caught fire. Not only were the Browning machine guns still operational (and had to be decommissioned) but the control column was still in one piece. The gun button, the recovery team discovered, was still set to 'FIRE'.
Aussies have vented their outrage after learning neither King Charles or any other member of the British royal family will feature on the new design of the $5 note.

The next version of the note, which had featured the late Queen Elizabeth II since 1992, will instead feature a theme honouring Indigenous Australians.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said 'the imagery on the $5 banknote should recognise the enduring connection that First Nations peoples have to Country  as an emotional and spiritual connection, as much as a physical one'.

Australians slammed the decision across social media platforms.

'There are many other deceased people on our notes, why remove Queen Elizabeth and not the others? It seems unfair considering we are a part of the monarchy and she was our longest reigning monarch. It is disrespectful,' one person wrote.

'Disgraceful that they can make that decision. I hate this government and the dreadful waste of our money to "woke" everything they can,' another said.

'Why waste more money on changing yet another note. Why would you remove the Queen, not a great look and very disrespectful. Our government needs fixing,' another wrote.

'Keep the Queen on our $5 notes. She dedicated her life to her service. She commanded the Commonwealth for such a long time. How horrible to just erase her off the notes. So wrong,' another said.

Aussies shared their outrage after learning neither King Charles or any other member of the British royal family will feature on the new design of the $5 note

Other commenters made their own suggestions for the new note design, including classic Holden cars, or Steve Irwin.

The new $5 note was chosen from more than 2,100 public submissions, but the final artwork has not been confirmed and the RBA said it wanted to 'avoid being tokenistic or stereotypical' when considering submissions.

The RBA said it wanted to recognise 'First Nations communities' contribution to the restoration and conservation of our environment'.

'Using traditional... knowledge First Nations peoples continue to act as custodians to sustain and conserve Country,' it said.

'There is an opportunity for all Australians to learn from Australia's original stewards on how to nurture and protect our fragile world.'

The reverse side of the note will continue to show Parliament House in Canberra.

When the choice to remove the reigning British monarch was first mooted in 2023, Opposition leader Peter Dutton called it 'another attack on our systems, on our society and on our institutions'.

Queen Elizabeth appeared on Australia's lowest banknote between 1966 and 1984, when it was the $1 note, and from 1992 to this year on the $5 note.

The other side of the note will continue to show Parliament House in Canberra (pictured)

The new chosen theme will act as a guide to artists as they vie to create a new design for the $5 note.

'The tone for the banknote is of a hopeful future, where First Nation peoples' connection to Country is celebrated and respected,' the RBA said.

The new note is expected to take several years to be designed and printed before it enters circulation.

The use of notes and coins has fallen sharply in recent years, particularly since the pandemic, as more people use the tap-and-go feature on their bank cards, or their smartphones.
A never-before-seen photo shows the person of interest in the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki being questioned by authorities at a Dominican Republic police station.

Joshua Riibe, 22, wore a colorful short-sleeve button down shirt while he stared at the camera in a picture that was obtained by El Diario Libre newspaper.

The release of the shocking picture comes as Riibe is fighting for his freedom after having his passport confiscated in the Dominican Republic.

The outlet reports that authorities have also been analyzing the surveillance camera systems of hotels near the Riu Republica Hotel as part of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of the 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh junior.

Riibe's attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus with a court in the province of La Altagracia, demanding to go before a judge to challenge his detention.

A hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday.

It was initially reported that Riibe was going to visit the Attorney Generals Office in Higuey to be interviewed by Claudia Garrido, the interim prosecutor for the province of La Altagracia.

However, Noticias SIN outlet indicated that Garrido would question the St. Cloud State University student at the hotel, where he is holed up.

Riibe has not been charged, nor has he been formally named a suspect in Sudiksha's disappearance.

But his confusing and contradicting statements to police about what happened on the night Konanki vanished have led to raised eyebrows.

Riibe was the last person to be seen with Sudiksha shortly before 5am on March 6th. They had gone to the beach after a night of drinking with friends.

PHOTO CREDIT: El Diario Libre

Sudiksha Konanki vanished from the Riu Republica resort in Punta Cana last Thursday

He told police that the pair went for a swim and were knocked out by a large wave. He claimed he used his lifeguard training to drag her back towards the shore, but that the last time he saw her she was waist deep in water.

He managed to get out and passed out on a sun bed, he said. Sudiksha was never seen again.

Experts say the story is unlikely and that her body would have washed up by now if she'd drowned.

In a statement to NBC overnight, Riibe said: 'I'm just trying to help them out. The ocean is a dangerous place.'

'The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family,' the statement said. 'The Riibe family moved to town in 2015 and has been active in various school and community events and organizations.

'They are well known and loved.'

Joshua Riibe is seen in Punta Cana. The 22-year-old has had his passport confiscated, but is yet to be named a suspect

New footage Sudiksha Konanki in the hotel lobby hours before she vanished. The missing Pittsburgh student hasn't been seen since the morning of March 6

Surveillance video footage obtained by Dominican Republic news outlet Noticias SIN showed Joshua Riibe (left) and Sudiksha Konanki (second from left) following their friends to the beach at the Riu Republica Hotel before Konanki disappeared March 6

The statement, which was released by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office on behalf of the family's friends, described Riibe as being devoted to 'his faith' and always 'showing kindness to others.'

'He exemplifies the values of compassion, respect and integrity that are fundamental to our church and our community.'

Surveillance camera footage from the all-inclusive five-star hotel showed both Riibe and Konanki vomiting at a bar at 4:05 am on March 6 before they walked to the beach.

A second camera spotted Riibe holding a cup and placing his arm around Konanki back as they trailed the group at 4:15 am. At about 4:55 am, the hotel security camera system showed two of her friends returning to the hotel.

The same camera picked up another female friend accompanied by Johnson walking into the building at 5:05 am.

The surveillance camera would show Riibe, barefoot and shirtless, as he slowly walked back to his room at 8:54am with Konanki nowhere in sight.

Riibe was peppered with over 50 questions last Wednesday and told a prosecutor that he and Konanki had kissed in the ocean before they almost got swept away by a wave.

Sudiksha Konanki disappeared from a beach at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6. Authorities in the Caribbean country believe she may have drowned

He also said he saved her from drowning while almost losing consciousness.

But under the guidance of his attorneys, Riibe refused to reply to several questions, with the prosecutor probing him over how they could be sure what he was saying was truthful.

Riibe was also questioned if he knew if Sudiksha was able to swim, if she made any gestures or cries in the sea, if he called the cops or told the hotel, if he had told his friends about what happened and was also asked how he felt about the situation.

Each time he replied: 'My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice', before going silent.
A woman who stabbed her boyfriend through the heart with a hunting knife was last night behind bars.

Dionne Christie killed Jevin Haig, 21, during a struggle at their home in Falkirk in 2022.

The 24-year-old claimed it was an accident after he started grabbing her during an argument.

But a jury yesterday found her guilty of culpable homicide following a fortnight-long trial at the High Court in Stirling.

Remanding her in custody, Judge Lady Poole told Christie that a custodial sentence was inevitable.

Leaving court, Mr Haigs mother Karen May Mearns, 49, said the jurys verdict meant the world to the family.

She said: It doesnt matter that its culpable homicide, not murder. She has been free for two and a half years after killing our son, and now, at last, a monster has been caged.

The trial heard how Haig carried the 12 inch knife in his waistband for protection. Christie, who has spent some of her time while on bail on assorted foreign holidays, including to Tenerife and Paris, claimed he had held it to her stomach and threatened her unborn baby.

Dionne Christie was found guilty of culpable homicide following a trial at the High Court in Stirling

Jevin Haig, 21, died after being stabbed by his girlfriend Dionne Christie

She claimed to have thrust backwards during the struggle, resulting in a knife wound so severe that it pierced his heart.

Prosecutors said she made this up in a desperate attempt to rewrite the narrative and that she stabbed him in anger because he no longer had money.

They also pointed out that Christie delayed phoning 999 following the incident on June 26, 2022.

She initially went into the common stair to ask a neighbour to call her mother, telling him that her friend was hurt but didnt need an ambulance and her mother worked in the hospital.

In fact, her mother, Linda, was a cardiology department cleaner.

Prosecutors said this showed such wicked disregard for Mr Haig's life it meant she did not care whether he lived or died.

The aesthetics practitioner eventually told the 999 operator: Hes come in, hes been trying to start with me, hes smashed all my house and brought out a knife, a big knife. Hes got a stab mark right in the chest.

She continued: Its while weve been like, he was grabbing me, he had the knife in his pants, I dont know how Ive done this.

When police arrived, minutes behind the ambulance, Christie said Mr Haig had stabbed himself.

Forensic evidence revealed her DNA and a fingerprint on the knife, and a cut on her left ring finger showing where, the prosecution had claimed, her dominant hand had slipped over the hilt onto the blade as knife hit Mr Haig.

Jurors heard that another explanation was that she had touched the knife before performing CPR.

The prosecution painted her as a volatile woman who had invented the story about the threat to her unborn baby.

Graeme Jessop KC, the advocate depute, said she had knifed Mr Haig in a fit of anger while packing his bags because he no longer had any money.

What was described as a crime-funded lifestyle - which had seen Mr Haig buying clothes and shoes for Dionne and paying for nights away in hotels - was drying up.

In a text conversation the day before he died, Mr Haig told Christie he had been losing out on deals and suggested they should stay in because a hotel theyd discussed going to was dead.

Christie texted back: You know whats dead? You.

She told the court the message had not been about an intention to kill, and pointed out the context - the pair had gone on to chat and joke about an Instagram story of Christies.

The court heard claims Christie had been violent previously towards Mr Haig, stabbing him in the leg, slashing a jacket, and cutting up most of his clothes.

Christie, who stabbed Jevin Haig through the heart with a hunting knife, arrives at the High Court in Stirling

Christie, of Polmont, Stirlingshire, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Haig, from Edinburgh.

A jury found Christie guilty of culpable homicide by a majority verdict after deliberating for nearly five hours.

Christie, who has posted several pictures on her social media sites of her enjoying holidays to Spain and Paris while awaiting trial for the killing, remained expressionless as the verdict was announced. On the public benches, members of both families wept.

Revoking bail, Lady Poole remanded her in custody for sentence at the High Court in Glasgow on May 7.

Christie wept as the judge told her a custodial sentence was likely inevitable.

Lady Poole said victim impact statements showed Jevin Haigs family was devastated by his loss.

She said that although on the evidence he didnt lead a blameless life, it was wrong he died so young after being stabbed by Christie.

The court heard that Christie had been arrested and charged almost a year after Haigs death, as she returned from attending one of her young daughters school plays.
A reporter for NPR has been driven into hiding after being named by MAGA supporters as the person who hit President Donald Trump in the face with a microphone.

Danielle Kurtzleben, a political correspondent for the government-funded outlet, was named as the journalist who allegedly hit Trump in the face with a boom mic during a press conference last week, according to independent journalist Laura Loomer.

Loomer, a staunch Trump fan, identified Kurtzleben on Sunday in a post on X, suggesting she may have hit the president on purpose.

'I have identified the reporter who hit President @realDonaldTrump in the face with a boom mic this week while he was speaking to the press on the tarmac,' Loomer wrote.

'Her name is Danielle Kurtzleben @titonka. She is the newly appointed White House reporter for @NPR and a massive Trump hater and LGBTQ advocate who once suggested during the 2024 campaign that Trump only spoke in Howell, Michigan because it has ties to the KKK.

'Did she hit President Trump in the face on purpose?,' Loomer speculated.

Loomer's tweet has been viewed nearly 7 million times - and triggered hundreds of other Trump fans to also speculate about Kurtzleben's alleged involvement.

After being named, Kurtzleben made her X account private and has not spoken about the situation.

DailyMail.com reached out to Kurtzleben, but received a message that she was 'out of the office.' NPR did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Danielle Kurtzleben, a political correspondent for NPR, was named by MAGA supporters as the journalist who allegedly hit Trump in the face with a boom mic during a press conference last week

Trump was hit in the face with the microphone while answered reporters questions about the situation in the Middle East

Trump was addressing the media on the tarmac at a Joint Base Andrews in Maryland when the bizarre mishap took place.

On Monday, a hot mic revealed exactly what the reporter said to the commander-and-chief after he was bumped him in the face.

The president closed his eyes and leaned back to avoid further contact as the reporter said: 'I'm so sorry.'

Another angle of the moment showed a crowd of people gathered for the press conference.

The photo, shared on X, showed three people holding boom microphones - one of which appeared to be Kurtzleban with short hair, headphones over her ears and a tan trench coat on, according to online speculation.

She has not been formally identified as the journalist at fault.

Although he appeared a bit agitated by the incident, Trump was able to see the funny side and cracked a joke about it.

The photo, shared on X, showed three people holding boom microphones

'She just made television tonight. She just became a big story tonight,' Trump said of the mic operator.

He asked while unable to stop from laughing: 'Did you see that?'

The president was praised by his supporters for how he dealt with the awkward scenario on camera.

'A reporter just HIT President Trump with a microphone. But 47 handled it like a PRO,' wrote one.

Others were a little more concerned that the mic was able to get so close to the president, leaving many of his loyal supporters furious.

'President Trump was just smacked in the face by a reporter's boom mic. Unreal these people. Have some respect,' said Trump booster Charlie Kirk, who added that the president handled it 'gracefully.'

Another wrote: 'That is a horrible safety threat. Why does secret service allow this? That person should be arrested and thoroughly investigated.'

'An assassin with a ricin tipped microphone (an amount of only a few specs of dust would suffice) could kill the president in this manner,' another user wrote, adding: 'This is a security failure.'

The president was praised by his supporters for how he dealt with the awkward scenario on camera

While many were upset about what happened to Trump, others showed a bit of sympathy for the reporter.

'Obviously this was an accident and I genuinely feel terrible for the person that made that mistake. They must be very embarrassed.'

Before starting at NPR in 2015, Kurtzleben worked as a correspondent for Vox.com for a year, covering economics and business news, according to her profile.

She covered the 2024 presidential election, 'with particular focus on economic policy and gender politics.'

Kurtzleben not only writes for the outlet, but also appears on the outlet's shows, including The NPR Politics Podcast.

The now-viral moment came after Trump's speech at the DOJ in Washington was clear that the media had been biased against him, complaining at one point that some reporting by the news media is 'illegal.'

'These networks and these newspapers are really no different than the highly paid political operative. And it has to stop. It has to be illegal. It is influencing judges and it is really changing law and that just cannot be illegal. I don't believe it is legal,' he said.

'She just made television tonight. She just became a big story tonight,' Trump said of the mic operator as he laughed

Trump specifically had it out for the cable news networks like MSNBC, which he referred to with his traditional disdain.

'I believe that CNN and MSDNC, who literally write 97.6% bad about me, are political arms of the Democrat Party. And in my opinion, they are really corrupt and they are illegal. What they do is illegal.'

There were a few hundred people in the audience for his remarks - all of them ardent Trump supporters.

He often railed against the 'weaponization' of the government against him, referring to the federal investigations into him.

Trump has felt empowered by a Supreme Court ruling that gives presidents immunity for any act conducted while they are in office.

He has filled the Justice Department top ranks with loyalists and his own personal defense attorneys.

The now-viral moment came after Trump's speech at the DOJ in Washington was clear that the media had been biased against him, complaining at one point that some reporting by the news media is 'illegal.' (Pictured: Attorney General Pam Bondi escorting Trump into the Justice Department)

These include Pam Bondi, who defended him at his impeachment trial in his first term, and two of his lawyers in the porn star hush money trial that saw Trump convicted by a New York judge last year.

In one of her first directives following her confirmation, Bondi ordered DOJ officials to 'zealously defend' the interests of the presidency.

She escorted Trump into the department when he arrived to give his remarks. She showed him his official portrait on the wall.

'That's a nice picture,' Trump said.
President Donald Trump revealed all remaining 80,000 pages of secret JFK assassination files will be released on Tuesday.

He said the massive trove is 'interesting' but gave little hint of what will be in it, leaving conspiracy theorists on tenterhooks.

Trump said: 'We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files...people have been waiting for decades for this.

'That's going to be released tomorrow. We have a tremendous amount of paper. You've got a lot of reading.'

He added: 'I don't believe we are are going to redact anything. I said just don't redact. You can't redact. But we're going to be releasing the JFK files.'

Trump made the announcement during a two-hour visit to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.

He had spoken about releasing the JFK files during his first term in office but thousands remained under seal. Then, he signed an executive order in January to declassify the remaining files.

Trump said they would come out 'tomorrow afternoon.'

Asked if he had reviewed the documents, or would provide an executive summary, Trump added: 'I've heard about them. It's going to be very interesting.'

He said about 80,000 pages of material would come out.

'It's a lot of stuff, and you'll make your own determination,' he said inside the Kennedy Center.

President Donald Trump told reporters the administration is releasing 80,000 JFK files on Tuesday

The substance of what might come out is unclear. But they could include files on a CIA spy chief with a murky role in the affair, it emerged last month.

The CIA man based in Miami funded a group of Cuban exiles, which assassin Lee Harvey Oswald tried to infiltrate weeks before he shot the president in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

Axios reported in February that the FBI had unearthed 2,400 new documents that could shed light on the enduring mystery of JFK's death.

According to Jefferson Morley, a leading expert on the assassination, the new documents could include files on George Joannides, who was chief of covert action at the CIA's station in Miami in 1963.

Earlier Monday, Trump took a two hour tour of the Kennedy Center in D.C. and declared that he didn't like the design of the building that commemorates JFK, or the people who work there.

Flexing his new role after appointing himself chair of the cultural arts organization's board, Trump organized a two-hour visit, where he made it known that he didn't like the painted steel columns  or a glitzy new addition meant to bring in more outsiders provide artists with expanded practice spaces.

'I never liked Hamilton very much,' Trump said of the Broadway smash that cancelled its run amid the furor among artists after Trump organized a purge and stacked the board with political loyalists.

President Donald Trump leads a board meeting at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. After shunning the annual Kennedy Center Honors during his first term in the White House, Trump fired the center's president, removed the bipartisan board of Biden appointees and named himself Chairman of the storied music, theater and dance institution. Seated with Trump are (L-R) Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, President of The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees Richard Grenell and Interim Vice Chair Jennifer Fischer

Trump attended the board meeting even as he prepares for a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin seeking a ceasefire for Russia's war on Ukraine

The trip follows reports that Trump wants to seize control of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors

Big head: Trump speaks to the media after attending a board meeting at the Kennedy Center

Trump points a finger as he returns to the White House after attending a board meeting at the Kennedy Center

US President John F Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connally, and others smile at the crowds lining their motorcade route in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Minutes later the President was assassinated as his car passed through Dealey Plaza

'I never liked it, but we are gonna have some really good shows. I would say this, come here and watch it, and you'll see, over a period of time, it'll improve very greatly physically. And we're going to get some very good shows. The thing that does well are Broadway hits,' he said.

Trump preciously acknowledged that he had never been to the Kennedy Center, despite orchestrating a takeover and bashing its programming.

On Monday, he connected his gripes about the center to his broader MAGA effort to reshape the country.

'We'll bring it back. We'll make it great again. But it is so much like what I'm witnessing in other places. We have open borders, we have men playing in women's sports. It's all the same thing. It's all the same mentality and thinking. So I'm very disappointed when I look around,' Trump said.

Trump cast the building on the Potomac River as being in a state of disrepair. One thing he doesn't fancy is the $250 million addition called the REACH. It has featured elegant parties, as well as outdoor beer and bratwurst picnics that are free and open to the public as a way to cater to people besides opera-loving elites.

He said: 'They spent a fortune, $250 million and they built these rooms that nobody's going to use, rooms underground. And I've often wondered, what are the big cubes that they have outside that block the view  the cubes with a door in them so that people can get down to rooms that nobody's going to use. And it's a shame. It's a shame.

'The other thing is, I have a little problem with some people that work here,' Trump said.

He has installed former U.S. ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell to helm the group and put loyalists including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Vice President JD Vance's wife Usha Vance on the board.

Trump said country singer Lee Greenwood had wanted to perform for the group Monday.

'And because of the cost in the union structure for him to sing a song just for the board, just the board meeting, was going to cost $30,000. They wanted $30,000 to move a piano, so you can't have that. Were going to fix it up,' Trump claimed.

The New York Times reported over the weekend that Trump wants to secure more sway over who is awarded the coveted Kennedy Center Honors. He has not attended the televised ceremonies in the past.
Sitting in the CNN green room on Sunday morning, awaiting my appearance on the State of the Union hosted by Jake Tapper, I had to laugh.

There on the screen, airing in the segment just before my panel, was Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas, the ubiquitous face of the Democratic Party.

Crockett was in the throes of yet another one of her now-countless, unhinged anti-Trump tirades. But it was coming just minutes after CNN had released a poll showing that the national Democratic Party now has a 29 percent favorability rating, the lowest ever recorded in a CNN poll dating back to 1992!

The leader of the Democratic Party taking a victory lap on a triumphant morning, I chuckled to myself.

And it got worse for Crocketts crew only an hour later when NBC News released its data. That network, too, had found that Democrats have reached an all-time low in popularity at just 27 percent. That record dates back to 1990!

And, as political analyst Tom Bevan noted, more than five times as many respondents in the NBC poll had a very negative view of the Democratic party than a very positive perception. Woof.

Indeed, two networks and two respected pollsters are spotting the same phenomenon  the Democrats are sinking like a rock.

And what of President Donald J. Trump?

Sitting in the CNN green room, awaiting my appearance on the State of the Union hosted by Jake Tapper, I had to laugh. (Pictured: Scott Jennings on CNN).

There on the screen, airing in the segment just before my panel, was Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas (pictured), the ubiquitous face of the Democratic Party .

It was on February 21  nearly a month ago!  that famed Democratic strategist James Carville predicted the 47th president would collapse and Democrats didnt have to lift a finger.

I believe that this administration, in less than 30 days is in the midst of a massive collapse, in particularly a collapse in public opinion, Carville said on The Dan Abrams Show podcast.

Well, NBC News now pegs Trumps approval rating at 47 percent, the highest number hes ever scored in their survey. And the Real Clear Politics polling average, as of Monday morning, has Trump at 48.1 percent job approval.

While there are signs in the NBC and CNN polls that Trump is suffering a bit as Americans continue to face economic headwinds and absorb the shock of stock market undulations, it appears that Mr. Carville was only half right.

There was a collapse, it just wasnt Republicans who crumbled.

The Democratic Party is in free fall.

In October, according to CNN, the Democratic Party had a 39 percent favorability rating, 10 points higher than today. As Joe Biden was taking office in January 2021, the Democrats stood at 49 percent.

So, what has happened?

Its pretty simple  the Democrats have decided to take the side opposing common sense on nearly every issue facing America.

Deport illegal immigrants? Trump says yes. Democrats say no.

Wasteful spending? Trump says cut it. Democrats say boost it.

Paper straws? Trump says get rid of them! Democrats say, soggy slurps for all!

This weekend came another strategic blunder for Democrats after Trump used his authority under The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel illegal immigrant Venezuelan gang members from the country.

The administration put two plane loads of these alleged Tren de Aragua terrorists (a gang which engages in armed robberies, sex trafficking, assault on police, rape, and murder, among other things) on a flight to El Salvador, which agreed to hold them at a fair price, according to US Secretary of State March Rubio.

But, if you can believe it, an Obama-appointed judge, James E. Boasberg, wanted the planes turned around and the terrorists returned to American soil!

It was on February 21  nearly a month ago!  that famed Democratic strategist James Carville (pictured) predicted the 47th president would collapse and Democrats didnt have to lift a finger.

NBC News now pegs Trumps approval rating at 47 percent, the highest number hes ever scored in their survey. And the Real Clear Politics polling average, as of Monday morning, has Trump at 48.1 percent job approval.

Thankfully, the plane was already over international waters. So, the aircraft landed on time in El Salvador, and those criminals are no longer free to roam America and terrorize its citizens.

Predictably, the left-wing news media and leading Democrats are in full meltdown over the affair  including the de facto Democratic party boss Crockett herself, who assailed the deportations in her appearance with CNNs Tapper.

Once again, Trump takes what most Americans would regard as a commonsense position (deport violent, criminal, illegal immigrant terrorists) and his opposition takes the other side, no matter the political costs of doing so.

Of all the issues facing Americans today, Trumps handling of the border and illegal immigration is by far his highest rated. Americans want the violent criminals out, and Trump is delivering!

The true challenge for Democrats today is that its a party apparently run by fools.

Look no further than the recent plight of Democratic Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

As of Monday, this one-time giant of American politics appears to be in hiding after permitting nine other Senate Democrats to vote in favor of Trumps government funding bill.

Left-flank progressives wanted the Senator to block the bill, triggering a shutdown of the federal government. But Schumer resisted their use of the filibuster (once assailed by Democrats as a racist tool of the Jim Crow era). Now hes paying the price.

After mocking Republicans just two weeks ago for dodging angry constituents at town hall events, Schumer has canceled three book tour events this week in the liberal bastions of Baltimore, New York City and Washington, DC. A spokesperson cited security concerns. But I thought all liberal protestors were simply exercising their Fist Amendment rights to peacefully protestis that not the case?
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said that Israel is breaking international law in Gaza with its blockage of aid deliveries.

Mr Lammy said it was 'appalling and unacceptable' that Israel has been stopping deliveries into Gaza for two weeks and accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 'starving children'.

He urged Israel to let aid trucks carrying food, fuel and medicine for the 2.3million Palestinians back into Gaza.

Israel announced it would be suspending the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2 over a dispute around the timing of the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

'This is a breach of international law. Israel quite rightly must defend its own security. But we find the lack of aid - it's now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza -unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying,' Mr Lammy said in the Commons.

'We would urge Israel to get back to the amount of trucks we were seeing - way beyond 600 - so Palestinians can get the necessary humanitarian support that they need at this time,' he added, according to the Times.

This is the first time Britain has made a judgement on whether Israel's conduct in Gaza following Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attacks is in line with international law.

The British Foreign Office only previously said that there was a 'clear risk' that British weapons could be used 'to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law' as the UK suspended 30 arms licences to Israel in 2024.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy (pictured) has said that Israel is breaking international law in Gaza

Palestinians wait in line to receive hot food, at Jabalia refugee camp on March 4, 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced two days earlier that he had decided to stop the entry of all humanitarian aid supplies into the Gaza Strip

Mr Lammy said it was 'appalling and unacceptable' that Israel has been blocking aid deliveries into Gaza for two weeks and accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) was 'starving children'

His comments were made in reply to Rupa Huq, the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, asking what consequences there would be for Israel's 'provocative action during Ramadan', which 'people are saying is a breach of international law'.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also accused Israel of being 'in breach of international law'.

It comes after the Israeli government and Hamas hit an impasse over how to proceed with their fragile ceasefire, which was supposed to enter the second phase earlier this month.

As the 42-day first phase of the ceasefire drew to a close, Israel gave its backing to an extension it said was put forward by Donald Trump's US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would cover the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Hamas has repeatedly rejected an extension, instead favouring a transition to the truce deal's second phase, which would see the release of all remaining hostages and a more permanent end to the fighting in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

'Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that, from this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will be suspended,' his office said in a statement earlier this month.

'Israel will not accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas persists with its refusal, there will be other consequences,' it added.

Hamas slammed the move, saying in a statement that the 'decision to suspend humanitarian aid is cheap blackmail, a war crime and a blatant coup against the (ceasefire) agreement'.

Palestinians Ali Marouf cook on fire on the roof of his destroyed house by the Israeli army's air and ground offensive in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip, on Monday, March 17, 2025

Palestinian children wait in queues as the US-based international volunteer aid organization, World Central Kitchen (WCK) distribute meals cooked on wood fire due to fuel crisis, as the Israeli army continues to block the entrance of humanitarian aid, food and other products into Gaza on March 16, 2025 in Khan Yunis, Gaza

Palestinian children are pictured above as they wait to receive meals cooked by World Central Kitchen on March 16

On Saturday night, Mr Netanyahu announced that Israel is prepared to continue ceasefire talks based on a US proposal for the release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased.

In a statement on X, his office said: 'Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an in-depth discussion this evening on the issue of the hostages, with the participation of the negotiating team and the heads of the security establishment.

'Following the discussion, the Prime Minister instructed the negotiating team to prepare for the continuation of the talks as per the mediators' response to the Witkoff proposal for the immediate release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased hostages.'

The latest development came just a day after Hamas said it would release the last living American-Israeli hostage and the remains of four other dual-national hostages after receiving a proposal from mediators to continue negotiations on the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal.

Edan Alexander, 21, who has been held for 525 days, will be released along with the bodies of four other hostages who died in captivity, Hamas has claimed.

On March 15, Hamas said the release will only happen if Israel implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an 'exceptional deal' aimed at getting the truce back on track.

A senior Hamas official said long-delayed talks over the ceasefire's second phase would need to begin the day of the release and last no longer than 50 days.

Israel would also need to stop barring the entry of humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along Gaza's border with Egypt.
Thousands of civil servants will be banned from using taxpayer-funded credit cards after racking up bills totalling more than half a billion pounds in the past year.

The major crackdown has been launched by ministers horrified by wasteful spending  including Foreign Office staff splashing out on shoes, DJ equipment, drinks at nightclubs and a large supply of Nespresso coffee pods.

Almost all of the 20,000 existing Government Procurement Cards (GPCs) will be frozen this week.

Officials will be forced to reapply for their GPCs  originally intended to be a quick way of civil servants paying for low-value goods and services.

And at least half will be cancelled under a stricter application process.

In future, the maximum spend on hospitality will be slashed from 2,500 to 500, while any purchases above 500 will require approval from senior mandarins. The clampdown comes as the Cabinet Office reveals that total GPC spending across Whitehall departments and quangos has reached 675million in 2024-25.

The figure has more than quadrupled in only a few years, compared to 155million recorded in 2020-21.

It can be revealed today that Foreign Office staff used their GPCs to spend 2,493 at a fashionable shoe shop in Barbados.

Foreign Office staff spent almost 87,000 on hotel rooms for just one jaunt in South Africa (Stock photo)

It can be revealed today that Foreign Office staff used their GPCs to spend 2,493 at a fashionable shoe shop in Barbados (Stock photo)

Social media posts by Shoe Crush, where the shopping spree took place in October 2023, show that it charges 65 Bajan dollars (25) for women's sandals and $110 (42) for a pair of heels.

A Foreign Office card was used the previous year to spend 2,479 at DJ Superstore, an online shop that sells the latest record decks, sound systems and lighting rigs for nightclubs.

The department even has a specific category for spending on 'alcoholic drinks' in a 'bar, lounge, disco, nightclub, tavern' by British diplomats and their teams overseas. Latest figures reveal that Foreign Office staff bought 49,511 worth of beer, wine and spirits between July and October last year, the first four months of the Labour Government. They enjoyed nights out everywhere from China and Kyrgyzstan to the Philippines, Rwanda and America, GPC spending records show.

Foreign Office staff also spent almost 87,000 on hotel rooms for just one jaunt in South Africa.

Details obtained by the Mail reveal that the money paid for 38 officials to stay in Cape Town for Prince William's environmental awards ceremony, Earthshot.

At the weekend it emerged that officials in the same department spent 920 at the Nassau Yacht Club in the Bahamas in January 2023 and 2,900 at an Art Deco cinema in New Zealand. Its staff even spent 673 on a website that sells life-size cardboard cutouts of celebrities including Harry Styles and the Spice Girls.

Staff in the Cabinet Office  which is now carrying out the crackdown on the cards  spent 742 on Nespresso coffee pods last November and 531 the month before (Stock photo)

Staff spent 673 on a website that sells life-size cardboard cutouts of celebrities including Harry Styles and the Spice Girls (Stock photo)

Meanwhile staff in the Cabinet Office  which is now carrying out the crackdown on the cards  spent 742 on Nespresso coffee pods last November and 531 the month before.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said last night: 'We must ensure taxpayers' money is spent on improving the lives of working people.

'It's not right that hundreds of millions of pounds are spent on government credit cards each year, without high levels of scrutiny or challenge. Only officials for whom it is absolutely essential should have a card.

'Our clampdown on government credit cards will deliver savings that can be used to drive our Plan for Change  securing our borders, getting the NHS back on its feet and rebuilding Britain.'

The Foreign Office declined to comment on the individual items bought on its GPCs, but sources insisted that spending by embassy staff is used to advance British interests.

A Government spokesman said: 'We are fully focused on tackling wasteful spending and inefficiency across government. We are fundamentally changing the way public services, civil servants and the UK deliver for the public.'
Sir Keir Starmer will unveil watered-down welfare reforms on Tuesday amid a growing backlash from Labour MPs.

The Prime Minister tonight signed off proposals from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall which are designed to curb the growth in Britains bloated benefits bill.

Downing Street signalled it will press ahead with controversial plans to make it tougher to get disability benefits following a surge in claims related to mental health conditions.

But senior Tories questioned whether the measures will go far enough after the PM bowed to pressure from Labour MPs and the unions to ditch radical measures to bring the welfare bill under control.

Ministers had proposed freezing Personal Independence Payments (PIP) following a dramatic surge in recent years. But the idea provoked a furious response from the Left and is set to be ditched today. Instead, ministers will focus on tightening the eligibility criteria for those claiming the benefit.

Conservative work and pensions spokesman Helen Whately said Labour was divided over welfare and cannot deliver the decisive change we need. She added: The Governments dithering and delay is costing taxpayers millions every day and failing the people who rely on the welfare system.

Fellow Tory Andrew Snowden questioned whether there was anything meaningful left of the Governments original plans, following U-turn after U-turn in recent weeks.

The new welfare reforms were designed to save 5billion to help Rachel Reeves balance the books in next weeks mini-Budget. The Chancellor said today: Every day an additional 1,000 people are going on to Personal Independence Payments, disability benefits. That is not sustainable.

Sir Keir Starmer will unveil watered-down welfare reforms on Tuesday amid a growing backlash from Labour MPs

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall. The Prime Minister tonight signed off proposals from Ms Kendall which are designed to curb the growth in Britains bloated benefits bill

She said suggestions that she should relax her fiscal rules instead of looking for savings were not serious.

Downing Street said there was a moral and economic case for a shake-up of the benefits system. But Labour MPs urged the Government to think again. Former frontbencher Diane Abbott called on ministers to impose a wealth tax instead. We need to oppose this entire reactionary project, she said.

Fellow Labour veteran Andy McDonald said he had been inundated with emails from constituents making it clear just how terrified they are at the prospect of their social security benefits being frozen or cut.

He added: Their lives are a struggle right now and they do not expect a Labour government to make things even harder.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham urged caution on benefit changes. Mr Burnham said he supported a radical overhaul of the welfare system, but said there was no case in any scenario for cutting the support available to disabled people who are unable to work.

PIP payments are worth between 1,500 and 9,600 a year to help disabled people with living costs. They are not means-tested and are paid whether someone is in work or not.

The number of people citing mental health conditions as the main reason for their claim has risen from 1.89 million a decade ago to 3.29 million today.

Nearly half of those claiming disability benefits now cite conditions such as anxiety and depression. In future, only the most severely disabled may qualify for the highest payment levels.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham urged caution on benefit changes. Mr Burnham said he supported a radical overhaul of the welfare system, but said there was no case in any scenario for cutting the support available to disabled people who are unable to work

Former frontbencher Diane Abbott called on ministers to impose a wealth tax instead. We need to oppose this entire reactionary project, she said

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Sunday there had been an overdiagnosis of some mental health conditions, but No 10 declined to repeat the claim.

The PMs official spokesman said: Weve got a duty to fix the system, to ensure that that safety net is always there for the most vulnerable and severely disabled, but also supports back into work, rather than leaving people written off.

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, said saving 5billion from the welfare budget ought not to be so hard when it had grown by 20billion since the pandemic.

He told Times Radio: On the other hand, the only way you can really do it is by tightening up on the eligibility criteria... it certainly hasnt always worked because in the end, there are often ways that you can game the system, ways of getting around.
President Donald Trump removed Hunter and Ashley Biden's Secret Service detail after learning of the 'ridiculous' cost to taxpayers, citing Hunter's recent trip to South Africa.

Joe Biden gave his children six months of Secret Service protection after he left office. It's not an unusual move by a president. Trump gave his children six months of protection after his first term.

But Trump blasted Biden's son for going to South Africa and taking his detail, citing the high cost to the U.S. taxpayer. Hunter's wife Melissa Cohen is originally from South Africa.

Hunter has 18 agents. Ashley has 13 in her detail.

The president's announcement came hours after a reporter asked Trump about Hunter's detail. The president said he had not been aware of it but would look into it.

President Donald Trump ends Hunter and Ashley Biden's Secret Service detail

'Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer.

'There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous! He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.

'Because of this, South Africa has been taken off our list of Countries receiving Economic and Financial Assistance. Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list.'

Ashley Biden lives and works in Philadelphia.

Typically, former presidents and first ladies are protected by Secret Service for life, but their children are not guaranteed protection after they turn 16 unless the president gives it to them.

Hunter Biden was photographed in Cape Town last week, staying in a $500-a-night beachfront villa.

A Secret Service detail, reported to be made up of 18 agents, was with him.

The cost to the taxpayer could run up to $500,000. Additionally, the Secret Service is stretched thin given their protection of President Trump and his children.

Trump extended Secret Service protection to his four adult children for six months after he left office in 2021.

Democrats criticized the move and its $1.7 million cost.

The Biden children aren't the only ones to lose their government protection. In the first month of his presidency Trump removed security details for his former National Security Adviser John Bolton and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Hunter and Ashley Biden in May 2023

Hunter's legal letter claims he has struggled to find a new home for himself, wife Melissa Cohen Biden, 38, and toddler Beau Jr., age four, after the January fires

Hunter Biden was convicted of firearms charges and tax evasion charges until he was pardoned by his father before the elder Biden left office.

Trump announced he was voiding Biden's pardons but it's unclear if he can legally do that.

Meanwhile, Hunter claims to be in dire financial straights.

In a filing with a federal court in March, he said hes struggling to sell his artwork and his book sales have plummeted.

Hunter's legal letter also claims he has struggled to find a new home for himself, wife Melissa Cohen Biden, 38, and toddler Beau Jr., age four, after the January fires.

'Like many others in that situation, plaintiff has had difficulty in finding a new permanent place to live as well as finding it difficult to earn a living,' the letter said.

'So, plaintiff must focus his time and resources dealing with his relocation, the damage he has incurred due to the fires, and paying for his family's living expenses as opposed to this litigation.'

The former First Son has significant personal expenses, including a reported $5,000 per month in child support to his six-year-old daughter Navy Joan Roberts with his former assistant Lunden Roberts.

He also owes ex-wife Kathleen Buhle $2.9 million in alimony, according to a June 2024 report by Axios.

Meanwhile, funding for Ashley Biden's charity is being questioned.

The 43-year-old former first daughter is a social worker whose passion is helping women released from prison

But a top figure from a think tank closely associated with the Trump White House said the quarter-million dollar donation made by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's charitable foundation to Ashley Biden's group should be thoroughly investigated.

The couple's non-profit organization, Archewell, was revealed to be a founding partner of Ashley Biden's initiative, Women's Wellness (Spa)ce, to which they contributed the six-figure sum, according to the charity's impact report published last December.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were revealed to be 'founding partners' of Ashley Biden's wellness initiative through their charity, Archewell

Ashley Biden launched Women's Wellness (Spa)ce, a trauma-informed wellness center' for women based in Philadelphia

Now Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, is calling for 'significant scrutiny' of the donation made to the Philadelphia-based hub, which has been described as a 'trauma-informed wellness center' for women.

The donation was made some time in the 2023-2024 tax year, according to Archewell's annual report.

Gardiner said there should be 'full transparency and oversight' of the $250,000 donation from Archewell.

He said: 'I do think there should be significant scrutiny of that'.
When it comes to British style icons, the Princess of Wales and Geri Horner might not seem like the most obvious duo.

One is a regal, polished princess with a wardrobe that embodies timeless sophistication. The other is pop royalty who in her Spice Girls heyday was best known for her iconic Union Jack mini dress and chunky blonde highlights.

But in recent years, Geri Halliwell, now Horner after marrying Formula One Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner, has undergone a style transformation that has placed her firmly in Kates sartorial space.

Over the years they have regularly stepped out in strikingly similar outfits that showcase their shared love of classic, tailored silhouettes and ultra-feminine details.

From elegant coats and classic dresses to immaculate monochrome ensembles, Geri appears to have taken a page straight out of Kates style handbook.

At this years Commonwealth Day service, the former Spice Girl turned heads in a Jenny Packham dress. Featuring delicate black piping and a structured fit, the frock bore a remarkable resemblance to another Packham number worn by Kate the year before at Trooping the Colour.

Geri Horner epitomises modern elegance as she graces the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey wearing a white Jenny Packham frock adorned with grosgrain trim and delicate crystal embellishments. With its striking black piping at the waist and collar it is reminiscent of the dress the Princess of Wales wore to Trooping the Colour in 2024 which was also designed by Jenny Packham

At the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, Geri dresses for glamour in a one-shoulder gown from Erdem's bridal collection. Earlier in 2023 at the BAFTAs, Kate Middleton also oozes sophistication in an Alexander McQueen one-shoulder gown featuring the same flattering asymmetric neckline and oversized bow

Stepping out for Anzac Day in 2022, the Princess of Wales wears a cream Alexander McQueen coat dress and a tweed halo headband by milliner Jane Taylor, a design that has since been spotted on Geri Horner at the 2024 Commonwealth Day

Both Kate and Geri prove tonal dressing is the ultimate formula for sophisticated glamour when dressed in head-to-toe cream ensembles. The Princess of Wales has long been a fan of monotone looks, and at her 2023 Together at Christmas carol service she embraced winter whites in trousers by Holland Cooper and a coat by Chris Kerr. The timeless combination has also been spotted on Horner who chose the tailored combination at Global Studios in 2018

The Princess of Wales chose a sleek and refined look in 2012 as she steps out in a figure-hugging Roland Mouret frock for an engagement at the Thirty Club. The fitted cream dress, with its modest high neckline and long sleeves, is the epitome of understated glamour, skimming Kates frame. Over a decade later Geri Horner mirrors the elegant aesthetic in 2023 at her Rosie Frost book launch wearing a similar full-length Edeline Lee gown

Kate Middleton made headbands cool again, and arguably her most famous headband has to be a bespoke creation by Jane Taylor she wore to Prince Louis's christening back in 2018. Featuring a thick platform and striking applique flowers stitched on the top, her crowning glory style was repeated by Geri Horner in 2024 as she accompanied her husband to Buckingham Palace

Wearing a sleek white Saint Laurent trouser suit, former Spice Girl Geri gives a speech at Harper's Bazaar International Women's Day event. Monochrome tailoring is a style straight out of Kate Middletons fashion rulebook and in 2022 she debuts a similar co-ordinating suit with ankle length trousers by Alexander McQueen to attend the Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Given that Jenny Packham is one of Kates go-to designers, its no surprise Geri is also drawn to the brands refined, elegant aesthetic.

The Princess of Wales has long favoured Packhams creations for some of her most high-profile engagements, including royal tours and red-carpet appearances.

Geri seems to be following suit, adding the British designers signature pieces to her own wardrobe, likely in a bid to emulate Kates regal elegance.

The similarities between Kate and Geris fashion choices dont stop at clothing. When it comes to accessories, they are equally in sync.

At the 2024 Commonwealth Day service, Geri completed her outfit with a Jane Taylor headband featuring a large black bow, a style that Kate had previously worn on Anzac Day in 2022.

The royal-approved milliner has been a favourite of Kates for years, with the princess frequently turning to her designs for formal events. Now, Geri appears to be taking notes, incorporating the same refined headwear into her own wardrobe.

In a dramatic departure from her Spice Girls days, Geri has recently revealed she has embraced an all-cream wardrobe, citing simplicity and elegance as her key reasons for the switch.

Gone is the iconic Union Jack dress and bold colours, as she turns her commitment towards the power of monotone dressing.

This is a fashion philosophy that Kate also follows in head-to-toe tonal looks that exude sophistication, understanding the impact of a well-executed monochrome outfit for an approach to dressing that is all about understated luxury.

Geri Horners transition from pop star to polished style icon has placed her firmly in Kate Middletons fashion territory, and as the undeniable similarities between her and the Princess of Wales continues, so too does their status as secret style sisters.

Wearing a sleek white Saint Laurent trouser suit, former Spice Girl Geri gave a speech at Harper's Bazaar International Women's Day event. Monochrome tailoring is a style straight out of Kate Middletons fashion rulebook and in 2022 she debuted a similar co-ordinating suit with ankle length trousers by Alexander McQueen to attend the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Both ensembles were understated yet far from boring, proving the power of good tailoring and a tone-on-tone colour palette.


The Princess of Wales enjoyed a glass of Guinness as she made an emotional return to her own regiment on St Patrick's Day during a solo engagement.

Kate handed out sprigs of shamrocks to soldiers from the Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks this morning before attending a parade to celebrate Ireland's patron saint.

She missed the Guards' celebrations last year after being diagnosed with cancer and apologised last summer for missing a key rehearsal for the annual Trooping the Colour .

Meanwhile, King Charles will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later today amid tensions between Canada and the United States over tariffs.

Read all of our coverage, as it happened, below.
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Claver Gatete, deplored Africa's debt overhang, which is undermining its development
The historic Miami hotel that was featured in the 1996 film 'The Birdcage', and has been home to chic Chanel fashion shows, is in the midst of a $1 billion residential makeover.

The Raleigh, a landmark Art Deco hotel on the sands of South Beach, is known for its iconic coat-of-arms swimming pool and decades of celebrity guests.

These include Audrey Hepburn, Madonna, Sylvester Stallone, Anna Wintour, and the late Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, who was often spotted sunning aside the hotel's pool.

The hotel was also featured in various scenes in 'The Birdcage', a remake of the classic French farce starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Hank Azaria and Gene Hackman.

Before being revived, the world-famous hotel was down on its luck for over a decade, falling into neglect and shuttering after Hurricane Irma in 2017.

In 2019, real estate developer Michael Shvo stepped in with an off-market offer to buy it, along with three adjacent properties.

He's now turning them into luxury apartments and a boutique hotel called The Rosewood Hotel & Residences.

Prices for the residences range from $10 million to $150 million per unit. Most of them have already sold to all cash offers and there has been over $250 million total in pre-sales already. Buyers can move in late 2027.

The front rendering of the newly updated Raleigh in Miami Beach

'Its had a few different transformations over the years,' Shvo tells the Daily Mail.

'Now we're restoring all the historic aspects of the Raleigh, the martini bar, the Tiger Room restaurant, the pool, the cabanas.'

Before breaking down any walls at the hotel - which was built by L. Murray Dixon and opened in 1940 - Shvo worked for three years to oversee the design of every single aspect of the place, 'down to every door handle.'

He hired in-demand architect and interior designer Peter Marino, who formerly worked in fashion, to source materials from around the world.

When complete, The Rosewood Hotel & Residences will feature 40 residences and 60 hotel rooms, all with original furniture and detailing.

Some distinct features buyers will get in the two to five-bedroom spaces include 12-foot wide terraces, oiled blackened steel beams in living areas, hand-selected imported stone flooring for living areas, and sleek stone flooring for the bedrooms.

The laundry rooms have self-venting washers and all appliances are top-of-the-line.

The Molteni cabinetry throughout is custom, the countertops are made of marble and premium granite imported from Europe.

The countertop and backsplash tiles all have signature details and etchings, the bathrooms all have floor to ceiling windows, stone flooring and rain shower enclosures.

There are custom marble floating vanities and hidden storage in the bathrooms.

The bathrooms even have refrigerators made specifically to store beauty products.

 Slide me  The historic Raleigh hotel that was featured in the 1996 film 'The Birdcage' is in the midst of a $1 billion makeover

Developer Michael Shvo (right) and designer Peter Marino (left) collaborated on the space

Scenes from the 1996 film The Birdcage were filmed inside the hotel prior to its renovation

Residences have sweeping ocean views from the floor to ceiling windows

Outdoor terraces are designed to watch the waves

The building itself features a full spa, a double-height fitness center with state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, and an enormous children's playroom.

Residents will have access to 24-hour hotel concierge services, including a private butler and valet.

The residential lobby is filled with collector art and meticulously curated furnishings by Marino.

There is a dedicated valet for residents and onsite parking, bicycle storage and refrigerated storage for medical and meal deliveries.

Buyers also get a membership to a private beach club and beach access.

Shvo says the property totals three acres on the beach, and while he's kept a lot of the original design, he's modernized the building for the future.

'We restored all that original design but at the same time it's mixed with contemporary details from Peter, down to the plants,' he says.

He'd been eyeing the property for years, calling it 'the number one property in Miami Beach.'

'I only wanted to do the Raleigh,' he says.

 Slide me  The hotel's iconic coat-of-arms swimming pool has been upgraded in the renovation

A Chanel fashion show was held at the hotel's distinctive pool

Every inch of the space was designed down to the finest details

The building is considered a prime property among developers

Residents will have access to a private entrance and their own valet

Shvo has had buyers snapping up the units. He says they are mostly an international group, with many from Europe looking to secure a spot in Miami.

The renovation and the residences' soaring prices come amid a housing crisis in nearby areas of Florida.

The list of houses for sale keeps growing as many people can't afford their skyrocketing Homeowners' Association fees, or HOAs, that have increased following the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Tower South in Surfside.

For many homeowners, that means their HOAs are now higher than their mortgage payments.

In January, there were 172,209 homes for sale in Florida, the highest inventory of any month on record.
A New York City neighborhood dubbed 'Little Ireland' is only a short 30-minute train ride away from the center of the Big Apple and boasts affordable housing and a rich history.

Just off the last stop of the 4 train in the Bronx sits Woodlawn, which is known for its beautiful 19th-century cemetery that doubles as an arboretum.

Despite its macabre graveyard, the community also holds a little secret and perhaps some good luck too.

Hidden into the neighborhood is a micro-community known as Little Ireland that roughly spans two avenues and even has its own Emerald Mile that is doused in Irish history, spilled Guinness, and pride.

'It's a community really,' Irish Coffee Shop co-owner Muredach Hegarty told the DailyMail.com. 'Everybody knows everyone.

'We try to keep it as Irish as possible and as like home as possible.'

Hegarty immigrated to the US from Galway in 1999 and began working at the Irish Coffee Coffee, located on McLean Avenue, in 2000. The shop itself opened in 1993.

In 2019, Hegarty and his co-owner Amanda Doherty bought the shop and they're keen on bringing the local Irish population a taste of home in the form of scones, Irish brown bread and shepherd's pie.

'It keeps it Irish,' he told the DailyMail.com in a phone interview.

Just off the last stop of the 4 train in the Bronx sits Woodlawn, which is known for its beautiful 19th-century cemetery that doubles as an arboretum, but the community holds a little secret and perhaps some good luck too. Hidden into the neighborhood is Little Ireland

'It's a community really,' Irish Coffee Shop co-owner Muredach Hegarty (pictured) told DailyMail.com. 'Everybody knows everyone. We try to keep it as Irish as possible and as like home as possible'

Anyone walking down the streets will see the color green, shamrocks and Irish flags flying high along McLean and Katonah Avenues, making it very clear to passersby exactly where they are (pictured: Irish Coffee Shop)

One thing that Hegarty loves about the neighborhood is that there are 'many generations of Irish families' and it can 'feel like you're in Ireland'.

'It has a small-town feel,' he said. 'People know your name.'

In fact, Hegarty knows most of his customers' names and rarely meets a new patron.

'Everybody got everybody's back,' an employee at The Paddock told DailyMail.com about the community.

And many of the businesses along the Emerald Mile have been owned by the Irish for decades, such as the Irish Coffee Shop.

Anyone walking down the streets will see the color green, shamrocks and Irish flags flying high along McLean and Katonah Avenues, making it very clear to passersby exactly where they are.

'It's paddy central,' real estate agent Trudi Iglesias, who used to live in Woodlawn and immigrated from Ireland, told the DailyMail.com.

'I almost feel like I'm Irish every day here,' a local told DailyMail.com while standing outside businesses decked out in shamrocks.

Many of the businesses along the Emerald Mile have been owned by the Irish for decades. Anyone walking down the streets will see the color green, shamrocks, and Irish flags flying high along McLean and Katonah Avenues

'Everybody got everybody's back,' an employee at The Paddock told DailyMail.com about the community

'I almost feel like I'm Irish every day here,' a local said while standing outside businesses decked out in shamrocks

Woodlawn has the highest concentration of Irish Americans in the US, Iglesias said, and has a 'very vibrant' and diverse Emerald Isle community.

It also has stores that sell all the foods from home, including Irish Curry, Siobhan Ni Chiobhain, who teaches the Irish-Gaelic language, told the DailyMail.com.

'They have the things you want from home,' she said. 'It's a real place for a home away from home.'

Chiobhain, who has lived in other Irish Bronx neighborhoods, said she feels more at home in New York than she did when she lived in New Zealand.

'I feel even more connected to Ireland than ever before,' she told the DailyMail.com. 'I felt apart of the community and welcomed... It's really special.'

The Irish population began flooding the area during the Irish Potato Famine, which lasted from 1845 to 1852.

And the tradition of a green beer on St. Patrick's Day is even said to have started in the Bronx by Dr. Thomas Hayes Curtis, who unveiled the beverage at a social club in the borough in 1914, according to Welcome 2 The Bronx.

The Irish community also built the New York and Harlem Railroad and the Hudson River Railroad, as well as, High Bridge - NYC's oldest standing bridge.

The Irish population began flooding the area during the Irish Potato Famine, which lasted from 1845 to 1852. 'It's paddy central,' real estate agent, Trudi Iglesias, who used to live in Woodlawn and immigrated from Ireland, told DailyMail.com

The average home listing price in the neighborhood is $157,000, compared to its much more expensive neighbor, Manhattan, which has an average listing price of $1.5 million

The Irish originally settled in Melrose and Mott Haven before eventually making Woodlawn - which started out as German - their home.

Many famous Irish people and Irish Americans have come out of the Bronx, including NASA engineer Joseph Francis Shea, comedian George Carlin and best-selling author Mary Higgins-Clark.

Despite its strong Irish heritage, Woodlawn has begun to change as New York City residents are desperate for affordable housing.

Hegarty has noticed small families and new faces have begun to pop up in the neighborhood, but he welcomes those who decided to call Woodlawn and Yonkers - where parts of Little Ireland lie - home.

'It's great, it's fun!' he told DailyMail.com. 'And it is more affordable.'

The average home listing price in the neighborhood is $157,000, compared to its much more expensive neighbor, Manhattan, which has an average listing price of $1.5 million, according to Realtor.com.

It's only a short 30-minute journey to Midtown Manhattan on Metro North or a 45-minute ride on the 4 train.

Everywhere in the neighborhood is within 'walking distance' of public transportation and still has that city energy, Iglesias told the DailyMail.com.

Many famous Irish people have come out of the Bronx, including NASA engineer Joseph Francis Shea (left), comedian George Carlin (right), and best-selling author Mary Higgins-Clark

'It's got a big city feeling without the big city,' she said in a phone interview. 'No congestion.

'If I was single, I would live in Woodlawn... It's the closest thing you're going to get to Ireland.'

Iglesias, herself, used to live on the borderline of Woodlawn and immigrated from Ireland in 1993.

She still visits the neighborhood regularly and loves Rory Dolan's, which she dubs a 'staple in the community.'

New England has the highest population of Irish Americans in the US, with New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island with the highest density, according to USA Today.

New York also has a good amount of Irish Americans living in the state.

More than 110,000 foreign-born US residents reported Ireland as their birthplace, according to the US Census.

More than 30 million Americans claim to have Irish heritage in the US.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been forced to halt deliveries of his 'indestructible' Cybertruck vehicles following a major safety concern.

Although Musk claims the truck's exterior is 'bulletproof', Cybertruck owners have reported metal panels falling off their vehicles.

In some cases, pieces of metal trim have even flown off at high speeds while driving, putting other cars and road users in danger.

In posts on X and on the Cybertruck Owners Club website, customers said that Tesla agents had informed them that deliveries had been put on hold pending an inspection.

Previously, Tesla has been forced to recall thousands of Cybertrucks due to panels falling off while driving, but recent reports suggest the issue has not been resolved.

The current problem appears to mainly affect the 'cantrail', a large piece of decorative trim running along the roof from front to back.

In an official complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one Cybertruck owner wrote that this piece of trim detached after just one year of driving.

In their statement, the driver argued that this panel was 'hard and sharp enough to hit other cars' and presented a 'serious safety issue'.

Just GLUED on?? What a piece of junk! @Cybertruck here reminds me of how growing up as a child toys transitioned from having solid, well-made, screwed on pieces and parts into crudely glued together chunks of crude plastic and die cast pot metal.



Bad look, @Tesla. REALLY bad. pic.twitter.com/3sjdfOPmAj  Darth Continent (@DarthContinent) March 13, 2025

On social media, Cybertruck drivers have shared reports of metal decorative panels falling off their 'indestructible' vehicles. The issue appears to mainly affect the cantrail, a decorative panel running from the front to the back of the car (pictured)

Tesla has paused delivery of new Cybertrucks amid safety concerns after drivers reported metal parts falling off their vehicles

In a number of posts on social media, Cybertruck drivers have been showing how their vehicle's exterior panels are peeling away from the body.

As with the last product recall, the issue appears to stem from the fact that the Cybertruck's decorative panels are glued, rather than bolted or welded, in place.

In a standard vehicle, most of the exterior panels would be part of a combined body and chassis.

However, in the Cybertruck, the trim along with a number of other parts are simply glued to a plastic frame which is bolted directly to the car.

Upon launch, Musk talked up the benefits of this paintless, all-stainless-steel exterior as a way of making the car extremely resistant to damage and wear.

But it now appears that the adhesive used to secure the panels to the plastic is unable to stand up to routine wear.

In a second NHTSA complaint, a Cybertruck driver wrote: 'Upper passanger [sic] trim piece fell off while driving on street, could have hurt another motorist.

'This trim comes in two pieces, one is bolted to the truck and the other is glued onto the bolted piece, the glued piece peeled off.'

On TikTok, one Cybertruck driver shared a video of the cantrail flapping in the wind as they drove. Official complaints warn that metal parts have flown off at high speeds, potentially creating a hazard for other drivers

Tesla drivers believe the issue may be caused by cold weather which warps the metal trim and weakens the adhesive. In a video posted to X, one user showed how their cantrail panel detached after a winter of use

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (pictured) has come under increasing pressure as his role in Donald Trump's presidency turns many potential customers against Tesla products

Likewise, Reid Tomasko, the owner of a New Hampshire-based car wrapping business who owns and works on Cybertrucks, claimed in a YouTube video that he has seen the issue on multiple trucks.

Mr Tomasko and a number of other owners believe the issue is caused by cold weather which makes the adhesive brittle and causes additional stress as the metal frame contracts.

Tesla has yet to provide an official statement on the issue and has been contacted for comment.

However, this is not the first time that the problem-plagued Cybertruck has faced issues with its decorative trim.

In June last year, Tesla issued a recall for the Cybertruck after it emerged that another piece of metal trim around the trunk bed was falling off.

In a statement explaining the recall, Tesla wrote: 'The Cybertruck is equipped with a cosmetic applique along the exterior of the trunk bed trim, known as the sail applique, which is affixed to the vehicle with adhesive.

'On affected vehicles, the sail applique or adhesion may not have been installed according to specification, which may cause the sail applique to become loose or separate from the vehicle.'

Before that, Tesla was also forced to issue a recall when it emerged that the accelerator pedal could become stuck in the interior trim, leading to unintended acceleration.

Cybertruck owners believe the issue is caused by freezing weather. As the metal parts become cold and shrink, this creates slight warping which could break a weak adhesive

Despite becoming the car of choice for celebrities such as Kim Kardashian (pictured), the Cybertruck has suffered from serious safety concerns and weak sales since its launch in 2023

Despite becoming the car of choice for eco-conscious celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, the all-electric truck has suffered from weak sales since its launch in 2023.

Buoyed by interest in the car's unusual design, Musk claimed that one million people had signed up to the waitlist for a Cybertruck.

However, disappointing sales have forced Tesla to repeatedly offer discounts to lure in more customers.

During a 2023 earnings call, Musk told investors: 'We dug our own grave with the Cybertruck.

'It's one of those special products that comes along only once in a long while. And special products that come along once in a long while are just incredibly difficult to bring to market to reach volume, to be prosperous.'

The Cybertruck is also illegal in the UK and Europe since its angular design falls short of requirements to protect pedestrians in the case of an impact.

Recently, Tesla has also faced increasing backlash from consumers due to Musk's controversial and extremely public connection with Donald Trump's presidency.

Since Trump's election, the carmaker has seen more than $800 billion (617bn) wiped from its stock market valuation.

Since Donald Trump's election, Tesla has lost more than $800 billion (617bn) from its share price. In an attempt to boost confidence in the company, President Donald Trump staged an event to purchase a Tesla vehicle in front of the White House

Tesla's connection with Elon Musk and his links to Donald Trump has turned many against the company, with regular protests now staged outside Tesla dealerships (pictured)

Trump has been quick to blame the slump on 'far left lunatics' for boycotting the brand and said that people vandalising Tesla sites would be considered 'domestic terrorists'.

However, the decline in stock value may have more connection to declining EV sales and the potential impact of Trump's latest tariffs.

In a letter to the US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Tesla warned that the president's introduction of tariffs on trade was hurting American car makers.

The unsigned letter warned that while the company 'supports fair trade', Trump's policies could 'inadvertently harm US companies.'
The Abydos Dynasty was one of the most mysterious dynasties spanning the whole of ancient Egypt.

Centered around Abydos, one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, this ruling faction governed Upper Egypt between 1700 and 1600 BC.

Now, archeologists claim to have found the resting place of one of only a handful of the dynasty's kings, after around 3,700 years.

The royal tomb, located at the sacred Mountain of Anubis near Abydos, carries inscriptions worthy of a pharaoh  but no mummified body.

It comes over a decade after experts found the resting place of King Senebkay, but this newly-found king likely ruled just before him.

'The royal tomb in Abydos provides new scientific evidence on the development of royal tombs in the Anubis Mountain necropolis,' said Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.

'This discovery also adds new information about the kings of this dynasty and a deeper understanding of the complex political history of the Second Intermediate Period in Egypt.'

As well as the tomb, experts have also found a separate 'pottery workshop' in the village of Banawit, evidenced by fragments of artefacts.

Researchers have uncovered a royal tomb from the Second Intermediate Period in the Mount Anubis necropolis in Abydos, Egypt

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The astonishing tomb was discovered by an Egyptian-American archaeological mission from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

It was built at the foot of a sacred hill resembling a pyramid in the Abydene desert, called Mountain of Anubis by the ancient Egyptians.

Located at a depth of 23 feet (7 metres) below ground level, the tomb consists of a limestone burial chamber covered with a self-supporting arches known as 'vaults'.

These vaults, reaching a height of about 16 feet (5 metres), were constructed out of 'mudbrick'  sundried blocks of clay-rich soil.

Aside from its location at the sacred Mountain of Anubis, initial evidence points to a resting place of an important and historically relevant figure.

For example, inscriptions on both sides of the tomb entrance mention the ancient Egyptian goddesses Isis and Nephthys.

Nephthys was typically paired with her sister Isis in funerary rites because of their role as protectors of the mummy.

Nephthys is a protective goddess who symbolizes the death experience, just as Isis represented the birth experience.

Studies conducted on the royal tomb in Abydos indicate that it belonged to one of the kings prior to King Senebkay, whose tomb was discovered in Abydos by the mission in 2014

The royal tomb was found at a depth of about 7 meters below ground level. It consists of a limestone burial chamber covered with mudbrick vaults. Pictured, the burial chamber

It was built at the foot of a sacred hill resembling a pyramid in the Abydene desert, called Mountain of Anubis (pictured)

What was the Abydos Dynasty? The Abydos Dynasty was a short-lived local dynasty ruling over parts of Middle and Upper Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period in Ancient Egypt (1700-1550 BC). It would have been based in or around Abydos and its royal necropolis might have been located at the foot of the Mountain of Anubis. Abydos, located west of the Nile, was once a cemetery for Egyptian royalty as well as a popular pilgrimage site where people journeyed to worship the god Osiris. Advertisement

Oval-shaped marks called cartouches also likely once bore the king's name in hieroglyphs, but these are now lost to history.

Studies conducted on the royal tomb indicate that it belonged to one of the kings prior to King Senebkay, whose tomb was discovered in Abydos in 2014.

The sacred city of Abydos is located west of the Nile and was once a cemetery for Egyptian royalty as well as a popular pilgrimage site where people journeyed to worship the god Osiris.

Temples, royal boat pits and the tombs of kings have previously been unearthed by archaeologists who have been excavating the site over several decades.

This newly-found tomb is much larger than other previously known tombs attributed to the Abydos Dynasty, but the name of the tomb's owner has not been determined.

'This tomb provides fresh evidence of royal burial practices in the region and offers a deeper understanding of the complex political landscape of that era,' said Dr Khaled.

Researchers also announced the discovery of a complete Roman-era pottery workshop in the village of Banawit further north.

This workshop was one of the largest manufacturing centers supplying the Ninth Nome of Upper Egypt area with pottery and glass.

Researchers also announced the discovery of a complete Roman-era pottery workshop in the village of Banawit further north. Pictured, ostraca found at the site with Demotic script inscriptions

Pictured, Amphora found at Banawit. This style of storage vessel typical of the ancient world with a large oval body, narrow cylindrical neck and two handles

This historic pottery shard found at Banawit shows some kind of bird 'relief' - where figures or designs are raised from a flat background

It contained a large number of kilns, extensive storage areas for vessels, and a collection of 32 ostraca (pottery fragments) bearing inscriptions.

These ostraca, written in Demotic and Greek scripts, are detailing commercial transactions at the time and the method of paying taxes.

'The pottery workshop highlights Egypts thriving industry during the Roman period,' said Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in a statement.

Together, the two discoveries showcase the 'incredible diversity of Egypts tourism and ancient civilization', it added.

The fact the tomb dates back to the Abydos Dynasty also gives further credence to the short-lived and hypothesised rule.

In fact, so little is know about Abydos Dynasty that some experts contest it even existed.
They are some of the most popular smart speakers.

But if you have an Amazon Echo, there's bad news for you - as Amazon is about to controversially kill a popular privacy feature.

Until now, some Amazon Echo devices had the option to process commands locally 'on-device', keeping your voice within the confines of your home.

But from March 28, all Alexa-powered Echo smart speakers will send your voice recordings to the cloud.

Cory Doctorow, a blogger and expert on digital rights management, called it 'absolutely unforgivable' because it will let Amazon workers snoop on all Echo recordings.

Amazon has already received criticism for storing conversations users have with Alexa, which have been listened to and transcribed by staff, it admitted in 2019.

The tech giant was also fined $25million in 2023 for storing recordings of children's interactions with Alexa.

'Amazon says that the recordings your Echo will send to its data-centers will be deleted as soon as it's been processed by the AI servers. Amazon's made these claims before, and they were lies,' Doctorow wrote in a blog post.

From March 28, Amazon's Echo speakers will send your voice recordings to the cloud

'Amazon eventually had to admit that its employees and a menagerie of overseas contractors were secretly given millions of recordings to listen to and make notes on.'

Amazon's decision coincides with the release of Alexa+, the more powerful version of Amazon's smart assistant powered by generative AI.

Amazon said it will 'support the expanded capabilities of Alexa with generative AI', which requires the 'processing power of Amazon's secure cloud'.

It revealed the change in an email sent to users who have the 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' option enabled for its Echo devices.

'We are reaching out to let you know that the Alexa feature 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' that you enabled on your supported Echo device(s) will no longer be available beginning March 28, 2025,' the Amazon email says.

'This feature allowed compatible Echo devices to process the audio of Alexa requests locally on device,' it continues.

'As we continue to expand Alexa's capabilities with generative AI features that rely on the processing power of Amazon's secure cloud, we have decided to no longer support this feature.'

If you have 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' option turned on in the Alexa app, it will default to 'Don't save recordings' on March 28, Amazon continued.

In February 2025, Amazon introduced Alexa+, the latest version of their voice assistant, powered by generative AI (file photo)

Alexa+ is Amazon's personal AI assistant for its smart-speaker family, including its Echo and Echo Show speakers

What is Alexa+? Alexa+ is a newly updated version of Amazon's Alexa smart assistant powered by generative AI. The next generation of Alexa will be 'smarter, more conversational, more capable', the firm said. It represents the first major overhaul of the voice assistant since it was introduced in 2014 along with the Echo line of speakers. Alexa+ will start rolling out in the US in the next few weeks and 'subsequently in waves over the coming months'. Advertisement

This means voice recordings will be sent to and processed in the cloud before being 'deleted after Alexa processes your requests'.

Someone posted an image of the email to Reddit with the caption 'seems like now is the best time ever to switch to an alternative'.

One commentator replied in agreement: 'Great opportunity to discontinue Amazon Alexa!'

The move has also gone down badly with many experts, with one saying an Amazon Echo device is 'now a direct line to HQ'.

'Just when I thought my three Alexa devices were my loyal, obedient servants, Amazon decides to flip the script,' said Sayuj Nath, cloud specialist and consultant at Slalom.

'Starting March 28, every word uttered to Alexa will be whisked away to Amazon's cloud, all in the name of their shiny new generative AI, Alexa Plus.

'Because who doesn't want their casual chats about laundry detergent and nappy changes analyzed by a mega-corporation?'

Ludovic Dubot, CEO of software company XWiki SAS, said: 'For any user who values (and trusted) this feature, the devices are as good as bricked.'

Packed with microphones, Alexa devices are designed to be 'always-on' and passively listen for their wake word (such as 'Alexa')

The Verge reports that on-device processing of voice recordings was only available on three Echo devices  Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15.

But the change is significant because it means all Amazon Echo voice recordings will be sent to the cloud from March 28.

It's speculated that the date in less than two weeks' time also marks when Alexa+ will start to become available, having been unveiled at a New York event last month.

Alexa+ will start rolling out in the US in the 'next few weeks', Amazon has said, and 'subsequently in waves over the coming months', with a UK release expected later in 2025.

Alexa+  a rival to Apple's ChatGPT-powered version of Siri  is free for subscribers to its Prime program but otherwise costs $19.99 (15.42) per month.

'Alexa+ is more conversational, smarter, personalized  and she helps you get things done,' said Panos Panay, senior vice president of devices and services at Amazon.

'Whether you're speaking in half-formed thoughts, using colloquial expressions, or exploring complex ideas, Alexa+ understands what you mean, and responds like a trusted assistant.

'It feels less like interacting with technology, and more like engaging with an insightful friend.'

MailOnline has contacted an Amazon spokesperson for comment.
NASA has changed the return date for its stranded astronauts' yet again and they're coming home slightly sooner than expected.

After spending nine long months on the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are now expected to splash down off the coast of Florida at approximately 5.57pm ET tomorrow.

This is about one day earlier than the previous date set for their return.

The news of their hastened return comes as Wilmore's daughter Daryn, 19, issued a cryptic, but seemingly hopeful, message about her dad's return.

In a TikTok video posted Sunday, Daryn shared a clip of what appears to be her, her mom and her younger sister Logan, 16, watching a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The song Northern Attitude by Noah Kahan and Hozier plays over the video, giving it a hopeful atmosphere.

The plan is for Williams and Wilmore to return inside SpaceX's Crew-9 Dragon capsule that is already docked to the ISS. The pair will be accompanied by NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Aleksandr Gorbunov when they undock.

After spending nine months on the ISS, astronauts Sunita Williams (left) and Barry Wilmore (right) are set to splash down off the coast of Florida at approximately 5:57pm ET on Tuesday

The four Crew-10 astronauts who arrived at the space station just after midnight on Sunday will continue to maintain the space station in their stead.

NASA will provide live coverage of Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov's flight back to Earth, starting with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45pm ET Monday.

The families of Williams and Wilmore have largely been tight-lipped about the fiasco, but Wilmore's daughter Daryn has posted several candid TikToks about her father in recent months.

She replied to several comments from viewers, confirming that she'll be able to finally see her father in person 'a few hours after' they splash down in the Atlantic.

Daryn also had a short exchange with her sister in the comments, with the two remarking on how anxious they felt while watching that launch.

In a separate TikTok video posted in February, Daryn opened up about the challenges of spending months without her dad, saying he had 'missed out on a lot' during his uncertain nine-month stay in space  including Christmas and her parents' 30-year wedding anniversary.

Wilmore and his crewmate, Williams, were only supposed to be on board the ISS for eight days after they launched on June 5.

This updated return target will provide extra flexibility in case weather conditions are unfavorable on Tuesday, but will still give their replacements  the Crew-10 astronauts  enough time to get up to speed on ISS operations

Wilmore's daughter Daryn, 19, issued a cryptic message about her dad in a TikTok video posted Sunday

But their spacecraft, Boeing's Starliner, suffered helium leaks and thruster issues that ultimately drove NASA to send the ship home without them in September.

The two astronauts have been stuck up there ever since, awaiting the Crew-9 return flight that was repeatedly pushed back due to other interferences.

'It's been hard if we're completely honest', adding that her frustration about her father's stay was 'less the fact that he's up there' and 'more the fact of why,' Daryn said in the February video.

'There's a lot of politics, there's a lot of things that I'm not at liberty to say, and that I don't know fully about,' she added.

'But there's been issues. There's been negligence. And that's the reason why this has just kept getting delayed. There's just been issue after issue after issue.'

Daryn posted the video just weeks before SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, whose company is tasked with bringing the Starliner crew back to Earth, said the Biden administration left them in space for 'political reasons.'

During a February appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, Musk claimed he offered to bring the pair home eight months ago, but the Biden Administration shot it down because it would've made Donald Trump 'look good' in the presidential race against Kamala Harris.

Musk donated $288 million to Trump's campaign and appeared at several MAGA rallies.

Wilmore left behind his wife Deanna (left) and two daughters Daryn (center left) and Logan (center right) when he launched into space on June 5. Pictured: the Wilmore family attend the New York premier of 'A Beautiful Planet' in New York City in August, 2016.

NASA's beleaguered Crew-10 mission launched on Friday, bringing a team of four astronauts to the ISS to replace the Starliner and Crew-9 astronauts

The SpaceX CEO also noted that the Biden administration was suing SpaceX at the time.

NASA officials have not directly addressed these claims.

But during a March 7 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.

He also said there 'may have been conversations' in the Biden White House about delaying the return for political reasons, but he was not part of the discussions.

Williams and Wilmore are now expected to depart about two days after the Crew-10 astronauts' arrival.

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.'

This allows them to get the new crew up to speed on space station operations and ensures a smooth transition between teams.

But this time, NASA decided to shorten the handover period to just two days to conserve food on the ISS and open up more undocking opportunities for the Starliner crew in case the weather interferes with their targeted return date.

If Williams and Wilmore do splash down on Tuesday as planned, they will have spent a total of 286 days in space.
Whether alien life exists in the universe may be one of science's most important questions.

Now, a leading British scientist says she has a definitive answer.

Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a space scientist and presenter of The Sky at Night, says that humans must not be the only life forms in the universe.

And she argues that it is an example of 'human conceit' that we should think otherwise.

Speaking to The Guardian, Dame Aderin-Pocock claimed that science's discoveries about the size of the universe make it impossible for humans to be alone.

When asked if she thinks we're alone, she said: 'My answer to that, based on the numbers, is no, we can't be.

'It's that human conceit again that we are so caught up in ourselves that we might think we're alone.'

However, exactly where and why aliens could be hiding remains a mystery.

Leading British scientist Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock says that alien life must exist in the universe and that it is 'human conceit' to think otherwise

The expert explained that humanity is slowly realising just how insignificant we are on the grand scale of the universe.

While Aristotle's theory that the Earth was at the centre of the universe survived for centuries, each subsequent theory has shifted us further out of the limelight.

According to Dame Aderin-Pocock, the true moment of realisation came in the 19th century thanks to pioneering astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who first created a way of measuring the vast distances between the stars.

This discovery was the first time that humanity was able to get an accurate understanding of the scale of the universe.

'And then suddenly we realised that we were so much more insignificant than we ever thought,' she said.

Later, as the Hubble Space Telescope measurements showed there were approximately 200 billion galaxies other than our own, the fact that alien life must exist seemed inescapable to many scientists.

With current estimates suggesting there are potentially two trillion galaxies, even if the emergence of life is extremely rare, it is almost certain that life exists.

This fact, coupled with the total absence of evidence for alien life, is what scientists describe as the 'Fermi Paradox'.

Dame Aderin-Pocock says that the sheer size of the universe makes it certain that alien life must exist even if the chances of life emerging our very low. She says that 'based on the numbers' humanity cannot be alone in the universe (stock image)

What is the Fermi Paradox? The Fermi Paradox was created by physicist Enrico Fermi in 1950 in light of new discoveries about the scale of the universe. Fermi pointed out that, since the universe was so large, even if there is a low chance of life emerging aliens almost certainly exist. But, since we have not encountered any evidence of alien life, the question is: Where are all the aliens? This discrepancy between the high likelihood of alien life and our lack of evidence creates the paradox that many astronomers have attempted to solve. Advertisement

First proposed in 1950 by the physicist Enrico Fermi, this paradox asks why, if aliens are so abundant in the universe, have we not met any yet.

Since then, scientists have suggested various proposals including the possibility that life might be doomed to extinction before civilisations have a chance to make contact.

For her part, Dame Aderin-Pocock appears to suggest the answer may have more to do with our lack of knowledge.

She says: 'The fact we only know what approximately six per cent of the universe is made of at this stage is a bit embarrassing.'

These comments are in reference to the fact that humanity has only observed conventional matter, while dark matter and dark energy are believed to make up more than 90 per cent of the universe's total mass.

However, Dame Aderin-Pocock also acknowledges that life in the universe is fragile and that it doesn't take much for a civilisation to vanish before its time.

As our own planet's history shows, asteroid impacts are both relatively common and have the potential to wipe out entire species.

Just like an asteroid caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, it is not impossible that similar impacts could destroy alien civilisations or our own before we have time to make contact.

Since the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (pictured) revealed that there were even more distant galaxies yet to be discovered, scientists now believe that there are around two trillion galaxies in the universe. However, if this makes alien life a certainty the question becomes why we haven't encountered aliens yet

Recently, humanity's vulnerable position in the solar system was made abundantly clear as NASA discovered a 'city-killing' asteroid on a potential collision course with Earth.

Although that space rock, dubbed 2024 YR4, was ultimately revealed to be harmless, scientists warn that similar discoveries will become more common as our ability to spot asteroids improves.

'We live on our planet and, I don't want to sound scary, but planets can be vulnerable,' Dame Aderin-Pocock says.

For this reason, she supports further human missions to other planets.

'I won't say it's our destiny because that sounds a bit weird, but I think it is our future,' she said.

'So I think it makes sense to look out there to where we might have other colonies  on the moon, on Mars and then beyond as well.'

However, the expert also says that she has reservations about the 'battle of the billionaires' currently taking place between private space companies and warns that legislation is crucial.

She added: 'Sometimes it feels a bit like the wild west where people are doing what they want out there, and without the proper constraints I think we could make a mess again. And again, if there is an opportunity to utilise space for the benefit of humanity, let it be for all of humanity.'
Over-tourism is a hot topic in Greece with throngs of selfie-takers choking holiday hotspots like Santorini, Mykonos and Corfu.

But don't let that put you off the chance to get a taste of Greek life for yourself.

There are 227 inhabited islands across the Mediterranean, Aegean and Ionian Seas - some of which see very few tourists.

MailOnline Travel has selected five of the best below - all of which offer abundant sun, sand, sea and serenity without the crowds.

From the unspoiled charm and secluded beaches in Tilos, to the remote but tranquil Amorgos, these off-the-beaten-track Greek islands will have you keen to book a flight.

The hardest part will be choosing which one you head to first...

Tilos

MailOnline Travel has selected six of the best lesser-known Greek islands. Unforgettable Greece says: 'Tilos island (above) is still untouched by mass tourism and keeps its unspoiled charm'

In the Aegean Sea, Tilos lies midway between Kos and Rhodes - it has a permanent population of just 746 people and few tourists.

Tilos lies midway between Kos and Rhodes in the Aegean Sea - it has a permanent population of just 746 people and few tourists.

Unforgettable Greece says: Tilos is a tiny island of the Dodecanese, popular among free campers and people who are seeking quietness in their holidays.

'Tilos island is still untouched by mass tourism and keeps its unspoiled charm. The beaches are secluded  perfect for those who seek privacy.

The capital of Tilos is pint-sized Megalo Chorio which is situated at the base of a mountain with a Medieval Castle at the top while its busiest town is the port of Livadia.

Chios

Travel guide website Greeka notes: Chios (above) is a very beautiful island that is still quite untouched by tourism'

Greeka says Chios, shown here, is 'an excellent holiday destination

Chios, the fifth largest Greek island situated in the northern Aegean Sea close to Turkey, attracts some tourists in its main town, but has lots of quiet countryside and remains fairly low-key.

Travel guide website Greeka notes: Chios is a very beautiful island that is still quite untouched by tourism despite its various beauties such as its wonderful beaches and its superb medieval villages.

'Low tourism is due to the fact that Chios was economically self-sufficient for many years.

The tranquility and authenticity of Chios, along with its varied and verdant landscape, its fine villages and its idyllic beaches make this island an excellent holiday destination.

Kythira

Cycladia notes: Kythira (above) offers remarkable natural beauty and sightseeing attractions, along with wondrous beaches'

Discover Greece says: Kythira is a not-so-small island in the south of Peloponnese.

'Its not very easy to access, this is probably why its not touristically developed.

The island can be reached by ferry - several sail throughout the day - but if you want to fly youll need to stop in Athens before taking a second flight to Kythira Island National Airport.

The extra effort could be worth it though, as Cycladia notes: Kythira offers a remarkable natural beauty and sightseeing attractions, along with wondrous beaches in brief some of the best places to visit in Greece.

Amorgos

Amorgos is a 'favourite island for lovers of alternative tourism, nature and tranquillity', says travel guide website Greeka

Lonely planet says Kalotaritisas Bay (pictured) is the island's 'loveliest beach'

Greeka comments: Amorgos is not among the top holiday destinations in Greece; on the contrary, it is a remote island that has preserved its traditional architecture and old-fashioned way of life.

'A favourite island for lovers of alternative tourism, nature and tranquillity, Amorgos offers moments of relaxation and unique experiences.

Lonely Planet says: The ribbon of road that winds its way along the long Amorgos ridge of mountains, connecting the main villages, is among the most beautiful drives in the Cyclades.

It dubs Kalotaritisas Bay the island's 'loveliest beach'.

Samos

Samos, with a population of around 33,000, is better known than some islands on this list, but it boasts a plethora of relaxed, unostentatious areas

Discover Greece suggests tourists go to Mikri Lakka beach - one of those pictured above on the East of the island

Samos, with a population of around 33,000, is better known than some islands on this list, but it boasts a plethora of relaxed, unostentatious areas.

Lonely Planet says: Beyond its low-key resorts and the capital, Vathy, there are numerous off-the-beaten-track beaches and quiet spots in the cool, forested inland mountains where traditional life continues.

Villages like Manolates, Palaio Karlovassi, Platanos and Spatharei are 'quaint' and worth a visit, according to visitor Nicksy, on TripAdvisor.

Discover Greece suggests tourists go to Mikri Lakka beach, stating: It's one of the smaller and most secluded beaches in Samos, protected from the wind and with fine pebbles and shells and calm blue waters.
Choosing to live in a 2ft(0.6m)-wide house wouldn't be the first choice for most people.

Especially when you think the average size of a prison cell in the UK is approximately 6ft (1.8m) by 8ft (2.4m), according to Prison Guide.

But there are people willing to pay over the odds to do exactly this - just for the sea views - in Beirut.

There are also many other skinny buildings across the globe that you can go and squeeze into, either to buy or visit for the day.

You can even stay overnight in a dinky room in Poland.

We reveal the thinnest buildings from around the world - including a VERY tall New York skyscraper...

BRISTOL, UK: Approaching the property side on, this block of flats looks almost uninhabitable with the slither of wall pictured measuring up at only 3ft(0.9m)-wide, and only just big enough for a toilet cistern, local man Andy Bollan previously told MailOnline. But the skinniest part of the building opens out into a wedge shape for more space at the back

TOKYO: In 2015, Japanese studio YUUA Architects & Associates managed to slot a four-storey house (left) into an 8ft(2.5m)-wide space between two existing buildings, and named it '1.8m [6ft] Width House' - due to the width of the rooms inside (right)

SICILY, ITALY: In Petralia Sottana lies Casa du Currivu, an impossible-to-live-in house with walls measuring just 3ft(0.9m)-wide. According to local legend, the house was built in the 1950s by someone who simply wanted to block their neighbour's view of the Madonie mountains, following a dispute. For this reason, it's been known as the 'House of Spite' ever since. According to Sicilian Post, the house is 'worthless' and virtually empty inside, with a floor and staircase 'so tight that two people could not enter it together

BEIRUT, LEBANON: A spiteful local is said to have purposely erected the country's skinniest building in 1954, to ruin his brother's seafront view following a dispute over inheritance. The house - known as 'The Grudge' - is just 2ft (0.6m) at its narrowest point and 14ft (4.3m) at its widest and located in Beirut's Manara neighbourhood. Despite its small dimensions, the building can be lived in and includes rooms, a kitchen, windows and sweeping seafront views of the Mediterranean - and is, ironically, now one of Beirut's most valuable properties

VALENCIA, SPAIN: La Estrecha, meaning 'Narrow One', is just 3.5ft(1.1m)-wide. Located in Valencia's Plaza Lope de Vega, the five-storey building was originally built as a family home, with each floor made up of a single room. In the 1980s, the property became part of the restaurant next door, when a wall was knocked down, but the front door was preserved so it still looks like a different building

WARSAW, POLAND: Keret House (left) was built in 2012, as a memorial to Israeli filmmaker Etgar Keret's family, who were killed in the Holocaust. He became the first tenant. The two-storey building measures 3ft (0.9m) at its thinnest point and 5ft (1.5m) at its widest, and has one bedroom (right), a kitchen, a bathroom and a living area, as well as two non-opening windows. Since Etgar moved out of the house, it's become open to travelling writers wanting to stay a night

AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands' capital city is known for its narrow houses along the canals, and one of the skinniest is Singel 166, which has been there since 1634. The front of the house is 5.9ft(1.8m)-wide, but the house goes 52.5ft (16m) back, expanding to a width of 16.4ft (5m). According to That Dam Guide, the building was known as the 'long, narrow way between the whitewood worker and the butcher's' in the 1700s, but it's now a privately-owned residence. Picture courtesy of Creative Commons picture licensing

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO: With a width of approximately 5ft (1.5m), La Casa Estrecha ('The Narrow House') was used as an alleyway, before being given a roof and facade to be used as a house by architect Antonio Alvarez, who welcomes tourists in. According to Discover Puerto Rico, the house looks out onto San Juans bay and 'on a sunny day, you can see all the way to the town of Catano and the mountain range in the distance, including the islands tallest peak: Cerro Punta'

VANCOUVER, CANADA: The Sam Kee Building has the Guinness World Record for being the world's narrowest commercial building, and even has a sign saying 'Skinniest in the World' on the side. Located near Vancouver's Chinatown, the two-storey building's ground floor is 4.9ft(1.5m)-wide, while the upper floor spans 6ft (1.8m) due to its overhanging bay windows

NEW YORK: The world's skinniest skyscraper, Steinway Tower (pictured centre), opened in 2022. The 84-storey building, sat on Billionaires' Row in midtown Manhattan, has a height-to-width ratio of 24:1, standing at approximately 1,428ft(435m)-tall - but only 57ft(17m)-wide. This means it's also one of the tallest residential towers in the world, edged out by next-door neighbor Central Park Tower, which stands at 1,550ft (472m). The building overlooks Central Park and features 60 apartments - starting at $7.75million (6.25m) for a studio, and going up to $66million (53.2m) for the penthouse apartment
If you're a weary Londoner, the idea of an eight minute journey from Heathrow to Canary Wharf might sound too good to be true.

But it's set to become a reality, with the launch of a flying taxi service in Britain.

Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with Joby Aviation in a partnership that aims to offer 'seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK'.

The futuristic electric air taxis are designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers, and can hit impressive speeds of up to 200mph.

This means that the journey between Heathrow and Canary Wharf - which currently takes around 80 minutes by taxi - could be slashed to just eight minutes.

'As a leader in sustainability and with innovation firmly in our DNA, we are delighted to be partnering with Joby to bring short-haul, zero-emission flight to airports and cities throughout the UK,' said Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic.

'Our strategic partnership combines Joby's expertise in design, engineering and technology with the power of Virgin Atlantic's brand and award-winning customer experience.

'We look forward to working together to bring Joby's service to the UK and to deliver greater connectivity for our customers.'

If you're a weary Londoner, the idea of an eight minute journey from Heathrow to Canary Wharf might sound too good to be true. But it's set to become a reality, with the launch of a flying taxi service in Britain

Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with Joby Aviation in a partnership that aims to offer 'seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK'

Joby's electric air taxi features six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically.

Best of all, this means the air taxi produces a fraction of the noise of today's helicopters, allowing it to land in quiet areas with minimal disruption.

'From the beginning, we knew our aircraft had to fade into the background of life,' Joby explains on its website.

'Our expert team of engineers has dedicated years to delivering an aircraft that will be quiet enough to land in your neighborhood.'

According to Joby, the aircraft is also optimised for rapid, back-to-back flights, and will be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles.

'Flying with us might feel more like getting into an SUV than boarding a plane,' Joby added.

Initially, Virgin Atlantic and Joby will be offering journeys from hubs at London's Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, with a flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds expected to take just 15 minutes.

According to Google Maps, this same journey in a car currently takes around 1 hour 4 minutes.

Joby's electric air taxi features six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically. Best of all, this means the air taxi produces a fraction of the noise of today's helicopters, allowing it to land in quiet areas with minimal disruption

The journey between Heathrow and Canary Wharf - which currently takes around 80 minutes by taxi - could be slashed to just eight minutes

However, over time, this network could be extended to cities and communities throughout the UK.

A 'London Hub' network map shows how customers will be able to hail rides from London and its airports to Birmingham, Norwich, Portsmouth, Brighton, Canterbury, Cambridge, Oxford, and Readibng.

Meanwhile, the 'Manchester Hub' will operate across Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York, and Hull.

Unfortunately, the timeline for the roll-out remains unclear, as does the pricing.

However, Joby says its expects to offer prices that are 'comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options at launch.'

The news comes shortly after a 235,000 flying car that can fly over traffic jams was unveiled to the wolrd.

Alef Aeronautics' futuristic vehicle can be driven around like a normal car on the streets.

However, it is also packed with propellors in the bonnet and boot that allow it to take off at any time to skip the queue.

The 'Manchester Hub' will operate across Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York, and Hull

In February, the company successfully tested the flying car in a city environment for the first time.

Incredible footage showed the car driving forwards a few metres before taking off vertically.

It glided through the air over the car in front of it, before landing on the ground and driving off.

'This drive and flight test represents an important proof of technology in a real-world city environment,' said Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef.

'We hope it will be a moment similar to the Wright Brothers' Kitty Hawk video, proving to humanity that new transportation is possible.'
Staff cuts at the Education Department have become a concern for parents of children with disabilities as well as teachers across the United States.

The changes in the department are expected to make the process of parents advocating for their children much more difficult. When a parent believes that their kids are not receiving proper services or school accommodations for a disability, they can seek remedies from their district.

Education Department Staff Cuts

They are allowed to file complaints with their respective states and argue that their children's rights have been taken away without due process of law. They are also able to pursue litigation in state or federal courts.

Typically, these processes involve several sessions with hearing officers who are not required to be experts in disability law. There are also legal fees that could cost parents thousands of dollars for just a single case that should be taken into consideration.

Dan Stewart, the managing attorney for education and employment at the National Disability Rights Network, said that filing a complaint does not require or typically involve lawyers. However, advocates have argued that this option seems increasingly out of reach, according to NBC Washington.

The Education Department has had its workforce reduced by roughly half under United States President Donald Trump's administration. The affected staff include those in the Office for Civil Rights, whose attorneys are responsible for investigating complaints of discrimination against children with disabilities.

The employees have reportedly been directed to prioritize antisemitism cases instead, which means that the more than 20,000 pending cases have sat idle after Trump took office. While a freeze on processing the cases was lifted earlier this month, advocates question the department's capabilities to make progress with fewer employees.

Effect on Teachers

Stewart noted that the staff cuts are an "evisceration" of the Office for Civil Rights' investigatory authority and responsibility. He added that there was no way that it would be able to keep up with the backlog and incoming complaints, Time reported.

Following the staff cuts at the Education Department, Tara Kini, chief of policy and programs at the Learning Policy Institute argued that they would have "huge impacts" on teachers. She referenced the loss of federal money that previously went to funding teacher training programs as being one of the worst developments.

She added that the grants being stopped will result in fewer teachers being trained, particularly for subject areas that are considered high-need and have shortages across the nation, as per ABC News.
Spain has been named the top hotspot for tourist scams, with more than one million holidaymakers reported to have fallen victim to fraudulent activity.

A Go.compare study, which assessed figures from several countries using ONS and survey data, uncovered the top ten tourist destinations where travellers have fallen foul of scams.

High on the list of popular holiday spots targeted by scammers are France, USA and Greece.

However, Spain has been revealed as the top destination tourists are most likely to be caught up in a swindle - with a staggering 1,054,729 travellers having experienced a scam in the European country in the last five years.

Spain welcomed a record 94 million international visitors in 2024, the 'best year for tourism since records started,' as reported to AP by to Industry and Tourism Minister, Jordi Hereu.

But with one in every 61 tourists having fallen victim to a scam, holidaymakers who have planned a trip to the largest country in southern Europe have been warned to stay alert during their travels.

A list compiled from the insurance comparison site's findings revealed ten of the worst hit countries for scams, including Spain, France, USA, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands and Cyprus.

One in ten - or 212,000 - travellers who have visited France in the last five years have said they have been scammed, while 153,000 tourists have fallen victim to a con in the US during the same period.

Spain has been revealed as the top destination tourists are most likely to be caught up in a swindle (pictured: tourists taking a selfie at the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, 2024)

One in ten - or 212,000 - travellers who have visited France in the last five years have said they have been scammed (pictured: A tourist robbed by a gang of children at a cashpoint in Paris in 2013, photographed by Paris Match)

A further third of scam victims revealed that they experienced this in a country outside of the top ten hotpots included in the list.

Now, Rhys Jones, travel expert at Go.compare has urged travellers to stay vigilant no matter where they are in the world.

He says: 'Unfortunately, scammers target tourists who are unfamiliar with the area theyre visiting and can be easily caught off guard. But, by taking the right steps to protect yourself, you can head away on holiday without worrying.'

For those who believe they may have fallen victim to a scam, Rhys advises to report the incident to the local authorities, before notifying bank or credit card providers.

He also stresses the importance of changing passports to apps or online accounts containing personal or sensitive information while keeping an eye out for any further fraudulent activity.

He adds: 'Your embassy or consulate can also help if you need to cancel or replace lost documents.'

Most crucially, in the event of a scam, Jones urges travellers to claim under their travel insurance.

He says: 'Depending on your policy, you might be covered for money lost or other issues as a result of a scam.

Around 153,000 tourists have fallen victim to a con in the US in the last five years (pictured: tourists taking selfies at the top of The Edge in Midtown New York City, 2021)

A sign warning holidaymakers of pickpockets in Barcelona, Spain (stock image)

'For instance, policies can cover the cost of obtaining an emergency travel document to replace a stolen passport or any extra accommodation costs if you cant travel home as planned.'

Meanwhile, Paris tourists are being warned not to fall for websites selling fake admission tickets for museums and popular attractions in the French capital.

Among the tourist hotspots targeted by fraudsters is the newly-reopened Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, which underwent a five-year renovation following a devastating fire in April 2019.

Unsuspecting holidaymakers are said to be paying up to 60 (49.50) for 'fast-track' tickets allowing them to avoid long queues to see the historical church - even though there is no entry fee.
St Patrick's Day punters have revealed their disbelief at the price of a pint of Guinness at one of Dublin's most famous pubs.

Temple Bar in the heart of Dublin is famed for its 10am-2am live music sessions, flower-covered facade, 450-strong whiskey selection - and, more recently, for its 'extortionate' pricing.

Punters who want to enjoy a Guinness at the historic pub, in Dublin's busy Temple Bar area, to celebrate St Patrick's Day will have to fork out a whopping 10.45 or 8.79 for a pint.

Shockingly, a Guinness wasn't the most expensive pint on offer - a Heineken, Carlsberg, Smithwick's Pale Ale or Bulmer's Cider will set pub goers back 11.45 or 9.63.

According to the Irish Pub Guide, the average price of a pint of Guinness 'or any stout' in May 2024 in Ireland was 5.77 (4.84).

One man called the pricing 'obscene' while another likened the price list to 'robbery without violence'.

'They might as well serve you while wearing a striped jumper a eye mask,' one woman replied.

'That's why I stay away from the city centre,' a Dubliner said.

Punters who want to enjoy a Guinness at the historical pub, in Dublin's busy Temple Bar area, to celebrate St Patrick's Day will have to fork out a whopping 10.45 or 8.79 for a pint

Temple Bar in the heart of Dublin is famed for it's 10am-2am live music sessions, flower-covered facade, 450-strong whiskey selection - and, more recently, for its 'extortionate' pricing

'People need their heads looked at to pay that money,' someone added.

'These prices are unreal. Crazy. How the f*** are they charging this and still getting people through the doors? Mind blown,' another wrote.

A beer drinker in Northern Ireland replied bragging that he only paid 4.80 for a Guinness in Derry last week - less than half the price Temple Bar is charging.

The eye-watering pint prices have not been enough to deter Dublin visitors from flocking to the renowned venue as the the bar and surrounding streets are flooded with St Paddy's Day celebrators.

Some pointed out that Temple Bar's main clientele are tourists with one woman recalling: 'We were in Dublin not so long ago, we met a group of yanks in pub, they had a few drinks and asked for directions to TBar.'

'We told them they were nuts, yet they knew the costs and didnt care. They wanted to go there, go figure. They also said it was cheaper than New York'.

It comes after another Temple Bar hotspot was criticised for 'unjustifiable' prices when a customer shared a receipt for four pints of Guinness.

A visitor to the Oliver St John Gogartys pub, which is named after the famous Irish poet of the same name, was taken aback at their total after ordering a round of drinks.

While in  DERRY  pic.twitter.com/opj18FtbD8  Gerry from Derry All Tweets my Own Opinion (@GerryMckeever2) March 11, 2025

A beer lover in Northern Ireland replied bragging that he only paid 4.80 for a Guinness in Derry last week - less than half the price Temple Bar is charging

The Oliver St John Gogartys pub in Dublin has been slammed for 'unjustifiable' prices after a customer shared a receipt for four pints of Guinness

An 'outrageous' receipt was shared by a customer on X and re-shared by the Pints of Beauty account - which got more than 33,000 views.

The fuming punter ordered four pints for a total of 39.80 (32.98), meaning each one cost 9.95 (8.34).

The post read: 'Can someone please justify this to us? A full breakdown of why it has to cost 9.95 a pint?'

While Temple Bar is considered one of the most popular tourist destinations in Dublin, some have branded pubs in the area as 'a rip off'.

Many users rushed to the comments with some claiming you have to expect those prices in tourist hotspots.

One person wrote: 'So many good places outside of Temple Bar, its a surprise to me its kept going in its current form as long as it has.'

Another said: 'Its Temple Bar. Its been this way for many years.'

Someone else added: 'Cos you went to Temple Bar'. Meanwhile another added: 'You justified it for them by paying.'

Another X user disagreed that the pub was bad value, saying it was actually 'cheap' for Dublin.

He wrote: 'That's cheap for Dublin! Crazy that you can get it in places like Spain for half that when its literally made down the road.'

Another Guinness drinker weighed in: 'Paid 9 last October in there. Was a lovely pub but soon went round the corner where it was 5.90.'

Someone else added: 'Its even more expensive there after 11pm. The prices go up.'

FEMAIL has reached out to The Oliver St John Gogartys pub for comment.
Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis has vented his frustration as the long running soap faces the axe for a second time in less than two years, just as it hits its 40th anniversary on the air.

Stefan, 66, who has played the character of Paul Robinson on the series for four decades, says that the Neighbours special birthday episode now means 'nothing'.

In a new interview, Stefan said the show's cancellation means any celebrations around the soap's amazing track record has been 'completely overshadowed' by the sad news of its demise.

'It's really made the 40th anniversary a bit wishy-washy now,' he told TV Tonight on Monday.

'It's a bit of a shame, because it's an incredible accolade for an Australian show to say they've been going for 40 years other than other than news and current affairs.

'But unfortunately, that's now being completely and utterly overshadowed by the fact that the show is now on its way out.

Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis (pictured) has vented his frustration as the long running soap faces the axe for a second time in less than two years as its heads into its 40th anniversary on air

Stefan, 66, who has played the character of Paul Robinson on the series for four decades says that the Neighbours special birthday now means 'nothing' (pictured on Neighbours)

'So the 40th anniversary means nothing now. It's a bit of a shame.'

Stefan, who was part of the original Neighbours cast when it debuted in 1985, left the show in 1992, but returned in 2004.

Elsewhere in the chat, Stefan explained why he chose to speak out: 'Our show is about to go, so I'm not afraid to say anything anymore. I'm going to start speaking up.'

He also criticised Amazon for pulling it from Prime Video - even after it remains a ratings winner in the UK.

'Amazon, don't own it. Amazon just buy it to show it... but they not producing the show and that's where people get confused,' he said.

'Free to Air television is on the way out... As soon as the Free to Air television stations start realising that, and stop trying to drag their heels, like one particular one I won't mention, they're just sticking their head in the sand.'

Stefan teased that his character will be in for 'one of the biggest shocks in his life' as the Neighbours 40th anniversary gets under way this week.

It comes after show's cast learned of their fate online last month.

News broke in February that streaming giant Amazon would not be renewing the Neighbours' production deal.

In a new interview with TV Tonight Stefan said the show's cancellation means any celebrations around the show's amazing track record has been 'completely overshadowed' by the sad news of its demise (pictured in a a throwback image from the soaps heyday)

Pictured: Neighbours cast members Annie Jones and Stefan Dennis visit the UK in 1988

By the time the Neighbours cast and crew had gathered in Melbourne to hear the fate of their jobs, news had already spread globally that the long-running soap would be canned for a second time, reports the Herald Sun.

In a heartwarming post on Instagram and Facebook, 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.'

Neighbours will reportedly end production in July after production company Fremantle failed to agree on a new deal with Amazon.

The final ever episodes will air at the end of 2025 with fans forced to say goodbye to Ramsay Street for a second time.

Neighbours nearly ended forever two years ago when Channel 5, who part funded the soap for UK viewers, pulled out of their deal.

The final episode aired on July 29, 2022, and saw very famous faces return including Margot Robbie, Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce.

And mere months after its ratings success, it was confirmed that Amazon Freevee had given the show another lease of life and brought it back under a revamped production.

The newly-rebooted Neighbours premiered on Amazon in September 2023, but just less than two years on, it will be leaving screens for good.

Neighbours was aired on Freevee worldwide, but Amazon axed the free, ad-supported streaming service late last year, folding it under its Prime Video banner.

The beloved Australian soap opera first aired in 1985 and has been on screens for a staggering 40 years and has launched the careers of many Aussie megastars.
Amanda Abbington fought back the tears on This Morning on Monday as she recounted 'the hardest year of her entire life' - but defiantly insisted 'I don't regret what happened'.

The 51-year-old - who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023 - appeared on the ITV programme to chat to Ben Shephard, 50, and Cat Deeley, 48, about her brand new play This Is Not A Happy Room.

During the interview Cat touched upon the Strictly scandal which rocked the nation last year, after Amanda made claims about her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice.

Giovanni denied all allegations, and the Beeb's investigation ruled out her physical aggression and threatening behaviour, but claims of verbal bullying and harrassment were upheld, and they apologised to her.

Amanda said on This Morning: 'It has been tricky.

'We don't want to go over old ground and I don't regret what happened.

Teary-eyed Amanda Abbington defiantly insists she 'doesn't regret what happened' despite huge backlash to Giovanni Pernice bullying row causing 'hardest year of her life'

Presenter Cat touched upon the Strictly scandal which rocked the nation last year, after Amanda made claims about her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice

Amanda pictured with her former dance partner Giovanni Pernice - who competed together on Strictly in 2023

'It's time to move on.'

The actress couldn't holdback her emotion as she continued: 'It was one of the hardest years of my entire life,' and her voice started to crack.

But luckily Amanda has plenty to look forward to.

As well as her play, which starts later this month, she's also focusing on her son Joe, who has followed into her footsteps of acting.

She said: '[Joe] is starring in Stephen King's adaptation of The Institute.

'He didn't want me and his dad to be part of it, he didn't tell anybody.

'His instincts are completely there as an actor. I would be honoured to work with him. I would tell him if he was bad, it wouldn't be fair.'

Amanda also revealed to the presenters that her daschund has had a whopping eleven puppies.

It comes after Amanda confessed that she isn't sure if people 'like' her anymore.

In a new interview with The Times, Amanda has reflected on the aftermath of the row, remarking that she was made out to be the 'villain' in it all, before insisting that she has 'no regrets' about standing up for herself.

Strictly Come Dancing's Amanda Abbington has admitted that she's unsure if people still 'like' her anymore as she opens up on her future following the Giovanni Pernice bullying row

In July last year, the actress accused Pernice of 'unnecessary, cruel and mean behaviour' during their time dancing together on Strictly

While Giovanni's career appears to be back on track, with the dancer having recently won the Italian version of Strictly, Amanda has thrown herself into a new, yet somewhat less high-profile role in the play (This Is Not A) Happy Room - playing to a more intimate audience in a theatre behind a north London pub.

Speaking to publication's Dominic Maxwell, Amanda looked forward to the future and told how she would love to continue acting and even turn to directing down the line, but she isn't sure of the public opinion of her following the tough period in her life.

She shared: 'I dont know what the industry thinks of me at the moment. Ive been immersed in the aftermath of it all for a year. I dont know whether Ive been cancelled or whether people dont like me any more, but I know I did what I did for the right reasons. I feel good about the future.'

During the chat, she looked back on being in the thick of the furore in which Giovanni accused her of trying to destroy his career, but Amanda insists she was trying to suggest that they have a 'safe space' to 'take five minutes' to ensure they were all 'happy', but yet instead she said: 'I was made out to be the villain.'

She added: 'Last year was one of the worst years of my entire life. I was very close to having a breakdown because of the constant barrage of abuse and hideousness.'

Despite the difficult time, Amanda insists she doesn't 'regret anything' and in fact was 'glad' she spoke up for herself as she had never done so before, with the situation reminding her of being bullied as a child.

She told The Times: 'The fallout from it wasnt something I was anticipating, but Im glad I did it, I am. Im glad that I stood up for myself because its the first time Ive ever really done that.'

Amanda went on to say that her years of being 'bullied extensively' as a child gave her the push to take action against Giovanni and she can see how 'introverted' people become when being bullied.

A BBC investigation ruled in September that her claims of physical aggression and threatening behaviour were not upheld. However, complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld

Despite this, Amanda faced heavy backlash from the public, with the actress noting that she was subjected to '20 to 30 death threats a day' on social media

Amanda has reflected on the aftermath of the row, remarking that she was made out to be the 'villain' in it all, before insisting that she has 'no regrets' about standing up for herself

'I dont know what the industry thinks of me at the moment. Ive been immersed in the aftermath of it all for a year. I dont know whether Ive been cancelled or whether people dont like me any more'

She added that when she made her accusations, she was thanked and hugged by 'so many women', which she quipped was a nice changed from the numerous threats on social media.

With the ordeal now behind her, Amanda told how she can finally says she's 'actually happy' now as she looks to moving on with her life, adding that she's 'learnt a lot' about herself and can now 'block certain things' that she couldn't before.

Amanda is best known for playing Miss Mardle in Mr Selfridge and Mary Watson in Sherlock, the BBC adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective stories

Last year, she starred in a show at the Park Theatre in North London called When It Happens To You.

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1 from 10am and is available to stream on ITVX.
Married At First Sight's Homestays episode on Monday featured a segment with bride Jamie Marinos and groom Dave Hand returning to Melbourne, where a meeting with Jamie's sister caught fans' attention.

The couple met Jamie's sister, Georgia, who quizzed the couple about the rapid deterioration in their relationship.

But it was not the content of the conversation, but a detail in Georgia's appearance that stood out to viewers - the sibling's pouty lips.

The segment sparked an array of memes and comments to X.

'Jayzuz feck does Jamie's family get a bulk discount on silicone lip filler????' asked one viewer.

Married At First Sight saw the dramatic Homestays episode play out on Monday. Dave Hand and Jamie Marinos met up with Jamie's sister, Georgia (pictured)

One detail in Georgia's appearance stood out to viewers tuning into the episode

The blonde beauty had a luscious pout that captured the attention of the show's fans

'At Jamie's sister meet-up, I don't see lips. I see cocktail Frankfurts' another person commented.

'Jesus. I thought Jamie's lips were bad. Then her sister shows up with those,' one fan commented.

'How much lip filler does Jamie's sister Georgia have?' someone else asked with another saying, 'OMG, Jamie's family are all balloon lips!'

During the episode, Jamie refused to stay with Dave in her home, confessing the pair were currently 'separated'.

They were then grilled by Georgia, who questioned Dave on whether he was in love with Jamie.

Dave confessed he is not - and said he was struggling to have romantic feelings for her.

'Those feelings are instant. You know if they're a friend or if they're more. You know instantly. You don't have romantic feelings?' Georgia quizzed.

'I want to build on that. I do. I see the glimpses of the romantic things there' Dave said, pleading his case.

Sharing an array of memes and comments to social media platform X, fans of the show were quick to share their opinions

Jamie despaired: 'It's very clear he doesn't have those feelings right now but he's optimistic they will grow. But that concerns me this far into the experiment.

'And I feel like... but how are you going to develop feelings for me? How do you think you're going to get there?' she added.

Dave continued to argue that he was hoping to develop feelings, but it wasn't enough for Georgia or Jamie.

'I've fallen for someone who doesn't even show up the romantic sense' Jamie lamented.

'I don't know, I don't get it. Like, am I a sucker for punishment? 'Cause this man doesn't even have baseline romantic feelings for me yet'.

Many viewers commented that it was time to give up as Dave just does not want to be with her.

'Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, nobody wants to be married to someone who 'might fall in love if I work at it'. Time to set Dave free' one person posted.

'The first admission of him not being in to you, you should've listened Jamie. This is over' someone else commented.

During Tuesday's episode, Jamie refused to stay with Dave in her home, confessing the pair were currently 'separated'. Both pictured

Georgia grilled Dave on whether he had any romantic feelings for Jamie and he admitted that he didn't

'He's not going to develop feelings for you and he knows it Jamie,' a fan wrote.

'Okay Jamie. Enough already. Dave is trying. You gotta come his way now. Exhausted' said another.

'Jamie and her ultimatums have bought Dave to. No, he don't love you' was another comment.

Others said it was Dave who should cut the cord and tell Jamie that it's over.

'You don't have to love someone just because they love you. But you do have to be honest about it and walk away rather than hurting the other person further with that nasty little emotion called hope. The best thing Dave can do is call it,' one said.

'Dave tell her you want to be friends... You cannot build on what's not there... He's delaying the inevitable' a concerned viewer posted.

Some were critical of how Jamie and her sister badgered Dave about his feelings.

'Dave might've handled it badly but what's this obsession of grilling him for NOT already being in love with Jamie?' one said.

Dave argued that he was hoping to develop feelings, but it wasn't enough for Georgia or Jamie

Jamie despaired: 'It's very clear he doesn't have those feelings right now but he's optimistic they will grow. But that concerns me this far into the experiment'

'People don't fall in love at the same pace. Don't understand this reaction from Jamie and her sister' they added.

The drama had also played out during Sunday's episode, when Jamie confronted Dave for letting her down and not returning her feelings.

Instead of apologising or bringing her flowers, as Jamie had hoped, Dave instead blamed her for 'coming at me' and 'making demands'.

Jamie was furious, and lashed out at her husband for his 'bulls**t excuses' and 'casting his problems onto her'.

'He should be ashamed of himself' she raved amid a torrent of curse words that had to be bleeped.

'I'm not writing 'stay' tonight. There is no chance' she added of the upcoming Commitment Ceremony.

'He's an absolute liar. We don't need that psycho' she added.
Channel Seven breakfast show Sunrise suffered an epic fail on Monday after hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington struggled to communicate with a contest winner.

The co-hosts rang up a viewer in regional Victoria to inform him they had won 250,000 Qantas Points and a $1,000 bp fuel voucher.

However, the pair quickly became red-faced when Benalla resident Rene had trouble hearing them and asked them to repeat themselves several times.

'Our producer is calling their number right now. Drum roll please!' an excited Shirvo told viewers as they connected him to the winner.

'Hello! Is that Rene?' Nat asked to which the confused winner responded: 'I'm sorry, I can't hear you. I'm not sure what's happening.'

Nat then raised her voice and excitedly told Rene: 'Can you hear us now? Because you have won 250,000 Qantas points!'

Channel Seven breakfast show Sunrise suffered an epic fail on Monday after hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington struggled to communicate with a contest winner

However, the pair quickly became red-faced when Benalla resident Rene had trouble hearing them and asked them to repeat themselves several times

Unfortunately, he still couldn't understand the hosts and responded: 'I'm so sorry, I can't hear you!'

'Oh, this is going so well! Just whack your TV on because you have won!' a frustrated Shirvo said.

A crew member then handed Nat a piece of paper with the word 'Won' on it and she held it up to the camera for Rene, who finally understood what was happening.

'Oh, this is so great! I just wish I could hear you. This is so amazing,' he told them.

The co-hosts then mimed a plane taking off as they asked him where he wanted to travel to.

After some struggle, Rene told them he wanted to go to Perth to visit his grandchildren.

Nat then made a heart symbol with her hands as she told him he would love it there and held up another piece of paper with the word 'Congrats' on it.

'Let's hope the pilots have better communication with the tower when they are landing,' Shirvo quipped after the call ended.

After some struggle, Rene told them he wanted to go to Perth to visit his grandchildren

In August, it was reported that Sunrise has continued its long-running reign as Australia's number one breakfast show.

The program beat Channel Nine's Today with a 43.2 per cent share of the metro audience on average throughout 2024 - 2.4 points ahead of its rival.

The victory for Seven is especially sweet since Nine was expected to edge ahead in the ratings war after Today played a prominent role in the network's coverage of the Olympics.

According to TV Tonight, the latest Total TV figures show Sunrise has averaged a national audience of 389,100 in the calendar year.

Today, hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo, meanwhile has managed a Total TV audience of 325,300 over the same period.

The national Total TV ratings combine the metro survey with viewers in regional centres and fans catching the show using broadcast-on-demand platforms.

Sunrise also scored 3.1 million viewers via social platforms, with 1.58 million YouTube play backs a month to date.

Weekend Sunrise also produced strong ratings with 383,700 Total TV viewers on average in the year to date against Today's 287,600.
Stan has provided a first look at season two of Scrublands.

The new season of the popular mystery, subtitled Silver, sees the return of stars Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote.

Set a year after the explosive events of Scrublands, award-winning investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold) returns to his coastal hometown of Port Silver to start a new life with partner Mandy Bond (Heathcote).

But when he arrives to find his childhood friend Jasper brutally murdered  and Mandy accused of the crime  Martin is thrown into a web of doubt, deception, and long-buried secrets.

Determined to uncover the truth and clear Mandys name, Martin is forced to confront his past while navigating the dangerous secrets of his hometown.

It is set to premiere on Thursday April 17, only on Stan.

Stan has provided a first look at season two of Scrublands. The new season of the popular mystery, subtitled Silver, sees the return of stars Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote

Set a year after the explosive events of Scrublands, award-winning investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold) returns to his coastal hometown of Port Silver to start a new life with partner Mandy Bond (Heathcote)

Joining Arnold and Heathcote is an all-star Australian cast, including Luke Carroll (The Artful Dodger), Debra Lawrance (Please Like Me), Tasma Walton (The Twelve), Luke Pegler (Hacksaw Ridge) and Caroline Brazier (Stan Original Series Year Of).

The first season is based on Chris Hammer's best-selling and award-winning 2018 novel Scrublands, while the second season is based on material from its 2019 sequel, Silver.

Scrublands: Silver is produced by Easy Tiger in association with Third Act Stories and co-commissioned by Stan and the 9Network.

The series will offer plenty of twists and looks to be perfect viewing for fans of other Stan productions such as The Hack and Invisible Boys.

Scrublands: Silver returns to the action after the events of the first season, and promises another thrilling crime story.

It has major production investment from Screenwest, Lotterywest and the WA Regional Screen Fund.

9Network Head of Drama Andy Ryan said the series is sure to captivate viewers: 'Set in the stark coastal beauty of Western Australia, Scrublands: Silver will wow audiences with a gripping crime mystery in a unique environment.'

Veteran Australian filmmaker Ben Young, who has previously directed the popular shows The Twelve and Clickbait, is at the helm and it is adapted for the screen by Underbelly writer Felicity Packard.

The first season is based on Chris Hammer's best-selling and award-winning 2018 novel Scrublands, while the second season is based on material from its 2019 sequel, Silver

All four episodes of Scrublands series one are streaming now, only on Stan

In 2023, Luke Arnold told Daily Mail Australia he was thrilled to bring Hammer's story to life on the screen as it is a 'great whydunnit' which investigates the reasons behind a shocking crime.

'It is about motive, history and what people are going through. There's tragedy, romance, action, it's got everything and deeper layers than your usual mystery,' he said.

He said part of the reason the show is so good is it had such a supportive cast and crew working on it, who were all committed to bringing a singular vision to life.

'It is a great Australian drama which moves at a great pace. Hammer's writing is so great and we had a great team, Wolf Creek director Greg McLean and Felicity Packard.'

Luke added another good thing about the show is it has an all-star cast of popular Australian actors who light up the screen together.

'I had a few days with Adam Zwar who plays a cop and a chunk of time with Bella Heathcote. There were all these different energies,' he said.

All four episodes of Scrublands series one are streaming now, only on Stan.
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Married At First Sight groom Adrian Araouzou has broken his silence on one of the show's most controversial moments.

The 30-year-old sportswear brand owner revealed why he refused to take part in a key challenge in a rogue TikTok on Sunday night.

He said he was unfairly portrayed during the emotional letter writing challenge, claiming he was 'stitched up' by producers.

'I can say that time I didn't write the letter, they made me look bad, but it was like 10 o'clock at night again...' he said.

'The real reason behind me not writing that letter was because it was about a pivotal moment in your life that changed you for the better, right? And obviously, I knew Awhina [Rutene] was going to write about her son, and I wrote a letter, but then I'm like, I don't want a sob story.'

'I don't want people to be like, "Oh, poor Adrian." That's just not my style.'

Married At First Sight groom Adrian Araouzou has broken his silence on one of the show's most controversial moments. Pictured

He said he was unfairly portrayed during the emotional letter writing challenge, claiming he was 'stitched up' by producers. Pictured with Awhina Rutene

Adrian admitted that he could have handled the situation better.

'I should have been like, "Hey Awhina, this is why I don't want it, because I don't want to look like poor me. I don't want to tell the world everything. I'm happy to tell you off-camera, and I don't want that to take away from your story, so I still want to hear your story."'

'That is how I should have handled it, but I didn't,' he said.

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Adrian also opened up about his struggles with expressing emotions in relationships.

'I wasn't raised in that environment. I was loved, but I didn't see love. So I find it hard to give it to other people, if that makes sense,' he said.

'If Awhina's crying, as much as I want to give her a hug I feel like it's forced. I've got to force it, and that's not healthy, and I understand that.'

He admitted that after watching himself on the show, he realised he needed to become more empathetic and work on understanding his partner's emotions.

In an unexpected revelation, Adrian also admitted to taking up vaping on set, claiming it was a common habit among cast members.

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Adrian also opened up about his struggles with expressing emotions in relationships

'I got on the vapes on the show, bro. I got hooked. I'm off them now. But, f***, everyone did at one stage.'

While he didn't name names, his comments suggest that many contestants turned to vaping during filming.

Fans also grilled Adrian on rumours that co-stars Dave Hand and Veronica Cloherty had a secret fling, but he was quick to shut down the speculation.

'Did Dave hook up with Veronica? Nah. 100 percent nah. Who knows, but I highly doubt it. Dave's not the type of guy, and I don't think Veronica would be that dumb enough to.'
Danny Jones's wife Georgia went to stay with a friend to gain some space from the situation for a few days after he kissed Maura Higgins at the BRITs.

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a kiss with the Love Island star, 34, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month, and said in his apology on Friday he was sorry for putting Georgia 'in this situation.'

But despite his grovelling, a source told MailOnline that Georgia took some time away from her husband as she stayed over at her and Danny's best friends' house.

Georgia is said to have stayed with her friend for some 'girly time' to distract herself from everything that has been going on.

However the source insisted Georgia only left the family home temporarily and the couple are 'working on things behind closed doors'.

Danny Jones 's wife Georgia went to stay with a friend to gain some space from the situation for a few days after he kissed Maura Higgins at the BRITs (Seen in September)

Despite his grovelling, The Sun has reported that Danny's wife Georgia is taking time away from her husband and moved in with a friend called Rose on Wednesday

On Sunday, Georgia returned to social media for the first time since he issued a grovelling apology for his drunken kiss.

Taking to Instagram, Georgia shared a picturesque post of blooming daffodils, with the caption: 'SPRING.'

It comes after sources said Georgia is keen to avoid being seen as a 'pushover' by forgiving Danny too fast.

Two days after making a cringeworthy return to social media, Danny released a statement apologising to his wife Georgia for 'putting her in the situation'.

The pair were also pictured on a tense outing together on Tuesday, with sources telling The Mail that it was a last-ditch attempt by Danny's team to preserve a united front.

An insider recently told The Sun that Georgia was left feeling 'uneasy' by the photos, with a source saying: 'This whole situation has been incredibly embarrassing for Danny and Georgia.

'They are keen to work through things together and move on. But Georgia does not want people to think she's a pushover and that all is forgiven already.

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a kiss with the Love Island star, 34, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month, and said in his apology on Friday he was sorry for putting Georgia 'in this situation' (Seen with their son)

'She was concerned that the photos of her and Danny together gave the impression that everything is fine, when that is very much not the case.'

On Instagram, two weeks after the incident took place, Danny took to Instagram to issue an apology to his wife.

He said: 'Hello everyone. Sorry its taken me a while to post this but I've taken some time out to be with those closest to me.

'I want to deeply apologise to my wife and family for putting them in this situation. I love then so much and we'll continue to deal with this privately.

'I love you guys, thank you for you patience, understanding, and support. See you all soon, Danny.'

The source said that while they may still be married, Danny and Georgia are 'not together' (Seen in December)

Two days after making a cringeworthy return to social media, Danny released a statement on Friday apologising to his wife Georgia Horsley for 'putting her in the situation'

A source close to the musician told the Mirror that 'He has been mortified about what's happened and the awful situation he has put everyone in.

'He cares so deeply about his family and hopes his words will draw a line under what has been a deeply upsetting time for everyone. Georgia and his son are absolutely everything to him.'

They added: 'He and Georgia are living together and trying to work things through but he is not out of the woods.

'He will be in the doghouse for a while yet.'
Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy almost had a supremely awkward interaction while attending the Rolling Loud festival in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The 13-year-old nepo baby was glimpsed at the musical festival as she chatted with some pals who had joined her while waiting in line.

But nearby at the festival, the embattled rapper Diddy's twin daughters D'Lila and Jessie Combs, 17, were spotted.

The potential run-in would have been particularly cringe-inducing, as Blue's father Jay-Z was wrapped up in the controversy surrounding the twins' father after he was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Diddy at an afterparty for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.

Jay-Z vehemently denied the allegations, while Diddy has denied each of the numerous accusations of sexual harassment levied against him, as well as the federal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering and other offenses he was hit with last year.

Blue's father was eventually off the hook after the accuser's attorney asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit last month.

Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy almost had a supremely awkward interaction while attending the Rolling Loud festival in LA on Saturday when she almost ran into Diddy's twin daughters D'Lila and Jessie Combs, 17

Blue kept her festival look relaxed and low key with an all black-ensemble.

She wore her hair in long braids draped down her back, and she also covered up in a pair of black sunglasses.

She was pictured chatting with a group of other young women, but neither of her famous parents appeared to have joined her at the festival.

Diddy's twins opted for the opposite strategy when choosing their festival attire.

D'Lila and Jessie were unmissable in matching all-white ensembles featuring fuzzy while jackets that they wore draped over their shoulders.

The girls wore white, slightly cropped long-sleeve shirts and baggy sweat pants, along with fuzzy white shoes that complemented their jackets and their furry white hats.

The two also sported their standard long braids.

The twins have made public displays of support for their embattled father after they attended his court hearings with their older brother, Christian 'King' Combs, 26.

Blue opted for low-key black, but the twins wore attention-grabbing all-white ensembles with fuzzy coats, shoes and hats as they took in the music festival

The twins have made public displays of support for their embattled father after they attended his court hearings with their older brother, Christian 'King' Combs, 26; pictured together in November in NYC

Blue's family was pulled into the drama surrounding Diddy and his alleged crimes after her father was accused in a lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside the rap mogul; seen February 2 in LA

Blue's family was pulled into the drama surrounding Diddy and his alleged crimes after her father was accused in a lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside the rap mogul.

Although the two had publicly been friendly for years, Jay-Z (real name: Shawn Carter) had attempted to distance himself from the imprisoned rapper after multiple allegations of sexual assault came to light against him beginning in 2023.

Although he was seemingly out of the woods after being dismissed from the recent lawsuit, the controversy took a new twist after the woman at the center of the case  referred to only as Jane Doe  claimed that Jay-Z's private investigators twisted her words to make it look as if she had retracted her rape allegations in a taped conversation.

Last week, in a recording released by the rapper's lawyers, his accuser seemingly walked back her claim that he had sexually assaulted her.

But in documents obtained by TMZ, Doe told the judge that the two investigators, Charlotte Henderson and James Butler, showed up 'uninvited' to her home in Alabama.

During their interaction, Doe claims she 'trembled the entire time' they spoke to her and she was in no way 'calm, natural or at ease' as the men described her.

Doe also shut down their story that she 'told them four times Jay-Z was not involved' in her alleged rape following the 2000 VMAs in New York City.

'I never stated (whether once or 4 times) that Mr. Carter did not assault me,' she said in the documents.

However, the lawyer representing the Jane Doe asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit against Jay-Z in February; pictured in December in Hollywood

Last week, Jay-Z's rape accuser claimed his private investigators twisted her words to make it look as if she retracted her rape allegations in a taped conversation (seen in 2024)

In the tapes, obtained by ABC News, Doe can mostly be heard responding 'yeah' to their questions.

At one point, however, she seemed to claim her attorney, Tony Buzbee, pushed her to sue Jay-Z.

Now, Doe says she never 'made any such statement' about Buzbee to 'Henderson or any other person.'

Doe also seemed to allude the tape was edited to paint her in an unflattering light.

For example, Doe says when she asked the men 'how does this help me' during the conversation, she claims it sounds like she is asking what's in it for her.

But Doe insists that her question was a response to Henderson allegedly yelling, 'We're trying to help you.'

In the tapes, Doe alleged to private investigators that her attorney pushed her to sue Jay-Z, who is reportedly worth $2.5 billion.

'He was the one that kind of pushed me towards going forward with him, with Jay-Z,' she said in the recording.

Jane Doe claimed in a since-dropped lawsuit that she was raped by Jay-Z and Diddy after the 2000 VMAs in New York City (Jay-Z and Diddy pictured in 2020)

When investigators asked specifically if she was speaking about Buzbee, she said: 'Yeah.'

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Buzbee said: 'I spoke to Jane Doe immediately after being contacted by ABC. Her position is very clear and has never changed. The tape is a pieced together fabrication. The investigators tormented and harassed and tricked that poor woman and took what she said out of context and secretly recorded her.'

'She stands by her claim that Jay Z was there at the party and that he assaulted her. She has never wavered on that point, not once,' Buzbee added.

Earlier in the tape, when asked about her claim that Jay-Z (born Shawn Corey Carter) raped her at an VMAs afterparty, when she was 13, she appeared to recant.

Per an excerpt of the audiotape, one of the investigators, asked: 'He was just there, but he didn't have anything to do with any sexual acts towards you?'

'Yeah,' Jane Doe replied after previously naming him in a sexual assault case, which was filed in December 2024 and dismissed last month.

On Wednesday's episode of Good Morning America, Jay-Z's lawyer, Alex Spiro, detailed his efforts to clear his client's name and spoke about the tapes.

'People around Mr. Carter wanted to know what happened behind closed doors and, so, they asked for her to be interviewed,' Spiro said.

Doe also shut down their allegation that she 'told them four times Jay-Z was not involved' in her alleged rape following the 2000 VMAs in New York City or that her attorney, Tony Buzbee, pushed her to sue the star (Buzbee pictured in 2023)

Jay-Z said in a statement, last month after the lawsuit was dismissed, that it felt like a 'victory'

Last month, it was revealed that Jay-Z sued Jane Doe and Buzbee as he claimed the 'lies' and 'extortionate threats' made by them led him to a $20 million loss and traumatized his family

'The interview occurred and the tape speaks for itself,' he explained. 'She says -- in no uncertain terms -- Mr. Carter did not do this. It is effectively a lie. The only reason Mr. Carter is even involved in this is because she was pushed to involve him  pushed to include him -- by a lawyer.'

In a statement provided to ABC News, Spiro, also denied that Jane Doe ever had any interaction with his client.

'Mr. Carter doesn't know Jane Doe, never met Jane Doe. There's no truth to any of this,' Spiro said.

Jay-Z said in a statement, last month after the lawsuit was dismissed, that it felt like a 'victory.'

'The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone,' he said.

The 99 Problems hitmaker went on to reveal the toll that the case has taken on his entire family.

The statement continued: 'The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.

'This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed.'

'The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed,' Jay-Z said in a statement (Jay-Z seen with his eldest daughter Blue Ivy in 2023)

'The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed,' Jay-Z said in a statement (Jay-Z seen with his eldest daughter Blue Ivy in 2023)

He finished off the emotional statement with a commentary on the court system and sexual assault allegations as a whole.

Jay-Z concluded: 'The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.'

In February, it was also revealed that Jay-Z sued Jane Doe and Buzbee as he claimed the 'lies' and 'extortionate threats' made by them led him to a $20 million loss.

The Empire State Of Mind artist accused the defendants in the case, in addition to attorney David Fortney, of 'malicious prosecution, abuse of process, civil conspiracy and defamation,' according to legal documents filed in Alabama and reviewed by Dailymail.com.

In the legal complaint, Jay-Z says the defendants 'were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency.'

Diddy's attorney has also released a statement taking aim at opposing attorney Buzbee which read: 'Today's complete dismissal without a settlement by the 1-800 attorney is yet another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts.

'For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them.

'Sean Combs has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyoneman or woman, adult or minor. No number of lawsuits, sensationalized allegations, or media theatrics will change that reality. We will continue to fight these baseless claims and hold those responsible. This is just the first of many that will not hold up in a court of law.'

The accuser, who identifies herself as Jane Doe in legal documents reviewed by Dailymail.com back in December, had said the assault took place at a party after the award show.

This Tuesday evening, the day before news broke of the latest development, Jay-Z was spotted headed to dinner at a celebrity hot spot in West Hollywood.

His venue of choice was the upscale Japanese eatery Sushi Park, where he was accompanied by art dealer Jaime Frankfurt.
A pregnant 16-year-old girl from Brazil was found buried with her baby cut from her womb after she was reportedly lured by a woman who offered her free clothes.

Local authorities revealed in a press conference on Mar. 14, 2025, that the victim, identified as Emilly Azevedo Sena, was nine months pregnant at the time of the incident. Civil Police Chief Caio Albuquerque of the city of Cuiaba said that the teenager has been missing since Mar. 12, 2025.

Pregnant Teen Found Buried in Backyard

The teen's body was discovered buried in the backyard of a home in the Jardim Florianopolis neighborhood the day after she was reported missing. Albuquerque added that authorities have since arrested a woman in connection with the crime.

The police chief added that the woman who was taken into custody admitted to having experienced a miscarriage six months before the crime. However, she claimed that she did not tell her husband or family about the unfortunate development and acted as if she was still pregnant, according to People.

Albuquerque said in an official statement that law enforcement authorities received a call from a local hospital on Mar. 13, 2025, when a woman arrived with her husband and a newborn baby that the woman was claiming was her own.

Staff at the hospital later grew suspicious of the woman as they found that she showed no signs of a recent birth or pregnancy. Law enforcement officials later arrived at the hospital to investigate the matter, which resulted in them going to the couple's home and finding Sena's body.

The suspect in the case has been identified as 25-year-old Nataly Helen Martins Pereira, who has been charged with triple-qualified homicide. This refers to vile motives, cruel means, and means that made it impossible for the victim to defend herself, TooFab reported.

Cutting a Baby From the Mother's Womb

Additionally, officials charged the suspect with concealment of a corpse and registering someone else's birth as her own. Police also questioned the woman's husband, brother, and friend but they were all been released without being charged.

Albuquerque added that the investigation into the matter is still ongoing, noting that future charges are still possible. Authorities are also planning to have the suspect's other three kids undergo DNA tests to make sure that they are biologically hers.

Pereira reportedly lured Sena on the pretext of giving her some free baby clothes for her soon-to-be-born child. However, after the teenager was inside the home, the suspect allegedly attacked her, forcibly removing the infant from her womb, and strangling the victim to death, as per NDTV World.
Mason Disick made his first social media post since his mom, Kourtney Kardashian, addressed the rumors that he had a 'secret' baby.

On Sunday, the teenager posted a photo of himself on his Instagram Story while hanging out with his friends.

He covered his mouth while he stood on a patio at night alongside his friend, who had his back turned to the camera, while another snapped the photo.

The pair stood beside a table, which had a lit candle positioned at the center and an espresso martini set near the edge.

His post was accompanied by musical artist ian's song, Out West, in which he sings about 'growing up too fast.'

His post comes shortly after his mother addressed the rumors that the 15-year-old 'secretly' fathered a child with one of his classmates.

On Sunday Mason Disick made his first social media post since his mom, Kourtney Kardashian, addressed the rumors that he had a 'secret' baby

The reality star recently denied wild claims her reclusive teenager had fathered a child

In the photo, the eldest son of Kardashian, 45, and Scott Disick, 41, and his friend were both decked out in Chrome Hearts and sported baggy jeans.

The famous teenager, whose last grid post was from the summer of 2024, sported a pink hoodie with designs on the sleeves.

He paired the colorful sweatshirt with a shiny silver belt chain and black, wide-leg jeans.

At the beginning of the month, his mother was forced to break her silence after rampant and unsubstantiated rumors about Mason started circulating on social media.

Kardashian shut down the theories that her eldest child had quietly welcomed a daughter named Piper last year with a classmate.

On March 2, the eldest Kardashian sibling took to her Instagram Story to deny the rumors.

'I rarely address rumors or conspiracies regarding myself or my family, but this is about my child and it feels wrong to let anyone think for a second that these lies are remotely true. They are not.'

The mother-of-four wrote: 'Mason does not have a child. These accounts that pretend to be him are definitely not. They are FAKE.

His post comes shortly after his mother addressed the rumors that the 15-year-old fathered a child with one of his classmates; pictured alongside brother Reign Disick

At the beginning of the month, his mother was forced to break her silence after rampant and unsubstantiated rumors about Mason started circulating on social media. Kardashian shut down the theories that her eldest child had quietly welcomed a daughter named Piper last year with a classmate; pictured with sister Penelope Disick

She went on to ask the public to 'please stop spreading false narratives and spinning lies.' 'And to all the other people making videos about my kids (who, by the way, are minors), please stop and leave them alone,' she concluded; pictured with Scott Disick as well as Kim Kardashian and her kids

'My son really values his privacy, and I am asking all media to please be respectful: He is a kid with feelings and a beautiful life ahead of him.'

She went on to ask the public to 'please stop spreading false narratives and spinning lies.'

'And to all the other people making videos about my kids (who, by the way, are minors), please stop and leave them alone,' she concluded.

Just days before her statement, a social media account purporting to be Mason's 'secret Instagram' posted photos of a baby girl and claimed it was his daughter in follow-up posts.
Gal Gadot joined fellow Disney villains while promoting her much-maligned new film, Snow White, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California on Sunday.

The Wonder Woman star, 39  who stars as the Evil Queen  was pictured snapping a selfie with a number of other nefarious Disney characters, including Maleficent, Hades, and Jafar.

The actress also took a snap with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

The Israeli beauty wowed in a sleeveless burgundy dress for the occasion. Her brunette hair was styled in light waves, and she accessorized with dangling earrings.

The night prior Gal attended the scaled back premiere of Snow White held at LA's El Capitan Theatre.

The film has previously been branded woke over fears it has prioritized its messaging over authentic storytelling - while it is claimed there is a feud between the two leading actresses Gal and Rachel Zegler.

Gal Gadot, 39, joined fellow Disney villains while promoting her much-maligned new film, Snow White, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California on Sunday

And while she and Gal painted on smiles to pose for snaps together, fans were quick to spot the tension between them, amid claims of a feud behind the scenes.

One person on X observed, 'Those are some bad, fake, forced smiles; none of the smiles are reaching their eyes.'

Another agreed, adding, 'Guarantee the smiles dropped as soon as they were done with the picture.'

In reference to a photo featuring producer Marc E. Platt between the two actresses, someone commented, 'He's holding them back like two wild beasts trying to kill each other.'

Another person shared a photo of enemies feigning camaraderie while wielding weapons behind their backs, comparing the image to Rachel and Gal.

It has been widely speculated that there is a behind-the-scenes clash between the live action film's two leading stars.

It's believed to be over their opposing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Gadot is notably from Israel.

A source recently told People that the two stars 'have nothing in common' and added, 'On top of that, their political views differ, adding to the tension.'

With the film hit by a string of controversies, bosses opted for a low-key afternoon screening where local children were the guests of honor.

The Wonder Woman star  who stars as the Evil Queen  also took a snap with Mickey and Minnie Mouse

The night prior Gal attended the scaled back premiere of Snow White held at LA's El Capitan Theatre

Her co-star Rachel Zegler was also present, amid rumors of a 'feud' between the two leading ladies over their opposing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

A source recently told People that the two stars 'have nothing in common' and added, 'On top of that, their political views differ, adding to the tension'; pictured with producer Marc E. Platt

Having previously been absent from the film's secret Spanish screening, this time Gal was in attendance alongside star Rachel, with the pair posing for stilted snaps together

Having previously been absent from the film's secret Spanish premiere earlier this week, this time Gal was in attendance alongside star Rachel, with the pair posing for stilted snaps together.

Shining a light on bosses' attempts to limit the difficult questions Rachel could face about the film, a select number of photographers, far smaller than the number expected for a Disney premiere, were invited.

Following a series of scandals and PR nightmares that have beset the Snow White remake, Disney have scaled back the planned lavish premieres to a 'handful' of tightly controlled press events.

Noting the number of children that made up the guest list, the screening, held at LA's El Capitan Theatre, took place at 3:30pm after a pre-party celebration that lasted just 90 minutes, according to Variety.

Instead of a vast array of press, which would be expected for a big-budget Disney film, the only interviewers the cast faced were employed by Disney, such as Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the studio's 1989 animation The Little Mermaid.

Cast members Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Andy Grotelueschen, Emilia Faucher, Lorena Andrea, Dujonna Gift, and Idris Kargbo, as well as director Marc Webb, screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, producers Marc Platt and Jared LeBoff, songwriters Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, composer Jeff Morrow and cinematographer Mandy Walker also walked the red carpet.

Putting the focus on local children who were invited to the event, the pre-party celebration featured an array of sponsored activities to entertain the young guests while they waited.

Many children attending the premiere were from the San Fernando and Malibu chapters of the Boys & Girls Club.

Following a series of scandals and PR nightmares that have beset the Snow White remake, Disney have scaled back the planned lavish premieres to a 'handful' of tightly controlled press events; Gal seen in a still from Snow White

Snow White will hit theaters on March 21; Zegler seen in a still

Zegler previously criticized David Hand's 1937 original animated film as 'extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power and what a woman's fit for in the world'

During the screening, Rachel did briefly address the backlash that has surrounded the film.

Speaking about the reaction she's had as the movie's young star, Rachel explained she interprets people's feelings about it as 'their passion for' the character.

She said: 'What an honor to be a part of something for which people feel so much passion. We're not always going to have the same sentiments as those around us and all that we can do is give the best of ourselves.'

The actress posed for snaps in a pale pink ballgown with a flowing satin skirt, stopping to meet some of the young fans attending, who were dressed up as the iconic Princess.

Snow White will hit theaters on March 21.
Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne has died aged 43 of a rare cancer, her family and agent have revealed.

The award-winning actress - who starred in BBC drama The Missing as police officer Laurence Relaud - passed away Sunday in a hospital just outside of Paris.

She revealed in October 2023 that she was suffering from adrenocortical carcinoma, a cancer of the adrenal gland.

By April 2024, Dequenne shared the uplifting news of her complete remission, expressing her determination to return to her career and to life as she knew it.

'I was close to forgetting because I was leaving the hospital today after 13 days... What a tough battle,' she wrote on social media.

But, tragically, her health took a turn for the worse when she suffered a relapse of her illness at the end of last year.

On December 1, she told French television show TF1 she was focusing on her health, and publicly acknowledged her deteriorating condition.

'I know I will not live as long as planned,' she said.

Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne, died aged 43 on Sunday following a battle with cancer of the adrenal gland

Belgian directors Luc (R) and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (R) and Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne (C) pose with the Palme d'or they received for their movie 'Rosetta', during the52nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, on May 23, 1999

Dequenne seen playing her character Laurence Relaud in The Missing, alongside Tcheky Karyo

Her first role in the 'Rosetta', by the Dardenne brothers, launched her career after she won best actress at the Cannes film festival in 1999 for her performance in the film, which also won the Golden Palm.

She then distinguished herself in different contexts with Brotherhood of the Wolf directed by Christophe Gans (2001), A Housekeeper by Claude Berri (2002), and The Very Merry Widows by Catherine Corsini (2003).

Dequenne also picked up a string of other awards in appearances in mainly French-language films, including the 2009 movie 'The Girl on the Train' and the 2012 drama 'Our Children'.

In 2010, she attended the Cannes Film Festival with Franck Richard's The Pack, a Special Screening.

But she then returned to the Cannes film festival in 2024 to mark the 25th anniversary of her triumph there with the Dardenne brothers, and to promote the English-language disaster movie, 'Survive', released the same year.

In an interview with The Action, Dequenne said she didn't know she was sick when she filmed the movie.

Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne poses during a photocall for the film 'Close' at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 27, 202

The actress passed away Sunday in a hospital just outside Paris

It was the last film she appeared in before illness forced her to stop working.

Dequenne also said that her own experiences as a mother drew her to the movie, a dystopian drama that centers on a family.

'I can't explain, but when you became a mother, it's like your strength and your power and your braveness completely changed. And you see life through another vision,' she said.

'And that's what completely attracted me when I read the script, is that for me, it was really realistic, actually despite the fact that, of course, it's dystopic and I love that.'

She also added that the team built a type of family atmosphere for the children who also starred in the movie.

'We had dinner together. When we came back, we were in the same car to go to the set. We were together, always together. And I still got them on the phone. Lisa, who plays my daughter, she's become a very good friend to my daughter. Sometimes she comes home, she sleeps over, and we spend time together,' Dequenne explained.

Emilie Dequenne was born on August 29, 1981, in Belgium.

She is survived by her husband, Michel Ferracci, and her daughter.
Dorit Kemsley had been hit with a new barrage of alleged evidence after she was accused of not paying her hairstylist money he was owed.

Late last week, the 48-year-old Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star's hairstylist Chris Dylan posted multiple text messages allegedly between himself and Dorit as he claimed that she had stiffed him for work performed.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Dorit's representative for comment.

The controversy  which comes after Dorit's RHOBH costar Sutton Stracke mockingly labeled her 'Poorit'  began last week, when another one of Chris' clients, Tracy Tutor, accused Dorit of not 'pay[ing] her bills' while appearing on Jeff Lewis SiriusXM radio show.

In response, Dorit claimed that Chris was trying to 'bully' her into paying an invoice that had allegedly already been taken care of by her office when she appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Tuesday.

At the time, her hairstylist didn't appear to have made any of his allegations public, but he chose to speak up in a TikTok video after feeling that he had been 'dragged on TV by Dorit,' which he said sent him 'over the edge.'

Dorit Kemsley had been hit with a new barrage of alleged evidence after she was accused of not paying her hairstylist money he was owed; pictured in February 2024 in Santa Monica, Calif.

After Tracy Tutor accused Dorit of not paying hairstylist Chris Dylan on Jeff Lewis Live, Dorit claimed he 'bull[ied] her to make an improper payment' on Watch What Happens Live. He took to TikTok late last week to share his perspective

'Back in November, I was in New York City and I was asked by Dorit if I could stay an extra four days to do her glam for Watch What Happens Live as well as a photo shoot that she had taking place during her stay,' he claimed on TikTok, via Reality Blurb.

'Dorit offered to pay for my hotel room for the duration of our stay, which was three nights, four days. She offered to send over her credit card so I could extend my stay,' Chris continued.

He included a screenshot of text messages allegedly sent between himself and Dorit that showed him asking about the room extension.

As Dorit was not yet at the hotel to pay in person, it required a credit card authorization form with her information, so Chris seemingly asked for her to either fill out the form or send her credit card info so that he could take care of it himself.

'Morning baby! Yes, send me that or I can just call?' Dorit allegedly replied, referring to the authorization.

'Ok sending you now,' she allegedly said in a follow-up message, along with sending a photo of a credit card, which Chris had blurred to remove compromising information.

A second screenshot appeared to show that Dorit had sent her address as well, though her hairstylist had scrambled the text to make it unreadable.

'Ok perfect ur a gem!' Chris replied, before saying he was going to 'sign' Dorit's name for her.

'Back in November, I was in New York City and I was asked by Dorit if I could stay an extra four days to do her glam for Watch What Happens Live as well as a photo shoot that she had taking place during her stay,' he claimed on TikTok

Text messages allegedly showed Chris asking Dorit to fill out a credit card authorization form to pay for his extended stay, since she wasn't yet there in person to pay at the hotel

Afterward, he said he flew down to Miami, only to learn that he had allegedly been charged for the three hotel nights that Dorit had seemingly agreed to pay for

According to Chris, he assumed Dorit was good for the money and wasn't concerned about the snafu, so he just put the hotel charge on his invoice for the trip, but Dorit allegedly never paid it

However, his next reply indicated that there was a roadblock, as he also needed Dorit's ID, so instead he allegedly sent her additional authorization forms to complete the process herself.

In his video, Chris said his stay in NYC to work for Dorit turned out to be a 'really great trip.'

Afterward, he said he flew down to Miami, only to learn that he had allegedly been charged for the three hotel nights that Dorit had seemingly agreed to pay for.

'So I phoned the hotel, just to see what was going on, and they let me know that the card on file could not [be] processed. So my card, being the second card for incidentals, was indeed charged,' Chris claimed.

'I just chalked this up to maybe her card got declined due to a fraud alert, maybe because I would assume she was putting her card down for her room as well, and maybe both charges for the same room and the same stay flagged something,' he mused.

According to Chris, he assumed Dorit was good for the money and wasn't concerned about the snafu.

He said planned to just add it to the bill he would send the reality star to pay for extensions he had purchased to use on her, along with his fees for doing her hair on the Big Apple trip.

Chris said he sent the invoice to Dorit's account as usual, and then a month later he submitted an invoice for work he had performed for Dorit in December, after the New York trip.

In his video, he stressed that at the time he was still 'working with Dorit' as if nothing unusual had happened, and he accompanied her on another work trip later to Utah; seen in 2018 with Paul 'PK' Kemsley

Chris said he finally confronted Dorit about the unpaid invoice, and she claimed to have an issue with it because it had allegedly already been paid off

In his video, he stressed that at the time he was still 'working with Dorit' as if nothing unusual had happened, and he accompanied her on another work trip later to Utah.

'We were chatting every few days. We were working together weekly. And I was also chatting with her accountant, trying to find out when I would be paid,' he claimed.

According to Chris, Dorit's accountant told him that she was waiting on the RHOBH star 'to give her the OK to disperse payment' for the New York hotel stay.

According to Chris, after several more weeks he couldn't let the matter go on any longer, so he allegedly confronted Dorit via text message.

'I just said, "Hey, babe, can you just simply ask your accountant or your 'office' to release payment to me because its almost been four months now, and I still have outstanding invoices from all the services provided, as well as reimbursements,"' he recalled messaging her.

Then Dorit allegedly told him she 'had a huge issue' with his invoice, and she allegedly apologized for not mentioning that to him immediately, as it was an issue from the start.

'Dorit and I jumped on a call for 30 or 20 minutes,' Chris continued, adding that he was at Tracy Turor's house when he took the call, which 'allegedly' explained how she came to be a 'witness' to their drama.

'She heard the whole thing, and Dorit basically just gave me the runaround, berated me, gaslit me, let me know that she thought that I was lying about everything,' Chris claimed.

He added that Dorit allegedly asked if he was 'right in the head' before vowing to never hire him again and hanging up

He went on to include more screenshots in his video, allegedly from last week, in which Dorit accused him of charging her card without her permission

He added that Dorit allegedly asked if he was 'right in the head' before vowing to never hire him again and hanging up.

Chris theorized that Tracy felt 'compelled to defend' him after seeing how 'shaken up' he was after the alleged call.

He went on to include more screenshots in his video, allegedly from last week, in which Dorit accused him of charging her card without her permission.

'My apologies for that charge. I never went back and looked and just as you sent this and I read it I went back to check my charges on my Amex and you are correct,' Chris replied in the screenshot. 'The room charge is gone from my statement so they must have realized they charged my card on accident instead of the card you gave them when you filled out the credit card auth form for my room 1114th. I have never called them once. So nothing was done without your permission.'

The messages appear to show Dorit sending a file to Chris, and then in what appears to be a subsequent screenshot, she write: 'Heres more proof when it was reversed after a phone call you made asking them to do so.'

'Ive never made a phone call,' Chris appeared to reply in the messages.

He added in the video that he sent Dorit an updated, correct invoice as soon as he was alerted to the error.

In a final set of message, in which Chris allegedly said there was 'no use in going back and forth,' he then sent a final invoice directly via iMessage, which listed the New York trip and other events he had serviced Dorit for.

After Dorit claimed on WWHL last week that Chris had requested payment for something her 'office' had already paid for, both he and Tracy Tutor said he had finally received the requested money; seen in 2018 in LA

Most of the charges appeared to be in the triple digits, with the total somewhere between $1,000 and $10,000, though he scrambled the numbers to make the illegible.

'This is my livelihood. I have a family to take care of. I have bills to pay,' the hairstylist added in his TikTok. 'I was giving her grace by allowing her to keep procrastinating, keeping procrastinating, and I wasnt getting anything in return. She said to send it to her office, and thats what I did, expecting to be paid.'

When Dorit appeared on WWHL after Tracy's original accusation, but before Chris' TikTok response, she shared her side of what had happened.

'I think he was trying to bully this invoice through not realizing that it goes through a process, and my office flagged it. And when they had written back, "This has already been paid," it was like, "Oh, s***, I didnt get away with that?"' she said.

Despite Dorit's claims that Chris' invoice was either negligent or fraudulent, she nonetheless appears to have paid it.

After her WWHL appearance, Tracy Tutor appeared to confirm that he had finally been paid.

'Guess who got his wire transfer today though,' she commented on a clip of the WWHL appearance.

Chris also confirmed the payment in a subsequent post.

'After months of begging finally paid in full thank you guys,' he said.
He jetted into Melbourne on Friday to be reunited with his new Aussie girlfriend Inka Williams.

And Hollywood hunk Channing Tatum appears to have already left the country after a flying visit with the brunette beauty.

The Magic Mike star, 44, was seen departing Melbourne on Monday without Inka, 25.

With his American passport in his hand, the towering actor appeared to be boarding an international flight solo.

He dressed casually for the journey, wearing a pair of baggy black jeans, a blue hoodie and trainers.

He carried an army print backpack and covered his eye with black sunglasses.

Channing Tatum has jetted out of Australia alone after a quick visit with his Aussie girlfriend Inka Williams during Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend

While the pair were in Melbourne together for the Formula 1 Grand Prix festivities, they managed to avoid being photographed together.

Before his arrival, Inka attended several events, including Glamour on the Grid and an intimate Moet & Chandon soiree to celebrate the Champagne house's return to Formula 1 podiums.

'I feel like Im dating the king of England  actually hes way better,' Inka told the Herald Sun on Wednesday, as she got the full-glamour treatment in the Crown styling suite ahead of an appearance at Glamour on the Grid.

'I am very happy,' she added.

On Friday, Channing was all smiles on Friday as he jetted into Melbourne Airport.

The actor is said to be 'happy' with his new girlfriend after they confirmed their romance at a pre-Oscars bash earlier this month.

The veteran actor was first linked to the Australian beauty in January following his split from ex-fiancee Zoe Kravitz in October 2024.

A source told People that the couple are 'seeing' each other on romantic terms.

With his passport in his hand, the towering hunk appeared to be boarding an international flight solo

The friendly star graciously shook his driver's hand after being chauffered to the airport

'They met through friends. She's great. She's young, but seems older.'

'Channing's doing well. [Inka] makes him happy,' the insider continued.

'He's reuniting with Zoe later this spring for another movie project. It shouldn't be too awkward - they ended things on okay terms.'

Inka, who was born in Melbourne and raised in Bali, balances her successful modelling career with her fashion brand She Is I.

She has previously discussed growing up in Bali, telling by charlotte that it made her a 'very compassionate person'.

'I feel so connected to the culture and energy of this island. It's so sacred and deep. I think that's reflected in my day-to-day life and way of living,' she said.

Inka also explained how modelling from such a young age helped her 'build resilience and strength'.

Meanwhile, Channing's new romance came just four months after he split from fiancee Zoe Kravitz.

He dressed casually for the journey, wearing a pair of baggy black jeans, a blue hoodie and trainers

Before his arrival, Inka attended several events, including Glamour on the Grid and an intimate Moet & Chandon soiree to celebrate the Champagne house's return to Formula 1 podiums\

Channing and Zoe, 35, were romantically involved for three years and engaged for one before they called off the wedding at the end of October.

The split was a particular shock for the couple, as they had not only gotten engaged, but Channing had been spotted with fresh ink of Zoe's initials on the back of his hand in September last year.

The former couple were last pictured together on Channing's Instagram page in a post from September 3, which showed Zoe apparently snoozing on her then-fiance's shirtless chest as he snapped a selfie of the two.

In his caption, the Deadpool & Wolverine actor serenaded his love as he promoted her thriller Blink Twice.
Jimmy Carr has admitted that he can't stop getting 'tweakments' and has gone 'a bit crazy with it' - after displaying his drastically altered appearance earlier this year.

The comedian, 52, has been open about his many cosmetic procedures over the years including his hair transplant, veneers and Botox.

In January, he continued to look worlds away from his old self as he enjoyed a night out at Chiltern Firehouse in central London and raised eyebrows with the startlingly different look.

And now, in a new interview, he has compared maintaining his looks to the myth of the famous Scottish bridge that requires constant repainting.

He told The Telegraph: 'Christ, I'm like the Forth Bridge - it never stops.

'Maintaining is the thing - I don't think there's anything you can do plastic surgery wise, or augmentation wise, that makes you look better, you can just stay the same, that's what you can hope for.

The comedian has been open about his many cosmetic procedures over the years including his hair transplant, veneers and Botox

'I've gone a bit crazy with it, I've got the new teeth and the new hair - I've had a proper midlife crisis. Like, "Right, let's get everything done."'

The Channel 4 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown host has always been a good sport about his transformation, often making himself the butt of his own jokes.

While Jimmy has confessed to having had work done, he appears to finally be happy with his appearance, and has previously revealed that even his plastic surgeon has advised him against certain treatments.

In 2021, the star opened up about his 'midlife crisis' admitting he had felt disappointed with his appearance.

Talking on Gabby Logan's Midpoint podcast, Jimmy said he decided to make some tweaks to his appearance after feeling disappointed that he doesn't look as good in real life as he does on television.

He said: 'I got my teeth done, that's the first thing I had done, they're more than veneers. I got every tooth in my head done in one sitting.

'I did 12 hours in the chair the first day, then 12 hours the second, it was like a three-day thing where you've got temporary things on, it's pretty full on.

In January he continued to look worlds away from his old self as he enjoyed a night out at Chiltern Firehouse and raised eyebrows with the startlingly different look

The comedian confessed: 'I got my teeth done, that's the first thing I had done, they're more than veneers. I got every tooth in my head done in one sitting'

The 8 Out of 10 Cats host has said he wants to maintain his looks rather than change them too much (pictured in 2022)

'I think they gave me Rohypnol intravenously into the vein and you're kind of out of it and they do everything and you're fine. It's a dream-like haze, you're in a weird space.'

Jimmy has also confessed that he wants to maintain his looks rather than change them too much.

He said: 'I think that thing of age is that people don't really see what's there, people are good at pattern recognition, that's all they do, teeth and hair.

And the star doesn't seem to mind discussing his procedures, incorporating them into his stand-up routines and even joked that his use of Botox comes in handy as a parent.

Back in 2022 he said: 'Thanks to the wonders of my plastic surgeon, I'm hoping my son won't realise I'm older than the other dads.

'He'll come and talk to me about his problems because, unlike the other dads, I'll never seem shocked or surprised, disappointed or sad, primarily because Botox has robbed me of the ability to move my forehead.

'Just like everyone else you know, I'm going to die, although in my case, large parts of me will not biodegrade. I imagine my teeth will outlive us all.'

The star underwent hair transplant that same year and joked on the podcast that he was considering transplanting pubic hair to his head for the operation.

He said: 'The guy I used is a plastic surgeon and has an aesthetic thing. They get it from the back of the head. You shave your head fully, which I loved, I kind of suited a shaved head, which surprised me.'

He added: 'I've had the same hairline since I was 17, I had a big widow's peak. I looked like a vampire's accountant. It was just post lockdown I got it done.'

The TV personality said as well as these physical changes, he's also been exercising lots and taking lots of protein pills and vitamins.

He said: 'The cosmetic stuff is sort of nonsense, it's the feeling better. And there's the exercise I do and the pills I take  I take a lot of pills as part of a health overhaul.'

But despite the lengthy list of procedures the presenter has undergone, there is one operation his surgeon refuses to perform on him.

In March last year, the comedy quiz show host revealed his doctor will not perform one major treatment on him.

In 2021, the star opened up about his 'midlife crisis' admitting he had felt disappointed with his looks and explained he had gone under the knife in order to get his appearance to match what he saw in his head (pictured in 2005)

The star doesn't seem to mind discussing his procedures, incorporating them into his stand-up routines

He told the Happy Hallow Jeans podcast: 'I'd asked him about buccal fat reduction, one of the guys from One Direction had it done.

'I'm sure you can get a picture up, but they take out the fat there [points to the sides of his mouth] so, you go from having, I mean I've always had chubby little cheeks.

'It doesn't matter how much weight I lose. I could be 50kg and I would still have chubby cheeks. But they take out the fat from here [pointing to his cheeks] so that you look chiselled and model-y.'

The comedian said his plastic surgeon raised concerns that patients who had undergone the procedure often looked worse in the 50s and advised against it.

But Jimmy seems much happier with his appearance these days, after previously explaining he had gone under the knife in order to get his appearance to match what he saw in his head.

He said back in 2021: 'it's the illusion of being on TV  you see yourself in full make up looking your best and lit well, then you look in the mirror and go, "Oof, that's disappointing".'
Awhina Rutene and Billy Belcher have continued to spark chatter about the nature of their relationship.

The Married At First Sight star looked very friendly indeed as they headed out for a double date with co-stars Rhi Disljenkovic and Jeff Gobbels at a Perth bar on Saturday.

Billy, who has split with bride Sierah Swepstone, swung his arm over Awhina's shoulder as they cuddled up on their stroll to the pub.

Awhina, who 'married' Adrian Araouzou on the show, held onto Billy's hand during the intimate moment.

They appeared very relaxed in each other's company - again inspiring chatter as to whether they have undergone a 'couple swap'.

Rhi and Jeff were still going strong on the outing to the Claremont Hotel, the couple's romance seemingly surviving the show as they held hands while walking along and chatting happily.

Awhina Rutene and Billy Belcher have continued to spark chatter about the nature of their relationship. Both pictured

The Married At First Sight star looked very friendly indeed as they headed out for a double date with co-stars Rhi Disljenkovic and Jeff Gobbels at a Perth bar on Saturday. All pictured

Billy, who has split with bride Sierah Swepstone, swung his arm over Awhina's shoulder as they cuddled up on their stroll to the pub

While Awhina and Billy have previously insisted their relationship is strictly platonic, an insider has revealed that their respective partners were less than impressed when they were caught on camera sharing an intimate outing in Perth in February.

'As soon as Adrian saw those photos, he was raging,' a source close to the couple told Daily Mail Australia.

'He sent Awhina a nasty text message and blamed her for ruining their TV relationship- just weeks after he was spotted with another girl. Not cool.'

Sierah, meanwhile, is said to be blindsided by the set of images, particularly given Billy never made such romantic gestures during their marriage experiment.

'She found the whole situation laughable. Billy never wanted to buy her flowers or take her out for ice cream, so this is pretty rich,' the source added.

When approached by Daily Mail Australia, Awhina clarified that she and Billy have built a friendship since filming wrapped but denied anything romantic was going on.

'Billy's a WA guy. We have built a friendship. He happened to be at my birthday, but it is a purely platonic friendship,' she explained.

When asked if Adrian had anything to be worried about, Awhina laughed: 'Adrian has nothing to worry about.'

Awhina, who 'married' Adrian Araouzou on the show, held onto Billy's hand during the intimate moment

They appeared very relaxed in each other's company - again inspiring chatter as to whether they have undergone a 'couple swap'

Rhi and Jeff were still going strong on the outing to the Claremont Hotel, the couple's romance seemingly surviving the show as they held hands while walking along and chatting happily

As for where things stand with Adrian, Awhina played coy but admitted their relationship had been challenging.

'I think viewers are finally seeing what our relationship truly looked like. Don't get me wrong - Adrian and I had good moments. When we connected, we really connected,' she said.

'But those good moments always came at the cost of my needs not being met or me brushing things under the rug' the reality star continued.

'And that's not sustainable long-term.'

She also confirmed that Adrian was not at her birthday party, revealing he instead attended groom Paul Antoine's celebrations.

'He was in Perth the weekend of my birthday. But it's in our contractI can't really take photos with my 'husband' if we're still together,' Awhina added.

The sighting comes after Billy was called out by the experts for suggesting the idea of a 'wife swap' at a dinner party.

'It really troubled me when I heard that you had mentioned the possibility of a wife swap,' John Aiken said sternly.
Carina Mirabile has become well known for her daring fashion sense on Married At First Sight.

And it turns out that the television bride paid a pretty penny for not only her own clothes, but her own hair, makeup and personal stylist.

The 31-year-old Digital Marketing Manager from Perth employed celebrity stylist Jacob Muller, revealing she dropped around $15,000 on clothes and $1500 on hair and makeup.

The total cost for the entire filming period for her season of the series was around $27,000 to look her best.

Carina sourced the designer outfits from sites like Farfetch, and while production did not pay for them, they did have to okay anything she wore.

'From the styling point of view, production doesn't give you any allocation money, or reimbursement to purchase your own outfits' Carina said in a chat with Muller.

Carina Mirabile (pictured) has become well known for her daring fashion sense on Married At First Sight. And it turns out that the television bride paid a pretty penny for not only her own clothes, but her own hair, makeup and personal stylist

Muller told Yahoo Lifestyle this week that he had to be available at all hours to ensure Carina looked her best.

'There were mornings we had to start at 3am just to have her ready and back at the apartments by 7am for an 8am filming start' he said.

'It was both exciting and intense, especially knowing that the look we created at 3am needed to last sometimes until 3am the next morning!

'The dinner parties are incredibly long, so everything had to be bulletproof - every detail had to hold up under the lights, cameras, and the long hours of filming.'

Carina has always been a fashionista, as she proved when she delighted her fans by sharing a stunning throwback picture to her social media on Sunday.

Taken on her 21st birthday, the Perth-based social media specialist can be seen rocking a clingy black evening dress and sporting blonde hair.

Known on MAFS for her striking style choices, the photo appears to been taken during her birthday celebrations.

Her friends on Instagram filled the comment thread with plenty of enthusiasm and gushed over the voluptuous stars looks.

The 31-year-old Digital Marketing Manager from Perth employed celebrity stylist Jacob Muller (right), revealing she dropped around $15,000 on clothes and $1500 on hair and makeup

The total cost for the entire filming period for her season of the series was around $27,000 to look her best. Carina sourced the designer outfits from sites like Farfetch, and while production did not pay for them, they did have to okay anything she wore

'Kim K of Perth best night, hope you had fun babe xxx,' wrote one user, who compared the voluptuous Carina to famed US star Kim Kardashian.

'Absolutely gorgeous,' said another,' while another friend commented: 'The most stunning birthday girl I've ever seen.'

Known for her striking looks, Carina has drawn comparisons to the stunning Kardashian, with some MAFS fans fans dubbing her 'Temu Kim.'

The reality star was roasted after she wore a halter neck dress that featured a curve-hugging, ruched bodice and a matching head scarf to a MAFS dinner party.

Internet sleuths were quick to discover she had borrowed the exact look from Kim's younger sister Kylie, who wore the same dress in a promotional shoot for The Kardashians.

In a showreel attached to her website, Carina shared a video in which she said her top five dream red carpet interviewees are: 'Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, The Weeknd and Drake.'

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia in January, Carina said she was flattered by the nickname, but laughed it off nonetheless.

'I mean, come on - I'm a little more classy than that! But honestly, I am inspired by Kim's fashion and style,' she said.

'From the styling point of view, production doesn't give you any allocation money, or reimbursement to purchase your own outfits' Carina said

Muller told Yahoo Lifestyle this week that he had to be available at all hours to ensure Carina looked her best. 'There were mornings we had to start at 3am just to have her ready and back at the apartments by 7am for an 8am filming start' he said

'Most of all, I resonate with her family dynamic. I come from a big family too, and that's something I deeply value.'

Like Kris Jenner, who has four children - Kylie and Kendall Jenner, and Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, and Rob Kardashian, and 14 grandchildren, mum Carmel also enjoys a large family with 5 children and ten grandchildren.

And much like the Kardashians, who have a vast multi-media empire at their feet, Carina, too is part of an impressive family-run business.

The Mirabile family, led by Carina's mother and father Carmel and Tony, run Beyond Toolsa purveyor of heavy duty machinery and power tools.

Located in Malaga, just outside of Perth, Beyond Tools has been servicing handy men and women since 1986.

It's a truly family-run business as well, with Tony and Carmel sharing the CEO role.

The matriarch also balances her CEO role with that of accounts manager, while also helping her children raise ten grandkids.

Carina's brothers Charles and Anthony also work in the business, running the service department and financials respectively.

Carina has always been a fashionista, as she proved when she delighted her fans by sharing a stunning throwback picture to her social media on Sunday, taken on her 21st birthday

Her sisters, Rosemarie and Janelle also take a very active role, as heads of marketing, advertising and IT.

Not one to be left out, Carina also works in the business and, as a digital marketing manager and social media specialist.

Carina tried out careers as a broadcast journalist, TV personality, host, model, and actress, prior to applying for season 12 of MAFS.

She got her big TV break in as 'lead actress' in a Channel Nine TV segment filmed with Beyond Tools in 2018.
Tom Cruise and Ana De Armas were spotted together for the second time last week as they arrived at the heliport in Battersea.

The Hollywood star, 62, appeared in great spirits as he beamed while walking with the Cuban-born actress, 36, after a day at Longcross Studios.

The pair were seen at the heliport on Thursday and Friday as they continued to spark romance rumours following their dinner on Valentine's Day last month.

Tom was wearing a grey shirt as he carried his bags while Ana was in a black coat.

It comes after Tom and Ana put on a close display as they were spotted out in Soho, London, for dinner on Valentine's Day.

Tom Cruise and Ana De Armas were seen on a second outing together as they arrived at Battersea Heliport on Thursday and Friday evening

The pair continued to spark romance rumours after THAT Valentine's day dinner last month

The couple were mobbed by fans during their evening out and stopped to take pictures as a crowd formed around them.

Ana looked effortlessly stylish in blue denim jeans and a black blazer, which she teamed with a gold pair of ballet pumps.

The brunette beauty wore her long brunette tresses in a straight style and opted for a glowing palette of make-up as she also took to the time to chat to eager fans.

Meanwhile, Hollywood star Tom seemed to be in high spirits as he greeted fans and cut a smart figure in a grey polo shirt and a navy suit.

The A-list pairing put on animated display and carried two bags of takeaway food on their way out of the restaurant, before hopping into a taxi together.

MailOnline contacted representatives for Tom and Ana for comment at the time.

Tom most recently displayed his close friendship with his agent Maha Dakhil in December when the pair were spotted enjoying a cosy dinner.

The occasion marked their second outing together in a week after the actor was previously seen dropping her off at London's Chiltern Firehouse.

The Hollywood star, 62, appeared in great spirits while walking with the Cuban-born actress, 36, after a day at Longcross Studios

Tom was seen wearing a simple grey polo neck and jeans while Ana wrapped up in a black coat

Tom put on a stylish appearance

The star looked in great spirits as he was seen chatting with the staff and shaking hands

The pair looked to be laughing outside the helicopter

It comes after Tom and Ana put on a close display as they were spotted out in Soho, London, for dinner together on Valentine's Day

Tom displayed his close friendship with his agent Maha Dakhil in December when the pair were spotted enjoying a cosy dinner

The pair were spotted on Thursday and Friday last week

Tom looked to be helping Ana into the helicopter

Ana kept it casual in her coat and white trainers as she wore her brunette locks loose

The pair were joined by American film director Doug Liman

The group were seen chatting together

Tom offered a thumbs up to the group as he walked across the heliport

The Top Gun actor is known for his love life as much as his career, has been married three times and has also dated a slew of famous women over the years.

Meanwhile, Ana recently locked lips with Manuel Anido Cuesta as she was seen kissing him during a night on the town in Madrid, Spain, back in November.

The romantic move appeared to indicate that Ana had ended her relationship with Tinder Vice President Paul Boukadakis, whom she began dating in the wake of her split from Ben Affleck.The two looked loved-up on an after-dinner stroll, during which Ana locked arms with Manuel, who is an advisor to his father.

Ana mentioned Tom in an interview with USA Today when she admitted she takes inspiration from him for his stunt work.

She told the publication: 'Not at a Tom Cruise level yet. But I can appreciate what he does 100% now, and I totally get why he does it. He's so mind-blowing.'
Danny Jones looked downcast on Monday as he was seen for the first time since it was reported that his wife Georgia left the family home to stay with a friend over his drunken BRITs kiss with Maura Higgins.

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a kiss with the Love Island star, 34, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month, and said in his apology on Friday he was sorry for putting Georgia 'in this situation.'

But despite his grovelling, Georgia is taking time away from her husband and temporarily went to stay with a friend called Rose on Wednesday. The Daily Mail previously revealed that they were 'taking a break and living apart'.

And after the reports Danny understandable looked glum as he was seen out and about this week - cutting a low-key figure in a cap.

He dressed casually in a tracksuit and wore headphones as he carried a suit bag to a dry cleaners in west London.

It comes after reports on Sunday claimed that while they may still be married, Danny and Georgia are 'not together'.

Danny Jones looked downcast on Monday as he was seen for the first time since it was reported that his wife Georgia has moved out of their family home over his drunken BRITs kiss with Maura Higgins

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a kiss with the Love Island star, 34, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month, and said in his apology on Friday he was sorry for putting Georgia 'in this situation'

The Daily Mail revealed recently that they have taken a break and are living separately after his 'ultimate betrayal'.

A friend of Georgia's said: 'She is furious  not just with her husband's actions, but with all the chaos this has brought to their lives, particularly for their young son Cooper.

'All she wants to do is protect her boy from this mess.

'It has been overwhelming and she needs time to process what has happened. Only then can she begin to talk about the future.

'They are now on a break and are living apart from each other.'

MailOnline has approached representatives for Georgia and Danny for comment.

Georgia returned to social media for the first time since he issued a grovelling apology for his drunken kiss.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Georgia shared a picturesque post of blooming daffodils, with the caption: 'SPRING.'

It comes after sources said Georgia is keen to avoid being seen as a 'pushover' by forgiving Danny too fast.

Two days after making a cringeworthy return to social media, Danny released a statement apologising to his wife Georgia for 'putting her in the situation'.

The pair were also pictured on a tense outing together on Tuesday, with sources telling The Mail that it was a last-ditch attempt by Danny's team to preserve a united front.

After the reports Danny understandable looked glum as he was seen out and about this week - cutting a low-key figure in a cap

He dressed casually in a tracksuit and wore headphones as he carried a suit bag to a dry cleaners in west London

It comes after reports on Sunday claimed that while they may still be married, Danny and Georgia are 'not together'

'She is working out what she wants to do,' they said. 'She has been hugely hurt and embarrassed by everything and told Danny she needed to get away

Danny showed the strain of the past few weeks as he stepped out

Maura and Danny were seen getting cosy after the BRIT Awards

An insider recently told The Sun that Georgia was left feeling 'uneasy' by the photos, with a source saying: 'This whole situation has been incredibly embarrassing for Danny and Georgia.

'They are keen to work through things together and move on. But Georgia does not want people to think she's a pushover and that all is forgiven already.

'She was concerned that the photos of her and Danny together gave the impression that everything is fine, when that is very much not the case.'

On Instagram, two weeks after the incident took place, Danny took to Instagram to issue an apology to his wife.

He said: 'Hello everyone. Sorry its taken me a while to post this but I've taken some time out to be with those closest to me.

'I want to deeply apologise to my wife and family for putting them in this situation. I love then so much and we'll continue to deal with this privately.

'I love you guys, thank you for you patience, understanding, and support. See you all soon, Danny.'

It comes after sources said Georgia is keen to avoid being seen as a 'pushover' by forgiving Danny too fast

He kept warm as he stepped out in a padded black jacket

Danny was heading to the dry cleaners on Monday after a tough few weeks

Danny and Georgia are seen in December after he won I'm A Celebrity. She flew all the way to Australia to see him

Two days after making a cringeworthy return to social media, Danny released a statement on Friday apologising to Georgia for 'putting her in the situation'

A source close to the musician told the Mirror that 'He has been mortified about what's happened and the awful situation he has put everyone in.

'He cares so deeply about his family and hopes his words will draw a line under what has been a deeply upsetting time for everyone. Georgia and his son are absolutely everything to him.'

They added: 'He and Georgia are living together and trying to work things through but he is not out of the woods.

'He will be in the doghouse for a while yet.'
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Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne split after the former TOWIE star purchased a property without his wife's knowledge, MailOnline can reveal.

The EastEnders actress, 32, was left in shock after discovering Dan, 33, had bought a house in Essex last year, which put more pressure on their strained relationship.

Sources close to soap star Jacqueline, who shares daughters Ella, ten, and Mia, six, with Dan, say she felt 'betrayed' and it had 'reignited old trust issues'.

The couple struggled to make their marriage work following weeks of heated rows.

Jacqueline, who was pictured for the first time on Monday without her wedding ring, was the sole owner of the couple's 'dream' 2million six-bedroom home, which was put on the market in June and sold earlier this month for a six-figure sum.

A source told MailOnline that Dan, who's also a father to son Teddy, 11, with ex-partner Megan Tomlin, wanted to 'protect' himself and invest in somewhere to live for his own security as his relationship with Jacqueline gradually declined.

Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne split after the former TOWIE star purchased a property without his wife's knowledge, MailOnline can reveal

The EastEnders actress was left in shock after discovering Dan had bought a house in Essex last year, which put additional pressure on their strained relationship

Sources close to soap star Jacqueline, who shares daughters Ella and Mia with Dan, say she felt 'betrayed' and it had reignited trust issues

An insider revealed: 'Dan bought a house last year without telling Jacqueline until the final stages.

'He put the wheels in motion because he believed their relationship was coming to an end and with Jacqueline owning their marital home, he needed to look after his future.

'It caused a blazing row between them and the trust, which was already fragmented, really suffered.'

It was confirmed on Sunday that the couple had separated following almost eight years of marriage and over 10 years together, with Dan already spotted without his wedding ring.

The Sun on Sunday revealed Dan had packed his bags and moved out with the couple uncertain about their future.

An official statement said: 'Jacqueline and Dan are handling things privately, choosing to keep their lives and relationship out of the public eye. They kindly ask for respect and privacy as they navigate this together.

'Their children remain their top priority, surrounded by love and care from both parents, something that will never change.

'Above all, Jacqueline and Dan have each other's and their children's best interests at heart. There will be no further comment.'

MailOnline has contacted Jacqueline and Dan's representatives for comment.

Jacqueline was seen for the first time without her wedding ring as she attended a gym in Essex following the end of her eight-year marriage to Dan

The soap actress has removed her diamond wedding ring after the couple issued a statement on Sunday announcing their separation

The former I'm A Celeb winner was wearing a grey zip-up sweatshirt with a sheepskin bomber jacket and gym leggings on Monday

Jacqueline's ring was notably missing from her hand as she was seen for the first time following the news of her breakup from Dan, with whom she shares two daughters

MailOnline exclusively revealed in July how Jacqueline had put her Essex mansion up for sale after spending years renovating the property, which she documented on Instagram

The couple, whose separation was confirmed on Sunday, share daughters Ella and Mia together while Dan is also a father to son Teddy from a previous relationship

MailOnline exclusively revealed in July how Jacqueline had put her Essex mansion up for sale after spending years renovating the property, which she documented on Instagram.

Jacqueline previously described the abode as the couple's 'forever home', sharing the moment she collected the keys with her followers.

The former I'm A Celeb winner, who returned to EastEnders as Lauren Branning in 2023, proudly shared videos on her profile where she took her fans on a tour of the property, showing off a bar area with light-up 'The Osborne's' sign.

Jacqueline married ex-TOWIE star Dan in June 2017 and last paid tribute to her husband online in July, which coincided with their wedding anniversary and his birthday.

She wrote: 'Just realised I haven't even posted on the grid about Daniel's birthday or our anniversary and I just wanted to do a little appreciation post for my bestest friend in the world. Over 10 years and seven of them married. Love you more than ever. Crazy little world isn't it.'

The couple have faced their difficulties over the years, with their marriage plagued by cheating allegations against Dan.

He was accused of having a fling with Love Island: All Stars winner Gabby Allen in 2018 after they were pictured cosying up together on a yacht in Marbella.

The former ITVBe star was also accused of having sex with a mystery woman months after his wedding to Jacqueline, and partaking in a threesome with Celebrity Big Brother model Chloe Ayling and US reality TV star Natalie Nunn, which he denied.

Jacqueline married ex-TOWIE star Dan in June 2017 and last paid tribute to her husband online in July, which coincided with their wedding anniversary and his birthday

The couple have faced their difficulties over the years, with their marriage plagued by accusations of infidelity against Dan

Jacqueline, pictured alongside EastEnders co-stars Michelle Collins and Adam Woodyatt, plays Lauren Branning in the long-running BBC soap

Six months later, he was seen kissing 2018 Love Islander Alexandra Cane on a London night out.

In 2019, during her appearance on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, fellow campmate Myles Stephenson, who had previously dated Gabby, told Jacqueline he believed Dan had cheated with the Scouse Islander.

A year later, Dan finally confessed to making 'mistakes' and said 'I've done things I shouldn't have done' as he finally took responsibility for his actions.

He even admitted that if Jacqueline had behaved the same way he did, he would have walked out on their relationship, saying, 'If it was the other way around I'd be gone.'

Dan has previously claimed it was Jacqueline's stint in the I'm A Celeb jungle, where she was crowned winner, that made him realise how much he appreciates his wife.

He admitted to 'struggling' without her and once Jaqueline was out of camp, they agreed to hit the refresh button and start a new chapter.

They were hit with split rumours last Easter when Dan failed to make an appearance at a family get-together hosted by Jacquline at their home, but the coupled denied they were going through any problems.
Luke Bona has landed a gig at his old station 2GB after he was axed by Triple M last month.

For his first high profile spot on the talk back station, the radio veteran will be sitting on afternoons while regular host Clinton Maynard takes a break over Easter.

Bona, who attained wide industry acclaim and a loyal audience as Triple M's Night Shift, host will also join 2GB's overnight program hosted by Phil O'Neil as a 'regular' presenting the own segment, the 'Bona Report', on Thursdays.

According to the Daily Telegraph management at 2GB had a first given Bona a role as a 'standby' replacement 'across key shifts' at the station.

The much-loved announcer joined 2GB's Ben Fordham this week to discuss his new gig and re-called his early days at the station where he spent 12 years of his lengthy career.

'2GB was my first job out of school. 18th of September 1978. (I was an) office boy, and then I became a panel operator,' Bona said of his old station.

Luke Bona (pictured) has landed a gig at his old station 2GB after he was axed by Triple M last month. According to the Daily Telegraph management at 2GB has given Bona a role as a 'standby' replacement 'across key shifts' at the station

The much-loved announcer joined 2GB's Ben Fordham (pictured) this week to discuss his new gig and re-called his early days at the station where he spent 12 years of his lengthy career

It comes after Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has opted to call time on the Triple M's Night Shift last month.

The show, which ran for nearly nine years, was nominated for four industry awards at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in 2019.

They included Best Talk Presenter, Best Current Affairs Presenter, Brian White Award for Radio Journalism and Best Show Producer  Talk/Current Affairs.

Bona announced the news to his fans in a statement, while thanking them for their loyalty over the years.

'Our dear Night Shift family, It's with a heavy heart that we share the Night Shift will be coming to a close this week, but management have graciously given us the chance for one last hurrah,' he wrote.

'For the last time from midnight 'til sparrow's fart across seventy-something transmitters, we will do our best to entertain and keep you company.

'If you're a member of the family, we would love to hear from you so we get the chance to say farewell.'

It's the latest in a slew of axings across Sydney's radio sphere.

For his first high profile spot on the talk back station the radio veteran will be sitting in on afternoons while regular host Clinton Maynard (pictured) takes a break over Easter

Bona will also join 2GB's overnight program hosted by Phil O'Neil (pictured) as a 'regular' presenting the 'Bona Report' on Thursdays

Mitch Churi made headlines last November when he was brutally dumped from his on-air hosting gig at KIIS FM.

Churi, 28, had hosted The Night Show with Mitch Churi since 2019, as well as The Pick Up with Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne.

Mitch announced live on-air in November that he had been informed by KIIS FM management his contract would not be renewed, sending shock-waves across the network.

'Late last week I was informed by the powers that be that they have identified my role here as one that won't be returning in 2025,' Mitch began.

Mitch then revealed he was blindsided by the decision and he wished it had not come to this.

'I just want to say it wasn't my decision or my call. I really wanted to stay on the show with you two. I really wanted to stay with KIIS.'

Triple M shows such as The Rush Hour with Gus Worland, Jude Bolton and Aaron Woods and the breakfast show hosted by Mark Geyer and Mick Molloy have also been canned in recent months.

The mass upheaval of Sydney-based radio stations means 19 presenters will not be returning to mics this year.

What's more, there is only one Sydney-produced weekday show left; the new breakfast with Beau Ryan, Natarsha Belling and Aaron Wood.
Justin Theroux tied the knot with his actress girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom over the weekend.

And whilst it is the first marriage for The Gilded Age actress, 30, Justin, 53, has a very famous ex wife, having previously been married to Jennifer Aniston.

There were even similarities between the groom's two weddings, with the low-key actor choosing to celebrate his second marriage with an intimate beach ceremony in Tulum, Mexico.

Ten years previously the actor married Jennifer, 55, in a backyard ceremony at their Los Angeles home, in front of a handful of close friends but just two years after the nuptials, the couple announced their shock split.

Whilst Justin is once again throwing himself into married life, Jennifer, who was also married to Brad Pitt, hasn't been publicly linked to anyone since the divorce. Instead reports on the A-lister's love life have been limited to wild rumours that she had an affair with Barack Obama.

Whilst she spends her time shutting down the speculation about her dating life, Jennifer could be forgiven for feeling more than a little jealousy toward Justin's serene life with his new bride, a 30-year-old actress who the actor said he fell for at first sight.

Justin Theroux tied the knot with his actress girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom over the weekend. And whilst is is the first marriage for The Gilded Age actress, 30, Justin, 53, has a very famous ex wife, having previously been married to Jennifer Aniston

Ten years previously the actor married Jennifer in a backyard ceremony at their LA home but just two years after that sweet ceremony, Justin and Jennifer announced their shock split

But eight years on from their split, Justin and Jennifer are far from warring exes, instead putting on a public display of unity since the day they confirmed their separation.

Their February 2018 split statement set the standard as they declared: 'We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.'

And most recently Justin said his former wife was 'still very dear to me' in a September 2024 interview with The Times.

Over the years the pair have been the epitome of the amicable separation, sharing social media birthday tributes for one another, vactioning together and celebrating Friendsgiving.

'The friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we're both very proud of,' Justin has reflected.

'I'm sincere when I say that I cherish our friendship. We can not be together and still bring each other joy and friendship. Also, she makes me laugh very, very hard. She's a hilarious person. It would be a loss if we weren't in contact, for me personally. And I'd like to think the same for her.'

Last year Justin supported his ex and her reply to J.D. Vance's infamous 'childless cat ladies' comments.

The Vice President's comment prompted the Friends star, who has been open about her infertility issues, to post a defiant reply on social media stating: 'I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day. I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option.'

There were even similarities between the groom's two weddings, with the low-key actor choosing to celebrate his second marriage with an intimate beach ceremony in Tulum, Mexico

Whilst she spends her time shutting down the speculation about her dating life, Jennifer could be forgiven for feeling more than a little jealousy toward Justin's serene life with his new bride

Justin was keen to show his support for Jennifer's words, admitting he felt 'protective' of his ex wife in an interview.

Whilst he has spoken lovingly about his friend, Justin has also insisted that any future romantic relationship would 'exist within the four walls of whatever room we're in,' explaining that 'having been in a public relationship, it's much more fun not being in a public relationship.'

Justin has kept his promise, speaking far more sparingly about his new wife and their romance.

In rare comments on The Drew Barrymore Show last year he limited his relationship revelations to the story of how he and The Gilded Age actress Nicole met.

'The first impression was wow,' he said. 'And then a friend of mine who was with me, literally the quote, [they] said, "That's the one." Like, we hadn't even met yet.'

'And I was like, "She's so stunning." So I went over and started talking and things like that and it progressed.'

But eight years on from their split, Justin and Jennifer are far from warring exes, instead putting on a public display of unity with birthday posts and hang outs

'The friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we're both very proud of,' Justin has reflected (his birthday tribute to her)

Despite being linked since early 2023, the couple didn't make their red carpet debut until a year later at a 2024 Oscars party, a couple of months after their low key Instagram launch in a selfie from Nicole's twin sister's wedding.

Jennifer meanwhile is focusing on her own relationships, gushing in a January interview with Allure that she is approaching her fifties with 'positivity and gratitude.'
Tommy Fury faces a fresh nightmare in his campaign to rekindle his romance with Molly Mae as her sister revealed she's moving into the Love Island star's 4million Cheshire mansion.

It raises the prospect of Zoe Rae, 28, keeping a watchful eye on her future brother-in-law as she previously said: 'Mine and Tommy's relationship was very very turbulent.

'We definitely butted heads a fair few times about him going out and obviously me being protective of Molly.'

After five months of being apart the couple, both 25, have decided to give their relationship another go by embarking on a romantic 'getaway' to Dubai with their two-year-old daughter, Bambi.

Meanwhile, Zoe and her husband Danny Rae are packing up their flat, ready to move into Molly Mae's sprawling home while they look for another place to rent.

Speaking on her YouTube channel, Zoe said: 'Danny and I have been on the hunt for a house and it's not working out for us.

Tommy Fury faces a fresh nightmare in his campaign to rekindle his romance with Molly Mae as her sister revealed she's moving into the Love Island star's 4million Cheshire mansion

It raises the prospect of Zoe Rae, 28, keeping a watchful eye on her future brother-in-law as she previously said: 'Mine and Tommy's relationship was very very turbulent [Tommy and Molly in 2022]

'About two to three weeks ago, we were both like we need to get out of this apartment. It's just not big enough for us with the amount of parcels we get, we have zero space.

'So we wanted to find somewhere to rent for a year or so. We viewed two rental properties and then Molly messaged me when she found out I'd viewed a couple of places to rent, saying 'Why have we never discussed you moving in with me.'

'And now we are actually doing it, I am moving in with Molly, temporarily.

'Obviously, she has the space and it can be a temporary fix. It sounds like I'm moving in without Danny, he works away Monday to Friday, so really it makes sense anyway.

'She's by herself a lot in the house, I'm by myself a lot in the house, she has the space, I've not.'

It will no doubt come as an obstacle to Tommy Fury, who has spent the last five months trying to clean up his act in order to be allowed back into Molly Mae's home with their daughter Bambi.

But with Zoe around, Tommy will have to work even harder to prove he is worthy of moving forward with his former fiance.

In August Molly Mae shocked the internet when she announced she was splitting from Tommy after five years together when they met on Love Island 2019.

After five months of being apart the couple, both 25, have decided to give their relationship another go by embarking on a romantic getaway to Dubai with their two-year-old daughter, Bambi

'Obviously, she has the space and it can be a temporary fix. It sounds like I'm moving in without Danny, he works away Monday to Friday, so really it makes sense anyway' [L-R Zoe, her husband Danny, Tommy and Molly pictured]

Rumours swirled the boxer had been unfaithful to the mother of his child, accusations he stringently denies, and the pair have separately suggested it was Tommy's drinking that pushed Molly Mae to break up with him.

They have since been spotted at Manchester Airport with their Bambi, heading out on a family holiday to Dubai, and later confirmed their reunion with an Instagram picture of Tommy in a rubber ring with the toddler.

It comes as a surprise to fans as Molly Mae detailed her desire to move on from the relationship during her Amazon Prime documentary, Behind It All - strongly encouraged by her fitness influencer sister.

During the documentary, the sisters chat about Tommy while in a car, and Molly-Mae shows Zoe some messages she has exchanged with Tommy since their break up.

On reading them, Zoe said: 'I'm sad for you but you have to go through it and it's hell and that's what makes me sad  you want to be with 50 percent of Tommy but you don't want to be with the other 50 percent.'

Molly-Mae revealed that Zoe is the one member of her family who knows everything about what has happened in her relationship with Tommy.

The mother of one told viewers: 'I think Zoe really struggles with Tommy and me the most out of anyone in my family because she has heard it all now and I have really shared it all with her, she's so invested and cares sometimes a little bit too much.'

'Molly messaged me when she found out I'd viewed a couple of places to rent, saying 'Why have we never discussed you moving in with me'

It will no doubt come as an obstacle to Tommy Fury, who has spent the last five months trying to clean up his act in order to be allowed back into Molly Mae's home with their daughter Bambi

Zoe continued: 'The last two months you've been happier and nicer to be around because you've not got the stressors that come along with being with him.'

She then went on to explain her less-than-positive feelings about the father of her beloved niece.

She said: 'Mine and Tommy's relationship was very very turbulent. We definitely butted heads a fair few times about him going out and me being protective of Molly. He was great with Bambi but he wasn't at the time being a great partner and I think that's what she potentially couldn't see.'

Zoe, who married her partner Danny Rae last year, has been a support to Molly-Mae as her relationship with Tommy broke down. Former Army medical corps officer Zoe has amassed her own followers on YouTube, but in the documentary notes that it was always Molly-Mae who the family believed would become a star.
Ben Affleck was caught in a disgusting act just a week after his much talked about sexy clinch with Jennifer Garner.

The 52-year-old A-lister - who was recently seen on an outing with children Violet, 19, and Fin, 16 - enjoyed an outing with his youngest child Samuel, 13, in Los Angeles over the weekend.

And though it was a sweet bonding outing, Ben did something a bit gross as he forcefully spit out a mass of saliva and phlegm AKA 'hawked a loogie' on the stroll.

The proud father made sure that the spit would not hit his son as he completely turned his head the opposite way as he blew it out of his mouth.

Ben kept his look simple on the outing as he sported a grey full-zip sweater over plain white T-Shirt, indigo-washed jeans, and added a bit of quiet luxury in the form of navy colored Brunello Cucinelli leather alpine hiking boots which retail for $1,695.

His short hair was disheveled as he sported a scruffy beard and clutched onto a small white box.

Ben Affleck was caught in a disgusting act as he was seen on an outing with son Samuel, 13, just a week after his much talked about sexy clinch with Jennifer Garner

Affleck has been keeping busy and last weekend the star attended the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas for the screening of his movie The Accountant 2.

The action thriller - which is a sequel to the 2016 film - is slated to hit theaters next month on April 26.

Along with Ben, other stars that have been cast in the project include Jon Bernthal, Danielle Pineda, J.K. Simmons and Cynthia Addai-Robinson.

The premise is: 'Christian Wolff (Affleck) applies his brilliant mind and illegal methods to reconstruct the unsolved puzzle of a Treasury chief's murder,' per IMDB.

Matt Damon - who was one of the producers on the action thriller - also supported his former Good Will Hunting co-star at the premiere.

While on the red carpet, Ben opened up about his friendship with Damon and working with the star during an interview with People.

'It's a beautiful thing. You know, I don't have very many - none of us really have many friends. You don't need a million friends,' he expressed to the outlet.

'You need a few good ones. And I'm really lucky to have had a friend in Matt. I'm lucky to have friends like that in my life.'

The 52-year-old A-lister did something a bit gross as he forcefully spit out a mass of saliva and phlegm AKA 'hawked a loogie' on the stroll

His appearance at the star-studded event also came shortly after he was seen hugging his ex-wife Jennifer Garner during a paintball session as they celebrated their son Samuel's 13th birthday.

The former couple tied the knot in 2005 but their divorce was finalized in 2018.

Ben later married Jennifer Lopez in 2022 but she notably filed for divorce on their second wedding anniversary in August 2024.

Earlier this year in January, their divorce was settled but he wasn't declared legally single until last month on February 21 when the marriage was legally dissolved.

Both Affleck and Garner were also seen arriving to the paintball park near Los Angeles - and the actor flashed a big smile while he conversed with the 13 Going On 30 actress.

The two stars embracing during the outing soon sent the internet into a frenzy - and a source informed DailyMail.com how Garner feels about 'rekindling' her romance with Ben.

The mother-of-three is currently in a relationship with John Miller, and the couple were recently spotted spending time together after the paintball excursion with her ex.

The insider stated that she is 'deathly afraid of falling back in love' with Affleck and has 'trust issues' when it comes to the actor. The pair divorced after Affleck reportedly had an affair with their children's nanny Christine Ouzounian.

The star has been keeping busy and last weekend the star attended the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas (seen above) for the screening of his movie The Accountant 2

His appearance at the star-studded event also came shortly after he was seen hugging his ex-wife Jennifer Garner during a paintball session as they celebrated their son Samuel's 13th birthday; seen in 2013 in Hollywood

'She loves Ben but is worried that he will crush her all over again,' the source continued.

'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.'

Another insider told DailyMail.com that Ben wants to possibly make a movie with Garner - after working together on Pearl Harbor (2001) and Daredevil (2003).

'Ben has so many ideas popping in his head, he feels like he knows just what to do with her.

'He feels that her true talents have not been brought to light and he is just the producer who can find her the right material. She can do both drama and comedy so he feels there are a lot of opportunities for her skills,' the source said.

Following her hug with Ben, another insider informed Page Six this month that her boyfriend John Miller has issued her an 'ultimatum.'

Earlier this year in January, their divorce was settled but he wasn't declared legally single until last month on February 21 when the marriage was legally dissolved; seen in January 2024 in Beverly Hills

The insider stated that she is 'deathly afraid of falling back in love' with Affleck and has 'trust issues' when it comes to the actor; seen in 2021 in Hollywood

'John knows there's nothing going on between Jen and Ben, but he doesn't think those photos are a good look and feels it's disrespectful to their relationship.'

The source added that the businessman 'gave Jen an ultimatum - he doesn't want to see anything like that again or he has no choice but to walk away.'

And a separate insider told DailyMail.com that Miller had also been a bit bothered by Jennifer and Ben 'being touchy-feely.'

They further expressed, 'It would get to anyone, but this is nothing new. Ben and Jen have a unique relationship, especially for exes.'

However, it seems all is well between John and Garner as the pair were recently spotted this week on a date at Brentwood Country Mart in L.A.

And a separate insider told DailyMail.com that Miller had also been a bit bothered by Jennifer and Ben 'being touchy-feely'

The couple - who began dating in 2018 - were seen 'holding hands and kissing' and were also 'very cute with one another.'

A source told DailyMail.com, 'They are still going strong and appear to be doing really well.

'They looked happy and at ease like they were a married couple that is thriving. They laughed and smiled at each other. Very cute.

'Both were dressed casually and she had no makeup on, her hair down. He had on a coat and jeans.'
Georgia Jones is enjoying time with her friends after temporarily moving out of the home shares with husband Danny, two weeks after his kiss with Maura Higgins.

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a drunken kiss with the Love Island star, 34, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month, and said in his apology on Friday he was sorry for putting Georgia 'in this situation.'

But a day after Danny's public apology, his wife was pictured enjoying drinks at a London pub with her girlfriends after moving in with her close pal Rose last week.

Soaking up the spring sunshine, Georgia beamed as she laughed over a bottle of champagne during the al fresco drinking session.

Whilst Georgia made the most of her weekend with friends, a downcast Danny was seen carrying a suit bag to a dry cleaners in west London on Monday.

Days after the Mail revealed that a 'furious' Georgia had left the London house she only recently bought with her husband, insides said she is staying with her friends while the couple work on a resolution.

Georgia Jones is enjoying time with her friends after temporarily moving out of the home shares with husband Danny, two weeks after his kiss with Maura Higgins

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a kiss with Maura, 34, at a BRIT Awards party earlier this month, and said in his apology on Friday he was sorry for putting Georgia 'in this situation'

Georgia went to stay with a friend to gain some space from the situation for a few days after he kissed Maura.

Dut despite his grovelling, a source told MailOnline that Georgia took some time away from her husband as she stayed over at her and Danny's best friends' house.

Georgia is said to have stayed with her friend for some 'girly time' to distract herself from everything that has been going on.

However the source insisted Georgia only left the family home temporarily and the couple are 'working on things behind closed doors'.

On Sunday, Georgia returned to social media for the first time since he issued a grovelling apology for his drunken kiss.

Taking to Instagram, Georgia shared a picturesque post of blooming daffodils, with the caption: 'SPRING.'

It comes after sources said Georgia is keen to avoid being seen as a 'pushover' by forgiving Danny too fast.

Two days after making a cringeworthy return to social media, Danny released a statement apologising to his wife Georgia for 'putting her in the situation'.

Danny's wife was pictured enjoying drinks at a London pub with her girlfriends on Saturday after reportedly moving in with her close pal Rose last week

Georgia dressed down in a warm black coat, leggings and a beanie hat for the outing as she showed her friends photos on her phone during the stroll to the pub

Soaking up the spring sunshine, Georgia beamed as she laughed over a bottle of champagne during the al fresco drinking session

Whilst Georgia made the most of her weekend with friends, a downcast Danny was seen carrying a suit bag to a dry cleaners in west London on Monday

Days after the Mail revealed that a 'furious' Georgia had left the London house she recently bought with her husband, it's been revealed that she is staying with her friends

Georgia, who shares son Cooper, seven, with her husband, 'told Danny she needed to get away' and moved in with her close friend on Wednesday

The pair were also pictured on a tense outing together on Tuesday, with sources telling The Mail that it was a last-ditch attempt by Danny's team to preserve a united front.

A friend of Georgias revealed: She is furious  not just with her husbands actions, but with all the chaos this has brought to their lives, particularly for their young son Cooper.

All she wants to do is protect her boy from this mess.

It has been overwhelming and she needs time to process what has happened. Only then can she begin to talk about the future.

They are now on a break and are living apart from each other.

On Instagram, two weeks after the kiss took place, Danny took to Instagram to issue an apology to his wife.

He said: 'Hello everyone. Sorry its taken me a while to post this but I've taken some time out to be with those closest to me.

'I want to deeply apologise to my wife and family for putting them in this situation.'

Two days after making a cringeworthy return to social media , Danny released a statement apologising to his wife Georgia for 'putting her in the situation'

The pair were also pictured on a tense outing together on Tuesday, with sources telling The Mail that it was a last-ditch attempt by Danny's team to preserve a united front

Danny and Georgia are seen in December after he won I'm A Celebrity. She flew all the way to Australia to see him

The McFly star, 39, was filmed sharing a kiss with the Love Island star, 34, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month

'I love then so much and we'll continue to deal with this privately.

'I love you guys, thank you for you patience, understanding, and support. See you all soon, Danny.'

A source close to the musician told the Mirror that 'He has been mortified about what's happened and the awful situation he has put everyone in.

'He cares so deeply about his family and hopes his words will draw a line under what has been a deeply upsetting time for everyone. Georgia and his son are absolutely everything to him.'

They added: 'He and Georgia are living together and trying to work things through but he is not out of the woods.

'He will be in the doghouse for a while yet.'
She was given the nickname Baby Spice for her youthful and innocent appearance.

And Emma Bunton showed she still lives up to the moniker as she displayed her ageless appearance in a stunning new selfie.

The Spice Girl, 49, took to her Instagram on Monday to share a celebratory post marking St Patrick's Day and pay tribute to her Irish heritage, as her maternal family hail from County Wexford.

She proudly posed in a purple and black polo neck from the southeastern county, while showing her age-defying beauty.

Emma then shared a clip from 28 years ago, displaying how little she had changed from the release of the Spice Girls debut album Spice in 1996.

The video showed the girl group winning the Best International Pop Album gong at the IRMA Awards in Dublin in February 1997.

Emma Bunton showed she still lives up to the Baby Spice moniker as she displayed her ageless appearance in a stunning new selfie

The Spice Girl, 49, took to her Instagram to share a clip from 28 years ago, displaying how little she had changed from the release of the Spice Girls debut album Spice in 1996

The video showed the girl group winning the Best International Pop Album gong at the IRMA Awards in Dublin in February 1997

Collecting the prize, Victoria Beckham thanked the band's fans in Ireland, before Emma jumped in to reveal her personal connection.

The then-21-year-old gushed: 'And this is especially good for me, because I am Irish. To all my family in county Wexford! My granddad will be proud, cheers!'

Emma also shared throwback photo from 2019, showing her performing on stage with a Guinness proudly held aloft.

Captioning the celebratory post, she wrote: She penned: 'Happy St. Patricks Day! Sending love to everyone celebrating today, especially my family and friends in beautiful Wexford!'

It comes after Emma sparked excitement among Spice Girls fans last month, following reports that she is joining forces with bandmate Mel B on a new K-pop TV series.

The pair reportedly flew to Seoul in November last year to take part in a reality show, collaborating with K-pop idols.

The eight-episode Apple TV+ series, named KPOPPED, is being executively produced by music icon Lionel Richie and is set to air later this year.

The format sees Western musical legends collaborating with the biggest K-pop artists to reimagine one of their greatest hits in a K-pop style, with a live audience voting for the winner of the best new song.

Apple have already announced that Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion will be performing on the show, as well as serving as an executive producer.

Emma also shared throwback photo from 2019, showing her performing on stage with a Guinness proudly held aloft

She shared the post to mark St Patrick's Day and pay tribute to her Irish heritage, as her maternal family hail from County Wexford

It comes after Emma sparked excitement among Spice Girls fans last month, following reports that she is joining forces with bandmate Mel B on a new K-pop TV series (pictured together)

While South Korean star Psy, who soared to fame with his international 2012 megahit Gangnam Style, will also appear on the series.

The Sun claimed that the show's star-power is even more off the charts, with Emma and Mel, 49, also starring, as well as fellow Brit Boy George.

A music insider told the publication: 'A Spice Girls reunion is a way off. So having Emma and Mel back on stage singing a Spice Girls song together might be the closest fans get to a comeback, even though it will be with K-pop stars rather than Geri Horner, Melanie C and Victoria Beckham.

'They flew to South Korea at the end of last year and were on set for quite a few days as they battled it out with other pop veterans.

'With them alone on board, it is a big show. But theres also Boy George and loads of other chart-topping stars, which will be enough to encourage people to tune in.'

Fellow Spice Girl Melanie C hinted that the band could do something special next year to mark the 30-year anniversary of their debut album, Spice.

The girl group last toured together in 2020 as a foursome, with only Victoria Beckham missing out.

While the last time Emma, Mel B, Mel C, Victoria and Geri Horner all performed as a five was during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

The eight-episode Apple TV+ series, named KPOPPED, is being executively produced by music icon Lionel Richie (pictured in October) and is set to air later this year

Apple have already announced that Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion will be performing on the show, as well as serving as an executive producer (pictured January)

While South Korean star Psy, who soared to fame with his international 2012 megahit Gangnam Style, will also appear on the series (pictured in 2022)

The Sun has claimed that the show's star-power is even more off the charts, with Emma and Mel, both 49, also starring, as well as fellow Brit Boy George (pictured in December)

Speaking to Rebecca Judd On Apple Music 1 last month, Mel C teased: 'There has to be something befitting of 30 years since Wannabe.

'Once a Spice Girl, always a Spice Girl. We all feel like that, but we now are getting together because we know if were going to do anything, we have to start planning things to get things right.

'We have to start making the plans right now and putting them into action. So fingers crossed.'

However, she admitted it might be up to her and Mel B to get things moving, saying: 'I think me and Mel B are probably going to be going in there all guns blazing, "Come on! Its time!"'

Hopes of another reunion of the girlband were previously thought to have been have been scuppered due to an ugly feud between two members.

Reports emerged in November that Geri backed out of a huge Netflix biopic that would have netted each of the five members 1million each .

According to The Sun, the streaming service had told the band to make up or it would make the show without any input from the people featured in it, much like controversial drama The Crown.

A source said: 'Executives are keen to have all the group on board providing as much input as possible - after all they are pop royalty.

It comes after fellow Spice Girl Melanie C hinted that the band could do something special next year to mark the 30 year anniversary of their debut album, Spice (pictured in 1995)

It comes as good news to the nineties band's fans, after hopes of another reformation were thought to have been have been scuppered due to an ugly feud between two members

'But Netflix are the organisation who defied the wishes of real royalty and went ahead and made The Crown, so they aren't afraid to go it alone when they have to.

'The project is in its very early stages so there's plenty of time to get all five Spice Girls involved.

In November, Geri's husband Christian Horner was forced to deny claims he was to blame for 'derailing' the band's TV project.

He told the PA news agency: 'There is a lot being written about different things, but there are absolutely no plans to do a family documentary.

'Netflix do enough, and you see enough of the behind-the-scenes on that. So where that report has come from, I have absolutely no idea.'
Kimberly Stewart, the daughter of music legend Rod Stewart, is currently expecting her second child.

Although she has not revealed the identify of her baby-to-be's father, the model, 45, already shares a 13-year-old daughter, named Delilah, with her ex Benicio Del Toro.

Back in 2011, as they prepared to welcome their little girl, her rep confirmed they were expecting and 'although they are not a couple, they are looking forward to the arrival of the baby.'

'Benicio is the father and is very supportive,' her rep said, at the time.

Over the years, the pair have prioritized maintaining an amicable co-parenting relationship and even took a trip together to Puerto Rico with Delilah to watch Rod perform in 2023.

Although Kimberly and Del Toro have mostly keep details about their daughter out of the spotlight, the actress previously shared that Delilah is 'very opinionated' and loves to travel.

Meanwhile, Del Toro told E! News in 2015 that Benico had the 'acting gene.'

'Kids find out how to manipulate to their advantage somehow by pretending this or pretending that,' he noted. 'But I think shes gonna be a teacher. She likes telling me what to do.'

In addition to Del Toro playing an active role in his little girl's upbringing, Delilah's famous grandparents have all been very involved in her life.

Kimberly is the second of Sir Rod Stewart's eight children and second of Alana Stewart's three children.

Her new baby will be Rod, 80, and Penny Lancaster's fifth grandchild.

Over the weekend, Kimberly announced she was pregnant with a baby boy.

The mother-to-be looked glowing as she showcased her growing baby bump in a floral gown while posing for idyllic outdoor snaps.

'Baby boy coming soon,' Kimberly captioned the post.

Although she has not revealed the identify of her baby-to-be's father, the model, 45, shares a 13-year-old daughter, named Delilah, with her ex Benicio Del Toro

Back in 2011, as they prepared to welcome their little girl, her rep confirmed they were expecting and 'although they are not a couple, they are looking forward to the arrival of the baby'

While she turned off comments on her post, her mother-in-law, 54, shared a sweet tribute to the star, penning on Instagram: 'So happy for you becoming a mom again.'

Back in February 2022, Kimberly confirmed her engagement with producer Jesse Shapira.

At the time, she took to Instagram where she unveiled a huge diamond solitaire ring and publicly announced that she is set to wed Jesse, who she'd been dating since March 2019.

Kimberly shared a sweet snap of herself kissing her new fiance and showing off her jaw-dropping engagement ring, captioned: 'Forever.'

However, it appears that it wasn't the case of 'forever' as they seemingly split that same year, with Kimberly later linked to Scott Disick.

Kimberly is the second-eldest daughter of rocker Rod Stewart (seen in 2021)

The blonde beauty has also been romantically linked to Laguna Beach star Talan Torreiro and songwriter Cisco Adle.

Alana was Rod's first wife, and they married in 1979 when he was 34, but they divorced five years later.

In 1990, he married Rachel Hunter, with who he had Renee and son Liam, before divorcing in 2006.

He married Lancaster the following year, and together they welcomed two sons Alastair and Aiden.

Rod also has daughter Sarah Streeter, from his relationship with Susannah Boffey in 1963 when he was 17, but who was raised by her adoptive parents

He also has a third daughter Ruby, with Kelly Emberg, who was born in 1987.
Davide Sanclimenti's girlfriend Iris Au is facing three years in prison after pleading guilty to a tax charge in a $2.6million tax row.

The Love Island winner, who won the series back in 2022 with his then girlfriend Ekin-Su Culculoglu, went public with his new flame in January.

However it has now been revealed she is agreeing to plead guilty to a federal criminal tax charge, and will face jail time as a result.

Iris, 35, is the former girlfriend of cryptocurrency fraudster Iza, who dubbed himself 'The Godfather', failed to report ill-gotten gains she obtained via her then boyfriends criminal activities.

A statement reveals that she has agreed to plead guilty to the tax charge and agreed to pay a federal criminal tax charge for failing to report $2.6 million (2,004,886) in income.

A report from the United States Attorney's Office explained Au has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge and is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming days.

Love Island winner Davide Sanclimenti's girlfriend faces three years in prison over a $2.6million tax row

Iris, 35, is the former girlfriend of cryptocurrency fraudster Iza, who dubbed himself 'The Godfather', was charged after failing to report ill-gotten gains she obtained via her then boyfriends criminal activities

According to Au's plea agreement, from 2020 to 2024, Iza committed a series of crimes, including fraudulently obtaining access to advertising accounts and lines of credit provided by Facebook Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. and selling access to those accounts. Iza obtained millions of dollars of unreported income as a result of these schemes.

Separately, Iza engaged active Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) deputies to provide private security for him and caused the deputies, among other things, to obtain court-authorized search warrants and confidential law enforcement information targeting people with whom Iza had financial and personal disputes.

At Iza's direction, Au created shell corporations and opened bank accounts in the names of those entities.

She then used the illicit funds placed into those accounts to pay approximately $1 million to the deputies, mostly in cash, purchase or lease luxury real estate, cars, jewelry, and clothing, pay for recreational activity for Iza and herself valued at nearly $10 million, and acquire approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency for Iza.

Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023, income that she willfully failed to report to the IRS on her federal tax returns.

After pleading guilty, Au will face up to three years in federal prison.

Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023

The Love Island winner, who won the series back in 2022 with his then girlfriend Ekin-Su Culculoglu (pictured November 2023), went public with his new flame in January

On January 30, Iza appeared before a federal judge and pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16, at which time he will face up to 35 years in federal prison. Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating this matter.

MailOnline have contacted Davide's representatives for comment.
The Duchess of Sussex's friend Jameela Jamil has revealed that she's been left at 'death's door' by a rare health disorder.

'In February, out of nowhere, the upper part of my digestive system slipped and is squishing an important artery from the heart to my digestive system, and it is also crushing down on the blood supply to my kidney,' the actress and model, 39, said.

'This has made me so violently ill that I have developed a hiatal hernia in my oesophagus. I can barely eat. I'm in so much pain. I'm so tired and I can't breathe properly for hours.'

It's been a tough few months for Jameela, who is pals with Meghan Markle and even appeared on her podcast Archetypes, with the star revealing in October that her 'body is broken forever' by societal beauty standards.

Collecting Glamour's Game Changing Voice Of The Year, she expressed her sadness at the return of 'heroin chic' as she gave an impassioned speech on how women are once again 'suffering and risking our lives' in the pursuit of the 'same Snapchat face'.

Urging women and girls to be kinder to themselves, she said: 'I beg of you, as I stand here with a body broken forever because of what I put it through for our societys beauty standards... to not sell your old lady self short.'

The Duchess of Sussex's friend Jameela Jamil (pictured, in January) has revealed that she's been left at 'death's door' by a rare health disorder

'In February, out of nowhere, the upper part of my digestive system slipped and is squishing an important artery from the heart to my digestive system' the actress (pictured, in 2024) said

Jameela began her speech by speaking about the optimism of the 2010s, before sharing her concern that there had been a back track.

The Good Place star said: 'Boys are encouraged to build their bodies, and build their futures and legacies.

'While women and girls are starving, injecting and hurting  and sometimes literally dying  for the fastest possible route to the ever-changing, fickle beauty standard.'

'Why is women's discomfort and harm still so hyper normalised?' the actress asked.

In December, Jameela criticised Hollywood's 'era of Ozempic heroin chic' and warned that even super-slim stars are resorting to weight-loss jabs.

The actress, who has publicly documented her own teenage struggles with anorexia, said it 'has been hard to watch' already thin stars taking fat jabs 'to go from slim to super skinny'.

In a post on Instagram  alongside a video of herself eating in a black bikini  she told her nearly four million followers: 'The amount of people in my industry just taking it to go from slim to super skinny, to finally achieve the obedient waif physique to fit the obedient sample sizes... has been hard to watch.

'Especially for those of us who have fought off eating disorders.

It's been a tough few months for Jameela, who is pals with Meghan Markle (pictured, in February) and even appeared on her podcast Archetypes

The star revealed in October that her 'body is broken forever' by societal beauty standards as she was named Glamour's Game Changing Voice Of The Year (pictured)

In May, Jameela explained how she had undergone a bone graft before suffering 'horrendous' Gastritis after taking post-op antibiotics and pain killers

She wrote on Instagram: 'Guess who had a lil emergency operation and a bone graft and took antibiotics and pain killers and woke up with gastritis?!'

'Who are they really doing it for?'

She added: 'I plan on sitting out this cycle. Curves will come back. They always do. Then they will go away again. Then come back.

'I'm not playing with my brain, my heart, my bone density, or my metabolism for a trend.'

In May, Jameela explained how she had undergone a bone graft before suffering 'horrendous' Gastritis after taking post-op antibiotics and pain killers.

She wrote on Instagram: 'Guess who had a lil emergency operation and a bone graft and took antibiotics and pain killers and woke up with gastritis?!'

The star then asked her followers: 'Please send me funny animal videos at this horrendous time. Fork everything.'

She captioned the post: 'Pls send what works for you with gastritis. I have a long haul FLIGHT TODAY.'

'I'm gonna be Kristen Wiig in bridesmaids,' she added in reference to the 2011 comedy's iconic vomiting and diarrhoea scenes.

The model later shared a snap of herself on following a long plane journey with her beloved dog Barold

In April The Mail's Richard Eden reported that Jameela said: 'David Bailey literally shouted, cheerfully, "She's too fat for the dresses  we'll shoot her naked".'

The Mail's Richard Eden reported in April that, during a photoshoot for Vogue magazine, celebrated photographer David Bailey allegedly treated Jameela so unkindly that she starved herself for almost a month afterwards.

'I was told I was "too fat" to wear the size-zero clothes and had to just hold the dress over me as I stood almost naked in a room full of strangers,' she said.

'David Bailey literally shouted, cheerfully, "She's too fat for the dresses  we'll shoot her naked".'

Jameela, who lives in Los Angeles with her musician boyfriend James Blake, 36, added: 'I don't think I ate for about three weeks after that.'
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It is strictly business for Tom Cruise and Ana De Armas, who despite looking cozy while out and about in London, are not dating.

The actors were twice pictured arriving at a heliport in Battersea, south west London, last week, just one month after they dined out around Valentine's Day.

But insiders tell DailyMail.com that Tom's intentions are far from romantic, with the actor believed to be eyeing up Ana for future projects, including a Days of Thunder sequel following his successful Top Gun: Maverick revival.

'Everything with Tom and Ana is innocent,' the source said. 'They are hanging out to talk about future movies that they could do together.

'One of those ideas is the Days of Thunder sequel that Tom wants to get off the ground. It is currently in its infancy.

'Hes talking [to Paramount] about and Its going to be what comes together first in terms of a script. It depends on the idea and, ultimately, the script.'

It is strictly business for Tom Cruise and Ana De Armas, who despite looking cozy while out and about in London, are not dating (pictured in Battersea, London last week)

'Everything with Tom and Ana is innocent,' a source told DailyMail.com. 'They are hanging out to talk about future movies that they could do together'

The rumor mill has been in overdrive since the duo were first pictured in London's Soho on February 13.

They were mobbed by fans and stopped to take pictures as a crowd formed around them.

The A-list pairing put on animated display and carried two bags of takeaway food on their way out of the restaurant, before hopping into a taxi together.

Sources at the time told People they were 'discussing potential collaborations down the line,' and had 'no romantic connection.'

Last week they were all smiles as they touched down at a heliport in Battersea. They were joined by director Doug Liman.

But with decades as one of Hollywood's leading men, Tom has mastered the art of keeping his private life out of the spotlight, and if he was dating Ana, nobody would know about it.

'Tom manages to shield his private life, so if he was dating Ana, nobody would have seen them in the first place,' the insider continued. 'The fact they have been seen together is because it is friendly.'

But he is interested to see if they have any 'chemistry.'

'Tom manages to shield his private life, so if he was dating Ana, nobody would have seen them in the first place,' the insider continued

'He loves her work, and he always wants to work with the best,' they continued. 'He wants to see if they have any chemistry and any similar ideas.'

Tom has been married three times, first to Mimi Rogers, then Nicole Kidman, with whom he has son Connor and daughter Isabella. His third trip up the aisle was with Katie Holmes. The couple share daughter Suri, 18, who Tom has been estranged from for years.

He has remained coy about his dating life. Despite being linked to Hayley Atwell and Sofia Vergara, he has never confirmed the speculation. Hayley described the rumors as 'grubby.'

Last year he was believed to be dating Russian socialite Elsina Khayrova, 36, the daughter of a prominent Russian MP and ex-wife of diamond-trading oligarch Dmitry Tsvetkov.

Within weeks they had 'split,' reportedly due to Tsvetkov's warning to Tom to 'keep his eyes and wallet wide open.'

Meanwhile, Ana was pictured kissing Manuel Anido Cuesta during a night in Madrid, Spain, in November.

The romantic move appeared to indicate that she had ended her relationship with Tinder Vice President Paul Boukadakis, whom she began dating in the wake of her split from Ben Affleck.

The two looked loved-up on an after-dinner stroll, during which Ana locked arms with Manuel, who is an advisor to his father.

Tom is said to be a fan of Ana's repertoire of work and is weighing up bringing her on board for his potential sequel to his 1990 NASCAR racing film Days of Thunder.

The film, which made $157 million globally with a production budget of $60 million, was not well received, but Tom is reportedly spurred on by the success of his Top Gun revival.

Sources previously told The Hollywood Reporter: 'Hes talking [to Paramount] about Top Gun and Days of Thunder.

'Its going to be what comes together first in terms of a script. It depends on the idea and, ultimately, the script.'
Patrick Schwarzenegger and his fiance, Abby Champion, stripped down to their underwear for SKIMS 2025 Wedding Shop campaign.

On Monday, The White Lotus star, 31, and Alabama-born model, 28, shared pictures of themselves modeling various pieces, undergarments and sexy intimates from the shapewear brand's latest collection to their respective Instagram accounts.

In one image, the actor covered himself with only a bouquet of white flowers as he showcased his washboard abs.

Standing next to him was his longtime love, who rocked a white bralette and short set, complete with lace trim and satin bow details at the straps and waist.

Later he slipped into a pair of black satin boxers while she modeled a sheer lace corset and garter straps that put her stunning physique on full display.

During the photo shoot, they partook in some wedding traditions, like cutting into a large white cake.

Patrick Schwarzenegger and his fiance, Abby Champion, stripped down to their underwear for SKIMS 2025 Wedding Shop campaign

Although he spent the majority of the photo shoot shirtless, at one point, Patrick did suit up in a black tuxedo.

'This is such an exciting time in my life, and I want to feel my best throughout it all,' Champion said in a press release, obtained by Elle, about the modeling gig.

'SKIMS is my go-to for confidence and comfort, and I cant wait to wear these stunning pieces for our wedding celebrations and honeymoon,' she raved.

Schwarzenegger added: 'Being part of SKIMS Wedding Shop with my fiancee, Abby, was such a fun experience and made me more excited for our big day. Grooms are usually expected to just show up, but SKIMS designed with the men in mind also.'

The brand's founder, Kim Kardashian, had nothing but praise for the models as she gushed that 'Patrick and Abbys love is so beautiful, and it shows in every shot.'

'SKIMS is all about making special moments even more meaningful, and with the variety of styles we offer, every couple and bridal party can find something that feels completely authentic to them,' the reality star noted.

Patrick, the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, popped the question to after eight years of dating in December 2023.

The Moxie leading man has been dating the Meet Me At The Jane star since 2015.

On Monday, The White Lotus star, 31, and his longtime love, 28, shared pictures of themselves modeling various pieces, undergarments and sexy intimates from the shapewear brand's latest collection

In one image, the actor covered himself with only a bouquet of white flowers as he showcased his washboard abs and stood next to Champion, who rocked a white lingerie set

The Alabama-born model commanded attention in a white bralette and short set, complete with lace trim and satin bow details at the straps and waist

Later he slipped into a pair of black satin boxers while she modeled a sheer lace corset and garter straps that but her stunning physique on full display

Patrick, who previously dated Miley Cyrus, and Champion have been going strong ever since they were publicly spotted enjoying a date night in West Hollywood at Nice Guy.

In 2022, Patrick gushed to E! News that the qualities that attracted him to Champion were that 'she's a hard worker, dedicated, determined.'

The Daniel Isn't Real star also noted that he admired that Champion moved from Alabama to pursue her modeling dream.

'We love each other and it's okay when she goes away for a week or I go away for a month filming,' he explained.

According to the Terminal List star, the pair moved in together at the end of 2022.

While the couple typically keep details about their relationship private, Champion proudly shares snaps of herself with Patrick on Instagram for her 340,000 followers.

During the photo shoot, they partook in some wedding traditions, like cutting into a large white cake

Patrick, the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, popped the question to after eight years of dating in December 2023

Although the couple have never starred in a film together, they did pose on the same cover of Vogue Spain back in 2018.

In a sweet birthday post dedicated to the model on her 25th birthday, Patrick wrote, 'Love this girl so much!! Such a hard worker.'

Additionally, he described her as someone who loves coffee, ice cream and sugary cocktails as well as Jesus and America.

In 2015, he split from Cyrus after five months of dating due to their demanding schedules.

In 2022, Patrick gushed to E! News that the qualities that attracted him to Champion were that 'she's a hard worker, dedicated, determined'

Patrick graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Business and a minor in cinematic arts in May 2016

'They're just in two different places in their lives  he's in college and she's focused on her music and career,' a source told People, at the time.

Patrick graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Business and a minor in cinematic arts in May 2016.

Last month, Patrick revealed what makes their relationship work after a decade together.

'We've been together 10 years, so it's like we're basically married,' he told InStyle.

Last month, Patrick revealed what makes their relationship work after a decade together

'We've been together 10 years, so it's like we're basically married,' he told InStyle. 'But we're better as humans together than we would be apart. We bring out the best in each other'

The actor continued: 'But we're better as humans together than we would be apart. We bring out the best in each other.'

The brother of Katherine Schwarzenegger, who is married to Chris Pratt, added: 'I feel that I'm the best version of myself with her and I think she does as well.'

'Every morning I go on a walk with my fiancee to the beachIt's just us. No work, no noise,' he shared.

'We go down there and just think about what we're thankful for. That's a constant in my life. I think it's great to have a moment in your day where you can take stock.'
Eamonn Holmes' former GB News co-host Isabel Webster showed her support for his ex Ruth Langsford with a sweet birthday message on Monday.

The post comes just months after Eamonn, 65, was accused of getting Isabel axed from the channel amid claims her relationship with bosses turned sour.

Ruth, who announced her split from the Irish broadcaster in May 2024 after 14 years of marriage, reshared the message to her Instagram Stories as she celebrated her 65th birthday.

In the snap Isabel, 42, cosied up to the Loose Women star as they both stunned in chic gowns and a stylish hats.

She wrote: 'Happy Birthday @Ruthlangsford' to which the birthday girl replied: 'Thank you darling'.

In January Eamonn furiously hit back after he was accused of being behind Isabel's axe which saw her replaced by Ellie Costello, 31, dubbed the organisation's 'own Holly Willoughby'.

Eamonn Holmes ' former GB News co-host Isabel Webster (R) showed her support for his ex Ruth Langsford (L) with a sweet birthday message on Monday.

The post comes just months after Eamonn, 65, was accused of getting Isabel axed from the channel amid claims her relationship with bosses turned sour (pictured 2024)

The shock shake-up was one of a number of changes made by the channel, as Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg saw his hours cut and Mark Dolan replaced on his weekend show.

As Eamonn returned to work after the Christmas and New Year break he posted a snap with new co-host Ellie and lauded her for being 'fresh, bright and different'.

He wrote: 'A New Year , a new day and a new Breakfast line up on @GBNews .

'It's now Eamonn and @EllieCostellotv from 6 to 9.30 . It's Fresh , bright , different and I hope we have your company on TV, online, on your smartphone, on your Radio and by asking your smart device to play GB News. Please join us and say Hello.'

One angry troll then wrote under the post in the comments section: 'Your mate got sacked for not being right wing enough and you sat back and did nothing. With friends like you'

But Eamonn then furiously shot back: 'And u know nothing!'

Back in December Isabel was replaced as Eamonn's co-host after her relationship with the channel's bosses turned sour, insiders revealed.

According to The Sun, Webster's shock exit was caused by a secret feud with her employees over her working hours.

Ruth, who announced her split from Eamonn in 2024 after 14 years of marriage , reshared the message to her Instagram Stories as she celebrated her 65th birthday (pictured 2022)

In January Eamonn furiously hit back after he was accused of being behind Isabel's axe which saw her replaced by Ellie Costello (pictured) dubbed the organisation's 'own Holly Willoughby'





Alongside a sun-soaked snap Ruth wrote: 'So this is 65.... thank you for all your lovely birthday messages'.

Other famous friends were also quick to send their best wishes

The presenter 'wasn't happy' that the channel's senior chiefs were expecting her to increase her days on-screen from three to five a week and 'refused to bow to demands'.

'It had become a sticking point in negotiations and was causing tension behind the scenes,' an insider told The Sun.

'Eamonn's obviously the main star of the show and likes to be in charge - he's now looking forward to working with Ellie who's a young talent he can help mould as her career progresses.'

Responding to these claims, A GB News spokesman said: 'This is completely untrue.'

Talks between Webster and GB News broke down at the end of last year and she was subsequently axed from the company, a decision which 'blindsided' her colleague Holmes.

The pair had just finished their final show of the year and they were allegedly planning to celebrate Christmas together, but she was immediately replaced by Costello.

It comes after Ruth opened up on her divorce in a new interview for the first time and discussed the 'difficult' break up and how she has picked herself up and moved on.

Shortly after their separation, Eamonn went public with his new relationship with dating counsellor Katie Alexander, 43, while Ruth remains publicly single.

Speaking to woman&home Ruth said she was determined to look ahead and feels an enthusiasm for what's next, including meeting someone new.

When asked how she is feeling now, Ruth said: 'I'm alright. Relationship breakdowns are very difficult  marriage, friendship, whatever it is  but you just deal with it and you have to move on. You can either let yourself crumble or you pick yourself up and get on with life. It's a choice.'

Ruth, who shares son Jack, 22, with Eamonn, added: 'I'm not delighted my marriage is over but I've accepted that my marriage is over, so I am trying to now embrace the fact that I'm single and can make choices that are just about me.'

She said: 'For a lot of people, whatever troubles you have, work is something that you have to get up and do. For me, it's always been a good thing to dust myself down and concentrate on something else.'
Davide Sanclimenti has spoken out for the first time after it was revealed his girlfriend Iris Au is facing prison over a $2.6million tax row.

Iris, 35, could serve up to three years after pleading guilty to a charge after failing to report ill-gotten gains she obtained via her then boyfriends criminal cryptocurrency activities - but Davide claims he has been aware of her situation all along.

The Love Island star, who won the series back in 2022 with Ekin-Su Culculoglu, went public with new flame Iris in January - and has shared his support her after her plea.

Iris is the ex-girlfriend of cryptocurrency fraudster Iza, dubbed 'The Godfather', who she was involved with before meeting Davide.

The reality personality has boldly claimed he 'stole' Iris from Iza, as he weighed in on the news that she could potentially serve jail time.

Davide told MailOnline he knew about Iris's charges when they met and vowed to be by her side throughout, before hinting that there is more to the 'extraordinary' story.

The reality star also claimed that Iris was still with the 'The Godfather' when they met and he 'stole' her away from him.

Davide Sanclimenti has spoken out for the first time after it was revealed his girlfriend Iris Au is facing prison over a $2.6million tax row

Iris, 35, could serve up to three years after pleading guilty to a charge after failing to report ill-gotten gains she obtained via her then boyfriends criminal cryptocurrency activities

He said: 'How The Italian Stallion stole the girl from the Godfather with the LAPD on a speed deal this sounds like a Hollywood blockbuster,' he said.

'The truth is that I knew about her situation from the start which is why I was protecting her.

'Iris is an amazing person who has been through difficult situations that most people could never understand.

'There's so much of this extraordinary story that people dont know yet. I will be there by her side to supply her as she deserves all the support and understanding.'

It was revealed on Monday that she is agreeing to plead guilty to a federal criminal tax charge, and will face jail time as a result.

A statement reveals that she has agreed to plead guilty to the tax charge and agreed to pay a federal criminal tax charge for failing to report $2.6 million (2,004,886) in crypto income.

She illegally gained this profit from criminal activities of her then boyfriend.

A report from the United States Attorney's Office explained Au has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge and is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming days.

Iris is the ex-girlfriend of cryptocurrency fraudster Iza, dubbed 'The Godfather', who she was involved with before meeting Davide

Davide told MailOnline he knew about Iris's charges when they met and vowed to be by her side throughout, before hinting that there is more to the 'extraordinary' story

According to Au's plea agreement, from 2020 to 2024, Iza committed a series of crimes, including fraudulently obtaining access to advertising accounts and lines of credit provided by Facebook Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. and selling access to those accounts. Iza obtained millions of dollars of unreported income as a result of these schemes.

Separately, Iza engaged active Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) deputies to provide private security for him and caused the deputies, among other things, to obtain court-authorized search warrants and confidential law enforcement information targeting people with whom Iza had financial and personal disputes.

At Iza's direction, Au created shell corporations and opened bank accounts in the names of those entities.

She then used the illicit funds placed into those accounts to pay approximately $1 million to the deputies, mostly in cash, purchase or lease luxury real estate, cars, jewelry, and clothing, pay for recreational activity for Iza and herself valued at nearly $10 million, and acquire approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency for Iza.

Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023, income that she willfully failed to report to the IRS on her federal tax returns.

Davide won the 2023 series of Love Island with All Stars' Ekin-Su, who is now dating Curtis Pritchard (Seen in 2023)

After pleading guilty, Au will face up to three years in federal prison.

On January 30, Iza appeared before a federal judge and pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16, at which time he will face up to 35 years in federal prison. Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating this matter.
Jennifer Aniston was one of the first people to contact her ex-husband Justin Theroux after he secretly tied the knot with his new wife Nicole Brydon Bloom, according to an insider.

It is also understood that the actress was taken by surprise when she learned of the wedding in news reports on Monday, along with the rest of the world.

53-year-old actor and director Theroux - who was married to Aniston from 2015 to 2018 - enjoyed an intimate beach ceremony with actress Bloom in Tulum, Mexico this weekend after the pair got engaged in August 2024.

Now an insider close to Aniston, 56, has revealed how she reacted to the news of their nuptials.

'Jennifer was one of the first ones to congratulate Justin on getting married,' the insider exclusively told the Daily Mail. 'Yes, it took her by surprise but they have maintained a close friendship, and she is happy for him that he has found true love.'

The source noted that the news was somewhat bittersweet for the actress, despite the fact she approves of Theroux's 30-year-old new spouse.

Jennifer Aniston was 'one of the first to congratulate' her ex-husband Justin Theroux after he tied the knot with his new wife Nicole Brydon Bloom

An insider exclusively revealed to the Daily Mail that the actress was taken by surprise at the news of Justin's secret wedding

'She cannot help be somewhat reminiscent of what they had together, but she knows what a good man he is, and she thinks that his new wife is wonderful,' the source added. 'This gives Jennifer hope that her Prince Charming is out there.'

A second insider further downplayed any suggestion that the Friends star had been left upset by the news: 'Nobody should feel bad for Jen, she's fine. She's loved and lost like the rest of us, but her life is still pretty good. If she ends up with anyone down the line, that would be beautiful.'

Aniston has a habit of remaining friendly with her exes, including Theroux, and most notably her first husband Brad Pitt, to whom she was married from 2000 to 2005.

The second insider continued: 'So whether it is Brad or Justin, she had her chance with them and loved it while it was great, now she is on a different path as they are in their lives.

'She only feels joy for her exes' successes. She's old enough to not cry over spilled milk. If anything is on her mind about Justin it would be, let Justin be happy.'

This is the second marriage for Theroux, who was famously married to Aniston from 2015 to 2018

The source explained: 'Yes, it took her by surprise but they have maintained a close friendship, and she is happy for him that he has found true love'

Theroux and Aniston had married in a backyard ceremony at their shared Los Angeles home, in front of a handful of close friends in 2015.

But just two years later, the couple announced their shock split and finalized their divorce in 2018.

A joint statement at the time read: 'We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.'

Eight years on and they appear to have maintained that amicable separation - they've even vacationed together and often celebrate 'Friendsgiving' with their pals.

In an September 2024 interview, a month after is new engagement, Theroux admitted that his former wife was 'still very dear to me'.

'The friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we're both very proud of,' he added.

'I'm sincere when I say that I cherish our friendship. We can not be together and still bring each other joy and friendship. Also, she makes me laugh very, very hard. She's a hilarious person. It would be a loss if we weren't in contact, for me personally. And I'd like to think the same for her.'

Monday morning saw news of the actor's intimate beach ceremony nuptials with Bloom makes headlines, after the pair got engaged in August 2024

New Yorkbased Bloom, who recently played Caroline Stuyvesant in season two of The Gilded Age, was first spotted with Theroux in February 2023 at a Netflix event at New York's trendy social club Zero Bond.

In August that year, they were seen packing on the PDA at Altro Paradiso, a restaurant in Manhattan, before making their relationship 'Instagram official' with a selfie at Nicole's twin sister's wedding in the December.

For Aniston's part, she hasn't been linked to anyone since Theroux, with rumors that she has found the search for new love challenging.

In January, she told Allure magazine that she is living her fifties with 'positivity and gratitude.'
Timothee Chalamet's sister Pauline took another apparent swipe at his billionaire girlfriend Kylie Jenner this week.

The Sex Lives of College Girls actress, 33, who previously 'shaded' 27-year-old Jenner's use of private jets, took to Instagram to lambast 'insane wealth disparity' in the US after reading a New York Times article about cuts to foreign aid.

Jenner has amassed a huge net worth and is estimated to be currently sitting on a $700million fortune. In 2019 she was controversially declared the world's youngest's self-made billionaire at age 21 but that value was later downgraded.

Chalamet wrote on her stories: 'New York Times, liberal bias, yes yes yes i get it. But this one by @nickkristof is worth the read. It's about empathy and humanity.

'The United States faces a tremendous number of domestic issues. Our maternal mortality rate is embarrassing, our way of shopping and eating food completely out of season makes no sense, we're spoiled in our desire to BLAST ACs and heat, our INSANE wealth disparity is sick, the list literally goes ON and ON.

'BUT just take a second and think about the fact that LESS THAN 1% of all of our money goes to humanitarian aid.

Timothee Chalamet's sister Pauline took another apparent swipe at his billionaire girlfriend Kylie Jenner this week

The Sex Lives of College Girls actress, 33, who previously shaded 27-year-old Jenner's use of private jets , took to Instagram to lambast 'insane wealth disparity' in the US

'That money is insignificant in fixing any of the larger problems that play in the United States.

'And yet so significant to the lives of millions of individuals across this shared home we call Earth.'

Kylie's sister Kim Kardashian is the richest in the famous family, with an estimated net worth of $1.7billion, while mom Kris Jenner is worth $200million.

Pauline appears to have previously lashed out at Jenner in posts about billionaires and CEOs who own private jets.

The actress made her feelings clear last year when she reposted a telling message by nonprofit organization Move On, originally tweeted by Democratic politician Melanie D'Arrigo.

Per The Sun, the tweet read: 'If your job requires a college degree, you should be able to write off your student loan payments as a business expense the way CEOs write off their private jets and yachts for their jobs which require neither.'

Makeup mogul Kylie famously owns a private jet called Kylie Air, and is the CEO of Kylie Cosmetics, which she founded with mom Kris Jenner in 2014.

It is unknown if Kylie 'writes off' her private jet as a business expense, but she has continuously come under fire for her CO2 emissions.

Pauline said: 'We're spoiled in our desire to BLAST ACs and heat, our INSANE wealth disparity is sick, the list literally goes ON and ON.

It was reported that Pauline had made a dig at Kylie when she reposted a scathing tweet about 'billionaires' on Instagram in January

Pauline also made comments about CEOs who own private jets. Kylie is seen here on her very own private jet

Pauline was seen approaching Timothee and Kylie as they sat in the front row for the Oscars on March 2

Many fans were quick to suggest that Pauline was seemingly throwing daggers at her brother's girlfriend of over a year.

More recently, Pauline appeared to make another dig when reshared Bernie Sanders' scathing tweet on 'billionaires' on Instagram.

'When the three wealthiest men in America sit behind Trump at his inauguration, everyone understands that the billionaire class now controls our government,' the outspoken politician.

Pauline expanded on the post with a caption that read: 'Our system is so flawed that it allows billionaires to exist and accrue so much money and BARELY pay (and sometimes NOT PAY) ANY ANY ANY TAXES.

'This should not be possible. Billionaires do not need to exist. Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg SITTING IN FRONT OF cabinet is NOT DEMOCRATIC. NOT. DEMOCRATIC.'

The now-deleted post has raised eyebrows due to the fact her younger brother's girlfriend is one of the most famous billionaires on the planet, as confirmed by Forbes in 2019.

However, the pair had seemed to be on friendly terms when they were sharing a warm hug at the Coperni afterparty in Paris last October.
Paul Young was left in intensive care following a horrific fall while on holiday in Santorini last year, he has revealed.

The eighties pop icon, 69, had been on holiday with his wife Lorna, 53, at the De Sol Hotel and Spa on the Greek island when he suffered the horrific injury - which left him 'screaming in pain'.

Paul had been walking down the stairs to breakfast while it was pouring with rain when his leg slipped from under him and he heard a crack as it hit the step.

The catastrophic fall - which saw Paul suffer multiple leg fractures and undergo gruelling surgery to have a metal rod fitted.

But after his surgery, Paul began haemorrhaging and was taken to intensive care where he received three emergency blood transfusions.

'Once I'd gone down, I couldn't stop,' he told The Mirror on Monday. 'There was no handrail, so nothing to hold on to. I just thought, "I've lost control".'

Paul Young was left in intensive care following a horrific fall while on holiday in Santorini last year, he revealed to The Mirror on Monday

Paul had been on holiday with his wife Lorna, 53, at the De Sol Hotel and Spa on the Greek island when he suffered the horrific injury - which left him 'screaming in pain' (Seen together)

Paul fell down three or four more stairs, resulting in continued fractures to his leg.

He said: 'When I came to a stop, I looked down and my leg was in a slightly weird position, underneath my bottom.

'I thought "I dont like that. My leg shouldn't be like that", so I tried to straighten it up and thats when the pain started.'

His wife Lorna raised the alarm and Paul was rushed to Santorini General Hospital in Karterados - where x-rays showed multiple fractures to his left thigh bone.

'I was screaming out all the time and most of the time I had my eyes shut because the pain was terrible,' Paul said.

Santorini had no surgeons, so Paul was flown on a private flight from the Greek island to Mediterraneo Hospital in the capital of Athens for surgery on his leg to have a metal rod inserted.

However after his surgery, Paul suffered bad haemorrhages and had to stay in intensive care for two days where he received three blood transfusions.

Two weeks later Paul was discharged from the Greek hospital and he flew back to the UK via private plane - 30,000 feet lower than commercial planes as he was anaemic and the high altitude could have increased his chance of suffering a life-threatening blood clot.

The eighties pop icon, 69, had been walking down the stairs to breakfast while it was pouring with rain when his leg slipped from under him and he heard a crack as it hit the step (Seen in 1985)

His wife Lorna raised the alarm and Paul was rushed to Santorini General Hospital in Karterados - where x-rays showed multiple fractures to his left thigh bone

Paul was then monitored at London's private Cleveland Clinic for two days before being given crutches and returning to his home in Dunstable to recover.

But his recovery was put in jeopardy in November when one of the bolts in the metal rod snapped.

Paul said he felt as though he was getting better but then one day woke up in agony - and later endured another 10-hour surgery to fix the broken bolt.

In the five months since, Paul has undergone exhaustive physio and hydrotherapy rehab, strengthening his leg with resistance bands.

Paul married Lorna in an intimate ceremony at Marylebone Registry office last July, six years after losing his wife Stacey Smith to brain cancer.

He shared a kiss with his spouse as they were greeted by their loved ones following their romantic ceremony as they were joined by a whole host of family and friends including The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner.

In October 2023, Paul revealed he was engaged to his girlfriend Lorna as he took to his Instagram to share a loved-up photo of himself and his then-fiancee.

Captioning the sweet snap, he wrote: 'Lorna said Yes! We are both so happy and both looking forward to a wonderful future together'.

Paul and Stacey tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in 1987 and shared three children together, Levi, 36, Layla, 29, and son Grady Cole, 27 (pictured in 1989)

Lorna also took to her own Instagram to share another smitten shot of the couple, writing: 'My world, my love, my everything, 5 years of joy, I could not love anyone more.'

The Love of the Common People hitmaker's wedding came six years after he lost his wife to cancer.

Stacey, who appeared in the video for Paul's second single Come Back And Stay in 1983, died aged 52 in January 2018 following a two-year battle with brain cancer.

The couple tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in 1987 and shared three children together, Levi, Layla and son Grady Cole.

While the couple didn't divorce, they did split in 2006; Stacey welcomed her fourth child Jude, 12, with Israeli businessman Ilan Slazenger during that time.

However, Stacey and Paul decided to give their love a second chance when they reconciled in 2013, with the rocker becoming a stepdad to Jude.

Stacey received her diagnosis when she and Paul had been married for 30 years.
Sam Pang's first foray into the world of late-night talk shows has received a mixed reaction from fans.

The premiere episode of Sam Pang Tonight aired on Channel Ten on Monday, but not all fans were impressed.

Funnyman Dave Thornton was revealed as the special guest announcer, and the show featured many of the tropes we've come to expect from the late-night format such as quirky banter, celebrity guests and scripted segments.

Fans were quick to give their appraisal of the show on X after its debut, with many slamming the use of 'canned laughter'.

'Oh s***... I said I'd give it five minutes... I lasted three,' one viewer commented.

'Canned laughter makes it unwatchable.'

Sam Pang's first foray into the world of late-night talk shows has received a mixed reaction from fans. Pictured

Another viewer, while praising Sam, said that the allure of the tonight show format may have run its course.

'In the age of long form podcasts, 10 minute segments feel clumsy and awkward,' they wrote, before adding: 'Sam is funny but the 'tonight show' paradigm is over.'

And the criticism didn't stop there.

'#sampangtonight was terrible as expected,' spat someone else.

'Sam is not a host or really a comedian. Let the show go @channel10AU.'

'Who thought it was a good idea to give Sam Pang his own show?' another commented.

However, not everyone was so quick to judge, with one Pang fan saying they felt for the host.

'Every single one of us who has followed Sam Pang his whole career will agree that this is the most nervous or uneasy we've ever seen him,' they wrote.

The premiere episode of Sam Pang Tonight aired on Channel Ten on Monday, but not all fans were impressed

Fans were quick to give their appraisal of the show on X after its debut

'Just relax and be yourself Sammy, you are definitely good enough,' they continued.

Another felt the same, urging viewers to give the show more time to find its feet.

'Not a great start, a bit clunky and flat at times, but he's a genuinely funny guy and I will give him a few more weeks' grace. Good luck, Sam,' they said.

Others were quick to heap praise on the show with the likes of: 'Five minutes in and I'm already loving #SamPangTonight.'

'A good start for #SamPangTonight. It's been too long since we've had a tonight show in Australia,' said one more.

An insider told Daily Mail Australia back in February that the vision for the show is for Sam to put his own spin on a Graham Norton-esque style panel show.

'Australia will finally have a proper 'tonight show',' the source said.

'It's something that has really been missing in our free-to-air line up and Sam's show will be quite different to The Cheap Seats.

However, not everyone was so quick to judge, with one Pang fan saying they felt for the host

'Five minutes in and I'm already loving #SamPangTonight,' wrote one viewer

'It's more Graham Norton for Australia than weekly news commentary.'

Channel Ten will be banking on Sam calling upon his cross-industry contact book to rustle up celebrity guests for his show, both international and Australian.

'We haven't had a good late night talk show that could feature international guests when they come to Australia,' a Ten insider tells Daily Mail.

The network is confident 'Sam will easily facilitate that'.
Beaming Beverley Callard appeared happy and healthy as she attended Lizzie Cundy's swanky charity bash in London on Monday, after opening up about her devastating battle with depression.

The former Coronation Street actress, 67, cosied up to husband Jon McEwan, whom she wed in 2010, as she helped raise money for the good cause at the event which was held at The Pheasantry in Chelsea.

Beverley cut a stylish figure in a printed black dress which she teamed with a purple leather jacket and matching accessories.

She accentuated her dainty features with make-up and wore her ginger tresses in loose curls and appeared totally at ease while chatting to fellow guests.

Meanwhile former WAG Lizzy, 56, stunned in a white mini dress and faux fur stole as she hosted the Back On Track event in aid of injured veterans.

Last week Beverley, who is best known for playing Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, bravely spoke out about her mental health struggles during an appearance on Good Morning Britain.

Beaming Beverley Callard, 67, appeared happy and healthy as she attended Lizzie Cundy's charity bash at The Pheasantry in London on Monday (with husband Jon McEwan)

The former Coronation Street actress, 67, returned to the spotlight after opening up about her devastating battle with depression

Beverly spoke to the hosts about her lowest ever moment, recounting: 'I was hit with it in 2010. I was hospitalised for three months.

'I was terrified about people knowing about it. Absolutely terrified.

'The tabloids wanted to know why I was missing from my job, there was a feeling of guilt and shame and people thinking I was maybe weak.

'I think clinical depression is not that, its the curse of the strong. It affects people pleasers and people who don't stop. It is important to talk.'

She added: 'Ive never posted anything on social medial before.

'Everyone does "Oh my life is great on social media, don't they, I'm living my best life", John said to me, just say how you're really feeling.

'I had this bad day fortunately, it was only a couple of days, he said say it because you will help so many people.'

Her husband Jon - joined them in the studio - and he trained as a councillor to understand her condition.

Meanwhile former WAG Lizzy, 56, put on a very leggy display in a white mini dress and faux fur stole

She hosted the Back On Track event in aid of injured veterans and the fun-filled evening featured an Elvis impersonator

She cosied up to fellow TV star and former Blue Peter host Tim Vincent, 52,

Lizzie posed up a storm with her guests

Vanessa Feltz's ex Ben Ofoedu , 59, attended with girlfriend Vanessa Brown, 29

Ben kept things cool in a a tailored black tuxedo with satin lapels

TV's Tim looked effortlessly stylish in a denim jacket and jeans

Jon said: 'It was a few years ago, there was no help for the partners, so I've got to lean about this and the more I can help Beverley.'

Beverley said: 'For the partner, they need to retain their own identity, there's no help for them its really hard living with someone who is going through that, in that black hole.'

During her stint on the Cobbles the star was struggling, but there came a point where she needed help.

Beverley said: 'You sort of act in real life, but there was a point in 2010 when I couldn't cover it up at all.

'My body had gone into shutdown, when I went into hospital Jon said I looked like a 100-year-old woman.

Last week Beverley , who is best known for playing Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, bravely spoke out about her mental health struggles during an appearance on Good Morning Britain

Beverly spoke to the hosts about her lowest ever moment, recounting: 'I was hit with it in 2010. I was hospitalised for three months (Pictured in the ITV soap in 1984)

'I had to undergo ECT [electroconvulsive therapy], which kills your short time memory for a while.

'So learning lines became really difficult. But I did it.'

The Corrie favourite pleaded with those watching at home to open up more if they are struggling.

Beverley explained: 'Today is time to talk day. Its important we talk about it.

'At the moment we have 8.7 million on anti depressants, I have to take medication myself and I probably will the rest of my life.

'But a lot of people don't have to.

'I think if they had more access to talking therapies or talk to each other, it would help a great deal.

'There still is stigma about mental health, were chipping away, but to talk about it, helps get rid of that stigma and helps you get better.'
Airlines are going to war with a money-saving flight hack that's gone viral  and passengers are getting caught in the crossfire.

The trick, known as 'skiplagging,' exploits a quirk in airline pricing where flights with layovers can be cheaper than direct flights to the connecting city.

Savvy travelers buy tickets with connections but intentionally skip the final leg, getting off at the layover destination to save money.

For example, DailyMail.com found an American Airlines ticket from New York's JFK to Washington DC's Dulles (with a Charlotte stop) for $129.

Direct flights to Charlotte that same day cost $151.

Consumer advocates have built websites to advise flyers on ways to keep their travel costs down.

Those using the loophole should pack everything in a backpack, bring their passport if their itinerary's final destination is abroad, avoid using frequent flyer miles, and switch airlines for the hack, according to Skipplagged.

While not illegal, airlines absolutely despise this practice.

Customers have been using a connecting flight trick to save money on their travels

American Airlines in particular is ramping up enforcement, according to multiple Reddit posts.

For example, a Redditor recently described being flagged at check-in because their home address was suspiciously close to their layover city.

'When I went to check in, the system asked me to check with the counter,' the Reddit-user reported.

'I initially thought it was because it was a full flight or something along those lines, but when I spoke to the agent, she told me that the system had flagged my reservation because my address (from my profile) was near the layover city.

'She said if I didnt board the second leg of the flight, Id be put on the DNF (do not fly) list.'

This passenger reportedly avoided trouble by completing their full itinerary as booked, then buying a separate bus ticket back home.

However, he said he may change his home address in the American Airlines app months before his next trip to avoid the problem.

It's not the first time an American Airlines customer was caught in the crosshairs of skipplagging enforcement.

American Airlines has fought back against the consumer pricing strategy, Redditors claimed

Skipplagging advocates said flyers should bring their passports if they plan on using the hack

In July 2023, a teenager was stopped by airline officials after buying a ticket that connected Boston to Charlotte.

The airline cancelled the teen's initial flight and asked his family to spend an additional $300 on a direct flight.

American Airlines has also taken legal action to fight against website platforms that are helping customers find the cheaper tickets.

In October, a Texas jury awarded the airline $9.4 million in damages from the Skiplagged website after American complained about copyright infringement and 'ill-gotten' revenues.

In a statement to Daily Mail, American Airlines said skiplagging is a violation of the carrier's ticketing policies. Customers agree to the rules with every purchase of the airline's tickets.

'If a customer knowingly or unknowingly purchases a ticket and doesnt fly all of the segments in their itinerary, it can lead to operational issues with checked bags and prevent other customers from booking a seat when they may have an urgent need to travel,' and spokesperson said.

'Intentionally creating an empty seat that could have been used by another customer or team member is an all-around bad outcome.'
A once popluar clothing chain that was once a staple in malls across America has filed for its second bankruptcy in five years.

Forever 21's US store operator has struggled as traffic in shopping malls fades and competition from online retailers like Amazon, Temu and Shein intensifies.

F21 OpCo said late Sunday that it will wind down the business in the US under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

All 200 US stores are will shut unless a buyer steps in at the last minute. Bosses are planning liquidating sales - which means shoppers can get deals as stock is sold off.

But Forever 21 is set to live on since the company that owns the brand plans to turn it into an online-only retailer in the US. International stores are not affected.

At its peak, Forever 21 - the go-to store for American teenagers for decades - had more than 500 stores in the US and 800-plus globally. It was founded in Los Angeles in 1984 by South Korean immigrants.

'Forever 21 has been battered by the rise of Shein and to a certain extent Temu,' retail expert Neil Saunders told DailyMail.com.

'It has also faced competition from other mall players like Zara, Uniqlo, and others. Basically, the competitive bar is now set a lot higher in fast fashion, and Forever 21 has had trouble getting over it.

Forever 21 is renegotiating the leases for its some 380 stores in the US as commercial rents soar across the country

'The truth is that Forever 21 has lost any sense of personality. It has massive stores which are far too big for its needs, and which are full of product that lacks an identity and is nothing special.'

It was only in 2019 that the chain last filed for bankruptcy. Under that it shut hundreds of stores and emerged in 2020 with a new owner.

F21 OpCo blamed companies taking advantage of duty-free treatment of low-cost packages from China to undermine its pricing power.

'We've been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast-fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin,' said Brad Sell, finance chief at F21 OpCo that operates Forever 21's roughly 350 U.S. stores.

De minimis refers to the US waiver of standard customs procedures and tariffs on imported items worth less than $800 that are shipped to individuals and helps Chinese online retailers such as Shein and Temu to keep prices ultra-low.

F21 OpCo licensed Forever 21 from Authentic Brands, a New York-based company that also owns the likes of Reebok, Champion, Ted Baker and Brooks Brothers. Authentic plans to keep the brand alive online.

Jarrod Weber, global president of lifestyle at Authentic, said: 'Forever 21 is one of the most recognizable names in fast fashion. It is a global brand rooted in the US with a strong future ahead.

'Retail is changing, and like many brands, Forever 21 is adapting to create the right balance across stores, e-commerce, and wholesale.

A line of shoppers get the first opportunity to shop on the opening day of fast fashion e-commerce giant Shein, which hosted a pop up inside Forever 21 at the Ontario Mills Mall in Ontario on October 19, 2023

'Our US licensee's decision to restructure its operations does not impact Forever 21's intellectual property or its international business.

'It presents an opportunity to accelerate the modernization of the brand's distribution model, setting it up to compete and lead in fast fashion for decades to come.

'We're building a direct creation-to-shelf model that moves faster. It will accelerate production cycles and deliver the best products at the best prices.

'We are receiving lots of interest from strong brand operators and digital experts who share our vision and are ready to take the brand to the next level.'

This licensing model has become increasingly common, with companies acquiring struggling but well-known retail brands and leasing their names to third-party operators.

Authentic acquired Forever 21 in 2020 after its first bankruptcy, which saw hundeds of stores shuttered.

In January last year, Authentic CEO Jamie Salter said the deal was 'probably the biggest mistake' of his career.

He added that he failed to see Shein and Temu as serious competitors and by the time he recognized the threat they posed, the damage was already done.

Temu is another Chinese-based e-commerce retailer that sells clothes at ultra-cheap prices. It, along with Shein, have emerged as Forever 21's main competitors

Pictured: Forever 21's flagship location in Times Square, Manhattan. It spans 90,000 square feet and has four floors

Authentic Brands CEO Jamie Salter, pictured, said that acquiring Forever 21 was 'probably the biggest mistake' of his career. He added that he failed to see Shein and Temu as serious competitors and by the time he recognized the threat they posed, the damage was already done

At its peak in 2015, Forever 21 was worth $6 billion, making its married South Korean founders Do Won Chang and Jin Sook Chang supremely wealthy.

Signs of trouble surfaced last summer when Forever 21 asked landlords for rent reductions of up to 50 percent in some locations.

The announcement comes as American stores accelerate retail closures.

Dozens of giant chains  including Macy's, Party City, and Big Lots  launched a massive slate of store closures in the past 12 months amid changing customer trends.

A study recently revealed that retailers across America are expected to accelerate store closures to 15,000 shuttered locations this year. Just over 7,300 stores closed shop last year.
China has delivered a second new submarine, equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, to Pakistan as part of its efforts to beef up the navy of its all-weather ally to back its growing presence in the Arabian Sea and Indiaas backyard - the Indian Ocean.

The Hangor-class submarine, which is part of the eight such submarines to Pakistan in a deal with around USD five billion, was launched in Wuhan, Chinaas Hubei Province, official media here reported on Sunday. This is in addition to four modern naval frigates China supplied to Pakistan in the last few years as part of its efforts to boost the naval strength of Pakistan, amid the Chinese navyas steady expansion in the Arabian Sea, where it is developing the Gwadar port in Balochistan, and the Indian Ocean.

A Chinese expert told the state-run Global Times that the new submarine has a strong comprehensive combat capability to become a mainstay for the Pakistan Navy. Under an agreement, Pakistan will acquire eight Hangor-class submarines from China. Four of them will be built in China, while the remaining will be constructed in Karachi under a transfer of technology program, the Pakistan Navy said in a press release.

The submarines will be fitted with cutting-edge weapons and sensors, enabling them to engage targets at standoff ranges.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that Hangor-class submarines possess strong underwater combat capabilities and are equipped with an air-independent propulsion system that will give the boat strong, sustained stealth capability, manoeuvrability and endurance. Its firepower includes torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and mine-laying capabilities, along with advanced underwater detection systems, he said.

According to a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China has supplied 81 per cent of Pakistanas advanced military systems in the past five years, making Pakistan its biggest arms importer.

Pakistanas military acquisitions amounted to 63 per cent of Chinaas total arms exports, with a total value of USD 5.28 billion in the last five years. Pakistan bought more advanced and diverse systems from China from 2020 to 2024, such as long-range reconnaissance drones and Type 054A guided-missile frigates, the SIPRI report said. Some of Pakistanas key orders in the past five years include the countryas first spy ship, the Rizwan, more than 600 VT-4 battle tanks, and 36 J-10CE 4.5-generation fighters, according to the SIPRI database. China supplied the first delivery of multirole J-10CE fighter jets to Pakistan Air Force in 2022, adding to its JF-17 fighters jointly manufactured by both countries.

The fourth-generation JF-17 was jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chinaas Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, including the Block III version featuring an active electronically scanned array radar, which was inducted by the Pakistan Air Force in 2023.

Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former instructor of the Chinese military, told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that China might also export its fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-35 the stealth multirole fighter, aif Pakistan requests ita.
The Pakistan-Afghanistan Jirga on Monday agreed on a ceasefire and reopening of the Torkham border crossing closed since February 21 after Islamabad shut it down over a dispute concerning construction of a border post by the Afghan government. The Afghan Jirga members requested for time until later in the evening to decide on removal of constructions on the disputed land.

Situated about 55 kilometres west-northwest of Peshawar, Torkham has remained closed since February 21 and the movement of people via the border crossing abruptly suspended after Pakistani and Afghan security forces developed differences over construction activities on both sides of the border.

Both countries have in the past closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman border crossing, most often over deadly shootings and cross-fire. The crossings are vital for trade and travel between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. On Monday, both sides of the jirga (tribal councils) reached an agreement on two of the three key points. Head of the Pakistani Jirga, Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi told media that an agreement has been reached on the ceasefire and the reopening of the border.

aHowever, the Afghan Jirga has requested time until evening today to decide on removing constructions on the disputed land,a he said and expressed optimism that this point too would be agreed upon.

It has been agreed that the issue of disputed construction will be postponed until the next meeting of the Joint Chamber of Commerce (JCC), Jawad Hussain said, adding, a final decision on the issue is likely in that meeting.

Until then, the trade route will remain open, and the date for the next meeting will be decided through mutual consultation.

Earlier, an exchange of firing between Pakistani and Afghan security forces at the Torkham border overnight on March 3 left one civilian from Pakistan injured.

On March 2, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur met Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir, the Afghan Consul General in Peshawar, to discuss the Torkham border issues and the impact of its closure on traders and the general public on both sides.

Both sides agreed to make efforts to reopen the border as soon as possible, especially given the month of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.

Since February 21, officials and tribal elders on both sides have been holding talks about reopening the border.

Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said the closure of the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has affected the return and deportation of Afghan nationals.

According to the IOM data, 6,191 Afghans returned to their country of birth through five border crossing points along the border between February 16 and 28 this year.
The Pakistan government has convened an in-camera meeting of a high-level parliamentary security panel on Tuesday where the top military leadership would brief lawmakers on the prevailing situation, amid a surge in the terror attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to convene the security meeting at Parliament House on Tuesday at 1:30 pm, it emerged on Monday.

The military leadership will provide a comprehensive briefing to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on the prevailing security situation, according to a statement issued by the Prime Ministeras Office (PMO).

The development comes in the wake of a series of deadly terror attacks in the two provinces, which share a border with neighbouring Afghanistan. Citing a source in the National Assembly, Dawn newspaper reported that since no parliamentary committee on security was formed, therefore, members of the Standing Committees on Defence and Foreign Affairs from the National Assembly, federal cabinet members, chief ministers of the four provinces and leaders of all parliamentary parties or their representatives will attend the closed-door session. Prime Minister Sharif and Army Chief Gen Asim Munir will join the briefing.

Meanwhile, the government is said to be planning a massive operation against the BLA and other terror groups, involved in growing terror attacks in the province, the paper reported. One of the Prime Ministeras aides, Rana Ahsan Afzal, said the government will soon convene a Multi-Party Conference (MPC) to discuss the security situation. He also revealed plans to carry out a massive operation against terrorists in Balochistan but did not offer any details. The security situation seems volatile in the two provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan where terrorists belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) have repeatedly attacked the security personnel and civilians.

On Sunday, five people, including three security personnel, were killed and 30 others injured when a paramilitary convoy was attacked by BLA militants in Noshki district of Balochistan. Last week, the BLA militants ambushed a train carrying 440 passengers in the same province and killed 21 passengers and four paramilitary soldiers. The army eliminated all 33 terrorists and rescued passengers.

On Sunday, three security personnel were killed in five separate terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces accounted for over 96 per cent of terrorist attacks and deaths in Pakistan in 2024. The militants also this month attacked Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where 16 terrorists were killed and five soldiers died. Also, renowned cleric Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani was killed with five other people in a suicide attack at his seminary in Nowshera district of KP.

Pakistan has repeatedly blamed Afghanistan for the surge in terrorist attacks, allegations that Kabul has denied. As if to put pressure on the Afghan government, Pakistan set March 31 as the deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country or face deportation. In a related development, Pakistan turned down a request by the Afghan Taliban to grant an extension in the stay of Afghan refugees, reported The Express Tribune.

Official sources told The Express Tribune on Sunday that the Pakistani decision was final and there would be no relaxation. Sources said relevant authorities and all four provinces have been given instructions to make appropriate arrangements for the return of Afghan refugees.

Radical Islamist party intensifies action against Ahmadi community

Lahore: A radical Islamist party in Pakistan has intensified its action against the minority Ahmadi community, forcibly stopping its members from offering special Friday prayers in several cities of Punjab and also torturing them, a community organisation said on Monday. Last Friday, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) members surrounded the worship places of Ahmadis in Faisalabad, Sargodha, Layyah, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Bahawalpur and Okara districts of Punjab and threatened the Ahmadi worshippers to stop offering Friday prayers, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan (JAP) said. They chanted slogans against Ahmadis, calling them infidels and also called for the sealing of their worship places. They said Ahmadis cannot offer Friday prayers as it is a aMuslim rituala. Pakistanas Parliament in 1974 declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims. A decade later, they were banned from calling themselves Muslims. They are banned from preaching and from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.

In Faisalabad, the TLP activists stormed into the Ahmadi worship place and allegedly tortured those present there to offer Friday prayers, the JAP said. As police reached all these places, the TLP members said they would not return till police promised to seal Ahmadi places of worship and registration of cases against them for offering Friday prayers.

The police, however, managed to control the situation and assured the TLP protesters that they would seal the worship places. On police assurance, the protesters dispersed.

Earlier, police booked over 60 Ahmadis and arrested 45 for offering Friday prayers in Karachi and Daska cities. JAP spokesperson Aamir Mahmood said the extremist religious groups in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, have been besieging Ahmadi places of worship and inciting violence to prevent Ahmadis from offering Friday prayers. He strongly condemned the TLP action aimed at sealing Ahmadi places of worship and preventing Ahmadis from practising their faith.

aAccording to Article 20 of Pakistanas Constitution, every citizen has the right to practice and follow their faith freely. Preventing peaceful Ahmadis from worshipping not only violates fundamental human rights but also tarnishes Pakistanas global reputation,a he said.

He warned that the growing aggression of extremist groups and their demands for baseless legal action against Ahmadis are putting their lives in danger.

The spokesperson called on the authorities concerned to reject the extremist ideology of the extremist groups of agitators and to uphold the fundamental human rights of Pakistani Ahmadis.

In Pakistan, religious extremists are ramping up their hateful campaigns against Ahmadis, leading to increasing harassment at workplaces, job dismissals, and public calls for boycotting Ahmadi shopkeepers.

Around 10 million out of the 220 million population are non-Muslims in Pakistan.

According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2021, there are 96.47 per cent Muslims, followed by 2.14 per cent Hindus, 1.27 per cent Christians, 0.09 per cent Ahmadi Muslims and 0.02 per cent others.
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 ...


China's global vision: a call for inclusive governance and shared prosperity

10:18, March 17, 2025 By He Yin ( People's Daily

In an era marked by rising global tensions and shifting geopolitical dynamics, nations - especially major countries - find themselves at a crossroads. They must decide whether to forge a future based on multilateral cooperation and reform global governance, or retreat into a zero-sum paradigm where narrow self-interest and unilateral actions risk undermining the international order.

In its latest government work report, China outlined a comprehensive vision for the future. It is ready to work with other members of the international community to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, pursue the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilizations Initiative (GCI), and actively participate in reform and development of the global governance system. In doing so, it will promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and create a bright future of world peace and development.

This approach underscores China's resolve to act as an "enabler" on the world stage - steadfastly advocating for fairness, justice, peace and stability.

As a responsible major country, China always stands firm on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, aligned with the broader cause of human progress. Its persistent emphasis on peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit is reflected in its ongoing provision of global public goods and its commitment to improving global governance.

At the heart of the vision lies building a community with a shared future for mankind - a concept that resonates with the long-standing traditions of Chinese civilization and the internationalist commitment of Chinese Communists. It enables China to secure benefits not just for itself but for the international community at large.

The appeal of the concept is underscored by tangible support from the international community. Over 100 countries have embraced the GDI, GSI and GCI, and more than three-quarters of countries in the world have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - a testament to the broad appeal and influence of China's enabling role on the global stage.

China is steadfastly committed to fairness and justice, enabling global peace and stability.

With an unparalleled record in maintaining peace and security, China follows a path of peaceful development - resolving disputes through dialogue and playing a constructive role in addressing hotspot issues. By promoting a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and by advancing the GSI, it galvanizes international support for peace and development.

China is a cornerstone of multilateralism and a staunch advocate for the Global South. It holds membership in nearly every universal intergovernmental organization and stands as a party to over 600 international conventions and their amendments. Its commitment to equality in rights, opportunities, and rules is reflected in its vigorous support for the development of Global South nations, as well as its ongoing efforts to amplify their representation and voice in global governance.

China maintains a steadfast commitment to win-win cooperation, serving as a driving force for global development and prosperity.

It has built a global network of connectivity within the BRI framework - one that spans economic corridors, international transportation routes, and information highways, as well as critical physical infrastructure including railways, roads, airports, ports, pipelines and power grids. This comprehensive network, which covers land, sea, air and cyberspace, has significantly boosted the flow of goods, capital, technology and human resources among partner countries.

Moreover, China has implemented over 1,100 projects under the GDI and has hosted over 2,000 capacity-building programs to support other developing countries. As a proactive advocate for global development, the country always places the well-being of the international community at the forefront of its agenda. Through a series of concrete actions, it strives to promote a more inclusive, beneficial, and resilient model of global development - one in which every nation has the opportunity to emerge as a winner in the modernization process.

China maintains a steadfast commitment to inclusiveness and mutual learning, acting as a cornerstone for the progress of human civilization.

In recent years, China has hosted a series of cultural dialogues - such as the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, the World Conference of Classics, and the Liangzhu Forum - and has organized initiatives such as the year of culture and tourism, joint archaeological research, and classics translation programs. These efforts aim to celebrate cultural diversity, promote common values of humanity, and foster dialogue among civilizations.

A foreign scholar remarked that the GCI answers the questions of the times, offering Chinese wisdom in response to today's common challenges.

China's actions in enabling global governance reflect its commitment to pursuing shared interests and mutual betterment of humanity. This year, China will host the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, and the Global Summit of Women. These gatherings are expected to further drive reforms in global governance.

For the common good of humanity, China will continue to champion a model of global governance rooted in extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit - building a world where every nation plays a role and the promise of tomorrow is a collective achievement.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
French MEP Raphael Glucksmann is requesting The United States returns the Statue of Liberty back to France immediately. The European Union representative for France claims that The US doesnt uphold the values it did when it was gifted the statue. We have here, mesdames et messieurs, another Beyond Satire moment.

The US no longer represents the values for which France gave the statue to the US, said Raphael Glucksmann, a French member of the European Parliament, on Monday.

BREAKING NEWS: The French MEP is requesting The United States to return the Statue of Liberty back to France immediately. Raphael Glucksmann claims that The US doesnt represent the values it did when we were gifted the statue. The US no longer represents the values for pic.twitter.com/nVk7R0FYFs  Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) March 17, 2025

The Statue of Liberty is supposed to be a symbol of freedom, given in 1886 by France to the United States in celebration of American Independence from Frances greatest enemy  the British.

Between 1778 and 1782 the French provided supplies, arms and ammunition, uniforms, and, most importantly, troops and naval support to the struggling American militia. The French navy transported reinforcements, fought off a British fleet, and protected Washingtons forces in Virginia. If it were not for the French, America would still be British.

Nearby Ellis Island was the first stop for millions of immigrants to the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The national monument commemorates this period of massive immigration to the United States.

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! Inside the statue, a plaque added in 1903 is engraved with words from an 1883 poem by Emma Lazarus

The French seem to be rather forgetful about who liberated them from the Nazis in WW2. To be hectored about freedom from the EU is particularly ironic, especially as the soviet bloc is ruled by the EU Commission, an unelected body of officials under an undemocratic system that is suspiciously similar to the former USSR.
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Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen poised to redefine China's AI landscape with open-source edge and real-world applications

After DeepSeek sparked a revolution in China's AI industry in early 2025, Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen QwQ-32B is poised to become the next widely adopted large model, thanks to its parameters and open-source advantages. While DeepSeek-R1 brought large models into everyday conversations, QwQ-32B is expected to take them further, embedding them in practical, real-world applications.

Though both models deliver comparable performance, QwQ-32B demonstrates a broader scope of adaptability in real-world use. From enterprise-level solutions to personal development tools, and cloud to local deployments, QwQ-32B provides a competitive edge at an extremely low cost.

The shift from DeepSeek-R1 to QwQ-32B signifies a dramatic reduction in the computational power required for top-tier performance models. This change is expected to disrupt the tech giants who have long relied on costly computing resources.

Previously, an Apple Mac Studio with 512GB of memory, costing nearly CNY100,000 (approx. US$13,816), was necessary to run the full version of DeepSeek-R1. However, now, a Mac mini costing only a few thousand CNY can run QwQ-32B and provide nearly the same experience.

Moreover, QwQ-32B's smaller parameter model has a natural advantage in inference speed under the same hardware conditions, offering faster response times and enhanced parallel processing capabilities. For small and medium-sized teams, startups, and individual developers, this significantly lowers the barrier to deploying inference models. With its lightweight architecture of 32 billion parameters, QwQ-32B has carved out a niche in China's AI sector.

QwQ-32B has gained favor from various domestic AI chip platforms, including vendors like Sophgo and Biren Technology. As these platforms deeply integrate with Tongyi Qianwen's large model, China's AI industry is beginning to break free from the shackles of computational power constraints. This could mark the beginning of China's AI sector asserting its influence on the global stage.

As an open-source large language model, Tongyi Qianwen has become a favorite within the developer community, thanks to its flexible customization features that allow developers to adjust and optimize the model to suit their specific needs. This makes it highly suitable for scientific research and technical development. The model has not only been adopted and deployed by several well-known overseas platforms but has also remained at the top of the global AI open-source community's trend rankings on Hugging Face, making it one of the most popular open-source large models worldwide.

Additionally, Qwen-derived models have surpassed 100,000, overtaking Meta's Llama model. This cross-border influence indicates that Tongyi Qianwen is poised to make its mark on the global stage.

From DeepSeek-R1 to QwQ-32B, China's large models are shifting the AI industry's focus from a parameter race to application precision. The question remains: will these developments shake up the future technological direction of AI giants in Europe and the US? And can China's AI chipmakers, including Ascend and Biren, capture more of the market share currently dominated by Nvidia?

Behind this technological revolution lies a potential restructuring of the current order. The emergence of Tongyi Qianwen QwQ-32B could lead to significant disruptions in the European and American AI industries, as the open-source LLMs born out of China's computing power constraints begin to reshape the landscape.

Article edited by Joseph Chen
India roundup: VCI Global to establish India's first semiconductor wire plant in Chennai

India's semiconductor industry is experiencing growth with key investments, such as VCI Global's semiconductor wire plant and Jabil's second factory. However, challenges persist, such as underutilized chip design potential and limited support for startups. Strategic partnerships, like Infineon's collaboration with CDIL, aim to strengthen India's e-mobility and renewable sectors.

VCI Global to establish India's first semiconductor wire plant in Chennai

VCI Global and Kinesis Manufacturing Solutions are investing US$3.5 million to build India's first semiconductor wire plant in Chennai, scheduled to start operations in the third quarter of 2025. The facility will produce semiconductor bonding wires, essential for chip manufacturing, supporting India's push to localize its semiconductor supply chains.

India overlooking chip design as key strength, says Ajai Chowdhry

Ajai Chowdhry, chairman of EPIC Foundation, founder of HCL, and a key advocate for India's semiconductor industry growth, emphasizes that India's semiconductor strength lies in chip design. However, insufficient support for fabless startups hinders growth. He urges targeted funding, faster DLI approvals, and stronger global partnerships. He also advocates government-led market creation and regional alliances to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on Chinese imports.

Jabil to build second factory in India, explores silicon photonics manufacturing facility

Apple supplier Jabil has announced plans to establish a factory in Gujarat, the company's second in India. The company also expressed its intention to build a US$125 million silicon photonics manufacturing facility in the state.

CDIL and Infineon partner to boost India's e-mobility and renewable sector

CDIL Semiconductors and Infineon Technologies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on power semiconductor solutions tailored to India's growing needs in e-mobility, renewable energy, and energy-efficient appliances. This partnership aims to enhance India's semiconductor capabilities and integrate cost-effective, locally produced solutions into the global supply chain.

Foxconn receives US$800 million incentive in India as Tata expands

Foxconn's smartphone assembly plant in Karnataka, India, is set to receive a subsidy of INR69.7 billion (US$801 million) from the local government, marking the first such incentive granted to an electronics company, reports Economic Times and Business Today.

Samsung faces growth challenges in India as prolonged labor strike disrupts operations

Samsung Electronics is facing major setbacks as labor disputes at its Sriperumbudur factory in India escalate without resolution. South Korean industry observers warn that the prolonged strike threatens to undermine Samsung's growth momentum in the world's most populous market. Beyond immediate production disruptions, the ongoing labor unrest could damage the company's corporate reputation in a region increasingly critical to its global strategy.

India's telecom giants team up with SpaceX for satellite internet push

Following a significant meeting between Narendra Modi and Elon Musk in the US, SpaceX's Starlink has partnered with India's top two telecom companies to introduce satellite communication services, aiming to strengthen India's wireless infrastructure and enhance enterprise applications.

India's Yotta drives AI growth but leaves Asus with significant bad debt

Asus declared a significant bad debt over the last quarter of 2024 due to delayed payments for server products sold to Yotta, a company highlighting India's eagerness to build AI infrastructure.

Article edited by Jack Wu
Weekly news roundup: China's EUV breakthrough and Chinese lawmakers' proposal for anonymous semiconductor purchases

These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of March 10  March 15.

China's EUV breakthrough: Huawei, SMIC reportedly advancing LDP lithography, eye 3Q25 trial, 2026 rollout

China is making significant strides in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography with the development of a domestic EUV system, currently being tested at Huawei's Dongguan facility. Trial production is set for the third quarter of 2025, with mass production planned for 2026. China's system uses laser-induced discharge plasma (LDP) technology, an alternative to ASML's laser-produced plasma (LPP).

Experts, including a researcher from TSMC, believe that China's LDP method could be more efficient than ASML's technology. Due to US export restrictions, China has been unable to access ASML's EUV machines and has had to rely on older lithography methods instead. If China successfully commercializes LDP-based EUV, it could bypass Western restrictions and reduce dependency on foreign suppliers. Key challenges include achieving sufficient power output (from 50-100W to 250W), manufacturing high-precision optical components, and integrating the technology into mass production.

Huawei and SMIC are leading the adoption efforts, but scaling EUV production will take time. If successful, China could become the only country outside the Netherlands with EUV capabilities, potentially disrupting the semiconductor industry. However, geopolitical tensions and further export controls could slow progress. By 2030, if China advances to 3nm or 2nm chip production, it may emerge as a major competitor to ASML, TSMC, and Samsung.

China lawmaker proposes anonymous semiconductor purchases to evade US export controls

A Chinese lawmaker has proposed a policy that allows blacklisted domestic firms to secretly acquire foreign semiconductor technology and components, aiming to circumvent US export controls. The proposal suggests replacing public tenders with private transactions to protect overseas suppliers from US scrutiny.

Wen-Hui Guan, an engineer at Naura Technology Group, presented the idea at the National People's Congress (NPC), arguing that transparency requirements expose suppliers to sanctions and contract terminations. He emphasized that increasing US restrictions, such as bans on Nvidia's AI chips, are hindering China's semiconductor and AI sectors.

Chinese firms have already been using intermediaries and loopholes to acquire restricted technology. While Guan's proposal could shape policy, it remains under government review.

Analysts note that this reflects China's growing opacity in tech procurement, making it harder to assess its semiconductor progress. With US- China tech tensions escalating, China's ability to secure advanced technology will be crucial for its semiconductor industry and overall economic trajectory.

Lithography tools viewed as final piece for China's semiconductor equipment supply chain

Naura has been expanding its semiconductor equipment portfolio since 2015, aiming to establish a comprehensive domestic supply chain in China. While it has made significant progress in front-end and back-end semiconductor processes, the lack of advanced lithography machines remains a critical gap. Its recent investment in Kingsemi, a company specializing in lithography-related coatings and equipment, highlights China's push for self-sufficiency in chip production.

Despite advancements in coating, etching, and thin-film deposition, China still lags behind global leaders in lithography technology. The country's lithography efforts are spearheaded by Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE), particularly in the 28nm process nodes, but progress remains slow.

Naura's investment strategy suggests a long-term plan to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing. By focusing on lithography-related equipment, it may gradually move toward developing lithography machines, helping China reduce its reliance on foreign technology.

Analysis: Intel's new CEO should merge Intel Foundry with GF to challenge TSMC's reign

Intel may be considering spinning off its foundry business to GlobalFoundries, following a strategy similar to AMD under Lisa Su, according to a former TSMC executive. This move could create a strong US-based chipmaking competitor to TSMC.

Lip-Bu Tan, a semiconductor industry veteran, will take over as Intel's CEO on March 18, 2025. His appointment has fueled speculation about Intel's direction, particularly regarding Intel Foundry Services (IFS). Some reports suggest Intel is exploring joint ventures, while others propose a merger with GlobalFoundries to strengthen US semiconductor manufacturing.

M.S. Lin, a former TSMC executive, argues that merging IFS with GlobalFoundries would allow Intel to focus on chip design while creating a competitive US-based foundry. Lin also speculates that Tan's M&A expertise and potential collaboration with Broadcom CEO Hock Tan could reshape the US semiconductor landscape.

There are concerns regarding TSMC's acquisition of Intel's foundry due to potential antitrust risks and management challenges. Instead, a US-led restructuring of Intel's foundry business could help strengthen domestic semiconductor production amidst increasing geopolitical tensions. Tan's strong connections to the semiconductor industry, including previous investments in Taiwan and China, add complexity to his leadership. His prior involvement with Chinese semiconductor firms has attracted scrutiny from the US, highlighting the geopolitical stakes involved in Intel's next strategic move.

NAND supply to fall short in 2H25, says Kioxia

Kioxia, a leading NAND flash manufacturer, expects overall NAND shipments to increase by 10-15% in 2025 despite weak demand for mobile phones and PCs. The company anticipates a potential supply shortage in the latter half of the year due to rising AI server demand. Kioxia is not planning major production cuts and aims to align its output growth with market demand. The enterprise storage market remains strong, driven by AI technologies like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, increasing the need for high-capacity, high-density, and low-power storage.

The company is currently producing 112-layer NAND and will begin mass production of 218-layer BiCS8 NAND in 2025, with 332-layer BiCS10 NAND expected to follow in 2026. Kioxia is also focusing on QLC NAND to optimize storage efficiency for AI-driven workloads. A rebound in NAND demand is expected in late 2025 as consumer inventories stabilize and enterprise storage needs grow, particularly in AI and automotive applications. Kioxia is also advancing its NAND roadmap, with PCIe 6.0 samples arriving in 2025 and PCIe 7.0 expected in 2028.

Intel's Panther Lake breaks cover: first public look at 18A-powered core ultra chips

Intel unveiled its Panther Lake processor at Embedded World 2025, marking the first public demonstration of its next-generation Core Ultra 300H/U series, which is built on the Intel 18A process. Featuring a hybrid architecture with 16 cores (4 P-cores, 8 E-cores, 4 LPE cores) and 12 Xe2 GPU cores, Panther Lake boasts 180 TOPS of AI compute power, enhancing Intel's competitiveness in AI-driven computing. As part of Intel's "Five Nodes in Four Years" (5N4Y) strategy, the 18A process introduces Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor technology (RibbonFET) and backside power delivery (PowerVia), rivaling TSMC's N2 node in SRAM density. Panther Lake has surpassed Meteor Lake in yield rates at the same stage, signaling strong production progress.

Intel secured US$3 billion from the CHIPS Act to support its semiconductor manufacturing initiatives, with 18A production scheduled for 2025. The Panther Lake-H series will launch first, potentially followed by an HX variant, with consumer devices expected in early 2026. This launch is pivotal for Intel's IDM 2.0 strategy, positioning the company to strengthen its PC market presence and expand its foundry ambitions in competition with TSMC.

Naura ranks 6th among global semiconductor equipment providers despite US-China tensions

Naura has risen from tenth to sixth place globally in semiconductor equipment rankings, reflecting China's push for self-sufficiency amid US sanctions. With China prioritizing self-sufficiency, foundries like SMIC, Hua Hong, and YMTC are integrating more Chinese-made equipment into their production lines. While Chinese manufacturers still lag behind international firms in advanced processes like 7nm, continuous improvements are narrowing the gap.

Foreign companies face challenges due to US restrictions, limiting their ability to service Chinese clients. ASML, which generated over US$11 billion from China in 2024, faced scrutiny for expanding its repair facility in Beijing. Industry experts expect Chinese semiconductor equipment firms to further strengthen their global position as China's chip industry grows despite geopolitical tensions.

Article edited by Jerry Chen
Subscriber content preview

WASHINGTON (AP)  The FBI is warning Americans not to respond to scam road toll collection texts after receiving more than 2,000 complaints this month.

The texts impersonating state road toll collection agencies attempt to get phone users to reveal financial information, such as credit or debit cards or bank accounts.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

SEATTLE  Even before the pandemic, banks were closing their downtown branches because, well, who uses cash these days? Credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Venmo, Zelle, etc. have vastly reduced the need for ATMs and actual human tellers.

Thus the vacant former Wells Fargo space, at 1215 Fourth Ave. in the Financial Center building, seemed destined to become a gym or a deli or a retail space. But no. Workers have been putting final touches on a new Chase branch on the corner of Seneca Street. And the city issued a certificate of occupancy for the space late last week. Wells Fargo left in late 2021.





. . .
Controversial Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has been welcomed at the White House for a St Patricks Day meeting with President Donald Trump.

McGregor answered questions from reporters as he joined press secretary Karoline Leavitt in the West Wing briefing room on Monday ahead of the expected meeting with the president.

The fighter told the media he was going to voice concerns about immigration issues in Ireland when he spoke to Mr Trump.

In response, Irish premier Micheal Martin later said McGregors comments were wrong, and did not reflect the views of the Irish people.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE!  @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Deputy premier Simon Harris said that McGregor is not in the US to represent Ireland and does not speak for the people of Ireland, and has no mandate to.

Ms Leavitt confirmed a meeting was scheduled.

Conor is here to meet with the president, she told reporters.

Hell be meeting with him later this afternoon. We couldnt think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day.

McGregors visit to the White House comes months after he was found civilly liable in a High Court damages case in Dublin taken by a woman who accused him of rape.

Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, won her claim against McGregor after accusing the professional fighter of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

Ms Hand, 35, was awarded damages and costs after a three-week trial last year in which the jury found him civilly liable for assault.

A judge at the High Court in Dublin later said the jury had conclusively determined that McGregor had raped Ms Hand.

Last week, President Trump described McGregor as great when asked who his favourite Irish person was.

Mr Trump said the MMA fighter had the best tattoos Ive ever seen.

Conors great, right. But you have a lot of great Irish fighters actually, great fighters, he said.

Irelands always had a lot of good fighters. You know why, because theyre tough people, theyre smart people and theyre passionate people.

During his exchange with reporters in the briefing room on Monday, McGregor criticised the Irish government on immigration issues.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Irelands ears, he said.

Never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland faced been spoke.

Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty.

Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability.

Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people.

The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country. There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

St. Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship. Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 17, 2025

Taoiseach Mr Martin later posted a response on social media.

St Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship, he wrote on X.

Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

Mr Harris said: Its for President Trump to invite wherever he wants to his home, and hes perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.

But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. Hes here in a personal capacity.

He doesnt speak for Ireland. He doesnt speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such.

My views on him are very clear, well established, previously articulated, long standing and on the public record.

He added: Ive spoken to Nikita Hand. I admire her bravery, her courage, and Id much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.

Mr Harris also said he does not see McGregor becoming the next president of Ireland.

I think its always better for for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country, and by the people of Ireland. Thats how our presidential election will be decided, he added.

I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor. I dont expect hes going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency at Aras an Uachtarain.

McGregor earlier described the US as Irelands big bro during his back and forth with reporters in the West Wing.

Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling, he said.

So its important for Ireland to be a peaceful, happy, prosperous country for the 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home so we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro.

The United States should look after its little bro. And thats how we feel about Ireland and America.
VISIT: https://census.ventura.org

No matter how you do it, just do it. Each resident counted means about $2,000 in federal funding to the county, which, in turn, uses it for a variety of programs and projects.

According to the Census 2020 website, as of April 6, the Internet response rate for the Santa Paula census was 36.3%, with only about 10% filling in and mailing the paper form or calling it in on smart phones.

Right now, one of the most powerful things you can do for our community is to complete the 2020 Census, said Mike Powers, Ventura County executive officer. Your participation helps ensure that our community receives the funding it needs and is entitled to for important services and programs. A complete 2020 Census count is vital for our community members in the County of Ventura.

Ventura County ranks 59th out of 3,000 counties across the United States in terms of largest hard-to-count populations.

Census data is used to determine how resources will be distributed each year for the next decade to communities throughout the country, continued Powers. The results will show where communities need new schools, clinics, roads and services for families, older adults and children. If you are not counted funding could be cut in areas where it is needed most. We can shape the future of our community together. We can make a difference and a huge impact by making sure everyone counts. Join me in completing the Census online, by mail or phone. Lets make sure everyone is counted. It takes 10 minutes to answer 9 questions that will shape our community for more than 10 years!

Sobel said the effort in Santa Paula has included aggressive marketing of social meeting, handing out fliers and other means of encouraging participation. Phone banking will soon start and radio spots will be aired to encourage being counted. He noted that the Census is often used for marketing research for new businesses looking for a location  and the city uses the data as well, in preparing packages for developers and business. People can even fill it in on their smart phone, I showed someone how and it took 10 minutes, Sobel said. The Census is giving everyone four or five chances to be counted before they send out a human to knock on the door and offer to help fill out the form. We have our work cut out for us, to count everyone said Sobel, but it really means a lot to our community, all of our community. To learn more about the Census, visit the countys website dedicated to making sure everyone gets counted at https.census.ventura.org.
Thousands of people have lined the streets of Belfast for the citys St Patricks Day parade.

Young and old waved flags and cheered as the colourful and noisy parade made its way through the city centre on Monday afternoon.

The large crowds enjoyed a spectacular showcase of music, dance and street theatre.

Local dance troupes, schools, community groups and musicians all took part in the annual flagship event of Belfast City Councils St Patricks programme of festivities.

The parade was one of several held across Northern Ireland on the day of celebration for the islands patron saint.

Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray led from the front as the parade left City Hall at 1.30pm.

The parade just gets bigger and better every year, he said. Its a real celebration of the community.

Mr Murray said it was an honour to lead the parade having always attending the event growing up.

Im delighted to be able to lead the parade this year, he added.

The mayor hailed the atmosphere in the city as thousands ensured a warm welcome for the parade participants on what was an otherwise cold day in Belfast.

It is slightly colder than the weekend, but theres such a great buzz and such a great vibe in the city, he said.
Dundalk based Uniquel, is expanding its footprint in the UK with a major investment of over 20 million. This strategic move will see the creation of 300 new jobs across three key economic hubs: Birmingham, Manchester, and Glasgow by the end of 2025.

The investment was unveiled at the first annual UK-Ireland Summit in Liverpool, attended by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

The UK remains Irelands largest European trading partner, and according to the company "Uniquelys expansion further reinforces this critical relationship."

Taoiseach, Micheal Martin said: "I congratulate Uniquely on their plans to create new jobs and invest in its ongoing expansion in the UK, providing solutions for banking, energy and telecoms. Uniquely is one of several Irish businesses continuing to play a significant role in the UK economy while delivering export growth for Ireland."

Read Next: Louth County Council shares details of Carlingford Lough Greenway CPO claims

Founder and CEO, Gerard Teahon, highlighted the importance of this expansion:

"People are at the heart of everything we do at Uniquely, and we are delighted to be growing our presence and supporting local economies through new employment opportunities in Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham. This significant investment in the UK is both the realisation of an important milestone in our journey towards innovation, transformation, and growth and a testament to the exceptional talent and innovative offering we provide our increasingly international customer base."
Cllr Ciaran Fisher has welcomed recent maintenance work at the Ramparts River in Dundalk, but has said that action needs to be taken, or  it will clog up again.

The Independent councillor said that it's great to see ducks and moorhens returning to the Ramparts on the back of some much needed maintenace work. Nature is healing!

The cutting back of vegetation and removal of sediment and rubbish was much needed.

Cllr Fisher continued, however, it will clog up again unless a regular maintenance plan is put in place or unless the recommendation from the TidyTown supported survey to improve the water flow are finally enacted.

He explained, the Rampart River has a low gradient and a wide channel that results in a build up of sediment, which leads to vegetation growing that chokes up the channel.

READ NEXT: Louth pupils celebrate all things Irish for St Patrick's Day

An engineering survey conducted in 2022 proposed narrowing the channel in places using berms to improve the river flow at a cost at the time estimated to be around 250,000.

Cllr Fisher added that, The Ramparts should be an asset running through our town, not an eyesore and I am fully behind unlocking its potential.
The introduction of whole-life sentences for the most serious of crimes, specifically the murder of women and children, would send a clear message to perpetrators of violence that life imprisonment will mean life, Louth Fine Gael TD, Paula Butterly has said.

Deputy Butterly outlined that in 2024, Gardai responded to 65,000 incidents of domestic abuse. She said: 37 femicides have occurred since 2020. There are crimes so heinous, so cruel and devastating, that those convicted should never be given the possibility of parole.

These women were mothers, grandmothers, young women at the start of their adult lives, in the prime of their life. The victims are gone, but their families lives are changed forever. The impact of their deaths will haunt their families for the rest of their lives."

She continued: I commend my Fine Gael colleagues who brought forward legislation to reform the law in relation to life sentences. The Life Sentences Bill will provide for the long-awaited reform of life-sentencing practice in Ireland. It will allow judges when imposing sentence to fully reflect all of the circumstances of the offence.

It will provide for sentencing courts to reflect the gravity of the most heinous offences. Judges will be able to recommend minimum terms of 25, 30 years or even longer where that is warranted. But this doesnt go far enough, in my view.

This week in the UK, we saw a whole-life order being imposed on Kyle Clifford, who murdered his ex-girlfriend, her sister and her mother. He will spend the rest of his life in prison, which is possibly the only comfort that can be offered to their surviving loved ones.

I will be calling for an amendment to be included in our sentencing legislation to ensure that whole-life orders can be imposed. People who commit the most serious crimes should be dealt with in a way that reflects their culpability and the devastation they have caused to victims and families  and in some cases, this will mean they must be imprisoned for the rest of their lives.
A lively bunch of children threw foam blocks covered with colourful, printed polyester around the gallery space where artist Chris Finnegan is showing his work as part of The Grammar of Home exhibition.

Presented by Sample Studios, its at the Lord Mayors Pavilion in Fitzgeralds Park and features the work of three artists, curated by Susan Holland.

At the recent opening of the exhibition on a Saturday afternoon, the children in attendance were not complaining about being bored, but rather got into the spirit of what Chris intends.

This Bishopstown-based artist wants his work, exploring the domestic and suburbia, to be playful. And his three young sons; Miles (10), Cole (8) and Kit (3), have even collaborated with him.

Their crayon drawings, which have been photographed, are on show. (This work was originally published by PhotoIreland in 2023 under the title of House Rules and a solo exhibition of the work was shown in Cork in 2022.)

Its all photography, says Chris. Theres a mix of staged photographs which I set up. Some of them are documentary photographs from around the house. Im really interested in photography being experienced differently, not just looked at but handled.

"I want people to slow down and think about the images because you have to engage with them, rather than just seeing a framed picture on a wall.

What is home? is the implicit question posed in this exhibition. Chris, originally from Monaghan, moved from the UK to Cork with his Cork-born partner and their children in recent years.

Since moving to Cork and making a new home, the work has come from that. Im not sure if I have answered the question as to what is home. When I was building this work, I revisited my childhood and started seeing links between stuff that my kids do and my own upbringing and how its important to make sure they have those experiences. Its about being playful and safe.

Chris says his children enthusiastically got involved in making art.

They have a real engagement with it. Its not just something that daddy does. Its something I do with them. I was a full-time secondary school teacher for ten years so I was out of the house a lot. Now that Im a full time artist, I include the children in my practice which, I think, helps our two worlds.

Chris loves teaching and still does it here and there, doing my own work and bringing it to different contexts and leading with my own practice is better for my mental health.

For this artist, who has a Masters in Photography from Falmouth University in Cornwall, home is important at this stage of his life.

A piece by Chris Finnegan.

We carry around this sense of home with us. People who are displaced or are not privileged enough to own a home still have that sense (of home) that they bring to a room.

Colette Cronin, who studied fine art at the Crawford College of Art and Design and has a postgraduate diploma from Goldsmith University London, says the notion of home has always been a part of her working life. Originally from Mallow, Colette is renting in Cobh.

I graduated in 2012 so it has been a long time, says Colette. There was a housing crisis then as well so it has always been in the news. Everyone has a story about it. I used to make art that was the ideal of home, with everything perfect. The work had clean straight edges. Now, for this exhibition, I kind of stepped away from that and let it be imperfect.

Colettes work for The Grammar of Home comprises miniature depictions of domesticity, carved from memory, experience and dreams.

I used to focus on the external before. These works are of the internal such as objects that include a magazine holder.

There is also a tiny plug pinned into a socket and glimpses of rooms such as kitchens, past and present.

I build up the pieces with very thin layers of foam. Then I painted on paper very thickly with acrylic so it turns into something else and is more pliable.

The artefacts are reminiscent of plasticine.

Having grown up in the countryside, Colette says buying a place in rural Cork might be a possibility. I could buy a shack and do it up myself, she says.

Siomha Callanan is originally from Castletownroche and is now renting in Cork city.

She studied fine art photography at Limerick School of Art and Design, followed by a Masters from the Crawford. For the exhibition, she is showing a number of photographs taken in 2020 during the first covid lockdown, when the 2km travel limit was in place.

Looking outwards to her immediate environment, Siomhas idea of home is broad, taking in architecture and nature rather than interiors.

Instead of feeling confined, I took the 2km travel limit as an opportunity to explore my surroundings in depth, she says.

Siomha Callanan is showing a number of photos taken during 2020 at the exhibition.

My starting point was Popes Quay. I made my way around the circle which brought me out as far as Blackpool, the Glen area, Boreenmanna Road, over to the Lough and down to Fitzgeralds Park. I have a picture from the park of lily pods on the pond.

Describing her project as interesting, Siomha says she didnt know what to expect when she started it.

I went on many, many walks. By the end of the project, I had created one of the largest bodies of work Ive made to date. There are over 140 photographs, all on 35mm colour film, shot in analogue.

Selecting photographs for the exhibition was quite tricky. I tried to select a thread of images that related quite well together. Only a certain amount of space was available. I edited down the images to less than 20 and, with Susan, we chose the last selection together.

Despite living in the city centre, Siomha says she is naturally drawn to nature. There is a crossover in the work, capturing flowers and buildings. Those two things go on, even in an urban environment. She likened her activity to that of the flaneur, strolling and observing - but with purpose as opposed to being idle.

The Grammar of Home continues until April 6.
A 45-year-old man accused of assault causing harm to a woman and resisting arrest by a member of An Garda Siochana was remanded in custody until March 25.

Stephen Lyons of 21 Cushing Place, Farranree, Cork, appeared by video link from prison at Cork District Court.

He is charged with assault causing harm to a woman at Liam Healy Road, Farranree, and threatening to assault garda Sean Duggan with intent to resist lawful apprehension for an offence at Cushing Place.

The accused was represented by Frank Buttimer solicitor.

On the application of Sergeant John Kelleher, Judge Aine Clancy remanded Stephen Lyons in custody until March 25.

The alleged incident occurred on Saturday, March 8, at Cushing Place.
The Shandon Integrated Urban Strategy agreed at last Monday nights meeting of Cork City Council has been welcomed by councillors.

Chief executive Valerie OSullivan explained that the strategy is the first undertaken by Cork City Council in line with the innovative Town Centre First methodology and presents a significant opportunity to position Shandon for the future as a more attractive, vibrant and resilient living neighbourhood within Cork city centre at the northern end of its historic medieval spine.

Actions

34 actions are identified ranging from small to larger scale interventions, covering areas such as historic property reactivation, public realm enhancement, sustainable travel and business supports, all informed by a comprehensive appraisal of Shandons special historic character and coordinated with Cork Citys Council range of relevant local strategies, said Ms OSullivan.

Among the actions, three key strategic regeneration proposals have been locally selected to play a central role in delivering on objectives and maximising regenerative impact for the area.

The strategy will be utilised as a resource for all stakeholders and to support funding applications for the actions identified in order to deliver tangible results over the coming years.

We look forward to working in partnership to drive the development of Shandon and build it as destination of choice with wide ranging appeal for residents and visitors alike.

The initiative was welcomed by local Fianna Fail councillor Tony Fitzgerald, who paid tribute to the council, the Shandon Neighbourhood Team and the consultancy team who had undertaken an extensive public consultation process.

Shared vision

This represents a shared vision and a great opportunity to support private investment and funding applications for projects and activities over the next number of years covering areas such as historic property activation, public realm enhancement, sustainable travel, business and community supports all around the Shandon area, commented Mr Fitzgerald.

I wish the project every success and I am happy to support the proposal hoping that it will be successfully funded, he added.

Also welcoming the plans, Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said the consultation process was meaningful.

You can feel the local peoples voices and their needs within the strategy, said Mr McCarthy.

It is very clear though that the potential of the Shandon area has not been reached hence the creation of this strategy.

Frustrating

There have been successful and positive piecemeal interventions especially in terms of restoration of historic properties and conversion into private and social housing.

It has been frustrating not to see the historic Butter Market Exchange getting up and running, despite all the work in recent years, he added.

It is clear that the church tower of Shandon needs serious restoration and not just the clock section, but the whole tower.

There needs to be a lot more planning for the future conservation of this significant historic building between Cork City Council and the Church of Ireland.

Mr McCarthy said he like to see Shandons story, its soul, its identity promoted more, and derelict buildings turned around for use.

The strategy needs to be implemented. Otherwise all the great consultation work will be undermined, he said.
Businesses in Cork have enjoyed a busy St Patricks weekend so far, and with a bumper crowd expected for todays parade, the citys tourist season is set to get off to a flying start.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Dan Boyle, told The Echo there is a palpable air of anticipation among the Citys business community.

There are lots of tourists around, he said.

There is and has been a great buzz in the city. Im delighted that so many people have come to visit us. The parade is set up to be a great event.

My thanks for those who have spent so much time preparing for this highlight of the citys year.

Positive

Cork Business Association president Dave OBrien said lots of businesses would benefit. The feeling is very positive; its always a great buzz during a long weekend, said Mr OBrien.

Were expecting one of the biggest crowds ever for the parade, and hoping for a safe and prosperous day for everyone. This weekend marks the start of the tourism season for the hospitality sector, so it will be a good weekend for them, and with respect to retail were hopeful its been a strong Saturday and Sunday, and Monday will continue like that.

Ernest Cantillon, owner of Sober Lane, said that the weekend has fallen particularly nicely this year.

Its a bit more spread out than usual, which is good, because a full pub can only be so full. Sober Lane is as much a food business as a drinks business, and while you can almost fit infinite people into a pub at Paddys weekend, for food you only have so many tables," said Mr Cantillon.

Busy

Cheltenham was on during the week so there was a bit more life than usual, Friday night we had people out after work, Saturday was busy as there was rugby on. Sunday is busy because people dont have work the next day, and were heavily booked for Monday for food during the day.

So the weekend has fallen excellently, theres a different reason to come out every day whereas sometimes you get a big rugby match on St Patricks Day and its kind of all rolled into one day," he added.

"For us, St Patricks Day itself isnt the crazy day it used to be, not as hectic. The days of people being in the pub for 12 hours downing pints of Guinness, maybe its happening elsewhere but we dont see it as much anymore, which makes a more sustainable business for us," said Mr Cantillon.

Its been a really nice few days in town, lots of American people around and customers who would normally be in at night time bringing their kids in, its lovely to meet their families.
A Cork TD has said that it is shameful that almost 1,000 children in Cork have been waiting more than 12 months for an occupational therapy appointment.

Cork currently has 3,710 children waiting for an occupational therapy primary care appointment, 991 of whom have been waiting for more than 52 weeks.

The greatest concentration of children awaiting appointments is in the HSEs two Cork city areas, with 1,257 in North Lee and 1,392 in South Lee.

There are 700 children waiting for occupational therapy appointments in North Cork and 361 in West Cork.

South Lee has the largest number of children, at 367, waiting for an appointment for more than a year, with 293 in North Cork, 236 in North Lee, and 95 in West Cork.

Mari ODonovan, the HSEs interim head of service for primary care in Cork and Kerry, described the situation as less than desirable.

Ms ODonovan said the figures were a consequence of a number of factors including a growth in demand for services and also the implications of resource deficit due to the recent [HSE] recruitment embargo.

She said efforts to reduce waiting times and improve resources were her teams top priority.

The remarks are contained in a reply to a parliamentary question by Thomas Gould, Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central.

Mr Gould called for a plan to be put in place for occupational therapy in Cork, and accused the Government of failing children with additional needs.

It is not just in one area many of these children have no school place, no access to therapies, no therapies in schools, and insecure housing.

They are being failed in every way, he said.

Parents of children with additional needs are forced to become school transport, therapists, nutritionists, and campaigners because of government failings.

He added that some 991 Cork children were waiting longer than 12 months for an initial appointment.

This isnt even for intervention, its just to be seen in the first place, Mr Gould said.

What could be a small issue, with something minor like holding a pencil, grows bigger and bigger as a child waits on this list.

These waiting lists, across the board, are stunting childrens development and preventing them from reaching their full potential. It is shameful, he said.
Thousands have lined the streets of Cork city for the Patrick's Day parade this year.

The parade kicked off at 1pm following its usual route with northside rap sensations The Kabin Crew as this year's grand marshals.

 Featuring over 3000 participants and 57 groups, this year's parade cannot be missed.



 If you cannot make the parade in person, be sure to join in on the celebrations via the livestream.



 To watch the parade, visit: https://t.co/VKzobKRwwk



 Stream begins at 12:45pm. pic.twitter.com/8YUmYfEE79  Cork City Council (@corkcitycouncil) March 17, 2025

Organised by Cork City Council, the Cork St Patricks Day parade is one of the high points of the citys calendar, coming at the culmination of the Cork St Patricks Festival, which kicked off on Friday.

Speaking at the weekend to The Echo, Cork Business Association president Dave OBrien said crowds in their droves were expected to gather today, following a busy two days of trading in the city.

Were expecting one of the biggest crowds ever for the parade, and hoping for a safe and prosperous day for everyone.

This weekend marks the start of the tourism season for the hospitality sector, so it will be a good weekend for them, and with respect to retail were hopeful its been a strong Saturday and Sunday, and Monday will continue like that," he said.

Cork City Council has set up a live-stream for those unable to attend the parade in person.
From South Mall to Merchant's Quay, thousands of revellers, hailing from far flung corners of the world, came together to celebrate today's St Patricks Day parade in Cork city.

With spectators in their best shamrock shirts and Guinness hats lining the streets from early morning, the threat of a rainy day didnt stop the festivities as this years celebration saw more than 3,000 participants from 57 groups band together to honour our patron saint.

This years parade, with a theme of Building A Better World, kicked off at 1pm from the junction of South Mall and Parnell Place, before following its usual route along Grand Parade, up Patrick St and finishing on Merchants Quay.

The Kabin Crew give an impromptu concert outside the Clayton before the Cork St Patricks Day parade. Picture: Chani Anderson

With flags flying and spirits high, the festivities began with a special performance from Corks own Kabin Crew, who, as grand marshalls, performed their hit song, The Spark.

Speaking to The Echo, Cyril Kavanagh from the northside of Cork city said the atmosphere and the craic is what brought him in to see this years parade.

Im not looking to see anyone in particular, Im just in with my three grandkids and well have a bit of fun together, said Mr Kavanagh.

I hope it stays dry for their sake, but the atmosphere and the craic, and a few pints, is what brings me in.

Therell be plenty of craic about, thats what we all look for, he added.

I do think its good to celebrate St Patricks Day, [but] I'd celebrate anything.

Other local groups and community associations featured in the parade included Connolly Dance Studios, the Cork Renegades, Sanctuary Runners, the Sudanese Community Association, Cork City Judo Club and the Ukrainian Community Choir Kalyna.

Trish McCarthy School of Modern Dance members at the Cork St Patricks Day parade which is organised by Cork City Council. Picture: Clare Keogh

There were also a number of first-time participating groups from further afield this year, such as The High School Spartan Legion Marching Band from Colorado and Batala, as well as representation for the Armenian community in Cork.

An Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD with Ard-Mheara @sendboyle watching the incredible talent featured in this years parade. pic.twitter.com/Go8cojcVxz  Cork City Council (@corkcitycouncil) March 17, 2025

The Lord Mayor of Cork, councillor Dan Boyle said: [This year was] one of the most colourful and imaginative parades we've ever had.

[It was] particularly pleasing to have the communities of Cork celebrating together.

Spanish Au-Pair, Martha, who was joined by some of her friends from Seville, said she and her group were looking forward to a full day of St Patricks Day celebrations.

I think St Patrick's Day is good craic, were out for the day to see the parade and the atmosphere is lovely, said Martha.

I dont know whos performing but were looking forward to seeing everything.

When I first came to Cork last year, I didn't expect things to be like this  we dont have an image of Ireland more than Dublin in Spain, so when I came over I was going in blind, but after a month of living here, I loved it.

Tonight [after the parade] well go for a pint, probably a Guinness or Murphys, and hang around to see what else is going on.

Friends Eileen Fleming, Mark Hakim, Rob Wilkins and Elaine Wilkins, who travelled to Cork from the UK to attend the parade, said they were looking forward to checking off a few other stops on their bucket list over their three-night stay.

Were excited to be here, its something weve never done before, said Ms Fleming.

Its my second time in Cork, but first time at the parade.

Members of Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance pictured in the 2025 Cork St Patricks Day parade which is organised by Cork City Council. Picture: Clare Keogh

Im from St Helens [in Merseyside] but Im 25% Irish - Im an ONeill, from Cork and Munster.

We decided to come as part of our 40th wedding anniversary.

We love the warmth of the people here [in Cork], its great.

She added: Were just going to enjoy the craic [while were here], well go for a drink [after the parade] - well have to have a Guinness.

Tomorrow then well go visit Cobh, and Id like to see the Blarney Castle too and kiss the stone."

Also travelling over from the UK, Cork native Amber OSullivan, who lives in London, said: Ive been saying for the last few years that I wanted to come back for St Patricks Day.

Were just here for the craic, to see what its about, see how many people turn up and to enjoy the enthusiasm.

I expected the weather - to rain on St Patrick's Day, even a little, seems fitting for Ireland.
I love my sleep.

For me, there is nothing nicer than heading off to bed at night and getting my head down on a comfortable pillow.

Thankfully I dont have any trouble nodding off. I usually read for an hour or so and then Im out for the count.

Im in bed most nights by 10pm and wake every morning around six and read the paper online. That amount of sleep seems to suit me fine, so I have no issues.

Many people do though, and I sympathise with those who struggle to get a decent nights sleep, especially those who suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia.

I cant imagine trying to get through the day without proper rest, and then having to survive the night when it must seem like an eternity.

I have had minor bouts of sleep deprivation, like many of us did, when the children were babies, and occasionally during my working life when I did shiftwork. Anybody who has worked a night shift will tell you its hard on the system, and the sleep you get during the day never seems adequate.

Its more natural to sleep when its dark like our ancestors did. They slept in caves in total darkness and came out in the morning when the sun woke them.

Im not as old as them, but I do remember when the world wasnt as bright as it is now.

I remember when we had no street lighting, and there wasnt as much light in homes as there is now either. The glare we get from TV screens, mobile phones, tablets, etc, is relatively new so people who suffer from insomnia have a few extra obstacles to overcome.

On the other hand, there are also people who sleep deeply, and that can cause problems too, like those who suffer from parasomnia.

Parasomnia is a category of sleep disorder involving involuntary movements and behaviours, often with no awareness or memory of the event.

Apparently, a lot of our dreams are quite violent, but we dont act them out because we are paralysed. But when youve lost that paralysis, you can act out your dream, and a lot of violent behaviours can occur.

Conditions that cause bodily movements that are not consciously controlled, and where the person has no memory or knowledge of it, come under the legal defence of automatism. That defence is based on an ancient rule in law that an involuntary act does not result in criminal responsibility being attributed to the actor.

While most people who break the law are considered criminally responsible for their actions, it seems thats not always the case when you commit a crime in your sleep.

Having one of these sleep disorders has been successfully used as a defence in criminal cases.

According to a report by US News Health, this isnt new. One case goes back as far as 1870 involving a man who fell asleep in the lobby of a Kentucky hotel. When a porter shook him to try to rouse him, the man drew a gun and shot the porter three times. While the porter held him on the floor, the man repeatedly yelled, Hoo-wee!

He reportedly then rose, left the room, and told a witness that hed shot someone, and when he heard who it was, he expressed remorse.

The shooter was found guilty of manslaughter, but the conviction was reversed on appeal. Evidence that he had a life-long history of sleepwalking and that hed been sleep-deprived before the attack was excluded from the first trial.

In another case, a Texas man, Isom Bradley, testified in the 1920s that he and his mistress were preparing for bed when he became alarmed about an enemy who had made a threat against him.

Fearing a secret attack, he went to bed with a pistol under his pillow. Later roused by a noise, he jumped up and fired shots.

When Bradley lit a lamp, he found his girlfriend dead at the foot of the bed. He was convicted of murder, but the conviction was reversed on appeal because the jury hadnt been informed of the possibility that he could have been asleep and may have fired the shots without volition while in a somnambulistic state.

Kenneth Parks, a young Canadian man, was acquitted in the 1987 murder of his mother-in-law after using the sleepwalking defence.

On the night of her death, he arose from bed, drove 14 miles to the house of his in-laws and strangled his father-in-law until the man passed out.

He bludgeoned his mother-in-law with a tyre iron and stabbed them both with a kitchen knife. The woman died and the man barely survived. Parks then arrived at a police station.

Police said he seemed confused about what had transpired, and they noted that Parks appeared oblivious to the fact that he had severed tendons in both his hands during the attack.

That lack of reaction to pain, along with other factors, including a strong family history of parasomnias, led experts to testify that Parks had been sleepwalking during the attack.

Not conscious, not responsible, not guilty.

That defence doesnt always work though, as Michael Ricksgers found out. He was convicted of murdering his wife.

He claimed he had accidentally killed her during a sleepwalking episode, which, defence lawyers argued, was provoked by a medical condition, sleep apnoea.

Prosecutors presented an alternative explanation that Ricksgers was upset because his wife was planning to leave him.

Ricksgers told police that he awoke to find a gun in his hand and his wife bleeding in bed beside him. He said he might have dreamed about an intruder breaking in, but that didnt sway the jury.

Ricksgers was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Think I might sleep with one eye open from now on.
Today Im going to celebrate the musical contribution of Roy Ayers.

Roy Ayers, perhaps as much as anyone, helped shape the modern soul and hip-hop landscape, and his long career bridged the gap between many wonderful generations of great musical artists. Like James Brown and George Clinton, he was not only one of the most sampled artists, but also one of the most inspirational. He was perhaps not as known to the mainstream as James Brown or even George Clinton, but his influence has been immense, and his death last week is rightfully being mourned by all who loved his music.

Its been a tough few weeks for music fans, particularly for those who are fans of soul music. Only last week, I spent this column mourning the passing of Angie Stone, who died tragically in a car accident. Roberta Flack, Gwen McCrae, and Jerry Butler also died recently, and Roy Ayers now joins a legendary group of artists in the sky.

Angies tragic death cast a sombre note over things, but with Roy, who lived to his mid-80s, we can take comfort in the fact that he was musically active for over 70 years, and who was touring right up until the end.

I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with Roy during some of his many visits to Cork. He has been a regular visitor for many years, playing mainly at the Cork Jazz Festival, and Ive hosted him a couple of times at my own nights in both the Savoy and the Pavilion. Roy also graciously granted me a lot of his time for interviews for both The Echo and my Black on Red show on RedFM, and he was always really gracious and giving with his time. His enthusiasm for the new generation of music fans and artists who embraced his work was genuine too, and Roy was very grateful that his pioneering music catalogue was spanning generations. He worked with all of these new generations too, and in the last 30 years had appeared with everyone from Guru and Tyler the Creator, to Erykah Badu and Masters at Work.

In many tributes to Angie Stone, she was dubbed the Queen of Neo Soul, and she was certainly one of the main elders of a genre which exploded into popularity during the mid to late 90s. I spoke about her contributions to DAngelos music last week, and about how the wider context of that music genre had been created not only in the 70s but by UK artists such as Sade and Loose Ends and Omar a decade or two later.

If Angie was the queen of this genre, Roy Ayers was perhaps the king, or at the very least the uncle. Neo Soul harked back to Marvin, Stevie, Curtis, Sly, and Al Green and many other soul legends, but the music of Roy Ayers was front and center in its influence too.

His 70s output alone used to fit in smoothly with this new music in the 90s, and those of us DJing at the time would play his tunes alongside Maxwell, Angie, Erykah, DAngelo, Lauryn and others. Roys music still sounded contemporary 20 or so years on, and still does today, but he was also very active in this new soul revival too, and contributed to music from the Roots, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets in this era, either in person or by samples.

Apart from his soul and hip-hop influence, his disco and house legacy was huge too, and Roy continued to collaborate with many of the best house producers too. He was actively involved in multiple remix projects and he was always very aware that this new generation were carrying the torch forward for soul, jazz, and other genres.

Roy had lived through a musical period in the late 70s where some of his music was going out of fashion, but even then he moved effortlessly with the times, and unlike some of his peers, his 80s material remained at a very high standard too.

Its worth remembering that this was a guy who had been a pretty big solo artist and sideman all through the 60s too, and thats before we even speak of his external production credits and collaborations with Fela Kuti, Sylvia Striplin, Ramp, and many others too.

Roy Ayers was one of a kind, and we will play his music forever.
A wide range of stories feature across the front pages of the newspapers on St Patrick's Day.

The Irish Times reports that Ukraine wants to buy electronic warfare-jamming equipment, unarmed surveillance drones and armoured personnel carriers with new funding provided by the Irish Government.

The head of Irelands new gambling regulator has told the Irish Examiner she will vet executives of top gambling firms as part of its licensing process.

Experts on workplace bullying were called in to conduct an investigation in Maynooth University, according to the Irish Independent.

Simon Harris has told the Irish Daily Mail that funding for Uisce Eireann will be withheld until the water utility can show how it plans to support house building.

The Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star lead with St Patrick's Day celebrations kicking off at home and around the world.

The Herald reveals that the son of the victim of the Blanchardstown steakhouse murder has gone on hunger strike in prison.

A man jailed for a vicious murder in Derry has died in prison, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

The Echo says the St Patrick's Day parade in Cork is expected to bring a tourism boost to the city.

A war of words over proposed cuts to disability benefits in the UK leads the British papers.

The Guardian reports British prime minister Keir Starmer will defy growing fury and introduce welfare cuts that could see more than 600,000 claimants lose an average of 675 (800) per month.

Monday's GUARDIAN: Anger grows over Starmer's '675 a month' disability cuts#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/TQ1UxjuFCr  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

The Times reveals the overhaul, which includes stricter eligibility criteria, is likely to face opposition from both Labour MPs and cabinet ministers. The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester tells the newspaper people may become trapped in poverty.

Monday's TIMES: Labour war of words on disability benefits#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/c9q2Vr02Cd  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

Metro splashes on comments from England's health secretary West Streeting, who said doctors write off too many people who should be working by overdiagnosing them.

Meanwhile, the i Paper writes MPs have warned: Anger is much stronger than No 10 realises.

Monday's i: Labour disabilities benefits cuts rebellion grows despite No 10 concessions#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/RUBzbbzZPL  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

And the Daily Mail says one in four young people have considered quitting the workforce entirely.

Daily Mail: "DEATH OF THE WORK ETHIC"@SamMerriman_ / @JPFordRojas for @MailONLINE.

A generation of young people risk languishing on benefits after one in four said they considered quitting the workforce.#DailyMail#IBPAPERS#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/HcJptcGfyd  Andy Gibson (@AndyGibsonTV) March 16, 2025

In the Daily Telegraph, England's education secretary faces criticism from former inspection chief Amanda Spielman, who has accused the government of yielding to union demands.

Monday's DAILY TELEGRAPH: Phillipson under fire for bowing to unions#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Z7yHeWLmP8  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

The Daily Express headlines the potential arrival of a miracle drug for cystic fibrosis, which could be available in the UK's health service by late August.

Monday's DAILY EXPRESS: Miracle drug makes cystic fibrosis 'vanish'#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/eMSxkHZrgE  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

The Independent features a special dispatch from Ukraine, where medics on the ground say no ceasefire will work.

#TomorrowsPapersToday - Independent



"No ceasefire will work' Medics on Ukraine front scorn Trump's peace talks



Support journalism - #buyapaper

More newspapers at: https://t.co/GfQBHXE48R pic.twitter.com/h8el2aDcR3  The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) March 16, 2025

The Daily Mirror leads with an interview featuring Sarra Hoy, wife of Olympian Chris Hoy, who says that her husbands terminal cancer diagnosis cant define us.

Monday's DAILY MIRROR: We will not become victims of this#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/hIjQDM9JZU  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

The UK is set to be the warmest spot in Europe, with temperatures rising to 19 degrees from St Patricks Day onward, according to the Daily Star.

Monday's DAILY STAR: The sun has got its Pat on#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/DfOh92o3NA  Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) March 16, 2025

In economic news, the Financial Times reports US shoppers are cutting back on spending amid uncertainty around president Donald Trumps tariffs and market volatility.

Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Monday 17 March https://t.co/q5QkfLTQD9 pic.twitter.com/P3i5bKsAAN  Financial Times (@FT) March 16, 2025

Lastly, The Suns front page splashes on a story about McFlys Danny Jones and wife Laura.
By Cate McCurry, PA

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs has accused the Russian president of being the holdout in reaching a peace deal with Ukraine.

Simon Harris questioned whether Vladimir Putin wanted peace or was dragging out negotiations by calling for further conditions while continuing its attacks on Ukraine.

Speaking in New York, Mr Harris said that no one wanted peace more than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Donald Trump is expected to speak to his Russian counterpart on Tuesday, as the US president continues his attempts to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.

The call, announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, comes as Mr Putin continues to resist an American-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Mr Harris said Ireland and the rest of Europe was focused on reaching a peace deal.

We cant forget at any time that theres only one aggressor in relation to this war, Mr Harris said.

US President Donald Trump is expected to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (Pool via AP)

The people of Ukraine were living peacefully in their sovereign country when Vladimir Putin took the decision to brutally and illegally invade a sovereign territory on the continent of Europe.

So we in the European Union, we as Irish people, as part of the European Union, of course have a very active interest in making sure that the people of Ukraine get a lasting peace, a just peace, and enduring peace, but also from a European security point of view, the importance of European voices being in the room.

Lets hope some good comes from conversations in the days ahead. But what Id be most interested to see is how any process to bring about peace is constructed in a way that, of course, Ukraine are in the room, and I think Europe obviously needs to be in the room as well.

Mr Harris went on to say that aggression could not be rewarded.

He added: The United States is perfectly entitled to have a conversation with whoever he wishes.

But I hope what happens after that conversation is that we can really move the focus back onto answering the question, does Vladimir Putin want peace?

Because for all the talk of peace, all that weve actually seen from Putin in recent days is continued attacks on civilians, on civilian infrastructure, on Ukraine, on the people of Ukraine.

Remember, Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to try and bring a process in place to bring about lasting peace.

At the moment, Putin is the holdout here, and I hope we can see clarity in relation to that. Well know very soon, does Vladimir Putin actually want peace?

Or is he just trying to drag this out with condition after condition? Zelensky has been very clear, wanting to see a cessation of violence, but then its really important that the peace that is brought about is just, is enduring, and, of course, recognises that there is only one aggressor in this world.
17 March 2025, Kabul, Afghanistan  The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan is deeply concerned that funding shortages could force the closure of 80% of WHO-supported essential health care services. Millions, including vulnerable populations such as women, children, the elderly, the displaced and returnees, will be left without access to critical medical care.

As of 4 March 2025, 167 health facilities had shut down due to funding shortages, cutting off lifesaving medical care to 1.6 million people across 25 provinces.

Without urgent intervention, over 220 more facilities could close by June 2025, leaving an additional 1.8 million Afghans without access to primary health care. In the worst affected regions  Northern, Western and Northeastern Afghanistan  more than a third of health care centres have shut down, raising alarms about an imminent humanitarian crisis.

"These closures are not just numbers on a report, they represent mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing lifesaving vaccinations, entire communities left without protection from deadly disease outbreaks," said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Afghanistan Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador. "The consequences will be measured in lives lost."

Afghanistan is already battling multiple health emergencies, including outbreaks of measles, malaria, dengue, polio and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever. Without functioning health facilities, efforts to control these diseases are severely hindered. Over 16 000 suspected measles cases, including 111 deaths, were reported in the first 2 months of 2025. With immunization rates at critically low levels (only 51% for the first dose of the measles vaccine and 37% for the second), children are at heightened risk of preventable illness and death.

Disruptions to WHO-led coordination mechanisms prevent health partners from tracking disease outbreaks, allocating resources and delivering essential services and threaten to push the countrys already fragile health care system deeper into crisis.

While some donors continue to support Afghanistans health sector, funding has been significantly reduced as development aid priorities have shifted. The needs, however, remain immense, and current support is not enough to sustain critical health care services for millions of Afghans.

"This is not just about funding. It is a humanitarian emergency that threatens to undo years of progress in strengthening Afghanistans health system," said Dr Salvador. "Every day that passes without our collective support brings more suffering, more preventable deaths and lasting damage to the countrys health care infrastructure."

For more information, please contact:

Ajyal Sultany

Head of Communications, WHO Afghanistan- Kabul

Mob.: +93 784812266

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
NVIDIA's GPU Technology Conference, also known as GTC, is coming up. The event is happening March 17-21 in San Jose, California, but you can also follow along with all the big developments here at Engadget. We'll have a liveblog for the keynote with CEO Jensen Huang on March 18 at 1PM ET (or 10AM PT), which is when most of the big news will drop. His speech will also be livestreamed for free, so you can watch it on NVIDIA's website too.

And for those of you who want it saved to your YouTube watch history, here's the company's livestream on YouTube as well.

If you prefer to catch up without video, our liveblog will be the best place for primarily text and image updates, peppered with contextual information and expert analysis from our senior writer Devindra Hardawar, so make sure you come back tomorrow for that.

From a quick glance at the session catalog, we can make a few educated guesses as to what might be covered. Topics range from quantum computing and "physical AI" to robotics, healthcare and Agentic AI. Huang himself is hosting the quantum computing chat with a bevy of participants from companies like Microsoft and Amazon, too.

Let's not forget, either, that this is ultimately an event that NVIDIA is billing as a "premier" AI conference for developers, which means most of the week will revolve around workshops, training labs and networking opportunities (that the schedule calls "Dinner with Strangers"). As the in-person audience is likely to be filled with developers, it's possible, as speculated by our senior reporter Devindra Hardawar, that Huang could get down and nerdy and get into more specifics than he did at the CES keynote this year.

It's a safe bet that you'll hear a whole lot about artificial intelligence during the week, but with all the changes in the computing landscape over the past 12 months, the stakes might be higher for the company to make serious waves at this conference. Plus, with NVIDIA recently becoming a Wall Street darling, more eyes are on the company than ever.

What to expect at NVIDIA GTC 2025

NVIDIA has been going all-in on AI for years now, and that makes it a regular highlight for GTC programming. Last year saw the company unveiling its Blackwell line of GPUs for faster and less demanding computations. We're guessing that Huang will introduce another iteration of Blackwell GPUs with even better specs this time around. NVIDIA is also likely to share updates on its projects in automotive, robotics and quantum computing.

But the company is in a very different situation in early 2025 than it was going into last year's conference. NVIDIA is no longer sitting quite so comfortably at the top of the heap. The emergence of DeepSeek's reasoning model caused a plunge for tech stocks, including NVIDIA's, earlier this year. There have been lots of issues related to its latest RTX product launches and splashy tech for AI-generated NPCs in gaming are, unsurprisingly, pretty soulless.

Basically, NVIDIA needs a win. This would be the time for Huang to drop something surprising and exciting. Hopefully he delivers.

Update, March 12 2025, 1:18PM ET: This story has been updated to add information gleaned from NVIDIA's session catalog to the intro.

Update, March 13 2025, 2:10PM ET: This story has been updated to add a link to the NVIDIA livestream site, as well as more information about GTC as a developer conference.

Update, March 17 2025, 1:08PM ET: This story has been updated to embed a YouTube video of NVIDIA's livestream, plus information about Engadget's own liveblog.

If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Eight days. Thats how long Boeing Starliners mission  its first flight test with crew aboard  was supposed to last. But this mission has been singular in almost every way, and astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have instead spent the past nine and a half months aboard the International Space Station.

Now, finally, they're headed home. Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule is slated to begin undocking from the ISS at 1:05 am ET Tuesday and is scheduled for splashdown at 5:57 pm ET, according to NASA's timetable. (Portions of the mission will stream live on the agency's website.)

The Starliner crew was never truly stranded, to be clear. They always had a way off the space station in an emergency. But if this mission's foibles taught us one thing, it was to expect the unexpected. Even now, six months after the troubled spacecraft autonomously undocked from the ISS and landed at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, leaving its crew behind and effectively ending the flight test, the mission is still making headlines. Boeing Starliner CFT went from a symbol of the myriad struggles in Boeings aviation business to a political punching bag, courtesy of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Why did it take so long to bring the astronauts home? And did NASA cave to political pressure in setting the return date? Lets take a look at how we got here and what the evidence suggests.

Starliner was floundering well before liftoff

Boeing Starliner had a long, troubled history before it even got off the ground. Back in 2014, the Space Shuttle era had ended, and the United States was dependent on Russian Soyuz capsules to fly its astronauts. To remedy this, NASA awarded two companies  Boeing and SpaceX  Commercial Crew contracts to build new spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS.

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The official target date for a crewed flight test for these two companies was flexible. But, according to a 2016 report from William Gerstenmaier, the agencys head of human spaceflight at the time, it was clear NASA expected these demonstration flights to occur in 2017. (Gerst now works for SpaceX.)

Obviously, that did not happen. SpaceXs uncrewed orbital test occurred in 2019, while the crewed demonstration flight was in 2020. Boeing also finally launched its Starliner capsule to the ISS for an uncrewed test in December 2019. However, that flight went so badly (the capsule did not reach its intended orbit or dock with the station) that NASA required Boeing to implement fixes and perform a second test in May 2022. That test went mostly well, though two of the capsules thrusters failed during the orbital insertion burn, and post-flight inspections revealed nearly a mile of flammable tape in the capsule wiring which required removal.

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner attached to an Atlas V rocket. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The May 2024 launch was delayed a few times due to rocket issues and problems with ground systems. NASA and Boeing also detected a helium leak in the propellant system (helium is used to push propellant to the thrusters). They attributed it to a defective seal, but after the spacecraft launched on June 5, it sprung a total of five helium leaks. Whats more, five thrusters failed on approach to the ISS.

Astronauts Wilmore and Williams were able to successfully dock with the ISS, but their mission changed significantly in those few hours; they had to figure out what, exactly, was wrong with the spacecraft and whether it was safe to bring them home.

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Its important to remember that NASA has only tested six total new crewed spacecraft (Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle, SpaceX Crew Dragon, and Boeing Starliner). Its a very difficult process, and everyone expects there to be problems  thats why NASA does these tests. But even for a test flight, this was bad.

Eight days to nine months

Over the summer of 2024, NASA quietly tested and re-tested Starliners thrusters, both in orbit and on the ground, to find out why the thrusters failed. In the absence of meaningful updates from NASA, people started to seriously question whether the agency thought Starliner was safe to bring the astronauts home.

In mid-July, NASA paid SpaceX to study bringing more than four astronauts home on a single Crew Dragon capsule, as well as launching two astronauts on a Crew Dragon instead of the usual four. The agency insisted this was related to Frank Rubios extended stay on the ISS the year before. However, at a press conference in early August, Commercial Crew program manager Steve Stich confirmed that, in July, NASA had started working with SpaceX on contingency scenarios for Butch and Sunis possible return, as they continued to troubleshoot Starliners faulty thrusters.

Finally on August 24, NASA announced that Starliner would return to Earth uncrewed. There were serious issues with Starliners propulsion system. NASA was concerned about a worst-case scenario in which the thrusters failed and, at the same time, the helium leak rates increased. This could have left the astronauts in orbit, unable to perform a re-entry burn. Butch and Suni would become part of SpaceX's ninth Commercial Crew flight (aptly named Crew-9), which would launch on September 28 with just two astronauts. They would serve out the remainder of this mission, which would keep them on the ISS through mid- to late-February.

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But why leave them in space until 2025? The bottom line is that the agency chose the least risky option. An extra return mission would have added unnecessary complexity. Relative to sending up a new Dragon so that Butch and Sunny didn't have to stay up until February, we really never considered that option, Steve Stich, the program manager for NASAs Commercial Crew Program, explained at a press conference on August 7. Plus, it takes around four months to prepare a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for launch, and the extra cost would have been too much for NASA to absorb.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard the ISS. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Astronauts are accustomed to mission delays and extensions; Frank Rubio had his ISS long-duration stay extended from 6 months to over one year because of a leaky Soyuz capsule, finally returning to Earth after a record-breaking 371 days in space. NASA astronauts can handle a year in space.

While it's not great to stay up there longer, the ISS has the appropriate countermeasures to maintain their health out to a year at least, Dr. Dan Buckland, a space medicine researcher at Duke University explained to Engadget in an email. Put another way, the expected recovery time on Earth might get longer the longer they stay, but the health plateau they are currently at is probably sustainable for the next few months at least.

This was NASAs return plan for the Starliner astronauts, which it began working on in July 2024 and announced to the public that August. Fast forward to March of 2025 and almost nothing has changed, except that the mission has become a political punching bag.

Delays and political posturing

The story got even more complicated in mid-December, when NASA announced that Crew-9s return would be delayed because of a problem with the Crew-10 SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. When a relief crew arrives at the International Space Station, NASA schedules their missions to overlap for a few days. These are called handovers, and they typically run about five days long.

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Crew-10 was scheduled to fly on the brand new Crew Dragon, but problems with the batteries on the spacecraft meant that it wouldnt be ready for a mid-February launch. As a result, Crew-10 wouldnt launch until late March, and Crew-9 wouldnt return until after the in-person handover.

Delays with space missions are extremely common, so no one expected that on January 28 Boeing Starliner would come roaring back into the headlines. On Truth Social, President Trump posted the following:

I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to go get the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!

The same day, Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, published a post on X claiming that the Biden administration had left the astronauts aboard the ISS. He later said in a Fox News interview on February 18 that the decision to leave Wilmore and Williams in orbit until the end of the Crew-9 mission had been politically motivated.

However, Steve Stich confirmed in a March 7 press briefing that the decision to return Butch and Suni as a part of Crew-9 was made between himself and ISS program manager Dana Weigel, after which it was run up to the administrator. This was not a top-down decision.

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What about the return date for Crew-9, though? After this political kerfuffle with Trump and Musk, NASA announced February 11 it was swapping the Crew Dragon capsule for Crew-10 to a previously flown spacecraft. This meant that they could move up Butch and Sunis return date by two weeks, to mid-March.

Well, as far as anyone can tell, this was also not the result of political pressure.

At a Crew-10 media briefing on Friday, March 7, Stich made it clear that the capsule swap was driven by other motivations, including needing to fit the Crew-10 launch in between the Intuitive Machines mission which launched on February 27 from the same pad (RIP Athena) and the Soyuz handover on the ISS in April. Officials were discussing swapping the capsules a month before the presidents Truth Social post (though it's possible the President was aware of the discussion when it was happening.)

Intuitive Machines' Athena lander nearing the lunar surface. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The presidents interest sure added energy to the conversation, said Ken Bowersox, NASAs associate administrator for space operations, during that media teleconference. In the end, its hard to believe any narrative in which the timeline of Butch and Sunis return was politically motivated, whether by the Biden administration or the Trump administration.

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Its incorrect to say that NASA isnt subject to political whims, because its a government agency, with a budget proposed by the president and determined by Congress. The agency is bracing itself for drastic budget cuts to its science operations this year. Generally speaking, that means its likely that if NASA can safely and reasonably do something that the president asks for, it will try.

But changing around mission timelines and sending up rescue missions for astronauts who arent in danger? A NASA spokesperson refused to comment on this directly.. But its unlikely this was the case, especially considering they stuck with a flight plan thats been in place since August 2024.

They simply make the best decisions based on the evidence that they have at the moment, taking into account that their top priority is the lives of the astronauts, Laura Forczyk, founder of the space consulting firm Astralytical, explained. NASA makes the best decisions that it can in the moment, regardless of what the popular opinion is.

What's next for NASA and Boeing?

Once the Crew-9 capsule splashes down, that will truly bring an end to the Boeing Starliner mission, but its ramifications will be felt for a very long time. There are serious questions about the direction of the agency going forward, given the political climate and the new administrations priorities.

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NASA acting administrator Janet Petro has already eliminated the Office of the Chief Scientist, in compliance with the Trump administrations Reduction in Force order. More cuts are likely; rumors suggest that as much as half of NASAs science budget will be slashed. This raises questions about whether NASA will be able to operate iconic observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope.

And NASAs incoming administrator, Jared Isaacman, is a friend of Elon Musk and works closely with SpaceX. Isaacman conducted the first private spacewalk with Sarah Gillis on Polaris Dawn, a flight he paid SpaceX for, last year. Isaacman still hasnt been confirmed as administrator, but if he is, he will likely change NASAs human spaceflight program, starting with the return to the moon: The Artemis III moon landing is currently scheduled for no earlier than mid-2027).

Whats more, we still dont know the fate of the Starliner program. While NASA continues to work with Boeing to close out in-flight anomaly investigations, its uncertain when (or if) the next flight of Starliner might occur. There are also questions surrounding whether Boeing even wants to fly another mission. Back in October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing  which also built many modules for the ISS  was considering selling off its space business altogether. As of February 2025, Boeings total losses on Starliner had reached $2 billion.

Whatever happens with Boeing Starliner, the massively disproportionate political backlash to a routine NASA decision that prioritized the health and safety of their astronauts is a troubling indicator of whats to come for the agency.
Actress Sharon Stone has entered the chat, adding to the drama surrounding the upcoming movie 'Another Simple Favor.'

The Hollywood veteran raised eyebrows when she took to the Instagram comments section of a post from E! News. In her comment, she claimed that she was dropped from the movie without being given a reason for her departure.

"I LOVED being cast and removed from my role unexpectedly for no reason at all LOVED it ," she commented under the video.

Sharon Stone claims she was cast and then dropped from Another Simple Favor starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick:



I LOVED being cast and removed from my role unexpectedly for no reason at all LOVED it  pic.twitter.com/quuOgHdfK6  Pop Base (@PopBase) March 14, 2025

It has not been revealed what role Stone was cast in or how she would have been mixed into the film with the film's leads Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick.

Notably, this is not the first time that the movie has been racked by controversy. Reports of feuding between Lively and Kendrick have emerged. According to The Sun, the follow-up to the 2018 movie, 'A Simple Favor,' the rumors about drama between the two began at South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in March.

Kendrick was asked about working with Lively again and said "Oh, you know," before quickly stepping away fueling rumors of tension between the two.

Director Paul Feig addressed these rumors, asserting that there was no discord between Lively and Kendrick. YouTuber Melanie King shared a photo on X of the two actresses and alleged that Lively was scared of walking the red carpet and that Kendrick does not want to work with her again, Feig shut down the claims.

"Um ... you're wrong," he said.

Lively has made headlines over the last year for her legal battle with her 'It Ends With Us' co-star, Justin Baldoni.

he legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni centers on allegations of sexual harassment during the production of the film. Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni of creating a hostile work environment through inappropriate comments and unsolicited physical contact. In response, Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued Lively for defamation, seeking $400 million in damages, the New York Post reports.

Additionally, Lively's private communications with celebrity friends, including Taylor Swift, have become a focal point.

Despite these controversies, 'Another Simple Favor' is scheduled for release on Amazon Prime Video on May 1, 2025.
Prince Harry could face deportation from the United States as a federal judge has ordered the release of his visa files, which may reveal inconsistencies regarding his immigration application.

A U.S. judge has ordered the release of Prince Harry's visa files by Tuesday, following allegations that he may have lied about his drug use on immigration paperwork.

Judge Carl Nichols, sitting in Washington, set the deadline after approving the redactions suggested by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and stating that they were "appropriate."

A US judge has ruled that Prince Harry's visa files must be made public by March 18, amid claims he may have lied about drug use on his immigration forms.



Judge Carl Nichols approved redactions but said maximum transparency was necessary.#PrinceHarry pic.twitter.com/9LZ8TPeirl  British Pakistani Index (@PakistaniIndex) March 15, 2025

The files could reveal whether Harry answered "no" when asked if he had used drugs, a contentious point given his candid admissions in his memoir, "Spare," and a Netflix documentary series.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, which sought to obtain Harry's visa records after DHS denied a Freedom of Information request.

The foundation claims that the Duke of Sussex may have misrepresented his drug use on his application.

Harry spoke about taking cannabis, cocaine, cannabis on the roof, and magic mushrooms in his memoir and in the Netflix docu-series, which raises doubts about his immigration status and whether he would be sent home if it turned out he had lied.

Prince Harry's Visa Documents

DHS has indicated that three items will be released with redactions, while a fourth document will remain confidential.

Judge Nichols has ruled that Prince Harry's immigration documents

can only be seen by "authorized persons". So they are not going to reveal whether he lied on the application.



No doubt there is something to hide! The overprivileged petulant prince is being protected by this... pic.twitter.com/LAoQXJN9sa  Irene BritUSA (@irenebritusa) August 19, 2024

The judge emphasized the need for transparency but also acknowledged Harry's right to privacy regarding his immigration status.

"Even though he is a public figure, Prince Harry still maintains a privacy interest in these types of records," DHS stated in previous filings.

The agency argued that providing such information about Harry would not enhance the public's understanding of its operations.

Questions like "Is Harry getting special treatment during the immigration process?" are dominating public debate about the case.

President Trump has said he will not deport Harry, but that has not made the situation with the Duke of Sussex any less dangerous.

Harry's representatives have declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings. The public release of the visa files is anticipated to provide further clarity on the matter.
Despite the smiles and camaraderie on display at the premiere of Disney's live-action "Snow White" remake, rumors are swirling about tension between co-stars Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler.

The actresses, who play the Evil Queen and Snow White respectively, appeared together at the scaled-back premiere at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday.

But sources claim that their public display of affection masks a more complicated relationship.

Insiders close to the cast say that their strained dynamic is largely due to differing political views and life stages.

Gadot, an Israeli native and former soldier, has openly supported her home country amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Marca said.

In contrast, Zegler has been an outspoken supporter of Palestine. This ideological rift reportedly causes tension between the two.

Beyond politics, their 16-year age gap plays a role in their strained relationship, according to multiple sources. Gadot, 39, is a mother of four, while Zegler, 23, is at a very different stage of life, leading to a disconnect in their personal experiences and priorities.

At the premiere, Gadot dazzled in a sheer black lace gown, embodying the elegance of her villainous character.

Zegler, in contrast, wore a soft pink strapless dress adorned with butterfly appliques, looking youthful and light. While both actresses posed together for photos, their interactions beyond the red carpet were reportedly distant.

She is one of the worst people on earth.



And to think Gal Gadot pretended to be jealous of Rachel Zegler's looks for Snow White.



Proving what a great actress Gal Gadot is. pic.twitter.com/KeMmtRCVET  Emil Vicale (@EmilVicale) March 16, 2025

Gadot and Zegler's Strained Relationship Behind 'Snow White' Smiles

The event itself was highly controlled by Disney, which only allowed photographers and in-house interviewers to interact with the cast.

This decision came amid controversies surrounding the film, including backlash over Zegler's past comments.

The actress had criticized the 1937 "Snow White" for its romantic storyline, even calling the prince a "stalker."

These remarks ignited heated debates and accusations of the film being overly "woke," further adding to the pressure on both actresses.

Sources say that Gadot, who has generally kept a low profile amidst the drama, is frustrated by the ongoing controversy surrounding the movie.

According to TheInternationalNews, one insider shared, "Gal is annoyed by the movie drama. She enjoyed filming. She was fine with Rachel, but they are not friends... They did a job together and that's it."

Despite the reported tension, Gadot was seen in high spirits during a solo visit to Disneyland, where she embraced her role as the Evil Queen, posing with Disney characters and enjoying the magical atmosphere. Her co-star Zegler, however, was noticeably absent from the outing.
Grimes has spoken out about her deep concerns for the privacy of her children with Elon Musk, revealing that she "begged" him to keep their kids offline.

In a heartfelt post shared on X (formerly Twitter), the Canadian musician voiced her worries over the harmful effects of public exposure on young children, expressing how the internet can destroy young lives, PageSix said.

"I have tried begging the public and my kids' dad to keep them offline, and I've tried legal recourse," Grimes wrote, addressing her ongoing struggle to shield her three children from media attention.

"The state of my children's lives being public is of grave concern to me and I think about how to solve this every day."

The musician, who shares three kids with the Tesla CEOX  A-Xii, 4, Exa Dark Siderl, 3, and Techno Mechanicus, 1explained that she felt desperate to protect her children's privacy. "It's insane to me that there's no way to deal with this," Grimes continued, revealing her frustration with the lack of legal protections for children in the public eye.

Grimes has been outspoken about her concerns ever since Musk brought their son X  A-Xii to a White House press conference in February 2023.

Emotional Grimes admits she begged Elon Musk to keep their kids away from White House

https://t.co/IYshhlRo5F

Grimes has once again begged her former partner Elon Musk to keep their children out of the public eye after their oldest son was seen at the White House without her pic.twitter.com/geRjhP2lVr  Khumaer Bayas (@khumaer) March 15, 2025

Grimes Pleads for Kids' Privacy, Expresses Concern Over Public Exposure

The incident sparked public debate, especially after Grimes expressed her dismay upon discovering her son's attendance at the event through fan-shared photos. "He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank you for alerting me," she wrote in response to the images circulating online.

Grimes expressed concerns about her children's images being shared online without their consent, emphasizing the importance of respecting their privacy.

In an interview with Time, she explained that fame should be something one chooses. While she understood the reality of the situation, she asked people to stop posting her kids' photos.

Though acknowledging that things might not change, she reiterated her request, hoping that others would respect her wishes.

According to ENews, Grimes' public plea comes after a string of incidents in which Musk, who has been more public about his children in recent months, brought X to various events, including meetings with world leaders such as President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Grimes has expressed dissatisfaction with these public outings, worried about the lasting effects of such exposure on their children's privacy and well-being.

In 2023, Grimes filed a petition against Musk to establish clear parental rights, further complicating their co-parenting relationship.

Grimes remains hopeful that there will be a change in the law to allow parents to protect their children from living public lives before they can consent.
Iggy Azalea is causing a storm by accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) of owing her millions of dollars in unpaid royalties.

On March 15, the 34-year-old rapper took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that despite her extensive career, she has not received any royalties for her music outside the United States.

"Crazy how in my entire career I was never paid a single royalty by Universal Music for anything outside of the USA," Azalea tweeted. "They owe me millions of dollars in back pay, that they technically stole from me, as per my contract I am due payment. The amount owed is in the 8-figure range."

Azalea, who was signed with Universal Music Group (UMG) from 2013 to 2018, expressed her frustration with the company's practices.

She accused UMG of exploiting artists for their gain, claiming that many artists are unable to fight for what they are owed due to financial constraints.

According to DailyMail, the rapper also criticized UMG for how they treat the artists who generate significant revenue for the company, highlighting that the artists are the ones creating intellectual property. Yet, the company plays little to no role in the actual creation.

Azalea emphasized that the music industry giant needs to improve its support and compensation of talentsignificantly.

Azalea Claims UMG Owes Her Millions, Rejects $18K Settlement Offer

The rapper's claims follow an offer from UMG to settle the dispute with a payment of $18,000, which Azalea described as a standard response from the company's lawyers.

However, she explained that after appearing in court, UMG typically ends up paying the millions owed. "Last week they tried to respond to my lawyer and offer me a settlement of 18k. I'm told this is a normal response from their lawyers and after appearing in court they end up paying millions," she tweeted.

Azalea, who is known for her hits like "Fancy" and "Work," also mentioned her ability to pursue the matter, unlike many smaller creators, Pedestrian said.

She made it clear that she intends to fight for her royalties until she receives what's owed to her. "I'm in a position where I can afford to pursue this issue until they pay," Azalea said.

This isn't the first time UMG has been accused of unpaid royalties by artists. In 2022, Limp Bizkit sued the company for allegedly owing them over $200 million in back pay.

Azalea, who has been privately discussing her royalties with UMG for two years, believes that many other artists are in the same situation.

While it remains unclear whether Azalea will pursue legal action, UMG has yet to respond to her claims. As the situation unfolds, fans are keeping a close eye on whether the rapper will take further steps to recover the money she believes is owed to her.
Kanye West has further stewed public controversy after defying Kim Kardashian's wishes as a mother, releasing a song featuring their daughter, North West.

The rapper, who now goes by Ye, declared on social media that "THE MAN MAKES THE FINAL DECISION," following the debut of "Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine."

THE MAN MAKES THE FINAL DECISION  ye (@kanyewest) March 17, 2025

West's decision to feature North on a track with Sean "Diddy" Combs, despite Kardashian's opposition, further escalated tensions between the former couple. The reality star, 44, attempted to block the song's release but was unsuccessful. In another post, West also wrote, "ALL KINGS LOVE WAR."

ALL KINGS LOVE WAR  ye (@kanyewest) March 16, 2025

A day earlier, West shared a screenshot of a text exchange with Kardashian, who objected to North's involvement in the project, citing concerns over Combs, who is currently incarcerated. Kardashian also claimed West had previously agreed that their children's names would be trademarked under her name to prevent outside parties from taking control of them.

"I asked you at the time if I can trademark her name. You said yes," Kardashian reportedly responded. "When she's 18, it goes to her. So stop." She continued, "I sent paperwork over so she wouldn't be in the Diddy song to protect her. One person has to trademark!"

Unmoved by Kardashian's argument, West issued a threat. "Amend it or I'm going to war," he responded. "And neither of us will recover from the public fallout." He added, "You're going to have to kill me."

Despite allegedly agreeing in a legal hearing not to release the song, West went ahead and shared it. TMZ reported that Kardashian had sent him a cease-and-desist letter after discovering his plan to debut the track at his Sunday Service.

A source told Page Six that Kardashian is focused on keeping North out of her father's controversial public actions. "Her priority is the well-being and safety of her children," the insider shared.
Sunday, March 16, 2025

Article 5 of the NATO Treaty contains the following language: The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked. Given its position as the strongest military power in the world, the other NATO countries have always looked up to the U.S. as the leader of the alliance. That first-among-equals status entails some heavy responsibilities, but it has also conferred some privileges on America over the decades.

Until recently, it was unthinkable that any American president would even hint at the possibility of the U.S. not abiding by Article 5. It appears though that with President Trump, nothing is taboo. He has publicly said recently that in some circumstances, he cannot guarantee U.S. military assistance to other NATO members. That statement was so shocking that it prompted me to take a deeper look into what drove him to make it. What I found led me to conclude that while his pronouncement about Article 5 was reckless and unfortunate, he actually had a good reason for issuing that threat.

In 2006, NATO defense ministers agreed that each alliance member should spend no less than 2 percent of GDP on defense annually. Following Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO heads of state formally committed to the target. Three years later, when President Trump entered the White House for the first time, only four of the then 30 members were in compliance. Mr. Trump repeatedly called for increased defense spending within the alliance during his first term.

That had some effect. The number of countries meeting the 2 percent target had increased to nine by the time Trump left office in early 2021. But the trend soon started to reverse. Only seven nations met the goal in 2022. It took Russias invasion of Ukraine that year to dramatically change the picture. In 2024, 23 of the alliances members are expected to have met the target.

The U.S. has consistently been the standout performer. In 2014, it spent 3.7 percent of GDP on defense. Estimated spending for 2024 is slightly lower at 3.38 percent. Some of the worst freeloaders in 2014 were Germany, Italy, Canada, Belgium and Spain. Germany and Italy spent 1.2 percent of GDP that year, with the others spending one percent or less. To Germanys credit, it met the goal in 2024, devoting an estimated 2.12 percent of GDP to military spending. The expected 2024 tallies for Italy (1.49 percent), Canada (1.37 percent), Belgium (1.3 percent) and Spain (1.28 percent) still fall far short of the target. By share of GDP, Poland, with a projected 4.12 percent for 2024, is currently the highest spender.

Published data show that last year, aggregate NATO spending on defense was approximately $1.5 trillion. With its estimated 2024 outlays for the military amounting to $968 billion, the U.S. alone accounted for 66 percent of that total. Quite clearly, many of the remaining 31 members of the alliance are contributing nowhere near enough to the collective defense budget. President Trump is therefore right to be upset that Canada and most of the European members of NATO have been freeloading for too long.

There are two ways to think about this long-running contentious debate between the U.S. and its NATO allies over defense spending. One could argue that the slackers were actually doing the right thing by diverting resources from the military to boost expenditures on social programs. After all, with the end of the Cold War, the global landscape had become so tranquil that it seemed to be a logical choice. The few hot spots around the world during the last three decades were no more than smoldering embers that were easily managed with modest military capabilities.

We have had that debate here in America over the last several years. Many people, especially on the left of the Democratic Party, have consistently argued that we have been spending too much on defense at the expense of social programs. But that thinking, here at home and elsewhere within NATO, now appears to have been quite naive. The war in Ukraine, and Chinas increasingly bellicose behavior in its backyard, represent infernos that require heavy-duty fire engines to suppress.

President Trump should be given a lot of credit for consistently and vociferously pointing out what many people apparently failed to see. The world indeed continues to be a dangerous place, and the best way to keep our nation and our allies safe is to, collectively, maintain a strong military. For me the validation of his worldview is another lesson on the importance of listening with humility. Because of the way the president talks, lots of people, including me, often dont take him too seriously. But when we reflexively dismiss voices like his, we risk missing some blind spots for which our attention may actually be crucially needed. And I have to grudgingly admit that on this issue, perhaps some of his rudeness was useful. That is what it takes sometimes to get peoples attention.

There has been a lot of reporting in recent weeks indicating that the other NATO members are finally taking the issue of defense spending seriously. Germany and the U.K. have both announced that they will significantly boost their military budgets over the next several years to beef up their defense capabilities. Every member of the alliance realizes now that the stakes are quite high, making it highly likely that more countries will start to bear more of the responsibility than they have done in the past.

A strong NATO remains the best defense against the dangerous slide into authoritarianism that we are witnessing around the world today. President Trump should not undo all the good work he has done to strengthen the alliance during his time in office. Worryingly, he seems to be doing just that with some of his unfortunate statements.
Sunday, March 16, 2025

Accelerating BehaviorModification

For several weeks legacy andsocial media have been screaming about Trumps supposedly reckless tactics ofthreatening draconian tariffs on everyone including our staunch allies, Canada,Mexico and the European Union (EU). What no one mentions is that this bombasticverbiage is historically communicated behind closed doors.

Trump has promised transparencyand has delivered it masterfully. Trump has refreshingly laid bare to thepublic the real politik that global trade is nothing more than a streetfight of commercial existential importance devoid of diplomatic soft language whichis now being streamed live.

The purpose of Trumps tactics isto accelerate behavior modification of countries and organizations that areexperts at dragging their feet until a more amenable US leadership assumesoffice in order to continue to avoid responsibility and accountability to theiragreements.

Unlike actual military wars,these trade issues can be resolved with a stroke of a pen to be effective orsuspended immediately.

US Exports to China

Mainstream and social media incessantlyharp on the preponderous amount of goods that we import from China, but rarelyhow much and which products the US exports to China.

The following chart entitled Which Products Does the US Exportto China,provided by the US International Trade Administration, gives an overview andchanges since 2023.

U.S. IMPORTS

The European Union

The following chart entitled Share of EU Imports by State from the EU provided by theCensus Bureau and CNBC, indicates that in 2024 the goods imported by the EU was$600 billion. A comprehensive US dollar breakdown can be found in theaforementioned link.

The following states depend onalmost 50% of EU imports: Puerto Rico, Indiana and North Carolina.

The top 3 EU imports are:

 Motor vehicles

 Pharmaceuticals: critical itemsinclude surgical & medical instruments, medical devices (CRT Machines),vaccines, hearing aids and artificial joints

 Crude oil





Present-day the US is battlinghigh EU tariffs whose main components include:

 Unfair taxation of US firms

 Europes Value Add Tax (VAT)

 Potential digital services taxes areunder consideration





This explains why there are few,if any, new significant American business investment in Europe even forAmerican mega-corporations, that has persisted for decades.

Mexico & Canada

The following chart entitled U.S. Import Dependence on Canadaand Mexico,provided by the US International Trade Administration (ITA), an agency in theUS Department of Commerce indicates the shared percent of imports from Canadaand Mexico.

U.S. TRADE LEVERAGE

The USs biggest trading partnersare China, Mexico and Canada and receives 43% of our total annual imports fromthese three countries. Not surprisingly resource-rich Canada and Mexico shareour border and are easily accessible. As the worlds largest importer makes it acritical market for China, the largest manufacturer and exporter in the world withlow-cost labor.

The mainstream media presents amacro-perspective on potential trade wars and tariffs with selectivehigh-profile commodities and goods.

A GAME OF LEVERAGE

The following charts provide amore detailed and nuanced visual of how each state is impacted by trade withthe EU, Canada, Mexico and the rest of the world.

The following chart entitled How Much Leverage Does the USHave in the New Trade Wars provided by UN Comtrade.





POLITICAL SIDE EFFECTS





Political Popularity Boosts

Ironically Trumps draconian tarifftalk has triggered strong nationalist unity across the political spectrum in manycountries. For example, recently Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum received amassive approval boost for standing up to Trump.

Nonetheless, foreign leadershipis well aware that the Trump administrations tariff threats is a wake-up callto change their practices to match the agreed upon trade agreements which theyveflouted for years.





Domestic Market Impacts

Perhaps its coincidence or afavorable byproduct for Trump, but the rough trade war talk and theunconventional statement by Trump that the possibility of a recession is notout of the question, shocked the markets into correction territory.

The market correction hasdeflated a frothy market in order to bring the bond & equity markets morein line with the economic fundamentals. A market which closely hews to thefundamental establishes a normal baseline rather from speculative-driven Icarus-levelheights.

Because of the marketsprecipitous decline, Trumps political adversaries suffered large financial losses.Their unusually massive personal financial portfolios had grown exponentially comparedto their modest high-level government salaries.

Rapid Resolution

The application of tariffs, likesanctions, dont have an immediate economic effect. Theres a delay in which thereare adjustments at each stage of the supply chain. The same applies whentariffs are lifted in the form of residual price effects with goods ininventory and enroute.

Think of it as commercial scartissue resulting in soft costs and additional insurances in contractual terms& conditions remain.

However, I believe Trumps tariffwars are more akin to skirmishes, more war of words; in other words short-term.A protracted trade war does not serve the Trump administration well. Histactics are carrot & stick on steroids.

By fall, all this tumultuous mainstreamchatter will be a memory as the administration tackles other pressing problems.





Conclusion & Takeaways

Trumps shock & awe tariff tacticis a gamble that countries will either adhere to earlier agreements or torenegotiate quickly to a fair & reasonable re-negotiation.

The US has the overwhelmingeconomic upper-hand since these foreign countries are in a position ofpolitical and economic weakness whose threats of counter-measure tariffs aremerely a beau geste in face of American economic superiority.

European leadership walks a tightrope by standing up to the US (albeit with speeches) yet risk alienating theirconstituency and losing already weak legislative support if they fold toAmerican pressure.

With respect to China, although PresidentXi has a firm grip, he faces severe deflation which has triggered growingsocial unrest. For this reason, numerous economic indicators are no longer publishedand the remaining ones provide questionably growth figures. Most importantlyfor Xi, he can ill afford to lose face of which Trump is well aware. This iswhy I believe that trade talks with China will proceed amicably.





 Copyright 2025Cerulean Council LLC

The CeruleanCouncil is a NYC-based think-tank that provides prescient, beyond-the-horizon,contrarian perspectives and risk assessments on geopolitical dynamics andglobal urban security.
Key Takeaways

The COVID vaccine does not increase the risk of birth defects in pregnant women

Researchers found no risk in either the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech jabs

The vaccine is recommended because COVID infection can harm pregnancies

MONDAY, March 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women can get the COVID-19 vaccine without any fear of causing birth defects in their unborn child, a new study says.

Researchers found no link between COVID vaccination in early pregnancy and birth defects, results show.

There were also no differences in birth defect risk between either the Moderna and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, researchers reported in the journal Pediatrics.

These results support the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in early pregnancy, concluded the research team led by Stacey Rowe, a postdoctoral fellow in infectious diseases at the University of California-San Francisco.

The vaccine is recommended for pregnant women, because COVID infection during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth, stillbirth and newborns requiring care in a neonatal intensive care unit, researchers said in background notes.

However, some resistance to the vaccine has been reported due to concerns that it might cause birth defects, researchers noted.

For the new study, researchers examined more than 78,000 pregnancies detailed in claims data from public and private health insurance providers.

In all, 1,248 birth defects were noted among unvaccinated people and 199 among vaccinated folks, results show.

Overall, there were no significant differences between birth defects in vaccinated and unvaccinated women.

There were a little more than 160 birth defects per 10,000 live births among the unvaccinated, compared with 156 per 10,000 for women who were vaccinated, results show.

The rate of birth defects didnt change even if pregnant women received other recommended vaccines, such as the influenza or whooping cough shots, researchers said.

The same was true if a pregnant woman caught COVID during pregnancy, researchers said.

The studys findings are consistent with a growing body of literature supporting the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and their use in pregnancy, including in early periods of gestation, researchers concluded.

Vaccine safety is a common concern for patients considering vaccination, they wrote. Provider recommendations are the most important predictors of persons decision to vaccinate during pregnancy, even for those who have previously declined.

Our findings can strengthen provider-to-patient discussions relating to the safety of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy, the report continued. Providers across all clinical and public health settings should recommend COVID-19 vaccination for their pregnant patients at any period of gestation.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about the COVID vaccine and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, March 14, 2025

What This Means For You

Women can get the COVID vaccine during pregnancy without fear of birth defects occurring in their developing fetus.
Farming and rural businesses are waiting years  and even decades  to get planning permission to enable much-needed diversification and investment.

This is according to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents farmers and landowners.

The rural organisation approached 38 councils in England where over half the population lives in rural areas. In total, 35 responded.

The findings show lengthy delays, as eight councils exceeded the governments target time to issue decisions in 2023, with delays stretching from weeks to years.

Councils are legally required to make decisions on minor planning applications within 56 days and major developments within 91 days.

Yet, nearly half of the 18 councils that shared their average response times failed to meet these targets in 2023.

Meanwhile, fourteen local authorities were sitting on applications from before 2020, with some dating as far back as 2007.

Even smaller projects have faced delays. A 2007 application for a recreational fishing lake in South Norfolk dragged on for seven years before seemingly stalling in 2014.

Elsewhere, a 2017 application for an office building in Cambridge was left in limbo after two and a half years of back and forth.

And some councils are rejecting nearly half of all applications, from on-farm diversification projects to major rural infrastructure development.

The FOI requests show that Central Bedfordshire approved just 50% of projects between August 2023 and August 2024, while West Lindsey District council approved 61%.

Victoria Vyvyan, president of CLA, warned that England's planning system was in "crisis" mode, and urgent reform and funding was needed.

"Rural businesses could grow, provide housing and employment, and be nimble and fast-moving, but theyre being hampered by a planning system thats anything but.

"The productivity of rural areas lags 14% and that is in no small part due to planning delays and refusals. Yet the latest revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework offer little to fix this.

"Labour is scrambling to find economic growth, but the opportunity is right here. Lets clear the backlogs and create a planning system that powers rural growth."

Peter Hogg, a farmer and rural business owner in the North East, said the planning system was "crippling" businesses like his.

He sought to convert a farmhouse into a B&B to help diversify income, but the application took over a year to complete due to a dispute over a small sunroom.

He said this should have been a straightforward process given it was replacing a previous extension that was demolished.

Mr Hogg explained that this delay meant the business lost a full season and over 30,000 in revenue.

"When permission was finally granted, it took just two weeks and 800 to build the sunroom  four times less than what we paid in planning costs," he added.

"If businesses like mine are to succeed, government must cut the red tape thats stunting our growth and livelihoods.

"Beyond the financial impact, the mental toll is profound. Many perceived problems could be sorted in 20 minutes over a cup of tea."
A lack of additional funding from the Northern Irish government will slow the industry's progression in combatting bovine TB, farm leaders say.

The comments follow the draft budget 2025-2026 consultation, which sets out proposed departmental allocations for the incoming financial year.

The NI Executives proposal to ring-fence the agricultural support budget for future years has been welcomed by the industry.

However, concern has been raised over the continued lack of funding to curb bovine TB levels in the province, which remain high.

Around one-in-ten herds in Northern Ireland are affected by the disease, which cost the public purse 55.7 million in 2023-2024.

Following the consultation, the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) is urging policymakers in Northern Ireland to "seriously consider the needs of local farming".

"We were disappointed that within the draft budget, no additional funding has been allocated for TB," says UFU president, William Irvine.

"TB continues to devastate farms and without a well-funded, science-led intervention strategy, meaningful progression in disease eradication will be severely limited.

"The failure to allocate separate funding for TB control, particularly to support wildlife intervention measures, is a missed opportunity.

"Farmers cannot bear this burden alone, government support is essential," he warns.

Additionally, the union strongly opposes the application of the Barnett formula to NIs allocation of any future additional UK government agricultural funding.

NI has historically received around 9% of the UKs total agricultural funding, a reflection of the sectors high output and importance to the national food supply chain.

Under a population-based Barnett formula, this share would be drastically reduced to just 3%, something which the UFU slams as 'utterly inadequate'.

Mr Irvine concludes: "NI farmers produce enough food for 10m people, five times our population, and any reduction in funding would have severe consequences for our industry and rural communities.

"We urge DAERA and the NI Executive to challenge this approach and fight for a fair funding model."
US policymakers should enact punitive measures to erode Chinas outsized industrial dominance and to disrupt the latters military-civil fusion (MCF) strategy of integrating commercial and military production at many of its shipyards, while making long-term investments in US and allied shipbuilding capacity, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

In February 2025, the office of the US trade representative found that Chinas non-market practices in shipbuilding harm US commerce, and it proposed expansive penalties on companies operating Chinese-built ships.

US policymakers should enact punitive measures to erode China's outsized industrial dominance and to disrupt the latter's strategy of integrating commercial and military production at many of its shipyards, while making long-term investments in US and allied shipbuilding capacity, a think tank has said. The bipartisan SHIPS for America Act should be further strengthened to disrupt this, it noted.

The bipartisan SHIPS for America Act, introduced in December 2024 and supported by the US shipbuilding industry groups, leading experts and key figures in the Donald Trump administration, needs to be further strengthened with measures aimed at disrupting Chinas dual-use shipbuilding ecosystem, the US think tank said in a recent brief.

While the legislation, in its current form, includes duties on goods imported on Chinese-owned- and -flagged vessels, it does not target ships built in Chinese shipyards, particularly yards that also build warships for the PLA Navy, the brief noted.

Failing to address the challenges posed by Chinas dual-use shipbuilding ecosystem will have significant consequences for U.S. economic and national security, CSIS Matthew Funaiole, Brian Hart and Aidan Powers-Riggs observed in the brief.

Chinas aggressive industrial policies and growing hold over global shipbuilding threatens to further undercut the industrial capabilities of the United States and its allies. At least three major US shipyards have either closed or suspended operations since 2010. Continuing down this path will foreclose important economic opportunities and leave the United States with dwindling capabilities in a strategically important industry, they wrote.

Their recommendations include imposing targeted docking fees on Chinese-owned ships and vessels made at key Chinese shipyards; restricting the transportation of certain critical US goods on Chinese ships and creating a list of trusted vessels; sever US financial and business ties with Chinese shipyards that directly support Chinas naval modernization; using targeted diplomacy to encourage like-minded countries to implement similar measures; investing in long-term US shipbuilding capacity; and coordinating with allies to build additional shipbuilding capacity outside China.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Foundation establishes global education hub for cultural exchanges including Korean language education & research and dispersion of K-culture

SEOUL, South Korea, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- KT&G Scholarship Foundation, in cooperation with Almaty Management University of Kazakhstan, has unveiled "KT&G Scholarship Foundation Korean Center" on the 14th.

50 major participants, including KT&G Scholarship Foundation Secretary General Hong-pil Ahn and Rector of Almaty Management University Gulnara Kurenkeyeva, attended the Korean center's opening ceremony.

The "Korean Center" is an institute that restructures and expands the "KT&G Korean Language Institute" (est. 2023) in Kazakhstan and is situated within the Almaty Management University Building. Through the Korean Center, the KT&G Scholarship Foundation will host Korean language classes and joint linguistic research on topics such as development of Korean language education curriculums and methods for Korean language dispersion, aiming to facilitate Korea-Kazakhstan cultural exchanges.

The KT&G Scholarship foundation Secretary General Hong-pil Ahn hopes that the "Korean Center" in Kazakhstan will nurture global talent that will reinforce the relationship and exchanges between Korea and Kazakhstan.

In 2008, KT&G (KRX: 033780) established the KT&G Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation currently runs "Global Scholarship Programs" to find and support local talent in various global locations including Indonesia, Russia, Turkiye, and Kazakhstan. Around 1,500 global students have benefitted from the Foundation's scholarship programs as of last year.

KT&G, the manufacturer of ESSE, is a Korean company holding a solid number one position in the Korean electronic cigarette Next Generation Products (NGP), health functional foods, and combustible cigarette markets. KT&G is also a global company that sells 870 brands in 148 countries as of 2024.

?Attachment: Photo of opening ceremony for "KT&G Scholarship Foundation Korean Center" (End of Article)

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2642512/KT_G_photo__KT_G_Scholarship_Foundation_Opens_Korean_Center_in_Kazakhstan.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ktg-scholarship-foundation-opens-korean-center-in-kazakhstan-302402561.html
Sydney, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2025) - Across Australia, residents and businesses now have a new, innovative way to manage waste with the launch of Hire Skip. As the nation's leading skip bin comparison platform, Hire Skip simplifies the process of selecting the perfect solution for all waste management needs. By comparing services, pricing, and bin sizes from skip bin hire providers Australia wide, Hire Skip aims for customers to receive the best value and convenience for their projects.

Introducing Hire Skip: Australia's Premier Skip Bin Comparison Company

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/244565_897af05354b739de_002full.jpg

"We are thrilled to launch Hire Skip on a national scale, providing an easy-to-use platform where individuals and businesses can effortlessly compare options from top providers across Australia," said Vincent Maneno, Co-Founder of Hire Skip. "Our goal is to revolutionise the traditional approach to waste management by offering transparency, competitive pricing, and comprehensive information that empower our customers to make well-informed decisions."

Streamlined Waste Management Nationwide

Hire Skip's innovative platform allows users to compare quotes from multiple providers in one convenient location, aiming for a stress-free experience whether for residential clean-ups, construction projects, or ongoing waste management requirements. For a reliable and efficient solution, explore options to skip bin hire or hire a skip bin. The website offers detailed information on bin sizes, pricing, and service areas, making the process transparent and hassle-free for customers everywhere.

Commitment to Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Dedicated to excellence, Hire Skip rigorously vets each provider to ensure that every recommendation meets the highest standards of reliability and service. The platform's clear comparisons and transparent pricing allow customers to make smarter, cost-effective decisions while saving both time and money. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, Hire Skip also promotes responsible waste management practices across Australia.

About Hire Skip

Hire Skip is Australia's newest skip bin comparison company, committed to simplifying and enhancing the waste management process. By offering direct comparisons and competitive quotes from providers nationwide, Hire Skip intends that customers across the country always have access to the best options for their waste disposal needs. For more information, please visit Hire Skip.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244565

SOURCE: Plentisoft
In collaboration with the Car Connectivity Consortium, global automotive and device manufacturers and technology companies are advancing Bluetooth Low Energy, Ultra-Wideband, and CCC Digital Key testing.

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), the trusted source for defining how vehicles interact with devices and the world to enhance the consumer experience through standardized, secure, and convenient connectivity solutions, will kick off its twelfth Plugfest this week alongside BMW Group. The event is being held at the automaker's headquarters in Munich, Germany. This event will serve as a testing ground for leading automakers, device manufacturers, and technology providers to validate and refine CCC Digital Key implementations.

With connected vehicles projected to make up 95% of all new cars sold by 2030, the entire automotive ecosystem, including automakers, device manufacturers, technology providers, and Tier 1 suppliers, is placing greater emphasis on developing secure, seamless and interoperable digital key technology. This Plugfest will focus on advancing CCC Digital Key interoperability testing, with an emphasis on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) sniffing test cases, OEM test cases, ultra-wideband (UWB) test cases and newly introduced test scenarios. Participants will work towards validating these test cases, laying the foundation for expanding the CCC Digital Key testing scope in future iterations, including preparations for the CCC Digital Key specification version 4.

The Plugfest format provides a collaborative platform for CCC members to ensure their implementations meet industry standards and consumer demands. Participating companies at the event include Google, Samsung, BMW, CARIAD, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, Volvo Car Group, Huf Hulsbeck Furst GmbH Co. KG, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Technica Engineering GmbH, Comprion GmbH, Ellisys, Motorola Mobility LLC, Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH, and other participants. These industry leaders will collaborate to enhance the reliability and security of digital key technology through rigorous cross-industry testing.

Key testing areas at the upcoming Plugfest:

Automakers and device manufacturers will test CCC Digital Key implementations, evaluating Digital Key version 3 and version 4 interoperability.

Bluetooth test equipment vendors will validate Bluetooth LE sniffing solutions through dedicated test sessions.

UWB test equipment vendors will showcase how their tools can support CCC members in refining and certifying digital key technology.

End-to-end interoperability laboratories will conduct tests on published CCC Digital Key test cases to advance the validation process.

"The work happening at this Plugfest is crucial to the continued evolution of CCC Digital Key," said Alysia Johnson, President of CCC. "As vehicles become more connected, ensuring seamless and secure interoperability between automakers, device manufacturers, and technology providers is more important than ever. These hands-on testing sessions allow our members to collaborate in real-time, solve technical challenges, and accelerate the adoption of the trusted global standard of digital keys."

To further build on the momentum coming out of the Plugfest, the CCC expects to roll out an expanded CCC Digital Key Certification Program shortly. The current program focuses on near-field communication and designates that a product meets the CCC's highest requirements for secure and interoperable vehicle-to-device access. The expanded program will incorporate BLE, which enables remote command, and UWB with BLE, which provides full passive entry capabilities.

For more information on the Car Connectivity Consortium and its initiatives, visit www.carconnectivity.org.

Google is a trademark of Google LLC.

About the Car Connectivity Consortium:

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) is a cross-industry organization dedicated to defining how vehicles interact with devices and the world to create a more seamless and secure consumer experience. CCC standardizes the connected ecosystem around vehicles and devices, bringing together automakers, device manufacturers, automotive suppliers, chip vendors, and security providers to develop solutions that prioritize convenience, security, and privacy protections. With more than 300 member companies, CCC plays a leading role in advancing smartphone-to-vehicle connectivity and shaping the future of trusted digital vehicle access. Its Board of Directors includes representatives from Apple, BMW, CARIAD, DENSO, Ford, General Motors, Google, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, NXP, Panasonic Automotive Systems, Samsung, Thales, and Xiaomi. For more information, visit www.carconnectivity.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250317150280/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Ally Hodapp

INK Communications for CCC

ccc@ink-co.com
New London base to enable greater access to innovative breast reconstruction and augmentation solutions for UK patients

DIEBURG, Germany, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics, a global leader in breast implant innovation, today announces the establishment of a direct subsidiary in the United Kingdom. This strategic investment reinforces POLYTECH's commitment to providing world-class aesthetics and breast reconstruction solutions in one of Europe's most important markets.

With this expansion, surgeons and patients across the UK will now have direct access to POLYTECH's differentiated product portfolio, including B-Lite, the world's only lightweight breast implants, as well as the highly regarded MESMO and Microthane implants-recognised globally for their innovation, safety, and quality.

Suitable for both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, B-Lite breast implants are up to 30% lighter than traditional implants, meaning up to 50% less pressure on the breast for patients, resulting in quicker recovery time and increased comfort.

Prof. Dr. Karsten Hemmrich, CEO of POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics, commented:

"We are incredibly excited to deepen our presence in the UK. Beyond expanding our aesthetics business, we are committed to strengthening our partnerships with NHS hospitals in breast reconstruction. Women recovering from breast cancer in the UK will significantly benefit from our unique breast reconstruction solutions, as both B-Lite and Microthane implants are clinically proven to deliver outstanding long-term results."

The newly established UK team will be led by Richard Graham, Regional Director Business Development, a seasoned industry expert with extensive experience in the UK and European markets.

"Richard's strong relationships with top surgeons and medical institutions, both public and private, make him the ideal leader for this expansion. We are confident that under his leadership, our UK team will successfully drive POLYTECH's ambitious growth and impact in the region," Prof. Hemmrich concluded.

For more information about POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics and its products, please visit www.polytechhealth.com .

About POLYTECH?

POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics combines pioneering innovation with precision craftsmanship to set the highest standards in breast aesthetics, reconstruction, and body contouring. Celebrating over 35 years of leadership, our extensive experience and millions of implants produced empower both patients and surgeons globally. Leading with B-Lite, the world's first lightweight implant, we offer solutions designed for long-term results and comfort, setting a new standard in patient care.?

Our portfolio, including the outstanding Microthane and MESMO implants, provides the broadest range of aesthetic solutions designed to deliver stable results and natural aesthetics. Through POLYTECHconnect Academy and significant investment in education, we remain at the forefront of plastic surgery, reinforced by our industry-leading social media presence in breast aesthetics.?

We are proud to have been the first breast implant manufacturer to receive the CE mark, a testament to our commitment to 'Quality Made in Germany,' reflected in exceptionally high patient satisfaction rates. With the integration of Lipografter technology into our portfolio, we now offer comprehensive body contouring solutions that cater to patient diversity and ensure long-lasting results.?

At POLYTECH, our dedicated team embodies passion and expertise. We provide agile, diverse, and proven solutions that effectively respond to market needs in over 80 countries. Discover the synergy of innovation, education, and passion with POLYTECH.

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SHANGHAI, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SANY Heavy Industry has unveiled the ST230V skid steer loader, specifically engineered for the European and American markets. The compact yet powerful machine is quickly proving to be the ideal solution for high-density urban environments, offering versatility across a wide range of applications. With its innovative 'small space, big impact' design, the ST230V addresses key infrastructure challenges in these regions, offering an efficient solution to the increasing constraints of land use and the escalating costs of labor. Ideal for both small-scale and extensive operations, the ST230V ensures performance and productivity in tight spaces where traditional equipment cannot operate.

Addressing Core Needs in Europe, the United States and Canada:

Adaptability in North America : The ST230V stands out as a true all-season performer, equipped with a wood chipper and snowplow to handle a wide range of tasks, including farm operations, emergency snowstorm responses, and road maintenance. This versatility makes it an indispensable tool for municipal services and intensive agricultural operations across the United States and Canada, ensuring readiness and efficiency in facing any challenge.

: The ST230V stands out as a true all-season performer, equipped with a wood chipper and snowplow to handle a wide range of tasks, including farm operations, emergency snowstorm responses, and road maintenance. This versatility makes it an indispensable tool for municipal services and intensive agricultural operations across the United States and Canada, ensuring readiness and efficiency in facing any challenge. Tailored for Europe: Designed for narrow historic districts and green energy projects, it features 360 steering for precise maneuvering in narrow alleyways maximizing efficiency in tight spaces. The optional low-noise electric attachment not only enhances operational flexibility but also meets EU environmental regulations, making it perfect for operation in environmentally sensitive areas.

Revolutionizing Local Efficiency Through Technology:

Modular Quick-Change System : The ST230V enhances operational efficiency with its ability to switch among 12 different attachments-including cold milling machines and sweepers-within just 20 seconds. This quick-change capability significantly reduces downtime and combats the high labor costs associated with idle equipment.

: The ST230V enhances operational efficiency with its ability to switch among 12 different attachments-including cold milling machines and sweepers-within just 20 seconds. This quick-change capability significantly reduces downtime and combats the high labor costs associated with idle equipment. Superior Hydraulic Performance: With a 120L/min flow rate and 53.7kW power output, 15% higher than competitors, the ST230V delivers stable performance in high-intensity tasks such as de-icing in North America and hard pavement crushing in Europe.

Global Standards, Local Commitment:

The ST230V not only meets the rigorous CE and EPA Tier 4 Final emission standards but also incorporates an advanced anti-tipping control system developed at SANY's North American R&D center. With robust support infrastructure, including six regional parts centers across Germany and the U.S., and 24-hour multilingual customer service, the ST230V guarantees a response to any faults within four hours, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.

Every SANY machine is backed by an industry-leading warranty, but sometimes the unexpected occurs. If you need servicing within your warranty, your local SANY dealer is ready with an expertly trained team of technicians to maximize uptime. Our team will come to you - up to a 300-mile (482 km) roundtrip service call - and get your equipment back on the job quickly.

"The ST230V is not just a machine; it's a scenario-based solution that highlights SANY's deep commitment to the European and North American markets," stated the head of SANY's international business division. "We are redefining the value benchmark for global compact equipment by combining the speed of China's smart manufacturing with the precision of German craftsmanship."

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The SEforALL Global Forum has witnessed groundbreaking commitments totalling over USD 900 million to scale energy access and drive the clean energy transition. Moreover, key global partners announced initiatives aimed at accelerating clean energy investments and promoting sustainable development worldwide.

Major Commitments Announced

DRE Nigeria Fund (USD 500 million) The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), International Solar Alliance (ISA), and Africa50 unveiled a USD 500 million Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Fund to develop and finance mini-grids, solar home systems, commercial and industrial power solutions, and innovative energy storage technologies in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), International Solar Alliance (ISA), and Africa50 unveiled a USD 500 million Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Fund to develop and finance mini-grids, solar home systems, commercial and industrial power solutions, and innovative energy storage technologies in Nigeria. 'First Loss Equity' Fund (USD 250 million) Allied Climate Partners launched a USD 250 million "first loss equity" fund to drive global clean energy investment, alongside a dedicated USD 130 million fund targeting the Caribbean, aimed at catalyzing and crowding in green finance.

Allied Climate Partners launched a USD 250 million "first loss equity" fund to drive global clean energy investment, alongside a dedicated USD 130 million fund targeting the Caribbean, aimed at catalyzing and crowding in green finance. Results-Based Financing (RBF) (USD 20 million) The European Union, in collaboration with UNOPS and SEforALL, committed USD 20 million in RBF funding through the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) to deploy mini-grids and electrify rural households in Sierra Leone.

The European Union, in collaboration with UNOPS and SEforALL, committed USD 20 million in RBF funding through the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) to deploy mini-grids and electrify rural households in Sierra Leone. ZE-Gen Fossil Fuel Generator Displacement (USD 12 million) The IKEA Foundation pledged over 11 million to ZE-Gen, an initiative replacing fossil fuel generators with renewable alternatives across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific region.

The IKEA Foundation pledged over 11 million to ZE-Gen, an initiative replacing fossil fuel generators with renewable alternatives across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific region. e-Cooking Support and Scale-Up Programme (USD 3.5 to 5 Million) The Middle East Green Initiative's "Forward7 Clean Cooking" program, in partnership with the Global electric Cooking Coalition (GeCCo), Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) and UK Aid announced funding to accelerate clean cooking adoption in Sierra Leone, supporting the country's Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan.

National and Regional Energy Initiatives Unveiled

Barbados Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP) launched: Launched by Prime Minister H.E. Mia Amor Mottley and Minister Lisa Cummins, in collaboration with SEforALL, this roadmap aims for Barbados to achieve net-zero by 2035.

Launched by Prime Minister H.E. Mia Amor Mottley and Minister Lisa Cummins, in collaboration with SEforALL, this roadmap aims for Barbados to achieve net-zero by 2035. Pakistan sets in motion plans to develop its Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP): SEforALL and the Government of Pakistan announced a new partnership to develop a national energy transition roadmap.

SEforALL and the Government of Pakistan announced a new partnership to develop a national energy transition roadmap. Formula E announces its intention to join Energy Compacts: The global motorsport series committed to joining the Energy Compacts coordinated by the United Nations and UN-Energy and supported by SEforALL.

The global motorsport series committed to joining the Energy Compacts coordinated by the United Nations and UN-Energy and supported by SEforALL. GFANZ Caribbean Chapter launched: The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) introduced its Caribbean Chapter to mobilize private capital and address local investment barriers.

The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) introduced its Caribbean Chapter to mobilize private capital and address local investment barriers. Partnership to promote a just and equitable energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean: SEforALL and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) committed to strengthening policies, regulations, and tariffs for a just and equitable energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean.

SEforALL and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) committed to strengthening policies, regulations, and tariffs for a just and equitable energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Africa renewable energy manufacturing financiers' collective unveiled: SEforALL launched a new platform to connect financiers with manufacturers, boosting green finance and supporting local renewable energy production in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Winners of the 2025 Energy Heroes Awards Announced

The winners of the 2025 Energy Heroes Awards were announced at the SEforALL Global Forum. Seven winners from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Middle East and North Africa, were feted for their innovations revolutionizing the sustainable energy sector and their work in providing funding, technical capacity and technologies to accelerate the clean energy transition.

The 2025 winners are:

Deborah Fadeyi, Vectar Energy, Nigeria (Innovator)

The BRILHO programme, Mozambique (Changemaker)

Becool Indonesia, Indonesia (Innovator)

Mee Panyar, Myanmar (Changemaker)

Soluz Honduras, Honduras (Innovator)

Jorge Rivera Staff, Panama (Changemaker)

Youth 4 Sustainability, UAE (Innovator)

The SEforALL Global Forum held from 12-13 March in Bridgetown was co-hosted by SEforALL and the Government of Barbados and welcomed more than 1,300 people from over 70 countries.

The success of this sixth SEforALL Global Forum, held for the first time in Latin America and the Caribbean, demonstrates why this biennial gathering is a crucial platform for fostering collaboration and mobilizing action towards a sustainable future.

Media Contacts

Sherry Kennedy, Director of Communications: Sherry.Kennedy@SEforALL.org / Media@SEforALL.org | +43 676 486 2425

Robert Magori, Senior Communications Specialist: Robert.Magori@seforall.org | +43 676 846 727 240

About SEforALL

Sustainable Energy for All is an independent organization, hosted by UNOPS, with a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. We work at the intersection of energy, climate, and development. We collaborate with governments and partners worldwide to end energy poverty, accelerate the deployment of renewable energy solutions, and combat climate change. Learn more about our work at www.SEforALL.org

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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.



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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - SusGlobal Energy Corp. (OTCQB: SNRG) ("SusGlobal" or the "Company"), an environmental and renewables company, the developer of SusGro, an award winning, revolutionary organic liquid fertilizer and Leaders in The Circular Economy today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, SusGlobal Energy Belleville Ltd. has signed a Service Agreement (the "Agreement") which provides for the overall rehabilitation to operational readiness of the Company's 49-acre Organic & Non-Hazardous Waste Processing & Composting Facility (the "Facility") in Belleville, Ontario. Once the Facility becomes operationally ready and all government orders have been fulfilled, SusGlobal will retain a third party to operate the Facility.

The Facility is listed on the GHG CleanProject Registry, https://www.csaregistries.ca/GHG_VR_Listing/CleanProjectDetail?ProjectId=909, a business unit of the Standards Division of the Canadian Standards Association ("CSA") for developed and marketed greenhouse gas ("GHG") offset credits where the Company has marketed and sold Verified Emission Reductions and Removals ("VERRs"), as part of its Composting Offset Project in Ontario.

"We believe this agreement will lead to a high-quality return to revenue stream for the Company's Facility, with further carbon credit monetization at the Belleville site."

About SusGlobal

SusGlobal, the developer of SusGro, a revolutionary pathogen-free organic liquid fertilizer is a renewables company focused on acquiring, developing, and monetizing a portfolio of proprietary technologies in the waste-to-energy and regenerative products applications globally. It is management's objective to grow SusGlobal into a significant sustainable waste to energy and regenerative products provider, as LEADERS IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY. For more information, please visit the Company's website at: www.susglobalenergy.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company's objectives. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur. Such statements include, but are not limited to, the Facility returning to operational readiness, the possibility of the Company signing future agreements or entering into a future relationship, and the Facility again generating revenue for the Company. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, lack of sufficient financial resources; variations in market conditions, currency and our stock; the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, approvals, consents or authorizations required for its activities; the Company's ability to produce energy, biogas, compost or organic fertilizer from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, or to be fully able to implement its business strategies and other risk factors described in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244478

SOURCE: SusGlobal Energy Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - Restart Life Sciences Corp. (CSE: HEAL) (FSE: HN30) (OTC Pink: NMLSD) ("Restart Life" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has secured the licensing rights to health-related trademarks, a strategic move that will play a role in the Company's future brand development initiatives. This agreement aligns with Restart Life's efforts to strengthen its market position and expand its product portfolio.

Restart Life has secured an exclusive license to use four trademarks for its products under a 5-year agreement, with a renewal option for another 5 years.

The license agreement, made with a company controlled by one of the Company's directors, includes a $1 licensing fee. Additionally, the Company will pay an annual royalty of 5% on gross sales of up to $1,000,000, and 2.5% when the gross sales exceed $1,000,000 from the sale of the Company's products. The Company has the right to pay the royalty in cash, in common shares of the Company or a combination of cash and common shares.

The Company and the licensor agreed to negotiate the purchase of the licensed trade marks at the end of the term. The acquisition price will be negotiated and mutually agreed upon by both parties at the time of the acquisition.

In a further strategic move, the agreement includes a health-care-related brand which was revenue producing through sales of health-related products on Amazon. The brand was originally developed by one of Restart Life's directors, who chose to cease operations due to economic conditions during and post-covid. Restart Life expects to receive valuable business insights to assist in revitalizing and relaunching the brand, leveraging past successes to achieve future growth.

The Company remains committed to expanding its intellectual property through a variety of agreements, acquisitions, and joint ventures to enhance its market presence and drive innovation.

"We are excited to move forward with this strategic licensing agreement, which positions Restart Life to strengthen its brand portfolio and accelerate market growth," said Steve Loutskou, CEO of Restart Life. "By acquiring these trademark licensing rights at a minimal cost, we are well-positioned to expand our product offerings, build brand awareness, and explore new business opportunities in the years to come."

The license agreement has been approved by the independent directors of the Company. The transaction is exempt from the formal valuation requirements pursuant to sections 5.5(a) Fair Market Value not More Than 25% of Market Capitalization, 5.5(b) Issuer Not Listed on Specified Markets and 5.5(d) Certain Transactions in the Ordinary Course of Business and from the minority shareholder approval requirements pursuant to sections 5.7(1)(a) Fair Market Value Not More Than 25 Per Cent of Market Capitalization and 5.7(1)(c) Other Transactions Exempt from Formal Valuation of the Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions.

Restart Life looks forward to leveraging these new licensing rights to drive innovation and introduce new products that will resonate with its growing customer base.

About Restart Life Sciences Corp.

Restart Life Science Corp. is a Canadian-based life sciences company listed on the CSE. For more information about Restart Life, please visit the Company's website at www.restartlife.co.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Restart Life Science's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

The forward-looking statements in this news release include but are not limited to the statements related to the trade marks, the use of the trade marks, the license agreement, Company's position in the market and market growth.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various risk factors, including, but not limited to the ability to sell Company's products, appeal of the trademarks and Company's products to consumers, regulatory environment, taxes and tariffs.

The material assumptions used to develop forward-looking information include, but not limited to general business and economic conditions, financial markets conditions, the Company's ability to fund its operations, obtain licensees and/or permits (when required), develop, market and sell its products.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention 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 Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244643

SOURCE: Restart Life Sciences Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. (TSXV: ONE) (OTC Pink: OONEF) (the "Company"), one of the first-to-market, enterprise-level cybersecurity providers for the quantum computing era, is scheduled to release financial results for its first quarter 2025, which ended January 31st, before market opens on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Join 01 Communique live at 10:00AM EST (Thursday, March 20, 2025) for an update on the Company's results as well as the business prospects for IronCAP and IronCAP X.

Browser (please cut-and-paste the following link into your browser):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83272630612?pwd=rberpQ7lrxbZtxITlhRQNTyFxY7a3e.1

Passcode: ironcap25

Dial-in:

Within Canada (647) 374-4685 or (647) 558-0588

Within the USA (646) 558 8656 or (669) 900 9128

Webinar ID when prompted is 832 7263 0612

Passcode: 046927852

About 01 Communique

Established in 1992, 01 Communique (TSXV: ONE) (OTC Pink: OONEF) has always been at the forefront of technology. The Company's cyber security business unit focuses on post-quantum cybersecurity with the development of its IronCAP product line. IronCAP's technologies are patent-protected in the U.S.A. by its patents #11,271,715 and #11,669,833. The Company's remote access business unit provides its customers with a suite of secure remote access services and products under its I'm InTouch and I'm OnCall product offerings. The remote access offerings are protected in the U.S.A. by its patents #6,928,479 / #6,938,076 / #8,234,701; in Canada by its patents #2,309,398 / #2,524,039 and in Japan by its patent #4,875,094. For more information, visit the Company's web site at www.ironcap.ca and www.01com.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

#

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244670

SOURCE: 01 Communique Laboratory Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - Sol Strategies Inc. (CSE: HODL) (OTCQX: CYFRF) ("Sol Strategies" or the "Company", formerly, "Cypherpunk Holdings Inc"), a publicly traded Canadian company actively investing in, supporting, and providing infrastructure for the Solana blockchain ecosystem, is pleased to announce that on March 17, 2025, it completed the acquisition of three validators, including the Laine validator, as well as stakewiz.com (the "Acquisition"), as previously disclosed in the Company's March 10, 2025 news release.

The integration of Laine's validator network and Stakewiz.com significantly strengthens Sol Strategies' position as a leading institutional staking solutions provider within the Solana ecosystem. By incorporating stakewiz.com's validator dashboard, Sol Strategies enhances transparency, analytics, and convenience for delegators, ensuring a seamless staking experience.

Additionally, the appointment of Michael Hubbard as Chief Strategy Officer further elevates Sol Strategies' executive leadership team, bringing deep industry expertise to drive the company's strategic growth initiatives. His leadership is expected to foster high-value partnerships, accelerate innovation, and reinforce Sol Strategies' standing as a premier institutional staking provider within the Solana ecosystem.

Validator Operations Update

As of March 15, 2025, Sol Strategies has increased its total staked SOL to 3,351,617 SOL (CAD $649,308,761 million) across its validator operations, from 1,653,752 SOL on March 3, 2025, an approximately 102% increase in total staked SOL since that date. The Company now manages staked SOL across its Solana validators as follows:

1,505,399 SOL (CAD $291,640,948) on the newly acquired Laine validator;

690,571 SOL (CAD $133,784,319) on Sol Strategies' Cogent Crypto validator;

682,488 SOL (CAD $291,640,948) on Sol Strategies' Orangefin Ventures validator; and

473,159 SOL (CAD $91,655,093) on Sol Strategies' proprietary validator,

of which 264,275 SOL is delegated by the Company.

The above Canadian dollar (CAD) amounts are based on prices and foreign exchange rates quoted by Coinbase (https://www.coinbase.com/converter/sol/cad) as of 9:18 AM ET on March 15, 2025.

Acquisition Terms

The Acquisition will be completed for a purchase price of CAD $35 million payable through a combination of cash and Sol Strategies common shares and warrants. Pursuant to the terms of the definitive agreement, Sol Strategies will acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Validators and all ancillary rights and assets required for their management (the "Purchased Assets").

Total consideration for the Purchased Assets includes:

CAD $5 million in cash (paid on closing):

5 million common shares of Sol Strategies issued at closing at a price of $3.00 per share

An additional 5 million common shares to be issued on the one-year anniversary of the closing date at a price of $3.00 per share

4.5 million common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants"), each exercisable into one common share at an exercise price of $2.98 per Common Share, vesting monthly over a 36-month period, each Warrant exercisable for a period of 3 years from vesting

The common shares issued as consideration for the Acquisition, including the common shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, will be subject to a statutory four-month lock-up provision upon issuance.

Leah Wald, CEO of Sol Strategies stated, "This acquisition represents a pivotal step forward for Sol Strategies, enhancing our business across three critical dimensions. The integration of Laine's validator assets significantly scales our staking infrastructure and solidifies our position as a leader in institutional staking. Stakewiz.com brings unparalleled transparency and engagement tools, setting a new standard for the customer experience in staking analytics. And with the addition of Michael Hubbard-an industry veteran with deep expertise in the Solana ecosystem-our leadership team gains a seasoned innovator who will help navigate emerging opportunities and drive strategic expansion in this rapidly evolving space. Together, these advancements propel Sol Strategies to new heights in staking infrastructure and innovation."

About Sol Strategies

Sol Strategies Inc. (CSE: HODL) is a publicly traded Canadian company actively investing in and providing infrastructure for the Solana blockchain ecosystem. The Company focuses on validator operations, staking rewards, and strategic investments in Solana-based projects, enabling shareholders to participate in the decentralized finance and blockchain infrastructure landscape. For more information, visit www.solstrategies.io.

A copy of this news release and all related material documents regarding the Company may be obtained under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements and information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to (i) the Company's or the Company's management team's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future, (ii) expectations regarding the characteristics, value drivers, and anticipated benefits of the Acquisition and the appointment of a new Chief Strategy Officer, (iii) expectations regarding the Company's future development opportunities in connection with the Acquisition, and (iv) the Company's business plans and operations related thereto. Forward-looking information can also be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved".

Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding completion of the Acquisition and its intended impact on the Company, the Company's future investing plans and staking plans. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

The purpose of forward-looking information is to provide the reader with a description of management's expectations, and such forward-looking information may not be appropriate for any other purpose. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates, and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates, and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Disclaimer:

Sol Strategies is an independent organization in the Solana ecosystem. Sol Strategies is not affiliated with, owned by, or under common control with Solana Foundation (the "Foundation"), and the Foundation has not entered into any association, partnership, joint venture, employee, or agency relationship with Sol Strategies.

None of the Foundation or its council members, officers, agents or make any representations or warranties, recommendations, endorsements or promises with respect to the accuracy of any statements made, information provided, or action taken by Sol Strategies and expressly disclaim any and all liability arising from or related to any such statements, information or action.

Source: Sol Strategies Inc.

SOURCE: Sol Strategies Inc.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244830

SOURCE: Sol Strategies Inc.
MiMedia to be Integrated onto Millions of Smartphones with Walmart Subsidiary "Bait", the Fastest Growing and Third Largest Telecom Carrier in Mexico with 18.3M+ Subscribers

Partnership to Include Collaboration and Integration with Walmart's Prolific Digital Ecosystem of Mobile Apps Targeting Entire Latin America Continent

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - MiMedia Holdings Ltd. (TSXV: MIM) (OTCQB: MIMDF) (FSE: KH3) ("MiMedia", "Company") is thrilled to announce the signing of a major strategic partnership with Walmart Latin America, a significant milestone for the Company.

Chris Giordano, MiMedia CEO, noted: "Partnering with Walmart, the #1 company on the Fortune 500, and their largest international subsidiary in Latin America, is a major validator of the MiMedia value proposition, the size of our market opportunity, and the strength and quality of our technology platform. We are very excited to add such a high caliber partner to our strong and growing list of powerful players in the global Telecom and smartphone industries. We believe this agreement is just the start of what our two companies can do together in the future."

Walmart Latin America is one of the largest retailers in Latin America with USD $48 billion+ in annual revenue (1) and 4K+ stores (1) in Mexico and Central America alone (not including other strongholds in region such as Chile). Walmart Latin America has also become a major purveyor of smartphones and telecom services via their Mexican subsidiary, known as Bait.

Bait has quickly become the third largest provider of telecom services in Mexico in only five years since launch, growing to 18.3 million subscribers as of December 31st, 2024 (1). This spectacular growth has occurred within the 3K+ Walmart stores in Mexico (1), as shoppers purchase smartphones in store and sign-up for Bait's nationwide telecom service at point of sale. At this pace of growth, Bait could eclipse AT&T Mexico and become the second largest telecom provider in the country in 2025.

As part of this partnership, MiMedia will be integrated on millions of new, Bait-procured smartphones to be sold to consumers in Mexico. Importantly, the MiMedia mobile app will also be pushed out as a download over the air ("OTA") update up to the existing 18.3 million of Android smartphones already in Bait consumer hands. Additionally, a concerted marketing effort will occur, both online and in stores, to induce millions of Walmart consumers to make the MiMedia and Bait cloud platform part of their daily lives.

As a key component of the partnership, MiMedia will also collaborate with and integrate into the Walmart digital ecosystem of apps that serves the entire Latin America. Walmart's ecosystem consists of some of the continent's most used apps, including "Cashi" for digital payments (reported 5 million+ users) and "Salud" for healthcare (reported 2.5 million+ memberships (1)) among others. The connection of the MiMedia/Bait consumer cloud platform within the Walmart mobile app ecosystem can drive significant user engagement to the MiMedia platform and generate immediate revenue and cash flow. Walmart reported 46 million contactable customers in its "Digital Connection" database as of Q4 2024 (1), a massive number of users to be targeted for program participation.

Mr. Giordano added, "Partnering with Walmart Latin America provides MiMedia with a reliable, rapidly growing pipeline of smartphones, which will be integrated with our platform as the devices' native media gallery. These devices will provide a constant pipeline of high margin, recurring revenue for both MiMedia and Walmart. We cannot wait to have Walmart's expansive consumer base enjoying all the incredible technologies offered within our platform and to become MiMedia and Walmart ecosystem users for years to come."

Management will be conducting a Company update call via Zoom this Thursday, March 20th at 4PM EST, to provide additional information on the business impact of the Walmart partnership and other recent announcements. To register for the Zoom, please click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YwLjjC1ySA-Ni8jD7tfqEw.

(1) https://files.walmex.mx/upload/files/2024/EN/Quarterly/4Q24/Walmex_Script_Webcast_4Q24_VF.pdf

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About MiMedia: MiMedia Holdings Inc. provides an AI based next-generation consumer cloud platform that enables all types of personal media to be secured in the cloud, accessed seamlessly at any time, across all devices and on all operating systems. The Company's platform differentiates with its rich media experience, robust organization tools, private sharing capabilities and features that drive content re-engagement, many of which are based on advanced and proprietary AI technologies. MiMedia partners with smartphone makers and telecom carriers globally and provides its partners with recurring revenue streams, improved customer retention and market differentiation. The platform services millions of engaged users around the world. For more information about MiMedia, visit: www.mimedia.com.

About Walmart: Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 255 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2024 revenue of $648 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at x.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.

Notice regarding forward-looking statements: This release includes forward-looking statements regarding MiMedia, and their respective businesses, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the completion of a Transaction, appointment or any other decision made by the business. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "is expected", "expects", "scheduled", "intends", "contemplates", "anticipates", "believes", "proposes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of MiMedia. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the companies, including risks regarding the MiMedia industry, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals, economic factors, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. Although MiMedia have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and MiMedia undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

NEITHER THE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244806

SOURCE: MiMedia Holdings Inc.
LONDON, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspired Thinking Group (ITG), the AI-enabled, agile content business, has today announced the appointment of industry veteran Ian Hudson as its new Chief Production Officer, responsible for leading the creation of content across ITG, and its Capture Studios facility.

After five years as Head of Operations EMEA at Tag, Hudson joins ITG at an exciting time for the business, which has recently expanded its US operation significantly with the acquisition of PureRed in February.

He will now take charge of ITG's global content creation model, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery for world-renowned clients such as Microsoft, Walgreens, KFC, Heineken, Samsung and PUMA.

Hudson will oversee ITG's content teams globally, including its offshore capabilities in South America and Asia, as well as Capture Studios, which supports leading brands to create smarter video and imagery through facilities ranging from Virtual Production, XR, and automated shoots to bespoke set builds, an Infinity Cove, and its own development and lifestyle kitchens.

"We believe that the challenges brands are facing around content go deeper than the need to deliver greater volume," says Andrew Swinand, CEO of ITG. "To cut through the noise requires content that's smarter and more personalized, tailored to each channel to provide a seamless experience wherever customers interact. Ian's expertise will be instrumental in ensuring every piece of content we create is of the highest quality and designed to maximize impact with each individual customer."

Prior to joining Tag in 2020, Hudson was part of the founding team at Hogarth Worldwide, where he spent 11 years, serving first as Production Director and later Operations Director.

ITG's CEO EMEA, Sue Mountford, said, "We're excited to have Ian joining ITG at a time when we're growing significantly across the globe. For over two decades, Ian's been a leader in quality content creation at major names in our industry, and I'm looking forward to seeing areas such as our world-class Capture Studios facility develop under his leadership - crafting not just great content, but content that works for our clients."

"Much of the discourse around content focuses on quantity, but for ITG it's equally about quality," commented Ian Hudson, ITG's new Chief Production Officer. "ITG is delivering the smart, insight-driven, relevant content that connects brands with their customers, and doing so at speed and scale. It's a pleasure to be joining a company filled with talent and on a clear upward trajectory, with so much more potential to grow over the coming years."

About Inspired Thinking Group

ITG is the leading, AI-enabled Halo content partner to businesses around the world. It eliminates marketing complexity and delivers engaging content at speed and scale to drive business growth and reduce marketing costs. Clients include Heineken, Microsoft, Samsung, Haleon, KFC and more. ITG employs over 2,000 people throughout its global offices, and its AI-enabled Storyteq Content Marketing Platform is recognized by Gartner as a global Leader. ITG is part of the Bridgepoint portfolio of companies.

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Release summary: Paola Papanicolaou at the EIB Forum: Intesa Sanpaolo supports SMEs, public finance & green transition, boosting CEE economies and jobs





Paola Papanicolaou, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's International Banks Division

MILAN, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Speaking at the EIB Forum in Luxembourg this month, Paola Papanicolaou, the head of Intesa Sanpaolo's International Banks Division (IBD), outlined the significant contribution to economic growth in Central and Eastern Europe that the bank has made over the last five years.

Intesa Sanpaolo has signed deals worth nearly 660m in the CEE region over the past five years, in partnership with the EIB. This includes some 370m dedicated to EU candidate countries, such as Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine.

In Serbia, Intesa Sanpaolo's subsidiary, Banca Intesa Beograd, recently partnered with EIB Global to provide 160m from the EU to support investment in the energy transition at Serbian SMEs, fostering sustainable economic growth.



The transaction will benefit around 240 companies and protect approximately 25,000 jobs. Banca Intesa Beograd is Serbia's leading banking group.

"We believe that our role goes beyond that of a financial institution that just operates transactions, to that of a partner," Papanicolaou said at the recent EIB Forum. "Intesa Sanpaolo advises and supports the growth of individual companies as well as the wider national economies in which we operate."

Intesa Sanpaolo's IBD is deeply embedded in the CEE region through a network of twelve fully-owned banks.

"It's very important to be on the ground, as we are, to fully understand each country's needs," Papanicolaou said. "For example, we are working closely with some countries to support public finance and significant infrastructure projects".

Another agreement signed in November 2024 saw Intesa Sanpaolo's Croatian bank, Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ), receive 169m from the EIB to finance the green transition at Croatian companies. Of this total amount, 100m was earmarked by the EIB as a guarantee line for large enterprises and mid-cap companies, and an extension of an EIF guarantee of up to 69m was made for small businesses in the country. Intesa Sanpaolo's PBZ is the second-largest bank in Croatia by assets.

Italy is a key trading partner for many EU candidate countries. As the leading Italian financial institution, Intesa Sanpaolo acts as a natural financial bridge between Italy - the second-largest manufacturing economy in Europe - and CEE markets.

Intesa Sanpaolo facilitates international trade, supports SMEs in expanding beyond domestic markets, and fosters cross-border collaborations that drive economic progress. In particular, the bank believes that helping SMEs to expand internationally is a vital contribution to the development of an economy.

The 12 home markets of Intesa Sanpaolo's IBD are Croatia, Slovakia and Czech Republic, Serbia, Hungary, Egypt, Slovenia, Ukraine, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Romania and Moldova.

These banks together serve 7.4m customers, with a combined loan book of 45bn and 61bn in deposits.

Intesa Sanpaolo plays a crucial role in these economies, serving individuals, SMEs, corporates, and public sector entities while driving investment and growth.

Contact: international.media@intesasanpaolo.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b9897a34-ccf2-4423-8cc4-3d0427433a18
Full Album To Follow Late 2025

Acclaimed MPress Records recording artist Rachael Sage is set to unveil her latest full-length studio album later this year, with the title track and first single, "Canopy", arriving in mid-May alongside a stunning music video. Set for release later this year, Canopy is a collection of songs that feel like a refuge-woven from resilience, longing, and the irrepressible determination to find light in the darkest places. At its heart is the title track and first single, an anthem that folds itself around the listener like a reassuring embrace.

Wrapped in lush instrumentation - bolstered by Sage's longtime band The Sequins - and one of Sage's most unforgettable melodies, "Canopy" is a song of quiet strength and radical inclusivity. Fans of Bob Dylan, Sinead O'Connor, and Alanis Morissette will find much to love in its poetic storytelling and soul-stirring chorus. Blending shimmering folk-pop melodies, cinematic strings, and a chorus that soars with a message of empathy, "Canopy" speaks to the strength found in compassion. It's for the ones who keep showing up, holding space for others, and sheltering those they love.

Music is at its most powerful when shared, and Sage is bringing Canopy to life onstage with her trio, Rachael Sage & The Sequins, featuring renowned violinist Kelly Halloran (Lainey Wilson, Michael Franti) and Will Wilde, a fast-rising blues-rock harmonica player (Walter Trout). A highlight of the tour will be a special night at The Troubadour in London, where Sage will be joined by surprise guests - to be revealed closer to the show. She and her band will also be appearing at The Great Escape Festival, with exact performance details to be announced soon.

Sage has built a reputation as an electrifying live performer, gracing stages across the world. She has shared the spotlight with legends including Imelda May, Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Howard Jones, and Grammy winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins, with whom she recorded a critically acclaimed duet of Neil Young's "Helpless". Most recently, she has opened for the likes of Lulu, Will Young, and Hue and Cry, including two sold-out shows at Manchester RNCM Theatre and Gateshead Glasshouse as part of Hue and Cry's 40th Anniversary Tour. Her festival appearances have spanned from SXSW and Edinburgh Fringe to Pride in London and The Great Escape, consistently captivating audiences with her distinctive mix of folk, Americana, and pop.

Sage's recent albums, The Other Side and its companion collection, Another Side have cemented her reputation as a masterful storyteller and genre-blending artist. Released in 2023, The Other Side is a deeply introspective and sonically rich album that embraces the warm, classic textures of 70s and 80s folk-pop, while exploring themes of resilience, transformation, and hope. With guest vocals from Howard Jones, along with contributions from Jack Petruzzelli (Patti Smith), Russ Johnson (Elvis Costello), and James Mastro (Ian Hunter), the record offers a lush, deeply moving listening experience.

Building upon that deeply personal collection, Sage later released Another Side, a reimagining of select tracks from The Other Side with a raw, intimate, and stripped-down approach. Featuring collaborations with folk luminaries like Crys Matthews, Amy Speace, and Grace Pettis, Another Side showcases Sage's gift for reinvention, as she reinterprets her own work - alongside covers of Yazoo's "Only You" and Maria McKee's "Breathe" - through a more acoustic, soul-baring lens.

With Canopy, Sage continues this journey of storytelling, reinvention, and emotional connection, offering listeners yet another beautifully crafted, deeply heartfelt collection of songs. Due for release in late summer or early fall, the album promises to be one of her most soulful and thought-provoking works yet.

Tour Dates

(please see rachaelsage.com for all ongoing US & UK tour dates)

19 March - Shank Hall - Milwaukee, WI *

20 March - SPACE - Evanston, IL *

10 April - The Bitter End - New York, NY

13 May - The Troubadour - London, UK

15-16 - May The Great Escape - Brighton, UK

18 May - Holmfirth Tavern - Holmfirth, UK

22 May - Speakeasy @ Harbour View - Sunderland, UK

24 May - Mojo's Music Cafe - Scarborough, UK

29 May - Prohibition Studios - Liverpool, UK

30 May - Forty-Five Vinyl Cafe - York, UK

31 May - Wrecking Ball Arts - Hull, UK

1 June - Percy's Cafe Bar - Whitchurch, UK

* supporting Marshall Crenshaw

For more information and interview requests, please contact:

US : Jill Richmond-Johnson, MPress Records | jillr@mpressrecords.com

UK : Cat Hockley, Fifth Element PR | cat@fifthelement.biz

SOURCE: MPress Records
AeroBot Robotic ASRS Complements Existing Market-Leading Shuttle Technology, Targets Companies That Need High-Density ASRS for Greenfield and Brownfield Expansion

KNAPP, the reliable technology partner for value chain innovation, is proud to be showcasing the AeroBot at ProMat 2025. This North American AeroBot debut comes on the heels of winning the prestigious 'Best Product Award' at LogiMAT 2025, the International Trade Show for Intralogistics Solutions and Process Management in Stuttgart, Germany.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250317305266/en/

AeroBot's 3D system offers exceptional flexibility, with a simple and modular setup that is optimized for storage density.

KNAPP CEO Gerald Hofer proudly commented, "The AeroBot system is another milestone in our long line of innovations. As with any other development, the AeroBot is a result of contemporary market drivers and the needs of our customers. Currently, solutions that provide an easier start to automation and are flexible enough to adapt rapidly to market conditions are popular. It's important to look at these needs on the basis of an overall concept instead of just isolated technologies. This is exactly what our main focus at KNAPP has been in the past years and we now have the broadest portfolio of technologies on the market."

The AeroBot's capabilities in delivering high-density storage and retrieval solutions perfectly complement KNAPP's industry leading Evo Shuttle, renowned for its high performance. Uniquely, the AeroBot seamlessly integrates with other technologies from the KNAPP portfolio, including ergonomic goods-to-person workstations, picking robots, pocket sorter systems, and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

While the Evo Shuttle is the high-performance system designed to solve the most complex tasks, AeroBot's 3D system offers exceptional flexibility, with a simple and modular setup that is optimized for storage density. Designed to operate at heights up to 12 meters, it leverages spec-built buildings and offers delivery within short lead times. It also utilizes simple floor guidance methodologies for product delivery to order pickers, avoiding the high maintenance and complex guidance systems currently on the market.

According to Jusuf Buzimkic, Chief Sales Officer of KNAPP North America, "The utilization of standardized components ensures easy installation, while its low space requirements and flexible rack construction options allow seamless integration into both new and existing buildings. It's an ideal solution for businesses looking to scale their operations and accommodate peak seasons without compromising performance."

Christoph Gailberger, Portfolio Manager of Storage Systems at KNAPP, added, "By leveraging innovative friction drive technology and multi-directional movement, AeroBot can efficiently navigate and operate within any storage environment. It operates independently, accessing all areas of the system autonomously without relying on lines for navigation. The latest battery technology and flexible charging configuration, together with fire regulation compliance, make our new AeroBot a highly competitive choice in this market."

KNAPP is the reliable technology partner for value chain innovation. Headquartered in Austria with 49 subsidiaries worldwide, KNAPP provides proven software and hardware solutions for intelligent logistics automation, from production and distribution to point of sale. A collaborative approach and excellent service position KNAPP as a trusted, stable partner for success in healthcare, retail, fashion and apparel, food retail, wholesale, manufacturing, or ecommerce.

ProMat 2025 is the premier event for manufacturing and supply chain professionals, offering a comprehensive showcase of the latest innovations in material handling, logistics, and supply chain solutions. Held from March 17-20, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, ProMat 2025 will feature over 1,000 exhibitors specializing in automation, robotics, AI, and sustainable logistics solutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technologies, participate in expert-led seminars, and network with industry leaders.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250317305266/en/

Contacts:

For media inquiries or to request high-resolution images, please contact:

Alex Taylor

Press Relations

KNAPP North America

Tel.: +1 470 962 8657

alex.taylor@knapp.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!
BOSTON, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PartnerOne, one of the fastest growing enterprise software conglomerates in the world, has announced that it has successfully acquired NetWitness from RSA.

NetWitness is a leader in cybersecurity that delivers highly scalable threat detection and response solutions. Its solutions empower security analysts with better and more efficient tools to keep security operations well ahead of business-impacting threats. NetWitness achieves this with best-in-class threat detection, investigation & response platforms which have the ability to automate and orchestrate the incident response lifecycle.

PartnerOne's acquisition of NetWitness is great news for its customers and partners. With its existing expertise across government and commercial entities in the cybersecurity space, PartnerOne will help NetWitness improve its technology and increase its capabilities.

PartnerOne acquires, invests and grows its companies, and NetWitness now has a forever-home and the financial backing to solidify its position as a market leader.

"NetWitness is very excited to be a part of PartnerOne's successful portfolio of enterprise software companies. We know that PartnerOne's expertise and financial strength will help us to innovate, invest in our technology, and deliver industry-leading service to our large enterprise customer base." Said Julie Burgoyne, Executive Vice President.

NetWitness will operate as an independent company with the full strength and support of PartnerOne behind it.

About RSA: RSA is a leader in identity security solutions for the world's most security-sensitive organizations delivering automated identity intelligence, authentication, access, governance, and lifecycle capabilities to defend against the highest-impact cybersecurity risks.

About PartnerOne: PartnerOne is one of the fastest growing enterprise software groups in the world, with a proven track record of acquiring and growing enterprise software companies. Over 1500 enterprise and government organizations rely on PartnerOne software, including 80% of the largest companies in the world.

About NetWitness: Founded in 1997, NetWitness is a threat detection & cyber security monitoring company. The NetWitness platform combines visibility, analytics, and automation into a single solution allowing customers to prioritize, respond, reconstruct, survey, investigate and confirm information about the threats in their environment and take the appropriate response-quickly and precisely.

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For more information, please contact legal@partnerone.com

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Dr. Barbara Walker-Green's latest book, The Unstoppable Shero, is set to be released in the ideal period for Women's History Month 2025, which emphasizes women's power and resilience around the world.

Aligning with the theme of Women's History Month 2025, Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Dr. Barbara Walker- Green's latest book, The Unstoppable Shero, is more than just an inspiring read-it's a transformative guide to breaking barriers and seizing leadership opportunities.

Dr. Walker-Green challenges outdated mindsets and systemic obstacles that continue to limit women's progress. Through compelling insights and actionable strategies, The Unstoppable Shero provides women with the tools they need to step into their power, shatter constraints, and lead with confidence.

"The fight for women's equity isn't just about breaking glass ceilings-it's about rewriting the rules and creating new spaces where women thrive on their own terms."

- Dr. Barbara Walker-Green

What's Inside The Unstoppable Shero?

Dr. Walker-Green debunks deep-rooted societal biases and replaces them with practical methods for self-empowerment. Key topics include:

Objectification Buy-In - Understanding how cultural narratives shape self-worth and learning to rise above them.

The Glass Cliff - Recognizing the high-risk leadership roles women are often placed in and mastering strategies for success.

Deliberate Parenting - Equipping the next generation to break free from gender stereotypes and embrace limitless potential.

But The Unstoppable Shero isn't just a book-it's a movement. Through her Shero Nation initiative, Dr. Walker-Green is building a global community where women uplift one another, share their journeys, and find strength in collective empowerment.

As Women's History Month invites reflection and progress, The Unstoppable Shero is an essential read for women ready to rise, challenge societal norms, and claim their rightful place in leadership, business, and beyond.
Grid Battery Metals Inc. (the "Company" or "Grid Battery") (TSXV:CELL)(OTCQB:EVKRF)(FRA:NMK2) announces that further to its news release dated August 29, 2024, and the TSX Venture Exchange's ("Exchange") conditional acceptance letter dated October 9, 2024, the Company has now closed the "related party" transaction subject to final Exchange approval.

The Company entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement dated August 26, 2024 (the "Agreement"), with AC/DC Battery Metals Inc. ("AC/DC"), whereby the Company has acquired a 100% interest in 17 copper mineral claims comprising 27,525.24 hectares located in North Central British Columbia. The region is host to numerous operating mines, good infrastructure including experienced exploration and supporting services (the "Transaction").

Terms of the Transaction:

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company issued 5,000,000 common shares at a deemed value of $0.05 per share to AC/DC upon Closing. The Company also paid AC/DC $48,172.15 in staking costs.

All securities issued in connection with the Transaction are subject to a four month and a day hold period expiring on July 18, 2025, in accordance with Canadian Securities Laws.

Pursuant to TSXV Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 -- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the Agreement constitutes a "related party transaction" due to the fact that there are common officers and directors of the Company and AC/DC. The Company relied on Section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the transaction did not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. No new insiders will be created, nor will any change of control occur, as a result of the Transaction.

Tim Fernback, President and CEO States "It has taken a while to get this Transaction approved but it is for the ultimate benefit of the shareholders. Now we can begin the next exploration steps as outlined in our NI 43-101 Technical Report."

NI 43-101 - Technical Report:

In connection with the closing of the Transaction the Company has filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca a NI 43-101 Technical Report for Grid's BC Copper Gold Project, dated January 24, 2025, prepared by Jeremy Hanson. The Report can also be viewed on the Company's website at Grid Copper Project Technical Report.

Qualified Person

Jeremy Hanson, P.Geo., an independent qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical content in this news release.

About Grid Battery Metals Inc. www.gridbatterymetals.com .

Grid Battery Metals Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company whose primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's maintains a focus on exploration for high value battery metals required for the electric vehicle (EV) market.

About the British Columbia Copper Property

"We're excited that we have acquired approximately 275 km2 of tenures in such a favourable mining region within BC." commented Tim Fernback, President and CEO. "This area of the Province has already generated several promising projects, and our land package is strategically situated to exploit the high copper-gold values of the region. NorthWest Copper Corp. (TSXV:NWST) on the nearby Kwanika project intercepted 400 metres of 1.01% Copper equivalent (News Release January 16, 2023 Northwest Copper Corp). BC is a mining-friendly jurisdiction with reasonable processes, good infrastructure and potential First Nation partners."

B.C. Minfile assessment report data indicates that most of the area covered by the Copper Property was at one time or another covered by staking during surges of exploration in B.C. dating from the 1940's to present day. Largely the claims appear to have been minimally explored with little follow-up. However, some work was recorded on several claims with results for stream sediment sampling showing anomalous to highly anomalous results for gold in a few areas. These areas were recommended for detailed follow-up, however due to a downturn no further work was recorded

Prominent among early discoveries in the Omineca region were the nearby Lustdust/Stardust property (a property developed by Lorraine Copper that was sold to Sun Metals Corp. which eventually merged with Serengeti Resources to become NorthWest Copper Corp.) covering a large, coherent integrated porphyry-skarn, epithermal system; the Kwanika property (a Serengeti/POSCO Daewoo property also became a NorthWest Copper Corp. property upon the merger with Serengeti Resources) a promising advanced stage copper-gold project; the Lorraine property (originally discovered by Lorraine Copper and now a NorthWest Copper Corp. property)an alkalic copper-gold porphyryr. The tenures are located between the Kemess North project being developed by Centerra Gold Inc. (TSX:CG, NYSE:CGAU) and its operating Mt Milligan mine, which is reported to contain 1.8 million ounces of gold and 742 million pounds of copper (Technical Report on the Mount Milligan Mine, November 7, 2022, Borntrager. B, et al.)

The Omineca Group claim areas are within the northern Quesnel Trough underlain by Cache Creek Terrane and lies close to the Pinchi Fault. The Quesnel Trough hosts numerous porphyry copper-gold deposits. The Pinchi Fault can be traced for 600 km through north-central B.C and separates Cache Creek rocks from the Jurassic Hogem Batholith and Triassic-Jurassic Takla rocks to the west. Rocks have a north-northwest strike trend typical of the entire Intermontane Belt in which the Cache Creek Terrane lies (Gabrielse and Yorath, 1992). A wide range of Jurassic to Tertiary intrusions cuts the Cache Creek Assemblage and many of these are emplaced along the prominent NW-trending structures and stratigraphic breaks. Numerous mercury occurrences are present along the length of the Pinchi fault (Albino, 1987) and a few gold and base metal occurrences are present near the Pinchi fault including the Lustdust, Lorraine, Indata and Axelgold properties. There are at least two alkalic gold-copper Porphyry systems in the immediate Lustdust (now known as Stardust) area: J49 and Axel Properties (Schiarrizza, 2000).

About Texas Springs Property

The Company owns a 100% interest in the Texas Spring Property which consists of mineral lode claims located in Elko County, Nevada. The Property is in the Granite Range southeast of Jackpot, Nevada, about 73 km north-northeast of Wells, Nevada. The target is a lithium clay deposit in volcanic tuff and tuffaceous sediments of the Humbolt Formation. A Phase 1 exploration program at the Texas Springs Property (Fall 2023) yielded average lithium grades of 2010 ppm, applying a 1,000 ppm cut-off, and up to 5,610 ppm Lithium.

The Texas Spring property adjoins the southern border of the Nevada North Lithium Project - owned by Surge Battery Metals Inc. ("Surge") (TSXV:NILI, OTC:NILIF) and comprised of 725 mineral claims. Surge's first round of drilling identified strongly mineralized lithium bearing clays. The average lithium content within all near surface clay zones intersected in the 2022 drilling program, applying a 1000 ppm cut-off, was 3254 ppm. (Press release March 29, 2023). More recent results have shown higher grade lithium up to 8070 ppm on this property after initial drilling (Press release September 12, 2023). Our exploration results are on-trend with these results.

About Clayton Valley Lithium Project

The Company owns a 100% interest in 113 lithium lode and placer claims covering over 930 hectares in Clayton Valley. Clayton Valley is a down-dropped closed basin formed by the Miocene age Great Basin extension and is still active due to movement along the Walker Lane structural zone. As a result, the basin has preserved multiple layers of lithium bearing volcanic ash, resulting from multiple eruptive events over the past 6 million years including eruptions from the 700,000-year-old Long Valley Caldera system and related events. These ash layers are thought to contribute to the lithium brines extracted by Albemarle and are also likely involved in the formation of the exposed lithium rich clay deposits on the east side of Clayton Valley.

About the Volt Canyon Lithium Property

The Company owns a 100% interest in 80 placer claims covering approximately 635 hectares of alluvial sediments and clays located 122 km northeast of Tonopah, Nevada.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim Fernback"

Tim Fernback, President & CEO

Contact Information:

Email: info@gridbatterymetals.com

Phone: 604- 428-5690

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. It should be noted that results from any adjacent property(s) are not an indication of what may be found on the Company's property(s).

SOURCE: Grid Battery Metals Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation (TSX: AI) announces that John Ahmad will step down as CFO effective March 31, 2025 to assume a finance executive role at a consumer finance company.

Robert Goodall, CEO of Atrium, stated, "John joined Atrium and its manager, Canadian Mortgage Capital Corporation ("CMCC") in late 2022 and was quick to learn about our business and markets. He played a key role in navigating through the downturn in the credit cycle through his diligent analysis and detailed reporting. He led finance, administrative, and operations functions and has contributed across various facets of the business including debt refinancings, our latest equity offering, investor relations, and reporting enhancements. I want to thank John for his efforts and wish him the best in the next chapter in his career."

"Razvan Vulcu, VP Finance will assume the role of interim CFO while a search is undertaken and a replacement is appointed. Razvan joined Atrium and CMCC in 2021 after working at PwC in Toronto. He is a qualified CPA and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queens University."

Atrium is also pleased to announce that its board of directors has declared a dividend for the month of March 2025 of $0.0775 per common share, to be paid April 11, 2025 to shareholders of record March 31, 2025.

Atrium pays monthly dividends currently at an annual rate of $0.93 per share, plus a special dividend to shareholders of record at year-end in the event the dividends declared are less than taxable income for that fiscal year.

Shareholders are reminded that Atrium offers a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) that allows them to automatically reinvest their dividends in new shares of Atrium at a 2% discount from market price and with no commissions. This provides shareholders with an easy way to realize the benefits of compound growth of their investment in Atrium. Shareholders can enroll in the DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor.

About Atrium

Canada's Premier Non-Bank Lender

Atrium is a non-bank provider of residential and commercial mortgages that lends in major urban centres in Canada where the stability and liquidity of real estate are high. Atrium's objectives are to provide its shareholders with stable and secure dividends and preserve shareholders' equity by lending within conservative risk parameters.

Atrium is a Mortgage Investment Corporation (MIC) as defined in the Canada Income Tax Act, so is not taxed on income provided that its taxable income is paid to its shareholders in the form of dividends within 90 days after December 31 each year. Such dividends are generally treated by shareholders as interest income, so that each shareholder is in the same position as if the mortgage investments made by the company had been made directly by the shareholder. For further information, please refer to regulatory filings available at www.sedarplus.c a or Atrium's website at www.atriummic.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244837

SOURCE: Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation
VITRAKVI has strong market potential as a first-in-class TRK inhibitor for patients with NTRK gene fusion-positive cancers, regardless of tumor type. The growing adoption of precision oncology and increased genetic testing are key drivers for market growth. However, competition from other TRK inhibitors like entrectinib and pricing considerations may impact its commercial success.

LAS VEGAS, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's " VITRAKVI Market Size, Forecast, and Market Insight Report " highlights the details around VITRAKVI, a TRK, TRKA, TRKB, and TRKC inhibitor. The report provides product descriptions, patent details, and competitor products (marketed and emerging therapies) of VITRAKVI. The report also highlights the historical and forecasted sales from 2020 to 2034 segmented into 7MM [the United States, the EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the United Kingdom, and Japan].

Bayer's VITRAKVI (larotrectinib) Overview

VITRAKVI is a targeted cancer therapy designed to treat solid tumors that harbor NTRK gene fusions. It functions as an inhibitor of TRK proteins (TRKA, TRKB, and TRKC). In enzyme assays, larotrectinib demonstrated potent inhibition of TRKA, TRKB, and TRKC, with IC50 values ranging from 5 to 11 nM, while another kinase, TNK2, required concentrations nearly 100 times higher for inhibition. The TRK proteins are encoded by the NTRK1, NTRK2, and NTRK3 genes, and chromosomal rearrangements leading to in-frame fusions of these genes with various partners can result in constitutively active TRK fusion proteins. These fusion proteins act as oncogenic drivers, promoting tumor cell growth and survival.

NTRK gene fusion is a rare genetic alteration found in tumors originating from various organs, including the lungs, thyroid, and intestines. VITRAKVI is indicated for patients with advanced or metastatic tumors that are not suitable for surgical removal and lack other viable treatment options.

Recommended VITRAKVI Dosage:

Adults and pediatric patients with a body surface area (BSA) of =1.0 m: 100 mg orally twice daily, with or without food, until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs.

Pediatric patients with a BSA <1.0 m: 100 mg/m orally twice daily, with or without food, until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs.

Drug Name VITRAKVI (larotrectinib) Molecule type Small molecule Developer Bayer Primary Indication NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors First Approval Year US: 2018 EU: 2019 JP: 2021 Mechanism of action TRK inhibitor Route of administration Oral

Learn more about VITRAKVI projected market size for NSCLC @ VITRAKVI Market Potential

NTRK inhibitors are a class of targeted therapies used in the treatment of NSCLC harboring neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusions. These rare oncogenic fusions drive tumor growth and are found in approximately 0.2%-3% of NSCLC cases. First-generation NTRK inhibitors like larotrectinib (Vitrakvi) and entrectinib (Rozlytrek) have shown durable responses and high efficacy in NTRK fusion-positive NSCLC, leading to their accelerated approvals by regulatory agencies. However, acquired resistance remains a challenge, prompting the development of next-generation inhibitors such as repotrectinib, which aims to overcome resistance mutations like G595R and G623R in TRK proteins.

The market dynamics for NTRK inhibitors in NSCLC are shaped by their rarity, high treatment costs, and competition within the precision oncology space. Due to the low prevalence of NTRK fusions, these drugs cater to a niche market, leading to high pricing models and reimbursement challenges. However, as comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) becomes more widespread in NSCLC diagnostics, more patients are being identified for targeted treatment, potentially expanding the market. Additionally, competition from other targeted therapies, including RET and MET inhibitors, as well as emerging bispecific antibodies, could impact market penetration. Pharmaceutical companies are focusing on improving accessibility through expanded indications, combination strategies, and patient support programs to sustain market growth.

Discover more about the NTRK inhibitors market in detail @ NTRK Inhibitors Market Report

Emerging Competitors of VITRAKVI

Currently, there are only two NTRK inhibitors, namely, DOVBLERON (taletrectinib/AB-106/IBI-344) (Nuvation Bio/Innovent Biologics/Daiichi Sankyo/Nippon Kayaku) and ANS03 (Avistone Biotechnology), being evaluated for NSCLC.

Taletrectinib (AB-106/IBI-344) is a next-generation, selective ROS1 inhibitor designed for treating advanced ROS1-positive NSCLC. It is an oral, potent, and CNS-active therapy currently being evaluated in two pivotal Phase II single-arm studies: TRUST-I (NCT04395677) in China and TRUST-II (NCT04919811), a global trial. Based on TRUST-I study results, China's NMPA has accepted the New Drug Application (NDA) for taletrectinib and granted it Priority Review Designation for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC, regardless of prior ROS1 TKI treatment.

In December 2024, Nuvation Bio announced that the US FDA had granted Priority Review to the application, setting a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target date for June 2025. The company is preparing for a potential launch as early as mid-2025. Additionally, in November 2024, Nippon Kayaku stated its intention to launch taletrectinib in Japan within the 2025 fiscal year.

ANS03, a type II inhibitor, offers a broader range of resistance mutation inhibition by not only occupying the ATP-binding pocket of the kinase in its inactive "DFG-out" conformation but also extending into the adjacent allosteric pocket. This unique mechanism grants ANS03 a distinct pharmacodynamic advantage. Designed as a best-in-class oral small-molecule therapy, ANS03 aims to address the challenges of acquired drug resistance in patients with ROS1/NTRK fusion mutant cancers. It effectively inhibits ROS1/NTRK kinase activity across a broader spectrum, including wild-type ROS1/NTRK fusion and multiple drug-resistant mutations.

In December 2024, Beijing Avistone Biotechnology Co., Ltd announced that the FDA had cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application for ANS03, a next-generation TKI targeting both ROS1 and NTRK. Patient enrollment for those with locally advanced or metastatic tumors harboring ROS1 or NTRK alterations is expected to commence in Q1 2025.

To know more about the number of competing drugs in development, visit @ VITRAKVI Market Positioning Compared to Other Drugs

Key Milestones of VITRAKVI

In March 2021, VITRAKVI was approved by PMDA to treat NTRK fusion gene-positive advanced or recurrent solid tumors.

VITRAKVI was approved by PMDA to treat NTRK fusion gene-positive advanced or recurrent solid tumors. In September 2019, larotrectinib was approved in the EU under the brand name VITRAKVI for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors that display an NTRK gene fusion, who have a disease that is locally advanced, metastatic, or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and who have no satisfactory treatment options.

larotrectinib was approved in the EU under the brand name VITRAKVI for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors that display an NTRK gene fusion, who have a disease that is locally advanced, metastatic, or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and who have no satisfactory treatment options. In 2019 , following the acquisition of Loxo Oncology by Eli Lilly and Company in February, Bayer obtained exclusive licensing rights for global development and commercialization, including in the US, for larotrectinib

, following the acquisition of Loxo Oncology by Eli Lilly and Company in February, Bayer obtained exclusive licensing rights for global development and commercialization, including in the US, for larotrectinib In May 2019, Bayer signed a collaboration agreement with Foundation Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, for developing and commercializing therapy accompanying diagnostic tests, also known as companion diagnostics (CDx), based on next-generation sequencing for new cancer drugs developed by Bayer.

signed a collaboration agreement with Foundation Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, for developing and commercializing therapy accompanying diagnostic tests, also known as companion diagnostics (CDx), based on next-generation sequencing for new cancer drugs developed by Bayer. In November 2018, the US FDA granted accelerated approval to VITRAKVI for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors that have an NTRK gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation, are metastatic, or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity and have no satisfactory alternative treatments or that have progressed following treatment.

the US FDA granted accelerated approval to VITRAKVI for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors that have an NTRK gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation, are metastatic, or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity and have no satisfactory alternative treatments or that have progressed following treatment. In March 2018, Bayer and Loxo Oncology submitted an NDA for larotrectinib to the US FDA. In May 2018, the application was accepted and granted priority review status.

submitted an NDA for larotrectinib to the US FDA. In May 2018, the application was accepted and granted priority review status. In November 2017, Loxo Oncology and Bayer entered a global collaboration for developing and commercializing the TRK inhibitors VITRAKVI and LOXO-195.

entered a global collaboration for developing and commercializing the TRK inhibitors VITRAKVI and LOXO-195. In May 2017, the US FDA granted ODD to VITRAKVI for treating solid tumors with NTRK-fusion proteins.

the US FDA granted ODD to VITRAKVI for treating solid tumors with NTRK-fusion proteins. In July 2016, the US FDA also granted VITRAKVI, BTD for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with NTRK-fusion proteins in adult and pediatric patients who require systemic therapy and who have either progressed following prior treatment or who have no acceptable alternative treatments.

Discover how VITRAKVI is shaping the NSCLC treatment landscape @ Bayer VITRAKVI

VITRAKVI Market Dynamics

The market for VITRAKVI is driven by increasing adoption of genomic testing, growing awareness of NTRK fusion-driven cancers, and the drug's high response rate across multiple tumor types. However, its market expansion is limited by challenges such as the rarity of NTRK fusion-positive tumors and the high cost of treatment, which can impact reimbursement and patient accessibility.

Competition in the NTRK inhibitor space is a key factor shaping VITRAKVI's market dynamics. Its primary competitor is ROZLYTREK (entrectinib) from Roche, which also targets NTRK fusions but has additional activity against ROS1 and ALK mutations. The availability of multiple options in this niche market necessitates differentiation based on efficacy, safety profile, and tolerability. While VITRAKVI has demonstrated strong efficacy with a durable response rate, competitive pricing strategies and market penetration efforts will influence its long-term commercial success.

Regulatory and reimbursement policies also play a crucial role in VITRAKVI's market adoption. In regions with favorable precision oncology reimbursement frameworks, such as the U.S. and parts of Europe, adoption is relatively higher. However, in emerging markets where genetic testing infrastructure is still developing, uptake remains slow. Partnerships with diagnostic companies to increase NTRK testing and initiatives to improve affordability through patient assistance programs could enhance accessibility.

Looking ahead, Bayer's strategy for expanding VITRAKVI's market presence may involve label expansions, combination therapy trials, and efforts to integrate it into treatment guidelines for various cancers. As more oncologists and healthcare providers become familiar with tumor-agnostic therapies, demand for targeted treatments like VITRAKVI is expected to grow. However, overcoming diagnostic barriers, ensuring competitive pricing, and managing payer negotiations will be key to sustaining its market growth.

Dive deeper to get more insight into VITRAKVI's strengths & weaknesses relative to competitors @ VITRAKVI Market Drug Report

Table of Contents

1 Report Introduction 2 VITRAKVI: Bayer 2.1 Product Overview 2.2 Other Development Activities 2.3 Clinical Development 2.4 Clinical Trials Information 2.5 Safety and Efficacy 2.6 Product Profile 2.7 Market Assessment 2.7.1 The 7MM Analysis 2.7.1.1 Cost Assumptions and Rebate 2.7.1.2 Pricing Trends 2.7.1.3 Analogue Assessment 2.7.1.4 Launch Year and Therapy Uptake 2.7.2 The United States Market Analysis 2.7.3 EU4 and the United Kingdom Market Analysis 2.7.3.1 Germany 2.7.3.2 France 2.7.3.3 Italy 2.7.3.4 Spain 2.7.3.5 UK 2.7.4 Japan Market Analysis 2.8 Market Drivers 2.9 Market Barriers 2.10 SWOT Analysis 3 Key Cross of Marketed Competitors of VITRAKVI 4 Key Cross of Emerging Competitors of VITRAKVI

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About DelveInsight

DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve.

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Queensland's major airport pioneers data consolidation in the cloud to drive operational efficiency

Brisbane Airport (BNE), which serves as the major gateway to Queensland, has partnered with aviation analytics firm, Cirium, to become one of the first airports to integrate Cirium Sky Warehouse, a data-driven cloud platform, into its modernisation efforts.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250317052819/en/

Brisbane Airport

Cirium's advanced data and analytics will be seamlessly integrated with Brisbane Airport's business systems. This integration will support enhanced capacity planning, resource allocation, and operations analysis.

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, commented: "We are delighted to support Brisbane Airport's transformative investment to revolutionise its passenger experience and meet future travel demand.

"Integrating Cirium data and analytics through the Cirium Sky Warehouse will help the airport to consolidate and accelerate digitization, leading to improved decision-making and operational performance.

"Our data will be a crucial asset in driving efficiency and elevating the traveler experience at Brisbane Airport."

Ryan Both, Brisbane Airport Executive General Manager Aviation said: "Accessing Cirium's schedules data through Cirium Sky Warehouse enables advanced automation, marking a critical step in Brisbane Airport's digital transformation project."

"The schedules data plays a critical role in creating and executing more accurate flight schedules, planning for future events and fluctuations in air traffic, gaining more comprehensive insights, and making decisions for business growth. This will lead to numerous improvements around efficiency, sustainability and passenger experience."

"Embracing a cloud-based data integration approach also means we will significantly reduce the time spent internally on data and ultimately drive cost efficiencies."

Brisbane Airport is currently undergoing a transformation program known as Future BNE, which includes 150 projects over a 10-year period, focusing on upgrades to the airport's domestic and international terminals, as well as planning for a third terminal, ahead of the city hosting the 2032 Olympics.

This first phase modernization will support an improved experience for the almost 25 million passengers currently passing through its terminals and the additional 10 million expected over the coming decade.

The Cirium Sky Warehouse delivers the highest quality aviation data and analytics in one accessible data cloud, aligning seamlessly with Brisbane Airport's digital transformation objectives. While the airport will initially leverage schedules data, a wealth of other data can be accessed and integrated from Cirium Sky Warehouse including flight, traffic, fleet, fares, weather, and CO2 emissions.

By leveraging the power of Cirium's data cloud, Brisbane Airport joins global major airlines, fuel supply companies, aviation financiers, and more in enhancing its planning, operational efficiency and growth opportunities.

Notes to editors

To find out more about the Cirium Sky Warehouse, click here.

About Cirium

Cirium is the world's most trusted source of aviation analytics, delivering powerful data and cutting-edge analytics to empower a wide spectrum of industry players. Equipping airlines, airports, travel enterprises, aircraft manufacturers, and financial entities, the company provides the clarity and intelligence needed to optimise operations, make informed decisions and accelerate revenue growth. Cirium is part of LexisNexis Risk Solutions, a RELX business, which provides information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. For further information please follow Cirium on LinkedIn or visit cirium.com.

About Brisbane Airport

BNE is the third-largest airport in Australia by passenger numbers, with 24 million passengers travelling through the airport annually. BNE contributes $4.7 billion GDP annually, with 1 in 70 Queensland jobs enabled by BNE and benefits provided range of key industries such as tourism, resources and international education. BNE is the largest airport in Australia by land size, covering 2,700 hectares of land used for aviation, property development and consumer businesses, which employ over 20,000 people. In 2025 it celebrates 100 years of operation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250317052819/en/

Contacts:

For Cirium media inquiries please contact media@cirium.com
bd-capital, a London, UK-based operator-led mid market investment firm, raised $430M for its Second fund.

Commitments to Fund 2 were secured from a diverse cohort of institutional investors, including insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and family offices. In addition to Europe and the Middle East, a significant proportion of capital came from North American investors.

Founded in 2019 by Andy Dawson, and Richard Baker, bd-capital employs an operator led investment strategy, making control investments in mid-market businesses headquartered in the UK, BeNeLux and Iberian markets which operate in subsectors that are experiencing enduring structural growth across Healthcare, Services and Consumer.

It has offices in London, Amsterdam and Madrid. With the closing of Fund 2, bd-capitals assets under management have increased to over 800M.

FinSMEs

17/03/2025
EngFlow, an Austin, TX-based build acceleration company, announced the acquisition of tipi.build, a Zurich, Switzerland-based provider of fast remote C, C++ and Rust.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The company also announced the public beta of CMake RE, a remote execution service for the CMake software build system users, as well as a new open source project, Hermetic FetchContent, which brings modern build system features to the C and C++ developers.

With the acquisition, customers will gain deeper expertise and more solutions for automated build system modernization and build caching with automated dependency analysis that communicates with EngFlows remote execution service.

Tipi.build provides fast remote C, C++ and Rust builds with caching technology based on CMake and Git. It empowers developers to test and build cross-platform instantly, and add cloud CPU cores when needed, bringing continuous integration to developers fingertips. Its products are used to develop critical software for the IoT, financial trading, medical devices, automotive sectors and more.

The public beta of CMake RE provides C and C++ customers with a tool for build acceleration, caching and remote execution that provides performance and reliability. Customers benefit from new features including local hermetic CMake builds, build and dependency caching (L1), and build distribution across autoscaled cloud build machines (L2), allowing cross-platform building and testing on Linux, Windows, MacOS and custom OSes.

Led by Helen Altshuler, CEO, EngFlow is the build and test acceleration company created by core Bazel engineers and funded by Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global and firstminute capital. Its secure (audited: SOC 2, type 2) remote execution, caching, and observability platform scales from 1 to 100,000+ cores and reduces build time by 5-10x and cloud costs by 20-50%. The platform is compatible with a variety of build systems, including Bazel, Buck v2, CMake, AOSP and Chromium.

FinSMEs

17/03/2025
Victoria, Seychelles, March 17th, 2025, Chainwire

Recently, BYDFi has noticed misleading accusations made by the content creator ExtraVOD on social media against BYDFi.

To ensure transparency and clarity for all users, BYDFi would like to present the facts of the situation

January 25: Detection of Abnormal Trading Activity

When ExtraVODs first account reached the perpetual risk limit, he opened a second account to bypass restrictions. BYDFi identified abnormal trading activities and ExtraVOD was reminded of BYDFis User Agreement (9.2 and 9.3) and the risk limits for perpetual contracts.

January 26: Admission & Request for Content Removal

ExtraVOD claimed ignorance of the policy but admitted to creating a second account for high-frequency trading. BYDFi requested the removal of misleading content from his social media.

January 28-29: Agreement & Fund Transfers

Following negotiations, an agreement was reached. All funds in ExtraVODs main account remained fully accessible, while deposit funds from the sub-account were merged into the main account.

ExtraVOD acknowledged the resolution and publicly confirmed it. Over the next month, he continued trading actively.

March 1  March 5: Contradictory Claims & Renewed Demands

A month later, ExtraVOD re-engaged, demanding profit funds from the sub-account.

BYDFi support reiterated that, per the January agreement, all deposited funds had already been returned to the main account.

March 11-15: Threats & Misinformation

ExtraVOD escalated the situation, threatening to expose the issue on social media unless his demands were met. He altered his stance, now claiming the second account belonged to his family.

He then released a video urging his followers to pressure BYDFi into returning the funds.

5 Years. 1 Principle: Rules > Followers

BYDFi upholds integrity and transparency to ensure a fair trading environment for all users. All legitimate funds were returned to ExtraVODs verified account, but trading profits were voided due to rule violations.

BYDFi will not tolerate defamatory actions and reserves the right to take legal action against any damages caused by misleading claims. The misuse of multiple accounts to bypass risk limits is a violation of policies across all trading platforms.

About BYDFi

Founded in 2020, BYDFi is recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 10 Global Crypto Exchanges, trusted by over 1,000,000 users worldwide. BYDFi remains committed to delivering a world-class crypto trading experience for every user. BUIDL Your Dream Finance.

Twitter( X ) | LinkedIn| Facebook | Telegram| YouTube

This press release has been provided by BYDFi. The statements and claims contained herein are solely those of BYDFi. Chainwire does not independently verify the accuracy of the information and encourages readers to conduct their own research before drawing conclusions. Chainwire, its parent company, affiliates, and partners shall not be held responsible for any losses, damages, or consequences arising from reliance on this press release.

Contact

Senior Marketing Director

Chloe

BYDFi Fintech LTD

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Seadronix, a Seoul, South Korea-based company providing AI-powered autonomous ship navigation solutions, raised USD 11.3M in Series B funding

Backers included LB Investment, KB Investment, and the Korea Development Bank, and existing investors such as Wonik Investment Partners and Lighthouse Combined Investment.

The company intends to use the funds to further advance its ship AI and robotics technologies and actively expand into the global market, building on recent contracts with international clients in countries like Singapore and the Netherlands.

Seadronix offers autonomous ship navigation solutions by developing advanced situational awareness AI technologies. Its key solutions include:

NAVISS : An AI navigation support and monitoring system that enhances smart navigation.

: An AI navigation support and monitoring system that enhances smart navigation. Rec-SEA : AI software that upgrades existing vessel cameras.

: AI software that upgrades existing vessel cameras. AVISS: An AI port management and monitoring system that integrates port operations.

FinSMEs

17/03/2025
In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, filmmaker Onir opened up about this special piece of work and his collaboration with the other filmmakers on the project. read more

My Melbourne, an anthology of four stories featuring the creative genius of Indian filmmakers Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das, and Onir, released theatrically on March 14.

The film has already garnered praise from audiences and critics alike during its world premiere in Australia at the 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in August 2024 and its subsequent India premiere at the MAMI Film Festival 2024.

My Melbourne comprises four unique stories exploring deeply relevant themes of race, gender, sexuality, and disability. The anthology features Nandini directed by Onir, Setara directed by Kabir Khan, Emma directed by Rima Das, and Jules directed by Arif Ali and creatively guided by Imtiaz Ali. The films are presented in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Bengali, Dari, and Auslan, ensuring authenticity and representation of diverse voices.

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In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, filmmaker Onir opened up about this special piece of work and his collaboration with the other filmmakers on the project.

Edited excerpts from the interview

Whats the importance of telling queer stories with affection and love?

I think today when we look at the world, the amount of hate and violence is there, its not only important to tell queer stories with love and affection, its important to tell every story with love and affection because thats what the world needs today.

What is the significance of the title My Melbourne? What does it represent?

The significance of My Melbourne is that it portrays a city that shows love and warmth and the way it embraces inclusivity and diversity. Its a city I have been going for the last 17 years and I have always felt home. Its a city where people can lead lives that be joyful irrespective of their identity. My Melbourne is a film that celebrates that. We share all the colours of the rainbow equally. It takes little bit of empathy and kindness.

Your film My Brother Nikhil completes two decades this year. What are your memories and were you confident it would stand the test of time?

20 years of My Brother Nikhil is very special to me because it also means 20 years of mine in the film industry. It was my debut film and I feel humbled and gratified. When I was in Bhutan in class , I had this dream of being a filmmaker. I am now living that dream. Its a film that was produced under a lot of difficulties. Thanks to Sanjay Suri, whos mu business partner, actor, and friend who put so much of faith and trust in me and put everything together. For me, its not only a journey of myself but a celebration of our friendship for two decades.

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What would you like to say about your collaboration with Rima Das, Kabir Khan, and Imtiaz Ali on this special film?

The beauty is that four different filmmakers are coming together with different sensibilities. The basic things about me Rina Das and Imtiaz Ali that binds us is that we are inclusive people and we believe in love and empathy. That also shows in our storytelling. In our industry, we are working in solitary spaces but its so nice to interact and share our experiences with our contemporary filmmakers.
Actors viral pictures with Ana de Armas in London have sparked rumours. Tom is 62 and Ana is 36. read more

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas seem to be heads over heels in love with each other. Actors viral pictures with Ana de Armas in London have sparked rumours. Tom is 62 and Ana is 36.

In the IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals last year, one of the spectators turned out to bear striking resemblance to Spanish actress Ana De Armas, and Shubman Gills reaction has gone viral on social media.

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About Ana De Armas Blonde

What a dream it must be to be Marilyn Monroe , a starstruck assistant tells her. Everyone would give their right arm to be you!

And we cringe, as well do many times during Andrew Dominik s brutal, bruising and often beautiful Blonde, starring a heartbreaking Ana de Armas . This time, its because we already know that Norma Jeane, the real person underneath, is giving so much more than her right arm to be Marilyn. An arm would be getting off easy. Shes giving her body, her sanity, her dignity, her health and probably her very soul to be Marilyn.

The eighth instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise had been postponed a year, signaling a new wave of release schedule juggling for Hollywood studios as the actors strike surpassed three months of work stoppage last year. The film is all set to release now in May 25.

According to a report published by Mirror, Tom Cruise is finally hiring a body-double for some action. A source said, Tom is known for doing his own stunts, like hanging off the side of a plane or skydiving. But they had a body double stand in for turning a page. It was to give run-down Tom a break  hes been working so hard to get the film finished. But Im not sure how turning a page would have added to that.

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Complainant Chittimallu has made allegations that Babu and Soundarya were involved in a land dispute that led to the murder read more

Amitabh Bachchans Sooryavansham fame actress Soundarya passed away in a plane crash on April 17, 2004 along with her brother Amarnath in Bengaluru. Two decades later, Telugu actor Mohan Babu was shockingly accused of her murder after a complaint was filed against him.

What happened?

Complainant Chittimallu has made allegations that Babu and Soundarya were involved in a land dispute that led to the murder. The actor has been accused =of pressuring Soundarya and her brother to sell six acres of land in a village in Shamshabad.

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Actress husband breaks silence

In a statement, the actress husband GS Raghu has denied any of these allegations against Babu.

As reported by Telugu360, Raghu said, From past few days there is a false news about the property at Hyderabad with respect to Shri Mohan Babu sir and Smt. Soundarya. I want to deny the baseless news which has spread across regarding to the property. To clarify, I confirm that there is no property illegally acquired by Shri Mohan Babu sir from my wife Late Smt. Soundarya. We never had any land transactions with him as far my knowledge is concerned.

He added, I have known Shri. Mohan Babu sir from past 25+ years and share a strong and good friendship. Our Families, my wife, my mother-in-law, and brother-in-law have always maintained a deep bonding of mutual trust and respect. I respect Shri Mohan Babu sir on this and wanted to share the truth with you all. We share a good rapport and are a family with Shri Mohan Babu sir.

Raghu continued, In this aspect, I want to confirm again that we dont have any property transactions related to this with Shri Mohan Babu sir. Since this is a false news, I request you all, to stop spreading the wrong news across. Request you all, lets end up at this given point of time.
Adding to the intrigue, Ranveer Singh, who leads the film, has been spotted in intense, high-octane shoot sequences, his presence commanding attention read more

A high-profile assassination, two unidentified men, and an air of secrecyrecent events in Pakistan have sparked intense speculation, drawing eerie parallels to an upcoming Bollywood project. Could Aditya Dhars next film be tapping into the undercurrents of global intrigue?

Days ago, reports surfaced about the elimination of Abu Qatal, a close aide of Hafiz Saeed, by unknown assailants in Pakistan. The incident has reignited conversations about covert operations, intelligence networks, and high-stakes international espionage. In a striking coincidence, filmmaker Aditya Dharknown for his National Award-winning Uri: The Surgical Strikehas been quietly working on his next ambitious project, one that, according to industry whispers, explores the murky world of global conflicts and shadowy operatives.

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While official details remain tightly guarded, a source close to the production hints, It is not directly inspired by this incident, but anyone familiar with Adityas work knows he has a knack for weaving real-world influences into his narratives. The blueprint of how such operations unfold has been meticulously studied. Given recent events, the lines between fact and fiction seem to be blurring, making people question just how much of reality seeps into the reel.

Adding to the intrigue, Ranveer Singh, who leads the film, has been spotted in intense, high-octane shoot sequences, his presence commanding attention. Is it possible that the films storyline intersects with the mechanics of real-world covert missions? Could Singh be embodying one of the enigmatic unknown men that dominate geopolitical headlines?

For now, the answers remain elusive. But in true Aditya Dhar fashion, the speculation only fuels the anticipation. One thing is certainthis project is no ordinary film, and its mystery is only making it the movie to watch out for.
Meet JP Singh, the Diplomat who helped recuse Uzma Ahmad from Pakistan with the help of the then External Affairs Minister late Sushma Swaraj. read more

Not many may be aware of the real story behind John Abraham, Sadia Khateeb starrer The Diplomat movie. Here is story of Uzma Ahmad and diplomat JP Singh who helped Uzma to come out of Pakistan. This was indeed the most challenging mission of his life. To ensure the safety of Uzma and send her back to India safely wasnt an easy task. This was the highest stake and risky situation that diplomat JP Singh had handled.

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How did Uzma Ahmad land up in Pakistan?

Uzma, was forced to marry a Pakistani on gunpoint. She was drugged and taken to held captive by her husband in Pakistans Buner in 2017. She was inhumanly tortured, beaten up and raped day in and day out by her husband.

As per the movie The Diplomat, they met in Malaysia and he seemed to be a good man. But later he invited her to Pakistan and wanted to take care of Uzmas only daughter who was suffering from thalassemia disease. But all these were a very calculated trap by her husband, Tahir Ali. After reaching Pakistan, Uzma realised that Tahir was already married had children. Many women like her were kept as captive and several anti-social elements living together in Buner, a place where ordinary Pakistani masses are scared of going to. These anti-social Pakistani were also involved in women trafficking.

About John Abraham, Sadia Khateeb starrer The Diplomat

Directed by Shivam Nair, The Diplomat featuring John Abraham as JP Singh and Sadia Khateeb as Uzma Ahmed is an engaging real-life story which will give you shivers down your spine.

John plays the role of diplomat JP Singh, a man of few words but strong-headed and knows his job like the back of his hand. Serving in Pakistan as a diplomat is not an easy job and he knows exactly how to deal with the rowdy Pakistani crowd and mentions again and again to his colleagues that this isnt India. The movie shows the lawlessness of the country and how some people of Pakistan, not all, are wired differently. It is indeed very refreshing to see a powerful woman protagonist played by Sadia Khateeb.

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WATCH the trailer of The Diplomat movie here:
I would have married him [Harry]. Got the two kids, got divorced, then ran back to Hollywood to be Julia Roberts for my 40s, but shes not followed that plan, Hyde said read more

Netflix has reportedly decided not to renew Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys $100-million deal. Now journalist Marina Hyde has made a shocking statement about the couple.

The reality is that a lot of people are hanging around in case theres a divorce. That might be why Netflix, or whoever it might be, whos got to deal with them, might keep a vague hand in, Hyde told Daily Mail.

I would have married him [Harry]. Got the two kids, got divorced, then ran back to Hollywood to be Julia Roberts for my 40s, but shes not followed that plan, she added.

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Former Suits actress and Duchess of Sussex is joined by various famous faces as she prepares home-made bath salts, extracts honey from a beehive and carefully places flowers on, well, everything. But despite being one of the top 10 most watched shows, Meghan Markle has been brutally criticized by critics.

According to a News Week story, it has been said that Netflixs With Love Meghan has worse score than Meghan and Prince Harrys original biopic for the streaming giant especially when it comes to reviews. The Mirror too said, Meghan Markles Netflix cooking show has received generally negative reviews since its release onto the streaming platform, as the Duchess of Sussex continues to try new ways of building her media empire.

Not much of her personality has been revealed in the Netflix show, rather it is more about self-glorification. She doesnt mention much about her life before meeting Prince Harry. In one of the scenes, it has been seen that Meghan is wrapping gifts. In fact, she mentions that before becoming an actress, she used to run gift wrapping classes.
Apart from Orry, the other people named in the FIR include Mr. Darshan Singh, Mr. Parth Raina, Mr. Ritick Singh, Ms. Rashi Dutta, Ms. Rakshita Bhogal, Mr. Shagun Kohli, and Ms. Anastasila Arzamaskina. read more

Social media sensation Orry has landed in major trouble for for consuming alcohol after visiting Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir.

After completing the visit, he shared a video wherein he is seen relaxing with his friends and enjoying food and alcoholic drinks in his hotel room.

One netizen wrote- If its illegal there then he deserves the backlash imo. though, orry is a huge attention seeker and he will do anything for clout.

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Another said, I had heard some spiritual discourse where it was said that these important pilgrimages were made in places where it would be difficult for the common man to visit without taking an arduous journey. Now with all this religious tourism and influencers flocking to all these important places it is slowly becoming a trend to trash these places. Really pathetic."

According to a DNA report, the 29-year-ols, along with seven others have been booked for violating local laws in Katra, Jammu division after the said clips went viral. The incident reportedly occurred on March 15, and the FIR, numbered 72/25, has been lodged by P/S Katra.

Apart from Orry, the other people named in the FIR include Mr. Darshan Singh, Mr. Parth Raina, Mr. Ritick Singh, Ms. Rashi Dutta, Ms. Rakshita Bhogal, Mr. Shagun Kohli, and Ms. Anastasila Arzamaskina.
Feature: Sri Lankan orchardists' harvest dreams with Chinese agricultural techniques

Xinhua) 10:19, March 17, 2025

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2025 shows a mango test field in Nochchiyagama, Sri Lanka. (Xinhua/Wu Yue)

COLOMBO, March 15 (Xinhua) -- In Anuradhapura, a central Sri Lankan city, for Bandara Abeysinghe, how mango trees yield abundant fruits is a question.

Abeysinghe is a local agricultural instructor responsible for Nochchiyagama, one of main mango-producing areas in Anuradhapura.

Locals have long been cultivating mangoes but could not ensure stable yields.

In 2023, a cooperation project was launched by China and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Sri Lanka, with Chinese agricultural experts lending a helping hand to Abeysinghe.

In an orchard cultivated by the Chinese experts, Abeysinghe and local farmers learned how to plant mango trees with new techniques, from precise fertilization to pest control.

The demonstration plot was copied in Sri Lanka. Thanks to the new techniques, tropical fruit cultivation experiments have been conducted, including mangoes, pineapples and bananas.

The outcomes, combining Chinese agricultural techniques and local conditions, have been shared with hundreds of thousands of local farmers.

Liu Yangyang, an expert from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, said that the demonstration plots have been well-known for the benefits.

"With the new practical techniques, yields significantly increased, and costs were not high," Abeysinghe said.

Last month, the cooperation project was reviewed and approved by FAO.

Kapila Munasinghe from FAO praised the Chinese experts, saying that their efforts contributed to the livelihoods of Sri Lankan farmers.

Moreover, China and Sri Lanka were exploring new areas of cooperation, including processing agricultural products.

There is potential for agricultural cooperation between the two countries, said Sun Dequan, Chinese team leader of the project.

Liu Yangyang (R), an expert from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, instructs his Sri Lankan colleague to make pineapple cake in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Yue)

This photo taken on Feb. 17, 2025 shows pineapple seedling culture bottles at a project lab in Horana, Sri Lanka. (Xinhua/Wu Yue)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Several DeepSeek employees are prohibited from travelling outside of China. The Chinese AI startup is currently functioning under new, stricter government-influenced regulations following its unexpected rise to prominence in January with the launch of its open reasoning model, R1. This move aims to prevent sensitive information from being leaked read more

DeepSeeks launch in January saw it quickly rise to popularity on global app stores. However, an analysis in January by Guardian Australia revealed that the chatbot was programmed to avoid sensitive political topics, such as the Tiananmen Square massacre and the Umbrella Revolution. Reuters

Chinese startup DeepSeek caused a stir globally by creating economical AI models.

But, as the business expands, the Chinese government is closely monitoring its artificial intelligence technologies.

A report claims that the company asked that some of its key employees refrain from going abroad. This move aims to prevent sensitive information from being leaked.

The development comes after a few weeks when the Chinese government issued an order prohibiting AI experts and researchers from visiting the United States due to concerns of trade secret loss.

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Heres all we know about it.

Travel restrictions

Several DeepSeek employees are prohibited from travelling outside of China.

According to a report on the website The Information, DeepSeek is currently functioning under new, stricter government-influenced regulations following its unexpected rise to prominence in January with the launch of its open reasoning model, R1.

The report claims that the Chinese government now has a say in who is allowed to invest in DeepSeek, indicating that it desires greater authority over the companys fate. Notably, the Xi Jinping-led administration has also labelled DeepSeek as its national treasure."

Some employees passports, including people from the research and development department, are being held by DeepSeeks parent firm, High-Flyer, a hedge fund, to enforce these travel limitations.

DeepSeek engineers have handed in their China passports. The China-based AI startup that made headline earlier this year after releasing a highly capable, cost-efficient AI model, has taken the passports of some key employees," per The Information.

Kylie Robison, a senior AI reporter at The Verge, wrote that the purpose of the travel ban is to stop the disclosure of confidential information that could constitute trade secrets or even state secrets. The article cited three unnamed sources.

DeepSeek is widely seen as a major rival to Americas lead in AI.

The development comes after the government reportedly advised AI researchers and businesspeople to stay away from the US due to concerns about possible trade secret leaks.

According to reports that surfaced a week ago, Liang Wenfeng, the creator of the company, was hesitant to add new owners who could have an impact on how the business is run. Liang said that, in contrast to Silicon Valley AI companies, DeepSeek will prioritise AI research over making money off of its product for the time being.

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By seizing passports, China is defending its AI technology, but it also poses major questions regarding personal freedoms and rights for employees.

Also read: How DeepSeek has turned a Chinese village into a tourist spot

The scrutiny

This comes after several international regulators began to scrutinise the Chinese AI chatbot.

Some nations are concerned of DeepSeek due to fears about misinformation, cybersecurity, and data security, among other issues.

Indias finance ministry recently cautioned staff against using ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and other AI tools on work-related devices, citing the potential hazards to the privacy of official documents and data.

Chinese AI companies are already subject to limitations from the US due to national security concerns.

The EU is mulling more stringent controls to make sure that foreign AI apps dont endanger national security and user data.

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Also read: DeepSeek to take on Google after disrupting OpenAIs ChatGPT, Gemini?

What do we know about DeepSeek

According to Fortune, DeepSeek was founded as an AI firm in May 2023. Its creator, Liang Wenfeng, set it up in Hangzhou in southeastern China. He also set up a quantitative hedge fund known as High-Flyer in 2015.

As per BBC, Liang is said to have launched DeepSeek by collecting 50,000 of Nvida A100 chips. The US has since banned these chips from being exported to China. DeepSeek is believed to have combined these chips with cheaper, lower-end sets.

As per Fortune, DeepSeek took the plunge into AI by putting out DeepSeek Coder in November 2023. It then followed up with its DeepSeek LLM and DeepSeek V-2 in May 2024. Its latest models R1 and V-3 have taken the world by storm.

The low cost of the AI model and its strong performance raised eyebrows in China and other countries, like the US.

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This is because people were shocked about how little money DeepSeek seemingly spent on its AI models.

Its researchers have claimed that they spent under $6 million (Rs 51 crore) on the DeepSeek V-3 launched on January 10.

Thats a fraction of what tech companies such as Apple and Microsoft spend on their AI models.

Its creators also say DeepSeeks AI Assistant, powered by the DeepSeek-V3 model tops the leaderboard among open-source models and rivals the most advanced closed-source models globally."

Basically, the creators claim that DeepSeeks performance compares favourably with AI models from giants like OpenAI when it comes to maths, coding and natural language reasoning.

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With inputs from agencies
The US has launched airstrikes on Yemens Houthi rebels after they targeted commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis, backed by Iran, claim at least 53 deaths, including civilians. US officials say the strikes aim to restore maritime security. Iran warns of retaliation, while the UN urges restraint to prevent further regional destabilisation read more

A ship fires missiles at an undisclosed location, after US President Donald Trump launched military strikes against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday over the group's attacks against Red Sea shipping, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released on March 15, 2025. US Central Command via Reuters

The United States has launched significant airstrikes against Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels, marking the largest military operation in West Asia since US President Donald Trump took office for his second term in January 2025.

The airstrikes come in response to the Houthis persistent attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, a critical global shipping corridor.

The US strikes, carried out over the weekend, targeted multiple Houthi military facilities, including sites in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the rebel stronghold of Saada.

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The Houthi-run health ministry reported that at least 53 people were killed, including five children and two women, with nearly 100 others injured.

Trump has vowed to continue military action until the Houthis cease their attacks. These relentless assaults have cost the US and world economy many BILLIONS of dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk, Trump said in a social media post announcing the strikes.

How do the Houthis plan to retaliate?

The Houthis have responded to the US strikes with threats of escalation. In a televised speech, their leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi declared, If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation. He warned that the group would directly target US ships in the Red Sea.

The Houthi military spokesman claimed that their forces launched an attack against the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman in response to the airstrikes.

However, a US official told Reuters that American warplanes intercepted and shot down 11 Houthi drones and tracked a missile that splashed into the sea without posing a threat to US warships.

This development represents a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict, with potential implications for international shipping and regional stability. The Houthis have previously launched over 100 attacks on merchant vessels since November 2023, causing significant disruptions to global commerce.

Will Iran strike back?

The US has directly accused Iran of backing the Houthi rebels, supplying them with weapons and intelligence. Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, saying, If Iran threatens the United States, America will hold you fully accountable, and we wont be nice about it!

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this sentiment, stating, Theres no way the  Houthis would have the ability to do this kind of thing unless they had support from Iran. And so this was a message to Iran: dont keep supporting them, because then you will also be responsible for what they are doing in attacking Navy ships and attacking global shipping.

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Iran, however, denies any direct involvement in the Houthi operations. The head of Irans Revolutionary Guard, General Hossein Salami, insisted that the Houthis operate independently. We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats, he told state media.

Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also urged the US to halt its airstrikes, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that Washington cannot dictate Irans foreign policy. Iran has repeatedly denied providing military assistance to the Houthis, despite evidence from US intelligence indicating otherwise.

How has the crisis impacted global shipping?

The Red Sea is one of the worlds most vital shipping lanes, with around 12 per cent of global trade passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis claim they are targeting ships linked to Israel and its allies in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

However, many of the vessels they attacked have had no connection to Israel, leading to widespread disruption of global commerce.

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Their attacks have led to increased insurance premiums for shipping companies operating in the region, while major global shipping firms have been forced to reroute vessels around Africa, significantly increasing transport costs and delivery times.

Rubio highlighted the economic and strategic importance of stopping Houthi aggression, saying that over the past 18 months, they had attacked US Navy forces 174 times and targeted commercial shipping 145 times using guided precision anti-ship weaponry.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released images of airstrikes demolishing Houthi targets, stating that the precision attacks were launched to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.

How has the international community reacted?

The US operation has drawn mixed reactions from the international community. The United Nations has expressed deep concern about the potential for further escalation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities, warning that continued hostilities could fuel cycles of retaliation that may further destabilise Yemen and the region, and pose grave risks to the already dire humanitarian situation in the country.

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Russia has also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with Rubio, urging the US to seek a political resolution rather than military escalation.

Meanwhile, the Houthis and their allies have labelled the US strikes as war crimes and vowed to continue their resistance. The Houthis have maintained control over most of Yemen for the past decade, and their ability to launch attacks on international targets has made them a significant regional actor.

What is US strategy in Yemen?

Trumps decision to launch airstrikes against the Houthis is part of a broader strategy to contain Iranian influence in the region.

In addition to the military campaign, the US has re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organisation, imposing sanctions and legal consequences for entities providing support to the group.

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The US military presence in the region has been reinforced, with the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group  including three Navy destroyers and one cruiser  actively engaged in operations. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine is also deployed in the area.

Trump launches military strikes against the Houthis, March 15, 2025. US Central Command via Reuters

Trump has said that he is prepared to take further action if necessary. His national security adviser, Mike Waltz, stated, The strikes actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out. However, the administration has not disclosed specific details regarding the individuals targeted.

If the Houthis continue their attacks, the US is likely to respond with further military action. However, there is also the possibility of broader regional escalation, particularly if Iran becomes directly involved.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
March 17 will be a busy day  New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will meet PM Narendra Modi. Indias Raisina Dialogue will also begin today and run until March 19. In world news, a jurisdiction ruling is expected in the deportation of detained Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil read more

New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon will be in India for five days during which he will meet PM Modi as well as inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue. File image/AFP

Its a start of a new week and its going to be a busy one.

Theres a lot of big events set to take place today (March 17)  from the New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visiting India to the jurisdiction ruling in the case of detained Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil.

The 10th Raisina Dialogue will also begin this evening.

Heres what we can expect from the world of news today.

New Zealand PM Luxon to meet PM Modi

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Luxon is in India on a five-day visit, which will run until March 20 and has been organised at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Luxons visit aims to strengthen the long-standing relationship between India and New Zealand, reaffirming the two nations shared commitment to expanding their bilateral ties across various sectors.

Prime Minister Luxon will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior officials, ministers, business leaders, media representatives, and members of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand.

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On March 17, he will visit Rajghat to pay his respects at Mahatma Gandhis memorial, followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders are set to engage in discussions covering a wide range of topics, including trade, defence cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. PM Modi will also host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary.

Raisina Dialogue to begin

The tenth edition of Raisina Dialogue, Indias premier geopolitical and geo-economics conference, will be held in New Delhi from today until March 19. Christopher Luxon, the prime minister of New Zealand, is the chief guest at the 2025 summit.

The Raisina Dialogue is held every year and is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.

It is an annual gathering of international leaders in politics, industry, media, and civil society to discuss global issues and look for ways to work together on a variety of current issues, including international relations, defence, climate change, cyber security, and trade.

US Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard will also attend the conference as part of her mum-nation Indo-Pacific tour, The New York Times reported.

Ruling in Mahmoud Khalils deportation

On March 17, a Manhattan court will give its ruling on the deportation of detained Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil.

Mahmoud Khalil, a US permanent resident and Columbia University graduate, was detained over the weekend and faces deportation for his participation in 2024 protests at the campus over the war in Gaza.

The Department of Homeland Security says Khalil, 29, is subject to deportation under a legal provision that orders the removal of migrants whose presence in the country is deemed by the US Secretary of State to be incompatible with US foreign policy, according to a document seen by the Reuters news agency.

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All India Muslim Personal Law Board calls for protest against Waqf bill

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has announced a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on March 17 at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The protest is aimed at invoking the conscience of secular political parties, including those part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the centre, the apex body of Muslim clerics said.

The dharna was to be held on March 13 but has been postponed in view of holidays on account of Holi, and Parliament may also not meet that day, the boards spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said at a press conference.

Ilyas also said that many MPs have been invited for the protest. He said that after careful consideration, the Board has come to the conclusion that the proposed legislation will pave the way for the usurping of Waqf properties and it was a direct attack on Muslims.

A day to remember

Today is the birth anniversary of Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Chawla

Today marks the birthday of badminton player Saina Nehwal

The first car with a Porsche badge is shown at International Automobile Show in Geneva in 1949
New Zealand exported $1.29 billion in goods and services to India in 2024, while imports stood at $1.47 billion, totalling $2.77 billion in bilateral trade. India ranks 15th among New Zealands trading partners, yet past Free Trade Agreement talks stalled in 2015. With PM Christopher Luxons March 16-20 visit, trade negotiations and Indo-Pacific security cooperation are back in focus read more

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks during a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (not seen) in Hanoi, Vietnam on February 26, 2025. File Image/AP

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is in India until March 20, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties.

His visit aims to advance economic cooperation, particularly in securing a trade deal, and bolster security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.

Luxon will be accompanied by one of the largest political and business delegations ever to travel with a New Zealand premier, putting a spotlight on the importance his government places on deepening engagement with India.

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During his visit, Luxon will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and engage with business leaders in Mumbai. He will also deliver the keynote address at the Raisina Dialogue on March 17, coincidentally becoming the first non-European leader to do so.

Luxon has been vocal about his commitment to rebuilding and expanding trade relations with India, which he criticised the previous Labour government for neglecting. Since coming into office, I have signalled that strengthening our relationship with India is a key priority for my government, he stated.

He highlighted the sharp contrast between New Zealands trade with India, which stands at just over NZ$2 billion, and its NZ$38 billion trade relationship with China, noting the untapped potential in Indias market.

New Zealand and India began free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in 2010, but discussions stalled after the 10th round in 2015, largely due to Indias concerns about New Zealands dairy exports. But on Sunday, both countries decided to launch negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial free trade agreement.

We are delighted to announce the launch of India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. This marks a significant milestone in our partnership, reflecting our shared vision to deepen trade ties and expand economic opportunities, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said in a post on X.

What India-New Zealand trade looks like

Trade between India and New Zealand stood at $1.75 billion in 2023-24. In the year ending March 2024, New Zealand exported $1.29 billion worth of goods and services to India and imported $1.47 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $178.16 million.

India ranked 15th among New Zealands trading partners for both exports and imports.

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New Zealands primary exports to India include wool, iron and steel, aluminium, fruits and nuts, wood pulp, and recovered paper, while India exports pharmaceuticals, machinery, precious metals, textiles, vehicles, and apparel.

The largest services export from New Zealand to India is travel, particularly in education. With approximately 8,000 Indian students enrolled in New Zealand, education remains a key area of bilateral engagement.

However, New Zealands overall investment in India has been minimal, amounting to just US$79.02 million between 2000 and 2023, accounting for only 0.01 per cent of Indias total inward foreign direct investment (FDI).

In comparison, Australia invested US$1.1 billion in India during the same period. New Zealand risks missing out on Indias economic boom unless it prioritises trade and investment ties more aggressively.

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What history India-New Zealand share

India and New Zealand share deep-rooted historical ties dating back to the 19th century when Indian migration to New Zealand began.

Today, New Zealand is home to around 300,000 people of Indian origin, representing diverse linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Indian festivals such as Diwali and Holi are widely celebrated across the country, reflecting the strong cultural connection between the two nations.

Weve already made incredible progress over the last year as we invest in building a broad-based, sustainable relationship with India, the worlds fastest-growing major economy, and the place from which six per cent of New Zealands population claim their heritage. I hope my visit will further strengthen the close links between us," stated Luxon.

Diplomatic relations were formally established in 1950 when India set up a Trade Commission in New Zealand, later upgraded to a Consulate General in 1952. Over the years, high-level visits from both sides have helped foster stronger bilateral ties.

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Key visits include Indian Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi (1968) and Rajiv Gandhi (1986), President Pranab Mukherjee (2016), and President Droupadi Murmu (2024).

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited India in 2016, and in 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters visited India to highlight the importance of strengthening bilateral relations.

New Zealand has previously identified India as a priority partner through initiatives such as the Opening Doors to India policy in 2011 and the India-NZ 2025  Investing in the Relationship strategy paper released in 2020. These policies have laid the groundwork for expanding trade, economic cooperation, and diplomatic engagement.

The way forward for India-New Zealand

New Zealand has expressed interest in restarting FTA negotiations with India, but experts suggest that a Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEP) might be a more viable alternative.

Unlike an FTA, which focuses solely on tariff reductions, a CEP includes provisions for services, investment, government procurement, dispute mediation, and other regulatory aspects. This approach may be more appealing to India and could pave the way for broader economic collaboration.

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A closer relationship with India would also help New Zealand address critical skilled labour shortages. However, this would require mutual recognition of qualifications and structured training programs in key service sectors, opines Rahul Sen, senior lecturer, School of Economics, Auckland University of Technology, in an article for The Conversation.

Furthermore, global supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of economic risk diversification, making it imperative for New Zealand to reduce its dependence on a few key trading partners.

According to the India New Zealand Business Council, significant opportunities exist beyond agricultural exports. Potential growth areas include forestry, agricultural and financial technology, education, digital services, traditional medicines and renewable energy.

Horticulture New Zealand has already partnered with the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to improve apple production.

New Zealand is also lagging behind countries like Australia in engaging with Indias rapidly internationalising education sector.

While Australian universities such as Deakin and Wollongong are opening campuses in India under the countrys New Education Policy 2020, New Zealands institutions have yet to establish a comparable presence.

With Indias young population and growing demand for quality education, this represents a missed opportunity.

While Luxons visit to India signals New Zealands renewed interest in deepening economic and strategic ties, it is also meant to ensure that the island country does not miss the train as India continues to register as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

With input from agencies
The case of missing Indian-origin student Sudiksha Konanki continues to unravel. The last person to see the 20-year-old, who disappeared in the Dominican Republic, was Joshua Riibe. Authorities have declared the 22-year-old man a person of interest and confiscated his passport; he remains under police surveillance at a hotel read more

An Iowa native, Riibe is a senior at Minnesota's St. Cloud State University, where he is currently pursuing a land surveying degree. Image Courtesy: @iamlegacy23/X

The case of the missing Indian-origin student continues to unravel.

Sudiksha Konanki, 20, disappeared while on a spring break trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The last person to see her was Joshua Riibe, 22, whom authorities have now declared a person of interest in the case.

Nearly 10 days after Konanki was seen with Riibe, his passport was confiscated by officials on the Caribbean island.

Who is Joshua Riibe?

An Iowa native, Riibe is a senior at Minnesotas St. Cloud State University, where he is currently pursuing a land surveying degree.

He is a pool lifeguard.

According to ABC News, Riibe has participated in student activities, sports, and charity work. His family has described him as a kind, humorous and community-driven young man."

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Konanki, a pre-med University of Pittsburgh student from South Riding, Virginia, travelled to the Dominican Republic with five friends on vacation.

Though he did not initially accompany Konanki on her trip, he did meet her on the evening of her disappearance on March 5.

On March 5, Konanki and her friends went to the beach at approximately 4.15 am after having a good time at a resort nightclub in Punta Cana. Konanki and Riibe were alone on the beach at 5.50 am, as most of her friends had left.

Missing person posters describe Konanki as 5 feet 3 inches tall. Facebook/Sudiksha Konanki

Also read: A US citizenship for $5 million: What is Trumps gold card for the rich?

His testimony

Joshua Riibe admitted to detectives that he was with Konanki the night she vanished.

He said that they were in waist-deep water, talking and kissing a little when a huge wave dragged them out to sea, according to a transcript that NBC News obtained.

As he swam back to shore, he tried to hold Konanki under his arm so she could breathe, he added. Trying to stay afloat, he said, I took in a lot of water.

Riibe positioned Konanki in front of him as they approached shallower waters and noticed that she was walking at an angle in the water.

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The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was OK, Riibe said. I didnt hear her answer because I started vomiting all the sea water I had swallowed.

Konanki had vanished by the time he recovered.

Riibe fainted on a beach chair, assuming she had gone. Hours later, surveillance footage showed him going back to his hotel by himself.

Im just trying to help them out, he told NBC News. The ocean is a dangerous place.

Investigators are examining Riibes inconsistencies on Konankis disappearance. According to surveillance footage, Riibe returned alone shortly before 10.00 am, while six of the friends left the beach at around 6 am. Konankis friends reported her missing around 4 pm that day.

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Also read: Who was Suchir Balaji, the OpenAI whistleblower found dead in US?

A person of interest

Riibe is a person of interest rather than a suspect, according to the authorities. His passport was confiscated several days ago when he attempted to check out of the hotel.

He remains under police surveillance at the hotel.

Police have not filed any charges in the case yet.

Riibes parents, Albert and Tina, have criticised the treatment of their son, saying he has been subjected to irregular conditions and repeated questioning without legal counsel until March 12.

We express our deep sorrow and solidarity with the family of Sudiksha Konanki during this painful time. Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through, and we share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible.

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Joshua Riibe is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated in the search and clarification of the facts from the very beginning.

They claimed he was confined to his hotel room under police surveillance since the investigation began, and he was repeatedly detained for lengthy interrogations beginning March 6, the day Konanki disappeared.

Search underway

To locate Konanki, authorities, including the FBI, have begun a massive search which involves using all-terrain vehicles, boats, scuba divers, drones, and helicopters.

Dominican officials acknowledge that the likelihood of discovering her alive is minimal.

At the beach where Konanki disappeared, clothes thought to be hers were discovered on a lounge chair.

Authorities believe Konanki drowned, but her family thinks she could have been kidnapped. Officials have been urged to broaden the probe by her father.

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Notably, Konankis disappearance comes two months after four European tourists drowned at the same resort. Officials retrieved their bodies in 48 hours.

With inputs from agencies
On March 15, unidentified gunmen killed LeTs Abu Qatal in Pakistans Jhelum after firing 15 to 20 rounds at him. Believed to be the nephew of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Qatal played an important role in executing attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. His death follows a pattern  of Indias most-wanted terrorists being gunned down by unknown assailants read more

Abu Qatal (right) was reportedly the nephew and close associate of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed. File image/Reuters

Terrorists in Pakistan are a spooked bunch. On Saturday (March 15), came the news that Lashkar-e-Taibas most wanted terrorist, Abu Qatal, who also went by the name Faisal Nadeem, was allegedly shot dead by unknown assailants in the Jhelum district of Pakistans Punjab province.

Qatals death follows an interesting pattern  since 2023, Pakistan has seen a string of mysterious killings of terrorists wanted by India and others with reported ties to terror outfits, all following a similar modus operandi. This includes attacks by unidentified vehicle-borne assailants (usually on motorcycles) who pump multiple bullets into their targets bodies. None of the killers have been identified or arrested by Pakistans security agencies.

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Lets take a closer look at the killings in Pakistan.

Abu Qatal

On March 16, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander was gunned down by gunmen in an attack in Pakistan. Intelligence agencies revealed that Abu Qatal, wanted by India, was shot dead by unidentified assailants around 7 pm on Saturday, with the attackers firing 15 to 20 rounds at him. His security guard was also killed, officials said, citing information they received from Pakistan.

An India Today report states that the gunmen fired at Qatal when his convoy was passing the Zeenat Hotel, next to Dina Punjab University.

Abu Qatal (left) was considered to be Hafiz Saeeds most trusted handler and played an important role in executing attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. File image/Reuters

Qatal, 43, was reportedly the nephew of 26/11 mastermind and LeT chief Hafiz Saeed. He was also considered to be Hafiz Saeeds most trusted handler and played an important role in executing attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

He had also been chargesheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the 2023 Dhangri terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district, which resulted in the deaths of seven civilians.

He was also behind the June 9, 2024 attack on a bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Shiv Khori temple in Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district. The attack killed nine people, including seven pilgrims, and injured 41 others.

Qatal, according to officials, was also responsible for the formation of several proxy terror outfits such as the Peoples Anti-Fascist Force (PAFF) and The Resistance Force (TRF).

Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman

Last March, another Pakistan-based terrorist commander was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It is still unknown as to who or how Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman, the self-styled secretary general of the United Jihad Council, was killed. He was designated a terrorist by the Home Ministry in Oct 2022.

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According to authorities, Rehman was originally from Pulwama, but relocated to Pakistan after orchestrating multiple terror attacks in Kashmir. He was also the emir of Tahreek-ul-Mujahdeen  whose sole aim was to merge Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan while promoting a pan-Islamist identity.

A Times of India report, citing an official said that in 2018, Rehman had asked Kashmiri students to take up arms only after proper training to avoid being killed by security forces.

Shahid Latif

Before Qatal and Rehman, in October 2023, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Shahid Latif, believed to be the mastermind behind the Pathankot attack and one of Indias most wanted terrorists, was also killed by unknown assailants in Pakistans Sialkot.

Three motorbike-borne gunmen shot Latif and two of his associates near the Noor Madina Mosque in Punjabs Daska after the Fajr prayer. Two of them died on the spot, while one was injured.

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Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Shahid Latif, the mastermind of the 2016 attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, was killed by gunmen in October 2023. File image/PTI

According to Indian officials, 43-year-old Latif built an extensive network while he was in prison in Jammu from 1994 to 2010. After serving his sentence in India, he was deported to where he joined the JeM. He was listed as a wanted terrorist by the Indian government.

He was also allegedly involved in the 2022 April attack in Sunjwan ahead of a visit to Jammu by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dawood Malik

Days after news broke of Latifs killing, came reports that Dawood Malik, known to be an aide of Indias wanted terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar was shot dead in North Waziristan by unidentified gunmen.

Malik was targeted by masked men at a private clinic and the assailants managed to escape after the attack.

Described as an elderly tribal by Pakistan media, Malik reportedly founded the Lashkar-e-Jabbar, a secretive religious terrorist outfit also known as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. This outfit is believed to have carried out multiple attacks including the 2016 attack on a police training centre in Quetta, Balochistan, in which more than 60 people were killed.

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Ziaur Rehman

On September 29, 2023, two motorbike-borne assailants shot dead Maulana Ziaur Rehman in Pakistans Karachi. He was involved in radicalising youth to take up arms and conduct jihad against India.

Following the killing, Pakistani officials said it was a terrorist attack by home-grown militants. It also pointed fingers at Indias Research and Analysis Wing, a claim denied by New Delhi.

Abu Qasim Kashmiri

Also known by his other name, Riyaz Ahmad, Kashmiri was assassinated by unknown men in September 2023 while praying inside the Al-Qudus mosque in the Rawalakot area during pre-dawn prayers.

A resident of Jammu, Kashmiri was believed to be the main conspirator behind the Dhangri attack in Rajouri district that killed seven and injured another 13. While some authorities say he was linked to LeT, others note that he had ties with the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).

Sardar Hussain Arain

An associate of Hafiz Saeed, Arain was killed on August 1, 2023, in Pakistans Qazi Ahmad town in Sindhs Shaheed Benazirabad district.

After his death, the Sidhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) claimed responsibility for his assassination.

Arain was responsible for the madrasa network of JuD.

Paramjit Singh Panjwar

The mysterious killings in Pakistan continued unabated in 2023  in May, Panjwar, a Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen in Lahore. The leader of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), a banned terror organisation, was shot dead when he had gone out for a walk. He was accompanied by a security guard when motorcycle-borne assailants shot at him from a close range.

Chief of the separatist group Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) Paramjit Singh Panjwar was killed in Lahores Sunflower Society Johar Town. File image/News18

In India, the Punjab Police was on the hunt for him in connection with several murders including that of Major-General BN Kumar (retired) in 1988, as well as the killing of the 19 students at Patialas Thapar Engineering College in 1989, and abduction and killing of Rajan Bains, the son of the then senior superintendent of police of Batala, in 1989.

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He was also involved in providing arms training to Sikh youths in Pakistan and infiltration into India. Panjwar was reportedly working with the ISI and received funds from its sleeper agents abroad, including in the United States.

Bashir Ahmad Peer

Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin doesnt often make public appearances. However, he was seen offering prayers after his close aide, Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiyaz Alam, was shot dead in February 2023, by unknown men.

According to Pakistan media reports, Peer was shot from point-blank range by the assailants outside a shop in Rawalpindi.

Before his death, Peer was in charge of launching terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir through the Line of Control. Two weeks after his killing, the NIA attached Peers properties in Babapora village in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara.

Syed Khalid Raza

Just a week after Peer was gunned down, Pakistan witnessed the death of former Al-Badr Mujahideen commander Syed Khalid Raza in the port city of Karachi.

Just like Peer, Raza was also attacked by unknown men on bikes and died after being shot in the head. He was killed near his house when he was walking to where he had parked his car.

In October 2022, India designated him as a terrorist, describing him as a launching commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, especially for infiltrating into Kupwara and coordinating with other terrorist groups for activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Zahoor Mistry

Prior to the 2023 string of killings, in March 2022, came the news of the death of Zahoor Mistry, one of the hijackers of Indian Airlines flight IC 814. He was killed by two bike-borne assailants in Karachis Akhtar colony. The killing was confirmed by Pakistans Geo TV, reporting it as the death of a businessman in Karachi.

Taliban Islamic militia commandos head towards the hijacked Indian Airlines plane at Kandahar airport in Afghanistan, December 30, 1999. File Photo/AFP

An operative of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Mistry was among the five who hijacked IC 814, which was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan on December 24, 1999. Mistry was responsible for the only death amid the hijacking drama  of 25-year-old Rupin Katyal. In order to pressure the Indian government to agree to their terms, the terrorists decided to kill one of the passengers. Mistry stabbed Katyal in the chest inside the flight, killing him.

With inputs from agencies
Manikarnika Dutta, an accomplished Indian scholar in the UK, is facing the risk of being deported. The Home Office ruled that she had exceeded the allowed number of days abroad while conducting research in India. An Oxford graduate, Dutta is an assistant professor at University College Dublin read more

Manikarnika Dutta faces deportation from the UK after the British Home Office declared her ineligible for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Image Courtesy: @DManikarnika/X

An accomplished Indian scholar is at risk of being deported from the UK.

Manikarnika Dutta never thought she would struggle to stay in the country she has lived in for over a decade.

However, a bureaucratic formality threatens her academic career and way of life, as the Home Office ruled that she had exceeded the allowed number of days abroad while conducting research in India.

Lets take a closer look.

Who is Manikarnika Dutta?

Dutta, 37, is an assistant professor at University College Dublin, Ireland.

She completed her MA in Modern History from the University of Calcutta, according to The Guardian.

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Dutta moved to the United Kingdom in 2012 for a Masters in the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology at the University of Oxford. Her degree was funded by a Wellcome Trust Masters studentship.

Later, she pursued doctoral research and held positions at Oxford and the University of Bristol.

Dutta has been living with her husband, Dr Souvik Naha, a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow, in Welling, south London, for 10 years.

While her first visit to the UK was on a student visa in September 2012, she had switched to a spouse visa as a dependent of her husband, who obtained a visa on a global talent route, according to the report.

Manikarnika Dutta moved to the United Kingdom in 2012 for a Masters in the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology at the University of Oxford. Image Courtesy: @DManikarnika/X

Also read: Deported with dignity or disgrace? The dilemma in US immigration policies

Why is she facing deportation?

Dutta faces deportation from the UK after the British Home Office declared her ineligible for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).

According to The Guardian, her lengthy research visits to India, where she gained access to vital archives for her work on British imperial history, went above the number of days that the UKs immigration regulations permitted overseas.

According to UK Home Office rules, ILR applicants are permitted to go abroad for up to 548 days throughout a ten-year term. Due to necessary research visits and international conferences, Dutta went over this by 143 days.

These research trips were not optional but essential to fulfilling her academic and institutional obligations. Had she not undertaken these trips, she would not have been able to complete her thesis, meet the academic requirements of her institutions, or maintain her visa status, said her lawyer Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors.

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Despite her argument, the Home Office ruled against her, the report said.

Additionally, her husband, Dr Souvik Naha, was granted ILR under the same application process.

The Home Office also stated that even though Dutta has been living with her husband, she does not have a family life in the UK.

I was shocked when I got an email saying I have to leave, Dutta told The Observer. I have spent the majority of my adult life in the UK. I never thought something like this would happen to me.

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Naga Kandiah, her lawyer, has filed a legal challenge to overturn the ruling, arguing that the journey was necessary to complete her academic obligations and not personal.

According to Dr Naha, the Home Offices decision to deport his wife from the UK was terribly stressful and had a psychological toll on the marriage.

I sometimes give lectures about these issues and have read articles about people affected, but never thought it would happen to us, he said, according to the report.

In academic circles, the matter has caused a stir.

Many contend that the UKs strategy runs the danger of offending eminent international researchers.

Also read: Not Bangladeshis, Nigerians top the list of foreigners India deported in FY24

What is indefinite leave to remain?

With the UKs ILR immigration status, people are free to live, work, and study without restrictions.

It is a route to British citizenship and is sometimes known as settlement, according to The Indian Express.

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Applicants must fulfil certain requirements in order to be eligible for ILR, including staying in the UK continuously under a visa category that promotes settlement, staying within absence limitations, passing the Life in the UK Test, and proving they are proficient in English.

Time spent outside of the UK may have an impact on ILR eligibility for academics like Dutta.

Even while doing research overseas could be essential to academic work, going beyond absence limitations can result in the rejection of an application.

Is it a matter of concern?

Well, yes.

Similar problems have been encountered by other scholars, which has led to concerns that UK immigration laws are not taking academic research truth into account.

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According to experts, such strict regulations may deter talented individuals from around the world from selecting the UK as a long-term location for research and innovation.

Kandiah said, according to The Guardian: My clients case exemplifies how such situations severely undermine the UKs reputation and its ability to attract and retain global academic talent  particularly at a time when strengthening international relations is crucial. If the UK genuinely seeks to position itself as a global leader in academia and innovation, it must foster an environment that is welcoming to top talent. Without such an approach, UK universities will continue to lose highly skilled PhD researchers in whom they have invested years of resources, expertise and funding.

Her case will be reviewed by the Home Office over the course of the following three months.

However, Dutta is still in a delicate situation, uncertain as to whether she would be permitted to pursue her work in the UK or compelled to leave the nation she has called home for nearly a decade.

A Home Office spokesperson said, It is longstanding government policy that we do not routinely comment on individual cases.

With inputs from agencies
Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa was lost at sea for 95 days after his boat drifted 1,094 km off course due to a storm. Surviving on rainwater, cockroaches, birds and turtles, he endured the last 15 days without food. Rescued by Ecuadorian fishermen on March 11, he was found dehydrated but in stable condition and later reunited with his family read more

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, speaks to media in Paita, Peru, March 14, 2025 in this screen grab taken from handout video. La Republica via Reuters

A Peruvian fisherman, Maximo Napa, has defied extraordinary odds, surviving for 95 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean after his boat was thrown off course by a storm.

His survival instincts helped him endure extreme conditions, sustaining himself on rainwater, cockroaches, birds and sea turtles. His rescue was made possible by Ecuadorian fishermen.

The ordeal began on December 7, when Napa set off from Marcona, a coastal town in southern Peru, for what was meant to be a two-week fishing trip.

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Ten days into his voyage, however, severe weather caused his small boat to drift uncontrollably into the open ocean. With no radio beacon or communication equipment onboard, Napa lost contact with the mainland and found himself stranded at sea.

Three months of survival against the odds

After realising he was stranded, Napa faced the grim reality of limited supplies. The food he had packed quickly ran out, forcing him to rely on unconventional sources of nourishment. He caught and ate cockroaches, birds and eventually sea turtles to stay alive.

Rainwater provided his only source of hydration, and as conditions worsened, he spent the last 15 days before his rescue without any food. I did not want to die, Napa told Reuters after his rescue. I ate roaches, birds, the last thing I ate was turtles.

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru, March 14, 2025 in this screen grab taken from handout video. La Republica via Reuters

He drew strength from thoughts of his family, especially his two-month-old granddaughter, and his mother. I thought about my mother every day, he said. Im thankful to God for giving me a second chance.

His mother, Elena Castro, revealed that while she had started to lose hope, her family never stopped believing in his return. I told the Lord, whether hes alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if its just to see him, she told TV Peru. But my daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, hell come back, hell come back.

His daughter, Ines Napa Torres, expressed her relief and gratitude in a Facebook post, thanking the Ecuadorian fishermen who found her father. Thank you, Ecuadorian brothers, for saving my father. I hope Gods blessing will be with you, she wrote.

Search efforts for Napa & rescue

Napas family and local fishermen had been searching for him for three months, launching multiple efforts to locate his missing boat. However, Perus maritime patrols were unable to track him down.

His boat, lacking a radio beacon or GPS, had drifted over 1,094 kilometres (680 miles) from the Peruvian coast. It was only on March 11 that an Ecuadorian fishing boat spotted him in distress and brought him to safety.

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Upon rescue, he was found severely dehydrated and in critical condition. The Ecuadorian fishermen immediately provided aid and transported him to Paita, a coastal city near Perus northern border with Ecuador, where he received medical attention.

It is a miracle that my father has been found, said his daughter Ines Napa in an interview with RPP radio. We, as a family, never gave up hope of finding him.

Napas recovery and return home

After arriving in Paita, Napa was taken to the Hospital Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes for medical evaluation. Despite suffering from dehydration and severe exhaustion, he showed remarkable resilience.

Mr. Napa arrived in good physical condition. He could walk, wash himself. Shocked, but in good physical condition, said Peruvian navy port captain Jorge Gonzalez.

He was discharged from the hospital four days later and reunited with his family in a homecoming. His relatives and friends celebrated his return, organising a welcome party in his hometown.

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The science of surviving at sea

Napas incredible survival is reminiscent of past cases where individuals have endured weeks or even months adrift in the ocean. Surviving in such conditions is a battle against dehydration, starvation, and exposure to the elements.

Speaking to National Geographic, Dr. Claude Piantadosi, a professor of medicine at Duke University, has explained that most turtles, birds, and fish found offshore are safe to eat raw, providing essential nutrients. This knowledge likely played a key role in Napas ability to sustain himself.

However, dehydration remains the greatest threat. Without freshwater, the human body can typically only survive for a few days. Napas ability to collect and drink rainwater significantly improved his chances of survival.

His ordeal echoes the case of Jose Salvador Alvarenga, a fisherman who survived 13 months adrift in the Pacific in 2014, covering 8,000 kilometres (5,000 miles) before being rescued in the Marshall Islands. Alvarenga also lived off rainwater, birds and fish.

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Now safely back with his family, Napa sees his survival as nothing short of a miracle.

I said I didnt want to die for my mother. I had a granddaughter who is a few months old, I held on to her. Every day I thought of my mother, he said.

With inputs from agencies
In an epic three-hour podcast with MIT researcher Lex Fridman, PM Narendra Modi covered several topics ranging from his childhood to his perspective on death and even Indias ties with Pakistan. The Indian leader held nothing back in his second podcast, saying that he hoped Islamabad would mend its ways and even praised US President Donald Trump for his unwavering dedication to his country read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Lex Fridman. The two had an "epic" three-hour discussion during which they discussed everything under the sun. Image Courtesy: @lexfridman/X

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks, the country listens and thats what happened when the Indian leader sat down for an epic three-hour podcast with MIT researcher Lex Fridman on Sunday (March 16).

Speaking about the podcast, Fridman described it as one of the most powerful conversations of his life. The two spoke on a range of topics as diverse as PM Modis birthplace to Indias cultural heritage, and his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

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This was PM Modis second podcast in his long and storied political career  the PM had earlier sat down for a podcast with entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath in January.

If you missed the epic conversation, dont worry. Here are the biggest moments from the three-hour chat that the PM had with Lex Fridman.

PM Modi and his childhood

PM Modi opened up about his early life and his childhood and reflected on his humble beginnings in his conversation with Fridman. He revealed that many of his life lessons he picked up at his fathers tea stall and from his mother who treated children with home remedies.

He recalled in his chat that he spent his childhood in a small home with no windows where his parents, siblings, uncles, aunts and grandparents lived. My early life was spent in extreme poverty, but we never really felt the burden of poverty, said PM Modi, adding, Despite everything, these challenging circumstances of living in scarcity never left a mark on our minds.

He added that he would attend school without shoes. However, when his uncle heard of this, he gave young Modi a pair of white canvas shoes. Having received the shoes, Modis next worry was how to keep them clean.

In the evening, after school was over, I would stay back for a while. I would go from classroom to classroom, collecting leftover pieces of chalk that the teachers had discarded. I would take the pieces of chalk home, soak them in water, mix them into a paste, and polish my canvas shoes with it, making them bright white again, he said.

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For me, those shoes were a treasured possession, a symbol of great wealth. And I dont exactly know why, but from childhood, our mother was extremely particular about cleanliness. Perhaps thats where we inherited that habit too, Modi said.

PM Modi also opened up about his father and the impact that he left on the Indian leader. Every morning, around 4:00 or 4:30 am, he would leave the house, walk long distances, visit several temples, and then reach his stall. He described how his fathers traditional leather shoes made a distinct tock, tock, tock sound as he walked through the village.

People in the village used to say that they could tell the time just by hearing his footsteps  Oh yes, Mr. Damodar is on his way. Such was his discipline, he recalled.

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A wonderful conversation with @lexfridman, covering a wide range of subjects. Do watch! https://t.co/G9pKE2RJqh  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2025

Lessons learned from sacred RSS

In his chat with Fridman, PM Modi also opened up about his deep connection with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and how it has instilled patriotic values in him. He said he was thankful that the organisation had given him his lifes purpose. He said he felt blessed to have learned lifes values from a sacred organisation such as the RSS and even lauded it for working since 1925 to inspire people to dedicate themselves to the country.

Modi compared the RSS to the leftist Labour unions, saying: Leftist unions say Workers of the world, unite, but the RSS labour union says Workers, unite the world. This reflects how the RSS instils its values in its approach.

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Modi opens up on 2002 riots

Among the many topics covered during the chat with Fridman, the 2002 Gujarat riots were also discussed with PM Modi saying that a false narrative was built but the judiciary cleared his name.

Modi said the perception that the 2002 riots were the biggest riots ever in Gujarat was an attempt to push misinformation. If you review the data from before 2002, you will see that Gujarat faced frequent riots. Curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere. Communal violence would erupt over trivial issues such as kite flying contests or even bicycle collisions, Modi said.

The prime minister said the riots in Gujarat in 1969 lasted for more than six months and that was an era when he was nowhere on the political horizon.

Modi said the Godhra train burning incident took place barely three days after he was elected as a legislator of the Gujarat Assembly. He said that a fake narrative was spread regarding the Godhra case. But, the courts investigated the matter thoroughly and found us completely innocent. Those who were truly responsible have faced justice from the courts, he said.

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The prime minister said the most important thing was that Gujarat, which used to witness violence almost every year, has not seen riots since 2002.

Theyve waged a proxy war against us: PM on Pakistan

PM Modi also spoke about foreign policy, Indias ties with its neighbours, namely Pakistan. He described to Fridman how Pakistan has betrayed India despite efforts to improve ties.

When I became prime minister, I specially invited Pakistan to my swearing-in ceremony so we could turn over a new leaf. Yet, every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal. We sincerely hope that wisdom prevails upon them and they choose the path of peace. I believe even the people of Pakistan long for peace because even they must be weary of living in strife and unrest, they must have grown weary of relentless terror where even innocent children are killed and countless lives are destroyed, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, during Modis inauguration in New Delhi, India. File image/AP

My first attempt at improving bilateral relations was when I invited my Pakistani counterpart to my swearing-in. It was a gesture of goodwill. It was a diplomatic gesture unlike any in decades. The very people who once questioned my approach to foreign policy were taken aback when they learned I had invited all SAARC heads of state and our then president, Mr Pranab Mukherjee beautifully captured that historic gesture in his memoir. This was a testament to how clear and confident Indias foreign policy had become. This sent a clear message to the world about Indias commitment to peace and harmony, but we didnt get the desired outcome, the PM added.

The PM further stated that he believed that even the public of Pakistan longed for peace because they would also be tired of living in strife where even innocent children are killed and countless lives are destroyed.

He also called out Pakistans long-standing role in fostering terrorism, emphasising that the world was no longer in doubt about where the roots of terror lie. Modi said that time and again, Pakistan has emerged as the epicentre of terror, causing immense suffering not just to India but to the entire world.

Modi added, They have waged a proxy war against us.

He also categorically stated that Pakistans actions arent an ideology. What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror? And we are not the sole victims of this menace. Wherever terror strikes in the world, the trail somehow leads to Pakistan. Lets take the September 11 attacks for example, PM Modi said, referring to how Osama bin Laden was found hiding in a house in Pakistan.

PM Modis AI predictions

Another subject that the podcast covered was the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its future. When asked about how India could emerge as an AI leader, PM Modi said that no matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incomplete without India.

PM Modi elaborated on his comment, saying, I believe AI development is fundamentally a collaboration. Everyone involved supports one another through shared experiences and learning.

Modi also said he believes that with AI, humans are now being forced to reflect on what it truly means to be human.

This is the real power of AI. Because of the way AI functions, it has challenged how we perceive work itself. But human imagination is the fuel. AI can create many things based on that and in the future, it may achieve even more. Still, I firmly believe that no technology can ever replace the boundless creativity and imagination of the human mind, he said.

Modi on Russia-Ukraine war

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fourth year, Fridman asked Modi what his take on the conflict was and where India stood on the matter. To this, PM Modi responded that India is not neutral but firmly committed to peace.

He said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will only be resolved when both sides join the negotiation table, asserting that there can never be a resolution on the battlefield.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting, at Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine in August 2024. File image/PTI

Highlighting his good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Modi said that he can urge Russia that war is not the solution while reminding Ukraine that battlefields do not bring real solutions.

I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike. I can sit with President Putin and say that this is not the time for war. And I can also tell President Zelenskyy, in a friendly way, that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield, Modi said.

He added, The resolution will only come when both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table. Ukraine may hold countless discussions with its allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties.

Modi-Trumps bromance

When asked about his bond with US President Donald Trump, PM Modi said that the reason why he and the US leader connected so well is because they both put their countries first. Modi said even after there was assassination bid on him during the campaigning for the presidential elections, he showed no fear and remained unwaveringly dedicated to America.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House on February 13. File image/AP

His life was for his nation. His reflection showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in nation first. I stand for India first and thats why we connect so well. These are the things that truly resonate, he said.

Fridman also asked him about what he likes about Trump as a leader and friend, while also on the presidents comment that Modi was a much tougher, much better negotiator.

To this, PM Modi recalled how the US president had walked with him into a crowd of thousands without even asking for security at the Howdy Modi event. He said it was a truly touching moment for him that he reflected a sense of mutual trust between them. In American life, its almost impossible for the President to walk into a crowd of thousands, but without even a moments hesitation, he (Trump) agreed and started walking with me. His entire security detail was thrown off guard, but for me, that moment was truly touching, he said.

Modi on death, power and fasting

The conversation between Fridman and Modi also touched on philosophical topics such as death. When asked if he fears death, PM Modi said, We know for a fact that life itself is a whispered promise of death and yet life is also destined to flourish. So again, in the dance of life and death, only death is certain, so why fear what is certain? That is why you must embrace life instead of fretting over death. That is how life will evolve and flourish, for it is uncertain.

The PM also urged people not to waste time worrying but to channel their energy into enriching their lives and contributing positively to the world. The prime minister stressed that since life is uncertain, every moment should be spent with purpose, learning and making a difference.

Fridman also posed a question to Modi about power and the importance of it to the PM. However, the PM said, As far as power is concerned, it is something I have never bothered about.

I entered politics not to play power games, but to serve. Rather than seeking power, I stay committed to doing and getting work done. I am more focused on productivity than power. I have always dedicated myself to serving the people. I have always devoted myself to bringing about a positive change in their lives, Modi said.

The two also discussed an interesting, albeit offbeat topic  fasting. Fridman told Modi that he fasted for 45 hours, consuming only water, in honour of his interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The PM also shared his perspective on fasting, emphasising its benefits. He explained that fasting is a scientific process rather than merely skipping meals and is deeply connected to traditional and Ayurvedic practices.

With inputs from agencies
Prince Harrys American dream could be under threat once again after the Department of Homeland Security, following a court order, releases the dukes immigration documents on Tuesday (March 18). This comes after the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request in court, citing the UK Royals admission of using marijuana, cocaine and other drugs in his memoir Spare read more

Last week, a US court ordered the release of Prince Harry's visa application following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request filed by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. File image/ Reuters

Prince Harrys American dream could be under threat once again.

The Duke of Sussex, who left behind royal life and settled in California with his wife, Meghan Markle, is now facing questions over his US residency status. At the heart of the issue is his own admission of past drug use in his memoir Spare, where he openly spoke about experimenting with cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms.

Last week, a US court ordered the release of documents related to his visa application, following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request filed by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. The records, set to be made public by Tuesday, March 18, could reveal whether Harry disclosed his drug history when applying for entry into the country.

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As the legal battle unfolds, heres what this could mean for Prince Harrys future in the US.

Prince Harrys visa case

A conservative US think tank has raised concerns that Prince Harry may have misrepresented his past drug use on his visa applicationan admission that could have disqualified him from obtaining entry into the United States.

The Heritage Foundation launched a legal battle against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to access the Duke of Sussexs immigration records was denied. The group argued that the case was of immense public interest.

The lawsuit mentioned Harry admitting to having recreationally used marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms in his memoir, Spare, released in 2023  about three years after he moved to the US with his wife Meghan Markle.

The lawsuit mentioned Harry admitting to having recreationally used marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms in his memoir,

In the book, he wrote, Cocaine didnt do anything for me, while adding, Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me. Reflecting on his drug use, he admitted, It wasnt much fun, and it didnt make me particularly happy, as it seemed to make everyone around me, but it did make me feel different, and that was the main goal. Feel. Different.

For those unfamiliar, US visa applications specifically ask about past and present drug use, and acknowledging such history can often lead to disqualification.

The think tank pushed for the DHS to release Harrys records to determine whether he had been truthful in his application or had received special treatment under the Biden administration.

However, in September last year, Judge Nichols dismissed the case, ruling that Prince Harrys immigration records would remain private. The public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the dukes immigration records. Like any foreign national, the duke has a legitimate privacy interest in his immigration status, the judge stated.

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The case reopens

Despite the previous ruling, the Heritage Foundation persisted in its legal battle, pushing for a review of the decision.

The case was reopened after Judge Nichols ruled that to the maximum extent possible, Im required to make public everything that can be made public.

He also acknowledged that procedural lapses, highlighted by the think tanks lawyers, had disrupted the case, including the September ruling that initially kept Harrys records private. We can talk about how one goes about unringing that bell. At a minimum, wed have to go through that process, the judge stated.

Also read: Explained | Lost American dreams: How Harry and Meghan go from riches to rags

As per court documents, Nichols has now ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release redacted versions of Prince Harrys visa documents by Tuesday, March 18.

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While the DHS had previously refused to disclose the records, government lawyers later agreed in February to provide limited access. Specifically, defendant would propose redacting all information in these items that would reveal information that the court has determined defendant can withhold, DHS attorney John Bardo stated in a court filing.

Britains Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex steps out of a car, outside the Rolls Building of the High Court in London, Britain June 7, 2023. Reuters

Trump weighs in

While US President Donald Trump has the authority to intervene and request the release of Prince Harrys visa documents, he previously stated that he had no intention of deporting the duke.

Speaking to The New York Post in February, Trump said, Ill leave him alone. He also took a swipe at Harrys wife, Meghan Markle, adding, Hes got enough problems with his wife. Shes terrible.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has been openly critical of Trump in the past, calling him divisive and a misogynist.

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However, during a GB News interview with Nigel Farage in March 2024, Trump, then out of office, said Prince Harry should not receive any special treatment if it was found that he had lied on his visa application.

No. Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied, theyll have to take appropriate action, he had said.

Harry moved to the US in 2020, following a brief stay in Canada, after stepping back from royal duties with Meghan. The couple has since settled in California.

With input from agencies
US President Donald Trump and Russias Vladimir Putin are set to hold a phone call tomorrow (March 18) on the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. The development comes after Ukraine has agreed to the US proposed 30-day plan during negotiations in Saudi Arabia. But what has Putin said? What does he want from the ceasefire? read more

US President Donald Trump and Russias Vladimir Putin are set to hold a phone call tomorrow (March 18).

The development was confirmed by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who met Putin last week.

I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and were also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians, said Witkoff. He said the talk between Trump and Putin would be really good and positive.

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Trump too confirmed the call while talking to the press.

Ill be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend, Trump said.

Trumps statement came after Kyiv agreed to a US-brokered 30-day ceasefire during negotiations in Saudi Arabia.

But what does Putin want out of the ceasefire? What do experts say?

Lets take a closer look:

What does Putin want?

Putin is playing coy in public.

As per The Guardian, Putin has said he is in favour of a truce.

However, he has said several details need to be ironed out before an agreement can be reached.

Putin has said he is open to the US proposed 30-day ceasefire deal.

But Putin has claimed that such an agreement would benefit primarily Ukraine, as Russian forces were advancing in many areas.

The proposal came as Russia  which occupies swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine  has the momentum in some areas of the front.

It has pushed out Ukrainian forces from parts of its Kursk region, where Kyiv hopes to hold onto Russian territory as a potential bargaining chip in any future negotiations.

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Putin said he wanted to discuss Moscows concerns with Trump in a phone call.

BBC quoted Putin as saying that questions about the deal remain unanswered.

The idea is right - and we support it - but there are questions that we need to discuss. A ceasefire should lead to an enduring peace and remove the root causes of this crisis, he added.

We need to negotiate with our American colleagues and partners, he said. Maybe Ill have a call with Donald Trump.

It will be good for the Ukrainian side to achieve a 30-day ceasefire.

We are in favour of it, but there are nuances.

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Putin during the Thursday press conference raised several questions  but offered no answers.

How will those 30 days be used? For Ukraine to mobilise? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question - how will that be controlled? Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000km? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?

Putin on Friday demanded that Ukrainian troops in Kursk region lay down their arms.

We have reviewed todays statement by US President Trumpwe emphasize that Ukrainian militants have committed numerous crimes against civilians in the incursion zone, Putin said.

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I want to emphasize that if they lay down their arms and surrender, their lives will be guaranteed, and they will be treated with dignity in accordance with international law and the laws of the Russian Federation, Putin said.

In this context, for President Trumps call to be effectively implemented, the Ukrainian military-political leadership must issue the appropriate order to their military units to lay down arms and surrender, he added.

As per BBC, Russian officials have said they want a guarantee that Ukraine will not join Nato as part of any deal.

We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, Alexander Grushko told Russian media outlet Izvestia. Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance, he said.

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What are the Americans and Ukrainians saying?

The Guardian quoted Witkoff as saying that Putin accepts Trumps philosophy when it comes to the ceasefire.

Witkoff called talks with the Russian president positive and solution-based.

Witkoff said US envoys had narrowed the differences between the two sides.

He said he and Trump would talk about how to narrow the differences even further.

He said talks included Ukraine, Russia and European stakeholder nations such as France, Britain, Norway and Finland and other elements that would be encompassed in a ceasefire.

Trump is involved with every important decision here and I expect that there will be a call between the [US and Russian] presidents this week, Witkoff had said.

BBC last week quoted Trump as saying that he would love to meet Putin.

Trump added that he hoped Putin do the right thing.

Wed like to see a ceasefire from Russia, Trump said.

US President Donald Trump. File Image/Reuters

Weve been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost, and all of the other elements of a final agreement, Trump added. A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed.

Everybody knows what the answer to that is, Trump said on Ukraine joining Nato.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS a final peace deal would involve a lot of hard work, concessions from both Russia and Ukraine, and that it would be difficult to even begin those negotiations as long as theyre shooting at each other.

The Guardian quoted Trumps National Security Advisor Mike Waltz as saying there would be some type of territory for future security guarantees, the future status of Ukraine  even as he called permanent Nato membership for Ukraine incredibly unlikely.

Are we going to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea? Waltz asked.

We can talk about whats right and wrong. And we also have to talk about the reality of the situation on the ground. And thats what we are doing through diplomacy, through shuttle diplomacy, through proximity talks, Waltz said.

Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday accused the Kremlin of not wanting to end the war.

He warned that Moscow wanted to first improve their situation on the battlefield before agreeing to any ceasefire.

BBC quoted Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy as saying that Putin isnt saying no directly but is preparing a rejection in practice.

Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians, Zelenskyy added.

Putin set so many pre-conditions that nothing will work out at all, Zelenskyy added.

The Russian leader had set so many pre-conditions that nothing will work out at all, Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president claimed Russia had bombarded his country over the past week.

This is not what someone who wants a quick end to the war does, so we have to jointly pressure Russia to force it to stop its aggression, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy announced the chief of general staff of the armed forces, Anatoliy Bargylevych, would be replaced by Andriy Gnatov.

Gnatov has been tasked with increasing efficiency in the armed forces.

He is a combat guy, Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by The Guardian. His task is to bring more combat experience, the experience of our brigades in planning operations, defensive and offensive, as well as more active development of the corps system, he added.

What do experts say?

A piece in BBC noted that the two sides are completely split.

Ukraine wants a two-stage process: a quick ceasefire and then talks about a longer-term settlement. Russia believes you cannot separate the two processes and all the issues should be decided in a single deal. Both sides seem content to argue their differences, the piece argued.

The piece added that Kyiv thinks it can pile the pressure on Moscow.

Moscow, on the other hand, thinks it can press its points about Nato expansion and Ukraines sovereignty.

But this presents a problem for Donald Trump. He has made it clear he wants a quick result, ending the fighting in days. And right now, Putin does not appear to want to play ball, the piece noted.

An article in The Atlantic Council stated that Putins evasive response makes any meaningful progress unlikely.

Putin knows that the invasion of Ukraine will define his entire reign and decide the future fate of the Russian Federation. While he may be prepared to discuss a strategic pause in hostilities if ceasefire terms can be made to favour Moscow, he will never accept the existence of a separate and genuinely independent Ukrainian state on Russias border, the piece argued.

The article contended that Western leaders have erred when eyeing Putin through their own point

After three years of total war in the heart of Europe, there is no longer any excuse for such wishful thinking. Putin has bet everything on the destruction of Ukraine and is confident he will be judged favorably by the tribunal of history. Unless he is deterred by the overwhelming might of the collective West, he will continue to wage war against Ukraine until he achieves his chilling goal, the piece concluded.

With inputs from agencies
Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student at Columbia University, self-deported from the US after the Trump administration revoked her visa. Federal agents came to her apartment looking for her several times. The 37-year-old decided to leave the country in haste and took a flight to Canada read more

Indian student Ranjani Srinivasan self-deported from the US and fled to Canada after US revoked her visa and labelled her a terrorist sympathiser. Srinivasan, who studied at Columbia University, claims that she did not participate in last year's pro-Palestine protests in campus. Image courtesy: Ranjani Srinivasan via NYT

Donald Trumps crackdown on pro-Palestine Columbia University students continues. The federal immigration authorities, who arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student and Palestinian activist at the varsity, had another target: Ranjani Srinivasan, a student from India.

The 37-year-old self-deported from the United States, using the CBP (Customs and Border Protection Home app, after her student visa was revoked over pro-Palestine protests. She fled the country, boarding a flight from New Yorks LaGuardia Airport to Canada.

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Why was Ranjani Srinivasans student visa revoked?

Ranjani Srinivasan is a Fulbright scholar pursuing a doctoral degree in urban planning at Columbia University. She has been in the US since 2016 when she enrolled at Harvard University as a graduate student.

As part of the crackdown against pro-Palestine students, the US Department of State cancelled her visa on March 5, citing concerns related to her involvement in activities supporting Hamas. She received an email from the US consulate in Chennai informing her about the revocation which stated that information has come to light that might make her ineligible.

Confused, she reached out to Columbias international student office, where she was told that as long as she stayed in the US, she could continue studying. Two days later, on March 7, she was on a call with a university official, discussing her visa status.

The scholar came under scrutiny because of an incident last year when pro-Palestine protests gripped Columbia University. When protesters clashed with the police, she was arrested near the university grounds. She was not participating in the demonstration but was returning after spending the day with friends when she found herself in the middle of the commotion. She was detained along with close to 100 others.

Ranjani Srinivasans visa was revoked for advocating for violence and terrorism. Image courtesy X

I was just trying to get back to my apartment, Srinivasan was quoted as saying by The New York Times (NYT), distancing herself from the pro-Palestine protests. While she was issued two summonses  for obstructing traffic and refusing to disperse  her case was dismissed and did not result in a criminal record.

Srinivasan thought it was all behind her and did not disclose the summonses when she renewed her student visa as the case was dropped. Little did she know that months later, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would come after her.

According to Srinivasans attorneys, while she attended a handful of protests, she did not participate in a protest last year in which students occupied Hamilton Hall. On social media, she shared or liked posts on human rights violations in Gaza. In 2023, she signed an open letter published by the Society of Architectural Historians in support of Palestinian liberation.

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The Trump administration said it had revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and doctoral student at Columbia, for advocating for violence and terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement that labelled her a terrorist sympathiser who was involved in activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organisation.

Officials with Homeland Security told NYT that when Srinivasan renewed her visa last year, she failed to disclose two court summonses related to Columbias campus protests.

A people gathered in Foley Square, outside the Manhattan federal court, in support of Mahmoud Khalil, on March 12 in New York. The Trump administration is cracking down on pro-Palestine students at Columbia University. AP

How Ranjani Srinivasan dodged immigration authorities

On 7 March, three federal immigration agents arrived at Srinivasans apartment which is not on Columbia campus, looking for the student whose visa was no longer valid. However, her roommate, also a student at the university, refused to open the door as she spoke to the agents who identified themselves as police.

The officials returned the next night, hours before Mahmoud Khalil was detained by immigration authorities. However, Srinivasan was not home then; she had decided to abandon the accommodation.

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How Ranjani Srinivasan fled the US

The student received an email from Columbia saying that Homeland Security had informed the university about her revoked visa. Her enrollment at Columbia had been withdrawn and she was asked to vacate the student housing, the email said, according to the NYT report. Signed by the universitys international student office, the email asked her to meet Homeland Security.

The immigration agents came knocking on Srinivasans door again last Thursday (March 13). This time they reportedly had a judicial warrant. However, by now she had left the country.

New York City police officers take people into custody near the Columbia University campus in New York, on April 30, 2024, after a building taken over by pro-Palestinian protesters earlier in the day was cleared, along with a tent encampment. Srinivasan too was arrested last year. AP

The terrified student packed her belongings and left her cat with a friend. Srinivasan used the CBP app to self-deport. She boarded a flight at LaGuardia Airport and fled to Canada.

Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, posted a surveillance video of Srinivasan, at the airport, rushing with her suitcase.

It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live & study in the United States of America. When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country, she wrote on X.

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Im glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers use the CBP Home app to self-deport, Noem wrote.

It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live & study in the United States of America.



When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country.



Im glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers pic.twitter.com/jR2uVVKGCM  Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 14, 2025

What next for Ranjani Srinivasan?

In an interview with NYT, Srinivasan said, The atmosphere seemed so volatile and dangerous So I just made a quick decision.

The student says that she is not sure whether she will be able to complete the degree that she has been working for over the past five years. She was expected to graduate this year.

She also claims that the university did not explain the revocation of her enrollment.

Columbia University has not made any statement on Srinivasan.

Having my visa revoked and then losing my student status has upended my life and future  not because of any wrongdoing, but because I exercised my right to free speech, Srinivasan said in a statement to CNN.

It is not clear if Srinivasan will return to India or what her next steps will be. For now, she faces an uncertain future.

With inputs from agencies
Switzerland has one of the most popular golden visas in the world. The European countrys high standard of living, robust economy and low crime rate make it an appealing choice for foreigners seeking residency by investment. There is another plus to the Swiss golden visa  it opens a path to citizenship read more

People sit in the Mon-Repos park among blooming cherry blossoms in Lausanne, Switzerland March 25, 2022. The country has an attractive golden visa scheme for wealthy foreigners. File Photo/Reuters

US President Donald Trumps announcement to introduce a gold card visa for wealthy foreigners has increased interest in residence by investment. Firstpost and Moneycontrol bring you a series on golden visas, titled The Golden Ticket. After Greece, we move to Switzerland, which has been ranked second on the 2025 Global Residence Program Index by Henley & Partners

Immigration has been propelled at the forefront of geopolitics since President Trump returned to power on January 20. While the US is making efforts to curb illegal immigration, it is also seeking to attract rich foreigners with its gold card visa.

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But its not just America laying down the red carpet for affluent foreign nationals. Many countries such as Malta, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) offer golden visas to wealthy individuals.

While Trump is offering gold card visas for a whopping $5 million (Rs 44 crore), many European countries are offering legal residency for a far lower amount.

Switzerland offers one of the most sought-after golden visa programmes for people looking to relocate to Europe. Ranking consistently among the top happiest countries, it is an alluring choice for the uber-rich and their families seeking residence by investment.

For the unversed, golden visas provide a countrys residency to foreign individuals in exchange for an economic contribution. The programme helps the governments raise funds and attract foreign investment.

In our series, we will explore why the Swiss Golden Visa, or the residency-by-investment programme, is such a hit.

How do you get the Swiss golden visa?

The Swiss government gives the right to live in the European country to nationals other than those belonging to nations in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The EFTA consists of four countries: Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

Wealthy non-EU nationals can live in Switzerland in exchange of a flat amount of tax annually.

Applicants, between the ages of 18 and 55, who have no criminal record, can apply for the Swiss golden visa programme. They should also own or lease a residential property in Switzerland.

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View of some prime real estate on the Quai du Mont Blanc on Genevas waterfront April 29, 2004. The country offers one of the most popular residency-by-investment schemes. File Photo/AFP

Switzerlands golden visa programme offers residency by investment via two ways: paying a lump sum tax or investing in a business.

The first way entails an individual to shell out a minimum annual tax of CHF 250,000 (Rs 2.5 crore). The tax varies by Switzerlands cantons and can even jump to CHF 600,000 (Rs 5.9 crore) per year. However, those who opt for residency by investment through this option cannot work in Switzerland.

For wealthy persons with no intention to execute gainful employment in Switzerland, the Swiss Residence Program is a straightforward option: Wealthy foreigners (Non-Swiss citizens), who are financially independent, can apply for a lump-sum tax agreement with the Swiss tax authority. By agreeing to pay a pre-defined annual flat-tax amount, the applicant and his dependents (spouse and minor children up to age 18) will be granted a Swiss residence permit, Silvia Cristina Mueller, Legal Advisor & Senior Manager Switzerland AG, Henley & Partners, told Firstpost in an email.

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The permit allows them to live and study in Switzerland for 12 months and it can be renewed annually as long as the agreed lump-sum taxes will be continued to be paid. The residence permit allows the applicant to buy real estate in Switzerland for personal residential purposes, she added.

The Jet dEau (water fountain), the Lake Leman and the Reformation Wall are pictured from the air in the city of Geneva, Switzerland May 14, 2016. The annual lump sum tax for obtaining a golden visa varies by cantons. File Photo/Reuters

Speaking to Firstpost, Pierre Gabris, founder and managing partner of the Swiss asset management firm Alpen Partners International, called this method a negotiation depending on various factors such as the city, canton, the applicants wealth and nationality.

He said foreigners can also move to Switzerland as a retiree, given that they can show enough financial means to live in Switzerland without having to work or take advantage of the social security system.

Non-EU nationals can go with the Swiss Business Investor Programme by setting up a new company within the European country that creates jobs. Foreign nationals can also invest in an existing Swiss business, with an annual investment of not less than CHF 1 million (Rs 9.8 crore).

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The business must be pre-approved and either keep or create full-time jobs in Switzerland. The investment must be made in the canton where you reside and maintained throughout the residency. Naturally, applicants who chose this route have the right to work in Switzerland, Murat Coskun, managing partner of Get Golden Visa, said to Firstpost.

It takes up to eight months to process a Swiss golden visa for a non-European citizen, whereas it is just around four months for a European national. According to Henleys Mueller, the applicant has to pay legal fees in the range of CHF 35,000-50,000 (Rs 35-50 lakh), depending on the individual case complexity and specific circumstances.

How many people have the Swiss golden visa?

Mueller said the official survey published in 2019 showed that there were 4,557 people who opted for lump-sum tax living in Switzerland.

As per Gabris, there has been interest from residents of India, Dubai and the United Kingdom for the programme. There has also been a huge demand from Americans since the pandemic, be it from people worried about government control during COVID-19 or those unhappy with former US President Biden or the current Trump administration.

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What makes the Swiss Golden visa appealing?

Switzerland is one of the worlds wealthiest countries. Its high standard of living, excellent healthcare and education, and top-grade infrastructure make it a popular choice among foreigners who want to live there. The Alpine countrys political stability and low crime rate are an added advantage.

The European nations business-friendly approach also gives it an edge over other countries in the continent offering golden visas. The Swiss Golden Visa holder can travel within the Schengen zone without needing a visa, making it easier to conduct business or simply explore the rich cultural heritage of Europe, Coskun said.

People skate on the frozen Doubs River at the Swiss-French border in Les Brenets, Switzerland, January 2, 2017. The countrys high quality of life attracts foreigners. File Photo/Reuters

Several cantons provide attractive tax rates to nationals whose countries have a double-taxation agreement with Switzerland. The countrys economic stability is a big draw for investors and businesspeople seeking financial growth.

As Switzerland has one of the strongest economies in the world, the country is inherently attractive in terms of political stability, predictability, and security, Coskun said. With high living standards, a democratic and social state approach, very low crime rates, a good education system, and excellent nature, Switzerland is highly appealing to investors and their families seeking residence through investment, he added.

The Swiss golden visa programme stands apart from similar schemes in other European nations like Portugal and Monaco due to its lesser visa processing time.

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It also allows foreign nationals to apply for citizenship after maintaining residency for at least 10 years. They need to be well-integrated, pass a language test and clear a personal interview to apply for a Swiss passport.

As the European world takes a hard stance against immigration, fears of threats to the golden visa scheme loom large. Countries like Spain, the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands have tightened their rules around their golden visa or similar programmes.

There was also opposition from locals in Switzerland in the past against the lump-sum taxation system. Its regularly being discussed in the Swiss parliament whether the right for foreigners to be lump-sum taxed should be abolished. The last time it was in 2014 when it was publicly voted following a popular initiative to abolish the lump-sum taxes. The Swiss voters clearly voted for keeping this right and most of the cantons, currently 21 out of 26, still offer this special tax agreement, Mueller explained.

But Gabris says that the Swiss golden visa is not going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. You can probably be sure that its going to be there in 10-20 years, while many countries like Italy, Im not sure there will be a golden visa left in two years, he mused.
According to reports, software firm Oracle could take control of TikToks US operations. The company founded by Larry Ellison is a leading contender to run the app with ByteDance preferring it over other competitors. But what do we know? Lets take a closer look read more

The TikTok logo is seen in this illustration. Reuters

Is Oracle set to run TikTok in the US?

According to reports, Oracle could be in the lead to take control of the popular social media apps US operations.

The platforms fate has been up in the air since a law requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on January 19.

US President Donald Trump, after taking office on January 20, signed an executive order seeking to delay by 75 days the enforcement of the law.

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Trump last month appointed Vice-President JD Vance and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz last month to oversee the potential sale.

There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise, Vance said aboard Air Force Two.

But what do we know?

Lets take a closer look:

What we know

The tech-focused outlet The Information reported Thursday that Oracle is a leading contender to run TikTok in the US, with ByteDance preferring it for the role.

According to Politico, the software company is in talks with the White House over a deal to run TikTok.

The outlet quoted three people familiar with the situation as saying that the question of what the apps Chinese founders would do with regard to operations in the US remains unanswered.

They also said that while Vance and Waltz are spearheading the efforts, some US Senators have asked to be kept in the loop.

A third person described the talks at an advanced stage.

The development comes days after The Information reported that Oracle is a leading contender for taking control of TikTok.

The tech outlet quoted sources including investors, bankers, and former executives familiar with ByteDance as saying that the firm would prefer Oracle over the other investors.

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on AI infrastructure, next to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the Roosevelt room at White House in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. File Image/Reuters

The report stated that ByteDance wants to have input on TikToks day-to-day operations.

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As per Tech Crunch, TikTok has since 2022 been keeping the data of US users on Oracle servers.

As per NPR, Bytedance would retain a minority stake in the app.

The goal is for Oracle to effectively monitor and provide oversight with what is going on with TikTok, a person directly involved in the talks told the outlet. ByteDance wouldnt completely go away, but it would minimise Chinese ownership.

The outlet quoted a source as saying that Oracle could take a stake in TikTok worth in the tens of billions.

Experts remain sceptical on decreasing Chinas influence

A person in the know also expressed scepticism that the deal would keep Chinas hands off the app.

If the Oracle deal moves forward, you still have this [algorithm] controlled by the Chinese. That means all you are doing is saying trust Oracle to disseminate the data and guarantee there is no back door to the data, a person told Politico.

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The question that has always been difficult to answer is how do you prove a negative? How do you prove the absence of Chinese control of data and the algorithm? Sarah Kreps, who focuses on technology and foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, told NPR. You can audit millions of lines of code, but its really hard to show one way or the other.

Interestingly, Oracle was the lead buyer for TikTok during Trumps previous term when he demanded that ByteDance rid itself of the app.

Oracle, at the time, partnered with Microsoft and Walmart.

However, that deal later fell through with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates famously calling it a poisoned chalice.

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President Trump has previously thrown his weight behind Oracle as a buyer for the app.

Trump last month denied having spoken to Oracles Larry Ellison about buying the app.

Larry is a friend of mine, Trump was quoted as saying by NPR. I never spoke to Larry about TikTok. Ive spoken to many people about TikTok. Theres great interest in TikTok, he said.

Asked if he was putting together a deal with Oracle and other investors to save TikTok, Trump said: No, not with Oracle. Numerous people are talking to me, very substantial people, about buying it and I will make that decision probably over the next 30 days. Congress has given 90 days. If we can save TikTok, I think it would be a good thing.

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However, as per Politico, Trump in January said he would like Larry to buy TikTok.

Trump previously said four different groups are bidding on the popular short-video app, which has 170 million American users and is facing shutdown in the US next month if Chinese owner ByteDance does not find an American buyer.

A lot of people want it, and its up to me, he said on March 9.

While it is not unusual for Washington to meddle in the private dealings of publicly traded companies for strategic reasons, the White Houses direct oversight of the bidding process is extraordinary, said government ethics lawyer Richard Briffault, who teaches at Columbia Law School.

Im actually not aware of anything like this, Briffault said. This is at the highest levels of the government, and its not clear this is a strategically significant company.

Jeff Yass Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Sequoia Capital are among ByteDances Us backers.

The sale has attracted interest from other billionaires and entrepreneurs.

Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt is teaming up with Canadian investor Kevin OLeary and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian on a bid. Social media star Jimmy Donaldson is in talks to join that group, a source familiar with his plans said.

Trump has suggested the US could take a 50 per cent stake in TikToks US business.

TikToks sale price, the value of which widely varies, will depend on whether it includes its signature algorithm. Some equity analysts estimate it could be worth $50 billion to $100 billion with the algorithm, which captures user data and is seen as the businesss backbone.

ByteDance told employees this month its latest share buyback program values the entire company at over $315 billion, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Trump has suggested the company could be worth as much as $1 trillion.

With inputs from agencies
Aspirin, one of the worlds most common over-the-counter painkillers, could help fight cancer, a new study, published in Nature, a scientific journal, has discovered. Calling it a Eureka moment, scientists say the drug may stop some cancers from spreading, a process called metastasis. However, given its side effects, more research is needed before it can finally be used for treatment read more

A new study from the University of Cambridge explains the potential mechanism behind aspirins effects. It suggests the drug may help prevent cancer from spreading, a process known as metastasis. Image for Representation. Pixabay

Aspirin, one of the worlds most common over-the-counter painkillers, may have a powerful new role beyond relieving headaches and reducing fevers. Scientists have discovered that this inexpensive drug could help fight cancer.

While earlier studies hinted at a link between aspirin use and improved cancer survival rates, a recent study published in Nature journal sheds light on the possible reasons behind this connection. However, experts warn that aspirin is not a cure, and its use comes with potential risksparticularly an increased chance of internal bleeding.

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So how does aspirin help prevent cancer from spreading? And could it become a viable treatment in the future? Heres what you need to know.

How does aspirin keep cancer at bay?

Over a decade ago, researchers noticed an intriguing patternpeople who took daily aspirin seemed more likely to survive if they were diagnosed with cancer. However, they couldnt determine why.

Now, this new study from the University of Cambridge explains the potential mechanism behind aspirins effects. It suggests the drug may help prevent cancer from spreading, a process known as metastasis.

It occurs when a single cancer cell breaks away from the original tumour and moves through the body, attempting to establish new tumours elsewhere. This process is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths.

The immune system plays a crucial role in stopping this spread. White blood cells known as T-cells can identify and destroy roaming cancer cells before they take hold.

Aspirin disrupts the platelets activity, stripping them of their ability to shield cancer cells. This allows T-cells to regain their strength and destroy the cancer cells before they can establish new tumours. Image for Representation. Pixabay

However, the study found that plateletstiny blood cells that usually help stop bleedingcan interfere with this process.

Cancer manipulates platelets by triggering a response similar to an injury. When platelets encounter free-floating cancer cells, they rush to coat them, just as they would form a clot to seal a wound. This protective shield makes it harder for the immune system to detect and attack cancer cells. Additionally, platelets release signals that weaken T-cells, preventing them from doing their job effectively.

This is where aspirin steps in.

The drug disrupts the platelets activity, stripping them of their ability to shield cancer cells. This allows T-cells to regain their strength and destroy the cancer cells before they can establish new tumours.

Prof Rahul Roychoudhuri from the University of Cambridge explained to the BBC, What weve discovered is that aspirin might work, surprisingly, by unleashing the power of the immune system to recognise and kill metastasising cancer cells.

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Also read: Indias cancer burden is heavy and its set to get worse

How can aspirin be used in treating cancer?

The study suggests that aspirin could be particularly useful after treatments like surgery, where tumours are removed.

Even after successful surgery, some cancer cells may have already escaped from the original tumour and begun to settle in other parts of the body. This process, known as seeding, allows tiny cancer cells to embed themselves in new areas, where they may later grow into tumours.

Dr Jie Yang, from the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge, who led the research, described the discovery as a turning point.

It was a Eureka moment, he said.

The study suggests that aspirin could be particularly useful after treatments like surgery, where tumours are removed. Image for Representation.

It was an entirely unexpected finding which sent us down quite a different path of inquiry than we had anticipated. Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin, he said.

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Beyond its potential effectiveness, aspirin could also offer a more affordable option for cancer treatment.

Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally, Yang added.

Also read: Russias cancer vaccine is ready. Heres why it matters

Beware of the potential risks

For those wondering if they should start taking aspirin as a preventive measure against cancer, experts advise caution.

If you are a cancer patient, dont rush to your local pharmacy to buy aspirin just yet, but actively consider participation in ongoing or upcoming trials of aspirin, Professor Mangesh Thorat, a surgeon and cancer researcher at Queen Mary University of London, told BBC.

While the study has provided the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle in understanding how aspirin works, Thorat noted that several questions remain unanswered.

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If taken unsupervised, the drug can lead to dangerous internal bleeding, including strokes, making it crucial to balance the risks and benefits. Additionally, researchers are still unsure whether aspirins anti-cancer effects apply to all cancers or just certain types.

Its also important to remember that the study was conducted on mice, not humans. Until clinical trials confirm its effectiveness in people, aspirin cannot be recommended as a cancer treatment.

Our research provides a molecular explanation for observations from clinical studies, but proper clinical validation is still needed, Roychoudhuri told Al Jazeera.

To address these uncertainties, researchers are conducting further studies by recruiting over 10,000 patients with early-stage breast, colorectal, gastroesophageal, and prostate cancers across the UK and India to determine whether aspirin can prevent or delay cancer recurrence.

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With input from agencies
The Defence Minister and the American National Intelligence Chief in the South Block and discuss the issues of mutual interest for the two sides, defence ministry officials said read more

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in Delhi today.

The Defence Minister and the American National Intelligence Chief in the South Block and discuss the issues of mutual interest for the two sides, defence ministry officials said.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had held a meeting with Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi on Sunday. According to sources, Tulsi Gabbard met NSA Doval in New Delhi on Sunday evening, and they had a detailed discussion on several facets of the India-US relationship.

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Tulsi Gabbard is visiting India as a part of her multi-nation visit. The Asia leg of Gabbards trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her.

There, Gabbard will hold bilateral meetings with Indian officials and officials from other countries, The New York Times reported, citing a Trump administration official.

Her visit to India follows Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US in February. During his visit, PM Modi met with Tulsi Gabbard and called her a strong votary of the India-US friendship.

Gabbard also called it an honour to welcome PM Modi and said she looks forward to continuing to strengthen the US-India friendship. This was PM Modis first visit to the United States after Donald Trump assumed office for a second term.

As per the official website of Raisina Dialogue, Gabbard will participate in a keynote conversation with Samir Saran, President, ORF. The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, being co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), will commence today.

PM Modi will inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue today, where the chief guest, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, will deliver the keynote address.

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The Raisina Dialogue, set to be held in New Delhi from March 17-19, is Indias premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

Nearly 3,700 attendees and over 800 speakers and delegates from around 130 countries worldwide will attend the Raisina Dialogue, according to the ORF statement.
The Raisina Dialogue is an annual geopolitical and economics conference dedicated to resolving the worlds most pressing concerns read more

Nepals Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, left for India on 10 March to visit Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand and to attend the Raisina Dialogue.

The Raisina Dialogue is an annual geopolitical and economics conference dedicated to resolving the worlds most pressing concerns. The Observer Research Foundation organised the conference in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs.

According to Deubas secretariat, she offered prayers at Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand before travelling to New Delhi to attend the Raisina Dialogue, which will take place March 17March 19.

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Prime Ministers and foreign ministers from several nations will attend the event.

During the dialogue, Deuba has been scheduled to address the gathering. She will undergo a health check-up during her stay in India.
Marking his first official visit to India as Prime Minister, Luxon has brought along New Zealands largest-ever delegation on a foreign trip, comprising community and business leaders read more

New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon will be in India for five days during which he will meet PM Modi as well as inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue. File image/AFP

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has hailed the contributions of the Indian-Kiwi community, describing them as an integral part of New Zealands social and economic fabric, ahead of his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participation in the Raisina Dialogue.

Luxon, who is on a visit to India with a high-profile delegation, pointed to the fact that the Indian community is the third-largest ethnic group in New Zealand and plays a significant role in the countrys workforce and education system.

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India is our largest source of skilled migrants and our second-largest source of international students, he said.

Marking his first official visit to India as Prime Minister, Luxon has brought along New Zealands largest-ever delegation on a foreign trip, comprising community and business leaders. The delegation aims to strengthen economic and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

Indian-Kiwis make a massive contribution to New Zealand, and Im proud of what this community does for our country, Luxon added in a social media post. His visit includes engagements in Delhi and Mumbai, where he is expected to hold discussions with Indian business leaders and government officials.

The Indian community is the third-largest ethnic group in New Zealand, India is our largest source of skilled migrants, and our second largest source of international students.



In short, Indian-Kiwis make a massive contribution to New Zealand and Im proud of what this pic.twitter.com/Dnwf8gNUMw  Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) March 17, 2025

Luxons visit comes at a time when both India and New Zealand are looking to enhance trade and investment ties, particularly in the fields of education, technology, and agribusiness. Discussions with PM Modi are likely to focus on bilateral trade, regional security, and Indo-Pacific cooperation.

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A key highlight of Luxons itinerary is his participation in the Raisina Dialogue, Indias flagship geopolitical and strategic affairs conference happening from March 17 through 19.

As part of its commitment to in-depth analysis and fearless journalism, Firstpost will provide exclusive coverage of the Raisina Dialogue through a special initiative, Ideas Pod.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon are set to jointly start the 10th edition of the conference, which will take place from March 17 to 19 read more

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, foreign ministers from at least 18 nations, senior executives from major multinational businesses, and foreign policy experts will gather in the national capital for the biennial Raisina Dialogue, Indias premier forum on geopolitics and geoeconomics.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Luxon are set to jointly start the 10th edition of the conference, which will take place from March 17 to 19.

For the first time, a delegation from Taiwan, including a top security official, is likely to attend the debates, indicating the two sides strengthening collaboration in recent years, according to sources familiar with the situation.

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Ukrainian International Minister Andrii Sybiha is one of the high-profile international dignitaries scheduled to speak at the conference, according to authorities.

His visit to India comes as the US is stepping up efforts towards a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia to end their conflict.

Foreign ministers of Slovania, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Moldova, Georgia, Sweden, Slovak Republic, Bhutan, Maldives, Norway, Thailand, Antigua and Barbuda, Peru, Ghana, Hungary and Mauritius will also attend the conference.

Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Martinez Diaz and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Philippines Enrique A Manalo will also attend.

In various sessions, the participants will discuss the state of the world and explore opportunities for cooperation on a wide range of contemporary matters.

The Observer Research Foundation hosts the conference in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.

Representatives from several countries, including former heads of State and government, captains of industry, technology leaders, scholars of strategic affairs, and experts from leading think tanks, will also participate in the Raisina Dialogue.

In the past nine years, the Raisina Dialogue has grown in stature and profile.
Gabbard is visiting India as a part of her multi-nation visit. The Asia leg of Gabbards trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her read more

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the United States Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard in the national capital on Monday, during which they discussed key aspects of defence cooperation and intelligence sharing between the two nations.

Singh shared details of the meeting on X stating, Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Ms Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues which include defence and information sharing, aiming to further deepen the India-US partnership.

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Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Ms @TulsiGabbard in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues which include defence and information sharing, aiming to further deepen the India-US partnership. pic.twitter.com/DTUgJIgeCN  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 17, 2025

On Saturday, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with Gabbard, and according to sources, they discussed several facets of the India-US relationship in detail.

Gabbard is visiting India as a part of her multi-nation visit. The Asia leg of Gabbards trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her.

The US intel chief Gabbard will hold bilateral meetings with Indian officials and officials from other countries, The New York Times reported, citing a Trump administration official.

Her visit to India follows Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US in February this year.

During his visit, PM Modi met with Gabbard and called her a strong votary of the India-US friendship. Gabbard also called it an honour to welcome PM Modi and said she looks forward to continuing to strengthen the US-India friendship.

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As per the official website of Raisina Dialogue, Gabbard will participate in a keynote conversation with Samir Saran, President, ORF. The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, being co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), will commence today.

PM Modi will inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue today, where the chief guest, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, will deliver the keynote address.

The Raisina Dialogue, set to be held in New Delhi from March 17-19, is Indias premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.
The world order is undergoing a great churn. This requires leadership, the kind we have in the room today. It requires systems to think differently, honest conversations, fresh ideas and creative solutions, said Jaishankar read more

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that the world order is undergoing a great churn, which requires a global leadership.

#WATCH | Delhi | At the Raisina Dialogue 2025, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "...I thank the chief guest, New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon. He not only has considerable knowledge of India but a real commitment to advancing our ties. His perspective on the Indo-Pacific is valuable at pic.twitter.com/EeZltddQ5K  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

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Addressing the opening session of Raisina Dialogue 2025, Jaishankar said, The world order is undergoing a great churn. This requires leadership, the kind we have in the room today. It requires systems to think differently, honest conversations, fresh ideas and creative solutionsLet the dialogue begin.

Jaishankar also expressed gratitude to New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who jointly inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue 2025 along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

I thank the chief guest, New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon. He not only has considerable knowledge of India but a real commitment to advancing our ties. His perspective on the Indo-Pacific is valuable at a time when the world is debating the nature of the global order, said Jaishankar.

Acknowledging the significance of PM Modis vision in shaping the dialogue, Jaishankar said, I reiterate our deep appreciation for PM Modis vision and motivation that has driven the Raisina Dialogue.

Earlier, PM Luxon highlighted the long-standing relationship between Indians and New Zealanders, emphasising over two centuries of shared history.

It is more than 200 years since Indians and New Zealanders began living side by side Just as they were 200 years ago, Kiwi-Indians today are fully integrated into our multicultural society, Luxon said.

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Luxon underscored the significant presence of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand, pointing out that New Zealanders of Indian heritage comprise 11 per cent of the people living in Auckland, our biggest city

PM Luxon hailed the participation of 650 million Indians in last years national elections, describing it as an inspiration and a remarkable achievement in both logistics and legitimacy.

It is an inspiration that 650 million Indians turned out to vote last year in the largest election in history. Your national election is a triumph of logistics but also a triumph of legitimacyWe want to live in an Indo-pacific where countries are free to choose their own path free from interference, a region where no one country comes to dominate, said PM Luxon.

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He said India and New Zealand are fortunate to live in one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world.

 The Indo-Pacific represents two-thirds of global economic growth in the coming yearsIndia itself is at the centre of this exciting economic future, said the Prime Minister.

Taking to X earlier, PM Modi warmly welcomed Luxon, calling it a matter of immense joy to welcome him. He described Luxon as a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader, and expressed his delight at having him as the chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue.

It is a matter of immense joy to be welcoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Delhi. It is equally gladdening that such a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader will be the Chief Guest at this years Raisina Dialogue. We had wide ranging talks earlier today, covering all pic.twitter.com/dhOgifUHgq  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2025

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In a post on X, PM Modi reiterated, It is a matter of immense joy to be welcoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Delhi. It is equally gladdening that such a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader will be the Chief Guest at this years Raisina Dialogue. He also mentioned their earlier discussions, stating, We had wide-ranging talks earlier today, covering all important sectors relating to India-New Zealand friendship.

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With inputs from agencies
The mystery surrounding Hafiz Saeeds fate raises critical concerns about Pakistans handling of its terror network. The silence only reinforces suspicions of deception and manipulation read more

The simplest way to end speculation is for Hafiz Saeed to make a public appearance. His absence raises more questions than answers. Image: PTI file photo

At 11:13 IST on 15th March, I picked up hush-hush whispers on social media platform X started doing rounds of a high-profile killing in Punjab. A senior journalist from Pakistan posted, Who got killed in Punjab? Terrible.

As I started dwelling on the information, I picked up the first information of it forty-five minutes later. At 00:38 IST, another senior journalist posted, Unknown motorcyclists opened fire near Mangla Bypass, Dina. An important person aboard a Toyota Vigo Dala killed, his guard injured in targeted firing. Identity kept secret. Suspects escaped. Bodies and injured shifted to an unknown location. Security on high alert, strict blockade of all major and minor roads, Jhelum, Pakistan.

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Soon after, multiple journalists from Pakistan reported the killing of Nadeem Masood, alias Abu Qataal, a senior Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) leader and nephew of LeT/JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. Reports also emerged that another leader was seriously injured and moved to CMH Rawalpindi for treatment. Speculation grew that the injured leader was Hafiz Saeed himself, with some even declaring him dead. With confirmation of Nadeem Masoods killing and the probability of Hafiz Saeed also targeted in the attack, I broke the developing story in India on social media platform X. For the next six hours, several senior Pakistani journalists cited unconfirmed reports of Hafiz Saeed being targeted and grievously injured in the same attack, with some suggesting he had succumbed to his injuries.

However, a fact-checking attempt by another journalist, Arshad Yusufzai, at 3:30 in the morning, revealed, as per his X post, Police denied but confirmed two deaths of senior LeT members. This statement further fuelled speculation about the identity of the second senior leader being kept secret. As of now there has been no official clarification either from the State of Pakistan or by the official Jamaat-ud-Dawa/Lashkar-e-Toiba social media channels on the identities of those killed leaders. This silence prompts me to ask a series of critical questions to the Pakistani establishment which it must answer regarding Hafiz Saeeds mysterious disappearance.

Q1. Why is the Pakistan establishment in open denial about an attack on senior LeT leaders who thrive under state patronage?

Given Hafiz Saeeds prominence in Pakistans extremist religious landscape and his international terrorist designation, why is it that the Pakistan establishment chooses to remain silent? Shouldnt the Pakistani establishment at least be transparent to the enquiries of its own media personnel? If he is alive and, as per some reports, in the custody of Pakistani authorities, why was no statement of clarification issued?

Q2. Why was there an immediate security lockdown in Jhelum town of Punjab?

As per initial reports, after the alleged attack, a high-alert security measure was imposed, and roads in Jhelum were sealed. What necessitated such heightened security if the attack did not involve a high-profile target?

Q3. Who was the second injured person rushed to CMH Rawalpindi?

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While Faisal Masoods death was confirmed, the identity of the injured individual taken to CMH Rawalpindi remains undisclosed. Despite reports of police stating that two senior LeT members were killed. If it wasnt Hafiz Saeed, why is there a lack of transparency about the second persons identity?

Q4. Why have Hafiz Saeeds official media channels gone silent?

Hafiz Saeed frequently appears in public gatherings, religious sermons, and video statements through JuD-affiliated media. Since the alleged attack, there has been complete radio silence. Why hasnt he addressed his supporters or the public or posted an official denial of the incident through its official social media channels?

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Q5. Why didnt Pakistani journalists pursue the news?

Pakistans independent journalists and insiders initially reported an attack on Hafiz Saeed, yet there has been a concerted effort to retract or dilute these claims. If Hafiz Saeed was not harmed, why didnt these journalists refute their own claims to set the record straight, or were they forced by the Pakistan establishment to not pursue the report? Was there an attempt of a clampdown on information?

Q6. Has Pakistan silenced the news to prevent diplomatic fallout?

Hafiz Saeed is a United Nations-designated terrorist with a $10 million bounty by the U.S. Pakistan has faced immense pressure to act against him. If he has been assassinated, is Pakistan trying to avoid international scrutiny over his protection or alleged links to state actors?

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Q7. Why are multiple intelligence sources contradicting each other?

Some sources claim Hafiz Saeed is alive but in hiding, while others suggest he has succumbed to injuries. Intelligence agencies in Pakistan, known for monitoring high-profile cases, have remained ambiguous. Is there an internal rift among the intelligence agencies within Pakistan over handling the information?

Q8. Was this an internal power struggle within LeT?

Nadeem Masood was an influential LeT commander. Could the attack be an outcome of an internal LeT factional feud, with Hafiz Saeed caught in the crossfire? With Pakistans internal security in tatters and Sunni extremist groups at each others throats, was this a revenge killing carried out in response to the assassination of Taliban leader Khalil Haqqani in Afghanistan?

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Q9. Is this an attempt by Pakistans military to erase old liabilities?

Pakistans security establishment has a history of eliminating or sidelining once-useful assets when they become diplomatic burdens. Last year in August, Nadeem Masood, along with another senior LeT commander, Saifullah Khalid, held a meeting with Hamas chief Khalid Meshal in Qatar. Subsequently, on February 5, a LeT annual gathering held in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir saw the participation of senior Hamas members. Given Hafiz Saeeds role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and continued global scrutiny, was this an orchestrated move to remove him and his nephew to appease President Donald Trump and seek renewed strategic benefits from the US?

Q10. Why was Corps Commander Noman Zakaria replaced just hours after the attack?

There were reports that the attack happened after the leaders left from a meeting with the Mangla Corps commander at Mangla Cantonment. If the attack was unrelated to state affairs, why did Pakistans military establishment immediately replace the Mangla Corps Commander Noman Zakaria with Maj Gen Inayat Hussain within eight hours? Was this a routine reshuffle, or was it an attempt to mitigate potential fallout from the attack on LeT leaders?

Q11. If Hafiz Saeed is alive, why not prove it?

The simplest way to end speculation is for Hafiz Saeed to make a public appearance. His absence raises more questions than answers. If he is alive, why the secrecy? Will he attend the funeral of his nephew Nadeem Masood, who was killed in the attack, or will he be missing from the funeral prayers because, as reports suggest, he too is dead (?)

The mystery surrounding Hafiz Saeeds fate raises critical concerns about Pakistans handling of its terror network. If he is indeed dead, it marks a significant shift in Pakistans security dynamics. If he is alive, the silence only reinforces suspicions of deception and manipulation.

Pakistan has long been accused of harbouring, protecting, and weaponising jihadist groups. The lack of clarity on this issue only further dents its credibility. If Islamabad wants to be taken seriously in counterterrorism efforts, it must come clean about Hafiz Saeeds fate. Until then, the unanswered questions will only deepen the suspicions of a larger cover-up at play.

Raja Muneeb is an independent journalist and columnist. He can be reached at raja.muneeb@gmail.com and tweets @rajamuneeb. The views expressed in this article are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Firstpost.
The talks are scheduled to start on Tuesday (March 18) in Angolas capital city, Luanda. Joao Lourenco, the Angolan President, has been appointed to mediate the conflict by the African Union read more

M23 rebels escort government soldiers and police who surrendered at an undisclosed location in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. File image/AP

Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, which recently made substantial gains in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, capturing swathes of land in the resource-rich area, on Monday (March 17) confirmed that it was sending a delegation to Angola for peace talks with the DRC government.

A delegation of five people was on its way to Luanda on Monday for direct talks, at the request of the Angolan authorities, M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said on social media platform X (Twitter).

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Important





LAlliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) informe lopinion publique quelle envoie, ce lundi 17 mars 2025, une delegation de cinq personnes a Luanda, capitale de lAngola, pour prendre part au dialogue direct a la demande des autorites Angolaises.



LAFC/M23 reitere sa  Lawrence KANYUKA (@LawrenceKanyuka) March 17, 2025

The talks are scheduled to start on Tuesday (March 18) in Angolas capital city, Luanda. Joao Lourenco, the Angolan President, has been appointed to mediate the conflict by the African Union.

Lourencos office had last week announced that it was organising direct dialogue between the Rwandan-backed M23 and the government in Kinshasa.

On Sunday (March 16), a spokeswoman for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said the government in Kinshasa would send a delegation to Luanda on Tuesday at the invitation of the mediator to hear what they have to say.

Kinshasa has so far refused to negotiate directly with the M23.

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has announced rewards for the capture of several leaders of the M23 movement and the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a political-military coalition that includes M23.

Since January, M23 has gained control of Goma and Bukavu, the main cities in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, which are rich in natural resources and located near the Rwandan border.

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United Nations experts claim that M23 is being supported militarily by approximately 4,000 Rwandan soldiers.

With inputs from AFP
Ahead of scheduled talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week, US President Donald Trump has hinted at seeking territorial concessions from Ukraine to secure a ceasefire read more

Ahead of talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump has hinted at seeking territorial concessions from Ukraine.

In remarks onboard the Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump said that he will hold talks with Putin on phone on Tuesday regarding the war in Ukraine.

In an apparent reference to the visit of special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia, Trump said that a lot of progress had been made over the weekend and he hoped to have an announcement by Tuesday.

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Witkoff arrived in Moscow on a brief visit on Thursday and held late-night talks about the proposed 30-day ceasefire with Putin. The Kremlin said that Witkoff provided details of the proposed 30-day ceasefire and Reuters later reported that Putin sent a message to Trump regarding the ceasefire via Witkoff.

In the US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia last week, Ukraine accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposal and put the ball in Russias court. While Putin has accepted the idea of the ceasefire, he has said he would have such a ceasefire on his own maximalist terms.

Were talking about dividing up certain assets

In the latest sign that the pressure remains on Ukraine and not Russia to secure a ceasefire, Trump said that he will talk about territorial concessions with Putin and conversations about mapping out such concessions are already in motion.

Even as Putin has essentially rejected the ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States, which Trump has himself urged Putin to accept, Trump on Sunday said that were doing pretty well with Russia.

When asked about the concessions by a reporter, Trump said that they will be talking about land.

We will be talking about land  there is a lot of land. Its a lot different than before the war. We will be talking about power plants. Its a big question. But I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides  Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that  dividing up certain assets, said Trump.

"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. .. We'll be talking about land. We'll be talking about power plants ... Dividing up certain assets."



-- Pres. Trump pic.twitter.com/zwW5DqVOkk  Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) March 17, 2025

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While Kremlin confirmed that Putin and Trump are scheduled to hold talks on Tuesday, it refused to give details, saying we never get ahead of events and the content of conversations between two presidents are not subject to any prior discussion.

Since assuming office, Trump has put pressure on Ukraine and its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to tone down their rhetoric about Putin and attacks on Russia and be open to surrendering land to secure peace. He has falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war, called Zelenskyy a dictator, and essentially called for his ouster, and reached out covertly to his political opponents in what has been seen as a possible attempt at regime-change.

On the contrary, he has not made similar threats to Putin and has maintained he wants peace even as he has rejected the 30-day US-backed ceasefire proposal and laid down his own conditions.

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While saying nothing about Russia, top US officials have indicated that Ukraine would have to cede territory.

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Sunday said that formally ceding Crimea and Donbas to Russia is going to be some type of territory-for-future-security guarantees [deal]. He further ruled out Ukraines entry to Nato.

A permanent pathway into Nato, or permanent membership into Nato for Ukraine, is incredibly unlikely, said Waltz.

The terms as proposed by Waltz would mean serving a victory to Russia on a platter. After failing to occupy the entire country and toppling Zelenskyys government in the beginning of the war, Putin changed the objective of the war to controlling the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Moreover, keeping Ukraine out of Nato and ensuring its permanent neutrality are longstanding objectives of Putin.

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While saying that nuances regarding the ceasefire deal need to be addressed, Putin went on to list his demands: Ukrainian troops in Kursk would not be allowed to withdraw, they would need to surrender; Ukraine would not receive weapons during the ceasefire; and Ukraine would neither mobilise or train soldiers during the ceasefire. In an apparent reference to his longstanding maximalist demands, Putin further said that he wanted a such terms that lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis.

Since before invading Ukraine, Putin has demanded that Ukraine should abandon the desire to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), enshrine neutrality in its constitution, limit the size of its military, recognise the territory under Russian occupation as Russian sovereign territory, include Russian language in formal business, among other demands. Critics maintain that the implementation of such demands would mean Ukraine ceding sovereignty to Russia.

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The clashes in Nasir, near the Ethiopian border, between national forces and the White Army, a loosely organised group mostly comprising armed ethnic Nuer youths, had threatened to reignite the 2013-2018 civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people died. read more

Just weeks after government troops withdrew from the east of the country following intense clashes with an ethnic militia, an airstrike by South Sudans air force killed at least 19 people in the area, residents reported.

The fighting in Nasir, near the Ethiopian border, between national forces and the White Armya loosely organised militia of armed Nuer youthsraised fears of a potential resurgence of the 2013-2018 civil war, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

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The government has accused First Vice President Riek Machars party, which is largely Nuer, of working with the White Army. During the civil war, the militia fought alongside Machars forces against the predominantly Dinka troops loyal to President Salva Kiir. Machars party has denied any involvement.

A South Sudanese general was among around 27 soldiers killed on March 7 when a UN helicopter trying to evacuate them from Nasir came under attack.

South Sudans Information Minister Michael Makuei told journalists at a news conference the airforce bombed Nasir on Monday morning.

Kang Wan, a community leader in Nasir, said it happened late on Sunday night, and that of the 19 dead, 15 people were killed immediately, while the others later succumbed to their wounds. Another resident said they saw 16 bodies and that three others had died.All of them they got burned, everything got burned, Wan told Reuters by telephone.

Medecins Sans Frontieres said its hospital in nearby Ulang received three wounded patients from Nasir on Monday morning.Two of them were declared dead on arrival due to the severe burns they had sustained, MSF said in a statement, giving no further details.

Nasir County Commissioner James Gatluak Lew, who is allied to Machar, said the South Sudanese armed forces were likely seeking revenge for the helicopter attack. Last week Uganda said it had deployed special forces in South Sudans capital Juba to secure it.

The South Sudanese government at the time denied the presence of Ugandan troops in the country. However, Makuei said in a statement some Ugandan army units were in the country to back up and support the (national army) according to their needs.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday sought to reinforce ties with reliable European allies, and said that like them he too was determined to maintain the most positive possible relations with the US read more

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday sought to reinforce ties with reliable European allies, and said that like them he too was determined to maintain the most positive possible relations with the United States.

His transatlantic trip comes after his countrys economy and even sovereignty came under unprecedented threat from its southern neighbour the United States.

Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England who took over from Justin Trudeau last week, notably selected France and the United Kingdom as his first foreign visit destinations, rather than the US, following President Donald Trumps heightened rhetoric against Canada.

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Referring to Canada as the most European of non-European countries, Carney said that his country must strengthen its relationships with European allies like France while also working to maintain positive ties with the US.

It is more important than ever for Canada to reinforce its ties with reliable allies like France, AFP quoted Carney as saying during a press conference with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on his first trip abroad since becoming prime minister on Friday.

I want to ensure that France and the whole of Europe works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries, determined like you to maintain the most positive possible relations with the United States, Carney added.

Carney faces threats on three fronts: a trade war with the Washington, Trumps threats to annex his country, and looming domestic elections.

Trumps imposition of an escalating raft of import tariffs on Canadian goods has threatened to trigger a recession, and his scorn for Canadian sovereignty sent jitters through the former ally.

Opinion polls show a large majority of Canadian voters reject Trumps argument that their country would be better off as the 51st state of the United States.

But the trade war is a threat to the economy of the vast country of 41 million people, which has long enjoyed a close US partnership.

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Security and sovereignty

Canada, France and Britain are among the NATO members that have maintained strong support for Ukraines beleaguered government and military since Russias all-out invasion in February 2022, even as Trumps US administration has bullied Kyiv to make concessions to Moscow.

London and Paris are putting together plans for a coalition security force in Ukraine and looking for allies.

Canada and France want a solid and lasting peace, accompanied by robust guarantees that will protect Ukraine against any further Russian aggression and ensure the security of the whole of Europe, Macron said alongside Carney.

It is in this spirit that we will maintain our support for Ukraine and continue to demand clear commitments from Russia, he added.

Carney told Macron both nations stood for sovereignty.

We both stand for sovereignty and security demonstrated by our unwavering support for Ukraine under your leadership, the Canadian premier said, two days after both leaders took part in a Saturday morning video conference of countries backing Ukraine organised by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

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France is Canadas 11th-largest trading partner and Britain its third at a time when Trumps tariffs and Canadian retaliatory measures are threatening trade with its huge southern neighbour  destination of three-quarters of Canadas exports.

But Canada also has a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union, which includes France, and is a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which now also includes Britain.

After Paris, Carney heads for London, where he once worked as governor of the Bank Of England, for talks with Starmer and King Charles III, the monarch who is head of state in both Britain and Canada.

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In his first speech as prime minister, Carney said: Security is a priority for this government, reinforcing our security, as is diversifying our trading and commercial relationships, of course, with both Europe and the United Kingdom.

On his return leg, Carney will touch down in Iqaluit in Nunavut, the Canadian territory closest to the Danish autonomous country of Greenland - another Trump target for annexation - to reaffirm Canadas Arctic security and sovereignty.

With inputs from agencies
(File) Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. Reuters

Prime Minister Narendra Modis call for stronger ties between India and China has resonated positively in Beijing as the communist regimes finds cornered in the wake of US President Donald Trumps disruptive moves in geopolitical order. The Chinese governments mouthpiece, The Global Times, hailed PM Modis remarks made at US-based podcast hosted by MIT research scientist Lex Fridman. In the podcast, PM Modi emphasised the need for dialogue over discord and cooperation over conflict.

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Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of maintaining a constructive relationship between the two nations, despite historical tensions. He highlighted that India and China should focus on healthy and natural competition rather than confrontation.

Modis remarks reflect a pragmatic approach to India-China relations recognising that cooperation and competition can coexist. According to Chinas government mouthpiece The Global Times, experts believe that this aligns with Indias broader strategy of engagement while maintaining a strategic balance in the region.

According to a report in The Global Times, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning appreciated on Monday Prime Minister Modis recent positive remarks on China-India relations are appreciated.

MOFA Spokesperson: Prime Minister Modi's recent positive remarks on China-India relations are appreciated. Being partners in mutual achievement and realizing a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for China and India. China is willing pic.twitter.com/lEPlHpHJeP  Xu Feihong (@China_Amb_India) March 17, 2025

Historical and cultural ties as a foundation for stability

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During the conversation, Prime Minister Modi stressed the deep historical and cultural connections between India and China noting that both countries have significantly contributed to global civilisation. He described the relationship as one that has been shaped over centuries with each learning from the other.

Modi argued that differences between the two nations are natural drawing parallels to family dynamics where occasional disagreements are inevitable. However, he emphasised the importance of preventing such differences from escalating into disputes, reinforcing Indias diplomatic approach toward its neighbour.

Chinese analysts view Modis statements as aligning with recent positive trends in bilateral relations. Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University told The Global Times that Modis remarks are consistent with the stable and healthy development of India-China ties since their leaders meeting in Kazan, Russia. He highlighted that both sides have been working toward implementing agreed-upon measures to foster diplomatic engagement and practical cooperation.

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Progress since the Kazan Summit

Following the Kazan summit in October last year, India-China relations have witnessed tangible progress with both sides engaging in diplomatic and military exchanges to maintain stability along their disputed borders. In December 2024, India and China held the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on China-India Border Affairs (WMCC) in New Delhi. The discussions resulted in agreements to sustain peace and prevent tensions from escalating further.

PM Modi also addressed border disputes during his interview expressing optimism about restoring conditions to how they were before 2020. Acknowledging that trust and stability will take time to rebuild, he asserted that efforts are underway to bridge the five-year gap in bilateral engagement.

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Chinese analysts echoed this sentiment, with Qian Feng describing the border situation as having stabilised after years of standoff. He suggested that while the negotiation process may be prolonged both nations have an opportunity to move forward through sustained diplomatic efforts.

Managing competition responsibly

PM Modi also emphasised the need for responsible management of competition between India and China. He stated that competition, when conducted fairly, can be a driving force for national progress rather than a source of conflict. The Indian leader reiterated that the 21st century belongs to Asia, urging both nations to compete in a manner that fosters regional stability and prosperity.

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Chinese experts supported this perspective, arguing that India and China, as major regional powers, must work out a dual relationship of cooperation and competition. While the two nations are at different stages of economic and technological development, fair and regulated competition can serve as a catalyst for mutual growth rather than a threat to regional stability.

Strategic challenges and trust deficit

Despite recent diplomatic progress, strategic challenges persist. According to a Times of India report, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi pointed to Chinas economic and strategic dominance as a key challenge to Indias aspirations as a leader in the Global South. His remarks reflect lingering distrust in Indias strategic circles, highlighting the complexities in managing India-China relations.

This duality in Indias approachexpanding economic cooperation while maintaining strategic cautiondemonstrates the challenges of balancing engagement with national security considerations. Analysts argue that continued efforts are needed to build trust and ensure long-term stability in bilateral ties.

Jaishankars three mutuals framework

On January 19, 2025, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar reinforced Modis diplomatic vision by outlining Indias approach to China relations based on three key principles: mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests while speaking at the Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture. Jaishankar highlighted the need for India to prepare for Chinas growing influence, particularly in areas directly impacting Indias national interests.

Since the implementation of a new border agreement and the Kazan summit, ties between the two nations have entered a more stable phase. The October 2024 meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Brics Summit further reinforced a commitment to handling bilateral relations with a long-term strategic vision.

Renewed diplomatic engagement and people-to-people exchanges

India and China have also taken steps to restore diplomatic engagement and people-to-people exchanges. In November 2024, Indian and Chinese diplomats met in Brazil to discuss further improvements in relations. While border-related trust issues remain, both nations have committed to gradual confidence-building measures.

In February, the meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Jaishankar in Johannesburg reinforced this diplomatic momentum. Wang reiterated that restoring mutual trust and achieving win-win cooperation align with the aspirations of both nations. He emphasised that as two ancient civilisations and neighbouring powers, India and China should work toward a relationship based on trust, support and shared success.

Jaishankar, in turn, acknowledged the importance of preserving the progress made in recent months. He expressed Indias willingness to accelerate the resumption of cooperative mechanisms, deepen cultural ties and work together to maintain stability along the border regions.

The road ahead

Going forward, the success of India-China relations will depend on maintaining the current diplomatic momentum, fostering mutual trust and ensuring that competition remains constructive rather than adversarial.

PM Modis call for dialogue over discord signals an intent to shape a future where both nations can pursue their respective national interests while maintaining stability in the broader region. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether this positive trajectory can be sustained and whether the two Asian giants can truly turn competition into a force for collective progress.
Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! said Trump read more

Houthi supporters chant slogans during an anti-US and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on Monday. AP

President Donald Trump on Monday said that he will hold Iran directly responsible for any future attacks carried out by Yemens Tehran-backed Houthi rebels, who have targeted several US and foreign vessels in the Red Sea.

Taking to Truth Social platform, the US President said, Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN. Any further attack or retaliation by the Houthis will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.

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He also blamed Iran for dictating every move, giving Houthis the weapons and supplying them with money and highly sophisticated military equipment, and even intelligence.

Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which theyve lost control, but they havent lost control. Theyre dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, Intelligence. Trump said.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! added the US president.

While the US has been conducting strikes on Houthi targets for months, Trumps remarks were notably direct in addressing Iran, which he is also pressuring regarding nuclear negotiations.

His comments followed the first US strikes on Yemen of his new term, which resulted in 53 deaths and 98 injuries on Saturday.

In retaliation, the Houthis claimed to have launched two strikes against a US aircraft carrier and organised large protests in areas of Yemen under their control.

The US targeted the Houthis in response to their repeated assaults on Red Sea shipping vessels, which have significantly impacted this crucial trade route.

The Houthis stated that their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is currently engaged in conflict with US backing.

Before this weekends targeting of the US carrier group, the Houthis had not claimed attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since January 19, when a ceasefire in Gaza began.

Trump, who ran for a second White House term in part based avoiding further involvement in Middle East conflict, has also called for a new nuclear deal with Iran while reinstating his maximum pressure policy of sanctions.

With inputs from agencies
Frances MEP Raphael Glucksmann suggested that the United States should send back the famous Statue of Liberty in New York since US President Donald Trump has decided to side with tyrants read more

In this June 2, 2009 file photo, the Statue of Liberty is seen in New York harbor. AP

While US President Donald Trump continues to issue tariff threats to several countries, especially Europe, France came up with its threat, which made many ponder if it is even possible. Frances MEP Raphael Glucksmann, of the Socialists and Democrats group, slammed Trump for threatening to impose high tariffs and suggested that the famous Statue of Liberty  unveiled in New York in 1886 as a gift from the French people  should be sent back.

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With his tongue in cheek, a grinning Glucksmann told the party convention that this is what the United States should do since the country has chosen to side with tyrants. Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty," the French politician proposed.

We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently, you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home, Glucksmann added, according to Politico. Many believe that the French MEPs comments are likely about Washingtons decision to pause aid to Ukraine and Trumps warmness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

France would benefit if Americans lost their jobs: Glucksmann

In yet another provocative remark, Gluckmann suggested that France could benefit if Americans continue to lose their jobs in Trumps firing spree. He said that these people could emigrate to Paris and help the economy of the European nation.

The second thing were going to say to the Americans is: If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the worlds leading power, then were going to welcome them, Glucksmann said at the party convention.

The Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Citys harbour on October 28, 1886. It was gifted by France to mark the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence and was designed by Frenchman Auguste Bartholdi. It is pertinent to note that Paris does have a far smaller copy of the statue on a small island on the Seine in Paris.

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While addressing his party, Glucksmann also criticised far-right leaders in France, accusing them of being a fan club for Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who is the brain behind the presidents effort to cut spending.
The visit comes as Beijing seeks to reassure foreign investors amid ongoing economic headwinds and a cooling business climate. Xi has ramped up engagement with the private sector in recent months, following a period of regulatory crackdowns and slowing growth read more

A host of top global executives, including Qualcomms Cristiano Amon and Saudi Aramcos Amin Nasser, are set to visit Beijing for an annual high-level gathering, with some expected to meet Chinas president, Xi Jinping, later this month.

Plans are being drawn up for the chief executives to meet Xi on 28 March. However, details remain fluid, and final arrangements could change.

The discussions are expected to take place alongside the China Development Forum (CDF), an annual meeting of political and business leaders, which runs from 23-24 March, reported citing sources familiar with the matter.

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Among the expected attendees are Blackstones Steve Schwarzman, Pfizers Albert Bourla, and FedExs Rajesh Subramaniam, figures who have made previous appearances at the forum, sources said.

Some of the CEOs attending the event in Beijing are also expected to travel to the Boao Forum for Asia, held in Hainan from 25-28 March, as well as the HSBC Global Investment Summit in Hong Kong, from 25-27 March.

Beijing eager to assuage foreign investors

The visit comes as Beijing seeks to reassure foreign investors amid ongoing economic headwinds and a cooling business climate. Xi has ramped up engagement with the private sector in recent months, following a period of regulatory crackdowns and slowing growth.

His meeting with a group of American business leaders last year, which lasted more than 90 minutes, was framed as a commitment to keeping China open to foreign firms.

US-China trade tiff in focus

Republican senator Steve Daines, a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is also expected to visit Beijing, where he will meet a senior Chinese official and representatives of US businesses.

The latest round of China-US trade tensions has seen Beijing impose retaliatory tariffs on a range of American goods, including beef, poultry, and grains. Talks between the two nations remain at a standstill, with each side blaming the other for the lack of progress.

Chinese officials say Washington has failed to clarify its demands regarding fentanyl regulation, while Trumps team insists that clear messages have been relayed through diplomatic channels.
In recent months, Iran has held several rounds of talks with Britain, France and Germany in a bid to revive the agreement, which had lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities. read more

(From left) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, after their meeting in Beijing | AP

Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi is scheduled to meet with Rafael Grossi, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna on Monday, according to Irans foreign ministry.

Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated that the meeting is part of our ongoing engagement with the agency.

The talks in Vienna follow Gharibabadis participation in discussions with his Russian and Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Friday.

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As threats against Irans peaceful nuclear facilities have increased, it is natural for us to intensify consultations with the IAEA, Baqaei said.

On March 7, US President Donald Trump said he had written to Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging new talks on the countrys nuclear programme but warning of possible military action if it refuses.

For decades, Western countries led by the United States have suspected Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran rejects these claims, insisting its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, including energy production.

In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council  Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States  plus Germany to limit its nuclear activities.

Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.

In recent months, Iran has held several rounds of talks with Britain, France and Germany in a bid to revive the agreement, which had lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.

With inputs from agencies
The report reveals that women, who are being recruited as housekeepers or nannies in Saudi Arabian households face all sorts of cruelty read more

Every day, dozens of women from East African nations travel to Saudi Arabia with hopes of a better life. They usually get lured by the recruiters with flowery promises. However, the recent New York Times investigative report paints a different picture. The report reveals that women who are being recruited as housekeepers or nannies in Saudi Arabian households face all sorts of cruelty.

This can be seen with the fact that at least 274 Kenyan workers, mostly women, died in Saudi Arabia in the past five years. At least 55 Kenyan workers died last year, which was twice as many as the previous year. What is even more concerning is the fact that the Kenyan government encourage these initiatives, with many people in power having direct connections with these recruiting agencies.

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For instance, Fabian Kyule Muli, vice-president of the labour committee in Kenyas National Assembly, leads a powerful community in the country which could demand thorough investigations into worker deaths. However, Muli, like other East African officials, also owns a staffing company that sends women to Saudi Arabia. The sad side of the whole saga is that most of the women who go for a better life come back home in coffins.

Autopsy reports of these women tend to be vague and contradictory, with their deaths being described as happening due to natural causes. Meanwhile, an untold number of Ugandans have lost their lives as well, with their government releasing no data. According to the report, one of the major reasons why the authorities are not discussing this matter is because it benefits them in one way or another.

A dark trade providing a boost to the economy

It is pertinent to note that Kenya and Uganda have been in a years-long economic slump. The remittances from foreign workers are a significant source of income. In 2022, Kenyas Commission on Administrative Justice raised alarm over the matter and said that worker-protection efforts had been hindered by interference by politicians who use proxies to operate the agencies.

Undeterred by the warnings, Kenyan President William Ruto said that he wants to send up to a half-million workers to Saudi Arabia in the coming years. According to The New York Times, one of Rutos top advisers, Moses Kuria, owned a staffing agency and his brother still does.

When asked about the matter, a spokesperson for Ruto, Hussein Mohamed, said labour migration benefited the economy and insisted that Kuria had no conflict of interest because he does not work on labour issues. These recruiting agencies are also well-connected with the leadership in Saudi. According to the NYT, descendants of King Faisal have been among the largest shareholders in two of the biggest agencies. Not only this, a director of a Saudi government human rights board serves as vice-chairwoman of a major staffing agency.

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Due to these interconnections, both the government and these agencies paint a Rosey picture, emphasising how these initiatives are life-changing. However, things are not the same. The NYT report mentioned how a woman jumped from a third-storey roof to escape an abusive employer and how some are raped and sent home pregnant and with no money.

According to the Saudi government, roughly a half-million Kenyan and Ugandan workers are in Saudi Arabia. Journalists and human rights workers have often raised alarms about the atrocities these women are facing in the country. However, a spokesperson for the human resources ministry in Saudi Arabia said that the country is taking steps in this regard.

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Any form of exploitation or abuse of domestic workers is entirely unacceptable, and allegations of such behaviour are thoroughly investigated, the spokesperson, Mike Goldstein, wrote in an email. He noted that the government has raised fines for such abuse and made it easier for the workers to quit. However, the issue still remains.

How the governments neglect the issue

While several agencies raised concerns about the atrocities, the leaders of both Kenya and Uganda continued to sign multiple agreements with Saudi Arabia that lacked protections that other leaders tend to demand. For instance, in 2012, the Philippines signed a deal with Saudi Arabia that guaranteed a $400 monthly minimum wage, access to bank accounts and a promise that workers passports would not be confiscated.

Africa soon became attractive to Saudi Arabia because labour became less expensive. When Uganda cut its agreement with the Saudi Government, it made no mention of a minimum wage, even though the issue of worker mistreatment was well-discussed at that time.

In 2021, a Kenyan Senate committee found deteriorating conditions in Saudi Arabia and an increase in distress calls by those alleging torture and mistreatment. The committee also recommended suspending worker transfer. However, when Ruto was elected as countrys president, the next year, his government reached a new Saudi labour agreement in 2023 without a wage increase or substantive new protections.

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French President Emmanuel Macron said that the country does not need Russias permission to deploy peacekeeping troops in Ukraine after an eventual ceasefire in the war read more

Pictured here (L-R) are the Presidents of Ukraine, France, and Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron, and Vladimir Putin, respectively. Agencies/Firstpost

French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country does not need permission from Russia to deploy troops or provide security guarantees to Ukraine. Macron insisted that France, the United Kingdom and other nations that are providing security to the war-striken nation after an eventual ceasefire would not be aiming to deploy a mass of soldiers.

Instead, he proposed to send contingents of several thousand troops to key locations in Ukraine to ensure that the country remains protected. The remarks from the French leader came during his interview with the countrys multiple newspapers, including Le Parisien and La Depeche de Midi. Macron said that several European nations, and indeed non-European ones, had expressed their willingness to join a possible deployment to Ukraine to secure a future peace agreement with Russia.

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Macron also noted that these troops would also conduct training programmes to make the Ukrainian soldiers more advanced and conflict-ready. Macron maintained that proposed contingents from countries that were members of the Nato alliance would serve as a guarantee of security for Ukraine and that several European nations, and also non-European, have expressed their willingness to join such an effort when it is confirmed.

Ukraine should not make any concessions without guarantees

While speaking on the terms of the ceasefire, the French leader warned that under no circumstances can the Ukrainians make territorial concessions without having any security guarantees. He also made it clear that the deployment of troops would not depend on Russias take on the matter.

If Ukraine requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject them, the French leader averred. Macrons comments came days before he was scheduled to meet the new Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, on Monday. The very next day, he will be travelling to Germany, where he will hold talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer led a virtual meeting of 30 international leaders and discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine. The meeting was attended by Macron and Italys prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, as well as leaders from Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

While speaking to the media after the meeting, Starmer challenged the Russian president to sign the ceasefire if he is serious about peace. He made it clear that Ukraines allies would keep increasing the pressure on the Kremlin, including by moving planning for a peacekeeping force to an operational phase.

Russia does not give the impression it sincerely wants peace, Macron said in a statement to Agence France-Presse after the meeting. On the contrary, the Russian president was escalating the fighting and wants to get everything, then negotiate, he said. Russia must respond clearly, and the pressure must be clear, in conjunction with the US, to obtain this ceasefire, the French leader concluded.

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With inputs from agencies.
Following talks between Modi and Luxon, the two sides signed six agreements to ramp up cooperation in several areas including education, sports, agriculture and climate change, and decided to prepare a roadmap for cooperation in the defence industry sector. read more

India and New Zealand solidified their defense ties on Monday by signing an agreement to institutionalise their partnership, while also pledging to enhance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. During talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, Modi expressed concerns over certain unlawful elements in New Zealand engaging in anti-India activities.

The two leaders oversaw the signing of six agreements aimed at boosting collaboration in areas such as education, sports, agriculture, and climate change. Additionally, they agreed to develop a roadmap for cooperation in the defense industry sector.

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In his media statement, Modi emphasised the shared commitment of India and New Zealand to a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. He added, We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism, a remark seen as a subtle reference to growing global concerns over Chinas assertive actions in the region.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting an Indo-Pacific where sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected, according to a joint statement.

Luxon arrived in the national capital on Sunday on a five-day visit primarily to push for deeper economic engagement between the two sides.

Both prime ministers welcomed the launch of negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries to achieve deeper economic integration.

Within the context of FTA negotiations, Modi and Luxon agreed for discussions between respective authorities on both sides to explore early implementation of cooperation in the digital payments sector.

In the context of the negotiations for the trade deal, the two sides agreed to start discussions on an arrangement facilitating the mobility of professionals and skilled workers, primarily to address the challenge of irregular migration, according to a joint statement.

In his remarks, Modi, referring to the 2019 Christchurch terror attack and the 26/11 Mumbai strike, said that terrorism in any form is unacceptable.

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Strict action is necessary against those guilty of terrorist attacks. We will continue to cooperate together against terrorist, separatist and radical elements, he said.In this context, we shared our concern about anti-India activities by some illegal elements in New Zealand. We are confident that we will continue to get the cooperation of the New Zealand government against all these illegal elements, he said.

Modi said both sides decided to strengthen and institutionalise defence and security partnership and a roadmap will be prepared for cooperation in the defence industry sector. In his remarks, Luxon said he and Modi discussed a strategic outlook for the Indo-Pacific.

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I reiterated our strong commitment to address shared concerns over our respective interests in contributing to a prosperous Indo-Pacific, he said.

On the proposed FTA, Modi said mutual cooperation and investment will be encouraged in areas like dairy, food processing and pharma. Prime Minister Modi also delved into the India-New Zealand defence ties.We have decided to strengthen and institutionalise our defence and security partnership. Along with joint exercises, training, port visits, a roadmap will be made for mutual cooperation in the defence industry as well, he said.

The agreements signed between the two sides include one on a mutual recognition pact between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India (CBIC) and New Zealands Customs Service.

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The joint statement said the defence pact will further strengthen overall defence ties. In the context of maritime security, New Zealand welcomed India to join the Combined Maritimes Forces. Both Modi and Luxon welcomed advancement in defence ties during the island nations command of Command Task Force 150.

The two leaders also touched upon pressing global challenges. On the situation in the Middle East, Modi and Luxon reaffirmed their firm support for peace and stability in the region. They reiterated their call for continued negotiations to secure a permanent peace, which includes the release of all hostages and rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza, the joint statement said.

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It said the leaders stressed the importance of a negotiated two-state solution, leading to the establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent state of Palestine, and living within secure and mutually recognised borders, side by side in peace and security with Israel.

Modi and Luxon also exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and expressed support for a just and lasting peace based on respect for international law, principles of the UN charter and territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The two leaders reiterated their absolute condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and the use of terrorist proxies in cross-border terrorism, the joint statement mentioned. It said Modi and Luxon stressed the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, measurable and concrete action against UN-proscribed terrorist organisations and individuals.

They called for disrupting terrorism financing networks and safe havens, dismantling of terror infrastructure, including online, and bringing perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly, it said.

With inputs from agencies.
Netanyahu on Sunday cited an ongoing lack of trust as the reason for moving to sack Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, following a similar bid by the government to oust the attorney general. read more

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus move to fire a senior security official has sparked fresh political controversy in Israel with opponents organising protests and a former court president calling the move dangerous.

Netanyahu claims his actions are driven by a crisis of confidence and the need to replace officials who failed to prevent the October 7, 2023, disaster. However, his critics argue that the dismissals are part of a wider effort to weaken independent government institutions.

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They allege that Netanyahu is seeking to bolster his reputation, retain power and deflect accountability while facing a corruption trial and public pressure to acknowledge his role in the policy failures leading up to October 7.

On Sunday, Netanyahu cited an ongoing lack of trust as the reason for his move to dismiss Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet internal security agency. This follows a similar attempt by the government to remove the attorney general.

Bar, who has been publicly at odds with Netanyahu in recent weeks over proposed reforms to the agency, hinted that the prime ministers decision to seek his dismissal was politically motivated.

Bar, who was appointed to lead the Shin Bet in 2021 by a previous prime minister, accepted responsibility for his agencys failure to halt the Oct. 7 attack ahead of time. He already has said he planned to step down before the end of his term in late 2026.

But the Shin Bet investigation into its Oct. 7 failures also pointed blame at Netanyahu for formulating a policy that focused on containing Hamas, while ignoring a growing threat.

Bar had been a key player in negotiations to free Israeli hostages held by Hamas. But he and Netanyahu differed on how to proceed. That led Netanyahu to replace him with Cabinet minister Ron Dermer, a Netanyahu confidant. Critics of Netanyahu said the move highlighted a growing tendency by Netanyahu to surround himself with loyalists.

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A pair of Shin Bet investigations recently launched against advisers of Netanyahu appeared to be a tipping point.

One is examining a Netanyahu spokesperson who allegedly leaked to a German news outlet classified documents that appeared to give the prime minister political cover in ceasefire negotiations. The other is looking into claims that Qatar reportedly hired close Netanyahu aides to launch a public relations campaign in Israel.

Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, was also the source of millions of dollars in cash sent to Gaza, with Netanyahus approval. The money, ostensibly meant for poor families, is seen as having helped Hamas bolster its military capabilities ahead of Oct. 7.

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Blow to national security

The Kaplan Force, a liberal umbrella organisation which led the fight against the judicial reform, on Monday announced rallies in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv this week to protest the dismissal of the Shin Bet head.

The move to sack Bar, who has been involved in negotiations over the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, comes at a crucial time for the talks.

The truce has largely held since January 19 despite an impasse in efforts to extend it.

Since the Gaza war began, Netanyahu has dismissed his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, while several senior military officials have resigned including army chief Herzi Halevi.

Benny Gantz, an opposition figure who once served as defence minister under Netanyahu, said on X that the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet is a direct blow to national security and a dismantling of unity within Israeli society, driven by political and personal considerations.

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Former Supreme Court president Dorit Beinisch told Kan public radio that Netanyahu was leading processes that are dangerous for society.

We need to wake up, and to wake up in time, she said.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a good governance group, said Bars dismissal while the probes are ongoing raises concerns that the move was made out of political considerations.

If Bars dismissal is approved by the government, he will become the first Shin Bet chief in Israeli history to be fired. But he will also be just the latest in a series of defense officials to exit under pressure from Netanyahu during the war.

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In November, Netanyahu fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, saying he had lost trust in him. Gallant had repeatedly prodded Netanyahu to set out a postwar plan for Gaza.

Gallant, a former top general, was replaced by Israel Katz, a longtime Netanyahu backer with little military experience who then pressured the military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, to step down earlier this month. Halevis replacement then sacked the militarys spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a popular figure with the public who was rebuked by Israeli leaders for commenting on the leaked documents case.

With many top defense officials linked to the Oct. 7 failures out of office, the blame game over the deadliest attack in Israels history begins in earnest.

Netanyahu has repeatedly tried to pin responsibility on his security chiefs, saying he was never warned about Hamas intentions and was guided by their advice that Hamas was deterred.

With inputs from agencies
In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy said that after discussion in Jeddah and a ceasefire proposal from the United States, Russia had stolen another week read more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, accusing him delaying efforts to broker a ceasefire deal. In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy said that after discussion in Jeddah and a ceasefire proposal from the United States, Russia had stolen another week. He emphasised that Putin is prolonging war which only Russia wants.

After the talks in Jeddah and the American proposal for a ceasefire on the frontline, Russia stole almost another week  a week of war that only Russia wants, the Ukrainian leader said in a video message on Monday.

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We will do everything to further intensify diplomacy. We will do everything to make diplomacy effective. But every day now is about defending our independence, our state, and our people. We must remember  it is the support of our army, all our defence and security forces, and our state that determines everything, he added.

After the talks in Jeddah and the American proposal for a ceasefire on the frontline, Russia stole almost another week  a week of war that only Russia wants.



We will do everything to further intensify diplomacy. We will do everything to make diplomacy effective. But every day pic.twitter.com/lN1yJkfUVx  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 16, 2025

The remarks from Zelenskyy came shortly after he announced a restructuring of the countrys armed forces. Alongside commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and defence minister Rustem Umerov, Zelenskyy appointed Andrii Hnatov as the new chief of the general staff.

Zelenskyy concluded his message by expressing gratitude to everyone who acknowledged Ukraines defence and resilience on the battleground. We must remember  as long as the occupier is on our land, and as long as air raid sirens sound, we must defend Ukraine, he added.

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Russia seeks ironclad guarantees

Meanwhile, Russias Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Grushko, said that the country is seeking ironclad guarantees in any peace deal with Ukraine. Grushko said that Russia wants assurance from NATO that it will exclude Kyiv from membership and that the country would remain neutral.

Trump and his team have been trying to win Putins support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has already accepted last week. Trump will discuss the ceasefire deal with Putin on Tuesday. The meeting will come days after US envoy Steve Witkoff visited Russia to please the countrys leader. After returning, Witkoff told CNN that they had a positive meeting with Putin.

In an interview with Russian media outlet Izvestia, Grushko did not refer to the ceasefire proposal. However, he maintained that any long-lasting peace treaty on Ukraine must meet Moscows demands. We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, Izvestia cited Grushko as saying.

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Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance," he added. Moscow has been categorically against the deployment of Nato observers to Ukraine. However, both the UK and France said that they are willing to send peacekeeping forces to monitor the ceasefire in Ukraine.

It does not matter under what label Nato contingents were to be deployed on Ukrainian territory, be it the European Union, NATO, or in a national capacity, Grushko averred.
The Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) recorded 121 fatalities and 103 injuries from 54 terrorist attacks across the country last month read more

Pakistan is one of the most terrorism-affected nations globally. Reuters/File Photo

Terror-related deaths in Pakistan have seen a big jump in recent times. Such fatalities surged by 73 per cent in February compared to the previous month.

The restive Balochistan province bore the major brunt of this violence.

The Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) recorded 121 fatalities and 103 injuries from 54 terrorist attacks across the country last month. Balochistan alone accounted for 62 per cent of all deaths, underscoring the provinces growing insurgency, according to a report by Dawn.

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Across the country, 32 of the 54 attacks were carried out by religiously motivated militant groups, primarily the TTP and its affiliates.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan suffer

According to the data cited, the frequency and intensity of attacks by banned Baloch insurgent groups have increased. In one particularly deadly assault, 18 Pakistan army soldiers were killed in Kalat.

Of the total casualties, 56 were security and law-enforcement personnel, 37 were civilians, and 28 were militants. Three attacks specifically targeting non-Baloch workers and travellers in Balochistan left 21 people dead and seven others wounded.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) also saw a high level of violence, with 30 attacks claiming 45 lives and injuring 58 others. Responsibility for these assaults has been attributed to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Lashkar-i-Islam, and the Islamic State-Khorasan, among others.

The provinces southern districts Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, and North and South Waziristan were worst affected.

Balochistan, however, recorded the most fatalities, with 75 people killed and 45 injured in 23 attacks. Baloch insurgent groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), and Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), carried out 22 attacks, accounting for 74 deaths. The TTP was behind a single attack in the province that left one person dead.

Behind the crises in Balochistan

Balochistan, Pakistans largest and most resource-rich province, has been grappling with a separatist insurgency for decades.

The roots of this unrest trace back to 1948, when Balochistans contested accession to Pakistan sowed deep-seated resentment. Since then, the province has witnessed five major armed uprisings. Each time, the state has responded with a heavy-handed approachmilitary operations, enforced disappearances, and strict security measuresrather than addressing the underlying grievances.

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Economic exploitation has further fueled the insurgency. Despite being rich in natural gas and minerals, Balochistan remains the most underdeveloped region in the country. Many villages near gas fields lack access to their own resources, and the province receives only a fraction of the billions in revenue it generates.

This has fostered a strong perception among the Baloch people that their wealth is being extracted while they remain in poverty a fuelling factor for the insurgency.

Rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue, the Pakistani military has relied on force to suppress dissent. Reports suggest that since 2003, at least 7,000 activists and civilians have been abducted or killed. This iron-fisted approach has only deepened resentment, making Pakistans rule over Balochistan appear more like an occupation than governance.

Root of the problem in KP

While Balochistans conflict stems from economic and military repression, the insurgency in KP is a direct result of Pakistans long history of supporting jihadist militants in a bid to build its influence.

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Pakistans involvement with Islamist fighters dates back to the 1980s during the Soviet-Afghan War, when it armed and trained mujahideen with US and Saudi assistance. This strategy continued into the 1990s, with Pakistans military helping the Taliban take control of Afghanistan, believing that a friendly regime in Kabul would provide strategic depth against India.

Following the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan publicly sided with the US in the War on Terror while covertly protecting Taliban factions. This contradictory approach ultimately backfired. By 2007, disillusioned militant groups in Pakistans tribal regions united under the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and declared war on the state.

The TTP launched a brutal campaign of violence, targeting schools, security forces, and civilians. Although military operations weakened the group, the Talibans return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 provided fresh momentum to the TTP. Since then, attacks in Pakistan, particularly in KP, have surged once again.

Today, Pakistan faces the consequences of its own policies a jihadist insurgency that even military strikes and border fortifications have failed to contain. The countrys long-standing reliance on militant groups as strategic assets has now come full circle, leaving Islamabad struggling to manage the very forces it once nurtured.

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Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi persuaded Russian leader Vladimir Putin to not attack Ukraine with nuclear weapons read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi persuaded Russian leader Vladimir Putin to not use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine, according to Polands Deputy Foreign Minister Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski.

In an interview with CNN-News 18, Bartoszewski said that Poland was grateful for Indias involvement in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

We had a great visit of PM Modi to Warsaw. PM Modi did persuade Putin not to use nuclear tactical weapons. We want permanent peace. We want stable and sustainable peace in Ukraine," said Bartoszewski.

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This is not the first time that Western officials have mentioned Modis role in convincing Putin to not use nuclear weapons in the war.

In March 2024, US officials told CNN that the Joe Biden administration at the time enlisted help from China and India to discourage Putin from launching nuclear attacks. Officials said that the outreach by Modi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping helped avert a crisis.

I think we believe showing the international community the concern about this, particularly the concern from key countries for Russia and the Global South, was also a helpful, persuasive factor and showed them what the cost of all this could be, an official told CNN at the time.

Since launching the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin and his senior officials have threatened to use nuclear weapons on Ukraine and the West numerous times. Putin has also revised Russias nuclear doctrine that allows a nuclear attack to be launched in response to even a conventional attack. Under the revised doctrine, a conventional attack aided by a nuclear-armed state would be treated as a joint attack which would make it eligible for retaliation by nuclear weapons.
During a joint press conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and New Zealand will work together to counter, terrorist and extremist activities read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he and his counterpart from New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, share the same opinion on terrorism. The remarks from the Prime Minister came during a joint press conference with the Kiwi premier on Monday. Luxon met PM Modi at Hyderabad House to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

The meeting was held after India and New Zealand agreed to resume talks on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which has remained paused for a decade. Luxon is on an official visit to India, where he will be attending the 2025 Raisina Dialogue as the chief guest. He is the first non-European leader to be the chief guest of the summit, which is conducted by the ORF every year.

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Addressing the press meet with PM @chrisluxonmp of New Zealand. https://t.co/I3tR0rHpeI  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2025

During the joint press statement with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon, PM Modi said: We (India & New Zealand) have the same opinion on terrorism. Whether it is the terror attack on Christ Church on March 15, 2019, or Mumbai 26/11, terrorism is unacceptable in every manner. Strict action is necessary against terror perpetrators. We will work together against terrorist, separatist and extremist elements.

We have shared our concern regarding anti-India activities in New Zealand. We are sure we will keep getting the New Zealand governments assistance against these illegal activities, he added. During the bilateral and delegation-level talks, both leaders focused on a range of issues, including economic cooperation, trade expansion, and regional security.

From trade to illegal immigration, Modi and Luxon discuss wide-ranging issues

During the presser, the Prime Minister highlighted that Luxon celebrated Holi in India and expressed his delight in him being the chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue. I welcome PM Luxon and his cabinet to India PM Luxon is connected to India. We saw how he celebrated Holi recently We are happy that a young leader like him is our chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue 2025, he said.

PM Modi also mentioned that work will be done by both Indian and New Zealand to formulate an agreement which will deal with the issue of illegal migration. The Indian premier mentioned that both he and Luxon agreed to bolster the security of the Indo-Pacific region as well.

We both support a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism. We welcome New Zealand to join the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, he said.

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Before the joint press conference, PM Modi and Luxon witnessed the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between India and New Zealand. He will now visit Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Droupadi Murmu.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are good friends who are committed to tackle the threat of Islamist terrorism, said Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence read more

US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit last month helped set the joint vision for the future of India-US relationship.

Gabbard is on a visit to India to attend a series of security-related meetings and hold talks with senior Indian leaders. She attended a meeting of intelligence chiefs of several countries, including India, the United States, Australia, and Germany, on Sunday, and held talks with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. She is also scheduled to attend Raisina Dialogue on Tuesday.

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In an interview with ANI, Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) highlighted the shared challenge from Islamist terrorism and said that US President Donald Trump is committed against it.

Gabbard also spoke about her Hindu faith, the scope of the India-US ties, and the challenge from China.

I see nothing but opportunity in India-US relationship

Speaking about the rapport between Trump and Modi, Gabbard said that the two leaders are good friends and their meeting last month was a very great opportunity for them to share their joint vision for the US-India partnership and the opportunity for us to continue to strengthen that partnership.

Last month, Modi visited the United States to hold talks with Trump and senior US officials, including Gabbard. He was among the first leaders to meet Trump in his second term.

Gabbard further said, The meetings that Ive had here with different Indian government officials and intelligence officials really is set on that foundation of how we can continue to integrate, how we can continue to strengthen our relationship, not only of course in my area of intelligence, but were looking at commerce and trade and defense and education. Theres nothing but opportunity that I see here in the US-India partnership.

On the question of China, Gabbard said that Trump and Modi are very practical and pragmatic and are looking to strike that balance that will allow us to prevent any conflict.

The goal we all share is to achieve peace and ensure stability, said Gabbard.

Gabbard on Islamist terrorism

In response to a question on Pakistan-based terrorism, Gabbard said that Trump has been very clear about his commitment to defeating this threat of Islamist terrorism that has plagued us from his first term (2017-21). She called India, Bangladesh, Syria, and Israel as being victims of Islamist terrorism.

This is a threat that PM Modi also takes seriously and one where leaders of our two countries will work together to identify and defeat that threat, said Gabbard.

Regarding her faith, Gabbard said, Whether serving in war zones in different parts of the world or the challenges that we face now, it is (Lord) Krishnas teachings to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita that I turn to in the best of times and the worst of times

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Gabbard was the first Hindu member of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Congress.

While Gabbard appreciated the relationship between the Modi and Trump administrations, sources told ANI that Defence Minister Singh raised the issue of anti-India activities by Khalistani organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in the United States.
In the Raisina Dialogue 2025, there are 125 sessions planned over the three days from March 17-19, and from 35 countries in inaugural edition, this time 131 countries are being represented at the conclave. read more

Calling the Raisina Dialogue a crossroads for open and multi-dimensional discussions, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday that the forum has, over the years, influenced global discourse on issues ranging from regional conflicts to environmental crises.

Speaking at a session-themed Kalchakra (wheel of time), Misri described a world where economic nationalism and globalisation coexist in a constant push and pull.

He also invoked the metaphor of the arc of history to emphasise his point.

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Because, we often talk of the arc of history bending in this direction and thatand therefore, it was particularly instructive to see this mentioned recently, which is that the arc of history that bends in a ceratin direction, can also snap back without warning, Misri said.

And, this is the point where we remember kalchakra, and therefore, perhaps, one thing that I would leave all of you withwhat we perhaps need to shed the arrogance of certainty, as we meet to discuss the state of our people, state of our planet, and prospects of peace on this one world that we inhabit, he said.

The foreign secretary said the Raisina Dialogues first edition started in 2016 and now in its tenth edition, the scale of the event and its participants both have grown.

In the Raisina Dialogue 2025, there are 125 sessions planned over the three days from March 17-19, and from 35 countries in inaugural edition, this time 131 countries are being represented at the conclave.

Over the years, the content and quality at the Raisina Dialogue have not only kept pace with the international churn, they have also in the process shaped the evolving discourse on the key issues of our times, Misri said.

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Be it regional conflicts, socio-cultural realignments, trade and technology disruptions, supply chain resilience, or environmental crises, sustainability and growth and development, the foreign secretary said.

Since, international order, especially one where rules are increasingly being challenged, is often likened to a jungle, the importance of watering holes such as this, is something that would not be lost on the audience here, he added.

Raisina (Dialogue) therefore offers an apt, global public squareand a crossroads, if you will, for free flowing multi-dimensional discussions while bringing a breathtaking diversity of opinions to the table, he said.

And, the menu at the table this year is a full one, if not already overflowing, a world in which the push and pull of the forces of economic nationalism and globalisation co-exist, where there is growing scepticism towards multilateral institutions.

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And an increasing preference for more transactional approaches, where techno-optimism seems to be growing in salience by the day, where strategic lenses are shifting, where budgets are being rejigged and postures are being revaluated on a daily basis. All of this, it seems, will offer rich pickings for the deliberations at Raisina this year, he said.

Naturally, on an occasion like this, Misri said, he was tempted to invoke the weighty vocabulary of turning points, and the crossroads of history having been arrived at, but I will leave all of that to the wiser minds in the room.

Soon after his address, a panel discussion  Compete and Cooperate: Securing the Future was held.

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Participating in the panel discussion, Jonathan Powell, National Security Adviser, United Kingdom, said, geopolitics is back with a vengeance, and we have to deal with all the time. In Europe, certainly, we have a problem of invasion of one of countries by another country which we have been trying to wrestle within three years. We now have an opportunity with (US) President (Donald) Trump proposing a peace process, the first person, who has been able to make this happen. We have the Ukrainian government which is willing to enter immediately, a ceasefire, with no condition. And, now we are waiting to see if Russia will join as well, the British NSA said.

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Powell said there is a glimmer of hope.

And President Trump is making efforts in trying to make peace in Ukraine, and Ukrainian people certainly want the war to end, as long as it can be ended on the basis of justice and lasting peace that they can live with. So, geopolitics is back, it doesnt mean there is no hope in these cases, he added.

On global connectivity projects, he said geoeconomics is instrumentally linked to geopolitics. Economic issues can cause a conflict or they can bring about success, he said.

I notice that in a podcast interview, Prime Minister Modi talks about optimism in relationship with China now that will partly be based on economics in what India and China can do together, but it will also depend on politics. So, if you can turn the economics, if you can turn these links into something positive, you can change through geopolitics at the same time, Powell said.

With inputs from PTI
The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group swept through the mineral-rich east of the DRC earlier this year, taking two major cities, with thousands killed and millions displaced. read more

M23 rebels sit on a truck during the escort of captured FDLR members (not pictured) to Rwanda for repatriation, at the Goma-Gisenyi Grande Barrier border crossing, March 1, 2025. Image- Reuters

Belgium and Rwanda announced the expulsion of each others diplomats, as relations deteriorated over allegations about their respective roles in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kigali said it was severing diplomatic relations and giving Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the East African country, accusing Brussels of using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda.

It comes after the European Union imposed sanctions on Monday against three of Rwandas military commanders and the head of its state mining agency, citing their support for armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Shortly after the EUs announcement, Rwanda declared it had severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing the former colonial power of consistently undermining its interests.

The sanctions and diplomatic fallout come amid escalating tensions over the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, which seized control of two major cities in the mineral-rich eastern DRC earlier this year. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions.

Belgium has been at the forefront of efforts to hold Rwanda accountable for the violence, advocating for measures such as blocking a minerals deal, suspending development aid, and withdrawing support for Rwandan peacekeepers in Mozambique.

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The three people sanctioned by the EU included special forces commander Ruki Karusisi and two army division commanders, Eugene Nkubito and Pascal Muhizi, as well as the head of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, Francis Kamanzi.

A United Nations report said last year that Kigali effectively controls the M23 and has around 4,000 troops in the country.

Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of backing the group to seize valuable minerals in the east.

Kigali stops short of admitting its direct involvement in the conflict but says its own security concerns  related to a Rwandan armed group with roots in the 1994 genocide and based in the DRC  are ignored by the West.

Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilise against Rwanda in different forums, using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilise both Rwanda and the region, the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.

All Belgian diplomats within the country will be required to leave within 48 hours, the statement added.

It said the decision reflected Rwandas commitment to safeguarding our national interests and the dignity of Rwandans.

Brussels immediately hit back against Kigalis disproportionate move and said it would also recall its ambassador.

- Peace talks -

It comes after President Paul Kagame delivered a fiery speech against Brussels over the weekend.

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One of the biggest problems we faced is that we were colonised by a small country like Belgium, which cut our country up so it can be small like it, he said Sunday.

Belgium has killed us throughout history, and keeps coming back to kill us more.

The fighting in recent weeks has raised fears of a repeat of the Second Congo War, from 1998 to 2003, which drew in numerous African countries and resulted in millions of deaths from violence, disease and starvation.

On Monday, the M23 said it was sending a delegation to Angola for peace talks with the DRC government.

The talks are scheduled to start on Tuesday in Luanda, where Angolan President Joao Lourenco has been appointed by the African Union to mediate in the conflict.

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Hezbollah issued a statement denying any role in conflicts with Syrian security forces or on Syrian soil. The group said it categorically denies any connection to the events taking place today on the Lebanese-Syrian border read more

Syrias defence ministry accused Lebanons Hezbollah organisation on Sunday of kidnapping three troops and murdering them in Lebanon, according to state media, while Hezbollah denied any participation in the battles.

A group from the Hezbollah militia kidnapped three members of the Syrian army on the Syrian-Lebanese border before taking them to Lebanese territory and eliminating them, the defence ministry said, according to SANA.

The defence ministry will take all the necessary measures after this dangerous escalation from the Hezbollah militia, it continued, noting that the incident happened near the Zeita Dam, west of Homs.

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Meanwhile, Hezbollah issued a statement denying any role in conflicts with Syrian security forces or on Syrian soil.

The group said it categorically denies any connection to the events taking place today on the Lebanese-Syrian border.

It added that it reaffirms its previous announcements that Hezbollah has no relation to any events within Syrian territory.

Lebanons state news agency NNA reported that rockets fired from Syrian territory had landed in the Lebanese village of Qasr near the border.

A number of rockets, fired from the Qusayr countryside inside Syrian territory, fell on the border town of Qasr, it said, without providing further details.

A Lebanese security source told AFP that tensions began after three Syrian general security personnel crossed into Lebanese territory at the village of Qasr, where they were shot at by local gunmen affiliated with a family involved in smuggling.

The source said the reason they entered was unknown.

After their death, the gunmen handed over their bodies to the Lebanese army which in turn handed them over to the Syrian side.

NNA also reported that the bodies of three Syrian soldiers had been handed over to Syria via the Lebanese Red Cross.

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The source said an escalation subsequently occurred by Syrian security forces, who shelled homes in Qasr.

Hezbollah was a key backer of Syrias former president Bashar al-Assad before he was toppled in a lightning offensive by Islamist-led rebels in December.

The countrys new authorities announced last month the launch of a security campaign in the border province of Homs, aimed at shutting down routes used for arms and goods smuggling.

They accused Hezbollah of launching attacks, saying it was sponsoring cross-border smuggling gangs.
On Monday, Taiwans Ministry of National Defence said that it had detected around 26 sorties from PLA aircraft. The manoeuvring from the Chinese side was detected at 6:40 am (local time) read more

Amid the brewing tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan reported median line violations by the aircraft from Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). On Monday, Taiwans Ministry of National Defence said that it had detected around 26 sorties from PLA aircraft. The manoeuvring from the Chinese side was detected at 6:40 am (local time).

The ministry stated that 20 out of the 26 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern regions. Overall, 26 sorties #PLA aircraft in various types (including J-10, KJ-500, etc.) were detected from 0640hr today. 20 out of 26 sorties crossed the median line of the #Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ, the ministry said in a statement.

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in conducting air-sea joint training along with other PLAN vessels. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.   Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan)  (@MoNDefense) March 17, 2025

In conducting air-sea joint training along with other PLAN vessels. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly, the ministry furthered. The latest Chinese development came a day after Taiwan said that it had detected one sortie of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and one official ship operating around the country on Sunday.

Similar sorties have been detected recently

Taiwan detected similar sorties by China last week, raising concerns about Beijings growing assertiveness in the region. Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification.

China has intensified its cognitive warfare efforts against Taiwan after its United Front Work Department established a dedicated misinformation unit, the Taipei Times reported. The recent activities are also happening at a time when China is conducting the National Peoples Congress and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference which is an annual assembly of the Chinese government known as the two sessions.

Earlier this week, the commander of the PLA said that the Chinese military remains on high alert and is always ready to fight at all times and able to fight at any time  to thwart any attempt at Taiwan independence. The warning from Lin Xiangyang, who heads the PLAs Eastern Theatre Command, came during a symposium in Beijing on Friday, which was marked the 20th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law.

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With inputs from agencies.
The Kremlin on Monday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump would have a phone conversation on Tuesday, according to a report read more

The Kremlin on Monday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump would have a phone conversation on Tuesday.

That is indeed the case. There is such a conversation being prepared for Tuesday, AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying, without commenting on what the two leaders would discuss.

President Trump had earlier told reporters he planned to speak with Putin on Tuesday, as he seeks the Russian presidents agreement on a proposal to end the full-scale invasion launched by Moscow in February 2022.

A lot of works been done over the weekend, Politico quoted Trump as saying aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening.

We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance, he added.

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Trumps comments came after Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow last week to negotiate directly with Putin.

Ukraine had previously consented to the Trump administrations proposal for a 30-day ceasefire during discussions in Saudi Arabia, contingent on Moscow agreeing to the same.

Although Putin has asserted his support for a ceasefire, he introduced delaying tactics and demanding conditions.

When asked what sorts of concessions may be discussed in the call with Putin, Trump said, We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants  we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke Saturday about the next steps in the Ukraine ceasefire proposal.

With inputs from agencies
The immigrants were deported after Trumps declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history read more

In this photo provided by El Salvador's presidential press office, a prison guard transfers deportees from the U.S., alleged to be Venezuelan gang members, to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador. AP

The Trump administration has moved hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador despite a federal judges temporary injunction prohibiting deportations under an 18th-century wartime proclamation targeting Venezuelan gang members, authorities said Sunday. Flights were in the air when the verdict was issued.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday temporarily halting the deportations, but attorneys informed him that two flights carrying immigrants were already in the air, one bound for El Salvador and the other for Honduras. Boasberg orally commanded that the planes be turned back, but they were not, and he did not incorporate the direction in his written order.

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In a statement issued Sunday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt replied to suspicions that the administration was violating court orders, saying, The administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory .

The term alludes to the Tren de Aragua gang, which Trump targeted in his unprecedented proclamation on Saturday.

In a court filing Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Boasbergs judgement, stated that if Boasbergs decision is not overturned, it will not utilise the Trump proclamation he blocked to deport more people.

Trumps allies were absolutely thrilled with the result.

OopsieToo late, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6 million in his countrys prisons, wrote on the social media site X above an article about Boasbergs ruling. That post was recirculated by White House communications director Steven Cheung.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who negotiated an earlier deal with Bukele to house immigrants, posted on the site: We sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.

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Steve Vladeck, a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, said that Boasbergs verbal directive to turn around the planes was not technically part of his final order but that the Trump administration clearly violated the spirit of it.

This just incentivizes future courts to be hyper specific in their orders and not give the government any wiggle room, Vladeck said.

The immigrants were deported after Trumps declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history.

The law, invoked during the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II, requires a president to declare the United States is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. It was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II.

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Venezuelas government in a statement Sunday rejected the use of Trumps declaration of the law, characterizing it as evocative of the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.

Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nations economy came undone during the past decade. Trump seized on the gang during his campaign to paint misleading pictures of communities that he contended were taken over by what were actually a handful of lawbreakers.

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The Trump administration has not identified the immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the United States. It also sent two top members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang to El Salvador who had been arrested in the United States.

Video released by El Salvadors government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes onto an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend down at the waist.

The video also showed the men being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prisons all-white uniform  knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs  and placed in cells.

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The immigrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility, the centerpiece of Bukeles push to pacify his once violence-wracked country through tough police measures and limits on basic rights

The Trump administration said the president actually signed the proclamation contending Tren de Aragua was invading the United States on Friday night but didnt announce it until Saturday afternoon. Immigration lawyers said that, late Friday, they noticed Venezuelans who otherwise couldnt be deported under immigration law being moved to Texas for deportation flights. They began to file lawsuits to halt the transfers.

Basically any Venezuelan citizen in the US may be removed on pretext of belonging to Tren de Aragua, with no chance at defense, Adam Isacson of the Washington Office for Latin America, a human rights group, warned on X.

The litigation that led to the hold on deportations was filed on behalf of five Venezuelans held in Texas who lawyers said were concerned theyd be falsely accused of being members of the gang. Once the act is invoked, they warned, Trump could simply declare anyone a Tren de Aragua member and remove them from the country.

Boasberg barred those Venezuelans deportations Saturday morning when the suit was filed, but only broadened it to all people in federal custody who could be targeted by the act after his afternoon hearing. He noted that the law has never before been used outside of a congressionally declared war and that plaintiffs may successfully argue Trump exceeded his legal authority in invoking it.

The bar on deportations stands for up to 14 days and the immigrants will remain in federal custody during that time. Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Friday to hear additional arguments in the case.

He said he had to act because the immigrants whose deportations may actually violate the U.S. Constitution deserved a chance to have their pleas heard in court.

Once theyre out of the country, Boasberg said, theres little I could do.
At a time when Ukraine has accepted a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, President Donald Trump has said he will discuss the proposal with Russian leader Vladimir Putin tomorrow 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)

US President Donald Trump has said he will discuss the Ukraine ceasefire proposal with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

The development comes at a time when Ukraine has accepted a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. Putin, however, is yet to accept the proposal.

Speaking to the media on Air Force One, Trump said that a lot of work has been done over the weekend in an apparent reference to the visit of Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, to Russia on Friday where he held talks with Putin.

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Trump said, We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.

In an apparent reference to how the question of occupied territories would be addressed, Trump said they would talk dividing up certain assets.

Trump further said, We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants.

Even as Ukraine has accepted the proposed 30-day ceasefire, Putin has persisted with his maximalist demands. In a statement last week, he said that while he accepted the idea of a temporary ceasefire, nuances of the deal needed to be discussed.

Putin went on to list his demands: Ukrainian troops in Kursk would not be allowed to withdraw, they would need to surrender; Ukraine would not receive weapons during the ceasefire; and Ukraine would neither mobilise nor train soldiers during the ceasefire. In an apparent reference to longstanding demands to ensure Ukraines neutrality, Putin further said that he wanted a such terms that lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis.

Even though Trump and his officials have urged Putin to accept the ceasefire proposal, they have not yet applied any pressure on him that they have applied on Ukraine. On the contrary, a string of Trumps actions, such as suspension of intelligence-sharing following the spat at White House, strengthened Russias hand as it affected Ukraines ability to defend against the Russian offensive in Kursk.

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Britain and France have spearheaded efforts to offer a peacekeeping plan for Ukraine after US President Donald Trump began talks to press for a peace deal with Russia. read more

In this photo taken on March 16, 2025 and provided by Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade press service, Ukrainian soldiers fire 120mm mortar towards Russian army positions near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP)

Downing Street said on Monday that it expects more than 30 countries to join a coalition to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine, though British officials acknowledged that many nations would not be willing to deploy troops on the ground.

Britain, France, and Australia have indicated their readiness to send forces to help enforce a ceasefire in Ukraine. However, they have emphasized that any peace agreement would require a military backstop from the United States to be sustainable.

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Denmark and Sweden have also expressed willingness to contribute to a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine, including the possible deployment of troops.

Military representatives from participating nations, forming what UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called a coalition of the willing, are set to meet near London on Thursday to discuss operational plans.

British officials estimate that the multinational force could include up to 30,000 troops, but military experts stress that long-term stability would depend on US air power and other forms of support.

The contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops.

Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea of soldiers from countries belonging to the NATO military alliance being stationed in Ukraine.

Asked if the peacekeeping troops would be allowed to fire back if targeted, the spokesperson said military planning meetings were taking place to go through the details.

Starmer hosted a virtual meeting on Saturday with leaders from Europe and other countries to build support for the coalition before military planners are due to meet in Britain on Thursday to discuss how a truce could be guaranteed.

Asked about Russian comments that Moscow would not accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine, Starmers spokesperson said: It is worth remembering that Russia didnt ask Ukraine when it deployed North Korean troops to the frontline last year.

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Britain and France are both continuing to push the United States for security guarantees to deter any future Russian attacks.

With inputs from agencies.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said that the 45-year-old was found on fire at around 4 am (local time) and was taken to a nearby hospital. The authorities noted that the man is currently in stable condition, and the assailant allegedly fled the scene read more

A 45-year-old man set himself on fire in the middle of Times Square in New York on Sunday. The incident took place just three months after a woman was killed in a subway car in an arson attack. Footage captured of the incident shows the shirtless man, severely burned, being rushed to the hospital by authorities to a nearby hospital.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said that the 45-year-old was found on fire at around 4 am (local time) and was taken to a nearby hospital. The authorities noted that the man is currently in stable condition, and the assailant allegedly fled the scene.

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It is unclear whether the attack was random or targeted. According to The New York Post, the man had been doused with accelerant from a Patron tequila bottle and was lit on fire. The victim then ran 100 feet west while on fire before someone jumped out of a car and doused him with a powder fire extinguisher.

Street violence remains a major issue in New York

Street violence continues to remain one of the most dominant issues ahead of New Yorks mayoral elections this year. One contender, the former state governor Andrew Cuomo, called the city out of control and vowed to add 5,000 additional officers. Meanwhile, the incumbent Mayor Eric Adams said that the issue is not the shortage of police in the city, but bail reforms signed into law by the former governor.

Statistics, on the other hand, showed that the crime rates in the city have declined significantly. Stop saying our city is in chaos and crisis! It is not, Adams said last week. The victim of the arson attack which took place three months ago was identified as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam. The man accused of lighting her on fire was the Guatemalan migrant worker Sebastian Zapeta, who was taken into custody hours after the incident and charged with murder and arson.

Police noted that the suspect in the incident did not leave the scene as Kawam burned to death and was found with a lighter in his pocket. Lighting another human being on fire and watching them burn alive reflects a level of evil that cannot be tolerated, the mayors office said in a statement.

With inputs from agencies.
The United States carried out new airstrikes on Yemen on Monday, the Houthis Al Masirah TV said, expanding the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January read more

People gather on the rubble of a house hit by a US strike in Saada, Yemen, on Sunday. Reuters File

The United States carried out new airstrikes on Yemen on Monday, the Houthis Al Masirah TV said, expanding the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Responding to the Iran-aligned Houthi movements threats to international shipping, the US launched a new wave of airstrikes on Saturday. On Monday, the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and Al Jawf governorate north of the capital Sanaa were targeted, Al Masirah said.

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At least 53 people have been killed in the attacks, the Houthi-run health ministry said on Sunday. Five children and two women were among the victims and 98 have been hurt

The Houthis, an armed movement that has taken control of the most populous parts of Yemen despite nearly a decade of Saudi-led bombing, have launched scores of attacks on ships off its coast since November 2023, disrupting global commerce.

The strikes, which one U.S. official told Reuters might continue for weeks, come as Washington ramps up sanctions pressure on Iran while trying to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.

An Emirati official last week passed on a letter from Trump proposing nuclear talks with Tehran - a proposal that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected as deception by Washington.

Iranian Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Tehran would respond to the letter after full scrutiny of it.

The Houthis say their attacks, which have forced companies to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.

The U.S. and its allies characterise them as indiscriminate and a menace to global trade.

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Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Sunday the militants would target U.S. ships in the Red Sea as long as the US continues attacks on Yemen.

Under the direction of al-Houthi, who is in his 40s, the ragtag group has become an army of tens of thousands of fighters and acquired an arsenal of armed drones and ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia and the West say the arms come from Iran. Tehran denies this.

While Iran champions the Houthis, the Houthis deny being puppets of Tehran, and experts on Yemen say they are motivated primarily by a domestic agenda.

The Houthis military spokesman, without providing evidence, said in a televised statement early on Monday that the group had launched a second attack against the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea.

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Axis of resistance

The Houthis are part of what has been called the Axis of Resistance - an anti-Israel and anti-Western alliance of regional militias that also includes the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanons Hezbollah and is backed by Iran.

Israel has severely weakened many of Irans regional allies since being attacked by Hamas gunmen in October 2023.

Israel has assassinated the top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, and the fall of another Iranian ally, Syrias Bashar al-Assad, also dealt a blow to Tehran. But the Houthis are still standing, along with pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.

In further violence in the Middle East, an Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinian men in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, medics said on Monday.

Israels military, which began its Gaza campaign after the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October, 2023, said it had conducted operations in central Gaza and Rafah against terrorists operating near their forces and trying to plant bombs.

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The bloodshed underscores the fragility of a three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US. There was no sign of progress from renewed talks on sustaining a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The Houthis said last week they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea if Israel did not lift a block on aid entering Gaza. Its fighters have also fired drones and missiles towards Israel.

Israel, which has hit multiple Houthi-linked targets in Yemen, has warned the militants to halt their strikes, saying they risked the same miserable fate as Hamas, Hezbollah and Assad. Trump has warned Iran to halt support for the Houthis.

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Apple started exporting an AirPods component from India to China and Vietnam in 2023. From April, the company will start production of Airpods at the Foxconn plant in Hyderabad for exports, according to reports from PTI and IANS.

Regarding the supply chain in India, the Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the earnings call said that manufacturing in India is for both the domestic market and the export market. Our business needs certain economies of scale for it to make sense to manufacture in the country, he added.

This expansion goes beyond AirPods. Reports indicate that Foxconn is also gearing up to manufacture Beats headphones in India, reinforcing the countrys growing role in Apples audio product ecosystem. While current production is solely for export, the possibility of local sales looms, potentially impacting domestic pricing and availability.

Apples iPhone exports from India have already hit a record high, reaching Rs 1 lakh crore in the first ten months of the current financial year (FY25). This surge underscores Indias increasing importance as a manufacturing hub for Apple, driven by government incentives and a skilled workforce.

The companys diversified production strategy reflects a broader trend of global companies seeking to mitigate supply chain risks and capitalize on Indias burgeoning manufacturing capabilities.

Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce a live-translation feature for its AirPods as part of a major software update expected later this year, alongside the launch of iOS 19.
Image: Shutterstock

India is rapidly expanding its Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to open new markets and boost exports. With over 350 FTAs in force globally, these agreements help reduce trade barriers like tariffs, making trade more efficient.

Over the past five years, India has signed FTAs with Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, and EFTA nations (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), while advancing negotiations with the UK and Oman.

However, while FTAs offer opportunities, their effectiveness depends on strategic execution, addressing trade imbalances, and navigating new regulatory challenges imposed by developed economies.

Overall, India now has 14 trade agreements covering 25 countries, including ASEAN, Japan, and South Korea. It is also negotiating deals with over 50 more countries and has six smaller trade agreements with 26 nations.

India has also joined the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which focuses on regulatory cooperation but does not include tariff cuts like traditional FTAs.

Soon, India will have FTAs with all major economies except China. However, under the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, India and China do have limited tariff concessions on about 25 percent of tariff lines.

Also Read: Southeast Asia In A Trump 2.0 World

Changes in India's FTA Strategy

India's current FTA strategy is different from the past in two key ways:

Shift in focus: Earlier, India prioritised FTAs with eastern countries like ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Now, after completing key agreements in the east, India is focusing on FTAs with Western countries such as the UK, EU, USA, Switzerland, Norway, and Canada (though talks with Canada are on hold).

Inclusion of new areas: Unlike earlier FTAs that mainly focused on trade in goods and services, agreements with developed countries now include non-trade areas like sustainable development, digital trade, intellectual property rights (IPR), labour, gender, MSMEs, government procurement, and competition.

How FTAs have performed?

From FY2019 to FY2024, India's exports to its 21 FTA partners grew by 14.48 percent, from $107.2 billion to $122.72 billion, while imports rose by 37.97 percent, from $136.2 billion to $187.92 billion. These partners include ASEAN, South Korea, Japan, UAE, Australia, Mauritius, and six SAFTA countries.

A closer look at India's FTAs with ASEAN, South Korea, and Japan shows two key trends: First, India's trade deficit with these partners has grown much faster than its overall global trade deficit. From the pre-FTA period (2007-09) to recent years (2020-22), trade deficits surged by 302.9 percent with ASEAN, 164.1 percent with South Korea, and 138.2 percent with Japan, compared to an 81.2 percent increase in India's global trade deficit. This trend continued in 2023.

Also Read- Trump's reciprocal tariff: How will India face it?

Second, India's exports to these FTA partners have grown at a slower rate than its imports. With ASEAN, exports grew by 123.9 percent while imports rose by 175.7 percent.

With Japan, exports increased by 56.4 percent, while imports jumped by 98.5 percent. With South Korea, exports grew by 89.1 percent, while imports rose by 127.3 percent.

A key reason for this trade imbalance is India's high MFN tariffs (regular import duties) compared to lower tariffs in partner countries. While FTAs reduce or remove tariffs, India's exports remain less competitive due to these high baseline tariffs.

Negotiating New subjects

New trade agreements often include rules on the environment, labour, intellectual property, digital trade, and gender, pushed by developed countries. However, these issues are not directly related to trade and need careful negotations.

For example, adopting US or EU environmental standards could raise power and food costs, affecting economic activities. Higher minimum wages may increase product prices and hurt exports. Stricter medicine regulations beyond WTO rules could make medicines expensive. Allowing UK or EU firms into government procurement could harm small Indian businesses, while Indian firms face tough access to EU and UK markets.

Tighter sustainability standards in an FTA with the UK may prevent Indian apparel from getting tariff concessions. These are new trade barriers imposed by developed countries. India should set its own rules for labor, gender, environment, and digital trade before accepting them in FTAs.

Delay in completion of India-EU BTIA

As the negotiations haltingly continue since 2007, both sides face the challenge of balancing trade liberalization with domestic economic priorities. While India

seeks greater access for its services sector, short-term work visas, and data security recognition, the EU is pressing for deep tariff reductions, strong environmental and labor commitments, and greater investment protections.

With major unresolved issues across services, investment, government procurement, IPRs, sustainability, and green taxes, the India-EU FTA remains a complex and high-stakes negotiation. The outcome will determine whether this long-awaited trade pact will open new economic opportunities or remain stalled by regulatory and market access disputes.

A political push and pragmatic approach will be necessary to bridge these gaps and ensure that the India-EU BTIA becomes a cornerstone of their strategic economic partnership.

Finally, while FTAs play a key role in India's trade policy, they account for only 15-17 percent of global trade, with most trade occurring under standard Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariffs. Experts often overestimate their impact, as many exports between FTA partners already face zero duties. For instance, only six percent of Indias exports to Singapore benefit from preferential FTA terms, while 70 percent of Indias exports to ASEAN enter duty-free under MFN rules. FTAs alone cannot drive export growthIndia must complement them with broader economic reforms, competitive manufacturing, and a strong global trade strategy.

The writer is founder, Global Trade Research Initiative.
Sat Saturday

95 /64

More sun than clouds. Highs in the mid 90s and lows in the mid 60s.
Vladimir Putin says he has 'serious questions' about the ceasefire proposal Donald Trump is pushing for in Ukraine
The city of Grand Junction was awarded a $500,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to help fund improvements at Matchett Park concurrent to the construction of a recreation center.

GOCO announced the award Friday.

The City of Grand Junction will develop outdoor facilities at its first Community Recreation Center (CRC) at Matchett Park, GOCOs announcement stated. Grand Junction is the largest city on Colorados Western slope, with a growing need for more recreational spaces, particularly in underserved areas near Clifton. The CRC will serve as a central gathering space, addressing community concerns about youth isolation and recreation access.

The amenities the grant will help fund include the Burkey Pavilion, a full-size synthetic turf field and overflow parking, according to the announcement.

The total cost of those improvements is $1.8 million, according to Grand Junction Parks and Recreation Director Ken Sherbenou.

In addition to the GOCO grant, the city has received several other grants to fund the improvements, Sherbenou said.

Sherbenou said the outdoor amenities were included as part of the citys 2022 plan for the recreation center at Matchett Park, although they are being funded separately from the sales tax increase voters approved in 2023 to build the recreation center.

I think one of the virtues of a recreation center is you have something for nearly every age and interest, and adding an outdoor facility will further that synergy, Sherbenou said.

Sherbenou said the outdoor improvements will be constructed concurrently with the ongoing recreation center construction and use some of the same contractors. The outdoor facilities are expected to be completed slightly before the center is finished, with the goal of both being ready for the centers ribbon-cutting, anticipated in mid-2026.

I really look to it as the final page in this chapter of the Matchett story in terms of facility offerings, Sherbenou said.
The Colorado House of Representatives approved a bill on Friday that would set new safety regulations and requirements for gun shows that operate in the state.

House Bill 25-1238 passed on a 34-30 vote, with eight Democrats joining Republicans in opposition.

Just as we expect other large-scale events to have security measures in place, gun shows should also take responsibility for the safety of their patrons and the surrounding community, Rep. Sean Camacho, a Denver Democrat, said during debate on the bill last week.

Camacho ran the bill with Rep. Junie Joseph, a Boulder Democrat. It is sponsored by Democratic Sens. Cathy Kipp of Fort Collins and Jessie Danielson of Wheat Ridge in the Senate.

This bill is about enforcing Colorado state law  laws that we have already passed. The intent of this is to make sure when you are going to a gun show, that it is safe for you and your family and your friends, Camacho said. Many people are already doing this. This bill is about those who are not.

A 2022 analysis found that there were 417 advertised gun shows in Colorado between 2011 and 2019.

The bill would require gun show promoters to create and submit a security plan to local law enforcement two weeks before the event that includes the anticipated vendors, estimated number of attendees, number of security personnel who will be at the show and a floor plan of the venue. Gun show promoters would also need to have liability insurance for the event.

Vendors would need to have a federal firearms license and the state firearms dealer permit created by the Legislature last year. They would need to attest that they will comply with state laws around background checks, waiting periods, high-capacity magazines and ghost guns. Various notices of those state laws would need to be displayed around the venue. Vendors would also need to keep ammunition out of easy reach to attendees to comply with a bill expected to pass into law this year about ammunition sales.

Additionally, the bill would set standards for video surveillance of the parking lot, entrances and exits in order to deter theft and record any instances of crime. The promoter would need to retain that video footage for six months.

I have veterans that have gun shows that arent going to be able to put cameras in parking lots in southeastern Colorado. Hell, they dont even have a paved parking lot in southeastern Colorado, said Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, a Trinidad Republican.

Republicans argued that the requirements in the bill would limit gun show operations in Colorado and push the vendors to sell at shows in other states.

Camacho countered that there are companies that rent portable security cameras for parking lots at an affordable price.

The bill would also prohibit minors from attending gun shows unless they are with a parent, grandparent or legal guardian. The minimum age to buy a gun in Colorado is 21.

Gun shows, in order to be able to continue selling guns, are likely going to say Were not admitting anyone 18 or younger, said Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Penrose Republican who questioned how a promoter could verify a familial relationship. It will switch from being a family-friendly event and a community-building event with food and quilts and all of the things we heard before, into just selling weaponry.

First violations of the bill would be a Class 2 misdemeanor, and subsequent violations would result in a Class 1 misdemeanor and a five-year ban from holding gun shows for promoters.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where Democrats hold a 23-12 majority.
'Vlad The Impaler' Group At Heart Of Romania's Russian Spy Case

By Simona Carlugea and Ray Furlong March 17, 2025

A lawyer from a shadowy group named after Vlad the Impaler met with the deputy Russian military attache at a Bucharest restaurant to plot the overthrow of the Romanian state, according to prosecution documents seen by RFE/RL's Romanian service.

The alleged meeting, in late January, lasted no more than 30 minutes.

The next day, the lawyer, Adrian Robertin Dinu, and another man, Slavic studies professor Marius Semeniuc, boarded a flight to Istanbul, where they transferred to their final destination -- Moscow.

Dinu and Semeniuc have since been arrested. They are part of a group of six men accused of treason on March 6.

The Russian, Colonel Yevgeny Ignatiev, was expelled from Romania for espionage on March 5, along with his boss.

The case has been somewhat overshadowed as Romania is rocked by political tensions following the move by Romanian authorities to ban politician Calin Georgescu from running in presidential elections.

The Constitutional Court had annulled the results of the previous election in November, when Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner after the first round of voting, amid accusations of Russian meddling.

RFE/RL has seen evidence that Dinu is a supporter of Georgescu, but no proof that Georgescu worked with the group. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

'A Militarized Structure'

Dinu and Semeniuc are men with esoteric interests and, apparently, bold imaginations.

Semeniuc presents himself as the leader of the Union of Subcarpathian Ruthenians of Romania, a group set up in 2000 to promote the ethnic group's culture. His Facebook profile has a Ruthenian flag and his name spelt in Cyrillic text.

Dinu claims to lead a group calling itself the Vlad The Impaler Command, named after the 15th century Transylvanian nobleman who was the inspiration for Dracula. In Romania he is often associated with being a leader who fought against rich and corrupt landowners.

Prosecutors say it claims 10,000 followers, while a group member told RFE/RL it had several thousand.

"The people under investigation have a militarized structure, with a clearly established hierarchy. Meetings between members of the group are conducted in a conspiratorial manner, including taking counter-informative measures," according to the prosecution document seen by RFE/RL.

Romanian prosecutors say that after Dinu and Semeniuc arrived in Moscow, they held a meeting with two men and handed over 5,000 euros for translation and facilitation services.

The first man, who allegedly took the payoff, was Petro Ghetsko, a Ukrainian citizen who faces a 20-year jail sentence in Ukraine for endangering national security. He also claims to lead a Ruthenian group and to be prime minister of a nonexistent "Sub-Carpathian Republic" in western Ukraine.

The second man was Igor Mashkov. Romanian prosecutors wrote: "There is a reasonable suspicion about the contact persons in Moscow that they are agents of the Russian Federation."

Romanian prosecutors say that Dinu and Semeniuc went to Moscow to present a 10-point plan to seize power. This would begin by spreading criticism online of Romania's pro-Western status quo, infiltration of state structures, and climax with a mass rally ("minimum two million people") leading to a coup.

It sounds like the work of fantasists, but Romanian prosecutors appear to be taking it seriously amid an already volatile political situation.

In an online video cited by prosecutors, Dinu said the plan was supported by the "friendly embassies" of Russia, China, and Iran.

Furthermore, on February 20, just a few weeks after the Moscow trip, members of the Vlad the Impaler group were photographed at a Russian Embassy reception in Bucharest. Three of them are among the group now charged with treason. The other man was 102-year-old retired general Radu Theodoru, a Holocaust denier and Stalin admirer who was also briefly detained but not charged.

Romanian investigators say they gathered evidence on the group via wire taps and infiltration. They say they have a recording of one suspect, Raul Lupu, saying that other group leaders are "in league with" banned presidential candidate Georgescu.

In an online video, Dinu describes Georgescu as "the elected president" and promises to appoint him to the post after seizing power.

The decision to annul the November election was condemned last month by US Vice President JD Vance, who said it was based on the "flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors."

Romanian authorities have now barred Georgescu from taking part in a new election scheduled for May.

Georgescu is a vocal critic of NATO and has opposed Romania's support for Ukraine. When the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously to maintain his ban on running for president on March 11, he posted an online video saying that "the system does not accept anyone outside of it."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied Russia has any links to Georgescu and stated that barring him from the May election would render the vote illegitimate.

The turmoil comes amid mounting evidence of malign and covert Russian activities in Europe.

Last week, three Bulgarians were found guilty by a court in London of spying for Russia. Three other Bulgarians had already pleaded guilty. The group operated across Europe, carrying out surveillance of journalists and military installations, as well as plotting murder.

Meanwhile, RFE/RL investigations have revealed efforts by Russia to appoint diplomats expelled for spying to key diplomatic positions with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

In Paris this week, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of Russian efforts to destabilize Moldova.

Lawyers for four of the men charged with treason in Romania told RFE/RL their clients were innocent.

Dinu's lawyer, Valentin Rachiteanu, said "he thought it was a joke," adding: "He never had the idea of a conspiracy, so he considers himself innocent."

Lawyers representing Semeniuc and one other defendant did not respond to our inquiries.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/romania-vlad-the-impaler- group-russia-coup-plot-treason/33348058.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.

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OIC General Secretariat Welcomes the Signing of the Border Demarcation Agreement between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

14-03-2025

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) warmly welcomed the signing of the border demarcation agreement between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan by His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and His Excellency Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek.

His Excellency the Secretary-General of the OIC, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, congratulated the two countries on this historic achievement that turns the page on decades of disputes between them, restores understanding and harmony, strengthens mutual trust, and gives new impetus to the relations of cooperation and good neighborliness between the two countries and their brotherly peoples.

In line with the OIC's commitment to strengthening the bonds of brotherhood and harmony among its Member States, the Secretary-General hopes that this historic achievement will serve the interests of both countries and strengthen the foundations of peace between them and in the region as a whole.

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The U.S. launches large-scale military strikes against Yemen

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

The United States has launched airstrikes against Yemen as the Arab country has pledged to attack any Israeli-linked ship passing through the Red and Arabian Seas in response to the regime's blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. conducted the airstrikes on Saturday night. Yemen's Al-Masirah TV channel said that the raids hit a residential neighborhood in the north of Sana'a.

There were no immediate reports of possible casualties.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes which he described as "decisive and powerful military action" against Yemen.

He also threatened Yemen with "lethal force" if it attacks ships in the high seas.

"We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement, whose members are called Houthis by Western officials and media, said earlier this week that it would launch attacks against any Israeli-linked ships in international waters unless the regime lifts its siege of Gaza.

Israel imposed the siege on March 2, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, in order to pressure Hamas to accept the extension of the first phase of a ceasefire deal, which ended a day earlier.

The blockade has deteriorated the humanitarian situation in Gaza, already in a dire state due to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.

Nearly two months after the Gaza war broke out, Yemen launched attacks on Israeli-linked vessels and later conducted missile and drone strikes on positions inside Israel in an effort to pressure the regime to end its conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Those Yemeni operations continued until a ceasefire came into force in Gaza on January 19 this year. Yemen has now pledged to renew its pro-Palestine operations whatever the cost is.

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Hamas condemns 'brutal' Israeli attack in northern Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Hamas has strongly condemned an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza that killed at least nine Palestinians, including two local journalists, and left several others critically injured.

The strike, which targeted a car in Beit Lahiya on Saturday, has been described by Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasim as a "brutal crime" and a blatant violation of the January 19 ceasefire agreement. The victims were charity workers, journalists, and photographers on a mission for the Al Khair charity foundation.

Qasim accused Israel of deliberately exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by targeting aid workers and blocking essential supplies through border closures.

"This attack aims to deepen the suffering of the Palestinian people and create famine," he said.

He also said that the killing of journalists was an attempt to suppress the documentation of ongoing crimes against Palestinians in the enclave. "The regime seeks to prevent the outflow of the crimes going on against the Palestinian people," Qasim added.

The January 19 ceasefire agreement, which initially halted large-scale hostilities, has faced repeated violations. The first phase of the agreement expired on March 2, with Israel pushing for an extension until mid-April. Hamas, however, insists on transitioning to the second phase, which aims to establish a permanent end to the conflict.

The latest attack, one of the deadliest since the ceasefire took effect, underscores the fragility of the agreement and raises concerns about the potential for renewed fighting in Gaza.

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Nine Palestinians, including two journalists, killed in Israeli strike in northern Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

At least nine Palestinians, including two local journalists, have been killed in an Israeli strike in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza.

Several people were also critically injured in the strike, which targeted a car on Saturday.

The victims were charity workers, journalists, and photographers on a mission for the Al Khair charity foundation.

The attack marks another Israeli violation of a January 19 ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

The first phase of the agreement expired on March 2. While the Israeli regime is pressing for an extension of this phase until mid-April, Hamas insists on moving to the second phase of the ceasefire, which should lead to a permanent end to the war.

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Speaker Berri: Lebanon will not give up its land and soil

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri says the country will not relinquish even an inch of its land under any circumstances.

"Lebanon will not accept, under any circumstances and regardless of the extent of pressure, to give up any inch or iota of its land or soil, or any of its sovereign rights," Lebanon's national news agency quoted Berri as saying on Friday.

He made the comments in Beirut in a meeting with a delegation from the newly elected administrative body of the Association For Specialization And Scientific Guidance, according to the news agency.

"Lebanon will resort to all available means to protect and preserve these rights and liberate the remaining lands under Israeli occupation," said the speaker.

Protecting Lebanon requires safeguarding its southern regions, he further said, calling on all Lebanese citizens to foster unity and avoid issues that lead to discord.

"If we stand united, we can overcome any challenge that Lebanon may face," the speaker said, adding that unity has helped Lebanon to emerge victorious, while division has put the country in dangers that "have threatened its very existence."

Lebanon reached a ceasefire deal with Israel, which took effect on November 27 and obliged Israel to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon in 60 days. The deal brought an end to 14 months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.

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League welcomes agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan

League of Arab States

Date: 15/03/2025



The League of Arab States welcomed the announcement of a peace agreement between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, viewing it as a pivotal and essential step towards ending the longstanding conflict between the two nations and fostering sustainable peace in the Caucasus region.

The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States reaffirmed its full support for this agreement, which sets the dynamic for resolving disputes through peaceful means. A senior official within the General Secretariat expressed hope for the swift conclusion of a final, comprehensive peace agreement that addresses all outstanding issues between the two sides, underscoring that diplomatic dialogue remains the only viable path to resolving this protracted conflict.



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Resistance groups rage against US aggression on Yemen, Washington's bid to protect Israel

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 10:49 PM

Various resistance movements have unanimously delivered a strong condemnation of the United States and the UK's ongoing aggression against Yemen, which began with intensified deadly force earlier amid Washington's efforts to protect the Israeli regime in the face of Sana'a's pro-Palestinian operations.

The groups made the remarks in separate statements on Saturday shortly after American and British warplanes launched extensive airstrikes against the country, killing 18 civilians.

The Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said it denounced the aggression as a "blatant violation of international law" and an attack on Yemen's sovereignty and stability.

It expressed full solidarity with the Yemeni people and lauded Yemen's support for the Palestinian cause of liberation from Israeli occupation and aggression, especially throughout the regime's 15-month-plus war of genocide against Gaza.

The group was pointing to the Yemeni Armed Forces' beginning to state numerous pro-Palestinian strikes against strategic and sensitive Israeli sites in October 2023 after the regime launched the heavily-US-backed war.

The Saturday aggression came after Sana'a resumed a pro-Palestinian ban on Israeli ships from crossing key waterways, when Tel Aviv refused to open Gaza's crossings to direly-needed aid supplies.

The Islamic Jihad, another Gaza-headquartered resistance movement, condemned the American aggression, identifying it as "a shameless endorsement of Israeli occupation's crimes against the Palestinian people and the [West Asia] region."

It highlighted Yemen's honorable stance in supporting Gaza and the Palestinian resistance, saluting the Yemeni leadership and populace for their steadfastness against colonial assaults.

The Popular Resistance Committees, which gathers a number of resistance groups, also blasted the US-UK bloodletting as aligning with and defending the Zionist entity.

It emphasized that such atrocities were a reaction to Yemen's courageous support for the Palestinian people against Israeli genocide and blockade, commending the Yemeni people's resilience and predicted that victory would side with Yemen due to its unwavering stance.

Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iraqi resistance group, said by waging the aggression, the United States had once again proven that it was the official sponsor of crime in the region and the world.

It termed the attacks as "blatant support for the brutal Zionist entity" that was "clear evidence of the failure of the American administration to break Yemen's courageous stance in support of steadfast Gaza."

The atrocities were being committed by the Axis of Evil against peaceful nations, the group noted, referring to some Western states and their allies.

Such barbarity is "aimed at imposing the axis' hegemony and destabilizing security and stability in the region," Kata'ib Hezbollah remarked.

ed into the early hours of Sunday, came after the Yemeni Armed Forces threatened to resume their retaliatory operations against the Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea over the Tel Aviv regime's blockade on Gaza.

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Trump orders airstrikes on Sana'a to shield Israel from Yemen's fury

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 8:24 PM

American and British warplanes savagely attack Yemen, killing as many as 18 civilians after the US president vows using "overwhelming lethal force" against the already impoverished Arab Peninsula nation that had recently resumed a ban on Israeli ships from crossing key maritime regions.

Citing an initial toll, Yemen's health ministry said "nine civilians were killed and nine others wounded, most of whom are in critical condition" during the assaults against the country's capital Sana'a on Saturday, identifying the targets as purely "civilian sites."

The Yemeni ministry condemned targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructures, describing it as a "full-fledged war crime and a blatant violation of international laws and conventions."

Later, Yemen's Ansarullah popular resistance movement revised the figure to 13 fatalities and nine injuries.

'Horrific massacre'

According to the country's official Saba news agency, American-British aggression also hit the Sa'ada Province in Yemen's extreme northwest, with a local source clarifying that the airstrikes targeted the northern part of the provincial capital.

Follow-up coverage of the developments in the province also revealed, what resistance media outlets termed as, a "horrific massacre" against the Qahza area, which resulted in the deaths of four children and a woman and the injury of more than 10 others.

Yemeni sources later said the aggression had continued with three airstrikes targeting the al-Sibaa area in Sahar District that hit Bedouin civilians and caused the death of hundreds of livestock in the provincial capital.

Elsewhere in Yemen, American and British aircraft reportedly attacked the Dhamar Province to the south of the Sana'a Province, hitting Dhamar's provincial capital and Anas District.

According to Saba, the raids dragged on through Sunday, with the hostile aircraft blitzing al-Bayda and Hajjah, two western Yemeni provinces.

In the former province, the warplanes struck the Makiras and Qurayshiya Districts, while US-British aggression also hit the Mubin District in Hajjah.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had announced on X, former Twitter that he had ordered the United States military to launch "decisive and powerful military action" against, what he described as, Yemen's Ansarullah, although the Saturday American attacks just targeted Yemeni civilians.

"We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," he added.

At the discretion of Ansarullah's leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, Yemen's Armed Forces began striking strategic and sensitive Israeli sites in October 2023 after the Israeli regime launched a heavily-US-backed genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and heavily stepped up its restrictions on the entry of direly-needed food, medicine, and other key supplies into the coastal sliver.

The strikes as well as other operations by the forces targeting Israeli ships and vessels taking military and commercial supplies to the occupied Palestinian territories, delivered a significant blow to the regime's economy.

The Yemeni troops stopped the operations after implementation of a ceasefire agreement between Tel Aviv and the Gaza-based resistance movement Hamas in January.

The regime, however, has routinely violated the deal to deadly effects for Gazans. It has also choked up the flow of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory as a means of trying to force Hamas into handing over those of the regime's captives that remain in Gaza.

Al-Houthi recently gave the Israeli regime a four-day deadline to open the crossings and let in aid.

Yemen's Armed Forces resumed enforcing the country's ban on Israeli vessels crossing the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden after Tel Aviv stopped short of heeding the deadline.

The Israeli regime, the US, and the UK have, meanwhile, been responding to the Yemeni anti-Israeli operations by taking Yemen's civilian and defensive structures under heavy deadly attacks, prompting the Yemeni forces to retaliate by targeting US Navy assets off the country's waters.

Adding to his post on X, though, Trump just mentioned the American vessels, saying Yemen's attacks on them "will not be tolerated." He also accused Yemen of "choking off shipping in one of the most important waterways of the world."

Sana'a, though, has only been targeting Israeli and Israeli-affiliated vessels, besides the American ships that it has struck in reprisal for Washington's atrocities.

"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump added, still not making any mention of the Israeli regime and the vessels affiliated to it.

Observers, nevertheless, argue that the American aggression is aimed at trying to stop Yemen's operations against Israeli targets, including Israeli ships, and Israeli-linked vessels. They describe the aggression as an attempt on the part of Washington to render Sana'a's defenses incapable of taking on the regime in response to its bloodshed and destruction in Gaza.

Reporting on the American assaults, US website Axios cited an American official as saying that the aggression was not an isolated incident, but the beginning of continuous attacks against Yemen that would last for days or weeks.

Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare attack plans on Yemen weeks ago, the official added, saying he approved the attack plan on Friday afternoon and issued the final execution order on Saturday.

The source reminded that the US ordered the attacks after reinstating Washington's designation of Ansarullah as a "terrorist organization" -- a move that came in response to Yemen's anti-Israeli strikes.

The remarks suggested that the re-designation had been made to pave the way for Trump's order.

According to the official, the United States had informed only a very small number of its allies about the pending attack in advance.

The allies that had alleged concerns and senior members of the US Congress were only informed of the attack after it had already begun, the source noted.

Undeterred Yemen warns about 'stronger, more severe situation'

Reacting to Saturday's carnage, Ansarullah's Supreme Political Council said targeting of civilians proved the US's weakness, while asserting "this will not deter us from supporting Gaza, instead escalating the situation to something even stronger and more severe."

"We reassure the steadfast Yemeni people and affirm that the aggressors will be punished in a professional and painful manner," it underlined in a statement.

The council said the response would make the US and the Israeli regime fail and beat a retreat in disgrace and defeat just as they did during al-Aqsa Storm.

The body was referring to a historic operation by Gaza's resistance movements on October 7, 2023, during which resistance fighters made their way into sensitive Israeli bases inside the occupied territories and ensnared 240 Zionists.

At the same time, the council called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in the face of US-Israeli recklessness, that it said "will have consequences for all."

Concerning the consequences, the statement said the US airstrikes on Yemen marked a return to the militarization of the Red Sea and posed a real threat to international navigation in the region.

It finally reasserted Sana'a's ongoing commitment to supporting Palestinians, pledging that the country's anti-Israeli strikes would continue until Tel Aviv lifted its siege on Gaza and allowed in humanitarian supplies.

Ansarullah's Political Bureau also said in a statement that the atrocity "is a treacherous and sinful aggression," reiterating that "targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a full-fledged war crime."

It chimed in with condemnations from various other parties regarding the US's efforts at protecting the Israeli regime from the repercussions of the latter's bloodletting against Palestinians and other peoples across the West Asia region.

Such massacre against Yemeni civilians is "further evidence of American terrorism against the peoples and countries opposed to it," and "confirms that America was and still is fighting on behalf of the Zionist entity," the statement read.

It, however, asserted that the aggression "will not deter Yemen from continuing to support Palestine and fulfilling its duties in supporting Gaza."

The bureau finally pledged that the aggression would not pass without a response, adding that the Yemeni Armed Forces were fully prepared to "confront escalation with escalation."

Mohammad al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Political Bureau, also lambasted the American and British attacks as unjustified, and asserted that Sana'a would respond to the escalation by intensifying its operations.

'Trump lying about Yemen threat to global navigation'

Ansarallah spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam called the attacks open aggression against an independent state that served as encouragement for the Israeli regime to persist in its unjust siege on Gaza.

He also roundly rejected the claims made by the American president about an alleged threat to international navigation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait as "false and misleading to global public opinion."

"The maritime siege announced by Yemen in support of Gaza exclusively targets Israeli shipping," ensuring that humanitarian aid reached the people of Gaza as per the ceasefire agreement, Abdul Salam clarified. He also reminded that Sana'a resumed its ban after giving the regime a days-long deadline.

"We affirm that international navigation in the Red Sea remains safe from the Yemeni side, and that the American airstrikes are an attempt to remilitarize the Red Sea, which in reality poses the true threat to international navigation in the region."

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Israeli aid block costing Gaza children their lives: UNICEF

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 7:19 PM

UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, warns that Israel's blockade on the entry of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip is costing Palestinian children their lives.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned Saturday that the escalation in child malnutrition in Gaza is "shocking, especially when desperately needed assistance has been at the ready just a few miles away."

UNICEF, she said, is "being hampered by unnecessary restrictions, and those are costing children their lives."

According to Russell, "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire continues to provide the only chance to save children's lives and end their suffering."

UNICEF has warned that malnutrition was spreading rapidly across Gaza due to restricted aid.

In northern Gaza, it said, one in three children under two years of age suffers from acute malnutrition.

The UN agency said at least 23 children have lost their lives from malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas allowed a surge of aid into Gaza after more than 15 months of full blockade on the Gaza Strip.

But immediately after the first phase of a truce deal expired on March 1, the Tel Aviv regime cut off humanitarian supplies to the coastal territory, using aid as a bargaining chip.

Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, but Hamas insisted on a transition to the second phase, which should lead to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a complete halt to its military campaign in the besieged territory.

The Palestinian resistance group said Saturday that it will only release an American-Israeli captive only if the regime implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an "exceptional deal" aimed at getting the truce back on track.

It said long-delayed talks over the second phase would need to begin on the day of the release of the captive and last no longer than 50 days.

Israel also would need to stop barring the entry of humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along Gaza's border with Egypt, Hamas said.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas released 33 Israeli captives in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

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.

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Palestine demands intl. action to stop Israeli demolitions in West Bank camps

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 2:19 PM

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has denounced the widespread home demolitions by Israeli military forces in the three refugee camps in the northern West Bank, calling for international action to stop the policy.

In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry condemned the crime of forced displacement, which has driven more than 40,000 Palestinian citizens from their homes, especially during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

It emphasized that such crimes fall within the framework of the occupying Tel Aviv regime's plans to consolidate its control over and annex the West Bank, including East al-Quds.

The Palestinian foreign ministry noted that it will continue to monitor the suffering of Palestinians, and shed light on their plight through global bodies, fact-finding and investigation committees, special rapporteurs, assistants to the secretary-general of the United Nations, and all international parties.

It called for genuine and serious international intervention to compel Israel to halt its aggression and submit to the international will for peace, stressing that a negotiated political solution is the key to resolving the conflict, and that military solutions only exacerbate and deteriorate the situation.

Earlier this month, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees warned that Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps in the northern side of the West Bank have been nearly emptied of their residents as the Israeli military is escalating its attacks on the occupied territory, expelling tens of thousands of people from their homes.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said in a statement on March 7 that "With widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, including homes, [in the camps], people now face the prospect of having nowhere to return to."

"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.

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.

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Israeli airstrike kills 9 Palestinians in northern Gaza

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 1:44 PM

An Israeli airstrike on the northern Gaza Strip has killed at least nine Palestinians, including three local journalists, medics say.

The airstrike hit a car in the northern town of Beit Lahiya on Saturday.

According to the medics, several people were critically wounded, with casualties inside and outside the vehicle.

"Nine martyrs have been transferred (to hospital), including several journalists and a number of workers from the Al-Khair Charitable Organisation, as a result of the occupation targeting a vehicle with a drone in the town of Beit Lahia, coinciding with artillery shelling on the same area," civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told AFP.

Witnesses and fellow journalists said the people in the car were on a mission for the charity organization in the town. They were accompanied by journalists and photographers when the strike hit them.

The incident came as Hamas' exiled leader Khalil Al-Hayya holds Gaza ceasefire talks with mediators in Egypt's capital, Cairo.

The January 19 ceasefire agreement has been repeatedly violated by Israeli forces. According to Palestinian health officials, dozens of people have been killed by Israeli fire despite the truce.

Beit Lahiya massacre blatant violation of truce deal: Hamas

Hamas said that the Israeli regime's "horrific massacre" in Beit Lahiya is a "continuation of the occupation's war crimes against our people."

It said in a statement that the airstrike on the northern town was "a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement."

"This criminal escalation, including the deliberate killings and brutal bombardments across Gaza, reaffirms the occupation's intent to backtrack on the ceasefire agreement."

According to Hamas, Israel's military forces have killed over 150 civilians since the ceasefire took effect on January 19.

Hamas called on the mediators "to act swiftly and pressure war criminal Netanyahu... to adhere to what was agreed upon and proceed with the implementation of the ceasefire phases and the prisoner exchange."

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Lebanon will not surrender an iota of its soil, says Parliament Speaker Berri

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 11:00 AM

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has censured the Israeli prime minister's latest remarks that the regime forces will remain stationed at five sites in southern Lebanon, stressing that his country will not give up any inch of its land "under no circumstances."

"Lebanon will resort to all possible means to protect its sovereign rights and liberate the land from Israeli occupation," Berri said on Friday.

He added that preserving Lebanon and the south is a comprehensive national responsibility and must be a point of unity.

"If we are united, we can overcome any challenge," the senior Lebanese legislator said.

The comments came a day after Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "will not give up" the five hills it occupies in southern Lebanon.

Netanyahu, on multiple occasions, has reaffirmed Tel Aviv's intention to maintain a presence at locations in south Lebanon, citing the need to secure the northern border of the Israeli-occupied territories.

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.

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RFA operations may cease following federal grants termination

Executive order aims to eliminate the parent agency of VOA, RFA, RFE/RL and other US government-funded news outlets.

By RFA Staff 2025.03.15 -- The federal grants that fund Radio Free Asia and partner networks were terminated Saturday morning, according to a grant termination notice received by RFA.

An executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump late Friday calls for the reduction of non-statutory components of the United States Agency for Global Media, or USAGM, the federal agency that funds RFA and several other independent global news organizations.

The U.S. Congress appropriates funds to USAGM, which disburses the monies to the grantee news outlets.

The brief order calls for the elimination "to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law" of USAGM and six other unrelated government entities that work on museums, homelessness, minority business development and more. While the order addresses "non-statutory components" of USAGM, RFA is statutorily established, meaning it was congressionally established by a statute in the International Broadcasting Act .

But a letter sent to the president of RFA Saturday and signed by USAGM special adviser Kari Lake, whose title is listed as "Senior Advisor to the Acting CEO with Authorities Delegated by Acting CEO," notes that the agency's federal grant has been terminated and that RFA is obliged to "promptly refund any unobligated funds." It says that an appeal can be made within 30 days.

It was not immediately clear how and when operations would cease, but RFA is solely funded through federal grants.

In a statement issued Saturday, RFA President Bay Fang said the outlet planned to challenge the order.

"The termination of RFA's grant is a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space," the statement says. "Today's notice not only disenfranchises the nearly 60 million people who turn to RFA's reporting on a weekly basis to learn the truth, but it also benefits America's adversaries at our own expense."

An editorially independent news outlet funded through an act of Congress, RFA began its first Mandarin language broadcasts in 1996, expanding in subsequent years to a total of nine language services: Cantonese, Uyghur, Tibetan, Korean, Khmer, Vietnamese, Burmese and Lao.

RFA news programming is disseminated through radio, television, social media and the web in countries that have little to no free press, often providing the only source of uncensored, non-propaganda news. Because RFA covers closed-off countries and regions like North Korea, Tibet and Xinjiang, its English-language translations remain the primary source of information from many of these areas.

Its parent agency, USAGM, oversees broadcasters that work in more than 60 languages and reach an audience of hundreds of millions. These include Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which reported Saturday that its grants had also been terminated. Voice of America and the Office for Cuba Broadcasting, which are directly run by USAGM, put all staff on paid administrative leave Saturday.

In a post on Facebook, VOA Director Michael Abramowitz wrote: "I learned this morning that virtually the entire staff of Voice of Americamore than 1300 journalists, producers and support staffhas been placed on administrative leave today. So have I."

Committee to Protect Journalists Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna urged Congress to restore funding to USAGM, "which provides uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted."

"It is outrageous that the White House is seeking to gut the Congress-funded agency supporting independent journalism that challenges narratives of authoritarian regimes around the world," he said in a statement.

China watchers cautioned that cuts to RFA in particular could impact Washington's ability to counter Beijing.

"Radio Free Asia plays a vital role in countering China's influence by providing accurate and uncensored news to audiences facing relentless propaganda from the People's Republic of China," Rep. Ami Bera, a California Democrat, wrote in a post on X. "RFA helps advance American values amidst our ongoing Great Power Competition with China and exposes egregious human rights abuses like the Uyghur genocide and Beijing's covert activities abroad."

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul called the dismantling of RFA and its sister publications "giant gifts to China," while Human Rights Watch's Maya Wang posted that in places like Xinjiang and Tibet: "Radio Free Asia has been one of the few which can get info out. Its demise would mean that these places will become info black holes, just as the CCP wants them."

In a statement issued by USAGM Saturday evening and posted to X by Lake, the agency deemed itself "not salvageable" due to a range of alleged findings of security violations and self-dealing, though few details were provided.

"From top-to-bottom this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer  a national security risk for this nation  and irretrievably broken. While there are bright spots within the agency with personnel who are talented and dedicated public servants, this is the exception rather than the rule," the statement read.

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.

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Trump Signs Executive Order For Major Cuts To 7 Agencies, Including RFE/RL Overseer USAGM

By RFE/RL March 15, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to reduce seven federal agencies - including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other federal broadcasters.

The order, signed late on March 14, also targets agencies that deal with homelessness, labor disputes, and community development.

"Within 7 days of the date of this order, the head of each governmental entity listed [in the order] shall submit a report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget confirming full compliance with this order and explaining which components or functions of the governmental entity, if any, are statutorily required and to what extent," the order says.

Hours after the executive order was published, media reports circulated a letter from the USAGM saying the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL had been terminated.

The letter was signed by Kari Lake, who lists her title as senior adviser to the (USAGM) acting CEO with authorities delegated by acting CEO.

Lake has been nominated by Trump to take over as head of Voice of America, though her nomination must still be approved by the International Broadcasting Advisory Board.

RFE/RL President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Capus said cancelling the grant agreement would be "a massive gift to America's enemies."

"The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker," he said in a statement.

"We've benefitted from strong bipartisan support throughout RFE/RL's storied history. Without us, the nearly 50 million people in closed societies who depend on us for accurate news and information each week won't have access to the truth about America and the world," Capus added.

The USAGM is an independent US government agency that oversees the broadcasting of news and information in almost 50 languages to some 361 million people each week.

The total budget request for the USAGM for Fiscal Year 2025 was $950 million to fund all of its operations and capital investments.

This includes media outlets such as RFE/RL, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio Marti), Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) and the Open Technology Fund.

According to media reports, VOA employees were informed early on March 15 that they had been put on administrative leave with pay, though if they are asked to work, they must do so.

The situation at the other broadcasters was not immediately clear.

"It is outrageous that the White House is seeking to gut the Congress-funded agency supporting independent journalism that challenges narratives of authoritarian regimes around the world," Carlos Martinez de la Serna, program director at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement on March 15.

"We call on congressional leaders to protect this critical agency, which provides uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted."

Trump, who has taken several moves to slash government spending since taking office for a second term in January, clashed with the USAGM over editorial independence and the direction of programming during his first term.

He has reiterated those concerns again since retaking office. Supporters of the broadcasters say they are an important arm of US diplomacy.

In addition to the USAGM, the order targets Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund; and the Minority Business Development Agency.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-executive-order-cuts- agencies-rfe-rl-usagm-voa/33348998.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.

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Past makes perfect present

China Daily) 10:49, March 17, 2025

Miaoying Temple neighborhood capitalizes on its cultural cachet to lure capital's young trendsetters.

In the heart of Beijing's Xicheng district is the historical Miaoying Temple neighborhood, famous for its White Dagoba. As the biggest and the oldest Tibetan-style Buddhist dagoba in China, it is one of the capital's landmarks. A dagoba is a dome-shaped shrine containing Buddhist relics, and is closer in style to the stupas originally built in India, on which China's pagodas were later modeled. Unlike traditional Chinese-style pagodas, which are tall, thin, and multistoried with corners, dagobas tend to be rounder and squatter.

Today, the neighborhood has become a blend of old and new, where ancient hutong (alleyways) meet trendy cafes, creating a cultural hub that attracts local residents and visitors.

To document the area's down-to-earth life and changes over the years, seven retired photojournalists in Beijing have spent the last few decades shooting local scenes.

Standing for more than 700 years, the ancient building is testament to Beijing's history. Surrounding it, the labyrinth of alleyways preserve their traditional layout, and provide a glimpse into the lives of those who have called this area home for generations.

Living in a street across from the neighborhood for more than 20 years, Wang Wenyang, vice-chairman of the China Artistic Photography Society and one of the retired photojournalists, used his camera to record the lives of the people in the area.

"Amid the city's hustle and bustle, it is lovely to be able to capture the warmth of human bonds and heartwarming moments," Wang says. Covering about 37 hectares, Miaoying is one of Beijing's traditional neighborhoods that keep the ancient city's authentic flavor.

In recent years, it has undergone a thoughtful transformation. While maintaining its historical charm, it has embraced modernity, attracting a wave of young entrepreneurs and creatives. More than 20 shops now line the winding alleyways, the aroma of freshly baked baguettes blending with the scent of traditional Beijing-style stews.

The signature combination of red walls and the White Dagoba provides a picturesque backdrop for leisurely strolls, photo opportunities, and moments of quiet reflection for city dwellers.

Kang Taisen, a retired photojournalist from China Chemical Industry News, is attracted by the twists of ancient alleyways and trendy fashion, and tries to capture this flavor with his camera.

"The aroma of lamb hotpot and coffee mingles in the alleys, creating a particular scent. The original residents carrying birdcages, walking their dogs, and picking up their children from school, along with fitness influencers, fashion enthusiasts, and white-collar workers from the nearby Financial Street, form the new eclectic scene," Kang says.

Ancient houses, old grain and oil stores, trendy shops, and cafes coexist and combine with the young people coming to make social media check-ins, creating a contemporary Beijing vibe.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
USS Gravely Deploys to U.S. Northern Command Area of Responsibility

US Navy

15 March 2025

From U.S. Northern Command Public Affairs

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown for a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Northern Command Area of Responsibility (USNORTHCOM AOR), March 15. The ship will operate in U.S. and international waters.

"USS Gravely's deployment will contribute to the U.S. Northern Command southern border mission as part of the DOD's coordinated effort in response to the Presidential Executive Order. Gravely's sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States' territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command.

In support of U.S. Northern Command's mission to restore territorial integrity at the U.S. southern border, Gravely reinforces the nation's commitment to border security by enhancing maritime efforts and supporting interagency collaboration. The ship's deployment highlights the Department of Defense and Navy's dedication to national security priorities, contributing to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration.

"The deployment of Gravely marks a vital enhancement to our nation's border security framework," said Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command. "In collaboration with our interagency partners, Gravely strengthens our maritime presence and exemplifies the Navy's commitment to national security and safeguarding our territorial integrity with professionalism and resolve."

Gravely brings maritime capabilities to the USNORTHCOM AOR in response to Presidential executive orders and a national emergency declaration and clarification of the military's role in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States.

A U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) will be embarked aboard Gravely. Founded in 1982, Coast Guard LEDETs carry out a variety of maritime interdiction missions, including counter-piracy, military combat operations, alien migration interdiction, military force protection, counter terrorism, homeland security, and humanitarian response.

USNORTHCOM was named the DoD's operational lead for the employment of U.S. military forces to carry out President Trump's southern border Executive Orders. The combatant command continues to fill critical capabilities gaps in support of DHS and CBP.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina destabilisation of national institutions

Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

16 March 2025

The Australian Government is concerned by recent developments that destabilise Bosnia and Herzegovina's national institutions and inflame ethnic tensions.

Australia recognised Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 1992, shortly after its independence. We continue to strongly support Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, as well as its continued peace and multi-ethnic character.

We welcome all efforts to build and maintain stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace accord, overseen by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We call on all political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to act in the interest of all citizens, and to respect and comply with the decisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions including the Constitutional Court.

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US launches air strikes on Yemen's Houthis; raid could further tilt balance of power in Mideast: expert

Global Times

By Fan Anqi and Liang Rui Published: Mar 16, 2025 10:00 PM

US fighter jets carried out a series of air strikes across Yemen on Saturday, killing at least 31 people as of press time, after US President Donald Trump warned the Houthi group not to attack ships passing through the Red Sea, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

The raids are "the most significant military action" since US President Trump's return to power, per Al Jazeera.

The strikes signal a shift in the US' Middle East strategy toward more resolute and consistent support for Israel, experts said. This shift could further tilt the regional balance of power and potentially trigger an unexpected escalation of tensions, the experts noted.

According to Reuters, at least 31 were killed and 101 others injured in the US strikes, mostly women and children, Anees al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry said in an updated toll on Sunday.

The large-scale US military operation came after the Houthis threatened to resume raids on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea over Israel's blockade of Gaza. The US strikes were launched from the air and sea on Saturday, focusing on Houthi forces' radar, air defense, missile and drone systems, with the aim of reopening the Red Sea shipping route, reported The New York Times.

Trump posted on social media Saturday that he ordered the US military to launch "decisive and powerful military action" against the Houthi group in Yemen, the report said.

These US strikes are primarily aimed at aligning with Israel's Middle East policy, particularly regarding Palestine and Iran, to weaken the capabilities of Iran-backed groups that threaten Israel's security. Additionally, the move may also serve as an intimidation tactic toward Iran in an attempt to gain leverage in potential negotiations, Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"It indicates a shift in the US' Middle East strategy. Compared to the Biden administration, the current US government appears more resolute and consistent in its support for Israel, which could further tilt the balance of power in the region," Zhu said, noting that the US might offer more direct military support to strike against forces, including the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Lu Xiang, an expert on US studies and a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that Washington is leveraging the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which favors Israel, to reinforce its image of global hegemony.

Following the US airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, saying "this aggression will not pass without a response," and that the group is "fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation," the Houthis' political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV, per a Xinhua report.

The top Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards reacted on Sunday by saying the Houthis are independent and take their own strategic and operational decisions.

"We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they take their threats into action," Hossein Salami told state media, per Reuters.

Zhu believes that Iran is likely to exercise restraint, while the Houthis may launch limited counterattacks with relatively low threat levels. However, extreme scenarios cannot be ruled out. Such responses could trigger broader repercussions, increasing risks, or even lead to unexpected consequences.

Since the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire expired on March 2, Israel has refused to open the second phase of talks, which would require it to negotiate over a permanent end to the war, the main demand of Hamas, Reuters reported.

The US Department of State said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that continued Houthi attacks on US military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated.

Lu, on the other hand, believes that Iran will not easily yield. Although regional countries have limited power, their views on the US are increasingly aligned. If US strikes directly involve Iran, regional conflicts could escalate, the expert told the Global Times.

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Yemen says American aircraft carrier targeted in the Red Sea in revenge for U.S. aggression

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 16, 2025

The Yemeni army says it has launched missile and drone attacks against American aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea in retaliation for Washington's latest airstrikes against the Arab country.

The army issued a statement on Sunday night, which was read out by spokesperson Yahya Saree, a day after the U.S. carried out dozens of airstrikes on Yemen.

Saree said that the American aircraft carrier and its warships were targeted in the northern Red Sea with 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, and a drone in response to the "blatant aggression against our country," Yemen's Al Masirah TV reported.

He said dozens were killed and injured after the U.S. conducted 47 airstrikes against Yemen, targeting multiple locations in provinces of Sana'a, Sa'ada, Al-Bayda, Hajjah, Dhamar, Ma'rib, and Al-Jawf.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target all American warships in the Red Sea and in the Arabian Sea in retaliation to the aggression against our country," the spokesperson further said.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the "decisive and powerful military action" against Yemen on his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday night, threating the country with more attacks if it targets shipping in the high seas.

Last week, Yemen set a four-day ultimatum for Israel to lift its siege on Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory or face a ban on its vessels passing through the Red and Arabian Seas. With the deadline expiring on Tuesday, Yemen pledged to go ahead with what it called a naval blockade on Israel.

Spokesperson Saree renewed that pledge on Sunday night despite the aggression by Israel's staunch ally, the United States, which Yemen says is complicit in the regime's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza due to its military, financial, and military support for Israel.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to impose a naval blockade on the Israeli enemy and ban its ships in the declared zone of operations" until the entry of all basic needs is allowed into the Gaza Strip, he said.

Israel imposed the siege on March 2, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, in order to pressure Hamas to accept the extension of the first phase of a ceasefire deal, which ended a day earlier.

Nearly two months after the Gaza war broke out, Yemen launched attacks on Israeli-linked vessels and later conducted missile and drone strikes on positions inside Israel, including in Tel Aviv, in an effort to pressure the regime to end its conflict in the Gaza Strip. Those Yemeni operations continued until a ceasefire came into force in Gaza on January 19 this year.

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Yemen vows painful response to deadly U.S. strikes

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 16, 2025

Yemen's Army has condemned the deadly U.S. aggression against Yemen in support of Israel, pledging that the nation will punish the criminal regime in a "painful" manner.

Yemen made the announcement on Sunday, a day after the United States carried out large-scale military strikes on the Yemeni capital of Sana'a and the provinces of Sa'ada, Dhamar, Hajjah, and al-Bayda.

At least 31 people, mostly women and children, were killed in the aerial and naval attacks ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Supreme Political Council said that targeting civilians proves the U.S.'s failure in confrontation, adding that the aggression will not deter Yemenis from supporting Gaza but will instead escalate tensions.

"The punishment of the aggressors against Yemen will be carried out professionally and painfully, by the will of God," it warned.

On Saturday, the United States launched airstrikes against Yemen as the Arab country has pledged to target Israeli-linked ships passing through the Red and Arabian Seas in response to the regime's blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. conducted the airstrikes on Saturday night. Yemen's Al-Masirah TV channel said that the raids hit a residential neighborhood in the north of Sana'a.

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U.S. attack on Yemen was a 'futile attempt' to stop support for Palestine: Hezbollah

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 16, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement has condemned the overnight attack on Yemeni targets by the United States and Britain, calling it a "futile attempt" to hinder the Arab country's support for Palestine.

In a statement on Sunday, Hezbollah described the attack as a blatant act of aggression against an independent nation.

The statement further noted that the bombing of residential areas in Sana'a and other Yemeni provinces exposes the true and violent nature of the U.S. government. It also denounced the targeting of Yemen's vital civilian infrastructure.

Hezbollah emphasized that the raids represent a desperate attempt to prevent the Yemeni people from supporting Palestine, as Yemen continues to push for lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip and delivering humanitarian aid to the enclave.

Hezbollah reaffirmed that Yemen will not retreat under pressure.

The Lebanese resistance group also expressed solidarity with Yemen and called on the international community to protest the silence and inaction of international organizations.

The statement came shortly after a U.S.-British attack on Yemen, which left at least 31 people dead and more than 100 others injured.

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Iran condemns deadly U.S. aggression against Yemen

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 16, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has condemned the overnight military aggression by the United States and Britain against Yemen, describing the airstrikes as a major threat to both regional and international peace and security.

The joint strikes killed at least 31 people, most of them women and children. The attack was launched after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that "hell will rain down" on the ruling Ansarullah movement in Yemen.

Baqaei denounced the new act of aggression as a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles of international law, such as the prohibition of the use of force and the respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He called on the U.N. Security Council to take action against these violations to safeguard international peace and security.

He added that the joint U.S.-U.K. military action aligns with their ongoing support for the oppression of Palestinians, including the genocide in Gaza and suppression of Palestinians' legitimate rights.

The strikes occurred just days after the Yemeni Armed Forces announced they would resume maritime operations targeting Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea, following an ultimatum demanding Israel lift its blockade on Gaza.

Baqaei pointed out that the occupation and oppression in Palestine remain the primary source of insecurity in the West Asia region. He urged all governments, along with international and Islamic organizations, to oppose the continuation of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine.

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IRGC chief: Iran has no role in shaping Yemen's national policies

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 16, 2025

Urmia, IRNA -- Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Chief Commander Major General Hossein Salaman has squarely rejected U.S. allegations of Iranian involvement in Yemen's decision-making and national policies.

"We have always declared - and we declare again today - that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy," Major General Hossein Salami said during a speech on Sunday.

He was reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump's statement ahead of ordering a wave of airstrikes against Yemen on Saturday, in which he warned Iran against continuing to support Ansarullah. "America will hold you fully accountable, and we won't be nice about it!" Trump said in his statement.

Dismissing those remarks, Salami said the Islamic Republic always openly claims full responsibility for any action it takes. "We publicly announce responsibility for any military operation or support we provide," he added.

"In Operation True Promise and other operations, we have officially claimed responsibility for every action we have taken," Salami said, referring to airstrikes against the Israeli regime in the heat of the war on Gaza.

"There is no reason for us to carry out an action and not accept responsibility for it," he added.

Elsewhere in his speech, the IRGC commander warned that threats against the Islamic Republic have always resulted in humiliating defeats for its enemies.

"Wars have consistently brought disgraceful military defeats for Global Arrogance and the United States, yet they have still not learned their lesson," General Salami said. "We warn all enemies that we will confront any threat and will respond even more forcefully."

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Yemen: 31 dead, over 100 wounded in U.S.-Britain airstrikes

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 16, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The Yemeni government says 31 people have been killed in the latest airstrikes carried out by the United States and Britain in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, and elsewhere in the Arab nation.

In a statement early on Sunday, Yemen's Health Ministry said that the death toll had risen to 31, including women and children.

According to Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the ministry, another 101 people were also wounded in the airstrikes.

The airstrikes were conducted on Saturday night. Yemen's Al-Masirah TV channel said that the raids hit a residential neighborhood in the north of Sana'a.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes, which he described as "decisive and powerful military action" against Yemen, threatening Yemen with "lethal force" if it attacked ships in the high seas.

Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement said earlier this week that it would launch attacks against any Israeli-linked ships in international waters unless the regime lifts its siege of Gaza.

Nearly two months after the Gaza war broke out, Yemen launched attacks on Israeli-linked vessels and later conducted missile and drone strikes on positions inside Israel in an effort to pressure the regime to end its conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Those Yemeni operations continued until a ceasefire came into force in Gaza on January 19 this year. Yemen has now pledged to renew its pro-Palestine operations at any cost.

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PNP to assist Interpol in possible arrest of Duterte co-accused

Philippine News Agency

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan

March 16, 2025, 3:01 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said it would assist anew the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) if arrest warrants are issued against others accused in the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

"Although alam naman natin na maliban kay dating pangulo ay may mga kasama siya dun sa mga nakasuhan, since may mga nauna na nga itong naging pag-aresto po sa ating dating pangulo, ay more or less may template na tayo (We know that aside from the former president, other people are also being investigated, and since someone has already been arrested, we more or less already have a template)," PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in a radio interview.

"Ang ibig lang sabihin na 'yun na, kung saka-sakaling may lalabas [na arrest warrant] at hihingin muli ng Interpol ang tulong ng PNP ay nakahanda [kami] na mag-provide ng assistance at i-implement natin itong warrant na ito according sa ating umiiral na batas (This means if ever warrants are issued and the Interpol asks the PNP for help, we are ready to provide assistance and implement the warrant based on our existing laws)," she added.

The PNP does not have any information yet on possible additional arrest warrants.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte, accused of committing crimes against humanity in connection with his anti-illegal drugs campaign, was arrested at the airport upon his return from Hong Kong on March 11 through an ICC-issued arrest warrant.

The warrant was received by Interpol Manila and implemented by the PNP.

The former leader arrived in The Hague, Netherlands on March 12 and was turned over to the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen.

Fajardo reiterated that the Philippine government gave Duterte the necessary assistance, including medical services, from the time he was arrested until he was sent to The Hague.

Fajardo, meanwhile, denied information circulating on social media that several police officers have resigned in support of Duterte.

"Fake news lahat ito. Kaya nga paalala palagi natin na maging discerning po tayo, mapagmatyag tayo, huwag nating paniwalaan lahat ng mga napapanood natin at naririnig sa social media (These are all fake news, that's why we always appeal to everybody to be discerning and vigilant, and not to believe anything they see on social media," she said. (PNA)

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Ansarullah leader: US aggression against Yemen will be met with escalation

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 11:17 PM

The leader of the Ansarullah resistance movement has warned the United States that the aggression against Yemen will be met with escalation, and that the Yemeni Armed Forces will target the American aircraft carrier, and warships in the region.

Abdul Malik al-Houthi made the remarks in a speech on Sunday, a day after the US carried out large-scale military strikes on the Yemeni capital Sana'a and multiple other provinces across the country, leaving dozens of people, including women and children, killed and injured.

"We will stand against American and Israeli oppression. The American aggression is a failure and will fail, by the will of Allah, and it will not achieve its goals," al-Houthi said.

"The American aggression will not succeed in pressuring our people and our country to retreat from their stance or decision, as it is a fundamental position," he added.

"The new aggression will contribute to further developing our military capabilities, and we will confront escalation with escalation," he said.

"Our armed forces have begun responding to the American aggressionthis is our choice, our decision, and our direction, as long as the American aggression on our country continues," he noted.

On Saturday night, American and British warplanes launched 47 airstrikes on several sites in Yemen's capital, Sana'a as well as on areas in the northern province of Sa'ada, the central province of al-Bayda, and the southwestern province of Dhamar.

At least 31 people, mostly women and children, were killed in the aerial and naval attacks ordered by US President Donald Trump.

The large-scale aerial attacks, which began on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, came after the Yemeni Armed Forces threatened to resume their retaliatory operations against the Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea over the Tel Aviv regime's blockade on Gaza.

"The aircraft carrier and American warships will be targets for us, and the navigation ban will include the Americans as long as they persist in their aggression," al-Houthi said.

"We will respond to escalation with escalation, and we will strike at the American enemy by targeting its aircraft carrier, warships, and imposing a blockade on its vessels," he said.

"If the American aggression on our country continues, we will escalate further with additional measures," he stated.

"Our dear people will move broadly and comprehensively to confront American tyranny, resisting the aggression against our country and the starvation of the Palestinian people," al-Houthi said.

"We are not in an aimless position, creating problems for ourselves; we are in a faithful, moral, humanitarian, and jihadist position for the sake of Allah Almighty," he said.

He said supporting Palestine is an honorable stance that his people will never abandon, despite US attempts to pressure them into doing so.

The Ansarullah leader expressed pride in Yemen's solidarity with Palestine, calling it a cause they will never regret.

He also criticized Arab countries over their lack of serious action against the starvation of Palestinians inflicted by the Israeli regime's blockade on the Gaza Strip.

"The Americans and Israelis want their hands to be completely free to commit aggression, crimes, occupation, and whatever they wishwithout any reaction from our Ummah," he said.

"Remaining silent will not work against this equation of unchecked aggression, nor will approaches that fail to take a stance against American and Israeli aggression," he stated.

"The American goal is to subjugate the entire region to the Israeli enemy and enforce the rule of unchecked aggression, and neither of these can ever be accepted," he said.

Al-Houthi described action against the Israeli regime as an ethical responsibility on the shoulders of Muslim and non-Muslim nations.

He added that lack of action encourages the enemies to take greater steps in their aggression against the region.

"Silence and surrendering entire nations and countries is a suicidal option for the Ummahit invites Allah's wrath and empowers the enemies," he stated.

Earlier in the day, Yemen's Supreme Political Council condemned the deadly US aggression against the country in support of Israel, pledging that the nation will punish the criminal regime in a "painful" manner.

The council also noted that the airstrikes on Yemen mark a return to the militarization of the Red Sea, posing a real threat to international navigation in the region.

For more than a year, the Yemeni Armed Forces, led by Ansarullah, launched attacks against the Israeli regime and Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea, in support of their ally, Hamas, in Gaza.

Ansarullah temporarily suspended their campaign in January after a ceasefire was reached in Gaza. However, following Israel's recent blockade on aid to the Palestinian territory, the group announced it would resume the attacks.

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US calls latest Hamas' ceasefire proposal a 'non-starter' despite Israeli violations

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 9:48 PM

United States, Israel's biggest benefactor, has called the latest demands by Hamas resistance movement regarding the Gaza ceasefire "an unacceptable response."

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in an interview with CNN on Sunday said that the Palestinian group's proposal was a "non-starter".

"There's an opportunity for [Hamas], but the opportunity is closing fast," President Donald Trump's envoy added.

The remarks come as Hamas delegations are negotiating in the Qatari capital Doha.

Witkoff, who spent much of the week in the region, has insisted there would be no "second phase" of the ceasefire - just an extension of the first phase, for now.

Meanwhile, Israel's prime minister's office said in a statement that Netanyahu had instructed his negotiating team to continue indirect talks with Hamas on base of a proposal by Witkoff.

Witkoff told CNN he had offered a "bridge proposal" that would see five living captives, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas allowed a surge of aid into Gaza after more than 15 months of full blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas released 33 Israeli captives in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

But immediately after the first phase of a truce deal expired on March 1, the Tel Aviv regime cut off humanitarian supplies to the coastal territory, using aid as a bargaining chip.

Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, but Hamas insisted on a transition to the second phase, which should lead to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a complete halt to its military campaign in the besieged territory.

The Palestinian resistance group said Saturday that it will only release an American-Israeli captive only if the regime implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an "exceptional deal" aimed at getting the truce back on track.

Alexander, who was a soldier with the Israeli military, is believed to be the last living American-Israeli captive held by Hamas in Gaza.

US had never been considered an impartial mediator in talks between Israel and Palestinians. Observers say senior authorities in Washington must be held to account for their complicity in the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza and their unflinching support for the Tel Aviv regime.

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Yemen attacks USS Harry Truman in Red Sea in retaliation for deadly strikes

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 6:12 PM

The Yemeni Armed Forces have targeted US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying vessels in the Red Sea in retaliation for the latest aggression against the Arab nation.

Army spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree made the remarks in a speech on Sunday, a day after the US carried out large-scale military strikes on the Yemeni capital Sana'a and multiple other provinces across the country, leaving dozens of people, including women and children, killed and injured.

Saree said that 18 ballistic and cruise missiles along with drones were used in the retaliatory operation against the US strike group and US Navy's positions.

He further warned that the Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to continue targeting US warships in the region, vowing to continue the naval blockade on Israeli vessels until humanitarian aid reaches the Gaza Strip.

On Saturday night, American and British warplanes launched 47 airstrikes on several sites in Yemen's capital, Sana'a as well as on areas in the northern province of Sa'ada, the central province of al-Bayda, and the southwestern province of Dhamar.

At least 31 people, mostly women and children, were killed in the aerial and naval attacks ordered by US President Donald Trump.

The large-scale aerial attacks, which began on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, came after the Yemeni Armed Forces threatened to resume their retaliatory operations against the Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea over the Tel Aviv regime's blockade on Gaza.

Earlier in the day, Yemen's Supreme Political Council condemned the deadly US aggression against the country in support of Israel, pledging that the nation will punish the criminal regime in a "painful" manner.

The council also noted that the airstrikes on Yemen mark a return to the militarization of the Red Sea, posing a real threat to international navigation in the region.

For more than a year, the Yemeni Armed Forces, led by Ansarullah, launched attacks against the Israeli regime and Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea, in support of their ally, Hamas, in Gaza.

Ansarullah temporarily suspended their campaign in January after a ceasefire was reached in Gaza. However, following Israel's recent blockade on aid to the Palestinian territory, the group announced it would resume the attacks.

On Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed an "unrelenting" campaign of airstrikes against Ansarullah until they cease operations in the Red Sea.

U.S. President Donald Trump, shortly after taking office in January, issued an executive order to designate Ansarullah as a "foreign terrorist organization," accusing the group of posing a threat to regional security.

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Iran president welcomes peace treaty between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 2:21 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed the long-awaited peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, reiterating Iran's commitment to promoting regional peace and stability.

In a phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday, Pezeshkian congratulated the two neighboring countries and nations on the important event.

"Iran has always welcomed the establishment of peace, convergence and stability in the region, especially among the neighbors, while preserving the territorial integrity of countries," he said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan on Thursday agreed on the text of a peace agreement to end nearly four decades of conflict between the South Caucasus countries, with Yerevan agreeing to surrender its claim to Karabakh.

The long-disputed region of Karabakh was at the center of two costly wars between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020 and the 1990s.

The region has always been internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, whose troops retook it in a 24-hour offensive.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday hailed the announcement as "a necessary and important step" to achieve "lasting" peace in the South Caucasus region.

During the phone conversation, Pezeshkian pointed to good and progressing relations between Iran and Armenia and called on the two countries' high-ranking officials to expedite the implementation of bilateral agreements in various fields.

Pashinyan, for his part, informed Pezeshkian on the finalized draft text of the "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan" and the completion of negotiations on the agreement and hailed Iran's support for the treaty.

The Armenian prime minister said his country would strive to continue negotiations and consultations aimed at implementing the agreement and also to organize regional relations.

He expressed hope that the two countries would sign and implement the deal in the near future.

Pashinyan also commended the efforts by the Iranian government to improve mutual relations and noted that his country is keen to implement the agreements signed with Iran.

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US-UK aggression on Yemen 'desperate attempt' to stop support for Palestine: Hezbollah

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 2:01 PM

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has strongly condemned the latest US-British aggression against Yemen as a blatant violation of international law, calling it a "desperate attempt" to prevent the resilient Yemeni people from supporting Palestine.

Hezbollah made the remarks in a statement on Sunday, shortly after the US and Britain carried out airstrikes against several sites in the Yemeni capital Sana'a and elsewhere in the Arab country, leaving dozens of people, including women and children, killed and injured.

"This aggression comes as a desperate attempt to deter this proud nation from continuing its heroic support for the Palestinian people and maintaining its pressure to lift the unjust siege on Gaza to allow the entry of humanitarian and relief aid," it said.

The Lebanese resistance movement went on to say that the "targeting of civilians and vital infrastructure in Yemen once again exposes the true, ugly face of the US government."

Hezbollah further described the deadly US-British assault on Yemen as a "war crime" and a "blatant violation of International laws and norms" stressing that it aligns with the Israeli regime's aggressions against Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, that were carried out with Washington's support.

"The Yemeni nation, which has defended the Palestinian cause by sacrificing its martyrs and standing with the people of Gaza, will not retreat in the face of this aggression."

"The resilient Yemeni people, who have written heroic epics with the blood of their martyrs in support of the Palestinian cause and the besieged Gaza, will not back down in the face of this cowardly aggression," the Lebanese resistance group said.

Hezbollah further reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Yemen people, urging all freedom-loving nations of the world as well as all the resistance groups to stand united against the American-Zionist agenda.

On Saturday night, American and British warplanes launched large-scale airstrikes on several sites in Yemen's capital, Sana'a as well as on areas in the northern province of Sa'ada, the central province of al-Bayda, and the southwestern province of Dhamar.

The Yemeni health ministry said at least 31 people were killed, and 101 others were injured in the strikes.

The large-scale aerial attacks, which began on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, came after the Yemeni Armed Forces threatened to resume their retaliatory operations against the Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea over the Tel Aviv regime's blockade on Gaza.

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Israeli drone strikes kill three civilians in southern Lebanon amid ceasefire

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 11:08 AM

At least three civilians were killed when Israeli military aircraft carried out separate airstrikes targeting vehicles in southern Lebanon in a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement with the Arab country.

Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone struck a car early on Sunday as it was traveling along a road in Yater municipality of the Bint Jbeil district, killing an individual and seriously injuring another.

Lebanon's Ministry of Health confirmed the casualties, stating that the aerial attack took place at around 2 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) when an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle fired a guided missile at a four-wheel-drive BMW X5.

Hours later, another Israeli drone strike targeted a car in Mays al-Jabal municipality of the Marjayoun district, killing a civilian.

The developments came a day after an Israeli drone strike hit a vehicle in the southern border town of Burj al-Muluk, leaving an individual dead.

The Israeli military claimed in a statement that the strike had targeted a member of the Hezbollah resistance movement who was "engaged in activity" against the regime.

Israel was forced to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah after suffering 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.

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Russia urges US to halt Yemen aggression, engage in dialogue

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 11:01 AM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called for all parties to refrain from "using force" in Yemen and engage in "political dialogue."

"In response to argumentation put forward by American representatives, Sergei Lavrov stressed the need for an immediate cessation of the use of force and the importance for all sides to engage in political dialogue so as to find a solution that would prevent further bloodshed," Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.

Moscow said that Rubio informed Lavrov about Washington's decision to launch strikes against Yemen in a call that came after the two countries have relaunched dialogue since US President Donald Trump took office.

On Saturday, Trump announced on his X account that he had ordered the US military to launch "decisive and powerful military action" against Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement.

The US attacks, which began on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, have killed 31 people and wounded 101, "most of whom were children and women," spokesperson for Yemen's Ministry of Health, Anis al-Asbahi, posted on X.

Yemen has launched over 100 attacks targeting Israeli-bound ships since November 2023 in response to the Zionist regime's genocidal war on Gaza, inflicting significant damage on Israel's already strained economy and forcing the US military to engage in an expensive campaign to intercept missiles and drones, rapidly depleting US air defense stockpiles.

The recent US airstrikes came a few days after Yemen said it would resume retaliatory operations against Israeli vessels sailing off Yemen in response to the regime's latest blockade on Gaza.

Earlier this month, the Israeli regime halted all aid coming into the Gaza Strip after it abruptly rejected entering the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas as agreed before.

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.

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Yemen vows 'professional and painful' response to deadly US strikes

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 10:29 AM

Yemen's Supreme Political Council has condemned the deadly US aggression against the country in support of Israel, pledging that the nation will punish the criminal regime in a "painful" manner.

It made the announcement on Sunday, a day after the United States carried out large-scale military strikes on the Yemeni capital of Sana'a and the provinces of Sa'ada, Dhamar, Hajjah, and al-Bayda. At least 31 people, mostly women and children, were killed in the aerial and naval attacks ordered by US President Donald Trump.

The council said that targeting civilians proves the US's failure in confrontation, adding that the aggression will not deter Yemenis from supporting Gaza but will instead escalate tensions.

"The punishment of the aggressors against Yemen will be carried out professionally and painfully, by the will of God," it warned.

The council also noted that the airstrikes on Yemen mark a return to the militarization of the Red Sea, posing a real threat to international navigation in the region.

The US, along with the Zionist entity, will fail and retreat in disgrace and defeat, just as they did during their genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, it noted.

Meanwhile, the council called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in the face of the "reckless US-Israeli aggression," which will have consequences for all.

"Yemen remains committed to supporting and assisting Palestine and that naval operations will continue until the blockade on Gaza is lifted and humanitarian aid is allowed in," it said.

The aggression came a few days after the Yemeni Armed Forces resumed their maritime operation against Israeli-linked ships in the southern Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea over the Tel Aviv regime's blockade on Gaza.

In a social media post, Trump claimed that the attack was meant to "protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom."

'US air raids encourage Israel to maintain Gaza siege'

Mohammed Abdul Salam, the spokesperson for the Ansarullah resistance movement, said the US president's "false" claim misleads international public opinion.

Yemen's naval campaign, he added, is only limited to Israeli shipping until humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza.

"The US airstrikes on Yemen are a blatant aggression against an independent state and an encouragement for the Israeli enemy entity to continue its unjust siege on Gaza," Abdul Salam said.

Saudi official rejects Riyadh's complicity in US assault

Some reports said Saudi Arabia had provided the US with logistical support for the strikes on Yemen.

Speaking to al-Arabiya news channel, an unnamed Saudi official rejected the reports as "misleading," saying the kingdom did not help the US in the aggression.

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Iran roundly denounces renewed US, British aggression on Yemen

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 10:06 AM

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the latest airstrikes carried out by the US and the UK against several sites in the Yemeni capital Sana'a and elsewhere in the Arab nation, which left dozens of people, including women and children, killed and injured.

The spokesperson for the ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, in a statement released on Sunday, denounced the recent US and British airstrikes on Yemen as a blatant violation of the UN Charter and fundamental international laws, which prohibit the use of force and call for respect of territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries.

He underlined that the United Nations and the UN Security Council hold the responsibility to counter such violations that threaten international peace and security.

Baghaei went on to describe the joint US-British military aggression against the steadfast Yemeni nation as part of their constant support for the genocide of oppressed Palestinian people and suppression of any solidarity and support for the legitimate rights of Palestinians.

He highlighted that the root cause of instability in West Asia lies in the continued mass killings and occupation in the Palestinian territories, which is in progress with the full support of the US, the UK, and several other Western states and is posing an unprecedented threat to regional and global security.

The Iranian diplomat also reminded all governments as well as international and Muslim organizations of their legal and moral responsibility to counter genocide and ethnic cleansing in the occupied Palestinian lands, which are being committed through various methods, such as imposing starvation and famine on oppressed Palestinians in the holy month of Ramadan.

Bagahei finally called for immediate global action to address the crisis.

On Saturday night, American and British warplanes launched large-scale airstrikes on several sites in Yemen's capital, Sana'a as well as on areas in the northern province of Sa'ada, the central province of al-Bayda, and the southwestern province of Dhamar.

The Yemeni health ministry said at least 31 people were killed, and 101 others were injured in the strikes.

The large-scale aerial attacks, which began on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, came after the Yemeni Armed Forces threatened to resume their retaliatory operations against the Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea over the Tel Aviv regime's blockade on Gaza.

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US Launches Large-Scale Attack On Huthi Rebels, Warns Iran To End Support

By RFE/RL March 16, 2025

The US military has launched a large-scale attack against Iran-linked Huthi fighters in Yemen and warned Tehran that it must immediately cease support for US-designated terrorist group.

The March 15 attack -- conducted by warplanes from a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea -- came after President Donald Trump warned the Huthis that "hell will rain down upon you" if they do not stop their extremist actions, including attacks on shipping in the Gulf region and missile launches against Israel.

Trump also warned Iran that "America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it!" as it ratchets up pressure to force Tehran back to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.

Trump posted on his social media platform that he had "ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Huthi terrorists in Yemen."

"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, shops, aricraft, and drones."

The US president referred to the Huthi as "thugs" who are "funded by Iran."

US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and informed him of the military operation.

The strikes in Yemen appear to be the largest US military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office on January 20. Media outlets quoted US officials as saying the strike "is not a one-day event -- this is the first of many days if not weeks of strikes."

Huthi officials said at least 12 civilians were killed and another nine injured in the US attacks, but the claims could not be independently confirmed. The officials vowed revenge, without being specific.

Reuters quoted a resident, who gave his name as Abdullah Yahia, as saying that "the explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake."

Huthi rebels have launched dozens of attacks on shipping over the past 18 months, claiming they are in support of Palestinians over Israel's war in Gaza with Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.

The Huthis have also struck shipping vessels, claiming they are only targeting Israeli ships but hitting a number of others registered elsewhere. Many shipping firms have been forced to change their courses to longer and more expensive routes to avoid the violence.

The US Central Command said the action was the beginning of large-scale "operation consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Huthi targets across Yemen in order to restore freedom of navigation."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: "Huthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice."

"Freedom of Navigation will be restored," he added.

Meanwhile, Trump wrote on social media that "we will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

The Huthis on March 11 warned they would resume attacks on Israeli ships in the region, ending a period of relative calm that followed the January cease-fire agreement reached by Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The action also comes as Washington steps up pressure on Iran to reenter talks over its nuclear program.

The White House on March 9 warned Tehran that it can be dealt with either through military means or by negotiating a deal regarding 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.

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.

Huthi rebels in 2014 seized much of Yemen's northwest and its capital, Sanaa, leading to a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and created a humanitarian nightmare in the Arab world's poorest country.

Many observers described the hostilities as a "proxy war" between Saudi- and Iranian-led groups. Saudi Arabia supports the nationally recognized government that the Huthi rebels seek to overthrow.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-yemen-huthi-iran- israel-attacks-trump/33349043.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.

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Serbia's Vucic Says Government Gets 'The Message' After Biggest Protest In Decades

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service March 16, 2025

BELGRADE -- President Aleksandar Vucic acknowledged the "enormous negative energy and anger" directed at authorities as the Serbian capital witnessed its biggest public protest in decades.

With public ire fueled by allegations that official corruption played a role in a deadly train station accident in November, Vucic tried to position himself as responsive to public demands.

"We will have to change ourselves," Vucic told a news conference late on March 15.

"All people in the government have to understand the message when this many people gather. We will have to change ourselves," he said.

Authorities had estimated the crowd size at between 88,000 and 107,000. However, the Archive of Public Gatherings, an informal organization, put the number of people participating at between 275,000 and 325,000.

The outpouring of crowds was one of the largest Serbia has witnessed in decades.

Protesters skirmished with riot police at several locations in Belgrade, throwing fireworks and bottles.

Minor incidents were reported around 7 p.m. near Pioneer Park, where students had set up a camp, after which participants announced an end to the protest for the night.

A group of people later continued to light torches at the Serbian parliament building as police stood nearby. Most protesters left the area by 11 p.m.

The demonstration was the largest in a wave of student-led protests demanding Vucic's government be held accountable for a deadly cement canopy collapse at a railway station in November.

Vucic also insisted the majority of citizens do not want a "color revolution." That's a term referring to public uprisings in places like Ukraine, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan that have led to the ouster of governments. The popular protests that paved the way for the ouster of Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic in 2000 are also sometimes classified as a "color revolution" as well.

Earlier in the day on March 15, flag-waving demonstrators gathered at several locations and converged outside the parliament, in what appeared to be one of the country's biggest protests in decades.

"Look how many of us there are," one student told protesters. "Let your voice wake up Serbia."

Participants had streamed into the capital from across the country on foot, bicycles, and motorcycles ahead of the demonstration. Supporters and fellow protesters, including students from Belgrade, laid out a red carpet and cheered as people entered the city center.

Vucic also said 56 people were injured during the protest but none with life-threatening injuries.

He said 22 protesters had been arrested for crimes against property and for assaulting police officers and other people. The number could not immediately be confirmed.

The November 1 collapse of the cement canopy at the railway station in the northern town of Novi Sad has led to what may be the biggest challenge yet to Vucic's political power. Fifteen people were killed in that incident.

Student protests over the accident have evolved into a broader movement opposing what demonstrators say is the crumbling rule of law and systemic corruption under Vucic, the president since 2017 and prime minister for three years before that.

Student protesters have been demonstrating and blocking their university departments for over three months. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demonstrate in over 200 cities and towns.

Ljiljana Kovacevic, a teacher from the northern town of Vrbas, told RFE/RL that she came to Belgrade to support the students, her former pupils.

"We hope everything will go smoothly and the students will achieve their goals -- along with us," she said.

The parliament speaker announced a day before the protest that the parliament building would remain closed until March 17 for security reasons.

Government officials accused the protest organizers of planning violence and announced arrests. Students denied the authorities' claims and called for a peaceful gathering.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-vucic-railway- canopy-protest-belgrade-students/33349372.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.

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US Officials Pledge To Keep Hitting Huthi Targets In Yemen

By RFE/RL March 16, 2025

U.S. officials vowed to continue hitting Huthi targets in Yemen after launching air strikes aimed at curbing the group's attacks on maritime shipping and naval vessels in the Gulf region.

Speaking on CBS News on March 16, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also signaled that there were no imminent plans to send US troops to directly engage the Huthis, which Washington has designated a terrorist group.

"I don't think there's a necessity for it right now," he said.

"This was [also] a message to Iran  don't keep supporting [the Huthis] because you will also be responsible for what they are doing in attacking Navy ships and attacking global shipping," he said.

The March 15 overnight attack - which included fighter jets launched from a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea and missile barrages killed at least 12 civilians, Huthi authorities said, though the toll could not be independently confirmed.

"Huthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X:

The barrage followed warnings from President Donald Trump that "hell will rain down upon" the Huthis if they continue firing missiles on ships in the Gulf region, and at Israel.

"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," he wrote.

The strikes in Yemen appeared to be the largest US military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office on January 20. Media outlets quoted US officials as saying the strike "is not a one-day event -- this is the first of many days if not weeks of strikes."

Huthi rebels have launched dozens of attacks on shipping over the past 18 months, claiming they are intended to support Palestinians over Israel's war in Gaza.

Many shipping firms have been forced to change their courses to longer and more expensive routes to avoid the Gulf region.

Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, denied Tehran's involvement in Huthi operations.

"Iran will never start a war... but if anyone threatens us," he was quoted as telling state media. Iran "will give appropriate, decisive and final responses."

"I warn all enemies that we will respond to any threat, if it takes on a practical aspect, with a stubborn, decisive, and destructive response," he said.

The US president has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran since taking office in January, seeking to bring it back to negotiations aimed at curtailing its nuclear ambitions.

The White House last week sent Tehran a new proposal regarding its nuclear program but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has so far rejected the proposal.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/yemen-huthis-iran-gulf-us- attacks/33349678.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.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio with Margaret Brennan of CBS's Face the Nation

US Department of State

Interview

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

Miami, Florida

March 16, 2025

QUESTION: Let's get straight to it this morning with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who joins us from Miami, Florida. Mr. Secretary, for our audience, just to explain, this Red Sea area is a really important transit point for global shipping. The Houthis out of Yemen have been disrupting transit there for some time. President Trump cited these concerns when he announced the strikes. I'm wondering, how long will this campaign last and will it involve ground forces?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, first of all, the problem here is that this is a very important shipping lane, and in the last year and a half, last 18 months, the Houthis have struck or attacked 174 naval vessels of the United States, attacking the U.S. Navy directly 174 times, and 145 times they've attacked commercial shipping. So we basically have a band of pirates with guided precision anti-ship weaponry, and exacting a toll system in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. That's just not sustainable. We are not going to have these people controlling which ships can go through and which ones cannot. And so your question is how long will this go on. It will go on until they no longer have the capability to do that.

QUESTION: Well, what does U.S. intelligence tell us at this point? Because the U.S. had been conducting strikes for some time but has not stopped the Houthis.

SECRETARY RUBIO: No.

QUESTION: So what's going to be different right now? Do you have more fidelity in the intelligence that would make this more successful?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, those strikes were retaliation strikes. So they launched one missile, we hit the missile launcher, or we sent something to do it. This is not a message. This is not a one-off. This is an effort to deny them the ability to continue to constrict and control shipping, and it's just not going to happen. We're not going to have these guys, these people with weapons able to tell us where our ships can go - where the ships of all the world can go, by the way. It's not just the U.S. We're doing the world a favor.

QUESTION: Yeah.

SECRETARY RUBIO: We're doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping. That's the mission here, and it will continue until that's carried out. That never happened before. The Biden administration didn't do that. All the Biden administration would do is they would respond to an attack. These guys would launch one rocket; we'd hit the rocket launcher. That's it.

This is an effort to take away their ability to control global shipping in that part of the world. That's just not going to happen anymore.

QUESTION: And it could -

SECRETARY RUBIO: So this will continue until that's finished.

QUESTION: It could involve ground raids?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, I - those are military decisions to be made, but I've heard no talk of ground raids. I don't think there's a necessity for it right now. I can tell you that as of last night, some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.

Look, it's bottom line - easy way to understand it, okay? These guys are able to control what ships can go through there. They've attacked the U.S. Navy.

QUESTION: Yeah.

SECRETARY RUBIO: A hundred and seventy-four times they've attacked the United States Navy. We're not going to have people sitting around with the missiles, attacking the U.S. Navy. It's not going to happen - not under President Trump.

QUESTION: The President also referenced Iran in his statement. Iran provides some support for the Houthis, as you know. Put this in context for me, because U.S. intelligence has been suggesting for some time that Israel has the desire and intent to conduct an attack on Iran's developing nuclear program in the coming months. President Trump has extended an offer for negotiations. Have you heard anything back from Iran? Is this strike in Yemen a signal to Iran?

SECRETARY RUBIO: This strike in Yemen is about their ability - the ability of the Houthis - to strike global shipping and attack the U.S. Navy, and their willingness to do it: 174 times against the U.S. Navy; 145-some times against global shipping. That's what the strike is about. What we can't ignore, and the reason why the President mentioned Iran, is because the Iranians have supported the Houthis. They've provided them intelligence. They've provided them guidance. They've provided them weaponry. I mean, there's no way the Houthis - okay, the Houthis - would have the ability to do this kind of thing unless they had support from Iran. And so this was a message to Iran: Don't keep supporting them, because then you will also be responsible for what they are doing in attacking Navy ships and attacking global shipping.

QUESTION: They also get support from Russia, potentially, which you leveraged sanctions in regard to. But I want to ask you about tariffs because you were just in Canada this past week. China is Canada's second-biggest export market; Mexico's third. In this ongoing trade back-and-forth the U.S. is having, isn't there a risk that China will ultimately be the winner? If it's too costly to deal with the United States, won't they benefit?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, actually, China and Canada are involved in a mini trade war right now. In fact, the Chinese have imposed a bunch of tariffs, reciprocal or retaliatory tariffs, on Canada after Canada imposed tariffs on them. So here's the way everyone needs to understand this, okay? The President rightfully believes that the balance of global trade is completely off-kilter. For 30 or 40 years, we have allowed countries to treat us unfairly in global trade, much of it during the Cold War because we wanted them to be rich and prosperous because they were our allies in the Cold War. But now that has to change. You look at the European Union. The European Union's economy is about the same size as ours. It's not a low-wage economy. It's very comparable to ours in terms of its composition and so forth. Why do they have a trade surplus with us?

So what the President is saying is two things. Number one, there are critical industries - like aluminum, like steel, like semiconductors, like automobile manufacturing - that he rightfully believes, President Trump rightfully believes, the U.S. needs to have a domestic capability, and the way you protect those industries and build that capability is by ensuring that there's economic incentives to produce in the United States.

The second is global, and that is, we are going to put tariffs on countries reciprocal to what they impose on us. And so this is global - it's not against Canada, it's not against Mexico, it's not against the EU; it's everybody. And then from that new baseline of fairness and reciprocity, we will engage, potentially, in bilateral negotiations with countries around the world on new trade arrangements that make sense for both sides - fairness. But right now it's not fair. We're going to reset the baseline and then we can enter into these bilateral agreements, potentially, with countries so that our trade is fair.

What's not going to continue is - of course these countries are upset.

QUESTION: So this is all just about leverage to get bilateral, not free - not North American free trade deals -

SECRETARY RUBIO: No, it's not leverage.

QUESTION: - renegotiation.

SECRETARY RUBIO: No, no, it's not leverage. It's fairness. It's resetting baseline fairness. And then from there we can work on deals and so forth, because they'll have products we don't make, we have products they don't make. That's where trade works the best. It has to be free, but it has to be fair in that - and right now it's only free on one side and it's not fair for the other side.

QUESTION: Well, you know, sir, that -

SECRETARY RUBIO: It's an unsustainable position.

QUESTION: - the ad hoc nature of these policy announcements and pullbacks are causing concern in the marketplace, as we saw this past week. So I heard you describe what seemed like a strategy to get to negotiations on a bilateral front. You also seemed to negotiate - say this was national security-minded. But then we also see -

SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah.

QUESTION: - comments by the President of, like, 200 percent tariffs on champagne. That's not a critical industry for the United States. That seems more emotional.

SECRETARY RUBIO: No, that - I mean, that's called retaliation. That's what happens in these trade exchanges. They're going to increase tariffs on - they already have high tariffs. They're going to add more to their tariffs? Fine. Then we'll have to find something to - I mean, you tell me. I mean, Canada is going after whiskey and orange juice and, I mean -

QUESTION: In retaliation.

SECRETARY RUBIO: Right, exactly. So that sounds pretty petty to me as well. So what's the difference? The point is - I get it. I understand why these countries don't like it, because the status quo of trade is good for them. It benefits them. They like the status quo. We don't like the status quo. We are going to set a new status quo and then we can negotiate something, if they want to, that is fair for both sides. But what we have now cannot continue. We have deindustrialized this country, okay, deindustrialized the United States of America. There are things we can no longer make, and we have to be able to make in order to be safe as a country and in order to have jobs. That's why we had a Rust Belt. That's why we have suffered all these important jobs that once sustained entire communities, wiped out by trade that basically sent these factories, these jobs, this industrial capability to other places. That cannot and will not continue. I don't -

QUESTION: Yeah.

SECRETARY RUBIO: President Trump - this is no mystery; he's been talking about this since the 1980s, actually.

QUESTION: Yeah.

SECRETARY RUBIO: Even before he was a political figure. This is going to happen and it's going to happen now.

QUESTION: I want to ask you about Russia. You said Envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Vladimir Putin that happened last week would answer the fundamental question of whether we're moving towards a ceasefire or whether Putin is using a delay tactic. You spoke with Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, yesterday. Is this a delay tactic?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, I think it was a promising meeting. As I've said repeatedly, we're not going to negotiate this in the public. Hopefully we'll have something to announce at some point fairly soon. I can't guarantee that, but I certainly think the meeting was promising, the exchange was promising. I don't take away from Steve's meeting, from Ambassador Witkoff's meeting, negativity. There are some challenges. This is a complex, three-year war that's been ongoing along a very long military front with a lot of complexity to it.

So no one's claiming that it's easy, but I want everyone to understand here's the plan. Plan A is get the shooting to stop so that we can move to plan B, phase two, which is have everybody at a table, maybe not - maybe with some shuttle diplomacy, to figure out a way to permanently end this war in a way that's enduring and that respects everybody's needs and so forth. No one is saying that that second part is easy, but we can't get even to that second part until we get past the first part. It's hard to negotiate an enduring end to a war as long as they're shooting at each other, and so the President wants a ceasefire. That's what we're working on. Assuming we can get that done - that won't be easy in and of itself - we move to the second phase, which is negotiating something more enduring and permanent.

That will be hard. It will involve a lot of hard work, concessions from both sides, but it has to happen. This war cannot continue. The President has been clear about that, and he's doing everything he can to bring it to an end.

QUESTION: Okay. We'll talk about that later in the program as well with Envoy Witkoff. I want to ask you about a decision you made to revoke a student visa from someone at Columbia University this past week. The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes: "The... Administration needs to be careful... [it's] targeting real promoters of terrorism... not breaking the great promise of a green card by deporting anyone with controversial political views." Can you substantiate any form of material support for terrorism, specifically to Hamas -

SECRETARY RUBIO: Yes.

QUESTION: - from this Columbia student, or was it simply that he was espousing a controversial political point of view?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, not just the student - we're going to do more. In fact, every day now we're approving visa revocations, and, if that visa led to a green card, the green card process as well. And here's why - it's very simple. When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest, and you're coming as a student, you're coming as a tourist, or what have you. And in it, you have to make certain assertations. And if you tell us when you apply for a visa, I'm coming to the U.S. to participate in pro-Hamas events, that runs counter to the foreign policy interests of the United States of America. It's that simple. So you lied. You came - if you had told us that you were going to do that, we never would have given you the visa. Now you're here, now you do it, so you lied to us. You're out. It's that simple; it's that straightforward.

QUESTION: But is there any - but is there any evidence of a link to terrorism, or is it just his point of view?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Sure - yeah, they take over - I mean, do you not - I mean, you should watch the news. These guys take over entire buildings. They vandalize colleges; they shut down colleges.

QUESTION: We covered it intensely.

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, then you should know that this is -

QUESTION: I'm asking about the specific justification for the revocation of his visa. Was there any evidence of material support for terrorism?

SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, this specific individual was the spokesperson, was the negotiator - negotiating on behalf of people that took over a campus, that vandalized buildings. Negotiating over what? That's a crime in and of itself that they're involved in being the negotiator or the spokesperson, this, that, the other. We don't want - we don't need these people in our country. We never should have allowed them in in in the first place. If he had told us, I'm going over there and I'm going over there to become the spokesperson and one of the leaders of a movement that's going to turn one of your allegedly elite colleges upside down, people can't even go to school, the library - buildings being vandalized, we never would have let him in. We never would have let him in to begin with. And now that he's doing it and he's here, he's going to leave and so are others, and we're going to keep doing it.

We are - and by the way, I find it ironic that a lot of these people out there defending the First Amendment speech - alleged free speech rights of these Hamas sympathizers -

QUESTION: Yes.

SECRETARY RUBIO: - they had no problem, okay, pressuring social media to censor American political speech. So I think it's ironic and hypocritical. But the bottom line is this: If you are in this country to promote Hamas, to promote terrorist organizations, to participate in vandalism, to participate -

QUESTION: Yeah.

SECRETARY RUBIO: - in acts of rebellion and riots on campus, we never would have let you in if we had known that, and now that we know it, you're going to leave.

QUESTION: Is it only pro-Palestinian people who are going to have their visas revoked, or other points of view as well?

SECRETARY RUBIO: No, I think anybody who's here in favor - look, we want to get rid of Tren de Aragua gang members. They're terrorists too. We - the President designated them, asked me to designate, and I did, as a terrorist organization. We want to get rid of them as well. You are - we don't want terrorists in America. I don't know how hard that is to understand. We want people - we don't want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes and undermining our national security or the public safety.

QUESTION: Yeah. Okay.

SECRETARY RUBIO: It's that simple. Especially people that are here as guests - that is what a visa is.

QUESTION: Yes.

SECRETARY RUBIO: I don't know when we've gotten it in our head that a visa is some sort of birthright. It is not. It is a visitor into our country, and if you violate the terms of your visitation, you are going to leave.

QUESTION: Yeah. Okay. Secretary Rubio, we'd like to have you back, talk to you about a lot more on your plate another time, but we have to leave it there.

SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you.

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Palestinian children remain deprived of the most essential supplies and services

UNICEF

Statement by UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Edouard Beigbeder

16 March 2025

EAST JERUSALEM/THE GAZA STRIP, 16 March 2025 - "I have just concluded a four-day mission to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The situation is extremely concerning.

"Far too often, children in the State of Palestine are the victims of this relentless conflict. Nearly all of the 2.4 million children living across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, are affected in some way. Some children live with tremendous fear or anxiety; others face the real consequences of deprivation of humanitarian assistance and protection, displacement, destruction or death. All children must be protected.

"Without aid entering the Gaza Strip, roughly 1 million children are living without the very basics they need to survive - yet again.

"Stalled just a few dozen kilometers outside the Gaza Strip sit more than 180,000 doses of essential childhood routine vaccines, enough to fully vaccinate and protect 60,000 children under 2 years of age, as well as 20 lifesaving ventilators for neonatal intensive care units. While UNICEF managed to deliver 30 CPAP respiratory machineswhich significantly aid newborns experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and prematuritythe ventilators are essential for infants needing advanced respiratory support.

"Tragically, approximately 4,000 newborns are currently unable to access essential lifesaving care due to the major impact on medical facilities in the Gaza Strip. Every day without these ventilators, lives are lost, especially among vulnerable, premature newborns in the northern Gaza Strip.

"UNICEF is advocating for these lifesaving children's health supplies to be allowed to enter. There is no reason why they shouldn't be.

"In accordance with international humanitarian law, civilians' essential needs must be met, and this requires facilitating the entry of life-saving assistance whether or not there is a ceasefire in place. Any further delays to the entry of aid risk further slowing or shuttering essential services and could fast-reverse the gains made for children during the ceasefire.

"We need to deliver these supplies for children, including newborns, before it is too late. And we must keep essential services running. I visited the UNICEF-supported water desalination plant in Khan Younis in Gaza, the only facility that received electricity since November 2024 and which has now been disconnected. It is now running at only 13 per cent of its capacity, depriving hundreds of thousands of people from drinkable water and sanitation services.

"In the West Bank including East Jerusalem, more than 200 Palestinian and 3 Israeli children were killed since October 2023, the highest figure recorded in such timeframe in the past two decades.

"In Jenin and the north of the West Bank, more than 35,000 have been forced to leave their homes and their belongings and find shelter elsewhere. Education is heavily disrupted for nearly 12,000 children, because of the recent population displacements. The children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are often exposed to roadblocks and the absence of school supplies.

"In Jenin, I met with many displaced mothers and children in shelters. They told me how much they were suffering from the violence, the fear and the disruption to education. They said they were not asking for charity, just for the respect of their rights and the possibility to return to their homes.

"UNICEF continues to do everything we can to protect and support children in the State of Palestine. We are repairing water systems, running mental health sessions, setting up learning centers and advocating constantly with decision makers for access and for the violence to cease. But this alone is not enough.

"Children must not be killed, injured or displaced and all parties must respect their obligations under international law. Civilians' essential and protection needs must be met, and humanitarian assistance must be allowed to flow at speed and scale. All hostages must be swiftly released, and the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip must continue and support lasting solutions to the conflict.

"Tens of thousands of children have been killed and injured. We must not go back to a situation that pushes these numbers higher."

+++

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Russo-Ukraine War - 16 March 2025 - Day 1117

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 in total, there have been 99 combat clashes since the beginning of this day. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance into the depths of Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression.

For today, Russian terrorist troops have launched one rocket (one rocket) and 64 aviation strikes, dropping 97 controlled aviation bombs. In addition, more than 900 kamikaze drones were engaged for impressions and carried out more than 4,300 shelling at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian opponent four times stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of vovchansk, kamaanka and towards kutkivka. One confrontation is currently underway. The enemy launched an air strike on Udah.

In the direction of Kupyansky, Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the areas of Petropavlivka, Boguslavka, Lozova, Zagrizovy and in the direction of kupyansky. Ukrainian defenders have already stopped eight of nine Russian attacks.

In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders nine times attacked the positions of the Defense Forces near the settlements of Novoyegorivka, Green Valley and towards Novomikhailivka and Novoy. Three clashes are still ongoing.

Three Russian assaults were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Siversky direction, the occupiers tried to advance in the areas of Bilogorivka and Ivano-Daryivka.

In the direction of Kramators komu, Russian forces three times attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the area of the Time Yar and in the direction of the Predtecinyo. Defense forces repelled two attacks from the Zagarbnikiv, the battle is ongoing.

Fourteen times the Russians advanced on the position of Ukrainian units in the Toretsky direction in the areas of Toretsk and Friendship, currently three clashes are ongoing.

In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of this day, the Russian invaders tried 15 times to advance on the position of Ukrainian units, Russian forces attacked in the areas of the settlements of Suha Balka, Zvirove, Elizabethtivka, Beam, Kotline, Novooleksandrivka, Uspenivka, Yasenove, Andriyivka. Ukrainian defenders have stopped 14 assault actions, the battle is currently being sharpened. Pokrovsk suffered airstrike by KABAMA.

Today, according to preliminary data, 303 Russian occupants were defecated in this direction, of which 152 - irrevocably. Ukrainian soldiers also destroyed six units of automobile equipment, 11 motorcycles, two means of satellite communication, four control points of BPLA. In addition, damaged a tank, a mortar, a motorcycle and one car of the Russians.

In the Novopavlivs komu direction, Russian forces nine times tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of Konstantinopol, Skudny and in Shevchenko. One battle has not subsided so far. If the opponent dropped on Novopavlivku.

In the direction of Gulyaipils komu, the defender attacked in the areas of Privilny, Vilny Pol and in the direction of Novopol. Defense forces repelled all six invaders' attacks. Uncontrolled aviation missiles, the enemy also hit Novopol, Novodarivka, Gulyaipol, to drop on Shevchenko.

In the Orihiv direction, the Russian aggressor six times attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders towards the settlements of Stepovo, Mali Scherbaki and Zherebanka. The fights continue in three locations. An air strike was hit by the Comishuvah.

In the Pridniprovsk direction, Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions, but made air strikes on Olgivka, Tokarivka and Nikolaivka.

In Kur ini since the beginning of the day, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 13 assault actions of the occupiers. In addition, Russian forces launched 11 air strikes, dropping 18 controlled bombs, and also carried out 247 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on formations of one assault battalion of the AFU and one border detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine close to Perovskoye and Kazachya Lopan (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 70 troops, six motor vehicles, four artillery guns, and one electronic warfare station.

Units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one assault brigade and one artillery brigade of the AFU near Izyumskoye, Vyssheye Solenoye, Borovaya, Druzhelyubovka, Katerinovka (Kharkov region), and Novoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 240 troops, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, one armoured fighting vehicle, ten motor vehicles, four field artillery guns, one Grad MLRS launcher, and two Kvertus electronic warfare stations.

Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Formations of seven mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one mountain assault brigade, one assault brigade, one UAV brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade were hit near Seversk, Novaya Poltavka, Krymskoye, Novoolenovka, Gorkogo, Pleshcheyevka, Dronovka, Konstantinovka, Nikiforovka, Stupochki, and Ivanpolye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 305 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, four motor vehicles, seven field artillery guns, to include four Western-made artillery guns and one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 MLRS launcher. One materiel depot was destroyed.

Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defences. Russian troops launched an attack on four mechanised brigades, two jaeger brigades, one assault brigade, one UAV brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, two marine brigades and one national guard brigade near Shevchenko, Krasnoarmeysk, Zverevo, Sribnoye, Petrovskoye, Udachnoye, Ulyanovka, Peschanoye, Uspenovka, Dimitrov, and Alekseyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 450 troops, five armoured fighting vehicles, eight pickup trucks, five artillery guns, and one electronic warfare station.

The Vostok Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line, defeated formations of one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU and one marine brigade near Veseloye, Volnoye Pole, and Konstantinopol (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 150 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns.

The Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU and three coastal defence brigades close to Pridneprovskoye, Nikolskoye, Tokarevka (Kherson region), and Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region).

Up to 90 troops, five motor vehicles, two field artillery guns, and three electronic warfare stations were neutralised.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged the infrastructure of military airfields, assembly plants for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles and their storage as well as clusters of manpower and hardware of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 151 areas.

Air defence systems shot down four U.S.-made JDAM guided aerial bombs and 141 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 658 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 46,917 unmanned aerial vehicles, 601 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,297 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,529 MLRS combat vehicles, 22,620 field artillery guns and mortars, and 32,940 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.

During the offensive, the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on formations of one mechanised brigade, two air assault brigades, two territorial defence brigades, and one assault regiment of the AFU close to Gogolevka, Gornal, Guyevo, and Oleshnya.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware near Gogolevka, Gornal, Guyevo, Zapselye, Loknya, and Oleshnya as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Miropolye, Novaya Sech, Novenkoye, Obody, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka (Sumy region).

Over the course of the day, the AFU losses were over 220 troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, one armoured fighting vehicle, five motor vehicles, three artillery guns, and one UAV command post.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 67,850 troops, 394 tanks, 317 infantry fighting vehicles, 285 armoured personnel carriers, 2,200 armoured fighting vehicles; 2,442 motor vehicles, 558 artillery guns, 52 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA, 26 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles, 120 EW stations, 16 counter-battery warfare radars, ?ten air defence radars, 56 units of engineering and other materiel, including 23 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, five bridge launchers, one engineering reconnaissance vehicle as well as 15 armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.





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Russo-Ukraine War - 17 March 2025 - Day 1118

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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 in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 143 combat encounters. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression.

Russian zagarbniki made 68 aviation strikes using 101 cab. In addition, 940 kamikaze drones were recruited and carried out about 4500 shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

The defense forces successfully repelled the Russian enemy's attempt to break through in the Kharkiv direction in the Vovchansk district. The enemy caused an aviation strike controlled bombs on the settlement of Liptsi.

In the Kupiansky direction, the Russian enemy carried out nine offensive actions towards Petropavlivka, Zagrizovy, Kamyanka, Western, Kruglyakivka and Boguslavka. Two clashes are ongoing so far. The settlements of Pitscna, Shabelne, Doroshivka and Mala Shapkivka were bombed.

In the Lyman direction, the Defense Forces repelled ten assaults of positions near Balka Zhuravka, Yampolivka and in the directions of Novomikhailivka, Novoy, Olgivka, Zarichny and Green Valley.

In the sivers komu direction, Russian forces three times attacked near bilogorivka and in the direction of the verkhn kamans kogo, currently one combat is ongoing.

Since the beginning of the day in the kramators komu direction, Russian forces attacked in the areas of casovogo yaru, orikhovo-vasilivki, stupocok and kurdumivki. Five attempts of Russians to appease Ukrainian defenders from occupied positions were unsuccessful.

On the Torets komu direction today, there were 23 encounters. Russian forces stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Toretsk, Dachnyo, Friendship, Ozaryanivka, Diliivka and Leonidivka. Six clashes are currently underway.

In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of this day, Russian forces attacked 43 times in the areas of settlements Vodyane Druge, Svyryidonivka, Rumin, Novopavlivka, Kotline, Udaachne, Novooleksandrivka, Bogdanivka, Lisivka and Andriyivka. Ukrainian defenders have repelled 36 attacks, six more clashes continue so far. The aviation of the Russian zagarbnikiv struck controlled aviation bombs on pokrovsk, novopavlivci, leontovichy, zvirovomu, novosergivci, gorihovomu and nadiivci.

Today in this direction, according to preliminary data, 330 Russian occupants have been defecated, of which 175 are irrevocably. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed an infantry fighting vehicle, a cannon, two mortars, six "Mavic" quadrocopters, a portable radio-electronic combat station, two control points of BPLA and eight units of automobile equipment.

In the Novopavli direction Ukrainian defenders repelled 13 attacks zagarbnikiv in the areas of Privilny, Veselogo and Konstantinopol. There is currently one confrontation in progress. Aviation strikes controlled bombs suffered settlements of Shevchenko, Odradne, Oleksiivka and Rozliv.

In the Gulyaipil direction, the Defense Forces successfully repelled ten Russian attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novosilka and Novopil. In addition, the enemy bombed the settlement of Novopil.

In the Orikhiv direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled two Russian attacks in the direction of settlements Stepovo and Lobkove. The fights do not subside in three locations.

In the pridniprovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders have successfully repelled one Russian attack.

In Kurshini, the Defense Forces stopped 16 assault actions of Russian invaders. The Russian enemy launched 21 aviation strikes, dropped 27 controlled bombs, carried out 289 artillery shelling, including nine from the jet systems of salvage fire.

No significant changes have been recorded in other directions.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces have inflicted fire damage on two AFU mechanised brigades near Volchansk and Kazachya Lopan (Kharkov region).

The AFU lost up to 90 troops and 18 motor vehicles. One ammunition depot was destroyed.

The Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of one motorised infantry brigade, one mechanised brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and one territorial defence brigade near Kopanki, Novoyegorovka (Kharkov region) and Redkodub (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were more than 225 servicemen, eight motor vehicles, one field artillery gun, and three electronic warfare stations.

The Yug Group of Forces took more favourable lines and positions. Strikes were delivered at two mechanised brigades, one infantry brigade, and one assault brigade of the AFU near Krymskoye, Aleksandropol, and Verolyubovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 190 troops, two motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun. One field ammunition depot was destroyed.

The Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of enemy defences. Strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU, one marine brigade, and one national guard brigade near Sribnoye, Udachnoye, Dimitrov, Shevchenko, and Uspenovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy lost more than 495 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, 10 motor vehicles, three artillery guns, and two electronic warfare stations.

The Vostok Group's units inflicted fire damage on formations of two motorised infantry brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and one territorial defence brigade close to Bogatyr, Federovka, and Otradnoye in Donetsk People's Republic.

Up to 140 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, and six motor vehicles of the enemy have been neutralised.

As a result of active and decisive actions, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces liberated Stepovoye (Zaporozhye region).

Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of one coastal defence brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and one territorial defence brigade close to Tyaginka (Kherson region) and Pavlovka (Zaporozhye region).

Up to 65 troops, five motor vehicles, and one electric warfare station of the enemy have been neutralised.

Operational-tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces inflicted fire damage on military facilities of airfields, training centre of UAV pilots, as well as clusters of manpower and military equipment of the AFU and foreign mercenaries in 159 areas.

Air defence systems shot down two U.S.-made JDAM guided aerial bombs and 177 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised: 658 aircraft,283 helicopters, 47,094 unmanned aerial vehicles, 601 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,303 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,529 MLRS combat vehicles, 22,625 field artillery guns and mortars, 32,989 units of special military vehicles.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that tthe Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.

In the course of the offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on units of one mechanised brigade, two air assault brigades, one marine brigade, and two territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Gogolevka, Gornal, Guyevo, and Oleshnya.

Operational-Tactical, Army Aviation, and artillery fire hit enemy manpower and hardware close to Gogolevka, Gornal, Guyevo, Zapselye, Loknya and Oleshnya, as well as Basovka, Belovody, Varachino, Velikaya Rybitsa, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Ivolzhanskoye, Novenkoye, Sadki, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka (Sumy region).

During the day, the AFU losses amounted to more than 280 troops, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers, 12 motor vehicles, two artillery guns, two mortars, one counter-battery warfare station, as well as three UAV command posts and two ammunition depots.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 68,130 troops, 396 tanks, 319 infantry fighting vehicles, 287 armoured personnel carriers, 2,200 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,454 motor vehicles, 560 artillery guns, 52 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA, 26 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles, 120 EW stations, 17 counter-battery radars, ten air defence radars, 56 units of engineering and other materiel, including 23 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, five bridge launchers, one engineering reconnaissance vehicle as well as 15 armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.





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Statement from the Press Secretary

The White House

March 16, 2025

"President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation Invoking the Alien Enemies Act regarding the Invasion of the United States by the Foreign Terrorist Organization Tren De Aragua, using his core powers as President and Commander-in-Chief to defend the American People from an urgent threat.

TDA is one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth. They rape, maim and murder for sport. TDA is responsible for some of the most heinous crimes that have occurred on US soil in recent years, including the murders of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray.

TDA is a direct threat to the national security of the United States.

This weekend, at the President's direction, the Department of Homeland Security successfully arrested nearly 300 Tren de Aragua terrorists, saving countless American lives. Thanks to the great work of the Department of State, these heinous monsters were extracted and removed to El Salvador where they will no longer be able to pose any threat to the American People.

President Trump will always put the safety of the American People first  and he will never allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate on American soil and endanger our people. They will be found, restrained and removed  and their networks will be destroyed."

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Successful pilot ejection confirmed in fighter aircraft crash in South China's Hainan: PLA Navy

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 15, 2025 07:23 PM

At around 1:30 pm on Saturday, a fighter aircraft from the navy of the PLA Southern Theater Command crashed during a training exercise, landing in an unpopulated area near Jialai Township, Lingao County, South China's Hainan Province, the PLA Navy said in a statement. The pilot(s) successfully ejected, and no collateral damage was reported on the ground. The Southern Theater Command Navy is managing the aftermath, while the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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Talks Held between Vice Foreign Ministers of DPRK and Russia

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, March 16 (KCNA) -- Talks were held here on Saturday between Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Andrei Rudenko, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Present there from the DPRK side were officials of the Foreign Ministry and from the opposite side members of the delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian ambassador to the DPRK.

At the talks both sides discussed in detail the practical ways for positively promoting bilateral exchange and cooperation and boosting mutual support and cooperation in the international arena in the spirit of the agreements reached at the historic DPRK-Russia summit in June 2024 and the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and reached a consensus of views.

The talks proceeded in a friendly atmosphere. -0-

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KCNA Commentary Warns against Any War Reinforcements

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, March 16 (KCNA) -- The U.S. is getting ever more undisguised in its intention to become the most hostile and confrontational entity to the DPRK through practical actions.

Recently, a squadron of F-35B, the latest stealth fighter stationed in the U.S. mainland, was additionally deployed in the U.S. military base in Iwakuni of Japan.

The F-35B, capable of making immediate sortie through vertical take-off and landing as helicopters, is one of the main forces of the U.S. marines and constitutes a core reinforcements and strategic asset to be dispatched first to the ROK in contingency.

The F-35B stealth fighters of two squadrons belonging to the U.S. marines, already deployed in the Iwakuni base, have always been involved in the various U.S.-led war drills conducted in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula to practice the performance of operational mission.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and other war forces in the field are now inciting a war fever to the full, asserting that the air combat capability of the U.S. marines in Japan would make a greater contribution to the combined joint operation with allies in the Indo-Pacific region through the additional deployment of F-35B and that the bolstering of deterrent force is expected to prove effective.

The additional deployment of offensive war reinforcements to cope with contingency in the Korean peninsula is hourly increasing the unpredictability of actual armed conflict and a nuclear war.

As known, being staged in the puppet ROK is the large-scale joint military exercises Freedom Shield 2025 including a nuclear war rehearsal aimed at a "preemptive strike" on the core facilities and areas of the DPRK. And the U.S. Navy's nuclear carrier Carl Vinson task force is involved in various joint drills while staying in the waters off the Korean peninsula.

At a critical point when an accidental gunshot may cause a physical conflict between the two sides, the mastering of capability to fight a war by the local forces and the additional deployment of offensive reinforcements are being carried out in parallel.

No one in the world will believe this as a visible demonstration or just a warning of the U.S.

It is the undeniable reality witnessed by the international community that the U.S. war machines with no brake have switched to an accelerated motion that can no longer be stopped in the Korean peninsula and the region.

This year, the deployment of U.S. strategic assets targeting the DPRK has visibly increased and the U.S.-led bilateral and multi-lateral war military drills have been ceaselessly conducted. Such reality clearly proves that the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK is the immutable "legacy of its regime" handed down irrespective of regime change and a bad habit of unconditionally denying the DPRK.

The U.S. desperate moves of military adventurism aimed to create military imbalance and incite a new geopolitical conflict in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia provide the DPRK with reasonable justification and the urgent need to give tougher warning of action.

It is our invariable judgment and correct answer to those who worship upper hand in strength to respond with language and action that they only can understand.

F-35B will advance to a battlefield first in contingency on the Korean peninsula?

It's absurd.

The U.S. anti-communist outposts which neglect and infringe upon the security concern of the DPRK and put the whole area under the critical situation are within the constant sighting and striking range of the DPRK's indefinite forces.

Any war reinforcements of the U.S. will be completely contained and wiped out. -0-

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Press Statement of Spokesperson for DPRK Foreign Ministry

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued the following press statement titled "G7, the U.S.-led nuclear criminal group, should thoroughly abandon its anachronistic ambition for nuclear hegemony" on Sunday:

At the G7 foreign minister meeting recently held in Canada, the U.S. and other Western countries perpetrated a political provocation talking about someone's "dismantlement of nukes", while pulling up the DPRK over its exercise of the just and legitimate sovereign rights.

The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK expresses a serious concern over the fact that the member states of G7, the chief criminals wrecking the global peace and security and the international nuclear non-proliferation system, are taking issue with the possession of the just war deterrence of a sovereign state just like a guilty party filing the suit first, and clarifies that it will never tolerate any encroachment upon the sovereignty and internal affairs of the DPRK.

Those countries which regard nuclear weapons as the main means for realizing their aggressive and hegemonic political and military purposes are the member states of the G7, and those countries which are hell-bent on illegal and malicious nuclear proliferation act under the pretext of "nuclear sharing" and "offer of extended deterrence" are none other than the member states of the G7.

It is an irrefutable well-known fact that the U.S., the only state that used nuclear weapons in the world, is a typical nuclear threat entity that is bringing the crisis of nuclear conflict to the Korean peninsula, Europe and other parts of the world through unlimited nuclear arms buildup and reckless nuclear war drills and it is the biggest country of the world proliferating nuclear weapons.

Britain, not content with its nuclear weapons, is openly attempting to introduce again the U.S. nukes into its country and taking the lead in transferring nuclear submarine technology to a non-nuclear weapons state, and the U.S. nukes have been deployed in Germany and Italy.

Meanwhile, claiming "offering of nuclear umbrella" to western European counties, France is fostering another concerning possibility of nuclear proliferation in the region, and Japan has been provided with the U.S. "extended deterrence" including nuclear weapons, thus raising the relationship of security and cooperation with the U.S. to the one of nuclear alliance.

All facts shows that G7 which consists of the U.S. and its vassal allies is, indeed, the root cause of the occurrence of global nuclear crisis and its aggravation and that G7 should start the "complete and irretrievable abandonment of nukes".

G7, which has turned into a nuclear criminal group gravely threatening the global peace and security, should thoroughly abandon its anachronistic ambition for nuclear hegemony before talking about someone's "denuclearization" and "dismantlement of nukes".

The DPRK's position of nuclear weapons state which has been fixed permanently by the supreme law of its state will not change according to the recognition of anyone, and the DPRK's nuclear armed forces will exist forever as a powerful means of justice which defends the sovereignty of the state, territorial integrity and fundamental interests, prevents a war in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia and guarantees a strategic stability of the world.

The DPRK will steadily update and strengthen its nuclear armed forces both in quality and quantity in response to the nuclear threat from outside as stipulated in its Constitution and other domestic laws and reliably defend the peace and security of the state, the region and the rest of the world as the responsible nuclear weapons state. -0-

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China, Russia, Iran endorse dialogue for nuclear solution

Global Times

Beijing proposes 5 points on proper settlement, rejects sanctions, use of force

By Chen Qingqing Published: Mar 15, 2025 12:19 AM

China, Russia and Iran issued a joint statement on Friday, reaffirming that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue remains the only viable and practical option for the Iranian nuclear issue after deputy foreign ministers of the three nations held a meeting in Beijing on Friday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with the heads of delegations to the meeting and put forward China's five-point proposal on the Iranian nuclear issue, including staying committed to peaceful settlement of disputes through political and diplomatic means, and opposing the use of force and illegal sanctions.

Ma Zhaoxu, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, told reporters after the meeting that the three sides emphasized the necessity of terminating all illegal unilateral sanctions. Relevant parties should work to eliminate the root causes of the current situation and abandon sanctions, pressure, and threats of the use of force.

We stress the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and its timeline, urging all relevant parties to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions and to jointly create a favorable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts, Ma said.

The trilateral meeting was held against the backdrop of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and the continued maximum pressure on Iran by the Trump administration.

Amid the US' unilateral actions and extreme pressure, the original framework under the UN reached between Iran and other permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) plus Germany has been unable to function effectively. Therefore, China, Russia, and Iran are exploring new mechanisms to prevent further deterioration of the Iranian nuclear issue and to seek a diplomatic resolution, according to experts.

China's efforts

Among the five-point proposal on the Iranian nuclear issue, China stays committed to balancing rights and responsibilities, and takes a holistic approach to the goals of nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, said Wang.

China stays committed to the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as the basis for new consensus. China hopes that all parties will work toward the same direction and resume dialogue and negotiation as early as possible. The US should demonstrate political sincerity and return to talks at an early date, Wang said.

Wang noted that China stays committed to a step-by-step and reciprocal approach, and seeks consensus through consultation. History has proven that acting from a position of strength would not lead to the key to resolving difficult issues.

Upholding the principle of mutual respect is the only viable path to finding the greatest common ground that accommodates the legitimate concerns of all parties and reaching a solution that meets the expectation of the international community, Wang said.

The trilateral meeting came days after Tehran spurned US "orders" to resume dialogue over the nuclear program, Reuters reported on Friday.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said he had sent a letter to Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing nuclear talks, adding that "there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal," according to Reuters.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that he would not negotiate with the US while being "threatened", and Iran would not bow to US "orders" to talk, the media report said.

The Trump administration also downplayed the China-Russia-Iran meeting, Fox News said on Thursday while Trump suggested "perhaps Beijing, Moscow and Tehran will be having their own discussions on de-escalation."

The Trump administration imposed a "maximum pressure" policy on Iran in February that includes efforts to drive its oil exports to zero in order to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and funding militant groups, Reuters said.

Liu Zhongmin, a professor from the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday that the latest China-Russia-Iran dialogue is currently just the beginning, noting that the meeting could be seen as part of damage-control measures, aimed at preventing the Iranian nuclear issue from escalating further.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed ten years ago, and the issue has once again reached a critical crossroads. There are essentially two approaches to resolving it, Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Friday.

One approach is the US strategy, which relies on extreme pressure, as seen during the Trump administration following the US withdrawal from the agreement. This led Iran to accelerate its uranium enrichment process, increasing the risk of nuclear proliferation, Sun noted.

"However, another approach is the multilateral diplomatic resolution, which proved effective in the original Iran nuclear agreement a decade ago," Sun said, noting that China played a key role in that process, where all parties engaged in dialogue, sought common ground while setting aside differences, and ultimately reached a consensus on the nuclear deal.

In response to a question on the impact of the meeting on the resumption of dialogue and negotiation and the prospect of a political and diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that the Iranian nuclear issue is facing a serious situation and once again at a crossroads. The Beijing meeting is a useful effort by China, Russia and Iran in seeking to advance the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.

Role of multilateral platforms

In the joint statement issued after the China-Russia-Iran meeting on Friday, the three countries agreed to continue their close consultation and cooperation in the future.

The three countries also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest, and agreed to maintain and strengthen their coordination in international organizations and multilateral arrangements such as BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

On the Iranian nuclear issue, China stays committed to promoting cooperation through dialogue, and opposes pressing for intervention by the UNSC, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang.

Under the current situation, hasty intervention by the UNSC will not help build confidence or bridge differences among the relevant parties. Initiating the snapback mechanism would undo years of diplomatic efforts, and must be handled with caution, Wang said.

Iran's foreign ministry on Thursday summoned the envoys of Britain, France and Germany over what it called a "misuse of the UNSC to hold a closed-door meeting," Reuters reported citing Iranian state media.

The UNSC met behind closed doors on Wednesday over Tehran's nuclear program. The meeting called by six of the council's 15 members - the US, France, Greece, Panama, South Korea and Britain, came at Washington's request, according to the report.

China's envoy to the UN Fu Cong was quoted as saying ahead of the UNSC meeting in the media report that China still hopes that "we can seize the limited time we have before the termination date in October this year, in order to have a deal, a new deal so that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the Iran nuclear deal, can be maintained.

"Putting maximum pressure on a certain country is not going to achieve the goal," Fu said, according to Reuters.

The US has made some very unrealistic demands, completely driven by its own interests, regarding global hotspot issues including the Iranian nuclear issue, which has led to the destruction of the original consensus, foundation, and mechanisms surrounding these already complex international hotspot issues, Liu noted.

"In this context, the international community faces the challenge of seeking new solutions and approaches, and must not allow the US' unilateral actions to undermine all the consensus and mechanisms regarding international hotspot issues," Liu said.

If the other parties, aside from the US, can maintain consensus, this will, in turn, exert some pressure on the US, Liu added.

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Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejects 'unfounded' G7 allegations against Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has condemned allegations made against Iran by foreign ministers from the group of seven industrialized countries, known as G7, dismissing them as totally unfounded and hypocritical.

Baqaei made the reaction on Saturday a day after G7 top diplomats, at the end of their meeting in Canada's Charlevoix, accused Iran of sending weapons to Russia to use in the Ukraine war. They also accused Iran of being the "principal source of instability" in the West Asia region, which should "never be allowed to develop and acquire a nuclear weapon."

Accusing Iran of destabilizing behavior in the region is a clear diversion of facts and an "evil blame-game" by the G7 members, said the spokesperson.

He referred to "unlawful, irresponsible and interfering behaviors" by the G7 member countries in West Asia, especially their military, financial or political support for Israel's genocide in Gaza, emphasizing that they should be accountable for their improper performance regarding peace in West Asia as well as their complicity in the "clear violation of human rights" in occupied Palestine.

Baqaei also said that Iran is conducting its nuclear activities in accordance with its technical and industrial needs, and based on its international rights and obligations defined under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Safeguards Agreement.

The G7 group's expressing concern about Iran's nuclear activities is unfounded, which merely results from the politicized approach of some of the group's members, he further said.

The spokesperson added that Iran has been leading efforts to create a Middle East free from nuclear weapons, but Israel remains as the sole obstacle to achieving that goal, as the regime, in light of the comprehensive support of the G7 countries, has continued to develop weapons of mass destruction and remains the most serious threat to international peace and security.

Iran reserves its inherent right to defend its people, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity against any threats and aggression, which requires the country to develop its military-defense capabilities, Baqaei noted.

The Islamic Republic's defense capabilities, in addition to establish national security, are aimed at protecting peace and security in West Asia, he added.

The spokesperson also rejected allegations of Iran's delivery of weapons to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.

He reiterated that Iran has no involvement in the war, with the Islamic Republic's principled policy calling for an end to the conflict through diplomatic negotiations between relevant parties.

Those levelling accusations against Iran should correct their wrong policies instead of putting the blame on others, he added.

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Iran ready for talks with European countries based on mutual respect: Foreign minister

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a telephone conversation with his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, reiterated Iran's readiness to engage in dialogue with European countries based on mutual respect and shared interests.

During their conversation on Saturday, Araqchi and Veldkamp discussed bilateral relations between Iran and the Netherlands, as well as regional and international developments.

Highlighting the Islamic Republic's commitment to forging strong diplomatic ties with other countries, Araqchi stated, "Iran is ready to interact and hold talks with European countries based on mutual respect and common interests."

Veldkamp, in turn, acknowledged the longstanding history of Dutch-Iranian relations and emphasized Iran's significant role in regional developments. He underscored the importance of utilizing all diplomatic avenues to promote understanding and resolve differences in intergovernmental relations.

Addressing the issue of the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, the Dutch foreign minister clarified his country's position, stating, "This is a bilateral matter between Iran and the UAE. The Netherlands, as always, supports bilateral dialogue between Iran and the UAE, guided by international law, to resolve any disputes in this regard."

Iran has made it clear that it will not compromise on its sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands -Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb- which are strategically located near the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil chokepoint.

However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

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Iran will never back down from its share in global oil market: Government spokeswoman

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 5:06 PM

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani says the Islamic Republic will never back down from its share in the global oil market.

Mohajerani made the remark in a post on her X account on Saturday in reaction to the latest move by the US Treasury Department which imposed sanctions on Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and some vessels that are part of a fleet involved in the Iranian crude oil exports.

"If previous sanctions were effective, there would be no need for new sanctions and updating them," Mohajerani said.

The export of Iran's oil cannot be stopped, she added.

She said several ministries are spearheading a campaign to counter the sanctions, with the Oil Ministry being one of the most important ones.

The fact that the US has hurriedly imposed sanctions on the Iranian oil minister reveals that Washington is concerned about the Oil Ministry's activities, Mohajerani emphasized.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement on Thursday that it is designating Paknejad.

Paknejad "oversees the export of tens of billions of dollars' worth of Iranian oil and has allocated billions of dollars' worth of oil to Iran's armed forces for export," the Treasury added.

OFAC is also designating several entities in multiple jurisdictions, including China and India, for their ownership or operation of vessels that have delivered Iranian oil to China, or lifted Iranian oil from storage in the Chinese city of Dalian.

The sanctions followed the delivery to Iran of a letter US President Donald Trump had written to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

During an interview with Fox News last week, Trump threatened military action against Tehran if it did not engage in talks on a new nuclear deal.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday strongly condemned new US sanctions against Paknejad as a testament to Washington's "infringement of the law and hypocrisy."

Baghaei said the new bans refute the repeated claims by American officials about their readiness for negotiations and show the US hostility to the development, progress, and prosperity of the Iranian people.

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Iran ready to engage in talks with Europeans based on mutual respect, common interests: Araghchi

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 3:50 PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran is ready to engage in talks with European countries based on mutual respect and common interests.

In a phone call on Saturday, Araghchi and the Netherlands' Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp discussed ways to promote mutual ties and the latest regional and international developments.

The top Iranian diplomat reiterated the country's approach to pursue good diplomatic relations with countries.

Iran and Europe have been conducting on-again, off-again talks since 2021, three years after the United States illegally and unilaterally left a historic nuclear accord -- formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action -- between Iran and world powers, returning Washington's unlawful sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The European parties to the nuclear deal - Britain, France and Germany -- then failed to live up to their promise of bringing Washington back into the deal.

Reacting to the counter-party's non-commitment to its obligations, Tehran initiated a set of retaliatory nuclear steps, including by activating more advanced centrifuges.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Tuesday said the talks have continued between Iran and European countries in recent months.

"We are holding negotiations with Europeans, China and Russia, as signatories to the JCPOA, and we will likely have an expert-level meeting with these countries in the near future," Baghaei added.

During the phone call, the Dutch foreign minister pointed to deep-rooted relations between Amsterdam and Tehran and said Iran plays an important role in regional developments.

Veldkamp added that all diplomatic capacities should be used to promote understanding in international relations and to resolve disputes.

He noted that the issue of the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf -- Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa - relates to Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

The Netherlands supports interaction between Iran and the UAE based on international regulations to settle any dispute in this regard, he said.

The three Persian Gulf islands have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

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IRGC chief: Iran will not start a war but will respond decisively to threats

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 9:58 AM

The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that while the Islamic Republic will never seek to initiate a war, it remains determined to deliver a resolute response to any threats or acts of aggression by the enemies.

Major General Hossein Salami made the statement on Sunday after Washington accused Tehran of assisting Yemen's military forces in their recent anti-Israeli operations and called for a halt on Iran's alleged support for the Ansarullah resistance movement.

"Iran will never be the initiator of war, but in the event of a threat, the response will be firm, decisive and conclusive," Salami said.

"The president of the United States has once again attributed the operations carried out by the Yemen's Ansarullah to Iran and has warned the Iranian people to stop their support for the resistance group."

Stressing that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their land and pursue independent policies, the IRGC chief said, "Iran openly and clearly accepts responsibility for any actions it takes, when and where they occur."

Salami underlined that, "We are not a nation that operates under the cloak of secrecy; rather, we are a legitimate and globally recognized entity. When we undertake any military action or lend our support, we will declare it openly and unequivocally."

Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced on X that he had ordered the United States military to launch "decisive and powerful military action" against Yemen's Ansarullah movement.

Nonetheless, the American aggression just targeted Yemeni civilians in the capital Sana'a and several other locations.

The extensive attacks left at least 18 non-combatants dead and wounded close to 20 others.

Yemen's Armed Forces began striking strategic and sensitive Israeli sites in November 2023 after the regime launched a US-backed genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and ratcheted up its restrictions on the entry of direly needed food, medicine, and other key supplies into the coastal sliver.

The Yemeni strikes, alongside the targeting of Israeli-owned and -bound ships and vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, delivered a crushing blow to the regime's economy.

'Devastating' response to threats

In a ceremony commemorating the sacrifices of the martyrs of East Azerbaijan Province in its capital city of Tabriz on Saturday evening, the IRGC's chief commander also warned that the Islamic Republic would give a "devastating" response to any threats.

Salami emphasized that the Iranian nation is fully determined to defend its interests, values, identity, and legitimacy.

"We will stand firmly against any threat, and if any threat is carried out, we will respond in the most severe manner a decisive, crushing, and destructive response," he stated.

"The enemy is repeating its past mistakes and fails to learn from the lessons of Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan. It continues on the same erroneous path, which will ultimately lead to its defeat," he added.

Salami highlighted that the enemy "deceitfully" speaks of direct negotiations while simultaneously issuing threats.

"This clearly shows that they do not truly understand the Iranian nation, while the Iranian nation, in turn, deeply recognizes its enemy and will never be deceived by their superficial words," he noted.

Salami further asserted that it was the United States that tore up the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement and turned toward aggressive and violent measures such as pressure, sanctions, and threats.

Salami was referring to Trump's decision in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw Washington from the JCPOA and impose a series of illegal sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Highlighting the importance of learning from past experiences, he said, "if we do not learn from bitter experiences, we will be forced to repeat them."

Last week, Trump claimed in an interview with Fox News that he had sent a letter to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, warning Iran to open talks on a nuclear deal or be handled militarily.

On Wednesday, Araghchi said the letter had been delivered to him via Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates.

On the same day, Ayatollah Khamenei said Trump's proposal for negotiations is "a deception" that is only meant to create the impression that Iran refuses to negotiate.

He said Iran negotiated with the US for several years in the past, but "this same person (Trump) threw off the table and tore apart the concluded, finalized, and signed negotiations."

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US has no authority or business dictating Iran's foreign policy: Araghchi

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 6:57 AM

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that the US government has no authority to dictate the Islamic Republic's foreign policy.

In a post on X on Sunday, Araghchi stated that the era of US control over Iran's foreign policy ended with the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which saw the overthrow of the US-backed Pahlavi regime in Iran, headed by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, known as the 'Shah.'

"The United States government has no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy. That era ended in 1979," the top Iranian diplomat said.

Araghchi further denounced the US government's support for Israeli terrorism and genocide in Gaza, spending tens of billions of dollars between October 2023 and September 2024.

"Biden was last year bamboozled into handing over unprecedented 23 billion dollars to a genocidal regime. More than 60,000 Palestinians killed and the world holds America fully accountable," Araghchi said.

He urged US statesmen and officials to halt their support for the Tel Aviv regime's vicious moves and acts of terror, and stop aggressive attacks on Yemen's infrastructure and civilian centers.

"End support for Israeli genocide and terrorism. Stop killing of Yemeni people," the Iranian foreign minister concluded.

US President Donald Trump, in a statement on Saturday, said the US holds Iran "fully accountable" for its support for Yemen's Anasarullah movement.

"Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY!" he said, adding that "America will hold you fully accountable, and we won't be nice about it!"

His remarks came after he launched large-scale military strikes against the Yemeni government on Saturday over its Red Sea operations in solidarity with the people of Gaza, killing at least 31 people at the start of an aggression that is expected to last for days.

The airstrikes came a few days after Yemen said it would resume retaliatory operations against Israeli vessels sailing off Yemen in response to the regime's latest blockade on Gaza. They described the warning as affecting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Sea.

Yemen has launched over 100 attacks targeting Israeli-bound ships since November 2023 in response to the Zionist regime's genocidal war on Gaza, inflicting significant damage on Israel's already strained economy and forcing the US military to engage in an expensive campaign to intercept missiles and drones, rapidly depleting US air defense stockpiles.

Earlier this month, the Israeli regime halted all aid coming into the Gaza Strip after it abruptly rejected entering the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas as agreed before.

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.

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UN chief: Discussing humanitarian aid corridor from Bangladesh to Myanmar

Amid fighting in Rakhine state, immediate 'dignified return' for refugees is difficult, he says.

By BenarNews staff

2025.03.16

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- The United Nations is discussing the possibility of a humanitarian aid corridor to Myanmar from Bangladesh in an effort to create equitable conditions for Rohingya refugees to eventually return, the U.N. chief said in Dhaka on Saturday.

However, the Rohingya refugees sheltering in Bangladesh could not make and immediate, "dignified return to their homeland in Myanmar's Rakhine state amid the continued fighting there, added U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a media briefing.

"We need to intensify the humanitarian aid inside Myanmar to create a condition for that return to be successful," Guterres said on the penultimate day of his four-day visit to Bangladesh.

Setting up a humanitarian aid channel "is obviously a matter that would require authorization and cooperation," he said without further specifying.

Humanitarian corridors are designated and secure routes that allow for the safe passage of humanitarian relief, according to Southeast Asian NGO Fortify Rights.

The NGO said this week that the Bangladesh government and the rebel Arakan Army comprising ethnic Rakhine should immediately facilitate humanitarian aid and cross-border trade to reach war-affected civilians the state.

"The crisis in Myanmar demands urgent global attention and action," said Ejaz Min Khant in a statement Wednesday.

"A humanitarian corridor between Myanmar and Bangladesh would be a lifeline for civilians impacted by the conflict."

The statement said Bangladesh should also lift restrictions on border trade with Myanmar "to help ease access to basic commodities for civilians in Rakhine state."

The NGO noted that Bangladesh's interim leader, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had said in an interview aired earlier this month on Sky News that his government was in ongoing negotiations with the Arakan Army to create a "safe zone" for Rohingya refugees to return to Rakhine.

Bangladesh's Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, who also spoke at the joint media briefing, said the establishment of a humanitarian channel was not discussed with the U.N. chief during his visit.

"This is much more of an operational matter, which we will of course deal [on] with the local offices of the U.N.," Hossain said.

Nearly a million Rohingya, a persecuted minority Muslim community in Myanmar, live in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh.

Almost 800,000 of them crossed into neighboring Bangladesh to flee a deadly Myanmar military crackdown in 2017.

Their return to Rakhine has been prolonged after civil war broke out in Myanmar following the military coup of February 2021.

U.N. human rights experts had said on Thursday that the Myanmar junta had not been allowing in relief supplies, with the situation "particularly critical in Rakhine," which is home to the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities.

Rakhine State was "on the brink of famine," with two million people at risk of starvation, the statement added citing another U.N. agency.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues in Rakhine between the Myanmar military and the rebel Arakan Army, Guterres said on Saturday.

"There is a consensus that it would be extremely difficult in such a situation for an immediate and dignified return of the Rohingya," he told the mrdia in Dhaka on Saturday.

Guterres further noted that in the past, the relationship between the ethnic Rakhine and the Rohingya has not been an easy one.

"So I think it is important to engage with the Arakan Army in order for ensure full respect of the rights of the Rohingya population in Rakhine," the U.N. chief said.

The Arakan Army founded in 2009 is fighting to "liberate" Rakhine towards its goal of self-determination. It has made significant gains over the past year to root out the military and now controls a majority of Rakhine's townships, reported radio Free Asia, a news service affiliated with BenarNews.

Comprising mainly Rakhine Buddhists, the Arakan Army claimed it respects the rights of Rohingya. But experts have said there was plenty of evidence that the Arakan Army carried out mass arson attacks on Rohingya villages in May and August last year.

Guterres again made an impassioned plea to donor nations for more humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, whose food ration is set to be cut by more than half starting next month due to a funds shortage.

"With the announced cuts in financial assistance, we are facing the dramatic risk of having only 40% in 2025 of the resources available for humanitarian aid in 2024," he said.

"This would have terrible consequences starting with the drastic reduction of food rations. That would be an unmitigated disaster. People will suffer and people will die."

He said that by offering the Rohingya refuge, Bangladesh had shown its humanitarian spirit.

"By offering Rohingya refugees sanctuary, Bangladesh has demonstrated solidarity and human dignity, often at significant social, environmental and economic cost," he said.

"The world must not take this generosity for granted."

BenarNews is an online news organization affiliated with Radio Free Asia.

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.

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Pakistan Navy's second Hangor-class submarine launched in China

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun and Liang Rui Published: Mar 16, 2025 03:26 PM

The Pakistan Navy's second Hangor-class submarine was recently launched in China, with a Chinese expert expecting the boat with strong comprehensive combat capability to become a mainstay for the Pakistan Navy and represent a high level of military cooperation between the two countries to safeguard peace and stability in the region.

The launching ceremony took place in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, on Thursday, the Pakistan Navy confirmed to the Global Times on Sunday.



While addressing the ceremony, Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami, a vice chief of the Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy, emphasized that the Hangor-class submarines, equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, will play a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of power and maritime order in the region, according to a news release by the Pakistan Navy.

Acknowledging the tireless efforts from the Chinese side, he expressed satisfaction with the project's progress and underscored that the Hangor-class submarine project will add a new dimension to time-tested Pakistan-China friendship.

Under an agreement, Pakistan will acquire eight Hangor-class submarines from China. Four of them will be built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed in Karachi, Pakistan under a transfer of technology program, the Pakistan Navy said, noting that these submarines will be fitted with cutting-edge weapons and sensors, enabling them to engage targets at standoff ranges.

The first Hangor-class submarine was launched in April 2024, according to open reports.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday that Hangor-class submarines possess strong underwater combat capabilities and will play a central role in the Pakistan Navy after their commissioning.

The submarine is equipped with an air independent propulsion system that will give the boat strong, sustained stealth capability, maneuverability and endurance, Zhang said, highlighted its firepower, including torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and mine-laying capabilities, along with advanced underwater detection systems.

Zhang noted the Hangor-class submarine project as a representation of the deep friendship between China and Pakistan. He described the project as a symbol of deep military cooperation, reinforcing strategic trust and safeguarding maritime security as well as peace and stability in the region.

In an exclusive interview with the Global Times published in January, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy Admiral Naveed Ashraf told the Global Times that the Hangor-class submarines will significantly enhance Pakistan's naval capabilities. These submarines will provide improved stealth, maneuverability and firepower, allowing the Pakistan Navy to execute a wide range of operations effectively.

"The project is proceeding as per the timeline. We expect that these submarines will join the Pakistan Navy fleet very soon," Ashraf stated.

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Baluch Militants Attack Pakistani Security Convoy, Killing At Least 5

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal March 16, 2025

Baluch militants attacked a Pakistani security convoy, killing at least five people, officials said, the latest in a series of attacks in troubled regions bordering Afghanistan.

The March 16 attack came days after another group of Baluch militants hijacked a train and held hostages for 36 hours, a major escalation in its fight against national authorities in Islamabad.

Officials told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that a convoy of Pakistani paramilitary troops was passing through the Noshki district in the province of Balochistan when it was attacked. Three security soldiers were killed, along with two civilians. Reuters cited unnamed officials as saying the attack involved a suicide truck bomb.

The Baloch Liberation Army -- which has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and others -- claimed more than 90 soldiers were killed in the attack.

A vast and resource-rich province, Balochistan has been plagued by insurgency for over two decades, led mainly by the Baloch Liberation Army, and allied separatist groups seeking independence from Islamabad.

The incident came five days after militants seized a passenger train in a remote mountain pass, killing 31 soldiers and civilians, the military said. It was first time the group had hijacked a train, which experts said was a sign of escalation of its fight with Islamabad.

Pakistani authorities have struggled to crack down on growing violence in the border regions, which they say stems in part from militants taking shelter across the border in Afghanistan.

Baluch nationalists blame Pakistan for committing grave rights abuses while trying to suppress the insurgency. They also accused Islamabad of exploiting natural resources without benefiting local communities.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-baloch- attack-afghanistan/33349542.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.

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Secretary Rubio's Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

March 15, 2025

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Secretary informed Russia of U.S. military deterrence operations against the Iran-backed Houthis and emphasized that continued Houthi attacks on U.S. military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated. Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia.

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EU leaders are 'affectionate puppies' at the feet of their master: Putin's aide

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 10:54 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy aide drew parallels between European leaders and "affectionate puppies," reflecting Putin's earlier comments on US influence over European politics.

Yury Ushakov, in an interview on Friday with Russia 1 TV, commented on the shifting dynamics between European leaders and the United States following their sudden support for a US-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine after years of providing military assistance to Kiev.

According to Ushakov, the shift highlights the significant influence Washington wields over European politics.

Everything is turning out as Putin "vividly" portrayed, the presidential aide said.

"He described it as if they would be like affectionate dogs at the feet of their master. This is approximately what is happening now," Ushakov stated.

Putin said last month that he expected European leaders, who "happily carried out any order from the president in Washington" under US President Donald Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, would soon fall in line with the new US foreign policy.

Given his "character and persistence," all of them will soon "stand at the master's feet and gently wag their tails," the Russian president predicted.

The UK and France, following a virtual meeting of European leaders on Friday, both demanded that Russia accept the 30-day ceasefire agreed upon by Ukraine and the US during bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia last week.

"Russia must now accept" the truce deal, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, "Ukraine has set their position out. It is now for Russia to accept it."

The UK Foreign Secretary, who was attending a G7 summit in Canada on Friday, said the allies were united on the matter.

Lammy told reporters that it was now up to Moscow to accept the ceasefire with "no conditions."

The United States and its European allies severed diplomatic relations with Russia right after Moscow launched its special military operation in 2022, pledging to support Ukraine with financial and military aid "as long as it takes."

Russia has repeatedly said the Ukraine conflict is a US-led proxy war by Western countries against Russia.

President Trump repeatedly signaled his intention to diplomatically wind down the conflict during his reelection campaign.

Relations between Washington and Moscow began to thaw following a phone call between Putin and Trump, which was followed by high-level talks in Riyadh last month.

European leaders who severed ties with Moscow can reestablish diplomatic contact whenever they choose, Putin said last month, though he noted they are "deeply entangled with the Kiev regime" and that it would be "very difficult or almost impossible for them to backtrack without losing face."

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Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio

16 March 2025 09:25

421-16-03-2025

On March 15, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, at the US initiative. During the conversation, Marco Rubio informed him of the US decision to launch a military operation against the Houthi forces in the Red Sea region.

Sergey Lavrov, in response to the arguments by the American representative, stressed the need for all parties to immediate cease the use of force and the importance for all sides to engage in political dialogue so as to find a solution that would prevent further bloodshed.

The officials also discussed specific aspects of implementing the mutual understanding reached at the meeting of senior Russian and US officials in Riyadh on February 18.

Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio agreed maintain contact.

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The U.S. expels South Africa's ambassador, calls him 'race-baiting' politician

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 15, 2025

The United States has expelled South Africa's ambassador, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio charging that the envoy is a "race-baiting politician" who hates the U.S. and President Donald Trump.

"South Africa's ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio said via X on Friday.

"We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA," he said, accusing Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool of being "a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS."

The office of South Africa's president said on Saturday that the U.S. decision was "regrettable," urging Washington to observe "diplomatic decorum."

"The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa's Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool," it said in a statement.

"The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter."

"South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America," the statement added.

On December 29, South Africa launched a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Israeli regime over its violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide during its war on Gaza. In response, Trump cut off U.S. aid to South Africa, after he took office for a second term on January 20 this year.

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US says South African ambassador 'no longer welcome' over his criticism of Trump

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 15 March 2025 2:32 AM

The United States has declared South Africa's ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, persona non grata, following his remarks critical of US President Donald Trump.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Rasool was "no longer welcome in our great country," calling him a "race-baiting politician who hates America and hates POTUS."

Rubio added, "We have nothing to discuss with him, and so he is considered persona non grata."

The announcement followed Rasool's participation in a South African think tank where he stated that Trump's Make America Great Again movement, as well as the influence of Elon Musk and Vice President J.D. Vance, were part of a global trend catering to white anxieties.

He also stated that Trump used a "supremacist instinct" and "white victimhood" as a "dog whistle" during the 2024 elections.

Since Trump's return to office, the South African ambassador has reportedly been denied routine diplomatic meetings with US officials.

Rubio's remarks mark a further deterioration in US-South Africa relations, already strained over Pretoria's stance on Palestinian rights.

South Africa has been at the forefront of an International Court of Justice (ICJ) case criticizing the Israeli regime of genocide in Gaza.

Last month, the White House announced it would cut off US aid to South Africa in response to South Africa's ICJ case.

South Africa initiated the ICJ case against the Israeli regime on December 29, 2023, criticizing Tel Aviv regime of violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide during its genocide campaign in Gaza.

In a ruling on January 26, 2024, the ICJ ordered Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent acts of genocide and to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

On October 28, 2024, South Africa submitted a comprehensive legal brief detailing evidence supporting its claims.

The ICJ has given Israel until July 28, 2025, to submit its counter-memorial.

Ebrahim Rasool previously served as South Africa's ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2015, during former US President Barack Obama's administration.

He resumed the post in January 2025 under President Cyril Ramaphosa's government.

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Violence in Syria

Media statement

Sunday 16 March 2025

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

Prime Minister of Australia

Senator the Hon Penny Wong

Leader of the Government in the Senate

Minister for Foreign Affairs



The Australian Government condemns the recent horrific violence in Syria's coastal region.

We are deeply concerned by UN reports that many civilians from the Alawite community were summarily executed and understand the community's distress. Our thoughts are with them at this time.

Australia condemns the murder of innocent civilians. All minorities must be protected, including those from the Alawite, Christian, Druze and Kurdish communities.

The Government has urged all parties to protect civilians, exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue.

We are closely monitoring the words and actions of Syria's interim authorities, including their pledge to hold accountable all those involved in the bloodshed.

The persistent conflict, oppression and displacement that Syria's population has long endured must end.

Australia calls on Syria's interim authorities to lead an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process that fully respects the rights of all minorities and establishes a representative, non-sectarian government.

We will continue to engage with the UN and our international partners to encourage lasting political change and inclusive governance to deliver long-overdue peace and stability for the Syrian people.



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G7 foreign ministers highlight Taiwan support, peace, stability

ROC Central News Agency

03/15/2025 05:06 PM

Washington, March 14 (CNA) The G7 foreign ministers on Friday cited support for Taiwan and reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

In a joint statement issued after the conclusion of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Charlevoix, Canada on Thursday, the G7 members reaffirmed "the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

"We [G7] encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and reiterated our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion," the bloc said, while also expressing "support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations."

In its joint statement, the G7 further touches on several other issues, including regional peace and stability in the Middle East, Ukraine's long-term prosperity and security, as well as building stability and resilience in Haiti and Venezuela.

According to a Reuters report, compared with past statements, the G7 communique this time did not cite any conciliatory references and reassurances such as the "one China" policy when it mentioned Taiwan.

In Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) thanked the G7 foreign ministers for their joint statement in support of the country and continually attaching importance to the stability of the Taiwan Strait.

As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with G7 members and allied partners to jointly uphold the openness of the Indo-Pacific region, defend the rules-based international order, and safeguard universal values such as democracy and freedom, the ministry said.

Since the G7 Leaders' Summit in Cornwall in 2021, G7 members have repeatedly emphasized their concern for and support of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in various joint communiques or post-meeting statements for five consecutive years, it added.

(By Elaine Hou, Wu Shu-wei and Ko Lin)

Enditem/ASG

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Taiwan slams China for using Anti-Secession Law to justify annexation

ROC Central News Agency

03/15/2025 04:22 PM

Taipei, March 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Friday criticized Chinese authorities for using the Anti-Secession Law to justify annexing Taiwan after Beijing's No. 3 official stressed the use of legal measures against Taiwan independence at a symposium marking the law's 20th anniversary.

"The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacted the Anti-Secession Law 20 years ago intending to use it as a legal basis for annexing Taiwan," the MAC, Taiwan's top government agency handling cross-strait affairs, said in a news statement.

Without ruling out the use of military action, the law's "forced push for unification" not only violates international law but also goes against the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights, the statement read.

"It [the law] has never been accepted by the international community or Taiwan," the MAC added.

Regarding the symposium held in Beijing to mark the 20th anniversary of the law's enactment, the MAC said it reiterated the "old rhetoric of opposing Taiwan independence and promoting unification while hinting at the possible use of non-peaceful means."

The MAC's response came hours after top CCP officials, including Zhao Leji (), chairman of China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, delivered remarks on the law and its implementation at the symposium held on Friday morning.

"Over the past 20 years ... We have placed great emphasis on using rule-of-law approaches and measures to punish and deter 'Taiwan independence' while advancing national unification," Zhao said in a speech published by China's state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Zhao, who also serves as the third-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP, added that it is a "must" to continue using rule-of-law approaches and measures to oppose Taiwan's independence and promote unification.

Those approaches and measures will have to be coordinated with "political, economic, military, diplomatic and public opinion efforts to maximize their effectiveness," he added.

Despite the tough words, Chang Wu-ueh (), director of Tamkang University's Center for Cross-Strait Relations, told CNA that the attendee levels and speeches at the symposium were as expected, indicating that there were no major changes in Beijing's policy toward Taiwan.

Chang pointed out that during the symposium marking the law's 15th anniversary in 2020, the highest-ranking Chinese official in attendance was Zhao's predecessor, Li Zhanshu (), which shows that the overall ranking of officials at this year's event was the same.

However, he noted that the event signaled a greater emphasis on using legal measures to punish Taiwan independence and suggested that China may introduce additional laws targeting Taiwan independence in the future.

Asked why the symposium did not indicate a major shift in Beijing's policy toward Taiwan, Chang said it was primarily due to uncertainties in relations between the United States and China.

Enacted on March 14, 2005, China's Anti-Secession Law was established for "opposing and curbing the separatist forces of 'Taiwan independence' from dividing the country while facilitating the peaceful unification of the motherland," as stipulated in Article 1 of the law.

In addition, Article 8 of the law specifies that "the state shall take non-peaceful measures and other necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity" under conditions such as "the possibility of peaceful unification is completely lost."

(By Hsieh Yi-hsuan, Li Ya-wen and Sunny Lai)

Enditem/cs

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2025/03/16

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1. Date

6 a.m. Mar. 15 (Sat.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 16 (Sun.) (UTC+8)

2. PLA activities

1 sortie of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN ships and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 out of 1 sortie entered Taiwan's southeastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

1140316_PLA activities

1140316_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan

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UK active in marshalling European allies in sending troops to Ukraine

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Published: Mar 16, 2025 11:46 PM

As the fate of a proposed cease-fire plan to end Russia-Ukraine conflict remains uncertain and the latest battlefield dynamic adds to the complexity of the situation, European leaders presented varying attitudes toward the way and scale of military support for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal after a virtual summit on Saturday.

The differences within Europe, and the divergences between the willingness to support Ukraine and the capacity to do so are very evident when talking about security guarantees and putting forces in Ukraine, Chinese observers said.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that plans to put a peacekeeping force in Ukraine have now entered an "operational phase", as Britain prepares to host military chiefs from a group of Western countries ready to support a cease-fire, The Independent reported.

Sending the strongest signal yet that a "coalition of the willing" - a group of Western nations that have pledged to help Ukraine - is pressing ahead with the pledge to back a cease-fire deal with troops on the ground, Starmer said allies would be prepared to "help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea and in the sky," according to the report.

Military leaders will meet in London on Thursday "to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security," the BBC quoted Starmer as saying.

Starmer's remarks were made at a press conference after a virtual meeting with 29 other world leaders on Saturday, including those from NATO, the European Union, other European countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, per the BBC.

The stationing of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, as proposed by Britain and France as part of a ceasefire agreement with Russia, is a question for Kyiv to decide and not Moscow, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview, per

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined the Saturday meeting, said "active pressure is needed, not just talks," according to the BBC.

Zelensky urged European countries to produce their own weapons as soon as possible and to talk to the US to reach a deal more quickly through "full sanctions, strong pressure, and forcing Russia to make peace."

Starmer said "the world needs actions... not empty words and conditions."

The UK is appearing more active and is trying every diplomatic method to unite more European countries and other allies, said Cui Heng, a scholar at the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation.

Cui told the Global Times on Sunday that as the UK's military capacity means it cannot act alone, the convening of a "coalition of the willing" is a way to demonstrate British influence and avoid being marginalized by the US and Russia.

However, significant divisions remain over whether individual European countries are willing to deploy troops to Ukraine to keep the peace, CNN reported.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday reiterated his criticism of the EU's military support for Ukraine, and his opposition to Ukrainian accession to the EU, according to Politico.

A statement from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said that Meloni, who joined Saturday's virtual summit, does not envisage Italy's participation in a possible military presence in Ukraine, according to CNN.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program after the summit that Finland was willing to be part of efforts to defend a peace deal, but said: "It is too early to talk about boots on the ground because we don't have a cease-fire, we don't have a peace process. Once we have a clear plan, we start doing the commitments."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia may send a "small contribution" of peacekeepers to Ukraine if asked, but it was premature to discuss the details before Russia agrees to a cease-fire agreement, the Guardian reported.

Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday that in terms of sending ground troops, many countries will want to wait and see, and they are observing whether NATO will continue to act in accordance with the US' orders or present a more independent stance.

The "coalition of the willing" not only needs to reach a political commitment to support Ukraine, but will also need to address technical issues such as leadership and military command, Cui Hongjian said.

There are differing opinions within the "coalition" regarding the risks of deploying troops. If their coordination works out politically and militarily, they may not fully accept the UK's proposal, otherwise they may lean toward the US plan, Cui Hongjian said.

"The functioning of the 'coalition of the willing' determines whether the West will become further fragmented," the expert said.

Prospects of cease-fire

Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that Russia agrees with the 30-day cease-fire plan proposed by the US and Ukraine in principle but will proceed from the fact that this cessation should be one that would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Putin indicated that he might call US President Donald Trump to discuss the issue, adding that Russia will negotiate the next steps to end the conflict and reach acceptable agreements based on the situation "on the ground," Xinhua reported.

Starmer on Saturday said Putin's response to a US-proposed cease-fire in Ukraine is "not good enough" and the Russian president would have to negotiate "sooner or later," said the Guardian in another report.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for joint US and European pressure on Russia to accept the proposed cease-fire.

EU chief European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a message on X that Russia had to show "it is willing to support a cease-fire leading to a just and lasting peace."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he was "cautiously optimistic" about reaching a truce, but that a lot more work needed to be done.

"Although different parties have shown interest in a cease-fire, the details and procedures to realize it will take a long time and lots of negotiations," Cui Heng said.

Reuters reported Sunday that Russia and Ukraine have continued aerial attacks on each other, inflicting injuries and damage, which Cui Hongjian cited as a factor dragging down the likelihood of a cease-fire.

While the existing cease-fire plan itself is delicate and far from substantive, the developments on the battlefields have added to the complexity, the expert said.

As different parties are engaging in talks in the fast-changing situation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in its latest response on Friday, said that we hope relevant parties will reach a fair and durable peace deal that is binding and accepted by all the parties concerned through dialogue and negotiation.

"China stands ready to work with the international community and continues to play a constructive role in resolving the crisis and realizing lasting peace," Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

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Eleven years since the illegitimate referendum staged by Russia in Crimea

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

16.03.2025

16 March 2025 marks eleven years since the so-called referendums on joining the Russian Federation were illegally held in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Russia escalated the violation of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity begun in 2014 by launching an unprovoked full-scale military aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Russia's illegitimate acts are a gross violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter, and poses direct threat to international security and peace.

Latvia condemns in the strongest terms the holding of any sham referenda and elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Latvia also condemns war crimes perpetrated by Russia, human rights violations, forced displacement and deportations of Ukrainian civilians, including children, to the Russian territory, as well as the persecution of and discrimination against Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars.

Latvia does not recognise Russia's attempts to illegally annex the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as other Ukrainian territories - the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

Latvia fully supports the unalienable right of Ukraine's to self-defence against Russia's war of aggression and to the liberation of its own territories.

Latvia offers unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity with in its internationally recognised borders and for its efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.

Latvia will continue providing comprehensive military and non-military support to Ukraine in the long term.

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Witkoff says Trump and Putin to speak this week on Ukraine ceasefire deal

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 16 March 2025 7:04 PM

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will likely hold talks this week on how to reach a ceasefire deal for Ukraine, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff, who met with Putin for four hours on Thursday in Moscow, said on Sunday that he had arranged the talk between the two leaders as part of Trump's goal to seal a 30-day ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine.

Witkoff is a longtime friend of Trump and himself a real estate mogul like Trump. He is playing a key role on behalf of the Trump administration in US foreign policy.

In an interview with CNN, Witkoff described his meeting with the Russian leader as "positive."

Witkoff claimed Putin shared the same "Trump philosophy" and had agreed to end the Ukraine war.

"The two sides are a lot closer today than they were a few weeks ago. We narrowed the differences," he said.

Witkoff said he had informed Trump of the results of his talks with Putin right after his meeting with the Russian leader from the US embassy in Moscow.

On Saturday, Trump held discussions with his senior advisers, exploring ways to reach a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, he said.

More discussions are expected to take place today to "narrow the differences even further," he added.

Witkoff claimed he expected "to see a ceasefire within weeks."

In related news, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also spoke about Ukraine on Saturday.

"Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue," the State Department said.

Meanwhile, Putin's foreign policy aide said that the proposal for a 30-day truce, agreed upon at a meeting of US and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia, needed to be finalized by taking into account Russia's interests and concerns.

Yury Ushakov added that the 30-day truce is nothing more than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military.

Russia is seeking a long-term peace deal with Ukraine that would take into account Moscow's interests and concerns, Ushakov said, adding that President Putin will formulate the official position on the US-proposed temporary truce in Ukraine.

"Russia must now accept" the truce deal, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy followed suit, saying, "Ukraine has set their position out. It is now for Russia to accept it."

The British official added that Moscow must immediately accept the Trump-initiated deal "with no conditions."

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, hit back at Lammy over his disrespectful remark.

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Russia, Ukraine Exchange Strikes As US, European Leaders Push For Cease-Fire

By RFE/RL March 16, 2025

France's president said Russia should not have a veto of any deployment of foreign peacekeepers to Ukraine as part of a cease-fire deal.

Speaking in an interview with several French newspapers, Emmanuel Macron also said any peacekeeping force would consist of "a few thousand troops per country" to be deployed at several locations. Several European and non-European countries had expressed interest, he said.

"Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for allied forces to be on its territory, it's not something for Russia to accept or not," Macron said in the interview published late on March 15.

Macron's comments come as European leaders struggle to reach an agreement on the contours of a possible peacekeeping mission.

After holding talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian and US officials announced on March 11 that Kyiv had agreed to a 30-day cease-fire proposal, contingent on Russia's agreement.

Moscow has so far reacted coolly to the idea, with President Vladimir Putin suggesting additional conditions, including a freeze on US weapons supplies to Kyiv.

Putin also said questions that must be addressed include what happens in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been losing ground in recent weeks after a surprise incursion last August, and who might monitor the cease-fire.

Russia has said the deployment of NATO troops would be unacceptable, casting a shadow over Western plans for a potential deployment.

Earlier on March 15, British Prime Minister Keir pledged a "willing" coalition of Western countries would also draft plans to protect Ukraine.

At a news conference after a virtual meeting with leaders from 25 other countries and entities, Starmer said Putin's "yes, but" response to the US cease-fire proposal is "not enough."

"If Putin is serious about peace, it's very simple: He has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to a cease-fire," Starmer said on the video call, which included leaders of European nations as well as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, but not the United States.

"If Russia finally comes to the table, then we must be ready to monitor a cease-fire to ensure it is a serious and enduring peace," Starmer said in a statement. "If they don't, then we need to strain every sinew to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to secure an end to this war."

After the video call, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged Ukraine's Western backers to set out "a clear position on security guarantees," including a potential force to be deployed.

"Peace will be more reliable with European contingents on the ground and the American side as a backstop," he wrote on X.

Overnight, Ukraine and Russia battered each other with drones and missiles, while on the battlefield Russian troops continued their drive to push Ukrainian forces out of Russia's Kursk region.

At least three people were injured in the Russian border region of Belgorod when Ukrainian drones hit a private home in the town of Gubkin, igniting a fire at the site, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev said air-defense units in three districts had destroyed more than 15 Ukrainian drones. There were no immediate reports of casualties, he said.

Meanwhile, in the Ukrainian town of Nikopol, a 70-year-old woman was killed by artillery, local military administrator Serhiy Lysak reported.

In Chernihiv, local authorities said Russian drones had hit a five-story building, destroying the top two floors. Casualty figures were not immediately available, with officials saying rescue services were at the site.

Ukrainian media also reported a number of explosions were seen near the capital, Kyiv, after authorities issued a warning of possible drone attacks in the region.

Ukraine's biggest private energy provider, DTEK, said on March 15 that Russian air strikes caused "significant" damage to its energy facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions and that some consumers in both regions were left without power.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, after seizing Crimea and fomenting war in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region eight years earlier.

President Donald Trump, who has made ending the war a prominent goal, dispatched a key envoy, Steve Witkoff, to meet with Putin in Moscow days after the US-Ukrainian talks in Riyadh.

Speaking on CNN on March 16, Witkoff described his meetings with Putin, which he said lasted around three to four hours as "a solutions-based discussion." He also said he expected Trump and Putin to speak on the phone in the coming week.

"The two sides are today a lot closer," he said. "We've narrowed the differences."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-diplomacy- coalition-willing/33348764.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.

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Continued Support for Ukraine, Bilateral Cooperation, and Pressure on Russia: President Holds Talks with Canadian Prime Minister

President of Ukraine

16 March 2025 - 21:51

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The Head of State congratulated Mark Carney on assuming office and thanked him for supporting Ukraine, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He also acknowledged Canada's contributions to military assistance, energy support, and joint efforts with partners to bring about a just and lasting peace.

One of the key topics of the conversation was increasing pressure on Russia. The Prime Minister shared his vision for stepping up sanctions against Moscow, particularly in regard to all-out sanctions on the shadow tanker fleet and the banking sector.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Carney also discussed the humanitarian aspects of security guarantees for Ukraine, including the country's recovery and economic support after the war.

Special attention was given to Ukraine's agenda during Canada's G7 presidency. Among other topics, they discussed the outcomes of the G7 foreign ministers' meeting held in Canada on March 12-14 and the strong final communique. The President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Canada agreed to interact in various formats and at different levels to make their cooperation even more substantive and practical.

Additionally, they discussed the development of bilateral relations. Canada has expressed interest in military-industrial and defense cooperation. The Head of State noted that throughout this war, Ukraine has gained significant experience in the production of electronic warfare systems, long-range missiles, and drones, and is ready for joint production.

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After the Talks in Jeddah and the American Proposal for a Ceasefire on the Frontline, Russia Stole Almost Another Week of War - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

16 March 2025 - 21:38

I wish you health!

Today, I made personnel changes in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Together with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, we decided that Andriy Hnatov will be the new Chief of the General Staff. He is a battle-hardened man, and his key tasks will be maximizing combat experience of our brigades in operational planning, both defensive and offensive, as well as accelerating the development of the corps system. Everything our brigades have learned in this war must be fully implemented at the planning level. General Barhylevych has been reassigned from the position of Chief of the General Staff to the Main Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense.

Today, the Commander-in-Chief also provided a report on the battlefield situation. Fighting and our defensive operations continue along almost the entire front line, including many key locations - from the Kharkiv region and the Kupyansk sector to the southern directions.

After the talks in Jeddah and the American proposal for a ceasefire on the frontline, Russia stole almost another week - a week of war that only Russia wants. We will do everything to further intensify diplomacy. We will do everything to make diplomacy effective. But every day now is about defending our independence, our state, and our people. We must remember - it is the support of our army, all our defense and security forces, and our state that determines everything.

I thank each and every one who does not forget that Ukraine's defense and resilience are paramount. I am grateful to all Ukrainian soldiers, every one of our units. I thank everyone who works for our defense and for our state. I thank all Ukrainians for every fundraiser for our Ukrainian army. We must remember - as long as the occupier is on our land, and as long as air raid sirens sound, we must defend Ukraine.

Based on the results of the week, I want to give special recognition to the warriors of the 59th Separate Assault Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces - thank you! Also, the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade - fighting in the Pokrovsk sector - well done! The 425th Separate Assault Regiment - thank you for your bravery in liberating positions from the occupiers. The 100th and 24th Separate Mechanized Brigades - thank you for effectively destroying Russian equipment and soldiers in the Toretsk and Kramatorsk sectors.

I just spoke with Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney. I thanked him for supporting Ukraine, our sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as for Canada's participation in our joint efforts with partners to protect our people, bring peace closer, and guarantee lasting security. We discussed sanctions against Russia - particularly targeting Russia's tanker fleet, its banks, and the revenue-generating schemes of the Russian state. With Prime Minister Carney, we discussed the outcomes of the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, as well as its final document, which is quite strong. I would like to thank all our partners in the G7. Canada will continue to support Ukraine, and this is important. It is important that almost every day, Ukraine receives new signals of support: new defense packages, proposals for joint diplomatic efforts, and partners' willingness to be more active.

Just now, Defense Minister Umerov reported to me on the fulfillment of tasks related to air defense - missiles for IRIS-T, NASAMS, and SAMP/T. There are good results in securing artillery contracts - additional shells will be provided for our army. The Defense Minister also provided an update on the organization of the next "Ramstein" meeting - we are preparing for Brussels. We are also working on a concrete security guarantees system for Ukraine: this week, a meeting of military representatives took place in France, and a meeting in the UK is being prepared. The first steps toward security guarantees are being taken. I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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How Many Ukrainians Will Remain After In Their Country The War?

By Iryna Sysak, Tetiana Koliesnichenko and Ivan Gutterman March 17, 2025

Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 with a population of about 52 million people -- second in the U.S.S.R. only to Russia's 147 million.

34 years later, that number has been cut nearly in half. Following the 2014 annexation of Crimea and war in the Donbas region, and Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion, the number of people living on territory controlled by Kyiv stands at around 29 million, according to estimates by Ukraine's Institute of Demography -- a decrease of 45 percent.

Tens or even hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians leave the country every year, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard Service. Experts say that the longer the war goes on, the fewer people will come back once it ends.

How Many Ukrainians Are Now In Ukraine And Abroad?

"The war forced me to decide to get my child out. We arrived in Warsaw in July 2022. We didn't plan to stay long. Everyone who left probably expected that they would only be gone for two weeks to a month," says Lina Syzonenko of Poltava, in central Ukraine, who has been living in Poland with her daughter Maria for almost three years.

Millions of Ukrainians like Lina and Maria had to leave because of the war. The exact numbers of those who stayed in the country and those who fled are elusive. Ukraine hasn't conducted a census since 2001, and the country's statistical service has partially stopped collecting and publishing demographic data, citing war-related difficulties.

War tends to worsen demographic trends by increasing mortality and decreasing birth rates. But, in Ukraine, emigration has caused the biggest drop in population figures -- the numbers of people leaving are "just crazy," says Oleksandr Hladun, deputy director of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences' Demographics and Life Quality Institute.

According to thelatest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), almost 7 million Ukrainian refugees currently live abroad. The majority of them, some 6.3 million, are in Europe. That figure includes some 1.3 million Ukrainians who fled to Russia and Belarus or were taken there. This data likely comes from the Russian and Belarusian border guard services and is "impossible to verify," according to Hladun.

The European Union invoked its Temporary Protection Directive for the first time in history when Russia launched its invasion, with member states offering millions of Ukrainians temporary residence, financial and housing benefits, and the right to work. Just under 4.3 million Ukrainians currently enjoy this status across the EU.

Some countries are considering allowing refugees to stay after the war ends, further decreasing the chances of large numbers of Ukrainians returning home. The Czech Republic, which hosts almost 400,000 Ukrainian refugees, recently passed a law that will allow those who are economically independent and have held protected status for at least two years to obtain a residence permit.

100,000 Fewer Babies Born Each Year

While millions of Ukrainians move abroad, collapsing birth rates -- which were already low -- pose another problem for the country's demographics. The fertility rate, or number of children born per woman, must be 2.1 for a country's population to remain stable without immigration. "Prior to the full scale invasion, [the total fertility rate] was 1.16. Since the invasion it is 0.9," which is by some estimates a record low, according to Daryna Marchak, deputy minister for social policy. This puts it below the lowest fertility rates in the EU.

Low birth rates are exacerbated by military mobilization of males aged 25 and up, and by pressure on the government to further reduce the minimum conscription age. According to UN statistics, Ukraine has some 1.5 million men aged 18-25. "Some are hiding from the draft, some have left, illegally crossing the border...Some minors who are about to turn 18 may also go abroad," leaving fewer young people in Ukraine willing or able to start families, says Hladun.

Ukraine's death rate, on the other hand, is elevated. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that 46,000 soldiers have been killed so far in the invasion, which is likely lower than the real figure. Hladun, the demographer, says that besides Russian air strikes, civilians are also being killed by other medical complications caused by the invasion -- such as strokes and heart attacks from war-related stress. The number of deaths per year is now nearly three times as high as the number of births, putting Ukraine among the countries with the highest death rates and lowest birth rates.

Are More Ukrainians Leaving Their Country Now?

"I look at the UNHCR's figures from time to time, and the number of [Ukrainian] refugees was decreasing until May 2024. The lowest figure was 5.9 million, and then it began to rise again," says Volodymyr Paniotto, the head of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

According to him, the situation on the front line, delays in weapons deliveries, and the feeling that the war is here to stay all contribute to peoples' decision to leave -- as well as "the fact that Russia is advancing, albeit slowly."

According to border-crossing data, Ukrainians departed the country 15,276,000 times in 2024, while 14,834,000 entries were recorded -- a deficit of 442,000, nearly triple the figure for 2023.

How Many People Will Return Once The War Ends?

According to polls conducted for the Center for Economic Strategy, a Ukrainian think tank, the proportion of refugees who definitely or probably want to return to Ukraine fell to less than 50 percent in November 2024 for the first time since the invasion.

In November 2022, just 10 percent of refugees said they definitely did not want to return to Ukraine -- by late 2024, that figure had increased to 34 percent.

Polls by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology also show that 19 percent of Ukrainian refugees abroad hold, or have applied for, citizenship of another country, and 45 percent would like to obtain it.

Paniotto, the head of the institute, says that the number of people planning to remain abroad grows by some 100,000-150,000 each month. "They learn the language, find jobs, their children have good prospects [abroad]. We lose people killed at the front every month, but we lose 20, maybe 30 times as many people per month [to long-term emigration]."

How Will Ukraine's Population Change After The War?

Ukraine's Institute of Demographics projects that there will be 30 million Ukrainians in the country's internationally-recognized borders in 2035. "The prognosis reflects the trend that will occur if nothing changes in the country...but everything depends on the year when the war ends."

Accurate projections won't be possible until some time after the war ends. Hladun says Ukraine will need to conduct a census, which it has not done since 2001, a year or two after hostilities cease, to give migrants time to either return or decide to stay abroad.

Oleksiy Chernyshov, a Ukrainian deputy prime minister, says there are more than 60 million Ukrainians worldwide and that the country is "doing everything so that Ukrainians consider returning."

"There will never be 52 million of us again," says Hladun. "We need to plan our economy and social infrastructure around a population of 30 million...and value quality of life and a functional government over population size."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-population-war- migration-refugees/33347583.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.

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New York, NY, March 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a bold move to promote equity and economic empowerment in New Yorks legal cannabis market, Silly Nice, a Black and Veteran-owned cannabis brand, has joined forces with The Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative (CJEI). This partnership is dedicated to supporting communities disproportionately impacted by past cannabis prohibition through education, training, and employment opportunities.

A Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

Since launching in 2024, Silly Nice has grown rapidly, becoming a staple in over 100 licensed dispensaries across New York State. Known for its commitment to quality, sustainability, and community engagement, the brand actively seeks to create an inclusive industry that provides opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.

For LeVar Thomas, Co-Founder of Silly Nice, this mission is personal. A Harlem resident, Thomas has witnessed firsthand the discriminatory enforcement of cannabis laws, with family members directly affected by the prison system for cannabis-related offenses. By collaborating with CJEI, Thomas and the Silly Nice team are working to empower individuals from disproportionately impacted communities and ensure they have access to the emerging opportunities in the legal cannabis market.

CJEIs Mission to Create Lasting Change

The Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative is a community-based organization committed to removing systemic barriers that prevent marginalized groups from entering the cannabis industry. Through education, workforce training, and employment support, CJEI equips individuals with the tools needed to build sustainable careers in the regulated market.

At the heart of CJEIs efforts is the Training, Education & Employment (TEE) Program, a free, 16-week training and certification initiative. Designed to develop a skilled labor force of 1,500 individuals annually, the program provides education on:

Cultivation and processing

Workforce protections and labor rights

Retail and dispensary operations

Career development and entrepreneurship

Ancillary opportunities in the cannabis industry

By providing direct pathways to employment and business ownership, CJEI is working to ensure that the communities most impacted by past cannabis laws can benefit from the industrys economic growth.

Building a More Equitable Cannabis Market

The collaboration between Silly Nice and CJEI is driven by a shared commitment to economic justice. As New Yorks cannabis industry is projected to generate $3.5 billion annually and create over 60,000 jobs, the need for inclusive hiring, equitable access, and workforce development has never been greater.

However, the industrys rapid expansion exists alongside stark racial disparities. In 2020, 94% of marijuana-related arrests by the NYPD involved people of color, underscoring the importance of initiatives that address past injustices while creating tangible opportunities for those most affected.

By combining Silly Nices industry expertise with CJEIs education and workforce training programs, this partnership is designed to drive systemic change, increase diversity in the cannabis sector, and create lasting economic opportunities for justice-impacted communities.

LeVar Thomas on the Future of Cannabis Equity

For Thomas, this partnership represents more than just businessits a step toward righting historical wrongs. Reflecting on the collaboration, he states:

"The cannabis industry cannot truly thrive unless it includes those who were most affected by prohibition. Partnering with CJEI allows us to take real actionproviding education, training, and opportunities for individuals who deserve a fair shot at success. Our goal is to grow, but more importantly, to grow alongside the community.

Expanding Opportunities for Justice-Impacted Communities

Looking ahead, Silly Nice and CJEI plan to expand their initiatives, reaching more individuals who can benefit from job placement, skills training, and entrepreneurship support. Through ongoing collaboration, they aim to bridge the gap between social equity initiatives and real economic empowerment in New Yorks cannabis sector.

For those interested in learning more about the TEE Program, employment opportunities, or supporting this initiative, visit:

Silly Nice: https://sillynice.com

The Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative: https://www.thecjei.org

Attachment
SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investors in Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) n/k/a (NYSE: XYZ) began to learn of potentially adverse information about the company and its Square and Cash App platforms on Mar. 23, 2023, when Hindenburg Research published a scathing report on the company.

After a 2-year investigation, which included dozens of interviews with former employees, partners, and industry experts, Hindenburg concluded, in part, that Block had wildly overstated its genuine user counts and [c]ore to the issue is that Block has embraced one traditionally underbanked segment of the population: criminals.

On February 4, 2024, NBC News reported that federal regulators were probing allegations of two Whistleblowers that Cash App performed inadequate due diligence on its users including no effective procedure to establish the[ir] identity  opening the door to potential money laundering, terrorism financing, and other illegal and illicit activities.

Then, on May 1, 2024, NBC News reported that federal prosecutors were investigating Block due to allegations by a former employee that the Company had engaged in widespread and years-long compliance lapses at its two main units, Square and Cash App. Reportedly, the employee had provided prosecutors with internal Company documents demonstrating that Block had failed to conduct basic due diligence on its customers, that Square had processed thousands of transactions involving countries subject to economic sanctions (including Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela), and that Block had processed multiple cryptocurrency transactions for terrorist groups.

These developments have driven the price of Block shares significantly lower. Hagens Berman urges investors who purchased Block shares and suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.

Class Period: Feb. 26, 2020  Apr. 30, 2024

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Mar. 18, 2025

Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/xyz

Contact the Firm Now: XYZ@hbsslaw.com

844-916-0895

Most recently, on Jan. 15, 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that Block agreed to pay $80 million to dozens of state regulators over alleged problems with its program to counter money-laundering. Then, on Jan. 16, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ordered Block to pay $175 million and fix its failures on Cash App user fraud. The CFPB said Cash App attempted to avoid investigative obligations by tricking its users and that Cash App was vulnerable to criminals defrauding users.

Further related regulatory actions is possible. Block stated in its most recent Form 10-Q quarterly report filed in November, that it also received inquiries from the SEC and Department of Justice (DOJ) shortly after the publication of a short seller report in March 2023. In July 2024, the Company received a follow-on inquiry from the SEC. The Company believes these inquiries primarily relate to the allegations raised in the short seller report, the Companys compliance and risk practices, and related disclosures. The Company continues to cooperate with both agencies. The Company is unable to predict the likely outcome of these matters and cannot provide any assurance that the SEC or DOJ will not ultimately take legal action against the Company or that the outcome of any such action, if brought, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Block, Inc. (XYZ) Securities Class Action:

We are investigating whether Block may have intentionally misled investors about its compliance and other business practices, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you invested in Block and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, submit your losses now 

If youd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Block case and our investigation, read more 

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Block should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email XYZ@hbsslaw.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Bermans team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
New York, NY, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the advancement of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency mining has garnered widespread attention. However, among the numerous available options, choosing a reliable, efficient, and transparent mining platform remains crucial. ATIL Mining has become the preferred choice for users due to its professional services and high-performance features.





Cloud mining enables cryptocurrency mining by renting computing power from third-party providers. This method eliminates the need to purchase expensive mining hardware or manage complex technical infrastructure. Users can connect to cloud mining services online, pay fees, and participate in mining activities to earn profits.



**Comprehensive Mining Services for All Users**



ATIL Mining is a blockchain-focused mining platform that offers secure and efficient mining solutions. The platform caters to the needs of both beginners and experienced miners by providing customizable solutions. It supports multiple cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, allowing users to choose from a variety of mining options.



The process of getting started with ATIL Mining involves a few simple steps:



Step 1: Register and create an account on the official ATIL Mining website, where new users can immediately receive a $10 bonus.



Step 2: Select a mining plan based on individual requirements and investment preferences.



Step 3: After completing the initial setup, mining will automatically begin without the need for any technical expertise.



**Key Features of ATIL Mining**



The platform integrates advanced security protocols to protect user assets and data. By implementing multi-layer encryption and stringent protective measures, it mitigates risks such as hacking and data breaches. Additionally, ATIL Mining offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies the mining process, ensuring that even those without technical knowledge can easily use it.





Transparency remains a top priority, as users have access to real-time information about their mining earnings. This feature allows them to track profits seamlessly, ensuring visibility for every transaction. To maximize efficiency, ATIL Mining operates through global data centers equipped with high-performance hardware. Continuous algorithm optimization further enhances computing power, improving overall mining efficiency.



In addition to traditional mining services, the platform also offers cloud mining options. This feature allows users without dedicated hardware to easily participate in mining activities. Furthermore, regular promotions provide users with opportunities to maximize profits.



**Contract Pricing**



Contract Amount

Contract Duration

Profit %

Daily Earnings

Total Earnings $100 2 days 3.30%

$3.3 $100 + $6.6 $500

5 days 1.25% $6.25

$500 + $6.25 $1800

15 days

1.35%

$24.3 $1800 + $364.5 $5000 30 days

1.60%

$80 $5000 + $2400



More contracts can be viewed on the official ATIL Mining website.



Since 2018, ATIL Mining has officially launched a free Bitcoin cloud mining platform, regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), aiming to provide secure, transparent, and efficient digital currency mining services under strict regulatory compliance.



The platform aims to make cryptocurrency mining accessible to a broader audience by eliminating the need for expensive hardware investments or technical expertise. Users can start mining immediately by simply registering an account, making it a viable option for both beginners and experienced investors.



As part of its commitment to industry transparency, ATIL Mining ensures that its operations comply with the regulations of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), thereby reinforcing its dedication to security and compliance. The platform employs advanced technology and high-performance data centers, allowing users to monitor mining progress and earnings in real-time. This approach enhances the digital asset management experience, providing participants with seamless interaction.



The platform has been open for global user registration since 2018. For more information, visit the official ATIL Mining website: www.atilmining.com.



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.
Auckland Airport announced today it has selected global travel retailer Lagardere as its future duty-free partner following a worldwide Request For Proposal (RFP) process.

With the French company successfully winning an eight-year contract to operate the airports four duty-free stores, international passengers can expect to see the next evolution of duty-free shopping at Auckland Airport, bringing more magic to the traveller journey and delivering some of the best value to consumers seen in travel retail across Australasia.

Chief Commercial Officer Mark Thomson said Lagardere is set to transform the duty-free experience over the coming years, bringing an extensive suite of top global brands and undertaking a full refurbishment of all duty-free stores, including a major transformation of departures. The new partnership, which remains subject to Overseas Investment Office approval, is expected to begin on 1 July 2025.

Over nine million international travellers flow through Auckland Airport every year and we know theyre looking for great prices, world-class brands, and quality retail experiences as part of their journey.

While we were impressed with the quality of all the proposals we received, Lagardere stood out with the most compelling offer that aligns with Auckland Airports commitment to offer travellers an exceptional customer experience, and celebrate the best of Aotearoa New Zealand and the world.

In selecting Lagardere, we are confident we have a partner that is a world-leader in duty-free shopping, which understands the New Zealand and trans-Tasman duty-free proposition. They have over 10 years experience at AKL, most recently as part of the joint venture company LagardereAWPL, trading as Aelia Duty Free. They also have global retail pedigree, operating in some of the largest airports in the Asia-Pacific region and in other locations around the world. As part of our new partnership, the duty-free offer will transition from LAWPLs Aelia and become a bespoke proposition for Auckland, operated by the separate entity Lagardere Travel Retail.

Mr Thomson said Lagardere and AKL are committed to delivering competitive prices to consumers and a wide range of product offerings to cater to all traveller segments.

Ensuring a competitive proposition that delivers both customer value and growth was a key consideration in our evaluation process, said Mr Thomson.

More than 400 people currently work across duty-free stores at Auckland Airport under the LagardereAWPL joint venture, and its understood employees will transition to the new duty-free operator from July 2025.

In 2023, Auckland Airport transitioned to a single-duty-free operator, following the global shift to online shopping and an evolution of aviation industry norms where airports have moved away from duplicated duty-free offers. Prior to the transition, a benchmark study in 2023 found only two of 112 other international airports of a similar size to Auckland Airport currently operate dual full-duplication models.

Weve had a new single operator model in place for almost two years and were thrilled with how its performed so far, despite economic challenges and the limited investment made in these stores over the period.

The double up of products we saw in a dual model has now been removed, and this has enabled a 40 per cent increase in the number of brands on offer to customers over this period. Local New Zealand products also grew by 30 per cent, providing customers with a much-improved product offering, he said.

Notes:

 Lagardere has been successful in its tender to operate Aukland Airports duty-free stores from July 2025 in both arrivals and departures. Lagarderes duty-free offer compliments the international terminal retail experience with 30 other retail operators across more than 80+ international retail sites.

 Headquartered in Paris, France, Lagardere is one of the largest global duty-free operators with duty-free operations across 28 countries and in 105 airports.

 Auckland Airport communicated its intention and rationale for moving towards a single duty-free operator to the Commerce Commission, which made no objections to the proposed change. The single operator model has been operating since June 2023.

 At Auckland Airport, retailers are obliged to ensure their pricing is fair and competitive. Auckland Airport uses a third party to actively monitor prices against those of similar off-airport retailers or outlets at other airports, where appropriate.

 As well as the long trading obligations  often 20-24 hour trading days  Auckland Airport also considers factors such as the increased compliance and operating costs unique to the airport environment, including security, biosecurity, staffing and logistics.

 Duty-free is also available online for when travellers fly in or out of Auckland via The Mall.

 Lagardere is a separate entity to the current duty-free operator, Lagardere AWPL.

ENDS

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LONDON, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celex Oncology, a UK biotechnology company founded in 2017 and on the brink of launching the fourth revolution in cancer care, today announced the Celex model and investigative treatment. The treatment* has the potential to control metastatic cancer and block the processes that lead to advanced metastatic disease, which is responsible for approximately 90% of all cancer deaths globally.1

Despite advances in oncology, the aggressive nature of many cancers continues to pose significant challenges, with unresolved disease progression, treatment-induced side-effects and resistance to treatment remaining key issues.2 To date, three major paradigms have existed in cancer care with Celex Oncology proposing a new paradigm: targeting sodium overload in tumour cells*.

Several recent research papers stress the importance of the understanding of the bioelectricity of cancer for treatments3 and the involvement of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) in progression and metastasis.4 This research underscores its significance as a potential novel therapeutic target. Celex Oncology is investigating VGSC inhibitors which have the potential to reverse cancer progression and harness the power of bioelectricity, reversing and blocking the processes that lead to advanced and deadly oncological disease.

Celex Oncology is in attendance at the Bio-Europe Spring 2025 scientific congress (17th  19th March) in Milan, Italy, where leadership will be meeting with investors, pharma & biotech companies and industry experts to discuss their technology and investigational plan.

Celex Oncologys first attendance at Bio-Europe Spring 2025 follows their recent win at the 2024 EIT Health Catapult programme, which recognises and awards the highest-potential life science and health tech start-ups. Celex Oncology took home the Life Science award in their potential treatment for invasive and metastatic cancer.5

At Celex Oncology, we are steadfast in our determination to deliver an alternative option for patients with metastatic cancer. We have spent years deepening our understanding of cancer invasion and progression. In addition to our VGSC inhibitors we are developing tumour specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to target a key protein present in invasive breast and colon cancer. This has been undertaken by identifying a special version of a tissue protein that appears in tumours and aids in metastasis, said Dr Sara Moodad, Vice President of Research & Development, Celex Oncology. We are advancing rapidly towards clinical trials, aiming to significantly improve both survival and quality of life, with a therapeutic option complementary to existing treatments.

Carsten Faltum, CEO, Celex Oncology, said, Were delighted to be at Bio-Europe Spring 2025 alongside other life science and biotech leaders. We are here to continue our journey of bringing new solutions to long-term and unresolved issues in cancer care. Our investigational treatments are designed to control tumours and thereby improve survival. They have the potential to be transformative and could change metastatic cancer care by turning it from a life-threatening disease into a controlled and treatable long-term condition. We are looking forward to discussions about Celex Oncology and our goals, which will empower clinicians and could lead to a future where cancer is no longer synonymous with inevitable decline but instead a controllable condition that allows a person living with cancer to lead a longer, more active, more productive life.

While VGSC inhibitors will need to undergo further testing to realise their clinical potential, the possibility of managing metastatic cancer in a non-toxic and cost-effective way is promising and should be welcomed by cancer patients and clinicians.4

Notes for Editors

Fact Box Celex Oncology is harnessing the power of bioelectricity, targeting voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) to reverse cancer cell aggression and block the processes that lead to advanced oncological disease The drug will be a daily, oral pill that restores normal intracellular sodium level.

Sodium is one of the most crucial and fundamental cell components with a key role in regulation of many vital cell processes and tumour cell behaviour.

This novel mechanism of action and new target is supported by robust preclinical data and real-world evidence (RWE) in several indications demonstrating a significant pan-cancer opportunity.

Founded in 2017, Celex Oncology is transforming cancer care by turning it from a life-threatening disease into a controlled and treatable long-term condition.

The first-in-class, proprietary treatment will target sodium overload in tumour cells  one of the most crucial cell components and key regulators of tumour cell behaviour. Sodium is one of the most crucial and fundamental cell components with a key role in regulation of many vital cell processes and tumour cell behaviour.

Celex Oncology's CL-S01 and CL-S03 treatments*, still in investigational stage, aim to improve both survival and quality of life. Designed for rapid integration into existing clinical regiments, the cost-effective and easy-to-administer approach could redefine the future of cancer care.

The strong business model is centred around four separate but inter-linked areas within the product profile: tumour treatment, monoclonal antibodies, diagnostic and cardiac protection.

Follow Celex Oncologys journey on LinkedIn

Contact Details

Stephanie Harris, Associate Director, MD Health Communications

stephanie.harris@mdhealthcomms.com +44 (0)7590562038

References

Hudock, N.L. et al. (2023) Future trends in incidence and long-term survival of metastatic cancer in the United States, Communications Medicine, 3(1), pp. 17. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-023-00304-x Mayo Clinic Staff (2022) Managing the lingering side effects of cancer treatment, Mayo Clinic. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-survivor/art-20045524. Last accessed March 2025. Pukkanasut, P. et al. (2024) Therapeutic targeting of voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 for cancer metastasis, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1416705 Djamgoz, M.B.A. (2024) Electrical excitability of cancer cellsCELEX model updated, Cancer and Metastasis Reviews, 43(4), pp. 15791591. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-024-10195-6 Europes next generation of elite health innovation start-ups recognised - EIT Health (2024) EIT Health. Available at: https://eithealth.eu/news-article/europes-next-generation-of-elite-health-innovation-start-ups-recognised/ Last accessed March 2025.



* Investigational treatment only, not approved for use

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3c011931-0343-4c0d-bb26-c4a511d38164
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- amana, MENAs leading neobroker, is redefining trading by adding 300+ new cryptocurrencies, bringing its total to 450+ coinsthe most from any local broker. This unmatched range cements amana as the go-to platform for seamless digital and traditional asset trading in one powerful app.

This milestone fills a major gap: most crypto platforms focus solely on digital assets, while traditional brokers offer little to no crypto access. amana bridges both worlds, giving traders everything they need in one placeno multiple accounts required.

All-in-One

With amana, traders no longer need multiple accounts or brokers to access different asset classes.

450+ cryptocurrencies  The widest selection from any broker in MENA, including majors like Bitcoin or Ethereum and XRP, gaming coins like Decentraland, meme coins like the Trump coin, L1/L2s, DeFi, and many more

U.S. stocks  Direct access to top companies, like Tesla or Microsoft



FX, commodities, gold, futures and CFDs  A full range of trading opportunities

Gold and global stocks ETFs, as well as REITs and MENA stocks for investors

Automated investment plans  Making wealth building effortless

Flexible trading options: Leveraged or unleveraged



Trading crypto has never been this effortless, said Muhammad Rasoul, CEO of amana. With over 450 coins and a seamless all-in-one platform, were making it easier than ever for our customers to trade digital assets alongside stocks, forex, and commoditiesall in one place, with zero hassle.

Unmatched Access

This expansion isnt just about quantityits about seamless access, competitive pricing, and a frictionless trading experience. amanas intuitive app makes crypto and traditional asset trading as easy as a few taps, empowering both seasoned traders and new investors.

With the biggest crypto offering among local brokers and unparalleled access to global markets, amana is now MENAs ultimate one-stop trading platform for a fully diversified investment and trading portfolio.

This unique positioning has made amana one of the regions fastest-growing players, with over 320,000 new users since its app launch in Sept 2022.

About amana

amana is a leading neobroker. It provides retail investors and active traders with direct access to the global financial markets, serving clients across MENA. It operates multiple offices across Dubai, London, Limassol, and Beirut.

CONTACT: Contact: Karolina Slowikowska, Director of Communications, at karolina.slowikowska@amanacapital.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/54e1b55b-cf40-483d-ab8c-0bb0caa9d4e6
Santa Monica, California, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oliveda International, Inc. (OTC Pink: OLVI) today announced that its Olive Tree People Inc. subsidiary, the fastest-growing waterless beauty company in the world, is opening its first flagship store in the United States in Los Angeles, California.

Olive Tree People achieved $104 million in sales in its second year and is growing 200% faster than leading celebrity beauty brands such as Rhode by Hayley Bieber or JLo by Jennifer Lopez, and six times faster than clean beauty brand Beautycounter.

Waterless beauty and Olive Tree People are now more than just a trend in the U.S.; they have grown into a true movement that will transform the entire beauty industry in the coming years. Waterless beauty is also the fastest-growing segment within the entire beauty industry and is expected to grow to $17.21 trillion by 2028, according to Grandview Research.

With its first flagship store in the U.S., Olive Tree People is setting new standards by creating a world of experience that is unique worldwide. It brings the history of the Olive Tree People brands Oliveda, LA Dope, Olive Rose, Olive Mush, Is That Matty and Olive:Reconnected brands to life, as well as the life-changing power of olive trees, around the legendary Olive Tree House of Oliveda founder Thomas Lommel.

Mr. Lommel commented, We are not only waterless beauty, but also the first company to work with the frequencies of our wild mountain olive trees in Spain and make them accessible to everyone worldwide.

For the first time in history, our flagship store at 1335 Abbot Kinney in Venice, Los Angeles will offer a unique opportunity for every visitor to immerse themselves in the interior of a 3,000-year-old mountain olive tree and experience what it feels like to be one with nature again, while simultaneously reconnecting with its unique nature and thus connecting with the infinite life force of Mother Nature.

Another important part of the flagship store, according to Mr. Lommel, will be to make the holistic cycle that has been practiced for 21 years tangible.

This is in order to understand that Olive Tree People  through its more than 50,000 waterless beauty consultants in the U.S.  wants to educate 168.6 million women on the difference between conventional and waterless beauty. The holistic cycle explains that we replace the 70% water used in conventional products with the power of our mountain olive tree cell elixir and the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol it contains, and replace the mostly refined oils with our bioactive Arbequina oil, but also that for over 21 years we have been the largest nature conservationist in the region, protecting more than 31,000 ancient, wonderful mountain olive trees by protecting them, bringing them back to life and receiving from them what we need to make waterless beauty a reality. Since 2013, we have been bringing the water that we do not process in our mountain olive trees to the people in Africa by building our own water wells on site, Mr. Lommel added.

About Oliveda International, Inc.

Oliveda International, Inc. and its subsidiary, Olive Tree People Inc., as well as the European companies, Olive Tree People Europe AG and Oliveda Deutschland GmbH, as well as Olive Tree Farmers SL, were founded by the German real estate investor Thomas Lommel and have more than 20 years of experience in management and organic certification growing mountain olive trees, in the extraction of first-class, internationally award-winning extra virgin olive oils, the extraction of hydroxytyrosol, and in the production and distribution of cosmetic and holistic waterless products related to the olive tree. Lommel is the inventor of the Olive Tree Therapy 10 years in 14 days as well as the inventor of olive matcha, which is based on the ground olive leaf. Also unique is the coffee replacement developed by Lommel, which is based on olive leaf and hydroxytyrosol. In addition, Lommel is successfully active in the rapidly growing mindfulness industry with the olive tree sound bath meditation he developed and the frequencies of his olive trees, which he makes available worldwide.

In addition to the registered beauty brands, Oliveda and LA Dope, as well as Re:connected to Nature, The Intuition of Nature, and Olive Mush, to name just a few brands, Lommel is the region's largest conservationist and protector of over 30,000 one-hundred-year-old mountain olive trees, and, with his Thomas Lommel Foundation, he brings the water that he does not use into his waterless beauty products to the people of Africa by building water wells on site.

In addition to online sales and a Europe-wide branch network of thousands of retail stores, Oliveda Deutschland GmbH operates its own flagship stores in Berlin and Dusseldorf.

The brand's treatment concepts are unique worldwide, and their effectiveness has been confirmed by conventional medicine. Read our book The Olive Tree Therapy 10 Years in 14 Days. Waterless beauty has been called The Next Big Thing in articles in U.S. Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Elle, Madame, Forbes, and many other industry publications, as well as by Mintel, a world-leading futurology institute. Gigi Hadid and many other celebrities are already Oliveda fans and support its success. Further information on Oliveda International, Inc. and its subsidiaries and associate companies and brands can be found at www.olivetreepeople.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements, estimates or projections that constitute "forward-looking statements" pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws. Generally, the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which may be found in the Companys filings with OTC Markets Group Inc., that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's historical experience and present expectations or projections. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or intention to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements unless otherwise required by law. Olive Tree People - Venice Store Location Olive Tree People - Venice Store Location

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Dublin, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Human Liver Model Market by Model Type (2D Models, 3D Models, Ex Vivo Models), Cell Source (Immortalized Liver Cell Lines, Primary Human Hepatocytes, Stem Cell-Derived Models), Application, End Users - Global Forecast 2025-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Human Liver Model Market grew from USD 1.55 billion in 2024 to USD 1.68 billion in 2025. It is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 8.53%, reaching USD 2.54 billion by 2030.



Over recent years, the human liver model landscape has experienced transformative shifts driven by technological breakthroughs and a deeper understanding of liver biology. Traditional models have gradually been supplemented or replaced by advanced methods that offer better predictive validity. These shifts are primarily influenced by innovations in tissue engineering that allow for the replication of complex liver architectures. Researchers are now leveraging biomimetic designs and microfluidic systems that mimic in vivo conditions, leading to the development of dynamic liver models that simulate real-life physiological responses.





Innovative approaches such as organoids and in silico models are at the forefront of these developments, leading to enhanced simulation of drug metabolism and toxicity. Moreover, hybrid models that combine biological and computational elements have emerged as versatile tools in the research landscape. The push towards incorporating 3D structures and ex vivo conditions demonstrates a commitment within the industry to bridge the gap between in vitro models and in vivo conditions. Consequently, this paradigm shift is significantly influencing investment strategies, with increased funding directed towards research that promises both clinical and commercial returns.



The integration of novel cell sources, advanced biomaterials, and state-of-the-art computational algorithms is paving the way for an ecosystem that is inherently collaborative and interdisciplinary. Collaborations between academic research institutes, biotech firms, and pharmaceutical companies are increasing, fostering innovation that has the potential to revolutionize how diseases are modeled and treated. This era of progress not only redefines scientific inquiry but also sets the stage for industry players to capitalize on a evolving market that values precision, reproducibility, and scalability.



Overall, the transformed landscape embraces a multifaceted approach, combining traditional knowledge with modern technology to address both scientific and commercial needs. The ongoing convergence of technological expertise and market demands ensures that human liver models will continue to evolve, offering actionable insights that contribute to superior research outcomes and enhanced drug development strategies.



Regional Variations Driving the Human Liver Model Market



Geographical insights reveal that the adoption and innovation in human liver model technologies differ significantly across regions, influencing market trends and investment strategies. In the Americas, the demand for state-of-the-art liver models is propelled by substantial investments in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research, as well as a robust regulatory framework that encourages innovative practices. The region boasts a high concentration of leading research institutions and technological enterprises that continually drive forward both basic and applied research initiatives.



Across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, research entities and commercial organizations are increasingly focusing on adopting advanced liver model technologies to streamline drug testing and facilitate personalized medicine. The diverse healthcare landscapes and regulatory environments in these areas offer unique challenges and opportunities, pushing stakeholders to adapt and innovate continuously. This region is marked by rapid adoption of new technologies and a commitment to optimizing research practices, which in turn encourages localized growth and collaboration.



In the Asia-Pacific region, market expansion is fueled by burgeoning investments in medical research infrastructure paired with an increasingly sophisticated biotech industry. The region's dynamic blend of traditional practices and modern science fosters an environment of rapid innovation. Rising clinical research activities, government initiatives, and growing collaborations between local and international players contribute to an accelerated pace of progress in liver model applications. The regional landscape is also characterized by a strong emphasis on cost-effective and scalable solutions, making it an attractive hub for the introduction and development of novel liver model technologies.



These regional insights underline that market characteristics are not homogeneous across the globe. Instead, they are shaped by local policies, funding regimes, technological readiness, and strategic international collaborations. The interplay of these factors ensures that each region adopts a unique approach to advancing research while contributing to the global narrative of human liver model innovation.



Leading Industry Players and Their Innovative Contributions



An understanding of the human liver model market is incomplete without an examination of the key companies that are influencing its trajectory. Notable players include Ascendance Bio, BioIVT LLC, and Cellink Global by BICO Group AB, who have distinguished themselves through continuous innovation and adoption of cutting-edge technologies. CN Bio Innovations Ltd. and Corning Incorporated further complement the market by integrating scientific advancements with robust business strategies, ensuring that solutions are both scalable and scientifically sound.



Other industry leaders such as Cyfuse Biomedical K.K., EISCO Scientific LLC, and Emulate Inc. are noted for their focus on developing models that bridge the gap between conventional laboratory practices and the intricacies of human physiology. Companies like Hurel Corporation, InSphero AG, and Kirkstall Ltd have made significant strides in leveraging 3D printing and microfluidic technologies to pioneer new research avenues. MIMETAS B.V. and NeurOmics, Inc. continue to push boundaries by innovating dynamic culture systems that simulate real-time hepatic responses under various conditions.



In addition, Organovo Holdings Inc., Pandorum Technologies Private Limited, PhoenixBio Co., Ltd., and STEMCELL Technologies Inc. provide expansive portfolios that range from advanced organoid technology to tailored cell culture solutions. Their comprehensive approaches and commitment to advancing the field with state-of-the-art methodologies have ensured that stakeholders have access to reliable, high-quality liver models that facilitate both research and therapeutic developments. Together, these companies form the backbone of a market dedicated to revolutionizing drug development, safety screenings, and educational research through continuous technological improvements.



The report delves into recent significant developments in the Human Liver Model Market, highlighting leading vendors and their innovative profiles. These include:

Ascendance Bio

BioIVT LLC

Cellink Global by BICO Group AB

CN Bio Innovations Ltd.

Corning Incorporated

Cyfuse Biomedical K.K.

EISCO Scientific LLC

Emulate Inc.

Hurel Corporation

InSphero AG

Kirkstall Ltd.

MIMETAS B.V.

NeurOmics, Inc.

Organovo Holdings Inc.

Pandorum Technologies Private Limited

PhoenixBio Co. Ltd.

STEMCELL Technologies Inc.

Strategic Action Points for Market Leaders



For industry leaders looking to harness the potential of human liver models, attention must be given to several strategic action points that translate into both improved research outcomes and tangible market benefits.



First, invest in collaborative research initiatives that bridge the gap between academia and industry. By fostering partnerships with leading research institutions and biotech innovators, companies can ensure that their models meet the highest standards of relevance and scientific validation. This synergy will drive more targeted applications, particularly in drug discovery and toxicology studies, where precision and reproducibility are essential.



Second, prioritize the incorporation of emerging technologies such as hybrid and in silico models. The integration of computational methodologies with biological models offers the opportunity to simulate complex interactions more accurately, thereby reducing the reliance on trial-and-error methods in drug development. Adopting these integrated models can provide a competitive edge by enabling real-time data analysis and accelerated decision-making processes.



Third, focus on diversifying the cell sources used in liver models. Emphasizing research that evaluates the performance of immortalized liver cell lines, primary human hepatocytes, and stem cell-derived models ensures that a thorough understanding of cellular behavior under different conditions is achieved. This diversification not only bolsters the reliability of experimental results but also enhances the applicability of these models in various research scenarios.



Fourth, realign your market strategies based on regional insights. Tailoring approaches to suit the specific demands of regions such as the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific can lead to more targeted investments and localized innovation. Recognizing regional regulations, funding opportunities, and technological readiness helps in formulating strategies that are both responsive and flexible.



Finally, leverage the competitive insights provided by leading companies. By studying the innovative approaches employed by prominent players, market leaders can adopt best practices and drive continuous improvement within their own operations. This proactive stance in integrating new technologies, optimizing resource deployment, and fostering partnerships is critical for staying ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.



Implementing these actionable recommendations will not only result in enhanced research and product development but also ensure a resilient market presence. Decision-makers are encouraged to view these strategic points as investments into the future of a dynamic and ever-evolving industry.



Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 191 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $1.68 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $2.54 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.5% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered



1. Preface

1.1. Objectives of the Study

1.2. Market Segmentation & Coverage

1.3. Years Considered for the Study

1.4. Currency & Pricing

1.5. Language

1.6. Stakeholders



2. Research Methodology

2.1. Define: Research Objective

2.2. Determine: Research Design

2.3. Prepare: Research Instrument

2.4. Collect: Data Source

2.5. Analyze: Data Interpretation

2.6. Formulate: Data Verification

2.7. Publish: Research Report

2.8. Repeat: Report Update



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Overview



5. Market Insights

5.1. Market Dynamics

5.1.1. Drivers

5.1.1.1. Rising government and institutional funding for life sciences and toxicological studies

5.1.1.2. Increase in demand for personalized medicine and patient-specific therapies

5.1.1.3. Escalating prevalence of liver diseases and associated health complications

5.1.2. Restraints

5.1.2.1. High development and manufacturing costs of advanced liver models

5.1.3. Opportunities

5.1.3.1. Investments & funding in biomedical research and innovative liver simulation technologies

5.1.3.2. Technological advances in tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting solutions

5.1.4. Challenges

5.1.4.1. Regulatory requirements and compliance obstacles in the human liver model approval process

5.2. Market Segmentation Analysis

5.2.1. Model Type: Rising demand for 3D human liver model for their simplicity and rapid screening capabilities

5.2.2. End Users: Growing usage of human liver model in biotechnology companies

5.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3.1. Threat of New Entrants

5.3.2. Threat of Substitutes

5.3.3. Bargaining Power of Customers

5.3.4. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

5.3.5. Industry Rivalry

5.4. PESTLE Analysis

5.4.1. Political

5.4.2. Economic

5.4.3. Social

5.4.4. Technological

5.4.5. Legal

5.4.6. Environmental



6. Human Liver Model Market, by Model Type

6.1. Introduction

6.2. 2D Models

6.3. 3D Models

6.4. Ex Vivo Models

6.5. Hybrid Models

6.6. In Silico Models

6.7. Liver Organoids



7. Human Liver Model Market, by Cell Source

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Immortalized Liver Cell Lines

7.3. Primary Human Hepatocytes

7.4. Stem Cell-Derived Models



8. Human Liver Model Market, by Application

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Drug Discovery

8.3. Education

8.3.1. Physiological Studies

8.3.2. Toxicology Studies



9. Human Liver Model Market, by End Users

9.1. Introduction

9.2. Biotech Companies

9.3. Contract Research Organizations

9.4. Pharmaceutical Companies

9.5. Research Laboratories



10. Americas Human Liver Model Market

10.1. Introduction

10.2. Argentina

10.3. Brazil

10.4. Canada

10.5. Mexico

10.6. United States



11. Asia-Pacific Human Liver Model Market

11.1. Introduction

11.2. Australia

11.3. China

11.4. India

11.5. Indonesia

11.6. Japan

11.7. Malaysia

11.8. Philippines

11.9. Singapore

11.10. South Korea

11.11. Taiwan

11.12. Thailand

11.13. Vietnam



12. Europe, Middle East & Africa Human Liver Model Market

12.1. Introduction

12.2. Denmark

12.3. Egypt

12.4. Finland

12.5. France

12.6. Germany

12.7. Israel

12.8. Italy

12.9. Netherlands

12.10. Nigeria

12.11. Norway

12.12. Poland

12.13. Qatar

12.14. Russia

12.15. Saudi Arabia

12.16. South Africa

12.17. Spain

12.18. Sweden

12.19. Switzerland

12.20. Turkey

12.21. United Arab Emirates

12.22. United Kingdom



13. Competitive Landscape

13.1. Market Share Analysis, 2024

13.2. FPNV Positioning Matrix, 2024

13.3. Competitive Scenario Analysis

13.3.1. Ochre Bio and GSK join forces to accelerate hepatology drug discovery

13.3.2. Boehringer Ingelheim and Ochre Bio partner to accelerate regenerative liver therapy discovery

13.3.3. PhoenixBio's innovative humanized liver chimeric mouse models transform preclinical drug testing

13.4. Strategy Analysis & Recommendations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z3klfw

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.

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SINGAPORE, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, BYDFi has noticed misleading accusations made by the content creator ExtraVOD on social media against BYDFi. To ensure transparency and clarity for all our users, BYDFi would like to present the facts of the situation

January 25: Detection of Abnormal Trading Activity

When ExtraVODs first account reached the perpetual risk limit, he opened a second account to bypass restrictions. BYDFi identified abnormal trading activities and ExtraVOD was reminded of BYDFis User Agreement (9.2 and 9.3) and the risk limits for perpetual contracts.

January 26: Admission & Request for Content Removal

ExtraVOD claimed ignorance of the policy but admitted to creating a second account for high-frequency trading. BYDFi requested the removal of misleading content from his social media.

January 28-29: Agreement & Fund Transfers

Following negotiations, an agreement was reached. All funds in ExtraVODs main account remained fully accessible, while deposit funds from the sub-account were merged into the main account.

ExtraVOD acknowledged the resolution and publicly confirmed it. Over the next month, he continued trading actively.





March 1 - March 5: Contradictory Claims & Renewed Demands

A month later, ExtraVOD re-engaged, demanding profit funds from the sub-account.

BYDFi support reiterated that, per the January agreement, all deposited funds had already been returned to the main account.

March 11-15: Threats & Misinformation

ExtraVOD escalated the situation, threatening to expose the issue on social media unless his demands were met. He altered his stance, now claiming the second account belonged to his family.

He then released a video urging his followers to pressure BYDFi into returning the funds.





5 Years. 1 Principle: Rules > Followers

BYDFi upholds integrity and transparency to ensure a fair trading environment for all users. All legitimate funds were returned to ExtraVODs verified account, but trading profits were voided due to rule violations.

BYDFi will not tolerate defamatory actions and reserves the right to take legal action against any damages caused by misleading claims. The misuse of multiple accounts to bypass risk limits is a violation of policies across all trading platforms.

About BYDFi

Founded in 2020, BYDFi is recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 10 Global Crypto Exchanges, trusted by over 1,000,000 users worldwide. BYDFi remains committed to delivering a world-class crypto trading experience for every user. BUIDL Your Dream Finance.

 Website: https://www.bydfi.com

 Support Email: CS@bydfi.com

 Business Partnerships: BD@bydfi.com

 Media Inquiries: media@bydfi.com

Twitter( X ) | LinkedIn | Facebook | Telegram | YouTube

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DALLAS, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SUCCESS Enterprises is excited to announce that Ashley LaRocque has been named as vice president of media and production.

SUCCESS Enterprises empowers entrepreneurs, leaders, and individuals who seek growth to take action, said Amy Somerville, CEO of SUCCESS. Im absolutely thrilled to bring Ashley into this mission. With her exceptional experience, creativity, and leadership, shell ensure we deliver high-quality, engaging content and unforgettable experiences for ambitious go-getters."

I jumped at the opportunity to join the talented team at SUCCESS, LaRocque said. Producing innovative content for such an empowered customer base is a dream for a creative. Im buzzing with energy for whats to come!

LaRocque has held senior roles at some of the most recognized names in the industry, rising to pivotal roles to develop new services, expand client bases, and increase revenue. Previously, she served as executive director of media production at RE/MAX, LLC, leading the development and execution of high-quality event content and globally distributed media.

With her extensive career in media production, LaRocque brings creative and strategic expertise to further position SUCCESS as an innovative leader in delivering outstanding personal and professional development content and events.

About SUCCESS Enterprises: Founded in 1897, SUCCESS is a leading multimedia company dedicated to personal and professional development. Through SUCCESS and SUCCESS+ magazines, SUCCESS.com, SUCCESS+, newsletters, downloadable resources, on-demand courses, live events, and more, SUCCESS inspires individuals to dream big. Core values of optimism, determination, and resilience drive SUCCESS mission to provide individuals with tools for continuous growth. For more information, visit SUCCESS.com.

Contact Information:

Kerrie Lee Brown

Vice President of Publishing and Editor-in-Chief, SUCCESS Enterprises

kerrie.brown@success.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ff733e02-6c7a-435e-8d77-a394fe9b5b9c
Staunton, VA, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Secure Solar Futures, a provider of on-site solar energy to schools, hospitals, and businesses, has signed a 25-year Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) to develop 5.7 megawatts of solar power systems at eleven locations while restoring roofs at seven of those locations. The agreement will provide the school division with on-site solar power for the next three decades while providing schools with restored roofs under 25-year warranties, both at no upfront capital cost to RCPS. Over the next 35 years, the program will generate a total net savings of $46.5 million including avoided utility costs and roof replacement expenses.

This agreement builds on a prior 1.6-megawatt solar project completed in 2024, which installed solar arrays at six schools. Together, the two phases of solar development will total 7.3 megawatts across 17 locations and deliver substantial financial and environmental benefits.

Major Cost Savings and Financial Impact

Over the lifetime of the solar power systems and roof restorations, RCPS will benefit from:

$14 million in avoided roof replacement costs (assuming $20 per square foot)

(assuming $20 per square foot) $46.5 million in total net savings

Our first round of solar schools has already started saving money on energy, said Jeff Shawver, Senior Director of Physical Plants for RCPS.

For instance, a single solar-powered location, Fallon Park Elementary School, realized a 10% net savings on electricity costs from September through November 2024, a trend seen across the initial six campuses with solar installations.

After the quick success of our first round of solar schools, we decided to expand the program to additional campuses. The second round of solar will also help us save money on energy. But it will add roof restoration that will save even more money by avoiding millions of dollars in costs to remove and replace older roofs, Shawver said.

Secure Solar Futures will provide roof restoration at no capital cost to the schools as part of its Solar PPA-R offering. The company estimates that by restoring roofs at seven locations, RCPS will avoid more than $14 million in roof replacement costs over the next 35 years, as well as avoided landfill costs of roof replacement.

High-Efficiency Solar Technology

Secure Solar Futures will install 9,766 bifacial (two-sided) solar panels, which generate power on both sidesdirectly from sunlight on top and on the bottom from light reflected from the roof belowincreasing efficiency by 6% or more compared to traditional panels.

Construction will begin in spring 2025 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Once installed, Secure Solar Futures will own, operate, and maintain the solar equipment, selling the clean energy to RCPS at a rate lower than the cost of conventional utility power for the 25-year PPA term. At the end of the PPA term, RCPS will have the option to take ownership of the solar power systems at a nominal cost, enabling continued savings for the following decade or more.

The combined program for all 17 locations will generate 335,100,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity over their 35-year productive lifespan, an amount of energy that is equivalent to:

Powering 46,918 average American homes for a year

Avoiding 225,137 metric tons of CO emissions

Preventing the burning of 250,085,712 pounds of coal

Eliminating the use of 25,333,314 gallons of gasoline

Educational and Workforce Development Benefits

Going solar helps Roanoke City Public Schools protect their budgets against volatility in utility costs, said Anthony Smith, CEO and Founder of Secure Solar Futures. With new power-hungry data centers driving up electricity demand across Virginia, locking in predictable energy costs is a smart move. At the same time, these solar installations make RCPS a leader in sustainability, giving students hands-on experience with renewable energy and career pathways in the 21st-century energy economy.

Beyond solar installation, Secure Solar Futures will provide workforce development programs to train high school students as solar power technicians, as well as educational resources, including:

Standards-based curricula and teacher training for all grade levels

The Throwing Solar Shade project-based learning program, offering high school students hands-on research experience in citizen science

With 46.5 million reasons to celebrate, Roanoke City Public Schools investment in solar power and roof restoration sets a model for sustainable and cost-saving energy solutions for schools across Virginia, said Secure Futuress CEO Smith.

About Roanoke City Schools

Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) is an urban school division in Roanoke, Virginia, serving a pre-K through 12th grade population of approximately 14,000 students. RCPS provides an inclusive and equitable, student-centered culture that empowers lifelong learning. Through meaningful, relevant, and engaging learning opportunities, we will empower all students to dream, excel, and meet their full potential to benefit our city and its citizens. The division has 17 elementary schools, five middle schools, two high schools, and five program locations, including the Roanoke Valley Governor's School for Science & Technology and two Career & Technical Education centers. Visit www.rcps.info for additional information.

About Secure Solar Futures

As a market and policy leader, Secure Solar Futures builds, owns, manages, and funds affordable Resilient Solar Solutions for schools, hospitals, and businesses. The company combines state-ofthe-art solar technology with an innovative business model to make commercial-scale solar readily affordable in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, helping customers to realize the economic, environmental, and community benefits of solar energy. In 2017, Secure Solar Futures became a Certified B Corporation. Find the company online at www.securesolarfutures.com.

###

Roanoke City Public Schools Media Contact:

Claire Mitzel, Director, Communications & Public Relations

O: (540) 853-6164 C: (540) 355-9035 | cmitzel@rcps.info

Secure Solar Futures Media Contact:

Erik Curren (540) 466-6128 | erik@securesolarfutures.com

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Paola Papanicolaou, Head of Intesa Sanpaolos International Banks Division

MILAN, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Speaking at the EIB Forum in Luxembourg this month, Paola Papanicolaou, the head of Intesa Sanpaolos International Banks Division (IBD), outlined the significant contribution to economic growth in Central and Eastern Europe that the bank has made over the last five years.

Intesa Sanpaolo has signed deals worth nearly 660m in the CEE region over the past five years, in partnership with the EIB. This includes some 370m dedicated to EU candidate countries, such as Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine.

In Serbia, Intesa Sanpaolos subsidiary, Banca Intesa Beograd, recently partnered with EIB Global to provide 160m from the EU to support investment in the energy transition at Serbian SMEs, fostering sustainable economic growth.



The transaction will benefit around 240 companies and protect approximately 25,000 jobs. Banca Intesa Beograd is Serbias leading banking group.

We believe that our role goes beyond that of a financial institution that just operates transactions, to that of a partner, Papanicolaou said at the recent EIB Forum. Intesa Sanpaolo advises and supports the growth of individual companies as well as the wider national economies in which we operate.

Intesa Sanpaolos IBD is deeply embedded in the CEE region through a network of twelve fully-owned banks.

Its very important to be on the ground, as we are, to fully understand each countrys needs, Papanicolaou said. For example, we are working closely with some countries to support public finance and significant infrastructure projects.

Another agreement signed in November 2024 saw Intesa Sanpaolo's Croatian bank, Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ), receive 169m from the EIB to finance the green transition at Croatian companies. Of this total amount, 100m was earmarked by the EIB as a guarantee line for large enterprises and mid-cap companies, and an extension of an EIF guarantee of up to 69m was made for small businesses in the country. Intesa Sanpaolos PBZ is the second-largest bank in Croatia by assets.

Italy is a key trading partner for many EU candidate countries. As the leading Italian financial institution, Intesa Sanpaolo acts as a natural financial bridge between Italy  the second-largest manufacturing economy in Europe  and CEE markets.

Intesa Sanpaolo facilitates international trade, supports SMEs in expanding beyond domestic markets, and fosters cross-border collaborations that drive economic progress. In particular, the bank believes that helping SMEs to expand internationally is a vital contribution to the development of an economy.

The 12 home markets of Intesa Sanpaolos IBD are Croatia, Slovakia and Czech Republic, Serbia, Hungary, Egypt, Slovenia, Ukraine, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Romania and Moldova.

These banks together serve 7.4m customers, with a combined loan book of 45bn and 61bn in deposits.

Intesa Sanpaolo plays a crucial role in these economies, serving individuals, SMEs, corporates, and public sector entities while driving investment and growth.

Contact: international.media@intesasanpaolo.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b9897a34-ccf2-4423-8cc4-3d0427433a18
Linthicum Heights, MD, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The world watches as news comes from North Macedonia, where a massive fire killed 59 people and injured 155 in a nightclub. Pyrotechnics are cited as the cause of the fire, which reminds Americans of the Station Nightclub fire, which occurred in Rhode Island in February of 2003.

While all the details of the fire tragedy are not yet known, the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) points out that automatic fire sprinkler systems are the only active part of fire protection measures installed in a building that have the ability to control and contain a fire before the arrival of the fire department. When all other fire prevention and fire protection deficiencies are overcome by the fire, partners in protection are all that is left. Fire sprinklers and firefighters are partners in protection; mitigating the impact of fire on occupants, building owners, communities, and firefighters. Containing the fire to the object or area where it starts is the best way to save lives and protect property. This preserves business continuity, maintains economic viability, reduces the risk to firefighters, and reduces the impact to the environment for all communities.

The NFSA expresses its sympathy for the victims of the North Macedonia fire and hopes that this tragedy will serve as a reminder that we must stay vigilant in our efforts to retrofit occupancies like these in the United States. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 provides a tax incentive for building owners to retrofit their buildings with fire sprinklers. For more information on this, please visit. www.nfsa.org/taxreform.

I was a fire lieutenant in Brentwood, TN when the Station Night Club happened. I remember almost every fire department in America with a nightclub in its community put fire departments on inspection duty to ensure that didnt happen there. Six months later, very few fire departments did company inspections of those occupancies, explains NFSA President Shane Ray. Over 20 years later, the codes and standards are now under attack more than Ive ever experienced in my career because political decisions are being made on codes and standards that ignore the proven process of code development and fail to listen to input from fire officials that are still active in the process.

As a survivor of The Station Nightclub Fire, tragedies like this take us back to that moment that we lost so much, adds Rob Feeney a survivor of the fire and now an Onset Fire Department Captain and Common Voices advocate. We have worked so hard with our advocacy efforts, and we continue to fight to raise awareness of the importance of codes, standards, and the installation of fire sprinklers.

About the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA): NFSA was founded in 1905 and wants to create a more fire safe world and works to heighten the awareness of the importance of fire sprinkler systems from homes to high-rise and all occupancies in between. The Association is an inclusive organization made up of dedicated and committed members of a progressive life-saving industry. This industry manufactures, designs, supplies, installs, inspects, and services the worlds most effective system in saving lives and property from uncontrolled structural fires.

For more information about fire sprinklers, how they work and access to additional resources and information, visit www.nfsa.org for the latest material, statistics and a dedicated team of fire safety advocates ready to serve all stakeholders to fulfill the vision of a safer world.
Hilmar, California, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., one of the worlds largest cheese manufacturers and a global supplier of high-quality whey ingredients was joined by Kansas Governor Kelly, U.S. Senator Moran and other federal, state and local officials to officially mark the production of Hilmar cheese in Kansas.

I am pleased that Hilmar Cheese Company chose to build its new production facility in Dodge City, Governor Laura Kelly said. This investment in our state is a strong signal to industry leaders around the globe that Kansas has the workforce and infrastructure for companies to be competitive.

Hilmar Cheeses new processing facility in Dodge City is already creating new jobs and bolstering Kansas footprint in the dairy industry, said Senator Moran. I am grateful Hilmar chose to call Kansas home, and I have no doubt they will benefit from their partnerships with Kansas dairies and the local community.

We are grateful to the state and local officials who supported this project and thrilled to celebrate with them today, shared David Ahlem, Hilmars President and CEO. We chose to build in Dodge City because of the local and skilled labor force, supportive and expanding agricultural region and excellent transportation network. The superior collaboration with local, regional and state leaders in Kansas has further confirmed that we made the right choice.

Hilmars Dodge City facility makes American style cheese in commercial 40-pound blocks which are then sold wholesale to customers and used in a variety of nutritious foods. The site also produces a wide range of high-quality innovative proteins to meet the needs of customers worldwide.

We appreciate everyone who has helped bring us to this point, said Ahlem. Thank you to our internal teams, some of whom moved here, and the hundreds of contractors and suppliers who partnered with us to ensure the facility was built and operational on schedule. We are also grateful to the dairy farm families in Southwest Kansas for their investment to supply us milk.

Dodge City is a wonderful community, he said. We are very happy to be operating in Kansas.

The Dodge City manufacturing site incorporates the latest technology in sustainability and conservation. The advanced instrumentation and automated control systems minimize the water needed to keep the plant clean and reduces energy use. Recycled water is used further to process protein, clean the facility and equipment and reclaim heat. Upgraded spray nozzles were installed for more efficient cleaning. The cleaning process also reuses rinse water.

The sustainability effort continues throughout the site with efficient pumps and equipment. These features will decrease the plants Green House Gas (GHG) intensity and minimize water use. Hilmar is part of the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment to achieve a carbon neutral dairy industry by 2050. The advancements in Dodge City will help Hilmar meet this goal.

Hilmars Dodge City site now employs nearly 250 people and represents more than $600 million in capital investment.

The company continues to hire and offers competitive wages, great benefits, and training along with long-term career growth opportunities. Hilmar is actively involved in the communities where they operate and supports local organizations and events like Dodge City Days. The annual Hilmar scholarship program awards students of its employees, milk producers, and community scholarships to support continuing education. This focus helps the company to fulfill its purpose of Improving Lives Together.

About Hilmar 

Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. uses the power and promise of dairy to improve lives together. We provide health and nutrition for consumers, contribute to brand success for our customers, create opportunities for employees, support independent milk producers and improve the communities where we live and work. With a focus on collaborative product innovation, real-time scalability and a progressive approach to sustainability, Hilmar TM is a global leader in efficiently producing functional cheese and whey ingredients at scale. We deliver high-quality products to customers in more than 50 countries. Founded in 1984, Hilmar operates manufacturing plants in Hilmar, California; Dalhart, Texas; and Dodge City, Kansas. For more information, visit www.hilmar.com and Linked In @Hilmar.

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Washington, DC, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Americas Blood Centers (ABC), the national organization of community-based, independent blood centers that supply 60 percent of the nations blood supply, is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Awards of Excellence. These awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their exceptional contributions to supporting the nation's blood supply. The awards were presented during ABC's Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., which brought together blood center executives and national leaders to discuss critical industry topics, advocacy efforts, regulatory updates, and the latest advancements in science, medicine, and technical affairs.

"Americas Blood Centers is proud to recognize these individuals and organizations for their support of our nations blood supply. These award recipients exemplify the dedication, innovation, and passion that drive the blood community forward," said Kate Fry, CEO of America's Blood Centers. "Their contributions have helped expand our donor base and provide life-saving blood products to patients across the country."

The 2025 Awards of Excellence winners include:

Corporation of the Year: East Penn Manufacturing: Honored for their long-standing commitment to hosting blood drives and supporting the volunteer blood community. Since 1983, East Penn has hosted over 500 blood drives, resulting in more than 13,870 blood products collected. The company's culture of giving, led by Chairman Dan Breidegam, has made them a model for corporate engagement in community blood donation efforts.

Outstanding Blood Drive of the Year: Barnett San Antonio National Pan-Hellenic Council: Recognized for excellence in promoting and organizing blood donation drives within underrepresented communities. Their innovative outreach strategies, including QR code tracking and culturally sensitive education programs, have created a sustainable model for community engagement. This partnership has resulted in over 300 life-saving donations from chapter members in two years, significantly addressing the critical need for Group O blood.

ABC Outstanding Public Relations Campaign: Vitalant's Social Media Team: Honored for their innovative "Giving Starts with Learning" campaign, which significantly increased donor engagement and awareness. The campaign's success was evident in a 20% growth on Instagram and a 173% increase on TikTok, reaching millions of potential donors. Their creative approach to demystifying blood donation has set a new benchmark for digital outreach in the blood banking community.

Larry Frederick Award: Ruth Osburn, Nominated by Mississippi Blood Services: Honored for her community leadership in raising awareness about blood donation over 17 years. Ruth's efforts have resulted in the collection of over 7,110 blood products, impacting more than 21,340 lives in Mississippi. Her innovative MASH-themed blood drives have become a model for engaging and educating potential donors in creative ways.

Thomas F. Zuck Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Mary Townsend: Awarded for her career-long contributions to improving blood collection methods and product safety. Dr. Townsend's work on donor biovigilance has revolutionized donor care practices nationwide. Her leadership roles in various task forces and committees have shaped policies that continue to enhance the safety and efficacy of blood products.

ITXM Award for Excellence in Technical Operations: Evelyn Oyler, SunCoast Blood Centers: Recognized for her 25-year career and outstanding leadership in blood banking laboratory operations. Evelyn's expertise spans from cancer centers to international medical facilities, showcasing her diverse experience in the field. Her innovative approaches to laboratory management have resulted in improved efficiency and quality control measures, setting new standards in the industry.

Blood Community Advocate of the Year: Billy Weales, The Blood Center: Recognized for his exemplary leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and advocacy efforts for blood centers. Billy's innovative programs, including convalescent plasma collection and automated red cell exchange, have significantly improved patient care outcomes. His work has been instrumental in securing recognition of blood centers as essential healthcare services at both state and national levels.

National Partner of the Year: GLAAD: Awarded for their commitment to educating and inspiring the next generation of blood donors. GLAAD's "Summer of Giving" campaign reached over 4 million people, breaking down barriers and challenging long-standing misconceptions about blood donation. Their partnership has opened doors for many who previously felt excluded from the donation process, significantly expanding the donor base.

Distinguished Service Award: FY24-25 Committee Chairs: This award recognizes the exceptional leadership of ABC's committee chairs. Their dedication and expertise have been instrumental in advancing evidence-based practices, shaping industry policies, and driving innovation across various aspects of blood banking. These leaders have played a crucial role in ensuring ABC remains at the forefront of blood center advocacy and operational excellence.

The committee chairs include Dr. Daniela Hermelin, Chair of the ABC Blood Bulletin Committee; Kim Kinsell and Lisa Entrikin, Chairs of the ABC Bylaws Committee; Theresa Pina, Chair of the ABC Communications & National Partnerships Committee; Robert Harper, Chair of the ABC Education Committee; Harpreet Sandhu, Chair of the ABC Membership Committee, John B. Miller, Chair of the ABC Nominating Committee; Stacy Sime, Chair of the ABC Public Policy Council, Wendell Jones, Chair of the ABC Quality Regulatory Committee; and Dr. Kip Kuttner, Chair of the ABC SMT Committee.

Distinguished Service Award: Leslie Maundy: This award recognizes her exemplary dedication, outstanding contributions, and unwavering professionalism to America's Blood Centers and its members. With a tenure of over two decades at the association, Ms. Maundy has risen to become the Director of Membership Services and Events, where she focuses on elevating and refining the member experience, demonstrating a profound commitment to excellence within the organization.

Distinguished Service Award: Mack Benton, MJ: This award recognizes his exemplary dedication, outstanding contributions, and unwavering professionalism to America's Blood Centers and its members. Mr. Benton will celebrate his twentieth year at Americas Blood Centers this year, where he has risen to become Editor of Publications and Director of Member Communications. In this role, he publishes the ABC Newsletter, which serves as a cornerstone resource for blood banking professionals, industry trailblazers, and experts worldwide and the ADRP The Drop, a monthly communication for thousands of individuals worldwide.

Founded in 1962, Americas Blood Centers (ABC) is the national organization bringing together community-based, independent blood centers across North America. These organizations operate in more than 1,100 communities and provide close to 60 percent of the U.S. and a quarter of the Canadian blood supply. ABC member organizations serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities. All ABC U.S. members are 501(c)(3) organizations licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. For more information, visit www.AmericasBlood.org.

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FORT WORTH, Texas, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boomer Benefits, a leading Medicare insurance agency based in Fort Worth, TX, is pleased to announce the release of a new blog post titled What is My Medicare Initial Enrollment Period? Written by Lauren Bigham,This informative piece aims to guide individuals through the complexities of Medicare enrollment, providing clarity and understanding to those approaching this critical phase of their healthcare journey.





Boomer Benefits Medicare Agency Logo

Founded in 2005, Boomer Benefits has established itself as an award-winning agency, representing national insurance carriers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, and Mutual of Omaha. With a commitment to excellence and customer service, the company continues to empower its clients with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their Medicare options.

The new blog post delves into the specifics of the Medicare Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), a crucial time frame for individuals to enroll in Medicare for the first time. Understanding the IEP is essential for avoiding late enrollment penalties and ensuring seamless access to healthcare benefits. Boomer Benefits' latest publication breaks down the timeline, eligibility criteria, and steps involved in the enrollment process.

"Our goal is to demystify the Medicare enrollment process for our clients," said Lauren Bigham, Assistant Marketing Manager at Boomer Benefits. "By providing clear and concise information, we aim to alleviate the stress and confusion often associated with Medicare enrollment."

This blog post is part of Boomer Benefits' ongoing efforts to educate and support Medicare beneficiaries. The company recognizes the importance of accessible information and strives to be a trusted resource for those navigating the complexities of Medicare.

Readers are encouraged to visit the Boomer Benefits website to read the full blog post and explore additional resources available to assist with Medicare planning and enrollment. With a focus on transparency and client education, Boomer Benefits continues to lead the way in Medicare insurance services.

About Boomer Benefits

Founded in 2005 in Fort Worth, TX, Boomer Benefits is an award-winning Medicare insurance agency for national insurance carriers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Mutual of Omaha and many other A-rated carriers.

Press inquiries

Boomer Benefits

https://boomerbenefits.com

Kelsey Mundfrom

info@boomerbenefits.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f740eb9e-295e-47b0-ac7e-063e1c7d3513

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/29ac6cb6-c806-43e5-9b5a-9ad3cfc0f8a2




Photo Courtesy of: Furkat Kasimov

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Industries are constantly evolving, and disruptions can arise overnight. This is why Furkat Kasimov believes the role of full-time futurisk is crucial for companies that want to stay ahead. As a leader in digital marketing and an advocate for forward-thinking business strategies, Kasimov argues that futurisks provide a competitive edge by helping organizations prepare for what lies ahead.

"It is not about guessing what the future holds but creating strategies to navigate it," he says. With years of experience in identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends, Kasimov makes a compelling case for why every large company should have a futurisk on board.

A Swift Ascent

A knack marks Kasimov's career for recognizing opportunities before they become apparent. After earning a degree in accountancy and a master's in international business, he joined InsuranceLeads.com in 2006. He quickly rose to vice president of digital marketing, where he honed his skills in search engine optimization and digital advertising. His contributions helped the company become a major player, eventually leading to its acquisition in 2011.

After the acquisition, Kasimov co-founded LeadsMarket.com, a platform that connects buyers and sellers of leads, calls, and clicks. Under his leadership, the company grew to nearly $100 million in annual revenue without external funding. He developed proprietary software like LeadBrain, ClickBrain, and ListBrain, revolutionizing how businesses optimize their lead generation strategies. Kasimov's early adoption of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics positioned LeadsMarket.com as a leader in the industry.

"I approach every role with a founder's mindset," he says. "This perspective allows me to identify trends others might overlook and take action to capitalize on them."

Why Companies Need Futurisks

Kasimov views the futurisk role as one that goes beyond traditional strategic planning. A futurisk analyzes trends, anticipates disruptions, and helps organizations craft strategies that align with long-term goals. He emphasizes that waiting to react to change is not an option in today's fast-paced business environment.

"Most companies spend too much time responding to what has already happened," he says. "A futurisk ensures that you are not just reacting but leading the way forward."

For large companies, the stakes are exceptionally high. Rapid advancements in technology, evolving consumer behaviors, and unpredictable market shifts require a level of foresight that only a futurisk can provide. Kasimov's career illustrates this. At InsuranceLeads.com, he used data-driven strategies to reverse engineer Google's PageRank algorithm, enabling the company to rank first for highly competitive keywords like "auto insurance" and "life insurance."

Examples of Futurisk in Action

In 2007, Kasimov developed one of the first lead capture applications for the iPhone, years before mobile app marketing strategies became standard. The app, which targeted the auto and life insurance industries, generated significant revenue without advertising. Kasimov says this innovation came from recognizing how mobile technology would change consumer behavior.

"At the time, many in the industry were not ready to embrace mobile apps," he says. "But I saw the potential and built apps to meet that future need."

The Expanding Role of Futurisks

As businesses face increasing challenges such as sustainability, regulatory changes, and technological disruption, Kasimov believes the role of a futurisk will continue to grow in importance. He envisions futurisks' role in shaping corporate strategies and societal outcomes.

"The future is complex, and navigating it responsibly requires insight and preparation," he says. "Futurisks help companies innovate in ways that are impactful."

Kasimov advocates for greater investment in futurisk roles and training programs, noting that the cost of inaction often far exceeds the investment needed to prepare for the future.

Kasimov's advocacy for full-time futurisks is grounded in his experiences as an entrepreneur and strategist. He says futurisks are essential for companies that want to move beyond merely surviving. "In today's business world, you cannot afford to just keep up," he says. "You have to lead. A futurisk helps ensure you are shaping the future, not just reacting to it."

Contact info:

Furkat Kasimov

LeadsMarket.com LLC

Company website: https://www.leadsmarket.com

Contact: furkat@dontdothis.ai




Photo Courtesy of POSH

DALLAS, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- POSH , a luxury car subscription service operating in Boston and Dallas-Fort Worth, is expanding its presence in the premium mobility market with a fourth location and a growing fleet of over 250 high-end vehicles.

The company's subscription-based model, which allows members to switch between luxury vehicles based on their needs, has attracted over 800 subscribers and maintained a 92 percent retention rate. With plans to enter the Austin and Houston markets, POSH is positioning itself as an alternative to traditional car ownership in the luxury segment.

To further enhance customer experience, POSH has also unveiled a redesigned website and a new iOS app, enabling subscribers to easily manage their accounts, schedule vehicle swaps, and access services.

"We aim to provide a luxury experience that evolves with our customers. It is about offering flexibility without sacrificing quality, allowing people to drive various vehicles as their lifestyle changes," explains POSH founder and CEO Abdul Rehman.

Operating under the tagline "Subscribe. Drive. Swap," the company offers a revolutionary subscription model that allows members to switch between vehicles based on their needs or preferences. Subscribers can choose from three tiers, Luxury, Plush, and POSH, with monthly pricing ranging from $799 to $3,499. Each plan includes insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, and 24/7 concierge service.

This model has resonated strongly with urban professionals and luxury enthusiasts who value flexibility over the long-term commitments of traditional car ownership.

"Flexibility is the new currency. People want choices without being locked into one decision for years. Our model allows them to adapt their vehicle choice to their lifestyle or simply try something new," Rehman says.

Subscribers can transition seamlessly from a Mercedes-Benz S-Class for business meetings to a Porsche Taycan for weekend getaways, all while enjoying an all-inclusive package that eliminates the hassles of ownership.

The companys leadership team attributes this success to its tailored approach to luxury mobility. "Our focus is on delivering unparalleled customer experiences while redefining what it means to access luxury vehicles," Rehman explains.

In addition to convenience and flexibility, the company addresses growing consumer demand for sustainable practices. Promoting shared access to luxury vehicles through subscriptions rather than ownership reduces the environmental footprint of single-use car production.

"POSH is about responsible luxury. We are offering an option convenient for our customers and conscious of the bigger picture," said Rehman. He shares that the company plans to expand its fleet with electric vehicles (EVs), aligning with industry trends toward sustainability while appealing to eco-conscious drivers.

"Our goal is simple. We want POSH to be the first brand people think of when considering alternatives to car ownership," Rehman added.

The company now serves over 800 subscribers across Boston and Dallas and has earned a stellar 5-star Google rating for its customer-centric approach. With a subscriber retention rate of 92 percent, the company is poised for continued success as it redefines luxury mobility.

For more information about POSHs services or subscription plans, visit http://www.poshcars.io

About POSH

POSH is a premier luxury car subscription service offering flexible access to high-end vehicles without long-term commitments. Headquartered in Dallas-Fort Worth, POSH operates under its innovative "Subscribe. Drive. Swap." model, providing an all-inclusive experience that covers insurance, maintenance, and concierge services.

Contact Information:

Abdul Rehman

CEO

POSH

http://www.poshcars.io

info@poshcars.io

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d00fc553-64a9-43a4-bf83-1bb863837747
SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scripps Health announced Monday it plans to move forward with the development of a new medical center campus in San Marcos.

The Scripps San Marcos Medical Center campus will be located on a 13-acre site south of state Route 78 near Twin Oaks Valley Parkway in an area where the city has stewarded thoughtful and robust development. The first phase of the project will be a comprehensive ambulatory facility. The campus second phase will be an acute care hospital.

We acquired the San Marcos property 35 years ago, said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health, but it wasnt the right time to build. Our patient population in the area has since grown to the point that it made sense for us to move forward. Scripps provides care to many residents of the San Marcos region today and this campus will expand access and make care more convenient for these patients and their families.

Scripps purchased roughly 80 acres in San Marcos for a medical center campus in 1990. The intent was to build at some time in the future a Scripps San Marcos Medical Center campus that would include ambulatory care and an acute care hospital. In the early 2000s, Scripps engaged H.G. Fenton to work with Scripps and the City of San Marcos on how to best utilize the land, with Scripps retaining 13 acres for the development of the Scripps San Marcos Medical Center Campus.

For more than four years, Scripps management has been working to develop a master plan for the site and conducting the necessary studies for board approval. Last week, the Scripps Health Board of Trustees approved the facility plans for North San Diego County, including endorsing development in San Marcos. In addition, significant improvements to the site have been completed including grading, roads and numerous underground utility stubs.

Scripps will now start working with the City of San Marcos on the development and construction of a comprehensive ambulatory care facility to include multi-specialty and primary care physician offices, ambulatory surgery, cancer care, complex imaging, laboratory and other services.

Planning also is under way for a 200- to 250-bed acute care hospital that will provide a broad range of inpatient and outpatient hospital services. Scripps will work with the City of San Marcos and the State of California, which oversees acute hospital construction.

A major player like Scripps choosing to invest in San Marcos is exciting on so many levels, said San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones. We have worked hard to become a premier health care hub in the region, which not only supports a strong local economy but contributes to the ultimate goal of making San Marcos a place where people live long, healthy lives.

Jones also praised Scripps for its commitment to working with the local community as the project begins to take shape.

ABOUT SCRIPPS HEALTH

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a nonprofit integrated health care delivery system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats more than 600,000 patients annually through the dedication of 3,000 affiliated physicians and more than 17,000 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, 30 outpatient centers and clinics, and hundreds of affiliated physician offices throughout the region.

Recognized as a leader in disease and injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and is the only health system in the region with two level 1 trauma centers. With highly respected graduate medical education programs at all five hospital campuses, Scripps is a longstanding member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Scripps has been ranked seven times as one of the nations best health care systems by PINC AI, formerly known as Merative, IBM Watson Health and Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among of the nations best and Scripps is recognized by the Advisory Board, Fortune, and Working Mother magazine as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.

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HOUSTON, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE: CCI) ("Crown Castle") announced today the appointment of Sunit Patel to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective April 1, 2025. Mr. Patel will be leaving his position on Crown Castles Board of Directors, effective March 17, 2025.

"We look forward to welcoming Sunit Patel to the Crown Castle team, said Steven Moskowitz, Crown Castle's Chief Executive Officer. "Sunit brings unique, extensive telecommunications industry insight and more than 30 years of experience in senior finance roles across telecommunications, energy, and technology. He is exceptionally well-suited to help lead Crown Castle as we complete our recently announced divestiture and set course as the only pure-play, publicly traded US tower company.

About Sunit Patel

Mr. Patel served on the Crown Castle Board of Directors from January 2024 to March 2025. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Ibotta Inc., a North American cashback rewards and mobile technology platform. Mr. Patel has more than 25 years of executive leadership, including 15 years as a public telecommunications company CFO. In 2000, Mr. Patel co-founded Looking Glass Networks Inc., a facilities-based provider of metropolitan telecommunication transport services and served as its CFO until 2003. From 2003 to 2018, Mr. Patel served as EVP and CFO of CenturyLink, now Lumen, a role he held for over 14 years at Level 3 prior to its 2017 merger with CenturyLink. From 2018 to 2020, Mr. Patel served as EVP, Merger and Integration at T-Mobile, where he led T-Mobile's strategic planning efforts to integrate its business with Sprint following the companies' $26.5 billion merger.

Mr. Patel holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and Economics from Rice University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on Crown Castle management's current expectations. Such statements include plans, projections and estimates regarding (1) the appointment of Mr. Patel, including the effective date thereof, and his expected contributions to Crown Castle, and (2) the recently announced divestiture of Crown Castles Fiber business, including the completion and timing thereof. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. More information about potential risk factors that could affect Crown Castle and its results is included in Crown Castle's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The term "including," and any variation thereof, means "including, without limitation."

ABOUT CROWN CASTLE

Crown Castle owns, operates and leases more than 40,000 cell towers and approximately 90,000 route miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions across every major U.S. market. This nationwide portfolio of communications infrastructure connects cities and communities to essential data, technology and wireless service - bringing information, ideas and innovations to the people and businesses that need them. For more information on Crown Castle, please visit www.crowncastle.com .

CONTACTS

Dan Schlanger, CFO

Kris Hinson, VP & Treasurer

Crown Castle Inc.

713-570-3050
NEW YORK, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North American Asian Food & Hospitality Industry Association (NAAFIA), in collaboration with MenuSifu, is proud to present Taste of Asia 2025, an exclusive event designed for high-level networking and knowledge exchange within the food and hospitality industries. NAAFIA notices that the global food industry is experiencing a significant increase in Asian brands expanding into international markets. As Asian cuisine continues to gain mainstream popularity in North America, businesses are exploring new strategies to successfully expand their influence in this evolving landscape.

In the U.S., the Asian food market was valued at approximately $37.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $51.3 billion by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7%. Among them, the Chinese restaurant industry has shown resilience, maintaining an annualized growth rate of 4.7% since 2018 and is expected to reach a market value of $27.0 billion by 2024. As interest in Asian cuisine continues to grow, restaurants are not just competing for dining dollarsthey are also vying for mindshare in an increasingly crowded online conversation. In this dynamic and trend-driven landscape, industry events play a key role in shaping the future of Asian food in North America. The 2025 Taste of Asia Festival will kick off on March 21 at the China Institute in America (100 Washington St, New York City, 10006), marking the start of a five-city U.S. tour to explore trends and opportunities in the North American culinary industry.





2025 Taste of Asia)

Since NAAFIAs inception in 2017, this event has become an essential gathering for industry leaders, investors, brands, and supply chain experts, offering a unique platform for collaboration and growth in the Asian food sector. The event's New York stop will be hosted at the China Institute in America, a prestigious institution founded in 1926 by renowned scholars such as John Dewey and Hu Shi.

The 2025 edition will feature insights from top entrepreneurs, industry experts, and investors across the Asian food, beverage, restaurant, and supply chain sectors. Key partners supporting this initiative include Impact, Kepler Brand Consulting, CINGS, China Institute in America, Serica, Wefood, and Restaurateur.

Attendees can expect engaging discussions on key topics that are shaping the future of the food industry. The session Asian Cuisine in North America: Opportunities & Challenges will feature insights from over 20 industry leaders on the market dynamics and growth potential for Asian cuisine. Another highlight, Global Expansion Strategies for Asian Brands, will focus on successful market entry and localization strategies that have helped Asian food and beverage businesses succeed on the global stage. In addition, the event will dive into The Future of Supply Chains, exploring the challenges and innovations that are transforming Asian food supply chains in North America. The Restaurant Technology Innovations session will highlight the role of AI-driven ordering systems, data analytics, and automation in reshaping the dining experience.





(Master Chef Culinary Showcase in TOA 2024the showcase was hosted in LA Times.)

Taste of Asia 2025 will travel across five major U.S. cities, each offering a tailored experience to address the unique needs of regional food and beverage industries. The New York stop on March 21 will take place at the China Institute in America, with 500 attendees participating in a conference and a small salon. On April 28, the Seattle stop will be held at Twenty Five Teishoku House, with 100 attendees for a conference. The Chicago stop on May 19 will take place at the National Restaurant Association HQ, attracting 500 participants for a conference and small salon. The Houston stop on July 21 will be held at Mirao Restaurant, with 100 attendees for the conference. Finally, the Los Angeles stop on August 11 will be hosted at Le Meridien Pasadena Arcadia, with a grand event welcoming 1,500 attendees, including an industry forum, expo, and grand salon.





2025 Taste of Asia Guest List)

Taste of Asia 2025 will feature a diverse lineup of industry pioneers in restaurant technology, supply chains, investment, and brand expansion, including: Leo Li, Co-founder of MenuSifu; Vivian Zhang, CTO of SupStat Inc.; Howard Cai, Senior VP of CP Foods USA; Ebrahim Maghsoud, McDonalds Franchisee; Fred Wang, Executive Chef of Lee Kum Kee North America; Cheng Luo, CPA & Tax Attorney; Kelly Zhou, Founder of YAAAS TEA; Paul Pedrow, VP of Sales of Restaurant Events LLC; Lawrence Pan, Founding Partner of CITIC Saint Spring Capital; Curtis Li, Founder of CSA; Garry Xie, CEO of FlyHigh Group; Henry Xiao, F&B Marketing Executive; Gao Chao, Co-founder of Impact; Tom Chen, Founder of Kepler Brand Consulting.

Images accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b78171b-6a33-4dbc-96fa-dd9708522d19

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b782fa48-2bf5-49c4-8913-47c40aa7381b

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81c9ef55-f608-424a-b113-7071e8c82ca7
TORONTO, March 17, 2025 - Power Metallic Inc. (the "Company" or "Power Metallic") (TSXV: PNPN) (OTCBB: PNPNF) (Frankfurt: IVV) is pleased to provide an update on the current exploration activity (Q1 2025), and the planned scaling up of exploration programs beginning in Q2 of 2025.

THE BIG PICTURE

With the recent equity raise, the Company's exploration budget through the end of 2026 is more than C$40 million based on flow through proceeds raised. With this expenditure the Company is targeting approximately 100,000 metres of drilling and other exploration programs over the next 21 months. The drilling will include extending the zones in the Lion and Tiger polymetallic areas (Figures 1 to 5); expansion of the Nisk deposit (Figures 1 & 6); and exploring the untested 5.5 km of strike between these areas (Figure 1).

There are currently three drill rigs, with increased drill capacity limited by current core logging and sampling facilities at site. To accelerate the exploration program, the Company is in the midst of planning a complete revamp of the core logging facility to allow an increase to six drills. This expansion should be completed in May and allow scaling up to six drills starting in June.

The Company will be continuing to use both borehole electromagnetic surveys (BHEM), and ground EM as primary tools to inform drill targeting. BHEM has provided excellent success at identifying off-hole anomalies that have resulted in discovery of sulphide drill intersections. We are currently greatly anticipating drilling conductors recently found west of Lion (Figure 3), and following up on recent success in the Tiger (Figure 4) and between Lion and Tiger (Figure 4).

Follow up drilling on BHEM anomalies has resulted in sulfide drill intersections at Lion and Tiger (Figures 2 to 5), with no false positives encountered to date. The BHEM work will allow the Company to fully integrate many other the geophysical data sets, including ground EM, ground magnetics, and gravity, and match this to surface geological mapping (Figure 1).

Currently the Company has completed surveys of all previously targeted drill holes, and now with 3 drills turning on mineralized targets results will progress quicker. BHEM will continue, but will be seamlessly integrated with the completion of each drill hole to limit drilling delay.

THE EXECUTION

Lion (Figure 3)

Power Metallic is continuing to explore Lion at depth with success (Figure 3). All drilling in 2025 (and assay pending 2024 holes) have intersected the Lion zone, extending the plunge of Lion. We are currently awaiting assays results from holes PN-24-086, 087, 092, 093, 096, 097, and 100. All these drill holes had significant visual mineralization.

In addition to following the down plunge direction of Lion to expand the potential resource, Power Metallic has successfully completed BHEM on holes to the west of Lion, and these have indicated strong off-hole plates that will be followed up as soon as possible.

Tiger (Figure 4)

Following the initial intersection at Tiger in hole PN-24-094 (700 meters east of Lion), Power Mtallic completed BHEM on this hole and identified multiple conductive off-hole plates. These plates were targeted resulting in sulphide intersections both west (PN-25-098) and east (PN-25-099) of PN-24-094 (Figure 4). Assays are pending for all these holes, but visual logging and XRF results indicate Cu and Ni mineralization. Power Metallic then stepped out further to the west (Figure 5) from hole PN-25-098 to follow up on more BHEM targets, and successfully hit sulphides in hole PN-25-101.

The limited drilling so far has not yet provided a confident model for the Tiger zone, and current interpretations assume that strike, dip and plunge will be similar to Lion and Nisk. As more drilling information accumulates Power Metallic will provide an interpreted model for Tiger. Drill holes PN-24-094, 098, 099, and 101 all have assays pending.

Between Lion and Tiger (Figure 5)

Following the success of Tiger's BHEM surveying, Power Nickel revisited drill hole PN-24-088 which is located approximately half way between the Lion and the Tiger zones. A semi-completed BHEM survey on the bottom half of PN-24-088 (top of hole collapsed) resulted in an off-hole anomaly, and by using a previous airborne EM anomaly a vector to the BHEM was estimated. Drill hole PN-25-102 successfully intersected sulphide mineralization. This hole is significant as it provides evidence that mineralization is potentially connected all along the Lion to Tiger trend.

NISK (Figure 6)

Power Metallic is currently drilling with one drill in the Nisk area. This program is designed to expand the MRE (Jan, 2024) at Nisk, especially to establish its potential to be a much larger Ni/Cu/Co/PGE deposit, and to follow up on indications of possible Lion style polymetallic mineralization on the fringes east and west of the Nisk main deposit. Future work will expand westward from Nisk along the strike trend of the ultramafic host rock in areas previously shown to be mineralized in historical drill holes.

So far in 2025 Power Metallic completed one hole targeting an off-hole BHEM conductor. This hole intersected a narrow massive sulphide zone, but XRF analyses indicated very high Ni and Co tenor in the sulphides, significantly above previous metal values at Nisk. Although very narrow, this increase in metal tenor opens up the possibility of a new deposit hybrid in the Nisk camp. A second hole is currently drilling down plunge on the Nisk Main deposit to help establish the possibility of a larger resource at Nisk.

THE FUTURE

In June the new core facility setup will enable Power Metallic to have six rigs operating. Detailed planning is on-going, and of course any future planning will be modified or superseded to follow success. It is currently expected that four drills will work in the Lion-Tiger area, with multiple goals, including expanding Lion and Tiger, developing the Lion-Tiger 'in-between zones', following the BHEM Lion west targets, and finally infill drilling on Lion in preparation for a possible 1H 2026 mineral resource estimate (MRE).

To facilitate a Lion MRE work is currently being done on the mineralogy of the deposit to determine the habit of the base metals (Cu, Ni) and the deportment of the PGEs, Au and Ag. This will help inform a future metallurgical study the Company expects to deliver in 2H 2025.

As the snow melts other work will include detailed geological mapping and possible soil and till sampling to help identify subsidiary zones of potential mineralization. Finally Power Metallic is revisiting its 2023 Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) survey. Recent technological advances in this geophysical method offers the opportunity to refine previous targeting in the Nisk area, and encourage an expansion of the surveyed areas for both strike and dip targets integrated with 3-D magnetic and gravity modelling.

"To date Power Metallic's technical team has gone from one success to another. These successes have allowed Power Metallic to complete its recent financial raise. This money provides the technical team with the funding to follow up and expand on our previous successes. As any project matures it would normally be expected that discoveries will become more difficult to find, but the highly motivated exploration team believe that our current methods and planning will result in more discoveries throughout the 2025/2026 exploration campaigns." states Joe Campbell, VP Explorations.

Qualified Person

Joseph Campbell, P.Geo, VP Exploration at Power Metallic, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About Power Metallic Inc.

Power Metallic is a Canadian exploration company focusing on developing the High-Grade Nickel Copper PGM, Gold and Silver Nisk project into Canada's next poly metallic mine.

On February 1, 2021, Power Metallic (then called Chilean Metals) completed the acquisition of its option to acquire up to 80% of the Nisk project from Critical Elements Lithium Corp. (CRE: TSXV).

The NISK property comprises a large land position (20 kilometres of strike length) with numerous high-grade intercepts. Power Metallic is focused on expanding the high-grade nickel-copper PGM, Gold and Silver mineralization with a series of drill programs designed to evaluate the initial Nisk discovery zone, the Lion discovery zone and to explore the land package for adjacent potential poly metallic deposits.

In addition to the Nisk project, Power Metallic owns 50% of Chilean Metals Inc. Chilean owns significant land packages in British Colombia and Chile. Power Metallic had reorganized these assets in a related public vehicle through a plan of arrangement completed in February of 2025.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This message contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" concerning the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "indicates," "opportunity," "possible" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, among others; the timing for various drilling plans; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property agreements going forward and conduct drilling and exploration; to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing; to explore and develop its projects; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations; future prices of nickel and other metals; changes in general economic conditions; accuracy of mineral resource and reserve estimates; the potential for new discoveries; the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if accepted, to obtain such licenses and approvals in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for the applicable project; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry.

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SOURCE Power Metallic Mines Inc.
Giant Mining Corp. Finalizes and Outlines Drill Targets for Core Drill Program To Commence Next Week at Majuba Hill Copper-Silver-Gold Project, March 17, 2025 - Giant Mining Corp. (CSE: BFG | OTC: BFGFF | FWB: YW5) ("Giant Mining" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the company has finalized its drill targets for the 2025 Drill program commencing next week at the Majuba Hill Porphyry Copper-Silver-Gold Deposit ("Majuba Hill") located in Pershing County, Nevada.

The 2025 Core Program is designed to follow up on high-grade copper mineralization intersected in breccias from the 2024 core holes MHB-30 ("MHB-30") and MHB-31 ("MHB-31") and extend the high-grade copper zones below the historic underground workings. The primary goal of the drilling is to extend known copper mineralization in order that the company may work towards a Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE").



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1 - MHB-30 Copper Mineralized Fragments in Magmatic-Hydrothermal Breccia

Exploration Technologies ("ExploreTech") was engaged by Giant Mining to apply its Engine AI (artificial intelligence) and cloud computing platform to evaluate the planned core program and generate additional targets by focusing on the breccias and large, low-resistivity anomalies. The collaborative effort by the Giant Mining team and ExploreTech utilized the Companies extensive geophysical and drilling database.

"Gold has now surpassed USD $3,000 per ounce and Copper has just hit a 2025 high of USD $4.93 per lb under threat of Tariffs and looming copper shortfalls. We are approximately one week away from 2025's maiden drill program and have now finalized our targets for the program." said David Greenway, chief executive officer of Giant Mining. "The company is fully funded for an active year of exploration and development drilling to add to the over 100 drill holes and over 80,000 feet of past drilling at Majuba Hill in order to work towards a NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the project."

The 2025 Drill Program is planned for 4,400 feet (1,340 meters) of core drilling. A minimum of 2,600 feet (792 meters) will be completed and the contract does not have a maximum drilling requirement, allowing for flexibility in the execution of the project. Planned drill holes ("PDH") are shown on Figure 1 and Table 1. Four of the planned drill holes are follow-up and extension holes to the 2024 drilling. A fifth hole has been added to the program to drill test the high-potential Southern Resistivity Anomaly generated by the ExploreTech AI program.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1: Majuba Hill 2025 Proposed Drill Hole Locations

Planned Drill Hole Target PDH-h2 Intersect HG Breccia. PDH-k2 Intersect HG Breccia below historic workings. PDH-DUH1 Extend HG Breccia from surface. PDH-DUH2 Extend HG Breccia westward. PDH-lai Test southern resistivity anomaly

Table 1: Planned Drill Hole Targets and Expected Result

Some of Majuba Hill's critically important characteristics are as follows:

Location: Nevada - The #1 mining jurisdiction on the planet according to the Fraser Institute

Project Size: 9,684 Acres

Infrastructure: The Majuba Hill property is 113 road km (70 miles) southwest of Winnemucca, Nevada, and 251 km (156 miles) northeast of Reno. Access is by well-maintained county roads from the Imlay, Nevada exit on U.S. Interstate 80, and traveling westward 23 miles. People, Roads, Power and Water are the basic elements when considering infrastructure and Majuba Hill already has a solid infrastructure foundation for building a large facility which will provide significant savings compared to more remote projects.

History: Historical Producer

Drilling: 83,930 feet of drilling to date. Rough replacement value of drilling USD $10.4 Million in development costs.

Mineralization: The project shows indications of a potentially large Cu - Ag +/- Au mineralized body with many features in common with both large porphyry copper, silver, and gold projects.

Expandability: The IP survey, deep drilling, and step-out drilling indicate significant expansion potential, with mineralization open in all directions.

Fully Financed: Secured funding for 2025 Drilling Campaign

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by E.L. "Buster" Hunsaker III, CPG 8137, a non-independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101").

About Giant Mining Corp.

Giant Mining Corp. is focused on identifying, acquiring, and advancing late-stage copper and copper/silver/gold projects to meet the growing global demand for critical metals. This demand is driven by initiatives like the Green New Deal in the United States and similar climate-focused programs worldwide, which require substantial amounts of copper, silver, and gold for electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, and the modernization of clean and affordable energy systems.

The Company's flagship asset is the Majuba Hill Copper, Silver, and Gold District, located 156 miles (251 km) from Reno, Nevada. Majuba Hill is situated in a mining-friendly jurisdiction with supportive regulations and has the potential to become one of the next major copper deposits, critical for meeting the increasing need for this red metal.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

On Behalf of the Board of Giant Mining Corp.

"David Greenway"

David C. Greenway

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

E: info@giantminingcorp.com

P: 1 (236) 788-0643

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

www.giantminingcorp.com

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Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward?looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward?looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward?looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. 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.

###

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Drill testing of the well-defined Discovery Zone gold target to evaluate the subsurface extent of mineralization.

Expanded geochemical soil surveys, geological mapping, and geophysical surveys in the Morris Mine/East Copper Discoveries area to refine drill targets.

Transition Metals Corp. (TSXV: XTM) ("Transition Metals") and Aurum Lake Mining Corp. (TSXV: ARL) ("Aurum") are pleased to provide an update on the Homathko Gold Project in British Columbia (the "Project"). Pursuant to the option agreement dated December 19, 2022 between Transition Metals and Aurum (the "Option Agreement"), Transition Metals has granted Aurum the option to acquire 100% interest in the mineral claims comprising the Project. Aurum has subsequently completed successive work programs confirming known gold mineralization potential and identifying new exploration targets.Scott McLean, P.Geo., Chief Executive Officer of Transition Metals, commented: "We are encouraged by the work completed by our partner, Aurum. Their efforts have validated the high-grade gold potential of the Discovery Creek area and, as a bonus, have identified two new target areas-Morris South and East Copper."Patrick Sapphire, Chief Executive Officer of Aurum, commented: "We are pleased with the exploration results which have provided insights into the Project's potential. These findings represent an important step in the Project's continued advancement."The Morris South target is located directly south of a historically significant high-grade gold (Au) and silver (Ag) occurrence, which also contains high concentrations of stibnite, a primary ore mineral of antimony (Sb). Historical sampling at the Morris Mine returned a 1.1-metre chip sample grading 15.2 g/t Au, 383 g/t Ag, and 13.55% Sb. The Morris Mine occurrence is situated on a small block of third-party claims surrounded by Transition Metals-held ground. For additional clarity, results from sampling reported on the adjacent ground do not apply to the current property nor are tied to work associated with this disclosure. Recent work by Transition Metals, under contract to Aurum, has highlighted the potential for widespread high-sulfidation epithermal mineralization in the surrounding area. Strong soil anomalies for Au, Sb, As, and Cu suggest additional mineralized sources upslope of the soil samples in the broader area surrounding the historical showings. Soil sampling is an indirect method of exploration, and the results should not be considered definitive for the presence of economic mineralization without further confirmatory testing and geological interpretationThe East Copper target, approximately 3 km east of the Morris South area, features newly discovered bedrock exposures of porphyritic intrusions hosting fracture-controlled malachite and disseminated copper mineralization. The highest copper value from grab sampling collected during the recent program was 1.25% Cu, while a separate sample returned 1.64 g/t Au. Grab samples, by their nature are selective samples and may not necessarily represent the true occurrence of underlying mineralization. Soil sampling in the area has revealed elevated concentrations of multiple pathfinder elements, including As, Ag, Sb, and Au, suggesting potential for polymetallic mineralization. Adjacent purple-colored pebble conglomerates exhibit intense epidote, hematite, and magnetite alteration near hornblende-bearing porphyritic dykes, further supporting the area's exploration potential.Sampling in both the Morris South and East Copper areas has identified indicators consistent with the presence of a porphyry copper system. Elevated copper associated with epidote-hematite-magnetite alteration suggests proximity to favorable alteration and temperature conditions for porphyry copper mineralization. Additionally, carbonate-sericite/clay-altered rocks with elevated Sb, Au, and Ag are characteristic of high-sulfidation epithermal mineralization, potentially linked to a separate intrusion-driven gold-silver-antimony system similar to that observed at the South Morris target area.To date, Aurum has paid Transition Metals $120,000 and incurred approximately $150,000 in exploration expenditures in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement. Aurum has elected to proceed with further exploration work on the Homathko Gold Project. To support the continued exploration the parties have amended the Option Agreement as detailed in Aurum's news release dated March 10, 2025.Transition Metals and Aurum look forward to continued progress on the Homathko Gold Project and remain optimistic about its potential to host significant mineralization.The property is located, approximately 50 km south of the community of Tatla Lake and 220 km west of Williams Lake, BC and is comprised of 5 contiguous mineral claims, covering 9,788 hectares. Geologically the Property lies near the contact of the eastern edge of the Coast Plutonic Suite and is believed to be largely underlain by Jurassic-aged volcanic and intrusive rocks of the Stikine Terrane. Mineralization on the Property was first identified by Falconbridge Ltd. in 1966 where prospecting in the Discovery Creek area returned values up to 384 grams gold (Au) per tonne (g/t Au). Mineralization in the Discovery Creek area is hosted in quartz-carbonate veins developed within and near the margins of a shear bounded, altered quartz-feldspar porphyry sill that can be traced along with its associated veining where exposed at surface for 1.5km along strike. Geologists from Transition Metals interpret that the environment for mineralization in the Discovery Creek area appears consistent with that of a mesothermal lode gold deposit which bears many similarities to similar deposits occurring elsewhere in the Stikine belt including the Pioneer/Bralorne District and the Elk Gold Mine. Source: Firestone Ventures - https://firestoneventures.com/i/pdf/2005-01_Morris.pdf Source: Assessment Report of Technical Work Completed on the Homathko Property, Feb 21, 2025, BC Department of Mines Source: BC Mines Property File, Falconbridge File 184 - Report on Homathko Gold Prospect, 1965, J/J. MacDougallThe technical elements of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Mr. Benjamin Williams, P.Geo. (PGO), Senior Geologist of Transition Metals and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.Aurum Lake Mining Corp. (TSXV: ARL) is a Tier 2 mining issuer pursuant to the policies of the TSXV. The company's current principal business is the development and exploration of the Homathko Property, located in the Cariboo Region of British Columbia, approximately 57km south of the community of Tatla Lake which lies 222km west of Williams Lake. The company expects that it will continue to evaluate and acquire additional resource projects in other jurisdictions with low to moderate local political risk.Transition Metals Corp. (TSXV: XTM) is a Canadian-based, multi-commodity explorer that specializes in converting new exploration ideas into discoveries. The award-winning team of geoscientists has extensive exploration experience which actively develops and tests new ideas for discovering mineralization in places that others have not looked, often allowing the company to acquire properties inexpensively. Joint venture partners earn an interest in the projects by funding a portion of higher-risk drilling and exploration, allowing Transition Metals to conserve capital and minimize shareholder's equity dilution.Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, certain information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects", "believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements based on current expectations involving a number of risk and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Transition Metals and Aurum. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, Transition Metals and Aurum expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.



NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Scott McLean, President and CEOTransition Metals Corp.Tel: (705) 669-1777Patrick Sapphire, Chief Executive OfficerTelephone: 647-530-1117
Peak Minerals Ltd. (CSE: PEK) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its news releases dated November 8, 2024, and February 21, 2025, it has completed the acquisition (the "Acquisition") of a 100% interest in 1494741 B.C. Ltd. ("149 BC"). The Acquisition was completed pursuant to a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") dated February 21, 2025, whereby the Company acquired all of the outstanding equity interests of 149 BC, an arm's length private exploration stage company which holds the interests in certain gold concessions located in the Tapanahony area within the Silipanwini District in the Republic of Suriname (the "Tapanahony Project").

The Tapanahony Project covers 29,000 hectares of significant artisanal mining and historical exploration. The database acquired as part of the acquisition of 149 BC includes airborne geophysics, multiple phases of semi-quantitative panning of drainages, large auger grids. Management is of the view that there are multiple gold targets within the area of the Tapanahony Project that range from large gold-in-soil anomalies to those that have limited drilling. In the view of management, Suriname has been the focal point of successful gold exploration for decades and is internationally recognized as mining friendly.

Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company issued 6,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Consideration Share") to the shareholders of 149 BC, on a pro rata basis in proportion to their former respective holdings of 149 BC, in exchange for all the issued and outstanding common shares of 149 BC at a deemed price of $0.25 per Consideration Share for total deemed consideration of $ 1,500,000. The Acquisition is an arm's length transaction. No finder's fee was paid in connection with the Acquisition. The Consideration Shares are subject to a four-month hold period pursuant to the securities laws in Canada.

The Company will issue an additional 6,000,000 Consideration Shares to the shareholders of 149 BC on a pro rata basis in proportion to their former respective holdings of 149 BC upon completion of drilling of an aggregate of 5,000 meters by a Sranan subsidiary of 149 BC on the Tapanahony Project (the "Milestone").

Following closing of the Acquisition, Oscar Louzada, a former shareholder of 149 BC, was appointed CEO of the Company, replacing incumbent CEO, Jonathan Yan. Mr. Yan will remain a director of the Company.

The Company anticipates filing a technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects with respect to the Tapanahony Project by June 30, 2025.

None of the securities issued in connection with the Acquisition will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.

About Peak Minerals

Peak Minerals Ltd. is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Canada. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct its exploration on the Aida Project. The Aida Property consists of 5 mineral claims covering an area of 2,335.42 ha located on the Shuswap Highland within the Kamloops Mining Division.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Jonathan Yan

Director

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that the actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates," "believes," "targets," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "may," "will," "could" or "would." Forward-looking statements and information in this news release include statements with respect to the Acquisition, including the terms, closing, timing and perceived benefits, and the aims of the Tapanahony Project, and the filing of a technical report for the Tapanahony Project .

Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for

dissemination in the United States.


Vancouver, March 17, 2025 - Q Precious & Battery Metals Corp. (CSE: QMET) (FSE: 0NB) (OTC Pink: BTKRF) ("QMET" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that construction of access and drill pads has begun on the La Corne South project located north of Val d'Or, Quebec. The Company will construct 1.5 kilometres of excavated access and four drill pads in preparation for diamond drilling. The drill pads will allow for drill testing of two priority geophysical targets as determined by the Company's exploration team.

First Class Diamond Drilling Inc. has been contracted to construct the new access and pads, and to undertake diamond drilling on the La Corne South project, (see Figures 1, 2, 3). First Class Drilling successfully completed the first three drill holes on the project in 2024, and QMET is delighted to have them continue with the 2025 drilling.

Diamond drilling of TDEM and magnetic anomalies in 2024 was successful at intercepting significant massive and disseminated sulphides containing copper, silver, zinc, and gold (see previous releases of January 20, 2025, and September 9, 2024). This next phase of drilling on the La Corne South is designed to test similar geophysical anomalies approximately two kilometres south of the 2024 drilling. A permit amendment has been approved to allow access to these new target areas. Drilling is scheduled to commence next week.





Figure 1

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Figure 2

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Figure 3

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ABOUT Q PRECIOUS & BATTERY METALS CORP.

QMET exploration programs undertaken in Quebec are supervised by Dr. Mathieu Piche, OGQ, with office located north of Val d'Or. He is also a QMET company director. The Company has 100% interest in mineral claims within Quebec, targeting critical and precious metals as well as Natural Hydrogen. Projects include the La Corne South VMS Project, McKenzie East Gold property, as well as the newly acquired Matane Hydrogen property in a strategic collaboration with Quebec Innovative Materials.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions as of that date. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to exploration and development; the ability of the Company to obtain additional financing; the Company's limited operating history; the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations; fluctuations in the prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Prospectus dated September 8, 2017, available on www.sedarplus.ca. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions, and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244782
Starr Peak Mining Ltd. ("Starr Peak" or the "Company") (TSXV: STE) (OTCQX: STRPF) is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of 4,004,000 units (the "Units") of the Company at a price of $0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,401,400. The private placement was completed by one strategic investor. Each Unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant, with each share purchase warrant entitling the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.45 per share for a period of 18 months from the closing date.

The proceeds from the Offering will be used for exploration and drilling activities on the Company's Quebec properties and for general working capital.

Closing of the Offering is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Starr Peak Mining Ltd.,

"Johnathan More"

Johnathan More

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

About Starr Peak Mining Ltd.

Starr Peak Mining Ltd. is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of precious and base metal mineral deposits. The primary objective of the Company is to acquire, explore and develop high potential and quality gold and base metal deposits and projects in the Americas. The Company is committed to create long term shareholder value through mineral discoveries.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act) unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.

SOURCE Starr Peak Mining Ltd.





Contact

For more information please contact: Johnathan More, Chairman & CEO, Tel: 515-401-7479, https://www.starrpeakminingltd.com, info@starrpeakminingltd.com


TORONTO, March 17, 2025 - Laramide Resources Ltd. ("Laramide" or the "Company") (TSX: LAM) (ASX: LAM) (OTCQX: LMRXF) a uranium mine development and exploration company with a portfolio of globally significant projects, advises that it had received notice from Extract Advisors LLC ("Extract") on March 13th, 2025 of a decision to convert all of Extract's USD $3.5 million convertible debt position in Laramide. The debt was convertible at CDN $0.40 and had a term that would have expired on April 1st, 2026.

On March 14th, 2025, Boss Energy, an ASX- listed uranium producer announced that it has added to its shareholdings in Laramide Resources, and once their arrangement is completed, will hold an 18.4% interest in Laramide. According to their ASX Announcement dated March 13, 2025, the increased investment was made based on the strength of Laramide's flagship Westmoreland Project in Queensland. This asset could become even more attractive if the recently elected Liberal National Party ("LNP") Queensland Government accepts permit applications to allow uranium mining development; an activity which was prohibited by a party policy of the Australian Labor Party ("ALP") which held power in Queensland for 30 of the previous 35 years until its defeat in late October 2024. Notably, under the most recent tenure of the LNP in Queensland (from 2012 to 2015), a similar policy reversal was communicated within six months of taking office.

Laramide further advises that Boss participated in the Company's November 2023 equity raising in Australia and that one of the Board of Director's for Boss Energy has previously served as a Chief Operations Officer for Laramide, including during the period when the most recent Westmoreland PEA was completed in 2016. Laramide welcomes Boss's investment as a strong endorsement of Westmoreland as a Tier One uranium development asset and shares their view that the development of Westmoreland seems inevitable, given the strategic importance of Australian uranium and critical minerals to Western energy security.

In addition to the Westmoreland asset, where recently, a meaningful expansion to the Mineral Resource Estimate was announced (see Laramide release February 28, 2025), Laramide owns other significant late-stage development assets in the United States and is about to initiate greenfield exploration in Kazakhstan, the world's largest primary uranium producing country.

To learn more about Laramide, please visit the Company's website at www.laramide.com

Follow us on Twitter @LaramideRes

About Laramide Resources Ltd.

Laramide is focused on exploring and developing high-quality uranium assets in Tier-1 uranium jurisdictions. The company's portfolio comprises predominantly advanced uranium projects in districts with historical production or superior geological prospectivity. The assets have been carefully chosen for their size and production potential, and the two large development projects are considered to be late-stage, low-technical risk projects. As well, Laramide has expanded its pipeline with strategic exploration in Kazakhstan where the company is exploring over 5,500 km2 of the prolific Chu-Sarysu Basin for world class roll-front deposits which are amenable to in-situ recovery.

Forward-looking Statements and Cautionary Language

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements." All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the management of the Company expect, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Laramide disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Since forward-looking information addresses future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, exploration and production for uranium; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of resource estimates; health, safety and environmental risks; worldwide demand for uranium; uranium price and other commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations.

SOURCE Laramide Resources Ltd.
Kovalainen backs Marko over Hadjar's tears

Opinions are split over what Dr Helmut Marko described as rookie Isack Hadjar's "tearful show" in Melbourne on Sunday.

Anthony Hamilton, Isack Hadjar, Australian GP 2025

 Red Bull

After the new Racing Bulls driver impressed in practice and qualifying, he was beyond consoling after crashing even before he completed the formation lap for the Australian GP.

The world watched the 20-year-old French-Algerian cry all the way from his crashed car to the paddock, with Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony rushing to offer him encouragement.

That means a lot to me, Hadjar said later. He knew exactly how I felt, how depressed I was, and came to me at my worst moment.

He also revealed that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali popped into the junior Red Bull team's facilities at Albert Park to put an arm around Hadjar.

It was very kind of them, Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, said. They've seen many drivers go through such lows, and to come to me like that really is very kind.

Hadjar described not even managing to get his car onto the slippery Melbourne grid as simply embarrassing . That was really the worst moment of my life, he added.

However, Red Bull's notoriously tough advisor and driver manager, Dr Helmut Marko, thinks Hadjar should have been embarrassed for another reason.

The 81-year-old said the latest Red Bull rookie in Formula 1 put on a tearful show in Australia, adding with a laugh: That was a bit embarrassing.

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was unimpressed with Marko's attitude.

I wouldn't have cried myself, the German told Sky Deutschland, "but this is a very hard moment for a young driver.

"It was his first race, and up until that moment he had put in a fantastic performance. Then it's awful when you let your team down at the end.

At Red Bull, you quickly become afraid of your future, given Helmut's reputation. And honestly, I don't know what's embarrassing about crying.

Hadjar, however, found support in the form of Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer, who said: "I think this can happen to anyone in these conditions. One small, minimal mistake, and it's all over.

Now we're looking ahead. We have another race next week.

Hadjar responded: It's nice to see that I'm getting this support from the team. It means a lot to me.

Another former F1 driver, Heikki Kovalainen, had a different take on the matter.

I admit that I don't really like these kinds of crying stories, the Finn told Viaplay. This is a tough game, and the mental edge has to be hard. And crying won't help.

Hadjar concluded: "I've had similar lows, but this one is particularly tough.

My path to Formula 1 wasn't easy - it was pretty brutal. I'd say I have a strong chin, but this one really hits me.

(GMM)
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Burial mass of Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame to be held on April 5

Graphic Showbiz Showbiz News Mar - 17 - 2025 , 10:09 2 minutes read

The burial mass of renowned Ghanaian musician and saxophonist Teddy Osei, a founding member of the iconic Afro-rock band Osibisa, will come off on Saturday, April 5 at St Peters Basilica, Roman Hill, Kumasi at 9:00am.

Prior to that, he will be laid in state at his family house at Chirapatre in Kumasi at 8:00am.

The burial mass will be followed by interment at the Chirapatre Royal cemetery on Saturday.

There will be a thanksgiving service on Sunday, April 6 at St Michaels Catholic church, Chirapatre followed by final funeral rites from 1:00pm-6:00pm on same day at the family house in Chirapatre.

The distinguished music icon sadly passed away at the age of 88 on Tuesday morning, January 14, 2025. (Read Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame dead)

Born in Kumasi, Osei was introduced to musical instruments while still a child. He began to play the saxophone while attempting to create a band with his college friends in the coastal city of Sekondi.

After graduating from college, he worked as a building inspector for a year before creating a band called "The Comets."

The Comets enjoyed brief popularity before Osei traveled to London in 1962. He received a grant from the Ghanaian government to study at a private music and drama school for three years, before being forced to leave by a regime change in Ghana.

In 1969, he founded Osibisa along with several other musicians. The band remained popular through the 1970s, before experiencing a decline, although it continues to perform today.
Next article: Trump moves to close down Voice of America

LIST: See the African countries considered for Trump's potential new travel ban

GraphicOnline International News Mar - 17 - 2025 , 17:28 2 minutes read

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering imposing new travel restrictions on citizens from several countries, including a number of African nations, as part of a broader immigration crackdown.

According to a leaked internal memo seen by Reuters, the proposed restrictions would divide the affected countries into three categories: those facing full visa suspension, those with partial visa restrictions, and those required to address security deficiencies or risk visa limitations.

African countries on the list

Full visa suspension

Citizens of the following African nations would face a complete ban on U.S. visa issuance if the policy is implemented:

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Partial Visa Suspension

The second category includes countries whose nationals would face restrictions on tourist, student, and certain immigrant visas:

Eritrea

South Sudan

Countries at Risk of Partial Suspension

The third category consists of nations that could face partial visa suspensions if they fail to address security screening deficiencies within 60 days:

Angola

Benin

Burkina Faso

Cape Verde

Cameroon

Chad

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Gambia

Liberia

Malawi

Mauritania

Republic of the Congo

Sierra Leone

Sao Tome and Principe

The Trump administration has not yet finalised the list, and U.S. officials caution that it remains subject to revision. The proposed restrictions follow an executive order signed on January 20, 2025, which mandates stricter security vetting for foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States.

This move mirrors the 2017 travel ban that predominantly affected Muslim-majority countries. If approved, the new restrictions could significantly impact travel, education, and business relations between the U.S. and the listed African nations.
Businessman allegedly swindles police officer over two auctioned vehicles

GNA Mar - 17 - 2025 , 09:51 2 minutes read

A 46-year-old businessman who allegedly collected GH72,000 from a police officer under the pretext of securing him two auctioned vehicles has appeared in court.

At the Circuit Court, the prosecution said George Adu-Twum, the accused, committed the offence in 2021.

He pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences.

The court, presided over by Isaac Addo, has admitted Adu-Twum to bail in the sum of GH75,000 with two sureties.

Adjourning the matter to April 7, 2025, the trial judge ordered the prosecution to comply with the rules of disclosure.

Chief Inspector Daniel Ofori-Appiah, the prosecutor, said the complainant, whose name was withheld, was a police officer residing at Weija SCC, Accra.

The accused, who claimed to be a businessman, resides in Weija Gbawe, Accra.

In 2021, the complainants relatives were in need of a Toyota Pickup and Hyundai i30 salon car, and he discussed it with a friend who introduced the accused to him.

The prosecution said the complainant met the accused at Abelemkpe and pointed at a Toyota Hilux and Hyundai i30 as vehicles being auctioned and that payments needed to be made immediately because there were other persons who had expressed interest.

After the bargaining, GH,000 was mobilised by Adu-Twum. GH40,000 was paid at the office of the accused at Abelemkpe, while GH32,000 was handed over to him (the accused) at the complainants office at the Ministries.

Adu-Twum promised that the auctioned vehicles would be ready in a week.

The prosecution said Adu-Twum, after collecting the money, went into hiding, but he was arrested on January 15, 2025.

During investigations, he refunded an amount of GH25,000, the prosecution told the court.
Next article: No reforms without pressure  Prof. Prempeh urges Ghanaians to demand action on constitutional review

Foreign aid is not charity  Vice President Opoku-Agyemang challenges global perception

Mohammed Ali Mar - 17 - 2025 , 15:28 2 minutes read

The Vice President of Ghana, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said the perception that foreign aid to Africa was a one-sided act of charity was not true and that wealth flows out of the continent far more than it receives.

Speaking at a meeting with students from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at Jubilee House on Monday (March 17, 2025), she responded to a question about foreign aid and recent remarks by US President Donald Trump on cutting assistance to Africa.

You see, one of the questions he hasnt asked himself is how much leaves our continent for his [Donald Trump's] country. They think its just charity. It is not, she said.

If even a fraction of what is taken from our continent remained, we wouldnt have issues with unemployment, sanitation, or many other challenges.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang warned that Africa would not continue to accept economic imbalances. At the right time, well also take action. And it will not be funny, she stated.

She referenced Nigers recent decision to renegotiate its mineral contracts, which saw its national revenue rise from $1 billion to over $10 billion in a year.

The discussion, which brought together students from Harvard Kennedy School and MITs urban planning programme, covered a range of issues, including womens empowerment, climate action, and regional integration in Africa.

On climate justice, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang pointed out the unfair burden placed on African nations despite their minimal contributions to global emissions. We are responsible for less than 5% [of emissions], yet we are expected to bear the consequences, she noted.

The Vice President encouraged the students to amplify African perspectives in global conversations. We need everybodys voice. You are from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT, we need your voices too, she urged.
Inferior cement on market - New manufacturers violate production process

Kester Aburam Korankye Mar - 17 - 2025 , 12:57 4 minutes read

Some recently established cement manufacturers are substituting limestone, a key raw material in cement production, with cheaper and inferior alternatives, insiders have revealed.

In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, industry players and regulatory officials revealed that certain manufacturers, some of whom have been caught in the act, are replacing limestone with quarry dust, clay, silica and other low-grade substitutes.

Data on cement quality submitted by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) at a stakeholder meeting of the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee (CMDC) and industry players on March 5 this year confirmed an ongoing trend of the production and sale of substandard cement in the country.

Practice

This practice, aimed at cutting costs, raises serious concerns about the quality and safety of cement products on the market.

Professor Alex Dodoo  Director-General of the GSA

The Deputy Director of the Building and Road Research Institute of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Professor Mark Bediako, told the Daily Graphic that research had proven that limestone, as a five to 30 per cent constituent, was essential in cement production, providing the calcium oxide required for the chemical binding process and that it did not alter the quality of cement in any way.

However, Prof. Bediako said the alternatives did not only compromise the quality of the cement but also posed significant risks to the structural integrity of buildings and infrastructure.

He explained that cement produced with substitutes such as quarry dust was more prone to cracking, weakening, and failing under stress.

Prof. Bediako said the underlying factor for some of the manufacturers use of cheap alternatives as a substitute to limestone was the siting of their companies in areas in the Ashanti and Bono regions, which were far from large deposits of limestone.

Companies found to have violated the cement manufacturing process include Chinese new-entrant manufacturers.,

When the Chinese came, they sited their factories in places far in the Ashanti Region which is far from the quarries of limestone, so they look at transportation cost and resort to anything that resembles limestone; but that is dangerous, Prof. Bediako said.

He explained that by using cheaper substitutes, the manufacturers had been able to flood the market with low-cost products, undercutting local manufacturers who adhered to strict quality standards.

Regulatory gaps

Meanwhile, some sources suggest that the defaulting manufacturers have been exploiting regulatory loopholes and weak enforcement mechanisms to continue producing and selling substandard cement.

Although recent efforts by the GSA to enforce quality control measures have brought these issues to light, the challenge now lies in ensuring that all manufacturers, regardless of their origin, comply with the required standards.

The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, last week authorised the GSA to shut down cement manufacturers producing substandard products.

The Director-General of the GSA, Professor Alex Dodoo, who has been leading the charge to rid the market of substandard cement products, told the Daily Graphic that the use of substandard cement had far-reaching consequences for the construction industry as poor-quality cement could lead to structural failures, increased maintenance costs and loss of life in extreme cases.

Property owners and developers who unknowingly use these products risk significant financial losses and legal liabilities, he said.

Prof. Dodoo said beyond that, he was seriously concerned that the reputation of Ghanas construction industry was at stake.

If substandard cement continues to infiltrate the market, it could erode trust in local construction projects and deter foreign investment in the sector.

This underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability in the industry, Prof. Dodoo said.

He added that the directive to shut down defaulting factories had become necessary due to the seriousness of the situation, and assured the public that inspectors from the GSA had already been deployed to monitor the operations of suspected factories.
Ofori-Atta sues OSP

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Mar - 17 - 2025 , 12:57 4 minutes read

A former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has filed a lawsuit against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng, over the declaration by the anti-graft agency that he was a fugitive from justice and a WANTED person.

The application for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights under Article 33 of the 1992 Constitution was filed on March 13, 2025, by the former ministers lawyer, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, at the Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court.

The premise of Mr Ofori-Attas suit is that the OSP declaring him a WANTED person and publishing the same were unlawful and violated his fundamental human rights to personal liberty and free movement as respectively guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the 1992 Constitution.

The former minister is also of the contention that the OSP acted unfairly, capriciously and arbitrarily by declaring him WANTED, which, he said, violated Articles 23 and 296 of the Constitution, and continued to act the same by refusing to remove his picture as a WANTED person from its website despite publishing that he had ceased to be one.

Reliefs

Among other reliefs, Mr Ofori-Atta is seeking declarations from the court that the action by the OSP was unlawful as it had no statutory powers to declare a person wanted without the permission of a court, and that it violated his fundamental human rights to personal liberty, free movement and to be treated fairly by administrative bodies.

He is further seeking declarations that the Special Prosecutor, who is a lawyer, breached the legal profession rules when he responded to letters by his lawyers through a public press briefing while the OSP had also acted capriciously, arbitrarily and unfairly for continuously keeping his picture as a WANTED person on its website.

The former minister is also seeking an order from the court to direct the OSP to immediately remove his picture as a WANTED person from the website of the OSP, and order for compensation for unlawfully declaring the applicant WANTED, publishing the same on its website, and keeping his picture on the wanted list despite a statement by the OSP that he was no longer a WANTED person.

He is further asking the court to place an injunction on the OSP from carrying out its threat to re-declare him as a WANTED person and a fugitive from justice.



Background

During a press conference on February 12 this year, Mr Agyebeng announced that his outfit was currently investigating five cases of corruption and corruption-related offences in which Mr Ofori-Atta was a suspect.

Those cases included the revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), the termination of the distribution loss contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC), and the National Cathedral project.

Mr Agyebeng declared Mr Ofori-Atta WANTED, describing him as a fugitive from justice who had no intention of willingly returning to the jurisdiction to honour the invitation of the OSP for investigations into some five suspected corruption cases.

While acknowledging that lawyers for the former minister had written to him about the unavailability of their client in the country for medical reasons, the Special Prosecutor accused Mr Ofori-Atta of allegedly employing tactics in order not to avail himself of an invitation dated January 24, 2025.

Mr Ofori-Atta, you have two choices. You can either return to the jurisdiction voluntarily, or the OSP will enforce your return, Mr Agyebeng stated.

Mr Agyebeng said lawyers for the former minister also wrote to the OSP enquiring whether or not the OSP was behind a raid on Mr Ofori-Attas residence on February 11 this year.

Mr Agyebeng claimed that intelligence by the OSP indicated that the raid could have been staged.

Our intelligence points us to state that the purported raid on Mr Ofori-Attas residence was staged or, at best, an imposter action in an attempt to court disfavour for the OSP and to derail the investigation, he said.

OSP was aware

Backed by documents attached to the application, Mr Ofori-Atta averred that he left the country on January 4 this year for medical reasons, stating that he had made this known to the former and current Chiefs of Staff at the presidency and that when the OSP invited him on January 22, he was already out of the country.

According to him, his lawyers had clearly communicated the above information to the OSP and were willing to assist the anti-graft agency with whatever information it needed pending his return to the country, only for the OSP to still go ahead to declare him WANTED.

Mr Ofori-Atta further averred that the allegation by the SP that the raid on his residence was staged turned out to be false when subsequent information showed that it was carried out by National Security operatives, for which the Majority Leader in Parliament apologised on behalf of the government.

Writers email; [email protected]
OPCL properly acquired Chinese company shares in Ghana Bauxite

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Mar - 17 - 2025 , 11:54 5 minutes read

The Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) has refuted allegations of impropriety in the acquisition of the 80 per cent stake in the company previously owned by a Chinese company by a Ghanaian entity.

In a statement, the GBC said the Ghanaian entity  Ofori Poku Company Limited (OPCL)  bought the 80 per cent stake from Bosai Minerals Company of China in a private transaction in accordance with the law and corporate governance practices after the Government of Ghana declined its right of refusal to purchase the shares.

The Government of Ghana (GoG) assessed the offer for the sale of an 80 per cent stake in GBC in a private sale by Bosai Minerals and decided that it had no business running a mining enterprise, nor the finances to acquire the company, the working capital to run the company, or the significant investments required to turn the company round, the statement said.

Accusation

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, had called for investigations into the sale of the shares by the Chinese Company to OPCL, a fully owned Ghanaian entity.

He alleged that the $12.5million sale price was grossly an undervaluation of the company, owing to the fact that the company was now worth around $1billion two years after the sale, suggesting that the GoG should not have declined the right to purchase the company.

He also alleged a conflict of interest in the transaction

No basis

However, the GBC debunked the allegations, describing them as untenable, without basis and an attempt to destroy a Ghanaian company that was contributing positively to the economy of the country.

First of all, it said the acquisition was purely a private transaction between OPCL and Bosai Minerals after the GoG, which still owns 20 per cent of the company, refused to purchase the remaining shares.

The company wondered why Bosai Minerals Group, the Chinese entity, would sell its stake if indeed the company was doing well at the time of the sale or would undervalue the company when it stood to lose from such an action.

It said this was not the first time the GoG had refused to exercise its right to buy the company outright as it did the same in 2010, in which the GoG consistently maintained that it had no interest in running a mining company because it was not in its strategic interest.

According to the statement, at the time of the transaction in 2021, the mining company was in a serious crisis as it was in serious debt, workers were on strike and production had gradually grounded to a halt due to a lack of investment.

The statement explained that the companys current valuation of $1 billion was due to prudent and efficient management, and sound and consistent investment which had rescued the company from the abyss.

The $1bn valuation was assessed by the Ministry of Finance to support a bill in Parliament.

It is informed by the investments of well over $100M over the last 2-3 years, that have been made in GBC, including new and modern equipment, revamped and refurbished facilities, the renewal and a 30-year mining lease extension, the work being undertaken to confirm proven reserves of bauxite.

Valuation is an opinion. It is only validated if someone/entity pays that amount for the company, the statement added.

It said even if the current valuation was accurate, the GoGs 20 per cent stake in the company was now worth over $200m representing nearly 8,000 per cent appreciation in value over just 2 years.

No conflict of interest

The GBC further refuted the allegation of conflict of interest in the sale, explaining that as a private entity, it was not subjected to insider trading rules as applicable to a publicly listed company on the stock market.

GoG has directors on the Board of GBC. In the event GoG had acquired the shares, exercising its right of first refusal - would that be considered "insider trading"? the company queried.

The GBC further refuted claims that the person who did the valuation of the company at the time of the sale was the Chief Financial Officer of GBC or OPCL.

The statement called on the public to support the GBC which is now a fully owned Ghanaian entity to continue to deliver value for the country.

GBC has experienced a huge turnaround. It is now a fully owned Ghanaian company! We should celebrate success of our own, the statement added.

Background

Last year, Parliament unanimously ratified the extension of the mining lease of the GBC for another 30 years.

The GBC, which has been in existence for over 80 years, is the only bauxite mining company in the country and controls the Awaso bauxite mine in the Western North of the country.

Originally owned by the British Aluminium Company Ltd, the government acquired a 55 per cent stake in the company in 1972, under the Mining Operations (Government Participation) Decree, 1972 (NRCD 132), passed pursuant to the National Redemption Councils policy of taking over the commanding heights of the economy.

However, the company faced several challenges after the acquisition, with production decreasing from 407,000 tonnes in 1974 to 64,000 tonnes in 1982.

The government, therefore, decided to divest its interest in the company. In 1997, Alcan, a Canadian company, acquired 80 per cent stake in the company, with the government holding the remaining 20 per cent.

A British-Australian multinational, Rio Tinto, acquired Alcans interest in the company before selling same to the Bosai Minerals Group in 2010.

In 2022, however, Ofori-Poku Company Limited (OPCL), a wholly owned Ghanaian company, acquired the 80 per cent stake held by Bosai, making the company, for the first time in its 80-year history, a wholly owned Ghanaian company.

OPCL was incorporated in 1990 and has enormous experience in the mining industry, having operated as a leading supplier of various mine services, including haulage, transport and provision of climate change solutions.

Writers email: [email protected]
Tema Diocese holds maiden lecture to honour stalwarts

Benjamin Xornam Glover Mar - 17 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

The Tema Diocese Lay Movement Council of the Methodist Church Ghana held its maiden lecture with a call on church leaders to embrace change, provide adequate training and development and offer mentorship and opportunities for young people to accelerate the growth of the church.

The event, which was held last Saturday at the Bethel Society of the church in Community 8, Tema in the Greater Accra Region was to honour Rt Rev Joseph Yedu Bannerman, the Rt Rev Dr Seth Aryee, both deceased and Emmanuel Nii Laryea for their significant contributions to the church and the nation at large.

Rt. Rev Bannerman was the industrial Minister who sowed the seed of Methodism in the Tema Metropolis while the Rt. Rev Dr Aryee was the first Bishop of the Tema Diocese. Mr Laryea on the other hand was the first Lay Chairman of the Tema Diocese.

The guest speaker for the event was Professor Kwame Adom-Frimpong, Chairman, General Directorate of Finance and Development of Finance and Development, the Methodist Church Ghana, who delivered a lecture on the topic, Growing into Christian Maturity; strengthening church structures at the Society levels for growth.

Prof. Adom-Frimpong said one of the most significant challenges that a church often faced in its growth journey was resistance to change by Church Leaders.

He said the congregation and the leadership must both have the mentality that change happened and it could be a good thing, adding that Church growth can be a sign that God is working and growing His people.

We must be open to change and willing to embrace it for the sake of reaching more people with the gospel, he said.

His presentation highlighted the need for spiritual maturity, which he said did not necessarily speak of how much biblical knowledge one possessed, but rather how willing one had been to allow the Holy Spirit to transform his or her understanding of God and life.

Components

Touching on how the church could strengthen its structures at the societal level for growth, Prof. Adom-Frimpong said a church structure was built around three main components: people, programmes and systems, stressing that these components work together to create a system that helps the church fulfil its mission and serve its community.

He stressed that strengthening church structures at the society (local) level allows for spontaneous growth, leads to good decision-making and governance processes, growth in individuals and ministries, and resources being maximised and used well.

He further said by adhering to these biblical principles, the Church can grow in faith, maturity, and fulfilling its divine mandate to be the body of Christ on earth.

Prof. Adom-Frimpong thus urged the church to put in more effort to ensure that its structures work well for it to grow and achieve its mission.

Rationale

The Tema Diocesan Lay Chairman, Robert Andrew Taylor, explained that taking a cue from the annual S.H Amissah, the first Vice President of the Methodist Church Ghana, conference in the year 2011, by the Connexional Lay Movement Council of the Methodist Church of Ghana, to honour outstanding lay leaders, who have made invaluable contributions to the church over the years, the Tema Diocese organised the lecture to honour some stalwarts in the diocese.

He said subsequent celebrants would be alternated between the clergy and the laity who have served the Tema Diocese.

Call to Action

A former Bishop of the Somanya Diocese of the Methodist Church, Ghana, Rt. Rev Albert Ofoe Wright, who chaired the programme, described the lecture as a call to active action, committed influence and fervent advocacy.

Writers email: [email protected]
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Be bold in expanding your businesses - Ecobank executive urges women

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Mar - 17 - 2025 , 10:10 4 minutes read

The Managing Director of Ecobank Kenya, Josephine Anan-Ankomah, has encouraged women entrepreneurs to be bold in expanding their businesses instead of playing it safe.

She said it was common for women entrepreneurs, especially in Africa, to be laid back in scaling up their businesses not because they had no potential but as a result of their deep-rooted fears of taking risks.

Mrs Anan-Ankomah cited the example of well-patronised food vendors who decide not to expand by opening other branches or sometimes running out of stock despite the high demand.

Many women entrepreneurs simply do not consider scaling their businesses because the idea of expansion absolutely terrifies them. The fear of taking risks, managing bigger operations or accessing financing holds them back even when demand is knocking on their doors, she said at the Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg (AFG) Memorial Lectures in Accra last Thursday.

Such a situation, Mrs Anan-Ankomah stressed, had made many women necessity entrepreneurs, who focused on surviving, instead of becoming opportunity entrepreneurs who aimed at business growth and economic development.

While their male counterparts confidently walk into banks and negotiate for capital to scale, many women continue to self-finance, limiting their ability to compete, expand, and dominate their industries, she added.

Lecture

Mrs Anan-Ankomah, who is also the Ecobank Regional Executive for Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, was delivering the 2025 AFG Memorial Lectures organised by the University of Ghana.

The two-day lecture, on the theme: Her Money, Her Power: Making Finance Work for Women, sought to explore the challenges women faced in accessing finance, as well as the benefits of helping womens businesses.

Mrs Anan-Ankomah, after delivering the lecture, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws (honoris causa) by the university in recognition of her outstanding contributions to banking and finance across the African continent.

The AFG Memorial Lectures was instituted by the University of Ghana in 1957 as a thought-provoking platform for personalities who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields.

Inhibiting factors

While acknowledging the need for women to be bold in expanding their businesses, Mrs Anan-Ankomah said certain factors limited womens access to finance, curtailing their economic empowerment and advancement.

She mentioned some of the factors as educational barriers, the lack of financial literacy, the lack of trust among women in financial services, the failure of banks to make tailored products targeted at women, and a false sense of gender neutrality in financial services.

She observed that banks and other financial institutions had over the years failed to recognise the peculiar needs of women, and had rather adopted policies that treated men and women as being on the same level in terms of their financial experiences.

We live in a world where loans require collateral that women do not have, where credit scores favour formal employment over entrepreneurial hustle, and where womens banking behaviours are ignored, she said.

According to her, the best solution to address such a problem was for financial institutions and regulators to implement policies that addressed the peculiar challenges that made it difficult for women to access financial services.

That means collecting both demand-side and supply-side gender-disaggregated data, designing financial products that align with how women actually manage money, and ensuring that womens voices are represented at every level of decision-making  from bank boardrooms to regulatory bodies, she said.

Economic sense

Mrs Anan-Ankomah urged banks, financial institutions and regulatory bodies to appreciate the need to promote access to finance for women, saying it would not only ensure fairness but would also make economic sense.

The financial sector is still treating women more as an afterthought rather than as a $5 trillion opportunity; yes, thats how much closing the gender financing gap could add to the global economy, she said.

The data is clear: women are better borrowers, savers and investors. It is time, and in our interest, to stop ignoring them, she added.

Women investors

The Ecobank Regional Executive said although studies had shown that women were better managers of money and better investors as compared to men, they were underrepresented in the investment markets.

The lack of female investors directly correlates with the lack of funding for female entrepreneurs. Its a vicious cycle: women dont invest because they are not part of the financial ecosystem, and they are not part of the financial ecosystem because they are not investing, she said.

On how to resolve such a challenge, she called for a deliberate attempt to cultivate female investors, adding that we need more female angel investors, more women-led venture capital firms, and more gender-lens investment funds that prioritise financing women-led businesses.

Writers email: [email protected]
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Nine illegal miners, including five foreigners, arrested along Black Volta in Savannah Region

Mohammed Fugu Mar - 17 - 2025 , 13:17 2 minutes read

A joint security task force, led by the Savannah Regional Security Council (REGSEC), has arrested nine suspected illegal miners, including five foreign nationals, in an operation along the Black Volta Basin in the Bamboi enclave of the Savannah Region.

The task force also impounded 12 excavators, generators, and other mining equipment used by the illegal miners. The confiscated equipment has since been moved to the Bamboi Police Station as investigations continue.

However, some of the miners managed to escape by diving into the river upon seeing the security operatives.

The operation, which lasted over 15 hours, was conducted in response to growing concerns over environmental destruction and water pollution caused by illegal mining activities.

Massive destruction

In an interview, the Savannah Regional Minister, Salisu Be-Awurbe, expressed deep concern over the devastation caused by illegal mining in the area.

We received reports about the destruction caused by mining activities, but seeing the situation firsthand has left me heartbroken and shocked. The miners have blocked portions of the Black Volta with sand to facilitate their illegal operations, and the damage to the environment is alarming, he lamented.

He said all the suspects would be screened and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Mr Be-Awurbe reiterated the governments commitment to intensifying the fight against illegal mining activities in the enclave, stating that more operations would be conducted in the coming days to curb the menace.

Galamsey surge

Illegal mining activities have become increasingly notorious along the Black Volta, posing serious threats to water bodies, biodiversity, and critical infrastructure such as the Bui Power Generation Dam and the Akosombo Power Generation Dam downstream.

The Black Volta originates from Burkina Faso and flows north and east for about 200 miles (320 km) before turning south for 340 miles (550 km), forming the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso, as well as Ghana and Cote dIvoire.

At the Bamboi enclave in the Savannah Region, the Black Volta turns north and east, flowing approximately 80 miles (130 km) eastward before emptying into Lake Volta.
Next article: OSP warns Ken Ofori-Atta: Appear for questioning or face international pursuit

'Seniority syndrome' and strict leadership style fueled Dampares struggles  Prof. Agyeman-Duah

Mohammed Ali Mar - 17 - 2025 , 09:31 2 minutes read

Governance expert Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah has attributed former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampares struggles within the Ghana Police Service to deep-seated resentment over promotions, seniority, and his strict leadership style.

Speaking on JoyNews Newsfile on Saturday, 15 March 2025, Prof. Agyeman-Duah explained that Dampares approach to leadership disrupted long-standing traditions within the service, leading to dissatisfaction among some officers.

According to him, one of the main reasons Dampare faced opposition was his stance against the entrenched seniority syndrome, where officers expect promotions based on years of service rather than competence.

In Ghana, especially in these institutions, there are two things that seem to matter most: the seniority syndrome and how one gets promoted, he said.

He noted that Dampare prioritised merit and performance over tenure, a shift that unsettled many officers, particularly those who had served longer but were overtaken in rank.

Prof. Agyeman-Duah revealed that promotions under Dampare sparked controversy, with some officers accusing him of favouritism.

People complained that he was promoting his friends, but maybe these were just better-performing officers, he stated.

He added that he personally received complaints from officers who believed they had been unfairly overlooked.

For the past two, three years, I, who have no position, no influence, received calls from police officers who were aggrieved, thinking I had a way to influence things, he said.

Some of these grievances, he explained, came from officers who had pursued further education on their own and expected promotions but were denied because they had not followed the required procedure of seeking official approval before enrolling in school.

Prof. Agyeman-Duah also suggested that Dampares no-nonsense leadership style may have contributed to his unpopularity.

In this country, whoever is put in a position of authority and seeks to enforce the rules and the laws becomes an enemy to all, he remarked.

He observed that this issue was not unique to the police service but was also common in the civil service, where leaders who push for strict adherence to rules often face opposition.

Prof. Agyeman-Duah noted that Dampares removal was not surprising, given the level of internal opposition he faced.
Majority and Minority leaders clash over new Parliamentary Chamber and Hospital

GraphicOnline Politics Mar - 17 - 2025 , 18:15 2 minutes read

A heated debate has erupted between Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin over whether Ghanas Parliament should prioritise the construction of a new parliamentary chamber and a dedicated hospital for MPs.

The issue, which has sparked sharp disagreements within the 9th Parliamentary Service Board, comes as the House considers key welfare and infrastructure matters affecting its members and staff.

The proposal for a Parliament-exclusive hospital was met with strong opposition from Mahama Ayariga, who dismissed it as unnecessary. He argued that Parliament already has access to top-tier healthcare facilities, including Ridge Hospital and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, making a separate hospital for MPs redundant.

I dont believe a hospital should be the priority of this Parliament, Ayariga stated, rejecting Afenyo-Markins call for the facility. He insisted that resources should be allocated to more pressing national and parliamentary needs.

Afenyo-Markin, however, strongly advocated discussions on constructing a new parliamentary chamber, citing security concerns and space constraints in the current facility. He warned that MPs face serious security risks due to the lack of proper protective infrastructure.

Here in the public gallery, anybody at all can throw a thing at an MP, he stressed, highlighting the potential dangers lawmakers face while sitting in the current chamber.

Afenyo-Markin insisted that Parliament must invest in a chamber that reflects its stature and ensures the safety and well-being of MPs.

We can begin the conversation for a new chamber befitting Parliament. Be assured that we are committed in this direction. MPs have many concerns about their welfare, and Im sure wed put in necessary steps to ensure that, he stated.

However, Mahama Ayariga dismissed the proposal, arguing that the current chamber is fit for purpose and that security concerns alone should not justify building a completely new facility.

I disagree we should construct a new chamber for Parliament, he said, maintaining that Parliament can continue to function effectively in its existing space.

While the two leaders remain divided on how to address infrastructure needs, they both acknowledged that Parliaments security must be improved.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who chairs the Parliamentary Service Board, echoed these concerns, stating that securing the Parliamentary enclave should be a top priority.

We are insecure here; we are not safe. One of the responsibilities of the Board is to secure the Parliamentary enclave, Bagbin cautioned.

He also urged Parliaments leadership and staff to approach their duties with integrity, dedication and patriotism, ensuring that governance remains efficient and productive.
Senior Chinese official, former U.S. treasury secretary exchange views on China-U.S. economic, trade relations

Xinhua) 08:06, March 17, 2025

He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, meets with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese official He Lifeng on Sunday met with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in Beijing, and the two sides exchanged views on both China-U.S. economic and trade relations and the global economy.

Noting that China's economy is maintaining its recovery momentum, He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, said that China's innovation-driven development has achieved remarkable results, while market expectations continue to improve, and adding that domestic demand potential and internal circulation space are huge.

China's new development pattern is taking shape at a faster pace, the fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain unchanged and its prospects remain bright, He said.

Noting that U.S.-China relations are very important and green transformation is the general trend, Paulson said that the Paulson Institute is willing to continue to contribute positively to the stability of U.S.-China relations and green and low-carbon development.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Chinese-invested expressway benefits livelihoods of villagers along route

Xinhua) 11:05, March 17, 2025

KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-invested Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has significantly changed the livelihoods of villagers along the route here in Voa Sar village in Samraong Tong district of southwest Cambodia.

Chhay Kimsan, 69-year-old village chief, said the village has a total population of 1,128 villagers, and they earn their livings by working in various sectors, as some also work for the Cambodian PPSHV Expressway Co., Ltd., which is the operator of the 187-km Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway.

He said the expressway, which was opened to traffic in November 2022, has helped turn his once poor and tranquil village into a thriving village, where wooden houses with iron-zinc roofs were being replaced by concrete houses or mini villas, and gravel roads were being replaced by concrete roads.

"In the past, their lives were not as good as they are today. They faced many difficulties," he told Xinhua.

He said the expressway has provided a lot of benefits to the villagers, as it is convenient, safe, time-saving, and economical for them to travel.

"Since there is this expressway, they like traveling on it, going to Sihanoukville for leisure purposes," Kimsan said.

Kimsan said the expressway has also spurred a significant rise in land prices along the thoroughfare.

"Now, there are significant changes in their livelihoods because land prices in this area have doubled, so they make a lot of money from selling their land adjacent to the expressway," he said.

The village chief said that in general, the villagers are happy with the expressway because it has also reflected the country's rapid development.

"I suggest that the company help create more job opportunities, so my villagers will be able to earn more money and their livelihoods will be better," Kimsan said.

Mann Piseth, 40-year-old villager, agreed that the freeway has helped improve the livelihoods of local residents along the route.

"I'm very pleased that the expressway had run through our village," he told Xinhua. "It has made the village more beautiful and improved the villagers' livelihoods."

Piseth, who has been offered a job by the expressway operator, said the motorway has provided a lot of jobs for the Cambodian people.

"Through this expressway, Cambodia and China have enjoyed an even better relationship," the father of four children said.

Invested by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) in the amount of 2 billion U.S. dollars, the expressway was the first of its kind in Cambodia and was the largest single project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation between Cambodia and China.

The expressway passes through Kandal, Kampong Speu and Koh Kong provinces.

With two lanes for traffic in each direction plus an emergency lane on each side, vehicles will be able to reach their destinations within two hours through the expressway instead of five hours on National Road 4.

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the expressway has played a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of travels and logistic system.

"It is a key strategic route for the Southeast Asian country to boost trade exchanges with the rest of the world and also a major road to attract tourists to the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk," he told Xinhua.

"Traveling on the expressway has saved both fuel and time and is quite safer than traveling on ordinary roads," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Banh Anh Em 99 Third Ave., nr. E. 13th St. The pho Nam inh features fresh-made noodles and lots of beef. Photo: Hugo Yu

When the chef Nhu Ton was in Hanoi in 2022, she rented a Vespa and lit out for the territories. While cruising around the countryside, Ton  a co-owner of Banh, a small Vietnamese restaurant on the Upper West Side  ended up in Nam inh, about an hour and half southeast of the capital. This was her first time in the province, which, the story goes, is said to be the birthplace of pho. There are different styles in Nam inh, but in general the soup is a lot more peppery and theres a lot more fish sauce, she says. Upon finding it, Ton knew what had to be done: Shed bring Nam inh to New York.

As she and her business partner, John Nguyen, soft-open their new spot, Banh Anh Em, that pho is the centerpiece of the menu. And theyve gone all in: In 2024, Ton returned to Nam inh to learn how to make the right pho noodles  wider in Nam inh than most of the pho found around New York  and to visit the The Chieu noodle-machine factory. For the restaurant, they imported one of the companys big, long machines, which theyve squeezed into the 1,400-square-foot space. We barely have the room, but were making it work, Nguyen says.

The machine was just the first part of the noodle puzzle. Rice was next. They couldnt import the variety used in Nam inh, so they landed on a mix of basmati, broken rice, and leftover cooked rice. To make the noodles, they soak the basmati and broken rice overnight, mill it with the leftover cooked rice, then let it sit for another day. To test the durability, they let the noodles sit in hot broth for five-, ten-, and 15-minute increments. Eventually, they got the desired texture and chew.

Such luxurious noodles need a matching broth. Ton and Nguyen start theirs with beef bones that they wash in me, rice paste that theyve been fermenting for years to achieve a distinct sour note. The broth is cooked for 12 hours, seasoned generously with black pepper imported from Tons hometown of Buon Ma Thuot, and finished with fish sauce. Other familiar aromatics like star anise are added with a light hand. The beef served with the soup is multiple cuts of brisket while a deluxe version  ac Biet  comes with the addition of beef navel, tendon, tripe, and meatballs. Condiments include garlic pickled in rice vinegar and sliced onions in homemade hot sauce thats fermented for six months. Its the extra condiments, Nguyen says, that give the Nam inh the distinctive characteristics of this particular style.

But why stop at pho? They also mill rice for banh cuon, or rice sheets, one of the restaurants other specialties. Theyll have several options, including one in the style of Buon Ma Thuot: a tower of rice sheets with grilled pork, pickled mustard greens, and shredded young mango, which you wrap and dip in fermented fish sauce cooked with pork bones. A lot of tourists will come just to eat this, Ton says.

These sorts of little-seen regional specialities are the draw at the original Banh: an unconventional riff on the savory doughnut called banh tieu; holiday specials like bun oc (a snail and vermicelli soup); balut in tamarind sauce. At the new space downtown, Ton and her cooks are all in on pho and banh mi, but the reasons why are surprising. A couple years ago, Ton and Nguyen asked their Vietnamese staff, What dishes do you miss from back home? Most said banh mi. Pho and banh mi are so popular in America. It captured my attention, Ton says. The problem: They arent the real deal. Banh Anh Em will feature styles from around the country, including Haiphong (a smaller baguette with pate, pork floss, and chi chuong hot sauce) and Nha Trang (fish cakes). They also decided to make their own bread  theyre doing noodles, so why not?  after an employee suggested it in a group chat. We took that seriously, Ton says.
The Realme P3 made its official debut today in India. It comes with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, a big battery and the "segment's largest" vapor chamber for cooling.

Realme P3 in India is exactly the same as the Realme Neo7x sold in China, down to the hero color Space Silver with Mecha design.

Realme P3 has a 6.67" AMOLED display of Full HD+ resolution and up to 120 Hz refresh rate. It reaches 2,000 nits peak brightness and a 1,500 Hz instant touch sampling rate. The phone supports 90 Hz in BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), the domestic alternative of the Chinese-owned PUBG.

Active mobile gaming requires an efficient cooling solution. That's why this midranger has a 6,050 sq. mm vapor chamber that lowers CPU temperature by 20 degrees Celsius.

The Realme P3 comes with a 50 MP main shooter with f/1.8 aperture and LED flash, while the secondary cam is a basic 2 MP portrait lens. The selfie camera has a 16 MP sensor.

The battery capacity of Realme P3 is 6,000 mAh. It is fairly impressive, because the device itself is under 8 mm thick, and there are only a handful of Realme phones with that much capacity in such a thin profile. It supports 45W wired charging.

The phone comes with Android 15 with Realme UI 6.0, and other highlights include under-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, and stereo speakers. The device is IP69-rated for water submersion up to 2.5 meters and 30 minutes.



Realme P3

Realme P3 comes in three colors  Space Silver, Nebula Pink, and Comet Grey, which is a Brown hue. Prices are INR 16,999 for 6/128 GB, INR 17,999 for 8/128 GB, and INR 19,999 for 8/256 GB.

The phone will likely start selling alongside the Realme P3 Ultra, scheduled to launch on March 19. Early bird sale is set for Wednesday at 6 PM local time, with Realme offering some bank card deals on its store and Flipkart.

Source
A bill seeking to require those convicted of vehicular homicide to pay child support for the minor children of victims and another bill that would allow double-dippers in the government to accrue sick leave received scant testimony during Mondays public hearings.

Sen. Will Parkinsons Bill 45-38 would require any person convicted of vehicular homicide while impaired to support the victims surviving minor children until they turn 18, or until 23, if they enroll in full-time higher education.

Bill 45-38 is dubbed Bentleys Law, and modeled after similar legislation introduced in the state of Missouri.

Missouri resident Cecilia Williams, who championed the bill in her state, appeared via Zoom on Monday to support the measure. She was the only person present to testify.

I had created Bentleys law in 2021 when my 30-year-old son, Cornell, 25-year-old daughter-in-law Lacey and four-month-old grandson, their son, Cornell II, were killed by a drunk driver, Williams said.

Williams said she and her husband have since been left to care for their surviving grandchildren, Bentley and Mason.

A lot of families dont have that income to do that, Williams told senators.

It is hard, mentally on the children and mentally on us when a tragedy like this happens, then you add the extra burden of the financial situation that makes it harder on everybody all around, Williams said.

Nobodys going to get rich off of this, she said, adding that the support was intended to help with after-school activities, school clothes, and food.

Under the bill, the courts would determine the amount of support payments based on existing child support guidelines.

If a convicted defendant is incarcerated and unable to make payments, they will be required to begin payments no later than one year after their release.

We all know that no amount of financial restitution can bring back a loved one, but we also know when a child loses a parent, the hardship they face is not just emotional, its financial, Parkinson said Monday.

Sen. Therese Terlaje, who chaired the legislative justice committee last term, said she supports the measure but noted there were some outstanding questions that should be resolved.

For example, whether child support started accruing at the time of the victims death, when the offender was convicted, or when they got released from prison.

Terlaje said similar legislation introduced by Parkinson last term was amended to consider those matters, but did not get enough votes to move out of the committee.

Sick leave for double-dippers

No one showed up to testify Monday on Bill 50-38, which seeks to allow sick leave for government retirees who come back to work for GovGuam and are still drawing down retirement payments, commonly called double-dippers.

But Sen. Chris Barnett did get a chance to explain the need for the bill, which was meant to fix an issue created by the fiscal 2025 budget bill.

Barnett said this came to light during a roundtable with the Guam Department of Education earlier this year.

GovGuam allows double dipping for certain critical jobs that are hard to fill, like school teachers.

But according to the senator, the 2025 budget bill did not allow retired school teachers who came back to work to accrue sick leave.

A lot of the retired teachersretired CHamoru teachers, retired math teachershave come back to really help alleviate some of the teacher shortages that were suffering from in the Guam Department Education, he said.

But they were getting up in years and often had to take the day off if they werent feeling well. Due to the freeze on sick leave, those instructors were now forced to take the day off without pay.

Barnett said he had earlier introduced a bill specific to teachers, but had expanded after getting calls from other government retirees who had come back.

Those included former corrections officers and police officers who werent able to get sick leave.

The senator stressed it would not allow double-dippers to get annual leave.

Retirement committee oversight chair Sen. Telo Taitague did share details from a fiscal note for Bill 50-38, prepared by the Bureau of Budget and Management Research.

Agencies will have to absorb the cost of any sick leave accrued, as well as the 50% lump sum payout if double dippers either retire or die, she noted.

BBMR did not calculate what the total impact would be on GovGuams budget, she said.
Editor's note: The name of the person who runs the organization is Tim Johnson. And the organization with the decoy is Online Predator Intervention. The story has been updated.

A video is circulating online of a former Southern High School teacher Gregorio Ecle being handcuffed by authorities in San Clemente, California on Feb. 20 after attempting to meet with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy allegedly for sexual acts.

People v. Preds, PvP, a private group that poses as minors online to catch alleged predators, organized the arrest.

He originally reached out to us and wanted to hang out rather quickly, Tim Johnson, who runs the organization and recorded the arrest, told the Pacific Daily News.

He was arrested the very next day, Johnson added.

Johnsons organization has posted chat logs from the Ecles interactions on its predator intervention Instagram page.

According to the online post, Ecle contacted Online Predator Intervention's decoy on Grindr, claiming to be 14 years old.

Initially hesitant, he soon expressed interest in meeting but was vague about the plans, stating he wanted to avoid leaving a trail of intent through text messages, Johnson said.

After reaffirming his interest in fun and sexual acts with someone he thought was a minor, Ecle suggested meeting at 9 p.m. at Ralphs in San Clemente.

Despite a pause in communication, Ecle messaged again at 9 p.m., saying he was at Ralphs.

The decoy opted to reschedule for the following day. Ecle then expressed eagerness to meet, confirming they had the same plan as the previous night.

A member of PvP identified Ecle at Ralphs, leading to a notification to the San Clemente Police Department, who arrested him.

This incident marked both PvPs 500th catch and the decoys 50th. The decoy commended PvP for their professionalism and dedication to the cause.

According to the Guam Department of Educations fiscal 2018 4th quarter staffing pattern, Ecle was a CHamoru teacher III at Southern High School in Santa Rita-Sumai hired in 2011. The PDN reached out to GDOE multiple times for further confirmation and comment.

PvPs Johnson is now urging authorities to bring charges against Ecle.

The court needs some pressure to be able to charge him for whatever reason, Johnson said. They do not charge everyone, for whatever reason they do, for whatever reason they charge whoever they wish. And it is not something that makes any sense all the time.

According to Johnson, Elce was arrested under California Penal Code Section 288.4 (b) for attempting to arrange a meeting with a minor for sexual purposes.

This is what these people are arrested for, and will eventually be charged with, Johnson said.

Ive run my organization for the last four years, Johnson said of his organization. Ive caught 511 people. 235 of them have been arrested. 89 have been convicted. I currently have 28 people in custody. 76 people currently have an open case in criminal courts, and that number is continuing to grow.
Some government of Guam agencies have reported they are now starting to see impacts of a slow drawdown and reimbursements of federal funds, along with more uncertainty, and loss of federally funded positions ahead over Trump White House policies and executive orders.

Tens of thousands of federal jobs and funding have been cut since Trump took office in January. The latest was Sundays slashing of funding to multiple media organizations, including Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks.

On Guam, the Department of Agriculture may potentially lose up to 40 federally funded positions, which currently cost about $1.9 million annually and support critical programs across multiple divisions, according to Agriculture Director Chelsea Muna.

Up to $20 million in ongoing and planned Agriculture projects are also at risk, she said, referring to food security initiatives, agricultural development, and conservation efforts.

Impacts to our grantors have been changing on a daily basis--sometimes with decisions being completely reversed by the close of business, Muna said in a March 13 response letter to Sen. Shawn Gumataotao.

This volatility, she said, has made it difficult to provide specific details on the long-term effects of policy changes at this time.

Gumataotao asked public safety and emergency management agencies to share impacts of any of Trumps executive orders on certain GovGuam agencies operations and budget.

Slow drawdown

Guam Homeland Security Advisor Esther Aguigui said the creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council and the proposal to dissolve FEMA could significantly impact our ability to maintain current levels of preparedness and security for Guam.

Aguigui said any restructuring of FEMA or shifts in federal funding priorities, particularly on grants that are critical components of Guam Homeland Securitys overall security strategy, essential funding for terrorism prevention, infrastructure protection, and emergency preparedness initiatives, would require substantial adjustments to GHSs operational planning.

I must highlight that we are already experiencing operational challenges due to the slow drawdown of federal funds, Aguigui wrote in a March 14 response letter to Gumataotao.

GovGuams Bureau of Budget and Management Research, she said, recently disapproved critical training opportunities that are essential for maintaining our emergency response capabilities and interagency coordination.

The current situation has compromised our ability to ensure our personnel receive timely and adequate professional development, potentially affecting our operational readiness, Aguigui told Gumataotao.

Charles Esteves, administrator of Guams Office of Civil Defense, said if FEMA is dismantled or its role altered, it may impact Guams access to federal disaster preparedness and mitigation funding, requiring local adjustments in spending strategies.

Esteves noted prior White House Office of Management and Budget memos temporarily pausing federal grants and loans, demonstrating its ability to pause grants without warning.

Trumps Jan. 24 memo establishing the FEMA Review Council, which assesses FEMAs operations, could also change grant application processes, reporting requirements or eligibility criteria for Guams OCD, Esteves said.

While no immediate funding changes have been made, the uncertainty surrounding FEMAs future requires proactive monitoring and contingency planning, Esteves wrote in a March 12 response to Gumataotao.

Education

Outside of public safety and emergency management agencies, federal policy changes also meant no more drawdowns for federal funds to support many of the projects of the Guam Department of Education, which now needs to provide proof of payment in advance of drawdown, according to Guam Education Board Chairman Angel Sablan.

However, there is no guarantee that requests for reimbursements will be approved, Sablan said.

This comes in the middle of GDOEs $125 million-plus contract to Core Tech for 12 schools refurbishment to bring them up to health and safety standards.

Uncertainties

The Port Authority of Guam reported it is experiencing some uncertainties regarding active grant funding and potential opportunities due to delays in the review process, which appear to be influenced by the federal funding freeze, Port General Manager Rory Respicio said in a March 12 response letter to Gumataotao.

Respicio said with additional federal review requirements such as FEMAs newly implemented manual review, the Port anticipates potential delays in reimbursement cycles, which he said could temporarily impact cash flow for payment of ongoing projects and a pause on the execution of future Port and federally funded projects.

The University of Guam confirmed in February that the Trump White Houses programs affiliated with diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI, impacted some $11.4 million in grants at its campus, prompting it to reassign 12 employees and pause 40 student internships.

Some GovGuam agencies like the Guam Fire Department said its grants are not affected by the White House orders and other executive actions and it does not have any employed federally funded personnel at this time, Fire Chief Daren Burrier said in a letter to Gumataotao.

Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio said his department has not experienced any losses in federal grant funding nor any reduction in personnel as a result of White House policies.

The Guam Peace Officer Standards and Training, POST, Commission said its currently not impacted by executive actions but warned that any changes to its $300,000 budget would impact its functions to ensure all law enforcement personnel on Guam are certified.

Meanwhile, Sens. Chris Barnett and Vince Borja sent separate letters addressed to Del. James Moylan about updates to possible cuts to education funding, including the ones contained in the federal budget legislation.
The Guam Police Department has opened an internal affairs investigation after an officer shot towards a car that was driving towards an ongoing traffic investigation on Monday morning.

The driver, identified as Angela Tenorio of Dededo, was arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence.

The chief of police has placed the officer involved on administrative leave.

GPD said the officer-involved shooting happened near the intersection of Route 1 and Route 16 by Micronesia Mall.

While officers were on scene for a non-fatal traffic collision, an officer was posted and was actively redirecting traffic to ensure the safety of the scene and emergency personnel attending to the crash.

Traffic control was being conducted to maintain a safe and orderly flow of vehicles while responders worked to assess and assist those involved in the collision.

During these efforts, an officer observed a vehicle approaching the secured area.

Despite attempts to gain the drivers attention and direct them away from the scene, the operator of the vehicle continued toward the officers and first responders, GPD said.

Concerned for the safety of those at the scene, an officer discharged their service weapon, GPD said.

The driver, Tenorio, was processed, booked and confined to the Department of Corrections and the case was forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for their disposition, GPD said.

As this remains an active investigation, no further details can be provided at this time, GPD added.

We remain committed to transparency and due process while ensuring a thorough investigation, GPD said.
Del. James Moylan has asked the U.S. Department of Education for an exemption for Guam from the change in the payment structure for American Rescue Plan funding.

The change, announced on Feb. 19, requires all future payments for allowable expenditures to be spent by the states in advance and then submitted to USDOE for reimbursement.

Previously, states could draw down on existing awards to pay for approved services without proof that the funds were used for authorized purposes, the announcement stated.

Moylan said the new process is problematic for Guam and other territories, which often have less money on hand than states.

Guam schools, which were damaged during Typhoon Mawar in May 2023, are still in need of repairs.

The Guam Department of Education still has $188 million remaining to liquidate before the approaching March 31, 2026, late liquidation deadline, Moylan wrote.

He said the money is critical for renovation and refurbishment of 13 campuses  more than a quarter of Guams public educational institutions.

Without an exemption for Guam from the reimbursement structure, projects on construction and renovation projects for aged and unsafe buildings will be at risk of incompletion before the beginning of the next academic year, Moylan said in a March 12 letter to federal Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

Moylan urged McMahon to consider the unique circumstances of Guam and provide the necessary exemption to prevent any disruptions in the education system.
Public Auditor Benjamin Cruz has dismissed Pacific Federal Management Inc.s procurement appeal that temporarily halted the Guam airport authoritys more than $20 million plan to fix the airports leaking terminal roof and install solar panels.

Cruz said PFMs protest of the airport authoritys specific licensure at bid submission was untimely and therefore dismissed with prejudice.

PFMs protest on August 29, 2024, was...not made within 14 days of when it knew of the two bases for its protest. PFMs protest was untimely and the OPA lacks jurisdiction over this appeal, the public auditor said in a March 13 decision. PFMs appeal is hereby denied.

PFM still could appeal the public auditors decision to the Superior Court of Guam within 14 days.

The Guam International Airport Authority intended to award the contract to Core Tech International Corp., which submitted a bid of about $20.06 million for the project.

PFMs bid was $15.9 million, and a third bidder, Green Community Development, which does business as Surface Solutions, offered the lowest bid of about $7.9 million.

When Typhoon Mawar hit in May 2023, a widely circulated video on social media showed heavy flooding at the Guam airport terminal, and water cascading down stairwells. This is part of what the airport authority has been trying to get fixed permanently.

The airport, through its attorneys in the procurement protest, said the terminal roof project required a dozen different contractors licenses, including a general engineering and building licenses, along with 10 other specialty licenses.

GIAA had said only Core Tech submitted proof with its bid that it or its subcontractors possessed the Guam Contractors License Board licenses that were required to be submitted with the sealed bid.

The Guam airport authority denied PFMs initial procurement protest, arguing that the company failed to file its protest on time, and did not have the required specialty licenses for the roof project.

PFM protested and appealed what it deemed a wrongful disqualification from the project. It argued that GIAA was wrong to find PFM did not have the licenses needed. In its bid, it submitted its A and B licenses, and said its team will obtain remaining licenses upon contract award.

It said it only learned why GIAA deemed it a nonresponsive bidder on Aug. 19, 2024. PFM said it received the bid status letter informing the company that it failed to submit and does not hold all required contractors license classifications.

PFM said thats when it became aware that GIAA did not agree with its position that the A and B licenses satisfied most of the specialty license requirements of the invitation for bid. Thus, PFM said its protest was timely filed.

The public auditor, in his decision on the procurement appeal, said PFM was on notice of these bases of protest as of May 30, 2024 and therefore had 14 days from that date to protest GIAAs express requirements.

When PFM submitted its bid on July 5, 2024, PFM knew it did not have all the licenses required of the IFB, the public auditor said, citing PFMs own statement, our team will obtain remaining licenses upon contract award.
Imagine stepping into a world where the past and present of Guam come alivewhere the vibrant hues of a CHamoru sunset blend seamlessly with the echoes of ancient legends, where faith is illuminated in stained glass-inspired paintings, and where a deep dive beneath the waters of Guam reveals the splendor of its marine life.

This is the vision behind Santa Barbara Catholic Schools Annual Art Exhibit, which will be held on Saturday, March 29, all day, at Guam Premier Outlets, GPO, across from the ABC Store.

The school is inviting the public to experience Guam culture through the student artists' eyes.

Since January, Santa Barbara students ages 6 to 13 have poured their hearts into paintings, drawings, and sculptures that reflect the essence of Guams culture, history, faith, landmarks, identities, and the captivating marine life beneath its crystal-clear waters.

Every brushstroke tells a story, every sculpture holds a deeper meaning, and every piece invites everyone to see Guam through their eyes.

The art exhibit is free of charge, and no registration is needed.

Whether one is an art lover, a supporter of young talent, or someone who cherishes the beauty of Guams land and sea, this exhibit promises to be an inspiring experience for all.

"Come, celebrate with us, and witness the creativity of the next generation as they showcase their love for their island, faith, and the incredible marine life through art," Santa Barbara Catholic School said. "We look forward to sharing this journey with you."
March 16, 2025: The cost of the Ukraine War and the subsequent economic sanctions have imposed strains on Russias economy. Its major export, petroleum, must surmount an international ban against nations that were long-term customers for Russian oil. The United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia are the three largest exporters accounting for 39 percent of the market and Russia accounts for about 24 percent of that. Overall, Russia produces only about ten percent of all oil exports. The ban on Russian oil exports did not stop them from selling their oil covertly. Their customers had to be careful how they received the Russian oil because violating the sanctions meant the guilty customers could also be sanctioned.

Russia helped with that by establishing a stealth fleet of tankers that covertly took on Russian oil and then covertly transferred it to intermediaries who, for a fee, mixed the Russian oil with oil from other suppliers. Since each oil field produced petroleum with unique chemical characteristics ,you had to either customers who checked for that or only dealt with customers who were willing to accept sanctioned oil if the discount was high enough. There has always been a market for stolen or illegally exported oil. This network used tankers that regularly took and delivered sanctioned or stolen oil and found customers willing to purchase discounted oil with no questions asked.

Another angle was to accept payment in rubles, the Russian currently rather than dollars, which is the usual currency used by international oil traders. Then there was the barter option. Russia would accept other sanctioned goods as payment. The Russian economy was hurt by losing access to European, Chinese and American suppliers. Individual companies in many nations are willing to make such deals. India has an abundance of oil consumers who are willing to take discounted oil and some were willing to trade the petroleum for other raw materials or manufactured goods. There is a vast international network of shady traders who will make risky deals if the payoff is high enough.

Russia found other ways to keep their economy going despite the sanctions. Registering companies in occupied portions of Ukraine makes it easier for illegal trades to take place because the Russian firms get away with pretending to be Ukrainian operations. This was discovered when someone noticed that the economies of war devastated regions were doing a huge amount of international business.

This sort of thing has been going on since 2014 when Russia seized Crimea and the east Ukraine Donbas region. The actual invasion of Ukraine in 2022 simply increased the severity of the 2014 era sanctions. Since the 1990s Russia has been having economic problems and in the last two decades these problems got worse. Russia admits that about a third of its population is living in poverty. Many Russians, and foreign economists, believe the real rate is nearly 70 percent. Russian living standards have suffered continuous disasters since 2013 when the price of the major export oil and gas fell by more than half and has not fully recovered. In 2014 Russia declared it was at war with NATO and Ukraine. That resulted in economic sanctions that have gotten worse since then.

When the current Russian government took power in 2000, it became very popular by keeping a key campaign promise; to reduce the poverty rate. The poverty rate fell from 29 percent of the population in 2000 to just under 12 percent in 2012. Then came economic disasters, some of them self-inflicted. By 2018 the poverty rate was 14 percent and 33 percent in 2019. In 2020 there was a local and international economic recession caused by covid19. Thats why the government's claim that the poverty rate is still a third of the population in 2021 was met with disbelief and derision. Many Russians compared that claim to something not heard since the days of the Soviet Union where official lies were the norm and denying them was a criminal offense. Captured Russian documents revealed that the Ukraine invasion was expected to be quick and profitable. It wasnt and that made the Russians more desperate to solve the worsening economic problems.

Meanwhile more Russians were noting that China, for the first time, had a larger and more modern military than Russia. The mighty Soviet era Red Army had lost 80 percent of its manpower in the 1990s and nearly as much of its budget. That meant the 1990s Russian army was also smaller than the peacetime American army for the first time. This came at a time when China is quietly taking over the Russian Far east. The official lie is that the Russian Far East is prospering because of massive investments in infrastructure and local businesses. What the government plays down is that all of that is for turning the Russian Far East economy into something that serves and benefits only China. The new roads, pipelines, electric power production and railways are mainly to supply China. The Far East is still unable to attract Russians and more and more of the workforce consists of Chinese and North Koreans, including many there illegally or, in the case of North Koreans, as the equivalent of slave-labor. Chinese merchants and suppliers dominate the local economy and Russians fear that eventually the Chinese will act on its centuries old claims to the Far East and simply tell the Russian government it is ours and the Russian will not be able to do anything about it.

Its not just the Russian Far east that is dependent on the Chinese economy for survival. All of Russia does now and that is not a popular situation. Its not a new problem either. Back in the 1960s Russia seriously considered launching a nuclear attack on China before it became a major threat. The American warned Russia to not ever try that. Russia fears China, just as World War II Japan feared Russia. In both cases Russia agreed to be a bystander, at least until it was clear who was losing.
The University of Guam wants a lawsuit alleging discrimination and retaliation by UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez thrown out by the court, while the employee bringing the suit is naming more defendants, including members of the UOG board of regents and a college dean.

Long-time UOG administrator Norman Analista filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Enriquez and several unnamed university employees in the District Court of Guam this past December.

UOG has denied allegations raised in the suit.

Employed with the university since 2011, Analista was given a firing notice from Enriquez in March 2024.

Analista is a regular contributor to the Pacific Daily News.

He appealed the decision to the UOG board of regents, alleging Enriquez pushed him out because he was male, and retaliated against him by banning him from the university campus.

But a grievance committee empaneled by the board upheld the firing in September, and banned him from campus for another six months.

Analista has since sued, asking the federal court to find his termination unlawful and award him back pay, compensation for alleged discrimination, and damages for his loss of earnings, job security, and potential career advancement.

Move to dismiss

Attorneys for the university want the court to toss out the lawsuit, arguing Analista has failed to present enough evidence to sue, and that the federal court doesnt have jurisdiction to sue, according to a motion to dismiss filed with the court.

Plaintiff alleged no actual facts showing that similarly situated women were treated more favorably, or that his director position was filled by a person of the opposite sex, or that his termination was based on his sex, attorneys for the university argue.

Only unsupported legal conclusions are put forward, not facts, they said.

Analista was an unclassified employee of the university, who could be fired at-will, according to the motion to dismiss.

Attorneys for UOG also assert that various claims made by Analista, including disability discrimination, infliction of emotional distress and violation of due process, among others, cant be brought forward because the university enjoys sovereign immunity from those claims as an entity of the government.

Finally, the motion to dismiss asserts that Analista cant sue because he never filed a complaint with the Guam Department of Labor.

UOG argues that the former employee was required to do so in order to exhaust other avenues to a resolution before suing.

In response to the motion to dismiss, Analistas lawyers assert that he has provided enough evidence to the court to serve as the basis of a lawsuit.

These claims warrant further investigation, particularly given that they arise in the context of alleged workplace retaliation. If true, such retaliation suggests a chilling effect on others within the workplace, deterring them from speaking out about apparent hostility or discrimination, they state in response.

New defendants named

On March 7, Analistas attorneys filed an amended complaint with the court, naming several new defendants in the lawsuit.

That includes a number of UOGs regents:

Regent Lesley-Anne Leon Guerrero

Regent Agapito Pete Diaz

Regent Mike Naholowaa

Student regent Julie Laxamana

Regent Janice Malilay

Regent Sandra McKeever

Joanna T. Chun

Also named in the amended complaint is the dean of the UOG College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, James D. Sellmann.

Defendants engaged in a series of retaliatory and discriminatory acts that were extreme and outrageous in nature, intentionally designed to isolate, intimidate, and cause severe emotional distress, the amended complaint states.

According to the complaint, Analista was placed on administrative leave with pay by Enriquez and barred from returning to the UOG campus last April, shortly after appealing his firing notice.

Analista asked regents to reconsider the campus ban, alleging retaliation by Enriquez, and was informed on April 30 that UOGs Equal Employment Opportunity officer would review the retaliation claim.

Sellmann was tasked to evaluate the retaliation claim Analista made against Enriquez, according to the amended complaint, but Analista was never informed of the appointment or how Sellmann was selected.

According to the suit, Sellmann prepared a report that asserted that Plaintiff benefited from being placed on paid administrative leave, disregarding the negative impact of Plaintiff being barred from the UOG campus.

Plaintiff was not informed about UOGs EEO investigative procedure; nor was he provided with a copy of the referenced investigative report. These actions violated Plaintiffs procedural due process rights, the complaint stated.

It also quoted a section of the report, which found that because Analista reported being under severe stress, It is also reasonable in the interest of public safety, that he be asked to restrict himself from coming to campus both to relieve his discomfort and stress, and implicitly to protect others on campus.

UOGs board of regents in September upheld Analistas firing, banned him from campus for another six months, and required a mental health clearance based on recommendations from the grievance committee empaneled to review Analistas complaint.

According to the complaint, it was based on false concern for Analistas mental health, and retaliatory in nature.

Analista had been diagnosed with anxiety and stress due to a hostile work environment, but had no history of violence, the amended complaint states.
On March 13, 2025, a meeting occurred at Harmon McDonalds that emphasized the importance of community safety initiatives and police-community collaboration. The discussion had ideas from crime prevention to education and support strategies between law enforcement and the Micronesian community.

FAS Organization officers and members of our community had the opportunity to dialogue with the Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio, Father Francis Hezel, Acting FSM Consul General Johnny Silbanuz, and Mr. Hentrick Eveluck, president of the Chuuk Association.

Father Hezel began by reemphasizing three ideas:

1. The Chuukese community is willing and can help prevent crimes from happening in our communities.

2. Chuukese can provide a safety net for our community through the Inafa maolek initiative.

3. The Western justice system is not working well for our island communities.

With an Inafa maolek initiative and the support of church leaders, we can help prevent crime before they get to the stage of law enforcement and the court justice system.

Chief Ignacio began his remarks by stating, There is no stigma to a Chuukese person in Guam. He added that he is in charge of maintaining safety and security for all residents living in Guam, including Chuukese. The governor is relying on him to keep the community safe.

He continued by sharing that when he became chief of police in 2019, he reached out to the FSM consul general and FSM churches through a task force created by the Office of the Governor to conduct town hall meetings as a result of crime victims outbursts and traumatic incidents caused by members of our Chuukese community.

Those town hall meetings resulted in a Guam vs Chuuk divided tone relationship. Ignacio added that the task force had to regroup to temper the tone of those town hall meetings. His department reached out to the FSM churches with presentations that he feels were helpful.

The second time he reached out to the FSM consulate general was when meth was found in the Chuukese community, and he sought help from the FSM Consulate General to stop the drugs and get rid of the addiction. Ignacio added that COVID-19 and an incident involving the FSM Consulate General family members caused to abandon the collaboration efforts to proceed further.

Chief Ignacio supports the idea that a support group is necessary to recognize the problems and help solve them before they escalate into involving the police. Chief Ignacio references the school resource officer, SRO, program, which is placed at six public high schools in collaboration with the Guam Department of Education to prevent crimes and keep schools safe. Their main goal is to maintain the security and safety of the students and staff at the school.

Chief Ignacio also touched on two GPD programs, which are in operation with GDOE: the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, DARE, and the Project U Youth programs.

The DARE program curriculum is offered by GDOE and GPD to educate students in the 5th grade to make safe and responsible choices regarding drugs and peer pressure. The program graduated more than 200 students.

The Project U Youth Programs targets 10th graders, especially at-risk youths, truants, and kids who usually end up in fights at school. The program focuses on mentoring, anti-bullying, developing life and trade skills, and empowers students to become leaders in their school and communities.

When Chief Ignacio was asked if establishing a Micronesian dispute resolution program similar to the Inafa Maulek initiative will be a necessary and effective method to respond to crimes and abuse committed in our community, Chief Ignacio explained that the hesitation is that we cannot resolve a crime or abuse in a dispute resolution process; an arrest has to be made if crime and abuse have been committed.

Dispute resolution process is necessary and effective to prevent crime and abuse from happening.

Acting Consul General Silbanuz joined Father Hezel in recognizing the need to have a support group to reach out to members of our FSM community, especially those experiencing homelessness and drug problems. He shared that he will reach out to the Pohnpeian community, and the church leaders to join the support group for outreach in our FSM community.

Mr. Hentrick Eveluck, president of the Chuuk Association, shared the same sentiment regarding the need for a support group. He shared that when working at the Guam Supreme Court, he came across the Play by the Rules Program, which he believes should be translated into the Micronesian languages to educate people about Guams laws.

We recognized the necessity of fostering strong police-community relations and ensuring trust and communication between law enforcement and the community. The meeting provided an excellent platform for questions and feedback for participants to express their concerns and suggestions.

Eddie Kanemoto, vice president of the FAS Organization, asked Chief Ignacio, The drug addiction and influence in our Chuukese community is huge; what can we and GPD do to address the drug problem?

Chief Ignacio responded, stating that it is important to recognize the drug problem affecting the community and educate the community through outreach, organizing events and talking to the youth about the negative consequences of the drugs as prevention.

Father Hezel asked Chief Ignacio to connect our group to the Department of Corrections for prison visitation.

Mr. Jack Eseuk added, There are inmates who keep asking to see Father Hezel, to visit them in prison. They long to hear the word of God.

I look forward to our continued support on these types of initiatives.

Thank you again Chief Ignacio, Father Hezel, acting CG Silbanuz, and Mr. Eveluck for your involvement and support.

Kinisou chapur.




Haiti - FLASH : Travel restrictions, an American sword of Damocles over Haiti





As part of President Trump's restrictive immigration policies, a draft circulating within the Republican administration provides for travel bans or restrictions to the United States for citizens of 43 countries, reports the New York Times.



The draft includes 43 countries color-coded into three distinct categories whose citizens could be subject to entry restrictions.



Red : All travel prohibited;

Orange B> Severely restricted visas;

Yellow : 60 days to address U.S. concerns and requirements.



For the countries concerned, this could mean not only the loss of business or educational opportunities, but also the deterioration of diplomatic relations with the United States.



Haiti is placed on the orange list alongside 10 other countries. On this list, travel would be restricted, but not suspended. Wealthy business travelers could be allowed to enter the United States, but not those traveling on immigrant or tourist visas. Citizens on this list would also be subject to mandatory in-person interviews to obtain a visa.



However, according to officials interviewed anonymously by The New York Times, these lists were compiled by the State Department several weeks ago and changes are likely to occur before the final report is submitted to the White House.



Let's recall that upon taking office on January 20, 2025, Trump issued an Executive order requiring the State Department to identify, within 60 days, countries whose information on the screening and verification of their nationals is so inadequate that it justifies a partial or total suspension of their admission. The final report could land on Trump's desk this week (60-day deadline, March 20, 2025).



Let's pray that in this final report, our country's name no longer appears on any of these lists.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Religion : We are on the brink of disaster says Mgr. Max Leroys Mesidor





Archbishop Max Leroys Mesidor, Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and President of the Haitian Episcopal Conference, issued an urgent appeal to the international community : "We are on the brink of disaster".



In an interview with the SIR news agency, the prelate discussed the internal unrest in Haiti.



Archbishop Mesidor lamented that the UN multinational mission supporting the Haitian National Police, led by Kenya, is understaffed and failing to achieve results. "No gang has been dismantled, no neighborhood has been recaptured, and none of the leaders of the violence has been arrested or neutralized [...]"



Amidst these difficulties, in the midst of the Year of Hope, the Church in Haiti continues to move forward in its work, "speaking and acting within the limits of what is possible, of course..." In this regard, it supports populations displaced by violence, particularly women, children, and the elderly, who "have had to abandon their homes and belongings to escape barbarity" by providing them with "food, drinking water, medicine, and clothing; in addition to fundraising activities and goods received during offering processions at Masses."



Mgr. Mesidor made a strong appeal to the international community, the same one Pope Francis has repeatedly made: "Do not forget Haiti. Do not tire of Haiti."



"The Haitian people need effective aid and clear solidarity. Strengthen the International Mission for Peace and Security." And please, don't delay, because we are on the brink of disaster [...]" Every day, more innocent blood is shed in Haiti, where "children are dying, elderly people are riddled with bullets, entire neighborhoods are burned and destroyed."



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Central Plateau : EDH calls for calm, understanding and patience





Electricite d'Haiti (EDH) informs its customers in the Central Plateau that the rationing of electricity distribution is largely due to outages at two transformers, which require major repairs and a large-scale logistical effort to restore normal operation.



In fact, all technical units are hard at work installing circuit breakers and other equipment to balance the network, which has experienced abnormal migrations and intrusions causing all kinds of damage that have negatively affected EDH's already precarious power supply and distribution capacities.



Electricite d'Haiti informs its customers in the Central Plateau that this major work, despite the unavailability on the local market of some equipment necessary for repairs, will last nearly 12 days, starting Monday, March 17, 2025.



The General Directorate therefore reiterates its call for calm, restraint, understanding, and patience from its customers in general until normal power distribution resumes in the Central Plateau. This is for the satisfaction of all.



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Tele Pluriel vandalized, looted, and set on fire

During the night of Saturday, March 15th to Sunday, March 16th, 2025, heavily armed individuals vandalized, looted, and set fire to the offices of Tele Pluriel, located at the corner of Delmas 19 and Aine Street. Losses are expected to be significant...



Kenscoff : Armored vehicle set on fire

On Sunday, March 16th, 2025, in the town of Kenscoff, heavily armed individuals attacked and set fire to a Haitian National Police (PNH) armored vehicle (T003) using Molotov cocktails. The officers managed to escape unharmed.



PAP : More than 50 official buildings occupied by bandits

Faced with the rise of gangs, downtown Port-au-Prince is now a lawless territory where violence and trafficking of all kinds reign. More than 50 official buildings, ministries, courts, port infrastructure, schools, among others, are in the hands of gangs. The capital is no longer the seat of state power, but a place where only the law of the strongest applies.



Mexico : Fruitful meeting at the Embassy of Haiti

Following the exchange tour with the Electoral Management Organizations (EMOs) of Peru and Mexico, a meeting at the Embassy of Haiti in Mexico proved very fruitful. The situation of Haitians living in Mexico, as well as opportunities and possibilities for cooperation, were discussed. An inventory of the situation was taken and future prospects were considered.



FASCH, INAGHEI, and IERAH suspend in-person classes

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FASCH) is suspending its in-person activities until March 31, 2025, due to insecurity. Located in the heart of Port-au-Prince, on Avenue Christophe, the institution is facing an increase in violence in its surroundings. The National Institute of Administration, Management, and Advanced International Studies (INAGHEI) and the Institute of African Studies and Research of Haiti (IERAH) have suspended their in-person classes. Professors are advised to adapt and consider using available digital platforms to continue delivering their courses.



Cap-Haiitien : 2 Close Enemies of the "Obama" Gang Leader Arrested

The Northern Departmental Directorate of the Haitian National Police (PNH) arrested Donald Badeau and Myciana Loubeau at Cap-Haitien International Airport as they were preparing to leave the country for Mexico. They are accused of affiliation with the "Obama" gang leader, operating in Sarthe (commune of Cite Soleil). At the time of their arrest, they were in possession of $14,200. According to police information, Myciana Loubeau is believed to be the common-law wife of "Obama" Gang Leader.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















March 16, 2025: The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or TITR, is a seventy year old north-south transport route involving the landlocked Caspian Sea which has experienced a large increase in traffic as Russia suffered increasing economic sanctions over the last eleven years. At the same time, the Central Asian nations that also depend on this route have proposed using a network of road, canal and river connections to more nations to access this unique route. Russia was eager to cooperate as they were its primary builders and operators.

For example, in 2023 Russia brought in dredging equipment for a major 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 traffic increased again in 2024 and 2025.

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. However, ships that can use the canal cannot displace more than 5,000 tons and be no more than 140 meters long, 17 meters wide, and have a draft of no 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.

The Ukraine War imposed some unexpected limitations on the use of the TITR because the Ukrainians unexpectedly used air and naval drones to defeat the Russian Black Sea Fleet and threaten any Russian commercial traffic entering the Black Sea via the TITR. Any Russian commercial shipping entering the Black Sea is subject to seizure or destruction by the observant Ukrainians.
The study tracked returnees' earnings over five years. Men who had worked abroad saw consistently higher income levels and wage growth than those who had never left Finland.

A study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health shows that highly educated Finnish men who return from working abroad earn higher salaries than their peers. The same pattern does not apply to women, who also face more challenges re-entering the job market.

The trend was strongest in male-dominated sectors such as industry, construction, sales, and finance.

Minna Toivanen, senior expert at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, said international experience appears to be valued in these fields. In male-dominated industries, employers seem to appreciate global experience. Women, however, often work in sectors where salary negotiation opportunities are more limited, she said.

Time spent abroad can enhance skills, knowledge, and networks, which may increase an organisations productivity. However, men are generally more active in negotiating higher salaries, which may also contribute to the pay gap.

Women struggle more to re-enter job market

The study found that men were more likely to find employment upon returning to Finland. A year after their return, 19% of female returnees were outside the labour market, compared to 11% of their Finnish peers. Among men, the figures were lower, at 14% for returnees and 9% for non-returnees.

Toivanen noted that many highly educated women move abroad due to family circumstances rather than career opportunities. Women are still more likely than men to relocate for their partners job or other family reasons, she said. Women also take on more caregiving responsibilities, which can limit their ability to fully leverage their international experience.

Brain drain from Finland lower than expected

The study found that highly educated Finns generally spend only short periods abroad. Just 5% of women and 3% of men had lived outside Finland for more than ten years. Most return for personal reasons, such as family, friends, or Finlands welfare benefits, including parental leave and the education system.

Sweden was the most common destination, with 22% of female and 20% of male returnees coming from there. Few returnees had lived outside Europe, with the United States being the only non-European country in the top ten.

Toivanen suggested Finland could benefit from more temporary migration to diverse destinations. Short-term stays in unfamiliar cultures could bring fresh perspectives and valuable networks to Finnish workplaces, she said.

HT
The Finnish Poultry Association confirmed it was contacted about potential exports but stated that Finland does not have market access agreements with US authorities. Finnish authorities have been extremely active recently, ramping up regulatory changes to several sectors, including gambling in Finland .

Finland has turned down a request from the United States to export eggs, citing regulatory barriers and limited supply. The request came as the US struggles with an egg shortage caused by bird flu outbreaks that have led to the culling of over 35 million birds this year.

Such an arrangement would require extensive negotiations and inspections, making exports unlikely in the near future.

"Launching exports is not a simple matter since there are no agreed rules in place," said Veera Lehtila, executive director of the Finnish Poultry Association.

Even if exports were possible, Finlands contribution would be minimal compared to the scale of the US shortage. The country has around four million laying hens, a fraction of what would be needed to meet American demand.

"The amount we could export would not solve their egg shortage," Lehtila added.

The US Department of Agriculture has also reached out to other European countries, including Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands, but they face similar regulatory hurdles. Swedens Kronagg, one of the countrys largest egg producers, stated it was unlikely to export due to export restrictions.

Meanwhile, Turkiye has approved a plan to export 15,000 tons of eggs to the US by June. Other countries with existing agreements, such as the Netherlands, Lithuania, and Canada, are also positioned to supply the American market.

Bird flu remains a global issue, with outbreaks affecting poultry farms across Europe as well. The Finnish Poultry Association stressed the importance of ongoing preventive measures to avoid similar disruptions.

"Although Finland has managed to contain the disease so far, continuous effort is needed to prevent outbreaks," Lehtila said.

HT
WATLINGTON Concert Band is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The band was founded in 1975 as Watlington Youth Band by Phil Sperrin, who was a peripatetic brass teacher at the towns primary school.

He teamed up with parent Ron Bettles to create a training band for children, many of whom went on to play for the Chalgrove Brass Band for which Mr Sperrin was the conductor.

When Mr Sperrin left in 1986, Gerry Hird took over as conductor. He and his wife Angela were both active in the local music scene.

She ran a music group at the primary school while he taught in Chinnor and at Lord Williamss School in Thame.

In 1997, the couple moved to Dorset, leaving the band with just four members. However, thanks to the intervention of Lady Margaret Mogg, then the band's president, musician Dave Pullen stepped in to lead.

Mr Pullen, a brass band player with no prior conducting experience, brought in friends and family to revive the band and it was renamed the Chiltern Band Watlington RBL, reflecting its close ties to the Royal British Legion.

Over the next few years several musicians joined after the Henley Town Band disbanded. But where Henley had been a wind band, this prompted another name change, becoming known as the Watlington Concert Band.

Since then, the band has gone from strength to strength, performing at local fetes, concerts, and Watlingtons annual remembrance parade.

One of its most popular traditions is the Christmas Eve carol service, which began with the youth band playing under the town hall for parents and has since grown into a major community event.

When Mr Pullen retired, the band began working with army conductors, further enhancing its musical repertoire.

James Symington took over as musical director in 2023. An army bandmaster, he graduated as part of the Coronation Class of 2024 and was posted to The Band and Bugles of The Rifles.

Outside his military duties, he is also a composer, having written the Suffolk Folk Song Suite for a wind band.

General Sir John Mogg was the first president, with Lady Margaret Mogg taking over after his death. Following her passing at 104, her daughter Tessa Mogg became president, continuing the familys legacy of support.

To mark its 50th anniversary, the band has launched a new logo, designed by BYXP, incorporating elements of Watlingtons heritage and musical tradition.

It is also holding a special 50th anniversary concert next Saturday at 3pm at St Leonards Church in Pyrton Lane. The theme is Classical Hall of Fame.

Sarah Pullen, the band's secretary who plays the cornet, has been a member since the beginning.

She said: My godfather was Phil Sperrin. In 1975, we all started learning and that is when they then formed the band from the primary school. I was one of the first. I started playing when I was six and I am 56 now. This is my home and my husband David took over as conductor, which he did for 25 years. It is fantastic for the band to reach 50 years and that is largely because we have such great support and encouragement from the community.

There are a couple of things that the band do each year that are really significant. It plays at the remembrance parade every year, which is taken very seriously by everyone in the town.

Fifty years ago we started doing the carols in the High Street on Christmas Eve and that has become a real Watlington tradition now. It is just phenomenal the number of people who come out to sing for an hour.

The band currently has about 35 members, which is the largest the band has ever been.

Mrs Pullen said: People join us because we have got a good reputation. We have a fabulous conductor with army conductors coming in. That makes a big difference. We can play literally everything and our concert that is coming up is a serious concert, with all classical type music.

Then, in October, our concert is going to be big band and swing. We play classical, wind band right the way through to Ed Sheeran pieces. The genres are very wide. That is James's job to make sure that the programme that we put out is varied. We couldnt go to a fete and play a Mozart piece as it wouldn't go down very well.

The band is a family and there is such a lovely atmosphere when we practice, and we make great music together.

Mrs Pullen thanked the Mogg family for their continued support of the band helping to promote it.

Mr Symington, 33, who studied trumpet and composition at Junior Trinity College of Music, taught music at a music academy in Suffolk after graduating.

His army career began in 2014 where he distinguished himself by winning the Hollice Education Award during initial training. As a member of The Band of The Parachute Regiment, he won the Army Benevolent Funds March Composition Competition with his piece Men at Arms.

Mr Symington said: I am very proud and honoured to be the conductor of such a wonderful band. The main thing that is a pull for everyone is the community, everyone is friendly. The band is just getting better and better and better.

We have a lot of adult learners and they are all really successful with their instruments. I would encourage more people to take up musical instruments, it is never too late.

The repertoire has been varied, from classical wind band repertoire to some jazz music, and big band playing. With our next concert, we are going to celebrate our 50th with a classical music spectacular. It is really important to me that we did this concert because this is where the genre started.

He added: The joy that you get from conducting musicians that are invested in the music and invested in getting better is almost indescribable. As a conductor, we don't make a sound at all. I wave the baton around and, hopefully, in some gesture that evokes feeling and character from a musician, they respond well.

For more information on the band and to buy tickets for the anniversary concert, visit tinyurl.com/halloffamewatters
March 17, 2025: Russia, long a major exporter of grains and other food crops, has seen its food exports disrupted by the Ukraine War and the resulting economic sanctions. Russian food exports are not subject to sanctions. For many countries that require imported food, Russian grains are a major part of the supply chain. In 2024 Russian exported 72 million tons, but 2025 exports are expected to be 42 million tons. Normally the grain exports bring in 15 to 16 billion dollars a year. Over the past year, bad weather and government refusal to allow imported seeds caused grain harvests to fall by about a third. A related problem was the failure to maintain enough grain storage facilities. The government paid for some of this, but the money has been diverted to war related activities. This resulted in nearly 10 million tons of grain rotting. Then there is the labor shortage, caused by the military taking so many men, including farm workers. Many men simply left Russia to avoid the increasing number of aggressive army recruiters. Service is supposed to be voluntary, but the recruiters have orders to obtain more soldiers any way they can.

Russian efforts to disrupt Ukrainian agricultural exports had some success. Before Russia invaded in 2022, Ukraine grain and other agricultural exports represented ten percent of such exports worldwide. Most of these agricultural exports left by ship from Ukrainian Black Sea ports before the 2022 Russian invasion. Then most were stopped by a Russian blockade. Russia offered to allow renewal of Ukrainian grain exports to get economic sanctions on Russia lifted. Before 2022 Ukraine exported about 33 million tons of grain and other agricultural products a year. Since the war began, that has declined to 13.5 tons a year. Russia normally exports nearly three times more grain and other agricultural goods than Ukraine.

The more Ukrainian food exports Russia can block, the more Russia receives for its grain. In the 2022r Russia shipped 60 million tons of food and received above average prices for it. Unlike Ukraine, which only ships grain from Black Sea ports, Russia has other options. Russia has lost a lot of support from African and Middle Eastern countries that depend on Ukraine and Russian grain exports. Russia assures these nations that it will supply the grain but does not mention that prices will be higher because of the Russian disruption of Ukrainian food exports. Many of the nations Russia exports food to are relatively poor countries for whom the higher prices are a burden.

The United States is one of the five major wheat exporters. The other top five are Russia, Australia, Canada, and Ukraine. Together these nations export over 115 million tons of wheat a year worth nearly $32 billion. Food importing nations have noted that the Western economic sanctions on Russian exports have deliberately excluded food. Russian efforts to block Ukrainian grain exports increase the price of exported grain and Russian benefits while nations purchasing this grain must pay or go hungry.
March 17, 2025: While Ukraine has dozens of countries supplying military and economic aid, Russia has only Iran and North Korea. These two nations have been under economic sanctions for decades while Russia has had to deal with sanctions for only eleven years. Iran has long been a supplier of missiles, drones and other military material. Last year Iran suffered heavy losses from Israeli air strikes. Iran was forced to abandon its operations in Syria and Lebanon because a surprise attack on Syria by forces of former Islamic terrorists ousted its Assad regime. For Russia this meant Iran had little to sell, other than some Saheed drones.

North Korea had more weapons, munitions and even soldiers that Russia could have, for a price. During the first year of the war, North Korea only provided weapons and ammunition. In the last year Russia was able to obtain about 11,000 North Korean soldiers. This seemed like a good idea at the time. Russia hired 12,000 North Korean soldiers. These soldiers were deceived by their own government, which told the Russians that these soldiers were expendable and they could do whatever they wanted with them. By the end of the year the North Korean soldiers were in combat and currently half of them have been killed, wounded or captured. There were no deserters. A portion of the North Korean force consisted of special operations troops who were there to advise and train the North Koreans as well as ensuring that none of them deserted.

North Koreans were ordered to kill themselves rather than be captured and many wounded North Koreans were seen doing this. Others did not, sometimes pretending to be unconscious until the Russians came along to collect the wounded. At that point the North Koreans felt safe from their own superiors who had orders to kill the wounded if they did not kill themselves.

Russia agreed to treat any wounded North Koreans but when hundreds of wounded North Korean soldiers were taken to Russian military hospitals it was discovered there were few, if any interpreters who could translate for the medical personnel to treat wounds. This complicated treatment led to many avoidable deaths. There were few translators in combat, which led to at least two incidents of North Korean and Russian troops firing on each other. To the North Koreans the Russians and Ukrainians looked similar, spoke similar languages and wore similar combat uniforms. The lack of interpreters led to the North Korean troops becoming a liability to the Russians as well.

The North Koreans operated in their own units, which were two or three brigades. There were some Russian and North Korean bilingual officers and troops attached to the staffs of these brigades. That helped the brigade commanders to understand what the Russians wanted done, but there were problems getting that information to the North Korean soldiers in a timely and useful manner.

One thing the Russians did notice was that the North Koreans were far more professional than Russians. Their attack tactics were more disciplined and, unlike the Russians, the North Koreans took their dead and wounded off the battlefield. Russians also discovered that North Korean battlefield medical care was superior to what Russia offered. North Korea had also agreed to treat seriously wounded Russian soldiers in North Korean hospitals. The Russian patients noted that the care was far superior to what they would encounter in a Russian hospital.
Clean hydrogen gets green light

14:04, March 17, 2025 By Hou Liqiang, Hu Dongmei, Yuan Hui ( China Daily

Editor's note: China Daily is publishing a series illustrating the country's efforts to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.

Workers inspect equipment at a station that produces hydrogen and charges hydrogen-powered vehicles in Changsha, Hunan province, in March last year. The station is able to serve more than 100 vehicles a day with clean, green energy. (Chen Zeguo/Xinhua)

The Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions have made substantial progress in developing green hydrogen made from renewable energy, capitalizing on their abundant renewable energy resources to meet the needs of the local and nearby markets.

Government bodies in both regions have urged for the implementation of supportive policies, standardized technical guidelines and safety regulations at the national level to promote further growth of the carbon dioxide-free green fuel.

Inner Mongolia, with its vast wind and solar resources, has positioned itself as a leader in green hydrogen production. It can annually produce 60,000 metric tons of green hydrogen, according to the region's energy administration.

The region has over half of the nation's wind energy resources and more than a fifth of its solar energy resources, said Zhao Junpeng, deputy head of the science and equipment department at Inner Mongolia's energy administration.

This allows for low-cost hydrogen production, which is crucial for meeting the high demand in nearby markets like the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Ningxia, he said.

Since 2022, the government in Inner Mongolia has introduced 14 policies covering various aspects of the hydrogen industry, from production and storage to transportation. These policies include reducing red tape for green hydrogen projects operating outside chemical parks, he added.

Inner Mongolia has been proactively integrating the development of green hydrogen with various industries, including transportation, metal smelting and coal chemicals, said Zhao. Over 400 hydrogen-fueled vehicles have been put into operation in the region, and a hydrogen-powered train has successfully completed a trial run.

Zhao noted a series of measures to further boost the development of green hydrogen in Inner Mongolia.

As the region advances the low-carbon transformation of coal-fired power generation, the region will implement the co-firing of more than 10 percent of green hydrogen with coal in the sector, he said.

Focusing on developing a complete green hydrogen industry chain from production to storage and transportation, the region aims to create a leading green hydrogen industry zone.

Workers at a Sinopec green hydrogen subsidiary inspect equipment in Kuqa, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, in February last year. (Turson Tohut/Xinhua)

Ningxia is also making significant strides in green hydrogen development, with a production capacity of 26,600 metric tons supported by four renewable energy hydrogen projects, according to a statement from Ningxia's development and reform commission, responding to questions from China Daily.

A series of efforts have been made in Ningxia to expand the application of hydrogen, it said.

In the Ningdong Energy Chemical Industry Base, 31 hydrogen-powered vehicles  25 heavy-duty trucks, two buses and four street sweepers  are in use, the commission said. To date, these heavy-duty trucks have transported 85,000 tons of cargo. Compared to their oil-fueled counterparts, they have mitigated 790 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The region has also launched projects to demonstrate the integration of hydrogen into natural gas for consumption, it added.

The commission, however, also noted a series of challenges for green hydrogen development.

"Although the hydrogen energy industry in our country has entered a period of rapid development and is gaining significant attention, the development pathways, key technologies and business models are still largely in the exploration, testing and research stages," it said.

At the national level, it said, there is a lack of unified technical guidelines and safety regulatory standards for various stages of hydrogen development, including production, storage, transportation and utilization.

Additionally, there are no specific measures in place for policies supporting the hydrogen energy industry, resulting in low investment enthusiasm from enterprises, the commission added.

It also highlighted the high cost as another major factor hindering green hydrogen development.

"Hydrogen, when used as an energy source, incurs high costs in production, transportation and application. Reducing the production costs of green hydrogen is essential for advancing the hydrogen energy industry," it noted.

The cost of purified hydrogen produced through coal gasification is typically 11 yuan ($1.5) per kilogram, while hydrogen derived from methanol is priced at 22 yuan per kg, it said. The average cost of hydrogen production through electrolysis using renewable energy sources, however, reaches around 30 yuan per kg.

This sentiment is reinforced by the energy administration of Ejin Horoo Banner in Inner Mongolia, where green hydrogen projects with a collective capacity to annually produce 10,000 tons of green hydrogen have been approved and are currently under construction.

A worker checks the seals on hydrogen production equipment in Changchun, Jilin province, in August. (Zhang Nan/Xinhua)

It said the lack of integration in the production, storage, distribution, and utilization of hydrogen has resulted in high cumulative costs across these processes, impeding its industrial-scale development.

The lack of developed infrastructure for hydrogen energy, specifically in terms of storage and transportation facilities, is also hindering its widespread market adoption.

The administration called for a series of measures at the national level to address the problem.

Increased investment should be allocated to universities, research institutions and enterprises to bolster their research and development endeavors, ultimately leading to a reduction in technological costs, it said.

More efforts should be made to attract high-level talents, teams and entrepreneurs to be devoted to developing key technologies for green hydrogen production, so as to enhance technological innovation, the administration said.

"The country should improve infrastructure construction planning, coordinate national initiatives in developing green hydrogen storage, transportation and other infrastructure, and implement policies to encourage social capital participation," the statement said, adding that the national policy support for the sector should be enhanced to ensure stability, continuity and coordination.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
AI provides smarter travel experiences

People's Daily Online) 13:12, March 17, 2025

"Making travel plans" is a time-consuming and energy-intensive process for many travelers. Social media travel notes, recommendations from travel agency staff, and "red-flag warnings" from friends and family can lead to information overload. Can artificial intelligence (AI) take over the task of planning trips?

Recently, the world's first general AI agent Manus, developed by a Chinese company, was released, capturing attention across the tech industry. According to a demo video, Manus can create detailed itineraries for travelers who love historical sites, prefer hiking tours, or plan to propose during their trip, providing travel guidebooks with maps, introductions to attractions, and helpful tips.

Thoughtful "AI travel companions" are becoming increasingly accessible. On a smart tourism platform launched by Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, features like smart guidance, itinerary planning, and interactive experiences are all available, meeting the travel needs of different tourists.

After users input information like the number of travelers, travel duration, budget, and preferences, the platform can customize personalized itineraries for users traveling in Yangzhou, along with ticket purchase links for relevant attractions, providing great convenience for tourists.

Many tourists now encounter AI-enabled digital avatars during their tours. At over 40,000 service points including A-level tourist attractions, hotels, and major commercial areas in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, the digital tourism ambassador "Hang Xiaoyi" offers guide services, performance inquiries, warnings for the flow of people, ticket reservations, and more.

Recently, "Hang Xiaoyi" integrated DeepSeek's AI model, becoming more intelligent in inquiries and interactions. It can also tell cultural stories and recommend related tourism products, such as tea culture experiences and poetry study tours.

File photo shows a tourist using the digital tourism ambassador "Hang Xiaoyi" at the West Lake scenic area in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

Industry insiders point out that AI technologies have tremendous advantages in accurately identifying tourist preferences. The integration of AI with tourism allows more travelers to enjoy personalized travel experiences.

In addition to serving as a "smart assistant" for tourists, AI also drives the transformation and upgrading of the tourism industry. In recent years, tourism enterprises have introduced AI technologies and integrated general-purpose large models, offering higher-quality tourism services to travelers and improving their own resource allocation and operational management efficiency.

As an important part of the tourism industry, hotels are also becoming increasingly smart thanks to the application of AI, the Internet of Things, and other technologies. Data shows that the number of smart hotels nationwide is growing at a rate of 10-15 percent annually.

Wearing virtual reality (VR) headsets and holding controllers, visitors at an immersive digital exhibition of the Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, can explore the digital re-creation of Cave 285 at the grottoes, admire murals up close in high definition, and interact with figures depicted in the murals. They can gain a new experience of visiting the grottoes with the help of VR, augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), AI engines, and other technologies.

A visitor uses virtual reality equipment at an immersive digital exhibition of the Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

Through the deep integration of culture and technologies, the profound Dunhuang culture is presented to visitors in a more immersive and interactive way, enhancing their sense of connection to Dunhuang's cultural heritage. This approach simultaneously satisfies tourists' social needs for sharing their travel experiences and creates new paths for Dunhuang's culture-tourism integration, cultural dissemination, and preservation.

Whether enabling visitors to explore scenic spots through virtual avatars, automatically generating digital cultural products, or creating personalized travel journals as souvenirs, AI-driven innovations are unlocking the potential of more cultural tourism IPs. These advancements provide endless possibilities for the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Donatella Versace, the iconic Italian fashion designer, announced Thursday that she will step down as chief creative officer of Versace, ending her nearly 30-year tenure at the luxury fashion house. At 69, Versace has led the brand since the tragic death of her brother, Gianni Versace, who was fatally shot outside his Miami Beach mansion in 1997.

In an Instagram post, Donatella expressed her deep connection to the brand and her brother's legacy. "It has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni's legacy," she wrote. "He was the true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity."

Known for her bold style and leadership, Donatella quickly became synonymous with the Versace brand, assembling top models like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford for the fashion house's spectacular runway shows. Her influence on the brand has been profound, and she remains a beloved figure in the fashion industry.

Emmanuel Gintzburger, CEO of Versace's parent company Capri Holdings, praised Donatella's dedication. "The brand is what it is today because of Donatella Versace and the passion she has brought to her role every day for nearly thirty years," he said. "Working alongside her has been an incredible privilege and pleasure."

Dario Vitale, former design and image director at Miu Miu, will succeed Donatella as chief creative officer. "It is a privilege to contribute to the future growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise, and dedication," Vitale said.

Though stepping down from her creative role, Donatella will continue as Versace's chief brand ambassador. "I will remain Versace's most passionate supporter," she said. "Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart."

Donatella Versace's Net Worth

Donatella Versace has an estimated net worth of $400 million. She inherited control of Versace after Gianni's death and has played a pivotal role in its success. She was instrumental in the 2018 sale of the company to Michael Kors for $2.12 billion.

In addition to her leadership at Versace, Donatella contributed to the design of the Palazzo Versace resorts in Australia and Dubai. She also designed a MINI Cooper Cabrio for the Life Ball charity event in 2005.

After Gianni's death, Donatella's daughter Allegra inherited a 50% stake in Versace, while Donatella received 20% and her brother Santo took 30%. Donatella and Santo managed the company, with Donatella stepping into the role of creative head.
Chinese internet search giant Baidu released a new artificial intelligence reasoning model Sunday and made its AI chatbot services free to consumers as ferocious competition grips the sector.

Technology companies in China have been scrambling to release improved AI platforms since start-up DeepSeek shocked its rivals with its open source and highly cost-efficient model in January.

In a post on WeChat, Baidu announced the launch of its latest X1 reasoning model -- which the company claims performs similarly to DeepSeek's but for lower cost -- and a new foundation model, Ernie 4.5.

Baidu also made its AI chatbot Ernie Bot free for individual users more than two weeks ahead of schedule. Previously, users had to pay a subscription to access the company's latest AI models via Ernie Bot.

Ernie 4.5 "outperforms" US-based OpenAI's GPT-4.5 model in "multiple benchmarks", while Ernie X1 features "enhanced capabilities in understanding, planning, reflection, and evolution", Baidu said.

The Beijing-based company was one of China's first to roll out a generative AI platform publicly, in 2023, but rival chatbots from companies such as TikTok owner ByteDance and Moonshot AI have since gained more users.

Baidu faces stiff competition in the consumer-facing AI sector where startup DeepSeek shook up the industry at home and abroad with a model that performed comparably to competitors such as US-made ChatGPT, but cost much less to develop.

Since then, Chinese companies and local government agencies have rushed to incorporate DeepSeek's open-source model into their work, while other technology companies have been playing catch-up.

Baidu itself has integrated DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model into its search engine.

In February, WeChat owner Tencent released a new AI model that it claimed answers queries faster than DeepSeek, even as it incorporated its rival's technology into its messaging platform.

The same month, Alibaba, which has partnered with Apple to develop AI for the US company's phones in China, said it would invest 380 billion yuan ($52 billion) in AI and cloud computing over the next three years.

Alibaba this month also released a new version of its AI assistant app powered by its open-source Qwen reasoning model.

Baidu has also announced plans to follow DeepSeek's lead by making its Ernie AI models open-source from June 30.
A Peruvian fisherman was found alive after drifting at sea for 94 days, a navy official said Saturday, as he was discharged from hospital following his ordeal.

Maximo Napa, 61, was rescued in his small fishing boat on Tuesday after being spotted by an Ecuadoran vessel off the coast of Chimbote in northern Peru.

He told local media in a tearful interview that he survived at sea by eating cockroaches, birds and a turtle.

"I didn't want to die, for my mother. I have a two-month-old granddaughter -- I clung to that. Every day I thought about my mother," Napa said.

On Saturday, he was discharged from hospital in the coastal city of Paita.

"Mr Napa arrived in good physical condition. He could walk, wash himself. Shocked, but in good physical condition," said Peruvian Navy port captain Jorge Gonzalez.

The fisherman had set sail on December 7 from the port of San Juan de Marcona but bad weather conditions and the current caused him to lose course.

His small boat, which had no radio beacon, ended up on the high seas.

"It is a miracle that my father has been found," his daughter Ines Napa told the RPP radio station.

"We, as a family, never gave up hope of finding him."
Disney's live-action remakes of animated classics are usually safe bets. But a new version of the oldest of them all, "Snow White," has become mired in controversies, receiving an unusually low-key premiere in Hollywood on Saturday.

The studio kept its outspoken stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot away from reporters at the afternoon event, with no red carpet interviews -- and has avoided questions about the film's divisive depictions of the Seven Dwarfs.

It follows a similarly pared-down European premiere on Wednesday at a remote castle in Segovia, Spain, where few media outlets were invited.

The negativity began way back in 2021, with the casting of Zegler, who is Latina, as Snow White -- a character from a German fairy tale who was famously "the fairest of them all."

This was predictably slammed as "woke" by some fans and conservative commentators.

"yes i am snow white no i am not bleaching my skin for the role" wrote Zegler, a US actress of Colombian and Polish descent, in a since-deleted tweet.

But criticism spread more broadly across Disney's loyal fan base when Zegler appeared to repeatedly denigrate the 1937 "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Walt Disney's first feature-length animation.

Zegler described the beloved original as "weird" because Snow White's love interest is "a guy who literally stalks her."

This time "she's not going to be saved by the prince, and she's not going to be dreaming about true love," Zegler said in one interview that was blasted on Disney forums by fans longing for exactly those traditional tropes.

Zegler is unusually outspoken by Hollywood standards.

She publicly complained about not being invited to the 2022 Oscars gala, despite being the star of best picture nominee "West Side Story." She eventually bagged an invitation -- and some disapproving tuts.

"Zegler isn't necessarily the most decorous celebrity when it comes to the media or the internet," Slate journalist Nadira Goffe wrote in a 2023 column.

"She has a demeanor that can come across as charmingly awkward to some, and a tad glib and grating to others."

Compounding Disney's headaches, Zegler has signed off social media posts with "Free Palestine," while Gadot -- who plays the Evil Queen -- has expressed public support for her native Israel.

Disney did not respond to AFP request for comment.

And then there is the issue of the Seven Dwarfs, who have been conspicuously dropped from the new film's title, "Disney's Snow White."

Peter Dinklage, perhaps Hollywood's most famous actor with dwarfism, slammed Disney's "hypocrisy" for making a new "Snow White" film at all.

In a 2022 interview with podcaster Marc Maron, the "Game of Thrones" actor questioned how Disney could be "proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White," and yet think a remake of a "backward story of seven dwarfs living in a cave" made sense.

Disney quickly issued a statement promising to take "a different approach" that would "avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film."

In the new movie, the dwarfs are cartoonishly gnome-like magical creatures, created by computer-generated visual effects rather than human actors.

This has itself provoked backlash. Some actors with dwarfism have blamed Dinklage.

"There aren't many roles for dwarfs in Hollywood so him saying that cancelled these roles... it hurt the dwarf acting community," professional wrestler Dylan Mark Postl told the Guardian.

Altogether, Disney's latest live-action film has proven vastly more contentious than billion-dollar-grossing remakes like "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Requiring extensive reshoots, and hit by delays from the pandemic and Hollywood strikes, "Disney's Snow White" cost well over $200 million to make, according to Forbes.

Disney will be hoping that all publicity proves to be good publicity when it hits theaters next weekend.

"I interpret people's feelings about this film as a passion for it," Zegler told Vogue Mexico.

"What an honor to be part of something that people feel so passionate about."
President Donald Trump says he plans to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about ending the war in Ukraine, adding discussions are already ongoing about "dividing up certain assets" between the warring parties.

US officials had expressed optimism Sunday that a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal could be reached in weeks after Washington proposed a halt in fighting in the three-year war after talks in Saudi Arabia, which Kyiv accepted.

"I think we'll be talking about land... we'll be talking about power plants," Trump said aboard Air Force One.

"I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets."

Washington and Kyiv's European allies are pressing Moscow to accept a halt in the fighting, but Putin has given no clear answer -- instead listing a string of conditions and raising "serious questions" over the proposal.

Trump's envoy for the conflict, Steve Witkoff, who met for several hours with Putin days ago, told CNN that he thinks "the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week."

Trump, he added, "really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, maybe, and I believe that's the case".

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday accused the Kremlin of not wanting to end the war. He warned that Moscow wanted to first "improve their situation on the battlefield" before agreeing to any ceasefire.

Earlier, Moscow said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss "concrete aspects of the implementation of understandings" at a US-Russia summit in Saudi Arabia last month.

February's Riyadh gathering was the first high-level meeting between the United States and Russia since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022.

"Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio agreed to remain in contact," the Russian foreign ministry said, with no mention of the US-suggested ceasefire.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Saturday that the pair had "discussed the next steps" on Ukraine, and "agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia".

The Lavrov-Rubio call came hours after the UK hosted a virtual summit on Ukraine, at which Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Putin of "dragging his feet" on the ceasefire.

"The 'yes, but' from Russia is not good enough," Starmer said, calling for a stop to the "barbaric attacks on Ukraine once and for all".

On Sunday, Kyiv said Moscow had launched 90 Iranian-made Shahed drones onto nine Ukrainian regions.

In his reaction to the ceasefire earlier this week, Putin said the initiative would benefit primarily Ukraine, as Russian forces were "advancing" in many areas. He raised "serious questions" over the initiative.

The proposal came as Russia -- which occupies swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine -- has the momentum in some areas of the front.

It has pushed out Ukrainian forces from parts of its Kursk region, where Kyiv hopes to hold onto Russian territory as a potential bargaining chip in any future negotiations.

Putin said he wanted to discuss Moscow's concerns with Trump in a phone call.

Late on Sunday, Zelensky said he had spoken with Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney.

"The Prime Minister made the right points about how we need to step up pressure on Moscow," he said.

"The shadow fleet, the banking sector. We must impose all-out sanctions on everything that provides Russia with funding for its war. Only then can we force Putin to a just and lasting peace."

Carney is due in France on Monday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron that will cover the war in Ukraine, before travelling to London to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Canada has the presidency of the G7 nations this year.

Also Sunday, Zelensky announced the chief of general staff of the armed forces, Anatoliy Bargylevych by Andriy Gnatov. Gnatov has been tasked with increasing efficiency in the armed forces.
Three children of the late Gene Hackman may inherit an $80 million fortune after a legal technicality, which means his wife Betsy Arakawa, who died just days after him, might not be entitled to the cash.

The 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor died on February 18 due to heart disease, and in his 2005 will, he named his wif,e Arakawa, 65, as the sole beneficiary. But the fact that she died a week before Hackman does allow their three children  Christopher, 65; Elizabeth, 62; and Leslie, 58  to lay claim to the estate possibly.

According to California attorney Tre Love,ll who spoke to BBC, "The estate will actually be probated in accordance with intestate succession laws and the children would be lawfully next in line to inherit."

Since Arakawa's passing invalidates her status as a beneficiary, Hackman's will may no longer be applicable, leaving the inheritance to default to his children.

Difficulties With Arakawa's Last Testament

On top of that, Arakawa's will also stated her estate would be held in a trust and then given to charity if she died within 90 days after Hackman or vice versa. The sequence of events may force Hackman's children to contest the will, legal experts say.

Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe Dr. Josiah Child added even further, questioning the timeline of Arakawa's death. Although officials concluded she died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11, Dr. Child said that she heard from her on February 10 and again on February 12. During those calls, "she didn't appear in respiratory distress during those calls," the expert added to Daily Mail.

It is believed that Hackman likely lived alone with Arakawa's remains in the bathroom for several days, as he had advanced Alzheimer's disease, which was later listed as a factor contributing to his death.

Hackman's kids haven't spoken out about the whole inheritance thing, but they did say in a statement, "He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us, he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."

Originally published on Enstarz
Just hours after being released from jail for a DUI, a Florida minister caused a fatal crash, killing a mother and seriously injuring three of her children.

Nicholas Betancourt, 33, was arrested February 27 in Pinellas County for driving under the influence after a concerned citizen reported his reckless driving, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Betancourt reportedly exhibited clear signs of impairment, including difficulty standing and keeping his eyes open, and refused to provide a urine sample, resulting in an automatic license suspension. He was released from jail around 9 a.m. the next day.

At approximately 3:45 p.m. that same day, Betancourt, who was allegedly later determined to be under the influence of cocaine and methamphetamine, crossed into oncoming traffic on Gunn Highway in Hillsborough County, colliding head-on with 36-year-old Dana Rivera's vehicle.

Rivera was killed on impact, while three of her children, ages 4, 6 and 15, suffered serious injuries. A search of Betancourt's vehicle uncovered a variety of drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, oxycodone and psilocybin mushrooms, along with drug paraphernalia.

On March 13, Betancourt was arrested again and charged with multiple felonies, including DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, reckless driving with serious bodily injury and possession of controlled substances.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned Betancourt's alleged actions, calling them a "selfish and reckless decision" that shattered a family.

"A mother lost her life, and her children will carry that emotional scar forever. This family's life was shattered in an instant because of one man's selfish and reckless decision," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. "Nicholas Betancourt chose to drive under the influence not once, but twice in just hours, leading to a tragedy that could have been entirely avoided."

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India's largest hospitality company, announced the signing of Taj Wellington Mews on the picturesque Al Marjan Island, Ras Al-Khaimah in partnership with BNW Developments, a leading name in luxury real estate sector. This greenfield project marks IHCL's entry into Ras Al Khaimah with the launch of its premier branded hotel apartments.

Set against the backdrop of the Arabian Peninsula and enclosed by the Yanas mountain and Jebel Jais, the 336- apartments at Taj Wellington Mews, Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah will feature an array of culinary experiences, including an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a bar, and a lounge. To cater to the needs of business travelers, the hotel will feature a range of meeting and event spaces, including versatile meeting rooms, and a state-of-the-art board room. Unwind and rejuvenate at the fully equipped gym, outdoor swimming pool, or luxurious spa offering treatments and therapies.

An archipelago in the Persian Gulf, Al Marjan Island is an alluring island offering pristine beaches, crystal- clear waters, and breathtaking landscapes.

Hotel website
New extended-stay hotel brings spacious accommodations and modern amenities to Noblesville community.

MHG Hotels proudly announces the opening of the Residence Inn by Marriott Noblesville, located at 13596 Tegler Dr, Noblesville, IN, marking a significant addition to the growing hospitality landscape in Hamilton County. The newly constructed, all-suite hotel is designed to meet the needs of business travelers, extended-stay guests, and families looking for a comfortable and flexible home-away-from-home experience.

Guests of Residence Inn Noblesville will enjoy spacious studio and one-bedroom suites featuring fully equipped kitchens, separate living and sleeping areas, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, providing everything needed for short or long-term stays. The hotel also offers complimentary breakfast, a 24-hour market, a modern fitness center, and an indoor pool, catering to both work and relaxation.

Residence Inn Noblesville is conveniently located near Ruoff Music Center, Hamilton Town Center, and the Noblesville Business Park, making it an ideal choice for travelers attending events, conducting business, or exploring the area's many shopping and dining options.

Hotel website
Rosetta Hospitality is pleased to announce the promotion of Amit Vivian Richard Gowli as the General Manager of Rosetta Sakleshpur. Amit has been an integral part of Rosetta Hospitality for the past two years as Resident Manager, contributing significantly to the resort's operations and guest experience.

Amit is a postgraduate from the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development and brings over 22 years of experience in the luxury hospitality sector. He has held key leadership roles in renowned hotels, focusing on operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and team leadership.

As General Manager, Amit will oversee the overall operations of Rosetta Sakleshpur, ensuring seamless guest experiences, maintaining service excellence, and driving the resort's growth. His focus will be on strengthening operational efficiency, enhancing guest engagement, and reinforcing Rosetta Sakleshpur's position as a preferred luxury retreat.

Rosetta Hospitality is confident that under Amit's leadership, Rosetta Sakleshpur will continue to grow as a premier getaway, offering a refined luxury experience in the heart of nature.
First Hospitality, a national hotel operating and development company, announces the promotion of Jenna Fishel to chief commercial officer (CCO). In this elevated role, Fishel will lead the company's overall commercial strategy, ensuring a seamless integration of revenue management, sales, and marketing efforts. Fishel has been with First Hospitality since 2004.

During her 21-year tenure with First Hospitality, Fishel has held numerous positions at the company, starting her career as a front desk agent at a property in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Between 2004 and 2012, she swiftly moved up the ranks to sales coordinator, guest services manager, and ultimately general manager at the age of 23. With a passion for revenue management, she transitioned to regional revenue manager, then corporate director of revenue, ultimately becoming First Hospitality's first vice president of revenue management in 2017. Most recently, she served as senior vice president of commercial strategy since 2021.

A champion for developing talent and advancing careers within First Hospitality, Fishel helped shepherd the growth of the revenue management department from four individuals to a team of 19 and a marketing team from three to eight. Throughout her career, Jenna has received numerous accolades including two First Hospitality Inner Circle award trips, the First Hospitality President's Award, and is also a recipient of Marriott's Revenue Management Global Hall of Fame Award. She currently serves as a member of the AHLA Distribution Community of Interest Board. She is the proud mother of two young children, ages three and six, and resides with her family in the Chicagoland area.
MUMBAI - Sharing a common purpose of empowering people through skilling, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), Indias leading hospitality company, and Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) have joined forces with Head Held High Foundation (HHHF) to announce a program aimed at empowering youth in identified communities through capacity development and skill-building.

Guided by Paathya, our industry-leading ESG+ framework, IHCL prioritizes community development as a cornerstone of its ethos. Through this collaboration, we are taking a step further in creating impactful programs that empower the youth, preparing them for successful careers while addressing the growing talent needs of the hospitality industry. This initiative aligns with our mission to skill 1,00,000 individuals by 2030. Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President  Human Resources, IHCL

The initiative will include a training program designed to address the evolving demands of the industry. These sessions will impart essential foundational literacy and hospitality-specific skills, preparing participants for careers in the service sector. Experienced professionals and industry leaders will play a crucial role by providing mentorship and career counselling through one-on-one sessions, offering practical guidance to help participants navigate career paths effectively. The initiative will also feature industry-based internships that provide hands-on experience.

Empowering young individuals through skill development is key to unlocking a countrys true potential and driving sustainable growth for communities and industries alike. This partnership brings together a wealth of resources to address the critical need for talent development in India. By equipping youth with essential skills and practical experience, we are strengthening the foundation for a more inclusive and skilled workforce that can meet the evolving demands of a dynamic economy. Mr. BP Biddappa, Executive Director and Chief People, Transformation and Sustainability Officer for HUL

We are thrilled to collaborate with two of Indias most esteemed companies, IHCL and HUL, in this journey to empower the nations youth. Their support underscores a shared commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for skill development and career growth. By combining resources and expertise, we aim to equip young individuals with the tools they need to build successful futures while contributing to the countrys growing workforce. Pankaj Singh, CEO, Head Held High Foundation

IHCL under its ESG+ framework, Paathya, is committed to train 1,00,000 youth by 2030.

About Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods company, with its products touching the lives of nine out of ten households in the country. HUL works to create a better future every day. The company has a presence of over 90 years in India and has over 50+ FMCG brands in the market.

The company focuses on Climate, Nature, Livelihoods and Plastics are its larger Sustainability agenda.

About Head Held High Foundation (HHHF)

HHH is a non-governmental organization empowering youth through foundational life & work skills training and access to education and employment opportunities. Head Held High Foundation aims to catalyze economic opportunity and build resilience at scale by strengthening cross-sector, community-based approaches to address poverty related challenges. It collaborates with households, youth cohorts and women in vulnerable communities to examine the vital components - systems, policies, thought leadership, and transformative shifts - essential for the journey from Poverty to Dignity.

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
Dr. Vivek Anand Oberoi, Co-Founder and Managing Director, BNW Developments, Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO, IHCL, Mr. Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman and Founder, BNW Developments with Arch. Abdulla Al Abdouli, CEO, Marjan - Image Credit IHCL

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), in collaboration with BNW Developments, recently made a significant move into the Middle East with the signing of Taj Wellington Mews. The hotel apartments are on the scenic Al Marjan Island, Ras Al-Khaimah. This new venture is essential to IHCL's ongoing global expansion strategy.

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO, IHCL, expressed his enthusiasm about the project and Ras Al-Khaimah's potential as a global tourist destination. The region's unique cultural heritage, natural beauty, and infrastructure development make it an attractive locale for international visitors.

Abdulla Al Abdouli, CEO of Marjan, highlighted BNW Developments' contributions to Ras Al-Khaimah's development. He expressed his gratitude for the company's efforts and welcomed the prestigious Taj brand to the region. The project is expected to transform the island's skyline and set new standards for future real estate developments in the emirate.

Taj Wellington Mews, Al Marjan Island, Ras Al-Khaimah will feature 336 apartments set against the backdrop of the Arabian Peninsula. The hotel will offer a range of dining experiences, meeting and event spaces, and wellness facilities catering to the needs of various types of travelers.

Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman and Founder, BNW Developments, and Dr. Vivek Anand Oberoi, Co-Founder and Managing Director, BNW Developments, expressed their excitement about the partnership with IHCL. They believe that the Taj brand, known for its rich hospitality legacy and commitment to excellence, will be a landmark addition to Al Marjan Island.

Al Marjan Island is an archipelago in the Persian Gulf recognized for its pristine beaches, clear waters, and breathtaking landscapes. The island is expected to see significant economic expansion, with more BNW projects launching in the future.
Mandarin Oriental Appoints ShaoWei Ong as New Chief People & Culture Officer

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced the appointment of ShaoWei Ong as its new Chief People & Culture Officer, effective March 17, 2025. ShaoWei will report directly to the Group Chief Executive, Laurent Kleitman. She will also be part of the Executive Committee and the Group Leadership Team. This move underlines the hotel group's emphasis on its people-centric approach.

The previous Chief People & Culture Officer, Amanda Hyndman, also the Chief Operating Officer, will now solely focus on her COO responsibilities.

ShaoWei brings more than two decades of leadership experience in human resources across diverse industries such as hospitality, banking, fintech, music, and engineering to the hotel group. Her areas of expertise include HR transformation, organizational redesign, culture building, leadership development, and digital transformation. These skills align well with Mandarin Oriental's aim to create exceptional experiences for its colleagues and guests.

Before joining Mandarin Oriental, ShaoWei served as Group Human Resources Director at Jardine Schindler and Livi Bank. She also was VP of HR for Sony Music Group across Asia and the Middle East. In addition, she was the Head of the Starwood Academy Asia Pacific in Shanghai, where she played a key role in developing future hospitality leaders. ShaoWei's career includes senior leadership roles at Secoo Group, Wyndham Hotel Group in Asia, and United Overseas Bank (Malaysia).

ShaoWei's appointment comes as Mandarin Oriental continues its transformation journey. Her leadership is expected to foster a culture of excellence and innovation across the group's global portfolio.

Laurent Kleitman, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental, expressed his delight at ShaoWei's appointment, citing her extensive experience and expertise in leadership and culture transformation as a valuable addition to the team.

ShaoWei holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Waterloo and will be based at the Groups Hong Kong Head Office.
U.S. Hotel Industry Foresees Significant Growth in Group Sales by 2025 - Image Credit Unsplash+



U.S. hoteliers predict a substantial rise in group sales by 2025, driven by demand growth from the tech, healthcare, and construction sectors. This growth is evident in the increased bookings at resorts, upscale, midscale, and economy hotels across major brands like Marriott International, Hilton, and Hyatt Hotels Corp.

Major U.S. hotels project a significant increase in group sales by 2025, indicating a promising recovery in group demand. This growth is attributed to increased demand from industries such as technology, healthcare and construction. Resorts and upscale properties have witnessed larger bookings due to demand from the tech, medical, and healthcare industries. Simultaneously, construction and infrastructure activities have increased group business at midscale and economy hotels.

Marriott International, Hilton, and Hyatt Hotels Corp. projected an increase in 2025 group bookings during their February earnings calls. IHG Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and resort specialist Peregrine Hospitality also indicated rising group sales.

Marriott International's group revenue, which accounted for almost a quarter of the company's booked room nights, increased by 8% last year. The CEO, Tony Capuano, announced the group bookings were pacing up 6% for 2025 as of last year's end. Similarly, Hyatt's pace of group bookings for 2025 was up 7% from the previous year.

Despite concerns about potential reductions in federal spending by the Trump administration, hotel companies remain optimistic about continued growth in group demand throughout the year. Angie Gadwood, senior vice president of sales at Wyndham, believes that business travel is reverting to the new normal, citing healthy trends.

Infrastructure projects, often funded wholly or partially by the federal government, drive much of Wyndham's group business. Peregrine Hospitality COO Pete Sams expressed confidence that a new presidential administration eager to leave the pandemic behind would be a net positive for hotels banking on more group demand.

Group sales at resorts appear to be experiencing the fastest growth. Peregrine Hospitality projects its 2025 group revenue to increase by 18% from the previous year. The company's volume of lead calls is up 25%, reveals Chris Riccardi, Peregrine's senior vice president of global sales strategy.

These expectations align with industry forecasts that predict group business will spur higher U.S. room demand for the remainder of the year. CBRE's February report predicts that U.S. revenue per available room will grow 2% this year, primarily due to higher demand within larger U.S. markets.

Despite the slowest growth in overall hotel demand since the pandemic, operators are hopeful for a reprieve in the form of increased group demand. Cities that frequently attract groups and conventions, such as Chicago and New York, have outperformed the overall market.

Discover more at CoStar.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Montpellier - Image Credit Radisson Hotel Group

Radisson Blu Hotel has officially opened in Montpellier, marking its debut in the French city. The hotel is centrally located and within walking distance from the iconic Le Corum Convention Center and Place de la Comedie.

The hotel features 144 rooms and suites, each with modern decor, plush bedding, spacious workstations, and panoramic city views. Guests have fast, free Wi-Fi and a range of premium in-room amenities to ensure productivity and relaxation.

Joep Peeters, Senior Vice President Franchise, Radisson Hotel Group, said, "The Radisson Blu Hotel, Montpellier marks our debut in this vibrant French city, serving as a critical milestone in our expansion across France. With its prime location, modern accommodations, and sustainable initiatives, it's poised to deliver exceptional experiences for both business and leisure travelers."

The hotel offers a contemporary restaurant, Le Boudoir Montpellierain, and a bar that serves local and regional wines.

A state-of-the-art fitness center and professional massage services are also available at the hotel.

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The Radisson Blu Hotel, Montpellier, is Green Key certified, reflecting its commitment to environmental sustainability. Energy-efficient practices, such as motion-detected lighting, water-saving faucets, and an electric vehicle charging station, help reduce the hotel's environmental impact. Additionally, the hotel avoids plastic bottles, minimizes food waste, and encourages the use of public transportation.

Alison Michou, General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel, Montpellier, said, We are thrilled to open the Radisson Blu Hotel in Montpellier, a dynamic destination that allows guests to explore the city's rich history while enjoying a modern, comfortable stay. Our strategic location and diverse offerings ensure we cater to both business professionals and those looking for a peaceful urban retreat.

The hotel's central location provides easy access to Montpellier's most iconic landmarks, including Place de la Comedie, the Fabre Museum, and the Gothic Montpellier Cathedral. Guests can also take day trips to nearby beaches such as Palavas-les-Flots, La Grande Motte, and Carnon Beach for a day of relaxation by the sea.
Drag Story Hour Berkshires to Hold Fundraiser Gala

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Drag Story Hour Berkshires will host an 18+ fundraiser gala on Saturday, March 22, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield.

The event will feature storytelling, crafts, raffles, prizes, dancing, and performances. Music will be provided by DJ Bengey, and sweet treats will be available for purchase from local author Corrie Locke-Hardy.

Tickets are available at three levels:

First Fabulous Fans: $20 (limited number)

Drag Devotee Entry: $30 (general admission)

Storytime Star VIP: $50 (reserved seating, swag bags, and special surprises)

Proceeds from the event will support Drag Story Hour Berkshires' programming and literacy initiatives.
March 14, 2025 Colon Cancer: You've got questions, we have answers March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, bringing attention to the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.? The Endoscopy team at SVMC has compiled three helpful FAQs about the when, the how and 'the what' of colonoscopies. READ MORE ? Measles: Protect Yourself and Others With a confirmed case of measles reported in Vermont this week, and increasing cases around the country, Dartmouth Health experts discuss the best way to protect yourself and others. READ MORE Celebrate St. Patrick's Day Safely Its easy to get swept up in the revelry of St. Patricks Day. But far too often, the celebration comes with deadly consequences, most often due to drunk driving. Learn how to reduce your risks this holiday. READ MORE ? Capital Bariatrics Joins SVMC's New York Practice Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, is expanding medical weight loss options in the region with Albany-based Capital Bariatrics. READ MORE ? OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS: ? ?Southwestern Vermont Medical Center | svhealthcare.org ? ?
Emma Donoghue has been a literary star since 2011 when, with the publication of Room, her addictive bestseller, she became an overnight sensation. A work of contemporary Gothic about a five-year-old childs incarceration with his Ma in a locked room, this was a brilliant, imaginative reconstruction, based on the newspaper story of Felix, the real-life Austrian boy in the notorious Josef Fritzl case.

Donoghue is a much more interesting and subtle writer than this raw summary might suggest. Not only does she have an impressive backlist of work in many genres, she did not crash and burn as lesser artists, consumed by celebrity, might have done.

In an age of fiction conditioned by the ruthless monetising of narrative models, and driven by commercial creative writing programmes, she is a true original whos held true to herself as a novelist steeped in the literature of her native Ireland, and fascinated by the mysteries and rituals of storytelling.

Her dedication to this craft probably holds the key to some longstanding resilience to the snares of literary fame. Her accomplishments are manifest from the first page of The Paris Express. Her readers will find themselves on an exciting trip, but in safe hands. When we board in Granville on the coast of Normandy, in the autumn of 1895, we know that locomotive 721 will transport us to all the glamour, danger and chaos of fin-de-siecle Paris, the City of Light that casts its fitful rays across the shabby metropolis at the rotten heart of the Third Republic.

Donoghues subject is a modern one: The Paris Express is all about speed, and its heady corollary, escape. Good writing is also about momentum, and another corollary, the suspension of disbelief. This novel is a masterclass in both: an engrossing narrative, married to its intrinsic specificity, the joy of details.

As in Room, Donoghue has immersed herself in her subject: the romance of steam, from the blue upholstery of the Granville carriages, to the stench of the conductors urine. But she lavishes her special attention on Engine 721 to the point where, on page 65, it becomes a character in the drama of this journey, capable of reading her passengers minds. This fanciful contrivance is derived from the very good reason that 721s headlong acceleration is propelling it to a rendezvous with death and destruction.

The Paris Express has the air of a well-researched period piece (with walk-on roles for a doomed Irishman, the playwright John Millington Synge, author of The Playboy of the Western World, together with the American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner, renowned for his Resurrection of Lazarus).

It does, however, also conceal a doubly explosive core: a young anarchist, Mado, with her homemade bomb, and Ms Donoghue herself, an omniscient narrator whos fearless in the unveiling of her storytelling revelations.

One of the many fascinations of this novel  with shades of Room  lies in the way Donoghue compels the readers attention through her exquisite command of time and space, character and location. The scene in which the Russian emigre Elise Blonska delivers Cecile Langlois premature baby is not just brilliant reportage, its a well-timed metaphor for the subtle interplay of history and everyday life we find permeating The Paris Express. More than that, the accumulation and delivery of loving detail in a setting with which the reader is now completely at home is perfectly judged.

open image in gallery The Paris Express is the latest novel from Emma Donoghue ( Picador )

It was at this point in my reading of The Paris Express that I found myself wanting a favourite soundtrack from classical music, Arthur Honeggers hypnotic masterpiece, Pacific 321. This haunting orchestral portrait of a great American steam locomotive, from its first premonitory hoot as it leaves the station to its cathartic climax at top speed and ultimate return to rest, is a work of art thats possibly equivalent to Donoghues enthralling fiction.

On top of her well-judged set-pieces, she achieves her grip on her audience by populating her steam train with an engaging mix of real and invented fellow passengers. Alongside the anonymous railway crew, there are at least a dozen real people whose names we know from the newspaper reports inspired by the sensational arrival of the Paris express at the Gare Montparnasse on 22 October 1895.

The Montparnasse Derailment was a minor train crash in an age known for spectacular railway disasters. No one died. Engine 721 pitched forward through a station wall, and its vertiginous resting point became a nine-day wonder to contemporary media. Mados anarchist-terrorist atrocity, as told in Donoghues novel, never happened. Perhaps, as in her book, a new baby was born. And so the world turns. Plus ca change, plus cest la meme chose.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is published on 20 March (Picador, 18.99)
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Michael Morpurgo has opened up about feeling notably uneasy after attending a strange event with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

The author, 81, whos best known for his childrens novels War Horse, Private Peaceful, and The Butterfly Lion, made a trip to Russia  where his books were popular  in 2002.

During the visit, Morpurgo attended a party organised by Putins first wife, now known as Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, as an international gathering of childrens librarians.

Speaking to The Times, Morpurgo said: I was at the Kremlin at a huge party with 400 librarians. Can you imagine our country offering this to librarians?

He recalled: Everything was gold, and there was vodka and caviar. All the first ladies, including Mrs [Cherie] Blair, made speeches and then there was a great roll of drums and in came Putin, striding down the carpet.

I felt a shiver go down my spine because the manner of this reception was extraordinary and strange.

Elsewhere, Morpurgo praised Britains prime minister Keir Starmer for not having the same bolshie attitude as Putin or the United States president Donald Trump.

open image in gallery Michael Morpurgo has recalled an encounter with Vladamir Putin that made him shiver ( Getty )

Hes not a shouter and hes not a show-off, the author said of Starmer. Im fed up with show-offs. I dont care if theyre from Russia or America or here.

I want people who really do have some experience of the world, and have developed a care for other people, he said, explaining what bothers him about Trump and Putin is their open disrespect for others.

If you start talking about other people as if they are less important, that their culture is less important, then youre on a road to confrontation, he added.

However, Morpurgo did admit he is angered by the Labour governments plans to drop the inheritance tax exemption for farmers. You don't have a go at the pensioners and the farmers, he said.

open image in gallery The author also criticised Putin and Trump for their disrespect for others ( EPA/Reuters )

I know because I live in the middle of the farming culture. To threaten one particular group seems to me to be completely wrong.

He continued: Its done by people who are fundamentally urban, who dont really understand what the countryside is about.Morpurgo added that Britain is too fond of social and geographical divisions.

We exploit them. And there is a massive division between town and country, he said.

Its understandable: its part of having our industrial revolution earlier than other countries, he claimed.

If you go to Italy or France, where their industrial revolution came rather later, where they are more in contact with their food, with their farmers, its different. When French farmers have a protest there is considerable support among urban people.

open image in gallery Farmers protest in Westminster over changes to inheritance tax rules ( PA Wire )

It comes after the Labour Party was accused of holding farmers in contempt after halting applications for a major post-Brexit payment scheme last week.

In what has been dubbed a warm on farmers Labour announced it would cancel the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), just six weeks before farmers are set to file their tax returns.

Labour has already seen massive protests from farmers with hundreds of tractors descending on Westminster in recent weeks and the latest development threatens further action.
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The Irish accent is consistently voted one of the most attractive in the world, yet even some of the worlds finest actors have trouble with it. Leonardo DiCaprio tried, as did Julia Roberts (twice), and dare we even mention Brad Pitt?

Today (17 March) marks St Patricks Day, and if you have no pub and/or beer plans, why not experience the next best thing: reminiscing about the wonkiest Irish accents in film history.

A more recent addition to this great lineage of bad accents is Wild Mountain Thyme, a romantic drama released in the UK in early 2021 that was so inexplicable that even literal Irish actors seemed to speak with fake Irish accents in it.

Such is the evil power of this particular bit of fakery, though  Hollywoods bastardised visions of Ireland so all-encompassing and destructive that few can survive it.

To celebrate this most Irish of days, weve ranked 10 notorious times American filmmaking has treated the country and its people with absolutely no respect.

10. Cameron Diaz in Gangs of New York (2002)

Quintessential California beach babe Cameron Diazs decision to star in Gangs of New York lies somewhere between gutsy and foolish. Playing an Irish sex worker and pickpocket, Diaz tries her best but is inarguably out of her depth. In fairness, Leonardo DiCaprio is just as wonky here in the accent stakes, but, with his messy goatee and slight paunch, he at least looks the part.

9. Justin Theroux in Charlies Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

Diaz handed the bad Irish accent baton over to her Charlies Angels co-star Justin Theroux, just one year after the release of Gangs of New York. Youd think that playing a flamboyant Irish mobster named Seamus OGrady would help make Therouxs performance a camp delight, as opposed to aggressively shrill. Reader, it did not.

8. Pierce Brosnan in Taffin (1988)

If you havent seen Brosnans pre-Bond action film Taffin (and you absolutely have not), you still may have seen a specific 14 seconds of it, with the actor commanding his love interest to leave his home using a delivery that can only be described as Tommy Wiseau-esque. But Irish viewers have even more reason to be confused, namely that Brosnan is from the Republic of Ireland but speaks in an incomprehensible Northern Irish accent throughout. His line Then maybe you shouldnt be living heeeerrrre is entrenched in cinematic lore.

open image in gallery Tommy Lee Jones in Blown Away' ( Rex Features )

7. Tommy Lee Jones in Blown Away (1994)

Tommy Lee Jones stars as an IRA terrorist who makes bombs while playing U2 on his stereo  inadvertently summing up the grim taste level of this forgotten thriller. Its not quite as offensive as Joness accent, though.

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6. Julia Roberts in Mary Reilly (1996) and Michael Collins (1996)

What did Ireland do in 1996 to deserve not one, but two horrid Julia Roberts performances in which she butchers the Irish accent? She slightly gets away with it in Mary Reilly, a psychological horror movie so uber-serious that it veers into pure camp, but she sticks out like a sore thumb in the historical biopic Michael Collins. Few other actors have ever been so poorly miscast.

5. Gerard Butler in PS I Love You (2007)

The Scottish actor publicly apologised to Ireland for his work in this terrible romantic drama, which says it all, really. At least we can rest assured that its unlikely hell attempt it again anytime soon.

4. Chris ODonnell in Circle of Friends (1995)

A Hollywood-ified circus of Irish woe  built on the premise that Minnie Driver is too repulsive to find love  Circle of Friends features a cavalcade of accent horrors. Its most egregious, though, is Chris ODonnell, who essentially speaks in his normal American accent but throws a few ahh-roit thens in for good measure.

open image in gallery Chris ODonnell in Circle of Friends' ( Rex Features )

3. Tom Hanks in Cloud Atlas (2012)

It might be incorrect to place Hankss performance in Cloud Atlas on this list, because its difficult to discern whether hes actually playing an Irish person. Sure, the character is described in the script as Irish gangster turned-novelist Dermot Hoggins, but Hanks seems to be playing him with what sounds like a Cockney accent. Whatever the truth, it is quite breathtaking to behold.

2. Literally everyone in Wild Mountain Thyme (2020)

Wild Mountain Thyme is a treacly romantic drama that, thanks to the surreal accents of its stars, broke the internet upon the release of its trailer. The film, starring Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan, is a veritable feast of poorly-accented horror. Set on a mystical Irish farm in an indiscernible year (is it 2019 or 1953? Who knows!), the film features a cast of incredibly talented A-listers mercilessly bludgeoning the Irish accent beyond all recognition. Christopher Walkens is straining for Mullingar but sounds more like Pirate Christopher Walken; Blunts is baffling; then theres Jamie Dornan, who is actually Irish but sounds like someone whos never set foot in the country.

1. Tom Cruise in Far and Away (1992)

Tom Cruise is actively terrible in Far and Away, a bizarre Ron Howard adventure film that marked the second of three wildly divergent collaborations with Cruises then-wife, Nicole Kidman. His Irish accent is fluttery noise, there one minute and gone the next. But it speaks to how we ended up here: non-native speakers have been fed so many stereotypes about Ireland over the decades that few can spot the real thing anymore.
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Belgian actor Emilie Dequenne has died aged 43.

The star revealed she had been diagnosed with a rare cancer of the adrenal gland (adrenocortical carcinoma), in 2023. She died in a hospital just outside of Paris on Sunday (16 March), her family and agent confirmed.

Dequenne first shot to fame as an 18-year-old for her role in Rosetta in 1999. The coming-of-age drama directed by the Dardenne Brothers earned her an award for Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as the movie winning a Palm DOr. She returned to the Festival last year to celebrate 25 years since the achievement.

The film was widely believed to have influenced the Rosetta Law prohibiting employers from under-paying young workers, however the directors confirmed that the law existed prior to the release, but had not been passed through at that point.

She was best known to British audiences for her performance as police officer Laurence Relaud in the BBC drama The Missing. Dequenne was also awarded for her work in French language films including The Girl on the Train (2009) and Our Children (2012).

Her final project was the English-language thriller, Survive, released last year. In one of her final interviews, she told The Action: I didnt know I was sick by the time I was shooting the movie, and I got sick almost like six or eight months later. Im still fighting, Im still on chemo for now, but Im okay, Im okay.

After being diagnosed with the cancer in 2023, she revealed she had been given the all-clear in April 2024 and hoped to return to normality after the ordeal. However, the cancer returned at the end of last year with Dequenne telling French TV: 'I know I will not live as long as planned.

open image in gallery Belgian actor first shot to fame for her role in Rosetta ( Getty Images )

Her last posts include passionate dedications thanking her husband Michel Ferracci for his support. The couple were married in 2014. Dequenne leaves behind a 22-year-old daughter, Milla Savarese, also an actor.

In one of her final posts, the star wrote about a tough fight as she shared: Today is World Cancer Day. Almost forgot, as I was leaving the hospital today after 13 days. What a tough fight! And we don't choose.

open image in gallery One of Dequennes final posts was for World Cancer Day, in which she thanked her husband, friends, and family ( Instagram/EmilieDequenne )

Just writing these few words is an oversized effort. (By the way, sorry to those whose wishes I didn't answer, while it's February)THANK YOU again to my family (@michelferracci who had the worst night ever), my amazing parents, my friends.

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Harvey Weinstein has responded to Julia Stiless recent remarks that one of his acting directions made her feel so slimy.

During a recent appearance on Ted Lasso star Brett Goldsteins Films to be Buried podcast, Stiles, 43, recalled working with the now-convicted rapist on the 2000 romcom Down to You. While the movie, co-led by Stiles and Freddie Prinze Jr., was written and directed by Kris Isaacson, it was distributed by Weinsteins production studio, Miramax.

It was a time when teen romcoms were really popular and the director wrote the script, Stiles said, praising Isaacson as a very, very intelligent, capable guy who wrote a very good script.

And then Harvey Weinstein got his hands on it, the Prince & Me actor claimed. Because of the success of Save the Last Dance, or the success of 10 Things I Hate About You, with me dancing on the pool table, [Weinstein] needed to have me dancing in the film.

Stiles said the production mogul tried to capitalize on the pool table scenes trend and called his attempt to do so dumb.

I felt so slimy doing it the whole time, she said. It was annoying. Because I was like, Well, this is so cheap, and its not adding to the story.

Harvey Weinstein called Julia Stiles a 'talented and charismatic actress' ( Getty Images )

Weinstein, 72, who is currently awaiting a retrial for a number of charges, including that he forcibly performed oral sex on a movie and TV production assistant in 2006 and raped an aspiring actor in 2013, addressed Stiles remarks in a statement shared with The Daily Beast from prison.

Julia Stiles is a talented and charismatic actress who naturally connects with audiences. Beyond her acting skills, shes also a fantastic dancer, which was something fans really wanted at the time, he said.

He said that he included the movies table dance scene to enhance the films appeal, adding that Stiles chemistry with Freddie Prinze Jr. made it work seamlessly.

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As a filmmaker, Ive always sought ways to elevate a project, and when I see an opportunity to make a film better, I take it, Weinstein added. That same instinct led David O. Russell and me to cast Julia in Silver Linings Playbook, where she once again delivered a standout performance.

Weinstein has been in prison since 2020 after he was first convicted in a New York trial of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to 23 years in prison. In 2023, he was separately convicted on three charges of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles and handed a 16-year sentence, with the judge ruling that the second sentence be served after the first one is completed.
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Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael Lohan, has been arrested again just weeks after he was charged with felony assault after allegedly flipping his estranged wife, Kate Major, out of a chair.

According to police records, the 64-year-old was arrested on Sunday in Palm Beach, Florida, for violating probation.

The probation violation is believed to be linked to his previous arrest on February 21 in Texas. That came after his estranged wife noticed him in the parking lot while she was at a medical appointment and became concerned he was following her.

A 911 call was placed, and when police arrived, Major told them that Michael had flipped her out of a chair at their residence a few days earlier. She reported multiple domestic violence incidents dating back to July 2024, and said she believed he was now stalking her.

Authorities confirmed to People magazine at the time that a female officer had seen visible bruising on Majors body. Afterward, police said they visited Michael at his home, where he was arrested without incident.

A spokesperson for HCSO added to Page Six that he was charged with continuous violence against the family.

Michael Lohan (father of Lindsay) was arrested on March 16 in Palm Beach, Florida ( Palm Beach County Jail; Getty Images )

Michael, who has been married to Major since 2014, was previously arrested in 2020 for allegedly assaulting her at a Southhampton residence, with police saying at the time that he was verbally and physically abusive.

The following year, he was arrested on charges that he illegally took kickbacks for referring patients to a substance abuse treatment center.

Major is Michaels second wife, with whom he shares two sons Landon, 12, and Logan, 10. The pair briefly lost custody of their children in 2015 after a video emerged of them fighting in front of the boys. Michaels mother was granted temporary custody of Landon and Logan.

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In 2018, Major filed for divorce from Michael a month after she had been arrested for simple battery after allegedly throwing a glass candle at Michael, which shattered and left him with a cut on his arm. Prosecutors later dropped the charges citing insufficient evidence.

Michael was previously married to Dina Lohan from 1985 to 2007. They share four children: Aliana, Dakota, Michael Jr., and Freaky Friday star Lindsay.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
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Disneys new Snow White has left its first viewers thoroughly impressed, with many deeming it one of the studios best live-action remakes in recent years.

Directed by Marc Webb, the movie stars Rachel Zegler, 23, as the titular princess and Gal Gadot, 39, as the Evil Queen.

In the lead-up to its March 21 release, Disney reportedly scaled back the films Hollywood premiere after it had been hit with controversy over its casting of Zegler and the inclusion of the seven dwarves. Additional reports have also claimed theres tension between Zegler and Gadot over their political differences.

Despite the controversies, the film has left critics pleasantly surprised.

The biggest surprise of 2025 is that the most controversial and most hated film of the year is actually a decent live-action remake, Christopher Mills of Popped News posted on X.

#SnowWhite is not only one of their best live-action remakes in years, but its also a film that recaptures the magic of the 1937 movie. Rachel Zegler IS Snow White, and she delivers such a magical performance, he continued, further pointing to the unforgettable musical numbers, the enchanting visuals, and Erin Cressida Wilsons screenplay that provides depth to this world that I didnt know was needed.

open image in gallery Rachel Zeglers performance as Snow White in Disneys live-action remake has been lauded as magical ( Disney )

Varietys Katcy Stepan similarly praised Zeglers graceful and gentle performance, calling her a shining supernova in #SnowWhite.

Its a visual feast with show-stopping new musical numbers and, of course, dozens of enchanting animated animals, Stephan continued. The screenplay wisely gives its heroine newfound depth through her fervent desire to become the leader her father believed she could be, and a love story thats sweet as apple pie.

open image in gallery 'Snow White' live-action remake has thoroughly impressed critics ( Screenshot courtesy of Pop Crave on X )

I may regret saying this but #SnowWhite is solid, FILMHOUNDS Magazine co-founder Paul Klein added, reluctantly. I really enjoyed the musical numbers, particularly the opening one and the Queen's evil bop. Zegler was great in the lead role, and Gadot was fun.

However, Klein found that the baffling choice of CGI dwarves let that film down.

Despite becoming an internet punching bag Disneys remake of Snow White is actually mostly successful! Matt DeGroot, VP of production at Crooked Media, noted.

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Rachel Zegler is an absolute star, (most of) the new songs are catchy and beautifully performed, and the visual palette is sumptuous and vibrant. Gal Gadot had beautiful gowns.

Zegler, who is of Colombian descent, drew criticism from right-wing voices who took issue with a person of color portraying the lead fictional character.

She further ignited conservative furor when she suggested the remake would be more feminist than the original 1937 film.

Its no longer 1937, Zegler said in a 2023 interview. Shes not going to be saved by the prince, and shes not going to be dreaming about true love. Shes dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.

Meanwhile, Zegler has been a vocal supporter of Palestine while her Israeli-born co-star Gadot has spoken out in solidarity with Israel amid the war in Gaza.

The movie follows Zeglers eponymous princess after the wicked queen (Gadot), who is also her mother, orders her murder. Fleeing from the peril, Snow White makes her way into a forest and discovers the seven dwarves in a cottage.

Snow White is out in theaters on March 21.
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Courtney Love has revealed her plans to permanently relocate to the U.K. following Donald Trumps return to the White House.

The 60-year-old rocker and widow of Nirvanas Kurt Cobain, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, reportedly moved from Los Angeles to England in 2019.

Im really glad Im here, Love said at a recent event hosted by the Royal Geographical Society in London, according to the Daily Mail. Its so great to live here. Im finally getting my British citizenship in six months. I get to be a citizen  Im applying, man! Cant get rid of me!

Going on to address Trump and his current administration, she added: Its like emperor-core, like [theyre] wearing million-dollar watches.

Emperor-core is going on at Mar-a-Lago. Its frightening now. Its like cyanide now.

Love has previously spoken about her affection for London, telling the Evening Standard in 2017: I know Im going to end up there. I know what neighborhood Im going to end up in, and I know that I want to be on the Thames.

Courtney Love revealed she's obtaining British citizenship as she labeled Donald Trumps second-term frightening ( Getty Images )

I subscribe to this magazine called Country Life, which is just real-estate porn and fox hunting. Its amazing, she said at the time.

Love first rose to fame as the lead vocalist and guitarist for her alt-rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989. She fronted the group until its disbandment in 2002 and again when they reunited from 2010 to 2013.

In 1992, she married Nirvanas frontman, Cobain. They welcomed their only child, Frances Bean Cobain, now 32, that same year. The pair remained together until Cobains death by suicide in 1994 at the age of 27.

Love joins a growing list of celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi, whove made the decision to flee America to escape the results of the 2024 election.

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Earlier this month, Rosie ODonnell confirmed that she had left the U.S. for Ireland and wouldnt consider her return until it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights.

I miss many things about life there at home and I'm trying to find a home here in this beautiful country, the A League of Their Own actor said in a TikTok video. Its been heartbreaking to see whats happening politically and hard for me personally as well.
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Universal Music Group Recordings Inc. has filed a motion to dismiss Drakes defamation lawsuit over the recording labels release of Kendrick Lamars hit track Not Like Us.

In January, Drake accused UMG  which he is also signed to  of spreading the false and malicious narrative that he is a pedophile with the release of Lamars song, which includes the lyrics: Say, Drake, I hear you like em young.

Lamar is not named in the lawsuit; however, Drake additionally claimed that UMG knew the accusations were false but chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.

Branding Drakes lawsuit a misguided attempt to salve his wounds in a new filing seen by The Independent, UMG requested the rappers complaint be dismissed without prejudice.

Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated. Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds, reads the motion filed to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

It goes on to recount the details of Drake and Lamars infamous rap battle, which kicked off in the spring of 2024.

Drake (left) has sued Universal Music Group for defamation over its release of Kendrick Lamars hit track Not Like Us ( Getty Images )

Over the course of approximately two months, they exchanged increasingly vitriolic and incendiary diss tracks, sometimes responding within hours of each other. Drake encouraged the feud, UMG claimed.

For example, when he felt that Lamar was taking too long to respond, Drake released a second recording in which he goaded Lamar to continue the public rap battle. Lamar did just that, and collectively Drake and Lamar released a total of nine tracks taking aim at each other. Multiple commentators declared Lamar to be the winner of the battle.

The filing further states that Drake has been pleased to use UMGs platform to promote tracks leveling similarly incendiary attacks at Lamar, including, most significantly, that Lamar engaged in domestic abuse [in his song Family Matters].

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But now, after losing the rap battle, Drake claims that Not Like Us is defamatory. It is not, it continued.

It argues that because Drakes lawsuit is almost entirely focused on Not Like Us, it disregards the other Drake and Lamar diss tracks that surround Not Like Us as well as the conventions of the diss track genre, and, thus, critically ignores the context of the dispute.

In a statement shared with The Independent, Drakes lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, called UMGs motion a desperate ploy to avoid accountability.

UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence, he wrote.

This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMGs long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists.

In February, Drake settled a separate lawsuit against iHeartMedia, in which he alleged that the Texas-based radio network had received illegal payments from UMG to boost radio airplay for Not Like Us.

The Canadian rapper had similarly sued UMG, claiming it used a network of bots, in conjunction with a so-called pay-to-play scheme, to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with Not Like Us. He later dropped the suit.

The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue, a UMG spokesperson said in a statement at the time. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.
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The new Netflix series Adolescence has received a wave of positive reviews since it was released on the streaming service earlier this month, stunning audiences with its impressive one-shot technique.

One scene, involving a drone, has left viewers particularly stunned.

The show, which stars Stephen Graham as the father of a young boy accused of murder, is directed by Philip Barantini who uses one single shot to tell the story in each of its four episodes.

Barantini, who previously used the technique on Boiling Point, pulled off a sequence at the end of episode two where the camera seamlessly transitions from a ground shot to an aerial shot as the camera travels from a school to the crime scene.

The magic of the scene has since been revealed by writer Jack Thorne, who told Deadline: So we strapped a camera to a drone that took off over traffic lights and then suddenly youre at the murder scene. Emotionally, it kicks you in the stomach.

Netflix also shared a behind-the-scenes footage of the shot in progress, adding: A team attach the camera to a drone, which then flies a distance of 0.3 miles across the site to the murder scene, where it comes down to a camera operator and team of grips who smoothly catch the camera and transition into a close shot of Stephen Graham.

Part of that planning included two weeks of rehearsals  one week for cast and one week for tech crew. Thorne, who has worked with Graham on multiple projects, including This is England, was on hand to make changes to the script alongside the actor and director.

[Tech rehearsals] would be an opportunity for the sound team to put the booms where they needed to be. And, we had all the support and the runners and ADs all dressed in police uniforms in the first episode and teachers in the second episode so they could be on camera and cueing things, Barantini told The Independent. It was technically challenging, but a huge collaboration.

Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence' ( Courtesy of Netflix )

Barantini has previously explained that the one-shot approach to filming is an intentional device used to demand the attention of time-poor viewers.

He used the technique in Boiling Point, although the series posed a bigger challenge than the one-location backdrop of the restaurant in that movie. But beneath the clever directing and the scrupulous technicalities lies something far more terrifying. Really what it's about is looking at male rage and looking at our own anger and looking at who we are as men, says Thorne.

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Adolescence has quickly become a hit on Netflix since its release with episode one already being watched by more than two million people in the UK alone.
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Thirteen-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is in his pyjamas in a space-themed bedroom, when armed police smash through his front door in a dawn raid.

We, the viewer of Netflixs Adolescence, follow the officers with bulletproof vests and guns in real time, as the schoolboy and his family are left shocked and terrified. Up the stairs, and into the bedroom, back down and into the van. Did this really happen? wrote confused social media users as a behind-the-scenes trailer for the show was released this week.

He is then driven to the local station, where his fingerprints are taken (we experience each one complete with beeping machine and officer instructions: And the next one, and the next one...). Medical tests are conducted, and a strip search is resisted by his father, Eddy Miller (played by the shows co-creator and co-writer Stephen Graham). Jamie is accused of the brutal murder of a 13-year-old girl who is stabbed to death and left to die in a car park.

While a murder mystery is familiar ground for TV, Boiling Point director Philip Barantinis decision to shoot each episode of this four-part series in one-take breaks new ground. With no editing, no outtakes, bloopers or re-dos, we watch as every minute adds to our understanding of the lives of its lead characters played by Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty and 15-year-old Cooper.

It was quite difficult, but it was fun as well, Barantini tells The Independent. It was meticulously planned.

Part of that planning included weeks of rehearsals, with one week for cast and one week for tech crew. Co-writer Jack Thorne, who has worked with Graham on multiple projects including This is England, was on hand to make changes to the script alongside the actor and director.

[Tech rehearsals] would be an opportunity for the sound team to put the booms where they needed to be. And, we had all the support and the runners and ADs all dressed in police uniforms in the first episode and teachers in the second episode so they could be on camera and cueing things, Barantini explains. It was technically challenging, but a huge collaboration.

open image in gallery Owen Cooper plays Jamie Miller and is the shows breakout star ( Courtesy of Netflix )

The show features real locations as well as ones created solely for production, like the police station and DIY store. Footage released by Netflix shows the sheer physical challenge of the feat; a cameraman in his shorts jogs along with police as they break down the door, before the camera is clipped onto a crane for the next sequence. Its even strapped on to a drone to get a birds-eye view of the fictitious town. Each of the camera positions were meticulously mapped out with cinematographer Matt Lewis . With the foundation in place, Barantini says, from there it was sort of a dance really.

Barantini has previously explained that the one-shot approach to filming is an intentional device used to demand the attention of time-poor viewers. He used the technique in his 2019 film Boiling Point, although the series posed a bigger challenge than the one-location backdrop of the restaurant in that movie. But beneath the clever directing and the scrupulous technicalities lies something far more terrifying. Really what it's about is looking at male rage and looking at our own anger and looking at who we are as men, says Thorne.

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open image in gallery Stephen Graham co-created the show and co-wrote the series alongside Jack Thorne ( Netflix )

We're all three very different types of men, but we all have a relationship with anger and, and I think that's what I'm proudest of in the show is that we looked at ourselves and I think that honesty shows through on the screen.

Predicted to be an instant classic by industry professionals, the idea was the brainchild of A Thousand Blows star Graham, who portrays Jamies hot-headed father. I read an article about a young boy stabbing a young girl, he says. And then maybe a couple of months later, on the news there was [another] young boy who'd stabbed a young girl, and if I'm really honest with you, they hurt my heart. I thought that this would be a really interesting thing to look at for many aspects but, as a society to maybe ask the question why.

open image in gallery Adolescence covers issues of male rage, misogyny and incel culture ( Netflix )

Adolescence does not deal with Andrew Tate or incel culture directly, an intentional decision by writer Thorne to shed light on the complex influences impacting young people. The kids aren't watching Andrew Tate, he says. They're watching a lot more dangerous stuff than Andrew Tate. We were trying present a portrait of complexity of this kid that had been made by all sorts of different influences and the thing about incel culture is there's a logic to it.

Cooper, the shows breakout star, is now set to star as the young Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights alongside Margot Robbie. Graham reveals that the team behind Adolescence were adamant about creating opportunities and says that Coopers success is one of the shows biggest achievements. Hailing from a normal working class family from a normal council estate he describes Coopers family as just wonderful, beautiful people. Everyone unsuccessful in the audition for the role of Jamie was recruited as an extra in school scenes.

open image in gallery Series is predicted to be an instant classic ( Netflix )

The challenge of weaving sensitive topics with industry-defying technical routines kept Barantini up at night, and gave Hannah Walters, Grahams wife and executive producer of Adolescence, dry mouth and heart palpitations.

But after one week of filming, which included doing two takes every day, there werent any major mistakes, says Barantini. The team selected the best take of 10 options for the final cut, though there were some minor mishaps.

open image in gallery Erin Doherty and Owen as Jamie and in 'Adolescence' ( Netflix )

One time the camera was knocked on the door, so the lens shook a little bit and we wouldn't be able to fix that, he says. And the other time the lights just went off in the studio in the police station. So it was like, we can't shoot this now, we have to stop.

Yet the pressure was palpable. The actors are in it. There's no room for error and everyone has the ball and you're passing the ball to each other and it's trust. All the actors are trusting each other and if they mess up a line, someone else will come in.

Adolescence is available to stream on Netflix now.
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Adolescence star Ashley Walters has explained why he initially regretted accepting a role on the acclaimed Netflix drama.

The four-part series, co-created by and starring Stephen Graham, has received huge praise since its addition to the streaming service earlier this month, with many blown away by the technical aspect: each carefully constructed episode consists of just one shot.

Walters stars in the series as DI Luke Bascombe, who finds himself caught up in the case of 13-year-old boy Jamie Miller (newcomer Owen Cooper) accused of murder.

He takes centre stage in the first episode of the series  a big task at the best of times, but even bigger when the entire instalment is one long continuous shot lasting for 70 minutes.

Walters was offered the role by his friend and mentor Graham, who also stars in the series playing Lukes distraught father. Walters, known by many for his role in Top Boy, admitted that he would have said yes... regardless of what the job was going to be as you never say no to Stephen Graham.

The actor said that when he turned up to set for the first time, and saw the size of the operation, he f***ing regretted it  and admitted to feeling out of his depth.

Every day, Phil [Barantini, director] will tell you, I was in tears! Every day I was going home, crying in my script. Rocking, you know.

Walters called filming Adolescence the hardest thing in the world, adding: No, no it was. I was so insecure and its a lot. I had to learn the whole script.

And I had a lot to say in that first episode. And youre leading a lot of it, as well. A lot of it is police jargon and whatever.

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Adolescence star Ashley Walters ( Netflix )

Graham co-created the series alongside Jack Thorne after reading news reports of stabbings of young girls.

In an interview with The Independent, he said: I read an article about a young boy stabbing a young girl. And then maybe a couple of months later, on the news there was [another] young boy whod stabbed a young girl, and if Im really honest with you, they hurt my heart.

He explained that the shows storyline explores a complexity of topics, adding that parents need to be mindful of the external influences working on their children.

Adolescence is available to stream on Netflix now.
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Taiwan has protested over the change of name of the island's representative office on a South African government website amid mounting pressure from China.

South Africa's department of international relations and cooperation renamed Taiwan's unofficial embassy from "Taipei Liaison Office" to the "Taipei Commercial Office" on its website, the self-governed island's foreign ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry claimed the office was placed under "international organisations represented in South Africa" instead of an individual entity.

The name change appears to be South Africas bid to please China as it tries to cosy up to Beijing following a diplomatic spat with the US under the Donald Trump administration.

South Africa set a deadline of the end of March for Taiwan to change the name of its representative office and relocate the unofficial embassy outside the capital Pretoria. The South African government has sought to downgrade the de facto embassy and recategorise it as a "trade office" based in Johannesburg.

Taiwan at that time claimed the demand "shows China's suppression" against the island and pressure on South Africa to adhere to "One-China policy" was "becoming more serious".

China considers Taiwan a part of its sovereignty and has not ruled out reuniting with it by force if necessary despite its split from the mainland in 1949.

Taiwan has lodged protests through its representative office in Pretoria and South Africa's representative office in Taipei, the foreign ministry said. It argued that South Africa's use of one China policy to force the office's relocation is unreasonable, unjustifiable, and unacceptable".

South Africa severed official diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997, but allowed Taipei to maintain a symbolic presence through a liaison office in the capital. Taiwan only has formal diplomatic ties with 12 countries, and in Africa it only has a single ally left, Eswatini, which is almost surrounded by South Africa.

Several African nations, including Liberia, Chad, Senegal and Gambia, have severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan over the past decades.

Moving the Taiwan office out of Pretoria will be a true reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship between the Republic of South Africa and Taiwan, the South African foreign ministry had said in February.

Taiwanese foreign minister Lin Chia-long responded saying his government in retaliation would consider closing South Africas liaison office in Taiwan, cutting off a major channel for travel, trade and educational exchange.

China is South Africa's largest trading partner and the nation is looking to expand relations in areas of renewable energy. Both nations are members of the Brics bloc of developing economies.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning earlier said we appreciate South Africas correct decision to relocate the Taipei liaison office in South Africa out of its administrative capital". Mr Mao claimed "Taiwan independence is unpopular and doomed to failure".

China last month reassured South Africa that Beijing will remain a "trustworthy and reliable" friend and partner as the US continues to single out the African nation.

"China and South Africa have always understood and supported each other, carrying out close exchanges, communication and coordination, which demonstrates the high level of bilateral relations," Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said.

The Trump administration expelled the South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool for being what secretary of state Marco Rubio claimed "a race-baiting politician".

Mr Rubio accused Mr Rasool of being a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates [the president of the United States] @POTUS.

Mr Trump had already issued an executive order cutting all funding to South Africa over some of its domestic and foreign policies. The order criticised the Black-led South African government on multiple fronts, saying it is pursuing anti-white policies at home and supporting bad actors in the world like the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran.

Mr Trump falsely accused the South African government of a rights violation against white Afrikaner farmers by seizing their land through a new expropriation law.
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Taiwan has revoked the visa of a Chinese influencer and ordered her deportation after she allegedly posted a video advocating China taking the island by force.

The National Immigration Agency (NIA) has asked the influencer surnamed Liu to leave Taiwan within 10 days and revoked her visa while barring her from applying for it in the next five years.

The NIA claimed the influencers behaviour advocates the elimination of Taiwan's sovereignty and is not tolerated in Taiwanese society.

The influencer of Chinese identity married a Taiwanese man and relocated to the island on a dependent visa.

Known on social media as Yaya, Ms Liu is accused of regularly posting pro-Beijing commentary and referring to the island as "Taiwan province". Ms Liu, who has 480,000 followers on Douyin, a TikTok-like video-sharing platform in China, has also allegedly posted content that said Taiwan is "an inseparable part of China".

"The complete unification of the motherland is a necessity, regardless of what the Taiwanese people want, she reportedly said in one of the videos.

"Peaceful unification is much harder than unification by force," she added. "It depends on what choices the Taiwanese people make."

In February Ms Liu posted on Douyin that she "would never back down".

She said that she was "trying to promote the good on both sides" through her videos and "eliminate the chasm between people", according to BBC.

"I'm just analysing objectively and sharing my own views," she was quoted as saying.

The NIA warned online streamers that such actions could break the law and waste government resources on unnecessary paperwork.

The agency also stated that any act that threatens the country's democratic way of life is unacceptable.

Taiwan rejects Chinas claims that the self-governed island is part of its territory. China claims the island of 23 million people is a breakaway province that must eventually be reunified with the mainland  by force if necessary  despite never having actually governed it.

Tensions have intensified between the two as the Chinese air force and navy have stepped up their presence near the island and president Lai Ching-te unveiled wide-ranging measures to counter infiltration efforts earlier this month.

Mr Lai called China a foreign hostile force for the first time and promised tougher measures, including the potential resumption of military trials for soldiers accused of treason or spying.

Ms Liu could not immediately be reached for comment.
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Political tension is on the rise as South Koreas Constitutional Court prepares to rule on president Yoon Suk Yeols impeachment, with rival parties and protest movements deepening divisions.

The ruling, expected this week, has sparked protests across the country, with both supporters and opponents of Mr Yoon taking to the streets in large numbers.

Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), stated that the party would accept the courts decision, regardless of the outcome.

Our partys official stance is that it will respect the Constitutional Courts final verdict, in line with the presidents intention to do so as exhibited during his final remarks at the impeachment trial, Mr Kweon told a press conference at the National Assembly on Sunday.

His comments followed concerns that some ruling party lawmakers had encouraged pro-Yoon protesters to disrupt court proceedings if the verdict favoured impeachment, reported Korea Herald.

When asked about PPP lawmakers joining pro-Yoon rallies, Mr Kweon dismissed the notion of restricting their actions, saying it was not desirable to control each individual lawmaker over their remarks.

open image in gallery Protesters march during a demonstration against impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on 16 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images )

His comments came as 82 PPP lawmakers filed a petition on 12 March demanding that the Constitutional Court dismisses the motion to impeach Mr Yoon.

Amid this political standoff, opposition leaders have urged lawmakers from both sides to commit to respecting the courts ruling. Ahn Cheol-soo of the PPP called for rival parties to jointly affirm their acceptance of the verdict, warning that public disorder could escalate if they failed to do so.

Former lawmaker Kim Doo-kwan also suggested a bipartisan press conference after the ruling to demonstrate political unity.

Protests have intensified in the lead-up to the verdict.

On Saturday, demonstrators demanding Mr Yoons reinstatement gathered near the Constitutional Court in central Seoul, with police estimating the crowd at 6,000.

Meanwhile, left-wing groups and opposition lawmakers have been staging daily marches across the city, calling for the impeachment to be upheld with police estimating that some 42,500 protesters gathered in front of gate calling for Mr Yoons removal.

open image in gallery Supporters of impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol attend a rally in Seoul on 15 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images )

The Constitutional Courts verdict carries significant political consequences. If six or more of the nine justices vote to impeach, Mr Yoon will be permanently removed from office, triggering a snap presidential election within 60 days, reported the Korea Times. If less than six justices vote for impeachment, Mr Yoon will retain his position.

The opposition Democratic Party argues that failing to remove Mr Yoon would set a dangerous precedent, enabling future presidents to use martial law to suppress dissent.

open image in gallery Protesters march through the streets in a demonstration against impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol ( AFP via Getty Images )

Representative Park Chan-dae, the partys floor leader, called for a swift decision, citing concerns over prolonged uncertainty damaging South Koreas economy and social stability.

"As the ruling on impeachment is delayed, social anxiety and confusion are increasing, and economic damage is also growing. He added: "The extreme right's intimidation of the Constitutional Court has gone too far, and violent incitement continues unabated. The longer the ruling is delayed, the greater the harm will become uncontrollable, and our society will spiral into extreme confrontation."

open image in gallery Protesters march past each other on the same street during a demonstration against impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol, in Seoul on 15 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Mr Park, along with other members of the Democratic Party marched from National Assembly to emblematic square in Gwanghwamun.

The controversy over Mr Yoons impeachment has also affected broader governance. The PPP and Democratic Party remain at odds over key policy issues, including budget allocations and pension reform. However, a rare bipartisan agreement emerged over the weekend, with opposition lawmakers indicating they would accept the PPPs proposal to raise the income replacement ratio as part of pension reforms.

The impeachment trial has also left prime minister Han Duck-soo in limbo. He has been suspended from duties since December after lawmakers passed a separate impeachment motion against him.

The PPP has pushed for the Constitutional Court to rule on Mr Hans case first, arguing that delaying his reinstatement is damaging governance. Two justices have been appointed since the impeachment motion against Mr Yoon was ratified, leaving one seat still vacant on the nine-member court.
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Narendra Modi has appeared as a guest on the Lex Fridman Podcast, with the Indian prime minister offering a rare foreign interview to the technologist and former Elon Musk sparring partner.

Fridman described their interaction as one of the most powerful conversations he has hosted so far, and said he fasted for 45 hours in preparation to talk spiritually with Mr Modi.

The three-hour interview has received a huge amount of interest back home in India, where Mr Modi is known for avoiding questions from the media except in carefully controlled circumstances. He only recently addressed his first three press conferences abroad despite having led India for over a decade.

Here are five key takeaways from their conversation:

Im not neutral, I strive for peace, Modi says on Ukraine war

Mr Modi was asked about his geopolitical leverage in the world today amid a number of global conflicts, but particularly in the context of Russia and Ukraine.

Describing India as the land of Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, Mr Modi boasted that is one of the few leaders who enjoys a close relationship with both Russia and Ukraine, warning Kyiv that no amount of discussion or support from allies will end the war until both parties are involved in negotiations.

"I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike," he said. "I can sit with president Putin and say that this is not the time for war. And I can also tell president Zelensky, in a friendly way, that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield."

open image in gallery Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) embraces Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of BRICS Summit at Kazan Kremlin in Kazan, Russia, 22 October 2024 ( EPA )

Mr Modi said an end to the war would only come when both Russia and Ukraine are at the negotiating table and the current situation presents an opportunity for meaningful and productive talks between Ukraine and Russia.

I am not neutral, Mr Modi said, apparently addressing the criticism the country has faced for not directly criticising Russia, a close ally and defence partner, for its war in Ukraine as New Delhi increased its trade with Moscow.

I have a stance, and that is peace, and peace is what I strive for, Mr Modi added.

Pakistan is epicentre of turmoil in the world

In a scathing attack on neighbouring Pakistan, Mr Modi said the world has recognised that in a way terrorism and the terrorist mindset are deeply rooted in Pakistan.

His comments came as he was asked whether he saw a path to friendship and peace in the historical conflict being the great peacemaker and visionary he is.

"They chose not to foster a harmonious coexistence. Time and again, they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us. Don't mistake this for ideology," he said, referring to Pakistan.

Mr Modi asked what kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror, adding that India was not the only victim.

Wherever terror strikes in the world, the trail somehow leads to Pakistan. Lets take the September 11th attacks, for example. The main mastermind behind it, Osama bin Laden, where did he eventually emerge from? He had taken refuge in Pakistan," Mr Modi said.

Today, it (Pakistan) stands as an epicentre of turmoil, not just for India but for the world. And we have repeatedly asked them what good can come from this path?

In his efforts in the pursuit of peace, he said he personally traveled to Lahore in 2015 and even invited Pakistan to his swearing-in ceremony in 2014.

Yet, every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal, he claimed.

Trump is far more prepared in his second term

Mr Modi was asked about his recent visit to the US and what he thinks about Donald Trump as a friend and as a leader.

Mr Modi hailed their sense of mutual trust and strong bond, drawing similarities between their nationalist approaches in leadership.

"His reflection showed his 'America First' spirit, just as I believe in Nation First," Mr Modi told Fridman.

He said Mr Trump was far more prepared for his second term.

open image in gallery Donald Trump's mugshot was seen outside the Oval Office as he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March ( AFP via Getty Images )

"He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals," he added.

Mr Modi praised Mr Trump for his graciousness and humility, underscoring a strong bond between the leaders.

India is among the trading partners set to face the tariffs from April, which threaten to cause distress to its exporters in industries from automobiles to agriculture. After Mr Modi and Mr Trump met last month, the two nations agreed to resolve tariff rows and work on the first segment of a deal by the autumn of 2025, aiming to reach two-way trade of $500bn by 2030.

There is no real history of conflict with China

Asked about Indias longstanding territorial disputes with China, Mr Modi attempted to downplay the recent tensions following a 2020 border standoff in the Himalayas that resulted in soldiers being killed on both sides.

Speaking of their historical ties, Mr Modi said there is no real history of conflict between the two and India and China are like "family" despite fighting a full-scale war along their border in 1962.

"If we look back centuries, there's no real history of conflict between us. It has always been about learning from each other and understanding one another," Mr Modi said.

open image in gallery Chinese President Xi Jinping and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia ( VIA REUTERS )

"Even within a family, not everything is always perfect, our effort is to ensure these differences dont turn into disputes, he added.

India and China share a 3,488km border that runs from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. China holds a large piece of territory called the Aksai Chin in Ladakh that it won during the 1962 war with India and claims Arunachal as part of the province of Tibet.

Relations between the hostile neighbours hit a new low in July 2020 after at least 20 Indian army personnel and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. It was the first time in 45 years that a clash on the border had led to fatalities.

However, the two militaries reached a milestone pact last year to reduce tensions on the border, opening the possibility of a thaw in relations after years of standoff.

"Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return," Mr Modi said.

"But of course, it will take some time, since there's been a five-year gap," he said, adding that the focus of the two nations was to ensure their differences "do not turn into disputes".

2002 Gujarat riots: Modi says he is victim of misinformation

Mr Modi was also questioned about the 2002 Gujarat riots, a period of sectarian violence that lasted nearly three months and embroiled him in a long legal battle over his government's handling of the situation. He was the chief minister of the western Indian state at the time, and was accused of ordering police to step aside and allow Hindu mobs to target Muslims.

Mr Modi has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the course of the religious riots that left more than 1,000 people  most of them Muslims  dead in his state, but the allegations continued to shadow him even after he became prime minister in 2014. He was finally cleared of wrongdoing by the Supreme Court of India and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed to probe the matter.

open image in gallery Razia, a Muslim woman, cries while praying by her destroyed home near Ahmedabad, India, March 2, 2002 ( AP2002 )

Mr Modi said in the podcast it was a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude but denounced the fake narrative that spread regarding his role during the riots.

He refuted claims that they were the biggest riots India had seen and claimed the state had a long history of religious violence. He blamed his political opponents who were in power for seeking to leverage the issue.

Before 2002, Gujarat witnessed over 250 significant riots. The riots in 1969 lasted nearly six months. So, there was a long history, long before I was in the picture, he added.

But Mr Modi claimed criticism is the soul of democracy as he denounced sensationalism.

His comments on the riots have sparked a political row in India, with members of opposition party criticising him for justifying the violence.

Congress politician Danish Ali said: "The way the PM has tried to justify the Godhra riots shows the failure of Vajpayee government regarding the law and order situation of the country. The way he talked about the Kandahar hijacking, parliament attack and more, this is, in a way, a condemnation of Vajpayee government." Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as prime minister briefly in 1996 then again from 1998 to 2004. Vajpayee was one of the few leaders of the BJP to express anguish when hundreds of Muslims were killed rioting in 2002 in Gujarat.

Senior Congress politician Harish Rawat said Mr Modi has to take responsibility and the responsibility of the violence will always stick with him.
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Bangladesh has erupted in protests following the death of an eight-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a family member.

The incident took place while the girl was visiting an older sisters house in the city of Magura earlier this month. Police have arrested the sister's father-in-law on suspicion of rape.

The victim's death on Thursday at 1pm (local time) intensified a series of protests in the country, led by students and women. The girl died after battling for her life for six days, despite being transferred across multiple healthcare facilities in a desperate attempt to save her.

She suffered three cardiac arrests and "although doctors managed to stabilise the condition twice, the heart failed to restart after the third episode", the government's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department said in a statement.

Her body was airlifted to Magura in an army helicopter amid widescale protests. A mob of locals stormed the house of the suspect in Magura and set it ablaze, while thousands gathered at a public square for her namaz-e-janaza, the final prayer before burial.

open image in gallery Activists protest with a mock coffin at Dhaka University ( AFP via Getty Images )

"I thought my daughter would survive," the victim's mother told reporters. "If she had made it through, I would never have let her go anywhere alone again."

The victim's 18-year-old sister told the Daily Star that the family was still in shock, and were still processing her death. "My mother hasn't stopped crying yet," she said.

Students in Dhaka University held a protest march and an absentee funeral for the child even after the police banned protests at key locations in the capital to "maintain public order". The students, however, are determined to continue their protests.

"Bangladesh needs better laws for the safety of women and children. We need clarity on the legal definition of rape. We need swift justice for the victims and not endless trials," Rita Das, a student at the university, told The Independent. Bangladesh still follows a colonial-era law which limits the definition of rape to apply only to penile-vaginal penetration.

Others blamed the new Muhammad Yunus administration of falling short in providing adequate security to women and children and rein in rising incidents of crime in Bangladesh. "Ever since the July protests, crime has shot up in Bangladesh. There is just not enough security for children, women or men. It seems the law enforcement authorities have taken a step back. They should be more proactive while the nation recovers from last years violence," said a 19-year-old student, who didn't want to be named.

As well as the victim's sister's father-in-law, police have arrested the sisters mother-in-law, husband and brother-in-law and remanded them in custody. The sister's father-in law, Hitu Sheikh, confessed to assaulting and raping the child in his house after finding her alone in a room, a senior Magura police officer told The Independent, without adding further details.

Mr Sheikh was produced before the senior judicial magistrate on Saturday afternoon, the officer said.

The victim's mother, in her police complaint, alleged that the girl was raped on the night of 5 March while she was visiting her elder sister's house. The elder sister alleged that the victim said Sheikh abducted her to an empty room, where she was raped and assaulted as she tried to scream for help, the Daily Star reported.

The sister was assaulted by her husband, who also threatened to kill the child, when she tried to inform her mother about the incident, according to the police complaint.

Dr Yunus, who heads the interim government, expressed grief over the childs death and ordered that the accused be brought to justice quickly. Home adviser Lt Gen Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said those guilty of violence against women or rape would be "brought to book".

Reports of horrific sexual assaults on women have become familiar in Bangladesh, with over 5,632 reports of rape of girls aged below 18 made across the country in the last 10 years, according to human rights group Ain o Salish Kendra. At least 52 children were raped in the first two months of this year, the group said.

Activists say many incidents of sexual assault in Bangladesh go unreported because of fear of being stigmatised, as well as a culture of impunity and protection of suspects by influential individuals for political reasons.

Dhaka metropolitan police commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali, one of the countrys most senior police officers, called on the media to stop using the word rape amid the public outcry over the Magura incident, saying he found it unpleasant. He suggested reports refer to "violence against women" or "repression of women" instead.

Dr Yunus law adviser Asif Nazrul this week said existing legislation related to sexual abuse of women would be amended to reduce the investigation time from 30 days to 15 days. The trial for rape cases will be completed within 90 days instead of the previous 180 days, he said.

"The government has taken all necessary steps swiftly. There has been no negligence on the part of the authorities, he told reporters.
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A British tourist is missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand.

Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was reportedly in the bathroom at the back of the boat when the blaze started at 9.15am local time on Sunday.

There were 22 people on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member.

All others on board were accounted for.

It has been reported that the cause of the fire was related to a malfunction, which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air.

Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after.

He said: "The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao. It was between five and six nautical miles away from the island.

"A fire started in the engine room and spread through the boat rapidly. Thai-MECC Surat Thani coordinated with private vessels and volunteers to safely evacuate the tourists and crew members onto another boat.

"Meanwhile, another team of volunteers worked to control the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain's cabin, and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation."

Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore.

An FCDO spokesperson said:We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.
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When Andrew Sullivan thinks of the people his organization has helped resettle in America, one particular story comes to mind: an Afghan man in a wheelchair who was shot through the neck by a member of the Taliban for helping the U.S. during its war in Afghanistan.

I just think ... Could I live with myself if we send that guy back to Afghanistan? said Andrew Sullivan, executive director of No One Left Behind. And I thankfully dont have to because he made it to northern Virginia.

The charitable organization of U.S. military veterans, Afghans who once fled their country and volunteers in the U.S. is stepping in to help Afghans like that man in the wheelchair who are at risk of being stranded overseas. Their efforts come after the Trump administration took steps to hinder Afghans who helped Americas war effort in trying to resettle in the U.S.

No One Left Behind helps Afghans and Iraqis who qualify for the special immigrant visa program, which was set up by Congress in 2009 to help people who are in danger because of their efforts to aid the U.S. during the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.

President Donald Trump in January suspended programs that buy flights for those refugees and cut off aid to the groups that help them resettle in the U.S. Hundreds who were approved for travel to the U.S. had visas but few ways to get here. If they managed to buy a flight, they had little help when they arrived.

The White House and State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the situation for Afghans has become more tenuous in some of the places where many have temporarily settled. Pakistan, having hosted millions of refugees, has in recent years removed Afghans from its country. increased deportations. An agreement that made Albania a waystation for Afghans expires in March, Sullivan said.

Hovering over all of this is the fear that the Trump administration may announce a travel ban that could cut off all access from Afghanistan. In an executive order signed on Inauguration Day, Trump told key Cabinet members to submit a report within 60 days that identifies countries with vetting so poor that it would warrant a partial or full suspension of travelers from those countries to the U.S.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Monday that the review was ongoing and no list had been finalized.

But groups that work with Afghans are worried.

When funding was suspended, No One Left Behind stepped in. Their goal is to make sure Afghans with State Department visas don't get stuck overseas. Other organizations  many who got their start helping Afghans during the U.S. military's chaotic withdrawal from Kabul in 2021  are doing the same.

To qualify for this visa, Afghans must prove they worked for the U.S. for at least one year. That means tracking down documentation from former supervisors, who were often affiliated with companies no longer in business. They also undergo extensive vetting and medical checks.

Our view was, OK, weve got to act immediately to try and help these people, said Sullivan. Weve been in kind of an all-out sprint.

The organization has raised money to buy flights and help Afghans when they land. Between February 1 and March 17, the group said it successfully booked flights for 659 Afghans.

It also launched a website where visa holders can share information, giving Sullivan's group a starting point to figure out where they might live in the U.S.

Sullivan and the organizations ambassadors  Afghans and Iraqis who already have emigrated to the U.S., many through the special immigrant visa program  have gone to Albania and Qatar to help stranded Afghans.

Aqila is one of those ambassadors who went to Albania. The Associated Press is identifying Aqila by her first name because her family in Afghanistan is still at risk.

Aqila said many of the families didnt know what would happen when they arrived in America. Would they be homeless? Abandoned? One man feared hed end up alone in the airport parking lot because his contact in America  a long-haul trucker  couldnt come pick him up. She assured him that someone would be there.

They gave them cards with contact information for attorneys. They printed papers with information about their rights in English, Dari, and Pashto.

No One Left Behind reached out to family members and friends in the U.S. to help with the transition when they landed in America.

Mohammad Saboor, a father of seven children, worked as an electrician and A/C technician with international and U.S. forces for 17 years. Two months ago, he and his family boarded a plane to Albania in anticipation of soon being able to go to America. They landed in California on March 12, exhausted but safe

The next day he and his family explored their new apartment in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova.

Saboor said he hasnt felt safe in Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in August 2021. He worried that hed be killed as retribution for the nearly two decades hed worked with the U.S. and its allies. He wondered what kind of future his children would have in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

The family picked the suburb in the hope that the large Afghan population in the Sacramento area would help them get settled and find work. He envisions a bright future in America, where his kids can go to school and eventually give back to the country that took his family in. Arriving in the U.S., he said, gave them a great feeling.

I believe that now we can live in a 100% peaceful environment, he said.

Sullivan said he hopes there will be exceptions for Afghans in the special immigrant visa program if a travel ban is imposed. They've been thoroughly vetted, he said, and earned the right to be here.

These are folks that actually served shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops and diplomats for 20 years, he said.

Aqila, the Afghan ambassador, said it's stressful to hear stories of what people went through in Afghanistan. But the reward comes when she sees photos of those who have arrived in America.

You can see the hope in their eyes, she said. Its nice to be human. Its nice be kind to each other.
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Transgender adults in the U.S. who received gender-affirming care had a significantly lower risk of moderate-to-severe depression compared to those who did not receive treatment, researchers said Monday.

Nearly 3,600 patients who were prescribed hormones such as estrogen or testosterone over the course four years had a 15 percent lower risk of related metal health symptoms, including hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. The participants received treatment at facilities in Boston and New York.

The findings support the mental health-promoting role of hormones" and their status as "a medically necessary treatment, Dr. Sari Reisner, an associate professor of epidemiology at University of Michigan School of Public Health, told ABC News. "Hormones play a vital role in the mental health of trans people who need them."

Reisner is a co-author of the study published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

open image in gallery Researchers said Monday that transgender adults in the U.S. who received gender-affirming care had a significantly lower risk of moderate-to-severe depression compared to those who did not receive treatment. The findings support hormone treatments, according to the authors ( Getty Images )

Hormone therapy is a treatment that helps people to transition genders and achieve physical characteristics that are more masculine or feminine. It can improve a persons mental health and quality of life, aligning an individuals outer appearance with their gender identity.

But, access to the healthcare is dwindling, with restrictive policies and laws in place that block hormone therapy or transition surgery. Nearly 40 percent of transgender youth live in states that have passed bans on gender-affirming care, according to the non-profit Human Rights Campaign.

Previous research found that having access to hormones and puberty blockers for individuals between the ages of 13 and 20 was associated with 60 percent lower odds of moderate to severe depression and 73 percent lower odds of self-harm or suicidal thoughts compared to youth who did not receive the same medications over the course of a year. A study last year found that anti-transgender laws fueled up to a 72 percent increase in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth.

Its not just about accessing care; its about accessing it in a timely fashion, author Diana Tordoff explained in 2023. Delays in prescribing puberty hormones or blockers may in fact worsen mental health symptoms for trans young people.

Depression is a major issue throughout the U.S., affecting millions of Americans each year. About one out of every six adults will have depression at some point in their life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

open image in gallery Having access to gender-affirming care has been associated with lower odds of depression and self-harm. But, laws and restrictions have limited that access ( AFP via Getty Images )

American transgender and nonbinary adults  who make up approximately 1.6 percent of adults  feel these impacts disproportionately, with a two-to-four-fold increased risk of depression relative to those whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Research from the UCLA School of Law found that more than 40 percent of transgender adults in the U.S. have attempted suicide. And disparities continues to worsen as gender-affirming care becomes more difficult to access.

Notably, starting gender-affirming hormone treatment as an adolescent has been linked to better mental health than waiting until adulthood.

"Our findings underscore the importance of protecting and upholding the right to accessible healthcare for trans people," Reisner said.

If you are based in the U.S., and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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On a sunny morning in west London, a group of around 30 protesters had gathered outside a gleaming Tesla car dealership next to a busy A-road.

They were part of a Tesla Takedown UK demonstration, one of three anti-Elon Musk campaign groups that have sprung up across Britain in response to the billionaires repeated interventions in European politics.

The group, inspired by American counterpart Tesla Takedown, vowed to tank Teslas stock and called for a boycott of Musks electric vehicle company.

Elon Musk is a threat to truth, democracy and most of all the climate. He is... supporting authoritarians around the world. We need to stop him and we can, said Theodora Sutcliffe, 50, while clutching a carrier bag of hand-drawn placards.

The protest was organised by 50-year-old software engineer John Gorenfeld, who became excited after seeing what anti-Musk protesters were doing across the US on X (Twitter) competitor Bluesky.

open image in gallery A Honk if you hate Elon sign is held next to a busy A-road in west London on Saturday ( Alexander Butler/The Independent )

We originated on Bluesky. For a while, it felt like a lot of us were stunned into not protesting Trumps administration after he became president, Mr Gorenfeld told The Independent.

We were watching and waiting for someone to do something. I saw Tesla Takedown in the US and it was very exciting, so I did the same in London.

In the US, president Donald Trump has threatened to label Tesla Takedown as domestic terrorists following dozens of largely peaceful, but sometimes violent, demonstrations against the company.

Musk, meanwhile, has claimed  without evidence  that the protests were being funded by his political enemies and Democrat donors George Soros and Reid Hoffman.

A 24-year-old former US National Parks employee, who refused to give his name, joined the London protest to show solidarity with US protesters after he was fired alongside 30,000 others earlier this year as part of Musks purge of federal employees.

open image in gallery Tesla buyer = loser, reads a placard at an anti-Elon Musk protest in west London over the weekend ( Alexander Butler/The Independent )

I was visiting the UK and was looking for a way to protest against Elon Musk. There is a lot of that going on in the US and I felt a little left out, he told The Independent.

I feel embarrassed as an American in the UK. With Musk wading into British and European politics, and how Trump is treating Zelensky, I want to show that the American people do not stand for this.

Alongside weekly protests, Tesla Takedown UK also encourages British Tesla owners to sell their cars, and encourages EV drivers to boycott Tesla charging points.

A few weeks earlier, the Everybody Hates Elon group started a guerrilla advertisement campaign throughout London with similar objectives.

Tesla: The Swasticar, a poster read at a bus stop opposite Sadlers Well Theatre in Clerkenwell. Autopilot for your car. Autocrat for your country.

open image in gallery The satirical swipe at multi-billionaire Musk was organised by People vs Profiteers, a professional PR group ran by consultant Jack Steadman ( Everybody Hates Elon )

The satirical swipe at multi-billionaire Musk was organised by People vs Profiteers, a professional PR group run by consultant Jack Steadman, who has also run campaigns criticising the UKs Rwanda scheme.

We are holding Elon to account, the group said. Not happy with fuelling the far-right in the USA, Elon Musk is now doing the same in Europe.

Musk was accused of giving what appeared to be a Nazi salute during a Trump inauguration rally in January.

In response he said on X, formerly Twitter: Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The everyone is Hitler attack is so tired.

He also took aim at Germany ahead of federal elections in February, endorsing and promoting the far-right AfD, which came second in the polls.

open image in gallery A mock film advertisement for The Fast and Fuhrer showing a Doge plated Telsa Model S next to the caption Heil Tesla was also put up in Tottenham ( Overthrow Musk )

Campaign group Overthrow Musk has also taken to erecting larger-scale billboard-style posters across other parts of the capital.

The group said it was founded to fight the oligarchs and defend democracy, with their political stunts cropping up in Tottenham, Walthamstow and St Albans.

In Walthamstow, a billboard showed an image of Musk with the words: Buying a Tesla? You may be in for a Nazi surprise.

A mock film advertisement for The Fast and Fuhrer showing a Doge plated Telsa Model S next to the caption Heil Tesla was also put up in Tottenham.

It had a fake PG warning reading: Parental guidance. Teslas CEO is a far-right activist. Dont give him your money.

open image in gallery A billboard showed an image of Musk with the words: Buying a Tesla? You may be in for a Nazi surprise ( Overthrow Musk )

Dan, who designs posters for Overthrow Musk, and only gave his first name, told The Independent: Musk is an oligarch co-president. He is a very dangerous man and his support for far-right European parties shows this.

But his weak spot is Tesla. His wealth is tied up in it. Reducing Teslas sales reduces his power. We are trying to make the link between Tesla and Musk more obvious.

The UK only accounts for 4.6 per cent of Teslas market share, compared with 42.5 per cent in the US and 10.4 per cent in China. Nearly 4,000 Teslas were sold in the UK in February 2025.

Teslas market capitalisation dropped 45 per cent since hitting an all-time high of $1.5 trillion in December 2023, erasing most gains the stock made after Musk financed Trumps election campaign.
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King Charles has hosted Canadas new prime minister Mark Carney at Buckingham Palace, as Donald Trump vows his intention to make the Commonwealth nation Americas 51st state.

In a possible show of support for Ottowa as it also battles a trade war initiated by Mr Trump, Charles  who is the King of Canada  wore a red tie to the meeting in the 1844 Room of the royal residence in London.

As the pair met on Monday afternoon, Charles  who must avoid becoming directly involved in politics  brought up the importance of audiences between a monarch and a prime minister, telling Mr Carney: I know these things are rather important.

Agreeing with the monarch, Mr Carney  who was sworn in as PM last week and last met Charles in March 2020, while governor of the Bank of England  said they had much to catch up on.

The pair then sat down privately for a 30-minute meeting, with no aides in attendance, as is the custom for the Kings audiences with his prime ministers.

open image in gallery King Charles III with the prime minister of Canada Mark Carney at Buckingham Palace ( PA )

While the King has faced some pressure to issue stauncher support for Canada in the face of Mr Trumps threats, he has given multiple possible signals of his backing for the country in recent weeks, including wearing Canadian military honours, planting a maple at Buckingham Palace and sitting on a Canadian chair at last weeks Commonwealth Service.

Following the royal audience on Monday afternoon, Mr Carney then travelled to Downing Street for a meeting with his British counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, who just last month hand-delivered an invitation from Charles to Mr Trump for a second state visit to the UK.

Sir Keir, who has faced criticism over his failure to back Canada while visiting the White House last month, said it was fantastic to have Mr Carney in the UK so early in his tenure and that the relationship between the two countries has always been strong.

He added: Two sovereign allies with so much in common, shared history, shared values, shared King.

open image in gallery Mark Carney meets Sir Keir Starmer at No 10 ( Jordan Pettitt/PA )

Sir Keir also praised Mr Carney for helping to protect us against some of the economic chaos of the Conservatives during his time heading the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020.

Mr Carneys visit to the UK is his first foreign trip since taking office, and follows a meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris, as Canada also takes part in discussions within a coalition of countries who could contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

Ottowa took part in a virtual meeting of world leaders hosted by Sir Keir on Saturday, the so-called coalition of the willing, alongside Australia and New Zealand as well as many European nations.

At No 10, Sir Keir thanked his Canadian counterpart for his approach to Ukraine, saying: It doesnt surprise me that our two countries see this through a similar lens, with the same objectives.

The Canadian premier said his country and the UK have a remarkable history built on shared values.

open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer with Mark Carney in 10 Downing Street ( Jordan Pettitt/PA )

Mr Carney added: Were at a point in history where the world is being reordered, and your leadership, the leadership of the UK, Ill use the example  of Ukraine, what youve been able to do with President Macron to bring together a coalition of the willing at a crucial time, I think, will be decisive, must be decisive, in coming to a lasting solution there.

Mr Carney told Sir Keir he was honoured to take part in the Saturday call as his first international engagement since taking office, Downing Street said in a readout of the meeting.

Canada is facing a trade war with the US, with Donald Trump imposing tariffs on steel and aluminium since his return to the White House, and repeatedly proposing Canada should become Americas 51st state.

While Mr Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister of Canada last week, Mr Trumps threats have served to fuel a revival in domestic support for the long-governing party ahead of the upcoming federal election, in which it had previously been headed for a near-certain defeat.

Mr Carney has so far responded strongly to Mr Trumps threats and tariffs, which he has described as the greatest crisis of our lifetime, accusing the US president of wanting to destroy the Canadian way of life.

Additional reporting by PA
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The children of a British couple held by the Taliban without charge in a maximum security prison have denounced their parents cruel and unjust detention.

Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were detained more than six weeks ago while travelling to their home in the Bamyan province, in what the Taliban claimed last month was a misunderstanding that they had fake Afghan passports.

The couple, who married in Kabul in 1970 and have run school training programmes in Afghanistan for 18 years, were arrested on 1 February alongside an American friend, Faye Hall, and a translator from the couples Rebuild training business.

Taliban official Abdul Mateen Qani told the BBC last month: A series of considerations is being taken into account, and after evaluation, we will endeavour to release them as soon as possible.

But in what she described as a shocking escalation, their daughter Sarah Entwhistle told the Sunday Times last week that her parents had been separated and moved to a maximum security prison.

With Ms Entwhistle warning that her fathers health had significantly deteriorated, the Reynolds four adult children have also urged the Taliban to stop denying their father medical care  and to release their parents immediately.

In a statement reported by Sky News on Monday, they warned that Mr Reynolds is reportedly suffering from a chest infection, a double eye infection and serious digestive issues due to alleged poor nutrition.

Our parents' detention is cruel and unjust, they said.

Denying Dad urgent medical care violates basic human rights and contradicts the principles of mercy and compassion central to Islam, especially during Ramadan.

We urge those in power to show goodwill and release them immediately.

open image in gallery ( Rebuild Consultants )

The reason for their detention remains unclear. The couple, who originally met at the University of Bath, remained in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021, having set up an agency named Rebuild, which provides training in schools, non-profit organisations and businesses aimed at fostering healthy relationships.

With the Taliban having banned all girls education beyond primary school and preventing women from working, it has been suggested that the Reynolds may have been detained due to a course they ran for women which taught mothering skills.

But the Sunday Times reported that Ms Entwistle insisted her parents had local permission for the course and that her mother had been the first woman to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Taliban.

And while staff at Rebuild have since reportedly been interrogated to determine whether there was a missionary component to the training, both employees and the family strongly deny that they were spreading Christian teachings.
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Wetherspoon is set to slash the price of Guinness for St Patricks Day across more than 670 branches across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Punters who visit the chain will pay 3.15 on Monday to celebrate the Irish holiday, as opposed to the usual 3.60, meaning theyll save 12.5 per cent on the popular pint.

Baby Guinness shots, made up of coffee liqueur and Irish cream, will be under a two for 8 promotion as part of the day.

St Patricks Day coincides with the pub chains Monday Club promotion, meaning a number of draught beers and spirits will go down in price.

People can enjoy a pint of Ruddles or Worthingtons for 1.49, Carling for 2,49 and two cocktail pitchers for 14.25.

The price slash follows the news that theyll be removing steaks, mixed grills and gammon from its menu as of May 14. The dishes will be replaced by a new range of Gourmet Burgers.

open image in gallery St Patricks Day revellers celebrating the holiday in London last year ( Lucy North/PA Wire )

Instead, the chain will introduce a new range of Gourmet Burgers, including The Big Smoke, Buffalo Burger and Cheese Meltdown. Theyll also add a number of Korean-style chicken meals to the menu.

A spokesperson from Wetherspoons told The Independent: Wetherspoon is confident that its menu provides a variety of choices and value-for money meals.

We appreciate that some customers will be disappointed with the decision to remove steaks and grills.

The company is tipped to report soaring sales in its half-year results on Friday.

It forecast a nearly five per cent rise in food and drink sales for the six months to January 26, compared with the same period the year before, in its January trading update.

As well as soaring food and drink sales, it is expected to get an 11 per cent sales boost from its high-margin slot machines and fruit machines to help push up profit by one-tenth.

In January, chairman Tim Martin said that the company faced a 60 million jump in labour-related costs in April, as employers national insurance contributions and the minimum wage increase.
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Two British women born on the Chagos Islands are set to bring legal action against the UK Government, saying the territory should remain in UK hands and not be given over to Mauritius.

Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who were both born on Diego Garcia, have launched legal action against the Foreign Office, contesting the proposed transfer agreement.

Central to their case is the right to return to their birthplace. Chagossians were forcibly removed from the islands by 1973 to make way for a US-UK military base, and there is currently restricted access to the islands, with permits required for travel.

The proposed agreement includes a lease-back arrangement for the base on Diego Garcia, funded by British taxpayers.

While seemingly endorsed by US President Donald Trump, the deal faces resistance from the Conservative party.

Lawyers representing the two women have sent a pre-action letter to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), asserting that the Chagossian people have shut out of the conversation about the future of the islands, despite being the native inhabitants.

They also say that they do not trust Mauritius to treat the Chagossians fairly, and that they would face severe obstacles as British citizens who do not hold Mauritian nationality, including possible racial discrimination and the loss of the possibility of returning.

Ms Pompe said: Chagossians were removed from their place of birth, without their consultation, and have been treated badly for 60 years.

Since then we have been struggling to understand why we have been treated so poorly by the British government.

Our human rights have been stripped away.

Today the British government is repeating the same mistakes which it made 60 years ago.

She added: All our suffering and cries to be heard have been falling on deaf ears I want to stay British and I also want the right to return to the Chagos Islands.

Ms Dugasse described the proposed deal as bad for Chagossians.

She continued: This deal will forbid me from returning to Diego Garcia where I was born, and serves only to extend the suffering of the indigenous Chagossians.

I am a British citizen and I cannot understand why we are being treated in this horrible way.

Barrister Michael Polak, representing Ms Pompe and Ms Dugasse, added: The Governments attempt to give away the Chagossians homeland whilst failing to hold a formal consultation with the Chagossian people is a continuation of their terrible treatment by the authorities in the past.

They remain the people with the closest connection to the islands, but their needs and wishes are being ignored.

The FCDO was asked to respond to the legal letter by March 25.

An FCDO spokesperson said: We do not comment on potential legal challenges.

The negotiations were between the UK and Mauritius with our priority being to secure the full operation of the base on Diego Garcia.

However, we have worked to ensure this agreement reflects the importance of the islands to Chagossians.
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Keir Starmer has been told he is running out of excuses to press ahead with the controversial deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

It comes after a minister admitted that Britain actually has a protection in international law against one of the major reasons senior politicians have been briefed that the UK has no choice but to hand over the islands.

The government is closing in on a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands on the back of an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that the archipelago belongs to Mauritius. The agreement would see the UK lease back the Diego Garcia airbase for 140 years at an expected cost of 18bn. Donald Trump has indicated he backs the deal but critics point out that the ICJ ruling is only advisory.

The Independent has learned that senior politicians have been briefed that one of the main reasons to go ahead with the deal is that the UK would fall foul of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), preventing ships going to and from the base.

But a written answer has revealed that the UK is protected under international law against UNCLOS challenges.

open image in gallery US navy at Diego Garcia ( US Department of Defence )

It is the second major part of the legal case to fall apart after it was revealed claims that telecommunications could be stopped on the islands were also shown to be false.

The row has blown up again over the deal which is expected to cost the British taxpayer 18 billion after Mr Trump appeared to give it his blessing when he met Sir Keir in the Oval Office.

But in a speech on Monday night, Kemi Badenoch noted that the same pressure had been put on the UK government to give away the Falkland Islands to Argentina by the United Nations.

She said: Labour is negotiating the Chagos Islands away, and paying billions for the privilege. The excuses we hear about a UN court ruling and electromagnetic spectrum are nonsense.

Opposition politicians hope that if they can demonstrate the legal case for handing the islands over has collapsed then they could persuade the president to exercise his veto at the last minute.

The Indian Ocean islands represent an important part of UK-US security plans because of the strategically crucial Diego Garcia airbase.

Critics of Sir Keirs policy to press ahead with the expensive deal claim that he has wrongly persuaded the US president that a deal has to go ahead to end the legal uncertainty.

There are also questions over whether Mr Trump is aware of a potential problem in taking nuclear weapons to Diego Garcia after the transfer of ownership because Mauritius is signed up to a nuclear free treaty.

The Independent understands that one of the main reasons given to senior politicians in private briefings on why the UK has no choice but to give the islands to Mauritius is because the UK and US would fall foul of a legal challenge via the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in using the Diego Garcia airbase.

The reason for this is because UN agencies are obliged to follow rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The ICJ has ruled that the islands belong to Mauritius and while that only has advisory status for the UK and could be ignored, it has a binding status for the UN and its role in international law.

However, a written answer has blown apart this reasoning after the government itself revealed that the UK has a separate legal carve out on UNCLOS, which protects its current control of the crucial Indian Ocean islands.

Responding to a written question by Tory shadow armed forces minister Mark Francois, foreign office minister Stephen Doughty said: By Declaration dated 7 April 2003 the UK exercised the right to exclude from compulsory dispute settlement procedures in UNCLOS disputes concerning military activities, including military activities by government vessels and aircraft engaged in non-commercial service and disputes concerning law enforcement activities in regard to the exercise of sovereign rights and jurisdiction excluded from the jurisdiction of a court or tribunal under article 297 paragraph 2 or 3.

Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 297 address disputes related to marine scientific research and fisheries respectively.

open image in gallery Starmer and Trump in the Oval Office ( via REUTERS )

He added: While these exclusions remain in place, they do not prevent all possible legal challenges. It is worth noting that in the event that parties to a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of UNCLOS have chosen different procedures for the settlement of disputes, the dispute must be submitted to an arbitral tribunal unless the parties otherwise agree. Such rulings are binding on the parties.

But Mr Francois, accused the government of running out of excuses.

He said: The government is rapidly running out of excuses for spending 18 billion of taxpayers money, to rent back a vital strategic base which we already own. We have a crystal-clear opt-out from any UNCLOS decision affecting military facilities - a point which our American allies will hopefully realise too. The government should now end this Chagos chaos once and for all; just drop this bonkers plan and move on.

But this is the second time one of the major planks in the legal case on the necessity of a deal has fallen apart.

Previously, official sources the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which controls the network of satellite communications could sever the links if an international court was to rule in future that the US and UK were using Diego Garcia to run satellite communications in breach of international law.

But Labours communications minister Sir Christopher Bryant dismissed this concern altogether in another written answer.

An FCDO spokesperson told The Independent: The Chagos Islands deal is paramount for our national security. The deal secures the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia and without it, the operation of the base is at risk.

open image in gallery Mark Francois (Gareth Fuller/PA) ( PA Archive )

Without legal certainty, the base cannot operate in practical terms as it should. That is bad for our national security and a gift to our adversaries.

Finalising a deal means that we can secure strong protections, including from malign influence, which means the base can operate as it has done well into the next century.

A source added:There are numerous avenues through which Mauritius could pursue a legally binding judgment, including relevant provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or under dispute provisions of treaties to which both states are parties.

Such cases could be brought rapidly and include seeking provisional measures, themselves legally binding, which could be introduced within weeks. This would have had serious implications for base operations. Ignoring these issues is not a responsible approach for a government serious about protecting the UKs national security.
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People in the UK are likely to believe that fictional heroes like Harry Potter and Gandalf would share their political views, while villains like Darth Vader and Cruella de Vil would vote for opposing parties, new research shows.

The University of Southampton researchers behind the study say this tendency, for people to project their own views onto fictional characters, is fuelling political polarisation.

The tendency also extended beyond fiction. When presented with news stories about politicians engaging in charitable or corrupt behaviour, participants tended to associate the "good" politician with their preferred party and the "bad" politician with the opposition.

Dr Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte of the University of Southampton explained the implications of these findings: "If we see villains as belonging to the other side, then we also tend to associate more and more negative attributes with that group.

This is not only bad news for polarisation, but also makes us more easily susceptible to misinformation that confirms the existing biases we hold about the voters of certain parties."

The first of two studies, conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Vienna, surveyed 3,200 individuals in the United Kingdom and United States.

Participants were asked which political party they believed various fictional characters from popular franchises, including Marvel, Disney, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and Star Wars, would support.

open image in gallery Cruella de Vil, the villain of the 101 Dalmatians movies, was thought by many respondents to vote for opposing political parties ( Disney )

In the UK they were asked if the characters were more likely to vote Labour or Conservative, while in the US they were asked if they would vote Democrat or Republican.

The answers were then cross-referenced with the respondents own political leanings.

The researchers for the study, published in the journal Political Science Research and Method, found that people were 20 per cent more likely to project their own politics onto a hero than a villain.

The respondents were also 20 per cent more likely to say a villain would vote for the opposing party than their own.

In the second study, 1,600 people in the UK were shown one of two contrasting news stories about a local councillor  one in which the councillor donated money to a local charity and another in which they had stolen money from the charity.

open image in gallery Respondents often identified a villain like Darth Vader as belonging to the other group ( Wikimedia Commons )

The results showed that about one in six people falsely remembered which party the councillor represented, with a strong tendency to see the charitable donor as a member of their party, and the thief as a member of their rival party.

Dr Turnbull-Dugarte said: People believe heroes are more likely to belong to their group but can accept a proportion might not. Respondents were much more consistent when identifying a villain as belonging to the other group.

In a context where polarisation is high, projection appears to be more about defining who we are not, than who we are.

He added that the tendency to see heroes on their side and villains on the other was greater amongst those with stronger political identities, with those on the political left more inclined to do so than those on the right.

Dr Turnbull-Dugarte added: To overcome increasing political division, we need to recognise this tendency to project heroic and villainous traits along partisan lines and recognise that reality is always more complex and nuanced than our biases would have us believe.
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Rachel Reeves is preparing to axe a significant number of regulators, as the government continues its war on red tape.

It comes as part of an attempt to kickstart economic growth and free businesses from the shackles of regulation, the chancellor said.

Regulators have been summoned to Downing Street on Monday for a meeting with Ms Reeves, where she is expected to announce more detail on how the government will cut the cost of regulation by a quarter and set out plans to slim down or abolish the bodies themselves.

The meeting follows the announcement last week that NHS England  dubbed the worlds largest quango  would be scrapped as part of efforts to cut costs and boost economic growth.

open image in gallery Rachel Reeves has said she wants to free businesses from the shackles of regulation ( PA )

Ms Reeves said: Today we are taking further action to free businesses from the shackles of regulation.

By cutting red tape and creating a more effective system, we will boost investment, create jobs and put more money into working peoples pockets.

As well as abolishing NHS England, the government has already announced plans to fold the Payment Systems Regulator into the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and Ms Reeves is expected to commit to scrapping more regulators over the course of the parliament.

On Monday, she will announce the abolition of a third quango  the Regulator for Community Interest Companies, which will be folded into Companies House  and ministers will be instructed to report back to the chancellor by the summer with further suggestions for quangos that could be culled.

The government is expected to scrap a significant number of regulators, but it is understood the final number facing the axe has not yet been confirmed.

Eight regulators are expected to attend the meeting, including the FCA, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Health and Safety Executive.

The chancellor is also expected to use Mondays meeting to unveil 60 measures Britains regulators have agreed to take to boost economic growth.

These include fast-tracking new medicines, reviewing the 100 limit on contactless payments, simplifying mortgage rules and holding two major drone-flying trials to pave the way for drone delivery services.

open image in gallery The latest economic contraction has put more pressure on Reeves ( PA )

The measures follow a demand from the prime minister at the end of last year that regulators come up with concrete proposals to boost growth as the government attempts to turn around Britains struggling economy.

Although the UK avoided a recession in the second half of 2024, the economy continues to falter and figures released last week showed a 0.1 per cent fall in GDP in January.

Some of the changes, particularly those relating to environmental regulation, are expected to speed up the delivery of major infrastructure projects such as the long-delayed Lower Thames Tunnel and the prospective third runway at Heathrow.

Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the CBI, welcomed the announcements, saying: The UKs Gordian knot of regulations hinders investment with compliance costs that are too high, leaving us trailing the international competition.

Todays announcement signals a shift towards a more proportionate, outcomes-based approach that should deliver more sustainable growth and investment.

But Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Ms Reeves and her job-destroying, tax-hiking Budget were the biggest barrier to growth in the UK.

He added: For as long as businesses remain under the strain of Labours taxes and trade union red tape, they will be unable to focus on the priority of growth.
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Nigel Farages unveiling of 29 new Reform UK councillors fell apart within less than an hour as it emerged just nine are new, with only three of those standing for election.

The Reform leader used a press conference at a swanky London hotel on Monday to unveil the slew of new councillors, claiming their defections proved this party is very much on the up.

But the lack of high-profile names among the new defectors fed speculation that a steady stream of turncoats has largely dried up as a result of a bitter spat between Mr Farage and Rupert Lowe, the ousted ex-Reform MP.

The Conservatives said Mr Farage was seeking to distract from the open warfare engulfing Reform and hoodwink journalists. Tory officials pointed out that while Mr Farage claimed all the councillors had defected in the past two weeks, four had joined Reform a month or more before the press conference.

open image in gallery The Conservatives said Nigel Farage used Mondays announcement as a distraction from Reform UK infighting ( PA Wire )

It also came as Reform faced embarrassment after it had to sack one of its council candidates who was found guilty of fraud on Monday. Dan Turner, Reforms candidate for Louth North for Lincolnshire County Council, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud at Boston Magistrates Court.

The first count was fraud by false representation and the second was fraud by abuse of position.

Amid the turmoil for Reform, leading pollster Lord Robert Hayward warned the upcoming Runcorn by-election is now much more important for Mr Farage as he tries to restore the partys credibility.

However, Mr Farage on Monday downplayed the importance of the Runcorn by-election, pointing out it is Labours 16th safest seat. By contrast, he described Reform as the new kids on the block.

While he acknowledged there had been a little bit of turbulence in Reforms ranks, he said any upset over the ousting of Mr Lowe is very much at the edges.

The press conference came after more than a week of infighting in the party, with Mr Lowe having been stripped of the Reform whip less than 24 hours after questioning Mr Farages messianic tendencies.

open image in gallery Nigel Farage brushed off the turbulence in Reform UKs ranks ( EPA )

Reform said the Great Yarmouth MP was suspended for making verbal threats against chairman Zia Yusuf, but Mr Lowe has said he was the victim of a political hit job orchestrated by Mr Farage.

The row coincided with a slowdown in Reforms rapid rise, which has seen it shoot past the Conservatives since the general election and even overtake Labour in some surveys.

Technes most recent weekly tracker poll for The Independent showed Reform falling to its lowest point since January after the chaos in the party.

According to the result, Reform is down one point to 24 per cent, down two from its peak four weeks ago, while Kemi Badenochs Tories seem to be the main beneficiaries, going up one to 22 per cent.

Labour is also down one point to 27 per cent but maintains a three-point lead, while the Lib Dems have hit their highest point in 2025 going up one to 14 per cent.

Reform are favourites to win the Runcorn by-election to replace disgraced former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, who won the seat in July with a 15,000 majority.

But asked whether the by-election, the first of this parliament, was a must-win for his party, Mr Farage said: Its a must-win for Labour, its not a must-win [for Reform], its Labours 16th safest seat.

The latest defections to Reform come months after the party unveiled former Tory minister Andrea Jenkyns as its candidate for the mayor of Lincolnshire.

It has long been rumoured that other high-profile current and former Tory MPs are considering joining Mr Farages ranks, but so far the moves have failed to materialise.
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Rachel Reeves has ruled out "tax and spend" policies ahead of her crunch spring statement next week.

The chancellor is under pressure to fill a hole of around 20 billion in the public finances as she scrambles to meet her own financial rules following higher-than-expected borrowing and disappointing economic growth.

A further blow to her plans came on Friday, when official figures showed government borrowing had soared past February forecasts.

In an interview with the BBC, Ms Reeves signalled that she would not raise taxes, amid expectations of swingeing cuts to government departments in her statement on Wednesday.

"We can't tax and spend our way to higher living standards and better public services. That's not available in the world we live in today," she said.

UK Government borrowing has soared above forecasts last month (Jordan Pettitt/PA) ( PA Wire )

It is thought the chancellor will raise the spectre of Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget, which led to severe marked turmoil, in the run up to her statement, arguing cuts are necessary to avoid a similar fall out.

The defence budget has already been boosted by the governments controversial decision to slash spending on aid in half, a move which triggered the resignation of the international development minister. Sweeping cuts to welfare, totalling more than 5 billion, were also announced this week, prompting another backlash from Labour backbenchers.

When she delivers her spring statement, Ms Reeves will be responding to new forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility made after the Bank of England reduced its forecasts for growth this year.

Public sector net borrowing was 10.7 billion in February, 4.2 billion more than had been forecast by the OBR.

Former Labour work and pensions secretary Lord Blunkett has urged the chancellor to loosen her fiscal rules.

"I would like the chancellor to loosen a little the self-imposed fiscal rules, this is Treasury orthodoxy and monetarism at its worst," he told BBC Radio 4's the Week in Westminster.

"I would lift them marginally. I would raise the self-imposed rule by at least 10-15 billion and I would spend a great chunk of it on what we did back in '97 with the new deal for the unemployed."

Earlier this week, Treasury minister Darren Jones denied the government was "blindly cutting spending" and moving towards austerity.

Ms Reeves also told the BBC: "I recognise that with the privilege of doing a job like the one I'm doing today also comes a great deal of scrutiny. I absolutely believe that every policy that I announce, every pound of public money, of taxpayers' money that I spend, and every pound that I take from people is properly scrutinised. That's part of the job."
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Federal immigration agents violated the rights of 22 people, including a U.S. citizen, in immigration enforcement arrests during the first weeks of President Donald Trumps second term, Chicago activists and attorneys alleged Monday.

The arrests allegedly violate a 2022 agreement between Chicago groups and the federal government detailing how U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers can make  collateral arrests, where agents detain others besides those being targeted. The agreement, following a lawsuit over 2018 immigration sweeps, covers Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin, which are under the ICE office in Chicago.

Every time you hear from this administration about how they're rounding up gang members, terrorists, the worst of the worst, you need to take a dose of reality," said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center, said at a news conference. "You need to dig deeper to understand who exactly they are arresting.

The NIJC detailed alleged violations in a federal complaint filed last week on behalf of advocacy groups in Chicago. Among other things, the agreement says ICE agents can make a warrantless arrest only when they have evidence that an individual is likely to escape.

The groups are seeking the release of two people who remain detained, sanctions against arresting officers and more transparency in how the agency conducts its operations, among other things.

ICE declined comment Monday, citing pending litigation.

Aggressive immigration enforcement has been central to the Trump administration's agenda, particularly in places such as Chicago that are often called sanctuary cities because they limit cooperation between federal immigration agents and local police. To send a message, the Trump administration gathered top immigration officials in Chicago in January to kick off an enforcement operation with cameras rolling live.

But there have been limited details on how the arrests are taking place and what practices are being used.

While the 2022 settlement applied only to six states, the new federal complaint could have nationwide implications. For instance, advocates in other states could join the effort .

Of those arrested, two were deported, 19 were released on bond and one was a U.S. citizen who was released after being handcuffed for hours. Most in the complaint do not have criminal records aside from one person with a driving under the influence charge, according to attorneys.

Those detained include Abel Orozco Ortega, a 47-year-old man who was arrested Jan. 26 while returning to his suburban Chicago home after getting tamales for his family. According to the complaint, ICE was actually looking for one of his sons in his 20s who has the same name. Ortega, who is in the U.S. illegally, remains detained in Indiana.

Family members said Monday that Ortega has no criminal record. His wife has breast cancer, they said, and, they have struggled to make mortgage payments without him.

Were all human, we deserve to be treated as such, his son Eduardo Ortega, a U.S. citizen, said at a news conference.

Twelve of the arrests came from a Feb. 7 immigration sweep at a Mexican restaurant in Liberty, Missouri, where armed agents questioned employees for hours before the lunch rush. The complaint alleges agents did not have probable cause that the individuals were likely to flee before a warrant could be issued.

The federal government has until early April to respond in court. The current agreement expires in May.
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The United States under President Donald Trump has launched a new campaign of intense airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels.

This weekend's strikes killed at least 53 people, including children, and wounded others. The campaign is likely to continue, part of a wider pressure campaign by Trump now targeting the Houthis' main benefactor, Iran, as well.

Here's what to know about the U.S. strikes and what could happen next:

Why did the U.S. launch these new airstrikes?

The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year. Their leadership described the attacks as aiming to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis' profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.

Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, said his administration targeted the Houthis over their unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism. He noted the disruption Houthi attacks have caused through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key waterways for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and Europe through Egypt's Suez Canal.

We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective, Trump said.

Didn't the U.S. already target the Houthis with airstrikes?

Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. and the United Kingdom began a series of airstrikes against the Houthis starting in January 2024. A December report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies said the U.S. and its partners struck the Houthis over 260 times up to that point.

U.S. military officials during that period acknowledged having a far-wider target list for possible strikes. While the Biden administration didn't go too far into explaining its targeting, analysts believe officials largely were trying to avoid civilian casualties and not rekindle Yemen's stalemated war, which pits the Houthis and their allies against the country's exiled government and their local and international allies, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Trump administration, however, appears willing to go after more targets, based on the weekend's strikes and public remarks made by officials.

Were doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News' Face The Nation on Sunday. Thats the mission here, and it will continue until thats carried out.

Rubio added: Some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.

What could the new U.S. strikes mean for the wider Mideast?

In two words: More attacks.

The Houthis said last week they'll again target Israeli ships traveling through Mideast waterways like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, because of Israel's blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. No rebel attack targeting commercial shipping has been reported as of Monday morning.

However, the new U.S. campaign likely could inspire Houthi attacks at sea or on land beyond American warships. The rebels previously targeted oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two countries deeply involved in Yemen's war since 2015.

Although the U.S. has been striking at Houthi targets for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict, analysts at the Eurasia Group said Monday.

Gulf Arab countries "will distance themselves from ongoing hostilities but now face threats to their major oil infrastructure. The Houthis will want to hit President Donald Trump where it hurts, oil prices.

Meanwhile, the Houthis likely will expand their possible targets for ship attacks, meaning shippers will continue to stay out of the region, said Jakob P. Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners.

Where are the Iranians in all of this?

Iran long has armed the Houthis, who are members of Islams minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons back to Iran. That's likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.

The Houthis now form the strongest group within Iran's self-described Axis of Resistance." Others like Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have been decimated by Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that sparked Israel's war of attrition in the Gaza Strip. Allied Shiite militias in Iraq largely have kept their heads down since the U.S. launched retaliatory attacks last year over a drone attack that killed three American troops and injured at least 34 others at a military base in Jordan.

While Iranian state television aired footage of civilian casualties from the weekend strikes in Yemen, top political leaders stayed away from suggestion Tehran itself would get involved in the fight. Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami notably underscored the Houthis made their own decisions  while not offering any warning over what would happen if the strikes killed any members of the Guard's expeditionary Quds Force, who are believed to actively support the rebels on the ground.

We have always declared  and we declare again today  that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy, Salami said.

Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz, speaking to ABC's This Week on Sunday, warned Guard officials training the Houthis will be on the table too as possible targets for attack.

Meanwhile, Iran is still trying to determine how to respond to a letter from Trump aiming to restart negotiations over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled Sunday to Oman, which long has been an interlocutor between Tehran and the West.

The attacks on the Houthis are a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in his insistence that Iran return to the negotiating table to deal with its nuclear program, the New York-based Soufan Center said in an analysis Monday.
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Jhoan Bastidas was deported from the United States and spent 16 days at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, watched by cameras and eating small meals that left him hungry.

I was locked up all day in a little room  I counted the feet: 7 wide and 13 long  without being able to do anything, without a book, looking at the walls, Bastidas, 25, said in his fathers middle-class home in the western city of Maracaibo, Venezuela.

Three weeks after he was returned to Venezuela under President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown, Bastidas is just starting to make sense of it all  how he is back in the once-prosperous hometown that he left as a teenager; how tattoos on his chest earned him a reputation as a criminal; and how he became one of the few migrants to set foot on the naval base best known for housing terrorism suspects.

Piecing lives together

Bastidas and roughly 350 other Venezuelans who migrated to the U.S. are trying to piece their lives together after they were deported to their troubled country over the past few weeks. About 180 of them spent up to 16 days at the base in Guantanamo before being flown to Honduras by U.S. authorities and, from there, to Venezuela by the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

It is part of the White Houses efforts to deport a record number of immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Trumps government has alleged Venezuelans sent to the naval base are members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which originated in the South American country, but it has offered little evidence to back that up.

It was all very hard; all those experiences were very hard, Bastidas said. You have to be strong in the face of all those problems, you know, but I saw so much hate.

More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their homeland since 2013, when its oil-dependent economy came undone and Maduro became president. Most settled in Latin America and the Caribbean, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, they increasingly set their sights on the U.S.

Venezuela has refused to take back its own citizens from the U.S. for years, with brief, limited exceptions such as the recent flights.

Over the weekend, the U.S. government transferred hundreds of immigrants to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador after Trump invoked an 18th century wartime law to speed up deportations of alleged Tren de Aragua members. The Trump administration, however, has not provided any evidence to back up the gang-membership claim.

The immigrants were transferred even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the president broader leeway on policy and executive action to expedite mass deportations.

Leaving Venezuela

Bastidas, his mother and siblings left Maracaibo in 2018, one of the harshest years of the countrys protracted crisis. As they tested their luck in Peru and then settled in Colombia, people living in Venezuela lost jobs, formed long lines outside near-empty grocery stores and went hungry.

Their hometown saw businesses shutter and entire families sell their belongings and move away. The hourslong power outages that became everyday occurrences starting in 2019 pushed even more people to abandon Maracaibo.

He set off for Texas in November 2023, bankrolled by a brother whose promise of a car and a food delivery job in Utah convinced him to migrate.

Bastidas turned himself in to U.S. authorities after reaching the border with Mexico and was taken to a detention facility in El Paso, Texas. He remained there until early February, when one morning he was handcuffed, driven to an airport and put in an airplane without being told where it was headed.

After the aircraft landed, fellow passengers thought they were in Venezuela, but when he reached the door and only saw gringos, Bastidas said, he concluded they were wrong. When he saw Guantanamo written on the floor, it did not mean anything to him. He had never heard that word before.

Guantanamo

When inside the cell, Bastidas said, he could never tell the time of day because its only window was a small glass panel at the top of the door looking into the building. He said he only saw sunlight every three days for an hour, which was the recreation time he was allowed to spend in what he described as a cage.

Bastidas said his hands and feet were shackled whenever he left his cell, including when he went to shower every three days. At one point, he and other detainees were given small Bibles, and they began praying together, reading Scripture loudly and placing their ears against the door to hear each other.

We used to say that the one who was going to get us out was God because we didnt see any other solutions. We didnt have anyone to lean on, Bastidas added.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump has said he planned to send the worst" to the base in Cuba, including members of the Tren de Aragua. Bastidas said he is not part of the gang and believes the U.S. authorities used his tattoos to wrongly catalog him as a member of the criminal organization.

When asked which tattoos he thinks authorities misjudged, his father pulled down the neck of Bastidas white T-shirt and pointed to two black, eight-pointed stars, each inked on one side of the chest, below the collarbones.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit attempting to block further transfers to Guantanamo alleging cruelty by the guards and suicide attempts by at least three people held there.

Bastidas and other Venezuelans returned to Venezuela from Guantanamo on Feb. 20. Armed state intelligence service agents dropped them off at their homes.

Bastidas spent the next two weeks resting. He then began working at a hot dog stand.

Back home

Abandoned storefronts and homes are everywhere in Maracaibo, which once was a magnet for immigrants looking for good-paying jobs in and around nearby oil fields. But corruption, mismanagement and eventual U.S. economic sanctions saw production  and population  decline steadily.

Few people might know Bastidas by name in his sweltering hometown, but practically everyone in Maracaibo knows someone who has migrated. So, news of the Venezuelans transfer to Guantanamo was shared seemingly endlessly on social media and WhatsApp, setting off debates over their living conditions and alleged gang affiliations as well as the complex crisis that drove them to migrate in the first place.

Bastidas is leaning into faith to ignore the noise and move forward.

I see it as a kind of test that the Lord put me through, he said. He has another purpose for me. It wasnt for me to be (in the U.S.), and he kept me there (in detention) for some reason.

___

Salomon reported from Miami.
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Forecasters are warning millions of Americans across the High Plains to prepare for extremely critical fire weather.

Red flag warnings were issued in multiple states Monday, where temperatures were expected to be in the 70s and 80s and conditions were forecast to be very dry.

Dry and breezy weather may lead to the initiation and spread of wildfires. Stay weather aware and avoid activities that can lead to wildfires! the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, Texas, advised.

The High Plains states affected by the extreme fire risk include Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. It also includes cities such as Dallas and Oklahoma City.

Temperatures will rise to between 15 and 25 degrees above average over parts of the Central Plains this week during the threat.

open image in gallery Red flag warnings were issued in multiple states across the central U.S. and High Plains on Monday. The dangerous fire weather comes after wind-whipped flames burned hundreds of homes in Oklahoma last weekend ( AccuWeather )

In Colorado, wind speeds could range from 25 to 30mph.

Strong winds and dry conditions will lead to continued fire danger across the area, forecasters in Pueblo said. Wind gusts there were anticipated to increase to 65mph.

Residents of these areas should avoid outdoor burning and be mindful of anything that could possibly spark fires, such as dragging chains and mowing.

Windy weather has already knocked out power for nearly 6,800 customers in Colorado and over 9,300 in Texas, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US.

The threat was expected to extend into Tuesday and comes after wildfires and dust storms in the High Plains resulted in the deaths of 16 people last weekend.

open image in gallery Red flag warnings were issued in multiple states Monday, including Oklahoma ( Getty Images )

In Oklahoma, four people were killed and more than 400 homes were destroyed following more than 130 fires and hurricane-force winds. One man died saving his son from the fires, according to News on 6. Crews reportedly had difficulty containing the fires and rapidly became overwhelmed.

Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph, Stillwater Fire Chief Terry Essary said. Its an insurmountable task.

Even as fire weather was projected to linger, snow and gusty winds will develop over the Plains by Tuesday night. Some showers, hail, and thunderstorms are also forecast. Grand Junction, Colorado, may get up to one foot of snow.

The risk of severe weather will broaden on Wednesday, AccuWeather says, extending from the Great Lakes to the

With reporting from The Associated Press
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As Oklahomans assessed the devastation from wildfires that whipped across the state, damaging or destroying hundreds of homes, officials in both Oklahoma and Texas warned Sunday of an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week.

Were going to be back into a critical area, Oklahoma Forestry Services spokesperson Keith Merckx said Sunday.

Nearly 300 homes and structures were damaged or destroyed as more than 130 wildfires were reported across the state on Friday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said at a Saturday news conference. Officials said Sunday that at least two people had died because of the severe weather in Oklahoma.

Jeremy Cook was among the residents in Stillwater, a city of about 50,000 located about 65 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City, who returned home Saturday morning to find that his house was gone. Cook told The Oklahoman that when his family fled Friday, they loaded up three cars with photographs, pets, books and paintings.

After returning to find his home burned to the foundation, he said he was going back and forth between laughing and crying.

A preliminary count found that least 50 homes and structures were destroyed or damaged in Stillwater as multiple fires broke out, fire Chief Terry Essary said at a news conference Saturday. The fires spread rapidly and crews had difficulty containing each one because of the high winds and low humidity. He said they quickly became overwhelmed.

Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph, Essary said. It's an insurmountable task.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said Sunday that two people have been killed as a result of the weather and wildfires. She said one person died in Garfield County in a vehicle accident due to poor visibility due to dust or smoke and that a man had also died in Lincoln County.

Deborah Ferguson told News 9 that her husband, Allen Ferguson, was killed in Lincoln County. She said that her husband and her 15-year-old son had been fighting a wildfire in a pasture on Friday and as they fled on a four-wheeler, it crashed into a tree amid heavy smoke. She said her son was badly burned and is hospitalized.

Erin OConnor, a spokesperson with the Texas A&M Forest Service, said the region on Friday had the perfect recipe for wildfires with high winds, dry conditions and above normal temperatures. She said that less wind on Sunday had helped crews get a handle on the fires but that more fire activity was expected this coming week.

One of the largest fires in Texas currently had burned about 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) near Fredericksburg, west of Austin, but was 40% contained by Sunday, she said.

The winds that swept across Texas and Oklahoma were so strong that they turned over several tractor-trailers. Authorities have said three people were killed in car crashes during a dust storm caused by high winds in the Texas Panhandle on Friday.

After touring the damage in Stillwater and Mannford, a city of about 3,000 located about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Tulsa, on Saturday, Stitt went on to survey the damage at his ranch outside of Oklahoma City, where his home there had burned to the ground.

Well be rebuilding with the rest of Oklahoma, Stitt said in a video posted on X. You never think its going to happen to your place and these wildfires just come out of nowhere and can really take over.
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A Texas midwife has been arrested for owning and operating a network of illegal abortion clinics in the northeast Houston area.

Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas, the state attorney general announced on Monday.

Rojas, a midwife known as Dr. Maria, was taken into custody in Waller County. She is also charged with practicing medicine without a license.

An investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxtons law enforcement division revealed that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics under the names Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring.

The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals in order to provide medical treatment, investigators said.

open image in gallery Midwife Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas, the state Attorney General has announced ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Rojas herself also performed illegal abortion procedures in her clinics in direct violation of the Texas Human Life Protection Act, the AGs office said. Rojas is the first person to have criminal charges brought under the states near-total abortion ban.

In addition to the arrest, Paxton has filed for a temporary restraining order to shut down Rojass network of clinics to prevent further illegal activity, he added.

In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our states pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted, Paxton said in a statement.

Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.

Some states with abortion bans have exceptions to the law in cases of rape or incest, but the Texas law does not. In 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion, returning the issue of abortion regulation to individual states. In Texas, this led to the enactment of a "trigger law" banning most abortions, with exceptions for life-threatening conditions.

open image in gallery An investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxtons law enforcement division revealed that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics that employed unlicensed individuals ( Getty Images )

However, only in narrow circumstances can an abortion be carried out in order to save the life of a pregnant patient in the state.

In order to allow the abortion to take place, it must be carried out by a licensed physician, the patient must have a life-threatening condition and be at risk of death or "substantial impairment of a major bodily function" if the abortion is not performed. and the physician must try to save the life of the fetus unless this would increase the risk of the patient's death or impairment.

Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. Online court records reflect the date of Rojas offense as March 5, 2025.

She was booked into jail on March 6 and was released on $10,000 bond on March 7, according to Waller County records.
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A former lawyer for the Hmong-American woman who was brought to the United States at eight months old and lived in Milwaukee until she was deported 11 days ago to Laos says her expulsion came as a complete surprise.

Ma Yang, 37, was born in Thailand and attained legal status as a permanent US resident before the mother of five was stripped of her green card by the Trump administration some two-plus years after being released from federal prison, where she served 30 months on marijuana-related charges. In February, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Yang to report to the agencys Milwaukee facility. When she showed up, agents detained Yang, sent her to Indiana, then Chicago, and finally was shipped off to Laos.

The United States sent me back to die, Yang said.

Yang was removed from the U.S. after President Donald Trump pledged during his campaign to deport millions and millions of people. On Saturday, he invoked the rarely-used Alien Enemies Act of 1798 , which is intended for use during wartime.

In a previous interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Yang said her attorney in the case never told her deportation was a possibility. Defense attorney Matt Ricci, who represented Ma Yang in the 2020 marijuana case, disputed this on Monday, saying his files and notes showed otherwise. He said he told Yang at the time that deportation could happen, but that he didnt think it would happen.

We knew that Laos didn't take people from the U.S., Ricci told The Independent. She was doing her time, and when she got out of prison, she would presumably stay in the U.S. But there was no guarantee There were no deportations to Laos, [the idea of it] never crossed anybodys mind.

open image in gallery Ma Yang was deported from Milwaukee to Laos, a country she has never before visited ( AFP via Getty Images )

Ricci said on Monday that many of Yangs 12 siblings had been born in the U.S., but the fact that Yang was born in a refugee camp overseas simply made her the victim of stupid birth circumstances.

Nobody with any compassion would think thats any compelling reason to separate Yang from her family, said Ricci, who has not previously spoken to the news media.

It was really just a weed case, he added, with astonishment. She was such a small pawn in this whole thing. It was bad even if she didn't get kicked out of the country. She didn't do anything that deserved 30 months.

But while Yangs present situation has received widespread attention, the harrowing details of her early life have not been previously covered.

Yang was often left alone by her parents, who were both physically and emotionally abusive, Ricci wrote in a March 2022 sentencing memo reviewed by The Independent. During these times, it says, an older brother was put in charge of her care. When he got angry, the brother, who is not named in the memo, was prone to violence, the memo continues, adding, He was often angry.

open image in gallery Ma Yang has lived in Milwaukee since she was an infant ( Getty Images )

When she was 11, Yang began to run away from home, according to the memo. She was then sent to live with an aunt in Minnesota, where, at the age of 14, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Azia. Yang eventually moved back to Milwaukee. At the age of 20, the memo reveals, Yang, who has worked in a nail salon and as a bartender, had a second daughter, Fantazia.

Around 2010, after Yangs relationship with Fantazias dad ended, she met her longtime partner, Michael Bub. The two remain together, and have three children of their own, according to the sentencing memo. However, Bub has serious health issues that resulted in at least two brain surgeries. The memo says Bub is incapable of living on his own and stays with his parents, although Bubs father is himself extremely ill.

Reached by phone on Monday, Bub declined to comment.

In September 2020, Yang and Bub were among 26 people arrested in a massive takedown coordinated by federal authorities. Investigators had been eavesdropping on Yangs calls, which they said proved her involvement in a cross-country trafficking ring that shipped marijuana between California and Wisconsin, that she had received and packaged cannabis and cash, and stored numerous firearms in the home she shared with Bub.

open image in gallery Ma Yang's deportation case centers on a conviction for marijuana, which is now legal in a majority of US states ( AFP via Getty Images )

Yangs initial involvement came when her sister Xina asked if she could have packages delivered to her home, according to the sentencing memo. Ma agreed, but specifically chose not to ask what was in the packages, the memo states.

It did not take long to figure out something illicit was occurring, but she did not ask what was in the packages, the memo contends. She was told by her sister that she couldnt get in trouble if she didnt know what was in the packages.

In court filings, Yang, who had no prior criminal record, placed the bulk of the blame for the weapons on Bub, who was released from prison in January 2024. He was a gun enthusiast, owned the firearms legally, and enjoyed going to the range, according to a 2020 bail motion Ricci submitted to the court. The subsequent sentencing memo points to Yangs sister and her sisters boyfriend as the ones who roped her into the situation, contending that Yang felt immense shame of her own for her actions.

She certainly regrets her involvement in her crimes, but she has other significant regrets as well, the memo said. [S]he has been absent from her family, watching her children grow on video camera. She has not helped her children with their homework. Her children had their own difficulties, prior to the arrest. She has not helped her daughter with speech therapy or been present for her autistic son. She is trying to raise her children from jail.

As Riccis sentencing memo argued, She is guilty. She has suffered. She has no record. There is nothing to suggest an intent to reoffend. A probationary sentence is appropriate in this matter.
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A tiny, one-tree shrubbery park in Portland has, after more than five decades, lost its title as Worlds Smallest.

Mill Ends Park, which measures just 452 square inches, was officially recognized as the tiniest in the world by Guinness World Records in 1971. Five years later, on St. Patricks Day, the city of Portland formally adopted it as an official park.

However the title has now been transferred across the pacific to Nagaizumi Town, in Japan.

The park, constructed in 1988, measures 372 square inches and was officially designated as a city park on Christmas 2024  at which point it claimed the official world title.

The Japanese park consists of a small square brick enclosure containing plants and a rock, atop of which sits a small wooden seat.

open image in gallery The title of Worlds smallest park has now been claimed by Nagaizumi Town, in Japan. The record was previously held by Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon ( Guinness World Records )

The Japanese park was constructed after a staff member of the Nagaizumi Town Hall visited Oregon in 1988 and was inspired to construct the smallest park after seeing Mills End Park.

Despite losing its long-held title, Portland Parks & Recreation responded with humor, saying, "If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, we are most flattered indeed."

Since its construction in 1947 Mill Ends Park has become part of Portlands identity.

According to the City of Portland website, the park was created by Oregon Journal reporter Dick Fagan who, after returning from World War II, held an office with a view of Front Street (now Naito Parkway) and an unused hole for a light pole that never arrived.

open image in gallery According to the City of Portland website, Mill Ends Park was created by Oregon Journal reporter Dick Fagan. The park remains the site of St. Patrick's Day festivities ( Davey Nin/Wiki Commons )

Fagan later began a popular column called Mill Ends, which he used to describe the park and the various "events" that occurred there. Fagan billed the space as the "World's Smallest Park."

The park was dedicated on St. Patrick's Day in 1948 since Fagan was a good Irishman, according to the city.

Many of Fagans columns described the lives of a group of leprechauns, who established the "only leprechaun colony west of Ireland" in the park, with their leader named Patrick O'Toole.

After Mill Ends officially became a city park on St. Patricks Day in 1976, the park continued to be the site of St. Patrick's Day festivities.
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Prince Harrys U.S. visa documents are set to be made public this week , following a months-long legal battle.

The Duke of Sussex moved to the United States from the UK in 2020 with his wife Meghan, after stepping back from their royal duties.

US conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation has pushed for documents that allowed him entry to be revealed, and successfully appealed a September ruling that there was no substantial public interest in doing so.

Heres what we know about the case, and what could be revealed when the visa papers are made public this week.

Why are Harrys documents being made public?

The case came about when right-wing The Heritage Foundation sought to find out whether Harry had lied on his immigration paperwork about past drug use, or whether he had received special treatment to enter the US.

The foundation argued there was intense public interest in knowing whether the Duke of Sussex had been truthful, after his 2023 memoir Spare revealed he had used cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms in the past.

Heritage's attorney Samuel Dewey previously said if he lied, Harry could be deported. People are routinely deported for lying on immigration forms, he previously said.

open image in gallery Details from Prince Harrys US immigration application will be released shortly ( Getty Images )

Why is the judge releasing them?

Judge Carl Nichols initially ruled in September 2024 that there was minimal public interest in making Harrys visa documents public.

The ruling came after the Department of Homeland Security rejected an FOI request from The Heritage Foundation.

But in February, the department agreed to release redacted versions of the forms , as long as the disclosure would not violate Harrys privacy.

Judge Nicholes said during a February hearing that he wanted "maximum disclosure as long as it doesn't violate privacy, and in court documents dated 15 March, he directed the Department of Homeland Security to release redacted versions of the documents by Tuesday this week.

open image in gallery Harry moved to California in 2020 to start a new life with his American wife Meghan ( Getty Images )

What has Harry said?

Prince Harry moved to California with his wife Meghan in 2020 after stepping down as senior royals, as his relationship with his family, including his father King Charles III and his brother Prince William, continued to deteriorate.

The prince has since been increasingly open about the details of his private life. In his memoir Spare, Harry wrote he first started taking cocaine when he was 17 years old to feel different and said it wasnt very fun, but said marijuana really did help me deal with trauma.

The Duke of Sussex has said he plans to stay in the U.S. for good.

"I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here, he said in an interview with the New York Times .

open image in gallery US President Donald Trump does not want to deport Prince Harry ( PA Wire )

What has Trump said about it?

President Donald Trump previously said he would not deport Prince Harry over the visa saga, taking a jab at Meghan in the process

I dont want to do that, he told the New York Post in February. Ill leave him alone. Hes got enough problems with his wife. Shes terrible.

Trumps son Eric previously said his father loved the Queen and the British monarchy, and the president was also fond of King Charles.

I can tell you that our father and our entire family has tremendous respect for the monarchy, he told The Daily Mail late last year.

What detail could Prince Harrys immigration documents contain?

open image in gallery Its unclear how much detail the redacted documents will contain ( Getty Images )

The release documents will have redactions, so it is unclear whether The Heritage Foundation will find the detail it has been seeking for about two years now.

In February, a US government attorney complained the documents would be a shell after the redaction process, after Judge Nichols asked the Department of Homeland Security to suggest redactions or continued withholdings to the forms. The documents could detail what visa the Prince used to enter the US.

Experts have speculated that Harry could have used an A-1 Head of State visa which comes with less stringent security checks, and would have allowed Harry to come and go from the US frequently with no limit on the duration of his stay, an immigration expert previously told The Daily Mail .

Could Prince Harry lose his US visa?

Whatever the documents say, and given Trumps previous comments, it seems Harry will likely be safe to continue living in the U.S.

Harry confirmed he was a resident of the US last year through paperwork filed by a travel company majority owned by him.

The U.S. routinely asks about drug use on visa applications, and while it can make entering the country difficult for some - including model Kate Moss - it does not automatically bar people from travelling to or staying in the U.S.
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A delivery driver who had needed skin grafts after being seriously burned when a Starbucks drink spilled on his lap was awarded $50 million dollars in a lawsuit on Friday.

A lawsuit claimed that a Starbucks barista had negligently failed to secure one of three venti-sized Medicine Ball tea drinks before handing the order to Michael Garcia, who was working for Postmates at the time, the firm representing him, Trial Lawyers for Justice, said.

One of the drinks fell on Garcias lap, causing third-degree burns to his penis, groin and inner thighs, leading to hospitalization and multiple skin grafts, his attorney said.

A Los Angeles County jury awarded Garcia, who has suffered suffered permanent and life-changing disfigurement, according to his attorneys, $50 million.

open image in gallery A delivery driver won a huge pay out from Starbucks after one of their baristas failed to properly secure the lid on a hot tea, a jury found. ( AP )

This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility, one of Garcia's attorneys, Nick Rowley, said in a statement.

Starbucks said it sympathized with Garcia but planned to appeal.

We disagree with the jurys decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive," the Seattle-based coffee giant said in a statement to media outlets, adding that it was committed to the highest safety standards in handling hot drinks.

U.S. eateries have faced lawsuits before over customer burns.

In one famous 1990s case, a New Mexico jury awarded a woman nearly $3 million in damages for burns she suffered while trying to pry the lid off a cup of coffee at a McDonalds drive-through. A judge later reduced the award, and the case ultimately was settled for an undisclosed sum under $600,000.

Juries have sided with restaurants at times, as in another 1990s case involving a child who tipped a cup of McDonald's coffee onto himself in Iowa.

---

Additional reporting by AP.
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President Donald Trump says he was being a little bit sarcastic when he repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours.

Trump made the rare admission when was asked about the vow he repeatedly made as a candidate - as his administration continues to try to broker a solution almost 60 days into his second term.

Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that, Trump said in a preview of an interview for the Full Measure television program, before it was due to air on Sunday.

What I really mean is Id like to get it settled and, Ill, I think, I think Ill be successful.

Trump said at a CNN town hall in May 2023: Theyre dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And Ill have that done  Ill have that done in 24 hours.

open image in gallery Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky met in the Oval Office in February ( AFP via Getty Images )

Again, during his September debate with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump said: That is a war thats dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president.

If I win, when Im president-elect, and what Ill do is Ill speak to one, Ill speak to the other. Ill get them together.

The Republican, who has a long record of making exaggerated claims, repeated the claim frequently on the campaign trail.

His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in Moscow this week for talks on a U.S. proposed ceasefire, which Ukraine has accepted.

In the interview, Trump was also asked what the plan would be if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire to the war he started three years ago.

Bad news for this world because so many people are dying, Trump said.

But I think, I think hes going to agree. I really do. I think I know him pretty well and I think hes going to agree.
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A Navy warship that had been used to fight Houthi rebels in the Middle East is being deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border to provide added security.

The USS Gravely, which was used in combat in the Middle East last year, will now be heading to the Mexico border, Defense Department officials announced over the weekend, the same day the vessel departed the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Virginia.

The department said the ship will contribute to military efforts in response to President Donald Trumps immigration executive orders to restore integrity at the U.S. southern border, the statement read. Gravely reinforces the nations commitment to border security by enhancing maritime efforts and supporting interagency collaboration.

The effort is part of an interagency response to combating maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction and illegal seaborne immigration.

Gravelys sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security, said General Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command.

open image in gallery The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Gravely docked at its home port Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia. The warship is now heading to the U.S.-Mexico border ( Getty Images )

open image in gallery The ship had previously been used in a nine-month deployment and played a pivotal role in providing air defense for a strike group conducting missions against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen ( Getty Images )

Deploying the vessel is unusual because the waters in the area - which Trump has renamed the Gulf of America from the Gulf of Mexico - are usually protected by the U.S. Coast Guard.

A U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment will be placed on the ship, signaling that it could be utilized against migrants found in the ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard is the countrys primary maritime law enforcement agency.

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for additional information. Officials did not release additional details about the vessels potential missions.

The USS Gravely is a missile destroyer. It was named after Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely Jr., the first Black man to become an admiral and commander of a warship and fleet. He served from 1944 until his retirement in 1980.

The vessel spans 510 feet in length and was first deployed in 1991.More than 320 crew members operate the ship and its weapons, including missiles, torpedoes and guns. There are also helicopters on board the ship equipped with torpedoes and missiles.

The ship had previously been used in a nine-month deployment and played a pivotal role in providing air defense for a strike group conducting missions against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and escorting shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, officials said in July.
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On the day Joe Biggs found out he was being released from a lengthy jail sentence by the newly inaugurated Donald Trump, a prison officer was on hand to dampen his mood.

You're still gonna get screwed, Biggs recalls the guard warning him. You're not getting pardoned. You're only getting your sentence commuted, so you're still a terrorist.

It would turn out to be a prescient parting shot.

Days after returning to the White House for a historic second term, Trump overturned the biggest single prosecution in American history by issuing a mass pardon of 1,500 people for their role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

But a much smaller group of 14 people, Biggs included, had their sentences commuted without a pardon, meaning they were released from jail with their crimes still on the books.

Im extremely disappointed in him, Biggs, a former leader of the far-Right Proud Boys who received one of the highest sentences of the January 6 attackers, says of Trump.

I didn't go to trial and blame him for it. I didn't go and say, Oh, this was Trump's fault. I sat there and I bit my tongue and I ate it.

open image in gallery Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys (L) and Joe Biggs (R) gather outside of Harry's bar during a protest on December 12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. ( Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images )

Biggs was sentenced to 17 years for seditious conspiracy for his role in the attack on the Capitol. Prosecutors said he served as an instigator and leader of the attack and that by tearing down a fence between protesters and police on that day he took a deliberate, meaningful step to disrupting the electoral vote count.

Despite only serving four years of that sentence, Biggs complains that his life is still on hold until he can get a pardon.

Its like you're out of jail, but you're still in jail, he tells The Independent.

You're kind of a burden on your family when you're in prison. But now I come home and I'm just draining money. I'm not bringing anything to the table to help my family. So I'm more of a burden, and I don't fit in. I don't feel right, says Biggs.

Because of his particular circumstances, Biggs is now one of only 14 people in the entire country to face any lasting legal consequences for what has been described as the worst attack on American democracy since the Civil War.

His story is full of the same contradictions that characterize the most extreme parts of Trumps MAGA base. He has gone to jail for Trump, been forgotten by Trump, and yet still believes in Trump.

In the years since the attack, his views on the meaning of January 6 have shifted and changed depending on his circumstances.

At his sentencing, he spoke through tears as he expressed regret.

On January 6 I was seduced by the crowd and I just moved forward, he said. My curiosity got the better of me and I have to live with that for the rest of my life, and I'm so sorry.

Today, though, he is less circumspect. Asked if he had any regrets about his actions that day, he replies: No, not really.

If I was there slapping people around and acting stupid, yeah, I would probably be ashamed of something like that, he says.

What he does regret, however, is not getting a pardon. As a retired veteran, Biggs received a monthly pension that provided a large part of his income. He also received health care through the Veterans Affairs agency to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a traumatic brain injury he suffered while deployed to Iraq, for which he received a Purple Heart.

All of that was cut off as a result of his conviction.

I have PTSD, I have anxiety, I have sleeping issues. You throw in four years of combat, plus four years in prison, two years in solitary confinement  I'd like to be able to go to the doctor. I'd like to be able to talk to somebody and work on some stuff, he says.

Still, he says he has no regrets for his actions that day. And despite all the damning evidence  the video footage, photos, text messages, and social media posts  Biggs still insists the Democrats, the media and the Justice Department exaggerated the severity of January 6 simply to hurt Trump.

Biggs, who describes himself on X as a Right Wing Extremist and Proud Terrorist to the left, has reached out to the key MAGA figures who championed his cause while he was in jail for help. He went to CPAC last month and met with Steve Bannon, but he has since been brushed aside.

All they care about is having you on their show so they can sell their f***ing products and make money off of you and your story, and then as soon as you walk away, they forget all about you, he says.

The Trump administration has not given an explanation as to why some of the convicted attackers were given commutations instead of pardons. There is no definitive correlation between the seriousness of the charges and who received one  Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys who received the highest sentence of all, 22 years, was pardoned. Tarrio was not at the Capitol that day, but prosecutors accused him of leading the assault from afar. Many others who committed acts of violence against Capitol police officers also received pardons.

It blows my mind that there's people out there with violence  they're ripping furniture apart and trying to chase cops around, bash their heads in, and they get a full pardon. And meanwhile, I walk around, ask a cop for a bathroom to take a leak, and get treated like a terrorist the entire time, Biggs says.

Biggs argues his actions on the day in question were the result of being swept along by the crowd, not an attempt to overturn the election.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, accused Biggs of being the tip of the spear during the attack on the Capitol, part of a cell created by the Proud Boys leadership that conspired to prevent, hinder, and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States.

Full list of January 6 rioters whose sentences were commuted Stewart Rhodes: Sentenced to 18 years in prison. Kelly Meggs: Sentenced to 12 years in prison. Kenneth Harrelson: Sentenced to 4 years in prison. Jessica Watkins: Sentenced to 8.5 years in prison. Roberto Minuta: Sentenced to 4.5 years in prison. Edward Vallejo: Sentenced to 3 years in prison, with the first year on home confinement. David Moerschel: Sentenced to 3 years in prison. Joseph Hackett: Sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. Ethan Nordean: Sentenced to 18 years in prison. Joseph Biggs: Sentenced to 17 years in prison. Zachary Rehl: Sentenced to 15 years in prison. Dominic Pezzola: Sentenced to 10 years in prison. Jeremy Bertino: Sentencing delayed.

They said Biggs breached multiple barricades and tore down fencing on his way into the Capitol.

As the attack was unfolding, Biggs posted a video from the west lawn of the Capitol in which he stood alongside his fellow Proud Boys and said: January 6 will be a day in infamy. The next day he appeared on a podcast and said the attack was a warning shot to the government look, we started this country this way and well f***kin save it this way.

Prosecutors justified the long sentence by arguing that he was criminally responsible for actions taken by those who joined the plot because of his prominent role in the Proud Boys.

The true nature of Defendants dangerousness stems from his role as a leader, and his ability to encourage and coordinate the actions of others in breaching the Capitol at a precise place and time, the prosecutors said.

Biggs claims to have only been in the Capitol building for around 5-6 minutes and didnt commit any acts of violence. He also denies the central claim by prosecutors that he was there that day to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Four years on, the attack on the U.S. Capitol remains the defining political event of the modern era.

Spurred on by Trumps false and repeatedly debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, thousands of his supporters marched on the Capitol while the results were being certified. When it became clear that legal efforts to stop the certification had been exhausted, those supporters used violence to force their way inside, beating Capitol police officers and forcing an evacuation of the building to stop the process.

More than 140 police officers were injured in the riot that followed. One rioter was shot and killed by police as she tried to break through a window into the main chamber. Three people died as a result of medical emergencies suffered during the attack and four officers present that day later died by suicide.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Trump and the attackers received widespread condemnation from Democrats and Republicans. Today, the meaning of the attack has become a partisan issue.

After initially condemning the violence at the Capitol, Trump reversed course in the years that followed and now refers to it as a day of love. In announcing his pardons, he called the jailed rioters hostages.

His campaign to rebrand January 6 worked. His base and his party followed suit.

The percentage of Republicans who strongly disapprove of the attack dropped more than 20 points since January 2021  from 51 percent to 30 percent. More than 70 percent of Republicans supported pardoning those who forced their way into the Capitol.

Trump promised to pardon the January 6 attackers during his campaign for his second term, and fulfilled that promise in his first days in office.

For half of the country, it was the final act of betrayal by a man who had successfully dodged justice for trying to overturn an election. But for Biggs and others involved in the attack, it was the righting of a historic wrong.

Biggs insists the prosecutions against him and the Proud Boys were directed by the Biden administration, then carried out by the Justice Department and un-American communist losers in the FBI to send a message.

They needed a well-known Boogeyman. You can't if it would have just been like some obscure you've got, you know, guy from Utah, right? You know that wouldn't have been scary, he insists.

open image in gallery FILE - Proud Boys members Joseph Biggs, left, and Ethan Nordean, right with megaphone, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. ( Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

He received just one year less than the leader of the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, who came to Washington, D.C., that day with a team of fellow militia members promising a bloody and desperate fight. His group spent thousands of dollars on weapons and formed a quick reaction force that was waiting at a hotel across the river in Virginia waiting to join the fight.

The Capitol attack wasnt the first time Biggs had been in trouble. He and other members of the Proud Boys were successfully sued for $1 million by a historic Black church in Washington, D.C., for destruction of property after they tore down a large Black Lives Matter sign. In his ruling, Judge Kravitz called their conduct hateful and overtly racist.

That judgment has exacerbated his current financial and legal troubles.

Since the pardons were issued, militias and far-right groups like the Proud Boys have been emboldened and are regrouping with Trumps tacit support.

Late last month, Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes, the leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, held a press conference outside the Capitol building to condemn what Rhodes called the massive fake conspiracy case against Trump and their two groups.

The two have spent most of their time since their release calling for retribution against prosecutors who convicted him and his co-conspirators.

Rhodes, who also only received a commutation, is fighting his own battle for a pardon.

Im definitely, of course, appreciative and grateful for President Trump for getting me out of prison, Rhodes told Real Americas Voice during an interview on Sunday. But I was completely innocent like my co-defendants.

What that means is that although our prison sentences are ended  were free  we are still second-class citizens because were all still felons, he added.

Biggs, meanwhile, claims he is focused on getting his own life back on track before he fully commits to the Proud Boys again.

If anybody's focus is on a club right now, and not them getting their life back, then their priorities are a little off, he says. I'm friends with all those guys, and I've been to a few events, but I don't know right now. I just want to get all my stuff squared away.
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The Democratic Partys popularity has hit a new record low, just days after the U.S. Senate Minority Leader endorsed a Republican bill to avert a government shutdown, according to new polls.

The record low came in a pair of damning new polls Sunday  suggesting that things have only gotten worse for the party that suffered a brutal defeat in the November 2024 U.S. election.

An NBC News poll that surveyed a thousand registered voters, found that just 27 percent of people viewed the party positively.

It also revealed that 65 percent of Democrats wanted Democratic lawmakers to stick to their guns  even if this slowed things down in Washington  while just 32 percent believed that bending to Trump to gain his support on legislation was key.

A second poll, released by CNN and conducted by SSRS, also presented dismal findings for the party. Only 29 percent positively favored the Democrats  a record low in CNNs polling since 1992.

open image in gallery Former US President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris listen at Donald Trumps inauguration ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images )

The party has dropped 20 points since January 2021  when Trump came to the end of his tenure and shortly after the January 6 Capitol attack unfolded on Washingtons steps.

The polls have shone a light on the divisions in the party. By contrast, the CNN survey found that 79 percent of Republicans retained a positive view of the GOP.

Trump has also faced a recent polling blow. A 51 per cent majority disapproves of his performance, and felt pessimistic on issues like the economy, though these did not drop as low as the poorest marks on the issue during the Biden administration, as per the latest NBC poll and a CNBC polling from 2022.

On Friday, it was revealed that 60 per cent of registered voters disapproved of how DOGE was dealing with federal government employees amid massive job cuts, as per a Quinnipiac University survey.

open image in gallery More than half the country disapproves of Trumps performance, another poll said ( REUTERS )

Speaking with The New York Times in an interview Sunday, Chuck Schumer explained the core values of the dwindling opposition party: We are the party of working people. We feel that very very strongly. Thats who we have always been.

The Republican Party is a dramatic contrast to that. In the last twenty or thirty years, in my judgment, theyve been taken over by a cabal of greedy and very wealthy people, he continued. And their whole goal is to reduce taxes, cut their own taxes  even though theyre extremely rich, get rid of any government regulation.

NYT reporter Lulu Garcia-Navarro interjected Schumer to tell him that this was not how the American people viewed the Democratic party at present.

Speaking on behalf of several Democratic leaders, Schumer went on to criticize President Trump, stating: Donald Trump is making the middle-class pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

He said the president was orchestrating cuts through decisions like slashing funding to Medicaid, education, and driving up tariffs  creating havoc in the economy.

Further cementing the party rift, Schumer came under fire from fellow Democratic leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Friday, hours before the Senate narrowly avoided a shutdown  a move she warned would be a tremendous mistake.

I cannot urge enough how bad of an idea it is to empower and enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk in this moment. It is dangerous and it is reckless, AOC told CNNs Jake Tapper.
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With continued influence over nearly every major government agency, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been granted extraordinary power over federal systems and programs which has the strong potential of directly boosting his bottom line.

Even as Tesla faces a nationwide public backlash, Musk is poised to weaken federal agencies with direct oversight of his companies and just last week capitalized on President Donald Trumps promotion of his vehicles outside the White House.

Hes also making his gratitude known  and proving that it pays off.

While setting himself up to affect policy that could conceivably increase his net worth by billions, Musk is pouring millions into efforts to cement the Republican Partys control across the nation. His latest effort is taking place in Wisconsin, where a critical statewide election is taking place at the beginning of April.

The states supreme court is currently split 4-3 with a liberal majority, one that has been in place just two years since the election of Janet Protasiewicz. Conservatives, emboldened by Trumps victory in Wisconsin this past November, are hoping to seize on that momentum and retake the courts majority.

Democrats this time around are backing Susan Crawford, a circuit court judge from Dane County. Shes up against Brad Schimel, a fellow circuit court judge and Wisconsins former attorney general.

Schimel is an open Trump supporter (even dressing as him for Halloween) and has attended multiple explicitly Republican events despite bans on openly partisan activity for members of the judiciary. He was appointed to the circuit court bench in 2018 after losing his battle for reelection.

open image in gallery Then-attorney general Brad Schimel at a rally for former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in 2018, the year Schimel lost re-election. ( Getty Images )

Health care advocates are particularly worried about the impact the race could have on Wisconsin, given Schimels history. In 2018, a year after the failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Congress, Schimel teamed up with the Texas attorney general to lead a multi-state lawsuit aimed at killing the healthcare program largely known as Obamacare.

I can tell you that as a physician, I am very concerned about my patients ability to get health care in Wisconsin, Dr Kristin Lyerly, an OBGYN and board member of the advocacy group Committee to Protect Health Care, told The Independent.

When he was the attorney general, [Schimel] led the charge to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and to me, that's where I get my own health insurance, said Lyerly, a former Democratic congressional candidate. That's where so many of my patients, over 300,000 Wisconsinites, are able to access healthcare, because of the ACA.

Lyerlys group joins a host of others including reproductive rights advocates in lining up against Schimel, who is endorsed by one of the nations leading anti-abortion campaigns: Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America.

Abortion rights were formally re-established by law in Wisconsin in 2023, following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade by the US Supreme Court, but the return of a conservative majority at the states highest court could reverse that landmark gain for the left.

Musk is pouring money into Schimels cause even as Donald Trump has not yet formally endorsed in the race  a sign that the tech billionaire is hoping to strengthen his own ties with the broader GOP base, and is taking on his political activities for the long haul.

Crawford has spent more than Schimel directly as the race nears the April 4 vote, but a Wispolitics.com analysis found that outside spending (led by more than $10 million in ad buys from two Musk-aligned PACs) is tilting the money game in Schimels favor.

open image in gallery DOGE baron Elon Musk is using Donald Trumps name (through his PAC) to support Brad Schimel in the expensive state supreme court race. ( Getty Images )

Even without Trumps endorsement, Musks America PAC has issued mailers describing support for Schimel as a vote to support Trump and the MAGA agenda.

The race is likely to be the most expensive state supreme court election in history  just beating out the previous one in 2023. Spending that year totaled more than $45 million.

Lyerly warned that the impact of setting the state on a radically different course  overturning abortion rights and rolling back healthcare access  would accelerate a brain drain in Wisconsin as younger residents and physicians leave for safer opportunities elsewhere.

Attitudes like Brad Schimels  which prevent people from getting full scope reproductive health care, drive doctors out of the state, drive people of reproductive age out of the state, Lyerly said.

This brain drain, which has been happening since ... before he was the attorney general, it has continued to deplete the state, both from a talent perspective and an economic perspective.

open image in gallery Dr Kristen Lyerly, an emergency room physician with the Committee to Protect Health Care, spoke at a rally against Brad Schimel outside of Wisconsin's state capitol building in March. ( Twitter: Committee to Protect Health Care )

All of this comes as Musk is leading cuts at the federal level targeting agencies which deliver critical social-safety net benefits to vulnerable Americans, including the elderly and low-income families.

In Congress, Republicans are taking a similar route by eyeing cuts to Medicaid and federal food stamp benefits as well as the implementation of work requirements as they work to construct a budget plan. More than one million Wisconsinites rely on Medicaid benefits in some fashion, according to a recent analysis.

The result? Voters in the state are quickly turning out to express their displeasure. Several of Wisconsins Republican members of Congress have said that they would opt for tele-town halls going forward to dodge a wave of angry constituents turning in-person events into calamitous screaming matches.

So many people are worried about what's going to happen with their Medicaid, said Lyerly. My friends and my neighbors who are disabled are concerned about how they're going to be able to continue living. They're already living on a shoestring budget, she noted.

Constituents are very angry and very frustrated., she emphasized. They want to be represented. They're not thinking about this in terms of Republicans and Democrats. They're thinking about this like, I don't know how I'm going to live my life if this continues. And it's just getting started.
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The family of a German national who has been in the U.S. on a green card for 17 years and was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport has no idea why he is being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Fabian Schmidt joins a growing number of visa and green card holders in the U.S. who have found themselves swept up in the Trump administrations aggressive immigration crackdown.

The 34-year-old electrical engineer has held a green card since 2008 and renewed it last year, according to his mother, Astrid Senior, who also lives in the U.S. on a green card.

He was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport on March 7 after returning from a short vacation visiting family in Germany. Senior claimed he was interrogated before being taken to Rhode Islands Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls. She has not heard from her son since March 11.

I feel helpless. Absolutely helpless, Senior told NBC News.

open image in gallery German national Fabian Schmidt was returning to the U.S. after a vacation when he was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport on March 7, according to his mom. He is being detained in an ICE detention facility in Rhode Island. ( Astrid Senior/Gofundme )

Schmidt, who lives in Nashua, New Hampshire, with his partner and child, faced a misdemeanor charge a decade ago but has no active legal issues, Senior told the outlet.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection assistant commissioner, Hilton Beckham, said in a statement: If statutes or visa terms are violated, travelers may be subject to detention and removal.

Due to federal privacy regulations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection cannot disclose details about specific cases, Beckham added.

The family claims that Schmidt was forced to strip naked before being placed in a cold shower and shoved back into a chair, according to reports. His family said agents pressured him to give up his green card. He was also held without food or water, and taken to the hospital after collapsing from the flu, his mother claimed.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson blasted the claims as false.

open image in gallery Schmidt joins a growing number of U.S. visa holders who have been swept up in Trumps immigration crackdown. Ivy League Dr. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon over the weekend despite a court order ruling she remain in Massachusetts. ( Handout )

Senior has launched a Gofundme page to support Schmidts legal fees. It has so far raised over $4,000. His legal costs are now racking up, and obviously he is not able to work and earn, Senior said. He really needs our help.

The case comes as Ivy League Dr. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon despite a court order that she stay in the U.S. until a court could determine more details of her case. Alawieh, a Brown Medicine doctor specializing in kidneys, must stay in Lebanon for now while a federal judge hears arguments to determine whether Donald Trumps administration intentionally defied a court order to halt her deportation.

Alawieh was also detained at Boston Logan International Airport Thursday after returning from a trip visiting family in Lebanon.
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Proudly holding their shiny binders titled the Epstein files Phase 1 outside the White House, MAGA influencers believed they had the real deal.

Donald Trumps new Attorney General ,Pam Bondi, had vowed to release the Epstein files after taking over the Justice Department, but the process has been hit with delays and excuses, including claims that she was misled.

In a possible bid to get MAGA off her back, Bondi invited right-wing personalities  including commentator Liz Wheeler, Chaya Raichik, who is the person behind the prolific Libs of TikTok X account, Republican activist Scott Presler and conservative commentator Rogan OHanley to name a few  down to the White House on February 27 to see the files for themselves.

They hoped that the files might shed light on one of the most sinister figures in American public life  and those who may have taken part in his crimes.

open image in gallery MAGAs Rogan OHandley, Chaya Raichik, and Liz Wheeler proudly hold up the Epstein files Phase 1 binders. When it turned out they mostly contained no new information, there was uproar. ( REUTERS )

Jeffrey Epstein  a financier with a taste for the high life and his own private island  was once a friend to the rich, famous and powerful, counting presidents, royals, Hollywood stars and celebrity lawyers among his acquaintances. But he was also a child sex offender. In 2008 he was convicted in Florida of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute. In 2019 he was being held on charges of sex trafficking minors when he died by suicide in a New York jail cell.

None of the Epstein clients suspected of taking part in the sexual exploitation of girls and young women with him have ever been brought to justice; only one person  his former confidante Ghislaine Maxwell  has ever been charged or convicted.

So hopes were high that Bondis release of the files would finally help expose a network of abusers who had so far escaped culpability.

It turned out to be nothing more than a PR stunt because the binders mostly contained information already in the public domain. The farcical episode ignited even more rage on the right  and some on the left  as prominent MAGA commentators furiously lashed out on Elon Musks X platform.

There is one person who takes the blame for what happened today. Its @PamBondi, Laura Loomer fumed. I think she should resign. She went on Fox News and said the files were on her desk. Then she went on Fox News last night and said we would have files today. She is a total liar.

Bondi has since blocked Loomer on X, according to the right-wing activist.

GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR instead of leaking old info to press, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna also demanded.

The saga of the Epstein files has captivated the MAGA movement and now President Donald Trumps attorney general finds herself in the unenviable position of facing their wrath.

The Independent asked academics who have studied MAGA and conspiracy theories why the movement is so obsessed with the release of the documents.

There are a couple of factors at play here, said John Kane, clinical associate professor at NYUs School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs, citing what scholars call a conspiracy mentality.

Essentially, this is a predisposition to believing that small groups of powerful people control virtually everything and keep the Truth hidden from ordinary people, Kane said. Epstein's status, horrific behavior, and shocking suicide thus lend themselves easily to a conspiracy.

Another factor, Kane said, is that MAGA influencers and commentators are always in need of flammable content to discuss.

open image in gallery Pam Bondi is in the middle of a MAGA storm over the release of the Epstein files, which has been hit by numerous delays. Trumps attorney general has bungled the rollout of the files, which she says are still being reviewed by her department ( REUTERS )

The Epstein files represent a major story that, no matter what the files say, will allow for plenty of discussion and unrestrained speculation, Kane said. But if no new files are released, it's like a fire being deprived of oxygen.

There are, too, prominent voices on the left calling for the files to be released, and taking the opportunity to tie Trump to the sex offender. Senate Judiciary Democrats posted on X that the delay is part of a bigger pattern of years of entanglement between Donald Trump and Jeffery Epstein.

Trump has not been formally accused of wrongdoing and denies any involvement in Epsteins crimes.

NBC coverage from 1992 shows Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein discussing women at Mar-a-Lago party

Any attempts to link Trump to Epstein wont matter to MAGA, the experts explained. This is the power of what researchers call partisan motivated reasoning, Kane said. The Epstein files will not determine how [MAGA] evaluates Trump, rather, their support for Trump will determine how they evaluate the Epstein files.

X has become a MAGA echo chamber since Musk took it over in 2022, and is now a hotbed for conspiracy theories. The Epstein files are no exception.

Some even believe that Epstein is still alive. I have never bought into the story that Epstein is dead, one MAGA account with 21,000 followers posted. I believe this is another reason why we will never see the release of the Epstein files.

open image in gallery The latest instalment of the Epstein files, released at the end of February, included an already-public redacted contact book and flight logs that made up part of the investigation into the disgraced financier. Epstein killed himself in his prison cell in 2019 ( New York State Sex Offender Registry )

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson doesnt believe that Epstein killed himself but that he was murdered, despite the overwhelming evidence. In regards to the files, Carlson believes that there is a force preventing Trump officials from releasing them, but didnt say what it was.

We can say with certainty that there is a force acting on these people, he said recently on NewsNation. A very serious force to the point where they're embarrassing themselves because they promised [to] release this and they haven't.

Another prominent MAGA conspiracy theorist account baselessly suggested that Antony Blinken, former President Joe Bidens Secretary of State, is one of the reasons the files havent yet been released. The account shared an antisemitic diagram highlighting the fact that Blinken is Jewish and linked him to Epstein and Ghilsaine Maxwell via her father Robert Maxwell, a British newspaper mogul who died in 1991.

X has transformed a great deal in recent years, Kane said, noting that the platform allows users to go ever father down conspiracy rabbit holes, like the Epstein case.

A 2021 study by academics at the Universities of Oklahoma and Washington examined the demographic of the MAGA movement in the immediate aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riots. It found that the composition of the MAGA movement is overwhelmingly white, male, Christian, retired, and over 65 years of age, the studys authors wrote. Theyre attracted to the following groups, ones that include gun rights, charities, pro police, anti-lockdown, pro-life, and stop the steal. Theyre extremely politically active, all in support of the Republican Party.

open image in gallery MAGAs crusade to see the release of the Epstein files stems from a deep mistrust of government, John Geer, a senior advisor at Vanderbilt University, said. Many Americans who identify as MAGA supporters have not benefited from the economys growth in the last 40 years, he said ( REUTERS )

MAGAs strength has grown since Trump was re-elected. A poll by the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy released last month found that a majority of Republicans now identifies with the MAGA movement. In 2023, 37 percent of Republicans surveyed identified with MAGA. Now, the share of MAGA identifiers within the GOP jumped to 52 percent.

John Geer, a senior advisor who oversees Vanderbilt Universitys project, said that the fascination with the Epstein files stems from MAGAs deep sense of mistrust.

This element of right-wing extreme politics that has a strong, paranoid anti-government angle has been around for a long time, Geer told The Independent. [MAGA] is going to show their anger toward the government, toward conspiracies, toward cover up. And that's partly what Trump was able always to tap into.

Geer noted that its nothing new. What's gone on in this country over the last 40 years, the economy has grown, but there's a huge group of Americans who have not benefited from that economic growth, he explained. They especially live in the rural areas. They blame government and so they blame cover ups. Its something that hits us much more in the face because of social media. But also partly because Trump has given it life.

For MAGA, the crusade to release the Epstein files is just the shiny object right now, Geer said. It could easily be something else, he said. Trump was going to try to claim to lay open all this stuff even though he is not very transparent, but he'll do these kinds of things to claim that he's trying to to bring all these conspiracies to light. And it's smart politics on his part.

While MAGA world continues to rage about the release of the Epstein files, economists warned this week that a recession could be on the cards after the U.S. economy took a battering because of Trumps trade war. But MAGA is largely silent on the issue or placing the blame solely at the door of the previous administration.

The biggest impact of the Epstein files, Kane said, might end up being that it distracted large segments of voters from actual issues that will likely affect their daily lives far more than any information about Epstein ever could.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday defended the Trump administrations push to target and cancel the visas of individual students living in America for participation in protests against the government of Israel.

Rubio deflected questions from CBSs Margaret Brennan about Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and legal US permanent resident (green card holder) who was arrested and immediately targeted for deportation last weekend after the Trump administration canceled his visa and arrested him with plainclothes officers at Columbia.

Khalil was a leader in the student protests that developed around campus but was also outspoken against antisemitism.

His arrest has outraged Democrats and civil rights advocates; Khalil is not charged with a crime and did not enter the US illegally. His removal has been temporarily blocked by a judge.

The head of the US State Department would not say, when pressed by Brennan, whether the government would attempt to accuse Khalil with a crime. Instead, he offered a defense of the effort that conceded that visa holders did not have a right to free speech at all.

When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest, Rubio claimed. If you tell us when you apply for a visa, Im coming to the U.S. to participate in pro-Hamas events, that runs counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States.

Khalil and other student protest leaders at Columbia and other universities say they have gone to great lengths to include Jewish organizations and students in their movements and spaces; nevertheless, the protests that occurred in late 2023 and throughout 2024 occurred amid a rise in both fake and real instances of anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses.

The deportation of Khalil has even been cheered on by one Democratic senator as the rest of his party warns of the clear curtailment of free speech rights that the case presents for people living in America on various types of visas.

John Fetterman, the loudest and most conservative pro-Israel voice among the Senate Democratic caucus, is reported to have flagged Khalils involvement in the protests to federal immigration authorities at the behest of a pro-Israel activist.
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Brown Medicine Dr. Rasha Alawieh will remain in Lebanon, for now, while a federal judge hears arguments to determine whether Donald Trumps administration intentionally defied a court order to halt her deportation.

District Judge Leo Sorokin ordered officials with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to court in Boston Monday to explain why the Ivy League doctor was deported last week, apparently in defiance of his court order.

But the judge canceled the hearing as it was set to begin, after government lawyers argued that border agents had not received notice of last Fridays order until she had already departed the United States. Lawyers for Alawieh also asked to postpone a hearing so new attorneys on the case have more time to prepare.

open image in gallery Rasha Alawieh is a doctor specializing in kidneys. She has been working at Rhode Island Hospital in the kidney transplant team, caring for patients before and after the process. Her lawyers are fighting the deportation and a judge has ordered U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials to explain why she was deported in court Monday morning. ( Handout )

The government will have until March 24 to address allegations, and attorneys for Alawieh have until March 31 to respond to the governments motion to dismiss the case, the judge wrote Monday.

Alawieh was detained at Bostons Logan Airport Thursday after returning from a trip visiting family in Lebanon. CBP officers searched her phone and would not immediately admit her to the U.S., according to court documents.

In court documents defending her removal, government lawyers claimed she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while she was in Lebanon and supported him from a religious perspective.

They also claimed to have discovered sympathetic photos and videos on her phone.

Officers determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined, according to a filing from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady.

Alawiehs cousin filed a petition Friday evening seeking her release. The document was entered in the federal courts docket in Boston at 6:43 p.m.

At 7:18 p.m., Sorokin ordered that Alawieh shall not be moved outside the District of Massachusetts without providing the Court 48 hours advance notice of the move and the reason therefor.

In a court filing made public Monday, Alawiehs attorney Clare Saunders said she was not able to reach any border patrol agents to relay the order.

I yelled loudly and repeatedly through the office trying to get an officers attention, in case [the officer] or one of his colleagues were simply at the back, in a portion not visible from the front portion of the office. I received no response, she wrote. During the 20 minutes I was waiting at the CBP office, I called the number listed on the handwritten sign approximately [eight] more times.

She said she pressed an emergency button at a state police kiosk around 7:55 p.m.

Alawieh arrived at the gate for her departure around 7:20 p.m., according to a sworn declaration from CBP official John Wallace.

According to flight records, Alawiehs plane left the gate around 7:43 p.m. and departed for Paris shortly before 8 p.m. Friday. She arrived in Lebanon Sunday morning.

open image in gallery Donald Trump has defended his administrations anti-immigration agenda and vowed to battle court orders blocking deportations ( REUTERS )

Alawieh, who specializes in kidney medicine, was reportedly on a valid H-1B visa she acquired from the American consulate in Lebanon, according to Thomas S. Brown, a lawyer who works on immigration and visa applications and cases for doctors attached to Brown Medicine.

The doctor has studied and worked in the U.S. for six years. She has been working at Rhode Island Hospital for the last year caring for kidney transplant recipients, the transplant divisions medical director Dr. George Bayliss told the Boston Globe.

I am outraged and upset, Bayliss said. The government is acting without regard for the courts.

Lawyers for the doctor filed a notice of apparent violation after Alawieh was put on a flight to Lebanon. They claimed the government had actual notice of this courts order and willfully disobeyed this courts order.

Sorokin ordered the Trump administration to answer their claim in court.

These allegations are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under oath affidavit filed by an attorney, Sorokin wrote in court documents. The government shall respond to these serious allegations with a legal and factual response setting forth its version of events.

In addition, the government shall preserve all of the documents bearing on Dr. Alawiehs arrival and removal since the issuance of the visa described in the petition including emails and text messages.

Hilton Beckham, assistant public affairs commissioner for Customs and Border Patrol, said in a statement that arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the U.S.

Our CBP officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country. CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats, Beckham said.

A rally to protest Alawiehs deportation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at Rhode Islands State House lawn.

The actions join an avalanche of legal challenges to the Trump administrations sweeping measures on immigration, including the deportation of a green card holder in New York and his use of the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly remove targets as part of his anti-immigration agenda. Over the weekend, the White House announced hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang had been deported after a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportations.
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While attending the G8 Summit in France in May 2011, a major piece of legislation reached Barack Obamas desk in the Oval Office.

Invoking national security concerns, the former president authorized an aide in Washington to use an autopen to affix his signature to a bill extending three provisions of the Patriot Act.

It marked the first reported time a U.S. president had a mechanical device to sign a bill into law. The White House pointed to an existing 29-page opinion commissioned by the Department of Justice claiming its use was legal.

Almost 14 years later, the autopen is back making headlines after President Donald Trump accused his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden of using the mechanical device to sign pardoning documents, rather than doing so by hand. Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Biden had no knowledge or approval of the documents.

On Monday morning, Trump said that Bidens pardons are void and those he granted clemency to  ranging from members of the January 6 House select committee to the the former presidents own family  would be subject to investigation at the highest level.

But what is an autopen, and are Trumps attacks against Biden being undermined by his own alleged autosignatures?

What is an autopen?

open image in gallery Trump, photographed signing an executive order in the Oval Office on January 20, has accused Biden of not having knowledge or granting approval of his presidential pardons ( AP )

An autopen is a device designed to replicate a handwritten signature, without the direct involvement of a human.

The individual's signature is digitally recorded and stored and a robotic arm holding a pen or pencil creates a near-exact replica of the signature on paper. Only a well-trained eye could spot the difference between a hand-written signature and a well-done autosignature.

Presidents have signed documents using signature copying devices since Thomas Jefferson used a machine known as a polygraph in 1804, according to the National Museum of American History. He is believed to have called it the finest invention of the present age.

The first commercially successful autopen was not developed until 1942 by Robert M. De Shazo Jr, when it quickly gained popularity in the government, according to a Facebook post by the official National Park Service for The White House and President's Park last year.

What are the claims against Biden?

The president has spent several days berating Biden for his alleged autopen use.

On Friday, he told reporters at the White House that the Democrat was grossly incompetent and a day later he wrote on Truth Social: The person who was the real President during the Biden years was the person who controlled the Autopen!

The president also trolled Biden in another Truth Social post on Sunday with a meme replacing his official portrait with an autopen mimicking his signature.

Trump appeared to seize on reports from the Oversight Project, a self-described investigative arm of the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation.

Last week, the group challenged the legitimacy of the orders signed by Biden claiming in a spelling mistake-laden X post that that an autopen signature was used across almost every document it could find.

The exact number of documents reviewed was not immediately clear, however, the Oversight Project shared three examples of Bidens signature on official documents.

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.

CNN, however, claims the machines use in the Biden administration was said to be rare with the White House often going to great lengths to ensure that the former president physically signed bills. This 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.

Has Trump ever used an autopen?

open image in gallery Trump, photographed holding a signed executive order in the Oval Office on January 23, appeared to seize on the Oversight Projects reports about Bidens alleged autopen use ( REUTERS )

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.

An internal memo by Trump Staff Secretary William Scharf described the Trump White House as having more stringent rules around autopen use than other administrations.

Our practice around autopen usage is far more restrictive than most previous administrations. We do not use the autopen for documents that exercise the powers of the Presidency, Scharf wrote according to the memo seen by the New York Post Thursday.

He later added: We will occasionally use the autopen when a single document requires multiple presidential signatures, or when multiple copies of a single document require signing, but only after the President has personally signed off and only at his direction.

The White House didnt respond to The Independents request for more information about Trumps alleged autopen use last week.

What other presidents have used an autopen?

open image in gallery Biden, photographed signing a document in the East Room of the White House on January 14, reportedly rarely used autopen ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Multiple iterations of the autopen have been used by presidents to sign a raft of official documents.

The 33rd U.S. President Harry Truman has been cited as the first president to use the autopen, while Gerald Ford publicly acknowledged his use of the machine.

In 1968, Lyndon Johnson allowed photographs of his autopen while he was in office, which followed a front page splash in the National Enquirer titled: One of the best-kept secrets in Washington: The robot that sits in for the president.

Obama again reportedly used autopen in January 2013 while signing the extension to former president George W. Bushs tax cuts while on vacation in Hawaii.

Bush himself allegedly avoided using autopen over fear of legal concerns. However, he directed an autopen to be used to sign legislation for a one-week funding extension for the Federal Aviation Administration in May 2024 while he was traveling in San Francisco, according to CNN.
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Donald Trump said all pardons issued by former president Joe Biden are void after his Democratic predecessor allegedly used an autopen to sign his acts of clemency in office.

The president took to Truth Social in the early hours of Monday morning to sow doubt over the legitimacy of Bidens pardons, claiming he used the mechanical device to sign documents rather than doing so by hand.

Without evidence, Trump claimed Biden failed to give consent for pre-emptive pardons issued to the nine House select committee members that investigated the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 along with many others granted clemency on the former presidents last full day in office on January 19.

The Pardons that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen, Trump wrote.

In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden.

open image in gallery Trump photographed holding up a document on the day of signing pardons for January 6 defendants in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 ( REUTERS )

Presidents can issue pardons (removing a punishment after a court decision) and commutations (a reduction in punishment for a crime) as they see fit for federal convictions, but not for state crimes.

Trump, who himself granted clemency to more than 1,500 January 6 criminals in January, warned that the members of the House select committee are no longer shielded by presidential pardons and should expect to be investigated, despite not being charged with any crimes.

Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level, he continued.

The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!

Earlier on Sunday evening, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the decision on whether the pardons would stand would be up to a court. He again stated, without evidence, that Biden didnt have any idea that the pardons were being signed off.

The president also trolled Biden in another Truth Social post with a meme replacing his official portrait with an autopen mimicking his signature.

In a post on Saturday, he wrote: The person who was the real President during the Biden years was the person who controlled the Autopen!

open image in gallery Joe Biden, pictured greeting his son Hunter at the Democratic National Convention in August, pardoned his second son Hunter Biden on January 19 ( REUTERS )

Trump appeared to seize on reports from the Oversight Project, a self-described investigative arm of the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation.

Last week, the group challenged the legitimacy of the orders signed by Biden claiming that an autopen signature was used across almost every document it could find.

However, a Fox News examination of President Donald Trumps executive orders during his first and second administrations found the signatures were also the same. Twenty-five of Trump's signatures on the Federal Registers website from across both terms also found signature matched, according to a separate analysis by the Daily Mail.

Trumps comments open up the possibility that the Justice Department may attempt to prosecute some of the presidents biggest political targets who had been granted clemency by Biden, upending more than a century of law surrounding presidential pardons.

They include retired disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and former Representative Liz Cheney  all also pardoned on the last day of Bidens presidency after Trump threatened their prosecution on the campaign trail.

The former president also pre-emptively pardoned five members of his family who had long been the target of attacks from Trump. In December, Biden pardoned his second son, Hunter Biden, and said he had been selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.

Marcus Garvey, the founder of the Black nationalist movement in the U.S. was granted a posthumous pardon while four other activists and public servants also received clemency on the last day of the Biden administration.

On January 17, Biden also commuted the sentences for nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
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A Las Vegas university professor who was killed in a mass shooting at the campus more than a year ago has been named in connection with the Trump administrations new investigation into Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in higher education.

Patricia Navarro-Velez, 39, was one of three people gunned down in December 2023 mass killing on the schools campus. A spokesperson for UNLV confirmed that she had been part of a nonprofit being examined as part of a federal investigation by the Department of Education.

The probe is part of Donald Trumps ongoing efforts to remove DEI programs from educational institutions and within government agencies. The feds had targeted 45 different colleges that had partnered in the PhD Project as part of their investigation.

Navarro-Velez was named as one of the UNLV educators being looked at for violating Trumps anti-DEI order that was issued in January 2025  more than a year after she was killed  by being part of the program.

UNLV is aware of the federal investigation. Three former UNLV professors were participants in the mentoring program known as the PHD Project, the statement, shared with The Independent said.

Two of them are no longer with UNLV. The third person was Patricia Navarro Velez, a beloved professor who was tragically killed on our campus by a gunman on Dec. 6, 2023.

open image in gallery Patricia Navarro-Velez, a Las Vegas university professor who was killed in a mass shooting at the campus more than a year ago, has been named by federal officials as part of a new investigation into Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in higher education ( UNLV )

In accordance with the Nevada System of Higher Education policy, UNLV is committed to and will provide equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, age, color, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran status.

UNLV added that it could not comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

Prior to her death Navarro-Velez had worked as an assistant professor of accounting and had devoted her career to educating the next generation of accountants, college president Keith Whitfield said at the time.

She had joined UNLV nearly five years before the mass shooting as a professor of accounting, where she primarily focused on teaching accounting information systems.

Navarro-Velez received her PhD in accounting from the University of Central Florida, received her masters from Bowling Green State University and received her bachelors in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico, Ponce.

The UNLV spokesperson added the professors were involved in the PhD Project, which is an organization that aims in recruiting a broader talent pipeline into doctoral programs, according to its website.

open image in gallery Flowers rest against a UNLV campus sign after a mass shooting in December 2023 left three dead. The university is one of 45 institutions being investigated by the Department of Education over its DEI programs ( Getty Images )

On Friday, the Education Department said that the identified schools had violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act by partnering with The PhD Project.

The department alleges that the project limits eligibility based on the race of participants, and therefore, universities involved with the organization are engaging in "race-exclusionary practices."

The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination, said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.

Prior to this, on February 14, the Office for Civil Rights sent a Dear Colleague Letter to educational institutions receiving federal funding clarifying that, pursuant to federal anti-discrimination law, they must cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline and other programs and activities.

On March 1, the Department released FAQs to anticipate and answer questions that may have arisen in response to the letter.

The Independent has requested comment from the White House on the investigation.
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A Wisconsin man who voted for President Donald Trump is devastated after his Peruvian wife was detained by Immigration Customs and Enforcement.

Newlyweds Bradley Bartell and Camila Munoz were on their way home after honeymooning in Puerto Rico last month when they were pulled aside by an immigration agent at the airport.

Munoz was in the process of applying for a green card after her original visa expired, USA Today reported. When asked by the agent at the airport whether she was an American citizen, she was taken into custody and is being held in a private immigration facility in Louisiana.

I knew they were cracking down. I guess I didnt know how it was going down. Bartell, an American citizen, told the outlet:

The couple, who live in the small city of Wisconsin Dells, reasoned that because Munozs green card application was ongoing, she paid all her taxes and does not have a criminal record, they would not be caught up in the Trump administrations sweeping immigration crackdown. She has been in the U.S. since 2019, working legally on a W-2 visa until it expired, according to the outlet.

They know who she is and where she came from, Bartell told the outlet. They need to get the vetting done and not keep these people locked up. It doesnt make any sense.

open image in gallery Bradley Bartell, who voted for Trump, was traveling back from his honeymoon with wife Camila Munoz when she was detained by immigration officials at the airport. She is being held in a facility in Louisiana after overstaying her visa. ( Bradley Bartell/Gofundme )

It took Bartell almost a week to track down his wife, and the two have recently spoken on the phone.

Emotionally, I'm concerned for her, Bartell said. It can't be easy being trapped in a room with 100 other people. They don't have anything in there. It's just so wasteful.

All the money the couple had been saving to buy a new home for their life together has been spent on legal fees, Bartell added, and he has launched a GoFundMe page with a target of $30,000. My wife was detained at the end of our belated honeymoon while we were returning through the airport, Bartell wrote. This money will be used for legal support and the bond money for my wife.

He said that on top of legal fees, bond could run upwards of $10,000.

The Independent has contacted Immigration Customs and Enforcement for comment.

Overstaying a visa is not considered a criminal offense but is an administrative violation of the law. The Trump White House has characterized all illegal migrants as criminals even though immigration law is considered a civil matter. If an individual is overstaying their visa, they are therefore an illegal immigrant residing in this country, and they are subject to deportation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in January.

open image in gallery Advocates warn that Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents have widened the net in who they are targeting in the Trump administration crackdown. Anyone who isnt a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is at risk, they warn. ( Getty Images )

Overstaying a visa can result in a 10-year ban from returning to the U.S. But if the immigrants spouse is a U.S. citizen, it can be lawfully forgiven under a waiver of unlawful presence.

Attorneys and advocates warn that anyone who isnt a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is now at risk under the Trump administration.

ICE is really widening the net in a really chilling way in terms of who they are going after," Jesse Franzblau, senior policy analyst for the National Immigrant Justice Center, told the outlet. People who generally dont fit the profile of who they picked up before are being picked up now.

It comes as the Trump administration also deported an Ivy League doctor specializing in kidney medicine on a H1-B visa. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon over the weekend despite a court order ruling that she must stay in Massachusetts for 48 hours.

Over the weekend, the White House announced hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang had been deported after a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportations.
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Republican state lawmakers are set to introduce a new bill proposing that Trump Derangement Syndrome is officially defined as a mental illness.

Five Minnesota Senators are due to propose the legislation to the Health and Human Services committee on Monday, according to Fox 9.

The bills authors Eric Lucero, Steve Drazkowski, Nathan Wesenberg, Justin Eichorn, and Glenn H. Gruenhagen, described the faux syndrome as the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump.

Symptoms include Trump-induced general hysteria, where a person struggles to distinguish between legitimate policy and psychic pathology, which is expressed with verbal hostility or acts of aggression against Trump and his MAGA supporters, according to the proposed legislation.

If passed, TDS could be added to a lengthy list of mental-health-related definitions in Minnesota. The syndrome is not recognized as a mental illness in any U.S. state.

open image in gallery Allies of Donald Trump, photographed in the Oval Office Sunday, have claimed the presidents critics have Trump Derangment Syndrome ( AP )

The bill is unlikely to be approved with Democrat-aligned parties having a one-seat advantage in the state senate.

Democrats were quick to condemn the new Minnesota Bill.

This is why Minnesota Republicans have lost every statewide election in recent memory  every time they get an opportunity to try to improve Minnesotans' lives, they instead double down on an agenda that caters to their partys most extreme right-wing activists, a Minnesota DemocraticFarmerLabor Party spokesperson told the Minnesota Star and Tribune.

The highly-politicized term was coined in Trumps first term to dismiss criticism against him as liberal hysteria, suggesting that people abandon all logic and reason due to their dislike of the president.

The term Derangement Syndrome was first used more than a decade earlier in 2003 by the late political commentator Charles Krauthammer to describe critics of Republican President George W. Bush.

The Minnesota proposal pulls the same phrasing that Krauthammer used to describe Bush Derangement Syndrome, which was described as the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidencynaythe very existence of George W. Bush.

Trump supporters had revived the pejorative phrase while the president was campaigning for the 2024 election to mock and silence his critics.

open image in gallery Elon Musk again revived the term while speaking to Fox News Sean Hannity besides Donald Trump last month ( Fox News )

In May 2024, former Trump attorney Alina Habba told Fox News that she believed the jurors in the presidents hush money criminal trial should have been sequestered over a holiday weekend to avoid them coming down with TDS and forgetting all sense of reality.

In October, Trump dismissed his former chief of staff John Kelly as having TDS after he branded the president a fascist and made damning claims about his views of Adolf Hitler.

Last month, Elon Musk revived the term and told Fox News host Sean Hannity he used to be adored by the left until they were infected with TDS.

The head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Trumps government slashing force, added that when he mentioned the presidents name at a dinner party before his return to the White House, it was like they got shot with a dart in the jugular that contained like methamphetamine and rabies.
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In what is being described as Bloody Saturday, over 1,300 employees at Voice of America were placed on indefinite suspension this weekend after President Donald Trump issued a Friday night edict ordering the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the networks parent agency, to eliminate its workforce and activities not required by law.

With the state-funded broadcaster  which has been seen as a vital part of Americas soft diplomacy  going largely silent after more than 80 years on the air, VOA journalists and executives are sounding off over what they see as a betrayal of the ideals that drove the organization, adding that it will only be celebrated by Americas adversaries.

Two days after Trump bristled at a VOA reporter for asking the Irish prime minister about the presidents proposal to displace all Palestinians from Gaza, the White House released an executive order on Friday night that outright gutted the USAGM, which also oversees Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, as well as other non-profit international media outlets.

The following morning, while the outlets reporters in Washington were preparing their broadcasts, the entire VOA staff was placed on indefinite administrative leave. While terminating all of the grant programs to USAGM, the White House also released a statement on Saturday justifying the dismantling of VOA, labeling it the Voice of Radical America, claiming taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.

Donald Trump has ordered that the agency that oversees Voice of America be gutted, leaving over 1,300 reporters and employees sidelined. ( AP )

The termination notices for the grants were signed by Trump senior adviser Kari Lake, the MAGA firebrand and failed Arizona political candidate he wants to lead the network. NPR reported that it doesnt appear she had the statutory authority to carry out that order. Besides turning to Lake to oversee VOA, Trump has additionally appointed conservative media critic Brent Bozell III to lead the USAGM  who is still waiting to be confirmed by the Senate.

By Sunday night, many of the employees who were placed on leave were officially fired, effective at the end of the month. This included VOAs press freedom reporter Liam Scott, who noted over the weekend that there were currently 10 journalists who worked for USAGM entities and are now imprisoned around the world for doing their jobs, adding: I hope they will not be forgotten. Meanwhile, newscasts across many of the VOA channels were being replaced by music to fill up airtime.

With the presidents effort to shutter Voice of America  which hes long been critical of  seemingly part of his broader mission to debilitate legacy news media, reporters who have now been sidelined by Trumps latest action lamented the death of the vaunted institution. They also warned that these radio stations going dark around the globe were essentially a gift to authoritarian regimes that had long been aggrieved by the outlets reporting. Many of those most angered by VOAs reporting, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban, enjoy friendly relationships with Trump.

A silencing of VOA will be celebrated by communists, autocrats and ayatollahs whose lies we shed light on, VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb tweeted. What a mission I've been lucky enough to embark on  a mission to grow American influence around the world, not by sharing slanted American propaganda, but by giving them the TRUTH! Why? Because America has the truth on its side.

Sharing a link to a story she had just published, Babb also hoped that it isnt my last report as a VOA journalist. The article has already been taken down and deleted .

Voice of America chief national correspondent Steven Herman, who was placed on paid excused absence last month for social media posts that angered the White House, penned a requiem for the network on his Substack.

The de facto destruction of the Voice of America  is nothing less than a betrayal of the ideals that gave birth to the institution and made it relevant throughout World War II, the Cold War and in the decades after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, he wrote.

To eliminate these institutions turns our backs on those around the world who have counted on us. It is to surrender a unique platform that no other country can replicate, Herman continued. It was never just about Americas voice  it was about Americas integrity. There will be celebrations in the autocratic halls of power this weekend in Moscow, Minsk, Beijing, Pyongyang and Tehran.

The networks director Michael Abramowitz, meanwhile, said he was deeply saddened that the storied organization was being silenced after 83 years.

VOA needs thoughtful reform, and we have made progress in that regard. But todays action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission, he wrote on LinkedIn. That mission is especially critical today, when Americas adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Steve Capus echoed those sentiments, calling the cancellation of the overseas stations grants a massive gift to America's enemies, who would celebrate the demise of RFE after decades on the air.

Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker. We've benefitted from strong bipartisan support throughout RFE/RL's storied history, Capus declared. Without us, the nearly 50 million people in closed societies who depend on us for accurate news and information each week won't have access to the truth about America and the world.

If Voice of America is somehow saved, meanwhile, some employees worry that Lake  who previously said she had big plans to transform the network  could revive it as nothing more than a pro-Trump propaganda arm.
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Donald Trumps Oval Office attack on Ukraines president last month appeared to mark a very public realignment of Americas sympathies - away from Europe and towards Russia in a manner that few could have imagined during the Cold War years.

The Republican Party, now dominated by Trumps America First MAGA movement, once considered the former Soviet Union the evil empire under Ronald Reagan and relished its collapse.

Today, the GOP stands accused of parroting Vladimir Putins rhetoric and some even refuse to admit the plain fact that Moscow began the war by invading its neighbor.

open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump argue in the Oval Office of the White House in February ( AFP/Getty )

The White House itself has even been branded an arm of the Kremlin by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a dramatic about-turn just weeks into the luxury real estate moguls second presidency.

Every single day, you hear from the national security adviser, from the president of the United States, from his entire national security team, Kremlin talking points, Murphy told CNNs State of the Union in the wake of the Zelensky episode.

Perhaps even more damning was the assessment of Putins own spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, who said with a grin on state television: The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision.

With hindsight, the break with Zelensky  which was swiftly followed by the White House cutting off all American aid to Ukraine and demanding a public apology in exchange for peace negotiations on Trumps terms  was a culmination, not a sudden new development.

This president has consistently celebrated authoritarians like Putin, Xi Jinping of China, Viktor Orban of Hungary and North Koreas Kim Jong-un as tough and smart, recognising their shared taste for power and similarly transactional approach to international relations. But it is the Russian leader who has cast the longest shadow over Trumps political project.

open image in gallery Trump has been accused of being too supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin ( Sputnik/AFP/Getty )

The likes of Steve Bannon, Trumps one-time chief strategist and a key influence over MAGA thinking to this day, has long seen in Putins Russia not a repressive and corrupt gangster state bent on weakening democratic institutions, but rather a fellow white, Christian, conservative objector to the socially progressive values being championed by the liberals of western Europe and Democratic America.

Bannon said so as long ago as 2014, telling an audience that while Putin may be a kleptocrat and an imperialist, traditionalists like himself believe that at least [he] is standing up for traditional institutions, and hes trying to do it in a form of nationalism  and I think that people, particularly in certain countries, want to see the sovereignty for their country. They want to see nationalism for their country.

Putin was evidently listening and moved to actively court the American right, welcoming a visiting delegation from the National Rifle Association in 2015, for instance.

Russias influence on the world stage was a dominant theme of the 2016 presidential race between Trump and Hillary Clinton  two years on from Putins first incursions into Ukraine  with the Kremlin accused of attempting to groom Republican operatives in the interest of getting Trump elected and the notorious Steele Dossier, alleging the existence of a kompromat on the candidate, eventually published.

open image in gallery The US president has long admired the likes of authoritarian leaders like North Koreas Kim Jong Un ( Getty Images )

Those suspicions were compounded when, not long after Trump entered the White House, it emerged that his son Donald Trump Jr, son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort had attended a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 with a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Clinton.

FBI Special Counsel Robert Mueller was duly appointed to investigate the campaigns rumored ties to Moscow, ultimately producing a report that stopped short of explicitly calling for the presidents indictment but did not exonerate him, an ordeal Trump recalled during the scolding of Zelensky.

Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me  we went through a phony witch hunt when they used him and Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia, he fumed.

[Putin] had to go through that. And he did go through it. We didnt end up in a war. And he went through it. He was accused of all that stuff. He had nothing to do with it.

As early as July 2017, just a month into the Mueller investigation, James Kirchick of the Brookings Institution was pointing to a Morning Consult poll revealing that 49 percent of Republicans considered Moscow an ally.

open image in gallery Trump and Putin at their joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, during the formers first term ( AP )

Kirchick accused the party, under Trump, of becoming Putins willing accomplice, expressing disdain for the GOPs apparent refusal to reflect on what it was about their impressionable leader that made him quite so attractive to the Kremlin.

His point was aptly illustrated when Trump and Putin met at the Helsinki summit in July 2018, at which the Russian successfully convinced his counterpart that he had played no part in election-meddling, leading the commander-in-chief to publicly side with the ex-KGB man over his own intelligence agencies.

Like George W Bush before him, Trump had looked Putin in the eye and seen a man with whom he thought he could do business.

Zelensky also played an important, albeit inadvertent, role in Trumps first term. The Americans first impeachment was sparked by a whistleblower reporting on him presenting the Ukrainian with a quid pro quo, asking him to launch a nuisance investigation into Joe Biden and Hunter Bidens activities in his country or else a congressionally-approved $400m military aid shipment would be withheld.

The president insisted he was blameless but clearly never forgot nor forgave Zelenskys part in the affair, just as MAGA has never gotten over its fixation with Hunter-related conspiracy theories.

open image in gallery Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson speaks to Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, in a widely-derided interview ( EPA )

The seeds of Trumps personal identification with Putin, born out of admiration and resentment, may have been sown between 2016 and 2019 but the Republicans Russophilia pre-dated his ascendancy and carried on without him, only growing with the outbreak of the war when Trump was holed up in Mar-a-Lago following his 2020 election defeat and the disgrace of January 6.

Ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, now Trumps director of national intelligence, tweeted in 2022 that the conflict would never have started had Biden and Nato simply acknowledged Russias legitimate security concerns, future VP Vance expressed indifference over Kyivs possible defeat, Tucker Carlson flew out for a softball in-person interview with Putin and Georgia populist Marjorie Taylor Greene praised his regime for protecting Christianity.

With the last of the Never Trumpers like Liz Cheney, Mitt Romney and Adam Kinzinger driven from the GOP, MAGAs takeover is complete and there appears to be no one left to question the pro-Russia mood.

In the case of Trumps dressing down of Zelensky, a democratic ally more commonly heralded as a hero, the likes of Lauren Boebert, Ted Cruz, Tim Burchett and Lindsey Graham all applauded, as did the friendly pundits on Fox News, with no dissenting voices heard from the Republican side.

The truth is that MAGA rejects modern America, Alexei Bayer wrote in The Globalist last year, rubbishing the movements claims to patriotism. It hates its diversity, minority rights and permissiveness and looks back to some mystical past.
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President Donald Trump once offered Rep. Anna Luna his bed while she was feeling unwell and joked, dont tell Melania, according to a new book.

Comments reportedly made by the president in private have been revealed in a new book titled Revenge: The Inside Story of Trumps Return to Power by Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt.

The book features never-before-reported moments in Trumps return to the White House. The book claims the president insulted fellow Republicans and allies, was disparaging about the women who have accused him in court and sarcastically claimed he wouldnt seek revenge if reelected.

Steven Cheung, Trumps White House communications director, said the book was a work of fiction when approached by The Independent for comment.

While aboard Trumps personal jet in the summer of 2023, a then-pregnant Luna was not feeling well, according to Isenstadt. If you need a bed to lay down in, there's one here on the plane. If you feel sick and you need to lay there, you can lay on it, Trump offered the Florida congresswoman. Just don't tell Melania. She doesn't like other women on my bed, he reportedly joked.

open image in gallery According to a new book about Trumps return to the White House, he jokingly offered a then-pregnant Rep. Anna Paulina Luna his bed on his personal jet when she was feeling unwell. Just dont tell Melania, he reportedly jibed ( Getty Images )

Trump, according to the book, also blasted E. Jean Carroll and Stormy Daniels in a comment reportedly made to an aide in April 2024. E. Jean Carroll says I f***ed her. Stormy Daniels says I f***ed her. But I never f***ed them. Everyone's f***ing everybody, but I never f***ed any of these people. Juries in New York found Trump liable for defaming and sexually abusing Carroll after he repeatedly called her a liar for speaking publicly about allegations that he assaulted her in the 1990s.

The president also privately made a sarcastic comment to aides in March 2024 in response to former President Joe Biden claiming Trump would seek revenge if reelected. Listen, everybody. There will be no retribution, there will be no revenge. Wink, wink, Trump said, according to the book.

Trump insulted fellow Republicans in the run-up to the presidential election, according to Isenstadt. After Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally, criticized Trumps decision to oppose a plan to ban abortion after 15 weeks, he reportedly said: Go tell Lindsey we're not friends anymore.

open image in gallery Trump also insulted fellow Republicans, according to the book. He said he would squash Gov. Ron DeSantis like a bug, when the governor was preparing to run against Trump in the Republican presidential primaries. ( Getty Images )

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was on the receiving end of Trumps jibes on two occasions. I'm going to squash this guy like a bug, Trump reportedly said of DeSantis to Vice President J.D. Vance in 2023, who was then Ohio senator, when DeSantis was preparing to run against him in the Republican presidential primary.

Trump reportedly made another comment about DeSantis to guests on his private plane while the governor was seeking his endorsement. He was like a beggar. I could have said: 'Drop to your f***ing knees, Ron, Trump said, according to the book.

The president insulted both Sen. Tom Cotton and casino mogul Steve Wynn, who has the incurable eye disease retinitis pigmentosa, after Wynn suggested Trump consider Cotton as his Vice President. Wow, Trump reportedly said. Steve is even more blind than I thought he was if he thinks Tom Cotton has charisma.

Many of these so-called insider books are a desperate attempt to make money off of President Trumps name because journalism is a dying industry with reporters peddling lies and selling their souls in order to make a quick buck, Cheung said in a statement to The Independent. These works of fiction either belong in the bargain bin of the fantasy section in a discount bookstore or should be repurposed as tissue paper.

Isenstadts book is out Tuesday.
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At least 42 people have died after a swathe of tornadoes tore across seven Midwest and Southern U.S. states - and there is more bad weather on the way.

The National Weather Service announced Sunday that a fresh new Pacific storm would rip across the West on Monday and Tuesday towards Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nevada, through to Washington, bringing heavy mountain snow, gusty to high winds, and lower elevation rain.

It comes after storms destroyed homes and triggered blackouts for tens of thousands of people in the Mississippi Valley and Deep South over the weekend.

A dozen people have died in Missouri, three in Alabama, eight in Kansas, six in Mississippi, four in Texas, three in Arkansas, and four in Oklahoma, according to multiple officials to ABC News.

Below we look at what warnings and alerts are still in place.

open image in gallery A new Pacific storm is set to barrel across the West on Monday and Tuesday with 'heavy mountain snow, gusty to high winds, and lower elevation rain' expected following the horrific tornadoes at the weekend ( The National Weather Service )

Tampa, Florida

On Monday morning, the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay issued a red flag warning in effect from noon to 8 p.m. EDT across several parts of west-central and southwest Florida.

Areas affected by the warning include Sumter, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Inland Citrus, Inland Hernando, Inland Pasco, Inland Hillsborough, Inland Manatee, Inland Sarasota, Inland Charlotte, and Inland Lee.

Northwesterly winds of around 10 to 20 mph, gusting 30 mph, are anticipated, and the weather service warned that any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly.

W. Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania

A new tornado watch was issued Sunday for east central Ohio, southwest Pennsylvania, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials warned the threat would be ramping up over the course of the day  from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The warning has since expired as Americans woke up to the damage caused overnight.

As the storms ripped across the Susquehanna Valley, almost 60,000 have been left without power in Pennsylvania and over 20,000 in New York state, as of Monday morning according to poweroutage.us.

The Carolinas

As of Monday morning, a tornado warning was still active for Elizabeth City, Camden, and Coinjock in North Carolina  until 3:30 a.m. EDT. A flood warning is now also in effect through until early Wednesday morning.

On Sunday evening, the weather service warned that damaging winds and a few tornadoes remained possible across parts of the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast.

Earlier that day, roughly 250,000 Americans were without power, according to poweroutage.us.

open image in gallery A tornado warning was still active early Monday for parts of North Carolina ( NWS Tornado )

Tornado watches were still in effect Sunday morning in counties across North and South Carolina through Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Strong winds are expected to whip throughout the day Sunday into the evening, with gusts of up to 45 mph.

A U.S. National Weather Service survey team declared that an EF-1 tornado struck the Chapin-Lake Murray area with winds hitting around 90 mph Sunday morning, as per WSOC-TV.

Texas

A critical fire weather warning remains across parts of western North and Central Texas for most of the day Monday through to the evening. A Red Flag warning is in effect from 11 a.m. through 10 p.m.

Deadly wind gusts will climb to 35 mph across the warned areas and parts east of the I-35 corridor will see elevated fire weather conditions with rain and wind gusts hitting 25 to 30 mph.

The Texas Department of Public Safety reported three deaths in three separate car crashes due to low visibility and high winds after a dust storm ripped through the state Friday. Another three people also died in Arkansas amid the storms.

The Independent contacted the NOAA for further updates.
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A British backpacker is still missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat and sank off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand.

Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was diving in the tourist hotspot and had asked guides if she could use the toilet before the blaze broke out on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, at 9.15am local time on Sunday.

There were 22 people on board including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member. All others on board were accounted for.

The boat driver, a Myanmar crew member, and six tourists who witnessed the fire reported to police that Ms Clarke had requested to surface from the water and entered the toilet facilities on the boat.

At the time the fire broke out, she was reportedly still in the toilet.

open image in gallery Ao Tanote is one of Koh Taos beaches ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

The cause of the fire was related to a malfunction which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air, according to reports.

Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after.

He said: "The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao. It was between five and six nautical miles away from the island.

"A fire started in the engine room and spread through the boat rapidly. Thai-MECC Surat Thani coordinated with private vessels and volunteers to safely evacuate the tourists and crew members onto another boat.

"Meanwhile, another team of volunteers worked to control the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain's cabin, and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation."

Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore.

Koh Tao is a popular hub for divers and tourists thanks to its reefs and beaches.

The boat was operating in an area known as Kong Tum Ku, 5-6 nautical miles from Koh Tao.

When the vessel was first evacuated, it was thought that the fire could be controlled and it could be towed safely back to Ko Tao. But it suddenly sank, according to the Thai Examiner.

An FCDO spokesperson said: We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.
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Australias eastern state of New South Wales (NSW), including Sydney, was sweltering through an intense heatwave over the weekend, sparking urgent bushfire warnings.

However, a cold front has dropped the temperatures overnight to fall by 8 degrees Celsius in just 30 minutes, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). But temperatures are expected to rise again.

On Sunday, the mercury climbed to 39.3 degrees Celsius at Sydney Airport, around 12C above average, according to the countrys Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). Elsewhere in the state, Badgerys Creek reached 38.5C and Richmond peaked at 37.9C.

Melbournes western suburbs recorded temperatures of more than 35C on Saturday, while Adelaide peaked just short of 40C.

In neighbouring Victoria state, a home was destroyed in a bushfire on the outskirts of Melbourne that was being battled by around 200 firefighters, Country Fire Authority official Bernard Barbetti told the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Sunday.

The conditions prompted authorities to issue total fire bans for vast parts of NSW, including metropolitan Sydney.

Hot conditions, gusty winds, and low relative humidity will result in extreme fire danger over the greater Sydney region, warned the Bureau of Meteorology in an alert issued Sunday morning.

High temperatures on the east coast were caused by northerly and north-westerly winds from inland NSW and central Australia to the eastern coast, the bureau said.

The states Rural Fire Service (RFS) reinforced the warnings, imposing a total fire ban for large parts of NSW including Sydney, urging residents to avoid outdoor activities that could trigger fires.

This severe weather arrives as New South Wales reaches the end of its high-risk bushfire season, typically running until the end of March.

In the past few days, emergency services increased efforts to contain any fires rapidly, aiming to avoid a repeat of the devastating 2019-2020 wildfire season that killed 33 people and destroyed an area equivalent in size to Turkey.

Meteorologists predicted a cooling shift by late Sunday night. A southerly buster swept through the region around 12.30am local time on Monday, dropping temperatures from 30.2C to 19.5C by 1am.

However, the transition may also bring gusty winds and thunderstorms, complicating firefighting efforts and raising the risk of lightning strikes igniting new fires.

"As of this morning, it is actually 20 degrees cooler than it was yesterday so a much more comfortable and a milder day today," BOM meteorologist Johnathan How told the ABC.

However, Mr How said the hotter conditions will soon be back.

"We are expecting to see a cooler day today but then from tomorrow we do see things warming up again," he said.

Scientists have long warned that extreme heat and bushfire conditions will become more frequent due to global warming.
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A group of scientists trapped in an Antarctic research base have pleaded to be rescued after claiming a team member threatened to kill another colleague.

The South African scientists are in the Sanae IV research centre in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land. The South African National Antarctic Program runs the base and the South African National Antarctic Expedition operates it.

The team is completely blocked off on a base where the typical winter temperature is -23C and wind speeds can reach nearly 150mph. It is 2,500 miles from South Africas closest point, meaning there is minimal human contact apart from themselves.

One of the researchers reportedly sent a pleading email last week claiming a member of the team had attacked them and was issuing further threats.

The email, seen by The Sunday Times, said: Regrettably, [his] behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing. Specifically, he physically assaulted [X].

Furthermore, he threatened to kill [X], creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim, the unnamed researcher added.

The researcher also accused the team member of sexually assaulting another.

The author was concerned about the colleague's "increasingly egregious behaviour" and demanded that they take urgent action to protect both themselves and the team.

The email continued: "I am having a lot of trouble feeling safe in his presence."

Dion George, South Africas environment minister said he will personally speak with the team to assess the situation.

He told The Sunday Times: There was a verbal altercation between the team leader and this person. Then it escalated and then that person did physically assault the leader. You can imagine what its like, it is close quarters and people do get cabin fever. It can be very disorientating.

Mr George likened the conditions for the team in Antarctica to astronauts in space.

The scientists based at Sanae IV include experts in oceanography, biology, geology and geomorphology.
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French president Emmanuel Macron has fleshed out some possible missions that could be undertaken by a military support force for Ukraine that Paris and London are working to put together with other nations, in a so-called coalition of the willing that could deploy after any ceasefire with Russia.

Speaking to French media ahead of an online summit that the UK hosted on Saturday, Mr Macron said the French-British blueprint doesnt aim to deploy a mass of soldiers in Ukraine and instead envisages stationing troop contingents in key locations.

Mr Macrons office said on Sunday that it couldnt provide a recording of the French leaders exchange with reporters from regional French newspapers on Friday night.

But according to La Depeche du Midi and Le Parisien, the French president spoke of participating nations each deploying several thousand troops to key points in Ukraine. Their missions could include providing training and supporting Ukrainian defences, to demonstrate long-term support for Kyiv, the reports quoted Mr Macron as saying.

Mr Macron added that the proposed contingents from countries that are members of the Nato alliance would serve as a guarantee of security for Ukraine and that several European nations, and also non-European, have expressed their willingness to join such an effort when it is confirmed, La Depeche reported.

Le Parisien cited Mr Macron as saying that Moscows agreement wasn't needed for such deployment. Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for Allied forces to be on its territory, its not up to Russia to accept or not," he said.

Following Saturdays two-hour virtual meeting, British prime minister Keir Starmer challenged Russian president Vladimir Putin to sign up to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine if he is serious about peace, and said allies will keep increasing the pressure on the Kremlin, including by moving planning for a peacekeeping force to an operational phase.

Around 30 leaders were involved in the call, including Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as officials from Nato and the European Union.

It was the second such meeting in two weeks, meant to help Ukraine face a change of approach by the US following the return of president Donald Trump, as well as gauging support for any future possible peacekeeping mission. Many more countries were involved this time than the previous meeting on 2 March.

According to Sir Keir, military planners will convene again in the UK on Thursday to progress practical plans to support Ukraines future security.
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At least 59 people were killed and over 150 injured in a devastating fire at Club Pulse in Kocani, North Macedonia. Authorities have arrested 20 individuals as part of the investigation and are investigating safety violations and possible corruption linked to the tragedy.

The identities of those killed in the fire are beginning to emerge, though local authorities are yet to issue an official list of the victims. The government is in the process of holding emergency meetings to determine what further action it needs to take. None of the responsible this time should avoid the law, the justice, and punishment too, said president Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. Nothing is worthier than human life, specifically young life.

Marija Taseva, 19, was enjoying a night out with her sister at the club on Saturday when the fire broke out. "Everyone started screaming and shouting 'get out, get out!'" she told Reuters. While she managed to escape, her sister did not survive. "My sister died. I was saved and she wasn't."

open image in gallery Relatives of the victims of an overnight fire in a crowded nightclub in North Macedonia, wait for news of their loved ones at the Kocani General Hospital in Kocani, on 16 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Many of the victims were young, including teenagers as young as 15. More than 20 of the injured and three of those killed were under 18, said interior minister Pance Toskovski.

Among those who died was Stefania Aleksova, a student at the American University in Bulgaria. "We deeply mourn with our North Macedonian friends for this tragedy that has shaken us all," university president Dr Margie Ensin said in a statement, reported Bulgarias Novinite.com.

open image in gallery A relative of the victims of an overnight fire in a crowded nightclub in North Macedonia, wait for news of their loved ones at the Kocani General Hospital in Kocani, on 16 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Dragi Stojanov, who lost his only child  21-year-old Tomche  said he was searching for answers. "Let me tell you in front of everybody. Film me. I am a dead man, I lost everything the whole of Europe should know," he told reporters.

"After this tragedy, what do I need this life for? I don't need it. I had one child and I lost him."

Turkey's ambassador to Skopje Fatih Ulusoy confirmed that a Turkish citizen was among the wounded and that officials would visit them later in the evening, reported Turkish outlet Yeni Safak .

Survivors sustained severe burns and inhalation injuries. Dr Vladislav Gruev, a reconstructive and plastic surgery specialist, reported that most patients suffered second- and third-degree burns on their head, neck, upper torso, and hands.

Several countries have stepped in to assist with medical evacuations. Bulgaria has transported 14 critically injured victims for treatment. Eight of them, including three teenagers, are in intensive care at Sofias Pirogov Hospital, where doctors have issued urgent blood donation appeals. The patients include three minors, two girls and one boy, aged 15 and 16.

The oldest patient is 31-year-old man, reported Novinite.com. All eight are in critical condition in an intensive care unit, with three patients intubated.

open image in gallery A military ambulance is parked outside a hospital before transporting bodies of victims in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, Sunday, 16 March 2025 ( AP )

Another three victims, two boys and one girl, are receiving care in Varna where they have been intubated and placed in intensive care. Three others are being treated in Plovdiv.

Turkey has also provided medical support. The Turkish health ministry sent two medical evacuation planes, transporting nine victims for specialist treatment in Istanbul and Ankara. "This is a great tragedy for North Macedonia, and we share their pain," said Fatih Ulusoy, Turkiyes ambassador to Skopje.

Authorities have arrested around 20 individuals as part of the investigation in the fire. Mr Toskovski suggested potential bribery and corruption linked to the clubs illegal operations. Inspections revealed multiple safety violations, including faulty fire-extinguishing systems and inadequate emergency lighting, he said.

Speaking outside the hospital, Red Cross volunteer Mustafa Saidov described the devastation. "The situation is brutal, chaotic. The stories are very sad, and unfortunately many young lives are lost."
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A devastating nightclub fire in North Macedonia has been declared one of the countrys worst tragedies in recent memory as over 50 people have died and more than 100 people have been injured.

The Pulse nightclub was engulfed with flames at 2:35am on Sunday morning in Kocani, around 100km east from the capital city of Skopje.

Police have questioned 20 people in connection with the incident, which includes government officials and the manager of the venue, which did not have a valid licence.

Footage on social media showed chaos inside the club as the band onstage urged people to get out as quickly as possible. External footage of the venue showed the growing blaze spreading to the roof.

Local authorities are investigating the venues licensing and safety provisions, as the government has insisted on its moral responsibility to help prosecute anyone responsible for the blaze.

open image in gallery Emergency responders stand outside the night club in response to the blaze ( REUTERS )

Where did the fire take place?

The fire took place in the Pulse nightclub, an old building that was previously a carpet warehouse and had been running for several years, according to local media MKD.

How many people were at the club?

Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said preliminary investigations revealed the number of people in the club was likely at least twice its official capacity of 250 people.

"Fire broke out, everyone started screaming and shouting: 'Get out, get out'," Marija Taseva, 22, told Reuters.

As she tried to escape, Taseva fell to the ground and people trod on her, injuring her face. In the rush, she lost contact with her sister, who did not make it out. "My sister died," Taseva said, breaking into tears.

What caused the fire?

Initial reports suggest the fire started from sparks caused by pyrotechnic devices at the gig, said interior minister Panche Toshkovski.

He told a press conference that sparks hit the ceiling, which was made of highly flammable material.

Footage shows a hip-hop group DNK playing on stage when two flares went off and the sparks led to the blaze rapidly spreading throughout the venue.

open image in gallery The damaged nightclub building ( REUTERS )

How many casualties?

Mr Toshkovski confirmed that 59 people had been killed in the fire, with over 150 people injured.

Among the dead are several members of the band, local media reported, including lead singer Andrej Gjorgievski.

Health minister Arben Taravari said 115 people have been taken to hospital in North Macedonia, with burns specialists from as far afield as Israel expected to arrive in the country on Monday to assist.

Another 47 patients have been transported to neighbouring countries for treatment, Mr Taravari said.

Dozens of seriously injured patients, including critically injured teens and young adults, were transferred to neighbouring Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia and Greece for treatment, authorities from those countries said.

More than 20 of the injured and three of those killed were aged under 18, he said.

All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy.

Authorities expect the death toll to rise given the severity of some of the injuries.

open image in gallery Relatives and survivors outside a hospital in the town of Kocani ( AP )

Has anyone been arrested?

Authorities have arrested 20 people in connection with the fire, including government officials and the nightclub's manager.

The "Pulse" nightclub, which local media reports described as a former carpet warehouse, had only two fire extinguishers and no fire alarm, Kocevski said. The ceiling was made of flammable materials and the plasterboard walls were not fire resistant.

"It did not have two exit doors, but only one single improvised metal door at the back of the building, which was locked and without a handle on the inside," North Macedonia's state prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski said late on Sunday.

Mr Kocevski said his office was working to determine the criminal liability of a number of people for "serious offences against public security" and other crimes.

"The individuals acted contrary to the regulations and technical rules of the protection measures and thereby caused a danger to the life and work of people on a large scale," he said.

Mr Kocevski said five prosecutors would investigate the incident. "At the moment, orders have been issued to collect evidence" and people were being interviewed.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the licence for the nightclub was issued illegally by the economy ministry and promised those responsible would face justice. "Regardless of who they are, from which institution, from what level, from which party and profession," Mr Mickoski said. He declared seven days of national mourning.

open image in gallery North Macedonia's prime minister called it a "difficult and very sad day for Macedonia" ( REUTERS )

What has North Macedonias prime minister said?

Prime minister Hristijan Mickoski said: This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable.

In these moments of deep sorrow, our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I wish the injured a speedy recovery, and the families of the deceased  strength to endure this unimaginable loss.

The people and the government will do everything in their power to at least alleviate their pain a little and help them in these most difficult moments.

He called on health services, police and local authorities to take urgent measures to help the injured and support affected families.

The Government is fully mobilized and will do everything necessary to deal with the consequences and determine the causes of this tragedy.

In these times of deep sadness, when our hearts are broken with pain due to this terrible tragedy, I call for unity, solidarity, humanity and responsibility.

What have world leaders said?

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said: I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. Ukraine mourns alongside our Macedonian friends on this sad day.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen shared her deepest condolences to the families of the victims and all those affected.

I grieve the tragic loss of life in the fire in Kocani, she said.

Pope Francis, who remains in hospital with pneumonia, expressed his profound condolences through Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

Albanias prime minister Edi Rama said: With a deep sense of sorrow, I extend my condolences to the brothers and sisters of North Macedonia for the great tragedy in Kocani.

I am at a loss for words and pray for the recovery of the injured and for the families of the victims to find the strength to endure their unimaginable loss.
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At the Vatican switchboard, the sisters of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master are experiencing a surge in calls from well-wishers concerned about Pope Francis's health following his hospitalisation in Rome.

Many callers express a desire to speak with the Pope directly or relay get-well messages. Sister Anthony, who oversees the switchboard operation, describes the callers as "feeling like children waiting to know about their father."

The sisters respond to each caller, offering reassurance and encouraging prayers for the pontiff. Unlike most institutions that rely on automated systems, the Vatican maintains a personal touch, ensuring every call to their public number is answered by a real person.

Its the Vaticans voice  a voice that despite the digitalisation of communications, the Vatican wants to preserve as a human voice, said Mother Micaela, the orders mother superior.

The Pious Disciples sisters are part of the 100-year-old Pauline orders, which are focused on communications, including landmark Catholic publishing operations around the world.

open image in gallery The Vatican on Monday released its first picture of Pope Francis since his illness ( Holy See Press Office )

In spring 1970, they were called to operate the Vatican switchboard and instructed by the then-mother superior to be a voice that does good because through the phone wire it communicates Christ himself.

Today, often with headsets over their veils, the sisters cover the phones for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, in front of large monitors that show the incoming call's country of origin. Gendarmes, the Vaticans police, take the night shift.

About a dozen sisters hailing from Italy, the Philippines, Poland and elsewhere take calls from around the world, predominantly in Italian, English and Spanish.

Many callers just need to be directed to the right Vatican office or official, and the sisters oblige with the aid of massive yearbooks and directories, as well as a solid knowledge of protocols and a hefty dose of discretion, Sister Anthony said.

Those who call asking for financial help are put through to the Vatican almoners office, which has provided aid recently to victims of war in Ukraine, floods in Brazil, and homelessness in Naples in southern Italy.

On a recent afternoon, standing by her office chair decorated with a flower-embroidered pillow, Sister Gabriella took a call from a priest inquiring about jointly celebrating a Mass with other priests as part of his jubilee pilgrimage. Since 2025 is a Holy Year for the Catholic Church, with 32 million pilgrims projected to visit Rome, related calls make up a large part of the 50-70 queries the nuns answer daily.

But then there are callers with questions the sisters cant just look up or patch through  those in distress or angry or hopeless.

open image in gallery Nuns pray during a Rosary prayer for Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Square ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

We never get a call thats the same as the previous one, said Sister Simona, whos worked the switchboard for 15 years.

Francis has built a reputation for eschewing formalities  from his way of dressing to his personal outreach to the poor and marginalized before his hospitalization  that projects more parish priest than head of state and leader of a global religion with 1.4 billion followers.

So some callers ask the nuns to just put him on the line.

People of simple faith dont understand that the pope cannot speak with everyone, Sister Gabriella said.

Others need counseling or comfort. The sisters try to provide it within the boundaries of limited time and not being misconstrued as official Vatican spokespeople.

But if I can give consolation or hope, I think thats OK, said Sister Anthony, who came to the Vatican a year ago from her native Philippines, where she was a provincial superior. Some calls are very triggering.

Among those calling with concerns about the pope recently was a woman who told Sister Anthony that she is Muslim but likes Francis, and wanted to inquire about his health.

Thats very impressive for me, the sister recalled, while adding that some callers are far less friendly. Others are angry with the church, so we listen respectfully.

Across the spectrum of callers, the sisters say theyre particularly happy to provide a womans touch.

Pope Francis often reminds that the church is a mother, Mother Micaela said. And to be this voice, this sensibility, this feminine approach gives a sense of reliability.

About 1,100 women, religious and lay, work at the Vatican. Francis has recently named a few to top posts, even though the priesthood and deaconate  and thus the majority of the church hierarchy  remain exclusively male.

The switchboard sisters find pride in both their unseen service and the increasing visibility of women at the Vatican.

For me its a blessing to be in one community with the pope and serving the universal church, Sister Anthony said. Knowing there are more responsibilities for women, we feel very empowered.
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Stunned, bleeding, disorientated and amazed at surviving a double landmine blast inside their armoured ambulance, the Ukrainian medical team had lost their radio and their bearings.

They knew a Russian ambush team was close and they had to get out of Niu York, near Donetsk, fast.

Their leader, Rebekah Maciorowski, a volunteer from Colorado, didnt see the Ukrainian drones overhead that were flashing their beacons to lead her to safety. It was broad daylight.

Russian drones could also see them, they knew as they scuttled into an abandoned building. They were in the worst of military predicaments  a total loss of control.

Getting blown up was not so traumatic compared to the situation that we were in with no comms. No comms, you know, in a grey zone, no communications, no navigational reference, says Rebekah, 31, a permanent frontline medic in Ukraine since March 2022.

Yet even more traumatic was hearing her own president turn on Ukraines president and switch sides, to backing the Kremlin. She heard him do that while watching a drone feed of another of her teams under fire trying to rescue wounded soldiers on the front line near Toretsk, north of Donetsk.

open image in gallery US medic Rebekah Maciorowski and her team tend to injured Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region ( Supplied to The Independent )

You know whats crazy? Im watching on the [live combat drone feed] as hit after hit goes to my [soldiers] position. And were waiting to find out whos dead or injured. And Donald Trumps voice is in the background saying like, well they could have had a deal and it would have been a very good deal, and it just it was so ironic.

Youre watching your friends and colleagues that you have taken care of potentially die in front of you while youre listening to a leader of a democratic country say it doesnt matter.

This was the point when Ukraine almost lost control of its defence against Russia  when Trump resolved to suspend military aid, then cut intelligence feeds  blinding and weakening Ukrainian soldiers in combat.

Ukrainian soldiers and foreign volunteers fighting alongside them have been largely gagged by Kyiv. They have been told not to make the terrible relations with the Trump administration any worse after the White House changed from ally of Ukraine to adversary.

But for Rebekah and her team, which include Ukrainians, a German, a Georgian and a New Zealand nurse, as part of Ukraines 53rd Brigade, the American switch has been devastating.

Rebekah, a trauma nurse based in Denver, with experience in humanitarian work in Central America, volunteered when Ukraine called for help after Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022. She came on a five-week leave period and never went back.

open image in gallery Rebekah Maciorowski, medical officer for Ukraines 53rd Brigade, talks to Sam Kiley from a secret location ( Independent )

Volunteering in teams on the front lines and running evacuations of civilians and soldiers, she built up a social media following which allowed her to raise an estimated $300,000 for supplies to her teams.

She thought what she was doing was all-American and in the best traditions of the defence of democracy and decency her country always stood for.

Then, a few months after being formally brought into Ukraines armed army as a medical officer, she heard the row between Trump and Zelensky at the White House.

It was kind of traumatic. Honestly, it was kind of traumatic. It was unexpected, and it was, I dont even have words. It was awful, yeah. It felt like a knife in the back, says Rebekah.

As the 53rds medical officer she is responsible for the wellbeing of hundreds of soldiers fighting on Ukraines bloodiest and most forsaken front line.

There are pockets of troops wounded and hiding in dugouts in the rubble of Toretsk  still holding against a Russian advance while Vladimir Putin mulls a ceasefire offer from Trump. The two men are expected to talk this week.

Were getting about 300g of water to them a day. Food, medicine, we drop it in from drones that were adapted to drop bombs because we cannot get the soldiers out overland, she tellsThe Independent from her secret location close to Toretsk.

Troops there are able to survive, often with appalling wounds, because the drone packages of medicines dropped to them are backed up by Rebekah and doctors who talk them through how to treat themselves while holding back frequent Russian attacks across the shattered landscape.

Her evacuation teams include medics and Ukrainian soldiers, who drive to rescue wounded troops in the ambulance version of the ancient American-supplied M113 vehicles on the edge of Toretsk, and along a wide section of the eastern front near Konstaninivka.

The vehicles are Vietnam war-era armoured vehicles donated by the US which, once they were repaired and made combat ready in Ukraine, won surprising praise for their resilience against Russian weapons.

The US has given about $60bn (46bn) in military aid, suspended the flow under Trump, and it is now unclear as to whether the supplies have been allowed again. In the meantime European nations are scrabbling to meet the US shortfall and fill the gap that has been left by an unreliable ally.

As Putin continues to delay his response to the ceasefire proposal agreed by Ukraine, Russia has taken advantage of the meandering US policy by attacking Ukrainian forces inside Kursk, a tongue of Russian land captured by Kyiv last year.

There are also credible independent reports to support Volodymyr Zelenskys claim that Moscow is massing troops on his northern border across from Sumy province. This may be an attempt to strike into Ukraine and gain territorial advantage before any real peace talks begin.

On the eastern front, every one of the medical teams rescues around and near Toretsk are under fire. Denys, one of the team drivers, has been blown up so often he cannot recall exactly how many times.

A grizzled middle-aged man, he leans against a wall in the medical base with a cup of tea. His semi-shaved head is pockmarked with scabs.

open image in gallery Sasha, (left) who was driving the vehicle when it was blown up in Niu York, has lost two fingers and calls what remains his ninja turtle right hand. On talk of ceasefire he shrugs: No ceasefire will work ( Rebekah Maciorowski )

He cant see out of the hatch of his armoured ambulance so has to drive with his head exposed. He got hit by a first-person view (FPV) drone three days ago. He didnt admit he had been wounded  he didnt want to do the paperwork.

We took in four fresh guys [new soldiers] and brought out seven wounded. Ive got a piece of drone in my head, he mutters.

He has metal and plastic stuck in his head  and some in his neck from a previous strike, says Alex, a German volunteer who was with him.

Sasha, who was driving the armoured vehicle when it was blown up in Niu York, has lost two fingers and calls what remains his ninja turtle right hand. Hes also having a cup of coffee and waiting for the next callout.

On the ceasefire being asked of Putin after Ukraine agreed to stop fighting for 30 days in talks with Trump, he just shrugs.

No ceasefire will work, he says.

Rebekah agrees. She does not have the experience of the dozens of previous Russian ceasefire violations following previously signed and agreed internationally negotiated ceasefire deals made in Minsk.

open image in gallery Rebekah has treated soldiers on the front lines of some of the heaviest battles fought since 2022, in Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Vuhledar and elsewhere ( Rebekah Maciorowski )

But she has treated soldiers on the front lines of some of the heaviest battles fought since 2022, in Bakhmut, Aavdivka, Vuhledar and elsewhere. She knows how gruesome, undignified and permanent a battlefield death is.

For her, war is an abstract story to be bent by Trumps echoing Russian lies that Ukraine is surrounded in Kursk, or that millions are dead and that Ukraines cities are all rubble.

Day to day, she deals with the screaming bloody reality of whats happening here.

On the ceasefire, she is clear: I dont think the ceasefire will be honoured. I dont think it will be honoured.

I would absolutely love the chance to get my wounded guys out, and for them to have some rest and respite. But based on history and based on Russia's proven behaviour, over and over again, I cant even fathom a world in which a ceasefire was actually honoured.

She then leaves to train freshly arrived troops in the rudiments of battlefield medical aid. Theyre being deployed to Toretsk in a couple of days.
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Russia has presented the US with a list of demands for a deal to end its invasion of Ukraine and reset relations with Washington, it has been reported.

The demands were submitted to Washington after Ukraine accepted a 30-day proposal discussed with the US during peace talks in Saudi Arabia on 11 March.

It is unclear what was included in that letter, but a senior Russian official told state media that any long-term peace deal rests on guarantees that Ukraine will not be allowed to join Nato.

We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said. Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance.

The Ukraine-US talks in Saudi Arabia produced a commitment that the US would renew intelligence and security support after suspending both last week following a disastrous White House meeting between President Trump and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky in February.

Last week, it emerged that UK officials, including a Downing Street fixer, were reportedly intimately involved in brokering the talks.

Below we look at everything we know about the ceasefire deal so far.

What are Vladimir Putins demands?

open image in gallery Vladimir Putin has broken truces in the past ( AP )

During a press conference in the Kremlin on Thursday, Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the ceasefire but added there were nuances that had to be discussed.

He would agree to a truce based on the assumption it would lead to a long-term peace, he claimed, adding that any such agreement had to eliminate the root causes of the conflict.

The Russian president said Russian forces were moving forward along the entire front line and that the ceasefire would have to ensure that Ukraine did not seek to use it simply to regroup.

While Russian forces have staged a successful counteroffensive in the border region of Kursk in the last week, their attacks in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk have slowed to a halt. Ukrainians have begun launching counterattacks along that eastern line, particularly in Toretsk.

The overwhelming concern among Ukrainians and their European allies is that it is Russia that would use a pause in fighting to regroup and attack Ukraine again.

Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk would have to surrender or die, Mr Putin warned. He questioned what would happen to troops currently in Kursk during any truce.

Previously, he has ruled out territorial concessions and said Ukraine must withdraw fully from four Ukrainian regions claimed and partly controlled by Russia. He has also insisted any ceasefire could proceed only if the West gave a guarantee that Ukraine would not join Nato.

What is Ukraines reaction?

Mr Zelensky on Tuesday called on Russia to accept the ceasefire deal his team agreed with the United States, posting on social media that Ukraine was ready to accept it.

But following Mr Putins revealing his conditions, the Ukrainian leader said Mr Putin wanted to delay a truce and was playing for time.

Right now, we have all heard from Russia Putins highly predictable and manipulative words in response to the idea of a ceasefire on the front lines  at this moment he is, in fact, preparing to reject it, he said.

Of course, Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war and keep killing Ukrainians. Thats why, in Moscow, they are surrounding the ceasefire idea with such preconditions that it either fails or gets dragged out for as long as possible.

Putin does this oftenhe doesnt say no outright, but he drags things out and makes reasonable solutions impossible. We see this as yet another round of Russian manipulation.

There was a US proposal for an unconditional ceasefirein the air, at sea, and on the front lines. We in Ukraine accepted this proposal.

He said the Americans were ready to organise, monitor and verify the ceasefire. It was feasible, he said, to put a plan to end the war on the table during the ceasefire.

We are not setting conditions that complicate the processRussia is, he added.

open image in gallery Mr Zelensky said he has wanted peace from the first minute of the invasion ( Office of Ukraine President )

The truce proposals were reportedly drafted with the help of UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell, who visited Mr Zelensky in Kyiv on the weekend. Mr Powell also worked with US counterpart Mike Waltz and German and French officials to fashion a plan for the ceasefire, government sources told the BBC.

Proposals drafted with Mr Powell reportedly included a temporary pause in fighting, prisoner-of-war exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

Mr Zelensky says a more permanent ceasefire is not possible without some form of American security guarantees. His ultimate goal is Nato membership for Ukraine but the US appears to have ruled that out.

Previous suggestions that they will not stop fighting until Russian forces are pushed completely out of Ukraine, including from Crimea, seem to have been dropped.

What has the US said?

President Trump, who said he was willing to talk to the Russian leader by phone, called Mr Putin's statement "very promising" and said he hoped Moscow would "do the right thing".

But, he added: Now were going to see whether or not Russia is there, and if theyre not, itll be a very disappointing moment for the world.

He said Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, was engaged in serious talks with the Russians in Moscow on the US proposal, which Kyiv has already agreed to.

Mr Trump claims he has received positive messages about the ceasefire from Moscow and reiterated on Wednesday that he would do things financially that would be very bad for Russia if they did not accept it.

He said that a ceasefire would make sense for Moscow but said there was a lot of downside for Russia too, without elaborating.

We have a very complex situation solved on one side, pretty much solved. We've also discussed land and other things that go with it, he said.

We know the areas of land we're talking about, whether it's pull back or not pull back.

He acknowledged that positive signals from the Russians meant nothing until a deal had been signed. Much of Europe and Ukraine believe Mr Putins positive signals will continue to mean nothing even after a peace agreement is signed; history is filled with examples of Russia, under Mr Putins leadership, breaking ceasefire agreements, they say.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who led the delegation in Saudi Arabia, said after the talks that the US would take the offer to Russia, and the ball is in Moscow's court. "Our hope is that the Russians will answer 'yes' as quickly as possible, so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations," he told reporters.

What happens now?

Mr Rubio said the plan would be delivered to the Russians through multiple channels. The Kremlin says it will respond after the US has discussed with them the details of the proposal agreed by Ukraine.

Mr Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, is due to meet his Russian counterpart in the coming days and Mr Witkoff met with Kremlin officials in Moscow on Thursday.

In the meantime, fighting continues. Russian forces are in the middle of a major counteroffensive in the border region of Kursk. They could retake the salient soon, removing a key territorial bargaining chip for Ukraine.

Mr Putin, donning military fatigues, visited troops in Kursk recently. It is the first time he has visited the frontline in three years of war against Ukraine. It is telling that he did so less than 24 hours after Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire.

Moscow also continues to launch hundreds of missiles and drones at civilian-populated cities and towns across Ukraine each night.
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Troops outnumbered by as much as six to one on the battlefield, the main supply route cut off and swarms of drones attacking vehicles and soldiers retreating across the border back into Ukraine. That is the picture painted by a senior Ukrainian army officer as Kyivs forces are pushed back from their foothold in Russias Kursk by Vladimir Putins troops.

Russian forces, with the help of thousands of North Korean troops, have been upping the pressure on Ukraines ranks for the last two weeks  as Kyiv looks to hang onto the land it audaciously seized last summer.

The colonel, with connections to the General Staff of Ukraines army  who has not been named in order for him to speak to The Independent freely  said that his countrys troops were outnumbered by three to one at a minimum, but that became six to one in some areas.

He added that the number of drones used by the Russians to target soldiers had grown in recent weeks. Huge swarms of Russian drones hover above the main retreat route for the Ukrainians, he said. They are being operated by more skilled Russian drone pilots than weve seen previously, especially FPV [first person view] pilots.

So Ukrainian armoured vehicles, thin-skinned vehicles like pickups and ambulances, artillery and other equipment are having to run a relentless gauntlet as they head south towards the Ukrainian border.

He said that withdrawing vehicles make easy targets in daytime  less so at night  although Russian drones with night vision or heat-seeking systems can still pinpoint Ukrainian targets.

open image in gallery Russian service members walk past a destroyed building in the town of Sudzha ( via Reuters )

There has always been only one major route into Kursk from Ukraines Sumy region, which saw Kyivs forces roll in against feeble opposition in August. That road, along which The Independent travelled with Ukrainian forces in the wake of that assault, was the most important conduit for its weapons and ammunition replenishments, food, water, medical supplies and evacuation.

The colonel said that this single road was also always the major weakness for Kyivs forces, which the Russians are now exploiting.

However, the colonel was at pains to point out that while Putin has boasted that Ukrainians are in mass flight with thousands surrounded by his troops, the withdrawal had not descended into complete chaos. Its not a rout and our troops are mostly withdrawing in a disciplined way rather than fleeing in disarray, the colonel said.

He added that although Kyivs forces are being beaten back, large Ukrainian formations have not been surrounded, as the Russians claim, but some small units may have lost contact and might be in danger of being encircled.

Moscows forces have said in recent days that they have taken control of Sudzha, the largest town Kyivs forces had seized. But the colonel said that Ukraine still held positions beyond the town and would keep fighting as long as possible.

open image in gallery Vladimir Putin in Kursk ( KREMLIN.RU/AFP via Getty Images )

He said: Ukrainian forces are still fighting hard and holding positions to the northwest and west of Sudzha. They will fight as long as possible because we still hope to use the remaining Russian territory we hold to trade for Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine in any future negotiations.

Putin, who visited Kursk last week, has threatened that the Ukrainian soldiers he claims are surrounded will face death unless they surrender. The colonel said that Ukrainian forces do not believe that surrender guarantees staying alive, citing a video flagged by the Ukrainian parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, which Mr Lubinets alleged shows Ukrainian prisoners of war being executed. The colonel suggested that footage came from Kursk.

The colonel said: A video has emerged of five Ukrainian prisoners in Kursk being executed... Those executions are not random. We know Russian commanders are ordering their men to execute Ukrainian prisoners and the number of such executions is growing.

So nobody believes Putins promises to spare lives and you can expect that Ukrainian soldiers will put up fierce resistance, he added.

Over the weekend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there were signs Russian forces were preparing to cross over from Kursk into Ukraines Sumy region. The colonel said that small groups of Russian troops had crossed into Sumy from several points along the border but were being repelled by Ukrainian forces which had prepared for that possibility.

Moscow has stepped up attempts to regain all of its Kursk region and occupy more Ukrainian territory along the 600-mile frontline ahead of any potential ceasefire agreements. President Donald Trump has said he will speak with Putin on Tuesday about a 30-day ceasefire across the frontline that has already been agreed by Ukraine and the US.
 Close Zelensky condemns Russian strikes on hometown: Diplomacy means nothing to them

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A Ukrainian team will visit Washington this week for crunch talks on a minerals deal, the first visit since the deal collapsed in dramatic fashion five weeks ago.

Volodymyr Zelensky was set to sign a framework agreement in late February before he was booted out of the White House, when a furious Donald Trump berated the Ukrainian president for not being thankful enough for US war assistance.

Since then, teams from Kyiv and Washington have been working to hash out a revised agreement - and to rebuild a broken relationship.

Washington has proposed a more expansive minerals deal which could give it access to valuable mineral resources, including titanium, lithium, and uranium, according to economy minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.

But the deal has not yet been agreed by Ukraine and it is unclear exactly how close the two sides are to reaching an agreement.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has urged Russia to stop bombing Ukraine, after a ballistic missile strike in Kryvyi Rih killed 20, including nine children.,

We are talking to Russia. We would like them to stop, Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One. I dont like the bombing, the bombing goes on and on, and every week thousands of young people being killed.
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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to dismiss the director of Shin Bet, Israels internal security service, citing ongoing distrust during a time of war.

The move to dismiss Ronen Bar follows tensions over blame for the failures leading to Hamass 7 October 2023 attack. The Shin Bet, which is responsible for monitoring Palestinian militant groups, recently released a report acknowledging its failures in the attack while also criticising Mr Netanyahu, stating that government policies contributed to the events.

The Israeli prime minister said in a video statement on Sunday: We are in the midst of a war for our very survival  At any time, but especially during such an existential war, the prime minister must have complete confidence in the director of the [Shin Bet]. Unfortunately, however, the situation is the opposite.

He added: I believe this step is critical for rehabilitating the organisation, achieving the objectives of the war and preventing the next catastrophe.

Mr Netanyahu said he has had ongoing distrust with Mr Bar and "this distrust has grown over time.

This comes at a time when the security service is investigating two of the prime ministers advisers over alleged payments from Qatar during the Israel-Hamas war. Known as Qatar-Gate in the Israeli press, the probe is examining claims that they facilitated and received payments from Qatar to enhance its image in Israel.

Qatar, a key mediator in Gaza ceasefire talks, previously transferred funds to Hamas in 2018 after Mr Netanyahus approval for humanitarian aid in Gaza. Following the 7 October 2023 attack, this decision became a major point of criticism, especially after the Shin Bet claimed that some of the funds were used for Hamass military build-up.

In response to the PMs decision, Mr Bar said that he intended to remain in his position for the near future, citing a personal obligation to complete sensitive investigations, secure the release of remaining hostages in Gaza, and prepare potential successors.

The Shin Bet chief said that he responded first and foremost to the citizens of Israel and that Mr Netanyahus expectation of a personal loyalty contradicts the public interest and is fundamentally flawed.

Mr Netanyahus decision has sparked concerns among his political rivals that he may appoint a loyalist, politicise the agency, and use it to target opponents, critics, or the protest movement against him.

Mr Netanyahus far-right allies praised his decision, with former national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling it better late than never. Cabinet loyalists also hailed the move as a defence of democracy.

Mr Netanyahu has brushed off calls for a state commission of inquiry to investigate his governments role in the security failure on 7 Oct, instead blaming the military and security agencies. Several top security officials have already been dismissed or forced out. Mr Bar is one of the last remaining senior officials from that time, and his removal would likely pave the way for a Netanyahu loyalist, further delaying any investigation.

Mr Netanyahus loyalists in the Israeli media and on social media have been openly attacking Mr Bar, who served in the Shin Bet for two decades before becoming its director in 2021.

Meanwhile, Mr Netanyahu needs attorney general Gali Baharav-Miaras approval for a major decision like this, but she has warned him that the Shin Bet shouldnt serve his personal interests.

Their relationship is already tense, and justice minister Yariv Levin recently started the process of firing her. In her letter to the PM, she warned that he could not go ahead with the move without clarification and added that he should pay attention to the fact that the role of the Shin Bet is not to serve the personal trust of the prime minister.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid labelled the move to dismiss Mr Bar as shameful. His Yesh Atid party now plans to petition the courts against Mr Netanyahus decision to dismiss Mr Bar, claiming the move is an attempt to sabotage a serious criminal investigation of the prime ministers office.

He said: Netanyahu is firing Ronen Bar for only one reason  the Qatar-gate investigation. For a year and a half, he saw no reason to fire him, but only when the investigation into Qatars infiltration of Netanyahus office and the funds transferred to his closest aides began did he suddenly feel an urgency to fire him immediately.

According to The Times of Israel, he said: Netanyahu has once again put his private interests above the good of the country and its security. All the slander and all the attempts to shift responsibility for the failure onto the security system will not help Netanyahu. He is primarily responsible for the failure and disaster of 7 October, and that is all that will be remembered of him.

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on 7 Oct 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Israels retaliatory war in Gaza has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry.
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A new study of 263 galaxies has provided fresh evidence to support a theory that our universe is the interior of a black hole.

Using data from Nasas James Webb Space Telescope, researchers at Kansas State University in the US discovered that the majority of the galaxies were rotating in the same direction.

This goes against previous assumptions that our universe is isotropic, meaning there should be an equal number of galaxies rotating clockwise and anticlockwise.

It is not clear what causes this to happen, but there are two primary possible explanations, said Lior Shamir, associate professor of computer science at Kansas State University.

One explanation is that the universe was born rotating. That explanation agrees with theories such as black hole cosmology, which postulates that the entire universe is the interior of a black hole.

This was the first picture of a black hole. Using the Event Horizon Telescope, scientists obtained an image of the black hole at the center of the galaxy M87. (There is a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy  the Milky Way.) ( Nasa/Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration )

Black hole cosmology suggests that the Milky Way and every other observable galaxy in our universe is contained within a black hole that formed in another, much larger, universe.

The theory challenges many fundamental models of the cosmos, including the idea that the Big Bang was the beginning of the universe.

It also provides the possibility that black holes within our own universe may be the boundaries to other universes, opening up a potential scenario for a multiverse.

The latest findings do not provide definitive proof of black hole cosmology, with more evidence required to fully understand the implications.

Shamir noted that an alternative explanation for why most of the galaxies in the study rotate clockwise is that the Milky Ways rotational velocity is having an impact on the measurements.

If that is indeed the case, we will need to re-calibrate our distance measurements for the deep universe, said Shamir.

"The re-calibration of distance measurements can also explain several other unsolved questions in cosmology such as the differences in the expansion rates of the universe and the large galaxies that according to the existing distance measurements are expected to be older than the universe itself.

The research was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, in a study titled The distribution of galaxy rotation in JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey.
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Carnival Cruise Lines brand ambassador has issued a request for travelers who are unsatisfied with their experience onboard  file a complaint.

John Heald, who has 600,000 followers on Facebook and blogs about his career as a cruise director, is known for answering questions about the cruise industry and addressing guests issues. However, he recently addressed a common mistake he sees in passengers in a since-deleted Facebook post.

In the post, he explained that he normally receives complaints from passengers after their cruise is over and when the ships crew can no longer do anything to resolve the problem. I read comments where people tell me what was wrong with the cruise, his Facebook post read. I get that, it's my job to listen and I want people to tell me these things because as someone once said a complaint is a gift and it is.

However, what drives me absolutely stark raving bonkers is when every day, and yes it is every day, that when I investigate with the ship and follow up with a guest comment the Hotel Director/Guest Services Manager/Dining Room Manager/Luigi the Plumber write back to me and say Ummmm, there are no reports here from the guest.

Heald explained that these situations also upset the crew as by the time they are alerted about the complaint the passenger is at home in Cleveland, Ohio and there is sod all they can do to help them now.

He then provided two complaints he had recently received and how the crew members would have been able to help the guests. The first complaint was from someone who said the chocolate lava cake they ordered repeatedly was overcooked.

John Heald, brand ambassador for Carnival Cruise Line, advised passengers to address their complaints at the time rather than waiting till they get home ( AFP via Getty Images )

Heald pointed out that nothing was said to the waiter, who could have alerted the chef to make him another cake.

Another complaint was from a guest who couldnt use their balcony because the person below them was smoking, claiming the crew did nothing to stop her.

The crew didnt do anything to stop her because they didn't know, Heald responded. Having checked with the ship there were no reports made by this guest or indeed any guests from cabins around the area. If this lady or anyone is caught smoking in the cabin or on the balcony there would be serious consequences for them. It is forbidden for very important safety reasons as well as the discomfort it gives those around you.

The brand ambassador said he understands some people may not like confrontation, but the staff members on the cruise are there to help the guests and to make their stay more enjoyable.

If you see something you do not like, say something. I am not trying to get everyone to find something wrong, but if something really is troubling you, please give the crew a chance to make it right, his post concluded.

Carnival Cruise Line announced last month that they were updating their passenger policy with new age restrictions that could affect young travelers.

As of February 1, passengers under the age of 21 were no longer allowed to travel alone on excursions departing from the U.S.

Travelers younger than 21, the legal drinking age in the country, must be accompanied by a relative or a guardian. The guardian, however, does not have to be a legal guardian.
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A country in Central America has been named as one of the friendliest places to move to as an expat, as other destinations in the Americas also rank highly among those who have moved abroad.

More than 12,500 expats from around the world responded to a survey run by online expat community InterNations, sharing their thoughts on what it is like to live and work abroad.

Representing 175 nationalities living in 174 countries or territories, the expats ranked the best and worst cities and countries for quality of life, working abroad and how easy it was to settle into their new home.

The latter  ease of settling in  was composed of three categories: what it was like to find friends in the local area, to what extent the area felt welcoming including how easy it was to immerse themselves in local culture and how friendly the local population is.

In the 2024 survey, a total of 53 destinations met the minimum sample size of 50 respondents, so these countries made it onto the index.

One country out of the 53 came out as the undisputed winner of the Ease of the Settling In Index: Costa Rica, which ranked highly in all categories.

Respondents found that the country was very welcoming, with 88 per cent agreeing  which is 25 per cent higher than the average welcoming levels across the globe.

Some also said that it was easy to get used to the local culture, with over a third (35 per cent) agreeing with this point, compared to the average 21 per cent across the world.

It was the friendliness category, however, that made Costa Rica stand out, with 90 per cent of respondents saying that locals were friendly in general as well as towards foreign residents.

One Canadian expat said: The locals are generally gentle, lovely people. You learn to adapt to a Pura Vida life in Costa Rica.

In second place is Mexico, a country that has yet to drop out of the top three for ease of settling in since the first year of the survey in 2014.

Over four in five expats said they feel welcome in the country and agree that locals are friendly towards foreign residents.

The respondents also ranked it as the easiest country worldwide to integrate into the local culture, as well as 73 per cent saying they are happy with their social life in Mexico.

Moving away from the Americas, third place went to the Philippines, where it also ranked the year prior.

Expats find the country very welcoming, with 85 per cent saying so and 78 saying they also feel at home.

A British expat expressed they love the free and easy lifestyle. Everybody is open for a chat.

In Mexico, 31 per cent of expats say their friends mostly consist of Mexicans, while this number rises in the Philippines to 41 per cent  both a lot higher than the 17 per cent global average.

The survey also revealed the countries that expats struggled to settle into. Kuwait ranked last out of the 53 countries on the index, with just over a quarter (26 per cent) saying they feel welcome in the country, while the country also ranked last in terms of its local friendliness.

In 52nd place is Norway, where expats say it's difficult to make local friends (67 per cent), meanwhile Germany ranked at 51st due to 32 per cent of expats not feeling welcome as well as the culture taking some getting used to.

Half of the top 10 can be found in the Americas: Brazil (5th), Panama (7th), and Colombia (8th) joining Costa Rica (1st) and Mexico (2nd).

Meanwhile, nine of the bottom 10 countries in the index are found in Europe.

Top 10 countries that are easiest to settle into

Costa Rica Mexico Philippines Indonesia Brazil Thailand Panama Colombia Kenya Greece

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
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Japan will introduce a 4,000 (or about 20 ) entry fee for all four main trails of Mount Fuji starting this summer to tackle overcrowding.

Previously, only the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi prefecture had a 2,000 (or about 10) fee. Now, Shizuoka prefecture will also charge for its three trails, which were previously free. Shizuoka is home to three of Mount Fujis four main climbing trails  Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba.

The entry fee will charged from this summer after local authorities passed a bill on Monday, The Japan Times reported. Yoshida Trails entry fee will double.

Japans iconic mountain has seen a surge in tourists in recent years, sparking concerns over overcrowding, pollution, and disruptive behaviour by tourists.

Last year, Japan started collecting entry fees of 2,000 (10) per head from people climbing the famous volcano to limit the number of trekkers to Mount Fuji. A gate was installed at the entrance to the Yoshida Trail, also known as the fifth station, on the Yamanashi side of Mount Fuji, standing at 3,776m.

The gate began collecting fees from climbers starting 1 July last year, marking the beginning of the years climbing season.

The implementation of this fee collection was aimed at managing overcrowding near the summit of the mountain, the Yamanashi prefectural assembly said at the time.

Climbers were required to allocate as much as 3,000 (or 15.60) per person for their climb, which included a voluntary contribution of 1,000 (or 5) dedicated to the conservation efforts of the mountain, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site.

For the 2024 season, up until mid-September, the newly installed gate operated with limited hours also, closing at 4pm and reopening at 3am the next day.

Due in part to the new restrictions implemented last year, the number of climbers on Mount Fuji dropped to 204,316 last year from 221,322 in 2023, according to environment ministry data.

While this remains below pre-pandemic levels, officials note that 200,000 hikers is still huge, officials say.

Natsuko Sodeyama, a Shizuoka prefecture official, said: There is no other mountain in Japan that attracts that many people in the span of just over two months. So some restrictions are necessary to ensure their safety.

For centuries, Mount Fuji has been a sacred site for Shinto and Buddhist pilgrims, with a shrine at its summit dedicated to Konohanasakuya-hime, the mountains Shinto goddess.

Last year, to deter crowds from gathering for photos, the town of Fujikawaguchiko in Yamanashi installed a large black screen along a pavement, obstructing a popular view of Mount Fuji. The black mesh screen was installed after locals grew frustrated with foreign tourists littering, trespassing, and violating traffic rules in pursuit of the perfect social media photo.

The official climbing season lasts from July to September, with over 200,000 hikers attempting the summit annually. Many make the overnight trek to witness the sunrise from the peak.

According to the World History Encyclopedia, dreaming of Mount Fuji is considered a sign of good fortune in Japan. Beyond the shrines on the mountain itself, more than 13,000 shrines across Japan are reported to be dedicated to Mt Fuji. Many feature small-scale replicas of the mountain, allowing those unable to climb the real peak to make a symbolic pilgrimage.
Climate protesters were wrestled away by attendees after interrupting Kemi Badenoch while she delivered a speech at an event in honour of Margaret Thatcher.

Activists from Climate Resistance unfurled a banner reading abolish billionaires and shouted shame on you for for celebrating Margaret Thatcher during the conference held by Centre for Policy Studies, a think tank founded by Baroness Thatcher, at the Guildhall this evening (17 March).

Conservative leader Badenoch laughed off the incident, telling the crowd: I hardly think Mrs Thatcher can be blamed for the cost-of-living crisis.
Vladimir Putin's former advisor has suggested that Ukrainians should be "thankful" for Russia invading their country, prompting a heated clash with a UK radio host.

On Sunday, 16 February, Lewis Goodall spoke to Sergei Markov, former advisor to the Russian president and representative to the Council of Europe.

When discussing the possibility of peace, Mr Markov claimed Ukrainians should be "thankful" as Russia's bombs will liberate them from a "Neo-Nazi" regime, in what escalated into a heated clash between the Putin ally and the LBC host.
This is the moment alleged thieves pulled out snakes in front of a Tennessee convenience store clerk.

According to workers at a Citgo in Denmark, Tennessee, at least four people entered the gas station carrying two pythons on March 4.

The video shows one suspect placing a python on the counter in front of an employee. Eventually, another snake is held out, causing the employee to back away.

The Citgo workers say the men with the snakes were able to steal $400 worth of CBD oil from the counter. They believe the thieves wouldve stolen more if fewer customers were around.
Donald Trump has defended deporting hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, even after a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from carrying out deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

A plane carrying suspected members of a notorious Venezuelan gang touched down at a prison in El Salvador on Saturday (15 March), despite a judges order.

The president was quizzed about the deportations on board Air Force One on Saturday.

He told reporters: I can tell you this, these were bad people. That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres.
The road to financial independence doesn't have to be extreme. Photo: Getty

In 2019, I had the honour of travelling to Spain to attend a FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) conference. It was a small event, with only around 20 people.

About a third of those present had reached financial independence, while the rest of us were eager to learn from those who had already made it.
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
Behind the mysterious online campaign that tried to make the landmark Diarmuid Rossa Phelan trial a cause celebre

Message of campaign was that Irish farmers were becoming easy targets

Diarmuid Rossa Phelan

Ellen Coyne and Rien Emmery Mon 17 Mar 2025 at 03:30

Irish farmers were becoming easy targets. Whether it was petty crime or serious intimidation, farmers were being left defenceless and hopeless by the authorities, and were forced to turn to self-defence to protect themselves and their property.
Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor stands at the briefing room lectern, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at his side, during a visit to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

The McGregor family with Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the Oval Office in the White House. Photo: The White House/X.

Former Taoiseach Leo Varakdar has hit out at Conor McGregor after his meeting with Donald Trump at the White House today, saying: "Good Irish dads teach their sons to detest men like Conor and their daughters to avoid men like him. Irish America know this.

Mr Varadkar said McGregor was a "convicted criminal" and also referred to a civil jury finding him liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand.

McGregor was ordered to pay Ms Hand compensation of close to 250,000 last year. He has appealed the finding and the Court of Appeal will hear his case this week.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said that MMA fighter McGregor does not speak for Ireland following his arrival at the White House for St Patricks Day, where he met both US President Donald Trump richest man on earth, Elon Musk this afternoon.

The McGregor family with Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the Oval Office in the White House. Photo: The White House/X.

White House press wrangler Allison Schuster shared photos of Mr McGregor at the podium in the White House briefing room this afternoon, where she said he took surprise questions and signed a Make Ireland Great Again hat.

He described Ireland as the little bro which should be looked after by the United States as he said he was in Washington to raise issues like an illegal immigration racket that is running ravage on the country.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said his remarks are wrong and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

St. Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.



Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 17, 2025

In a post shared to X, Mr Martin said: St Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said Mr Trump can invite whoever he wants to the White House and he is perfectly entitled to invite whoever he wishes.

President Donald Trump and MMA fighter Conor McGregor in the Oval Office.

Conor McGregor criticises Irish Government during speech at the White House

"But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. He is here in a personal capacity. He does not speak for Ireland, he does not speak for the people of Ireland, he has no mandate to do such.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Mr Harris said his views on Mr McGregor are long-standing and on the public record.

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The White House shared a video of Mr McGregor walking from the building this afternoon saying: Happy Paddys Day, America.

It comes just days after Taoiseach Micheal Martin met with Mr Trump in the Oval Office, during which the American leader was asked who his favourite Irish person was.

"I do happen to like your fighter. Hes got the best tattoos Ive ever seen. Conors great, right? But you have a lot of great Irish fighters actually, Mr Trump said.

Mr McGregor told those gathered in the briefing room today that Ireland and America are siblings and it is important for Ireland to have a peaceful, happy, prosperous country for the 40 million Irish-Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home.

"We wish for our relationship with the United States to continue and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro. The United States should look after its little bro.

He added that he was in Washington to raise the issues that Irish people face, which he said have "never" been spoken about "on the main stage".

"Our Government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland.

He accused the Irish Government of having zero accountability and said Irish money was being spent on overseas issues that has nothing to do with the Irish people, adding that the illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country.

He said rural towns have been overrun and Irish-Americans need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

Mr McGregor posed for a photo alongside his family in the Oval Office with Mr Trump and Elon Musk, following a meeting where the fighter told Mr Trump that he loved his work ethic.

In a post shared yesterday, Mr McGregor had said he was due to land in Washington for the most important meeting of my countries (sic) future.

"I am beyond ready. The world will hear Irelands call.

The official White House account also shared a photo of Mr McGregor posed with his fists up in front of two portraits of Mr Trump and his vice president JD Vance today.

Last November, a High Court civil jury found Nikita Hand was assaulted by Mr McGregor in the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on 9 December, 2018.

She was awarded 248,603 in damages against Mr McGregor.

The mixed martial arts fighter has lodged an appeal against the verdict in the civil rape case, which is listed to come before the Court of Appeal on March 21.

The former UFC champion instructed his lawyers to lodge an appeal directly after the verdict was handed down last November following a 12-day trial.

Speaking in New York today, Tanaiste Simon Harris said he did not want to comment on matters that may again appear before the courts, but added that he has previously spoken with Ms Hand.

"I admire her bravery, her courage and I would much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.

On whether he believed Mr Martin should have said something in the Oval Office when Mr Trump discussed Mr McGregor as one of his favourite Irish people, Mr Harris said: I think the Taoiseach did a very good job representing our country in the Oval Office and Im very proud of the job that he did.

Asked whether he believed a potential endorsement of Mr McGregor by Mr Trump in the Irish presidential race would amount to election interference, Mr Harris said: In general I think its always better for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country and by the people of Ireland, and thats how our presidential election will be decided.

"I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor. I dont expect he is going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency to Aras an Uachtarain.
Letterkenny St Patricks Day parade cancelledTeenage male driver arrested at scene and in garda custodyMatter referred to garda ombudsman due to earlier interaction between gardai and driver of vehicle

Garda at the scene of the incident at Lower Main St, Letterkenny. (North West Newspix)

Two men who were struck by a car in Co Donegal in the early hours of St Patrick's Day were brothers who lived less than 100m from the scene of the tragedy.

Anthony and Martin Gallagher, who were both in their 60s, were walking home after a night out in Letterkenny.

The men were critically injured after being struck by a taxi being driven by a teenager at the town's Lower Main Street just before 3am.

The men were rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital to receive emergency treatment. However, Anthony Gallagher subsequently died from his injuries.

Anthony was a well-known figure in the town where he was the employed 'lollipop' man, helping schoolchildren to cross the road - less than 50m from where he was fatally injured.

The car crossed a roundabout before hitting the men and then striking the front of a local house causing some damage to the building.

His brother Martin has been transferred to Galway University Hospital where he is being treated for serious injuries sustained in the incident.

Both men lived together at the family home in the town.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 17th March 2025

A teenager suspected of driving the vehicle involved in the incident was arrested at the scene and is being questioned at Letterkenny Garda Station.

The area was immediately sealed off and a Garda forensic team later arrived at the scene of the tragedy.

Gardai are still investigating the exact circumstances of the moments leading up to the tragedy.

The vehicle involved in the incident is a Skoda Octavia estate car which is owned by a local taxi-driver.

How a teenager came to be driving the vehicle is one of the main questions being asked by Garda investigators.

Gardai continue to appeal for witnesses to come forward.

They have also confirmed the matter has been referred to GSOC due to an earlier interaction between An Garda Siochana and the driver of this vehicle.

Amazing Grace filled the air as hundreds of people gathered in Letterkenny for a poignant candlelight vigil for the two brothers tonight.

The candlelit vigil was organised by Letterkenny man Colm McDaid and around 200 friends, neighbours and members of the community gathered at the scene of the collision carrying candles.

Flowers and candles were left at the scene as a tribute to the men, while local clergy and councillors also attended the vigil.

Mr McDaid said it was good to see the community coming together at difficult times like this and said the two brothers were well known in the town.

The two boys, Anthony and Martin lived a simple life, kept to themselves, and bothered nobody.

They were out for a few drinks last night and on the way home, tragedy struck and Anthony lost his life.

Mr McDaid told the crowd that Martin Gallagher continues to fight for his life in Galway and had undergone surgery today.

We are here tonight to stand with the Gallagher family.

They give us their blessing and they sent a personal message to thank each and every one of you for coming out and to thank you for your prayers.

They will need them over the coming days, said Mr McDaid.

The two men were well known in the community and Anthony Gallagher had worked as a lollipop man in the town for many years.

Mr McDaid continued, Tragically he lost his life 50 yards from where he worked and 100 yards from the house.

A minutes silence was held in memory of Anthony, while prayers were said for Martin's recovery.

Thanks were also paid to the emergency services and all those who attended the scene on the night of the collision.

To bring the vigil to a close, a young boy, Davin McDonough, played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes in a touching tribute to the two men.

A decision was later made to cancel the local St Patrick's Day parade in the town as a mark of respect. The Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce said the move was taken following consultation with An Garda Siochana and in the interest of public safety. We must prioritise the safety and well-being of those in our community, the chamber said.

Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny and Milford Municipal District, Councillor Gerry McMonagle, said a day of planned celebrations for St Patrick's Day had changed so suddenly.

He said "This was going to be a great day, a great day for Letterkenny and Donegal to celebrate our heritage and all there is to appreciate what it is to be Irish.

"Instead, we are trying to comes to terms with this tragedy and this loss. These two men are very well-known in our community and it's still hard to take in that something like this has happened in our town."

Mayor McGonagle said he supported the decision to cancel the local St Patrick's Day parade and that the thoughts and prayers of the entire community were with the victims and their family.

"I do appreciate that a lot of work and preparation went into organising the parade but I think it was the right decision to cancel it.

"These two men were very much part of the local community and the right decision was taken in my opinion," he added.

The people involved are well known  two characters and very much respected in the town.

It is a sad day for Letterkenny and a very sad day for the families involved.

Up until yesterday, there was 23 road deaths for the first three months of this year, and this has another fatality to it and that is tragic in itself.

It just puts a dark cloud over the whole town.

For the families involved in this, it is a massive tragedy for them, and our hearts and prayers go out to them today, said Cllr McMonagle.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the crash to contact them at Letterkenny garda station or any garda station.
Road deaths have dropped by 19pc this year compared with the same period last year  with nine counties recording no traffic fatalities since January 1.

A total of 34 people have died on Irish roads so far this year.

That contrasts with 42 who had lost their lives in traffic tragedies by the same point last year.

Among those who died this year were 17 drivers, eight pedestrians, three passengers, five motorcyclists and one pedal cyclist.

The latest fatality involved a motorcyclist in his 50s, who died following a single-vehicle crash in Taghmon, Co Wexford, shortly before 7pm on Saturday.

An analysis by road-safety campaign group Parc revealed the fatal incidents have been spread across 17 counties so far this year.

Nine counties  Waterford, Clare, Tipperary, Louth, Wicklow, Monaghan, Kildare, Leitrim and Longford  have not recorded a road death so far this year.

Studies are now under way into the volatility in Irish road death trends.

A total of 184 people died on Irish roads in 2023  the highest death toll for over a decade and a 20pc increase on 2022 fatalities.

Last year, a total of 174 people lost their lives on Irish roads.

That represented a 4pc decline  despite the fact that over the first half of 2024, Ireland was on course to exceed 200 deaths for the year.

Experts are baffled that Ireland posted a near-30pc increase in deaths last spring before the country recorded a dramatic decline in deaths over the summer and into autumn, with unexplained regional variations.

Irelands most populous county  Dublin  has recorded three road deaths so far this year, the latest being a motorcyclist who died in a tragedy on the M50 on March 9.

Donegal has recorded a higher fatality level, with four deaths since January 1  despite having a population nine times smaller than Dublins (167,000 compared with 1.46 million).

Some 75pc of deaths in Donegal involved people aged 25 years or younger.

Galway (four) and Wexford (four) have also recorded road death totals higher than that of Dublin this year.

Wexford has recorded four deaths to March 16 this year. At the same time last year, no one had died on Wexford roads.

Galway and Donegal have each recorded four deaths to March 10  with both counties recording only a single death each at the same period in 2024.

Mayo, traditionally one of the counties that reports Irelands lowest traffic fatality rates, last year suffered one of the worst death tolls, with 19 fatalities.

The county has already recorded two deaths this year, both involving drivers aged 50 years or younger.

Parc founder Susan Gray said the cornerstone of road safety was the strict enforcement of regulations and proper resourcing of gardai.

There is an undeniable link between Road Policing Unit (RPU) numbers, enforcement of road safety regulations and the safety of our roads, Ms Gray said.

It is a matter of great concern that garda numbers in this vital area are consistently falling, at the very time that deaths on our roads are spiralling.

She said the priority for the Government should be the provision of maximum resources for gardai.

Ms Gray said garda RPUs deserved enormous credit for the work they had achieved with depleted resources.

Garda RPU personnel numbers are 40pc down on 2009 levels.

We desperately need to get the road safety message across  and ensure that road safety regulations are rigorously enforced, she said.

But this includes all the stakeholders, from the Government to state agencies, and from prioritising recruitment to the gardai to closing loopholes in the law and devoting the resources to road safety to reverse the trend in fatalities.

Since 2018, road deaths have steadily climbed: 2019 (140); the Covid lockdown years of 2020 (146) and 2021 (130); 2022 (155); and 2023 (184).

Overall, road users aged 16 to 25 years old represented the large proportions of fatalities (26pc) and serious injuries (22pc) over the last year.

Gardai insisted that 150 extra personnel would be deployed to RPU work nationwide by next December.

But they warned that road policing was a very complex area.

An Garda Siochana is committed to its aim to transfer 150 personnel into Roads Policing by the end of 2025. [We] commenced this allocation with the transfer of 23 garda members to RPUs during the second half of 2024, it said.

Gardai noted that, despite predictions that road traffic fatalities would exceed 200 in 2024, they fell compared with 2023 levels.

An Garda Siochana also notes that during quarter one of 2024, most public and media commentary suggested that road deaths would reach and substantially pass over 200 deaths in 2024  this trend was stopped and reverted through all stakeholders working with each other.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris directed last year that all uniformed gardai on duty conduct 30 minutes of road policing duties.
A group of firefighters pose together for a photo at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., March 16, 2025. REUTERS/Lauren Owens Lambert

Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney interacts with a child as he attends the 200th St. Patrick's Day Parade in Montreal, Quebec, Canada March 16, 2025. REUTERS/Peter McCabe

Members of the Kentstown and Seneschalstown Accordion Band from Navan tune up their instruments during the St Patrick's Day Parade festival in London yesterday. Photo: Kevin Coombs/Reuters

Getting into the spirit of things during a parade for St Patrick's Festival in London yesterday. Photo: Carlos Jasso/Reuters

The Alma Boliviana Dance Ballet in Ireland troupe at the Goal NextGen Street Takeover in St Stephen's Green yesterday. Photo: Mark Stedman

All dressed up for the parade during the St Patrick's Festival celebrations in London yesterday. Photo: Carlos Jasso/Reuters

Two young sisters enjoying the sights and sounds of Cavan town St Patrick's Day parade yesterday afternoon. Photo: Lorraine Teevan

Pictured at the Goal NextGen Street Takeover in St Stephen's Green yesterday is Emilia Turek from New York City. Photo: Mark Stedman

Almost two million people will take to Irish streets to celebrate St Patricks Day as parade-goers are set to enjoy ideal marching conditions of dry, cool weather for the donning of the green.

More than 500 parades and festivals are under way nationwide to honour Irelands patron saint and to kickstart the traditional start of the tourist season.

London got the party started yesterday with almost 60,000 people attending a parade in Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Hyde Park.

Kellie Harrington, Irelands double Olympic gold medallist, was joint parade grand marshal alongside Paralympic star Katie-George Dunleavy.

Mayor Sadiq Khan said the parade reflected Londons deep Irish links and the strong cultural, community and family ties between the UK capital and Ireland.

Unfortunately, Birminghams St Patricks Day parade had to be cancelled for safety and logistical reasons.

Manchesters St Patricks Day parade route made a welcome return to the city centre  with the event now ranking as one of the longest-running parades outside Ireland.

The Alma Boliviana Dance Ballet in Ireland troupe at the Goal NextGen Street Takeover in St Stephen's Green yesterday. Photo: Mark Stedman

Glasgow hosted its St Patricks Day parade last weekend and it is hoped it will now become an annual fixture on the civic calendar.

However, Irish and European events are dwarfed by US parades, with an estimated two million spectators set to attend New Yorks parade today.

The Big Apples parade will have 150,000 participants, with Limerick-born Michael Benn, a stalwart of New Yorks Irish community, serving as grand marshal of the citys 264th parade.

Chicago staged its giant St Patricks Day parade on Saturday with the river dyed green to honour Ireland  a tradition which dates back to 1962.

Victoria Smurfit will lead this year's main St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin. Photo: Julien Behal

More than one million people attended the St Patricks Day parade in Boston yesterday, with the event also marking Evacuation Day in 1776, when British troops finally left Boston during the Revolutionary War.

Grand marshal of the Boston parade was retired Navy lieutenant commander Alanna Devlin Ball, a proud Irish-American who represented the US at the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany.

The strength of the dollar will lead to the biggest American attendance at Irish parades for over a decade, with a record number of US marching bands participating.

An estimated 250,000 people have flown in to Ireland for its most famous festival week.

Pictured at the Goal NextGen Street Takeover in St Stephen's Green yesterday is Emilia Turek from New York City. Photo: Mark Stedman

The good news from Met Eireann is that bar the odd isolated shower, Ireland will enjoy perfect parade weather, with conditions dry and cold, if slightly cloudy, with maximum temperatures of around 10C.

Failte Ireland supports numerous festivals and parades around Ireland as the tourism season gets into full swing.

Festivals and events are a key component of Irelands tourism offering and they provide unique and compelling reasons for a visitor to choose a destination, Failte Irelands director of product development Orla Carroll said.

They also have the ability to drive footfall for local businesses, supporting jobs and revenue generation.

In keeping with tradition, Irelands first St Patricks Day parade will take place in Dingle, Co Kerry, where the local fife-and-drum band will lead a march through the town from 6am.

For those who may require a few extra hours in bed, Dingles main parade takes place from Ashmount Terrace at 12.30pm.

Irelands largest parade will be in Dublin where more than 4,000 people will participate in the two-hour long celebration.

The grand marshal for the Dublin parade will be actress Victoria Smurfit, star of Ballykissangel and recent hit Disney+s Rivals.

Two young sisters enjoying the sights and sounds of Cavan town St Patrick's Day parade yesterday afternoon. Photo: Lorraine Teevan

Dublin expects around 500,000 people to attend the parade and its related St Patricks Festival events.

The capitals march will feature 18 special pageants and 14 different marching bands from across Europe and North America.

Corks grand marshal will be music producer and rapper Garry McCarthy with Kabin Crew.

Kabin Crews song, The Spark, became a viral hit and a special musical theme is expected for Leesides 2025 parade.

Mr McCarthy said it was the honour of a lifetime to lead the Cork parade.

The Cork parade will feature over 3,000 participants including floats, bands and arts groups.

Members of the Kentstown and Seneschalstown Accordion Band from Navan tune up their instruments during the St Patrick's Day Parade festival in London yesterday. Photo: Kevin Coombs/Reuters

Limerick will see numbers in its St Patricks Day parade boosted by its annual hosting of the hugely popular International Band Championships, which began yesterday.

While Limerick will have its traditional St Patricks Day parade at noon today, bands competing in the international championship will follow the same route as the city revels in a musical spectacular.

Paralympic star Roisin Ni Riain will serve as grand marshal of Limericks St Patricks Day parade.

Galway will also host a three-day St Patricks Festival with Sharon Shannon serving as grand marshal.

Getting into the spirit of things during a parade for St Patrick's Festival in London yesterday. Photo: Carlos Jasso/Reuters

More than 3,000 participants are expected in the 11.30am parade  with Galway hosting an ambitious programme of open-air music events around the city centre.

The theme of the parade will be Our Community.

Waterford hosted Irelands first-ever St Patricks Day parade in 1903 and the biggest parade in city history is planned for this year.

The grand marshal of the 2025 parade will be Waterford camogie star Abbie Burrows.

Waterford  which was also the Irish city that led the campaign for St Patricks Day to be made a national holiday  will also host a four-day festival to celebrate local arts, culture and sport.
Its not about the money, its just having to do it all again  home that had 600,000 Room to Improve makeover is damaged in blaze
There is a misperception that we are hiking prices for the sake of it  publican on cost of keeping his doors open

We celebrate births and commiserate deaths in pubs they are part of the life cycle here in Ireland, says pub owner Mike McMahon

There is a perception that we are price hiking for the sake of hiking  Limerick publican on costs and changing pub culture

Maeve McTaggart Mon 17 Mar 2025 at 03:30

A Limerick publican has said Irish pubs are integral to tourism and local communities  and both will lose out if industry concerns are not addressed.
What Australia can learn from St Patricks Day, by an Aussie Paddy

Clint Drieberg on why a day of celebration, like what Ireland has in St Patricks Day, would help solve some of Australias problems when it comes to a national day of pride

Clint Dreiberg at Radio Nova. Photo: Andres Poveda

Clint Drieberg Mon 17 Mar 2025 at 03:30

Being back in Australia for not only Australia Day but also St Patricks Day, I have a weird mixed sense of cross country pride and am left wondering. There is a lot the same about Aussies and Irish folk. Our passion for the national ball sport and our penchant for a drink is second to none. We both have a strong sense of community, an unrivalled sense of humour and a renowned laid-back attitude (if Im in Sydney I say shell be right and if Im Dublin things are grand).
Its nearly 400 years since the Catholic Church established a feast day to honour Saint Patrick. From that start in 1631 and for a few centuries afterwards, it was a day of solemnity in this country, with mass in the morning and a modest feast in the afternoon.

The parades, the flags and the shamrock would follow a lot later. After all, blue was the traditional colour of the country until green became pre-eminent with the 1798 rebellion.

The influencers of their day, the immigrant community had a big say in the modern day shape of the celebrations, from the first recorded event in Boston in 1737 to the first parade in New York in 1762.

The famine of 1847 further shaped the day, as it became a commemoration of sorts of the darkest period in our nations history, what the poet Eavan Boland described as the worst hour of the worst season of the worst year of a whole people. When 1.5 million people died from starvation, disease and cold, and a further two million desperately fled the country, it left it indelible scar.

Unlike other countrys national holidays, St Patricks Day is all-embracing, as it involves people from any background, religion and race. The unifying nature of the holiday is reflected in it being celebrated across the globe, wearing the green, pinning on the shamrock and sharing the joy.

Dublins St Patricks Day parade is a slick performance with elaborate creations, concepts and costumes, alongside the ever-impressive marching bands over from the US. The parades in small towns and villages around the country retain their authenticity, with kids marching with their local clubs and floats on the back of trailers portraying aspects of modern life  even if not always politically correct.

Our ministers are once again scattered to the far corners of the globe meeting the diaspora for St Patricks Day and using the occasion for the soft diplomacy it offers to build relations with foreign governments. It leaves an absence of officialdom each year to acknowledge the contribution of the efforts at home to celebrate our identity.

In our multicultural society, the heartening aspect of our national holiday is how those who have migrated to Ireland cherish the opportunity to celebrate the national holiday of their new home.

The transformation of the country in the first quarter century of the millennium has broadened what it means to be Irish. After all, Patrick himself was British and moved here twice, firstly by force as a slave and secondly by design to answer a calling as a missionary.

The rise of populism across the Western world has resulted in a hostile attitude towards immigration. The experience of emigration, touching every family in the country, has shaped our sense of what it means to be Irish. Our tired, our poor, our huddled masses yearning to breathe free had to go abroad, just as those with similar experience are now coming to our shores.

As we toast the legacy of our patron saint, lets celebrate the best of us  all of us.
Since Maewyn Succat (Saint Patricks birth name) was trafficked to these shores in AD432, many more immigrants have followed throughout the ages, but especially so in recent decades.

And while they may not be attributed, as in the fable of Saint Patricks contribution to our tribe, they also bring strange names amongst us and, for too many, a similar experience of oppression.

Most significantly, the overwhelming majority bring a diversity of qualities, uniqueness and identities that have enriched the tapestry of being Irish, which parades throughout the country today will testify.

So on this St Patricks Day, I am thankful to the diversity of kids in my grandchildrens school, who will give them a perspective on the world I never experienced, to the man from Moldova who, at the appointed time, arrived and fixed my digital blackout after Storm Eowyn, to the young black woman who cares devotedly for a family friend in poor health, and to the theatre nurse whose gentle voice soothed the prodding insertion of my cannula as she prepared me for an operation in the Mater Hospital.

Today is their day too.

Michael Gannon, St Thomas Square, Kilkenny

Europeans have taken welcome steps in dealing with Trumps new reality

As Fionnan Sheahan noted in his appraisal of the White House meeting on Wednesday, Micheal Martin ducked and weaved deftly and emerged relatively unscathed from the encounter. Phew.

Critics have, rather predictably, rebuked the Taoiseachs performance for various reasons, but the stark reality is that Martin had no choice but to resort to casual flattery and prolonged silence. Ireland is a small island nation with a large dependence on the US in terms of trade. We simply could not afford a major diplomatic spat provoked by challenging the Trump administration.

However, the same cannot really be said for some of Americas other allies, many of which have the economic strength and resources to act as a counterweight to Donald Trumps US.

Nato countries such as the UK, France and Germany are now making moves to dramatically increase military spending. Talk of a joint nuclear deterrent is in the air. The EU is imposing retaliatory tariffs. This is all welcome, and necessary.

America is still a friend, but a fickle one at best. The US-Europe relationship is ruptured. It could fracture entirely at any one time.

Trump must be challenged when he is wrong, and supported when he is right  his endeavours to create peace in Gaza and Ukraine are admirable, but any agreements must be fair and equitable, not weighted heavily in favour of Israel and Russia.

Thomas Conway, Ballina, Co Tipperary

Perhaps countries should be less willing to inflict war upon other nations

In 2003, 48 countries participated in an illegal occupation of Iraq and the overthrow of its government. US president George W Bush described this as a coalition of the willing.

A similar coalition, which included warlords and drug barons, participated in the occupation of Afghanistan in 2001 and the overthrow of the Afghan government, leading to 20 years of bloody war. In 2011, a Nato-led coalition abused a UN Security Council resolution to precipitate the overthrow of the Libyan government, leaving Libya in chaos ever since.

Another coalition of the willing that includes the US, UK and several EU states has been supporting Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people that the ICJ and ICC international courts say may amount to genocide.

On March 15, at least nine people were killed in an Israeli drone attack in northern Gaza. During 2024/25, a coalition including US, UK and Israel has been carrying out extensive air raids on Yemen.

Several million people have been killed or died due to war-related reasons precipitated by these so-called coalitions of the willing across the wider Middle East.

This month, UK prime minister Keir Starmer announced yet another coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine in its conflict with nuclear-armed Russia. This increases the risk of nuclear war as the UK and France are also nuclear powers. These coalitions of the willing have become coalitions of the killing. All this killing has been in breach of the proper rule of international laws, and Ireland has been complicit in some of it.

Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick

Only arms manufacturers will benefit as our world slides into deadly conflict

World War III has already begun, but the public isnt being told, as acknowledging it could undermine the agendas of various participants.

British planes operating from airstrips in Cyprus have been spying on Gaza on behalf of Israel. British forces, along with US, French, and Jordanian air forces, helped intercept a wave of drones and missiles launched by Iran towards Israel last year, in retaliation for the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, among other events.

Now, prime minister Keir Starmer is discussing the possibility of British troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the US has just bombed Houthi military sites in Yemen. The US administration is eyeing regions like Canada, Greenland, the Panama Canal and Gaza  none of which will be handed over without significant conflict, I imagine.

If you take a look at the current global conflicts, youll find the list is extensive, with 35 armed conflicts in Africa alone.

Take the profit out of arms sales and/or ban the manufacture and sale of military hardware and war will largely disappear from the globe. The reason why such proposals are rarely raised in the press or in parliaments says so much about the people who hold power in society and the ideas and values they wish to circulate within the public consciousness.

Louis Shawcross, Co Down

RTE may not have turned down Ted, but it was never a suitable home for sitcom

Tanya Sweeney starts her excellent article on Father Ted (Father Ted at 30  Irish Independent, March 16) correcting the urban myth that Father Ted had been offered to RTE.

The creators of the series, Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, have both corrected this myth over the years. However, I suspect RTE would never have been able to produce the series due to its lack of experience in comedy, after 30 years on the air, instead the creators had no real choice but to go to a 13-year-old broadcaster in the UK.

Unfortunately, any experience in comedy that RTE may have had in the 1990s has since been eroded.

Eamonn Geoghegan, Co Westmeath
The US Department of Homeland Security arrested Timothy OReilly, also known as Elijah Gavin, Timothy Kelly and Elijah Thomas, in relation to construction fraud.

It is alleged that OReilly is a member of what the FBI calls the Travelling Conmen - a group of UK and Irish nationals who have been recognised in the US as a transnational organised crime group.

He was arrested in New York in January on charges of conning over $800,000 from a 78-year-old woman.

OReilly also faces charges of wire fraud after allegedly moving money across bank accounts in different states.

He has been on the run since 2022 after failing to return to Magilligan Prison, Northern Ireland, following a temporary compassionate release. At the time, he was facing charges over an attempt to con another elderly woman out of 40,000.

Last September, Fermanagh brothers Patrick and Matthew McDonagh pleaded guilty to taking part in a similar scam in Washington state, with one homeowner losing over $400,000.

Todays episode of the Indo Daily comes from our sister podcast, The BelTel. Ciaran Dunbar is joined by the Sunday Worlds Eamon Dillon to discuss who Timothy OReilly is and what allegations have been made against him. They will also unpick the truth behind the Travelling Conmen group.
The real and growing crisis in Gaeltacht communities in Cork and nationwide was highlighted recently in Seanad Eireann by Senator Nicole Ryan.

The Cork senator expressed her fears over a number of pressing issues in the Gaeltacht. It is more important than ever to talk about the real crisis facing our Gaeltacht communities. The number of daily Irish speakers is dropping and young people are being forced out, not because they want to leave, but because they cant build or buy a home in their own community.

Senator Ryan said real action is required to protect the Irish language not more red tape. While those who choose to live in Gaeltacht areas should be committed to learning the language, adding yet another test into an already broken planning system will only make things harder. Right now people cant build if theyre from the area and cant move in if they are not.

Instead of more red tape, we need real action, affordable housing, fair planning rules and the long promised Gaeltacht housing guidelines. If the government is serious about protecting the Irish language they need to start with the people who speak it, she added.

Members of Gaeltacht community groups, language activists and students recently gathered outside the Dail to highlight the impact housing insecurity is having on the Irish language in Gaeltacht communities.

Senator Ryan urged the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne to make a statement on the planning challenges encountered by residents in Gaeltacht areas.

Ms Ryan is worried about the decline in the number of daily Irish speakers in Gaeltacht area. The census data showed the number of daily Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht has fallen from 69% in 2011 to 66% in 2022. This decline isnt a coincidence. It has been directly linked to young people being forced to leave because they cannot build or buy a home in their own community.

Senator Ryan continued: Groups like Banu and Misneach have warned that the Gaeltacht housing shortages which have planning rules and out of control rents are all eroding the fabric of these communities. The Irish speaking population is shrinking and yet despite these warnings the government has failed to act.

Just one in five families is raising their children through Irish so how can we expect Gaeltacht areas to survive if people cannot live there. Our planning policies at the moment are driving people out. As someone who is currently living in Baile Mhuirne I have seen first-hand the deep pride and commitment of Gaeltacht communities. They are places where Irish isnt just spoken, but it is actually lived, she added.

The Gaeltacht is being hollowed out from the inside out, said Senator Ryan. Local people struggle to build on their own land because of the outdated bureaucratic planning laws. Houses sit empty while families are forced to move outside of the Gaeltacht and the Gaeltacht guidelines which were first promised in 2021 have yet to be published.

Senator Ryan said people who want to move into Gaeltacht area also face planning roadblocks. If you are from the area you cannot build and if you are not from the area you cannot move in. The system is broken and it is killing the future of the Gaeltacht. We see no progress in the Gaeltacht housing guidelines, a failure to invest in infrastructure, no public transport, no job opportunities, unreliable broadband and actually no targeting housing supports to prioritise those committed to living through the Irish language.

The Sinn Fein politician said both immediate and long-term solutions are required to solve the issues. We cant keep talking about the Irish language as if its an abstract problem. It is happening right now. It is one of the biggest contributors to the failure of the planning policy to support Gaeltacht communities.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher OSullivan, acknowledged it is a really important issue. The Irish language is the first official language of the State. The language planning process provided for in the Gaeltacht Act 2012 is a primary legislative mechanism by which the objectives of the governments 20 year strategy for the Irish language from 2010 to 2030 will be achieved.

Minister OSullivan continued: It is a specific objective of the National Planning Framework to support the implementation of language plans in Gaeltacht language planning areas, Gaeltacht service towns and Irish language networks. In addition Section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires that local authority development plans include objectives for the protection of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Gaeltacht including the promotion of Irish as the community language.

Deputy OSullivan admitted a bespoke approach is required for both Gaeltacht and island areas. It is important that we protect Gaeltacht areas and ensure there is some level of Irish spoken in these areas. There needs to be a bespoke approach to Gaeltacht areas and island areas as well.

Some type of innovative housing solution because it is proving more difficult for young people in particular to establish a connection to the area. They are having to jump through hoops and often these Gaeltacht areas are the most stunning areas in Ireland, he added.
Sinn Fein party leader Mary Lou McDonald and Senator Nicole Ryan were presented with a bouquet of flowers by Macroom Youthreach students Declan Nolan and Dara Manigan. Pic: John Bohane

Ms McDonald recently visited Macroom Youthreach Centre and she was full of praise for the students who attend the centre. Macroom Youthreach is hugely important. Just talking to and more importantly listening to the young people here, I just want to give a shout out to all the young people in Youthreach in Macroom. The talent is absolutely mighty and exceptional.

The party leader continued: We should really celebrate the fact that our young people in so many different ways, each in their own individual way have so much to offer and so much to bring. We should remind ourselves those who are not so youthful anymore that we rely on our young people to build the Ireland of tomorrow and to make progress for all of us.

Cork College of FET Macroom Youthreach Centre offers young people who are out of mainstream education an alternative educational pathway.

Young people aged between 15 and 20 are offered an opportunity to remain in education and acquire a qualification in a friendly and welcoming setting.

High expectations are placed on each individual and students are supported in order to achieve a positive outcome.

Equal emphasis is placed on developing academic skills in partnership with practical life skills and preparation for the world of work or further education.

The President of Sinn Fein said a new building is needed to enable Macroom Youthreach Centre continue their excellent work in the local community. It is just incredible work being done here, incredible talent and potential and a terrible building. That is the issue here. They are here 20 years. They need a new building. They have identified a new location.

"The process is underway. Senator Ryan and I are going to work together to move that along as speedily as we can, she aded.

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The scholars will volunteer with local communities in the Philippines and India through Cork-based charity SERVE

Alma Krause, Emma Nalty, Abby Taylor, Lauren ORegan, Tara ORegan, Alice Tarrant, and Tess Hennessy were awarded the scholarships, which are part of a programme that offers full bursaries for students to partake in impactful international projects.

Seven students from Munster Technological University (MTU) were awarded scholarships from the Societies Office.

Alma Krause, Emma Nalty, Abby Taylor, Lauren ORegan, Tara ORegan, Alice Tarrant, and Tess Hennessy were awarded the scholarships, which are part of a programme that offers full bursaries for students to take part in impactful international projects.

The scholars will volunteer with local communities in the Philippines and India through Cork-based charity SERVE.

SERVE is a development and volunteering organisation committed to providing equal opportunities for poor communities living in Southern Africa, South-East Asia, and South America.

Alma is a final-year Home Economics and Business Teaching student who experienced a life-changing time while volunteering in Mozambique in 2023.

"It changed my outlook and made me want to contribute more to communities in need," Alma said.

In the Philippines, she will be involved in teaching life skills, English, and working with a diverse range of ages. As a leader, Alma will focus on supporting the other volunteers, ensuring they have a fulfilling and productive experience.

Emma Nalty will also volunteer in the Philippines, and the Fine Art graduate and is currently undertaking a Masters in Education is eager to use her artistic skills.

She was inspired to apply after hearing about the opportunity from the MTU Societies Office and believes her skills will be particularly useful in this setting. "I am open to helping in any way, but I hope to contribute through teaching and supporting the community," she said.

Construction student Abby Taylor hopes to contribute to construction led activities in the Philippines. This opportunity allows me to see different cultures and help people through my skills," Abby said.

She will assist in building infrastructure projects, helping improve the local communitys facilities.

Lauren ORegan from Kinsale will head to the Philippines, and the Construction Management student is excited to get involved in the projects and make a difference while experiencing a different culture.

Tara ORegan from Listowel will also spend time in the Philippines, and the Music student views the opportunity as a once in a lifetime experience.

"I hope to make a difference in Cebu and contribute to the community in a meaningful way," she said.

Alice Tarrant from Bandon, is a Home Economics and Business Teaching students and will focus on youth leadership and education during her spell in the Philippines.

Tess Hennessey is also a Home Economics and Business student, and the Macroom woman will volunteer as a teaching assistant in Bangalore in India.

Im excited to use my skills to make a difference, while also growing personally through this experience, Tess said.
Man dies and another seriously injured after they were struck by car

Garda at the scene of the incident at Lower Main St, Letterkenny. (North West Newspix)

Letterkennys St Patricks Day parade has been cancelled following a serious crash that occurred overnight in the town.

Two male pedestrians were seriously injured after being struck by a car in the early hours of this morning in the middle of Letterkennys town centre.

They were both rushed to Letterkenny University hospital to receive treatment for their injuries.

One man (60s) has since died.

The incident occurred on Lower Main St, Letterkenny at around 3am.

Organised by Letterkenny Chamber, the Letterkenny parade is one of the biggest in the county attracting thousands of spectators each year.

A spokesperson for the Letterkenny St Patricks Day parade confirmed the decision to cancel the event on social media.

It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of todays St. Patricks Day Parade following a serious traffic incident that occurred in the town early this morning.

Following consultation with An Garda Siochana and in the interest of public safety, we have made the difficult decision not to proceed with the event.

Garda at the scene of the incident at Lower Main St, Letterkenny. (North West Newspix)

Today's News in 90 seconds - 17th March 2025

While we cannot comment on the specifics of the incident, we must prioritise the safety and well-being of our community and those attending. The parade route is directly affected, making it impossible to proceed as planned.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly in preparing for todays eventour volunteers, participants, local businesses, and supporters. Your dedication and effort do not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate your commitment to bringing this celebration to life.

We understand this will be disappointing news for many, but we appreciate your understanding and support during this time.

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Dubai chocolate is at the centre of a brand-new social media craze where influencers and social media users try out the unique confectionary.

Originally brought to prominence by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai, the product is a thick chocolate bar filled with pistachios and and knafeh, a crispy shredded phyllo pastry.

Mihaela Dydynski first opened the shop in 2020, right after her family moved from the UK in 2019, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which she admitted was a very brave decision given the timing. In the shop, customers can find a wide range of products from various countries including Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, among others

She makes the chocolate in the small bakery in the shop, but feels that the 20 square feet is not enough as demand has grown. She credits the power of social media for giving them the opportunity to try something new.

"The chocolate became very popular because of social media and people began messaging to ask if we stocked it. I tried to find many recipes on the internet and I spoke with a few friends who are bakers as well and from all of them I took a little information and made my own one, she explained.

This new endeavour challenged Mihaela to incorporate new ingredients she had no experience with.

"I didnt copy the recipe anywhere. I inspire myself because I have never made cakes before with Knafeh, I didnt know this ingredient existed! she laughed.

And though it is a lot of work, given that she does the baking by herself, she prides herself on being able to deliver handmade products, with her daughters being her enthusiastic taste-testers.

"From which I know, many shops they have the factory ones while my one is handmade  every piece of the chocolate goes through my hands. The recipe is fully mine.

The Dubai chocolate retails for 15 per 350g.

"The first time I made just a few for myself to try and see because the first batch was not what I wanted. I then tried a few more times and the feedback was amazing. I try to make as much as I can, but it is only myself who is doing it. Many times we run out of stock, she said.

The demand has been so great, that the shop has unfortunately become the victim of someone with sticky fingers. Hoping to warn other shopkeepers, and perpetrators away, the shop posted a CCTV video of a customer slipping a chocolate bar into his pocket and leaving without paying.

Accompanying the video, which has to date garnered nearly 10,000 views, they wrote: We are aware we have the best Dubai Chocolate , but we are making this chocolate to sell it.

And while she posted the video as a warning to other shopkeepers, she admitted theft in similar situations is unfair for small businesses.

"We wanted to highlight with the video that something else could happen  like my wallet could disappear, my iPad or something else. The chocolate was not a huge loss but at the same time it is not fair because we are working a lot. We are a small business and not a big supermarket. For us it is a huge work, she said.

She added that small businesses in Enniscorthy are having a tough time at the moment and has noticed a large number of other business owners closing shop due to rising costs.

However, her love of baking is propelling the business forward and although there is nothing set in place, they would love to expand this side of the business further.

"It would be nice to take it further. Maybe an opportunity will come up. I started baking cakes because that was my dream  it is not just about the baking products, it is about putting passion and love in what you do. Otherwise it is not enough.
While angry mobs and protestors campaign against our governments immigration policies, schools in Co Wexford continue to lead the way when it comes to integrating and embracing those from different backgrounds. Bridgetown College held its Intercultural Day this week with the aim of becoming a Champion School of Sanctuary, the ninth in the county.
Denis and Caroline Kinsella at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

Max Sinnott and Darragh Blake at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

Sinead, Ciara, David and Jim Byrne at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

Archie Hadden and Darragh Mc Loughlin at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

Ava Brownerig, Kate Minchin and Ruby Austin at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

Joe Doyle, Martin Quaile, Eoin Byrne, Damien Tighe, John Keogh, Jason Byrne, Pat Doyle and Collette Mulhall at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

Ronan and Jack Hedderman at the Ballinglen Tractor Run in aid of Wicklow Hospice and South Wicklow Hospice Homecare. Photo: Joe Byrne

An impressive convoy of 100 tractors and vintage cars rolled across west Wicklow recently at the Wicklow Vintage Clubs annual Ballinglen tractor run, raising around 4,000 for two very worthy causes.

Held in aid of South Wicklow Hospice Homecare and Wicklow Hospice, the run began at Pat Walshs farm in Ballinglen before splitting into two groups, with tractors of all makes and sizes looping down to Tinahely, and the classic cars travelling to Aughrim, Rathdangan, Kiltegan and Hacketstown, then back to Doyles in Ballinglen for refreshments.

Praising the community and local vintage clubs for their outstanding support, Pat said that the day simply could not have gone any better, adding that he was delighted with the funds raised.

We had a huge amount of support at the run, as always, and it raised around 4,000, which is a fair amount of money for one day, he said.

It was a great day altogether, and we were blessed with good weather. Its all for a good cause, and everyone knows that, so they are happy to take part or help out in any way they can.

There was great support from the Wicklow Vintage Club, the Carlow Car Club and the Irish Vintage Society. All the local vintage clubs support the run. We also had fantastic help from South East Security and local motorbike lads who did the stewarding and marshalling.

A huge thanks to all those involved and everyone who made the run possible, including all the ladies who helped supply and serve refreshments at the house and afterwards in Doyles.
Academic and TV presenter Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain pictured with her new husband after their wedding last weekend

The tv presenter (34) wed photographer Carlos Diaz in a low-key ceremony earlier this month, shunned an exotic trip abroad for camping in Co Kerry for their first days as husband and wife.

Aoibhinn and Carlos enjoyed three nights at the Glenbeg Caravan and Camping Park in Caherdaniel, on the Ring of Kerry road.

"They didn't draw any attention to themselves and nobody even recognised Aoibhinn for the first few days," a source told Independent.ie Style. "They looked like any other couple on the campsite, Aoibhinn wasn't wearing any makeup and they looked very happy to be there."

Academic and TV presenter Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain pictured with her new husband after their wedding last weekend

The happy pair wed in a small ceremony with just 70 guests in Dublin city centre. The assistant professor of mathematics at UCD thanked her guests for making the couple's day particularly special.

"Thank you to our beautiful friends and family who made our wedding so special," she wrote on social media. "We had an absolute ball sharing our vows to each other with you... Here's to continuing to share the love."

She managed to keep the entire ceremony under wraps and her husband's identity was only revealed a week after their wedding.
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.
Prosenjit Chatterjee is set to appear in Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, a new crime thriller releasing on March 20. Written by Neeraj Pandey, the series also stars Jeet, Parambrata Chatterjee, and Chitrangada Singh. It tells the story of crime and politics in Bengal and the battle to bring back law and order.

The plot is set in 2002, when the murder of a respected police officer shakes the state. As crime and corruption rise, IPS officer Arjun Maitra takes charge, determined to uncover the truth. Prosenjit plays Barun Roy, a politician in this thriller, though minute details about his character are still under wraps. Whether he is on the side of law and order or standing against it remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, his performance will be something to watch out for.

Did you know? Prosenjit Chatterjee starred in Chokher Bali with Aishwarya Rai

Before Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, Prosenjit Chatterjee played a lead role in Chokher Bali, directed by Rituparno Ghosh. The film was based on Rabindranath Tagores novel and told the story of love, betrayal, and social norms in colonial Bengal. Initially released in Bengali, the film was later dubbed in Hindi and released internationally.

In this movie, Prosenjit played Mahendra, a man deeply attached to his mother and caught in a complicated love triangle. Married to Ashalata played by Raima Sen, he finds himself drawn to Binodini as played by Aishwarya Rai, a young widow who enters their household. His character starts as carefree and self-indulgent but gradually faces the consequences of his emotional choices. The film was praised for its storytelling, and Prosenjit's role was appreciated for capturing the complexities of his character.

Apart from this in 2009, he also worked in Shob Charitro Kalponik, a Bengali film that was Bipasha Basus debut in her mother tongue. He played a troubled poet whose life and creative struggles are seen through the eyes of his wife, played by Bipasha. His role showed the complexities of an artist torn between his passion and personal relationships.

While Prosenjit Chatterjee has had selective roles in Hindi films, he has dominated Bengali cinema for decades. Here is a look back at some of his memorable work in Bollywood and beyond in Hindi.

Prosenjit as Vijay in Aandhiyan

In Aandhiyan, Prosenjit played Vikram, a young man struggling with his feelings towards his father, played by Shatrughan Sinha. Raised by his mother, Vikram grows up believing his father abandoned them. However, when fate brings them back together, he comes to know about the truth behind their separation. Prosenjit portrayed the internal conflict of a son torn between love and resentment with great depth to bring back his separated parents, making his Bollywood debut a memorable one.

Prosenjit as Dev Kapoor in Traffic

In Traffic, Prosenjit played Dev Kapoor, a superstar whose daughter needs a life-saving heart transplant. The story shows a tense mission to transport the donors heart across cities in heavy traffic. Dev, a man used to fame and privilege, suddenly finds himself in a position where he has no control over fate. His role showed the emotional journey of a father battling fear, helplessness, and hope, all in a race against time.

Prosenjit as Munna in Veerta

In Veerta, Prosenjit played a big industrialist's only son. His character, a man of principles, who loves his sister very much, soon comes under the eye of his sisters in-law who plans to kill him. Though the film was an action drama, his role was not just about fights and chases, it also showed his inner struggles, making it more than just a typical hero story.

Prosenjit as Dr. Ahmedi in Shanghai

In Shanghai, Prosenjit played Dr. Ahmedi, an outspoken social activist who challenges the powerful. His murder in the film begins a series of events that expose political corruption and greed. Though his screen time was limited, his characters presence shaped the entire film. Prosenjit made sure Dr. Ahmedis voice echoed throughout the story, making a lasting impact on audiences.

Prosenjit as Srikant Roy in Jubilee

Prosenjit returned to Bollywood with Jubilee after 11 years where he played Srikant Roy, a powerful film producer in the golden age of the industry. As a studio owner, Roy discovers new talents and controls the industry with his influence. However, his ambition often puts him at odds with others, leading to intense rivalries when he finds out his wife is having an extramarital affair. Prosenjit brought charm, authority, and complexity to the character, making him one of the most memorable parts of the show.

With Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, he is once again bringing his talent to Hindi audiences. Whether playing a cop, an activist, or a powerful businessman, Prosenjit continues to prove that great acting has no language barrier.
Dinasari OTT Release: Srikanth recently spearheaded this Tamil saga which is finally gearing up for its digital debut. Written and directed by G Sankar, the film was released theatrically on 14th February and received an underwhelming response from both critics and audiences. Dinasari will soon stream on Tentkotta and try to find a second life on OTT. Lets see if it gets successful.

Dinasaris cast and crew

Apart from being the female lead, Cynthia Lourde is also Dinasaris producer under her homegrown brand Cynthia Production House. The film also stars M. S. Bhaskar, Premji Amaren, Chaams, Radha Ravi, Meera Krishnan, Vinodhini, Sarath KPY, Chandini Tamilarasan and Navya among others. This Ilaiyaraaja musical is cinematographed by Rajesh Yadav and edited by N. B. Srikanth.

Dinasaris plot summary

The story follows Shakthivel, a man who lives with his pampering parents and caring older sister. He works as a senior executive at a company and earns a good salary but wants a life thats even more luxurious than his paycheck can afford. He rejects several marriage proposals because they don't meet his one condition: his future wife must earn more than him.

Eventually, his frustrated family tricks him into marrying Shivani, a woman who wants to quit her job and stay at home after marriage. The plot focuses on what happens when Shakthivel discovers the truth.

Whats more to watch on Tentkotta?

Tentkotta has recently added several Tamil films to its streaming lineup, catering to diverse tastes. Then Chennai, an action thriller starring Ranga and Riya, is now available after its December 2024 theatrical release. Rajakili, featuring Thambi Ramaiah and Samuthirakani has also been streaming since March 7, 2025.

Sir, an action drama about the fight for educational rights, starring Vimal and Chaya Devi, is also now on Tentkotta. Additionally, Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai, a thought-provoking film exploring love and sexuality through a mother-daughter dynamic, arrived on March 14, 2025.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Gentlewoman OTT Release: Lijomol Jose and Losliya Mariyanesan recently headlined a Tamil film which is finally gearing up for its digital debut. Released theatrically on the 7th March, the thriller received mixed-to-positive reviews. Written and directed by Joshua Sethuraman, Gentlewoman will be streaming on Tentkotta after its big screen run concludes.

Gentlewomans cast and crew

Other than Lijomol and Losliya, the film also stars Hari Krishnan, R. Rajiv Gandhi, Dharani, Vairabalan, Nandithaa Sreekumar and Sudesh among others. Bankrolled by Komala Hari, Hari Bhaskaran, PN Narenthra Kumar and Leo Logame Nethaji, Gentlewoman is cinematographed by Sa Kathavarayan. Edited by Elayaraja Sekar, the films music is crafted by Govind Vasantha.

Gentlewomans plot summary

This crime drama revolves around Poorni (Lijomol), a quiet newlywed who puts up with her abusive husband, Aravind (Hari). Aravind is not only physically abusive but is also cheating on her with a woman named Anna (Losliya). The situation takes a turn when Poornis sister visits for a job interview, and a fight in the kitchen leaves Aravind knocked out.

When Poorni comes home, she discovers the affair through a phone call. Feeling betrayed and angry, she decides to take control. As the police start looking into Aravinds disappearance, Poorni gets caught up in a dangerous game of lies, leading to surprising consequences for everyone involved.

Gentlewomans review

The Times of India rated the movie 3 out of 5 and a part of their review read, The film takes its sweet time finding its rhythm, with a first half that feels like watching paint dry in artfully lit rooms. While some dialogue is frustratingly muffled (speak up!), and the resolution feels a bit too tidy, Gentlewoman serves up a satisfying meditation on the consequences of treating women as disposable. In this household, justice is a dish best served cold.

As of now, watch Gentlewoman in theatres near you and come back to review it @indiatimes. We cant wait to hear from you!

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Every year, Hina Khan gives her fans a glimpse of her Ramadan journey on Instagram, and this year was no different. The actor, who is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment, recently visited Mecca to perform Umrah. Sharing a series of pictures and videos, she documented her spiritual experience, leaving fans both emotional and inspired.

In the pictures, Hina is seen in a graceful olive-green outfit, complete with a matching hijab. The attire, modest and flowing, reflected both elegance and devotion. A delicate lace headband peeked from under her hijab, adding a subtle charm to her look. In one of the images, she sat by a marble railing, her head resting on her arms. Fans flooded the comments with messages of love and prayers, praising her strength and resilience.

Hina Khan's Instagram post

Hina also posted a picture of her hands with the word Shifa written, signifying healing. In another image, she was seen sitting in a quiet corner, lost in prayer. Captioning her post with Alhamdullilah. Umrah 2025, she expressed gratitude for being able to embark on this sacred journey. Her brother accompanied her on this pilgrimage, and she shared a moment from within the crowd, calling it "the perfect timing."

The actor also reflected on her health in an emotional post, thanking Allah for giving her the strength to visit Mecca. She wrote, May Allah give me complete Shifa, Ameen.

Hina Khan breast cancer treatment

Hina revealed her cancer diagnosis in July 2024, assuring fans that she was staying strong and undergoing treatment. Despite the challenges, she continued working and was last seen in the web series Griha Laxmi. The show, set in a fictional town, revolved around her character, a housewife who unexpectedly finds herself involved in crime.

Even in the midst of a tough battle, Hina found solace in faith. Her posts resonated deeply with fans, showing that hope and devotion can bring peace, even in difficult times. Indiatimes wishes Hina speedy recovery amid her ongoing treatment.
For the first time in over 20 years, Shah Rukh Khan is moving out of Mannat! The superstar, his wife Gauri Khan, and their three children, Aryan, Suhana, and Abram are shifting to a new home in Pali Hill, Bandra.

But why is SRK leaving his iconic sea-facing bungalow?

The answer is an extension and makeover of his home.

Mannat to undergo renovation

Mannat, a Grade III heritage structure, is about to undergo a major renovation. The long-planned extension and structural changes needed court approval, which has finally come through. The work is expected to take at least two years, meaning SRK and his family need a temporary place to stay.

SRKs temporary home costs 24 lakh a month!

The Khan family is moving into Puja Casa, a luxury apartment complex in Pali Hill, co-owned by film producer Vashu Bhagnani and his children, actor-filmmaker Jackky Bhagnani and producer Deepshikha Deshmukh. As per the reports, SRK has leased two duplex apartments covering four floors, the first, second, seventh, and eighth, at a staggering 24 lakh per month!

New home, new neighbours!

For the first time since the late '90s, Shah Rukh Khan will have next-door neighbours! His new neighbours include Jackky Bhagnani, his wife Rakul Preet Singh, and the Bhagnani family.

As per media reports SRKs team is working round the clock to ensure tight security and privacy at his temporary residence. After the Saif Ali Khan incident in Mumbai this has been one of the top priorities of every superstar staying in the city of dreams. While Mannat has always been a home for the superstar, Puja Casa is a shared building, making security arrangements more complex.

When will SRK return to Mannat?

The renovation at Mannat is expected to take at least two years, but the lease agreement for SRKs temporary home is for three years. This means the King of Bollywood and his family will be staying at Puja Casa until at least 2027.

For now, SRK fans will have to get used to a Mannat without its King even for his upcoming birthdays when fans jampacked the outer area of his residence. But one thing is sure, when the Bollywood king returns, his home will be grander than ever!
The Holi madness is over, but the bhang hangover still lingers, especially when a long weekend means extra rounds of thandai, snacks, and, of course, booze. Some are nursing a headache, some are sleeping it off, and others are wondering, how is bhang so easily available when weed isnt? The answer lies in religion, law, and history.

Bhang and Lord Shiva: A sacred connection

Credit: Freepik

Bhang is not just a festival drink; it has a deep connection with Hindu traditions, especially the worship of Lord Shiva. Every Masik Shivaratri, including the one on March 27 this year, sees devotees offering bhang as prasad to Shiva, believing it to be his divine blessing. Mythology says that Shiva, after an argument with Goddess Parvati, wandered into a forest and fell asleep under a tree. When he woke up, he chewed on cannabis leaves and instantly felt refreshed. Since then, bhang has been linked to Shiva and is considered sacred.

Bhang is legal, but weed isnt

Though bhang and weed come from the same cannabis plant, Indian law treats them differently. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, bans ganja (weed) and charas (hash) but allows bhang.

Ever wondered why?

The law only bans the flowering tops and resin of the cannabis plant, which contain high levels of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound responsible for the high. Bhang, on the other hand, is made from the leaves and seeds, which have lower THC levels and are not classified as a narcotic.

In 2022, the Karnataka High Court ruled that bhang is not a prohibited drug and granted bail to a man caught with 29 kg of bhang. The court also stated that bhang is widely sold in lassi shops and even through government-licensed stores in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.

Unlike alcohol or synthetic drugs, bhang also enjoys religious protection. Since it's offered as prasad, banning it would mean challenging centuries-old traditions, a move no government wants to take.

Bhang is everywhere: From thandai to chocolates

Bhang is no longer limited to just thandai and pakoras during Holi or Shivaratri. Over the years, Indians have found creative ways to consume it: be it chocolates, cakes, cookies, butter, or even bhang-infused burfis. Today, these products are easily available online, with e-commerce portals selling them legally under branded names with prices differing due to season wise demands.

Despite its acceptance, bhang isnt completely risk-free. Since it is an intoxicant, excessive consumption can lead to dizziness, nausea, or even hallucinations. However, unlike weed, which is heavily regulated due to its stronger psychoactive effects, bhang continues to enjoy legal status.

Will India ever legalize weed?

While bhang remains protected under tradition, the debate over legalizing medical cannabis in India is gaining traction. Many countries are revisiting their cannabis laws, and India might follow suit in the future. But for now, bhang remains the only legal form of cannabis, blessed by Shiva, protected by culture, and enjoyed by millions.
Shocking new details continue to emerge about Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron's relationship. While her family claimed their relationship began in 2015 when she was just 15, Gold Medalist, Soo Hyun's agency, has denied the claims of a minor relationship. Although they accepted their relationship, they said they were romantically involved from 2019 to 2020 when both of them were adults. Amid this, a new photo of Kim Sae Ron from 2015 with a man, rumored to be Kim Soo Hyun, has gone viral.

Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron's alleged picture from 2015 goes viral

Amid the series of revelations surrounding Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron's relationship, an old photo of Kim Sae Ron surfaced online, allegedly shared by a sasaeng account.

The online community post, which racked up nearly 90,000 views, revealed the photo in question dated back to 2017 and was purportedly taken by sasaeng fans. The photo shows the Bloodhounds actress standing in front of the lift of her old residence complex with a man, alleged to be Kim Soo Hyun. The hashtag for the photo was #saeroncouple, hinting the man in the photo was her boyfriend.

Knets find old photo of Kim Sae Ron with someone shared on a fan account in 2017 pic.twitter.com/Q1idBEGcdZ  Bee (@Beevl__) March 17, 2025

While the sasaeng account posted the picture in 2017, fans pointed out that it was originally shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo in 2015.

Can you also share that it was posted on weibo in 2015 and that it is in her old apartment. pic.twitter.com/gf5hGl5Q15  mochi (@P1harmonyletsgo) March 17, 2025

I got this from a comment, If we look at the watermark, it's a Weibo account. And If we go to that account, the picture was uploaded in 2015.  is this real? pic.twitter.com/H8fc3ZVkYb  Tolak Angin for Hanbin (@rockmansick) March 17, 2025

Netizens have speculated that the man in the photo is Kim Soo Hyun, citing the jacket's resemblance to one he wore in an advertisement. Moreover, fans also shared an intimate photo recently released by Garosero Research Institute, in which the actor was seen sporting a similar jacket.

For the stupid people saying is not him pic.twitter.com/lVglTyCD1h  Jisoooyaaa (@VainillaBrown) March 17, 2025

Netizens react to the photo

One enraged X user wrote, "When I watched him in the drama TMETS& MLFTS, I thought wow he's so handsome. But now I realize, the handsome ones and the ones I like are his drama characters, because in the photo below, he looks so ugly."

When I watched him in the drama TMETS& MLFTS, I thought wow he's so handsome. But now I realize, the handsome ones and the ones I like are his drama characters, because in the photo below, he looks so ugly. https://t.co/cbccypx0zB  Dandellion  (@dandellion__) March 17, 2025

"That is so scary," another user wrote, while a third said, "This is sick."

When I watched him in the drama TMETS& MLFTS, I thought wow he's so handsome. But now I realize, the handsome ones and the ones I like are his drama characters, because in the photo below, he looks so ugly. https://t.co/cbccypx0zB  Dandellion  (@dandellion__) March 17, 2025

Meanwhile, one section of users also argued that the identification is inconclusive based solely on the photos.

They are wearing different clothes from inside and outside. Its not same day, Also this is the only photo his company proof date with different photos of her in front of his house on 14/12/2019... people are saying anything on interent and get 1k like  Remo (@mini_remo) March 17, 2025

Not even the same jacket. Hes wearing red/black and the other is all red.  BeMine2  (@USAlovesJM) March 17, 2025

Kim Sae Ron's father responds to GOLD MEDALIST's statement

In other updates related to the controversy, Kim Sae Ron's father has publicly expressed his outrage and disappointment with Kim Soo Hyun, his agency GOLD MEDALIST, and YouTuber Lee Jin Ho. He said that they have not taken responsibility for their actions, which he believes have harmed his daughter.

Kim Sae Ron's father also called out GOLD MEDALIST's official statement, which he felt downplayed the severity of the situation. He claimed that the agency's statement "legally minimized" the issue, implying that they are trying to avoid accountability.

Furthermore, he revealed that GOLD MEDALIST sent a letter to his daughter demanding that she repay 700 million KRW (approximately $482,000 USD). However, he alleges that the agency failed to provide any explanation or clarification regarding this demand.

Kim Sae Ron's father slams YouTuber Lee Jin Ho

Kim Sae Ron's father shared more details about reporter-turned-youtuber Lee Jin Ho's invasive videos, which have since been removed. According to him, Lee Jin Ho falsely accused Kim Sae Ron of mistreating staff members she worked with.

He said numerous former co-stars, staff, and on-set acquaintances attended Kim Sae Ron's farewell ceremony, showing their respect and appreciation for her. In contrast, Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, GOLD MEDALIST, did not attend the wake.

Lee Jin Ho had previously apologized for his alleged unethical videos. However, Kim Sae Ron's family is moving forward with a defamation lawsuit against the YouTuber despite his apology.



For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
A fire at a nightclub hosting a concert in Kocani, North Macedonia, has killed 59 people, according to the countrys official news agency, MIA, citing the Ministry of the Interior.

The venue, located in eastern North Macedonia, about 100 kilometers east of Skopje, was hosting a concert attended by approximately 1,500 people, MIA reported.

Authorities are working to determine the exact number of victims and injuries, the prosecutors office said.

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis expressed condolences to his North Macedonian counterpart, Timco Mucunski, and offered Greeces assistance, including rescue teams and medical support.

   iefimerida.gr
A 21-year-old German tourist found dead in Crete likely died from hypothermia, a forensic report concluded.

Forensic examiner Stamatis Belivanis said Johan, who was missing for about a month, may have slipped or become disoriented before falling and succumbing to the cold. The condition of the body made the autopsy challenging, Mr. Belivanis said.

Greek authorities had been searching for Johan. His death highlights the dangers of the region's rugged terrain and unpredictable weather.

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Aristos Doxiadis resigned as Deputy Minister for Research and Innovation on Sunday, barely 24 hours after joining the Greek government, citing a witch hunt by the opposition.

Mr. Doxiadis, in a statement posted on social media, claimed he was innocent of charges that he represented a

defunct company twice convicted of unfair competitive practices and owing significant sums to suppliers and the state in unpaid taxes.

I decided to resign, Mr. Doxiadis said. The unethical war the opposition unleashed on me, with baseless attacks from the moment I was sworn in, abruptly landed me into the harsh political reality.

Mr. Doxiadis, an economist and venture capitalist, said he was acquitted in a 2013 criminal court trial related to the accusations. He said he resigned to protect the government.

I warmly thank the Prime Minister for his offer of this portfolio, so important for the future, Mr. Doxiadis said. I am sorry that political toxicity prevents active citizens from contributing to the collective efforts toward progress.

Mr. Doxiadis, 73, had faced criticism for his public statements, including recent comments on protests following a rail disaster.

The resignation follows a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

   iefimerida.gr
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit the Ministry of National Economy and Finance on Monday.

The visit follows a recent cabinet reshuffle in which Mr. Mitsotakis appointed Kyriakos Pierrakakis as the new finance minister.

Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to discuss the countrys economic outlook and policy priorities with Mr. Pierrakakis and ministry officials. The ministry oversees economic policy, fiscal stability, and financial reforms.

   iefimerida.gr
The working dinner of delegations talking on the Cyprus issue under the aegis of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concluded on Monday night, with all sides having had the opportunity to provide their views.

The dinner lasted an hour and a half.

Participating in the informal talks in Geneva were the heads of delegations - Cyprus Republic President Nikos Christodoulides, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan, United Kingdom Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty, plus one more member from each delegation.

The European Commission was represented by Giulia Bertezzolo, head of the Cyprus Settlement Support unit. European Council President Antonio Costa conveyed a message of support for the UN Secrertary-General's efforts on the Cyprus settlement talks taking place Monday and Tuesday in Geneva.

The plenary session of the meeting in Geneva will be held on Tuesday.

In a follow-up, the Cyprus president will brief Cyprus' National Council, which had met earlier on Monday. Christodoulides is accompanied to Geneva by nearly all political party leaders and former president Nicos Anastasiades.

   iefimerida.gr
The European Unions foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday, with the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East dominating the agenda. The discussions will also

EU Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels; Gerapetritis: Cyprus can no longer be divided -  
Newly appointed Deputy Minister of Development Aristos Doxiadis announced his resignation, which was accepted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. His replacement will be announced in the coming days.

The immoral

Newly appointed deputy minister Doxiadis resigns -  
Finding the right legal professional can be a daunting task, especially when facing significant legal issues that require specialized expertise. Whether you need assistance with a complex business matter, personal injury claim, estate planning, or family law issue, the quality of your legal representation can dramatically impact the outcome of your case. While there are numerous attorneys available, identifying those who offer both excellence and value requires a strategic approach.

The search for quality legal representation begins with understanding that not all attorneys are created equal. Law is a vast field with numerous specializations, and finding someone with the right expertise for your specific situation is crucial. Beyond credentials, youll want a legal professional who communicates effectively, demonstrates genuine concern for your needs, and offers transparent fee structures.

Leverage Professional Networks and Referrals

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According to Justin Chopins podcast, Perhaps the most reliable method for finding excellent legal representation is through personal and professional networks. Recommendations from friends, family members, or colleagues who have had positive experiences with attorneys carry significant weight. These referrals often provide insights beyond what you might find in online reviews or advertisements.

Business professionals like accountants, financial advisors, and insurance agents frequently interact with attorneys and can offer valuable recommendations based on their professional relationships. These connections often lead to attorneys who specialize in relevant practice areas and have established reputations for quality work.

Industry-specific organizations and professional associations can also be excellent resources. If your legal needs relate to a particular business sector or professional field, reaching out to relevant trade associations may yield recommendations for attorneys who understand the nuances of your industry. These specialized attorneys often bring added value through their familiarity with industry-specific regulations and common legal challenges.

When receiving referrals, be sure to inquire about the specific strengths of the recommended attorney, the scope of services they provided, and any limitations or concerns that arose during the professional relationship. This context will help you determine whether the attorneys expertise aligns with your needs.

Research Bar Association Resources

State and local bar associations maintain comprehensive databases of licensed attorneys, often including information about their practice areas, disciplinary records, and professional achievements. Many bar associations offer referral services that can match you with attorneys based on your specific legal needs and geographical location.

These organizations typically vet the attorneys in their referral networks, ensuring they maintain appropriate licensing, carry malpractice insurance, and adhere to continuing education requirements. Some bar associations also offer fee-based consultation programs that allow you to meet with qualified attorneys at reduced rates for initial consultations.

Beyond referrals, bar association websites frequently provide resources to help you understand legal issues, evaluate attorney qualifications, and prepare for initial consultations. They may also offer information about pro bono services and legal aid organizations for those with limited financial resources.

Utilize Legal Directories and Review Platforms

Online legal directories and review platforms have revolutionized the process of finding and vetting attorneys. Sites like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, and FindLaw provide comprehensive profiles of attorneys, including client reviews, peer endorsements, and professional achievements.

These platforms typically include information about an attorneys education, years of experience, practice areas, and disciplinary history. Many also feature rating systems that can help you quickly identify highly regarded professionals. Client reviews offer valuable insights into an attorneys communication style, responsiveness, and overall effectiveness.

When using these resources, look beyond overall ratings to read individual reviews that address situations similar to yours. Pay particular attention to comments about communication, transparency in billing, and the attorneys ability to explain complex legal concepts in understandable terms. Be wary of profiles with numerous identical reviews or those that seem artificially positive.

Conduct Thorough Consultations

Once youve identified potential candidates, schedule initial consultations to assess their suitability for your needs. Many attorneys offer free or reduced-fee consultations, providing an opportunity to evaluate their expertise and approach without significant financial commitment.

During these meetings, observe how well the attorney listens to your concerns and how clearly they explain relevant legal concepts and potential strategies. Quality legal professionals will ask thoughtful questions to understand the nuances of your situation rather than immediately prescribing solutions.

Discuss fee structures transparently, ensuring you understand how costs will accumulate throughout your case. Quality attorneys provide clear information about their billing practices, including hourly rates, retainer requirements, and additional expenses you might incur. They should be willing to provide written fee agreements that outline these details.

Also consider the attorneys communication preferences and availability. Establish expectations regarding response times, regular updates, and your involvement in decision-making processes. The right attorney will demonstrate respect for your time and priorities while maintaining appropriate boundaries regarding accessibility.

Explore Specialized Legal Services Platforms

The legal industry has evolved to include specialized platforms that connect clients with attorneys based on specific practice areas or service models. These platforms often employ rigorous vetting processes and provide standardized information that facilitates easy comparison.

Some platforms focus on particular practice areas like immigration, intellectual property, or business formation. Others offer innovative service models such as subscription-based legal services for businesses or unbundled legal services that allow clients to purchase assistance with specific tasks rather than full representation.

These specialized platforms frequently provide transparent pricing information, standardized service packages, and streamlined communication channels. Many also incorporate client reviews and satisfaction metrics that can help you assess the quality of services provided.

When using these platforms, evaluate the screening criteria used to select participating attorneys and the platforms policies regarding client satisfaction and dispute resolution. The most reputable platforms maintain high standards for their attorney networks and provide mechanisms for addressing client concerns.

Finding quality legal representation requires research, careful evaluation, and clear communication about your needs and expectations. By leveraging personal referrals, bar association resources, online platforms, thorough consultations, and specialized legal services, you can identify attorneys who offer the expertise, communication style, and value necessary for successful legal representation. Remember that the right attorney serves not only as an advocate but also as an educator and guide through complex legal processes, empowering you to make informed decisions about matters that significantly impact your life or business.
The Adamawa State Police Command has apprehended two suspected ritualists for allegedly killing a 10-year-old Almajiri boy in Jada Local Government Area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, disclosed this in a statement shared on the polices X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday.

The statement revealed that the suspects, Ibrahim Abdul Malik (27) and Aliyu Abdul Malik (18), both from Anguwan Sarkin Yamma, Jada, allegedly killed and beheaded the victim, Abdalla Lawali of Anguwar Dubai, Jada.

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Police reports indicate that Abdalla was declared missing on March 7, 2025.

Following several days of searching, reliable intelligence led operatives from the Jada Divisional Headquarters to the suspects.

READ MORE: Joint Security Team Kills Notorious Kidnapper In Nasarawa

After their arrest, security operatives found the boys decomposed body inside a sack, while his severed head was discovered buried in a shallow grave at the suspects home.

While being interrogated, the suspects admitted to the act, claiming they were under the influence of evil forces.

The statement read, The Adamawa State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its fight against violent crimes, as police operatives attached to Divisional police headquarters, Jada have arrested two suspects for the brutal murder of a 10-year-old boy in Jada Local Government Area.

On 16th March 2025, following credible information, police operatives arrested one Ibrahim Abdul Malik (27 years old)and Aliyu Abdul Malik (18 years old) both residents of Anguwan Sarkin Yamma, Jada, who were alleged to have killed and beheaded a 10-year-old Almajiri, identified as Abdalla Lawali, of Anguwar Dubai, Jada.

The victim was reported missing on 7th March 2025. Since then search was ongoing to trace the missing child.

Upon receiving information on the suspects involvement. The Commissioner of police CP Dankombo Morris, Psc (+), deployed security to the scene, where the decomposed body of the deceased was recovered in a sack bag.

The search warrant was further executed at the suspects residence, where the head was buried in a shallow grave within the house premises.

During the investigation, the suspects confessed to committing the crime, regretted the action and blamed the Devil.

The CP condemned the barbaric behaviour and directed the case to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.

The police boss assures the general public that justice will be served and calls on parents. And guardians to be vigilant and report any suspicious movements around their neighbourhood to the police.
Former Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, has debunked viral reports claiming rumours suggesting that he is planning to leave the All Progressives Congress for the Social Democratic Party.

Lawan described the reports as entirely false, baseless, and without any merit.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Adviser, Ezrel Tabiowo, the Senator representing Yobe North Senatorial District reaffirmed his commitment to APC.

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Highlighting his political career spanning 25 years in the national assembly, Tabiowo said the former senate president is among the few Nigerian politicians with no defection record since inception.

He said: The attention of the Office of Senator Ahmad Lawan, the President of the 9th Senate and Distinguished Senator representing Yobe North Senatorial District, has been drawn to misleading reports and posters circulating in some quarters, insinuating that he is set to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

We wish to categorically state that these reports are entirely false, baseless, and without any merit.

READ MORE: Senate President Ahmed Lawan Celebrates Osinbajo At 63

Senator Ahmad Lawan remains a steadfast and loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he has proudly associated with and contributed to since its formation.

He remains a key stakeholder in the APC and will continue to work with the party and the government to ensure the success of their collective goals.

Senator Lawan is a firm believer in the vision and principles of the APC, and he continues to work tirelessly with other party leaders and members to strengthen the party and advance its agenda for the betterment of our nation.

Furthermore, Senator Ahmad Lawan expresses his strong support for the policies and reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration. He believes in the administrations commitment to transforming Nigeria and addressing the challenges facing the nation.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that many politicians from the north have been pulling out from APC, following former governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufais defection to SDP.
Umar Sani, the former media aide to ex-Vice President Arc. Namadi Sambo, has responded to a press statement from Sambos office, to disowning him.

The statement, allegedly issued from Sambos office, distanced itself from Sani, sparking controversy.

Sanis response comes after serving as Sambos Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity from 2009 to 2015. The reason behind Sambos office disowning Sani remains unclear, but the development has generated interest in the circumstances surrounding their falling out.

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Sani, in a statement on Sunday, dismissed the disclaimer purportedly signed by one Yinka Ibrahim as spurious and unnecessary, questioning the timing of the declaration, nine years after he allegedly ceased being Sambos spokesperson.

According to Sani, after the former Vice President left office in 2015, he personally requested that Sani continue as his spokesperson and speechwriter.

Initially reluctant, Sani said he was persuaded in a meeting that included Sambos political adviser and his chief medical physician.

At that meeting, his political adviser suggested that I be compensated with my official salary to continue in my role. After much entreaty, I ultimately agreed to serve on a pro bono basis. To this day, I have not received a single penny for my contributions, Sani revealed.

Sani further pointed to instances in 2018 when he actively represented the former Vice President. During the PDP presidential campaign of Kabir Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Sambo nominated him to serve as his media representative.

When it was time to travel to Port Harcourt for the PDP National Convention, I was scheduled to fly with the Kabir Tanimu Turaki Campaign Council. However, the former Vice President insisted that I travel with him aboard his chartered aircraft.

Additionally, Sani recalled an incident involving former Speaker Ghali Umar NaAbba, who, in 2018, criticized Sambos response to concerns over Nigerias declining education standards during his tenure.

The ex-VP later asked me to respond to the former Speaker. My question is: was I then permitted to address the matter without proper authorization since I had allegedly ceased to be his spokesperson in 2016? he queried.

Sani suggested that the disclaimer might be linked to business interests rather than actual concerns about his public comments.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesman, has pledged to support any candidate, regardless of region, who commits to serving only one four-year term in office.

This decision is rooted in his belief in equity and fairness between the northern and southern regions, aligning with Nigerias unwritten rule of rotational presidency.

Okonkwos stance emphasises the importance of balancing power and promoting unity across regions. By supporting a candidate willing to vacate office after four years, he hopes to foster a more inclusive and equitable political landscape.

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Speaking on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources on Channels Tv, Okonkwo had this to say: Everybody should come together. It is something that can be discussed. Who is going to do four years will influence who I am going to support because I still believe in equity and justice.

Okonkwo, who resigned from the Labour Party in February, said he was open to joining a coalition aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the next election.

The lawyer described the APC government as incompetent, insisting that the opposition must form a strong alliance to wrest power from the incumbent administration in the next election.

My game plan is simple. If the opposition is serious about taking power from this incompetent government, they must unite and act as one because that was exactly what the APC did in 2013, which helped them win in 2015.

I believe in coalition. When I was leaving, I said I was open to discussions with every group to consolidate the opposition so that we can remove this government, he said.
Lagos State vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hakeem Olalemi has reacted to defection of Abdul-Azeez Adediran, also known as Jandor to All Progressive Congress in the state.

Mr. Hakeem accused Jandor of ruining the major opposition party, alleged that he has been working against PDP before he left.

Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had reported that the former partys governorship candidate announced his resignation last week Monday, citing leadership crisis and betrayal among partys elders.

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Meanwhile, Mr. Jandor, earlier today, made his decision to join ruling party, APC, saying that his intention was made to support Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olus led administration.

Reacting to the development on Monday, Mr. Hakeem, Lagos PDPs chieftain said that the party would not miss Jandor, adding that the former governorship candidate came to spy and ruin the party in the state.

He said: He (Adediran) is a human being and the Nigerian Constitution allows freedom of association. He is free to resign from any group or party and join any group he want.

We will miss his shenanigans, comedy, and cunningness. So, we will not miss anything good about him in the party because he has done a huge havoc to our party in Lagos state. He has come to our party to spy, and he ruined the party. We are assuring the public that we are going to pick up the party from where it is now and take it to its Eldorado come 2027 by the special grace of God.
President Bola Tinubus son, Seyi, has praised his father as the greatest president in Nigerias history.

According to Seyi, Tinubu has created a platform for Nigerian youths to thrive and has developed an economy that benefits all Nigerians.

Seyi made these remarks on Sunday while addressing some youths in a viral video, highlighting his fathers commitment to empowering young people and promoting economic growth. It was never politics, but they keep coming for me, they keep coming for my family, they keep coming for your father, they keep coming for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the greatest president in the history of Nigeria.

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He is the only president that has kept your people at home, the only president that considers youths, the only president that created a platform for young people to fly.

The only president that created an economy that has benefitted everybody, the only president that is not trying to enrich his own pocket.
The Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry of the Nigerian Navy has intercepted at least 13,800 litres of petrol and 71 bags of foreign rice in multiple operations against smugglers along the Badagry creeks.

The Commanding Officer of FOB Badagry, Navy Captain Oyeleye Omotayo, confirmed the seizures between March 7 and 14 in a statement issued on Sunday.

He stated that naval operatives acted on intelligence, resulting in the interception of the contraband in separate operations.

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In continuation of the fight against smuggling within our Area of Operation in Badagry, a target operation was launched on Friday, March 14, at 2:54 am, Omotayo stated.

READ MORE: Police Neutralise Six Kidnappers, Rescue Four Victims In Abia

He noted that the operation targeted smugglers and aimed to seize products meant for illegal export.

The smugglers initially evaded our water patrol but were intercepted by our land patrol unit around 3:30 am.

During the operation, 71 bags of foreign rice were found being smuggled. The items were seized, while the suspects fled upon sighting our patrol at 4:22 am, he added.

He noted that the seized rice has been transported to the base for further action.

Omotayo revealed that in the early hours of the same day, at 12:15 am, intelligence operatives informed the Navy about petrol being stored at a beach near Bollington in the Badagry creeks. The fuel was reportedly set to be smuggled across Nigerias territorial waters into the Benin Republic using wooden boats.

While searching the area, naval operatives came across 234 jerry cans of 25 litres each, totaling about 5,850 litres of petrol, the fuel was immediately seized and transported to the base.

He also revealed that an additional 7,770 litres of petrol were confiscated during other operations carried out in Badagry communities.

He further stated that 7,950 litres of petrol seized from two filling stations and Tongeji Island on March 7 and 8 had been processed following legal procedures.
The Jigawa State Police Command has apprehended two notorious armed robbery suspects and retrieved two stolen motorcycles.

The commands Public Relations Officer, SP Shiisu Adam, stated that the suspects were apprehended after a tip-off and a detailed investigation.

In a statement released on Sunday in Dutse, the state capital, the PPRO said the first incident happened on March 5, 2025, when an okada rider, Idris Yau, was attacked and his Bajaj red motorcycle, registered as TRN 704 QL Kano, was stolen.

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READ MORE: Lagos Woman, Brother Nabbed For Stealing iPhones, N15m In Bitcoins From Boyfriend

The suspect, Haruna Alhaji Yusuf, was arrested on March 12, 2025, and confessed to the crime, said SP Adam.

In another incident, the police spokesman stated that an okada rider, Yunusa Suleman, was attacked and his motorcycle stolen on March 13, 2024.

He revealed that the suspect, Magaji Mohammed, was caught with the stolen motorcycle.

When he arrived at Dasina Quarters, where his criminal partner was located, he requested the cyclist to stop and One Suleiman Nasaru, who is now at large, appeared and hit the okada rider on his head with a hammer.

As a result, the cyclist fell unconscious, and the suspects fled with the motorcycle. The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The police command has commended the efforts of the vigilantes who collaborated with them to apprehend the perpetrators.

The police spokesperson further explained that the suspects are currently being investigated, and once completed, they will be prosecuted accordingly.

Adam stated that the command remains dedicated to safeguarding citizens and urged the public to share any useful information that could help in apprehending the remaining suspects.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has decried over selection processes of traditional rulers in the country, saying that criminals, drug addicts, bandits, and kidnappers have infiltrated royal institutions.

Chief Obasanjo led this out in a book titled , Past and Future, recently published to mark his 88th birthday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The former president said that the rapid proliferation of monarchs has led to the deterioration of traditional institutions in the country.

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He noted that instead of being custodians of culture and justice, some traditional rulers have engaged in disgraceful acts that further damage the countrys fragile system.

Obasanjo said: Today, there are criminals, drug addicts, vagabonds, bandits and kidnappers as so-called traditional rulers.

This is a great pity, and it has greatly contributed to the problems of Nigeria by traditional rulers.

READ MORE: Obasanjo Knocks Tinubus Govt Over Lagos-Calabar Highway Project, Says Its Corrupt, Wasteful

How do we account for a traditional ruler snatching a ballot box at an election polling station and running away with it?

The class of traditional rulers with their distinction, honour and dignity, as we knew them in the colonial days and early post-independence days, has been diluted and polluted.

That dignity, aura and respect should be brought back and traditional rulers should be an asset to Nigerias development and greatness and not a liability.

There is a need for moral re-armament among the traditional rulers  the ancient and historic ones. And they can and should make meaningful contributions to the Nigeria of our dreams that will serve the purpose and interest of all.
Former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, believes its unfair to blame President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Norths challenges.

This sentiment is shared by Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who defends Tinubus tax reform bills, stating theyre not anti-North.

Dogara argues that the bills will actually help the North by creating opportunities for economic growth and development. He also highlights the creation of the Livestock Ministry as a significant step towards harnessing the Norths economic potential.

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Speaking to journalist, Zailani highlighted Tinubus contributions to the Norths development. President Tinubu has, in his own way, liberated the North from poverty and underdevelopment. With an annual budget of 750 billion allocated to each of the Norths three development commissions totaling 2.25 trillion annually the North has no reason to struggle with poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment.

He further emphasised the importance of effective management of funds to address pressing issues in Northern Nigeria.

He noted that proper management could address critical issues such as power supply, agriculture, and industrialization. Zailani stated that these funds could generate employment and increase tax revenues if properly managed. He urged Northern leaders and citizens to hold development commissions accountable for effective fund management, rather than blaming the President or Federal Government.

Instead of constantly questioning what the Federal Government is doing or not doing, we should be asking what our development commissions are doing with the allocated funds.

Now that we have been empowered with development commissions, let us build our own industries and generate our own taxes instead of complaining.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Andrii Hnatov as the new Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, replacing Anatoliy Barhylevych.

This strategic move aims to bolster the military amid ongoing combat in the Kursk region. Hnatovs appointment reflects Zelenskys dynamic approach to adapting to the evolving conflict with Russia.

Barhylevych, who had held the position since February last year, will now serve as the General Inspector of the Defence Ministry, overseeing military standards and discipline.

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The leadership change comes amidst intensified battles in the Kursk area, highlighting the need for strategic adjustments. Ukraines Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, announced the appointment, emphasizing the goal of enhancing the combat effectiveness of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Speaking to the Media on Sunday Zelensky disclosed: We are systematically transforming the Armed Forces of Ukraine to enhance their combat effectiveness, Umerov said, announcing the change on Sunday.

This involves restructuring the command system and implementing clear standards.

Umerov insisted that Barhylevych remains part of the team, adding that he has now been tasked with reforming the main inspectorate.

His mission is to ensure compliance with military standards and strengthen discipline within the armed forces, he added.

Zelenskyy has regularly reshuffled military leadership amid Ukraines ongoing war with Russia.
Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has made a remarkable claim, stating that his administration has achieved significant progress in infrastructure and human capital development within three years without taking any loans.

This is a notable feat, considering the states ambitious projects, including the development of three new cities: Awka 2.0, Onitsha 2.0, and a new Industrial City.

Speaking at a thanksgiving Mass at St. Patricks Cathedral in Awka, on Sunday: I express my gratitude to the Almighty God because it is a journey ordained by God. Tomorrow, March 17, we will be three years in office.

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Three years ago, we applied for this job and you employed us based on trust. Looking back on the promises we made, it is fair to say so far, so good.

We have commissioned over 750 kilometers of roads, with more than 400km already completed. Additionally, we have recruited over 8,000 teachers and rehabilitated public schools to enhance the education sector.

We achieved remarkable progress in youth empowerment, agriculture, security, and the health sector. Today, Anambra is leading in health in Nigeria.

We have done all these without borrowing one kobo in three years.

The governor said his goal was to transform the state into the Dubai, Taiwan, and Silicon Valley of Africa, leveraging its abundant resources and exceptional human capital.

We still have one more year left in this tenure, and I want to assure you that we will continue working diligently every single day to fulfill the promises we made to you.

So far, we are on track to laying the foundations for realising the Anambra of our dreams, he said.
All Progressives Congress in Lagos State has welcomed 2023 Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, also known as Jandor, and his loyalists to the party.

Recall that the former PDPs chieftain announced his resignation from the opposition party on March 3, citing lack of discipline and betrayal by its leaders.

Speaking with newsmen on Monday, Lagos State APC Spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said that the party was excited to welcome Jandor back to its fold.

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READ MORE: PDP Crisis: The Boy And My Kids Arent Age Mates  Bode George Slams Jandor After Dumping Party

Oladejo said: He is welcome home. We are happy that he now appreciates the fact that Lagos State is still better and safer in the hands of the progressives, who have enjoyed the uninterrupted trust and confidence of our people since the inception of this dispensation.

We believe there is sufficient opportunity for him to contribute his quota to the continuous success of our government and the growth of our party.

We are expecting more defectors in the days ahead.
Stephen Smeds arranges books on shelves at the soon to open Barnes and Noble in Bryn Mawr. This spring, several Philly authors are releasing their works. Photograph taken on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. Read more

Its an exciting time to be a Philly writer.

Peacock debuted its limited edition thriller Long Bright River based on South Philadelphia writer Liz Moores novel of the same name Thursday. Frankfords Joseph Earl Thomas God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer won the Center for Fictions prestigious First Novel Prize last December. And our own Marie-Helene Bertinos Beautyland was named one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2024.

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We are seeing a really lovely variety of books set in Philly by Philly authors, said Emma Copley Eisenberg, author of Housemates, a novel about two queer friends road-tripping through Pennsylvania. Eisenberg is the cofounder of Blue Stoop, a local nonprofit championing Philly scribes. The last five years have been a bumper crop of great work, Eisenberg said. Im really proud of us.

Whether you listen to books on long car rides or youre a late-night reader, here are some books with deep Philly connections for you.

Harlem Rhapsody

Victoria Christopher Murray, Penguin Random House, $29

Girls High graduate, editor, and poet Jessie Redmon Fauset discovered Harlem Renaissance writers Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Nella Larsen when she was the literary editor of the NAACP magazine the Crisis. In Harlem Rhapsody, author Victoria Christopher Murray weaves the story of Fausets literary success  and a few visits to the Big Apple by Phillys own Black elite like Delta Sigma Thetas first national president Sadie Tanner Mossell  into a soapy roaring twenties novel. At the heart of the 400-page page-turner is Fausets alleged steamy affair with renowned civil rights activist and Philadelphia historian W.E.B. Du Bois.

The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits

Jennifer Weiner, HarperCollins, $30

Whether its Rose and Maggie Feller in the 2001 bestseller In Her Shoes or Diana Starling in the 2021 novel That Summer, former journalist-turned-blockbuster novelist Jennifer Weiner is deft at making readers fall in love with her emotional characters. In her latest, The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits, the Philly novelist flashes back to the bling-fueled early 2000s with siblings Cassie and Zoe Grossberg, a chart-topping pop-duo. Today the sisters are middle-aged suburban women holding on to decades-old secrets. Watch them unravel.

Song So Wild and Blue: A Life with the Music of Joni Mitchell

Paul Lisicky, HarperCollins, $28

Joni Mitchells soulful folk songs helped memoirist and Rutgers University Camden professor Paul Lisicky find his creativity. Song So Wild and Blue: A Life with the Music of Joni Mitchell is the Cherry Hill natives ode to Mitchells work. Lisicky takes readers on his artistic journey to self-discovery, starting in the fourth grade when he fell in love with Mitchells song Both Sides Now. We sit with him as he writes his first song and watch as this leads to meaningful prose. Song so Wild and Blue speaks to Mitchell fans and budding artists.

You Gotta Eat: Real-Life Strategies for Feeding Yourself When Cooking Feels Impossible

Margaret Eby, Quirk Books, $19.99

Hungry? Tired? Hungry and tired? Well, West Philadelphian  by way of Birmingham, Ala.  and Inquirer deputy food editor Margaret Eby has written the book you need. You Gotta Eat is filled with hacks, recipes, and tips for busy hungry people. It includes easy breakfast, snacks, and dinners including my favorite, the one sheet pan meal. The best advice in the book is the most obvious: use the leftover roasted veggies to make sandwiches on bread that, well, you dont have to bake. Such good advice in todays foodie-aesthetic driven world.

Zoe Brennan, First Crush

Laura Piper Lee, Union Square & Co., $17.99

The message is simple. If you love a romance, buy this Mount Airy writers novel: Zoe Brennan, First Crush. In Laura Piper Lees book, Zoe Brennan runs her familys vineyard in Blue Ridge. After a hot night with a mysterious woman  who she later learns is the daughter of a rival winemaker  the ladies team up to host a wine festival. Will they discover true love in the planning? Sounds like a Hallmark movie to me.

A Hole in the Story

Ken Kalfus, Milkweed, $26. Releasing on April 1.

Philly-based novelist Ken Kalfus A Hole in the Story gives bingeable series energy. The 208-page novel is a dark story of how political commentator Adam Zweig becomes the third wheel in a titillating sexual harassment scandal between a colleague and an ex-boss. This has him confronting his biases and how they shape his coverage and that of his networks.

Fight to Win: Heroes of American Labor

Kim Kelly, Simon & Schuster, $20. Releasing May 6.

Independent labor reporter Kim Kellys award-winning Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of The American Labor Movement illuminated the stories of freed Black women who organized for protection in Reconstruction-era South and Jewish immigrant garment workers in the early 1900s, among others. In Fight to Win: Heroes of American Labor, the Philly-based writer reiterates these stories for a young adult audience, at a time when such history lessons are becoming harder and harder to come by.

Red Clay

Charles B. Fancher, Blackstone Publishing, $28.99

Former Philadelphia Inquirer journalist Charles Fancher tells the fictional story of an enslaved family and its enslavers at the dawn of Reconstruction. Fancher, who lives in the Poconos, weaves an epic saga of friendship, betrayal, violence, and redemption that takes readers from Alabama and Paris to New Orleans. Released in February, Red Clay is among the most anticipated historical fiction works of 2025.
Maya Lagerstam as Storyteller 1 and Tyler Joseph Ellis as Storyteller 2 in The North American Tour of 'Shucked.' Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman. Read more

Good news for Broadway lovers: The lineup of hit musicals and shows coming to Philadelphia for the 2025-26 season is here. Ensemble Arts Philly has announced its slate of 13 Broadway productions running at the Academy of Music, Miller Theater, and Forrest Theatre in the coming year.

The Broadway series will feature Tony Award-winners over the past two years with Philadelphia premieres. Suffs, the historical musical following the story of South Jersey suffragist Alice Pauls fight for womens right to vote, won last years Tony for best original score and best book of a musical, both written by Shaina Taub (who also starred as Paul).

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It runs at the Academy of Music from Jan. 6 to 18.

The Outsiders, whose Broadway run was produced by Angelina Jolie, will also play at the Academy of Music in 2026, scheduled for May 26 to June 7.

Based on S.E Hintons 1967 novel and its film adaptation by Francis Ford Coppola, the musical won four Tony Awards last year including best musical, best direction of a musical, best lighting design, and best sound design.

The corn field comedy Shucked will also open in Philadelphia next spring, running April 21 to May 3 at the Forrest Theatre. The musical  which starred Temple alum Ashley D. Kelley on Broadway  was nominated for multiple Tony Awards in 2023, winning best featured actor for Alex Newell, who made history as the first nonbinary actor to win in that category.

Arriving in Philadelphia sooner is Kimberly Akimbo, the North Jersey-set musical following a teen girl whose body ages more rapidly than her brain. The comedy won five Tony Awards in 2023, including best musical, best book, and best original score.

It lands at the Academy of Music this fall, running Oct. 21 to Nov. 2.

Other Philadelphia premieres include Clue (Jan. 20 to 25 at the Forrest Theatre), based on the whodunit board game and film; Back to the Future: The Musical (Nov. 18 to 30 at the Academy of Music) adapted from the beloved movie series starring Michael J. Fox; and The Notebook (July 21 to Aug. 2, 2026, at the Academy of Music), the musical adaptation of Nicholas Sparks tearjerker romance.

Popular classics will return to the region as well, from The Sound of Music (March 31 to April 5, 2026, at the Academy of Music) to Disneys Beauty and the Beast (Feb. 11 to 22, 2026, at the Academy of Music) to Chicago (May 12 to 17, 2026, at the Forrest Theatre).

The sassy hit musical Six, a rock concert in which the wives of Henry VIII tell their side of the story, appeared on the Philly stage in 2023. It will be back this fall, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, at the Academy of Music.

This summer also sees the return of Beetlejuice, the musical based on Tim Burtons 1988 film; the movie sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice came out last year. The elaborate production features more than 100 special effects, puppets, and illusions.

For the 2025 finale, Cirque Dreams Holidaze will make its way back to Philadelphia delivering a dazzling holiday show for the whole family. Acrobats, penguins, jugglers, and reindeer collide for this cross between a circus show and a Broadway production with holiday hits like Winter Wonderland and Deck the Halls.

The cost of subscriber packages, available to purchase now, starts at $29 per show, marking an $8 decrease from last year. The subscription bundle includes seven shows: Kimberly Akimbo, Back to the Future: The Musical, Suffs, Disneys Beauty and the Beast, Shucked, The Outsiders, and The Notebook.

The price of the package ranges from $200 to $924, based on seating selection and show dates. Individual tickets per production will be available later this year.
PGW, which is owned by the city and is the nations largest municipally owned gas utility, has been under pressure to explore other energy sources. Read more

Philadelphia Gas Works said Monday that it is exploring the use of geothermal energy to heat and cool a Philadelphia School District building and city recreation center as a foray into using renewable energy sources.

The city-owned gas utility is seeking a firm to study how to install a closed-loop, geothermal system capable of powering heat pumps for John F. McCloskey Elementary School and Dorothy Emanuel Recreation Center next door in East Mount Airy.

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PGW, the nations largest municipally owned gas utility, has been under pressure in recent years to explore other energy sources.

The study is a critical step in the near term to identify strategies to help diversify the revenue of PGW, sustain jobs, reduce emissions, and offer customers a variety of cost-saving energy efficiency options, Seth Shapiro, PGWs president and CEO, said in a statement.

In 2021, Philadelphia released a study that identified ways PGW could diversity its business model to lower carbon emissions. Establishing geothermal networks was one of the suggestions.

Further, groups such as the nonprofit POWER Interfaith, a group of 50 area congregations, has also been pushing PGW to adopt geothermal energy as a way of addressing climate change.

Any new air-cooling system would be welcome relief in Philadelphia, where many schools swelter without conventional air-conditioning when temperatures rise.

We have been advocating for PGW to conduct a networked geothermal pilot project for several years, said Mitch Chanin, a member of POWER Interfaith. Were glad to see PGW taking this step.

Whats a geothermal system?

Most geothermal systems circulate water or an antifreeze solution through copper or plastic tubing buried in the ground, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Geothermal systems take advantage of steady, mild underground temperatures. In winter, water running through the loop absorbs the earths heat and carries it into the heat pump. It does the reverse in summer by capturing the buildings heat and bringing it underground.

Geothermal systems, which are considered renewable energy, are more efficient than traditional heating and cooling systems and require less maintenance.

PGW did not provide estimates for cost or timing for installation.

The $500,000 study is part of PGWs effort to look at how to tap clean energy in the future. Potential firms to conduct the study have until April 15 to submit proposals on how they will examine the geology of the area, where they would place underground borings, and how they would design the system.

If installed, the geothermal network would serve as a pilot for PGW to explore additional networks.

Why would schools need geothermal?

An exploration of geothermal energy comes at a crucial time for the school district, which operates 300 buildings and educates about 114,000 students in traditional public schools and nearly 200,000 including in charters. But the district has an estimated $8 billion in unmet facilities needs and is in the midst of its first comprehensive facilities-planning process in years.

The average age of a district building is 74. The oldest building, Francis Scott Key Elementary in South Philadelphia, was built in 1891.

Many schools have significant heating needs. Further, 63 buildings do not have air-conditioning. Most that are considered adequately cooled still dont have air-conditioning in large common spaces like gyms, hallways, and cafeterias.

By partnering with Philadelphia Gas Works to explore innovative energy solutions within our schools, we aim to provide clean and efficient heating and cooling options, enhance our school environment, reduce costs, and be part of a key initiative that helps pave the way for equitable, sustainable energy strategies that benefit all Philadelphians, said Oz Hill, the districts deputy superintendent of operations.

Why McCloskey?

McCloskey is one of the schools without air-conditioning; when temperatures soar, students there are dismissed early or must learn remotely, while students in air-conditioned buildings remain in class.

PGW said it met with representatives from the city and other experts involved in previous geothermal projects to determine what locations work best for geothermal. It and the school district focused on systems that are aged and inefficient, with older boilers, within environmental justice communities, and that lack air-conditioning.

It settled on the McCloskey school for those reasons and because it had nearby open space for geothermal wells. The agreement between PGW and the district also authorizes another school, Lankenau High School in Roxborough, to be evaluated only if deemed necessary.

Victoria Flemming, interim executive director of the Office of Environmental Management and Services for the school district, said that PGW approached the district with the pilot idea and that officials were keen to join in an effort to pursue clean energy sources.

McCloskey, built in 1956, uses oil heating.

Well see the largest benefit if we switch to a geothermal system as far as reduction of greenhouse gases, Flemming said. It aligns with just having a healthier, safer learning environment and improved air quality, and energy savings. The plan is evaluate the data once the geothermal system is up and running.

This kind of pilot lays the footwork for being more-informed, to see how it works, and then to be able to expand or scale up if it makes sense, Flemming said.

McCloskey wouldnt be the first school in the district using geothermal energy: Kensington High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, built in 2010, has geothermal heating and cooling. Although PGW supplies gas to the school, it was not involved with the geothermal system.
Kimberly Smith of Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County, speaks at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 27 regarding a Sunoco pipeline spill that contaminated home wells. Read more

The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office said Monday that its environmental crimes section is investigating a Sunoco pipeline spill that contaminated drinking water wells in a Bucks County community.

I can confirm we are investigating, said Brett Hambright, a spokesperson for the office.

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Last week, Edward Louka, first assistant district attorney to Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn, told residents and representatives of Sunoco during a public meeting that the office had asked the state to look into the spill detected in January.

We are aware and concerned with the situation, Louka said at the March 11 meeting. The Attorney Generals Office has an environmental crimes section. On Feb. 13, District Attorney Schorn did refer this to them.

Louka said that the state investigation is in its initial stages.

Sunoco is owned by Texas-based Energy Transfer. Representatives for Energy Transfer could not be reached Monday for comment.

In addition, a group of residents in the Mount Eyre neighborhood in Washington Crossing, Upper Makefield Township, where the spill occurred, has hired an attorney.

Earlier this month, the state Department of Environmental Protection ordered Energy Transfer to supply all residents of the neighborhood with bottled water and to install and monitor well filters.

 READ MORE: Sunoco ordered to supply homes with bottled water and filtration systems in the wake of jet fuel spill

Energy Transfer has conducted hundreds of tests on well water throughout the Mount Eyre neighborhood and within a one-mile radius of where the leak occurred. To date, six wells tested above drinking water standards for petroleum products. Five additional wells had detectable amounts of petroleum contaminants, but below statewide health standards.

The leak was detected Jan. 31, weeks after residents reported smelling a petroleum odor. Residents say they dont trust Sunoco or the testing.

Sunoco told the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration that 156 barrels of jet fuel had been released through a slow drip in the pipe, which it then repaired with a sleeve.

However, a report by PHMSA determined that the line had leaked for at least 16 months before it was discovered and that the line poses a risk to public safety, property, or the environment. It ordered Sunoco to reduce the flow as a way of lessening pressure in the pipe.

Sunocos 14-inch steel Twin Oaks Pipeline, built in 1958, transports mostly jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline from Sunocos Twin Oaks Terminal in Aston, Delaware County, to the companys Newark Terminal in Newark, N.J. It includes a pump station in Bucks County.

The pipeline runs about 106 miles mostly through suburbs, crossing numerous rivers, including the Delaware, and runs adjacent to numerous state and local parks.

A report this week by PA Environment Digest, a blog run by former DEP secretary David Hess, noted that Energy Transfer has been fined more than $48.1 million by the state for, multiple, serious violations related to the construction of the Mariner East Pipelines and the Revolution Pipelines starting in 2018 that resulted in an explosion, contamination of water supplies, pollution of the Marsh Creek State Park lake and the lake at the Raystown Lake Recreation Area.
Teacher Linda Waters helps Mia Copeland with her cursive writing this month at Indian Mills School in Shamong. Read more

After watching their teacher meticulously draw the alphabet in cursive on a whiteboard, students in Patricia Durellis fourth-grade class pulled out their pencils to practice writing the letters in workbooks.

With their heads bowed, the students carefully followed instructions from Durelli to write the lowercase letters. They traced a word already printed in the workbook and then tried writing it freehand in their own penmanship.

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Take your time, Durelli instructed. You want to make it nice and neat.

Cursive writing is included in the curriculum at Indian Mills School in Shamong, where students begin learning it in third grade. Although it is not mandated by the state, the Burlington County school decided to keep it in the curriculum when many districts stopped teaching cursive.

Its a dying art, Durelli said. I think it needs to come back.

A bill introduced by New Jersey State Sens. Angela McKnight (D., Hudson) and Shirley Turner (D., Mercer) would require school districts to incorporate instruction on cursive handwriting into the curriculum for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The bill recently cleared the Senate Education Committee. A similar version is pending in the state Assembly, McKnight said.

Right now, we have a large generation of young adults who cannot sign their names, McKnight said. We need to get ahead of the curve and go back to our roots.

McKnight introduced a similar measure several years ago as an assemblywoman, but it never gained traction in the legislature. She believes that there is a growing interest nationwide and that this effort will yield a different outcome.

 READ MORE: Can cursive writing make a comeback? A teacher and grammarian debate. | Pro/Con

If McKnights bill becomes law, New Jersey will join Delaware and 23 other states that require schools to include some type of cursive instruction, according to MyCursive.com. A bill introduced in Pennsylvania in 2023 would have required it, but that legislation did not advance. Many Catholic schools in the region have kept the tradition to promote good penmanship.

McKnight believes students should be able to write in cursive to sign legal documents and read personal keepsake letters and historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence. It also helps students better retain information when they write it, she said.

Experts say cursive writing has several benefits, such as improving fine motor skill development and eye-hand coordination more than printing. It is also believed to boost spelling and writing skills and overall learning and to encourage discipline and patience.

 READ MORE: Many Pa. and N.J. schools no longer teach cursive. Are students missing out on a useful tool?

Critics, in a National Education Association article on The Great Cursive Writing Debate, say that times have changed, with more focus on technology, and that incorporating cursive lessons would take valuable time from other subjects. They also contend that students would be better served by learning typing.

McKnight said cursive could be incorporated during writing or spelling lessons beginning in third grade.

You dont have to have this as a stand-alone subject, McKnight said. It doesnt have to be disruptive.

 READ MORE: Teaching cursive writing

Without a law, districts decide whether it should be taught.

Shamong and other South Jersey districts, including Cherry Hill, Burlington Township, and Winslow, provide cursive instruction to elementary students. Because it was eliminated from the states common core standards in 2010, it is unclear how many other New Jersey districts offer it.

At Indian Mills School, Durellis fourth graders began the school year with cursive writing instruction twice a week and then shifted to independent learning later in the year. Durelli used a program called Handwriting Without Tears to teach them basic strokes and how to connect letters. During a lesson this month, she cautioned them not to hold their pencils too tightly. Another teacher, Linda Waters, walked around the room checking their work.

I like the way youre taking your time, praised Durelli. Were always in such a rush.

Her students had mixed feelings about cursive writing. For now, they have the option to print or use cursive for their assignments.

I feel like for me it takes longer, and it just hurts my hand, said Shane McWilliams, 9. Its too much to memorize.

Said Lilly OBrien, 9: Its like relaxing, and its a lot easier because you can just keep going, and you dont have to keep picking up your pencil to go to each letter.

Durelli wants her class ready to use cursive writing by the end of the school year. Students also spend time typing on their Chromebooks during grammar and writing to lessons to incorporate technology.

We have to try to fit it all in, Durelli said. They need all of it.
University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, seen here in 2018 during an appearance on C-SPAN. Read more

The University of Pennsylvania has asked a federal judge to dismiss the racial discrimination lawsuit filed by controversial law professor Amy Wax, in which she said the schools speech policies violate core principles of the First Amendment.

Penn told the court last week that Wax has not denied making the statements that led to her suspension and that her lawsuit does not show how the disciplinary process against her deviated from university policies.

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The filing recites some of Waxs most controversial statements disparaging people who are Black, Asian, or LGBTQ, and women.

Plaintiff does not deny making such statements, Penn said in a court filing.

Wax has been facing scrutiny for controversial statements on immigration and race for nearly a decade. She was barred from teaching mandatory first-year courses in 2018 after she questioned the intelligence of Black students.

Over the years Penn faced calls from within its community and from lawmakers to revoke Waxs tenure.

In September, Penn announced that Wax would be suspended for a year, among other sanctions, after a five-member board of tenured faculty found that the professor committed a major infraction and had a history of sweeping, blithe, and derogatory generalizations about groups by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status.

Penn declined to comment. Waxs attorneys did not respond to a request for comment.

In her January lawsuit, Wax accused Penn of sanctioning her after a kangaroo-court-like process and called the universitys speech policies racially discriminatory. The complaint says Penn breached its contract with Wax and violated civil rights law.

 READ MORE: Amy Wax sues Penn, claiming a racially discriminatory speech policy led to her suspension

The law professor contrasted the discipline against her to Penn faculty and staff who engaged in anti-Israel speech, which she calls antisemitic, but were not disciplined.

Penn said in its filing that the notion that Wax as a white Jewish woman was singled out for discipline because of her race doesnt track from the facts alleged in her complaint.

Wax asked the court Friday to issue an injunction on the universitys sanctions, including preventing her looming suspension from the 2025-2026 academic year. Her attorneys said that Wax has suffered reputational harm and that allowing the suspension to take effect would paint Wax as a liar, racist, and harasser, none of which she is.

Wax previously said she views the term racist as almost a badge of honor, Penn told the court.

I lost count of how many times Ive been called a racist, and my view at this point is, you know, being a racist is an honorific, Wax said on a podcast in 2022, according to Penns filing. To be called a racist means you notice reality, and to me thats a positive thing.
Theres a lot to celebrate this spring, as reflected by a packed calendar of jazz in Philly. Two of the citys most treasured presenters commemorate major anniversaries this year  the nomadic Fire Museum Presents will travel home to Los Angeles in March to celebrate the remarkable four decades since founder Steven Tobin put on his first concert, while Ars Nova Workshop marks 25 years of concerts with a loaded schedule throughout the year at its home base, Solar Myth.

Meanwhile, pianist Orrin Evans throws a star-studded 50th birthday party for himself at Chris Jazz Cafe, and saxophonist Steve Lehman pays homage to an iconic mentor despite a life-altering loss. Below are a few highlights from the coming months.

Steve Lehman Trio +1

March 26, Solar Myth

Alto saxophonist and composer Steve Lehman is one of the many musicians who lost their homes in the recent California wildfires. Supporting such a distinctive artist through a tragic event is just one reason this is a performance not to be missed. Lehmans stellar trio with bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Damion Reid has been one of the most adventurous in modern jazz for the last decade and a half, and on this occasion theyll be joined by Mark Turner, perhaps the most influential tenor saxophonist of his generation. Together theyll explore the music of the legendary Anthony Braxton, a pioneering and iconoclastic composer-saxophonist  a description that applies equally well to Lehman himself. arsnovaworkshop.org

Nubya Garcia

April 2, Ardmore Music Hall

The London jazz scene has been one of the most vital on the planet in recent years, and Nubya Garcia has played a key role. Born in London to Trinidadian and Guyanese parents, the saxophonist laces Afro Caribbean inflections into the spiritual jazz and hip-hop influences that characterize the contemporary British sound, as well as a burly tone evidencing the lineage of Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane. Her latest, the aptly titled Odyssey, translates her voice on a grand, orchestral scale. ardmoremusichall.com

50 Shades of O

April 2-5, Chris Jazz Cafe

Orrin Evans hits the big 5-0 on March 28, and the Philly pianist is not one to let such a landmark pass by without a commensurately epic party. The celebration will be characteristically communal, inviting a number of collaborators to join the birthday boy in various configurations over four nights. The festivities kick off with Evans thrice Grammy-nominated Captain Black Big Band, joined by vocalist Jazzmeia Horn. Night two will be an all-star piano jam for which Evans will share the bench with Jason Moran, ELEW, Marc Cary, and his Bad Plus predecessor Ethan Iverson. The week concludes with a two-night stint by a quintet featuring saxophonists Jaleel Shaw and Tim Warfield, drummer Nasheet Waits, and legendary bassist Buster Williams. chrisjazzcafe.com

Roscoe Mitchell and Tyshawn Sorey

April 18-19, Solar Myth

For two nights this April, two of the most original, inventive, and genre-defying musical minds of their respective generations will converge at Solar Myth. Now in his mid-80s, Roscoe Mitchell is an elder statesman of the avant-garde, however you want to define it  a charter member of the influential AACM and founder/torchbearer of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, a group thats remained groundbreaking across its six-decade history. Born 40 years later, Tyshawn Sorey is an expansive drummer and innovative composer (not to mention Penn composer) whose work spans jazz, classical, opera, and beyond. arsnovaworkshop.org

Lakecia Benjamin

May 9, Annenberg Cente

Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin has never shied away from asserting the influence of John and Alice Coltrane on her work, paying homage to the couples music with her 2020 album Pursuance: The Coltranes. But the title of 2023s Phoenix staked a claim to a new voice rising from the ashes of the past, and the lineup of strong women voices represented on the album  including activist Angela Davis, vocalist Dianne Reeves, pianist Patrice Rushen, and poet Sonia Sanchez  made a bold case for Benjamin rising toward their ranks. pennlivearts.org

History Dog

May 10, Calvary Community Center

A new quartet with a bracing, risk-embracing sound, History Dog brings together four prolific Brooklyn-based improvisers: trumpeter Chris Williams, drummer Lesley Mok, bassist Luke Stewart, and vocalist Shara Lunon. The bands debut album, released the day before this Fire Museum show, is Root Systems  a title that vividly captures the quartets underground spirit and far-branching tendrils, which wend deep into electric and acoustic sounds, jazz, new music, and purely experimental territory. firemuseumpresents.com

Nicholas Payton

May 10, Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts

Its rare to see Nicholas Paytons name without the word outspoken in the very near vicinity, but his forthright voice and assertive vision are strongly evident even when he lets his trumpet do the talking. So singular is his approach that the New Orleans-born Payton determined to become his own accompanist, often accompanying himself playing his horn and keyboards simultaneously. clefclubofjazz.org

Exit Zero Jazz Festival

May 16-18, Cape May, N.J.

This years spring edition of Cape Mays shoulder season fest features some familiar Philly names  Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band once again, this time with vocalist Lisa Fischer; trumpeter Josh Lawrence; guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel; vocalist Samara Joy, whose family band has become a holiday staple, here leading a vibrant octet  along with an eclectic roster that includes trumpet great Terence Blanchard, harpist Brandee Younger, and trumpeter and recent Blue Note signee Brandon Woody. exitzerojazzfestival.com

Onilu

May 21, Solar Myth

Phillys Kevin Diehl has long placed percussionists at the forefront in his Afro Cuban free-jazz ensemble Sonic Liberation Front. Everything else is pared away entirely in Diehls latest project, Onilu, an intergenerational, all-star percussion trio that recently released its self-titled debut. The band brings Diehl together with Chad Taylor, cofounder of the varied Chicago Underground projects, now based in Philadelphia; and Joe Chambers, best known for his foundational work on classic Blue Note records by the likes of Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, and Andrew Hill  and no stranger to percussion-centric bands thanks to his work with Max Roachs MBoom ensemble. arsnovaworkshop.org

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

June 15, Kimmel Center

The New York-based big band, led by trumpet and education giant Wynton Marsalis, makes regular stops at the Kimmel Center. This time around theyre not touting any overarching themes or special guests, just a set of peerless musicians playing vigorous arrangements of music by many of jazzs most iconic composers. ensembleartsphilly.org
(Use as desired) Early morning outside the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, corner of 5th and Market Street, Philadelphia, Jan. 2, 2025. Read more

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has postponed a book tour stop at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History amid backlash for voting with Republicans Friday to advance a stopgap spending bill that averted a government shutdown.

Schumer was to visit Philadelphia Thursday to promote his new book Antisemitism in America: A Warning with a conversation moderated by Israeli-American Michael Solomonov, co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants, which includes Zahav in its portfolio.

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In a note on its website, the Weitzman said a new date would be announced soon. Other stops on the tour, including D.C., cited security concerns as the reason for the postponement. The multi-city tour went along the East Coast with stops in New York City and Baltimore, with additional stops in Georgia and California.

The postponement comes as Schumer faced mounting criticism over the weekend after he and nine other Democrats, including U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.), voted with Republicans on a procedural measure that ultimately prevented a government shutdown when many in the party would have preferred a fight.

Though no one in the Senate has threatened Schumers leadership, Democrats have been swift in expressing an array of emotions, from disappointment to outright anger as the Trump administration dismantles the federal government.

In an appearance Friday on HBOs Real Time With Bill Maher, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro described wanting to see more from Schumer during negotiations.

I would have liked to see when Chuck Schumer had leverage here to say, We need A, B, C and D for the Democratic Party, and force the Republicans to meet him halfway on those issues and deliver something for the folks who are worried now, Shapiro said on the show.

Schumer told the New York Times that he had two bad options and that a shutdown would have been far worse for the country because the executive branch would have the sole power to decide what government agencies are essential.

Two days from now in a shutdown, they could say, well, food stamps for kids is not essential. Its gone, Schumer told the Times. All veterans offices in rural areas are gone. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Theyre not essential. Were cutting them back. So itd be horrible.

The explanation left many Democrats unsatisfied.

Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, the liberal group with thousands of chapters across the country, including Philadelphia, went so far as to call for Schumers resignation this weekend.

After weeks of constituents demanding that Democrats use this rare, precious point of leverage on the government funding bill, Schumer did the opposite, wrote Levin. He led the charge to wave the white flag of surrender.
Homicide detectives Manuel Santiago, Martin Devlin, and Frank Jastrzembski seen in screen grabs from videos of their depositions. Read more

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Opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday in the high-profile perjury trial of three former Philadelphia homicide detectives who prosecutors say lied under oath during a murder retrial nine years ago.

The trial will detail a case within a case, its crimes spanning more than three decades.

It begins with the 1991 rape and murder of 77-year-old Louise Talley in the Nicetown neighborhood. But the heart of the testimony is expected to revolve around the 2016 retrial of Anthony Wright, who was convicted of killing Talley and served a quarter-century in prison until new DNA evidence emerged that excluded him as the rapist.

Wrights conviction was overturned. But prosecutors under former District Attorney Seth Williams were not convinced, and sought to try him again.

And that is where prosecutors say the three former detectives  Martin Devlin, Manuel Santiago, and Frank Jastrzembski  lied to keep an innocent man in jail and cover up for their own wrongdoing during the murder investigation.

The retired officers, now in their 70s, each face multiple counts of perjury and false swearing.

Defense attorneys sought to get the case dismissed several times, saying prosecutors tainted the grand jury presentment in 2021 by wrongfully presenting evidence unrelated to the case. Common Pleas Court Judge Lucretia Clemons agreed that the evidence should not have been used but ruled that the case could proceed to trial.

On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied an eleventh-hour petition from defense lawyers who asked the high court to overturn the case on the grounds of prosecutorial misconduct.

Clemons called about 100 potential jurors for interviews on Monday morning in advance of the trial, which she said could last a week. She and the attorneys for both sides interviewed prospective jurors about their backgrounds and potential conflicts, including personal and family ties to law enforcement.

After nearly three hours, they settled on 12 jurors and two alternates. The panel consists a cross-section of Philadelphia residents, some with family in law enforcement and others with relatives who were victims of violent crimes.

The prosecution, led by District Attorney Larry Krasners office, marks a rare instance in which police officers have been criminally charged for alleged roles in securing a wrongful conviction. It also comes as Krasner seeks a third term in office on a progressive platform that includes overturning such convictions and rooting out the prosecutorial misconduct that led to them.

Krasners office charged the detectives in 2021, just days before the statute of limitations on their alleged crimes was to expire.

Prosecutors now seek to convince a jury that the detectives testimony during Wrights retrial amounted to lying under oath. But distinguishing between truth and fiction will involve taking jurors back to the initial murder investigation.

A jury convicted Wright in 1993 based largely on the strength of a confession detectives extracted from Wright after Talleys murder.

The confession was not taped. According to the 2021 grand jury presentment that led to charges against the detectives, they used unlawful tactics to force him to sign a false statement, at one point telling the then-20-year-old they would pull his eyes out and skull-f him.

Prosecutors contend that Santiago and Devlin coerced Wrights false confession and that Jastrzembski lied about key evidence that linked him to the murder scene.

At the 2016 retrial, the retired detectives stood by their initial telling of the 1991 investigation. Jastrzembski said he had discovered a Chicago Bulls sweatshirt and other clothing in Wrights home that police said Wright admitted to wearing during the crime.

But DNA established that Talley, not Wright, wore those clothes. And the DNA found on the victim belonged to another man, Ronnie Byrd, who died in a South Carolina prison cell in 2013.

Given that evidence, prosecutors focused on Wrights confession. Santiago recalled hearing Wright admit guilt as Devlin transcribed the mans words in real time  word for word.

Wrights lawyer, Samuel Silver, put that to the test, asking Devlin to transcribe Wrights confession again, this time in front of the jury.

Devlin agreed. But as Silver read aloud, the former detective transcribed just six words of Wrights statement  Go on in your own words  before conceding he could not keep up.

A jury acquitted Wright and publicly criticized prosecutors for retrying his case. And the city paid him nearly $10 million to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit in 2018, its largest wrongful conviction settlement at the time.

His case foreshadowed a wave of exonerations for other wrongfully imprisoned men in Philadelphia in the last decade, including several that were documented by The Inquirer in a 2021 investigative series.

Wright, 53, is expected to testify as the three detectives face trial.
A William Paterson University professor says school officials lost his rare fossil collection and that the artifacts were dumped in a landfill. Now hes suing.

Martin Becker, an environmental science professor and paleontologist, has spent his career collecting Devonian Age marine invertebrate fossils, or ancient sea creatures that are about 380 million years old.

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In June 2024, he packaged 200 of his fossils, making up 80% of his collection, in 19 boxes and brought them to the universitys mail room to be shipped to a colleague in Florida. But Becker says negligence from the university and mail room supervisor Raymond Boone resulted in the destruction of his lifes work and emotional distress.

The lawsuit, which was filed last week in Superior Court in Passaic County, says Boone repeatedly gave Becker the runaround, promising tracking updates.

Over the course of several months, Becker confirmed with his Florida colleague that the packages still hadnt arrived, pushing the professor to follow up with Boone for more information. More than two months after Becker dropped the packages off, Boone repeatedly told the professor he was working on the issue with UPS. Come September, Boone told Becker the fossils were possibly caught up in the UPS fraud department but that he was working on the issue.

Becker pursued UPS himself.

On Sept. 30, Becker said he learned that UPS fraud department intercepted and confiscated the packages because the university had failed to pay multiple invoices to keep their UPS account in good standing. The lawsuit says the universitys UPS account had been canceled as a result and the fossils were pitched.

Though details are scarce, the lawsuit says the packages were dumped at an unidentified landfill somewhere in or around Nashville, Tennessee. The suit says Boone knew about the universitys UPS account delinquency but accepted Beckers shipment anyway, citing notices sent from UPS to the university and the confiscation of additional packages.

Becker said the fossils were irreplaceable and the subject of academic papers, grants, and student research programs. The lawsuit also claims that despite the universitys knowledge of what went wrong, Boone retained his role as mailroom supervisor, proving negligence in its supervision of an employee.

The universitys website shows Boone and Becker are both current employees at William Paterson.

Becker is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys fees, and lawsuit costs. He says the loss of the packages has brought on emotional distress, prompting medical expenses.

Becker and Boone did not respond to requests for comment. William Paterson officials declined to comment. In a statement to NorthJersey.com, a William Paterson spokesperson said the university wasnt aware of the lawsuit.
Supporters of legalizing cannabis for adult use rally outside the state Capitol in Harrisburg. Read more

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.

HARRISBURG  Pro-cannabis interests spent at least $1.6 million lobbying the Pennsylvania legislature in 2024 as lawmakers weighed a legalization scheme that could see major profits for existing dispensaries and growers.

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The legalization debate continues this year. In his latest budget pitch, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro called on the legislature to allow recreational cannabis sales to adults, promising the move would bring the state $1.3 billion in desperately needed revenue in the first five years.

Shapiro needs a majority of lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled state House and GOP-led state Senate to get on board.

There appears to be robust support in the lower chamber, though Democrats are still working to reach a consensus on how the state should structure the industry.

But in the upper chamber, many lawmakers  including key members of Republican leadership  have expressed reservations, citing health and public safety concerns.

That lack of support hasnt stopped legislative cannabis supporters from offering different visions for legalization.

Some House Democrats want recreational cannabis to be sold through new state-owned stores, as Pennsylvania does with liquor. They say this method will allow the state to collect more revenue and prevent a handful of corporations from dominating the industry.

In the state Senate, a bipartisan duo has pitched allowing existing medical sellers to expand into the recreational market. Just over 40 companies operate 186 medical dispensaries in Pennsylvania, and collectively sold nearly $7 billion worth of product from 2020 through the end of 2024.

Expansion into the recreational market is expected to continue growing those companies returns. So with big money at stake, major, multistate cannabis sellers such as Trulieve and Cresco Labs spent tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying to influence the debate in 2024, according to a Spotlight PA analysis of public disclosures.

The analysis included over two dozen companies and trade associations that produce or sell cannabis or advocate for legalization. The companies registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State to lobby in the health care, agriculture, or cannabis-related industries.

In total, the 26 companies included in Spotlight PAs analysis spent over $1.6 million on lobbying in 2024. The majority of the spending, over $800,000, came from cannabis companies that operate across the country; 19 already have a presence in Pennsylvania in the form of retail operations or products on shelves.

While disclosure forms show how much lobbyists spent, they do not detail which lawmakers or pieces of legislation were targeted, nor do they describe in detail how lobbyists spent the money.

Spending generally falls into a few key categories: gifts to lawmakers, direct communications, and indirect communications. Direct communications appeal to lawmakers to take legislative or administrative action, while indirect communications may include organizing letter-writing campaigns and phone banks on specific issues.

The biggest spender was Trulieve, which cultivates cannabis and operates dispensaries in nine states. It spent over $210,000 on lobbying. Of that total, $165,000 was spent on direct communications and $45,000 was on indirect communication.

Lobbyists for Trulieve did not respond to requests for comment regarding those activities.

No. 2 among the spenders was the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition, a trade organization that represents medical marijuana permit holders. It spent $171,720 on lobbying in 2024.

Meredith Buettner, the groups executive director, said the spending indicates the scale of the states rapidly expanding cannabis industry. She added that the coalition advocated for modernization to the medical marijuana program, and advancing adult-use legislation.

PCCs lobbying expenditures align with those of industries of similar scale in Pennsylvania, Buettner said in a statement to Spotlight PA.

Chris Goldstein, a Pennsylvania-based advocate with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said he wasnt surprised that established cannabis companies that operate in many states did most of the spending.

He said hes seen many companies seek first mover advantage  the leg up that comes from being the first player ready to operate in a new market  as legalization spreads nationwide. Goldstein said that first access is particularly desirable for cannabis sellers, as they can often open up shop before lawmakers enact more regulations.

State Sens. Dan Laughlin (R., Erie) and Sharif Street (D., Philadelphia) introduced legislation last session that would give medical sellers that head start.

The bill would have permitted existing medical dispensaries to sell to recreational customers within six months, even if regulatory guidelines for the new industry were not yet established, in exchange for a $25,000 licensing fee.

Medical dispensaries would also have been allowed to seek a new recreational permit for each existing medical one, potentially doubling their sales capacity. Only four new sellers would be able to get permits to begin selling recreationally.

Laughlin told Spotlight PA he plans to reintroduce a legalization bill in the new session, but did not say whether it would resemble the previous version.

Patrick Nightingale, a criminal defense attorney and medical marijuana advocate, noted that the political landscape around marijuana has changed significantly since he was advocating for medical cannabis legalization in 2016.

Grassroots activists are not running the show here; this is something that paid lobbyists are heavily invested in, Nightingale said. I dont think were the ones getting the ball across the goal line.

Goldstein said it made sense to him that cannabis companies were willing to spend a couple hundred thousand dollars to gain first access to an industry that is likely to yield hundreds of millions in profits every month  if recreational sales mirror Pennsylvanias medical sales.

I think theyre getting a really screaming deal here, Goldstein said.

Lobbying isnt the only way the cannabis industry is spending money in Pennsylvania. Corporate executives for cannabis companies donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to lawmakers campaign funds in 2024.

Benjamin Kovler, CEO and founder of Chicago-based cannabis retailer and cultivator Green Thumb Industries, contributed $45,000 to Pennsylvanias highest-ranking lawmakers last year.

The bulk of his contributions, $25,000, went to Shapiro. The remaining funds were split evenly between state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D., Montgomery) and Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R., Westmoreland.)

Other Green Thumb Industries employees also contributed to Pennsylvania politicians.

Anthony Georgiadis, president of Green Thumb Industries, contributed $10,000 apiece to state Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana) and Laughlin, a longtime cannabis advocate who chairs the influential Law and Justice committee.

BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
The author and participants of USAID Egypt's Women Employment Promotion Program (WEPP) at its closing ceremony in Cairo in 2018. WEPP partnered with 10 agribusiness firms to advance safe and women-inclusive workplaces within the agribusiness sector. Read more

Growing up in Philadelphia, I dreamed of living and working in Washington, D.C., and making a difference in U.S. policy to improve my hometown. I did just that with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and on Capitol Hill. But as fate would have it, I met my husband, a former assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, whose dreams extended beyond the courtroom. He wanted to make a difference across the globe.

When we married, his dream became our dream. He became a foreign service officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2011. With our young son, our journey led us to the front lines of global crises. We lived through the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, and my husband served solo in both Afghanistan and Iraq, bringing American aid and expertise to some of the most fragile regions of the world.

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These experiences, filled with personal sacrifices, have given me a profound understanding of how USAID plays a critical role in U.S. foreign policy, national security, and global economic stability.

My lived experience of USAID is not what Elon Musk and the Trump administration want you to believe, that USAID is a criminal organization. I, too, worked for USAID and did not see anything that supports that allegation. Its difficult to cheat the government in an agency where 40% of its employees focus on accountability and compliance. So what did I see?

USAID creates economic opportunities for American companies abroad

In Cairo, I was a communications specialist for USAID from 2016 to 2018. We proudly touted the work of U.S. businesses that restore historical treasures, such as the Sphinx at Giza, temples in Luxor, and other antiquities across Egypt.

This work strengthens tourism in Egypt  critical to the economy and the stability of the nation  in one of the worlds most volatile regions. Americans and Egyptians benefited, and the relationship between our countries became more solid.

USAID exemplifies American values

USAID partners with faith-based organizations to implement its programs, aligning its mission with American values of service and goodwill. After the Haiti earthquake in January 2010, I worked for a U.S.-based religious nongovernmental organization in Port-au-Prince funded by USAID.

The collaboration yielded lifesaving results: We created employment opportunities, clean drinking water, and safe housing for residents in a small community outside Port-au-Prince who had been displaced by the earthquake. These efforts also encouraged residents to remain in their community, rebuild networks, and not seek migration overseas.

USAID creates business opportunities for vulnerable populations

I managed a U.S. State Department small grants program from 2010 to 2011 funded by USAID in Zimbabwe during the financial and humanitarian crisis under former President Robert Mugabe. From HIV/AIDS-infected communities to those in rural areas, the small grants helped communities start small businesses and buy needed equipment to access groundwater. Through their hard work and with assistance from the American people through USAID, I saw how community members could feed their families and send their children to school.

Food matters

I believe in the power of culinary diplomacy. In each country, we welcomed government ministers, judges, legislators, local entrepreneurs, and leading national and religious advocates for human rights, womens rights, and the protection of the poor into our home.

Around our dining table, we held countless discussions with African, Egyptian, and Haitian public and private leaders who praised USAIDs impact in their countries as key to building the middle class and preventing the growth of destabilizing poverty, while giving a voice to the vulnerable.

Philadelphia has always valued public service and has a global impact through its powerful private sector. Not unlike the citys tradition of supporting our neighbors, USAID is about helping others and securing a safer, more prosperous future for the United States.

As a Philadelphian and former USAID employee, I urge Philadelphians to write, visit, or call on the states congressional delegation to reverse course and save USAID now.

Dawn Patrice Jackson is a Philadelphia native and former USAID employee. Since 2006, she and her family have lived in Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Southern and West Africa.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro delivers his budget address for the 2025-26 fiscal year to a joint session of the state House and Senate at the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. Read more

Hundreds of former federal employees have applied for vacancies in Pennsylvanias state government since Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order two weeks ago giving them hiring preference for state jobs amid firings and layoffs across the federal workforce.

As of Monday, the commonwealth has received approximately 1,100 applications from roughly 700 people with experience in the federal workforce, said Daniel Egan, a spokesperson for the Office of Administration.

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The applicants are still in the hiring process, and its unclear how many of those 700 were recently unemployed by the federal government.

Shapiro, a Democrat, signed an executive order on March 5 directing state agencies to give preferential hiring treatment to fired federal workers, many of whom have transferable skills to the state government.

Individuals who worked similar or equivalent jobs in the federal government would be considered pre-qualified for a more time-efficient hiring process, Shapiro said during a news conference announcing the executive order.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania state government wants to hire fired federal workers, Gov. Josh Shapiro says

The governors announcement came as federal employees have borne the brunt of many cuts made by President Donald Trumps administration and the Department of Government Efficiency created by Trump billionaire adviser Elon Musk, which has slashed federal workforces, grants, and leases in Pennsylvania and nationwide in an attempt to reduce government spending.

The commonwealth has created a landing page on the states website where federal workers can view Pennsylvanias recruitment needs. The number of job openings change from day to day as postings are added or removed, Egan said. As of Monday afternoon, there were 665 job openings on the site, and a single posting can be used to fill several vacancies of the same job title, Egan said.

The top positions applied to by those who have worked in the federal government include Unemployment Compensation Claims Intake Interviewer, Driver License Examiner Assistant, and Clerical Assistant, according to list provided by the Office of Administration. Other popular positions include administrative positions and jobs in public health, information technology, or the parks.

In 2024, approximately 103,700 Pennsylvanians were employed by the federal government, but due to recent events, many experienced and talented public servants  may be unemployed or seeking new employment, according to Shapiros executive order.

As Governor Shapiro has made clear, this undertaking is not an act of charity, Egan said in a statement Monday. This is an opportunity to take advantage of the availability of experience and talent to potentially fill critical vacancies we have here in the Commonwealth  and we will be working to ensure we maximize this opportunity.

Other nearby states have highlighted their own procedures for ushering laid-off federal workers into state jobs.

The New Jersey Department of Labor has outlined its unemployment and career services as residents continue to face the impacts of government layoffs. And, similar to Pennsylvania, Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore has launched an initiative to recruit laid-off federal employees to work for the state.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is proposing eliminating a popular business tax break that the city believes could be overturned in court. Read more

Tens of thousands of companies that are currently exempt from Philadelphias business tax would have to start paying it under a provision of Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers city budget proposal that was prompted by a lawsuit challenging the legality of a popular tax break.

Since 2015, Philadelphia has effectively exempted companies that make less than $100,000 from business in the city from paying the business income and receipts tax, or BIRT, thanks to a tax break created by City Council and known as the exclusion. Since the onset of the pandemic, the city hasnt even required those businesses to file tax returns.

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 READ MORE: No tax on businesses? The Philadelphia Tax Reform Commission is calling for a major change

That has saved Philadelphias smallest homegrown businesses  as well as firms based elsewhere with minimal commercial activity in the city  from the headache of having to deal with the much-maligned BIRT, an unusually complicated business tax for a municipal government.

But Parker is now moving to repeal the exclusion because the city Law Department does not believe it will prevail against a lawsuit challenging the tax breaks constitutionality that was brought by the Massachusetts-based medical device manufacturer Zoll Medical Corp., which does business in Philadelphia.

An attorney for Zoll declined to comment.

Getting rid of the exclusion would be a step backward in the citys efforts to help small-business owners regardless of when it happened. But its particularly painful that the change could take effect this year, because city leaders are attempting to launch a major reform of the tax code that they say is meant to make BIRT less burdensome for smaller firms.

Heres what you need to know about why the tax break is going away and what it means for Phillys businesses.

What is the $100,000 exclusion?

For the last decade, all businesses have been allowed to exclude their first $100,000 in revenue generated in Philadelphia when calculating their BIRT liability.

For businesses that make less than $100,000 in the city, that meant they owed nothing. For firms making more than that, they were able to deduct that amount before calculating what they owed, similar to how the federal income taxs standard deduction works.

The exclusion, which was championed by former Councilmembers Maria Quinones Sanchez and William J. Green IV, was widely applauded as a boon to small business. A 2024 Pew study that looked at tax return data from 2017 to 2021 found that about three-quarters of businesses had no BIRT liability thanks to the exclusion.

The report also found that the exclusion was a major reason why BIRT is a progressive tax, meaning it has a higher burden on firms that make more money than it does on companies with less income.

But there have long been concerns about whether the exclusion is legal under the state constitution, and those concerns are coming to the surface now.

Why is Parker trying to get rid of the exclusion?

Parkers decision to ask Council to repeal the BIRT exclusion for next year was a begrudging one.

This is unfortunate because this exclusion saved thousands of neighborhood-based businesses from even having to file a BIRT return with the city, Parker said in her budget address to Council on Thursday. But we are not going to turn our backs on these businesses.

 READ MORE: Mayor Cherelle Parker pitches her $6.7 billion budget plan as Trumps grave threat to cut aid to cities looms

Zoll Medical Corp. last year sued the city, raising two issues with BIRT: that the formula the city uses to calculate a companys net income is unfair, and that the $100,000 exclusion is not allowed under the Pennsylvania Constitutions uniformity clause, which requires all taxpayers be charged the same rate for any state or local tax.

The state uniformity clause is the reason Philadelphia cannot charge people who make more money a higher rate for the wage tax, and why it cant apply different real estate tax rates to residential and commercial property owners.

Zoll is contending that the clause should also prohibit the city from exempting businesses that make under $100,000 from paying BIRT while charging all other firms 5.81% of business net income or profits and 0.1415% of their gross revenue.

The city has denied all claims, arguing that the exclusion conforms with the uniformity clause because it allows all taxpayers, including Zoll, to deduct $100,000 from their taxable revenue, not just those who make less than that amount.

The case is pending in Common Pleas Court. But Parker said she was frustrated the city has to choose whether to continue to enforce a law with significant legal concerns.

Do I know what will happen? Absolutely not, Parker said. But the fact that Philadelphia is in this position bothers me.

Not everyone agrees the city should roll over so quickly. Quinones Sanchez said she thinks the city would prevail if it fought it out in court.

I dont buy it, Quinones Sanchez said. Lets go and protect it. Lets defend it.

Quinones Sanchez noted that no one questions the legality of the real estate taxs homestead exemption, which allows homeowners to cut $100,000 off the assessed value of their properties. Similar to how the BIRT exclusion effectively eliminates the tax bills of firms making less than $100,000, the homestead exemption effectively allows homeowners whose properties are worth less than $100,000 to pay nothing.

 READ MORE: Heres how Philadelphia homeowners can apply for the citys low-income real estate tax freeze program

The homestead exemption, however, is explicitly authorized in state law, while the BIRT exclusion is not.

City Solicitor Renee Garcia said that while the exclusions legality may have been debatable in the past, recent court decisions have made it more likely that the tax break would be deemed unconstitutional.

When the BIRT exemption was adopted, some case law suggested that an income threshold like the $100,000 exemption would be defensible, City Solicitor Renee Garcia said in a statement. In recent years, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has issued a series of cases that made it very clear the BIRT exemption is at risk. It is in Citys best legal interest to sunset the provision because the law has been clarified.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a 2017 ruling in Nextel Communications vs. the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, considered the constitutionality of a state law that placed a $3 million cap on how much net loss businesses could carry over from year to year to reduce their state business tax liability. The justices found that the law violated the uniformity clause because  much like the BIRT exclusion  it is a flat-rate tax break that effectively created two categories of taxpayers based on income or loss levels.

What happens next?

If Parkers plans proceed, all Philadelphia businesses will have to file and pay the BIRT starting this year. The first tax returns without the exemption would be due April 15, 2026.

The Pew study found that an average of 35,500 businesses had BIRT tax liabilities from 2017 to 2021. Removing the exclusion could mean that more than 120,000 firms with business in Philadelphia will have to pay the tax next year.

To ease the burden, Parker included in her budget proposal a $30 million fund to provide grants and technical assistance for businesses navigating how to file their BIRT returns.

Parker has also proposed lowering BIRTs two tax rates in the next city budget, which takes effect July 1. Under her proposal, the tax on net income would be 5.71% and the gross receipts rate would go from 0.1415% to 0.141%. Those cuts would cost the city $9.2 million next year.

The mayor said she hopes the city will continue to reduce the tax over the next 15 years, eventually eliminating the gross receipts levy entirely while cutting the net income tax in half.

 READ MORE: What you need to know about the Philly business double tax that some city leaders are trying to kill

The Tax Reform Commission, which was convened last year by Council President Kenyatta Johnson, has recommended Parker and Council first prioritize eliminating the net income portion of BIRT before circling back to do away with gross receipts as well. But the administration chose to push for gross receipts cuts immediately due to the disproportionate impact that the exclusion will have on small businesses, Finance Director Rob Dubow said.

If you look at the gross receipts, we think it has a bigger impact on smaller businesses, like corner stores and grocery stores, Dubow said. And so with the [exclusion] going away, that would also have a bigger impact on smaller businesses, which made reducing the gross receipts tax more important.

Staff writer Ryan W. Briggs contributed to this article.

This story has been updated with additional comment from City Solicitor Renee Garcia.
The Tax Reform Commission convened by City Council President Kenyatta Johnson is recommending eliminating the citys business tax, a proposal that would reshape city government and could lead to an ideological clash during this springs budget negotiations.

The commission is also recommending trimming Phillys highest-in-the-nation flat-rate wage tax and pairing those tax cuts with investments in workforce development and aid for small businesses.

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The way to take people out of poverty is to give them access to good jobs, said Richard Vague, a venture capitalist and former state official who cochaired the commission. Its well-known that if youre [a small business], you can stay in Philly, but once you get big, you have to move across city lines. Thats the story in a nutshell. We dont have enough good jobs because were not a magnet attracting business.

 READ MORE: Mayor Cherelle Parker didnt want to talk taxes in her first year in office. Thats about to change.

The recommendations in the panels long-awaited report, which was unveiled Tuesday, will shape this years city budget negotiations and could influence policy decisions over Philadelphias unusual tax structure for years to come.

The commission proposed eliminating the business income and receipts tax, or BIRT, within eight to 12 years, and reducing the wage tax from 3.75% for city residents to under 3% in about a decade. It presented city leaders with three potential schedules for reducing tax rates over the next five years, with the least aggressive costing the city $498 million in lost revenue during that time and the most aggressive nearing $2.2 billion.

Opponents of tax cuts immediately condemned the report, including some members of an advisory committee designed to offer the commission input from leaders of community groups.

With a president in control of the federal government who wants to take away our social safety nets, cutting vital programs that our city relies on, we should not be giving away money to mega corporations and the ultra rich, said Erme Maula, an advisory committee member appointed by Asian Americans United. We wont let City Hall take us back to austerity budgets.

The BIRT is projected to bring in $617 million of the $6.27 billion in expected revenue in the citys current budget, which includes $6.7 billion in spending. The business levy is the citys third-largest tax revenue generator, behind the wage and property taxes.

The commissions recommendations are for the most part unsurprising given the pro-business tilt of the 15-person panel, with appointees from Johnson, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, City Controller Christy Brady, and local chambers of commerce.

Philadelphias economy is underperforming, and its driving many of our residents into poverty, said Johnson, the driving force behind the creation of the commission. Philadelphias tax structure is unlike any other system in the country. If we want to lift our residents out of poverty and create economic opportunities, we must change how we tax our people and businesses while still providing critical services.

Parker, who pushed to keep all city tax rates flat in budget negotiations last year, will have more to say about tax reform when she delivers her budget address next month, Finance Director Rob Dubow said.

We appreciate all the hard work that the Tax Reform Commission has done on a critical topic impacting our City: Making Philadelphia a more economically competitive city, Dubow said in a statement Tuesday.

The latest reform effort

Blue-ribbon panels on Philadelphias unusual tax structure are nothing new. The latest iteration, although technically a revival of an earlier commission, is the fourth group that has set out to tackle the issue in the last 23 years.

The broad strokes of what past panels have recommended have been embraced by city leaders, such as the property assessment reforms championed by former Mayor Michael A. Nutter and the goal of continually reducing the wage tax through small annual cuts that has been shared by mayors going back to the 1990s. But the business community has complained that City Hall has not reduced taxes more quickly, and some have called for more dramatic change rather than incremental rate cuts.

The commission is cochaired by Matthew Stitt, a former Council chief financial officer who now works at the consulting firm Public Finance Management. The panel also includes former Council members and mayoral hopefuls Derek Green and Allan Domb; labor leader Ryan Boyer; and business community leaders like Brandywine Realty Trusts Jerry Sweeney and the Center City Districts Paul Levy, who have championed past tax reform efforts.

The reports recommendations are not binding and will instead serve as a resource for Parker and Council as they negotiate over the city budget that will take effect July 1. Parker will unveil her proposal for the citys taxing and spending plans in an address to Council on March 13.

BIRT in the crosshairs

City leaders have for decades been focused on reducing the citys wage tax and cleaning up the property tax rolls, two challenges with circumstances unique to Philadelphia and that did not fit neatly into ideological debates. The commissions decision to zero in on the business tax is likely to produce a contest with clearer ideological lines, which in Philadelphia politics means a fight between moderate Democrats sympathetic to the business community and more progressive politicians and activists skeptical of trickle-down economics.

Kimmy Cook with the progressive Coalition for Essential Services and Tax Equity, called the recommendations a complete giveaway of billions of dollars in city revenue over the next decade to big businesses and megacorporations.

At a time when President Trump and Elon Musk are trying to cut all federal resources to Philadelphia, this is an irrational plan, copy and pasted from the Big Business Chamber of Commerces same old annual talking points, Cook said in a statement. City leaders should consider long and hard what it means to give away billions of dollars in revenue and decide what essential public services theyll cut. Will it be library hours? Trash collection? Pre-K? Health center funding?

The business community has long complained that the BIRT applies to both business net profits and their gross revenue, creating what critics call a double tax and making compliance with the levy more complicated. Companies currently pay 5.81% of their net profits to the city as well as 0.1415% of their gross receipts. Businesses with $100,000 or less in annual revenue are exempted from paying the tax.

The report recommended city leaders prioritize eliminating the net profits portion of the BIRT, then turn to wage tax cuts, and finally circle back to reducing the gross receipts portion of BIRT.

For the last several years, several Council members have said that BIRT rate cuts are needed to help small and minority-owned businesses, and the commission appears to be embracing that rhetoric. But the commissions initial report did not include a policy solution that would more directly benefit smaller firms than rate cuts: increasing the $100,000 threshold under which businesses are exempted from the tax entirely.

Vague said the commission plans to deliver more reports in the future and that the exemption could be tackled at that time.

Other recommendations

In addition to major changes to the business and wage taxes, the commission proposed the creation of a new Office of the Tax Advocate to support taxpayers in navigating the complexities of the tax system as well as a new Jumpstart Fund that would provide funding for existing job training programs and others that offer low-cost loans to small and disadvantaged businesses. The report called for the city to make contributions to the fund in concert with tax cuts, with 10% of the price tag of the tax reductions going to the fund.

Other issues that the commission may tackle later include the parking tax, which Parker tried unsuccessfully to cut when she was a Council member, and the sweetened beverage tax, or sugar tax, that was championed by former Mayor Jim Kenney to reduce obesity and pay for rec center improvements, subsidized pre-K, and the citys community schools initiative.

The commission said it may in the future call for a study to review the impact of the tax on small retail businesses and the regressive nature of the tax on the low-income Philadelphians who do not have the resources to travel to neighboring counties.

Regardless of intent, the tax may have adverse effects that are worth reviewing, the report reads.

The American Beverage Association, which lobbied against the adoption of Kenneys push for the tax, applauded the call to reexamine a tax it said in a statement has hurt Philadelphias working families, small businesses and their employees due to higher prices, decreased sales and lost jobs.

The report also says the commission may later call on city leaders to come up with a plan to convince lawmakers in Harrisburg to let Philadelphia raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour and to exempt the city from the state constitutions uniformity clause, which prevents the city from applying different tax rates to different types of taxpayers.

Not being able to tax commercial and residential properties at different rates is often cited as a reason that raising the property tax is politically infeasible in City Hall. But changing the state constitution is a major undertaking, requiring the partially GOP-controlled General Assembly to approve of the change in two consecutive sessions.
The report recorded 686 recall events between July and December, up from 602 in the first six months of the year. Over the full year, Australia saw 1,288 recalls, reflecting a 7.1% rise from the 1,203 recorded in 2023.
We are proud to support two organisations working directly with impacted communities to aid in both recovery and rebuilding efforts, as well as immediate support for essential supplies and services, he said.
This [announcement] has led to both of us reviewing our positions and they're expecting to finalize their review probably by the end of this month, said Fagen. It could lead to them moving away from the channel, or changing the nature of its association with Blue Zebra, or maintaining the status quo.
So what we won't see is massive increases in reinsurance premiums paid to the pool next year, which gives insurers a lot of stability and, consequently, consumers a lot of stability, he said. The contrast in the 2022 floods was after that we saw massive increases in reinsurance rates which were mostly responsible for the big rise in insurance premiums that we saw over the last few years.
The Clop groups increased activity has been linked to its exploitation of two high-severity vulnerabilities  CVE-2024-50623 and CVE-2024-55956  in Cleo file transfer software. Although these vulnerabilities were disclosed in late 2024, the time required for attackers to manually escalate their access aligns with the surge in reported victims this year.
AIA is uniquely well-positioned to capitalise on the long-term structural growth potential in the worlds most attractive market for life and health insurance through the consistent execution of our clear and ambitious strategy. I am confident that AIAs long-term business prospects remain exceptional. We will continue to strengthen our substantial competitive advantages to capture the opportunities ahead of us and create sustainable value for all our stakeholders, he said.
The acquisition would mark a significant step for Howden and its founder, David Howden (pictured), who has expressed interest in expanding into the US retail insurance market. A successful deal would position the company for a potential US stock market flotation within the next one to three years, with 2027 considered the most likely date.
In January 2020, he was named managing executive of global strategy, supporting underwriting operations across the company. Since becoming president of Markel International in 2021, the division has seen a nearly 40% increase in gross written premiums and a more than 250% rise in net underwriting profit. Before joining Markel, Wilson led the Lloyds Asia platform in Singapore.
The most recent short-term extension, passed in December 2024, is set to expire at midnight on March 14 unless Congress passes this legislation or another extension through the government funding resolution. The House of Representatives approved the continuing resolution on March 11, but the Senate had not yet voted on the measure.
"Yesterday's severe weather impacted most of Alabama," Ivey said. "Unfortunately, we have learned of the loss of at least two of our fellow Alabamians -- one life in Plantersville and one in Winterboro."
Clearing dead plants, removing wooden furniture, (these are) things people might overlook outside forested areas, said Heron. There will be more focus on how homes are rebuilt and the materials used, especially roofing. If a roof isn't fire-rated to a certain degree or is past a certain age, insurers may change terms, offering actual cash value instead of replacement cost. There may also be some insurers that impose higher retentions specifically for wildfire damage.
Reed Chenevert sued his homeowners insurer, Allstate, after his roof was damaged in a storm. He alleges that the company failed to honor his claim in good faith, asserting breach of contract and seeking penalties under Louisiana's bad faith statutes, specifically La. R.S. 22:1973 and La. R.S. 22:1892. These statutes allow policyholders to seek damages and penalties when an insurer acts arbitrarily or capriciously in denying or underpaying claims.
The homeowners countered with their own expert - a licensed engineer - who had personally inspected the property and reviewed photographs, reports, and other records. The engineer acknowledged the possibility that the leak began unnoticed before July 2019, but crucially, he argued that there was no clear evidence of damage before October 2018, when the policy began. Specifically, he noted the absence of signs typically associated with long-term water intrusion: rotted wood, swollen drywall, or widespread mold growth.
A northern Virginia judge determined embryos are not property that can be divided up, rejecting a previous analysis by the court saying such fertilized eggs could be considered divisible goods or chattel based on 19th-century slave law.

Nearly 10 months after closing arguments, Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Dontae L. Bugg wrote in an opinion letter earlier this month that he would dismiss a cancer survivors partition lawsuit against her ex-husband  a legal action that one property owner can take against another. The former wife, Honeyhline Heidemann, sued Jason Heidemann over access to two embryos they froze during a 2015 cycle of in vitro fertilization but agreed to leave in storage during their divorce three years later.

In the bench trial, Honeyhline Heidemann testified the embryos were her last chance to conceive another biological child after a cancer treatment. Jason Heidemanns attorney argued he did not want to become a biological father to a child by force, even if he wasnt required to be a parent.

The dispute attracted national attention in 2023 when Judge Richard E. Gardiner  who is no longer assigned to the case for unrelated reasons  referenced slavery-era law when overruling Jason Heidemanns pleading that the states partition statute did not include the embryos. Bugg wrote in his March 7 letter that he took issue with Gardiners reliance on state law predating the passage of the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery.

Bugg wrote that Virginia lawmakers have since 1865 removed references to slavery to excise a lawless blight from the Virginia Code, the institution of slavery applicable to fellow citizens, which removal supports that human beings, and by extension embryos they have created, should not as a matter of legislative policy be subject to partition.

Buggs dismissal of the case comes during a growing national debate on whether fetuses are human. Seven states have defined embryos, fertilized eggs or fetuses as a person, human being or another in their homicide code, according to Pregnancy Justices unpacking fetal personhood report from last September.

In 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are people.

And later that year, U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would make it a right nationwide for women to access in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatment after then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer forced a vote on the issue.

Before this trial, there was little case law in Virginia governing the treatment of embryos.

Jason Zellman, Honeyhline Heidemanns attorney, acknowledged in court that the case touched on sensitive issues, but he also suggested Bugg didnt need to establish any sweeping precedent. Honeyhline Heidemann, who had a daughter with Jason Heidemann through the same in vitro cycle, also testified that she hoped to acquire both remaining frozen embryos, but would also accept if Bugg separated the fertilized eggs between her and the former husband.

Carrie Patterson, Jason Heidemanns attorney, argued the judge should not conclude that embryos could be sold or divided. Although Virginia courts have the power to direct the sale of property, Patterson also referenced that the American Society for Reproductive Medicine had deemed the sale of fertilized eggs unethical.

Bugg wrote there was no case law suggesting fertilized eggs should be valued, bought or sold  nor did he have evidence there would be a mechanism to carry out such a process given embryos nature.

It is obvious that these two human embryos, if implanted and carried to term, would not result in the same two people, he wrote. In fact, the embryos are as unique as any two people that may be selected from the population, including siblings with the same biological parents.

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Property
A federal judge in Baltimore on Friday rejected the citys effort to temporarily block the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from emptying its reserves and returning the money to the U.S. Federal Reserve or Department of the Treasury.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox said Baltimore did not deserve a preliminary injunction because it was unlikely to prove the CFPB made or acted upon a discrete and final decision to defund itself.

Baltimore and the nonprofit Economic Action Maryland Fund, formerly the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, sued on February 12 to stop CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought from starving the agency of cash and leaving it dead in the water.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs said they are reviewing the decision. The CFPB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Many Republicans and business groups have long complained the CFPB has unchecked power.

Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a challenge by two payday lender trade groups to how the agency is funded.

In seeking an injunction, Baltimore cited a February 8 letter to Fed Chair Jerome Powell where Vought said the CFPB needed no money in its next funding draw.

It also cited a February 11 email where CFPB Chief Operating Officer Adam Martinez said the agency had contacted the Fed about its ability to return money.

But the judge said all Baltimore did was challenge a disembodied and unrealized decision to drain the CFPB of its operating funds and reserves, without any evidence that such a decision has been reached at all or generated any legal consequences.

A separate lawsuit challenging Republican President Donald Trumps alleged effort to dismantle the CFPB is pending in Washington, D.C., federal court.

Senior CFPB officials have in that case expressed skepticism the agencys reserves could be returned.

Jonathan McKernan, Trumps nominee to become CFPB director, pledged at his February 27 Senate confirmation hearing to fully enforce consumer financial protection laws, while saying he wanted to right-size the agency and make it more accountable.

The case is Mayor and City Council of Baltimore et al v CFPB et al, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, No. 25-00458.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Richard Chang)
The Boston areas public transportation agency is not immune from liability for injuries caused by an assault on a customer by one of its bus drivers who had a history that included anger management issues and a prior assault.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) can be held liable for negligence in hiring, promoting, retaining, and supervising its own employe.

The states highest court concluded that the law does not provide immunity to a public employer for its misfeasance in placing an employee with known but untreated anger management issues that manifest in violent and hostile behaviors in a public-facing position.

In response to a lawsuit by an MBTA customer who was violently assaulted by one of its bus drivers, the MBTA had moved for summary judgment on the ground that it was immune from liability under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act (MTCA). A lower court and the appeals court denied the MBTAs motion, and the MBTA sought review by the states high court which has now upheld the denial of summary judgment.

The Assault

On March 3, 2015, Matthew Theisz found himself lost in Lynn in blizzard conditions. When Theisz saw an MBTA bus, he attempted to wave it down at a bus stop to ask the driverr how he might find a bus to return to Boston. The bus was operated by a bus driver who the MBTA knew sometimes engaged in unsafe driving and, on occasion, interacted with the public and his supervisors in a hostile or insubordinate manner.

As the bus driver drove by the bus stop where Theisz stood waiting, Theisz rapped on the buss back door. The driver did not stop. When the driver eventually stopped the bus, Theisz was able to catch up; Theisz banged on the buss front door to get the drivers attention. The driver opened the door. Lost, cold, and frustrated at the prospect of being stranded, Theisz first questioned why the bus driver had not stopped sooner. The driver responded by yelling at Theisz and leaving his drivers seat to confront Theisz at the door. The driver kicked snow from the bottom of the bus at Theisz. Theisz uttered a profanity. This further triggered the bus drivers anger; as the driver subsequently described it, he just lost it. Enraged, the driver lunged at Theisz, escalating the encounter. Theisz retreated, but the driver gave chase and when he caught up, began punching and kicking Theisz. The beating was so severe that Theisz suffered a traumatic brain injury that has left him permanently and totally disabled from his usual employment.

The court noted that the legislature has protected public employers against being held vicariously liable for a public employees intentional assault. However, courts have previously determined that a public employer can be liable under the MTCA where it commits a breach of the ordinary duty to exercise reasonable care in the selection of an employee to interact with the public by choosing to place an employee in that position despite knowing of the employees untreated, assaultive behaviors.

During his tenure at the MBTA, the driver sometimes engaged in unsafe driving and, on occasion, interacted with the public and his supervisors in a hostile or insubordinate manner this case, In an incident in 2013, the bus driver left the bus unattended as he attacked a passenger. The bus struck three parked cars, endangering lives and property in the buss uncontrolled path. The MBTA suspended the driver for one day after which he resumed his regular activities.

In 2014, the bus driver again engaged in misconduct in the course of his employment. That incident that involved obstructing traffic and not cooperating with a police officer led to his arrest. The record cites a few other incidents of misconduct as well.

Tort Claims Act

The states tort claims act (MTCA) permits individuals harmed by the tortious conduct of public employees to seek compensation from the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions. It provides, in relevant part, that a public employer shall be liable for personal injury caused by the negligent or wrongful act of any public employee while acting within the scope of his employment, in the same manner and to the same extent as a private individual under like circumstances.

While the statute allows the public employer to be held liable for the tortious conduct of its employees, it retains certain protections for public employers including a cap on the damages that can be assessed. The statute also shields government employers from vicarious liability for the intentional torts of its employees.

In addition, one MTCA provision generally provides immunity when the tort claim is based on a public employees failure to prevent harm from third persons or from naturally occurring or private risks, unless the public employee or public employer originally caused the situation giving rise to the risk.

Courts have concluded that the language originally caused requires an affirmative act on the part of the public employer or employee, not a mere failure to act to prevent a harm by a third person or by a naturally occurring or private risk. In addition, in order to protect public employers against claims where the affirmative act is too remote as a matter of law, the affirmative act must have materially contributed to creating the specific condition or situation that resulted in the harm.

MBTA Argument

The MBTA contended that it was immune because Theiszs claim was not based on an affirmative act; instead, the MBTA argued, his central claim was grounded on the MBTAs failure to prevent harm by the bus driver. But the court said the MBTAs argument rests on a misapprehension of case law. Theisz was not harmed by a nongovernmental actor. Instead, Theiszs harm was at the hands of an on-duty public employee and his claim is based on the public employers negligence in hiring, promoting, supervising, and retaining its own employee. Nothing in the states case law supports the MBTAs argument that the law provides refuge in such a situation, the ruling asserts.

Indeed, the opinion continues, the language provides immunity where the claim regards a condition or situation not originally caused by the public employer  that is, where a nongovernmental actor or a naturally occurring or private risk (as opposed to a public employee) directly causes the harm.

While the MBTA is not vicariously liable for the bus drivers intentional assault, the claims at issue are based on the MBTAs own failure to exercise reasonable care in its supervision of the bus driver where the supervisory officials allegedly had, or should have had, knowledge of a public employees assaultive behavior. Thus it is the supervisors conduct, rather than the employees intentional conduct, that is the true focus of the case.

A private employer who fails to exercise reasonable care in hiring, training, supervising, and retaining such public-facing employees can be liable for its negligence in this regard. Contrary to the MBTAs assertion, the law provides no basis to treat public employers different from private employers in this regard, states the opinion written by Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt.

The opinion concludes that the record on summary judgment would support a fact finders reasonable conclusion that the MBTAs affirmative act  its own decision to schedule the driver to operate the bus route, without training him to manage his anger  originally caused Theiszs harm.

Topics Personal Auto
A Peruvian farmer who says German energy giant RWEs emissions have contributed to the melting of Andean glaciers, increasing the flood risk to his home, took his case to court on Monday in a hearing that could set a precedent for climate litigation.

The case, which began a decade ago and is now being heard in Hamm in Germany, could deliver a landmark ruling if the court holds the company accountable for past emissions and requires it to help fund climate adaptation for affected communities.

Saul Luciano Lliuya, supported by the activist group Germanwatch, wants RWE to pay around 17,000 euros ($18,520 toward a $3.5 million flood defense project. (Editors note: Reuters corrected the payment figure from 21,000 euros to 17,000 euros after initial publication).

  because of the climate crisis in Huaraz, the mountains, the glaciers are melting  I am here to ask for climate justice, Lliuya said ahead of the hearing as activists cheered in the background.

In the mountains above Huaraz, glacier meltwater running into Lake Palcacocha creates a threat for the town, which has a population of over 65,000 people, he says.

Lliuya, 44, whose family grows corn, wheat, barley and potatoes in a hilly region outside Huaraz, says he has chosen to sue RWE because it is one of the biggest polluters in Europe  rather than any particular company projects near his home.

Using data from the Carbon Majors database of historic production from major fossil fuel and cement producers, Lliuya says RWE has caused nearly 0.5% of global manmade emissions since the industrial revolution, and should cover a proportional share of the costs of the global warming they have caused.

RWE, which is phasing out its coal-fired power plants, says a single emitter of carbon dioxide cannot be held responsible for global warming.

If such a claim were to exist under German law, it would also be possible to hold every motorist liable, it said in a statement.

Sebastien Duyck, senior attorney with the Center for International Environmental Law, said: Legal experts are watching closely to understand the extent to which this is going  to set a strong precedent.

Flood Risk?

The case started in 2015 in the German city of Essen, RWEs home. It was initially dismissed, but the Higher Regional Court of Hamm let it go forward in 2017.

The court must first determine whether melting glaciers are raising the water levels in Lake Palcacocha, over 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) above sea level, and pose a direct risk to Lliuyas home in Huaraz over the next 30 years.

A packed courtroom listened as the hearing unfolded on Monday  outlining the case, presenting expert findings, and hearing Lliuyas lawyer challenge their conclusion of a 3% flood risk to his home over the next 30 years.

Speaking to journalists after the first day of hearing, Lliuyas lawyer, Roda Verheyen, raised concerns about the assessment of risks by the court-appointed expert and said she was ready to challenge the reports findings.

What I heard today has reinforced my impression that this expert is not truly an expertat least not in high-altitude mountain regionsand that deeply concerns me, she said.

If the court finds there is a specific flooding risk to Lliuyas home, it will then examine the impact of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions on Andean glaciers melting and increasing the risk, which could take another two years.

A second day of hearings is due on Wednesday and a ruling on the first question could come then, but is more likely to be delivered some time later.

The case has inched along as a visit by court-appointed experts to study flood risks around the glacier was delayed until 2022 due to the COVID pandemic and coordination with the authorities. Such was the difficulty of the terrain, donkeys were needed to help reach the site, the court heard.

A 200-page expert opinion produced in 2023 has since been examined by the two parties before coming to court.

Harjeet Singh, founding director of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, dedicated to global climate justice, said cases such as Lliuyas could one day generate alternative funding for the impact of climate change.

We can double down on those companies who are responsible for the crisis and how we can raise the proceeds to help people recover from current impacts, Singh said.

The sum that industrialized countries should also contribute to mitigating the effects of global warming  such as rising sea levels or extreme storms and heatwaves  has been argued over at successive U.N. climate summits up to last years COP29 in Baku.

Since then, President Donald Trump has announced the U.S.s withdrawal from the U.N. process, while other developed countries are diverting aid budgets to domestic challenges or defense spending.

Lliuyas lawyer, Roda Verheyen, said the fact the court had taken on the case was already a win. In our hearts, weve already won, she said.

($1 = 0.9192 euros)

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; editing by Kevin Liffey and Alison Williams)

Photograph: Steam and exhaust rise from the RWE Weisweiler coal-fired power station on February 11, 2021 near Inden, Germany. (Photo by Lukas Schulze/Getty Images)

Topics Agribusiness
Harvard University is imposing a temporary freeze on hiring faculty. Columbia University is grappling with cuts to $400 million in federal funding. California Institute of Technology is leaving postdoctoral positions unfilled. A University of Washington researcher is wondering about a climate and health grant after a government site was taken offline.

These are just some of the disruptions that resulted from President Donald Trumps sweeping changes to the federal government. Though the private sector has historically provided more funding for research and development in the US, experts say, Trumps mass firings and freezing of billions of dollars appropriated by Congress could have ripple effects on the US scientific enterprise for years to come.

Many personnel and financial cuts are being made under the banner of streamlining government  an idea championed by billionaire Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency  while some funding cancellations and threats are tied to allegations of antisemitism on campus. Several of these moves have been challenged in court, and the implementation of some have been put on hold. But research has already been halted in some places and thrust others into limbo, according to interviews with more than 25 professors, graduate students, other academic researchers, and experts across the public, private and non-profit sectors.

The cutbacks risk slowing the pipeline of US-grown science talent, experts warn. And should Congress enshrine them, it would radically alter a system thats allowed the US to become a world-leading hub for research since World War II. (This is possible in the short-term spending legislation under debate as a possible government shutdown looms or in the next longer-term budget).

This is an ecosystem that benefits everyone and has kept the US at the forefront, Fiona Harrison, the chair of Caltechs division of physics, mathematics and astronomy, writes in an email. The situation is jeopardizing our Nations ability to stay at the forefront of science and engineering by reducing or eliminating a generation of young technical talent, she adds.

The government has been an essential source of data for fields from weather to health. Investment in the National Weather Service (NWS) and its support functions, for example, has enabled the growth of a commercial weather forecasting industry.

Those systems generate at least $85 billion in economic benefits, or more than 20 times what the government spends, according to Jeffrey Lazo, an independent economist who tracks the value of US forecasting services. Without the federal data and observations, it would be very difficult to say there would be any private weather enterprise, he says.

Due to recent firings and voluntary departures of hundreds of people at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the NWS, three local forecasting offices have cut back on collecting basic data, with one site in Kotzebue, Alaska, discontinuing weather balloon launches altogether.

The remote launch sites are where some of the most valuable data comes from, says John Dean, co-founder of AI weather forecasting startup WindBorne Systems. Losing these observations means that our forecast quality will degrade.

The company  which collects data using its own weather balloons  is talking with the NOAA about how it can fill newly created gaps, Dean says. The agency confirmed it was in touch with the startup, adding the matter is still under review at NWS.

In February, the National Institutes of Health said it was slashing rates to 15% for overhead in grants, which awardees can use to cover the indirect costs of everything from building maintenance to tech support. The institute commonly covers more than half of those costs. While a Massachusetts district court judge put a hold on cuts last week, the potential change is weighing on researchers.

Every day, theres something new and something I was not ready for and my colleagues werent ready for, says Alexandra Tate, a University of Chicago sociologist and lecturer. She has two NIH grant proposals, worth nearly $650,000 combined, in limbo. I dont know where my careers going from here.

Grant cancellations at other agencies are already leading to job losses.

The Social Security Administration notified researchers at a consortium of six academic centers that their multi-year grant worth more than $70 million was abruptly canceled on Feb. 20, according to Teresa Ghilarducci, a researcher impacted by the grant cancellation and chair of the economic department at the New School in New York City. (She is a former columnist at Bloomberg Opinion.)

This canceled grant  which funded research into retirement that informed federal policymaking  has impacted the work of more than 50 people at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including the termination of five senior researchers, says Ghilarducci, who anticipates more job losses at the other centers.

The White House, Social Security Administration and Department of Health and Human Services didnt respond to requests for comment.

As individual researchers wrestle with funding restrictions, US universities are responding by limiting spending in ways that will impact operations over the coming calendar years.

Harvard, Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have all recently announced hiring freezes. Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins University is cutting almost 2,000 positions globally and about 250 in the US following the termination of more than $800 million in US Agency for International Development grants. The university is the top recipient of research funding and NIH money.

At the same time, schools are facing even more pressure from the Trump administration. On Friday, the administration ramped up its investigations in alleged racial discrimination, focusing on 45 schools. Thats in addition to the 60 separate investigations into institutions to see if they are violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to protect Jewish students.

This is not one standard deviation away from normal. This is not even two standard deviations away from normal. This is way out on the extreme, says Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a computer scientist at Brown University and an assistant director in former President Joe Bidens Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Researchers at the start of their careers are particularly vulnerable. West Virginia University says its limiting admission to health science doctoral programs due to unforeseen budgetary challenges. Citing uncertainties with funding and high acceptance rates, Iowa State University says some departments have rescinded offers to graduate students who hadnt formally accepted their spots.

Unfortunately, the full force of the Trump cuts on science were only evident after we sent offers to grad students, says Harrison, the Caltech chair. While the university wont rescind offers, she says, we will very likely be drastically reducing admissions next year and may even not admit any graduate students at all in many areas of science and math.

The US economy has been intimately tied to the science enterprise since World War II. The Federal Bank of Dallas estimates that the rate of return for non-defense government research and development over the past 80 years ranges between 150% and 300%, suggesting that this federal funding effectively pays for itself over time.

While the private sector provides the largest share of R&D funding in the US, according to the National Science Foundation (NSF), the federal government provides a crucial backstop, including for science with no immediate hope of commercialization. The private sector would feel the impact of losing basic research in areas that they do not and cannot fund themselves, warns Diane Souvaine, a computer scientist at Tufts University and former NSF board chair. We would miss out on key areas and run the risk of technological surprise if there is too much federal pullback.

A drop in graduate students would also result in a shallower pool of experts for the biotech industry to hire, says Northwestern University stem cell biologist and NIH grant recipient Carole LaBonne.

As uncertainty grips US research institutions, other countries are trying to poach American talent. At least one French university is pitching itself as a safe place for science. China, too, has been ramping up recruitment.

We are already seeing China advertise for fired scientists to move and work there, says California Representative Zoe Lofgren, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, in an emailed statement.

We would be utterly foolish if we decided to give up the preeminence that we have had in scientific research, says Shirley Tilghman, a former Princeton University president and molecular biologist.

Photo: Workers at the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction headquarters in College Park. Photographer: Michael A. McCoy/Bloomberg

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
The Texas Department of Insurances Fraud Unit contributed to investigations landing nearly $58 million in court-ordered restitution last year.

According to TDI, more than 20 TDI investigators stationed around the state looked into over 350 insurance fraud allegations with a goal of focusing on cases with the biggest possible impact.

If we recoup restitution for insurance companies and consumers, hopefully that causes less of an increase in premiums, said Kyson Johnson, a TDI lawyer, in a statement. Those companies and consumers are no longer exposed to the fraud.

One investigation helped stop Dallas doctors Desi and Deno Barroga, TDI said. Barroga, 51, and Barroga, 51, were indicted in November 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2024 to one count each of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. The two had been overprescribing opioids and falsely billing health plans by millions of dollars.

These doctors exploited drug users vulnerabilities, requiring them to submit to monthly visits in exchange for controlled substance prescriptions, then billing their insurance providers for services the patients did not need nor receive, said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton in September 2024. In a bizarre attempt to cover up their crimes, the defendants feigned giving injections without actually piercing the patients skin.

Information collected by a TDI investigator helped the FBI and other agencies build a criminal case, the TDI noted. The doctors pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison. A U.S. district judge ordered them to pay $9 million in restitution. Both men also were required to give up their medical licenses

The TDI advises consumers to report fraud at: https://www.tdi.texas.gov/fraud.

Source: Texas Department of Insurance.

Topics Texas
A man was charged Friday with intoxication manslaughter after five people were killed and several injured in a late-night wreck in Austin, Texas, that involved over a dozen vehicles on Interstate 35, authorities said.

Authorities said that the five people killed in the crash that involved 17 vehicles Thursday just before 11:30 p.m. included three adults, a child and an infant. First responders said that 11 people were taken to hospitals.

Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, was charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault after the crash, Austin police said Friday. Police said he was in custody in Travis County Jail. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney. Jail records did not list an attorney for him.

Police have not detailed the circumstances that led to the wreck. Police said in an email Friday that they were still early in the investigation and had no further information available to release.

The southbound lanes of I-35 were closed following the crash, and they remained closed into Friday before reopening at about 1 p.m. The wreck left a stretch of the interstate littered with mangled vehicles and debris.

The collision was very large and very complex, police Officer Austin Zarling said at an early morning news conference.

Edgar Viera told the KXAN television station that he was at a nearby store when he heard the crash and went to try to help those involved.

We didnt have the proper tools to open the vehicles, so we just did what we could, Viera told the station. It was hard to see this.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas
A draft report examining Florida insurers relationships with their managing general agents fell through the cracks and was never finished, a current and a former state insurance commissioner told state lawmakers at a hearing last week.

We need to make sure we go and see if theres a fire burning or not, former Commissioner David Altmaier told the Florida House Insurance Subcommittee on Thursday. That was the effort I thought was underway when I left the office.

The current commissioner, Michael Yaworsky, said the Office of Insurance Regulation may have failed to follow up on the report due to staffing issues and other concerns as the property insurance crisis escalated in recent years.

The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Brad Yeager, called the officials to the hearing after House Speaker Danny Perez pledged House investigations after news reports in March. The Tampa Bay Times and Miami Heralds Tallahassee bureau reported that the OIR analysis suggests that Florida insurers had sent billions of dollars to their MGAs while pleading dire financial straits and seeking rate increases. Legislators have said they were not made aware of the report when insurance reforms were approved in 2022.

Industry voices have pushed back, noting that the OIR report was incomplete, did not tell the full story, that MGAs were not siphoning money away from carriers and that OIR scrutiny on MGAs already has been tightened. Fees paid to managing companies are not unusual and not out of line, Florida insurance agents and consultants have said. Yaworsky said his office needs more authority to review what is considered fair and reasonable services provided by insurers affiliate companies, the Times reported.

Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson noted that the OIR report showed one insurers MGA reported a $7 billion profit, while the carrier showed a net loss of $37 million. Altmaier called that a deeply troubling data point, that OIR staff had concerns about. We didnt know where that income went; we didnt have that visibility at that time. So, we had a lack of understanding about, is that $7 billion in profit sit there and act as a rainy day fund for the insurance company down the road. So there are a lot of questions that we also had.

Lawmakers on the subcommittee vowed to uncover more details about MGAs and insurers. The three-hour hearing can be seen on the Florida Channel. Further hearings are planned for this week.

Topics Florida Insurance Wholesale
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara reappointed members Mitch Steiger and C. Bryan Little to the California Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau Governing Committee and reappointed member Dr. Fabiola Cobarrubias to the Insurance Diversity Task Force.

The WCIRB Governing Committee sets policy, oversees WCIRB management, and reviews all issues involving pure premium rates, classifications, rating plans, rating systems, manual rules and policy, and endorsement forms. The WCIRB is a private organization licensed by the California Department of Insurance to collect, analyze and compile rating data, with funding coming from assessments of its insurance company members.

The Insurance Diversity Task Force advises the Departments Insurance Diversity Initiative, which encourages insurers to increase procurement contracts with diverse business owners, such as woman-owned, veteran-/disabled veteran-owned, historically disadvantaged community-owned, or LGBTQ+-owned businesses, as well as advance diversity of insurance company corporate boards. The Task Force makes recommendations to the commissioner regarding ways to increase diversity within the insurance industry.

Topics California
You might not believe it, but I found out years ago that I was related to Saint Patrick.

I never mentioned it here before, for what with writing about farming, my mind was elsewhere.

And I'm only mentioning it here today, because I recently grew a grey beard, and I now can see the family resemblance as clear as day. I see Saint Patrick every time I look in the mirror.

My story with Saint Patrick began many years ago when I decided to piece together the family tree. About 20 years ago, family trees were all the rage, with people wondering under what stone it was that they came crawling out from under.

Anyhow, back then I enlisted the help of a great man with regards to the family tree. A genius in genealogy. He wasn't cheap... good men rarely are. But boy was he thorough.

Using dusty old manuscripts and centuries-old parish registers, he began to dig deep. And with the assistance of computers and various other contraptions, far too numerous and complex to describe here, he went deeper again.

Within no time he was almost in Australia, with the height of digging. Anyhow, one day he began to rub his eyes vigorously and shake his head in a most unusual way.

Fearing that he was having a medical episode, for he was far from young, I ran to his side.

"Are you alright there, old timer?" I asked, for clearly something was amiss.

"Oh Denny boy," says he, when eventually he came round, "I have never been better. I have made a startling discovery with regards to your family tree. You may need to sit down."

And once I did, he continued.

"I have discovered," says he, "That you might be related to Saint Patrick. Everything is pointing in that direction. I just have to do a few more tests."

He then showed me an old manuscript which he claimed detailed the path to Patrick.

"You are his sixteenth cousin once removed," my boffin of bloodlines announced, pointing his finger at some specific paragraph. Now being a man only used to the outdoors, and not well versed with books, I couldn't make head nor tell of the manuscript.

But he was excited, so I took what he was saying at face value. Next, turning to me he asked a few probing questions, with regards to family life.

"Tell me," says he, "Have you ever had sheep on the farm?"

"Oh yes I have," says I.

"And what do you think of sheep farming?" he asked.

"Utter slavery," I responded. He ticked a box.

Then he asked me about snakes. He inquired as to what my view was of the slimy devils. I told him that I hated snakes and would kill them all given half the chance.

"Excellent stuff,'" says he. Another box ticked.

And finally, taking two tissues from a drawer, he asked me to blow my nose vigorously into one and spit generously into the other. I did as I was told.

Then, taking the two samples, he looked at them under a high-powered telescope, or maybe it was a microscope. Who knows? Regardless, it was a high-powered yoke, that could see things far beyond the naked eye.

And soon the results were in... the cat was out of the bag... we had a winner.

"You are related to Saint Patrick!" My scientist proclaimed.

The manuscript had shown it was possible; science had confirmed the fact.

"If you are not related to Saint Patrick," my worn-out researcher said, "Well then I'm a monkey's uncle."

And you couldn't ask for more proof than that. Anyhow, time passed and as with most things in life, I soon forgot about the famous discovery.

But now with age upon me and a grey beard on my face, Saint Patrick has returned. And as I stare at my reflection, I think of old Ireland and all the years that have passed between his time and my own.

Anyhow this week, as we celebrate the wonderful life of Saint Patrick, I will not only be raising my glass in honour of Ireland's greatest legend, but also, I will be raising my glass in honour of my family's most famous ancestor, my sixteenth cousin once removed.
The first phone call between superstar club DJ Pete Tong and conductor and composer Jules Buckley was kind of a bit of a blind date. Thats how dance-music pioneer Tong, 64, recalls the call from a decade ago.

The brief at the time had been to merge classic and electronic music to do a BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, to celebrate BBC Radio 1s 20-year association with Ibiza.

The result was a resounding succession of hits including Fatboy Slims Right Here, Right Now, Eric Prydzs Pjanoo and Lolas Theme from The Shapeshifters, all re-imagined with Buckley conducting and Tong on the decks.

Now, to celebrate that night a decade on, Tongs Ibiza Classics returns to the Royal Albert Hall for four dates (three in May and one in June).

I never got to hear what he (Buckley) could do because I was sending him the music that I wanted us to perform, and he was obviously writing the score for all the parts in the orchestra, recounts Tong. But it wasnt literally to a couple of days before the show that Im actually in the room with the players. So its fascinating, I learned a hell of a lot. I was completely out of my comfort zone.

I started off like wanting to do 70 tracks, and we whittled it down to about 20 to 22, that first show, and then we went from there. The first show was an appointment, we werent on a mission to still be doing shows 10 years later. We just thought this was fun. This was a one-off occasion that was going to happen, and lets go and do it to the best of our ability, and enjoy it and try and create something special.

And special it was, with demand soaring after clips were shared on YouTube and social media. But for Tong, the music has always been the mission.

He explains: I was kind of on a mission, because Ive always said, like a lot of producers, DJs in the electronic space, dance music space, we have a bit of a chip on our shoulder that were not taken as seriously as kind of rock and roll or country music or hip hop.

So, being able to give an orchestra of 65 players some of these tracks that were made and created by one producer in Chicago in 1987 or something, it just added like how important these records were and like how brilliant the music was.

Music has been a staple in Tongs life since a young age and hes one of the most well-known names in the DJ and electronic music space and beyond.

In 2014, he became an MBE as he was honoured for a career in broadcasting and music that has seen him progress from running a mobile disco to launching a record label and becoming an in-demand producer.

While collecting the honour during a Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony, he spoke about his name having become cockney rhyming slang for gone wrong.

Speaking at the palace, he said at the time that a fanzine first used the phrase as an affectionate slap around the head, but it just stuck and turned into an amazing legacy  Ive never had a problem with it.

Pete Tong is helming four nights of his Ibiza Classics show in London.

The BBC Radio 1 DJ has worked as a producer, supervised the soundtracks for films such as Danny Boyle film The Beach, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio, and 24 Hour Party People, and has released a lengthy list of compilations and mix albums.

Born in Dartford, Kent, his musical interest began in his youth as a drummer, but he progressed to DJ-ing and after leaving school he first operated a mobile disco, and then set up his own club night in London as well as booking bands.

Tongs specialist knowledge helped him to become a music writer on Blues And Soul magazine but after four years he went to work for music label London Records as an A&R man.

After hosting a soul show on a Kent radio station, he went on to land a show on Capital Radio and three years later in 1991 he was given a dance show on Radio 1, the Essential Selection, which helped him to become one of the most in-demand club DJs in the UK and with seasons in Ibiza, and he continues to be a fixture on BBC Radio 1.

While his radio career was building, Tong continued his record company interests with his own label FFRR releasing music by dance acts such as Utah Saints as well as groups such as Fine Young Cannibals and Hothouse Flowers.

Other music acts he signed include Run-DMC, Goldie and American group Salt-N-Pepa.

In 2021 he was given a lifetime achievement award by the Music Industry Trusts (MITS) Award.

But casting his mind back to how Ibiza became synonymous with the dance music scene, he says the early days were super exciting.

Its always like the World Cup finals or the Champions League finals. Its like, if you can prove yourself in Ibiza, youre kind of beginning to make it. So I think its always been this ultimate destination for a DJ to to play there, it still managed to retain a kind of level of cool.

Thats where its different to somewhere like (Las) Vegas, you know, Vegas is big and successful and stuff like that, but it doesnt really have the kind of arty side kind of championing new DJs and new music that Ibiza still manages to do.

This years anniversary shows will see each night have a unique line-up, and guest vocalists will include Becky Hill, Jacob Lusk, who joined Sir Elton John on stage during Glastonbury, and house and soul singer Barbara Tucker.

There will also be no shortage of impressive DJs, with names like Damian Lazarus, David Morales and Paul Oakenfold set to appear alongside Tong, Buckley and The Essential Orchestra.

I think the thing for me, the crowd reaction has always been the X Factor for this show. I cant stress it enough, the crowd participation makes it all make sense, he says.

If anyone worries about where were heading with streaming and like, do people care about music anymore, and are people getting too distracted to even care or sit still for three minutes and listen to a song, and I do worry a lot about that, and lose a lot of sleep about that, on the other side, when you see people in a room enjoying the music like that, its like, were all right.

He adds: You know, whatever happens on the way, people are consuming music, people more than ever want to go to a live event and stand in a room with 15,000 like minded people and go crazy. So thats thats alive and well.
The mother of a young woman found dead in a canal in Monaghan on St Patricks Day last year hopes data on her daughters phone will help answer questions around her death.

The body of 23-year-old Kelly Lynch was found in a waterway of the Ulster Canal on March 17, 2024.

While gardai had initially said the young woman fell and her death was an accident, her mother Julieanne believes her daughter was involved in an altercation.

A garda peer review into the case was launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris last year following a meeting with Kellys parents after they raised repeated concerns about the circumstances around her death.

One of Julieanne Lynch's photos of her late daughter Kelly who died at the age of 23 on St Patrick's Day 2024. Picture: Jonathan Porter/PressEye

A peer review is not a re-opening of the case, it is an examination of the original investigation to help identify if there are any potential additional lines of enquiry.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Julieanne Lynch said: At the moment, the review is ongoing with a team of gardai from Dublin, and we have had discussions with our solicitors.

The main issue is Kelly had 93 injuries on her body, and we have conflicting pathology reports.

"We have many questions that we want answered.

iPhone data

We are considering applying for a court order to compel Apple to allow us seek data from Kellys iPhone.

"The phone was never investigated fully, and her phone records were never accessed.

The phone is with the gardai, and it was sent off for forensic analysis, but only partial data was retrieved because her death hasnt been deemed criminal.

Julianne Lynch at home in Gilford, Co Armagh. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris ordered a peer review into the original investigation of Kelly Lynch's death. Picture: Jonathan Porter/PressEye

I dont accept this was an accident she said.

I believe there was an altercation and until we have our questions answered, I cant just accept that she fell. These are logical questions that should be answered, and we are entitled to this information.

Possible altercation

"Some eyewitnesses have come forward to say they saw Kelly arguing with a person that night."

"People argue all the time, but we want this ruled in or out.

Forensic examination

The mother of six added that her daughters clothes were not forensically examined.

They are testing her shoes now for a possible trace of blood she said.

That is a positive move. The garda review will look at if any other lines of inquiry need to be followed up.

The night Kelly died

Kelly, who lived with her family in Gilford, Co Armagh, was staying in Monaghan Town on St Patricks weekend when she died.

She was socialising earlier that night with her boyfriend and his friends and was believed to have gone off alone and fallen from a bridge into the canal in Monaghan.

I received a call from gardai after 1pm on St Patricks Day to say she had died, said Ms Lynch.

Kelly Lynch's body was found on St Patrick's Day 2024. Her grieving mum Julianne says only partial data was retrieved from Kelly's iPhone during forensic analysis as her death wasnt deemed a criminal matter. Picture: Jonathan Porter/PressEye

She went to Monaghan on March 13, and was found dead four days later.

Ms Lynch said her family has been left devastated by the death of Kelly who was a vibrant and playful free spirit.

A part of me died with Kelly and Ill never be the same person again.

Garda peer review and Gsoc

The family made a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman (Gsoc) last year when the felt they were not getting answers to their daughters death.

That is ongoing said Ms Lynch.

Gsoc cant conduct an investigation until the peer review is concluded and investigation file is handed over to Gsoc.

In a statement, the garda press office said: An Garda Siochana is currently conducting that peer review of the original Garda investigation.

"An Garda Siochana is also assisting the coroners inquest and fully co-operating with the Gsoc investigation. These processes are ongoing.

An Garda Siochana appeals to anyone with information on the death of Ms Lynch to contact gardai.
Despite coming under pressure from businesses and local authorities, Corks dancing leprechaun says he will stop at nothing, including jail, to save his street act.

Gerry Barry has taken to St Patricks Street to busk with his nephew, Damian Barry, for the first time since their appearance at Cork District Court, saying he will continue to bring joy to visitors and locals on the citys main thoroughfare.

Some members of the public joined them for a jig in an amusing show of support for the locally famed buskers.

While the duo said they will comply with a court order to secure a street performing licence, they still oppose the citys 2024 regulations, parts of which, Gerry said, makes it almost impossible for acts like theirs to perform, as they require them to move their entire show every couple of hours to a different location.

The two leprechauns appeared before Cork District Court recently where they were given four months to comply with the citys new busking bylaws.

If I go to jail it will surely make world news, Gerry joked. You just never know.

'When people go to Disneyland they want to see Mickey Mouse. Its the same in Ireland, only people want to see a leprechaun.' Gerry Barry is determined to keep up his Funky Leprechaun act on St Patrick's Street in Cork. Picture: Noel Sweeney

Gerry and Damien can regularly be found performing outside Brown Thomas dressed as leprechauns, playing the spoons against lively backing tracks.

The pair showed no signs of stress as they interacted and joked with passers-by in the build-up to St Patricks Day.

However, Gerrys sunny disposition hid a genuine worry about the threat to his livelihood.

Damien and Gerry Barry with Bernie Murphy from Passage West, Co Cork. Some members of the public joined the leprechauns for a jig in a show of support on Friday. Picture: Noel Sweeney

Ive been doing this since 1986, he said. The late Echo seller Mick ORegan used to be the longest person operating on the streets of Cork but now its me.

I started off doing street art but the strain on my eyes took a massive toll so I had to think of something else to do.

Back in the day I used to come in at 5am to get started on my street art.

Gerry Barry dancing with a passerby on the Friday afternoon of St Patricks weekend. Gerry had been making street art on St Patricks St in Cork since 1986 but switched to his leprechaun act in 2018. Picture: Noel Sweeney

One time I was doing a painting of Riverdance as Michael Flatley was on his way into Brown Thomas. He just looked back and smiled at me because he didnt want anybody else to know who he was.

Gerry said the act has brought a lot of joy to tourists.

When people go to Disneyland they want to see Mickey Mouse. Its the same in Ireland, only people want to see a leprechaun.

Noreen Deasy and Eileen Wiseman with the Funky Leprechauns on St Patrick's Street ahead of the St Patrick's Day revelry. Picture: Noel Sweeney

They want to have their photographs taken with them. Its absolutely brilliant to be able to bring that kind of joy to the streets.

It wasnt just tourists who were glad to see Gerry and Damian back performing.

Margaret Jackson and the little boy she minds, Charlie, were also keen to offer their well wishes to the duo.

Eileen Wiseman from Ballinlough in Cork sent a photo of herself with the Funky Leprechauns to her son in Perth. Picture: Noel Sweeney

At just four years old, Charlie has become a fan of the leprechauns.

Charlie is four and Im his minder, Margaret said.

I say Im his minder but, really, he minds me. We wait for the 215 bus and we listen to the leprechauns together. Sometimes we dance with them.

This is what we do while we wait and the time goes a lot faster. I dont want to see them disappear. Theres a crock of gold for us all.

Eva Costello who lives in Australia stopped to take a picture of Funky Leprechauns, Damien Barry and his Uncle Gerry, while on a shopping trip in Cork. Picture: Noel Sweeney

However, not everyone is a fan of the act, as Gerry explains.

Ive had it said to my face by one of the business owners that we are a bad look for the city. One person called it paddywhackery and accused us of bringing undesirables into the city.

Gerry said he would be devastated to have to let go of the act.

Peta Scott form Delgany Co Wicklow said she did not see any problem with the Funky Leprechauns performing on St Patrick's Street. Picture: Noel Sweeney

At 62, Im an old man now, he said.

When I started to develop the problems with my eyes from the street painting I put on an elf costume and performed at Christmas. When Christmas was over I knew I needed something similar that would make people laugh.

That was in 2018 but it wasnt until 2021 that my nephew got involved.

"It happened by accident really.

Damien Barry and his Uncle Gerry Barry, the Funky Leprechauns, with their backdrop on St Patrick's Street in Cork. Gerry explains that Damien became part of the act after a hilarious dance off in 2021. Picture: Noel Sweeney

"He bumped into me one day dressed as a leprechaun and started to have a dance off with me. People started laughing at him doing the dance with me.

He loved it, so much so that he started coming along just for the craic. Weve been doing it together ever since.

Im not a talented musician by any stretch but thats not the point of the act. Its all about the interactions with the public and making them laugh and smile.
One of the major Hindu's celebrations, The Holi Festival was celebrated last Sunday 16, March 2025 at Fitzgerald's park, Cork.

The festival celebrates the arrival of spring in India as well as the divine love of the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna.
A property development firm has claimed the location of a bus terminus on private lands at Marymount Hospice in Cork is the reason why it was refused planning permission for a large-scale residential development of over 160 new homes on the edge of Cork City.

The developer, Dwellings Development Bishopstown Ltd, has submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanala against the recent decision of Cork City Council to reject its plans to construct 164 housing units on lands at Waterfall Road, Bishopstown, Cork.

The proposed development consisted of 64 houses and 54 apartments in two blocks up to five storeys in height as well as 46 duplex units and a creche.

The local authority rejected the plans on the basis that the development would be excessively car dependent due to a lack of pedestrian infrastructure and links to public transport facilities in the area.

Council planners concluded it would run contrary to several objectives of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 including the promotion of the 15-minute city and walkable neighbourhoods.

They said the absence of pedestrian infrastructure connecting the development to public transport would pose a traffic hazard and endanger the safety of pedestrians.

Developer's appeal

In their appeal, consultants for Dwellings Development Bishopstown said the company was surprise and disappointed at the decision to refuse planning permission for the large-scale residential development as the ruling was not expected.

From a review of planning files, they claimed the decision was based solely on the lack of a direct pedestrian connection to the 208 bus terminus which is located on private land within Marymount Hospice at Curraheen.

While the company was encouraged to engage with Marymount to see if the 208 bus stop could be delivered as part of the planning process, it claimed the issue had never been identified prior to the submission of its planning application as a red-line matter.

The developers said they had engaged with Marymount on a number of occasions about access to the 208 bus stop being facilitated but consent was not forthcoming.

The company claimed the location of the bus stop is a legacy issue for those responsible for delivery of the public bus network in Cork City and was highly unusual.

It acknowledged that Marymount had very valid sensitivity, safety and security concerns and noted access through the lands of the hospice had been a contentious issue for more than a decade.

The developers acknowledged that Marymount had to erect traffic barriers and signage to prevent motorists from using the hospices private road network as a rat run to get to the N40 South Ring Road.

They claimed that was the context in which the council was requesting them to secure consent from Marymount to open up access to their lands to the general public which the developers said was at odds with the hospices position.

The consultants said the nature of the councils request and the inability of any developer to reconcile this was unfair.

They claimed such a legacy strategic public transport issue could only be resolved by those responsible for the delivery of public transport services in dialogue with the private landowners where the bus stop is located.

Relocated bus stop

The developers claimed the benefits of relocating the 208 service down Waterfall Road to publicly accessible bus stops had been highlighted on a number of occasions over the past six years to both the council and the National Transport Authority.

They pointed out that another large housing development by Ardstone Homes had been permitted on the opposite side of Waterfall Road a short distance away.

The company said its proposed development provided for upgrades to Waterfall Road to tie in with pedestrian and cycling infrastructure developed for the Ardstone site which facilitated access to the Dunnes Stores centre in Bishopstown and high-frequency bus services on Curraheen Road.

It claimed its plans comply with all the objectives of the county development plan that the council had cited as a reason for refusing planning permission. In their appeal, the developers said direct pedestrian access to the 208 bus service was not necessary to permit the proposed development to go ahead.

They claimed practical options existed to relocate the bus stop away from the hospices lands.

These need to be pursued if Cork City Council wants to open up access to the 208 bus service for existing and future communities on Waterfall Road, they added.

The company also maintained there was no lack of pedestrian infrastructure and links to public transport services in the area, independent of access to the bus stop at Marymount.

It claimed there could be a significant new resident population living on Waterfall Road over the coming years and there was a significant opportunity to service existing and future communities through a relatively small extension of the 208 bus route.

A number of objections were raised with the council by local residents who complained about the scale of the proposed development and its potential impact on local infrastructure that was already under strain.

A ruling by An Bord Pleanala on the appeal is expected in mid-June.
Unusually vicious and damaging weather across multiple US states resulted in violent tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires over the weekend, leaving at least 39 people dead.

In the latest tally of the destruction, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said on Sunday evening that more than 400 homes were damaged as wildfires swept across the state.

At least 74 homes in and around Stillwater were destroyed by wildfires, mayor Will Joyce said on Facebook.

The emergency management department also said the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed four fatalities related to the fires or high winds.

A tornado destroyed homes in Tylertown, Mississippi (Rogelio V Solis/AP)

The National Weather Service said weekend tornado watches had mostly expired, but dangerous winds were still possible in the Carolinas, east Georgia and northern Florida.

In Mississippi, Hailey Hart and her fiance Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their car as a tornado ripped apart their home on Saturday in Tylertown.

Mr Romero said he prayed out loud and hugged Ms Hart as the car rolled onto its side, windows shattering, before it landed on its wheels again. After the twister passed, they could hear people nearby screaming for help.

It was a bad dream come true, Mr Romero said.

Next door, Ms Harts grandparents crawled out from the rubble of their destroyed house after they sought shelter in a bathroom as falling trees collapsed the roof.

Everything was coming down on us, said Donna Blansett, Ms Harts grandmother. All I could do was pray to God to save us.

They escaped with just a few scratches and aches. Family members, friends and volunteers spent Sunday removing debris and salvaging anything they could find, including some damp clothes, a photo album and a few toiletries.

Im so happy youre alive, Ms Hart said through tears, as she embraced her grandmother on Sunday.

Friends and family members take a break as they search for belongings in the damage after a tornado passed through Plantersville, Alabama (Butch Dill/AP)

The dynamic storm that began on Friday earned an unusual high risk designation from weather forecasters. Still, experts said it is not unusual to see such weather extremes in March.

President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media network that his administration is ready to assist affected communities.

Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms! he posted.

At least three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed in central Alabama when multiple tornadoes swept across the state.

In Troy, Alabama, officials said the recreation centre where many residents had taken refuge had to be closed due to damage from overnight storms. No one was injured.

Missouri resident Dakota Henderson said he and others rescuing trapped neighbours found five bodies scattered in rubble on Friday night outside what remained of his aunts house in hard-hit Wayne County. Scattered twisters killed at least a dozen people in the state, authorities said.

Its really disturbing for what happened to the people, the casualties last night, Mr Henderson said on Saturday, not far from the home where he said they rescued his aunt through a window of the only room left standing.

Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, Missouri, described the home where one man was killed as just a debris field.

The floor was upside down, he said. We were walking on walls.

Destruction from a severe storm in Wayne County, Missouri (Jeff Roberson/AP)

In Mississippi, governor Tate Reeves announced that six people died and more than 200 were displaced after tornadoes created devastation across three counties. And in the northern part of the state, roads were inundated and some people were stranded by flood waters.

In Arkansas, officials confirmed three deaths.

Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Texas and Oklahoma and officials warned on Sunday that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week.

More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma, governor Kevin Stitt said.

Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70mph, said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Its an insurmountable task.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said on Sunday that two people were killed as a result of the wildfires and weather.

Meanwhile, dust storms spurred by high winds claimed almost a dozen lives on Friday.

Eight people died in a Kansas road pile-up involving at least 50 vehicles, according to the state highway patrol.

Authorities said three people also were killed in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, Texas.
Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov said he has travelled from France to Dubai as French authorities continue to investigate criminal activity on his messaging app.

He revealed his whereabouts in a post on his Telegram channel.

He had been detained last year after arriving in Paris, where French authorities handed him preliminary charges for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform.

After his arrest, Mr Durov was barred from leaving France pending further investigation, and was required to report to a police station twice a week.

The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home

As you may have heard, Ive returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram, he wrote. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home.

French investigators say Telegram was used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that the platform refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

In his post, Mr Durov thanked the investigative judges for letting this happen.

Investigators detained Mr Durov last August when he arrived at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris and questioned him for four days as part of a sweeping probe.

Mr Durov said in his post that when it comes to moderation, co-operation and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.

He insisted last year after his arrest that Telegram is not some sort of anarchic paradise, and blamed surging numbers of Telegram users, which caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.
A US federal judge has dismissed the charges against a man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical The Wizard Of Oz after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, Minnesota, who had been in poor health with lung disease and other ailments, had been scheduled to change his plea to guilty in January but that hearing was postponed indefinitely after he was admitted to hospital.

Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley notified the court in a one-page motion on Monday that Saliterman died on Sunday but did not say how or where.

Jerry Hal Saliterman outside US District Court in St Paul, Minnesota, in March 2024 after he made his initial appearance on charges connected to the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz (Steve Karnowski/AP)

US District Judge Patrick Schiltz granted the request and dropped the charges.

Defence lawyer John Brink confirmed on Monday that his client had died but declined to give details.

A spokesman for the US Attorneys Office in Fargo, North Dakota, which is handling the case, did not immediately return a phone call seeking further information.

According to court filings, Saliterman was admitted to hospital in early January for inability to walk and sepsis, an infection that can be life threatening.

He attended his arraignment three days later via video from what looked like a hospital room.

In an update to the court late last month, Mr Brink told the court that his client had been discharged to a hospice facility and that his prognosis was poor.

An accompanying letter from his doctor listed severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen and Parkinsons disease.

Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on oxygen last March when he made his first court appearance.

He was charged then with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering for his role in the ruby slippers case.

The sequined red slippers were stolen in 2005 from The Judy Garland Museum in her home town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Actress Judy Garland in May 1951 (PA)

Their whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly 13 years until the FBI recovered them in 2018.

They fetched a record for film memorabilia of 32.5 million dollars (25 million) in December, according to Heritage Auctions.

The slippers were one of several pairs Garland wore during the filming.

Only three other pairs remain.

Terry Jon Martin, now 78, of Grand Rapids, used a hammer to smash the glass of the museums door and display case to steal them.

According to his lawyer, an old associate with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their one million dollar (770,000) insured value.

But he got rid of the slippers when he learned they were fake, and they ended up with Saliterman.

Martin pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced last January to time served because of his poor health.
US President Donald Trump has explicitly linked the actions of Yemens Houthi rebels to the groups main benefactor, Iran, warning Tehran would suffer the consequences for further attacks by the group.

The comments by Mr Trump on his Truth Social website further escalate his administrations new campaign of air strikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 53 people this weekend alone and appear poised to continue.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to weigh how to respond to a letter Mr Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehrans rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (Luis M Alvarez/AP)

Houthi supporters themselves rallied in several cities on Monday after the strikes, vowing revenge against America and Israel over blocking aid to the Gaza Strip after its war on Hamas there.

The Houthis al-Masirah satellite news channel put young boys on air live, who chanted the groups slogan: God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.

The Yemeni position is an irreversible position (regarding Gaza), so do whatever you (Americans) want, for we are men who fear no-one but God, said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi leader who spoke to the demonstration in Yemens rebel-held capital Sanaa.

The United Nations called for a halt to all military activities in Yemen and the Red Sea, urging utmost restraint and warning that any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.

Describing the Houthis as sinister mobsters and thugs, Mr Trump warned any attack by the group would be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.

Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which theyve lost control, but they havent lost control, Mr Trump alleged in his post.

Theyre dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, Intelligence.

It is unclear what sparked Mr Trumps post.

However, the head of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard sought to separate the Houthis actions from those of Tehran this weekend.

Houthi supporters during an anti-US and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

The Houthis also launched drones and missiles targeting the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, though none reached the ship as it continues flight operations in the region.

Iran did not immediately comment on the post.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Mr Trump added.

The Houthi rebels attacked more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year when a ceasefire began in Gaza.

The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.

The Houthis claimed there had been additional US air strikes overnight, though American officials did not immediately acknowledge them.
Monday, Mar 17th, 2025 (12:01 am) - Score 960

New customers looking to join UK broadband ISP CommunityFibre (CF), which has deployed their full fibre (FTTP) network across 1.32 million UK premises (mostly in Greater London), may like to know that the provider will later today heavily discount the price of their top 3Gbps (symmetric speed) package to just 39.99 per month for the first 24-month term.

The residential package includes free setup, a wireless router and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee (i.e. no exit fees if you leave within this period). The monthly price of this package is said to be locked until March 2026 and after that it will go up by 2 each April, but at the end of your contract the price will increase by 4 versus your last month.

The new deal makes CommunityFibres package one of the cheapest UK services available in the 3Gbps speed class, provided youre actually able to access their network.
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


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French MEP Calls on US Officials to Repatriate the Statue of Liberty

A French MEP has stated that France should reclaim the Statue of Liberty, arguing that the US no longer embodies the principles that inspired France to bestow the statue.

Return the Statue of Liberty to us, declared centre-left politician Raphael Glucksmann during a gathering of his Place Publique movement.

He addressed enthusiastic supporters, saying, We will tell the Americans who have chosen to align with tyrants, to those who have dismissed researchers advocating for scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty!'

We gifted it to you, yet it seems you hold it in contempt. So it would be much better suited here at home, he added.

Raphael Glucksmann

The statue was designed by the French artist Auguste Bartholdi.

There is a much smaller replica of the statue located on a petite island in the Seine River in Paris.

A dedicated advocate for Ukraine, Mr. Glucksmann has been vocal in his criticism of President Donald Trumps drastic shifts in US policy regarding the conflict.

Additionally, he pointed out Trumps reductions in funding for US research institutions, which have led to a French government initiative aimed at attracting some of those researchers to France.

Furthermore, we say to Americans: If you choose to let go of your top researchers, those who have driven your countrys innovation and greatness, we will welcome them here,' Mr. Glucksmann continued.

Since Mr. Trump assumed the presidency again in January, his administration has slashed federal research budgets and attempted to lay off hundreds of personnel involved in health and climate research.

Mr. Glucksmann also took aim at far-right figures in France, accusing them of acting as a fan club for Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading the charge to reduce government spending.
Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Palestinians in Gaza within the last 24 hours, according to the enclaves Health Ministry, as Arab and US mediators strive to strengthen a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Palestinian authorities have reported that numerous individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli fire, even with the truce established on January 19 that brought an end to large-scale hostilities in Gaza.

This initial phase concluded in early March, and while both parties have so far avoided full-scale war, they remain unable to reach an agreement on the subsequent steps regarding the ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

Israels military asserts that its forces have acted to counteract threats posed by terrorists approaching its troops or attempting to plant explosives since the ceasefire commenced.

These developments follow a statement from Gazas health ministry that indicated most of the recent fatalities occurred yesterday due to an Israeli airstrike, which resulted in the deaths of nine Palestinians, including four journalists, in the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza.

The Israeli military reported that six individuals identified as members of the armed factions of Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad militant group were among those killed in the airstrike.

Furthermore, they claimed that some militants had been operating under the guise of journalists.

Hamas condemned the airstrike as a horrible massacre and a clear violation of the ceasefire.

Salama Marouf, the head of the Gaza governments media office, stated that the militarys account of the incident included names of individuals who were not present at the scene.

People gather on rooftops amidst the ruins in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.

He asserted that the information was based on unreliable social media reports without taking the effort to verify the facts, Mr. Marouf stated.

Gaza health officials reported that at least four additional Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli strikes yesterday.

Earlier today, an Israeli drone targeted a group of Palestinians in the town of Juhr Eldeek in central Gaza, resulting in the death of a 62-year-old man and injuring several others, according to medical sources.

Several additional individuals were also injured when an Israeli drone fired a missile at a group of people in Rafah, they added.

The Israeli military mentioned that it was unaware of the reported drone strikes.

Ongoing violence in Gaza highlights the precariousness of the three-phase ceasefire agreement that has been mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, who are working to forge a path forward between Israel and Hamas.

During the first phase of this ceasefire agreement, Hamas released 33 hostages, including eight who were deceased, while Israel released approximately 1,800 Palestinian detainees.

Since that time, Hamas has continually called for negotiations regarding the second phase, which includes a permanent cessation of hostilities, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the reopening of border crossings for humanitarian aid, and the release of remaining hostages.

However, Israel seeks to extend the initial phase until mid-April and insists that any transition to the second phase must involve the total demilitarization of Gaza and the dismantling of Hamas, which has been in control of the territory since 2007.

The conflict erupted when Hamas conducted a cross-border incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli reports.

Israels retaliatory actions in Gaza have led to more than 48,000 Palestinian fatalities, according to health officials in Gaza, reduced large portions of the territory to ruins, and prompted accusations of genocide and war crimes, all of which Israel denies.
Houthis in Yemen Assert Responsibility for Attacks on Carrier Group Following US Airstrikes

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen declared on Monday that they had attacked an American aircraft carrier group twice within a span of 24 hours, describing the actions as retaliation for fatal US airstrikes.

Initially, the Houthis claimed to have launched 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry Truman and its escorting warships in the Red Sea, later asserting they had conducted a second round of strikes.

The United States had not issued an immediate response regarding the Houthi claims of these attacks.

A Houthi spokesperson stated via Telegram that the strikes on the carrier group were a response to ongoing American aggression against our nation.

The Houthi health ministry reported that among the 53 casualties and 98 injured during the US strikes on Saturday were women and children.

This recent military action represented the largest US operation in the Middle East since Trump resumed his presidential duties.

According to Houthi media, further explosions occurred last night, with accusations directed at the US for targeting a cotton ginning factory in Hodeida and an Israeli ship named Galaxy Leader, which had been captured over a year ago.

Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi called on Yemenis to take to the streets today in protest.

In light of the escalating situation along the maritime trading routes, the United Nations has urged both parties to cease all military operations.

The Iran-supported Houthis, who govern a significant portion of the Arabian Peninsulas poorest nation, have struck at Israel and maritime traffic in the Red Sea throughout the Gaza conflict, asserting their actions are in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Prior to the weekends assaults on the US carrier group, the Houthis had not declared strikes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since January 19, when a ceasefire was established in Gaza.

The group indicated they resumed their attacks in response to Israel suspending humanitarian aid to Gaza and warned they would employ additional escalatory measures if American aggression against our country persists.

Terrified

The USs strikes against the Houthis this past weekend were the first since Trump reassumed the presidency in January.

US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz informed ABC News that Saturdays airstrikes targeted multiple Houthi leaders and eliminated them.

Trump, meanwhile, cautioned the Houthis that hell will rain down upon you.

In a social media statement directed at Iran, the US president demanded that the Islamic Republic cease its support for Houthi terrorists.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed a large-scale operation against the Houthis, stating that the operation was ongoing.

Witnesses in Sanaa reported a horrific explosion that rattled homes and shattered windows.

US warplanes were photographed taking off to conduct airstrikes on Yemen (Credit: CENTCOM)

Footage from Houthi media depicted the aftermath, showing children, including a dazed girl with blackened legs wrapped in bandages, and a woman receiving medical treatment.

The Houthis have cordoned off regions surrounding the blast sites, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the destruction.

A father of two, who identified himself as Ahmed, told AFP: Ive lived in Sanaa for 10 years, hearing shelling throughout the war. By God, Ive never encountered anything like this before.

My family and I were terrified, he added.

Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the deadly US strikes and asserted that Washington had no authority to dictate Tehrans foreign policies.

The Houthis political bureau declared that their forces are fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation.

Fully prepared

A database established by ACLED, a non-profit monitoring organization, indicates that there have been 136 Houthi attacks on warships and commercial vessels, as well as Israeli and other targets since October 19, 2023.

Although the Red Sea trade route typically accommodates about 12% of the worlds shipping traffic, Houthi assaults have compelled numerous companies to divert around the southern coast of Africa, incurring significant extra costs.

The Palestinian group Hamas, which has lauded Houthi support, denounced the US strikes as a blatant violation of international law and an attack on our countrys sovereignty and stability.

Read the latest stories on the Middle East

The head of Irans Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, stated: Iran will not initiate war, but if anyone poses a threat, it will provide appropriate, decisive, and conclusive responses.

The United States had already conducted multiple rounds of strikes against Houthi targets.

Israel has also conducted airstrikes in Yemen, the latest occurring in December following Houthi missile fire directed at Israeli territory.

Combat in Yemens ongoing war has largely been dormant since a ceasefire was declared in 2022, yet the anticipated peace process has faltered in light of the Houthi attacks on shipping.

The conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, either directly or indirectly, through disease, contributing to Yemens status as one of the worlds most severe humanitarian crises.
Israels defense minister has asserted that the military responded to stray gunfire originating from Lebanon, following reports from Lebanese state media and the health ministry indicating four fatalities due to Israeli strikes in the southern region.

The Israeli enemys strike this evening on the town of Ainata resulted in the deaths of two individuals, announced Lebanons official National News Agency (NNA), referencing the emergency service of the health ministry.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later stated that the military targeted Ainata after a stray bullet from a Hezbollah operatives funeral hit the windshield of a vehicle in the northern Israeli community of Avivim.

We cannot permit gunfire from Lebanese territory directed at northern communities  we will respond decisively to any violation of the ceasefire, Mr. Katz declared.

Previously, Lebanons health ministry confirmed one death resulting from an Israeli strike on Mais al-Jabal, while the NNA reported another fatality in Bint Jbeil.

The agency noted that an Israeli drone executed a strike on a vehicle in the town of Mais al-Jabal, leading to one fatality.

The NNA reported that this was the third Israeli strike in southern Lebanon within 24 hours.

The health ministry also mentioned that an Israeli drone strike killed one person and injured another when it targeted a four-wheel-drive vehicle near Yater in the Bint Jbeil district around 2 a.m., as noted by the NNA.

The Israeli enemys airstrike on a vehicle in the town of Yater resulted in the martyrdom of a citizen and the injury of another, stated the ministry in a declaration carried by the agency.

Detainees released

Israels military claimed responsibility for the deaths of two Hezbollah members in two separate strikes in Lebanon.

Earlier today, the IDF struck and eliminated two Hezbollah operatives who were involved in surveillance and in directing terrorist attacks in the areas of Yatar and Meiss El Jabal in southern Lebanon, the statement read.

This follows a report from Lebanons health ministry that indicated one individual was killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the southern border town of Burj al-Muluk.

Following that operation, the Israeli military asserted that it targeted a Hezbollah terrorist involved in terrorist activities in the area of Kfarkela in southern Lebanon.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military stated it conducted a strike in southern Lebanon that resulted in the death of a senior Hezbollah militant.

This occurred as Lebanon welcomed the return of four detainees who had been taken to Israel during confrontations with Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, while a fifth detainee, a soldier, was released on Thursday after being captured earlier this month.

A ceasefire on November 27 largely halted over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which included two months of intense warfare where Israel deployed ground troops in Lebanon.

Since the ceasefire took effect, Israel has continued to conduct periodic attacks on Lebanese territory.

Israel was scheduled to withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but has maintained troops at five locations that it deems strategic.

The ceasefire agreement also mandated that Hezbollah retreat northward of the Litani River, approximately 30km from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the southern region.
( The Times of Israel)  The author is a renowned journalist, political scientist, and professor of journalism at New York University. He headed The New Republic magazine and is the author of four books. Named among the hundred global thinkers by Foreign Affairs, he is widely present in American media, particularly as an editor-at-large for Jewish Currents.

A practicing Jew of South African origin, he was raised within the ideology of National Judaism, a movement that integrates ritual aspects of traditional Judaism with Zionist ideology. A few years ago, he renounced Zionism and became a fierce critic of the segregation and injustice that characterize the Zionist state. He also changed his stance on the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which he had once ardently supported.

The book begins with a letter to a former friend in which Beinart admits that every time he enters his synagogue, he does not know how he will be received. Indeed, the fate of a modern, practicing, anti-Zionist Jew is not simpleneither for himself nor, especially, for his children who attend Jewish schools. It is easier for the ultra-Orthodox, for whom Zionist is a bad word, or for so-called unaffiliated Jews, who rarely go to synagogue. Beinart hopes that the break with his former friendi.e., with mainstream Judaismis not definitive and that our journey together is not done (p. 5).

However, calls to excommunicate anti-Zionists from within the Jewish people are becoming increasingly insistent. In most of the Jewish world today, rejecting Jewish statehood is a greater heresy than rejecting Judaism itself.  We have built an altar and thrown an entire [Palestinian] society on the flames (p. 102). The author sees the destruction of Gaza as a turning point in Jewish history, a moment imposing a moral judgment on the cruelty of Israeli Jews and those who encourage them to ignore all moral norms in the name of survival. The false innocence, which pervades contemporary Jewish life, camouflages domination as self-defense. (p. 10). He hopes to bring Jews back to their original calling:

Except for a religiously observant minority, we no longer describe ourselves as a people chosen by God to follow laws engraved at Sinai. We instead describe ourselves as a people fated by history to perpetually face annihilation but, miraculously, to survive. (p. 13)

For him, this new consciousness is a moral evasion that fuels the narrative of Jewish innocence (p. 14) and, consequently, erases the central concept of reward and punishment. This degeneration of Judaism has been visible for a long time. Beinart quotes Hannah Arendt who, although not a practicing Jew, concluded in 1963: The greatness of our people was once that it believed in God. And now this people believes only in itself. (p. 72-73).



Peter Beinart, On Being Jewish after the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Click here to Buy.

As a result, the problem with our communal story is not that it acknowledges the crimes we have suffered. The problem is that it ignores the crimes we commit (p. 31). In the title of his book, Beinart focuseswithout justifying Hamass attackon what Israel has done after October 7, 2023. He recalls that the Palestinians of Gaza lived in an open-air prison, from which, as General Moshe Dayan had already observed in 1956, they could see their former homes now inhabited by the Israelis who had expelled them.

It is not religious beliefs but rather pain and personal resentment that motivate the violence of Hamas and other resistance groups. Beinart refers to several studies based on interviews with their leaders and members, which demonstrate that the violence suffered by Palestinians at the hands of Israelis is their primary motivation, later reinforced by religious and political considerations. But even when resistance is peaceful, it is quickly condemned by Israel and its supporters: We demand that Palestinians produce Gandhis, and when they do, American Jewish organizations work to criminalize their boycotts and Israeli soldiers shoot them in the knees. (p.49-50).

Drawing on his South African experience, Beinart cites Nelson Mandela, who, in 1964, stated that he could no longer preach nonviolence when the government used force against peaceful demands (p. 53). Citing various examples (Ireland, the American South, and, of course, South Africa), the author acknowledges that the ruling minority often perceives equality as an existential threat: White South Africans were just as afraid of being thrown into the sea as Israeli Jews are now. (p. 109). However, according to numerous studies, oppression fuels violence, whereas equal rights and the possibility of political change bring it to an end (p. 108-114).

Beinarts historical account is sharp and documented. He explains that it was the expulsion of Palestinians by Zionist militias that triggered the 1948 war with Arab countries and that, consequently, it was not the war that caused their exoduscontrary to the myth perpetuated by Israeli hasbara (p. 20-28). Some comparisons with South Africa illustrate the nature of Jewish supremacy under Israeli control, particularly the justification of apartheid by the right of the white nation to self-determination (p. 24).

Although a large part of the book is dedicated to political and historical analysis, it lays the groundwork for powerful religious observations. Beinart paraphrases Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel:

If we put down our amulets and look Gaza in the eye, well never get its images out of our head. Well look at our prayer books, many of which include prayers for the [Israeli] army  and see Gazas burning, starving flesh. Well see it on the walls of our synagogues and Jewish Community Centers, at our Passover seders and Shabbat meals. The ground underneath us will grow unsteady. (p. 69)

Beinart also dedicates an entire chapter to anti-Semitism and its Zionist instrumentalization. He presents statistics proving that Palestinian and pro-Palestinian students in the United States experience more violence than they commit (p. 94).

In criticizing the Zionist slogan Israels right to exist, Beinart recalls: The legitimacy of a Jewish state  like the holiness of the Jewish people  is conditional on how it behaves. It is subject to law, not a law in and of itself. (p. 100). He draws analogies between Gazas destruction and colonial wars (p. 65) but avoids calling Israeli destruction of Gaza a genocide.

Beinart frequently addresses Israels defenders with rational arguments and historical facts. However, he repeatedly emphasizes that they are unlikely to influence them since support for Israel has become a pillar of Jewish identity and faith for many: Remove Jewish statehood from Jewish identity and, for many Jews around the world, it is not clear what is left. (p. 107). Even those horrified by Gazas devastation argue that Israel has no choiceein berera. Beinart is convinced that there is a choice: equal rights, which will liberate both the oppressed and the oppressors.

The book is brief but raises questions that go far beyond Judaism, doing so in a way that is accessible to non-experts. The style is fluid, reflecting the authors journalistic experience. One might broaden the books title and ask how one can remain human after witnessing genocide unfold in real time on millions of screens. No one can say, I didnt know.

Reprinted from The Times of Israel with the authors permission
( Middle East Monitor ) Israels aggressive operations against Syria continue by air and on the ground, imposing new realities at a time Syrias leadership is preoccupied with internal affairs. This suggests that Israels approach to Syria goes beyond mere military strikes but rather aims at reshaping the Middle East, as it had announced at the onset of its aggression against Gaza in October 2023.

The ongoing Israeli attacks on Syria serve several objectives, primarily the redrawing of borders and maintaining military presence in areas Israel has invaded since the fall of Al-Assad. Israel is also working to establish understandings with Washington regarding its incursions into Syrian territory, as part of discussions about the future of foreign presence in the country.

Another key objective is Israels effort to learn from its failure to prevent Hamas cross border incursion on 7 October and to ensure that such a scenario does not repeat itself on the Syrian front. This includes preventing Syria from becoming a forward base for forces hostile to Israel by targeting the remnants of the Syrian armys combat capabilities, ending arms smuggling from Syria to Lebanon, and countering Turkiyes growing influence in Syria. Turkiye, Israels biggest and most significant regional adversary, consistently condemns Israeli aggression and warns against potential confrontations, as Ankara increasingly sees Syria as its strategic backyard.

Israels latest involvement in Syria came in the form of a military threat under the pretext of protecting the Druze in Jaramana, southeast of Damascus. This move reflects Israeli concerns about Syrias new leadership, which it claims consists of Islamist elements hostile to Israel. Given the current uncertainty, threats along Israels northern borders are becoming more pronounced.

Recent Israeli actions towards Syria clearly indicate ambitions to control strategic areas. While this is still in its early stages and direct clashes with Syrian forces have yet to occur, such confrontations could become inevitable, with Israel preparing for a military operation on Syrian soil.

Israels increasing involvement in Syria marks a new chapter in the regional power struggle. While Turkiye seeks to secure its borders, treating Syria as a backyard of its national security, Israel is expanding its influence beyond its borders under the pretence of concerns over armed Islamist groups. This makes its latest claim of protecting Syrias Druze population a significant milestone in the escalating Israeli-Turkish rivalry over Syria, particularly after Iran was sidelined from the conflict following Assads downfall.

One of Israels most alarming scenariosone that seems increasingly plausibleis the presence of Turkish military forces inside Syria. This, in Israels view, would be a disaster, prompting its pre-emptive occupation of buffer zones, the peak of Mount Hermon, and an expansion of its control into Syrian territory, alongside demands for the complete disarmament of southern Syria, particularly in Quneitra, Daraa and Suwayda.

A noteworthy Israeli revelation involves the military secretary to the prime minister being sent to Moscow to request that Russia not hastily withdraw from its bases in Syria, as Israel reportedly prefers a Russian presence over a Turkish influence.

Israels aggressive actions against Syria stem from conflicting attitudes toward the recent developments in its northern neighbour. While many Israelis initially viewed Assads fall as a victory for Tel Aviv  weakening Hezbollah in Lebanon, striking Hamas in Gaza, and reducing Iranian influence  Israeli assessments quickly shifted. The new Syrian regime is now seen as an enemy, and Israel fears its new rulers.

The swift overthrow of Al-Assad and his regime by the Syrian opposition in just a few days triggered considerable anxiety in Tel Aviv. This led to large-scale pre-emptive strikes that, within three days, destroyed what remained of Syrias air and naval military capabilities, as well as key military research centres. Israel justified these attacks as efforts to eliminate Assads hidden stockpiles of chemical weapons. Additionally, Israel occupied significant areas of the Golan Heights and declared the 1974 Disengagement Agreement null, effectively signalling a de facto declaration of war on the new Syria.

Israeli officials are openly concerned about the ideological similarities between the new Islamist political forces in Syria and Hamas. Though Syrias new leader, Ahmad Al-Sharaa Al-Jolani, comes from a more radical Salafi-jihadist background than Hamas, Israels experience with the movement has been a harsh lesson.

While Assads fall has raised Israeli fears of further instability along its northern border, Israel also sees it as an opportunity to reshape regional dynamics. However, the prospect of anti-Israel forces consolidating power in Syria remains a significant concern, making the situation even more complex.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment.

Via Middle East Monitor
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Camino Minerals Corporation (TSXV:COR) (OTC PINK:CAMZF) (" Camino " or the " Company ") is pleased to provide an update on its previously announced 1 acquisition (the " Proposed Transaction ") of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Cuprum Resources Chile SpA (" Cuprum "), which owns the construction-ready Puquios copper project located in Chile (the " Puquios Project "). The Company is pleased to announce that it has filed an independent technical report (the " Puquios Project Technical Report ") entitled " Puquios Project - NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-feasibilityStudy, La Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile " with respect to the Puquios Project, which is expected to be one of the Company's principal material properties for the purposes of Canadian securities laws upon completion of the Proposed Transaction.

The results of the PFS on the Puquios Project demonstrate a robust project, with low pre-production capital and capital intensity requirements and a strong production profile. Specifically, the Puquios Project Technical Report highlights an estimated project after-tax net present value (" NPV ") (8% discount rate) of US$118 million with an after-tax internal rate of return (" IRR ") of 23.4% at a fixed copper price of US$4.28 per pound. All in sustaining costs for the life of mine are projected at US$2.00 per pound.

" The transaction for the Puquios Project with partners Denham Capital and Nittetsu Mining from Japan, is expected to close during the first week of April 2025. The Puquios Project has received its primary environmental permit, Resoluciones de Calificacion Ambiental (RCA), to build and operate a mine, so following the closing of the transaction, we are ready to complete any outstanding sectoral permits and engineering studies and accelerate the project towards copper production, " stated Jay Chmelauskas, President and CEO of the Company. " Heap leach copper production is one of the most cost-effective ways to build a copper mine and these mines are very common in Northern Chile.The results of our PFS demonstrate robust economics in the current market for copper, providing the pathway for Camino to become a new copper producer and to realize our growth strategy that includes advancing our copper assets in Peru, " said Mr. Chmelauskas.

Separately, the Company also announces that it has filed an amendment (the " Amendment ") to its management information circular dated February 12, 2025 (the " Circular ")previously filed in respect of its special meeting (the " Meeting ") of shareholders (the " Camino Shareholders ") to be held on Monday, March 31, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time), in orderto provide shareholders with supplementary financial information in respect of Cuprum and revise certain financial information in respect of Cuprum originally included in the Circular.

PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY HIGHLIGHTS

Project Economics

The following table presents the economic highlights from the PFS.

General LOM Total / Avg. Copper Realization Price (US$/lb) 4.28 Mine Life (year) 14.2 Production LOM Total / Avg. Total Mill Feed Tonnes (kt) 25,973 Mill Head Grade Cu (%) 0.49% Mill Recovery Rate (%) 78.80% Total Copper Recovered (M lb) 223 Operating Costs LOM Total / Avg. Mining Cost (US$/t Mined) $2.27 Processing Cost (US$/t Milled) $8.94 G&A Cost (US$/t Milled) $1.24 Total Operating Costs (US$/t Milled) $15.14 Cash Costs* (US$/lb Cu) $1.95 AISC** (US$/lb Cu) $2.00 Capital Costs LOM Total / Avg. Initial Capital (US$M) $141.90 Sustaining Capital (US$M) $20.70 Closure Costs (US$M) $7.90 Salvage Value (US$M) $16.80 Financials - Pre-Tax LOM Total / Avg. NPV (8%) (US$M) $161 IRR (%) 26.70% Payback (year) 3.1 Financials - Post-Tax LOM Total / Avg. NPV (8%) (US$M) $118 IRR (%) 23.40%

* Cash costs consist of mining costs, processing costs, mine-level G&A, sales & marketing charges and royalties.

** All-in Sustaining Cost (AISC) includes cash costs plus sustaining capital, closure cost and salvage value.

Mineral Resources

The following table presents the mineral resource estimation for the Puquios Project.

Classification Tonnes (kt) Grade Contained Metal (kt) CuT% CuS% CuCN% Measured 26,496 0.475 0.117 0.232 126 Indicated 5,664 0.399 0.111 0.167 23 Measured + Indicated 32,160 0.462 0.116 0.22 149 Inferred 660 0.295 0.133 0.059 2 Notes: Mineral Resources are classified using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards. The Qualified Person for the estimates is Mr. Cristian Quinones, RM CMC, AsGeoMin SpA. Mineral Resources have an effective date of March 8, 2021. Mineral Resources are reported using a cut-off grade of 0.15% total copper (CuT). Mineral Resources are constrained by preliminary pit shells derived using a Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm and the following assumptions: six geotechnical domains (52.3 to 59.8); mining cost of US$2.10/t mined, processing cost of US$5.69/t processed, including general and administrative (G&A) costs; variable processing recoveries derived from four regression models; and a metal price of US$3.45/lb Cu. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content. Metal content based on CuT. Tonnage measurements are in metric units. Copper is reported as percentages.

Mineral Reserves

The following table presents the mineral reserves estimation for the Puquios Project.

Reserves Ore (kT) CuT (%) NSR ($/t) Proven 21,805 0.506 24.64 Probable 4,168 0.43 20.19 Total 25,973 0.494 23.92 Notes: The Mineral Reserves estimates were prepared by Jesse Aarsen, P.Eng. (who is also an Independent Qualified Person), reported using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, and have an effective date of September 21, 2021. The cut-off grade used for ore/waste determination is NSR >= US$5.59/t. Cut-off grade assumes US$3.19 /lb Cu, block recoveries from the block model, US$75/t cathode premium, 2% vendor royalty and US$0.30/lb SX/EW costs. The average associated metallurgical recovery for copper is 79%. Mineral Reserves are converted from Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources through the process of pit optimization, pit design, production schedule and are supported by a positive cash flow model. The Mineral Reserves reported are the tonnages delivered to the crusher, pre-delivery to the heap leach pad. Mineral Reserves are a sub-set of the Mineral Resources. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in summation differences. Factors that may affect the Mineral Reserve estimate include metal prices, changes in the interpretations of mineralization, geometry and continuity of mineralization zones, geotechnical and hydrogeological assumptions, ability of the mining operation to meet the annual production rate, process plant and mining recoveries, the ability to meet and maintain permitting and environmental license conditions, and the ability to maintain the social license to operate.

The Puquios Project Technical Report was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (" NI 43-101 ") and has an effective date of January 24, 2024. The Puquios Project Technical Report is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Company's issuer profile, and the Company encourages readers to review the Puquios Project Technical Report in its entirety, including all assumptions, qualifications, and exclusions expressed therein.

THE MEETING

Purpose of the Meeting

The purpose of the Meeting is to consider the items of business set forth in the notice of special meeting dated February 12, 2025 (the " Notice of Meeting "), which are, to approve, as more particularly described therein: (i) the Proposed Transaction and certain matters ancillary thereto; and (ii) the creation of Santiago Metals Investment Holdings II SLU and Santiago Metals Investment Holdings II-A LLC (being, the vendors disposing their interest in Cuprum to the Company under the Proposed Transaction) as new "Control Persons" (as such term is defined in the rules and policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) of the Company in connection with the Proposed Transaction.

CAMINO SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY REVIEW THE MEETING MATERIALS (AS DEFINED BELOW), INCLUDING THE NOTICE OF MEETING, THE CIRCULAR, and THE AMENDMENT, WHICH CONTAIN A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE MEETING AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, AS WELL AS OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Key Benefits and Recommendation of the Board of Directors

The Company believes that it is acquiring the Puquios Project for less than the cost that it would otherwise take to bring a similar asset to the same stage of development, and in doing so, eliminating years from the project development timeline for a comparable copper asset. The Puquios Project is of a scale that the Company believes it could (together with its business partners, Denham Capital Management LP and Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd.) build by sourcing the necessary funding from capital markets. The construction and operation of the Puquios Project is expected to provide synergies to the Company's other advanced exploration assets in Peru (particularly its Los Chapitos Project).

The independent members of the board of directors of the Company (the " Board ") (with Mr. Justin Machin abstaining due to the conflict of interest described in the Circular) unanimously support the Proposed Transaction on the basis that it is fair and in the best interest of the Company, as it will, among other things, add a construction-ready copper project to the Company's portfolio of properties.

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY (WITH MR. JUSTIN MACHIN ABSTAINING DUE TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST DESCRIBED IN THE CIRCULAR) RECOMMENDS THAT CAMINO SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR EACH OF THE MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED TO THE SHAREHOLDERS FOR APPROVAL AT THE MEETING WHICH ARE SET FORTH IN THE CIRCULAR.

AMENDMENTS TO MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CIRCULAR

Following the mailing and public filing of the Circular, the interim financial statements of Cuprum for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 (the " Cuprum Interim Financial Statements ") and the audited financial statements of Cuprum for the financial years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (the " Cuprum Annual Financial Statements ") originally included in Schedule E of the Circular were amended and reissued to include the basic net loss per share for the applicable periods presented in the said financial statements. In addition, the Cuprum Annual Financial Statements were amended and reissued to (i) revise Note 10 of the Cuprum Annual Financial Statements, in order to update the fair value of the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed by Cuprum in connection with certain merger by absorption transaction (the " Proyecto Merger ") completed by Cuprum, and (ii) revise the statement of cash flows included in the Cuprum Annual Financial Statements to reflect the impact of the Proyecto Merger under the "Financing Activities" subheading therein.

Following the mailing and public filing of the Circular, the management's discussion and analysis of Cuprum for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 was also amended to (i) restate the table under the heading "Selected Financial Information" therein, and (ii) correct the amount of working capital of Cuprum as at September 30, 2024.

The Amendment amends the Circular in order to give effect to the foregoing changes. Except as expressly provided in the Amendment, the Amendment is in addition to, and not in replacement of, the original Circular (which remains unamended, in the form previously mailed to the Camino Shareholders and filed on SEDAR+). There are no changes to the previously distributed Notice of the Meeting and related meeting materials.

The Notice of Meeting, the Circular, the Amendment, and certain related meeting materials for the Meeting (collectively, the " Meeting Materials ") and the Puquios Project Technical Report are available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Company's issuer profile. The Meeting Materials are also available on the Company's website at https://caminocorp.com/investors/#2025specialmeeting .

About Camino

Camino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company. On October 7, 2024, Camino signed a definitive share purchase agreement to purchase the construction-ready Puquios copper mine in Chile. Camino is focused on developing copper producing assets such as Puquios, and advancing its IOCG Los Chapitos copper project located in Peru through to resource delineation and development, and to add new discoveries. Camino has also permitted the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project for exploration discovery drilling to add to its NI 43-101 resources. In addition, Camino has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. Camino seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com .

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

/S/ "Jay Chmelauskas"

President and CEO For further information, please contact:

Camino Investor Relations

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: (604) 493-2058

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Technical Information

Scott C. Elfen, P.E., Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC., James Millard, P.Geo., Ausenco Sustainability ULC., Tommaso Roberto Raponi, P. Eng., Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC., Jesse Aarsen, P.Eng., Moose Mountain Technical Services, and Cristian A. Quinones, RM CMC, AsGeoMin SpA., are the authors of the Puquios Project Technical Report, are independent of the parties to the Proposed Transaction, and are "qualified persons" as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Elfen, Mr. Millard, Mr. Raponi, Mr. Aarsen, and Mr. Quinones have prepared or supervised the preparation of the applicable scientific and technical information included herein which has been derived from the section(s) of the Puquios Project Technical Report for which they are individually responsible, as noted therein.

Further details with respect to the Puquios Project are available in the Puquios Project Technical Report, filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Company's issuer profile.

Cautionary Statements

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange and disinterested shareholder approval. The Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Circular, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Camino should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Certain disclosures in this news release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this news release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, without limitation, statements with respect to the Meeting (including, the timing thereof and the business to be considered thereat); the Proposed Transaction and the acquisition of the Puquios Project; the relevance of the Puquios Project to the Company following the completion of the Proposed Transaction; the Company's ability to build the Puquios Project, including by completing engineering studies; and the anticipated synergies from the construction and operation of the Puquios Project. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this news release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors and uncertainties include, among others, the risk that the Proposed Transaction will not be completed as anticipated, or at all; the risk that the Company will not obtain from the TSX Venture Exchange a waiver of the sponsorship requirement in respect of the Proposed Transaction; the risk that the Company will not obtain the requisite regulatory (including, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange) and/or shareholder approvals or satisfy the customary conditions in respect of the Proposed Transaction as anticipated, or at all; the risk that the anticipated synergies and benefits expected from the Proposed Transaction will not be realized as contemplated, or at all; the risk that actual results of the Company's exploration activities may be different than those expected by management; the risk that the Company may be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required authorizations and approvals; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing required in the future; risks and uncertainties associated with fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions, securities markets, spot and forward prices of copper and other base metals and/or certain other commodities, and/or currency markets; 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;and other general business risks and uncertainties, including those related to the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

1 See the Company's news releases of June 27, 2024 and October 7, 2024
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates  TheNewswire - March 17, 2025  Falcon Energy Materials plc (TSX-V: FLCN) (Falcon or the Company) is pleased to announce a fully committed non-brokered private placement (the Private Placement) for gross proceeds of C$6,000,000.

Under the terms of the Private Placement, the Company will issue a total of 10,000,000 units (the Units) of Falcon at a price of C$0.60 per Unit. Each Unit will be comprised of one ordinary share of the Company (a Share) and one non-transferable share purchase warrant (a Warrant). Each Warrant grants the holder the right to purchase, for a period of 36 months from the date of closing, one additional Share (a Warrant Share) at a price of C$0.75 per Warrant Share.

The Private Placement is primarily supported by our largest shareholders and industry partners, validating Falcons strategic vision and prospects, said Matthieu Bos, Chief Executive Officer of Falcon. In addition, we are very pleased to welcome several high-profile new shareholders with strong business relationships in Europe, across the Atlantic and around the globe. With Falcons anticipated catalysts ahead, their support places us in an excellent position to advance the development of our projects in Morocco and Guinea.

The Private Placement will be subject to standard regulatory approvals and conditions, including but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued under the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Private Placement is expected to close on, or before, March 24, 2025. No commissions will be payable in connection with the Private Placement. The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to continue the development of the Morocco Anode Plant and Guinea Lola Graphite Project and general working capital requirements.

Neither the Units, the Shares, the Warrants, nor the Warrant Shares have been, and will be, registered under the Unites States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any U.S. state security laws, and may not be offered or sold in the Unites States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the Unites States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Falcon

Falcon aims to become a fully-integrated supplier of battery anode material. The integrated business model would result in the creation of a mine-to-market active anode material producer, hosting a large high-purity graphite production mine in the Republic of Guinea, and a value-added, coated spherical purified graphite conversion facility in Morocco.

With attractive operating costs, proximity to European end-markets and strong ESG credentials, the Company is poised to become a reliable supplier while promoting sustainability and supply chain transparency. Falcon is committed to generating sustainable, long-term benefits that are shared with the host countries and communities where it operates.

For additional information, please visit Falcons website at www.falconem.net.

Contact:

Matthieu Bos

President & CEO

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Matt Johnston

IR AdvisorEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Telephone: +971 2307 4013

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are included to provide information about managements current expectations and plans that allows investors and others to have a better understanding of the Companys business plans and financial performance and condition.

All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as potential, vision, affirm, advance, ensure, expect, deliver, anticipate, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", will, "would" or "might". In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the Private Placement, including the size and anticipated closing thereof, the approval from TSX Venture Exchange for the Private Placement, the use of proceeds from the Private Placement, and the support from the largest shareholders and industry partners of the Company to advance the development of the Companys projects in Morocco and Guinea.

Forward-looking information is based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such information or statements. There can be no assurance that such information or statements will prove to be accurate. Key assumptions upon which the Companys forward-looking information is based include, without limitation, that the Company will be able to satisfy all closing conditions of the Private Placement.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: (i) volatile stock price; (ii) the general global markets and economic conditions; (iii) the possibility of write-downs and impairments; (iv) the risk associated with exploration, development and operations of mineral deposits and mine plans for the Companys mining operations; (v) the risk associated with establishing title to mineral properties and assets including permitting, development, operations and production from the Companys operations being consistent with expectations and projections; (vi) fluctuations in commodity prices, finding offtake takers and potential clients or enforcing such agreements against same, (vii) prices for diesel, process reagents, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; (viii) production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; (ix) the accuracy of the mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company; (x) labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with the Company's current expectations; (xi) there being no significant disruptions affecting the operations of the Company whether due to artisanal miners, access to water, extreme weather events and other or related natural disasters, labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; (xii) asset impairment (or reversal) potential, being consistent with the Company's current expectations; (xiii) risks associated to the accuracy of projections provided in a preliminary economic study which are preliminary in nature and which include significant of uncertainties; and (xiv) other risks and uncertainties described or referred to in the section entitled Risk and Uncertainties in the Companys managements discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, as updated from time to time in the Companys interim managements discussion and analysis for its quarterly financial periods, each of which is filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Although the Company believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's business, operations and exploration plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is given as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company qualifies all of its forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
VANCOUVER, BC, March 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Starr Peak Mining Ltd. ("Starr Peak" or the "Company") (TSXV: STE) (OTCQX: STRPF) is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of 4,004,000 units (the "Units") of the Company at a price of $0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,401,400. The private placement was completed by one strategic investor. Each Unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant, with each share purchase warrant entitling the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.45 per share for a period of 18 months from the closing date.

The proceeds from the Offering will be used for exploration and drilling activities on the Company's Quebec properties and for general working capital.

Closing of the Offering is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Starr Peak Mining Ltd.,

"Johnathan More"

Johnathan More

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

About Starr Peak Mining Ltd.

Starr Peak Mining Ltd. is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of precious and base metal mineral deposits. The primary objective of the Company is to acquire, explore and develop high potential and quality gold and base metal deposits and projects in the Americas. The Company is committed to create long term shareholder value through mineral discoveries.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act) unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
VANCOUVER, BC  TheNewswire - March 17, 2025  Giant Mining Corp. (CSE: BFG | OTC: BFGFF | FWB: YW5) (Giant Mining or the Company) is pleased to announce that the company has finalized its drill targets for the 2025 Drill program commencing next week at the Majuba Hill Porphyry Copper-Silver-Gold Deposit (Majuba Hill) located in Pershing County, Nevada.

The 2025 Core Program is designed to follow up on high-grade copper mineralization intersected in breccias from the 2024 core holes MHB-30 (MHB-30) and MHB-31 (MHB-31) and extend the high-grade copper zones below the historic underground workings. The primary goal of the drilling is to extend known copper mineralization in order that the company may work towards a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE).

Exploration Technologies (ExploreTech) was engaged by Giant Mining to apply its Engine AI (artificial intelligence) and cloud computing platform to evaluate the planned core program and generate additional targets by focusing on the breccias and large, low-resistivity anomalies. The collaborative effort by the Giant Mining team and ExploreTech utilized the Companies extensive geophysical and drilling database.

"Gold has now surpassed USD $3,000 per ounce and Copper has just hit a 2025 high of USD $4.93 per lb under threat of Tariffs and looming copper shortfalls. We are approximately one week away from 2025s maiden drill program and have now finalized our targets for the program." said David Greenway, chief executive officer of Giant Mining. "The company is fully funded for an active year of exploration and development drilling to add to the over 100 drill holes and over 80,000 feet of past drilling at Majuba Hill in order to work towards a NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the project.

The 2025 Drill Program is planned for 4,400 feet (1,340 meters) of core drilling. A minimum of 2,600 feet (792 meters) will be completed and the contract does not have a maximum drilling requirement, allowing for flexibility in the execution of the project. Planned drill holes (PDH) are shown on Figure 1 and Table 1. Four of the planned drill holes are follow-up and extension holes to the 2024 drilling. A fifth hole has been added to the program to drill test the high-potential Southern Resistivity Anomaly generated by the ExploreTech AI program.

Figure 1: Majuba Hill 2025 Proposed Drill Hole Locations

Planned Drill Hole Target PDH-h2 Intersect HG Breccia. PDH-k2 Intersect HG Breccia below historic workings. PDH-DUH1 Extend HG Breccia from surface. PDH-DUH2 Extend HG Breccia westward. PDH-lai Test southern resistivity anomaly

Table 1: Planned Drill Hole Targets and Expected Result

Some of Majuba Hills critically important characteristics are as follows:

Location: Nevada  The #1 mining jurisdiction on the planet according to the Fraser Institute

Project Size: 9,684 Acres

Infrastructure: The Majuba Hill property is 113 road km (70 miles) southwest of Winnemucca, Nevada, and 251 km (156 miles) northeast of Reno. Access is by well-maintained county roads from the Imlay, Nevada exit on U.S. Interstate 80, and traveling westward 23 miles. People, Roads, Power and Water are the basic elements when considering infrastructure and Majuba Hill already has a solid infrastructure foundation for building a large facility which will provide significant savings compared to more remote projects.

History: Historical Producer

Drilling: 83,930 feet of drilling to date. Rough replacement value of drilling USD $10.4 Million in development costs.

Mineralization: The project shows indications of a potentially large Cu  Ag +/- Au mineralized body with many features in common with both large porphyry copper, silver, and gold projects.

Expandability: The IP survey, deep drilling, and step-out drilling indicate significant expansion potential, with mineralization open in all directions.

Fully Financed: Secured funding for 2025 Drilling Campaign

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by E.L. Buster Hunsaker III, CPG 8137, a non-independent consulting geologist who is a Qualified Person as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43- 101).

About Giant Mining Corp.

Giant Mining Corp. is focused on identifying, acquiring, and advancing late-stage copper and copper/silver/gold projects to meet the growing global demand for critical metals. This demand is driven by initiatives like the Green New Deal in the United States and similar climate-focused programs worldwide, which require substantial amounts of copper, silver, and gold for electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, and the modernization of clean and affordable energy systems.

The Companys flagship asset is the Majuba Hill Copper, Silver, and Gold District, located 156 miles (251 km) from Reno, Nevada. Majuba Hill is situated in a mining-friendly jurisdiction with supportive regulations and has the potential to become one of the next major copper deposits, critical for meeting the increasing need for this red metal.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

On Behalf of the Board of Giant Mining Corp.

David Greenway

David C. Greenway

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

P: 1 (236) 788-0643

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

www.giantminingcorp.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forwardlooking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forwardlooking statements are based on the Companys current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forwardlooking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2025) - Founders Metals Inc. (TSXV: FDR) (OTCQX: FDMIF) (FSE: 9DL0) ("Founders" or the "Company") announces further assay results from preliminary drilling at Van Gogh, the most recent high-grade gold discovery at its Antino Gold Project ("Antino" or "Project") in southeastern Suriname (Figure 1). The Company reports 72.0 metres (m) of 2.29 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) extending gold mineralization to approximately 200.0 m vertical depth from surface at Van Gogh. The drilling follows up on the 28.5 m of 7.12 g/t Au interval from 18 m down hole in the first hole reported on February 20th (news release).

Highlights

Drill hole VG004 intercepts 72.0 m of 2.29 g/t Au from 177.0 m down hole (Figure 2)

(Figure 2) Gold mineralization extended from surface (channel - 17.8 m of 5.68 g/t Au), through saprolite zone (VG001 - 28.5 m of 7.12 g/t Au), and into fresh rock down to 200.0 m vertical depth (VG004 - 72.0 m of 2.29 g/t Au)

Mineralized interval potentially broadens with depth from surface

Completely original discovery with no current or historical artisanal mining within 1.5 km of Van Gogh target area

With the success at Da Vinci and Van Gogh, Founders is committed to allocating up to 50% of its 2025 drill metres to high-priority targets in brand new areas

5th diamond drill operational by mid-year

"The latest Van Gogh results further support the tier 1 discovery potential that Antino and our 2025 exploration program represents. Van Gogh is emerging as another key discovery, with characteristics most like Upper Antino," said Colin Padget, President & CEO. "Founders' focus this year is on unlocking the property's full potential and building value for shareholders through systematic discovery and the ongoing expansion of our earlier successes. To this end, we currently have four drills turning full-time and a fifth rig will be operational by mid-year."

Geology and Drilling Discussion

Van Gogh is 2.0 km from Lawa and 3.8 km from Da Vinci, and forms part of an emerging multi-kilometre northwest oriented gold trend extending through the Maria Geralda target to Lower Antino, and sub-parallel to the main Antino Shear Zone spanning 15+ km from Upper Antino to Da Vinci (Figure 1). Gold mineralization at Van Gogh is hosted within a subvertical mylonite zone with estimated true widths ranging ~25-50+ metres. The mineralized zones comprise broad intervals of intensely sheared, highly silicified country rock containing multiple generations of quartz veining.

In VG004, the gold-bearing intervals contain up to 15% sulphide (pyrite) and coincide with moderate to strong sericite-chlorite-ankerite alteration.

Drill holes VG002 and VG003 were drilled to test the along-strike continuity of the saprolite (oxide)-hosted gold mineralization from previously reported channel (17.8 m of 5.68 g/t Au) and drilling (VG001, 28.5 m of 7.12 g/t Au) results but are interpreted to have gone over the top of the mineralized structure. VG002 and VG003 logging shows similar broad-scale shearing to that observed deeper in holes VG001 and VG004, however lacked the characteristic sulphide content commonly associated with significant gold mineralization at Antino. In VG004, the steeply dipping gold mineralization occurs in fresh rock over a much broader interval than in the saprolite above (Figure 2), which may have been transported (i.e., slumped) several metres downslope. Follow-up drilling focuses on extending the broad, fresh rock, gold-bearing interval VG004 and incorporates newly acquired downhole structural and surficial mapping data.

About Founders Metals Inc.

Founders Metals is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on advancing the Antino Gold Project located in Suriname, South America, in the heart of the Guiana Shield. Antino is 20,000 hectares and has produced over 500,000 ounces of gold from surface and alluvial mining to date1. The Company is fully financed for up to 60,000 metres of drilling in 2025.

1 2022 Technical Report - Antino Project; Suriname, South America. K. Raffle, BSc, P. Geo & Rock Lefrancois, BSc, P.Geo.

Table 1: Drill Hole Assay Results

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval* (m) Au (g/t) VG004 177.0 249.0 72.0 2.29 and 262.0 271.0 9.0 1.51 VG003 NSA VG002 NSA

*Intervals are down-hole depths. True widths of mineralization are estimated to be approximately 85% of the down-hole interval based on preliminary results and observations.

Table 2: Drill Hole Location

Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation (m) Azimuth () Dip () Depth (m) VG004 828148.7 395941.3 151.0 259.7 -55.1 343.9 VG003 828066.3 395866.5 135.6 80.0 -49.9 284.1 VG002 828013.0 395949.0 115.2 79.9 -50.1 251.0

The coordinate reference system is WGS 84, UTM zone 21N (EPSG 32621)

Figure 1: Property Scale Map with Auger Samples and Van Gogh Drilling Results

Figure 2: Van Gogh Cross-Section

Figure 3: Van Gogh Core Photos

Core photos of Van Gogh drill hole VG004 showing excellent grade distribution throughout the interval from 177.0 m (upper left, left column) to 249.0 m (bottom right, right column).

Quality Assurance and Control

Samples were analyzed at FILAB Suriname, a Bureau Veritas Certified Laboratory in Paramaribo, Suriname (a commercial certified laboratory under ISO 9001:2015). Samples are crushed to 75% passing 2.35 mm screen, riffle split (700 g) and pulverized to 85% passing 88 m. Samples were analyzed using a 50 g fire assay (50 g aliquot) with an Atomic Absorption (AA) finish. For samples that return assay values over 5.0 grams per tonne (g/t), another cut was taken from the original pulp and fire assayed with a gravimetric finish. Founders Metals inserts blanks and certified reference standards in the sample sequence for quality control. External QA-QC checks are performed at ALS Global Laboratories (Geochemistry Division) in Lima, Peru (an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited facility). A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing of all samples. Drill intervals with visible gold are assayed using metallic screening. Rock chip samples from outcrop/bedrock are selective by nature and may not be representative of the mineralization hosted on the project.

Qualified Persons

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

Per: "Colin Padget"

Colin Padget

President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings and the future or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect ", "is expected ", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. 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 statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

All material information on Founders Metals can be found at www.sedarplus.ca.
Highest rock grab samples over the mapped volcanic rocks near the valley floor interpreted to be sub-cropping exposure of the Seven Devils Volcanics, host rock of the Leviathan discovery

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /ZEUS NORTH AMERICA MINING CORP. (CSE:ZEUS) (OTCQB:ZUUZF) (FRANKFURT:O92) (THE "COMPANY" OR "ZEUS") is pleased to announce the rock grab sample results from the previously announced exploration program at its Cuddy Mountain Project (the "Project" of "Cuddy Mountain") in Idaho. Cuddy Mountain is located approximately 3 kilometres ("km") to the north of Hercules Metals Corp.'s high-grade "Hercules" copper-moly-silver porphyry discovery announced in October 2023.

Highlights of the Rock Grab Sampling Program at Cuddy Mountain:

Collected 339 property wide rock grab samples.

Of the 339 rock grab samples collected: 35 samples contain 0.1 percent ("%") copper ("Cu") or more; 16 samples contain greater than 1.1 % Cu, up to and including 3.8% Cu ; 29 samples contain 10 grams per tonne silver ("g/t Ag") or more; 9 samples contain more than 129 g/t Ag, with values up to and including 307 g/t Ag ; 26 samples contain 10 g/t molybdenum ("Mo") or more; 5 samples contain more than 40 g/t Mo, with values up to and including182 g/t Mo (with 0.37g/t Au).



Dean Besserer, President and CEO, stated, "These anomalous rock grab samples are another layer helping to build out an extensive first phase high-priority drill campaign. The anomalous rocks within or near the mapped Seven Devils Volcanics are ideally located, reinforcing our confidence in this highly prospective target. We look forward to releasing the remainder of our fieldwork results as we move the project towards a planned upcoming drill program. With the nearby Hercules project gearing up for an aggressive 2025 drill season, the geological team at Zeus is eager to follow suit in the near future as Copper, Silver and Gold hit their 2025 highs."

The figures show the rock grab samples overlain on the soil contours. The dashed line delineates the broad soil anomaly which is also shown overtop of the mapped Seven Devils Volcanics.

About the Cuddy Mountain Copper Property (Idaho, USA)

The Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metals Corp.'s recently discovered Leviathan Copper Porphyry (Cnd$167Million Market Capitalization).* The discovery resulted in Barrick injecting Cnd$23Million in equity while staking a substantial land position in the district along with Rio Tinto. The Cuddy Mountain Property consists of 101 lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 2020 acres.

Historical Drilling at Cuddy Mountain consisted of 7 shallow drill holes in 1977 intersecting anomalous lead and silver. Drill hole Mun 8 contained 90 feet of 2.02 ounces per tonne ("oz/t") Ag (Taylor, 1977). Further historical exploration on Zeus's Cuddy Mountain Project occurred at the Edna May Mine: Mineralized vein with chip samples containing 750 ppm lead ("Pb"), 7.7% zinc ("Zn") and 252 ppm Ag over 4 feet. Underground drilling in 1979 intersected 1.38 oz/t Ag over 7 feet in a breccia zone (Burmeister, 1980). Additional exploration (By Taylor, 1977) at the Rockslide area encountered Malachite-stained outcrops with a grab sample containing 760 ppm Pb, 0.67 % Zn and 36 grams per tonne Silver (Taylor, 1977).

*Adjacent Property (www.herculesmetals.com)

*All information is derived solely from management of Zeus Mining and otherwise publicly available third-party information which are believed to be reliable, but which have not been independently verified by the Company and as a result are not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness. Zeus's management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Zeus may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Besserer, P.Geo., the President & CEO for the company and Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

On behalf of the board of directors.

"Dean Besserer"

President and CEO

For more information, please contact the Company at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:

Kin Communications Inc. Ph: 604-684-6730

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Zeus North America Mining Corp.

The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 101 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 4,200 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.

Forward Looking Statements

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions.

The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
The head of the National Assembly in Caracas said Monday that Washington's expulsion of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador to be imprisoned amounted to a "crime against humanity."

"What is being committed against the Venezuelans held hostage in El Salvador and against the Venezuelan migrants in the United States is a crime against humanity," Jorge Rodriguez said at a news conference broadcast on state television.

The United States on the weekend flew more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to be imprisoned in El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele said, after his US counterpart Donald Trump controversially invoked wartime legislation to expel them.

The deportations took place despite a US federal judge granting a temporary suspension of the expulsion order -- apparently as planes were already headed to El Salvador -- raising questions over whether the Trump administration deliberately defied the court decision.

Bukele later said 238 members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which Trump has designated a foreign terrorist organization, had arrived in El Salvador. He shared a video on X of men in handcuffs and shackles being transferred from a plane to a heavily guarded convoy.

The presidency also posted photos of prisoners' heads being shaved upon arrival in El Salvador.

"The alleged American dream turned Salvadoran nightmare is not worth it," Rodriguez said Monday. "What is happening is a vulgar kidnapping."






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Lecturers at Moi University have reportedly delayed administering examinations this morning due to non-payment of their February salaries, despite an internal memo from the Vice-Chancellor urging them to continue discharging their duties as usual.

A memo dated 16th March 2025, signed by Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kiplagat Kotut, acknowledged the financial difficulties the university is facing, which have resulted in salary delays.

The memo assured staff that the University Management and Council were working to resolve the issue and called on all staff members to ensure that planned examinations proceed as scheduled.

To address concerns about transport costs raised by some lecturers, the university had also arranged for a bus to transport affected staff from the College of Health Sciences to the Main Campus on 17th March at 7:00 a.m., with priority given to those invigilating examinations but despite these efforts, some lecturers appear to have refused to oversee exams due to the unpaid salaries.

"Hi Nyakundi. This morning lecturers have refused to administer exams because they have not been paid their February salaries. Some invigilators arrived but left after a short while, saying they could not work without payment. Students are stranded in exam halls, waiting for instructions. Management is silent and there is no communication on when payments will be made. This situation is frustrating for everyone."

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - A viral video showing an alleged Kisii man furiously demolishing a gypsum ceiling in a house he reportedly bought for his side chick has set tongues wagging.

Armed with a jembe and standing on a wooden bench, the scorned man vents his rage on the ceiling after discovering she was cheating on him.

The dramatic scene has sparked mixed reactions online - some sympathizing with his pain, while others argue he overreacted

Watch the video and reactions below.

But this is stupidity, he can sell or rent the house instead of wrecking it pic.twitter.com/i1NX3bSwiY  SLYVIA _SSARU (@smileycherry2) March 17, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made explosive claims about the alleged demands Raila Odinga presented to President William Ruto before signing their political Memorandum of Understanding.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kameme FM on Monday, March 17th, Gachagua alleged that the former Prime Minister sought several Government positions, including six Cabinet Secretary slots and multiple Principal Secretary positions, for members of his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

"For Raila to support the President, he demanded six Cabinet positions - just like we had negotiated for eight in exchange for our votes.

That is how Governments operate," Gachagua stated.

In what he termed as a looming political shake-up, Gachagua claimed that the restructuring of Principal Secretary positions had already begun, with his Mt. Kenya allies being targeted for removal to accommodate Railas supporters.

"On Friday, Raila and the President spent the whole day with Felix Kosgey planning how to reshuffle PSs.

We had negotiated for 15 PSs, with at least one from each county and two from Meru, Kiambu, Laikipia, and Nyeri.

Now, Raila is asking for 15 PSs, and I have been told he is being given ten," Gachagua revealed.

He further accused Ruto of sidelining Mt. Kenya leaders, stating, "When I was DP, I tried stopping him from such moves. Thats why he disliked me and called me tribal."

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Calvince Okoth, popularly known as Gaucho, has claimed that Raila Odinga could have saved Margaret Nduta, the 37-year-old Kenyan woman facing execution in Vietnam for drug trafficking.

In a viral video, the outspoken Bunge la Mwananchi leader argued that had Raila won the recent African Union Chairperson election, his global influence could have convinced Vietnamese authorities to spare Ndutas life.

Gaucho also took a swipe at Kikuyus who celebrated Railas loss to Djiboutis candidate Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, sarcastically asking them to now seek Youssoufs help in saving Nduta.

Vietnam enforces some of the worlds toughest drug laws, imposing the death penalty for anyone caught smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or cocaine.

Unless last-minute diplomatic negotiations succeed, Nduta is set to have her final meal at 7:30 p.m., with her execution scheduled for Monday, March 17, 2025, at 8:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Kenyas Foreign Affairs Ministry has described the case as complex and difficult, with diplomatic efforts proving unsuccessful.

Watch the video below.

This Guy is Very Tribalpic.twitter.com/D06UdeZOAT  CITY DIGEST. (@city_digest) March 17, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Lang'ata MP, Felix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang'o, has weighed in on the case of Margaret Nduta, a 37-year-old Kenyan woman sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking.

Nduta was convicted after being found with 2kg of narcotics upon arrival in Vietnam and was scheduled for execution on Monday, March 17, at 8:30 p.m.

Jalango took to social media to express his sentiments, stating that after reviewing her charge sheet, all that remains is to pray for her.

"Took my time and went through her charge sheet All we can do is pray for her!

May peace wrap itself around you.

May love give you courage. And may you feel, even now, that you are not alone A nation is united for you," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Kenyas Foreign Affairs Ministry has described the case as complex and difficult, with diplomatic interventions yet to bear fruit.

On Sunday, March 16th, Korir SingOei provided an update, revealing that he had spoken to Vietnams Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Minh Hang.

During the conversation, he conveyed Kenyas concerns and reiterated President Rutos request for Vietnam to delay the execution while alternative solutions are explored.

As of now, no official confirmation has been given on whether Vietnam will reconsider the execution.

Bottom of FormThe Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has dismissed reports that he secretly met President William Ruto at State House, insisting that any engagement between them must strictly serve national interests.

Speaking at a book launch over the weekend, Kalonzo rubbished claims of clandestine meetings with Ruto, labeling them as propaganda meant to mislead Kenyans.

Let them stop saying Kalonzo has gone to State House to meet with Ruto.

The lies have become too much. I saw them announcing everywhere, Oh, Kalonzo is now at State House. I said, pray for me, he quipped.

The former Vice President clarified that he will only consider talks with Ruto if the discussions revolved around the appointment of an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson who can guarantee a free and fair 2027 general election.

I dont mind if we meet to decide on the IEBC Chairman - someone who wont be misused. We can meet for that and that alone, he stated.

Beyond electoral matters, Kalonzo ruled out engaging in any major political discussions before 2027.

He expressed confidence in unseating Ruto, insisting that the President would not win re-election if polls were held today.

To be honest, even as we speak, if votes were cast tomorrow, would there really be someone called Ruto as President?

Even he knows that well, Kalonzo asserted.

He maintained that the only meeting he anticipates with Ruto in 2027 will be for the official handover of power.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Kenyan model and digital creator Achieng Agutu had an unforgettable moment when she met global megastar, Rihanna, in Barbados.

Achieng shared highlights from her Caribbean trip, where she participated in a high-end beauty campaign on Instagram.

Among the standout moments were striking selfies with the Diamonds hitmaker, both beaming with pure joy.

Achieng first gained global recognition in 2021 after appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she shared her inspiring journey from Kenya to the U.S and revealed how she juggled six jobs to fund her education.

I work full-time as an admissions counselor at Holy Cross College. I also babysit for two families, wash cars, clean houses, drive Uber, and teach English to international students, she told Ellen.

During the show, Ellen surprised her with a $50,000 (KSh 5 million) gift - marking a turning point in her life.

Now, shes living her dreams, and meeting Rihanna is just the latest highlight!

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, March 17, 2025 - Kenyans on Tiktok are calling for the arrest of Lillian Githui of Eamal Solutions Agencies located at Sanlam building 4th floor in Nairobi Central Business District, after it emerged that she was involved in processing travel documents for Margaret Nduta, the woman who was sentenced to death in Vietnam after being found in possession of over 2 Kgs of cocaine.

Reports indicate that Margaret was supposed to travel to Saudi Arabia for work but Lillian diverted her to Vietnam against her wish.

Before she arrived in Vietnam, she stayed in Ethiopia for 10 days, where it is believed drugs were stuffed in her luggage without her knowledge.

Lillian reportedly told Nduta that her 10 day stay in Ethiopia was to receive training.

Lillian probably knows the drug dealer who stuffed cocaine in Ndutas bag.

This is not the first time Lillians agency is being accused of duping job seekers and human trafficking.

Several victims have accused the agency of taking them to Saudi Arabia and other Asian countries, where they are subjected to slavery.

DCI should arrest her and investigate whether she is colluding with drug dealers.





Listen to the video.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Kileleshwa MCA, Robert Alai, has strongly condemned Kenyans advocating for the release or pardon of Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan woman sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking.

Alai criticized the double standards of some members of the public and Government officials who are pushing for Ndutas pardon while simultaneously calling for President William Rutos removal.

Let Margaret Nduta face the consequences of her actions. Why target Ruto with your hate when you dont want criminals jailed or hanged? Ujinga! Alai stated.

The outspoken MCA further dismissed Ndutas case as a non-emergency for Kenya, emphasizing personal accountability.

"If you don't want to be executed, avoid engaging in criminal activities," he asserted.

Margaret Nduta was arrested in July 2023 for trafficking 2kg of cocaine through Vietnam en route to Laos. On March 6th, 2025, the Peoples Court in Ho Chi Minh City found her guilty and sentenced her to death.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - Controversial city pastor, James Nganga, of Neno Evangelism Centre has left tongues wagging over his candid advice to women searching for love.

Speaking during a church service, Nganga urged women to be more selective in their relationships, warning that entertaining multiple men could be hindering their chances of settling down.

According to the outspoken preacher, many women remain single because they allow themselves to be misled by men who offer nothing but sweet words and empty promises.

He pointed out that some women fall too easily for affectionate terms like babe and sweetheart, only to end up heartbroken when the relationships fail to materialize into anything meaningful.

"Kenya haijafanya wewe usiolewe, ni wewe uko na obstacles, ni wewe unatafunwa kama Big G unatemwa chini na hawa wakora," he declared.

Nganga advised women to set higher standards, urging them to demand genuine commitment instead of getting swept away by flattering words.

Love, he implied, should be about true commitment - not just catchy nicknames and temporary flattery.

"Ukiskia hizo babe zinajaa ndani yako mwambie sitaki babe, unamwambia niite ng'ombe sasa," he quipped, suggesting that women should reject superficial affection and insist on meaningful relationships.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - After months of sporting an unkempt look, Nyandarua Senator John Methu has finally given in to public pressure and trimmed his hair and beard.

Methu had stubbornly avoided barbershops, letting his hair grow wild, a look that many Kenyans felt was unbefitting of a Senator.

Critics urged him to shave, arguing that a more polished appearance would better suit his position.

It seems their calls worked, as Methu has shared a photo flaunting his fresh, well-groomed look, much to the delight of his followers.

See the photo below and reactions.



The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, March 17, 2025 - A video has emerged showing the moment 37-year-old Margaret Nduta, a resident of Kiharu, Muranga County, was arrested at Ho Chi Minh City Airport in Vietnam with more than two kilograms of cocaine hidden in her suitcase.

She claimed that she was unaware of the drugs, having been handed the bag by her agent when she travelled to the Asian country in 2023 in search of greener pastures.

With execution imminent, Kenyan officials have been scrambling to make contact with Vietnamese authorities amid intense public pleas and pressure.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei confirmed that Kenya had engaged Vietnam on the case, asking for a stay of execution.

Had a telephone conversation this afternoon with my counterpart, H.E. Nguyen Minh Hang, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam over the matter of Margaret Nduta. I conveyed to Madam Hang the anxiety of the Kenyan people on the impending execution of our national and reiterated our request for a stay of execution to allow our two countries to find a path to resolving the issue. I am grateful for Madam Hangs assurance that our Petition is under consideration by her Countrys authorities, Singoei posted on X.

He added that Kenyas diplomatic mission in Bangkok, which oversees Vietnam, was actively following up on the case.

Watch the video.

Here is Margaret Nduta carrying when she was arrested with 2kg of Cocaine which were well hidden in her suitcase in Vietnam. I hope Kenyans get to learn from her mistakes. pic.twitter.com/p3OtC2OGGa  Alinur Mohamed (@AlinurMohamed_) March 17, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Irelands Minister for Foreign Affairs has accused the Russian president of being the holdout in reaching a peace deal with Ukraine.

Simon Harris questioned whether Vladimir Putin wanted peace or was dragging out negotiations by calling for further conditions while continuing its attacks on Ukraine.

Speaking in New York, Mr Harris said that no-one wanted peace more than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Donald Trump is expected to speak to his Russian counterpart on Tuesday, as the US president continues his attempts to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.

The call, announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, comes as Mr Putin continues to resist an American-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Mr Harris said Ireland and the rest of Europe was focused on reaching a peace deal.

We cant forget at any time that theres only one aggressor in relation to this war, Mr Harris said.

The people of Ukraine were living peacefully in their sovereign country when Vladimir Putin took the decision to brutally and illegally invade a sovereign territory on the continent of Europe.

So we in the European Union, we as Irish people, as part of the European Union, of course have a very active interest in making sure that the people of Ukraine get a lasting peace, a just peace, and enduring peace, but also from a European security point of view, the importance of European voices being in the room.

Lets hope some good comes from conversations in the days ahead. But what Id be most interested to see is how any process to bring about peace is constructed in a way that, of course, Ukraine are in the room, and I think Europe obviously needs to be in the room as well.

Mr Harris went on to say that aggression could not be rewarded.

He added: The United States is perfectly entitled to have a conversation with whoever he wishes.

But I hope what happens after that conversation is that we can really move the focus back onto answering the question, does Vladimir Putin want peace?

Because for all the talk of peace, all that weve actually seen from Putin in recent days is continued attacks on civilians, on civilian infrastructure, on Ukraine, on the people of Ukraine.

Remember, Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to try and bring a process in place to bring about lasting peace.

At the moment, Putin is the holdout here, and I hope we can see clarity in relation to that. Well know very soon, does Vladimir Putin actually want peace?

Or is he just trying to drag this out with condition after condition? Zelensky has been very clear, wanting to see a cessation of violence, but then its really important that the peace that is brought about is just, is enduring, and, of course, recognises that there is only one aggressor in this world.
The Herald reported:

The Greens Tamatha Paul has expressed regret about a claim she made on social media that the vast majority of people in prison are there for non-violent offences that theyve had to do as a response to poverty. Police and Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell has described comments in her video as total nonsense and an insult to New Zealanders who have been victimised by those in prison.

The Greens would have you think people go to prison for shoplifting etc.

She went on to say most people are in prison because of disabilities, conditions like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and undiagnosed autism or ADHD. Theyre being punished for being disabled, theyre being punished for being poor, theyre being punished for being Maori, theyre being punished for our system that we have in our country.

Again they think the criminals are the victims.

Theyre not being punished for being poor or disabled etc etc. They are being punished because they bashed someone or raped someone or robbed someone etc etc.
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 early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Kassie Jefferson laughed in surprise as she looked at how much time she had spent on TikTok for the week.

"13 hours and 15 minutes," she said.

Jefferson, a senior at Tolton Catholic High School, is just one of the many teens who use social media as a lifeline.

"I have to have TikTok," Jefferson said. "I can't control it."

From using it as a search engine, to forming the foundation of her friendships, apps like TikTok have been deeply integrated into Jefferson's daily life.

I think I have some sort of anxious attachment," Jefferson said.

Jefferson isn't the only teen who feels this way. According to the Pew Research Center, more than half of teens say giving up social media would be difficult for them.

Megan Henry, a professional learning collaborator at Burrell Behavioral Health, said teens often feel this way because they want to belong, and social media is an outlet for that.

Thats their goal in life at this age," Henry said. "Figure out who they are as people and who they want to become.

Henry works in schools with students and said she sees both sides to the effects of social media.

Both good and bad, I see a little bit of all of it," Henry said.

Jefferson said she sees both sides in her life, too.

"I can see how it can be harmful," Jefferson said. You can compare yourself to other people and thats a really big issue.

Negative effects on her body image from seeing posts about health and fitness is why she chose to delete Instagram over two years ago.

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Obviously Im going to compare myself to that," Jefferson said. "Then Im going to develop eating problems and then feel like I have to exercise 24/7."

Dr. Stephanie Shepard, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, said social media can increase the risk of young people developing eating disorders.

Theres a lot of filters and unrealistic expectations of peoples bodies, she said. "For the adolescents that develop eating disorders, a lot of the time it can have to do with how we talk about our bodies.

Finding the balance between the good and the bad can be difficult for both teens and their parents.

"It's been really challenging to try and figure out how to manage that," said Jennifer Sommerfeld, Jefferson's mother. "There is so much peer pressure to be connected online."

That's why Sommerfeld wants to teach her kids how to be smart while scrolling.

Theres no way that we could control everything that theyre encountering or consuming, but I want them to have the critical thinking skills to be able to sift through it," Sommerfeld said.

Henry said setting boundaries for social media use before your child begins using a social media platform, establishing consequences and sticking to them when those boundaries are violated, is critical.

"As a parent, that can be very difficult," Henry said. "But it's important that we do that.

Henry said the easiest way to start working toward this goal as a parent is by talking to your teens.

Teenagers dont like to talk to the adults in their lives, but its important that we try that way," she said.

While talking is the start, Henry also said listening is the key.

The biggest thing that I hear from kids is that adults dont listen," Henry said. "So listen. Listen to your kids. Theyll tell you anything you want to know."
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GUANGZHOU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- SF Airlines, China's largest air-cargo carrier in terms of fleet size, has increased its fleet to 90 freighters, notable progress for the company in strengthening its service capacity in the global market, the cargo carrier announced on Sunday.

The 90th member of the SF Airlines fleet, a B767-300BCF widebody freighter, arrived at the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport on Sunday to join the fleet, the cargo carrier said.

The company disclosed that currently more than 30 percent of its freighter fleet consists of widebody jets -- which are key players on its air route networks, reaching destinations both domestically and globally.

The expansion of the scale and improved structure of its transport capacity will support SF Airlines in its endeavors to broaden its air-cargo transport route network, which reaches over 100 destinations at home and globally. It also enhances the airline's services for logistics supply chains and customers, the cargo carrier added.

Headquartered in Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province, SF Airlines received its first freighter and launched its first cargo route back in 2009.

In 2024, SF Airlines transported more than 1.17 million tonnes of air cargo -- exceeding one million tonnes of annual cargo volume for the first time in its history, the company said.
Kenneth Fox

Tanaiste Simon Harris has warned that Ireland will face a significant period of turbulence as the trade war between the US and EU escalates.

The Fine Gael leader said the imposition of tariffs on goods by both the US and EU will lead to higher costs for consumers across the board.

As the Irish Examiner reports, Mr Harris said the EU was engaging intensively with the US to resolve the matter but warned of the impact of levies on exports in Philadelphia.

"Ive got to be very honest with the Irish people, I think we are heading for a significant period of turbulence about trade and tariffs.

Tariffs are bad for consumers in Ireland, theyre bad for consumers in Europe, and theyre bad for consumers in the United States of America.

They will push up the price of goods for everybody.

The Tanaiste said that US president Donald Trump was entitled to his views on tariffs, but that there needs to be an agreement reached between the EU and US.

Ultimately we need to find an agreement here that is good for the European Union, good for Ireland, and good for the United States, Mr Harris said.

He added that while there will be a period of turbulence, the country would get through it together.

Every disagreement has to be solved by agreement, and what I would hope would happen is that we can try and keep the period of disagreement as short as possible, so we can get to the point of trying to cut a deal.

President Trump is a politician of course, but hes also fundamentally a businessman. He knows and prides himself on the importance of a deal."

The Tanaiste added that there should not be a tit-for-tat running commentary on the matter.

We need to find a way through. We need to be calm, we need to be reasonable, and we need to be willing to engage intensively.

Mr Harris said that he would be updating Cabinet on Wednesday on the latest developments on trade, while also convening the Governments trade forum on Friday.
A Hanover Township, Northampton County physician found guilty of sexually assaulting a female patient during multiple office visits could face jail time in coming months.

Dr. Eric Thomas Cochran, 52, of Bethlehem Township was convicted of misdemeanor indecent assault on March 5 following a three-day jury trial before Northampton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Abraham Kassis.

The jury found Cochran not guilty of felony aggravated indecent assault without consent. Court records indicate three counts of misdemeanor indecent assault without consent were withdrawn in the case.
Weed sold at New Jersey dispensaries from 17 cultivators and manufacturers did not meet state safety standards for things such as mold and accurate labeling, according to a consumer advocacy group that teamed up with a lab to test products.

Cannabis products are tested before they reach store shelves. The consumer advocacy group, Safe Leaf  worked with an accredited testing lab and re-tested weed sold at dispensaries. The results showed that nearly 30% of tested products failed and exceeded limits for harmful microbes. NJ Advance Media has agreed to grant anonymity to the testing lab.

There were also problems when it came to accurate labeling of THC levels, according to the data. The lab tested 25 pre-rolls from 17 different cultivators and manufacturers. Pre-rolls are cannabis blunts rolled ahead of time and sold to the consumer.

Consumer advocates suspect weed that does not meet state standards is sold to the public because cannabis cultivators and manufacturers can get their products tested at labs they believe are less likely to fail them. It is a practice known as lab shopping.

In response, New Jersey cannabis regulators have revised testing regulations, scheduled town halls on medical cannabis and plan to set up a lab that double checks industry protocols.

Having this test reference laboratory would help bolster product safety and ensure accurate labeling of reports, Cannabis Regulatory Commission chair Dianna Houenou said in a February public meeting.

Before cannabis was sold for recreational use, it was tested by the state, but its labs were simultaneously functioning at the height of COVID. When the market expanded, legislators handed the responsibility over to the private sector.

The state in July issued a recall for weed that was contaminated with human hair and insects.

Lab shopping is a national problem, said Chris Goldstein, a regional head of NORML, one of the organizations that advocated for New Jerseys cannabis legalization.

Lab shopping has been endemic in the industry, he said.

Testing controversies have arisen in other states. In New York, lab testing came under scrutiny when products were shown to have inaccurate labeling about how much THC was in a product. A Syracuse.com investigation showed cannabis contained microbial levels 10 to 250 times higher than whats allowed under the states rules for medical cannabis.

In March 2025, a judge sided with Michigan cannabis regulators after they were sued by one of the states largest cannabis testing labs over a recall. But regulators dont always win in court, Goldstein said, pointing to 2022, when Pennsylvania regulators recalled cannabis products but eventually had to return the products to shelves after losing a legal battle.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission decision to set up a reference lab was a step in the right direction and would insulate them from court challenges, the state decides to go after a company, Goldstein said.

Safe Leaf directors Andrea Raible and Michael Boone said they have plans to expand their initiative. Raible is a medical cannabis user and Boone is a teaching specialist at Stockton Universitys hemp and cannabis program.

Boone said consumer-driven shopper programs complement the market.

We create another layer of safety, another layer of protection, he said.

Consumers should get a role in what a successful market looks like beyond sales numbers, Raible said.

While there is untapped financial potential, it (cannabis) also has the potential to help so many people and it cant do that unless its clean and trustworthy, Raible said.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Jelani Gibson may be reached at jgibson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @jelanigibson1 and on LinkedIn.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has ruled out running for the Irish presidency this year.

Mr Martin said he was focused on his work as Taoiseach, highlighting housing and disability issues as a priority.

An Irish presidential election will take place later in 2025 with current President Michael D Higgins having served the maximum two terms permitted.

Asked if he would consider putting his name forward, Mr Martin said: No, I will not be running for president.

Ive the honour now of being elected as Taoiseach.

Mr Martin said he had made a commitment to people in his Cork South Central constituency that he would represent them for the full Dail term.

He added: Thats something I take seriously.

Fortunately, the election went well and Im Taoiseach as well as a TD and thats a great honour.

I will focus on my work as Taoiseach and as a member of this government.

Housing is the number one issue.

Disability is something that, for me, is unfinished business.

The Taoiseach said he wanted government departments to work together to make life better for people with disabilities.
There has to be vigilance that anti-vaccine sentiment does not take hold in Ireland, the Taoiseach has said.

Micheal Martin also said he hoped the Governments review of the response to Covid-19 would be expedited to ensure the state is better prepared to deal with pandemics in the future.

Ireland has set up a Covid-19 Evaluation, rather than a statutory inquiry to investigate the response to the pandemic.

Asked for an update on its work, the Taoiseach said: The inquiry, my understanding, is on the way, and I hope it can be expedited with a view to re-evaluating what do we take from it to enable us to be better prepared into the future.

I think whats interesting is very often when actually the pandemic happens, not everything goes in accordance with the plans that might have been written in respect of it.

And I think those are structural issues we need to look at in terms of how one would respond, in terms of the collective approach of government and so forth.

There are certainly things we can pick up on.

Mr Martin said the pandemic had been a traumatic period for Ireland.

Very many people lost their lives many families found it very hard to mourn the loss of their loved ones, he said.

That said, I think the Irish Health Service responded well overall. I think the country responded well.

I think the big lesson for me is that vaccination was the key, and we should never lose sight of that, because without vaccination, societies would not have come back as quickly as they did.

Now the importance there then is, how do we ensure continued international collaboration on the vaccine front and collaboration with industry?

I think the European Union did a stellar job in respect of combining industry with research to enable us to get the vaccines brought to the market and approved, and then get them manufactured at a pace and volume that enables societies to come back.

The Taoiseach was asked if he was concerned about anti-vaccine sentiment growing in Ireland.

He said there was a fear that there would be resistance to vaccines among the public before the pandemic, but this had not materialised.

Mr Martin said: There was no issue in Ireland in terms of take-up, the take-up levels were extraordinary.

So much so the European Union colleagues were saying to me repeatedly, whats going on, how come youre getting to 90% participation rates?

The Taoiseach referenced an outbreak of measles in Dublin in the early 2000s when he was health minister in which three children died.

He said: There was a lot of negativity around the vaccine at the time, which was not well based.

And so we have to be very vigilant.

Mr Martin said there had to be transparency in public health discussions but pointed out that vaccinations had changed the course of medical history.

He added: So we must not lose sight of that, vaccines work and vaccines do give immunity.

And there can be every now and again, a fad or a phase where people kind of start jumping on to a particular thought process or thread in respect of specific vaccines.

But in my view, we keep an eye on it, but I take heart from what happened in the pandemic.
By Fiona Ferguson

A terrified Kildare man who was caught in chance encounter with gardai holding over 200,000 of cannabis in an attempt to pay off a 2,000 gambling debt has been jailed for three years.

Kenneth Philpott (64) was pulled over after being spotted by gardai driving in a bus lane,

Philpott of River Forest, Leixlip, Kildare, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs on April 10, 2024. He has no previous convictions.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said certain parties had taken advantage of his gambling debt to traffic these drugs. He said Philpott had made a huge misjudgement in agreeing.

The judge took into account the mitigation in the case including his co-operation, good history, work record and the level of fear and coercion involved.

Judge Nolan said drugs offences such as this were well trodden ground for the court. He said this was a very normal type of case where obligations were created through a parties behaviour before taking advantage of the obligation. He said Philpott was a mature man who made a very bad decision.

Judge Nolan said he could depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years due to the circumstances of the case, but said it was a substantial amount of drugs.

He set a headline sentence of six years imprisonment, but said as there was very good mitigation, he would cut that in two and imposed a sentence of three years imprisonment.

Garda Ronan Doolin outlined to the court that gardai stopped a car observed going into the bus lane. The driver, Philpott, was co-operative but very nervous prompting suspicion and a search of the car.

READ NEXT: Landmark Georgian venue in Kildare for sale for close to 1m.

Philpott told gardai there were packages in the car and gardai recovered 7kg of cannabis in taped packages, valued at 140,000. During a follow up search of his home gardai recovered a further 80,000 worth of cannabis.

Philpott gave gardai admissions in relation to his own role only. He said he had worked most of his life working and managing casinos but suffered a stroke two years previously so had to slow down.

He was working as a croupier across Dublin but had built up a gambling debt of 2,400 from playing cards.

Philpott, described as a working man from a good family with a grown daughter, had not been put under any pressure to repay the debt until one week before this offence. He described being terrified of the people he was working for.

The court heard there were threats made against his family and home and he felt he had no choice. He travelled from his home to pick up the drugs, dropped some to his house and shed and then returned to pick up a second load. He was on his way home with the second load when he was stopped by gardai.

Defence counsel said Philpott was a good family man whose wife and daughter have always been his priority. He has been getting counselling from Gamblers Anonymous and was remorseful for his involvement in this offence. He handed up a letter from the accused to the judge.

He said Philpott had been very successful in martial arts in his earlier life and represented Ireland in many tournaments.

He asked the court to take into account that he was someone who had lived his entire adult life as a constructive and productive member of society and his community. He had been completely self-sufficient his entire life, worked hard and brought up his daughter.

He said his client had made immediate admissions and gardai did not dispute the threats he outlined. He did not anticipate him coming before the courts again.

Counsel said his client shouldnt be here, but he is here and is taking full responsibility for the reasons he is before the court.
Uisce Eireann crews have repaired a major burst in Blakestown, Leixlip, County Kildare on Sunday and water has returned to customers.

The unplanned outage resulted in the catchment regions of Carton Demesne, Newtown, Parsonstown, Dublin Rd, Kellystown and surrounding areas all being affected.

Earlier this morning, Uisce Eireann put two tankards at the Supervalu carparks in both Leixlip and Celbridge and they will remain in place until 5pm this afternoon.

Customers are reminded to bring their own containers when taking water from the tanker and to boil the water before consumption as a precautionary measure, as per HSE advice.

Eoghan Forristal, Water Network Operations Manager, Uisce Eireann said: This was a substantial break which required all hands-on deck to remedy the burst at Blakestown.

All repairs have now been successfully completed and the network is now refilling. For customers who are at the end of the line or on higher ground, it typically takes 2-3 hours for their supply to return. We thank the community for their understanding at this time.

Uisce Eireann is committed to keeping customers informed across multiple platforms 24/7 and we encourage customers to engage with us through our website, X channels @IWCare and @IrishWater, on Facebook and LinkedIn and through our customer care helpline which is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.

Uisce Eireann has launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at www.water.ie

READ NEXT: Nervous Kildare driver had large haul of cannabis in car.
The adult child (AC) of a business owner broke the leg of an employee during an assault, it was claimed at Naas District Court.

The business owner sought court protection from the AC, who is residing at the premises.

READ NEXT Water has returned to thousands of homes in Kildare after urgent repairs

The owner said a member of staff and a customer had been assaulted and one had to be brought to the accident and emergency department and the gardai were called. The AC refused to leave the premises.

The owner alleged that all of the staff are afraid of the AC, who was present or represented, and they have threatened customers and staff when he is drinking.

The owner further alleged that a threat was received by them from the AC.

When they drink they have a personality change, the owner told Judge Desmond Zaidan.

The owner told of being afraid of the threats because the AC said they didnt mind going to jail.

It was also claimed by the owner that the AC said one down, three to go which the owner took to be a reference to an assault, a customer, the owner and an employee.

Judge Zaidan granted an interim protection order to the owner and said that if staff have concerns the gardai can be contacted. The matter was adjourned to November 10.
An episode of TG4's traditional musical series, 'Ceolaireacht' (Musical Wanderings) will spotlight Leitrims vibrant traditional music scene alongside some well known local musicians.

Presenter and fiddle player Doireann Ni Ghlacain has been taking to the road in search of the pulse of traditional Irish music in four different areas around Ireland and Scotland.

On March 23, Doireann continues her musical journey and the road takes her to Leitrim in search of the regional style of the county, an often overlooked county, steeped in tradition. Doireann gains an insight into the area's regional style and learns about its thriving traditional music heritage.

She meets some of the finest local musicians such as Sean Gilrane, Mick Mulvey, Shane Meehan, Liam Cryan, Catherine Cullen, Alan Woods, Aisling Clarke, Padraig McGovern and Conor Ward and more.

In Ceolaireacht, Doireann travels to discover the music of less recognised musical regions, to seek out the musicians, what they are playing, who went before them and to hear the regional style they play.

She goes in search of the heart of the music in Belfast, south Leitrim, Wexford and across the sea to Glasgow, Scotland

Join Doireann as she unearths the musical roots of County Leitrim on Sunday, March 23 at 9:30pm on TG4.

The previous episodes can be viewed here

Mick Mulvey, Shane Meehan, Doireann Ni Ghlacain and Liam Cryan

READ MORE: Leitrim's health is wealth launch highlights mental health awareness
Students with learning difficulties at Junior Cert and Leaving Cert level can apply for Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE), which aims to minimise the impact of a disability on their performance and ensure they can sit state exams on equal terms with other students.

Accommodations granted include measures such as bringing medication into the exam room and allowing rest or break periods.

Cllr James Gilmartin, a secondary school teacher, is calling for additional time to be allocated in exams for students with learning difficulties.

At a meeting of Leitrim County Council, he urged the local authority to write to the Minister for Education, requesting the State Examinations Commission introduce stand alone additional time for students with dyslexia, dyscalculia and other learning difficulties in second level exams.

This additional time would be of critical importance in aiding a significant cohort of students in what are most stressful exams, Cllr Gilmartin said.

There is support in place for children who would have high level needs but a lot of students are excluded from this. This is common practice across Europe and in third level in Ireland that additional time is given to students with learning difficulties, he added.

He explained that many students struggle to articulate their knowledge or have slow handwriting, which becomes rushed in an exam setting, leading to illegible work.

One in 10 in Ireland are dyslexic. Anyone with extra needs should be accommodated, he added.

Cllr Gilmartins motion was met with widespread support.

Its a problem that is across all schools and any help they can get they deserve it, commented Cllr Warnock.

Cllr Cormac Flynn, a secondary school principal, highlighted that additional time would be cost neutral.

He noted that most of these students would have already gone through the RACE process but did not score low enough to qualify for a special exam centre.

If you have a diagnosis of dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia an extra 10 minutes shouldnt be a big deal, he said, calling it a no brainer.

The knowledge is there, Cllr Gilmartin added, Its just transferring it.

READ MORE: Almost half a million euro in funding for Leitrim community centres
Irish political leaders have said Conor McGregor does not speak for Ireland after the fighter visited the White House for a St Patricks Day meeting with President Donald Trump.

The controversial Irish mixed martial arts fighter praised Mr Trumps work ethic as inspiring as he met him in the Oval Office on Monday.

In return, the president hailed McGregors own work rate and described him as fantastic.

Earlier, McGregor told reporters in the West Wing that he was going to voice concerns about immigration issues in Ireland when he spoke to Mr Trump.

McGregor, who has previously stated an intent to run for the Irish presidency, claimed the Irish Government was one of zero action with zero accountability.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US administration could not think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day.

McGregors visit to the White House came months after he was found civilly liable in a High Court damages case in Dublin taken by a woman who accused him of rape.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE!  @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, won her claim against McGregor after accusing the professional fighter of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

Ms Hand, 35, was awarded damages and costs after a three-week trial last year in which the jury found him civilly liable for assault.

A judge at the High Court in Dublin later said the jury had conclusively determined that McGregor had raped Ms Hand.

McGregor is appealing against the outcome of the civil case.

In response to McGregors comments to reporters in the White House briefing room, Irish premier Micheal Martin later said his claims were wrong, and did not reflect the views of the Irish people.

Deputy premier Simon Harris said that McGregor was not in the US to represent Ireland and did not speak for the people of Ireland, and has no mandate to.

Last week, Mr Trump, during a meeting with Taoiseach Mr Martin, described McGregor as great when asked who his favourite Irish person was.

Mr Trump said the MMA fighter had the best tattoos Ive ever seen.

Conors great, right. But you have a lot of great Irish fighters actually, great fighters, he said.

Irelands always had a lot of good fighters.

You know why, because theyre tough people, theyre smart people and theyre passionate people.

St. Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship. Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 17, 2025

During his exchange with reporters on Monday, McGregor criticised the Irish government on immigration issues.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face.

It will be music to the people of Irelands ears, he said.

Never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland faced been spoke.

Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland.

What is going on in Ireland is a travesty.

Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability.

Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people.

The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country.

There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

Taoiseach Mr Martin later posted a response on social media.

St Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship, he wrote on X.

Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

Tanaiste Mr Harris said: Its for President Trump to invite wherever he wants to his home, and hes perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.

But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. Hes here in a personal capacity.

He doesnt speak for Ireland. He doesnt speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such.

My views on him are very clear, well established, previously articulated, long standing and on the public record.

He added: Ive spoken to Nikita Hand.

I admire her bravery, her courage, and Id much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.

Mr Harris also said he does not see McGregor becoming the next president of Ireland.

I think its always better for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country, and by the people of Ireland.

Thats how our presidential election will be decided, he added.

I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor.

I dont expect hes going to be the president of Ireland.

We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency at Aras an Uachtarain (the presidents official residence in Dublin).

McGregor earlier described the US as Irelands big bro during his back and forth with reporters in the West Wing.

Ireland and America, we are siblings.

We consider America our big sibling, he said.

So its important for Ireland to be a peaceful, happy, prosperous country for the 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home so we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro.

The United States should look after its little bro.

And thats how we feel about Ireland and America.
Malis interim President, General Assimi Goita, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, and officials from both Mali and Liberia.
AML has warned the Government of Liberia that proceeding with the Ivanhoe Atlantic deal for multiuser access, it will trigger legal consequences.
Second from left, Indian Ambassador to Liberia, Manoj Bihari Verma and wife alone with Indian business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva and citizens in Margibi County District #5
WHEN Peter M. Smith, a familiar face on both stage and screen, steps onto the stage at the University Concert Hall Limerick (UCH) this summer, he will be doing more than simply embodying a rock legend.

In the eagerly awaited production Moonlight, he takes on the challenging role of Philip Lynott, the frontman of Thin Lizzy.

Moonlight, a bold new rock-theatre hybrid, will highlight the cultural significance of Thin Lizzy in the context of 1960's and 70s Dublin and London.

Speaking ahead of the productions debut, Peter, shared his thoughts on the weight of playing such a legendary figure, and the responsibility he feels as a Dublin native in telling Lynott's story. When offered the chance to play the role of Philip Lynott, I was truly honoured as an actor, as a proud Dubliner, and as a Thin Lizzy fanatic. Too much has been said about the rockstar lifestyle  it is a tired subject. This production seeks to honour Philip Lynott for what he was  a literary great and consummate artist.

READ MORE: Shannon Airport boost expected, as almost 38,000 to take to skies over St Patricks Day period

What Director Jason Figgis and the team have done is integrate Thin Lizzy's hits seamlessly with new material. The show features a live band performing Thin Lizzy classics alongside new original music. Peter said Jason has masterfully blended John Merrigan's script with Thin Lizzy's existing material and the new music.

Moonlight will feature a cameo performance by Eric Bell, co-founder of Thin Lizzy, adding an authentic touch to the production.

Tickets for the highly anticipated production are now available, priced at 45 plus booking fee, on UCH.ie and Ticketmaster. Moonlight will take to the stage at UCH on Tuesday, June 24. Show starts at 8pm.
A man in his 20s was arrested at Dublin Airport this morning after a "missed flight" led to the man smashing up the departure gate at Terminal 1.

The incident, which happened at approximately 7.20am this morning, was captured in video footage which has circulated online.

In the footage, a topless man wearing a snood around the lower half of his face can be seen throwing objects around the departure gate before proceeding to smash a Ryanair carry-on sizer stand, the departure desk and equipment.

Airport Police swooped to detain the individual before gardai arrived to arrest the man. He is due to appear before the courts later this Monday morning.

In a statement, gardai confirmed: "Gardai have arrested a man in connection with incidents of criminal damage in Terminal 1, Dublin Airport, this morning, Monday 17th March 2025.

"The man, aged in his 20s, has been charged and is due to appear before Court 2 of the Criminal Courts of Justice Dublin, this morning.

Issuing a statement in the aftermath of this morning's incident, a Dublin Airport spokesperson said: "Airport Police at Dublin Airport responded to an incident in Terminal 1 this morning which resulted in a male individual being arrested.

"The passenger missed his flight and proceeded to cause significant damage to our airport.

"The individual was quickly apprehended by Airport Police before being subsequently arrested by An Garda Siochana and is scheduled to appear in court later today.

"We hope the justice system deals with him appropriately and also that we never see him at Dublin Airport again," they concluded.

READ MORE | Dancing with the Stars viewers baffled by RTE's live apology for judge's 'harmless' slip-up
A MAN was rushed by ambulance to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest in the build up to this year's St Patrick's Day parade in Limerick city.

The start of the event, which drew an estimated 70,000 people to the city centre this Monday, was delayed as some of those involved in the parade responded to the traumatic incident.

Fortunately, the emergency services were close by - as many of them were taking part in the annual showpiece.

PICTURES: Fun for all at Kilmallock's St Patrick's parade

Members of the National Ambulance Service who were due to take part in the parade were called to the scene and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

It is believed that a defibrillator, also used to support people in cardiac arrest, was used a number of times on the man while on the ground.

The man was rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick and is understood to be recovering from his medical emergency.

Mayor of Limerick John Moran wrote on social media network X: "Were hearing the worst is over with the emergency. Everyone wishing them a speedy recovery now."
ALL-STAR hurler Dr Iggy Clarke is to be the keynote speaker at a free mental health and wellbeing conference taking place in Shannon next week.

The Galway man is the keynote speaker at the second Airmid Mental Health and Wellbeing event which takes place at the Hope Cafe in Smithstown Industrial Estate from 9.30am to 6pm next Friday, March 21.

Since hanging up his boots, he has become a psychologist, therapist and supervisor.

READ MORE: Pat Tiernan Motors joins the Citroen Family - With Limerick hurler Dan Morrissey as Brand Ambassador

Dr Clarke, who won a single All-Ireland title with the Tribesmen, will be introduced by Brian Lohan, the current Clare senior hurling manager, whose side won the Liam MacCarthy Cup last summer.

The event has been organised by Dr Mary Honan, who lives at St Lawrences Park in Limerick city and Shannon man Pat Barry.

It will feature a number of speakers drawn from across Limerick, Clare, and Galway.

Other speakers include Celia Brett, the mid-west co-ordinator with mental health support charity Grow.

Barry Harnett, who runs Limerick Yoga will join the discussion.

Michelle Cope, the founder of the Yellow Elephant, a non-profit firm dedicated to raising the issue of suicide will also address the conference.

A demonstration in mental health first aid will be provided by Guy Jones.

A counsellor will be on hand throughout the day to provide support to those who might need it.

Tea and coffee will be available through the day and a light lunch will be served.

Co-organiser Mr Barry said the objective of the conference is to establish a 24-hour fully staffed drop-in centre in Shannon for people who are in crisis.

All are welcome at the conference.

For more information call Mr Barry at 089-4449525, or Dr Honan on 086-2064188.
Elon Musks Grok , an AI assistant developed by his company xAI, has been making headlines with its strikingly candid responses, sparking intense discussions about its unusually human-like political opinions. While some users praise its unfiltered approach, others have raised concerns about abusive responses.

The generative artificial intelligence platforms ability to mimic human-like language patterns, including an explicit or aggressive tone, has left many pondering the profound implications for the future of AI as it evolves.

Isnt Grok just another AI chatbot?

In the most technical terms, Grok is xAIs large language model (LLM) that is trained on synthetic datasets using machine learning (ML) techniques. Its website describes it as a cosmic guide", but put simply, Grok is a conversational AI chatbot designed to facilitate both serious and lighthearted discussions on Musks social media platform X.

Powered by xAI's Colossus supercomputer, Grok focuses on analyzing real-time data and providing users with relevant insights tailored to their inquiries and interactions.

Unlike other AI-based chatbots such as OpenAIs ChatGPT, Googles Gemini and DeepSeek, Grok has access to a vast amount of data, including real-time information from X and a broad range of internet text data up to September 2023, with additional datasets curated by human reviewers.

Also read | Are we on the cusp of AGI, as Musk suggests?

How else is Grok different from the other AI chatbots?

After the February launch of xAIs Grok 3 series of models and claims that it could be a replacement for Googles search engine, users have been engaging with it a lot more.

Users are experimenting with Groks new features such as Think Mode, which provides step-by-step reasoning for users, Big Brain Mode, which uses more computational resources to handle complex tasks, and Personality Mode, which lets users try various preset personalities such as romantic and conspiracy.

Is Grok really scary smart"?

On subjects such as politics, cinema, and celebrities, Grok has left some users bedazzled by its opinionated responses. In other instances, Grok has used regional slang and abuses. These instances only reinforce the label that Musk applied to the AI model while launching it: scary smart".

Also read | The rise of agentic AI: Why data scientists and software developers should be worried

Its also a matter of concern how AI has advanced to the level of mimicking humans. This can lead to various problems, including job losses and cyber security issues. Data from connectivity cloud company Cloudflare Inc.s study reveals that 93% of Indian businesses are concerned about AI amplifying the severity and sophistication of data breaches.
Unlike most big companies, Berkshire Hathaway never made diversity an element in the selection of its board of directors.

With diversity, equity, and inclusion policies now in retreat across corporate America, CEO Warren Buffetts emphasis on merit looks smart and prescient.

Berkshires proxy, released Friday, restated the criteria that Berkshire seeks in what will be its 13-member boardand its like nothing that appears in most corporate proxies.

Berkshire does not have a policy regarding the consideration of diversity in identifying nominees for director. In identifying director nominees, the Governance Committee does not seek diversity, however defined."

Instead, as previously discussed, the Governance Committee looks for individuals who have very high integrity, business savvy, an owner-oriented attitude, a deep genuine interest in the Company and have had a significant investment in Berkshire shares relative to their resources for at least three years."

Later in the proxy, Berkshire notes that four of its board members are women and that two are ethnically diverse." The latter refers to Berkshire insurance executive Ajit Jain, who was born in India, and Ken Chenault, the former CEO of American Express, who is Black.

However, it should be noted that these directors were not selected for diversity purposes," the proxy states.

The proxy itself is a throwback to the 1960s when Buffett took control of Berkshire. The policies outlined in the document reflect Buffetts governance philosophy.

Rather than pay top Berkshire executives based on complex and generally incomprehensible formulas as nearly every big corporation does, Buffett decides how much they get paid based on his perception of each of their performance" and any changes in responsibility, the proxy states.

The top two executives, Jain, who heads the insurance business, and likely Buffett successor Greg Abel, who runs the non-insurance operations, got paid $21 million last year.

All the compensation is paid in cash because Berkshire doesnt give stock compensation to any of its employees or directors. If they want to own stock, they have to buy it in the open market like anyone else. Buffett, 94, views every share of Berkshire as precious and hates issuing equity for any reasonincluding acquisitions.

The Berkshire board of directors gets paid a pittance, just $900 per board meeting with the result being that most got paid just $2,700 last year, compared with over $250,000 annually for the typical director in S&P 500 companies.

Talk to Berkshire directors like investment manager Chris Davis and they view board membership as a privilege and an opportunity to benefit from Buffetts wisdom.

Unlike nearly every big corporation, Berkshire doesnt provide directors and officers liability insurance to its board.

Buffetts salary of $100,000 annually with no bonus has been the same for at least 35 years and is a fraction of what most big-company CEOs take home.

Buffett, of course, has enormous wealth with his stake in Berkshire now valued at $167 billion after the 13% gain in the stock this year. He owns 15% of the company. The Class A shares ended Friday at around $771,000, near a recent record.

The company provides security services to him worth $300,000 a year, but thats a pittance relative to CEOs like Meta Platforms Mark Zuckerberg, who was given $14 million for security in 2023.

Buffett hates consultants and refuses to use them for compensation and rarely for any reason. He has said he would rise from his grave in anger if the Berkshire board ever uses compensation consultants after his death.

And unlike many companies that have risk committees, that responsibility at Berkshire ultimately rests with Buffett, who consults with his top executives. Berkshires chief risk officer is its Chairman and CEO, Warren Buffett," the proxy says.

Berkshires distinctive character as evident in the proxy has helped it thrive and become a $1.1 trillion company under Buffetts leadership. Investors are hoping that culture survives him and it will be the responsibility of the board to help ensure that.
Americas biggest retailers are deploying every weapon they have to navigate President Trumps fast-escalating trade war, from leaning on suppliers for discounts to finding alternate product sources. In some cases, that includes price increases for consumers.

Much of the action so far has focused on goods from China, which the Trump administration hit with a 10% tariff in February and another 10% in March. Some suppliers say Walmart, Home Depot and other retailers are pushing a variation of the same demand: Make a price concession or shift production out of China. Otherwise, the suppliers risk losing some business.

The sometimes-tense deliberations among retailers and suppliers show how Trumps trade agenda is already rippling through global supply chains, with billions of dollars of consumer spending at stake.

Companies are completely under the gun and panicking," said Joe Jurken, founder of the ABC Group in Milwaukee, which helps U.S. businesses manage supply chains in Asia. He has received a flood of inquiries from manufacturers facing pressure from retailers to move production out of China, he said.

Some of the requests have raised the ire of Chinese officials. Authorities in China summoned Walmart for a meeting in recent days after some suppliers complained the largest U.S. retailer by annual revenue was pressuring them to cut prices and absorb the tariff cost.

Walmart said it was in discussions with suppliers to help consumers save money and that it would continue to work closely with them to find the best way forward during these uncertain times."

Some pricing negotiations are hitting an impasse because many of these manufacturers are often already operating on razor-thin margins, according to suppliers. And retailers dont want to raise prices for shoppers so they can continue to compete for market share.

William Liu, sales director for Rongli Garments, a Chinese manufacturer that makes seamless apparel, said that when the 10% tariff hit in February, his company agreed to lower prices by 5% for Walmart, though it cut into the garment makers profit margins. After Trump imposed the additional 10% tariff, Walmart asked his company to raise the discount to 10%. Lius company couldnt afford to absorb the cost and, as a result, Walmart is seeking new suppliers outside China, Liu said.

Target, too, is talking to suppliers about how to share any additional costs, said Rick Gomez, chief commercial officer for the company. Right now, a lot of those negotiations are going on."

Some of the haggling has prompted more sourcing from outside of China. After the first 10% tariff on Chinese goods in February, Home Depot asked one of its U.S. suppliers of lighting and home decor to absorb the cost, according to an executive at the supplier. The supplier agreed to a two-month, 10% discount, part of which would be covered by its Chinese manufacturer.

After the second 10% tariff in March, the supplier declined another request from Home Depot to lower prices again. Instead, the supplier is moving production to Southeast Asia so it can eventually charge the home-improvement retailer the original price, the executive said.

A Home Depot spokeswoman said the company has been diversifying its sourcing for more than a decade. We do this partnering with our vendors typically over several years," she said.

The tariff planning is especially complicated because companies have little sense of which tariff threats will materialize and where new ones could emerge, retailers and suppliers say. Bouqs Co., an online flower company, learned that lesson soon after Trump took office and threatened a 25% tariff against goods imported from Colombia because of the countrys initial refusal to accept repatriation flights from the U.S.

That sent Bouqs executives into an emergency weekend meeting, during which they came up with a plan for Bouqs and its partners to share costs if tariffs emerge, Chief Executive Kim Tobman said. Farms in Colombia provide much of the cut flowers sold in the U.S. Bouqs sells goods directly to shoppers as well as inside Amazon.coms Whole Foods.

We had been thinking China," Tobman said. There was no talk in our world about Colombia."

Trump reversed course a few days later after Colombia accepted the repatriation flights. It was a real shocker and stress for our team" and came just ahead of Valentines Day, one of the industrys biggest sales days, she said.

Now as the president threatens additional tariffs on a range of other trading partners, companies are worried about investing resources into moving production, only to potentially face duties on goods from those locations.

Choosing any other country other than the U.S. and thinking its a safe haven is risky," said Kimberly Kirkendall, president of International Resource Development, an international supply-chain consulting firm that works with U.S. suppliers. If your business is big enough and youve got the financial wherewithal to have multiple manufacturing sites, then thats the best strategy."

In some cases, retailers and manufacturers have decided it is worth it to keep production in China to maintain quality. Costco, the warehouse chain, plans to continue selling patio furniture made in Chinaeven at an elevated pricebecause it is higher quality than versions made in other countries, Costco executives said. Costco and its supplier will absorb some of the cost increase and pass some on to shoppers, they said.

Prices on all goods affected by tariffs wont go up equally. Retailers create their tariff pricing strategies with the full assortment of goods consumers usually buy in mind. They might raise the price of clothing that shoppers are willing to pay more for, while keeping the price steady on another item shoppers are likely to buy frequently like bananas or paper towels.

Merchants have to think through pricing architecture," said Gomez, the Target executive. Target, for example, wants to continue selling some Christmas ornaments at $3, rather than raising the price.

That means we have to think about margin elsewhere. So maybe we will take pricing up a little bit on stockings," he said. Its really not as simple as just flowing through cost."

Write to Hannah Miao at hannah.miao@wsj.com and Sarah Nassauer at Sarah.Nassauer@wsj.com
Mumbai: IndusInd Bank's beaten-down shares may be prime for a rebound, for now, as the central bank's weekend assurance revives investor confidence, sparking a scramble for its shares.

The bears who stormed the bank's derivatives counter last week may find themselves trapped even as wealthy investors move in, analysts said. As share price rises on fresh buying, bears may rush to cover their short bets, triggering a rally as the market opens on Monday.

On Saturday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said IndusInd Bank's financial health remains "stable" and that it was "closely monitoring" the same. Analysts said after the RBI statement they expect the bank's cash counter to see more bargain hunting by wealthy clients and family offices and the derivatives counter to witness added short-covering by punters.

"Family offices, HNIs and other institutional players are allocating a portion of their funds to IndusInd Bank as part of their risk strategy, given the magnitude of the price fall," said Ambareesh Baliga, an independent market analyst.

Also read | IndusInd Bank flags lapses worth 1,530 crore in derivatives portfolio

IndusInd Bank shares have plunged 57% from a 52-week high of 1576.35 on 8 April, 2024 to 672.35 on Thursday. Markets were closed for Holi on Friday.

Bargain hunting

Baliga said that for some investors, it made "sense to allocate a part of their risk " to IndusInd after the huge fall. The RBI statement of the bank being "well-capitalized" could result in further bargain hunting in the cash market and short-covering in derivatives, which could support a further recovery in prices from Tuesday's low of 606.

Bears flocked to IndusInd after its derivatives accounting lapse surfaced last week. Though some of the massive cumulative bearish active futures positions of 57.75 million shares created on Tuesday were covered by Thursday, the cumulative outstanding futures positions remain high at 48.18 million shares as of that day, NSE data showed.

Exchanges have barred fresh positions in IndusInd derivatives since last Wednesday after the stock's cumulative open positions crossed the marketwide position limit (MWPL) set by stock exchanges. As of Thursday, open positions of all futures and options contracts on IndusInd stood at 143.87 million shares against the MWPL of 120.8 million shares . Unless the stock falls well below MWPL, it will remain in ban for fresh trades.

Also read | Can IndusInd Bank overcome governance woes and market uncertainty?

Recovery

The RBI statement came after the stock's NSE cash counter saw huge delivery volumes across two days. While Tuesday's selloff witnessed deliveries hitting a one-year high of 31.9 million shares, Wednesday's delivery of 14.28 million shares a day later was the highest in almost five months.

The combined effect of cash buying at lower levels and derivatives short-covering has helped the stock recover 11% from a 52-week low of 606 on Tuesday through Thursday's closing of 672.35. The recovery could continue for now.

"The recovery might continue with likely short-covering and bargain hunting, provided that no fresh negative surprise hits the counter," explained Shrikant Chouhan, head of research (private client group) at Kotak Securities.

Chouhan said the "silver lining" in the issue was the bank disclosing the derivatives' accounting issue before the March quarter results. He added that the Street could, subject to no further negative surprises, begin pricing in the one-time hit to IndusInd Bank's net worth.

Also read | Mint Explainer: How IndusInd Bank slipped up on foreign currency hedging

After the recent drawdown, IndusInd Bank is available cheaper than other lenders like Yes Bank and IDBI Bank, added Chouhan. For instance, IndusInd Bank currently trades at a price to book ratio of 0.8, against Yes Bank's 1.09 and IDBI Bank's 1.45, per BSE data. Book value of a company refers to the what shareholders would get if the company were liquidated today .

Margin funding rises

As the IndusInd stock plunged, investors also scooped up IndusInd shares through margin trading, which enables an investor to leverage the purchase by up to four times. The total amount financed under margin trading facility by all brokers rose to 409 crore on Wednesday from 343 crore on Monday, per NSE.

Also read | IndusInd Bank promoter Ashok Hinduja backs MD, says balance sheet remains strong

Buying under margin trading, where an investor pays only a minimum margin to buy a stock with the rest being financed by her broker against interest, signals that investors are leveraging themselves as they sense "an opportunity of making quick returns in the short term," said Sudhir Joshi, consultant, Khambatta Securities.
NEW DELHI : Allied Blenders and Distillers Ltd (ABD) is betting on high-quality spirits to beat the stagnancy in the Indian liquor market and drive future growth.

The liquor maker, known for brands like Officers Choice, plans to add two to three new brands over the next fiscal year, with an aim to increase the share of its "prestige-and-above" segments from 42% to 50%, its managing director Alok Gupta told Mint.

The luxury spirits segmentcomprising 3% of the 410 million cases sold in 2024accounts for over 20% of the alcobev industry's profits, according to data from the sector-specific consultancy IWSR.

Allied Blenders expects this market to expand further as a section of its consumers continue to favour high-quality products.

Gupta said that though the Indian liquor market is in a wait-and-watch phase due to a slowdown in demand, premium and luxury spirits continue to grow.

"The consumption has been impacted, largely due to what's happening in the macroeconomic space. It is a bit of a wait-and-watch situation, with the prestige-and-above segments, including semi-luxury and luxury, seeing growth, but others expected to see some short-term impact. There may be some shift in consumer sentiment, but it's not that they are walking away from the category," he said.

Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) is categorized under popular, prestige, premium, and luxury segments.

While three brandsOfficer's Choice Blue, Sterling Reserve B7, and Iconiq Whitewill drive the company's volume growth, other businesses will add value.

The company is adopting a multi-pronged strategy to build, buy, and partner with other businesses to strengthen its premium-to-luxury offerings. "We want to meaningfully achieve double-digit growth, which would translate to 2-2.5% value growth," he said.

Allied Blenders reported a revenue of 2,342.1 crore in the December quarter of 2024-25, up from 2,074.9 crore a year ago. Its profit after tax rose to 81 crore from the 2.5 crore loss reported in the same quarter a year ago.

About 96% of the company's current revenue comes from whisky.

Inorganic growth push

Gupta said the company currently has about eight brands in its semi-luxury and luxury portfolio and sees a few more opportunities in the non-whisky segment. These will be "not just India" brands but also concepts or ideas that we fit beyond India.

"We have now curated our portfolio mix and are building things from an asset-light approach and not just building everything ourselves. There are many more exciting brands out there," he said.

The company that largely focused on three or four brandsincluding its flagship Officer's Choice and Officer's Choice Bluebefore 2024, banked its next phase of growth on the fact that about 2-3% of the 400 million cases of alcohol sold in the country are consumed by experience-driven consumers.

Accordingly, it started aligning its portfolio with consumption trends. In luxury consumption, for instance, there's a broader culture of drinking single malts, tequilas and rums. There is also a strong cocktail culture now in India," Gupta said.

In 2024, it developed its own gin brand, Zoya, and single malt brand, Arthaus, which competes with Copper Dog and Monkey Shoulder in pricing. It also partnered with alcohol distributor Roust to launch a Russian vodka.

This year, it acquired a stake in brands such as Rock Paper Rum and bought the brand rights to distribute alcohol made by Pumori gin maker Fullarton Distilleries for about 50 crore.

"Why we bought a brand like Rock Paper Rum is not because it just happens to be another great rum but because the founding team there has figured out the consumption trend, and how to keep fitting into those experiences," he said.

It also set up a new company, ABD Maestro Pvt. Ltd, earlier this year in partnership with actor Ranveer Singh to launch brands from other startups. This business will include its gins, Russian Standard vodka, and Arthaus.

The company has already announced an investment of 527 crore and has made acquisitions in the distillery space (to start operations in early 2026) and packaging material space (PET bottles for Officer's Choice).

At present, the company supplies about a third of its total volume by itself and outsources the rest. It would like to increase that to 100% by 2027-28.

It sells about 34 million cases every year. In the third quarter, it sold 8.9 million cases, a quarter-on-quarter rise of 7.1% and a year-on-year rise of 11.3%. Its mass-premium category, led by Officers Choice, had a high single-digit year-on-year growth.

With mass-premium brands driving its revenues, the company plans to maintain and grow the market share of its flagship Officers Choice whisky while focusing on improving gross margins.
SELLES-SAINT-DENIS, FranceIn a vast factory surrounded by forest, workers here are assembling the missiles that will help rearm Europe and supply Ukraine.

Europes ability to wean itself off a post-Cold War reliance on U.S. military power largely depends on factories like this MBDA facility in central France, and how fast they can ramp up production after years of no urgency.

The question is, will the companyand Europe more broadlybe able to increase capacity to make that happen?

President Trump has pushed European countries to spend more on defense. The U.S.s now reversed decision to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons has also reignited concerns that Europe needs to have sovereignty over arms for fear the same could happen to them.

Increases in European military spending since Russia invaded Ukraine have swelled the order books of the regions defense companies. But those businesses have so far struggled to keep up with demand, leaving Europe dependent on U.S. imports.

We are at a moment where time matters, volume matters and speed matters," said Eric Beranger, chief executive of MBDA, one of the worlds largest missile manufacturers. We are living through historical moments."

To meet the moment, MBDA is racing to bolster its manufacturing base. On Monday, the company said it would invest $2.7 billion to boost production between 2023 and 2028, as it works to fulfill a roughly $40 billion order book.

By the end of this year, the company will have doubled its production of new missiles from 2023, Beranger said, adding it reflected the magnitude of what is happening today at MBDA."

Few companies are as emblematic of Europes predicament as MBDA, a major missile maker co-owned by regional defense giants Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo, of Italy.

MBDA makes some of the worlds most sought-after missiles. The Aster was used to shoot down ballistic missiles and Houthi drones in the Middle East last year while the Storm Shadow missile has been among Ukraines most potent weapons.

However, European missile production slowed down after the Cold War as the regions defense budgets shrank and orders dried up. Last year the French government even threatened to nationalize some of MBDAs production if it didnt make its missiles faster.

The company, and so Europe, also has some key capability gaps. It doesnt yet make hypersonic missiles, and its long-range air-defense system isnt seen as a match for Americas Patriot system.

MBDA has already started to step up. Today, it can make 40 of its shorter-range Mistral missiles a monthup from 10 before Russias invasion of Ukraineand it has doubled the production of Akeron antitank guided missiles to 40 a month. Its next target is to increase output of its Aster air-defense missiles by 50% by 2026, compared with 2022 levels, while more than halving the time it takes to make one.

Obstacles to ramping up productionwitnessed across the arms industryinclude hiring enough skilled staff and fostering a reliable supply chain.

MBDA hired 2,500 people last year across its operations in Britain, France and Italy, and plans to recruit another 2,600 this year. In central France, the company is working with local state unemployment agencies to identify and train recruits. It is also offering higher salaries than other local companies to lure talent.

Supply chains have also been a focus. The company now stockpiles 80 metric tons of specialist steel, up from around five tons before the start of the war in Ukraine. It also has enough titanium to create several thousand missiles.

Parts for MBDAs French-made missiles, including nose cones and wings, are manufactured at a factory in Bourges by machines as large as small houses. Over the past year, the company has added 12 machines and it plans to add a further 13 by the end of 2026doubling its tally to 50. Some are so new they are still in plastic wrapping.

The 100,000-square-foot factory floor is always busy after MBDA initiated more nighttime and weekend shifts to increase production.

Once made, missile parts are shipped 40 miles north to Selles-Saint-Denis where they are assembled and the explosive added. Here, workers peer into microscopes to assemble the electronic parts of the missiles before they are transferred into a high-security room where the pyrotechnic charge is added.

MBDA is already constructing new buildings on this 1,350-acre site after buying 500 acres from a neighbor. It is also expanding the building dedicated to Aster missiles as part of a plan to invest more than $160 million in the site by 2030.

Once finished, new missiles are stored in vast nearby bunkers buried under mounds of earth, enough to contain any explosion, before being shipped to clients.

Like other defense companies, MBDA wasnt prepared for the surge in demand after Russias invasion of Ukraine, its executives have said.

The Aster, for instance, was developed after the end of the Cold War when there was less urgency to produce. At that time, European defense budgets fell and manufacturing of some weapon systems was shuttered or scaled down.

By contrast, American companies, with the worlds largest defense budget behind them, kept churning out weapons. That meant European governments often turned to U.S. companies in times of need, meaning fewer orders for local manufacturers.

Even in a time of low demand, U.S. manufacturers would still have a minimum order intake to retain a viable production line," said Fabian Rene Hoffmann, a doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo who specializes in missile technology.

American companies continue to pump out more weaponry than European peers. MBDAs production of cruise missilesincluding the Scalp and Taurusis likely to be in the tens, rather than hundreds, of missiles a year, analysts say. U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, produces around 720 of its cruise missilethe Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missileannually, with plans to expand output to around 1,100.

Around two thirds of arms imports by European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization came from the U.S. over the five years ending 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a think tank.

MBDAs challenges arent limited to making more missiles, faster.

Despite the strong demand for long-distance air-defense systems, MBDAs Samp/T has failed to gain traction. So far it has attracted just three buyers, two of whichFrance and Italyare involved in its production.

Americas Patriot system has 19 users, nine of which are European.

After arriving in Ukraine, the Samp/T suffered software problems and failed to shoot down ballistic missiles, according to people familiar with the matter.

A spokesman for Eurosam, the consortium that makes the Samp/T, said the group had received positive feedback on its effectiveness in Ukraine.

Europe is also lagging behind the U.S., China and Russia in developing hypersonic missiles, which can fly more than five times the speed of sound and maneuver to their target.

An MBDA-led system to defend against hypersonic missiles wont enter service for around a decade.

We have all that we need in Europe," said Beranger. Its a matter of what we want to do."

Write to Alistair MacDonald at Alistair.Macdonald@wsj.com and Noemie Bisserbe at noemie.bisserbe@wsj.com.
Bengaluru: As Indians increasingly indulge in luxury travel experiences such as 5-star hotels and business class air seats, a growing number of startups is capitalizing on the trend, offering bespoke experiences to cater to rising demand for exclusive, high-end vacations.

30 Sundays, an online travel company that recently raised funds from Info Edge Ventures, Eximius Ventures, and First Cheque, is gearing up to launch a new segment, called 30 Sundays Luxe, for curating personalized semi-luxury and luxury packages, its co-founder Kshitij Chaudhary told Mint.

Travellers have started craving premium experiences like high-end resorts but somehow the market has not kept up with the rise in demand. Salespersons creating premium packages require different skill sets and expertise as the world of travel is evolving every day," Chaudhary said.

Founded in 2022 by former BCG consultant Chaudhary and former Apple executive Anuj Pujani, 30 Sundays will invest as much as 1 crore to build the luxe offering, most of it for building technology capabilities as well as for hiring and training sales teams.

Online visa processing platform Atlys is witnessing a spike in inquiries for premium destinations that promise exclusivityplaces like the French Riviera, Switzerland, the Maldives, and Seychelles. In the last six months alone, luxury-related inquiries have climbed by around 40%, according to Mohak Nahta, founder and chief executive officer.

Also read | Where are Indians travelling in 2025?

Atlys, which secured $20 million in Series B funding from Peak XV Partners and Elevation Capital in November, is noticing a surge in demand not only from metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi but also smaller regions.

While the biggest surge has come from major metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, were seeing a growing wave of interest from fast-emerging urban centers as well, like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Indoreindicating that the appetite for comfort and exclusivity spans the length and breadth of the country," Nahta told Mint.

As per a November report by travel aggregator SkyScanner that surveyed 19,000 travellers across 16 markets, India led the charge in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of travel plans, with 66% of the Indian respondents saying they planned to travel more in 2025. Of them, more than half said they planned to spend more on flights while 45% were willing to spend more on accommodation.

The Asia-Pacific region is among top travel destinations for culinary experiences and celebratory trips, reflecting increasing spending power and shifting preferences, said Mit Desai, practice member (travel and tourism), at Praxis Global Alliance, a business consultancy.

Startups play a key role in expanding the luxury travel trend by leveraging technology to offer personalized and sustainable experiences," said Desai. To maintain customer satisfaction and keep pricing competitive, these companies must continuously innovate and streamline their luxury service offerings."

While the definition of luxury travel is subjective, Desai pegged the average daily spending at upwards of $700 (about 60,000). Today, the idea of luxury is about crafting personalized journeys that resonate with the travelers identity rather than merely reflecting price," he added.

The global luxury travel market was valued at $241 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.8% to $440 billion by the end of this decade, according to estimates by consultancy firm Coherent Market Insights. Emerging economies such as India are expected to aid the expansion of the global luxury travel market, it added.

Big dreams, bigger budgets

Global travel restrictions during the pandemic generated a great deal of pent-up demand, inspiring many people to use their saved funds on indulgent and stress-free getaways. Moreover, higher disposable income among the middle and upper-middle classes has emboldened many to opt for premium, high-end vacations.

Indian travelers are also showing a clear preference for experiential destinations like Switzerland, the Maldives, Dubai, and select European regions, where curated and memorable encounters take precedence over traditional sightseeing, according to Atlyss Nahta.

Recognizing India as a prime market, international brands have also introduced tailored packages and exclusive perks to cater to this segments evolving tastes," Nahta said.

Atlys has introduced concierge support for travellers heading to the UK, the US, and Canada. The streamlined process allows travellers to focus on planning the perfect luxury getaway rather than getting bogged down in paperwork," according to Nahta.

Also read | Class wars: Air India plans premium makeover to extend luxury lead over IndiGo

30 Sundays formulates nearly 150 travel itineraries every month, of which nearly 40% are packages in the semi-luxury and luxury categories, according to co-founder Chaudhary. With an average cost of 1.5-2 lakh for international destinations, couples across age groups are looking beyond domestic regions. Even couples in their 50s are willing to spend on convenience," he said.

Many travellers are also opting for out-of-the-box activities such as scuba diving, food tasting, and spending a day with locals to escape from mainstream and crowded tourist attractions. There is a visible change in mindset and theres no going back," Chaudhary added.

Boon for the industry

The heightened demand for luxury travel is prompting the entire sectorhotels, airlines, and tour operatorsto elevate their game. Top-tier amenities, personalized services, and exceptional comfort levels have become the new standard for appealing to this demographic, Nahta said.

Large hospitality players are benefitting as well. In an interview with Mint in October, David S. Marriott, chairman of hotel chain Marriott International Inc., said luxury and leisure travel had brought the US-based company out of the pandemic.

A key learning is how important leisure travel is. We were earlier pretty reliant on business travel and group business, and the pandemic really reinforced the importance of the leisure traveller," said Marriott. Thats a segment thats been growing, and business travel has been declining slightly. So theres a greater focus on leisure travellers coming out of the pandemic. Luxury and leisure travel brought us out of the pandemic first. The strength in the luxury side has been a wonderful surprise."

Also read | Indias travel rush has a clear winnerand its not airlines

Atlyss Nahta projected a 2530% jump in luxury travel bookings over the next 6-12 months. Aside from the release of pent-up demand and growing flight connectivity, a key factor is Indias revised tax slabs, which give many individuals more disposable income to dedicate to premium, experience-driven vacations," Nahta said.

Additionally, easing visa requirements in popular destinations have made international travel far more accessible to Indian tourists. This not only lowers the barriers to travel in general but also encourages those with a taste for luxury to explore new destinations without the usual logistical hassles, Nahta added.
President Trump petitioned the Supreme Court on Thursday to stay injunctions issued by three different courts against his executive order to end birthright citizenship. The emergency application doesnt ask the justices to rule on the merits, but they will have to do so sooner or later. Im against birthright citizenship for the children of illegal aliens, and a majority of the justices may share that policy preference. But the court will likely hold that enacting that policy into law would take a constitutional amendment, not an executive order.

Mr. Trumps birthright-citizenship order applies not only to illegal aliens but also to aliens lawfully in the U.S. on temporary visas. But even if it applied only to illegal aliens, the court would still probably strike it down.

The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to everyone born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof." The opacity of the jurisdiction" language allows reasonable people to land on either side of this issue. But in 19th-century legal usage, being subject to the jurisdiction" of the U.S. had a long-settled, straightforward meaning. As Chief Justice John Marshall explained in Schooner Exchange v. McFaddon (1812), it meant being subject to U.S. law.

Could you be prosecuted in an American court and imprisoned in an American jail for violating American law? If so, you were subject to U.S. jurisdiction. Thats true of virtually everyone in America, including aliens, even illegal ones. Thus in Marshalls words, private individuals of one nation" who spread themselves through another as business or caprice may direct" become amenable to the jurisdiction of" that country.

Whom, then, did the 14th Amendments jurisdiction clause exclude? There are a few exceptions to the rule that everyone in a country must obey that countrys laws. Foreign ambassadors and their families have diplomatic immunity. When a foreign army invades and conquers another countrys territory, that land becomes subject to the conquering countrys laws. A third exception had to do with Indian tribes, which were seen as quasi-sovereign nations that werent directly governed by American law. But otherwise, everyone in America was subject to American jurisdiction.

The Senates 1866 debate over the citizenship clause reflects this understanding. Sen. Edgar Cowan (R., Pa.) objected to the clause precisely because it would make citizens out of the children of Chinese nationals and gypsies," who belonged to different races and cultures. Sen. John Conness (R., Calif.) endorsed Cowans interpretation. The proposition before us," said Conness, declares that children begotten of Chinese parents in California . . . shall be citizens." For Conness, that was a reason to favor the amendmentso that everyone born in America, regardless of race, would be a full and equal citizen. Proponents and opponents of the Citizenship Clause agreed that it applied to aliens children.

The Supreme Court affirmed this in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), which found that the U.S.-born children of foreign nationals were citizens by birth. For more than 125 years, the court hasnt altered or qualified that holding.

Supporters of Mr. Trumps order correctly point out that in Wong Kim Ark, the parents were lawful permanent U.S. residents, not illegal aliens (although the reasoning of the decision didnt depend on that). They also point to case law and legislative history concerning Native Americans, because it was often argued that Indians were properly excluded from birthright citizenship due to their divided national loyalties. Indians owed some allegiance to their tribes, the argument went, and hence they werent completely" subject to American jurisdiction. Similarly, this argument goes, aliens who arent permanent residents arent completely" subject to American jurisdiction, and hence their children shouldnt be birthright citizens either.

But this argument proves too much. If you apply the divided-loyalty theory to other groups, then the U.S.-born children of an American citizen and a foreign citizen shouldnt be birthright citizens; neither should U.S.-born children of dual citizens. Lawful permanent resident aliens have divided loyalties too, as the Supreme Court held in Harisiades v. Shaughnessy (1952), but even the Trump order doesnt deny that their U.S.-born children are citizens.

The Indian nations were sui generistheir quasi-independent sovereign status made them unique. In the 1860s, an Indian tribal member who killed another Indian in Indian country generally couldnt be tried in an American court; his acts were governed by Indian law. Legally speaking, he wasnt subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. (The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S.) Even if an illegal or temporary alien somehow isnt completely" subject to U.S. jurisdiction, why would that necessarily follow for his children? The citizenship clause looks to whether the child, not the parent, is subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

The unsavoriness of birth tourism" is another argument supporters of Mr. Trumps executive order make. But there are better ways to quell this practice. Congress could impose harsh monetary penalties and automatic deportation on any short-stay visa aliens who enter the U.S. expecting to bear a child here.

Whatever the other disagreements, if theres one consequence of the 14th Amendment no one has ever doubted, its that the U.S.-born children of black former slaves would be thereafter American citizens. In 1868 there were many blacks in America who had been brought here in violation of federal law prohibiting the importation of slaves. The 14th Amendment didnt confer citizenship on these illegal" blacks, although the Naturalization Act of 1870 enabled them to acquire it. But their U.S.-born children were citizens by birth. Theres no record from the 1860s of anyone suggesting that the nationality of a black childs parents, or the legality of the parents presence here, had any relevance. If the child was born in America, he was an Americanperiod.

Mr. Rubenfeld is a professor at Yale Law School.
The Houthi movement emerged in the 1990s as a ragtag tribal insurgency and seized swaths of northern Yemen, including its capital, Sana, in 2014, sparking a continuing civil war. The group sustained thousands of airstrikes by a Saudi-led, U.S.-backed military campaign that lasted more than seven years and failed to restore the internationally-recognized government to power. With Iranian arms and training, the rebels expanded their capacity to menace Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with drones and missiles.

After the Gaza war broke out in late 2023, the Houthis turned their sights on Israeli cities and ships passing by the Yemeni coast into the Red Sea, hobbling commerce through one of the worlds busiest commercial waterways. The Biden administration, along with the U.K., responded with intermittent airstrikes that reduced but didnt stop the Houthi attacks. Israel also conducted its own strikes on Yemen at least four times, including against Sana airport in December.

Now Trump, in the first major military action of his new administration, hopes to succeed where all others have failed. U.S. officials said Saturdays strikes were intended to reopen shipping lanes and serve as a warning to the Houthis Iranian supporters. They described them as the beginning of a sustained campaign, which analysts say could last for weeks.

Freedom of navigation is basic, its a core national interest," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Sunday. The minute the Houthis say, Well stop shooting at your ships, well stop shooting at your drones, this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting."

National security adviser Mike Waltz said the strikes were aimed at the leaders of the Houthis, which Trump designated as a terrorist organization in January after his predecessor delisted them.

This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out," Waltz said, without naming the targets. The Houthi-run health ministry said at least 31 civilians were killed and 101 injured.

The Houthis attacks and defiant response to Western airstrikes have enabled the group to show solidarity with the Palestinians, gain popularity in the Arab world and cast themselves as an international player, sparring head-on with some of the worlds most powerful militaries.

The idea that youre going to do this massive wave of airstrikes and the Houthis are just going to lay on their back and take it is absurd," said Mohammed Albasha, founder of U.S.-based Middle East security advisory Basha Report. Theyre going to retaliate and retaliate severely. Its going to be a vicious cycle."

The airstrikes marked a new level of intensity in the conflict, he said. Besides resuming attacks against Israel and ships, the Houthis could also try to hit U.S. bases in Djibouti, just opposite Yemen, and in the U.A.E., some 800 miles away. If the conflict drags on, he cautioned, the Houthis are likely to resume attacks on Saudi Arabia as an indirect form of pressure on Washington.

Since 2023, the Houthis have targeted more than 100 commercial vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. They recently claimed to have downed a U.S. surveillance drone and fired a missile at a U.S. jet fighter.

A spokesman for the group said its naval operations were targeting Israel for violating the cease-fire in Gaza and that U.S. attacks on Yemen would elicit a response. We will meet escalation with escalation, and the one who starts it is the most unjust," Mohammed al-Bukhaiti wrote on X, casting conflict with the U.S. as a battle between good and evil.

The number of attacks the group can muster may be hampered partially by lost capacity from previous U.S. and Israeli strikes, said Wolf-Christian Paes, a fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London think tank.

Trump joins a succession of U.S. presidents since George W. Bush who have ordered airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthis, the local al Qaeda affiliate or both. In the past decade, the ancient countryalready one of the worlds pooresthas suffered tens of thousands of casualties, famine and disease alongside state failure.

The latest airstrikes targeted Houthi missile launchers that were being moved toward the coast in preparation for new attacks on shipping, according to people briefed by the Trump administration.

They also focused on Houthi leaders homes in Sana and the town of Sadah, the groups mountainous home base, the people said. Going after the leaders, which the Biden administration mostly refrained from doing out of fear of escalation, could further undermine the Houthis capacity to respond, analysts say. But it also risks making them more unpredictable and susceptible to lashing out.

The Houthis are likely to show resistance, meaning the U.S. policy of deterrence will take time to show its effectiveness," said Osamah Al Rawhani, executive director for policy and partnerships at the Sana Center for Strategic Studies. The group has consistently demonstrated the ability to adapt and recover."

The U.S. military action followed a threat last week from the Houthis to resume attacks on Israel-linked ships after Israel cut off aid deliveries into Gaza. The Houthis began attacking ships in November 2023 in response to the Israeli bombardment and siege of Gaza and stopped when a cease-fire went into effect two months ago.

The major difference now is that Irans network of allied forces across the Middle East is devastated. The U.S.-designated terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened in their conflicts with Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, while Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was replaced in December by Islamist rebels.

Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the top commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, this weekend rejected Trumps claim that Tehran was backing the Houthis and threatened a decisive and devastating response" to any direct U.S. attack against Iran.

Deliveries of small arms, drones and missiles to Yemen have been disrupted by frequent seizures at sea by the U.S. and its allies, but Western security officials say Iran has found alternative smuggling routes.

Targeting the Houthis threatens to remove one of Irans last remaining levers of retaliation against the U.S. and Israel, said Elisabeth Kendall, a Middle East expert and the head of the University of Cambridges Girton College.

It is likely also a recognition that the Houthis need to be dealt with directly," she said. Even if a deal were reached with Iran, the Houthis operate with enough independence and capability to continue to be a thorn in the side of the U.S. and its allies."

Write to Stephen Kalin at stephen.kalin@wsj.com
Pfizer had a problem. Doctors werent prescribing its migraine drug Nurtec because they assumed insurance coverage would be too much of a hassle.

So last year the company created a phone line for doctors and patients to call Pfizer directly for help. Pfizer now credits that and other changes for a 31% increase in Nurtecs U.S. sales last year.

The beleaguered drugmakers shares still havent recovered from their post-Covid slump, and shareholders are wary. But sales of products such as Nurtec and the vaccine Abrysvo that the company has been counting on are rising, and an activist shareholders push has lost steam.

Pfizer did it by shaking up its U.S. sales strategy, shifting where it deploys its sales representatives, how they market to doctors and how the company helps patients pay for their prescriptions.

Nurtec sales have picked up. The drug delivered $1.2 billion in U.S. revenue last year, up 31% from 2023.

Chief Executive Albert Bourla says the company is on an upswing, after Pfizer beat analyst estimates recently for the fourth consecutive quarter.

Everything is clicking," Bourla said.

Pfizer made a big bet on Nurtec. The drug was the crown jewel of an $11.6 billion deal that closed in 2022. Analysts estimated the medicine would ring up $4 billion in yearly sales by 2030, revenue Pfizer was counting on as sales from older products faded.

But Nurtec sales under Pfizer got off to a disappointing start. It was Pfizers fault, said Peter McAllister, a neurologist and co-founder of New England Institute for Neurology and Headache, one of the countrys biggest prescribers of migraine drugs, in Stamford, Conn.

Instead of really getting out there promoting" Nurtec, he said, Pfizer made it an orphan stepchild of their cardiovascular division. They assigned reps and people who really had priorities that were not in the headache space."

Aamir Malik, who began leading Pfizers U.S. commercial business early last year, gave priority to turning around Nurtec. We felt like there was a lot more that could be done," he said.

Peter McAllister, a neurologist, says Pfizer has put more emphasis on its migraine business than it did a few years ago.

Pfizer revamped its sales approach. It shifted dozens of repsthe salespeople who call on doctorsto the eastern U.S. from the West. The reason: Many of the more than 800 migraine specialists and headache centers like McAllisters are there.

The company also encouraged the reps to spend more time with doctors, especially those who prescribed a lot, to explain the drugs benefits and answer questions. It told the reps to dial back the virtual sales meetings that had increased during the pandemic and to see doctors in personand for longer. It tied employee bonuses to meeting with frequent prescribers, rather than with doctors broadly.

McAllister sees a difference. They needed to get reorganized and to put more emphasis on it, and Im seeing that now," the doctor said. McAllister has consulted for migraine drugmakers, including Pfizer.

Another reason that physicians werent prescribing Nurtec: reimbursement. Health plans tend to restrict coverage of migraine drugs, requiring patients to try older, less expensive medicines first and doctors to fill out paperwork. Doctors werent prescribing Nurtec figuring plans wouldnt cover it.

Pfizer began offering help. It set up a website to explain to patients what insurance policies say and how they can get financial support. It created a toll-free hotline for doctors and patients to ask for help navigating prior authorization and other insurer restrictions. Its reps gave doctors such as Alan Finkel, a neurologist and co-founder of the Carolina Headache Institute in Durham, N.C., pamphlets breaking down insurance policies.

The companys efforts help him and his office navigate health coverage that is complicated because theres a lot of caveats," Finkel said. He has consulted for migraine drugmakers, including Nurtecs developer.

Nurtec sales have picked up. The drug delivered $1.2 billion in U.S. revenue last year, up 31% from 2023.

Abrysvo, Pfizers shot for a respiratory virus known by its initials RSV, was supposed to build on the companys success with a Covid-19 vaccine. Analysts expected a blockbuster with yearly sales reaching some $2 billion.

Pfizers RSV vaccine Abrysvo in the manufacturing process.

But a rival RSV shot, GSKs Arexvy, got off to a better start. To catch up, Pfizer overhauled how it packages, sells and distributes vaccines.

The company improved the shots vial after pharmacies and hospitals complained that the vaccine used up too much refrigerator space and took too long to prepare. Pfizer redesigned the vials to make them easier to store and use.

The company had been selling Abrysvo alone, rather than bundled with other company shots. Yet pharmacieswhere most RSV vaccines are givenfound buying bundles of vaccines to be more convenient. And Pfizer, by bundling vaccines together, could compete on the breadth of its offerings, rather than simply price.

Pfizer poached workers from rivals who knew how to write vaccine contracts and bundle shots. The company began offering pharmacies a package including Abrysvo and Prevnar, Pfizers big-selling pneumonia shot.

Abrysvos share of vaccine administration in retail pharmacies increased to 43% during the RSV season last year, up from 32% during the period in 2023, according to prescription data-tracking firm Iqvia. By the second half of 2024, Abrysvo had a 48% share in pharmacies and other locations, Pfizer said. Abrysvo sales have pulled roughly even with those of GSKs Arexvy.

Write to Jared S. Hopkins at jared.hopkins@wsj.com
President Trump said he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as the U.S. pushes to end the war in Ukraine.

We want to see if we can bring that war to an end," Trump told reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, according to a video published by the Associated Press. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance."

Trump said a lot of work" had been done over the weekend ahead of Tuesdays conversation, which would include discussions on terms for ending a conflict that recently entered its fourth year.

U.S. and Russian officials have been in talks on Ukraine over recent weeks, an effort that gathered pace after Washington reached an agreement with Kyiv last week on a 30-day cease-fire proposal. Putin has so far rejected that proposal and renewed calls for discussions on a permanent end to the war.

Well be talking about land. Well be talking about power plants," Trump told reporters when asked about concessions that the U.S. would seek from Russia in a peace deal.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia," Trump said. We are already talking about thatdividing up certain assets."

Russia has secured steady gains on the battlefield and largely dislodged Ukraines toehold in the region of Kursk, the slice of Russian territory it took last August that Ukrainian officials had hoped would give them extra leverage in any talks.

Moscow in the past has ruled out a temporary cease-fire and insisted that a lasting agreement to halt the fighting would take time to negotiate. It has insisted that it holds on to at least the 18% of Ukrainian territory it already controls, an area roughly equivalent in size to Virginia. It also expressed its intention to reverse policies that have sidelined Russian cultural influence in Ukraine and preclude the countrys membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Write to Chun Han Wong at chunhan.wong@wsj.com
Donald Trumps second presidential term promises to be bullish for energy supplies, but not likely for oil prices.

Trumps rapid-fire policy changes have created an atmosphere of uncertainty across financial markets. Crude oil, like other commodities, has been volatile as investors worry Trumps tariffs could weaken the economyand therefore oil demand.

The drill, baby, drill" president supports a policy of U.S. energy dominance. But his policies are double-edged for the industry. He wants more oil produced at lower prices, posing a challenge to companies that profit on higher prices.

Oil prices fell this week on tariff worries. West Texas Intermediate futures traded below $67 per barrel Friday. Brent, the international benchmark, was under $71 per barrel.

Prices are lower than anybodys definition of fair market value," said Ed Morse, senior advisor at Hartree Partners. He ascribed lower prices to tariff concerns, a recent statement by the new energy secretary about the possibility of $50 oil, and plans for new production by the OPEC+ oil cartel.

Morse spoke at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference in Houston, where the mood among traders was bearish. He said oil prices should rise as summer approaches and driving demand increases. Tariff uncertainty clouds forecasts, however.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright received a warm welcome at the conference. He promised the industry the Trump administration would clear hurdles for more drilling and transportation of energy.

He was earlier quoted by the Financial Times as saying he wants more oil supply, and that production could drive prices lower. The industry could still drill at $50 a barrel, the newspaper reported Wright saying.

Many analysts say that level is uneconomic for the shale industry.

Barrons asked Wright in Houston if he expects a $50 oil price. Im not here to talk about energy prices. I dont know oil prices," Wright said. We want more supply."

Some additional supply will come from OPEC+. The group is made up of Saudi Arabia-led OPEC and its ally Russia. The group said on March 3 it had agreed to begin the reversal of its more than two years of production cuts and would add 138,000 barrels a day to the market in April.

While the boost is relatively small, the timing surprised traders. It is the first step in returning 2.2 million barrels to the market by 2026.

OPEC+ announced an increase in production at price levels where they previously would have extended the cuts," said Jim Burkhard, vice president and head of research for oil markets, energy and mobility at S&P Global. They cut when prices were much higher than they were today."

The production boost followed calls by Trump for the cartel to add supply. Burkhard believes that wasnt a coincidence. Some OPEC members also wanted to increase supply.

Now you have Russia willing to accommodate U.S. interests in the oil market," Burkhard said in an interview. That is the big change, and then you had Saudi Arabia involved in it as well. So you had the big three having mutual interests in geopolitics and oil," he said.

After the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Russia are the worlds second and third largest oil producers.

The U.S. relationship with longtime adversary Russia has warmed as the Trump administration attempts to end the war in Ukraine. Saudi Arabia is hosting cease-fire talks.

The U.S., at least as long as Trump is president, is going to be a moderating influence on prices," Burkhard said.

An agreement to end the war in Ukraine might also add more oil to the market, if it leads the U.S. to end sanctions on Russia. OPEC+ would still determine production, however, S&P global said in a research note.

Slowing oil demand may also hold down prices. The international agency forecasts growth of one million barrels a day this year, a reduction from previous estimates.

There are 600,000 surplus barrels produced each day.

Also bearish for prices is a record high in oil considered spare capacity. That production can be brought back quickly. Spare capacity is about six million barrels a day, S&P global estimates.

Chinas thirst for oil is slackening. Growth in demand for refined products for fuel peaked in 2023, according to Pei Wang, vice president of the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute. Chinas overall oil demand growth was just 1%, and was driven by petrochemicals, she said in an interview.

Petrochemical demand will continue to grow, she said. The countrys demand for natural gas grew by 8% last year, and that demand should not peak until 2040, she said.

India is growing but it isnt going to offset China," Burkhard said.

Oil consumption in Africa is relatively low but could rise along with fast-growing populations. African demand is a wild card because it could surprise us to the upside," Burkhard said.

That is on top of the uncertainty posed by an unpredictable Trump administration. New tariffs could change the outlook again. Producers will be left to catch up.
New Delhi: Oil and gas imports are emerging as a key factor in the ongoing bilateral trade talks between the US and India, as the latter races to cement a strategy before the reciprocal tariff deadline of 2 April laid down by US President Donald Trump.

To assuage Trump and the US, India plans to increase the share of Western Texas Intermediate or WTI crude in the countrys import basket, which could even entail setting of a quota, three people aware of the developments said on condition of anonymity. WTI is the US benchmark for crude oil, while Brent crude is the benchmark for oil sourced from the North Sea area in Europe, largely produced by the UK and Norway.

At present, the governments focus is on preventing the imposition of any reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods while positioning India as a trade-friendly nation in the global geopolitical landscape, particularly with the US," one of the persons mentioned above said.

A strategy is being prepared for energy imports from the US," a second person said. It will have a major role in the talks for trade agreement and in order to get tariff concessions." This person pointed out that the US used to be the third or fourth largest oil supplier before the Russia-Ukraine war started, and imports from the country can again be increased, even if it doesnt emerge as the topmost supplier.

Also read |IEA says trade tensions weigh on oil demand, warns of supply surplus

To be sure, India has already assured the US that it would ramp up energy ties and increase imports. After Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with Trump last month in Washington, foreign secretary Vikram Misri had said that India aims to increase its purchases of US energy in the near future.

A third person aware of developments said that following that assurance, the Centre may now propose to fix certain quantum or quota of its total oil imports for sourcing crude from the US, which would be higher than the current share of supplies from the US.

Currently, the US comprises 4.53% of total oil imports to India, and is its fifth-largest supplier. Data from the ministry of commerce and industry showed that India imported 7.09 million tonnes of crude oil worth $4.95 billion from the US in April-December 2024, a 1.18% fall in volume from the same period a year ago. However, in value terms, oil imports from the US increased 7.6% from $4.61 billion in the same period last fiscal.

However, it is way behind the fourth largest supplierthe UAE, which has exported $10.87 billion worth of oil as of December in current fiscal (FY25). The top crude exporter to India was Russia, which had 36.47% share with $39.86 billion worth exports in that period.

Also read |Energy transition to get delayed amid Trump's push for oil, gas: Kearney's Sevin

Meanwhile, the US is already the second largest supplier of LNG (liquefied natural gas) to India after Qatar. New LNG facilities are likely to come up in 2026, after which the supplies of the cleaner fuel are expected to increase.

Queries emailed to the Union ministries of commerce and industry, external affairs, and petroleum and natural gas remained unanswered till press time.

The Centres plan is part of its efforts to gather inputs from various ministries regarding their proposals for importing goods from the US and identify products on which duties can be adjusted to balance trade, as reported by Mint on 24 February.

Trump's tariff stance

After taking office, Trump has been pushing for more of oil and gas production and looking at reducing trade deficit with countries including India, with steep tariffs on imports from other countries as a key tool for negotiations.

Also read |Trade talks: US demands level playing field in e-commerce, India resists

He has also spoken several times on high" tariffs or, as India calls it, customs duty on supplies from the US and the need to impose high tariffs by the Americans. India now is in talks for a trade agreement with the US and is looking at ways to avoid these high tariffs as announced in the case of Canada, Mexico and China.

During PM Modis recent visit to the US, Trump said that both the countries have reached an important" agreement on energy that would make the US one of the leading suppliers of oil and gas to India, hopefully number one supplier".

To be sure, imports from the US have already witnessed an uptick of late at a time when supplies from Russia, the largest supplier of crude to India, have been impacted by sanctions on several shipping lines.

An Economic Times report citing data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa said that the average crude loading for India-bound ships at US ports was 0.2 million barrels per day in February, up from 0.11 million barrels per day in January.

Also read |Can a zero-for-zero approach thwart reciprocal tariffs?

Number one not likely

Analysts and people with direct knowledge of the developments, however, said that although oil imports from the US are set to rise, it is unlikely that the US would become Indias top supplier.

Prashant Vasisht, senior vice president and co-group head, corporate ratings, Icra, pointed out that despite WTI crude being lighter and easier to refine, and despite not needing significant changes in Indias refineries, oil imports from the US have been on the lower side largely because of high transportation costs. On the other hand, in the case of gas, prices are much more competitive, he said.

However, supplies of gas would take some time, maybe by 2026, 2027 as the infrastructure in the US takes off for export of the surplus gas it has," said Vasisht. Few India companies have already signed for long-term contracts of LNG from the US, but that would come after 2026. We would not see immediate increase in LNG supplies, but the increase in crude supplies can take off."

According to Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) founder Ajay Srivastava, the US has not clarified whether the reciprocal tariff applies to specific products or entire sectors.

GTRI founder further noted that the top 100 US export products make up 75% of Indias total imports from the country. While Indias simple average tariff stands at 17%, actual duties on key US imports are much lower. Petroleum crude attracts a minimal duty of Re 1 per tonne, while cut and polished diamonds are not taxed, as most are re-imported, he said.

Also read |India, US eye mini trade deal before full pact, set aside sensitive issues

According to data from the commerce ministry, Indias total exports to the US stood at $60 billion in FY25 (April-December), while imports were recorded at $34.3 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $25.7 billion. In FY24, Indias exports to the US were $77.5 billion, with imports at $42.2 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $35.3 billion.
Battered Tesla investors could use one of those right now.

On Friday evening, SpaceX launched NASAs Crew-10 mission carrying Commander Anne McClain, Pilot Nichole Ayers, Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov in a Dragon space capsule to the International Space Station.

Dragon successfully docked with the ISS on Saturday evening, about 28 hours after takeoff. SpaceX has now carried 60 crew members to the ISS.

SpaceX is the only U.S. company that can make the trip.

The mission will also facilitate the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. In June, they traveled to the ISS on a Boeing Starliner, but technical difficulties prevented Boeing from bringing them home. Williams and Wilmore will return in the Dragon capsule currently docked at the ISS. The ship that just docked will stay.

Its another impressive event for SpaceX. What SpaceX has to do with Tesla is a valid question, though. There are a few things to consider.

For starters, Elon Musk, of course, runs them both. (At current prices, Musks Tesla stake is valued at about $170 billion. His SpaceX stake is closer to $150 billion.)

Next, a SpaceX success is good for Musk, and Tesla investors will take any good Musk news these days. For weeks, investors have worried that Musks political activities in the Trump administration are turning off core Tesla buyerspolitically left-leaning people wanting to go green.

Tesla sales in the U.S., Europe, and China were weak to start the year. It might not all be Musk. RBC analyst Tom Narayan points out that the Model Y changeover explains part of the weakness. Tesla recently updated its most popular model and is ramping up production of the new Y. There is typically an air pocket when sales of an old car model fall as buyers wait for the upgrade.

Finally, there is a robot angle.

Musk tweeted about SpaceX on Saturday morning before the docking, saying that his rocket company will be headed to Mars in 2026, carrying Optimus," adding if those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029."

Humans can only target Mars every two years or so. Thats when the planets orbital paths are relatively close.

Optimus is Teslas AI-trained humanoid robot, which Tesla wants to start selling as early as this year.

Musk, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, believe that an age of useful AI-trained robots is just around the corner. Its a new business for Tesla, and a robot assisting with a trip to Mars, in any capacity, would be quite a feat, demonstrating substantial progress developing the robot.

Narayan rates Tesla shares Buy. The nascent robot business represents only 1% of his $440 price target, which could move higher if Optimus successfully helps SpaceX reach the red planet.

AI-trained self-driving cars represent about 57% of his price target. Tesla is slated to launch a robotaxi service as soon as June.

Robotaxi hype helped Tesla hit almost $489 a share in mid-December. Coming into Monday trading, shares were down 49% from those highs. Whats more, Tesla shares have dropped for eight consecutive weeks, losing 41% over that span. The S&P 500 is down about 6% over that span.

Painful declines like that are why Tesla investors will take any good news, even tangentially good news, right now.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com
The Indian automobile industry expanded by a modest 7% year-on-year in the quarter ending 31 December 2024. The sectors growth was dragged down by the passenger vehicle (PV) segment, which grew by a meagre 3% and the commercial vehicle (CV) segment, which shrunk by 2% during the period.

But there have been pockets of strength. For instance, the registration for electric two-wheelers expanded by 37% on-year. The government focus has also continued on new-age vehicles. The budget 2025 announced an exemption of customs duties for components used in electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing, and the National Manufacturing Mission has been formed with a focus on clean tech manufacturing to improve the EV charging ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, the Gurugram-based auto components manufacturer UNO Minda caught investors attention around the middle of 2024 when it entered into a technical license agreement with Inovance Automotive (HK) Investment. This development sparked hopes of Minda expanding its EV footprint by leveraging Inovances expertise in EV powertrain technology. Investors rejoiced, sending the stock skyrocketing by 60% in less than three months.

Also Read: Five undervalued auto stocks that are set for a comeback

But this EV rush didn't last long, and UNO Minda has corrected by almost 30% since then. This month, there has been an uptick due to its limited international exposure in an increasingly protectionist world order. But will this optimism persist?

Reason the EV rush didn't last longer

Mindas EV revenues have been growing exponentially. In the December quarter, EV sales for Minda grew by 45% on-year. While these sales have been driven by the sales of low-voltage EV components to two-wheeler original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Minda has also started winning orders from four-wheeler OEMs for components, including battery disconnecting units and EVSE-wall mount charging units.

It is also engaged in the self-development of other four-wheeler EV components, such as acoustic vehicle alert systems, high-voltage integrated charging units, and electric drive units.

UNO Minda also extended its collaboration with Inovance into a 30-70 (Inovance-Minda) joint venture in February to develop high-voltage EV powertrain components for PVs and CVs. Mindas capacity expansion plans, spanning five to six years for EV-specific components, are expected to further help its EV business.

That said, it is important to note that EV is still a small part of Mindas business. In the latest quarter, EV contributed 238 crore to Mindas revenues. That is less than 6% of its total revenues. In fact, more than 95% of its product portfolios are powertrain agnostic, which indicates that the focus on EVs is still in its nascent stage. So, it will be a while before the EV initiatives start bearing tangible fruit.

Low global exposure has been a blessing

UNO Mindas subsidiary in Europe, Clarton Horn, has been facing headwinds from rising costs of production, cheaper imports, and a slow transition to EVs. However, since only 11% of UNO Mindas revenues come from international markets, including Europe, the impact of Europes challenges on overall revenues has been limited. Going forward, expansion in Indonesia is expected to diversify international exposure beyond Europe.

Furthermore, as the US imposes tariffs on auto imports, the direct impact on UNO Minda is expected to be low, given its low international exposure. As Trumps tariff threats intensified this month, UNO Minda shares have appreciated by more than 9%, while the broader Nifty Auto Index has remained flat.

However, given that OEMs serviced by UNO Minda have significant international exposure, the indirect impact of tariffs on UNO Minda cannot be ruled out.

Mainstay products have slowed down growth

While the broader auto industry has grown by 7% on-year, UNO Minda has significantly outperformed with 18.8% growth in revenues during the period. But it is important to note that while the companys mainstay products include switching and lighting systems, castings, seatings, and acoustics, the latest quarters revenue growth has been driven by 46.2% growth in other products". This can be attributed to new product launches and growth in EV component sales.

Meanwhile, despite a recovery in the two-wheeler market, premiumization, and capacity expansion, its primary productsswitching systems, lighting systems, and castingswhich contributed two-thirds of its revenues, witnessed relatively mellow growth in the range of 12% to 15.3%.

At the same time, challenges in Europes agricultural vehicle sector have led to degrowth of 0.4% in the seatings segment despite the commencement of pneumatic seat manufacturing for domestic CVs. Its European subsidiary, Carlton Horns challenges are reflected in the 9% degrowth of acoustics revenues.

Segment positioning has worked in its favour

With healthy monsoons and government support, domestic rural demand has recovered. This has led to 8% on-year growth in two-wheeler sales, even as the overall PV segment grew by a meagre 3%. UNO Minda has benefited from this trend, as almost half of its revenues are derived from sales to two-wheeler OEMs.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have CV sales, which have shrunk by 2% on-year. As the government prioritizes fiscal deficit, government capex has slowed down. FY25 government capex is expected to close at a little over 10 trillion, falling significantly short of the targeted 11.11 trillion.

To make matters worse, in an environment marked by persistent geopolitical and economic uncertainty, private capex has been waiting on the fence. This has resulted in low infrastructure spending. Combined with high vehicle costs due to the transition to BS-VI emission norms, domestic CV sales have been impacted. UNO Minda has remained relatively insulated from this slowdown, as only 4% of its revenues come from sales to CV OEMs.

Capacity expansion to fuel growth

UNO Minda has undertaken capacity expansion worth 2,790 crore in projects spanning five to six years. This includes the new greenfield plant for switches at Farrukhnagar and a four-wheeler lighting plant at Pune, which have already commenced operations. Two-wheeler alloy wheel manufacturing capacity has been increased by 50% to 6 MPA. The merger with Kosei, which recently received approval from the National Company Law Tribunal, can also be expected to further revenue growth.

That said, capacity expansion will continue to weigh on the companys net debt, which increased to 1,964 crore in December 2024. Still, thanks to the accumulation of reserves over the years, the debt-to-equity ratio has improved to 0.25x in 2023-24 from 0.4x in 2019-20.

Margins can pick up over the long term

Rising costs of raw materials led to 46 basis point compression in gross margin in the latest reported quarter. Furthermore, interest costs spiked up to 47 crore in Q3FY25, up from 29 crore in the year-ago period. However, thanks to the companys lean manufacturing and automation initiatives, Ebitda and PAT grew faster than revenues at 20+% year-on-year. Ebitda is short for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

For more such analyses, read Profit Pulse.

Going forward, over the medium term, interest expenses can be expected to pick up further and weigh on margins. But as capacity utilization improves, extending the trend of rising margins seen over the last few years, operational leverage can be expected to help support margins over the long term.

Ananya Roy is the founder of Credibull Capital, a Sebi-registered investment adviser. X: @ananyaroycfa

Disclosure: The author does not hold any shares of the companies discussed. 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.
Even as Indian stock markets go through a rough patch, Chinese equities have rebounded after lagging for around a decade. Global investors are looking to ride this rally.

Over the past 10 years, the Shanghai SE Composite Index rose just 2.5%. However, the Chinese governments stimulus measures to boost domestic consumption and DeepSeek's AI model lifted the sentiment. China's benchmark index has delivered 12.55% returns over the past one year compared with a 1.8% rise in the Nifty 50 during the period in terms of local currency.

Trading volumes of iShares China Large-Cap ETF, which tracks Chinese blue-chip stocks, swelled 2.8 times in February, according to data from global investing platform Vested Finance.

In this series on global investing, we explore how Indians can invest in different geographies. Here is a look at the investment routes available for local investors looking to participate in the Chinese markets.

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Mutual funds

The Edelweiss Greater China Equity Off-shore Fund and Axis Greater China Equity FoF are two funds of funds open for Indian investors.

For Edelweiss's fund, the lumpsum investment limit is 1 lakh a day, per PAN (permanent account number) and that also applies to monthly systematic investment plans (SIPs). The fund had assets under management (AUM) of 1,946 crore as on 13 February 2025.

The Axis Greater China Equity FoF is fully open without any investment limits. Its AUM stood at 445 crore as of 12 February 2025.

As an FoF, Edelweiss fund feeds into JPMorgan Greater China Fund, while the Axis fund feeds into the Schroder International Selection Fund Greater China.

Capital gains from these funds will be taxed as long-term capital gains at 12.5% if the investment is held for more than two years. If the investment is held for a lesser period, short-term gains are taxed at the income tax slab rate applicable to an investor.

Meanwhile, China-focused ETFs on domestic exchanges are trading at a premium to their iNAVs (indicative NAVs or the fair value of the ETF) due to overseas investing limits. Market makers can't buy foreign stocks to create new units, restricting supply.

Nippon India ETF Hang Seng BeES was trading at 12.3% premium to its iNAV as of 2.18 pm on 17 March 2025, while Mirae Hang Seng TECH ETF was trading at a 18.4% premium as of 1.06 pm. The premiums vary, depending upon the ETFs price movement on exchanges versus its iNAV movement. Mirae Asset MF has issued an advisory to investors to check the iNAV of the ETF before investing.

Long-term capital gains on these ETFs also get taxed at 12.5% if the holding period is more than one year.

LRS route

Investors looking for more options can directly invest in Chinese ETFs listed on US stock exchanges. For this, they can use the liberalized remittance scheme (LRS), which allows a remittance of up to $250,000 ( 2.17 crore) per individual per financial year.

Fintech platforms allow investing in Chinese ETFs such as iShares MSCI China, iShares China Large-Cap ETF and Invesco China Technology ETF, which are among the largest China-focused ETFs.

To start your investment journey through these platforms, you first need to sign up and complete your KYC (know your customer). Then link your Indian bank account. The platform will also have a US wallet, which is used by the US broker to fund your purchases on US exchanges.

An investor needs to transfer funds from an Indian bank account to the US wallet via LRS. Once initiated, the fund transfer typically takes 24 hours to show in the US wallet. The rupee-dollar conversion fee charged by the bank is around 1% of the transaction value. This is also applicable at the time of dollar-rupee conversion on withdrawal.

These platforms also charge a brokerage fee. It can be as low as 0.05% or 0.25%. The fee is applicable on both buying and selling. Some platforms even charge a withdrawal fee, which can be as high as $5 per withdrawal.

If the holding period is more than two years, a long-term capital gains tax rate of 12.5% is applicable. If the holding period is less than two years, gains are slabbed at an investor's tax rate.

There are some more tax implications. If the LRS transfer exceeds 10 lakh in a financial year, TCS (tax collected at source) of 20% is applicable. Remember, TCS can be adjusted against TDS (tax deducted at source) on salary income.

In the US, the practice is to keep the ETFs and stocks in the brokers street name. Investments lie with the custodian, but in brokers name. The ETFs are linked to investors broking account on the brokers books.

To address the risk of broker default, the US government mandates that securities are covered under SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation), which covers a portfolio of up to $500,000 ( 4.34 crore).

The platforms offering LRS-based international investing include Vested Finance, Appreciate, Interactive Brokers, INDMoney and India INX Global Access, among others.

Should you take China exposure?

Every economy has different dynamics. Another country might do well when one's home country underperforms and vice-versa. Hence, geographical diversification is as important as asset class diversification.

We recommend 10-20% exposure to global markets as part of ones overall portfolio," said Kavitha Menon, founder of Probitus Wealth.

Investors with a higher risk appetite can consider Chinese exposure, she said, adding that at reasonable valuations and pro-business policies of the government, fears of China being uninvestable" may be unfounded.

Even after the recent rally, Hang Seng Index traded at 11.8-times trailing 12-month earnings as of 14 March, close to its 10-year average price-to-earning valuation multiple.

According to Ashish Gupta, chief investment officer at Axis MF, "Concerns around China stemmed from two sources. The first was the business downcycle with real estate at the epicentre. Real estate had been a big part of their economic growth for over five-seven years before the crisis in 2021. The second was stemming from the political situation where, for social and political reasons, the environment was becoming minimally supportive of business."

The Chinese economy was already dealing with US tariff hikes back in 2018, but its resilience got masked amid all the other issues, he said. New capacities were built on several high-growth industries like renewables, nuclear, electric vehicles, etc. From the US, the export market was diversified to emerging markets. Now, there seems to be some bottoming out of the real estate cycle as well."

Amid a new round of trade pressures and tariff hikes from the US, Chinas political leadership appears to be focused on stimulating the domestic economy rather than clampdown growth, said Gupta. The current presidents recent meeting with Chinese tech leaders is also a positive signal. The composition of Chinese markets has changed. Their current market valuations of 9-10-times should be seen in the context of a large part of its earnings coming from their tech companies."

While the US market is also facing a period of volatility after President Donald Trumps tariff hikes, it remains the worlds largest economy that can't be ignored. Investors can consider a mix of China and US exposure to geographically diversify their portfolio.
New Delhi: India is focusing its US engagement on a trade deal rather than Washington's contentious plans to impose reciprocal tariffs.

According to three senior government officials, India is not engaging with the US on reciprocal tariffs; instead, discussions remain centered on shaping a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). The officials spoke after a high-level Indian delegation visited the US from 4-8 March to discuss the contours of the proposed BTA.

"We are adhering to the commitments outlined in the joint statement issued on 13 February for the proposed BTA, which is targeted for completion by the fall of 2025," said the first among the three officials mentioned above on the sidelines of the release of trade data on Monday.

India's focus on the bilateral trade agreement comes amid a lack of clarity on which countries the US plans to impose reciprocal tariffs.

There is a legal process for levying reciprocal tariff. The US is conducting an investigation and based on its report, will consider imposing a reciprocal tariff on specific items.

Besides India, the US is also engaging with the UK for a trade agreement.

Our visit was focused on the Bilateral Trade Agreementhow it will take shape, and what its key elements will beall of which are under discussion. But one thing we are certain about is that we are moving forward in a positive direction on the BTA, and we are very open to doing a very good trade deal with the US. In fact, both countries are moving forward with the agreement in a positive manner," said the second official, who wished not to be named.

On opening agriculture market

In response to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicks statement regarding India's need to open up its agricultural market, the third Indian government official said, "That is their demand, and both countries have their own demands, which is why we are taking time to frame a comprehensive trade agreement."

"The U.S. has chosen the bilateral path, and we are making positive progress on it," the official said.

Ajay Sahai, DG, FIEO, said, "I totally agree with it, as India is already committed to finalizing the BTA by the fall of 2025, and that is the commitment both the Prime Minister and the President have made. At the same time, we are looking to increase trade from $200 billion to $500 billion. Our focus has to be on the BTA, and since India is constructively engaged with the U.S., the reciprocal tariff on 2 April may be deferred for India. I personally feel that the reciprocal tariff will not be imposed on India."

Also read | How will policy shifts impact India-US bilateral trade pact

As per the joint statement of 13 February, which was issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump, the US and India plan to negotiate the first phase of a multi-sector BTA by the fall of 2025.

Senior representatives will lead discussions to align trade ties with the COMPACTs (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) goals. Both nations aim to boost market access, reduce trade barriers, and enhance supply chain integration through an integrated approach, as per the joint statement.

"The big shift in US trade policy threatens to negatively impact global trade. The move has already resulted in many countries taking a protectionist approach towards trade. All indications suggest that the US could further harden its stand on tariffs which will affect the world adversely. India has been one of the few major countries which has managed to do well on exports despite various back-to-back challenges," said Pankaj Chadha, Chairman, EEPC India.

Welcoming initial steps

As per the joint statement, both leaders welcomed initial steps to address bilateral trade barriers. The US acknowledged Indias recent tariff reductions on bourbon, motorcycles, ICT products, and metals, and its improved market access for US agricultural products and medical devices, while India appreciated US efforts to boost exports of Indian mangoes and pomegranates.

Both sides pledged to enhance trade by increasing US industrial goods exports to India and Indian labour-intensive manufactured exports to the US while also collaborating to expand agricultural trade.

According to data from the Commerce Ministry, India's exports to the US stood at $60 billion in the current fiscal year (April-December), while imports were recorded at $34.3 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $25.7 billion. In FY24, India's exports to the US were $77.5 billion, with imports at $42.2 billion, leading to a trade surplus of $35.3 billion. In FY23, Indias exports were $78.5 billion, with imports at $50.9 billion, leading to a trade surplus of $27.7 billion.

Earlier, Mint reported that India is considering fixing a quota for the import of lentils and plans to increase the share of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude in the countrys import basket.

WTI is the U.S. benchmark for crude oil, while Brent crude is the benchmark for oil sourced from the North Sea area in Europe, largely produced by the UK and Norway.

According to an SBI Research report, India's exports to the United States could decline by 3-3.5% if Washington implements reciprocal tariffs. However, this potential impact is expected to be mitigated by India's diversified export portfolio and strategic trade initiatives. The report highlights India's efforts to expand its export base, enhance value addition, and explore alternative trade routes, including new pathways from Europe to the US via West Asia, effectively redrawing supply chain dynamics.
I was feeling jittery this Holi, as the fortnight prior had brought news of communal clashes in two states. Is Holi, a festival of love and universal kinship, fast becoming a relic?

I remember the 1980s, when I used to work in Varanasi and Allahabad (now Prayagraj). Those were my formative years as a journalist, and I used to attend meetings organized by the district administration at police stations ahead of Holi. These aman committee meetings (peace committee meetings) used to be attended by senior district officers, priests, sadhus, heads of mutts, muftis and maulvis, besides distinguished gentlemen of the city.

They would deliberate for hours and invariably conclude on celebrating Holi together. Officials at these meetings would also deliver stern warnings, though sugar-coated, that anyone who tried to act smart would pay a heavy price.

For the police, Holi was a strenuous time, especially if it fell on Fridays. It was when communal tensions could be sparked off easily, and some cities in North India were notorious for annual rioting in the festival season. During the riots, radical elements from both communities would pressure people to economically boycott the other community. But within days, such bitterness would vanish and people would regain their composure.

Also read | A verdict against the mismatch in words and deeds

But today, is there a concerted effort to break this resilience?

A study by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) shows that 2024 saw 59 communal clashes compared with 32 in 2023an 84% spike in a year. And most clashes occurred during religious festivals.

The CSSS report further says four riots broke out during the Ram Lalla consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, seven during idol immersion on Saraswati puja, four during Ganesh utsav and two on Bakrid.

A dangerous trend is taking shape today where religious processions are turning into a show of power. As the world descends into communal frenzy, India could have set a high bar of public conduct with its age-old traditions. But the opposite of that is happening.

A few days ago, a police officers apparent statement that Friday comes 52 times in a year while Holi came for just a day and those who had an issue with colours could stay at home had gone viral. Its possible that a deliberate attempt was made to distort the statement, but the police is duty-bound to maintain order during such celebrations so that those observing roza, or offering namaz can do it without fear or discomfort.

Meanwhile, another shocking social media post emerged: A photo of a roadside kiosk with an appeal to buy things from those who can celebrate eid with the money they earn. The message was clear. Was the person making an appeal unaware of the fact that it was an unconstitutional act? The Constitution prohibits the active and open othering of any community. Another aspect that disturbed me was that one needs permission from the government departments to put up such kiosks. Was permission sought for the kiosk in question? If yes, who granted it permission? Has action against the guilty been initiated?

Also read | Hatred thrives in forgetfulness of a countrys past

A foreword that appeared in Dainik Hindustan on 12 March 1950 merits mention here. It says: This year our biggest festival of joy and fervour, Holi, arrived at a time when throughout the country the bloody tales of torture and unimaginable violence against the minorities of East Bengal were echoing loudly. In such a charged atmosphere, incident-free Holi celebrations are something for which we should thank the people and the leaders alike. Its a relief that despite constant provocation from Pakistan, our countrymen are exercising immense patience and celebrations of Holi, where no big incident took place, is a testament to their fortitude."

Its clear we didnt stray from the path even after being singed by the towering infernos of Partition. People with a constructive outlook can draw solace as right now its critically needed.

Another factor begs our attention. Our relations with the Islamic nations are improving every day. Permission to build Hindu temples is being regularly granted. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first temple in the UAE. However, while lots of efforts are being invested to bring about cultural convergence globally, within the country tendencies to create cultural dissensions are gaining ground. Together we need to deal with this monster as we did in the aftermath of Partition.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.
THE BALL, so Americas secretary of state said on March 11th, is back in Vladimir Putins court. Ukraine had just agreed at talks in Jeddah to an American plan for a month-long ceasefire, and in return America has already restarted the flow of weapons and information that Donald Trump cut off following his spectacular Oval Office clash with Volodymyr Zelensky 11 days earlier. For once, it is Mr Putin who has a fateful decision to make. It is not clear how far America is prepared to go to ensure he comes to the right conclusion.

A ceasefire does not favour Russia. A temporary pause would give Ukraine a chance to resupply and it might endure, because polling suggests that Russians are tired of war. Whichever side resumed fighting first would invite international condemnation and the ire of Mr Trump. A violation would show the American president up as weak and credulous. He would not like that.

Mr Putins problem is that he has not yet got what he wanted in Ukraine. His aim was to subjugate or cripple the country; sever its connections to the West; be rid of its troublesome president, Mr Zelensky; and permanently hobble its armed forces. His overarching ambition, as he has repeatedly made clear in writings and speeches, has been nothing less than to restore Russia as a great power with an extended sphere of influence, starting with Ukraine, its ancient heartland.

In fact, despite having geared the entire Russian economy towards the war effort and sacrificed the lives of an estimated 150,000-210,000 Russian soldiers, all Mr Putin has managed to do is capture roughly 11% of Ukraines territory, much of it now devastated by his own shells, adding to the chunk of around 7% that he seized in 2014. Mr Putin may play the mighty warrior visiting the front lines on Russian television, but this is a pitiful return for such a gargantuan effort.

What Mr Putin surely wants is to win from Mr Trump what he has failed to seize on the battlefield. And at times Mr Trump has seemed alarmingly willing to satisfy him. He has repeated Kremlin talking-points that Mr Zelensky is a dictator because he has not held an election since the war began. He has ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine. He has shown little desire to backstop" a peacekeeping force after a deal, and has excluded stationing American troops in the country. He talks of doing business deals with Russia as if the removal of sanctions were just around the corner. Most of all, his willingness to bully Ukraine at a time of national peril has spilled over into NATO, whose members have started to doubt whether they could count on him.

The danger now is that Mr Putin will try to attach some of his conditions to the proposed ceasefire, by calling for American aid not to restart, or for an early and divisive election in Ukraine, or international recognition of territory he has seized. It is essential that Mr Trump resists any attempt to do this. If he yields, he risks sabotaging his own administrations agreement with Ukraine. Marco Rubio, the American secretary of state, and Steve Witkoff, Mr Trumps friend and envoy, have tried to repair some of the damage from the Oval Office disaster, and Ukraine has behaved sensibly, too. Tilting back to Mr Putins agenda would wreck all that.

Mr Putin may now try to disrupt and delay things with endless demands for clarification". The Americans must be firm about that, too. A halt in the destruction and slaughter that have scarred the past three years would be an achievement for Mr Trump, even if it is only temporary. He has put unconscionableand harmfulpressure on Ukraine, which was the easy part. On March 11th Mr Trump said encouragingly that he can do things financially" if Mr Putin fails to take up the offer of a ceasefire. Unfortunately, words are cheap. Now it is time to put real pressure on Mr Putin. Does he dare?

 2025, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
Taking A Break In Space

In this image Sunita Williams enjoys a well-earned snack near the galley in the Zvezda Service Module aboard the ISS, offering a glimpse into the personal side of life in space.

Credit : Channeliam.com
It is not clear if this will only be a requirement of newly elected judges, or if it will apply to current ones. Judges serve eight-year terms.
Ireland made sure it was not left out of an event that is now truly global as revellers marked the feast day of the islands patron saint St Patrick in the usual way.

Crowds took to the streets in cities and towns including Dublin, Belfast and Athy in Co Kildare as pageants unfolded with Irish dancers and leprechaun costumes in evidence.

Marching bands from North America and Austria joined the festivities in the Irish capital while many raised a glass in celebration.

There were also events in Galway, Limerick, Cork, Belfast and Londonderry.

In Dublin, members of the Defence Forces and An Garda Siochana played their part in festivities while in Athy, Irish step dancers led the parade.

In London, the Princess of Wales paid a visit to the Irish Guards, buying a round of drinks as well as admiring the regimental mascot, an Irish wolfhound.

Dressed in green, Kate wore a shamrock as she met service personnel.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: March 17 2025

With tremendous support from volunteers and the broader community, SRLC prepared 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those in need.

Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC-USA)  Long Island Center is delighted to announce the resounding success of its 2025 National PB&J Hunger Relief Drive, held at Levittown Hall on March 2, 2025. With tremendous support from volunteers and the broader community, SRLC prepared 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sponsored by Kunjan Mehta, and created 50 heartfelt Love & Care cards for patients at Northwell Plainview Hospital. In addition, high school student Chaitanya Garg generously donated his personal savings to sponsor over 1,500 juice boxes for the cause.

A Collective Effort

More than 160 enthusiastic volunteers, including youth participants, came together to make this initiative a reality. Their generosity and teamwork helped the event surpass its goals, spreading kindness and care to those who need it most.

Community Recognition

As a testament to the community impact of this project, Harpeet Malhotra, the Director of South Asian Business & Development, presented an official citation from the Town of Oyster Bay to SRLC. This honor recognizes the dedication and positive contributions of everyone involved in the PB&J Hunger Relief Drive.

Words of Gratitude

Each volunteer brought boundless energy and compassion to this drive, making it truly memorable, said SRLC Trustee Mitesh Lakhani . We are humbled by the communitys overwhelming response and look forward to more opportunities to serve together.

Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg also shared his support, statin, Hearing the amount of work that you all are doing to feed the homeless today, it was really important for me to show up and just show my support [and] say thank you to SRLC because you are always giving back to the community.

About Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC)

Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care is a global nonprofit dedicated to universal compassion through service initiatives. With projects focused on health care, education, community empowerment, and more, SRLC - USA aims to uplift lives through meaningful acts of kindness.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: March 17 2025

Ian Diaz-Reales, 27, was already wanted on charges stemming from the alleged purchase of illegal firearms that he then provided to gang members and violent criminals.

Law enforcement officials announced on Monday, March 17 that a Pennsylvania man wanted in connection with illegal firearm sales was busted at John F. Kennedy Airport trying to board an outbound flight with a whopping 67 pounds of marijuana.

Ian Diaz-Reales of Reading, 27, was nabbed by police on March 2 at JFK; the suspect was already wanted on several other charges stemming from the purchase of illegal firearms that he then provided to gang members and violent criminals involved in drug trafficking, according to the Berks County District Attorneys Office.

A warrant for Diaz-Reales was issued on February 19 after members of the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force and federal agents traced a number of seized firearms back to him, but authorities were unable to locate him until he attempted to board a flight at JFK earlier this month, at which time he was placed under arrest.

Diaz-Reales now has multiple charges pending in both Pennsylvania and New York, officials say. He was extradited from New York on March 12 and is currently being held on $100,000 bail following his arraignment.
The number of students dropping out of school without qualifications rose to over 8% last year, data published by Education Minister Claude Meisch has shown.

During the 2023/2024 school year, 1,884 pupils left school without qualifications, Meisch said on Friday in response to a written question from CSV deputy Marc Spautz. At around 8.2% of all students, that represented a rise from 7.6% in 2022-2023.

The European Commission has set the goal of keeping the rate below 9%. The European average in 2023 was 9.8%, according to the latest Eurostat data.



In Luxembourg, the rate of those leaving education without qualifications steadily decreased each year between 2016 and 2020 but has risen sharply since, from 7% in 2019-20 to 8.2% last year.

Also read: Age of compulsory education to be raised from 16 to 18

There are diverse reasons for pupils dropping out of school, said Meisch, citing a recent report examining the issue, including failing to find a suitable apprenticeship or vocational course or a desire to take a different professional path.

To combat rising dropout rates, Luxembourg has adopted various support measures, according to Meisch. These include holding a meeting between the pupil and the schools psychosocial service to see if there are any alternatives to encourage the student to stay in education, while those who do decide to leave receive follow-up contact from the National Youth Service (SNJ).

In a vote in 2023, parliament approved plans to raised the compulsory schooling age from 16 to 18 as part of a bid to tackle the problem. The change will come into effect from 2026.

Also read: These are Luxembourgs most popular apprenticeships

Apprenticeship problems

The number of students quitting apprenticeship courses is also growing, according to data provided by Meisch on Friday.

Around 1,000 apprenticeship contracts are being terminated prematurely each year, Meisch said. Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, the number of apprenticeship contracts terminated before completion increased from 952 to 1,044.

(This article was originally published by Contacto. Translation, editing and adaptation by Kabir Agarwal)
Not all American Idol hopefuls leave with a golden ticket to Hollywood.

Kase Tippens, 14, from Oklahoma, performed Wondering Why by The Red Clay Strays, which aired Sunday night.

That was beautifully 14, judge Luke Bryan said after the performance.

Judge Carrie Underwood told Tippens that when she was 15 she had a chance with a big record label and it didnt work out.

And it was the best thing for me, she said, also encouraging him to keep going forward.

"This is just the beginning, Tippens wrote on Instagram Sunday. I have big dreams and big goals, and Im more motivated than ever to chase them down. I cant wait to see whats next, and Im so grateful to have yall on this journey with me.

The show played a montage of performances the judges said no to, which was often followed by tears.

Im sorry, Underwood said putting her head down on the table.

I want it really, really bad, one contestant told the judges.

But Bryan told her that nos are a part of this business.

Ill be back, another contestant said.

American Idol airs at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Wareham police said there was an armed robbery at a China Chef restaurant at 1 Depot St. on March 15. The Wareham Police Department

Authorities are asking for the publics help in finding a man who police said robbed a Chinese restaurant in Wareham at gunpoint before fleeing last week.

The armed robbery happened on March 15 at China Chef Restaurant at 1 Depot St. just before midnight Saturday, according to the Wareham Police Department.

A restaurant worker told police that a man, dressed in all black with a bandana covering his face, pulled out a gun and demanded money, the department said.

The man reached over the counter and took an undetermined amount of money out of the register and ran away, the department said.

After an extensive search of the area utilizing a Plymouth County Sheriffs Department K-9, officers were unable to locate the suspect, the department said.

This incident is being investigated. Police encourage anyone with information about the armed robbery to call them at 508-295-1206 or through the anonymous tip line at 508-291-2300.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrator Mahmoud Khalil, second from left, debates with a pro-Israel demonstrator during a protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) AP

Columbia University is facing an ultimatum from the federal government  either abide by a list of requirements laid out for them or jeopardize its continued financial relationship with the United States government, according to a Thursday letter.

The letter has special resonance among Massachusetts higher education institutions, six of which are among the dozens along with Columbia University being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education for not protecting Jewish students from antisemitic discrimination and harassment, according to a Monday announcement.

U.S. taxpayers invest enormously in U.S. colleges and universities, including Columbia University, and it is the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that all recipients are responsible stewards of federal funds, the letter said.

The list includes:

the expulsion or multi-year suspension for student protesters who were part of the encampments

banning masks for most students

empowering internal law enforcement to arrest or remove people who create an unsafe work environment

creating a strategy for reforming admissions and international recruiting and placing its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department under academic receivership for a minimum of five years

In particular, the last point is unsetting to Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional law scholar and dean of the Berkeley School of Law.

Putting a department under academic receivership  where the department would be controlled by a leader outside of the institution  is beyond the authority of the federal government and would violate academic freedom and the First Amendment, Chemerinsky told the AP.

It is chilling to see the government try to control universities in this way, he said.

The Trump administration has already said it is pulling $400 million from Columbia University, canceling grants and contracts because of what the government describes as the Ivy League schools failure to squelch antisemitism on campus.

The Trump administration also has arrested two student protesters at Columbia University.

The letter, sent by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and General Services Administration, requires that the institution comply by the end of the business day on March 20.

Its an escalation of a kind that is unheard of, said Joan Scott, a historian and member of the academic freedom committee of the American Association of University Professors told the AP. Even during the McCarthy period in the United States, this was not done.

Institutions with large protests or arrests in reaction to the war in Gaza  including Northeastern University, Emerson College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University  didnt respond immediately to requests for comment.

Harvard and Columbia are among ten colleges the newly created Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism will visit.

The task force will also meet with the mayors of several major cities, including New York Mayor Eric Adams and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, to discuss how they responded to antisemitic incidents at schools and college campuses over the last two years.

MIT and the New England College of Optometry are among over 50 institutions on Friday under federal investigation for alleged racial discrimination.
A Yarmouth man who is accused of shooting a Hyannis man in the head early Sunday morning in a Cape Cod parking lot is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning.

Alex Greene, 36, is charged with murder, according to Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois. Hell be arraigned at Barnstable District Court.

Around 1 a.m., Barnstable police went to the North Street parking lot near Washington Street in Hyannis for a report of a gunshot, the Barnstable Police Department said.

The 41-year-old Hyannis man was shot in his head, police said. Officers tried to save his life before he was taken to Cape Cod Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Witnesses told police that a dark-colored pick-up truck left the area after the shooting, police said. An officer found the vehicle and its driver a short distance away from the North Street crime scene.

After a preliminary investigation, Greene was arrested and charged, police said. He was booked at the Barnstable Police Station where he was held without bail.
The decision to cancel a visa for a Brown assistant professor from Lebanon was a commonsense security decision after the discovery of images of Hezbollah and Iranian leaders on her cell phone, federal officials said Monday.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor of medicine and clinician educator, arrived at Boston Logan International Airport around 5:35 a.m. on March 13 on a flight from Paris after a trip to Lebanon. Upon arrival, she was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, who ultimately canceled her visa and deported her to Lebanon.

Hilton Beckham, assistant commissioner of public affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, said foreign nationals who promote extremist ideologies or carry terrorist propaganda are inadmissible to the U.S., plain and simple.

A visa does not guarantee entry into the U.S., Beckham said. Instead, CBP has the final say after security checks.

Officers act swiftly to deny entry to those who glorify terrorist organizations, advocate violence, or openly support terrorist leaders and commemorate their deaths, Beckham said in a statement. Anyone found with extremist materials linked to a U.S.-designated terrorist group will be removed."

In an interview with CBP, Alawieh admitted to sending and receiving images of the former leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated last fall, Hezbollah martyrs and the supreme leader of Iran.

A Shia Muslim, Alawieh insisted the images were purely religious and had nothing to do with politics.

Im not a political person. Im a physician, she told an agent during an interview.

Alawieh told the agent she had attended a commemoration of Nasrallahs death on her most recent trip to Lebanon while she was awaiting a visa. Her connection to Nasrallah was simply a religious one, she maintained.

If you were in my place its not hard to understand, she said.

But Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called Nasrallah a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree.

A visa is a privilege not a rightglorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied, McLaughlin said. This is commonsense security."
A French member of the European parliament demanded the United States return the Statue of Liberty to France, arguing that America no longer upholds the values that led to France gifting the statue more than a century ago.

Member of European parliament Raphael Glucksmann indicated on Sunday that his country, France, should take back the historic statue following President Donald Trumps latest decisions related to the Russia-Ukraine war, according to France24.

A member of the Socialists and Democrats group, Glucksmann criticized Trumps decisions on the war and took aim at his administrations firing of federal workers and cuts to research institutions.

Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Glucksmann said at a convention. We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.

Additionally, Glucksmann said France would welcome those whose research has been cut, according to France24.

The second thing were going to say to the Americans is: If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the worlds leading power, then were going to welcome them, he said.

Unveiled in New York Harbor in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the People of France to the United States. The copper statue of a crowned woman wearing robes has been viewed as a symbol of freedom and of welcoming those immigrating to America. An inscription on the statue reads: Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

Glucksmann is a supporter of Ukraine and has criticized Trumps changes in U.S. policies related to the war, according to France24. Ukraine has been at war with Russia for more than three years after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Glucksmanns comments were likely in response to the U.S.s decision to suspend aid to Ukraine, according to Politico.

The relationship between the United States and Ukraine has been tense over the past two months after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February for being disrespectful.

Days after the blow-up, the Trump administration paused aid to Ukraine and halted intelligence sharing with the country. On March 11, the Trump administration lifted its halt on aid and intelligence to Ukraine after the country signaled it was open to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, according to PBS.

A call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a ceasefire is set for Tuesday, according to the Washington Post.
Liquidation sales have already begun at various Forever 21 stores as the company prepares to wind down operations for mass closures. (Staten Island Advance)

Once mega-popular fashion retailer Forever 21 is closing all stores nationwide after filing for bankruptcy for the second time since 2019.

While we have evaluated all options to best position the company for the future, we have been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast fashion companies  pricing and margin, as well as rising costs, economic challenges impacting our core customers, and evolving consumer trends, Brad Sell, chief financial officer of F21 OpCo, said in a statement.

As we move through the process, we will work diligently to minimize the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders.

Forever 21 operator F21 said the company is preparing for an orderly wind down of its U.S. businesses though stores and the chains website remain open for now.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2019 but remained open despite the filings.

At that time, Simon Brookfield and Authentic bought Forever 21 out of bankruptcy, though CEO Jamie Salter later said the acquisition was probably the biggest mistake, he ever made.

The company has already begun filing mass layoffs for hundreds of California and Pennsylvania workers, state filings show.

Of the layoffs, at least 36 Pennsylvania employees and 473 California employees will be affected  a majority of whom are employed at its California headquarters.

At the time of its 2019 bankruptcy filing, the company operated nearly 800 stores worldwide  more than 500 of which were in the U.S.

In 2025, the company operates about 350 stores nationwide  11 of which are in Massachusetts.

Forever 21s parent company Catalyst Brands is the product of a recent merger between JC Penney and Sparc Group.

The conglomerate operates several retailers: Aeropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Nautica, Lucky brand and Forever 21.

The company recently sold its U.S. operations of Reebok and said it was exploring strategic options for Forever 21 earlier this year.
A federal judge in Massachusetts is asking the federal government to explain why it detained a Brown University professor at Boston Logan Airport despite having a valid visa authorizing her to enter the country to work at the university.

And the judge, Leo Sorokin, asked federal officials to explain why they apparently violated a court order to keep the professor, Dr. Rasha Alawieh, in Massachusetts.

Alawieh, an assistant professor of medicine at the Rhode Island university who works in the Division of Kidney Disease & Hypertension, had traveled to Lebanon to visit her parents and was denied re-entry to the U.S. on Thursday at Logan Airport, The Boston Globe reported.

After being detained at Logan for roughly 36 hours, Alawieh was deported, a lawyer representing her said in a court filing. Alawieh was flown to Paris and then taken back to Lebanon, the Globe reported.

But Sorokin had ordered Alawieh to remain in Massachusetts and required the government to give the court 48 hours' notice of the move and the reason for it. He gave federal officials until 8:30 a.m. Monday to respond to these serious allegations with a legal and factual response setting forth its version of events.

Sorokin set a hearing for 10:30 a.m. Monday where the government was to explain the basis for Alawiehs detention. He ordered the government to preserve all of the documents bearing on Dr. Alawiehs arrival and removal since the issuance of the visa described in the Petition including emails and text messages.

In a statement, Hilton Beckham, assistant public affairs commissioner for the US Customs and Border Patrol, said, arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the United States. Our CBP officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country. CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats.
A Lawrence man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Concord, New Hampshire, after federal authorities said he took an Uber to deliver fentanyl power and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to an undercover agent in June 2022.

Hamet Badia, 29, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack said in a statement. Hell be sentenced on June 30.

Badia was a drug runner for his co-defendant between Feb. 9, 2022, and June 2, 2022, according to court documents and statements made in court.

The co-defendant negotiated with another undercover agent to sell fentanyl powder and pressed oxycodone pills, McCormack said. The co-defendant then told Badia to deliver the drugs.

The undercover agent arranged to buy 400 grams of fentanyl and 200 oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl from the co-defendant on June 2, 2022, McCormack said.

Badia took an Uber to meet the co-defendant and the undercover agent at a designated meeting spot to deliver a green shoebox that had fentanyl power and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl inside, McCormack said.

Overall, Badia personally delivered 466.7 grams of fentanyl during the conspiracy, McCormack said.

Badia faces up to 20 years in prison with at least three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1,000,000, he said.

McCormack provided no information about Badias co-defendant.
Justin Warner, 20, of New York state is accused of being connected in a shooting in Lincoln on March 15, the Lincoln Police Department said. The courtesy of the Lincoln Police Department

Authorities are looking for a man from Clay, New York who they say was involved in a shooting in Lincoln Saturday night.

Police said Justin Warner, 20, is no longer in the immediate area where the shooting occurred, the Lincoln Police Department said.

Gunshots were heard near South Great Road near the Weston town line a little before midnight Saturday, the police said.

Police said they came across a vehicle parked in a conservation lot while searching the area and found an AK-47 and a 9 mm handgun.

An unnamed 20-year-old Lincoln resident was arrested while another suspect ran from the scene, police said.

Police said they searched the area for the second suspect, using drones and police dogs to assist them. Despite this, they could not find the suspect.

The Lincoln Police Department encourages people to call them at 781-259-8113 if they have any information on Warner.
Immigration authorities at Boston Logan Airport found photographs of Hezbollah and Iranian leaders on the cell phone of an assistant professor at Brown University, then deported her since her true intentions in the U.S. could not be determined.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) canceled a visa for the professor after agents discovered the photos although she claimed they were on her phone for religious reasons, according to court documents filed on Monday.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh arrived at Boston Logan International Airport around 5:35 a.m. on March 13 on a flight from Paris after a trip to Lebanon. Upon landing in the U.S., Alawieh, an assistant professor of medicine and clinician educator, was detained by CBP. Alawieh is a Lebanese citizen and had a visa to work in the U.S.

While Alawieh was detained, an agent with CBP interrogated her about her ties to the Middle East, telling her that a review of her phone found messages including photos of Hezbollah martyrs and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Alawieh admitted to sending and receiving messages of not just Nasrallah but also Irans supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, but said she had no political affiliation with Hezbollah. Instead, Nasrallah and Khamenei are important religious figures to Shia Muslims, she said.

Nasrallah, who was assassinated last year, was a religious spiritual person, Alawieh told the unnamed agent, according to an interview transcript her lawyer asked to seal. His teachings are about spirituality and morality ... he has very high value.

But she maintained she had no connection to Hezbollah, which the U.S. has designated a foreign terrorist organization. Hezbollahs political wing is a prominent political party in Lebanon. Alaweih said she had no political affiliation.

It has its supporters and I was not involved in any way, Alawieh said.

The photos on her phone were received through WhatsApp group messages with friends and family, she said. Many were deleted in the days before she came to the U.S.

I know Im not doing anything wrong, she said. The photos were deleted because she didnt want the perception, the transcript reads.

Many of these things are related to being a Shia Muslim, she added. Im not a political person. Im a physician.

Alawieh told the agent she had attended a commemoration of Nasrallahs death on her most recent trip to Lebanon while she was awaiting a visa. Her connection to Nasrallah was simply a religious one, she maintained.

If you were in my place its not hard to understand, she said.

It was after that interview that CBP canceled Alawiehs visa, finding she was inadmissible to the U.S. as an immigrant without a valid and unexpired immigrant document whose true intentions could not be determined due to derogatory information discovered during the inspection process.

The next day, Alawiehs cousin, Yara Chehab, filed a petition in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts seeking her release from custody and noting that she had been issued a visa to work at Brown. The petition prompted District Court Judge Leo Sorokin to issue an order requiring Alawieh be kept in the U.S., or that the government provide 48 hours' notice before removing her.

But Alawieh was put on a flight to Paris and then taken to Lebanon after the order was issued, leading Sorokin to ask the government for an explanation for its apparent violation of a court order.

In a declaration signed by Watch Commander John Wallace, the government explained that it did not intentionally or knowingly violate Sorokins order, saying that it did not receive the order until roughly 40 minutes after Alawiehs flight had taken off.

For U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the airport to follow a court order, Wallace said, it must receive the order from its counsel or from the Boston Field Office. In Alawiehs case, the area port director informed Wallace they had received the order at 8:20 p.m. on Friday. Alawiehs return flight to Paris departed Boston around 7:45 p.m. that day.

Her removal from the U.S. came despite the frantic efforts of her lawyers, court documents show.

Clare Saunders, an attorney for Alawieh and an associate at the firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, arrived at Logan Airport around 5 p.m. on Friday. Saunders asked an agent at the CBP office inside the terminal where Alawieh was being held and whether she could speak with her, but the agent refused to provide any information.

Wallace said that was standard practice.

After Sorokins order, Saunders went back to the office to show the document to agents inside. But the office was now empty, with a sign directing anyone needing assistance to a business line.

Saunders called the number at 7:22 p.m. and was told a supervisor was on their way. After 20 minutes and no sign of a supervisor, Saunders departed the office, heading up the escalator. She spoke to TSA agents, a Delta employee and eventually Massachusetts State Police, who redirected her to CBP.

By the time Saunders spoke to someone at CBP, she was told Alawiehs flight had departed.

In a response to Chehabs petition filed Monday morning, the U.S. Attorneys office for Massachusetts said her claims were moot because Alawieh was no longer in the custody of CBP. They asked Sorokin to dismiss the petition.

Federal prosecutors also say Sorokin lacks jurisdiction to undo the inadmissibility determination that led to Alawiehs visa being canceled. And, they say, the petition doesnt challenge the order itself, but rather the process employed to reach it, which does not restore jurisdiction.

No hearings have been scheduled in the case. One was set to be held Monday morning but was continued at the last minute at the request of Alawiehs lawyers.

Sorokin gave prosecutors until March 24 to supplement their response to the petition, and Alawiehs lawyers until March 31 to respond to the prosecutions request to dismiss the petition.

The lawyers who originally filed the petition with the federal court for Alawieh withdrew from the case, stating that as a result of further diligence, they no longer represent her, court filings show.
By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.

HARLAN, Ky.  Candice Fee isnt sure whos right in the debate over the future of Medicaid: the Republican president whose party says it will leave federal health funding intact as it seeks to slice billions in government spending or the Democrats who warn that the broad cuts the president has promised cant happen without carving into one of the governments most costly programs.

But if Medicaid is axed, Fee knows exactly what will happen to the life she has pieced back together after decades of addiction.

If it were to go away today, I would be homeless tomorrow. I would lose everything. All my counseling, all my treatment. I would absolutely be homeless tomorrow, said Fee, 42, who has lived in Harlan all her life, most of it spent in a cycle of addiction and rehabilitation. A Medicaid-funded treatment program she entered last year has her feeling, for the first time, optimistic about not living a life dominated by substance abuse.

In group meetings, she and other recovering addicts talk about the benefits of an injection that reduces the desire for opioids. They mull the role of talk therapy in their rehabilitation. And, increasingly, they worry over a Washington funding debate that has left their future uncertain.

I am stepping out onto my own, getting my house with my kids sooner or later, but if I lost [Medicaid-funded treatment] today, I would lose my job, I would lose everything that Ive worked so hard to rebuild over the last year, said Fee, who cant vote because she has a felony conviction, but is not a supporter of Donald Trump. If [Trump] takes the things that theyre saying, its going to be devastation for Eastern Kentucky for sure. Were scraping off the bottom already.

Almost 90 percent of voters in this Appalachian county in Kentuckys southeastern corner voted for Trump, who has said his partys effort to eradicate waste, fraud and abuse will culminate in a big beautiful bill that will lay the groundwork for slicing at least $1.5 trillion from the federal budget in the next decade.

The president has repeatedly said entitlement programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security will remain untouched, even as he pushes for a contraction of broader federal spending.

But Democrats, including the governor of Kentucky, warn that the kind of cuts the GOP is considering are impossible without cutting essential services like Medicaid, which provides health care to low-income people.

The Congressional Budget Office agreed, saying this month that Republicans cannot cut their desired amount of federal spending without cutting Medicaid or Medicare benefits.

And despite Trumps assurances that the programs are safe, some Republicans have advocated that reform is needed.

Three members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus recently penned an op-ed on Fox News saying lawmakers must reform Medicaid. To do anything less borders on malfeasance.

Medicaid was never meant to be this expansive, the opinion piece says, echoing concerns that have been expressed by other Republicans.

The intensifying debate hangs over Harlan County and illustrates a disconnect - even a contradiction - in Trumps efforts to remake the federal government. He has vowed to reduce waste, fraud and abuse, and to extend a suite of tax cuts he signed into law in 2017. But reducing federal funding, particularly in places with large percentages of Medicaid users like Harlan, can threaten the livelihoods and even the lives of some of Trumps most ardent supporters.

Containing the opioid epidemic has featured prominently in the political rhetoric of the Trump administration. Trump justified high tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China by saying the three countries didnt do enough to stem the flow of opioids, particularly fentanyl, across American borders. Theyve allowed fentanyl to come into our country at levels never seen before, he said during his address to a joint session of Congress, killing hundreds of thousands of our citizens and many very young, beautiful people destroying families.

Almost half of people in Harlan County receive Medicaid, which is administered by the state of Kentucky but funded largely by the federal government. Those funds help pay for doctor visits and prescriptions, but Medicaid also subsidizes a burgeoning industry of rehabilitation facilities and treatment centers in a state that has one of the countrys highest rates of opioid abuse.

The substance abuse treatment industry in Eastern Kentucky employs more people than the coal mines ever thought about, said the owner of one facility, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid fraying professional relationships. With Medicaid expansion, if you need help, you can get it now. You can get medication, you can get counseling, you can get therapy. Basically, you can get almost any service that you need, more services than you ever could have before.

Harlan County Judge Dan Mosley, the countys chief executive, said Medicaid has helped countless people in his county recover from opioid abuse, transforming from repeat offenders who siphon finite resources to working taxpayers, including some who help others through addiction.

I have seen firsthand the people behind those statistics who have went and rehabilitated their bodies and their lives and are now productive members of society, and I worry what would have become of them had they not had Medicaid, said Mosley, a Republican who voted for Trump in 2024 and thinks congressional Republicans will deliver a plan that cuts waste but also helps his community stay afloat, even if it includes tweaks to Medicaid or other entitlements.

Medicaid in that arena has enabled us to return people to a productive workforce setting and make them a taxpayer again, he said.

The state of Kentucky has seen similar strides. In 2023, drug overdose deaths in the state fell almost 10 percent, marking a second straight year of declines in the fight against the addiction epidemic. In an interview with The Washington Post, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said he worries what Medicaid cuts would do to people in his state, framing his fears in humanistic and economic terms.

Any substantial impact to either [Medicaid reimbursement] rates or the overall amount coming in to the state will have a significant impact that no state in the country would be able to escape, Beshear said. Further reductions could mean some rural hospitals would have to reduce services and staff, or even close. If these cuts go too deep, its a risk to every piece of progress weve made in the last 10 years.

Last month, Harlan residents were reminded of what those cuts could look like. Harlans hospital, a branch of Appalachian Regional Healthcare, announced that it was closing its labor and delivery unit.

That means people giving birth in Harlan have to drive 40 miles to Middlesboro, Tennessee, or 50 miles to Whitesburg, Kentucky, or else give birth in the hospitals emergency department. In announcing the reduction in services, the hospital said not enough women had opted to give birth at the hospital, and keeping the labor and delivery unit open was not economically feasible.

Local leaders worry its the first of a cascade of closures for an area sorely in need of health care.

We have a lot of unhealthy people here, and the statistics show that we have high rates of cancer, high rates of obesity, high rates of diabetes, high rates of heart disease, Mosley said. Kentucky was one of the least healthy states in the nation, and Harlan County was listed as one of the least healthy counties in the state. Were trying to reverse that cycle.

But despite Democratic warnings about what, exactly, could happen to Medicaid, some in Harlan dont think Trump and Congress will whittle too much of the program away, said Paul Browning, one of the magistrates for Harlan County. He said many of his constituents never considered that Medicaid would be on the chopping block - some still dont.

Medicaid has continued to exist, and even expand, through Democratic and Republican administrations, and regardless of the makeup of the state government.

Its been through Jimmy Carter, been through Ronald Reagan, been through Clinton, Obama, both Bushes, Trumps [first term] - through everything, Medicaid has just been there and folks here consider that would continue. You know, history is the best indicator of the future, he said.

Keiley Harrison, 40, of Harlan, a recovering addict who is working toward a degree in counseling and also got clean with the help of Medicaid, said she remains a Trump supporter despite the threat to programs that have helped people like her.

In the end, she trusts that Trump will rightsize Medicaid and get rid of waste and abuse. Harrison said shes seen that abuse firsthand, both by people purportedly seeking treatment and by companies offering inadequate services that do little to help addicts.

Lets get real - there is Medicaid fraud. Theres a lot of Medicaid fraud. People are taking advantage of it, Harrison said. She said she would favor an effort similar to Trumps pause on grants and loans disbursed by the federal government. I think that maybe its going to be something like that again, and Im hoping he gets out the people that arent really about helping others and just looking at people as a money source.

Little has been released about how much, exactly, would be cut. The Republican Houses budget resolution instructs a key U.S. House committee to cut $880 billion in spending over the decade, something that will help extend the Trump tax cuts.

The vast majority of funds are in the Medicare and Medicaid buckets, and Republicans have said that Medicare is off the table.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has not ruled out the cuts. Others have been more explicit: Let me tell you, we cannot get to where we need to go without Medicaid, Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) said recently on Fox Business.

Fee, who has two jobs, but is also seeking training to become a peer support specialist, has said she encouraged people to shut out the noise and to focus on their own recovery, but she is not always successful.

Ive also noticed it through a lot of people in the recovery world, not knowing what were going to do, not knowing what our next move is going to be, not knowing how things are going to turn out. Ive seen a lot of relapses, because a lot of people theyre just like, Forget it. its not going to happen. Theyre going to take it away.

But even as she counsels people to stick with a program that has worked for her, she said she is worried about her own future.

I couldnt be more happy with my life today. Im at peace. Im just grateful. But I absolutely am worried about my future, because Im not sure how its going to go if Medicaid is gone. If you remove all that back, then am I simply going to go push play on my old life again?

Washington Post reporters Marianna Sotomayor and Jacob Bogage in Washington contributed to this story.
Two weeks before the policies are set to expire, the House and Senate took the first steps Monday to once again temporarily extend pandemic-era laws allowing remote access for public meetings in Massachusetts.

The latest extension of the five-year-old policies, some of which were first put in place via an executive order issued by Gov. Charlie Baker as COVID-19 triggered a global pandemic, could reach Gov. Maura Healeys desk Thursday.

In a statement announcing House-Senate agreement on the issue, Senate President Karen Spilka suggested the extension might not be the last word on the subject of remote meetings this session.

I have heard loud and clear from my colleagues, and the communities we represent, that hybrid meetings have increased access, engagement, and transparency in local government, and I look forward to the Senate passing this extension to June 2027 on Thursday, and then working in our chamber to enact a permanent hybrid meeting law, the Ashland Democrat said.

A little after 10 a.m. Monday, the House Ways and Means Committee began advancing a bill (H 62) that would keep in place language granting public bodies flexibility to hold meetings virtually or in hybrid formats, as well as measures lowering the number of people necessary for a quorum at Town Meeting and allowing representative Town Meetings to be held with remote participation.

Those COVID-era policies are set to expire March 31, and the bill would push that sunset date until June 30, 2027.

With just a couple of representatives on hand, the House quickly passed the bill during its 11 a.m. session Monday. The Senate, where attendance was similarly sparse, ordered it to a third reading, which indicates the bodys initial approval. Both branches are back in action at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Municipal leaders have been urging Beacon Hill to keep remote and hybrid meeting options in place permanently, arguing that they have boosted civic participation and made it easier for local governments to manage operations.

Healey offered her own plan to permanently enshrine the option for hybrid public meetings as part of a local option tax bill she filed in January, but the House Ways and Means Committee produced the new extension bill as a report in part on an unrelated spending bill (H 55) Healey filed to spend about $1.3 billion in surplus income from the states surtax on high earners.

Government boards in Massachusetts were granted the ability to meet without a physical quorum of members present and without affording public access to the physical meeting locations under an order Baker announced on March 12, 2020 -- two days after Baker declared an emergency in Massachusetts and one day after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

In the five years since, it has become the norm for most public meetings to have at least some option to follow along remotely and the number of government bodies that regularly livestream their meetings has significantly increased.
State Sen. Peter Durant, R-Worcester/Hampshire, speaks during a news conference on the steps of the State House in Boston, Mass., on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2024. (MassLive/John L. Micek) John L. Micek

State Sen. Peter Durant says hell make the call on a 2026 Republican bid for governor relatively shortly, but there are some people he needs to talk to first.

One of them is his wife, Durant, R-Worcester/Hampshire, said during an appearance on WCVB-TVs On the Record program on Sunday morning.

Its funny because when youre a politician, people always ask Whats next for you?' ... And my answer is always the same to them, which is, I dont know. But Ill know it when I see it, Durant, of Spencer, told hosts Ed Harding and Sharman Sacchetti.

And thats where were at right now, he continued. Were taking a look at it. Im talking with my wife. Theres a lot of discussions that have to take place. Were talking with the other candidates, or you know, those who have declared and not declared, and were going to come to that decision ... relatively shortly.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura Healey announced in February that she will seek a second, four-year term in the top spot.

If he does get in the race, Durant, who served more than a decade in the House before winning election to the Senate in 2023, could enter a potentially crowded GOP primary field.

They include former Baker administration official Mike Kennealy, Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, and venture capitalist Brian Shortsleeve.

Durant has emerged as a top critic of the current administrations migrant shelter policy. Hes also spearheading a legislative effort to topple the states new gun reform law.

He weighed in on the $425 million short-term funding bill that lawmakers passed, and Healey signed, last month. The bill, which imposes new limits on shelter stays, will keep the system afloat through the end of June.

Around 55% of respondents to a Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Foundation poll released last week said they had a favorable opinion of Healey.

Republicans face a high bar for winning elections in heavily Democratic Massachusetts. But Durant said Sunday that, with missteps on such issues as the shelter system and spiking energy prices, Healey could be vulnerable to a challenge.

Theres certainly a door thats open there, he said. I think that, honestly, any of the candidates that weve currently talked about, or kind of expressed some interest, would be a far better choice than ... we have now.
Joe Shea, of West Springfield, is pictured in Dunquin, County Kerry on a trip to Ireland. (Submitted) Submitted

WEST SPRINGFIELD  When Joe Shea, 64, plans a trip to Ireland, the West Springfield insurance salesman always attracts a crowd.

My friends ask when my next trip is and before I know it, I have a bunch of people that want to come, he said. A couple of friends know Im going over for a wedding (soon), so before I knew it, I had six other people joining me.
WESTFIELD  A couple charged in February 2024 for sex trafficking, support from, or sharing, the earnings of prostitution, and keeping a house of prostitution were sentenced in District Court Thursday to six months of probation and 30 hours of community service in exchange for pleading to sufficient facts for a conviction and that the case be continued without a finding, according to court records.

Todd and Baoshun Simonds, 67 and 60, respectively, were arrested on Jan. 31, 2024, at their business, Southampton Road Massage and Body Works, at 282 Southampton Rd. after a lengthy investigation by the Westfield Police Department into reports the business was providing sexual massages to its customers.

When the couple appeared in court Wednesday, prosecutors told the Judge Nicola Gioscia they were dropping the sex trafficking and supporting from, or sharing, the earnings of prostitution after the Simonds agreed to plead to sufficient facts for a conviction and continuing the case without a finding, according to court records.
by Maarten Albarda , Featured Contributor, March 14, 2025

Two recent pieces on MediaPost highlight the continued requirement for advertisers and marketers to pay really close attention to where they put their digital ad dollars (which are pretty much ALL ad dollars these days).

The first article talked about the Network Advertising Initiative's (NAI) shift from a required privacy code to a framework, and the second exposes the unsettling reality of ad dollars funding criminal activities. Together, they paint a stark picture for advertisers.

The NAI's move might seem like a subtle tweak on the surface. However, it signifies a profound change in the approach to consumer privacy. For years, the NAI's code provided a semblance of self-regulation, a set of guidelines that, while not legally binding, offered a degree of consumer trust. Now, the emphasis shifts from strict rules to broader principles. This change is, of course, in line with the recent changes that Meta instituted, doing away with consumer and brand safety monitoring and instead going to a voluntary self-reported system similar to Xs approach.

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As an advertiser, this shift demands a heightened sense of responsibility, as I have written before. Now more than before, marketers must embrace a proactive, ethical approach to data collection and usage. Transparency and consumer consent become even more paramount. Simply complying with the minimum requirements won't suffice. We need to build trust by demonstrating a genuine commitment to privacy and responsible use of consumer data. This means clear, concise disclosures about data practices, robust opt-out mechanisms, and a willingness to prioritize consumer well-being over short-term gains.

The implications extend beyond compliance. Advertisers will need to invest even more in robust data governance and security measures, not just to avoid regulatory scrutiny, but to safeguard their brand's integrity. Not doing so can quickly turn consumers against you.

The second article is one that should send even more shivers down every advertiser's spine. The revelation that digital media buys are funding criminal activities is a stark reminder of the dark side of programmatic advertising. The opacity of the digital supply chain makes it difficult to trace where our ad dollars end up, even with the best efforts and safeguards in place.

As I have written before, we are experiencing a moral and ethical crisis in the advertising industry. We cannot claim ignorance.

We have a responsibility to ensure that our ad dollars are not being used to fuel harm. This requires a fundamental shift in how we approach media buying. We need to demand greater transparency from our partners. We need to scrutinize the publishers we work with and hold them accountable for the content they distribute.

The solution isn't simple. It requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including advertisers, agencies, publishers, and technology providers. We need to adopt stricter standards for publisher verification. We need to create a culture of accountability where everyone is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the digital advertising ecosystem, with real penalties for those that break the rules of what is acceptable.

For advertisers, this means rethinking our KPIs. We need to ask ourselves: What kind of impact are our ads having on the world? Are we contributing to a better society, or are we inadvertently fueling harm? The days of blind optimization are over. Advertisers must now prioritize trust, transparency, and ethical considerations. The future of our industry depends on it.
by Colin Kirkland , March 14, 2025

According to Somebody Digital, a marketing agency based in London, endless social-media scrolling is reshaping the way brands engage with consumers.

The agencys newest report compiles research from various sources, including the University of California and the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience, which shows that the average person spends up to 3 hours per day scrolling social media.

Considering the widespread popularity of short-form video features across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other major social platforms, 1 in 4 adults admit they struggle to stop scrolling.

With consumer behavior now largely rooted around the digestion of nonstop bite-sized video content, Somebody Digital has tips for brands that want to stand out amid the noise.

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Scrolling through social media platforms elicits the same neural pathways as addictive substances in the human brain, creating a psychological dependency, according to research by the Journal of Behavioural Neuroscience.

Due to the proliferation of shorter video-based content assembled in endless mobile feeds, the average attention span has shrunk to 1.2 seconds for the average Gen Z consumer -- a 40% decrease compared to 5 years ago.

It is understandable why in 2024, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, along with 42 attorneys general, suggested that Congress require cigarette-like Surgeon General warning labels of social-media apps to help raise awareness surrounding an ongoing mental health crisis, especially among children, teens and young adults.

For brands wanting to break through to consumers on social media apps, Somebody Digital says that brands should utilize unexpected visuals or animations to disrupt automatic scrolling behavior. For example, animations that move in the opposite direction of a user scrolling upwards, sudden changes in color or the use of parallax effects.

This pattern interruption is meant to activate the brains reticular activating system (RAS), which decides what information reaches consciousness. Unexpected elements can prompt ones RAS to flag content as important.

Because users often flock to social media platforms as a way to unwind or escape their daily stresses, Somebody Digital suggests that a brands content be easily comprehensible and require minimal concentration.

Additionally, brands should reward signalling.

As soon as the content begins, users should be made aware of the benefits of watching, the report reads. Ultimately, a brand must immediately ignite the brains reward system.

Somebody Digital says that this tactic allows brands with lower budgets to stand out by creating an emotional impact with clarity, not elaborate design or complicated messaging.
by Ray Schultz , March 16, 2025

News/Media Alliance (NMA) is urging the Trump administration to facilitate responsible AI development by protecting intellectual property rights.

The NMA has submitted a proposal in response to a call from the administration for input on an AI Action Plan. The plan should support measures to promote competition and reduce abusive dominance by Big Tech, it states, adding that it is grateful for the chance to comment.

The NMAs submission cites several key principles:



Licensing  The NMA encourages licensing, citing the over 100 major licensing deals publicly reported (and many more that are not). These licenses cover a range of copyright industries and AI use cases, including Big and Little Tech (e.g., Google, Amazon, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity, ProRata, Bria AI) and rightsholders from the publishing (e.g., John Wiley & Sons, News Corp, Conde Nast, Los Angeles Times, Dotdash Meredith, The Texas Tribune), film (Lionsgate), photo (Getty Images, Shutterstock), and music (Universal Music Group, Symphonic Distribution) industries, to name a few.

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Intellectual property rights  U.S. intellectual property law does not require revision, the proposal notes. Our intellectual property law is capable and sufficient to address developments related to generative AI. That said the countrys IP laws set us apart from countries like China with notoriously lax IP frameworks that lead to fragile economies lacking the depth of American original creativity and innovation.

Transparency  Transparency is essential to facilitating negotiations and allowing rightsholders to identify when their works have been used, the NMA argues. In addition, model transparency can also mitigate against the suppression of ideas and viewpoints by shedding light on whether AI is trained or operating in a biased manner or facilitating censorship. The NMA points out that much content on the internet is crawled and scraped by bots which are agents of US and foreign AI companies or those operating on their behalf, which collect content in ways which can often be opaque, leaving web operators, publishers and other creators without the ability to determine the identity or purpose of the bot in question.

The growth of AI offers an enormous opportunity for the U.S. economy, and while we embrace AI, we must honor the principles that have made our country successful for hundreds of years, says Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance.

She adds: We believe intellectual property rights encourage American innovation, rather than hinder it. By protecting those rights, the U.S. can be a leader in both AI and content creation industries, rather than sacrificing one to benefit the other.
by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, March 17, 2025

On day fifty-one, Trump proclaimed himself the nation's Chief Law Enforcement Officer.

Fun facts:

In 1868, Congress created the Department of Justice after the Civil War to protect the civil rights of newly emancipated Black Americans and prosecute domestic racist terrorists, especially the rising ranks of the Klu Klux Klan.

In 1927, Trump's father Fred Trump was one of seven men arrested for participating in a deadly Klu Klux Klan attack at a Memorial Day parade in New York City at which police officers were beaten. According to a report by The New York Times, Fred Trump was arraigned and released on bail, but there was no further report on what happened to his charges and whether he actually was a member of the KKK.

In 1952, American folk hero Woody Guthrie wrote a song about his racist New York City landlord Fred Trump. It was called "Old Man Trump." He never recorded it, but you can read the lyrics here. I like to think that if Woody had recorded it, it would have been sung to the tune of "This Land Is Your Land."

In 1973, the Department of Justice filed a civil suit against Fred and Donald Trump for discriminating against people of color in their New York City rental properties.

In 1975, they settled "The United States v. Trump Management Inc." without an admission of guilt. Attorney Roy Cohn represented them.

In 1989, Donald Trump bought a full-page ad in all four of New York City's daily newspapers calling for the return of the death penalty following the arrest of five men of color accused of raping a woman in Central Park. The media labeled them the "Central Park Five" and they were ultimately convicted and sent to prison for the crime.

In 2002, a New York Supreme Court justice vacated their convictions after new evidence proved they didn't commit the crime and the media subsequently re-labeled them the "Exonerated Five." Donald Trump never apologized for his campaign against them.

In 2017, after Nazis and Klansmen provoked deadly violence at a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Donald Trump told the media "there were "very fine people on both sides," equating the White Supremacists with counter-protesters.

In 2019, while still serving his first term as president, Trump tweeted that four Congresswomen of color should "go back" to the "totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came," despite all being U.S. citizens and three born in the country.

In 2024, Trump pumped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric on the presidential campaign trail, evoking Nazi-era slogans like "poisoning the blood of our country" and other White Supremacist language.

On January 20th, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump began his second term by signing an executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship from children born in the United States who were born to parents that are not U.S. citizens. The order has been challenged by federal judges in multiple states who issued injunctions blocking its enforcement because it conflicts with the Constitution's 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause.

On March 14th, during his speech inside the DOJ, Trump opened by boasting of his "all time record" crowd size and went on to proclaim himself "the Chief Law Enforcement Officer," brag about his presidency-to-date, attack his political opponents and especially the media.

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Enough with the fun facts. One of the most striking things about Trump's DOJ speech was how strikingly reminiscent it was of the one he gave at CIA headquarters on the first full day of his first term, standing in front of the CIA's Memorial Wall commemorating fallen agents, and boasting about the crowd size of his sparsely attended inauguration and launching a campaign against the mainstream media that has continued until this day.
by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, March 17, 2025

Near the end of a long, rambling speech at the U.S. Department of Justice Friday, Donald Trump disclosed plans for an "incredible," but "terrible to watch" advertising campaign the White House will launch soon to combat illegal drug use in America.

Trump credited a recent phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for the idea and thanked her for inspiring it.

Trump said the call was supposed to be about tariffs, but "we talked about drugs," and President Sheinbaum explained that Mexico actually has very little illegal drug use among its citizens and she attributed it to a long-running anti-drug advertising campaign viscerally showing the ravages of drug use on addicts.

"It's not often that I feel like I've learned something from a phone call," Trump recalled, adding, "but I realized right then and there what a great idea that is."

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He then singled out his Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, a long-time political media consultant who worked on his presidential campaign, for overseeing the soon-to-be launched anti-drug campaign's development.

"I think it is really incredible," Trump told attendees, adding, "More than anything else, it's terrible to watch."

Trump then claimed his administration has reduced illegal drug use "18%" to date, adding, "the only way to get it down to close to 100% is with the death penalty.

"But I think America is not ready for that...

"Wherever you have the death penalty, you don't have drugs, but I just don't know if this country is ready for it. It's always an option, but I just don't know if you're ready for it."

Trump said the campaign will break "fairly soon" and that he believes it will have a "big impact.

"I think we get it down 50% with this campaign because when people see all of the horrible things these drugs do to you -- we're especially focused on fentanyl -- when they see all of the horrible things that happen when you take drugs -- how you look, you lose your look, everyone's vain, they don't want to lose their look, the look is so important -- and I think when they see these things they're going to say, 'You know what, I think I'll take a pass'."

Trump did not disclose whether the new ad campaign would be paid media, public service advertising or earned media, and if it involved paid, what the budget would be and what kinds of media outlets would be on the plan.

In 1989, George H. W. Bush's administration created the the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which has spearheaded many paid and public service American anti-drug ad campaigns for more than 35 years, including multimillion-dollar ones assigned to major advertising agencies, including an infamous one in which WPP's Ogilvy & Mather was brought up on criminal charges for over-billing American taxpayers on its timesheets and ultimately settled by paying a $1.8 million civil settlement. O&M went on to retain the account despite the charges and the settlement.

Perhaps the most famous campaign to come out of the effort was this one (below).
by Tanya Gazdik , March 17, 2025

Almost exactly one year to the day since Genesis Motor North America announced the appointment of a top marketer, Hyundai Motor Co.s luxury division has another new CMO on board.

Veteran marketing executive Amy Marentic, who spent 28 years at Ford Motor Co., will oversee all Genesis marketing strategy and activities nationwide.

Marentic will report to Tedros Mengiste, COO of Genesis. Mengiste joined the company in January, around the same time that the last Genesis CMO, Drew Slaven, resigned from the company for personal reasons. Slaven, a former Mercedes-Benz CMO, was appointed Genesis CMO on March 18, 2024.

Like Mengiste, Marentic graduated from the University of Michigan. She has a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering and a master's degree in industrial and manufacturing engineering, both from U-M.

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Marentic joins Genesis with over 25 years of global automotive and mobility experience, with skills in marketing, sales, product and brand strategy, management and technology.

Most recently, as president, global solutions at Circana, Marentic collaborated with global advertisers, agencies, platforms, and publishers to strategically optimize media and trade spend, resulting in revenue growth and enhanced ROI. Marentic also held the role of global automotive director at Google, supporting and accelerating the brands digital transformation, delivering billions in ad revenue growth.

Prior to Google, Marentic held multiple leadership roles during her long tenure at Ford, including as general manager for the Ford Icons business (Bronco, Mustang and Raptor), and president of Lincoln Asia Pacific.

Amy has a proven track record of driving transformation and growth in her experience leading marketing initiatives in automotive, mobility, and technology sectors, Mengiste says in a release. As we continue on our path of rapid growth, I look forward to working with Amy to strengthen our brands visibility across every consumer touchpoint and welcome more customers to the Genesis family.

Marentic will develop and manage the strategic business plan for all national and regional advertising, multicultural, experiential, and digital marketing. She will also support the brands current and growing network of standalone retail facilities through local marketing efforts.

When Mengiste was appointed COO in January, he was tasked with leading strategy and execution of all sales, after-sales, marketing and growth strategies for Genesis in the United States and Canada. After Slaven resigned, he became interim CMO.

Mengiste joined Genesis Motor America in March 2020 as executive director of sales operations and was later promoted to vice president, sales operations in 2022.

Under his leadership, Genesis sales grew with the company reporting its best-ever annual U.S. sales achievement in 2024 with 75,003 vehicles sold, representing growth of 8% compared to the prior year. Most recently, the brand celebrated its best-ever monthly sales achievement in December with 8,159 vehicles sold.
by Colin Kirkland , March 17, 2025

Oracle is reportedly the frontrunner to buy TikTok in the U.S.

According to The Information, which spoke with investors, bankers and former executives familiar with ByteDance, Oracle has emerged as a leading contender to help run TikTok per a deal President Donald Trump is promoting to honor last year's divest-or-ban law.

The report notes that the ByteDance-owned tech giant is also supportive of a partnership with Oracle, a cybersecurity company the TikTok owner previously partnered with on Project Texas, a plan designed last year to wall off U.S. TikTok user data from the Chinese government by storing it in the Oracle Cloud.

Trump has always favored Oracle as a potential buyer, having previously tried to sell the U.S. operations of TikTok to the tech company in 2020 after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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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, a decision must be made to either sell or rid the platform for 170 million American users by April 5.

Last week, during an interview with NBC News, Vice President J.D. Vance said he expected a TikTok deal to be made by the April deadline.

Trump's extension of a selloff, however, was not technically legal, and 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.

In January, Trump said that he was open to Oracle founder and executive chairman Larry Ellison -- a longtime supporter of Trump and member of the presidents newly announced Project Stargate AI initiative -- buying TikTok.

While The Information's report suggests support from the Chinese government, CCP officials have publicly opposed any forced sale of TikTok, with Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson Shy Jueteng telling reporters in March that the government would require ByteDance to seek governmental approval in accordance with Chinese regulations for potential foreign ownership.

In addition, anonymous sources told Politico that if an Oracle deal were to happen, the company would be able to keep ByteDance's signature algorithm -- a win for creators and advertisers who have spent years building their communities and businesses on the app.
HONG KONG, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The 18th Asian Film Awards were announced here in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Sunday night.

This year's Asian Film Awards showcased 30 exceptional films from 25 countries or regions, competing for 16 awards. The nominated works were diverse in genre and the competition was intense.

Chinese actress Tang Wei was honored with the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award. Sean Lau, actor from China's Hong Kong, was awarded Best Actor. Action film "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" from China's Hong Kong won two awards including Best Editing and Best Production Design. Chu Wan Pin, composer from China's Hong Kong, was awarded the Best Original Music for the film "the Last Dance."

Japanese actor Koji Yakusho was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Established in 2007, the Asian Film Awards aimed to showcase outstanding Asian films to global audiences. Since 2014, they have been hosted by the Asian Film Awards Academy, jointly founded by international film festivals of Hong Kong, Busan and Tokyo.
by Danielle Oster , March 17, 2025

Clover chose a timely moment to launch its Create Your Own Luck campaign, which will also include the fintech brands TV debut.

The brand, which offers a management platform for small businesses, is launching a campaign on March 17, casting actress and media personality Tabitha Brown as Lady Luck, after naming her Chief Empowerment Officer back in January. In the spot, Lady Luck comes to the rescue of a small business owner, before the spot ends with the Create Your Own Luck tagline.

Clover will make its TV debut on March 21, when the ad runs during ABCs broadcast of Shark Tank in markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York.

Before that, Clovers Create Your Own Luck campaign will debut with a paid campaign on @CloverCommerce on Instagram on March 17, a brand representative told Marketing Daily.

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The campaign follows Clover and Sony Pictures Television, which co-produces Shark Tank, partnering on the Clover x Shark Tank Summit, a small-business conference that Clover says is designed to help address the 50% failure rate of small businesses (per the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), as well as an Access Pass grant program for small businesses.
Consuming raw milk can expose you to harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, as well as the H5N1 bird flu virus.

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With Bird Flu in Raw Milk, Many Still Do Not Know Risks of Consuming It



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Did You Know?

Only 17% of U.S. adults are aware that bird flu has been detected only in raw milk. #birdflu #birdfluinrawmilk #H5N1 #medindia

Only 17% of U.S. adults are aware that bird flu has been detected only in raw milk. #birdflu #birdfluinrawmilk #H5N1 #medindia

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Bird Flu: A Silent Threat

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H5N1 in Raw Milk: Think Before You Drink

Raw Milk: A Hidden Host for Bird Flu

Raw Milk and Health Claims

Bone thinning (osteoporosis): About 1 in 4 people (26%) believe that raw milk is about as effective as pasteurized milk at preventing osteoporosis, although 10% incorrectly believe raw milk is more effective and 59% are unsure. The FDA says raw milk is not more effective than pasteurized milk at preventing osteoporosis.

About 1 in 4 people (26%) believe that raw milk is about as effective as pasteurized milk at preventing osteoporosis, although 10% incorrectly believe raw milk is more effective and 59% are unsure. The FDA says raw milk is not more effective than pasteurized milk at preventing osteoporosis. Lactose intolerance: 40% believe that it is false to say that regularly consuming raw, unpasteurized milk cures lactose intolerance. But 10% incorrectly say this is true and 50% are not sure. The FDA says raw milk does not cure lactose intolerance.

40% believe that it is false to say that regularly consuming raw, unpasteurized milk cures lactose intolerance. But 10% incorrectly say this is true and 50% are not sure. The FDA says raw milk does not cure lactose intolerance. Asthma: 39% believe it is false to say that regularly consuming raw milk reduces the symptoms of asthma, but 7% believe it is true and 54% are not sure. The FDA says that raw milk does not cure or treat asthma and allergy.

39% believe it is false to say that regularly consuming raw milk reduces the symptoms of asthma, but 7% believe it is true and 54% are not sure. The FDA says that raw milk does not cure or treat asthma and allergy. Immune system: 30% believe it is false to say that regularly consuming raw milk enhances the human immune system, but 23% think it is true and 47% are not sure. The FDA says raw milk is not an immune system building food and is particularly unsafe for children, who are usually more vulnerable to pathogens in raw milk than adults.

30% believe it is false to say that regularly consuming raw milk enhances the human immune system, but 23% think it is true and 47% are not sure. The FDA says raw milk is not an immune system building food and is particularly unsafe for children, who are usually more vulnerable to pathogens in raw milk than adults. Childrens vulnerability to sickness: About a third (35%) know that children are typically more vulnerable than adults to getting sick from the viruses and bacteria that can occur in raw milk. But 5% incorrectly think they are less vulnerable, 16% think they are about as vulnerable, and 45% are not sure.

Government Regulation of Raw Milk

With Bird Flu in Raw Milk, Many Still Do Not Know Risks of Consuming It - (https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/with-bird-flu-in-raw-milk-many-in-u-s-still-do-not-know-risks-of-consuming-it/)

Watch out! A glass of raw milk may contain more than just nutrientsit could also carry dangerous viruses like H5N1 bird flu.In April 2024, the FDA found H5N1 bird flu in raw (unpasteurized) milk samples from four states. Despite this, many Americans are unaware that raw milk and its products pose higher health risks, especially for children, compared to pasteurized milk. Consuming raw milk can expose one to, and and, potentially, H5N1 bird flu.A majority of U.S. adults (56%) knows that drinking raw milk from cows, sheep, or goats is less safe than drinking pasteurized milk. But over 4 in 10 Americans either are not sure (25%), think raw milk is just as safe to drink as pasteurized milk (12%) or think it is safer to drink (6%), according to a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania ().The findings are statistically unchanged from APPCs July 2024 survey. Almost a third of people (32%) know that drinking raw milk increases a persons risk of foodborne illness, though 14% think it has no effect and 51% are not sure.The survey, conducted Jan. 30-Feb. 10, 2025, among more than 1,700 empanelled U.S. adults, also finds that two-thirds (66%) do not know that children are more vulnerable than adults to getting sick from the viruses and bacteria that can occur in raw milk.Consuming raw milk and raw milk products can make you sick and pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illness, said Patrick E. Jamieson, director of APPCs Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute. Looking for the pasteurization label before buying or consuming milk or milk products such as cheese is good practice.As of March 10, 2025, 70 confirmed U.S. cases of H5N1 bird flu have been detected in people in 13 states, nearly all from exposure to infected poultry or dairy herds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One death from bird flu has been reported, involving a patient in Louisiana. To date there have been no reported cases of human-to-human transmission.From January 2022 through March 11, 2025, bird flu has been detected in nearly a thousand dairy herds in 17 states, and it has affected over 166 million poultry and wild aquatic birds, covering all states. Globally, according to the World Health Organization, from Jan. 1, 2003-Dec. 12, 2024, 954 cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus were reported from 24 countries. Of these 954 cases, 464 were fatal.Researchers have found that mice can be infected with bird flu by drinking raw milk. Although the FDA does not currently know whether H5N1 can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw milk, a study with mice suggests that the virus in untreated milk can infect susceptible animals that consume it. The National Institutes of Health says this suggests that drinking raw milk may pose a risk of transmission to people.The vast majority of U.S. adults do not know that bird flu has been detected to date only in raw milk, not pasteurized milk. Just 17% know that bird flu has been found only in raw milk. Two percent incorrectly say bird flu has been found only in pasteurized milk, 7% say it has been found in both, 7% say it has been found in neither, and over two-thirds of those surveyed (68%) are not sure.Almost a quarter of people (22%) say drinking raw milk increases the chances you will get H5N1 or bird flu, up from 15% in July 2024, though this is unchanged from November 2024. An equal number (22%) say drinking raw milk has no effect one way or the other on whether you will get bird flu, though fewer people believe that today than in November 2024 (35%). Over half of those surveyed (53%) are not sure what effect drinking raw milk has on getting bird flu, up from 43% in November 2024.The FDA has said that by heating milk to a specific temperature for a time pasteurization kills harmful bacteria and viruses, and that pasteurization will inactivate the bird flu virus if it is present in raw milk.APPCs survey, which included non-milk drinkers, finds a small proportion of respondents (4%) who report having consumed raw or unpasteurized milk in the past 12 months, unchanged from our July 2024 survey. Another 2% were not sure whether they had consumed raw milk.Survey respondents are equally split between those who say raw milk has more nutrients than pasteurized milk (28%) and those who say it has about the same amount of nutrients (28%). Forty percent are not sure. The FDA says pasteurization kills pathogens in raw milk without any significant impact on milk nutritional quality.Promoters of raw milk have made many claims about its health benefits  but the FDA has categorized a number of them as misconceptions, as is explained here (current as of March 5, 2025). Though minorities believe in these claims, the survey finds that many more people  about half of U.S. adults or more  are not sure whether the claims are true or false:The FDA has prohibited the interstate sale of raw milk since 1987, but 30 states in the United States allow its sale in some form, according to the FDA. Survey respondents were asked for their views on government regulation of raw milk sales and sellers:Nearly a quarter of those surveyed (24%) favor the interstate sale of raw milk, and a slightly larger group (28%) opposes it, statistically unchanged from September 2024. Nearly half of respondents either are not sure (18%) or neither favor nor oppose it (29%).Nearly a quarter (24%) favor the unrestricted sale of raw milk in the state in which they live, and another quarter (25%) say the sale of raw milk should be banned, except for farmers selling from their own dairy herds on their own land. Fourteen percent say the sale of raw milk should be banned in their states, and 37% are not sure.Nearly a third (32%) agree that federal government regulations of raw unpasteurized milk are another example of unnecessary government intrusion in peoples lives, while a like number (34%) disagree. A third (33%) neither agree nor disagree.A quarter (25%) agree that state laws prohibiting the sale of raw milk violate the constitutional rights of raw milk sellers, while a third (34%) disagree, and 41% neither agree nor disagree. (Asked of a random half-sample.)Over half (56%) do not think that state laws requiring labels on raw milk containers warning about the risks of consuming raw milk violate the constitutional rights of raw milk sellers, while 14% think the state laws do violate their rights. Nearly a third (30%) neither agree nor disagree. (Asked of a random half-sample.)Asked in how many of the states the U.S. Department of Agriculture is testing raw milk for bird flu virus, 74% are not sure. Two percent say none, and a quarter of those surveyed say either some (10%), most (9%), or all (5%). As of Jan. 8, 2025, the USDA says its National Milk Testing Strategy has enrolled 28 states, accounting for nearly 65% of the nations milk production.Source-Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
The global fight against AIDS is at a critical juncture as the 2030 deadline approaches, demanding immediate and concerted action.

Highlights: Over 1.3 million new HIV diagnoses were reported in 2023, far exceeding the target

Key populations are disproportionately affected, with 80% of new infections occurring among them

Urgent action and renewed focus on prevention and treatment are essential to meet the 2030 goals

  Trusted Source

New UNAIDS report shows AIDS pandemic can be ended by 2030, but only if leaders boost resources and protect human rights now



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Did You Know?

Every 2 minutes, someone in the Asia Pacific is newly infected with HIV. #medindia #aidsawareness

Every 2 minutes, someone in the Asia Pacific is newly infected with HIV. #medindia #aidsawareness

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Progress and Setbacks in the Global AIDS Response

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Call for Accountability and Action

Discrepancy Between Promises and Reality

Alarming Trends in Asia Pacific

Importance of Key Populations in the HIV Response

New UNAIDS report shows AIDS pandemic can be ended by 2030, but only if leaders boost resources and protect human rights now - (https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2024/july/20240722_global-aids-update)

As we approach 2030, the global community faces a critical challenge: the fight against AIDS. With only 70 months remaining to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the urgency to act is palpable. Despite some progress in combating HIV, the reality is that many countries and communities are falling short of their commitments ().A decade ago, world leaders pledged to end AIDS by 2030, ensuring that no one would be left behind. While significant strides have been made in preventing new infections and improving the quality of life for those living with HIV , complacency is not an option. In 2023, the world recorded 1.3 million new HIV diagnosesover three times the target of fewer than 370,000 new infections by 2025. Furthermore, despite advancements in treatment, over 630,000 individuals succumbed to AIDS-related illnesses last year, far exceeding the goal of fewer than 250,000 deaths.Dr. Ishwar Gilada, a prominent HIV medical expert in India, emphasizes the need for accountability and a reevaluation of strategies to meet the SDGs. He asserts that every new infection or death is a stark reminder of the potential for improvement in prevention and treatment efforts. David Bridger, UNAIDS India Director, echoes this sentiment, urging leaders to commit to effective programs that engage communities, reduce stigma, and ensure sustainable responses.The ambitious targets set by global leaders include ensuring that 95% of at-risk individuals utilize combination prevention methods, that 95% of those with HIV are aware of their status, and that 95% of those diagnosed receive lifesaving antiretroviral treatment . However, current statistics reveal a troubling gap: only 78% of people living with HIV in the Asia Pacific region know their status and just 67% of those diagnosed are receiving treatment.The Asia Pacific region is particularly concerning, accounting for a quarter of new global HIV infections. Countries like the Philippines and Fiji have seen dramatic increases in infection rates, driven by factors such as male-to-male sexual transmission and drug use. In contrast, some nations, including Cambodia and Thailand, have made notable progress in meeting their 2025 targets.Key populationssuch as men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people who inject drugsare disproportionately affected by HIV. In 2022, 80% of new infections in the Asia Pacific region occurred within these groups. However, access to prevention services remains limited, with only a fraction of the necessary funding directed toward programs targeting these populations.To effectively combat HIV, governments must renew their focus on key populations and modernize service delivery. This includes adopting innovative prevention tools like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and addressing the legal and structural barriers that perpetuate stigma and discrimination. Increased investment in community-led programming is essential for achieving meaningful progress.The fight against AIDS is far from over, and the stakes are high. With the clock ticking toward 2030, global leaders, health organizations, and communities must unite to accelerate efforts in prevention, treatment, and support. The promise to end AIDS is within reach, but it requires bold action and unwavering commitment from all stakeholders involved.Source-Medindia
AI-driven blood tests can accurately determine your biological age using hormone analysis.

Highlights: AI-powered analysis of steroid hormones reveals true biological age

Stress-related hormone cortisol significantly impacts aging

Potential applications in preventive health and personalized wellness

  Trusted Source

Unlocking Your Biological Age: New AI Model Determines True Health Status from Just 5 Drops of Blood



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Did You Know?

Chronic stress can speed up agingdoubling cortisol levels increases biological age by 1.5 times. #stress #cortisol #aging #medindia

Chronic stress can speed up agingdoubling cortisol levels increases biological age by 1.5 times. #stress #cortisol #aging #medindia

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How a Simple Blood Test Can Reveal Your True Biological Age

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Role of Hormones in Aging

Innovative AI to Assessing Biological Age

Cortisol on Biological Aging

AI and Personalized Healthcare

Unlocking Your Biological Age: New AI Model Determines True Health Status from Just 5 Drops of Blood - (https://bioengineer.org/unlocking-your-biological-age-new-ai-model-determines-true-health-status-from-just-5-drops-of-blood/)

Have you ever met someone who seems to defy the effects of aging? Researchers at Osaka University in Japan have developed an innovative method to quantify biological age, which reflects how well your body has aged compared to your chronological age. This new approach utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze hormone metabolism pathways, providing a more accurate health assessment based on justof blood ().Published in the journal, this groundbreaking study reveals how the analysis of 22 key steroid hormones can help determine an individual's biological age. By examining the interactions between these hormones, the researchers aim to identify age-related health risks earlier and tailor interventions accordingly.Aging is influenced by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environment. Traditional methods for estimating biological age often rely on broad biomarkers, such as DNA methylation or protein levels. However, these methods may overlook the complex hormonal networks that play a crucial role in maintaining the bodys balance.Dr. Qiuyi Wang, a co-first author of the study, explains, Our bodies depend on hormones to maintain homeostasis, so we thought, why not use these as key indicators of aging? The research team focused on steroid hormones, which are vital for metabolism, immune function, and stress response.The researchers developed a deep neural network (DNN) model that specifically incorporates steroid metabolism pathways. This model is unique because it considers the interactions between different steroid molecules rather than just their individual levels. By analyzing steroid ratios, the model provides a more personalized and accurate assessment of biological age.Dr. Zi Wang, another co-first author, notes, Our approach reduces the noise caused by individual steroid level differences and allows the model to focus on meaningful patterns. The model was trained on blood samples from hundreds of individuals, revealing that biological age differences tend to increase as people age, similar to a river widening as it flows downstream.One of the most significant discoveries from the study involves cortisol, a hormone linked to stress. The researchers found that when cortisol levels doubled, biological age increased by about 1.5 times. This finding underscores the impact of chronic stress on aging at a biochemical level, highlighting the importance of stress management for long-term health.Professor Toshifumi Takao, a corresponding author and expert in analytical chemistry, states, Our findings provide concrete evidence that stress has a measurable impact on biological aging.The AI-powered biological age model has the potential to revolutionize personalized health monitoring. Future applications could include early disease detection, customized wellness programs, and lifestyle recommendations aimed at slowing the aging process.While this study marks a significant advancement, the researchers acknowledge that biological aging is influenced by many factors beyond hormones. This is just the beginning, says Dr. Z. Wang. By expanding our dataset and incorporating additional biological markers, we hope to refine the model further and gain deeper insights into the mechanisms of aging.With ongoing advancements in AI and biomedical research, accurately measuring and potentially slowing biological aging is becoming increasingly feasible. The ability to assess ones aging speed through a simple blood test could represent a transformative development in preventive healthcare, paving the way for a healthier future.Source-Medindia
Survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest depends on the speed at which CPR is initiated, rather than who performs it.

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Resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - it's how quickly it is done, rather than who does it



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Did You Know?

More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year. CPR, especially if administered immediately after cardiac arrest, can double or triple a persons chance of survival. #medindia #cardiacarrest #cpr

More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year. CPR, especially if administered immediately after cardiac arrest, can double or triple a persons chance of survival. #medindia #cardiacarrest #cpr

Increased Participation of Layperson Rescuers Over Time

Median Time to Return of Spontaneous Circulation

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Resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest  it's how quickly it is done, rather than who does it - (https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/resuscitation-in-out-of-hospital-cardiac-arrest-it-s-how-quickly-it-is-done-r)

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) during a heart attack is a time-sensitive emergency that demands immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) ().New findings shared at the 2025 ESC Acute Cardiovascular Care Congress in Florence, Italy, by a research team led by Prof. Aneta Aleksova, along with Dr. Alessandra Lucia Fluca and Dr. Milijana Janjusevic from the University of Trieste, and in collaboration with interventional cardiologist Dr. Andrea Perkan, suggest that although the rate of bystanders (members of the public) performing CPR has increased over the past 20 years in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (northeastern Italy), the key factor in determining survival and long-term outcomes is theMore specifically, while it is encouraging that the number of bystander rescuers has increased compared to previous years, the fact that 80% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur in residential settings highlights the crucial need for further public education and Basic Life Support (BLS) training to improve survival rates.The authors conclude: Over time, the proportion of layperson rescuers constantly increased. Rapid return of spontaneous circulation was was crucial for in-hospital survival, independently of rescuer type. Also, similar long-term survival was observed comparing patients with initial layperson or emergency medical service cardiopulmonary resuscitaiton. Our data highlights the importance of immediate resuscitation and underlines the importance to promote population awareness and BLS training to further improve survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest .The authors analysed data from 3315 patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), a type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage of a major heart artery, who were admitted to the cardiology department at University Hospital Trieste over the 22-year period (2003-2024). Among them, 172 suffered OHCA, and in total 44 had received CPR from a bystander during the whole study period. When the study period was divided into five intervals (2003-2007, 2008-2011, 2012-2015, 20162019 and 2020 to 2024) (see Figure 1 of abstract), the authors observed a significant increase in the proportion of patients receiving bystander-initiated CPR throughout the years. Statistical analysis showed the proportion of patients receiving bystander CPR increased from 26% in 2003-2007 to 69% in 2020-2024.The median time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was, but longer for bystanders (20 minutes) compared with medical operators (5 minutes). Patients who received bystander CPR more frequently underwent endotracheal intubation (ET) (91% for bystander CPR versus 65% for those receiving EMS CPR).Overall, one quarter of the patients (25.6%) died in the initial period of hospital admission. Compared to survivors, patients who died in-hospital were older (mean age: 67 years versus 62 years) and had more comorbidities. Statistical analysis revealed worse left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), longer time to ROSC and older age were predictors of in-hospital mortality, after correction for rescuer type. More precisely, each 5-minute increase in time to ROSC and a 5-percentage-point decrease in LVEF were associated with a 38% increased risk in mortality, whereas every 5-years increase in age corresponded to a 46% higher death risk. Then, during a median follow-up of 7 years, 18 patients (14%) died, but the authors analysis showed mortality did not differ based on rescuer type.While these survival rates are higher than typically seen for OHCA patients, the authors explain that various factors could be behind this  the patients included in this study had STEMI-type heart attacks, from which the chances of recovery are higher (compared to patients with OHCA with other cardiac and extracardiac causes). Other factors could include higher than average proportions of bystanders trained in CPR, and strongly performing emergency health systems enabling operators to reach victims more rapidly.Source-Eurekalert
The U.S. military wants to keep training at Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday explicitly linked the actions of Yemen's Houthi rebels to the group's main benefactor, Iran, warning Tehran would suffer the consequences for further attacks by the group.

The comments by Trump on his Truth Social website escalate his administration's new campaign of airstrikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 53 people this weekend alone and appear poised to continue. Meanwhile, Iran continues to weigh how to respond to a letter Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

Houthi supporters themselves rallied in several cities Monday after the strikes, vowing revenge against America and Israel over blocking aid to the Gaza Strip after its war on Hamas there. The Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel put young boys on air live, who chanted the group's slogan: God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.

The Yemeni position is an irreversible position (regarding Gaza), so do whatever you (Americans) want, for we are men who fear no one but God," said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi leader who spoke to the demonstration in Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa.

The United Nations called for a halt to all military activities in Yemen and the Red Sea, urging utmost restraint and warning that any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday.

Trump links Iran to the Houthis

Describing the Houthis as sinister mobsters and thugs, Trump warned any attack by the group would be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.

Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which theyve lost control, but they havent lost control, Trump alleged in his post. Theyre dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, 'Intelligence.'

It's unclear what sparked Trump's post. However, the head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard sought to separate the Houthis' actions from those of Tehran this weekend. The Houthis also launched drones and missiles targeting the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, though none reached the ship as it continues flight operations in the region.

Iran did not immediately comment on the post.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Trump added.

The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year when a ceasefire began in Gaza. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.

The Houthis claimed there had been additional U.S. airstrikes overnight, though American officials did not immediately acknowledge them.

World Food Program warehouse raided by Houthis

In Saada province, the Houthis' stronghold, the rebels raided a warehouse run by the World Food Program. A member of Yemen's exiled government first reported the Houthis had been taking supplies from the facility without the WFP's permission in the aftermath of the U.S. airstrikes. The United Nations agency later acknowledged the Houthis' actions to The Associated Press.

WFP regrets the de facto authorities' decision to seize some of the commodities, it said. These commodities were intended for the most vulnerable food-insecure families. Only WFP and its partners have the authority to distribute them and ensure they reach the intended recipients.

Yemen, at war since the Houthis seized Sanaa back in 2014, has been on the precipice of famine for years. But the U.N. in February suspended its operations in Saada over security concerns following the detentions of dozens of U.N. workers and others in recent months. A day later, the WFP announced one of its staffers died while imprisoned by the Houthis.

___

Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
In 1957, Hollywood released The Deadly Mantis, a B-grade monster movie starring a praying mantis of nightmare proportions. Its premise: Melting Arctic ice has released a very hungry, million-year-old megabug, and scientists and the U.S. military will have to stop it.

The rampaging insect menaces Americas Arctic military outposts, part of a critical line of national defense, before heading south and meeting its end in New York City.

Yes, its over-the-top fiction, but the movie holds some truth about the U.S. militarys concerns then and now about the Arctics stability and its role in national security.

In the late 1940s, Arctic temperatures were warming and the Cold War was heating up. The U.S. military had grown increasingly nervous about a Soviet invasion across the Arctic. It built bases and a line of radar stations. The movie used actual military footage of these polar outposts.

But officials wondered: What if sodden snow and vanishing ice stalled American men and machines and weakened these northern defenses?

In response to those concerns, the military created the Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research Establishment, a research center dedicated to the science and engineering of all things frozen: glacier runways, the behavior of ice, the physics of snow and the climates of the past.

It was the beginning of the militarys understanding that climate change couldnt be ignored.

As I was writing When the Ice is Gone, my recent book about Greenland, climate science and the U.S. military, I read government documents from the 1950s and 1960s showing how the Pentagon poured support into climate and cold-region research to boost the national defense.

Initially, military planners recognized threats to their own ability to protect the nation. Over time, the U.S. military would come to see climate change as both a threat in itself and a threat multiplier for national security.

Visitors to the East Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP) site enter a tunnel that takes them under the surface of the ice. The tunnel houses a large drill and other tools researchers use to take ice cores from the ice shelf, which are then sent to various places around the world for study. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)

Ice roads, ice cores and bases inside the ice sheet

The militarys snow and ice engineering in the 1950s made it possible for convoys of tracked vehicles to routinely cross Greenlands ice sheet, while planes landed and took off from ice and snow runways.

In 1953, the Army even built a pair of secret surveillance sites inside the ice sheet, both equipped with Air Force radar units looking 24/7 for Soviet missiles and aircraft, but also with weather stations to understand the Arctic climate system.

The Army drilled the worlds first deep ice core from a base it built within the Greenland ice sheet, Camp Century. Its goal: to understand how climate had changed in the past so they would know how it might change in the future.

The military wasnt shy about its climate change research successes. The Armys chief ice scientist, Dr. Henri Bader, spoke on the Voice of America. He promoted ice coring as a way to investigate climates of the past, provide a new understanding of weather, and understand past climatic patterns to gauge and predict the one we are living in today  all strategically important.

In the 1970s, painstaking laboratory work on the Camp Century ice core extracted minuscule amounts of ancient air trapped in tiny bubbles in the ice. Analyses of that gas revealed that levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were lower for tens of thousands of years before the industrial revolution. After 1850, carbon dioxide levels crept up slowly at first and then rapidly accelerated. It was direct evidence that peoples actions, including burning coal and oil, were changing the composition of the atmosphere.

Since 1850, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have spiked and global temperatures have warmed by more than 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 Celsius). The past 10 years have been the hottest since recordkeeping began, with 2024 now holding the record. Climate change is now affecting the entire Earth  but most especially the Arctic, which is warming several times faster than the rest of the planet.

A snow-equipped tractor, with attached grooming rig and skis designed by the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineer Laboratory, smooths the skiway at Summit Station, Greenland. US Army Corps of Engineers photo by TJ Melendy)

Seeing climate change as a threat multiplier

For decades, military leaders have been discussing climate change as a threat and a threat multiplier that could worsen instability and mass migration in already fragile regions of the world.

Climate change can fuel storms, wildfires and rising seas that threaten important military bases. It puts personnel at risk in rising heat and melts sea ice, creating new national security concerns in the Arctic. Climate change can also contribute to instability and conflict when water and food shortages trigger increasing competition for resources, internal and cross-border tensions, or mass migrations.

The military understands that these threats cant be ignored. As Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told a conference in September 2024: Climate resilience is force resilience.

This photo shows an aerial view of Norfolk Naval Station. (Christopher Stoltz/U.S. Navy)

Consider Naval Station Norfolk. Its the largest military port facility in the world and sits just above sea level on Virginias Atlantic coast. Sea level there rose more than 1.5 feet in the last century, and its on track to rise that much again by 2050 as glaciers around the world melt and warming ocean water expands.

High tides already cause delays in repair work, and major storms and their storm surges have damaged expensive equipment. The Navy has built sea walls and worked to restore coastal dunes and marshlands to protect its Virginia properties, but the risks continue to increase.

Planning for the future, the Navy incorporates scientists projections of sea level rise and increasing hurricane strength to design more resilient facilities. By adapting to climate change, the U.S. Navy will avoid the fate of another famous marine power: the Norse, forced to abandon their flooded Greenland settlements when sea level there rose about 600 years ago.

Climate change is costly to ignore

As the impacts of climate change grow in both frequency and magnitude, the costs of inaction are increasing. Most economists agree that its cheaper to act now than deal with the consequences. Yet, in the past 20 years, the political discourse around addressing the cause and effects of climate change has become increasingly politicized and partisan, stymieing effective action.

In my view, the militarys approach to problem-solving and threat reduction provides a model for civil society to address climate change in two ways: reducing carbon emissions and adapting to inevitable climate change impacts.

The U.S. military emits more planet warming carbon than Sweden and spent more than US$2 billion on energy in 2021. It accounts for more than 70% of energy used by the federal government.

In that context, its embrace of alternative energy, including solar generation, microgrids and wind power, makes economic and environmental sense. The U.S. military is moving away from fossil fuels, not because of any political agenda, but because of the cost-savings, increased reliability and energy independence the alternatives provide.

As sea ice melts and Arctic temperatures rise, the polar region has again become a strategic priority. Russia and China are expanding Arctic shipping routes and eyeing critical mineral deposits as they become accessible. The military knows climate change affects national security, which is why it continues to take steps to address the threats a changing climate presents.

Paul Bierman, Fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment, Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Vermont

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Department of Veterans Affairs will no longer provide hormone therapy and other gender-related care to transgender veteran patients not already receiving those treatments in the VA or Defense Department health systems, officials announced Monday.

Effective immediately, VA patients with gender dysphoria who aren't already taking hormones will not have access to that care. The department also will no longer provide new prosthetics, wigs or other medical devices or services such as voice or communication training to transgender patients.

Advocates said transgender veterans will not have access to the complete medical care they need due to the VA rollback of services -- originally affirmed under a directive issued under the first Trump administration -- and warned it could push more veterans into crisis, with potentially deadly outcomes.

Read Next: Trump Orders Strikes on Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels in Yemen and Issues New Warning

"VA's rollback of crucial protections, specifically the elimination of Directive 1341, is a direct assault on the well-being of vulnerable LGBTQ+ veterans, jeopardizing their access to essential care," Rachel Branaman, executive director of Modern Military Association of America, said in a statement.

The changes, which began Friday after the VA rescinded the 2018 directive on gender-affirming care for transgender veterans, are related to an executive order issued Jan. 20 by President Donald Trump declaring that the federal government recognizes only two sexes: male and female.

The order prohibited the use of gender identity on official documents and sought to prevent the use of taxpayer dollars for programs and services that support transgender people.

"I mean no disrespect to anyone, but VA should not be focused on helping veterans attempt to change their sex," VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement Monday. "All eligible veterans -- including trans-identified veterans -- will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they've earned under the law. But if veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime."

According to the announcement, the VA will not offer hormone therapy to veterans with a "current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria, unless" they "are already receiving such care from VA" or "were receiving such care from the military as part of and upon their separation from military service and they are eligible for VA health care."

The 2018 directive, issued during Trump's first term in office, authorized VA providers to provide hormone therapy, mental health services and pre-operative evaluations for those considering surgery, as well as post-operative and long-term care.

In announcing the directive's recission, Acting Under Secretary for Health Dr. Steven Lieberman said the VA will continue to provide care and treatment to "all veterans, including trans-identifying" veterans, that is "compatible with generally accepted standards of medical practice," but he added the VA needed to conduct a comprehensive review of care "with respect to" those patients.

Minority Veterans of America Executive Director Lindsay Church said the decision will hurt transgender veterans and could result in "deadly outcomes."

"This decision will exacerbate our already devastatingly high suicide rates and push more veterans into crisis for no reason other than hate," Church said.

Earlier this year, a veteran died by suicide at the VA hospital in Syracuse, New York, draped in a pink, light blue and white flag -- a banner that symbolizes transgender pride, according to an eyewitness.

"VA is abandoning those who have served, stripping us of critical health care protections, and sending a clear message that our lives and service to our country do not matter," Church said.

Last month, the Defense Department issued a memo declaring that a diagnosis, symptoms or history of gender dysphoria are incompatible with military service, and transgender service members would be separated involuntarily from the military.

The services have started issuing policies for the discharges, with the Navy and Marine Corps saying sailors and Marines have until March 28 to receive separation pay twice the normal amount if they volunteer to leave before they are dismissed.

The Army and Air Force gave transgender soldiers and airmen until March 26 to decide to voluntarily separate.

A federal judge is expected to rule this week on whether the Pentagon's policy to ban transgender individuals from serving is legal.

In addition to barring transgender individuals from serving, the Pentagon policy also prohibited medical coverage of gender transition surgeries and new hormone therapy prescriptions for those not already being treated.

The Defense Department has covered gender-affirming surgery, along with mental health care, hormone treatment and other services, for active-duty and activated Guard and reserve members since 2014.

According to the Pentagon, from 2015 to 2024, the Defense Department spent $52 million to care for 5,773 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and roughly 1,000 received some type of surgery during that time frame.

The VA is prohibited, by law, from covering or providing gender transition surgeries.

In June 2021, then-VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the department was taking steps to cover such surgeries, but the VA was not able to complete the process necessary to change its medical benefits package before the end of President Joe Biden's term.

In making his announcement, McDonough predicted that the change to the regulations would take two years; in 2023, however, he said he had outstanding questions that needed to be answered before implementing changes and later said that a review of the impact of the PACT Act needed to be complete before the VA could proceed on offering procedures.

Under the new directive, the VA's ban on surgeries will remain in place.

"VA does not provide 'gender-affirming' surgeries in VA facilities or through non-VA care because VA regulation excludes them from the medical benefits package," Lieberman wrote. "VA requires medical necessity for any surgical care offered to veterans; gender alteration surgery is not an authorized medical treatment."

The VA said fewer than 9,000 of the 9.1 million veterans enrolled in VA health care identify as transgender. Advocates for Trans Equality, a nonprofit that supports transgender persons, estimates that 134,000 U.S. veterans are transgender.

Related: 'Complete Purge': On-Paper Exemptions to Transgender Troop Ban Are Worthless, Advocates Say
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador  The crown jewel of El Salvador's aggressive anti-crime strategy  a mega-prison where visitation, recreation and education are not allowed  became the latest tool in U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration on Sunday, when hundreds of immigrants facing deportation were transferred there.

The arrival of the immigrants, alleged by the U.S. to be members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, took place under an agreement for which the Trump administration will pay the government of President Nayib Bukele $6 million for one year of services.

Bukele has made the Central American countrys stark, harsh prisons a trademark of his fight against crime. In 2023, he opened the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, where the immigrants were sent over the weekend even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring their deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members.

What is the CECOT?

Bukele ordered the mega-prison built as he began his campaign against El Salvadors gangs in March 2022. It opened a year later in the town of Tecoluca, about 72 kilometers (45 miles) east of the capital.

The facility has eight sprawling pavilions and can hold up to 40,000 inmates. Each cell can fit 65 to 70 prisoners.

CECOT prisoners do not receive visits and are never allowed outdoors. The prison does not offer workshops or educational programs to prepare them to return to society after their sentences.

Occasionally, prisoners who have gained a level of trust from prison officials give motivational talks. Prisoners sit in rows in the corridor outside their cells for the talks or are led through exercise regimens under the supervision of guards.

Bukeles justice minister has said that those held at CECOT would never return to their communities.

The prison's dining halls, break rooms, gym and board games are for guards.

How many prisoners does El Salvador hold?

The government doesnt regularly update the figure, but the human rights organization Cristosal reported that in March 2024 El Salvador had 110,000 people behind bars, including those sentenced to prison and those still awaiting trial. That's more than double the 36,000 inmates that the government reported in April 2021, a year before Bukele ramped up his fight against crime.

Cristosal and other advocates have accused authorities of human rights violations.

Cristosal reported last year that at least 261 people had died in El Salvadors prisons during the gang crackdown. The group and others have cited cases of abuse, torture and lack of medical attention.

In slickly produced videos, the government has shown CECOT prisoners in boxer shorts marching into common areas and made to sit nearly atop each other. Cells lack enough bunks for everyone.

Why were immigrants sent to CECOT?

The migrants were deported after Trumps declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history.

The law requires a president to declare the U.S. is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. Trump claimed the Tren de Aragua gang was invading the U.S. in invoking the wartime authority.

Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in Venezuela and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nations economy came undone last decade.

The Trump administration has not identified the migrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the U.S.

Video released by El Salvadors government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes into an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend at the waist.

The video also showed the men being transported to CECOT in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prisons all-white uniform  knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs  and placed in cells.



Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
The Phillies announced they acquired reliever Devin Sweet from the Tigers and added him to the 40-man roster. Philadelphia also claimed reliever John McMillon off waivers from the Marlins and selected righty Alan Rangel onto the 40-man. The Phils dropped Kolby Allard, Yunior Marte, Freddy Tarnok, Luis Ortiz and Rodolfo Castro from the roster by running them through outright waivers.

Sweet had not been on Detroits 40-man roster. He was set to reach minor league free agency today. While Detroit evidently wasnt going to select his contract, the Phils were intrigued enough to carry him on the roster. The 28-year-old righty posted big numbers for the Tigers top affiliate in Toledo. Sweet struck out almost 34% of Triple-A hitters and posted a 3.91 ERA through 76 innings. He has limited MLB experience, allowing 10 runs in 8 2/3 innings between two teams in 2023.

McMillon changes hands via waivers for the second time in a few months. Miami grabbed the 63 righty from Kansas City in early August. McMillon pitched well over 10 appearances for the Fish but ended the year on the injured list with elbow tightness. The Texas Tech product has an earned run average approaching 5.00 over four seasons in the minors. He averages north of 95 MPH on his fastball, so its a low-risk flier on a pitcher with a decent arm and two minor league options remaining.

Rangel, 27, signed a minor league deal with Philadelphia in July. The Mexican-born righty tossed 29 1/3 innings of 4.30 ERA ball in a swing role in Triple-A. He didnt miss many bats but showed solid control. Rangel, who has yet to make his big league debut, would have been eligible for minor league free agency again this winter.

Of the players coming off the roster, Allard and Marte had the biggest roles this year. The former worked as a depth starter and posted an even 5.00 earned run average through 27 innings. The latter was hit hard to the tune of a 6.92 ERA across 26 frames in a middle relief role. Ortiz made one appearance but missed the majority of the year to ankle and shoulder problems. Castro played in Triple-A, where he tore a thumb ligament in August. Tarnok didnt pitch in the majors after the Phillies claimed him from the As in June.
MUSKEGON, MI -- Major upgrades are coming to Muskegons shorelines this summer.

While the $5.25 million in federal funding is bringing plenty of new improvements, it will also bring the end to a piece of Muskegon State Park history.

The Channel Beach Pavilion, a 1940s beach bath house, will be demolished this summer, park manager Greg Sherburn said.

The massive concrete building on the shores of Lake Michigan is pretty sound structurally but no longer serves the purpose it did in its heyday when bath houses were meeting spots  and swimwear had a lot more pieces to get on and off.

RELATED: 1930s Lake Michigan beach house gets upgrades amid $3M state park project

The project to replace the pavilion with a new bathroom and changing area is still out to bid.

The design plans do not call for a concession business, but food truck pads have been pitched as an alternative, Sherburn said.

The beach house project is budgeted for $2.5 million with the demolition and rebuild both happening this summer. The beach will still be accessible during construction, Sherburn said.

RELATED: Wool bathing suits, water toboggans and hot air balloon races: East Grand Rapids was a resort haven

The Channel Beach Pavilion along Lake Michigan at Muskegon State Park in North Muskegon, Mich. Joel Bissell | MLive.com

On the side of the building are three murals by Muskegon artist Jimmy Cobb.

Cobb is known for similar beachy scenes along the Lakeshore on the side of the Seaway Drive overpass in Muskegon and Spring Lake Fine Wines & Spirits building overlooking M-104 and Lake Avenue.

The DNR reached out to Cobb and he will take the murals so they are unharmed during demolition, Sherburn said.

15 1 / 15 Snug Harbor fishing pier at Muskegon State Park

Other notable improvements in Muskegon State Park include upgrades to the Snug Harbor fishing pier.

The concrete platform of the fishing pier needs to be leveled for improved accessibility, Sherburn said.

That project is also out to bid with hopes of completing construction before the end of the year.

RELATED: Hoffmaster State Park reopens road to popular Lake Michigan beach

The park projects are funded through the $273 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars the state legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allocated to parks and campgrounds.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been chipping away at a backlog of 202 projects. Projects using ARPA money must have the funding allocated by 2026.

Using federal funds, $250,000 is budgeted to improve the fishing pier, according to the DNRs ARPA dashboard.

Additionally, $300,000 is budgeted for the electrical system in the Snug Harbor buildings and $200,000 for the install of new municipal water distribution lines to maximize efficiencies to existing park facilities.

The campground will also undergo utility upgrades at its RV dump station. Road and parking lot resurfacing has also been factored into the upgrades.
The current entrance sign for the campground at Traverse City State Park, which will be replaced as part of ongoing construction work. (Sheri McWhirter | MLive.com) Sheri McWhirter

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- Construction at one of Lake Michigans most popular campground and parks has heads turning as $8.5 million in upgrades are underway.

Trees are coming down and red closures signs are going up at the entrance of Keith J Charters Traverse City State Park. But locals are more interested in whats changing just outside the park.

The pedestrian bridge that crosses U.S. 31, connecting to the beach, is coming down.

Its been a staple for beachgoers since 1966, but Michigan Department of Transportation says its at the end of its lifespan.

Why cant the bridge stay in its current form?

The bridge is deteriorating and does not meet todays ADA-compliance, according to MDOT.

This is one of several projects that Michigan Department of Natural Resources is collaborating with MDOT on to increase accessibility and ease traffic into the popular campground and park.

In its current form, the bridge creates accessibility challenges for all visitors, for example those pushing strollers or carrying coolers.

It also diverts traffic as campers opt to drive between the campground and the day-use area, increasing traffic congestion and using limited beach parking, MDOT and DNR wrote on Facebook.

RELATED: Heres why 300 trees are being removed from Traverse City State Park

When will the bridge be removed?

A timeline for when the pedestrian bridge removal has not been finalized, but it will coincide with the parks closure, said Jessica Carpenter, MDOT Traffic & Safety Engineer at Traverse City Transportation Service Center.

The park is closed now through April 1, reopening for a short stint through the National Cherry Festival, and then close again on July 7.

The park and campground will remain closed through the 2026 season and reopen in April 2027.

RELATED: One of the most popular state park campgrounds will do a quick open this summer, then close until 2027

Why cant the bridge be repaired?

As more details of the plan come into focus, locals are wondering why the bridge has to be removed altogether and cannot be replaced.

Reconfiguring the existing bridge for ADA compliance is impractical due to its age and deteriorated condition, according to MDOT and DNR.

Remaking the bridge by todays standards would extend the route by 440 feet and drastically impair the campgrounds shoreline view, according to MDOT and DNR.

Replacing the bridge with an ADA-compliant bridge would cost an estimated $20 million and would incur higher long-term maintenance costs, according to MDOT and DNR.

The current park upgrades are using $8.5 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Michigan legislators and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer distributed $273 million to parks and campgrounds.

Additionally, MDOT is investing $1.6 million from its budget to improve the 3-Mile Road/U.S. 31 intersection.

RELATED: With $273M in hand, Michigans DNR is racing to complete 202 backlogged projects

Where will pedestrian traffic go instead?

A new, 60-foot at-grade crosswalk and traffic signal will replace the bridge.

The high visibility crossing will be similar to other lighted intersections in the corridor, including painted stripes and a traffic signal that stops all U.S. 31 traffic with a traffic signal to ensure safe pedestrian passage, according to MDOT and DNR.

Preserving the current bridge would prevent the installation of a new vehicular traffic signal and other park and intersection vehicular circulation improvements due to sight lines, according to the DNR and MDOT.

RELATED: 26 Michigan state park campgrounds with construction closures and delays in 2025

What road construction will visitors see?

In spring 2026, MDOT will add a second westbound left-turn lane on U.S. 31 to 3-Mile.

The goal of this project is to modernize the traffic signal and align the state park day-use beach entrance with the northbound approach.

While the 3-Mile intersection is under construction MDOT will maintain two-way traffic on U.S. 31, including beach access, Carpenter said.

Additionally, a sidewalk will be added along the north side of U.S. 31 from the existing bus stop to the beach bath house.

The construction will be done by July 2026 for the National Cherry Festival, Carpenter said.
Glass Animals have announced new 2025 tour dates in Richmond, Minneapolis, Colorado Springs, and more.

Find tickets on SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, StubHub, and Ticketmaster.

Glass Animals add 2025 North American leg to "Tour of Earth" Courtesy of Vivid Seats

Alternative/indie-pop band Glass Animals just dropped another North American leg beginning June 7 in Saratoga Springs, New York. The route, called the Tour of Earth, will continue supporting their 2024 album release, I Love You So F***ing Much.

Following the opening show at Broadview Stage, the trek is also set to visit Governors Ball Music Festival in New York, Allianz Amphitheater in Richmond, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Dailys Place Amphitheater in Jacksonville, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, the Armory in Minneapolis, Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs, and more before closing out August 17 at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena in Stateline, Nevada. Also on the schedule are 2025 festivals Osheaga Music and Arts (Montreal) and Up in the Sky (Aspen).

Tickets to the new non-festival tour dates go on sale this Friday, March 21 at 10 a.m. local time, with presales opening Wednesday and Thursday.

Tickets: SeatGeek | Vivid Seats | StubHub | Ticketmaster

Tour schedule:

Sat, Jun 7  Broadview Stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center; Saratoga Springs, NY

Sun, Jun 8  2025 Governors Ball Music Festival; Flushing Meadows Corona Park; Flushing, NY

Tue, Jun 10  Summer Stage at Stone Pony; Asbury Park, NJ

Wed, Jun 11  Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront; Richmond, VA

Fri, Jun 13  2025 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival; Manchester, TN

Sat, Jun 14  Credit One Stadium; Charleston, SC

Sun, Jun 15  Live Oak Bank Pavilion; Wilmington, NC

Tue, Jun 17  Dailys Place Amphitheater; Jacksonville, FL

Wed, Jun 18  Hard Rock Live; Hollywood, FL

Thu, Jun 19  MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fair Grounds; Tampa, FL

Fri, Aug 1  2025 Osheaga Music and Arts Festival; Montreal, QC

Sat, Aug 2  Darien Lake Amphitheater; Darien Center, NY

Mon, Aug 4  Armory; Minneapolis, MN

Tue, Aug 5  Steelhouse; Omaha, NE

Thu, Aug 7  Ford Amphitheater; Colorado Springs, CO

Sat, Aug 9  2025 Up in the Sky Music Festival; Aspen, CO

Tue, Aug 12  McMenamins Historic Edgefield Manor; Troutdale, OR

Fri, Aug 15  Ford Idaho Center; Nampa, ID

Sat, Aug 16  Hayden Homes Amphitheater; Bend, OR

Sun, Aug 17  Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena; Stateline, NV
PONTIAC, MI  Prosecutors are seeking to revoke the communications privileges of a Michigan woman accused of abandoning her children in a trash-filled home while she collected welfare meant for their care.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald announced Monday that she has filed a motion after Kelli Bryant of Pontiac allegedly violated a court order directing her to have no contact with her children or their caregiver.

Jail records show that Bryant called the childrens caregiver ten times between March 8 and March 12 to discuss her children and her criminal case, McDonald said.

Bryant also allegedly had other inmates call the childrens caregiver on her behalf, McDonald said.

Bryant was arrested last month after police found a 15-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl living alone in a townhouse in the 600 block of Lydia Lane.

The children were living among piles of trash and feces for years. There was no working toilet in the home and the girls used cardboard boxes as a bed amid other challenges.

She was charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse and three counts of Welfare fraud.

Kelli Bryant has clearly and repeatedly violated the judges order not to contact the victims or their caregiver, McDonald said in a statement. That order is in place for an important reason  to protect the victims.

The decision to ask that an inmates communications be restricted isnt made lightly, but Bryant was repeatedly disobeying court orders and, by doing so, further endangering the victims.

If granted, the motion would prohibit Bryant from using telephone, tablet, and video communication devices while in jail.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Need a job? Perhaps the U.S. Postal Service is for you.

The USPS is set to host job fairs across Michigan on Thursday, March 27.

Several immediate openings need to be filled including city carrier assistant, rural carrier assistant, motor vehicle operator, maintenance and automotive technician.

The hiring events will be held at post offices across Michigan, but some have slightly different times. Job fairs will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in:

Bangor

Berrien Springs

Big Rapids

Dowagiac

Holland

Hudsonville

Kinglsey

South Haven

Michigan Works!

East Jordan

Petoskey

Ishpeming

Harbor Springs

Wolverine

East Tawas

West Branch

Saginaw

Job fairs will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in Grand Rapids:

Eastown

Kentwood

Main Station (Michigan Street)

Northeast

Northwest

Finally, job fairs will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in:

Grand Ledge

Ithaca

Webberville

Westphalia

Newly hired employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and upon hire, employees are eligible to contribute into the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is similar to 401(k) plans.

USPS also offers the option to enroll into the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), as well as enrollment into the dental, vision and long-term care insurance programs.

Applications are accepted online only at www.usps.com/careers. Applicants must be available to work weekends and holidays and have an acceptable driving record.
A man was shot after he exited a vehicle with a long gun in Macomb County on March 16, police said. Michigan State Police

MACOMB COUNTY, MI  An assault suspect was shot by a state trooper following a chase in Macomb County.

Michigan State Police in Detroit say a trooper from the Metro North post was on patrol at 4 p.m. on March 16 when he heard a report to be on the lookout for the driver of a Jeep SUV involved in an alleged felonious assault in Shelby Township.

After the trooper saw the Jeep run off Van Dyke Road into a corn field in Bruce Township, he pulled alongside.

The 31-year-old driver from Chesterfield exited the Jeep with a long gun, police said, prompting the trooper to shoot him in the leg.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. The trooper was not hurt. He has been placed on administrative leave, per departmental policy.

Currently there is a lot of on scene work to do, said F/Lt. Mike Shaw. Detectives from the Third District IRT are processing the scene with our forensic laboratory, writing search warrants and our drone team is mapping the scene. The investigation pends interviews with the suspect as well as review of body and vehicle cameras and any other evidence from the area.

A report is being sent to the Michigan Attorney Generals office.
Tim Scott, right, gets a hug from friend Jorden Harris outside Scott's home he was inside when it was destroyed during a severe storm the evening before Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Wayne County, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) AP

The Associated Press

A dynamic storm that prompted foreboding predictions of dangerous weekend weather spawned tornadoes, dust storms and wildfires that killed at least 39 people and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses.

The weakening but still volatile weather system was moving Monday into the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, bringing thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds and the potential for more tornadoes.

Heres what to know about the unusually erratic and damaging weather.

Monday forecast

Forecasters warned of dangerous winds from Florida all the way north to New Jersey, while heavy rain was likely across New York and New England.

A tornado watch was in effect until early Monday for a large swath of North Carolina and Virginia, with gusts potentially reaching 70 mph and possible hail the size of ping pong balls, according to the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg, Virginia.

A home is destroyed after a severe storm, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Wayne County, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) AP

The massive storm that began Friday earned an unusual high risk designation from meteorologists. Still, experts said its not unusual to see such weather extremes in March.

Multiple tornadoes in several states

In Tylertown, Mississippi, tornadoes ripped tall trees in half and wiped out entire neighborhoods. Six people were killed and more than 200 were displaced, Gov. Tate Reeves said.

Hailey Hart and her fiance Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a twister ripped apart their home Saturday. Romero said he prayed out loud and hugged Hart as the car rolled onto its side, windows shattering, before it landed on its wheels again.

It was a bad dream come true, Romero said. The couple escaped with only scratches.

Wayne County, Missouri, resident Dakota Henderson said he and others rescuing trapped neighbors found five bodies scattered in rubble outside what remained of his aunts house. Scattered twisters killed at least a dozen people in the state Friday, authorities said.

Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, Missouri, described the home where one man was killed as just a debris field.

The floor was upside down, he said. We were walking on walls.

Residents look for personal belongings in the damage after a tornado passed through, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Plantersville, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) AP AP

Wildfires and dust storms also proved deadly

Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Texas and Oklahoma and officials warned that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week.

More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma and nearly 400 homes were damaged or destroyed, Gov. Kevin Stitt said.

Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph, said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Its an insurmountable task.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said Sunday that two people were killed as a result of the wildfires and weather.

Meanwhile, dust storms spurred by high winds claimed almost a dozen lives on Friday. Eight people died in a Kansas highway pileup involving at least 50 vehicles, according to the state highway patrol. Authorities said three people also were killed in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle.

Emily Robertson reunites with one of her cats as she looks for personal belongings in the damage after a tornado passed through where two people lost their lives, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Plantersville, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) AP AP

Refuge and recovery efforts

President Donald Trump said the White House was monitoring the storms and would assist state and local officials to help in the recovery. He said National Guard troops were deployed to Arkansas, where officials confirmed three deaths.

Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms! Trump posted on his social media network on Sunday.

At least three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed in central Alabama when multiple tornadoes swept across the state.

In Troy, Alabama, parks officials said the recreation center where many residents had taken refuge had to be closed due to damage from overnight storms. No one was injured.

We are thankful the Lord provided protection over our community, and over 200 guests at the Recreation Center storm shelter on Saturday night, the parks department said in a statement.
An Australian woman admitted that she planned to sell on the black market two human toes that had been regurgitated by dogs at an animal shelter, NBC News reports.

Two dogs had eaten parts of their owners body after he died of natural causes, the report said. They threw up human remains during February 2024 while at an animal shelter in Victoria, Australia.

Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, who worked at the shelter, retrieved the toes from a waste bin, took them home and put them in a jar of formaldehyde, the report said. She believed she could make as much as 400 Australian dollars ($253) by selling them. An anonymous tip alerted police to Kinmans plans.

On Monday, Kinman pleaded guilty to offensive conduct involving human remains, the report said. Magistrate Andrew Sim, of the Ringwood Magistrates Court in Melbourne, gave her an 18-month non-custodial sentence, including 150 hours of community service. He called her actions astounding and entirely odd.
Palestinian flags wave over a crowd as protesters gather outside Ann Arbor Larcom City Hall 301 E. Huron St., in this file photo. Jacob Hamilton | The Ann Arbor News

The vandalized home belongs to University of Michigan Provost Laurie McCauley, a university official confirmed to MLive/The Ann Arbor News.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Police are investigating after an Ann Arbor home was vandalized with pro-Palestine graffiti.
A sign for Mel Trotter Ministries sits at the corner of Commerce Avenue and Williams Street. (Daniel Shular | dshular@MLive.com) Daniel Shular | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Mel Trotter Ministries is looking to pilot a new housing program aimed at helping men experiencing chronic homelessness.

Inspired by similar work being done nearby at Degage Ministries, Mel Trotter Ministries President/CEO Chris Palusky said the program will provide long-term, transitional housing for men who havent found success in traditional shelters because they need more complex care support.

Palusky announced the pilot initiative Friday morning, March 14, during an event celebrating the first year of operations for Degages own pilot housing program. That program, Heartside Landings, is tailored for women experiencing chronic homelessness.

RELATED: First-of-its-kind homelessness program in Michigan sees success after one year

Mel Trotters CEO said he was motivated by the success of the Heartside program, which was designed specifically to help women who havent successfully stayed housed even when placed in supportive housing, often due to severe mental illness.

Heartside, which opened in January 2024, is believed to be the first project of its kind in Michigan, and one of only a few across the nation that provides long-term transitional housing to women in need of complex care support.

Similarly to Degage, Palusky said about 10% of Mel Trotters guests are in the same situation  they have struggled to succeed in other shelters and need complex care due to significant mental health needs or addiction.

To start, Mel Trotters pilot program will house eight or nine men and run for at least six months, Palusky said. Plans are to expand the program to a similar size as the Heartside program after that.

The CEO said he has identified a location for the housing program and is hoping to have a lease finalized within the next month.

The program will be funded by a mix of philanthropic donations and state dollars, although Mel Trotter did not immediately share a projected cost for the pilot initiative.

Palusky said hes hoping the program can offer a sense of community for residents while they work to get their needs met, whether thats getting mental health care, getting on the right medications, or getting off drugs.

The CEO said many unhoused people arent yet ready to go into independent housing due to mental health or addiction issues. Or, oftentimes, they will move into independent housing but come back to the shelters because they felt lonely and isolated, Palusky said.

Providing an example, Palusky said one of the men who is planning to join the new pilot initiative fell into substance abuse issues once he left the shelters because he felt isolated. The man was previously a resident at Mel Trotter, but later got into hard drugs like crystal meth.

When asked why, he said, Well, I didnt feel like I was around a community. I felt lonely, Palusky said. I dont think thats unique.

What were seeing is that there needs to be some sort of community for these people that are going through a very difficult time.

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Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers respond Sunday, March 16, after a homeless person's belongings were set on fire. (Screenshot of KDPS video) Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety

UPDATE: Man charged with burning sleeping homeless mans items in downtown Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, MI  Police arrested a man who allegedly set fire to blankets and belongings of a homeless person who was sleeping outside of Kalamazoo Public Library.

The victim, who was not injured, extinguished the fire on the blankets, but flames spread to a nearby shopping cart, which became engulfed.

The incident was reported at 11:38 p.m. Sunday, March 16, on South Rose Street. Officers put out the fire.

Police arrested a 43-year-old man.

Our officers responded quickly and prevented what could have been a devastating situation, Chief David Boysen said.

We are incredibly grateful that the victim was not injured and that no one else was harmed. This was a dangerous act, and I commend our officers for their rapid response and ability to take the suspect into custody before further damage occurred.

The victim was sleeping under the overhang of the library.

The suspect has previously allegedly trespassed in vacant properties, police said. He appears to be homeless.

He is held in the Kalamazoo County Jail. His name has not been released pending arraignment in Kalamazoo District Court.

The fire caused damage to the exterior of a nearby building, police said.

Using a surveillance platform called FUSUS, which allows police to connect to live video camera feeds from participating business, police quickly arrested the suspect.

Kalamazoos Fire Marshals Office is investigating the case as an arson. Police asked anyone with information to contact the Fire Marshals Office at 269-337-8260 or anonymously through Kalamazoo Silent Observer at 269-343-2100, the P3Tips app, or at http://KalamazooSilentObserver.com
VICKSBURG, MI  An police incident caused a Kalamazoo County school take precautions in Southwest Michigan on Monday, March 17, school officials said.

Around 8:45 a.m. Monday, March 17, police alerted Vicksburg Community Schools of an off-campus incident near Sunset Lake Elementary, school officials said.

There was no immediate threat to students or staff, the school district said in a social media post, relaying information from police.

Students and staff were not allowed on the playground, the district said.

The Vicksburg Police Department relayed to the district that student pick-up and dismissal could proceed mostly as usual. Police continue to have a presence around the scene of the incident, school officials said.

Sunset Lake is contacting the families of all students who walk so they can be picked up. The school said it will keep them inside until parents or guardians arrive.

At this point, police are not giving us details on what the incident is, only to say there is no immediate threat to our students or staff, the school district said on social media.

Kids Klub at Sunset Lake will be held as planned, with no students allowed on the playground until approval from police.

People posting online have discussed a police presence at a location near the school. Police could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

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BAY CITY, MI  One of downtown Bay Citys more unique eateries is up for sale, but its owners are excited about what the future holds for both them and the space theyve occupied for the past five years.

MI Table, a restaurant that features all things Michigan including its food and drinks ingredients, is for sale. Owner Amberlyn Hales said Monday, March 17, the business is being listed for $350,000, adding she hopes to move on to a new and improved farm-to-table experience.

Were pretty excited for the next evolution of MI Table, Hales said. Weve been there five years, which is pretty amazing, and were ready now to put our feet down and take our next leap.

Hales has been leasing the space at 213 Center Ave. since the restaurant opened in the fall of 2019. The restaurants menu is based on fresh produce, dairy, and meats sourced from around Michigan. It also features decor and furnishings from Michigan  including one table that is made from a portion of the Mackinac Bridge.

The restaurant also has a fully sourced Michigan bar.

While Hales spoke highly of the restaurants time in downtown Bay City, she said she is aiming for a larger space and wants to purchase property where more is available.

Im looking to buy land to do a farm to table restaurant and also grow and farm produce and herbs that will be right there for the restaurant, she said.

She also added that she hopes to have a place that can host unique events and outdoor weddings.

Hales said her new venture will remain in the Great Lakes Bay Region. She also noted no changes are expected for Goose Tooth Co., a pizzeria and bar inside downtown Saginaws SVRC Marketplace that is owned and operated by her husband.

The love and support weve received from the Bay County community has been the heartbeat of Mi Table, Hales wrote in a social media post. From vibrant locals whove shared their stories and laughter in our dining room to the loyal patrons who celebrate lifes milestones with us. We have been inspired daily by the beautiful people who make this community shine.

Your encouragement has fueled our passion for providing wholesome, delicious meals that bring people together and nourish both body and soul and we hope you will continue to follow us as we grow into our new vision.

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This MLive file photo pictures the Diag on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. Jacob Hamilton, MLive.com file Jacob Hamilton

EDITORS NOTE: The story has been updated with comment from University of Michigans Director of Public Affairs Kay Jarvis.

ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan is among 45 universities under federal investigation for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs, according to a Friday announcement.

The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights announced the investigations on Friday, March 14, which come amid allegations that these institutions have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by partnering with The PhD Project, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing diversity by helping students earn doctoral degrees in business.

University of Michigans Director of Public Affairs Kay Jarvis confirmed the university is reviewing the letter and will respond to the Office for Civil Rights.

The University of Michigan is dedicated to maintaining a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all members of the university community, she wrote in a statement.

The PhD Projects model helps Black, Latino and Native American members pursue business PhDs with the intent to become university faculty, teaching and guiding students who aspire to a career in business, according to September news release.

The organization updated its mission statement in late February, which states its goal is to expand the pool of workplace talent by developing business school faculty who inspire, mentor and support tomorrows leaders.

The Office for Civil Rights alleges the organization limits eligibility based on the race of participants, according to its release.

Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment, said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in the statement.

When asked about these allegations, The PhD Project shared its mission, and its vision to create a broader talent pipeline of current and future business leaders.

This year, we have opened our membership application to anyone who shares that vision, the group wrote in a statement. The PhD Project was founded with the goal of providing more role models in the front of business classrooms, which remains our goal today.

The department is also investigating six universities for allegedly awarding impermissible race-based scholarships and one university for allegedly administering a program that segregates students on the basis of race.

The University of Michigan is not being investigated for these claims, but fellow state university Grand Valley State University is on this list.

Related: Trump administration investigates GVSU for alleged racial discrimination

McMahon said the department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination.

This investigation comes a month after the department issued a letter to institutions about ending the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.

The letter warned that any institutions that fail to comply with federal civil rights laws may face potential loss of federal funding.

Read more: Im afraid to lose my job': Trump cuts disturbing University of Michigan leaders, faculty

The university has been barred from considering race in admissions since 2006 when Michigan voters passed Proposal 2 to ban affirmative action. When the U.S. Supreme Court broadly banned affirmative action in 2023, the university announced its commitment to continue pursuing broader campus diversity.

Read more: Despite SCOTUS affirmative action ban, University of Michigan still seeks diversity

This is the second federal action taken against the University of Michigan in the last week. It was previously among 60 universities to receive a letter warning of potential consequences if they do not protect Jewish students on campus.

Read more: University of Michigan must protect Jewish students on campus, federal agency warns

If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

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Aamir Khan reacts to Salman Khan finding a 'Gauri after him and Shah Rukh Khan, says, "Salman Khan kya dhoondhega ab?"

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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West clash over daughter Norths name in Sean Diddy Combs Track Controversy

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Kim Sae-ron's family threatens to file a legal complaint against Kim Soo-hyun, says, We wish to file charges under the crime of murder

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Puneeth Rajkumars 50th birth anniversary: Take a look at the late actors philanthropic work

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When Madhu Chopra recalled the time when Nick Jonas sought her blessings before proposing to Priyanka Chopra for marriage

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Cure for chikungunya: Could efavirenz be the answer to mosquito-borne viral disease?

Namita S Kalla is a senior journalist who writes about different aspects of modern life that include lifestyle, health, fashion, beauty, and entertainment.

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Ahead of April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline, India may offer oil import quota to US: Report

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Centre to issue show cause notice to Air India on wheelchair non-availability to elderly woman

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Indian exports to New Zealand have grown 62% since 2019

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India focused on trade deal with US, yet to reach out to Trump team on reciprocal tariffs

Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.

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Jairam Ramesh on PM's 'UN irrelevant' remark: 'Modi going out of his way to keep Trump in good humour

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Metals surge up to 3% to snap two-day fall: What's behind the shine amid looming Trump tariffs?

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Trade Spotlight: How should you trade Gujarat Fluorochemicals, Bank of Baroda, United Spirits. EIH, Coromandel International, and others on March 17?

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The Provident Fund (PF) is an important financial safety net for salaried employees. Managed by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), it ensures that employees have a secure retirement corpus. Many employees wonder whether they can take a loan against their PF balance in times of financial need. The answer is yes, but with specific conditions and restrictions.

What is a Provident Fund (PF)?

Provident Fund (PF) is a savings scheme where both employees and employers contribute a part of the salary every month. This amount grows with interest and can be accessed at retirement or under certain conditions. While PF is mainly for retirement, EPFO allows withdrawals for specific needs like medical emergencies, education, or home purchases. These withdrawals are called PF advances rather than traditional loans.

Can we get a loan on PF?

Technically, there is no loan facility against a PF account like a bank loan. Employees can withdraw a portion of their PF balance in the form of an advance for specific reasons such as medical emergencies, home purchase, education, or marriage. Unlike bank loans, these advances do not require repayment, but they are allowed only under certain conditions set by the EPFO.

Eligibility for PF Loan (Advance Withdrawal)

The person must be an active EPFO member with a valid Universal Account Number (UAN).

The withdrawal purpose should align with EPFO's prescribed reasons.

The member must meet the minimum service period requirement (varies for different withdrawal cases).

The withdrawal should be within the permitted limit for the given purpose.

Alternatives to PF Loan

If an employee does not meet the eligibility criteria for a PF advance or wants to keep their retirement savings intact, they can explore other loan options:

Personal loans: Quick access to funds but with interest charges.

Quick access to funds but with interest charges. Gold loans: Low-interest secured loans.

Low-interest secured loans. Home loans with Top-Up Facility: For home purchase or renovation.

For home purchase or renovation. Loan against fixed deposits: Low-interest secured borrowing.

Low-interest secured borrowing. Overdraft facility: Many banks offer overdraft facility linked to your savings account. You can pay interest only for the amount you use.

Get Instant Loan Up To Rs.50L

Reasons that qualify for PF advance withdrawal

EPFO allows advance withdrawal of PF funds for the following purposes:

Medical treatment:

Allowed for self, spouse, children, or parents.

No minimum service period required.

Can withdraw up to six times the monthly basic wage plus DA or the total employee contribution, whichever is lower.

Home purchase or construction:

Minimum five years of service required.

Up to 90% of PF balance can be withdrawn.

Can be used for purchasing land, building a house, or repaying home loans.

Marriage expenses:

Allowed for self, siblings, or children.

Minimum 7 years of service required.

Up to 50% of the employee's share of the PF balance can be withdrawn.

Higher education:

Permitted for self or childrens education.

Minimum 7 years of service required.

Up to 50% of employee contribution can be withdrawn.

Unemployment:

If unemployed for over a month, 75% of PF balance can be withdrawn.

The remaining 25% can be withdrawn after two months of unemployment.

Natural disasters or calamities:

Allowed in case of floods, earthquakes, or similar emergencies.

Limited to the employees three-month salary or 75% of the PF balance, whichever is lower.

Pre-retirement withdrawal:

Employees aged 54 or above can withdraw up to 90% of their PF balance.

How to apply for a PF Loan (Advance)?

Employees can apply for a PF advance online through the EPFO portal by following these steps:

Log in to the EPFO Portal - Visit the Unified Member Portal Login using UAN, password, and captcha. Navigate to Online Services > Claim (Form-31, 19, 10C). Enter Details Verify details such as name, date of birth and bank account details. Select the reason for withdrawal from the dropdown menu. Enter the amount required (within the permissible limit). Submit the claim. Upload required documents (if any) and submit the request. Authenticate via Aadhaar-based OTP. Claim Processing and Disbursement. EPFO reviews the claim. If approved, funds are transferred to the registered bank account within 7-10 working days.

Pros and cons of PF Advance Withdrawal

Pros:

No repayment required, unlike bank loans.

Quick access to funds in emergencies.

No credit checks or loan approval processes.

No interest or additional charges.

Cons:

Reduces retirement savings.

Frequent withdrawals impact long-term financial security.

Some advance withdrawals have stringent eligibility conditions.

If withdrawn before five years, tax implications apply.

Conclusion

A PF advance can be a useful financial aid in emergencies, but it is not a traditional loan and comes with conditions. While it requires no repayment or interest, frequent withdrawals can reduce retirement savings. Employees should weigh alternatives like personal or gold loans to preserve their PF balance.

For quick funds, Moneycontrols online lending platform offers personal loans up to 50 lakhs from eight lenders, with interest rates starting at 10.5% per annum. The entire process is 100% digital.

Summary Need funds in an emergency? You can withdraw from your Provident Fund (PF) under certain conditions. Heres what you need to know before applying.

Disclaimer This piece/article was written by an external partner and does not reflect the work of Moneycontrol's editorial team. It may include references to products and services offered by Moneycontrol.

About the Author Fintech Stay updated on the latest personal finance trends, with a focus on products like credit cards, credit score, personal loans, fixed deposits, and more
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On March 5, in Classroom 309 of the 6th Teaching Building at Anhui Polytechnic University, Professor Zhao Zhuanzhe from the School of Artificial Intelligence was passionately teaching the course "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence," with undergraduate students majoring in Japanese seated in the audience. Its not unusual for liberal arts students to study artificial intelligence, a field traditionally associated with science and engineering, at this university. "Since 2019, we've been offering AI-related courses to students outside of their majors," Zhao said. As the era of artificial intelligence unfolds, these courses are rapidly being integrated into universities. In Anhui, it's not just Anhui Polytechnic University; other institutions such as the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei University of Technology, Anhui University, and Huainan Normal University have also introduced AI-related general education courses. Earlier this year, under the guidance of the provincial education department, 13 universities in the province collaborated to build a comprehensive AI general education curriculum system, aiming to provide all undergraduate students with AI general education. Looking at our province's universities, there is a consensus to actively implement the national "AI+" action strategy, promoting the deep integration of AI technology in higher education and accelerating the cultivation of high-quality, application-oriented, interdisciplinary, and innovative talents that can adapt to and lead the AI industry. Currently, there are 44 undergraduate institutions in the province, including the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei University of Technology, and Anhui University, offering 523 programs related to the field of artificial intelligence, capable of training approximately 35,000 relevant talents each year. "We have a solid academic foundation, and building an AI general education curriculum on top of that is a natural progression," said a relevant official from the provincial education department. The goal of offering widespread, broad-spectrum AI general education courses is to help students understand the current state and development trends of AI, grasp its basic principles and methods, and correctly recognize its tool-like attributes, thereby enhancing their scientific innovation literacy. The official also stated that the education department will fully support the promotion of this curriculum across the province and nationwide, actively collaborating with leading enterprises to establish a course operation platform, and innovating a new model for joint operation among government, enterprises, and schools.

Source: Anhui Daily
Christin Mathew Philip is an Assistant editor at moneycontrol.com. Based in Bengaluru, he writes on mobility, infrastructure and start-ups. He is a Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism awardee. You can find him on Twitter here: twitter.com/ChristinMP_

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Beijing on PM Modi's remark on India, China ties: 'Ballet dance between dragon and elephant only choice'

Priyanjali Ghose

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Priyanjali Ghose

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Clashes erupt in Nagpur between two groups; Gadkari, Fadnavis appeal for calm

Tamal Nandi

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Indian historian at Oxford University faces deportation from UK: 'You must now leave'

Armaan Bhatnagar

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J. 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.

Armaan Bhatnagar

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Nagpur Violence News Live: Nitin Gadkari urges calm, appeals against rumours

Nagpur MP and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has urged residents to maintain peace and refrain from believing in rumours following religious tensions in the city.

"Due to certain rumours, a situation of religious tension has arisen in Nagpur. The city's history is known for maintaining peace in such matters. I urge all my brothers not to believe in any kind of rumours and to maintain peace," Gadkari said.

He appealed to people to stay off the streets and cooperate with law enforcement authorities.

"Preserve the tradition of peace and harmony that Nagpur is known for. The government will take action against those who have engaged in illegal activities. The Chief Minister has been informed, and I request everyone to cooperate with the police and foster a positive atmosphere in the city," he added.
'One district, one mafia' era in UP replaced with One District, One Product: Yogi Adityanath

101Reporters

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Deblina Halder

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PM Modi says India, China working to pre-2020 conditions, Trump has 'clear roadmap for US

Priyanjali Ghose

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PM Modi's joint statement with Luxon: 'Concerned about anti-India elements in New Zealand'

Priyanjali Ghose

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Turn to Lord Krishna's teachings in the best & the worst of times: Tulsi Gabbard

Deblina Halder

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Yogi Adityanath takes dig at West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over handling of Holi clashes in Birbhum

101Reporters

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Pakistan stares down the barrel of a gun, yet again

Anju Gupta is a security and geopolitical analyst, and former Director General of Police. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Namrata Agarwal

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Trumps aim may be to force India to lower tariffs, not reciprocate rates

Biswajit Dhar is Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

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Trump's Tariff War: 'Swadeshi economics' could be the only way to protect India's interests

Arun Anand has authored two books on the RSS. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Namrata Agarwal

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Ankita Sengupta

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Pet dog 'shoots' owner in US, puts him in hospital: 'His paw stuck in the trigger'

Ankita Sengupta

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DeepSeek is now Chinas national treasure: What it means and other key details

MC Tech Desk Read the latest and trending tech newsstay updated on AI, gadgets, cybersecurity, software updates, smartphones, blockchain, space tech, and the future of innovation.

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'Both nations keen to maximise opportunities, talks happening at highest level': Tulsi Gabbard on Trump's tariff regime

Siddharth Chakravorty

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China delivers second of eight advanced submarines to Pakistan, boosting naval ties

Pradeep Tripathi

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Arindam Roy

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Kremlin says Putin to speak to Trump as US pushes Ukraine truce

Arindam Roy

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Sunita Williams set to return to earth on March 18 after nine-month stay in space

Aishwarya Dabhade

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'This is war': Trump defends use of Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang members

Pradeep Tripathi

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Trump says he will talk to Putin on Tuesday as he pushes for end to Ukraine war

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US piles pressure on Yemen's Houthis with new airstrikes

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A Hmong American mother of five has been deported from Milwaukee to Laos, a country she has never set foot in, raising concerns about the U.S. immigration system and the fate of deportees in unfamiliar lands.

Ma Yang, 37, is currently confined to a rooming house in Laos under military guard, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

She does not speak the local language, has no connections in the country, and alleges that authorities are withholding her documentation.

Ma Yang Facebook

The United States sent me back to die. I don't even know where to go. I don't even know what to do. Ma Yang

Without valid identification, Yang faces significant obstacles to securing housing or employment. How do I rent, or buy, or anything, with no papers? I'm a nobody right now.

Her situation is further complicated by health concerns. She lacks access to insulin for her diabetes and is running out of medication for high blood pressure.

She was separated from her five children Facebook

A Legal Misstep That Led to Deportation



Yang was born in Thailand and was a legal permanent U.S. resident until she pleaded guilty to marijuana-related charges.

She served over two years in prison, believingbased on incorrect legal advicethat her plea would not affect her residency status.

However, her legal permanent residency was revoked, ultimately leading to her deportation.

I made a mistake, and I know that it was wrong. But I served the time for it already. Ma Yang

Following her release, Yang was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota.

Her new attorney advised her to sign a document allowing her release, under the assumption that a deportation order against her would not be enforced.

Historically, Laos has refused to accept deportees, making her case seem like an unlikely candidate for removal.

A System That Failed Her



Despite expectations that her case would be reconsidered due to inadequate legal representation, Yang was ultimately deported.

In February, ICE agents ordered her to report to their Milwaukee facility, after which she was detained and transferred through multiple locations before being put on a flight to Laos.

I just keep getting screwed in this system, Yang told the Journal Sentinel.

Her removal came amid heightened deportation efforts under the Trump administration.

The former president had pledged to remove millions and millions of undocumented individuals and signed an executive order invoking the rarely-used Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a measure historically reserved for wartime threats.

Yangs case underscores the complexities and human impact of U.S. deportation policies, particularly for individuals with longstanding ties to the country but vulnerable legal standing.
By Dr. Michael Ramage | Mar 17, 2025

Dr. Michael Ramage

MURRAY, Ky.  On March 6, Murray State Universitys Cyber Education and Research Center and the Office of the President hosted more than 160 students from nine different high schools across west Kentucky and northwest Tennessee for Tech Mania 2025, with the aim of encouraging students to pursue careers in cybersecurity and network management (CNM).

Tech Mania provides high school students with the opportunity to engage in team-based competitions centered around cybersecurity and networking equipment, stated Dr. Michael Ramage, director of the Murray State Cyber Center. Tech Mania aims to inspire students to pursue careers in technology, networking and cybersecurity.

Participants were organized into groups of two or three based on their skill levels and tasked with completing several activities related to building and securing a network. Teams competed in five distinct activities to earn points. The challenges included creating Category 5 patch cables to connect computers, searching for rogue wireless access points, decoding ciphertext messages and converting them to plaintext, analyzing network packets to understand network traffic and forensically reviewing a digital image on a phone to address investigative questions.

"My experience at Tech Mania in 2023 inspired me to pursue a degree in Cybersecurity and Network Management at Murray State University. This decision has opened up numerous new opportunities and incredible learning experiences," said Chelsea (Emery) Vickery, a current student at Murray State. "Participating in Tech Mania helped me gain a better understanding of cybersecurity and allowed me to connect with future professors. This familiarity with both the classes and the faculty prepared me for my bachelor's program at Murray State University."

The two winning teams received scholarships to attend Murray State Universitys Cybersecurity and Network Management program, with many other students receiving door prizes throughout the day.

Tech Mania 2025 winners included:

- William Edwards, Henry County High School

- Nicholas Hayes, McCracken County High School

- Gabriel Jolin, Gateway Academy

- Keegan Quick, Trigg County High School

- Jacob Burnett, Trigg County High School

- Nathan Gibbs, Trigg County High School

Since its launch in 2018, Tech Mania has provided collaborative learning experiences for high school and middle school students from various regions from Ballard County, Kentucky, to Henry County, Tennessee, and all regions in between. Schools participating in Tech Mania 2025 included Caldwell County Area Technology Center, Gateway Academy, Graves County High School, Henry County High School, Hopkins County Career and Technology Center, Mayfield-Graves County Area Technology Center, Marshall County High School, McCracken County High School and Trigg County High School.

In 1997, Kentucky House Bill 1 created Programs of Distinction through the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education at public postsecondary institutions, including Murray State Universitys cybersecurity program. Murray State offers a bachelors degree in cybersecurity and network management, along with an accelerated masters degreeavailable onlinein cybersecurity management that can be completed in 12-18 months and certificates at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Murray States Cyber Education and Research Center provides education, research, development and outreach support for the Universitys cyber-related programs.

In 2019, Murray State was designated a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. The program is recognized as a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), certified through the Quality Assurance Commons with the Essential Employability Qualities Certification and has won multiple national awards over the years through ITERA including Program of the Year.

Learn more about Murray States CNM program at murraystate.edu/cyber.
A view of the exterior of the U.S. Agency for Global Media building, where government funded media company Voice of America is based, in Washington, D.C., June 14, 2022.

REUTERS
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Former Democratic U.S. House member Katie Porter announced Tuesday that she is entering the 2026 contest for California governor, joining a crowded field of candidates that could be upended if former Vice President Kamala Harris joins the race.

Porter, who became a social media celebrity by brandishing a white board at congressional hearings while grilling CEOs, promised in a campaign launch video to be an aggressive counterweight to President Donald Trumps administration at a time when the heavily Democratic state has clashed with the White House over issues from water management to immigrant rights.

In Congress, I held the Trump administrations feet to the fire when they hurt Americans. As governor, I wont ever back down when Trump hurts Californians  whether hes holding up disaster relief, attacking our rights or our communities, or screwing over working families to benefit himself and his cronies, Porter said.

The contest to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom already has lured a large scrum of announced and likely candidates that would be reshuffled if Harris decides to seek the states top office.

Harris, a former state attorney general and U.S. senator, has not ruled out seeking the governorship since she left Washington in January after a failed presidential bid. Porter is friendly with the former vice president and has indicated she would step aside if Harris joins the race. In 2012, Harris, then Californias attorney general, appointed Porter to be the states independent bank monitor in a multibillion-dollar nationwide mortgage settlement.

If Harris gets in the race there are very few politicians who would want to take her on, Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney said. Shed be likely to win the Democratic nomination, and Democrats are likely to win the governorship.

Porter, who made an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate last year and also is known for her small-dollar fundraising prowess, becomes one of the best-known candidates, joining former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, among others, on the Democratic side.

Democrats are expected to easily hold the seat in a state where they outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 2 to 1. Republicans have not won a statewide election in California in nearly two decades.

On the GOP side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco last month became the first major Republican to announce a bid to replace Newsom, whose term runs through early January 2027. He blamed Democrats for the ongoing homeless crisis and runaway housing prices.

Bianco said in a statement that Porter is cut from the same cloth of the failed career politicians who created Californias cost-of-living crisis.

Even if Harris gets in the race, the states open primary system can be unpredictable  all candidates appear on a single ballot, regardless of party, and only the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election. Trump-aligned candidates could enter on the GOP side, generating conservative interest, or a wealthy candidate could emerge with the funds to rattle the expected order.

These open primaries are hard to handicap, Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta said. It just makes it harder to predict.

At a time when some national Democrats are advising a temporary, tempered approach to Trump to let the results of a Republican-controlled Washington play out for the public, Porter made clear she is spoiling for a fight.

Its no secret, Democrats are down right now. The vibes suck, she wrote in an email to supporters. Our party, and the movement against Trump, desperately needs leadership  and a willingness to be fierce.

Porter, a progressive favorite, created an online backlash after losing the 2024 Senate race, when she faulted billionaires spending millions to rig this election. She finished third in the primary  behind Democrat and now-Sen. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey  and did not advance to the November election.

Some likened her words to Trumps baseless claims of election fraud in 2020. Porter later clarified her initial statement to say she didnt believe the California vote count or election process had been compromised. But she didnt recant her earlier remarks. Rigged, she said in a follow-up, means manipulated by dishonest means.

She has been an active fundraiser since leaving her Southern California House district in January and returned to teaching at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law.

A consumer protection attorney before her election to the House, Porter became known in Congress for her unsparing interrogations of business leaders and other committee witnesses, often using her whiteboard to break down complex figures while using plainspoken language to assail corporate greed.

First elected to Congress in 2018, Porter said in her video that I first ran for office to hold Trump accountable. I feel that same call to serve now to stop him from hurting Californians.

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD

AP Political Writer
Donald Trump - White House Image View Photo

President Donald Trump has proclaimed the month of March, as Irish-American Heritage Month.

Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words:

Irish Americans have played a crucial role in our great American story  courageously overcoming adversity and hardship to embolden our culture, enliven our spirit, and fortify our way of life. This Irish-American Heritage Month, we commemorate the special bond of friendship between the United States and Ireland  and we honor the extraordinary contributions of Irish-American citizens past and present.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, millions of Irish immigrants departed the rolling countryside of the Emerald Isle for the bustling cities of Boston, Chicago, and New York  leaving behind their homeland and embarking on a daring journey across the Atlantic in hopes of a new frontier of opportunity and a better future for their families. Since then, Irish Americans have fought for our freedom on the battlefield, served in our halls of government, and pioneered legendary businesses - leaving a lasting mark on their communities and our national identity.

The United States and Ireland also enjoy a long friendship strengthened by economic ties, a shared commitment to democracy, and the timeless values of faith, family, and freedom. As my Administration works to correct trade imbalances with the European Union, our historic relationship with Ireland presents an opportunity to advance fairer trade policies and stronger investment opportunities that benefit both nations.

To this day, Irish Americans are known as some of the toughest, most driven, and most devoted people on the face of the Earth. Their faith in God, love of family, and indelible commitment to our national promise continue to inspire citizens all across our country. This Irish-American Heritage Month, we salute the undying resilience and resolve of the Irish-American community, pay tribute to their tremendous achievements, and pledge to forge a future that strengthens our shared values, deepens our traditions, and restores America as one glorious Nation under God.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2025 as Irish-American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the achievements of Irish Americans and their contributions to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
"I see a promising and positive future for China's relations with the Middle East, Africa and the Arab world in general, through its policy of opening-up to the outside world," said Egyptian expert Mohamed Youssef.

by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China's commitment to further opening-up to the world is expected to bring significant benefits to the global economy and developing countries, an Egyptian expert has said.

"China has launched global initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, and the China International Import Expo, which have strengthened economic ties between China and the rest of the world," Mohamed Youssef, executive director of the Egyptian Businessmen's Association (EBA), a non-profit business organization, told Xinhua in an interview.

These initiatives have already shown "positive results," he said, adding that China's commitment to enhancing its global openness benefits the world economy, particularly the nations of the Global South.

"I see a promising and positive future for China's relations with the Middle East, Africa and the Arab world in general, through its policy of opening-up to the outside world," said the EBA executive director.

He spoke highly of China's business environment, which ensures equal opportunities for all companies operating within the country.

"This approach demonstrates China's commitment to addressing global economic challenges by offering investment incentives and a competitive environment for foreign businesses," Youssef added.

Youssef attributed China's extraordinary economic development to the country's reform and opening-up policy.

"China has successfully implemented a unique economic reform program," he said, stressing that the world's second-largest economy is also leading the way in scientific research and industrial strategies.

Looking ahead, the Egyptian business leader sees a "golden opportunity" for China to deepen its partnerships with the developing world.

China can offer a fairer, more sustainable model of economic cooperation, stepping in where other major countries have failed to create mutually beneficial relationships, he said, adding that the growth of Egypt-China trade relations has been remarkable, with Egyptian exports to China significantly increasing.

"Thanks to the Egypt-China comprehensive strategic partnership, more Egyptian products started to enter the Chinese market," Youssef said.
Harare  In a stunning and deeply personal assault, Zanu PF spokesman Christopher Mutsvangwa has launched a blistering attack on Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, questioning his suitability for high office and branding him cruel, illiterate, and an electoral liability.

Mutsvangwa, who is known to harbour his own ambitions for the Zanu PF leadership, appears to view the retired army general as a significant obstacle to his aspirations.

The explosive tirade was delivered during an interview with Dug Up on February 17, 2025, but the recording was only released on Friday, according to sources at ZimLive. The timing of the release has fuelled speculation about the motives behind the leak.

The source of Mutsvangwas fury seems to stem from Chiwengas alleged attempts to be anointed by President Mnangagwa as his successor, a move that would effectively shut the door on other potential candidates.

Mutsvangwa did not hold back in his criticism of Chiwengas alleged ambition: That guy wanted to be anointed to become president, to become a successor to the president. So you want to remove the president but before you do so you want him to appoint, to annoint you. How do you do that? Youre squaring a circle!

He further alluded to historical precedent within Zanu PF, referencing the late Robert Mugabes approach to succession: (Robert) Mugabe used to say I will nominate, I will give you my successor but the president (Mnangagwa) is saying no, we must go for elections. Thats normal for a democratic party.

With Zanu PF scheduled to hold its elective congress in 2027, just a year before Mnangagwas final term concludes in 2028, the battle for succession is already heating up.

Mutsvangwa is openly dismissive of Chiwengas chances of securing the partys mandate and ultimately winning the presidency in the 2028 general elections. He cited Chiwengas widely criticised handling of his divorce from Mary Mubaiwa as a major impediment to his electoral prospects.

Mutsvangwa argued that Chiwengas actions towards his former wife, including her arrest in 2019 for attempted murder and the subsequent blocking of her medical treatment in South Africa, have alienated a significant portion of the electorate.

Can you imagine half of the electorate are women in this country, more than half, and youve decapitated the legs and limbs of your former wife through cruelty and youre refusing her to see her children including one she came with into your marriage, Mutsvangwa stated.

He even claimed that Mnangagwa had considered pardoning Mubaiwa but was blocked by Chiwenga, who allegedly said, you cant do that.

Mutsvangwa continued his scathing assessment: He wreaks of cruelty against all women in the country. He cant win, he doesnt want elections and the president has uppended him by saying were going to congress, can you go and sell yourself to the electorate, the party electorate, and meanwhile youve baggage like that.

Beyond the allegations of cruelty, Mutsvangwa also attacked Chiwengas intellectual capacity, asserting that his lack of formal education renders him unfit to lead the country. He mocked Chiwengas alleged difficulty in pronouncing the letter l in English words, attributing it to the absence of the letter in the Shona language.

Remember if you want to know if a Shona person never went to school put an L in front of them. Because R comes from the mother and L comes from the teacher. Thats the basic litmus test of an illiterate Shona person. So he never managed to graduate from the mothers alphabet, Mutsvangwa declared.

He further argued that military service should not be considered a substitute for education: That you went to the war is not an excuse, some of us went to war but returned to school and went to university. Going to war is no substitute for illiteracy and ignorance.

Mutsvangwa questioned Chiwengas ability to command respect, given his alleged lack of education: You were commanding an army by contrivency, while youre an illiterate. Commanding an army of boys and girls who joined the war coming from Thekwani, Tsambe, Mukaro and Cyrene. These are the people who fought and went back to school and you wind up as their commander. How do you command such an erudite and educated army while youre illiterate? You think you can endear yourself to them?

In a claim that has since been disputed, Mutsvangwa also alleged that Chiwenga played no significant role in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) war, despite Zimbabwes military intervention in the conflict. However, numerous soldiers who served in the DRC have stated that they recall Chiwenga visiting them on the front lines.

When Zimbabwe went to the DRC he was blocked, he didnt even go there to command. He doesnt know anything about that war, Mutsvangwa claimed.

The fallout from Mutsvangwas explosive interview has been swift. Zanu PF recently expelled several members accused of disloyalty, including Gifford Gomwe, the former secretary for local government in Mashonaland West.

On Sunday, Gomwe wrote to Mary Mliswa, the Mashonaland West provincial chairperson, demanding that action be taken against Mutsvangwa for his remarks.

Honourable Vice President CDGN Chiwenga is a presidential appointee and the attacks by Cde Mutsvagwa might seem as if the president has made a mistake in appointing him which is also a direct attack on President Mnangagwa, Gomwe wrote.

He further argued that Mutsvangwas actions should be met with the same disciplinary measures applied to other party members: We have lower level cadres who were expelled from the party due to purpoted social media abuse. I strongly advocate for a corrective action against Cde Mutsvangwa. It would be noticeable that Cde Mutsvangwa has implied impunity from Mashonaland West if no action is taken against his person.

Sources within Zanu PF have described Chiwenga as absolutely fuming upon learning of Mutsvangwas comments. He is reportedly scheduled to meet with President Mnangagwa on Monday to demand action against his outspoken rival. The meeting is expected to be tense, with the future of both Mutsvangwa and the stability of Zanu PF potentially hanging in the balance.

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Gweru  A Gweru-based police officer has tragically taken his own life after losing US$3,000 he had borrowed to play Kandege, the Aviator online game that has rapidly become a betting obsession for many Zimbabweans. Constable Claude Jele, stationed at the Development House in Gweru, consumed an unidentified poison on Sunday, leaving behind a suicide note detailing his despair.

The Aviator online game, developed by Spribe, is a social multiplayer game where players place bets on a plane that takes off and flies higher and higher. A multiplier counter starts as soon as the plane sets off, beginning from 1x and incrementing as time goes on. Although the plane flies indefinitely, it can still fly off at any time, and players must cash out their bets before that happens. There is no telling when the plane will fly off, adding to the intrigue of placing an Aviator bet and cashing out at the right moment.

Sources speaking to H-Metro revealed that Jele had lost US$3,000, which he had borrowed, by the time he took his life.

Officer vakakwereta mari ikanyudzwa nekandege, a source said. Zvavaremera kudzosa uye kuwana counseling kwakuzvitorera upenyu, which translates to The officer borrowed money and lost it all to Kandege. He found it difficult to repay and couldnt find counselling, so he took his own life.

In his suicide note, Jele wrote: Having survived all these 38 years, I have reached a point where I feel like its all the same being on this earth or leaving. So, please do not accuse anyone or anything, its my personal decision to end my life this way.

He acknowledged that his death would inflict severe pain and he asked for forgiveness from his family, urging people to avoid making false allegations against his wife. He attributed his suicide to his perceived failures in life.

Jeles sister, Ms Siduhla Mwale, said she received a distress call informing her that her brother had consumed poison and was admitted to Gweru Provincial Hospital (GPH).

I was in Chinhoyi when I was told that my brother was admitted to the hospital. I made plans to come and found him admitted in the Intensive Care Unit and the medical personnel were busy trying to save him, she said.

Ms Mwale said she managed to ask Jele why he had decided to take his own life. Since he had some tube in his mouth that was inserted to assist him breath he only opened his eyes and looked at me. I didnt get any answers from him, she narrated. Ms Mwale confirmed that her brother will be buried in Zaka in Masvingo Province.

The suicide note poignantly detailed his struggles, reflecting a sense of resignation and despair. Having survived all these 38 years, I have reached a point where I feel like its all the same being on this earth or leaving, he wrote. So please do not accuse anyone or anything. Its my personal decision to end my life this way.

Jele also apologised to his family and urged them to move on despite the pain his decision would cause.

I know you will be hurt, but I do not see a reason to keep living. I have failed, he wrote in Shona. Ganizani and Keisha, it will hurt you, but please forgive me. Grow up well, I have gone ahead.

He reassured his wife that she should not blame herself for his actions, acknowledging that their relationship was strong. Mai Keisha, do not think it is your fault. We were doing just fine, he wrote.

Jele thoughtfully included the names and contact details of two people whom he wanted to be informed about his passing, demonstrating his concern for those he was leaving behind.

The tragic death of Constable Jele comes amidst growing concerns about the mental health implications of the burgeoning online betting craze in Zimbabwe. The Aviator game, also known as Kandege, has captured the imagination of tens of thousands of Zimbabweans, offering the allure of quick riches but also carrying the risk of significant financial losses.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another disturbing case, where Charles Chindundundu recorded himself consuming poison and posted it on WhatsApp, further highlighting the growing sense of desperation and hopelessness gripping the nation.

In his final video, Chindundundu said: Sometimes life is just like this. We make decisions that seem right to us. Some people will be hurt, but they will heal. He later updated his WhatsApp status to read: Mission completed. Best decision ever. Soul leaving.

The dangers of Kandege have also been highlighted by the case of William Gonese, a former Bakers Inn manager, who is now serving a prison sentence after stealing US$3,420 from his employer and losing it all on the Aviator platform. In January this year, a Harare magistrate sentenced Gonese (28), from Unit M, Seke in Chitungwiza, to 10 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to theft charges. His stated motivation for the crime was a desire to impress his new wife.

The incident occurred on December 28, 2023, when Gonese, as a shift manager at a Bakers Inn outlet on Chinhoyi Street in Harare, was entrusted with a float of US$3,420. Instead of using the money for its intended purpose, Gonese diverted it to online betting via InnBucks deposits, hoping to significantly increase the amount through gambling on Aviator.

His gamble proved disastrous. By 3:08 am the following morning, Gonese confessed to Simbisa Bakers Inn audit manager, Mr Yusufu Bruce, that he had lost the entire sum, comprising US$470 in cash and a further US$2,950 in InnBucks deposits. Mr Bruce immediately conducted a reconciliation at the shop, confirming the full amount was missing. Nothing was recovered.

The recent spate of suicides and theft cases linked to online betting has sounded the alarm on the deepening mental health crisis and the potential for financial ruin, prompting widespread calls for increased awareness and the establishment of robust support systems to address the growing concern.

Midlands Provincial police spokesman Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile, police officers of different ranks and units descended at Mtapa suburb to pay their last respects to their colleague. When this reporter visited the residence, the law enforcers were singing and dancing alongside community and church members. Jeles sister said he will be buried in Zaka in Masvingo Province.

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Bulawayo  An elderly couple from Bulawayo are awaiting sentencing after being convicted of theft for exploiting a technical glitch at Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe and embarking on a lavish spending spree, embezzling over US$30,000.

Frank Sibanda and his wife, Francisca Netsai, both aged 65, were found guilty on 47 counts of theft by Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Mrs Dambudzo Malunga on Wednesday. Their sentencing, initially scheduled for March 17, has been further postponed by the court.

The couple took advantage of a technical error at Stanbic Bank, squandering funds that were erroneously deposited into Franciscas account. They then embarked on a shopping spree that spanned both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The incident came to light following a routine investigation by the banks forensic department, which uncovered discrepancies in the banks records, leading to the couples arrest.

The prosecutor, Mr Owen Mugari, told the court that on February 5 last year, Francisca opened a Silver Banking segment account at Stanbic Banks Joshua Nkomo Street branch in Bulawayo. This was allegedly facilitated by her daughter, Rudo Sibanda, who falsely claimed that her mother worked for her Harare-based company, Cominergy Construction Mining Energy.

The first accused was then issued with a chip and PIN visa card, number 40691XXXX0711, to transact on her account. On April 5, Francisca made a POS purchase of US$17,95 via a Steward Bank ZiG POS machine at National Foods Bulawayo, and the transaction failed, said Mr Mugari.

The court heard that as part of the normal interbank failed POS transaction settlement, Steward Bank processed the reversal through ZimSwitch with an overstated ZWG amount of 579,116.21, which was mistakenly auto-credited to Franciscas US dollar account, resulting in a deposit of US$40,850.86.

Upon receiving the unexpected windfall, the Sibandas wasted no time in indulging themselves. The couple embarked on a spending spree both locally and across the border in South Africa, including visits to lavish food and beverage markets in the upmarket Sandton suburb. They also visited Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg, a popular hub boasting a mix of restaurants, coffee shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, retail outlets, and studios.

The bank later discovered the offence, establishing that between April 30 and May 1 last year, Franciscas visa card made cash withdrawals of US$2,025 at Stanbic Bank in Bulawayo and several ATM and POS transactions amounting to US$32,085.47 in South Africa.

A report was subsequently made to the police, and investigations led to the couples arrest. The total amount stolen is US$34,110.47, and none of it has been recovered.

In mitigation, through their lawyer, Mr Jabulani Ndubiwa of Mashayamombe & Co. Attorneys, the Sibandas pleaded for leniency. Mr Ndubiwa told the court that the couple are primary caregivers to their grandchild. He also stated that Francisca is of ill-health.

In considering the appropriate sentence, may the court consider passing a sentence that spares the accused hardship and a lengthy custody, the lawyer submitted.

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Harare  Emmanuel Fundira, the chairman of the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), was questioned by police on Wednesday in connection with an extortion case involving Paula January, a former senior employee of Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG).

This development follows an expose by The NewsHawks that implicated Fundira, who is also the former chairman of African Sun Limited, and Paula January in a corporate raiding scheme. The alleged plot aimed to deflate RTGs market value ahead of a planned acquisition of the companys shares at an undervalued price.

While Fundira is not currently under investigation, The NewsHawks understands that he was interviewed based on audio recordings in which Paula January is allegedly heard demanding payment or reinstatement to her former position from RTG executives. In the recordings, she threatens to unleash the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on RTG executives if her demands are not met.

A police source revealed that The police are keen to interview Paula over the extortion case. They have been looking for her but have not located her, because she is in Malawi. Fundira was however questioned on Thursday. The source added that The matter is being investigated under CR number 483/2/25. It was reported at Harare Central Police Station, Kopje branch.

Paula January resigned from RTG in controversial circumstances after the hotel group launched an internal investigation into a suspicious child drowning incident at Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre in 2019, where she served as the general manager.

Police are reportedly keen to establish the nature of Fundiras relationship with Paula January, particularly given that she appeared to be using information he allegedly provided in her alleged extortion attempts.

In the audio recordings, some of which The NewsHawks has listened to, Paula January is allegedly heard threatening RTG executives with a lifestyle audit and warning them of an impending Zacc raid, often well in advance of it actually occurring. Sources say she would sometimes even provide the executives with the dates of planned Zacc visits, which subsequently transpired as she had stated.

She is also alleged to have forwarded messages of her communication with Zacc officials during their meetings with RTG board members, possibly in an attempt to demonstrate her influence.

Acting on information allegedly provided by Paula January, Zacc raided the RTG Corporate Office on 13 September 2023, armed with a search and seizure warrant for fraud. The warrant stemmed from a five-year strategy retreat held in Dubai by the board and senior managers. The anti-corruption body demanded cabinet authority for the trip, as well as travel and payment records.

RTG subsequently applied for an urgent stay of execution, which the High Court granted on 18 September 2023. RTG argued that, as a listed company, its officials do not require cabinet approval to travel. The court ultimately ruled in RTGs favour, dismissing the search and seizure warrant.

However, Zacc returned on 28 February 2024 with another warrant alleging money laundering and illegal foreign currency dealings. The body sought payroll and employment records of six senior executives: MacGerald Tendai Madziwanyika, Napoleon Kudakwashe Mtukwa, Tapiwa Mari, Tichaona Gabriel Hwingwiri, Laurence Dhemba, and Shupikai Marware, who are facing serious allegations.

Despite the RTG board investigating the matter and absolving its executives, Zacc is continuing to pursue the case. A meeting last month involving Nssa and RTG board members and executives also exonerated the RTG executives and recommended that the Zacc investigation be dropped. The meeting acknowledged The NewsHawks story and concluded that the Zacc raid was part of an effort to destabilise RTG.

Paula January allegedly mentions Fundira several times in the audio recordings, suggesting that she was receiving sensitive RTG information, including details of executives salaries and allowances, from him.

As the chairperson of Nssa, Fundira has access to RTG information, given that the pension authority is the major shareholder in the tourism group, holding a 91.6% equity stake in the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE)-listed company.

In a conversation dated 18 October 2023, Paula January allegedly states that she was aware that RTG executives had been given gratuities. In one audio, she is allegedly heard saying let me look for an email from Fundira; Fundira, Fundira before reading out the exact amounts each RTG executive received.

Paula January also allegedly confesses that Fundira harboured a personal dislike of RTG chief executive MacGerald Tendai Madziwanyika and shares details of a meeting the Nssa chairperson had with the RTG boss in Dubai. The NewsHawks has confirmed that the Dubai meeting did indeed take place.

Fundira did not respond to questions sent via WhatsApp on Thursday. His mobile phone was not connecting.

Nssa is planning to offload 56% of its shares in RTG over time. Market analysts believe that Fundira is part of an ongoing plot to devalue RTG shares in order to facilitate the cheap accumulation of stock.
Harare  Supporters of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga have launched a fierce defence of the former general, following the release of a recording in which Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa delivered a scathing assessment of Chiwengas capabilities and chances of succeeding President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mutsvangwa, who did not mince his words in the leaked audio, has now been sensationally accused of working as a spy for hostile foreign nations, exposing the deepening factional divisions within the ruling party, despite repeated attempts by senior members to downplay the rifts.

An audio recording of Mutsvangwa describing Chiwenga as unelectable, cruel, and illiterate was published last week by United Kingdom-based Dug Up. In the recording, Mutsvangwa highlighted the plight of Chiwengas ex-wife, Marry, as one of the reasons why the former general should not be anywhere near power  a position that aligns with Mnangagwas 2030 agenda, which some factions within Zanu PF want to see extended beyond his 2028 mandate.

Now, a shadowy group calling itself the General Chiwenga Voluntary Supporters Association (GCVSA) has emerged, vowing to expose and dismantle Mutsvangwa, whose mission they claim the military had already unmasked. The GCVSA further alleges that the former Presidential Advisor is a double agent.

The GCVSA is aware of a recent military intelligence dossier linking Mutsvangwa to espionage activities involving hostile foreign powers, reads a statement signed by the organisations Secretary General, Ntokozo Msipha. This intelligence confirms what many have long suspectedMutsvangwa is not merely a loudmouth but an active saboteur working to weaken Zimbabwe from within.

The GCVSA claims that Mutsvangwas attacks on Chiwenga are not personal but part of a broader scheme orchestrated by those seeking to install puppets in positions of power while eliminating true patriots. His attacks on General Chiwenga are not personal but part of a broader scheme dictated by those who seek to install puppets in positions of power while eliminating true patriots, the statement continues.

His masters have sent him on a mission: to undermine the military, to spread falsehoods about national heroes, and to confuse the people with propaganda so that the 2030 succession project can be smoothly implemented. We say to him and his handlers: we see you, we know your plans, and you will not succeed.

The GCVSA did not hold back in their criticism of Mutsvangwas character, labelling him a coward who hides behind gossip and slander. They challenged him to confront his battles head-on rather than through clandestine meetings and propaganda. Mutsvangwa has chosen to fight his battles with gossip and slander because he lacks the courage to stand on the battlefield of real warriors, the statement declared. To him and those hiding behind him, we say: if you want war, come and fight face to face.

The group also took aim at Mutsvangwas political credibility, contrasting his alleged treachery with Chiwengas storied legacy in Zimbabwes liberation struggle. Unlike Mutsvangwa, General Chiwenga is a man whose legacy is written in the blood and sacrifice of Zimbabwes liberation struggle, the statement asserted. His leadership in safeguarding Zimbabwes sovereignty has been tested and provenunlike Mutsvangwa, whose greatest achievement is being a self-appointed spokesperson for treacherous agendas.

The GCVSA emphasised Chiwengas contributions to Zimbabwes independence, portraying him as a true patriot whose record stands unblemished. They dismissed Mutsvangwa as a political scavenger feeding on the scraps of real leaders. The people of Zimbabwe are not blind. They see through your deception, Chris Mutsvangwa. You are not a kingmaker. You are not a revolutionary. You are a political scavenger, feeding on the scraps left behind by real leaders, the GCVSA stated.

Your name will be remembered not among the liberators but among the traitors who sold their souls for thirty pieces of silver. We issue this final warning: Zimbabwe will not be destabilised by cowards, mercenaries, and political prostitutes masquerading as nationalists. The revolution will not be hijacked.

Meanwhile, a Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association press conference set to be addressed by its chairman Andreas Ethan Mathibela at Bulawayo Media Centre has been disrupted by a hired gang calling itself Youth Connect, escalating tensions between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga over the ruling Zanu PFs increasingly contested succession issue.

War veterans are supporting Chiwenga, a retired army commander, while the youths are hired to back Mnangagwa. Although Mnangagwas second term expires in 2028, his Zanu PF faction wants him to extend it beyond the constitutional limit to 2030, something Chiwenga and his military-backed camp are opposed to.

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chinono has weighed in on the Mutsvangwa and Chiwenga feud, stating: This explosive interview by Zimbabwean journalist Maynard Manyowa @iAmKudaMaynard of @WeDugUp with ZANUPF spokesman Chris Mutsvangwa is revealing as it points to a broken ruling party.

Mutsvangwa accuses Zimbabwes Vice President, General Constantino Chiwenga, of being an illiterate and incompetent soldier and politician. He gets personal, accusing Chiwenga of letting his ex-wife rot and adding that Chiwenga stopped Emmerson Mnangagwa from intervening in the case.

Chinono added: This tells us two things; the president does intervene in legal cases, and Chiwengas power is also above the law. Mutsvangwa talked about why and how the coup happened. The interview shows that the false claims of unity in ZANUPF are just thatbogus. This is a ruling party at war with itself, lucky that there is no semblance of an opposition in sight to take advantage of the infighting.

ZimLive understands that Chiwenga has requested a meeting with Mnangagwa on Monday to discuss Mutsvangwas outburst. The source of Mutsvangwas indignation appears to be a push by Chiwenga for Mnangagwa to anoint him as his successor  which would close the door on other aspirants.

Mutsvangwa said: That guy wanted to be anointed to become president, to become a successor to the president. So you want to remove the president but before you do so you want him to appoint, to annoint you. How do you do that? Youre squaring a circle! (Robert) Mugabe used to say I will nominate, I will give you my successor but the president (Mnangagwa) is saying no, we must go for elections. Thats normal for a democratic party.

Zanu PF will hold its elective congress in 2027, a year before Mnangagwas second and final term is due to end. Mutsvangwa is dismissive of Chiwengas prospects of winning the mandate from Zanu PF supporters and going on to clinch the presidency in general elections due in 2028.

Chiwenga is described by Zanu PF insiders as absolutely fuming when Mutsvangwas comments were put to him. He is set to meet Mnangagwa on Monday and demand action against his garrulous rival for Zanu PF leadership.

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Europe Prepares for War as the Democratic Deficit Grows Wider

Is a Color Revolution Underway in Serbia?

There are huge demonstrations taking place in Serbia against pro-Russian President Alexsandar Vucic. His government has been accused of corruption and cost cutting after a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad.

.Another Candidate Has Been Barred from Standing in the Romanian Election.

Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca is, besides being a Presidential contender, an MEP in the European Parliament. She is claiming that the EU commission was behind the decision to bar her from running in the Romanian Presidential election. The reasons given, so far, for banning her was because her anti-Semitic and anti-Western public statements, along with proposing closer relations with Moscow, meant she was a danger to democracy and the countrys position in the European Union and NATO. Last week her opponent, and leading contender in the race, Calin Georgescu, was banned from running for alledgedly lying about campaign contributions. There will, of course, be an investigation after the EUs choice has been safely elected.

Romanian far-right party leader George Simion, who had dropped out of the race in order to support Georgescu, is being allowed to contest the election. He came fourth in the first round with only 13.9% of the vote. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Simion called Russian president Vladimir Putin a war criminal and said that international sanctions against Russia were not enough, so he is more acceptable to the EU and NATO. He is currently the vice-president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party.

The most likely winner of the Romanian election is going to be Marcel Ciolacu, who is currently the Prime Minister. He got 19.15% in the cancelled first round of the election behind Georgescu (22.94%) and Elena Lasconi (19.18%); but he is acceptable to the EU, because of his pro-war and anti-Russia views, and so he will benefit from positive press coverage from the European Media.

The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Romania as a flawed democracy in 2023. As of 2025, it was classified as a hybrid regime behind a constitutional facade. According to the Copenhagen Criteria, Romania should never have been allowed to join the EU in the first place.

Italy Is One of the Reasons for the Democratic Recession in Europe.

According to the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (funded by George Soros Open Society Foundation and the Ford Foundation), Italy was one of five democracy dismantlers  along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia  that intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects. Hungary was also mentioned as a persistant offender in their report; however, France and German were held up as role-model democracies.

Starmer Is Attacking Labours Core Voters

If there is one group of people that are consistent Labour voters, it is people in the creative industry. So, it doesnt behoove a Labour Prime Minister to annoy them, but Kier Starmer has blundered his way into an almighty row with them by blithely proposing to hand over their work, free of charge, to AI companies. Moreover, it could be costly for the economy.

Statistics from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed that the creative industries generated 119.6billion in gross added value (GAV) to the economy in 2023, accounting for 5.2% of all UK GVA. In 2022 the creative industries grew twice as fast as the UK economy as a whole. IT, software and computer services were the biggest sub-sector, generating 55.4billion GVA, followed by Film, TV, video, radio and photography with 20.8 billion. In March 2024 there were 268,080 creative businesses, representing almost 10% of all UK registered business. The vast majority (93%) of these companies were micro businesses, employing less than ten people.

I hate to break the 4th wall but I must declare an interest here. I published 3 English Grammar textbooks, in the UK, on the areas where people have the most difficulty with the language; namely, verbs, prepositions and how and when to use the. They are textbooks with cross referencing so they are exactly the type of data the AI developers want. They took a long time to write; so, why should they just be handed over by ministerial fiat?

A legal opinion from top copyright lawyer Nicholas Caddick KC says that Sir Keirs plan may break the Berne Convention  which established that creators work is protected the moment it is written or recorded. Mr Caddick believes Labours proposal contravenes at least two, if not all three of the conditions pertaining to granting an exception, which are: the exception must apply only in specific, special cases, the use must not deprive the rights holders of income and it must not harm the copyright owners interest.

A Government spokesman managed to make matters worse by saying: The Berne Convention does not make any specific provisions for the interaction of copyright law and artificial intelligence. The Government will continue to consider all international legal commitments and obligations and any eventual solution will take all of these into account.

Britain has some of the best out of copyright material, especially books, available and theyre all downloadable at no cost from the Project Gutenberg website.

The Kursk Pocket Is Deflating

The Kiev regimes hope, that the incursion by the Ukrainian army into the Kursk region of Russia would provide leverage during peace negotiations, has just been dashed. The Ukraine Army is surrounded there and Trump begged Putin to spare their lives after his call for a ceasefire was rebuffed by Moscow.

During the battle of Ilovaisk, back in 2014, the Ukrainian Army was surrounded and Angela Merkel begged for a ceasefire, which Putin achieved over the objections of the Donbass militias doing the actual fighting. The Ukraine army was able to remain intact and so it could be rebuilt.

The ceasefire led to the sham Minsk agreements, which the two main Western guarantors (Germany and France) had no intention of abiding by. This was confirmed by Hollande (French President) and Merkel (German Chancellor) later.

One of the main reasons for the collapse of the Kursk pocket in 4 pictures:

When the Ukraine army stormed into Kursk the pipeline was blown up.

Russian soldiers spent 4 days underground and then crawled 15 Kilometers through the pipeline into the heart of the Ukrainian defense stronghold in Sudzha.

Once the 800 Russian soldiers had crawled through the pipeline the attack begins.

The army groups taking part were: Akhmat (Chechens) special forces, Marines, 11th Airborne Brigade and the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment veterans unit (who led the assault). Contrary to Western Media reports there were no North Koreans involved in the attack.

There are DPRK soldiers in Russias Far East where they are currently undergoing training and their fitness levels are being brought up to an acceptable standard.

You can watch details of the attack here.

Germans Helped to Liberate Syria

According to the MSM the Syrians rose up and liberated the country; however, according to reality the liberators were a group of Jihadis, under the control of Turiye and paid for by the USA (thanks Mike Pompeo). A significant number of these mercenaries are from Germany something that the Jerusalem Post was warning about back in 2013. They even set up their own townships in North West Syria/Southern Turkey, like the one they had in Pakistan. And these were not all swarthy looking men. For example, here is a pale skinned German Islamist in Syria saying Shia Muslims must convert or be killed, hinting at how many victims there are likely to be.

The Fog of War Gets Murkier



Macron is determined to commit troops to Ukraine, even though the French people are not happy about it. Demonstrations are taking place in Paris with protestors chanting We will not die for Ukraine. Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said that sending NATO peace-keeps to Ukraine will heighten tensions.

Macron, together with Keir Starmer, was defiant saying that they didnt need permission from Russia to deploy their troops. President Putin has said that if EU peacekeepers are deployed in Ukraine, it would be viewed as an act of war. President Donald Trump, however, has said that Russia would allow NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine after the SMO is over, but Russia disputed his claim.

Europe Is Coming after its Citizens Savings

The EU currently does not have enough cash to restart their moribund collective economy. But Christine Largarde, the President of the European Central Bank has a plan. She intends to liberate the 33.5 trillion in household (i.e. private) savings  more than double the collective EU GDP  that is stuck in banks because households prefer cash over market investments.

This push to divert private citizens savings into EU investment has been brewing since early in 2024 when former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said that the EUs fragmented capital markets have created a big opportunity to spark growth and future investment in the 27-country single market, by taking peoples savings. This will help the EU put its citizens finances to work in the context of the need to find an extra trillion euros a year to fund the digital and green transitions and to meet defense needs. Managing climate change alone calls for finding 2.6 percent of GDP per year.

Countries in Europe have been scrambling to find extra sources of finance in order to boost defense spending towards the 800 Billion that Ursula von der Leyen has called for. The new German Government is being applauded for its plan to lift the debt brake to boost defense spending, even though it increased the countrys borrowing costs, with 30 year bonds rising 25 points to 3.08%, the highest since the fiscal crisis in 1998.

The UK has a different approach to the same problem. Tony Blair, fresh from his success as the erstwhile Middle East Peace Envoy has another plan. He wants to unlock Britains private pension funds by taking them away from professional actuaries and turning them into giant superfunds, no doubt controlled by his namesake institute. He said that the root cause of the problems associated with the pension crisis in 2022 (when Truss was, briefly, the Prime Minister) can be traced to accounting and regulatory changes to the UKs tax and pension systems in the early 2000s. In other words, he caused the problem, as he was the Prime Minster when these changes occurred, but he and his team are just the people needed to fix it.

The current UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, backs Blairs ideas about pension reform, superfunds and the need to unlock Britains pensions, which she outlined during her Mansion House Speech. She also said she was aiming to direct pension savings into higher risk, higher growth UK companies. Much of this investment will actually be earmarked for the defense industry.

The EU cant follow the Blair Institutes lead because some of them have already taken their private pensions to fund budget shortfalls.

Unsurprisingly European defense firms share prices have been rocketing during the Ukraine SMO and will soar further on the news.

If there is any topic youd like to see covered or have any suggestions then please leave a comment below.
Conor here: Unfortunately, its not dismantlement theyre after but doubling down on the plundering of Europe by US (and European) oligarchs while claiming victory against the grating virtue signaling of the liberal Davos cabal. Thats what the following piece describes and what weve covered here

By Sam Bright, DeSmogs UK Deputy Editor. He was previously the Investigations Editor of Byline Times and an investigative journalist at the BBC. He is the author of two books: Fortress London, and Bullingdon Club Britain. Originally published at DeSmog.

The group that drafted a key blueprint for Donald Trumps second term convened a meeting in Washington D.C. this week to consider proposals for bulldozing the European Union (EU).

The Polish investigative outlet VSquare revealed that the Heritage Foundation gathered hardline conservative groups on 11 March to hear how they would overhaul the current structures of the EU.

The closed-door workshop featured a debate on a new paper produced by the lobby groups MCC and Ordo Iuris entitled: The Great Reset: Restoring Member State Sovereignty in the 21st Century.

The paper proposes dismantling the European Commission and the European Court of Justice. It claims that the EU is evolving into a quasi-federal state, limiting national decision-making power and is imposing ideologically motivated policies on member states, without any mandate. Under the plan, the EU would cease to function in its current guise, and would instead be renamed the European Community of Nations (ECN).

Kenneth Haar, a researcher and campaigner at the transparency watchdog Corporate Europe Observatory, said it was quite simply terrifying to see the Heritage Foundation moving its attention to Europe.

Most of the attacks made by the Trump presidency in recent weeks on civil rights, on migrants, on LGBTQ+ rights and more, can be traced back to Project 2025, he said. We should be worried about them building up ambitions and strength in Europe.

DeSmog can also reveal that the Heritage Foundation has been holding private meetings with European politicians in recent months, as the group attempts to forge new alliances on the continent.

MCC and Ordo Iuris have ties to national-conservative political parties that have been hostile to the EUs agenda in recent years  in particular the blocs attempts to institute climate reforms.

Ordo Iuris has promoted an agenda often supported by Polands hard-right Law and Justice party, which ruled the country from 2015 to 2023. The party was accused of clamping down on democratic freedoms and the rights of minority groups while in power. Ordo Iuris itself has been accused of spearheading an effort to roll back womens and LGBT rights.

MCC is directly backed by autocrat Viktor Orbans Hungarian government. The group is chaired by Orbans political director, Balazs Orban, who has said: It is our goal for Hungary to become an intellectual powerhouse, in which MCC plays a key role.

In 2020, MCC received more than $1.3 billion in Hungarian state funding, largely via a 10 percent stake in the countrys national oil company.

MCC-Ordo Iuris document claims to support a reformed EU that emphasises decentralisation, national interests, flexibility, deregulation, and a stronger role for member states.

The Heritage Foundation led the way in creating Project 2025, the 922-page guide to radically retrenching the U.S. government. The blueprint urged Trump to dismantle the administrative state, reverse policies on climate action, slash restrictions on fossil fuel extraction, scrap state investment in renewable energy, and gut the Environmental Protection Agency.

Many of these policies are being executed by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has decimated several departments including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), while several individuals with ties to Project 2025 have roles in the new administration.

The 11 March meeting also featured the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian legal activist group that was responsible in 2022 for helping convince the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the constitutional right to an abortion.

The Southern Poverty Law Center legal advocacy group has argued that the ADF should be deemed a hate group because it has supported the idea that being LGBTQ+ should be a crime in the U.S. and abroad.

Project 2025 proposed limiting reproductive rights, including further limiting access to abortions as well as access to contraceptives.

The Heritage Foundation seeks to steer America towards autocracy under Trumps rule, said Martin Schirdewan, a Member of European Parliament (MEP) for Die Linke and the co-chair of The Left group.

Since his election we have seen that they intend to follow through on those plans to the very end. We now know that the Heritage Foundation and their allies in Europe want to replicate that model here. We must protect our services, rights and liberties from these oligarchs at all costs.

Speaking at a side event during the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London on 17 February, Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts appeared to hint at the groups new European focus  calling for closer collaboration between national-conservative politicians across the Western world.

He claimed that when Trump and his vice president JD Vance say America First, when they say theyre going to revitalise the spirit of America, thats not at the expense of Europe. Its not a zero sum game, which is what Brussels wants you to believe.

Roberts added that the Heritage Foundation would support our friends from Europe to reclaim their institutions.

He claimed that supranational organisations like the EU, United Nations, and World Health Organisation rob us of our individual sovereignty.

This is all about reclaiming sovereignty, reclaiming the spirit, the sovereignty of each of our nation states, he said. And so I can speak for a lot of Americans here and certainly all of us from the Heritage Foundation Weve drawn a line in the sand and were ready to lead the world again.

Trump this week announced $8 billion tariffs on EU goods, including a 25 percent tax on steel and aluminium, after claiming that European countries are ripping off the U.S. on trade. He has also accused the EU of being one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world.

The Heritage Foundation, MCC Brussels, and ADF were approached for comment.

MCC and Ordo Iuris

Hungary and Poland have faced a number of conflicts with the EU in recent years over their attempts to impose reactionary, anti-democratic policies.

Viktor Orbans government has severely restricted political, media, and judicial freedoms in Hungary over recent years, and has declared plans to occupy Brussels in order to shape its policies on migration, climate, and gender.

The Hungarian autocrat is also an ally of Trump. Speaking in March 2024, while hosting Orban at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, Trump said: Theres nobody thats better, smarter or a better leader than Viktor Orban. Hes fantastic.

MCC, which helps to spread Orbans ideologies at home and abroad, is funded heavily by fossil fuel finance.

In 2020, Orbans administration gave MCC a 10 percent stake in Hungarian oil company MOL, a 10 percent stake in the pharmaceutical firm Gedeon Richter, plus $462 million in cash, and $9 million in property. In 2023, MCC received 50 million in dividends from MOL, a firm that receives 65 percent of its oil from Russia, according to an investigation by German broadcaster ZDF.

The groups Brussels arm has called on the EU to ditch the net zero madness and has helped to convene anti-green groups from across Europe over the past year. It recently stated that one of its key campaigning objectives in 2025 was to help create a Europe unshackled from environmentalism, and has called for the introduction of an EU DOGE.

The European Parliament must take this threat seriously, including by closing lobbying loopholes, said Nick Aiossa, director at Transparency International EU, otherwise shady think tanks with anti-democratic agendas will be able to sway policy at will.

Meanwhile, Poland followed the lead of Hungary under its previous Law and Justice administration. Media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders stated that, During the eight years of rule by the Law and Justice party, the public media were turned into propaganda tools.

Before the party lost power in 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that the Law and Justice administration undermined the rule of law by strengthening its control over the judiciary and smearing journalists and human rights activists critical of the government.

In keeping with MCC, Ordo Iuris has been advocating for structural reforms of the EU for several years. In 2022, the group said it would work closely with MEPs who oppose the further federalisation of the EU and want to see the bloc returned to its Christian roots.

A spokesperson for Ordo Iuris said that the group is an independent foundation funded solely by private donors. It has never received public grants or subsidies and has no affiliation with any political party.

Heritage Foundations European Meetings

DeSmog can also reveal that the Heritage Foundation has been holding private meetings with European politicians in recent months.

On 21 February, the group met with Hungarian MEP Erno Schaller-Baross in Washington D.C. Schaller-Baross is a member of Orbans party Fidesz, which is part of the far-right Patriots for Europe group in European Parliament. He currently serves as a commissioner for the office of Viktor Orban, and formerly acted as Hungarys deputy state secretary for international affairs from 2018 to 2021.

The MEP seems to share many of the ideologies held by the groups gathered by the Heritage Foundation on 11 March.

In an interview in January with the pro-Orban newspaper Magyar Nemzet, he called for a viable European alternative to Brusselss misguided policies.

Our aim is to guide the European Union back to the path of common sense and offer effective, real solutions to the continents challenges, he said  criticising the EUs economically harmful, extreme green policies.

On 19 and 20 January, the Heritage Foundation met with Czech MEP Filip Turek, who is also a member of the Patriots for Europe group.

Turek was in Washington D.C. for Trumps inauguration  one of several populist European politicians invited by the incoming president. Turek was also pictured with Musk during the trip.

Like Musk, Turek has faced allegations over his use of Nazi gestures in the past. During the 2024 EU election campaign, several old photos of Turek were circulated online, including one in which he appeared to give a Nazi salute from a car, and one featuring a candlestick with a swastika. Turek has stated that he is a collector of Nazi artefacts, and also has a knife used by SS soldiers, but denied that he was a Nazi sympathiser  saying his gesture was dark stupid humour.

Turek, a former professional racing driver, is a social media influencer who wants to save the combustion engine. He is also a climate science denier. The EUs Green Deal is one of the biggest scams in history, Turek said in a debate prior to his election in 2024. It needs to be repealed, repealed, repealed.

Are we in a time of climate crisis? YouTuber Simon Zdarsky asked Turek in an interview in March 2024. No, we are not, Filip Turek replied.

What we see in the European Parliament at the moment, is a love affair between traditional conservatives and the far-right, said Kenneth Haar from Corporate Europe Observatory.

They command a majority, and they have already shown to be willing to use it to roll back democracy, climate policies, and environmental protection. They could change the face of the EU decisively in the coming years.
Big Brother banking: How the Biden administration weaponized financial surveillance to target conservatives

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has filed FOIA requests targeting the Biden administrations alleged misuse of financial surveillance to monitor conservatives. The requests focus on potential collusion between federal agencies (Treasury, FBI, DHS) and private banks to flag transactions tied to political beliefs under the guise of combating domestic extremism.

A House Judiciary Committee report revealed that federal agencies encouraged banks to monitor transactions for keywords like Trump, MAGA, and purchases of religious texts or conservative media subscriptions, often without clear criminal justification.

The ADF and critics argue that this surveillance represents a dangerous overreach, threatening financial privacy and freedom of speech. The governments ability to monitor transactions could suppress dissent and target individuals based on political or religious affiliations.

The ADFs investigation highlights broader concerns about government collaboration with private entities (e.g., tech companies, banks) to suppress speech and monitor citizens, extending beyond financial surveillance to include online content moderation.

The ADF and lawmakers warn that unchecked surveillance sets a dangerous precedent, risking tyranny and the loss of fundamental freedoms. Immediate congressional action is urged to rein in federal overreach and protect citizens rights.

In a shocking revelation that underscores the growing concerns over government overreach, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has filed a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests targeting the Biden administrations alleged misuse of financial surveillance to target political opponents. The requests, directed at the Department of the Treasury, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seek to uncover how federal agencies may have colluded with private organizations and banks to monitor and flag the financial transactions of conservatives under the guise of combating domestic extremism.

This latest development is not just another bureaucratic scandalits a chilling reminder of how far the federal government has strayed from its constitutional limits. The ADFs actions come on the heels of a damning interim report from the House Judiciary Committee, which exposed how the Biden administration weaponized the Bank Secrecy Act to spy on Americans. The implications are staggering: a government that once promised transparency and accountability has instead turned its surveillance apparatus inward, targeting its own citizens based on their political beliefs.

Collusion between Big Government and Big Banks

At the heart of the ADFs FOIA requests is the alleged collaboration between federal agencies and private financial institutions to monitor transactions deemed suspicious or extremist. According to the House Judiciary Committees report, the FBI and the Treasury Departments Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) encouraged banks to scour customer data for keywords like Trump, MAGA, and even purchases of religious texts or subscriptions to conservative news outlets. These transactions were then flagged for further investigation, often without any clear criminal nexus.

Americans should have a government that stands up for their constitutional rights, said ADF Senior Counsel Phil Sechler. Regrettably, the Biden administration appears to have used its federal muscle to force private companies and banks to spy on Americans. Our countrys founding documents and decades of court precedent forbid such back-door bureaucratic espionage.

This isnt just about financial privacyits about the erosion of fundamental freedoms. The governments ability to monitor and control financial transactions gives it unprecedented power to silence dissent. As the ADFs legal counsel Mercer Martin noted, organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue have been complicit in this effort, creating blacklists of so-called hate groups and encouraging banks to target their customers based on political and religious affiliations.

Censorship-industrial complex

The ADFs FOIA requests also shed light on the broader censorship-industrial complex, a term used to describe the collusion between government agencies and private entities to suppress speech and monitor citizens. In addition to financial surveillance, the ADF is seeking records of communications between the FBI and tech giants like Meta, Google and X (formerly Twitter) regarding keywords such as disinformation, election integrity, and hate speech.

This isnt the first time the federal government has been accused of outsourcing censorship to private companies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden administration faced criticism for pressuring social media platforms to remove content it deemed misinformation. Now, it appears the same playbook is being used to target financial transactions.

The implications are dire. As the House Judiciary Committees report warns, the integration of new technologies like digital ID and artificial intelligence could soon allow the government to monitor every financial movement of every American. All Americans should be disturbed by how their financial data is collected, made accessible to, and searched by federal and state officials, the report states.

Dangerous precedent

The Biden administrations alleged misuse of financial surveillance isnt just a scandalits a dangerous precedent that threatens the very foundation of American democracy. Historically, governments that have sought to monitor and control the financial activities of their citizens have done so to consolidate power and suppress dissent. From the Stasi in East Germany to the IRSs targeting of conservative groups during the Obama administration, the pattern is clear: unchecked surveillance leads to tyranny.

The ADFs efforts to uncover the truth are a crucial step in holding the government accountable. But transparency alone is not enough. Congress must take immediate action to rein in the surveillance state and ensure that federal agencies are not abusing their power to target political opponents.

As Sechler aptly put it, Americans have a right to full transparency of illegal government action; our country should never police the activity of citizens simply because they hold differing political views than the party in power.

Sources include:

RecliamTheNet.org

ADFMedia.org

Judiciary.House.gov
FBI warns of surging road toll text scams

The FBI warns of a surge in scam text messages impersonating state toll agencies to steal financial information, with over 2,000 complaints in the past month.

These "smishing" scams, reported in 10 U.S. states and Ontario, use urgent language and fake links to trick victims into sharing sensitive data.

Cybersecurity experts link the scams to Chinese criminal gangs operating from Southeast Asian data centers, with a 900% increase in related searches.

Officials urge recipients to avoid clicking links, report suspicious texts to the FBIs IC3, and verify toll accounts directly with official agencies.

Elderly and less tech-savvy individuals are particularly vulnerable, with experts emphasizing vigilance and calm to avoid falling for these scams.

The FBI is sounding the alarm on a surge in scam text messages targeting drivers across the U.S., warning Americans not to fall for fraudulent road toll collection alerts. In the past month alone, the agency has received over 2,000 complaints about these so-called smishing scams, which impersonate state toll agencies to steal sensitive financial information.

The texts, which have been reported in at least 10 states and Ontario, Canada, claim recipients owe unpaid tolls and threaten fines or suspended driving privileges if they dont pay immediately. Cybersecurity experts say the scams are increasingly sophisticated, with criminals using bulk-purchased domains and evading smartphone security features to trick victims.

How the scam works

Smishing, a form of phishing that relies on SMS texts, preys on fear and urgency. The messages often include official-sounding language, such as Your toll payment is overdue. Pay now to avoid a $50 fine. Recipients are directed to click a link or reply with a Y to resolve the issue, which then prompts them to enter credit card or bank account details.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill recently warned residents about a text impersonating the states GeauxPass toll system. It is a SCAM, Murrill posted on Facebook. If you ever receive a text that looks suspicious, be sure to never click on it. You dont want your private information stolen by scammers.

Even states without toll roads, like Vermont, have seen an uptick in complaints. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark noted that travelers might mistake the scams for legitimate toll operators in other states.

Why these scams are so hard to stop

The scams are difficult to combat due to their low cost and high volume. Cybersecurity firm Trend Micro reports a 900% increase in searches for toll road scams over the past three months, indicating widespread impact. Jon Clay, the companys vice president of threat intelligence, said Chinese criminal gangs are likely behind the operation, using data centers in Southeast Asia to send millions of texts.

They are basically building big data centers in the jungle, Clay said. It is obviously working; they are getting victims to pay.

While Apple and Android devices have built-in protections, such as blocking links from unknown senders, scammers are finding ways to bypass these safeguards. For example, they encourage users to reply with a Y to reopen the text, circumventing Apples security features.

What can you do?

The FBI urges anyone who receives a suspicious text to file a complaint with its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov and delete the message immediately. Cybersecurity experts also advise against engaging with the texts in any way, as even a simple reply can signal to scammers that your number is active.

Amy Bunn, an online safety advocate at McAfee, emphasized the importance of staying calm. Scammers want people to panic, not pause, she said. They use fear and urgency to rush people into clicking before they spot the scam.

As road toll text scams continue to proliferate, experts warn that the elderly and less tech-savvy individuals are particularly vulnerable. While awareness campaigns and public service announcements are helping to curb the problem, the scams remain a persistent threat. The best defense, officials say, is vigilance: never click on suspicious links, verify toll accounts directly with official agencies, and report fraudulent texts to authorities.

Sources for this article include:

100PercentFedUp.com

APNews.com

CNBC.com

ABCNews.go.com
Formal complaint filed against Catholic Charities over alleged RICO violation

A formal complaint has been lodged with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accusing Catholic Charities of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) by allegedly facilitating the trafficking of illegal immigrants across U.S. borders through food, shelter and transportation services without adequate oversight.

The complaint claims that Catholic Charities' actions, framed as humanitarian aid, have created a system ripe for exploitation, endangering vulnerable populations, including children, and contributing to claims of "300,000 missing children" due to insufficient safeguards.

Critics, including Rachel Masters Yakima and Dr. Janet Smith, argue that Catholic Charities has prioritized federal funding over accountability, allegedly misusing taxpayer dollars intended for lawful refugee assistance and lacking transparency in managing immigration programs.

Migrants have reportedly used addresses linked to Catholic Charities as intended destinations to delay deportation proceedings, as ICE is required to accept any address provided, even if non-residential. Catholic Charities denies involvement but acknowledges the issue, blaming flaws in the immigration system.

The complaint urges a RICO investigation into Catholic Charities and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, while Catholic Charities advocates for immigration system reforms to prevent exploitation and address logistical challenges caused by incorrect addresses.

A formal complaint has been lodged with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accusing Catholic Charities of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) by allegedly facilitating the trafficking of illegal immigrants across the U.S. borders.

According to the filing, Catholic Charities has allegedly played a central role in the movement of migrants across the southern border, providing food, shelter and transportation without adequate oversight. The complaint asserts that this has created a system ripe for exploitation, with vulnerable populations, including children, being placed at risk. The complaint argues that these actions, framed as humanitarian aid, amount to human trafficking and a misuse of federal funds intended for lawful refugee assistance.

Figures cited in the complaint, such as Rachel Masters Yakima and Dr. Janet Smith, claim that Catholic Charities' operations have contributed to "300,000 missing children" due to insufficient safeguards.

Moreover, in letters addressed to President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, Yakima and Smith have called for a RICO investigation not only into Catholic Charities but also the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. They accused the Church-affiliated group of prioritizing federal funding over accountability.

"They just say, 'Trust us,'" Yakima and Smith stated in the letter, criticizing the organization's lack of transparency in managing taxpayer dollars allocated for immigration programs. (Related: HHS launches investigation into ORR's handling of unaccompanied migrant children.)

In line with the complaint, the DOJ needs to demonstrate that Catholic Charities operated as an enterprise engaged in a pattern of illegal activity over an extended period under RICO statutes. Proving this would require evidence that the organization's leadership knowingly participated in or facilitated violations of immigration laws as part of a systematic effort.

Illegal migrants have been using Catholic Charities-associated address as destination

Journalist Jack Posobiec recently brought to light the allegation in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he detailed claims that Catholic Charities has used billions in taxpayer dollars to support the transportation and resettlement of undocumented migrants.

But in 2022, Just the News already reported that illegal migrants are allegedly using addresses associated with Catholic Charities as their intended destinations to slow down immigration court hearings and delay potential deportation. The tactic, which involves providing real but non-residential addresses, has drawn attention from both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Catholic Charities.

Upon apprehension, immigration authorities typically request an address where migrants can be contacted for court summons. However, some migrants are providing addresses linked to Catholic Charities, where they do not intend to reside. This practice makes it difficult for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to serve court notices, effectively delaying deportation proceedings.

DHS officials have acknowledged the issue, stating that agents are required to accept any address provided by migrants, even if it is not their actual residence. This loophole allows migrants to avoid receiving notices to appear in court, stalling their cases indefinitely.

Head over to Migrants.news for more stories like this.

Watch the video below about Ben Shapiro's alleged border invasion funding.

This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ex-Wall Street Journal reporter uncovers migrant trafficking network in Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian migrants are taking over.

Report: Ben Shapiro donated up to $500K to migrant trafficking organization in 2022.

Trump admin surpasses 50,000 MIGRANT REMOVALS, targets long-evasive illegals.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

SOTT.net

JusttheNews.com

Brighteon.com
New York Democrats advance bill to fund abortion access with taxpayer dollars

New York Democrats are advancing Assembly Bill A2137, which would allocate taxpayer funds to cover abortion-related expenses, including transportation, lodging, childcare and doula support.

The bill has already passed the Senate and is expected to clear the Assembly, with Gov. Kathy Hochul likely to sign it into law.

The bill represents a significant step in New York's efforts to expand abortion access, setting a precedent for other states in the post-Roe era. It highlights the ongoing national debate over government funding for reproductive healthcare.

The legislation follows New York voters' approval of Proposition 1 in November 2024, which enshrined abortion and reproductive healthcare rights in the state constitution. This reflects strong public support for protecting abortion access.

New York also passed a comprehensive Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), adding protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, reproductive healthcare and pregnancy outcomes to the state constitution. The ERA was hailed as the "most progressive" in the nation.

New York Democrats are on the verge of passing a groundbreaking legislation that would allocate taxpayer funds to support women seeking abortions.

The proposed bill, Assembly Bill A2137, aims to provide financial assistance to cover a wide range of expenses associated with abortion care, including transportation, lodging, meals, childcare, translation services and doula support. The bill, which is currently before the New York Assembly's Health Committee, has already cleared its Senate counterpart, S135, by a vote of 39-20 on Jan. 21.

With Democrats holding a commanding majority in the Assembly (103-47), the legislation is widely expected to pass and be signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a staunch advocate for abortion rights.

The passage of A2137 would mark a significant milestone in New York's efforts to safeguard and expand abortion access, setting a precedent for other states grappling with the fallout of the post-Roe landscape. As the bill moves closer to becoming law, it underscores the deep ideological divide over abortion rights in the U.S. and the ongoing battle over the role of government in funding reproductive healthcare.

The Assembly is expected to vote on the bill in the coming weeks, with advocates and opponents alike gearing up for a heated debate over its implications for New York and beyond.

New York voters approve Proposition 1 in November 2024

This move comes in the wake of New York voters' overwhelming approval of Proposition 1 in November 2024, which enshrined the right to abortion and reproductive healthcare in the state constitution.

"This past November, New Yorkers made their voices loud and clear with the passage of Proposition 1. This landmark measure safeguarded the fundamental right to abortion access and enshrined equal rights and protections for everyone in our state constitution," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins declared on the passage of numerous pro-abortion measures including S135. "(T)his legislation reflects our unwavering dedication to protecting the health, dignity and rights of every individual in our state."

"Equal Rights Amendment" (ERA) has solidified the state's status as a progressive stronghold by enshrining abortion access through all nine months of pregnancy and expanding protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. (Related: Abortion industry wants legal immunity to kill live-birth babies who survive botched abortions.)

The amendment, which adds "sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy" to the state constitution's equal protection clause, has been hailed as the "most progressive" version of the ERA in the nation by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU). The amendment, which held 57 percent of votes in favor according to the New York State Board of Elections, builds on the state's 2019 Reproductive Health Act, which legalized abortion up to the moment of birth.

"New Yorkers used their vote to permanently protect abortion statewide and showed up for LGBTQ, immigrant and disabled New Yorkers by approving the most progressive and comprehensive state Equal Rights Amendment in the country," the NYCLU wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Learn more about the legality and impact of abortions in the United States at Abortions.news.

Watch the video below that talks about abortionists seeking to break state laws internationally.

This video is from The New American channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Abortions in the U.S. HAVE INCREASED since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Abortion rates in North Carolina drop by over 30% following implementation of PRO-LIFE LAW.

Abortions in Illinois surge 54% as neighboring states enact pro-life legislation.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com 1

LifeSiteNews.com 2

Brighteon.com
PLANDEMIC BLESSING: For those who survived, the PLANDEMIC was a blessing in disguise

Dr. Bhattacharya, a Samizdat Prize recipient, emphasized that free speech is essential for science to thrive. He challenged mainstream narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that the virus was less dangerous than portrayed and that lockdowns were ineffective and unscientific.

In 2020, Bhattacharya published a study questioning the severity of COVID-19 and opposed excessive restrictions on younger, healthier individuals. His findings, which contradicted official narratives, drew backlash from institutions like the CDC and Stanford, as well as figures like Dr. Fauci.

Bhattacharya's research was discussed at high levels of the U.S. government, as revealed by Freedom of Information Act emails. Despite his evidence, he faced attacks from media outlets like Buzzfeed, which falsely accused him of undisclosed funding, and endured personal threats and racism.

Bhattacharya's work highlighted flaws in pandemic policies and the influence of the "Pandemic Industrial Complex." Over time, figures like Fauci were discredited, and the vaccine industry faced scrutiny for harmful side effects and lack of transparency.

Bhattacharya's experiences underscore the need for accountability among public health officials and a return to genuine scientific inquiry. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of censorship, misinformation, and the politicization of science.

Dr. Bhattacharya, recipient of the Samizdat Prize, an award given to journalists, scholars and public figures for resisting censorship and standing for truth, once stated, Free speech is fundamental for science to function properly.

Bhattacharya has called out our nations scientific bureaucracy, beginning back in 2020, when he first reported to the country that COVID virus was NOT as dangerous as the media and CDC were propagating. He published a study on this, and he called for less restrictions on younger, healthier Americans, and the Pandemic Industrial Complex did not like that at all.

Dr. Bhattacharyas study was discussed at top levels of the U.S. government, including by Fraudulent Fauci himself and officials in the White House. This information was brought to light thanks to emails made public by a Freedom of Information Act request that was granted.

Dr. Bhattacharyas study and essay revealed that lockdowns were failing to suppress the spread of Covid-19 and were not based on science

Follow the Science, Fauci regurgitated over and over. I am the science, he said, even though he was using conspiracy guesswork and haphazard protocols that ended up killing millions of people who would have otherwise survived the Fauci Flu.

Dr. Bhattacharya even went so far as to call out all the fear-mongering about the fatality rate of the virus, saying it was way off and irresponsible. Stanford faculty did not like this at all either.

Of course, the fake science scamdemic pushers declared Dr. Bhattacharyas research to be unsound, and Stanford put together a front group to investigate, which meant wreck the doctors reputation as quickly as possible. In April of 2020, Buzzfeed presstitutes jumped on the pharma bandwagon and attacked Bhattacharya and his colleagues, claiming they failed to disclose funding for their study, even though they had. They called him a fake whistleblower and tried to discredit him on all fronts. Then he got death threats and racist attacks from the fake news media. This is what happens when you spread the truth and reveal Big Pharmas propaganda and killing machine.

Looking back now, the whole plandemic was a blessing in disguise, because now we can see the forest for the trees. Never again will the Plandemic Industrial Complex be able to pull the wool over so many eyes and mouths (mask enforcement). Now its Fauci thats been discredited and his lies dismantled for the world to see. Now its the vaccine industry thats falling apart at the seams, with their deathly clot shots that made matters much worse.

To follow the science now means to unravel the lies about all vaccines. To follow the science now means to do actual research into medicine and reveal how the side effects are more dangerous than the symptoms they manage. The sickest people on earth are those who take prescription drugs daily and get vaccinated with all the CDC recommendations.

Fauci and his cohorts should apologize to Bhattacharya for the years of harassment and actions that were both wrong and unprofessional. Tune your apocalypse dial to Preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving the Democrat wasteland and propaganda that taxpayers footed the bill for to the tune of $5 trillion or more. #FollowtheREALscience

Sources for this article include:

Censored.news

NaturalNews.com

ZeroHedge.com
WhatsApp threatens to exit Swedish market over proposed back door law

Meta-owned WhatsApp has warned it may withdraw from the Swedish market if a proposed law, allowing police and security services to access encrypted communications, is passed. The law would require tech companies to create a "back door" for authorities to bypass encryption in emergencies, retain user data for up to two years, and provide access to encrypted information.

Critics argue that the law would undermine user privacy and create vulnerabilities exploitable by hackers. Meta has stated it will not compromise on user safety and privacy, even if it means exiting markets like Sweden. Signal, another encrypted messaging app, has also pledged to leave Sweden if the law is enacted, citing similar concerns.

Meta's messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Messenger, are widely used in Sweden. Messenger is the most popular app, with 41 percent daily usage, while WhatsApp ranks second. However, it remains unclear if Messenger would also exit the Swedish market if the law passes.

Signal, known for its strong privacy protections, has criticized the law, stating it would create vulnerabilities that could undermine its entire network. The Swedish Armed Forces, which recently adopted Signal for non-classified communication, also opposes the law, warning it could compromise national security by introducing exploitable weaknesses.

The proposed law challenges the end-to-end encryption model used by apps like WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal, raising concerns about misuse and the erosion of digital privacy.

Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp has warned it may withdraw from the Swedish market if a law that will allow Swedish police and security services to access encrypted communications, including chats and emails would pass.

The proposed legislation, dubbed the "back door law," would require tech companies to provide authorities with a means to bypass encryption in emergency situations, such as during crises, wars or investigations into major crimes. It would also require app owners to retain certain user data for up to two years and create a "key" to allow authorities to access encrypted information.

However, critics argue that such a back door would not only undermine user privacy but also create a weak point that could be exploited by hackers. So, Meta pledged to leave the Swedish market if a law would pass. (Related: WhatsApp HACKED: Nearly 500 million phone numbers from 84 countries and territories put up for sale.)

"We're doing everything we can to support the police in their work against crime," Meta's head of policy in Sweden, Janne Elvelid said. "But that doesn't mean that were going to compromise on safety and privacy for our users. We're willing to accept that our services may not be available everywhere or in every country if that is the price for keeping our promise to users that our chat services will be secure."

The Swedish Internet Foundation's 2024 Svenskarna och Internet (Swedes and the Internet) report highlights the popularity of Meta's messaging platforms in Sweden. Messenger is the most widely used app, with 41 percent of Swedes using it daily and 55 percent weekly. WhatsApp ranks second, with 18 percent daily and 28 percent weekly usage.

But then, it remains unclear whether Messenger would also exit the Swedish market if the law passes.

Signal also pledges to leave Sweden if the proposed law is enacted

WhatsApp, which has built its reputation on secure, end-to-end encrypted communication, uses a protocol developed by Signal, a non-profit messaging app known for its strong privacy protections. Currently, apps like WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal use end-to-end encryption, meaning only the sender and receiver can read messagesnot even the companies themselves have access.

However, the proposed law would fundamentally alter this model, raising concerns about the potential for misuse and the erosion of digital privacy.

In line with this, Signal has also pledged to leave Sweden if the law is enacted. "If you create a vulnerability based on Swedish wishes, it would create a way to undermine our entire network," said Signal Foundation President Meredith Whittaker. "Signals commitment to user privacy is non-negotiable."

The Swedish Armed Forces, which recently announced it would switch to Signal for non-classified mobile communication, has also criticized the proposal, citing concerns over security vulnerabilities.

In a letter to the government, military officials warned that mandating backdoors could introduce vulnerabilities exploitable by malicious actors, potentially compromising national security.

Learn more about data breaches and hacking incidents at Glitch.news.

Watch this clip from Times Now discussing how to keep personal WhatsApp accounts safe from potential hackers.

This video is from the channel EuropeChannel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

WhatsApp alerts journalists and civil society members about possible device breaches involving Israeli spyware firm.

WhatsApp, iMessage share user data with FBI, leaked document shows.

Whatsapp: Malicious spyware has all the markings of "government sponsored surveillance."

Sources include:

ReclaimtheNet.org

TheLocal.se

HackRead.com

Brighteon.com
Who will rule? An elected president or an unaccountable judiciary?

The Democrats are using the judiciary to cover up their corrupt operations and theft of taxpayers money.

(Article by Paul Craig Roberts republished from PaulCraigRoberts.org)

If you will notice, the slew of judges countermanding Trumps executive orders are themselves issuing executive orders, and they are doing so with no reference to law. Instead, they are ruling that Trumps executive orders are harming someone, including illegal immigrant-invaders who are not US citizens. This is outrageous. Harm is a subjective standard. Moreover, the judges are overlooking the harm that their rulings do.

What can Trump do? Like Andrew Jackson, he could ignore the judges. He could order the federal marshalls, who report to the president and not to the judiciary, to cease delivering the judges edicts and to stop providing any service to the judges other than life protection.

The rulings by these judges are so egregious that they demonstrate both that some judges are in on the grift and the danger to Democrats from having their corruption revealed is so great that it has to be prevented by having the judiciary dictate to the executive.

We have judges blocking Trumps order against birthright citizenship which prevents illegals from gaining US citizenship by illegally entering the US in order to give birth. Such births are known as anchor babies as they result in citizenship for the entire family. Hows corrupt does a judge have to be to claim that the Constitution provides nefarious ways for foreigners to acquire US citizenship?

We have judges ordering Trump to reinstate federal funding for private NGOs working to undermine foreign governments and to spread sexual perversion and anti-white woke propaganda. Judges ordering the continuation of these harmful activities are arguing that it is harmful to prevent harm. Moreover, many and probably most of these NGOs are grift money-laundering operations dumping taxpayers money into the hands of Democrats and their children via NGO salaries and grants. Judges are even ordering Trump to continue financing private DEI and gender operation websites.

Judges do not have executive powers. They can interpret existing law and the Constitution, but not on the basis of some subjective factor as their personal notion of harm or their determination to cover up corruption.

I predicted that Trumps attempt to restore America would be tied down in lawsuits aided and abetted by a corrupt judiciary. Something must be done about judicial overreach or the renewal of America is a lost cause.

Read more at: PaulCraigRoberts.org
Federal judges lift injunction on Trumps orders, allowing crackdown on DEI programs

A federal appeals court overturned an injunction, allowing Trumps executive orders to dismantle DEI mandates in federal agencies and grant funding.

The Fourth Circuit ruled 2-1 that the orders do not violate constitutional protections, emphasizing merit-based hiring over identity-based programs.

The decision reverses a Maryland district courts temporary block, enabling enforcement while the case proceeds through the legal system.

Judges, including Obama appointees, agreed the orders target only conduct violating federal anti-discrimination laws, not all DEI efforts.

The ruling is a key step in the administrations push to restore meritocracy, though the legal battle over DEI programs continues.

In a significant legal victory for the Trump administration, a federal appeals court on Friday overturned an injunction that had blocked executive orders aimed at dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates in federal agencies and grant funding.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, ruled that President Donald Trumps orders do not violate constitutional protections, allowing the administration to proceed with its efforts to eliminate divisive and discriminatory identity-based programs. The ruling marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over DEI initiatives, which have faced increasing scrutiny for prioritizing race and gender over merit in hiring and funding decisions.

A win for merit-based hiring

The executive orders, signed by Trump earlier this year, direct federal agencies to eliminate DEI policies and prohibit federal grant recipients from implementing DEI-focused initiatives. The orders had been temporarily blocked by a Maryland district court after a lawsuit was filed by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, along with three national associations. However, the Fourth Circuits decision to lift the injunction allows the administration to enforce the orders while the case continues through the legal system.

Judge Allison Rushing, a Trump appointee, emphasized that the lower courts injunction was overly broad and should never have been granted. The government has made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits, Rushing wrote, adding that the district court erred in its initial ruling. She also criticized her colleagues for injecting personal opinions on DEI into their decisions, stating, A judges opinion that DEI programs deserve praise, not opprobrium should play absolutely no part in deciding this case.

Even judges appointed by former President Barack Obama acknowledged that Trumps orders do not violate constitutional protections. Judge Pamela Harris, in her concurring opinion, noted that the orders do not purport to establish the illegality of all efforts to advance diversity, equity, or inclusion. Instead, she explained, they target only conduct that violates existing federal anti-discrimination laws.

Chief Judge Albert Diaz, while defending the value of DEI programs, conceded that the administrations orders were legally permissible. What could be more American than that? Diaz asked rhetorically, praising DEI initiatives for fostering inclusivity. However, his personal endorsement of DEI did not sway the courts decision, as the majority ruled in favor of the administrations legal arguments.

A step toward restoring meritocracy

The ruling represents a significant step in the Trump administrations broader efforts to restore merit-based standards in government and eliminate what it views as discriminatory practices. DEI programs often prioritize identity over qualifications, leading to reverse discrimination and undermining the principles of fairness and equal opportunity.

The decision does not mark the end of the legal battle, as the case will continue to wind through the courts. However, for now, federal agencies and grant recipients must comply with the administrations restrictions on DEI initiatives.

The Fourth Circuits ruling underscores the importance of adhering to constitutional principles and avoiding judicial overreach. By allowing Trumps executive orders to take effect, the court has reaffirmed the administrations authority to address what it sees as overreach in identity-based policies. This decision is a victory for those who believe in merit-based hiring and funding, and a reminder that the judiciarys role is to interpret the law, not to impose personal policy preferences. As the legal battle continues, the debate over DEI programs will remain a contentious issue, but for now, the Trump administration has scored a crucial win in its efforts to restore fairness and meritocracy in government.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

NYTimes.com

NBCNews.com
Johns Hopkins cuts 2,000 jobs after Trump ends $800m in federal funding

Johns Hopkins University will lay off over 2,000 workers globally due to the Trump administration cutting $800 million in federal funding.

Nearly 2,000 job losses are overseas, raising concerns about U.S. taxpayer dollars funding foreign operations.

The layoffs span public health, medical schools, and international health nonprofits, marking the largest in the universitys history.

The Trump administration has canceled 83% of USAID contracts, realigning federal spending with U.S. interests under an "America First" agenda.

Johns Hopkins' overreliance on federal funding highlights vulnerabilities for elite institutions amid policy shifts and fiscal reforms.

Johns Hopkins University has announced that it will lay off over 2,000 workers worldwide following the Trump administrations decision to terminate $800 million in federal funding.

The cuts, which include 247 domestic positions and 1,975 jobs in 44 foreign countries, underscore the Biden-era federal funding largesse that has left institutions overly dependent on taxpayer dollars. The layoffs, the largest in the universitys history, highlight the need for an America First approach to federal spending, ensuring taxpayer money prioritizes domestic priorities over international ventures.

The layoffs span Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, its medical school, and Jhpiego, a nonprofit focused on international health. The university described the decision as a difficult day for our entire community, attributing the cuts to the termination of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding. Notably, the majority of the job losses, which amount to nearly 2,000 positions, are concentrated overseas, raising questions about why American tax dollars have been subsidizing foreign operations rather than addressing pressing domestic needs.

This shift aligns with the Trump administrations broader efforts to realign federal spending with U.S. interests. Since taking office in January, President Trump has frozen foreign aid and development funding, canceling 83% of USAID contracts5,200 in totaldeemed misaligned with national priorities. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as acting USAID administrator, stated that these programs did not serve (and in some cases harmed) the core national interests of the United States.

Dependency on federal funding exposed

Johns Hopkins dependence on federal funding reveals a troubling trend among elite academic institutions. According to university president Ron Daniels, nearly half of Johns Hopkins funding last year came from federal research dollars. This overreliance has left the institution vulnerable to market realities and policy shifts, particularly when fiscal responsibility is restored.

Johns Hopkins is not alone in facing the consequences of federal funding cuts. Columbia University recently lost $400 million in grants due to allegations of anti-Semitism on campus, while the University of Maine saw $30 million in funding canceled after its governor clashed with the Trump administration over transgender athletes in sports. More than 50 universities are under investigation as the administration seeks to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, which it views as wasteful and misaligned with national interests.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly defended the administrations actions, stating, President Trump is streamlining federal agencies to eliminate wasteful DEI projects and make more funds available for scientific research, not less. He will support policies that bolster our public health, cut programs that do not align with the agenda that the American people gave him a mandate in November to implement, and keep programs that put America First.

The layoffs at Johns Hopkins University serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of overreliance on federal funding and the need to prioritize American interests in federal spending. While the cuts are undoubtedly painful for those affected, they underscore the importance of fiscal responsibility and the need to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to benefit Americans first. As the Trump administration continues to realign federal spending with its America First agenda, institutions like Johns Hopkins must adapt to a new era of accountability and prioritize domestic needs over international ventures.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Reuters.com

NBCNews.com
Light transformed into a SUPERSOLID: A quantum leap in physics

Scientists have successfully transformed light into a "supersolid," a quantum state of matter that exhibits both solid-like crystalline structure and frictionless liquid-like flow simultaneously. This marks the first time such a state has been created from light, a significant milestone in quantum physics.

Supersolids are a quantum phenomenon where particles form a rigid, ordered structure while flowing without viscosity. This duality arises from particles occupying the lowest energy state, enabling frictionless movement.

Researchers used a laser to create photons, which interacted with a gallium arsenide semiconductor to form "polaritons" (quasiparticles combining light and matter). These polaritons were manipulated into a supersolid state using a specific quantum state called a "bound state in the continuum" (BiC).

Supersolids provide a unique platform to study quantum interactions without thermal noise, offering insights into fundamental forces. They also hold potential for applications in quantum computing, superconductors, frictionless lubricants and advanced light-emitting devices.

This discovery bridges fundamental science and practical applications, validating decades of theoretical work and opening new avenues for exploring quantum phenomena. It represents a transformative step in understanding matter and energy, with potential for groundbreaking future technologies.

For the first time in history, scientists have transformed light into a "supersolid," a bizarre state of matter that defies classical physics by behaving as both a solid and a liquid simultaneously. This groundbreaking achievement, detailed in a study published in Nature, marks a significant milestone in quantum physics and opens new avenues for understanding the fundamental nature of matter and energy.

What is a supersolid?

Supersolids are a quantum mechanical phenomenon where particles arrange themselves into a rigid, crystalline structure while simultaneously flowing like a frictionless liquid. This duality is made possible by the particles occupying the lowest possible energy state, allowing them to move freely without viscositya property that governs how easily a fluid flows.

Historically, supersolids were first theorized over 50 years ago, but experimental evidence remained elusive until the advent of ultracold atomic Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in the early 2000s. These BECs, cooled to temperatures near absolute zero, provided the first glimpses of supersolid behavior. However, creating supersolids from lighta form of energy rather than matterwas thought to be impossible until now.

How light became a solid

The key to this breakthrough lies in the creation of "polaritons," quasiparticles formed by coupling photons (light particles) with excitons (electron-hole pairs in a semiconductor). In this experiment, researchers at Italys National Research Council (CNR) and the University of Pavia used a laser to generate photons, which were then directed onto a gallium arsenide semiconductor. The interaction between the photons and the semiconductors excitations produced polaritons, which were manipulated into a supersolid state.

"This work not only demonstrates the observation of a supersolid phase in a photonic platform but also opens the way to the exploration of quantum phases of matter in non-equilibrium systems," says physicist Daniele Sanvitto of the CNRs Institute of Nanotechnology.

The team achieved this by structuring the semiconductor to guide the polaritons into a specific quantum state known as a "bound state in the continuum" (BiC). This state allowed the polaritons to condense into a crystalline structure while maintaining their fluid-like properties.

Why this matters

Supersolids are more than just a scientific curiositythey offer a unique window into the quantum world. By studying these exotic states, researchers can observe quantum interactions without the interference of thermal noise, providing insights into the fundamental forces that govern matter.

Moreover, this discovery has practical implications. Supersolids could revolutionize fields such as quantum computing, where frictionless flow and coherent quantum states are highly desirable. They could also lead to advancements in superconductors, frictionless lubricants and even new light-emitting devices.

"Realizing this exotic state of condensed matter in a fluid of light flowing in a semiconductor nanostructure will allow us to investigate its physical properties in a new and controlled way," says condensed matter physicist Dario Gerace from the University of Pavia.

A new frontier in physics

The creation of a light-based supersolid represents a paradigm shift in how people think about matter and energy. It bridges the gap between fundamental science and practical applications, offering a new platform for exploring quantum phenomena.

As physicist Iacopo Carusotto from the University of Trento explains, "We can imagine the supersolid as a fluid composed of coherent quantum droplets periodically arranged in space. These droplets are able to flow through an obstacle without undergoing perturbations, maintaining their spatial arrangement and mutual distance unchanged as happens in a crystalline solid."

This achievement not only validates decades of theoretical work but also paves the way for future discoveries. By harnessing the unique properties of supersolids, scientists may unlock technologies that were once the stuff of science fiction.

The study, published in Nature, is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. As humans continue to push the boundaries of physics, the supersolid state of light stands as a shining example of what humanity can achieve when it dares to explore the unknown.

Sources include:

LiveScience.com

Nature.com

ScienceAlert.com
Elon Musk visits NSA headquarters, signaling potential overhaul of controversial spy agency

Elon Musk visited the NSA headquarters, signaling potential reforms for the secretive intelligence agency.

Discussions focused on staff reductions, operational changes, and technological modernization.

Musk met with NSA and U.S. Cyber Command leader Gen. Timothy Haugh and toured key facilities.

The NSA is considering workforce cuts, including early retirements and buyouts, to meet federal efficiency targets.

Musks visit highlights the Trump administrations push to modernize government systems while addressing public trust concerns.

In a move that could mark the beginning of a significant transformation for one of the nations most secretive intelligence agencies, Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made a discreet visit to the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland, on Wednesday.

The meeting, which reportedly included discussions about staff reductions and operational changes, represents Musks first known engagement with an American intelligence agency since joining President Donald Trumps administration. This visit underscores the administrations broader push to streamline federal operations and modernize outdated systems.

Musk met with Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversees both the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. According to an NSA spokesperson, the meeting aimed to ensure the agencys alignment with the Trump administrations priorities, including workforce reductions and technological modernization. Musk was reportedly given a tour of the NSAs Remote Operations Center, a key hub for the agencys cybersecurity and intelligence-gathering efforts.

The visit comes just days after Musk publicly called for an overhaul of the NSA on his social media platform, X, though he did not provide specific details. The NSA needs an overhaul, Musk wrote, echoing his broader critique of federal inefficiencies. During a recent Cabinet meeting, Musk emphasized DOGEs mission to modernize government technology, stating, Many of these systems are extremely old. They dont communicate. There are a lot of mistakes in the systems. The software doesnt work.

Intelligence reforms expected

Musks visit to the NSA signals a potential shift toward reforms in the intelligence sector, which has largely avoided the deep cuts seen in other federal agencies. Under Trumps government efficiency initiative, agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have been shuttered, and redundant positions across the federal workforce have been eliminated. The NSA, however, has so far been spared from such drastic measures.

That may soon change. The Defense Department, which oversees parts of the intelligence community, has instructed agencies to reduce their civilian workforce by 5% to 8% over the coming months. The NSA is reportedly considering early retirement and buyout options to meet these targets. Similar measures are being implemented at the CIA, which has begun reviewing the employment of recently hired officers and plans to lay off an unknown number of them.

A controversial agency under scrutiny

The NSA has long been a lightning rod for controversy, accused of overreach in its surveillance of American citizens. Musks visit and his calls for reform suggest that the agency may soon face significant changes, both in its operations and its workforce. While some officials described the meeting as positive, others noted that it remains unclear whether Musk inquired about specific military or intelligence operations during his visit.

The NSAs role in national security is undeniable. The agency plays a critical part in cybersecurity, intelligence collection, and supporting military operations. However, its reputation for secrecy and its history of domestic surveillance have made it a target for reform.

Musks visit to the NSA could signal the start of a much-needed overhaul for an agency that has struggled to balance its mission with public trust. As the Trump administration continues its push for government efficiency, the intelligence community may soon find itself at the center of the debate over how to modernize federal operations without compromising national security.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

NBCNews.com

APNews.com
Obama said he would ensure border security to stop undocumented workers from ruining Americas economy and NOBODY called him a xenophobe or fascist

Obama the great orator proclaimed, when he was running for President, that illegal immigration was a huge problem for America, and that over five million undocumented workers had come across the border and how it had become an extraordinary problem. He said the reason Americans are so concerned is that they are seeing their own economic positions slip away, and oftentimes employers are exploiting these undocumented workers, they are not paying them the minimum wage, theyre not observing worker safety laws, and so what we have to do is create a comprehensive solution to the problem. I have already stated that as President I will finally ensure that we have the kind of border security that we need.

Not one person in this country called him a racist, xenophobe or fascist for saying that. Not one. Yet, when Trump says it and enforces it, every single Democrat and Liberal in America says that he hates all foreigners, hates all immigrants, is a white supremacist Dictator who thinks hes above the law. They hypocrisy is deafening. Obama is a communist. He never meant anything he ever said. It was always opposite day, all 8 years of his reign of terror.

Do we need to rewrite history and label Obama as a fascist dictator who hated all immigrants, or should all Democrats view Trump as fair and just?

The political turmoil is at its height right now thanks to all the hypocritical stances of the Demonic Dems and Lunatic Libs. Obama was such a good brainwasher that the Dems and Libs STILL havent snapped out of it. Theyre all hypnotized, drugged by fluoride, and lobotomized by Covid jabs and masks.

Obama said, right now, employers have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than being prosecuted for hiring an undocumented worker. Imagine if Trump said that now. Oh, what a racist, bigoted, fascist, white supremacist dictator, they all would cry. Those poor immigrants (who just raped an American teenager, wrecked their vehicle with no insurance, and spent thousands of dollars on their Biden-given visa).

Obama cried about accountability. Where is that now? Obama cried about illegal immigration ruining the economy. Where is that outrage now? Obama called for a step-by-step approach to solving the illegal immigration issues. Where is the Democrat support for this now? Nowhere to be found. Theyre all suffering from a clinical mental disorder called Trump Derangement Syndrome. If Trump announced that fresh air is the best thing for your health, every Demonic Dem and Lunatic Lib would triple-mask up and probably put a plastic bag over their head.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Department Of Government Efficiency News (@d.o.g.e._official)

The Democrats want America to be destroyed so they can say, told you so. They would rather lose everything they have, their home and children, so they can say they were right about Trump. They would rather America become a communist hellhole than to admit that Trump is doing a good job rebuilding the country and saving the Republic. Tune your apocalypse dial to preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving the Democrat wasteland and propaganda that taxpayers footed the bill for to the tune of $5 trillion or more.

Sources for this article include:

Censored.news

NaturalNews.com
FLORIDA AHCA REPORT: Illegals cost state $659.9 million in uncompensated health care

A Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) report reveals that illegal immigrants cost the state's healthcare system $659.9 million in 2024, largely due to uncompensated care, up from $566 million in 2023. This represents 0.76 percent of Florida's total healthcare costs.

The report relies on voluntary disclosure of immigration status, but many patients decline to answer. For example, 96 percent of emergency department patients at Flagler Hospital did not disclose their status, leading to potential underreporting of costs.

Miami-Dade County had the highest percentage of hospital visits by self-reported illegal immigrants (2.34 percent) and the highest estimated expenses ($282.2 million). Other counties with significant costs include Broward, Hillsborough, Orange and Lee.

The report was mandated by SB 1718, a law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023 to address illegal immigration. It includes measures like E-Verify for employers, penalties for transporting illegals and restrictions on public benefits, including healthcare.

Despite SB 1718, illegals continue to strain Florida's healthcare system. State Rep. Randy Fine, a co-sponsor of the legislation, criticized the costs as a burden on taxpayers, calling it "half a billion dollars stolen from real Floridians."

A report by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has revealed that illegal immigrants are a $659.9 million "burden" on the healthcare system of the state.

According to the report, titled the "Hospital Patient Immigration Status Report," the care provided to illegals at Florida hospitals is "largely uncompensated," meaning the costs are not reimbursed, and is a "direct contributor to the strain on Florida's healthcare system." (Related: SBA to cut off taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants and remove offices from sanctuary cities.)

For 2024, the state estimates $659.9 million was spent on care for illegal immigrants, up from the $566 million for just seven months of data in 2023. The data is based on patients voluntarily disclosing their immigration status, which many decline to do.

For example, at Tampa General Hospital Spring Hill, 63.4 percent of emergency department patients declined to answer the citizenship question in the first quarter of 2024. At Flagler Hospital in St. Johns County, 96 percent of 36,800 emergency department patients did not disclose their status.

The report estimates that 93,844 hospital admissions and emergency room visits in 2024 were by patients who self-reported being their undocumented status, representing 0.76 percent of the state's total healthcare costs. Applying this percentage to Florida's $77.3 billion total cost of care results in the $659.9 million figure.

Miami-Dade County had the highest percentage of hospital visits by self-reported undocumented immigrants at 2.34 percent, followed by Lee County (1.61 percent) and Manatee County (1.56 percent). The counties with the largest estimated expenses were Miami-Dade ($282.2 million), Broward ($77 million), Hillsborough ($64.4 million), Orange ($37.8 million) and Lee ($37.4 million).

The report also highlights inconsistencies in data collection. For instance, 67,700 emergency room visits were attributed to illegals, but many hospitals reported high rates of patients declining to answer the citizenship question.

Illegals still burden the state healthcare system despite passage of SB 1718

The report was required under Senate Bill 1718, which was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023.

A key component of the law requires employers to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the immigration status of their workers. Businesses that fail to comply face fines of up to $1,000 per day, with additional penalties including the suspension of business licenses.

The law also criminalizes the transportation of illegal aliens across state lines and invalidates out-of-state driver's licenses issued to migrants, preventing their use for identification in Florida. Additionally, SB 1718 restricts access to certain public services and benefits for these illegal immigrants, including healthcare.

SB 1718, which took effect on July 1, 2023, was introduced in response to concerns over illegal immigration and perceived gaps in federal border enforcement.

However, illegal immigrants still "burden" the state. State Rep. Randy Fine (R-Melbourne), who co-sponsored the legislation requiring hospitals to track this data, previously claimed that $500 million had been spent on healthcare for "people who should not be in the United States." He added: "That's half a billion dollars stolen from real Floridians."

InvasionUSA.news has more stories like this.

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:

A tragic consequence of failed border policies: Illegal immigrant sentenced for killing Florida deputy.

Sanctuary city laws shield illegal immigrant accused of burning woman alive in NYC subway.

Trump admin surpasses 50,000 MIGRANT REMOVALS, targets long-evasive illegals.

When the MASS MEDIA is backing your movement, you are NOT the "RESISTANCE."

Introducing the DOGE NETWORK: Trump and Musk should broadcast 24/7/365 every update exposing all financial fraud and embezzlement of Democrats.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

USAToday.com

ServingImmigrants.com

Brighteon.com
The party is over

The Trump administration, pushed by the Department of Government Efficiency and deployed by the Office of Personnel Management, has sent another email to all federal employees with a normal request to present five tasks accomplished in the last week.

(Article by Jeffey A. Tucker republished from Brownstone.org)

Its an easy task. It takes 5 minutes. In the service industry, this is entirely normal, even routine. Taking inventory of the workforce is standard for any new management in the private sector.

Oddly, absolute mania broke out among the pundit class. Government unions are preparing lawsuits. The panic and frenzy is palpable. As it turns out, no new president has ever done anything like this before, no Democrat who believes in good government and no Republican who supposedly distrusts bureaucracy.

Something dramatic has hit Washington. Its about more than Trump.

The party now in control of the US executive branch is a third party built out of the corpses of two existing parties. It goes by the name Republican but this is nearly a historical accident. The GOP was a vessel that was least protected against invasion and occupation. It has now been nearly taken over by outsiders who had little or no influence within the party a decade ago.

Nearly all the top people now in power  including Trump of course but also Musk, Gabbard, Kennedy, Lutnick, and so many more, to say nothing of the voters themselves  are refugees from the Democratic Party. Coalitions have dramatically changed. Voting blocs have migrated. And policy debates and priorities are nothing like they have been in any period since the end of the Great War.

The occupiers left a Democratic Party that was and is busy consuming itself with Rousseauian frenzies on issues about which most people do not care or are otherwise completely opposed. The legacy establishment of the Republican Party, however, never welcomed them in. They were hated and resisted at every step.

The Kennedy Migration

To understand the remarkable speed and trajectory of this creation of a third party within the structure of two, consider that it was not even two years ago when Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was first contemplating running for president as a Democrat.

The conditions were unique. He had gained an enormous following for his courage during Covid, standing up against the lockdowns, speaking out against the censorship and rights violations, and then decrying the imposition of shots that achieved nothing for public health.

In 2023, President Biden was unpopular and not even credible as the chief executive, much less as a candidate for a second term. The thinking in the Kennedy camp at the time was that a run by Kennedy for the Democratic nomination would force an open primary and he could lead the party back to its roots, away from woke totalitarianism toward the political values of his father and uncle.

In theory, all of this seemed plausible. His first rallies were crowded events, and the money poured in. Volunteers were signing up to work for the campaign. The first ads that appeared were nostalgic of a lost time, an America before the shattering of civic culture that came with the assassination of his uncle in 1963. The framing and even music of his campaign reflected such themes.

If anyone could fix the Democrats, it was surely Kennedy with a lifetime of activism and experience in litigation against corporate capture of agencies, plus a recent campaign for human rights and free speech. The presumption here was that the Democrats had some base of support that still supported such values. And maybe that was right but his intentions ran headlong into the machinery of party leadership.

His intention was to challenge Trump for the presidency, and the basis of the challenge was rather obvious. It was, after all, under Trumps watch that the lockdowns began and the legal apparatus that led to the dangerous shots was deployed. It was Trump who kicked off the economic crisis with wave after wave of stimulus payments plus monetary expansion. As an empirical matter, he had presided over the worst invasion of rights of any president in history.

Thats where matters stood only two years ago. When it became obvious that there would be no open primary, Kennedy was tempted by the lure of an independent run. The most immediate problem of gaining ballot access hit hard. The system, after all, is set up for two parties only and they want no competition unless such an effort works as a spoiler. That was not obvious with Kennedy  he drew equally from both sides  so everyone with power wanted him excluded.

The other problem traces to the undeniable logic of winner-take-all elections. Under Duvergers law, such contests tend to default to two choices only. This logic applies not just to politics but to all systems of voting. If you offer guests at a party the chance to vote on dinner, but the majority will prevail over the minority, everyone will immediately shift from voting for what they like toward voting against the food they hate the most.

For some reason, this pattern of strategic voting is hardly mentioned in polite company but it is a reality in US politics. Voters select against the candidate they fear the most and for the person they believe can win to forestall the worst possible outcome. In the Kennedy case, then, it meant that no matter how much people loved him, they would end up supporting either Biden or Trump regardless.

It so happened that over the summer, this logic was pressing itself heavily on the Kennedy campaign even as Trump faced astonishing levels of deep-state lawfare plus an assassination attempt, which conjured up deep family trauma in Kennedy. This provoked some discussions between the two that resulted in a historic realignment in politics.

During these discussions, Trump was frank about what happened during the Covid period. He had been lied to by his bureaucracy, the experts who had been assigned to him to say that this virus was a bioweapon with possible cure in the form of a new vaccine. With great reluctance and only for a limited time did he approve what everyone, including family members and conservative pundits, was telling him to do.

As for Warp Speed, Trump had always considered it to be an aggressive push for a solution. International and domestic sources named Hydroxychloroquine as a workable therapeutic, and so he ordered it for mass distribution.

It was essentially inconceivable in those days that the deeper bureaucracy would not only remove it and other repurposed drugs from distribution but even generate fake studies warning against them, all in an effort to push the new pharmaceutical product. Trump was surely astonished to see these events unfold in a manner that he could not control.

In that connection, both Trump and RFK, Jr. agreed on the dangers to American health from a variety of sources, including that emanating from the overuse of pharmaceuticals. Trump learned from Kennedys expertise on this matter, and they experienced a meeting of minds. And not only on this but on the evils of captured agencies, censorship, and deep state manipulation of public culture in general.

They would never agree on issues of oil and gas, of course, but on that topic too Kennedy had been moved by the Covid years to reconsider the supposed science behind climate change, especially that which recommended more human suffering as a means of solving a supposed existential threat.

We may never know the fullness of what took place over those two days but the discussions changed history, bringing together two mighty forces in American culture that had long been separated by party label and tribal identity: bourgeois nationalism vs. the haut bourgeois crunchy liberalism of the Whole Foods set. As it turned out, they had a common enemy.

Now Kennedy is the new head of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration, which is now undertaking the largest attempt at routing the DC establishment since Andrew Jackson. His goal is to turn around the whole ship of state, industry, and science, away from fakery and industrial corruption emanating from a single focus on infectious disease toward a new focus on chronic disease with science-based and natural solutions. That is a herculean task.

The Musk Migration

Elon Musk is the third force within this leadership triumvirate of the new party. Before 2020, he was a politically conventional investor and entrepreneur. Mostly he associated with the default party of the elites, the Democrats. Then lockdowns came. He was the only major corporate leader in the US and probably anywhere in the industrialized world who publicly stood up in protest. He said he would sooner sleep on the floor of his factory than close it. He refused vaccine mandates in all his companies. He pulled Tesla out of California and moved it to Texas. He moved all his corporate registrations out of Delaware.

By 2023, he was a changed man, newly aware of the threat of Leviathan, and did a deep dive into anti-statist literature. He faced his own family battles over woke ideology, and this made his intellectual transformation complete. He entered the political season with a new consciousness. Whereas he once regarded the bureaucracy as annoyingly necessary, he increasingly viewed it as the source of unchecked tyranny.

At one level, the meetup of Trump and Musk  like the meetup of Trump and Kennedy  was completely implausible. Musk regarded his greatest achievement as a businessman as having made the most mighty contribution to clean energy yet, having broken up the automotive monopoly and mass-produced the first commercially viable electric car. Trump, on the other hand, had sworn to smash electric car subsidies and called for deregulation of oil and gas. To link up with Trump meant having to put at risk even the tax break for consumers of EVs.

But he was ready for that simply because, like Kennedy, he became convinced that Western civilization itself was at risk from a woke Leviathan that had shown its teeth in the most brutal way during the Covid years. His reason for purchasing Twitter for $44 billion was to bust up the censorship cartel that was constructed to enforce lockdowns and promote the vaccine. Once having taken over, he discovered the extent of government control, uprooted it, and unleashed free speech on the US.

Here again, Musk shared this concern with Kennedy and Trump. All three linked up on the crucial issues: the desperate need to curb and crush the power and reach of the administrative state. This is an issue that crosses left and right, Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative, and all other traditional categories.

The Gabbard Migration

In this connection, there was also the national security angle in which decades of neoconservative forever wars had bred resentment and failure abroad, thus bringing over the articulate Tulsi Gabbard from the Democrats to Trumps side, together with other influencers like Pete Hegseth who saw traditional military concerns having given way to woke ideology that Musk despised and Kennedy found to be deeply corrupting of traditional liberal concerns.

Their interests dovetailed with the revolt against globalism generally, which had taken the form of endless unwinnable wars, unchecked spigots of foreign aid, taxpayer pillaging in the form of subsidies to international syndicates of NGOs and agencies, plus the cruel deployment of immigration as a tool of electoral manipulation. It was the immigration point that triggered the populist push for the new nationalism that gathered in new refugees from the antiwar sectors of the left and right.

Donald Trump himself has undergone his own migration. An industrial mercantilist from his earliest public statements, he gradually absorbed a de facto anti-statism once his ill-fated first term was subverted from within and then he faced unprecedented lawfare and even assassination attempts to stop his second term. When he told the Libertarian Party that this lawfare made him a libertarian in spirit, he was being truthful. Once it became personal, the new head of state effectively turned against the state and all its works.

These are all circuitous paths but they reached the point of having huge influence over the public mind in the wake of the Covid years that discredited existing elites and prepared the way for a completely new way of going about government and public life. Given the meme culture of our time, this new party went by various names, first MAGA and then MAHA and then DOGE (in homage to the meme coin that started as a joke and then became real).

MAGA/MAHA/DOGE is not exactly the catchiest name for the new ruling party but it is far more accurate than Republican, much less Democrat. It is a new party formed out of the discredited shells of the two existing parties that lost public trust over decades of misrule culminating in an ill-fated attempt to master the exigencies of the microbial kingdom.

In a Kuhnian sense, the collapse of the orthodox paradigm (rule by administrative agencies informed by captured science) was complete by 2023, preparing the way for the pre-paradigmatic coalition of these fascinating characters, backed by popular movements that are mirrored in many lands, and generally sailing under the flag of populism. And here is the crucial fact: these leaders have their reach, influence, and power because the causes they represent have come of age with a population completely fed up with misrule by experts.

These are new and highly promising times, as the old undergoes a merciful dismantling and something entirely new takes its place. We find the roots of the ideology of the administrative state in the works of Woodrow Wilson, and it takes only a few minutes of reading his deluded fantasies of how science and compulsion would forge a better world to see that it was only a matter of time before the whole experiment was in tatters.

It took more than a century but that day is finally here. The paradigm has shifted. For all the messiness and frenzy  including the chaos, confusion, and betrayals  our times at least present opportunity to reassert a foundational principle of the Enlightenment; namely that the people themselves should have some fluid and influential role in shaping the workings of the regime under which they are forced to live.

Read more at: Brownstone.org
UK fails to condemn Israeli airstrike that killed British charity workers and journalists in Gaza

Israeli airstrikes killed nine in Gaza, including three journalists and aid workers from a UK charity, sparking widespread condemnation.

The UK Foreign Office refused to denounce the attack, drawing criticism for its silence.

The Al-Khair Foundation confirmed its team was targeted while setting up tents for displaced Palestinians.

Hamas condemned the strike as a "horrific massacre" and a violation of international law.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in northern Gaza on Saturday, including three journalists and aid workers affiliated with a British charity. The attack, which targeted a humanitarian team setting up tents for displaced Palestinians, has drawn widespread condemnationbut not from the UK Foreign Office, which has refused to denounce the strike. The incident underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raises questions about Israels adherence to international law and the UKs moral stance on the conflict.

The strike occurred in Beit Lahia, where volunteers from the UK-based Al-Khair Foundation were working to provide shelter for displaced families. Among the dead were eight charity workers and three journalists documenting their efforts. The Israeli military claimed it targeted terrorists operating a drone, but the charity and witnesses have vehemently denied these allegations, calling the attack a flagrant violation of international law.

Aid workers targeted in "horrific massacre"

The Al-Khair Foundation, a UK-registered charity, confirmed that its team was struck while setting up tents for displaced Palestinians. Qasim Rashid Ahmad, the charitys founder, told the BBC that the attack unfolded in two stages: first, a strike hit cameramen returning to their vehicle, and moments later, an Israeli drone targeted team members who rushed to the scene.

Today sadly another attack has taken place on aid workers while delivering aid, Ahmad said in a statement. Some of the victims, he said, "were our team members, including volunteers, some of them were cameramen and some of them were journalists.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate identified the journalists killed as video editor Bilal Abu Matar and cameramen Mahmoud al-Sarraj, Bilal Aqila, and Mahmoud Asleem. The organization accused Israel of systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists, who risk their lives to report the truth and expose Israeli crimes to the world.

Hamas condemned the attack as a horrific massacre and a blatant violation of international law. Ismail Thawabta, Director General of Hamas Government Media Office, said the strike targeted unarmed civilians, especially those providing humanitarian aid to displaced and homeless individuals.

UKs silence sparks outrage

The UK Foreign Offices refusal to condemn the attack has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and lawmakers. When asked by Middle East Eye whether it would denounce the strike, a Foreign Office spokesperson offered a tepid response, emphasizing the need to protect civilians but stopping short of assigning blame.

It is deeply saddening to hear of further loss of life in Gaza, the spokesperson said. The UK wants to see the ceasefire continue. This deal remains fragile, and we must build confidence on all sides to sustain the ceasefire and move it from phase 1 through to phase 3, and into a lasting peace.

Wajid Akhter, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, called the UKs silence morally indefensible. He said, Israels allies have a moral obligation to acknowledge these atrocities and take decisive action to ensure such grave breaches of international humanitarian law are brought to an end.

Independent MP Shockat Adam, whose Leicester South constituency includes the Al-Khair Foundations offices, expressed his condolences and vowed to push for an independent investigation. I will be personally contacting the charity and writing to the minister to demand an independent and transparent investigation into the facts, he said.

The attack comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has been in place since January. While the ceasefire has reduced casualties, Israeli military operations have continued, often justified as responses to perceived threats. Saturdays strike, the deadliest since the truce began, has further strained the already precarious peace process.

The US has proposed a month-long extension of the ceasefire, which would include the release of hostages held by Hamas and an easing of Israels blockade on humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, Hamas has demanded immediate talks on a permanent ceasefire, a condition Israel has rejected.

The killing of aid workers and journalists in Gaza is a grim reminder of the human cost of Israels military campaign, which has claimed over 48,300 lives since October 2023, according to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry. The UKs refusal to condemn the attack raises troubling questions about its commitment to upholding international law and protecting humanitarian efforts.

Sources for this article include:

MiddleEastEye.net

CNN.com

BBC.com
USDA continues MASS CULLING of poultry to address bird flu despite criticism

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues its "stamping out" approach, involving the mass culling of infected and exposed poultry flocks, despite criticism. This strategy in place since 2022 has led to the destruction of over 166 million birds but has failed to curb the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

The outbreak has devastated the U.S. poultry industry, particularly the egg sector, driving egg prices to a record $8.05 per dozen in February 2024. Farmers face severe financial strain as indemnity payments for culled birds do not cover their losses, pushing many to the brink of collapse.

Experts, including vaccine researcher Dr. Robert Malone, argue that the USDA's reliance on mass culling is outdated and ineffective. Critics advocate for alternative strategies, such as promoting natural immunity through selective breeding or using heritage breeds with greater disease resilience.

While countries like China and France have implemented poultry vaccination programs, the U.S. hesitates due to potential trade disruptions. The U.S. exported over $5 billion in poultry products in 2023 and vaccination could lead to bans on these exports.

The USDA defends its strategy as necessary for biosecurity and trade compliance but faces mounting pressure to adapt. Critics emphasize the need for innovative solutions as the current approach is economically damaging and unsustainable, with no end to the crisis in sight.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is standing firm on its strategy to combat the ongoing bird flu crisis despite mounting criticism from industry experts, policymakers and the American public.

Since 2022, the USDA's "stamping out" approach  which involves the mass culling of infected and exposed poultry flocks  has led to the destruction of at least 166 million birds. This policy, now in its fourth year, has failed to curb the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Worse, it has driven egg prices to historic highs and placed immense financial strain on farmers and consumers alike.

The current outbreak, which began in February 2022, has devastated the U.S. poultry industry  particularly the egg sector. Egg prices soared to a record $8.05 per dozen in February 2024, a direct consequence of supply shortages caused by the mass culling of hens.

The USDA's response, rooted in a 2017 avian flu response plan, has drawn sharp criticism for its reliance on an outdated and seemingly ineffective strategy. Critics argue that the policy not only fails to address the root causes of the outbreak, but also exacerbates economic hardships for American families and farmers.

The USDA's approach hinges on the belief that destroying infected flocks will prevent the virus from spreading. However, data suggests that this strategy has done little to stop the disease. Despite the culling of millions of birds, infection rates remain stubbornly high.

Experts like Dr. Robert Malone, a prominent vaccine researcher and critic of the USDAs methods, have called the policy outdated and counterproductive. Malone argues that the mass culling of birds is a waste of resources. The inventor of mRNA vaccine technology instead proposes the exploration of alternative strategies, such as natural immunity and selective breeding.

The economic impact of culling and the case for alternatives

The economic toll of the USDA's strategy has been severe. Farmers are compensated for culled birds through indemnity payments, but industry leaders like Tony Wesner, CEO of Rose Acre Farms, argue that these payments fall far short of covering their losses.

"Even with updated indemnity formulas, payments will not come close to making producers whole," Wesner testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture in February 2024. The financial strain has pushed many farms to the brink of collapse, further destabilizing the poultry industry.

Some experts advocate for a shift away from mass culling toward strategies that promote natural immunity. Malone, for instance, suggests allowing the disease to run its course within poultry houses and then breeding surviving birds that demonstrate resistance to the virus. Others point to heritage breeds, which have shown greater resilience to avian influenza, as a potential solution.

However, the USDA has dismissed these alternatives, citing a lack of evidence that they would effectively prevent outbreaks. A senior USDA official stated that previous attempts to isolate healthy birds have all resulted in infection and death.

The department maintains that biosecurity measures  such as improved sanitation and controlled access to farms are the most critical tools for disease control. To that end, the USDA has allocated $500 million to enhance biosecurity across poultry farms.

Another potential solution is vaccination. Countries like China and France have implemented poultry vaccination programs to combat bird flu, but the U.S. has been hesitant to follow suit. (Related: USDA Secretary Rollins: Bird flu shots for chickens "off the table.")

Vaccinating birds could complicate international trade, as many countries impose bans on poultry products from nations that vaccinate their flocks. The U.S. exported over $5 billion in poultry products in 2023 and any disruption to this market could have devastating economic consequences. USDA officials have emphasized the need for further research to address concerns about vaccine efficacy and trade implications.

Visit FoodSupply.news for more stories like this.

Watch this news report about bird flu continuing to devastate poultry farms across the nation.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins REJECTS bird flu vaccines, focuses on biosecurity and re-population to lower egg prices.

Will Trump's $1B bird flu plan crack the egg crisis?

Egg rationing madness: How bird flu fears are fueling food scarcity and inflation.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

LATimes.com

CBSNews.com

Brighteon.com
This dilemma of whether to absorb the Broadcom price hikes or embark on the arduous and risky journey of untangling from the VMware ecosystem is triggering a broader C-level conversation around virtualization strategy.

For enterprises navigating this uncertainly, the challenge isnt just finding a replacement for VMware. IT shops of all sizes see Broadcoms actions as an opportunity to rethink their approach to virtualization, cloud strategy and IT modernization, says Steve McDowell, chief analyst at NAND Research.

Elliot says that server virtualization has been taken for granted for a long time, and the Broadcom-driven wake-up call is forcing organizations to reevaluate their virtualization strategies at the board level. That kind of strategic conversation hasnt happened for years. Customers are saying, What can we do as this platform emerges from VMware. How do we think about this relative to our multi-cloud strategy and private cloud and the efficiencies we can gain? Lets talk about risk reduction. Lets talk about platform strategy. This is an opportunity to identify business value. Its triggering this plethora of swim lanes.

Check the waters before diving in

While there are multiple alternatives to the VMware platform, none of them are as good from a feature perspective, and theres a risk associated with moving off a tried-and-true platform.

In estimating the cost of a large-scale VMware migration, Gartner cautions: VMwares server virtualization platform has become the point of integration for its customers across server, storage and network infrastructure in the data center. Equally, it is a focus of IT operational duties including workload provisioning, backup and disaster recovery. Migrating from VMwares server virtualization platform would require untangling many aspects of these investments.

It would take a midsize enterprise at least two years to untangle much of its dependency upon VMware, and it could take a large enterprise up to four years. Even then, the cost associated with planning and executing the migration might eat up any savings associated with lower licensing costs and might introduce additional risk, says Gartner.
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Think red wine is safer? A new study shows both red and white wines carry similar cancer risksbut white wine may pack an extra punch when it comes to skin cancer.

Study: Consumption of Red Versus White Wine and Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Image Credit: Africa Studio / Shutterstock.com

A recent study published in the journal Nutrients explores whether the incidence of cancer differs depending on whether one consumes red or white wine.

Carcinogenic effects of alcoholic beverages

Over several decades ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified alcoholic beverages as Group 1 carcinogens, thus indicating that no level of alcohol consumption is considered safe for human health. Some of the most common types of cancer that can be directly linked to alcohol use include bowel cancer and female breast cancer. In 2020, approximately 4.1% of total global cancer cases were due to alcohol consumption.

After alcohol is consumed, the liver metabolizes ethanol to acetaldehyde, a highly reactive and toxic compound. Acetaldehyde can form Schiff-base adducts with DNA and cellular proteins, increasing the risk of point mutations and DNA-DNA and DNA-protein crosslinks.

It is generally perceived that red wine is a healthier option than white wine because it contains a higher number of antioxidants, such as polymeric tannins and flavonoids. Interestingly, a recent Canadian survey indicated that 41% of respondents were not certain whether or not red wine reduced cancer risk despite being aware that alcohol consumption can lead to cancer.

Previous studies have shown that resveratrol, a polyphenol compound found in red wine, restricts the proliferation of different types of cancer cells. However, several epidemiologic studies have contradicted these findings, indicating that red wine consumption increases the risk of many cancers, including those affecting the lungs, ovaries, skin, and breast.

To date, few studies have evaluated differences in cancer risk by type of wine.

About the study

The current study reviewed published research to identify any potential differences in the carcinogenicity risk between red and white wine. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between red and white wine consumption and the risk of all and site-specific cancers.

All relevant studies published until December 2023 were obtained from PubMed and Embase databases. The current meta-analysis included only prospective cohort and case-control studies with more than three categories of wine consumption.

The midpoint of the wine intake range was established for each included study. For the dose-response analysis, wine intake was measured in grams of ethanol per day.

A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to measure relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for an association between wine intake and overall cancer risk.

Study findings

Of the 252 articles obtained from the primary search, 42 articles, 20 and 22 of which were cohort and case-control studies, respectively, were selected for the meta-analysis. RRs for overall cancer risk were 0.98 for red wine and 1.00 for white wine. Thus, no difference was observed between red and white wine consumption in terms of overall cancer risk.

When only cohort studies were considered, a stronger and more significant association was observed between white wine and cancer risk, whereas no association was observed for red wine intake. Although no significant difference between red and white wine consumption on overall cancer risk was observed in men, this association was significant in women.

Dose-response analyses using case-control data revealed that every additional 10 grams of ethanol from red wine per day was associated with a 5% increase in overall cancer risk. However, this association was not observed in cohort studies.

White wine consumption was associated with a 22% increased risk of skin cancer compared to red wine consumption. Both wine types were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, with no significant difference in incidence risk rates between the wine types. After removing the most influential study, no significant difference was observed between red and white wine on overall cancer risk.

Conclusions

The study findings confirm that red and white wine are associated with a similar risk of developing cancer. However, only white wine was associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.

Drinking red wine may not be any better than drinking white wine in terms of cancer risk.
When the FDA announced in January, before President Joe Biden's term ended, that it would ban a dye called red dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs, the federal agency cited just one 1987 study on rats to support its action.

The industry-funded study, based on data from two prior studies, was led by a Virginia toxicologist who said then  and still believes today, decades after concerns first arose that the chemical could be carcinogenic  that his research found the petroleum-derived food coloring doesn't cause cancer in humans.

"If I thought there was a problem, I would have stated it in the paper," Joseph Borzelleca, 94, a professor emeritus of pharmacology and toxicology at Virginia Commonwealth University, told KFF Health News after the FDA's announcement. "I have no problem with my family  my kids and grandkids  consuming Red 3. I stand by the conclusions in my paper that this is not a problem for humans."

Soon after Borzelleca's paper was published in a scientific journal, Food and Chemical Toxicology, the FDA examined the data his team had collected and reached its own conclusion: that the dye caused cancer in male lab rats. In 1990, the FDA cited the study in banning Red 3 in cosmetics.

In 1992, the FDA said it wanted to revoke approval of Red 3 in food and drugs. But the agency didn't act at the time, citing a lack of resources.

More than 30 years later, after a renewed push by consumer advocates, the Biden administration announced the ban in its last days in power. The move came just weeks before the Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA.

Kennedy has been a vocal critic of food additives, including Red 3. On March 10 he met with top food industry executives and told them if they don't eliminate artificial food dyes from their products, the federal government will force them to do so, Food Fix reported.

Consumer advocacy groups cheered the Red 3 ban, even as the FDA said there is no evidence that the dye is dangerous to people. "Importantly, the way that FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans," Jim Jones, FDA deputy commissioner for human foods, said in a statement.

Jones resigned from FDA in February, criticizing Trump administration cuts that he said hobbled his office.

The FDA did not respond to a request for comment, but Marty Makary, Trump's nominee to lead the agency, said at his Senate confirmation hearing on March 6 that he is concerned about whether food additives such as Red 3 harm children.

"It did not make sense that red dye No. 3 was banned in cosmetics but allowed in the food supply," Makary told Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who questioned why the FDA ban doesn't take effect until 2027.

"We want to kill people for two more years?" the Alabama Republican said. "I would hope that you would, if you're confirmed, you'd go in and look at it very quickly and say, 'Why do we want to put our people in harm's way?'"

The International Association of Color Manufacturers says Red 3 is safe in the tiny levels typically consumed by humans. The dye was approved for use in foods in the U.S. in 1907, and today it's an ingredient in thousands of products including cereals, candy, beverages, and cake toppings.

Thomas Galligan, principal scientist for food additives and supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which petitioned the FDA for a ban, said that a federal regulation known as the Delaney Clause prohibits any ingredient that causes cancer in animals from being included in foods. (The publisher of KFF Health News, David Rousseau, is on the CSPI board.)

"At the end of the day, this is an unnecessary additive," he said. "It's a marketing tool for the industry to make foods look more appealing so consumers will buy them. But federal law is clear: No amount of cancer risk is acceptable in foods."

Galligan said he was not surprised Borzelleca's opinion on Red 3 had not changed or that the food dye industry has played down the risk.

In October 2023, California became the first state to ban Red 3 in food starting in 2027, superseding the FDAs earlier rule allowing small amounts in foods as a color additive. The state legislature acted after a state analysis concluded the dye could cause hyperactivity in children.

The European Union, Australia, and Japan are among the locations that already ban the chemical in foods. The EU's ban also cites hyperactivity in children. The EU requires food makers to include a warning that food dyes that are still allowed may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.

The IACM points to research by scientific committees operated by the World Health Organization, including a 2018 review that affirmed the safety of Red 3 in food.

Some food manufacturers have already reformulated products to remove Red 3. In its place they use beet juice; carmine, a dye made from insects; or pigments from foods such as purple sweet potato, radish, and red cabbage.

It isn't clear how the FDA determined that Red 3 can cause cancer in male rats. Borzelleca's paper said some rats that were fed Red 3 developed polyps in their thyroid gland but doesn't mention cancer.

Borzelleca, whose study was funded by the IACM, then known as the Certified Color Manufacturers Association, said he was stunned the FDA banned the dye and used his research to back the move.

"I am surprised all this time has gone by and it's been safe for human use, and now it's being pulled from the market due to concerns not supported by the data," Borzelleca said. "Our study did not find this was a carcinogen."

His study was a response to the FDA's requirement in the 1980s for additional long-term feeding studies in rats and mice as a condition for the continued provisional approval of several color additives, including Red 3.

Over decades, Borzelleca published dozens of research papers on the toxicology of food additives, pesticides, and water contaminants. He also served on advisory boards for the tobacco industry and represented cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds in negotiations with the Department of Health and Human Services about cigarette additives, according to a 1984 corporate memo. Borzelleca is a former president of the Society of Toxicology and consulted for the National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization.

The commonwealth of Virginia gave him a lifetime achievement award in 2001 for his work helping assess dangers in foods, drugs, and pesticides.
National Institutes of Health officials have urged scientists to remove all references to mRNA vaccine technology from their grant applications, two researchers said, in a move that signaled the agency might abandon a promising field of medical research.

The mRNA technology is under study at the NIH for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including flu and AIDS, and also cancer. It was deployed in the development of covid-19 vaccines credited with saving 3 million lives in the U.S. alone  an accomplishment President Donald Trump bragged about in his first term.

A scientist at a biomedical research center in Philadelphia wrote to a colleague, in an email reviewed by KFF Health News, that a project officer at NIH had "flagged our pending grant as having an mRNA vaccine component."

"It's still unclear whether mRNA vaccine grants will be canceled," the scientist added.

NIH officials also told a senior NIH-funded vaccine scientist in New York state, who does not conduct mRNA vaccine research but described its efficacy in previous grant applications, that all references to mRNA vaccines should be scrubbed from future applications.

Scientists relayed their experiences on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional retaliation by the Trump administration.

A senior official at the National Cancer Institute confirmed that NIH acting Director Matthew Memoli sent an email across the NIH instructing that any grants, contracts, or collaborations involving mRNA vaccines be reported up the chain to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s office and the White House.

Memoli sent a similar message ahead of the agency canceling other research, such as studies of vaccine hesitancy.

Memoli's email on that topic bluntly stated that NIH was not interested in learning why people shun vaccines or in exploring ways to "improve vaccine interest and commitment."

The National Cancer Institute official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said that "it is reasonable to assume mRNA vaccine work is next."

The official said a similar memo also went out regarding NIH-funded work in South Africa, which the White House has targeted over false claims that the country's government is persecuting white people. More recently, another one went out regarding all global research collaborations, the official said.

Spokespeople for the White House, HHS, and the NIH did not respond to requests for comment.

The NIH, whose latest annual budget was $47 billion, is one of the world's most critical sources of funding for basic biomedical research. Its mission and programs are under unprecedented scrutiny from Trump's White House and the Department of Government Efficiency, the Elon Musk-led agency created by a Trump executive order that has directed federal agencies to prepare for widespread layoffs.

The NIH is funding at least 130 studies involving the mRNA technology in covid vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna that have been administered to billions of people worldwide.

A former government official familiar with internal discussions said that the Trump administration intends to cut some grants for mRNA vaccine research but that the timing is unclear. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships with the administration.

Political conservatives in the U.S. have promulgated conspiracy theories, unsupported by scientific evidence, that the shots and their relatively new technology are dangerous. This has undermined public support for covid vaccinations and mRNA research.

"There will not be any research funded by NIH on mRNA vaccines," the scientist in New York said in an interview. "MAGA people are convinced that these vaccines have killed and maimed tens of thousands of people. It's not true, but they believe that."

Meanwhile, hundreds of other vaccine-related studies are in limbo. Kawsar Talaat, a vaccine researcher at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, has been waiting since the fall for money needed to recruit subjects for a study of an antidiarrheal vaccine.

"NIH approved our funding," she said, "and now we're waiting, and we don't know if it's going forward or going to be killed."

The scientist in Philadelphia signaled that he believes Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, is responsible for the NIH's turn against mRNA research.

"Kennedy's war on vaccines has started," the scientist told his colleague.

The scientist in New York said that it was "ridiculous" to remove mRNA language from the grant applications. But "if my grant is rejected for any reason," the scientist said, "people in my lab will lose their jobs."

"I've worked with some of them for 20 years," the scientist added. "They have children and families. There is a real climate of fear in academia about this now, especially among vaccine scientists."

"My grant does not involve a request for funds to conduct mRNA vaccine experiments," the scientist said, "so my principal concern was to avoid word-search flags that, at minimum, would lead to delays in any funding."

While tenured research professors at universities generally receive a salary from their institution, the staffers who work in their labs and offices are often paid through NIH grants. The 2023 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was given to two scientists for developing mRNA vaccines, through work that relied on pharmaceutical companies and on NIH scientists working under infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci.

According to Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who chairs the chamber's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Kennedy promised during his Senate confirmation process that he would protect "the public health benefit of vaccination" and "work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems, and not establish parallel systems."

Cassidy, a physician, had expressed reservations about confirming Kennedy to the HHS post and challenged his anti-vaccine views during a confirmation hearing. He ended up voting for him, he said, because Kennedy had agreed to work closely with Cassidy and his committee.

However, Kennedy has faced scrutiny in his first weeks in office for his handling of a large measles outbreak among mostly unvaccinated people in Texas that has led to the death of a child, the first U.S. measles death in more than a decade. A patient who tested positive for measles died in New Mexico, but the cause hasn't been confirmed. Instead of urging vaccination against the disease, an almost surefire way to prevent infection, Kennedy has blamed malnourishment for the outbreak, promoted unproven treatments for measles, and falsely claimed in one Fox News interview that the vaccine is ineffective and even dangerous.

Cassidy did not respond to a request for comment on the NIH's potential abandonment of mRNA vaccine research.

As part of the Trump administration's push to examine spending on mRNA vaccines, health officials are reviewing a $590 million contract for bird flu shots that the Biden administration awarded to Moderna, Bloomberg News has reported. Legislation introduced by GOP lawmakers in at least seven states is aimed at banning or limiting mRNA vaccines. In some cases, the measures would hit doctors who give the injections with criminal penalties, fines, and the possible revocation of their licenses.
Maldivian Airlines To Start Direct Bengaluru-Hanimaadhoo Flights From May 15

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:48 IST

The flights will operate on Sundays and Thursdays, making travel to the northern Maldives more accessible.

Ticket bookings for the new route opened this Sunday.

Maldivian, the national carrier of Maldives, has decided to introduce two weekly direct flights between Indias Bengaluru and Hanimaadhoo island, according to a media report.

The flights will commence on May 15 while ticket bookings open from Sunday, Maldivian news portal The Edition reported.

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Island Aviation Services said that this route is being introduced to further expand Maldivian services in the northern atolls.

The company said that the commencement of these flights would bring economic advancements to the region as well. Tourists from India will also experience added convenience in visiting the northern atolls of Maldives.

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Maldivian will operate two flights per week from Hanimadhoo to Bengaluru, on Sundays and Thursdays.

Maldivian Managing Director Ibrahim Iyas said that while the company currently operates flights to Trivandrum from Hanimadhoo, adding Bengaluru as a further destination is an important step in broadening the companys services.

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

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First Published: March 17, 2025, 07:48 IST
Bajaj To Acquire Allianz's 26% Stake In Bajaj Allianz Life And General Insurance For Rs 24,180 Cr

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 23:29 IST

The acquisition of Allianz SE's stake will increase Bajaj Group's ownership in Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company (BAGIC) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC) to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent, Bajaj Finserv said in a statement

The acquisition of Allianz SE's stake will increase Bajaj Group's ownership in Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company (BAGIC) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC) to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent, Bajaj Finserv said in a statement.

Financial services firm Bajaj Finserv Ltd on Monday signed Share Purchase Agreements for the acquisition of 26 per cent stake owned by Allianz SE of Germany in its insurance businesses Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company.

The execution of the Share Purchase Agreements (SPAs) marks the end of a 24-year relationship and also the culmination of constructive and amicable discussions to ensure a seamless transfer of the stake of Allianz.

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The acquisition of Allianz SEs stake will increase Bajaj Groups ownership in Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company (BAGIC) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC) to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent, Bajaj Finserv said in a statement.

It said the acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, including a nod from the Competition Commission of India and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India.

The agreed consideration for 26 per cent stake in BAGIC and BALIC is Rs 13,780 crore and Rs 10,400 crore, respectively, it said.

The 24-year-old joint venture agreements between the Bajaj Group and Allianz SE in respect of insurance businesses will stand terminated upon the completion of the first tranche of acquisition of at least 6.1 per cent and reclassification of Allianz from being a promoter to investor, it said.

Under the terms of the SPA, it is proposed that Bajaj Finserv Ltd will acquire approximately 1.01 per cent, Bajaj Holdings and Investment Ltd approximately 19.95 per cent and Jamnalal Sons Pvt. Ltd. approximately 5.04 per cent, aggregating to 26 per cent in each of the insurance companies, it said.

Post-acquisition, BFS stake will be 75.01 per cent in both companies.

Once the joint ventures are terminated under the terms of the SPA, the Bajaj Group and Allianz aim to independently pursue their insurance strategies in India.

The acquisition marks a significant milestone in the Bajaj Groups journey to advance next-gen insurance solutions, driven by new technologies, to serve Indian consumers in multiple geographies, it said.

It also brings the two insurance ventures entirely into the fold of the Bajaj Group, one of Indias most respected brands, the statement from Bajaj Finserv said.

Allianz and Bajaj are fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition in a manner that the interests of policyholders, intermediaries and other stakeholders are least affected, it said.

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Bajaj Finserv and Allianz have also entered into agreements that will ensure continuity of reinsurance and other services during the transition, the statement added.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 23:29 IST
Reciprocal Tariffs: India May Not Be Impacted Much, Says SBI Research

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 10:24 IST

The decline in exports from India to US could be in the range of 3-3.5 per cent post reciprocal tariffs, which should be negated through higher export goals across both manufacturing and services fronts as India has diversified its exports kitty, says SBI Research.

US President Donald Trump has vowed to impose reciprocal tariffs on India. (Photo Credit: X)

Even as US President Donald Trump has vowed to impose reciprocal tariffs on India, a report by SBI Research on Monday said the tariffs might impact Indias exports to the US by only 3-3.5 per cent which should be negated through higher export as India has diversified its exports kitty.

The decline in exports from India to US could be in the range of 3-3.5 per cent post reciprocal tariffs, if any which again should be negated through higher export goals across both manufacturing and services fronts, as India has diversified its exports kitty, pitched value addition, exploring alternate areas and works on new routes that transcend from Europe to USA via the Middle-East, redrawing new supply chain algorithms," SBI Research said in a report.

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On Trumps 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports from March 13, the SBI Research report said India can potentially take advantage" as it has a trade deficit for aluminium ($13 million) and steel ($406 million) trade with US.

Also Read: What Are Reciprocal Tariffs, How Can They Impact India, Its US Exports? All You Need To Know

It said the impact of geopolitical changes, such as US tariff war, and the shift towards regional supply chains are influencing Indias FTA strategies to ensure alignment with global trade dynamics.

India is negotiating FTAs with the UK, Canada, and the EU, targeting sectors like services, digital trade, and sustainable development. The FTA with the UK alone is expected to increase bilateral trade by $15 billion by 2030. Future FTAs will likely focus on enhancing digital trade, with projections indicating that the digital economy could add $1 trillion to Indias GDP by 2025," SBI Research said in its latest report.

On the US economy, SBI Research said its estimated Lowess Smoother confirm the declining trend in US real GDP growth.

Long trends indicate possible downturn in US economy GDP growth along with slowdown in US exports and consumptionThe overall value add is showing declining trend with shrinking TFP growth. High US wages could hold back new investment.Net savings to GDP is also at the lowest level since 2011 second lowest since 1951," it added.

The current tariff policy will have short term pain and US GDP will not see acceleration in material way, SBI Research said.

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On the FII selling in India, it said while FY25 is expected to an FII outflow year, during FY24, India received FII inflows of $41 billion, highest since FY16.

Sector wise data indicate that there are plethora of robust sectors, which received inflows in last 3 FYs," SBI Research said.

About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 10:24 IST
IndusInd Bank Shares Surge 5% As RBI Says Bank Is 'Well-Capitalised'

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:35 IST

Shares of IndusInd Bank surged by as much as 5.19% in opening deals; What investors should know

IndusInd Bank is grappling with a potential Rs 1,600-2,000 crore hit to its net worth.

IndusInd Bank Share Price: Shares of IndusInd Bank surged by as much as 5.19%, reaching Rs 707 per share on the BSE during the opening trade on Monday, March 17, following a reassuring statement from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI addressed speculation surrounding the bank, affirming that it remains well-capitalised" and its financial position remains satisfactory."

According to the RBI, IndusInd Bank reported a Capital Adequacy Ratio of 16.46% and a Provision Coverage Ratio of 70.2% for the quarter ending December 31, 2024. Additionally, the bank maintained a Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) of 113% as of March 9, 2025, well above the regulatory requirement of 100%.

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The RBIs official statement highlighted: As per the auditor-reviewed financial results for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, the bank has maintained a comfortable Capital Adequacy Ratio of 16.46% and a Provision Coverage Ratio of 70.20%. The Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) of the bank stood at 113% as of March 9, 2025, exceeding the regulatory requirement of 100%."

IndusInd Banks shares took a significant hit last week after the private-sector lender revealed an accounting discrepancy, which was estimated to have impacted 2.35% of its net worth. Analysts have pegged the discrepancy at Rs 2,100 crore in absolute terms.

In the past five sessions, the banks shares have plunged by 26%.

What Is The Issue at IndusInd Bank?

Earlier this week, IndusInd Bank revealed accounting discrepancies in its derivatives portfolio related to forex hedging.

In a regulatory filing on March 10, the bank informed that an internal review of processes concerning its derivatives portfolio had uncovered discrepancies in the account balances.

The Mumbai-based banks detailed internal review estimated an adverse impact of approximately 2.35% on the banks net worth as of December 2024, which could amount to Rs 2,100 crore.

The review was initiated following the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) directions issued in September 2023 regarding the investment portfolios of lenders, specifically related to the Other Asset and Other Liability accounts within these portfolios.

In response to the disclosure, IndusInd Bank held an analyst call and stated that an external auditor is reviewing the matter, with a report expected by the end of March 2024.

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However, the bank clarified that its profitability and capital adequacy remain healthy enough to absorb this one-time impact.

Additionally, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently extended the current CEOs term by only one year, instead of the three years requested by the bank. According to an Economic Times report, the RBI has also directed the banks board to search for external candidates for the roles of COO and CEO.

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 17, 2025, 09:27 IST
Stocks To Watch: TCS, Tata Motors, Infosys, IndusInd Bank, IRFC, Power Grid, And Others

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:45 IST

Stocks to watch: Shares of firms like TCS, Tata Motors, Infosys, IndusInd Bank, IRFC, Power Grid, and others will be in focus on Monday's trade

Stocks to Watch on March 17

Stocks to Watch on March 17: Domestic markets closed slightly lower last week, reflecting a consolidative trend amid mixed global cues. In todays session, several stocks will be in focus due to important news developments. Key stocks to watch include Dr. Reddys, Shilpa Medicare, Voltas, TCS, Tata Motors, and others.

Tata Motors

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Tata Motors has announced that its board will meet on March 19 to consider a proposal for raising funds up to Rs 2,000 crore.

TCS

TCS has appointed Sudeep Kunnumal as the Chief Human Resources Officer Designate, effective March 14. He will take over as CHRO following the retirement of Milind Lakkad.

IndusInd Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reassured shareholders of IndusInd Bank regarding its capital adequacy, despite concerns over a hit to the banks net worth. As of December 2024, the bank had a strong Capital Adequacy Ratio of 16.46%, a Provision Coverage Ratio of 70.20%, and a Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) of 113% as of March 9, 2025, above the regulatory requirement of 100%.

Infosys

Infosys has reached a settlement agreement with Infosys McCamish Systems LLC (McCamish) and several of its customers. McCamish will pay $17.5 million into a fund to resolve the matter. The settlement terms are still subject to confirmation and due diligence by the plaintiffs.

Welspun Specialty Solutions

Welspun Specialty Solutions has received a formal purchase contract from Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) for the supply of approximately 4,050 tonnes of Stainless Steel Seamless Boiler Tubes for various Super Critical Thermal Power Projects. The contract is valued at Rs 231.78 crore (excluding GST) and will be executed over the next 13 months.

NMDC

NMDCs Board of Directors is scheduled to meet on March 17, 2025, to consider an interim dividend for the financial year 2024-25.

Muthoot Finance

Muthoot Finance, a leading gold financier, achieved a significant milestone on March 13, 2025, by surpassing Rs 1 trillion in assets under management (AUM).

KEC International

KEC International has secured new orders worth Rs 1,267 crore across its businesses, including transmission lines, towers, hardware, and poles in India and the US, as well as cables and conductors for various projects globally.

Tata Communications

Tata Communications has appointed N. Ganapathy Subramaniam (Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director) as the new Chairman of the Board, effective March 14, 2025.

IRFC

Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) will hold a Board meeting today, March 17, 2025, to consider and approve a second interim dividend for FY25.

Power Grid

Power Grid has announced an investment of Rs 341.57 crore in two transmission projects.

Zydus Lifesciences

Zydus Lifesciences has received final approval from the US FDA to manufacture Eluxadoline Tablets (75 mg and 100 mg) for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D). Additionally, the US FDA concluded its inspection at Zydus API Unit 1 in Ankleshwar (Gujarat) with no observations.

Shilpa Medicare

The US FDA recently completed its inspection at Shilpa Medicares Raichur plant with no observations.

SignatureGlobal (India)

According to a PTI report, SignatureGlobal (India) plans to invest around Rs 4,000 crore to expand its presence in the Gurugram region. The real estate firm is reportedly planning to launch two premium housing projects in the Rs 2-5 crore/unit range.

Brigade Enterprises

Brigade Enterprises has launched Brigade Eternia, a residential project in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, spread across 14.65 acres. The project has a potential revenue of over Rs 2,700 crore.

Tejas Networks

Tejas Networks has received an incentive under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme worth Rs 123.45 crore for FY 2023-24.

Strides Pharma

Strides Pharma Global Pte., a fully-owned subsidiary of Strides Pharma in Singapore, plans to acquire a 100% stake in Amexel Pte. Ltd. to foster collaborations and business engagements between pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers in India, China, and Southeast Asia.

GR Infraprojects

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GR Infraprojects has won the Agra-Gwalior Greenfield Road project from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), valued at Rs 4,262.78 crore.

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 17, 2025, 07:45 IST
Blackstone Launches Rs 759-Crore Open Offer To Acquire Up To 26% Stake In Kolte-Patil Developers

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 16:14 IST

Kolte-Patil Developers has announced that Blackstone would acquire a 40 per cent stake in the company for Rs 1,150 crore, entering into Indian residential market.

Blackstone's open offer has been launched at Rs 329 per share aggregating to a total consideration of up to Rs 758.56 crore.

Global investment firm Blackstone has launched an open offer to acquire up to 26 per cent stake in Pune-based realty firm Kolte-Patil Developers Ltd from public shareholders for Rs 758.56 crore.

Last week, Kolte-Patil Developers announced that Blackstone would acquire a 40 per cent stake in the company for Rs 1,150 crore, entering into Indian residential market after having a significant exposure in office, shopping mall, warehousing and date centre verticals of real estate.

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Blackstone affiliated firm will acquire a 14.3 per cent stake for Rs 417 crore through a preferential issue of equity shares and another 25.7 per cent stake from the promoters group for Rs 750 crore.

In a regulatory filing on Monday, Kolte-Patil Developers informed that Blackstone Group affiliated firm BREP Asia III India Holding Co VII Pte Ltd together with Blackstone Real Estate Partners Asia III L P and Blackstone Real Estate Partners (Offshore) X.TE-F (AIV) L P have launched an open offer for acquisition of up to 2.30 crore shares of Kolte-Patil Developers, representing 26 per cent of the emerging voting capital, from the public shareholders.

The open offer has been launched at Rs 329 per share aggregating to a total consideration of up to Rs 758.56 crore.

Blackstone will acquire up to 66 per cent stake in Kolte-Patil Developers for a commitment of about Rs 1,800 crore," the filing said.

On March 13, Kolte-Patil Developers board approved issuance by way of a preferential allotment on a private placement basis an aggregate of 1,26,75,685 equity shares of the company at Rs 329 per share, aggregating to Rs 417.03 crore to BREP Asia III India Holding Co VII Pte. Ltd.

That apart, Blackstone affiliated firm will acquire another 25.7 per cent from the promoters group. Blackstone will purchase 2,27,96,353 equity shares (being 25.7 per cent) from the sellers at Rs 329 apiece.

The global investment firm will acquire joint control along with the promoters over the company. At present, promoters hold a 69.45 per cent stake in the company.

Rajesh Patil, Chairman, Kolte-Patil Developers, said, This landmark partnership with Blackstone marks a defining moment in Kolte-Patil Developers growth story and our commitment to creating long-term value for our stakeholders.

Asheesh Mohta, Head of Real Estate Acquisitions  India, Blackstone, said, Blackstone has built leading platforms across office, retail, logistics, hotels and data centres, and this investment marks our strategic entry in the Indian residential sector." The sector is underpinned by strong tailwinds including a growing middle-class population and rapid urbanisation. We see potential to serve Indians increasingly looking for high-quality homes and continue our mission of investing in and improving residential properties around the world," Mohta added.

Blackstone aims to double its exposure in India to $100 billion.

The firm, which has been present in the country for the last two decades, has a USD 50 billion exposure to India, which includes its ongoing investments and the bets from which it has exited.

Blackstone has significant exposure in the Indian real estate sector, mainly in office space, shopping malls and warehouse assets.

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Recently, Sattva Group and Blackstone sponsored Knowledge Realty Trust filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with SEBI to launch its REIT public issue for raising up to Rs 6,200 crore.

For Blackstone India Real Estate business, this will be the fifth public listing, including three listed REITs and one of Ventive Hospitality.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 16:14 IST
Assam Police Constable Exam 2025 Postponed, Check New Schedule

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 12:44 IST

Assam Police Constable 2025: Due to administrative reasons, the exam, originally scheduled for March 23, 2025, will now be held on April 6, 2025.

Assam Police Constable Admit Card 2025 will be available from April 1, 2025 (Representative image/File)

Assam Police Constable 2025: The State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB) Assam has postponed the written examination for Assam Police Constable (AB & UB) and equivalent posts. Due to administrative reasons, the exam, originally scheduled for March 23, 2025, will now be held on April 6, 2025.

The SLPRB announced in an official notice that the written test had to be rescheduled. Reference Notice issued vide No. SLPRB/Rec/Const (AB & UB)/617/2023/142 dated March 13, 2025 regarding holding of Written Test and downloading of Admit Cards by the Candidates in connection with Recruitment for Constable (AB & UB) and equivalent Posts in Assam Police and other Departments. It is hereby informed to all Concerned that due to Administrative Reasons, the Written Test scheduled to be held on March 23, 2025, will now be held on April 06, 2025," reads the official notice.

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Important Update!The Written Test for Constable (AB & UB) and equivalent posts has been rescheduled to 6th April 2025 (earlier 23rd March 2025). Admit Cards can be downloaded from 11 AM on 1st April 2025 from https://t.co/l90xuihUdg@himantabiswa  Assam Police (@assampolice) March 16, 2025

Assam Police Constable 2025: Admit Card Update

Admit cards for the exam will be available for download from April 1, 2025, on the official SLPRB website, slprbassam.in. Candidates can access their admit cards by entering their application number, name, and date of birth.

Assam Police Constable 2025: How To Download Admit Cards?

Step 1  To download the admit card, candidates should visit the official website and click on the Admit Card link.

Step 2  After entering their login details on the next page, they can view and download their admit card.

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Step 3  A printed copy of the admit card is required on the examination day, along with a valid government-issued photo ID.

The admit card will contain important details subject name, exam centre address, exam date and time, exam day guidelines, candidates name, roll number, date of birth, photo, and signature. In case of any spelling mistake or any discrepancies, candidates must report to the authorities immediately and get it rectified before the exam begins. Furthermore, they must carry a printout of the Assam police constable exam 2025 hall tickets along with a government-issued ID card to the exam hall as without these documents they will not be allowed to enter the test centre.

About the Author Sukanya Nandy Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism... Read More Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 12:34 IST
GK: 10 Largest Arms Importing Countries; See Where India Stands

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:16 IST

Between 2020 and 2024, Ukraine accounted for 8.8 per cent of all weaponry imports, making it the worlds largest importer.

GK: The top 10 global importers of major weapons and their primary suppliers are listed here, covering the years 20202024. (Image: Getty)

GK, General Knowledge: According to a recent report by the independent international think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Ukraine was the worlds largest importer of major weapons from 2020 to 2024 due to its ongoing conflict with Russia. In comparison, the countrys imports increased nearly 100-fold between 2015 and 2019.

During the same period, India was the worlds second-largest importer of weapons, primarily due to security concerns regarding China and Pakistan. Nonetheless, between 201519 and 202024, Indias arms imports decreased by 9.3 per cent.

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Meanwhile, new data on international arms transfers released by SIPRI on 10 March showed that Russias exports declined by 64 percent, while the United States share of global arms exports rose to 43 percent.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has continued since it began in February 2022, prompting diplomatic and humanitarian efforts by various parties to establish sustainable peace in the region.

According to a SIPRI statement, Ukraine surpassed all other countries as the worlds largest importer of major weapons over the 202024 period, with imports increasing approximately 100-fold compared to 201519.

The total volume of global arms transfers remained roughly the same as in 201519 and 201014, but was 18 per cent higher than in 200509, as rising imports in the Americas and Europe were offset by declining imports in other regions.

Following Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, at least 35 states supplied arms to Ukraine, with significantly more deliveries expected. In 202024, Ukraine accounted for 8.8 per cent of all global arms imports.

Most of the major arms supplied to Ukraine came from the US (45 per cent), followed by Germany (12 per cent) and Poland (11 per cent). Ukraine was the only European state among the top 10 importers in 202024, although many other European states significantly increased their arms imports during this period," SIPRI stated in its report.

Additionally, the research revealed that between 2020 and 2024, Russia supplied major armaments to 33 states. The three countries that received two-thirds of Russias arms exports were India (38 percent), China (17 percent), and Kazakhstan (11 percent).

The majority of French arms exports were directed to India (28 percent), nearly twice the volume supplied to all other European recipients combined (15 percent). In 202024, China accounted for 5.9 percent of global arms exports, making it the worlds fourth-largest exporter. SIPRI noted that despite Chinas efforts to increase its arms exports, many major importers avoid purchasing Chinese weapons for political reasons.

Between 2020 and 2024, India, Pakistan, Japan, and Australia were among the worlds top 10 arms importers. Notably, China was removed from the list of the top 10 arms importers for the first time since 199094.

According to SIPRI, the global share of major arms imports by the top 10 importers in 202024 was as follows:

Rank 1: Ukraine  Share of global arms imports: 8.8%

Top supplier countries: USA, Germany, Poland

Rank 2: India  Share of global arms imports: 8.3%

Top supplier countries: Russia, France, Israel

Rank 3: Qatar  Share of global arms imports: 6.8%

Top supplier countries: USA, Italy, UK

Rank 4: Saudi Arabia  Share of global arms imports: 6.8%

Top supplier countries: USA, Spain, France

Rank 5: Pakistan  Share of global arms imports: 4.6%

Top supplier countries: China, Netherlands, Turkiye

Rank 6: Japan  Share of global arms imports: 3.9%

Top supplier countries: USA, UK, Germany

Rank 7: Australia  Share of global arms imports: 3.5%

Top supplier countries: USA, Spain, Norway

ALSO READ: Top 10 Affordable Countries For Indian Students To Study Abroad

Rank 8: Egypt  Share of global arms imports: 3.3%

Top supplier countries: Germany, Italy, France

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Rank 9: United States  Share of global arms imports: 3.1%

Top supplier countries: UK, France, Israel

Rank 10: Kuwait  Share of global arms imports: 2.9%

Top supplier countries: USA, Italy, France

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 17, 2025, 07:13 IST
What Are The Seven Continents In The World? Know Interesting Facts About Them

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:17 IST

The Earth has seven continents that were once part of Pangaea, with Asia being the largest, Australia the smallest, and Antarctica the coldest and driest.

The Earths seven continents have unique landscapes, climates, and cultures. (Representational/Getty)

GK, General Knowledge: The Earth has seven large landmasses called continents. These are Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica. Long ago, there was only one giant landmass called Pangaea. Over millions of years, it broke apart to form the seven continents. This happened due to the movement of huge plates beneath the Earths surface. When these plates move and push against each other, they create landmasses.

Lets Take A Closer Look At These Continents

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Asia

Asia is the largest continent in the world, as it has both the biggest land area and the highest population. The continent has 48 countries and covers approximately 44.5 million square kilometres. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the south. The Ural Mountains separate it from Europe, while the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula separate it from Africa. Asia is also home to the worlds highest mountain rangesthe Himalayas and the Karakoram. Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth, is also in Asia. The two most populous countries in the worldChina and Indiaare part of this continent.

Africa

Africa is the second-largest continent in the world after Asia. It covers about 30.3 million square kilometres, has 54 countries, and is home to over 16% of the worlds population. Africa is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to the east, and both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to the south. It is the only continent where the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn all pass through. Africa is also home to the worlds longest river, the Nile, and the second-highest waterfall, Tugela Falls in South Africa.

North America

North America is the third-largest continent by area and the fourth-largest by population. It covers approximately 24.7 million square kilometres and consists of 23 countries. The continent lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. The Arctic Ocean lies to its north, the Atlantic Ocean to its east, and the Pacific Ocean to its west, with South America to its south. A narrow strip of land called the Isthmus of Panama connects North America to South America. The Bering Strait, a water passage, separates it from Asia.

South America

South America is the fourth-largest continent in the world, but in terms of population, it ranks fifth. Consisting of 24 countries, this continent lies in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres. It covers an area of about 17.8 million square kilometres. South America is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Southern Ocean to the south, and North America to the north. South America is also home to the Amazon Rainforest, often called the lungs of the Earth" as these forests produce much of the worlds oxygen.

Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, covering an area of about 14.2 million square kilometres. The continent lies almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and contains the geographic South Pole. It is mostly covered by the massive Antarctic ice sheet. Antarctica is completely encircled by the Southern Ocean, which separates it from other continents. It has no countries or permanent human population, but scientists have established research stations there.

Europe

Europe is the sixth-largest continent by area, covering approximately 10.18 million square kilometres. It lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. The continent has 48 countries. It shares its landmass with Asia, forming Eurasia. The Arctic Ocean lies to its north, the Atlantic Ocean to its west, and the Mediterranean Sea to its south. On the eastern side, the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Greater Caucasus, the Black Sea, and the Bosporus Strait separate it from Asia.

ALSO READ: Bhojpuri In Mauritius? Heres How This Language Became Such An Essential Part Of The Country

Australia

Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It is also the flattest and the second driest after Antarctica. In terms of population, it is the second least populated continent after Antarctica. The continent covers an area of about 8.5 million square kilometres and consists of 14 countries. To avoid confusion with the country of Australia, the region is often referred to as Oceania.

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Interesting Facts About The Seven Continents

Asia has both the highest pointMount Everest (8,848.86 metres)and the lowest natural point, the Dead Sea (-430 metres).

has both the highest pointMount Everest (8,848.86 metres)and the lowest natural point, the Dead Sea (-430 metres). Africa is often called the Cradle of Humankind" because scientists believe modern humans first appeared there.

is often called the Cradle of Humankind" because scientists believe modern humans first appeared there. North America has the longest land border in the world, between Canada and the United States, stretching over 8,891 km.

has the longest land border in the world, between Canada and the United States, stretching over 8,891 km. South America is home to Machu Picchu in Peru, one of the most famous ancient sites in the world.

is home to Machu Picchu in Peru, one of the most famous ancient sites in the world. Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth.

is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth. Australia has Uluru (Ayers Rock), the largest monolith in the world.

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 17, 2025, 13:16 IST
IIT Madras, ISRO Launches Fluid And Thermal Science Research Centre

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 18:00 IST

The centre will serve as a hub for research in heat transfer, cooling systems, and fluid dynamics, with ISRO scientists collaborating with IIT Madras faculty and researchers

The centre has been named after IIT Madras alumnus and aerospace engineer S. Ramakrishnan

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan on Monday inaugurated the Shri S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal Science Research at IIT Madras. This state-of-the-art facility, named after distinguished IIT Madras alumnus and aerospace engineer S. Ramakrishnan, aims to bolster Indias space technology self-reliance and attract global talent.

The centre, housed within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, will focus on critical advancements in spacecraft and launch vehicle thermal management. This research is crucial for Indias expanding space ambitions, including lunar, Mars, and deep-space missions, the IIT said in a press release.

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The centre will serve as a hub for research in heat transfer, cooling systems, and fluid dynamics, with ISRO scientists collaborating with IIT Madras faculty and researchers. Key focus areas include spacecraft and launch vehicle thermal management, development of efficient cooling systems, high-fidelity simulation and testing, and capacity building, the institute added.

Dr. Narayanan emphasised Indias strides in cryogenic engine technology, highlighting the nations achievement of three world records in this domain. The Cryogenic Engine technology was denied to India but today, we have three different such engines with the third one being human-rated. Only six countries in the world have this technology. We have made three world records in this technology  We got it right in our third attempt. Second, From the engine test to flight, we got it done in 28 months. Other countries took between 42 months and 18 years. and finally, we conducted the test in 34 Days which no other country had done as they took around 5 to 6 months," Dr Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO said.

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IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti expressed confidence in the centers ability to develop effective solutions for the growing thermal and cooling demands of space exploration. More and more we explore the space, we have an increasing need for technologies that could handle thermal and cooling requirements. I am sure the proposed Centre jointly with ISRO shall develop very effective solutions for the same," he said.

Prof Arvind Pattamatta, the centres coordinator, outlined the expected outcomes. In the next three to five years, the centre aims to achieve breakthroughs in advanced thermal management techniques and next-generation heat pipes for long-duration space missions. In the long term, the research is expected to revolutionize spacecraft design, enhance Indias deep space exploration capabilities, and boost indigenous space technology, he said.

About the Author Sukanya Nandy Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism... Read More Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 17:54 IST
REET Answer Key 2025: How To Download Provisional Key Once Released On REET2024.com

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:02 IST

REET Answer Key 2025 will be released by the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) on the official website at reet2024.co.in.

RBSE REET Answer Key 2025 to be released soon at reet2024.co.in. (Representative/File Photo)

REET Answer Key 2025: The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) conducted the REET 2025 exam on February 27. The provisional answer key is expected to be released soon on the official websites at rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in and reet2024.co.in. Candidates will be able to download the provisional key from the official website only. The REET exam was held in two shifts: 10 AM to 12:30 PM and 3 PM to 5:30 PM.

After the provisional answer key is out, candidates will be allowed to raise objections by paying Rs 300 per question. If objections are valid, changes will be made in the final answer key, which will be used to prepare the REET 2025 results.

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Steps To Download REET Answer Key 2025

Candidates will be able to download the REET Answer Key 2025 by following the simple steps given below:

Step 1: Visit the official website of REET at reet2024.co.in.

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the "REET 2024 Answer Key Link".

Step 3: Enter your login details and click on Login.

Step 4: The answer key will appear on your screen.

Step 5: Carefully check the answers.

Step 6: Click on the Download button to save it for future reference.

ALSO READ: Telangana: Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme Applications Begin Today; Youth To Get Rs 3 Lakh Assistance

About REET Exam

The Rajasthan REET exam is a state-level examination that determines eligibility for teacher recruitment. The REET exam consists of two papers:

REET Paper 1 is conducted for the recruitment of teachers for Classes 1 to 5.

REET Paper 2 is conducted for the recruitment of teachers for Classes 6 to 8.

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The application process for the REET exam began on December 16, 2024 and continued until January 15, 2025. For candidates appearing in both Level 1 and Level 2, the application fee was Rs 750. Those applying for only Level 1 or Level 2 had to pay a fee of Rs 550.

For more details, candidates can visit the official website of the Rajasthan Board.

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 17, 2025, 12:58 IST
Telangana: Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme Applications Begin Today; Youth To Get Rs 3 Lakh Assistance

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 11:36 IST

Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme Telangana Apply Online: Eligible candidates can fill the application form on the official website at tgobmms.cgg.gov.in.

Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme: Apply now for self-employment scheme. (Image: Getty)

Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme: The Telangana government has announced the implementation of the Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme, offering self-employment loans to youth from SC, ST, BC, and Minority communities. Applications for the scheme will be accepted online starting today, March 17.

As per the official notification, eligible beneficiaries will receive financial assistance of up to Rs 3 lakh to set up self-employment units. The application process has been detailed on the official portal (tgobmms.cgg.gov.in), with SC, ST, and BC Welfare Corporations issuing separate notifications regarding eligibility and selection criteria.

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The scrutiny of applications will take place between April 6 and May 31, and selected beneficiaries will receive concessional loan sanction documents on Telangana Formation Day (June 2).

Loan Categories And Subsidy Structure

The government has categorised loans into three segments under the scheme:

Category 1: Loans up to Rs 1 lakh with an 80% subsidy; the remaining 20% will be borne by the beneficiary or arranged through bank linkage.

Loans up to Rs 1 lakh with an 80% subsidy; the remaining 20% will be borne by the beneficiary or arranged through bank linkage. Category 2: Loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh with a 70% subsidy.

Loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh with a 70% subsidy. Category 3: Loans up to Rs 3 lakh with a 60% subsidy.

With this initiative, the Telangana government aims to promote self-employment opportunities and economic upliftment for marginalised youth in the state.

ALSO READ: Bank Of Baroda Recruitment 2025: Application Deadline Extended For 518 Posts, Direct Link To Apply Here

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On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and the chairpersons of SC, ST, and Minority corporations, held a review meeting at Praja Bhavan to finalise the implementation details of the scheme.

Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply online. Those needing assistance can contact their District BC Welfare Officers or Ex Officio ED BC Corporation officials.

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 17, 2025, 11:34 IST
How Champion Of Identity MK Stalin Is Stealing The Spotlight Ahead of 2026 Tamil Nadu Elections

Written By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:53 IST

Stalin, at the helm of the state, has an ambitious goal in sight: securing a seventh term for the DMK in 2026 and achieving DMKs first consecutive win in the last 55 years

Stalin is projecting the DMK as the chief defender of the states cultural and linguistic heritage. (PTI)

His name was MK Stalin, the son of M Karunanidhi, leader of the DMK. That day, in his maiden speech, Stalin made a vow that would shape his politics. Add my name to the list of students ready to make any sacrifice for Tamil," he declared, signalling his unwavering commitment to the cause.

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Fast forward to 2025, and one can see how a 72-year-old Stalin, now the chief minister, is doubling down on the Tamil cause and virtually stealing the spotlight ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections.

There is a political strategy behind Stalins vociferous attack on the Centre. Will it help him re-write history, even as a major alleged liquor scam is haunting the party?

Since 1971, the DMK has never been able to repeat power in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK has managed to do the same thrice as a dominant power in the state, but it seems currently in a disarray.

Stalin, at the helm of the state, has an ambitious goal in sight: securing a seventh term for the DMK in 2026 and achieving DMKs first consecutive win in the last 55 years. As the state marches toward the next election, the political dynamics are anything but predictable. And Stalin knows he needs to whip up a major cause to catch the imagination of people yet again and not let anti-incumbency derail the DMK.

Hence, we see Stalin locking horns with the BJP at the Centre over a series of issues  from Hindi imposition to delimitation, and the denial of central funds. He has also latched on to the uncivilised" barb by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to say Tamils are being humiliated by the Centre.

Stalin says these are not just political issues  but existential threats to Tamil Nadus pride and linguistic autonomy. He is projecting the DMK as the chief defender of the states cultural and linguistic heritage  whether its fighting for the right to teach in Tamil or opposing the National Education Policy, Stalin says he is the steadfast champion of Tamil identity.

Lets cut to his speech on March 1, his 72nd birthday. Stalin urged the people of Tamil Nadu to rise and protect the states autonomy, social justice, and welfare programmes. He described two existential battles" facing the state: one to protect the Tamil language and another to resist the Centres move to change constituency delimitation. To quote Stalin, this is not just a political fight  it is a battle for Tamil Nadus very soul.

So, we see Stalin rush his ministers and MPs to seven states to galvanise support from their CMs and former CMs against delimitation. A big meeting is slated in Chennai of these leaders on March 22. And there is Stalins move to term the new National Education Policy (NEP) Nagpur Education Policy to claim how the RSS-influenced BJP is forcing Hindi imposition.

The Political Scene in Tamil Nadu

The BJP has tried, repeatedly, to make inroads into Tamil Nadu, but their efforts have been met with staunch opposition. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the DMK-led alliance triumphed with a clean sweep of all 39 seats, reinforcing Stalins stature as a political juggernaut and emboldening DMKs chances in next years assembly elections. BJPs state chief Annamalai lost his own election from Coimbatore in 2024. The AIADMK-BJP alliance broke before the 2024 elections, and they continue to be on separate paths.

But now, theres a new star on the horizon to give a challenge to both the DMK and the BJP. It is Vijay, who mesmerised the crowd with his cinematic oration at his partys first conference in Vikravandi, in which he positioned himself as equally opposed to the BJP and the DMK. He says there is a publicity-seeking government sitting in New Delhi which is neglecting Tamil Nadu, while there is a publicity-seeking government in Tamil Nadu that has forgotten the welfare of its people.

Stalin says people will never accept Vijays party as they had seen a party like the DMK. Other mega cine stars in Tamil Nadu, like Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan, were not able to crack the political battlefield. The DMK also has a younger offering to counter Vijay  their rising star and one of the most closely watched figures in Tamil Nadu politics, Udhayanidhi Stalin, the 47-year-old son of MK Stalin. Udhayanidhi, a first-time MLA, was elevated to the position of deputy chief minister last year, signalling that the DMK intends to continue its dynastic political legacy.

Many think the Tamil Nadu elections in 2026 are all about a fight between Udhayanidhi, Vijay and Annamalai. But one cannot surely discount AIADMK, which is regrouping and attempting to reclaim their place at the table. However, the AIADMK has a fractured leadership, with many jockeying for the leadership position. Despite this turmoil, former CM Palaniswamis recent speeches indicate a desperation to reinvigorate the party and convince the people that AIADMK is still relevant and capable of challenging the DMKs supremacy. Also, there is a big question  will BJP and AIADMK again re-align forces? It looks difficult amidst the Hindi imposition narrative as AIADMK cannot afford to stand with the BJP on this issue that could dominate the next Tamil Nadu elections.

DMKs Challenges

The DMK also faces some big challenges. Law and order remains a pressing concern, and despite Stalins popular image, his administration has faced accusations of corruption and inefficiency. An ED probe into a massive liquor scam in the state worth Rs 1,000 crore is threatening to blow up ahead of the elections. The AIADMK says the scam could be worth Rs 4,0000 crore and wants Stalin to resign, even as DMK terms it a witch-hunt by the Centres investigating agencies ahead of elections.

Moreover, theres the growing issue of Tamil Nadus debt, which has ballooned to a staggering Rs 8 lakh crore. As the states finances come under pressure, Stalins government has had to tread a fine line between pushing forward ambitious welfare programmes and ensuring fiscal discipline.

However, the Tamil Nadu government has been quick to defend its spending on social programmes, which it argues are critical to the well-being of the states most vulnerable.

Welfare Dose

This brings us to Stalins second piece of ammunition beyond invoking Tamil pride  this is his welfare model and progressive development.

In its last budget before the elections just last week, DMK has tried to further its commitment to the welfare of Tamil Nadus people, especially its women and youth who have been at the heart of Stalins political agenda. Education remains a focal point, with a budget allocation of Rs 55,261 crore for education, the largest chunk of the states budget. Of this, a significant portion of over 80 per cent is earmarked for school education, with an increase in funding for government schools. Stalins government has also committed to ensuring that the quality of education is not compromised despite the Centre withholding Rs 2,152 crore in Samagra Siksha funds.

Stalin has remained firm on his stance, stating that Tamil Nadu will continue to fund its educational initiatives, even at the cost of losing central funds.

Meanwhile, the Chief Ministers Breakfast Scheme has been a big success, providing nutritious meals to 17.5 lakh students in government schools across rural areas. This initiative has now expanded to urban areas, benefiting an additional 3.14 lakh students. Stalins commitment to ensuring that the youth of Tamil Nadu are well-fed, well-educated, and prepared for the future has cemented his status as a leader who delivers on his promises.

In another ground-breaking move, the state has introduced a programme that gives Rs 1,000 per month to four lakh female students to encourage them to pursue higher education. The result has been a 19 per cent increase in female enrollment in higher education in just one year. Additionally, laptops for 20 lakh college students over the next two years signal a forward-thinking approach to education in the digital age.

Under Stalin, Tamil Nadu has seen an unprecedented push toward infrastructure development. The budget announcements of the expansion of the Chennai Metro, with new metro lines and the development of a Regional Rapid Transport System, are set to transform the states transportation network, reducing congestion and improving urban mobility. The DMK-led alliance had swept all 22 seats in Chennai district in the 2021 elections.

Perhaps, most ambitious of all is the proposed development of a 2,000-acre Global City near Chennai. This mega-project is designed to house IT parks, fintech trade zones, and high-tech companies. With a focus on innovation and technology, the Global City will position Tamil Nadu as a hub for the future, fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing the states global reputation, says the DMK.

Stalin Rallying Forces

At a time when the INDIA bloc seems splintered, it is Stalin who is emerging as someone rallying the regional and national opposition forces together against the BJP. Stalin is trying to build a powerful alliance with these regional leaders. In fact, the Joint Action Committee formed by Stalin in alliance with leaders from Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Telangana has gained significant traction. The growing regional sentiment against the BJPs centralising tactics has united these states under a common cause  to preserve their autonomy and resist attempts by the Centre to impose one-size-fits-all solutions.

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Stalins March 22 conference is poised to be a turning point in Tamil Nadus ongoing battle to maintain its linguistic and cultural pride. Top opposition leaders from Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka, and Odisha are all expected to attend, underscoring the solidarity between states that have felt the brunt of the Centres decisions.

Amidst all this is MK Stalins bigger dream repeating power in Tamil Nadu next year for the first time in over five decades. Will his strategy work?

About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 07:53 IST
Who Are Houthis Of Yemen, Why Has Trump Launched Large-Scale Attacks On Them? Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 12:14 IST

The US has attacked Houthis  a militant group in Yemen backed by Iran  for their unending strikes in the Red Sea. Trump has also warned Iran of consequences if it continues to support Houthis

This image taken from video provided by the US Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (US Navy via AP)

The United States will continue striking the Houthi rebels of Yemen  a terrorist group backed by Iran  until they end attacks on shipping in The Red Sea, the American government said in its latest statement on Sunday.

President Donald Trump also warned Iran that it needed to immediately halt support for the group. He said if Iran threatened the US, America will hold you fully accountable and, we wont be nice about it!"

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The military airstrike launched against Houthis, which killed at least 53 people, is the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since Donald Trump took office in January.

According to a US official, as quoted by Reuters, the strikes against Houthis may continue for weeks.

The Latest Rift Between Houthis And The US

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has said his militants would target US ships in the Red Sea as long as the US continues its attacks on Yemen. If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation," he said in a televised speech, quoted by Reuters.

The political bureau of Houthis described US strikes as war crimes" while Russia urged the Trump administration to stop the operation.

The Houthis military spokesman said without evidence in a televised statement early Monday that the group had launched a second attack against the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea.

US warplanes shot down 11 Houthi drones on Sunday, none of which came close to the Truman, a US official told Reuters. The US military also tracked a missile that splashed down off the coast of Yemen and was not deemed a threat, the official added.

Who Are Houthis?

The Houthi group, formerly known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), is an armed militia of the Zaydi Shia sect in Yemen and is backed by Iran. Though the group traces its origin from a religious revival movement for the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam in late 1990s, it came to prominence fighting against Yemens Sunni-majority government since 2014.

In the early 2000s, the Houthis fought a series of rebellions against Yemens long-time authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. They wanted greater autonomy for the groups homeland in the north of Yemen.

During the 2011 Arab Spring, a popular uprising forced President Saleh to hand over power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

In a 2014 coup, they ousted Yemens transitional government led by Hadi. Since then, they have been engaged in a bloody civil war with the ousted administration, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. A truce has stemmed fighting in the country, with the Houthis currently in control of most of northern Yemen.

Yemen has enjoyed more than a year of relative calm amid a UN-led peace push in April 2022. Saudi Arabia, which supports the internationally recognised government based in Aden, has been trying to make a peace deal with the Houthis.

The Yemeni group is designated a terrorist group" by the UN Security Council. The US also classified the group as a terrorist group until 2021, but the Biden Administration removed it from the list of officially designated terrorists.

Why Are Houthis Attacking The Red Sea Ships?

Houthis started firing drones and missiles towards Israel in response to the war in The Gaza Strip. On November 19, 2023, the Houthis hijacked a commercial ship in the Red Sea.

Ever since, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial ships. Of these, 34 have resulted in reported damage to vessels.

On March 6, 2024, three crew members were killed in a missile attack on the Barbados-flagged cargo ship True Confidence.

The Houthis had said that they were attacking ships connected with Israel or headed from there. However, many of the vessels have no connection with Israel.

In response to US and UK air strikes on their positions, the Houthis have more recently targeted ships tied to owners or operators in the UK or US.

Major shipping companies have stopped using the Red Sea  through which almost 15% of global seaborne trade usually passes  and are using a much longer route around southern Africa instead.

Who Backs Houthis

According to the US government, Iran supports Houthis with weapons. But Iran has denied any involvement.

Saudi Arabia and the US say Iran has smuggled weapons, including drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles, to the Houthis during Yemens civil war in violation of a UN arms embargo.

It says such missiles and drones have been used in attacks on Saudi Arabia, as well as its ally, the United Arab Emirates.

Iran has denied supplying weapons to the Houthis and said it only backs it politically.

Houthis Anti-Israel Stance

The Houthi movement espouses a hard-line Islamist ideology. Over time, it has hardened its anti-American, anti-Saudi and anti-Israeli rhetoric. Their official slogan reads God is the greatest, death to America, death to Israel. Curse the Jews, victory to Islam."

Following the October violence between the Israeli forces and Hamas, the Yemeni group on October 31, 2023, said they have joined the Israel-Hamas war and claimed to have fired drones and missiles at Israel.

They join their allies in the Axis of Resistance," a collection of Iran-backed groups and governments in the region. Other key members, Hamas and Hezbollah, have kept up a steady fire on Israel since the war began.

They also threatened to target Israeli ships in the waters off Yemen. As per reports, Houthis threat to Israel and its anti-Israeli stance helps in gaining domestic support and helps its Iranian benefactors.

How Much Of Yemen Do Houthis Control?

The rebel group controls Sanaa and the northwest of Yemen, including the Red Sea coastline.

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Most of Yemens population lives in these areas, and the Houthis run a de facto government which collects taxes and prints money, as per BBC.

The internationally-recognised government of Yemen is based in the southern port of Aden. It is overseen by the eight-member Presidential Leadership Council led by President Hadi since 2022.

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 17, 2025, 09:48 IST
Why Britain Is No Longer A Rich Country, Some Areas Poorer Than Those In Slovenia | Study Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: News Desk



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:31 IST

Despite Britains ranking as the worlds sixth-biggest economy, inequality between the country's rich and poor regions had worsened since the 2008-09 global financial crisis

The International Monetary Fund data showed that the US is per capita-wise nearly 40% wealthier than the UK. (AFP File Photo)

Britain is no longer a rich country. According to a study conducted by a think tank, some of the poorest households in Britain are worse off than those in Slovenia and Malta.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said despite Britains ranking as the worlds sixth-biggest economy, inequality between the countrys rich and poor regions had worsened since the 2008-09 global financial crisis.

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The poorest households in Slovenia and Malta are now better off than those in the UK," the report states, attributing this decline to stagnating real incomes since the 2008 financial crisis. While other European countries have seen steady income growth, the UK has fallen behind.

What Does The Report Say?

According to the report, the UK ranks among the least generous welfare providers in the OECD. It says:

 The UK sits in the middle of OECD nations in terms of welfare spending as a percentage of GDP.

 It ranks third lowest for welfare value, measured as a percentage of average wages.

 Welfare payments have only covered essential costs in two of the last 14 years, with the exception of the pandemic-era Universal Credit uplift of 20 per week.

The report describes the UK as neither a high-wage nor high-welfare country". Weak wage growth and cuts to welfare spending have restricted the two main sources of living standards.

Productivity stagnation has significantly impacted salaries. If the UK wages had grown at the same pace as in the US post-2008, British workers would be 4,300 richer per year.

The report also highlights that:

 Productivity weakness has directly contributed to wage stagnation over the past 15 years.

 Countries with stronger productivity growth throughout the 2010s saw the highest wage increases.

NIESR said while Britains poorest 10% might be better off in terms of cash than their counterparts in Slovenia and Malta, they fell behind once Britains higher cost of living was taken into account.

Wages In The UK

Living standards in parts of Birmingham and the northeast of England are worse than the most impoverished parts of Slovenia and Lithuania, The Telegraph, quoted the study, as saying.

NIESR economist Max Mosley said the average British worker would be 4,000 (Rs 4.5 lakh) per year richer had growth and wages in the UK kept up with the US.

Economic stagnation over the past decade is now threatening the UKs position as a place for a high standard of living. A combination of weak productivity growth driving near zero growth in real wages and cuts to welfare has resulted in a situation where we are neither delivering prosperity through high wages nor security through welfare," Mosley told The Telegraph.

The data from International Monetary Fund (IF), as quoted by INews, showed the US is now, per capita-wise, nearly 40% wealthier than the United Kingdom.

Poland too is touching the UKs benchmark. In 2010, the average Briton had 177% of the wealth of the average person in Poland. In 2024, that figure had reduced to 121%.

The study says the value of welfare payments in Britain had been below the cost of household essentials in 12 of the last 14 years  with the only exceptions being in 2020 and 2021 thanks to a temporary welfare boost during the Covid-19 pandemic.

What Experts Say?

The think-tank said by removing Britains two-child policy for additional welfare benefits could be the most effective way to reduce poverty.

Cuts to value-added tax rates would also give a disproportionate boost to low-income households as they spend a bigger share of their income on essentials, it said.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering cuts to welfare benefits as she prepares for a half-yearly update on the public finances on March 26. It is expected to show her off course to meet her rule to balance day-to-day spending with tax revenues by 2030.

As a piece in INews by Mark Wallace, noted, We can all sense that something is wrong. We pay record rates of tax, borrowing continues to run even higher than the budgeted deficit, and yet simultaneously the state  transport, policing, health services  seems not to work. It doesnt add up."

Wallace said that Britain is no longer as rich as citizens think  which is a deadly combination.

Lacking wealth is a serious problem: it lays you open to crises; it weakens your capacity to overcome new challenges, such as defence threats or climate change; and it restricts your options at every turn. Witness the Government, choosing between winter fuel allowance and public services, or between defence and international aid," Wallace wrote.

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Meanwhile, a piece in The Guardian said, Having sold off our public assets, and hollowed out the states capacity to directly deliver services and infrastructure, we now rent our public services from the foreign entities that own our buses, water companies, energy networks, prisons, care homes, and provide us with the IT services needed to run the state. There is also a bitter irony that some of these foreign entities are actually state-owned enterprises."

Arguably the most dangerous aspect of the orthodox approach to economic development has been its wilful negligence of dangerous levels of inequality. Not only did countries that pursued these economic policies become more unequal but there was also active collusion between political and economic elites to further rig the rules to their mutual benefit," the piece stated.

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 17, 2025, 08:30 IST
Why Britain's Royal Society Is Considering Throwing Out Elon Musk? Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 15:37 IST

Many fellows believe that Elon Musks inflammatory remarks on British politicians have violated the Royal Society's code of conduct. They are also concerned about Musks conduct within the Trump administration

Some experts believe any action on Elon Musk by the Royal Society could hamper the US and UK ties. (Photo: Reuters)

The Royal Society in Britain, one of the most reputed scientific institutions in the world, is considering rescinding billionaire Elon Musks fellowship for violating the code of conduct.

The Royal Society, whose former members include Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking among others, is regarded as the culmination of an extensive research career and its fellows are chosen after a rigorous process.

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But members have raised concerns about Musk, the owner of SpaceX, Tesla and the social network X who was elected a fellow in 2018. The organisation said it would discuss the principles around public pronouncements and behaviours of fellows".

Who Is Making The Demand?

An open letter to the president of the Royal Society, currently British statistician Adrian Smith, has been signed by almost 3,500 members of the wider scientific community.

Stephen Curry, an emeritus professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, penned the letter and expressed similar dismay.

Musk had said only craven, insecure fools care about awards and memberships", in response to an X post by Nobel Prize laureate and Royal Society fellow Geoffrey Hinton, known as the Godfather of AI," who called for Musk to be expelled.

Not because he peddles conspiracy theories and makes Nazi salutes, but because of the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US," Hinton said.

Trump has rejected comparisons between the gesture he made at a Trump inauguration event earlier this year and a Nazi salute, and said Hintons comments were carelessly ignorant, cruel and false".

Why The Royal Society Wants Musk Removed?

Researchers say ever since Elon Musk has taken over X in 2022, there has been a significant rise in misinformation. He has also used his account to spread misconceptions and falsehoods including Covid-19, vaccines, abortions and heart problems.

Many fellows also believe that Musks inflammatory remarks on British politicians have breached the Royal Societys code of conduct. They have also expressed concerns regarding Musks conduct within the current Donald Trump administration.

Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has overseen unprecedented cuts to funding meant for scientific research.

His company Neuralink has reportedly developed a novel brain-computer interface. Though the research methodology is distinguished by Musks resistance to allowing others to influence his methods. This has resulted in allegations of non-compliance with Good Laboratory Practice regulations.

Also, Musks slanderous charges against public scientists like Anthony Fauci and other public figures have also drawn criticism from a number of scientists.

Why Has Musk Not Been Expelled Yet?

Not all scientists and fellows of the Royal Society want Musk removed. Nobel laureate Andre Geim of Manchester University stated, Musk is certainly an eccentric, but his achievements beat those of any of his critics in the Royal Society. Very few can say that they achieved similar [feats] in their lives," as quoted by The Hindu.

Musk was elected to the Royal Society in 2018 for his contributions in the scientific world. He was the lead designer at SpaceX, where he oversaw the development of reusable rockets and spacecraft for missions to earth orbit. He oversaw the design, engineering, and manufacturing of products for the electric car company Tesla, which first popularised EVs. He also developed ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect the brain to computers at Neuralink.

Who Were The Expelled Scientists?

A German scientist and writer, Rudolf Erich Raspe, was expelled from the Royal Society in 1775, after being accused of divers frauds and gross breaches of trust".

The first fellow of the Royal Society to resign over this matter was Dorothy Bishop, emeritus professor of developmental neuropsychology at the University of Oxford, as per The Hindu.

In 2024, she lodged two complaints with the Royal Society. On both occasions they consulted lawyers, and it may well be the case that the lawyers are concerned about the prospect of legal action," she told the BBC. Another fellow, Andrew Millar of the University of Edinburgh, did the same in February this year.

What Will Be The Implications?

The decision to remove Musk from the organisation comes at a time when there are growing strains in the US and UK relations. Some experts believe any action on Musk by the Royal Society could hamper diplomacy.

The Royal Society after a meeting on March 3 has decided to keep Musks fellowship intact. However, it said in a statement, without naming Musk, that the group has decided to look at potential further actions" that would counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists."

About The Royal Society

The Royal Society was founded in 1600 to bring together leading scientific minds on one platform. Over the centuries, it became an international network for practical and philosophical investigation of the physical world.

Twelve original fellows founded the society on November 28, 1660 dedicated to science. Among the founding members was Robert Boyle, who would become famous for his chemical work, his air pump experiments and the air pressure law that now bears his name.

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In 1945, the society elected its first women. They were crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale and biochemist Marjory Stephenson. Today, more than 10% of fellows are women.

The original fellows chose as their motto Nullius in verba (take nobodys word for it), and a blank slate. The fellows met weekly at Gresham College in the City of London, conducting experiments on mechanics, magnetism, air pressure and gunnery. They also carried out anatomical dissections and made astronomical and microscopical observations," according to sciencemuseum.org.uk.

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 17, 2025, 15:31 IST
Why Is Bhutan On US Travel Ban List? Restrictions On Pakistan, Other Countries Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 12:37 IST

Bhutan and Afghanistan are on US' draft red travel ban list, while Pakistan is in the orange category, which means travel would be limited but not banned. The US reported a 37% rise in Bhutanese visa violations in the past year

It should be noted that some of the countries on the red and orange travel ban lists were sanctioned by Donald Trump in his first term. (AP Photo)

The Donald Trump administration has prepared a red" list of 11 countries whose citizens will would be barred from entering the United States of America. This would be part of a broader travel ban plan that whose restrictions would be part of as many as 43 countries.

US officials cautioned that the list had been developed by the State Department several weeks ago, and is likely to be changed by the time it reaches the White House, as mentioned in a New York Times report.

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Trump had issued an executive order when he took office on January 20 that required the State Department to identify countries for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries."

He gave the department 60 days to finish a report for the White House with that list, meaning it is due next week.

What Are The Proposed Travel Ban Lists?

The draft lists prepared by diplomatic and security officials have been categories into: Red, Orange and Yellow.

Red: Citizens are from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen will be barred from entering the United States. News outlet Times had reported this month that Afghanistan, which was not part of Trumps first-term travel ban, but fell to Taliban after the US forces withdrew from Kabul, is likely to face the ban.

Orange: It includes 10 countries for which travel would be limited but not banned. In those cases, rich businessmen might be allowed to enter, but not people travelling on immigrant visas. Citizens on that list would have to undergo mandatory in-person interviews in order to receive a visa. It included Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Turkmenistan.

Yellow: The remaining 22 countries are part of this list, which includes Angola, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Vanuatu. These countries would be given 60 days to clear up perceived deficiencies, with the threat of being moved to other categories if they dont comply. Issues include failing to share with the US information about incoming travellers, purported inadequate security practices for issuing passports, or selling citizenship to people banned from the countries, according to a New York Times report.

Why Bhutan Has Been Banned?

Bhutan, which has been touted as one of the happiest countries in the world, has been banned due to national security concerns" and irregular migration patterns", the US government has cited. According to official sources, there has been an unexpected increase in Bhutanese nationals overstaying their visas or attempting to enter the US through unauthorised channels, as per The Feed.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported a 37% rise in Bhutanese visa violations in the past year, prompting stricter measures.

The travel ban means Bhutanese citizens planning to visit the US will now face increased scrutiny, longer visa processing times, and outright visa denials in some cases. Those seeking student visas and work permits may find it much harder to secure entry. Additionally, Bhutanese nationals currently in the US on temporary visas might face additional checks, making renewals more difficult.

The move is likely to impact the US-Bhutanese relations, which have largely been stable. Bhutans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially requested a review of the decision, stating that Bhutanese citizens do not pose a significant security threat to the US.

What Does The Travel Ban Mean For People?

US media reports suggest that it is not clear whether those with existing visas would be exempted from the ban, or if their visas would be cancelled. Nor is it clear whether the government intends to exempt existing green card holders, who are already approved for lawful permanent residency.

The proposal to restrict and not ban visitors from Russia also raises issues. While the Russian government has a reputation for corruption, Trump has been trying to revamp US foreign policy in a more Russia-friendly direction.

The administration had said last week that it had cancelled the green card of a Syrian-born former Columbia University graduate student of Palestinian descent, Mahmoud Khalil, because he led high-profile protests on US campuses against Israels role in Gaza that the government perceived as anti-Semitic.

It should be noted that some of the countries on the red and orange travel ban lists were sanctioned by Trump in his first term. But several new ones have been added this time. The earlier lists contained a majority of Muslim countries, or non-white, poor and corrupt countries.

History Of Trumps Travel Bans

Trump had signed an executive order titled Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States a week after entering office in his first term. The order was referred to as Muslim Travel Ban", as it largely targeted Muslim-majority nations.

The ban barred entry of Syrian refugees and temporarily suspended the entry of individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

The action triggered chaos at airports and protests. Judges in several states blocked the initial ban soon after it went into place in 2017, claiming that it targeted Muslim countries and discriminated against people for their nationality without justification, violating US immigration law.

The Supreme Court rewrote the notion that allowed banning citizens from Libya, Iran, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. The ban was upheld in 2018.

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When Joe Biden took office in 2021, he repealed the ban, calling it a stain on our national conscience" and inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all."

During his campaign, Trump had vowed to reinstate the travel ban if he came to power. In July, at a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Trump told the crowd that he would restore the travel ban, suspend refugee admissions, stop the resettlement, and keep the terrorists the hell out of our country" and that he would do so on day one" of his presidency.

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 17, 2025, 12:33 IST
Horrendous, Irreversible Brain Damage: Why Mumbai Woman Is Seeking Rs 5 Crore From Railways

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Manjiri Joshi



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 19:40 IST

'Need courage to even read brain damage details': The HC was hearing the appeal against the MCAT's 2021 order that awarded Nidhi Jethmalani nearly Rs 70 lakh in compensation with interest and a Rs 1.5 crore corpus. Jethmalani's father has offered to settle for Rs 5 crore, excluding the amounts paid earlier

The Bombay High Court called it a gross case of human suffering. (Shutterstock File)

The Bombay high court (HC) recently sought the railway ministers decision on paying a final claim settlement of Rs 5 crore to Nidhi Jethmalani, now 25, left in a persistent vegetative state following her May 28, 2017 accident at Mumbais Marine Drive, according to reports.

The woman, then 17, was on her way to KC College when she was hit by a car owned by the Western Railway (WR).

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According to the Indian Express, Justices Girish Kulkarni and Advait Sethna, on March 6, said, The impact was so horrendous that it has, as good as, taken away her life, rendering her in a persistent vegetative stateIf the photos of this happy and promising girl and the present state in which she lies would bring loads of sorrow, unhappiness to anyone, then what can be the suffering of Nidhi and the state of mind of the parents/family members?"

THE HEARING

The HC was hearing the appeal against the Motor Accident Claims Tribunals 2021 order that awarded Jethmalani nearly Rs 70 lakh in compensation with interest and a Rs 1.5 crore corpus.

Jethmalanis father has offered to settle for Rs 5 crore, excluding the amounts paid earlier.

Against the demand for enhancement, the WR has said the amounts were on the higher side although the accident was Nidhis fault".

LIKE ARUNA SHANBAUG: NIDHI JETHMALANIs LAWYERS

Calling it the severest form of traumatic brain injury which is irreversible", Jethmalanis advocates, Saumen Vidyarthi and Rushabh Vidyarthi, compared her condition with the late nurse Aruna Shanbaug, who was in a persistent vegetative state for over 41 years.

AWARD INSUFFICIENT, GROSS CASE OF HUMAN SUFFERING; NOT A PRECEDENT: WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

According to a Times of India report, the judges said the accident resulted in severe damage to the brain, which for a layperson in medicine requires quite a courage to even read the details".

The judges said, We request the officers concerned of the respondent (WR) to take instructions at the highest level of the ministry (railway minister), who in our opinion would graciously consider and sympathise with the gross facts of the case and take a decision, without this being treated as a precedent."

The judges noted that the womans incredibly ever-caring parents have taken every effort to provide expensive medical aid for their daughterthe award amount, in our opinion, is certainly insufficient to cater to such expenditure".

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Observing that the proceedings ought not to be adjudicated as this is a fit case which needs to go for settlement", the judges requested the Vidyarthis and senior advocate G S Hedge and advocate T J Pandian, for WR, to make an attempt for a settlement considering such a painful nature of the case".

The judges adjourned the hearing, saying, Considering the peculiarity of the case being a gross case of human suffering, the respondents would show magnanimity to settle the amount as offered on Jethmalanis behalf."

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 17, 2025, 19:19 IST
3-Year-Old Kerala Girl Mistakes Rat Poison For Toothpaste, Dies After Brushing Teeth

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:16 IST

A tragic incident in Kerala, where three-year-old Neha Rose mistook rat poison for toothpaste, highlights the dangers of improper storage of household items. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to poisoning

The child mistakenly brushed her teeth with the poisonous substance on February 21. (News18)

Many items used around the household can pose serious risks to young children, sometimes even proving fatal. These accidents can occur in a split second and result in irreversible damage.

A tragic incident in Agali in Keralas Palakkad highlighted this danger when a three-year-old girl mistook rat poison for toothpaste.

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Neha Rose, daughter of Lithin and Jomaria, found a tube of rat poison that was lying around among other household items during painting of the house. The child mistakenly brushed her teeth with the poisonous substance on February 21.

She was immediately rushed to Kottathara Tribal Taluk Hospital and later transferred to the District Hospital. Despite further treatment at Kottayam Medical College and Thiruvananthapuram Sree Chitra Hospital, Neha Rose sadly succumbed to the poison.

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This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers present within our homes. Household cleaning products like bleach and detergents can be toxic and fatal if swallowed or inhaled. Sharp objects, such as kitchen knives and scissors, pose a danger if left within reach of children, potentially causing severe cuts or punctures and even life-threatening injuries. Children are also at risk of choking on items like nuts, buttons, coins, or small toys.

Many people are unaware of the risks household items pose for children, but basic precautions such as childproofing, proper storage, and constant supervision can prevent these tragedies.

Location : Kerala, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 14:16 IST
Suspect In Amritsar Temple Grenade Attack Killed In Police Encounter, Second Accused On The Run

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 10:51 IST

Two persons arrived at the Thakur Dwara temple complex on Saturday and hurled an explosive at the building. Punjab Police claimed the involvement of Pakistani intelligence.

CCTV footage caught two suspects hurling an explosive at the temple in Amritsar. (PTI)

An accused in the bomb attack on the Thakur Dwara temple complex in Amritsar on Saturday was killed in an encounter with Punjab police, while cops continue efforts to apprehend the second suspect who reportedly fled the scene.

Two men were seen arriving at the temple on a motorcycle in the early hours of Saturday (March 15) and hurling an explosive material at the building, creating a huge blast that damaged its wall and shattered window panes, according to officials.

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#WATCH | Punjab | Police today conducted an encounter to nab accused Gursidak and Vishal in Amritsar grenade attack, in Rajasansi area. Accused Gursidak succumbed to the bullet injury sustained during the encounter.According to police, when SHO Chheharta tried to stop the pic.twitter.com/jwjEmcc6jP  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Gaurav Yadav, DGP Punjab Police, said that the Commisserate Police Amritsar tracked down the suspects in Rajasansi, after which an accused opened fire on the police, injuring a head constable and striking another officers turban.

Acting in self-defence, the police party fired back, injuring the accused. He was taken to Civil Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The other accused fled, and efforts are on to arrest him," said the DGP on X.

Acting on specific intelligence, Commissionerate Police Amritsar decisively tracked down those responsible for the attack on Thakur Dwara Mandir, #Amritsar, on March 15, 2025. An FIR has been registered at PS Chheharta under the Explosive Substances Act, and intelligence-based DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) March 17, 2025

A fresh case is being filed in connection with the encounter. After the explosion on Saturday, an FIR was registered under the Explosive Substances Act against the two suspects, following which intelligence-based efforts led to their identification.

What Happened At The Temple?

A loud explosion rocked Amritsar on Saturday, as viral CCTV footage showed the two suspects hurling an explosive at the temple and fleeing the scene. The incident took place at 12:35 am, and no casualties were reported.

At around 12 am, two people came on bike, stopped outside the Thakur Dwara Mandir, conducted a recce and threw a grenade at the temple. The blast was so powerful that is also affected the nearby buildings, breaking their windows and all. The police later reached the spot. As per the evidence, this was a grenade attack," said advocate Kiranpreet Singh.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said police were informed about the incident around 2 am by the temple priest. He claimed that Pakistani intelligence agency ISI was involved in such attacks in Amritsar and was constantly provoking the youth from poor families to carry out such acts.

The forensic team has also reached the spot and I have spoken with the people here. Efforts are being made by Pakistan to disturb the atmosphere here, and some local youths are involved in this. I urge our youths not to get involved in such activities," he told news agency PTI.

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According to top intelligence sources, the latest incident is in sync with the recent wave of violence in Punjab by pro-Khalistan elements. Groups Babbar Khalsa International has strong backing of ISI and they have claimed January 2025 explosion at the Gumtala checkpoint in Amritsar. They also also targeted police posts with the backing of ISI," sources said.

At least 13 bomb attacks have taken place in Punjab in the last few months, heightening concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, particularly as they have been targeting religious places and temples. In other districts of Punjab, most explosions have taken place near police stations and police checkpoints.

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 : Amritsar, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 10:40 IST
Bihar, UP, West Bengal Top In Beneficiaries Under PM POSHAN: Education Ministry To Parliament

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 18:07 IST

The PM POSHAN scheme plays a crucial role in addressing malnutrition and encouraging school attendance, especially in states with high poverty rates

The PM POSHAN scheme is implemented in partnership with the states and union territory administrations. (AP File)

Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and West Bengal are the states with the highest number of beneficiaries in the PM POSHAN scheme, the education ministry told parliament on Monday.

Bihar has the highest number of beneficiaries under the PM POSHAN scheme for 2024-25, with a total of 1,73,38,305 beneficiaries. This includes 11,426,436 children in the primary category and 59,11,869 in the upper primary category. Bihars large population and its focus on school meal programmes contribute to its high enrolment numbers.

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The PM POSHAN scheme plays a crucial role in addressing malnutrition and encouraging school attendance, especially in states with high poverty rates.

The second highest number of beneficiaries is in Uttar Pradesh, with 1,63,58,928 children enrolled. This includes 10,577,090 in the primary category and 5,781,838 in the upper primary category. Uttar Pradesh, being Indias most populous state, naturally has a high enrolment in the scheme.

Following Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal ranks third with 1,13,40,496 beneficiaries. The state has 63,10,427 children in the primary category and 40,71,506 in the upper primary category. West Bengal has consistently maintained a strong school meal programme, ensuring that children receive adequate nutrition. Other states with high enrolment include Maharashtra (9,892,877) and Madhya Pradesh (6,335,928).

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme is one of the foremost rights-based Centrally Sponsored Schemes implemented in partnership with the States and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to all children studying in Bal Vatika (just before class-I) and classes I to VIII of Government and Government-aided schools. During 2024-25, about 11.20 crore children studying in 10.36 lakh institutions have benefited under the Scheme," the ministry stated in a written response in the Lok Sabha.

The PM POSHAN scheme is implemented in partnership with the states and union territory administrations.

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The overall responsibilities for providing nutritious and hot cooked meals to the eligible children lie with the state governments and Union Territory administrations in accordance with the Guidelines laid down by the Central Government. All the states and UT administrations are encouraged to decide menus suitable to the local conditions within the prescribed nutrition and food norms and to procure locally grown food items like millets, vegetables, condiments, etc., from Farmers Producers Organisations, Federations of Womens Self-Help Groups, etc., so as to promote local employment generation and economic development while simultaneously improving the nutrition standards," the ministry said.

Further, it stated, as per PM POSHAN guidelines, the responsibility for cooking/supply of cooked meals should be, as far as possible, assigned to one of the cook-cum-helpers and local womens/mothers self-help groups (SHG). States/UTs are advised that wherever possible, they can utilise the services of Farmers Producers Organisations and womens SHGs.

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 17, 2025, 18:07 IST
Clashes Erupt, Vehicles Set Afire In Nagpur Amid Aurangzeb Row; Fadnavis Urges Calm

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 18, 2025, 00:06 IST

Several vehicles were torched and stones were pelted in Nagpur's Mahal area. Additionally, explosions were heard on vehicles that were torched.

Police disperse an agitating crowd as communal tension prevailed Chitnis park area following the VHP-Bajrang Dal protest, in Nagpur (PTI)

Tensions escalated in Maharashtras Nagpur on Monday after a dispute between two groups during a protest by a right-wing body for the removal of Aurangzebs tomb, leading to vandalism and arson.

Several vehicles were torched and stones were pelted in Nagpurs Mahal area. Additionally, explosions were heard on vehicles that were torched. A Fire Brigade official said that two JCBs were set on fire and one fireman was injured.

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Two JCBs (were set ablaze) and a few more vehicles were also impacted. One fireman is injured," he told news agency ANI.

According to news agency PTI, the violence occurred hours after Muslim groups claimed that the holy book of the Muslim community was burnt during the protest led by Hindu outfits demanding the removal of Aurangzebs tomb.

As per the latest updates, leaving six persons and three policemen were injured after protesters clashed with the police, who responded by firing tear gas shells and cane-charging, officials said.

Videos as shared by ANI showed burning vehicles and scattered debris.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: Explosions heard on vehicles that have been torched in Mahal area of Nagpur; tensions have broken out here following a dispute between two groups. pic.twitter.com/rssI72v8od ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Police rushed to the spot to contain the violence and bring the situation under control. Additional personnel have been deployed to prevent further unrest. A senior police official confirmed that security had been tightened in sensitive areas, with Quick Response Teams (QRT), Riot Control Police, and the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) being deployed.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Archit Chandak confirmed that the violence broke out from a miscommunication. The situation is under control right now. Our force here is strong. I appeal to everyone not to step out or engage in stone pelting," he said.

#WATCH | Nagpur (Maharashtra) violence: DCP Nagpur Archit Chandak says, This incident occurred due to some miscommunication. Situation is under control right now. Our force here is strong. I appeal to everyone to not step outor pelt stones. Stone pelting was taking place, so pic.twitter.com/PJ8mfzQmGD ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Several police personnel sustained injuries, including DCP Chandak, who was hit in the leg. We called the Fire Brigade to douse the flames and took immediate action," he added, urging people not to believe rumours and to cooperate with the police.

Officials said the Chitnish Park to Shukrawari Talao road belt was most affected by violence as per the preliminary information, where some four-wheelers were set afire by rioters. Stones were also thrown at the homes of residents.

Section 144 Imposed In Nagpur

The Police said IPCs Section 144 has been imposed in the region, while those behind the violence have been identified and arrested. The Police have also urged the people not to step out unnecessarily.

#WATCH | Nagpur (Maharashtra) violence: Police undertake combing operation in Mahal. Tensions broke out in Mahal area of Nagpur following a dispute between two groups.Those involved are being identified and arrested. Section 144 has been imposed. Police have directed people pic.twitter.com/PLg0HQRPjf  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

The Police have also issued prohibitory orders in Nagpur. The city police is also looking into the CCTV footage and other video clips available with them to identify the culprits, an FIR in the matter is under process.

A local resident, Sunil Peshne, whose car was set on fire in the violence, said, This incident happened around 8.30 pm today. A mob of 500-1000 people pelted stones. They even torched our carThey vandalised around 25-30 vehicles."

What Led To Violent Clash?

According to Nagpur Police Commissioner Dr Ravinder Singal, tensions escalated around 8-8:30 pm today after a photo was burned during the protest led by the right wing outfit.

Singal said that people gathered after this incident and they complained to the police and necessary action was taken. He told News18 that at least 50 people have been taken into custody.

The situation is peaceful right now. A photo was burned following which people gathered, they made a request and we even took action in this respect. They had even come to my office to meet me. They were told that an FIR has been lodged based on the names they mentioned and action will be taken against themThis (todays violence) incident occurred around 8-8.30 pm," he told ANI.

#WATCH | Nagpur (Maharashtra) violence: Nagpur Police Commissioner Dr Ravinder Singal says, The situation is peaceful right now. A photo was burned following which people gathered, they made a request and we even took action in this respect. They had even come to my office to pic.twitter.com/T4CljMg4At ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

He said that two vehicles were torched stone pelting occurred in Mahal region. The Police Commissioner further said that except Mahal region, the city is peaceful. He also urged the citizens not to step out unnecessarily.

Not many vehicles have been torched. We are taking an assessment of the same. Two vehicles have been torched and stone pelting had occurredPolice is undertaking combing action and those involved are being identified and arrestedWe have imposed Sec 144 and everyone has been told to not step out unnecessarily or take law in their hands. Do not believe rumours. Except this area, the entire city is peaceful" he added.

Fadnavis, Gadkari React

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the violence and warned that if someone would attempt to create tension, strict action would be taken against them.

The manner in which the situation became tense in Mahal area of Nagpur is highly condemnable. A few people pelted stones, even at the Police. This is wrong. I am keeping an eye on the situation. I have told the Police Commissioner to take whatever strict steps are necessary to maintain law and order. If someone riots or pelts stones at Police or creates tensions in society, strict action should be taken against all such people. I appeal to everyone to behave to ensure that the peace of Nagpur is not disturbed. If someone attempts to create tension, very strict action will be taken against them."

The Chief Ministers Office said that the police are managing the situation following stone-throwing incidents. Fadnavis also appealed the citizens to not to believe in any rumours and cooperate with the administration in the situation.

Police administration is handling the situation after stone pelting and tense situation in Mahal area of Nagpur. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed that citizens should fully cooperate with the administration in this situation. We are constantly in touch with the police administration and citizens should cooperate with them," the Maharashtra CMO said.

Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, also said he is in constant contact with the police and asked them to cooperate with the people.

Nagpur is a peaceful and co-operative city. This has been a permanent tradition of Nagpur. In such a case, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed not to believe any rumours and give full cooperation to the administration," it added.

Additionally, a meeting between CM Fadnavis and Chandrashekhar Bawankule is underway at Sagar Bungalow in the backdrop of the clashes.

Union Minister and Nagpur Lok Sabha MP Nitin Gadkari also appealed for peace and calm in the region.

Due to certain rumours, a situation of religious tension has arisen in Nagpur," he said.

I assure you all that the government will take action against those who have committed mistakes or engaged in illegal activities. The Chief Minister has already been informed about this situation, so I request everyone not to pay attention to rumours," he added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, however, slammed the Fadnavis government over the law and order situation in the state saying, The Maharashtra state government is ruining the state for their political opportunism and leading it towards a violent implosion . This is being reported from Nagpur the constituency of the Home Minister and Chief Minister."

The Maharashtra state government is ruining the state for their political opportunism and leading it towards a violent implosion . This is being reported from Nagpur the constituency of the Home Minister and Chief Minister https://t.co/wZ76vjRiIA Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) March 17, 2025

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray alleged unprecedented breakdown" of the law and order situation in the state.

The Congress targeted the state government over the incident. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal said Mondays violence in Nagpur was the failure of the state home department, adding that ministers were deliberately making provocative speeches" over the last few days.

Terming the violence unfortunate and unwarranted, Sapkal asked people of Vidarbhas largest city to exercise restraint and calm.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar in a post on X, said, Deliberate efforts are being made to spread hatred and incite conflict between the two communities, and this is being done by the ruling class".

Nagpur is a very peaceful city, but it has been attacked by pro-ruling organizations. All this is because of ministers in the cabinet who made absurd statements. The Chief Minister should immediately remove this minister from the cabinet," he added.

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A massive political uproar was witnessed over Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmis remarks hailing Mughal ruler Aurangzeb last month, when he said that the Mughal emperor was a good administrator but was wrongly portrayed in history.

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 : Nagpur, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 21:45 IST
'Direct Dialogue Happening At The Very Top': Tulsi Gabbard Weighs In On India-US Tariff Debate

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 15:07 IST

Tulsi Gabbard said that both Trump and PM Modi are looking out for what is in the best interest of their countrys economy.

Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence of the United States. (ANI)

Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence of the United States, currently on a multi-nation visit, including India, stated on Monday that India and the US engage in direct, high-level discussions regarding tariffs.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Gabbard said that both President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are looking for a good solution" regarding tariffs.

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What I see as a great positive is that we have two leaders who have common sense and who are looking for good solutions. This direct dialogue is happening at the very top in both of our countries, but also at the different secretaries and the cabinet members is going to be key to laying down what that path forward really looks like. And I personally am excited because theres keen interest in the private sector here in India and in the United States," she said.

Tulsi Gabbard said that both Trump and PM Modi are looking out for what is in the best interest of their countrys economy.

What I have heard from the Indian government officials that Ive spoken to over the last few days, there is an opportunity here to see. There is more potential for strengthening of our economic relationship and Im glad to see that theyre looking at it in a more positive light than just one that is focused in a negative way when we look at tariffs," she said.

Obviously Prime Minister Modi is looking out for what is in the best interest of Indias economy and the opportunities available for the people of India. Similarly, President Trump is doing the same for the United States, our economic interests and the interests of the American people " she added.

Tulsi Gabbard also emphasised the friendship of PM Modi and Trump saying that their friendship is the foundation on which the two countries will build on their partnership.

The tone and the relationship with our new administration under President Trump and Prime Minister Modi was set during Prime Minister Modis visit to the White House. As you know, they are already good friends. It was a very great opportunity for them to share their joint vision for the US-India partnership and the opportunity for us to continue to strengthen that partnership," she said.

Tulsi further said that her meetings with Indian officials and intelligence officials aimed to strengthen the US-India partnership, seeking opportunities for growth and cooperation in areas like trade, defence, education, and intelligence.

Addressing the speculation about US involvement in regime change in India, Tulsi Gabbard said, To my knowledge, the answer is no." However, she did express concern over an incident where US intelligence professionals engaged in unprofessional and explicit conversations on a secure chat network, highlighting a need for accountability within the intelligence community.

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US Director of National Intelligence emphasised Trumps commitment to combating Islamist terrorism, a threat that affects not only America but also countries like India, Bangladesh, Syria, Israel, and others in the Middle East. Gabbard noted that PM Modi shares this concern and that the two nations will collaborate to address and defeat this threat.

President Trump, in his first administration and the presidency that continues now, has been very clear about his commitment to defeating this threat of Islamist terrorism that has plagued us, has and continues to pose a threat to American people. We see how it has been impacting people here in India and Bangladesh. Currently, ongoing in Syria, Israel and different countries in the Middle East. This is a threat that PM Modi also takes seriously and one where leaders of our two countries will work together to identify and defeat that threat," she said.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 14:50 IST
'Dont Believe In Rumours': Fadnavis, Police Appeal For Peace As Clashes Break Out In Nagpur

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 23:50 IST

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis called for peace amid Nagpur violence over holy book burning rumours. Nitin Gadkari and Nagpur Police also urged citizens to maintain harmony.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis urged residents of Nagpur to not pay heed to rumours. (IMAGE: PTI FILE)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday night called for peace and asked people not to believe rumours as Nagpur witnessed violence.

According to a report by news agency PTI, several areas in central Nagpur were gripped by violence on Monday evening amid rumours that a holy book was burnt during a protest on the Aurangzeb issue.

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Nagpur is a peaceful city where people share in each others joys and sorrows, which has always been Nagpurs tradition. Do not believe any rumours," Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

Police are managing the situation following stone pelting and tense situations in the Mahal area," he further added.

#WATCH | Nagpur (Maharashtra) violence: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "The manner in which the situation became tense in Mahal area of Nagpur is highly condemnable. A few people pelted stones, even at the Police. This is wrong. I am keeping an eye on the situation. I pic.twitter.com/nBUqPv7D5U ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

A few people pelted stones, even at the police. This is wrong," he said.

Four people were injured after protesters clashed with the police. Police responded by firing tear gas shells and cane-charging.

He urged citizens to cooperate with the administration.

Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, also said he is in constant contact with the police and asked them to cooperate with the people.

If someone riots or pelts stones at Police or creates tensions in society, strict action should be taken against all such people. I appeal to everyone to behave to ensure that the peace of Nagpur is not disturbed. If someone attempts to create tension, very strict action will be taken against them," the Maharashtra Chief Minister warned.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari, too, appealed for peace and harmony amid violence in parts of Nagpur city.

#WATCH | Mumbai | On the Nagpur (Maharashtra) violence, BJP MLA Pravin Datke says, "I have received information that some people from outside tried to create tensions between people from two different communities. Vehicles were torched, stones were peltedPeople from a pic.twitter.com/KRbNLxyQuM ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Nagpur always has a history of peace. I appeal to all my brothers to maintain peace. Do not believe rumours and do not come on roads," the Union minister said in a video message.

Gadkari appealed to people to cooperate with the administration in maintaining law and order and the tradition of harmony.

He said the government would take action against those who indulged in unlawful activities.

Nagpur City Police in a social media post also urged citizens to not believe in rumours. Do not believe in any kind of rumours and cooperate with the police," the police said in a social media post.

First priority is to restore peace in society and keep it away from rumours. An investigation will later reveal why the unrest occurred. But the people of Nagpur should not believe rumours and support police administration," state BJP chief and Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.

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I have received information that some people from outside tried to create tensions between people from two different communities. Vehicles were torched, stones were peltedPeople from a particular community came from outside and they did all the violence by proper planning," BJP MLA Pravin Datke said.

Congress Vijay Waddetiwar without naming anyone accused a minister for making several controversial statements over the past few months. Had he been asked to keep quiet, this would not have happened," he said.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Nagpur, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 23:43 IST
Hasty Judgement, Catastrophic Consequences: Mumbai Residents Oppose Gateway Of India Jetty Project

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 17:25 IST

The residents urged the Fadnavis government to stay the project saying that it would have "catastrophic consequences for the city".

Gateway Of India. (PTI)

Days after Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane performed a groundbreaking ceremony for a new passenger jetty and terminal building at Radio club near the iconic Gateway Of India in Mumbai, the residents urged the Fadnavis government to stay" the project saying that it would have catastrophic consequences for the city".

Colaba residents in a letter to Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, who is also the local MLA, termed the decision and ground-breaking ceremony as hasty", saying that the ceremony was done mere four days" after the state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar sanctioned Rs 229.3 crore for the project in the budget, the Times of India reported.

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The residents further accused the government of ignoring their objections and complaints regarding the project which were raised at multiple occasions and multiple platforms. They further claimed that the project was pushed through without taking the residents and other stakeholders into confidence.

The jetty will have catastrophic consequences for the cityas it is against the interest of not only the residents of Colaba, but also the citizens of Mumbai. The same is being done without taking local residents into confidence, nor have the requisite permissions been givennone of these permissions are in the public domain," Clean Heritage Colaba Residents Association said in a letter to Narwekar as reported by the news outlet.

Just as you granted a stay for the robotic parking in Mumbadevi, we urge you to immediately grant a stay to the jetty work being carried out until proper feasibility is conducted, also factoring in the high tides, rising sea levels, climate change impact, environmental imbalances, and heritage precinct which will be impacted, leading to flooding and risk of lives and property in the area," the letter read.

The residents demanded that before commencing the new project, long pending menaces, including double parking, illegal parking mafias, encroachments, should be addressed.

Meanwhile, Narwekar said that he had initially opposed the project citing the heritage and traffic congestion aspects of the project. But govt has assured me that the heritage precinct will not be affected and the traffic issue will be addressed. I have requested the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) to share the project details with residents. The MMB has assured that the project will not affect the day-to-day life of Colaba residents," he said as reported by ToI.

In the groundbreaking ceremony, Rane had addressed the residents concerns saying that a traffic simulation study has been done, and this new jetty would improve passenger movement in the vicinity.

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    ,      .         .              ,       pic.twitter.com/QPRdyTNRf0 Nitesh Rane (@NiteshNRane) March 13, 2025

The facilities on the existing jetty at Gateway of India are inadequate for the passengers, which creates problems for the elderly, women and children. This proposed jetty between Gateway of India and the Radio Club will help reduce the pressure on the existing jetty at the monument, a statement issued by the Ports and Fisheries minister, Ranes office said.

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 17, 2025, 17:21 IST
How Was The Army Divided During Partition? Pakistan Got 1,31,000 Soldiers, India Got...

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 15:33 IST

Soldiers were given the option to join either Indian or Pakistani force, but with a condition: no Muslim from Pakistan could join the Indian Army, and no non-Muslim from India could join the Pakistani army.

The division of the army reflected the larger upheaval of Partition. (AP File Photo)

After nearly two centuries of British rule, Indias struggle for independence reached its climax in the aftermath of the Second World War. The long campaign, which began with the Revolt of 1857, gained momentum as Indians grew increasingly restless for self-rule, believing their contributions to the war effort entitled them to political autonomy. The newly-elected British government in 1945, led by Prime Minister Clement Attlee, was determined to grant independence, but the challenge lay in preserving a unified India amidst deepening communal tensions.

The Indian National Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, and the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, could not agree on the structure of the new nation. Jinnahs demand for a separate Muslim state became more insistent after the failure of the Cabinet Mission Plan in 1946. Communal violence erupted across the country, with the Great Calcutta Killings and the violence in Noakhali exposing the fragile state of Hindu-Muslim relations. As tensions escalated, British authorities concluded that partition was the only viable solution to prevent further bloodshed.

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On June 2, 1947, the last British Viceroy of India, Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, announced that Britain had decided to divide the subcontinent into two independent nations  a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan. The new Pakistan was formed from two geographically separated territories  West Pakistan (modern-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Mountbatten set August 15, 1947, as the official date for independence.

The Partition of the Army

The partition of the country also meant the division of the military  a task fraught with logistical and emotional challenges. Mountbatten was initially opposed to splitting the Indian Army, which had served as a cohesive force under British command. He suggested that the Indian Army should remain united under an English commander, who would be responsible for the security of both India and Pakistan. Jinnah, however, rejected the proposal outright, insisting that Pakistan must have its own independent military.

The task of dividing the armed forces fell to Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, the last Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army. On August 14, 1947, Auchinleck and Major General Reginald Savory signed the order to disband the old Indian Army, marking the end of the British Indian military establishment. Soldiers were given the option to join either the Indian or Pakistani forces, but with a condition: no Muslim from Pakistan could join the Indian Army, and no non-Muslim from India could join the Pakistani military.

According to British military reports, two-thirds of the Indian Armys soldiers chose to remain with India, while one-third opted for Pakistan. Of the 3,91,000 soldiers at the time, approximately 2,60,000 remained with India, and 1,31,000 went to Pakistan, most of the latter being Muslims. The Gorkha Brigade, recruited in Nepal, was divided between India and Britain.

Division of the Air Force and Navy

The British Indian Air Force, which had a strength of about 13,000 personnel, was also split. India retained 10,000 airmen, while Pakistan received 3,000. The Royal Indian Navy, consisting of 8,700 sailors, was similarly divided, with India retaining 5,700 personnel and Pakistan taking 3,000. Several British officers were retained temporarily to help manage the transition. Indias first army chief was General Sir Robert Lockhart, while Pakistans first military leader was General Sir Frank Messervy.

An Exodus and a Legacy of Division

The division of the army reflected the larger upheaval of Partition. Approximately 98% of Muslim soldiers opted to join Pakistan, leaving only 554 Muslim officers in the Indian Army. The proportion of Muslims in the Indian Army plummeted from 36% to just 2% after Partition. Among those who chose to remain in India were Brigadier Muhammad Usman, Brigadier Muhammad Anees Ahmed Khan, and Lieutenant Colonel Inayat Habibullah  officers who remained loyal to their country despite religious and political pressures.

The withdrawal of British forces from India was carefully staged. British regiments, which had long garrisoned the North-West Frontier Province and other strategic locations, were recalled. The last British regiment to leave Indian soil was the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Alberts), which departed from Bombay on February 28, 1948.

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Approximately 1.5 crore people were uprooted as Hindus and Sikhs fled to India and Muslims migrated to Pakistan. An estimated 10-20 lakh people died in the ensuing violence. Trains carrying refugees were attacked, villages were burned, and families were torn apart by the ferocity of communal riots. The Radcliffe Line, drawn hastily by British lawyer Sir Cyril Radcliffe, carved out the new borders, but the scars of that division remained etched in the collective memory of both nations.

As the last British soldiers boarded their ships and set sail for home, they left behind a land forever changed. The British Indian Army, once a symbol of imperial strength, had become a fractured entity, mirroring the fractured destinies of India and Pakistan.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 15:33 IST
ITBP Constable Guns Down Senior After Heated Argument Over Dress Code In Raipur

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 22:10 IST

A routine morning parade turned deadly in Raipur as an ITBP constable shot his senior over a uniform-related dispute.

ITBP constable Saroj Kumar Yadav opened fire at assistant sub-inspector Devender Singh Dahiya and fired 20 rounds into him. (IMAGE: PTI FILE)

A constable of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) allegedly shot dead his senior colleague by firing 20 rounds from his service weapon following a heated argument in Chhattisgarhs Raipur district on Monday, police said.

The incident occurred at around 9 am at the battalion headquarters of the ITBPs 38th battalion under the Kharora police station limits, said Lal Umed Singh, Raipur senior superintendent of police.

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As per preliminary information, constable Saroj Kumar Yadav (32) allegedly opened fire at assistant sub-inspector Devender Singh Dahiya (59) with his service weapon, an Insas rifle, killing him, he said.

The official said a police team was rushed to the spot after being alerted.

Another police official said Yadav was deployed on morning parade duty, during which ASI Dahiya allegedly reprimanded him for not dressing up properly.

It led to a heated argument between the duo, he said.

The official said the constable fired 20 rounds from his INSAS rifle on the ASI outside their barrack, killing him on the spot.

A detailed investigation is underway into the incident, he added.

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Yadav hailed from Bihar, while Dahiya was a native of Haryana.

In September last year, two personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) were killed, and two were injured after their colleague opened fire at them in their camp in the states Balrampur district.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Raipur, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 22:10 IST
Terrorist Killed, Cop Injured In Ongoing Encounter In Jammu And Kashmir's Kupwara: Sources

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 11:09 IST

An ongoing encounter between security forces and terrorists in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, has resulted in the killing of one terrorist, sources have said.

A security personnel stand guard amid an encounter between security forces and terrorists, in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir (Photo: PTI)

At least one terrorist was killed, while one police official was injured in an ongoing encounter between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, sources said.

The gunfight was underway in the Kupwara district of the Union Territory.

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Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Krumhoora village of Zachaldara following information about the presence of terrorists in the area, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying.

As the security forces closed on the hiding terrorists, they fired at the surrounding security forces triggering an encounter which is presently going on," the officials said.

Two to three terrorists are reportedly holed up inside the cordoned-off area. All the exit points of the terrorists are being plugged," they added.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists opened fire at the security forces.

A joint team of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) had launched a coordinated operation to eliminate the threat.

Meanwhile, additional reinforcements had been deployed to ensure a successful operation, and civilians in the area were advised to stay indoors and avoid movement near the encounter site for their safety.

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Last month, terrorists opened fire at an army vehicle in the Sunderbani Sector area in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri.

Before that, security forces busted a militant hideout in the Simbli Shajroo area of Mahore in Reasi district and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.

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 17, 2025, 11:02 IST
'She Hid Gold Wherever...': Karnataka BJP MLA's Crude Remarks Spark Row, Minister Reacts

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 17:19 IST

Kannada actor Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 after gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her after she returned from Dubai.

Rao, who was arrested on March 3 and remains in judicial custody until March 24, claims she is innocent and is being framed. File pic/X

Amid the ongoing investigation in the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Monday sparked a controversy by making derogatory remark on Kannada actor Ranya Rao.

Claiming that he would expose everything" related to the case, the leader of the saffron regiment also cited lapses on the part of customs officials. Yatnal claimed that he had gathered all the information on the case.

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I have collected all the details about her relationships, who helped her get security, and how the gold was smuggled. I will expose everything in the Assembly. If someone is guilty, they must be held accountable. Can we defend someone just because they are a central government employee? There were lapses by customs officials, and necessary action should be taken against them. She had gold all over her body, hiding it wherever she had holes, and smuggled it in," Yatnal told reporters.

His remark comes days after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar refuted all claims about the link of ministers to the case.

No minister is involved, we dont know anything. It is all political gossip. Investigating officers will investigate in accordance with the law. We have nothing to do with it," he had said earlier.

The Ranya Rao gold smuggling case dates back to March 3, when gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru after she arrived from Dubai.

Searches were conducted following the seizure and gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore were recovered from her residence. She was later arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), who asked CBI to investigate the case.

While Rao stated that her trip to Dubai was for business purposes, authorities suspect that it was connected to the illegal smuggling of gold. She was initially placed in the custody of the DRI until 10 March, and her detention was later extended until 24 March.

Kannada actor Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank officer K Ramachandra Rao, who currently serves as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation. He was sent on compulsory leave on Saturday.

Karnataka Minister MB Patil Condemns BJP MLAs Remark

Reacting to the BJP MLAs remark, Karnataka Minister MB Patil said that if the former has any information, he should reveal the name on the floor of the house instead of doing drama".

Responding to Yatnals remark on Ranya Rao Patil added, Whatever crime that the lady has committed, there is a law and she will be punished. But at the same time to speak such loose talk that has such bad meaning is not good. Him speaking this way being a senior MLA is not good, and I condemn it."

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Earlier in the day, the Karnataka BJP MLA had made a derogatory remark on Kannada actor Ranya Rao.

Location : Karnataka, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 11:44 IST
'Modi Can Still Play A Role': Ukrainian MP Hails PM For Persuading Russia To Refrain From Using Nuclear Weapons

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:04 IST

PM Modi, indeed, has played a significant role and he can still play a role. Ukraine wants peace. Indian is a leading power . Indias perspective matters to us," says Ukrainian MP Sviatoslav Yurash

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, in August 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian MP Sviatoslav Yurash hailed PM Narendra Modi for pushing Russia to refrain from using nuclear weapons.

Polands deputy foreign minister and secretary of state Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18 on Monday said the country was grateful" for Indias involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war as he revealed that PM Modi had persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to not use nuclear tactical weapons.

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We had a great visit of PM Modi to Warsaw. PM Modi did persuade Putin not to use nuclear tactical weapons. We want permanent peace. We want stable and sustainable peace in Ukraine," Bartoszewski said.

PM Narendra Modi, in his podcast with Lex Fridman which was released on Sunday, too, spoke about peace" in Russia-Ukraine war. I have always maintained that I stand with peace. I am not neutral. I have a stance and that is peace, and peace is what I strive for."

#Exclusive | We appreciate that PM Modi, in the early stages of the war, did persuade Mr. Putin to not use tactical nuclear weapon": Wadysaw T. Bartoszewski (@WTBartoszewski) Dy Foreign Minister, Poland tells @siddhantvm @DeepakofIndia joins conversation@Elizasherine | pic.twitter.com/Vbsne1l49R News18 (@CNNnews18) March 17, 2025

WHAT UKRAINES YURASH SAID

PM Modi, indeed, has played a significant role and he can still play a role. Ukraine wants peace. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," said Yurash, adding, We gave up nuclear arsenal for security guarantee. India is a leading power. Indias perspective matters to us. India pushed Russia not to use nuclear weapons."

PM Modis visit mattered a great deal to us. The PM does play a significant role. It is fundamental to build relationship with India," he said.

PM MODI ON HIS TIES WITH RUSSIA, UKRAINE ON PODCAST

I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike. I can sit with President Putin and say that this is not the time for war, and I can also tell President Zelensky in a friendly way that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield. The resolution will only come when both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table. Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties instead. Initially, it was challenging to find peace, but now the current situation presents an opportunity for meaningful and productive talks between Ukraine and Russia. There has been a lot of suffering. Even the global south has suffered. The world has been grappling with a food, fuel and fertilizer crisis. So the global community should unite in the pursuit of peace," he said.

PM MODI ON PEACE

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Underlining the importance of peace amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, PM Modi said, I represent the country that is the land of Lord Buddha. I represent the country that is the land of Mahatma Gandhi. These are the great souls whose teachings, words, actions, and behavior are entirely dedicated to peace. And that is why culturally and historically our background is so strong that whenever we speak of peace, the world listens to us. Because India is the land of Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi and Indians arent hardwired to espouse strife and conflict. We espouse harmony instead. We seek neither to wage war against nature, nor to foster strife among nations. We stand for peace and wherever we can act as peacemakers, we have gladly embraced that responsibility."

I believe that modern wars are no longer just about resources or interests. Today I see so many kinds of conflicts happening. Physical battles often get discussed. Struggles are happening in every domainAnd a development-driven approach is the way forward. Expansionism will not work. As Ive said before, the world is interdependent and interconnected. Every nation needs one another, no one can stand alone. And from all the different forums I attend, one thing is clear: Everyone is deeply worried about these conflicts. We can only hope that peace is restored very soon," he said.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 13:49 IST
'I Stand For India First, That's Why We Connect So Well': PM Modi On His Friendship With Trump

Curated By :

Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:00 IST

PM Narendra Modi said even after there was assassination bid on US President Donald Trump while campaigning during the presidential elections, he showed no fear and "remained unwaveringly dedicated to America"

In his podcast, AI researcher Lex Fridman asked PM Narendra Modi about his friendship with US Preident Donald Trumo (Image: @Lex Fridman/YouTube)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman said the reason why he and US President Donald Trump connected so well is because they both put their countries first.

Modi said even after there was assassination bid on him during the campaigning for the presidential elections, he showed no fear and remained unwaveringly dedicated to America".

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His life was for his nation. His reflection showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in nation first. I stand for India first and thats why we connect so well. These are the things that truly resonate," he said in his second podcast that ran for more than three hours.

During the podcast, he further talked about his camaraderie with Trump, who recently won a second term by defeating Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Fridman further asked him about what he likes about Trump as a leader and friend, while also on the Presidents comment that Modi was a much tougher, much better negotiator".

The Prime Minister recalled how the President had walked with him into a crowd of thousands without even asking for security at the Howdy Modi event. He said it was a truly touching" moment for him that he reflected a sense of mutual trust between them.

In American life, its almost impossible for the President to walk into a crowd of thousands, but without even a moments hesitation, he (Trump) agreed and started walking with me. His entire security detail was thrown off guard, but for me that moment was truly touching," he said.

He added: It showed me that this man had courage. He makes his own decisions, but also he trusted me and my lead in that moment enough to have walked with me into the crowd. It was that sense of mutual trust, a strong bond between us that I truly witnessed on that day and the way I saw President Trump that day walking into a crowd of thousands without even asking security, it was truly amazing. And if you watch the video now, youll be amazed."

ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE WHITE HOUSE

Modi said when Trump was still new to White House in his first term, a lot had already been written about him in the media and everyone had a rather different perception of him. He said even he had been briefed in numerous ways before meeting him, but his reception was a pleasant surprise.

the very moment I stepped into the White House, he broke all formal protocols right away. And then, he personally took me on a tour of the White House. As he showed me around, I noticed something striking, he wasnt holding any notes or cue cards, nor was anyone accompanying him to assist. He pointed things out himself. This is where Abraham Lincoln lived, he said. He even explained why the courtroom was designed so long. He would point at the table and tell me which President signed here and on what date. I found that incredibly impressive," he said, adding that he showed how respectful and deeply connected he was to Americas history".

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He further said our closeness and the trust between us remained unshaken" even after Joe Biden came to power. But, Trump always referred to him as a friend, even in front of others, he added.

Later, when his first term ended, and President Biden won, four years passed, but during that time whenever someone we both knew met him, and this must have happened dozens of times, he would say, Modi is my friend, convey my regards." That kind of gesture is rare. Even though we didnt meet physically for years, our direct and indirect communication, our closeness and the trust between us remained unshaken," he added.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 07:00 IST
Netflixs Apple Cider Vinegar Exposes How Social Media Influencers Mislead Cancer Patients

Written By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:46 IST

Cancer patients are often guided by social media influencers to quit traditional treatment, including basic chemotherapy, and opt for alternative methods such as drinking juices and eating healthy food to reverse the disease without treatment

In India too, social media channels, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, are flooded with people promoting unverified or outright false health claims. (Pixabay)

Known as one of the biggest cons in Instagrams history, the Netflix series depicts a trend where cancer patients are guided by social media influencers to quit traditional cancer treatment, including basic chemotherapy, and opt for alternative methods such as drinking juices and eating healthy food to reverse cancer without treatment  only for patients to realise later that devoid of any options, they are now staring at death.

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Doctors told News18 that they genuinely" relate to the story portrayed in the series and believe Gibson was not a unique case. Even in India, social media channels, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, are flooded with people promoting unverified or outright false health claims. Many patients are persuaded to reject chemotherapy or essential medical treatments, often with fatal consequences.

In this case, the influencers, with followers in millions, prey on not only patients but also family members who struggle to accept the reality of the diagnosis.

It is a well-known fact that the emotional burden of a cancer diagnosis makes people vulnerable to misinformation. This vulnerability makes them a soft target for influencers selling their products.

A random Google search will yield multiple results that promise cancer cures for even last-stage cancer patients without chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.

How Social Media Kills Cancer Patients

Dr Satya Prakash Yadav, director, paediatric haematology-oncology and bone marrow transplant at Medanta Hospital, shared a story of a three-year-old boy diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Its a highly curable blood cancer and needs two years of chemotherapy. The family got influenced and stopped therapy after three weeks and started taking homoeopathic treatment."

After three months, the child developed a high continuous fever and the family came back to Yadav. We investigated and the disease had relapsed. The father said we are lying and its just malaria that we should treat and then he would go back to his homeopath."

Similarly, Dr Shikhar Sawhney, senior consultant, head & neck surgery at Faridabad-based Amrita Hospital, estimates that out of 10, he meets at least one to two patients who have either paused or entirely discontinued their medical treatment due to claims made by influencers or alternative medicine advocates.

As a cancer surgeon, I do encounter patients who delay or abandon evidence-based treatments in favour of alternative therapies they come across on social media. While I understand the desperation that drives them to explore every possible cure, the consequences of these decisions can be tragic."

When they return, often with more advanced diseases, the options available to them are significantly reduced. The regret they express is heart-wrenching, but by then, we are often racing against time," Sawhney said, adding: As doctors, we try to counsel them with patience and scientific evidence, but misinformation spreads faster than facts. Some patients of families become aggressive, questioning established treatments, seeking miracle cures, or outright rejecting chemotherapy and other allopathic approaches."

Echoing the observations, Dr Pragya Shukla, who leads the clinical oncology department at Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), said four of every 10 patients she sees drift away in search of miraculous cures. According to her, there are two types of drifting away"one involves babas who promise patients a miraculous cure without the need for chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

In this case, I have seen people coming back with metastatic disease (cancer spreads into other organs as well). Others are patients who are brainwashed by these social media influencers. Such patients exit the treatment to follow the suggestions of someone who is not even a doctor. The influencers falsely use the title doctor to mislead patients."

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In short, cancer treatment is not just about medicineit is about trust. And when misplaced trust leads patients away from proven treatments, it can cost them the very thing they are fighting for  time.

In this context, the Netflix series does a good job of exposing how social media influencers are taking on the role of doctors and misguiding patients.

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 17, 2025, 09:46 IST
News18 Evening Digest: China's Big Thumbs-Up To PM Modi's Podcast & Other Top Stories

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 19:24 IST

We are also covering Rajnath raises concerns over Khalistani activities in the US during meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, Andhra CM backs Hindi amid language row, Karnataka BJP MLA's crude remarks on Ranya Rao, and other top stories.

China appreciates PM Modi's remarks on India-China ties (Reuters Image)

In todays evening digest, News18 brings the latest updates on Chinas big thumbs-up to PM Modis podcast, Rajnath Singhs meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, Andhra Pradesh CM backs Hindi amid language row, Karnataka BJP MLAs controversial remarks on Ranya Rao, and other top stories.

Chinas Big Thumbs-Up To PM Modis Podcast: His Positive Remarks On Ties Are Appreciated

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Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks on the India-China ties during the Lex Fridman Podcast show, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday said that the positive remarks" on the relations between the two nations are appreciated", according to a report. Read more

Rajnath Singh Raises Concerns Over Khalistani Activities In US During Meeting With Tulsi Gabbard: Report

India has expressed concern over anti-India activities by the Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) operating in the United States, during a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday. Read more

If We Learn: Andhra CM Naidu Backs Hindi As DMK Rallies Southern States Over Language Row

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday weighed in over the ongoing language row between the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government and the Centre, saying that the national language" will enable fluent conversation in Delhi in Hindi. Read more

She Hid Gold Wherever: Karnataka BJP MLAs Crude Remarks Spark Row, Minister Reacts

Amid the ongoing investigation in the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Monday sparked a controversy by making derogatory remark on Kannada actor Ranya Rao. Read more

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Karan Johar Takes A Dig At Kartik Aaryan For Stealing Bhool Bhulaiyaa Franchise: Khans, Kapoors Are Still OG

Karan Johar and Kartik Aaryan have finally buried their old hatchets. They are not only collaborating on a new film but also hosted the recent IIFA Awards. Read more

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 19:24 IST
PM Modi, New Zealand Counterpart Luxon Visit Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib In Delhi

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 22:07 IST

The New Zealand prime minister began a five-day visit to India on Sunday with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties

The New Zealand prime minister began a five-day visit to India on Sunday with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties. (Photo: X/narendramodi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon visited the historic Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in New Delhi on Monday and paid obeisance at the Sikh shrine.

The New Zealand prime minister began a five-day visit to India on Sunday with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties.

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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and I visited Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, a place of profound faith and history. The Sikh communitys unwavering commitment to service and humanity is truly admirable across the world.@chrisluxonmp pic.twitter.com/RNLfuz5ul2 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2025

The two leaders held wide-ranging talks on Monday and also attended the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue 2025.

PM Modi Flags Concerns Over Anti-India Elements In New Zealand In Joint Statement With Luxon

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In another engagement, Modi and Luxon visited the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib. The two leaders, sporting yellow scarves, bowed before the Guru Granth Sahib and paid obeisance at the Sikh shrine.

Luxon is visiting India from March 16 to 20 on his first trip to the country as prime minister. He is accompanied by one of the largest delegations a New Zealand prime minister has ever travelled with.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 22:04 IST
PM Modi Flags Concerns Over 'Anti-India Elements' In New Zealand In Joint Statement With Luxon

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:23 IST

India and New Zealand signed a defence cooperation pact during PM Luxon's visit to Delhi. Both the prime ministers also held bilateral talks in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in New Delhi (Photo: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon on Monday issued a joint press statement and witnessed the exchange of agreements between the two countries in Delhi.

During the statement, Prime Minister Modi expressed concerns over anti-India elements in New Zealand and the two countries also inked a defence cooperation pact.

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Both the prime ministers also held a bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House in the national capital.

During the joint press statement with Luxon, PM Modi today said, I welcome PM Luxon and his cabinet to India. PM Luxon is connected to India. We saw how he celebrated Holi recently. We are happy that a young leader like him is our chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue 2025."

#WATCH | Delhi: During the joint press statement with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon, PM Modi says, I welcome PM Luxon and his cabinet to India PM Luxon is connected to India. We saw how he celebrated Holi recently We are happy that a young leader like him is our chief pic.twitter.com/lFLU7Q6f9E ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Speaking further, Prime Minister Modi said, Work will be done by India and New Zealand to formulate an agreement to deal with the issue of illegal migration."

#WATCH | Delhi | PM Modi and Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon deliver a joint press statementPM Modi says, Work will be done by India and New Zealand to formulate an agreement to deal with the issue of illegal migration." pic.twitter.com/yD58PI1lG4  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon began his five-day visit to India on Sunday with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties with New Delhi.

Ahead of the Modi-Luxon talks, the two nations announced the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

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Shortly after arriving in the national capital, the leader of the wealthy Pacific nation described India as a country of huge importance" to New Zealands prosperity, security, and society.

India provides huge economic opportunity for Kiwis. Thats why Im here and thats why Ive brought a senior delegation of business and community leaders with me," he wrote on X.

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 17, 2025, 13:59 IST
PM Modi Persuaded Putin Not To Use Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Polish Minister On Ukraine War | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:27 IST

Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski said Poland was grateful for Indias involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war as he batted for peace

PM Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (PTI)

Polands deputy foreign minister and secretary of state Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski on Monday said the country was grateful" for Indias involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war as he revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to not use nuclear tactical weapons.

We had a great visit of PM Modi to Warsaw. PM Modi did persuade Putin not to use nuclear tactical weapons. We want permanent peace. We want stable and sustainable peace in Ukraine," he told CNN-News18 in an exclusive interview.

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#Exclusive | "We appreciate that PM Modi, in the early stages of the war, did persuade Mr. Putin to not use tactical nuclear weapon": Wadysaw T. Bartoszewski (@WTBartoszewski) Dy Foreign Minister, Poland tells @siddhantvm @DeepakofIndia joins conversation@Elizasherine | pic.twitter.com/Vbsne1l49R News18 (@CNNnews18) March 17, 2025

Bartoszewskis statement comes a day after PM Modi, in a podcast with Lex Fridman, said peace could only be restored on the negotiation table and not the battlefield, urging both warring nations to engage in talks.

I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike. I can sit with President Putin and say that this is not the time for war, and I can also tell President Zelenskyy in a friendly way that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield," he said.

He added: The resolution will only come when both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table. Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties instead. Initially, it was challenging to find peace, but now the current situation presents an opportunity for meaningful and productive talks between Ukraine and Russia."

Clarifying his position on the war, the prime minister said: I have always maintained that I stand with peace. I am not neutral. I have a stance, and that is peace."

Prime Minister Modi persuaded Putin not to use nuclear tactical weapon  Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski. pic.twitter.com/gNK0SZFz89 Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 17, 2025

In his podcast, PM Modi also noted that global conflicts were on the rise because international organisations that were once powerful have become almost irrelevant. International organisations that were once powerful have become almost irrelevant. No real reforms are happening. Institutions, like the UN, are failing to fulfil their roles."

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Urging countries to let go of conflict for the greater good, the prime minister explained: People, who disregard international laws and rules, continue to act freely, and no one can stop them. In such situations, the prudent choice for everyone is to let go of conflict and move toward cooperation."

Bartoszewski, meanwhile, said Poland had helped Ukraine since the very beginning of the war". We have thousands of migrants coming from Ukraine into Poland. We are ready to provide peacekeeping force and military support."

About the Author Siddhant Mishra Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ... Read More Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 11:22 IST
PM Modi Meets US Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard, Gifts Ganga Water From Mahakumbh

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 21:16 IST

Tulsi Gabbard also met defence minister Rajnath Singh before meeting PM Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard hold a meeting in New Delhi. (IMAGE: SOURCED)

The US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Their meeting came after the Prime Minister urged the US government to act against Khalistani terror outfits operating out of the US.

Glad to welcome Tulsi Gabbard to India. Exchanged views on further advancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Both countries are committed to combating terrorism and enhancing maritime and cyber security cooperation," PM Modi said after meeting her in a social media post.

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Khalistani terrorist group Sikhs For Justice, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has orchestrated and planned attacks against India and has operated out of the US for a long time. He is also a US citizen.

Glad to welcome @TulsiGabbard to India. Exchanged views on further advancing the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Both countries are committed to combating terrorism and enhancing maritime and cyber security cooperation.@DNIGabbard pic.twitter.com/kAg7efPv6n Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2025

The Indian consulates and diplomatic missions have faced attacks from Khalistani secessionists in the US, Canada, UK and Australia.

On March 20, 2023, Khalistan supporters vandalized the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, replacing the Indian flag with a Khalistan flag and causing property damage.

On July 2, 2023, the same consulate faced an arson attempt, resulting in minor damage. The US State Department condemned the act at the time.

New Delhi on several occasions said that Khalistani terrorists carry out attacks on Indian consulates, members of the Indian diaspora and even on members of the Sikh community who disagree with them under the garb of freedom of expression.

Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Gabbard discussed defence cooperation and intelligence sharing and efforts to counter terrorism.

PM Presents Water From Kumbh To Tulsi Gabbard

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Prime Minister Modi gifted Tulsi Gabbard water from the Ganga, collected during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh.

The grand religious event, which ended on February 26, witnessed a record-breaking turnout of over 660 million devotees at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, making it the largest human gathering in history.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 19:21 IST
Punjab Govt Won't Renew NSA Against Amritpal Singh, Intelligence Sources Raise Concern | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:38 IST

The Punjab government will not renew the NSA against Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh, allowing him to face trial in regular court for the 2023 Ajnala police station attack.

Amritpal Singh attended only one sitting of the Lok Sabha in which he took oath in July, 2024. (PTI File)

The Punjab government has decided not to renew the National Security Act (NSA) against Khalistani separatist and Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh, paving the way for his return to Punjab to face trial in regular court proceedings. Singh, currently detained under NSA, is set to be released from NSA detention in April 2025.

However, the government has initiated the process to bring him back to Punjab to face charges related to the 2023 Ajnala police station attack and other cases of communal rioting and separatism.

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According to top police sources, Singh and his associates will face legal action for their alleged involvement in the Ajnala incident. Amritpal Singh, a current Member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib, Punjab, was detained under NSA in April 2023 and has been held in Dibrugarh jail, Assam, along with nine associates.

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This decision marks a shift from NSA detention to regular legal processes, with potential charges under multiple FIRs, including the Ajnala attack case. Singh, known for his pro-Khalistan stance and leadership of the Waris Punjab De outfit, was arrested on April 23, 2023, after a month-long manhunt.

However, top intelligence sources have expressed concerns, stating that while extending NSA is the prerogative of the state government, intelligence reports should be considered. They suggest that the AAP governments attempt to balance Singhs popularity with potential legal and human rights criticisms might not be in the states best interest. Concerns have also been raised that prolonged detention could fuel separatist narratives and destabilise Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: March 17, 2025, 14:38 IST
Rajnath Singh Raises Concerns Over Khalistani Activities In US During Meeting With Tulsi Gabbard: Report

Curated By :

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Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 15:39 IST

India raised concerns about anti-India elements operating from foreign soil, including pro-Khalistan groups, in the United States. This came days after a Hindu temple in California.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. (Rajnath Singh/X)

India has expressed concern over anti-India activities by the Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) operating in the United States, during a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday.

Sources told ANI that during the meeting, Singh requested the US administration to take strong action against the group. The meeting between Singh and Gabbard on Monday focused on strengthening India-US strategic ties, with an emphasis on defence and intelligence sharing.

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According to an official statement, both leaders emphasised that strategic security remains a vital pillar of the comprehensive global strategic cooperation between the two nations.

Rajnath Singh and Tulsi Gabbard reviewed the significant strides made in the areas of military exercises, strategic cooperation, integration of defence industrial supply chains and information-sharing cooperation, especially in the maritime domain, between India and US," the statement said.

The two leaders explored avenues for collaboration in cutting-edge defence innovation and niche technologies, reflecting their shared commitment to advancing mutual strategic interests. Additionally, they addressed key areas such as enhancing interoperability and fostering greater integration of defence industrial supply chains to bolster resilience and innovation," it added.

Gabbards visit to India marks the first high-level visit from a Trump administration official. Her discussions with Singh followed a meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Sunday, where they explored ways to enhance intelligence sharing and security cooperation.

Gabbard also attended a conclave of global intelligence chiefs hosted by India, which included US, Canadian, and UK representatives. The closed-door discussions centred around intelligence sharing, counterterrorism efforts, emerging technology threats, and Indo-Pacific security.

Concerns about anti-India elements operating from foreign soil, including pro-Khalistan groups, were raised by the Indian side. The conclave also saw discussions on global challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine war and Middle East conflicts. Gabbards multi-nation tour includes stops in Japan, Thailand, and France.

On March 9, a Hindu temple was vandalised with anti-India" graffiti by pro-Khalistani protesters in California, prompting strong condemnation from India. Terming such acts despicable", Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the local authorities should ensure adequate security in places of worship.

This incident took place ten days after a similar incident at the BAPS Temple in New York. Similar incidents also took place in Hindu temples last year.

India has also alleged that the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) is spreading anti-India propaganda by organising protests and filing baseless" cases against Indian dignitaries in the United States and other countries. India has accused SFJ of involvement in anti-national and subversive activities".

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The Indian government has consistently raised concerns with the authorities in Canada and the US about the actions of Pannun and other pro-Khalistan leaders, including their involvement in inciting violence against Indian diplomats and diplomatic missions in those nations.

(with inputs from agencies)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 15:30 IST
'Delighted': On Truth Social Debut, PM Modi Thanks Trump For Sharing His Podcast, Posts A Special Photo

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 20:50 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined Truth Social, hours after Donald Trump shared his podcast with Lex Fridman on the platform.

PM Modi joins Truth Social (Photo: Truth Social/ Narendra Modi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday joined Donald Trumps social media platform Truth Social and posted a special picture with the US President in his maiden post, indicating the close bond between the two leaders.

Donald Trump uses the platform to convey his messages to the world.

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Delighted to be on Truth Social! Looking forward to interacting with all the passionate voices here and engaging in meaningful conversations in the times to come," PM Modi wrote in his first post on Truth Social. He also added a picture of him holding Trumps hand at the Howdy Modi event on September 22, 2019, at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Trump had launched Truth Social in 2022 after he was banned from social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter (now X) following the Capitol Hill riots in 2021.

PM Modi Thanks Trump For Sharing His Lex Fridman Podcast

He joined the platform hours after Trump shared the YouTube link of PM Modis podcast with Lex Fridman on Truth Social.

Soon after joining the platform, the Prime Minister followed two people  US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

In his second post, minutes after the first one, PM Modi quoted Trumps Truth post  in which the President shared his podcast with the American AI researcher  and thanked him.

Thank you my friend, President Trump. Ive covered a wide range of topics, including my life journey, Indias civilisational outlook, global issues and more," PM Modi wrote.

The Prime Minister sat on a podcast with the American influencer and the episode was aired on YouTube on Sunday evening. The duo discussed a range of topics, ranging from the Prime Ministers childhood, RSS, 2002 Gujarat riots to geopolitics.

Trump shared the podcast on Monday (IST) at a time when his DNI Tulsi Gabbard is on a three-day visit to India, where she met PM Modi. Later in the evening, he announced his joining of the platform with a special post with friend" Donald Trump.

PM Modi Praises Trump On Podcast

During the three-hour-long podcast with Fridman, the Prime Minister said that he and Trump connect well as both leaders work on a Nation First" agenda.

When asked about what he liked about Trump, PM Modi recalled the Howdy Modi event, in which he asked the President to take a lap around the stadium and the Republican leader agreed to do so without giving a second thought about security.

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I was touched by his courage and his trust in me," he said, particularly highlighting that Trump displayed similar courage after an assassination attempt was made on him during the campaign last year.

His life was for his nation. His reflection showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in Nation First. I stand for India first and thats why we connect so well. These are the things that truly resonate," he 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

First Published: March 17, 2025, 20:13 IST
Tulsi Gabbard Calls On NSA Ajit Doval In Delhi, Likely To Meet PM Modi

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 16, 2025, 23:01 IST

US DNI Tulsi Gabbard is on a multi-national tour of the Indo-Pacific. She met NSA Ajit Doval in New Delhi on Sunday.

US DNI Tulsi Gabbard (Reuters Image)

The United States Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, met Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Sunday and held detailed discussions on several facets of the India-US ties.

She arrived in India as part of a multi-national tour of the Indo-Pacific. During her trip, she is also expected to meet the top government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi  which will be her second meeting with him since her confirmation as the DNI.

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Gabbard will also deliver a keynote address and take part in a Q&A session at the Raisina Dialogue  Indias flagship conference on geopolitics  on March 18.

She earlier said that her visit to the region aims to strengthen relationships.

I am wheels up on a multi-nation trip to the Indo-Pacific, a region I know very well, having grown up as a child of the Pacific. Ill be going to Japan, Thailand, and India, with a brief stop in France enroute back to DC," Gabbard posted on X.

This is her first visit to India since assuming charge as DNI in the second Trump administration.

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In February this year, PM Modi had met Gabbard in Washington DC during his visit to the US.

Met USAs Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, in Washington DC. Congratulated her on her confirmation. Discussed various aspects of the India-USA friendship, of which shes always been a strong votary," PM Modi had posted on X.

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 16, 2025, 23:01 IST
UP Cyber Fraud Alert: How Email Spoofing Cost HAL Kanpur Rs 55 Lakh

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 15:32 IST

This has been an eye-opener. We are implementing stringent measures to ensure this never happens again, said an HAL executive

Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a surge in cyber frauds, targeting individuals, businesses, and even government institutions. (File)

In what can be termed as one of Uttar Pradeshs (UP) most peculiar cyber fraud cases, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Kanpur, a crucial defence sector enterprise under the Ministry of Defence, has fallen prey to a sophisticated email scam, resulting in a loss of approximately Rs 55 lakh.

Officials investigating the matter said that cybercriminals executed the fraud by impersonating an American supplier and deceiving HAL officials into transferring the amount to their account.

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Cyber experts called it a classic case of email spoofing.

MODUS OPERANDI

HAL Kanpur, engaged in manufacturing and overhauling fighter aircraft, regularly procures aviation parts from international suppliers. The cybercriminals targeted HALs transaction with P.S. Engineering Inc., USA, a supplier of aircraft components.

The fraudsters infiltrated HALs communication chain and created a deceptive email IDjlane@ps-enginering.com, which closely resembled the suppliers legitimate ID, gledbetter@ps-engineering.com.

Posing as the supplier, they directed HAL to transfer $63,405 (approximately Rs 55 lakh) to their bank account. Unaware of the deception, HAL officials processed the payment.

We never imagined such a sophisticated fraud could bypass our security measures. It was only when the actual supplier inquired about the payment that we realised something was wrong," an HAL official stated.

DISCOVERY OF THE FRAUD

The fraud came to light when HAL officials followed up with P.S. Engineering Inc. about the shipment, only to learn that the company had never received the payment. Upon reviewing their email communications, HAL officials were stunned to discover they had been corresponding with a fraudulent email ID. The realisation sent shockwaves through our team. We immediately suspected a cyber breach and reported the matter to the Cyber Police Station in Kanpur," said a senior HAL executive.

EMAIL SYSTEM COMPROMISED?

Investigators believe the cybercriminals had been monitoring HALs email exchanges for weeks, enabling them to time their attack perfectly.

The precision with which the scammers executed their plan suggests they had access to HALs internal communications," said officials investigating the matter.

The cyber police, however, suspect it to be a case of email breach and have roped in experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur to analyse the attack. We are examining whether malware was used to infiltrate HALs email servers," said Sunil Varma, in-charge of the Cyber Police Station. Varma said the initial investigations point to a sophisticated cyber operation.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

Following the fraud, HALs Additional General Manager lodged a formal complaint, prompting an extensive investigation. We have identified some leads and expect to make arrests soon. The fraudsters likely operated from outside India, which complicates the case, but we are working with international cybersecurity agencies to trace them," confirmed Varma.

STRENGTHENING CYBERSECURITY MEASURES

In response to the breach, HAL has introduced stricter protocols for financial transactions. The company now mandates video calls with vendors before authorising international payments, ensuring direct verification. Any change in bank details must undergo multi-level verification involving different departments and digital authentication.

Additionally, HAL has enhanced its email encryption to prevent unauthorised access and phishing attempts. Employees handling financial transactions will also undergo regular cybersecurity training to recognise and respond to potential threats.

Recognising the need for continuous monitoring, HAL is also working with cybersecurity firms to deploy AI-based fraud detection systems that can flag suspicious email activity in real time. This has been an eye-opener," said an HAL executive. We are implementing stringent measures to ensure this never happens again."

A CLASSIC CASE OF EMAIL SPOOFING

Cybersecurity expert Rakshit Tandon said, Email spoofing and social engineering attacks are becoming more advanced. Companies must employ dual-verification processes and educate employees about phishing tactics."

The Indian government has been pushing for stronger cybersecurity infrastructure, particularly in defence and public-sector undertakings. However, there is a need for continuous vigilance. We must not forget that we are dealing with criminals who adapt quickly," he said, calling HALs case a classic case of email spoofing", where attackers manipulate email addresses to appear legitimate while intercepting sensitive communications.

WHAT IS EMAIL SPOOFING?

Tandon said it is one of the most deceptive forms of cyber fraud. It exploits the trust organisations place in email communication, tricking employees into transferring funds to fraudulent accounts. In this case, the cybercriminals meticulously tracked HALs procurement process, mimicked the suppliers correspondence style, and inserted themselves at a critical moment to redirect funds," he added.

He further emphasised that such attacks often go unnoticed until financial damage occurs. Organisations need to verify every transaction independently, especially when payment details are altered," he added.

He said this is one of the most peculiar cases of email spoofing. Many organisations fail to verify email credentials before executing large transactions, making them easy targets," he added.

OTHER CYBER FRAUDS IN UTTAR PRADESH

The HAL incident is not an isolated case. Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a surge in cyber frauds, targeting individuals, businesses, and even government institutions. In the past three years, Uttar Pradesh has recorded approximately 3 lakh cases of cyber frauds. The state consistently reports the highest number of such cases in India.

In 2023 alone, around 2 lakh cases of financial cyber fraud were registered in UP, making it the worst-affected state in the country. Cybercriminals are leveraging increasingly sophisticated techniques such as phishing, identity theft, and ransomware attacks to exploit vulnerabilities across sectors.

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Major cities such as Lucknow, Noida, and Kanpur have seen a rise in cases where criminals impersonate vendors, intercept transactions, or hack into digital payment systems to siphon funds. The states rapid digitisation, while beneficial, has also exposed organisations to new threats.

Although the UP government has intensified efforts to curb cyber financial frauds through initiatives like Cyber Safe Uttar Pradesh, focusing on law enforcement training, public awareness, and AI-driven crime prevention. Despite collaborations with cybersecurity experts and private firms, cybercriminals continue to evolve, highlighting the need for having an advanced cybersecurity infrastructure and stricter regulations to keep a check on the cyber thugs.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 15:27 IST
Vadodara Car Crash Accused, Friend Seen In New CCTV Footage Moments Before Fatal Accident

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:37 IST

The accident occurred around 12:30 am on Friday when a car, driven by Chaurasia, crashed into multiple two-wheelers. Police arrested Chaurasia following the crash.

Screengrab of the CCTV footage. (X)

Three days after the Vadodara accident that killed one woman and injured others, CCTV footage has emerged showing the moments leading up to the accident. The footage reveals that accused Rakshit Chaurasiya and his friend visited another friends residence before the accident and also captured the car involved in the crash.

Chaurasiya, a 20-year-old law student rammed his car into five people, killing a woman and seriously injuring others in Gujarats Vadodara.

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The CCTV video captures Rakshit Chaurasiya and a friend arriving at a residence on a scooter, where they pause to converse before entering. Notably, Rakshit is seen drinking from a bottle, although the contents remain unidentified.

In another clip, a black sedan can be seen crossing the road in front of the house before parking nearby from the same location. Rakshits friend Pranshu, who was in the car during the accident, is seen walking into the house.

Both the friends, Rakshit and Pranshu reportedly spent around 45 minutes there before leaving in the car.

According to the sources of India Today, initially Pranshu took the drivers seat, but later Rakshit switched places with him and took the wheel, while Pranshu moved to the passenger seat.

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The accident occurred around 12:30 am on Friday when a car, driven by Chaurasia, crashed into multiple two-wheelers. Police arrested Chaurasia following the crash. The victim has been identified as Hemali Patel, who was riding her scooter when the speeding car struck her. The four other victims sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A video recorded by an eyewitness shows Chauhan stepping out of the damaged car and blaming Chaurasia for the accident while Chaurasia appears disoriented and continues shouting, Another round?" before being confronted and beaten by bystanders.

Location : Vadodara, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 09:37 IST
Hindu Outfits Threaten 'Babri-Like' Action If Aurangzeb's Tomb Not Razed, To Protest Across Maharashtra

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:19 IST

The VHP and Bajrang Dal threatened a 'Babri-like' action if Aurangzeb's tomb in Maharashtra was not demolished. The organisations have also planned protests across the state today.

Security at the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb, in Aurangabad, Maharashtra (Photo: PTI)

Workers of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal are set to hold protests across Maharashtra on Monday, demanding the demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs grave in Maharashtras Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

The workers of both organisations have also warned of a Babri-like action if the Aurangzeb tomb is not razed.

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To avoid any untoward incidents, the security around Aurangzebs tomb has been tightened. Teams of senior police officials have been deployed for 24/7 monitoring. The police have also set up security checkpoints with a strict vigilance on visitors.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | Security heightened near Aurangzebs Tomb in Chhatrapati SambhajinagarVishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have demanded the state government that Aurangzebs Tomb should be removed. (Earlier visuals) pic.twitter.com/o4MC8i61TO  ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2025

According to news agency PTI, Bajrang Dal and the VHP plan to submit a memorandum to the state government on Monday, urging legal action to remove the grave and have warned of karseva and statewide protests if the demand is not met.

ALSO READ | Fadnavis Is Equally Cruel: Maharashtra Congress Chief Likens CM To Aurangzeb, Triggers Row

Confirming the same, VHP State Minister of Maharashtra and Goa, Govindji Shende, while talking to reporters, said, The movement will be carried out step by step, starting with public awareness initiatives. This includes protests, memorandums, effigy burning, meetings, and awareness programs. The final step will be the Chalo Sambhaji Nagar march"

Nagpur, Maharashtra: On the demand to remove Aurangzebs tomb, VHP State Minister of Maharashtra and Goa, Govindji Shende says, The movement will be carried out step by step, starting with public awareness initiatives. This includes protests, memorandums, effigy burning, pic.twitter.com/AOi3zHnjb9 IANS (@ians_india) March 16, 2025

Meanwhile, commenting on the row, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he respected the sentiments of Marathas and opined that no one should support Aurangzeb.

I respect the sentiments of Marathas, Aurangzeb tortured Sambhaji Maharaj. A true patriot should not glorify Aurangzeb. No one should support Aurangzeb," he said.

He was an enemy of Maharashtra, a traitor. Why do we need the remains of Aurangzeb in Maharashtra?," Shinde asked.

Also commenting on the demands by the Hindu outfits, NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule said, This is not about a party. Its a historical thing politicians should not interfere in this Let experts make the decision. It is about history, and let the historians speak about it."

On the contrary, Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar alleged the Hindu outfits were left with nothing else to do.

They (VHP and Bajrang Dal) are left with nothing else to do. They dont want the people of Maharashtra to live peacefully. They want to slow the development pace of the state," he alleged.

Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Partys Satara MP, Udayanraje Bhosale, also a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzebs tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

On March 14, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called the BJP rule in Maharashtra worse than that of Aurangzeb and claimed farmers were dying in the state because of the saffron party.

Earlier this month, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asmi Azmi was suspended from the state assembly till the end of its budget session on March 26 following his remarks eulogising Aurangzeb.

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Aurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his battles with the Marathas, who resisted his expansionist ambitions. Shivaji Maharajs son, Sambhaji, was captured, tortured, and executed on his orders.

ALSO READ | Site Under ASI Protection: Fadnaviss Jab At Congress As He Backs Removal Of Aurangzebs Tomb

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 17, 2025, 09:03 IST
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025: Wishes, History, Quotes, Images, And WhatsApp Status

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 06:00 IST

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025 is a day of pride and inspiration. Celebrated on March 17, 2025, as per the Hindu calendar, his legacy of Swarajya lives on.

Happy Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025: Wishes, quotes, photos, messages and WhatsApp greetings to share on Shiv Jayanti. (Image: Shutterstock)

CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ JAYANTI 2025 WISHES: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti is not just a day of celebration but a moment of pride, reflection, and inspiration. This year, the celebrations, according to Hindu lunar calendar, will take place today, on March 17, 2025. Maharashtra and the entire nation commemorate the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the legendary Maratha ruler, visionary, and warrior who laid the foundation of Swarajya (self-rule). However, many are unaware that Shivaji Jayanti is observed on two different dates each year.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti Wishes

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On this special occasion of Shivaji Jayanti, let us remember the great Maratha warrior who fought for Swarajya. Jai Bhavani! Jai Shivaji!

May the courage and valor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj inspire us to strive for justice and righteousness. Happy Shivaji Jayanti!

Let us pay tribute to the legendary warrior who built a fearless empire with wisdom and strength. Wishing you a proud and joyous Shivaji Jayanti!

May the ideals of Shivaji Maharaj guide us in our lives, and may we always uphold his values of bravery and integrity. Jai Shivaji!

On this Shivaji Jayanti, lets pledge to walk on the path of self-rule, courage, and patriotism. Salute to the great Maratha warrior!

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025: Messages

Shivaji Maharaj was not just a warrior but a visionary leader who dreamed of a prosperous and just society. Lets honor his legacy this Shivaji Jayanti!

His sword was not just a weapon, but a symbol of justice and self-respect. Remembering the legend, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, on his birth anniversary!

Shivaji Jayanti reminds us of the power of self-determination and unity. May we all strive to uphold his legacy in our lives!

The Maratha Empire was built on the principles of Swarajya and justice. On this Shivaji Jayanti, lets strive for a better and united nation!

He was a king, a warrior, and a leader who lived for his people. Lets honor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs legacy by following his ideals!

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025: WhatsApp Status

Freedom is not given, it is taken!"  Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Jai Shivaji!

Saluting the warrior who never bowed to injustice. Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti ki Hardik Shubhkamnaye!

Shivaji Maharajs vision, courage, and wisdom continue to inspire us. Lets celebrate his greatness today and forever!

A king who lived for his people, a warrior who fought for Swarajya! Remembering Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj today!

The world belongs to the brave!"  Lets honor Shivaji Maharajs courage and vision on this special day. Jai Shivaji!

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025: Quotes

It is better to live one day as a lion than a hundred years as a sheep."

Freedom is always worth fighting for."

The welfare of the people is the ultimate law."

A strong determination can make anything possible."

Never bend your head always hold it high."

Do not think of the enemy as weak, but do not also overestimate their strength."

Even if there were a sword in the hands of everyone, it is willpower that establishes a government."

Victory is achieved not only through physical strength but also through wit and intelligence."

One should never fall for flattery, nor should one be afraid of criticism."

Why Does Maharashtra Celebrate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti Twice Every Year?

According to Drik Panchang, Shivaji Bhosale (1630-1680 C.E.), the legendary Maratha ruler, was born near Junnar in the Pune district to Shahaji Bhosale and Jijabai. While he is popularly revered as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, historians have debated the exact date of his birth.

Some believe he was born on February 19, 1630, while others claim his actual birthdate was April 6, 1627. The Maharashtra government officially recognises February 19 as Shivaji Jayanti. However, this date is based on the Julian calendar rather than the widely used Gregorian calendar.

Understanding the Dates

The alternative date aligns with April 16, 1627, in the Gregorian calendar. When converted to the Hindu lunar calendar, it corresponds to Dwitiya, Vaishakha, Shukla Paksha, Vikram Samvat 1684, as per Drik Panchang.

On the other hand, the more widely accepted date  February 19, 1630 corresponds to Krishna Paksha Tritiya in the Phalguna month when converted to the Hindu lunar calendar followed in Maharashtra.

A committee of historians appointed by the Maharashtra government in 2000 recommended this date, which led to its official recognition.

The Ongoing Debate

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs birthdate has been a subject of debate among historians and political leaders. While the state government observes Shivaji Jayanti as a public holiday on February 19, many Maharashtrians celebrate it on the third day of Phalgun in the Hindu calendar.

Political parties like Shiv Sena have advocated for observing the occasion based on the Hindu Tithi. Some historians, however, argue that the debate has been unnecessarily politicised in recent years.

Interestingly, when Lokmanya Tilak first popularised Shivaji Jayanti in the 1890s, it was widely believed that he was born on April 6, 1627, aligning with the Hindu month of Chaitra. Over time, different records suggested February 19, 1630, as the correct date.

To settle the dispute, the Maharashtra government formed a historians committee, which eventually declared February 19 as the official date. Despite this, the discussion over which calendar to follow  Hindu or Gregorian  continues to be a point of contention.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs Legacy, History And Significance

Born in Shivneri Fort, Pune, in 1630, Shivaji Maharaj displayed exceptional leadership from a young age. Inspired by his mother Jijabai and the dream of Swarajya (self-rule), he built a powerful empire, introduced innovative warfare tactics, and strengthened the Maratha navy.

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Beyond Maharashtra, his legacy is celebrated across India for his progressive governance, religious tolerance, and administrative reforms. He promoted education, encouraged the use of Marathi and Sanskrit, and implemented policies that ensured justice for all communities.

Shivaji Jayanti is more than just a celebrationit is a reminder of his values, courage, and vision. Schools and colleges organize lectures, competitions, and cultural programs to educate the younger generations about his contributions. His ideals of good governance, unity, and respect for all faiths continue to inspire millions.

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 17, 2025, 06:00 IST
Envoy: Beijing backs plan to rebuild Gaza

08:17, March 17, 2025 By Zhang Yunbi ( Chinadaily.com.cn

China supports the Gaza Strip reconstruction plan jointly adopted by Egypt and other Arab nations, as "Gaza is the homeland of the Palestinian people", said Liao Liqiang, Chinese ambassador to Egypt and China's representative to the League of Arab States.

Liao, who is also a national political adviser, made the remarks in an interview with China Daily on a range of topics, including the current situation in Gaza and China's ties with Egypt in bilateral, regional and global contexts.

On March 4, Arab leaders at a summit in Cairo endorsed Egypt's postwar reconstruction and development proposal for Gaza, which would allow roughly 2 million Palestinians to remain in their homeland.

Liao cited Foreign Minister Wang Yi's comments at a news conference earlier this month that changing Gaza's status by forceful means "will not bring peace, but only new chaos".

"The international community should strive for a comprehensive and durable ceasefire in Gaza and step up humanitarian assistance," he said.

The global community should also uphold the principle of "Palestinians governing Palestine" in the postwar governance of Gaza, in line with the two-state solution, in order to ultimately realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel, as well as ensure long-term peace and stability in the Middle East, he added.

Liao said that China is a "strategic partner of the Middle East countries" and a "sincere friend of the Arab brothers".

"China will continue to steadfastly fight for justice, peace, and development for the people of the Middle East, and support the Middle East countries in independently handling their future and exploring their own path of development, in order to realize their dream of peace and revitalization at an early date," he said.

Speaking about the strategic significance of bilateral ties that transcends the bilateral context, Liao said that Beijing will work with Cairo "to make more contributions to speeding up development in the Global South".

This year marks the 80th anniversary of both the founding of the United Nations and China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

For closer international coordination with Egypt, China looks to take these occasions as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation under the framework of multilateral platforms such as the UN, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Liao said.

"China looks forward to Egypt's active participation in various agenda items of the SCO this year, and to its support for relevant work under China's presidency (of the SCO)," he added.

Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Egypt diplomatic relations and China will host the second China-Arab Summit.

Speaking about Sino-Arab friendship, Liao noted that Egypt is home to the headquarters of the League of Arab States.

"We should further strengthen and perfect the building up of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, make the second China-Arab Summit successful, and accelerate the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future," he said.

Referring to the two nations' role in boosting China-Africa relations, Liao said it is key to effectively implement the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing, and carry out the 10 partnership actions of China and Africa to jointly advance modernization.

On China-Egypt ties, Liao said the relationship "stands at a new historical starting point". He emphasized the need to follow the lead of high-level exchanges, realize the outcomes of heads-of-state diplomacy, further strengthen exchanges between the governments, legislatures and localities, and enhance the exchange of experience in governance.

Beijing and Cairo should "build on their high degree of political mutual trust, keep taking care of each other's core interests and major concerns, and support each other's efforts in safeguarding sovereignty, security and development interests", he said.

Referring to practical cooperation, Liao said the two countries should continuously promote high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.

"The two sides should develop fresh sources of growth for cooperation in emerging sectors, including new energy, aerospace, electric vehicles, the construction of 5G, agricultural technology and artificial intelligence," he said.

Liao called Egypt "a natural partner in the construction of the BRI", noting that Egypt became the first African country to issue panda bonds in China last year, a pioneering move in co-building the Belt and Road.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
GLOBALink | Chinese agricultural techniques benefit Sri Lankan orchardists through cooperation project Pub Date:25-03-17 10:08 Source:Xinhua

A cooperation project launched by China and the FAO in Sri Lanka is yielding remarkable results. Integrating Chinese agricultural expertise with local farming conditions, the project has empowered many Sri Lankan farmers. #GLOBALink Editor:Qin Shuying

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Hooked On Happiness? The Dark Side Of Dopamine And Instant Pleasure

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:49 IST

A report revealed how chasing instant dopamine can lead to negative thoughts and be harmful in the long term. Find out more.

Social media, impulsive buying, and binge eating are common sources of instant dopamine.

Many arent aware that dopamine plays a crucial role in our mental health. While there are several positive sides of dopamine, including motivation, learning, memory, and controlling movement, it can lead to negative thoughts and can be harmful in the long term. Have you noticed how people have become impatient and hardly complete a movie or series they started watching?

The feel-good dopamine rush, aka the happy hormone is the real cause for it. Social media browsing, likes, comments, and even impulsive buying and binge eating are common sources of this dopamine. We are trapped in a vicious circle of fleeting pleasure because of instant gratification. However, this does not benefit us in the long run because dopamine spikes gradually subside, which negatively impacts mental health.

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Recently, Nishtha Jain, a Counseling psychologist at the mental health platform Lissun, told the Hindustan Times, Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with the brains reward system, as soon as we find something pleasurable or rewarding, the brain releases dopamine and sends a signal to the brain that this feels amazing."

She further added that the flooding of dopamine in the brain is the quick emotional payoff that an individual receives after doing something that they and their brain would perceive as positive.

It can seem simple to wind down and relax with instant dopamine. Its crucial to understand the various negative aspects of this immediate dopamine surge before it becomes a supply of delusional dopamine.

According to the expert, the availability and nature of a dopamine rush can also lead to low emotional resilience. Since it is more convenient to have things at the click of a finger, individuals would not tolerate everyday challenges or discomfort.

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Instant dopamine can also cause unhealthy behaviours like overspending or procrastination. Ultimately, the inner desire to work towards long-term goals diminishes in the background, and instant dopamine takes the front stage," she added.

She suggested that instead of pursuing short-lived pleasures, people might concentrate on developing habits that lead to long-term fulfilment. After the activity, you will feel better about yourself and experience positive emotional reactions.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 14:49 IST
Ramadan And Lent 2025: 10 Expert Tips to Stay Hydrated While Fasting

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:31 IST

Are you keeping fast during Ramadan and Lent? Note these expert tips to avoid dehydration and stay healthy.

Muslims around the world mark Ramadan as the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Water plays a crucial role in our bodys functioning. Dehydration can be harmful to your body as it can cause dizziness, weakness, confusion, and other symptoms. Reports suggest that one should have at least 8-9 glasses of water each day. However, many arent aware that it can totally differ from person to person. Water is essential for several reasons, such as supplying nutrition to cells, eliminating waste, protecting joints and organs, and regulating body temperature.

Moving on, Muslims around the world mark Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, as a holy time for communal gatherings, prayer and fasting. One of the Five Pillars of Islam is fasting, which calls for refraining from eating, drinking, and other necessities until sunset. While fasting, people should note these tips to avoid dy-hydration.

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Essential Tips for Ramadan Fasting

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Prachi Chandra, Lead Clinical Nutritionist at Sakra World Hospital in Bengaluru, told the Hindustan Times some tips to avoid dehydration, particularly during fasting periods.

1. Between Suhoor and Iftar, consume 810 glasses of water and low-calorie drinks such as coconut water, diluted fruit punch, lemon juice, thin buttermilk, kanji, ORS, mineral water, herbal teas, flavoring milk, vegetable soups or vegetable juices, broths, etc. 2. During Ramadan, it is recommended to have a glass of water or another beverage both before and after each prayer. Drink a glass of water or another beverage every 30 minutes, regardless of whether youre thirsty or not. 3. Eat fruits and vegetables that are high in water content both during meals and while breaking a fast. Food items which are very sweet, salty, or spicy will make you thirstier. Instead of dry veggies, opt for curries or semi-gravies. 4. Always eat dried nuts and seeds that have been soaked first. 5. You will urinate more often if you consume caffeine. Staying hydrated may become challenging as a result. Limit your daily intake of caffeinated beverages to 1-2 cups as they can potentially cause jitters or anxiety. 6. Drink water or other liquids gradually rather than all at once. Drinking water that is extremely hot or too cold is not recommended. After Iftar, sipping on some lukewarm water will help to hydrate your body more easily.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 14:31 IST
Kalpana Chawla Birth Anniversary 2025: 10 Facts About The India-Born American Astronaut

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:20 IST

Kalpana Chawla, born March 17, 1962, was the first Indian woman in space twice. She died in the 2003 Columbia disaster and remains an inspiration, especially for young women.

Kalpana Chawla Birth Anniversary: She was born in Haryana's Karnal on March 17, 1962. (File pic)

Kalpana Chawla Birth Anniversary 2025: For the past several years, Kalpana Chawla has been serving as a major source of inspiration for people across all age groups, especially young women, in India and abroad. Chawla, who was born on March 17, 1962, was the first Indian woman to go to space twice in her lifetime. She passed away in a major mishap that Space Shuttle Columbia encountered while returning to the Earth in February 2003.

After being interested in aviation during her childhood days, Kalpana not just went on to fulfill her dream of becoming an astronaut, but managed to cement her legacy as a role model for millions.

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10 Facts About Kalpana Chawla

The national hero of India was born in Haryanas Karnal on March 17, 1962. She completed her initial studies in her hometown itself and later went on to pursue aeronautical engineering at the Chandigarh-based Punjab Engineering College. She is said to be the first woman to pursue that course. After completing her Bachelors Degree in India, Kalpana Chawla decided to shift to the US in 1982 to take part in a Masters programme. While in the United States, she received a Masters of Science degree in aerospace engineering in 1984 from the University of Texas. This was followed by a doctorate of philosophy in aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado in 1988. Kalpana Chawla was very fascinated by aeroplanes as a child and even used to be a visitor at local flying clubs with her father. Shortly after completing her studies, she went on to join the Ames Research Centre of NASA. She began work at the US space agency in 1988 after finishing her PhD. After being associated with NASA for a couple of years, she was finally selected as the astronaut candidate in 1994. In 1997, she got her maiden chance to fly to space on Space Shuttle Columbia, wherein she was appointed as the mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator for the mission. During her time, she even spoke to the then-Indian Prime Minister IK Gujral and showed him photographs of the Himalayas captured from space. Her second and final journey to space was on STS-107 in 2003. The 16-day flight journey saw an unfortunate ending as the spacecraft disintegrated while returning into the Earths atmosphere. All the seven crew members onboard, including Kalpana Chawla, died in the incident. After this incident, the Space Shuttle Columbias mission came to a halt for several years. As per Kalpana Chawlas wish, her remains were cremated and scattered at the National Park in Utah. She was married to Jean Pierre Harisson for two decades before passing away in February 2003. For her significant contributions, Kalpana Chawla has been honoured with several medals and awards from the Indian government as well as in the US. The first satellite under the Met-Sat series was renamed as Kalpana-1 to commemorate her legacy.

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 : Haryana, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 07:20 IST
Philippines, India, and Taiwan Lead Asias Sustainable Travel Shift, Survey Reveals

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:40 IST

A growing number of travelers from the Philippines (86%), India (82%), and Taiwan (80%) are prioritizing sustainability in their travel plans, signaling a significant shift towards eco-conscious tourism across Asia.

With global tourism at a turning point, the findings signal an urgent need for eco-friendly travel options, sustainability certifications, and community-based tourism initiatives.

As awareness of environmental impact grows, Asian travelers are placing sustainability at the heart of their travel decisions. Agodas 2025 Sustainable Travel Surveywhich gathered insights from over 6,000 travelers across 11 Asian marketspaints a clear picture of this evolving landscape. The results highlight a regional shift toward eco-conscious tourism, with Filipino travelers emerging as the most sustainability-driven (86%), closely followed by India (82%), Taiwan (80%), Malaysia (80%), and Vietnam (77%).

While the majority of Asian travelers (68%) are now factoring sustainability into their travel plans, certain regions still lag behind21% of respondents in Hong Kong and 17% in Japan stated that sustainability is not a major concern for them. This growing contrast underscores the need for more education and awareness regarding responsible travel.

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With global tourism at a turning point, the findings signal an urgent need for eco-friendly travel options, sustainability certifications, and community-based tourism initiatives.

Travelers Seek Cultural Authenticity and Meaningful Experiences

Beyond reducing their environmental impact, Asian travelers are increasingly drawn to authentic cultural encounters that extend beyond traditional sightseeing.

 24% of travelers prioritize immersive local experiences, choosing destinations that offer genuine cultural exchanges.

 22% actively support local economies, preferring accommodations, restaurants, and activities that benefit local businesses.

 Indian travelers lead in values-based tourism, with 24% stating that personal ethics and sustainability beliefs shape their travel decisions.

This trend mirrors a broader global movement away from mass tourism, favoring more intentional, mindful, and community-driven travel. For hospitality brands, this shift calls for the adoption of local partnerships and sustainability-driven tourism models to stay competitive.

Off-Peak and Low-Impact Travel Gains Traction

One of the most promising shifts in sustainable tourism is the growing preference for off-peak travel, a move that helps alleviate over-tourism while minimizing environmental strain on popular destinations.

 Nearly 25% of travelers across Asia are opting for low-season travel to reduce overcrowding.

 20% actively seek out eco-certified hotels and resorts, signaling an increasing demand for sustainable accommodations.

 18% of travelers are committed to waste reduction, with Japanese travelers leading the charge25% consistently pack reusable essentials like water bottles and shopping bags.

These changing behaviors offer a unique opportunity for travel brands to develop green tourism packages, promote eco-lodging, and encourage responsible travel habits through strategic marketing.

The Hospitality Industry Responds to Eco-Conscious Travelers

Recognizing the rise of sustainability-driven tourism, hospitality brands are introducing innovative green initiatives. Agoda, for instance, has launched the Eco Deals Program, which not only provides travelers with discounted eco-friendly stays but also donates $1 per booking to local conservation projects.

Asian travelers are looking for ways to make a positive impact on the destinations they visit. Agodas Eco Deals Program allows them to contribute to conservation efforts while enjoying meaningful travel experiences." Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda

As sustainable tourism gains momentum, hotels, resorts, and travel operators will need to adapt their business models, incorporating renewable energy, zero-waste initiatives, and community-driven tourism efforts to align with shifting consumer values.

What This Means for Asias Travel Industry

Agodas findings highlight the need for urgent adaptation in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

 Destinations must promote off-peak travel to distribute tourist traffic and avoid overcrowding.

 Hotels and resorts should obtain sustainability certifications to attract eco-conscious travelers.

 Cultural tourism and community-driven experiences will become key differentiators for travel brands.

 Governments must invest in green initiatives to enhance the long-term sustainability of their tourism sectors.

The Global Impact: How Asias Sustainable Travel Trends Shape the Future

As Asian travelers demand more sustainable tourism options, their choices will influence global travel brands, airlines, and tourism authorities.

 Eco-Tourism Will Expand Worldwide

Countries relying on mass tourism will face increasing pressure to shift toward sustainability-driven models.

 Hospitality Will Need to Prioritize Green Practices

From carbon-neutral hotels to waste-reduction programs, the travel industry will need to integrate sustainability across operations.

 Transportation Innovations Will Take Center Stage

With rising concerns over carbon footprints, there will be greater interest in alternative transportincluding high-speed rail networks, low-carbon aviation, and sustainable flight technologies.

The Future of Responsible Travel in Asia

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As Asian travelers redefine what it means to explore the world, the tourism industry must adapt swiftly. The success of sustainable tourism will determine which destinations thrive in the years ahead and reshape global travel trends.

For travelers, this shift means more immersive, eco-conscious, and purpose-driven experiencesallowing them to explore the world without compromising environmental and cultural integrity.

About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: March 17, 2025, 09:40 IST
Anna Kendrick Laughs Off Blake Lively Drama At 'Another Simple Favour' Premiere: 'What Happened?'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 18, 2025, 01:54 IST

Anna Kendrick playfully dodged questions about Blake Livelys legal battle at a movie premiere, saying, "What happened?"

Another Simple Favor will be released on May 1. (Photo Credits: X)

Anna Kendrick knows how to sidestep controversy with humour. At the premiere of Another Simple Favour, the actress was asked if the film had been impacted by everything going on in the world"  a vague but loaded reference to Blake Livelys ongoing legal battle.

Kendrick, never one to be caught off guard, quipped, Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca, and the last year of my life is just gone, but I heard the movie is amazing." Flashing a smile, she swiftly walked away, avoiding any further discussion on the matter.

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Later, at SXSW, a fan asked Kendrick how it felt to work with Lively again. Her response? A shrug and a nonchalant, Oh, you know," before continuing down the line.

Rumours of Tension

Kendricks lighthearted responses come amid whispers of tension between her and Lively. When the films first poster dropped on Instagram in February, some fans were quick to link Livelys legal troubles with It Ends With Us (2024) co-star Justin Baldoni to the Another Simple Favour promotion. Others even speculated about a rift, questioning why Livelys name appeared higher than Kendricks on the poster.

Despite the online chatter, sources close to Kendrick have dismissed any talk of drama. Anna is not used to being caught up in any drama," a source told People. The comments on Instagram have upset her, especially ones saying fans are refusing to watch the movie because they dont want to support Blake."

Another insider clarified, There really is no drama or rift between Anna and Blake." A third source added, The film is in the early stages of planning press, and Blake and Anna will be doing some things together."

What to Expect from Another Simple Favour

The sequel to A Simple Favour (2018) follows Kendricks Stephanie as she reunites with Livelys Emily at her lavish wedding to a wealthy Italian businessman, played by Michele Morrone. With their shared pastincluding a murder-suicide plotlooming over them, the film promises plenty of suspense when it hits theatres on May 1.

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

Location : Los Angeles, United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 18, 2025, 01:51 IST
Ayan Mukerji To Hold Prayer Meet For Late Father Deb Mukherjee On March 18 | Details Inside

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 11:15 IST

Ayan Mukerji will hold a prayer meet for his late father, Deb Mukherjee, on March 18, 2025. The veteran actor, known for films like Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, passed away at 83.

Veteran actor and father of Ayan Mukerji, Deb Mukherjee, passed away on March 14, 2025.

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji and his family will be holding a prayer meet for his late father, veteran actor Deb Mukherjee, on March 18, 2025. The industry veteran, known for his work in films like Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar and Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain, passed away on March, leaving behind a legacy in Indian cinema. He was 83 years old and died due to age-related ailments.

Friends, family, and well-wishers are expected to come together to honour and remember Deb Mukherjee, who was a part of Bollywoods golden era. The prayer meet will be a chance for everyone to come together and pay their respects to a man whose presence, both on and off-screen, touched many hearts.

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The veteran actors last rites were performed on March 14 in the presence of his family members and Bollywood stars such as Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and others.

Now, Deb Mukherjees prayer meet will be held on March 18 at Andheri West, Mumbai. The invitation note read, Celebrating the life of Deb Mukerji. 22nd November 1941  14th March 2025. Forever Remembered. Forever Missed."

The prayer meet is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 5 PM to 7 PM. It will take place at Filmalaya Studio, Ceaser Road, Amboli, Andheri West, Mumbai  400058.

Deb Mukherjee was a familiar face in Bollywood, having been a part of several films like Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool, Abhinetri, Do Aankhen, Baaton Baaton Mein, Kaminey, and Gudgudee, among many others. But beyond the silver screen, he was also deeply involved in cultural traditions, playing a key role in organizing the North Bombay Durga Pujaan event that holds a special place in Mumbais festive calendar

May his soul rest in peace!

First Published: March 17, 2025, 11:15 IST
Emilie Dequenne, Award-Winning Belgian Actress, Dies At 43 From Rare Cancer

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 10:14 IST

Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne passed away at 43 after battling adrenocortical carcinoma. Known for her role in Rosetta, she won Best Actress at Cannes. Her final film was Survive in 2024.

Emilie Dequenne is no more.

Belgian actress Emilie Dequenne has passed away at the age of 43 after battling a rare form of cancer. Her family and agent confirmed the heartbreaking news, revealing that she took her last breath in a hospital near Paris on Sunday. Known for her remarkable talent and unforgettable performances, Emilie leaves behind a legacy that will live on in the hearts of cinema lovers.

In October 2023, Emilie Dequenne opened up about her fight against adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the adrenal gland. She faced it with courage, sharing her journey with honesty and grace. Even as the illness took its toll, she continued to inspire those around her with her resilience.

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Emilie Dequennes journey in cinema began with a bang. Her very first role in Rosetta, directed by the Dardenne brothers, catapulted her to fame when she won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival. The film itself took home the prestigious Palme dOr, marking the start of what would be an extraordinary career.

She went on to deliver powerful performances in a string of French-language films, earning accolades along the way. Her roles in The Girl on the Train (2009) and Our Children (2012) stood out.

In 2024, Emilie Dequenne returned to the Cannes Film Festival, a place that had once changed her life. It had been 25 years since her breakout moment in Rosetta, and she reunited with the Dardenne brothers to celebrate the milestone. But she wasnt just there to look backshe was also looking ahead, promoting Survive, her first English-language disaster film, released that same year.

Tragically, Survive would be her final on-screen performance. Soon after, her illness forced her to step away from the work she loved.

May her soul rest in peace!

First Published: March 17, 2025, 10:14 IST
Malaika Arora Fumes Over Dancing Teen's 'Lewd' Gestures At Her, Demands His Mother's Number

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:12 IST

Malaika Arora, judging Hip Hop India, faced discomfort when a 16-year-old contestant made suggestive gestures. The viral video sparked debate, keeping her personal life under scrutiny

While many supported Malaika Arora's reaction, others criticised her, citing her recent podcast appearance where she discussed her son's virginity. (News18)

Malaika Arora, renowned for her captivating dance moves, has been enchanting audiences for years. Currently judging the second season of the popular television programme Hip Hop India, she is celebrated for her bold fashion choices and intriguing personal life.

An Uncomfortable Encounter

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Recently, an unexpected incident unfolded during the dance show. A young contestant, while performing, directed suggestive gestures towards Arora, making her visibly uncomfortable. The incident, captured on video, has since gone viral.

In the footage, Arora can be heard reprimanding the 16-year-old boy, demanding his mothers phone number. She expresses her astonishment, questioning his audacious behaviour despite his young age. He is winking. He is giving flying kisses," she says.

The other contestants also deemed the boys actions incorrect. A dancer said, It was right to scold him. He did it in front of her?"

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Public Reaction And Criticism

The video has sparked widespread debate, with many supporting Aroras reaction. Fellow contestants also condemned the boys actions, deeming them inappropriate. However, others have criticised Arora, drawing parallels with her recent podcast appearance where she questioned her son about his virginity, sparking a conversation about double standards and hypocrisy.

Aroras Personal Life In The Spotlight

Malaika Aroras personal life has often been subject to public scrutiny. After ending her 19-year marriage with Arbaaz Khan, she was in a long-term relationship with Arjun Kapoor, which also recently ended.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 09:12 IST
Shruti Haasans Stunning Transformation In Lokesh Kanagarajs Coolie Surprises Fans

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:37 IST

The production house treated fans to a series of BTS snapshots from the filming of Coolie.

Shruti Haasan, draped in a salwar kameez, is seen in a never-before-seen avatar. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Big news for Tamil cinema fans  Coolie, the much-anticipated action thriller, is being shot at great pace. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced under the Sun Pictures banner by Kalanithi Maran, the film boasts an ensemble cast led by none other than Rajinikanth. Sharing the screen with him are stars like Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR and Monisha Blessy. Fans have been eagerly following every update, and the team has been generous with glimpses from the sets. But the latest surprise? It comes straight from Sun Pictures itself.

On director Lokesh Kanagarajs birthday, the production houses official Instagram page treated fans to a series of behind-the-scenes snapshots from the filming of Coolie. While each frame had something intriguing, one image in particular stole the spotlightit was none other than Shruti Haasan, looking almost unrecognisable.

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Here, have a look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sun Pictures (@sunpictures)

Draped in a simple salwar kameez in muted, earthy hues, Shruti Haasan is seen in a never-before-seen avatar. A dupatta rests over her shoulder, completing the understated elegance of her look. Her dark hair is neatly pulled back, perhaps into a low ponytail or a braid, leaving her sharp features exposed. But its her expression that draws you in. With slightly furrowed brows and a gaze locked in concentration, she seems to be deeply engaged in a conversation with Lokesh Kanagaraj, standing right in front of her.

Her makeup is kept to a bare minimum, letting her natural beauty shine through. Her skin has a flawless glow, her lips are painted in a subtle, neutral shade, and a pair of small earrings add just the right touch of simplicity to her traditional ensemble. The soft lighting enhances the depth of her expression, casting a gentle shadow that adds to the intensity of the moment.

Shruti Haasans association with Lokesh Kanagaraj goes back to her music video Inimel and speculations about her pivotal role in Coolie had been swirling for a while. She initially hinted at her involvement through an Instagram story, only to delete it later. It wasnt until August when the producers made an official announcement that her role was finally confirmed. Shrutis character is reportedly named Preethi in the film.

Coolie was officially announced back in September 2023 under the working title Thalaivar 171, marking Rajinikanths 171st film as a lead actor. The official title was later released in April 2024.

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 17, 2025, 14:37 IST
Opinion | 14kg Gold, Zero Detection: Airport Security In The Spotlight

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 12:26 IST

14kg of gold went undetected, not once, but on multiple trips by Kannada actress Ranya Rao. This highlights a critical need for stricter screening protocols and an overhaul of security measures

Actress Ranya Rao was arrested for allegedly smuggling gold from Dubai. (Photo: X,Representative)

When Emirates flight EK 566 from Dubai landed at Bengaluru Airport on 3 March at 6:30 pm, little did anyone realise that the femme fatale actress Ranya Rao, who disembarked from the flight, would expose how easy it was to breach airport securitythereby revealing the perfunctory manner in which multiple agencies discharged their security functions.

Acting on a tip-off, a special Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) team from Delhi had arrived two hours before her arrival on 3 March. She was caught off guard when DRI officers intercepted her, putting an end to her string of 27 visits to Dubai and travel to over 45 countries within a short span of time.

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A physical search of Ranya Raothe stepdaughter of K. Ramachandra Rao, the Director General of Police of Karnataka State Police Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limitedrevealed that she was carrying 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.5 crore on her person, along with a UAE Resident Identity Card. The actress had allegedly concealed the gold bars in her jeans, around her waist, and in her shoes, even taping them to her thighs using a medical bandage.

What continues to baffle DRI investigators is how she managed to evade the security checks at Dubai International Airport. Pre-screening is conducted at the entrance of all terminals, and iris scanning has been implemented. A key instruction to all passengers at Dubai Airport is: Avoid wearing metal objects as much as possible, and if you do, take them off before passing through the inspection device. Place them in the designated box and then through the security machine." Given these stringent measures, it remains highly intriguing how Ranya Rao evaded the scanners and allegedly smuggled 14.2 kg of gold on her body, slipping past both men and machines.

On arrival in Bengaluru, the modus operandi was simple. Basappa Billur, the Police Protocol Officer at the airport, would receive her in official uniform and escort her through Immigration and Customs.

What is baffling, however, is how Immigration officers failed to notice her frequent travels and question her, as this would have been evident on their computer screens. The same applies to Customs. There is also a specialised Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), whose systems should have flagged her frequent short-duration visits.

How and why did Immigration and Customs fail to detect her frequent travel? Now that the case has been referred to the CBI, more details are expected to emerge.

The abuse of state official protocol for anti-national activities stands out as a primary cause for concern. Officials from Immigration, Customs, CISF, and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), seem to have got overawed by someone arriving in a state police vehicle, escorted by a uniformed officer, that all caution and diligence were thrown to the winds.

At present, there are more than 34 international airports in India, and the Government of India must conduct a comprehensive security audit of existing procedures and upgrade technology. Installing Walk-Through Metal Detectors (WTMD) to screen both incoming and outgoing passengers should be given top priority. Significant improvements in the efficiency and perceived effectiveness of passenger screening and security systems will be essential, along with a ban on official protocol privileges for family members.

In this case, the Protocol Officer may have been an unintentional, non-malicious participant, as he seemingly had no deliberate intent to cause harm. However, his actionsor inactionultimately compromised both the national economy and security.

Ranya Raos case appears to have an interesting parallel to the Kerala gold smuggling case of July 2020 in Trivandrum. In that incident, Swapna Suresh, the alleged mastermind behind a failed attempt to smuggle gold from Dubai using the diplomatic baggage system, was a consultant to one of the offices under the state governments Information Technology (IT) ministry. At the time, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also held the IT Minister portfolio.

Swapna Suresh, a former UAE consulate officer, worked as the marketing liaison officer for the Space Park under the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL). The then IT Secretary, S. Shiva Shankar IAS, was also implicated in the case.

The Government of India must establish a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the lapses that occurred in both India and Dubai. At the same time, steps must be taken to acquire advanced airport security equipment, including Walk-Through Metal Detectors (WTMD), Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT), Explosives Detection Systems (EDS), Access Control Systems, blockchain technology, and automated screening lanes.

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It is time to take security seriously.

The writer is a retired officer of the IRS and the former director-general of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: March 17, 2025, 12:26 IST
Opinion | Jaffar Express Siege: Four Myths Pakistan Can No Longer Hide

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:41 IST

The liesabout territorial control, economic inclusion, military dominance, and waning insurgencyreveal a nation grappling with denial as much as dissent

Rescue workers transport a coffin containing the body of a victim from a passenger train attacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army. (AP)

On March 11, 2025, separatist militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express, a passenger train carrying over 400 people, in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan province.

The attackers blew up a railway track in the Bolan district, opened fire, and took hundreds hostage, plunging the nation into a 36-hour ordeal that ended with 21 passengers, four soldiers, and all 33 militants dead, according to Pakistans military. The operation, concluded on March 12, saw security forces rescue over 300 survivors, but the sheer scale of the attackan audacious assault on a civilian targethas reverberated far beyond the rugged hills of Balochistan.

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Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the heinous" act, vowing it would not shake Pakistans resolve for peace, yet the incident lays bare a stark reality: the states narrative about its internal security and relationship with Balochistan is riddled with falsehoods.

This train attack, the first of its kind by the BLA, marks a chilling escalation in a decades-long insurgency that Pakistan has struggled to contain. For years, Islamabad has painted a picture of control, resilience, and progress in Balochistan, a resource-rich yet impoverished province that borders Iran and Afghanistan.

Official statements tout military successes, economic development, and a weakening separatist threat. But the Jaffar Express siege shatters these claims, exposing four lies at the heart of Pakistans internal security framework and its fraught ties with Balochistan. These liesabout territorial control, economic inclusion, military dominance, and waning insurgencyreveal a nation grappling with denial as much as dissent.

Pakistan Has Full Control Over Its Territory

The most foundational claim of any sovereign state is its ability to govern its land and protect its citizens. Pakistan has long asserted that its security forces maintain iron-clad control over its territory, including restive regions like Balochistan. The militarys swift response to the train attackdeploying troops, air forces, and special units to neutralise the threatmight seem to bolster this narrative. Yet, the very fact that militants could orchestrate such a large-scale operation in broad daylight undermines it entirely.

The Jaffar Express was not ambushed in a remote outpost but on a major rail route connecting Quetta to Peshawar, a lifeline for civilian and economic activity. The BLAs ability to blow up tracks, seize a train with over 400 passengers, and hold it for over a day exposes gaping vulnerabilities in Pakistans security apparatus. Balochistans 900-kilometer border with Iran and proximity to Afghanistan have long made it a porous region, with militants, smugglers, and arms flowing freely across ungoverned spaces. The provinces mountainous terrain, coupled with sparse infrastructure, has historically defied centralised control, but this attack suggests a deeper failure: the states inability to secure even its critical arteries.

Official rhetoric often blames external actorsIndia, Iran, or othersfor stoking unrest, yet the BLAs homegrown grievances belie this excuse. The groups demands during the siege, including a prisoner exchange for political detainees", reflect a domestic insurgency rooted in decades of neglect and repression. If Pakistan truly controlled its territory, such an operation would have been thwarted long before it unfolded. Instead, the train attack serves as a glaring testament to the limits of Islamabads authority, a reality that no amount of military bravado can obscure.

Economic Development Has Pacified Balochistan

Pakistan has leaned heavily on the promise of economic progress to justify its grip on Balochistan, pointing to projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative. Billions of dollars have flowed into the province, funding highways, ports like Gwadar, and energy infrastructure. The government claims these investments have brought jobs, connectivity, and stability, eroding the appeal of separatist movements. The train attack, however, exposes this as a hollow lie.

Balochistan remains Pakistans poorest province, despite its vast reserves of natural gas, copper, and gold. Local communities see little benefit from CPEC, with most contracts awarded to outsiders and profits siphoned to Islamabad or foreign investors. The Baloch, who make up the ethnic majority in the province, accuse the state of exploitation, a grievance echoed in the BLAs rhetoric. The Jaffar Express siege, targeting a symbol of state connectivity, was as much an economic statement as a military onea rejection of a development model that prioritises strategic interests over human welfare.

Far from pacifying the region, economic disparities have fuelled resentment. Unemployment is rampant, infrastructure outside CPEC corridors is crumbling, and basic services like healthcare and education remain elusive for many. The BLAs ability to mobilise dozens of fighters and sustain a high-profile attack suggests a support base undeterred by promises of prosperity. If economic development were truly winning hearts and minds, the insurgency would be shrinking, not escalating. Instead, the train hijacking reveals a province where poverty and alienation continue to drive rebellion, mocking the states narrative of progress.

Military Has Crushed Insurgency

Pakistans military has long claimed supremacy over Baloch separatists, citing operations that have killed or captured hundreds of militants over the years. Official statements after the train attack reinforced this line, with the army proudly declaring that all 33 BLA fighters were eliminated. Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif, an army spokesman, hailed the operation as a success, framing it as proof of the militarys resolve and capability. Yet, this triumphant tone masks a troubling truth: the insurgency is far from crushed.

The BLAs train hijacking was not the act of a dying movement but a bold escalation, showcasing tactical sophistication and a willingness to strike civilian targets. The groups ability to assemble dozens of fighters, arm them with rockets and explosives, and execute a coordinated assault suggests a level of organisation and resilience that contradicts the militarys boasts. Past operations may have weakened individual commanders or cells, but they have not dismantled the broader network or its ideological pull. The BLAs claim of killing over 100 enemy personnel" during the siegethough likely exaggeratedsignals a confidence that defies the narrative of defeat.

Moreover, the militarys heavy-handed tactics have often backfired. Disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and mass detentions in Balochistan have radicalised new generations, swelling the ranks of groups like the BLA. The train attacks demand for a prisoner swap highlights this cycle: for every militant killed, others rise, fuelled by a sense of injustice. The military may win battles, as it did on March 12, but it is losing the war for legitimacy. The insurgencys persistence, culminating in this unprecedented strike, exposes the lie that brute force has brought peace to Balochistan.

The Baloch Insurgency is Losing Support

Perhaps the most convenient lie Pakistan peddles is that the Baloch insurgency is a fringe movement, disconnected from the provinces people. The government portrays the BLA and similar groups as terrorists rejected by the populace, clinging to a fading cause. The train attack, however, challenges this assertion, hinting at a level of tacit or active support that sustains such operations.

The BLAs ability to plan and execute a hijacking of this magnitude required intelligence, logistics, and local knowledgeresources that likely depended on some degree of community backing. While the groups killing of 21 civilian hostages may alienate some Baloch, its broader narrative of resisting state oppression still resonates in a province scarred by marginalisation. Survivors of the siege recounted the militants discipline and focus, traits that suggest a movement with purpose, not desperation. Security analysts have warned that civilian deaths could weaken the BLAs base, but the attacks scale implies it retains enough sympathy to operate unchecked in Baloch heartlands.

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Pakistans refusal to address Baloch grievancesland rights, resource equity, and political representationhas kept the insurgency alive. The states reliance on coercion over dialogue has deepened distrust, ensuring that groups like the BLA can draw recruits and refuge from disaffected communities. The audacity of the train attack suggests a movement emboldened by its cause, rather than a desperate attempt to survive. If the insurgency were truly losing support, it would not have the capacity to paralyse a province and defy a national army. This lie, more than any other, exposes the chasm between Islamabads rhetoric and Balochistans reality.

The author, a columnist and research scholar, teaches journalism at St. Xaviers College (autonomous), Kolkata. His handle on X is @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

About the Author Sayantan Ghosh Sayantan Ghosh is an independent journalist based in Kolkata and former policy research fellow at Delhi Assembly Research Center. He tweets as @sayantan_gh Sayantan Ghosh is an independent journalist based in Kolkata and former policy research fellow at Delhi Assembly Research Center. He tweets as @sayantan_gh

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: March 17, 2025, 13:41 IST
Aurangzebs Grave In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Under Guard As VHP Threatens Action, Visitors Face ID Checks

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 22:22 IST

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police has put up multiple security posts from Khuldabad town entry to grave site to prevent any untoward incidents.

Security arrangements at the tomb of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after Bajrang Dal and VHP's protest demanding its removal from Maharashtra, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. (IMAGE: PTI)

As calls for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs grave intensify, the police administration has stepped up security, making it mandatory for visitors to furnish their identity cards before entering the site in Maharashtras Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, an official said on Monday.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests at various government offices during the day and submitted memorandums for the removal of Aurangzebs grave in Khuldabad.

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Aurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his battles with the Marathas, who resisted his expansionist ambitions. Maratha warrior king Shivaji Maharajs son, Sambhaji, was captured, tortured, and executed on his orders.

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police department has implemented multiple security posts from the entry point to Khuldabad town to the grave site.

An official said a State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) company of 50 policemen, 30 personnel from local police and 20 Home Guards have been deployed at various points and the grave site.

Tourists visiting the grave now have to write their names in a visitors register kept with a team of Home Guards and have to furnish identity documents, he said.

Parvez Kabeer Ahmed, the caretaker of the grave, said, The situation here is peaceful, and people should not believe in rumours. Footfall of visitors has gone down after the demands to demolish the grave have come up. The footfall is usually low during Ramzan. Nearly 100 people visit daily, but the number has gone down since the issue was raised." The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests at government offices in different parts of Maharashtra and submitted memorandums for the removal of Aurangzebs grave.

In the memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the VHP stated that Aurangzeb had killed two sons of Sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh because they refused to convert, tortured and killed Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and demolished temples in Kashi, Mathura, Somnath.

Any memorial of Aurangzeb is a symbol of pain and slavery, so the grave should be demolished completely," it said.

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In case of government inaction, the VHP warned that it would march to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district and demolish the grave.

The right-wing organisation held similar agitations in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur and suburban areas of Mumbai.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

First Published: March 17, 2025, 22:22 IST
Fadnavis Vows Crackdown on Aurangzebs Glorification, Sparks Statewide Protests

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 17:56 IST

Devendra Fadnavis questioned the need to preserve the tomb of a ruler responsible for the suffering of thousands, stating that Maharashtra should instead honour the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Fadnavis's statement has sparked widespread protests across Maharashtra, with Hindu organisations, including the Bajrang Dal, intensifying their demand for the removal of Aurangzebs tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. (PTI Image)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday inaugurated the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Temple in Bhiwandi, using the occasion to make a strong statement against the glorification of Aurangzebs tomb. He questioned the need to preserve the tomb of a ruler responsible for the suffering of thousands, stating that Maharashtra should instead honour the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Expressing his displeasure over the situation, he remarked that it was unfortunate for both the state and Central governments to bear the responsibility of maintaining Aurangzebs tomb. Fadnavis further assured the people of Maharashtra that any attempt to glorify Aurangzeb would be firmly opposed and crushed.

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The chief ministers statement has sparked widespread protests across the state, with Hindu organisations, including the Bajrang Dal, intensifying their demand for the removal of Aurangzebs tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). Demonstrators in Kolhapur staged a symbolic protest by carrying a mock tomb in a tempo and destroying it with hammers, sending a strong message against the historical figures remembrance. The agitation soon escalated into a confrontation with the police, who intervened and confiscated the vehicle carrying the symbolic tomb. Addressing the media, Bajrang Dal district president Kundan Patil questioned why Aurangzebs tomb should be preserved, stating that if a symbolic tomb was unacceptable, then the real one had no place either.

In response to the growing unrest, security has been significantly tightened around Aurangzebs tomb in Khuldabad town, with police deploying additional personnel and setting up iron barricades at the sites main entrance. Vehicle movement in certain areas has also been restricted to prevent any untoward incidents. Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal have called for a Kar Seva, urging people to come forward and support their demand for the tombs removal. The situation remains tense, with authorities closely monitoring developments to prevent further escalation.

The controversy has also triggered sharp political reactions, with leaders from different parties taking opposing stands. Congress leader Bhai Jagtap dismissed the demand for the tombs removal, arguing that Maharashtra should take pride in the fact that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj prevented Aurangzeb from ruling the region for 27 years. He criticised those using the issue for political gain. On the other hand, BJP leader Ram Kadam supported the protests, emphasising that glorifying a tyrannical ruler like Aurangzeb was unacceptable and that his tomb should be removed.

Responding to Congress leader Harshvardhan Sapkals controversial comparison of Fadnavis to Aurangzeb, Kadam accused the Opposition of making irresponsible statements to appease their central leadership.

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Sapkal on Sunday said, Aurangzeb was a cruel ruler. Today, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is an equally cruel ruler. He always supports issues related to religion but does nothing about cases like the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh". Congress leader Bhai Jagtap, however, refuted the allegations, claiming that Sapkal never made such a statement.

With public sentiment rising and political parties taking firm positions, the issue continues to gain momentum, setting the stage for further debates and demonstrations in the coming days.

About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with... Read More Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 17:56 IST
He Looted Nation, Destroyed Temples: MP Mhaske Reacts To Calls To Destroy Aurangzebs Grave In Maharashtra

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 23:50 IST

Union Minister and Pune MP, Murlidhar Mahol also told CNN-NEWS18 that the "Chaava" movie had invoked sentiments of the people of Maharashtra and had made people realise how cruelly Aurangzeb had destroyed temples and killed Chatrapati Sambhaji

Mhaske was more aggressive, telling CNN-NEWS18 that he was the one who first raised the demand to remove Aurangzebs grave which had now become the sentiment of Maharashtra. (Photo: PTI file)

It all started with Shiv Sena (Shinde) MP from Thane, Naresh Mhaske, raising the matter in Lok Sabha last week that Aurangzebs grave in Maharashtra be destroyed as he had brutally killed Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. This was soon after the movie Chaava" highlighted how Aurangzeb had brutally killed Chatrapati Sambhaji.

The matter has now rocked Maharashtra politics, with communal tension being reported from Nagpur, which is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis constituency.

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Fadnavis on Monday questioned the need to preserve the tomb of the Mughal ruler. Mhaske was more aggressive, telling CNN-NEWS18 that he was the one who first raised the demand to remove Aurangzebs grave which had now become the sentiment of Maharashtra. Aurangzeb looted the nationwhy are we spending crores of protecting their graves? Babar, Hamuayun, Aurangzeb  all took the country towards slavery. Aurangzeb destroyed so many temples, he had killed his own father  Aurangzebs grave must be removed," Mhaske told CNN-NEWS18.

VIDEO | Parliament Budget Session: Elucidating on his demand to remove the grave of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb from Maharashtra, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske (@nareshmhaske) says, I had raised the matter of removing the grave of Aurangzeb, after that, everybody in the country is pic.twitter.com/Rh7AGXsav3 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 17, 2025

Union Minister and Pune MP, Murlidhar Mahol also told CNN-NEWS18 that the Chaava" movie had invoked sentiments of the people of Maharashtra and had made people realise how cruelly Aurangzeb had destroyed temples and killed Chatrapati Sambhaji.

On this land of Maharashtra, there is no need for any namo-nishaan (symbol or trace) of Aurangzeb to exist. This is the sentiment of people, and we agree with that," Mahol told CNN-NEWS18 earlier today. He had claimed that the Maharashtra Police is ready to tackle any law-and-order situation in the state.

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The Shiv Sena (Uddhav) faction has said that the Aurangzeb grave is a symbol of Maratha victory over Aurangzeb and hence there is no need to remove it. Uddhav Thackeray is doing this to get vote from minorities and is trying to be their messiah. This is his real face that has been exposed. If he is opposed to Aurangzeb graves removal shows he was also opposed to Babri Masjid demolition  that is why he did not go for Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya. This was the real reason," Mhaske said.

Mahol said Uddhav was sitting in the lap of the Congress and hence it is speaking their language. Congress has insulted Savarkar so many times, but Uddhav has remained silent. Congress is supporting Aurangzeb and calling him a good ruler," Mahol said.

About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 23:41 IST
It Was Just A Breakfast...: Kerala CM Vijayan On Meeting Nirmala Sitharaman

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 21:19 IST

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday clarified that no memorandums were submitted during his recent meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, describing it as simply a "breakfast meeting".

Vijayan mentioned that several issues concerning Kerala were discussed (X)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday clarified that no memorandums were submitted during his recent meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, describing it as simply a "breakfast meeting".

Speaking during the discussion on demands for grants in the Assembly, Vijayan mentioned that several issues concerning Kerala were discussed, some of which the Finance Minister acknowledged as serious, and termed the meeting as "very friendly." The CM further said Governor Rajendra Arlekar had initially invited him to a banquet for MPs from the state in New Delhi, but he had conveyed to the latter his inability to attend.

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"We were on the same flight to Delhi when the Governor once again invited me to attend the banquet," he said.

Coincidentally, I was in Delhi for the partys Polit Bureau meeting, so I attended the event and informed the Governor that Nirmala Sitharaman would be attending a breakfast meeting the following day, he added.

"Governor expressed his desire to join as well I did not attend the meeting based on any arrangement made by the Governor," the Chief Minister clarified.

"Politics does not simply dissolve when personalities with differing ideologies meet." Earlier, in his speech, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala questioned the secrecy surrounding Vijayans meeting with Sitharaman, alleging that the discussion was mediated by the Governor and had significant political implications.

"The people of Kerala deserve to know what was discussed in the "unofficial" meeting," he said, accusing the CPI(M) of "forging" a secret alliance with the RSS and BJP.

However, defending the CPI(M)s stance, Vijayan justified labelling the central government as "fascist," emphasising that the right to live is paramount in a democratic set-up.

"There was a time in India when all fundamental rights were taken awaythat was during the Emergency," he recalled.

The CM added that the CPI(M) had described it as an excessive use of power adding that their choice of words is based on careful judgment.

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Vijayan, who is also a Polit Bureau member of CPI(M), alleged that it was Congress-led UDF that forged ties with RSS in the elections.

We have not taken such a political stance ever," he said.

Location : Thiruvananthapuram, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 21:19 IST
'If We Learn...': Andhra CM Naidu Backs Hindi As DMK Rallies Southern States Over Language Row

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 16:19 IST

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidus remarks come in the wake of his Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan wading into the language row between Tamil Nadu and the Union Government recently.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. (File image/PTI)

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday weighed in over the ongoing language row between the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government and the Centre, saying that the national language" will enable fluent conversation in Delhi in Hindi.

While addressing the assembly, the Chief Minister said that only those people who study in their mother tongue are excelling across the world. He further highlighted that there is a misconception that only English language can guarantee knowledge.

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"Language is only for communication. Knowledge will not come with language. Only people who study in their mother tongue are excelling across the world. It is easy to learn (through the mother tongue)," Naidu said as quoted by news agency PTI.

"I am telling this very clearly to you language is not for hating. Here (in Andhra Pradesh) the mother tongue is Telugu. Hindi is the national language and international language is English," he asserted.

He further noted that it is important to learn as many languages as possible for livelihood without forgetting the mother tongue. As many people are going to other countries such as Japan and Germany, he said if those languages could also be learnt here, then it will be very easy when people visit those overseas destinations.

He further appealed that there is no need to engage in unnecessary politics over languages and called for learning as many languages as possible.

Naidus remarks came in the wake of Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan wading into the language row, where he criticised the Tamil politicians for opposing Hindi while allowing their movies to be dubbed into Hindi for financial gains.

While addressing the 11th formation day of his party last week, the actor-turned-politician called for the need to embrace linguistic diversity to maintain the integrity of the nation and foster love and unity among the people. India needs multiple languages, including Tamil, and not just two," he said.

Slamming the DMK government, Kalyan had said, I do not understand why some criticise Sanskrit. Why do Tamil Nadu politicians oppose Hindi while allowing their movies to be dubbed in Hindi for financial gain? They want money from Bollywood but refuse to accept Hindiwhat kind of logic is that?"

After his remarks came under sharp criticism, Kalyan clarified his stance and said that he never opposed Hindi as a language and only was opposed to making it compulsory.

Either imposing a language forcibly or opposing a language blindly; both doesnt help to achieve the objective of National &Cultural integration of our Bharat. I had never opposed Hindi as a language. I only opposed making it compulsory. When the NEP 2020 itself does not enforce Hindi, spreading false narratives about its imposition is nothing but an attempt to mislead the public," he said.

The DMK has accused the Hindi language in the state through the three-language formula as proposed in the new National Education Policy.

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(With inputs from PTI)

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 : Andhra Pradesh, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 15:54 IST
Tamil Nadu's 'Talking' Point: DMK Taps Home Ground Advantage In Language Conflict, NEP

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:00 IST

Led by union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the centre has accused the DMK government of trying to score political points, while the DMK has hit back with its Hindi imposition charge and wrapped it with a strong campaign on state rights, linguistic autonomy

For the DMK, language is lifeblood and a home ground. (PTI File)

Over the past several weeks, several Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders, including chief minister MK Stalin and his son, DCM Udhay Stalin, have all vowed  at least once  to sacrifice whatever it takes to protect Tamil and its undisputed space in the lives and cultural fabric of the people of Tamil Nadu.

Nothing new. But this is something recurring and significant.

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For the DMK, language is lifeblood and a home ground. Right from their first victory in 1967 to several instances since then, any threat  real or perceived  is a trigger point to rally the charge of the Centre imposing" Hindi and fan it out in many directions  state autonomy, linguistic rights, and education policy. These are intertwined, complex issues steeped in the legacy and path traversed by the DMK.

In Tamil Nadu, anti-Hindi imposition agitations led by students have been perpetuating the fight against overreach by the centre. The state recognises January 25 as Language Martyrs Day, recognising people who sacrificed their lives in agitations. This year, Chief Minister MK Stalin paid floral tributes at the memorial of Thalamuthu and Natarajan, two martyrs who died in prison after their arrests during protests pre-Independence. Living through the names of official buildings and in cinema references here and there, these protests occupy contemporary political consciousness in Tamil Nadu even today.

NEP TO RUPEE

The exchange of letters between the union education ministry and Tamil Nadu government needs to be seen in this backdrop. The centre had asked Tamil Nadu to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in full, should it want PM Shri schools in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu had opposed the requirement of implementing NEP 2020, as it would foist Hindi" on the state and other regressive" aspects.

However, what could have been just an inter-governmental exchange over implementing a central scheme enters the political sphere, followed by an aggressive and innovative campaign that at once tugs at the nostalgia (DMK partymen daubing black paint on Hindi signboards at railway stations) and replacing the Rupee symbol with the Tamil Alphabet.

Will this political point-scoring have a larger meaning ahead of the elections? Possible, but not likely given that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would like to corner the DMK on key issues, including administrative, social and political  dynasty politics, liquor (raids are a case in point), corruption et al.

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For the DMK, the past few weeks would have served as a training ground  not that it needs any  to remain quick to capitalise on issues and turn them to its advantage.

Because, as the DMK has proved so many times in the past  there are no weekends for politicians.

About the Author Poornima Murali Poornima Murali, Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, has reported for over a decade on civic and political issues in Tamil Nadu. She has been helming the Chennai bureau for the channel for years now. A ... Read More Poornima Murali, Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, has reported for over a decade on civic and political issues in Tamil Nadu. She has been helming the Chennai bureau for the channel for years now. A ... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 07:00 IST
Who Will Be The Next Bengal BJP President? 2 Women And A Sangh Face Among Top Contenders

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti



Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 11:03 IST

Former MP Locket Chatterjee and Bengal MLA Agnimitra Paul are reportedly the frontrunners for the position, both known for their assertive yet non-controversial approach.

Agnimitra Paul (left) and Locket Chatterjee (right) are among the top contenders to be the next West Bengal BJP chief. (Image: PTI)

The BJP in West Bengal might see a change in leadership as sources indicate the party is considering two prominent women leaders to replace current chief Sukanta Majumdar. Former MP Locket Chatterjee and Bengal MLA Agnimitra Paul are the frontrunners for the position, both known for their assertive yet non-controversial approach.

Sources reveal that West Bengal Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, a significant figure in the states political landscape, supports both leaders. He reportedly maintains a positive working relationship with both Chatterjee and Paul and is unlikely to endorse a specific candidate, leaving the final decision to the party.

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Despite losing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, both women remain key figures for the BJP in West Bengal. Agnimitra Paul, a former fashion designer who joined the party in 2019, secured a significant victory in the 2021 Assembly election by defeating TMCs Sayani Ghosh. Her tenure as an MLA has been marked by a strong working relationship with Adhikari, with both leading various agitations together. However, Pauls close ties to Adhikari have sparked controversy within the party. Last year, when Paul was asked to fight from Medinipur  a seat traditionally held by BJP leader Dilip Ghosh  he reportedly called her Suvendu Adhikaris candidate".

Locket Chatterjee, a former actress and classical dancer, joined the BJP in 2015 and has steadily risen through the ranks. She replaced Roopa Ganguly as the BJPs womens wing president in 2017 and secured a resounding victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Hoogly. Chatterjees background as a member of a family of priests and her vocal support for Hindutva align with Adhikaris strong views, potentially making her a favourable choice.

If either of them becomes the party president, Suvendu Da will remain the real power centre," said a BJP MP requesting anonymity.

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Despite the speculation surrounding Chatterjee and Paul, a third contender has emerged: Amitava Chakravorty, the current General Secretary (Organisation) of the Bengal BJP. Known for his low profile and non-confrontational approach, Chakravorty maintains close ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). While some within the BJP have raised concerns about potential bias, his strong ties to the RSS and his perceived discipline make him a viable candidate.

The BJPs final decision on the next Bengal BJP President remains uncertain. The partys unpredictable nature, as demonstrated by Sukanta Majumdars surprise appointment, suggests that a wildcard candidate could emerge. Majumdar himself was caught off guard by his appointment, learning about it through a congratulatory call from BL Santosh, a key figure in the BJP, followed by news flashes on television. The situation highlights the BJPs modus operandi under Modi-Shah, where nothing is certain until officially announced.

About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 11:03 IST
A Weekend in Louisiana: The Perfect Itinerary for Fun & Frolic

Curated By :

Studio18

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 12:38 IST

Experience the perfect Louisiana weekend with scenic trails, Cajun dining, lively music, and serene state park stays.

News18

Louisiana, located in the Southern United States, is known for its lively and vibrant culture, deep historical roots, amazing modern attractions, thriving culture and beautiful concoction of food offerings. From rich cultural heritage to diverse landscapes, Louisiana offers a one-of-a-kind experience, ensuring tourists immerse themselves completely, by enjoying the blend of vibrant music, natural beauty, rich history and local cuisine the place has to offer.

Here is a customized itinerary which ensures you connect with the natural beauty of Louisiana, and also explore the musical and dining experience of the state. To ensure you have an amazing weekend in Louisiana and make the most out of your trip, we recommend the following:

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Creole Nature Trail All American Road: Looking to explore Louisianas wild side? We recommend visiting the Creole Nature Trail All American Road, a breathtaking scenic byway that allows you to experience the raw wild side of nature and diverse wildlife. Stretching through Southwest Louisiana, this 180 mile trail offers an incredible opportunity to witness more than 400 bird species, spot alligators in its natural habitat, fishing, and crabbing experience. You can also get a firsthand experience of exploring the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge and enjoy the wilderness and unspoiled beauty of the Gulf coast. With its mix of nature and outdoor adventure, the Creole Trail is an experience you cannot miss on your weekend trip to Louisiana.

Cajun Dining and Dancing: You cannot enjoy the beauty of a place unless you immerse yourself in its rich cultural heritage. Cajun culture is deeply embedded in Louisiana and embarking on a journey to explore that helps you appreciate not only the rich flavors of this state in music and food but also understand the deep influence of the French, Spanish and African cultures that lends Cajun culture in Louisiana a truly unique identity.

We suggest you get your hands on the iconic dishes of Cajun culture- gumbo, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and boudin. Rich in flavor and lots of spices, we suggest you try these dishes at Rita Maes Kitchen in Morgan City, A-Bears Cafe in Houma and Steamboat Bills in Lake Charles.

Cajun live music is a must to enjoy its flavorsome food and the above mentioned restaurants definitely serve the kind of live music that will make your appetite grow with an Abita beer in hand.

Also, a must on your itinerary should be enjoying the Cajun dancing at fais do-do or dance parties. Waltz to the rhythm of accordion, acoustic guitar and fiddle driven music or dance to the tunes of a Zydeco band at Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette and get lost in the world of irresistible charms of the Cajun culture.

Overnight Stay in Louisiana State Parks: Spend a night at one of Louisianas many state parks to forget the hectic city life. Relax and rejuvenate in nature by enjoying hiking, fishing and wildlife watching. Camps or cabins at parks like Chicot and Fontainebleau offer scenic lake views, while Kisatchie National Forest offers rustic beauty, making for a peaceful outdoor getaway.

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Enjoy a perfect weekend filled with adventure, culture and relaxation. We are sure you will definitely come back to explore Louisianas charm for more on an extended trip next time.

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First Published: March 17, 2025, 12:38 IST
Google To Shut Down Assistant This Year, Gemini AI Coming To All Android Users

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:08 IST

Google Assistant has been available on phones and other devices for many years but soon Gemini will become the default AI assistant for users.

Google is finally making this change, which will end the Assistant feature

Googles Gemini AI evolution has been rapid and now it feels confident about the AI assistant becoming its default option for billions of Android devices. Most of the recent phone launches have come with Gemini as the default option and soon a lot of the existing Android phones will be upgraded to the new AI assistant from the company.

Google is clearly looking to widen the reach of Gemini to more users, which includes the iOS ecosystem. And bringing it as the default option for those with Assistant on their devices is the next logical step in its growth numbers.

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Goodbye Assistant, Hello Gemini

Assistant being replaced with Gemini was inevitable the day Google introduced the new AI version on its new Pixel devices. The older feature was useful but limited to an extent with its abilities. Gemini is AI-powered, which makes it far more dynamic and yes, more conversational via the free Gemini Live service.

Using Assistant for many years became evident that it had run its course, and a new AI avatar of the Assistant was needed to let Google appeal to the consumers going into the future. Google also needs to consider bringing Gemini to its Nest smart home devices to keep them relevant in the AI era. The good news is that Google has confirmed these plans and will be sharing more details in the next few months.

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So, when do existing Android users get the Gemini AI update? Google has confirmed the transition will be done over the coming months and later this year, Assistant will be shut down for everyone. These changes come at a time when its rival Apple is struggling to make Siri AI-powered and more reliable.

The company has even suggested that a full-fledged Siri might not be useful until 2027 with the iOS 20 update for its users. These issues have invariably forced Apple to make wholesale changes internally and ensure that Siri is eventually AI-smart and evolved.

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 17, 2025, 14:08 IST
Vivo X200 Ultra And Vivo X200 Pro Mini India Launch Tipped Once Again: Know More About It

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 08:05 IST

Vivo launched the X200 and X200 Pro models in the country earlier but could we soon see its Ultra model on our shores this year?

Vivo could be the next brand to bring its X200 Ultra model to the country

Vivo introduced the X200 Pro and X200 in India at the end of 2024, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor. Now, the tech giant appears to be preparing for the launch of its next lineupthe Vivo X200 Ultra and X200 Mini variants. The X200 Ultra is expected to debut in China by April as the successor to last years X100 Ultra, while the X200 Mini has been available in the Chinese market since October 2024.

A new media report claims Vivo India is actively working on launching the X200 Ultra and X200 Mini in the country. Citing unnamed sources, the report claims that discussions began at MWC 2025, where Vivo executives informed partners that the X200 Pro had completely sold out in India. This surge in demand reportedly led the brand to request additional units from its manufacturing facilities.

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The strong demand for the Vivo X200 Pro in India is reportedly driving the push for the X200 Ultras launch, with Vivo India officials lobbying for its arrival at the companys headquarters. Notably, Vivo skipped launching the X100 Ultra in India last year, instead introducing it in China in May, while only the standard Vivo X100 and X100 Pro made their way to the Indian market in January 2024.

The latest Vivo X series debuted in China in October 2024 with three modelsthe Vivo X200, X200 Pro, and X200 Pro Mini. While the X200 and X200 Pro arrived in India in December 2024, starting at 65,999, the Mini variant remained exclusive to China.

Vivo X200 Ultra: Specifications Expected

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Vivo is reportedly preparing to launch the X200 Ultra in April in its home market as the premium sibling of the Vivo X200 and X200 Pro. Rumors suggest the device could pack serious power, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ SoC, a massive 2TB of UFS 4.0 storage, and up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM.

Meanwhile, the Vivo X200 Pro and X200, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, come with IP68 and IP69 ratings for water and dust resistance. Both models feature triple rear cameras co-engineered by Zeiss, with the Pro variant also integrating its in-house V3+ imaging chip for enhanced photography.

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 17, 2025, 08:05 IST
60-Year-Old Attempts To Rape Young Woman In UP, Panchayat's 'Do Joote Maro' Punishment Sparks Outrage

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 18:44 IST

A viral video from Muzaffarnagar shows a panchayat ordering a shoe beating for 60-year-old Tirathpal, accused of attempted rape. The victim's family demands stricter action.

60-year-old man accused of attempted rape in Muzaffarnagar.(Representative Image)

A shocking incident from Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh took social media by storm after a village panchayat handed down a bizarre punishment to a 60-year-old man accused of attempting to rape a woman. A video of the accused being beaten with shoes in front of the panchayat went viral, triggering public outcry and prompting police action.

The incident occurred in a village under the Charthaval police station area. According to the complaint, a 26-year-old woman alleged that on March 15, while she was outside the village making cow dung cakes, a 60-year-old man named Tirathpal, belonging to the Jat community, forcibly dragged her to a room near a tubewell and tried to rape her. The woman managed to escape using a sickle and rushed home to inform her family about the assault.

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Following the victims complaint, her family approached the local police and demanded action. However, instead of swift police intervention, a panchayat was convened at the village heads house to settle the matter. In a move that shocked many, the panchayat ordered that Tirathpal be beaten with five shoes as punishment. The victims family, however, claims that the punishment was diluted after the accuseds uncle intervened, resulting in only two strikes with a shoe.

A video capturing the incident was recorded by an unidentified person and later surfaced on social media, adding fuel to the controversy. The footage showed the accused being hit with shoes in the presence of the panchayat members. The viral clip sparked widespread outrage, with many criticising the handling of the case and the panchayats attempt to resolve a criminal matter with such a trivial punishment.

The victims family expressed their dissatisfaction with both the panchayats decision and the police response. The womans brother, Laxman, alleged that the panchayat was biased and that members of their community were even subjected to lathicharge by supporters of the village head. He also accused the pradhan (village head) of being intoxicated during the proceedings.

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We want him to go to jail," said victims brother, Laxman, adding that the accused was hit by his uncle with shoes and called it a punishment. We cannot accept this. The girl herself should be allowed to punish him," he added. Laxman also claimed that after they filed a written complaint, the police delayed action, citing holidays and procedural issues. We went to the police station the next day, but they said it was Sunday and told us to return the next day," he alleged.

Following the viral video, senior police officials took note of the matter and promised action. A case was registered against Tirathpal under serious charges related to the attempted rape, and an investigation is underway. However, the victims family remains skeptical, fearing that the case might be downplayed under social pressure.

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Muzaffarnagar, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 18:44 IST
Before Modern Test Kits, This Is How Ancient Civilisations Confirmed Pregnancy

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 16:32 IST

Ancient people in India, Europe and some other countries used natural methods to detect pregnancy, including urine tests with seeds, garlic tests, pulse assessments, and bee behaviour.

In ancient India, Ayurvedic medicine relied on the pulse test to detect pregnancy.

Long before the invention of modern pregnancy kits in the 1970s and 1980s, civilisations around the world had already developed methods to detect pregnancy using natural ingredients and traditional beliefs. While todays pregnancy tests rely on detecting hormones in urine, ancient societies, including those in Egypt, Greece, India, and Europe, devised innovative techniques that often yielded surprisingly accurate results.

Historical records suggest that even 500 years ago  and in some cases over 3,500 years ago  people employed various methods to determine pregnancy. One of the earliest and most documented techniques comes from ancient Egypt around 1500 BC. Egyptian women would pour their urine over sacks of wheat and barley seeds. If the seeds sprouted, it was believed the woman was pregnant.

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The method also claimed to predict the babys sex: if the wheat germinated first, the baby was thought to be a girl, while the early sprouting of barley indicated a boy. Modern scientific analysis supported the effectiveness of this test, showing that hormones present in the urine of pregnant women can accelerate seed germination, with an estimated accuracy of around 70 percent.

Meanwhile, in ancient Greece, pregnancy detection took a different approach using garlic and onions. The Greek physician Hippocrates proposed that a woman should place a garlic or onion clove inside her vagina before sleeping. If the smell of garlic or onion was detectable on her breath the next morning, it meant the woman was not pregnant. The test was based on the belief that the uterus was open in non-pregnant women, allowing the scent to travel through the body, whereas a closed uterus during pregnancy would trap the smell.

In ancient India, Ayurvedic medicine relied on the pulse test to detect pregnancy. Traditional healers, or vaidyas, would assess changes in a womans pulse to determine pregnancy, believing that hormonal shifts in the body would alter the pulse pattern. This method was deeply rooted in Ayurvedic understanding of the bodys internal balance and hormonal changes.

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Europe, too, had its own unique pregnancy testing tradition. In some parts of medieval Europe, womens urine was poured into a closed container, and bees were released into it. If the bees became unusually active, it was taken as a sign of pregnancy. This practice likely stemmed from the belief that hormonal changes in pregnant womens urine could influence the behaviour of bees.

These ancient techniques reflect humanitys long-standing curiousity and ingenuity in understanding pregnancy, even in the absence of modern scientific tools.

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 17, 2025, 16:30 IST
Finland Refuses To Send Eggs To US, Internet Blame Donald Trump For The Situation

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:01 IST

American officials have been reaching out to European nations, including Finland and Denmark, hoping to secure egg imports. But Finland has politely declined, citing a lack of market access agreements.

In February, the first full month of Donald Trump's new term, egg prices shot up by 59% year-over-year. (Photo credits: Reddit)

The United States is scrambling, quite literally, for eggs. With prices soaring due to a relentless bird flu outbreak, American officials have been reaching out to European nations, including Finland and Denmark, hoping to secure egg imports. But Finland has politely declined, citing a lack of market access agreements. Egg prices in the US have reportedly been climbing to staggering heights. The bird flu epidemic has devastated poultry farms, leading to supply shortages. President Donald Trump had promised to cut egg prices on his very first day back in office, but instead, the numbers tell a different story.

In February, the first full month of his new term, egg prices shot up by 59% year-over-year, according to a Reuters report.

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By early March, the average wholesale price per dozen eggs had crossed $8 (approx. Rs 700)  an all-time high, as reported by Newsweek. Though prices have since dipped slightly to around $6 (approx. Rs 520), according to Trading Economics, they remain stubbornly high.

When US officials reached out for help, Finlands poultry industry listened  but ultimately said no. The Finnish Poultry Association confirmed to Yle News that they had been contacted about potential exports. However, Veera Lehtila, the associations director, explained why this wasnt happening anytime soon.

There have been no negotiations regarding market access with US authorities," she said. Finland doesnt have the necessary approval to export eggs to the US and setting up such a trade route would involve extensive bureaucracy, research and paperwork. And even if Finland could start exporting eggs, it wouldnt make a dent in Americas problem.

Millions of birds have had to be culled there because (in the US) of bird flu. We have four million laying hens in total in Finland. The amount we could export would not solve their egg shortage," Lehtila explained.

Over on Reddit, users wasted no time mocking the situation. Many saw Finlands refusal as a direct consequence of Trumps foreign policy style.

Imagine insulting everyone, throwing tariffs, threats of invasion and then expecting help on petty domestic issues," one user wrote.

Another took a jab at Trumps past rhetoric: I thought the US had wonderful eggs, from the best chickens?"

The most popular comment summed up the situation with biting wit, Trumpist diplomacy at play  begging for eggs, getting the bird."

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And another user pointed out the irony: Trump is playing tariff wars and at the same time begging for eggs. Maybe chill with the tariff wars and we can talk about eggs?"

Its a matter of national security. How dare Europe deny this request?" joked a user.

About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on whats creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on whats creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 13:01 IST
Minnesota Woman Travels 13,000 Km To Kolkata Police Station In Search Of...

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 18:12 IST

The woman's quest was further aided by vivid memories: double-decker bus trips to her grandparents, a concrete wall along their route, and a prominent nearby church

Though her search is ongoing, she plans to use Google Earth and return to Kolkata next year. (Representative/Shutterstock)

In a heartwarming tale of reunion and relentless hope, a 52-year-old American woman, Tempori Thomas, was spotted in the bustling lanes of Kolkata on Sunday. After traveling 13,000 kilometers from Minnesota, USA, she was seen intently observing each building, her journey drawing curious gazes from locals.

Thomass determined search for her roots stems from a poignant past. Separated from her family at the tender age of four, she spent a year in a Kolkata orphanage before finding a new home in America. Her quest led her to familiar territory  B.T. Road and areas near the Kolkata-Barrackpore route, places etched in her memory.

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Thomas vividly recounts that fateful day, December 14, 1977, when she got lost while collecting fuel for her familys dinner. She still remembers the kindness of a stranger who guided her to Khardah Police Station, where she sought refuge for a day before being placed in a widows ashram and later, an orphanage. Fate intervened when International Mission of Hope, an NGO, connected her with her adoptive parents in Minnesota.

On Sunday, Thomas revisited Khardah Police Station, her memory painting a picture of the back door where she sat, the nearby tap she used, and the emotions she felt. Her father, a bidi factory worker, her mother, a domestic helper, and her siblings  a brother who stammered and an elder sister  remained alive in her memories.

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Vivid details like the double-decker bus rides to her grandparents house, a concrete wall on their route, and a prominent church nearby further fueled her search. Thomass pursuit for her past extended to Chiria More in Barrackpore, a landmark she vividly remembers.

Though her search is ongoing, she plans to use Google Earth and return to Kolkata next year, her spirit undeterred, hoping to finally reunite with her long-lost family.

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 17, 2025, 18:12 IST
'The Fast And The Fuhrer': Posters Mocking Elon Musk Appear All Over London, Condemn His 'Nazi Salute'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 12:02 IST

Several posters mocking Musk, his controversial policies and his "Nazi salute" have surfaced in London. Musk has been criticised for federal cuts in the US and his backing of right-wing sentiment.

Posters mocking Elon Musk have surfaced in London. (Photo: X)

Tech mogul Elon Musk has been outspoken on several political topics, and his hardline stance has attracted a torrent of criticism from across the world. Over the recent weeks, London has seen several guerilla advertisements mocking the Tesla CEO and comparing him to a Nazi.

These fake ads have appeared in several public transportation spots in London, including Tube stations and bus stops, dosed with a splash of the traditional British humour. Some posters referred to his controversial hand gestures in January, which sparked massive backlash for being a Nazi Salute.

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These posters also targeted Musk-owned companies, Tesla and X (formerly Twitter). X Marks The Rot: Delete Your Account," read one poster. Another said, Tesla The Swasticar: Now With White Power Steering."

Goes From 0 To 1939 In 3 Seconds," another post read, referring to Musks Nazi salute. Another fake ad on the London Underground showed Musks gesture next to Teslas dwindling share prices with the title: Hate doesnt sell. Just ask Tesla".

Other posters comparing Musk to a Nazi included catchphrases like: Elons Musk, Parfum de 1939" and Buying a Tesla? You may be in for a Nazi surprise?" A mock film advertisement with the title The Fast And Fuhrer" showed a DOGE" plated Tesla vehicle next to the Heil Tesla" caption in Tottenham.

It also included a fake PG warning reading: Parental guidance. Teslas CEO is a far-right activist. Dont give him your money."

Who Is Behind These Fake Musk Posters?

According to a report by The Independent, the posters first appeared around Clerkenwell in February and rapidly spread throughout London. Although it is unclear which individuals are responsible for these advertisements, several groups have taken the mantle to push the anti-Musk movement forward.

A group called Everybody Hates Elon said it wanted the Tesla CEO to be held accountable for his actions. Not happy with fuelling the far-right in the USA, Elon Musk is now doing the same in Europe. We cant let the richest man in the world poison our politics," it said. Since then, copy-cat campaign groups have started planting billboard-style posters across the UK capital.

Everybody Hates Elon was the first to have reportedly erected the posters, which appeared in February. The group also vowed to build a movement against billionaires who seek to divide ordinary people". Another group, known as Overthrow Musk, said it was founded to fight the oligarchs" and defend democracy".

Why The Hate Against Elon Musk?

Anger against Musk has swelled both in the United States  due to his policies as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) including federal cuts that have left thousands of government employees without jobs  as well as abroad, due to his aggressive social media posts supporting right-wing movements.

The billionaire made a series of high-profile attacks against British Prime Minister Keir Starmers Labour government for being complicit" in the crimes carried out by Pakistani grooming gangs in the UK. He also supported the far-right party Reform UK. Musk also faced backlash for supporting the far-right AfD during the recent German elections.

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In January, Musk made two consecutive hand gestures during an event celebrating Trumps inauguration, which drew comparisons to a Nazi salute and drew massive criticism. Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired," he said in response.

Hundreds of people gathered outside of Tesla showrooms across the US on Saturday to protest against Musk and his work with the DOGE to slash federal spending. People have also vandalised Tesla showrooms and vehicles.

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

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : London, United Kingdom (UK)

First Published: March 17, 2025, 11:59 IST
UP Woman Picks Brother-in-Law Over Husband, Says 'I Am With Him...'

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 11:13 IST

In Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, a woman left her husband for her brother-in-law, leading to a family conflict. Despite police intervention, she remains resolute in her decision

The younger sister, a mother of two, and her elder sister's husband, also a father of two, began an illicit affair and, fueled by passion, chose to elope. (News18)

There are often reported cases of forbidden love affairs where the relationships challenge traditional values or family expectations. These stories remain a complex and sensitive issue that impacts many lives.

A similar incident unfolded in Uttar Pradesh, where a woman developed feelings for her sisters husband. The situation escalated, leading them to disregard societal norms and begin living together.

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A Shocking Affair In Mathura

This unusual love story originates from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. A young woman, originally from Karnal, married a man from Nauhjheel village 12 years ago. The couple had two children.

Five years later, her younger sister also married and had two children. Unbeknownst to the family, the younger sister and her elder sisters husband embarked on an illicit affair. Blinded by their love, they decided to elope four months ago.

Initially unaware of the reason for their disappearance, the family searched for the missing couple. Eventually, they discovered the pair working as labourers at a brick kiln on Raipur Road. When the womans brother attempted to bring her back, the brother-in-law intervened, and the younger sister declared her allegiance to him, stating her intention to remain with him.

The sister told her brother that he was no longer her sisters husband but her husband now and that they would live together no matter what anyone said or did.

The brother, enraged by this, scolded the brother-in-law, saying, You should be ashamed. Youre the husband of my elder sister, and you have two children. Now you want to live with my younger sister?" This angered the brother-in-law, and a heated altercation ensued between the two brothers, prompting the kiln accountant to contact the police.

Police Intervention

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At the police station, the officers were astonished by the situation. Despite their attempts to mediate, the younger sister remained resolute in her decision to stay with her brother-in-law. Meanwhile, the elder sister is said to be devastated by the events.

Inspector Shailendra Singh confirmed that the sister-in-law is adamant about living with her brother-in-law, and the police are pursuing appropriate action regarding the altercation between the two brothers.

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Mathura, India, India

First Published: March 17, 2025, 11:13 IST
'See If We Can End That War': Trump Says He Would Speak To Putin Today On Ukraine Peace Deal

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 23:53 IST

Donald Trump plans to speak with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to push for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. Zelenskyy had already accepted the ceasefire deal as put forth by the US.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Both leaders are likely to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Ill be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend," Trump said while speaking to reporters on Air Force One during a late flight back to the Washington area from Florida.

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We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance," the US President said.

Trump is trying to win Putins support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week, as both sides continued trading heavy aerial strikes through the weekend and Russia moved closer to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their months-old foothold in the western Russian region of Kursk.

We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump said, when asked about concessions.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," he added.

On Sunday, officials in the United States had expressed optimism that a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal could be reached in weeks," as Trump and Putin were expected to hold talks soon.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday morning confirmed the plans for the two leaders to speak on Tuesday, but refused to disclose what the conversation will be about, saying that we never get ahead of events" and the content of conversations between two presidents are not subject to any prior discussion."

Any such conversation could be a pivot point in the conflict and an opportunity for Trump to continue reorienting American foreign policy. European allies are wary of Trumps affinity for Putin and his hardline stance toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who faced sharp criticism when he visited the Oval Office a little more than two weeks ago.

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 17, 2025, 10:11 IST
Trump, Putin Likely To Discuss Ukraine Truce This Week, US Officials Hopeful Of Ceasefire Deal

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 08:11 IST

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are expected to meet this week to discuss a possible truce in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. According to US officials, a ceasefire deal could be reached.

Vladimir Putin with Donald Trump (Photo: AP)

US officials expressed optimism Sunday that a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal could be reached in weeks," as President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss a possible truce.

The United States this week proposed a halt in fighting in the three-year war after talks in Saudi Arabia, which Kyiv accepted. Washington and Kyivs European allies are pressing Moscow to accept it too.

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Putin however has given no clear answer, instead listing a string of conditions and raising serious questions" over the proposal.

Trumps envoy for the conflict, Steve Witkoff, who met for several hours with Putin days ago, told CNN that he thinks the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week."

Trump, he added, really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, maybe, and I believe thats the case".

Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday accused the Kremlin of not wanting to end the war. He warned that Moscow wanted to first improve their situation on the battlefield" before agreeing to any ceasefire.

RUBIO, LAVROV TALK

Earlier, Moscow said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss concrete aspects of the implementation of understandings" at a US-Russia summit in Saudi Arabia last month.

Februarys Riyadh gathering was the first high-level meeting between the United States and Russia since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022.

Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio agreed to remain in contact," the Russian foreign ministry said, with no mention of the US-suggested ceasefire.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Saturday that the pair had discussed the next steps" on Ukraine, and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia".

The Lavrov-Rubio call came hours after the UK hosted a virtual summit on Ukraine, at which Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Putin of dragging his feet" on the ceasefire.

The yes, but from Russia is not good enough," Starmer said, calling for a stop to the barbaric attacks on Ukraine once and for all".

On Sunday, Kyiv said Moscow had launched 90 Iranian-made Shahed drones onto nine Ukrainian regions.

FORCE PUTIN TO PEACE

In his reaction to the ceasefire earlier this week, Putin said the initiative would benefit primarily Ukraine, as Russian forces were advancing" in many areas. He raised serious questions" over the initiative.

The proposal came as Russia  which occupies swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine  has the momentum in some areas of the front.

It has pushed out Ukrainian forces from parts of its Kursk region, where Kyiv hopes to hold onto Russian territory as a potential bargaining chip in any future negotiations.

Putin said he wanted to discuss Moscows concerns with Trump in a phone call.

Late on Sunday, Zelensky said he had spoken with Canadas new Prime Minister, Mark Carney.

The Prime Minister made the right points about how we need to step up pressure on Moscow," he said.

The shadow fleet, the banking sector. We must impose all-out sanctions on everything that provides Russia with funding for its war. Only then can we force Putin to a just and lasting peace."

Carney is due in France on Monday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron that will cover the war in Ukraine, before travelling to London to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

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Canada has the presidency of the G7 nations this year.

Also Sunday, Zelensky announced the chief of general staff of the armed forces, Anatoliy Bargylevych by Andriy Gnatov. Gnatov has been tasked with increasing efficiency in the armed forces.

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.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 17, 2025, 08:04 IST
Indian Historian From Oxford Faces Deportation For Spending 'Too Much Time' On Research In India

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 09:05 IST

Manikarnika Dutta, 37, a historian from Oxford University, has been threatened with deportation for exceeding the allowed number of days abroad while conducting research in India.

Oxford historian Manikarnika Dutta, 37, is facing deportation from the UK. (Photo: X)

A high-achieving Indian historian from the University of Oxford has been threatened with deportation by the UK Home Office for apparently spending too much time conducting her research on historic Indian archives in India.

Manikarnika Dutta, 37, is a historian at the Oxford University whose research involves studying archives in Indian cities and attending a series of international leaves. She is an assistant professor at University College Dublin, in the school of history.

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This appalling, and clearly ridiculous.Oxford historian faces deportation from UK after doing research on India  in India. Home Office told Manikarnika Dutta to quit Britain for spending too many days abroad for studyhttps://t.co/d5U6xizz83  William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) March 16, 2025

So why is she facing deportation from the UK? The Home Office rules state that people who apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK based on long residency of 10 years or more can remain abroad for a maximum of 548 days during a 10-year period prior to applying for the leave.

Indefinite Leave To Remain (ILR) is an immigration status in Britain that allows individuals to live, work, and study without any time restrictions. It is also referred to as settlement" and serves as a pathway to British citizenship.

However, Dutta has remained outside the UK for a total of 691 days, according to a report by The Guardian, prompting the Home Office to reject her right to continue living in the country. The office also rejected her right on the basis that she does not have a family life in Britain, despite her living in south London with her husband and fellow academic Dr Souvik Naha, with whom she has been married for over 10 years.

Never Thought Something Like This Would Happen

Dutta, who has conducted research in the universities of Oxford and Bristol, said she was shocked after receiving an email asking her to leave the country. I have been employed at different universities in the UK and Ive lived here for 12 years. A large part of my adult life has been lived in the UK since I came to the University of Oxford to do my masters," she told The Observer.

I never thought something like this would happen to me," she added. Her lawyer Naga Kandiah said her research trips to India were not optional but essential to fulfilling her academic and institutional obligations and without which she would not have been able to complete her thesis or maintain her visa status.

Dutta arrived in the UK in September 2012 on a student visa and later acquired a spouse visa post-marriage. She had applied for indefinite leave to remain in the UK in October last year, based on long residence. Her husbands application was approved, but hers was declined.

Dutta applied for an administrative review of the refusal, but the Home Office maintained its decision to reject her application. You must now leave the United Kingdom. If you dont leave voluntarily, you may be subject to a re-entry ban of 10 years and prosecuted for overstaying," said the office.

Dutta Challenges Home Office Order

However, Duttas lawyer has launched a legal challenge against the Home Offices decision to remove her from the UK. The Oxford historian has also received support from academic colleagues.

My clients case exemplifies how such situations severely undermine the UKs reputation and its ability to attract and retain global academic talent  particularly at a time when strengthening international relations is crucial," said Kandiah.

Duttas fate hangs in limbo as the Home Office said it will reconsider its decision in the next three months. If the UK genuinely seeks to position itself as a global leader in academia and innovation, it must foster an environment that is welcoming to top talent," Duttas lawyer added.

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Her husband, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow, said, This decision from the Home Office has been terribly stressful for both of us. It has taken a psychological toll. I sometimes give lectures about these issues and have read articles about people affected, but never thought it would happen to us."

The UK Home Office has launched a major escalation in immigration enforcement this year, deporting thousands of failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals and other immigration offenders, akin to US President Donald Trumps style.

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 17, 2025, 09:05 IST
Karachi Witnesses Meteor Shower, Illuminates Night Sky With Vibrant Trails | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:18 IST

The meteors that are known for their dramatic glow, were seen in various parts of the city, leaving a trail resembling broken stars.

Karachi Witnesses Meteor Shower. (Screengrab of video on X)

Karachi witnessed a breathtaking celestial spectacle as meteor showers blazed across the night sky, leaving behind vibrant trails of light.

The rare celestial sighting took place shortly after Fajr prayers, with residents catching a glimpse of the bright object as it swiftly traversed the sky before disappearing.

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  A brilliant fireball meteor illuminated the night sky above Karachi, Pakistans largest city.Eyewitnesses reported a dazzling streak of light, described as bright green by some, cutting through the darkness around 2:43 AM local time, followed by a loud impact that pic.twitter.com/s3DAZpc8Mm  The Informant (@theinformant_x) March 17, 2025

The meteors that are known for their dramatic glow, were seen in various parts of the city, leaving a trail resembling broken stars.

People also shared the video of the fast-moving, colourful object, on social media. The event took place around 6 AM and lasted for a few moments.

According to astronomers, meteors are celestial objects that orbit the Sun and enter the Earths atmosphere due to its gravity. They explain that meteors burn up in Earths atmosphere before reaching the ground. They are also known as shooting stars". These space rocks heat up due to atmospheric friction, creating a bright streak.

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Experts further describe these meteors as meteorites," with streaks of light caused by their entry into the Earths atmosphere.

NASA explains that the glowing trail visible during a meteor sighting is the superheated air surrounding the rock, rather than the rock itself. When numerous meteors appear simultaneously, this spectacle is referred to as a meteor shower".

Location : Karachi, Pakistan

First Published: March 17, 2025, 13:18 IST
Lithuania Blames Russian Military Intel For Arson Attack On Vilnius IKEA Store

Published By :

Associated Press

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 23:01 IST

Lithuanian authorities accused Russian military intelligence of orchestrating an arson attack at an IKEA store in Vilnius in 2024. The suspect, a minor, was promised 10,000 euros and a BMW.

The IKEA store in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius was set ablaze last year. (IMAGE: AFP/REPRESENTATIVE)

Lithuanian authorities on Monday accused Russian military intelligence of being behind an arson attack at an IKEA store in the Lithuanian capital last year.

The Lithuanian prosecutors office said it filed an indictment in the case of a person charged with the arson of the Ikea shopping center in Vilnius on May 9, 2024.

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It said the suspect was a minor at the time and acted in the interests of the military structures and security services of the Russian Federation."

The prosecutor generals office said in a statement that the suspect and another person undertook during a secret meeting in Warsaw, the capital of neighboring Poland, to set fire to and blow up shopping centers in Lithuania and Latvia for a reward of 10,000 euros. The reward also included a BMW, the statement said.

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These terrorist acts were aimed at severely intimidating the society of both countries, illegally forcing the Republic of Lithuania, the European Union and other states to reduce or terminate their support for the Republic of Ukraine, as well as destabilizing the most important political, economic and social structures of the state," it said.

Poland and the Baltic countries  Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia  are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russias full-scale invasion.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Vilnius, Lithuania

First Published: March 17, 2025, 23:01 IST
PM Modis Call To Strengthen India-China Ties Despite Differences Pragmatic: Chinese Expert

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 16:29 IST

PM Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, said India and China were working to restore conditions to how they were before the 2020 border tension

PM Modi, in a podcast, said India and China were working to restore conditions to how they were before the 2020 border tension. (PTI File)

Chinese experts on Monday lauded what they called Prime Minister Narendra Modis pragmatic approach despite differences" towards the ties between the two counties.

PM Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, which was released on Sunday, said India and China were working to restore conditions to how they were before the 2020 border tension. Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return. But of course, it will take some time, since theres been a five-year gap," said Modi.

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Our cooperation isnt just beneficial, its also essential for global stability and prosperity. And since the 21st century is Asias century, we want India and China to compete in a healthy and natural way. Competition is not a bad thing, but it should never turn into conflict," Modi said.

Modis remarks on China underscore the Indian governments current pragmatic approach to advancing China-India relations, building on the positive momentum since the Kazan summit of the leaders. His remarks align with the broader trend of bilateral ties returning to a path of pic.twitter.com/hbiex4ma1u Global Times (@globaltimesnews) March 17, 2025

It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. And in 2020, the incidents along the border created significant tensions between our countries. However, after my recent meeting with President Xi, we have seen a return to normalcy at the border. We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020," Modi said, in the podcast, with audio tracks in English (US), Hindi, Hindi Latin and Russian.

Modis remarks underscore the Indian governments current pragmatic approach to advancing India-China relations, building on the positive momentum since the Kazan summit of the leaders. His remarks align with the broader trend of bilateral ties returning to a path of stable and healthy development," Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.

The Global Times is a daily tabloid under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Partys flagship newspaper, the Peoples Daily, commenting on international issues from a Chinese nationalistic perspective.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Indias ties with China, acknowledging that discords were natural when two neighbours exist, and stressed that dialogue was the only way to ensure that differences didnt turn into disputes@kritsween | #PMModi #LexFridman pic.twitter.com/d7mjcMtwnb News18 (@CNNnews18) March 16, 2025

Qian noted that since the meeting in Kazan, India-China relations made positive strides with both sides implementing the important consensus, strengthening exchanges at all levels and practical cooperation, resulting in a series of positive outcomes.

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After years of standoff, the India-China border issue has returned to a stable and manageable state. Moving forward, both sides may enter the next phase of negotiations, although the process could be lengthy. Healthy, natural competition is a normal part of international relations. Every country navigates both cooperation and competition, and China and India, as neighbouring major powers, are no exception. The key is to ensure that differences do not escalate into confrontation," Qian said.

At the same time, India and China are at different stages of development, and competition in emerging industries is unavoidable. However, as long as this competition remains fair, constructive, and regulated, it can serve as a catalyst for both countries to strengthen their own growth and development. Competition is not a challenge to avoid but an opportunity to seize," said Qian.

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 17, 2025, 16:12 IST
'Monsters Sent Into Country': Donald Trump Deports Hundreds To El Salvador Despite US Court's Order

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 08:03 IST

The deportation of El Salvador immigrants comes only a day after the Trump administration was temporarily blocked from transferring migrants by a US federal judge.

El Salvador immigrants being deported (Credits: Screengrab of video shared by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X/@SecRubio)

Despite a US federal judge temporarily blocking deportation, the Trump administration has deported hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador, where they were taken to a high-security prison, reported Reuters.

US President Donald Trump also shared a video on Truth Social, his social media platform, referring to the immigrants as monsters". He also thanked the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, for understanding the horrible situation".

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These are the monsters sent into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats. How dare they! Thank you to El Salvador and, in particular, President Bukele, for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to happen to the United States because of incompetent Democrat leadership. We will not forget!," wrote Trump on X, sharing a video that shows the migrants being deported to El Salvadors prison system.

This comes only a day after a federal judge in Washington temporarily prohibited Trum from invoking the Alien Enemies Act, hours after it was invoked.

James E Boasberg, chief judge for the US District Court, said that he had to immediately pass an order preventing Trump from deporting as the administration was already transporting migrants to El Salvador and Honduras for detention.

Notably, El Salvador agreed to take back up to 300 migrants classified as Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members by the Trump administration.

Over the years, Venezuelan national and local authorities have ceded ever-greater control over their territories to transnational criminal organisations, including TdA," Trump earlier said in an official statement.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who negotiated an earlier deal with Bukele to take back the immigrants, posted on X, We sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars."

We have sent 2 dangerous top MS-13 leaders plus 21 of its most wanted back to face justice in El Salvador. Also, as promised by @POTUS, we sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 16, 2025

Trump recently invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1978, leading to the deportation of immigrants. This law has only been used three times in US historyduring the War of 1812 and the two World Wars. It allows the president to declare the country at war and gives him special powers to detain or remove foreign nationals who would normally be protected under immigration or criminal laws. The last time it was used was during World War II to detain Japanese-American civilians.

Trump Administration Denies Defying Court Orders

According to a report by the New York Times, the Trump administration has denied defying court orders to temporarily block the deportation of immigrants. White House said that the president had the authority to remove them quickly under an 18th-century law designed for wartime.

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The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that federal courts have no jurisdiction" over the presidents handling of foreign affairs or his authority to expel foreign enemies, according to The New York Times.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from US soil," she said in a statement, as reported by The New York Times.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 17, 2025, 07:38 IST
Pope Francis Seen Celebrating Mass In Hospital In 1st Photo Since His Double Pneumonia Diagnosis

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 07:09 IST

The Argentine pope has not been seen in public since he was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 for pneumonia in both lungs, as his condition turned critical.

The Vatican released Pope Francis' first photo since his hospitalisation last month. (Vatican)

The Vatican released the first photograph of Pope Francis on Sunday, over a month since he was admitted to the hospital in February for double pneumonia. The pontiff was seen celebrating mass from the chapel in his hospital suite.

The Argentine pope has not been seen in public since he was admitted to Romes Gemelli hospital on February 14 for pneumonia in both lungs, which for weeks doctors considered critical. There was no obvious sign that he was receiving supplemental oxygen, as mentioned in medical bulletins.

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The latest photo released by the Vatican shows the pope bare-headed without his customary white skullcap, wearing a white robe and purple stole. He was seated in a wheelchair in front of an altar with a crucifix on the wall. No one else was visible in the room.

The Holy See Press Office has released a picture of Pope Francis in prayer after concelebrating the Eucharist this morning. Its the first to be released since the Popes hospitalisation on 14 February.Photo  Holy See Press Office pic.twitter.com/U2vvzAI1gv  Vatican News (@VaticanNews) March 16, 2025

This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli Polyclinic," the Vatican press office wrote in the caption. Since his hospitalisation, Francis has been unable to preside over the mass at St Peters Basilica in the Vatican.

This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli Polyclinic," the Vatican press office wrote in the caption. Since his hospitalisation, Francis has been unable to preside over the mass at St Peters Basilica in the Vatican.

ALSO READ: Pope Francis, Still In Hospital, Starts New Process For Catholic Reforms

Pope Francis First Message Since Hospitalisation

The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church made his first remarks in an audio message on March 6, where he sounded weak and breathless. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square. I accompany you from here," he said.

May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you," the Argentine said in his native Spanish. The message was broadcast in Saint Peters Square, where prayers have been held every evening for the pope, and applause broke out among the hundreds of pilgrims gathered there.

Earlier on Sunday, dozens of children  many from war-torn countries  gathered outside Romes Gemelli hospital to greet Francis on his fifth Sunday hospitalised. While the pope did not appear from the 10th-floor suite of windows, he thanked them and acknowledged their presence in the traditional Sunday blessing.

What Happened To The Pope?

The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church has been in Romes Gemelli hospital since February 14 with pneumonia in both lungs. The first three weeks of his hospitalisation were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit.

However, his condition has gradually improved and doctors said the pontiff was no longer in critical, life-threatening condition. However, they have continued to emphasise that his condition remained complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man.

The Vatican has also suspended morning updates and is issuing less frequent medical bulletins since a notable improvement in the popes health. An X-ray this week confirmed that the infection was clearing.

In the most recent bulletin on Saturday, doctors said they were working to reduce the popes reliance on a non-invasive ventilation mask at night, which will allow his lungs to work more. He is receiving high-flow supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube.

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Doctors said the pontiff could even be discharged in the near future after spending more than a month in the hospital. Speculation is now growing as to whether he may be able to participate in celebrations for Easter, the holiest period in the Christian calendar, which culminates on April 20.

(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 : Vatican City

First Published: March 17, 2025, 06:56 IST
Stranded In Antarctica, Scientists Send SOS Amid Alarming New Crisis: 'Sex Abuse, Death Threat'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 14:28 IST

The scientist, who sent an email, raised concern about the 'increasingly egregious behaviour' of his colleague, calling for immediate action.

Image used for representation

In a shocking incident, a group of scientists stuck in an Antarctician base have sought help via an email citing threats by one of their colleagues. The South African scientists, who are at Sanae IV base, a research station in Antarctica for 10 more months, claimed that one of their colleagues threatened to kill another member, as per a report by Daily Mail.

Last week, a researcher from the isolated team sent a concerning email, stating that a fellow team member had attacked them and was making further threats.

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According to the email, which was shared with South Africas Sunday Times, the group was living in fear of the individual, who was seen as a danger to the entire team.

The same person was also accused of sexually assaulting a colleague.

The emails author wrote, Regrettably, his behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing," according to a report by the Daily Mail quoting South Africas Sunday Times.

The mail further said, Specifically, he physically assaulted [X], which is a grave violation of personal safety and workplace norms. Furthermore, he threatened to kill [X], creating an environment of fear and intimidation."

The report did not mention any names.

The author also raised concern about the increasingly egregious behaviour of his colleague, calling for immediate action.

I am experiencing significant difficulty in feeling secure in his presence. There was a verbal altercation between the team leader and this person. Then it escalated and then that person did physically assault the leader. You can imagine what its like. It is close quarters and people do get cabin fever. It can be very disorientating," the email continued.

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Taking note of the incident, South Africas Environment Minister, Dion George, stated that he would personally communicate with the team to evaluate the situation.

The harsh weather conditions in Antarctica, combined with the absence of people or animals, leave the research team completely isolated.

Location : South Africa

First Published: March 17, 2025, 13:09 IST
Trump Shares PM Modi's Podcast With Lex Fridman On His Truth Social Platform

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 13:00 IST

PM Modi spoke at length about his relationship with Trump, praising his resilience and dedication towards America. He said Trump was "far more prepared" than his first term as president.

PM Modi with President Donald Trump at the White House in US. File Image/ (PMO)

US President Donald Trump has shared Prime Minister Narendra Modis three-hour podcast with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman on his Truth Social platform. The post, seen as an endorsement of the Indian leader, came on Monday morning (India time).

Trump, who shares a warm relationship with Modi, met the Prime Minister last month during the latters visit to the White House. The two leaders had a cordial chat, wherein Trump called Modi a tough negotiator".

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During the conversation at Fridmans podcast, PM Modi opened up about his friendship with Trump, lauding his humility" and resilience" and noting that he seems far more prepared" as compared to his first term as the US President.

PM Modi said that even after there was an assassination bid on him during the campaigning for the presidential elections last year, Trump showed no fear and remained unwaveringly dedicated to America".

His life was for his nation. His reflection showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in nation first. I stand for India first and thats why we connect so well. These are the things that truly resonate," he said during the conversation with Fridman.

ALSO READ: PM Modi Hails Resilient Trump, Says Hes Far More Prepared In 2nd Term As US President

Heres What PM Modi Said On Trump

During the podcast, the Prime Minister also recalled the Howdy Modi" event in Houston, where he and Trump addressed a packed stadium. Modi recalled how the President had walked with him into a crowd of thousands without even asking for security.

In American life, its almost impossible for the President to walk into a crowd of thousands, but without even a moments hesitation, he (Trump) agreed and started walking with me. His entire security detail was thrown off guard, but for me that moment was truly touching," he said.

He added: It showed me that this man had courage. He makes his own decisions, but also he trusted me and my lead in that moment enough to have walked with me into the crowd. It was that sense of mutual trust, a strong bond between us that I truly witnessed on that day and the way I saw President Trump that day walking into a crowd of thousands without even asking security, it was truly amazing."

Recalling his first meeting with Trump, the PM said, The very moment I stepped into the White House, he broke all formal protocols right away. And then, he personally took me on a tour of the White House. As he showed me around, I noticed something striking, he wasnt holding any notes or cue cards, nor was anyone accompanying him to assist. He pointed things out himself."

The Prime Minister said his closeness and trust with Trump remained unshaken" even after Joe Biden came to power. But, Trump always referred to him as a friend, even in front of others, he added. Whenever someone we both knew met him, and this must have happened dozens of times, he would say, Modi is my friend, convey my regards. That kind of gesture is rare."

PM Modis Meeting With Trump

Prime Minister Modi and President Trump met in the Oval Office in February to hold wide-ranging talks on trade and defence, where Trump described the former as a tough negotiator".

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When asked about Trumps statement, Modi said, It is very kind of him that he openly appreciates me on various occasions and in different contexts. But when it comes to negotiations, I always put my countrys interests first. Thats why in every forum, I speak up for Indias interest, not to harm anyone but in a positive manner and because of that, no one takes offence."

PM Modi was welcomed by Trump at the Oval Office with a warm hug in their first meeting since the new government took office in the US. As the two leaders met, Trump described Prime Minister Modi as a great friend" for a long time.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 17, 2025, 12:14 IST
I Turn To Lord Krishnas Teachings In Best And Worst Times: Tulsi Gabbard

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 18, 2025, 00:02 IST

Tulsi Gabbard, a practicing Vaishnava Hindu, described how the latter's teachings to Arjuna have guided her in her best and worst times.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard (ANI)

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday shed light about the influence of Lord Krishna and Bhagwat Gita on her life and career.

Gabbard, a practicing Vaishnava Hindu and staunch follower of Lord Krishna, described how the latters teachings to Arjuna (a character in Mahabharat) have guided her in her best and worst times.

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Read More: PM Modi Meets US Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard, Gifts Ganga Water From Maha Kumbh

The US Intel chief, who is on a visit to India, emphasised how Lord Krishnas teachings to Arjuna have been a source of strength and guidance during her time in war zones and while facing the complexities of her current role.

Whether serving in war zones in different parts of the world or the challenges that we face now, it is (Lord) Krishnas teachings to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita that I turn to in the best of times and the worst of times," she said in an interview with news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Delhi | US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says, Whether serving in war zones in different parts of the world or the challenges that we face now, it is (Lord) Krishnas teachings to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita that I turn to in the best of times and the pic.twitter.com/RlvcPVuqjg ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

On her spiritual journey, Gabbard said, Well, my own personal spiritual practice, my personal relationship with God is the centre of my life and I do my very best every day to live a life that is pleasing to God and what better way to do that and to do my best to be of service to all of Gods children."

Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the US Congress, at multiple occasions, has spoken about her deep connection with Bhagwat Gita.

Read More: Islamist Terrorism Impacting People In India: Tulsi Gabbard On Pakistan-Sponsored Terror

In 2020, she encouraged Hindu students to delve into the principles of Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga as described in the Gita, highlighting the significance of serving society as a path to genuine success.

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Earlier today, the US Intel chief met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital. PM Modi also gifted her the holy water from the Ganga, collected during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh.

(With inputs from ANI)

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 17, 2025, 23:59 IST
'Unfortunate Persecution': Gabbard Says Trump 'Concerned' Over Atrocities Against Bangladeshi Hindus

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 16:14 IST

Tulsi Gabbard said the Trump administration is committed to defeating "Islamist terrorism" globally.

The US Director Of National Intelligence (DNI) said the Trump administration is speaking to the interim government in Bangladesh regarding the rise of Islamic extremism in the nation. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)

The US Director Of National Intelligence (DNI) said that the atrocities faced by the Bengali Hindus and Christians, Buddhists and other minority communities is an area of major concern for US President Donald Trump.

She said her boss remains focused and committed to defeating Islamist terrorism" globally.

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The longtime unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities like Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and others has been a major area of concern for the US government and President Trump and his administration," Gabbard said while speaking to broadcaster NDTV.

The Trump administration is expected to soon begin talks with the interim government led by Bangladesh interim governments chief advisor Muhammad Yunus over the rise of Islamic extremism in the country.

Ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, ousted in last Augusts revolution, took a tough stance against Islamist movements during her 15-year tenure.

Since her exit, the hardline religiously fuelled activism that Hasinas government had driven underground has resurfaced.

Yunus condemned the recent horrific acts of violence" against women committed by the Islamist groups.

He, however, has been accused of failing to protect minorities from the attacks of the Islamist hardliners.

Yunuss administration has struggled to restore law and order, with many police officers refusing to return to work and the army brought in to help.

Recently, the Bangladeshi police on fired tear gas to disperse a rally by banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir after pledging to take a zero tolerance approach to the hardline outfit.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international fundamentalist Sunni group that calls for the establishment of a caliphate, and has been banned in Bangladesh since 2009.

It has begun resurfacing publicly in the South Asian nation since last years ouster of ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, whose autocratic government clamped down on Islamist groups.

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Around 1,000 members of the group gathered outside Bangladeshs largest mosque on Friday, the Baitul Mukarram in the capital Dhaka, but were stopped by police.

Yunus, the Nobel Prize-winning microfinance pioneer who heads the caretaker government, has said that general elections will take place in late 2025 or early 2026.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 17, 2025, 15:58 IST
What Is An Autopen Which Trump Claims Was Allegedly Used To Sign Pardons Issued By Joe Biden?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 19:12 IST

Joe Biden is not the only person in US politics to face heat for using the autopen. Former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld also faced heat for using the device.

US President Joe Biden signs an executive order during a visit to the United Association Local 190 Training Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump said that preventative pardons issued by his predecessor Joe Biden to members of US Congress who enraged the Republican by launching a probe to overturn the 2020 US Election have now been annulled.

According to news agency AFP, it remains unclear whether Donald Trump has the authority to void presidential pardons issued by Joe Biden.

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Trump claims Bidens signature on the documents was carried out with a commonly used device known as an autopen and hence invalid. He did not provide evidence in his early morning tirade aimed at Biden and the receivers of the pardon on Truth Social, a social media site owned by him.

The pardons are hereby declared void, vacant, and of no further force or effect, because of the fact they were done by Autopen," Trump posted on his social media account Truth Social.

Autopen And Its History

The autopen, a device that replicates signatures, has been used by various US Presidents over time. President Harry S. Truman is believed to be the first to use the modern autopen regularly, according to a report by Politico.

Other than Biden, the other high-profile US political figure to face heat for using the autopen was Donald Rumsfeld, the US former defence secretary.

Rumsfeld accepted that he used the mechanical signature device to sign condolence letters sent to families of soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

John Isaac Hawkins, an English engineer, patented the polygraph in 1803, a device designed to replicate handwritten documents simultaneously. This invention is considered a forerunner of the modern autopen. Notably, US President Thomas Jefferson extensively used the polygraph for his correspondence.

Since the invention of the autopen, politicians, business executives and celebs have used it to sign large volumes of documents.

Former US President Barack Obama was the first to publicly acknowledge using an autopen to sign a bill into law in 2011.

How Does An Autopen Work

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A persons real signature is stored in the machine. This can be done either by tracing it carefully or by using a computer. Once the signature is saved, the autopen can copy it exactly onto papers using a pen. It moves just like a real hand would, following the shape of the signature.

Modern autopens are very advanced. Some can change the pressure and speed of writing, making the signature look more natural.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: March 17, 2025, 19:12 IST
Who Is Joshua Riibe? Iowa Man 'Person Of Interest' In Indian Student Sudiksha Konanki's Disappearance

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 17, 2025, 08:58 IST

The 22-year-old Joshua Riibe was the last person who had seen Sudiksha Konanki before she went missing and has now been named "a person of interest" in the case.

22-year-old Joshua Riibe was the last person who had met Sudiksha Konanki before she disappeared. (Courtesy: X)

The police officials in the Dominican Republic have shifted their focus to 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, who had last seen University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki before she disappeared, and are now grilling him to find more clues in this case.

On Sunday, Dominican Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso and Navy Vice Admiral Agustin Morillo Rodriguez interrogated Riibe till nearly 3 a.m., reported the Spanish-language outlet Noticias SIN.

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He has been identified as a person of interest" and the authorities are considering him as a key element in the investigation.

Who Is Joshua Riibe?

Joshua Riibe, who hails from Iowa, is a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. He is pursuing a degree in land surveying and is also a pool lifeguard.

His family has described him as a kind, humorous, and community-driven young man" and as a student, he also participated in student activities, volunteer work, and sports, ABC News reported.

He was not supposed to travel along with Konanki as per the plan but had met her on the night when she went missing.

What Did Joshua Riibe Tell Investigators So Far?

During the investigation, Riibe accepted that he had met Konanki on the night she disappeared.

As reported by NBC News, Riibe claimed that they were in waist-deep water, talking and kissing a little" when they were pulled into the sea by a strong wave.

A trained pool lifeguard, Riibe said that he made efforts to hold Konanki under his arm and was swimming back to shore while ensuring that she was breathing.

He claimed that he found it difficult to stay afloat and said, I took in a lot of water."

After reaching shallower waters, Riibe claimed that he kept Konanki in front of him and then saw that she was walking at an angle in the water."

He said that he asked her if she was fine but failed to hear her response. Riibe claimed that he began vomiting because he had swallowed seawater.

Riibe informed the authorities that by the time he recovered, Konanki was not seen anywhere.

Riibe believed that she had left and then passed out on a beach chair. In the surveillance footage, he was later seen going back to his hotel.

Riibe Records Conflicting Statements

The statements recorded by Riibe conflicted and had multiple versions of events. In the first version, he said that he vomited, saw Konanki standing and then assumed that she had gone.

In another version, he said that he felt sick, came out of the water and then saw her in knee-deep water. In the third version, he said that he saw Konaki walking along the shore before passing out.

Also Read: Search For Sudiksha Konanki, Who Went Missing In Dominican Republic, Continues. What We Know So Far

In a statement, the parents of Riibe  Albert and Tina Riibe  said, We express our deep sorrow and solidarity with the family of Sudiksha Konanki during this painful time. Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through, and we share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible."

They added that Joshua Riibe is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated in the search and clarification of the facts from the very beginning."

Timeline Of Sudiksha Konankis Disappearance

Konanki, who is a pre-med University of Pittsburgh student from South Riding, Virginia, had gone to the Dominican Republic on a vacation with five friends.

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On March 5, Konanki had gone to a resort nightclub in Punta Cana with her friends and was seen at the beach at around 4:15 am in surveillance footage.

By 5:50 am, most of them had left and Konanki was just with Joshua Riibe. She was seen walking arm-in-arm with an unidentified man in a CCTV footage, which is believed to be Riibe.

Location : Dominican Republic

First Published: March 17, 2025, 08:52 IST
Government has said it will not issue title deeds for houses built on land illegally parcelled out by land barons to clamp down on dubious land allocations.

Apart from that, only settlements that meet regulatory standards and have proper infrastructure will be regularised, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zhemu Soda said in an interview with our sister paper The Sunday Mail.

This comes as rogue land barons seek to take advantage of the Governments Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deeds Programme, an initiative designed to help ordinary Zimbabweans secure ownership of their homes.

Minister Soda made it clear that title deeds will only be issued after thorough assessments confirm that a settlement is suitable for regularisation.

We are not issuing title deeds for houses built on land allocated by land barons, he said.

We are working with the Kwangu/Ngakwami Trust to mobilise resources for regularisation, including road construction and water and sewer system installations. Once assessments confirm a settlement is suitable, title deeds will be issued.

The Government, in collaboration with Kwangu/Ngakwami Trust, is focusing on developing essential infrastructure such as roads, water, and sewer systems in settlements that meet the required standards.

The move aims to ensure that only legally acquired and properly developed properties are eligible for title deeds.

Meanwhile, the Government has started issuing 21 000 title deeds for properties acquired through state-sanctioned housing schemes.

Homeowners eligible for title deeds are encouraged to visit district offices with the necessary documents, including identity documents, proof of payment, lease agreements, and sales agreements.

Our ministry prepares the files, which are then sent to the Deeds Office for issuance, Minister Soda said.

Significant progress has been made in Epworth, where the Kwangu/Ngakwami Trust has established field offices to facilitate the process.

The initiative covers properties from both Government housing schemes and State land allocated by local councils. Issuing title deeds not only empowers citizens but also improves security of tenure and increases property values. Minister Soda also issued a stern warning to citizens against engaging intermediaries or land barons, urging them to deal directly with Government offices to avoid falling victim to fraud.

We urge citizens to take title deeds seriously and to avoid intermediaries. We work directly with citizens and do not want them to lose their money to unscrupulous activities by land barons.

The Government remains committed to addressing the countrys housing challenges, with several projects underway across the country. These include: Dzivaresekwa: Flats commissioned last year.

In Marondera construction of four blocks of flats in Dombotombo suburb, is expected to be completed by early 2025, while in Lupane houses built to cater to the towns growing status as Matabeleland Norths provincial capital are set to be commissioned soon.

New houses are set to be constructed in Siakobvu, while in Mutawatawa flats being built for civil servants, as well as the Crownlands project in Chinhoyi, which will provide over 1,000 serviced stands for Government employees.

There are several other housing projects that are underway across the country and Minister Soda reaffirmed the Governments dedication to improving housing conditions, reducing commuting costs for civil servants, and ensuring homeownership security.

He emphasized that while the housing sector is poised for transformation, citizens must acquire properties through legal channels to avoid falling victim to land barons.

With various efforts underway, Zimbabwes housing sector is set for a major transformation, he said. But citizens must be cautious and only acquire properties through legal channels.

As the Government continues to roll out its housing initiatives, the focus remains on providing secure, affordable, and well-serviced homes for all Zimbabweans. Herald
Zimbabwes retail sector is showing signs of recovery as Government reforms, especially on exchange rate determination, take effect, with listed retail giant OK Zimbabwe Limited among those on the rebound.

Government launched the Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan for the

This emerged yesterday during an assessment by the Parliamentary Committee on Industry and Commerce, which is conducting nationwide evaluations to gauge the ease of doing business and engage directly with retailers to understand their challenges.

Speaking during the tour of OK Mart, the group company secretary, Mrs Margaret Munyuru, said the firm was now on a recovery path.

We have already started restocking. A few weeks ago, even a month and a half ago, you would have noticed that even Mazoe was missing on the shelves. The shelves are now filling up, she said.

The committees chairperson, Clemence Chiduwa, who is also Zaka South Member of Parliament (Zanu PF), said the Governments efforts to stabilise the economy and support the revival of retail businesses were yielding positive results.

Obviously, for us, we are looking at the revival of the retail sector, and we are happy that the Government is working hard on that, he said.

We have seen the reforms that are going on, especially on exchange rate determination. And all this should assist the sector to grow again.

Cde Chiduwa said the visit to OK Mart was part of a broader effort to understand retail sector operations.

I think if you wait a number of years, you will know the problems that are being faced by the retail sector. But what came out from the deliberation mostly is only exchange rate issues, he said.

Cde Chiduwa said findings from these visits will be consolidated into a report for Parliament, with recommendations aimed at further strengthening the sector.

Despite signs of recovery, Cde Chiduwa acknowledged some lingering challenges shared by retailers, including distortions in the exchange rate market, foreign currency shortages, inconsistent power supply, and regulatory hurdles.

The distortions that are happening in the exchange rate market, the shortages of foreign currency, power, regulatory requirements. And we are upset, he said.

Cde Chiduwa said beyond major retail outlets, the committee is also focusing on Zimbabwes vast informal sector, which plays a crucial role in the economy.

After we are done here, we are also going to the downtown area, where we are going to look at the compliance level, especially in the informal sector, he said.

Cde Chiduwa said the committees outreach extends across multiple cities, including Harare, Mutare, Chiredzi, Bulawayo, and Gweru. Herald
An Indiana police officer and his wife face charges of child abuse and neglect after, authorities say, their 6-year-old daughter was forced to stand outside in freezing temperatures holding a humiliating sign. Passers-by saw the girl standing outside a home in Logansport in 18-degree weather during the January incident, which is just now being widely reported. The sign read, "I want to stab and kill my brother. I even take an antipsychotic. If you need to give pity then give it to the victims," WTHR reports. Concerned witnesses called 911, and one of them tells the Pharos-Tribune she knew the girl's father was a local police officer and specifically asked that he not respond to the scene. He did respond, but the woman refused to talk until a second officer showed up. That officer, however, declined to let her file a police report.

Fox 59 reports that in body camera footage from the scene, the girl's father, Cody Scott, can be heard telling a concerned passer-by, "Aside from me cruelly beating her physically, I've not done any other punishment that's worked for her. She's threatened to kill my family, she wants to embarrass us, she wants to urinate on herself and destroy things in the house." He went on to explain that the girl is in therapy and working with a case worker from the Department of Child Services (DCS), then added, "She goes in every 30 minutes to warm back up, she's bundled up very warm and then she'll come back out." After being told she couldn't file a police report, the woman who called 911 reported the incident to DCS and then posted a photo of the girl online to bring attention to the incident.

Ultimately, the Indiana State Police got involved and the Cass County Prosecutor's Office later decided to file charges. Cody and Kylie Scott have both pleaded not guilty to felony neglect of a dependent charges. Cody Scott was initially placed on paid leave, but the Logansport Board of Public Works and Safety Committee recently put him on unpaid administrative leave, Local 12 reports. Investigators say the the Scotts had previously made the girl hold signs reading, "I pee on everything and cover it up like a cat" and "I lie to hurt other people." The girl told investigators she was also sometimes made to stay in her room and was not allowed to use the restroom, and that her younger brother is not similarly punished. Her parents say she has been diagnosed with behavioral disorders and is on medication.
A 46-year-old woman was set on fire by an unknown assailant as she rode a tram in Germany's eastern city of Gera Sunday morning. The attacker poured a liquid over the woman before setting her ablaze, then fled after passengers pressed an emergency button to stop the tram, the AP reports. The driver used a fire extinguisher to douse the flames. The woman, who suffered life-threatening injuries, was airlifted to a hospital. No suspect has yet been apprehended, but DW reports that police believe the assailant may have been the woman's husband.
Sunday saw one of the most dramatic developments yet on the deportation front: President Trump invoked a rarely used law to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador. The move came after a federal judge issued a ruling against the deportations and ordered that any planes carrying the immigrants out of the country be turned around. Instead, two planes landed in El Salvador, prompting a mocking retort from that nation's president, Nayib Bukele, on social media: "Oopsie ... too late." The fallout:

Axios reports that White House officials discussed whether to turn the planes around when the ruling came down, but administration lawyers advised it didn't apply because the aircraft were over international waters at the time. The unusual deportation had been quietly organized by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The Tren de Aragua gang is very much in the news, thanks to the Trump administration's deportation of alleged members. The White House says nearly 300 members of the gang were arrested over the weekend and flown to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798despite a judge's order to turn the flights around. So what is Tren de Aragua? Coverage:

The start: Tren de Aragua ("train from Aragua") began as a prison gang about a decade ago in Tocoron prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua, reports the BBC. Under leader Hector Guerrero Flores, the gang famously turned the prison into something more like a resort than a jailit even had a zoountil authorities shut it down. Flores escaped and remains at large.
He planned to be gone for two weeks. Instead, for 94 days, Maximo Napa floated on the Pacific Ocean, not a soul in sight. Ten days after setting out from southern Peru on Dec. 7, the fisherman was caught in a current and bad weather, which carried his boatlacking a radio beacononto the high seas. With dwindling supplies, he survived on rainwater and cockroaches, birds, turtleswhatever he could find, per CBS News . And he thought of his mother and his 2-month-old granddaughter back at home. It was enough that the 61-year-old survived a few weeks until Christmas, and then a few months more. Finally, on Tuesday, he was saved.

An Ecuadoran vessel some 680 miles off the coast of northern Peru spotted Napa's boat and pulled him to safety, reports the BBC. The Peruvian Navy made the announcement Saturday as Napa was released from a hospital in Paita, where he'd been reunited with a brother. He'd been found dehydrated and in critical condition. However, Navy port captain Jorge Gonzalez said he appeared "in good physical condition" and able to walk by himself, per CBS.

Napa's daughter said the family "never gave up hope of finding him," per CBS. But Napa's mother, Elena, said hope was vanishing, per the BBC. Peru's maritime patrols had searched the coast for weeks without luck, per the New York Post. But "I didn't want to die, for my mother," Napa said, per CBS. "I have a two-month-old granddaughterI clung to that." In addition to celebrating his "miracle" rescue, Napa's family plans to hold a celebration in honor of his birthday, which passed while he was at sea. Napa, who'd rationed his food, said he was able to eat only a small cookie that day, and went without food for his last 15 days at sea, per the BBC.
After falling into correction territory last weekwith the benchmark S&P 500 off 10% from its earlier highsstocks were poised to start the new week with modest declines. Dow futures were down more than 130 points, and USA Today reports that comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over the weekend are a factor. In short, he did not predict a quick turnaround:

"I've been in the investment business for 35 years, and I can tell you that corrections are healthy, they are normal," Bessent said Sunday on Meet The Press, per NBC News. "What's not healthy is straight up. You get these euphoric markets. That's how you get a financial crisis."
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A Navy destroyer that was involved in fighting Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea last year is being deployed a lot closer to home. The Pentagon says the USS Gravely is being sent to boost border security in waters normally patrolled by the Coast Guard, the Washington Post reports. At 509 feet 6 inches, the guided-missile destroyer is bigger than any Coast Guard vessel. In a news release , US Naval Forces Northern Command said the Gravely will carry a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment, known as a LEDET. "In support of US Northern Command's mission to restore territorial integrity at the US southern border, Gravely reinforces the nation's commitment to border security by enhancing maritime efforts and supporting interagency collaboration," the statement said.

Northern Command said the deployment is part of the Pentagon's "coordinated and robust" response to "combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration." It's not unusual for presidents to send the military to the southern border, but it's unusual to send Navy personnel, since the border is mostly land or the Rio Grande river, which mostly isn't navigable by large boats, Axios notes.

The destroyer was deployed from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown on Saturday, WVEC reports. The Post reports that defense officials didn't respond to its question on whether the deployment "is meant to address a possible shortfall in available Coast Guard vessels, or if it is intended to send a signal to drug cartels in the region."
The State Department says South Africa's ambassador to the United States, who was declared "persona non grata" last week, has until Friday to leave the country. After Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was no longer welcome in the US and posted his decision Friday on social media, South African embassy staff were summoned to the State Department and given a formal diplomatic note explaining the decision, the department said.

"We made the embassy aware that Ambassador Rasool has been found unacceptable by the United States to be a representative of his country," the State Department said. It said Rasool's diplomatic privileges and immunities expired Monday and that he would be required to leave the United States by Friday. It was not clear if he was in the US now.
A proposal by the Oklahoma Department of Education would have high school history students learn about "discrepancies" in the 2020 presidential election, starting with a series of possibilities that reflect President Trump's debunked claims about the vote. Students would be instructed to identify factors including "the sudden halting of ballot-counting in select cities in key battleground states" and "the security risks of mail-in balloting," the New York Times reports. "We want students to think for themselves, not be spoon-fed left wing propaganda," said education Superintendent Ryan Walters, per the Washington Post .

The first version of the policy limited its instructions to students to examining issues related to the election, per KWTV. A new version, reported by the nonprofit NonDoc, tells students to "identify discrepancies in 2020 election results." The change was made after the public comment period had ended. The proposal goes next to the state legislature, which is controlled by Republicans. Democratic Rep. John Waldron, a former social studies teacher, said he's a no vote. "The state superintendent campaigned to end indoctrination in our schools, but what he is doing instead with these new standards is promoting his own brand of indoctrination," Waldron told the Times.

The GOP governor's office called the proposal a distraction, and it's not clear that Gov. Kevin Stitt will back it. Walters, a Trump ally, gained national attention for trying to place Trump-endorsed Bibles in classrooms and create a publicly funded Catholic charter school; both plans have resulted in court battles. Stitt and Walters once were allies, but they've fought over the superintendent's plan to compile the citizenship status of public school children, and Stitt has suggested a focus on education. Oklahoma ranks near the bottom among states in new reading and math tests. Stitt replaced half of the Board of Education last month. Superintendent is an elected post.
TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The Shura Council passed a proposal yesterday suggesting that complaints of medical malpractice in Bahrain be handled by a committee named the Supreme Medical Liability Committee before proceeding to a court.

This body will assess malpractice cases and advise on potential prosecutions.

Another significant feature of the proposal approved by the Shura Council is that it mandates civil liability insurance for healthcare professionals.

The 35-article proposal consolidates existing regulations on medical liability and has now been referred to the government for further review and formal drafting.

Clear legal principles

Dr Ibtisam Al Dallal, the Services Committee rapporteur, said the proposal establishes clear legal principles on rights, responsibilities, and accountability for everyone in the medical field while keeping pace with advances in modern healthcare.

She added, It strengthens the system by closing loopholes, ensuring stability and clarity for both doctors and patients.

Supporters argue that the law will bring greater certainty to Bahrains healthcare sector while reinforcing its position as a destination for medical treatment.

A well-defined liability law reassures investors by creating a stable legal foundation, Al Dallal said. It allows institutions to assess risks, make informed decisions, and provide a safer, more transparent system for both doctors and patients.

Cornerstone of well-run healthcare system

Dr Jameela Al Salman, Chair of the Services Committee, backed the proposal, describing medical liability as a cornerstone of any well-run healthcare system. She pointed out that 57 medical errors were recorded in 2023, compared to 42 in 2024, while 320 malpractice complaints were submitted to the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) in 2023, with 358 cases reviewed and closed. In 2024, 258 complaints were filed, of which 287 were processed.

Compensation

Since the start of this legislative term, government hospitals and primary healthcare centres have paid out 100,000 dinars in court-ordered malpractice compensation, she said. This framework will improve Bahrains standing in medical tourism, establish a Supreme Medical Liability Committee, introduce civil liability insurance for malpractice, and provide stronger legal protections for healthcare workers.

She also stressed that doctors should not face detention over malpractice claims unless the Supreme Medical Liability Committee establishes clear grounds for it.

Concerns

The Supreme Council of Health, the Ministry of Health, and NHRA have expressed concerns, arguing that Bahrain already has malpractice liability laws and that an alternative bill may cover the same ground.

They warn that introducing overlapping regulations could create legal complications.

Financial concerns have also been raised. The Finance and Economic Affairs Committee cautioned that mandatory malpractice insurance could place a financial strain on hospitals, clinics, and the public purse.

However, Dr Jehad Al Fadhel rejected this view, calling the bill a long-term investment rather than a financial burden.

She argued that it would build trust in Bahrains healthcare sector while ensuring a fair balance between patients rights and the responsibilities of medical professionals.
TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), a leading retail and commercial bank in the Kingdom recently held a Ramadan Ghabga to celebrate and express gratitude to its clients, and strategic partners.

The gathering was attended by BBKs Group Chief Executive, Mr. Yaser Alsharifi, members of the Banks Board of Directors, alongside several executives, employees, and esteemed guests in the Khaimat Al Khaleej at the Gulf Hotel.

The event served as an opportunity to foster stronger ties between BBKs leadership and its valued partners, reinforcing the Banks ongoing commitment to nurturing meaningful relationships within the business community.

Through this initiative, BBK reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining open channels of communication and collaboration with its stakeholders, reflecting its longstanding emphasis on trust and partnership.

"This gathering allowed us to meet with our esteemed partners and supporters, whose contributions have been instrumental in our sustained success.

As we come together to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan, we embrace this occasion as a chance to strengthen the bonds that connect us and uphold the values of trust, integrity, and transparency that define our relationships," said Mr. Yaser Alsharifi, Group Chief Executive of BBK.

Mr. Alsharifi further expressed his gratitude for the significant role BBKs partners play in advancing the Banks position as a leader in Bahrains banking sector, and stated, "We were delighted by the remarkable turnout.

This event provided us with an opportunity to extend our sincere appreciation to every partner and client who has placed their confidence in BBK, enabling us to achieve our current standing.

We remain committed to maintaining this momentum and building upon our shared success. Hosting our esteemed partners under one roof during this holy month is a token of our appreciation, reaffirming BBKs commitment to being a trusted and preferred financial partner for all."
TDT | Manama

Email: mail@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.

The Cabinet extended its congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the successful launch of Bahrains Al Munther satellite from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. The Cabinet emphasised that this milestone supports the Kingdoms advancements in the space sector and its contributions to regional and international strategic development. In this regard, the Cabinet commended the dedication of Bahrains national workforce, supported by His Highness Lieutenant-General Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor and Commander of the Royal Guard.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality and reception extended to him and the accompanying delegation during his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). His Royal Highness noted that this gesture reflects the enduring strength of Bahrain-UAE relations and their robust multisectoral collaboration, supported by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

The Cabinet welcomed the launch of the third edition of the Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Womens Empowerment, announced via a recorded address by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), during the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York. The Cabinet affirmed that the award reflects Bahrains commitment to supporting global efforts to advance womens roles in sustainable development.

Marking Community Partnership Day, the Cabinet recognised the dedication and contributions of Bahraini citizens toward the Kingdoms development. It also recognised the Ministry of Interiors role in fostering community partnership.

As the League of Arab States marks its 80th anniversary, the Cabinet reaffirmed the Kingdoms commitment, in its capacity as the current Chair of the Arab Council, to supporting initiatives that enhance Arab unity and cooperation, while acknowledging the Leagues role in strengthening regional collaboration.

The Cabinet welcomed Bahrain International Airports recognition as the Best Airport at Arrivals globally in the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards by Airports Council International (ACI), underscoring the Kingdoms commitment to enhancing its global competitiveness.

The Cabinet approved the following:

1. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance on updating the business activity requirements guide in the Sijilat system.



2. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs on a draft decree amending provisions of the National Space Science Agencys founding decree.



3. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs on a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic passport holders between Bahrain and Morocco.

4. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs on a memorandum of understanding between the Information & eGovernment Authority and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, focusing on data and AI collaboration.



5. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs on the governments response to three proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives.

The Cabinet reviewed the following:

1. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects on the Committees 2024 work and key achievements in housing, infrastructure, and urban planning.



2. A memorandum submitted by the Minister of Oil and Environment, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, on water quality improvements in Tubli Bay following the implementation of water flow enhancement projects.

3. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Community Services on public health service developments, comparing major 2024 initiatives to 2023
TDT | Manama

Email : ashen@newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies (Derasat) held its annual Ramadan Ghabga for its members, attended by prominent intellectual, media, diplomatic, and youth figures.

During the event, Dr. Khalifa bin Ali Al-Fadel, a member of Derasats Board of Trustees, emphasized the importance of partnerships in advancing scientific research and knowledge. He highlighted their role as fundamental pillars in Bahrains comprehensive and sustainable development journey, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Dr. Al-Fadel expressed pride in Derasats achievements as a leading regional research institution, committed to the highest standards of excellence in comprehensive scientific research. He outlined the centers aspirations for a bright future based on collaboration between knowledge pioneers, experienced professionals, and ambitious young innovators. He also stressed the importance of utilizing research outcomes to support Bahrains strategic and developmental goals.

The event also highlighted Derasats contributions in providing studies, research, and reports to assist decision-makers. The center continues to enhance monitoring and analysis activities, host seminars and discussions, and conduct surveys within the framework of constructive social dialogue and partnerships. Additionally, Derasat actively collaborates with regional and international research centers, academic institutions, and diplomatic organizations while employing innovative foresight tools to address security and strategic challenges. These efforts align with Bahrains Economic Vision 2030 and the countrys commitment to sustainable development.

Dr. Al-Fadel reaffirmed Derasats commitment to developing human capital, particularly young researchers and professionals. He emphasized the importance of equipping them with scientific methodologies, fostering innovation, and enhancing their ability to engage with knowledge platforms, databases, and digital transformation trends. He also encouraged them to contribute to academic publishing, enriching Bahraini, Arab, and global libraries with valuable research.

In recognition of outstanding contributions, Dr. Al-Fadel honored a group of young innovators with commemorative shields, acknowledging their dedication to serving the nation and excelling in scientific research. He concluded by affirming that Bahrain, through knowledge integration, idea exchange, and teamwork under the spirit of "Team Bahrain," is steadily progressing toward a brighter and more sustainable future.
NAIROBI, Kenya, March 17, 2025 /CNW/ -- Huawei, UNESCO, and government partners officially announced the completion of Phase II of the Kenya DigiSchool Connectivity Project, which connected 21 schools to the Internet, including 6 schools for children with special educational needs.

Aligned with the government's Digital Superhighway Agenda and the commitment to connect all Kenyan schools to the Internet, the DigiSchool project is a partnership between Kenya's Ministry of Education, Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Kenya Power (KPLC), UNESCO, and Huawei TECH4ALL.

Students, teachers, and administrators at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf

The announcement event, which took place at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf on March 14, was officiated by Eng. John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy in Kenya. The school is one of the schools for deaf children that was connected to the nation's high-speed fiber broadband network under the second phase of the project.

"We are here at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf to ensure that the school is connected to the national fiber so that they can learn better and contribute to improved learning outcomes. Since visual access is key for the deaf, the package also includes a video conferencing solution," said Eng. John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy. "As government, we acknowledge the support of the private sector players in delivering such a life-changing program at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf. Indeed, this is a huge undertaking that needs strategic collaboration with partners like Huawei and UNESCO. It is our hope that we will continue to transform lives and livelihoods together, as we further the digital inclusion agenda."

The video conferencing equipment enables Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) to provide remote support for school administrators, teachers, and learners at deaf schools, enhancing teaching capacity at the schools and improving access to various services.

"With these solutions, connectivity is improving the efficiency of education management. It is helping head teachers access management systems online. It is improving access to education resources online  whether videos, curriculum, or experts. And connectivity in the classroom is making learning more interesting, fun, and effective. In schools catering for special educational needs, connectivity is helping experts provide assessment and rehabilitation services remotely," said Stephen Zhang, Deputy CEO for Huawei Kenya.

During the announcement event, attendees experienced first-hand how children use the Internet in class and the potential benefits of online video calls between learners and KISE experts.

"UNESCO stands ready to continue to work with the government of Kenya, Huawei, and all other stakeholders to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, as stated in Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the aspirations of the National Education Sector Strategic Plan," said Louise Haxthausen, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa.

Under its long-term digital inclusion initiative TECH4ALL, Huawei has supported the DigiSchool Connectivity Project since the launch of Phase I, and is responsible for technical assessments, solution design, provision of the equipment, and project management. Connecting to the government's fiber-optic network NOFBI, Huawei's rapidly deployable all-optical access and FTTR-B solutions enable high-quality, all-optical Wi-Fi connections and a high-speed network experience for online courses and live video classes in the target schools.

Phase 1 of the DigiSchool project connected 13 schools to the Internet, benefiting 6,000 students and teachers. An evaluation of Phase I found that:

98% of learners said that the Internet meets their educational needs.

84% reported that the Internet makes learning more exciting.

71% said that online resources make complex ideas easier to understand.

About TECH4ALL

TECH4ALL is Huawei's long-term digital inclusion initiative and action plan. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL is designed to enable inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.

Visit the Huawei TECH4ALL website at https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all

Follow us on X at https://x.com/HUAWEI_TECH4ALL

SOURCE Huawei

Gary Marcus Maidment, [email protected]
TORONTO and DALLAS, March 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. (TSXV: PINK) (OTCQX: PYNKF) ("Perimeter" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage medical technology company, today announced the submission of a Premarket Approval ("PMA") application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for the Company's next-generation Perimeter B-Series OCT system, which combines proprietary artificial intelligence ("AI") technology with optical coherence tomography ("OCT"), for use during breast-conserving surgeries ("BCS") in the United States.

"The FDA PMA submission is a major milestone  our first regulatory approval application for our AI-enabled wide-field OCT technology, as well as for a specific indication label," said Perimeter's Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Mendes. "The ultimate product promise of B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI 2.0 is greater peace of mind. Both for the surgeon who  no matter how skilled  currently faces nearly 1-in-5 odds of needing to perform repeat surgery due to positive margins; and for their patient, who under the current paradigm, typically has to wait (and worry) for up to seven days for their surgeon to receive a post-operative pathology report which will determine whether they will have to go through the emotional and physical trauma of a second surgery due to cancer left behind. If approved, and based on discussions with physicians, we believe that there is potential for broad adoption of B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI 2.0 by breast cancer surgeons."

Information on the FDA review process for PMA applications can be found on the FDA website at: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/premarket-approval-pma/pma-review-process. There can be no assurance that the Company's FDA PMA application will be approved.

In November 2024, Perimeter reported positive topline results from the pivotal study designed to support the Company's FDA PMA for B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI 2.0 for use during breast-conserving surgeries in the United States. The pivotal trial met its primary endpoint, achieving a statistically significant (p-value = 0.0050) reduction in patients with residual cancer during surgery. These results demonstrated super-superiority (lower bound of confidence interval for treatment effect greater than a predetermined minimal clinically meaningful difference) of the Perimeter B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI 2.0 system's ability to aid surgeons in achieving clear surgical margins during surgery, potentially lowering the need for reoperation.

About Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Based in Toronto, Canada and Dallas, Texas, Perimeter Medical Imaging AI (TSX-V: PINK) (OTCQX: PYNKF) is a medical technology company driven to transform cancer surgery with ultra-high-resolution, real-time, advanced imaging tools to address areas of high unmet medical need. Available across the U.S., our FDA-cleared Perimeter S-Series OCT system provides real-time, cross-sectional visualization of excised tissues at the cellular level. The breakthrough-device-designated investigational Perimeter B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI represents our next-generation artificial intelligence technology that is currently being evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial, with support from a grant of up to US$7.4 million awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. The company's ticker symbol "PINK" is a reference to the pink ribbons used during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Perimeter B-Series OCT is limited by U.S. law to investigational use and not available for sale in the United States. Perimeter S-Series OCT has 510(k) clearance under a general indication and has not been evaluated by the U.S. FDA specifically for use in breast tissue, breast cancer, other types of cancer, margin evaluation, and reducing re-excision rates. The safety and effectiveness of these uses has not been established. For more information, please visit www.perimetermed.com/disclosures.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In this news release, words such as "may," "would," "could," "will," "likely," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may relate to management's future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements or information regarding the future financial position, business strategy and strategic goals, competitive conditions, research and development activities, projected costs and capital expenditures, research and clinical testing outcomes, taxes and plans and objectives of, or involving, Perimeter. Without limitation, information regarding the potential benefits of Perimeter S-Series OCT and Perimeter B-Series OCT, the expected benefits of Perimeter's updated version of its ImgAssist AI, and Perimeter's expectations regarding the PMA submission to the FDA are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, any particular result will be achieved. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Perimeter's control. Such forward-looking statements reflect Perimeter's current view with respect to future events, but are inherently subject to significant medical, scientific, business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. In making forward-looking statements, Perimeter may make various material assumptions, including but not limited to (i) the accuracy of Perimeter's financial projections; (ii) obtaining positive results from trials; (iii) obtaining necessary regulatory approvals; and (iv) general business, market, and economic conditions. Further risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those applicable to Perimeter and described in Perimeter's Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is available on Perimeter's SEDAR+ profile at https://www.sedarplus.ca, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Perimeter does not intend, nor does Perimeter undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by applicable laws.

CONTACTS:

Stephen Kilmer

Investor Relations

Direct: 647-872-4849

Email: [email protected]

Susan Thomas

Media Relations

Direct: 619-540-9195

Email: [email protected]

Adrian Mendes

Chief Executive Officer

Toll-free: 888-988-7465 (PINK)

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Perimeter Medical Imaging AI Inc.
Weather Alert

Take action to protect yourself and others  extreme heat can affect everyones health. Determine if you or others around you are at greater risk of heat illness. Check on older adults, those living alone and other at-risk people in-person or on the phone multiple times a day. Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. Signs may include headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine and intense fatigue. Stop your activity and drink water. Heat stroke is a medical emergency! Call 9-1-1 or your emergency health provider if you, or someone around you, is showing signs of heat stroke which can include red and hot skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and change in consciousness. While you wait for medical attention, try to cool the person by moving them to a cool place, removing extra clothing, applying cold water or ice packs around the body. Drink water often and before you feel thirsty to replace fluids. Close blinds, or shades and open windows if outside is cooler than inside. Turn on air conditioning, use a fan, or move to a cooler area of your living space. If your living space is hot, move to a cool public space such as a cooling centre, community centre, library or shaded park. Follow the advice of your regions public health authority. Plan and schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day. Limit direct exposure to the sun and heat. Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Never leave people, especially children, or pets inside a parked vehicle. Check the vehicle before locking to make sure no one is left behind. Humidex values reaching 40 are expected. A heat event is expected this weekend. What: Daytime highs of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and a humidex of 40. Overnight lows of 21 to 25 degrees Celsius, providing little relief from the heat. When: Today to Sunday, coming to an end Sunday night. Additional information: Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high risk category. ### For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat/how-protect-yourself.html https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat/who-is-at-risk.html Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or post reports on X using #ONStorm.
A Jersey Shore beach bar is ending a plan to build a large swimming pool on its property after the proposal drew complaints from residents of a neighboring condominium, according to a notice from the bar owners' attorney.

The Chelsea Beach Bar in Atlantic City intended to build a 1,300-square-foot pool, deck space surrounding the pool and a designated space for food trucks.

The pool and decking were to be built at the bars entryway at Morris Avenue.

After considering public comments during a land-use hearing with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the owners are withdrawing the pool portion of their application, Lisa John-Basta, the bars attorney, notified the authority, a state government arm overseeing Atlantic Citys tourism district, in a letter Thursday.

Those mostly against the project either live or own a unit at the Ocean Club Condominiums, luxury high-rises towering above the citys boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean. They told authority officials of past noise complaints, concerned that a pool would entice too much of a party scene at a mostly quiet area of Atlantic Citys beach they favor.

In the spirit of cooperation and goodwill, the Applicant has reevaluated its development proposal in a meaningful way to address the community concerns while still maintaining a viable business in the Beach Zoning District, which expressly permits the beach bar use, states John-Bastas letter.

Stuart Lieberman, an attorney for Ocean Clubs homeowners association, commended authority officials for considering his clients' concerns during a March 6 land-use hearing.

My clients are very happy the pool is no longer in play, Lieberman said in an email to NJ Advance Media. This is good news for all my clients, who live next to this beach bar. We still have many concerns about the beach bar operation, but we count this as a win number in this matter.

The bar, owned under SECAA, LLC, is also rescinding a request to add 77 off-site parking spaces to an area near the business, the letter states. The owners are continuing to ask for approval to expand deck space, raising the total to 10,610-square-feet, the letter states.

John-Basta declined to comment about Thursdays withdrawal to NJ Advance Media. However, she said another land-use hearing to address the applications amendments is expected.

Stuart Tabeek, one of the bars owners, did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Monday.

The bar is situated off the boardwalk by the Tropicana Hotel Casino, although its not affiliated with the resort. It opened in 2015.

Only two of other bars in Atlantic City feature a built-in pool for guests: Bungalow Beach Bar and HQ2 at Ocean Casino Resort.

Maria Lacca, the newly elected council member from Atlantic Citys 5th Ward, where the properties are based, remained an outspoken critic on her constituents behalf Monday.

The pool idea has been very unpopular as the beach currently in its existing form has been a nuisance for residents over the last year several, Lacca told NJ Advance Media, adding that she anticipates reviewing the revised application.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
Authorities arrested a Maple Shade man on accusations he threw an explosive device from his vehicle near railroad tracks in town, police said Monday.

Louis Monica, 61, was arrested Friday and charged with causing or risking widespread injury and damage, possession of prohibited destructive devices and weapons offenses.

Police responded to a grassy area on West Front Street near a set of railroad tracks on March 10 for reports of an explosion, authorities said.

Surveillance footage in the area caught a white SUV driving slowly in the area before an object was thrown from the vehicle resulting in an explosion and a white cloud of smoke, officials said.

On March 12, investigators from the New Jersey State Police, FBI Bomb Squad, Maple Shade Police Department and the Burlington County Sheriffs Department searched Monicas car and found several explosives, bomb-making substances and housings for explosives, officials said.

Authorities did not share further details on the investigation Monday.

Monica did not have a defense attorney listed in online court records Monday.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
Rowan University is growing by leaps and bounds.

A new $31 million addition to its on-campus student center was unveiled last week, and a $75 million dinosaur fossil park museum will have a ribbon cutting this week.

The 31,000-square-foot student center addition features a glass facade and is modeled after a Greek agora, a central gathering place. The expansion includes a student commons, a 150-person event area, a seminar room, meeting rooms, a cafe, and an amphitheater. It also includes a redesigned outdoor plaza and terrace.

This truly is the living room of the campus, Kevin Koett, Rowans vice president of student life and dean of students, told NJ Advance Media. Coming off of COVID, it is now a world where we need to make those connections, use those face-to-face bonding opportunities. Its the opportunity to be together. To have that human connection.

Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University is a 44,000-square-foot facility overlooking a 4-acre fossil-filled former sand quarry. The museum showcases a collection of life-sized recreations of dinosaurs and other extinct creatures. It also features immersive galleries that bring the age of the dinosaur to life.

Rowan has nearly 19,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with just over 9,000 living in Glassboro, the site of the main campus and the student center. The original 135,000-square-foot student center was built in 1974, and connects to the new addition.

Zachary Brown, 22, a senior and student body president, has high praise for the new space.

This is one of the most beautiful buildings that I have seen on campus, he told NJ Advance Media. We need more spaces that promote collaboration and communication.

The new addition to the Rowan University Student Center. provided

The student center is the busiest building on the main campus, the university said. More than 10,000 students, employees and community members visit the building daily during the academic year, which translates into more than one million visits annually.

The student center expansion was funded by a loan from the federal Department of Education, a school official said.

Brown, a first-generation college student from Camden, said the student center is a place for fellowship.

Its a new day for student advocacy and student leadership on campus, he said. This institution will be the driving force for a lot of societal changes. This building stands as a symbol that those societal changes will happen in the Rowan student body first.

The new building opening was celebrated earlier this month.

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Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.
15 1 / 15 Newark school board candidates forum for first-ever election letting 16-year-olds vote

Emmanuel Adeola, a 16-year-old sophomore at Bard High School Early College in Newark, said he was looking forward to voting in the citys April 15 school board race, New Jerseys first election of any kind to let people as young as Adeola cast ballots.

I think we need to start promoting civic engagement early, said Adeola, who subscribes to research suggesting that the earlier a person starts voting, the more likely they are to make it a lifetime habit.

Being informed here is like a really good head start, and a good way for them to start empowering that type of skill and trying to understand candidates and who they really want, added Adeola, a member of Vote 16 New Jersey, an organization that supports lowering the voting age statewide.

Referring to his Newark classmates, he said, Some of them dont know what the school board is.

Adeola was among several Newark teenagers attending a candidates forum Thursday night when 10 of the 11 hopefuls vying for three Newark Board of Education seats next month introduced themselves to voters of all ages.

The forum for candidates seeking 3-year terms on the 9-member board is an annual event sponsored by the Newark NAACP.

Consistent with the lowered voting age, this years event was updated to include student moderators. Some posed questions by asking the crowd to call up the slido.com crowdsourcing site on their smartphone browsers, where they could tap into questions that would be read to the school board hopefuls.

Newark NAACP President Deborah Smith-Gregory urged new and old voters to go to the polls next month, noting that the City Council and Mayor Ras J. Baraka lowered the school voting age in January 2024 to address Newarks perennially low turnout, typically 3% in school board races.

The initiative was led by the Newark-based Institute for Social Justice, which pointed to research indicating that the earlier in life people start voting, the more likely they are to be lifetime voters.

This year, we welcome students who are 16 and 17, Gregory said. We are confident they will rise to the occasion.

Many have begun the process. Since voter registration began on Feb. 1, 491 youth voters had registered as of Friday, including 398 who will be 17 on election day and 93 who will be 16, according to the New Jersey Division of Elections. Registration is open to 15-year-olds who will turn 16 by April 15. The deadline to register is March 25.

All but one of the 11 candidates took part in the forum, and eager to keep the event to two hours, the organizers limited candidates' responses to the dozen or so questions to just 90 seconds each.

The limited response time and the fact that questions were not provided in advance meant candidates often struggled to articulate and, in some cases, formulate their positions in detail.

Brianna Quist, 18, a Science Park High School senior who served as a moderator, said there werent many clear distinctions between the candidates.

A lot of them were saying similar things, Quist said after the event.

Even so, Quist said some candidates made stronger first impressions than others, and she looked forward to an upcoming forum to help her narrow down her choices.

Theres only one incumbent in the race, Kanileah Anderson, a substance abuse specialist with the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, who was appointed to fill a vacancy in January 2024 and then won a 1-year unexpired term last April.

The two board members who are not running for re-election are Daniel Gonzalez and Crystal Williams, the latter of whom has been the boards most outspoken voice of dissent, particularly on issues of transparency and independence by the board from Superintendent Roger Leon.

Anderson is once again running on the Moving Newark Schools Forward slate, which has swept recent school board elections with the backing of Baraka and other key local officials.

Her two running mates are Luis Maisonave Jr., president of the Newark Hispanic Firefighters Association, a non-union group and David Daughety, a youth impact program coordinator with the Center for Justice Innovation. At 23, Daughety is the youngest candidate in this years youth-oriented race.

The field includes one other slate, Prioritizing Newarks Children. Its three members are Nathanael Barthelemy, 42, a program manager with the nonprofit United Vailsburg Service Organization; AdeKamil Kelly, 29, program director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark; and Shana Melius, 51, an entrepreneur and former aide to the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr., who ran in a special election to fill her old boss' seat last year.

The four remaining candidates are running independently, including Latoya Jackson, who ran last year.

I will speak very candidly to all the things no one wants to talk about, said I will speak very candidly to all the things no one wants to talk about, Jackson said.

The others are Yolanda Johnson, 48, an education consultant with Parents Educating Parents; Jordy Nivar, 44, director of communications for the Berger Organization, a development company; DeWayne Bush; and Elaine Asyah Aquil, 71, a chiropractor.

The students on hand Thursday night said a second candidates' forum was scheduled for Saturday, March 22, at the Cineplex 12 Newark on Springfield Avenue.

Johnson told the 100 or so people at the church on Thursday that she had been advocating for Newark families for years but that we need to make it official.

Barthelemy said Newark students were not being allowed to stand as strong and as proud as they can.

Aquil, the eldest of the field, proclaimed herself an old-school educator who would focus on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.

When I saw that 80% of our third graders werent reading at grade level, I knew that was something that had to be addressed, Aquil said, referencing the districts performance on standardized tests.

Nivar lamented that a lot of kids are left behind and called for a focus on foreign language skills for careers in an increasingly global economy.

Kelly said the districts anti-harassment and bullying policy must be properly enforced following high-profile allegations of anti-Black bias at the districts School of Global Studies.

Daughety said he supports an expansion of public-private partnerships to maximize district resources.

Melius said the board needs to increase staff accountability, including the superintendent.

Brown arrived at the forum 40 minutes late and, despite encouragement from the crowd, struggled to maintain his composure, passing on one question entirely.

Students said faculty members had encouraged them to register and vote in the election, though none said they felt like teachers or administrators had tried to steer them toward any particular candidate.

Last week, the district posted a video on Vimeo narrated by the school boards student representative, Zuri McCune, who told students anyone who turns 16 by election day was eligible but that the deadline to register was March 25.

Science Park High senior Devin Mitchell is looking forward to election day.

I think there will be a large increase in engagement, said Mitchell, 17, who was at the evening forum at Bethany Baptist Church on West Market Street. Changes and evolution have to be made, so Im happy that we have the chance.

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Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com
Authorities in North Jersey are looking to identify a hooded man seen walking near a Newark mosque minutes before its imam was fatally shot last year.

The Essex County Prosecutors Office and city police released footage of the man walking near Masjid Muhammad-Newark minutes before a gunman shot Imam Hassan Sharif around the time of morning prayer.

Law enforcement hopes the man can be identified by his slow, distinctive walk. Police only identified him as a person of interest. No arrests have been made in connection to the imams death on Jan. 3, 2024, in one of the most prolific killings that year.

The casket is carried in for the funeral service for Imam Hassan Sharif who was killed in a shooting outside a Newark mosque on Wednesday. Service at NIA Community Center in Newark, NJ on Saturday, January 6, 2024 Ed Murray| NJ Advance Media

This was a senseless act of violence that took the life of a beloved community leader, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II said in a statement Monday. We have been working tirelessly to find those responsible, but we need the communitys help. We hope that releasing this video will encourage someone with any information to come forward.

In a series of clips filmed by security cameras, the man, who is dressed in a hooded jacket and appears to be wearing a hat, strolls down a sidewalk near the mosque at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street. Police did not identify the street on which the man was seen walking.

Sharif, 52, was an active religious figure in Newark, frequently condemning gun violence and advocating for a safer community. He was shot outside the mosque around 6:02 a.m., the time of the Fajr prayer.

He died at University Medical Center in Newark after being shot several times, stunning the neighborhood and the Muslim community. At the time, police did not find evidence suggesting the killing was influenced by anti-Muslim bias.

Sharif was a lifelong Newark resident, leaving behind a wife and children. The cleric also worked as a security officer at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Crime Stoppers have offered a $35,000 reward for information that yields arrests in the killings investigation.

Three men were arrested and charged with weapons offenses amid the investigation, but no one has yet to be charged in Sharifs death.

The shooting drew attention to a previous social media post where Sharif alleged he had fought off an attacker.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
Weed sold at New Jersey dispensaries from 17 cultivators and manufacturers did not meet state safety standards for things such as mold and accurate labeling, according to a consumer advocacy group that teamed up with a lab to test products.

Cannabis products are tested before they reach store shelves. The consumer advocacy group, Safe Leaf  worked with an accredited testing lab and re-tested weed sold at dispensaries. The results showed that nearly 30% of tested products failed and exceeded limits for harmful microbes. NJ Advance Media has agreed to grant anonymity to the testing lab.

There were also problems when it came to accurate labeling of THC levels, according to the data. The lab tested 25 pre-rolls from 17 different cultivators and manufacturers. Pre-rolls are cannabis blunts rolled ahead of time and sold to the consumer.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.  Mets top prospect Ronny Mauricio isnt in a rush to play in Grapefruit League games.

After Mets manager Carlos Mendoza admitted Thursday that hed misspoke earlier in spring training when he provided a timeline of mid-March for Mauricio to begin playing in games, NJ Advance Media approached Mauricio at his locker to get a clearer timeline for him to get in games.
Parents must test children for lead, doctor says. CANVA

Thousands of children in New Jersey have high lead levels in their blood, putting their health at significant risk, data shows.

But doctors say testing is key to preventing health problems caused by exposure to lead.

Lead poisoning is something that is silent, said Dr. Rosario Zambrano, pediatrician and owner of Essex Pediatrics in East Orange and Pediatrics of Morristown. If you dont test for it, nobody knows its there.

Many children unknowingly suffer from the ailment.

In 2022, 3,226 children, or 1.8% across the state, had elevated lead levels when tested, according to data from the state Department of Health released last year. Yet the same year, about 21,925, or 22%, of 3-year-olds had not been screened for lead.

Mosaic spoke with Zambrano about lead poisoning and how to prevent it. Here is what she said.

Q: Where is lead found?

A: Many older homes still have lead paint, which produces lead-contaminated dust and which then transfers to items in the home. Some items produced in China, like mini blinds, jewelry, and brightly colored items, often contain lead.

Q: How do children get lead poisoning?

A: Children, who are naturally curious, tend to lick, bite and eat everything around them. Its why products with lead on them can be hazardous to younger children. A curious toddler whos the same height as a windowsill might pick at chipping old paint and eat it.

Q: What are the long-term effects of lead exposure?

A: The ailment can lead to developmental disorders in children, irritability and behavioral issues.

Q: What are the symptoms of lead poisoning?

A: Lead poisoning is a silent illness. Parents typically dont find out their children have the ailment until they test for it.

Q: What is lead testing?

A: Lead testing is typically a blood test that shows if a child has lead poisoning and should be part of checkup routines. Parents can have their childrens blood tested at a local lab. Many labs are open at 7 a.m. to accommodate working parents' and childrens school schedules.

Q: How can you tell if there is lead in a home?

A: Parents can hire professionals who conduct lead testing or use at-home test kits found at The Home Depot and Lowes Home Improvement to check for lead in their homes. If testing reveals lead, homeowners can hire professionals to remove it, and renters can notify their landlord to address it.

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Amira Sweilem may be reached at asweilem@njadvancemedia.com.
A Brooklyn, New York man died Saturday when the dirt bike he was riding crashed at a former mining property in Manchester, police said.

Police found Joseph W. Maffia, 28, after responding to an 11:56 a.m. Saturday call reporting a rider down at the former Heritage Minerals site.

Maffia had been ejected from the bike he was riding and was discovered by other dirt bike operators, face down and unresponsive in the dane. He crashed after encountering the crest of a hill and fell 10 feet, police said.

He was wearing a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.

Manchester EMS took Maffia to Community Medical Center in Toms River where he was later pronounced dead.

The Heritage Minerals site, south of Lakehurst and east of Route 70, also has a former mining lake popular with swimmers in the warmer months.

But the property is private and closed for recreational use, despite several warnings over the years from Manchester police, who say its trespassing to be there. They did so Sunday, again.

In the interest of public safety, the Manchester Township Police urges everyone to obey the No Trespassing signs posted at the site. Trespassers are subject to substantial fines and penalties up to and including incarceration for being on the property, the police said in a statement.

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni and on Instagram @laurengisellemusni.
A William Paterson University professor has filed a lawsuit claiming his irreplaceable collection of 380 million-year-old fossils was lost by college officials and ended up in a landfill.

The fossils were the lifes work of Martin Becker, a professor and paleontologist, compiled over 18 years, according to the lawsuit filed last week in Superior Court in Passaic County.
The moon partially covers the sun behind the Statue of Liberty during the a solar eclipse on the Liberty Island, Monday, April. 8, 2024, in New York. (Yuki Iwamura | AP) AP

A French member of the European parliament demanded Americans give the Statue of Liberty back to France, arguing that the United States no longer upholds its values.

French MEP Raphael Glucksmann suggested on Sunday that his country should take back the historic statue in the wake of President Donald Trumps latest decisions regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, according to local media. Glucksmann, a member of the Socialists and Democrats group, criticized Trumps decisions on the war and his administrations firing of federal workers.

Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Glucksmann said at a convention, according to France 24.

We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home, he added.

France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1884 and was later dedicated by former President Grover Cleveland in New York City in 1886. An inscription on the statue reads: Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

The local outlet explained that Glucksmann is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has criticized Trumps reversal of the U.S.s policy on the war-torn country. Politico also noted that Glucksmanns comments were likely in response to the U.S.s decision to suspend aid to Ukraine, which has been fighting a Russian invasion for more than three years.

U.S. relations with Ukraine have been tense since Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last month for being disrespectful. Days after the blow-up, the Trump administration paused aid to Ukraine and halted intelligence sharing with the country.

Many critics have also accused Trump of trying to appease Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Glucksmann also appeared to criticize the Trump administration for cutting funding to research institutions in the U.S. and said France would welcome those whose research has been cut.

The second thing were going to say to the Americans is: if you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the worlds leading power, then were going to welcome them, he said, according to France 24.
President Donald Trump talks as he meets NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (Pool via AP) AP

Longtime Republican turned never-Trumper Sarah Longwell warned Monday that President Donald Trump might be looking to ignore court orders after the administration carried out deportation flights over the weekend.

Critics accused the Trump administration of defying a court order that temporarily barred deportations targeting Venezuelan immigrants under an 18th century wartime declaration. The White House denied defying the court order during a press briefing on Monday.

When asked about the deportation flights, Longwell told CNNs Dana Bash on Monday that the Trump administration is laying the groundwork to ignore court orders.

The courts have become, in this moment, one of the last refuges of sort of being able to hold Trump either accountable or stop some of the things hes doing. He is going so fast to try to dismantle the government or implement his deportation policies that hes showing a lot of disregard for the law ... Theres going to come a point, we always thought, where Trump might just say, Im going to start ignoring these court orders, Longwell said.

They do seem to be hitting the point now where theyre trying to get by on a technicality. But it looks like theyre starting to be at the point where they want to ignore what judges say, which once you get to that point, once you have a president whos just disregarding what judges say, youre in a totally lawless state, she added.

"Once you have a president who is just disregarding what judges say, you're in a totally lawless state," @SarahLongwell25 on @InsidePolitics with @JVLast pic.twitter.com/b7Gm7kuQ4J  Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) March 17, 2025

The White House has doubled down on the administrations decision to deport hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants over the weekend. Trump said in his Saturday proclamation that the deportations targeted members of the Tren de Aragua gang, but critics have raised concerns on whether Trump had the authority to do so under the Alien Enemies Act.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday temporarily blocking the deportations, but lawyers told him there were already two planes with immigrants in the air  one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but they apparently were not and he did not include the directive in his written order.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a statement Sunday, responded to speculation about whether the administration was flouting court orders: The administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory.

The acronym refers to the Tren de Aragua gang, which Trump targeted in his unusual proclamation that was released Saturday.

In a court filing Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Boasbergs decision, said it would not use the Trump proclamation he blocked for further deportations if his decision is not overturned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CNN data guru Harry Enten criticized Democrats terrible approval ratings during his latest segment on new polling numbers on Monday.

Recent polling numbers from CNN and NBC News show the Democratic Partys approval ratings at record lows as the party struggles to combat President Donald Trumps agenda. Enten explained Monday that most Democrats believe Democrats in Congress are doing too little to oppose Republicans and Trump.

Why are Democrats full of despair? All I have to say, Democrats, call your office. You know, were March Madness Times. Terrible, terrible, terrible, to quote the great Charles Barkley, Enten said, adding that the CNN/SSRS poll found just 29% of voters view the Democratic Party favorably while the NBC poll found 27% said the same.

Both are record lows. The lowest going back to 1992 in CNN polling. The lowest going back on record to 1990 in NBC News polling. The majority of Americans hold an unfavorable or negative view of the Democratic Party at this point. All I can say is Im a big fan of the oldies, so Im going to quote Chubby Checker: How low can you go? he added.

To quote Charles Barkley, the Dem Party's brand is "terrible, terrible".



Dems in Congress approval? A record low 21% overall & more Dems disapprove (49%) than approve (40%).



Dem voters want Dems in Congress to fight Trump (65%) & 77% say they're not fighting him enough. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/Iyw1myVqnE  (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) March 17, 2025

Enten said that Congressional Democrats receive even lower ratings than the party as a whole. He said 49% of Democratic voters disapprove of Democrats in Congress while just 40% approve.

Yes, what about Congressional Democrats specifically? You think these numbers are low. How about this one? Holy Toledo. Voters' views of the Democrats in Congress among all voters disapprove 68 percent. And look at the approved number. Just 21 percent. Even lower than the Democratic Party at large. This is the lowest on record for Democrats according to Quinnipiac University polling, he said.

You think these numbers are bad? Lets go to this side of the screen. Well look at how Democratic voters feel. Get this. The plurality of Democratic voters disapprove of Democrats in Congress at 49 percent and just 40 percent approve, he said. Horrible, horrible, horrible. Oh my goodness gracious, you just cant get worse than these numbers.

He said the recent polls show 77% of Democratic voters think Democrats are doing too little to oppose Trump.

Democrats do not want compromise at this point. They want to fight it. They want to go into the ring like Muhammad Ali did against Sonny Liston. They want to take down the Republicans. They do not want this compromise anymore. They want to be more like Republicans, get up to that stage and fight, he said.

And right now they feel like their leaders in Congress are, simply put, not doing so. And that is why their approval rating for congressional Democrats is at an all-time low, even among Democrats with more disapproving than approving, he added.

The recent polls come as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is facing backlash for supporting a GOP-backed continuing resolution to keep the government funded. Some Democrats are pushing for U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to challenge him in the next election.
The pronounced uppercut in Cody Bellinger's swing could be a critical asset in Yankee Stadium this season. AP

Cody Bellinger remembers the first time he stepped into the batters box at Yankee Stadium in 2023. Like most left-handed hitters, he was instantly drawn to the freebie waiting 314 feet away in right field  the easy home run.

Man, thats really close, Bellinger told himself he took batting practice with the Cubs. Just as he thought, clearing the wall was as effortless as lifting a routine fly ball. This wasnt a scouting report, it was a dream come true.
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North Devon volunteers were among a strong Devon contingent that took almost a third of the accolades at the recent Heroes of the Surf Awards for Surf Life Saving Great Britain.

The members of local clubs including Woolacombe and Saunton were recognised at the prestigious national awards ceremony for their dedication to keeping people safe on the countys beaches.

The men and women, who have clocked up hundreds of volunteer hours between them, were recognised in Surf Life Saving Great Britains annual awards, which also marked its 70th anniversary, in Torquay.

Sandy Brown, 75, who was representing the Devon region but is from North Devon, won the prestigious John Martin Memorial Award for being a pillar of the surf lifesaving community and her invaluable contributions regionally and nationally.

Above: Sandy Brown received the John Martin Memorial Award for her work representing Devon regionally and nationally. Credit: Fran McElhone/SLSGB

Don Duffield, 78, from Woolacombe, won a Life Member Award for his tireless work and being an unwavering force since the 1960s.

Above: Don Duffield. Credit: Fran McElhone/SLSGB

Keith Gammon, 51, from Woolacombe won one of two 25 Years Long Service awards for his inspirational commitment over 30 years.

Ben Rook, 48, from Saunton Sands, won a Services to Lifesaving  Community Award for his remarkable impact on the club and incredible influence on younger members.

Above: Ben Rook

Ben Pounds, 50, from Saunton Sands won a Spirit to Lifesaving Commendation for his unmatched dedication and exceptional inspiration and motivation.

Above: Ben Pounds

Stuart Pitches, 54, from Saunton Sands also won a Spirit to Lifesaving Commendation for his tireless and unsung efforts providing the backbone of the club.

Sarah Durrant, 42, from Saunton Sands, won Official of the Year for her outstanding dedication and professionalism in the world of officiating.

Above: Official of the Year Sarah Durrant

Surf Life Saving Great Britain began with a small group of passionate individuals in 1955 blossoming into a nationwide search and rescue charity and training organisation with 69 clubs and around 10,000 members across Britain. Last year, the charitys members made 3,525 potentially life-saving interventions.

Charity chairman Glen Mayhew, from Devon, said: Our 10,000 volunteer members play a crucial role in educating, training and rescues throughout the year.

Their impact is seen in the lives they save, the education they give to young members as well as the wider public and their sporting achievements. Their impact can be felt from the coastline to inland areas.

The awards reflect their outstanding bravery, professionalism and commitment.
CROWN POINT  A Gary man who gave conflicting statements to police about the death of his wife in 2023 was charged with her murder, according to recently unsealed court records.

Garry Moore, 65, was charged in September with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, court documents show. He was arrested Feb. 25 in Mobile, Alabama and extradited March 12 to the Lake County Jail. He also faces a charge of failing to register as a sex offender, filed in early February. His first formal court appearance is scheduled for Friday in Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez's court.

Moore told police he and his wife, 55-year-old Tanya Moore, were in the midst of a physical struggle for a handgun when the firearm went off and struck her in the chest July 11, 2023 in their home in the 2200 block of Kentucky Street, a probable cause affidavit shows.

Garry Moore said they were having an argument after Tanya Moore accused him of cheating on her. He admitted he was unfaithful to her in 2017 and she "could not let it go," the affidavit said.

Tanya Moore had packed up her items and left the home a few days prior, but came back around 3 a.m. the day of the shooting, Garry Moore said. She woke him up and questioned him about the name of the woman he had an affair with and began taking down photos in the house. He said she then went into their shared office, grabbed a firearm and she allegedly said she was going to kill him. He said he did not know where the gun was located inside the office and said his wife had put it in there long ago.

He said she pointed the gun in his direction so he performed a martial arts maneuver that flipped the barrel of the gun toward her, which he demonstrated to detectives, the affidavit said. They both then reached for the gun and it discharged in her direction, he alleged. She collapsed and he called 911.

Police found one spent shell casing on the floor near Tanya Moore's body and a phone case with an attached wallet with her identification information inside. The case was missing the phone, however. It was never located.

Despite Garry Moore's account of what happened, Tanya Moore's autopsy revealed the gun was not fired at close range. Investigators with the Lake County Coroner's Office found no evidence of stippling, which is a noticeable array of small abrasions around a gunshot wound caused by particles of gunpowder that are present when a gun is fired from a short distance. The coroner's office ruled her death a homicide from a gunshot wound.

One of the Moore's family members said he had known Garry Moore to have a firearm he kept in his nightstand. The firearm he identified as belonging to Garry Moore was the same model as the one found at the scene of the homicide, the affidavit shows. The family members said the victim's truck was full of bags of clothing, which police believe shows she was preparing to move, a detective wrote in the affidavit.

A few hours before the homicide, police received a call for service to a martial arts center in the 1200 block of Broadway. The caller, who chose not to identify herself, said she was concerned for the mental health of a man named "Gary" who taught classes at the center. When police reached out to her, she said the man was Garry Moore and she wanted to remain anonymous because she knew he was married, according to the affidavit. She provided his number to police which was different than the number he provided in his initial interview.

When Garry Moore was interviewed a second time, he admitted he had a second cell phone he used to communicate with other women and told police it was located at his workplace. When it was recovered by police, most of the information looked to be deleted or "very recent," although there were two text chains between Garry Moore and two women whom he appeared to be in relationships with. In the messages, both women expressed concern he was going to harm himself.

When Garry Moore was asked to clarify the distance he was standing when Tanya Moore was shot, he showed a distance between himself, his wife and the barrel of the gun to be significantly greater than he said in his initial interview. No DNA from the defendant or victim was found on the handgun during a DNA analysis conducted by Indiana State Police.
How A.I. Is Changing the Way the World Builds Computers The race to build artificial intelligence is driven by little silicon chips called GPUs, which were originally created for video games. A drawing of a GPU chip Tech companies are now packing GPUs  which are ideal for running the calculations that power A.I.  as tightly as possible into specialized computers. A drawing of specialized GPU computer with chips arranged in rows The result is a new kind of supercomputer  a collection of up to 100,000 chips wired together in buildings known as data centers to hammer away at making powerful A.I. systems. A drawing of the inside of a data center showing server rows All this computing power comes at a cost. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, hopes to build about five facilities that would collectively consume more electricity than the roughly three million households in Massachusetts. A map of the state of Massachusetts As technology companies chase the dream of A.I., these data centers are popping up across the country  A map of the US showing large scale data center locations  and around the globe, forcing tech giants to hunt for the electricity to power them and the water for cooling systems to keep the chips from frying in their own heat. An animated map of large scale data centers all over the world

This is the most fundamental change to computing since the early days of the World Wide Web. Just as companies completely rebuilt their computer systems to accommodate the new commercial internet in the 1990s, they are now rebuilding from the bottom up  from tiny components to the way that computers are housed and powered  to accommodate artificial intelligence.

Big tech companies have constructed computer data centers all over the world for two decades. The centers have been packed with computers to handle the online traffic flooding into the companies internet services, including search engines, email applications and e-commerce sites.

But those facilities were lightweights compared with whats coming. Back in 2006, Google opened its first data center in The Dalles, Ore., spending an estimated $600 million to complete the facility. In January, OpenAI and several partners announced a plan to spend roughly $100 billion on new data centers, beginning with a campus in Texas. They plan to eventually pump an additional $400 billion into this and other facilities across the United States.

The change in computing is reshaping not just technology but also finance, energy and communities. Private equity firms are plowing money into data center companies. Electricians are flocking to areas where the facilities are being erected. And in some places, locals are pushing back against the projects, worried that they will bring more harm than good.

For now, tech companies are asking for more computing power and more electricity than the world can provide. OpenAI hopes to raise hundreds of billions of dollars to construct computer chip factories in the Middle East. Google and Amazon recently struck deals to build and deploy a new generation of nuclear reactors. And they want to do it fast.

Googles A.I. chips on a circuit board. The company needs thousands of these chips to build its chatbots and other A.I. technologies. Christie Hemm Klok for The New York Times

The bigger-is-better mantra was challenged in December when a tiny Chinese company, DeepSeek, said it had built one of the worlds most powerful A.I. systems using far fewer computer chips than many experts thought possible. That raised questions about Silicon Valleys frantic spending.

U.S. tech giants were unfazed. The wildly ambitious goal of many of these companies is to create artificial general intelligence, or A.G.I.  a machine that can do anything the human brain can do  and they still believe that having more computing power is essential to get there.

Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Googles parent company, Alphabet, recently indicated that their capital spending  which is primarily used to build data centers  could top a combined $320 billion this year. Thats more than twice what they spent two years ago.

The New York Times visited five new data center campuses in California, Utah, Texas and Oklahoma and spoke with more than 50 executives, engineers, entrepreneurs and electricians to tell the story of the tech industrys insatiable hunger for this new kind of computing.

What was probably going to happen over the next decade has been compressed into a period of just two years, Sundar Pichai, Googles chief executive, said in an interview with The Times. A.I. is the accelerant.

New computer chips for new A.I.

The giant leap forward in computing for A.I. was driven by a tiny ingredient: the specialized computer chips called graphics processing units, or GPUs.

Companies like the Silicon Valley chipmaker Nvidia originally designed these chips to render graphics for video games. But GPUs had a knack for running the math that powers what are known as neural networks, which can learn skills by analyzing large amounts of data. Neural networks are the basis of chatbots and other leading A.I. technologies.

How A.I. Models Are Trained By analyzing massive datasets, algorithms can learn to distinguish between images, in what's called machine learning. The example below demonstrates the training process of an A.I. model to identify an image of a flower based on existing flower images. 1. Feed reference material Training A.I. models involves analyzing large amounts of reference data  a process that requires a lot of time and computing power. 2. Map data Images are broken down into pixels and grouped with different labels that the model can identify later in the process. 3. Compare and predict The model then pinpoints patterns in millions of these images so it can recognize objects on its own. Input A.I. model 1. Feed reference material 2. Map data Training A.I. models involves analyzing large amounts of reference data  a process that requires a lot of time and computing power. Images are broken down into pixels and grouped with different labels that the model can identify later in the process. Input A.I. model 3. Compare and predict The model then pinpoints patterns in millions of these images so it can recognize objects on its own. Input A.I. model 1. Feed reference material 2. Map data 3. Compare and predict The model then pinpoints patterns in millions of these images so it can recognize objects on its own. Images are broken down into pixels and grouped with different labels that the model can identify later in the process. Training A.I. models involves analyzing large amounts of reference data  a process that requires a lot of time and computing power. Sources: IBM and Cloudflare The New York Times

In the past, computing largely relied on chips called central processing units, or CPUs. These could do many things, including the simple math that powers neural networks.

But GPUs can do this math faster  a lot faster. At any given moment, a traditional chip can do a single calculation. In that same moment, a GPU can do thousands. Computer scientists call this parallel processing. And it means neural networks can analyze more data.

These are very different from chips used to just serve up a web page, said Vipul Ved Prakash, the chief executive of Together AI, a tech consultancy. They run millions of calculations as a way for machines to think about a problem.

So tech companies started using increasingly large numbers of GPUs to build increasingly powerful A.I. technologies.

Difference between CPU and GPU-powered computers SINGLE PROCESSING UNIT MULTIPLE PROCESSORS Conventional CPU computing GPU parallel processing Data is processed in sequences. A new task starts only after the current task is completed. Multiple processors divide tasks into smaller parts, allowing for tasks to be completed faster and concurrently. SINGLE PROCESSING UNIT MULTIPLE PROCESSORS Conventional CPU computing GPU parallel processing Data is processed in sequences. A new task starts only after the current task is completed. Multiple processors divide tasks into smaller parts, allowing for tasks to be completed faster and concurrently. SINGLE PROCESSING UNIT Conventional CPU computing Data is processed in sequences. A new task starts only after the current task is completed. MULTIPLE PROCESSORS GPU parallel processing Multiple processors divide tasks into smaller parts, allowing for tasks to be completed faster and concurrently. Sources: Nvidia, IBM and Cloudflare The New York Times

Along the way, Nvidia rebuilt its GPUs specifically for A.I., packing more transistors into each chip to run even more calculations with each passing second. In 2013, Google began building its own A.I. chips.

These Google and Nvidia chips were not designed to run computer operating systems and could not handle the various functions for operating a Windows laptop or an iPhone. But working together, they accelerated the creation of A.I.

The old model lasted for about 50 years, said Norm Jouppi, a Google engineer who oversees the companys effort to build new silicon chips for A.I. Now, we have a completely different way of doing things.

The closer the chips, the better.

It is not just the chips that are different. To get the most out of GPUs, tech companies must speed the flow of digital data among the chips.

Every GPU needs to talk to every other GPU as fast as possible, said Dave Driggers, the chief technology officer at Cirrascale Cloud Services, which operates a data center in Austin, Texas, for the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a prominent A.I. research lab.

The closer the chips are to one another, the faster they can work. So companies are packing as many chips into a single data center as they can. They have also developed new hardware and cabling to rapidly stream data from chip to chip.

Metas Eagle Mountain data center sits in a valley beneath Utahs Lake Mountains, south of Salt Lake City. Meta broke ground on this building after the A.I. boom erupted. Christie Hemm Klok for The New York Times

That is changing how data centers  which are essentially big buildings filled with racks of computers stacked on top of one another  work.

In 2021, before the A.I. boom, Meta opened two data centers an hour south of Salt Lake City and was building three more there. These facilities  each the size of the Empire State Building, laid on its side across the desert  would help power the companys social media apps, such as Facebook and Instagram.

But after OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, Meta re-evaluated its A.I. plans. It had to cram thousands of GPUs into a new data center so they could churn through weeks and even months of calculations needed to build a single neural network and advance the companys A.I.

Everything must function as one giant, data-center-sized supercomputer, said Rachel Peterson, Metas vice president of data centers. That is a whole different equation.

Within months, Meta broke ground on a sixth and seventh Utah data center beside the other five. In these 700,000-square-foot facilities, technicians filled each rack with hardware used to train A.I., sliding in boxy machines packed with GPUs that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

In 2023, Meta incurred a $4.2 billion restructuring charge, partly to redesign many of its future data center projects for A.I. Its activity was emblematic of a change happening across the tech industry.

A.I. machines need more electricity. Much more.

New data centers packed with GPUs meant new electricity demands  so much so that the appetite for power would go through the roof.

In December 2023, Cirrascale leased a 139,000-square-foot traditional data center in Austin that drew on 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 3,600 average American homes. Inside, computers were arranged in about 80 rows. Then the company ripped out the old computers to convert the facility for A.I.

The 5 megawatts that used to power a building full of CPUs is now enough to run just eight to 10 rows of computers packed with GPUs. Cirrascale can expand to about 50 megawatts of electricity from the grid, but even that would not fill the data center with GPUs.

And that is still on the small side. OpenAI aims to build about five data centers that top the electrical use of about three million households.

Cirrascales data center in Austin, Texas, draws on 5 megawatts of electricity, which can power eight to 10 rows of computers packed with GPUs. Christie Hemm Klok for The New York Times

Its not just that these data centers have more gear packed into a tighter space. The computer chips that A.I. revolves around need far more electricity than traditional chips. A typical CPU needs about 250 to 500 watts to run, while GPUs use up to 1,000 watts.

Building a data center is ultimately a negotiation with the local utility. How much power can it provide? At what cost? If it must expand the electrical grid with millions of dollars in new equipment, who pays for the upgrades?

Data centers consumed about 4.4 percent of total electricity in the United States in 2023, or more than twice as much power as the facilities used to mine cryptocurrencies. That could triple by 2028, according to a December report published by the Department of Energy.

Power consumption by A.I. data centers The Energy Department estimates that A.I. servers in data centers could consume as much as 326 terawatt-hours by 2028, nearly eight times what they used in 2023. 326tWh 300 TWh 250 RANGE OF ESTIMATES 200 166 tWh 150 100 70 tWh Traditional servers 58 tWh 50 A.I. servers PROJECTED 0 2014 2017 2023 2028 326tWh 300 TWh 250 RANGE OF ESTIMATES 200 166 tWh 150 100 70 tWh 58 tWh 50 Traditional servers A.I. servers PROJECTED 0 2014 2017 2023 2028 Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Energy Department The New York Times

Time is the currency in the industry right now, said Arman Shehabi, a researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who led the report. There is a rush to keep building, he said, and I dont see this slowing down in the next few years.

Data center operators are now having trouble finding electrical power in the United States. In areas like Northern Virginia  the worlds biggest hub of data centers because of its proximity to underwater cables that shuttle data to and from Europe  these companies have all but exhausted the available electricity.

Some A.I. giants are turning to nuclear power. Microsoft is restarting the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania.

Others are taking different routes. Elon Musk and xAI, his A.I. start-up, recently bypassed clean energy in favor of a quicker solution: installing their own gas turbines at a new data center in Memphis.

My conversations have gone from Where can we get some state-of-the-art chips? to Where can we get some electrical power? said David Katz, a partner with Radical Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in A.I.

A.I. gets so hot, only water can cool it down.

These unusually dense A.I. systems have led to another change: a different way of cooling computers.

A.I. systems can get very hot. As air circulates from the front of a rack and crosses the chips crunching calculations, it heats up. At Cirrascales Austin data center, the temperature around one rack started at 71.2 degrees Fahrenheit on the front and ended up at 96.9 degrees on the back side.

If a rack isnt properly cooled down, the machines  and potentially the whole data center  are at risk of catching fire.

Just outside Pryor, a farm-and-cattle town in the northeast corner of Oklahoma, Google is solving this problem on a massive scale.

Thirteen Google data centers rise up from the grassy flatlands. This campus holds tens of thousands of racks of machines and uses hundreds of megawatts of electricity streaming from metal-and-wire power stations installed between the concrete buildings. To keep the machines from overheating, Google pumps cold water through all 13 buildings.

In the past, Googles water pipes ran through empty aisles beside the racks of computers. As the cold water moved through the pipes, it absorbed the heat from the surrounding air. But when the racks are packed with A.I. chips, the water isnt close enough to absorb the extra heat.

Conventional Data Center Warm air exits from the servers rear end, where its sucked into the A.C. unit. WARM AIR Air-conditioning unit Racks or servers COLD AIR COLD AIR Pressurized, raised floor Cold air rises through floor vents toward the front of the servers. Warm air exits from the servers rear end, where its sucked into the A.C. unit. WARM AIR Air- conditioning unit Racks of servers COLD AIR Pressurized, raised floor Cold air rises through floor vents toward the front of the servers. Warm air exits from the servers rear end, where its sucked into the A.C. unit. WARM AIR Air-conditioning unit Racks of servers COLD AIR COLD AIR Pressurized, raised floor Cold air rises through floor vents toward the front of the servers. Source: SimScale The New York Times

Google now runs its water pipes right up next to the chips. Only then can the water absorb the heat and keep the chips working.

A.I. Data Center Air-conditioning unit Hot water from the data center is piped to A.C. units, typically outside, for cooling. HOT WATER Racks of servers Pressurized, raised floor COLD WATER Cold water passes through the servers from pipes on the floor. Hot water from the data center is piped to A.C. units, typically outside, for cooling. Air-conditioning unit HOT WATER Racks of servers Pressurized, raised floor COLD WATER Cold water passes through the servers from pipes on the floor. Air-conditioning unit HOT WATER Hot water from the data center is piped to A.C. units, typically outside, for cooling. Racks of servers COLD WATER Pressurized, raised floor Cold water passes through the servers from pipes on the floor. Source: SimScale The New York Times

Pumping water through a data center filled with electrical equipment can be risky since water can leak from the pipes onto the computer hardware. So Google treats its water with chemicals that make it less likely to conduct electricity  and less likely to damage the chips.

Once the water absorbs the heat from all those chips, tech companies must also find ways of cooling the water back down.

In many cases, they do this using giant towers sitting on the roof of the data center. Some of the water evaporates from these towers, which cools the rest of it, much as people are cooled when they sweat and the sweat evaporates from their skin.

That is what we call free cooling  the evaporation that happens naturally on a cool, dry morning, said Joe Kava, Googles vice president of data centers.

Inside a Google data center, which is packed with computers that use Googles A.I. chips. Christie Hemm Klok for The New York Times

Google and other companies that use this technique must keep replenishing the water that pumps through the data center, which can strain local water supplies.

Google data centers consumed 6.1 billion gallons of water in 2023, up 17 percent from the previous year. In California, a state that faces drought, more than 250 data centers consume billions of gallons of water annually, raising alarm bells among local officials.

Some companies, including Cirrascale, use massive chillers  essentially air-conditioners  to cool their water instead. That reduces pressure on the local water supply, because they reuse virtually all of the water. But the process requires more electrical power.

There is little end in sight. Last year, Google broke ground on 11 data centers in South Carolina, Indiana, Missouri and elsewhere. Meta said its newest facility, in Richland Parish, La., would be big enough to cover most of Central Park, Midtown Manhattan, Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side.

This will be a defining year for AI, Mark Zuckerberg, Metas chief executive, said in January in a Facebook post that concluded, Lets go build!
A journalistic investigation by the Chinese newspaper The Paper revealed the widespread commercialization of fake meats, such as fox or raccoon meat being sold as beef, mutton, or rabbit to restaurants.

The Paper reports that in Chinese areas known for fur production, such as Tangshan, Hebei, Weifang, Linyi, or Shandong, animal farms resell fox and raccoon white strips (carcasses with the internal organs and subcutaneous fat removed) all over the country, passing them off as beef, mutton or rabbit. Some vendors even go through the trouble of braising and grilling their fake meats before freezing them and selling them to restaurants to make them even harder to tell apart from meats meant for human consumption. Experts warn that the hormones and medicines used in the breeding of animals for fur, but also the pathogens they carry make these meats extremely dangerous.

Photo: Unsplash

Selling the carcasses of animals bred for fur in unhygienic conditions is prohibited by Chinese law, but a recent journalistic investigation found that many animal farms around the country sell these meats either to private buyers or openly, on online platforms. One seller told undercover reporters that his white strips weighed 3 to 3.5 kilograms and sold for around 20 yuan ($2.80), while another said that some customers bought fox and raccoon tenderloins to make beef jerky, while others sold them as rabbit meat.

Panjia Lake Village, in Shandong Province, is notorious for selling fox meat as edible meat. One villager involved in the commercialization of illegal meat told The Paper that he and others in the business use chemical meat essence to transform fox meat into whatever the client desires. Nowadays, there is beef essence for beef meat, mutton essence for mutton, donkey meat essence for donkey, adding it changes the taste completely and you cant tell the difference anymore, the man said.

The report indicated that the largest amounts of fake meat are sold in the months of November and December of each year when the fur is usually harvested. Some sellers freeze the meat or choose to process it into animal food or oil.
A dedicated doctor in Offaly has retired after 40 years of service in general practice.

Dr Velma Harkins of Banagher Family Practice has officially retired after over four decades of dedicated service to general practice in Banagher.

Dr Harkins first arrived in Banagher in 1984 as an assistant in Dr Peadar Kennys practice. In 1990, she established her own practice at the Health Centre on Cuba Avenue, where she remained a steadfast advocate for rural general practice, diabetes care and GP training.

Throughout her career, Dr Harkins has made a profound impact both locally and nationally. She has represented general practitioners on numerous national committees, including the BreastCheck Steering Group and, more recently, the National Screening Advisory Committee.

A pioneer in diabetes care, Dr Harkins was instrumental in transforming the management of Type 2 diabetes in the Midlands. Recognising the need for structured care, she spearheaded the creation of the Midlands Structured Diabetes Care Programme, a model that has since shaped national policy. As the author of the first ICGP/HSE national guidelines for integrated diabetes care, she played a pivotal role in standardising diabetes management. Her expertise led to her appointment to the Expert Advisory Group on Diabetes in 2009, and she went on to serve as National GP Lead for Diabetes from 2010 to 2014. In recognition of her outstanding vision and leadership in enhancing Type 2 Diabetes Care in Ireland, in 2020 she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Beyond her clinical work, Dr Harkins was deeply committed to medical education. A GP trainer since 1995, she mentored 26 GP registrars, shaping the next generation of family doctors. She also served as Chair of the National Association of Trainers in General Practice, where she played a key role in negotiating the National GP Trainers Contract.

Dr Harkins has also made significant contributions to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), serving two terms on its Board. From 2017 to 2022, she chaired the Quality, Safety & Standards Committee, leading efforts to develop and implement quality measures for both GPs and patients. She is looking forward to taking up the role of President of the College for a one-year term commencing in May 2026, a role she is sure to relish and will carry out with her usual aplomb.

Reflecting on her career, Dr. Harkins said I have been incredibly fortunate to serve as a GP in Banagher. It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to care for my patients and their families over the years. The connections Ive built with my patients are something I will deeply miss. I am also grateful to have worked alongside such wonderful colleagues and a truly supportive team.

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Dr Shane Carroll, her GP partner, paid tribute to her legacy: General practice has changed tremendously during Dr Harkins career. Through both challenges and progress, she remained unwavering in her commitment to providing the highest quality care to all her patients. She was the driving force behind the construction of the Banagher Primary Care Centre, which opened in 2021 - her lasting legacy to the community. We have been privileged to work alongside Velma and are truly inspired by her compassion, knowledge, and dedication. Velma, we wish you a long and happy retirement!

Practice Manager Diane FitzGerald added: Velmas commitment to both the staff and the people of Banagher has been extraordinary. She will be deeply missed, but we wish her all the best in her well-earned retirement.

Dr Harkins leaves behind a remarkable legacy of patient care, medical education, and healthcare advocacy. Her impact on general practice, diabetes management, and GP training will be felt for years to come.
The main result of the war in Ukraine is that the world has become a competition of identical, but not different, ideologies. The EU, having the same ideology as the US, has become America's competitor in the fight for human resources. This predetermined the defeat of the EU in the war in Ukraine. It was not possible to globalize the world through the dominance of one ideology. Therefore, globalization will take place on the basis of assembling various ideologies into a single whole. Different ideologies are good! The same ideologies are bad. This predetermines the causes of future local conflicts.

As for Ukraine, this is the first war to destroy an identical, not opposite, ideology. The independent Ukrainian state ceased to exist in 2014. At that time, the country was completely occupied by European and Russian invaders. The war in Ukraine is a war between these conquerors.

All this time, the United States controlled the potential of both warring parties. This gave America the opportunity to influence the outcome of the conflict. By the end of 2024, the European invaders of Ukraine were defeated. The actions of Europeans to create anti-Russian political capital in Ukraine have become ineffective. Europeans have not achieved their main goal in the war. Understanding that further continuation of the conflict will designate Russia as the winner, the government of the United States of America decided to stop the war. Acting as an arbitrator and peacemaker, the United States retained its dominant position in this situation and consolidated a new world order. Russia with an opposite ideology is a more preferable ally for the United States than the EU with an identical ideology.

Humanity is on the threshold of a technological breakthrough, which is personified by Elon Musk. The United States will unite humanity for this technological breakthrough based on the comfortable existence of identical ideologies. The results of the war in Ukraine are the first step towards this.

The Double Bottom of War

Politicians have declared and hidden goals. Declared goals do not always correspond to the real actions of politicians. Such goals are declared to please voters and gain political power. But hidden goals often predetermine the actions of politicians but are hidden from the general public. It was the hidden, not declared, goals of politicians that had a decisive influence on the course of military actions in Ukraine. The war in Ukraine shows that the United States has abandoned its ideological alliance with the EU. The United States completely controls the EU and Russia, and most importantly, the administration of Joe Biden and Donald Trump acted together following a single goal: the interests of the United States! The results of the Ukrainian war will consolidate a new global trend. The modern world is a struggle of identical, not opposing, ideologies. Therefore, the EU is becoming the only geopolitical opponent of the United States. For this reason, the United States contributed to Europe's defeat in the Ukrainian war. This defeat will complicate the EU's further struggle with the United States for human capital based on similar ideologies.

The war in Ukraine in the context of political goals

Declared goals of European politicians

Support for the struggle of the Ukrainian people against the Russian invaders.

The hidden goals of European politicians

To achieve a dominant position in the world by winning the war against Russia through the use of the financial and technological resources of the United States and the human resources of other countries (Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkey).

Declared goals of Russian politicians

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The theory of co-living is not new, and it has been practised in India for several decades. It was traditionally found in an unorganized/informal setting, such as paying guest (PG) lodging and private/academic institution-run hostels. In India, the demand for Co-living market in India has been majorly driven by the Migrant working population, and students have been in great demand for these. Before the virus outbreak, the organized market witnessed immense 
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest service, India Dedicated Server by Onlive Server. As a leading hosting provider in the industry, we have always strived to provide our clients with top-notch services that meet their ever-evolving needs. With this new addition to our portfolio, we aim to empower businesses in India with reliable and secure hosting solutions. We are excited to bring this new service to our 
Air pollution is a severe public health crisis, with Particulate Matter (PM2.5) being one of the most dangerous pollutants due to its ability to enter the lungs and bloodstream. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that PM2.5 concentrations should not exceed 15 g/m3 over 24 hours, yet current levels in India have reached a staggering 91 g/m3, exceeding safe limits by more than 6 times. 1.India ranks among the most polluted 
BBQ products with and without the star mark in Bilka in Randers, Denmark, making it easier for customers to buy European goods, Monday, March 17, 2025. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) AP

Ivan Hansen, a retired Danish police officer, loaded up his basket at the supermarket, carefully checking each product to avoid buying anything made in the United States. No more Coca-Cola, no more California Zinfandel wine or almonds.

The 67-year-old said its the only way he knows to protest U.S. President Donald Trumps policies. Hes furious about Trumps threat to seize the Danish territory of Greenland, but its not just that. There are also the threats to take control of the Panama Canal and Gaza. And Trumps relationship with Elon Musk, who has far-right ties and made what many interpreted as a straight-armed Nazi salute.

On his recent shopping trip, Hansen returned home with dates from Iran. It shocked him to realize that he now perceives the United States as a greater threat than Iran.

Trump really looks like a bully who tries in every way to intimidate, threaten others to get his way, he told The Associated Press. I will fight against that kind of thing.

A growing boycott movement across Europe

Hansen is just one supporter of a growing movement across Europe and Canada to boycott U.S. products. People are joining Facebook groups where they exchange ideas about how to avoid U.S. products and find alternatives. Feelings are especially strong across the Nordic region  and very possibly strongest in Denmark given Trumps threats to seize Greenland.

Google trends showed a spike in searches for the term Boycott USA, and Boycott America, as Trump announced new tariffs, with the top regions including Denmark, Canada and France. At the same time, a global backslash is also building against Tesla as the brand becomes tied to Trump, with plunging sales in Europe and Canada. In Germany, police were investigating after four Teslas were set on fire Friday.

Elsebeth Pedersen, who lives in Faaborg on the Danish island of Funen, just bought a car and made a point of not even looking at U.S.-made options.

Before Elon Musk started to act like a maniac a Tesla could have been an option. And maybe a Ford, she said.

French entrepreneur Romain Roy said his solar panel firm has bought a new Tesla fleet each year since 2021 but canceled its order for another 15 to take a stand against Musks and Trumps policies.

Describing the United States as a country closing in on itself, he cited Trumps withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and Musks arm gestures. He said he was instead buying European models, even though it would cost an additional 150,000 euros ($164,000).

Individual consumers, society, our countries, Europe must react, he told broadcaster Sud Radio.

Responding to consumer demand, Denmarks largest supermarket chain, the Salling Group, created a star-shaped label this month to mark European-made goods sold in its stores. CEO Anders Hagh said its not a boycott, but a response to consumers demanding a way to easily avoid American products.

Our stores will continue to have brands on the shelves from all over the world, and it will always be up to customers to choose. The new label is only an additional service for customers who want to buy goods with European labels, he said in a LinkedIn post.

I have never seen Danes so upset

For Bo Albertus, when Trump went on television and said he would by political force or military force take a piece of the Danish kingdom, it was just too much for me.

The 57-year-old said he felt powerless and had to do something. He has given up Pepsi, Colgate toothpaste, Heinz ketchup and California wine, and replaced them with European products.

He is now an administrator of the Danish Facebook page Boykot varer fra USA (Boycott goods from the U.S.), which has swelled to over 80,000 members.

Drink more champagne, one user posted after Trump threatened 200% tariffs on EU wine and Champagne.

Albertus, a school principal, told the AP he really misses the strong taste of Colgate. But hes been pleasantly surprised at finding a cola replacement that is half the price of Pepsi.

Trumps policies have brought the Danish Viking blood boiling, said Jens Olsen, an electrician and carpenter. He is now considering replacing $10,000 worth of U.S.-made DeWalt power tools even though it will cost him a lot.

He has already found European replacements for an American popcorn brand and California-made Lagunitas IPA beer, which he calls the best in the world.

Ive visited the brewery several times, but now I dont buy it anymore, he said. He has mixed feelings because he is a dual Danish-U.S. citizen, and has spent a lot of time in the United States. But he cant contain his anger.

Im 66 years old and I have never seen the Danes so upset before, he said.

Michael Ramgil Sthr has canceled a fall trip to the U.S. and is among many choosing to buy Danish instead of American-made, though he cannot pinpoint the exact moment he made the decision.

Maybe it was when (Trump) announced to the world press that he intended to take Greenland and the Panama Canal, and if necessary by military force. That and the gangster-like behavior towards the Ukrainian president in the White House, the 53-year-old Copenhagen resident said.

The man is deadly dangerous and is already costing lives in the developing world and Ukraine, added Sthr, who works helping disabled war veterans, many of whom got injured serving alongside U.S. troops in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. He himself served in Bosnia.

Rising anger in France, too

Edouard Roussez, a farmer from northern France, launched an online group, Boycott USA, Buy French and European! that in just two weeks has attracted over 20,000 members on Facebook.

Roussez believes a boycott of U.S. companies is a good way to express opposition to Trumps policies, especially the commercial and ideological war he believes Trump is waging against Europe.

First of all, these are the companies that financed Donald Trumps campaign, he said on state-owned LCP television channel. Im thinking of Airbnb, Im thinking of Uber, Im thinking of Tesla of course.

The irony of it all? The group is on Facebook. Roussez said only the American online social media platform could give him the reach he needed. But he is working to migrate the group to other platforms with no U.S. funding or capital.

Some choices are harder than others

Some are also including U.S. services like Netflix in their boycotts.

Simon Madsen, 54, who lives in the central Danish city of Horsens with his wife and 13-year-old twins, says the family has given up Pringles, Oreos and Pepsi Max. Not so hard, really.

But now theyre discussing doing without Netflix, and that is a step too far for the kids.

He also wonders whether he should keep buying Danish-made Anthon Berg chocolate marzipan bars, which are made with American almonds.

Its important, he said, for people to use the power of the purse to pressure companies to change.

Its the only weapon weve got, he said.
Forever 21 posts Black Friday 30% off everything signs in their shop window to draw in Black Friday shoppers at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Va., Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time as traffic in U.S. shopping malls fades and competition from online retailers like Amazon, Temu and Shein intensifies.

F21 OpCo, which runs Forever 21 stores, said late Sunday that it will wind down the business in the U.S. under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while determining if it can continue as a business with a partner, or if it will sell some or all of its assets.

While we have evaluated all options to best position the company for the future, we have been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin, Chief Financial Officer Brad Sell said in a statement.

The de minimis tax exemption lets shipments headed to U.S. businesses and consumers valued at less than $800 to enter the country tax free and duty free.

Forever 21 stores in the U.S. will hold liquidation sales and the website will continue to run while operations wind down. The retailers locations outside of the U.S. are run by other licensees and are not included in the bankruptcy filing. International store locations and websites will continue operating as normal.

The company has at least four stores in the Portland area  at the Lloyd Center, Clackamas Town Center, Washington Square and Vancouver malls  as well as locations in Woodburn and Eugene.

Authentic Brands Group owns the international intellectual property associated with the Forever 21 brand and may license the brand to other operators, F21OpCo said.

Forever 21 first filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019. It was acquired by a consortium of parties including Authentic Brands Group and mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners.

Forever 21 was founded in 1984 and, along with other fast-fashion chains like H&M and Zara, rode a wave of popularity among young customers in the mid-1990s. Their popularity grew during the Great Recession, when shoppers were seeking bargains. But Forever 21 went on an aggressive expansion just as shoppers were moving more online.

Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said in a statement that part of the problem now is that Forever 21s stores are too big for its current needs and its in malls with not enough foot traffic.

Forever 21 was always a retailer living on borrowed time. Over recent years it has been hit with dual headwinds from a weak apparel market and stiff competition from cheap Chinese marketplaces, he said. Both things have eroded its standing and depleted its market share.

-- Michelle Chapman, The Associated Press
Masudur Rahman Khan solicited fellow alums of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology living in the United States to invest in one of his companies, Khan Portfolio One, KP1 for short, according to the lawsuit. Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association

A Seaside real estate developer is accused of misleading 15 fellow Bangladeshi expatriates into investing their life savings in a venture that siphoned off money and failed to develop coastal resorts as promised, a new lawsuit alleges.

The suit names Masudur Rahman Khan, who was chief executive officer and managing director of KP1, and his now-estranged wife Taslema Sultana, managing director and former chief financial officer of KP1, from 2021 to 2023.
Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers outside of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington in February. AP

Terminated federal probationary workers in Oregon say they are in the dark about what will happen following rulings by two federal judges who ordered the Trump administration last week to reinstate fired employees from more than a dozen agencies.

The two federal judges rendered their rulings on Thursday, only hours apart from one another. U.S. District Judge James Bredar, in Maryland, ordered the Trump administration to temporarily reinstate workers from 18 agencies by 1 p.m. Monday. Bredar issued a 14-day stay in the case brought by 20 Democratic attorneys general, including Oregons Dan Rayfield, against the agencies.
Mehmet Oz wrote that, if he is confirmed as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, he plans to resign and divest from iHerb. AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

President Donald Trumps health officials want you to take your vitamins.

Mehmet Oz, the nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has fed calves on camera to tout the health wonders of bovine colostrum on behalf of one purveyor in which he has a financial stake. Janette Nesheiwat, the potential surgeon general, sells her own line of supplements.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, said he takes more vitamins than he can count  and has suggested hell ease restrictions on vitamins, muscle-building peptides, and more.

Their affection for supplements might lead to tangible consequences for Americans health regimens. Late in the 2024 campaign, Kennedy claimed the federal government was waging a war on public health by suppressing a vast array of alternative therapies  many of them supplements, like nutraceuticals and peptides.

In February, Trump announced the Presidents Make America Healthy Again Commission with Kennedy at the helm, calling for fresh thinking on nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and other pathways toward combating chronic disease. Spokespeople for Kennedy did not reply to multiple requests for comment.

Supplements can be beneficial, particularly in aiding fetal development or warding off anemia, said Pieter Cohen, a general internist at the Cambridge Health Alliance, who researches supplements. I recommend supplements routinely, he said.

Still, the majority of use is not necessary to improve or maintain health, and due to only light regulations, supplement makers may make claims about their benefits without sufficient evidence, Cohen said. No supplement needs to get tested or vetted by the FDA before its sold.

Consumer watchdogs, regulators, and researchers have reported cases of finding traces of lead and other toxins in supplements. And a 2015 analysis from a team of federal health researchers attributed about 23,000 emergency department visits annually to supplement use. (The Council for Responsible Nutrition, the industrys lobbying group, challenged the findings, arguing some visits were due to over-the-counter and homeopathic medicines that should not have been included.)

Nevertheless, many Americans are ready to buy in. Internet forums populated by biohackers, weight lifters, and enthusiasts of alternative medicine, along with supplement producers, applauded Kennedys elevation to health secretary. Many express hopes that hell loosen what they perceive as unwarranted restrictions on these products.





The Natural Products Association saluted Trumps health nominees as a victory for health freedom.

For the first time in our industrys history, the top healthcare political appointees think it is important that Americans have the right to use nutritional supplements, wrote Kyle Turk, the associations vice president for government affairs.

The worlds of supplement users and the Trump team overlap substantially when it comes to being skeptical of the traditional health system.

Supplement use is part of a broadening sort of health populist movement, said Callum Hood, the head of research at the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that researches online disinformation, pointing to influencers who criticize conventional public health measures and offer alternatives like supplements, powders, or peptides.

To many supplement enthusiasts, Kennedys views align with theirs  particularly his dislike for Big Pharma and Big Food, which he characterizes as corrupt, profiting from Americans ill health.

Kennedy promotes supplements as a key part of good health. In a prerecorded interview aired this month, amid a growing measles outbreak that started in West Texas, he said doctors had had very, very good results by treating those patients with cod liver oil, which can be delivered in pill form, along with a steroid and an antibiotic. (Separately, he wrote in a Fox News op-ed that parents should discuss the vaccine with their doctors, adding, The decision to vaccinate is a personal one.)

What were trying to do is really to restore faith in government and to make sure that we are there to help them with their needs and not particularly to dictate what they ought to be doing, Kennedy said in a Fox News interview.

Kennedy spoke of federal officials delivering vitamin A to affected communities  a treatment he pushed in past remarks as chairman of the anti-vaccine group Childrens Health Defense.

What is the cure for measles? he told an audience in 2021 at an Amish country fair in Pennsylvania. Chicken soup and vitamin A. And neither of those things can be patented.

The World Health Organization advises people who contract measles to take vitamin A, which can prevent blindness and death  but it also strongly urges all children be vaccinated against the disease.

While the image of natural wellness has long evoked organic supermarket-patronizing, liberal types, supplement use is bipartisan  and now slightly more popular with Republicans. A December poll from Ipsos and Axios found that 63% of Republicans take supplements daily or most days, versus 58% of independents and 52% of Democrats.

Supplement companies sometimes explicitly court right-wing customers. In the days before Trumps inauguration, the brand Nugenix posted an ad on the social platform X for its testosterone supplement with the presidents trademark red hat perched on the bottle, bearing the slogan Make Your T-Levels Great Again. (Adaptive Health, Nugenixs parent company, did not respond to requests for comment.)

Some industry observers think the shift rightward happened during the pandemic. During the covid era, Democrats became the party of science and establishment, said John Roulac, a California-based supplements entrepreneur. In his telling, the party and especially its elected officials were more likely to trust the FDA and other big institutions  and to discount any potential contribution to health from supplements.

Under RFK, you have people associated less with pharmaceutical drugs and more with healthier lifestyle choices, whether thats eating organic food or using herbs or taking vitamins, Roulac said.

Kennedy and others in Trumps orbit have found a particularly warm reception among some of the biggest supplement evangelists: influencers, who often promote personal responsibility, in the form of vitamins and other products, as the key to health  and have provided plenty of airtime in recent years for Trumps newly minted health officials.

On popular podcast host Lex Fridmans show in 2023, Kennedy accepted praise for being in great shape and attributed it, in part, to his vitamin regimen. I take a lot of vitamins, he said. I cant even list them to you here because I couldnt even remember them at all.

In November, Oz endorsed Kennedys nomination on his TikTok channel  and then, in his next post, told viewers they need an alphabet soup of vitamins to protect their brains and power their organs.

Oz, who at the time had not yet been named to lead CMS, pointed viewers to a trusted source of vitamins: iHerb.

Federal ethics rules generally bar public officials from using their office for financial gain. Last month, in a letter to the health agencys ethics official, Oz disclosed that he is an adviser to iHerb and holds a financial stake in the company. He wrote that, if he is confirmed, he plans to resign and divest from iHerb, as well as recuse himself from policy matters directly involving the company until I have divested.

A spokesperson for Oz did not reply to multiple requests for comment.

Nesheiwat, Trumps pick for surgeon general, has touted BC Boost, a combination of vitamins promising to toughen ones immune system and rev energy. The supplement  which advertising claims was formulated by Nesheiwat herself  bears her name and portrait on the package.

After years of educating my patients, now I made it a little easier to get all the nutrition you need to live strong and stay healthy, reads a marketing quote attributed to Nesheiwat.

The surgeon general, considered the nations doctor, does not set policy but rather acts as a spokesperson for public health. During the Biden administration, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy outlined the ills from alcohol, loneliness, and social media.

Nesheiwat, whose financial disclosures are not yet public, did not reply to an inquiry to her website, nor did an HHS spokesperson reply to a request for comment.

Its unclear what moves the administration might take to boost supplements. Industry officials say they hope the government will make it easier for everyday consumers to use health savings accounts to buy vitamins and other products. The FDA could also decide to allow manufacturers to make more aggressive claims about their wares health benefits.

Contrary to Kennedys claim of a war on public health, in recent years the supplements industry has seen its fortunes grow, and attempts to increase regulations have fallen short amid pressure from supplement makers.

According to the Nutrition Business Journal, revenues for the supplement industry surged during the pandemic, as customers became more invested in their health, said Journal analyst Erika Craft. Revenues have continued to increase since then, outpacing earlier industry expectations and boosting product sales to some $70 billion per year, she told KFF Health News.

One FDA attempt to put more stringent regulations  like registration  on businesses, during the 1990s, was defeated soundly after the industry and its clients lobbied Congress.

It was one of the largest campaigns to Congress imaginable, David Kessler, the FDA commissioner at the time, said in an oral history.

Grace Sparks, a survey analyst at KFF, the health policy research, polling, and news organization that includes KFF Health News, provided research assistance for the Ipsos-Axios poll.

Darius Tahir: DariusT@kff.org, @dariustahir
A California man pleaded guilty in Washington County earlier this month in cases involving multiple house burglaries and car thefts around the Portland area.

Kevin Lee was sentenced to just over 12 years for four cases that encompassed five burglaries, two attempted burglaries, multiple stolen vehicles, the deliberate ramming of an occupied car and various other thefts spanning a multi-month crime spree, the Washington County District Attorneys Office reported.

Lee  who, according to court records, is from Sacramento and was born in 1989  was arrested on May 18, 2024, after burglaries and robberies in Beaverton and Tigard. He stole a car from a closed garage, driving through the garage door and then hitting another car as he drove off, the district attorneys office stated. He abandoned that damaged car, then kicked in the door of a house and stole another car.

Police used a thermal camera to find him hiding in a backyard and arrested him.

Lee was convicted of 9 counts, including burglary in the first degree, robbery in the second degree, unlawful use of a weapon and criminal mischief.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Items included in the James Ivory collection of papers donated to the University of Oregon include photos from such films as "Howards End," and pictures of the Oregon-raised director. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

Movie fans may know James Ivory as the director of such beloved films as A Room With a View and Howards End, and a 2018 Oscar winner. But before he became famous for bringing works by authors such as E.M. Forster and Henry James to the screen, Ivory was an Oregonian, raised in Klamath Falls, who in 1951 earned a degree in fine arts from the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts.

Ivory, 96, has donated his papers to the University of Oregon Libraries, where visitors can find them in Knight Library, on the Eugene campus.

Recently, Linda J. Long, curator of manuscripts for the U of O libraries Special Collections and University Archives, set out some examples of items from the collection in a classroom in Eugene.

The collection includes Ivorys personal papers, such as notes to and from collaborators, as well as items related to several feature films Ivory made with screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and producer and Ivorys longtime partner, Ismail Merchant.

You can see he saved everything, Long said, as she examined letters, programs, photographs, and other materials which were laid out on a wooden table.

These are some examples of coursework that he did as a U of O student, Long said. In addition to drawings Ivory made for classes, the table also held formal-looking black and white photos.

The James Ivory collection of papers donated to the University of Oregon includes photos of the director, who was raised in Klamath Falls, when he was a student at the school. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

One showed Ivory as a serious-looking sophomore, in 1948. In another, Ivory is surrounded by fellow students who worked with him on the universitys newspaper, The Oregon Daily Emerald, in 1947. A portrait from Ivorys senior year, in 1951, depicts him in graduate cap and gown, seemingly ready to embark on the career that would lead him to make more than 30 films with Merchant and Jhabvala, producing works such as A Room With a View (1986), which was nominated for eight Oscars, Howards End, which earned nine Oscar nominations, along with numerous awards from international festivals and critics organizations, culminating in Ivorys first Oscars win, for 2018s Call Me By Your Name adapted screenplay.

One of the earliest Merchant Ivory Productions, 1965s Shakespeare Wallah, dealt with a group of English actors traveling across India to perform Shakespeare plays. The film won international attention at the time, and was also appreciated by an author in the U.S., as an item from the U of O Ivory collection shows.

Among the items included in the James Ivory collection of papers at the University of Oregon is a letter from author J.D. Salinger. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

An envelope sits on the wooden table, bearing the neatly typed return address of J. Salinger, RD 2, Windsor, Vermont. Nearby sits a typed note from J.D. Salinger, the famously reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye and other works, who compliments Ivory and Merchant on Shakespeare Wallah, which Salinger says is beautiful.

What a wonderfully appealing and fine picture it is, Salinger wrote. I do congratulate you both. Rapt attention, deep pleasure everywhere in the theater. The Dartmouth boys are still on summer vacation, so the theater was only half full, which was a break for me  I usually miss most of the dialogue when the theater is packed.

Long points to a note Ivory wrote to actress Vanessa Redgrave, who starred in The Bostonians, a 1984 adaptation of Henry James novel, as another example of how items in the collection shed light on how movies are made, personal squabbles and all.

Apparently, there was some dust-up on the set, when Ivory got mad at Vanessa Redgrave, Long said, and so he had to write this apology letter.

Dear Vanessa, the letter, written on Bostonians Company stationery, begins. Im sorry I let my irritation get out of hand this morning, and that I snapped at you, for I know you only have the best interests of the film at heart.

If you wanted to do research about how a film is made, all you have to do is come here and see all aspects, Long said. Examples include several memos about filming locations, what scouting trips reveal about carpet that needs to be changed, a ceiling that should be painted, what light fixtures must be replaced, and so on.

Photos and memorabilia associated with such films as "A Room With a View" are included in the collection of James Ivory papers at the University of Oregon. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

The Ivory collection also includes memorabilia from events, such as a program for A Room With a View screening, a Royal Charity Premiere in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, on April 10, 1986.

Other examples of keepsakes from memorable moments include a program for Oscar Night March 30, 1987. That was the year A Room With a View received eight nominations, including a best director nod for Ivory, and a best picture nomination.

Ivory didnt win, but Jhabvala did win an Oscar for her A Room With a View screenplay, adapted from E.M. Forsters novel. Jhabvala was absent from the ceremony, so Ivory accepted the Oscar on her behalf, and the collection includes the notecards on which Ivory wrote his speech.

A photograph of James Ivory at the Academy Awards in 1987 is included in the collection of Ivory papers at the University of Oregon. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

Near those notes on the table rests Ivorys handwritten notes for an undelivered speech, the one he didnt give, since Oliver Stone won the best director Oscar for Platoon.

In addition to photographs of Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter in Howards End, the collection also includes a card featuring a cartoon by Gary Larson, of The Far Side comic strip fame.

A Gary Larson card sent to James Ivory from Emma Thompson is part of the collection of James Ivory papers at the University of Oregon. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

The card is from Thompson who wrote inside, in part, a greeting to Darling Jim and ending with, I love you dearest, Em.

And nearby is another note this one from Vanessa Redgrave, written to Ivory in 1992, asking Would you consider me and Natasha for Remains of the Day  as the young and 25 years older Miss Kenton?

Thompson, as it turned out, played Miss Kenton in the 1993 film, directed by Ivory and adapted by Jhabvala from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Though Ivory has written a memoir, Solid Ivory, Long pointed out the special satisfaction that comes from seeing the principal sources  letters, photos, memos, telegrams  that are included in the collection at the U of O.

The question we always get it, Is everything digitized now?, Long said. While its unrealistic, she said, to think about digitizing the millions and millions and millions of pieces of paper included in its collections and archives, the other thing is, would you rather look at this online?

Emma Thompson wrote a card to James Ivory that's included in the collection of Ivory's papers at the University of Oregon. Kristi Turnquist/The Oregonian

Long picked up the Gary Larson card Thompson sent to Ivory. Or would you rather hold it in your hand, open it up, and see what Emma Thompson wrote to Jim Ivory -- Darling Jim, I love you, dearest?

I mean, Long said, theres a difference.

 Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com and @Kristiturnquist and https://bsky.app/profile/kristiturnquist.bsky.social

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Three high voltage transmission towers, located just south of Sauvie Island, span the Willamette River. The tower at left is owned by PGE, the other two by the Bonneville Power Administration. LC- The Oregonian

Oregon lawmakers are continuing to keep the pressure on the Trump administration over workforce reductions at the Bonneville Power Administration, saying the U.S. Department of Energys recent decision to reinstate 89 probationary employees is not enough.

In a letter sent to President Donald Trump, seven Democratic senators and House members said that still leaves the regions largest transmission grid operator short of more than 200 workers  10% of the workforce.
The Oregon Senate voted Monday to pass a bill that would secure billions in federal funding for Oregons Medicaid program and ensure that a significant share flows back to hospitals.

House Bill 2010 now goes to Gov. Tina Koteks desk to await her signature.

The bill raises and extends a pair of taxes on hospitals and health insurers, which the state uses to bolster federal funding for the Oregon Health Plan, the states Medicaid program that provides health care to low-income individuals and those with disabilities.

The bill also extends the states funding arrangement with Oregon Health & Science University that allows the university to transfer funds to the state, which can be used toward the states share to draw down more federal matching dollars for Medicaid.

The bill passed the Senate 22-5. Five Republican senators voted against it.

The taxes are a 2% assessment on health insurance plans and managed care organizations and a 6% assessment on hospitals net revenue. The taxes are expected to raise $2.1 billion to support the Oregon Health Plan, which covers 1.4 million Oregonians, including more than half of children in the state.

Like most states, Oregons Medicaid program is funded by a mix of state and federal funds, including the assessments on hospitals and insurance providers. The federal government funds the majority of the states Medicaid spending. According to Georgetown Universitys Center for Children and Families, the federal government contributes $1.37 to Oregons Medicaid coverage for every $1 Oregon spends.

Oregon, however, particularly depends on the provider taxes to sustain its Medicaid program more than most states. About 70% of Oregon Health Plans funding comes from federal dollars.

The hospitals support the taxes because they unlock billions in federal matching dollars. The hospitals essentially recoup the money back in the form of larger reimbursements for the care they provide to low-income Oregonians, and it reduces the amount care provided to people without insurance that goes uncompensated.

Health insurance companies and coordinated care organizations also back the tax, though it ultimately leads to higher premiums for businesses Oregonians. That money generated from the tax is used to help insurers offset high-cost claims, and some of it goes to fund the states Medicaid program.

The tax on hospitals in Oregon was set to expire in September, while the tax on health insurance plans would end in 2026. HB 2010 extends the taxes through 2032.

Democrats in the Oregon Senate, who all voted in support of the bill, argued that extending these taxes were critical to continue sustaining the states Medicaid program.

Without action, we risk losing billions in federal funding  and leave a significant shortfall on the states Medicaid system, Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, said on the Senate floor Monday. He said that without these taxes, the state would be left with a $2 billion funding gap to support the Oregon Health Plan.

The state would have to allocate money from the general fund to support the Medicaid program, which wouldve put pressure on the states budget. Hospitals would also see lower reimbursements for providing care to those on Oregon Health Plan.

Republicans who voted against the bill argued that they were in support of funding Medicaid but argued that the taxing mechanism needed to be updated and improved so that certain people wouldnt be burdened more than others.

Sen. Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, said the insurer tax should also apply to employer-sponsored health plans, which are federally regulated and exempt from state insurance premium taxes.

Bonham, who voted against the bill, said that gives bigger employers an advantage over smaller ones that typically get insurance coverage for their employees through the states small group insurance marketplace, where plans are subject to the tax. HB 2010, Bonham said, creates a doom loop death spiral for the small group market, as the number of people participating in those state-regulated health plans have declined and a small group of people have to shoulder these insurance premium taxes.

Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget blueprint last month that asks a federal committee responsible for federal health-care spending to find at least $880 million in savings. While the budget resolution did not specify cuts to Medicaid, a Congressional Budget Office report earlier this month found that the budget goals outlined in the budget resolution cant be reached without cuts to Medicaid.

No one knows how much those federal cuts to Medicaid would impact Oregon and its federal funding for the Oregon Health Plan. U.S. House Republicans havent hammered out a plan for reaching the amount of cuts they approved.

-- Kristine de Leon covers consumer health, retail, small business and data enterprise stories. Reach her at kdeleon@oregonian.com.

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Gov. Tina Kotek says she tells education advocates not to talk to her about more money, because the state has to make sure that we are getting better outcomes with the resources we have, (Gov. Koteks diagnosis for schools: More accountability, not just more money, March 6).

This reveals a fundamental failure of leadership. It is a convenient way to dodge the states long-standing responsibility to fully fund education. True accountability means ensuring our schools have the resources they need to succeed, not using it as an excuse to ignore underfunding.

Oregons leaders in Salem have long demanded accountability from our schools while failing to hold themselves accountable for meeting their own Quality Education Model benchmark for full funding. Year after year, the state has fallen billions short of that standard, forcing schools to make impossible choicescutting staff, increasing class sizes and scaling back programs that students desperately need. Where is the accountability for that?

Lets be clear: accountability and full funding are not mutually exclusive. In fact, real accountability requires investment. We canand shoulddemand better student outcomes while also ensuring that schools have the resources necessary to achieve them. Underfunding education and then blaming schools for not doing more with less is not leadership; its a dereliction of duty.

A true commitment to accountability would mean meeting the states own funding standards before criticizing schools for their performance. Anything less is hypocrisy. If fully funding education is not a priority for our state leaders, then we, the voters, will make sure accountability is upheld where it truly mattersat the ballot box.

Gary L. Hollands, Portland

Hollands is a member of the Portland Public Schools Board of Education

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
A push from Oregonians to buy Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort died last week. Courtesy of Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort

When the Mt. Bachelor ski resort abruptly went up for sale in August, a couple of Central Oregon mountain enthusiasts had an audacious thought:

Maybe we should buy it.

Before they knew it, the men  who had not met beforehand  put in motion a plan to purchase one of Oregons most cherished landmarks. They organized a GoFundMe and formed a company. They hobnobbed with Oregon politicians. They sought out big-pocket investors.

They knew the challenge would be daunting.

Bachelor is a coveted property, after all. So the corporate titans of the ski industry would be swarming, likely offering bids in the neighborhood of $200 million.

But the movement was quickly celebrated as a potential win for the underdog, drawing national attention for its effort to keep the United States seventh-largest ski resort out of the hands of corporate America  and in the hands of local ski bums.

The group made a major announcement last week regarding their quest to buy Bachelor. Where do things stand? And how did we get to this point?

On the latest episode of Beat Check, Jonathan Bach, who covers housing and real estate for The Oregonian/OregonLive, discusses the backstory  and the latest news  surrounding the bid to buy Mt. Bachelor.

Related reading:

 Local group, despite rush of attention, wont buy Mt. Bachelor ski area

 Local bid for Mt. Bachelor ski area has enthusiastic supporters. Now it just needs millions of dollars

 Mt. Bachelor ski area in central Oregon up for sale

-- Joe Freeman is a senior writer at The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-294-5183, @BlazerFreeman or @freemanjoe.bsky.social

You can support local journalism by becoming a subscriber to The Oregonian/OregonLive. Explore more of our podcasts and sign up to get newsletters for the latest news and top stories.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek addresses the crowd inside the Oregon State Capitol during her State of the State address on Jan. 13. Beth Nakamura

One week before President Donald Trump took office in January, Gov. Tina Kotek stood in front of Oregons lawmakers and gave a 37-minute speech.

She could have mentioned the recent election, which had dealt Democrats a painful blow, or detailed her plans to respond to the Trump administration. After all, former Gov. Kate Brown used her 2017 inaugural speech  delivered just before Trumps first swearing-in  to declare, Here in Oregon, where thousands have fought for and demanded equality, we can not and will not retreat.

But Kotek took a different path. Known for her steadfast focus on housing, behavioral health and education, the Democrat dedicated the majority of her speech to those priority issues and stuck to her usual message.

Koteks measured response that day has continued as Trumps second term has unfolded in unprecedented and chaotic ways, with deep cuts to federal employees, jolting changes to policies on diversity and equity and threats and real initiatives to deport immigrants.

Unlike some of her Democratic counterparts, Kotek has opted for a quieter form of resistance, focusing on policy instead of headlines or political attacks. Experts say her lack of theatrics could help keep Oregon out of the spotlight and avoid being targeted by Trump, who clashed with Brown during his first term  perhaps most publicly over his deployment of federal agents into downtown Portland in 2020 to confront protestors.

(Kotek) has communicated some specific objections, but she has not put herself as the sort of face of opposition, said Portland State University political science professor Chris Shortell. She has been more directed in what she has said thus far. There havent been huge sweeping statements and things like that.

Thats quite intentional, a spokesperson for Kotek told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The governor will not be distracted from delivering for Oregonians by rhetoric and the attention circus coming from the Trump administration, Roxy Mayer told the newsroom via email. While confusion reigns in Washington, D.C., Oregons governor remains laser focused on the things that impact the everyday lives of Oregonians, from economic stability to improving student outcomes, to making sure every Oregonian who needs health care can find it.

To be sure, Kotek has not been silent on federal actions. In late January, she and Attorney General Dan Rayfield held a press conference to denounce Trumps sudden funding freeze that threatened programs in Oregon, such as Medicaid and Head Start.

But she rarely utters the presidents name. And political experts and observers say Koteks response has come across as restrained  a stark contrast to Brown, who quickly emerged as a vocal opponent to Trump in his first term and was heralded as a leader of the resistance by multiple national media outlets.

Following Trumps win in November, numerous Democratic governors quickly pledged to fight the presidents agenda. And since Trump took office, several, including some exploring a 2028 presidential run, have appeared regularly on major news outlets to blast the presidents actions.

But unlike those vocal critics or her predecessor, Kotek seems to have little desire for national attention.

Governor Kotek just has a very different personality than Governor Brown, and shes hyper focused on the work that shes trying to accomplish, said Felisa Hagins, head of Oregons Service Employees International Union political arm.

Koteks few statements regarding the federal administration have concerned specific actions and their impact on Oregonians. On Thursday, she condemned the Environmental Protection Agencys announcement that the agency would roll back major climate-friendly initiatives, stating in a press release that climate action will continue in Oregon. But nowhere in her statement did she name drop Trump.

And Kotek has largely refrained from general criticisms of the Trump administration. During the January press conference, she left most of the political jabs to Attorney General Dan Rayfield, who labeled the presidents action as another attempt to sow division and chaos for a political end.

The lack of headlines regarding Koteks response to Trump should not be taken as the governor shying away from a fight, experts said.

After all, Kotek is navigating a different political landscape than Brown did during Trumps first term. The president returned to office this year emboldened and with tighter control over the Republican party and Congress, leaving Democrats with fewer viable options to push back against his agenda. He has also vowed retribution against his political adversaries, which experts say has likely incentivized some Democratic governors to maintain a low national profile.

I dont think that Koteks lack of press conferences (about Trump) is an indicator of a different orientation that she holds relative to Brown, but rather just an assessment of the moment and the benefits and risks of visibility, said University of Oregon political science professor Alison Gash.

Experts point out that Kotek  who shepherded some of Oregons most progressive laws on gun control, reproductive rights and climate action as House speaker  has taken actions to safeguard the states progressive policies. Kotek announced in November that Oregon had expanded its supply of abortion medication Mifepristone to prepare for federal attacks on reproductive rights. She has also reiterated her commitment to Oregons sanctuary laws, which prohibit local law enforcement from helping federal immigration officers without a court order.

Meanwhile, Rayfield has piloted Oregons legal resistance to Trump through multi-state lawsuits targeting federal funding freezes, mass layoffs, cuts to gender affirming care and efforts to end automatic birthright citizenship, among other actions. His office issues press releases touting Rayfields lawsuits, town halls and legal victories against Trump multiple times a week.

He has done so with full backing from Kotek, Mayer, Koteks spokesperson, said.

Dan Rayfield has her full support in his role in defending Oregon values in court and (the governor) has been bullish in directing agencies to rapidly provide the information the attorney general needs to build the strongest cases possible, Mayer said.

Social justice advocates agree that Kotek has not wavered in her commitment to Oregons progressive laws. Blair Stenvick, spokesperson for LGBTQ+ advocacy group Basic Rights Oregon, said Koteks office has been communicative with advocacy groups about Oregons response to federal actions that might impact their communities.

But Koteks tendency to stay out of the spotlight and steadily advance her agenda for Oregon might spark some pushback from her liberal supporters, who may be looking for a louder response to national politics.

I think Democrats are expecting a vocal and unyielding pushback to the Trump administration, said longtime Oregon political consultant Jake Weigler. I think its smart for Democrats to speak to the concerns of the voters right now, which is about the future of our democracy and the dismantling of our federal government.

Koteks lowkey strategy seems to have so far kept Oregon off of Trumps radar. But that could change at any moment for the president, who has steered his second administration at breakneck speed.

Given Trumps unpredictable style and past verbal attacks on Oregon, some experts say its only a matter of time before he clashes with the state. If that happens, Kotek may have to decide whether to maintain her quiet approach or take a more forceful stand.

We know that President Trump has thoughts about Portland and has focused on Portland in remarks in the past, Shortell said. And so I would expect that at some point its going to become an issue once again.

Note: This story was updated at 2 p.m. on March 17 to add responses from the governors office that were promised Friday but did not arrive until Monday afternoon.

 Carlos Fuentes covers state politics and government. Reach him at 503-221-5386 or cfuentes@oregonian.com.

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U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum struck a positive note Sunday, the day of the newly elected Democrats first town halls as an Oregon member of Congress, to address what some in the packed audience at Clackamas Community College called President Donald Trumps relentless chaos.

I want to personally tell you that I believe that everything, ultimately, is going to be OK, she told the crowd of 1,300, which erupted with a few people yelling back, Its not going to be OK.
The Wine Spa in Northeast Portland offers vinotherapy treatments, including a soak in one of their vino immersion tubs that are filled with hot water, Epson salt and a full bottle of upcycled wine from Wilsonville winery Terra Vina Wines. Teresa Mahoney | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portlands The Wine Spa is one of Time Magazines Worlds Greatest Places of 2025.

The recognition comes mere months after Kelly Lewis opened the spa on northeast Broadway.

We are the first dedicated wine spa in the United States and the first in Portland, Lewis said.

Portland's The Wine Spa owner, Kelly Lewis, got inspiration for the idea from trips abroad to various wine spas in Armenia and the Republic of Georgia. This photo is from a 2023 trip to Georgia. Courtesy of Kelly Lewis

Portland's The Wine Spa owner, Kelly Lewis, got inspiration for the idea from trips abroad to various wine spas in Armenia and the Republic of Georgia. This photo is from a 2023 trip to Georgia. Courtesy of Kelly Lewis

Lewis also runs a travel company that provides group travel for women. She got the idea for opening a wine spa back home in Portland after taking one of her tour groups to a vinotherapy spa in the Republic of Georgia.

Treatments at the spa focus on vinotherapy  using wine or wine grapes in skincare.

The spa exclusively uses Caudalie, a French beauty brand whose products are derived from wine grapes.

Everything that we do here involves some element of grape or vine or wine itself in our different treatments, Lewis said.

The signature experience at The Wine Spa is the wine bath. Spa-goers soak in a jetted tub filled with warm water, Epsom salts and a full bottle of red wine.

Watch: Portlands new wine spa lets you soak in upcycled wine

Lewis said the first question she gets about the wine baths is often isnt that wasteful?

But the wine in use at the spa upcycled wine  wines produced by Oregon winemakers that cant be sold due to bottling errors or other quality issues. Those wines typically are thrown away.

We dont care about the taste, we care about the antioxidant properties, said Lewis. Using wine that would otherwise be discarded gives it a second life and helps reduce waste.

The spa also offers a signature facial that uses whole grapes to aid in exfoliation.

If you go:

The Wine Spa offers a complimentary glass of wine  served in a compostable cup, of course  with every wine bath. NA wines are available as well  both for drinking and for bathing. The beverage list focuses on wines made by local winemakers and women-led companies.

Reservations are required.

The spa is also available for groups or celebrations, like birthdays and bachelorette parties.

The Wine Spa, 1517 N.E. Broadway, Portland, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 12-6 p.m Sunday; closed Mondays.

 Julie Evensen covers trending topics and popular culture. She can be reached at jevensen@oregonian.com or @juliecevensen.bsky.social on Bluesky and @julieevensen on Threads.

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Portland will see scattered showers Monday with chances of afternoon thunder. Oregonian file photo. LC- THE OREGONIAN

The wet weekend has poured over into the work week with another shot of rain showers Monday.

The National Weather Service says valley showers and high-elevation snow will move northward through western Oregon throughout the day.

Portland will see off-and-on showers and a chance of thunderstorms later in the afternoon. Any storms that do develop could bring hail and gusty winds. The high temp will reach about 51 degrees.

Portland should have a mostly dry day Tuesday. Its the only day in the upcoming forecast that shows a good chance of longer dry periods. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a high temperature of about 51 degrees.

The Oregon Cascades are likely to see another period of accumulating snow from Monday afternoon into Tuesday afternoon. Forecasters expect an additional 5-9 inches to fall at pass level and above. A winter weather advisory is in effect from 5 p.m. Monday to 5 p.m. Tuesday. Travelers should plan on wintry driving conditions and slick roadways.

Another wet system traveling south from the Gulf of Alaska will move into the region Wednesday.

Portland will see rain by the late morning Wednesday under mostly cloudy skies. The high temp will reach about 53 degrees. Winds may gust to 20 mph at times.

Extended forecasts are fairly bullish on more rain Thursday and Friday and cooler, rainy days over the weekend.
Southern California photographers Steven Nilsson and Jennifer Cheung volunteered for a mission in early March that they will never forget.

The couple, who live in Pasadena, a mile away from where the January Eaton fire destroyed homes in neighboring Altadena, agreed to take photos as archaeologists from Southern Oregon University searched for cremation urns that once rested inside homes that no longer exist.
A Venezuelan couple was arrested in Washington, D.C., by border patrol agents for illegal entry despite their protected status and having come to the United States more than two years ago.

The parents waded across the southern border in Texas along with their three children in 2022 as part of a wave of migrants who sought refuge from economic and political turmoil. Now, they are being targeted by the United States government.

Targeting Immigrants

The couple in question only identified by their middle names; Cesar and Norelia, were allowed into the country by Border Patrol and their kids. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later granted them temporary protected status.

For context, this is a legal promise of security against being deported to the country that they fled to. After that, the couple settled in a D.C. neighborhood with their children, aged four, nine, and 13. They also got Social Security numbers, a driver's license for Cesar, and jobs cleaning hotels, according to The Washington Post.

On top of being arrested and charged, the couple had two of their kids looking at what was happening to them while crying and screaming. Border Patrol removed the parents from their home in handcuffs and charged them with illegally crossing the border.

The family was separated for three days before the couple was returned to their home and are now set to appear in an El Paso federal court within 30 days. The order mandates them to answer for the supposed illegal border crossing more than two years ago.

Tougher Deportation Efforts

The timing of the arrest shows the effects of Trump's administration amid its efforts to become increasingly more aggressive regarding immigration across the nation. Advocates for the Venezuelan couple argue that this is the first time such a case has happened, the Los Angeles Times reported.

They added that the situation could set legal precedent and could also affect thousands of other immigrants who are in similar positions to the Venezuelan couple. A lot of these people are now registered with the federal government, which means authorities have access to their whereabouts.

Customs and Border Protection confirmed the arrest of the parents, saying that they are tied to Tren de Arragua. Officials said they were unable to provide more information regarding the matter at this point in time.

Amy Fisher, the director of refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International USA said that the couple tried to show Border Patrol their documents in the midst of their arrest. They were met by authorities the moment they got home from work, as per WTOP News.
A new study found that years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the poorest children are missing more school and lagging even further behind their colleagues.

It was observed that children from the lowest-income families in the United Kingdom are up to 19 months behind their peers by the time they are 16 years old. In a statement, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson expressed her concern about the situation.

Poor Children Lagging in School

Phillipson said that the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a "serious and profound shift" in attitudes to attendance in schools. She argued that the health lockdowns cast a "long shadow" over the life changes of the youngest children in the region.

The latest numbers for persistent absence in schools showed that 15% of primary children in England missed at least one in 10 days of school this school year. The statistics represent an increase of about 8% from before the coronavirus pandemic.

The situation comes as the gap between the poorest students and their colleagues had narrowed before the COVID-19 pandemic. A report now suggests that it is getting worse, saying that the gap would reduce from 19 months to 15 months of learning if school attendance was the same throughout the students, according to BBC.

Natalie Peera of the Education Policy Institute (EPI), which conducted the study, said that it is believed to be the first time that a "very clear link" was made between how much children from the poorest families attend school and how far behind they are compared to other students.

The researchers focused their attention on children who received free school meals in the last six years, who are part of families who have incomes less than about $9,500 a year after tax, not including benefits.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Similarly, the United States is observing a growing gap between some students and their peers when it comes to academic performance following the coronavirus pandemic. Research showed that over the past two school years, test score gaps between today's students and pre-pandemic counterparts are becoming wider, The Washington Post reported.

The data, which was taken from three large testing companies, paints a much more pessimistic and concerning picture compared to previous reports. It also raises questions about how school districts across the nation can help students who are lagging.

There is an estimated 26% of public school students across the United States were considered chronically absent last school year. This was an increase from the 15% that was observed before the COVID-19 pandemic. The data involved 40 states and Washington, D.C., as per the New York Times.
Newly posted on the blog of the Interpreter Foundation: The Discernable Chronology of Mormons Life, written by Brant A. Gardner

And also newly posted on the Interpreter Foundations never-changing website: Interpreter Radio Show  March 9, 2025, including Doctrine and Covenants in Context: D&C 29:

For the 9 March 2025 episode of the Interpreter Radio Show, Terry Hutchinson, Mark Johnson, and Kevin Christensen hosted special guest Sam Brunson during the second hour. They discussed Come, Follow Me Doctrine & Covenants lesson 14 and Sams new book Between the Temple and the Tax Collector. Their conversation was recorded and freed of commercial breaks, and is now available at no charge for your enjoyment. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard Sunday evenings from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640, or you can listen live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com.

Yesterday, for a reason that I wont identify here, I found our sacrament meeting exceptionally and unexpectedly satisfying. Im pleased that the song Amazing Grace will be included in the Churchs new hymnal; we sang it during yesterdays service. And I enjoyed the talks. Two in particular. One was from a young woman who was baptized in our ward five years ago and who leaves for the Arizona Phoenix Mission this week. A number of her non-member friends were apparently in attendance to support her. The other was given by a self-described brown Latin girl (the mother of a sister missionary currently serving in Mexico) whose talk about prayer included a moving story about a much-loved brother. I enjoy the fellowship of the Saints.

This just in from the evangelical-leaning Babylon Bee (motto: Fake News You Can Trust): Mormon Wife Designs Future Planet On Pinterest. Obviously, theyre mocking (a caricature of) us. But it gave rise to a thought, and I permit myself a thought every day: Some critics like to claim that my church is sexist and misogynistic. But what other faith allows women such grand scope for their dreams of the future?

Speaking of which: Entire planetary system of four tiny exoplanets found orbiting the nearest single star to the sun And this: Astronomers find Saturn has 128 more moons in rare discovery: The sixth planet from the Sun now has a grand total of 274 moons

And what are we to make of this item, from the Jerusalem Post? Mount Ararat and Noahs Ark research team discovers marine fossils suggesting ancient flood: Analyses revealed traces of marine deposits and a ship-shaped structure matching biblical dimensions. Ive never been particularly interested in searches for the Ark, and havent expected to find anything. But this might be worth watching.

This is a sad story: Popular Mormon podcasters resign from LDS church, a step ahead of excommunication  Valerie and Nathan Hamaker, co-hosts of Latter Day Struggles, have resigned their LDS church membership rather than attend a church disciplinary council that was likely to result in their excommunication.

I confess that, although I will take the articles word for it that they are popular, I had never before heard of the Hamakers. And  although Im struck by their willingness to forego their membership in the Church out of loyalty to what they apparently consider more important, and although easing others departure from the Church (if thats indeed what they were doing) would certainly raise a red flag with me  I take no position on the particular issues involved, except for one. Im not among their appointed priesthood leaders, I have no stewardship over them, I dont know them, Ive never listened to their podcast, and Im hearing (effectively) only their side of things. And I dont know for certain that their meeting with their stake leaders would inevitably have led to a withdrawal of their membership in the Church. Nor, I think, do they.

I do, however, want to comment on that one issue. They felt it consistent with temple-worthiness to donate ten percent of their income to other charities instead of the Church  a position that, if Im not mistaken, Jana Riess herself has endorsed. I strongly disagree.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving ten percent of ones increase  or, for that matter, twenty percent or ninety percent of it  to charities other than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Quite the contrary. Charitable donations beyond the minimum requested by the Lord are laudable and admirable. The principle of consecration is one to be taken very seriously, and not merely as a matter of theory or for the distant millennial future. And many of us support other worthwhile humanitarian and philanthropic causes, even above and apart from our tithes and offerings. Sometimes quite substantially. (I say us here, but, of course, some of my anonymous critics will know better than to include me among such decent human beings!)

In any event, to my understanding, the practice of tithing is non-negotiable for a faithful member of the Church. And I fully understand why their bishop cited it as a prima facie reason for withholding a temple recommend. Barring the existence other factors of which I might not be aware, I probably would have judged things the same way that he did (albeit definitely not as grounds for excommunication, something that the bishop himself seems not to have suggested).

This is, by the way, not to say that there is an admission fee for the temple. When I was serving as the bishop of an economically very modest singles ward adjacent to Utah Valley University, I signed temple recommends for a number of my ward members who, for the simple and sufficient reason that they earned no income, had paid no tithes at all. Provided, however, that they declared themselves full tithe-payers before me and the Lord  a declaration that one can truthfully make even in the absence of actual income  it made no difference to my signing their recommend whether their tithes for the year had totaled a hundred thousand dollars, or a single dollar, or not a single solitary cent.

The real question is one of obedience. I hope that the Hamakers will reconsider. The implications of their decision will be multigenerational and will, very likely, extend into the world to come.

Finally, from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial How Religion Poisons Everything File comes this chilling litany of some of the crimes that Latter-day Saints are currently committing in order to physically blight the planet that innocent secularists are unfortunately compelled to share with them: How the Church Manages Material Waste: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is accelerating efforts to limit material waste as part of a larger mission to be wise stewards of the earth
Including a Brief Examination of the Views of the Church Fathers

Edward Josiah Stearns (1810-1890) was an Episcopal clergyman from Maryland and author of several books. His volume, The Faith of Our Forefathers (New York: Thomas Whittaker, 1879), was a reply to The Faith of Our Fathers (1876), by James Cardinal Gibbons (1834-1921), one of the best and most well-known Catholic apologetics works, with an emphasis on scriptural arguments and replies to Protestant critiques of Catholicism. It had sold over 1.4 million copies by the time of its 83rd edition in 1917 and was the most popular book in the United States until Gone With the Wind was published in 1939. This volume highly influenced my own development as a soon-to-be Catholic apologist in the early 1990s: especially with regard to my usual modus operandi of focusing on biblical evidence for Catholicism.

The words of Rev. Stearns will be in blue. I use RSV for biblical citations.

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In Rev. Stearns Chapter XIII (The Invocation of Saints) he makes various arguments against the practice of invoking saints, after freely conceding that intercessory prayer is availing, and . . . the dead in Christ pray for those still in the flesh. This is what all Christians admit (p. 188). The first way he attempts to do this is by appearing to deny the particular judgment. In other words, if the saints are not yet in heaven before the Second Coming, then they couldnt be asked to pray for us, since they would be unable to do so, lacking the extraordinary capabilities that heaven grants (so his faulty reasoning goes). Thus he uses a denial of the particular judgment as a (futile) means to undercut the invocation of saints, as he states outright:

The foundation of the Roman doctrine, that the saints reigning together with Christ are to be venerated and invocated, being thus taken away, the superstructure would seem likely to go with it. (p. 191)

Heres how he argues his point:

I suppose it will be admitted that if there are any saints now reigning with Christ, St. Paul must be one of them. Is St. Paul, then, reigning now with Christ? In other words, has he already got his crown? Let him speak for himself (2 Tim. 4:1, 8): Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, . . . Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Words could not assert more plainly that the crown is to be given to all Christians at one and the same time, and that time the day of his appearing, to  judge the quick and the dead. When, therefore, the Apostle elsewhere speaks of the departed as being with Christ, he means, not that they are in heaven reigning with Him, but that they are in paradise (that part of hades (St. Luke 16:23) where Abraham and Lazarus were) enjoying the manifestation of Christs presence, resting from their labors (Rev. 14:13), and waiting for the glory which shall be revealed (Romans 8:18). So St. Paul says, and so says the Prince of the Apostles: And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away (1 St. Peter 5:14). And so says our Lord Himself to His Apostles (St. Matt. 19:28), In the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (pp. 188-189)

Catholic apologist Tim Staples explains the Catholic belief in the particular judgment:

Yes, we must believe as Catholics that there is what the Church refers to in the Catechism (1022) as the particular judgment immediately upon the death of each human person: Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaventhrough a purification or immediatelyor immediate and everlasting damnation. This truth is attested to in texts of Scripture like Hebrews 9:27: It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment. And it is implied in Luke 16:19-23, when Jesus gives us his famous parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man lived lavishly in this life, whereas poor Lazarus languished in poverty, but upon their respective deaths, they each went immediately to their eternal reward. Poor Lazarus entered into paradise [Hades: 16:23], whereas the rich man entered into eternal damnation (CCC 1021, footnote 593). The particular judgment of each is a necessary inference in order to make sense of the text. . . . 2. We must also acknowledge as Catholics that there will be what the Church refers to as the Final Judgment at the end of time, in which all will be judged corporately and publicly. According to Sacred Scripture, this is clearly separate and distinct from the particular judgment, as CCC 1038 declares: The resurrection of all the dead, of both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15), will precede the Last Judgment. This will be the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear [the Son of mans] voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment (John 5:28-29). Then Christ will come in his glory, and all the angels with him. . . . Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. . . . And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Matt. 25:31, 32, 46). (Judged, Then Judged Again, Catholic Answers, 5-13-24)

The Catholic Encyclopedia, in its article, Particular Judgment (1910) elaborates:

The Scriptural arguments in defence of the particular judgment must be indirect. There is no text of which we can certainly say that it expressly affirms this dogma but there are several which teach an immediate retribution after death and thereby clearly imply a particular judgment. . . . To the penitent thief it was promised that his soul instantly on leaving the body would be in the state of the blessed: This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43). St. Paul (2 Corinthians 5 [esp. 5:7-8]) longs to be absent from the body that he may be present to the Lord, evidently understanding death to be the entrance into his reward . . . other texts that have been quoted are sufficient to establish the strict conformity of the doctrine with Scripture teaching. (Cf. Acts 1:25 [this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place] . . . ).

See also, Catholic Encyclopedia, General Judgment. Another Catholic article adds:

Hebrews 12:23 presents the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and  the spirits of just men made perfect  a very clear indication of the eternal life already received by worthy Christians who have passed on. (A Scriptural Defense of the Saints in Heaven, The Lonely Pilgrim, 9-15-13) [cf. also, 1 Cor 13:12; Phil. 1:23]

Rev. Stearns then attempts to argue (by citing relatively obscure Catholics) that the particular judgment was denied by the Church fathers Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Clement of Rome, Origen, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Augustine, Lactantius, and Theodoret. Rev. Stearns then triumphantly declares that all that can be found in favor of the doctrine of particular judgment is Dionysius of Alexandria and a doubtful statement of St. Cyprian, and that This is absolutely all that I have been able to find, and I challenge the Archbishop to produce any more (p. 190).

Anglican Church historian J. N. D. Kelly (Early Christian Doctrines, HarperSanFrancisco, 1978 edition) thinks differently. He notes great uncertainty, not to say confusion, seems to have prevailed among the Greek fathers (p. 482) but then mentions several major fathers who did indeed believe in the doctrine. Keep in mind that Rev. Stearns claimed that only Dionysius of Alexandria accepted it. But Kelly writes:

Chrysostom . . . explicitly allows for [In 2 Tim. hom. 3, 3] two moments of divine retribution, one at death and the other at the resurrection. So he can speak [In 1 Cor. hom. 42, 3] of a tribunal before which the dead are instantaneously haled, and he reads [De Laz. hom. 1, 11; 2, 2 f.; 5, 3; 6, 6; 7, 4] the parable of Dives and Lazarus as implying that sanctions are applied to good and bad immediately [after] they depart this life. . . . The righteous, according to Hilary, [Tract. in ps. 51, 22 f.; 57, 5; cf. ib. 2, 48] rest in Abrahams bosom, while the wicked begin to pay the penalty which the Last Day will ratify. Ambrose is quite clear [De hom. mort. 45-7] that there are storehouses . . . where the souls will await the doom which will be pronounced at the judgment, and while they wait will receive a foretaste of its quality. . . . Jerome . . . stated [In Ioel 2, 1] that what is in store for all at the day of judgment is fulfilled in individuals on the day of their death . . . Augustines explicit teaching [De praedest. sanct. 24; cf. enchir. 109] was that in the intermediary period between laying aside the body and later resuming it human souls either undergo torture or enjoy repose, according to their previous conduct in this world. His language [E.g. serm. 109, 4; de civ. dei. 20, 1,2] indicates that he regarded this as the consequence of the divine judgment, while reserving [De civ. dei. 20, 1, 2] the term day of judgment in the strict sense the the great assize at the end of the world. (pp. 482-483; bolding my own)

Tertullian made an exception for martyrs, whom he thought were immediately received into heaven (De anima 55; De carnis resurr. 43). St. Cyprian thought that the just souls enter the kingdom of heaven and attain to Christ (De mortalitate 26). St. Caesarius of Arles also directly taught the particular judgment (Sermo 5, 5).

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Photo credit: Saint Jerome in His Study (1451), by Antonio da Fabriano (1420-1490) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons]

Summary: Anglican Edward Josiah Stearns (1810-1890) tried to dismiss invocation of saints by denying the doctrine of the particular judgment. Scripture and the fathers disagree.
So, your data was leaked by hackers. Well, youre not the only one. We live in an era in which data breaches are a daily occurrence. And thats both bad and good news. Its bad for obvious reasonsno one wants to have their personal information exposed.

But heres why it could be good newsit means the digital landscape is saturated with terabytes of data, leaving each individual data point nearly worthless. The rise of data brokerscompanies that legally aggregate hundreds or thousands of data points to create a profile on youis a result of this phenomenon. This means that, while data breaches are indeed bad news, taking down a majority of your exposed data is simple if you know where to look, or which provider to use that can legally remove aggregated profiling information from large databases.

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Once your data finds its way into one of these datadumps (that is, files containing breached information), there are some things you can do yourself to safeguard your data and some services that can be done for you to remove that data from the largest profiling databases out there.

Lets dive in!

How to take back control after a data leak

Heres a quick overview of the steps you should take to protect your data after its breached. Its best to follow them in the order presented.

Change passwords: Immediately change the password for the affected account and any others using the same credentials. Freeze your credit: If the breach involves more sensitive data like your SSN, full name, or address, freeze your credit with one of the main credit bureaus. Set up MFA: Enable multi-factor authentication for your important accounts and, ideally, all online accounts. Remove your personal information from data brokers: Having your data breached is one issue, but it being shared is another. Sign up for a data removal service to prevent your information from spreading online. Monitor your accounts for signs of identity theft: The consequences of a data breach arent always immediate; identity theft can occur months later. To prevent this, regularly monitor your banking, credit, and Social Security accounts.

Now, lets get into more detail.

Change your passwords

Statistics indicate that two-thirds of Americans use the same password across multiple accounts. Nearly half prefer easy-to-remember passwords over hard-to-crack passwords. The consequence?

If youre among either of those groups, once your password gets leaked, it exposes your other accounts as well.

Thats especially true if you reuse your passwords, but people who use similarly structured passwords arent safe either.

For your own safety, update your passwords:

On the platform where the breach happened

On all other accounts that use the same or similar passwords.

Come up with unique combinations, preferably 14 characters long.

And yeah, we get youRemembering unique, 14-character-long passwords for each account becomes a titanic act, probably not within reach of us mere mortals. Only, you dont have to do it yourself. There are tons of password managers you can use to boost your security and organize your passwords.

See our top password managers for 2025.

Freeze your credit

People whose personal information was used by fraudsters to open new accounts suffered over $3K in losses on average.

When you combine it with the instances where fraudsters took out loans or breached credit card information, that number grows even further.

And its easier than you might think.

Take credit cards, for example. Some banks ask for only the following information to submit a request for a new credit card:

Full name

Birth date

Social Security number

Address

Annual income

Current employer

The Real Estate Wealth Network data breach from 2023 exposed five out of six data points listed abovein just a single incident. Fraudsters could take out lines of credit in your name, without you even knowing.

To prevent anyone from taking out lines of credit in your name, freeze your credit reports at all three bureaus.

You can do it for free online:

Enable multi-factor authentication

Passwords arent enough. Especially if you dont have an appetite for unique, 14-character-long ones.

The good news is that you can improve your accounts security by a wide margin with multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods.

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) states that the use of MFA on your accounts makes you 99% less likely to be hacked.

The idea behind MFA is simple and youve likely come across it before.

Heres how it works: After entering your password, youre asked to confirm your identity by a different measuretyping in a code received via email, for example. Its the second factor in the authentication process.

It usually stops here, making it two-factor authentication (2FA), but it could go further, adding a third and even fourth layermaking it a truly multi-factor.

Learn more about MFA and how to use it.

Remove your personal information from data brokers

Heres the thing about data breachesa data breach is a singular incident, a one-time thing. Hackers get access to databases and expose them.

Our attention revolves mostly around that incident. We change our passwords, freeze our credit, and, after a while, forget about the whole affair.

But the leaked data is still circulating the web.

From one dark web forum to another, it passes through many, often shady, hands, potentially landing among the records of data brokers.

Data brokers are companies that buy and sell personal information to make a profit. Its similar to stock brokers. Only, instead of buying and selling corporate shares, data brokers buy and sell your:

Names

Birth date

Phone numbers

Email addresses

Current and past addresses

Owned properties

Current and past employers

Pulic records

Relatives

and more

With each data breach, your profile builds up.

As a result, you may be targeted by identity thieves long after the initial data breach took place.

Heres the good news, thoughyou can sign up for a data removal service, like Incogni, and have your personal information removed from hundreds of data brokers.

There are a few good removal services available for US citizens, like Kanary and Optery, but what really sets Incogni apart is that they target both private and public data brokers, while most others only focus on the public ones.

The private databases, which are traded behind closed doors, are the ones that really impact your privacy. And Incogni is one of the few services that actually tackles those. But the good news doesnt stop there.

Incogni makes protecting your personal info a walk in a park. Incogni covers 270+ data brokers with its automatic removals within the standard plan.

Incogni have also introduced the Unlimited version with unlimited custom removals available right away upon purchasing the plan. It allows users to submit websites not yet covered by Incogni and get their data removed from there, too.

After that you can sit back and focus on what really matters. Incogni will keep reaching out to all the data brokers in their network on a regular basis to make sure your personal info doesnt end up back in their databases.

Monitor your accounts for signs of identity theft

Identity theft is no joke, Jim!teaches us Dwight from The Office.

And with nearly a third of Americans already affected by some form of it, it indeed is not a joke.

10% of identity theft victims realize something is wrong only when their money is gone. Thats far too late.

Instead, monitor your key accountslike banking, credit, and Social Securityregularly.

Keep a close eye on your:
Identity theft is one of those boogeymen of the internet age. Its the stuff of hacker movies from the 90s: one day your keycard, bankcard and phone just stop working, then it turns out someone has taken over your life and is living large on your dime. Far-fetched, sure, but not completely divorced from reality.

How do you end up in an identity thiefs sights? Most dont just select victims at random. Stealing someones identity and actually getting away with selling or using it takes a lot of planning, work, and time-consuming operational-security measures. With this kind of risk and time investment in play, it makes sense that identity thieves would want to choose potential victims carefully.

PROMOTION Stop spam calls and scam messages Say goodbye to unwanted callers. Get Incogni and reclaim peace of mind from telemarketers, robocallers and scam attempts. We remove your personal data from hundreds of databases with ease, protecting your identity: name, phone numbers, emails, addresses, financial information, and much more. Get Incogni

Like law enforcement looking for a suspect, they use various profiling techniques to do this. But first:

What exactly is identity theft?

Identity theft is basically what it sounds like: someone stealing your personally identifiable information (PII) in order to use parts of your identity for their own ends. It doesnt have to mean that youve been replaced by an imposter in your daily life, in fact it rarely if ever does.

Somebody who uses your credit card details without permission, gains access to your email and uses it to message people or sign up for things, or logs into your crypto-exchange account is committing identity fraud, among other crimes. You probably wouldnt know anything was up until the consequences of the identity thiefs actions caught up with you.

Avoid becoming a target of identity thieves by understanding how they choose potential victims.

Anatomy of identity theft

There are manytoo manydifferent types of identity theft cases out there. They all hit three common notes, though. To commit identity theft, the perpetrator has to:

Choose a potential victim

Gather information about their target

Adopt their targets identity, or parts thereof

Exploit their targets identity, usually for financial gain.

The details will vary, and many schemes will include additional steps, sometimes becoming incredibly intricate and complex in the process, but this is the basic outline. The first stages are the profiling stages, and its there that you can best avoid being caught in identity thieves nets.

Profiling: Target selection

The first stage of any identity theft and the first of three profiling stages. There are many ways you can end up on an identity thieves radar. They fall into three categories: representing a big score, appearing like an easy target, andworst of alla combination of the two.

What marks you as a lucrative target

Anything that suggests you have a lot of money or, more specifically, liquid assets and cash on hand can paint a target on your back. One of the worst things you can do is to advertise the fact that you have a lot of money tied up in a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. Few things attract identity thieves more than finding out that all that stands between them and a small (or large) fortune is a single seed phrase.

You need not be wealthy to attract the wrong kind of attention. Just sold a home or vehicle? Data brokers are on it, and identity thieves know to look for recent sales like these, knowing that the seller probably has a lump sum sitting around.

Anything that suggests youve got money, assets or simply a good credit score is enough to attract identity thieves and other scammers. Dont leave the boxes from your new, ultra high-end home-theater system out on the curb, dont brag about your crypto prowess online, and dont let data brokers spread the news of your recent retirement or inheritance far and wide.

What marks you as an easy target

The other major way you can end up being profiled by identity thieves is to appear like youre an easy target. Because even if you only have a couple of hundred dollars on hand, if it looks like itll be quick, easy and safe to take that money from you, someone will come up to the plate and take a swing.

There are two ways you can pop up as an easy mark on scammers radars: by having a ton of personal information available online and by having fallen for scams in the past. If youve engaged with scammers in text messages or over the phonewhether they managed to swindle you or not, but especially if they didthen youre effectively if not literally on a list.

This isnt to say youre at fault or gullible or anything like that, but engaging with scammers will generally lead to more scam attempts, including attempts to steal your identity. The one thing you can do here is be more vigilant going forward, hanging up on scam calls and ignoring scam messages (easier said than done).

Profiling: OSINT

The next thing most identity thieves will do is look around online (and sometimes offline) for any personal information they can find just sitting there, out in the open. This is called open-source intelligence or OSINT for short.

They need this information for the next stages in their schemes. Just by using a regular web browser, they can find many of your online accounts, your photos, possibly your place of work, information about your educational and work history, and much more besides. They can use this information to get into your accounts, find people close to you, and generally get to know you.

Something thats made this stage faster and easier than ever before, especially in the US, is the rise of data brokers, including so-called people search sites (also known as people finder sites). Using these services, an identity thief can get a detailed, ready-made profile on you with just a few clicks, and for as little as a dollar.

To protect yourself against this profiling stage, be careful about what information you post online, including on social media. Consider using a personal information removal service like Incogni to disrupt data brokers attempts to aggregate and disseminate your personal information through their networks.

Incogni: Remove your profiling data with ease

If youre worried about who has access to your personal information, data removal services like Incogni do the tedious work of contacting data brokers on your behalf and removing your personal info from their databasessaving you countless hours of research, emails, and paperwork.

Incogni limits your personal exposure on the web, monitors places where your personal information is held, and ensures that data brokers regularly keep that information off of their platforms. The benefits of using a data removal service include receiving fewer spam and marketing robocalls, lowering the risks of identity theft, and cleaning up your exposure after a data breach.

Profiling: Data gathering

Once an identity thief has a handle on all the personal information they can find in publicly available sources (including data brokers that operate out in the open), they can start to drill down into other sources to fill in any blanks.

This can take many forms, from downloading or buying hacked account credentials (usernames, emails and passwords) to conducting phishing campaigns against you and those close to you. The identity thief, at this stage, is looking for the missing details they need to SIM-swap your phone or gain access to your online accounts, especially your email accounts.

Hackers and identity thieves will generally zero-in on your email accounts and SIM card because they can use them to reset passwords to other accounts, like crypto-exchange and financial accounts, for example.

Theres not much you can do about the member-only forums (including darknet forums) that identity thieves use to get your credentials, but you can limit how useful those credentials are to them. Make sure each of your accounts is secured by a strong, unique passwordone that you dont use anywhere else.

Account takeover

The profiling stages are over once the identity thief or thieves have all they need to start taking over your accounts. Theyre not interested in taking over all your accounts, they probably only need one or two of them and the email accounts that they can use to reset the passwords.

The most common method, and the one a bad actor will probably try first, is called credential stuffing. This involves using those hacked passwords from the data-gathering stage and trying them on your other accounts. If you re-use passwords between accounts, theyre in.

Think two-factor authentication SMSs will stop that from happening? They wont if the identity thief knows enough about you to call your mobile carrier pretending to be you and request that they transfer your number to the thiefs SIM card (this is what SIM-swapping is).

At this point, your identity has been stolen. Now comes the worst partexploitation.

Exploitation

This is the goal of identity theft: exploiting your personal information to commit further crimes. These crimes could be emptying out your crypto wallets, draining your bank accounts, or something a little more subtle.

Identity thieves can use your information to take out loans or claim government benefits in your name, to redirect and steal your tax returns or even to seek otherwise legitimate employment (using your SSN, for example). They often also use stolen identities when committing unrelated crimes, leaving you on the hook with law enforcement.

All you can do at this late stage is react and do damage control. The FTC has an identity theft portal that can guide you through the process of creating a recovery plan. Prevention isnt only better than cure, its also cheaper, easier and less stressful.

Use a personal information removal service to stop identity thieves at the earliest possible stages of their schemes: before they can even notice you, let alone digging deeper and building a file on you.
In August 2024, National Public Data (NPD), a background check company, experienced a massive data breach that impacted around 2.9 billion records with sensitive information. Millions of peoples full names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and addresses were all up for grabs on the dark web.

Faced with the overwhelming financial strain from numerous lawsuits and the costs associated with the breach, NPD filed for bankruptcy just a few months later.

This breach, one of the largest in recent history, highlighted the growing risks businesses face in protecting sensitive data. With cybercriminals constantly evolving their tactics, companies can no longer afford to rely on reactive security measures alone.

The bittersweet truth is that a breach like that could have been avoided  or at least minimized  with the right security measures in place. Threat exposure management platforms like NordStellar help with data breach prevention by catching vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

716 million user contacts leaked on the dark web in 2024

According to research conducted by NordStellar, 716 million user contacts were leaked on the dark web in 2024. This included 554 million email addresses and 162 million phone numbers, leaving a vast number of people vulnerable to cyber threats. Most of the leaked data came from companies in the technology, media, financial services, commerce, and healthcare industries.

Once data is stolen in a breach, it often appears on dark web marketplaces within days or weeks  sometimes selling for pocket change. A credit card might go for just $15, a full identity package with your Social Security number for $20.

But it doesnt just sit there  it gets put to use fast. Cybercriminals, from small-time scammers to organized crime groups, exploit sensitive personal data in many ways, including identity theft, phishing, financial fraud, and account takeovers. Cybercriminals use stolen data to scam, hack, and exploit victims, often combining breaches for more targeted attacks.

Average data breach costs reached $4.88M in 2024

According to IBMs 2024 report, the global average cost of a data breach reached an all-time high of about $4.88 million. These costs usually include a range of expenses such as incident investigation, regulatory fines, legal fees, customer notification, credit monitoring services, system recovery, and lost business due to reputational damage.

However, the damaging consequences of a data breach dont just end here. Beyond the immediate financial hit, businesses face long-term challenges that can be even more devastating.

Reputational damage can erode customer trust, driving people to competitors and amplifying negative publicity. Once trust is broken, it takes years to rebuild, affecting customer retention, brand perception, and even future business opportunities.

Operational disruptions also take a heavy toll. Recovering from a breach requires shutting down systems, investigating the incident, and implementing new security measures  all of which divert resources from growth and innovation.

Then come the legal and compliance issues. Data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA impose strict penalties, with fines reaching 4% of annual revenue or millions of dollars in penalties. High-profile cases like Metas 1.2 billion fine and Marriotts $23.8 million penalty highlight how failing to protect user data can have severe consequences.

NordStellar: Proactive threat exposure management for businesses

Reactive security measures arent enough to protect your business from the avalanche of consequences that follow a data breach. IBM highlights that it can take around six months to even become aware that a data breach has happened, preventing companies from acting before its too late.

NordStellar, a threat exposure management platform created by the company behind NordVPN, detects threats early, minimizes damage, and ensures businesses can respond before a breach escalates.

NordStellar

Data breach monitoring

NordStellar keeps an eye on data breaches, malware infections, and leaked credentials to spot compromised employee or client information. It sends real-time alerts so security teams can act fast and limit damage.

By assessing risk levels and prioritizing incidents, it helps businesses handle breaches more efficiently. With data from both public and private sources, NordStellar makes sure teams stay informed and ready to respond.

Account takeover prevention

For instance, if hackers obtained the login details of a high-level employee like a CFO, they could approve fake wire transfers to drain company accounts. Or they could unlock payroll systems to redirect employee salaries. All of this could happen within hours of gaining access.

The account takeover prevention scans the deep and dark web for leaked credentials and checks them against employee, customer, and partner accounts. It blocks stolen passwords from being used during login, registration, and password changes.

Its password fuzzing feature analyzes breached passwords and generates variations based on common hacking techniques, preventing users from creating similar weak passwords that attackers could easily guess.

Session hijacking prevention

It monitors the dark web 24/7 for stolen session cookies and compromised credentials and alerts users when their data is found and detects malware-infected accounts.

Session cookies are small bits of data that websites use to keep you logged in, like a digital key proving its really you. If hackers steal them, they can slip into your account without needing your password, bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA) entirely.

If a session is stolen, NordStellar automatically invalidates it to block attackers from gaining access. This prevents hackers from using stolen cookies to log in, transfer money, or take other unauthorized actions.

Other tips for avoiding data breaches

Besides using a data breach monitoring system like NordStellar, businesses should take additional steps to protect their data and minimize security risks. Here are some key measures to strengthen your defenses:

Use strong access controls. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and limit access to sensitive data based on user roles.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and limit access to sensitive data based on user roles. Encrypt important data. Protect stored and transmitted data with end-to-end encryption and secure password hashing.

Protect stored and transmitted data with end-to-end encryption and secure password hashing. Keep software updated. Install security updates regularly to fix weak spots hackers could exploit.

Install security updates regularly to fix weak spots hackers could exploit. Train employees on cybersecurity. Teach staff to spot phishing scams, weak passwords, and social engineering tricks.

Teach staff to spot phishing scams, weak passwords, and social engineering tricks. Enforce strong passwords. Require unique, complex passwords and encourage password managers.

Require unique, complex passwords and encourage password managers. Use a business VPN. Secure remote connections and protect company data from cyber threats, especially when accessing sensitive systems from outside the office.

Secure remote connections and protect company data from cyber threats, especially when accessing sensitive systems from outside the office. Back up data regularly. Store secure backups and test recovery plans to avoid losing data in an attack.

Conclusion: dont wait for a data breach

A data breach can have devastating consequences, from financial losses and legal troubles to reputational damage and business disruptions. Being proactive is the only way to stay ahead of cyber threats. Businesses must identify vulnerabilities, monitor for leaked data, and respond quickly to prevent stolen information from being exploited.

NordStellar helps businesses do exactly that. Its threat exposure management solutions detect compromised credentials, block unauthorized access, and provide real-time alerts to stop cyberattacks before they escalate. Instead of waiting for a breach to happen, companies can take control of their security and protect their most valuable assets before its too late.
A massive, 14-foot shark is being tracked off the coast of Florida. (photo by Gerald Schombs via Unsplash) Gerald Schombs

College students arent the only ones headed to the beach this time of year.

Fox News reports that Contender, a record-breaking apex predator great white shark, is currently making its way south and may likely end up in the waters off the Florida coast around the same time as spring break.

Contender is over 1,600 pounds and nearly 14 feet long, and is currently being tracked by research group OCEARCH. While great white sharks can grow even larger, up to 21 feet, so far Contender is the largest shark that the group has ever tracked.

Contender is a significant addition to ongoing research efforts in the western North Atlantic to understand the reproductive cycle and timing of breeding in adult white sharks, particularly in the overwintering period, said Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH chief scientist, in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Another massive great white named Dold, after oceanic researcher Dr. Christopher Dold, is also being tracked as it heads south. While not as big as Contender, Dold still measures 11 feet long and weighs 761 pounds.

Both Contender and Dold are expected to pass by Miami and the southernmost tip of Florida if they continue on their current paths. Both predators have also stayed a good distance from shore, averaging about 40 miles out to sea.

But regardless of their path, swimmers need not be terribly concerned. Shark attacks on humans are not common, with Fox News reporting that only 28 were reported in the United States last year, and only one was fatal.

If sharks wanted to eat people, there would be a whole lot less surfers in the water, said Taylor Chapple, assistant professor and founder of the Big Fish Lab at Oregon State University, in an interview with told Fox News Digital. Were just not on their menu.

Experts suggest swimmers avoid wearing shiny jewelry, avoid swimming ad dawn or dusk and avoid areas with fishermen in order to best avoid dangers from sharks.
The Glancy Wine Education Foundation (GWEF) has announced its expansion to become a national scholarship organization that will collaborate with several wine schools and organizations around the country. International Wine Center

The Glancy Wine Education Foundation (GWEF) has announced its expansion to become a national scholarship organization through strategic partnerships with the International Wine Center in New York, the American Wine School in the Midwest, and the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV).

Combined with the foundations existing partnership with the San Francisco Wine School, these collaborations significantly extend GWEFs geographic reach, enabling more aspiring wine professionals across the United States access to high-quality wine education.

The foundations new alliance with the International Wine Center brings GWEF scholarship opportunities to New York, while the partnership with American Wine School extends access to virtual and in-person classes across multiple Midwestern cities including Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Additionally, following the January launch of GWEFs collaboration with the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV), its members now have enhanced access to professional wine education through GWEF scholarships.

These partnerships mark a significant milestone in our mission to make wine education more accessible to underserved communities nationwide, said Ana Keller, president of the Glancy Wine Education Foundation. By expanding our reach from coast to coast, we can now help a much broader range of students develop their careers through professional wine certifications.

Added Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW, president of International Wine Center and the first woman in America to earn the Master of Wine title: As a woman-owned business, International Wine Center has always welcomed those in the wine industry who havent had an equal footing, by supporting scholarship opportunities when possible. The GWEF scholarship is yet another opportunity for IWC students, on top of the LDNY scholarships available to our existing women students. The GWEF scholarships, I suspect, will entice new individuals to begin formal wine education. Many people acquire wine knowledge informally by working low-wage positions at retail shops, and the possibility of reduced-cost courses can spur them into formalizing their learning. 

Says Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW, president of International Wine Center, 'The GWEF scholarship is yet another opportunity for IWC students, on top of the LDNY scholarships available to our existing women students.' Gabi Porter

The expansion builds on GWEFs strong foundation of educational support. Since it was established in 2020, inspired by the vision of San Francisco Wine School co-owners  Master Sommelier David Glancy and COO, Kristin Campbell  the foundation has focused on providing scholarships to underserved and minority communities to further their professional wine education, increasing diversity in the industry, and raising earning potential.

Alder Yarrow, vice president of the GWEF, retold the story to PennLive of Glancy coming to him and a few others back then, noting that basically everybody in the hospitality industry just got laid off, and many of them would like to take the opportunity to beef up their wine education. But having lost their jobs, they had no money. We think we need to support them, Yarrow recalled Glancy saying, so would you consider starting a foundation to do that? And me and a bunch of other people said, yeah, thats certainly a great idea. And we can also focus that effort on driving more diversity in the wine industry by focusing these scholarships on people of color, women and the underserved in the wine and hospitality industry, and so thats what we did.

Through 2024, the foundation focused on the Bay Area and raised money to provide scholarships for students to attend the San Francisco Wine School. Yarrow, who in 2004 founded and has been overseeing Vinography  a global wine community that features everything on the site from essays and news to reviews and editorials  said it became clear last year that there was a growing demand nationally for access to the kind of wine and hospitality education that the classes provided, especially for minorities and women.

The San Francisco Wine School was founded in 2011 and strives to open the world of wine to serious students and enthusiasts everywhere, helping people of all levels break into the wine industry, advance their career or simply pursue their passions. San Francisco Wine School

Yarrow, as vice president of the foundation board, helped spearhead an effort that after research and discussions landed on new relationships with several schools and organizations nationally:

Founded in 2001 by Marianne Frantz, the American Wine School has educated more than 30,000 wine enthusiasts across seven states. The school offers internationally recognized programs through its affiliation with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), including Levels 1-4 Awards in Wine. As the only Approved Program Provider for the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines in the Midwest, American Wine School operates in Chicago with satellite locations in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Detroit.

Founded in 1982, International Wine Center (IWC) is Americas oldest independent wine school and is located in the heart of New York City. Led by Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW, who introduced Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) programs to the U.S., IWC was the countrys first WSET provider and remains one of the few offering the WSET Diploma in Wines, WSETs highest qualification. Committed to independent-minded wine study for trade and consumers, IWC delivers a world-class education without promotional influence.

Founded in 2002, the Association of African American Vintners stands as the go-to resource for advancing equity in the wine industry. AAAVs mission is to provide comprehensive education, advocacy, and community support not only for Black vintners but also for wine brands and industry professionals.

They have joined the San Francisco Wine School, which was founded in 2011 and strives to open the world of wine to serious students and enthusiasts everywhere, helping people of all levels break into the wine industry, advance their career or simply pursue their passions. It was founded by Glancy, a master sommelier and certified wine educator, and as the largest wine school in the U.S. offers more than 25 certifications and educational series and over 75 individual classes, all taught in their state-of-the-art 4,000-square-foot Wine Education and Events Center and their cutting-edge hybrid classes.

Founded in 1982, International Wine Center (IWC) is Americas oldest independent wine school and is located in the heart of New York City. Gabi Porter

Finding accurate information on diversity in the industry isnt quite searching for the needle in a haystack, but its close. Yes, there have been inroads made over the past couple of decades, but how much depends on who you talk to. Yarrow, whose Vinography site includes links to Global Black-Owned Wineries and Latinx-Owned Wineries in America, said quite succinctly that there are no official statistics. His lists, which he updates as he comes across new wineries, offer some data as does the work produced by Dr. Monique Bell, an associate professor of marketing at California State University, Fresno, who is known for her work on diversity and inclusion in the wine industry and the self-published Terroir Noir: 2020 Study of Black Wine Entrepreneurs.

What Yarrow will say with certainty is that the plans for this expansion are not a direct response to whats happening politically around the country as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs are being scrapped and websites are being scrubbed of information.

Says Alder Yarrow of the wine industry's diversification, 'I can tell you, anecdotally, as a professional wine writer for the last 20 years following the industry, it is becoming more diverse. Is it becoming more diverse fast enough? No.' Alder Yarrow

As he noted, these plans were set in motion last year, well before the election and all the changes that have taken place since Jan. 20.

But I can tell you, I am damn proud to be essentially tripling down on DEI focus in a moment where it seems like at least half the countrys opinions have swung in the other direction, he said.

I think were quite proud of the fact that roughly 60% of our [scholarship] recipients are non-Caucasian, close to 60% are female or female-identifying, and we feel like were making a tiny drop in the ocean toward pushing diversity and supporting that in the wine industry. You know, in a time where the wine industry is contracting, its a little bit difficult to sort of think about, OK, well, what kind of growth are we seeing in diversity in the wine industry? But I can just tell you, anecdotally, as a professional wine writer for the last 20 years following the industry, it is becoming more diverse. Is it becoming more diverse fast enough? No. Do we have an awful long way to go to get a reasonable and proportional representation of the melting pot that is America in the wine industry? Absolutely, a long way to go.

Led by Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW, who introduced Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) programs to the U.S., International Wine Center was the countrys first WSET provider and remains one of the few offering the WSET Diploma in Wines, WSETs highest qualification. Gabi Porter

But whether its going to public wine tastings and looking at the diversity of the faces in those wine tastings in the public, whether its attending trade events and looking at whos standing behind tables and representing wineries, we are absolutely seeing more diversity in the wine industry. Its slow. Its not fast enough, but it is steady, and its happening.

Scholarship recipients will have access to prestigious wine education programs through GWEFs educational partners, including Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualifications, Society of Wine Educators certifications, Wine Scholar Guild programs, as well as other proprietary courses and certifications.

Professionals in need of financial aid are encouraged to apply for scholarships year-round on the foundation website. Awards are made monthly.
The politician claims America no longer stands for what the statue symbolizes. (Getty Images) Getty Images

France gifted the United States the Statue of Liberty almost 140 years ago.

Now, one French politician is calling for its return.

France 24 reports how Rapheal Glucksmann  a French member of the European Parliament  demanded the U.S. return the iconic statue during a recent convention for his Place Publique center-left movement.

Give us back the Statue of Liberty, he stated. Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty.

We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.

Euronews continues to report how, according to Glucksmann, the U.S. no longer represents the values behind the Statue of Libertys creation. Hence, France should rescind the gift it gave to the still-burgeoning country and ally all those years ago.

The same Euronews article explains how Glucksmann has been openly critical of President Donald Trumps cuts to federal funding for research institutions, as well as other French officials forming a fan club for the president and his close associate, Elon Musk.

The second thing were going to say to the Americans: If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the worlds leading power, then were going to welcome them', Glucksmann added.

He might not give it back, but I guarantee Trump would sell it back, reads one Reddit comment in response to the news.

By the time they realize that the statue is a female they will gladly dismantle her as a DEI hire, says another.

And yet again does the international community stoop to things that I cannot understate enough do not help to fix the situation, another commenter writes.

United States officials have yet to respond to Glucksmanns demands as of the publishing of this report.
A woman cries outside a hospital in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, Sunday, March 16, 2025, following a massive fire in a nightclub early Sunday. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) AP

By Konstantin Testorides and Boris Grdanoski, The Associated Press

KOCANI, North Macedonia  A massive fire tore through an overcrowded nightclub in North Macedonia on Sunday, killing 59 people and injuring 155 in a chaotic escape during a live concert. The tragedy focused national attention on corruption in the small Balkan country as authorities detained 15 people.

The death toll may rise further, with 20 of the injured remain in critical condition, according to Health Minister Arben Taravari. The government has declared seven days of national mourning.

The pre-dawn blaze in the eastern town of Kocani left mostly young people dead and injured due to burns, smoke inhalation and a stampede in the desperate effort to reach the buildings single exit, officials said. People as young as 16 were among the casualties, they said.

Videos showed sparkling pyrotechnics on the stage hitting the ceiling followed by scenes of chaos inside the club, with young people running through the smoke as the musicians urged them to escape as quickly as possible.

We even tried to get out through the toilet, to find bars (on the windows), Marija Taseva, 19, told The Associated Press, describing the fire that erupted after watching a local pop group at Club Pulse. I somehow managed to get out. I fell down the stairs and they ran over me, trampled me. ... I barely stayed alive and could hardly breathe. She suffered an injury to her face.

The fire was the worst tragedy in recent memory to befall the landlocked nation, whose population is less than 2 million, and the latest in a slew of deadly nightclub fires around the world.

Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said 15 people were detained for questioning after a preliminary inspection revealed the club was operating without a proper license. He said the number of people inside the club was at least double its official capacity of 250.

We have grounds for suspicion that there is bribery and corruption in this case, he told reporters without elaborating.

Neighbors offer condolences and assistance

Condolences poured in from leaders around Europe as well as from the office of Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized for a month for double pneumonia.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also sent messages of support. I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. Ukraine mourns alongside our (North) Macedonian friends on this sad day, Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

Health Ministry officials said the government had accepted offers of assistance from several neighboring countries, including Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Turkey, where preparations were being made to receive patients with life-threatening injuries.

An aerial photograph shows the site of a nightclub in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, Sunday, March 16, 2025, following a massive fire in the nightclub early Sunday. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut) AP

In the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, three people with severe burns aged 25, 25 and 19 were being treated at a civilian hospital, with one undergoing surgery, health authorities said. Their conditions are critical.

Throughout Sunday, relatives gathered in front of hospitals and city offices in Kocani, some 115 kilometers (72 miles) east of the capital, Skopje, begging authorities for more information. Resident Dragi Stojanov was informed that his 21-year-old son Tomce had died in the fire.

He was my only child. I dont need my life anymore. ... 150 families have been devastated, he said. Children burnt beyond recognition. There are corpses, just corpses inside (the club). ... And the bosses (of organized crime), just putting money into their pockets.

The president says we must give these young people courage to continue

In Skopje, officials said the injured were sent to hospitals around the country, many being treated for severe burns and smoke inhalation. The effort was being assisted by multiple volunteer organizations.

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited burn victims at a hospital in Skopje and spoke to parents waiting outside.

Its terrible ... hard to believe how this happened, she said, her voice halting with emotion. We must give these young people courage to continue.

The fire caused the roof of the single-story building to partially collapse, revealing the charred remains of wooden beams and debris. Police cordoned off the site and sent in evidence gathering teams in an operation also involving state prosecutors.

A firefighter inspects a nightclub after a massive fire in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) AP

North Macedonias government ordered a sweeping inspection to be carried out at all nightclubs and cabarets across the country over the next three days.

Pyrotechnics have often been the cause of deadly fires in nightclubs, including the one at the Colectiv club in Bucharest, Romania, in 2015 in which 64 people died.

Associated Press writers from across Europe contributed to this report.
This image made from video by NASA shows astronauts greeting each other after a SpaceX capsule docked with the International Space Station, Sunday, March 16, 2025. Top row from left: Nick Hague, Alexander Gorbunov, Suni Williams, Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Bottom row from left: Butch Wilmore, Takuya Onishi, Anne McClain, Kirill Peskov, Nichole Ayers and Don Pettit. (NASA via AP) AP

By Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  Just over a day after blasting off, a SpaceX crew capsule arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday, delivering the replacements for NASAs two stuck astronauts.

The four newcomers  representing the U.S., Japan and Russia  will spend the next few days learning the stations ins and outs from Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Then the two will strap into their own SpaceX capsule later this week, one that has been up there since last year, to close out an unexpected extended mission that began last June.

Wilmore and Williams expected to be gone just a week when they launched on Boeings first astronaut flight. They hit the nine-month mark earlier this month.

The Boeing Starliner capsule encountered so many problems that NASA insisted it come back empty, leaving its test pilots behind to wait for a SpaceX lift.

While the seven space station residents prepared for the new arrivals, one of the Russians  Ivan Vagner  briefly put on an alien mask in a lighthearted moment. Wilmore swung open the space stations hatch and rang the ships bell as the new crew floated in one by one and were greeted with hugs and handshakes..

It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive, Williams told Mission Control.

REMOVES REFERENCE TO NICK HAGUE - This image provided by NASA shows one of space station astronauts wearing a grey alien mask before greeting the crew of the arriving SpaceX Dragon Capsule at the International Space Station, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (NASA via AP) AP

Wilmores and Williams' ride arrived back in late September with a downsized crew of two and two empty seats reserved for the leg back. But more delays resulted when their replacements brand new capsule needed extensive battery repairs. An older capsule took its place, pushing up their return by a couple of weeks to mid-March.

Weather permitting, the SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams and two other astronauts will undock from the space station no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Floridas coast.

Until then, there will be 11 aboard the orbiting lab, representing the U.S., Russia and Japan.

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.
A Starbucks Coffee sign on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Houston, Texas. A California jury ruled on Friday that the company must pay $50 million in damages to a delivery driver who was badly burned when a hot drink spilled onto him. Ashley Landis | The Associated Press

Remember the 1992 McDonalds coffee case, where a woman sued the chain because she suffered third-degree burns after the scalding hot coffee spilled into her lap?

A jury awarded her $2.7 million in punitive damages, which was seen as excessive at the time (a judge later reduced the verdict).

Well, history appears to have repeated itself, after a fashion.

A California jury ruled on Friday that Starbucks must pay $50 million in damages to a delivery driver who was badly burned when an improperly secured drink spilled onto him.

Michael Garcia sued the chain after a hot tea spilled into his lap, causing severe burns and disfigurement to his genitals.

Garcia, who worked for Postmates, was picking up drinks at a drive-through in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2020, when he was handed a cardboard carrier with three drink. One of the cups fell directly into his lap and the top popped off.

The lawsuit said that Starbucks breached its duty of care by failing to secure the lid properly.

No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered, but this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility, Nick Rowley, Garcias lawyer, said in a press release.

The company said it plans to appeal the decision, adding that it has always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores.

We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jurys decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive, a company spokesperson said in a statement.
In this photo provided by El Salvador's presidential press office, prison guards transfer deportees from the U.S., alleged to be Venezuelan gang members, to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (El Salvador presidential press office via AP) AP

By Nicholas Riccardi and regina Garcia Cano, The Associated Press

The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members, officials said Sunday. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday blocking the deportations, but lawyers told him there were already two planes with immigrants in the air  one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but they apparently were not and he did not include the directive in his written order.

In a court filing Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Boasbergs decision, said the immigrants had already been removed from U.S. territory when the written order was issued at 7:26 pm.

Trumps allies were gleeful over the results.

OopsieToo late, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6 million in his countrys prisons, wrote on the social media site X above an article about Boasbergs ruling. That post was recirculated by White House communications director Steven Cheung.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who negotiated an earlier deal with Bukele to house immigrants, posted on the site: We sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.

Steve Vladeck, a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, said that Boasbergs verbal directive to turn around the planes was not technically part of his final order but that the Trump administration clearly violated the spirit of it.

This just incentivizes future courts to be hyper specific in their orders and not give the government any wiggle room, Vladeck said.

The immigrants were deported after Trumps declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history.

The law, invoked during the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II, requires a president to declare the United States is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. It was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II.

A Justice Department spokesperson on Sunday referred to an earlier statement from Attorney General Pam Bondi blasting Boasbergs ruling and didnt immediately answer questions about whether the administration ignored the courts order.

Venezuelas government in a statement Sunday rejected the use of Trumps declaration of the law, characterizing it as evocative of the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.

Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nations economy came undone during the past decade. Trump seized on the gang during his campaign to paint misleading pictures of communities that he contended were taken over by what were actually a handful of lawbreakers.

The Trump administration has not identified the immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the United States. It also sent two top members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang to El Salvador who had been arrested in the United States.

Video released by El Salvadors government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes onto an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend down at the waist.

The video also showed the men being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prisons all-white uniform  knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs  and placed in cells.

The immigrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility, the centerpiece of Bukeles push to pacify his once violence-wracked country through tough police measures and limits on basic rights

The Trump administration said the president actually signed the proclamation contending Tren de Aragua was invading the United States on Friday night but didnt announce it until Saturday afternoon. Immigration lawyers said that, late Friday, they noticed Venezuelans who otherwise couldnt be deported under immigration law being moved to Texas for deportation flights. They began to file lawsuits to halt the transfers.

Basically any Venezuelan citizen in the US may be removed on pretext of belonging to Tren de Aragua, with no chance at defense, Adam Isacson of the Washington Office for Latin America, a human rights group, warned on X.

In this photo provided by El Salvador's presidential press office, a prison guard transfers deportees from the U.S., alleged to be Venezuelan gang members, to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (El Salvador presidential press office via AP) AP

The litigation that led to the hold on deportations was filed on behalf of five Venezuelans held in Texas who lawyers said were concerned theyd be falsely accused of being members of the gang. Once the act is invoked, they warned, Trump could simply declare anyone a Tren de Aragua member and remove them from the country.

Boasberg barred those Venezuelans' deportations Saturday morning when the suit was filed, but only broadened it to all people in federal custody who could be targeted by the act after his afternoon hearing. He noted that the law has never before been used outside of a congressionally declared war and that plaintiffs may successfully argue Trump exceeded his legal authority in invoking it.

The bar on deportations stands for up to 14 days and the immigrants will remain in federal custody during that time. Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Friday to hear additional arguments in the case.

He said he had to act because the immigrants whose deportations may actually violate the U.S. Constitution deserved a chance to have their pleas heard in court.

Once theyre out of the country, Boasberg said, theres little I could do.

Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
Tilak Niroula, chairman of the board of the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, on Tuesday will join a group of elected officials to address concerns over the ICE detention of five Bhutanese immigrants. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Five members of Harrisburgs Bhutanese community, who have legal refugee status in the U.S., were detained last week by ICE, according to a leader in that community.

On Monday, Tilak Niroula, head of the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, said the individuals, some belonging to the same family, were still in ICE custody.
By NICHOLAS RICCARDI and DAVID BAUDER, Associated Press

President Donald Trumps administration on Saturday began making deep cuts to Voice of America and other government-run, pro-democracy programming, with the organizations director saying all VOA employees have been put on leave.

On Friday night, shortly after Congress passed its latest funding bill, Trump directed his administration to reduce the functions of several agencies to the minimum required by law. That included the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which houses Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Asia and Radio Marti, which beams Spanish-language news into Cuba.

On Saturday morning, Kari Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidate whom Trump named a senior adviser to the agency, posted on X that employees should check their email. That coincided with notices going out placing Voice of America staff on paid administrative leave.

For the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced, Michael Abramowitz, the organizations director, said in a statement. He added that virtually the entire 1300-person staff was placed on leave.

VOA promotes freedom and democracy around the world by telling Americas story and by providing objective and balanced news and information, especially for those living under tyranny, Abramowitz said.

One reporter, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, said: We expected something like this to happen, and it just happened to be today.

The press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders said it condemns this decision as a departure from the U.S.s historic role as a defender of free information and calls on the U.S. government to restore VOA and urges Congress and the international community to take action against this unprecedented move.

The Agency for Global Media also sent notices terminating grants to Radio Free Asia and other programming run by the agency. Voice of America transmits United States domestic news into other countries, often translated into local languages. Radio Free Asia, Europe and Marti beam news into countries with authoritarian regimes in those regions like China, North Korea and Russia.

The cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys grant agreement would be a massive gift to Americas enemies, said the networks President and CEO, Stephen Capus, in a statement.

Combined, the networks reach an estimated 427 million people. They date back to the Cold War and are part of a network of government-funded organizations trying to extend U.S. influence and combat authoritarianism that includes USAID, another agency targeted by Trump.

The reduction is a dramatic blow at a staple of post-Cold War order that has long had bipartisan support. Voice of Americas directors have included Dick Carlson, the father of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

Thomas Kent, former president and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said that Trumps intentions for the agencies are still foggy. Without these news sources, it will be that much harder for the country to get its messages to the world, he said.

Without the international broadcasting, the image of the United States and the Trump administration will be in the hands of others, including the administrations opponents, (and) countries and people who consider the United States an enemy, said Kent, an international consultant on media ethics.

A video posted on X by Lake on Saturday talked about cost-cutting measures, not mentioning the employees and the mission of Voice of America. Her video was made at a building leased by VOA that Lake described as a waste of money. She said she would try to break the agencys 15-year lease on the building.

Were doing everything we can to cancel contracts that can be cancelled, save more, downsize and make sure theres no misuse of your dollars, she said.

The letter places employees on administrative leave and says staff would continue to receive pay and benefits until otherwise notified. It ordered employees not to use Agency for Global Media facilities and return equipment like phones and computers.

The Trump administration has already made other steps to assert its authority over Voice of America, and this week canceled contracts that allowed VOA to use material from independent news organizations, such as The Associated Press.

The administration has also banned the AP from press pools that cover the president and moved to take charge of what news organizations are members of the pools, and the FCC is investigating news organizations like CBS.

Trumps order requiring reductions also includes several other, lesser-known government agencies such as the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a nonpartisan think tank, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.

___

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Adrian State Crowned First-Ever PokerStars Open Champion at PSO Campione

Frank Visser Live Reporter Copy link

The first-ever PokerStars Open proved to be a huge success. The 1,100 Main Event attracted a record-setting 2,423 entries to Casino di Campione in Italy, more than doubling the guarantee and generating a prize pool of 2,326,080. During four long days of poker, the massive field was whittled down to only one player, Adrian State.

The Romanian regular was declared the winner after a short but eventful heads-up battle against the last Italian standing,Giorgio Soceanu. State took home 363,000 for his victory, the largest cash of his already-accomplished career. Soceanu was awarded 225,000 for his runner-up performance, more than doubling his total live earnings.

Giorgio Soceanu

PokerStars Open Campione Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Adrian State Romania 363,000 2 Giorgio Soceanu Italy 225,200 3 Barnaba Perone Italy 160,880 4 Manel Montalban Spain 123,760 5 Salvatore Russo Italy 95,190 6 Jakub Sterba Czechia 73,210 7 Gaspare Sposato Italy 56,330 8 Andreas Putz Austria 43,340

Winner's Reaction

"It's a big privilege to win," a grateful State stated after he had received the trophy. "This tournament was huge, and I have had a difficult period, running under EV. I was preparing a lot for this tournament, so when this win came to me, I was very happy."

State's victory put him in a good spot on the newly introduced PokerStars Live League, but State told PokerNews he is not planning to expand his schedule for the sake of ending the year as number one on the leaderboard. "I gladly participate when I have free time, but I would like to spend more time at home with my wife and my little daughter."

Although the Main Event attracted about double the number of entries the organization had expected, the tournament was still finished according to schedule. "We put some bets on if the tournament would finish Monday or Tuesday," State jokingly said. "The staff is amazing, they managed extremely well to finish the tournament in time." State finished the interview with three words describing his feelings toward the new PokerStars Open series: "I love it."

Poker Room PS Open Campione Main Event

Final Day Action

State was one of 26 contenders when Day 4 kicked off, and he started in the middle of the pack. The final three tables were quickly reached as Michael Desiderio and Luca Bartolacci lost their short stacks, picking up the 8,600 they were guaranteed. State cruised along for the next three hours, not getting involved in any of the eliminations. Eventually, Day 1 chipleader Darius Neagoe was left without chips in 17th for 14,680, and the final two tables were set.

After a quiet start of the day, State came into the picture when he knocked out Christian Andronico in 12th (21,380) with a flopped set. His momentum continued as he eliminated Friedrich Raez (10th - 25,650) on the final table bubble, allowing State to start the unofficial final table second in chips behind Barnaba Perone.

Final Table

State maintained his position near the top by knocking out the short-stacked Andreas Putz in eighth, while the chip lead become a close affair when Soceanu eliminated UKIPT London champion Gaspare Sposato in seventh in a huge cooler. State finally conquered the lead when he kicked Jakub Sterba out in sixth, but could not hold onto it for long as Soceanu won a flip for over 100 big blinds to eliminate Salvatore Russo in fifth.

State Unleashed

Not much later, State and Soceanu played what might be the deciding hand of the tournament. Both players rivered a full house, but State had the higher one and won an enormous pot. State solidified his lead by knocking out online qualifier and start-of-day chipleader Manel Montalban, who satellited his way to a fourth place and a six-figure score.

Manel Montalban

Soceanu tried to battle back, but State proved to be unstoppable three-handed, growing his chip lead further with nearly every hand. Meanwhile, Perone had become almost invisible and missed out on the heads-up as he called off his final seven big blinds with nine-deuce.

State's dominance across the latter half of the final table awarded him with a six-to-one lead to start the heads-up. Soceanu appeared to start a comeback after doubling up once, but it was cut short as he was soon back down to his original deficit. Eventually, State put Soceanu at risk for his final 16 blinds preflop and won when his ten-eight made a straight against Soceanu's ace-nine.

An elated State jumped out of his seat and ran to his rail to celebrate his new lifetime best score and his first PokerStars Main Event win. Casino di Campione poker room manager and former Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano awarded State his beautiful trophy as cheers and well-earned applause was heard throughout the venue.

Adrian State and Rail

That concludes the first-ever PokerStars Open event here in Campione, but many more are scheduled throughout the year. If PSO Campione is anything to go by, huge fields and massive payouts await those who participate. The next stop will be at EPT Monte Carlo, where the PokerStars Open will run from April 30 to May 4.

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After three days of intense action, the $2,200 Warm Up at the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series has reached its final stage, with just nine players remaining in the hunt for the $210,000 top prize. The original 646-entry field has been whittled down, and the remaining contenders will return for the ultimate showdown as they battle for the first major title of the series inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.

Leading the final table is Alessio Isaia, who bagged an impressive 12,525,000 chips, closely followed by Atanas Malinov (12,450,000) and Humberto Lopes Galindo (11,025,000). With deep stacks, experienced pros, and rising stars all in contention, the stage is set for a thrilling finale. The pressure is on, the stakes are sky-high, and by the end of the day, one player will emerge victorious, etching their name into Carmen Series history.

Final Table Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Alessio Isaia Italy 12,525,000 63 2 Atanas Malinov Bulgaria 12,450,000 62 3 Humberto Lopes Galindo Spain 11,250,000 56 4 Daniel Abrahamsson Sweden 10,825,000 54 5 Erdal Gulseven Turkey 6,425,000 32 6 Dmitrii Kopyl Russia 4,500,000 23 7 Atanas Georgiev Pavlov Bulgaria 4,500,000 23 8 Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Russia 3,100,000 16 9 Rui Querido Martins Portugal 1,500,000 8

Day 3 Action

There were 105 players that returned for Day 3, and their first objective was to make it into the money as 87 spots were being paid. Some of the players who went home empty-handed included Milos Skrbic, Aliaksandr Hirs, Sergei Varnaev, and Cedric Schwaederle. As the field tightened and short stacks fought to survive, the tension grew with each passing hand.

One man, however, wasn't afraid to put his tournament life on the line. Hassan Nashar, unwilling to back down from a fight, took a stand in the small blind, but his queen-jack ran into the king-queen of Konstantin Kvashin. The board provided no help, and Nashar was eliminated just before hand-for-hand play could even begin, officially bursting the bubble and guaranteeing the remaining players a payout of $3,015.

Kvashin (31st), Alexandru Papazian (33rd), Dean Hutchinson (57th), Jakub Michalak (63rd), Fahredin Mustafov (69th), Simeon Spasov (78th), and Andrey Pateychuk (87th) all made a return on their initial investment.

Kirill Shcherbakov

Isaias rise to the top began with a key elimination of Danielle Noja in 17th place, when his ace-ten held strong against the Australians king-queen. He continued his charge by sending Andrii Novak to the rail, this time with ace-king in a dominating spot. His biggest moment, however, came just before the final table was set when Kirill Shcherbakov four-bet shoved ace-ten straight into Isaias pocket kings. A clean board locked up the pot for Isaia, vaulting him into the chip lead while Shcherbakov exited in 11th place.

Malinov followed a similar path, steadily building his stack with a string of knockouts. He won a crucial flip against Nikolay Ponomarev in 16th place, his pocket fours outlasting ace-queen. Later, he sent Daniel Gayer to the rail before delivering a devastating double knockout that saw Oleh Frantsevychs jack-ten and Wojciech Frankowskis ace-king both fall to his pocket nines, which improved to a full house. The huge pot gave Malinov the momentum he needed to secure his spot near the top of the leaderboard.

Atanas Malinov

Dmitry Gromovs tournament came to a brutal end in 10th place, as he ran headfirst into back-to-back premium hands at the worst possible time. His downfall began when he clashed with Dmitrii Kopyl, getting his pocket jacks in against pocket kings and watching the board run out clean for Kopyl. Left with just 700,000 chips, Gromov looked to find a double but ran straight into another monster, this time Erdal Gulsevens pocket aces. Despite flopping a queen for some hope, the turn and river changed nothing, sending the Russian player to the rail just shy of the final table.

Remaining Payouts

Place Prize 1 $210,000 2 $142,100 3 $98,575 4 $71,030 5 $52,530 6 $42,020 7 $35,015 8 $28,015 9 $21,010

All nine finalists have secured at least $21,010, but the real battle is just beginning as they chase the $210,000 top prize. A spot in the top three guarantees a six-figure payday, with $98,575 set aside for third place and $142,100 for the runner-up. However, all eyes are on the ultimate prize and the title of 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series Warm Up champion.

The final nine players will return tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. local time to battle for the $210,000 top prize and the first major title of the series. Stay locked in with PokerNews for all the action as we crown the Warm Up champion!
The 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series Warm Up has reached its grand finale, with just nine players left standing after three days of intense action. What started as a 646-entry field has been whittled down to a battle-tested final table, each contender now guaranteed at least $21,010, but with their sights set on the $210,000 top prize. The stakes are high, the pressure is mounting, and by the end of the day, a new Carmen Series champion will be crowned inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.

Leading the charge is Alessio Isaia, a decorated Italian pro with over $3.5 million in live earnings, who soared to the top of the counts after a string of late knockouts. Hot on his heels is Atanas Malinov, a fierce competitor who bulldozed his way through the final two tables, including a crucial double knockout to vault up the leaderboard. Spains Humberto Galindo is also in the mix, looking to make his mark on one of the biggest stages in Merit Poker history. Meanwhile, Swedens Daniel Abrahamsson has quietly built his stack and could prove to be the dark horse in this final chapter.

Final Table Seat Draw

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Georgia 3,100,000 16 2 Alessio Isaia Italy 12,525,000 63 3 Daniel Abrahamsson Sweden 10,825,000 54 4 Dmitrii Kopyl Russia 4,500,000 23 5 Rui Querido Martins Portugal 1,500,000 8 6 Humberto Galindo Spain 11,250,000 56 7 Atanas Malinov Bulgaria 12,450,000 62 8 Atanas Georgiev Pavlov Bulgaria 2,300,000 12 9 Erdal Gulseven Turkey 6,425,000 32

For the shorter stacks, the pressure is on from the very first hand. Giorgiy Skhulukhiya, Atanas Pavlov, and Rui Querido Martins all return with under 20 big blinds, leaving them little room for error. They'll need to find a double-up early to get back into contention or carefully pick their spots to ladder up the payouts. With big stacks likely to apply pressure, expect to see plenty of all-ins as the short stacks fight to stay in the hunt

With seasoned pros, aggressive wildcards, and short stacks desperate to spin it up, the final table promises plenty of fireworks. The cards go in the air at 12:00 p.m. local time, with blinds resuming at 100,000/200,000. As the field narrows and the stakes climb, blind levels will extend to 60 minutes, ensuring plenty of deep-stacked play before a champion is crowned. By the end of the day, only one will walk away with the trophy, the glory, and a six-figure payday.

Final Table Payouts

Place Prize 1 $210,000 2 $142,100 3 $98,575 4 $71,030 5 $52,530 6 $42,020 7 $35,015 8 $28,015 9 $21,010

Stay locked in with PokerNews for live updates, key hands, and final table eliminations as we crown the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series Warm Up champion. With the title and $210,000 on the line, the action is set to be unmissable!
Day 1 of the $5,300 High Roller, featuring a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool, played out today at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino as part of the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series. So far, the event has attracted a talented field of 143 entries, each vying for a share of the prize money. Throughout eight 40-minute levels, players battled against one another, with only 96 survivors managing to bag up their chips for Day 2.

Georgios Tsouloftas leads the pack heading into tomorrow after bagging an impressive 594,500 chips. The Cypriot player was the only one to surpass the half-million mark, positioning himself as the clear frontrunner. A significant chunk of his stack came in a key hand where he flopped a set against Soraya Estradas pocket queens, dealing a major blow to Estradas stack. Tsouloftas has put himself in prime position, not just to make the money, but to make a deep run as the tournament unfolds.

Day 1 Top Ten Chip Counts

Place Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Georgios Tsouloftas Cyprus 594,500 396 2 Paul Lagan Ireland 440,000 293 3 Tobias Peters Netherlands 428,000 285 4 Vladislav Ivanov Russia 386,000 257 5 Baltazar Five Lebanon 372,000 248 6 Zoran Sesum Serbia 370,500 247 7 Volodymyr Drokin Ukraine 356,000 237 8 Siarhei Chudapal Belarus 355,000 237 9 Yayun Liu United States 342,500 228 10 Leonid Orman Russia 303,500 202

The closest rival to Tsouloftas is Paul Lagan from Ireland, who sits second in the standings with 440,000 chips heading into Day 2. Bracelet winner Tobias Peters rounds out the podium positions with a stack of 428,000. Peters added to his stack in the final level of the night after correctly picking off Zhen Chen's river bluff.

Other notables advancing to Day 2 include Johnny Lodden (289,500), Kirill Burtin (286,000), two-time bracelet winner Boris Kolev (281,000), and Samuel Ju (242,000), who was busy winning a side event here as the High Roller got underway. Joining them are Boris Angelov (222,500), Fahredin Mustafov (190,000), the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series High Roller winner Sergei Varnaev (86,000), and Chen (39,500).

Kirill Burtin

Day 2 kicks off at 6 p.m. local time on Monday, March 17, and resumes at Level 9, featuring blinds of 1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 big blind ante. Unlimited reentries are available until late registration closes at the end of Level 12. The structure for the day will be confirmed shortly after play begins.

Remaining $5,300 High Roller Schedule

Date Day Time Blind Levels March 17 Day 2 6 p.m. 40 minutes March 18 Day 3 1 p.m. 40 minutes

Be sure to tune into PokerNews as Day 2 gets underway to see who can build their stack and progress toward the business end of the tournament.
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%.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Tropical storm conditions possible. A steady rain this evening. Showers with perhaps a rumble of thunder developing overnight. Low 72F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 84F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 71F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
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The annual fundraiser supports teachers with free school supplies for students in need.INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Teachers' TreasuresandAmerican College of Education  (ACE) are excited to present the 10th Annual Circle City Donut Dash 5K on March 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. ACE has served as the event's presenting sponsor for all 10 years to support Teachers' Treasures and the local teachers and students they serve. 2025 Circle City Donut DashVoted a Top 8 Food Runs in the United States by Culture Trip, the Circle City Donut Dash 5K has grown into a fun and tasty time with over 1,200 participants last year. All event proceeds help Teachers' Treasures give millions of dollars' worth of free school supplies to teachers annually. Teachers who register will receive a shopping voucher for Teachers' Treasures that is valid until the end of the school year."It's always an exciting time when we get to show our gratitude for the teachers and students we value so highly," Teachers' Treasures Executive Director Margaret Sheehan said. "This year is a milestone for the Donut Dash as we celebrate 10 years of easing the financial burden on teachers for school supplies. May this be our most impactful year yet." Returning this year is the popular Donut Challenge where in-person participants can attempt to eat a dozen donut holes at the race's halfway point. Of course, they can also choose to enjoy them afterward. Virtual racers are welcome to walk, run or simply eat donuts from anywhere. There will also be a donut-themed costume contest."Educators are often unsung heroes, and we're proud to support an event that celebrates their valiant efforts in the classroom and beyond," ACE President and CEO Geordie Hyland said. "Teachers' Treasures is a remarkable organization, and we're committed to joining their mission to support Indianapolis educator and student needs." Event InformationRegistration: https://runsignup.com/Race/IN/Indianapolis/CircleCityDonutDash Date/Time: Saturday, March 22, 2025; Race starts at 9 amIn-Person Event Location (Fowling Warehouse): 1125 E Brookside Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46202About Teachers' TreasuresTeachers' Treasures is a not-for-profit that obtains and distributes school supplies free to teachers of students in need. Every day at public, private, charter and parochial schools located throughout Marion County, children of all ages attend class without the most basic supplies they need to get a good education. Dedicated teachers are often willing to pay for these much-needed supplies out of their own pockets to make sure the kids in their classrooms have the necessary tools to learn. On average, teachers spend $800-$1200 a year on school supplies for their students.About American College of EducationAmerican College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, fully online college specializing in high-quality, affordable programs in education, business, leadership, healthcare and nursing. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 60 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master's or bachelor's degree, along with graduate-level certificate programs. In addition to being a leader in online education, ACE is a Certified B Corporation and part of a global movement to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.Contact InformationMaria PenalozaMedia & Content Strategy ManagerMariaP@ accessnewswire.com Margaret SheehanExecutive Director, Teachers' Treasuresmargaret@ teacherstreasures.org 317-809-6814Erin AlbertChief Marketing Officer (ACE) erin.albert@ace.edu 480-703-0182SOURCE: American College of Education
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /Arras Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:ARK)(OTCQB:ARRKF) ("Arras" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to the Company's news release on February 12, 2025 whereby the Company announced that it elected to exercise its right under the terms of certain common share purchase warrants issued on June 6, 2024 (the "Warrants") to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants, all 10,134,332 Warrants have been exercised by the holders. This has brought in gross proceeds of C$4,053,733 to the Company.Tim Barry, CEO commented, "We wish to thank shareholders for their continued support through the full exercise of the warrants. We are currently finalizing geophysical survey and drilling contracts and expect to commence fieldwork later in April. The Company is well positioned to kick off our Phase 2 program at Elemes and together with the work program planned on the Arras-Teck Strategic Alliance, we are very excited about the many targets we will be advancing over the next 8-12 months in Kazakhstan".Grant and Settlement of Restricted Share UnitsIn accordance with the Company's Equity Incentive Plan, Arras has granted an aggregate of 241,196 restricted share units ("RSUs") to certain officers as annual performance awards for 2024. The RSUs vest one year from the grant date (February 27, 2025).Additionally, an aggregate of 1,495,484 RSUs that were granted in February 2024 as annual performance awards for 2023 were settled as common shares of the Company effective March 14, 2025.Following the exercise of these warrants and settlement of RSUs, the Company now has 100,865,297 common shares issued and outstanding.On behalf of the Board of Directors"Tim Barry"Tim Barry, MAusIMM CP(Geo) Chief Executive Officer and DirectorINVESTOR RELATIONS: +1 604 687 5800 info@ arrasminerals.com Further information can be found on:the Company's website https://www.arrasminerals.com orfollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arrasminerals orfollow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/arrasminerals About Arras Minerals Corp.Arras is a Canadian exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan, including the Elemes copper-gold porphyry project and the Option Agreement on the Beskauga copper and gold project. The Company has established the third-largest license package in the country prospective for copper and gold (behind Rio Tinto and Fortescue). In December 2023, the Company entered into a strategic alliance with Teck Resources Limited ("Teck") in which Teck may sole fund a US$5 million generative exploration program over a portion of the Arras license package in 2024-2025. The Company's shares are listed on the TSX-V under the trading symbol "ARK" and on the OTCQB under the trading symbol "ARRKF"Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Arras Minerals' future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding plans and expectations of the exploration program Arras Minerals is in the process of undertaking, including the expansion of the Mineral Resource, and other aspects of the Mineral Resource estimates for the Beskauga project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Arras Minerals' exploration projects, the industry in which Arras Minerals operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Arras Minerals' management. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "targets," "goals," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "continues," "may," variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond management's control, including undertaking further exploration activities, the results of such exploration activities and that such results support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Management Discussion and Analysis filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ on February 27, 2025. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.SOURCE: Arras Minerals Corp.
Melbourne man Mark Johnson believes many drivers just cop the fine and demerit points due to the immense hassle of fighting the penalty notice.

Mark Johnson's wife Sam was allegedly photographed not wearing a seatbelt along the Western Highway in Queensland. Source: Supplied

"There's nothing worse in life than being accused of something you didn't do."

Those are the words of Melbourne resident Mark Johnson who told Yahoo News he was fined $1,200, copped four demerit points and faced a driver's licence suspension all because a passenger in his car was allegedly caught not wearing a seatbelt by a roadside camera.

He claims it was worn the entire car trip  and worn correctly. But you'd never think that from looking at the photos captured by roadside technology.

Mark was on holiday with his family in Brisbane when they decided to take a day trip to Australia Zoo back in August. A roadside camera along the Western Highway captured what appeared to be his wife not wearing a seatbelt, and a penalty notice was sent in the post.

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However, Mark swears that his wife, as well as himself and his 16-year-old son, were all wearing their seatbelts correctly the entire time. He's the latest Aussie to question the "legitimacy of roadside cameras", saying the photos they produce are low-quality and saturated to such a degree that it makes them unclear.

"It's only 20 feet from the tower to the inside of your vehicle but the photo is blurred... the images are not clear and they look saturated to make it look like none of us have our seatbelts on," he told Yahoo News.

"From the photo it looks like Sam [his wife] had a white shirt on. She didn't, it was green," he explained.

Mark says the photos are over saturated and can't be trusted. Source: Supplied

He claims his Mercedes Sprinter van pings at him if there is weight on a seat, indicating a person who is seated there, but the seatbelt is not fastened.

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"We didn't drive all that way with it dinging," he said.

Mark said the penalty notice was for not wearing a seatbelt at all. However the photo supplied in the fine notice appears to show the lower band of the seatbelt clearly across his wife's waist. However it is impossible to make out the rest of it.

Mark's wife was wearing a green shirt (seen here on the day of the fine), however it appears white in the highly saturated image captured by the roadside camera. Source: Supplied

Yahoo News Australia reached out to the Queensland Treasury, which oversees Queensland Revenue and the state penalties enforcement registry (SPER) seeking clarity over the fine. Yahoo has also contacted the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Do you believe you've been wrongly fined by seatbelt detection cameras? We want to hear from you: sophie.coghill@yahooinc.com

Driver's licence suspended despite appealing penalty

Mark, who is a truck driver and travels interstate, ultimately decided to appeal the hefty penalty.

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"I said I wanted to take it to court and I got an acknowledgement email saying they'd received it. Then Queensland revenue collection said it was an unpaid fine. I almost got my licence suspended... I had to contact SPER to appeal it but there was a process of about nine days where I couldn't drive in Queensland."

Mark said the process has been "disgraceful" and believes many drivers end up just "wearing the demerit points for an offence they didn't commit" to save themselves the hassle. He says he still doesn't have a court date to resolve the issue.

"I reckon it's made difficult so people just pay it," he told Yahoo. "It's been almost nine months. It's not good enough."

More drivers wrongly accused of offences, lawyer said

Hayder Shkara, principal lawyer at Queensland based firm Walker Pender, told Yahoo News his firm has seen an "uptick" in claims of "motorists being wrongly accused of offences".

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"The photos taken can be really hard to decipher if a seatbelt is being worn correctly, especially at night," he said. "Losing points for some people can mean that they are losing livelihoods, and people simply can't afford the loss of points."

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PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-17 14:20:17

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / National plaintiffs law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP encourages investors in Atkore Inc. ("Atkore" or the "Company") (NYSE:ATKR) who purchased Atkore common stock between February 1, 2024, and February 3, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period") to contact us immediately regarding a pending securities class action against Atkore. The deadline to apply to be lead plaintiff is April 23, 2025.Class Period: February 1, 2024 - February 3, 2025Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 23, 2025Case information: https://lieffcabraser.com/securities/atkore/ Contact us: Email or textinvestorinfo@ lchb.com or call 1-800-541-7358Atkore, headquartered in Harvey, Illinois, is a manufacturer of electrical, safety, and infrastructure products, including polyvinyl chloride ("PVC") water pipes and electrical conduit pipes.The action alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Atkore and certain of its senior executives failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the Company was engaged in an anticompetitive price-fixing scheme that kept the price of its PVC pipes artificially inflated even after COVID era supply chain issues had resolved; (2) Atkore received substantial, unsustainable financial benefits from its anticompetitive actions; and (3) the Company's poor quarterly financial results were due to it and its co-conspirators refusing to lower their artificially inflated prices even after foreign competitors were able to reenter the market and price PVC appropriately.On July 24, 2024, asset management firm ManBear released a report claiming that Atkore was engaged in an industry-wide price fixing scheme which had "massively inflated pipe prices" and "appear[ed] to defy economic logic, remaining at extremely elevated levels despite normalized supply chains." On this news, Atkore's stock price declined 8.53% from its closing price of $145 per share on July 23, 2024, to close at $132.63 per share on July 24, 2024.On February 4, 2025, before the market opened, Atkore announced disappointing financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, reporting net sales of $661.6 million which was significantly below analysts' estimates. In addition, Atkore reduced its earnings guidance for 2025. During the Company's earnings conference call with analysts and investors later that day, Atkore CFO, defendant John M. Deitzer, revealed that Atkore's "plastic pipe and conduit product category declined mid-single digits during the quarter," and attributed the Company's lowered 2025 guidance to Atkore's PVC business, stating "roughly $75 million or 3/4 of that is on the PVC side." On this news, the price of Atkore common stock fell 19.56% from its closing price of $79.72 per share on February 3, 2025, to close at $64.13 per share on February 4, 2025, on extremely heavy trading volume.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, LLP
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces that a lawsuit has been filed against Atkore Inc. (NYSE:ATKR) and certain of the Company's senior executives for potential violations of the federal securities laws.If you invested in Atkore, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/atkore-inc Investors have until April 23, 2025, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors who purchased Atkore stock. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is captioned Westchester Putnam Counties Heavy & Highway Laborers Local 60 Benefits Fund v. Atkore Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-01851.Why was Atkore Sued for Securities Fraud?Atkore manufactures electrical, safety, and infrastructure products including polyvinyl chloride water and electrical conduit pipes ("PVC Pipe"). During the COVID-19 pandemic, shipping costs rose dramatically, leaving foreign PVC Pipe manufacturers unable to profitably sell PVC Pipe in the U.S. As shipping prices returned to normal when the pandemic subsided in 2022, foreign PVC Pipe manufacturers gradually returned to the U.S. market. Shortly thereafter, in late 2022, the price of PVC Pipe began to decline.As alleged, Atkore repeatedly misrepresented that post-pandemic PVC Pipe price declines were the result of "pricing normalization" that reflected "competitive dynamics" and assured investors that the Company would continue to successfully compete in the post-COVID-19 market.On July 24, 2024, an activist investor named ManBear published a report titled "Pipe Price Fixing" which accused Atkore and three of its competitors of using the commodity pricing service OPIS to coordinate pricing actions and fix the price of PVC Pipe.In truth, it is alleged that Atkore engaged in an anticompetitive price-fixing scheme that artificially inflated the price of PVC Pipes.The Stock Declines as the Truth is RevealedOn February 4, 2025, Atkore announced disappointing earnings and reduced guidance, disclosing that the "plastic pipe and conduit product category declined mid-single digits during the quarter" compared to "high single digits in the prior year," and largely attributed the guidance reduction to Atkore's PVC Pipe business, stating, "roughly $75 million or 3/4 [of the guidance reduction] is on the PVC side." This news caused the price of Atkore stock to decline nearly 20%, from $79.72 per share on February 3, 2025 to $64.13 per share on February 4, 2025.On February 14, 2025, Atkore disclosed that it received a grand jury subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division seeking the "production of documents relating to the pricing of the Company's PVC pipe and conduit products." Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/atkore-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in Atkore you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP
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Manufacturing Leader to Feature Products at Premier Industry Show at Jacob K. Javits CenterMOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Ball Chain), the world's largest manufacturer of ball chains and loose metal hollow beads, is excited to announce its participation in the JA New York Show, taking place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from March 16 to 18, 2025. A Sterling Silver Dog Tag & Ball ChainAs a family-owned business since 1938, Ball Chain produces over 3 million feet of ball chain per week and hundreds of millions of loose metal beads annually-all proudly made in the USA. The company is increasing its presence in the jewelry industry, offering a vast selection of high-quality ball chains, as well as loose metal beads. Products are available in custom lengths, finishes, and with or without clasps.With unmatched quality, service, and pricing for the jewelry industry, Ball Chain produces an extensive range of product offerings, including:Ball chain diameters, ranging from 1.8mm to 14mmLoose metal beads: elliptical bars, crimp covers, bars, liquid metal, conical, faceted, corrugated, spiral, concentric, diamond, and moreMaterials: sterling silver, gold (various grades), gold-filled, silver-filled, aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel, and moreDiverse Finishes: gold, silver, nickel, brass, antique copper, antique brass, antique nickel, epoxy colors, and moreCustomization & assembly services: custom tags, charms, and jewelry items available through our LogoTags divisionIn addition to jewelry applications, Ball Chain is the exclusive supplier of ball chains for the U.S. Armed Forces iconic dog tag ID necklace, demonstrating the company's commitment to precision, durability, and excellence.The company looks forward to online visits or in-person visits at the JA Show this week.More about Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. and LogoTags, a division of Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc.:The current owners honor their great-grandfather and grandfather who started Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Ball Chain) in a small garage behind their home in the Bronx, New York. The company has been family owned and operated since 1938. Ball Chain is now the world's largest manufacturer of ball chains, seen on military dog tags, ceiling fans, handbags, and light pulls, among many other goods. The company manufactures more than 4 million feet of product per week at its Mount Vernon, New York, factory. Ball Chain is the exclusive supplier of chain to the U.S. Armed Forces for the iconic dog tag ID necklace work by U.S. servicemen and servicewomen (all ball chains are made in the USA). LogoTags, Ball Chain's promotional products division, provides custom dog tags, military challenge coins, bottle openers, lapel pins, charms and metal tags to name just a few items. LogoTags fabricates custom promotional products at its Mount Vernon, New York, manufacturing facility and works with longtime production partners overseas to bring customers the finest items from across the globe. We put our heart into everything we do.Contact InformationBill TaubnerPresidentbill@ ballchain.com 914-664-7500 ext 120SOURCE: Ball Chain Mfg. Co, Inc.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv:CCE)(FSE:D7H0)(OTCQX:CMRZF) (the "Company" or "Commerce") advises that Mr Ross Carroll has terminated his employment with the Company by mutual agreement and will step down as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the board of directors effective immediately.Mr. Jeremy Robinson, who is currently a non-executive Director, will assume the role of interim President and Chief Executive Officer to complete the Company's expected dual listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in the coming months and oversee the next phase of development of the world-class Ashram Rare Earths Project.Following completion of the ASX listing, the Company expects to announce the appointment of a permanent President and CEO who will be based in North America.Commenting on the changes, Interim President and CEO Jeremy Robinson said: "On behalf of the Commerce board, I would like to express my thanks to Ross for his leadership and diligence over the past six months and wish him well in his future endeavours."The Company is about to embark on an exciting period and I look forward to keeping shareholders updated in the weeks and months ahead as we continue to advance the Ashram Project towards development." ABOUT COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located within their Eldor Property, in northern Quebec, Canada. The Ashram Deposit is characterized by simple rare earth (monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime) and gangue (carbonates) mineralogy, a large tonnage resource at favourable grade, and has demonstrated the production of high-grade (more than 30 - 45% TREO) mineral concentrates at high recovery (more than 60 - 75%) in line with active global producers.The Ashram Deposit also has a fluorspar component which makes it one of the largest potential sources of fluorspar in the world and could be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets. The Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market.Additionally, Commerce is committed to exploring the potential of other high-value commodities on the Property such as niobium and phosphate minerals, which may help advance Ashram by reducing costs through shared development.For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email info@ commerceresources.com On Behalf of the Board of DirectorsCOMMERCE RESOURCES CORP. Ian GrahamChairman Phone: 604.484.2700 Email:info@ commmerceresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTSThis news release contains forward-looking statements, which includes any information about activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the expected listing on the Australian Securities Exchange and the expected appointment of a permanent president and CEO thereafter; the continued advancement of the Ashram project to development; that Ashram's fluorspar component which makes it one of the largest potential sources of fluorspar in the world and could be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets; that the Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth element producers globally, with a focus on being a long-term global supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide; and that the Company may explore the potential of other high-value commodities on the Ashram Property. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: that the Company may not complete a listing on the Australian Securities Exchange; that the Company may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Ashram Project; that even if the Company is able raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that the Company may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of the proposed drill program and any future work programs may not be completed as proposed or at all; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from the Ashram Project may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand for rare earth elements and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability; and despite the current expected viability of the Ashram Project, conditions changing such that even if metals or minerals are discovered on the Ashram Project, the project may not be commercially viable. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.SOURCE: Commerce Resources Corp.
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GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Degage Ministries and partners gathered in its Heartside Landings building in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan recently to review data from the first year of operations for Degage's housing program specifically tailored for women experiencing chronic homelessness. This pilot program, believed to be the first of its kind in the state and one of a handful nationwide, successfully retained all 25 of the women in the program and produced staggering outcomes that have the community eyeing potential growth of the program. Heartside Landings residents Some of the 25 residents of Heartside Landings attend the one-year anniversary report out event.When it launched in January 2024 inside a former hospitality house in the homeless section of downtown Grand Rapids, stakeholders were concerned about the women's ability to thrive within its first year. The female residents who qualified for this program have experienced chronic homelessness for several years and have not stayed successfully housed even when placed in supportive housing. They have significant medical and mental health needs and are high consumers of EMS, police response, emergency room medical care, and crisis mental health care.Not only are the initial 25 women still living at Heartside Landings, but the statistics indicate they are easing the burden on area healthcare and medical services, including:65% reduction in ER visits: From 474 in 2023 to 167 in 2024, with a 100% reduction for one resident who had 66 ER visits in 2023.87% reduction in EMS calls: From 128 in 2023 to 17 in 2024.In addition to reducing EMS calls and ER visits, the women benefited from on-site healthcare and case management services, including:601 Case Management meetings363 Network180 Peer Support Specialist meetings211 Preventative Visits with medical providers115 Visits with psychiatric providers343 Behavioral InterventionsAnd, the women themselves shared how they have benefited from this program, including:improved wellness, both physical and mental healthincreased interest in volunteeringImproved relationships with family membersIncreased interest in attending social activities/having positive social relationshipsa strong sense of accomplishment in remaining housed for an entire year"I have seen the 25 women who now live at Heartside Landings go from being homeless, sick, in trouble with the law, ostracized, and feeling hopeless to getting healthy, building relationships, volunteering, and being neighbors. I have the best job in the world," said Thelma Ensink, Executive Director of Degage Ministries." The program's goal is simple: to transition as many residents as possible to succeed in a permanent housing environment after benefiting from its high level of support."Housing these women has transformed their lives and allowed Degage to provide better service to the current guests at the Open Door Women's shelter," Ensink added. "While women with these complex needs are 10% of our total shelter population, they often utilized 60% of our shelter staff's time. This project has provided valuable data that shows how to reduce the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness." Trinity Health Grand Rapids, who reacquired the property from the American Cancer Society in April 2021, is leasing the 20-room facility to Degage and has donated all the furniture to the program. Trinity officials are also thrilled with the results.Although Degage operates the facility and provides case management, Network180 offers on-site mental health support, and Catherine's Health Center provides general medical services to the residents.Additional partners in the project included funders who covered all the program's first-year expenses. The DeVos Family Foundation provided a lead gift, with the Jandernoa Foundation, Frey Foundation, and other private donors joining to launch the innovative program. Degage hopes to secure more local and state government funding in 2025 and beyond.The 25 residents' housing stability is already improving, including 6 residents who are ready to move on to some form of independent living."We know this program only touches a small population of those currently identified as being unhoused in greater Grand Rapids, but we hope to demonstrate a solid return on investment for funders and realize success in providing innovative, targeted programming that meets people where they are and empowers them to make confident, successful steps into permanent housing," added Ensink.As it looks to year two and beyond, Degage hopes to expand their program, and help other agencies provide similar facilities and programming.Contact InformationCraig ClarkPR Contactcraig@ clarkcommunication.com 616-550-2736SOURCE: GSGP
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Sibling Hosts Shai and Becky Korman co-founders of K180 Studios Celebrate Indie Cinema in AustinAUSTIN, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / At SXSW 2025, the award-winningFriday Night Movie Podcast -hosted by siblings Shai and Becky Korman-championed independent filmmakers and engaged with artists both behind and in front of the camera, bringing their signature energy and passion for indie film. The hosts, part of the Korman trio alongside their sister Lily, are also the creative force behind K180 Studios, currently in post-production for their Jewish summer camp comedy, The Floaters. Friday Night Movie at SXSW 2025, (L to R) Shai Korman, Becky Korman Shai Korman and Becky Korman stand in front of step and repeat at SXSW 2025Celebrating Independent CinemaThroughout SXSW 2025, the Friday Night Movie Podcast dedicated its platform to independent filmmakers, fostering insightful discussions that delved into the creative processes and narratives shaping today's indie film landscape. Notable episodes include conversations with:Notable Guests: Olivia Taylor Dudley, star of Touch Me; Carl Lewis, nine-time Olympic gold medalist and subject of I'm Carl Lewis; and Loren Waters and Robert L. Hunter, the visionary director and cinematographer behind Tiger.SXSW Award Winners: The podcast featured interviews with filmmakers behind some of this year's most celebrated projects, including I'm the Most Racist Person I Know, F-Ups Anonymous, Brief Somebodies, and Dead Lover, all of which earned top honors at the festival.Rising Stars: Pepi Ginsberg, director of Wassup Kaylee, and Karen Madar, the film's producer; Aaron Silverstein, writer/director of The Infinite Husk, and Peace Ikediuba, its star; and Daisy Friedman, director of Unholy, alongside Arielle Friedman, the film's producer and star.K180 Studios' Upcoming Film, The FloatersBecky, Lily and Shai Korman's production company, K180 Studios, currently has The Floaters in post-production. Directed by Rachel Israel (Keep the Change), winner of Best Director and Best Narrative Feature at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, and produced by Andra Gordon (Castle in the Ground), the Jewish summer camp comedy stars Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This), Sarah Podemski (Reservation Dogs), Aya Cash (The Boys), Seth Green (Austin Powers) and Steve Guttenberg (Three Men and a Baby).About Friday Night Movie PodcastEstablished in 2017, theFriday Night Movie Podcastinvites listeners to join the Korman siblings-Shai, Becky, and Lily-as they engage in lively discussions about movies, television shows, and pop culture. The podcast has garnered a loyal following, celebrated for its humor, insightful commentary, and the genuine camaraderie among the hosts. In November 2024, the show won its fifth podcast industry Signal Award in three years, this time for its timely and compellingepisodefeaturing Dr. Jonathan Branfman, professor and author of Millennial Jewish Stars: Navigating Racial Antisemitism, Masculinity, and White Supremacy (NYU Press).About K180 StudiosFounded by the Korman siblings in 2021, K180 Studios is an independent film company committed to authentic storytelling that resonates with the human experience.###Contact InformationShai Korman Producer / Hostshai@ p4tmedia.com 703-879-6464SOURCE: Friday Night Movie a Division of P4T Media
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Satellite Hosted Multiple Payloads Including NASA's Deep Space Atomic ClockSAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced today that the Orbital Test Bed satellite (OTB) launched in June of 2019 has successfully completed its five-year mission. The OTB spacecraft will now begin its estimated two-decade deorbit phase. General Atomics OTB Satellite"OTB began an exciting chapter for GA-EMS as this was the first launch of our GA-150 spacecraft hosting multiple payloads on a single satellite to simultaneously demonstrate new technologies and accelerate innovations for space exploration," said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. "As the OTB mission winds down, we are extremely proud of our team and the role the satellite has played in demonstrating and space-qualifying each customer's payload and technology." GA-EMS' OTB spacecraft hosted multiple payloads, including NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate's Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC), which was designed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to support deep space navigation and exploration. The DSAC demonstration validated the stability, performance, and capability of an atomic clock to enable spacecraft to safely navigate independently in space rather than waiting for trajectory information from Earth."After the DSAC mission concluded, GA-EMS continued flying the spacecraft allowing us to continue receiving valuable telemetry data and performance information from the spacecraft to assist with numerous projects, including other GA-150 satellite programs on-orbit and those scheduled for future launch," said Gregg Burgess, vice president of GA-EMS Space Systems. "OTB was an important knowledge and training resource for our team as the spacecraft met all its lifetime goals and objectives in an operationally challenging inclination and altitude, performing well above expectations." In addition to DSAC, OTB onboard payloads included a Modular Solar Array developed for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL); an Integrated Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer sensor payload developed by cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy; the RadMon next generation radiation effects monitor; the FlexRX programmable satellite receiver; and over 150 Celestis-provided cremains.Space Systems | General AtomicsContact Information General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Media Relationsems-mediarelations@ ga.com 8589646989SOURCE: General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems
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Engineering Site Assessment Highlights Significant Tempiute PotentialLONDON, GB / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Guardian Metal Resources plc (LON:GMET)(OTCQX:GMTLF), a strategic development and mineral exploration company focused in Nevada, USA, is pleased to announce that the Company's geological and engineering team have now completed a positive site assessment of the Tempiute Tungsten Project ("Tempiute" or the "Project"). Tempiute, also formerly known as the Emerson Tungsten Mine, is located in south-central Nevada less than 250 miles southeast of the Company's Pilot Mountain tungsten project.The Company signed an option agreement to acquire 100% of Tempiute on 27 January 2025, the details and commercial terms which are covered in the below RNS:Highlights:Given the strength and size of the mineralising system observed, the significant permitting advantages associated with patented mining claims, and the existence of robust in-place usable infrastructure, Guardian Metal has designated Tempiute as a co-flagship asset and as such it will be advanced and derisked towards production in parallel with Pilot Mountain, Nevada.The existing infrastructure, including but not limited to ore loading facilities, mill & concentrate buildings, foundations, load out bays, and water pipes & pumps, were evaluated and are considered usable for potential future operations.A summary appraisal for 'internal planning and mortgage financing purposes' of the in-place infrastructure at Tempiute was completed in 2003 on behalf of the previous owners. This appraisal determined the infrastructure to have an indicated market value of US $17,890,000*. A detailed list of the in-place infrastructure evaluated by Guardian Metal's engineering team is further detailed below.Multiple workstreams focused on advancing Tempiute are being initiated. Details of these will be disclosed to the market as soon it is appropriate.Detailed grid sampling of the Project's tailings facility has been commissioned and will commence before the end of the month with a view to determine the suitability of the material for reprocessing.*This appraisal is considered historical in nature but provides a useful reference point for the Company as it progresses Project exploration and development.Oliver Friesen, CEO of Guardian Metal, commented:"The results of our engineering site assessment covering Tempiute has further demonstrated the significance of this asset. With robust existing infrastructure in place, the location lying within patented mining claims, and a sizeable and well-endowed mineralising system, we believe this Project has the potential to be a game-changer for Guardian Metal."The ability to leverage existing infrastructure, including mill facilities and an operating 3,000 KW substation, provides a substantial advantage, reducing both capital costs and permitting/build out timelines. Our team is already executing multiple workstreams to rapidly advance the Project and we are confident in its ability to deliver value for our shareholders. We look forward to keeping our shareholders updated as we progress toward unlocking its full potential." Further Infrastructure Details:The significant in-place infrastructure that is currently located within the Tempiute Project that could be utilised for future development includes:1. A large-scale clean metal mill building with concrete foundations, previously used for milling.2. An adjoining high ceiling metal building, previously for flotation, cleaned for the potential installation of power, water, and control systems for flotation cells on the cement plinths.3. Course ore loading wall and infrastructure with concrete work for the potential re-installing of conveyors to load ore into the mill building.4. A 3,000 Kilowatt electric substation, currently working and energised, which provides power to the nearby town of Rachel, Nevada.5. A mine office building that can be re-established.6. Roads that are well maintained and in good condition for access to the site along the 8,200 feet (2,500m) of the strike of the known deposit.7. A water pipeline from the valley reported to connect to the mine.8. Two water wells that were the original water source for operations in the 1980's, on nearby property.Further Geological Details:Recent data compilation and site visits by the Company have confirmed the scale and strength of the Tempiute Tungsten mineralising system. The deposit has been mined for 60 years with reported 200,000 feet (60,000m) of underground workings which span 1,200 feet (360m vertically).In addition to the skarn type mineralisation that has been mined, mineralised breccia pipe and intrusive copper porphyry type systems will be subject to exploration by the Company.Given the scale of the mineralising system and the ready infrastructure on site, the modest establishment of near surface open-pittable resources will be one of the key focusses going forward. Potential co-products of copper, zinc, silver as well as gallium and germanium are also all being investigated. The potential for these co-products was being worked on in the 1980's when the mine closed at a time of low tungsten prices.The intrusion that is the cause of the tungsten mineralisation may have potential for classic porphyry copper mineralisation. Heavy fracturing and copper mineralisation was observed by the Company during the site visit and porphyry potential is referenced in multiple historical reports but was ultimately not systematically assessed. An evaluation of the porphyry potential with a deposit type specialist is in progress, with site visits to be conducted in short order.Summary:Guardian Metal remains committed to its mission of leading the revival of domestic tungsten production in the United States. With secure sources of critical minerals now a national priority, we are proud to hold what we believe to be the largest tungsten resource in the country at our Pilot Mountain Project in Nevada. In addition, we are advancing efforts to restore production at Tempiute, Nevada-historically one of the largest and longest-producing tungsten sources in the United States, as China the world's leading tungsten producer, imposes export restrictions and tariffs, market conditions are tightening. We see the Pilot Mountain and Tempiute projects progressing in tandem to help achieve our mission as quickly as possible.MediaFigure 1:Nevada location map showing position of the Company's 100% owned Pilot Mountain Project and Tempiute.Figure 2:Company engineering team standing near the mill building which is included in the 88%2
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COQUITLAM, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /Grid Battery Metals Inc. (the "Company" or "Grid Battery") (TSXV:CELL)(OTCQB:EVKRF)(FRA:NMK2) announces that further to its news release dated August 29, 2024, and the TSX Venture Exchange's ("Exchange") conditional acceptance letter dated October 9, 2024, the Company has now closed the "related party" transaction subject to final Exchange approval.The Company entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement dated August 26, 2024 (the "Agreement"), with AC/DC Battery Metals Inc. ("AC/DC"), whereby the Company has acquired a 100% interest in 17 copper mineral claims comprising 27,525.24 hectares located in North Central British Columbia. The region is host to numerous operating mines, good infrastructure including experienced exploration and supporting services (the "Transaction").Terms of the Transaction:Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company issued 5,000,000 common shares at a deemed value of $0.05 per share to AC/DC upon Closing. The Company also paid AC/DC $48,172.15 in staking costs.All securities issued in connection with the Transaction are subject to a four month and a day hold period expiring on July 18, 2025, in accordance with Canadian Securities Laws.Pursuant to TSXV Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 -- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the Agreement constitutes a "related party transaction" due to the fact that there are common officers and directors of the Company and AC/DC. The Company relied on Section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the transaction did not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. No new insiders will be created, nor will any change of control occur, as a result of the Transaction.Tim Fernback, President and CEO States "It has taken a while to get this Transaction approved but it is for the ultimate benefit of the shareholders. Now we can begin the next exploration steps as outlined in our NI 43-101 Technical Report." NI 43-101 - Technical Report:In connection with the closing of the Transaction the Company has filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca a NI 43-101 Technical Report for Grid's BC Copper Gold Project, dated January 24, 2025, prepared by Jeremy Hanson. The Report can also be viewed on the Company's website at Grid Copper Project Technical Report.Qualified PersonJeremy Hanson, P.Geo., an independent qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical content in this news release.About Grid Battery Metals Inc.www.gridbatterymetals.com Grid Battery Metals Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company whose primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's maintains a focus on exploration for high value battery metals required for the electric vehicle (EV) market.About the British Columbia Copper Property"We're excited that we have acquired approximately 275 km2 of tenures in such a favourable mining region within BC." commented Tim Fernback, President and CEO. "This area of the Province has already generated several promising projects, and our land package is strategically situated to exploit the high copper-gold values of the region. NorthWest Copper Corp. (TSXV:NWST) on the nearby Kwanika project intercepted 400 metres of 1.01% Copper equivalent (News Release January 16, 2023 Northwest Copper Corp). BC is a mining-friendly jurisdiction with reasonable processes, good infrastructure and potential First Nation partners." B.C. Minfile assessment report data indicates that most of the area covered by the Copper Property was at one time or another covered by staking during surges of exploration in B.C. dating from the 1940's to present day. Largely the claims appear to have been minimally explored with little follow-up. However, some work was recorded on several claims with results for stream sediment sampling showing anomalous to highly anomalous results for gold in a few areas. These areas were recommended for detailed follow-up, however due to a downturn no further work was recordedProminent among early discoveries in the Omineca region were the nearby Lustdust/Stardust property (a property developed by Lorraine Copper that was sold to Sun Metals Corp. which eventually merged with Serengeti Resources to become NorthWest Copper Corp.) covering a large, coherent integrated porphyry-skarn, epithermal system; the Kwanika property (a Serengeti/POSCO Daewoo property also became a NorthWest Copper Corp. property upon the merger with Serengeti Resources) a promising advanced stage copper-gold project; the Lorraine property (originally discovered by Lorraine Copper and now a NorthWest Copper Corp. property)an alkalic copper-gold porphyryr. The tenures are located between the Kemess North project being developed by Centerra Gold Inc. (TSX:CG, NYSE:CGAU) and its operating Mt Milligan mine, which is reported to contain 1.8 million ounces of gold and 742 million pounds of copper (Technical Report on the Mount Milligan Mine, November 7, 2022, Borntrager. B, et al.)The Omineca Group claim areas are within the northern Quesnel Trough underlain by Cache Creek Terrane and lies close to the Pinchi Fault. The Quesnel Trough hosts numerous porphyry copper-gold deposits. The Pinchi Fault can be traced for 600 km through north-central B.C and separates Cache Creek rocks from the Jurassic Hogem Batholith and Triassic-Jurassic Takla rocks to the west. Rocks have a north-northwest strike trend typical of the entire Intermontane Belt in which the Cache Creek Terrane lies (Gabrielse and Yorath, 1992). A wide range of Jurassic to Tertiary intrusions cuts the Cache Creek Assemblage and many of these are emplaced along the prominent NW-trending structures and stratigraphic breaks. Numerous mercury occurrences are present along the length of the Pinchi fault (Albino, 1987) and a few gold and base metal occurrences are present near the Pinchi fault including the Lustdust, Lorraine, Indata and Axelgold properties. There are at least two alkalic gold-copper Porphyry systems in the immediate Lustdust (now known as Stardust) area: J49 and Axel Properties (Schiarrizza, 2000).About Texas Springs PropertyThe Company owns a 100% interest in the Texas Spring Property which consists of mineral lode claims located in Elko County, Nevada. The Property is in the Granite Range southeast of Jackpot, Nevada, about 73 km north-northeast of Wells, Nevada. The target is a lithium clay deposit in volcanic tuff and tuffaceous sediments of the Humbolt Form
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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /Hannan Metals Limited ("Hannan" or the "Company") (TSXV:HAN)(OTC PINK:HANNF) announces that the Company has elected to accelerate the expiry date of outstanding share purchase warrants of the Company originally issued in connection with the closing of a private placement financing on May 9, 2023, (the "May 2023 Warrants"), exercisable at C$0.35 per common share (the "Common Shares").In accordance with the terms of the certificates evidencing the May 2023 Warrants the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the May 2023 Warrants in the event that the weighted average closing price of the Company's Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") is equal to or greater than C$0.50 for twenty (20) consecutive trading days (the "Acceleration Trigger"), to the date which is 30 days following the dissemination of a news release announcing the Acceleration Trigger. As the closing price of the Company's Common Shares has equaled or exceeded C$0.50 per Common Share over each of the last 20 trading days ended March 14, 2025, on the Exchange, this news release constitutes notice to all May 2023 Warrant holders of the acceleration of the expiry date. Accordingly, the Company confirms that all the May 2023 Warrants are now set to expire at 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on April 16, 2025, being the 30th day following the date of this notice (the "Accelerated Expiry Date"). Any May 2023 Warrants remaining unexercised after the Accelerated Expiry Date will be cancelled.As of March 17, 2025, an aggregate of 3,262,230 May 2023 Warrants remain outstanding. Accordingly, if all the May 2023 Warrants are exercised, gross proceeds to the Company will total approximately C$1.1 million. There is no assurance that all of the May 2023 Warrants will be exercised. Holders may exercise the May 2023 Warrants before the Accelerated Expiry Date by observing the process as set out in the May 2023 Warrant certificates."We're pleased to announce this warrant acceleration which allows existing shareholders to exclusively fund the Company,"stated Michael Hudson, CEO and Executive Chairman. "The potential C$1.1 million in additional capital comes at a strategic time, as we prepare to launch maiden drilling programs in both Peru and Chile while continuing our promising exploration work at Previsto. This capital injection will help maintain our operational momentum across multiple high-potential projects without dilution to our existing shareholder base. We appreciate the continued support of our investors as we work to unlock the significant gold and copper potential across our portfolio." This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.About Hannan Metals Limited (TSXV:HAN) (OTCPK: HANNF)Hannan Metals Limited is a resource and exploration company discovering and developing sustainable resources of metal needed to meet the transition to a low carbon economy. Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in Europe and Peru.On behalf of the Board,"Michael Hudson" Michael Hudson, Chairman & CEOFurther Informationwww.hannanmetals.com 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7Mariana Bermudez, Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316, info@ hannanmetals.com Forward Looking Statements. Certain disclosure contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements may relate to this news release and other matters identified in the Company's public filings. In making the forward-looking statements the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. 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. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: the intended use of proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants; the political environment in which the Company operates continuing to support the development and operation of mining projects; the threat associated with outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases; risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; planned work programs; permitting; and community relations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news.SOURCE: Hannan Metals Ltd.
A red wheelie bin was placed over a sinkhole as concerns were raised about it caving in. Source: Facebook/Councillor Simon Menzies

The positioning of a red wheelie bin, angled in the middle of a road in an affluent Aussie suburb, has been praised as a "clever" act after covering a potentially fatal hazard.

The bin was spotted on Wednesday morning in Sydney's harbourside suburb of Mosman after a resident had placed it over a sinkhole. While it appeared small at first, there were major concerns it would be concealing a much bigger, and potentially dangerous, problem.

"It was a significant sinkhole," Councillor Simon Menzies told Yahoo News. "The resident got to it very early and it was small, but the concern was someone would have driven over the top of it, and the whole thing could have collapsed and the car fallen in."

After the alarm was raised to council, workers were quickly called out to Cardinal Street to repair the issue and "it's all fixed up now".

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"The bin trick was a great idea... it was clever... It stopped anybody driving into it and stopped potentially a pedestrian crossing the road from falling into it, or losing a dog down there," Menzies said. "Council staff will be keeping a very close eye on the streets to see if there is any systemic problem there."

The sinkhole was small but 'significant', Councillor Menzies said. Source: Facebook/Councillor Simon Menzies

Sinkhole threat continues to linger on Aussie roads

Sinkholes are caused by underground erosion and water is the driving force behind it. Sinkholes are particularly dangerous when this erosion occurs under roads or buildings, meaning weakened surfaces suddenly collapse in on itself. Storms increase the likelihood of sinkholes occurring but they can happen at anytime.

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A major tourist road near the Victorian alps was closed in November after a sinkhole opened up and created chaos, forcing travellers to take a three and a half hour journey rather than a 50-minute trip due to the road closure. Days of heavy rain last year left a 10-metre wide sinkhole in Sydney's Dover Heights and workers were evacuated months earlier when a sinkhole opened up beneath an office building close to the city's M6 freeway.

Sinkholes can occur at any time and are a major concern for drivers. Source: 9News & NewsWire

There have been several sinkholes around the country, but thankfully they are "not common", Menzies said, especially compared to other parts of the world. However, the danger lies in their ability to develop without any sign  meaning they are hard to predict, pop up unannounced and occur very suddenly. This was the experience for Gold Coast driver Riina Haapala, an international student in Finland, who woke up to find her car had fallen nose-first into a deep sinkhole.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Hillcrest Convalescent Center recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal and protected health data of individuals.This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal and protected health information entrusted to Hillcrest.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On June 27, 2024, Hillcrest became aware of a security incident on its network. Upon detection, Hillcrest 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 certain Hillcrest data. Hillcrest conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. On February 13, 2025, Hillcrest identified persons whose sensitive data was included in the impacted data.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal and protected health information may have been compromised:name, Social Security number, address, date of birth, driver's license number, government issued ID number (e.g., passport, state ID card), financial information (e.g., account number, credit or debit card number), medical information (e.g., patient data, treatment information, health care provider information), and health insurance information. On March 4, 2025, Hillcrest filed a notice with the Attorney General of California and started sending out notice letters to the impacted individuals.Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY I MAY BE 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 Hillcrest Convalescent Center,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
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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / HorizonPointe Financial Group (HPFG), a leading global asset management firm, has released comprehensive analysis on what industry experts call "the largest wealth transfer in history." HorizonPointe Financial Group's research highlights the urgent need for the financial industry to bridge the gap between traditional wealth management services and the distinct investment preferences of Millennials and Generation Z, who stand to inherit an estimated $84 trillion from Baby Boomers over the next two decades.HorizonPointe Financial Group's analysis comes at a critical juncture for the asset management industry, which has struggled to connect with younger investors who show markedly different attitudes toward wealth, risk, and financial institutions compared to their parents."We're witnessing a generational shift that will fundamentally transform the wealth management landscape," said Andrew Evan Watkins, Chief Analyst and Director at HorizonPointe Financial Group, during an industry conference in Manhattan. "The financial services sector must commit to meeting the next generation of investors where they are, with solutions that align with their values, digital expectations, and long-term financial goals." According to the latest wealth transfer report from industry researchers, $72.6 trillion in assets will change hands in the United States alone by 2045, with heirs receiving $53 trillion and charities benefiting from $11.9 trillion. HorizonPointe Financial Group's research indicates that traditional firms risk losing up to 80% of these assets during the transfer process if they fail to adapt to younger clients' preferences.Watkins emphasized that HorizonPointe Financial Group believes successful wealth management strategies for the next generation must integrate several key features designed specifically for digital-native investors, including mobile-first interfaces, fractional investment capabilities, AI-driven personalized guidance, and expanded access to alternative investments with significantly lower minimum thresholds than traditional wealth management services."Today's younger investors expect seamless digital experiences coupled with authentic human guidance," explained Watkins. "They're skeptical of financial jargon, demand complete transparency, and place significant importance on values alignment and social impact alongside financial returns." HorizonPointe Financial Group's analysis highlights the importance of values-based investment options, allowing clients to construct portfolios that reflect their personal values while maintaining robust financial performance. This responds directly to findings from sustainable investing research, which reported that 95% of Millennials are interested in sustainable investing, with 75% believing their investment decisions could impact climate change policy.The research also addresses the need to accommodate the fragmented financial lives of younger clients by developing tools that aggregate various financial accounts, cryptocurrency holdings, and even non-traditional assets like NFTs into comprehensive financial dashboards.Katherine Reynolds, senior digital transformation analyst at a prominent research institution, views HorizonPointe Financial Group's analysis as potentially industry-shaping. "What sets this research apart is its holistic approach to generational wealth transfer. It's not merely suggesting a digital facelift of traditional services but a ground-up reimagining of wealth management for a generation with fundamentally different expectations," she noted.HorizonPointe Financial Group has invested heavily in behavioral finance research to understand younger investors' distinct risk profiles and investment horizons. Their studies reveal that contrary to popular belief, Millennials and Gen Z aren't uniformly risk-averse or short-term focused. Instead, they exhibit complex attitudes toward financial risk that traditional risk assessment tools often fail to capture."The narrative that younger generations aren't interested in long-term wealth building is simply false," Watkins stated. "They're highly engaged, but their approach differs substantively from previous generations. They're seeking wealth management partners who understand this nuance." Industry data supports this view. A recent financial behavior report indicates that 82% of young investors actively seek professional financial guidance, but 54% feel current advisory services don't adequately address their needs or communication preferences.HorizonPointe Financial Group recommends that wealth management firms develop digital education components featuring interactive learning modules, financial literacy resources, and community forums-elements that recent financial services research identified as critical for building trust with younger demographics.HorizonPointe Financial Group's analysis comes amid broader industry disruption, with fintech startups and established technology companies increasingly encroaching on traditional wealth management territory. According to market research, investment in wealth management technology surged to $14.7 billion globally in 2024, a 37% increase from the previous year.However, some industry analysts question whether large, established firms can successfully pivot to meet the needs of younger investors. "The question isn't whether these recommendations have the right features-it's whether traditional institutions can authentically connect with a generation that came of age during the financial crisis and harbors fundamental skepticism toward Wall Street," said Marco Velez, fintech analyst at a major financial institution.HorizonPointe Financial Group counters this skepticism by advocating for a hybrid approach, combining digital tools with access to human advisors specifically trained in intergenerational wealth communication and planning. The firm estimates that the industry needs to invest at least $300 million annually in developing next-generation wealth strategies over the next three years.For Andrew Watkins and HorizonPointe Financial Group, the message is clear: "The wealth management firms that thrive in the next two decades will be those that successfully navigate this massive wealth transfer. We're not just talking about new platforms-we're calling for building bridges to the future of our industry." Media ContactOrganization: HorizonPointe Financial Group (HPFG)Contact Person Name: Jason CarterWebsite: https://horizonpointefinance.com Email: service@ horizonpointefinance.com Contact Number: +12029298795Address: 1209 Elm Street, Suite 567, Los Angeles, CA 90001, USACountry%3
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / iFabric Corp (TSE:IFA) is pleased to announce its selection of the cutting-edge BlueCherry Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system from Computer Generated Solutions, Inc. (CGS). This strategic investment of CAD $500,000 over two years, will cover a one-time license fee as well as the full implementation of the system, which is targeted to be fully operational by the end of 2025.The BlueCherry ERP system comes equipped with advanced AI features that are set to significantly enhance iFabric's operational efficiency, particularly in inventory management. This system will streamline business processes, improve data visibility, and provide robust decision-making tools to support the company's continuing growth."We are excited to invest in BlueCherry, which we believe will be an invaluable asset to iFabric as we continue our impressive growth trajectory," said Hylton Karon, Group President and CEO of iFabric Corp. "The advanced AI capabilities of this system, combined with its comprehensive inventory management features, will enable us to better manage our operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive further innovation within our business. We look forward to the full implementation by the end of 2025 and the positive impact this system will have on our ability to scale revenues rapidly and effectively.The purchase of the BlueCherry ERP software solution aligns with iFabric Corp's strategic goals to continue expanding and enhancing its technological infrastructure, providing a solid foundation for future growth," concluded Hylton Karon."iFabric is committed to innovation beyond boundaries. Likewise, BlueCherry is dedicated to giving our clients supply-chain visibility and control beyond boundaries. With our ERP solution, iFabric will be even better positioned to fuel their innovation and drive growth," said Paul Magel, President, Business Applications and Technology Outsourcing Division at CGS. "We're grateful and proud to count iFabric within the BlueCherry community." For more information about iFabric Corp and its initiatives, please visit www.ifabriccorp.com About iFabric Corp. iFabric Corp (TSE: IFA) is a leading Canadian company that specializes in the design, development, and marketing of innovative solutions for the apparel and healthcare industries. IFA's annual revenues are now approaching C$ 30 million, with further sales and earnings growth targeted from its international slate of customers. The company's growth is fueled by its commitment to technological innovation and its ability to adapt to the ever-evolving demands of the market.About BlueCherry BlueCherry is the leading enterprise-grade software suite designed to meet the unique needs of the fashion industry. Offering a comprehensive digital supply chain management solution, BlueCherry empowers brands with real-time, end-to-end supply chain visibility to drive fundamental business processes. BlueCherry's unified platform leverages the latest digital technologies to streamline workflows, from planning and product development to manufacturing and sales. For more information, please visit www.bluecherry.com and follow us on LinkedIn.About CGS For more than 40 years, CGS has enabled global enterprises, regional companies, and government agencies to drive breakthrough performance through business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing services. CGS is wholly focused on creating comprehensive solutions that meet clients' complex, multi-dimensional needs, and support clients' most fundamental business activities. Headquartered in New York City, CGS has offices across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. For more information, please visit www.cgsinc.com and follow us on LinkedIn.FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTSForward-looking statements provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements. The use of any words such as "anticipate", "continue", "plans", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the extent and impact of health pandemic outbreaks on our business; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; the actual results of the Company's future operations; competition; changes in legislation affecting the Company; the ability to obtain and maintain required permits and approvals, the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals.A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's annual information form dated April 1, 2024 and other filings with the Canadian securities regulators available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements as the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors affect the Company's business, or if the Company's estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Therefore, the Company cannot provide any assurance that forward-looking statements will materialize. 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.Any financial outlook or future oriented financial information in this news release, as defined by applicable securities legislation, has been approved by managemen
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POTOMAC, MARYLAND / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /IGC Pharma, Inc. (NYSE American:IGC) ("IGC Pharma" or the "Company") today announced the addition of a new trial site at BayCare's St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida as part of its ongoing Phase 2 CALMA trial evaluating IGC-AD1, the Company's lead therapeutic candidate, for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer's dementia.IGC-AD1 is a combination therapy designed to address agitation in Alzheimer's disease. As a two-API formulation, it interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors while targeting neuroinflammation, including pathways associated with the inflammasome, which has been implicated in both neurodegeneration and the inflammatory processes that contribute to agitation in Alzheimer's.The CALMA trial aims to assess the safety and efficacy of IGC-AD1 in addressing this challenging symptom, which affects up to 76% of Alzheimer's patients and significantly impacts caregivers and healthcare systems. BayCare Health System, a leading not-for-profit healthcare provider, operates 16 hospitals and has a significant presence in West Central Florida, marking an important milestone in advancing the CALMA program. Leading the trial at St. Anthony's Hospital is Dr. Michael A. Franklin, a board-certified neurologist, accomplished researcher, and active member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Neurology."We are thrilled to welcome BayCare Health System, St. Anthony's Hospital, and Dr. Franklin to our CALMA clinical trial," said Ram Mukunda, CEO of IGC Pharma. "This addition strengthens our clinical research capabilities and underscores our commitment to improving diversity and inclusion in Alzheimer's trials. Florida's diverse population offers a unique opportunity to recruit underrepresented communities, ensuring that critical advancements in Alzheimer's treatments are accessible to all." "Our physicians and providers are passionate about finding potential solutions for patients where gaps exist in therapies available today," said Danielle Mauck, BayCare's vice president of research and sponsored programs. "Partnerships on projects like CALMA allow us to support our physicians, providers, and patients with those efforts.IGC-AD1 is currently being evaluated in a 146-patient Phase 2 trial targeting agitation in Alzheimer's dementia. Interim results have demonstrated significant reductions in agitation and exploratory cognitive improvements, with a strong safety profile and no serious adverse events reported. Additionally, preclinical studies showed that IGC-AD1 reduced amyloid plaques by approximately 20% and improved spatial memory by 50%, offering a promising foundation for expanded research. For more information on the CALMA trial and enrollment, please visit the official trial site or email calma@ igcpharma.com About IGC Pharma (dba IGC):IGC Pharma is an AI-powered, clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative treatments for Alzheimer's disease and transforming patient care with fast-acting, safe, and effective solutions. Our portfolio includes the TGR family, including TGR-63, which targets amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's. The IGC-C and IGC-M platforms are advancing in preclinical studies, focusing on metabolic disorders, tau proteins, early plaque formation, and multiple disease hallmarks. Our lead therapeutic candidate, IGC-AD1, is a cannabinoid-based treatment currently in a Phase 2 trial for agitation in dementia ("CALMA") associated with Alzheimer's ( clinicaltrials.gov , IGC Pharma Phase II). Interim data for IGC-AD1 demonstrated that it has the potential to transform patient care by offering faster-acting and more effective relief compared to traditional medications. Additionally, our AI models are designed to predict potential biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer's, optimize clinical trials, and predict receptor affinity, among others. With 32 patent filings and a commitment to innovation, IGC Pharma is dedicated to advancing pharmaceutical treatments and improving the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's and related conditions. The Company operates a wellness brand offering scientifically formulated products under the brand Holiby and as white-labeled formulations.About St. Anthony's HospitalSt. Anthony's Hospital is a 448-bed hospital founded in 1931 as a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. The hospital has a rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care, and recently opened a new patient tower with 90 private rooms. Part of BayCare Health System, St. Anthony's Hospital is located at 1200 Seventh Avenue North in St. Petersburg, Florida. For more information: BayCare.org/SAH About BayCareBayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. The system is West Central Florida's largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare's diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida's largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. BayCare's mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information visit BayCare.org Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based largely on IGC Pharma's expectations and are subject to several risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond IGC Pharma's control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, the Company's failure or inability to commercialize one or more of the Company's products or technologies, including the products or formulations described in this release, or failure to obtain regulatory approval for the products or formulations, where required, or government regulations affecting AI or the AI algorithms not working as intended or producing accurate predictions; general economic conditions that are less favorable than expected; the FDA's general position regarding cannabis- and hemp-based products; and other factors, many of which are discussed in IGC Pharma's U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. IGC incorporates by reference its
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NEW YORK CITY, NY AND NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESS Newswire / March 16, 2025 /Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilMarch 18, 2025to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 27, 2024 and December 19, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Innovative and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-iipr/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court byMarch 18, 2025 .About the LawsuitInnovative and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On December 20, 2024, the Company disclosed that on the previous day, PharmaCann Inc., the Company's tenant for eleven properties "which represented 17% of IIP's total rental revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024defaulted on its obligations to pay rent for the month of December under six of the eleven Leases, for properties located in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. December rent, including base rent, property management fees and estimated tax and insurance payments, totaled $4.2 million for these six properties." On this news, the price of IIPR's stock fell fell $21.68 per share, or 22.73%, to close at $73.66 per share on December 20, 2024.The case is Giraudon v. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc., No. 25-cv-00182.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, New Jersey, and a representative office in Luxembourg.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / Community Care Alliance recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal and protected health data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal and protected health information entrusted to Community Care Alliance.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On July 6, 2024, Community Care Alliance experienced a network disruption that affected its ability to access certain systems. Upon detection, Community Care Alliance launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. Through the investigation, it was determined that certain information may have been accessed or acquired by an unauthorized individual between July 1, 2024, and July 5, 2024. On or around January 8, 2025, Community Care Alliance conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal and protected health information may have been compromised: first and last name, address, date of birth, driver's license number, Social Security number, diagnosis/condition, lab results, medications, patient ID number, health insurance information, provider name, and/or other treatment information. On March 7, 2025, Community Care Alliance disclosed the breach to the Maine Attorney General's office, and, on March 10, 2025, began mailing notice letters to impacted individuals.Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY IMAY BE 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 Community Care Alliance, 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
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LUNEBURG, GERMANY AND BOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /Korber welcomes eschbach as the first partner in the newly established PAS-X Data Access category of the Korber Ecosystem Partner program. This partnership empowers pharmaceutical manufacturers to leverage PAS-X MES data in Shiftconnector for real-time transparency across teams and departments to increase operational efficiency and excellence.In today's fast-evolving pharmaceutical landscape, manufacturers require integrated systems that streamline production, enhance efficiency, and enable data-driven decision-making. Korber's PAS-X MES is a cornerstone of modern pharmaceutical manufacturing, ensuring precise execution of production processes while capturing critical data for batch record release, analytics, and AI-driven insights. PAS-X Data Access provides an easy way to work with PAS-X MES data for further use cases and thus supports driving the digitalization of pharma production operations forward.eschbach, headquartered in Bad Sackingen Germany, with a subsidiary in Boston, MA, brings its industry-leading Shiftconnector SaaS platform to tackle these challenges. By providing a centralized platform to monitor manufacturing status in real-time, Shiftconnector creates operational transparency and enhances collaboration among cleanroom operators, control room personnel, shift teams, quality control, and maintenance technicians. Its AI-driven capabilities accelerate access to manufacturing data and organizational knowledge, reducing inefficiencies and minimizing risk.With nearly 100,000 users globally, eschbach's Shiftconnector is a trusted solution for leading biopharma and pharmaceutical manufacturers. As a Korber Ecosystem Partner, the platform now seamlessly integrates PAS-X MES data - including production orders, downtime alerts, and deviation reporting - delivering unparalleled insights and operational improvements."We are excited to welcome eschbach as our first PAS-X Data Access Partner," says Lars Hornung, Senior Principal Alliances & Technology Partners Software at Business Area Pharma. "The introduction of this new partnership category within Korber Partner Ecosystem, along with eschbach as our first partner, reinforces our commitment to fostering interoperable solutions. This collaboration enables manufacturers to unlock the full potential of their MES data, driving operational excellence and informed decision-making." "We are proud to be the first partner in Korber's PAS-X Data Access category. By integrating PAS-X MES data with Shiftconnector, we're unlocking new levels of transparency and efficiency. This collaboration enables pharma and biopharma enterprises to make faster, smarter decisions, driving operational excellence at every organizational level of manufacturing," adds Andreas Eschbach, Chief Executive Officer at eschbach.Andreas Eschbach, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, eschbach GmbHLars Hornung, Senior Principal Alliances & Technology Partners Software, Korber Business Area PharmaAbout EschbachWith European headquarters in Bad Sackingen, Germany and U.S. headquarters in Boston, MA, eschbach is the global enterprise software developer for plant process management. Shiftconnector incorporates AI technology and helps manufacturing teams take charge of plant operations, process safety, asset performance, and product quality. eschbach serves process industries and supports digital transformation and Industry 5.0, helping managers, operators, and technicians to achieve the highest level of team communications. The award-winning solution is trusted worldwide by leading manufacturing companies such as DuPont, Albermarle, BASF, Roche, and Bayer.For more information, visit www.eschbach.com Contact USDawn FontaineRipple Effect CommunicationsT: 617-536-8887E-mail: dawn@ rippleeffectpr.com About KorberWe are Korber - an international technology group with more than 13,000 employees at over 100 locations worldwide and a common goal: We turn entrepreneurial thinking into customer success and shape the technological change. In the Business Areas Digital, Pharma, Supply Chain, and Technologies, we offer products, solutions and services that inspire. We act fast to customer needs, we execute ideas seamlessly, and with our innovations we create added value for our customers. In doing so, we are increasingly building on ecosystems that solve the challenges of today and tomorrow. Korber AG is the holding company of the Korber Group.At the Korber Business Area Pharma we are delivering the difference along the pharma value chain with our unique portfolio of integrated solutions. With our software solutions we help drug manufacturers to digitize their pharmaceutical, biotech and cell & gene therapy production. The Werum PAS-X MES Suite is recognized as the world's leading Manufacturing Execution System for pharma, biotech and cell & gene. Our Werum PAS-X Savvy Suite accelerates product commercialization with data analytics and AI solutions and uncovers hidden business value.ContactDirk EbbeckeKorber Business Area PharmaHead of Product MarketingT: +49 4131 8900-0E-mail: dirk.ebbecke@koerber.com SOURCE: eschbach
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 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 textinvestorinfo@ 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, LLP
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JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / ParkerVision, Inc. (OTCQB:PRKR), a leader in advanced wireless solutions, today announced that thePatently Strategic podcastfeatures ParkerVision's petition for certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court in a high-stakes patent case against TCL Industries Holdings Co., Ltd. ("TCL") and LG Electronics Inc. ("LGE"). The petition, No. 24-518, shows that the Federal Circuit's use of one-word affirmances under their local Rule 36 in Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) appeals, violates Section 144 of the Patent Act, which requires the court to issue an "opinion" in such appeals.The Patently Strategic podcast releasedtodayhighlights the strong and growing consensus for why ParkerVision's petition should be granted:Former Federal Circuit Judges Have Come Out in FavorRetired Judges Paul Michel and Kathleen O'Malleyhave even weighed in , expressly supporting ParkerVision's position. Judge Michel proclaimed: "The Federal Circuit's regular practice of issuing judgments without opinions in appeals from PTAB reviews contravenes the literal terms of Section 144, which contains no exceptions and warrants immediate Supreme Court scrutiny." And Judge O'Malley explained "the ParkerVision case is of particular concern" because the "guardrails against unduly depriving a party of property rights break down." The Patently Strategic podcast noted that support from former judges concerning their former court is very rare and signals the importance of the ParkerVision cert petition.Consensus from a Federalist Society DebateEarlier this month, Amit Vora, an appellate litigator at Kasowitz Benson & Torres and lead counsel for ParkerVision, participated in aFederalist Society webinar debateand all participants agreed that the Court should grant the petition.Strong Amicus SupportThe case has garnered widespread support from inventors' groups, patent holders, and other stakeholders in the patent system, with thirteen amici acrossnine briefscalling for Supreme Court review. Professor Mary Ann Glendon of Harvard Law School was also among the amici, arguing that opinion-writing is an essential check on judicial power.Juliette Fassett, CEO of Happy Products, Inc., participated in the podcast and discussed why the Fair Inventing Fund, where she is a board member, filed an amicus brief in support. "The Fair Inventing team," said Juliette, "thought the ParkerVision case perfectly embodies an element of what we're trying to correct in the current system. The US is destroying its homegrown innovations without even clearly explaining why. It's like we incubated our own autoimmune disorder and now we have to heal ourselves." Opponents Concede Main Argument The Patently Strategic podcast took note of the fact that ParkerVision's reply brief underscored how the brief in opposition filed by respondents (TCL and LGE) did not dispute the merits of ParkerVision's petition. They did not even address the core issue of how 35 USC Sec. 144 requires the Federal Circuit to write opinions in PTO appeals."Respondents were right to concede the question presented. Section 144 means what it says," said Amit Vora, an appellate litigator at Kasowitz and lead counsel for ParkerVision. "That statutory concession, coupled with the mounting criticism of the Federal Circuit's Rule 36-ing patent holders who have been deprived of property rights in issued patents through IPRs, demonstrates the need for review. The issue is important and not going away." The Supreme Court's decision in this case could reshape how patent appeals are handled, ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and due process in the U.S. patent system.Jeffrey Parker, CEO of Parker Vision, shared in the podcast that this is a compelling situation. "The Supreme Court could show some respect and love to our innovators. And provide the dignity that we've talked about to those people who are hardworking and really make up a lot of our country." This reinforces Mr. Parker's previous observation: "Requiring the Federal Circuit to state its reasons will help ensure accountability, transparency, and accuracy and thereby secure the rights of inventors, patent holders, and innovators-the fundamental purpose of U.S. patent law." During the podcast Mr. Vora discussed the important history of written opinions in patent appeals and how for the first time this history has been provided to the Supreme Court.Ms. Fassett provided a colorful analogy to put this case into an everyday person perspective: "I got a parking ticket recently in the city of Portland, Oregon. The city of Portland gave me more reason and justification for dinging me 70 than Mr. Parker got for the justification for losing his entire patent right and wiping out his business." A copy of the reply may be foundonline hereand Messrs. Vora and Parker are available to discuss the petition's implications for inventors and the innovation landscape.The Court is scheduled to consider the petition on March 21st.About the Patently Strategic PodcastThe Patently Strategic podcast is a monthly series designed for inventors, founders, and intellectual property professionals, focusing on the intricacies of patent strategy, particularly for startups. Hosted by Dr. Ashley Sloat, President and Director of Patent Strategy at Aurora Consulting, each episode features round-table discussions with experts delving into topics such as patent quality, prosecution strategies, and case law reviews. For more information, please visit https://www.aurorapatents.com/patently-strategic-podcast.html About ParkerVisionParkerVision, Inc. (OTCQB:PRKR) invents, develops, and licenses advanced, proprietary radio-frequency (RF) technologies that empower wireless solution providers to create and market state-of-the-art wireless communication products. ParkerVision is actively involved in multiple patent enforcement actions in the U.S. to safeguard its patented technologies, which it believes are being broadly infringed upon by others. For more information, please visit www.parkervision.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated in this press release are forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that it will actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements.Forward-looking statements i
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The official World Record now stands at 200 million degrees Celsius, continuously held for 86,400 seconds. Finally, safe sustained Nuclear Fusion has arrived and can be deployed rapidly into any industry using Quantum Kinetics' Arc Reactor technology.SEATTLE, WA / ACCESS Newswire / March 16, 2025 / Quantum Kinetics Corporation( QKC ) announces Sun-like nuclear plasma temperatures achieved on Earth. QKC's revolutionary discovery utilizes the atomic energy held within the everyday water molecule (H2O). According to Commonwealth Fusion Systems' (CFS) CEO, "One glass of water will provide enough fusion fuel for one person's lifetime". QKC agree with this statement, as water is the most powerful energy source in the known Universe. Once you know its 'secret', limitless energy can be tapped safely. QKC, upon discovery of this secret, became the exclusive holders of the only technology proven to tap it to it's full potential, calling it "Safe Nuclear."QKC noted that recently researchers at the Hefei Institute of Physical Science broke 104 million degrees Celsius for 1066-seconds (~16-minutes) with the EAST tokamak, coined "Chinese artificial sun", followed by the French upping the ante when they set their own record of 1337-seconds (~22-minutes).These accomplishments, using traditional bulk-ion heating' hot fusion technologies by the Chinese and the French, are largely insignificant compared to the QKC's Arc Reactor technology. This unrivaled Safe Nuclear design can trigger nuclear fusion plasma instantaneously at a mere 1.9-watts and sustain (X-ray - transmutation) temperatures of over 200 million degrees Celsius for minutes, days, weeks, and even years without any damage to the reactor walls (electrodes). Unlike hot fusion technologies that destroy the equipment used in their demonstrations, the Arc Reactor phenomenon can be accomplished without a vacuum chamber, rare nuclear gaseous fuels, expensive power supply units, and/or superconducting magnets, truly the defining standard for Safe Nuclear. QKC has the official World Record in sustained nuclear plasma fusion of 200 million degrees Celsius for 86,400 seconds / 24-hrs!See Figure 1.Figure 1: The Arc Reactor holding nuclear fusion safely. a.) Photon Pulse Rise-Time showing greater than 2.2 uS (Muon-Catalyzed Fusion). b.) X-ray Emission Spectrum from 0.7 keV to >40 keV (+200 million degrees Celsius). c.) Pulse-Rate History shows synthetic Star Mode-Locking rhythms. d.) Raw Photon data showing positive photons and negative photons associated with Electron-Capture pair production fusion.Quantum Kinetic Fusor, a derivative of the Arc Reactor, currently holds the plasma fusion world record for both seawater and well water. QKC successfully demonstrated a blistering nuclear fusion World-Record temperature of 150 million degrees Celsius for 8-hrs in each sample. This study was conducted in a strategic research partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) back in 2022. Furthermore, QKC's study was published in npjNature: Clean Water and revered by the peer-reviewers as, "... a much needed invention around the world ." See Figure 2.Figure 2: A synthetic pulsing quasar (blazar) born instantaneously at room temperature with a mere 1.9-watts input. QKC's patented and trademarked Arc Reactor shines for hours, days, weeks, and even for years. Luminosity calculations show an Apparent Magnitude' of -80.67. Making the Arc Reactor by QKC, brighter than a cosmological gamma-ray burst or Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN).Nuclear fusion can be triggered with any dielectric medium including water, ambient air, liquid metals, and by physics own boundaries the vacuum of space. QKC's Safe Nuclear technology solves all existing dilemmas associated with Hot Nuclear Fusion approaches. The Arc Reactor ushers in rapid economic viability of nuclear fusion for industry at grid-scale.Challenges Remedied with Safe Nuclear Fusion by Quantum Kinetics Corporation:1.) Maintaining Nuclear Fusion Plasma TemperaturesQuantum Kinetics' unique Arc Reactor approach to nuclear fusion plasma is instant, safe, reliable, and can be permanently sustained with an economic footprint (1.9-watts to 88-watts). Nuclear fusion plasma temperatures of 11.6 to 200 million degrees Celsius (1 to 20 keV X-rays) are permanently held with any fuel source. This is all accomplished without the need for traditional bulk-ion heating, expensive vacuum chambers, superconducting magnets, electrically expensive electron guns, and or expensive deuterium/tritium/helium fuels. Thus, easily meeting the first, and apparently most challenging, requirements for industrial use of nuclear energy. Additionally, the plasma temperatures can be safely controlled for any desired application, including internal amplification effects. No other company, at this time, can match the performance characteristics of Quantum Kinetic's reactor(s).2.) Heat Extraction from ReactorHistorically, water (H2O) is the perfect medium for extracting and moderating heat within any power-plant. Since the Industrial Revolution, and even before, we have used the heating of water to cook food, disinfect, drive steam engines, and locomotives. The primary driving force for all grid-scale electricity is steam from heated water (steam expansion effects). Arc Reactor nuclear fusion technology now allows for instantaneous superheating of localized water mediums to drive turbines, drive pistons, heat homes, and produce green grid-scale electricity safely without the presence of fast neutrons. [note: fast neutrons are dangerous to humans, life, and even concrete confinements.]3.) Fast Neutron Damage to Reactor WallsWater has a superior ability to moderate (scatter + absorb) dangerously fast neutrons from nuclear fusion and fission reactions. In fact, even today's operating nuclear fission power-plants use water to provide cooling and peripheral safety protection to personnel. Arc Reactor allows water to not only be the direct fuel source of energy, but also protect and ensure safety during operations.4.) Rare Expensive Fusion Fuels (Tritium and Deuterium)Because water is free, renewable, and readily available it makes it the most economic candidate for fusion reactors. Even rainwater can be used for Safe Nuclear. In fact, there is approximately 352 quintillion gallons of seawater on planet Earth. Deuterium, a powerful isotope of hydrogen, is readily found in seawater. Approximatelyone gallon of water is equal to 300 gallons of gasolineif used in a fusion reactor. Naturally, this makes seawater and
A magpie was spotted in the Coles store in Coburg North, Melbourne over the weekend. Source: Staark/Facebook/Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

The photo of a magpie stuck in a Coles store has highlighted the issue of birds appearing to be heading inside the supermarkets and getting stuck in recent months.

The latest bird was spotted in the Coburg North store in Melbourne over the weekend, and it comes after Yahoo News reported on another spotted in a Canberra store last week. While it is relatively common for the "curious" birds to "follow their nose" and head towards food sources, a wildlife rescuer who specialises in this kind of capture told Yahoo News it does seem to be "happening more and more".

"I've been getting birds out of supermarkets for 40 years now, but it does seem to me that I'm doing more and more of them as time goes on," Nigel Williamson told Yahoo. "I captured another one just last week up in the Reservoir store [Melbourne's north] that had been in the store for a week. I've done about four rescues this year of magpies trapped inside a Coles."

Yahoo News understands Coles is aware of the magpie in the Coburg North store and it was first sighted on Monday morning.

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It's the second magpie in a week requiring wildlife experts to help rescue it after one was spotted in Canberra last week (right). Source: Getty & Reddit/brisstlenose

'Hard to say' why magpie supermarket trend has ramped up

The birds are notorious for being "more clever than we give credit for", wildlife rescuer Yanna Del Valle told Yahoo News last week, and the magpies will be heading to stores for an easy food source, rather than relying solely on scavenging tactics outside.

"The birds are hanging out the front of the store and pick up scraps of food when the doors open... they're very curious and they're not too scared of people," Williamson said. However, it's "hard to say exactly why" so many seem to be doing it in recent times.

Williamson will be attending the Coburg North store on Monday in the hope of capturing the magpie and releasing it elsewhere, but it's likely the bird will simply find its way back now it's learned the skill.

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"I have been approved by the powers to be, and I'll be out there at the Coles store today to capture the bird... it can take half an hour or several hours to capture a bird," Nigel said.

Last year it took days for him to capture an owl stuck in the Bunnings Tarneit store.

"Every job, I don't know what I'm dealing with, but we eventually are able to successfully capture them," Nigel said.

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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., March 17, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Edison International (NYSE:EIX) between February 25, 2021 and February 6, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 21, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.SO WHAT: If you purchased Edison securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Edison class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=33590or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 21, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW:We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Edison's claim that Southern California Edison Company ("SCE") used its Public Safety Power Shutoffs ("PSPS") program to "proactively de-energize power lines to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires during extreme weather events", was false; (2) this resulted in heightened fire risk in California and heightened legal exposure to Edison; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about Edison's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Edison class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=33590call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: Rosen Law Firm PA
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Company Leaders Ensure New Call Center Aligns with tele-net's High Service StandardsLAS VEGAS, NEVADA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / tele-net, a trusted provider of customer service outsourcing, recently reaffirmed its commitment to quality and operational excellence with a leadership visit to its newly launched Las Vegas call center. Earlier this month, tele-net President Hiroyuki Takahashi and Cebu tele-net CEO Naoya Osawa traveled to the U.S. facility to oversee its development and ensure it aligns with company standards.The visit underscored tele-net's dedication to delivering world-class customer support through its long-standing principles of omotenashi-the Japanese philosophy of hospitality that prioritizes customer care. During their time at the center, the leadership team assessed operations, reinforced training programs, and engaged with the growing team in Las Vegas.A Strategic Expansion in the U.S. MarketThe Las Vegas center marks a significant milestone in tele-net's global expansion, offering an onshore customer service solution for the U.S. market. The facility was established to meet increasing demand for high-quality, human-first customer service solutions, blending proven methodologies with technology to enhance efficiency and satisfaction."We are committed to ensuring that every tele-net operation upholds the highest standards of service excellence," said tele-net CEO Hiroyuki Takahashi. "This visit allowed us to connect with our U.S. team, review operations firsthand, and strengthen our foundation for long-term success." Osawa added, "Expanding into the U.S. is an exciting step. Seeing the Las Vegas team in action reinforced our confidence that we are bringing the same dedication and service quality that define our success in Japan and the Philippines." A Stronger Foundation for Future GrowthDuring their visit, the executives assessed operations, engaged with team members, and provided strategic guidance to optimize workflows. Insights from the trip will help tele-net refine its U.S. operations and further enhance service capabilities.As tele-net expands in the U.S., its leadership remains committed to delivering reliable, professional, and customer-focused experiences.For more information about tele-net, visit telenetamerica.com About tele-nettele-net is a premier provider of customer service outsourcing solutions, delivering high-quality, human-centered support to businesses worldwide. With decades of experience in the contact center industry, tele-net ensures that every customer interaction is handled with professionalism and care.Contact InformationIan BlotterGeneral Managerpress@ tele-net-global.com (702) 850-1464SOURCE: tele-net America Corporation
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"The Critical Minerals and ZEO Company"DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / United States Antimony Corporation ("USAC," or the "Company"), (NYSE AMERICAN:UAMY), announces today that Gary C. Evans, Chairman and CEO, and Jonathan Miller, VP, Investor Relations, will present and host one-on-one meetings with investors at the Sidoti March Virtual Investor Conference taking place on March 19-20, 2025.Event: Sidoti March Virtual Investor ConferencePresentation Time: Wednesday, March 19, 2025 10:45 am ETLocation: https://sidoti.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jhr2fUApRqijSEediwVXbA#/registration To register for the presentation or one-on-ones, visit www.sidoti.com/events . Registration is free and you do not need to be a Sidoti client.About Sidoti Events, LLC ("Events") and Sidoti & Company, LLC ("Sidoti")In 2023, Sidoti & Company, LLC , Sidoti & Company, LLC ( www.sidoti.com ) formed an affiliate company, Sidoti Events, LLC in order to focus exclusively on its rapidly growing conference business and to more directly serve the needs of presenters and attendees. The relationship allows Events to draw on the 25 years of experience Sidoti has as a premier provider of independent securities research focused specifically on small and microcap companies and the institutions that invest in their securities, with most of its coverage in the $200 million-$5 billion market cap range. Sidoti's coverage universe comprises approximately 160 equities, of which 50 percent participate in the firm's rapidly growing Company Sponsored Research ("CSR") program. Events is a leading provider of corporate access through the eight investor conferences it hosts each year. By virtue of its direct ties to Sidoti, Events benefits from Sidoti's small- and microcap-focused nationwide sales force, which has connections with approximately 2,500 institutional relationships in North America. This enables Events to provide multiple forums for meaningful interaction for small and microcap issuers and investors specifically interested in companies in the sector.About USAC:United States Antimony Corporation and its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Mexico ("USAC," the "Company," "Our," "Us," or "We") sell processed antimony, zeolite, and precious metals products in the U.S. and Canada. The Company processes antimony ore primarily into antimony oxide, antimony metal, and antimony trisulfide. Our antimony oxide is used to form a flame-retardant system for plastics, rubber, fiberglass, textile goods, paints, coatings and paper, as a color fastener in paint, and as a phosphorescent agent in fluorescent light bulbs. Our antimony metal is used in bearings, storage batteries, and ordnance. Our antimony trisulfide is used as a primer in ammunition. In its operations in Idaho, the Company mines and processes zeolite, a group of industrial minerals used in soil amendment and fertilizer, water filtration, sewage treatment, nuclear waste and other environmental cleanup, odor control, gas separation, animal nutrition, and other miscellaneous applications. We recover certain amounts of precious metals, primarily gold and silver, at our plant in Montana from antimony concentrates.Forward-Looking Statements:Readers should note that, in addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of, and intended to be covered by, the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company including matters related to the Company's operations, pending contracts and future revenues, financial performance and profitability, ability to execute on its increased production and installation schedules for planned capital expenditures, and the size of forecasted deposits. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties. In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's most recent filings, including Form 10-K and Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "pro forma," and other similar words and expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.Contact:United States Antimony Corp.PO Box 540308Dallas, TX 75354Jonathan Miller, Vice President - IRE-Mail: Jmiller@ usantimony.comPhone: 406-606-4117SOURCE: United States Antimony Corp.
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CHEYENNE, WYOMING / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 / WyHy is pleased to announce the appointment of Branda Gilmore as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). A seasoned financial executive with 25 years of experience in the credit union industry, Gilmore brings a proven track record of delivering revenue growth, optimizing business operations, and driving world-class service.Throughout her career, Gilmore has held leadership roles across the credit union space, including CEO, EVP, and CFO positions, where she has led strategic financial initiatives and fostered sustainable growth. In addition to her corporate leadership, she founded and operated her own consulting firm, helping financial institutions and small businesses enhance efficiencies, boost sales, and increase revenue.Gilmore holds multiple degrees, including a Master of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting from the University of Phoenix, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Columbia College. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), bringing a strong financial acumen to WyHy's leadership team."I am excited for the future with Branda as part of our leadership team," said Bill Willingham, WyHy's President & CEO. "I look forward to the great work we will accomplish together in the months and years to come." As CFO, Gilmore will oversee WyHy's financial strategy, ensuring continued growth and stability while upholding the credit union's mission of empowering members with financial solutions that enrich their lives.For more information about WyHy and its leadership team, visit www.WyHy.org/Leadership About WyHy Federal Credit UnionWyHy Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative serving Wyoming communities since 1953. With branches in Cheyenne, Green River, Rock Springs, Lyman, and Casper, WyHy is dedicated to providing exceptional financial services and benefits to its members. WyHy offers a wide range of products and services, including savings and checking accounts, loans, mortgages, credit cards, and financial education resources. As a member-owned financial institution, WyHy prioritizes its members' financial success and is committed to providing personalized solutions that meet their unique needs.Contact InformationAmy DavisDirector of Marketingadavis@ wyhy.org (307) 638-4290Matt BallouChief Retail Officermballou@ wyhy.org (307) 638-4290SOURCE: WyHy
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Highest rock grab samples over the mapped volcanic rocks near the valley floor interpreted to be sub-cropping exposure of the Seven Devils Volcanics, host rock of the Leviathan discoveryVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2025 /ZEUS NORTH AMERICA MINING CORP. (CSE:ZEUS)(OTCQB:ZUUZF)(FRANKFURT:O92) (THE "COMPANY" OR "ZEUS") is pleased to announce the rock grab sample results from the previously announced exploration program at its Cuddy Mountain Project (the "Project" of "Cuddy Mountain") in Idaho. Cuddy Mountain is located approximately 3 kilometres ("km") to the north of Hercules Metals Corp.'s high-grade "Hercules" copper-moly-silver porphyry discovery announced in October 2023.Highlights of the Rock Grab Sampling Program at Cuddy Mountain:Collected 339 property wide rock grab samples.Of the 339 rock grab samples collected:35 samples contain 0.1 percent ("%") copper ("Cu") or more; 16 samples contain greater than 1.1 % Cu, up to and including 3.8% Cu;29 samples contain 10 grams per tonne silver ("g/t Ag") or more; 9 samples contain more than 129 g/t Ag, with values up to and including 307 g/t Ag;26 samples contain 10 g/t molybdenum ("Mo") or more; 5 samples contain more than 40 g/t Mo, with values up to and including182 g/t Mo (with 0.37g/t Au).Dean Besserer, President and CEO, stated, "These anomalous rock grab samples are another layer helping to build out an extensive first phase high-priority drill campaign. The anomalous rocks within or near the mapped Seven Devils Volcanics are ideally located, reinforcing our confidence in this highly prospective target. We look forward to releasing the remainder of our fieldwork results as we move the project towards a planned upcoming drill program. With the nearby Hercules project gearing up for an aggressive 2025 drill season, the geological team at Zeus is eager to follow suit in the near future as Copper, Silver and Gold hit their 2025 highs." The figures show the rock grab samples overlain on the soil contours. The dashed line delineates the broad soil anomaly which is also shown overtop of the mapped Seven Devils Volcanics.About the Cuddy Mountain Copper Property (Idaho, USA)The Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metals Corp.'s recently discovered Leviathan Copper Porphyry (Cnd$167Million Market Capitalization).* The discovery resulted in Barrick injecting Cnd$23Million in equity while staking a substantial land position in the district along with Rio Tinto. The Cuddy Mountain Property consists of 101 lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 2020 acres.Historical Drilling at Cuddy Mountain consisted of 7 shallow drill holes in 1977 intersecting anomalous lead and silver. Drill hole Mun 8 contained 90 feet of 2.02 ounces per tonne ("oz/t") Ag (Taylor, 1977). Further historical exploration on Zeus's Cuddy Mountain Project occurred at the Edna May Mine: Mineralized vein with chip samples containing 750 ppm lead ("Pb"), 7.7% zinc ("Zn") and 252 ppm Ag over 4 feet. Underground drilling in 1979 intersected 1.38 oz/t Ag over 7 feet in a breccia zone (Burmeister, 1980). Additional exploration (By Taylor, 1977) at the Rockslide area encountered Malachite-stained outcrops with a grab sample containing 760 ppm Pb, 0.67 % Zn and 36 grams per tonne Silver (Taylor, 1977).*Adjacent Property ( www.herculesmetals.com) *All information is derived solely from management of Zeus Mining and otherwise publicly available third-party information which are believed to be reliable, but which have not been independently verified by the Company and as a result are not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness. Zeus's management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Zeus may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties.Qualified PersonThe scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Besserer, P.Geo., the President & CEO for the company and Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.On behalf of the board of directors."Dean Besserer"President and CEOFor more information, please contact the Company at info@ zeusminingcorp.com FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:Kin Communications Inc. Ph: 604-684-6730 ZEUS@ kincommunications.com About Zeus North America Mining Corp.The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 101 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 4,200 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.Forward Looking StatementsWhen used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions o
State authorities are investigating the deaths of almost 100 native birds that were discovered dead and dying on Monday.

At least 90 birds have been discovered dead and dying across the Newcastle region. Source: Alexis Ting/Hunter Wildlife Rescue/Getty

Residents were horrified when more than 90 native birds were discovered dead and dying across an Australian city on Monday. Most of the affected birds appear to be corellas, a protected species that has frequently fallen victim to similar mass mortalities in several states because it flocks in large numbers.

First responders from Hunter Wildlife Rescue suspect the incident is likely a poisoning, and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has been notified.

The rescue group's acting head Kate Randolph told Yahoo News the situation had really knocked everyone for a six but her volunteers were doing everything they could to help the birds.

The majority of the corellas are being found in parks and a shopping centre in the suburb of Carrington, and there have also been reports in Newcastle and Hamilton. Theyre all over the neighbourhood. Were getting calls from members of the public who are finding them in their front yards, theyre being found on ovals, Randolph said.

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WIRES head vet has been consulting with Hamilton Veterinary Clinic, which is treating the birds. She told Yahoo News most are too sick to be treated and sadly with some there's no option but to euthanise.

"They're falling out of trees and they're extremely weak. The majority have either blood or mucus coming out of their nostrils or in their droppings. They're coming in at quite a late stage of distress," she said.

The mass mortalities appear to have rocked the community. Upset locals have been shocked by the unfolding event. "This is so utterly devastating," one person said. "This is horrible," another added.

Bishop urged anyone who sees a sick or dying bird to contact rescuers on 0418 628 483, or take them to a vet. "It's always an idea not to touch the birds with your hands. Corellas can give a nasty bite. So if you can wrap a towel around them and safely pick them up," she said.

Distressed locals have collected dozens of dead birds across the Newcastle region. Source: Alexis Ting/Hunter Wildlife Rescue

Authorities testing for poison and working to rule out bird flu

The EPA told Yahoo its officers are investigating deaths across multiple sites and are collecting samples from the birds for further testing.

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Testing will include ruling out bird flu and inspecting impacted locations for evidence of potential pesticide misuse, it said. Were also contacting several vets across the Newcastle area to confirm the numbers of sick and dead birds, and where exactly theyve been found.

In January, the EPA confirmed with Yahoo it had investigated a number of mass bird fatalities, with several linked to the misuse of controlled poisons. Affected birds included cockatoos, ibis, magpies, ravens and pigeons. Bishop knows at least 14 suspected malicious poisonings of birds across the Greater Sydney region in 2024.

"I don't think I've dealt with that many mass poisonings in one geographic region across my entire career, let alone in one year," she said.

Following todays corella deaths, the EPA warned the negligent use of pesticides in a manner that harms any non-target animal can attract penalties of up to $500,000 for an individual and $2,000,000 for a corporation.

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We encourage anyone with information on this incident to come forward by calling our 24/7 Environment Line on 131 555, it said.

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Afghan refugee Ramin Humdard is one of many benefitting from the money generated by drivers caught doing the wrong thing.

More and More drivers are being fined on Aussie roads as authorities try to tackle the growing number of road deaths. While many grumble at the stricter enforcement and lament the revenue raising tactics, the pot of money generated by the increasing road fines is being funnelled into a new program which authorities claim is "saving lives".

The Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP) is funded by the money paid by motorists who have committed driving offences and is a free program helping people in New South Waves get a driver's licence who previously would face challenges to legally get behind the wheel.

Ramin Humdard is a Sydney resident and has recently benefitted from the program, explaining he "felt like we had gained wings" when his brother got his driver's licence. He is now learning to drive himself and has gained his P-plates.

"Basically I believe it gives me a sense of freedom," the Afghan refugee told 7News, who has more job opportunities opened up to him now that he can travel for work.

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The program provides free driver training to Aboriginal communities, refugee and resettlement communities and other vulnerable members of society to help them get their driver's licence.

Driving program will help 'save lives', Transport Minister claims

The recent crackdown on Aussie roads has been deemed necessary by authorities after consecutive years of worsening road statistics. Last year was the deadliest year on Aussie roads since 2012, with 359 people dying in car-related incidents during the last three months alone.

A 10-year plan has since been launched in a bid to reduce road deaths, and authorities are aiming to do good with the funds being raised by drivers caught doing the wrong thing  this is where the DLAP comes in.

"There are tough requirements in place for people to learn to drive and get their Ps. That's important to keep us all safe," NSW Transport Minister John Graham told 7News.

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"There's no question this program will saves lives," he claimed.

Authorities are cracking down on driving offences as road deaths skyrocket. Source: Getty & SA Police

What is the NSW Road Safety Fund?

The fund was established in 2012 and ensures all fines from camera-detected speeding, red-light and phone use offences are only used for road safety purposes, according to the NSW Government website.

Alongside the DLAP, the pot of money has helped to fund a number of other educational programs in the state such as road safety advertising campaigns, infrastructure for school crossings such as flashing lights and supervisors, and the testing and rating of child car seats.

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There is a little-known issue impacting the welfare of wombats in Australia, and property owners are being urged to help.

Sam Jones got one thing right about the treatment of wombats by Aussies according to wildlife rescuers. Source: @samstrays_somewhere/Facebook/Wombat Care Bundanoon

The world was outraged by the actions of a US tourist who snatched a baby wombat from its mother on the side of the road, but there is one detail that Sam Jones got right in her scathing response to the backlash, according to those who work closely with the animals.

In an apology to Australia, Jones called out Australian landowners and the government's treatment of wildlife, stating that the "slaughter" of wombats is allowed. While many quickly dismissed her claims, wombat rescuer Tania shared her sentiment.

"Thousands each year are shot, poisoned to suffer, and trapped legally. Landowners rip up wombat burrows with heavy machinery, poison them with fumigation and shoot them whenever they can," Jones claimed.

Tania, who sees firsthand the lethal treatment of wombats through her work as the founder of rescue charity Wombatised, said "she is absolutely right", adding that while it doesn't "justify what she did, I would thank her for saying that".

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Tania has since called on landowners and authorities to do better by the native animals who are subject to a barrage of mistreatment stemming from human activity.

Sad issue affecting wombat populations in Australia

There is a second pressing issue impacting over 90 per cent of the Australian wombat population: mange.

"It's a death sentence for them basically," Tania said. Sarcoptic mange is caused by a tiny parasitic mite that burrows into the skin of an animal. It's one of the most widespread parasitic diseases in the world, with over 150 species of wild animals impacted globally. The mite can also infect humans, commonly known as scabies.

"It's something we brought in with the early settlers and it's something we're responsible for," Tania said. She believes one of the main things exacerbating this issue is the stress caused by human development.

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"Unfortunately, developers just bulldoze them alive, that happens a lot," she said. The ones that survive can't find their homes, and they dig a lot more burrows trying to find their homes." The stress then exacerbates the impact of mange on the animals.

Tania believes a "blind eye" is being turned to such "quiet" actions. Developers are "supposed" to call in authorities to trap wombats, but "it never happens". "No one has ever been fined to my knowledge," she said.

Because wombats have very coarse and thick fur, it costs "thousands of dollars" to treat mange because they need multiple treatments at high doses. "There is hope but we've got a big responsibility," she said.

While rescuers attempt to treat them out in the wild, the frustrating reality is that they attempt to evade humans. But those which are extremely infected need to be captured with sedation. Tania believes homeowners can help treat mange-impacted wombats on their properties, but in reality it isn't happening often enough.

Without treatment wombats face certain death if they are impacted by mange. Source: WIRES

Property owners called out over treatment of wombats

She says to truly help our wombat population overcome the condition "we need landowners to help".

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Tania believes the only time landowners call for help is when they "really care", and the cases that don't get called in often result in cruel treatment of the animals.

"Those who call, want wombats on their property, and we help them by digging a burrow where they want it," she explained. "We put a little hut over it and the wombat has an extra home. That is good, but it's the ones we don't hear about that are underhanded and nasty."

Tania agrees what Jones did in the footage was "shocking", and that the baby wombat and its mother were sick with mange. "What's worse in our country is that it's just washed over that developers can just bulldoze them alive," she said, adding it's something she's seen twice already this year.

Tania said the main perpetrators of such actions are new housing estates, and everyday Aussies building new homes. "If I could thank [Jones] for anything it's for bringing the welfare of wombats to the forefront," she said.

Wildlife carers work hard to relocate wombats with property owners when a burrow is found under a home. Source: Facebook/Wombat Care Bundanoon

Can landholders get permits to kill wombats?

In Australia, wombats haven't always been as loved as they are now. From 1926 to 1966, they were considered a pest and Victoria actually paid landowners a bounty of one dollar per head for their destruction.

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While they are now protected in many states across the country, bare-nosed wombats are still considered an agricultural pest and permits are handed out to control their numbers. It wasn't until 2020 a loophole that allowed wombats to be killed without authorisation across large parts of Victoria was closed.

In 2023, licensed private landholders were given permits by state governments to kill at least 1.2 million native animals. This included 3,558 wombats, 580,695 native birds and 419,120 kangaroos and wallabies. The issue Jones raised is one that many Australian wildlife advocates are concerned about, including Tania.

Five years ago in South Australia, the government issued a permit for a landholder to kill 200 rare hairy-nosed wombats and the animals were only spared after the landholder rethought the plan. Over in NSW, the state's most important population of endangered koalas is currently being displaced by new developments. And in Tasmania, even black swans are permitted to be culled.

"We've had wombat babies where some person has shot the mum and left the babies by her corpse," Tania said. "In one instance, we found a baby wombat whose nose was eaten by bull ants next to the corpse of its mum."

She described the shooting of wombats as "cruel and horrible" and something that is done out of convenience. "The uproar should be about the cruelty we do at home as well," she said.

What is the answer to the wombat issue?

Tania believes people need to be able to coexist with wombats. "Well put them where theyre meant to be and fortify the house, but that takes manpower and money," she explained. Two things that are hard to come by.

"The answer would be the manpower to help landowners, for landowners to come forward and say they'd love wombats on their property, and money should be dispersed for their protection."

"It's about time for wombats to shine and get a better deal," she said. "Our animals arent protected. From the top down, there isnt any care, Albanese should have stepped up."

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Analysis of 1,000 UK and US company reports finds skills and training are missing from the boardroom's top priorities in the face of technology growth

AI doubles in mentions but its importance is not reflected in training initiatives

Yet technical reskilling and upskilling are on the rise in the wider workforce

LONDON, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Many of the largest listed companies in the UK and US are underprioritizing skills development in relation to technology, according to Multiverse analysis of FTSE 100 and S&P 100 company reports spanning the last 10 years.

Around seven in ten companies in the UK (69%) and US (76%) mention a strategic priority relating to technology in their latest reports. Yet only 7% (UK) and 8% (US) describe skills and training as a strategic priority.

This proportion has not improved since 2013, while technology has shot up in importance, suggesting that boardrooms are not yet recognizing its sweeping impact on workforce skills requirements. With Goldman Sachs predicting that AI investment will rocket to $200bn this year, companies who do not act are putting record levels of investment at risk.

To uncover this data, Multiverse's data science team worked with expert data analyst David Abelman (ex-Meta, Bain & Company), to build a Large Language Model (LLM) system to analyze structured information from over 100,000 pages of company documents. The resulting Boardroom Skills Agenda report provides empirical evidence on how people and skills are missing from the boardroom's top priority list based on findings from UK annual reports and US 10-K reports.1

The missing skills piece

According to the report, companies are also not targeting skills development relating to the most consequential technologies that will shape the future of work.

While nearly half (49%) of the UK FTSE 100 mention AI as part of their strategy, only 34% of companies referenced Artificial Intelligence (AI) training.

In S&P 100 10-K reports 48% reference AI in their strategy, while 18% mention AI training.

These findings follow the UK's Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) reporting , which confirms that the average number of days of workplace training received each year has fallen over the last decade. Employer spending on training has decreased over the same period, and there has been a fall in both public and private investment in training. The US' Training Industry report also reflects a fall in training expenditure among US companies in 2024 compared to years prior.

Euan Blair, CEO of Multiverse, said:

"Annual reports are a weathervane for the issues that are capturing the boardroom's attention. What we can see in the data is that investment in technology is skyrocketing but skills and training has stagnated.

"Technology tools are only as powerful as the people who use them. Without prioritizing people, companies will be left with tech strategies that are missing a key piece of the puzzle. The tech revolution will not arrive until companies connect the dots between tools and talent."

Further headline findings include:

Technology is impacting global workforce skills, despite absence from boardroom top priority list

The growing impact of technology on the workforce is starting to be signalled in some reports, with discussion of "reskilling" and technical "upskilling" on the rise. Yet overall the incidence and prioritisation of technical skills initiatives is still notably low.

The proportion of FTSE 100 companies mentioning reskilling has nearly tripled in the last 10 years from 7% to 20%, while technical upskilling has more than doubled (23% to 51%)

Similarly, in US 10-K reports, mentions of reskilling rose from 1% in 2013 to 13% in latest reports, while upskilling mentions grew nearly sixfold (5% to 29%).

Yet in the most recent set of annual reports, only 10% of FTSE 100 companies and 4% of S&P 100 provided a sum for how much they were investing in training.

When referenced, the average (median) spend was 600 per employee in the UK, and $1700 in the US.

Apprenticeships more prominent than graduate programs

The analysis also found that companies are delivering training via a number of different methods, and referencing these programs more than they were 10 years ago:

59% of FTSE 100 companies referenced an apprenticeship program (vs 48% 10 years ago), while 48% have a graduate program (vs 39% 10 years ago). Meanwhile, 32% said they had an internship program (vs 19% 10 years ago).

US 10-K reports discuss training programs less overall, but mentions are still on the rise. 14% of latest reports mention apprenticeship programs (vs 1% a decade ago), while 3% reference graduate programs (vs. 0%) and 8% internship programs (vs 3%).

David Abelman, Data Science Consultant, added:

"When implemented carefully, LLMs provide a fantastic way to extract quantitative information from textual documents at scale. We were able to craft a workflow to make sense of over 100,000 pages of annual reports, giving us a unique understanding of how companies discuss their people development in relation to their increasingly strategic prioritisation of technology.

"It was clear that whilst technological focus has ramped up, strategic skill development is generally lagging behind. But it's also promising to see signals of change in the tactical implementation of learning and development initiatives. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out in the coming years as the increasing impact of AI is felt."

 Notes to editors 

1. The full Boardroom Skills Agenda report can be found here .

2. Research methodology

The analysis was based on the hypothesis that if skills are critical to business strategy then you would expect them to play a prominent role in the annual reports of UK companies.

This study analyzes the content of a sample of 700 FTSE 100 annual reports (both latest, and from previous years), using a large language model (GPT-4o), keyword-based methods, and a manual labelling process for verification. For clerical tasks such as page-labelling, GPT-4o-mini was used.

For more information, please visit the methodology section of the report .

About Multiverse

Multiverse is a tech company that identifies, closes and prevents skills gaps, through personalized, on-the-job learning. It partners with over 1,500 companies in the US & UK to deliver skills that enable business transformation, and economic opportunity for individuals.

Its focus areas include AI, tech and data skills, for people of any age and any career stage. Multiverse learners have driven $2bn + ROI for their employers, using the skills they've learnt to improve productivity and measurable performance.

In June 2022, it announced a $220 million Series D funding round co-led by StepStone Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst. With a post-money valuation of $1.7 billion, the round makes the company the UK's first EdTech unicorn.

For more information, please visit multiverse.io.

About David Abelman

David Abelman specializes in data science, analytics, and AI consultancy. With a particular interest in implementing AI to build novel datasets, David works with a variety of leading UK and global companies to drive strategy and insight on some of their most challenging data problems.

1 The top five strategic priorities were assessed based on their prominence and emphasis in report pages tagged by the LLM as 'upfront strategic narrative' of each annual report, which includes the opening remarks from the CEO and Chair. These were manually spot checked and verified.

SOURCE Multiverse
SINGAPORE, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcfra is thrilled to introduce Arcfra Enterprise Cloud Platform (AECP) v6.2, a release to provide unparalleled security and compliance for modern enterprises, especially in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. AECP v6.2 equips organizations with advanced encryption, enhanced access controls, and flexible management tools, ensuring that their on-premises enterprise cloud is both impenetrable and audit-ready.

Fortified Data Security

AECP v6.2 introduces volume-level data encryption powered by the AES-256 algorithm, seamlessly integrated with third-party Key Management Systems (KMS). For industries like finance and government, this ensures that sensitive data meets security standards and complies with global regulations.

Optimized Kubernetes Security

With Arcfra Network Service, AECP v6.2 takes workload security to the next level. The distributed firewall now supports unified security policies for Arcfra Kubernetes Engine (AKE) Pods and VMs, enabling universal management of Pod-to-VM, Pod-to-Pod, Pod-to-IP, and VM-to-VM communications. This ensures that hybrid environment deployments stay flexible, secure, and fully compliant with audit requirements.

Secure Authentication, Globally Tailored

The Arcfra Operation Center (AOC) enhances access security with:

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) via SMS, configurable with various global providers to meet regional compliance needs.

via SMS, configurable with various global providers to meet regional compliance needs. Single Sign-On (SSO) based on the SAML protocol, featuring THALES STA support by default (other vendors available on request), aligning with enterprise security standards.

Enhanced Tenant Security with Advanced VPC Capabilities

AECP v6.2 enhances tenant security with robust Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) features via Arcfra Network Service, optimizing both access efficiency and protection.

VPC peering facilitates direct, secure communication between two VPCs, enabling seamless tenant interactions while maintaining strict control over data flows. The ability to create multiple edge gatewayswhether within a single cluster or across severalensures better load balancing and heightened resilience by distributing VPC traffic across all gateway instances.

Moreover, the North-South Access Control List (ACL) offers precise control over external traffic, safeguarding both inbound and outbound connections.

Strengthened Performance and Availability

Beyond security, the Arcfra Cloud Operating System (ACOS) optimizes virtualization to support compliance without compromise:

Smarter CPU allocation and NUMA node alignment reduce memory access latency, boosting performance for critical apps like databases.

Reduced snapshot storage needs will allow more recovery points, meeting backup compliance demands.

Learn more at www.arcfra.com . For further inquiries, please contact [email protected] .

SOURCE Arcfra
DALLAS, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service will host pinning ceremonies for the final time at PXs and BXs around the world to honor and recognize Vietnam War-era Veterans.

The Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War was authorized by Congress, established under the secretary of defense and launched in 2012 to thank and honor Vietnam Veterans and their families through Veterans Day 2025.

Veterans who served on active duty from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, are eligible to receive a commemorative lapel pin inscribed with "A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You." Local ceremonies will be held at PXs and BXs on or near March 29, National Vietnam Veterans Day.

"Team Exchange is truly honored to once again celebrate the selfless service of Vietnam War-era Veterans who served with distinction," said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, a Vietnam-era Army Veteran. "It is a privilege to join a thankful nation as we show our deepest appreciation and support for these heroes."

To find a ceremony, Veterans are encouraged to visit the Exchange's community Hub at https://publicaffairs-sme.com/Community/vietnam-commemoration/ or their local Exchange's social media pages. Veterans who typically do not have access to installations should contact their local Exchange for information on attending a ceremony.

The Exchange has been a Commemorative Partner with the Vietnam War Commemoration since 2013, planning and conducting more than 400 events and activities recognizing the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families.

Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 52nd-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, the Exchange benefit has provided $15 billion in value to the military community, including through contributions to critical military Quality-of-Life programs. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http://www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on X at https://x.com/ExchangePAO.

Media Notes:

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Teonja Tatum at 214-312-6514 or [email protected].

Follow the Exchange:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopmyexchange

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shopmyexchange

Instagram: @shopmyexchange

SOURCE Army & Air Force Exchange Service
The white paper sheds light on the growth and intelligent development trends of the robotic pool cleaning industry and highlights its core driving factors.

BERLIN, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Beatbot, a trailblazer in pool cleaning innovation, has officially partnered with IDC (International Data Corporation), a premier global market intelligence firm specializing in consumer technology, to release a groundbreaking white paper: "Intelligent Pool Robots-Ushering in the Era of Next-Generation Pool Care." The report provides a comprehensive look at the evolution of pool cleaning technology and market growth trends, highlighting how the industry is becoming increasingly intelligent. With more smart features and even the introduction of AI, this transformation is set to accelerate further, driving rapid advancements and paving the way for more efficient and innovative solutions.

Beatbot x IDC Release White Paper Exploring the Future of Smart Pool Cleaning

Key Insights from the White Paper

This white paper provides growth trend forecasts for the pool cleaning robot market. IDC predicts that by 2029, global shipments of pool cleaning robots will exceed 3.97 million units, growing at a CAGR of 9.3%. It also explores how consumer demand for smarter pool cleaning solutions is evolving, driven by the widespread adoption and advancement of smart home technology. As more consumers prioritize advanced technology, they are willing to invest more in premium, higher-end solutions that offer superior performance and long-term benefits, further accelerating the shift toward intelligent pool maintenance.

IDC traces the development of pool cleaning tools through three distinct phases:

1.0 Traditional Hand-Operated Tools: Manual, rope-based cleaning machines requiring significant time and effort.

2.0 Cordless Robotic Cleaners: These early robotic cleaners relied on random cleaning patterns and suffered from poor obstacle detection, leading to inefficiencies and incomplete coverage.

3.0 Intelligent Pool Cleaning Robots: AI-driven, fully autonomous systems that provide complete pool coverage and incorporate advanced smart features.

Looking ahead, the report forecasts a continued rise in automation, with AI further enhancing cleaning efficiency and user experience. As demand for smarter, more efficient solutions grows, intelligent automation will play a central role in the future of pool maintenance.

Beatbot: Driving the Future of Intelligent Pool Care

The IDC white paper identifies four key capabilities shaping smart pool cleaning: sensory ability, decision-making, cleaning execution, and human-machine interaction. These advancements are paving the way for more autonomous pool maintenance.

Building on its industry-first 5-in-1 robotic pool cleaner in 2024, Beatbot is once again redefining smart pool care in 2025 by further integrating AI for greater automation and efficiency.

At the forefront is the AquaSense 2 Ultra, powered by HybridSense AI Pool Mapping, which combines an AI camera, infrared, and ultrasonic sensors for precise navigation and adaptive cleaning. Its 5-in-1 cleaning system ensures full coveragetackling the water surface, waterline, floor, walls, and water clarification with a revolutionary submarine propulsion system. AI Cruise Debris Detection enhances cleaning efficiency, while app-controlled navigation optimizes water surface cleaning. Beatbot's exclusive surface parking system makes retrieval effortless. Recognized for its cutting-edge design and innovation, AquaSense 2 Ultra was honored with the 2025 iF Design Award, reinforcing Beatbot's commitment to blending aesthetics with top-tier functionality.

As the IDC report highlights, AI-driven automation is reshaping pool maintenance, and with the AquaSense 2 Ultra, Beatbot is leading the way.

Antonio Wang, Group Vice President at IDC for Devices and Consumer Research, said, "As the demand for smarter, more efficient pool maintenance solutions continues to rise, we anticipate significant growth in the pool cleaning robotics market. With brands like Beatbot driving innovation, we foresee a new wave of intelligent, user-friendly, and highly capable products entering the market, reshaping the way consumers approach pool care.

York Guo, CMO of Beatbot, emphasized, "Innovation has always been at the core of Beatbot, driving us to redefine pool maintenance with cutting-edge technology. But true innovation isn't just about productsit's about the people who inspire them. Our users are more than customers, they are partners in this journey. They seek excellence in every aspect of life, embrace innovation, and demand the bestmotivating us to push boundaries and set new industry standards. Their pursuit of a superior lifestyle fuels our commitment to smarter, more effortless pool care. As we look ahead, we remain dedicated to delivering groundbreaking solutions that not only elevate pool cleaning but enhance the lives of those who choose Beatbot."

Spring Forward, Clean to Perfection with Beatbot Limited-Time Offers

As spring approaches and the weather warms up, Beatbot launches Spring Cleaning event with up to 20% off on the AquaSense 2 series to make spring cleaning easier and ensure their pools are in top condition. The limited-time offer is available from March 17th to March 31st on Beatbot's official website and Amazon Store.

Visit Beatbot's official website for an exclusive preview of the white paper and key insights. Stay tuned for the full version, set to be released at the end of March!

About Beatbot

Beatbot is a technology brand redefining smart pool care and is dedicated to the global robotization of swimming pool environments. Founded by industry experts with over 10 years of experience in leading home robotics companies, the company is growing rapidly, with offices in multiple countries and a strong R&D team, taking up 70% of the workforce. Pioneering core technologies like brushless water pumps, AUV spatial locomotion, sonar laser SLAM, and space mapping navigation algorithms, Beatbot has secured numerous patents and pioneered industry-first innovations. The company currently holds over 221 patents (granted and under application), including 128 patents for inventions.

Contact

[email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2642905/Beatbot_x_IDC_Release_White_Paper_Exploring_Future_Smart_Pool.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2394852/Beatbot_LOGO.jpg
DUBAI, UAE, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is proud to announce a major milestone in the evolution of digital finance, with the issuance of over 1.5 million Bybit Cards worldwide. From now to Apr. 6, 2025, Bybit Card users and successful new users may embark on a celebratory journey with rewards all around.

Bybit Card Marks 2nd Anniversary with $150k in Extra Rewards

Bybit Card reached its first million users in Jan., 2025. In less than two months, the crypto-native payment solution provider has issued another half a million cards. Bybit and Mastercard hosted an anniversary event at the Bybit headquarters in Dubai on Mar. 7, celebrating the achievement.

The virtual and physical card on the Mastercard network is shaping up to be one of the most popular fully digital consumer options in the integration of cryptocurrencies into everyday spendings, enhancing convenience and accessibility for users.

To commemorate this achievement, the Bybit Card is introducing a series of enhanced rewards and benefits, including increased cashback opportunities and exclusive discounts.

2 Years in Review

Bybit Card holders can learn about their spending preferences through a a customized Bybit Card Wrapped experience , showcasing each user's top spending categories, frequent purchases, and personal spending habits, reflecting two years of seamless transactions, rewards, and cashback perks with Bybit.





Bybit Card holders can learn about their spending preferences through a a customized , showcasing each user's top spending categories, frequent purchases, and personal spending habits, reflecting two years of seamless transactions, rewards, and cashback perks with Bybit. Spending Passport: Collect Stamps and Unlock Rewards

Spending $10 in any category leads to opportunities to unlock up to 0.001 BTC in rewards. Users can collect exclusive stamps across various categories such as fashion, transport, dining, and digital goods to increase rewards.





Spending in any category leads to opportunities to unlock up to in rewards. Users can collect exclusive stamps across various categories such as fashion, transport, dining, and digital goods to increase rewards. Boosted Cashback: Earn up to 12% Back

An additional 2% cashback on all purchases is available for a limited time, allowing for up to 12% cashback on eligible transactions, enhancing the value of spending.





An on all purchases is available for a limited time, allowing for up to 12% cashback on eligible transactions, enhancing the value of spending. Exclusive 12% Off in the Bybit Rewards Market

Rewards can be redeemed in the Bybit Rewards Market for 12% off selected items.

In addition, the first 5,000 new users who qualify for the Bybit Card and spend $50 may unlock a $5 bonus.

As the Bybit Card continues to evolve with the crypto community, the focus remains on fostering an innovative platform that supports the dynamic needs of its users. By combining convenience and a rewarding experience with cutting-edge technology, the Bybit Card empowers users to participate in the digital economy, transforming their crypto holdings into practical purchasing power with a few taps and swipes.

Bybit Card holders and new applicants may find out more about the terms and conditions at: Bybit Card - Second Anniversary

#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #TheBybitCard

About Bybit

Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com .

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press

For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media

Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

SOURCE Bybit
Chicago, Washington D.C., and Miami will host exclusive wine walkaround tastings and masterclasses featuring celebrated DOs, including Ribera del Duero, Toro, Bierzo, Rueda, and more.

NEW YORK, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After a highly successful year of events in 2024, the Spanish Castilla y Leon Wines Roadshow from Spain is making its return to the East Coast in 2025. Organized by the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y Leon (ICECYL) and Food and Wines from Castilla y Leon , this exclusive event series will showcase the finest wines and unique terroirs of Spain's renowned Denominations of Origin (DOs) to industry professionals, sommeliers, and wine enthusiasts.

Event Schedule:

Castilla y Leon Wines Roadshow from Spain Returns to the East Coast in 2025

Chicago  March 31

Masterclass led by Christian Shaum | 11:00 AM  12:00 PM

|  Walkaround Tasting | 12:30 PM  4:30 PM

Washington, D.C.  April 2

Masterclass led by Emily Nevin | 11:00 AM  12:00 PM

|  Walkaround Tasting | 12:30 PM  4:30 PM

Miami  April 4

Masterclass led by Allegra Angelo | 10:00 AM  11:00 AM

|  Walkaround Tasting | 11:30 AM  3:30 PM

Each event will offer an immersive experience, allowing attendees to explore the diverse landscapes and climates that shape Castilla y Leon's exceptional wines. As Spain's largest wine-producing region, Castilla y Leon boasts:

Over 80,000 hectares of vineyards , accounting for 6% of Spain's total wine production

, accounting for More than 600 wineries committed to quality winemaking

committed to quality winemaking 10 Denominations of Origin (DOs) and 4 Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs), each with distinct characteristics and terroirs

Featured DOs include Ribera del Duero, Toro, Bierzo, Rueda, and Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, among others. Attendees will discover the region's diverse grape varieties, innovative winemaking techniques, and deep-rooted traditions that define Castilla y Leon's acclaimed wines.

The East Coast Roadshow 2025 is designed for importers, distributors, retailers, sommeliers, and wine media professionals, offering a unique opportunity to experience curated tastings, expert-led masterclasses, and valuable industry networking sessions. Participants will gain exclusive insights from leading wine professionals and deepen their understanding of Castilla y Leon's commitment to excellence.

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to discover Castilla y Leon's wines firsthand! Spaces are limitedsecure your spot today.

For more information and to register, visit the links for Chicago , Washington, D.C. , and Miami , or contact Gemma Bosch at [email protected] .

About the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y Leon (ICECYL)

The Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y Leon (ICECYL) is a government agency dedicated to fostering economic growth and supporting the internationalization of companies from Castilla y Leon. Through strategic initiatives and partnerships, ICECYL empowers local businesses to expand their global footprint, promotes innovation, and facilitates access to new markets. Committed to enhancing the region's economic development and competitiveness, ICECYL offers a comprehensive range of resources and support, from export assistance to business development programs, helping to elevate the global presence of Castilla y Leon's industries, including its renowned food and wine sectors.

SOURCE Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y Leon (ICECYL)
Building a Stronger Grid, Creating Good-Paying Jobs

JACKSON, Mich., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy is fostering the next generation of workers to help keep the lights on for Michiganders by supporting workforce development and trainings. Over the past year, Consumers Energy either hired or promoted over 100 employees in the Journey Worker Electric Lines team.

"Consumers Energy's job growth and training opportunities strengthen our talent pipeline while supporting a more reliable energy future for everyone," said Craig Wright, president of Michigan State Utility Workers Union. "These investments create good-paying union jobs and equip workers with the skills needed to build and maintain a resilient grid."

Other critical investments are the apprenticeship and training programs, including the joint School to Work initiative, in-house Marshall Training Center, and Power 4 America. There are currently 289 active electric lines apprentices in the company's apprenticeship program, preparing for high-demand roles through hands-on training.

"These apprenticeship opportunities are vital to the growth of Michigan's workforce by providing career opportunities and training in key areas of our business," said Chris Laird, Consumers Energy's vice president of electric operations. "We're not just investing in our people and infrastructurewe're developing the next generation of highly skilled workers who will power our state for decades to come."

In addition to the apprenticeship programs, Consumers Energy is expanding its workforce for the Reliability Roadmap efforts including substations projects and undergrounding electric lines. These roles will be filled through a combination of internal transitions and external hires. Employees will receive training in their respective fields ensuring they gain the skills and experience needed to succeed and that our customers can count on us.

Announced in 2023, the Reliability Roadmap is Consumers Energy's blueprint for a smarter, stronger grid. The long-term goals of the Reliability Roadmap are to ensure that no single outage will affect more than 100,000 customers and that customers will always have their power restored within 24 hours.

These new employees will build onto the successes achieved in 2024 during which customers' average time without power was reduced by over 20 minutes, and power was restored to customers within 24 hours 93% of the time.

Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to ConsumersEnergy.com.

Check out Consumers Energy on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan

WordPress: https://force4michigan.com/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/consumersenergy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consumersenergy

SOURCE Consumers Energy
Local divers say it was a 'one in a million' encounter they'll likely never experience again.

A great white shark spotted off a Balinese island has been described as a "one in a million" experience. Source: foffo4/instagram

Video footage of a great white shark at a popular tourist diving spot has been described as very rare by experts. The five-metre female was spotted in waters off the Balinese island of Penida last week, with the tourists who witnessed it telling Yahoo News they feared for their lives during the 20-second face-off.

Local divers say it was a one in a million encounter as its only the second time they recall a great white has been spotted in the area. The first sighting occurred in 2019.

White sharks are extremely migratory and known to travel long distances, with one recorded making a 20,000km roundtrip from Australia to South Africa in under nine months in the early 2000s.

Marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck explained the sighting was unusual but not unexpected.

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Its definitely something that can happen, but sighting one in Bali is definitely a once in a lifetime experience, he told Yahoo News.

We know white sharks prefer temperate, cooler, more productive waters where they find their primary food sources. But every so often they pop up in these tropical spots, theres even been great white sightings in Hawaii. So they do tend to go on a holiday to some of these tropical islands sometimes.

A tour group was excited to see a great white shark at 22 metres deep. Source: Amber Doornekamp

Diving community excited after 'rare' sighting of white shark

Diving instructors from the group that encountered the shark told Yahoo News theyd never seen one before. Fabian Clinton, the Swedish adventurer who filmed the face-off, said it was the craziest experience of his career.

The dive was organised by Scuba Junkie Penida which told Yahoo there has been quite a lot of like talk about the great white sighting. Because they can travel so far, its believed to have likely left the area for good.

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Theres been a very split reaction from anyone who has read about it. Some people think they were so lucky, it was a once in a lifetime experience. But others simply say theyre so glad they werent on that trip, they would have feared for their lives, Amelia from the dive company said.

We were talking about the statistics about this  its a one in a million type thing. If you think about the number of dive centres that we have on the island, and the number of dive centres in Bali, each doing at least two dives a day, and then times that by 365 days of the year. Thats a lot of dives. And this is the first great white we've seen in six years.

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TSX.V: DME

U.S. OTC: DMEHF

Frankfurt: QM01

VANCOUVER, BC, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY CORP. (the "Company") (TSXV: DME) (OTC: DMEHF) (Frankfurt: QM01) From the President of the Company. Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is pleased to announce significant progress on Senate Bill 1444, which aims to establish responsible helium exploration and production regulations in Arizona.

On Thursday, March 13, 2025, the Arizona Senate voted to advance SB1444 to the House, where it received bipartisan support from stakeholders. The bill has now been transferred to the Arizona House of Representatives, where it will be assigned to the appropriate committee for further review and consideration.

Once assigned to a committee, the bill will undergo a review before proceeding to a full House vote. If any amendments are proposed and accepted during this process, the bill will return to the Senate for another vote before being sent to the Governor's office for final approval.

Robert Rohlfing, CEO of Desert Mountain Energy Corp., expressed his appreciation for the legislative process, stating, "We appreciate the thoughtful questions, careful consideration, and meaningful suggestions from the legislators. We look forward to returning to Arizona upon final approval."

Private Placement

DME has closed on the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement offering originally announced on February 4, 2025. The Company has raised an additional C$514,000 through the issuance of 970,000 Units at a price of C $0.25 per Unit. The Company has now raised a total of C$756,500 through the issuance of 3,026,000 Units. The Company is also extending the closing of the private placement a further 30 days to April 16, 2025.

Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one share purchase warrant (the "Warrants"), with each whole Warrant allowing the subscriber to purchase one additional share of the Company for a period of one year ending March 17, 2026, at a price of CAD $0.35 per share. The expiry of the Warrants may be accelerated at the election of the Company by written notice if the closing price for the common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange shall be equal to or greater than CAD $0.75 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive trading days. Finder's fees on the second tranche consisted of 71,200 finders warrants (but with no forced conversion) and $17,800 cash.

The Units will be subject to a 4-month plus one-day hold period expiring July 18, 2025.

ABOUT DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY

Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded resource company primarily focused on the exploration, development and production of helium, hydrogen and natural gas. The Company is focused on helium extraction from different raw gas sources in an environmental and economic manner, supplying elements deemed critical to the renewable energy and high technology industries.

We seek safe harbor

"Robert Rohlfing"

Robert Rohlfing

Exec Chairman & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company's expectations.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward looking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding the Company's anticipated performance in the future the planned exploration activities, receipt of positive results from drilling, the completion of further drilling and exploration work, and the timing and results of various activities.

Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and the United States; financial risks due to helium prices, operating or technical difficulties in exploration and development activities; risks and hazards and the speculative nature of resource exploration and related development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company's title to properties.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the continued operation of the Company's exploration operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend to, and nor does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Desert Mountain Energy Corp.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

Grand-prize-winning designer to receive a summer internship in Ram Truck design studio and invitation to be student judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design car show

Eligible U.S. high school students interested in creating their dream Chrysler brand vehicle can enter the 13th annual Stellantis Drive for Design contest. For detailed contest rules, information on how to submit sketches and free resources for students of all ages, visit StellantisDriveForDesign.com.

The Stellantis North America design team is calling all high school students interested in creating their dream Chrysler brand vehicle to enter the 13th annual Drive for Design contest. Now eligible high schoolers from around the U.S. will have the opportunity to create and share their own personal vision of a future Chrysler vehicle.

The storied Chrysler brand marks its 100th anniversary in 2025. In addition to creating groundbreaking technologies and achieving various engineering feats throughout its first century, the brand has produced some of the most iconic American automotive designs known the world over.

The inspiration behind the Drive for Design contest comes from Mark Trostle, senior vice president, Ram Truck and Mopar design. Trostle himself won an early iteration of this contest as a high schooler in 1987 and remembers it enthusiastically.

"To this day, I love to draw cars and trucks, so without a doubt I was genuinely inspired by the opportunity early in my career to create my own version of a cool futuristic car," Trostle said. "Every year, we're excited and proud to be able to enlist the promising young talent and to enlighten their parents about automotive design and the many opportunities this type of career path can offer."

In addition to the summer design internship in the Ram Truck design studio, the grand-prize winner will also receive:

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

Featured post on Stellantis North America social media channels

Invitation to serve as a student judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design car show at Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Prizes for the second- and third-place finishers include:

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

Virtual networking opportunity with the Stellantis Design Team

Featured post on Stellantis North America social media channels

Invitation to serve as a student judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design car show at Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan

car show at Ford House in Scholarship to College for Creative Studies three-week Precollege Summer Experience "Transportation Design" program in Detroit, Michigan : July 13 - August 2, 2025

All student-created entries must be submitted by midnight EDT on Friday, April 25, 2025. One grand-prize winner and two additional finalists will be selected from all valid entries. For detailed contest rules, information on how to submit sketches and free resources for students of all ages, visit StellantisDriveForDesign.com.

Students, teachers and parents can follow the contest on the Stellantis North America social media channels and learn about automotive design. Weekly contest updates and content will be posted every Tuesday with the hashtag #DriveForDesign.

Notable Drive for Design winners:

2024 winner: Rohan Seiber ( Portola Valley, California ), former intern

( ), former intern 2016 winner: Ben Treinen ( Loveland, Ohio ), Ram Truck Interior Design Studio employee

( ), Ram Truck Interior Design Studio employee 2015 winner: Dongwon Kim ( Cupertino, California ), Advanced Design Studio employee

( ), Advanced Design Studio employee 2023 winner: Rocco Morales ( Northville, Michigan ), first high school student intern

( ), first high school student intern 2021 winner: Vincent Piaskowski ( Birmingham, Michigan ), 2024 summer intern

( ), 2024 summer intern 2020 winner: Job Skandera ( Santa Rosa, California ), former intern

( ), former intern 2019 winner: Max Cooper ( Miami, Florida ), former intern

( ), former intern 2015 winner: Josh Blundo ( Moultonborough, New Hampshire ), former intern

( ), former intern 2014 winner: Alex Fischer ( Rochester, Michigan ), former intern

Stellantis North America

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers, aiming to provide clean, safe and affordable freedom of mobility for all. In North America, it's best known for producing and selling vehicles in a portfolio of iconic, innovative and award-winning brands, including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge//SRT, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Stellantis is executing its Dare Forward 2030, a bold strategic plan that paves the way to achieve the ambitious target of becoming a carbon net zero mobility tech company by 2038, while creating added value for all stakeholders.

Follow company news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Company website: www.stellantis.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/Stellantis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StellantisNA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellantisna

Twitter: @StellantisNA

YouTube: http://youtube.com/StellantisNA

SOURCE Stellantis
GUANGZHOU, China, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent AI model developed by DeepSeek has taken the world by surprise and triggered a rally in Chinese tech stocks. As of March 12th, Wind data showed that the CSI Artificial Intelligence index recorded an impressive year-to-date gain of 14.7%. The significant reduction in deployment costs for large language models has fueled widespread adoption across finance, government, and healthcare, while Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, Baidu, and Huawei are rapidly integrating DeepSeek into their ecosystems. This momentum signals an imminent explosion in AI applications and end-user devices, reshaping industries and driving innovation.

Growing Interest on ETFs as a Key AI Investment Channel

With the rapid advancement of AI, an increasing number of investors are leveraging ETFs to access AI-driven opportunities. E Fund Management ("E Fund"), the largest mutual fund manager in China, has been at the forefront of this trend, providing comprehensive exposure to the AI sector. Notably, E Fund CSI Artificial Intelligence Thematic ETF (Code: 159819), offering the lowest fee of its kind, recently surpassed RMB 15.6 billion (USD 2.16 billion) milestone, up by 83% since the beginning of this year. The rapid rise in AI-related ETFs demonstrates their role as an efficient vehicle for capitalizing on industry trends.

Asset Management Industry in China Embracing AI

It has been observed that Chinese brokers and fund managers have already started to integrate DeepSeek models into their business. Its advanced reasoning capabilities and efficiency in resource utilization make it an ideal tool for financial institutions seeking to enhance their digital infrastructure. According to E Fund, the company has embedded DeepSeek's model into its daily operations, changing the way it conducted research, managed risks and interacted with clients. The company has also enhanced its proprietary AI model, EFundGPT, drawing from DeepSeek's expertise in synthetic data and knowledge distillation.

About E Fund

Established in 2001, E Fund Management Co., Ltd. ("E Fund") is a leading comprehensive mutual fund manager in China with over RMB 3.5 trillion (USD 490 billion) under management.* It offers investment solutions to onshore and offshore clients, helping clients achieve long-term sustainable investment performances. E Fund's clients include both individuals and institutions, ranging from central banks, sovereign wealth funds, social security funds, pension funds, insurance and reinsurance companies, to corporates and banks. Long-term oriented, it has been focusing on the investment management business since inception and believes in the power of in-depth research and time in investing. It is a pioneer and leading practitioner in responsible investments in China and is widely recognized as one of the most trusted and outstanding Chinese asset managers.

Source: E Fund. AuM includes subsidiaries. Data as of Dec 31, 2024. FX rate is sourced from PBoC.

SOURCE E Fund Management
Delivering a pulse of powerfaster, safer, and more efficient travel charging solutions.

LAS VEGAS, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Epicka, the #1 universal travel adapter brand in the U.S. (1), proudly introduces the all-new Pulse 45W universal travel adapteran innovative leap in travel charging.

Whether you're an international traveler, digital nomad or adventure enthusiast, the Pulse 45W adapter ensures true, sustained power for all your devices; Unlike ordinary travel adapters that reduce voltage and compromise performance. With guaranteed reliability, it keeps you powered up anytime, anywhere.

2025 Epicka Pulse Series

Now available on Amazon.com and Epicka.com in the United States for $29.99.

Global Compatibility: Power Meets versatility

The Pulse 45W universal travel adapter featuring 4 interchangeable plugs for compatibility in 200+ countries and regions, including the US, UK, EU, and Australia.

It delivers a sustained 45W stream of energy and supports seamlessly high-performance charging for 2 devices as the earth's continuous, powerful pulse.

A New Era of Epicka Travel Exploration

Epicka introduces now a striking new design, shifting our brand-visual effect from its signature blue to a vibrant green. This fresh hue symbolizes our brand's core value: innovation, easy-to-go, and Eco-friendly, provide a premium travel experience for every journey.

Product Details

Epicka Pulse 45W Universal Travel Adapter

 Global compatibility across 200+ countries and regions  Compact design with a 5-in-1 charging ports  Charges an iPhone 16 up to 55% as little as 30 minutes (2*)  Built-in Power integration chip  45W sustained fast charging  supports seamlessly high-performance charging for 2 devices  Color: Black / White  Price: $29.99

Epicka continues our mission to create a travel aesthetic that allowing travelers to start every journey stress-free. Whether navigating international business trips, backpacking across continents, or simply commuting, this next-generation adapter ensures you're always powered up.

Advanced Pi Chip Technology for Seamless Performance

At the heart of the Pulse 45W is the Pi (Power Integration) chip, the same cutting-edge technology trusted in iPhone. It ensures intelligent power management, optimized energy efficiency, and enhanced device safety. With built-in protections against overheating, overcharging, and short circuits, users can enjoy peace of mind while staying connected.

About Epicka

Since 2017, Epicka has grown to become the #1 travel adapter brand in the U.S. market step by step. Guided by our core values of Exploration & Innovation, we design travel gear that is convenient, practical, and urban to enhance the entire travel experience, to make every journey becomes a stress-free and unforgettable memory of life's exploration.

For more details, visit Epicka.com or find us by searching 'Epicka' on Amazon.com .

Location: Shenzhen, China

PR Contact: [email protected] / [email protected]

1. The Epicka brand, known for its highly rated universal travel adapters, until Feb 2025, the market share is approximately 35%, about 20% higher than the second place, also held the #1 bestseller spot in the U.S. market's 'Electrical Adapters' category during both the 2024 Amazon Prime Day and BFCM.

2. Data based on Feb 2025 internal testing uses the pulse 45W adapter charging iPhone 16.

SOURCE EPICKA INC.
Google Cloud and Google DeepMind CEOs headline "Gemini for the United Kingdom " event in London , alongside industry leaders from BT Group and WPP

Google Cloud unveils new AI product updates, including the launch of Chirp 3 on Vertex AI and UK data residency for Agentspace

Google Cloud expands its AI skilling initiatives, increasing access to training and certification programs for developers, students, professionals, and higher education institutions in the UK -- all at no cost

Google Cloud's Startup Program to offer up to 280,000 for AI startups across the UK

LONDON, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Google Cloud today announced new AI products, as well as initiatives and skills training for the United Kingdom at an exclusive "Gemini for the United Kingdom" event held at Google DeepMind's London headquarters. The event reinforced Google Cloud's long-term dedication to the UK, highlighted by its $1 billion investment in a new data centre, opening this year, alongside ongoing initiatives to empower the nation's AI development.

Moderated by British broadcaster Tina Daheley, the panel event offered a rare opportunity to hear from industry leaders, including Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, who outlined his vision for the future of AI innovation in the UK, and Google DeepMind CEO Sir Demis Hassabis. They were joined by BT Group Chief Executive Allison Kirkby and WPP CEO Mark Read CBE, who discussed the practical applications and transformative power of AI within their organisations and industries.

"Our deep relationship with Google DeepMind enables us to bring some of the world's most cutting-edge AI technology to our cloud customers, which range from startups to large enterprises," said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. "We're uniquely able to provide secure, flexible infrastructure; leading AI models; and an open developer platform that integrates with existing IT investments while maintaining security, privacy, and access controls, to organisations in the UK and around the world."

"I'm really proud of our UK roots, having founded Google DeepMind in London, in large part due to the amazing talent and academic institutions based here," said Google DeepMind CEO and Co-founder, Demis Hassabis. "As the engine room for Google, through our Gemini models we continue to contribute to the thriving UK tech sector by helping developers and businesses across the UK and worldwide drive breakthroughs with the help of AI."

Chirp 3 Availability on Vertex AI

Timed with today's event, Google Cloud announced that Chirp 3, Google's groundbreaking audio generation model, is joining Gemini, Imagen, and Veo on Vertex AI. Starting next week, HD Voices, powered by Chirp 3, will be generally available in 31 languages, offering 248 distinct voices with eight speaker options. Chirp 3 on Vertex AI delivers detailed speech functionality that captures the nuances of human intonation, making conversations more engaging and immersive. This is ideal for a variety of customer use cases, including voice annotating, real-time meeting transcription, audiobooks, and sentiment collection from customer calls.

Expanded UK Data Residency for Google Agentspace

Previously, Google Cloud announced that UK organisations spanning all industries  including the public sector  have the option to store their data at-rest and conduct machine learning processing using Google's cutting-edge large language model, Gemini 1.5 Flash, entirely within the UK.

Today, Google Cloud announced it is expanding its UK data residency commitment to include Google Agentspace, with availability coming in Q2. Agentspace unlocks enterprise expertise for employees with agents that bring together Gemini's advanced reasoning, Google-quality search, and enterprise data, regardless of where it's hosted.

Agentspace helps employees be more creative and productive. It includes NotebookLM Enterprise which helps employees quickly synthesise large quantities of information to uncover new insights. It also includes a single, company-branded multimodal search agent that employees can use to answer complex questions and take specific actions based on an organization's proprietary information, including unstructured data like documents and information stored third-party applications. Finally, Agentspace allows for the creation of custom AI agents that apply generative AI contextually, empowering employees from any department to conduct deep research, create content, and automate repetitive processes.

Expanded AI Skilling Initiatives in the UK

As AI reshapes industries, equipping the British population with the knowledge and skills to use this new technology is paramount. Over the past decade, Google has trained more than one million people, including students, educators, small business owners, and developers, across more than 500 locations in the UK, underscoring its commitment to making digital skills accessible to all. And, for nearly two years, Google has provided training in AI fundamentals through Google Digital Garage free of charge.

Today, building on this progress, Google Cloud announced an expansion of its AI skilling initiatives in the UK, offering new training and certification programs for developers, students, professionals, and higher education institutions  all at no cost. These initiatives align with Google Cloud's broader commitment to fostering AI literacy and preparing the workforce for the future. By providing accessible and high-quality training resources via its on-demand learning platform, Google Cloud Skills Boost, Google Cloud aims to bridge the skills gap and empower individuals to pursue rewarding careers in cloud.

Key highlights of the expanded AI skilling initiatives in the UK include:

Google Cloud also recently launched three new standalone courses on the Google Cloud Skills Boost learning platform, available to everyone in the UK, to address critical AI topics: "Introduction to Security in the World of AI," "Boost Productivity with Gemini in BigQuery," and "Build generative AI Agents with Vertex AI and Flutter."

New Benefits for AI Startups in the UK

With more than 60% of UK generative AI startups already working with Google Cloud, and following the recently launched 2025 Google for Startups Accelerator programme -- AI first UK -- Google Cloud continues its deep commitment to the nation's startup ecosystem.

As part of the "Gemini for UK" event, Google Cloud today announced up to 280,000 in cloud credits for UK based AI startups, along with dedicated technical resources and training. Startups will gain access to Google Cloud's global community of experts, investors, partners, and other startups unlocking opportunities to grow and scale their businesses. Additionally, startups in the UK can upskill their teams with training and workshops and 1:1 mentorships as they scale  including Skills Boost training courses and labs.

Sofia Fenichell, founder and CEO of StudyHall.AI, a UK-based agentic tutor platform for schools and homes, said: "Google Cloud has been instrumental in our rapid growth and innovation. Cloud credits have empowered us to scale our infrastructure faster and process books at unprecedented speeds. Google Cloud's powerful infrastructure has been the key to efficiently training our language models and building a scalable workforce of agentic teaching agents. Expert access and training have also been critical for accelerating our AI development. Moreover, Google Cloud's global reach and dedication to safety has enabled StudyHall to pioneer child-safe AI guardrails."

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated, and optimised AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organisations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

SOURCE Google Cloud
GROVE CITY, Pa., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Grove City College today announced the selection of Bradley J. Lingo '00 as the College's tenth president, following a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees. Lingo, who graduated summa cum laude from Grove City College in 2000, has a distinguished record in law and academia and a compelling vision to build on Grove City College's 150-year legacy as a highly distinctive Christian liberal arts college of extraordinary value.

"Brad rose to the top of the search committee's deep candidate pool because of a unique combination of experience and characteristics that make him the right leader for the next chapter of Grove City College's story," said Edward D. Breen '78, chairman of the Grove City College Board of Trustees and the Board's Presidential Search Committee. "He brings a vibrant commitment to Christian orthodoxy, tight alignment with the College's conservative vision and character, extraordinary professional experience and sophistication, and a keen understanding of higher education and the challenges and opportunities facing Grove City College."

Lingo currently serves as the dean of Regent University School of Law. Under his leadership, Regent Law has set records for enrollment, median incoming GPA and LSAT scores, U.S. News rankings, and employment outcomes. Lingo will complete the academic year at Regent before joining Grove City College in July 2025. A formal inauguration will occur later in the academic year.

"My life was transformed through Grove City College," Lingo said. "As a student, I found professors who believed in me and friends who encouraged me in my faith, and I experienced the joy of working hard to pursue excellence in a Christian community. I am honored to return to Grove City and ensure that future generations of students will receive the Christian, conservative, academically excellent, affordable education that profoundly shaped me."

"As we prepare to celebrate Grove City College's 150th anniversary in 2026, there has never been a more important time for a school like ours," Lingo added. "The College's singular combination of faith and freedom makes it a beacon of light and a bastion of hope for our country's future."

Lingo, a native of northeast Ohio, graduated from Grove City College with a bachelor's degree in business-economics. He earned his J.D, with honors, from Harvard Law School, where he served as executive editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, the flagship academic journal of The Federalist Society.

After law school, Lingo served as a law clerk to Hon. Morris S. Arnold on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Before joining the Regent Law faculty in 2019, Lingo was a litigation partner at King & Spalding LLP and practiced law in the Washington, D.C., office of Gibson Dunn. He and his wife, Yvonne, have three daughters, ages 9, 13, and 14.

Lingo's selection concludes a nationwide search by the Board's Presidential Search Committee, which included representatives from the Grove City College Board, faculty, and Alumni Association with support from CarterBaldwin Executive Search.

Since its founding in 1876, Grove City College has equipped students to pursue their unique callings through a Christ-centered, academically excellent, and affordable education. As an institution grounded in permanent ideas and conservative values and committed to the foundations of a free society, Grove City College develops leaders of the highest proficiency, purpose, and principles ready to advance the common good.

Grove City College is widely known for its spirit of independence and for the principled steps it has taken to safeguard its institutional freedom from intrusive regulation. Since its landmark 1984 Supreme Court case, Grove City College v. Bell, the College has refused all forms of federal financial assistance, making it one of only a few genuinely independent colleges in the nation.

Lingo will assume leadership of the College upon the retirement of Paul J. McNulty '80, an alumnus of the College who served since 2014 as the school's ninth president.

"Brad Lingo is an answer to prayer," said McNulty. "I have full confidence that he is blessed with the faith, character, and remarkable ability for leading the College to new heights in advancing our vital mission. This community is in good hands moving forward."

For more about Grove City College, visit gcc.edu.

Grove City College (gcc.edu) is a highly distinctive, nationally ranked comprehensive Christian liberal arts college that equips students to pursue their unique callings through a Christ-centered, academically excellent, and affordable learning and living experience. The College is grounded in permanent ideas and conservative values, committed to the foundations of a free society, and develops leaders of the highest proficiency, purpose, and principles to advance the common good. Established in 1876, the College is a pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers degrees in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate programs on a 180-acre residential campus north of Pittsburgh, Pa. U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and others identify Grove City College as one of the country's top colleges based on academic quality, overall value, and superior outcomes.

SOURCE Grove City College
Feeling Lucky? Consumers can enter to win one of 500 free pairs of the limited-run denim made to

carry cheese snacks

EVANSTON, Ill., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, iconic Irish brands Kerrygold and Native Denims are announcing a new collab that solves the age-old mystery, what is that extra little pocket in jeans really for? The answer: these pockets were meant to carry gold (Kerrygold cheese snacks, that is).

According to Irish folklore, cheese was hidden in clothing to fend off mischievous faeries. Fortunately, your jeans have always been prepared for your snacking needs  and whether you're superstitious or not, having a delicious snack at any time is always good luck.

Feeling Lucky? Consumers can enter to win one of 500 free pairs of the limited-run denim made to carry cheese snacks

Introducing the Kerrygold x Native Denims Cheese Pocket Jeans, a custom pair of jeans every Kerrygold enthusiast will want to add to their closet. The exclusive, limited-edition production has a designated pocket for cheese lovers to get their fix on the go. Kerrygold Cheese Snacks, available in a convenient and snackable format, fit perfectly into the smallest pocket of these bespoke Kerrygold x Native Denims jeans  or as we like to refer to it, the 'cheese pocket.'

The thoughtfully crafted jeans feature an impressive list of custom details that brand fans will love: quality organic indigo denim, a Kerrygold branded leather back patch, a green "Kerrygold" back pocket tab, gold stitching, and a beautifully designed, embroidered cheese pocket featuring the Irish buttercups present in Kerrygold's logo. These pockets are meant to carry gold - aka Kerrygold's delicious cheese snacks made from the milk of grass-fed Irish cows  including the Dubliner Cheese Snacks, a distinctive aged cheese with a firm texture and a somewhat sweet, somewhat nutty finish and Aged Cheese Snacks, a cheese aged for 12 months so that it is rich and full-bodied with a smooth finish.

"Kerrygold cheese snacks were designed with superior snacking in mind, providing our community with the great taste of Kerrygold in a pocket-sized, pack," said Kate Saul, Vice President, Marketing at Ornua Foods North America. "Now we've partnered with fellow Irish brand, Native Denims, to showcase how perfectly portable our cheese snacks can be  because once you've discovered the perfect cheese snack, you'll want the perfect spot to have it with you wherever you go."

The first of its kind collaboration is a new endeavor for Kerrygold, drawing inspiration from each brand's commitment to high-quality, craftmanship, sustainable practices and Irish heritage because premium cheese deserves to be carried by premium jeans.

"We put a focus on the smallest pocket of our denim jeans, giving it an elevated design worthy of holding beloved Kerrygold cheese snacks," said Dave Cesari, Managing Director at Native Denims. "We're proud to partner with Kerrygold, a brand who like us, has put quality Irish goods on the map."

The best part? Starting on March 19 at 1 PM ET / 12PM CST, brand lovers can enter for a chance to win a pair of Kerrygold x Native Denims jeans by visiting kerrygoldcheesepocket.com. Available in women's and men's sizes, this grate offer is available while supplies last. Don't want to miss your chance? Fashionable cheese stans can visit kerrygoldcheesepocket.com now and sign up to receive a text message reminder when the offer is live.

To learn more about Kerrygold, visit Facebook (@KerrygoldUSA), Instagram (@kerrygoldusa), TikTok (@kerrygoldusa) or X (@KerrygoldUSA).

About Kerrygold USA

Kerrygold was established in 1962 as a premium brand, befitting the rich quality of grass-fed Irish milk. Kerrygold initially launched as a single product brand and is now regarded as Ireland's most successful food brand sold in markets across the world.

Kerrygold dairy farmers are committed to the co-operative ideal; working together to produce only the very best grass-fed dairy products. Kerrygold cows graze freely on the fields of 14,000 small family farms; each one using unique dairy farming traditions passed down through generations of family. It is this grass-fed milk that delivers the rich tasting, higher quality dairy products that Kerrygold is famous for.

Recently surpassing one billion dollars in annual US sales, this achievement marks a significant milestone for the brand who has seen rapid growth over the past 12 months, including the acquisition of four million new consumers.

Today, consumers all over the world enjoy the unique taste of Irish grass-fed dairy. Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is the number two butter brand in the US and Kerrygold Dubliner Irish Cheese is the number one specialty cheddar.

About Native Denims

Native Denims manufacture premium hand-made jeans in Ireland at the Chocolate Factory, Dublin. This came to fruition in 2018 as they perceived a void existed in the premium denim space for high quality, well-fitting sustainable fashion items manufactured using traditional methods on the island of Ireland.

CONTACT:

Irma Guardado

[email protected]

SOURCE Kerrygold
DALLAS, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- McKool Smith Principal Robert Manley has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), one of the most prestigious legal associations in North America. The induction ceremony took place during the College's Spring Meeting in Maui, Hawaii on March 6-9.

Robert Manley, Principal

Founded in 1950, the ACTL is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship.

Robert has over 32 years of experience trying high stakes, high profile cases across the nation. His courtroom achievements include several defense and plaintiff verdicts, as well as a VerdictSearch "Top 100 Verdict." Most recently, he helped lead the McKool Smith team that secured a $1.4 billion settlement for the State of Texas against Meta Platforms/Facebook. The settlement was announced on July 30, 2024, and is the largest settlement ever obtained from an action brought by a single State.

Robert also served as lead trial lawyer for the plaintiffs in a will contest dispute that made the front page of The Wall Street Journal. He has successfully tried a wide range of cases, including securities fraud, fiduciary duty, investor fraud, trade secret, commercial matters, and insurance coverage disputes. Robert has spent much of his career training the next generation of trial lawyers as the Program Director of the Dallas Trial Program for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Robert lives in Dallas with his college sweetheart, Dana Bradford Manley. He is a alumnus of the University of Tulsa, SMU Law School, Institute for European Studies,Vienna, and Pushkin Institute, Moscow.

McKool Smith is home to several ACTL fellows, including firm Principals Lewis LeClair, Jennifer Truelove, Chad Hummel, and Sam Baxter all of whom bring unparalleled courtroom experience, helping to shape case strategy, trial preparation, and resolution tactics across all the firm's seven of our offices.

With more than 130 trial lawyers across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Marshall, New York, and Washington, D.C., McKool Smith has established a reputation as one of America's leading trial firms. The Firm has secured 18 nine-figure jury verdicts and 16 eight-figure jury verdicts, obtaining more VerdictSearch and The National Law Journal "Top 100 Verdicts" than any other law firm. These courtroom successes have earned McKool Smith critical acclaim and helped the Firm become what The Wall Street Journal describes as "one of the biggest law firm success stories of the past decade." McKool Smith represents clients in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, bankruptcy, insurance recovery, and white-collar defense matters.

For more information, please contact Keith Hill at (903) 923.9005 or email [email protected].

SOURCE McKool Smith
WASHINGTON, March 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will provide live coverage of the agency's SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT Monday, March 17.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the vestibule between the International Space Station and the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Clockwise from left, are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Suni Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Credit: NASA

NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida's coast for the return of the agency's Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18. The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected for later in the week.

NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are completing a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory and will return time-sensitive research to Earth.

Mission managers will continue monitoring weather conditions in the area, as Dragon's undocking depends on various factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return.

Watch Crew-9 return activities on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of additional platforms, including social media. For schedule information, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

For Crew-9 return, NASA's live operations coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):

Monday, March 17

10:45 p.m.  Hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+

Tuesday, March 18

12:45 a.m.  Undocking coverage begins on NASA+

1:05 a.m.  Undocking

Following the conclusion of undocking coverage, NASA will switch to audio only.

Pending weather conditions at the splashdown sites, continuous coverage will resume on March 18 on NASA+ prior to the start of deorbit burn.

4:45 p.m.  Return coverage begins on NASA+

5:11 p.m.  Deorbit burn (time is approximate)

5:57 p.m.  Splashdown (time is approximate)

7:30 p.m.  Return-to-Earth media conference on NASA+, with the following participants:

Joel Montalbano , deputy associate administrator, NASA' Space Operations Mission Directorate

, deputy associate administrator, NASA' Space Operations Mission Directorate Steve Stich , manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program

, manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program Jeff Arend , manager for systems engineering and integration, NASA's International Space Station, NASA's International Space Station Office

, manager for systems engineering and integration, NASA's International Space Station, NASA's International Space Station Office Sarah Walker , director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX

To participate in the briefing media must contact the newsroom at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston by 5 p.m., March 17, at: [email protected] or 281-483-5111. To ask questions, media must dial in no later than 10 minutes before the start of the call. The agency's media credentialing policy is available online.

Find full mission coverage, NASA's commercial crew blog, and more information about the Crew-9 mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

SOURCE NASA
Southern California's Leading Medtech

Octane's Premier Event Unites Global Stakeholders and Spotlights Innovations in Neuroscience and Technology for a Day of Breakthrough Insights and Networking Tickets Still Available

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Excitement is building for April 4, 2025 as Octane, Southern California's premier accelerator for medtech innovation, prepares to host the inaugural Neuro Tech Forum at the VEA Newport Beach.

The Neuro Tech Forum lineup features over 20 distinguished speakers who will share their expertise on cutting-edge advancements in neuroscience and technology. Attendees will hear from pioneers in the field and gain early insights into emerging investment trends in neurotechnology.

JoJo Platt, recognized leader in neurotechnology, who serves as the US Partnerships Lead at Corundum Neuroscience

Sponsoring the forum are four organizations central to neurological care: AbbVie, Johnson and Johnson MedTech, Medtronic, and UCI Health. With a focus on neurovascular and neuroscience innovations, the forum will also explore neuromodulation and brain-computer interfaces. This one-day forum offers an exclusive opportunity to explore the future of brain health and the technologies shaping it.

The keynote session, titled "Lessons Learned and the Future of Neurotechnology," will feature Dr. Alexander Khalessi, Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. A board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in cranial and endovascular surgery, Dr. Khalessi has driven advancements in stroke and cerebral aneurysm treatment. He will explore the evolving neurotechnology ecosystem through interactive case studies, drawing lessons from past experiences to navigate the challenges and opportunities in this field. Learn about the latest advancements and funding opportunities emerging from the NIH, specifically tailored for small businesses and startups.

The event will be emceed by JoJo Platt, a recognized leader in neurotechnology, who serves as the US Partnerships Lead at Corundum Neuroscience. With more than 15 years of experience in the neurotechnology sector, JoJo has played a pivotal role in advancing neurotech research and biomedical devices.

Tickets for the Neuro Tech Forum are still available. Don't miss the chance to engage face-to-face with industry pioneers, discover groundbreaking neuro innovations, and explore investment opportunities that could shape the future of medicine. Register at the link below now.

Event Details:

Date : April 4, 2025

: Location : VEA Newport Beach, A Marriott Resort & Spa

: VEA Newport Beach, A Marriott Resort & Spa Registration: Secure your spot now at Octane's Neuro Tech Forum

About Octane

Octane accelerates innovation by connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders across Southern California. Its forums annually engage thousands, fostering growth within the tech and MedTech ecosystems. The Neuro Tech Forum continues this tradition, uniting global neuro innovators to inspire future advancements.

SOURCE Octane
VALENCIA, Calif., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PeakPTT, a leader in push-to-talk (PTT) communications, is excited to announce it will be exhibiting at the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) on March 19-20, 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees can visit PeakPTT at Booth #1350 to experience its full line of rugged LTE PTT radios and communication services designed for mission-critical industries.

PeakPTT will spotlight two of its latest radios in its lineup:

Peak PTT-324G Rugged Push To Talk Over Cellular Walkie-Talkie

The PTT-324G Rugged LTE Walkie Talkie , a next-generation device built for durability and nationwide LTE connectivity. This powerhouse features IP68-rated waterproofing, enhanced battery life, and seamless integration with PeakPTT's proprietary PTT platform for instant and reliable communication.



, a next-generation device built for durability and nationwide LTE connectivity. This powerhouse features IP68-rated waterproofing, enhanced battery life, and seamless integration with PeakPTT's proprietary PTT platform for instant and reliable communication. The i.Safe MOBILE IS440.1, an Intrinsically Safe (C1/D1) 5G radio engineered for hazardous environments. Designed for oil & gas, chemical, and industrial sectors, this device combines cutting-edge safety certifications with advanced communication capabilities, including 5G connectivity, Android OS, and push-to-talk functionality.

"With industries demanding faster, safer, and more resilient communication tools, we're proud to deliver solutions that perform in the most extreme environments," said George Karonis, CEO of PeakPTT. "IWCE is the perfect platform to demonstrate how PeakPTT radios are redefining instant communication for field operations across the nation."

In addition to these featured products, PeakPTT will showcase its full portfolio of Push To Talk radios and services, offering tailored solutions for construction, manufacturing, public safety, logistics, and energy sectors.

For more information or to schedule a meeting at IWCE 2025, visit www.PeakPTT.com .

About PeakPTT

PeakPTT, specializes in rugged LTE and 5G push-to-talk radios and communication services. With a focus on providing reliable, nationwide coverage and industry-leading support, PeakPTT serves clients across multiple sectors, including construction, logistics, security, and industrial safety.

SOURCE Peak PTT
DALLAS, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe, a standout in the fast-casual industry, is making a bold move into the Dallas-Fort Worth market by signing its third multi-unit franchisee in the market, Tara Barton and Georgia Grey. With the group's five-store agreement, Pickleman's expects to have 14 stores operating in five years.

"This expansion is exciting news for our success in Texas," said Doug Stritzel, Founder and CEO. "With another quality franchisee group, we're bringing our unique approach to fast-casual dining to more communities than ever before. Their expertise and dedication align with our mission to serve fresh, quality-driven food that our customers love."

Tara & Georgia added, "Pickleman's commitment to quality, whether it's the bread, the proteins, or the overall customer experience, stands out in the fast-casual space. We're looking forward to the opportunity to help grow the brand in DFW and are excited to have our 'piece of the pie'."

Pickleman's has built a loyal following with its menu of toasted sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and soups, all crafted from premium ingredients. The brand's signature seven-ingredient bread, NAE chicken and pulled pork, and housemade sauces and chocolate chip cookies set a new standard for fast-casual dining, while its partnerships with quality suppliers underscore its dedication to doing things the right way.

The new locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market will begin to open at the end of 2025, giving even more customers access to Pickleman's fresh and robust menu.

About Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe

Founded in 2005, Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe is a fast-casual dining concept serving fresh, healthier, quality ingredients fast in the QSR segment. With a menu that includes toasted sandwiches, savory soups, fresh salads, and tavern-style pizzas, Pickleman's is a leader in quality and flavor in every market it serves. Learn more at https://www.picklemans.com/

Media Contact

Sasha Clark, [email protected]

SOURCE Picklemans
BATON ROUGE, La., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Retailers Casualty Insurance Company board of directors has declared a $2,500,000 distribution payable for policies with initial effective dates in 2022, and distributions to qualifying policyholders have been issued.

Each distribution is in proportion to qualifying policyholder premium and loss ratiothe better their record, the higher the return. The maximum amount of distribution paid to qualifying policyholders with zero losses will be 21.3 percent of their normal premium. Policyholders must meet minimum eligibility requirements, and future distributions are at the board's discretion and not guaranteed.

"Retailers Casualty Insurance Company provides exceptional workers' comp coverage for our policyholders, and we are thrilled to reward those who are committed to keeping their employees safe," states Frank Brame, chairman of the Retailers Casualty board of directors.

"At Summit, we support policyholders through employee safety and claims management services, which helps to make these distributions possible," says Hank Chiles, senior vice president responsible for Summit's Southwest Region. "The potential for distributionscombined with exceptional servicecontinue to make Retailers Casualty Insurance Company one of the best workers' compensation programs in the market."

Retailers Casualty is managed by Summit Consulting LLC (DBA Summit. Know the people who know workers' comp LLC). Summit has more than 40 years of experience in workers' compensation and provides underwriting, policy administration, claims management and loss prevention services to Retailers Casualty Insurance Company policyholders.

About Summit

Based in Lakeland, Florida, Summit is a leading regional provider of workers' compensation insurance coverage in the United States and is a member of Great American Insurance Group. Summit manages the day-to-day operations of six workers' compensation insurance companies that include its three affiliates, Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company, Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company and Bridgefield Indemnity Insurance Company, and three non-affiliates, BusinessFirst Insurance Company, RetailFirst Insurance Company and Retailers Casualty Insurance Company. Summit provides its comprehensive workers' compensation insurance services to businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Summit has offices in Lakeland, Florida, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Gainesville, Georgia. For more information, visit www.summitholdings.com.

SOURCE Retailers Casualty Insurance Company
Schneider Electric introduces the TeSys Deca Advanced contactor at ProMat 2025, setting a new standard in energy efficiency, reliability, and operational simplicity

The TeSys Deca Advanced enhances motor control performance, significantly reducing operational costs while promoting sustainability

Its innovative design features a streamlined wiring system and advanced digital capabilities, all while supporting high-efficiency motors

CHICAGO, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, a global leader in digital transformation for energy management and automation, announced the launch of TeSys Deca Advanced, a contactor solution designed to revolutionize motor management in the era of Industry 4.0, today at ProMat 2025 in Chicago.

TeSys Deca Advanced

Designed with a streamlined wiring system and advanced digital capabilities for a range of industrial applications, the TeSys Deca Advanced stands out with its wide-band coil technology, capable of accepting control voltage inputs from 24V to 500V AC/DC. This innovative feature not only withstands voltage fluctuations but also minimizes energy consumption, resulting in reduced CO2 emissions and operational costs.

"Innovation is essential in the design of material handling, packaging, and logistics machinery as OEMs strive to meet the rapidly changing demands of this expanding industry," said Antonio Di Vaira, SVP of Power Products NAM Hub at Schneider Electric. "With the new TeSys Deca Advanced, we're excited to help machine builders optimize their solutions, reducing space and energy requirements. It's all about pairing advanced digital capabilities with operational simplicity, making their work easier and more efficient."

TeSys Deca Advanced simplifies installation and maintenance processes. Its ergonomic three-layer setup organizes wiring for optimal visibility and accessibility, making maintenance and troubleshooting easier and more convenient. With one-click connection technology, installation efforts are reduced by up to 75%, allowing for rapid deployment in critical environments where uptime is essential. Additionally, the wide-band coil technology reduces complexity in selection and inventory management, facilitating smoother operations.

TeSys Deca Advanced is engineered for reliability, having undergone rigorous testing to ensure optimal performance. Its robust 100 kA short-circuit current rating with circuit breakers provides much needed flexibility for machine builders in their designs. TeSys Deca Advanced is designed to enhance operational efficiency across various sectors, including manufacturing, HVAC, and industrial facilities. By integrating cutting-edge technology with a focus on innovation and sustainability, Schneider Electric continues its commitment to maximizing uptime and delivering exceptional value.

To learn more about TeSys Deca Advanced, or to speak with a product expert, please visit the Schneider Electric booth #S659 at ProMat 2025, March 17-20, 2025, in Chicago.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider's purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency.

We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitalization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers.

We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.

www.se.com

Discover Life Is On

Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Blog

Hashtags: #Switchboards #Breakers #Software #Ecostruxure #Power #PowerManagement #CustomerFirst #DigitalTransformation

SOURCE Schneider Electric
DALLAS, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Slack Davis Sanger attorney Mitch McCrea recently secured a near half-million-dollar pre-suit settlement for a client seriously injured in a dog attack. This substantial settlement underscores the importance of responsible pet ownership and the legal obligations of pet owners and the property owners who house pets, especially those aware of their pets' aggressive histories.

Slack Davis Sanger secures near half-million-dollar settlement in dog attack case, emphasizing pet owner accountability. Post this Attorney Mitch McCrea

The incident involved a dog known to have a previous record of aggressive behavior. Despite this, the dog's owner failed to adequately restrain the animal and prevent it from causing harm, resulting in serious injuries to the victim. Attorney Mitch McCrea's investigation revealed prior attacks by the same dog in a neighboring county, emphasizing the necessity for pet owners to recognize and manage potential risks associated with aggressive pets.

Attorney Mitch McCrea stated, "Holding dog owners accountable when they knowingly harbor aggressive animals is crucial, not just for the injured parties but also for protecting the wider community from future harm. This settlement sends a strong message about the importance of owner responsibility and public safety."

Slack Davis Sanger remains dedicated to advocating for victims of negligence and achieving justice and accountability in personal injury cases.

About Slack Davis Sanger

Slack Davis Sanger is a nationally recognized law firm specializing in personal injury and aviation law. With decades of experience advocating for victims, the firm consistently delivers significant results for clients nationwide. To learn more, visit slackdavis.com

Disclaimer: Case results depend on specific circumstances unique to each case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

SOURCE Slack Davis Sanger
BALTIMORE, March 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, four survivors of childhood sexual abuse, represented by Andreozzi + Foote, filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City against Jewish Community Services, Inc. (JCS) and the Mayor & City Council of Baltimore City. The lawsuit alleges gross negligence in placing and failing to protect foster children from severe and prolonged sexual abuse while under the defendants' care.

The complaint, filed under Maryland's Child Victims Act, details how plaintiffs E.M.C., E.W.C., P.G., and E.J. suffered years of sexual abuse while placed in the Spurrier Foster Home in Baltimore. Despite multiple reports of abuse dating back to the 1960s, the defendants failed to act, allowing the abuse to continue unchecked.

"Baltimore City and Jewish Community Services had a duty to protect these children, yet they turned a blind eye to blatant warning signs," said Attorney Nathaniel L. Foote of Andreozzi + Foote. "For decades, our clients have carried the weight of this betrayal. Today, they are taking a stand to demand accountability."

The lawsuit highlights systemic failures, including inadequate screening, supervision, and response to reports of abuse. The plaintiffs endured horrific abuse at the hands of known perpetrators, including foster family members and associated individuals. Despite multiple disclosures to officials, no action was taken to remove them from harm.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages for the profound and lasting impact of the abuse, including severe emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and financial burdens related to medical and psychological care.

"This case is about justice and ensuring no other child suffers in a system that failed to protect its most vulnerable," Foote added.

For further information, please contact:

Nathaniel L. Foote, Esq.

Andreozzi + Foote

4503 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17110

Phone: (717) 525-9124

Email: [email protected]

About Andreozzi + Foote: Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation's leading law firms representing survivors of sexual abuse. The firm has successfully represented some of the highest-profile child sexual abuse cases of our time. Led by trauma-informed attorneys, Andreozzi + Foote is committed to creating life-changing results for victims and their families.

SOURCE Andreozzi + Foote
Recipients Personify Excellence in AI, Real-Life Leadership, and Impact across the Greater San Diego Region Winners to be Honored at the TiE South Coast Tectonic Shifts AI Conference on March 29, 2025

SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indus Entrepreneur (TiE) South Coast chapter announced the winners of its inaugural AI2025 Innovation Awards and will be honoring them at its upcoming AI conference, themed "Tectonic Shifts", scheduled for Saturday, March 29th, 2025 in San Diego. The chosen recipients represent start-up founders and company executives who have demonstrated excellence across AI business and technical fields, personified real-world AI leadership, and showcased AI impacts across the Greater San Diego region.

"AI is transforming enterprises, incubating disruptive start-ups, and empowering entrepreneurs at an unprecedented and breathtaking pace," said Pankaj Kedia, Founder and Managing Partner at 2468 Ventures LLC., an AI Investing, Advisory, and Consulting Firm, and TiE South Coast Charter Member. "We are delighted to launch the inaugural AI2025 Innovation Awards, recognize individuals who are seizing the AI mantle, and look forward to celebrating their achievements at the upcoming TiE South Coast AI Conference. Heartiest congratulations to all the well-deserving winners."

The goal of the TiE South Coast AI2025 Innovation Awards is to recognize individuals and support them in our quest to make San Diego the hub of AI innovation and leadership. The inaugural TiE South Coast AI Conference is designed to discuss the opportunities that we must seize and the challenges we must overcome to accelerate AI development and adoption.

"At TiE, our mission is to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs," said Jai Bhagat, President of TiE South Coast, a highly accomplished serial entrepreneur and Wireless Hall of Fame inductee. "We are excited about hosting our first AI Conference in San Diego and look forward to honoring the AI2025 Innovation Award winners at the event."

The TiE South Coast Tectonic Shifts AI Conference will bring together prominent speakers from such leading organizations as Avasant, Illumina, Intel Corp., Meta, NVIDIA, Siemens Healthineers, Truvian, UC San Diego, Viasat, and many others. The conference is sponsored by Adeia, ATS Wealth Management, Avasant, CIPRA.ai, Dell Technologies, Knobbe Martens, and Tata Consultancy Services.

The TiE South Coast AI2025 Innovation Award winners include

Aashika Arasu: Co-Founder and CMO at QRinger , a start-up using AI to enhance user identification and allow homeowners to have peace of mind by automatically recognizing and verifying visitors.





Co-Founder and CMO at , a start-up using AI to enhance user identification and allow homeowners to have peace of mind by automatically recognizing and verifying visitors. AJ Sarkar: Founder and CEO of OptimEyes AI , an AI powered risk management company providing cutting-edge solutions to the Global 500.





Founder and CEO of , an AI powered risk management company providing cutting-edge solutions to the Global 500. Arasu Sanjeevi : Business Solutions Architect and Lead Data Specialist at Solar Turbines Inc. , a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. and one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial gas turbines.





Business Solutions Architect and Lead Data Specialist at , a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. and one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial gas turbines. Blythe Towal : Chief of AI at EyePop.ai , a self-service platform designed to make cutting-edge perception AI accessible to business  empowering them to build smart, vision-driven products without the need for deep technical expertise.





Chief of AI at , a self-service platform designed to make cutting-edge perception AI accessible to business  empowering them to build smart, vision-driven products without the need for deep technical expertise. Eddie Revollo : Founder and CEO of Gambit Group AI , an AI consultancy firm helping businesses transition from old technologies and programs to streamlined AI processes.





Founder and CEO of , an AI consultancy firm helping businesses transition from old technologies and programs to streamlined AI processes. Gaurav Agarwal : CEO of Eyenuk, Inc. , a global medical technology company pioneering AI solutions in healthcare for autonomous diagnosis of vision and life-threatening diseases using retinal images.





: CEO of , a global medical technology company pioneering AI solutions in healthcare for autonomous diagnosis of vision and life-threatening diseases using retinal images. Jay Srinivasan : CEO of Truvian , a San Diego start-up enabling sustainable healthcare with accessible blood testing for a healthier you.





CEO of , a start-up enabling sustainable healthcare with accessible blood testing for a healthier you. Naresh Lachmandas : Sr. Partner, CIO, CCO and Fellow at Avasant , a leading management consulting firm focused on translating the power of technology into realizable business strategies.





Sr. Partner, CIO, CCO and Fellow at , a leading management consulting firm focused on translating the power of technology into realizable business strategies. Naresh Soni : CEO of Next Wave Technologies, Inc. , a prominent player in generative AI and predictive modeling, and Executive Technology Advisor at CXAPP , a leading workplace experience platform. Also Chair, of the TiE South Coast Angels group.





CEO of , a prominent player in generative AI and predictive modeling, and Executive Technology Advisor at , a leading workplace experience platform. Also Chair, of the TiE South Coast Angels group. Naseeha Machingal: Director, Client Success and Partnerships at LegalEase Solutions , a solutions provider with extensive expertise in offering corporate legal departments innovative technology and AI enabled services.





Director, Client Success and Partnerships at , a solutions provider with extensive expertise in offering corporate legal departments innovative technology and AI enabled services. Nataraj Pagadala : Founder, President & CEO of LigronBio Inc. , a start-up advancing precision therapeutics for Alzheimer's and beyond.





Founder, President & CEO of , a start-up advancing precision therapeutics for Alzheimer's and beyond. Prakash Sangam : Founder and Principal at Tantra Analyst , a leading boutique Industry Analyst firm focused on cellular IPR, 5G, AI, IoT, cloud and edge compute, Wi-Fi and other emerging tech.





Founder and Principal at , a leading boutique Industry Analyst firm focused on cellular IPR, 5G, AI, IoT, cloud and edge compute, Wi-Fi and other emerging tech. Raghu Rau : Highly accomplished executive and board member leading transformative change in the technology industry across Adeia, Xperi Corp., Tivo Inc., Quantum Corp., SeaChange Inc., Rovi Corp., Aviat Networks and Microtune Inc . Also, past CEO and Chairman of multiple public companies.





Highly accomplished executive and board member leading transformative change in the technology industry across . Also, past CEO and Chairman of multiple public companies. Ram Patrachari: President of SPentarkAI , where he is leveraging AI and emerging technologies to drive innovation within the casino gaming and hospitality industries. Also serving as the AI Committee Chair for TiE South Coast.





President of , where he is leveraging AI and emerging technologies to drive innovation within the gaming and hospitality industries. Also serving as the AI Committee Chair for TiE South Coast. Srinivasa Manapragada : VP of Technology Business Systems at Wells Fargo , where he spearheads the integration of systems and data across the enterprise.





VP of Technology Business Systems at , where he spearheads the integration of systems and data across the enterprise. Sujit Dey: Founder and CEO at CIPRA.ai, an AI-based precise, personalized and pro-active care start-up to treat and reverse chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Also, serving as an accomplished Professor at UC San Diego.

Additional information on the conference including the agenda and registration is available here: https://events.tie.org/TectonicShiftsAIInnovationandInvestmentConference.

About TiE and TiE South Coast

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. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs globally through its five pillars: Mentoring, Networking, Education, Funding and Incubation. 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. There are currently over 12,000 global members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. The TiE South Coast chapter is leading the charge in AI and Innovation across the Greater San Diego region.

For media inquiries, please contact Vinay Bhagat, VP of Marketing for TiE South Coast at [email protected].

All trademarks, trade names, and service marks mentioned herein belong to their respective owners and are used for reference purposes only.

SOURCE The Indus Entrepreneur (TiE) South Coast
Program administrator Origin Specialty Underwriters to roll out workers' compensation program backed by Zurich for select restaurants and hotels.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zurich Programs has reached an agreement with program administrator Origin Specialty Underwriters (Origin) to introduce a Workers' Compensation program, backed by Zurich, for qualifying restaurants and hotels in the small to middle-market space. The collaboration brings Origin's extensive experience in the small to middle-market hospitality segment together with Zurich's A+ financial strength,1 extensive Casualty capacity and reputation for excellence in Claims service.

Under the agreement's terms, Zurich Programs delegates underwriting authority to Origin Specialty Underwriters to offer the coverage through Origin's distribution channels. The arrangement is the product of nearly two years of discussion and mutual due diligence that started over a breakfast meeting at the Program Administrators Association's premier event, the Target Markets Annual Summit.

Origin, which became part of Beyond Risk in 2021, serves niche segments including hospitality, hotels, service stations and more. Under the leadership of President Neno Djordjevic, Origin offers solutions for Workers' Compensation, Property and Transportation, working exclusively with carriers and reinsurers rated "A-" or better by A.M. Best.

"We're pleased about onboarding a new program administrator with the depth of experience of Origin," said Zurich North America's Head of Programs Eric Cittadino. "Zurich Programs is focused on smart, profitable growth and diversifying our portfolio, carefully selecting opportunities that align with our long-term strategy. Select Casualty lines are in our appetite for many segments, and finding the right organization to give the pen to took some time. Origin proved to be the right fit, thanks to their specialized knowledge, strong distribution network and commitment to maintaining underwriting integrity."

The new product strengthens Origin's offering in the hospitality and restaurant segment, Djordjevic said.

"To have it backed not just by any carrier but by one with the reputation and credibility of Zurich supports our ambition to be a market leader in segments where we choose to play," Djordjevic said. "We strive to offer our insureds, agents and brokers and everyone in the value chain the best possible service and solutions."

Zurich Program Sales Regional Vice President Lena Battraw Peters recalls the initial meeting with Origin at Target Markets.

"Our conversation led to valuable insights that we had similar goals, including strategic growth and working with fewer, more credible organizations," she said. "We both left that meeting excited about what we could build together."

Together, Zurich and Origin developed and aligned on a robust underwriting strategy with a defined risk appetite. Fast food restaurants are not in appetite. They also identified desired state mix and class selections, said Programs Business Manager Patti Heffernan, who brought in Zurich Claims, Risk Engineering and Legal colleagues to provide additional insights.

Zurich Resilience Solutions colleagues provided valuable guidance on safety requirements in select states. "Their in-depth presentation educated the PA on Zurich's risk engineering standards and highlighted additional services available to support workplace safety and compliance," Heffernan said.

The Hospitality Workers' Compensation program launched at the end of February in 26 preferred states. Both organizations see potential opportunities to build on the relationship and momentum.

Since joining its parent company, Beyond Risk, Origin has been expanding its offerings. One of Origin's sibling organizations under Beyond Risk, BevCap, does business with Zurich Group Captives in the Middle Market space.

1. Zurich's financial strength is rated A+ (Superior)/stable by A.M. Best and AA/stable by Standard & Poor's.

SOURCE Zurich North America
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Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Ahmedabad, March 17 : Rajesh Kotecha, the Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, said that in the past decade, the turnover of Ayurvedic products surged from $2.85 billion in 2014 to $24 billion in 2024, with exports tripling.

He likened the 'Vande AyuCon-2025' event to a 'Mini Kumbh' of Ayurveda.

The Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine organised the 'Vande AyuCon-2025' event in Ahmedabad, graced by Health Minister Rishikesh Patel.

The event witnessed participation from more than 27,000 Ayurvedic doctors, both online and offline.

During his address, Minister Patel emphasised that Ayurveda is not just a system of medicine but a science of living.

He said, "The spice box in our kitchen is a treasure trove of Ayurveda. The history of Ayurveda is ancient, and practitioners should take pride in being known as 'Vaidyas' instead of 'Doctors'."

Highlighting the essence of Ayurveda, Minister Patel said that 'Ayu' means life and 'Veda' means science.

He asserted that Ayurveda is not merely for curing diseases but for guiding a holistic lifestyle, offering treatment without side effects.

Citing the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, Minister Patel likened Ayurveda to a nurturing mother, urging Ayurvedic practitioners to deepen public trust in the science.

He also stressed the importance of research alongside education at the Ayurvedic University to enhance both knowledge and skills.

The event honoured top Ayurvedic practitioners for their exceptional contributions and awarded the 'Best Clinic-2025' title to 11 outstanding clinics from the state.

Additionally, 500 doctors received free clinic OPD software.

The event saw the presence of notable personalities like Sanjay Jivrajani, President of the Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine; Mukul Patel, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat Ayurvedic University, Jayesh Parmar, Dharmendra Gajjar, and Maulesh Ukani from Ban Labs, among others.
Vadodara, March 17 : In a hit-and-run case that shook Gujarat's Vadodara on the night of Holika Dahan, accused Rakshit Chaurasia rammed his car into three two-wheelers near Amrapali Complex in the Karelibaug area.

The accused has been sent for further remand and the city Police Commissioner took action, transferring the three Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) to different departments as punishment for breaking protocol.

On the night of March 14 during Holika Dahan celebrations, Rakshit Chaurasia was allegedly overspeeding when he lost control of his car and hit three two-wheelers, leaving several people injured.

After the incident, Rakshit fled the spot, but the police later tracked him down and arrested him.

Initially, the court granted the police a one-day remand to question Rakshit.

However, during the investigation, new evidence emerged prompting the police to present him in court again.

On March 13, the court approved an additional two-day remand for further questioning.

Rakshit managed to present his version of events to the media while in police custody.

This action violated police protocol, as an accused person is not allowed to make public statements while in custody.

It was later revealed that three ASIs from the Traffic department assisted Rakshit in reaching the media.

During his arrest, Rakshit was heard shouting the phrases "Another Round" and "Nikita". These cryptic words have raised suspicion, leading the police to expand the investigation into these angles.

Sources suggest that these terms could be linked to the motive behind the crime or potential accomplices.

The Vadodara police are now investigating more than seven key aspects of the case, including Rakshit's connections and the possibility of a pre-planned involvement.

The authorities aim to uncover whether this was an accidental incident or a deliberate act.

Meanwhile, the victims' families and local residents are demanding strict action against Rakshit and thorough accountability for the police officers who assisted him.
Surat, March 17 : BJP MP from Surat Lok Sabha constituency, Mukesh Dalal, has raised alarm over a sharp rise in soybean oil imports from Nepal, which he claims is being facilitated by China.

Speaking on Sunday during the ongoing Budget session of the Parliament under Rule 377, Dalal highlighted how China is exporting soybean oil to Nepal, which is then re-exported to India, exploiting the zero-duty access granted under the Nepal-India Trade Treaty of 2009.

The BJP leader revealed that in the last few months, particularly the last four months of 2024, soybean oil imports from Nepal have surged 14-fold, while the overall import of the commodity in India has risen by only 13 per cent.

He expressed concern that this dramatic increase is hurting Indian oil producers and soybean farmers, who are struggling to compete with the influx of cheaper imports.

Addressing the media, Dalal pointed out that Nepal itself is a marginal producer of soybean oil and does not consume refined soybean oil domestically.

"This is a clear case of China using Nepal as a transit point to flood the Indian market with cheap soybean oil, taking advantage of the duty-free access provided under the trade treaty," he said.

Dalal urged the Central government to take immediate action to curb this practice and implement measures to protect the interests of Indian farmers.

"This situation is causing heavy losses to Indian soybean farmers and oil producers. I have requested the government to investigate the matter and introduce necessary safeguards to prevent such exploitation," he added.

The issue has sparked concern within the agricultural community, as soybean farmers across India have been facing declining prices and rising competition from imported oils.

Experts believe that the misuse of the trade treaty is not only harming local producers but also affecting the country's self-sufficiency in edible oil production.
Patna, March 17 : A clash broke out between two groups in Izmali village under Badharia police station in Bihar's Siwan district on Sunday, leaving one person injured, police said.

The incident was triggered when a group from Gopalganj was travelling on bikes to collect donations for the construction of a temple in Badarjimi village, Gopalganj.

Upon reaching a mosque in Izmali village under Badharia police station in adjoining Siwan district, they were attacked by some assailants standing near the mosque, leading to a fight.

"We have managed to arrest three persons so far. The injured person has been hospitalised and an investigation is underway to identify others involved," Amitesh Kumar, Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP), told IANS.

Kumar confirmed the police are monitoring the situation to avoid further tensions.

The district police deployed heavy police force at the village to avoid further escalation of communal tension.

Eyewitnesses claim that both groups pelted bricks and stones.

Upon receiving the information, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sadar 1 and Badharia police station head Rupesh Kumar Verma rushed to the spot.

Amitesh Kumar assured that the situation is under control, and further investigations are ongoing.

Despite the heavy deployment of the police personnel, communal tension prevails in the area.

During the Holi celebration, many incidents of violence occurred in Bihar's different districts.

This year Holi and Ramzan came in the same month and some leaders of different political parties gave provocative statements on the festivals.

Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, BJP MLA from the Bipsi Assembly constituency in Madhubani district, said that Muslims should stay indoors on Holi to avoid being splashed with colours, sparking a controversy.

He added that if the Muslims wish to go outdoors, they should do so with a "big heart".

Anjum Ara, the Darbhanga Mayor, during the peace committee meeting, said that the Holi celebration should be stopped for two hours on March 14 to allow Friday Namaz to take place peacefully.

However, Anjum Ara apologised for her statement on March 15.
Bhopal, March 17 : The Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj on Sunday expressed its concern over mob lynching in Madhya Pradesh's Mauganj district where a local resident and a police officer were killed, while several other police personnel were injured.

State Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj President, Pushpendra Mishra, said that in the past two months, nearly a dozen people belonging to the Brahmin community were either killed or brutally attacked by mobs in different parts of the state.

"Before Mauganj's incident, four people from Brahmin community were brutally killed by a mob in Jabalpur in February. We accept that accused persons were arrested, but the question arises why Brahmins are being targeted in Madhya Pradesh?" Mishra said, while speaking to mediapersons in Bhopal.

Meanwhile, he also criticised State BJP President V.D. Sharma and Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, accusing them of maintaining silence despite multiple incidents had occurred in the past two months.

He claimed that Brahmins were attacked in Chhatapur, Jabalpur, Mauganj and several other districts in the past two months.

"At present, V.D. Sharma and Rajendra Shukla are two powerful Brahmin leaders in the ruling BJP. They project themselves as Brahmin leaders during the elections, but they have maintained complete silence when people from the community need their help," Mishra added.

He also warned that Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Samaj will stage a massive protest in Bhopal to express its annoyance against attacks on Brahmins.

"We will meet the state DGP on Monday and will handover a detailed list of incidents which had occurred in the past few months. If necessary steps are not taken, we will hold a protest in Bhopal," Mishra added.

Notably, a local resident Sunny Dube was lynched by a mob in Mauganj on Saturday and beaten up brutally, which resulted in his death in a locked room.

When local police reached to rescue him, a mob attacked the police team with sticks and pelted stones on them.

During the incident, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ramcharan Gautam, who was in the rescue operation team, died on the spot.

While three to four other policemen, who received severe injuries due to stone pelting, were admitted at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa.

On Sunday, police have arrested at least six persons in connection with the attack on a police team in Mauganj district and they were questioned.

Rewa Divisional Commissioner, Saket Prakash Pandey, who visited the spot on Sunday, told media persons that the situation was brought under control, however, police personnel have been deployed to ensure better law and order in Dabra village in Mauganj.

"Later, when an additional police team reached there, they found the body of a man who was held captive in a house. Meanwhile, six persons were arrested and questioned by the police," Pandey said.

He added that when the police team went to the spot to rescue the captive, a large number of women, holding sticks and stones, assembled outside, while men were hidden inside keeping axe and other deadly weapons with them.

"A police team which went to rescue a captive in the village had no women police officer, while there were a large number of women present there. They started pelting stones, and the police team didn't attack them. This is an unfortunate incident," Pandey added.
Baghdad, March 17 : Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has emphasised that de-escalation and dialogue are the most effective paths to resolving crises in a region as sensitive and vital as the Middle East.

He made the remarks on Sunday amid rising tensions following US military strikes on Yemen's Houthi group, Xinhua news agency reported.

During a phone conversation with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, al-Sudani stressed that this approach represents Iraq's consistent position in addressing regional challenges, affirming that Iraq will continue to act in accordance with this principle, according to a statement by al-Sudani's media office.

For his part, Hegseth reviewed developments related to military operations in Yemen, noting that the US will continue its operations unless the Houthi group stops its attacks on US forces and its disruptions to Red Sea navigation, the statement said.

Both sides also underscored the importance of continued security cooperation within the US-led international coalition to combat the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, the statement said, adding that al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's commitment to protecting international coalition advisors.

Their discussions also addressed "regional security dynamics, particularly the concerning situation in Syria, as both sides expressed their determination to prevent the IS in Syria from posing any threat," the statement noted.

The US will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end attacks on shipping, the US Defense Secretary said on Sunday, as the Iran-aligned group signaled it could escalate in response to deadly US strikes on Saturday.

The airstrikes, which the Houthi-run Health Ministry said killed at least 53 people, are the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Sunday that his militants would target US ships in the Red Sea as long as the US continues its attacks on Yemen.

"If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation," he said in a televised speech.

The Houthi movement's political bureau described the attacks as a "war crime", while Moscow urged Washington to cease the strikes.

The Houthis' military spokesperson on Sunday said, without offering evidence, that the group had targeted US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its warships in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles and drones in response to the US attacks.
Baghdad, March 17 : Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met here with Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar to discuss bilateral cooperation in electricity, natural gas, and oil sectors.

According to a statement on Sunday from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, the two officials explored ways to encourage Turkish companies to invest in Iraq's oil and gas sector, Xinhua news agency reported.

They also discussed the potential for Turkey to supply electricity to Iraq to address seasonal shortages and stressed the importance of expediting the electricity interconnection project by completing the necessary technical preparations as soon as possible, the statement said.

The two sides agreed to double the amount of electricity that Turkey will provide to Iraq, which will help meet part of the energy needs of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and the city of Mosul, it said.

Furthermore, they discussed the possibility of importing gas from Turkey to meet the needs of Iraq's power plants and ways to strengthen cooperation in this area, the statement added.

In addition, the two Ministers discussed the renewal of the Ceyhan pipeline agreement for the transportation of oil, underscoring the possibility of extending it southward to boost Iraqas oil export capacities and facilitate its delivery to European markets.

They also affirmed the importance of maintaining ongoing coordination and joint follow-up on issues of mutual concern, as the two Ministers earlier agreed on increasing the transmission capacity through the Iraqa"Turkey interconnection line to 600 megawatts.

Last June, the two countries operated the joint electrical interconnection line (Kiska"Cizre, 400 kV), which currently supplies Iraq with 300 megawatts.

Earlier this month, the US rescinded Baghdad's waiver to purchase electricity from Iran, as part of its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran.

Decades of conflict have left Iraq struggling with chronic electricity shortages. Despite its oil wealth, the country remains heavily dependent on gas imports from Iran to power its grid.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also confirmed that the two Ministers explored the possibility of importing Turkish natural gas to supply power plants across Iraq, further solidifying the growing energy partnership between Baghdad and Ankara.
Beirut/Jerusalem, March 17 : Two people were killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting a house in the village of Ainata in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Centre.

The centre, affiliated with Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the airstrikes and casualties in a statement on Sunday.

A Lebanese security source said Israeli warplanes fired two air-to-ground missiles at the house, leading to casualties and destroying the house, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Civil Defence teams are working to clear the rubble," the source added.

The unnamed source noted that in a separate attack, Israeli helicopters fired three missiles at prefabricated homes in the village of Kafr Kila in southeastern Lebanon, utterly destroying them.

According to the source, residents set up these temporary homes about two weeks ago as provisional shelters while rebuilding their damaged houses. No casualties were mentioned.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on Sunday noon near a civilian inspecting his home in the village of Ramyah.

The NNA added that the Lebanese Red Cross transported three bodies from the village of Al-Qasr, near the border with Syria, to Hermel Governmental Hospital. Security forces are investigating the case.

On Sunday, the Israeli military said a gunshot hit a vehicle in the northern Israeli community of Avivim, with no immediate reports of injuries.

"The gunshot most likely originated from Lebanese territory," the military said in a statement, adding that troops were scanning the area and the incident was under review.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported that the gunfire was likely errant shots fired during a funeral in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed the military to strike targets in the area of Ainata in southern Lebanon on Sunday.

He issued a stern warning to the Lebanese government, saying, "We will not allow fire from Lebanese territory toward northern Israeli communities, we will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire."

Later on Sunday, Israel's military said it struck a command and control centre of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force and other structures used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, claiming their presence constituted "a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon".

Although a ceasefire agreement has largely held between Hezbollah and Israel since November last year, ending more than a year of hostilities following the war in Gaza, Israel has maintained a military presence and carried out dozens of attacks in Lebanon, causing casualties.
New Delhi, March 17 : The three-day Raisina Dialogue, India's prominent conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, with delegates from 125 countries arriving in New Delhi to participate in it.

The Foreign Ministers of Slovakia, Juraj Blanar; Enrique A. Manalo of The Philippines; and E.P. Chet Greene of Antigua and Barbuda, have already arrived in the national capital, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday in a statement.

Taking to social media platform X, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Welcoming FM Mr. Juraj Blanar of Slovak Republic, FM Enrique A. Manalo of Philippines & FM E.P. Chet Greene of Antigua & Barbuda, as they arrive in New Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue 2025."

The 10th edition of the conclave will feature attendees including New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

For the first time, a Taiwanese delegation, including a senior security official, is attending the discussions, reflecting the strengthening ties between the two sides in recent years, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The Raisina Dialogue is being organised by the prominent think-tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in collaboration with the MEA.

The event will feature participants from nearly 125 countries, including Ministers, former heads of state and government, military leaders, industry executives, technology experts, academics, journalists, strategic affairs scholars, and specialists from top think- tanks, the MEA announced on Sunday.

The Raisina Dialogue will be held from March 17 to 19.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is the chief guest of this year's conclave and will be delivering the keynote address.

The theme of the 2025 edition is 'Kalachakra - People, Peace and Planet'.

More than 3,500 participants from about 125 countries will attend the Dialogue in person, and the proceedings will be viewed by millions worldwide on various digital platforms.

Officials confirmed that foreign ministers from 20 countries are present at the discussions.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister's visit to India comes as the US intensifies its push for a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia to end their ongoing conflict.

Foreign Ministers from Slovenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Moldova, Georgia, Sweden, Slovak Republic, Bhutan, Maldives, Norway, Thailand, Antigua and Barbuda, Peru, Ghana, Hungary, and Mauritius are also among the participants.

Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Martinez Diaz and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Enrique A Manalo are also attending the conference.

Over the span of three days, global decision-makers and thought leaders will engage in discussions across various formats, addressing six key thematic pillars.

These pillars include: Politics Interrupted: Shifting Sands and Rising Tides; Resolving the Green Trilemma: Who, Where, and How; Digital Planet: Agents, Agencies, and Absences; Militant Mercantilism: Trade, Supply Chains, and the Exchange Rate Addiction; The Tiger's Tale: Redefining Development with a New Approach; and Investing in Peace: Drivers, Institutions, and Leadership.

During various sessions, participants will examine the current global situation and explore opportunities for cooperation on a wide array of contemporary issues.

Over the past nine years, the Raisina Dialogue, named after Raisina Hill in New Delhi (home to key government buildings and a symbol of India's government seat), has gained prominence and recognition.
Moscow, March 17 : Russia has rejected the possible deployment of NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine, suggesting unarmed observers or a civilian monitoring group sent there to oversee a potential peace deal.

Discussions on peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine remain premature and should only take place after a formal peace agreement has been reached, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko in an interview with Russian daily Izvestia on Sunday.

Grushko emphasised that NATO's involvement in peacekeeping operations is fundamentally contradictory, Xinhua news agency reported.

"NATO and peacekeeping are entirely incompatible. The real history of the alliance consists of military operations and unprovoked aggression to assert its global and regional dominance," he said.

He reaffirmed Russia's stance that the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine -- whether under the banner of the EU, NATO, or individual national forces -- would effectively place them in the conflict zone, making them direct participants with all the consequences that entail.

As a possible alternative, he said that an unarmed observer mission or a civilian monitoring group could be considered to oversee certain aspects of a potential peace deal.

"Such mission could ensure compliance with specific provisions and serve as part of a broader guarantee mechanism," he added.

"It is because that only through their formation it will be possible to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine and generally strengthen security in the region," he said.

"Ukraineas neutral status and NATO member statesa refusal to admit this country as a member of the alliance must be the part of such guarantees."

US President Donald Trump is trying to win President Vladimir Putin's support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week and which Putin says needs to meet crucial conditions to be acceptable.

Trump is expected to speak with his Putin this week on ways to end the three-year war in Ukraine, US Envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN on Sunday after returning from what he described as a "positive" meeting with Putin in Moscow.

Moscow is categorically against the deployment of NATO observers to Ukraine, Grushko also reiterated the Kremlin's position.

Britain and France both have said that they were willing to send a peacekeeping force to monitor any ceasefire in Ukraine. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his country was also open to requests.
Jerusalem, March 17 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he has initiated the procedure to dismiss Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet, amid growing tensions with the internal security agency.

According to a statement from Netanyahu's office on Sunday, Bar was summoned to a meeting and informed that a proposal for his dismissal would be presented to the government this week, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a video address to the Israeli public, Netanyahu said the decision was driven by "a lack of trust" in Bar.

As the dispute between the two became public, Bar issued a response to Netanyahu, stating his loyalty as Shin Bet Chief is to the Israeli public and national security, not to the Prime Minister personally.

He argued that Netanyahu's "expectation of personal loyalty contradicts the public interest, is fundamentally flawed, and violates the Shin Bet Law".

Bar reiterated his call for a state commission of inquiry to investigate "all relevant parties," including government policies and Netanyahu himself.

He said such an investigation is "essential for public security".

The move comes amid an escalating dispute between Netanyahu and the Shin Bet over accountability for the failures leading up to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

The Shin Bet, responsible for monitoring Palestinian militant groups, acknowledged in a recent report that it failed to anticipate the deadly assault on Israel.

However, the agency also held Netanyahu accountable for government policies that enabled the "massive buildup" of Hamas.

Netanyahu has rejected calls for a state commission of inquiry into his government's handling of the events before and during the attack.

However, in his response, Bar indicated that the motive behind his dismissal is largely political and unrelated to the Hamas attack.

"I took responsibility for the agency's part (in failing to prevent the attack) ... it is clear that the intent behind my dismissal is not related to October 7," he wrote in a statement.

Tensions between Netanyahu and Bar have also been growing over the so-called "Qatar Gate," an inquiry into ties between Netanyahu's close aides and the Qatari government. Qatar has played a key role in mediating between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages. However, Qatar and Israel currently do not have formal diplomatic relations.

Netanyahu's move to dismiss Bar underscores growing tensions between Netanyahu and Israel's security establishment as the country remains embroiled in war and political divisions.

The move came about an hour after Israeli police launched an investigation into Bar's predecessor, Nadav Argaman, following a complaint from the Prime Minister.

Netanyahu accused Argaman of "blackmailing a sitting Prime Minister" and making "mafia-style" criminal threats.

The complaint stemmed from an interview Argaman gave to Israel's Channel 12 News on Thursday, in which he claimed to have "a great deal of knowledge" about Netanyahu.

He said he would reveal "everything" he knows if he concludes that Netanyahu "has decided to act in contravention of the law".

"I'm very troubled by the fact that the Prime Minister is deliberately damaging Israeli society and causing friction within it in order to rule," the former Shin Bet Chief added, stressing "any information threatening Israel's national security would be shared according to law".
Proud of what Indian community does for our country: New Zealand PM. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 17 : New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon praised the Indian community in his country on Monday for its significant role in shaping the island nation's progress.

His remarks came during his five-day official visit to India, marking the first visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister in nine years since former PM John Key.

Luxon arrived in Delhi on Sunday and was warmly received by Union Minister of State S.P. Singh Baghel. Members of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand also accompanied him during his arrival.

Expressing his admiration for the community, he posted on X, "The Indian community is the third-largest ethnic group in New Zealand. India is our largest source of skilled migrants and our second-largest source of international students."

He further acknowledged their contributions, stating, "Indian-Kiwis make a massive contribution to New Zealand, and I'm proud of what this community does for our country."

Highlighting the importance of this visit, Luxon mentioned that he has brought along a high-level delegation comprising community and business leaders, calling it the largest-ever group to accompany a New Zealand Prime Minister on a foreign trip.

Among the prominent figures accompanying him are former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, former National Party MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, business leader Rajna Patel, Sudima Hotels CEO Sudesh Jhunjhunwala, India New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) chair Bharat Chawla, Waitakere Indian Association president Sunil Kaushal, and Wellington Indian Association president Manisha Morar.

The participation of these community leaders highlights the importance of connections between individuals, promoting more profound cultural interaction and enhancing the partnership between the two countries.

Luxon is also scheduled to attend the inaugural session of the 10th Raisina Dialogue 2025 in Delhi on March 17 as the chief guest, where he will deliver the keynote address along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following this, he will travel to Mumbai on March 19-20 for discussions with Indian business leaders and representatives from various industries. His visit will conclude on March 20, when he departs for Wellington.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the visit as a reaffirmation of the longstanding and enduring ties between India and New Zealand.

The statement stressed the commitment of both nations to strengthening bilateral relations across diverse sectors and further deepening people-to-people connections.

In February, Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan met Luxon to explore new avenues for cooperation while reaffirming India's dedication to elevating the partnership.

Over the past year, Luxon and PM Modi have engaged on multiple occasions, including a meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos in October 2024, as well as a telephonic conversation in July 2024.

India and New Zealand share historically close ties, driven by mutual interests in trade, education, culture, research, and innovation. Despite the geographical distance, both countries have developed a strong partnership, with the Indian diaspora in New Zealand playing a crucial role in fostering cultural and economic cooperation.
New Delhi, March 17 : A Roza Iftar programme was organised by the Delhi BJP Minority Morcha at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in the national capital where several distinguished guests and party leaders were present, the party said in a statement

On this occasion, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, BJP's National President of Minority Morcha Jamal Siddiqui, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi Minister Ashish Sood, Uttar Pradesh Minister Danish Azad, International Kho-Kho player Nasreen Sheikh, Delhi BJP General Secretary Vishnu Mittal, former Union Ministers Shahnawaz Hussain and Harsh Vardhan, former BJP Vice-President of National Minority Commission Atif Rashid, Incharge of BJP's Delhi Minority Morcha, Qari Mohammad Haroon were present and broke the fast with the people from the Muslim community and wished them 'Ramazan Mubarak' greetings.

In the holy month of Ramzan, Roza Iftar has a special significance for the Muslim community.

During this holy month, Roza Iftar programmes are organised at various places in which people from all sections are invited and Roza Iftar is done jointly.

Delhi BJP Minority Morcha officials including Irfan Salmani, Nasir Raza, Imtiaz Ahmed, Zulfiqar, Aas Mohammad Malik, Iqrar Qureshi, Mustafa Siddiqui and many other BJP workers were present at this event.

Delhi BJP Minority Morcha President, Anees Abbasi said that the holy month of Ramzan is a month of worship in which people of Muslim community observe fasts and pray for mutual brotherhood and prosperity of the country.

He said: "With this feeling in mind, the Delhi BJP have organised this Roza Iftar program on Sunday so that all of us together can pray for a developed Delhi and contribute in realising the dream of the Prime Minister."

The BJP Minority Morcha on Sunday launched the 'Saughat-e-Modi' campaign, aiming to reach out to 32 lakh needy people during Eid.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the campaign will provide essential items to those in need through 'Saughat-e-Modi' kits.

Jamal Siddiqui, National President of BJP Minority Morcha, announced the campaign during a virtual meeting attended by national office bearers, state in-charges, state presidents, and district presidents.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 17 : India's smartphone exports crossed a staggering Rs 1.75 lakh crore ($21 billion) in 11 months of FY2024-25 (April-February) which constitutes a 54 per cent jump over the corresponding figure for the same period of FY2023-24, according to latest industry data.

New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Indiaas smartphone exports crossed a staggering Rs 1.75 lakh crore ($21 billion) in 11 months of FY2024-25 (April-February) which constitutes a 54 per cent jump over the corresponding figure for the same period of FY2023-24, according to latest industry data.

Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that he expects smartphone exports to reach $20 billion (Rs 1.68 lakh crore,) during 2024-25, but the estimate has already been exceeded in 11 months of the current financial year, as per data from the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA).

Indiaas electronics goods exports, led by smartphones, have been accelerating in recent years on the back of governmentas production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme which has succeeded in attracting foreign tech giants such as Apple and its suppliers, looking to set up alternative supply chains outside China after the Communist country came under US sanctions.

The PLI scheme has boosted exports and reduced imports, as domestic production now meets 99 per cent of domestic demand.

Around 70 per cent of the exports were contributed by Appleas iPhone supply chain with Tamil Nadu-based Foxconn plant, accounting for close to 50 per cent of the overseas shipments. Exports from the Foxconn factory registered an over 40 per cent jump over the same period of the previous financial year.

Another 22 per cent of the exports came from iPhone vendor Tata Electronics, which has acquired the Wistron smartphone manufacturing factory in Karnataka. Another 12 per cent of the export consignments came from the Pegatron facility in Tamil Nadu in which Tata Electronics acquired a 60 per cent stake towards January-end. With the acquisition of the two Taiwanese companies, the Tata group has also emerged as a major producer of iPhones in the country.

South Korean tech giant Samsung contributed around 20 per cent of the total smartphone exports from India.

The PLI for electronics manufacturing has succeeded in attracting a cumulative investment to the tune of Rs 10,213 crore till December 2024, leading to the creation of over 1.37 lakh direct jobs and boosting the country's exports, according to latest information tabled in the Parliament.

Under the special incentive scheme, cumulative production of Rs 662,247 crore has been achieved.

"Due to the policies of the government for promotion of electronics manufacturing, India has become a mobile phone exporter now from a mobile importing country in 2014- 15," Union Minister of State for electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, informed Parliament recently.

Driven by the PLI scheme, the production of mobile phones has increased from about 60 million mobile phones in 2014-15 to about 330 million mobile phones in 2023-24. This is a more than 5 times increase in the number of mobile phones manufactured over the last 10 years.

In value terms, the production of mobile phones has increased from a mere Rs 19,000 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 422,000 crore in 2023-24 growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41 per cent.

Since the inception of the PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing, mobile phone exports have increased from Rs 22,868 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 129,074 crore in 2023-24 growing at a CAGR of 78 per cent.

Further, whereas in 2015, 74 per cent of all mobile phones sold in India were imported, India has now reached a point where 99.2 per cent of the mobile handsets being used in India are made in India.
Bareilly, March 17 : National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, on Monday accused the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) of deviating from its core purpose and being "hijacked" by politicians.

His remarks come as AIMPLB staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, alleging that the government is conspiring to seize Waqf properties.

The protest saw participation from eleven opposition parties, including the Congress. However, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi slammed AIMPLB for prioritising political alliances over addressing the real concerns of the Muslim community.

"AIMPLB is holding a dharna at Jantar Mantar. Everyone has the right to protest, but I want to highlight an important point. When the Muslim Personal Law Board was formed, its purpose was to address social matters and combat societal evils within the Muslim community. Unfortunately, it has now strayed from that mission," he said.

He pointed out that earlier, political figures were not part of the board, but today, it is dominated by members from various political parties.

"The board now includes people affiliated with different political groups, whether in Parliament or other positions. Leaders from the Samajwadi Party, Congress, and even AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi hold influential positions within the Muslim Personal Law Board," he stated.

According to Razvi, the board has shifted away from addressing Sharia-related and social issues, instead aligning itself with political agendas.

"It is clear that the Muslim Personal Law Board has been hijacked by politicians and political parties. This hijacking will prove to be disastrous for the real issues concerning Muslims," he warned.

His remarks come against the backdrop of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) tabled its report on the bill in Parliament on February 13, facing opposition from various political groups.

The Waqf Act of 1995, which was originally enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 17 : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday informed the state Assembly that only a detailed probe will reveal if there was any involvement of political leaders in the now infamous Kerala CSR funds scam.

The scam, executed by a team, involved deceiving victims by offering high-value consumer products -- such as scooters, laptops, and sewing machines -- at half the market price under the guise of a CSR initiative.

CM Vijayan said that so far the extent of the scam is Rs 231 crore, in which 1,343 cases have been registered. Of these, 669 are being probed by the Crime Branch.

"Presently, 48,384 people have fallen victim to this scam. Initially, people received items at half the price, but after that, nothing happened. Today, the probe is on," said CM Vijayan.

"With regards to the involvement of politicians in this scam, that can be known when the probe goes forward," said the Chief Minister.

So far, two arrests have been made, which include 28-year-old Ananthu Krishnan, the alleged mastermind behind the massive scam and K.N. Anand Kumar, Chairman of the NGO Confederation and a well-known social activist in Kerala.

"The bank accounts of both these people have been frozen, and the probe is going in the right direction," added CM Vijayan.

Even though CM Vijayan has pointed out that the scam is of Rs 231 crore, unofficial estimates reveal it's worth more than Rs 1,000 crore.

While Krishnan is under judicial custody, Kumar, who was arrested last week, is presently admitted to a private hospital undergoing cardiac treatment.

Kumar is alleged to have received Rs 10 lakh per month over several months from Krishnan.

This aggressive promotional campaign attracted thousands of unsuspecting investors, who were led to believe they were making a lucrative purchase through corporate sponsorship.

As the fraudulent scheme unraveled, several victims came forward, alleging that they had invested their savings in what appeared to be an enticing opportunity.

The Crime Branch's investigation has revealed the staggering extent of the scam, leading to the registration of more than 1,000 cases of financial fraud across all 14 districts of the state.

Last month, as part of a parallel probe, the Kochi unit of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at 12 locations across Kerala to trace the money trail and possible instances of money laundering linked to the scam.
New Delhi, March 17 : Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan was sought to be implicated in the Bofors scandal by a planted story linking his name to a secret Swiss account for kickbacks from the Swedish arms giant as part of a "vicious campaign", says journalist Chitra Subramaniam. A

"No, there was absolutely no shred of evidence that he (Amitabh Bachchan) had taken any money. But the water had been muddied so much that by the time the water could be cleaned up, the damage had been done," Subramaniam told IANS in an interview.

"And you know how it is like, imagine the name of the Bachchans, I mean it's a big name..."

Subramaniam, who has detailed how she faced pressure to find any proof of the involvement of the Bachchans -- the Big B and his brother Ajitabh -- after their names cropped up in the scandal, in her recently released "Boforsgate: A Journalistas Pursuit of Truth", accused a section of the then government and media of trying to implicate the Bollywood megastar, who was then a member of Lok Sabha from Allahabad.

"And you say the sixth account...there was no sixth account. It didn't exist... it was planted by the Indian government officials," she said, and called out the media and some then officials from top legal authorities of a "habit of speaking around loosely".

"You don't speak loosely as a journalist... if you are a journalist of stature or an official of stature, you don't speak loosely, throwing names here and there. You know the office of the Solicitor General of India, or the CBI (the Central Bureau of Investigation) meeting the office of the Swiss authorities, you don't speak around loosely. Every word is precious, whatever you say, you must be careful...," she added.

In her book, Subramaniam notes that an Indian delegation, comprising several top officials, had, at a meeting with a Bofors delegation, mentioned the names of the Bachchans and some Italian relatives of the Prime Minister.

She also recounts how she had travelled with an official Indian delegation to Switzerland in 1990 and after a meeting with Swiss officials, one team member took her aside and told her how there was a "sixth account" which could not be blocked as it was connected with the account of someone whose name did not figure in the FIR. According to this team member, the Swiss were given a list of names, including the Bachchans, and had allegedly indicated it was them. She posited that the bid to draw in the Bachchans was due to the fact they were close to the Gandhi family.

Subramaniam notes she made 18 phone calls to her sources "Snowman" in Switzerland and "Sting" in Sweden, seeking confirmation but drew a blank, with both sources telling her that she needed a break.

The story broke out in two Swedish papers and then in a number of Indian papers, and Subramaniam said she was asked by several people how she had missed the story but stuck to her guns of not doing it unless she obtained independent confirmation and was eventually vindicated.

In the book, she also notes how the Bachchans came to her house for dinner, and the talks eventually veered on to Bofors, and she told him that she had not found any evidence against him.

Asked if Amitabh Bachchan's silence on the matter, and his resignation as an MP in 1987, were counter-productive, Subramanian termed him a "gentleman to the core".

"What can you say if the accusation is so false, where you do even begin?" she said.

Subramaniam noted that she had first got in touch with Ajitabh Bachchan in Switzerland even though she was not allowed to meet him when she went to his home, and he later connected with her over the phone before meeting Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. She recounts further meetings and how she and her family members were impressed by the breadth of his knowledge of things beyond cinema.

But, the contact with the Big B and her stand in not believing the planted story led to a spate of nasty stories and character assassination in a section of the Indian media then.

"And now, when I think back, people have asked me why do you think he (Amitabh Bachchan) was brought in, I think there was envy. The man was.. he didn't need the money, he didn't need the fame, he was somebody on his own. You needed to crush him... and the viciousness of it all, it was horrible," Subramaniam told IANS.
Chennai, March 17 : Tamil Nadu Police detained senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday ahead of her protest against the alleged multi-crore TASMAC scam.

Soundararajan, a former Governor of Telangana and Puducherry, was taken into custody from her residence under heavy police deployment.

As she was being escorted away, she told the media, "They are arresting me from my residence. I will not go separately; I want everyone to come with me."

The Tamil Nadu BJP had earlier announced statewide protests on March 17, targeting the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) -- the government-run liquor retail monopoly -- over alleged financial irregularities.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently unearthed financial discrepancies in TASMAC amounting to nearly Rs 1,000 crore, a revelation that prompted BJP's K. Annamalai to compare it to liquor scams in Delhi and Chhattisgarh.

He described the scam as "unprecedented" and claimed its scale could be even larger than initially reported. Annamalai stated that the BJP would lay siege to the TASMAC headquarters in Egmore, Chennai, and conduct similar demonstrations outside TASMAC outlets across the state.

He accused the ruling DMK government of trying to divert public attention by focusing on unrelated issues like the Indian currency symbol in recent days.

Senior BJP leader H. Raja echoed these sentiments, stating that while the ED had so far uncovered a Rs 1,000 crore scam, the actual misappropriation could be as high as Rs 2 lakh crore.

He demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. He also criticised the recently presented Tamil Nadu state budget, calling it nothing more than the DMK's election manifesto for the 2026 Assembly elections.

The BJP has long accused the DMK of using TASMAC revenues for political gain. Annamalai cited the 2023 arrest of Senthilbalaji, Tamil Nadu's Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise, by the ED.

He noted that after a year in custody, Senthil Balaji was reinstated with the same ministerial portfolio, which Annamalai claimed was a testament to the DMK's dependence on TASMAC funds.

With Tamilisai Soundararajan's detention and the BJP's aggressive stance on the issue, the political battle over the TASMAC scam is expected to escalate in the coming days.
Canberra, March 17 : Extreme heat is a major contributor to heart disease in Australia, responsible for 7.3 per cent of the total cardiovascular disease burden, a new study said on Monday.

Between 2003 and 2018, hot weather accounted for nearly 50,000 years of healthy life lost annually, with South Australia experiencing the highest impact and the Northern Territory the lowest, according to the study funded by the Adelaide University China Fee Scholarships and the Australian Research Council Discovery Program.

Under future climate scenarios, the burden of cardiovascular disease is expected to rise steadily. By the 2050s, under a high-emissions scenario, it is projected to more than double compared to the baseline, with the Northern Territory experiencing the most significant increase, said the study published in the European Heart Journal.

"When the weather is hot, our hearts have to work harder to help us cool down. This added pressure can be dangerous, especially for people with cardiovascular disease," said Bi Peng, the research lead from the University of Adelaide Public Health and Environmental Medicine.

"Many of us have experienced how a warming climate can make us feel unwell, particularly during longer periods of extreme heat," Bi said, adding the exact number of people living with severe heart disease or dying prematurely due to rising temperatures remains uncertain. It is crucial to understand how this burden will grow in the future.

Using disability-adjusted life years to measure lost healthy years due to illness or death, the study underscores the urgent need for adaptation and mitigation strategies, including urban cooling initiatives, public health campaigns, and emergency response measures in hot days, Xinhua news agency reported.

While the study focusses on Australia, researchers note that the link between heat and heart disease is a global concern, Bi said, adding investing in climate mitigation and adaptation strategies could significantly reduce the future impact of heat-related cardiovascular disease worldwide.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Volkswagen Group announced on March 17 it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with FAW Group in Germany, aiming to deepen their long-standing collaboration and drive new breakthroughs in product development and technological innovation of FAW-Volkswagen ("FAW-VW"), their joint venture. The partnership is expected to inject fresh momentum into China's automotive market, particularly in the areas of electrification and smart mobility.

Photo credit: Volkswagen Group

Under the agreement, starting in 2026, FAW-VW will introduce 11 new models across multiple segments, tailored to the needs of the Chinese market. The lineup will include six battery electric vehicle (BEV) models, two plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models, two range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) models, and one oil-fueled vehicle model, significantly expanding FAW-VW's product portfolio to meet the growing demand for diverse mobility solutions.

Looking ahead to 2030, FAW-VW plans to launch more than 20 fire new models under its various brands, following a strategic approach that integrates both traditional and electrified powertrains.

On the technology front, FAW-VW's new energy vehicle lineup will incorporate the advanced CMP (China Main Platform), along with the CEA (China Electrical Architecture), a zonal Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architecture. This will support the introduction of four compact vehicle modelstwo BEVs and two PHEVsaccelerating the company's transition towards intelligent and electrified mobility.

Additionally, a new model built on Volkswagen's MEB platform will undergo a comprehensive smart upgrade through CEA integration.

In the mid-size vehicle segment, FAW-VW plans to launch two BEV models, along with their REEV versions, based on Volkswagen's future-generation platforms, catering to consumers seeking both long-range capability and an enhanced driving experience.

The JETTA brand is also set to enter the entry-level BEV market with its first all-electric vehicle model debuting in 2026. Designed to be highly competitive in both pricing and smart features, this launch marks JETTA's transition into the era of intelligent connected vehicles while further strengthening FAW-VW's market position.
Kolkata, March 17 : Trinamool Congress MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will raise the matter concerning issue of duplicate Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers for voters from different states and fake Aadhaar cards, in the remaining days of the Budget Session of Parliament.

"In the memorandum that our delegation of MPs recently submitted to the full Bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI), we have mentioned both the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers as well as fake Aadhaar cards.

"Now, our MPs in both Houses of Parliament will be vocal on these two issues on the floor of the House in the coming days as instructed by our leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," said a Lok Sabha member, who was also a part of the delegation.

He said that the party is in favour of developing coordination with other non-BJP parties on these two issues, so that there is an orchestrated voice of the Opposition in the matter on the floor of the House.

However, he added that the Trinamool Congress leadership, including Mamata Banerjee, is not quite happy with the approach of the Congress in maintaining coordination among the Opposition parties, not just on these two issues but also on other matters.

"We hope that at least on these two issues, the Congress will show greater flexibility as regards to maintaining Opposition coordination," the Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member said.

The main demand of the Trinamool Congress is that the ECI should furnish details on the exact number of EPIC cards with duplicate numbers prevailing in the country and their state-wise break-up and whether the voters having the duplicate EPIC numbers would be ultimately barred from casting votes.

The ruling party in West Bengal has already expressed its objections on why the ECI had suppressed the matter over the existence of the duplicate EPIC numbers before the issue was brought to public notice by Mamata Banerjee.

The party has stated that issuing two voters with the same EPIC number is in violation of Rule 28 of the Representation of People Act.
Jaipur, March 17 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday detained a woman, claiming to be from Balochistan, who illegally crossed the India-Pakistan border and entered Rajasthan.

The woman was apprehended at the Vijeta post in Anupgarh, Sri Ganganagar district, in the morning, officials said.

She has categorically refused to return to Pakistan, claiming that her life would be in danger if she did.

According to officials, the woman crossed the barbed wire fence and entered Indian territory around 5.30 a.m.

The BSF jawans stationed at the Vijeta post immediately took her into custody.

During preliminary questioning, she expressed her desire to seek refuge in India, citing a threat to her life if she was sent back.

The detained woman has identified herself as Humara (33), a resident of Dagri Khan village in Kech district, Balochistan. She also mentioned that her husband's name is Wasim and that her parents were originally from Karachi.

Security personnel recovered items like a mobile phone, gold earrings, a nose ring and a gold bracelet from her possession.

Police officials said that security agencies are thoroughly investigating the case.

Authorities are trying to determine her reason for crossing the border and whether she has any links to suspicious organisations.

The BSF officials confirmed that she was apprehended 50 meters inside Indian territory.

Considering the seriousness of the situation, intelligence and security agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), CID, and the police, have been alerted.

Investigators are assessing whether her crossing was accidental or part of a larger conspiracy.

As of now, the woman remains in the BSF's custody, and extensive questioning is underway, officials said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Prashant Kaushik said, "The incident took place at Vijeta Post. Around 5.30 a.m., a Pakistani woman crossed the barbed wire fence and entered Indian territory. However, the soldiers stationed at Vijeta Post apprehended her. Authorities are interrogating the woman and examining her mobile phone as part of the investigation."

Further details are awaited as the probe is ongoing.
Mumbai, March 17 : The Japanese girl group XG is set to release their new track titled 'Million Places' on May 14. The girl group held their Osaka concert on March 15 and March 16 as part of their world tour at Osaka-Jo Hall.

Mumbai, March 17 (IANS) The Japanese girl group XG is set to release their new track titled aMillion Placesa on May 14. The girl group held their Osaka concert on March 15 and March 16 as part of their world tour at Osaka-Jo Hall.

During the March 15 show, which was a part of XGas 1st World Tour aThe First Howla, Maya and Cocona performed aShow You Cana, the track which featured on the Korean compilation album aStreet Woman Fighter 2 Crew Songsa (released in 2023).

The band announced the release date of the track at the end of the show. The release of the new songs coincides with the day of the bandas Tokyo Dome tour finale, in both CD BOX and digital formats. 'Million Placesa reflects XGas journey across the globe, capturing precious moments spent with fans throughout their world tour.

The track is inspired by the love that the band experienced in cities, crossing cultures and borders, the song portrays a special journey shared between XG and their fans, transcending distance and nationality.

As the Tokyo Dome performance approaches, anticipation grows for the emotional stage and the heartfelt message of love that XG will deliver.

XGas 1st World Tour aThe First Howla began in May last year with performances in Japan. The tour will continue with additional March shows in China (Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu) and April performances in Latin America (SAo Paulo, Mexico City) before culminating in the Tokyo Dome finale on May 14. The tour spans 47 shows across 35 cities worldwide.

Earlier, the mini album of the girl group, titled 'AWE', debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album landed at Number 175 spot. For Japanese artists, itas significant as well, as it follows Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's 'A Symphonic Celebrationa, Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki' from 2023, and as the first Japanese girl group to make the list since Baby Metalas aMetal Galaxya in 2019.
New Delhi: The initial price offered by France and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) for the three additional Scorpene class submarines was Rs 75,000 crore but the Indian Ministry of Defence negotiated very strongly to get a discount of nearly Rs 40,000 crore from them.

The price of the submarines is now coming to be around 36,000 crore and the discount will result in mega savings for their projects of the Indian Navy and other two defence services.

The price was jointly offered by the MDL, Bharat Electronics Limited and the French side.

The MoD acquisition wing has been indulging in tough negotiations with vendors and has been able to save thousands or crores of taxpayer money.

The tough negotiation drive was started during the tenure of former Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar's time where the working mantra was that every penny saved in making more money available for other modernisation projects for the armed forces.

India and France share robust defence industrial partnership. Last month, during their meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron stressed on the early launch of an R&D framework through a Technical Arrangement for cooperation in defence technologies between DGA and DRDO, thus further deepening the Research and Development partnerships.

In addition, both leaders at the Summit also welcomed the ongoing discussions between L'Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales (ONERA) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to identify technologies for R&D partnerships.

Further, India has welcomed the participation of Indian students, alongside French students, in the challenge on distributed intelligence launched recently by Interdisciplinary Center for Defence and Security from the Institut Polytechnique de Parisand encourages organising of more joint challenges in the future to evoke the interest of students in defence.

Recalling the deep and longstanding defence cooperation between France and India as part of the Strategic Partnership, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi at the last Summit also welcomed the continuation of the cooperation of air and maritime assets in line with the ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024.

Both leaders commended progress in collaboration in construction of Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenization, and in particular the work carried out with a view to the integration of DRDO developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) into P75-Scorpene submarines and the analyses conducted regarding the possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines.

Both leaders welcomed the commissioning of the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene-class project, INS Vaghsheer, on 15 January 2025. Both sides welcomed the ongoing discussions in missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines. They also welcomed the excellent cooperation between the relevant entities in the Safran group and their Indian counterparts. Prime Minister Modi also invited the French Army to take a closer look at the Pinaka MBRL, emphasising that an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties.

In addition, President Macron welcomed the decision to include India as an observer to the Eurodrone MALE programme managed by OCCAR, which is another step forward in the growing strength of our partnership in defence equipment programmes.

(Deepak Kumar is an Indian security and strategic affairs analyst specialising in geopolitics and geoeconomics. Views expressed are personal)
Bhopal, March 17 : The main opposition party, Congress, staged a walkout in protest against what they claim was a fabricated "Maoist" encounter in Mandla on March 9.

The Congress members demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, but their calls were met with resistance. Amid slogans and the alleged inaction, the legislators of Congress staged a walkout in the Assembly on Monday.

The member of the Assembly, Omkar Singh Markam of Congress, expressed his dissatisfaction, accusing the government of evading accountability.

He criticised Assembly Speaker Narendra Tomar for rejecting their demands and described the BJP government's stance as authoritarian. In solidarity, Congress lawmakers boycotted the Assembly proceedings.

Meanwhile, Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya introduced the Madhya Pradesh Nagar and Gram Nivesh Amendment Bill, steering the Assembly's focus toward legislative matters.

Discussions on the state budget followed shortly after.

Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath also made his presence felt in the Assembly.

Addressing recent incidents, including the murder of an Assistant Sub-Inspector in Mauganj and a lawyer-police altercation in Indore, he voiced serious concerns about governance in the state.

"Madhya Pradesh has become a hub of lawlessness and corruption," he remarked, highlighting the national attention the state has drawn for these issues.

The controversy over the alleged Maoist encounter in Mandla on March 9 continues to escalate. The deceased's family, along with the Congress and the Gondwana Ganatantra Party, have raised serious questions about the incident.

Congress state president Jitu Patwari took to social media, urging the state government to launch a comprehensive probe.

Kamlesh Tekam, state president of the Gondwana Ganatantra Party, announced plans to file a writ petition in the High Court and warned of a protest movement starting March 25 if no action is taken.

Congress MLA Narayan Patta visited Lasare Tola in Khatia, the village of the deceased, and called for a judicial inquiry after speaking with the locals.

Visro Bai, the widow of Hiran Singh -- the man killed in the encounter -- revealed that her husband had been struggling with mental health issues. She stated that he had left home with only an axe and a water bottle and was reportedly caught in the crossfire between the police and Maoists. She has demanded a job for her children and compensation of Rs 50 lakh from the authorities.
Seoul, March 17 : South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun is expected to visit the United States later this week to deal with Washington's designation of South Korea as a "sensitive" country, government sources here said on Monday.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), South Korea was placed in the "lowest" category of the DOE's "sensitive and other designated countries list" (SCL) in early January.

This designation was made during the final weeks of former U.S. President Joe Biden's administration and shortly after President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed martial law in December, while the precise reasoning behind the designation remains unclear, reports Yonhap news agency.

Government sources said South Korea is in talks with the DOE to arrange a meeting between Ahn and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in Washington later this week.

"After reaching a mutual agreement, Ahn could visit the U.S. at the end of this week," a government official said. "Key agenda items will include energy issues, such as the Alaska gas development project and nuclear power collaboration."

Ahn is expected to discuss Washington's rationale for designating South Korea as a "sensitive country" and ask for its removal from the list, sources added.

Earlier in the day, acting President Choi Sang-mok instructed the industry minister to engage with his U.S. counterpart this week for active consultations over the DOE list.

Choi also directed relevant government agencies to "actively explain" the situation to Washington to ensure that South Korea-U.S. cooperation in science, technology and energy remains unaffected.

Ahn's envisioned U.S. visit comes just three weeks after his trip to Washington in late February, during which he met with key U.S. trade officials, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

During the tour in February, however, Ahn failed to meet with Wright due to scheduling issues.

This time, discussions will highly likely centre around the Alaska gas pipeline project, the Donald Trump administration's key energy initiative.

Seoul has expressed its interest in the potentially multi-trillion-dollar project, part of a move aimed at reducing its trade surplus with the U.S., which is poised to start imposing "reciprocal" tariffs on key U.S. trade partners as a way of reducing its trade deficits.
Idukki, March 17 : A tiger that had caused panic among the locals in Gramby in Kerala's Idukki district was shot dead after tranquilizer shots failed to subdue it.

The tiger, even after two tranquilizer shots, had attacked the special team, which was on prowl to capture it.

The officials said that after the first tranquilizer was fired, the tiger became violent, and a second shot made it more aggressive. It jumped towards the Rapid Response Team (RRT), and in the process, one member suffered injuries. Seeing this, the RRT officials, who were armed, opened fire, and in that gunfire, the tiger dropped down.

The RRT officials lifted the tiger into a net and put it into a vehicle.

Pictures now reveal that the tiger was dead when it was lifted into the net. The RRT team had shifted the caged tiger to the Thekkady Wildlife Reserve. It was after reaching there that the news came that the tiger was dead.

Incidentally, a team of the Kerala Forest Department, police and locals, which has been on the lookout for the tiger for the past six days, on Monday morning saw it in a tea estate.

When it was spotted a few days back, the tiger seemed to be weak and was seen limping due to a possible injury.

Earlier, the Department had set up a cage near the Government LP School in Gramby to trap the animal.

However, the attempt failed as the tiger was too weak to enter the trap, prompting officials to focus on tranquillisation instead.

According to official data as of February 28, Kerala has recorded 57 human fatalities due to wildlife attacks in the current financial year (2024-25).

This includes 15 deaths from elephant attacks, eight from wild boar attacks, one death from a tiger attack, 32 deaths from snake bites and one death caused by a porcupine attack.

The increasing number of human- wildlife conflicts in Kerala is attributed to its vast forest cover, which accounts for 29.1 per cent of the stateas total geographical area.

More than one lakh tribal residents live within these forests, alongside nearly five lakh non-tribal residents in nearby settlements and border areas.
New Delhi, March 17 : The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) achieved a historic high of 2.16 crore auto claim settlements during the current financial year (up to March 6), up from 89.52 lakh in FY2023-24, the Parliament was informed on Monday.

Over 99.31 per cent claims are now received in online mode, without any requirement to visit the field office, said Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

In FY 2024-25 (as on March 6), 7.14 crore claims have been filed in the online mode.

For auto mode processing of advance claims, the amount limit has been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh.

Further, in addition to illness/hospitalisation advances, the advances for housing, education and marriage are also enabled for auto mode processing. Now, 60 per cent of advance claims are processed are in auto mode.

The auto-mode claims are processed within three days, according to the EPFO.

"Member details correction process has been simplified, and members having Aadhaar-verified UANs can make corrections in their IDs themselves, without any EPFO interventions. At present, about 96 per cent corrections are being done without any EPF office intervention," according to the minister.

It further stated that in Transfer claim submission requests, the need for employer's attestation of Aadhaar-verified UANs has been done away with. Now, only 10 per cent transfer claims require member and employer's attestation.

The requirement for submitting a cheque-leaf with the claim form has also been relaxed for KYC-compliant UANs meeting prescribed criteria.

EPFO has also provided de-linking facilities to the members, whose EPF accounts have been erroneously/fraudulently linked by the establishments.

"Since its launch on 18.01.2025, more than 55,000 members have de-linked their accounts till the end of February, 2025," Karandlaje informed.

The claim settlement process is being further simplified with Centralisation of member databases under Centralized IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01).

Meanwhile, the EPFO is set to introduce a new system called 'EPFO 3.0', which will allow subscribers to withdraw their provident fund (PF) directly from ATMs.

The the new system will offer banking-like convenience along with several digital features to make transactions easier.
Chennai, March 17 : The no-confidence motion moved by the AIADMK against Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu was defeated on Monday.

The motion, introduced by AIADMK Deputy Floor Leader R.B. Udhayakumar under Assembly Rule 68, accused the Speaker of being biased and acting like a worker of the ruling DMK.

The AIADMK argued that Appavuas conduct in the Assembly was not impartial and called for his removal.

As the motion targeted him, Speaker Appavu handed over the proceedings to Deputy Speaker K. Pitchandi.

During the debate, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin strongly defended the Speaker, stating that Appavu had always acted impartially and that the resolution itself was baseless.

Following the debate, the Deputy Speaker called for a voice vote, but AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) demanded a division. The House was then divided into six sections for counting. Ultimately, 154 members opposed the motion, while 62 supported it, leading to its defeat.

Interestingly, legislators from the faction led by expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam (OPS) also backed the no-confidence motion.

Senior AIADMK leader K.A. Sengottaiyan, known for his differences with EPS, also voted in favour of the resolution. However, three AIADMK legislators, including former Speaker P. Dhanapal, were absent during the vote.

The DMK and its allies, including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Tamilaga Vazhurimai Katchi, and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, rejected the motion.

Meanwhile, BJP legislators Vanathi Sreenivasan and Saraswathi were detained by the Chennai Police earlier in the day.

The PMK legislators were also absent from the Assembly during the voting process.

Poovai Jagan Moorthy, leader of Puratchi Bharatham, supported the AIADMKas resolution.

Before the division vote, the Assembly doors were closed, and once the votes were counted, the motion was officially defeated.

This development follows AIADMKas walkout from the Assembly on March 13 during the presentation of the state budget for 2025-26.

EPS had demanded the resignation of the DMK government, citing moral responsibility over the alleged liquor scam in the state. The BJP also boycotted the session. With the failure of the no-confidence motion, Speaker M. Appavu remains in his position, further strengthening the DMKas hold in the Assembly.
New Delhi, March 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon on Monday agreed to enhance the trade and investment relationship between the two countries, to realise the untapped potential and contribute to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

According to a joint statement issued after the meeting here, "the two leaders welcomed the sustained trade and investment flows between India and New Zealand and called for greater two-way investment, reflective of the ongoing strong momentum in bilateral cooperation."

The Prime Ministers welcomed the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial trade agreement to achieve deeper economic integration.

The leaders agreed that a comprehensive trade agreement offers a significant opportunity to enhance trade and economic cooperation. By leveraging each country's strengths, addressing their respective concerns, and tackling challenges, a bilateral trade agreement can foster mutually beneficial trade and investment growth, ensuring equitable gains and complementarities for both sides. The Leaders committed to designate senior representatives to steer these negotiations to resolution as soon as reasonably possible, the statement said.

Within the context of FTA negotiations, the leaders agreed to discussions between respective authorities on both sides to explore early implementation of cooperation in the digital payments sector.

They encouraged businesses on both sides to cultivate links; explore emerging economic and investment opportunities to build upon the complementarities of the two economies.

The two leaders also welcomed the signing of the Authorised Economic Operators Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO-MRA) under the aegis of the Customs Cooperation Arrangement (CCA) signed in 2024, which would facilitate easier movement of goods between the two countries by respective trusted traders through close cooperation between customs authorities, thereby boosting bilateral trade.

The leaders welcomed new cooperation on horticulture and forestry, including the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Horticulture which would enhance bilateral cooperation by promoting knowledge and research exchanges, development of post-harvest and marketing infrastructure; and the signing of a Letter of Intent on Forestry Cooperation that encourages policy dialogues and technical exchanges, according to the joint statement.

The leaders also recognised the positive role played by tourism in generating economic growth, increasing business engagements and generating greater understanding between people of the two countries.

They welcomed the growing flows of tourists between India and New Zealand and also appreciated the update to the India-New Zealand Air Services Agreement and agreed to encourage their carriers for commencement of direct (non-stop) flight operations between the two countries, the statement added.

The New Zealand Prime Minister is on an official visit to India from March 16-20. He will also visit Mumbai and is accompanied by his cabinet colleagues including Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment, Agriculture, and Forestry, Louise Upston, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Mark Mitchell, Minister for Ethnic Communities, and Sport and Recreation.

--IANS

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Beijing (Gasgoo)- On March 12, Chinese autonomous driving solution provider Pony.ai and ComfortDelGro Corporation officially launched their joint autonomous ride-hailing service (Robotaxi service) in Guangzhou, according to Pony.ai's announcement on March 17.

Signing ceremony; photo credit: Pony.ai

This follows a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024, in which both companies announced plans to introduce autonomous mobility services in China before expanding to other countries and regions. After nearly six months of preparation, the first phase of their collaboration has now commenced.

ComfortDelGro is a global multimodal mobility service operator with a presence in 12 countries and a network of over 29,000 taxis worldwide, boasting extensive operational experience and fleet management capabilities. Pony.ai, on the other hand, provides advanced self-driving solutions. It is the first company in China to secure driverless ride-hailing permits across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen cities, with operations extending to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Under this collaboration, multiple autonomous passenger vehicles will operate in Guangzhou. Pony.ai will handle daily technical support and vehicle management systems, while ComfortDelGro will leverage its expertise in managing large-scale fleets to refine the operational framework for autonomous ride-hailing, ensuring service quality and rapid response mechanisms.
Bhopal, March 17 : The lone Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Transport Department met an untimely and mysterious end within his residence in the Kampoo police station jurisdiction of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.

Dharamveer Singh, who lived alone at South Avenue on Shivpuri Link Road, was discovered lifeless, raising questions about the circumstances of his death.

Preliminary speculations suggest that excessive alcohol consumption may have played a role. Reportedly, Dharamveer Singh had previously collaborated with Saurabh Sharma, a former constable turned "multi-millionaire," now imprisoned and facing a slew of charges from various investigative agencies.

Singh also worked in the transport department but later resigned from his job.

Saurabh Sharma, whose wealth came under scrutiny during high-profile raids by the Lokayukta, Enforcement Directorate, and Income Tax departments, had initially joined the force on compassionate grounds after his father's demise.

The incident came to light in the morning. "We are currently at his residence and conducting an investigation," stated Rudra Pathak, senior investigation officer and in-charge of Kampoo Police Station, during a phone conversation with IANS.

He added that the body had been sent for a post-mortem, and only after its results and further inquiries would the police determine the cause of death.

Meanwhile, the connection to Saurabh Sharma has fuelled speculations, although authorities remained tight-lipped.

Officers from the Kampoo police station acted swiftly, informing Singh's family and awaiting the post-mortem report. While hints of alcohol dependency have emerged as a potential factor, police have refrained from making any definitive statements, asserting that the post-mortem findings would provide clarity. Investigations continued and further details were awaited.

Hailing from Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, Dharamveer Singh served in the Flying Squad team of the Transport Department. With just six months left until his retirement, his life took a tragic turn.

According to police, his driver, Udit, had served him tea the previous night before Singh retired to bed. However, when Udit tried to wake him at 6 a.m., Singh's body showed no signs of life. Later realising something was wrong, Udit immediately sounded the alarm and alerted the neighbours. Singh was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead.
New Delhi, March 17 : Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, an IIT Madras alumnus, has taken charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), said the Ministry of Science & Technology on Monday.

ANRF was established through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023 (25 of 2023) in July 2024. It aims to seed, grow, and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India's universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories.

Kalyanaraman is the first CEO of ANRF. It was so far led by Secretary Department of Science and Technology (DST) Professor Abhay Karandikar.

"I am confident that he will steer ANRF to new heights," said Karandikar, who was acting as CEO of ANRF, in a post on LinkedIn.

Kalyanaraman has earlier held the post of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Energy Industry, Asia at Microsoft. He is a distinguished Alumnus Awardee of IIT Madras and Ohio State University (2021). Kalyanaraman is also a Fellow of the IEEE (2010), Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (2015), ACM Distinguished Scientist (2010), Microsoft Gold Club (2024), and Technology Review TR100 young innovator (1999).

ANRF will act as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP).

The apex research body will forge collaborations among the industry, academia, and government departments and research institutions, and create an interface mechanism for participation and contribution of industries and State governments in addition to the scientific and line ministries.

The provisions of the ANRF Act, 2023 came into force on February 5, 2024. For FY 2024-25, ANRF was allocated Rs. 966 crore. Several programmes were formulated for implementation by ANRF which include those for global positioning of India in key sectors; driving scientific advances and innovation ecosystem; and also, for promoting research and innovation through the private sector.

ANRF has recently launched an Electric Vehicle (EV) Mobility Programme under the Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA) to address priority-driven, solution-focused research in a mission mode that would catalyse multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary, and multi-investigator collaboration with close collaboration with industry.

The industry partner is mandated to provide part/partial funding in cash or kind towards the successful execution of the project. At least 10 per cent of the proposed project cost must be supported by an Industry/industries in cash.
Islamabad, March 17 : Pakistan has rejected a request by the Afghan Taliban to extend the deadline for deportation of Afghan refugees, stating in clear terms that it is moving with the plan to deport all illegal and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders from April 1.

In a major policy decision announced on March 7, the Pakistani government said that all Afghan nationals in the country having Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) will have to leave the country or face deportation and would be treated as illegal aliens after March 31.

"Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme (IFRP) has been implemented since November 1, 2023. In continuation to the Government's decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders," stated Pakistan's Ministry of Interior.

"All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before March 31, 2025. Thereafter, deportation will commence with effect from April 1, 2025," read the statement.

The decision has put the fate of over 800,000 ACC holder Afghan nationals in jeopardy as Islamabad has rejected all requests from the Afghan Taliban in Kabul to delay the process of deportation by extending the deadline.

Government sources confirmed that Pakistan has notified the Afghan Taliban that its decision was final and there would be no relaxation. Moreover, the government has already instructed the relevant authorities and all provinces to make arrangements for the return of all Afghan refugees.

Pakistan has already deported over 800,000 Afghan nationals living illegally in Pakistan as part of its launched repatriation campaign since November 2023, when it had announced that there were about 1.7 million illegal people living in Pakistan, majority of them Afghans.

Since then, a crackdown was launched against illegal Afghan nationals who refused to return to their homeland. The Afghan Taliban also criticised Pakistan for taking a unilateral decision to return hundreds of thousands of Afghans, calling on Islamabad to review its policy. But Pakistan has maintained that it would go ahead with its repatriation campaign.

In the initial phase, only those Afghans who did not have any legal status in Pakistan were targeted and deported. But now, Islamabad has stated that it would start deportation of all Afghans, including ACC holders.

As per statistics, there are at least three million Afghan nationals living in Pakistan. While Pakistan insists on deportation and repatriation of Afghans in the country because of their illegal status, it also has time and again slammed Afghanistan for supporting anti-Pakistan terror groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and others to spread chaos and unrest in Pakistan.

Recent attacks on security forces in Pakistan by terrorists have been linked to Afghanistan. Initial investigations showed that Afghan nationals were also behind the recent terrorist attack targeting the Bannu cantonment area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Since February 21, the Torkham border has also remained closed due to clashes between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani forces over a dispute about a check post the Afghans were trying to construct in the area.

"Afghan Taliban deliberately initiated the dispute to have a reason to shut down the Torkham border because it is from there where deportation and repatriation of Afghan nationals would also take place", said a government source.
Vadodara, March 17 : The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Vadodara has decided to initiate disciplinary action against Rakshit Chaurasia, the accused in the Vadodara hit-and-run case that left a woman dead and seven others injured. Chaurasia is a final-year student of the university's Faculty of Law.

Following the incident, members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest and submitted a memorandum to the university's Vice-Chancellor, demanding Chaurasiaas expulsion. MSU's acting Vice-Chancellor, Dhanesh Patel, confirmed that a committee would be formed to investigate the matter and that appropriate disciplinary action would follow based on the findings.

"Chaurasia, an eighth-semester student residing as a paying guest in Vadodara, was involved in a deeply unfortunate incident. We will conduct a thorough inquiry with legal consultation and act accordingly," Patel stated. The university has already gathered the necessary records for the investigation.

The accident, which has sparked national outrage, was captured on CCTV. The footage reportedly shows Chaurasia, who was sitting in the passenger seat, convincing his friend Pranshu Chauhan to switch seats. Chaurasia then took control of the vehicle, leading to the fatal crash.

The 23-year-old student from Prayagraj has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder after the Volkswagen Virtus sedan he was driving collided with three vehicles. Hemali Patel (35) died on the spot, while seven others sustained injuries.

A video taken after the accident shows the car with a damaged front and deployed airbags. In the footage, Chauhan is seen asking Chaurasia to move.

Chaurasia has denied being drunk or speeding and attributed the crash to the car's airbags. "We were overtaking a scooter and turned right when we hit a pothole. The car touched another vehicle, and the airbag deployed, impairing my vision and causing the car to go out of control," he had said.

Expressing remorse, Chaurasia added, "I was told that a woman died and others were injured. I want to meet the victims' families -- it is my fault."
New Delhi, March 17 : India on Monday raised the issue of radical and extremist Khalistani groups operating on New Zealand soil, posing a threat to diplomats and the larger Indian community in the country.

The issue came up during the discussions held between both sides at the Hyderabad House in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon who is currently on a five-day visit to the country.

"Certainly, this was an issue that came up. We do alert our friends to the activities of anti-India elements in their countries and their abuse of freedom of speech and other democratic freedoms to glorify terrorism and to threaten attacks against our diplomats or our parliament or our events in India. So these were also conveyed. The government of New Zealand has been receptive and has taken our concerns on board in the past as well. This was also the reaction that we got today," Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), told media after the bilateral talks.

The India-New Zealand Joint Statement released later mentioned both Prime Ministers exchanging views on regional and global developments of mutual interest while agreeing to strengthen multilateral cooperation.

"Both leaders agreed on the significance of ensuring the safety and security of the Indian community, including students, in New Zealand, and of New Zealanders in India and visitors to India," it mentioned.

The two leaders also reiterated their "absolute condemnation" of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and the use of terrorist proxies in cross-border terrorism.

"Both stressed the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, measurable, and concrete action against UN-proscribed terrorist organisations and individuals. They called for disrupting of terrorism financing networks and safe havens, dismantling of terror infrastructure, including online, and bringing perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly. The two leaders agreed to cooperate in combating terrorism and violent extremism through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms," read the statement.

The banned US-based radical Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has been trying to promote its secessionist agenda in several countries, including Australia and New Zealand, by holding a so-called "referendum" that calls for an independent Sikh homeland. Last year, such events were organised by SFJ in and around Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city.

The Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has been backing the malicious campaign to create divide on communal lines.

Indian security agencies have repeatedly warned the local law enforcement authorities on concerns about the safety and security of Indian nationals in countries where banned radical outfits linked to Pakistan and Khalistani elements have been engaging in fierce targeted propaganda.
Christchurch, March 17 : Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch on Sunday, the ICC said.

"Khushdil was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to ainappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match)"," the ICC statement read.

In addition to this, three demerit points have been added to Khushdilas disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred in the eighth over of Pakistanas innings, when running between the wickets, Khushdil made inappropriate physical contact with bowler Zakary Foulkes with a high degree of force, which was reckless, negligent and avoidable.

Khushdil admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Wayne Knights and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Kim Cotton and fourth umpire Chris Brown levelled the charge.

For the unversed, Level 2 breaches carry a fine of 50 to 100 per cent of a playeras match fee or up to two Suspension Points.

Under the leadership of new T20I captain Salman Agha, Pakistan had a miserable start as they lost to the hosts by nine wickets after bundling out for 91 in the series opener. New Zealand comfortably chased the target in 10.1 overs as Tim Siefert and Finn Allen scored 44 and 29 not out to steer the side over the line.

After the loss, Salman said his side was not up to the mark and will regroup ahead of the second T20I in Dunedin on Tuesday.

"It was difficult, we weren't up to the mark, but we need to regather (ahead of Dunedin). They bowled really well, in great areas, there was a bit of seam movement as well. We will sit down, have a chat and think about the next game. We had three debutants, the more games they play, they'll learn more. The new ball does a bit in New Zealand, we've good bowlers and we'll look to do well in the next match," the Pakistan skipper had said after the match.
New Delhi, March 17 : Under Smart City Missions about 712.59 km length of cycle track has been developed in 61 cities under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Parliament was informed on Monday.

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu told Rajya Sabha in a reply that non-motorised urban transport is one of the thrust areas of the AMRUT Mission that includes the provision of pedestrian, non-motorised and public transport facilities, cycle tracks, and parking spaces.

Highlighting cycle track projects, he said, "Against the total plan size of Rs 77,640 crore under AMRUT, Rs 1,436 crore (2 per cent) has been allocated under this sector. As reported by the States/ Union Territories, so far, 351 projects worth Rs 1,021.46 crore have been started on the ground of which works worth Rs 956.16 crore have been physically completed which led to the development of 42.56 km length of cycle track in 13 cities."

In response to another question on reasons for the reduction in the allocation of funds for the National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM) from Rs 1,150.02 crore in BE 2024-25 to Rs 108. 70 crore in RE 2024-25, the MoS said the scheme is still under consideration.

"Keeping in view of the fag end of the current financial year and in pursuance of the fund flow guidelines of Ministry of Finance, the fund at Revised Estimate stage was requested to be reduced to Rs 108.70 crore in 2024-25," said MoS Sahu.

Asked about the status of the adoption of modules under the Urban Platform for Delivery of Online Governance (UPYOG) portal and its contribution to improving the ease of living for citizens, he said the central financial assistance for digitalizing the urban services in 22 states/ UTs through UPYOG portal will be released upon approval and roll-out of the scheme.

Replying to another question on whether the Government had assessed the need to expand the role of Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) beyond municipal service delivery to areas, such as health, internal security, waste management, and traffic management, the MoS said that being a State subject, States/UTs may consider the integration of city-level ICCCs into a unified e-governance platform to enhance operational efficiency as per local circumstances and requirements.
Los Angeles, March 17 : Hollywood actress Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi exchanged wedding vows at a young age, but their decision to tie the knot was a long time coming.

After Alex Cooper asked the actress when she realised she could "actually see a future" with Jon Bon Jovi's 22-year-old son, whom she married in a private ceremony in May 2024 at age 20, the actress reflected on what exactly led the couple to marriage, reports 'People' magazine.

She said during the latest episode of 'Call Her Daddy', "We've been together for four years, so I guess maybe when we moved in together. We had dogs together, and we were taking care of our animals, and we started living this day-to-day life, and I thought, 'Oh, I really don't think I could ever see you as anything else. I don't want to be with anyone else ever again. I don't want to date, I don't want to meet anyone, I want you'".

As per 'People', it was the couple's conversations about the way they see the world and how they want to start a family, among other things that let Brown know Jake was the one. Only she didn't know at the time if he felt the same way.

"When we started talking about politics and how we want to raise our kids  we started talking about really, really big things that I'd obviously never spoken about, and I'm already very young, so I've never spoken about that with boys anyway", the 'Stranger Things' star told Cooper. "But to be able to even think about those things, I was like, 'S---. Okay, maybe I do want to be with him forever.' " "But I obviously didn't know if he felt that way".

"We talked about marriage, but I didn't really know when it was going to be. And then, when he proposed, I was like, it makes sense. Everything aligned", she added.
New Delhi, March 17 : Cuba has expressed interest in expanding engagement with India in Ayurveda and naturopathy, said the Ministry of Science and Technology on Monday, at a meeting held here on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The meeting explored avenues to deepen collaboration in medical research, vaccine development, and sustainable biomanufacturing.

"India and Cuba reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in science and technology, particularly in biotechnology and biomanufacturing," said the Ministry.

Both sides discussed strengthening existing agreements in health, medicine, and biotechnology, building upon previous agreements on traditional medicine, homeopathy, and scientific collaboration.

"Given Cuba's growing interest in Ayurveda and Indian naturopathy, both nations expressed optimism about expanding engagement in this sector," the Ministry said.

Notably, Cuba launched its first Ayurveda Center for holistic and preventive healthcare in November 2019 in Havana.

The Center was set up with the support of the Ministry of Ayush.

"Collaborative research is indispensable for a science-driven society to have a global influence at scale," said the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh.

He noted that joining hands with the best in the world and pursuing complementary, targeted research will propel India's scientific community to the next level of innovation, transformation, and skill development.

The Minister also stressed the achievements of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in focusing on collaborative research to tackle socio-economic and environmental challenges with long-term benefits, and its role as the nodal agency for the G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB).

"DBT played a key role in defining the bioeconomy framework within the GIB, contributing policy measures such as Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), the BioE3 Policy, and the National Biofuels Policy," Singh said.

"These initiatives align with India's vision of Green Growth and a Net-Zero carbon economy, underscoring India's commitment to sustainable development," he added.

Meanwhile, Cuba Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Eduardo Martinez Diaz provided insights into Cuba's success in biotechnology, particularly its achievements in developing low-cost vaccines and pioneering cancer treatments.

Diaz highlighted Cuba's focus on biomanufacturing and expressed interest in partnering with India to advance research and production capabilities.

He also extended an invitation to Singh to visit Havana and lead an Indian delegation to Bio-Habana 2026, a global biotechnology conference.
Islamabad, March 17 : In a major political scuffle in Pakistan, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the federal government has re-issued summons to 16 members of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including many senior party leaders, to appear before them on March 18 over allegations of spreading negative propaganda on social media, local media reported.

The JIT claimed to have conducted investigations against the PTI members on their alleged role in anti-state propaganda. Aleema Khanum, the sister of PTI founder, has also been reissued another notice to appear on March 19, ARY News reported quoting sources.

Earlier, while speaking in the National Assembly about the massive attack on Jaffar Express train in Balochistan, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif bashed PTI for allegedly "politicising" the attack and misinterpreting the situation on social media.

On the other hand, PTI parliamentarian and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser criticised the government's handling of national security, arguing that the Defence Minister should have briefed the House on the Jaffar Express attack instead of engaging in political mudslinging.

"It seems PTI and social media are on the minister's mind more than national security. Asif should demonstrate moral courage and tender his resignation for the serious security lapse," leading Pakistani daily Dawn quoted the parliamentarian as saying.

Qaiser also questioned the treatment of Baloch leaders, mentioning the arrests and legal actions against Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Adil Bazai. "There is no Constitution, law and respect for institutions in the country," he said.

"The primary role of intelligence agencies is to protect borders and counter terrorism. If they remain occupied with political engineering and attempts to dismantle Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, then who will safeguard the borders? Terrorism is spreading in Balochistan, yet no political solution is being sought for the issue. Stability will not be possible until a government based on public trust is established across the country, including in Balochistan," read a statement posted on the X account of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

While addressing the issue of rising terrorism in the country on Sunday, PTI leader and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had also questioned the federal government's handling of security.

"Today, I openly say that resurgence in militancy is the failure of the authorities at the helm of affairs and incompetency of the federal government and institutions," he said.




The Taipei 101 skyscraper commands the urban landscape in Taipei, Taiwan. [Photo/Xinhua]

(Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te recently unveiled 17 strategies to counter so-called "threats" from the Chinese mainland facing the island. The latest move once again revealed the authoritarian nature behind his "Taiwan independence" attempts and his stance against cross-Strait communication, peace and democracy.

Such remarks, together with other separatist attempts by Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, would lead to nothing but a bubble that will undoubtedly burst.

It is worth noting that during his campaign for Taiwan's leadership, Lai repeatedly claimed that he does not oppose healthy and orderly exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.

However, his latest statements, oozing with clear malice, tell a totally different story -- an evident intent to expand restrictions or even close the door on cross-Strait exchanges.

By referring to the mainland as a "hostile external force," Taiwan authorities led by Lai are making an unscrupulous provocation. This raises questions about how it could be possible for him to define the mainland as a "hostile force" and still maintain peace across the Strait.

This move further testifies that the Lai-led authorities are an out-and-out troublemaker and saboteur for cross-Strait peace. If left unchecked, it could only push Taiwan to the perilous brink of war.

Since its inception, the DPP has portrayed itself as "democratic" to reap electoral benefits. However, with this latest move, the DPP's hypocritical disguise was eventually stripped away by Lai himself, exposing its anti-democratic and authoritarian nature to the world, making many in the island doubt whether Taiwan is stepping toward a state of "quasi-martial law."

The public in Taiwan mocked the DPP-claimed "democratic rule" is actually the Democratic Progressive Party's autocracy.

Looking back on the years of cross-Strait relations, despite the DPP's regressive attempts, the momentum of the forward-moving waves of cross-Strait ties has never been stopped, and any temporary turbulence, like Lai's hysterical "Taiwan independence" farce, will ultimately burst and dissipate like bubbles.
New Delhi, March 17 : US Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, on her visit to India for the Raisina Dialogue, spoke at length about the political turmoil and turbulence in Bangladesh and stated that the United States was deeply concerned about persistent persecution of religious minorities in the country including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and others.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on a raft of issues, the US national intelligence chief was critical of the crumbling situation in Bangladesh and highlighted the Trump administrationas firm resolve in tackling the extremist forces and aIslamist terrorisma.

She said that the Trump administration is focused and committed to defeat the ideology that promotes "Islamist terrorism" globally.

Tulsi Gabbar, the director of National Intelligence further said, "The longtime persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities like Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and others has been a major area of concern for the US government and President Trump and his administration."

According to her, the Trump administration has already begun talks with Mohammad Younus-led interim government in Bangladesh.

She also spoke about the nefarious plots by extremist elements and terrorists in setting the stage for the aIslamic Caliphatea in various parts of the world including Bangladesh, calling it a aglobal patterna and elaborated on how the Trump administration was prioritising its policies in dealing with such menace.

Speaking to NDTV, she said, "The threat of Islamist terrorists and the global effort of different terror groups are routed in the same ideology and objective -- which is to rule or govern with an Islamic Caliphate."

"This affects people of any other religion, other than the one that they find acceptable, and they chose to carry this out with terror and very violent ways and means," she added.

She said that the US President has clearly stated its stand on defeating such designs of aradical Islamist terrorisma.

"President Trump remains committed to identifying the ideology that drives Islamist terrorism and working to defeat this ideology and their ability to exact that terror on people," she told the leading television channel.
New Delhi, March 17 : The Supreme Court on Monday extended, till July 31, the tenure of the court-appointed committee formed against the backdrop of gender violence during the sectarian strife in Manipur.

The committee comprising three woman judges a" J&K High Court's former Chief Justice Gita Mittal, Bombay High Court's retired judge Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, and Delhi High Court's former judge Asha Menon a" was tasked with collecting information related to violence against women in Manipur as well as monitoring the conditions at relief camps and deciding on compensation to victims.

Apart from this, the Justice Mittal-led panel was also entrusted with the payment of compensation and restitution to victims of violence.

The top court had empowered the committee to issue directions to the state government to settle compensation for damages caused to the movable and immovable properties of persons affected by violence.

The committee was mandated to submit its updated status report on a fortnightly basis directly to the apex court.

A bench, headed by then CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, had said that the objective of the constitution of such a committee was to restore the faith and confidence of the community in the justice system and secondly, to ensure that the rule of law is restored.

Expressing its anguish over the manner in which women were subjected to grave acts of sexual violence during sectarian strife in Manipur, the Supreme Court had said that "subjecting women to sexual crimes and violence is completely unacceptable and constitutes a grave violation of the constitutional values of dignity, personal liberty and autonomy, all of which are protected as core fundamental rights under Part III of the Constitution".

The top court had said that it was the bounden duty of the state to prevent people from committing such reprehensible violence against women and protect them from the violence targets.

The SC had taken suo moto cognisance of the disturbing viral videos, where two tribal women were paraded naked and sexually assaulted in the violence-hit Manipur. Later, the two tribal women approached the top court claiming that the Manipur Police collaborated with the mob to allow perpetration of sexual violence on them. The apex court had termed the pace of investigation by Manipur Police as "tardy" pace of after noting that there were significant delays between the occurrence of incidents involving heinous crimes including murder, rape and arson and the registration of zero or regular FIRs.

The top court did not constitute any SIT (special investigation team) in the matter but had appointed former IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor the investigation. Further, it had asked the Chief Justice of Gauhati High to designate courts in Assamas Guwahati to conduct trials in cases involving violence against women and children which were transferred to the CBI by the Manipur government.

On Monday, the Supreme Court clarified that the trial of these transferred cases will continue before the courts in Guwahati.
Los Angeles, March 17 : Filmmaker Tim Burton, who is known for 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', 'Edward Scissorhands', 'Batman' and others, has shared that he always felt an affinity to his canine companions.

His former partner, Helena Bonham Carter with whom he has Billy, 21, and 17-year-old Nell, admitted that is reflected in his visual communication style, reports 'Female First UK'.

Speaking in Tara Wood's new four-part untitled documentary series about the 66-year-old director, she said, "He loves dogs. Pepper was his childhood dog. He's always felt at ease with dogs. He said very early on in our relationship that he was a dog, so maybe that's where he came from, dog land".

As per a 'Female First UK', she also discussed his communication style. The 58-year-old actress, who was in a relationship with Tim from 2001 to 2014, said, "(He is) entirely visual. He doesn't need words, that's why he relates to a dog".

The news was first reported by 'People' magazine.

In the series, a number of Tim's creative collaborators reflected on how dogs feature in "all of his creative projects", with film editor Chris Lebenzon talking about the bond the 'Big Eyes' director had with his late dog, who he shared with former partner Lisa Marie.

Chris said, "Poppy (the dig), he and Lisa Marie picked up on a street in Tokyo. How do you get a dog back from Tokyo? Maybe somebody's purse  I'm not sure. And (Poppy) was always with him." In 2012, the director admitted his animated movie 'Frankenweenie', which was adapted from his 1984 short film of the same name, was inspired by his childhood pet.

He told UK Screen, "The film is based on a memory that I had when I was growing up and with my relationship with a dog that I had".

"The great thing about expanding 'Frankenweenie' is that thinking about other things that were personal, like the other kids that I remember and the teachers and the kind of place, so I put a lot of memories of things into the whole", he added.
New Delhi, March 17 : Nationalist Congress Party-SP (NCP-SP) president Sharad Pawar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing gratitude for accepting his request for the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan and also showcasing 'special affection' towards him.

"Your profound and insightful speech resonated deeply with Marathi people across the world. I truly appreciate you for your kind gesture exhibiting your special affection towards me during the inaugural ceremony," said Pawar, penning his thoughts in the letter.

The NCP-SP President's 'letter of thanks' to PM Modi comes days after the latter accepted his request and inaugurated the 98th 'Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan', held at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, last month.

The literary festival was organised by Sarhad Pune and Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal.

"This literary festival was elevated to historic significance under your esteemed leadership," Pawar wrote further.

Sharing the letter on his social media handle, the NCP-SP supremo also informed that he has sought Prime Minister's assistance in getting the necessary permissions from the Delhi government and NDMC for installing the sculptures of Peshwa Bajirao I, Mahadji Shinde, and Subedar Malharrao Holkar at the Talkatora Stadium.

"The venue of Sammelan - Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi holds immense historical and cultural significance. It was once the very site where Peshwa Bajirao I, Mahadji Shinde, and Subedar Malharrao Holkar camped, their legacy etched into the fabric of our nation's history.

"Recognising this, Sarhad, Pune initially proposed installing half-statues of these legendary warriors at this location. However, many literary figures and well-wishers have voiced the sentiment that full-sized equestrian statues would be a more fitting tribute to their valor and contribution," he wrote in the letter.

He urged the Prime Minister to intervene in granting the necessary permissions from the Delhi government as well as NDMC for installing the full-sized equestrian statues at the venue.
New Delhi, Mar 17 : The Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt notice to the Principal Secretary, Home, of the Delhi government for not deciding the remission of a convict in connection with the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case.

Issuing notice, a bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the senior official of the national capital government to explain why action should not be taken against him under the Contempt of Courts Act and ordered him to remain present before it on March 28, the next date of listing, through video conferencing.

The Justice Oka-led Bench recorded that the Delhi government had previously given an assurance to decide within two weeks the remission plea of Sukhdev Pehalwan, who is serving a 20-year jail term in the sensational case.

"We believe that unless a contempt notice is issued, our orders are not complied with," remarked the apex court after it was apprised that the Sentence Review Board (SRB) is yet to consider the petitioneras plea for remission.

In the sensational case, Sukhdev Pehalwan was handed a 20-year jail term. Co-convicts Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav, among others, were convicted and sentenced to 25 years of actual imprisonment without consideration of remission for kidnapping Katara from a marriage party in February 2002 and then killing him for his alleged affair with Vikas' sister Bharti Yadav.

Vikas Yadav is the son of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav.

Katara was murdered as Vishal and Vikas Yadav did not approve of his affair with Bharti because they belonged to different castes, the lower court had observed in its verdict.

Vikas Yadav has also petitioned the Supreme Court against the denial of remission of his sentence. The plea sought directions that the benefit of remission is a part of the right to personal liberty as protected under Article 21 of the Constitution. It contended that no criminal court can pass a sentence fixing the minimum sentence of 25 years in a case of life imprisonment to get eligible for a grant of remission.

On the other hand, the complainant Nilam Katara, the mother of the deceased, prayed that the convict's writ petition ought to be dismissed.
Bhopal, March 17 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized properties -- both movable and immovable -- valued at Rs 10.77 crore in Bhopal. These assets belong to Sunil Kumar, the former Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV), Rakesh Singh Rajput, the ex-registrar, Hrishikesh Verma, the former Finance Controller, as well as Kumar Mayank, Ramkumar Raghuvanshi (both ex-bank officials), and other private individuals implicated in a financial scandal at RGPV.

This action falls under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002 and is tied to a case involving the misappropriation of university funds.

The ED launched its probe following an FIR filed by the Gandhi Nagar Police Station in Bhopal. The FIR, based on sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988, accused former RGPV officials of embezzling Rs 19.48 crore from the university.

The EDas findings uncovered that these officials, along with Kumar Mayank and others, diverted university money for personal gain, amounting to Rs 19.48 crore.

In earlier operations under Section 17 of the PMLA, the ED also froze gold jewellery, mutual funds, and bank accounts worth Rs 1.67 crore during search and seizure efforts.

In a separate investigation, the ED in Bhopal has also provisionally taken control of assets worth Rs 57.96 lakh owned by Shailendra Pasari. This seizure, also under the PMLA of 2002, relates to a case of accumulating wealth far beyond his known income sources.

The investigation began after the Central Bureau of Investigationas Anti-Corruption Branch (CBI, ACB) in Jabalpur filed an FIR against Pasari under the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988, accusing him of corruption tied to disproportionate assets accumulation. Pasari was posted as Senior Manager (Civil) of Jayant Project, Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Singrauli (MP).

The CBI later submitted chargesheets against Pasari and his wife, Jyoti Pasari, alleging that they amassed Rs 1.30 crore in unaccounted wealth. The EDas probe revealed that Pasari had built a substantial portfolio of properties in his name and those of his family by funnelling cash into bank accounts and converting it into fixed deposits under various family membersa names. Earlier, the CBI had seized Rs 72.97 lakh in cash from Pasarias home, office, and lockers.
New Delhi, March 17 : Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav on Monday said that the BJP government in the city should take urgent, practical steps to clean up the toxic Yamuna.

He hit out at the government's alleged attention-diverting announcements and said instead of indulging in gimmicks like "cruise tourism", concrete steps should be taken to address pollution in the river.

He said the pollution level in the river was now 6,400 times higher than the maximum permissible limit, as detected by the Delhi Pollution Control Board.

Yadav wondered who would take a boat ride through the poisonous stretch of Yamuna in Delhi when breathing the noxious air near the river had become such a serious health hazard.

Raising the issue of water shortage, he said that many colonies in Delhi were being supplied polluted water which is not even fit for washing clothes, forcing the poor people to depend on the tanker mafia and bottled water for drinking.

He reminded the BJP government about its poll "guarantee" that it would get down to serious business immediately on coming to power to provide potable drinking water through the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) pipelines.

Yadav said that the BJP government has not fulfilled any of its election promises, delaying the implementation of all promises under one pretext or another.

Criticising the delay in cleaning the Yamuna, Yadav said when Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva took a dip in the dirty Yamuna to gain some pre-poll political publicity, people thought that the BJP would give priority to cleaning the Yamuna when it comes to power.

However, the BJP government too seems to have kept the cleaning of the river on the back burner like its predecessor (AAP), the Congress leader said.

Yadav said that the BJP government should not bluff the public by postponing all its election promises, and should take urgent steps to clean the toxic Yamuna, as air and water pollution has become the most serious health hazard for Delhiites.
Moscow , March 17 : Russia on Monday confirmed that a phone call between the United States President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will take place on Tuesday.

"Yes, this is indeed the case. Such a conversation is being prepared for Tuesday," state-run news agency TASS quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump stated that he was planning a conversation with the Russian President on Tuesday. He emphasised paying special attention to territorial and infrastructure issues within the framework of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Trump said he would speak with Putin about the war in Ukraine and added that there had already been discussions about "dividing up certain assets". The US President further expressed hope that Moscow would agree to a ceasefire proposal.

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," the US President told reporters on Sunday.

The last telephone conversation between both Presidents took place on February 12. During the hour-and-a-half conversation, the leaders of the two countries discussed the Ukrainian issue as well as the accumulated problems in relations between the two countries. The Russian and US presidents then agreed to continue contacts, including the organisation of face-to-face meetings. As part of these agreements, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Putin in Moscow last week.

Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East who has been involved in the peace talks, said that he had a positive meeting with Putin that lasted about three to four hours. He has declined to divulge any specifics of their conversation, but said that the two sides had "narrowed the differences between them" for a "solution-based discussion".

On March 13, following talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, Putin said that Moscow agrees with proposals to end hostilities in Ukraine, but they must lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the crisis.
Sambhal, March 17 : The 'Neja Mela', which is held every year in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, in memory of Saiyyad Salar Masud Ghazi, will not take place this time. The police have made it clear to the organisers that they will not allow the event to take place in the name of 'robbers'.

Sambhal, March 17 (IANS) The 'Neja Mela', which is held every year in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, in memory of Saiyyad Salar Masud Ghazi, will not take place this time. The police have made it clear to the organisers that they will not allow the event to take place in the name of arobbersa.

Additional Police Superintendent Shreeshchandra stated that the Neja Mela has been organised in Sambhal in the past. However, some people have raised objections regarding it.

He mentioned that this mela has been held in memory of Abdul Salar Masud Ghazi.

People have pointed out that Ghazi Salar was a robber who looted the Somnath Temple, destroyed many temples, and was responsible for several murders, said the officer.

Organising an event in his memory is not appropriate, he added. It is not right to commemorate a robber and murderer, he said. This decision has been made considering the law and order situation.

Organisers have also been informed not to hold such an event. Legal action will be taken against those who spread misinformation, says the police officer.

The mela usually begins with the installation of the 30-feet pole with a green flag on its top in the mela ground on the first Tuesday after Holi.

This pole was supposed to be set up on March 18, but the police administration has put a stop to it.

The Additional Superintendent of Police stated that organising a mela in memory of Mahmud Ghaznavi's general, who looted the Somnath Temple and caused destruction and massacres in India, is not appropriate.

This tradition of holding the event in the name of a robber should not continue. It is not right to hold an event in the name of a robber and murderer.

He emphasised that if a harmful tradition has been followed for years, it is important to change it. Ghazi, the nephew of Mahmud Ghaznavi, was responsible for cruelty in India.
Mumbai, March 17 : Actress Shefali Shah took off for a trip to Manali. Sharing her experience on social media, the 'Delhi Crime' star revealed that she found traveling with herself extremely interesting.

Shefali wrote, "Silence is addictive, and so is solitude. When I took my first solo trip in December, I decided I'd travel a lot this year, and yet I also thought this was a one-off fluke solo trip, an odd instance that happens once in many, many years. But to my pleasant surprise, I've done pretty well. Traveling with yourself is very interesting. I don't think I've found a couple more in sync."

She added, "I said, "Pade rehte hain." She said, "Fine." I said, "Walk par chalein?" She said, "Sure." We even agreed on the temperature of the room and the side of the bed and happily shared the shower. We watched the mountains together, felt a wave of vertigo and exhilaration as we hung 8,000 feet in the sky over our heads and the Dhauladhar range. We liked the same bracelets from a lost-in-time shop. We walked through winding lanes, pine forests, and snow. We shared the nothingness of the skylit room and a secret rendezvous in the kitchen, eating under a spotlight as the chefs moved around silently, doing their bit."

The 'Three of US' actress added that despite enjoying the solitude, she wished to share her every experience with her loved ones. She revealed that she forced her husband Vipul Amrutlal Shah to join her.

Shefali revealed, "I don't regret my solo time, but I'm not going to shy away from accepting that every time I experience something, I want to share it with them. That moment, that fragrance, that vision passes, and no matter how many pictures I share, the experience can't be translated nor experienced via photographs. So this time, I tried my luck. I asked Vipul to join me. I cajoled, coaxed, and convinced him to come. I realized that no matter how much I romanticize it, we have never done anything spontaneously or on a whim."

The photos dropped by Shefali on her IG show her making the most of her time in Manali.
Bhopal, March 17 : The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday approved a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the wife of Hiran Singh Parte who was killed in police encounter in Mandla district.

The police have claimed that he was a dreaded "Maoist".

aChief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister's Voluntary Grant Fund to Bisro Bai Parte, wife of late Hiran Singh Parte, a resident of Mandla district," an official statement said on Monday.

This assistance, the statement said, has been approved in connection with the death of Hiran Singh Parte, a resident of village Khatia of Bichhiya tehsil of Mandla district on March 9.

Collector Mandla has also ordered a judicial inquiry into this incident.

The main opposition party, Congress, staged a walkout in protest against what they claim was a fabricated "Maoist" encounter in Mandla on March 9.

The Congress members demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, but their calls were met with resistance. Amid slogans, the alleged inaction, the legislators of Congress staged walkout in the Assembly on Monday.

The member of the Assembly Omkar Singh Markam of Congress expressed his dissatisfaction, accusing the government of evading accountability.

He flayed Assembly Speaker Narendra Tomar for rejecting their demands and described the BJP government's stance as authoritarian. Congress members boycotted the Assembly proceedings in protest.

One Maoist killed in an operation launched by Hawk Forces and state police on Sunday (March 13) afternoon in Kisli forest area of Mandla district, the police had claimed.

The encounter began on Sunday afternoon at Chimta Forest Camp, located on the Mandla-Balaghat border. The operation extended into the late evening, resulted in the death of Hiran.

The officers had not disclosed the identity of Hiran on grounds that the body was visible from a distance, and the search operation by the security forces continues even after nightfall. The entire area has been cordoned off due to the potential presence of more Maoists.
Chandigarh, March 17 : Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who laid the Budget for 2025-26, said the government has made a provision of Rs 5,000 crore for the implementation of the "Lado Laxmi Yojana".

The Chief Minister, who also serves as the Finance Minister, told the media here that the government, in its Sankalp Patra during the Assembly elections, promised to provide a financial assistance of Rs 2,100 per month to women under the Lado Laxmi Yojana.

"We have made all necessary preparations for its implementation, and work is underway to finalise the framework and criteria for this ambitious scheme. What we promised in our Sankalp Patra is the guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our objective is to ensure that every eligible poor woman receives the financial aid under this scheme," he said.

The Chief Minister said the government "is committed to the empowerment of women in all sectors. If required, we will increase the fund allocation for the scheme".

He said the government is making fruitful efforts for empowerment of women in all sectors. The government will build Mahila Chaupals in every village, with the first phase covering 774 villages.

In addition, the Kishori Yojana will be rolled out in all districts with an additional cost of Rs 60 crore.

In response to a question regarding the state's financial health, the Chief Minister clarified that Opposition members used to allege the state was drowning in debt.

He said "when we took over the reins of administration in 2014, the debt was significantly higher, but by 2024-25, it has been greatly reduced, demonstrating our success in managing and lowering the debt through efficient financial management".

He said this Budget would fulfill the aspirations and expectations of 2.8 crore people of Haryana.

"This Budget reflects our unwavering commitment to the welfare and development of every section of society," he added.
New Delhi, March 17 : A Russian delegation from the Government of Moscow will participate in the Smart Cities India Expo 2025, to be held in New Delhi from March 19 to 21.

The delegation, informed the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, will be led by Sergei Cheremin, a minister of the Government of Moscow and chairman of the Business Council for Cooperation with India.

Smart Cities India Expo is one of the world's largest platforms bringing together leaders in digital technologies, sustainable development, and urban innovation. This year, more than 1200 participants and 350 start-ups are expected to showcase their cutting-edge developments to 55,000 visitors.

Cheremin, who is also the head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, is scheduled to deliver a speech at the opening ceremony of the international exhibition.

On March 20, the Moscow delegation will participate in the second 'Smart Cities Forum: Russian-Indian Interregional Cooperation', that will bring together Russian and Indian government officials, as well as leading companies working in the field of information technology and urban infrastructure development.

During his visit, Cheremin will present Moscow's investment opportunities, highlight its sustainable economic growth, and discuss key initiatives aimed at creating a comfortable urban environment, as well as opportunities for international partners.

He is also scheduled to participate as a speaker in a panel session 'The Indian Smart Cities Mission: From Inception to Fruition' and will present Moscow's innovative solutions based on three key principles: technology, comfort and safety.

"Special attention will be given to the themes of green and socially oriented economies, which contribute to efficient use of resources and improved quality of life for citizens. Moscow has already established itself as one of the world's leading smart cities, and participation in Smart Cities India Expo 2025 will serve as an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation in digital transformation and urban innovation," stated the Department for External Economic and International Relations.

In addition, Moscow will showcase advanced solutions in digital development of the urban environment, transport infrastructure, eco-technologies and security. The stand of the Government of Moscow will feature innovative developments from leading companies specialising in high technology and urban innovation, including SberCity, VisionLabs, Logos and others. Moscow-based companies will present the latest technologies aimed at improving comfort, safety and sustainable urban development.

The forum is organised by the Government of Moscow, the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, the Embassy of the Russia in India, the Trade Representation of Russia in India, the Business Council for Cooperation with India, ANO 'Moscow Center for International Cooperation', the Association of Innovative Regions of Russia, and the Indian Business Alliance.

"Smart Cities India Expo 2025 will be an important event in developing international cooperation and promoting Moscow's cutting-edge innovations on the global stage. Moscow remains open to dialogue, exchange of experience and implementation of advanced technologies that will shape the future of modern megacities," the department stated.
Mumbai, March 17 : Kriti Kharbanda decided to kickstart the week with some awe-worthy beach photos.

Posing in red swimwear, the 'Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana' actress was seen having fun on the beach. From playing with the sand to making a heart with hands, Kriti looked mesmerizing in her latest post.

The caption read, "Monday mantra: Soak up the sun, let the sand slip through your fingers, and alwaysALWAYSmarry someone who knows your best angles!"

Kriti celebrated her first wedding anniversary with husband Pulkit Samrat on March 15, 2025.

Commemorating the milestone, the lovebirds shared a heartwarming video on Instagram, capturing their beautiful journey together.

"Our wedding was emo, but life since then has been nothing short of a party! Happy to Us!," Kriti and Pulkit wrote in the caption.

After being in a relationship for five years, the couple finally tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Manesar, Haryana in 2024. These two had worked together in films such as "Veerey Ki Wedding", "Pagalpanti", and "Taish".

On the work front, Kriti is all set to make her OTT debut with the second season of the show "Rana Naidu". The sequel will also see Rana Daggubati, Daggubati Venkatesh, Arjun Rampal, and Surveen Chawla in key roles, along with others.

Sharing her excitement about her OTT debut, Kriti revealed, "I am thrilled to be a part of "Rana Naidu" Season 2. This role is unlike anything I've done before, and it has allowed me to explore a darker, more complex character. The OTT platform offers a unique opportunity to reach a global audience, and I am excited to see how viewers react to this new side of me".

Along with "Rana Naidu" Season 2, Kriti has also been roped in for the forthcoming edgy neo-noir comic tragedy "Risky Romeo". With Sunny Singh as the lead, the project has been directed by Abir Sengupta.

The movie promises a perfect blend of dark humor and eccentric characters.
Srinagar, March 17 : A Pakistani terrorist was killed in an operation against terrorists by a joint security forces team in J&K's Kupwara district on Monday, officials said.

Srinagar, March 17 (IANS) A Pakistani terrorist was killed in an operation against terrorists by a joint security forces team in J&Kas Kupwara district on Monday, officials said.

SSP Handwara, Mushtaq Ahmad Choudhary said that the operation was launched early in the morning based on specific intelligence inputs.

aDuring the operation, contact was established with the terrorist leading to the neutralisation of the terrorist. The terrorist was identified as Safiullah, a resident of Pakistan, who was active for a long time.

He said that security forces, which comprised the Handwara police, 21 Rashtriya Rifles, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), recovered an AK-47 rifle, four magazines, a grenade, and other incriminating materials from the site.

"The area has been secured, and further investigations are underway," the SSP said.

The encounter had broken out between security forces and the hiding terrorist in Kupwara earlier in the day.

Officials said that following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Krumbhoora (Zachaldara) village in the Rajwar area of the district, security forces started a CASO (Cordon and Search Operation).

"As the security forces closed on the hiding terrorist, he fired at the surrounding security forces triggering an encounter," an official said.

Authorities had sealed off the area and additional reinforcements had been deployed to ensure a successful operation.

Civilians in the area were advised to stay indoors and avoid movement near the encounter site for their safety.

Terrorists, under the orders of their handlers sitting across the border in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), have stepped up their activities. Intelligence agencies believe that the peaceful, people-participative Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections in 2024 have frustrated terror handlers in Pakistan.

Recently, terrorists killed three innocent civilians in the Kathua district, including a 14-year-old boy.

The bodies of two civilians out of three who went missing from the Qazigund area of the Kulgam district on February 14 have been recovered.

These civilians, belonging to the Rajouri district of the Jammu division, were working as labourers in the Valley to earn their livelihood.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has chaired three security review meetings on J&K since the beginning of 2025. He has given clear orders to the security forces to ensure zero infiltration and zero tolerance for terrorists and their sympathisers in the Union Territory.

Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has also chaired two back-to-back security review meetings, one in Srinagar and the other in Jammu, directing police and security forces to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terror sustained by terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs), and sympathisers.

He said that funds generated from drug smuggling, drug trafficking and hawala rackets are ultimately used to sustain terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and the war against terror cannot be fought in isolation unless its support channels dry up.
Islamabad, March 17 : Several rallies and processions were carried out across the Sindh province in Pakistan on Monday, protesting the federal government's canal project on the Indus River. Activists, members of various political parties, civil society outfits, trade unions, and literary associations are up in arms against the government which is constructing six canals on the Indus river, local media reported.

The Sindh Bachayo Committee and Shahri Action Committee held a joint rally in Naudero town of Sindh as the protesters issued warnings, stating that the project might render the entire Sindh barren. A large number of villagers also took out a procession from Balhreji village in Sindh to Mohenjo Daro where they held a demonstration against the project.

Meanwhile, the protesting leaders of local chapters of nationalist and federalist parties demanded that the government allocate land for Sindh's farmers, ensure fair distribution of Indus water and immediately scrap the corporate farming project. They warned that if their demands were not met, they would launch provincewide agitation and block all major highways.

The leaders warned that the diversion of water could lead to loss of millions of acres of fertile land in Sindh.

"The canal project is not just an environmental disaster for Sindh but also a potential threat to the country's stability and security," reported Pakistan's leading daily Dawn.

The Pakistan Peoples Partyas (PPP) Naduero chapter held a demonstration outside the local press club on Sunday and demanded that the government shelve the plan. Earlier, reflecting a growing political fissure and conflicting stances, the coalition partner of the ruling Pakistani government, the PPP Sindh Council, rejected the Centre's plan to build six new canals on the Indus River. It warned that Sindh would not accept any new canal project in the Indus River system.

Last week, rejecting PPP leader and current Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardarias speech in a joint session of parliament on the construction of six new canals, the Save Indus River Movement (SIRM) announced provincewide protests against what it called "unconstitutional projects". Criticising President Zardari for allegedly approving the canal projects, the SIRM leaders demanded that the PPP should quit the federal government.

The protests, echoing demands to "let the water flow", have been held across the province as the citizens described such projects as "anti-people policies" and "violation" of Sindh's rights.
New Delhi, March 17 : James Lawless, Ireland's Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on Monday highlighted the increasing ties between India and Ireland, particularly in higher education, technology, and business partnerships.

Lawless is currently leading a high-level delegation to New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai with the aim of deepening collaboration between the two nations.

"This is my first visit to India. This morning, I went to IIT Delhi where I had a really good engaging time with the students. India and Ireland have been friends for several centuries. I think this bond has an impact on the future of both countries," Lawless told IANS.

"Ireland is home to a rapidly-growing community of over 9,000 Indian students, and as we continue to strengthen educational ties with India, I look forward to this trip to meet Indian Universities and educational institutes to explore avenues for expanding post-study pathways and fostering deeper research collaborations between both nations," he added.

The visiting minister said that Ireland recognises the "immense potential" that is there in building a robust academic and talent ecosystem that benefits both countries.

Lawless highlighted that Ireland is also witnessing increased collaboration with Indian firms in innovation, R&D, and emerging technologies, particularly in MedTech, fintech, AI, and life sciences.

"As global businesses look for highly skilled talent and research-driven ecosystems, Ireland continues to offer Indian companies cutting-edge opportunities for expansion and innovation," he said.

Lawless' visit marks an important milestone in the Ireland-India relationship, reaffirming Ireland's role as a trusted partner for India's economic, academic, and technological ambitions.

Earlier on Monday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Jaishankar extended greetings to his Irish counterpart, the government and people of Ireland on their National Day.

"My recent visit provided an opportunity to renew our bonds and strengthen our ties," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
Ghaziabad, March 17 : The political controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his tomb continues to escalate in Maharashtra, with Congress leader Harshvardhan Sapkal's recent comments comparing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with the notorious ruler fueling the fire.

Ghaziabad, March 17 (IANS) The political controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his tomb continues to escalate in Maharashtra, with Congress leader Harshvardhan Sapkalas recent comments comparing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with the notorious ruler fueling the fire.

The statement, which has sparked significant debate, follows earlier remarks by Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on the same issue, keeping the political temperature high in the state.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam, a former Congress leader and spiritual guru, strongly condemned Sapkalas comparison.

Speaking to IANS, Acharya Pramod Krishnam said, "Devendra Fadnavis is a patriotic, cultured, and respectable leader. He has demonstrated great understanding and has been blessed by God to serve as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a second term. To equate such a distinguished leader with Aurangzeb is utterly condemnable. This is not just a matter of political rivalry; it's a matter of disrespect for the leader and his position. I believe the Congress party, particularly its followers of Rahul Gandhi, has done a disservice to itself with such remarks. The leader who made these comments must apologise immediately."

The controversy surrounding Fadnavis and Sapkalas remarks comes amid ongoing protests and discussions over Aurangzebas tomb, which has become a focal point for heated political debates.

As Maharashtra grapples with these tensions, the public fallout has intensified, with both sides of the political spectrum voicing strong opinions.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam further reacted to the protests related to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

He stressed that the land of India belongs to all its citizens, irrespective of religious identity. "This is the land of Hindustan, and no group should lay claim to it exclusively. The idea of occupying land based on religion is not just illegal, it is divisive," Krishnam remarked.

He further expressed his concern that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has earned international respect, some in India remain distrustful of their own government.

"Itas unfortunate that the Indian people are divided in their trust for their government," he added.

Responding to PM Modias recent interview with American podcaster Lex Friedman, Acharya Krishnam praised the Prime Ministeras openness to criticism, noting, "PM Modi has always welcomed those who oppose or criticise him. He draws inspiration from the ideals of Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and Swami Vivekananda. In his podcast, he rightly acknowledged the current state of Opposition in India, which has become devoid of intellectual rigour. The Opposition no longer offers constructive criticism, instead, it is driven by hatred."

Further reacting to the controversy related to the removal of Aurangzebas grave, Krishnam acknowledged that history has recorded Aurangzebas cruelty and persecution of Hindus.

However, he also expressed that Sanatan Dharma, which emphasises respect for everyoneas enemies after death, does not support actions like grave desecration.

"Sanatan Dharma teaches us to show respect, even to those we consider adversaries. While actions like grave destruction and idol-breaking are commonplace in countries like Pakistan or Bangladesh, Sanatan Dharma does not condone such practices in India," he concluded.
Hyderabad, March 17 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking time to meet him along with leaders all political parties on enhancing reservations to Backward Classes (BCs) to 42 per cent in education, employment and elections to rural and urban local bodies.

The Chief Minister sought an appointment to meet the Prime Minister along with leaders of Congress, BJP, AIMIM, and CPI.

This comes hours after the Telangana Assembly unanimously passed two Bills to enhance reservations for BCs.

Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (reservation of seats in educational institutions and of appointments or posts in services under the State) Bill 2025 and The Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill 2025 were adopted by the Assembly.

As enhancing BC reservations to 42 per cent will breach the 50 per cent Supreme Court ceiling for the overall quota for all sections, the Bills passed by the state Assembly require the Centre's approval.

The Chief Minister earlier told the Assembly that he would lead an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre's approval.

He requested Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay and BJP floor leader A. Maheshwar Reddy to take the responsibility of seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister.

"Let us also request Rahul Gandhi to raise this issue in Parliament. I am entrusting the responsibility to TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud to seek time to meet Rahul Gandhi soon," he said.

He said it was the responsibility of everyone to adopt the BC Bill in the Parliament. "We will not rest till 42 per cent reservation is achieved for BCs," he said while reiterating that Congress government is committed to the Kamareddy Declaration.

While announcing its support to the Bills, main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) once again raised doubts over the data of the recently conducted caste survey in the state.

The Chief Minister assured the House that caste survey was 100 per cent correct. He recalled that Rahul Gandhi had promised that if voted to power, the Congress would enhance Backward Class reservation to 42 per cent. He said soon after coming to power, the Congress initiated the steps for caste survey.

The Chief Minister later took to 'X' to declare that Telangana is proud to lead the social revolution in India.

"It is my honour to announce the longest pending demand of the subaltern groups since Indian Independence, the yearning of our brothers & sisters belonging to the Backward Castes, on being counted & recognised in an official census - has finally found deliverance," he said.

"Today, as the Leader of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, as Chief Minister, I solemnly declare that based on the most scientific, methodically rigorous, and excruciating efforts of our people, we can say that the OBCs population in Telangana is 56.36 per cent," reads the post.

"We are now resolving to ensure 42 per cent reservations for this Group in all walks of life - education, jobs and employment & political representation. Be on the right side of history & let each one of us become a champion of this historic move," he added.
Chennai, March 17 : A special police team in Tiruchendur seized 2.4 tonnes of beedi leaf bundles valued at Rs 1 crore that were intended to be smuggled to Sri Lanka on Monday, an official said.

The Tamil Nadu Special Police aQa Branch in Thoothukudi received confidential information about an illegal consignment of beedi leaves being transported from the coast near Tiruchendur.

Acting on the tip-off, officers conducted patrols in the coastal area north of Alanthalai village.

During vehicle checks, the police intercepted a load van carrying 990 kg of cut beedi leaves and 1,470 kg of whole beedi leaves, totaling 2,460 kg.

The smugglers attempted to flee upon spotting the officers but were quickly apprehended. The police also seized two motorcycles used in the operation.

The confiscated beedi leaves, valued at Rs 1 crore, were later handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation. This is not the first such incident in the region.

On March 9, the Thoothukudi aQa Branch arrested three individuals and seized around 2,000 kg of beedi leaves at Vellapatti Beach.

During a late-night patrol, a police team led by Inspector Vijay Anitha intercepted minivans loaded with the leaves, which were intended for smuggling by sea.

The arrested individuals were identified as T. Mahesh Kumar (28) of Siluvaipatti , T. Mayandi (38) of Siluvaipatti , A. Antony Joseph (40) of Thalamuthu Nagar.

The police confiscated 68 bundles of beedi leaves, each weighing approximately 30 kg, along with the vehicles used in the crime. Investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the smuggling network.

Earlier, on February 13, 2025, the Thoothukudi aQa Branch foiled another smuggling attempt at Veerapandianpattinam near Tiruchendur.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the police conducted surveillance along the coast and discovered a group of men loading parcels onto a fiber boat. As the officers approached, the suspects fled in the boat, leaving behind 15 sacks of tamarind (each weighing 30 kg), 1 lakh imported cigarette packets, 295 DTH set-top boxes, and 100 smart set-top boxes.

The total value of the seized goods was estimated at Rs 75 lakh.

Tamil Nadu Police and the Indian Coast Guard have been on high alert following intelligence reports suggesting that drug syndicates may be using sea routes for smuggling narcotics to Sri Lanka.

In a recent operation, the Coast Guard foiled an attempt to smuggle beedi leaves, leading to the arrest of six fishermen.

Additionally, intelligence agencies have warned of a potential increase in drug smuggling activities along the Tamil Nadua"Sri Lanka corridor, prompting coastal police to intensify patrols and surveillance.

The Superintendent of Police in Thoothukudi has also been engaging with local fishermen to raise awareness about the risks and legal consequences of drug trafficking.

With the Thoothukudi fishing harbor conducting daily business worth over Rs 1 crore and more than 250 fishing vessels operating in the area, authorities are closely monitoring maritime activities to curb illegal smuggling operations.
Nagpur, March 17 : Amid raging controversy over the demolition of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave situated at Sambhajinagar, violent clashes broke out between two groups in Maharashtra's second capital Nagpur which led to stone pelting and arson.

The police sources said that some organisations had staged a protest in Nagpur this afternoon. They were protesting at the District Collector's office when a minor dispute took place between two groups. It was resolved shortly.

However, later a large group reached Shivaji Chowk between 7 and 7.30 p.m. and started shouting slogans. They were angry about the protest in the afternoon. As the sloganeering started, another group in the area also started shouting slogans. The police rushed to the spot to maintain law and order and avoid any untoward incident.

However, tension prevailed as both the groups were shouting slogans and they were pushed back from Shivaji Chowk towards Chitnis Park. The police sources said some of the group members pelted stones at the police who were deployed in large numbers from the Bhaldarpura area beyond Chitnis Park in the city. The police tried to control the situation by using force, but since large stones were being thrown towards them they used tear gas shells. Some cars have been damaged in this stone pelting while a few others have been put on fire.

Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to the citizens of Nagpur to fully cooperate with the administration. "We are constantly in touch with the police administration and the citizens should cooperate with them. Nagpur is a city that loves peace and shares in each other's happiness and sorrow. This has been a permanent tradition in Nagpur. In such a situation, do not believe in any rumours and fully cooperate with the administration," he said in his appeal.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has also appealed to the citizens to help the administration maintain law and order. He has also urged not to believe in rumours.

The Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also appealed to the Nagpur citizens to maintain peace and ensure that no untoward incident occurs.

"Nagpur is a very peaceful city but it has been attacked by organisations supporting the ruling party. All this has happened because of ministers in the cabinet who made absurd statements. The chief minister should immediately remove these ministers from the cabinet. The government is deliberately trying to spread hatred and incite conflict between the two communities," he alleged.
Bhopal, March 17 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath hosted a dinner for Congress MLAs and senior party leaders at his residence in Bhopal on Monday night.

Apart from sitting Congress MLAs, the party's several other senior leaders like state Congress President Jitu Patwari, former Union Minister Kantilal Bhuria, former LoP Govind Singh, and former minister Kamleshwar Patel joined the dinner party.

Maybe, it was the first time Kamal Nath hosted a dinner for Congress leaders at his bungalow located in Bhopal's Shyamla Hills after the party witnessed an embarrassing defeat under his leadership in November 2023.

Following that defeat, Kamal Nath had to resign from the post of state Congress president, and former minister Jitu Patwari replaced him in December 2023. Before it, Congress veteran Kamal Nath, who is an MLA from his home town Chhindwara, participated in the ongoing budget session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

During an interaction with media persons at Vidhan Sabha, Kamal Nath said that incidents of "mob lynching" and attacks on police personnel have become common in the state, describing the situation as "anarchy" under the BJP government. He was responding to a series of recent violent incidents against police personnel, especially Mauganj's incident wherein an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) was killed by an angry mob on March 15.

"Madhya Pradesh has become the capital of lawlessness, and the entire country is watching this anarchy unfold. Corruption in the governance system has reached its peak, and this is the reality of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh," Kamal Nath said.

He also mentioned that there has been constant tension between the police and lawyers in Indore since the incident occurred on Holi.

"The people of the state want to know why the law and order situation has deteriorated so much. On one hand, lawyers with knowledge of the law and Constitution are taking to the streets due to a lack of justice, and on the other hand, the police are worried about their safety. My clear demand is that there should be an impartial investigation, and strict action should be taken against whoever is guilty," he said.
Imphal, March 17 : A 20-year-old youth, belonging to the Meitei community has gone missing from Manipur's Imphal triggering serious tension in both Imphal West and Imphal East districts, officials said on Monday night.

A police official said that one Luwangthem Mukesh (20), a resident of Keishampat Lelmajam Leikal areas of Imphal West district, was reported missing after driving a car towards tribal-dominated district Churachandpur on Sunday afternoon. A missing person report was registered on Sunday at the Imphal Police Station.

"On receipt of the report, an inquiry has been initiated immediately. All-out efforts are ongoing to trace Mukesh by the police personnel and other security forces. Massive search operations are on in all suspected areas," the official told the media.

He said that CCTV footages show his vehicle was last seen in Bishnupur district near Chinikon, close to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.

Meanwhile, Republican Party of India (Athawale) Manipur unit General Secretary Thounaojam Maheswar said that he met Director General of Police Rajiv Singh and urged him to take all-out efforts to rescue Mukesh.

According to police, his mobile location is also traced near the Kuki-Zo tribal inhabited Jouzangtek area in the mountainous Kangpokpi district but the exact place is yet to determined.

According to official reports, more than 30 youths belonging to the Meitei community have reportedly gone missing since the ethnic violence broke out in the state 22 months ago.

Meanwhile, during the ongoing search operations, Manipur Police arrested four militants from different districts and recovered a huge number of arms and ammunition from them. The militants belonged to the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) outfits. Movement of goods-laden vehicles mostly trucks, carrying various essential items, foodgrains, medicines, and domestic items along the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) and Imphal-Dimapur National High (NH-2) have been ensured by providing adequate security.
Nagpur, March 17 : Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal appealed to the citizens to cooperate with the administration in maintaining peace, and law and order.

He said that the clashes occur after a particular photo was burnt but there after peace was restored. The police have registered a case in this regard and the investigation is underway. However, thereafter some people gathered and engaged in verbal duel that led to tension.

He said that the police personnel including senior officers, State Reserve Police and Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed to restore normalcy.

The police officer admitted that there was stone pelting and the police are taking them into custody.

"My appeal to the citizens is that police are present on the ground. Do not believe in any rumours. Citizens can contact the control room. Do not venture out of homes if not necessary. Our action is underway," he said.

He added that he has informed to the seniors including the state director general of police and additional director general of police about the incident and the action initiated by the police.

Police sources said that two groups entered into violent clashes in Mahal area of Nagpur city over the issue of destruction of Aurangzeb's grave.

After some time stone pelting and arson started from both the sides in which few police personnel were injured.

Earlier, the activists from Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the morning held agitation at the Shivaji Chowk demanding the demolition of Aurangzeb's grave.

They also burnt the effigy of Aurangzeb and tore a poster.

That led to a tension in the Mahal area.

The police sources said that additional police force was deployed to maintain law and order situation and the situation was brought under control.

However, violent clashes broke again between two groups in the evening when stone pelting and arson took place.

The police sources said that they used tear gas to disperse the mob and maintain law and order. Heavy stone pelting was made on police and fire brigade personnel.

Sources said some were throwing knives also at the police. Several vehicles were damaged in the stone pelting and arson.

Meanwhile, leader of opposition in the state council Ambadas Danve blamed the state government for today's clashes of clashes in Nagpur.

"The government is responsible for creating tension by pitting Hindu and Muslim communities against each other. It is ironical that even though the chief minister and home minister hail from Nagpur, the police were clueless," he claimed.

NCP SP legislator Rohit Pawar slammed the state government for today's violent clashes at Nagpur.

In his reaction, he said: "What exactly did the government achieve by breaking the heads of common people, taking their lives, burning vehicles and burning down houses? The riots in Nagpur are the result of the provocative statements made by government ministers over the past few days, and this government is entirely responsible for this. The minister who has polluted the atmosphere in the state and created communal and religious hatred should be removed from the government. Not only that, this government also has no moral right to remain in power for even a minute."

In his post on X, he said, "The basic issues of farmers, workers, youth, students, unemployed people were sidelined. If these issues had been resolved, their families would have been relieved, but to divert attention from the issues of these elements, the government-sponsored religious and communal agitation is going on in the state, and unfortunately, the time has come for the people of the state to see all this... my request to Maharashtra is that we can never afford communal-religious divide. The hands that incite it remain nameless and the victims are the common man. Therefore, the citizens should maintain peace!"
Hyderabad, March 17 : The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stayed away from an all-party meeting called by the Congress government in Telangana on Monday over the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies.

Leaders of Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) attended the meeting presided over by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

The meeting discussed the threat to Telangana and other south Indian states from population-based delimitation.

The Deputy Chief Minister called the meeting following a decision by the State Cabinet. The Congress government in the state believes that Telangana would lose out if the Centre carries out delimitation on the basis of population.

Senior Congress leader K. Jana Reddy told media after Mondayas meeting that such meetings on delimitation would continue.

He said a delegation representing the state government will attend the meeting convened on the subject by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin in Chennai on March 22. The former minister said leaders from all parties would attend the Chennai meeting.

On the absence of BRS and BJP from all-party meeting held on Monday, Jana Reddy said that the absence of some parties is only temporary. He said all parties would attend the meetings in the future.

DMK has already invited Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and BRS leaders for March 22 meeting.

Revanth Reddy has called for thwarting what he calls the Centreas conspiracy against southern states. After a delegation of DMK leaders met him to hand over the invitation on March 13, Revanth Reddy termed delimitation an attempt to undermine South India.

The Chief Minister also stated that the BJP is seeking revenge on Southern states as they never allowed the saffron party to grow in the region.

He condemned the Union Governmentas alleged attempts to marginalize Southern states under the guise of delimitation of constituencies.

He stated that an action plan is being prepared to counter this conspiracy, asserting that this is not merely a routine delimitation process but a deliberate effort to reduce the political significance of South India.
New Delhi, March 18 : Pawan Khera, head of the Media and Publicity wing of the All India Congress Committee, condemned the unrest in Nagpur, stating that the outbreak of violence in the Maharashtra city is profoundly alarming.

Taking to X, Khera wrote: Reports of riots in Nagpur are deeply disturbing. Mahal is Chief Minister's own area. In its 300 years of dynamic existence, Nagpur has never experienced riots. Over the last several days, attempts were being made to weaponise 300 year old history and use it now to create divisions, distractions and unrest. These clashes expose the real face of the ideology of the ruling regime - both at the Centre and in the state."

Riots erupted in the heart of Nagpur on violent clashes broke out in Nagpur after protests by Hindu groups demanding Aurangzeb's tomb's removal.

It was a chaotic Monday as a hail of stones rained down on police officers, sparked by swirling rumours.

The stone pelting left four individuals wounded, according to various reports and videos surfaced on social media.

Police personnel resorted to tear-gas shelling and baton-charges to break up the unruly crowd wreaking havoc in Chitnis Park and Mahal area, though the turbulence soon spilled over into Kotwali and Ganeshpeth, authorities reported.

The reports further suggested that as stones flew through the air, vehicles bore the brunt of the fury, and the police struggled to quell mobs numbering in the thousands, according to reports.

The unrest allegedly ignited after whispers spread that a sacred religious text had been desecrated during the protest.

In Nagpur's rural regions, law enforcement has been summoned to lend a hand, while the cyber division strives to halt the wildfire of misinformation.

The outbreak of chaos left 25 to 30 motorcycles and a handful of cars2 or 3scorched in its wake.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office declared that authorities are grappling with the unrest sparked by stone-hurling and escalating friction in the Mahal district.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has called on the public to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the government," a statement said.

"We're maintaining close communication with the police, and we ask residents to join forces with them. Nagpur has long been a beacon of harmony and unitythis is its legacy. The chief minister implores everyone to dismiss false tales and rally behind the officials," the statement further said.
Bhopal, March 18 : Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday ordered a judicial inquiry into a recent anti-Naxal operation in Mandla district after a Maoist, who was gunned down by police, turned out to be an "innocent" tribal youth.

Notably, the Hawk Force of Madhya Pradesh police had carried out the anti-Naxal operation in Mandla and the Maoist who was gunned down, identified as Hiran Singh Parte.

However, a few days later it emerged that Hiran Singh Parte (38), who belonged to the Baiga community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, wasn't a Naxal. Following this, the opposition Congress has been demanding a judicial inquiry into the incident. A group of Congress MLAs belonging to the Tribal community on Monday raised this issue during the ongoing Assembly session and demanded discussion on Monday.

A few hours later, the Chief Minister's office issued a statement, mentioning that a judicial inquiry had been ordered into the matter. Apart from a judicial inquiry, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the deceased tribal's family.

"Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh from the Mukhya Mantri Swechhanudan Fund to Bisro Bai Parte, wife of late Hiran Singh Parte, a resident of Mandla district," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.

It further added, "This assistance has been sanctioned following the demise of Hiran Singh Parte, a resident of village Khatia in Bichhiya tehsil, on March 9. Additionally, the Collector of Mandla has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident."
Patna, March 18 : With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections on the horizon, the Congress on Monday appointed seven key officials to strengthen its media and publicity operations.

Patna, March 18 (IANS) With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections on the horizon, the Congress on Monday appointed seven key officials to strengthen its media and publicity operations.

According to a letter issued by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Wing of Congress on March 17 (Monday), the party has appointed a national media coordinator, two research coordinators and four coordinators.

As per the list, Abhay Dubey has been appointed as national media coordinator, Priyanka Gupta, a coordinator, Prakash Meena, a coordinator, Ritu Singh a coordinator, Teena Karamveer, a coordinator, Jyoti Kumar Singh, a research coordinator and Satyendra Singh Raghav, research coordinator.

With this, Congress has made a strategic move to strengthen its media operations and grassroots presence.

The seven media officials will work in close coordination with the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) to ensure smooth media and publicity-related activities.

This move is seen as an effort to streamline communication and boost Congress' visibility in Bihar. In a major structural change earlier, central Congress leadership had appointed Krishna Allavaru as the new Bihar in-charge, signalling a fresh approach.

It has also tasked Alka Lamba, the National Womenas Congress President, to mobilise women voters in the state. Both Krishna Allavaru and Alka Lamba have been actively touring Bihar and engaging party workers, local leaders and womenas groups.

Their efforts indicate a serious attempt to revitalise the partyas base, counter the dominance of BJP-JDU, and prepare for a strong electoral battle in 2025.

With leadership changes, media strengthening, and grassroots outreach, Congress is laying the foundation for an aggressive campaign in Bihar.

The appointments suggest that Congress is strengthening its media outreach and public messaging, enhancing research and data analysis to counter opposition narratives and preparing a structured election campaign to boost its presence in Bihar.

The partyas next move will be crucial as it looks to regain the lost ground in the state.
Ludhiana, March 18 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday led a groundbreaking 'Lok Milni' programme in Ludhiana (West).

The initiative reinforced AAP's commitment to participatory governance by directly addressing the grievances of the public and outlining the party's transformative vision for the constituency.

Accompanied by AAP's Ludhiana (West) Assembly candidate Sanjeev Arora, the duo energized the crowd, calling for collective action against corruption, drugs, and decades of neglect by previous regimes.

Addressing the crowd, Chief Minister Mann said: "In the past 75 years, no Chief Minister or minister ever came to meet you in your locality, let alone hand you the mic to voice your issues. They couldn't do it because of the corruption and wrongdoing that defined their tenure. But we have nothing to hide. We've built a clean, people-focused government that listens to its citizens."

Mann addressed a range of issues raised during the event, including law and order, water supply, playgrounds, and sewerage systems. He directed officers on the spot to take immediate action, emphasizing transparency and accountability. Highlighting the government's resolve against drugs.

Mann said: "Punjab is witnessing a war against drugs like never before. For the first time, bulldozers are demolishing drug peddlers' houses. Large-scale arrests are sending shockwaves to Pakistan, as their drones no longer find takers in Punjab."

He assured that no drug trafficker would be spared and urged the public to stand united with the government in this battle. Chief Minister Mann criticized the previous governments led by the Congress, the BJP, and the Akali Dal for ruining Punjab over the past 75 years through corruption and mismanagement.

He emphasised that in three years of governance, the Aam Aadmi Party has not been involved in any corruption or wrongdoings, a record unmatched by prior administrations.

Mann also emphasised how the Punjab government is addressing long-neglected civic issues, such as sewerage problems that were unresolved for 15 to 20 years.

These legacy issues are now being systematically tackled under the AAP's governance. He urged the people of Punjab to unite against drug traffickers, highlighting the success of the government's actions in frustrating Pakistan's attempts to smuggle drugs into Punjab.

Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal drew attention to AAP's achievements and their fight against entrenched systems of corruption.

He said: "For decades, Punjab's resources were looted by corrupt regimes. Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal leaders were busy enriching themselves while people suffered. Today, under AAP's government, corruption is being eradicated, and development is being prioritized."

Kejriwal highlighted the progress made by AAP in Punjab, including free electricity, better healthcare, and educational reforms. Speaking about the specific issues in Ludhiana (West), he said: "Sanjeev Arora has already initiated work on repairing broken roads, installing transformers, and improving infrastructure. Under his leadership, the problems of the constituency will be resolved systematically."

Kejriwal urged voters to elect Sanjeev Arora, stating: "If you want development, choose AAP. If you want disruption and abuses, choose the Congress or the Akalis. But I am confident the people of Ludhiana (West) want progress and will vote for AAP."
Mumbai, March 18 : BJP nominees Dadarao Keche, Sandip Joshi and Sanjay Kanekar, NCP candidate Sanjay Khodke and Shiv Sena nominee Chandrakant Raghuvansi on Monday filed their nominations for by-election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

They are set to get elected unopposed as no one from the Maha Vikas Aghadi filed their nomination for want of adequate numbers. Monday was the last date for the filing of nominations. As per the Election Commission notification, the election is slated for March 27.

The by-election was necessitated after the five state council members Praveen Datke, Gopichand Padalkar, Ramesh Karad (BJP) and one each from NCP member Rajesh Vitekar and Shiv Sena member Aamshya Padave elected to the state assembly in the elections held in November last year. While Padavias term in the state council was till July 7, 2028, Vitekaras term was till July 27, 2030. The tenure of Praveen Datke, Gopichand Padalkar and Ramesh Karad will end on May 13, 2026.

BJP preferred the party loyalists for nomination instead of selecting those who have come the party fold from Congress, NCP SP or Shiv Sena UBT. Keche, who was legislator from Arvi assembly constituency from Wardha district during 2019 and 2024, was denied ticket in the last assembly elections after BJP fielded Sumit Wankhede, a former personal assistant of the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

After he was dropped from nomination, Keche had threatened to contest as an independent. However, Fadnavis intervened and took him in a special flight to union Home Minister Amit Shah. After his meeting with HM Shah, Keche was promised his rehabilitation. He later declared he would toe the party line and supported Wankhede.

As far as Sandip Joshi is concerned, he has been a close confidant of Fadnavis.

Joshi is a former mayor of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. He had lost the election to the state council from the Nagpur graduatesa constituency to the Congress nominee. The BJP did not select him for nomination in the state election but now has been nominated for state council by election.

In the case of Sandip Kenekar, he is from Sambhajinagar from Marathwada and associated with the BJPas OBC cell. BJP had considered his nomination from Aurangabad east constituency during the 2014 assembly elections but denied after party fielded Atul Save. Kenekar could finally get nomination after 11 yearas of wait due to chief ministeras strong recommendation.

As far as NCP nominee Sanjay Khodke is concerned, he is a close associate of party chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

Khodke is known to be the backroom strategist of the NCP since its formation and has worked with all party stalwarts including Sharad Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, late RR Patil and now with Ajit Pawar.

Incidentally, Khodkeas wife Sulabha Khodke is the NCP legislator from Amravati constituency.

Shiv Senaas move to field Chandrakant Raghuvanshi is aimed at increasing its presence in the tribal-dominated Nandurbar district and also in North Maharashtra.

He comes from Nandurbar district and he is an influential leader and instrumental in winning the Congress bastion Akkalkuwa assembly seat to Shiv Sena.
Patna, March 18 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, facing relentless attacks from the Opposition, stepped in directly by summoning Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar and Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena on Monday to seek answers regarding the recent surge in crime especially the murder of police personnel in Araria and Munger.

The government is reportedly considering tough measures to address the situation. However, the details of the discussion have not come out.

Earlier on Monday, RJD MLAs waved placards and raised slogans in the Bihar Assembly, targeting the government's failure to maintain law and order.

The uproar led to CM Nitish Kumar leaving the House within seconds and move to his chamber.

After that, he went to Bihar Legislative Council where former CM Rabri Devi also cornered the government, raising questions about police attacks and criminal incidents.

She mentioned multiple criminal incidents including 22 murders in the last three days, including attacks on police personnel. It has intensified political tensions in Bihar.

The opposition claims the government has completely lost control, while Nitish Kumar is struggling to contain the fallout.

Besides Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav referenced National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, claiming that 60,000 murders and more than 25,000 rape and gang rape cases have been registered in Bihar over the last two decades under Nitish Kumar's leadership.

The Opposition demanded a discussion on law and order under an adjournment motion, but the Assembly speaker denied their request.

Tejashwi claimed: "The government is shielding criminals and avoiding debate because it has no answers."

The escalating pressure may force the government to announce stricter measures in the coming days. With the budget session ongoing, the opposition is expected to keep the issue alive, making law and order a central political debate in Bihar.
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On Saturday, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) issued a response to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's request for public comment regarding the development of the Administration's Artificial Intelligence Action Plan. In their submission, the AAP emphasized the critical role of copyright protections in maintaining American leadership in AI markets.

The response calls on the Administration to bolster copyright protections, foster partnerships between American companies, promote licensing arrangements, reject expanded fair use arguments, condemn the use of pirate sites for AI training, and collaborate with Congress on transparency requirements.

The United States is an unmatched leader in both technology and intellectual property, both of which are key to global AI markets, Maria A. Pallante, president and CEO, Association of American Publishers, said. We thank the White House for the opportunity to inform its action plan and look forward to working with all parts of the Administration to ensure that authors, publishers, and all creative sectors are protected and positioned to partner with AI developers to achieve the extraordinary benefits of AI for the long term, in safe and lawful fashion. Among our priorities is stopping the proliferation of pirate sites that are a scourge on American IP investments and an illegal source of AI development.

The AAP's involvement in AI policy discussions comes at a crucial time for the publishing industry, with publishers increasingly concerned about unauthorized use of their intellectual property for AI training purposes while simultaneously exploring ways to incorporate AI tools into their own operations. There are currently dozens of lawsuits seeking to remedy the tech industrys theft of copywritten material and establish precedent to protect the publishing industry going forward.

Pallante expressed cautious optimism about the current political landscape during a keynote panel at last week's London Book Fair titled "AI and Copyright: Policy Developments in the UK and US." "The Trump Administration was generally pretty good on IP [intellectual property]. And the U.S Congress, which is predominantly Republican right now, has generally been pretty good on IP, historically," Pallante said. "The 'X factor' is that the tech sector literally lives in D.C. That is now a factor that now needs to be managed. Ideally, we want an end to conflict."

The AAP submission also highlights the publishing industry's significant economic impact, noting that American publishers generate nearly $30 billion annually in the U.S. alone and are part of the broader U.S. copyright industries that add more than $2.09 trillion in annual value to U.S. gross domestic product.

"By upholding U.S. intellectual propertyincluding the copyright laws that protect and incentivize the ongoing investments of publishers and authorsthe United States can signal to other nations that they must not weaken their own copyright laws," the submission states.

The organization warns that weakening copyright protections internationally could undermine American intellectual property exports and harm creative industries. The submission also emphasizes that licensing "helps feed copyright commerce worldwide for American creators" while also providing "critical benefits for AI developers" by incentivizing data collection and enabling startups to compete on factors beyond data collection capabilities.

As noted, among AAP's primary concerns is the use of pirated content in AI development. "As the White House drives AI leadership, the country has a pivotal opportunity to strengthen its opposition to pirate sites and denounce the use of pirate repositories to create AI training datasets," the submission noted, calling such practices "clearly illegal" and a risk to innovation.

The AAP specifically warns against "Big Tech's calls for sweeping exceptions to copyright" and urges the White House to reject what it terms a "bloated fair use defense" that could potentially "dismantle centuries of copyright law and destroy evolving licensing markets and future IP investment." Meanwhile, over the weekend OpenAI urged the Trump administration to eliminate guardrails and lighten regulation applied to fair use.

The complete text of the AAPs response can be found here.
PEN America has announced that two of its tentpole spring eventsthe World Voices Festival and Literary Awardswill return this year. The festival and awards were canceled in 2024 after a number of authors withdrew from participation in protest of the organization's response to the war in Gaza.

The 2025 PEN World Voices Festival is slated to run April 30 through May 3, and the 2025 PEN America Literary Awards ceremony is set for May 8. The organization's third major spring event, the PEN America Literary Gala, which proceeded as planned last year, will be held May 15.

At PEN America, we have a longstanding commitment to celebrate literature and defend writers whose voices are especially vital when free expression is under attack in the United States and around the globe as it is now, said Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, interim co-CEO and chief program officer of literary programming, in a statement. We are steadfast in that commitment to our mission.

Rosaz Shariyf continued: Over the last year, my colleagues and I have listened and invested in repairing our relationships with members of our community. We should have done more to support Palestinian writers facing devastation from the Israeli military assault on Gaza, and we apologize.

Last spring proved a tumultuous one for the free expression organization. The 2024 Literary Awards ceremony was canceled just one week before it was scheduled to take place on April 29 after 28 authors withdrew books from consideration for the awards over what they saw as the organization's insufficient response to the crisis in Gaza. Some awards were still conferred. A week later, PEN canceled the 20th edition of its World Voices Festival after a number of authors also withdrew from the event lineup. Much of the criticism aimed at PEN specifically mentioned former CEO Suzanne Nossel, who stepped down late last year to take a new position.

Following the cancelations, PEN committed to conducting a "review" of its work "going back a decade."

Our work is not done to repair and regain the trust of not just Palestinian writers but all writers and members of our community, said Summer Lopez, interim co-CEO and chief program officer of free expression, in a statement.

Lopez continued: Writers have always played a crucial role in responding to moments of crisis, and today we are facing a virulent assault on free speech from the current White House, with language stripped from government websites, retaliation against news organizations for the words they use; and Palestinian and other student activists and scholars threatened with deportation for their viewpoints. PEN America will not be silenced, and we will remain dedicated to centering writers, supporting writers, and defending those who face threats and persecution for exercising their freedom of expression.
Can a single judge unilaterally thwart the president of the United States?

Thats the contentious question the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to resolve last week in response to court orders blocking its effort to curtail birthright citizenship, and after a slew of decrees requiring the president do everything from halting major actions on DEI and domestic spending to disbursing billions in foreign aid.

The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee makes his feelings known about a new judicial injunction over the weekend.

At issue is a legal remedy, universal injunctions, that allows any of the nearly 700 federal judges to prevent the president from enforcing policies not only against those bringing a case but anyone, everywhere. Universal injunctions were rare until the first Trump administration, when their usage exploded as Democrats and progressives turned to the courts to block many of his policies.

In the early days of Donald Trumps second administration, courts have issued such injunctions at a historic pace and with growing potency, notably over the weekend with a suspension in deportations of Venezuelan gang members without a hearing. During the month of February alone, district court judges, most nominated by Democrats, ordered 15 such injunctions  more than Joe Biden faced during his first three years as president. Courts from Washington, D.C., to Washington State have issued injunctions in epidemic proportions, now not only governing the whole nation but the whole world, the administration says.

The injunctions come in response to the 100-plus lawsuits that, critics argue, blue states, progressive nonprofits, and ex-government officials have deliberately brought before sympathetic judges  a tactic known as forum shopping or judge shopping that both parties have employed.

Democrats and progressive legal scholars argue these injunctions are a necessary brake because Trump is creating what they call a constitutional crisis by pushing the bounds of his office. Thankfully, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Democrat Dick Durbin has said, the judiciary is performing its duty to check the executive.

Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois: "Thankfully, the judiciary is performing its duty to check the executive.

The universal injunctions ordered so far have not only hamstrung the president but raised myriad legal and practical questions, some of which the administration raised in its applications to stay the birthright citizenship injunctions filed last week. These include whether a courts authority is limited to ruling on cases and controversies concerning the parties before it; if its reasonable for the federal government to have to run the table over months of litigation in multiple courts of appeals to have any chance of implementing its policies; and to what extent the Supreme Court wishes to see conflicting circuit court opinions as to universal injunctions legitimacy persist.

So far, the nations highest court has been unwilling to resolve these questions, despite past pleadings from Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch and the Biden administration. The Supremes reticence was brought into stark relief earlier this month when a 5-4 majority issued a one-page opinion involving a D.C. district courts universal injunction halting the Trump administrations pause on foreign assistance. The ruling neither grappled with the merits of the case nor the ability of the trial judge, Amir Ali, to, in critics eyes, micromanage a president.

Alito 'Stunned'

Justice Samuel Alito in dissent: "A single district court judge" gets "unchecked power."

In a blistering, seven-page-plus dissent, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that he was stunned that the courts majority had asserted that "a single district court judge" has the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars.

The court's reluctance to weigh in as such cases have worked their way through the lowers courts has left all three branches of government in limbo, and increasingly at each other's throats. As the Trump administration accused liberal district court judges of abusing their power to unilaterally block the presidents basic executive authority, frustrated congressional Republicans are moving to pass legislation to curtail universal injunctions while making it harder to judge shop. Some are even pursuing the more extreme measure of impeaching judges perceived to have overstepped their authorities  recently drawing the ire of at least two federal circuit court judges.

The dueling clashes between Democrats and a president they see as overreaching in pursuit of his agenda, and Republicans and a judiciary they see as overreaching while the Supreme Court sits idly by, come months after Chief Justice John Roberts issued a report hailing judicial independence and fretting over purported threats to it.

The 'No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025'

With a chart driving home his point, Rep. Darrell Issa argues that while Democrat and Republican presidents have both been stymied by universal injunctions, none has found himself nearly as constrained as Trump.

Scholars differ over when courts first started issuing universal injunctions, some dating them back to the Progressive Era and others to the 1960s. Congresss concern with such decrees appears to have begun escalating during the first Trump administration  when their usage exploded  with panels in both houses holding hearings on the practice.

No matter what the Supreme Court decides in the case brought by the Trump administration, congressional Republicans are addressing the issue.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland: The implication  is that somehow the courts have done something wrong rather than Donald Trump having done something wrong.

On March 5, the day Alito issued his dissent, Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, brought his No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 before the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation would prohibit district courts from issuing injunctive relief beyond the party seeking it in court.

Issa argued that while Democrat and Republican presidents have both been stymied by universal injunctions, none has found himself nearly as constrained as Trump. He spoke while introducing his bill flanked by a chart showing the number of decrees issued against each administration from that of George W. Bush onward.

According to an April 2024 Harvard Law Review article, courts slapped the first Trump administration with 64 universal injunctions, more than half of all such injunctions entered between 1963 and 2023  that is, over six decades. Democrat-nominated judges issued 92% of these orders.

In notable instances, the 45th president prevailed on appeal  as in Trump v. Hawaii, a case overturned at the Supreme Court concerning his executive order restricting travel from nations posing terror threats  but often only after months of litigation.

Justice Clarence Thomas laid out his argument against the use of universal injunctions in a concurrence in that 2018 case, calling them legally and historically dubious and inconsistent with longstanding limits on equitable relief and the power of Article III courts.

If federal courts continue to issue them, this Court is dutybound to adjudicate their authority to do so, Thomas concluded  a position Justice Gorsuch, too, would adopt.

The first Trump administration would oppose their usage in public remarks and official guidance, but the court never took up the question, and the injunctions persisted. Ranking Judiciary Committee Democrat Jamie Raskin shot back at Issa over the chart that the implication  is that somehow the courts have done something wrong rather than Donald Trump having done something wrong.

The courts have targeted Trump, Raskin argued, because he is trampling the lawmaking and spending powers of the Congress of the United States. Hes violating the Civil Service Rights of federal workers. And hes betraying the federal law in every particular way.

Sen. Mike Lee, Republican of Utah: Working on a bill to curb injunctions, and envisions impeaching judges.

Advocates of such injunctions contend that, beyond constraining an overreaching executive, by covering non-parties to a case, they protect those who might lack the resources to bring suit; reduce needless litigation; and are at times practically necessary, while promoting uniformity.

Raskin, who voted against the legislation alongside his fellow Democrats, did not respond to RCIs inquiries in connection with this story.

The Biden administration took a different position when courts issued universal injunctions against its favored policies. In December 2024 it asked the Supreme Court to stay one such injunction halting enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act. Therein, the departing president endorsed both Thomass and Gorsuchs criticisms of the practice, and called on the Court to consider ruling on their legality. It did not.

Issas bill passed out of committee with an amendment permitting a three-judge panel to issue a universal injunction should a case be brought by two or more states located in different circuits. He characterized this as a middle ground, something thats fair to protect presidents, regardless of party.

He anticipates his bill will come to the House floor relatively quickly and pass.

Hours after the markup, Republican Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley of Iowa took to the Senate floor to express concern about some of the recent orders from individual district judges, issued on an expedited basis with very broad nationwide impact.

In a statement to RealClearInvestigations, Sen. Grassley said, Allowing a single district judge to unilaterally micromanage the executive branch should raise eyebrows, to say the least. I have serious questions about district courts recent use of [generally non-appealable] temporary restraining orders [which Justice Alito argued deserved scrutiny] and universal injunctions to put a leash on the executive branch, and I think Congress ought to closely examine the issue.

Grassleys committee colleague, Utah Republican Mike Lee, is working on a bill to curtail the practice. The Constitution empowers Congress to address this issue by limiting jurisdiction and, in some cases, through impeachment," Senator Lee said. "I am drafting legislation to establish a [three-judge] panel that would expedite Supreme Court review of such blanket injunctions.

Checkered History of Reform

Whether and to what extent a bill to curtail injunctions can pass through the Senate is unclear, though Rep. Issa told RCI he was optimistic. Similar legislation has languished in past Congresses  though notably, federal law called for three-judge panels to preside over cases dealing with injunctions against federal statutes until its repeal in the 1970s.

Democrats and Republicans alike have also previously sponsored legislation aimed at combatting the related practice of forum- or judge-shopping, only for those bills to die. While considered a first cousin to the issue of nationwide injunctions, Issa said there will be legislation forthcoming to deter it. He touted a companion bill that would require disclosure of third-party funding of cases.

The California congressman also told RCI he would be raising matters of judiciary reform before the Judicial Conference of the United States  which held its biannual meeting Tuesday  while noting that he believed Attorney General Pam Bondi would be making a similar pitch.

The Justice Department did not respond to RCIs inquiries in connection with this story.

The conference, chaired by Justice Roberts, meets twice per year to consider administrative and policy issues affecting the federal court system, and to make recommendations to Congress concerning legislation involving the Judicial Branch.

The organization, which has previously issued nonbinding guidelines concerning judge shopping, Rep. Issa says, may serve as a venue to fix some of these things sooner rather than later.

For its part, the Trump administration recently availed itself of its own tool to ensur[e] the democratic process remains intact by curbing activist judges and holding litigants accountable.

It published a memorandum last Tuesday requiring parties seeking injunctions against it to cover the costs and damages incurred if the Government is ultimately found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained. This, it has argued, would deter frivolous litigation by creating risks for [a]ctivist groups filing meritless lawsuits.

The White House did not respond to RCIs inquiries in connection with this story.

A March 13th order from U.S. District Court Judge James Bredar in Maryland illustrated the limits of this effort. In directing the administration to reinstate federal workers fired across 18 agencies, Bredar imposed an injunction bond of a mere $100 per plaintiff.

One Sen. Lee aide has indicated that Congress could look to pass legislation, perhaps as part of a package limiting universal injunctions, to ensure injunction bonds meet certain standards  a law that would presumably combat judicial efforts to demand artificially small bonds.

Musk: 'A Wave of Judicial Impeachments'

Injunctions aside, as Sen. Lee suggests, there is a more extreme remedy for taking on justices whose jurisprudence is perceived to be beyond the pale: impeachment.

John D. Bates, federal judge: Musk and GOP lawmakers seek his impeachment.

Elon Musk has called for an immediate wave of judicial impeachments, not just one, as he put it, in a quote tweet referencing D.C. District Judge John D. Bates. The judge had ordered federal health agencies to restore certain pages removed from their websites pursuant to President Trumps executive order on gender ideology and extremism.

Some GOP House members concur. They have introduced articles of impeachment against Bates, one of three such judges threatened with the ultimate sanction, generally on grounds of abuse of judicial power.

Another is Judge Paul Engelmayer, a Southern District of New York judge who originally prohibited President Trumps chosen personnel  from DOGE staffers to senior appointees, including even Secretary Scott Bessent himself  from accessing Treasury Department payment systems.

D.C. District Judge Amir Ali is the third judge to have been hit with articles of impeachment to date. He issued the temporary restraining order halting the administrations foreign aid pause that drew the rebuke of the Supreme Courts minority.

With his weekend directive halting President Trump's effort to remove Tren de Aragua gang members from the U.S. via invocation of the wartime Alien Enemies Act, Chief Judge of the D.C. District Court James Boasberg is poised to join his colleagues as the fourth judge to face articles of impeachment this year. Hours after Chief Judge Boasberg issued his directive, House Judiciary Committee member Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, announced on X that he would be filing such articles this week.

Republican Congressman Andrew Clyde of Georgia told RCI, If any judge can weaponize their power to usurp the presidents legitimate Article II authority and defy the will of the American people, then we no longer have a constitutional Republic.

Paul A. Engelmayer: Another federal judge facing impeachment.

In response, he and GOP Reps. Eli Crane of Arizona and Andy Ogles of Tennessee, sponsors of such articles of impeachment, have launched a Judicial Activism Accountability Task Force. We encourage members who are passionate about ending abusive judicial overreach, upholding the separation of powers, and defending the U.S. Constitution to join our effort, Rep. Clyde added.

Congress has impeached only 15 federal judges in U.S. history, convicting eight  almost always on grounds of corruption. Three left the federal bench before impeachment proceedings concluded.

Despite the rarity of such efforts, Rep. Crane told RCI, Our Founders gave us the power to impeach, and we cannot take stands based on what the Senate is allegedly going to do. We owe it to the American people to use every tool at our disposal.

Following the Judicial Conferences biannual meeting, it hosted a call with reporters in which two circuit court judges, Jeffrey Sutton and Richard Sullivan, condemned these efforts.

Threats to judges are threats to judicial independence, Sutton said, acknowledging the calls for impeachment. One thing worth keeping in mind is if we dilute the standards for impeachment, thats not just a problem for judges, thats a problem for all three branches of government.

Amir Ali: Another federal judge facing

impeachment.

Sullivan added that Impeachment is not  shouldnt be  a short circuiting of th[e judicial] process, and so it is concerning if impeachment is used in a way that is designed to do just that.

Clyde told RCI that beyond impeachment, I certainly think other remedies to combat judicial activism are worth pursuing, and I anticipate thats an avenue our task force will explore.

While myriad cases make their way through the courts, Democrats have suggested the Trump administration is going to lose patience and seek out a more dramatic showdown.

Chairman Grassleys remarks on the Senate floor came in response to a speech from Ranking Member Durbin regarding a resolution calling on the Senate to affirm the rule of law and the legitimacy of judicial review.

The Illinois senator and other Democrats insinuated, based on recent remarks from the president, vice president, and others in and around the administration, that it might defy a court order, necessitating the resolution.

In a rejoinder, Grassley argued that Democrats had repeatedly threatened the court for ruling in ways that they did not like and remained mum while President Biden flouted the Supreme Court in response to its positions on policies like the CDC eviction moratorium, student loan debt relief, and affirmative action.

Now that we have a Republican President, my Democratic colleagues appear to have a newfound respect for the courts, Grassley said, calling Durbins resolution nothing but a partisan messaging statement.

In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, Grassley defended the Trump administration, noting:

In the few weeks since hes been in office, President Trump has been overwhelmed by decisions from individual district judges that encroach on his core constitutional powers. Nevertheless, he and his administration have worked diligently to abide by those orders, no matter how outrageous, by appealing them and challenging their scope and reach. And the President has been explicit about his views. Hes said, I always abide by the courts, always abide by them. And well appeal.

Nevertheless, invoking the Dred Scott decision and other landmark decisions, the chairman noted, Our history teaches that, in extreme cases, there may even be grounds to defy a court decision.

James Boasberg: Another federal judge facing impeachment.

Just days later, it appeared to some that such an extreme case might have arisen.

Critics of the Trump administration and many in the media were quick to claim it had defied D.C. District Chief Judge Boasberg's Saturday universal injunction halting the president's Tren de Aragua deportation effort. That's because several hundred members of the designated terrorist organization, apprehended and ticketed for deportation to El Salvador pursuant to the policy, landed there reportedly hours after Chief Judge Boasberg issued his directive  and despite his oral demands in a hearing just prior that any such flights be turned around.

In a notice to the court on Sunday, the administration indicated the members "had already been removed from U.S. territory" when the order came down. Citing this point, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt would issue a statement indicating that "The Administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. ... The written order and the administrations actions do not conflict."

"Moreover, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly made clear  federal courts generally have no jurisdiction over the Presidents conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion. A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil, she added.

The administration would formally argue that Chief Judge Boasberg's order constitutes a "massive, unauthorized imposition" and "unprecedented intrusion upon the Executive's authority" in an emergency court filing that same day. Consistent with Chairman Grassley's remarks, it came in a motion to stay the order  while the president appeals it, and, per his administration's notice, as it uses other unchallenged authorities to target Tren de Aragua.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has called on the plaintiffs in the birthright citizenship cases to file their responses to the administration by April 4th.
The University of Georgias dozens of different undergraduate certificate programs provide students with the opportunity to take classes in a more focused and professional environment. A certificate, similar to a minor, requires students to take classes in one specified field of study, though minors are often not as focused and can require more classes.
The gap between credit and deposit growth in the banking system is expected to decline sharply to 80 basis points (bps) in the next financial year from an average of 386 bps over the FY22-Q3FY25 period, according to rating agency India Ratings.

This would be against the backdrop of sharp moderation in the incremental loan deposit ratio (LDR) of the Indian banking system to 85 per cent in February 2025 from 117-118 per cent in the same month of 2024.

During this period, the banking systems loan growth fell to 11.0 per cent on a year-on-year (Y-o-Y) basis in February 2025 from 20.5 per cent, said India Ratings in a statement.

The pace of moderation was less sharp for mobilisation of liabilities compared to that observed in the case of credit.

The deposit growth declined to 10.3 per cent in February 2025 from 13.1 per cent a year ago.

In June 2024, Shaktikanta Das, then governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), had asked banks to rework their business plan in light of the persisting gap between credit and deposit growth rates.

He also flagged consequent challenges to manage liquidity, repricing and rollover risks.

India Ratings said the major share of LDR decrease was coming from private sector banks that even in a liquidity constrained environment reported deposit growth of 13.9 per cent Y-o-Y, and loan growth of 9.3 per cent Y-o-Y in 9MFY25, leading to incremental LDR of 63.3 per cent vs 118.5 per cent in FY24.

On the other hand, public sector banks (PSBs) have reported constrained growth in deposits at below 10 per cent Y-o-Y so far in all quarters of FY25 (Q1FY25: 8.9 per cent, Q2FY25: 9.5 per cent, Q3FY25: 9.8 per cent).

State-owned lenders reported an LDR of 98.8 per cent in 9MFY25 vs 103 per cent in FY24, the rating agency said.

With the improvement in system credit growth in FY22-FY23, most PSBs had an average LDR of about 65 per cent, significantly lower than private banks at 82-83 per cent.

Thus, PSBs could drive significant loan growth and profitability without the need to grow deposits commensurately.

However, with most PSBs operating at the higher end of their normal LDR range (around 75 per cent), they will have to start focusing on growing deposits to meet the strong systemic loan growth, it added.
Zetwerk Manufacturing, a $3.1 billion company in the contract manufacturing space, is planning to come up with an initial public offering within the next 1524 months, a top company executive said on Saturday.

Photograph: Courtesy, Zetwerk Manufacturing

The Bengaluru-based company aims to raise at least $500 million, targeting a valuation of around $5 billion.

The preparatory work is underway to go public in the next 15 to 24 months, said Amrit Acharya, chief executive officer and co-founder of Zetwerk, which is backed by investors including Peak XV Partners and Lightspeed India Partners.

Zetwerk Electronics, a part of the $2 billion Zetwerk Manufacturing businesses, started its seventh electronics manufacturing facility its first in Tamil Nadu  in Sriperumbudur on Saturday.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, who inaugurated the facility, said Indias electronics manufacturing was on a growth trajectory and scaling new heights.

Two major Electronics Manufacturing Clusters, with an approved cost of 1,012 crore, will be developed at Pillai Pakkam and Manallur.

"Tamil Nadu is a key beneficiary, with the railway budget now exceeding 6,000 crore, fueling growth and infrastructure.

"As Zetwerk launches its seventh factory, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting Indian companies in becoming global leaders," he said.

The 15-acre campus will play a pivotal role in strengthening Indias position in the global Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) sector, contributing to the countrys ambition of a $500 billion ESDM market and Tamil Nadus vision of becoming a $1 trillion economy, the company said.

TRB Rajaa, Tamil Nadus Minister for Industries, said that as Indias top electronics producer with a 36 per cent share in national exports, Tamil Nadu has always been at the forefront of the countrys manufacturing revolution.

Investments from new-age companies like Zetwerk further strengthen our ecosystem and will enable our ambitious target to scale up our yearly electronics exports to $100 billion," said the minister.

"This is part of our overall plan to invest around 1,000 crore in the electronics segment.

"We are betting big on markets like the United States," said Josh Foulger, the president of electronics at Zetwerk.

The new factory will focus on manufacturing control boards for washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, and IT hardware, with advanced production capabilities, including five Surface-Mount Technology (SMT) lines, Manual Insertion (MI) lines, potting, conformal coating, and rigorous testing processes.

At full capacity, the facility will employ approximately 1,200 skilled professionals.

Acharya said Zetwerk was born from the vision of making India a global manufacturing powerhouse.

In just a few years, we have built a full-stack EMS company that is helping reshape supply chains.

"This new facility is a step toward realising Indias potential in high-value electronics manufacturing," he said.

"Our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and skill development will drive our mission to strengthen India's global competitiveness.

"We recognise that the journey toward a $500 billion ESDM industry and a $1 trillion Tamil Nadu economy is a collective effort, and Zetwerk is proud to be a vital piece of this larger puzzle," he added.

Zetwerks Chennai facility is designed to be a world-class export hub, leveraging Indo-US trade opportunities and contributing to Indias role in global supply chains.
A home insurance policy covers damage from earthquakes, fires, explosions, floods, landslides, cyclones, storms, aircraft damage, and acts of terrorism.

Recent earthquakes in the Delhi-National Capital Region (February 17) and in West Bengal (February 25) underscore the importance of buying home insurance. A home is often an individual's most significant asset.

"Unforeseen events like earthquakes, fires, and floods can cause devastating damage, possibly wiping out your financial security," says Dilip Baba, head-commercial & speciality underwriting, Go Digit General Insurance.

Without insurance, homeowners have to bear the full financial burden of repairs and reconstruction.

What this policy covers

A home insurance policy covers damage from earthquakes, fires, explosions, floods, landslides, cyclones, storms, aircraft damage, and acts of terrorism.

It protects both the structure of the house and its contents (appliances, furniture, fixtures, etc).

After a disaster, homeowners may need temporary accommodation.

"Home insurance can cover relocation expenses after disasters if the policy includes a 'living expenses' add-on. It covers the costs of boarding, lodging, storage, and moving," says Baba.

Choosing right sum insured

Buy a sum insured that can meet the cost of rebuilding the house (excluding land value).

Most policies settle claims on a reinstatement value basis, which means that insurers reimburse the actual cost of repair or rebuilding.

If a policy has a sum insured of Rs 1 crore, but repairs cost Rs 60 lakh, the claim payout will be the latter amount.

"The amount paid is calculated using the carpet area in square feet multiplied by the cost per square foot of reconstruction in that region," says Baba.

Parthanil Ghosh, Director & Chief Business Officer, HDFC Ergo General Insurance, suggests periodically increasing the sum insured to match rising construction costs.

For contents, the sum insured is usually decided based on the declared value of items.

"In Griha Raksha, the standard home insurance policy, 10 per cent of the building's sum insured is allocated for contents. Jewellery up to Rs 5 lakh is covered without a specific declaration. Higher values require a declaration," says Baba.

Selecting right policy

According to Ghosh, buyers should identify the possible natural calamities in their area and then buy a policy that covers them all.

"Supplement the main policy with add-ons or riders. Also, look at the claim settlement ratios of insurers," says Ashwini Dubey, head of home insurance, Policybazaar.

Home insurance falls under the broader category of fire insurance. Claim settlement ratios for fire insurance, available on the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) web site, should be a consideration while selecting an insurer.

Baba informs that premiums vary based on construction materials used, age of the building, coverage limits, deductibles, safety features (smoke detectors, security systems), and the overall cost of reinstating the house. Dubey suggests comparing the premiums of different insurers.

Exclusions and waiting periods

Buyers must be aware of what is not covered by this policy. Damages caused by seepage, poor construction quality, malicious acts of the customer, and war are not covered. Theft and burglary require an additional cover," says Dubey.

Jewellery kept in bank lockers is also usually not covered by a home insurance policy (you need to buy a bank locker protector policy).

Mistakes to avoid

Ghosh laments that very few people in India opt for home insurance to stay protected against natural and man-made perils.

Many homeowners also underestimate the coverage required.

"The policy must cover the full cost of rebuilding the house and replacing its contents," says Dubey.

He also underlines the importance of purchasing add-on covers for jewellery kept in the house and for burglary.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
We need to equip the Indian armed forces, not 'commercial' as Trump wants, but 'operationally' looking at growing Chinese military capabilities, asserts Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd).

IMAGE: A US F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft takes off during Aero India 2025 at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. Photograph: ANI Photo

Sensing the direction the wind is blowing, India reduced duties on electric vehicles from 110% to 15%.

But POTUS Donald Trump says he wants zero duty on EVs. He also said India has agreed to cut tariffs 'way down' and India must open up its farm sector.

To all this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says Trump promoting multipolarity is good; but isn't Trump solely promoting American interests -- call it unipolar or multipolar?

Tesla shares are stumbling drastically and satellite photos show a sea of unsold Tesla cars.

But Elon Musk will make all that up in India. There is speculation when Trump visits India later this year, New Delhi may have a fleet of Tesla cars in the Modi-Trump cavalcade.

Are we going to equip our military with what Trump wants? Following the February 13 Modi-Trump meeting, White House issued the US-India Joint Leaders' Statement, some defence-related issues of which included:

Launched US-India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology).

Launched ASIA (Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance.

To sign 10-year 'Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership in 2025.

Integration of US-origin defence items in India's inventory, including AH-64, MQ-9B drones, among others.

America to expand defence sales and co-production with India of 'Stryker' Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICVs) in India, among others.

COMPACT and 10-year Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership must be viewed against many promises in the two-decade-long India-US defence cooperation, but America delivers too little.

Presently, technology of the inner core of the F-414 aero engines is not being shared despite promises of 100% transfer of technology (ToT).

The deliberate delay in supply of F-414 engines delayed India's Tejas program and why is the delivery of AH-64 Apache being delayed?

Are we going for Stryker co-production just to please Trump? Stryker is more than two-decades, called 'Kevlar Coffin' by some because of multiple vulnerabilities. It failed in high-altitude trials in Ladakh, almost suffered a breakdown.

Not designed for direct assault and not amphibious (which our Army wants), its co-production under pretext 'faster equipping; implies killing Atmanirbharta; when the indigenous Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) is a better option.

One batch of WhAP is inducted in our Army and we are exporting WhAP to Morocco.

WhAP provides common platforms for APC, ICV, Light Tank, Command Post, Ambulance, Special Purpose platform, Mortar Carrier and CBRN Vehicle.

We need to expand WhAP production but does the political hierarchy have the guts to scrap the Stryker?

IMAGE: 'The Indian Army deploys Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System in Sikkim. This Atmanirbhar system enhances mobility, rapid response & firepower, reinforcing Indias self-reliance & defense preparedness,' the Indian Army tweeted. Photograph: ANI Photo

Government appointed a high-level defence ministry committee to address the IAF's combat criticalities; covering government apathy and political indecision over the last decade plus.

Notably, the government dumped the Justice Reddy report on One Rank One Pension, but didn't make it public, because it would expose the government's unfair bias against the Armed Forces.

Execution of the Committee Report on Restructuring DRDO is stalled since it upsets the goose (DRDO) that lays golden eggs.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh had publicly said everybody in the world is looking for self-reliance, and the only way forward is to establish global partnerships, while voicing frustration over the delay in delivery of the first 40 Tejas aircraft that the IAF ordered more than a decade ago.

At the recent India Today Conclave, the air chief said the F-35 is not a fridge which can be picked up just looking at it.

The high-level defence ministry committee has accepted the IAF's need for new multirole fighter aircraft to enhance its fighting capabilities.

The committee identified key thrust areas and made recommendations for implementation in the short, medium and long-term, as also to enhance Aatmanirbharta with the private sector complementing the effort of DPSUs and DRDO.

The IAF is preparing a statement of case for acquiring capabilities, with approvals to be obtained, in a time-bound manner.

IMAGE: The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Photograph: ANI Photo

The above report comes at a time when Trump is pushing to sell F-35 fighters to India and Russia has offered the Su-57 'with transfer of technology'.

Both are 5th generation fighters but the F-35 is hugely expensive (costs $80 million compared to the $35 million Su-57), under-rated and under-performing jet, with six accidents already fares lower than the Su-57.

How will the IAF's combat capability (down to some 30 fighter squadrons against authorised 42 squadrons) be filled up in the short-term -- import two-three 5th generation squadrons?

The media is reporting various options: Take some F-35s to please Trump; importing Su-57 would annoy Trump when he says he wants India to reduce Russian dfence imports; take the Rafale that the IAF already has and Rafale (M) are being procured.

A recent study (the study group included former French air force officers) by the French Institute of International Relations has concluded that the French air force 'could' survive just three days against Russia if the 4th generation French Rafale is pitted against 5th generation Russian fighter aircraft.

Why then are we importing more Rafales, not procuring 5th generation fighters to meet the IAF's short term requirement?

The PLA air force (PLAAF) already has two 5th generation fighter jets and China recently demonstrated a 6th generation fighter at the Zhuhai air show.

According to analysts, by the time India inducts its multirole fighter in the IAF, China will have 1,000 5th generation fighter aircraft.

IMAGE: Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fighter aircraft at Aero India 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Indian Navy is looking for jet-powered drones to adequately cover the expanse of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

MQ9 drones which we are procuring from the US not only don't meet this requirement, the 15th American drone was shot down by the Houthi (external link) on March 3 over Yemen.

Why are we not going for jet-powered drones -- imports followed by Make in India?

Finally, we need to equip the Indian Armed Forces, not 'commercial' as Trump wants, but 'operationally' looking at growing Chinese military capabilities.

Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd), PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SC is a former Special Forces officer.

He is a third generation army officer and participated in the 1971 India-Pakistan War and in Operation Bluestar.

He commanded a Special Forces Battalion in Sri Lanka, a Brigade on the Siachen Glacier, a Division in Ladakh and a Strike Corps in the South Western Theatre.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'BSP will remain a player, but only a marginal player, as long as the BJP is extremely dominant in North India politics.'

IMAGE: 'It is difficult to make out what is on her mind but one thing is for sure, Mayawati wants to be in control within the BSP.' Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo

With no viable second line of leadership, does the Bahujan Samaj Party have a future?

Or will BSP supremo Mayawati's leadership style end up Dalits an important force that voiced their concerns and resulted in their empowerment?

"At any point of time, Dalit votes will shift wherever they feel they will get something," Sudha Pai, retired professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

Pai, arguably the most authoritative scholar on the BSP, is the author of Dalits in the new Millenium and co-author of Politics of Representation: Historically Disadvantaged Groups in India's Democracy.

Part 1 of the Sudha Pai Interview: 'Mayawati is afraid of the BJP'

In the last six months Dalits have gone back to voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party in large numbers, like in the recent UP by-elections?

The 2024 shift of Dalit votes to INDIA bloc was a one-time shift. The Congress got six MPs and SP did well (with 35 MPs vis a vis the BJP which got 32).

One must understand the fact that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has complete hold over eastern Uttar Pradesh. Yogi began (his political journey) in 1997-1998 through his Hindu Yuva Vahini to mobilise Dalits.

Throughout the Terai area he had gained a certain hold over Dalits and lower OBCS and made them anti-Muslim. He has a certain Robin Hood-like image among the poor of that area. They feel he will help them so it is better to side with him rather than anybody else.

These factors push the Dalits away from the BSP.

What about the Muslims of UP, they were part of the BSP in large numbers. But even they seem to have abandoned her.

Mayawati made no attempt to bridge the relations between Dalits and Muslims post the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013.

It is not that only the Brahmins and Dalits of UP brought her to power. It was the Muslims of UP and lower OBCs who supported her in 2007.

The reason her downfall happened was because Mayawati has been doing unpredictable things in her politics.

It is difficult to make out what is on her mind but one thing is for sure, Mayawati wants to be in control within the BSP. She wants a firm grip on the party.

IMAGE: Security personnel escort residents off the streets of Muzaffarnagar in September 2013. Photograph: Reuters

But don't Dalits empathise with the state of the Muslim community when they face discrimination in UP?

After the Muzaffarnagar riots Dalits and Muslims have moved away from each other. There has not been a coming together of the two at all.

If you see the social base of the BSP and SP they have both Dalits and Muslims. After the Muzaffarnagar riots I interviewed Kadir Rana, MP, he told me that whenever Muslims used to call him for help during riots, he used to rush immediately to help them.

Dalits in turn used to tell him 'Dekho bhaag gaya.' And when he would rush to help Dalits, Muslims used to feel, 'He is supporting Dalits and not Muslims.'

Somehow there is a certain wedge between Dalits and Muslims that has been driven by the BJP.

The riots have created this problem between the two communities in western UP.

There has been a consistent anti-Muslim mobilisation and if upper caste Hindus are affected by this anti-Muslim rhetoric, how can Dalits not be affected? They see themselves as Hindus.

It is the Jatav community (of Dalits) who are still with Mayawati.

BSP will remain a player, but only a marginal player, as long as the BJP is extremely dominant in North India politics.

A sad end for the BSP, isn't it?

Yes, it is a sad ending for the BSP for now.

But look at the achievements of the party.

The Dalits got empathy to empowerment and now they are looking for much more.

When the upper caste votes for lower caste parties and moves from the Congress to the BJP and then to the SP to BSP, no eyebrows are raised but when Dalits do the same for their own economic benefit, sure of the fact that the BSP will not give them or that Yadavs will not bother, it is natural for them to move to the BJP. They go to the BJP and get whatever the party is giving to them.

My problem is when people expect Dalits should vote only for Dalit parties.

I think there is a certain maturing of the Dalit movement in North India. They do not see things as they used to see things in the 1990s.

Look at the Dalit students in universities; they want to be part of the higher part of the economy.

Dalits want to enter the IT sector and do not want to be scavengers or cleaners.

There has been a shift from the great desire for social justice, which remains, to aspiration.

Does it mean Dalits today feel that their aspirations can be met only by the BJP and no other party is capable of doing it?

At this point, the answer is yes.

But at any point of time, Dalit votes will shift wherever they feel they will get something.

In 2024 they went to the INDIA bloc but then that proved to be a broken alliance.

Look at what they did in Haryana and after that in the Maharashtra elections. So, Dalits went back to the BJP.

If tomorrow the INDIA group becomes strong they will go back to INDIA.

Dalit politics is seeing a great transition without a party of their own and without a strong leader of their own.

They are extremely fragmented and are ready to vote for any party which will give them something.

They are also doing strategic voting.

In Nagina, it was a four-way contest and nobody gave a chance for Chandra Shekhar Azad to win but he won.

When I predicted he was going to win in an article in a leading newspaper everyone laughed at me. But he won.

IMAGE: 'Dalit politics is seeing a great transition without a party of their own and without a strong leader of their own.' Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo

What has the BSP achieved for the Dalits of UP since its existence? And what is the future?

As long as there is a strong hegemonic party like the BJP it will be very difficult for a party like the BSP.

One should not look at it negatively. The BSP achieved what it set out to achieve.

The BSP was not a party to give economic benefits to Dalits.

It was a party that was supposed to give self-respect, dignity, self-confidence, and empowerment.

I think it has played its role.

Do the upper castes in UP now give respect and dignity to Dalits in the name of Hindutva?

I don't think so.

UP is one of the most conservative states of India. They may not show it openly as they do against Muslims openly during communal riots.

Upper castes want to accommodate Dalits and they want their support and want them to be counted as Hindus. It is something that exists from the colonial period.

Upper castes wants Dalits to be counted in the Hindu population so that it will be more than the Muslim population.

Upper castes are very smart and conservative in Uttar Pradesh. As long as they are getting Dalit votes they are not bothered about anything else.
'The global climate system doesn't look at where the carbon dioxide is coming from.'

'It may be emitted by the US, but it will not remain above the US alone but covers the whole world.'

IMAGE: A man and a child protect themselves from the sun on a hot summer day in Prayagraj, May 20, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

It is a reality that the Indian monsoon has become erratic and unpredictable in the last decade or so, resulting in floods, landslides and even droughts.

This unpredictability has had a huge impact on agriculture too affecting the livelihood of many.

And it is a well-known fact that climate change has a lot to do with this.

Dr Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, in his new book South Asian Summer Monsoon, written in collaboration with Parthasarathy Mukhopadhaya and Arindan Chakraborty, discusses how the monsoon pattern has changed now.

After retiring as the secretary at the Ministry of earth sciences, Dr Rajeevan is currently Vice-Chancellor at the Atria University in Bengaluru.

"Trump doesn't believe that climate change is happening though the US is experiencing extreme weather events," Dr Rajeevan tells Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com

IMAGE: Temples in Nashik partially submerged in the Godavari river after the rise in water levels following incessant rainfall, August 5, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Is it because climate in India especially the monsoon, more so the south-west monsoon, has changed its pattern drastically in the last decade or so, that you decided to study the Indian monsoon in the last five decades and write South Asian Summer Monsoon?

Actually the book was pending for many years as we do not have a comprehensive book on the monsoon.

Many people have written about the Asian monsoon which covered the East Asian monsoon. But there was no comprehensive textbook specifically on the South Asian monsoon.

I decided to write this book mainly with students in mind, students who want to learn about monsoons.

We have done lots of research, and plenty of research papers have come in the last 50 years. We have analysed all the data that is available in the last 50 years to see how the monsoon has changed its pattern.

And the book is basically an accumulation of all the research papers with all the updated information.

It is a general textbook covering all the aspects right from the basics to using technology to predict monsoons, and not one on climate change alone. But there is a chapter on the impact of climate change on the Indian monsoon.

Even though we meant it as a textbook for university students, it can be useful for even policymakers.

IMAGE: A delivery man wades through a water-logged road after rains caused by cyclone Dana in Kolkata, October 25, 2024. Photograph: Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters

What were the interesting facts you found out as you were going through data from the last 50 years?

In fact, we have 150 years of data on the Indian monsoon.

When you analyse this long-term data, you will see that it is a very stable system.

Yes, there are year-to-year variations like, in some years, there will be a drought while in some years, you experience excessive rain.

In some years, the monsoon will be poor, and in some years, it will be more.

Though the monsoon rainfall is a robust system, an important factor that is happening in the last 50 years is that the frequency of heavy rainfall has increased.

It is like this; it rains for a few days, then it stops. And after a gap, it rains again. This, we call is the dry spell between two rain spells., a good wet spell, then a dry spell followed by a good wet spell.

What has happened is, while the frequency of heavy rainfall is increasing, the length of the dry spell also is increasing. The dry spell gets prolonged for many days unlike in the past.

So, while the toral amount of rainfall remains the same, the days in which it rains has reduced.

It means, when it rains, it rains very, very, heavily.

IMAGE: Search operations continue after landslides hit Mundakkai village in Wayanad district in Kerala, August 1, 2024. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

Earlier in Kerala, it used to rain the whole day during the south-west monsoon season, and it never was heavy. But now, it is almost like a cloud burst...

Exactly. Not just in Kerala, in many other parts also, the rain pattern has changed.

Earlier, it used to rain 24 hours a day.

Now, you get heavy rains like 100mm, 120mm, etc for a few hours, and this has become very common.

The characteristics of monsoon has changed.

IMAGE: An aerial view shows partially submerged buildings at a flooded area in Kerala, August 19, 2018. Photograph: Sivaram V/Reuters

What could be the reason? Global warming?

There is no doubt about it. It is purely attributed to global warming.

More temperature means more moisture and when the clouds form, it rains more.

So, everything is related to global warming.

IMAGE: A panoramic view of the Western Ghats. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Gadgil Committee report of 1988 warned about the impact of the exploitation of the Western Ghats through deforestation and mining on the south west monsoon.... Kerala is experiencing everything he had warned about.

Very true. The Western Ghats have a very prominent role in the monsoon circulation, and the monsoon rainfall along the West Coast.

In India, maximum rainfall happens in two areas, the West Coast and North East India and both are hilly regions. So, the mountains and the forests play an important role in the monsoon rainfall. They are the important components of monsoon circulation.

Destroying forests is not a good idea at all. Forests support the natural climate system by providing enough moisture. Basically, it is a source of water vapour.

When you destroy forests, the source of water vapour is lost.

Even the characteristics of the soil condition also will change.

In effect, it adversely affects the rainfall.

It happened in the Amazon Forests also. When they removed the forest, it had an immediate impact on the local rainfall.

For local rainfall, forests are very important. The regions close to the forests get more rainfall. But it may not really help the whole monsoon region.

So, you should not touch the forests at all.

If you make any artificial modification of the Western Ghats, the effects will be seen immediately on the monsoon rainfall.

IMAGE: A man covers himself during a snowfall in Srinagar, February 27, 2025. Photograph: Sharafat Ali/Reuters

What do you think will be the impact of global warming on the South Asian monsoon?

There is no doubt that global warming is happening. Even if global warming is not happening, the monsoon can vary due to natural variabilities. But global warming can add more variability to the variation.

Now we see that the effects of global warming much exceeds the natural variabilities.

So, global warming is an overriding factor in monsoon variation now. This is going to continue in future too as global warming is not going to come down.

IMAGE: A firefighter battles the fire in the Angeles National Forest in Altadena, California, January 9, 2025. Photograph: Ringo Chiu/Reuters

We also see that the sufferers of climate change whether it is floods, landslide or forest fire, are the poor...

Yes, climate change impacts the poor, the women and children more.

Those who get affected are not the big people who burn the fossil fuel.

Those who have serious impacts are the poor people South Asia, Africa, etc who don't burn much fossil fuel.

The global climate system doesn't look at where the carbon dioxide is coming from. It is a uniformly distributed gas. It may be emitted by the US, but it will not remain above the US alone but covers the whole world. So, its impact on different climate systems is different.

The US, the UK and Europe may be emitting carbon dioxide more, but the impact will be seen somewhere else, and the sufferers are the poor in Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.

IMAGE: A protest to denounce the impact of USA politics on climate change, January 11, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Coombs/Reuters

So, mitigation becomes all the more important....

Of course, mitigation is very important. That's why the Paris Agreement talks about how to control it.

Now the US has backed out of the Paris Agreement, because Trump doesn't believe in climate change.

And they are one of the major emitters, second or third in the world, and if they don't have any control over it, you will see serious effect on climate change.

IMAGE: A firefighter works on the Palisades Fire, one of several simultaneous blazes that ripped across Los Angeles county, in Mandeville Canyon, a neighbourhood of Los Angeles, January 12, 2025. Photograph: Ringo Chiu/Reuters

Do you think the recent forest fires, cyclones, flash floods and scorching summer seen in the US and Europe will make them rethink about their strategy?

Yes, the US and Europe have started experiencing this kind of extreme weather events. The US saw forest fires, flash floods and cyclones.

France had a serious heat wave.

These extreme weather events are part of global warming.

Europe realises that it's a dangerous thing and they are committed. You need political commitment.

But Trump doesn't believe that climate change is happening though the US is also experiencing extreme weather events. The US is already very prone for hurricanes. So, the impact will be more in their coastal region.

IMAGE: Dr Madhavan Nair Rajeevan. Photograph: Kind courtesy Dr Madhavan Nair Rajeevan IMAGE: Dr Madhavan Nair Rajeevan.

On the other hand, India is very committed.

The problem is, you cannot say that you stop everything and remain a poor country. After all, all the developing countries including India are aspiring countries.

We are not saying, don't develop. Countries like India have to develop.

They have to develop but what we have to adopt is, how to develop the country without harming the nature. That's what we call as sustainable development.

Every country has to be responsible and make sure its development is sustainable and doesn't harm others.

Are you optimistic about the way the world is going to look at environment and be responsible?

I don't want to be pessimistic.

I am optimistic but I have my concerns because things are not going well.

This is not the way we want to contain climate change.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
'The Dravidian movement was started for the Hindus who were rejected by the upper castes.'

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin addresses the all-party meet against delimitation of constituencies in Chennai, March 5, 2025. Photograph: Kind courtesy Arivalayam/X

The standoff between the Tamil Nadu government led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government has intensified over the New Education Policy and the proposed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

On March 5, the DMK called an all-party conference to oppose the delimitation which it believes will lead to reduced parliamentary seats for southern states which have done economically better than the northern states which will however see a rise in seats thanks to the increase in their population.

"Why are there BIMARU states? What made them BIMARU states? Why are the governments there not encouraging industries in their state?", T K S Elangovan, a former MP who is now the DMK's organising secretary and its spokesperson, asks A Ganesh Nadar in the concluding part of an interview.

Part 1 of the Interview: 'Don't compel us to study Hindi!'

India has BIMARU states which are weaker than others so those states get more financial help from the Centre but you always make it out to be Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states against non-BJP states. Why?

Why are there BIMARU states?

What made them BIMARU states?

Why does the government there not make them study?

Why are the governments there not encouraging industries in their state?

BIMARU is because of the local government's attitude.

We give good education in Tamil Nadu. We stop school dropouts with the noon meal scheme and now a breakfast scheme. We give free education in all our schools. We make sure our students study.

We have more medical and engineering institutes. We have more number of universities. Our women can get higher education free of cost. We make our students study, read and come up in life.

BIMARU states don't look at the future of their students, the future citizens of their states. What schemes do they have? Nothing!

What do you think of actor Vijay's political entry?

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is one of the first regional parties in the country. We have been in politics since 1949. After 75 years we have been in power, people believe us, our policies are in support of the people. People have benefited from our policies.

We have seen many, many, political parties coming up in these 75 years and so we are not bothered about anybody starting a political party.

We work for the people, we have their confidence. We will survive and come back to power.

Is it true that your ally Thirumavalavan met up with Vijay?

Recently we had a public meeting with all our allies. Thirumavalavan spoke there and he said that his party is with the DMK.

By making Marumalarchi DMK candidates contest elections on your symbol and then sending MDMK leader Vaiko to the Rajya Sabha you effectively destroyed the party. Now you are sending Kamal Haasan to Parliament. Do you consider his Makkal Needhi Maiyam also a threat?

No, there was an agreement with him.

He was campaigning for us in the Parliament elections. He was in our alliance. His party is not a registered political party. He is a lone MP and thus will have more time to participate in the debates there, that is all.

IMAGE: Glimpses of the all-party meet on delimitation of constituencies in Chennai, March 5, 2025. Photograph: Kind courtesy TNDIPRNews/X

Seeman's Naam Thamizhar Katchi's vote percentage is increasing with every election. In many constituencies his party vote is more than the difference in the votes between you and the All India Anna DMK. Do you look upon him as a potential ally?

What happened in the Erode by-election? His number of votes increased but in percentage terms as compared to the winning candidate has gone down.

So we are not bothered about Seeman. Many senior leaders of Seeman's party are quitting and going to other parties.

The DMK, it is often said, is a one-family party. What is your opinion?

No, this is just an allegation because we had Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) who led this party, and built this party and kept this party alive for so many years.

Since 1968 when he was 14 years old M K Stalin has been working for the party. He was even arrested under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) and put in jail for one year.

He became an activist of the party. He built the youth wing. He was mayor of Chennai. People like him. As president of the party he is winning all elections. The people's choice is also Stalin.

What we thought is that we need a good leader who can win elections and take the party to the forefront. We think that Stalin is suitable to lead and Udhayanidhi is also working on those lines.

He is also going to the people. He meets people and speaks to the people, he speaks on behalf of the people, and for the welfare of the people. Stalin is our leader now. Udhayanidhi is building the youth wing which will help the party in the future.

They are ready to work for the party and the people. They are ready to go to prison and lead any agitation for the sake of the people. So the DMK has chosen them to lead the party, it is not that they say 'It is their father's party'.

They did not claim the leadership, it is the DMK cadre that has chosen them and second-rung leaders who want them to lead us.

Chief Minister Stalin said Hindi was the mask, Sanskrit the face. Was he trying to link anti-Hindi with anti-Brahmin sentiment, the core of the Dravidian movement?

We are not anti-Brahmin, we are against Manu Dharma. Some 90% of this country are OBCs and SC/STs. We started this party for 90% of the Hindus.

They were not given education, they were not given employment. The Dravidian movement was started for the Hindus who were rejected by the upper castes.

We did not start the party for the Muslims or the Christians. This party was started only for the 90% Hindus. They were rejected as Shudras and scheduled castes. We wanted to uplift them.

The Justice Party was started way back in 1916 to give reservation to these people in education and employment. It started schools for these people and made them study.

Earlier, they were not even allowed to enter the Agraharam areas or in areas where there were temples. They rejected 90% of the Hindus and so we thought these people must be supported.

We worked for those who were being treated like second class people.

We are with them. We have promoted them and now they are well off. They have studied and they are holding positions comparable to their education.

If that is the concept of Brahminism then we are against Brahminism and not Brahmins. There are many Brahmins in our party.
A suspect in the blast incident outside a temple in Amritsar was killed in an exchange of fire with police, a top officer said on Monday.

IMAGE: Punjab police personnel at the encounter spot in Rajasansi area in Amritsar. Photograph: ANI on X

Another suspect managed to flee, he said, adding that efforts were on to nab him.

A blast had occurred outside the Thakur Dwara Temple on March 15 when a person hurled an explosive device towards it, damaging a portion of its wall and shattering window panes.

Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav said acting on specific intelligence, Amritsar police tracked down those responsible for the attack on the temple.

'Police teams tracked the suspects in Rajasansi. The accused opened fire, injuring HC Gurpreet Singh and striking Insp Amolak Singh's turban,' said Director General of Police Yadav in a post on X.

'Acting in self-defence, the police party fired back, injuring the accused. He was taken to Civil Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The other accused fled, and efforts are on to arrest him,' said Yadav.

CCTV camera footage of the incident showed two unidentified persons coming to the temple on a motorcycle. After waiting for a few seconds, one of them was seen throwing the explosive device towards the temple and the two later fled from the site.

Punjab Police had then said it suspects the role of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the attack on the temple.

While no one was hurt in the incident, the explosion caused panic among residents in the Khandwala area of Amritsar.
The Centre has recently accorded approval for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission to study the Moon, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan said.

IMAGE: A tableau of the ISRO passes through the Kartavya Path, depicting the historic lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3, during the 75th Republic Day parade, in New Delhi on January 26, 2024. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo

At an event to felicitate him for taking over as the Chairman of the Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation, Narayanan said that unlike the Chandrayaan-3 mission which carried the 25-kg rover 'Prayagyaan', the Chandrayaan-5 mission would carry a 250 kg rover to study the Moon's surface.

The Chandrayaan mission consists of studying the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-1 successfully launched in 2008 took chemical, mineralogical and photo-geologic mapping of the Moon. The Chandrayaan-2 mission (2019) was 98 per cent success but just two per cent of the Mission could not be achieved in the final stages.

Still the onboard high resolution camera on Chandrayaan-2 is sending hundreds of images, Narayanan, also the Secretary of Department of Space, said on Sunday.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.

ISRO successfully launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission with the Lander Vikram successfully 'soft-landing' on the South pole of the Moon on August 23,2023.

"Just three days back we got the approval for Chandrayaan-5 Mission. We will be doing it in association with Japan," Narayanan said.

The Chandrayaan-4 Mission expected to be launched in 2027 aims to bring samples collected from the Moon.

On ISRO's future projects, Narayanan said apart from various missions including Gaganyaan, plans are afoot to establish India's own Space Station--Bharatiya Space Station.
Bharatiya Janata Party Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai and many functionaries were detained in Chennai on Monday by the police ahead of the party's protest against the alleged irregularities in state-run liquor retailer Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).

IMAGE: Police detain BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan in Chennai ahead of protest over the alleged TASMAC scam. Photograph: ANI on X

The saffron party had announced a picketing protest of the TASMAC headquarters in Chennai over the alleged Rs 1,000 crore irregularities, as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently.

Annamalai, clad in a black shirt, was detained near his house along with his supporters by the police.

In a social media post, the BJP state chief alleged senior party leaders including Tamilisai Soundararajan have been placed 'under house arrest' by the police.

Mahila Morcha chief and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, Vinoj P Selvam and Amar Prasad Reddy were among the senior functionaries detained.

Annamalai said there have been 'irregularities of Rs 1000 crore', in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) and asserted the party will continue to protest on the matter.

The ED had earlier said it has found 'multiple irregularities' in the operations of TASMAC, including 'manipulation' in the tender processes and 'unaccounted' cash transactions worth Rs 1,000 crore through distillery companies.

The federal agency had claimed it got 'evidence' suggesting these corrupt practices after it raided the employees, corporate offices of distilleries and plants of TASMAC on March 6.

There were 'kickbacks' involved, it had claimed.
National security advisor Ajit Doval on Sunday held bilateral talks with US director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and chaired a conclave of top global intelligence czars focusing on boosting cooperation in confronting various security challenges including terrorism and threats posed by emerging technologies

IMAGE: NSA Ajit Doval, Union Ministers S Jaishankar, Piyush Goyal, principal secretary to the prime minister PK Mishra and others during the joint press statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, March 17, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

In their one-on-one meeting, Doval and Gabbard mainly discussed ways to strengthen intelligence sharing and working closely in the security domain in sync with the India-US global strategic partnership, it is learnt.

Gabbard arrived in the national capital early Sunday on a two-and-a-half-day trip in the first high-level visit to India by a top official of the Donald Trump administration.

It was "good discussion", top sources told PTI on the Doval-Gabbard meeting.

The US director of national intelligence, Canadian spy chief Daniel Rogers, and UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell were among top global intelligence czars who attended the India-hosted security conclave here.

The deliberations were held behind closed doors and there was no official word on them.

However, it is learnt that the top intelligence and security officials focused on sharing of intelligence and cooperation to tackle terrorism and threats posed by emerging technologies.

The meeting also focused on security in the Indo-Pacific region, cooperation to counter terror funding and money laundering and issues relating to extradition and immigration, people familiar with the matter said.

The Indian side also raised its concerns about anti-India elements operating from foreign soil, including pro-Khalistan elements, they said.

Intelligence chiefs of Australia, Germany, New Zealand and several other friendly countries of India were learnt to have attended the conclave.

Gabbard is visiting India as part of a multi-nation tour of Japan, Thailand and France.

The US intelligence chief will also address the Raisina Dialogue on Tuesday.

Last month, Gabbard met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Washington DC.

In their deliberations, the intelligence chiefs were understood to have deliberated on various global challenges including implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East.

The visit to India by Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) chief Rogers has taken place amid frosty ties between the two countries over the Hardeep Singh Nijjar case.

The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following the then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September 2023 of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar on Canadian soil.

New Delhi rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd". The relations nosedived further in the second half of last year after Ottawa linked several Indian diplomats including High Commissioner Sanjay Verma to the murder of Nijjar.

In October last, Canada expelled Verma and five other diplomats. In retaliation, New Delhi also expelled Canadian Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats. It is expected that the case may figure during Doval's conversation with Rogers.

It is Gabbard's second foreign trip after assuming charge as the director of national intelligence. During her first international trip, Gabbard travelled to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference last month.
India and New Zealand on Monday inked a pact to institutionalise their defence ties and vowed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged concerns to his Kiwi counterpart Christopher Luxon over certain unlawful elements indulging in anti-India activities in the island nation.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the joint press statement with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, in New Delhi, March 17, 2025. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo

Following talks between Modi and Luxon, the two sides signed six agreements to ramp up cooperation in several areas including education, sports, agriculture and climate change, and decided to prepare a roadmap for cooperation in the defence industry sector.

In his media statement, Modi said India and New Zealand support a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, adding, "We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism", remarks that came amid growing global concerns over China's expansionist behaviour in the region.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting an Indo-Pacific where sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected, according to a joint statement.

Luxon arrived in the national capital on Sunday on a five-day visit primarily to push for deeper economic engagement between the two sides.

Both prime ministers welcomed the launch of negotiations for a "balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial" free trade agreement between the two countries to achieve deeper economic integration.

Within the context of FTA negotiations, Modi and Luxon agreed for discussions between respective authorities on both sides to explore early implementation of cooperation in the digital payments sector.

In the context of the negotiations for the trade deal, the two sides agreed to start discussions on an arrangement facilitating the mobility of professionals and skilled workers, primarily to address the challenge of irregular migration, according to a joint statement.

In his remarks, Modi, referring to the 2019 Christchurch terror attack and the 26/11 Mumbai strike, said that terrorism in any form is "unacceptable".

"Strict action is necessary against those guilty of terrorist attacks. We will continue to cooperate together against terrorist, separatist and radical elements," he said.

"In this context, we shared our concern about anti-India activities by some illegal elements in New Zealand. We are confident that we will continue to get the cooperation of the New Zealand government against all these illegal elements," he said.

Modi said both sides decided to strengthen and institutionalise defence and security partnership and a roadmap will be prepared for cooperation in the defence industry sector.

In his remarks, Luxon said he and Modi discussed a strategic outlook for the Indo-Pacific.

"I reiterated our strong commitment to address shared concerns over our respective interests in contributing to a prosperous Indo-Pacific," he said.

On the proposed FTA, Modi said mutual cooperation and investment will be encouraged in areas like dairy, food processing and pharma.

Prime Minister Modi also delved into the India-New Zealand defence ties.

"We have decided to strengthen and institutionalise our defence and security partnership. Along with joint exercises, training, port visits, a roadmap will be made for mutual cooperation in the defence industry as well," he said.

The agreements signed between the two sides include one on a mutual recognition pact between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India (CBIC) and New Zealand's Customs Service.

The joint statement said the defence pact will further strengthen overall defence ties.

In the context of maritime security, New Zealand welcomed India joining the Combined Maritimes Forces.

Both Modi and Luxon welcomed advancement in defence ties during the island nation's command of Command Task Force 150.

The two leaders also touched upon pressing global challenges. On the situation in the Middle East, Modi and Luxon reaffirmed their firm support for peace and stability in the region.

They reiterated their call for continued negotiations to secure a permanent peace, which includes the release of all hostages and a rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza, the joint statement said.

It said the leaders stressed the importance of a negotiated two-State solution, leading to the establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent state of Palestine, and living within secure and mutually recognised borders, side by side in peace and security with Israel.

Modi and Luxon also exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and expressed support for a just and lasting peace based on respect for international law, principles of the UN charter and territorial integrity and sovereignty.

"The two leaders reiterated their absolute condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and the use of terrorist proxies in cross-border terrorism," the joint statement mentioned.

It said Modi and Luxon stressed the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, measurable and concrete action against UN-proscribed terrorist organisations and individuals.

"They called for disrupting terrorism financing networks and safe havens, dismantling of terror infrastructure, including online, and bringing perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly," it said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that only those people who study in their mother tongue are excelling across the world and a misconception is prevalent that only English language can guarantee knowledge.

Addressing the Andhra Pradesh assembly in Amaravati, the chief minister asserted, "Language is only for communication. Knowledge will not come with language. Only people who study in their mother tongue are excelling across the world. It is easy to learn (through the mother tongue)."

Naidu's remarks come in the wake of his deputy chief minister and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan wading into the language row between Tamil Nadu and the Union government recently.

"I am telling this very clearly to you... language is not for hating. Here (in Andhra Pradesh) the mother tongue is Telugu. Hindi is the national language and international language is English," said the CM.

Naidu underscored that it is important to learn as many languages as possible for livelihood without forgetting the mother tongue, adding that learning the 'national language' will enable fluent conversation in Delhi in Hindi.

As many people are going to other countries such as Japan and Germany, he said if those languages could also be learnt here, then it will be very easy when people visit those overseas destinations.

Hence, he appealed that there is no need to engage in 'unnecessary politics over languages' and called for learning as many languages as possible.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, on Monday walked out of the Rajya Sabha after their demand for a discussion on the Election Commission's alleged lapses in issuing multiple duplicate voter ID cards and delimitation was disallowed.

IMAGE: TMC MP Derek O'Brien speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Photo

Opposition MPs from the Trinamool Congress, Congress and Left parties gave notices under rule 267 that calls for setting aside business of the day to take up discussion on the issue being raised through them.

But Deputy Chairman Harivansh said they could not be accepted as they were not in conformity with the rulings of the chair on such notices.

While TMC and Congress MPs sought to raise the duplicate voter ID card issue, Tamil parties wanted to discuss the impact of the ensuing delimitation exercise on southern states.

Opposition MPs raised slogans and pressed for a discussion.

However, they staged a walkout after Harivansh asserted that their notices have not been accepted and nothing that they said was going on record.

As many as 10 MPs gave notices under rule 267.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Mausam B Noo, Sushmita Dev (TMC) and Pramod Tiwari (Congress) have demanded a discussion over the alleged lapse of Election Commission in issuance of multiple duplicate Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card across the states, Harivansh said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's P Wilson and V Sivadasan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist demanded one on concerns regarding the upcoming delimitation exercise to southern states.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Samik Bhattacharya wanted to discuss increased instances of atrocities against SCs, STs and OBCs in West Bengal.

Communist Party of India's P Santhosh Kumar sought to raise the issue of the impact of a deal by Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio with Elon Musk's Starlink for providing satellite broadband internet in India.

While Sanjay Singh of Aam Aadmi Party demanded a discussion on the increase in crimes and deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi, Haris Beeran of the Indian Union Muslim League wanted one on the issue of increased instances of drug addiction amongst youth and students in Kerala.
Violence erupted in central Nagpur on Monday with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, officials said.

IMAGE: Vehicles torched in the Mahal area of Nagpur, March 17, 2025. Photograph: ANI/X

The police arrested 15 persons during combing operations in various localities in Mahal area.

Earlier, the police fired tear gas shells and resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the mob in the Mahal area.

Violence also reportedly spread to Kotwali and Ganeshpeth in the late afternoon, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Niketan Kadam was seriously injured during a combing operation, while two other policemen also sustained injuries.

Officials said the Chitnish Park to Shukrawari Talao road belt was most affected by violence as per the preliminary information, where some four-wheelers were set afire by rioters. Stones were also thrown at the homes of residents.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister from Nagpur Nitin Gadkari have appealed for peace and harmony in the wake of the violence.

According to the police, the trouble began late afternoon shortly after Bajrang Dal members demonstrated near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in the Mahal area.

The police said rumours spread that the Quran was burnt during the agitation. Videos of the Bajrang Dal demonstration went viral on social media, leading to outrage among members of the Muslim community.

A complaint was lodged at Ganeshpeth police station in the evening alleging the burning of the holy book.

Following the complaint, a large number of Muslim community members started gathering in various parts of the Mahal area, the police said.

Sensing trouble, the police intensified patrolling and summoned additional security forces to maintain law and order.

An official said stones were thrown at police personnel in Chitnis Park area, following which police fired tear gas shells.

Bajrang Dal office-bearers, however, refuted the allegations and claimed that they had only burned an effigy of Aurangzeb as part of their demonstration.

A senior police official confirmed that security had been tightened in sensitive areas, with Quick Response Teams, riot control police and the State Reserve Police Force being deployed.

Police launched combing operations and arrested 15 persons for violence, an official said, adding that the situation continues to be tense.

Fadnavis has called for calm and asked people not to believe rumours.

'The police are managing the situation following stone pelting and tense situation in the Mahal area,' the chief minister said in a statement.

Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, said he is in constant contact with the police and asked them to cooperate with the people.

Gadkari echoed Fadnavis and appealed to people to cooperate with the administration.'Nagpur always has a history of peace. I appeal to all my brothers to maintain peace. Do not believe rumours and do not come on roads,' the Nagpur MP said in a video message.

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal alleged the violence was the failure of the state home department, adding that ministers were 'deliberately making provocative speeches' over the last few days.

'Tensions in the city, stone pelting and arson are the utter failure of the home department. In the last few days, state ministers have been deliberately making provocative speeches to incite violence in society,' Sakpal said in a statement. 'It looks like those efforts have found success in Nagpur.'
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the parents of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim to pursue before the Calcutta high court their plea for a further court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the gruesome incident.

IMAGE: Women take out a march demanding justice in RG Kar Medical college rape nad murder case ahead of International Women's Day, in Kolkata, March 1, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna took note of the submissions of senior advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for the parents, that a further probe was needed to ascertain the alleged role of some other persons.

"Without making comments, we dispose of the application (of the parents) observing that the applicants have the liberty to pursue the proceedings before the high court," the bench said. The victim's parents were present in the courtroom.

A separate plea of the parents seeking further court-monitored CBI probe into the incident is already pending in the Calcutta high court which recently asked them to seek clarification from the top court on the issue.

The victim's parents were unhappy with the CBI probe and had moved the top court for a further probe into the case.

The bench said it will consider in the week commencing May 13 the aspect related to recommendations and suggestions on preventing gender-based violence and developing safety protocols for doctors and medical staff at hospitals across the nation with the court-appointed national task force.

The hospital staff and doctors took part in nationwide protests after the body of the post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the RG Kar hospital's seminar room on August 9 last year.

During its probe, Kolkata police arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy the next day in the case.

The heinous crime at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last year triggered prolonged protests in West Bengal and a nationwide outrage.

On August 22, last year, the bench made an impassioned appeal to the protesting doctors across the country, asking them to resume work.

The bench was hearing the suo-motu case over the rape and murder of the trainee. On January 20, Roy was sentenced to "life term imprisonment till death" in the case.

On December 10 last year, the top court took note of the CBI's latest status report and expressed confidence that the trial would conclude within a month.

The bench had directed the parties to share their recommendations and suggestions on preventing gender-based violence and developing safety protocols for doctors and medical staff at hospitals across the nation with the court-appointed national task force.

The bench directed the NTF to file a report and said, "All recommendations and suggestions be sent to the National Task force and a reply be filed by the states and UTs (union territories) to the last report of the NTF."

While taking a suo motu notice of the case, the bench constituted the NTF on August 20 to formulate a protocol to ensure safety and security of medical professionals in the wake of the crime.

In November last year, the NTF in its report -- part of the Central government's affidavit -- said a separate central law to deal with offences against healthcare professionals was not required.

The panel said the state laws had adequate provisions to address minor offences besides serious ones under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

In a slew of recommendations, the NTF said 24 states had enacted laws to address violence against healthcare professionals while defining the terms "healthcare institutions" and "medical professionals".

The bench then said the case would be next heard in the week commencing March 17, 2025, but said the parties could seek an early hearing if the rape and murder case trial was delayed or an urgency.

Initially investigated by the Kolkata police, the case was transferred to the CBI on August 13 after the Calcutta High Court expressed dissatisfaction over the former's investigation.

The top court subsequently assumed oversight of the matter on August 19, 2024.

Roy was chargesheeted by CBI in October last year.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre's reply on a PIL for declaring as unconstitutional, the process of appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India "solely by the executive and the prime minister" and said "we should trust our institutions."

IMAGE: The Supreme Court of India. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued the notice on a PIL filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation and tagged it with a pending case on the issue.

The bench said Article 148 of the Constitution provides for the appointment of CAG aside from the safeguards from any influence.

"Ultimately, we have to trust our institutions. Article 148 also provides protection, similar to one which is provided to the judges of the Supreme Court," the bench said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said the question was over the independence of the institution and claimed audits by the CAG of Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states such as Maharashtra were being stalled.

For a long time the appointment of the CAG was largely independent but recently the independence of the constitutional body, which audits the schemes of the Centre, states and the PSUs was being stalled, he added.

Bhushan said in 2023, only 18 CAG audit reports were tabled in Parliament as opposed to 40 previously.

"Now, the CAG is not being allowed to audit the schemes in the states especially which are ruled by the ruling party in the Centre. For Maharashtra, the audit teams were ready but then an order came that audit should be done after the elections," he said.

Referring to the 2023 Constitution bench judgment over the appointment of chief election commissioner and election commissioners where a panel of the PM, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India was formed, Bhushan said, "The question is whether just the safeguard against removal is sufficient to guarantee independence."

Justice Surya Kant, however, asked if the Constitution had provided an unbridled power of appointment, should the court intervene and "to what extent"?

"Would this not amount to rewriting the provision for appointment of the CAG?" he asked.

Bhushan said the court had already done it in the case of the appointment of important constitutional posts such as the chief vigilance commissioner and chief information commissioner.

The bench said in the case of CAG, it was clearly stated that the appointment should be done by the President.

Previously too, the bench said, the issue was dealt with by the Supreme Court and petitions were dismissed.

Bhushan said one petition was pending whereas other pleas that were dismissed did not directly question the procedure for appointment of the CAG.

The PIL has sought directions to declare that the CAG should be appointed by the President in consultation with an independent and neutral selection committee comprising of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India and in a transparent manner.

The direction for appointment of the CAG should be similar to the appointment of other bodies, including Information Commissions and the Central Vigilance Commission, it said.

The plea filed through Bhushan argued the present mode of appointment of the CAG, done solely by the executive, i.e., the Prime Minister who handpicks any individual and recommends their name to the President for appointment, was unconstitutional and violative of Article 14 and several basic features of the Constitution.

The plea said procedure, as a result, undermined the independence of the office of the CAG, suffered from a grave conflict of interest and was detrimental to good governance and democracy in India.

"It is also manifestly arbitrary, detrimental to institutional integrity and violates several basic features of the constitution," it added.

The CAG, the plea said, was uniquely placed in Part V of the Constitution as one of the five institutions of the Union and a collective reading of Articles 148-151 of the Constitution along with the various provisions of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971 showed that the Constitution equated the position of the CAG to that of a sitting judge of this court.

The current process of appointment of the CAG was by way of an "unwritten convention" alien to the law, it said.

"By the very nature of his job, the CAG is supposed to promote transparency," the PIL said.
As calls for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave intensify, the police administration has stepped up security, making it mandatory for visitors to furnish their identity cards before entering the site in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, an official said on Monday.

IMAGE: Two cops guard Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave as security tightened after call for its removal, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, March 17, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests at various government offices during the day and submitted memorandums for the removal of Aurangzeb's grave in Khuldabad.

Aurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his battles with the Marathas, who resisted his expansionist ambitions. Maratha warrior king Shivaji Maharaj's son, Sambhaji, was captured, tortured, and executed on his orders.

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police department has implemented multiple security posts from the entry point to Khuldabad town to the grave site.

An official said a State Reserve Police Force company of 50 policemen, 30 personnel from local police and 20 Home Guards have been deployed at various points and the grave site.

Tourists visiting the grave now have to write their names in a visitors register kept with a team of Home Guards and have to furnish identity documents, he said.

Parvez Kabeer Ahmed, the caretaker of the grave, said, "The situation here is peaceful, and people should not believe in rumours. Footfall of visitors has gone down after the demands to demolish the grave have come up. The footfall is usually low during Ramzan. Nearly 100 people visit daily, but the number has gone down since the issue was raised."

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests at government offices in different parts of Maharashtra and submitted memorandums for the removal of Aurangzeb's grave.

In the memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the VHP stated that Aurangzeb had killed two sons of Sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh because they refused to convert, tortured and killed Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and demolished temples in Kashi, Mathura, Somnath.

"Any memorial of Aurangzeb is a symbol of pain and slavery, so the grave should be demolished completely," it said.

In case of government inaction, the VHP warned that it would march to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district and demolish the grave.

The right-wing organisation held similar agitations in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur and suburban areas of Mumbai.
The Supreme Court on Monday said the trial of the Manipur ethnic violence cases, probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, would be conducted in Guwahati, Assam, where it was transferred to earlier.

Photograph: ANI Photo

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna also extended till July 31, 2025, the tenure of a committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal, the former chief justice of the Jammu and Kashmir high court.

The panel, also comprising former Bombay high court judge Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon, former Delhi high court judge, was set up on August 7, 2023 by the top court to oversee relief and rehabilitation of the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur.

The tenure of the panel was previously extended by the top court by six months on August 5, last year.

On Monday, the bench noted the submissions of a lawyer over the fate of the trials in the cases that were transferred to Guwahati for pre-trial proceedings by the bench on August 25, 2023.

"We clarify that the trial of transferred cases will be held before the courts at Guwahati," the CJI said.

Keeping in mind the 'overall environment in Manipur and the need for ensuring a fair process of criminal justice administration', the top court transferred to Assam, 27 cases, having various offences, including the sexual assault case of the two women seen in a viral video being paraded naked.

While passing a slew of directions, the top court had directed the Gauhati high court chief justice to nominate one or more judicial officers to deal with the transferred cases.

Of the 27 cases, 20 related to charges of molestation, rape, murder whereas three related to loot of weapons.

On the supply of the several reports submitted by the judges' panel to all the litigants, the bench was in the affirmative but asked the parties to exercise caution due to the 'sensitivities involved'.

Concurring with the bench, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Manipur government, pointed out the possibility of some having 'other motives'.

The bench posted the next hearing in the week of July 21.

On December 9, last year, the bench directed the Manipur government to submit a detailed sealed-cover report on the number of properties that were fully or partially burnt, looted, or encroached upon during the ongoing ethnic violence in the state.

It had emphasised the need for the state to address the grievances of the displaced persons and take steps to restore their properties.

The court also directed the Manipur government to provide specific details such as 'buildings burnt or partially burnt, buildings looted, buildings trespassed or encroached upon'.

The report was ordered to also provide information on the owners and current occupants of these properties, along with the details of any legal actions taken against trespassers.

The report was directed to indicate the steps taken by the state government to ensure trespassers were proceeded against as per the law.

"You have to take a decision on how you want to deal with it or in terms of criminal action as well as to ask them (encroachers of the properties) to pay 'mesne profits' for the use of the occupation'," the apex court had said.

Mesne profit is the compensation paid to a rightful owner of a property by a person who is in unlawful possession of it.

The top court also asked the state government to respond to the issue of release of funds for temporary and permanent housing as flagged by the judges' panel.

In August, 2023, the top court asked former Maharashtra police chief Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor the probe into the criminal cases.

Over 200 people were killed, several hundred injured and thousands displaced since ethnic violence first broke out in the state on May 3, 2023 when a 'tribal solidarity march' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for scheduled tribe status.
United States President Donald Trump has ordered the dismantling of the government-funded news agency Voice of America (VOA), accusing it of promoting biased media reports, as reported by Fox News.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters, watched by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, DC, on March 16, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

"Voice of America has been out of step with America for years. It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda for years now," a senior White House official told Fox News Digital.

Trump signed an executive order on Friday to dismantle seven government offices, including the United States Agency for Global Media, the parent company of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Fox News reported.

'The non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law,' the Executive Order reads.

The US Agency for Global Media and its senior advisor, Kari Lake, said in a statement that the agency is 'not salvageable'.

'From top-to-bottom, this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer--a national security risk for this nation--and irretrievably broken. While there are bright spots within the agency with personnel who are talented and dedicated public servants, this is the exception rather than the rule,' the statement read.

The executive order also targets other agencies, including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; the US Agency for Global Media; the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution; the Institute of Museum and Library Services; the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness; the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund; and the Minority Business Development Agency.
The $22.8 billion CK Hutchison ports deal intensifies geopolitical tensions between the US and China.

Chinese media has already called it 'a betrayal of all Chinese people'.

Shyam G Menon explains how the proposed sale will reshapes global trade infrastructure.

IMAGE: A US Coast Guard vessel anchored at the Capitan de Fragata D.E.M. Noel A. Rodriguez Justavino naval base near the entrance to the Panama Canal, March 13, 2025. All photographs: Enea Lebrun/Reuters

One of the biggest ports deals ever and the responses to it, seem to have captured well the geopolitical tensions and trade wars currently gripping the planet.

On March 4, 2025, CK Hutchison Holdings Limited informed that it had reached an in-principle-agreement to sell 90 per cent of its interests in two Panama Canal terminals and 80 per cent of its ports division -- Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) -- to BlackRock and Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) for 22.8 billion dollars.

TiL is a subsidiary of the world's biggest container shipping line, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

The transaction covers 43 container ports in 23 countries and involves 199 berths.

CK Hutchison's press release on the subject (available on its web site), added that the sale does not include stake held in HPH Trust, which operates ports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and South China or any other ports in China.

Investments thus retained include Hutchison presence at three of the world's top ten container ports, related news reports said.

The deal is so big in terms of geographical sprawl and the potential footprint of the new owners in terminal operations worldwide that observers I spoke to, underscored the importance of seeing the transaction exactly as those involved have termed it: An in-principle-agreement.

A complete picture will be available only after all the related regulatory approvals are also in place, which would take time.

Hong Kong based-billionaire Li Ka-shing, at present senior adviser to CK Hutchison Holdings and the man who promoted the CK Group, was the chairman of CK Hutchison till May 2018.

IMAGE: A view of Balboa Port in Panama City, Panama, March 4, 2025, is pictured after Hong Kong's CK Hutchison agreed to sell its interests in a key Panama Canal port operator to a BlackRock Inc-backed consortium, amid pressure from US President Donald Trump to curb China's influence in the region.

The sale deal of early March is noteworthy for many reasons. First, the deal includes 90 per cent stake held at two ports -- Balboa and Cristobal -- on the Panama Canal.

US President Donald Trump had recently complained of Chinese presence in activities around the canal.

At the same time, even as Trump's moves overall (mainly his threats to impose tariffs and punitive fees, some of it already in place) have created a flutter in global trade -- particularly on the China-US sector -- most of the Hutchison port investments outside the locations it has decided to retain, are not perceived to be in areas affected by the ongoing geopolitical tensions.

In terms of geographical presence, Hutchison's presence in port operations is strongest in Northern Europe and Southeast Asia.

In C K Hutchison's earlier mentioned press release, Co-Managing Director Frank Sixt said specifically, 'I would like to stress that the Transaction is purely commercial in nature and wholly unrelated to recent political news reports concerning the Panama Ports.'

There was no such restraint in President Trump's response. On March 6, Reuters quoted him as telling the US Congress, 'My administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we've already started doing it.'

He further said, 'Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal and lots of other things having to do with the Panama Canal and a couple of other canals.'

According to the report, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino noted in a post on X: 'The Panama Canal is not in the process of being reclaimed ... the Canal is Panamanian and will continue to be Panamanian!'

IMAGE: The entrance of the Balboa Port is pictured after Hong Kong's CK Hutchison Holdings agreed to sell its interests in a key Panama Canal port operator to a BlackRock Inc-backed consortium, amid pressure from the US.

For shipping, the Hutchison-BlackRock-TiL deal is a milestone in more ways than one. Hong Kong based-Hutchison is the original international port/terminal operator; it pioneered the business with initial investments in Felixstowe (Hutchison Ports took full control of the Felixstowe port in 1994 -- source: BBC) and Shenzhen.

As of early 2023, placed sixth in the world's top ten list of terminal operators (Singapore's PSA International was the biggest), at one point in time, Hutchison was the biggest international terminal operator worldwide.

It is hard not to view its near total exit from the business of running ports/container terminals -- save the limited operations it has chosen to retain -- without noticing alongside, the backdrop of contemporary geopolitical uncertainties.

Second, the post-COVID period has seen both tremendous growth in the container shipping business as well as consolidation in anticipation of a tighter environment.

The period immediately following the pandemic had seen record profits at major container lines.

Most of these companies were flush with funds. They expanded, buying new and second-hand vessels.

Danish shipping line, Maersk, for long the world's biggest container line, was displaced from the top spot by a rapidly growing MSC.

Around the same time as the sale of Hutchison investment in ports (except for the ones in China) was announced, French shipping major CMA-CGM slipped into the second spot in container line capacity-rankings, pushing Maersk to third.

All these lines and China's mega carrier, COSCO, have international container terminal operations, which rank among the world's top ten in terms of volume handled.

The reading in the trade is that the lines are not done with port investments; there is speculation of the German carrier Hapag Lloyd and Ocean Network Express (ONE) headquartered in Singapore and Japan, seeking to make their plunge into the business.

Owned terminal operations help the lines secure priority and efficiency in how ships are loaded/unloaded and turned around at berth.

Major lines nowadays function with a mix of owned ports and others, the ownership also featuring varying levels of equity exposure.

The sale of the bulk of Hutchison's port business to BlackRock and TiL may at first sight appear to vault the Switzerland-headquartered MSC to the top spot globally in container terminal operations.

Besides through TiL, MSC also has a presence in container terminals by itself. As per data from 2023, Hutchison Ports had a five per cent share in world container port throughput; the same for MSC (including TiL) was 4.9 per cent.

Add the two and the resultant 9.9 per cent is more than the 7.2 per cent share of PSA in 2023.

This is only an indicator of what could be because these volumes will include the terminals Hutchison has kept out of the sale.

That the MSC-TiL-Hutchison combine could vault to the top of the terminal operator league has been reported by multiple publications citing figures from sector consultant, Drewry.

IMAGE: An aerial view shows a vessel at Cristobal port after transiting through the locks of the Agua Clara locks in Colon, Panama.

Observers caution a simplistic conclusion about the eventual size of the combine, could be misleading because of a few factors.

First, the post-deal additions to Hutchison volumes (for an estimation of total volumes post-deal) must be done based on equity stakes held by MSC and TiL in their separate port businesses worldwide. The volumes must be considered proportionate to equity exposure.

Second, apart from the headline news, the details of the deal involving BlackRock and TiL were not yet available at the time of writing.

How the BlackRock-TiL Consortium works and how it has shared equity participation in the acquisition, were not revealed in the March 4 statement by CK Hutchison Holdings.

BlackRock is the world's biggest asset management firm (according to Wikipedia, as of 2024, it had 11.5 trillion dollars in assets under management).

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), mentioned in the deal as part of the buying consortium, was acquired by BlackRock in 2024.

Third, it is possible that following the deal there could be a phase of rationalization as the new owners select which part of the acquired port network makes sense to be retained and which may perhaps be sold again.

Fourth, PSA, which is the world's biggest international container port operator, had a 20 per cent equity stake (bought in 2006 for 4.4 billion dollars, as per news reports) in Hutchison Port Group.

In July 2023, it was reported that PSA had put its proposed sale of the 20 per cent held in Hutchison's port business, on hold, as offers failed to match the four billion dollars it was expecting as sale price.

At that time, it was reported that China's State-owned business conglomerates -- China Merchants Group (it is present in the list of the world's top ten port/ =terminal operators) and COSCO -- were among firms showing interest in the stake.

Fifth, the TiL Web sit features GIP (owned by BlackRock) in its page listing shareholders. It is thus a tangled picture.

Sixth, given the magnitude of this deal, its full impact will be known only once the whole transaction is completed, any rationalisation of assets to be done by the new owners is executed alongside and all the required regulatory approvals are also in place. Regulators typically grow wary of size beyond a certain threshold.

IMAGE: A view of Balboa Port.

Tangled picture or not, one thing is however certain -- the deal of early March, if it goes through, makes MSC a veritable giant in container shipping with massive presence offshore and onshore.

MSC, through its subsidiary TiL, has a presence in port operations in India, operating container terminals in Mundra and Ennore, at both places the investments happening in facilities owned by Adani.

More recently, MSC added Adani's Vizhinjam deepwater container transhipment terminal in Kerala, to its Jade service linking Asia to Europe.

Hutchison does not operate any port/ =container terminal in India. According to information available on the company's Web site, the facilities it operates closest to India are in Myanmar and Pakistan.

Some days after the Hutchison deal, news reports on the continuing investments and rearrangements in the global ports sector, said, Hapag Lloyd has acquired a 60 per cent stake in CNMP LH, which operates the Atlantique terminal in Le Havre, France.

Meanwhile, DP World, the Dubai-based international terminal operator (It is among top ten players in the world and has operations in India) is known to be investing around 1.2 billion dollars in its container operations in UK, called London Gateway.

Its plans to increase container handling capacity at London Gateway will take the facility past Felixstowe (currently UK's biggest container port and now a part of the MSC-TiL-Hutchison combine) in five years, media reports said.

On March 14, splash247.com, reported that Beijing's public criticism of CK Hutchison's sale of most of its ports division to MSC and BlackRock had 'brought into question whether the transaction, the largest ports deal in history, will be completed'.

It cited a commentary published in a pro-Beijing publication and later shared in full by Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau office on its Web site.

The report mentioned the commentary saying that CK Hutchison should think twice, which side it wants to stand with.

The commentary is also said to have called the deal, 'a betrayal of all Chinese people'.

Shyam G Menon is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
After the 1962 War with China, there was a demand to forge greater defence cooperation between India and the West.

One such voice was that of Sudhir Ghosh, a distinguished MP, to tie up strategic cooperation with the USA immediately after the Chinese attack on India, recalls Rup Narayan Das.

The elephant in the room in the diplomatic platform Quad consisting of democracies like the US, Australia, Japan and India is palpable.

China's belligerence, be it on the land frontier in the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border or in the oceanic dimensions in the South China Sea, East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait or in the Indian Ocean are disconcerting and jeopardise regional peace and stability and freedom of navigation.

India has been bearing the brunt of Chinese belligerence ever since the Communist regime assumed power in Beijing on October 1, 1949.

It is intriguing that while China has solved its territorial issues with all its neighbours, it has not been able to resolve the border dispute with India and Bhutan.

India was the second non-Communist country to recognise the Communist regime within less than three months on December 30, 1949 and establish diplomatic relations on April 1, 1950.

China's massive attack on India in October 1962 was premeditated to debunk India's nascent democracy.

The Chinese attack on India was also an attack on democracy and it was indeed a wake call to democratic countries to rally around India.

It was not a coincidence that the Chinese attack on India coincided with the Cuban Missile crisis bringing the world to the brink of a nuclear catastrophe enabling China to fish in troubled waters.

John Kenneth Galbraith, then the US ambassador to India and a Harvard University economics professor, was quite empathetic to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's predicament.

When the war was at its peak, Professor Galbraith met Prime Minister Nehru on October 23, 1962 and strongly urged him to see how sensitive the issue of the Cuban Missile Crisis was and to support US efforts at the United Nations to have UN inspectors visit Cuban missile sites.

While the Chinese attack aroused trenchant criticism of Nehru's deferential policy towards China in the political spectrum and also India's policy of non-alignment, Western democracies led by the USA rallied around India for its defence against China.

The USA, the UK and Commonwealth countries promptly responded to India's requirements for military aid.

In December 1962, at Nassau, then US President John F Kennedy and then British prime minister Harold Macmillan agreed to provide military aid to India to the extent of $120 million of which $60 million would be from the USA and the balance from the Commonwealth countries.

In 1964, there was another agreement Kennedy and Prime Macmillan, at Birch Grove, where they agreed for a package of military assistance of $50 million each to India.

During this period, it was found that that the United States was unwilling to provide lethal military items to India fearing that it would often Pakistan.

At the same time, a large body of American personnel were stationed at New Delhi to supervise that the equipment provided by the USA was solely deployed on the northern border.

It was against this backdrop of growing strategic convergence between India and the USA that there was a demand in the political spectrum in India to forge greater security and defence cooperation between India and the West led by the USA.

One such voice was that of Sudhir Ghosh, a distinguished member of Parliament of the hallowed years and a close confidant of Nehru to tie a sort of strategic cooperation with the USA immediately after the Chinese attack on India.

This recollection is based on his enduring work Gandhi's Emissary, originally published in 1967 and republished in 2008.

IMAGE: Sudhir Ghosh was close to Mahatma Gandhi.

After the debacle of 1962 when Nehru was crestfallen and anguished, Ghosh in a memorandum submitted to the prime minister in January 1963, proposed a diplomatic arrangement between India and a group of democratic countries including the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand so that these countries agreed to supply military equipment necessary for empowering the Indian Army and Indian Air Force.

One can discern the streaks of the idea of the Quad and the Indo-Pacific in the strategic edifice proposed by Ghosh more than sixty years ago.

In his memorandum Ghosh didn't propose the kind of military involvement that existed between Pakistan and the USA, with American military installations located in Pakistan territory, nor did he envisage military pacts like SEATO or CENTO.

What he suggested was an exchange of simple letters between the prime minister of India and the prime ministers of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and also between the prime minister of India and the president of the USA.

In response, Nehru replied to Ghosh that his proposal '...is almost tantamount to a military alliance' and 'that it will be be bad for India as well as from the point of view of world peace'.

Subsequently, Ghosh discussed the matter further with Nehru.

Having regretted his inability to endorse the proposal, Nehru, however, acceded to Ghosh's request that he (Ghosh) visit the USSR and the USA to canvass support for India to deal with the challenges emanating from China.

Ghosh paid three visits to Moscow and Washington during 1963-1964.

First he visited Moscow and then proceeded to the United States, where he interacted individually with more than forty key men in the US Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Kennedy administration over a month in March 1963.

Finally he had a talk with President Kennedy himself. He found the month long interaction with US lawmakers quite an experience.

Members of the powerful US Senate Foreign Relations Committee had a joint discussion with him on India-China relations at a luncheon on March 4, 1963.

After the lunch he was given a seat on the Senate floor to to watch the proceedings. He was pleasantly surprised to find the whole House officially welcoming him into their midst.

Drawing the attention of the Senators to Ghosh's presence, Senator Hubert Humphrey introduced him as one of the distinguished and able leaders of the Parliament of India and a true friend of democracy and freedom.

Ghosh was given a standing ovation.

Senator John Sparkman said he had the pleasure of knowing Ghosh since 1952 when he first met him on a trip to India. He found him to be an active, alert, patriotic Indian, and a very fine and dear friend of the West.

Senator John Sherman Cooper joined other Senators in welcoming Ghosh. He also met the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Some Senators suggested that he see President Kennedy, whom he had already met earlier, before he returned to India.

He discussed the matter with Senator John Sherman Cooper who offered to write to Kennedy seeking an appointment with Ghosh.

The US State Department, however, advised against the proposed meeting.

Ghosh gave up the hope of meeting Kennedy and went to see McGeorge Bundy -- Kennedy's national security adviser -- at the White House on March 27, 1963 before returning to India.

Bundy was impressed with Ghosh and strongly felt that he must see Kennedy before he left for India.

Thus he hurriedly arranged Ghosh's meeting with Kennedy the next day, March 28.

Ghosh reasoned with Kennedy that he did not understand the logic of the American argument that the United States could not get too deeply involved in raising India's military power to deal with the situation created by Communist China until there was a Kashmir settlement between India and Pakistan.

He pleaded that whatever military assistance Kennedy decided to give or not to give India to resist China is a question that should be settled on its merits.

He didn't see its connection with the settlement or absence of a settlement of the Kashmir problem for the past years.

Ghosh was thus successful in convincing President Kennedy about India's defence needs to deal with India's security dilemma with its northern neighbour.

His outreach to the US Congress and administration was certainly the precursor to the present bonhomie between two of the world's largest democracies.

Drawing a lesson from the outreach of Ghosh, as an erudite and articulate member of Parliament, to the members of the US Congress and administration, it is time that the government encourages informed and intelligent members of the current Parliament cutting across party lines as interlocutors to engage and educate the members of important foreign legislatures like the US Congress, the British House of Commons and the European Parliament.

Dr Rup Narayan Das is a former senior fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and the Indian Council of Social Science Research at the Indian Institute of Public Administration. Views are personal.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
BRATTLEBORO  After a long, hard budget season, Representative Town Meeting will have its say on the proposed $25.2 million budget.

The spending plan would result in an approximately 12 percent increase in property taxes. Initial budget talks showed a likely increase of 22 percent in property taxes, Select Board Chairman Daniel Quipp said at an informational meeting last week, but cuts and changes proposed by town staff were then made to reduce the impact.

Solid waste expenditures are going up by about $520,000 while health insurance costs are increasing by about $514,000 and additions to police staffing will cost nearly $500,000. Town Manager John Potter said costs for services in Brattleboro per capita are lower than Keene, N.H., and Greenfield, Mass.

The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the Brattleboro Union High School gym and could continue the next day.

Brattleboro board OKs budget, prepares articles for voting BRATTLEBORO  An approximately $25 million budget is ready to go to Representative Town Meet

RTM also is being asked to OK the use of $851,836 from surplus to defray emergency expenditures associated with the $675,000 downtown safety action plan presented by police and increased costs for solid waste services. Town Attorney Bob Fisher said the move essentially ratifies the Select Board's decisions to move forward with the items, and voting the article down could potentially hurt the town's ability to borrow.

"These are large numbers so it's important for the board to bring this to your attention because we also have the board's recommendation or guideline of keeping the fund balance at roughly 10 percent," he said, referring to the percentage of the budget or about $2 million. "So with this ... that 10 percent may be being dipped into."

Andy Davis of District 9 said the town went from spending $627,000 to $1.3 million for solid waste services, and he wonders if the town is "investigating anything to keep these costs under control when it appears doing everything right is busting our bank."

Expenses went up after a former contractor was acquired and changes are coming to the hauling system. No other proposals were submitted during a recent bid process.

"We were lucky for a long time," Quipp said, "then we entered the real world of what it actually might cost in today's market."

Brattleboro to finalize trash hauling contract BRATTLEBORO  After months of private negotiations and public discussions on the future of s

RTM will set annual salaries of the Select Board. Current rates are $10,000 for board chairperson and $8,000 for other members.

Proposed is about $461,000 for organizations under human services funding. A committee recommended figures for each group after reviewing applications and RTM previously decided to set the spending at 2 percent of the general fund.

Via ballot March 4, voters weighed in on how they feel about contributions going forward. In a letter to the editor analyzing the results, Tom Franks of District 9 said 58 percent of residents who voted advised RTM to set the funding at less than 2 percent.

Members of the Capital Grant Review Committee, Finance Committee, Human Services Review Committee and Brooks Memorial Library Board of Trustees will be nominated and elected from the floor. Up for ratification are appointments of Town Clerk Hilary Francis, Town Attorney Bob Fisher and Interim Town Treasurer Leslie Smith, who currently serves as assistant treasurer.

Also on the warning are special assessments for Downtown Brattleboro Alliance for its annual plan and the Mountain Home Park for debt service related to earlier infrastructure upgrades.
The Rhythm Quartet will play its version of 'Gypsy Jazz' at the Vermont Jazz Center on March 29, a benefit for the Windham County Heat Fund.
Aimee Parnell has been on the job at the Waypoint Center for about a month, and her enthusiasm as the new executive director of the Great Fall
The government is moving ahead with a $343 million rebuild of the countrys visa system, effectively extending a project dubbed Adept that has delivered new capabilities over the last few years.

However, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has told Cabinet the risk associated with the favoured option, now dubbed Our Future services, is high.

Over the past five years under Adept and other investments the core foundations of a new service delivery model had been implemented, the projects business case said.

That first phase was supported by $62.4 million in operational and capital spending. DXC, Argonaut, Theta and Datacom were known to contributed to the overall solution, which was based on Microsofts platforms.

Already delivered are a platform for visa submission and processing, a cloud-based business rules engine providing risk assessments, a risk analytics platform to predict the likelihood an application presents minimal risk and a new customer-centric approach.

After implementing Automated Decision Assist (ADA), the first phase of work to create a more modern digital submission channel, in 2020 and Adept in 2022, the foundations had been laid for the eventual replacement of New Zealands legacy immigration systems, the projects business case says.



Only some types of visa were in scope of the ADA project and it was accepted further investment would be required to implement more visa products and services onto the platform.

Improvements to visa processing efficiency would be even greater if end-to-end automation was introduced for some visa products, the case says. This is not currently possible as it requires the risk analytics platform to be connected to Adept.

The aim now is to create a unified immigration technology eco-system by consolidating visa submission and processing applications into Adept and the decommissioning legacy processing systems to minimise risk of system outages and improve agility.
Supporters of Prairie Public can breathe a sigh of relief after a bill looking to defund the organization was voted down in the Senate on Monday.

House Bill 1255 would have banned any state money from directly or indirectly supporting public broadcasting.

The bill has been intensely debated in committee hearings and on the floor of both chambers. It received recommendations not to pass from the House Political Subdivisions Committee and House Appropriations Committee but passed on the House floor with a vote of 48-41. It received another recommendation not to pass from the Senate State and Local Government Committee and was finally shot down on the Senate floor in a 41-6 vote.

Supporters of the bill said it was time to end state funding for public broadcasting because of the political bent they believe has invaded its content, and because they think the rise of social media and streaming services has made the services provided by public broadcasting obsolete.

I used to be a big fan of PBS, Sen. Jeff Magrum, R-Hazelton, said during debate on the Senate floor. But these last years, I have really been disappointed in their political agenda. You can't watch PBS ... It's just a continual barrage of this global warming, climate change, everybody's going to die, type of thing. You know, it's just, I don't know why we would fund propaganda like that.

Opponents of the bill said it would not end public broadcasting in North Dakota, but it would defund the programs that focus on local culture and content, forcing Prairie Public, the states only public broadcasting service, to use more national public broadcasting content.

The national programming provided by the Federal Corporation for Public Broadcasting will not change with this bill, Sen. Kristin Roers, R-Fargo, said on the Senate floor. What will be affected is the local programming. The mobile buses that travel from school to school, providing educational resources so that your local school district doesn't need to purchase the materials -- that would be affected. Other North Dakota-focused programming would be affected.

Opponents also touted the educational resources provided by public broadcasting and said removing funding for it would impact the poorest residents of North Dakota who do not have alternative ways to access the content found in public broadcasting.

There was also discussion on the cash reserves Prairie Public holds -- which one senator said was roughly $16 million, according to committee testimony -- and the organizations consideration of buying a bar to ensure it had a place to conduct charitable gambling. Supporters of the bill said this showed the organization could go without the funding provided by the state.

So they didn't ever buy the bar, Roers said. It was a site (where) they had the license for the charitable gaming and when that bar was going out of business, they wanted to at least have the opportunity to do their due diligence, which they did, and determined that that wasn't the right move for them.

With the bills failure, there is no longer a ban on future funding, but as of now, no money is earmarked for Prairie Public in the state budget. When HB 1255 passed in the House, appropriators removed the organizations funding from North Dakota's budget. That money has yet to be added back in, and one senator voted against the bill but encouraged the Senate Appropriations Committee to leave zero funding for Prairie Public.

So I struggle with this because we say we want to fund certain things, roads and bridges, other things in our state, and yet we're not willing to stand up and say, Hey, maybe this is not something that the state should fund, said Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg. I hope, if this bill goes down, that our appropriators, respectfully, would still keep that number at zero.
The European Union is looking into the possible support of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty after the US government moved to cut the broadcaster's funding, sparking concern over the silencing of pro-democracy media.

At the initiative of the Czech Republic, a meeting of foreign ministers from the bloc's 27 members in Brussels on March 17 addressed the issue with the future of RFE/RL unclear due to the cutting of its Congress-approved funding by the administration of President Donald Trump over the weekend.

A diplomatic source with knowledge of the discussion told RFE/RL that the Czechs, along with Poland and the three Baltic countries -- Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania -- immediately expressed support for the idea, saying a halt in RFE/RL's operations would "be a gift to Europe's adversaries" and its dissolution would be "irreparable for democratic aspirations around the world."

EU Ministers Discuss RFE/RL Funding After US Grant Cut No media source currently available 0:00 0:02:18 0:00

"It has been a beacon of democracy and very valuable," Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, told journalists after the meeting.

"It is sad to hear that the US is withdrawing its [RFE/RL's] funding. Now the question for us is can we come in with our funding to leave or fill the void that the US is leaving?" Kallas added.

Kallas said the question of funding doesn't have an automatic answer, but there was "really a push from the foreign ministers to discuss this and find the way."

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said he sensed "a certain interest" from other EU members in his country's initiative, and that "it is our responsibility to seriously deal with this issue."

Lipavsky's Polish counterpart, Radek Sikorski, also voiced support for RFE/RL, recalling how his father listened to the station as well as the Voice of America broadcaster during the Cold War.

"It's how we learnt the basic facts about our own countries because communist propaganda was so tightly controlled," he told reporters. "And these institutions continue to do similar work for autocracies today."

Sikorski also voiced support for Lipavsky's initiative to seek alternative avenues of funding for the US broadcasters.

"We will take a look at what can be done," he said. "We are at the stage of brainstorming, but clearly these are worthy institutions whose mission should continue."

Trump signed an executive order late on March 14 that aims to reduce seven federal agencies -- including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other federal broadcasters.

The order, which also targets agencies that deal with homelessness, labor disputes, and community development, gave the heads of each governmental entity named seven days to submit a report confirming full compliance.

Hours after the executive order was published, a letter from the USAGM said the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL, headquartered in the Czech capital, Prague, had been terminated.

RFE/RL President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Capus said canceling the grant agreement would be "a massive gift to America's enemies," a point that was echoed by many media rights watchdogs, democracy advocates, and politicians.

Added US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "The Trump administration's latest effort to dismantle entities established and funded by Congress that provide accurate, unbiased information to hundreds of millions of people in countries where press freedom is under attack undermines the US commitment to democracy."

If President Trump gets his way, those who depend on US supported independent media as alternatives to Chinese and Kremlin run media outlets and those living under authoritarian regimes will lose a critical lifeline."

Belarus opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya is one of those who has seen firsthand how an authoritarian regime works to negate unbiased and fact-based news from outlets such as RFE/RL.

In an August 2020 presidential election, her husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, announced he would run as an opposition candidate to authoritarian ruler Aleksandr Lukashenko. He was jailed before the campaign even started and eventually sentenced along with four others to lengthy prison terms.

She ran in his place and claims, along with most Western governments, that she won. Election officials, however, declared Lukashenko the winner, touching off peaceful mass protests that turned deadly when security forces launched a brutal crackdown.

"For us, nations living under tyranny, RFE/RL and VOA News are symbols of the free world -- voices of truth," Tsikhanouskaya, who fled her country fearing for the safety of her family, said in a post on X.

"Many, like [RFE journalist] Ihar Losik, are in prison for working with them. For the United States, they are powerful tools of soft power, making America stronger and safer. Losing them would be a grave mistake."

Losik, a blogger and contributor to RFE/RL's Belarus Service, was convicted in December 2021 on multiple charges, including "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order," and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

He is one of four RFE/RL journalists and contributors -- along with Vladyslav Yesypenko, Nika Novak, and Farid Mehralizada -- who are currently imprisoned on charges related to their work.

Last year, the Russian government designated RFE/RL an "undesirable organization," a label that effectively banned the broadcaster from working in Russia while also exposing anyone who cooperates with the outlet to potential prosecution.

"We urge the EU to stand up for media freedom by supporting Radio Free Europe," Renew Europe, a pro-European and centrist political group in the European Parliament, said in a statement.

The USAGM is an independent US government agency that oversees the broadcasting of news and information in almost 50 languages to some 361 million people each week.

The total budget request for the USAGM for fiscal year 2025 was $950 million to fund all of its operations and capital investments.

This includes media outlets such as RFE/RL, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio Marti), Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) and the Open Technology Fund.

"We see these media outlets really as beacons of truth, of democracy, and of hope for millions of people around the world. And of course, at an age of unmoderated content and fake news, journalism, freedom of press...are critical for democracy, and this decision risks benefiting our common adversaries," European Commission spokesperson Audia Paula Pinho said on March 17.

Trump, who has taken several moves to slash government spending since taking office for a second term in January, clashed with the USAGM over editorial independence and the direction of programming during his first term.

He has reiterated those concerns again since retaking office. Supporters of the broadcasters say they are an important arm of US diplomacy.

In addition to the USAGM, the order targets Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund; and the Minority Business Development Agency.
KOCANI, North Macedonia -- The mayor of a town in North Macedonia where dozens were killed in a nightclub fire has resigned.

Ljupco Papazov, the mayor of Kocani, submitted his resignation on March 17, two days after a blaze killed at least 59 people and injured 155 others. Over 40 people remain in critical condition.

Papazov denied any personal culpability and pledged to cooperate with the police in Kocani, which has been gripped by anger and grief.

Protesters took to the streets on March 17, demanding justice for the victims and accusing local officials of corruption.





Officials said a pyrotechnic display used during a concert ignited the fire in the crowded club, which authorities say they suspect did not have proper license to operate.

Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said on March 16 that the police have so far detained 15 people over the blaze, including the owner of the venue and former government officials.



Toskovski added that the authorities have a reason to believe graft and corruption were involved in this case.

He said the ceiling at the Pulse nightclub was made of flammable material that caught fire from the pyrotechnic sparks and that thick smoke quickly spread throughout the building. Video posted on social media showed towering flames reaching up out of the building's roof.

"There were about 500 people in the club -- 250 tickets had been sold," he said.

Dozens Killed At Nightclub Fire In North Macedonia No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:48 0:00

Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski confirmed, without providing details, that former Economics Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi had been called in for questioning.

Relatives and friends of victims crowded outside local hospitals and city offices, trying to get more information.

Aleksandar Mishev said he and others noticed the flames after the fire erupted and ran toward the nightclub, as young people were fleeing in panic.

"About 10 to 20 young people, we carried them to the hospital, took them out of there and then took them to the hospital," he told RFE/RL.

"I know many of them. And those I dont know, I know their parents," another man, Stojan Guvchevski, said. "It's terrible."



The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said in a post on X.

Kocani, with a population of some 25,000, is located about 100 kilometers east of the capital, Skopje.

North Macedonia, a country of 1.8 million people, has land borders with Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Serbia, is a member of NATO, and has aspirations of joining the European Union.

The leaders of Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania were among those sending messages of condolences following the tragedy.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed "deep regret" over the disaster. "Deep sorrow for the tragic fire, which claimed too many young lives in Kocani," she said in a statement.

US Ambassador Angela Aggeler sent condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the fire.

"My heart breaks this morning for the many victims of last night's fire at a nightclub in Kocani," she said.

"Our deepest condolences go to the victims and their loved ones at this awful time, and wishes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured. The loss of so many young lives in one community is a terrible tragedy."

"I have offered any assistance and the full resources of the US Embassy to the prime minister, as well as our prayers for all those who suffer today," she added.
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Protesters rallied in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, after a fire broke out in a nightclub, killing 59 people and injuring at least 155. Demonstrators accused local leaders of corruption and demanded that those responsible for the tragedy be held accountable.
A lawyer from a shadowy group named after Vlad the Impaler met with the deputy Russian military attache at a Bucharest restaurant to plot the overthrow of the Romanian state, according to prosecution documents seen by RFE/RLs Romanian service. The alleged meeting, in late January, lasted no more than 30 minutes. The next day, the lawyer, Adrian Robertin Dinu, and another man, Slavic studies professor Marius Semeniuc, boarded a flight to Istanbul, where they transferred to their final destination - Moscow. Dinu and Semeniuc have since been arrested. They are part of a group of six men accused of treason on March 6. The Russian, Colonel Yevgeny Ignatiev, was expelled from Romania for espionage on March 5, along with his boss.

The Curious Case Of Romanian-Russian Spies No media source currently available 0:00 0:01:53 0:00

The case has been somewhat overshadowed as Romania is rocked by political tensions following the move by Romanian authorities to ban politician Calin Georgescu from running in presidential elections. The Constitutional Court had annulled the results of the previous election in November, when Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner after the first round of voting, amid accusations of Russian meddling. RFE/RL has seen evidence that Dinu is a supporter of Georgescu, but no proof that Georgescu worked with the group. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'A Militarized Structure' Dinu and Semeniuc are men with esoteric interests and, apparently, bold imaginations. Semeniuc presents himself as the leader of the Union of Subcarpathian Ruthenians of Romania, a group set up in 2000 to promote the ethnic groups culture. His Facebook profile has a Ruthenian flag and his name spelt in Cyrillic text. Dinu claims to lead a group calling itself the Vlad The Impaler Command, named after the 15th century Transylvanian nobleman who was the inspiration for Dracula. In Romania he is often associated with being a leader who fought against rich and corrupt landowners. Prosecutors say it claims 10,000 followers, while a group member told RFE/RL it had several thousand. "The people under investigation have a militarized structure, with a clearly established hierarchy. Meetings between members of the group are conducted in a conspiratorial manner, including taking counter-informative measures," according to the prosecution document seen by RFE/RL.

Romanian prosecutors say that after Dinu and Semeniuc arrived in Moscow, they held a meeting with two men and handed over 5,000 euros for translation and facilitation services. The first man, who allegedly took the payoff, was Petro Ghetsko, a Ukrainian citizen who faces a 20-year jail sentence in Ukraine for endangering national security. He also claims to lead a Ruthenian group and to be prime minister of a nonexistent Sub-Carpathian Republic in western Ukraine. The second man was Igor Mashkov. Romanian prosecutors wrote: There is a reasonable suspicion about the contact persons in Moscow that they are agents of the Russian Federation. Romanian prosecutors say that Dinu and Semeniuc went to Moscow to present a 10-point plan to seize power. This would begin by spreading criticism online of Romanias pro-Western status quo, infiltration of state structures, and climax with a mass rally (minimum two million people) leading to a coup. It sounds like the work of fantasists, but Romanian prosecutors appear to be taking it seriously amid an already volatile political situation. In an online video cited by prosecutors, Dinu said the plan was supported by the friendly embassies of Russia, China, and Iran.

Furthermore, on February 20, just a few weeks after the Moscow trip, members of the Vlad the Impaler group were photographed at a Russian Embassy reception in Bucharest. Three of them are among the group now charged with treason. The other man was 102-year-old retired general Radu Theodoru, a Holocaust denier and Stalin admirer who was also briefly detained but not charged. Romanian investigators say they gathered evidence on the group via wire taps and infiltration. They say they have a recording of one suspect, Raul Lupu, saying that other group leaders are in league with banned presidential candidate Georgescu. In an online video, Dinu describes Georgescu as the elected president and promises to appoint him to the post after seizing power.

The decision to annul the November election was condemned last month by US Vice President JD Vance, who said it was based on the "flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors." Romanian authorities have now barred Georgescu from taking part in a new election scheduled for May. Georgescu is a vocal critic of NATO and has opposed Romanias support for Ukraine. When the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously to maintain his ban on running for president on March 11, he posted an online video saying that the system does not accept anyone outside of it.
Large crowds have been taking to the streets in Tbilisi, Budapest, Bucharest, and Belgrade for months in succession.

RFE/RL's Georgian, Hungarian, Romanian, and Balkan services have been reporting on the demonstrations and the root causes driving them.

Georgia

In Georgia, the protests began in October after the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in parliamentary elections that international monitors said were marred by vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation.

Since then, there have been protests every day. On March 16 -- day 109 of the protests -- small crowds blocked Rustaveli Avenue, one of Tbilisi's main arteries.

More protests were scheduled for March 17.

The numbers oscillate from a few hundred to thousands. Protesters have targeted state TV, which is resolutely pro-government, as well as court and government buildings.

Security forces have responded to the peaceful gatherings with brutal violence and mass arrests, drawing condemnation from the United States and the European Union.

Mass Arrests And Clashes Erupt In Tbilisi As Protesters Attempt To Block Citys Highway No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:56 0:00

Recently, the government tightened laws to make the crackdown even harsher. Fines for blocking a street rose tenfold, for instance.

The authorities have been surveilling participants with Chinese-made cameras with facial-recognition capabilities.

Hungary

A crowd of more than 50,000 people took to the streets of Budapest on March 15 to support the opposition Tisza party, which is threatening to break the mold of Hungarian politics.

Tisza is led by Peter Magyar, a former ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban who gained national prominence when he resigned from senior positions in state-owned enterprises and a bank in February 2024.

Magyar, now 43, said he was entering politics to combat corruption and cronyism under Orban, and shortly afterward became leader of Tisza.

At that point Tisza was a small opposition party. But under Magyar's leadership, it finished second in the June 2024 European parliamentary elections with nearly 30 percent of the vote.

The party's support has continued to grow, and Magyar is now likely to challenge Orban in next years parliamentary elections.

Support for Tisza has grown despite Orbans almost total dominance of the media, which has been widely criticized internationally.

Human Rights Watch has said that media freedom has been under attack in Hungary since Orban took the reins in the country.

Hungarys faltering economy, plus voter fatigue after 15 years of Orbans rule, have boosted the opposition.

Romania

Romania has been rocked by political tensions since presidential elections in November.

Nationalist-populist Calin Georgescu came from nowhere to emerge as the leading candidate after the first round of voting, with two million votes despite having spent next to nothing on his campaign.

Romanian authorities annulled the results amid accusations of Russian meddling in the campaign.

Russia has denied backing Georgescu, a vocal critic of NATO and an opponent of continued support for Ukraine.

Georgescu's supporters were boosted when US Vice President JD Vance used his speech at the Munich Security Conference in February to criticize the decision to annul the election.

This was followed by a spy scandal in which six men have been charged with treason over an alleged Russian-backed coup plot.

There were violent clashes between Georgescu supporters and police following a decision to bar him from running in new presidential elections scheduled for May.

This decision was subsequently upheld in a unanimous Constitutional Court ruling.

Serbia

Serbia has seen months of student-led mass protests following the deadly collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad in November.

On March 15, the protests were the biggest yet, with estimates of around 300,000 people on the streets of Belgrade.

Aerial footage captured the scale of the gatherings.

The students are demanding accountability, amid reports that corrupt practices led to shoddy construction at the railway station. Fifteen people died.

As the protests tapped a broader mood of discontent, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned in January.

Now, President Aleksandar Vucic has moved ahead with an official procedure that could lead to snap presidential elections. Like Orban, he's a long-standing leader, serving as president since 2017 after serving as prime minister from 2014.

Meanwhile, his opponents have accused him of increasing pressure on the students, civil society, and opposition with arrests and smear campaigns.

More protests are planned.
A court in Tbilisi has found jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili guilty of illegally crossing the country's border, sentencing him to an additional four years and six months in prison.

Since Saakashvili had already been sentenced to nine years in previous cases, Judge Mikheil Jinjolia in the Tbilisi City Court ruled that the former president would now serve a total of 12 years and six months behind bars.

According to this ruling, Saakashvili will remain imprisoned until April 1, 2034.

Speaking via video link from the Vivamedi clinic in Tbilisi during a separate trial, Saakashvili strongly condemned the ruling.

"This verdict is meant to destroy me in prison, to eliminate me physically," he said.

He declared that he remained a threat to his political opponents, whether behind bars or even in death.

"You cannot destroy the idea of Georgia's freedom or the soul of Saakashvili. We are fighting and will win," the former president declared.

Saakashvili had been wanted by Georgian authorities and secretly returned to Georgia on September 29, 2021, after years of self-imposed exile. Two days later, on October 1, he was arrested. Prosecutors charged him with illegal border crossing.

Last week, the Tbilisi City Court's Judge Badri Kochlamazashvili sentenced Saakashvili to an additional nine years in prison for the large-scale embezzlement of public funds. He ruled that the term would be served concurrently with the six-year prison term Saakashvili was already serving for abuse of power.

Saakashvili, president of Georgia from 2003 to 2013, has consistently denied all the charges.

His steadfast denial of his guilt, echoed by the opposition United National Movement and several other political groups, has garnered sympathy and support among many Georgians. Many argue that the case was driven by political retribution.

Governor In Ukraine

Saakashvili's presidency was marked by ambitious reforms to curb corruption and modernize the country, including significant changes in the police force and the judiciary.

After leaving office, he became involved in Ukrainian politics, serving as the governor of Odesa from 2015 to 2016 before falling out with Ukrainian authorities.

He had been convicted in absentia on charges related to abuse of power, including granting a presidential pardon to individuals involved in the murder of banker Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of opposition lawmaker Valeri Gelashvili. These charges are part of a series of legal battles he has been facing since leaving office.

Since his arrest, he has been held in detention and is currently receiving medical treatment at the Vivamedi Clinic.

Additionally, Saakashvili is still facing trial for his role in the crackdown on protests on November 7, 2007. The trial is seen as a continuation of the legal challenges he has been facing since leaving office.

The arrest of Saakashvili, a key Western ally and a symbol of democratic reforms in Georgia, has sparked international concern over his health and treatment in detention.
Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 with a population of about 52 million people -- second in the U.S.S.R. only to Russias 147 million.

34 years later, that number has been cut nearly in half. Following the 2014 annexation of Crimea and war in the Donbas region, and Russias ongoing full-scale invasion, the number of people living on territory controlled by Kyiv stands at around 29 million, according to estimates by Ukraines Institute of Demography -- a decrease of 45 percent.

Tens or even hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians leave the country every year, according to Ukraines State Border Guard Service. Experts say that the longer the war goes on, the fewer people will come back once it ends.

How Many Ukrainians Are Now In Ukraine And Abroad?

The war forced me to decide to get my child out. We arrived in Warsaw in July 2022. We didnt plan to stay long. Everyone who left probably expected that they would only be gone for two weeks to a month, says Lina Syzonenko of Poltava, in central Ukraine, who has been living in Poland with her daughter Maria for almost three years.

Millions of Ukrainians like Lina and Maria had to leave because of the war. The exact numbers of those who stayed in the country and those who fled are elusive. Ukraine hasnt conducted a census since 2001, and the countrys statistical service has partially stopped collecting and publishing demographic data, citing war-related difficulties.

War tends to worsen demographic trends by increasing mortality and decreasing birth rates. But, in Ukraine, emigration has caused the biggest drop in population figures - the numbers of people leaving are just crazy, says Oleksandr Hladun, deputy director of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Demographics and Life Quality Institute.

According to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), almost 7 million Ukrainian refugees currently live abroad. The majority of them, some 6.3 million, are in Europe. That figure includes some 1.3 million Ukrainians who fled to Russia and Belarus or were taken there. This data likely comes from the Russian and Belarusian border guard services and is impossible to verify, according to Hladun.

The European Union invoked its Temporary Protection Directive for the first time in history when Russia launched its invasion, with member states offering millions of Ukrainians temporary residence, financial and housing benefits, and the right to work. Just under 4.3 million Ukrainians currently enjoy this status across the EU.

Some countries are considering allowing refugees to stay after the war ends, further decreasing the chances of large numbers of Ukrainians returning home. The Czech Republic, which hosts almost 400,000 Ukrainian refugees, recently passed a law that will allow those who are economically independent and have held protected status for at least two years to obtain a residence permit.

100,000 Fewer Babies Born Each Year

While millions of Ukrainians move abroad, collapsing birth rates -- which were already low -- pose another problem for the countrys demographics. The fertility rate, or number of children born per woman, must be 2.1 for a countrys population to remain stable without immigration. Prior to the full scale invasion, [the total fertility rate] was 1.16. Since the invasion it is 0.9, which is by some estimates a record low, according to Daryna Marchak, deputy minister for social policy. This puts it below the lowest fertility rates in the EU.

Low birth rates are exacerbated by military mobilization of males aged 25 and up, and by pressure on the government to further reduce the minimum conscription age. According to UN statistics, Ukraine has some 1.5 million men aged 18-25. Some are hiding from the draft, some have left, illegally crossing the border...Some minors who are about to turn 18 may also go abroad, leaving fewer young people in Ukraine willing or able to start families, says Hladun.

Ukraines death rate, on the other hand, is elevated. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that 46,000 soldiers have been killed so far in the invasion, which is likely lower than the real figure. Hladun, the demographer, says that besides Russian air strikes, civilians are also being killed by other medical complications caused by the invasion - such as strokes and heart attacks from war-related stress. The number of deaths per year is now nearly three times as high as the number of births, putting Ukraine among the countries with the highest death rates and lowest birth rates.

Are More Ukrainians Leaving Their Country Now?

I look at the UNHCRs figures from time to time, and the number of [Ukrainian] refugees was decreasing until May 2024. The lowest figure was 5.9 million, and then it began to rise again, says Volodymyr Paniotto, the head of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

According to him, the situation on the front line, delays in weapons deliveries, and the feeling that the war is here to stay all contribute to peoples decision to leave -- as well as the fact that Russia is advancing, albeit slowly.

According to border-crossing data, Ukrainians departed the country 15,276,000 times in 2024, while 14,834,000 entries were recorded -- a deficit of 442,000, nearly triple the figure for 2023.

How Many People Will Return Once The War Ends?

According to polls conducted for the Center for Economic Strategy, a Ukrainian think tank, the proportion of refugees who definitely or probably want to return to Ukraine fell to less than 50 percent in November 2024 for the first time since the invasion.

In November 2022, just 10 percent of refugees said they definitely did not want to return to Ukraine -- by late 2024, that figure had increased to 34 percent.

Polls by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology also show that 19 percent of Ukrainian refugees abroad hold, or have applied for, citizenship of another country, and 45 percent would like to obtain it.

Paniotto, the head of the institute, says that the number of people planning to remain abroad grows by some 100,000-150,000 each month. They learn the language, find jobs, their children have good prospects [abroad]. We lose people killed at the front every month, but we lose 20, maybe 30 times as many people per month [to long-term emigration].

How Will Ukraine's Population Change After The War?

Ukraines Institute of Demographics projects that there will be 30 million Ukrainians in the countrys internationally-recognized borders in 2035. The prognosis reflects the trend that will occur if nothing changes in the country...but everything depends on the year when the war ends.

Accurate projections wont be possible until some time after the war ends. Hladun says Ukraine will need to conduct a census, which it has not done since 2001, a year or two after hostilities cease, to give migrants time to either return or decide to stay abroad.

Oleksiy Chernyshov, a Ukrainian deputy prime minister, says there are more than 60 million Ukrainians worldwide and that the country is doing everything so that Ukrainians consider returning.

There will never be 52 million of us again, says Hladun. We need to plan our economy and social infrastructure around a population of 30 million...and value quality of life and a functional government over population size.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during talks with US President Donald Trump to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy sector and infrastructure for 30 days as a step toward reaching a full cease-fire.

But the first concession by Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three ago still fell short of Trump's goal of an immediate cease-fire across all theaters of the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly expressed his disappointment with the outcome of the March 18 call, saying the result showed that Putin isn't interested in peace and was determined "to drag out the war." He accused Russia of stepping up infrastructure attacks following the call.

A White House statement on the call said Trump and Putin "agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure cease-fire."

Russia has devastated Ukraine's power infrastructure in an attempt to demoralize the country's citizens by depriving them of electricity and heat in the dead of winter.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump described the call as "very good and productive."

"We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine," he wrote.

"Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end," Trump added.

But Putin put forward preconditions for any further steps, including a halt of military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, demands that Kyiv will almost certainly reject. Ukraine last week agreed to Trump's immediate cease-fire pending Russia's acceptance of the same terms.

Trump and Putin said their respective diplomats will continue discussions to arrive at a full cease-fire, something that could take months. In the meantime, Russia will continue to pursue its invasion of Ukraine on the ground and in the air.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff later told Fox News that new talks are planned between US and Russian representatives on March 23 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, although he added that details were still to be finalized.

Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a priority since taking office two months ago, but Moscow and Kyiv are so far apart on key issues such as territorial control and security guarantees that bridging the gap will be difficult. Trump so far has leaned heavily on Ukraine.

The Kremlin said in its readout of the call -- which lasted more than 90 minutes -- that Putin raised a number of issues including effective monitoring of a possible cease-fire along the entire line of combat contact as well as a halt to Ukrainian mobilization and Western military assistance for Kyiv.

"It was emphasized that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working toward its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv," the Kremlin said.

In comments later to Fox News, Trump said that aid to Ukraine was not discussed in the call.

The Kremlin also said peace talks need "to take into account the absolute need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis, and Russia's legitimate interests in the area of security," a reference to NATO expansion and other issues Moscow uses to justify its invasion.

Speaking to reporters from Finland, where he is on a working trip, Ukraine's Zelenskyy said Putin's demands show he is not interested in a cease-fire but in undermining Ukraine's armed forces.

"When Putin talks about the end of mobilization, he does not speak out of [humanitarian] positions, but in an effort to make our army smaller and weaker - the same is to be said about his demands to stop providing military aid and intelligence to us," Zelenskyy said.

"But one thing he is not talking about is a cease-fire -- as straightforward as that -- without various many issues attached to it," he said.

Zelenskyy later said Russia's continued attacks on infrastructure -- including, he said, at least 40 drone strikes late on March 18 following the call -- showed the need to continue pressure on Russia for "the sake of peace."

"Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a complete cease-fire," Zelenskyy said on Telegram. "It would be right for the world to reject in response any attempts by Putin to drag out the war."

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy's chief of staff, posted on Telegram that "Russia is attacking civilian infrastructure and people right now," adding that a hospital had been hit in Sumy. The report could not immediately be confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said Ukrainian forces were attempting a cross-border attack in Russia's Belgorod region, where the governor called the situation "difficult."

Experts largely expected Putin to reject Trump's proposal for full-cease fire because the Kremlin leader believes he is winning the war and that time is on his side.

Russia continues to grind forward in eastern Ukraine, but it still doesn't fully control the four regions -- Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson -- that it claims to have annexed in 2022.

A cease-fire now would likely leave Putin short of that goal.

The readout made no mention of security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy has often stressed that for Kyiv to accept any peace deal it must come with security guarantees for Ukraine from its Western partners, including eventual NATO membership.

"I have insisted [on Ukraine's membership in] NATO, but you know what the answers have been," he said in February, suggesting the path to joining the Western military alliance remains obstructed.

In Berlin, Germany's outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron said they welcomed the vow to end attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, but they said it is only the first step on the road to peace.

"The next step must be a complete cease-fire for Ukraine and as quickly as possible. Of course. it is clear that we both agree on this too," Scholz told a joint news conference with Macron.

Zelenskyy said he had spoken to the German and French leaders following Trump's call with Putin. The British government said Zelenskyy had also spoke with Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the call.

With reporting by Reuters
The United States has launched extensive air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, aiming to curb their threat to shipping while also signaling a warning to Iran.

In a statement announcing his directive on March 15, US President Donald Trump also warned Iran to immediately end its support for the Houthis and vowed to hold Tehran fully accountable if it threatened Americans or shipping lanes.

On March 17, Trump turned up the heat, posting on his Truth Social platform that the hundreds of attacks made by the Houthi, who are hated by the Yemeni people, emanate from, and are created by, Iran.

"Any further attack or retaliation by the 'Houthis' will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that the force will stop there, he wrote.

The strikes come as Iran is weighing its response to a letter by Trump on direct talks over Tehrans nuclear program, and possibly its regional activities and missile development.

Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy, said he believes the attack on Houthi targets may well have something to do with Irans opposition to direct talks with the Trump administration.

There is a message being sent in the type of weapons used, including sea-launched missiles, he told RFE/RL. Nuclear negotiations havent started, and Trump is threatening to use force if diplomacy doesnt work. This is a way to show that he is serious.

How Are The Attacks Different From Past Strikes?

Designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the Houthis, who are formally known as the Ansarallah movement, seized power in Yemen in 2014 by toppling the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government.

Soon after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis began launching attacks on Israel and targeting ships in the Red Sea believed to be sailing to or from Israel. The group said this was in solidarity with the Palestinians.

The attacks stopped after a fragile cease-fire went into force in January, but the Houthis have threatened to resume their attacks if aid does not flow into Gaza.

Last year, US and British militaries carried out multiple air strikes against the Houthis, but the new wave of attacks seems to be different.

Horowitz said the administrations of former US President Joe Biden was focused on defensive and pre-emptive strikes, targeting weapon depots and weapons just before they were launched.

Trump appears to have widened the scope of those strikes to include Houthi officials and offices. I would not discount that well even see a campaign of targeted assassinations, he added.

The Houthis have vowed to retaliate and claimed to have launched 18 drones and missiles against USS Harry S. Truman on March 16. The United States has not commented on the claim, but reports citing unnamed US officials say the drones were intercepted and the missiles did not reach the warship.

The Yemeni group claims US strikes have killed dozens of people, including children. But White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz said on March 16 that the United States took out multiple Houthi leaders.

How Has Iran Responded To The US Air Strikes?

The X account of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 16 posted a quote from the top Iranian decision-maker dating back to 2020, in which he insisted that the nation of Yemen is definitely victorious.

The only path is that of resistance. That which has caused the US and its allies to panic today is the fact that the Muslim nations are standing firmly and that this resistance will prove to be effective, the post read.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized the Trump administration for demanding that Tehran cut ties with the Houthis, saying that US government has no authorities or business dictating Iranian foreign policy.

Meanwhile, Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), rejected assertions that Iran influences the Houthis, insisting that Tehran has no role in the Houthis decision-making process.

The Houthi movement is a key member of the Iran-led "axis of resistance," a network of non-state actors that has suffered major setbacks over the past year. The movement has particularly risen in stature as a defender of the Palestinian cause since it started hitting Israel and alleged Israeli-linked vessels.

Horowitz said the Houthis rising profile within the axis of resistance gives them some level of autonomy, but they are ultimately an Iranian proxy.

They are still extremely dependent on Iran for weapons they use regularly so they will follow Iran's lead in my opinion, he added.
Ellen O'Donoghue

Conor McGregor has met with US president Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC.

On Monday evening, footage emerged of the mixed martial arts star meeting Mr Trump in the Oval Office.

Mr Trump showed Mr McGregor a map of the Gulf of Mexico which he has dubbed the Gulf of America.

Mr McGregor said congratulations, adding: Ill tell you what, your work ethic is inspiring. Your work rate is inspiring.

Mr Trump praised Mr McGregor back, saying, Yours is too. You are fantastic.

Your work ethic is inspiring - Conor McGregor and President Trump meet in the Oval Office  (@MargoMartin47) pic.twitter.com/qdA1KYjpCh  The Mac Life (@TheMacLife) March 17, 2025

The White House posted a video of the Dublin-born fighter on its X account earlier on Monday.

The video shows Mr McGregor walking out the door and saying, "Happy Paddy's Day, America."

White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who confirmed McGregor was to meet the president on Monday afternoon, said the administration could not think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day.

Mr McGregor also took surprise questions at the White House briefing room and signed a "Make Ireland Great Again" hat.

He said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics.

The fighter said he was in Washington "to raise the issues of the people of Ireland."

Conor Mc Gregor accused the Irish Government of "abandoning the voices of the people of Ireland" saying it's "high time that America be made aware" of, what he called, a "travesty" happening in Ireland.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin rejected Mr McGregors remarks. In a post on X, he said: St Patricks Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.

Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE!  @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Tanaiste Simon Harris also told journalists in New York that Mr McGregor does not speak for Ireland.

"President Trump can invite whoever he wants to his home, and he's perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.

"But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland, he's here in a personal capacity, he doesn't speak for Ireland, he doesn't speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such," the Tanaiste said.

During his exchange with reporters on Monday, Mr McGregor criticised the Government on immigration issues.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Irelands ears, he said.

Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland.

What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people. The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country," Mr McGregor said.

There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

Mr McGregor posted on X last night that he would be landing in Washington shortly for "the most important meeting of my countries future. I am beyond ready. The world will hear Ireland's call."

Last week, Mr Trump said Mr McGregor is great when asked who his favourite Irish person is during his Oval Office press conference with the Taoiseach.

Hes got the best tattoos Ive ever seen, Mr Trump said, adding, "Conor's great."

The White House further posted a photo of Mr McGregor in front of portraits of US president Donald Trump and his vice-president JD Vance.

Mr Harris also said he does not see McGregor becoming the next president of Ireland.

I think its always better for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country, and by the people of Ireland.

Thats how our presidential election will be decided, he added.

I dont wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor.

I dont expect hes going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency at Aras an Uachtarain."

Mr McGregor, a controversial figure, is known in the United States for his successful MMA career.

In Ireland, his appeal aimed at overturning a civil jurys finding that he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel will come before the Court of Appeal later this week.

Mr McGregor is expected to argue the jury finding in the original civil case is unsafe and should be overturned, with a retrial ordered if necessary.

The appeal is listed for March 21st before the three-judge appeal court for the purpose of making directions to progress it. If the sides are ready to proceed, a hearing date could be fixed within the next few months.

Last November, a High Court civil jury awarded 248,603 damages to Ms Hand against Mr McGregor after finding she was assaulted by him in the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on December 9th, 2018.

Ms Hand, a 35-year-old mother of one, alleged she was raped by Mr McGregor in the hotel and he would not take no for an answer. Mr McGregor denied her claim and told the jury they had fully-consensual sex.
Independent councillor Tom Crosby has warned against any moves to seek changes to the public realm enhancement plan in Ballaghaderreen.

He raised the concerns follow a public rally in the town on Sunday where a proposal was roundly backed to seek a revision of the controversial project.

As the longest-serving member of Roscommon County Council, Cllr Crosby said he felt it was both his duty and responsibility to address certain concerns that have been circulating regarding the public enhancement scheme currently underway in Ballaghaderreen and the forthcoming works in Strokestown.

He said he was the only county councillor from his electoral area who did not attend the public protest held in Ballaghaderreen last Sunday.

My decision was based on prior experience with similar enhancement projects across the county, where misinformationoften unverified and lacking proper researchhas caused unnecessary alarm and confusion among the public. In some cases, such misinformation originates from public representatives who choose to engage in populist rhetoric rather than undertake due diligence before making public statements.

Following the public meeting on Sunday evening, I received an email from Deputy Claire Kerrane TD, who attended and addressed the gathering. In her correspondence, she raised several concerns, most notably regarding access for emergency vehicles to St. Nathys College. She stated that she had been informed that the works completed to date would prevent ambulances, fire brigades, and other emergency services from accessing the college. Deputy Kerrane also noted that over 690 students attend the institution, excluding teachers and staff.

As Chairperson of the Municipal District Authority covering the Ballaghaderreen area, my elected colleagues and I were responsible for scrutinising and amending the project plans, as was any member of the public when the proposals were placed on public display and discussed at meetings held in the town over five years ago. At no stage during this extensive consultative process was any issue raised regarding alterations to the streetscape that would impact access to the college.

Furthermore, in her email correspondence, circulated to all members of Roscommon County Council, the council executive, and other public representatives, Deputy Kerrane called for the council to revisit the planning permission for the project. She claimed to have received information from a credible source, allegedly a council official from a neighbouring authority, indicating that modifications could still be made to the approved plans despite their completion of all necessary legal procedures, he said.

Cllr Crosby said that from his extensive experience, he had never encountered a situation in which planning permission was revisited once granted and after the expiration of the statutory appeal period. I do not believe such a course of action is legally viable, as there exists a statutory obligation to proceed with approved works once all regulatory requirements have been met. Any attempt to revisit or amend the granted planning permission at this stage would set a dangerous precedent, not just for County Roscommon but for planning law across the country. Roscommon County Council is legally bound to complete the project in accordance with the plans that have received the necessary approvals, he said.

Over the years, the Independent councillor said he had taken a firm stance on numerous projects where public concerns were raised. Some concerns could be addressed during the planning process, while others, particularly those pertaining to statutory safety regulations, were non-negotiable. It is understandable that, as a nation, we are often resistant to change. However, my experience has overwhelmingly demonstrated that, once such infrastructure improvements are completed, the vast majority of residents recognise their benefits.

For example, in my own local village of Tarmonbarry, significant changes to the streetscape were implemented, including the reconfiguration of parking spaces and the extension of designated parking areas beyond the village centre. Initially, there was resistance, but once completed, these changes resulted in a much safer environment, particularly as vehicles previously had to reverse onto a heavily trafficked national primary route. Today, the community fully supports the project, despite initial opposition.

He said a similar situation arose in the neighbouring village of Roosky where improvements were initially contested, but the final outcome has been widely welcomed Cllr Crosby said that as chairperson of Roscommon County Council in 2014, he and his colleagues were tasked with making a critical decision regarding the construction of the new Civic Offices in Roscommon Town.

At the time, there was significant public opposition, culminating in a public meeting attended by approximately 300 people in the Hyde Centre in Roscommon. Despite my request to address the gathering formally at the top table the organisers denied me the opportunity to do so. Nevertheless, I addressed the crowd from the floor presenting clear financial and logistical arguments in favour of the project.

I explained that Roscommon County Council was renting nine separate offices for various departments, including planning, housing, environment and water Services, at an annual cost of nearly 900,000. By constructing the Civic Offices, the council would achieve long-term savings of up to 300,000 per annum while also securing a state-of-the-art facility. Additionally, the old courthouse, a protected structure, would have been prohibitively expensive to renovate to meet modern standards.

Despite public resistance, the project proceeded, and today, Roscommon boasts one of the finest Civic Offices in the country, a lasting legacy for future generations.

Cllr Crosby said that in her correspondence, Deputy Kerrane invited him to endorse her concerns by responding before 12 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday.

However, I cannot, in good conscience, support the issues raised in her correspondence. I urge all public representatives to conduct thorough due diligence before committing themselves to positions that could undermine the integrity of the planning process.

Revisiting planning permission after its approval and appeal period expiration would establish a highly problematic precedent, not just for Roscommon but for infrastructure development nationwide. Such a move could jeopardise critical projects in towns and villages across the country, creating uncertainty for future public enhancement schemes, he said.
Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargajj: In Himachal, Mistreatment of Punjabi Youth Is Unacceptable

He told the Chief Minister of Himachal that some mischievous people are destroying the brotherhood of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargajj: In Himachal, Mistreatment of Punjabi Youth Is Unacceptable latest news: In Himachal Pradesh some disobedient people attacked Sikh Punjabi Youth in presence of police. Sikh flags were put up and picture of Saint Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwala placed under the feet. Taking strict notice of Singh Sahib Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, A press statement Said through this that it will not be approved at all.

He said that when the police stops a youth to check the documents of his vehicle, They said on that occasion any local person has no right to force the Sikh youth, Uses force and tearing of Sikh flags from their vehicles. He said that from this it appears that Himachal Pradesh Police is treating the local goons as if they were Driving a mischievous car.

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Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj also appealed to the Sikh youth that when they come to Himachal If you go to the state, keep your vehicle documents intact and avoid traveling alone. Jathedar Gargaj told Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of the Congress government of Himachal Pradesh that Taking notice of these incidents, he ordered the state police to maintain law and order.

He told the Chief Minister of Himachal that some mischievous people are destroying the brotherhood of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. They want to hurt Sanjh and create a tense situation, towards which the state government is taking action. It is their responsibility to keep such people in check. He said that it is the responsibility of the state government to ensure the safety of people of every religion and sect. It is not about openly allowing hatred against people of any one religion.

Jathedar Shri Akal Takht Sahib said that India is a multi-religious and multilingual country, in which everyone There is religious freedom. He said that Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale is the national martyr and hero of the Sikhs, who was He has been declared a martyr from Shri Akal Takht Sahib, the highest place of the Sikh community.

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He said that Sikhs go to visit their Gurdhams in Himachal Pradesh, but the devotees They were stopped and pictures of Nishan Sahib and Sikh martyrs were forcibly removed from their vehicles. Redhead said.

It is sad that the police administration is not fulfilling its responsibility on this matter. It is fueling the atmosphere of hatred being created against Sikhs. He said that it is not right to do so on the picture of Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwala and if If anyone has any doubt then they should come to Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib and visit the temple of Sikh martyrs. They can see what they have to offer to their community.

Singh Sahib Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said that the Constitution of the country gives religious freedom and Gives the right to express views, but creating hatred towards Sikh leader in Himachal is mutual It is not good for fraternity and such conflicts should be avoided. He said that Sikhs have always contributed to the progress of the country and have always contributed towards the progress of the country. In difficult times, he has served people of every religion without any discrimination.

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He said that the people of Himachal should not forget that if today the whole country becomes proud of independence, If it has, it is because of the big role of Sikhs. Singh Sahib also instructed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee that this matter should be taken up in Himachal Pradesh. Government pass should be raised.

(For More News Apart Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargajj: In Himachal, Mistreatment of Punjabi Youth Is Unacceptable stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Damanpreet Singh's Tragic Death: Brisbane Shocks Family into Deep Grief

Damanpreet, a native of Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, Punjab, had migrated to Australia around seven years ago in hope of a better future

Damanpreet Singh's Tragic Death: Brisbane Shocks Family into Deep Grief latest news: Brisbane, Australia - On March 15, 2025, the body of Damanpreet Singh was discovered dead in the Brisbane River, leaving his family deeply shocked and grieving. This tragic event entails the premature demise of a young Punjabi man, Damanpreet Singh, which has left his family shocked.

Damanpreet, a native of Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, Punjab, had migrated to Australia around seven years ago in the hope of a better future. His family came to know about this unfortunate incident when his sister, Amandeep, was informed by the Sandgate police in Brisbane. The local police are holding the body of the deceased currently, and the family is hoping for more information about the conditions under which he died.

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Damanpreet, who was not married, had three sisters and one brother, all of whom are presently mourning his untimely death. His family, in shock, is finding it difficult to accept the reality that they have lost their dear son and brother in such a tragic manner.

Damanpreet's father, Jagjit Singh, also spoke about the incident, saying that this has shaken their whole family to the core. He has sought the help of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and Rajya Sabha Member Sant Balbir Singh Sechewal in getting his son's body back to India.

The news of Damanpreet's death has shaken the whole community and his family. With prayers and condolences flowing in, the family wishes now to get their son back home and seek explanations on the reasons for his untimely death.

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(For More News Apart Damanpreet Singh's Tragic Death: Brisbane Shocks Family into Deep Grief stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)




March 16, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsflash

Newsroom, 16.03.2025, 20:00

A roundup of local and international news.

SOLIDARITY  Romanias interim president Ilie Bolojan conveyed, in a message on Sunday, Romanias solidarity with the people of North Macedonia, following the fire in a city in the east of the country, which left dozens dead and over 150 injured. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu sent his condolences and said that Romania is ready to offer its support. The fire broke out on the night of Saturday to Sunday, in a crowded club, where a famous hip-hop band was performing. Most people in the audience were young. The fire reportedly broke out as a result of the use of pyrotechnic devices. The tragedy in North Macedonia is reminiscent of the one that took place in Bucharest, on October 30, 2015, at the Colectiv club, when a fire also broke out as a result of fireworks that lit the ceiling. 64 young people died in the fire  27 that night, and the rest of them in hospital, in the weeks that followed. 150 people were injured. In 2017, almost 2 years after the Colectiv fire, one of the survivors committed suicide.

PRESIDENCY- Romania will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to ensure a lasting and fair peace, the countrys interim President Ilie Bolojan said in a message posted on the Internet, after participating, on Saturday, in a videoconference on Ukraine, hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Bolojan said that an unconditional ceasefire is a first step towards a lasting peace, and Russia must agree to this. Ilie Bolojan also advocated coordination between the states that participated in the discussions  several European countries, as well as Canada, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand.

DECISION  In Romania, the National Audiovisual Council has decided to require the TikTok platform to remove clips and audio-video material inciting violence against members of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC). The BEC notified the CNA about this content, and the Council identified the profiles responsible for distributing the materials, even if some of them were no longer public. The respective accounts are to be analyzed and, if necessary, their closure may be ordered. The CNA specifies that it operates on a permanent basis and constantly maintains contact with the public and with the relevant authorities on this period preceding the presidential elections, namely the Central Electoral Bureau and the Permanent Electoral Authority.

ELECTIONS  The interim President of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, will held talks, on Monday with representatives of the authorities and public institutions responsible for organizing the presidential elections in May. The period for submitting candidacies for the presidential seat ended, and the final list of those who will enter the race will be made public on Thursday. The Central Electoral Bureau has received a total of 21 submissions, among which three of independents the current mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, the former social-democratic prime minister, Victor Ponta, and John-Ion Banu-Muscel. Another candidate is Crin Antonescu, running for the Romania Forward Alliance, formed by the current ruling parties PSD, PNL and UDMR,, as well as representatives of the opposition, such as the USR president Elena Lasconi, the head of AUR, George Simion, Lavinia Sandru representing PUSL, and Cristian Terhes with the Romanian National Conservative Party. Among the rejected candidates is that of the independent sovereignist Calin Georgescu. The first round will take place on May 4, and the second on May 18.

WEATHER  After several days of extremely high temperatures for this time of year, the weather in Romania is changing significantly. On Monday, temperatures will continue to drop in most of the country. The sky will be overcast and precipitation will be present in most areas, especially in the form of snow in the mountainous areas, mixed in the west, center and east of Romania and predominantly showers in the rest. The wind will intensify in almost the entire country, and in the mountains, at high altitudes, the gusts will be 75 to 90 km/h and there will also be blizzard. The minimum temperatures will range from minus 11 to plus 3 degrees Celsius, and the maximum between 3 and 15 degrees. (EE)
March 16, 2025

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsflash

Newsroom, 16.03.2025, 14:00

A roundup of local and international news.

PRESIDENCY- Romania will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to ensure a lasting and fair peace, the countrys interim President Ilie Bolojan said in a message posted on the Internet, after participating, on Saturday, in a videoconference on Ukraine, hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Bolojan said that an unconditional ceasefire is a first step towards a lasting peace, and Russia must agree to this. Ilie Bolojan also advocated coordination between the states that participated in the discussions  several European countries, as well as Canada, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand.

BELGRADE  Tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on Serbias capital Belgrade on Saturday to express their discontent after years of dictatorship and corruption in a student-led rally, one of the largest in Serbias recent history, France Presse reports. Many of the protesters wore a badge with a bloody hand  the symbol of the movement, which adopted the slogan corruption kills. Groups of motorcyclists, veterans and the student police, which has provided security for the movement since its inception, formed a security ring around the procession to prevent unrest, especially in front of parliament and the presidency. Dozens of farmers driving their tractors also arrived in support of the students. Since the Novi Sad train station accident on November 1, which killed 15 people when the concrete roof of a recently renovated building collapsed, demonstrations have taken place across the country. Demonstrators see the accident as evidence of corruption that they say taints public institutions.

DECISION  In Romania, the National Audiovisual Council has decided to require the TikTok platform to remove clips and audio-video material inciting violence against members of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC). The BEC notified the CNA about this content, and the Council identified the profiles responsible for distributing the materials, even if some of them were no longer public. The respective accounts are to be analyzed and, if necessary, their closure may be ordered. The CNA specifies that it operates on a permanent basis and constantly maintains contact with the public and with the relevant authorities on this period preceding the presidential elections, namely the Central Electoral Bureau and the Permanent Electoral Authority.

ELECTIONS  The period for submitting candidacies to the Central Electoral Bureau for the May presidential elections in Romania ended at midnight on Saturday. The Central Electoral Bureau registered eight candidacies, three of independents the current mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, the former social-democratic prime minister, Victor Ponta, and John-Ion Banu-Muscel. Another candidate is Crin Antonescu, running for the Romania Forward Alliance, formed by the current ruling parties PSD, PNL and UDMR,, as well as representatives of the opposition, such as the USR president Elena Lasconi, the head of AUR, George Simion, Lavinia Sandru representing PUSL, and Cristian Terhes with the Romanian National Conservative Party. Among the rejected candidates is that of the independent sovereignist Calin Georgescu, who had ranked first in Romanians voting options in last winters presidential elections, annulled by the Constitutional Court, which invoked foreign interference. The Courts judges considered that the irregularities attributed to Calin Georgescu in the 2024 election had implicitly affected his right to run in the new election in May. The electoral campaign for the presidential elections begins on April 4 and ends on the morning of May 3. The first round will take place on May 4, and the second  if necessary  on May 18.

FIRE  Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has conveyed his condolences for the victims of the fire in the city of Kocani, North Macedonia, which killed dozens of people, and said that Romania is ready to offer its support. At least 50 people died and over 100 were injured in a fire that broke out in a nightclub in the city of Kocani on Saturday night, France Presse reports. The fire broke out in a crowded nightclub, where a famous hip-hop band was performing. The fire was allegedly caused by the use of pyrotechnic devices, according to media reports.

EUROPE  A pro-European rally took place on Saturday afternoon in the center of Bucharest. Approximately 10,000 people of all ages from the capital and other cities answered the call of civic organizations. With flags of Romania and the European Union, people demonstrated peacefully and formed a heart out of sheets of paper and lights to convey that their hearts beat for Europe and European values. Any desire to distance Romania from the European Union would coincide with turning directly towards the Russian Federation, and this would cancel decades of efforts made by millions of Romanians for democracy and prosperity, for freedom and equal opportunities, the organizers of the event said. According to them, Romanians have adhered, over time, not only formally, but also morally to the pillars of the European Union: freedom, democracy, the rule of law, peace, respect for human rights. Similar actions took place in several other European capitals. (EE)
March 17, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of local and world news

Newsflash

Newsroom, 17.03.2025, 20:00

ELECTIONS The interim president Ilie Bolojan Monday had a meeting in Bucharest with the heads of the public institutions tasked with organising the presidential election in May, including the PM Marcel Ciolacu. Logistical aspects have been addressed, and, according to the Presidency, preparations are on schedule, both in the country and abroad. At a domestic level, the relevant legislation must be enforced, without other legislative amendments and with proper coordination between institutions. Venues are being identified abroad, so that the same number of polling stations may be opened as in the previous elections. The interim president Ilie Bolojan has repeatedly promised that he will do everything in his power to ensure correct, free and transparent elections that reflect dynamic political debates and a commitment to the freedom of expression. The deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidential elections has passed. Twelve candidates have been validated so far. The final list of presidential candidates should be announced on Thursday, March 20.

EU The EU foreign ministers discussed in Brussels on Monday military aid for Ukraine of up to EUR 40 billion. Romania was represented by the foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu. The EU diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas said there is a broad agreement among the member states regarding the aid. The details will be decided at the EU Council meeting on Thursday and Friday, where there is a broad majority but no unanimity. The opposition comes from Hungary and Slovakia, but member states may opt for a majority vote in the Council. The EU intends to provide this aid as quickly as possible, as member countries do not trust Russias willingness to stop the war. Kaja Kallas believes that, in the talks with the United States, Russia will put forth a lot of demands and details to prevent a ceasefire. Another topic discussed was the situation in Gaza, and Kaja Kallas stated that the European Union supports the Arab plan for the reconstruction of the region and that Hamas should not be involved in this process.

FIRE North Macedonian authorities have declared 7 days of national mourning in memory of the victims of the devastating fire that broke out at a nightclub in the town of Kocani on the night of March 15. Fifty-nine people died, including 3 minors, and 150 others were injured. The North Macedonian PM Hristijan Mickoski said the nightclubs operating permit had been issued illegally by the Economy Ministry and promised that all those responsible would be brought to justice, Reuters reports. About 20 people have already been detained by police. According to North Macedonian authorities, the fire was started by sparks from pyrotechnic devices that hit the ceiling made of highly flammable material. In Bucharest, the interim president Ilie Bolojan voiced Romanias solidarity with the people of North Macedonia. In turn, the PM Marcel Ciolacu sent his condolences and said Romania was ready to provide support. The defence ministry in Bucharest announced on Monday that it had sent a medical aircraft to support the authorities in North Macedonia. The tragedy in North Macedonia is similar the one that took place in Bucharest on October 30, 2015, at the Colectiv nightclub, when a fire broke out after fireworks ignited the ceiling. 64 young people died in the fire, of whom 27 that very night, and the others in hospitals in the following weeks. 150 people were injured, most of them mutilated for life. In 2017, almost 2 years after the Colectiv fire, one of the survivors committed suicide.

NAVY The Grigore Antipa Navy diving vessel with a crew specialising in countering sea mines has successfully concluded its two-week participation in the multinational exercise ARIADNE 25 and returned on Monday to the Black Sea military port of Constanta. According to the Romanian Naval Forces, the ship performed tactical maneuvers, defence training against air and naval threats, as well as operations to identify and neutralise sea mines. The combat divers took part in specific drills to detect and neutralise underwater explosive devices together with partners from Greece and Belgium. The ship had a crew of 66 troops on board.

RATING At the end of last week, Moodys financial rating agency maintained Romanias investment-grade, although it revised its outlook from stable to negative. In the absence of additional fiscal reforms and spending cuts, the budget deficit will remain high this year  7.7% of GDP, Moodys writes. Fitch and Standard & Poors have also affirmed Romanias negative outlook. (AMP)
Candidates running in the upcoming presidential election

A complete list with the candidates admitted for the presidential election in May will be made public on March 20th

Photo: roaep.ro

Stefan Stoica, 17.03.2025, 14:00

The Central Election Bureau and the Constitutional Court worked around the clock during the weekend on candidacy files for the presidential election on May 4th and 18th.

Saturday, March 15th, was set as the deadline to submit candidacies but the validation process, which involves the study of the files and the potential challenges has not been completed yet. The definitive list with the names on the ballots will be known on March 20th. All the future protagonists of the presidential race have passed all the legal and constitutional filters.

Authorities are now keenly monitoring the process in an attempt to avoid surprising results like in December, when the pro-Russia extremist Calin Georgescu emerged as winner of the first round of the presidential election.

The election was later canceled by the Constitutional Court, also known as CCR, because of Georgescu, a favourite of Moscows and the beneficiary of its interference in the election process. Under the courts ruling Georgescu can no longer run in the election but he has a political heir, the ultranationalist and populist leader of AUR Party, George Simion.

After the election failure he suffered in 2024, Simion wouldnt have risked another election adventure, which could have jeopardized his position as a party leader, but he had to join the race after the elimination of his ideological mentor.

The countrys former Prime Minister and PSD leader, Victor Ponta, who is an admirer of the new US president, is also trying to win votes in the so-called sovereignist area. Ponta also ran in the 2014 election when he lost to Klaus Iohannis. Ponta got excluded by his party after contesting a Social-Democrat decision to join their ruling partners PNL and UDMR and support Crin Antonescu.

The former Liberal chief, whom the self-tiled sovereignists have dubbed the systems main candidate, is running for the pro-European wing.

This isnt Antonescus first attempt to win the highest position in the state. He came third in the presidential race of 2009 and didnt make it to the finals. The European wing also has two strong candidates, the independent mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, and the USR president, Elena Lasconi.

Dan announced his intention to run in the presidential election, after the political and constitutional seism caused by the toxic apparition on the political stage of Calin Georgescu. He criticized the institutions which through negligence and incompetence allowed that to happen. Elena Lasconi, who would have taken on Georgescu in the second round, has a similar discourse.

Commentators and even the supporters of the democratic camp suggest that she should have given up candidacy in favour of Nicusor Dan, who stands better chances to join a second round. However, Lasconi declared herself a fighter with real chances to make it to the finals.

(bill)
March 17, 2025

A roundup of local and world news

Newsflash

Newsroom, 17.03.2025, 13:55

FAC  Romanias Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu, is today attending the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting in Brussels, centered on Russias aggression against Ukraine, developments in Iran, the Middle East, Syria and EU-US relations, amid recent tensions linked to the newly introduced US tariffs. The discussion on Russias aggression against Ukraine will focus on how to maintain EU multidimensional support for Ukraine, especially military and financial assistance, in the context of the latest developments. With respect to the Middle East, participants will address developments in Israel and Gaza, with an emphasis on the importance of continuing to implement the ceasefire agreement. On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Hurezeanu will also attend the 9th Ministerial Conference dedicated to Syria and the region, entitled Standing with Syria: Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition. The EU Foreign Ministers meeting takes place a few days before the European Council meeting, which is expected to tackle EU competitiveness in terms of defense. EU Council president, Antonio Costa, said that defense and competitiveness are closely linked, and a more competitive Union will be a stronger Union, better able to protect its citizens, interests and values at global level. Representing Romania at the EU Council meeting will be interim president, Ilie Bolojan. Details about the amounts required to strengthen European defense will be decided in the coming period, the Romanian official said.

ELECTION  Interim president Ilie Bolojan is meeting in Bucharest with representatives of the institutions tasked with organizing the presidential election in May. Attending talks are also Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu and the interim head of the Permanent Election Authority, Zsombor Vajda. In the first press briefing held after taking office, Ilie Bolojan gave assurances he will do everything in his power to ensure that the election is organized fairly and transparently, so that Romanians can elect the president they want. The deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidential election has passed. 24 candidacies have been submitted to the Central Election Bureau. Eight candidates have been validated so far, while another eight are still pending the decision of the Bureau later today. Another eight candidacies have been rejected. The deadline for appealing the decisions to the Constitutional Court is tomorrow, with the final list of political candidates is to be announced on Thursday, March 20.

RATING  At the end of last week, Moodys financial rating agency maintained Romanias investment-grade, although it revised its outlook from stable to negative. In the absence of additional fiscal reforms and spending cuts, the budget deficit will remain high this year  7.7% of GDP, Moodys writes. Fitch and Standard & Poors have also affirmed Romanias negative outlook.

FIRE  Seven days of national mourning will be observed in North Macedonia in memory of the victims of the devastating fire that broke out at a club in the town of Kocani on the night of March 15-16. 59 people, including three minors, were killed in the tragedy, and 150 others were taken to hospital. North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that the clubs operating permit was issued illegally by the Ministry of Economy and promised that all those responsible would be brought to justice, Reuters reports. The police have already detained about 20 people. According to local authorities, the fire was started after sparks from pyrotechnic devices ignited the ceiling made of highly flammable material. Romanias interim president, Ilie Bolojan expressed Romanias solidarity with the people of North Macedonia. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu conveyed his condolences and said that Romania is ready to offer its support. The tragedy in North Macedonia is reminiscent of the one that took place in Bucharest on October 30, 2015, at the Colectiv club, when a fire broke out, also after fireworks ignited the ceiling. 64 young people died in the fire  27 in the fire, and the others succumbed to their injuries in hospitals in the weeks that followed. 150 people were injured, most of whom were maimed for life. In 2017, almost 2 years after the Colectiv fire, one of the survivors committed suicide. (VP)
80 years since the installation of Petru Grozas pro-communist government

The Petru Groza government, considered by historians to be one of the most harmful in Romanian modern history, is responsible for the Sovietization of Romania.

80 years since the installation of Petru Grozas pro-communist government

Steliu Lambru, 17.03.2025, 14:00

March 6, 1945, is one of the dates with a deeply negative significance in the history of contemporary Romania. On that day, following pressure from the Soviet emissary Andrey Vyshinsky, a government was installed that was formed by the National Democratic Front, an alliance led by the Romanian Communist Party, a government chaired by the lawyer Petru Groza. His government, considered by historians as being one of the most harmful, is responsible for the Sovietization of Romania and its economic, political, social and cultural transformation from a free and democratic country into a repressive and totalitarian one. Through the measures taken, the Groza government nationalised the means of production, various facilities and private homes, amended the legislation regulating the organisation of economic facilities, abolished political parties and made it easier for the courts to send hundreds of thousands of innocent people to prison.

In February 1945, groups of communists began protest actions against the government led by General Nicolae Radescu with the aim of destabilising it and creating an artificial crisis. The deterioration of the political climate at that time was described in 1976 by Constantin Visoianu, Minister of Foreign Affairs in that government, in an interview to Radio Free Europe. Visoianu recalled how Andrey Vyshinsky forced King Michael I to sack Radescu:

It was in that atmosphere and amid that turmoil that Vyshinsky arrived in Bucharest on February 26, 1945. The Soviet embassy informed me, as I was at that time the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, that Mr. Vyshinsky wished to be received by the King the next day. Although it was an improper request, I advised the King to accept it. The next day Vyshinsky had his first audience with the King, which I also attended. Vyshinsky began to explain what he thought the situation in Romania at that moment meant, saying all sorts of untrue things: that the government was not democratic enough, that it could not keep the masses under control, that it was not making enough efforts to calm the tensions. It was simply not true, but his idea was that the government was not democratic enough and that it had to be changed. He asked the King to replace the Radescu government as soon as possible. This first audience was conducted in a civilised tone.

The king tried to delay Radescus replacement to gain time. But Vyshinsky was not willing to wait. A second and less cordial visit followed, as Constantin Visoianu recalls:

On February 27, Vyshinsky again asked to be received by the king. I was present at this audience as well. Vyshinskys tone became more brutal and he declared on behalf of his government that the present situation could no longer continue. Your Majesty must intervene urgently and put an end to this intolerable state of affairs by instating a more democratic government. He even demanded that the king immediately demand Radescus resignation and install a more democratic government. The king explained to him that the government was the most democratic possible, since representatives of the most important parties were there, including the communists, and that it was supported by the entire Romanian nation. Vyshinsky insisted that the Radescu government was not democratic, without providing any justification. I intervened and explained to Vyshinsky Romanias political and constitutional system, telling him that our king could not appoint the members of government, a task that belonged to the political parties. He insisted, demanding that a peoples government be formed immediately. And with that he left.

Vyshinskys third audience with the king was the beginning of the end for Romanian democracy. Constantin Visoianu:

The next day, February 28, Vyshinsky requested a new audience with the king at 3:30 p.m. I was also present at the meeting again. This time, Vyshinskys tone was extremely violent. He said: I have come to find out Your Majestys decision. The king replied that he had informed the government of the Soviet representatives wishes and that negotiations were currently taking place with the party representatives. Vyshinsky said: That is not enough, I consider the Radescu government to be a fascist government and that it must be got rid of. He began to threaten, saying that the situation was very serious and that the new government must be installed by 6:00 p.m., that is, in two hours. He stood up, banged his fist on the table, and left, slamming the door so hard that the plaster around it cracked. And thats how the third audience ended, at which I tried to explain to Vyshinsky that the king could not dismiss the government without consulting the leaders of the parties that formed it. Vyshinsky replied with false politeness that he had not come to talk to the foreign minister but to the king. I also informed the English and the American representatives of the attitude of the Soviet representative, since Vyshinsky was speaking on behalf of the Allied Control Commission of which the Allied powers were members. Unfortunately, the policy pursued at that time by the Americans and the British was not of much help to us.

The appointment of Petru Groza to a government approved by the communists was the price that had to be paid to avoid bloodshed. But, on March 9, 1945, it also marked the return under Romanian control of Northern Transylvania, a territory ceded to Hungary in 1940 following the Vienna Diktat.
British drug major AstraZeneca Plc (AZN,AZN.L) announced Monday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire EsoBiotec, a biotechnology company, for a total consideration of up to $1 billion, on a cash and debt free basis.

The consideration includes an initial payment of $425 million on deal closing, and up to $575 million in contingent consideration based on development and regulatory milestones.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances. Following the deal closure, EsoBiotec will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca, with operations in Belgium.

AstraZeneca said the acquisition does not impact its financial guidance for 2025.

EsoBiotec focuses on vivo delivery platform with potential to transform cell therapy.

The EsoBiotec Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral or ENaBL platform empowers the immune system to attack cancers. It could offer many more patients access to transformative cell therapy treatments delivered in just minutes rather than the current process which takes weeks.

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology R&D, AstraZeneca, said, "We are excited about the acquisition of EsoBiotec and the opportunity to rapidly advance their promising in vivo platform. We believe it has the potential to transform cell therapy and will enable us to scale these innovative treatments so that many more patients around the world can access them. EsoBiotec will accelerate and expand the impact of our recent investments and marks a major step forward in realising our ambition to harness the full potential of cell therapy."

For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.com

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Business News
Energean plc (EERGF), a hydrocarbon exploration and production company, on Monday warned that the proposed sale of its portfolio in Egypt, Italy and Croatia to an entity controlled by Carlyle International Energy Partners may be terminated as certain conditions will not be satisfied by the relevant long stop date.

Under the terms of the binding Sale and Purchase Agreement or SPA signed on June 19, and as announced in August last year, completion of the transaction is conditional upon customary regulatory approvals in Italy and Egypt together with antitrust approvals in Italy, Egypt and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

The transaction is subject to such conditions being satisfied by a longstop date of March 20, or such other date as may be agreed by Energean and Carlyle.

The company now noted that as of now, certain regulatory approvals in Italy and Egypt have not yet been obtained by Carlyle. The company said it has no assurance that such conditions will be satisfied on or before March 20 in accordance with the terms.

In addition, the company has not been able to reach agreement with Carlyle to extend the longstop date beyond March 20.

Accordingly, there is a significant risk that the outstanding conditions precedent will not be satisfied or waived by the relevant long stop date and that, therefore, the deal may be terminated in accordance with the provisions of the SPA, Energean noted.

A further announcement will be issued in due course as required.

Energean said it continues to focus on achieving its key drivers of paying a reliable dividend, deleveraging, growth and its commitment to Net Zero.

Mathios Rigas, Chief Executive of Energean, said, "Although the necessary regulatory approvals have not yet been obtained by Carlyle, we remain committed to closing the Transaction. These are high-quality, diversified assets with significant growth potential and, if the Transaction does not close, we will assess all strategic options, focussing, as always, on the best interests of our shareholders keeping in mind the need for diversification, scale, dividend accretion and growth."

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Business News
Oil prices rose on Monday to extend gains from the previous session as the United States vowed to keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until the Iran-aligned group ends its assaults on shipping.

Benchmark Brent crude futures jumped 0.8 percent to $71.16 a barrel in European trade, while WTI crude futures were up 0.9 percent at $67.49.

The U.S. has launched a "decisive and powerful" wave of air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, citing the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea as the reason.

"Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies," Trump said on social media, adding that their "piracy, violence, and terrorism" had cost "billions" and put lives at risk.

The Houthi-run ministry said at least 31 people were killed and 101 others were injured in the strikes.

Sentiment was also underpinned after top importer China unveiled a special action plan over the weekend to revive consumption.

Xinhua reported authorities will provide details on policies to stabilize the stock and real estate , lift wages and boost the nation's birth rate.

Meanwhile, a slew of Chinese data released earlier today proved to be a mixed bag.

Industrial output grew nearly 6 percent in the first two months of the year from last year and retail sales rose by 4 percent, while home prices and real estate investment data signalled continued weakness in the property market.

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Market Analysis
President Donald Trump said he will discuss with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One Sunday evening, Trump said, "I think we'll be talking about land. It's a lot different than it was before the war, as you know. We'll be talking about power plants, that's a big question".

"But I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets and they've been working on that," he added during a flight back to the White House on his presidential plane after spending the weekend at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump said a lot of work has been done over the weekend to see if there is a chance to bring the war to an end. "Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance."

During peace talks between the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia last week, Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing war.

The United States agreed to lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. said it was committed to discussing these proposals with representatives from Russia.

But Putin's response to it has been ambiguous. While agreeing to the proposal in theory, he put forward a set of tough conditions to end the war, and demanded certain concessions from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, both sides carried out drone attacks at each other overnight. Russia claims to have destroyed dozens of Ukrainian drones, mainly targeting the Kursk region.

Russian forces launched attack on Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

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Business News
Canadian shares are likely to open on a mixed note Monday morning, tracking commodity prices and European . The mood is likely to remain cautious with investors looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement on Wednesday.

The Bank of Japan and the Bank of England are also scheduled to announce their rate decisions this week.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's remarks that there are "no gurantees" that the U.S. will avoid recession, may hurt sentiment a bit. Bessent said on Sunday that he isn't concerned about the recent market slump that has erased trillions of dollars from equities, and that markets will do great if good tax policy, tax regulation and energy security are put in place.

U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that there will be no exceptions to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs could also weigh on the market.

Data from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation said housing starts in Canada decreased to 229,000 units in February from 239,000 units in January.

The Canadian market ended on a strong note on Friday thanks to sustained buying in stocks from across several sectors.

A batch of encouraging economic data, and optimism on the political front following the swearing-in of former BoC Governor Mark Carneyas the new Canadian Prime Minister, triggered some strong buying in the market.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended the session with a gain of 350.17 points or 1.45% at 24,553.40. For the week, the index shed about 0.8%.

Asian stocks closed higher on Monday after China announced plans featuring measures to boost wages and stabilize stock and real estate markets.

European stocks are marginally up in cautious trade as investors await crucial central bank meetings, and a vote on a spending plan in Germany. Ukraine peace talks are in focus as well.

In commodities, West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures are up $0.91 or 1.35% at $68.09 a barrel.

Gold futures are up $6.00 or 0.2% at $3,007.10 an ounce, while Silver futures are down $0.133 or 0.37% at $34.300 an ounce.

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The Department of Homeland Security has arrested nearly 300 members of the notorious transnational criminal gang Tren de Aragua, and deported them to a jail in El Salvador.

Their removal was expedited by the Trump administration after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation invoking wartime powers regarding the invasion of the United States by Tren De Aragua, which has been designated by the State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

By the time US District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order against invoking the Alien Enemies Act, planes carrying hundreds of mostly Venezuelan criminals had reportedly taken off.

"Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States," said Judge Boasberg during the hearing.

The White House describes Tren de Aragua, or TDA, as "one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth". "They rape, maim and murder for sport. TDA is responsible for some of the most heinous crimes that have occurred on US soil in recent years, including the murders of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray".

The White House said nearly 300 Tren de Aragua gang members were arrested and removed to El Salvador, while CBS News quoted a senior Trump administration official as saying that 261 people were deported on Saturday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele for offering to accept the deportees, who have been transferred to the Center for Terrorism Confinement, or CECOT.

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Business News
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a report on Monday showing regional manufacturing activity dropped significantly in the month of March.

The New York Fed said its general conditions index plunged to a negative 20.0 in March after jumping to a positive 5.7 in February, with a negative reading indicating contraction. Economists had expected the index to fall to a negative 1.9.

The sharp pullback by the headline index partly reflected substantial downturns by both new orders and shipments.

The report said the new orders index plummeted to a negative 14.9 in March from a positive 11.4 in February, while the shipments index dove to a negative 8.5 in March from a positive 14.2 in February.

The number of employees index also edged down to a negative 4.1 in March from a negative 3.6 in February, indicating a modest decrease in employment.

Meanwhile, the New York Fed said the prices paid index climbed to 44.9 in March from 40.2 in February, reaching its highest level in over two years.

The prices received index also rose to 22.4 in March from 19.6 in February, hitting its highest level since May 2023.

Looking ahead, the report said optimism about the outlook waned considerably for a second consecutive month, as the index for future business activity slumped to 12.7 in March after tumbling to 22.2 in February.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is scheduled to release its report on regional manufacturing activity in the month of March on Thursday.

Economists currently expect the Philly Fed Index to fall to 12.1 in March after plunging to 18.1 in February, but a positive reading would still indicate growth.

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Business News
A Los Angeles jury awarded $50 million to a man who suffered severe burns from a scalding hot tea spill at a Starbucks drive-thru in 2020.

Michael Garcia, a Postmates driver, was picking up an order at the Exposition Park location on February 8, 2020, when a barista handed him a tray of drinks.

According to court records, Garcia had ordered three venti-sized "medicine ball" teas. The lawsuit alleged that the barista negligently failed to secure one of the cups in the to-go tray. Within 1.4 seconds of Garcia taking the tray, the unsecured cup fell, its lid popped off, and the tea caused third-degree burns.

Surveillance footage from inside the store also supported Garcia's story, showing that atleast one cup was tipping over almost immediately and spilling onto his lap.

"Starbucks says if our hands are off the drink, then no matter what happens, we're not responsible," said Garcia's trial attorney Nicholas Rowley. "So, if I'm Starbucks and I hand you a drink that doesn't have a lid that's secured, and it's a scalding hot, 180-degree drink, or if I hand you a drink that's in a container and it's loose and it's not secured, and it falls right on you  the moment that I take my hands off of it, then you're responsible and I, the corporation, am not."

Garcia suffered severe injuries, requiring skin grafts and other medical procedures on his genitals. He began treatment at the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles six days later, on Valentine's Day. His lawyers argued that he experienced permanent loss of sensation and long-term effects from the injuries.

"Michael Garcia's life has been forever changed," Rowley said in a statement to The Associated Press. "No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered, but this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility."

Before the trial, Starbucks offered Garcia a $3 million settlement, later increasing it to $30 million. Garcia was willing to accept, but only if Starbucks apologized, updated its policies, and required stores to double-check hot drink security. When the company declined those conditions, the case proceeded to trial.

The jury ultimately ruled in Garcia's favor, concluding that Starbucks had breached its duty of care by failing to properly secure the drink. The verdict resulted in one of the largest personal injury awards of its kind.

"We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jury's decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive," the Seattle-based company's spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News Los Angeles. "We plan to appeal. We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks."

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Business News
Rhodes University Clocktower lit up in purple

By: The Division of Communications & Advancement

Rhodes University is set to host its Autumn Graduation between 2 and 4 April 2025, a momentous occasion honouring the achievements of its graduates while recognising four distinguished individuals with honorary doctorates. Adding to the significance of this years ceremony, the University bids farewell to its esteemed Chancellor, Justice Lex Mpati, after more than a decade of inspiring students and young graduates through transformative leadership.

Graduation is a time of celebration, a culmination of years of dedication and perseverance for students, families, and the broader Rhodes University community. This years event carries additional significance as four exceptional honourees will be recognised for their contributions to literature, law, education, and social justice. They are:

Advocate Paul Pretorius, SC (Doctor of Laws  LLD, honoris causa)  An advocate for justice, Pretorius played a pivotal role as Evidence Leader at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, helping to strengthen South Africas democratic accountability. His honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 2 nd of April at the 09:30 ceremony.

 An advocate for justice, Pretorius played a pivotal role as Evidence Leader at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, helping to strengthen South Africas democratic accountability. His honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 2 of April at the 09:30 ceremony. Tsitsi Dangarembga (Doctor of Letters  DLitt, honoris causa)  A trailblazing Zimbabwean novelist, filmmaker, and activist whose powerful storytelling and commitment to social change have shaped the global discourse on gender, identity, and freedom of expression. Her honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 2 nd of April at the 14:30 ceremony.

 A trailblazing Zimbabwean novelist, filmmaker, and activist whose powerful storytelling and commitment to social change have shaped the global discourse on gender, identity, and freedom of expression. Her honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 2 of April at the 14:30 ceremony. Professor Kwesi Kwaa Prah (Doctor of Laws  LLD, honoris causa)  A globally respected scholar and champion of African languages whose work has advanced linguistic inclusivity, decolonisation, and pan-African thought. His honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 3 rd of April at the 09:30 ceremony.

 A globally respected scholar and champion of African languages whose work has advanced linguistic inclusivity, decolonisation, and pan-African thought. His honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 3 of April at the 09:30 ceremony. Mrs Eugenia Mbekeni (Doctor of Laws  LLD, honoris causa)  A lifelong advocate for womens empowerment and youth leadership whose influence has shaped generations of young women across South Africa and beyond. Her honorary doctorate will be conferred on the 4th of April at the 14:30 ceremony.

A Chancellors Legacy

This graduation also marks the final ceremony under the chancellorship of Justice Mpati, who has served with distinction and integrity since his installation in 2013. A revered legal mind and the first Rhodes University Law alumnus to serve as President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Mpatis tenure has been defined by a commitment to justice, transformation, and academic excellence. His departure is the closing of a significant chapter in Rhodes Universitys history, and his legacy will undoubtedly endure.
Figure 1: Team Logo designed by Markan and Tafadzwa (team members)

The RU Water Wonders was a team of dedicated students from Rhodes University who participated in the 7th edition of the Water4Future Student Hackathon, organised by the UNESCO International Centre on Freshwater (ICIREWARD) in Montpellier. The event, held from the 21st to the 22nd of February 2025, brought together a record-breaking 82 teams, split into 10 pools, comprising 450 international students from 16 countries across Africa, Europe and South America. The focus was to develop innovative solutions under the theme Water & Transitions.

Meet the RU Water Wonders Team

RU Water Wonders was composed of Njabulo Dlamini, Onke Mabhula, Siyabonga Mazibuko (Institute for Water Research), Cikizwa Matomane, Huresha Padayachee, Tafadzwa Makhuza (Geography Department) and Markan Andreas Nkhwazi (Department of Environmental Science).



Figure 2: RU Water Wonders Team after the final pitch night. TOP (left to right): Advisors Patsy, Jamie and Jane. MIDDLE (left to right): Huresha, Cikizwa, Njabulo and Onke. BOTTOM (left to right): Siya, Tafadzwa and Markan. Figure 2: RU Water Wonders Team after the final pitch night. TOP (left to right): Advisors Patsy, Jamie and Jane. MIDDLE (left to right): Huresha, Cikizwa, Njabulo and Onke. BOTTOM (left to right): Siya, Tafadzwa and Markan.

The Competition

Before and during the intense 48-hour challenge, RU Water Wonders collaborated with over 12 committed advisors, from a range of fields and throughout all times of the day and night, to identify and solve a local water-related problem in Makhanda, Eastern Cape (which experiences an ongoing myriad of governance, infrastructure, water quality and water supply challenges). The team developed the idea of an application that would link stokvel communities (who use the power of community networks to raise funds towards an identified goal) with producers, funders, training and mentorship towards building immediate and long-term water resilience.



Figure 3: Advisors and students collaborating throughout the Hackathon Figure 3: Advisors and students collaborating throughout the Hackathon

The team also contacted local businesses, experts, and stakeholders for their input. Markan and Njabulo remotely presented the idea in a 3-minute pitch to their pool (Pool I, which comprised Hackathon judges and nine other international teams). The team secured 2nd place in the pool earning them the W4F Water Talent Prize. This placed them in the top 20 of the total 82 participating teams.



Figure 4: Njabulo and Markan about to present their 3-minute pitch Figure 4: Njabulo and Markan about to present their 3-minute pitch

Looking Ahead

The interdisciplinary expertise of RU Water Wonders (students and advisors) as well as the division of tasks according to individual strengths played a substantial role in developing a well-researched idea that harnesses the power of the community to solve water needs within a perpetually water-scarce town. Such disruptive ideas are necessary in a world with inevitable anthropogenic and climate-related problems. The RU Water Wonders team acquired many skills and lessons throughout the Hackathon and encourage future students to engage in such innovative global competitions.

By Tafadzwa Makhuza
The sedan segment in India recorded 30,445 units in February 2025, witnessing a 2.23% year-on-year (YoY) decline compared to 31,140 units in February 2024. While some models posted growth, most saw a drop in sales, reflecting shifting consumer preferences toward SUVs.

Sedan Sales Feb 2025  YoY Comparison

Maruti Dzire continued to be the best-selling sedan, though its sales dropped 4.50% YoY, from 15,387 units in February 2024 to 14,694 units in February 2025. The Hyundai Aura followed with 4,797 units, registering a 5.07% decline from last years 5,053 units. Hondas Amaze was among the few sedans to grow, up 17.63% YoY, with 3,263 units sold compared to 2,774 last year.

The Volkswagen Virtus also showed a positive trend, rising 12.63% YoY to 1,837 units, up from 1,631 units in February 2024. Tatas Tigor, including the EV variant, declined by 9.46%, with 1,550 units sold versus 1,712 last year. Hyundais Verna faced a sharp 28.15% drop, with 1,207 units sold, down from 1,680 units in February 2024.

Maruti Ciaz posted among the highest growth, surging 128.07% YoY, with 1,097 units sold compared to just 481 last year. In contrast, the Skoda Slavia and Honda City saw declines of 12.35% and 24.92%, respectively, with Slavia at 901 units and City at 889 units. In the premium sedan segment, Toyotas Camry remained stable at 209 units, experiencing just a marginal 0.48% decline. Skodas Superb, which was unavailable last year, recorded one unit sold in February 2025.

Sedan Sales Feb 2025  MoM Comparison

Following a 2.23% YoY decline, the sedan segment in India also saw a 5.84% month-on-month (MoM) drop, with total sales falling from 32,332 units in January 2025 to 30,445 units in February 2025. While most sedans posted negative growth, the Maruti Ciaz and Honda City stood out with strong MoM gains.

Maruti Dzire remained the top-selling sedan, though its sales dipped 4.48% MoM, from 15,383 units in January to 14,694 units in February. Hyundais Aura suffered a larger drop of 10.97%, with 4,797 units sold, down from 5,388 units the previous month. Similarly, Hondas Amaze fell 9.13%, recording 3,263 units, down from 3,591 units in January.

Volkswagen Virtus saw a slight 2.34% growth, increasing from 1,795 units in January to 1,837 units in February. Tatas Tigor (including EV) also posted a 4.45% MoM gain, with sales rising to 1,550 units. However, Hyundais Verna experienced an 18.28% drop, selling 1,207 units in February versus 1,477 units the previous month.

The biggest MoM gain came from the Maruti Ciaz, which surged 42.84%, rising from 768 units in January to 1,097 units in February. Honda City also saw a notable 20.30% increase, selling 889 units, up from 739 units the previous month. Toyotas Camry recorded a modest 6.09% growth, with 209 units in February compared to 197 in January. Meanwhile, Skodas Slavia suffered the sharpest decline, down 40.33% MoM, with sales dropping from 1,510 units to 901 units. Skoda Superb, which was absent from January sales, registered one unit sold in February.
Erie County Medical Center, Buffalos primary trauma center and the employer of nearly 3,800 people, would be among the local hospitals most devastated if federal cuts are made to the Medicaid program.

Public officials are worried, as was evident at a recent news conference on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus about the Trump administrations planned cuts to federal medical research dollars. As Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz took the podium, he first spoke about the planned research cuts but then discussed the threat of Medicaid reductions.

He spoke about how Erie County annually pays anywhere from $40 million to $70 million in an intergovernmental transfer payment that goes toward ECMC. The medical center then gets an equal amount of money from the federal government as part of the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital program.

If that intergovernmental transfer payment related to Medicaid is eliminated, ECMC is immediately bankrupt and most public hospitals across the United States, where research is done, are in the same boat, Poloncarz warned last week.

In an interview Thursday with The Buffalo News, ECMC administrators were not willing to go that far in their concerns, but they did acknowledge Medicaid cuts would have a sizeable impact on the public-benefit corporation. Cuts would be a big blow to ECMC as it continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and inches closer to the financial breakeven point. The community has much on the line: ECMC serves a significant number of Medicaid, underinsured and uninsured patients in Western New York, and the medical center is a major behavioral health provider and the regions Level 1 Adult Trauma Center (the highest level of trauma care).

Any cuts to Medicaid, ECMC Chief Financial Officer Jon Swiatkowski said, would likely be harmful to us.

But, he cautioned, there are still a lot of unknowns about if and how Medicaid would be cut after the Republican House in late February passed a budget resolution. The resolution tasks the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid and other federal programs, with cutting $880 billion over 10 years. To reach that level of savings, many experts have predicted cuts from either Medicaid or Medicare.

Were trying to understand how Medicaid might not be cut in a plan to achieve those kind of targets in that committee, Swiatkowski said. But until we really see something in writing or a plan, its really too soon to react.

Why Medicaid cuts would hurt ECMC

If cuts come to Medicaid, ECMC would be hit significantly for several reasons.

First, the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital program that Poloncarz referred to provides payments to safety net hospitals like ECMC, which serve a high proportion of poor and uninsured patients. The payments help hospitals offset the financial challenges of treating low-income patients.

In New York, Swiatkowski explained, the payment is a 50-50 split, with half of the money coming from the federal government and the other half from a non-federal share. In ECMCs case, Erie County pays the non-federal share, and both payments  from the county and from the federal government  go to the state before the state remits to ECMC the full amount, he added.

If youre a county taxpayer, maybe you dont use ECMC, but you help pay for it, Poloncarz said.

The total payments are significant. ECMC recorded Disproportionate Share Hospital funding of about $107 million in 2023 and more than $68 million in 2022, according to its most recent annual report. That figure fluctuates on a year-to-year basis because it depends on factors such as how many Medicaid patients the hospital serves and the level of care provided.

According to the Greater New York Hospital Association, the 15-year-old Affordable Care Act planned to trim federal Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital funding because the belief was that the legislation would result in fewer uninsured Americans and therefore hospitals would provide less uncompensated care. But those planned cuts have been repeatedly delayed and were most recently pushed from going into effect April 1.

Aside from the Disproportionate Share Hospital funding, however, ECMC serves a significant number of low-income patients. Both the hospital and those patients could see negative repercussions depending on if and what is cut from Medicaid. Others hospitals would be hit hard, as well, including Western New Yorks safety-net pediatric hospital: Kaleida Healths Oishei Childrens Hospital.

At ECMC, about 41% of its patients at the hospital have Medicaid, while about 83% of its residents at 390-bed Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility are covered by Medicaid, Swiatkowski said.

Because of low reimbursement rates, Medicaid patients account for about 30% of the hospitals net patient service revenue.

An improving financial picture

ECMC has started to recover financially from the Covid-19 pandemic, but Medicaid cuts could slow that momentum.

ECMC lost money in 2024 but is getting close to the breakeven point, according to preliminary financial results presented at ECMCs board meeting in January.

The medical center recorded an operating loss  before factoring in grants and investment income  of $29.7 million on operating revenues of more than $893 million last year. Both results were better than what was budgeted.

After factoring in $17.3 million in federal disaster relief from FEMA as well as investment income, ECMCs net loss in 2024 was just $4.7 million.

ECMC lands $14.6 million in federal relief to help cover Covid-19 response costs ECMC will receive more than $14.6 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, funds meant to reimburse the Buffalo health care provider for costs incurred from emergency protective measures and increased staffing as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Importantly, ECMC is improving with less grant money coming in the door.

For example, ECMCs operating loss in 2023 was more than $100 million. And the hospital was in need of significant funds from the state Vital Access Provider Assurance Program (VAPAP), which is geared toward hospitals and health systems with serious financial instability and requiring extraordinary financial assistance to enable these facilities to maintain operations, according to the Health Department.

ECMC received VAPAP funds of nearly $104 million in 2023 and almost $52 million in 2022, its annual report shows.

Overall in 2024, we did see operational improvements compared to 23, Swiatkowski said.
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers helped conduct an important new global health study that found a vaccine that protects against five strains of meningitis prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa is safe and effective for use in young children beginning at 9 months of age. This study provided evidence that formed the basis for the World Health Organization's (WHO) decision last year to recommend the pentavalent Men5CV meningitis vaccine for infants ages 9 months and older.

Results of the study were published today in the journal Lancet.

In January 2024, the WHO recommended that all countries in the African meningitis belt introduce Men5CV into their routine immunization programs, providing a single-dose shot to infants and young children ages 9 to 18 months. Previous data supported use of this vaccine starting at age 1, but there was no data on whether the vaccine could be given as part of the routine vaccination schedule for infants or whether it should be given on a separate occasion, requiring an additional medical encounter.

Receiving WHO approval could lead to a monumental shift in the burden of meningitis in susceptible parts of Africa. "This critical clinical study provides reassuring evidence that this pentavalent vaccine can be safely and effectively given along with other routine immunizations, which makes it far easier to curtail invasive meningococcal disease and potentially save tens of thousands of lives," said Wilbur Chen, MD, MS, the Frank M. Calia, MD Endowed Professor of Medicine at UMSOM's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) and protocol chair for this study.

The African meningitis belt is a region of 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa where the rate of incidence of meningitis is very high. It includes Mali, where this study was conducted, and extends from Senegal to Ethiopia. Death rates from meningitis can surpass 15 percent in this region due to lack of healthcare access to medical care. Long-term complications like brain damage or paralysis occur twice as frequently compared to more developed countries.

Because of the rapid onset of invasive bacterial meningitis and difficulties in accessing care in the African meningitis belt, prevention by vaccination is the optimal way to reduce meningitis cases.

The primary cause of meningitis in the belt is Neisseria meningitidis. At present, the WHO has prequalified only one vaccine, Men5CV, that protects against the five most prevalent subtypes of N. meningitidis: serogroups A, C, W, X, and Y.

During six months of 2022, more than 1,300 children were enrolled in the study conducted in Mali and randomly assigned to receive a meningitis vaccine at either 9 months or 15 months of age. Infants randomized to the 9-month age group were then further randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive a single dose of the investigational meningococcal vaccine Men5CV (brand name MenFive, manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) or a single dose of the comparator meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY-TT, Nimenrix), which protects against only 4 of the 5 serogroups. The results of the trial involving 9-month-old infants found Men5CV is proven to protect against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, X, and Y.

"Demonstrating that this vaccine is safe and immunogenic in infants is a critical step in providing a broadly effective tool for preventing epidemics of severe illness and death in the swath of Africa known as the meningitis belt," said Karen Kotloff, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at UMSOM who is also the Associate Director for Clinical Research and Principal Investigator of the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU) at CVD. "Men5CV can be stored at room temperature for up to 12 weeks and is affordable for African countries."

Researchers at the VTEU conducted the study in partnership with the Center for Vaccine Development-Mali (CVD-Mali). The VTEU at CVD is part of a national program known as the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC). The IDCRC is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to provide a ready resource for conducting clinical trials of vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases.

Milagritos Tapia, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at UMSOM, and Samba Sow, MD, MS, Director General of the CVD-Mali and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the UMSOM were Co-Principal Investigators on the study.

The international global health organization PATH provided support for the study design and managed and funded the serology testing.

"The development of affordable, effective vaccines that are designed for use in Africa have been a game-changer for meningitis belt countries and are instrumental for global efforts to defeat meningitis by 2030," said Bill Hausdorff, PhD, director of PATH's meningitis vaccine development projects. "PATH is proud to have contributed to this essential study that helped lower the age limit for Men5CV and enable its inclusion in routine immunization programs -- ensuring widespread protection from meningococcal disease is possible and epidemics become a thing of the past."

PATH also previously supported development of the investigational vaccine through a 13-year collaboration with SIIPL, leading to its licensure and subsequent prequalification by WHO.

"This study underscores the importance of academic medicine partnerships with world class global health entities like PATH," said Mark T. Gladwin, MD, who is the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean of University of Maryland School of Medicine. "After widespread use of the MenAfrivac vaccine, meningococcal A disease has been virtually eliminated from the African meningitis belt, and now, with the Men5CV vaccine, we see the potential to end meningococcal disease epidemics caused by other predominant serogroups."

The IDCRC, in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health, conducted this study. The research was supported by NIAID cooperative agreement UM1AI148689.
The Erie County Sheriffs Offices chief of narcotics, Daniel D.J. Granville, wrecked his county-owned pickup last year sideswiping seven parked vehicles, a late-night incident the Buffalo Police Department is now probing 11 months after it happened.

It was not the first crash involving a county-owned vehicle and a member of the Granville family, nor was it the first time questions were raised about how both the Sheriffs Office and Buffalo police handled the matters.

Almost exactly eight years earlier, William Billy Granville, D.J. Granvilles younger brother and an undercover narcotics detective, smashed a sedan into a parked SUV, a crash that sent the 2-ton SUV into a utility pole 100 feet away.

Billy Granvilles April 2016 crash was reported by The Buffalo News the following month. The detailed account highlighted issues with how the crash was handled, including how Billy Granville didnt report what happened the way he was supposed to. At the time, The News agreed not to identify Billy Granville as the driver in that report upon request of Sheriffs Office officials, who said naming him would render him useless as an undercover investigator.

A spokesperson for the Sheriffs Office did not respond Monday to a request for comment.

Last week, Sheriff John Garcia downplayed D.J. Granvilles crashes, calling them simply a car accident.

At 1:37 a.m. April 2, 2016, on a clear, dry evening, Billy Granville was behind the wheel of an unmarked Chevrolet Impala that struck a Dodge Nitro, which was parked less than 100 feet from a stop sign, according to The News published report. The Nitro wound up against a utility pole just feet from Gene McCarthys pub at Hamburg and Republic streets in the Old First Ward.

There was no indication that Billy Granville, 37 at the time, braked before the impact. He later wrote in a memo that he didnt see the SUV until he hit it.

He told Buffalo police who responded to the scene that deer entered the road in front of him as he headed east on Republic. Buffalo officers conducted no sobriety tests on Granville and issued no traffic tickets. In addition to the deer, a Buffalo police officer wrote in his report that fatigue and drowsiness may have contributed to the crash, though Granville didnt mention that in a written report to his superiors.

Granville also told superiors he accelerated after seeing the deer  as opposed to slowing down  and swerved to the side of the road the deer were coming from, as opposed to the other way.

A sheriffs detective crashes his unmarked car, and a hush follows An undercover detective assigned to the sheriffs Narcotics and Intelligence Unit crashed on a clear, dry evening on a straight and flat road with good visibility. There was no indication that he braked before the impact. So exactly what

Sheriffs Office policy at the time mandated that Billy Granville report the crash to the sheriffs watch commander.

He made one call after the crash. It was to his supervisor, the then-chief of the narcotics unit, Senior Detective Alan Rozansky. Rozansky, one of the most visible sheriffs officials under then-Sheriff Timothy Howard, later signed a handwritten timesheet saying Billy Granville and some of his colleagues were still on duty  on a 19-hour shift  at the time of the crash.

Though the timesheet said Billy Granville was working at the time, Sheriffs Office computer records showed no recorded activity from the narcotics unit after 5:37 p.m. April 1, 2016. The next entry comes April 4, 2016.

Sheriffs officials said the narcotics unit worked a daylong operation into the night, even though the computer records reviewed by The News didnt show it.

Just as with D.J. Granvilles April 2024 crash, Buffalo police  not the Sheriffs Office, as sheriffs policy calls for  towed the heavily damaged sheriffs vehicle from the scene.

The Sheriffs Office accident investigation unit did not respond to the Old First Ward scene in 2016.

Billy Granville  who was still on the Sheriffs Office payroll in 2024, according to public payroll data  wound up suspended after his crash for seven days without pay, a punishment that began three weeks after the crash and four days after The News began asking questions about the matter.

The Granvilles come from a South Buffalo family that has been involved with law enforcement and city politics. D.J. Granvilles wife, Maria Esquillin Granville, held fundraisers for Mayor Christopher Scanlon in July and January.

Over the past decade, the couple have given nearly $30,000 to political campaigns, including those of Garcia, Scanlon, former Mayor Byron Brown and U.S. Rep. Timothy Kennedy.

D.J. Granville also appeared alongside other law enforcement members in a political advertisement for District Attorney Michael Keane, who won a full term in the office in November.

Garcia: Sheriff's official's crash into 7 parked cars last year just a 'car accident' The chief of narcotics for the Erie County Sheriff's Office crashed a pickup into seven parked vehicles on Buffalo's Lower West Side one night in April, according to two local media reports and police department documents published Tuesday.

D.J. Granvilles crash on Buffalos Lower West Side on April 11, 2024, happened at about 11:38 p.m. He was ticketed for driving the wrong way down a one-way street, according to Buffalo police records. The county has paid nearly $60,000 to cover damage claims from the vehicles owners.

His sister-in-law, Buffalo Police Lt. Lucia Esquilin, was the supervisor who signed a police report about the crashes that night.

D.J. Granville, 47, became narcotics chief for the Sheriffs Office in June 2017 under Howard. He took over for Rozansky.

The Buffalo Police Department has said it is conducting an internal investigation of its response to last years crash. County lawmakers, with bipartisan support, last week created a special committee to investigate.

Neither Buffalo police nor the Sheriffs Office provided records or reports about D.J. Granvilles crashes when requested last year by The News under the states Freedom of Information Law.
News / Local

by Staff reporter

Major Sean Mnangagwa, son of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has donated 100 bags of cement towards the construction of Zishumbe Clinic in Masvingo North Constituency. While the donation has been welcomed as a boost for rural healthcare development, political analysts suggest it may also be a strategic move amid rising tensions within Zanu-PF.Masvingo North Member of Parliament Brian Mudumi expressed gratitude for the contribution, emphasizing its significance in advancing the project."We are truly grateful for Major Sean Mnangagwa's generous contribution. This donation will undoubtedly play a significant role in completing the clinic, which will provide essential healthcare services to the people of Masvingo North," Mudumi said.The construction of Zishumbe Clinic is part of broader efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure in rural areas. However, the timing of the donation has fueled speculation that it is linked to internal power struggles within the ruling party.A Zanu-PF insider suggested the gesture is part of a broader strategy to reinforce President Mnangagwa's authority amid factional rivalries with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga. "It's a calculated move to strengthen Mnangagwa's position and portray him as a leader who delivers," the source said.With factional divisions deepening, some observers view the donation as an attempt to sideline Chiwenga's supporters and consolidate the Mnangagwa family's influence ahead of looming political battles.While the contribution has been well received by the local community, it also highlights the intricate balance of power within Zanu-PF, where charitable acts often carry deeper political significance.
Energean remains committed to the sale of its portfolio in Egypt, Italy and Croatia to an outfit controlled by Carlyle International Energy Partners.

Mathios Rigas, chief executive of Energean, said: "Although the necessary regulatory approvals have not yet been obtained by Carlyle, we remain committed to closing the Transaction.

"These are high-quality, diversified assets with significant growth potential and, if the Transaction does not close, we will assess all strategic options, focussing, as always, on the best interests of our shareholders keeping in mind the need for diversification, scale, dividend accretion and growth."

The company's statement came ahead of the 20 March longstop date for transaction close.

Carlyle had yet to obtain regulatory approvals in Italy and Egypt, as well as antitrust approvals in Italy, Egypt and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

So absent an extension being agreed, the transaction could be terminated in accordance with the provisions of the SPA, Energean explained.

But Energean was committed to the sale under the terms of the SPA, the company said.

It was also still committed to maximising shareholder returns via its dividends - regardless of the sale going through or not.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Justice Gibson Mandaza of the Harare High Court has reserved judgment following a bail appeal by journalist Blessed Mhlanga, who has been in remand prison since his arrest for allegedly transmitting data messages that incite public violence.Justice Mandaza said he will need time to go through the submissions."Quite a lot of submissions have been made. As soon as I'm ready I will put a notice on IECMS, I might put a date and advise parties when to come. It will just be a few days."Mhlanga's lawyer, Chris Mhike, informed the court that the journalist is in poor health, suffering from a severe fever which he developed while in prison. Mhike urged the judge to intervene and release the evidence to both the court and the defence to allow for a fair and informed determination of the case.The defence argues that the content written on the request for remand form differs from the statements made in the recordings presented by the prosecution. Mhike attempted to engage the State prior to the court proceedings but was unsuccessful. He stressed the importance of video and electronic evidence in securing their arguments."I tried to engage the State before commencing the court but they were not interested in allowing the appellant to challenge the evidence," Mhike said. "We can have an adjournment to midday to allow the State to avail this evidence. This is important because the State presented the accused with quotes of words that have been allegedly transmitted, which are completely different from what is written on the request for remand form."Mhike also highlighted the issue of a warned and cautioned statement from the prosecution, which has not been made available due to the State's claim of privilege over the docket. He reiterated that the video evidence could be crucial to their case.The State, however, argued that the defence should have requested the evidence at the magistrate court where Mhlanga first appeared. Mhike disputed this, referring to the transcript of the lower court proceedings and emphasizing that the defence had attempted to request the evidence earlier but was denied by Magistrate Farai Gwitima."It is not true that the issue of evidence arrived for the first time at these proceedings. We did point to the issue of electronic and video evidence at the lower court and attacked its credibility. This is a continuation of our request, and we hope that the High Court will give us a fairer hearing," Mhike argued.The judge took an adjournment to consider the application for further particulars, with the ruling set to guide the next steps in the case, including whether further arguments will be allowed or a ruling on bail will be made.On Thursday, Mhike also raised concerns about delays in retrieving Mhlanga's record from the security record room, which he claimed was affecting the timely progression of the case.
UK consumers grew a little more pessimistic about their finances in March as job insecurity persisted, according to a survey released on Monday.

The S&P Global UK consumer sentiment index - which tracks financial wellbeing, labour market conditions, household spending, savings and debt - dipped to a 15-month low of 45.3 from 45.4 in February.

This was above the long run average, but weaker than the recent highs recorded in the second half of last year.

Maryam Baluch, economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: "Consumer confidence across UK households remained pessimistic in March. However, underlying data noted some variation in trends. Households experienced less strain on current finances, in part due to looser BoE monetary policy. Moreover, March data revealed a growing appetite for borrowing, with households also finding it easier to secure credit. The recent rate cuts has made household borrowing more attractive and accessible.

"Consumer confidence was again supported by improving labour market sentiment. Income from employment and activity rose further in March. However, job insecurity persisted for a third straight month. With businesses already taking a more cautious approach to hiring following changes to employment policies, households have been impacted. Headwinds to the labour market and a more general slowdown in the UK economy affected households perceptions on their financial health over the coming months.

"In fact, March data revealed that financial wellbeing over the coming year is set to deteriorate sharply. Sentiment regarding the outlook was the most downbeat in 15 months. Firms also continued to express their concerns around savings and cash availability."

The consumer sentiment index survey is based on a panel of 1,500 UK households. The latest monthly data were collected between 6 and 10 March.
photo: Sarah Creighton Kirley

Samantha Schoech was the founding director of Independent Bookstore Day. She's a former bookseller and is still doing her best to champion indies as a staff writer for the New York Times Wirecutter. She lives in San Francisco with her bookseller husband, her twin teens, and two incredibly frustrating cats. Her debut collection of short stories, My Mother's Boyfriends (7.13 Books), is a witty and empathetic exploration of family, morality, and the mistakes we make despite our best intentions.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

These short stories are traditional in form but filled with imagination, wit, and a deep empathy. They're kind of Lorrie Moore meets Gina Berriault.

On your nightstand now:

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan because Kevin at Green Apple Books just called it the best novel he's read in five years. I also have a TBR copy of North Woods by Daniel Mason. And I always have Cheryl Strayed's Tiny Beautiful Things and Jen Gunter's comprehensive, informed, and compassionate The Menopause Manifesto nearby for reference.

Favorite book when you were a child:

When I was really young, it was a picture book called My Donkey Benjamin by Hans Limmer that was originally published in German in 1969. It is the story of Susi and her donkey, Benjamin, getting lost on a Mediterranean island and it's illustrated with the most beautiful black-and-white photos by Lennart Osbeck. Sadly, it's long out of print.

By the time I was in sixth grade I discovered The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and was done for. I don't know how many times I read it, but it was a lot. I recently saw the musical adaptation in New York and cried like a baby.

Your top five authors:

I'm terrible at these kinds of questions because I always forget something or someone and because these answers change throughout life, but here goes.

I discovered Lorrie Moore in grad school in the '90s and she completely blew my mind. I couldn't believe someone could be a serious writer and so damn funny, and I immediately started imitating her.

I will read anything Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes. She's such a gifted storyteller that you don't even notice how much you're learning about the world in her novels because you're so absorbed.

Same goes for Colson Whitehead, who can seemingly do anything. When I read The Intuitionist, I hated it. I'm still not a fan of that book, but I'm so glad I stayed with him because The Underground Railroad is sheer brilliance.

I must shout-out John Irving because The World According to Garp was the first real adult novel I read, and it was such a revelation and a joy. I went on a huge Irving bender after that. I haven't read him in decades, but I still think about A Prayer for Owen Meany often. And the short story master, Alice Munro, now tinged with sadness, for obvious reasons.

Book you've faked reading:

Time to come clean; I've never finished a novel by William Faulkner. Don't come for me.

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Deluge by Stephen Markley. No one will ever read it because it's 1,000 pages, but this novel has changed (ruined) my life more dramatically than any other. I will never see the world the same way.

Book you've bought for the cover:

I know I've done this, but I can't recall specific books right now. When I was 16, my dad and I both gave each other Ellen Gilchrist's Light Can Be Both Wave and Particle because of the title. It was a nice Christmas morning moment of kismet.

Book you hid from your parents:

When I was 13, my dad told me that if I continued to read bad books, I'd be a bad writer. So I hid my collection of Sweet Valley High novels from him.

Books that changed your life:

So many books have left me feeling utterly transformed. Sometimes when I finish a book that has deeply affected me, I literally clutch it to my chest just to sort of seal the deal. When I was 17, I was transformed by the adventure and bravery in Robyn Davidson's Tracks. When I was 23, the honesty and humor in Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott made me feel like I had a new best friend. At 26, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien opened my eyes to non-traditional storytelling. At 43, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra was the most sensitive and modern war novel I'd ever read. At 50, I was so impressed with Anthony Doerr's inventiveness and sheer ambition in Cloud Cuckoo Land, I felt giddy. I really could do this forever.

Favorite line from a book:

I so wish I was better at remembering great lines or at least writing them down, but I'm hopeless.

Five books you'll never part with:

I can't part with my copies of A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley, The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, City of Thieves by David Benioff, Old School by Tobias Wolff, and Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez because they are all perfectly structured novels, and I need them for stealing purposes.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

I will never again get to be an 18-year-old senior in high school reading Superior Women by Alice Adams for the first time and feeling the feminist in me awaken.

Writers you envy:

Junot Diaz and Zadie Smith because they are so distressingly talented. No one else writes like either of them, and they share an ability to create wholly original voices that seem easy and natural and effortless. [Shakes fist at sky.]
A new SBI Research study says that the effect of US retaliatory tariffs on India will be limited as India has managed to diversify its export basket, add value, and identify alternative trade routes. India's attempts to reconfigure supply chains, from Europe to the US through the Middle East, and utilize emerging trade opportunities are emphasized in the report.

As per the report, India's loss of exports as a result of US tariffs has been estimated to be in the range of 3-3.5 percent. This reduction, however, is likely to be countered by a wider push in exports across manufacturing and services. India will also gain from the US-imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium, as it is currently in a trade deficit in these items with the US $13 million for aluminium and $406 million for steel providing room for possible gains.

The US retaliatory tariffs will come into effect from April 2, with continuous bilateral talks between Washington and New Delhi. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently held discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on a mutually advantageous Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). He reiterated India's adherence to the principles of "India First" and "Viksit Bharat" while deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US.

Goyal has also met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, after previous discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on finalizing an initial phase of a larger multi-sector BTA by late 2025.

The SBI Research report highlights India's aggressive pursuit of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with various global counterparts to promote export-led domestic production. In the past five years, India has inked 13 FTAs with nations such as Mauritius, the UAE, and Australia. It is in talks on trade agreements with the UK, Canada, and the EU with a focus on priority sectors such as services, digital trade, and sustainability.

The just-announced India-New Zealand FTA talks also reflect India's growing trade ambitions. The bilateral trade with the UK alone has the potential to grow by $15 billion by 2030, while FTAs in the future will have a greater emphasis on digital trade, which is expected to contribute $1 trillion to India's GDP by 2025.

Regional supply chains and changing geopolitical contexts, including US tariff policies, are influencing India's FTA strategy to fall in line with international trade patterns," the report added.
Infibeam Avenues entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore with an objective of promoting research and development for real-time deepfake detection. It will provide strong digital security support to government institutions, businesses, and organizations in terms of warding off deception generated through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

As deepfake technology has evolved rapidly, the threat of misinformation, identity theft, and financial fraud has increased exponentially. One such glaring instance was in January 2024, when deepfake video technology was used by scammers to impersonate the executives of a Hong Kong-based multinational corporation, resulting in a loss of $25 million (about Rs 207 crore). The incident highlighted the need for effective detection systems.

Infibeam Avenues' AI arm, Phronetic.AI, will collaborate closely with IISc researchers to create state-of-the-art deepfake detection technologies tailored for real-time video communications. The program will concentrate on finding the most efficient detection models that guarantee accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
Indian professionals' global success, especially in the tech sector, has been credited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to India's cultural values, problem-solving skills, and teamwork. Speaking with American podcaster Lex Fridman, PM Modi explained why Indian talent sits at the helm of top tech giants like Google's Sundar Pichai and Microsoft's Satya Nadella.

Indian professionals, says the Prime Minister, are superior in terms of performing complicated tasks and managing huge teams successfully, primarily due to their experience of growing up in joint families and open societies. "The problem-solving skills, coupled with analytical minds of Indian professionals, are simply outstanding. This ability renders them globally competitive and assets to the world", Modi told TOI.

He also added that Indian culture creates a strong sense of respect for one's native land as well as work environment. "Just as much commitment is given to the land of birth, so should the same commitment be given to the land of work. Due to these rich cultural values, each Indian works with utmost effort, irrespective of position or designation", he said.

PM Modi also mentioned the excellent moral basis of Indian professionals that helps make them successful across the world. "They stick to what's ethical and right. Their approach is collaborative, and they coordinate extremely well with others. Simply knowing things isn't important; knowing how to get along in a team setting means a great deal more", he observed.

the Chandrayaan mission. "India's Chandrayaan mission is cheaper than what Hollywood spends on a single blockbuster movie". When the world observes how affordable our work is, they automatically wonder why not collaborate with India?" he declared. Talking about India's increasing strength in the space field, PM Modi highlighted that India's space sector, which was completely government-driven, has been made open to private entities. "Now, we already have 200 startups engaged in space technology", he said. He also highlighted India's frugal strategy towards space missions, referring to. "India's Chandrayaan mission is cheaper than what Hollywood spends on a single blockbuster movie". When the world observes how affordable our work is, they automatically wonder why not collaborate with India?" he declared.

PM Modi ended by saying that India's indigenous civilizational tradition and focus on innovation and collaboration continue to make Indian professionals a desired force in global leadership, especially in the technological sector.
The Indian Oil Credit Card is a fantastic option for individuals who want to reduce their fuel expenditures by getting cashback and rewards on every payment. The Credit Card is offered in partnership with esteemed financial institutions to provide fuel purchase waivers.

In this blog, we will examine the Credit Card application process for your benefit.

Check your eligibility

Before you gear up for this Credit Card, apply online and make sure you meet the basic requirements issued by the bank. Although the requirements tend to vary a bit from bank to bank, the general criteria are as stated below:

Should fall in the age bracket of 18 to 70 years of age.

Should have a constant source of income.

Should be a citizen of India or an NRI with a valid residential address in India.

You need to have a good to decent credit score to increase your chances of getting an Indian Oil Credit Card.

Some banks allow you to add another cardholder who needs to be over 15 years of age.

Gather the required documents

To get your India Oil Credit Card approved, you will have to submit the below-mentioned documents:

PAN Card

Passport size photograph (colour)

Latest payslip/Form 16/IT return copy as proof of income

Residence Proof (any 1) Passport Driving License Voter ID Card Adhaar Card



Identity Proof (any 1) Passport Driving License Voter ID card Adhaar Card PAN card



Select the right Indian Oil Credit Card

Before your Credit Card apply online procedure is taken up, make sure that you have chosen the right card offering you the best benefits:

Reward Points System: Check how many fuel points you earn per transaction.

Check how many fuel points you earn per transaction. Fuel Surcharge Waiver: Look for an Indian Oil Credit Card that offers zero surcharge on fuel purchases at Indian Oil outlets.

Look for an Indian Oil Credit Card that offers zero surcharge on fuel purchases at Indian Oil outlets. AnnualFees: Look for Credit Cards with zero or a bare minimum annual fee. Some financial institutions waive annual fees if you spend a minimum amount annually.

Look for Credit Cards with zero or a bare minimum annual fee. Some financial institutions waive annual fees if you spend a minimum amount annually. Welcome Discounts: Many banks offer welcome discounts to their new Indian Old Credit Cardholders.

Many banks offer welcome discounts to their new Indian Old Credit Cardholders. Additional Perks: Cashback, discounts on shopping, dining or travel benefits.

Credit Card apply online procedure

To apply for an India OIl Credit Card, follow these steps:

Go to the official website or app of the bank you are interested in.

Locate the Credit Card section and select the Indian Oil Credit Card.

Click on Apply Now and fill in the required details, such as name, mobile number, and PAN card.

Attach the required documents as stated.

Submit your application and wait for verification.

Track your application status

After applying, you can track your Indian Online Credit Card application status using your:

Application reference number

Registered mobile number

PAN card details

Activate and use your Indian Oil Credit Card

Once your card has been mailed to you at your residence, you will have to activate it. You can do so by:

Set a PIN using a net banking or ATM.

Register for SMS alerts to track your transactions

Start using your card at Indian Oil outlets to earn rewards.

Conclusion

Applying for an Indian Oil Credit Card is simple, and you can do it online in a convenient and hassle-free manner. Keep all your necessary documents handy, and you can enjoy cashback, rewards and more with every transaction.
Dear Readers:

In light of St. Patricks Day, I want to share this story from Same Boat, who wrote a response recently to share the story of how he reconnected with his fiancee from 28 years ago. With all the twists and turns of life, his story is about as lucky as they get. May your holidays be equally serendipitous!

Dear Annie:

Thank you for publishing my response to Nostalgic and Regretful. I wanted to share with you something I recently wrote regarding my fiancee and my love story  our romance novel, if you will.

We met in March 1994 at a local pizzeria. I was a cook there, and she had just been hired as a hostess. At the risk of sounding cliche, I had never seen someone so beautiful, and to this day, only my children have ever equaled that sight.

The attraction was instant, but it went beyond that. Never before had somebody had my back the way she did. She was my staunchest ally, which I desperately needed at that time. For much of the summer of 94, I was functionally homeless, sleeping on friends' couches or in cheap motels. I barely had a penny to my name, and yet she never wavered.

At the (quite appropriate) protestations of her family, who saw me as an 18-year-old bum, she always stood by me.

But we were kids, and I was an idiot, fearful and insecure. I listened to advice and gossip from some not-so-well-meaning people. Rather than communicating with the young woman who had been nothing but honest with me, I broke up with her, and in doing so, devastated myself. She is not one to put up with baloney, and she wasnt dealing with mine.

We would not set eyes upon each other for nearly 30 years.

We became Facebook friends in 2009 and would sometimes wish each other happy birthday. I didnt think much of it, as I dubbed Facebook where old friendships go to die.

After three failed relationships, I was done with romance. I was jaded and cynical, tired of being controlled and cheated on. Tired of my own faults, tired of putting my heart and soul into people, relationships and jobs that never put forth the same effort.

Then she popped up on my feed.

There was something curious about it: Her name was her maiden name. My divorce from my second marriage had finalized a few months prior, and suddenly, there were no chains holding me anywhere.

My curiosity wouldnt let me go. After a little research, I discovered her divorce finalized one day before mine.

That night, I reached out and asked if she wanted to go out and get some burgers. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

While we didnt get those burgers that night, we did start talking again. Soon after, I started preaching again. Its funny, because when I was in the hospital with COVID-19, I prayed that if God got me out of there, I would go back to working in the church. It didnt even have to be as a minister. If He wanted me to scrub bathrooms, Id do it gladly.

So, there I was, back in ministry after more than seven years away, and right after the first service, I got a text from her: You know, Im only 20 minutes from you.

My son and I arrived right to the place where she was camping. I better be getting a hug, she said. To paraphrase Eminem, I had traveled back to the arms of my rightful owner.

We were set in stone that day and have been ever since. At the beginning, there were moments where I thought maybe we had been cheated out of 28 years together, but no longer. After all of the mistakes, sins and bad decisions of my life, I realized that she deserves better than the way I was at 19, 27, 38. I want to be the best version of myself for her, because she deserves nothing less. I can never say about anyone else what I can say about her: that she truly makes me a better man.

How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner? is out now! Annie Lanes second anthology  featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation  is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
District Attorney Michael E. McMahon hosted the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force at its first meeting of the year on March 6, 2025, in St. George. Borough President Vito Fossella co-founded the group in September 2023. (Courtesy of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon) Courtesy of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  While the number of drug overdose deaths appears to be down on Staten Island at the start of the year, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon and community leaders warned that the powerful opioid fentanyl continues to threaten the lives of our family members, friends and neighbors.

Those preliminary statistics were among the latest drug trends detailed as McMahon hosted the first meeting of 2025 for the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force earlier this month.

One concerning development that prompted a warning from officials is that some Staten Islanders who think they are using cocaine are ending up in our boroughs emergency rooms because that stimulant was laced with fentanyl, officials said.

Also, many victims are now being sent home from the hospital with naloxone to overcome the stigma of having to obtain the overdose-reversal medication at pharmacies.

Linked to almost 70% of fatal overdoses nationwide, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

McMahon said that fentanyl is detected in nearly all overdose deaths on Staten Island.

As of March 10, there is a potential 30% decrease in deaths from drug overdoes in 2025 compared to the same time period last year, according to preliminary and incomplete data. An equal number of deaths and rescues, 14, are tallied for a total of 28 overdose responses so far this year. (Courtesy of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon) Courtesy of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon

Potential 30% drop in overdose deaths

Recent preliminary and incomplete statistics provided to the Advance/SILive.com by the district attorney offer a glimmer of hope in the fight to save lives amid the overdose epidemic.

For this year as of March 10, a total of 14 people reportedly succumbed to drug overdoses compared to 20 for the same time period last year in our borough. The statistics indicate a potential 30% decline in deaths.

An equal number of people, 14, were revived by first responders, relatives, friends and good Samaritans. A total of 24 people were saved during the same time period last year, so overdoses that resulted in rescues are down an estimated 42%.

Combined deaths and saves so far this year reportedly total 28, a drop of 36% from those 44 emergencies at this point in 2024.

Nationwide, an estimated more than 84,000 people died of drug overdoses in the 12 months ending last October, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Preliminary statistics show deaths dipping under 100,000 last year after soaring during the COVID pandemic.

District Attorney Michael E. McMahon hosted the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force at its first meeting of the year on March 6, 2025, in St. George. Borough President Vito Fossella co-founded the group in September 2023. (Courtesy of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon) Courtesy of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon

Task force meets for first time this year

In a continuing effort to deal with the overdoses epidemic, McMahon hosted the first meeting of the year for the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force on March 6 at his office in St. George. Borough President Vito Fossella, who co-founded the task force with McMahon, community leaders, addiction-treatment providers and persons suffering from substance-use disorders were among the participants.

The bad news is, fentanyl and opioid abuse is still a serious problem on Staten Island and throughout the country, Fossella said. The good news is, overdoses and deaths related to these two have dropped significantly.

We will continue to work closely with District Attorney McMahon and his team, law enforcement agencies and groups that remain committed to ending this epidemic.

Despite a decrease in reported fatal overdoses on Staten Island in 2024, by no means are we out of the woods just yet, McMahon said. Over 80 Staten Islanders lost their lives to this deadly scourge last year and we owe it to them and their loved ones to do everything possible to put an end to this five-alarm fire.

Joseph Conte, executive director of the Staten Island Performing Provider System, said there are many positive trends here, including the fact that fentanyl is less potent and less available.

However, Conte cautioned that the number of fatal overdoses could increase at anytime, explaining that deaths can go spike right back up because I dont think people are using less.

The treatment community on Staten Island is amazing, Conte said. They lock arms and knock down any barriers, but there is an incredible need to reach those who are at risk, because if not we will see these numbers come right back.

Luke Nasta, president and CEO of Camelot counseling center, said that overdoses remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44.

Despite slight improvements in overdose deaths, the impact of opioids continues to have a devastating effect on our community, said Adrienne Abbate, executive director of the Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness.

Since 2014, Staten Island has received more than 17,000 naloxone kits from the Department of Health. Staff-Shot

Cocaine laced with fentanyl

Fentanyl is being mixed in with a wide variety of street drugs and fake prescription pills that are often sold on the dark web or social media, experts say. In its One Pill Can Kill campaign, The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warns that bogus pills that appear virtually identical to popular painkillers and sedatives could contain lethal doses fentanyl.

Cocaine and pills that often are thought of as party drugs become potential killers when tainted with fentanyl and multiple doses of naloxone may be needed to counteract the effects of that powerful opioid, experts say.

Unfortunately, what we are seeing is people come in with what they thought was a cocaine overdose, but it actually is laced with fentanyl, said Dr. Tucker Woods, associate chair of the Emergency Department at Staten Island University Hospital, a division of Northwell Health.

Woods said that only a small percentage of prescriptions written for Narcan/naloxone in our borough are being filled at pharmacies.

Its one thing to fill your cholesterol medication, but theres a lot of stigma connected to picking up naloxone at the pharmacy counter, he said.

Woods said staff at Staten Island University Hospital are using naloxone to save these patients and then were giving them Narcan to go.

McMahon: Task force is laser focused on saving lives

While millions of dollars have already been allocated to improve and expand access to treatment, education, and prevention services for New Yorkers in the throes of addiction, more must be done to enhance the ability of our borough and communities across New York State to beat back this unrelenting epidemic, McMahon said.

As the work of the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force enters its second year, we remain laser-focused on saving as many lives as possible and working with elected leaders at all levels of government to ensure that this national tragedy and emergency is treated with the bold, resolute, and swift public policy response it deserves.

The Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness is pleased that our district attorney keeps this issue at the forefront and creates spaces for partners to collectively address this behavioral health crisis, Abate said.
Actor Isaiah Stokes attends the world premiere of "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday, July 15, 2021, in New York. Stokes, 45, has been convicted of murder in connection to the 2021 shooting of Tyrone Jones in St. Albans, New York, the Queens District Attorney's Office announced. Stokes will be sentenced March 21 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

QUEENS, N.Y.  Isaiah Stokes, an actor who appeared in episodes of Blue Bloods, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and Power, has been convicted of murder in connection to a New York City shooting in 2021.

Stokes, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon following a two-week trial in Queens County, New York. He was convicted of murdering victim Tyrone Jones, 37, in St. Albans, New York, in February 2021 -- four months after an altercation between the two at a birthday party in October 2020.

Stokes will be sentenced March 21 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

RELATED: Rapper, brother of NFL star in critical condition after recording studio shooting

This was a calculated murder, Queen District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a news release. The defendant, a part-time actor, stewed for months after being thrown out of a birthday party for his own inappropriate behavior. Intent on revenge, Isaiah Stokes placed a GPS on the victims car and tracked Tyrone Jones down to Linden Boulevard, where he ruthlessly shot the man 11 times as he sat in his car.

Stokes and Jones met during the victims birthday party at a club in Queens in October 2020, according to the charges and trial testimony. The two were involved in a dispute about Stokes inappropriate behavior toward women at the party, and Jones requested that Stokes leave. After Stokes refused to leave, he was injured during a physical altercation with other attendees at the party, according to the release.

On or about January 29, 2021, Stokes placed a GPS tracking device underneath Jones vehicle and used it to track the victims location on February 7. Around 2:30 p.m. that day, Stokes exited a parked vehicle at an intersection and circled the nearby area for 15 minutes before approaching Jones, who was in a parked Jeep Grand Cherokee at a restaurant while waiting to meet a friend for lunch. Stokes then fired 11 gunshots at Jones, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Stokes drove the vehicle back to his apartment later that day before returning it to a rental location in Hackensack, New Jersey, on February 16. He was arrested on July 16, 2021, by Detective Daniel Connors of the NYPDs 113th Precinct and retired Detective Michael Maus, formerly of the NYPDs Queen South Homicide Unit, according the release.

My office is laser-focused on gun violence, and we will utilize every tool at our disposal to investigate, arrest and prosecute those who use deadly guns on our streets, Katz said. I thank our prosecutors and the NYPD detectives who built this case. The jury has now spoken, and the defendant faces up to 25 years to life at sentencing for his criminal actions.

Stokes earned his first on-screen acting credit in 2006 video Killa Season, according to his IMDb page. He later played Tyrone Beckwith in one episode of Law and Order: SVU in 2008 and played Louis in one episode of Boardwalk Empire in 2011. He also appeared in two episodes of The Americans in 2013, two episodes of Louie in 2011 and 2014, one episode of Power in 2019, and more.
A Dine-In Fundraiser in support of National Alliance on Mental Illness NYC Staten Island is planned for March 28 in the Cespino-Russo American Legion Post, South Beach. (Getty Images) Getty Images

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A great night of food from some of Staten Islands most popular restaurants, bakeries and markets will be held Friday, March 28, to benefit a prominent Staten Island non-profit mental health support group.

The Dine-In Fundraiser will support the National Alliance on Mental Illness NYC Staten Island, and will be held in the Cespino-Russo American Legion Post, South Beach.

The organization provides free mental health support, advocacy and education on Staten Island.

The March 28 family event will feature a buffet-style dinner with live music, dinner and desserts.

Offerings will include several Italian classics, such as penne vodka, eggplant parmigiano, baked ziti, chicken parmigiano, meatballs and sandwich platters.

Also served will be chicken and lamb gyros, hummus, spinach pie, cookies, cheesecakes, pies and crumb cakes.

Supporting businesses providing food include: Ninos, Patrizias; Corrados; Alfonsos; Cake Chef; Royal Crown; Hylan Diner; Buono Bakery; Max Esca; Andrews Diner; Brooklyn Italian Heroes; Bella Vita; Aunt Butchies; Zara; Toscana Trattoria; Angelinas; Villa Monte; Barios; Nome Superette & Bagels; Italianissimo; A&C; Cielo; Boccellis; Ronnie Sandwich; Family Fruit, and Goodfellas.

The event will be held from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. The cost is $45 per person.

Those attending must register by Sunday, March 23, as seating is limited.

More information is available by emailing info@namistatenisland.org or calling 718-477-1700.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Rwanda has severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, its former colonial ruler, following European Union sanctions on senior Rwandan officials. The move comes amid accusations that Kigali is backing the M23 rebel group, which has been capturing territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Kigali said it was giving Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the East African country, accusing Brussels of "using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda."The EU imposed sanctions on three senior Rwandan military commanders and the CEO of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, citing their alleged involvement in exploiting the ongoing conflict in the DRC. A gold refinery in Kigali was also targeted by the 27-nation bloc.Belgium played a key role in pushing for these sanctions, prompting Rwanda to retaliate by cutting diplomatic relations with Brussels. In response, Belgium expelled Kigalis diplomatic envoys in a tit-for-tat measure, escalating tensions between the two nations.Belgium's foreign affairs minister Maxime Prevot said the move was "disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue."Brussels will reciprocate by declaring Rwandan diplomats persona non grata, he added.Historical ContextRwanda and Belgium share a complex colonial history. From 1922 to 1962, Belgium administered Ruanda-Urundi, a twin territory in East Africa that later became the independent nations of Rwanda and Burundi. The territory was initially a League of Nations mandate and later a United Nations trust territory, governed as part of the Belgian Congo.Belgian rule left a lasting impact on the region, and diplomatic relations between the two countries have often been strained. The latest fallout underscores the deep-rooted geopolitical and economic tensions surrounding the conflict in the DRC.With diplomatic ties now severed, it remains to be seen how this will impact regional stability and Rwandas position within the broader international community.
As our smartphones seem to be endlessly inundated with texts that are meant to appear as if theyve been sent by E-ZPass seeking payment for unpaid tolls, phone makers are finding it almost impossible to stop the onslaught of messages which are believed to be the work of Chinese criminal gangs, according to a report published by CNBC.

As cybersecurity firms discovered that theres been a 900% increase in the number of such texts over the last three months, researchers have managed to identify at least 60,000 online domains associated with toll road text scams throughout multiple states, many of which have been traced back to Chinese networks, the report said.

It is obviously working; they are getting victims to pay it. This one apparently seems to be going on a lot longer than we normally see these things, said Jon Clay, vice president of threat intelligence at Trend Micro.

The toll scams are catching consumers off-guard because theyre relatively inexpensive and easy for scammers to set up and send out texts by the millions after purchasing phone numbers in bulk off the black market, the report said.

And while some people simply pay the $3 toll fee to avoid the false threat of fines or license suspension, Clay says the scammers arent simply interested in a quick payday, but that theyre looking for the far more valuable personal information entered by victims, the report said.

Once they have that, they can scam you for other things, Clay said.

The scammers have also not only found ways to bypass a safety feature thats supposed to remove the links in the texts from Apples iPhones, but theyre changing the phone numbers theyre using to the degree that Android cant keep up with blacklisting them, the report said.

And even as law enforcement and government officials send out warnings to residents, new access to AI is helping the scammers create a larger amount of messages that are convincing people to share sensitive or payment information.

The experts warn to never respond to such texts, even to send them a message to stop, as youll be alerting those on the other side of the phone that your number is live and active. Your best bet is to simply not engage at all, the report said.
The Rikers Island jail complex is shown in the Bronx borough of New York, on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File) AP

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  People illegally detained in New York City jails over immigration detainers have until mid-May to claim their share of a $92.5 million settlement, the Advance/SILive.com has learned.

Valid claimants can receive $10,000 or more as part of the settlement the city reached at the end of last year in a case brought by Burkina Faso native Oscar Onadia over a 2008 arrest for driving without a license.
Protestors rally outside of Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis office on Victory Boulevard, asking for a town hall meeting in response to proposed budget cuts on Sunday March 16, 2025. (Staten Island Advance/Mike Matteo) Mike Matteo

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Dozens of protesters gathered outside Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) district office in Castleton Corners on Sunday to demand a town hall style meeting for constituents.

Organized by the Staten Island Democratic Party, the gathering outside the congresswomans office on Victory Boulevard also focused on proposed budget cuts that could potentially affect programs like Medicaid.

Those attending the rally said that a town hall meeting, whether in-person or virtual, would be a chance for constituents to ask questions to their elected representative and for Malliotakis to directly address their concerns.

Shes claiming waste, fraud and abuse are where the cuts are going to come from but we all can do the math, Thats impossible. So were demanding that she take accountability for her vote and explain it to us, said Laura LoBianco Sword, Staten Island democratic party chair.

In response to the protest, Taylor Weyeneth, Malliotakis chief of staff told the Advance/SILive,com: The congresswoman communicates on a regular basis with constituents by mail, social media, television, radio, and she and members of our staff regularly attend civic associations, community boards, and other public gatherings where we engage with constituents to hear their concerns and answer any questions.

Our community knows where the Congresswoman stands on issues, why she votes for and against bills, and they appreciate her work and advocacy, which is why she was just reelected with over 64% of the vote. We understand that the Staten Island Democrat Partywhich organized todays rallydoes not want secure borders, safe streets, waste and fraud reigned in and taxpayer money protected, but that wont stop Nicole from doing the job an overwhelming number of our neighbors elected her to do," Weyeneth continued.

Protestors rally outside of Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis office on Victory Boulevard, asking for a town hall meeting in response to proposed budget cuts on Sunday March 16, 2025. (Staten Island Advance/Mike Matteo) Mike Matteo

While fencing prevented the crowd from rallying directly in front of the congresswomans office, protesters crowded the sidewalk sharing their stories, chanting, and waving signs to the traffic on Victory Boulevard.

In between speakers, those in the crowd could be heard questioning if Malliotakis would be seen during the rally while others shared why they wanted the town hall meeting.

Jennifer Fanelli of Oakwood want a town hall meeting with the congresswoman to finally have a chance to ask questions after previously unsuccessful attempts to get in touch.

As a Staten Islander, [Malliotakis] has to represent all of us. Ive called her office, Ive called her Bay Ridge office, Ive called D.C., shes not picking up. We dont have to agree on everything but she needs to respond. The fact that theres this many people in a borough that doesnt get this active  shes ignoring us,

We just wanna talk. If she cant handle us just raising our hands, she shouldnt be there, Fanelli continued.

Jerry OLeary, a Richmond resident, wanted to ask the congresswoman about proposed cuts to social services.

Im a former cop, a Vietnam veteran and Im 68 so Im doubly pissed off that theyre cutting back on benefits, OLeary said. People are just pissed. I feel almost an obligation to defend what we worked for our whole life.

I came out today for her to understand that were not going to stand by while she dismantles our communities one brick at a time, said Victoria Molinari of Grymes Hill.

Im here today, and Ill be here every day to hold our representative accountable  we need a town hall, said Jasi Robinson, one of the event organizers. She needs to address our concerns, our fears. And were not going to stop speaking up or standing up."

The Sunday rally was the third organized protest outside the congresswomans office this month.

On Friday, dozens of veterans and their supporters lined the streets to oppose proposed cuts to the Veterans Affairs Department.

Organizers of this event say that the VA cuts would endanger critical services for the over 11,000 veterans on Staten Island.

This rally was part of a national campaign, featuring simultaneous protests in Washington, D.C. and state state capitals around the country protesting thousands of proposed job cuts to the VA.

Earlier this month, Islanders again lined Victory Boulevard after the House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget resolution, which Malliotakis voted in favor of.

The resolution included a directive to the Energy and Commerce Committee  the committee that oversees Medicaid and other government-run programs  to cut $880 billion in spending between 2025 and 2034.

The fear, however, is that much of the $880 billion would come from Medicaid, impacting millions of Americans who depend on the benefit to survive.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may not have gotten anywhere when he ran for president in 2024.

But it appears hes near the top of the target list when it comes to President Donald Trumps sharp tongue, the Daily Mail reported.

The new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trumps Return to Power, by White House reporter Alex Isenstadt, reveals what Trump thought of DeSantis challenge during last years GOP presidential primaries.

Im going to squash this guy like a bug, Trump told then-Ohio GOP Sen. JD Vance, who is now Trumps vice president.

The book also lays out the reaction when DeSantis came to Trump for an endorsement in DeSantis gubernatorial re-election bid.

He was like a beggar, Trump told visitors on his plane. I could have said: Drop to your f***ing knees, Ron.

President Joe Bidens diminishing mental capacity also came in for a verbal lashing from Trump, the book recounts.

Trump asked for copies of the report after he himself had had a CT scan done following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pa.

Because I want to make sure I can show reporters that my cognitive function is 100 percent, Trump said. You cant say the same about Joe Biden.

Biden pulled out of the 2024 race after a disastrous debate performance against Trump in June of 2024.

Trump is also said to enjoy sticking it to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who continues to lobby the president on issues behind the scenes.

Go tell Lindsey were not friends anymore, Trump said after Graham criticized him on abortion.

And its not only political rivals that Trump has targeted.

The book recounts how Trump lashed out at an employee who made a mistake on his private plane.

Hes f***ing fired. Get him fired now. Have someone walk him off the property, Trump said after a mechanic accidentally deployed the emergency slides on his jet, causing a travel delay.

Trump even skewered his own family member, lashing son-in-law Jared Kushners push for criminal justice reform.

It was Jareds thing, and Jareds a Democrat, Trump said.

Trump also took a poke at vision-impaired casino mogul and GOP donor Steve Wynn for suggested that Republican Sen. Tom Cotton from Arkansas should be Trumps running mate.

Wow. Steve is even more blind than I thought he was if he thinks Tom Cotton has charisma, he reportedly said about Wynn, who suffers from the eye disease retinitis pigmentosa.
A French lawmaker is so miffed at American policy under President Donald Trump that he wants the U.S. to return a monumental gift from France: the Statue of Liberty.

Give us back the Statue of Liberty, center-Left politician Raphael Glucksmann said at a convention of his Place Publique center-left movement.

The Telegraph reported that Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament, said that the iconic Lady Liberty should be returned because the U.S. no longer represents the values that led France to offer us the statue almost 140 years ago.

Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Glucksmann told cheering supporters.

We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it, he said. So it will be just fine here at home.

The move comes as Trumps tariffs and other policies, including his stance on Russias war with Ukraine, have led to uncertainty among U.S. allies in Europe.

The Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Harbor in 1886, a gift of France in recognition of the 100th anniversary of American independence from Great Britain and Frances role in aiding the 13 colonies in the Revolutionary War.

The statue, among the most iconic symbols in all of American history, has become a beacon for immigrants entering the U.S. and is a major tourist attraction.

Glucksmann slammed Trumps Ukraine war policy and also hit out at the president for cuts to research institutions here.

France has encouraged researchers fired in the U.S. to come work in France.

The second thing were going to say to the Americans is: if you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the worlds leading power, then were going to welcome them, he said.
A bill sponsored by State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton would require the state to appoint an insurance liaison to assist in disaster recovery efforts. (Staten Island Advance/Bill Lyons) Staten Island Advance

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islanders are no strangers to the devastation brought by natural disasters and the plethora of insurance-related issues that can arise in their aftermath.

The borough has been hit hard in the past by devastating storms, most notably Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which washed away hundreds of homes on the boroughs East Shore.

These storms often bring with them a host of issues for those looking to file insurance claims, something that one of the boroughs state legislators is hoping to improve.

On Monday, State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn) announced that Senate Bill 2069, which she sponsored, has passed the State Senate.

The bill would establish the position of an insurance liaison on the states Disaster Preparedness Commission to clarify insurance-related issues, assist with filing claims and help streamline the recovery process.

During Hurricane Ida, I witnessed firsthand the difficulties my constituents faced while trying to navigate their flood insurance coverage, said Scarcella-Spanton. It is clear that we need an insurance liaison to provide guidance and support to those affected by these increasingly prevalent natural disasters.

The bill had passed in both the Senate and Assembly last year, but was vetoed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, preventing it from becoming law.

When asked why Hochul had vetoed the bill last year, a representative from the governors office pointed to the veto memo provided to the state legislature.

Since the DPC is not directly involved in matters related to insurance, it is not appropriate or necessary to add a non-governmental, non-emergency response representative to the DPC. Therefore, I am constrained to veto this bill, Hochul wrote in the veto memo.

The representative gave no indication as to whether the governor intends to veto the bill again this year, simply stating that Hochul will review the legislation should it pass both chambers. It has yet to pass in the Assembly.
Several new state laws are set to take effect in New York in March. (Staten Island Advace/Paul Liotta)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Several new state laws are set to take effect in New York this month, including one sponsored by a Staten Island legislator.

The new laws cover a wide range of topics, including crime victims' rights, cooling centers in state prisons, expanded doula access for birthing mothers, registration of short-term rental properties and the disclosure of criminal records.

Heres a look at five new laws taking effect in New York in March.

Rights of crime victims

A new law, sponsored by State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn), will require judges and district attorneys to provide victims of crimes with an informational sheet explaining their rights if the perpetrator of said crime is convicted and sentenced to state prison.

The informational sheet will encourage victims or their surviving family members to register with the states Office of Victim Assistance.

Those registered with the Office of Victim Assistance can request notification if the offender is released from prison or has a meeting with the New York State Parole Board.

Victims and their family members will also be able to provide or update a victim impact statement to the Parole Board.

Victims of violent crimes are often not made aware of their rights following the conviction of their offender. This bill seeks to correct that inadequacy, according to the State Senate website.

Heat mitigation in prisons

This law, which took effect on March 13, will require New York prisons to develop annual heat mitigations plans and provide additional access to fans, water and ice during the summer months.

The commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will also be required to develop a timeline to implement designated cooling stations in New Yorks prisons.

Doula access for birthing mothers

A new law allows a expecting mothers to designate a doula to have full access to themselves in a maternal healthcare facility during delivery and/or inpatient care post-delivery.

A 2021 report by the NYC Department of Health found that doulas face barriers to providing services in hospital settings, such as requests to prove their training and/or certification (neither of which are required in New York State) and inability to see their clients postpartum, according to the state Senate website.

This law took effect on March 11.

Short-term rental registry

This law, which takes effect in late March, will require owners of short-term rental units to register their properties with the state and allow for the collection of sales tax and applicable occupancy tax generated from such rentals to the state and localities.

Local governments will also be permitted to enact new laws prohibiting or limiting the listing of short-term rental properties in their communities.

New York State is facing a dire shortage of housing supply, specifically affordable and workforce housing, which is causing instability across our communities. While solving the housing crisis will take significant investment and bold legislative action, one area of housing policy that must be addressed is the extreme proliferation of short-term rentals, according to the State Senate website.

Disclosing criminal records

This law, which will take effect on Mar 22, prohibits most employers, government agencies and schools from requiring applicants to show copies of their criminal history record.

Failure to comply with this new law will result in a class A misdemeanor, according to the legislation.
After eight frenetic, headline-generating weeks in office, President Donald Trump has matched the highest White House approval rating that hes ever had, according to a new poll from NBC News.

The survey showed that 47% of voters approve of Trump  compared to 51% who disapprove, the New York Post reported.

While more Americans disapprove of Trump, the 47% approval rating matches the presidents all-time high in the NBC poll.

Trump previously hit 47% in early 2020 and in October 2018.

But there are still troubling signs for the 47th president, as 54% of Americans say they disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, a key campaign issue for Trump.

Its the first time that Trump has lost the majority on that issue in the NBC News poll.

But even with that, more Americans feel that Trump is bringing the right kind of change to top issues.

The survey showed that 41% of Americans support how Trump is handling trade, including his controversial tariffs on top U.S. trading partners. The poll showed that 38% oppose Trump on trade.

In other good news for the president, 56% said his immigration policies made for a positive change. And 47% said his cuts to government were good, while just 29% were opposed.

The poll showed that a two-decade-high 44% of registered voters think that the country is on the right track, while 54% believe its heading in the wrong direction.

That marks the most positive outlook on the countrys direction the NBC poll has found since President George W. Bush was in office 20 years ago.

The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters from March 7 to 11. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1%.
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'We don't know who they are': Union concerned over P.E.I.'s handling of international nursing recruits

Barbara Brookins, president of the P.E.I. Nurses' Union, says she's been having trouble getting answers from the province about who the new nurses are and where they're working. (Rick Gibbs/CBC - image credit)

P.E.I. health officials are celebrating the results of recent overseas trips to recruit new nurses, but the union that's supposed to be representing them says the province isn't providing any information about who they are or where they're working.

"We can't get a hold of them. We don't know who they are," said Barbara Brookins, president of the P.E.I. Nurses' Union, which represents staff in the public health-care system.

"We need to know at what point they become our members, and then we also want to know what's happening to them in the meantime.

"We don't want these nurses to get out there, and be struggling in an area where the supports are not in place."

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Officials with the province's Office of Immigration and Health P.E.I. conducted interviews with dozens of internationally educated nurses over the past couple of years, twice in Dubai and once in Singapore.

At the time, Health P.E.I. said it was grappling with a 20 per cent vacancy rate for all types of staff positions and a shortage of full-time workers.

The province said 28 job offers came out of the recruitment trip to Singapore and a total of 73 from the two trips to Dubai in 2023 and 2024. That's a total of 101 offers from the three trips.

P.E.I. Health Minister Mark McLane said the travel was money well spent, adding that the province plans to continue with its international recruitment efforts.

"Ultimately, we recognize we need more nurses in all parts of our health-care system, whether it be public or private," McLane said.

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"Now that we have the setup in place I think we should continue to do that, and I think it's good for our system in that we have a flow of nurses that come through on a kind of consistent basis."

Health minister Mark McLane says he wants to be more transparent with Islanders about the recruitment process and how it's going.

P.E.I. Health Minister Mark McLane says 75 of the 101 recruits are either working in the system or taking part in one of two mandatory courses that allow them to work as registered nurses in Canada. (Tony Davis/CBC)

The health minister said 75 of the 101 recruits are either working in the P.E.I. system already or taking part in one of two mandatory courses that allow them to work as registered nurses in Canada.

But McLane couldn't say how many are working in P.E.I.'s public health-care system.

'We've been short for a long time'

That's troubling for Brookins, whose union has been looking to track down the new nurses and offer them support.

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"It's been very frustrating," she said. "The recruitment initially was by the Department of Health, and now it's still in the process of going into Health P.E.I., so we're still having problems getting an actual person who can answer the questions."

Both of the Island's opposition parties have been trying to get a breakdown of the cost of the recruitment trips. CBC News has also asked for the numbers, but has not received them.

Liberal Party health critic Gord McNeilly said it's important that new nurses have a positive experience on P.E.I. or the province risks losing them to other regions.

Gord McNeilly says rental units should be left as they are and condominiums should be built from scratch.

Gord McNeilly, health critic for the Opposition Liberals, says the number of new nurses isn't where it should be. (Ken Linton/CBC)

"The messaging I've heard for two or three years is much rosier than I think the picture really is at the end. We're grateful and thankful that the nurses are here, but the process that we undertook wasn't exactly smooth," he said.

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"Our nurses are the glue to that system and we're short, and we've been short for a long time. This recruitment strategy is one piece, but it's not what this minister said two years ago, and I don't think the numbers are where they need to be."

Provincial officials said they're not relying entirely on internationally trained nurses to fill the more than 200 jobs that are currently posted.

They've upped the number of seats at the UPEI School of Nursing, and 65 people will graduate from the four-year program this year. Health P.E.I. has already given job offers to 60 of them.

"We're going in the right direction. Obviously I want it to be faster, the public wants it to be faster, but we're increasing our workforce and that's what we try to do every day," McLane said.

"I think we have the board of the puzzle fairly well constructed, so hopefully it'll accelerate over the coming months and years."
The adjacent Youanmi target, 300m northwest of Prospect at the northwest end of the old main open pit footprint, also produced two respectable gold hits from diamond drilling of 5.82m at 4.51g/t from 379m and 2.09m going 6.80g/t from 436.9m.

Tantalisingly, two holes at the nearby Interceptor target, a separate lens 300m southeast of Prospect at the southern end of the old main pit, produced two diamond core intercepts of 1m at 40.93g/t from 145.1m and 8m running 4.32g/t from 52m.

The current drilling program aims to infill the gap at the emerging Prospect area, in the existing resource zone between the Pollard target - 380m south of Prospect  past the Interceptor lens and northwards towards the Youanmi target.

The company is encouraged by the possibility that Prospect may bring forward additional shallow, high-grade gold ounces in the companys definitive feasibility study mine plan.

Drilling to date has focussed on the main deposits along the high-grade, 1.8-kilometre-long Youanmi mineralised corridor.

The latest updates also say the drilling program is on schedule and within budget to deliver 35,000m of drilling for $11 million of expenditure by the end of April.

About 15,000m of diamond drilling and 7500m of reverse circulation drilling have been completed to date.

Roxs sample processing is up to date with more than 10,775 samples received by the laboratory. Drilling also continues at Pollard and further north along the trend through the Prospect, Youanmi North and United North targets.

Further to the northwest, the Kathleen and Rebel open pit zones continue the trend along the main line of workings, where January assay results confirm shallow mineralised extensions beneath both open pits that continues below the current global resource outline.

As at mid-February, Rox is sitting on a high-grade probable mineral reserve of 3.8 million tonnes at 4.4g/t gold for 546,000 ounces of gold, within a total mineral resource of 16.2mt at 4.4g/t gold for 2.3m ounces of gold.

Management says its results from the northern end of Youanmi are also important, as these are all close to but outside the existing resource and mine plan, providing confidence the company could add more ounces to the resource that would quickly flow through to the ore reserve and mine plan.

Rox currently has five drills turning at the site aiming to expand the resource and lift its categorisation to underpin a revised reserve and mine plan.

Other site activities continue as planned, with remedial works completed on evaporation ponds and the arrival of piping onsite in preparation for pit dewatering.

Koba Resources Limited (ASX: KOB)

Yarramba uranium project, South Australia

Hit: 1.0m at 558ppm uranium oxide equivalent from 85.9m, including 0.4m at 1001ppm uranium oxide equivalent

Koba Resources drill rig in action at the recently discovered high-grade, 4km-long Everest paleochannel uranium prospect in South Australia.

Koba Resources has discovered a new high-grade uranium prospect at its Yarramba project in South Australia, now named Everest, that extends along more than 4km of a north-south trending 500m-wide central section of the primary 2km-wide Yarramba palaeochannel.

Multiple drill intercepts with grades above 1000 parts per million uranium oxide equivalent were returned in results from initial broad-spaced drilling along lines spaced from 400m to 1000m apart. A headline 1m hit assayed uranium oxide equivalent from 85.9m, including 0.4m going 1001ppm uranium oxide equivalent.

Other significant intercepts include 2.1m at 330ppm from 95.7m, including 0.3m at 1012ppm uranium oxide equivalent, 0.8m at 558ppm uranium oxide equivalent from 94.7m, including 0.3m at 1037ppm and 0.9m running 535ppm uranium oxide equivalent from 90.1m.

Kobas Everest mineralisation was discovered during an initial broad-spaced maiden drilling program of 22 holes for 2514m of drilling at the adjacent Mt John deposit, targeting a previously untested part of the Yarramba paleochannel.

Everest is a mere 4km north of Boss Energys Jason deposit and about 13km north of Bosss Honeymoon mine.

The Jason deposit comprises an inferred JORC-compliant resource of 6.2mt at 790ppm uranium oxide for 10.7 million pounds of contained uranium oxide, while Honeymoon contains an estimated mineral resource of 36mlbs of uranium oxide at a grade of 660ppm uranium oxide.

Kobas Everest target also lies about 30km northwest of Marmotas Saffron deposit, in that companys Junction Dam exploration licence, which comprises an inferred 5.4mlb of uranium oxide at a grade of 557ppm.

Saffron is midway between Marmotas other Bridget and Yolanda uranium exploration targets. Taken together along the entire 12km spread of the three targets, Marmota estimates a conceptual exploration target has the potential to exist within the area containing the three deposits ranging from 22mlbs to 33Mlbs and grading between 400ppm and 700ppm uranium oxide.

Most importantly for Koba is that the Mt John and Everest mineralised zones lie within the same continuous Yarramba palaeochannel system containing Bosss Jason and Honeymoon deposits and also Marmotas trio of deposits. All of the targets are disposed along about 50km of the same channel.

Everests initial drilling program has identified a previously unknown high-grade uranium mineralised trend that remains open both along and across the trend of the channel, which Koba says is notable for its high-grade mineralisation.

The company now plans further drilling at Everest to assess the extent of mineralisation, particularly to flesh out its lateral and depth limits and identify its thickest and highest-grade zones.

The latest find brings Kobas discovery tally to three high grade (>1000 ppm) uranium-rich zones - the Berber, Chivas and Everest prospects - since the company initiated its step-out reconnaissance exploration drilling in October last year.

Koba was also able to demonstrate that its Oban channel deposit also comprises shallow, thick high-grade zones and offers significant potential between Chivas and Berber for additional discoveries.

The discoveries confirm considerable potential remains to discover additional high-grade mineralisation within the 5000 square kilometre Yarramba project, which includes 250km of interpreted but largely under-explored paleochannels.

Kobas maiden drilling program of 123 holes for 12,807m of drilling at the Yarramba project is now complete and the companys planning for the next phase of drilling is well underway.

It is well-advanced in the process of obtaining additional permits to allow continued testing of its three new high-grade Everest, Berber and Chivas discoveries and to continue testing other high-priority targets on the property.

When the required permits have been received, Koba will kick off its second phase of drilling in the second quarter of the year, which will build on the initial successes of its maiden drilling program.

This will include testing many high-priority targets including extensional and in-fill drilling at Everest and extensional drilling at Berber, which remains open in all directions and where the final hole intercepted 1.6m at 1026ppm uranium oxide equivalent.

Koba also plans to target the sparsely drilled 1.5km corridor between the Berber prospect and the Oban uranium deposit.

Extensional drilling will also continue at the high-grade Chivas prospect that remains open to the east and south. Significant results from last years drilling program at Chivas yielded 1.0m at 629ppm uranium oxide equivalent, including 0.5m assaying 1028ppm uranium oxide.

Extensional drilling will also be undertaken at the Mt John target area, which remains open in all directions and features a best intercept of 1.3m at 501ppm uranium oxide.

Two new targets north of Mt John, which have a similar setting to the high-grade Everest trend, will also be tested.

Ausgold Limited (ASX: AUC)

Dingo deposit, southern zone, Katanning gold project, Western Australia

Hit: 10m at 10.55g/t gold from 42m, including 2m at 50.57g/t gold from 43m

Ausgold Limiteds assays from the companys current drilling program at its Katanning gold project in WA have revealed a best intercept in the southern Dingo zone, with 10m at 10.55g/t gold from 42m, including 2m assaying 50.57g/t gold from 43m.

The headline hit is accompanied by a second-best intercept of 22m running 2.16g/t gold from 117m, including 14m going 3.03g/t gold from 123m.

A third-best intercept gave up 11m at 2.80g/t gold from 49m, including 6m assaying 4.82g/t gold from 52m.

The best and third-best holes are adjacent to each other at about 80m spacings in the northern quarter of the $4000 optimised Dingo pit design outline, while the second hole comprises one of five holes near the centre of the design.

Ausgold says the results are above the average grade and tenor of the Dingo resource and have highlighted new zones of high-grade mineralisation outside previously drilled areas.

The Katanning gold project lies within a major mineralised structural corridor, with exploration to date outlining a trend about 17km long hosting gold mineralisation across three key zones, tagged as the Northern, Central and Southern zones.

The Southern zone embraces the Dingo and Lukin resource areas and represents the southern strike extension of the project structure, which shares the same mafic host rocks as the nearby Central zone.

Drilling results in Ausgolds latest announcement represent data from 23 holes for 2778m drilled in the Southern zone at the Dingo and Lukin target area, and 10 holes for 1338m drilled at the regional Grasmere project area.

The Dingo deposit comprises a sheeted, multi-lode, 35-degree east-dipping gold system that currently hosts a resource of 434,000 ounces of gold at a grade of 0.94g/t. It includes a primary high-grade, pipe-shaped gold shoot.

Modelling by the companys geologists identified gaps in the drilling pattern greater than 40m along and between sections where the high-grade shoot is modelled within - and directly beneath - the optimised pit design.

The company says its ongoing 19,000m reverse circulation drilling campaign has three key objectives. These include de-risking areas within the existing projects mineral resource, which it anticipates will comprise its early mining inventory, extending the existing project resource, and identifying new regional gold potential in the surrounding prospects.

To date, 161 holes have been drilled for 12,344m as part of the current campaign. Results from the Northern zone and regional prospects along the Stanley Thrust are expected in the next quarter.

Nine reverse circulation holes were drilled for 1122m in the zones to test Ausgolds high-grade model, improve the grade of the Dingo resource, infill gaps identified during modelling and de-risk potential future mining.

Ausgold says the drilling program at Dingo has been highly successful and returned significant results from infill and extensional drilling targeting its high-grade zones.

The nine holes drilled at Dingo returned wide and unexpected shallow higher-grade intercepts of gold mineralisation within 150m of surface in the Southern zone.

The companys regional drilling at Grasmere, about 7km southwest of the Dingo resource, also identified mineralisation within the targeted prospective Katanning project mine stratigraphy.

Augold proposes further work at the project to include diamond drilling at the Dateline target in the projects Northern zone. Dateline hosts some of the best grades in the project, up to 11.74g/t gold from 218.9m. Four new holes are proposed for about 1600m to extend the high-grade component a further 150m down-plunge.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
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 Welcome to The White Lotus, a place where damp rich people dance very badly. Lets get into the Wellness Check! Warning: These recaps, where we rank which characters are having the most relaxing stay, are packed with spoilers. Only read if you have watched episode five of season three of The White Lotus. MOST RELAXED Jaclyn, Kate and Laurie: The denial tour for ladies in kaftans is going quite well, thanks for asking. Although they find some of the small talk with Valentins Russian friends confounding (Jaclyn: Who wants an expensive fruity drink? Valentins friend No.3: My parents are dead), they do enjoy grabbing them by the shirts and doing very pointy dancing. The three men go back to the villa with the women where Laurie, high on Valentins compliments about her sexiness, takes her top off in the pool. Kate, a woman of God or something like it, is uneasy with all the debauchery, so tries to engage Valentins friends in meaningful conversation. Valentins friend No.3: My mother broke bottles on my head.

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Kate: So do you travel much, or ? The men leave and Laurie falls into a stupor, warmed by the thought a younger man is attracted to her and maybe, just maybe, she still has romantic adventures in her future. With the support of her friends, she will again feel the thrill of mutual lust! Loading Its this soothing thought that allows her to sleep through Jaclyn having sex with Valentin in another room. NOT TOTALLY RELAXED Rick and Chelsea: Chelsea tries to enjoy herself at the Full Moon party, but unfortunately is that party friend who says things like, Something bad is going to happen and, Im so worried all the time. Chloe attempts to comfort her. Chelsea, just because your boyfriend who hates you is probably murdering an elderly man in Bangkok right now, it is no reason to make a scene.

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Chloe suggests the answer to Chelseas problems is to have group sex with the two brothers. Chelsea contemplates this. Meanwhile, Rick meets up with his colleague Frank (Sam Rockwell!) in Bangkok. Frank orders a chamomile tea at a bar, which Rick considers absolutely insane. Frank has found religion! Hes been sober for almost a year! Rick is bitterly disappointed. Nothing is going the way he wants! Before Frank gives Rick a black bag full of weapons (or chamomile tea?), Frank explains hes also abstinent now  because, after sleeping with about 1000 women, he realised what he really wanted to do was have sex with himself. Rick is like, Cool, may I please have my bag of guns? Loading Before Frank bids Rick farewell, Rick asks if he has any time to do some role play for him. Im guessing its not the kind of role play that Frank is used to. Gaitok: My man, you are not trying hard enough to get that gun back. I know you want to watch Mook dance (how often do you get to go to a Blackpink concert for free?), but you really should be focusing on retrieving that firearm right now. If your boss is like, Gaitok, do you need an antacid? the panic on your face is reading too sore tummy and not enough, Oh god, that American may kill us all. Belinda: Belinda is really trying to impress upon the hotel staff that Gary/Greg isnt asking around about her because he has a crush on her.

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Belinda: He is trying to MURDER me, probably. Fabian: Oh Belinda, let me explain how crushes work sweetie. A great customer service experience, 10/10. Credit: HBO The only person who seems to listen is Pornchai, who also takes the time to guide a lizard out of her bedroom with an umbrella. Belinda finds this deeply erotic and she and Pornchai kiss. Even after she asks, Consent: do you guys do that here? LEAST RELAXED The Ratliff family: When Piper is alone with her parents she says, Hey remember that monastery I stood in front of? Well, it was next to a meditation centre, which I also spent a bit of time standing in front of. And for those reasons, she wants to move to Thailand for a year! Oh, and she was never writing a thesis. [Parker Posey voice] Piper, nooOO! Credit: HBO

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Victoria has several reactions to this. They go as follows: But youre not a Buddhist Youre not from China You want to live in Taiwan? Piper explains yes she is a Buddhist; no, she is not from China; and no, she does not want to live in Taiwan (the country they are having dinner in is Thailand). Victoria, too sober to take in these facts, warns Piper it is probably a sex cult and just because her favourite Buddhist wrote a book, that doesnt make him legit. Lots of bad people write books! (Evidence provided: Charles Manson, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, etc.) Victoria announces she needs to drink herself to sleep to process how insane her daughter is acting, and Tim prays to God to tell him whether he should be alive or not. Its the kind of grief that envelops a whole family, sucking the oxygen out of the whole trip. Just kidding! Saxon and Lochy take ecstasy and kiss each other on a boat. OK, see you next week! Brotherly love <3 Credit: HBO The White Lotus streams each Monday on Binge.
There are schools, and then there are schools. And then there is James Ruse Agricultural High School.

Its former students include doctors, lawyers, at least one self-made billionaire, and a Booker Prize winner.

Matt Dopierala took over as principal of James Ruse Agricultural High School late last year. The school is held up as the jewel in the crown of public education. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers

For 27 years, the selective school reigned at the top of HSC league tables until 2023, when it was dethroned by North Sydney Boys. Now, its new principal, Matt Dopierala, says he is sure Ruse will regain the title. I dont have much doubt at all that thats within reach, he says.

Its definitely a nice-to-have, and its something Im sure is going to happen. I would hope that would happen in the short term rather than the long term.
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 While Sean Kelly may be right that Trump and the teals want to change the system, the teals are not trying to destroy it and their policies have absolutely nothing in common with those of Trump (Trump and teals on common ground, March 17). The two main platforms that distinguish the teals are that they are serious about trying to prevent climate change, and they want to ensure that there is integrity and accountability in politics. As a consequence, they introduce and try to improve legislation and hold the government of the day to account. In response to questions, they often reply by saying that they will consult their electorates and vote accordingly. It would seem that today America would greatly benefit from having a few teals in their Congress. Peter Nash, Fairlight The teals draw their support from constructors, Trump from destroyers, writes reader Chris Noel. Credit: AP An excellent article by Sean Kelly in todays paper. The headline, though, is misleading in saying the teals and Trump have a lot in common  Trumpists and teals have nothing in common  and that becomes clear as Seans article develops. Trump supporters are either the big businesses or billionaires who want to see government destroyed or diminished so they can have less regulation and pay a lot less tax or the disaffected who have lost out over the past 40 years of declining middle class living standards and who have had their anger directed at government through propaganda/ conspiracy media. These latter just want to see government destruction. They almost dont care if this destruction hurts them. In Australia, in contrast, teals garner support because many voters want real change on some key issues and dont believe this will come through the major parties. The teals draw their support from constructors  Trump from destroyers. Chris Noel, Cremorne Point Its not right to use the teals and Trump in the same sentence. The teals aim to address climate change; in fact, its their reason for being. Meanwhile, Trump is reversing progress on climate change. Dutton has more in common with Trump with his nuclear plan  effectively short- to mid-term inertia that will drive electricity prices and temperatures higher. Time to introduce a fit and proper test for politicians to weed out power hungry, ignorant, criminal narcissists. Anne Matheson, Gordon Trump and the teals are fundamentally different. The teals want to remedy social inequality. Trump wants to maintain the rage of the underdogs, the very rage that propelled him into office. He is not trying to remedy social inequality. He knows that tariffs and deporting migrants will not help. He needs his base to maintain their rage; that is why he is imposing tariffs and deporting migrants. The fundamental differences between Trump and the teals are more informative than any superficial similarity. Mark Porter, New Lambton Sean Kellys argument that many Australians, like Trump voters, also want a different system but go about it more responsibly is puzzling. The emergence of the teal group of independents is certainly a direct consequence of the desire for system change, but that was not generated by the major parties. To the contrary, really. Nor are the major parties interested in promoting proportional representation for all lower houses of parliament, though it is a highly desirable and fair reform. Clearly, the Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 2023, a committee always entirely dominated by the major parties, again greatly favours the major parties. The Australian way is, in fact, not reflected in that report. Klaas Woldring, Nambucca Heads

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Ukraine, tariffs and us Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley on Sky News said she believed any peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, which would occur only if a ceasefire was reached, was a matter that was better handled by Europe (Trump tariff an offer he cant refuse, March 17). What a pity the Coalition didnt take a similar approach to the Iraq Coalition of the willing, or the Afghanistan debacle. Steve Bright, North Avoca Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley says any Ukraine peacekeeping mission would be better handled by Europe. Credit: Rhett Wyman The fear that Dutton has a win at all costs attitude to the election may be tempting him to actually encourage the US to impose more tariffs. It is frightening to witness the way he deliberately fails to support Australia in a bipartisan way on international issues. Witness his willingness to make troops to Ukraine an election focus, instead of supporting right over might. Jeremy Baker, Bathurst Putin and Trump are cut from the same cloth (Ukraine allies step up peace planning, March 17). Both are power-hungry tyrants who lust after what doesnt belong to them. Putin is determined to annex Ukraine and has no intention of stopping there. Ukraine can no longer depend on the US, so its up to other freedom-loving countries to help defend Ukraines sovereignty. Albanese offered to contribute to a peacekeeping force without hesitation, but self-serving Dutton wimped out, of course. This is the same Dutton who would have us believe that Albanese is the weak link. Graham Lum, North Rocks Heres a thought for Anthony and Peter. You both believe you will be able to form a government at the May election. Could there ever be a better time to hold a referendum on introducing a four-year term for the federal government? I am certain that almost everyone would agree that a four-year term makes much more sense than the current three years. A dissolution of the Senate could be used to align both houses. What about it, boys? Time to show some maturity and co-operation. Russell Burford, Ballina

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Moore, please Yet again local councils in general, and recently the City of Sydney in particular, are berated in your pages over the alleged contribution they collectively make to the problem of housing affordability by reference simply to the number of new residential buildings that have been approved and the time taken for such applications to be processed (Nimby-esque rant shows lord mayor out of step, March 17). Why not widen the statistical picture of this extremely complex issue by, at least, providing the figures for the number of dwellings for which development applications have actually been made, and, perhaps most importantly, the figures for the number of dwellings that have been approved but have not actually been built? In this way, the NSW government might well come to realise that it also needs to formulate and direct its policies to those who make and implement development applications, rather than only to those agencies that are charged with the seemingly hapless task of processing them. Harvey Sanders, Annandale It was disappointing to read this editorial disparaging Clover Moore. City of Sydney Council has delivered the largest urban renewal project in Australias history  Green Square, adding thousands of new homes. The quality of the planning, street infrastructure, public spaces and recreational facilities is exceptional. This is no accident. Rather, its testament to the team of experienced and capable people Moore leads, a team that has a proven track record of working as effectively with state and federal governments as developer groups. It would be intellectually more honest if the statistics you shared broke down housing approvals by LGA. City of Sydney is one of the highest density LGAs in the country. That it is so well maintained and functional is due to prudent financial management coupled with thoughtful planning guided by engagement with residents. While a central authority to fast track appropriate development may well be necessary for less diligent, more dysfunctional councils, there is no convincing argument that it is better able to deliver for the City of Sydney. Proof of Moore getting it right for her constituents is in the election results. Svetlana Cherepanoff, Alexandria Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore. Credit: James Brickwood Racketeering insults honest workers Its appalling to learn that bikies and criminals receive up to $11,000 a week on Victorias Big Build for no actual work (Taxpayer projects a gangland honeypot, March 17). I taught in the Victorian governments adult education sector. With three university qualifications, including MEd, my salary was a small fraction of that, and the working week often involved 60 hours or more. Although I loved my job and believe it was well worth doing, its impossible not to feel the Victorian government has treated people doing such essential work on modest wages as mugs, especially relative to the blokes with the Midas set-up shown on 60 Minutes. The abuse of women was absolutely disgraceful. Barbara Chapman, South Yarra (Vic)

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Smart subs switch Even though Australia has ordered and will pay for AUKUS submarines, we can use them only at the discretion of the US president. If he decides that America needs them to maintain their defence capability at any time, the subs will not be handed over for our use. Cancelling the AUKUS deal, as many readers have suggested (Postscript, March 15) would be a very expensive option. Instead, the money could be diverted to Australia developing a fleet of Ghost Shark and Manta Ray remote-controlled modular undersea autonomous vehicles, designed and built in co-operation with the US. Theyre much cheaper, more flexible and dont require 150 sailors on board. Our North-West Cape facility is one of the most sophisticated underwater communications centres in the world, and we would be able to control our underwater drones from there. All up, a major rethink and a new direction is required in our defence spending. Bill Johnstone, Blackheath AUKUS schmaukus! By the time we receive a submarine, advances in AI, satellite technology and submarine drones will have rendered them redundant. Better to spend the billions on research and development of smart weaponry than provide cannon fodder for the untrustworthy, unfriendly US. John Grinter, Katoomba Problem of scale Sadly, the new Sydney Fish Markets shemozzle continues (Delays, rising costs prompt fish market bailout call, March 17). Construction of the roof appears to have been uneconomic for the subcontractor, and increased cleaning, insurance and operational costs are raising audit concerns for the whole project. It is cold comfort now, but what a pity that the original design did not mandate solar panels on the roof rather than a faux fish-scale effect. The 8000 square metre surface area of the roof has uninterrupted north-facing sunlight access and the photovoltaic energy generated during the day, with some large storage batteries, would have helped reduce the long-term running costs of the new building, if and when it is completed. Evan Bailey, Glebe The company tasked fabricating the new fish markets roof has entered voluntary administration. Credit: Multiplex I work directly across the road from where the new Sydney Fish Markets has been under construction for many years. Apart from the project sending the roof builder broke, Id also like to know what work experience kiddie suggested a massive glass-sided edifice that faces west would the perfect place to sell fish, especially during summer months. Earl White, Rosehill

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Dollar for scholar As private school scholarships continue to take the cream of students for their own purposes (orchestras, sporting and academic), it continues to erode our public schools and diminish their expertise (Scholarships a leg -up for families choosing private education March 17). Questions need to be asked as to where funding is coming from to enable this continual erosion of our educational system and of our public schools. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Where is the worth? Our society has lost what is a fair and right value according to ones work. A stark example of this is our state psychiatrists, who earn about $200,000 a year  not a huge wage these days. Nurses, who now require a university degree, earn less than policemen and firemen. School teachers and scientists with PhDs earn vastly less than tradesmen. Those in the financial industry are by far the highest earners, yet produce nothing of value for society, many retiring with tens of millions of dollars of wealth. Its the same with CEOs, whose work is never life-saving, yet they walk away with millions even when they have bankrupted the company. Their wages are societal theft. Tradesmen, who are now all contractors, ensure they earn at least $1000 a day after costs. Our civilisation grew on the backs of scientists, teachers and all things medical. Unless value for work is equated with education and fairness, our society will never adequately prosper. Tony Lewis, Mount Victoria All bloomed out I would be very happy not to watch another series of The White Lotus (A dash of full-frontal nudity, a gun appears and a very fun boat trip, March 17). I speak with authority in this matter as I watched every episode of the first two seasons (plausible deniability: my wife wanted to watch it). As far as I can tell, the show is simply a vehicle to parade a bunch of over-stylised narcissists (usually Americans) in an apparent effort to add to overtourism and the worlds ever-increasing number of Instagram hashtags. One star from me. #wifewatchingnextseriesonherown Mark Beacom, West Pennant Hills A still from The White Lotus. Credit: HBO

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Thanks for joining us today for our live coverage of news in Brisbane. If youre just catching up, here are a few of the stories that have made headlines today.

The LNP has quietly commissioned polling canvassing Queenslanders on their support for a new Olympic stadium at Victoria Park.

Police have located and recovered the body of a 23-year-old man who fell into the Brisbane River on the weekend.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers (right) has his address interrupted by a protester at the Queensland Media Club lunch. Credit: AAPIMAGE

Two protesters have crashed the stage at an address given by Treasurer Jim Chalmers at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

A jury has been unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the trial of a man accused of murder after a young Queensland woman was fatally stabbed on an isolated beach.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner is hopeful another advertising blitz will attract enough tourists to support the businesses forced to close during the recent cyclone and floods.

Star chef Shane Delias first Brisbane eatery will be influenced by the cuisines trade routes and backed by 140 wines plus a Single Bottle Club reserve list.

Detectives have launched an investigation after a mans body was found at a scaffolding business in Logan.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is considering an election pledge to hold a referendum next term on deporting criminal dual nationals.

And elsewhere, a ceasefire in Russias bloody three-year war in Ukraine hinges on Moscow accepting the US proposal of a 30-day pause in fighting as a confidence-building measure for both sides to hammer out a longer-term peace plan.
Staff at a struggling national chain of childcare centres have been warned of an uncertain and challenging future after the company was taken over by administrators.

Genius Learning  the company behind the Genius brand that runs seven centres in and around Melbourne and which was planning to open eight more  was being pursued through the courts for multimillion-dollar debts owed to landlords, the Tax Office and Victorias State Revenue Office. The wider national group also owns centres in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT.

Darren Misquitta, director of Genius childcare.

The move into administration comes after centres around Melbourne and interstate closed their doors either temporarily or permanently in recent weeks, with staff complaining they had been forced to turn to food banks for meals after their wages went unpaid.

Parents of children enrolled at the centres told The Age they had been unable to go to their own jobs as centres closed with less than a days notice.
The recruitment firm at the centre of a furore over the management of Western Australias election claims a letter penned by the states political parties to Premier Roger Cook demanding an inquiry is riddled with inaccuracies.

Nationals WA leader Shane Love and WA Liberals leader Libby Mettam are among the signatories to the open letter calling on Cook to probe issues with the election on March 8.

The execution of the WA election has come under fire. Credit: WA Electoral Commission

Singapore-headquartered firm PersolKelly, which was awarded an $86 million contract to recruit, train and manage 7000 election staff for the 2025 election, has come under fire amid reports of ballot paper shortages, poorly trained staff and voters receiving incorrect advice.

According to the open letter, the parties also claim to have received reports that party-appointed scrutineers were drafted to assist in the count.
A new police investigation codenamed Operation Hawk will be immediately established to probe shocking and unacceptable allegations of criminal activity at taxpayer-funded construction sites, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced on Monday.

Within hours of the announcement, Victoria Police confirmed that Operation Hawk was not new and had been running for the previous nine months, after this masthead exposed the infiltration of the CFMEU construction union by organised crime figures.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan making the announcement on Monday. Credit: Penny Stephens

Allan said police made the decision after she met acting Commissioner Rick Nugent on Monday morning to discuss the latest revelations, which aired the previous night in a joint investigation by this masthead and 60 Minutes.

What we saw last night, with further revelations and information, was again shocking and completely unacceptable, which is why this morning I met with the acting Chief Commissioner of Police, and it is why I support the actions that the Victoria Police are taking to immediately establish Operation Hawk, Allan said.
New York: For more than 80 years, Voice of America transmitted the news into countries, many of them authoritarian, where reliable sources of information about the outside world were often hard to come by.

Now those broadcasts, long viewed as an important part of US efforts to promote democracy and transparency overseas, are flickering out.

Inside the Voice of America studio in Washington. Credit: Jason Andrew/The New York Times

Hours after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday (US time) calling for the dismantling of the federal agency that oversees Voice of America, hundreds of journalists, executives and other employees at the organisations headquarters in Washington were informed that they were being put on paid leave. Employees said they quickly lost access to their work email and other communications programs.

Voice of America began broadcasting in 1942, part of a federal effort during World War II to combat Nazi propaganda in Latin America and elsewhere. During the Cold War, its shortwave radio broadcasts behind the Iron Curtain were part of the US governments campaign to counter communism and foster freedom. At least until this weekend, Voice of America transmitted reports in some 63 languages and reached some 420 million listeners in more than 100 countries every week, including China and Iran, whose governments impose strict controls on outside news sources.
A columnist who has worked at The Washington Post for four decades resigned on Monday after she said the newspaper's management decided not to run her commentary critical of owner Jeff Bezos' new editorial policy.

"It breaks my heart to conclude that I must leave," Ruth Marcus, who has worked at the newspaper since 1984, wrote in a resignation letter.

Her exit is the latest fallout from the billionaire owner's directive that the Post narrow the topics covered by its opinion section to personal liberties and the free market. The newspaper's opinions editor, David Shipley, had already resigned because of the shift.

The storied newspaper has been in a free fall, financially and editorially, over the past year. Marcus, who worked in the news and opinion departments during her career, is "the bedrock of The Washington Post, embodying the history of the place as well as the talent and accomplishments of its journalists," said Paul Farhi, a former media reporter there.

Marcus said that the Post's publisher, Will Lewis, declined to run her column, which she described as "respectfully dissenting" from Bezos' edict. It was the first time in nearly 20 years of writing columns that she's had one killed, she said.

The decision "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 wrote. Her resignation letter was first reported by The New York Times.

A Post spokesperson said Monday that "we're grateful for Ruth's significant contributions to The Washington Post over the past 40 years. We respect her decision to leave and wish her the best."

Is it unusual for a publisher to strike down a news column?

While Bezos and Lewis have the right to make such decisions  they're the bosses  "that has not been the tradition," Farhi said. He likened it to how the Justice Department, while technically under White House control, has generally operated independently. Editorial writers and columnists, paid to give their opinions, usually decide what to write, he said.

The danger is that a decision by the publisher not to allow a column to go forward can make readers question whether the viewpoints of writers are truly their own, he said. Worse yet, it could taint the news department, which by most accounts is aggressively covering the new administration.

Shortly after the editorial page decision was announced nearly two weeks ago, another Post story on the issue, by media columnist Erik Wemple, was scrapped, according to the Gene Pool, a blog written by former Post writer Gene Weingarten. Wemple declined comment on Monday.

In January, editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned after her work depicting Bezos and other billionaires genuflecting before a statue of President Donald Trump was rejected, a decision Shipley explained at the time was because it was repetitive of other opinion pieces.

Under executive editor Matt Murray, the Post has also said it would refrain from having its journalists write about issues involving the newspaper, a decision Wemple said in a chat with readers in January that "I couldn't possibly dissent (from) more strongly."

The Post's opinion section on Monday included an editorial opposing Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit against firearms manufacturers, a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Columnists Max Boot wrote about Trump and Russia, Perry Bacon Jr. about Democratic resistance to Trump centering in the states, Phillip Bump on whether Trump would pay a political price for unpopular policies and Jim Geraghty about violence in Syria.

Post has seen an exodus of prominent journalists

The Post, which made money during the first Trump administration, has been losing money in recent years and its internal strife largely began last June, when Sally Buzbee resigned as executive editor rather than accept a newsroom reorganization. Several prominent Post journalists  among them Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, Philip Rucker, Matea Gold, Jackie Alemany, Michael Scherer and Will Sommer  have left for other jobs.

Bezos' decision last fall that the Post would not endorse a presidential candidate  after the editorial staff had prepared to support Democrat Kamala Harris  led to an exodus of subscribers that the newspaper is fighting to recover from.

Marty Baron, the Post's executive editor when Bezos bought the paper in 2013, wrote last week in the Atlantic that Bezos "handled his ownership admirably for more than a decade. But his courage failed him when he needed it the most."

Marcus' resignation on Monday overshadowed a newsroom reorganization plan introduced by Murray, including separating workflows for the Post's digital and print products.

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Minister Arrindell attends 116th EU-OCT Tripartite Meeting in Brussels. Funding available for Orange Economy and Cultural Heritage

THE NETHERLANDS (THE HAGUE)  Minister Plenipotentiary Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell attended the 116th European Union (EU) Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) tripartite meeting in Brussels to discuss a number of programs and funding initiatives that would strengthen OCTs and help establish the Orange Economy and Cultural Heritage that would benefit the diversification of one pillar economies.

Tripartite meetings is platforms where participants focus on programming and implementation of cooperation programmes, current affairs, and other issues of mutual interest. These meetings take place at least four times a year, which ensures continuous, year-round dialogue on issues of shared concern.

Sint Maarten must fully make use of the opportunities that exist with various EU programs that are beneficial to our country. OCTs also have several key trade reporting obligations. Our cabinet acts as a key facilitator in this process working with relevant departments within government to encourage timely submission of required information.

Goods manufactured within OCTs have duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market of more than 500 million people. Sint Maartens share in total EU-OCT trade reportedly is approximately three per cent. There is a digital platform Access2Markets which was created by the European Commission (EC) Directorate General Trade in 2020 to support companies trading with the EU.

The digital platform includes tools for companies interested in doing business with the EU. The EC organizes three webinars annually and businesses within OCTs are welcome to join where they learn about ways and means to have their products enter the EU market, Minister Plenipotentiary Gracita Arrindell pointed out.

Moreover, the EU through OCTA (Overseas, Countries and Territories Association) is providing a training to build capacity within OCTs and increase their ability to participate in EU horizontal programs. There are already nine participants from Sint Maarten who have registered for a training program which starts this April.

Additionally, during the tripartite meeting, the EU shared their plan to create a new OCT-EU Culture Program that forms part of the EUs Global Gateway. The program totaling two million Euros in grant funding is expected to be made available for OCTs in the second half of 2025.

OCTs associated with the EU, while not sovereign countries, have wide- ranging autonomy covering areas such as economic affairs, employment markets, public health, home affairs and customs, defense and foreign affairs usually remain within the remit of the Member States.

Member States with which they maintain special links are Denmark, France and the Netherlands.

The OCTs are Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antartic lands, Greenland, New Caledonia, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna.
PHILIPSBURG:--- As we pause to reflect on the events of the past five years, we find ourselves remembering that significant moment when the first official COVID-19 case was reported on Sint Maarten. Today, as the Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, I want to take this opportunity to honor the tireless dedication and resilience demonstrated by the people of our island during this challenging time.

First, let us acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of our VSA personnel. These men and women have worked around the clock, sacrificing their personal time and comfort to ensure that our healthcare system can withstand the pressures brought on by the pandemic. Their commitment to public health and safety has been nothing short of heroic, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

Furthermore, we must recognize the countless foundations, businesses, and professionals who stepped up to assist Sint Maarten when we needed it the most. Whether through donations of medical supplies, financial support, or offering their services to keep essential businesses running, their contributions were crucial in helping our island navigate through the storm of uncertainty and fear that COVID-19 brought into our lives. One of the most profound lessons it has taught us is to respect and value professions that we often take for granted, particularly the role of cleaners.

Volunteers also played a vital role; their selfless acts of kindness and support provided a beacon of hope during dark times. Whether they were delivering groceries to the vulnerable, checking in on the elderly, or supporting our healthcare workers, these volunteers proved that even the smallest actions can have a big impact.

As we reflect on the pandemic's impact, we also need to consider the lasting effects it has had on our mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic was not just a physical illness but an emotional and psychological one as well. The trauma and stress of those difficult months linger in the hearts and minds of many. Therefore, I want to express my deepest appreciation for the mental health professionals who continue to work diligently to help individuals cope with these challenges. Their work is essential in our ongoing recovery, helping to heal the invisible scars left by the pandemic.

To everyone who played a part in navigating Sint Maarten through these unprecedented times, I extend my sincerest thanks. Let us honor their efforts by continuing to support one another as we move forward, stronger and more unified than ever before.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People's Party (UPP), Honorable Omar E.C. Ottley, has voiced concerns about an increasing disconnect among the governing coalition members, preventing them from bringing forward the Governing program.

Despite promises made by the Mercelina II Cabinet to complete the Governing Program within three months of taking officeoriginally setting a deadline for the week of February 28ththe deadline was extended to last week. However, to date, MPs nor the public has yet to receive any clear direction from the government.

"The governing program serves as the strategic blueprint for the Coalition, outlining key policies, development plans, and priority projects. The prolonged delay raises questions about whether internal disagreements hinder its completion."

One of the most contentious issues within the Coalition is the regulation of lotteries and casinos. According to MP Ottley, some coalition members have openly advocated shutting down gambling establishments altogether, while others have issued new licenses. This stark contrast in policy approaches has caused unease within the Coalition, particularly regarding how these licenses were granted and the apparent increase in casinos, which has displeased certain coalition partners.

Another significant point of contention is the debate over implementing a national healthcare program. MP Ottley notes that members of the Coalition have taken fundamentally opposite stances on this issue. While some strongly support establishing a national healthcare system, others vehemently oppose it. This lack of consensus on such a critical matter raises concerns about whether the government can effectively execute long-term healthcare policies that benefit the people of St. Maarten.

MP Ottley underscores that the continued postponement of the governing program raises an essential question: "Does this delay indicate deeper fractures within the Coalition that prevent a unified vision for St. Maarten's future?"

MP Ottley urges the government to address these internal differences and ensure that the governing program is presented to Parliament without further delay. He remains committed to holding the government accountable and ensuring that the people of St. Maarten receive clear and decisive leadership.
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, commemorates five years since recording its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 17, 2020.



CPS takes this opportunity to remember those who we lost and at the same time to pay tribute to frontline healthcare workers and other all sectors of society that rallied together to keep our community safe during the pandemic and vaccination campaign.



Reflecting on this time, CPS Department Head Eva Lista-de Weever shared, The past five years, which were unprecedented for Sint Maarten tested our healthcare and public health infrastructure, economy and way of life. In an instant the world stopped, masks and distancing became the norm, and CPS was thrusted to the forefront to lead our community through many unknowns. While there were many periods of uncertainty, I choose to remember that despite the very long days and sacrifices made, the sense of community, partnership and determination remained strong.



Since the pandemic, the department continues to advocate for investing in public health infrastructure which includes strengthening disease surveillance and emergency response and increasing the capacity of the public health workforce.



CPS also recognizes the importance of partnerships locally, regionally, and internationally. By maintaining strong relationships with health agencies will help to ensure that Sint Maarten remains better equipped to prepare and respond to future health crises.



While life has returned to pre-COVID normalcy, at the same time, families who have lost loved ones carry grief in their hearts.



CPS would like to thank the community for the partnership and trust placed in the department to safeguard the health and well-being of our community. Your health remains our priority.



A Look Back at COVID-19 on Sint Maarten:



 CPS first announced on January 24, 2020, that it was closely monitoring a new flu respiratory virus Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Asia. At that time the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) said there were no confirmed cases or reports of the illness in the Caribbean region.



 The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on January 30, 2020, that Coronavirus 2019-nCoV is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).



 On January 31, 2020, Ministry VSA decided to list the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov) category A under the Public Health Ordinance (Landsverordening publieke gezondheid) of Sint Maarten. This was done to put necessary public health, surveillance and safety measures in place if cases would be detected on island.



 Throughout the month of February 2020, the Ministry VSA continued to make national and response preparations that are in line with International Health Regulations (IHR) and local health sector regulations (Public Health Ordinance of Sint Maarten) and protocols to prepare for COVID-19.



 On March 1, 2020, the Prime Minister activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in connection with two confirmed cases of the coronavirus COVID-19 on French Saint Martin.



 On March 17, 2020, all international flights and cruises were banned for a two-week period, the first travel restrictions that would later lead to business closures as of March 23, 2020.



 The Prime Minister also announced on March 23, 2020, two positive cases of COVID-19 in the country who were mandatory in self-isolation at home and were recovering. The first confirmed positive case travelled via the UK and Florida to the island and the second was a student returning from New York.



 On March 27, 2020, special measures in extraordinary circumstances to restrict movement were implemented where the populace was told to stay at home. Strict measures were put in place where those who wanted to cross the border on either side of the island were required to present a travel document.



 By the end of March 2020, two people had succumbed to the COVID-19 disease.



 In May 2020, the Government unveiled its Prevention and Safety Plan that would allow the business community to reopen under a four-phased plan after being in lockdown for several weeks. The EOC was de-activated as of May 29, 2020, and phase three for the reopening of the country got underway.



 By mid-June 2020, the country was no longer under a state of emergency or curfew.



 February 22, 2021, the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered to Nurse Claudette Rijff of the White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation. This marked a significant milestone in the pandemic, provided for free to the community.



COVID-19 is now one of the diseases routinely monitored on island by CPS. The department continues to execute health promotion and awareness, disease surveillance and vaccination programs.





The community is encouraged to stay up to date on local public health issues by monitoring CPS Facebook page (Collective Prevention Services). For any health information, the community can contact CPS at 914.



COVID-19 was a once in 100-year pandemic, and public health officials are well aware that there will be a next time. This pandemic brought scientists and medical experts from around the world together to learn how to treat the disease and its side effects.



The pandemic has taken a terrible toll on families and communities, and a heavy toll on mental health. At the same time, it has demonstrated our resilience as a community which got us through this very difficult period.



The pandemic has taught us to chart a clear path forward to deal with future pandemics in a collective manner and as a community. Thank you, Sint Maarten, for your resilience and as we pay homage to those who lost their lives.



The WHO announced an end to the pandemic in May 2023 as a public health emergency of international concern.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) is pleased to announce the successful completion of specialized training for the "Officier van Dienst Recherche" (OVD-R) position. The comprehensive training program was conducted at the police headquarters in Philipsburg under the guidance of instructors from the Netherlands Police Academy.

Several senior detectives from KPSM participated in this professional development opportunity, enhancing their investigative leadership capabilities critical to maintaining public safety and effectively managing criminal investigations on Sint Maarten. Throughout the week, additional detectives were also given insight into the exact responsibilities of the OVD-R, broadening their understanding of the role.

The training included participation from detectives representing all Dutch Caribbean islands, fostering stronger regional collaboration and knowledge-sharing among law enforcement agencies.

The OVD-R (Duty Officer for Investigations) plays a vital role within the police organization by coordinating criminal investigations and ensuring the quality of investigative procedures. Their responsibilities include:

 Leading investigative responses to serious crimes such as homicide, drug-related offenses, and organized crime.

 Assessing whether cases should be transferred from basic police teams to specialized investigative departments.

 Coordinating forensic investigations and securing evidence at crime scenes.

 Making decisions regarding suspect arrests and search operations.

 Maintaining communication with the Public Prosecution Service regarding investigation progress.

This role collaborates closely with the OVD-P (Duty Officer for Police), who focuses on immediate policing and law enforcement. While the OVD-P manages tactical police deployment and initial incident response, the OVD-R ensures proper investigation procedures are followed and evidence is properly secured.

"This training represents our commitment to professional development and enhancing our investigative capabilities," said [QUOTE FROM POLICE SPOKESPERSON/CHIEF]. "By strengthening the skills of our officers in the OVD-R role, we improve our ability to conduct thorough investigations and better serve the Sint Maarten community."

The specialized training is part of KPSM's ongoing efforts to develop local expertise and strengthen cooperation with regional and international law enforcement partners.

KPSM extends its sincere gratitude to the instructors from the Netherlands Police Academy, namely, C. van ES, E. VAHRMEIJER, R. BRANS-BRABAND., P. TROOSTER for their invaluable contribution. Their expertise and dedication have played a crucial role in upgrading the skills of KPSM personnel not only in Sint Maarten but across various Caribbean police forces.

KPSM Press Release.
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, supports the call of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for early screening for detection and management of diabetes and hypertension as an important part of preventing kidney disease.



CPS would like to commend the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) for their public awareness campaign about kidney disease.



According to CARPHA, in 2019 kidney diseases were the fifth leading cause of death in the Non-Latin Caribbean region, adding that the three leading risk factors for kidney disease globally are being overweight/obese, hypertension and diabetes.



Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director, CARPHA, stated that kidney diseases have remained a significant concern for the Region and shared some alarming data on the impact of this chronic health challenge.



When reviewing 2019 data for countries in the region of the Americas, with the highest death rate due to kidney disease, two CARPHA Member States ranked in the top 10 of this list and nine Member States ranked in the top 20.



Coupled to the high regional prevalence of the three main risk factors for kidney diseases, that is, overweight/obesity (53.2 %), hypertension (23%) and diabetes (11.9%), it signals an urgent need for focused and effective interventions to reduce this burden in the Caribbean.



Detecting kidney disease early is essential for preventing complications and improving quality of life in the

Region.



Tests that can be helpful in early detection include monitoring blood pressure, BMI (as a marker of weight), HbA1c (as a marker of blood glucose control) and other specific blood and urine tests that assess kidney function.



Based on national surveys that have been conducted over the past several years, CPS has observed the growing trend with diabetes in the country.



CPS points out that the Diabetes Foundation St. Maarten (DFS) carries out free public information/testing sessions outside the various supermarkets.



CPS continues to partner annually with the DFS to educate and promote the community about the importance of their numbers- namely, glucose, blood pressure and BMI (Body, Mass, Index).



CPS calls on residents to make use of these DFS sessions besides checking with their family physician for potential risk factors.



CARPHA launched the Diabetes Guidelines and the Nutritional Management Toolkit for the Caribbean in the fight against diabetes, as well as a Regional Framework for the Reduction of Sodium in Caribbean populations (CESA), to target the high prevalence of hypertension.



Initiatives such as the Caribbean Moves Framework also seek to tackle these and other risk factors such as obesity/overweight.



CPS calls on residents to check out the following link: https://www.carpha.org/What-We-Do/NCD/Integrated-Disease-Management/Diabetes-Nutritional-Management-Toolkit where you will find clinical guidelines presented in five+ modules.



As part of the departments research agenda, CPS participated in a research study with Aruba to better understand the food preparation practices locally and advocated for salt reduction. The department led a health campaign less salt, more health which focused on alternatives to salt.



CPS continues to profile and provide awareness throughout the year via its Health Observances Calendar (HOC) the aforementioned public health issues which complements CARPHAs programs and toolkit.
Iran says Trump letter mirrors his statements



Tehran, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Iran said on Monday that a letter it received from US President Donald Trump, who has called for striking a nuclear deal with the Islamic republic, echoed his public statements.

"The content of the letter is not far removed from Trump's public statements and repeats the same talking points," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference in Tehran.

"Our response will be provided through the appropriate channels once the assessment is complete," he added.

The letter -- which Trump said was addressed to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- was delivered to Tehran last Wednesday by senior United Arab Emirates diplomat Anwar Gargash.

On the same day, Khamenei effectively ruled out holding talks with the United States.

He said the proposed negotiations "will not lift sanctions" but will instead "make the sanctions knot tighter".

Trump, who returned to the White House for a second term in January, has reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy of sanctions against Iran, mirroring his approach during his first term.

The US approach is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring an atomic bomb -- something the Islamic republic denies it wants.
Iran says official to meet UN nuclear chief on Monday



Tehran, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, will meet UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi at the agency's headquarters in Vienna on Monday, the foreign ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency was "part of our ongoing engagement with the agency".

The meeting in the Austrian capital comes after Gharibabadi took part in talks with his Russian and Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Friday.

"As threats against Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities have increased, it is natural for us to intensify consultations with the IAEA," Baqaei said.

On March 7, US President Donald Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging new talks on the country's nuclear programme but warning of possible military action if it refuses.

For decades, Western countries led by the United States have suspected Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran rejects these claims, insisting its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, including energy production.

In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany to limit its nuclear activities.

Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.

In recent months, Iran has held several rounds of talks with Britain, France and Germany in a bid to revive the agreement, which had lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.
Israel military says Gaza air strikes hit militants trying to plant explosives



Jerusalem, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



The Israeli military said it launched air strikes in central and southern Gaza on Monday targeting militants attempting to plant explosives near Israeli forces stationed in the territory.

According to the military, one strike hit three militants in central Gaza as they were planting explosives, while another targeted several militants in Rafah, in southern Gaza.

The military has carried out near-daily strikes in Gaza, though a fragile ceasefire that took effect on January 19 has largely held, with Israel and Hamas refraining from returning to all-out war.

On Saturday, strikes in north Gaza's Beit Lahia city killed nine people, including four Palestinian journalists, the territory's civil defence agency said, in the deadliest attack on a single site since January 19.

Hamas condemned Saturday's attack as "a blatant violation of the ceasefire".

The Israeli military said it hit "a terrorist cell", adding that militants were operating a drone intended to carry out "terrorist attacks" against its troops.
Israel army says two Hezbollah militants hit in south Lebanon air strike



Jerusalem, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



The Israeli military said it carried out an air strike in southern Lebanon on Monday targeting two Hezbollah militants, with Lebanese health authorities reporting one person killed and three wounded.

It was the latest in a series of deadly strikes in the area despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in November after more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

"A short while ago, two Hezbollah terrorists who served as observation operatives and directed terrorist activities were struck by the IDF (military) in the area of Yohmor in southern Lebanon," the army said in a statement.

The Lebanese health ministry's emergency unit said the "Israeli air strike on a van in the village of Yohmor... led to one death", according to the official National News Agency (NNA), adding that three other people were wounded.

The agency reported that an Israeli drone had targeted a motorcycle with two riders, but a passing van was also hit by shrapnel, and "fires erupted in it" and a nearby shop.

The attack came a day after NNA and the health ministry reported four deaths in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that the military had targeted the south Lebanon town of Ainata after "a stray bullet from a Hezbollah operative's funeral" hit the windshield of a vehicle in the northern Israeli community of Avivim.

"We will not allow shooting from Lebanese territory toward northern communities -- we will respond strongly to any violation of the ceasefire," Katz said.

Israel's military also said "a gunshot hit a parked vehicle in the area of Avivim. No injuries were reported. The shot most likely originated from Lebanese territory."

NNA cited the health ministry as saying that the strike on Ainata "led to the death of two people", after reporting earlier fatalities in Israeli strikes on Mais al-Jabal and Bint Jbeil, also in south Lebanon.

The November 27 truce largely halted the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, which included two months of open war in which Israel sent in ground troops.

But Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory since the agreement took effect.

Under the agreement, Israel had been expected to withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops at five locations it deems "strategic".

The ceasefire also required Hezbollah to pull back north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, and to dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
Greece to invest $28 billion in defence by 2036: govt sources



Athens, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Greece, a member of NATO, is to invest around 26 billion euros ($28 billion) by 2036 in modernising its military capabilities, a defence ministry source said Monday.

Conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due to unveil to parliament on April 2 the details of the sweeping 11-year plan to reform the armed forces.

"In all, the country's new armement programme provides for an average expenditure of 2.16 billion euros per year. That totals nearly 26 billion euros between now and 2036," the source told AFP.

The planned reforms were outlined in November by Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, who said Greece needed to modernise so it could cope with the defence challenges of the 21st century.

Central to the programme is a multi-pronged air defence system dubbed Achilles Shield, which integrates anti-missile, anti-drone and anti-aircraft technology.

Greek media reports have said the government is in talks with Israel to acquire multiple rocket launch systems for this purpose.

The programme also includes the purchase of 20 F-35 fighter jets.

An agreement has already been signed for the aircraft, which are due to be delivered in 2030.

Greece is one of only four NATO countries to devote more than 3.0 percent of its gross domestic product to defence spending, a strategy triggered largely by long-standing tensions with neighbouring Turkey.

Within the military alliance, only Poland, Estonia and Latvia spend more on defence than Greece.

France, Germany and Poland also announced recently they want to strengthen their armed forces and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said the 27-member European Union should significantly increase spending on weaponry.

Athens has earmarked 6.13 billion euros for defence this year, largely to pay for deliveries of equipment. This is nearly double last year's budget of 3.6 billion.
Iran says 'committed' to cooperating with UN nuclear watchdog



Tehran, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Monday that his country was "committed" to cooperating with the UN's nuclear agency after meeting with its chief, Rafael Grossi.

Gharibabadi said in a post on X that the talks in Vienna with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had been "frank and constructive".

"While safeguarding its national security and interests, Iran remains committed to cooperating with the IAEA within the framework of its safeguards' obligation," he said, referring to agency protocols aimed at deterring the spread of nuclear weapons.

He also said, without elaborating, that Iran hoped cooperation with the IAEA would help "to resolve the few remaining differences -- provided that external political pressures on the Agency are eliminated".

In a post of his own, Grossi said cooperation was "indispensable to provide credible guarantees of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program".

Earlier Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting was a "part of our ongoing engagement with the agency".

The discussions in the Austrian capital come after Gharibabadi took part in talks with his Russian and Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Friday regarding Iran's nuclear programme.

After sitting down with Grossi, Gharibabadi met with local Chinese and Russian representatives in Vienna, according to another post on X.

He said the parties discussed "closer and greater coordination and cooperation on issues of interest", particularly regarding the IAEA and "related developments".



- New consultations -



Baqaei said Monday that "as threats against Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities have increased, it is natural for us to intensify consultations with the IAEA".

On March 7, US President Donald Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging new talks on the country's nuclear programme, but warning of possible military action if it refused.

Iran has confirmed receiving the letter, with Baqaei saying Monday it would respond "once the assessment is complete".

For decades, Western countries led by the United States have suspected Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran rejects these claims, insisting its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, including energy production.

In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany to limit its nuclear activities.

But Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.

Tehran remained committed to its obligations under the deal for a year but then started to roll back from them, increasing uranium enrichment levels up to 60 percent.

The levels are much closer to the 90 percent threshold required to develop a nuclear bomb, and far above Iran's enrichment cap of 3.67 percent under the deal.

In recent months, Iran has held several rounds of talks with Britain, France and Germany in a bid to revive the agreement, which had lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.

mz-ap-rkh/smw
S.Sudan carries out air strikes against rebels



Juba, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



South Sudan said on Monday it had carried out air strikes against rebels in the northwest of the country as hostilities escalated.

Clashes in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar have threatened to undermine their fragile peace-sharing agreement.

"Our air force bombarded Nasir this morning," information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told a press conference.

A county commissioner told local media that more than 20 people, including children, were killed.

Lueth said the strikes were part of "security operations", adding: "If you as a civilian happen to be there... then there is nothing we can do".

The fighting threatens a 2018 peace deal between Kiir and Machar, who fought a five-year civil war that killed some 400,000 people.

Kiir's allies have accused Machar's forces of fomenting unrest in Nasir County in league with the White Army, a loose band of armed youths from the vice-president's Nuer ethnic community.

Tensions spiked earlier this month when an estimated 6,000 White Army combatants overran a military encampment in Nasir.

An attempted rescue attempt by the United Nations led to the death of a UN helicopter pilot and senior South Sudanese general.

Lueth also confirmed the presence of Ugandan forces in Juba on a "military pact", a week after denying their deployment to South Sudan.

Last week Ugandan army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba said Ugandan special forces "entered Juba to secure it".

The rising unrest has sparked international concern, with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warning the country was seeing an "alarming regression" that threatened to undo years of progress.
US military to end treatment for people seeking gender change



Washington, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



The US Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday it will phase out treatment for gender dysmorphia, acting on President Donald Trump's campaign against trans people.

The government department assigned to helping current and former American soldiers said any money saved with this change will go towards helping paralyzed veterans and amputees regain their independence.

As part of his blitz of executive orders touching on just about every aspect of life in America since taking office, Trump has decreed the government will only recognize two sexes and ordered that trans people be barred from the military.

Veterans Affairs said in a statement Monday that starting now it will no longer offer cross-sex hormone therapy, except to people who are already receiving it from the VA.

"I mean no disrespect to anyone, but VA should not be focused on helping Veterans attempt to change their sex," said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

He said trans-identified veterans will always get the benefits they are entitled to under the law. "But if Veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime," Collins said.

The VA said its doctors have never carried out sex change surgery but for more than a decade provided treatment for gender dysmorphia, the condition resulting from a disconnect between a person's gender identity and their assigned birth gender.

The VA said it has not kept reliable records on the number of veterans who received such treatment or the amount of money spent on it.

But it estimates that less than one tenth of one percent of the 9.1 million veterans enrolled in VA health care are trans-identified.

Trump repeatedly took aim at trans people during the 2024 election campaign and signed an executive order in January stating they were unfit for military service, while the Pentagon has said it will remove transgender troops from the armed forces and prevent others from joining.

The ban has been challenged in court, but unless a judge issues an injunction soon, thousands of transgender military personnel may be just weeks away from the start of proceedings to force them to cut short their careers.
S.Sudan carries out air strikes against rebels



Juba, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



South Sudan said on Monday it had carried out air strikes against rebels in the northwest of the country as hostilities escalated.

Clashes in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar have threatened to undermine their fragile peace-sharing agreement.

"Our air force bombarded Nasir," information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told a press conference.

James Gatluak, the commissioner of Nasir County, estimated that 20 people were killed in the Sunday night attack. He claimed the airstrike was "directed to civilians".

Among the dead were "three children under five, two women, 14 teenage boys, and a sub-chief".

"One is currently in critical condition," Gatluak told AFP, calling on the South Sudanese government to embrace dialogue "instead of waging war against civilians".

Lueth said the strikes were part of "security operations", adding: "If you as a civilian happen to be there... then there is nothing we can do."

The fighting threatens a 2018 peace deal between Kiir and Machar, who fought a five-year civil war that killed some 400,000 people.

Kiir's allies have accused Machar's forces of fomenting unrest in Nasir County in league with the White Army, a loose band of armed youths from the vice-president's Nuer ethnic community.

Tensions spiked earlier this month when an estimated 6,000 White Army combatants overran a military encampment in Nasir.

An attempted rescue attempt by the United Nations led to the death of a UN helicopter pilot and senior South Sudanese general.

Lueth also confirmed the presence of Ugandan forces in Juba on a "military pact", a week after denying their deployment to South Sudan.

Last week Ugandan army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba said Ugandan special forces "entered Juba to secure it".

The rising unrest has sparked international concern, with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warning the country was seeing an "alarming regression" that threatened to undo years of progress.
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Israel strikes southern Syria: state media, monitor



Damascus, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Israel struck the area of Syria's southern city of Daraa, the state news agency SANA reported, with a war monitor saying the latest Israeli attack targeted a military site.

"Israeli occupation jets launch air strikes targeting the surroundings of Daraa city," said Damascus's official news agency SANA, without immediately providing further details.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said Israel targeted a military site once belonging to ousted president Bashar al-Assad's army but now used by the forces of Syria's new authorities.

The Britain-based Observatory reported that a fire broke out, with ambulances rushing to the scene amid reports of casualties.

Since Assad's overthrow in December, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria and deployed troops to a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the strategic Golan Heights.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the air force conducted a strike on Damascus on Thursday, with the military saying it had hit a "command centre" of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.

The Observatory reported one fatality in that strike, with SANA saying it targeted a building in the capital.

The Israeli military said the "command centre was used to plan and direct terrorist activities by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad" against Israel.

A source in Islamic Jihad said a building belonging to the group had been hit by Israeli jets, adding there were "martyrs and wounded" in the strike.

Ismail Sindawi, Islamic Jihad's representative in Syria, told AFP the targeted building had been "closed for five years and nobody from the movement frequented it". Israel was just sending a message, Sindawi said.

Even before Assad's fall, during the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, Israel carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly on government forces and Iranian-linked targets.
Lebanese president orders army to respond to fire from Syria



Beirut, Lebanon, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that his country's forces would respond to incoming fire from neighbouring Syria that authorities said had killed a child.

Clashes broke out late Sunday at the Syrian-Lebanese border, with the new authorities in Damascus accusing the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah of abducting three soldiers into Lebanon and killing them.

A Lebanese security source told AFP that Syrian forces fired shells into Lebanon after the three security personnel were killed in the Lebanese village of Qasr by local gunmen involved in smuggling.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said the border clashes resumed on Monday following fresh Syrian shelling.

"What is happening on the eastern and northeastern borders cannot continue," Aoun said in a post on X. "I have directed the Lebanese army to respond to the source of the fire."

The army announced that its units had "responded to the sources of fire with appropriate weapons" after the renewed shelling from Syrian territory, NNA reported.

It added that its units "are working to strengthen their defensive positions to stop attacks on Lebanese territory".

The army said earlier that it had undertaken "exceptional security measures and intensive communications" since Sunday night that had led to the return of the three Syrian soldiers' bodies to authorities there.

Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos said one child had been killed and six other people wounded by the Syrian shelling, adding that many civilians had also been displaced in the border area.

A source in Syria's defence ministry later told state news agency SANA that forces had launched a security sweep of the border areas.

"Our aim with our actions on the border is to expel Hezbollah militias from the Syrian villages and areas they use as temporary bases for smuggling and drug trafficking operations," the source said.

Earlier Monday, Syrian authorities in Homs province reported that a photographer and a journalist were wounded along the border, according to SANA.

They accused Hezbollah of "targeting them with a guided missile".

Hezbollah was a key backer of Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad before he was toppled in a lightning offensive by Islamist-led rebels in December.

Syria's new authorities announced last month the launch of a security campaign in the border province of Homs aimed at shutting down routes used for arms and goods smuggling.

Under Assad, Syria had been a key link in Iran's anti-Israel "axis of resistance", serving as a conduit for weaponry flowing to fellow Tehran ally Hezbollah.

The new authorities in Damascus have accused Hezbollah of launching attacks, saying it was sponsoring cross-border smuggling gangs.

Speaking at a donor conference for Syria in Brussels, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Damascus would "not tolerate any attempts to undermine Syrian sovereignty".

He accused "outlawed parties", including "some militias stationed on our borders with neighbouring countries", of posing a persistent threat to Syria's security and stability, without naming a particular group.
Trump says Iran 'will be held responsible' for Huthi attacks



Washington, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



President Donald Trump declared Monday he will hold Iran directly responsible for any future attacks by Yemen's Tehran-backed Huthi rebels, who have targeted US and other foreign ships in the Red Sea.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

While the United States has been carrying out strikes on Huthi targets for months, Trump's comments were unusually pointed at Iran, whom he is also pressuring over nuclear talks.

He spoke after the first US strikes on Yemen of his new term killed 53 people and wounded 98 on Saturday.

In response the Huthis claimed two strikes on a US aircraft carrier and rallied thousands at protests in parts of Yemen under their control.

The United States struck the Huthis over their repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels, which have put a major strain on the vital trade route.

The Huthis have said they are carrying out the attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is waging a war with US support.

"Any further attack or retaliation by the 'Houthis' will be met with great force," Trump also said in his post, adding that "Iran has played 'the innocent victim'" in the conflict.

On Monday, in the Pentagon's first formal press briefing of this Trump presidency, officials said US strikes against the Huthis were continuing in order to degrade their ability to plan and conduct attacks, and that Iran was on notice from Trump.

"All options are on the table at this time," spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters when asked whether the president was considering military action against the Islamic republic.

He also said the United States will continue to use "overwhelming lethal force" until it achieves its objectives.

"There is a very clear end state to this operation, and that begins the moment that the Huthis pledge to stop attacking our ships and putting American lives at risk," Parnell said.

US Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich told the briefing more than 30 Huthi targets were hit Saturday, including "terrorist training sites" and weapons manufacturing facilities.

The weekend targets "also included a number of command-and-control centers, including a terrorist compound where we know several senior Huthi unmanned aerial vehicle experts were located," he added.

"Today the operation continues and it will continue in the coming days until we achieve the president's objectives."

Huthi media reported that fresh US air strikes on Monday targeted rebel-held Hodeida on Yemen's western coast.

Before this weekend's targeting of the US carrier group, the Huthis had not claimed attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since January 19, when a ceasefire in Gaza began.
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
On Monday, she will announce the abolition of a third quango  the Regulator for Community Interest Companies, which will be folded into Companies House  and ministers will be instructed to report back to the Chancellor by the summer with further suggestions for quangos that could be culled.
Family liaison officers have been in regular contact with Harshita's family to brief them on progress. We understand their concerns over the pace of the investigation, however, it is vital that due process is followed throughout to enable justice to be delivered, and we continue to offer our support to her family at this difficult time.
The King, who was wearing a red tie, perhaps a nod to the Canadian flag, and his Order of Canada pin, was pictured grinning as he shook Mr Carneys hand, with the pair also sitting together in ornate chairs either side of the fireplace.
The princess then joined the regiment for their traditional parade, taking her place on the saluting dais as soldiers from Number 9 Company, Number 12 Company and the Rear Operations Group marched onto the parade square, led by their Irish wolfhound mascot, Turlough Mor.
People in Kocani arent expecting much will come out of this, though there is hope that this will bring greater attention to fire safety and the need for stricter implementation and controls on fire safety in Macedonia.
"I won't get ahead of those negotiations, but I can say we are on the 10th yard line of peace," Leavitt told reporters. "And we've never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment. And the president, as you know, is determined to get one done."
We need to be more empathetic. I understand that everyone is fighting their own battles,, but we all have to decide whether we want to be part of the solution. Im part of the problem too, Im not performing in 100% accessible venues yet. But Im working towards it.
And now, speaking in a vlog, Molly has spoken about how much she was looking forward to some time away - though she did not mention Tommy by name.
Sharing family pictures at the event, Londons All On The Board account said: So grateful to be invited to see #SnowWhite a stunning, magical movie deeply infused with hope & @rachelzegler's outstanding performance elevating it to the very top of the Disney live action tree.
Working-age adults who live in small towns and rural areas are more likely to be covered by Medicaid than their counterparts in cities, creating a dilemma for Republicans looking to make deep cuts to the health care program.

About 72 million people  nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States  are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to low-income and disabled people and is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Black, Hispanic and Native people are disproportionately represented on the rolls, and more than half of Medicaid recipients are people of color.

Nationwide, 18.3% of adults who are between the ages of 19 and 64 and live in small towns and rural areas are enrolled, compared with 16.3% in metropolitan areas, according to a recent analysis by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.

In 15 states, at least a fifth of working-age adults in small towns and rural areas are covered by Medicaid, and in two of those states  Arizona and New York  more than a third are. Eight of the 15 states voted for President Donald Trump.

Twenty-six Republicans in the U.S. House represent districts where Medicaid covers more than 30% of the population, according to a recent analysis by the New York Times. Many of those districts have significant rural populations, including House Speaker Mike Johnsons 4th Congressional District in Louisiana.

Republican U.S. Rep. David Valadao of California, whose Central Valley district is more than two-thirds Hispanic and where 68% of the residents are enrolled in Medicaid, has spoken out against potential cuts.

Ive heard from countless constituents who tell me the only way they can afford health care is through programs like Medicaid, and I will not support a final reconciliation bill that risks leaving them behind, Valadao said to House members in a recent floor speech.

U.S. House Republicans are trying to reduce the federal budget by $2 trillion as they seek $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. GOP leaders have directed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid and Medicare, to find $880 billion in savings.

Trump has ruled out cuts to Medicare, which covers older adults. That leaves Medicaid as the only other program big enough to provide the needed savings  and the Medicaid recipients most likely to be in the crosshairs are working-age adults. But targeting that population would have a disproportionate impact on small towns and rural areas, which are reliably Republican.

Furthermore, hospitals and other health care providers in rural communities are heavily reliant on Medicaid. Many rural hospitals are struggling, and nearly 200 have closed or significantly scaled back their services in the past two decades.

Before the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, there were far fewer working-age adults on the Medicaid rolls: The program mostly covered children and their caregivers, people with disabilities and pregnant women. But under the ACA, states are allowed to expand Medicaid to cover adults making up to 138% of the federal poverty level  about $21,000 a year for a single person. As an inducement to expand, the federal government covers 90% of the costs  a greater share than what the federal government pays for the traditional Medicaid population.

Last year, there were about 21.3 million people who received coverage through Medicaid expansion.

One GOP cost-saving idea is to reduce the federal match for that population to what the federal government gives states for the traditional Medicaid population, which ranges from 50% for the wealthiest states to 77% for the poorest ones. That would reduce federal spending by $626 billion over a 10-year period, according to a recent analysis by KFF, a health research group.

Nine states  Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah and Virginia  have so-called trigger laws that would automatically end Medicaid expansion if the federal government reduces their share. Three other states  Idaho, Iowa and New Mexico  would require other cost-saving steps.

States will not be able to cover those shortfalls, said Jennifer Driver, senior director of reproductive rights at the State Innovation Exchange, a left-leaning nonprofit group that advocates on state legislative issues. Its not cutting costs. It is putting people in real danger.

Studies have shown that Medicaid expansion has improved health care for a range of issues, including family planning, HIV care and prevention, and postpartum health care.

Another idea is to require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work. That would affect an average of 15 million enrollees each year, and 1.5 million would lose eligibility for federal funding, resulting in federal savings of about $109 billion over 10 years.

In heavily rural North Carolina, which has a trigger law, there are about 3 million people on Medicaid, and 640,000 of them are eligible under the states expansion program. About 231,000 of the expansion enrollees live in rural counties. Black residents make up about 36% of new enrollees under the states eligibility expansion, but only about 22% of the states population.

Brandy Harrell, chief of staff at the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, an advocacy group based in Cary, North Carolina, which focuses on rural issues, said the proposed Medicaid cuts would deepen the existing disparities between White people and Black people and urban and rural residents.

It would have a profound effect on working families by reducing access to essential health care, increasing financial strain and jeopardizing childrens health, Harrell said. Cuts could lead to more medical debt, and also poorer health outcomes for our state.

Two of the North Carolina lawmakers with about 30% of their constituents on Medicaid, U.S. Reps. Virginia Foxx and Greg Murphy, represent heavily rural districts in western and coastal North Carolina, respectively.

Foxx has supported GOP budget priorities in social media posts. Murphy, a physician and co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus in the House, has focused his statements on taking care of what he says is abuse and fraud in the Medicaid system.

But North Carolinas Democratic Gov. Josh Stein last week sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders of both parties, saying the states rural communities disproportionately rely on Medicaid and that cuts would upend an already fragile landscape for rural hospitals in the state.

The damage to North Carolinas health care system, particularly rural hospitals and providers, would be devastating, not to mention to people who can no longer afford to access health care, Stein wrote.

In Nebraska, 27% of residents live in rural areas, and state lawmakers are already scrambling to make up for reduced federal Medicaid funding.

Dr. Alex Dworak, a family medicine physician who works at an Omaha health clinic that serves low-income and uninsured people, said a dearth of health care options in rural Nebraska already hurts residents. He has one patient who drives up to three hours from his rural community to the clinic.

It wouldnt be just bad for marginalized communities, but it would be worse for marginalized communities  because things were already worse for them, Dworak said of proposed Medicaid cuts. It will be an utter disaster.

Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein and managing editor Barbara Barrett contributed to this report.

This story was originally published in the Virginia Mercury.
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Culture Minister Natalia Intotero on Monday had a working meeting with trade unions reaffirming her commitment to concrete solutions in support of employees.

"Discussions focused on both the collective bargaining agreement and the improvement of working conditions, so that employees may enjoy a fairer and more predictable framework. Also, emphasis was placed on the need for transparent promotion of competitions for filling job vacancies, in order to ensure equal access to all those interested," the ministry said in a social media post.

Also discussed were the importance of an assessment of the human resource in the cultural sector, in order to identify the areas where there is a shortage of specialists, such as restorers, and to find solutions for the training of the new generations.

At the same time, cutting through red tape in the field of intellectual property was addressed, a necessary step to protect and support artistic creation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emil Hurezeanu, insisted on Monday, during the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, on advancing the European accession process of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

The head of Romanian diplomacy participated in the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the EU member states (Foreign Affairs Council/FAC), held in Brussels, where the officials discussed Russia's aggression against Ukraine, developments in the Middle East and EU-US relations.

According to a release from the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) for AGERPRES, as Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Romanian foreign minister expressed firm support for the establishment of a just and lasting peace, supported by solid and credible security guarantees, as well as for the continued provision of European assistance to Kyiv.

At the same time, he stressed the importance of holding Russia accountable for the aggression against Ukraine, as well as for the damage caused to it, and insisted on advancing the European accession process of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Hurezeanu also expressed support for the initiative of High Representative Kaja Kallas regarding the consolidation and acceleration of European military support for Ukraine.

As to the situation in the Middle East, Minister Emil Hurezeanu highlighted support for a full implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, including by intensifying humanitarian support, as well as the importance of high-level political dialogue with the Palestinian Authority. He welcomed the initiative of an Arab Plan in support of reconstruction in the Gaza Strip and for identifying a regional security solution.

During the discussion on EU-U.S. relations, the Romanian foreign minister stressed the unique nature of the Transatlantic Partnership and the importance of ensuring its long-term viability, the MAE informs. Emil Hurezeanu mentioned that it is necessary to continue the EU dialogue with the Washington administration, in a coordinated manner, in order to better highlight common interests and preserve the transatlantic relationship. Regarding Ukraine, he highlighted the importance of Ukraine and the EU participating in future peace negotiations. Last but not least, the Romanian official expressed support for increasing defense spending.

The Romanian foreign minister also participated in the ninth edition of the Ministerial Conference dedicated to Syria, entitled "Alongside Syria: Ensuring the Necessary Things for a Successful Transition", the main objective of which was to gather international political and financial support for a successful transition process in this country.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Romanian foreign minister met with the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Assad Hassan Al-Shaibani. Hurezeanu conveyed Romania's support for a peaceful and inclusive political transition process, which would meet the aspirations of all Syrians regardless of religion or ethnicity and which would also ensure the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. He also conveyed Romania's willingness to contribute with its experience to the construction of a prosperous and stable Syria, with consolidated institutions, which can effectively respond to the multiple needs of the Syrian people.

The Romanian minister condemned the violence and crimes committed recently in Syria and stressed the importance of protecting civilians. At the same time, Emil Hurezeanu highlighted, equally, the importance of transitional justice for ensuring a stable peace in Syria.
Staff shortages in HoReCa is estimated at 20-25% nationwide, and it can even reach 50% in tourist cities, in high season, the legislative measures and taxation of the labor force being an impediment in the employer-employee relationship, the Federation of Hospitality Industry Employers in Romania (FPIOR) draws attention in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Monday.

According to the cited source, FPIOR said that more than 20% of unskilled workers in the hospitality industry in Romania are foreign nationals.

"The biggest challenge of the hospitality industry at the moment is the lack of stability of the labour force. We have millions of Romanians abroad and there is no concrete strategy to bring them back. In these conditions, entrepreneurs are forced to hire foreign staff, even at higher costs, to ensure the continuity of the services offered to customers. Romanian unskilled workers are unmotivated, emotionally unstable and do not make rational decisions when it comes to the workplace, therefore most entrepreneurs in the field prefer to take unskilled foreign workers on the basic jobs of any business in the field - dishwasher, waiters, etc.," said FPIOR president, Valentin Soneriu, as quoted in the press release.

According to HoReCa employers, legislative measures and taxation of the workforce can create significant difficulties between employers and employees. High taxes and complicated bureaucracy reduce net wages, which affects employee motivation. In addition, frequent changes in legislation create uncertainty and complicate human resource management. It is therefore important that legislation is clear and stable to support both employers and employees and create a more efficient working environment.

The federation calls for concrete measures to support the hospitality sector, including tax breaks for employers, simplification of procedures for recruiting foreign workers and public policies to encourage the return of Romanian labor force to the country.

"It is essential for the state to understand the economic impact of this deficit and to work with the private sector for sustainable solutions. The hospitality industry is an important engine of the national economy and must be properly supported," added Soneriu.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, in the first half of 2024, the number of employees in the hotel and restaurant sector increased by 6,800 people compared to the same period last year. However, the demand for skilled staff remains well above the existing supply, and entrepreneurs face increasing costs for recruiting, training and retaining employees.

The INS also shows that, in January 2025, the gross average wage was 8,910 RON, 341 RON below the value in December 2024, while the net average was 5,328 RON, down by 5.6%. On the whole, the highest values of the net average wage were recorded in information technology service activities (including IT service activities) - 11,437 RON, and in the manufacture of coke oven products and products obtained from the processing of crude oil (10,877 RON), and the lowest in the manufacture of clothing (3,292 RON) and in hotels and restaurants (3,321 RON).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emil Hurezeanu, participated on Sunday, in Brussels, in an anniversary event organized by the Romanian Embassy to mark 145 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between Romania and the Kingdom of Belgium.

In this context, the Romanian minister inaugurated the new headquarters of the Consular Section of the Romanian Embassy and participated in the opening of the "Belgium" exhibition, according to a Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE)'s release sent to AGERPRES.

During the event, the Romanian dignitary highlighted the excellent character of the Romanian-Belgian bilateral relations, based on common values, close collaboration within the European Union and NATO and a strong connection at the economic and cultural level, developed through the important contribution of the vibrant Romanian community.

Minister Hurezeanu emphasized that the new headquarters of the Consular Section represents "an investment aimed at improving the services offered to Romanian citizens in Belgium". This initiative reflects the commitment of the authorities in Bucharest to constantly improve the ways for Romanians to access efficient consular services.

It was also emphasized that the "Belgica" exhibition marks an emblematic moment in the history of Romanian-Belgian relations, highlighting the contribution of the Romanian explorer and biologist Emil Racovita to the Antarctic expedition "Belgica" (1897-1899), carried out under the leadership of the Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache.

This expedition represented a fundamental landmark in polar scientific research, and by symbolically reconstructing the expedition's route and highlighting the connection between the past and contemporary scientific research, the exhibition reaffirms the importance of international collaboration in research and innovation.

The event also represented an opportunity to reaffirm European solidarity, the continuous support that Romania and Belgium offer to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, and the common commitment to a just and lasting peace in the region, the MAE informs.
The Presidential Administration informs on Monday that at the meeting of the interim president Ilie Bolojan with the representatives of the institutions and public authorities responsible for organizing the presidential elections in May, logistical aspects were addressed, noting that the preparations are on schedule both in terms of the internal and external components.

"The aim is to consolidate the institutions in order to ensure the application of the existing legislation, including the electoral legislation, also in the online environment," said the same source.

The Presidential Administration informs that everything will take place within the limits of the legal responsibilities existing at this moment, attributed to each institution involved in the discussions.

"It is essential to ensure close coordination and cooperation between all institutions with responsibilities in the field, including for aspects that target the online environment," the source specifies.

The Presidential Administration indicated that, externally, the voting spaces abroad are being identified, and that there will be the same number of polling stations as in the previous elections, "so that there are no problems from this point of view, especially since in Poland and Portugal they overlap with domestic elections. By the end of March, the locations for the polling stations will be finalized and publicly communicated."

, the institutions must apply the legislation in force, without other legislative modifications and with good coordination between the institutions. The Permanent Electoral Authority and the Ministry of Interior have confirmed that they are on schedule.

Regarding the conduct of the electoral campaign in the online environment, the relevant institutions must apply the laws in force to combat illegal content. It was agreed to create a working group for good coordination and collaboration between AEP, BEC, CNA and ANCOM, the same source mentioned.

Interim president Ilie Bolojan met on Monday with representatives of the institutions and public authorities responsible for organizing the presidential elections in May, the discussions also targeting the upcoming European Council meeting.

"We will discuss briefly the issues related to our current affairs and the European Council meeting in the second half of the week. Thank you for responding to the invitation to meet today," Bolojan said at the beginning of the meeting, according to images published by the Presidential Administration.

The meeting at Cotroceni was attended by prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, deputy prime Ministers Marian Neacsu and Catalin Predoiu, secretary of state with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ana Cristina Tinca, acting president of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Zsombor Vajda, vice president of the National Audiovisual Council, Valentin Alexandru Jucan, president of the National Authority for Administration and Regulation in Communications, Valeriu Zgonea, president of the National Council for Combating Discrimination, Csaba Ferenc Asztalos, and deputy head of the National Directorate for Cyber Security (DNSC), Gabriel Dinu.

Also present were presidential advisor Luminita Odobescu and state advisor Bianca Firezar.
Retele Electrice Romania, part of the PPC group, will reach approximately 2 million smart meters installed by the end of this year, the highest volume ever achieved by any grid operator in Romania, the company announced on Monday.

"Smart meters are the basis of a digitalized and resilient distribution network. They improve the interface with customers and enable the development of new market services such as flexibility and aggregation of energy transit. They are also essential for the integration of decentralized generation and energy storage. Remote reading, supplier change and reconnection without physical intervention reduce the carbon footprint, supporting sustainable energy consumption. By installing smart meters at each customer - consumer, producer or prosumer - we are contributing to Romania's energy transition," Mihai Peste, general manager of Retele Electrice Romania was quoted as saying in the press release.

According to the cited source, in order to fulfill the set objectives, Retele Electrice Romania has continued to implement the installation of smart meters in the Banat, Dobrogea and Muntenia regions, according to the implementation schedule established by the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) since 2015.

The monthly average number of remote readings in 2024 was about 1.5 million, thus contributing to reducing the carbon footprint of the grid operator, specifies the cited source.

"Retele Electrice Romania implemented at the end of 2024 a modern IT platform that provides all electricity suppliers with consumption data of customers with smart meters in the 11 counties in its area of responsibility, so that suppliers can streamline their work by access to up-to-date measurement data," the press release adds.

The platform takes data from over 1.6 million smart meters and makes them available daily to suppliers, for the customers they have in their portfolio, as they become accessible in the database of the Electricity Networks.

"Continuous access to this data facilitates prompt reaction to market fluctuations, optimization of internal processes and informed decisions based on current data with a higher degree of granularity. In addition, metering data enables more efficient detection of anomalies in consumption, personalization of offers according to customer profile and improved billing accuracy, reducing discrepancies and errors. These benefits contribute to more efficient resource management and increased customer satisfaction," the company specifies.

According to the cited source, the platform uses state-of-the-art technologies in the area of data streaming, compatible with cloud solutions, allowing the management of a large volume of data in a flexible and scalable way. The system benefits from a high level of data protection through advanced technologies that guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of information.

Moreover, the use of open source software and advanced solutions for data collection ensures not only technological transparency towards all suppliers, but also long-term compatibility and adaptability to possible changes in the future.

Retele Electrice Romania team has sent to suppliers the information regarding this service, the detailed technical specification, as well as the ways to ensure access only by authorized persons in order to respect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data.
Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR) is organizing, March 17-21, on the occasion of Global Money Week, over a hundred free financial education workshops in over 50 schools, high schools and universities across the country, the bank announced in a press release.

The action is carried out with the support of the Ministry of Education and the County School Inspectorates, with over 150 BCR employees, financial education teachers within the Money School program, being involved at the national level.

"Early financial education is not just about money, but about choices, responsibility and the future. Through the Money School, we want to provide children and young people with knowledge, but especially the confidence to make the right financial decisions. We are proud to join, once again, the Global Money Week initiative, and we continue to support this global effort. We offer Romanian pupils and students access to practical workshops and resources that will help them build a more secure financial future. Partnerships with schools, high schools, universities and the support of the Ministry of Education allow us to bring financial education closer to children and young people, because we know that every lesson learnt today can make a difference tomorrow", said Nicoleta Deliu Pasol, Head of Communication & CSR BCR, quoted in the press release.

The theme of Global Money Week 2025, "Think before you follow, wise money tomorrow", launches a conversation around the importance of critical thinking in making financial decisions.

Through the Money School, BCR has supported, in the last 9 years, almost two million Romanians of various ages to learn to better manage their money, providing them with essential knowledge about short, medium and long-term financial balance and planning. The actions carried out within Global Money Week complement this effort, aiming to help 5,000 pupils and students develop essential financial education knowledge through which they can make better decisions for the future.

On the occasion of Global Money Week, BCR makes available to parents and teachers free online resources, designed to support the learning process of the little ones. Beyond the actions carried out by trainers, teachers have access throughout the year to the digital platform life-lab.ro, which offers free resources, ready to use in the classroom, regardless of the subject. Geography, literature or mathematics can teach students how to manage their budget and develop skills such as: collaboration, communication and planning.

CR, member of Erste Group, is one of the most important financial groups in Romania, including universal banking operations (retail, corporate & investment banking, treasury and capital markets), as well as specialized companies on the leasing, private pensions and housing banks markets.
Romania's Senate on Monday held a moment of silence for the victims of a fire in Kocani, North Macedonia, at the proposal of the leader of the Save Romania Union (USR) floor group Stefan Palarie.

"Let us hold a moment of silence for the victims of this weekend in North Macedonia, a tragedy that bears an incredible resemblance to the Colectiv tragedy in Romania nine years ago. In this tragedy, young people, with their whole lives ahead of them, met their end in a way they did not deserve," said Palarie from the Senate rostrum.

At least 59 people died and more than 150 were injured in a fire that broke out on Saturday night in a nightclub in North Macedonia. The fire broke out in a crowded club in Kocani, located about 100 kilometres east of the capital Skopje, where a famous hip-hop band from the country was performing. The audience that came to attend the concert, which began at midnight, was mostly made up of young people. The fire allegedly broke out as a result of the use of fireworks, according to local media.
U-Haul is suing five Missouri residents for purposely staging an accident as part of a scheme to commit insurance fraud.

In a lawsuit filed with in St. Louis County court last week, the moving truck and storage rental company named Michael Miller, of Overland; Paul Blair, of Breckenridge Hills; Anthony Finerson, of Hazelwood; Vanessa Arguelles, of Republic; and Gary Mitchell, of Springfield, Missouri.

According to the suit, Miller leased a 10-foot moving van from the companys Overland location on May 29, 2024. Miller also purchased supplemental liability insurance of $1,000,000 per accident.

Later that day, Miller, with Blair as a passenger in the van, collided with a 2017 Kia Sorento driven by Arguelles, with Mitchell and Finerson as passengers, on South Calvary Avenue near North Broadway.

Police were called, and a report was filed. The next day, Finerson reported the incident to U-Haul. Finerson told the company that the U-Haul hit the Kia Sorento head-on after it swerved to avoid a third vehicle, whose occupant had thrown a bottle at the rental van.

Arguelles gave U-Haul a similar statement and claimed that she had been injured in the collision.

In the days that followed, Miller emailed U-Haul two different messages reporting the accident.

Im writing this email to inform you that I was rear-ended and pushed into the opposite lane and made contact with other vehicles. There were two other cars, they fled the scene, he wrote.

Miller later told a special investigator hired by U-Haul that he had rented the vehicle to help move statues for his aunt, who later told the investigator that nothing Miller reported about moving items for her was true.

About a month later, Miller agreed to record a confession that he was paid $800 to drive the U-Haul vehicle on a route provided by Blair. None of the other defendants did so, and Arguelles told the insurance investigator she knew nothing about a fraudulent plan.

The driver and owner of the Kia Sorento, Arguelles, is making a bodily injury and property damage insurance claim, while the two passengers, Mitchell and Finerson, are also making bodily injury claims. The lawsuit states that Finerson and Arguelle have a history of making claims, including four made by Finerson that were referred to the National Insurance Crime Bureau for application misrepresentation, fictitious loss, fake damage and altered/forged documents.

U-Haul is asking the court to rule the rental contract and any policy of insurance entered between the U-Haul and Miller is canceled, null and void and that the company has no duty to defend or compensate Miller against any claim or third-party lawsuit filed by Blair, Arguelles, Mitchell and Finerson due to Millers breach of contract.
Mallinckrodt PLC, an Irish pharmaceutical company with a big footprint and long history in the St. Louis area, will buy U.S. drugmaker Endo in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $6.7 billion.

Endo shareholders will receive a total of $80 million in cash and own nearly 50% of the combined company, the companies said. Mallinckrodt shareholders will have a stake of slightly more than 50%.

The companies plan to combine their generic pharmaceutical businesses and a sterile injectables business from Endo, but they will eventually separate that business. Mallinckrodt CEO Siggi Olafsson will run the combination, which will be based in Dublin. But its leaders say it will have a big presence in the U.S.

In total, the combination will have 17 manufacturing sites, 30 distribution centers and around 5,700 employees.

Mallinckrodts generic drug business has its principal office in Webster Groves and factories and distribution centers in Fenton and in north St. Louis. It also operates a corporate office in Hazelwood, which it opened in 1977. The deal was announced Thursday, a day after Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin met President Donald Trump at the White House. During that meeting, Trump brought up the concentration of U.S. pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland due to the countrys tax policies.

The deal has been approved by the boards of both companies, but shareholders and regulators still need to OK it. The combination is expected to close in the second half of the year.

Malvern, Pennsylvania-based Endo Inc. will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Mallinckrodt.

G. Mallinckrodt & Co., one of the first chemical manufacturing companies west of the Mississippi, was founded in St. Louis in 1867 by three Mallinckrodt brothers  Gustov, Edward and Otto  making it one of the worlds oldest drug makers. Fifteen years later, the firm incorporated.

Mallinckrodt was a pioneer of nuclear medicine and a global pharmaceutical supplier. It played a key role in the nations nuclear program, tasked with processing uranium for the Manhattan Project during World War II.

The St. Louis region continues to deal with contamination caused by the disposal of radioactive waste produced by Mallinckrodt, including at a landfill in Bridgeton and along Coldwater Creek in north St. Louis County.

More recently, Mallinckrodt was among companies that faced lawsuits alleging it had helped fuel the opioid epidemic. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020; it emerged from bankruptcy in 2023 with its creditors as the new owners.
ST. LOUIS  After a dozen years of letting City Hall run the St. Louis police department, state government is set to retake the reins.

At Gov. Mike Kehoes urging, lawmakers have sped a takeover plan through the Legislature this session. The newly elected governor says he could sign it as soon as next week.

When he does, it will begin a process that could reshape the department and send ripples through City Hall and the city itself.

The police division is the largest unit of city government in terms of budget and staff. Crime is one of the citys toughest and most politically sensitive problems, and the successes and failures of police officers have long played an outsize role in how St. Louis is judged by residents, suburbanites and the rest of the country.

Heres what to know about the impending state takeover.

What will change?

Currently, St. Louis police are overseen by the mayor, the mayors appointees and aldermen.

The mayors administration hires the police chief and, together, they shape everything from the equipment on an officers belt to the beats that officers patrol. They also shape the strategies that guide the officers work, whether thats hotspot policing that surges officers to a certain area or focused deterrence, which blends policing with social service offerings to those at high risk of committing violence.

The states plan shifts power to a revived Board of Police Commissioners composed of the mayor; four city residents nominated by the governor and approved by the state Senate; and a non-voting commissioner who can live in the city or St. Louis County. The board will hire the chief, set policy and hear disciplinary appeals.

Aldermen will be forbidden from passing ordinances that conflict or interfere with the board's work.

The mayor will need to negotiate plans and priorities, and theres no guarantee the board will cooperate.

Jeff Rainford, who served as chief of staff to former Mayor Francis Slay, said that on the last board, some commissioners wanted to work with the mayor, while others saw no reason to listen to him. Others took their cues from the police chief.

It depends on who the members are, he said.

Why is this happening?

In 2013, Missouri voters opted to end more than a century of state control of St. Louis police.

Proponents of a revived takeover  including Kehoe, Republican legislators and the citys police unions  have cast that decision as a mistake that unleashed crime and hurt residents, businesses and officers.

An advocacy letter distributed by the St. Louis Police Officers Association pointed to estimates showing nearly 40,000 people have left the city in the last 11 years. More than 1,000 officers have resigned or retired, and hundreds havent been replaced.

The grip of violence has caused residents, established small and large businesses, entrepreneurs, and tourists to flee the City, the letter read. The legislation under consideration aims to bring crime under control that has been destabilizing to not only the St. Louis region, but to many of our communities.

City officials, led by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, say the states plan is a farce.

The population loss is real, and the citys own numbers show there are 300 fewer officers on the force than there were in 2013.

But they point out that the city lost population for decades under state control. They say cities across the country are struggling to hire officers, and note that even with a depleted department, crime has fallen in recent years. The homicide rate has fallen 39% from a record high in 2020.

All this bill does, Jones said in a statement last week, is halt and reverse our progress in service of allowing a small number of non-city-residents to pat themselves on the back because they succeeded in taking away the will of the voters once again.

When will it happen?

The states plan calls for the transition to begin as soon as Kehoe signs the bill. He has told reporters that could happen as soon as next week. City officials expect Kehoe will appoint a transition director at the same time.

Then, the governor will have 90 days to nominate the four voting commissioners.

But the state bill allows the broader transition to extend until July 1, 2026, giving officials time to transfer records and buildings to the new board.

And the amount the city will have to pay for policing will continue to change after the July 2026 deadline.

City Hall will have until 2028 to find a way to meet new funding requirements in full.

How much will it cost the city?

The city will have to spend more than it is now.

The state plan envisions St. Louis spending 22% of its general revenue on the police department by the end of this year, and then adding another 1% in each of the next three years until spending reaches 25% of general revenue for 2028 and beyond.

Exact costs, in dollars, are uncertain. There are questions about what exactly counts as police spending. The answers could drive costs up or down. Its not even clear who pays the transition director.

But taking lawmakers at their word about wanting to increase police spending, city budget analysts predict the bill could add an extra $36 million to the budget by 2029.

Thats almost as much as the city budgeted for the entire Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department last year, and 25% more than the city budgeted for the trash division this year.

Its not immediately clear where the city would find the extra money.

Is the city fighting the move?

Mayor Jones has promised to fight the takeover, which likely means going to court.

But as of Friday, city lawyers were still reviewing the final legislation passed by lawmakers. And if they had found a silver bullet to block the legislation, they were not telling.

Were probably not going to be able to stop this immediately, said Jay Nelson, chief of staff to Aldermanic President Megan Green.

Robert Dierker, a retired circuit judge and associate city counselor, said St. Louis would likely face an uphill battle if it sued.

The original Board of Police Commissioners faced a number of legal challenges that established the Legislatures right to impose it. A 1982 case gave the city more power over budgeting, but voters approved a constitutional amendment last year aimed at overruling that.

The bottom line is that to prevail, theyre going to have to persuade the (Missouri) Supreme Court to overrule a number of precedents, Dierker said.

Conner Kerrigan, a spokesperson for Jones, said the mayors administration is exploring all possible avenues.

Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who could replace Jones as mayor after the upcoming April election, said her team also is evaluating options.

Our drive will be to protect St. Louisans, Spencer said.

Editors note: The governor said he expects to sign the police takeover bill the week of March 23. An earlier version of this story was incorrect.
U.S. 5th Army soldiers of Company M, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regiment march through Vada, Italy, to an area where Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark would present the Presidential Citation for outstanding action in combat to the 100th Infantry Battalion, which was composed of Japanese-American troops. (U.S. Army)



(Tribune News Service)  The Army on Saturday moved to dampen criticism over removing online content about Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions to the military branch, including a descriptive history of the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Army officials reposted the material describing the 442nd as a news item highlighted on its homepage, along with other Army news items that on Saturday included a feature story about Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visiting a base in Washington state, a feature photo showing a brigade of soldiers running on a Wheeler Army Airfield runway in Wahiawa and a reminder that June 14 marks the Armys 250th birthday.

In a statement Saturday, the Army said: The 442nd Regimental Combat team holds an honored place in Army history, and we are pleased to republish an article that highlights the brave soldiers who served in the Go-for-Broke brigade.

Earlier this month, the Army eliminated a section of its website about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Army as part of a Defense Department digital content refresh targeting the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In accordance with a Presidential Executive Order and guidance from the Secretary of Defense, the Army recently took down the Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Heritage webpage that featured content about the 442nd Infantry Regiment and Nisei Soldiers, the Army said in its statement. The Army is tirelessly working through content on that site and articles related to the 442nd Infantry Regiment and Nisei Soldiers will be republished to better align with current guidance. There are still many stories available on Army websites that celebrate the bravery of the 442nd Infantry regiment that were not impacted by the Heritage webpage. The Army remains committed to sharing the stories of our Soldiers, their units, and their sacrifice.

Other material removed from the website about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Army was not restored, including profiles of medal of honor recipients and other distinguished personnel, including Hawaiis Tulsi Gabbard, Eric Shinseki and the late Sen. Daniel Inouye.

Army officials previously insisted there is no intent to dishonor veterans and that they will continue to honor the legacy of the 442nd, a World War II unit made up of Japanese American servicemen who fought the Nazis in Europe and is among the most decorated combat units in American history. Roughly two-thirds of the unit was made up of soldiers from Hawaii, and many of the others enlisted from West Coast internment camps.

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1st Lt. Alma Cooper speaks to students at Hillcrest High School in Riverside, Calif., on March 5, 2025. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)



U.S. Army 1st Lt. Alma Cooper, the reigning Miss USA, spoke to more than 4,000 students about opportunities in the Army and different pathways to pursue degrees in higher education at high schools in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties in California with the Riverside Recruiting Company.

I have the platform of being Miss USA, but to me, the most important thing about what I get to do every day is serve, Cooper told Stars and Stripes last week. She is currently assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command in the San Francisco Bay Area. A part of that service is being able to share with students all across the country my own personal story. I want to hopefully inspire them and give them the encouragement to go on and chase their dreams and serve their country.

From March 3-6, the Army intelligence officer stopped by Chino High School, Martin Luther King High School and Hillcrest High School with a mission to share her educational and military journey with students along with highlighting interests in STEM, and over 200 career opportunities in the Army.

She captivated every room she walked into, said Capt. Kathy Borgardt, commander of Riverside Army Recruiting Company. Watching the students light up as she spoke about pushing limits and breaking barriers proved just how powerful her story really is. And she didnt just talk, she connected, leaving students motivated to take action.

1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, speaks to a full-capacity student body at Chino Hills High School, Chino, Calif. March 5, 2025. Cooper toured Southern California March 3-6, speaking with more than 4,000 students at High Schools and events in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)

1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, poses with a students and athletes from the Hillcrest High School basketball team, Riverside Calif. March 5, 2025. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)

1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, speaks to local civilian representatives from law enforcement, first responders and education departments from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties during a U.S. Army Southern California Recruiting Battalion hosted informational event at the Riverside County Sheriffs Headquarters in Riverside, Calif., March 5, 2025. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)



Jorge Alonzo, 18, is a future soldier preparing to ship out to the Armys initial military training. He is one of the many students at Hillcrest High School that felt inspired by Coopers visit.

There was one thing she said, and it was, If you can see me, you can be me. That really stood out to me, said Alonzo, who will be an information technology specialist in the Army.

Cooper became the first active-duty Army officer to be crowned Miss USA last year and is the second military woman to claim the title after Army Reserve officer Deshauna Barber in 2016. In January 2024, Air Force 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh won the Miss America pageant to become the first active-duty officer to win that crown.

Cooper graduated with honors at the United States Military Academy West Point and is in the process of earning a masters degree with a scholarship at Stanford University. She said the opportunity to engage with students is a unique and impactful experience for her.

Its something I will truly never take for granted. Ive learned a lot about the talent and spirit of this next generation of students, Cooper said.

Being Miss USA is a deep honor and privilege, but I only think about being Miss USA for 365 days, Cooper said. I get to say that I am serving my country for the rest of my life. Hopefully by sharing my journey to service, people can realize that there is a way for them to serve in their own way.
A U.S. Army Reserve Soldier died Friday at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, the Army post said in a news release Saturday.

The Public Affairs Office said the soldier was attending a planning conference at the base. Per Department of Defense policy, the soldiers name wont be released for at least 24 hours after notification of the soldiers family.

No other details are available at this time.
U.S. soldiers assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment do maintenance work on an Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle at Camp Reedo, Estonia, March 13, 2025. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



CAMP REEDO, Estonia  Staff Sgt. Abel Silva trudged through the morning snow with a large rip down the left leg of his pants. He was tired, hungry and only about 20 miles from the Russian border.

Silva and a dozen or so other U.S. soldiers from the Armys 3rd Infantry Division arrived in southeastern Estonia by helicopter the night before, rushing into a forest under a full moon to begin reconnaissance work.

Wind created by the helicopter rotor whirled up snow on the ground, creating a disorienting whiteout. In the forest, snowfall hid uneven terrain, and the depths of ditches were difficult to detect, the soldiers said.

It was exhausting, and it was challenging, but that comes with every mission that we do, Silva said. If its not difficult, then were doing something wrong.

In the latest in a series of training exercises, Silva and his fellow soldiers are confronting the realities of defending one of NATOs most vulnerable members, whose capital of Tallinn is a short distance by sea and land from Russia.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump is scheduled to talk with Russian President Vladmir Putin as the United States seeks a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that would be expected to include territorial concessions by Kyiv.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all have strongly supported Ukraine since the 2022 Russian invasion, spurred by fears that a Russian victory could embolden Moscow elsewhere. The Baltic nations all were annexed by the Soviet Union during World War II and gained independence in 1991.

If Russia were to target the Baltics, those nations would rely on NATOs collective defense agreement.

A red light illuminates U.S. soldiers after they disembarked from a helicopter for a nighttime reconnaissance exercise near Camp Reedo, Estonia, March 14, 2025. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

A U.S. soldier assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment does maintenance work on a wheeled vehicle at Camp Reedo, Estonia, March 11, 2025. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Gunner Spc. Jeffery Garcia is shown inside an M2A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Camp Reedo, Estonia, March 11, 2025. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



Trump and others in his administration have often criticized the NATO alliance and particularly members who spend relatively little on defense. But the Baltic nations are well above the alliances spending benchmark and have vowed to increase their shares to at least 5% of gross domestic product, as Trump has called for.

Last month, Trump told reporters the U.S. is going to be very committed to the Baltics.

The ongoing U.S. exercises in Estonia are being executed by the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, the Armys most modernized reconnaissance squadron.

U.S. troop rotations to Estonia have taken place for more than a decade. But deployments to the countrys southeast date only to late 2022 as a direct response to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, amid concerns of hostilities spreading into NATO member territory.

Its been a little over a month since 5th Squadron assumed authority as the Armys rotational force in southern Estonia. Its arrival marks the first time an armored brigade has deployed on rotation to the country, the service says.

The 5th Squadron serves as the eyes and ears for a brigade focused on high-intensity warfare, mechanized operations and large-scale ground combat. They gather intelligence on enemy positions and movements, threats and terrain, before the rest of the unit fights.

The best time to do that is often after sunset.

The emergency deployment exercise that began Friday played out in the dense forest adjacent to the recently constructed Camp Reedo, where most of 5th Squadron operates.

The troops brought in by helicopter are from the smaller contingent of 5th Squadron soldiers based in Lithuania, near the border with Belarus.

They had 18 hours to study maps, pack their equipment and make all other preparations. The moment they got out, it became clear that planning is no substitute for experience.

We had a lot of slips and falls with the terrain, Staff Sgt. Santiago Cueto said. Obviously, there were some issues with the execution that well work on, but Im glad they were highlighted and brought to our attention.

The learning curve in Estonia hasnt been limited to the scouts in the field that night.

An M2A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicle sits at Camp Reedo, Estonia, March 11, 2025. The U.S. Army's 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment is the first unit to bring the newest Bradley variant overseas. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



The soldiers at Camp Reedo, where Stars and Stripes spent much of last week meeting with troops, discovered upon arriving here that keeping military vehicles ready for combat is very different in below-freezing temperatures than it is at their Fort Stewart, Ga., headquarters.

They had to order winterized parts and run the vehicles more often, among other precautions.

They are also learning the intricacies of the updated M2A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. A unit of the divisions 2nd Armored Brigade was the first in the Army to field the upgraded Bradley, and 5th Squadron is the first to bring them overseas.

Its had its ups and downs, but overall its a great platform, said Sgt. 1st Class Brody Gay, a cavalry scout platoon sergeant.

He said 5th Squadron was proving that cavalry reconnaissance units remain essential for modern warfare, especially as the U.S. focuses on maintaining its edge against large powers such as Russia and China.

Drone warfare is fast becoming a big part of ground combat, as seen in Ukraine. But heavily wooded terrain can create blind spots for reconnaissance drones.

We still need to put physical human beings on the ground, Gay said.

Other units in the squadron are working with the new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, an upgrade from the Vietnam War-era M113 Armored Personnel Carrier, used for command, medical, logistics and indirect fire support.

Some 5th Squadron troops in Lithuania have also been given the latest Abrams main battle tank, the M1A2 SEPv3, to break in.

Lt. Col. Michael Hefti, commander of 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, seen at Camp Reedo, Estonia, March 11, 2025. Hefti said Estonia is providing an outstanding test for the modernized combat vehicles the unit has been using in exercises. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and)



Squadron commander Lt. Col. Michael Hefti said that in addition to gathering reconnaissance, the unit provides security to the main body of the brigade at times, such as when they are on the move.

Estonia was proving to be an excellent location for his unit to test its modernized vehicles.

This is the actual terrain that we might have to fight on, Hefti said. Youre getting a chance to practice and rehearse in case someone ever did invade and in case we ever did have to fight here.

About 700 American service members are typically deployed to Estonia. That includes the 5th Squadron soldiers and Task Force Voit, which trains Estonians on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur in an interview last week described his country as a bulwark that prevents Russia from expanding further westward, with help from its allies.

It has always been one of the top priorities to have U.S. forces here in Estonia because we all understand that troops on the ground is something which Russia takes very seriously, Pevkur said.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) is moored at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Va., on March 15, 2025, prior to getting underway for a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility. U.S. Northern Command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southern border with additional military forces. (Ryan Williams/U.S. Navy)



The Pentagon has deployed a Navy destroyer on an unusual mission to bolster security at the southern U.S. border, defense officials said, dispatching a warship involved last year in combat in the Middle East to waters typically patrolled by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, left from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Virginia on Saturday as part of the Defense Departments response to President Donald Trumps executive order calling for securing the southern border. It marks the latest example of the Trump administration using the U.S. military at home to fend off what the president has claimed is an invasion at the border.

Gen. Gregory Guillot, who oversees U.S. Northern Command, said in a statement that the Gravely will improve U.S. abilities to protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty and security. Defense officials added in the same statement that the deployment will contribute to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration.

U.S. defense officials, including Pentagon spokesmen John Ullyot and Sean Parnell, did not respond to questions about whether the Gravelys deployment is meant to address a possible shortfall in available Coast Guard vessels, or if it is intended to send a signal to drug cartels in the region. Trump has in the past voiced a desire to launch military strikes against the cartels.

Trump has also repeatedly said in recent weeks that he wants to take back the Panama Canal, the vital waterway that connects the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Ullyot said in a statement Sunday that the Pentagon has no announcements to make about a change in U.S. military presence in Panama, and that the Defense Department is fully prepared to support the Presidents national security priorities including those surrounding the Panama Canal.

U.S. defense officials are working with Panama on several exercises and events throughout the year, including troop movements in the region that the administration assesses will strengthen our excellent military partnership with Panama, Ullyot said, without mentioning the Gravely. The United States and Panama share a strong security partnership built on mutual respect and trust.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said repeatedly that he views border security as national security, sending thousands of active-duty troops to the southern border to bolster security operations that are led by the Department of Homeland Security.

We have defended other places and other spaces, Hegseth said in February during an initial trip to the border as defense secretary. We will defend this line.

The deployment of the Gravely in Northern Commands region leaves open the possibility that it could conduct patrols in the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico, which Trump renamed the Gulf of America on his first day in office. Doing so would allow the administration to draw attention to the name change and present a symbol of military strength there. The Panama Canal falls just outside Northcoms borders, but military vessels frequently move between such boundaries.

U.S. defense officials, in their statement Saturday night, said that the destroyer will travel with a small group of Coast Guard members aboard, raising the possibility that the vessel could assist in the detention of migrants found at sea. Coast Guard members often carry out law enforcement missions, while U.S. military units are not permitted to do so in most cases because of the Posse Comitatus Act.

The Gravely, at more than 509 feet long, is larger than all vessels in the Coast Guard fleet and carries dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles.

In July, the destroyer completed a nine-month deployment that the Navy called unprecedented. The assignment was twice extended, as the Gravely escorted the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and shot down munitions launched by Houthi militants in Yemen aimed at commercial and military ships in the Red Sea.
Sailors man the rails aboard the USS Gravely on March 15, 2025, near Yorktown, Va. (Ryan Williams/U.S. Navy)



WASHINGTON  A Navy destroyer has deployed to the Gulf of America on a mission usually reserved for the U.S. Coast Guard to help deter illegal crossings and drug trafficking as part the militarys efforts to bolster security along the southern border.

The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, left from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Virginia on Saturday as part of the Defense Departments response to President Donald Trumps executive order calling for a secure southern border. The deployment will support an operation being developed by U.S. Northern Command, a Navy official said Monday.

We are currently building that [consolidated plan] now in coordination with NORTHCOM, Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, told reporters. The Navy is contributing substantially to that  greatly  really this being our first dedicated deployment for that.

The Gravelys deployment marks the latest example of the Trump administration using the U.S. military to fend off what Trump has described as an invasion at the border.

The Gravely will cruise the gulf predominantly under NORTHCOMs control, though the destroyer could venture into the U.S. Southern Command region, Caudle said. NORTHCOMs area of responsibility includes the continental U.S., Canada, Mexico, and surrounding waters out to approximately 500 nautical miles. SOUTHCOMs region encompasses Latin America south of Mexico, adjacent waters and the Caribbean Sea.

The Gravelys exact tasking, Caudle said, might be intelligence gathering initially but could expand. The ship will have a Coast Guard law enforcement team onboard.

Those missions could blend a bit as we are focused on stopping transnational criminal trafficking activities and working with the Coast Guard to support them fully for homeland defense, Caudle said.

Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, who oversees U.S. Northern Command, said in a statement that the Gravely will improve U.S. abilities to protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty and security. Defense officials added in the same statement that the deployment will contribute to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction and illegal seaborne immigration.

Navy ships  most often littoral combat ships  have deployed with a Coast Guard law enforcement crew. Typically, the ship is sent to the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Coast Guard detachments assigned to Navy ships often lead in interdiction operations to board suspected vessels, seize illegal drugs and apprehend suspects, a defense official for SOUTHCOM said.

Destroyers  or submarines  are usually deployed in the NORTHCOM area of responsibility to monitor the operations of enemies such as Russia and China, not for border security, Caudle said.

The Gravely, which is more than 509 feet long, is larger than vessels in the Coast Guard fleet and carries dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which are long-range missiles designed to strike land-based targets.

In July, the destroyer completed a nine-month deployment that the Navy called unprecedented. The assignment was extended twice, as the Gravely escorted the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and shot down missiles and drones launched by Houthi militants in Yemen aimed at commercial and military ships in the Red Sea.

It is a bit unique to deploy a capability of this level for this mission set, but I think it goes to the commitment the Navy has to the president and the secretary of defense to support the southern border operations, Caudle said.

The Gravelys deployment will enable the Navy to learn what other ways that it could support the southern border operations. The sea services involvement could grow to include deploying Navy Seabees and explosive ordnance teams to help with the construction of the border wall, as well as intelligence analysts to help Customs and Border Protection track drug cartel movements, Caudle said.

Navy crews have already supported the operations by flying reconnaissance planes to monitor the southern border. Those efforts have shifted to supporting Coast Guard operations in the gulf, Caudle said. The two P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance squadrons tasked with border surveillance are multimission, maritime aircraft that conduct anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and humanitarian response.

This is putting our toe in the water a bit to understand it, to make sure that we know how to employ this force. Is a return on investment from this level of capability going to return good, fruitful utilization of it? Caudle said. This first round will educate us on that to see if further and continued global utilization of these forces is required.

The Washington Post contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to Japan, George Glass, described the U.S.-Japan relationship as being at "an apex," during a hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 13, 2025. (U.S. State Department)



Citing a growing threat from China, the nominee for U.S. ambassador to Japan recently told senators he plans to ask Tokyo to increase its military spending.

The sophistication of the Chinese is growing tremendously, George Glass told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday. He said Japan should increase spending on military weaponry, improve its command-and-control systems, and provide greater support for American troops and bases.

I do believe were going to have to go to the Japanese and talk about an increase in that support, he said.

Glass described the U.S.-Japan relationship as at an all-time high, calling the two nations alliance an apex partnership based on close economic and military ties.

Whether its China, Russia, North Korea, its all in [Japans] backyard, he said, according to a video of the hearing posted online by the committee. So, working together with them is of critical importance.

His statement to the committee contrasted with remarks Trump made about Japan on March 6.

We have a great relationship with Japan, but we have an interesting deal with Japan that we have to protect them, but they dont have to protect us, Trump told reporters, according to Kyodo News.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., asked Glass to reconcile the difference between his statement and Trumps. Glass said it reflected the strength of the U.S.-Japan partnership.

In any relationship, especially from the business standpoint, the closer you are, the more transparent you can be about discussions, he said. And in those discussions, money is always a part of it.

Japan has agreed to increase its defense spending to 2% of its gross domestic product by 2027. Glass said Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has indicated Tokyo could offer additional increases pending further discussions.

I look forward to discussing that with the Japanese and being able to come out with something that is favorable for both sides, he said.

In December, Japans Cabinet approved the countrys largest-ever defense budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1. Japan is in the 13th year of annual defense spending increases, with plans for a 9.7% increase in fiscal 2026, totaling $54.8 billion, up from the current years $50.1 billion. The budget is projected to rise to about $56.1 billion by fiscal 2027.

Glass, who served as ambassador to Portugal during Trumps first term, is a real estate developer, financier and securities trader from Oregon, according to his State Department biography.

Mr. Glass is known for his business acumen, management skills and broad experience in technology investment banking and financing, the biography states.

Glass  like his predecessor, Rahm Emanuel  has a reputation for taking a hardline stance on China.

The sophistication of the Chinese is growing tremendously and the cost of the rivalry between the U.S. and China is becoming more expensive, Glass told the committee.

Glass outlined plans to increase cooperation with Japan on cybersecurity, invest in co-producing weapons, and fast-track the supply of military equipment. Japan has a backlog of more than $50 billion worth of military equipment on order from the United States, he said.

All of this is to thwart the pressure that China is placing on Japan, he told the committee.
Veon Group has appointed Singapore-based operator StarHubs consumer chief, Johan Buse (pictured), as the new CEO of its Banglalink unit, in a move to accelerate its digital expansion in emerging markets.

Buse brings decades of telecoms experience, having worked for Deutsche Telekom in the Netherlands and Croatia, followed by senior roles at AXIS, SingTel, and the Ooredoo Group, where he served as chief commercial officer of Ooredoo Oman.

He spent over six years at StarHub as chief of its Consumer Business Group.

Buse will assume his new role at Banglalink on 6 April, replacing outgoing chief Erik Aas, who is leaving after nine years at the helm to pursue new opportunities.

Veon Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu said Buses extensive experience makes him well-positioned to accelerate our digital expansion and our contributions to the growth of the Bangladesh economy.

Terzioglu added that under Aass leadership, Banglalink became a nationwide operator, delivering market-defining digital services.

Commenting on his appointment, Buse described Bangladesh as a market filled with customer-focused, value-creating opportunities.

As Bangladesh goes through a historic period of change, transforming the countrys digital landscape by equipping its people with highly demanded digital and connectivity services is more important than ever, he added.
Gangland boss Ioan Anton is facing charges for his role in the murder of rival pimp in Ireland

A gangland boss making 750k a year from renting brothels went to court to challenge a decision to cut off his social welfare.

Romanian criminal Ioan Anton also collected cash from women trafficked to Ireland to work in his network of brothels.

Now under house arrest in his native country where he is facing charges for his role in the murder of rival pimp in Ireland, Anton was linked to 19 different sex dens here.

A case taken against Anton by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) to seize a BMW X5 from him provided a glimpse into his shadowy world.

There was evidence that he took over the criminal network in Ireland from Cornelius Kaiser, who was described as the former head of the gang and a prolific criminal.

Kaiser received an 18-month jail sentence in Ireland in 2017 for using fake bank statements to get a loan for a truck. It was heard in court that he had previously served time in Romania and was one of 27 people arrested over a stolen truck ring.

Authorities believe Anton was behind the murder of Virgil Busa

Ioan Anton hit the headlines after an investigation by RTEs Prime Time into Irelands sex trade, which caught him transporting women between brothels in 2012.

Months later, a decision was made to stop paying him Jobseekers Allowance which he challenged in the High Court where he denied being involved in crime.

Anton had said that the decision to cut him off from social welfare had caused him and his family hardship.

Although the case was settled out of court, evidence in the recent CAB hearings against him showed that he continued to get the payment up until June 2014, collecting 136,000 in total.

The CAB evidence stated that Anton forced women to lease properties throughout the country which were then operated as brothels.

Advertised on Escort Ireland, the women were moved about on a weekly basis, paying rent to him for the property which CAB estimated was worth 750,000 a year.

In addition to the rent he receives, the girls are also forced to hand over some of their earnings to Ioan Anton and their direct pimps, a garda witness stated in affidavit.

During the search of an associates home, lease agreements to 19 of the brothels were found, as well as passports, travel documents and profile pictures of women used on Escort Ireland.

Murder victim Virgil Busa

The same garda witness said that he believed Anton removed himself from his hands-on role after the Prime Time expose and as far as possible tries to lead his criminal gang one step removed from the actual commission of offences.

His gang was believed to be linked to a case where two women arrived at Cavan Garda Station saying they had been tricked into coming to Ireland and forced to work as prostitutes. An associate of Antons had made contact via Facebook and had promised them work in a restaurant.

Anton had also gone to great lengths to hide his ownership of any assets using different people, aliases and fictitious names to register vehicles.

The BMW X5 at the centre of the CAB case was seized by gardai nearly ten years ago during the investigation of the attempted robbery of an ATM.

Anton had made an attempt to disguise his ownership by registering the vehicle in the name of a woman who claimed to have bought it with her savings.

The vehicle had been bought for 29,750 at a time when Anton didnt have any record of income other than from social welfare, the court was told.

The respondents primary source of income from his criminality was derived from organised prostitution.

Anton was convicted of conspiring to blow up an ATM in Hamiltonsbawn, Co Armagh, in 2018, for which he received a one-year sentence.

The money from the sale of the seized BMW was declared to have been paid to the State last month by the High Court.

Ioan Anton was arrested by gardai and extradited to Romania in 2020

Anton is alleged by Romanian authorities to have been behind the brutal murder of Virgil Busa in Navan, Co Meath on April 10, 2014.

In 2021, five members of a gang were convicted in Romania over the murder of rival pimp Busa in a horrific machete attack.

Nine others had already been convicted of their roles in the organised crime gang.

Prosecutors in Romania say Anton decided he wanted Busa dead and set a trap for him by putting people in place to watch him in the apartment block where he lived.

The gang then entered the apartment with crowbars and knives and attacked Busa and another person.

Busa jumped from his balcony but was caught by the attackers who assaulted him until he became unconscious. He died in hospital days later.

Anton, who lived in Ireland for years and had an address in Balbriggan in north Dublin, had previously featured on Europols Most Wanted list.

In August 2016, the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) alleged Anton was the main suspect in ordering Busas murder.

DIICOT alleges that in 2008 and 2009 he had set up an organised criminal group in Ireland specialising in human trafficking and prostitution.

Anton was subsequently arrested by gardai on foot of a European Arrest Warrant in October 2020 and was refused bail by the High Court ahead of the extradition proceedings.
A new company called VSData has announced plans to build a spring water-cooled data centre outside Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is expected to be a 2MW, 125-rack facility.

News resource Data Centre Dynamics says this appears to be the companys first facility, from which it aims to offer colocation and other services. VSData says it is expanding its pool of investors and is inviting professionals with technical expertise to become partners in the data centre project.

The data centre will be located in a gorge in Aragatsotn, a province in the west of the country. The company says the gorge is 5C cooler than the surrounding area, helping to reduce cooling costs.

The site's natural lower temperature will help to reduce heating, ventilation, and air conditioning load. A spring water cooling system is being developed to reduce electricity consumption.

VSData says that projected environmental savings include a 30-50% reduction in carbon footprint compared to conventional data centres.

The data centre project is designed in accordance with Tier-3 specifications. It has two independent power lines, with a third currently in progress. Reliable connectivity will include a 25 kilometre fibre optic line extension to Yerevan. The facility is sited close to the north-south highway and just 15 minutes from Yerevan.

Will this be the winning approach to environmentally conscious data centre development VSData seems to be aiming for? We should know this year; ground has been broken, and the data centre is due to go live by the end of 2025.

According to Data Centre Dynamics, VSData will not be alone in operating a data centre in our near the capital; Rostelecom-owned Armenian fixed connectivity operator Ovio, a local digital transformation specialist called DataCom, and Armenian ISP Arminco already operate data centres in Yerevan.
Donna Mongan (40) also grabbed the teenagers phone from her hand as she recorded the assault

A woman slapped a 15-year-old girl on the chest and called her a scumbag and a scruffy child during a confrontation in a discount store.

Donna Mongan (40) also grabbed the teenagers phone from her hand as she recorded the assault and later called her a garda rat.

A court heard the victim was left crying and humiliated by the attack that happened amid a feud between members of two families.

Finding her guilty, Judge John Hughes told Mongan that as an adult she was the bigger person in this and it was a serious matter, hitting a child.

He adjourned the case at Dublin District Court for a restorative justice report.

Mongan, of Suncroft Drive, Tallaght, had pleaded not guilty to assaulting the now 18-year-old victim.

Dublin District Court heard the encounter happened at The Square, Tallaght, on August 31, 2022. The victim said she previously had an argument with a niece of the accused and she saw her in the shopping centre. There were words between the two girls but nothing happened.

The victim was walking through Dealz when Mongan approached, saying what the f**k are you looking at? and Ill kill you again.

Donna Mongan was charged with assault. Photo: Andrew Phelan

The accused squared up to the girl, saying she had bullied her niece and the girl took out her phone and recorded her on Snapchat.

She slapped me right there on the chest, the victim told the court.

Mongan grabbed her phone and threw it into dog-food cans. The girl went to security and Mongan shouted youre a scumbag, youre a scruffy child.

She said that Im dead, the victim said. I was so embarrassed, everybody seen it.

In evidence, Mongan said she only told the victim to leave her niece alone and the girl put her phone up straight away.

I slapped the phone out of her hand, basically, I didnt slap her on the chest, Mongan said.

Mongan had worked in security and was on medication for anxiety, defence barrister Lydia Daly said.

Judge Hughes said he was concerned about the feud escalating and asked if Mongan wanted to apologise. Ms Daly said there was no apology forthcoming.

The judge noted Mongan was not willing to budge an inch or show any remorse.
Paul Moody will now face trial before a judge and jury on December 1

The trial of Paul Moody (44) will take place in December. Photo: Collins

Former garda Paul Moody has been sent forward for trial on several counts of harassing, intimidating and demanding money from a woman.

Moody (44) will now face trial before a judge and jury on December 1, after indicating last Tuesday that he will fight the criminal charges.

He previously appeared in the Circuit Criminal Court in January charged with five alleged offences against a woman on various dates in 2016 and 2017.

At that stage his case was put back until a point when he had to indicate whether he intended to plead guilty or not. If he had pleaded guilty he would have been sent for sentencing. However, as he has opted to fight the charges he has now been sent forward for trial.

Paul Moody

Moody, with a previous address at St Raphaels Manor, Celbridge, Co Kildare, has already appeared in the district court in relation to these alleged offences.

The case was sent from there to the circuit criminal court late last year. Moodys appearance last week was his third in the circuit criminal court on these charges.

He stands accused of one count of demanding money from his alleged victim, one count of intimidating her and three counts of harassing her.

According to the charge sheet, in 2017 Moody is alleged to have made an unwarranted demand, to wit the payment of monies from (name omitted) with menaces, contrary to Section 17 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994, as amended by Section 22 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2008.

Paul Moody. Photo: Collins Courts

In 2016, he is charged with intimidating the same woman, with a view to compelling the woman to do an act which she had a lawful right to abstain from doing, wrongfully and without lawful authority intimidated the woman contrary to Section 9 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Moody is also accused in three different charges of the harassment of the same woman on several separate occasions in Dublin.

These alleged crimes took place in 2016 and 2017 at various locations in the capital.

According to the charge sheet, one location the former garda is accused of harassing the woman is at The Coombe Hospital in Dublin 8.

The charge sheet states: On dates between March 2, 2016 and March 8, 2016, both dates inclusive at The Coombe Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin 8, he harassed the woman contrary to Section 10 (1) and (6) of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.
Warning: Some readers may find details in this article distressing

A Belfast man who allegedly exposed himself in full view of children on a Co Down beach has appeared in court.

Scott McCormick also encouraged dogs to engage in a sex act at Seapark Bay in Holywood on Sunday afternoon, Belfast Magistrates Court has been told.

The 37-year-old, defendant, of Ravenscroft Avenue, appeared in the dock on Monday.

The court heard how he told police he remembers nothing about the incident because he had drunk a ten-glass bottle of vodka.

McCormick has been charged with exposure, disorderly behaviour and committing an act outraging public decency.

The PSNI received four separate reports from members of the public about an intoxicated man in a grey tracksuit at the beauty spot.

He was walking along the beach with a pushbike, exposing his [genitals] in plain view of children in the area and trying to remove his clothes, an investigating detective said.

Witnesses stated that the male was acting in an intimidating fashion, shouting at anyone who approached.

He was approaching families with children, he dropped his trousers to his ankles and urinated.

The investigating detective also explained McCormick encouraged dogs to engage in a sex act, it was claimed.

Officers at the scene were directed to McCormick sitting on a nearby bench, apparently drunk, slurring his words and unsteady on his feet.

During interviews he stated that he had a ten-glass bottle of vodka and doesnt remember any of this, the detective disclosed.

Opposing bail, she added: Due to the large number of people who were exposed to this incident there is also a probability of reprisals against the defendant if he is released.

A defence barrister told the court McCormick had been drinking heavily due to mental health pressures.

He has taken it to a new level by then choosing to go out into the public, counsel submitted.

He took himself out to Bangor for the day impulsively decided to buy the bottle of vodka and events then escalated from there.

Amid suggestions that further psychiatric assessments could be carried out, McCormick was remanded in custody until Friday.

District Judge George Conner requested more information on efforts to supervise the accuseds behaviour.
Nearly three years on, US former tenant has not seen one cent in compensation for destruction of her belongings and loss of wedding rings

West Cork rental dispute led to three court cases, 40,000 in awards and a judgment mortgage

Its 1pm on March 11, and landlord Colin OSullivan, who said he could not appear at Skibbereen District Court earlier that day because he had to take his uncle to hospital, is sitting in his mobile home overlooking the beautiful west Cork coastline at Castletownshend.

When he emerges from the mobile, I deliver the news that Judge Treasa Kelly has enforced a Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) order against him for 20,000.

His former tenants, Gabriela Lake and her daughter McKenzie, were awarded compensation for the financial loss, stress and inconvenience they suffered after he illegally evicted them from a house he owns in Union Hall in October 2022.

Well, I was supposed to be there [in court], but I had to take my uncle He was cutting the lawn this morning and there was a bit of an incident, he says.

Hes 80 years of age and shouldnt be doing it. It [the RTB order] was going to be enforced anyway.

Last month, Ms Lake registered a judgment for 18,500 against another property Mr OSullivan owns in Cahergal. According to the Land Registry, there is no mortgage on the house.

The mother of three has been awarded nearly 40,000 after taking two cases with the RTB over her horrendous experience.

She never received a penny, resulting in her having to attend court on multiple occasions to get both orders enforced.

Last July, Skibbereen Circuit Court enforced the first RTB order for 18,500, but Mr OSullivan has not been forthcoming with any payment.

Ms Lake then decided to file a judgment mortgage against one of his properties in a bid to recover her money.

I ask Mr OSullivan if he ever intends to pay.

Im going to have to talk about a payment plan first and see what they come up with, he says.

Gabriela Lake. Photo: Domnick Walsh

He claims the Revenue Commissioners are now after him, but doesnt clarify why and ends the conversation abruptly.

Well say no more, he says.

It has been two-and-a-half years since Ms Lake was evicted and all her belongings were destroyed by the landlord  including many sentimental items owned by her late husband, Jim.

She still cant come up with an explanation as to why things took such an extreme turn.

A criminal damage case was taken after Mr OSullivan admitted he buried her minivan, along with some of her belongings, in a field.

He avoided a conviction and was ordered to pay her 1,000 in compensation instead. Another car she owned was found burnt out.

For Ms Lake, an American who moved to Ireland with her family in 2017, this country has been tainted after her rental nightmare

Ms Lake reported this to gardai on December 28, 2022. Mr OSullivan said the Fiat car combusted by itself. No criminal damage case was ever taken in relation to this vehicle.

In the second RTB case, Ms Lake was awarded 20,000  the maximum amount the board can legally give  for the loss of her belongings, which included all the furniture she had bought, designer handbags, limited-edition books and her husbands wedding ring.

The RTB also concluded that Mr OSullivan was responsible for the damage to both vehicles.

For Ms Lake, an American who moved to Ireland with her family in 2017, this country has now been tainted after her rental nightmare.

They decided to leave the US to live in west Cork so her husband could be closer to his elderly parents in Harrow, London.

Landlord Colin O'Sullivan. Photo: Provision

After a year renting a cottage in Glandore, they moved to Mr OSullivans house in Union Hall in 2018 because they needed more space.

We loved the house and the beautiful views that came with it, Ms Lake said.

They initially only planned to live in Ireland for a year, but it very quickly started to feel like home.

On August 19, 2019, Ms Lake and her husband were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in Albania, a country that had been on his bucket list for years, when he suffered a heart attack and died.

During that time, Ms Lake said, her landlord had been very supportive.

The west Cork property

They always had a good relationship and there had never been any issues  until September 2022.

Every year, Ms Lake would return to the US for a few months because her job allowed her to work remotely.

She asked her daughter McKenzie to transfer the rent while she was away.

However, following the death of a close friend to suicide, the young woman forgot to deposit the rent for July and August.

When Ms Lake was made aware of this, she immediately transferred the outstanding money to Mr OSullivan. It was the first time in four years that a rental payment had ever been missed.

She thought nothing more of it, but when McKenzie returned to Union Hall one evening, the locks had been changed and Mr OSullivan was living inside.

He refused to allow her into the house to collect her belongings. Gardai had to be called so she could get her fathers ashes.

Other personal items, such as birthday cards and family photos, were never retrieved.

It was like losing my husband all over again, Ms Lake said.

Its great on paper  I have all these judgments and orders and everything, but I still lost everything I owned

Since she was illegally evicted, Ms Lake has had to attend three RTB hearings; Skibbereen courthouse for two civil cases to get her RTB orders enforced; and a criminal damage hearing to give evidence about her minivan.

Despite being the victim, Ms Lake found it difficult to get rental accommodation in Ireland after speaking out about her experience with Mr OSullivan.

One landlord who agreed to rent a house to her in Castletownshend changed her mind after she read an interview about the dispute.

I presume they thought I might be a difficult tenant, rather than looking at what he did to us, she said.

Ms Lake has now moved to Spain for a fresh start. She flew in from Barcelona on the morning of the hearing on Tuesday.

I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for the RTB as I couldnt afford to do it on my own, she said.

I just wish they had more authority. I wish they could stop the eviction from happening.

Its great on paper  I have all these judgments and orders and everything, but I still lost everything I owned.

Gabriela Lake and her late husband Jim

The gripe that I have is with the gardai for not helping whatsoever. I rang them hysterically crying to get help to get my belongings and they kept saying they couldnt get involved because its a civil matter. The law on this needs to be changed.

My husband and I were married for 30 years, but were very much still in love with each other.

All the cards he gave me for Mothers Day and Valentines Day, his wedding rings  these are things that Ill never get back, and for no reason at all other than because of what Colin did.

I contacted him numerous times asking for my stuff and he refused to give them to me.

On one occasion, Mr OSullivan sent a legal letter stating he would return her valuable first-edition books if they would be offset against the 18,500 damages he was ordered to pay by the rental watchdog.

He initially claimed he had been forced to dispose of everything because he could not afford to store the belongings, but somehow managed to retrieve her books.

Despite enduring nearly three years of stress over her experience, she is still determined to get her 38,500 in RTB awards

A letter sent by his solicitors read: Ms Lake gave evidence to the effect that she had left books on the mantelpiece worth 16,000.

Mr OSullivan has retrieved these books and this office holds the same on trust, which we trust will be accepted as part payment of the sum of 18,500.

There is therefore a balance of 2,500 and we will be in contact with you in relation thereto.

Ms Lake did not agree to offset them against the award.

When she called to the solicitors office to collect them, only one of the valuable books she owned was there.

Despite enduring nearly three years of stress over her experience, she is still determined to get her 38,500 in RTB awards.

Were going to do everything we can to get the money, she said.
Pensioner who licked masseuses face says he pleaded guilty to assault to get it over and done with

McElduff was told to offer 5,000 as a token of remorse to his victim

Dermot McElduff tells our reporter he didnt do anything wrong... after pleading guilty

A pensioner who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a masseuse by groping and licking her insisted to the Sunday World just 24 hours later: Ive never touched anyone inappropriately.

Dermot McElduff (80) also threatened to sue for defamation any newspaper that claims differently.

Dublin District Court heard on Wednesday that McElduff grossly abused a massage therapist by groping her following a session at a Dublin clinic.

After the victim refused McElduffs request to rub his groin, he licked her face and touched her bottom and breast, leaving her traumatised.

Judge Michele Finan told the accused to offer 5,000 as a token of his remorse to the victim and adjourned sentencing at Dublin District Court.

When we caught up with Mr McElduff a day later and asked whether there was anything he had to say for himself, McElduff said he had only pleaded guilty to get it over and done with.

I dont want to hear any more about it, he told our reporter.

I didnt do anything inappropriately. I dont want to hear any more.

Mr McElduff then asked what paper our reporter was from.

When informed he was speaking with the Sunday World, and told the case had been reported in several newspapers, he responded: I never saw the paper.

If I was rude to you, I would say get lost but I didnt touch anyone inappropriately.

And Im going to take a case for defamation against them.

When it was put to Mr McElduff he had entered a guilty plea, he responded he had been advised to.

To get it over and done with. Thats the only reason. Are you happy now?

McElduff, a father-of-three from Gracepark Heights, Drumcondra, Dublin pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the woman at a clinic in the city.

McElduff was told to offer 5,000 as a token of remorse to his victim

Detective Garda Sarah McArdle said the accused made an appointment to have a massage in May 2023. When he arrived, he was brought into a room by the victim.

In the course of the massage, he put his hand under the towel and while the injured party could not see what he was doing, she was aware of what he was doing, Det Garda McArdle said.

He made comments asking the victim to rub him on his groin and that and she explained she could not.

She left the room while he got his clothes back on and when she returned, he touched her on the bum, leaned in to kiss her and licked the side of her face.

McElduff also touched the victims left breast and all the contact was outside her clothes.

The accused had no previous convictions.

His guilty plea was quite valuable to the prosecution, defence solicitor Peter Connolly said.

The victim was working

McElduff had a lot on his plate with family commitments, the court heard.

He had worked for many years in the retail sector for one of the big multiples and had been quite successful before going into business on his own, Mr Connolly said.

He had not worked for 10 years now.

Judge Finan read a victim impact statement that was handed in and said it was measured and speaks volumes to the court.

This woman is traumatised, she was trying to provide therapeutic intervention for your client who grossly abused her, she told Mr Connolly.

She said the accused should offer reasonable compensation and asked the garda to explain to the victim that there was no obligation on her to accept money from the accused and that it was a token of his remorse.

The court is horrified that this happened to her, she said.

Mr Connolly said he did not anticipate that the compensation would be a problem.

Dermot McElduff was remanded on continuing bail to appear in court again in June.
Paul Greatbanks (60) was jailed for a minimum of 16 years in 2013 for the murder of 49-year-old Paddy Harkin, who was beaten to death with a hammer at his Derry flat

A convicted killer who murdered a Derry man with a hammer in 2011 has died in prison in England.

Paul Greatbanks (60) was jailed for a minimum of 16 years in 2013 for the murder of 49-year-old Paddy Harkin, who was beaten to death with a hammer at his Derry flat.

Another man, Paul Mythen, was left permanently disabled and brain damaged in the same incident.

Greatbanks, who was originally from Kent, was also sentenced to 15 years in prison and a further five on licence for the attempted murder of Mr Mythen, with both of the sentences running concurrently.

He would have been eligible for parole next year given his 16-year sentence.

According to online records obtained by the Belfast Telegraph, Greatbanks died last month in prison.

However, his cause of death has not yet been made public and the Prisons Ombudsman is investigating.

Shortly before 1.30am on February 20, 2011, Greatbanks walked into Strand Road Police Station in Derry covered in blood and reported having killed two people at Bayview Terrace, believing at the time that he had also killed Mr Mythen.

Police arrived at the scene to discover Mr Harkin, who had been beaten to death, and a seriously injured Mr Mythen (41) in his property in the same building.

A court later heard how Greatbanks had been ejected from a bar and went back to his flat in Bayview Terrace where he armed himself with a claw hammer.

He went to Mr Harkins flat in the same complex and beat him to death with the hammer, before going to Mr Mythens flat and attacking him.

Greatbanks pleaded guilty in court. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Horner said the attacks were carried out with the utmost viciousness and savagery.

The judge said photographs of the injuries inflicted on Mr Harkin and Mr Mythen demonstrate acts of unspeakable brutality on the part of the defendant.

Just weeks before Mr Harkins murder, Greatbanks seriously assaulted taxi driver John McLaughlin in an unprovoked attack at a Derry pub, smashing the victims head with a bar stool.

Mr McLaughlin reported the assault, but the PSNI failed to investigate until after the murder of Mr Harkin.

Greatbanks was subsequently sentenced to 18 months for the assault on Mr McLaughlin and four PSNI officers were disciplined over the handling of the case.

The family of Mr Harkin said they believed Mr Harkin would still be alive if the police had properly investigated the attack on Mr McLaughlin on December 28, 2010.

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Adrian Usher said: My office is carrying out an independent investigation into the death of Paul Greatbanks at HMP Stocken on 10 February 2025.

"Our final report will be published after the inquest concludes.
Veteran terror boss Graham is keeping a close watch as tensions ease up between UVF factions over photoshopped images

UVF chief-of-staff walks his dog without a care in the world  as his paramilitary empire in east Belfast was on the verge of imploding this week.

Veteran terror boss John Bunter Graham  pictured here recently walking his pet pug  is said to be keeping a close watch on the situation after antagonisms threatened to spill over into violence earlier this week.

Now in his 80s, Graham and Harry Stockman  the man hotly tipped to take over from Graham if and when he steps down  are both fully committed to completing a programme of transition away from paramilitarism.

But thats not the case in east Belfast, where local UVF gangs have been at each others throats.

Just days ago open hostilities between UVF-linked factions in east Belfast seemed inevitable as opposing groups made claims followed by counter-claims.

Harry Stockman

And the internet was flooded with pictures where the faces of well-known loyalists were photoshopped onto the bodies of rats. Many of the people targeted were also accused of being drug dealers and police informers.

But following the release of a joint statement by the East Belfast Memorial Committee and East Belfast Act Initiative on Friday, it became clear common sense had prevailed on all sides.

Both groups strongly condemned WhatsApp messages naming and maligning known loyalist figures from east Belfast.

Those involved in this activity do not represent any section of loyalism and we are both of the view these are deliberate efforts to turn loyalists against each other, the joint statement read.

The statement also maintained there was no appetite for violence and that both sides were fully committed to resolving any perceived differences peacefully and by a previously agreed process.

Hugh Jordan reporting from East Belfast

If there are disagreements on issues, as in every community, we both firmly agree these will be resolved by discussion via agreed mechanisms, said the statement.

And it further urged the media not to pay credence to anonymous or faceless allegations or rumours.

As a result of this development, it appears the competing factions have  for the time being at least  agreed to pull back from the brink to avoid internecine loyalist violence in east Belfast.

There are no issues. All has been sorted and people are on good terms, a well-placed east Belfast source said last night.

He added: Ironically, it managed to bring people together.

Serious differences between known paramilitary factions in the east of the city became self-evident 14 months ago after the UVF top brass on the Shankill moved to oust alleged long-term East Belfast leader Stephen Mackers Matthews  who denies links to paramilitaries and to crime  and his closest cohorts.

Stephen Matthews

A statement purporting to come from the UVF leadership was read out at a number of Remembrance Sunday events in west and east Belfast.

It claimed the faction had been stood down and new leadership in the area was being installed with the support of the organisations Shankill Road-based leadership.

But the bloodless Remembrance Sunday coup  although initially denied by East Belfast UVF supporters  was welcomed by a majority of the local loyalist community.

It is believed the recent trial of men convicted for the brutal murder of east Belfast loyalist Ian Ogle was the catalyst for the most recent stand-off and ongoing tensions.

People need to accept the reality of what happened in east Belfast. There have been a change of regime and the new people in charge have the full backing of the UVF leadership on the Shankill, an east Belfast loyalist insider told us.

And he continued: The UVF ceasefire was 31 years ago and many of the people behind recent tit-for-tat disagreements have never witnessed real violence. Without doubt, they have never seen loyalist-on-loyalist violence.

It only takes a small issue to spark a violent reaction, but when it happens, the repercussions can last generations.

Ian Ogle

The murder of Ian Ogle has wrecked the loyalist community of the lower Newtownards Road. Take a look around the area.

Shops are closing at a furious rate and only last week the once much-feted Connswater Shopping Centre  a short distance away from where Ian Ogle was murdered  announced it was pulling down the shutters, said our source.

He added: Modern loyalism must accept some of the responsibility for the state of the place. And if we are serious about representing our people, then we need to be part of the regeneration of east Belfast.

Despite East Belfast being the largest Brigade area of the UVF  running from the Queens Bridge to Newtownards  the real power base of the loyalist paramilitary group lies with a handful of men based in five streets in the Shankill area.

Armed UVF gang

Its leader Bunter Graham is a veteran paramilitary who has held the reins of power for many years.

He has survived at least three separate murder bids. The Provisional IRA broke into his home in the lower Shankill but, finding the place empty, they raked living room with gunfire, even smashing a mirror hanging on a wall.

On another occasion in the late 1980s, an INLA unit based in Ardoyne threw a breeze block through the living room window of Grahams home before concentrating machine-gun fire on the hole. The UVF boss was shot a number of times but survived.

Following the UVF murder of former member Samuel Jeffrey Rice in east Belfast in September 1992, one of his close associates took revenge by trying to kill Graham.

Rice had been accused of carrying out an arson attack at a hotel on the Causeway Coast for money and not giving the UVF a share of the cash. The UVF shot the 30-year-old dead minutes after he arrived at his girlfriends home at Solway Street, off the Newtownards Road.

Rices friend, a taxi driver, purchased a beat-up car for 300 and parked it yards away from John Grahams home. And when the UVF boss came out to take his dog for a walk, he drove the car over him.

Badly injured, Graham spent months in hospital, but he eventually recovered and resumed his leadership position at the head of the UVF.
Social media used to push agenda and highlight their extraordinary antics in America

As online advertising goes, Josiah Burke didnt get a bad return on his 100 investment.

Shortly after they were hauled out of the grand National Building Museum in Washington DC for gatecrashing the Ireland Funds $1,000-a-plate St Patricks Day gala dinner, his mother Martina and brother Isaac had recovered their composure to deliver a five-minute speech in darkness from the sidewalk that hit all the usual notes.

We sought to highlight the case of Enoch Burke, our brother and son who has been imprisoned for over 500 days in Ireland after refusing to endorse transgenderism, Isaac began.

Americans werent aware of what was going on in Ireland, Martina said. Taoiseach Micheal Martin was not telling the truth.

Security asked: Can I have you all step off the property, please?

It didnt faze them.

Righteousness exalts a nation, Martina declared.

Josiah paid the 100 advertising fee to upload the five-minute video to Facebook that night, in time for Irish people waking up to news that the Burkes, from Castlebar, Co Mayo, had tried to storm the Ireland Funds dinner.

Members of Enoch Burke's family are ejected from the Ireland Funds dinner. Photo: PA

By Friday lunchtime, the ad had made 15,000 to 20,000 impressions  it had appeared on that number of screens. By Saturday morning, it had reached 50,000 to 60,000 screens.

Facebook is the Burke familys 21st-century pulpit. According to Metas ad library, Josiah has paid 28,171 to Meta for posting 77 ads under the category social issues, elections or politics on Facebook from April 2019 to last Wednesday (March 12).

For a family whose modus operandi is to turn up uninvited at events, usually to heckle politicians and public figures, many of the ads capture Burke family members chaotic confrontations.

They include videos of them heckling various public figures. Josiah paid 400 to 499 to post a clip of family members confronting attorney general Rossa Fanning in February for stripping teacher Enoch of his livelihood. The ad featured on 170,000 to 200,000 screens.

The ads dont always last. According to the ad library, Josiah paid 600 to 699 earlier this month for an ad that ran for five days on Facebook before it was removed on grounds of disinformation. By then, it had made 200,000 to 250,000 impressions.

Isaac, Martina and Ammi outside event in Washington. Photo: PA

Nearly 30,000  or about 5,000 a year  is a significant sum to drop on a social media campaign.

But as the Burkes Washington odyssey has shown, the familys evangelical religious activism is a carefully orchestrated, social-media-driven operation  with ambitions to go global.

The Burke family have been engaged in evangelical religious activism for years, long before Enoch was repeatedly jailed for defying court orders to stay away from his school.

The family live on the outskirts of Castlebar, where parents Sean, an electrician, and Martina, a teacher, run the Burke Christian School.

Many of their 10 children, all homeschooled, are high academic achievers. As well as running the school, the Burkes have a bookshop in the town.

The High Court is considering deducting the fines from his salary, believed to be around 48,000

Various family members have been vociferous campaigners for many years, promoting fundamentalist Christian views against same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ issues.

Since Enoch was suspended from his teaching position at Wilsons Hospital School in Co Westmeath in August 2022, family members have campaigned with zeal against transgenderism, spreading misinformation that he is being punished for his refusal to accept transgender ideology.

In fact, he had a public confrontation with his principal over his refusal to address a transgender student. He was suspended, but refused to obey a court order to keep away from the school grounds.

He was eventually sacked for gross misconduct, but is appealing against that. Pending the outcome, he continues to receive his salary. Meanwhile, he has spent more than 500 days in jail and owes 79,000 in unpaid fines. The High Court is now considering deducting the fines from his salary, believed to be around 48,000 gross per year.

When a far-right user posted on X the Burkes claims that the Irish Government is now trying to strip Enoch of his salary because of his transgender beliefs, Elon Musk responded: Wow.

Enoch Burke with Martina and Ammi leaving the High Court. Photo: Getty

According to one White House observer, the Burkes may have found their tribe.

News of their Washington protest filtered out when Cuan O Seireadain, a Radio na Gaeltachta journalist, posted on Tuesday that members of the Burke family were on his flight to Washington DC.

Sean, Martina, Ammi and Isaac Burke made their appearance in Washington on Thursday, refusing to talk to Irish journalists as they protested with placards at the Ireland Funds venue.

On Thursday night, seconds before their attempted storming of the dining room, Martina, Ammi and Isaac were snapped on iPhones peering through the long drapes cordoning off the dining room.

An eagle-eyed security guard clocked them loitering with apparent intent and clicked his fingers at policemen walking by, looking for assistance.

But the help came too late. Martina and her son and daughter seized on the lack of security and entered the dining room, shouting, with Martinas voice the loudest: My son is in prison!

The fact Enoch is not currently imprisoned seemed to be an irrelevant detail. The majority of the American dignitaries attending the gala looked on perplexed, having no idea who the Burke family were or what they were talking about.

The Irish media, familiar with their antics, looked on with scepticism.

Enoch Burke outside school. Photo: Gerry Mooney

As police and security guards grappled to remove the three, Martina and Isaac ended up on the floor, with the mother-of-10 losing a shoe before being ejected.

It remains unclear how the Burkes got into the event, with no explanation forthcoming. Taoiseach Micheal Martin downplayed the disturbance the next day and defended security arrangements at the dinner.

He insisted that it did not take away from the evening, and added that what the Evangelical Christian family did was not a protest.

A spokesperson for the Ireland Funds said: We are declining to comment.

Commentators have observed that in Donald Trumps America, the Burkes are mainstream.

Fred Phelps Jr (71)  the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, which was founded by his late father  believes the Burke family are beginning to worship Enoch over God.

Phelpss church is synonymous with spreading hate speech and anti-abortion messaging and picketing military funerals with placards emblazoned with anti-LGBTQ+ slogans, including God Hates Fags.

My message to the Burkes, go ahead and preach, tell the truth from the Bible, but follow the law and obey court orders

Phelps Jr said he agreed with the Mayo familys opposition to transgenderism, but not their protests. The Westboro Baptist Church always obeys court orders and the police authorities, he said.

If they werent invited, then they shouldnt have been there [at the Ireland Funds dinner], he said. Thats trespassing. At the Westboro Baptist Church, we are lawful and peaceful. We are not about insurrection or rebellion. My message to the Burkes would be to go ahead and preach, tell the truth from the Bible, but follow the law and obey court orders.

Enoch Burkes mother Martina, left, and two of his siblings, Isaac and Ammi, protested in Washington over the jailing for contempt of court of the teacher, right

Phelps Jr said he has seen many comparisons on social media between his family and the Burkes, but he feels there are fundamental differences in their ideologies.

The Burkes, theyve lost sight of things a bit. It shouldnt be all about them. Its about Christ, he said. In some of their signs they have pictures of Enoch. They need to be careful there. It seems maybe they are beginning to worship the man, not God. It is about the creator, not the creature.

The Burkes have never reached out to his church, he said, and neither has he tried to contact the Mayo evangelicals.

Would I invite them to Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas? I dont think that I would, unless they agreed to follow the law. At no time have I had any direct or indirect contact with the Burkes.

The Bible says we are ambassadors for Christ. But breaking the law like the Burkes do, that doesnt work

If they are willing to follow the law, I would be happy for them to come to our service.

Despite their differing views, Phelps Jr said he was pleased to hear Enoch was no longer in prison.

Im glad hes out of prison. That was a terrible thing that Ireland did, putting him in prison. A curse on both sides  both were wrong, he said.

We have a practice of contacting law enforcement to let them know before we show up somewhere to protest. It helps keep the peace.

The Bible says we are ambassadors for Christ. We have to fairly and professionally represent him. But breaking the law like the Burkes do, that doesnt work.
Carlow firm Swan Fruit Limited once had a turnover of 40m but was placed into voluntary liquidation in 2014, owing more than 2m to creditors

A Carlow fruit-and-vegetable wholesaler in liquidation for more than a decade is now under investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB).

Carlow firm Swan Fruit Limited once had a turnover of 40m but was placed into voluntary liquidation in 2014, owing more than 2m to creditors.

The firms liquidator, insolvency expert PJ Lynch, carried out an in-depth investigation to track down money to repay creditors. He is now considering returning to the High Court to have a July 2024 order made by the court enforced.

That order directed Irish Life to transfer to the liquidator 239,000 from a pension fund related to Swan Fruits.

Irish Life declined to comment but a source suggested the delay may be due to technical issues to be resolved with the court order. However, Lynch described it as unusual and confirmed he had requested the funds and was prepared to return to the court to secure them.

Last July, Justice Brian Cregan had also approved a five-year disqualification on holding-company directorships against John Swan, the former owner of the firm, as well as restriction orders against Swans sons, Alex and Niall.

A spokesman for An Garda Siochana said it is conducting an investigation into a complaint involving a company in the Eastern Region.

As this is an ongoing criminal investigation An Garda Siochana cannot make any further comment at this time, he said.

After Swan Fruits was placed in voluntary liquidation in 2014, Lynch, an insolvency expert who has a long track record in complex cases, often on behalf of Revenue, undertook a lengthy investigation of the company.

Court documents seen by the Sunday Independent reveal that in 2019 he told the High Court that he was very concerned that there may be further serious wrongdoing within the Company, that is being deliberately concealed by its owners refusal to hand over the books and records of the company.

He claimed in an affidavit that owner John Swan was going to extraordinary lengths, in his attempts to have me removed as Liquidator of the Company, and have me replaced with a liquidator who might take a more benevolent/benign view as regards his wrongdoing and extensive failure to manage the financial affairs of the Company and his failure to comply with the Companies Acts.

Lynchs investigations revealed a litany of issues at the firm  many of them denied by Swan  including that losses were almost 2.3m  more than double what was presented in the original directors statement of affairs.

He also claimed that more than 800,000 had been transferred from the companys bank account to one in the name of its founder and that up to 200,000 in stock was moved from Swans premises in its last month in business.
Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL), the countrys sole satellite company, reportedly met with Starlink officials on Sunday to discuss partnership options for fast-tracking the LEO satellite operators entry into the market in the next couple of months.

According to the Daily Star, BSCL proposed a strategic collaboration with Starlink under which it would provide services for Starlink such sales and marketing, post-sales customer support, import and distribution of Starlink kits and revenue collection via its banking channels.

The proposal also includes hosting Starlink's gateway at BSCL's ground stations in Gazipur and Betbunia, the report said.

BCSL also pitched the advantages its infrastructure could bring to a Starlink partnership, such as uninterrupted power, redundant fibre connections, 24/7 maintenance, and highly secured facilities.

Bangladeshs Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus held an online meeting with SpaceX and Starlink CEO Elon Musk last month to discuss bringing Starlink to Bangladesh. BSCL managing director Muhammad Imadur Rahman told the newspaprr that Yunus aims for Starlink to be able launch services by May this year.

BCSL and Starlink have been in discussions for a potential partnership since May 2023, and have conducted successful tests of Starlink kits in in Dhaka, Rangpur, Hatia and the Bay of Bengal, the report said.

On the regulatory front, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) began hashing out guidelines for LEO and MEO broadband satellite service providers to operate in the country last year, to include allowing wholly owned foreign companies to obtain licences.

The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology has proposed that the guidelines include a provision under which foreign satellite players would be entitled to a 25% rebate on fees and charges if they partner with a local satellite operator.

The first draft of the guidelines were completed in October 2024. However, they have not yet been finalised, the report said.
The much-anticipated Rotorua Lakeside Concert is set to return on Saturday, March 22, bringing together an electrifying line-up of New Zealands finest musical talent.

With its free entry, family-friendly atmosphere, and spectacular fireworks display, the annual event at Rotoruas Village Green has been a community favourite since 1997.

This years theme, Funkyside  Gettin In The Groove, promises a vibrant, high-energy celebration of music, led by artistic director Dixon Nacey and featuring a blend of Maori, classical, and contemporary sounds.

Amid the festivities, the concert will also shine a spotlight on an important causesupporting people living with dementia.

The Rotorua Lakeside Concert Charitable Trust has named Dementia Lakes as the official charity partner for 2025, recognising the essential work we do in the Rotorua Lakes community.

The Rotorua Lakeside Concert is set to return on Saturday, March 22. Photo/Supplied.

Cathy Cooney, Dementia New Zealand Chief Executive, said the partnership is an opportunity to raise awareness about dementia | mate wareware and the support available to local whanau.

Dementia can be an overwhelming journey, not just for the person diagnosed but also for their whanau and care partners. At Dementia Lakes, we provide practical support, education, and guidance to ensure no one faces this journey alone, said Cooney.

Were incredibly grateful to the Rotorua Lakeside Concert Trust for choosing us as their charity partner and for recognising the growing need for dementia services in our community.

Concertgoers will have the chance to support Dementia Lakes by making a gold coin donation at the entrance, with all proceeds going towards services such as:

 Dementia Advisor Support  One-on-one guidance for individuals and families

 Cognitive Stimulation and Carer Support Groups  Connection and engagement opportunities

 Online Carer Education Programme  Tools and strategies for care partners

 Community Talks  Raising awareness and promoting brain health

With thousands expected to attend, this event is set to be a celebration of music, community, and generosity.

For more information about the Rotorua Lakeside Concert on Saturday, March 22, go to Rotorua Lakeside Concert
A man has been arrested and charged with murder in relation to the death of a man and wounding of a second victim in Hamilton on Saturday.

Police continue to investigate the death of a young man in Hamilton early on Saturday morning as a homicide.

A second man found has also been taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.

Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson said police have made an arrest in relation to the incident, which occurred on Beatty Street in Melville.

A 41-year-old man sought by police was arrested this morning and is expected to appear in Hamilton District Court on Monday, Neilson said.

The man faces charges of murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The injured man remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Police ask for anyone with information or CCTV of the incident, in the early hours of yesterday, to contact the inquiry team.
It applied for resource consent under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 in December 2023.

The Fairy Springs village will be based on a 14.2-hectare section of land where the Rotorua Heritage Farm and 3D Trick Art Gallery operate .

Summerset Group, for its first foray into Rotorua, is allowed a maximum 260-units, 20 assisted living suites, 20 hospital-level care beds and 30 care suites.

A Rotorua retirement village - complete with bar, cafe and theatre - has been green lit under the Covid-19 Recovery Fast Track Consenting act.

An expert consenting panel appointed by environment judge Laurie Newhook approved the consent with conditions last Thursday.

The decision detailed how the project also included lounges, a theatre, bar, cafe, therapy rooms, a salon, shop, pool, a health/wellness centre, library, and outdoor amenity areas.

Summerset would build on its plans on a section of the land in a separate consent process to provide for commercial uses such as medical facilities, offices, cafe, and/or convenience retail.

The companys New Zealand acquisitions and development general manager Oliver Boyd told Local Democracy Reporting the project represents about a $180 million investment in Rotorua.

It previously anticipated welcoming new residents from 2026 but delays in the consenting process meant there was no project start date. Boyd said it focused on securing the consent prior to advancing design and works planning.

Asked if it would find any conditions challenging and why, he said the process involved significant external consultant input leading to a decision with comprehensive conditions.

We are ultimately happy that resource consent has been secured.

Boyd said it was keen to bring its retirement village offering to the city, which he said had a strong 75-plus population expected to increase by 30% in six years.

Census data from 2023 showed there were 11,571 people aged above 65 in the Rotorua district, up from 10,365 in 2018.

Rotorua Lakes Councils consent conditions included that a maximum of 260 units be established on-site, along with a maximum of 20 assisted living suites, 20 hospital-level care beds and 30 care suites within the proposed main building.

Other conditions relate to traffic management, both during construction and when the units become occupied.

An upgrade to State Highway 5 is proposed with the center island to be modified to stop right-turns when exiting the village.

Only light vehicles may exit to Barnard Rd.

The road to Barnard Rd was previously reserve land, but will be sold to Summerset following consultation and a council decision last year for emergency vehicle access and as an exit.

Sale funding was to go towards local open spaces or recreation areas.

The council confirmed to Local Democracy Reporting the sale had not been finalised.

Rotorua Lakes Council destination development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston. Photo / Laura Smith

Council community and district development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston said in 2023 it had been working alongside Summerset since early 2022.

The councils role in the fast-tracking process was to ensure the development could be adequately serviced with water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, he said, and to ensure the assets met standards before the council took ownership.

Market Economics completed the economic assessment for the application.

The consent decision detailed the construction of the site infrastructure will equate to about $9.2 million in value added.

The panel was satisfied the project would contribute positively to the future economic and social wellbeing of Rotorua, and through flow on effects, other areas of New Zealand and would help sustain construction sector jobs.

The economic impacts of the development are significant, both in terms of direct and induced impacts, as well as job opportunities.

The application was projected to contribute to sustaining the equivalent of about 2725 full time workers working for one year, when the indirect and induced effects are considered.

It was estimated to stimulate a total of $147.8m in value added (GDP) across the duration of the development.

Market Economics also assessed the potential economic effects of loss of commercially zoned land and found there was enough vacant appropriate land and therefore would not result in any shortfall of large scale tourism activity growth in the medium to long term.

Rotorua's Bay of Plenty Regional Council building. Photo / Laura Smith

Among Bay of Plenty Regional Council consent conditions was that the applicant, 40 days before works begin, invite and work with Ngati Whakaue to develop a Tikanga Management Plan.

This plan also applied to aspects of the district council conditions.

It would cover things like managing archaeology sites, ecology practices, methods to monitor and report potential adverse effects and methods to mitigate them.

It also needs to prepare an Overarching Ecological Management Plan (OEMP) for the site which should include things like the area and type of offset wetland and contaminant management wetland, area and type of bat roost mitigation and bat connectivity, lizard mitigation, areas of riparian revegetation, lighting and planting schedules.

The general public can not appeal and those who meet criteria and wish to appeal must do so within 15 working days of the decision notification.

Rotorua Heritage Farm operations manager Robyn Van den Hurk said the attraction would stay open for the foreseeable future.
This year, the New Zealand Dental Association is thrilled to celebrate World Oral Health Day, a global initiative led by the FDI World Dental Federation.

With the theme A Happy Mouth is a Happy Mind, the campaign highlighted the vital connection between oral health and overall happiness and wellbeing, New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) Colgate oral health promotion manager Anishma Ram said.

Oral health isnt just about having a bright smile, its about how you feel, your confidence and your overall health, Ram said in a statement.

Poor oral health can cause pain, stress and self-consciousness; while taking care of your teeth and gums can boost your mood and help you live a fuller, more confident and happier life.

And its because of those reasons that NZDA is so keen to encourage Kiwis to prioritise oral health care and to protect their smiles.

People are encouraged to join the fun on World Oral Health Day and stand a chance to win some exciting prizes.

This year, there are three competitions:

 Colouring Competition for Kids (12 and under): Let creativity flow with our special colouring challenge that celebrates the link between a happy smile and a happy mind.

 Creative Competition for Teens (13-17): Teens can design a one-minute video or a poster showing how oral health supports mental wellbeing.

 Social Media Challenge (all ages): Share your oral health tips and tricks that give you a healthy smile, tag 2 friends and @NZDAHealthySmiles (on Facebook or Instagram) and use hashtags #WOHD2025 and #HappyMouth to join the conversation and enter our prize draw.

Whether its through colouring, creating or sharing on social media, head to NZDAs website for full information, or contact at register@nzda.org.nz

Competitions close on April 11.
William Garvey was the first to start marketing the most misunderstood variety of sherry. His Fino San Patricio was named in honour of Ireland's patron saint and achieved commercial success

Alekk M. Saanders Monday, 17 March 2025, 14:27 Compartir

In the second part of the 18th century, William Garvey, born in New Ross, County Waterford, Ireland, settled in Jerez de la Frontera. There he built a very large bodega holding around 8000 casks. The Irish aristocrat was so proud of it that named his brainchild after St Patrick - Bodega San Patricio. Garvey also christened his son, born in 1796, Patrick. Moreover San Patricio became associated worldwide with fino, the driest and palest of the traditional sherry varieties.

San Patricio became associated worldwide with fino, the driest and palest of the traditional sherry varieties

It took time for this to happen, however. At that time the sherry people knew was mainly the dark brown varieties, mostly blends of oloroso with Pedro Ximenez. As it was highly valued and good for shipping, all winemakers of the region produced this particular fortified wine.

Greenish with yellowish foam

In Andalucia, the pale fino was disparagingly called pajizo for its greenish colour. In addition, this variety of sherry was considered a sick wine because of the strain of yeast (flor) floating on top of the sherry in casks. Such unsightly wine, with its characteristic yellowish foam, was discarded by local winemakers or turned into vinegar, but not by the Irishman, who had different ideas about fino quality. William Garvey seemed to know how to make fino properly.

Fino was considered a sick wine because of the strain of yeast (flor) floating on top of the sherry in casks

It is believed that the Irish winemaker learnt from manzanilla (another type of fine dry sherry) produced in the vicinity of Sanlucar de Barrameda. It was this harbour where William Garvey started his wine business, working as a merchant and shipping sherry wines to England and Ireland. William may also have known the secrets of producing non-vintage champagne, which is often compared to fino. (Indeed, both are blended from several harvests and aged. Finos, however, remain in their special blending soleras (stacks of 3-4 casks) for much longer, at least three years, and often five or more).

Against all odds

William Garvey knew that the British preferred sweet wines. However, this did not prevent him from persevering in his goal of producing good quality fino and exporting it in large quantities. Against all odds, the bodega of San Patricio began producing fino, presenting it as pale sherry. In 1824, William Garvey died in Jerez de la Frontera, leaving his business to his son. It was Patrick Garvey who managed to make fino the flagship of the bodega that became a commercial success.

Patrick Garvey managed to make fino San Patricio the flagship of the bodega that became a commercial success

Fino San Patricio is a wine from D.O. Jerez with a 15 per cent alcohol content. It is made from 100% palomino fino grapes and aged in American oak barrels for about seven years. On the nose it seduces with an intense and complex aroma with notes of yeast, walnuts and almonds. On the palate, it captivates with a light dryness, fresh acidity and a characteristic salty flavour typical of sherry wines. Floral notes and a slight bitterness in the finish complete the impression.

Zoom On the way to find San Patricio in Jerez. A.M.S.

Today, Fino San Patricio carries the Garvey name on the label, although it is produced by Emperador. In 2017, this Filipino-owned group bought Garvey after acquiring Fundador brandy, as well as Harveys and Terry. The Garvey brand was rejuvenated with new bottles and modern labels and is still successfully exported to many countries around the world.
Eugenio Cabezas Periana Monday, 17 March 2025, 10:46 | Updated 14:05h. Compartir

For the second time in just under a year, water from the source of the Guaro river in Periana on the eastern side of Malaga province, started to flow into La Vinuela reservoir on Saturday night thanks to the abundant rainfall the Axarquia has seen in recent days.

Known as the bursting of the 'bocamina' it is one of the most striking images during periods of heavy rain in the Periana area and is hotly anticipated by locals who go to watch the natural phenomenon.

As the people of Periana say, the Guaro has come out or the river has burst. It is just under a year since it last happened, in April 2024, after the abundant rains during Easter week.

Periana resident Juan Miguel Ortigosa has explained in the past that the natural phenomenon occurs because, "geologically, the Llano de Zafarraya is of a karstic nature" (a type of landscape where the dissolving of the bedrock has created sinkholes, sinking streams, caves, springs, poljes and other features) which can absorb between 40 and 80 metres "over a subsoil of fractured limestone that forms the deep aquifer". Ortigosa has explained before that when it rains, the water saturates the aquifers and fills the water table to the point that it is no longer able to absorb more and the water must find another route.

Last year the late Rafael Torrubia, who was mayor of Periana until his death in June 2024, explained via social media that the water from the Llano de Zafarraya flows into two basins: from east to west, the northern part or La Madre stream, which in turn flow into the Guaro river and from there into La Vinuela reservoir.

The heavy rainfall recorded in the province and in particularly the drought-stricken Axarquia area since the end of February continues to offer historic and hopeful images, bringing the area out of severe drought and giving a massive boost to the economy in general, from tourism to agriculture.

La Vinuela reservoir, which supplies 14 municipalities in the area, has already increased by more than twenty cubic hectometres in recent days. This morning, Monday 17 March, according to the Junta de Andalucia's Hidrosur website which monitors all of the region's reservoirs, it was at 36.31 per cent of its full capacity, with 59.68 million cubic metres stored, compared to the 16.02 it had just a year ago. In terms of volume it is currently the second fullest reservoir in Malaga province after the Conde de Guadalhorce, but it is important to note that La Vinuela is also the biggest reservoir in the province.

Enrique Ropero

"Thanks to the blessing of the mouth of the Guaro, this summer our fields will bloom! Every drop of this sacred water is a gift from the earth, nourishing life and awakening hope," Periana town hall said on social media. The town hall gave "special thanks to Enrique Ropero for the images that capture the magic of this spring".
Ignacio Lillo Malaga Monday, 17 March 2025, 10:56 Compartir

The road network across Malaga province has suffered the consequences of the torrential rains from the past few weeks, which includes serious landslides on the key A-45 and A-397 main roads. This has resulted in the temporary closure of roads and the diversion of traffic to other routes. It has also led to Spain's Ministry of Transport taking unprecedented measures such as the lifting of the toll on the AP-46 motorway (Las Pedrizas), where the traffic from the closed lane of the A-45 motorway will be transferred.

For the first time in history, drivers won't have to pay to use the toll road. For now, the measure will last until midday on Friday 21 March, with the possibility of extension depending on the progress of the work that is under way on the A-45.

The lifting of the toll barriers on the AP-46 motorway will initially last until midday on Friday.

As expected, the usual Monday traffic on the AP-46 is heavier. However, the figures are still not surprisingly high.

Historic decision

The AP-46 motorway was opened on 28 October 2011, as an alternative long-distance route, especially to connect the Alto de Las Pedrizas to the city of Malaga and the Costa del Sol and alleviate the traffic jams on the A-45, especially during the high tourist season. This is the first time in its almost 14-year history that the road is open free of charge.

Something similar would be the lifting of the toll barriers of the AP-7 motorway. However, this type of measure is extremely unusual, as it is applied directly by the Ministry of Transport, which will then have to compensate the concessionary company for the vehicles that will have used the toll free of charge during this period of grace.

In addition, since last weekend, the Ministry of Transport has been carrying out emergency work to stabilise the landslide on the A-45 through Casabermeja, which was damaged by heavy rainfall at the 128.900 kilometre. This resulted in damage to the right lane of the carriageway in the direction to Cordoba.

At the moment, cars heading towards Malaga are being diverted through a temporary lane shift between the 128.3 and 129.15 kilometre points. This means that traffic heading towards Malaga is now operating in both directions along that stretch, allowing repair work to be carried out safely.

It is expected that the cut will last until 2pm on 21 March, provided that "everything goes without issues".
FILE - Pepsi soft drinks in plastic bottles are on sale at a grocery store in New York on Weds., Nov. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File) AP

PepsiCo said Monday its acquiring the prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion.

The acquisition gives PepsiCo a fast-growing brand in the popular functional beverage category.

More than ever, consumers are looking for convenient and great-tasting options that fit their lifestyles and respond to their growing interest in health and wellness, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.

PepsiCo said the transaction includes $300 million of anticipated cash benefits, bringing the net purchase price to $1.65 billion.

Allison Ellsworth, the co-founder of Austin, Texas-based Poppi, said the combination with PepsiCo will expand Poppis reach.

We cant wait to begin this next chapter with PepsiCo to bring our soda to more people  and I know they will honor what makes Poppi so special while supporting our next phase of growth and innovation, Ellsworth said in a statement.

Ellsworth developed Poppi  then known as Mother Beverage -- in her kitchen in 2015 because she loved soda but was tired of the way it made her feel. She mixed fruit juices with apple cider vinegar, sparkling water and prebiotics and sold the drink at farmers markets.

FILE - A can of Poppi prebiotic soda is shown on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, file) AP

The brand took off in 2018 when Ellsworth and her husband pitched it on Shark Tank. An investor on the show, Rohan Oza, took a stake in Mother Beverage and undertook a major rebrand. Poppi, with its brightly-colored, fruit-forward cans, was born.

Were beyond thrilled to be partnering with PepsiCo so that even more consumers across America, and the world, can enjoy Poppi, said Oza, the co-founder CAVU Consumer Partners, which has also invested in beverage brands like Oatly and Bai.

But it hasnt all been smooth sailing for Poppi. Last summer, multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against the brand by consumers who said its products dont improve gut health as much as their marketing suggests.

Poppi denied those claims, and noted that it removed references to gut health from its packaging in late 2023. But according to a court filing last week, Poppi has agreed to a settlement that includes an $8.9 million fund for payments to consumers. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for May 8.

PepsiCo shares rose nearly 2% in morning trading Monday.
Syracuse, N.Y.  An Onondaga County Family Court lawyer who had her guns seized after being accused of threatening a judge has filed a federal lawsuit.

Beth Lockhart is suing the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office, the county and a deputy who seized her guns after an extreme risk protection order was filed against her in 2023.

A temporary extreme risk protection order was granted after allegations Lockhart threatened to shoot Onondaga County Family Court Judge Julie Cerio were brought forward.

Lockhart is now seeking $22.5 million in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, alleging that deputies executing the order violated her rights.

The protection order, which was set to expire after one year, was disposed of and sealed on Feb. 26, 2025, according to court records.

The order stemmed from an incident on Dec. 1, 2023, around 10:45 a.m., according to the now sealed court document filed in Oswego County Supreme Court.

Beth Lockhart was leaving the criminal courthouse at 401 Montgomery St. when she told two other lawyers If I could put a bullet in her (Onondaga County Family Court Judge Julie Cerio) head I would, according to court documents.

Lockhart, 45, who has practiced law since 2007, was screaming and called Cerio that f--king b--ch, according to a witness statement filed in court.

The lawyer who heard the comment reported it to a court security officer and the judge.

In the lawsuit, Lockhart states the sheriffs office made an application to the Onondaga County Court to have her pistol license revoked and her guns seized on Dec. 5 with no legal basis. The application was unlawfully granted, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit says that deputies misrepresented a threat to have the court grant the order.

They told the court an arrest was imminent and an extreme risk protection order was granted, which was false, according to the lawsuit.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said at the time the choice to not file charges was an exercise of his discretion that could have changed if she did not cooperate.

The extreme risk protection order was granted by the Oswego County Supreme Court on Dec. 8, according to court records.

The lawsuit states multiple law enforcement personnel came to Lockharts office on Dec. 6 to confiscate her pistol permit and her weapons.

Lockhart alleges her Second Amendment rights were infringed upon. She also alleged that the officers unlawfully detained her by standing in her office and refusing to leave until the guns were secured.

She said the officers entered her private business without permission and caused her and her employees extreme discomfort, distress and anxiety.

The officers made it clear she was not free to leave, according to the lawsuit.

The officers forced her to drive home so they could retrieve her guns, according to the lawsuit.

The confiscated guns have not been returned to Lockhart, according to the lawsuit.

Lockhart is alleging there was a conspiracy to damage her reputation.

In addition to the monetary award, she is seeking a public apology.

Lockhart is the owner of Lockhart Law Office in North Syracuse. The practice focuses on the rights of fathers, same-sex couples and grandparents, according to its website.

Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.
During MWC Barcelona 2025, the World Broadband Association (WBBA) hosted an industry summit themed "Smarter Broadband: Investment. Innovation. Intelligence."

It, along with industry organizations, released the Net5.5G Best Practices & Deployment Guide Whitepaper (the Whitepaper), aiming to accelerate the global commercial deployment of Net5.5G and pave the way for the intelligent era.

The Whitepaper showcases the widespread adoption of Net5.5G worldwide. This signifies that a consensus on Net5.5G as the next-generation network infrastructure is gaining momentum. In June 2024, the WBBA published the Network Evolution For the 5.5G And 6G Era - Net5.5G Architecture Whitepaper. It defines a blueprint for network evolution, including an architecture design blueprint, best practices, deployment guide, and POC results. The Whitepaper released at this summit showcases the latest progress, highlighting Net5.5G's rapid global adoption across five continents and its industry-wide recognition.

The Whitepaper presents 15 global cases across carriers, enterprises, governments, industries, and more. It elaborates on the background, key technologies, business benefits, and solutions, providing guidance for building next-generation networks and further expediting the global commercial adoption of Net5.5G. For example, in Europe, Swisscom has also leveraged Net5.5G to provide high-quality and differentiated services for enterprises, offering users more flexible and reliable services. In the Middle East, Zain KSA, a carrier in Saudi Arabia, has utilized Net5.5G to upgrade its links to 400GE, simplifying network connections. In Africa, Airtel in Nigeria, has employed Net5.5G to enhance network performance and reduce O&M costs. In Asia Pacific, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, an Indonesian carrier, has adopted Net5.5G to enhance digital service experience, thereby shortening the TTM and seizing business opportunities.

To address the new requirements in the intelligent era, the Whitepaper defines four new scenarios: computing connection, intelligence connection, data connection, and airspace connection. It also proposes four key technologies of Net5.5G, including ultra-broadband connections, IPv6 Enhanced functionalities, autonomous driving network, and integrated security protection. Through AI routers at the NE layer, AI new connections at the network layer, and AI agents at the operations layer, Net5.5G has built high-quality 10GE campus networks, high-capacity intelligent transport networks, and high-efficiency data center networks. These technologies help carriers reduce costs, increase revenue, and improve efficiency, thereby unlocking new business opportunities.

The Whitepaper also details the remarkable achievements of the Net5.5G Pioneer Program proposed by the WBBA. Since its launch in November 2024, the program has made steady progress globally, giving rise to 18 visionary pioneers, 2 region pioneers, and 18 business pioneers. The program has driven improvements in Net5.5G standards, upgrades of regional network infrastructures, and the sharing of global best practices. By 2027, the program is expected to have 100 visionary pioneers, 100 region pioneers, and 100 business pioneers, with Net5.5G networks benefiting global mainstream carriers and enterprises.

At the end of the Whitepaper, the WBBA calls on more industry organizations, standards organizations, government agencies, carriers, enterprises, and device vendors to strengthen cooperation and jointly promote Net5.5G innovation in technical standards, policies, and commercial practices.

The release of the whitepaper has laid a solid foundation for accelerating the commercial deployment of Net5.5G and fostering the prosperity of the industry ecosystem. With the advent of the intelligent era, Net5.5G will enable customers to seize opportunities in digital transformation and achieve greater business success through its technical advantages and innovation capabilities.
Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan watches during a Detroit Lions NFL football practice in Allen Park, Mich., Thursday, July 25, 2024. Paul Sancya | The Associated Press Paul Sancya | The Associated Press

Hulkamania ran wild across New York earlier this month as the WWE legend made several stops to promote his new Real American beer. But for some fans, the tour left a sour taste.

On March 2, former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan announced on social media a series of nine appearances over three weekdays in Buffalo, Rochester, and the lower Hudson Valley.

Thousands of fans lined up for hours, many with young children, in hopes they would meet the wrestling icon for free and get the Hulksters autograph. Photos and videos flooded social media showing Hogan hugging fans, taking photos and signing autographs on memorabilia and cases of beer.

Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino even declared March 4 as Hulk Hogan Day in honor of the celebritys visit to the area.

But some fans say there was more to the story.

Comments on a social media post by Real American Beer say Hulk Hogan showed up late to his appearances at Beers of the World and MacGregors Grill in Rochester. He was reportedly more than two hours late to his next stop at a ShopRite in Poughkeepsie.

User @lenstanley on Instagram posted a video detailing his experience trying to get a Hulk Hogan action figure signed in Poughkeepsie. In the video, he says he waited outside for seven hours, only to be told autographs were only permitted on cases of Real American Beer. Stanley, who doesnt drink beer, said he left empty-handed.

According to News 12 Hudson Valley, fans stood outside the ShopRite on Hawkins Drive in Montgomery for four hours to meet Hogan. Robert Taylor of New Windsor who brought his 7- and 5-year-old children, said he was told the wrestler would only have time for 200 people, and they were number 185 in line.

As the family inched closer, Hogan and his team left 30 minutes early, disappointing those still waiting. Taylor told News 12 that adults in line began yelling, while kids, including his own, cried.

The Real American Beer tours next stop was at Billy Joes Ribworks in Newburgh. Fans posted comments on Hogans social media video that they reportedly stood in line for hours in the freezing rain, some with little kids, in a line that staff told them was a meet-and-greet line.

According to those in attendance, Hogan arrived late, filmed a brief promotional video behind the bar serving Real American beer, then left after 15 minutes without signing autographs or acknowledging those waiting in line.

Hogans next scheduled meet-and-greet is March 26 in St. Johns, Florida.
Edward Chester Babcock, aka Jimmy Van Heusen, is without a doubt Syracuses most famous and legendary cultural export.

This Nottingham High School grad penned more tunes for Frank Sinatra than any other, garnered four Oscars and 10 Oscar nominations and wrote the songs for all the legendary Road movies starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

Van Heusen co-wrote the songs Come Fly With Me, Only the Lonely, High Hopes and Love and Marriage, just to name a few. He also served his country as a flight instructor for WWII military pilots. He died in 1990 at age 77. In 2013, the Syracuse Music Awards honored Van Heusen with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

CNY Jazz will celebrate Jimmys hometown legacy on Sunday, April 27 at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles with a 90-minute cabaret performance highlighting his most popular songs, sung by standout vocalists Cheri Giraud and Scott Dennis with the Dan Pugh Trio.

Jimmy Van Heusen was one of America's greatest pop composers. Provided photo

The organizers have the blessings of the Babcock family, which donated a never-before-seen photo display to CNY Jazz for the event.

We thank Brook Babcock, Jimmys grandnephew, whos always been totally invested in keeping Jimmys legacy alive for his hometown, said Larry Luttinger of CNY Jazz.

Babcock runs the Van Heusen Music Corp., an organization dedicated to preserving the late songwriters legacy and musical catalog.

I cant imagine a more entertaining fine dining musical experience showcasing our very own legendary songwriter, Luttinger added. There should be a statue of Jimmy somewhere in Central New York.

The Sherwood will offer a full menu for this event, which will occupy the main dining area of the Sherwood Inn. Seating will be limited to 100.

Arrival at 4 p.m. is strongly suggested, to allow time for seating and ordering by showtime.

Event details

Where: The Sherwood Inn, 26 W. Genesee St., Skaneateles.

When: Sunday, April 27. Doors open at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. showtime. 90-minute show.

Admission: $30 advance. $35 at the door at cnyjazz.org/tickets or call Jazz Central at 315-479-5299.
Singer Brandon Flowers and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. of The Killers perform during the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 launch party on November 5, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) Formula 1 via Getty Images

The Killers are coming to Upstate New York for a summer concert.

The Las Vegas-based rock band will perform at CMAC (Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center) in Canandaigua on Saturday, Aug. 2. No opening act has been named for the show, which begins at 8 p.m.

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 21, at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster; prices have not been announced. A Victims fan club presale will begin Tuesday at 10 a.m., and additional presales will be available Wednesday at 10 a.m.

The concert appears to be The Killers' only scheduled tour date in New York state, so fans may want to look for tickets on Vivid Seats and StubHub due to high demand.

The Killers are one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century, thanks to Grammy-nominated hits like Somebody Told Me, When You Were Young and Mr. Brightside, plus fan favorites Human, Runaways, The Man, Read My Mind and Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll. The Brandon Flowers-led group released its seventh album in 2021 and a greatest hits collection, Rebel Diamonds, in 2023.

The Killers last performed in the Central New York area with a 2022 concert at the Turning Stone Resort Casino.

A dozen concerts (including a two-night run by country star Kane Brown) are scheduled so far on the 2025 lineup at CMAC, an outdoor amphitheater located on the Finger Lakes Community College campus.

CMAC 2025 concert schedule

May 22 & 23: Kane Brown (TICKETS)

June 12: Megan Moroney (TICKETS)

June 21: Goose (TICKETS)

June 29: James Taylor (TICKETS)

July 2: Red White & Boom! featuring the RPO (TICKETS)

July 12: Brad Paisley (TICKETS)

July 19: Old Dominion (TICKETS)

Aug. 2: The Killers (TICKETS)

Aug. 8: Train with Edwin McCain (TICKETS)

Aug. 9: Bailey Zimmerman (TICKETS)

Aug. 23: Bonnie Raitt (TICKETS)

Aug. 30: The Black Keys (TICKETS)
Savion Pollard, center, Micron Technology's first hire in Central New York, talks with students about career opportunities at the company during the first Micron Day at Syracuse University on Feb. 25, 2025. Glenn Coin

Syracuse, N.Y. - Syracuse University will launch a regional economic development office to help Central New York capitalize on the proposed Micron Technology chipmaking complex.

The office, headed by a new SU vice president, will bring together students, faculty, and private companies -- including Micron -- to conduct joint research, train students for the tech marketplace and be a one-stop shop for companies looking to tap into SUs expertise and laboratories.
Groceries are getting expensive, but if theres a way to cut the costs, would you do it?

Walmart is having a deal on its best-selling Kitchen in the box 15-in-1 Bread Machine this week for $79, originally $250.

This bread maker offers 15 customizable automatic programs, including 10 bread options such as soft, sweet, natural sourdough, French bread, whole wheat, and gluten-free, along with 5 additional settings for non-bread items like cake, yogurt, and dough.

Kitchen in the box 15-in-1 Bread Machine Kitchen in the box 15-in-1 Bread Machine - $79 (was $250) Buy Now

This versatile and user-friendly bread maker is perfect for anyone who loves homemade bread without the hassle.

Key features

15 Pre-Programmed Settings : With 15 different settings, you can make a variety of breads, cakes, and even jams. Whether you prefer whole wheat, gluten-free, or French bread, this machine has you covered.

2LB Capacity : The bread maker can produce up to 2 pounds of bread, making it ideal for families or gatherings. Enjoy fresh, warm bread whenever you want.

Homemade Cycle : Customize your bread-making process with the homemade cycle, allowing you to adjust the kneading, rising, and baking times to suit your preferences.

Stainless Steel Design : The sleek stainless steel exterior not only looks great in any kitchen but is also durable and easy to clean.

Automatic Features: The machine includes an automatic fruit and nut dispenser, ensuring even distribution throughout your bread. Plus, the delay timer lets you set the machine to start baking at your convenience.

Why choose the Kitchen-in-the-box Bread Maker

Ease of Use : The intuitive interface and pre-programmed settings make it easy for anyone to bake delicious bread with minimal effort.

Versatility : From basic white bread to more complex recipes, this bread maker can handle it all. Experiment with different ingredients and settings to create your perfect loaf.

Convenience: The automatic features and delay timer mean you can wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread or have it ready when you come home from work.

Learn more about this product here.

Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft for this story, based on data provided by Walmart. It was reviewed and edited by Syracuse.com.
A wombat walks at a wildlife sanctuary in Bendalong on the South Coast, of Australia, Tuesday, May 26, 2020. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP) AP

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  An American influencer who sparked outrage after posting a video of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother while in Australia apologized on Saturday, saying she had acted out of concern for the young animals welfare.

Australian authorities had threatened Sam Jones with deportation after she posted a video on her Instagram account of her running with a wombat joey in her hands from its mother on a roadside at night.

I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me, Jones, who also uses the name Samantha Strable, posted on social media.

The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey, she added.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the video of the young wombat being grabbed was just an outrage.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said his department was investigating whether Jones had breached the terms of her visa before she left the country on Friday.

Theres never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia, Burke said after she left Australia voluntarily.

Burke said he did not expect Jones would apply for an Australian visa again.

The animal appears to be a common wombat, also known as a bare-nosed wombat. It is a protected marsupial found only in Australia.

Montana-based Jones claimed she became extremely concerned when she found the two wombats on a road not moving.

As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didnt get hit, Jones said.

However, as is seen from the video, when I walked up to them, the joey did not move or run off. I was concerned it may have been sick or injured, and made a snap judgement to pick up the joey and see if that was the case, she added.

An unidentified man laughs as he films Jones saying: I caught a baby wombat. They both note the mothers sounds of aggression.

Animal welfare experts said Jones could have harmed the joey by dangling it by its two forelegs.

Jones said she returned the joey to its mother and ensured they both left the road.

I have done a great deal of reflection on this situation and have realized that I did not handle this situation as best as I should have, she said.

I have learned from this situation, and am truly sorry for the distress I have caused, she added.

Jones did not immediately respond Saturday to The Associated Presss questions, including where and when the baby wombat was captured.

A wombat expert said the video revealed the joey had the skin disease mange and would die without treatment.

Jones declined to reveal her current whereabouts to the AP.
The business world of today is quick-paceddiligence alone will not cut it. You need clever tactics, fresh ideas, and the right contacts to thrive. SmallBizWeek 2025 provides you with all this, at no cost, on 29-30 April at Melbournes Convention & Exhibition Centre.



This event provides you with a hands-on experience, enabling you to maximise operations and thrive.

Why SmallBiz Week is a must-attend event

From streamlining operations to harnessing new technologies and forging powerful industry connections, SmallBiz Week is the premier event for SMEs ready to take their business to the next level. With a packed agenda of expert speakers, hands-on workshops, and a vast exhibition hall showcasing cutting-edge solutions, theres something for everyone. Heres what you can expect:

1. SmallBiz Expo: A one-stop hub for business solutions

The SmallBiz Expo is where innovation meets opportunity. With an extensive list of exhibitors showcasing the latest solutions, attendees can explore cutting-edge technology, business services, and financial tools designed to drive growth. From digital marketing and HR solutions to financing options and AI-powered tools, this expo is a goldmine for businesses looking to streamline operations and boost efficiency.

Exhibitor at SmallBiz Week 2024

2. Industry insights from leading experts

Knowledge is power, and SmallBiz Week 2025 is bringing together some of the brightest minds in business to share the strategies that drive success. The free Live Stage will feature engaging sessions led by industry leaders covering:

AI & Automation : How emerging technologies can revolutionise the way businesses operate.

: How emerging technologies can revolutionise the way businesses operate. Financial Resilience & Growth : Proven tactics for managing rising costs, securing funding, and maximising profitability.

: Proven tactics for managing rising costs, securing funding, and maximising profitability. The Future of Work : Strategies for talent acquisition, employee retention, and adapting to an evolving workforce.

: Strategies for talent acquisition, employee retention, and adapting to an evolving workforce. Sustainable Business Practices: How to integrate sustainability into your business model while boosting efficiency and brand reputation.

Speakers will include Kate Jolly (Global Head of Talent, Employment Hero), Sam Whitmore (APAC Head of Commercial, Constant Contact), and Joel McKay (Assistant Director, Department of Finance), among many other top industry professionals who will provide actionable takeaways to help your business thrive.

View the Live Session Agenda >

3. Government Pavilion: Direct access to support & funding

New in 2025, the Government Pavilion provides direct access to key government bodies offering grants, resources, and business support. This is the only place you can come and speak to these organisations directly  no waiting, no guesswork, just answers. Representatives from agencies like the Department of Finance, Department of Home Affairs, Victorian Small Business Commission and IP Australia will be on hand to offer guidance on funding, compliance, and regulatory matters.

Workshops will also provide deep dives into essential topics such as selling to government agencies, protecting business assets, and leveraging government-backed funding opportunities.

4. Hands-on workshops for practical learning

Salesforce workshop at SmallBiz Week 2024

SmallBiz Week isnt just about theory  its about real-world application. Attendees can participate in workshops covering everything from digital marketing strategies to financial planning and business automation. Companies like Constant Contact and Zoho will provide in-depth training on topics such as crafting high-impact email campaigns, while other workshops will focus on harnessing AI for efficiency and growth.

5. Exclusive networking opportunities

Guests network at Business Leaders Breakfast 2024

Building meaningful connections is at the heart of SmallBiz Week. The event offers dedicated networking sessions to help you meet industry leaders, potential business partners, and like-minded professionals. Highlights include:

Business Leaders Breakfast : An exclusive opportunity to engage with top business minds and exchange valuable insights. Get tickets >

: An exclusive opportunity to engage with top business minds and exchange valuable insights. Get tickets > Networking Function: A relaxed environment to build relationships and explore collaborations with fellow attendees. Get tickets >

These networking events are where business deals happen, partnerships are formed, and opportunities are discovered  so dont miss your chance to be part of them.

Future-proof your business at SmallBiz Week 2025

If youre serious about growing your business, SmallBiz Week 2025 is the place to be. Whether youre looking to streamline operations, adopt new technologies, or expand your professional network, this event delivers everything you need to set your business up for long-term success.

Secure your FREE ticket today

Attendance is free, but spots are limited. Dont miss your chance to gain the insights, tools, and connections that will shape your businesss future.

Register Now

SmallBiz Week 2025 is more than just an event  its your next big opportunity to thrive in an ever-changing business landscape. See you there!

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


amol4184 Senior - BHPian



Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Seattle/Pune Posts: 1,452 Thanked: 6,404 Times

Making Cannondale Hooligan more Hooligan-ish



Then, at the end of the production these bikes started gathering a small but cult like following and prices started rising. Now years old examples are going for more than they originally retailed. In the USA, these are rare and if one becomes available at reasonable cost, its gone immediately.



Some articles and posts on it piqued my interest and I decided to try it myself. After nearly a year's search I finally found one about 200 miles away from me in a different state on FB Marketplace. I didn't skip a beat and arranged to meet with the seller the next day (weekday, took a day off!) - I wasn't going to miss this one, no sir! I even transferred a token amount to seller which is something I NEVER do but I was going to risk everything this time. Fortunately that drive wasn't a waste. The seller was a legitimate guy and met me right on time. He knew the Hooligans were in high demand but he didn't think someone would travel from out of state



The first impressions were excellent. Not a single scratch or paint rub or dent. In fact the owner bought it back in 2016, rode around the cul-de-sac for a couple of times and then never took out of the garage again. The tires had injection nubs on them and the chainstays had plastic wrap on it from factory giving me no reason to doubt him.



The tires were flat but I didn't care. I didn't even check if the gear shift was working and handed him rest of the money with a wide grin on my face. This is how it looked on day 1.







Funky Lefty Solo Fatty fork. This is a heavy but interesting looking fork.





Stock configuration -



Cannondale made several configuration changes over the years. Some came with internal gear hub, some with regular derailleur based systems. Mine was bottom of the barrel config with 3 speed Shimano Nexus IGH and mechanical brakes rebranded as Cannondale. The tires were Kenda and heavy as rocks wheelset that weighed nearly 3 kgs despite being just 20 inches. Everything on went against the name "Hooligan".







In other words, Cannondale cut every possible corner and shipped it out to its expected demise. But that wasn't enough so when it was in production, Hoolis were priced nearly the same as fantastic CAAD 10 and 12s. Anyone with little sense knew this was a terrible value. As a consolation, the bike looked radical. And the frameset rode beautifully. That frameset was the reason I didn't care about the equipment as I already had plans cooking up for it. This bike had so much potential in it and I had to make it better!



Changes planned



Groupset -

The Nexus 3 speed IGH needed to go. I took a couple of rides on it totaling about 50kms and decided there is no way this system will stay. The 3 speed system suffers from extremely limited range. The gears go from easy to still -easy to hard. No middle ground. I never found a comfortable cadence on it. Secondly the grip shifter. Rubbery and imprecise its hard to believe Shimano makes such sloppy shifters. And lastly, the IGH just does not like to coast freely. I opened the hub up which was brand new, cleaned and greased everything just to see if it spun freely but nope. That thing just won't spin. So yes, I decided to replace it with a regular 11/12 speed derailleur system.



But bike this funky deserved something unique so I looked into Shimano's past products and found a unicorn called Metrea. I doubt many people have seen it. Dubbed as "Urban" groupset, Metrea was Shimano's answer to a question that nobody asked and as expected it vanished without much fanfare. While I would have loved to install entire groupset, I was unable to find the whole deal. So I settled on shifters (the most important part) and rear derailleur. The shifters are 1x11 so need of front derailleur.







There were many reasons for this groupset to sink but first and foremost the proprietary shifter dimensions that can be installed on only a couple of handlebars made specifically for Metrea. As far as my search goes Shimano's PRO components made a bar for it and another company called Ergotec made one for it - all these bars are now nearly impossible to find anywhere. The companies that made these bars have long gotten rid of tooling too as just within 4 years, Shinano pulled the plug on whole thing in 2020.

I got lucky to lay my hands on one after months long search. Eventually, it had to be shipped from Spain at eye watering shipping charge.



My plan was to use 105 GS derailleur and that was a mistake as I found out. More on that later.



The bars in question:







Brakes -

Cable pull mechanical brakes had to go. Those were terrible just like the Nexus hub. Metrea is a hydraulic groupset so that automatically meant bike would be getting hydraulic disc brakes. Since I didn't have Metrea brake calipers, I settled on Magura calipers which work well with Shimano shifters.



Drivertrain -

Super heavy FSA crank to be replaced with 5Dev copies and 52t chainring. 11-34, 11 speed 105 cassette, 11 speed chain and 105 long cage derailleur. 29mm DUB 68mm threaded bottom bracket.







Wheelset -

This was a complicated one. The bike came with Lefty Fatty Solo front fork which uses special Lefty hub wheel while the rear wheel had IGH hub on it. I could re-lace the rear wheel with regular hub but that turned out to be an expensive proposition. Decided to ditch the entire wheelset and fork because finding a reasonably priced 20 inch Lefty wheelset with rear hub is nearly impossible. On the other hand there are plenty of 20 inch mini-velo specific regular wheelsets that install on a normal fork. I got LitePro 20 inch wheelset from eBay. LitePro is a fairly well known budget brand making interesting components for mini-velos/foldables. The wheelset came in at 1790 grams - still lighter than the JASCO 2.0 disc wheelset from factory.











With the new wheelset I decided to get new tires too. Fortunately my favorite tires come in 20 inch variety too, the Panaracers. I got the tan walled gravel tires for this build.



Rebuild ensues



All the parts





Stripped to bits. This was easy. All external cables. No "integrated" nonsense at all. Even the front brake hose is routed externally.





Uses eccentric bottom bracket shell for making single speed conversion easy. But thankfully installing new threaded BB inside it is no different from a regular BB shell. I used a DUB 29mm road bottom bracket after removing the original square taper.







Nexus IGH does not need derailleur hanger but Cannondale (fortunately) made it easy to switch to derailleur system by providing holes in the frame as well as compatible derailleur hanger.







Good riddance







11 speed cassette goes onto the new wheel. Not a strong climber so I used Shimano 105 11/34. Tan walled Panaracers already installed.







The fork steerer was just a tad bit longer. Used a metal pipe cutter (not recommended) carefully. To summarize, with the pipe cutter I made a deep cut about 90% of the carbon's thickness and cut rest of the material with hacksaw.







Fork cut to length and installed







Cannondale used these old style bearing ring v/s sealed bearings in the headset.







Replaced that with sealed bearings and compression ring. The Lefty fork is 1.5 inch, new one is 1 1/8 inches so had to use reducer cups. Worked beautifully.









Stem no go. Quickly realized that because of the peculiar geometry of this frameset, a road specific 6/10 degree stem was out of question. It made the sitting posture too extreme. During the final assembly I replaced that stem with silly looking +35 degree stem. In the hindsight I could have kept the fork uncut.







All set for final assembly, and a new very upright stem.







ALL DONE:







A while later, I found some "ARAYA" decals for the wheels. Removed the original decals and replaced them.

Eagle eyed amongst you might notice how dangerously close the 105 GS cage derailleur comes to the ground:







I had to replace it with shorter length derailleur that would still shift 11/34 cassettes. Not many exist, so the rare Metrea came to the rescue again. This unicorn while being short cage, shifts 34t cassette comfortably. The derailleur was an eBay find.







Wrap





A wonderfully weird, one of a kind Hooligan. Rides amazing. Looks smashing, at least to me. And I have a feeling this is quite possibly the only one with Shimano Metrea on it.



The bullhorn bars and shifters have completely changed the dynamics of this bike. Those shifters have different ergonomics to them compared to regular drop bar shifters and yet feel quite natural when riding.



Little Hooligan is now more lively, accelerates like a bat out of hell and can maintain speeds of 26-30kmph on flats without having to pedal like a madman, thanks to 52t front chainring. Oh and the Panaracers even allow mild gravel thrashing. Its quite a thing to ride this bike on gravel!



In the end from a sluggish, dull bike to playful little thing = goal achieved.





Here is something you don't see often. Introduced in 2008-9 period, Hooligan wasn't popular because of the price but also because the mini-velo market is quite small compared to regular bicycles. Still, Cannondale persisted and produced Hooligan for almost a decade finally killing it in 2019. By some reports, they produced around 25000 units of it. Most of those were sold in SE Asia, far East and Europe where market for quirky bikes like this is far bigger than in the Americas.Then, at the end of the production these bikes started gathering a small but cult like following and prices started rising. Now years old examples are going for more than they originally retailed. In the USA, these are rare and if one becomes available at reasonable cost, its gone immediately.Some articles and posts on it piqued my interest and I decided to try it myself. After nearly a year's search I finally found one about 200 miles away from me in a different state on FB Marketplace. I didn't skip a beat and arranged to meet with the seller the next day (weekday, took a day off!) - I wasn't going to miss this one, no sir! I even transferred a token amount to seller which is something I NEVER do but I was going to risk everything this time. Fortunately that drive wasn't a waste. The seller was a legitimate guy and met me right on time. He knew the Hooligans were in high demand but he didn't think someone would travel from out of stateThe first impressions were excellent. Not a single scratch or paint rub or dent. In fact the owner bought it back in 2016, rode around the cul-de-sac for a couple of times and then never took out of the garage again. The tires had injection nubs on them and the chainstays had plastic wrap on it from factory giving me no reason to doubt him.The tires were flat but I didn't care. I didn't even check if the gear shift was working and handed him rest of the money with a wide grin on my face. This is how it looked on day 1.Funky Lefty Solo Fatty fork. This is a heavy but interesting looking fork.Cannondale made several configuration changes over the years. Some came with internal gear hub, some with regular derailleur based systems. Mine was bottom of the barrel config with 3 speed Shimano Nexus IGH and mechanical brakes rebranded as Cannondale. The tires were Kenda and heavy as rocks wheelset that weighed nearly 3 kgs despite being just 20 inches. Everything on went against the name "Hooligan".In other words, Cannondale cut every possible corner and shipped it out to its expected demise. But that wasn't enough so when it was in production, Hoolis were priced nearly the same as fantastic CAAD 10 and 12s. Anyone with little sense knew this was a terrible value. As a consolation, the bike looked radical. And the frameset rode beautifully. That frameset was the reason I didn't care about the equipment as I already had plans cooking up for it. This bike had so much potential in it and I had to make it better!The Nexus 3 speed IGH needed to go. I took a couple of rides on it totaling about 50kms and decided there is no way this system will stay. The 3 speed system suffers from extremely limited range. The gears go from easy to still -easy to hard. No middle ground. I never found a comfortable cadence on it. Secondly the grip shifter. Rubbery and imprecise its hard to believe Shimano makes such sloppy shifters. And lastly, the IGH just does not like to coast freely. I opened the hub up which was brand new, cleaned and greased everything just to see if it spun freely but nope. That thing just won't spin. So yes, I decided to replace it with a regular 11/12 speed derailleur system.But bike this funky deserved something unique so I looked into Shimano's past products and found a unicorn called Metrea. I doubt many people have seen it. Dubbed as "Urban" groupset, Metrea was Shimano's answer to a question that nobody asked and as expected it vanished without much fanfare. While I would have loved to install entire groupset, I was unable to find the whole deal. So I settled on shifters (the most important part) and rear derailleur. The shifters are 1x11 so need of front derailleur.There were many reasons for this groupset to sink but first and foremost the proprietary shifter dimensions that can be installed on only a couple of handlebars made specifically for Metrea. As far as my search goes Shimano's PRO components made a bar for it and another company called Ergotec made one for it - all these bars are now nearly impossible to find anywhere. The companies that made these bars have long gotten rid of tooling too as just within 4 years, Shinano pulled the plug on whole thing in 2020.I got lucky to lay my hands on one after months long search. Eventually, it had to be shipped from Spain at eye watering shipping charge.My plan was to use 105 GS derailleur and that was a mistake as I found out. More on that later.The bars in question:Cable pull mechanical brakes had to go. Those were terrible just like the Nexus hub. Metrea is a hydraulic groupset so that automatically meant bike would be getting hydraulic disc brakes. Since I didn't have Metrea brake calipers, I settled on Magura calipers which work well with Shimano shifters.Super heavy FSA crank to be replaced with 5Dev copies and 52t chainring. 11-34, 11 speed 105 cassette, 11 speed chain and 105 long cage derailleur. 29mm DUB 68mm threaded bottom bracket.This was a complicated one. The bike came with Lefty Fatty Solo front fork which uses special Lefty hub wheel while the rear wheel had IGH hub on it. I could re-lace the rear wheel with regular hub but that turned out to be an expensive proposition. Decided to ditch the entire wheelset and fork because finding a reasonably priced 20 inch Lefty wheelset with rear hub is nearly impossible. On the other hand there are plenty of 20 inch mini-velo specific regular wheelsets that install on a normal fork. I got LitePro 20 inch wheelset from eBay. LitePro is a fairly well known budget brand making interesting components for mini-velos/foldables. The wheelset came in at 1790 grams - still lighter than the JASCO 2.0 disc wheelset from factory.With the new wheelset I decided to get new tires too. Fortunately my favorite tires come in 20 inch variety too, the Panaracers. I got the tan walled gravel tires for this build.All the partsStripped to bits. This was easy. All external cables. No "integrated" nonsense at all. Even the front brake hose is routed externally.Uses eccentric bottom bracket shell for making single speed conversion easy. But thankfully installing new threaded BB inside it is no different from a regular BB shell. I used a DUB 29mm road bottom bracket after removing the original square taper.Nexus IGH does not need derailleur hanger but Cannondale (fortunately) made it easy to switch to derailleur system by providing holes in the frame as well as compatible derailleur hanger.Good riddance11 speed cassette goes onto the new wheel. Not a strong climber so I used Shimano 105 11/34. Tan walled Panaracers already installed.The fork steerer was just a tad bit longer. Used a metal pipe cutter (not recommended) carefully. To summarize, with the pipe cutter I made a deep cut about 90% of the carbon's thickness and cut rest of the material with hacksaw.Fork cut to length and installedCannondale used these old style bearing ring v/s sealed bearings in the headset.Replaced that with sealed bearings and compression ring. The Lefty fork is 1.5 inch, new one is 1 1/8 inches so had to use reducer cups. Worked beautifully.Stem no go. Quickly realized that because of the peculiar geometry of this frameset, a road specific 6/10 degree stem was out of question. It made the sitting posture too extreme. During the final assembly I replaced that stem with silly looking +35 degree stem. In the hindsight I could have kept the fork uncut.All set for final assembly, and a new very upright stem.A while later, I found some "ARAYA" decals for the wheels. Removed the original decals and replaced them.Eagle eyed amongst you might notice how dangerously close the 105 GS cage derailleur comes to the ground:I had to replace it with shorter length derailleur that would still shift 11/34 cassettes. Not many exist, so the rare Metrea came to the rescue again. This unicorn while being short cage, shifts 34t cassette comfortably. The derailleur was an eBay find.A wonderfully weird, one of a kind Hooligan. Rides amazing. Looks smashing, at least to me. And I have a feeling this is quite possibly the only one with Shimano Metrea on it.The bullhorn bars and shifters have completely changed the dynamics of this bike. Those shifters have different ergonomics to them compared to regular drop bar shifters and yet feel quite natural when riding.Little Hooligan is now more lively, accelerates like a bat out of hell and can maintain speeds of 26-30kmph on flats without having to pedal like a madman, thanks to 52t front chainring. Oh and the Panaracers even allow mild gravel thrashing. Its quite a thing to ride this bike on gravel!In the end from a sluggish, dull bike to playful little thing = goal achieved. Last edited by amol4184 : 16th March 2025 at 07:34 .
pratikpalkar17 Newbie

Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7 Thanked: 44 Times

Mumbai-Gangtok-Mumbai | 5,000 Km Road Trip in a Ford Figo Diesel



Journey Overview: Introduction Preparation for the Trip Medical Preparations

Car Preparation

Essential Tools and Equipment The Journey Begins- Day 1: Mumbai to Jabalpur Day 2: Jabalpur to Patna Day 3: Patna to Siliguri Day 4: Siliguri to Gangtok Acquiring the Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake Permit Exploring Gangtok Return Journey: Gangtok to Mumbai Total Expense Breakdown Introduction:



Let us take you through our unforgettable journey of an 11-day, 5000 km road trip from Mumbai to Gangtok and back with my wife in our 2015 Ford Figo Diesel, covering five different states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Sikkim. This road trip was not just about reaching the destination but about experiencing different cultures, landscapes, and the thrill of driving long distances. From the smooth highways to the winding mountain roads, each part of the journey had something special to offer. In this travelogue, we will share our day-by-day experiences, the places we visited, and in the end, we will break down the total expenses of this trip so that you can plan your own adventure with ease.



Preparation for the Trip

Before setting off on such a long journey, we made sure to be fully prepared.

Medical Preparations



We visited our family doctor and got a list of essential medicines for motion sickness, altitude sickness, fever, headaches, and other possible health issues. Being prepared for the worst situation gave us confidence to take on the long drive.

Car Preparation



Since our Ford Figo was going to cover 5000 km, we ensured it was in top condition. We got the car serviced at the Ford service center where we always maintain it. During the service, we replaced the gear lever and gear knob due to some play in the mechanism. Other routine maintenance included an oil change, oil filter change, and a complete check of the brakes, tires, and suspension. We also added special stickers on our car for this road trip, making it even more memorable. The stickers showcased our journey and added a personal touch to our adventure. Essential Tools and Equipment



We packed a separate toolkit bag with all the necessary tools for emergencies. This included a car jack, puncture repair kit, portable tire inflator, wrench for removing and replacing tires, and some extra fuses. Having these essentials gave us peace of mind, knowing we could handle minor breakdowns on our own. The Journey Begins: Day 1 Mumbai to Jabalpur



With our bags packed and our car fueled up, we set off early in the morning at 5 am with excitement. Our plan was to cover long distances each day while enjoying the journey. The first target was Jabalpur, about 1000 km away.

As we drove through the highways, the excitement kept us energized. The Samruddhi Mahamarg, a 700 km-long expressway, helped us cover a major chunk of the distance quickly. The smooth roads and less traffic made the drive enjoyable. As the night approached, we started feeling tired but pushed ourselves to reach Jabalpur.





Distance covered: 1040 km

1040 km Duration: 20 hours

20 hours Stay: Hotel Polo Max, Jabalpur (INR 2,000) We reached Jabalpur at around 1 AM. Tired but happy with our progress, we checked into a small hotel for a short rest. A quick nap of 4-5 hours was all we needed before setting off again the next morning.



Day 2: Jabalpur to Patna



After a short but refreshing sleep, we hit the road again at 7 AM. The drive was exciting, as we passed through Madhya Pradesh and entered Bihar. Some roads were smooth, while others had rough patches, but our enthusiasm kept us going. We stopped at a roadside dhaba for a breakfast of parathas and chai, which gave us the energy to continue. By the time we reached Patna, we were exhausted and checked into a hotel for the night.





Distance covered: 700 km

700 km Duration: 16 hours

16 hours Stay: Hotel Buddha International, Patna (INR 1,800)

Day 3: Patna to Siliguri







The next morning, we left Patna and made our way toward Siliguri. The drive was scenic, with lush green fields and tea plantations welcoming us to West Bengal. The roads were better, and the cool weather added to the joy of driving. In Siliguri, we took some time to enjoy the local food, including delicious Bengali fish curry and rice. We spent the night at a comfortable hotel, excited for the final stretch of our journey. Distance covered: 460 km

460 km Duration: 10 hours

10 hours Stay: Hotel Royal Vanilla (INR 2,500)

Day 4: Siliguri to Gangtok







This was the day we had been waiting for! The drive from Siliguri to Gangtok was breathtaking. The winding mountain roads, the sight of the Teesta River flowing beside us, and the fresh mountain air made every kilometer worth it. Driving through the hilly terrain was challenging but fun. When we finally reached Gangtok, it felt like an achievement. The long journey had brought us to this peaceful hill town, and we couldnt wait to explore it.





Distance covered: 120 km

120 km Duration: 4 hours

4 hours Stay: Club Mahindra Le Vintuna, Gangtok (4 nights Stay in Membership, Rs.13k spent on Spa, Food and Activities)

Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake Permit for Private Car



To visit Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake in our private car, we had to acquire special permits. The process required the following:

The car should be registered under the driver's name.

Car-related documents: RC book, Insurance, PUC, and driving license.

The car should be 1500cc and above.

Passport or Voter ID (Aadhar Card & PAN Card are not accepted)

Two passport-sized photographs for each traveler. Two permits are requiredone from the tourism department and another from the police department. It is mandatory to take the help of a local tourist agent to acquire both permits.

We connected with Naran Dawari, a local tourist agent who helped us with permit process.

Exotic Sikkim Travels- 8918828627



Exploring Gangtok



We spent four wonderful days in Gangtok, visiting:



MG Marg: The lively center of the city.

Nathula Pass: A memorable trip to the Indo-China border.

Tsongmo Lake: A beautiful glacial lake.

Club Mahindra Property: A great place to relax and enjoy the scenic beauty.



Return Journey: Gangtok to Mumbai







After spending four days in Gangtok, it was time to head back. Our return journey followed the same route, with overnight stops in Siliguri, Patna, and Jabalpur.



Total Expense Breakdown



Total Distance Covered: 5080 km

Total Diesel Consumed: 200 liters

Diesel Cost (Avg. Rs. 93/Ltr): Rs. 18,600

Total Spent on Toll: Rs. 7,300 (

Total Spent in Hotels (6 days travel + 4 days in Gangtok): Rs. 30,000

Nathula and Tsongmo Lake Permit: Rs. 5,000



Total Spent on Trip: Rs. 61,000 Let us take you through our unforgettable journey of an 11-day, 5000 km road trip from Mumbai to Gangtok and back with my wife in our 2015 Ford Figo Diesel, covering five different states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Sikkim. This road trip was not just about reaching the destination but about experiencing different cultures, landscapes, and the thrill of driving long distances. From the smooth highways to the winding mountain roads, each part of the journey had something special to offer. In this travelogue, we will share our day-by-day experiences, the places we visited, and in the end, we will break down the total expenses of this trip so that you can plan your own adventure with ease.Before setting off on such a long journey, we made sure to be fully prepared.With our bags packed and our car fueled up, we set off early in the morning at 5 am with excitement. Our plan was to cover long distances each day while enjoying the journey. The first target was Jabalpur, about 1000 km away.As we drove through the highways, the excitement kept us energized. The Samruddhi Mahamarg, a 700 km-long expressway, helped us cover a major chunk of the distance quickly. The smooth roads and less traffic made the drive enjoyable. As the night approached, we started feeling tired but pushed ourselves to reach Jabalpur.We reached Jabalpur at around 1 AM. Tired but happy with our progress, we checked into a small hotel for a short rest. A quick nap of 4-5 hours was all we needed before setting off again the next morning.After a short but refreshing sleep, we hit the road again at 7 AM. The drive was exciting, as we passed through Madhya Pradesh and entered Bihar. Some roads were smooth, while others had rough patches, but our enthusiasm kept us going. We stopped at a roadside dhaba for a breakfast of parathas and chai, which gave us the energy to continue. By the time we reached Patna, we were exhausted and checked into a hotel for the night.The next morning, we left Patna and made our way toward Siliguri. The drive was scenic, with lush green fields and tea plantations welcoming us to West Bengal. The roads were better, and the cool weather added to the joy of driving. In Siliguri, we took some time to enjoy the local food, including delicious Bengali fish curry and rice. We spent the night at a comfortable hotel, excited for the final stretch of our journey.This was the day we had been waiting for! The drive from Siliguri to Gangtok was breathtaking. The winding mountain roads, the sight of the Teesta River flowing beside us, and the fresh mountain air made every kilometer worth it. Driving through the hilly terrain was challenging but fun. When we finally reached Gangtok, it felt like an achievement. The long journey had brought us to this peaceful hill town, and we couldnt wait to explore it.To visit Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake in our private car, we had to acquire special permits. The process required the following:Two permits are requiredone from the tourism department and another from the police department. It is mandatory to take the help of a local tourist agent to acquire both permits.We connected with Naran Dawari, a local tourist agent who helped us with permit process.Exotic Sikkim Travels- 8918828627We spent four wonderful days in Gangtok, visiting:The lively center of the city.A memorable trip to the Indo-China border.A beautiful glacial lake.A great place to relax and enjoy the scenic beauty.After spending four days in Gangtok, it was time to head back. Our return journey followed the same route, with overnight stops in Siliguri, Patna, and Jabalpur.5080 km200 litersRs. 18,600Rs. 7,300 ( View toll details here Rs. 30,000Rs. 5,000
What just happened? Huawei's computer business is on the verge of a major shift in the coming weeks. The Chinese company may soon be forced to abandon Windows, leaving it with limited options for continuing to bring new PCs to market.

Starting in April 2025, Huawei will launch new PC models that no longer use Windows as their default operating system. According to domestic sources cited by MyDrivers, the Guangdong-based company may soon lose the ability to sell Windows PCs to Chinese customers. As a result, Huawei appears to be shifting its focus toward Linux and HarmonyOS, its proprietary operating system.

HarmonyOS initially began as a project based on the Android Open Source Project and the Linux kernel, allowing compatibility with existing Android apps. In 2023, Huawei introduced HarmonyOS NEXT, a new iteration built on a custom microkernel and proprietary technology frameworks.

Unlike its predecessor, HarmonyOS NEXT does not support Android or Windows applications. Instead, it uses a native application format based on JavaScript, TypeScript, and an optimized compiler designed to accelerate JavaScript execution. In 2024, Huawei confirmed its plans to replace Windows with HarmonyOS for its upcoming PC models.

According to Yu Chengdong, executive director and chairman of Huawei's consumer business unit, the company remains on the US Department of Commerce's Entity List, requiring a special license to use Windows. Huawei may soon lose the ability to obtain new license renewals from Microsoft, effectively ending the business relationship between the two companies.

As a result, current Huawei PCs will be the last systems sold with a Western operating system. The Chinese manufacturer is reportedly preparing to launch a new "AI PC" featuring its proprietary Kunpeng CPU and the latest iteration of HarmonyOS NEXT. This system, expected to debut next month, will also include applications powered by DeepSeek's controversial large language model.

In addition to its HarmonyOS-based PC, Huawei is developing a Linux-based system, according to MyDrivers. The upcoming MateBook D16 Linux Edition will feature the same hardware as the standard MateBook D16, with an unnamed Linux distribution replacing Windows.

While Huawei sells millions of PCs in China, Windows compatibility remains a key requirement for many domestic customers. In 2024, the company stated that more than 10,000 apps and services were available on the HarmonyOS platform, with notable adopters such as the Shanghai municipal government.
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust

In brief: Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee has issued a stark warning about the company's declining market share, particularly in AI semiconductors. In a rare and candid address to thousands of executives, he stated that Samsung is facing "a do-or-die survival issue."

Lee's remarks were delivered via a prerecorded video at a recent internal seminar attended by approximately 2,000 executives from Samsung's various affiliates. The seminars are part of the company's broader effort to restore what it calls "Samsung's true identity."

In the video, Lee bluntly states, "Samsung is facing a matter of survival." He urged executives to deeply reflect on the situation and prepare for difficult measures, even if it requires sacrificing short-term profits to secure the company's future.

The warning comes at a critical time. Samsung's annual shareholders' meeting is set for March 19, and all eyes are on the company's strategy to address its growing challenges.

Samsung has been grappling with declining market share and profits across multiple sectors including TVs, smartphones, and even DRAM. However, its biggest challenge appears to be in the semiconductor and AI chip markets, where the company is losing ground to rivals.

Last year, reports surfaced that Samsung had shifted its executives to a grueling six-day workweek to "inject a sense of crisis" after recognizing its struggles in AI chips. However, the strategy does not seem to have delivered the intended results.

Investors are growing restless as well and have demanded a clear roadmap from management on how Samsung plans to boost earnings, stabilize its stock price, and recover from what analysts have called an unprecedented crisis for its core businesses.

The pressure on Lee is mounting, but he has reportedly been constrained by legal troubles for nearly a decade. He was acquitted earlier this year of stock-rigging and accounting fraud charges related to a controversial 2015 merger. However, prosecutors have since appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, prolonging his legal battles.

For now, Lee appears to be making calculated moves ahead of the shareholders' meeting  such as this latest warning. The Korea Herald, citing analysts, suggests that this is a strategic effort to project proactive leadership and move away from his previously more passive approach.

Samsung's stock reacted positively to Lee's tough talk, climbing more than five percent on Monday.
In context: Add-ons and extensions provide a wide range of customization options for web browsers. While extensions have long been an integral part of the web experience on PCs, they are now gaining popularity in mobile ecosystems as well.

Despite being built on the same layout engine derived from the Chromium project, Edge is making a determined effort to differentiate itself from Chrome. Microsoft's browser is now bringing support for extensions on Android  something even Google, despite owning the mobile platform and many of its most popular apps, has curiously neglected to implement.

Extension support is now available in the latest stable version of Edge for Android (134.0.3124.57), which Microsoft has rebranded as the "AI browser"  because, apparently, nothing matters anymore unless AI is part of the mix. The extension store is also accessible via the web, though users must browse the page from a mobile device to get the full experience.

Currently, Edge for Android still labels the extension page as a "beta" feature, indicating that further refinements are needed before it can be deemed fully stable. Microsoft has opted for a curated selection of extensions, offering 22 add-ons that enhance security, enable VPN functionality, block YouTube ads, facilitate video downloads, switch user agents, manage cookies, and more.

As reported by Windows Latest, installing and managing extensions on Edge is straightforward enough, even in its beta phase. The web version of the store lists the available extensions but does not yet support installation or synchronization with Edge for Android. For now, the "Get" button remains grayed out.

Although modern browser extensions are more limited than older technologies like Mozilla's XUL, they still significantly influence how users interact with web content and services. Some mobile browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, already support extensions, while Google Chrome  despite being a default Android app  has yet to offer the feature.

Microsoft began testing extension support on Android a year ago, initially enabling the feature in Edge's Canary (nightly) channel in January 2024. Now that extensions are available in the stable release, extension enthusiasts are likely eagerly awaiting the inclusion of their preferred add-ons in Microsoft's officially supported list.
If you have been a long-time fan of Google's Assistant, it is time to bid farewell to it as Gemini is now fully replacing the voice assistant after almost a decade.

Google Gemini Is Fully Replacing Assistant For Mobile Devices

The hands-free experience over at Google is getting a massive AI upgrade as the company has now announced that Gemini will replace Assistant. The company is now setting aside Assistant as the go-to hands-free mobile AI voice assistant as it pushes for Gemini to deliver the experience, complete with its multimodal AI capabilities.

Google said that Gemini will be able to deliver more "personal" experience for users, offering more capabilities than what Assistant has brought so far to the table.

The company has already begun its migration from Assistant to Gemini, and users will be able to see the changes over the coming months.

This massive change will focus on mobile devices first, particularly the Pixel smartphones and other devices that rely on Google Assistant, such as the likes of Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus.

Moreover, users who have not yet downloaded the Google Assistant app will no longer be able to get it from the Play Store moving forward.

Farewell Assistant: Google Is in the Era of Generative AI

Google is already bidding its farewell to Assistant after a total of nine years since it was first released in 2016, with the company now diving deep into its era of generative AI. The gradual change will prioritize mobile devices for now, but it will then move on to other Android-powered devices like tablets and car infotainment devices.

Next, Google will also bring Gemini to replace Assistant on headphones or earbuds, as well as smartwatches via the Wear OS ecosystem. Additionally, the company is also working on integrating Gemini to replace Assistant on devices like smart TVs and other home devices like speakers, displays, and more.

During Gemini's debut in January 2024, Google Assistant has seen many features removed, which caused a significant backlash from the public. However, this marked the beginning of Assistant's end, as a new designated AI system in the form of Gemini is taking over.

In today's rapidly evolving AI landscape, tech giants and businesses alike are increasingly pairing their existing solutions with generative AI to enhance response quality and personalization. As seen with Google's move from Assistant to Gemini, it's essential for AI-powered tools to make a strong impression and deliver more sophisticated, context-aware interactions. This transition underscores the growing importance of generative AI in shaping the future of digital assistants and user interactions.
Robotics company 1X Technologies has debuted a humanoid robot called NEO Gamma. This humanoid robot can do everything at home, and it acts like a nanny that can attend to various needs of the household like cleaning, picking up laundry, and bringing items from one place to another.

The robot from 1X features a 3D-printed nylon fabric skin-like finish that makes it stand out from other humanoid bots in the market.

1X NEO Gamma Is a Humanoid Bot with 3D Printed Nylon Fabric

1X Technologies has been sharing new videos about its latest robotic development, the NEO Gamma, which features a soft "skin" that covers its exterior. The company explained that it was made from 3D-printed nylon fabric that covers its body, giving it less of a machine-like appearance that is more suited for the home.

This new design is touted by the company as the "Future of Home Humanoids" and their latest demonstration shows that the robot can fit the home setting and blend easily as your new helper.

According to 1X, NEO Gamma's design focuses on a minimalistic approach to its aesthetic that fits the home, and apart from its 3D-printed nylon fabric, it also features Emotive Ear Rings for improved communication.

What the NEO Gamma Can Do

In its demo video, NEO Gamma can help in vacuuming, watering the plants, carrying laundry, delivering items humans ask for, cleaning up at home, and a whole lot more.

Humanoid Robots at Home

Robotics have evolved over the past years, and they are no longer the clunky, metal machines that were once the standard as they are now taking the likeness and capabilities of humans. One of the best examples here is Tesla's Optimus, which was recently unveiled via its "We, Robot" event. CEO Elon Musk has teased that it can do 'anything you want.'

However, Tesla's Optimus is only one of the many humanoid bots in the industry that is currently being developed to help people in many tasks and needs A company called Figure AI Inc. has introduced its next-gen humanoid bot called Figure 02, which can converse with humans in real-world settings.

There is also a Poland-based startup called Clone Robotics that is focusing on developing a musculoskeletal and superintelligent humanoid androids that set them apart from traditional robotics.
Apple's next-generation iPhone personal assistant is evolving thanks to Apple Intelligence in iOS 18. With this major update, Siri not only gets smarter but also flaunts a vibrant new interface.

If you are not seeing Siri's colorful glow yet, here's everything you need to know about activating Apple Intelligence and ensuring your device is compatible.

Siri Boasts New Rainbow Glow

Apple Intelligence introduced a spectrum of updates, including notification summaries and Genmoji. Among these features, Siri now lights up the edges of your screen with a rainbow glow when activated. But this isn't just for aesthetics: this visual enhancement hints at a deeper integration of AI capabilities into Apple's voice assistant.

However, if Siri's new interface isn't appearing on your device, it may be due to software settings or hardware limitations.

Is Your iPhone Compatible with Apple Intelligence?

Although iOS 18 is available for iPhone XS and later, not all models can support Apple Intelligence due to the heavy on-device AI processing required.

According to CNET, only the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16E, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max are the supported iPhone models of AI.

Additionally, Apple Intelligence is available on M-series Macs and iPads, along with the latest iPad Mini powered by the A17 Pro chip.

If you own one of these devices, you should see Siri's new shimmering glow when activated. Mac users will notice this effect in the Siri search field rather than on the screen edges.

How to Activate Apple Intelligence on Your iPhone

With the first Apple Intelligence rollout in iOS 18.1, users had to manually opt-in and wait for access. However, the latest updates, iOS 18.3.2, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3 now enable Apple Intelligence automatically.

If Siri's new look isn't showing up, follow these steps:

Go to Settings, then click Apple Intelligence & Siri. Make sure Apple Intelligence is turned on. Restart your device if necessary to refresh the settings.

If you previously disabled Apple Intelligence, the latest updates won't automatically turn it back on, so you will need to reactivate it manually.

Check Your Siri Language Settings

Another common reason for missing Siri's updated look is language settings. Apple Intelligence currently supports only English. To ensure compatibility:

Navigate to Settings. Head to Apple Intelligence & Siri. Set the language to one of the following:

English (Australia)

English (Canada)

English (Ireland)

English (New Zealand)

English (South Africa)

English (United Kingdom)

English (United States)

If you previously changed Siri's language to another one, switching back to English does not automatically enable Apple Intelligence. You may need to toggle Apple Intelligence off and on again and restart your iPhone.

While the AI assistant has arrived with interesting features, the Siri chief admitted that Siri's features were not that great, pointing out Apple's "dry" marketing of the product, according to Gizmodo.
If youre having a bad day or week, if things arent going smoothly, it helps to remember the saying, Rome wasnt built in a day. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is persevere, push forward and trust the process.

David Williams Chen began his professional career with 13 years of experience in consulting in one of the Big Four firms, and he was an economic and policy advisory expert.

His clients were varied, from government departments and companies to charities, and his advice was integral to decision-making regarding public policy and infrastructure investment. Consulting as a profession was exciting and fulfilling for David, with variety in terms of clients, industries, and challenges to resolve.

But in 2024, Davids career took a path he did not expect when his entire team was let go. The company offered him the opportunity to become chief economist, but he was also given the option to depart. Luckily, there were a couple of consulting opportunities available immediately, which made me wonder whether or not I should take them on my own, David recalls.

Having grown up with parents who were business owners, the idea of running his own business had always been in the back of Davids mind. When clients started reaching out to him for help, it felt like the perfect moment to make the leap. Ive always loved consulting workthe variety of clients, industries, and challenges makes it a stimulating and rewarding career. After the clients started calling, it seemed like the moment was appropriate to try it out, he says.

David was fortunate to have his husbanda veteran accountant with plenty of experience in establishing and operating small businessesavailable to help him through the process. Within three days of leaving his previous employment, he had established his own consultancy. Within a month, I was booked solid with a number of clients, he goes on to recall, looking back on the rapid transition from corporate employee to businessman.

Early growth and overcoming challenges

I made a conscious decision to invest in marketing -branding, design services, and a professional website.

Piloting a business, especially one that is consultative, made David contend with many issues ranging from acing operations, compliances, to finance. It did not take long before he realized that despite his economics and policy expertise, which was tantamount to having gold, he would need advice in other areas to ensure that the business smoothly sailed on course. One of the most prominent lessons he absorbed was never being afraid to get advice. Access to accountants, lawyers, marketing experts, insurance brokers, and design experts has been essential in setting up the business, he describes.

The early months of running his consultancy were frenetic, but they also left space for growth. Demand for his services was strong enough to justify the hiring of an employee immediately. While recruiting staff so early was intimidating, it was important for David to make the best use of his time and take the best of the opportunities that lay ahead. Having to recruit staff so early was intimidating, with so many issues around it, but it allowed me to utilize my time wisely and make the best of the opportunities that were coming my way, he adds.

The shift from a large firm to a small firm was another drastic transition. David understood that to succeed, he needed to find the right partners to work with. Networking with other boutique consultants in order to identify complementary skill sets was crucial, he explains. This led to a number of mutually rewarding relationships, where there were two-way opportunities. The path to making those partnerships was being strategic with partnership and seeking out professionals who brought something unique.

Another important decision that David made during the early stage of his professional life was spending money on promotion. Though fresh to business, he understood that it was indispensable to develop a strong brand perception. As soon as the business started, I consciously invested in marketing  branding, design services, and a decent website. Investing in building strong foundations at the outset has proved to be imperative to the businesss success up until now, he reflects.

Inside a competitively demanding market

Davids boutique consultancy, being a new entrant in the market, needed to compete with established larger companies, and therefore he needed to have something unique that would differentiate his company from the rest. One of the key areas of differentiation for Davids company relative to the big firms is cost savings. Clients tend to want the advice and guidance of very experienced consultants..

Having no huge overheads as a boutique firm, he is able to provide the same level of skill from his people at a third of the cost of the Big Four, without compromising on quality, he adds. This kind of ability to provide quality services at a low price has been the key to the success of Davids practice.

While in other bigger firms, much of the work would fall to junior members of staff, Davids customers get direct contact with experienced practitioners who have served decades in consultancy and academia in leading businesses. Our customers get direct contact with highly focused and experienced experts with decades of expertise in academia and consultancy for renowned businesses. It means customers get great value, he states. This model has allowed his firm to develop close, trusting relationships with customers, a feat difficult to achieve in larger companies.

In addition to offering personalized service, Davids firm excels through the use of sophisticated economic models. The models are validated by government agencies as among the strongest tools for policy change simulations and large project investments. The economy-wide models we utilize are embraced by government agencies as the most accurate and strongest modelling tools for policy change and large project investment, says David. His teams expertise with the models places them in high demand, setting the business apart in a competitive market.

In order to stay competitive, Davids firm is also taking up technology. We are in the process of exploring AI tools to be efficient while maintaining our environment as secure as is expected by our clients in relation to the usage of AI, he says. Using AI tools for data processing and client assignments is becoming increasingly popular, and David is committed to taking on these technologies to be able to continue offering his clients the best service.

Davids business is also opening its horizons by using digital marketing strategies and tools. With AI set to become a major player in customer personalization and process streamlining, David is excited about the future of innovation at his business. The latest cohort of ANZ SMBs are innovators at implementing AI into their marketing processes, and its delivering measurable improvements, he says.

Lessons learned

Maintaining work-life balance is crucial for long-term resilience.

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, David emphasizes the importance of work-life balance. He confesses that entrepreneurship comes with an infinite list of things to be done. There will always be more to do, and as an owner, the to-do list never really ends, he says. But for David, guarding his time for himself and his family has been critical to long-term success. Maintaining work-life balance is essential for long-term resilience. Developing a business involves many thousands of hours, and without balance, its easy to burn out, he counsels.

Having also been an entrepreneur himself, David is encouraging others to persevere, even when things dont exactly go according to schedule. He cites the saying, Rome wasnt built in a day, reminding others that a business doesnt happen overnight. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just continue, keep keeping moving forward, and trust in the process, he shares.

To everyone who wants to start a business, David has a simple message: seek help when needed, invest in others, and welcome change. Collaboration with other advisors or the acceptance of new technology will be an option, perhaps, but it will be most critical to adapt. But above all, balance between personal and professional life will ensure that entrepreneurial spirit is kept in place with the inevitable pitfalls along the journey.

ALSO READ: How a trip to Europe inspired this Aussie mums million-dollar idea

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Peru farmer in German court battle with energy giant



Hamm, Germany, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



A Peruvian farmer faces off in a German court Monday in a "David and Goliath" battle against an energy giant, demanding the firm pay for climate change damage.

Saul Luciano Lliuya, 44, argues that electricity producer RWE -- one of the world's top emitters of climate-altering carbon dioxide -- must share the cost of protecting his hometown Huaraz from a swollen glacier lake at risk of overflowing from melting snow and ice.

He wants the German company to pay 17,000 euros ($18,400) towards flood defences for his community, arguing that the fossil fuels the firm uses to generate electricity make it partly responsible for the flood risk.

"What I am asking is for the company to take responsibility for part of the construction costs," he said at a press conference in Lima earlier this month.

"I have full confidence in these processes."

However much confidence Lliuya has in proceedings, they have moved at a glacial pace.

He first filed a lawsuit in 2015 but a court in the western German city of Essen, where RWE is headquartered, dismissed it the following year.

However, in 2017 a higher court in the city of Hamm, also in western Germany, allowed an appeal.

After a delay due to the Covid pandemic, hearings are scheduled from Monday to Wednesday, and Lliuya will be attending.

"I would never have thought that it would all take so long," Lliuya told Germanwatch, a German environmental NGO supporting him in the case.



- 'Fair contribution' -



The hearing will ask if Lliuya's property in Peru's Ancash region is at substantial risk of flooding, examining evidence collected by court-appointed experts who travelled to the area in 2022.

If confirmed, a subsequent hearing would look at the question of RWE's responsibility.

Lliuya bases his claim on a 2014 study that concluded RWE was responsible for 0.47 percent of all global carbon emissions since the start of the industrial era.

RWE, which has never operated in Peru, should pay that share of the 3.5 million euros it would cost to lower the waters of Lake Palcacocha, he says.

Founded in 1898, RWE power plants today use a variety of power sources including solar, wind, gas and coal.

"It is time for companies like RWE to make a fair contribution to the costs of the damage they have helped to cause," said Francesca Mascha Klein, legal officer at Germanwatch.

RWE says a court ruling in favour of Lliuya would set a precedent of holding people responsible under German law for actions that have environmental consequences far outside the country.

"We think that is legally inadmissible and the wrong way to address this issue socially and politically," a spokesman said.

Dismissing the case in 2015, the Essen court said that it was impossible to draw a link between particular emissions and particular damage.

The Hamm hearing might be the first stage towards overturning that opinion at a time when 43 climate-damage cases are ongoing worldwide, according to Zero Carbon Analytics, a not-for-profit research group.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the law firm representing RWE, says that there could be major implications: "The sum in dispute may be less than 20,000 euros. But the precedent-setting potential is clear."

vbw-mb/sr/cw
UK energy minister in Beijing seeks to press China on emissions



Beijing, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



UK energy minister Ed Miliband met officials in Beijing on Monday after vowing to press them on China's emissions as well as touchy topics such as Hong Kong and forced labour.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought to boost engagement with China since coming to power in July, despite concerns over security and human rights crackdowns.

Although it is the largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that drive climate change, China, the world's second-largest economy, is also a renewable energy powerhouse and aims to reach net zero by 2060.

The UK has pledged to decarbonise completely by 2050 and has ramped up the transition to clean energy sources, which it claims will help boost its flagging economy.

On Monday, Miliband met with Wang Hongzhi, head of Beijing's National Energy Administration, for the China-UK Energy Dialogue that London has said will be the first of regular "climate change talks between both countries moving forward".

He also held talks with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang at Beijing's ornate Great Hall of the People.

Miliband is the third minister in Starmer's cabinet to visit China, writing in The Guardian newspaper last week that he will use the trip to "urge continued action from China... to tackle the climate emergency".

"I consider it to be negligence towards today's and future generations not to engage China on this topic," he wrote.

Official data showed last month that China missed a key climate target in 2024 and that emissions rose slightly as coal remained dominant, despite record renewable additions.

The figures mean that China is off-track on a key commitment under the Paris climate agreement, analysts said.

London has said the UK will share with China "expertise on phasing out coal, having closed its last coal-fired power station last year."

Miliband said he would also raise concerns over rights abuses in Hong Kong and the treatment of the Uyghur minority -- as well as "forced labour in supply chains" and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing has never condemned.

"Disagreement cannot be an excuse for disengagement," Miliband said.

The energy minister also plans to invite Chinese counterparts to London later this year to renew formal climate dialogue between the countries, as the UK looks to play a leading role in global cooperation on the climate.

"This is about protecting the British people now and for generations to come," he wrote.
Peruvian farmer demands 'climate justice' from German energy giant



Hamm, Germany, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



A Peruvian farmer taking a German energy giant to court says he is battling for "climate justice" and wants the company to pay for the consequences of rising temperatures.

Saul Luciano Lliuya, 44, argues that electricity producer RWE -- one of the world's top emitters of carbon dioxide -- must share the cost of protecting his hometown, Huaraz, from a swollen glacier lake that is at risk of overflowing from melting snow and ice.

He wants the German company to pay 17,000 euros ($18,400) towards flood defences for his community, arguing that the fossil fuels the firm has used to generate electricity make it partly responsible for the flood risk.

"The reality is the glaciers are melting and sadly the mountains are suffering, and that has consequences," he told reporters outside a regional court in the west German city of Hamm.

"It's a risk for me. It's a risk for the more than 50,000 people who live in the danger zone."

Lliuya first filed a lawsuit in 2015 but a court in the western German city of Essen, where RWE is headquartered, dismissed it the following year.

In 2017, however, the Hamm court allowed an appeal.

After a delay due to the Covid pandemic, hearings are scheduled from Monday to Wednesday.

Roda Verheyen, Lliuya's lawyer in the case, expects proceedings to conclude at the end of next year.

Monday's hearing was to consider if Lliuya's property in Peru's Ancash region is at substantial risk of flooding.

It will examine evidence collected by court-appointed experts who travelled to the area in 2022.

If confirmed, a subsequent hearing would look at the question of RWE's responsibility.

- 'Fair contribution' -



Lliuya bases his legal claim on a 2014 study that concluded RWE was responsible for 0.47 percent of all global carbon emissions since the start of the industrial era.

RWE, which has never operated in Peru, should pay that share of the 3.5 million euros it would cost to lower the waters of Lake Palcacocha, he says.

RWE was founded in 1898, and now uses a variety of power sources, including gas and coal as well as solar and wind.

Christoph Bals, head of policy at Germanwatch, an environmental campaign group supporting Lliuya in the case, said they came across his plight after being put in touch by a consultant advising Lliuya on how to manage the rising waters.

"They (the farmers in Huaraz) got talking and they said: 'It's not right. We have done nothing to contribute to climate change and now we're paying for it'," Bals said outside court.

RWE says a court ruling in favour of Lliuya would set a precedent of holding people responsible under German law for actions that have environmental consequences abroad.

"We think that is legally inadmissible and the wrong way to address this issue socially and politically," a spokesman said.

Dismissing the case in 2015, the Essen court said that it was impossible to draw a link between particular emissions and particular damage.

The Hamm hearing might be the first stage towards overturning that opinion, at a time when 43 climate-damage cases are ongoing worldwide, according to not-for-profit research group Zero Carbon Analytics.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the law firm representing RWE, says that there could be major implications.

"The sum in dispute may be less than 20,000 euros. But the precedent-setting potential is clear," it said.

vbw-mb/fz/gil
Peruvian farmer demands 'climate justice' from German energy giant



Hamm, Germany, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



A Peruvian farmer taking a German energy giant to court said Monday he is battling for "climate justice" and wants the company to pay for the consequences of rising temperatures.

Saul Luciano Lliuya, 44, argues that electricity producer RWE -- one of the world's top emitters of carbon dioxide -- must share the cost of protecting his hometown, Huaraz, from a swollen glacier lake that is at risk of overflowing from melting snow and ice.

He wants the German company to pay 17,000 euros ($18,400) towards flood defences for his community, arguing that the fossil fuels the firm has used to generate electricity make it partly responsible for the flood risk.

"The reality is the glaciers are melting and sadly the mountains are suffering, and that has consequences," he told reporters outside a regional court in the west German city of Hamm.

"It's a risk for me. It's a risk for the more than 50,000 people who live in the danger zone."

Lliuya first filed a lawsuit in 2015 but a court in the western German city of Essen, where RWE is headquartered, dismissed it the following year.

In 2017, however, the Hamm court allowed an appeal.

After a delay due to the Covid pandemic, hearings are scheduled on Monday and Wednesday.

Roda Verheyen, Lliuya's lawyer in the case, expects proceedings to conclude at the end of next year.



- 'Experts recognise risk' -



Monday's hearing asked if Lliuya's property in Peru's Ancash region is at substantial risk of flooding, examining evidence collected by court-appointed experts who travelled to the area in 2022.

If judges confirm the risk, subsequent hearings would look at the question of RWE's responsibility.

Noah Walker-Crawford, a researcher advising Lliuya's legal team, said he was satisfied with the first day of proceedings.

"What's important to say is that the experts recognise that there is a risk," he said. "There is a possibility of a flood wave from the melting glaciers hitting the plaintiff's house."

A ruling on the issue of flood risk could come as soon as Wednesday, but more likely in the coming weeks.

Lliuya bases his legal claim on a 2014 study that concluded RWE was responsible for 0.47 percent of all global carbon emissions since the start of the industrial era.

RWE, which has never operated in Peru, should pay that share of the 3.5 million euros it would cost to lower the waters of Lake Palcacocha, he says.



- 'Fair contribution' -



Founded in 1898, RWE now uses a variety of power sources, including gas and coal as well as solar and wind.

Christoph Bals, head of policy at Germanwatch, an environmental campaign group supporting Lliuya in the case, said they came across his plight after being put in touch by a consultant advising Lliuya on how to manage the rising waters.

"They (the farmers in Huaraz) got talking and they said: 'It's not right. We have done nothing to contribute to climate change and now we're paying for it'," Bals said outside court.

RWE says a court ruling in favour of Lliuya would set a precedent of holding people responsible under German law for actions that have environmental consequences abroad.

"We think that is legally inadmissible and the wrong way to address this issue socially and politically," a spokesman said.

Dismissing the case in 2015, the Essen court said that it was impossible to draw a link between particular emissions and particular damage.

The Hamm hearing might be the first stage towards overturning that opinion, at a time when 43 climate-damage cases are ongoing worldwide, according to not-for-profit research group Zero Carbon Analytics.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the law firm representing RWE, says that there could be major implications.

"The sum in dispute may be less than 20,000 euros. But the precedent-setting potential is clear," it said.

vbw-mb/sr/sbk
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has enthusiastically welcomed the Australian Governments commitment to introduce protections for small and family businesses affected by unfair business trading practices.

This announcement follows last years pledge to protect consumers and builds on ongoing efforts to ensure small businesses are treated fairly in the marketplace.

A much-needed legal protection for SMEs

The Albanese Governments crackdown on unfair trading practices is set to extend beyond consumer protections to now include small businesses. In response to consultations highlighting the power imbalances that small businesses often face when dealing with larger corporations, the government has acknowledged the need to address a significant gap in legal protections for small businesses. This gap has led to thousands of businesses in sectors such as construction, agriculture, and retail experiencing unfair practices that cause substantial harm.

This action is a matter of fairness, said Minister for Small Business, Julie Collins MP. Small businesses are vital to our economy, and were concerned about the disadvantages they face when dealing with unfair practices from larger players that might not breach existing laws but still cause harm.

The governments commitment aims to ensure that small businesses are fairly protected when engaging with larger companies. ASBFEOs Billson echoed these sentiments, stating that this initiative would empower small businesses to innovate, compete, and thrive without the fear of being exploited by larger, more powerful entities. This commitment to introduce protections will reassure small businesses, allowing them to invest and take risks without being unfairly taken advantage of, Billson explained.

Filling the gap in unfair trading practices protections

The new protections will address harmful conduct and dealings that amplify and exploit power imbalances, causing harm to small businesses without legitimate business justification. Sadly, too many of the more than 50,000 small businesses that ASBFEO has assisted with dispute resolution have fallen victim to harmful practices simply because a larger business used its power, Billson said.

While unfair contract term protections have provided relief by preventing larger companies from imposing one-sided contract terms, there has still been no protection for situations where harmful practices are not explicitly written into contracts. These too sharp by half tacticssuch as pressuring suppliers into unfavorable contract changesfall through the cracks in the current law unless they reach the high threshold for egregious conduct. Billson emphasized that this gap is harmful, and the new protections will bridge that divide.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has highlighted several unfair practices small businesses face, including situations where larger companies use their superior bargaining power to force small businesses into accepting unfavorable contract changes. Such practices are particularly evident in industries like food production and construction.

Supporting fair competition

The Albanese Governments initiative builds on previous efforts to level the playing field for small businesses. This includes extending unfair contract term protections to more businesses, introducing penalties for breaches, improving the Franchising Code of Conduct, and taking action to improve small business payment times. Treasury will also conduct consultations on the design of these protections, including exploring whether a principles-based prohibition should be introduced and which specific unfair trading practices should be targeted to safeguard small businesses.

Competition should be about better products and prices, not who can push around the little guy the hardest, said Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, and Treasury, Andrew Leigh. Too often, small businesseslike farmers and suppliersget strong-armed by bigger players who rewrite the rules to suit themselves. Thats why were cracking down on unfair trading practices.

Leigh further emphasized that when competition turns into coercion, it no longer qualifies as fair competition. A supermarket shouldnt be able to drop a supplier just for asking for a fair price. A dominant firm shouldnt get to negotiate by holding all the cards and stacking the deck, he said.

A fairer future

This new commitment to introduce protections for small businesses harmed by unfair trading practices is a major win for the sector, according to Billson. We have advocated for this measure for four years, and its encouraging to see the Government moving forward with plans to address this significant gap in the law, he said.

The governments efforts to ensure fair competition will be complemented by a review of the amendments to strengthen unfair contract term protections, which were legislated in 2022. Additionally, Treasurys upcoming consultation will examine how protections can be used to address harmful practices that affect small businesses.

This is genuinely exciting and positive news, Billson concluded. It carries forward one of our 14 steps to energize enterprise by leveling the playing field.

The governments commitment to extend protections for small businesses will provide an invaluable tool for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to ensure that businesses are treated fairly in the marketplace. These actions mark a significant step forward in creating a more balanced and equitable environment for Australias 2.6 million small businesses.

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Talks on divisive deep-sea mining resume in Jamaica



United Nations, United States, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2025



Several countries united with campaign groups Monday to call for caution in regulating the divisive practice of deep-sea mining at a meeting on the issue in Jamaica.

Members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) are meeting in Kingston to thrash out the first mining code on deep-sea extraction that has faced accusations of imperiling marine ecosystems.

The clock is ticking because a metals company has said it will imminently submit an extraction license application, raising the prospect that their operations could go unregulated.

"We are still far away from any consensus on a final mining code," said French envoy Olivier Guyonvarch, with the latest draft text still riddled with caveats highlighting lingering disagreement.

Costa Rica's representative called for a "precautionary pause" as work continues on gathering data and establishing the legal framework.

The prospect of a pause has gained traction but is far from winning the backing of the ISA's 169 member states.

"Environmental protection, however, does not mean abandoning exploitation," countered China's representative, saying that regulations could be further tailored as mining is carried out.



- 'Planetary crisis' -



The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea gives the ISA responsibility for regulating extraction of highly coveted seabed minerals that lie outside of national marine borders.

However, it also directs the organization to protect the little-understood marine environments.

The ISA Council, which currently only awards exploration licenses, has been negotiating for more than ten years over a mining code governing nickel, cobalt and copper extraction -- key materials in the energy transition.

The painstaking talks have gained momentum since the activation of a clause allowing any company with national backing to apply for a license -- even in the absence of a code -- but several issues remain outstanding.

Though the riches of the international seabed are classified as "common heritage of mankind," African countries fear they will miss out on benefits or even see their economies suffer.

Underwater extraction must "not come at the expense of Africa's existing mining economies and their sustainable development aspirations," the continent's representative said.

Industry on the other hand has been highly critical of delays to the agreement of a code.

In a January letter to the ISA, several companies claiming to have collectively invested more than $2 billion in the development of extraction technology said they faced "escalating legal and financial risks."

Among them was Nori -- Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. -- a subsidiary of Canadian firm The Metals Company. In June, it will submit the first application for extraction of "polymetallic nodules" -- mineral deposits made up of multiple metals on the deep ocean floor.

Pacific island nation Nauru has given its official backing to Nori's application, and is pressing the ISA to agree on a mechanism for reviewing and approving applications in the absence of a mining code.

Their request has been opposed by countries such as Chile who maintain the council had agreed rules would only be drafted after such an application is submitted.

"ISA Member States need to stand firm against the unacceptable pressure by an industry that risks wreaking irreparable damage on our ocean and exacerbating the planetary crisis," Sofia Tsenikli, Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium Campaign Director at the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC).

NGOs like the DSCC are placing hope in new ISA chief Leticia Carvalho, a Brazilian oceanographer who replaced Britain's Michael Lodge after two terms at the helm, during which he was accused of favoring industry.

While the council has set itself the goal of finalizing the mining code this year, Carvalho called Monday for negotiators to make "significant progress" by July while raising the prospect of an amended timetable.
A child with measles is treated at Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Le Phuong

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued an official dispatch requesting acceleration of vaccination against measles as the number of cases is on the rise.

The PM asked the Minister of Health to direct and support localities to promote measles vaccination campaign and complete it no later than the end of this month.

The health sector must ensure sufficient measles vaccines and timely distribution to localities.

The ministry has directed medical facilities to strictly receive and treat patients with measles and suspected cases, coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to ensure adequate and timely funding for the measles vaccination campaign.

Provinces and cities must urgently assess the measles situation in the locality to have a proper plan according to the ministry's instructions.

Relevant parties effectively implement the expanded immunization programs and catch-up vaccination for people who have not been vaccinated or have not been fully vaccinated.

Authorities should strengthen communication and education for the people, especially in remote, border, island and ethnic group areas, to proactively prevent and control measles.

The Minister of Education and Training should direct educational institutions to conduct preventive measures following the health sectors guidance.

Schools must supervise students health, notify medical facilities when detecting suspected cases of measles for timely quarantine and treatment, and ask parents to take their children for full and timely vaccination.

Press agencies will provide regular, complete and accurate information on the epidemic situation and expand communication on the issue.

Deputy PM Le Thanh Long directly monitors and handles problems within his authority and reports to the PM for issues beyond his scope.

The Government Office will coordinate with the healthy ministry to realize the official dispatch and promptly report to PM Chinh any problems and difficulties during the implementation process.

Vietnam has recorded nearly 40,000 suspected measles cases and five measles-related deaths since the beginning of this year.

The health ministry believed that the number of suspected measles cases will continue to increase nationwide.

In particular, high-risk areas such as mountainous provinces, where many ethnic groups live, have limited access to health services, and localities with low vaccination rates are the most susceptible to outbreaks.

To tackle the issue, the ministry organized a national conference on measles prevention and control on March 15. The conference took place in person and online, connecting the ministry with concerned units nationwide.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that climate change and seasonal changes make the epidemic situation increasingly complicated and unpredictable.

She requested local areas to closely monitor and promptly report the situation. In addition, it is necessary to call for the participation of all levels and sectors, not just the health sector.

At the same time, localities should prepare facilities, equipment and medical supplies, especially in high-risk areas.

Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Disease Prevention under the health ministry, said that the southern region recorded the highest number of cases (57%), the central region accounted for 19.2%, the north 15.1%, and the Central Highlands 8.7%.

Provinces and cities with increasing number of cases include Cao Bang (582), Nghe An (737), Quang Nam (499), Da Nang (2,043), Khanh Hoa (1,661), Dak Lak (621), Gia Lai (1,879), Kon Tum (624), Dong Thap (1,202), An Giang (1,046) and Lam Dong (476).

The suspected measles cases are mainly in children from nine months to under 15 years old with 72.7%, while the rate of infection in children under nine months old is 15.3%.

Duc assessed that the current measles vaccination rate nationwide was still low, and community immunity did not reach the needed level. In some provinces, the vaccination rate was only 40%.
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Trader Joes has recalled 61,500 bottles of sparkling water over a laceration hazard, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The grocery store chain issued a recall for its 750 ml bottles of Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, an imported German product sold for around $3.

According to the companys news release, certain lot codes may have the potential for cracked/damaged bottles. The affected lot codes are either 2024/28/11 24 2027/19/12 or 024/271/11 24 2027/18/12.

The issue was identified by research related to bottle breakage during production and potentially affects 1% of bottles in the lot codes above, the news release read.

The bottles were sold from December 27, 2024, to January 28, 2025, in 12 states. The states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

No customers have reported injuries or any damaged bottles, according to the news release.

No injuries have been reported over the glass bottles ( Trader Joe's )

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Gerolsteiner sparkling water bottles, and return the bottles from the affected lots to the store where they were purchased for a full refund, the CPSC states.

Last month, Trader Joes recalled their Organic Acai Bowls over the concern that the bowls may contain plastic. The grocer recommended throwing away or returning the boxes to a Trader Joes location for a full refund.

Out of an abundance of caution, please discard any Trader Joes Organic Acai Bowls, as the product may contain foreign material (plastic), or return them to your neighborhood Trader Joes store for a full refund, the company said.

The recall did not contain information detailing the lot numbers affected or specifying a range of dates when the affected products were produced or sold.

Earlier this week a coffee creamer brand recalled over 75,000 bottles after receiving complaints of spoilage and illness.

Danone, the parent company of International Delight coffee creamer, originally issued a voluntary recall on February 21. On Wednesday, the United States Food and Drug Administration upgraded the recall to its second-highest risk level, a Class II recall.

According to the FDA, a Class II recall means using or being exposed to the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. The recall only applies to two specific flavors of the coffee creamer: 32-ounce bottles of Hazelnut creamer and 32-ounce bottles of Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll. The total number of recalled creamer bottles was 75,054.

Their expiration dates are listed as July 2, 2025, and July 3, 2025, respectively. Both recalled bottles have a producing plant code of 51-4114 R-S.

Thirty-one states received shipments of the creamer bottles: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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Melinda Gates has responded to her ex-husband Bill Gatess comments about their divorce.

Earlier this year, the Microsoft founder named his divorce from Melinda after 27 years as the mistake he most regrets.

In an interview with Elle for its 2025 Women of Impact issue published on Monday, Melinda was asked about his remarks.

Youve clearly Googled more than I have, she told the publication, which noted that she rolled her eyes at the question. Look, divorces are painful, and its not something I would wish on any family.

During his interview with The Times earlier this year, Bill said that the top of the list in terms of his biggest mistakes was his divorce. There are others, but none that matter, he said. The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.

Still, Bill said that he and his ex have stayed on good terms, and see each other often.

open image in gallery Melinda was married to Bill for 27 years before they announced their divorce in 2021 ( Getty Images )

We have three kids and two grandchildren so there are family events. The kids are doing well. They have good values, he explained. The couple tied the knot in 1994. Their three children are now adults: Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22.

He didnt go into any details about what triggered the divorce in the interview, though he admitted in 2021 that he had an affair with an employee during the marriage.

open image in gallery The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years, Bill said ( AFP via Getty Images )

Announcing their separation on May 3, 2021, Bill and Melinda said in a joint statement: Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.

We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.

Melinda previously spoke about her relationship with Bill in June 2024, one month after she exited the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

It gave us the privacy to do what needed to be done in private, she said during an interview with Time magazine about going through the split during the pandemic. You know, I separated first before I made the full decision about a divorce. And to be able to do that in private while Im still trying to take care of the kids, while still making certain decisions about how youre going to disentangle your life  thank God.

She acknowledged that when her split happened, both her work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and her family were on her mind.

I thought a lot about my three children, she said. But I certainly thought about the effect on the foundation. Those are the three biggest buckets: me, the kids, and the foundation. And I wanted to make sure that when we came through it to the other side  when I came through it on my side  all of those pieces were intact.
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A U.S. airman is in custody for allegedly killing a woman on a South Dakota military base last year, authorities announced.

Quinterius Chappelle, 24, faces second-degree murder charges after the badly decomposed body of missing 21-year-old Sahela Sangrait was discovered earlier this month, the Pennington County Sheriffs Office said on Facebook over the weekend.

Sangrait, of Box Elder, was first reported missing in August 2024.

According to a missing person poster shared on Facebook, Sangrait was last known to be staying with a friend in Eagle Butte, about 160 miles northeast of the Air Force base, but then left and said she was going home to grab her stuff before departing on a planned trip to California.

open image in gallery Sahela Sangrait went missing in August 2024. Her body was found seven months later on March 4 ( GoFundMe )

It is not clear when Sangrait traveled home to Box Elder, or if she even made it to the town, which borders Ellsworth Air Force Base, where investigators believe she was killed.

A hiker found Sangraits body on March 4 about 50 miles from Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Pennington County Sheriffs deputies arrived at the area around 1 p.m. on Tuesday and her badly decomposed remains were sent off to confirm her identity.

On March 14, deputies arrested Chappell on federal charges for second-degree murder. He was booked into Pennington County Jail the same day.

The active-duty airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, is accused of killing Sangrait on the base, according to the sheriff's office.

open image in gallery Sangrait had been missing for seven months when she was found dead ( South Dakota Missing Persons )

It was not immediately clear what led to his arrest or what the relationship between Chappelle and Sangrait was.

The U.S. attorneys office for South Dakota will prosecute the case, the sheriffs office said.

A GoFundMe was created to raise money to help pay for funeral expenses for Sangrait, who appeared to go by Shy.

Shy is a beautiful, inclusive and mesmerizing spirit. She entered the world on March 26, 2003, to a slew of misfortune, only to attack it all head-on with a smile on her face, the GoFundMe says.

She is intelligent, witty, intuitive, and all around a good spirit to be close to. We are all so lucky to know her.
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A man has been charged after five people were killed and several were injured in a late-night wreck involving more than a dozen vehicles on a major interstate highway in Austin, Texas, authorities said.

The five people killed in the crash involving 17 vehicles on Interstate 35 southbound near Parmer Lane just before 11.30pm on Thursday included three adults, a child and an infant.

The crash  which included semi-trucks  left several people "pinned in their vehicles," according to Austin-Travis County EMS. First responders said that 11 people were also taken to hospitals.

On Friday, Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, was charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault after the crash, Austin police said.

Police said he was in custody in Travis County Jail.

It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney as jail records did not list an attorney for him.

open image in gallery Five people were killed in the crash that involved 17 vehicles ( Austin American-Statesman )

Police have not detailed the circumstances that led to the wreck. Investigators said in an email on Friday that they were still early in the investigation and had no further information available to release.

The southbound lanes of I-35 were closed following the crash, and they remained closed into Friday causing traffic chaos. The wreck had left a stretch of the interstate littered with mangled vehicles and debris.

"All lanes of N IH 35 SB are shut down and will be for several hours. Please avoid the area, expect delays, and find alternate routes," the Austin Police Department wrote on X.

The collision was very large and very complex, Police Officer Austin Zarling said at an early-morning news conference after the crash.

open image in gallery The southbound lanes of I-35 were closed following the crash ( Austin American-Statesman )

Edgar Viera told KXAN television station that he was at a nearby store when he heard the crash and went to try to help those involved.

We didnt have the proper tools to open the vehicles, so we just did what we could, Viera told the station. It was hard to see this.
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A 45-year-old man was set on fire in Times Square early Sunday morning, scorching his face and arms, according to police.

An unidentified individual lit the 45-year-old victim on fire just before 4 a.m. Sunday morning at the corner of West 41st Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan, the New York Police Department told The Independent.

Police are still looking for the suspect, who fled the scene.

The perpetrator is believed to have known the victim, police said. There have been no arrests as of Sunday afternoon.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was rushed to the hospital and is now in stable condition, authorities said.

What prompted the attack is not immediately clear, but the pair were talking before the attack, the New York Post reported.

The incident took place near the famous entertainment hub just before 4 a.m. Sunday morning, authorities say ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

The suspect allegedly grabbed something containing flammable liquid off a nearby cart and used it to set the victim ablaze, according to the outlet.

While on fire, the 45-year-old reportedly ran about 100 feet before someone poured the powder from a fire extinguisher onto him, the outlet noted. Footage obtained by the outlet shows the shirtless victim covered in burns and congealed white powder.

The incident comes months after a woman died after being set on fire by a stranger in a subway car.

Debrina Kawam, 57, of Toms River, New Jersey, was sleeping inside a train car at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn on December 22 when she was torched.

The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, 33, watched from a bench on the platform as she burned, prosecutors alleged. He was arrested and faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson.

Days later, a man was found with burn injuries on his body inside Penn station. The burns were not life-threatening, police said at the time, noting it was not clear what caused the fire or whether there was any criminality involved.
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A former pastor and founder of a Texas megachurch is expected to turn himself into Oklahoma authorities on child sexual abuse charges.

Robert Preston Morris, 63, resigned last year as pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas suburb of Southlake after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s.

He was charged last week with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child and is expected to surrender to officials in Osage County on Monday, his attorney Mack Martin said.

He said he anticipated entering a not guilty plea on Morris' behalf but declined to comment on the charges.

Court records show an Osage County judge set a $50,000 bond and ordered Morris to surrender his passport to the local sheriff.

Robert Morris (left), founder of a Texas megachurch and former religious advisor to Donald Trump (center) ( AFP via Getty Images )

The alleged abuse started in 1982 when the victim, referred to in the indictment as C.C., was 12 years old and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with her family, according to the attorney generals office. The abuse allegedly continued for four years.

Cindy Clemishire, Morris accuser, said in a statement that she is very grateful to the authorities who have worked to make the indictment possible and is hopeful justice will ultimately prevail.

After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child, said Clemishire, now 55.

Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.

The AP typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Clemishire said she would like her name included.

Morris was known to be politically active. The church hosted President Donald Trump on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a discussion on race relations and the economy.

Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges, according to the attorney generals office.
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In November 1994, Stephan Smerk fled his Virginia Army barracks with one intent - to kill.

Something came over me, Smerk once told cops. I just had to kill somebody. I cant explain it to you.

He made his way to the home of Robin Lawrence and her two-year-old daughter. He didnt know her. She didnt know him. But their fates crossed that night as Smerk looked to fill his desire to murder. He broke into the home and found the 37-year-old, who quickly sank to her knees. Smerk drove the knife into her 49 times, killing the mom as her daughter was in the next room.

The soldier fled into the night, leaving the daughter with her dead mom - and it took at least two days for authorities to learn of the murder. They didnt link Smerk to the crime in the days that followed. The case went cold, and for decades Lawrences murder was unsolved. That was until DNA breakthroughs in 2003 allowed cops to link Smerk to his murder.

When officers spoke to Lawrence, he gave a chilling description of who he was. He, in his own words, was a serial killer whos only killed once.

open image in gallery Photos of Smerk from 1988 (middle) and 1998 (right) were used in his arrest after they were compared to a digital composite created from DNA by Parabon NanoLabs (left) ( Fairfax County Police )

For almost three decades, the 53-year-old Niskayuna, New York, native had evaded the law until advances in genetic genealogy linked the ex-soldier by DNA to the crime. In a Fairfax County court earlier this month, Smerk was sentenced to nearly 70 years in prison for the Virginia mothers murder. He was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, with Circuit Judge David Oblon calling the murder among the worst in the countys history.

In the courtroom, Smerk turned to almost a dozen of Lawrences family members  including her now fully-grown daughter, Nicole.

All these years I have been a coward living with guilt, shame and self-hatred, he said. It is my sincere hope that my arrest and subsequent incarceration bring some closure.

The father-of-two stated that if it wasnt for his own wife and children  now aged 17 and 20  there may have been more victims.

The crime

Smerk said he drank two beers and took a dose of the stimulant ephedrine before he left his barracks at Fort Worth  now known as Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall  in Arlington, Virginia. The then-22-year-old said he drove his white Chevrolet pickup to West Springfield where he had recently partied and parked at an acquaintances house.

There he broke into a neighbor's home by prying open a sliding glass door with a branch, he told detectives. After walking through to the main bedroom he found Lawrence who had sunk to her knees and pled for her life.

He stabbed Lawrence a total of 49 times using what he described as his combat training. Lawrence tried to fight back, clawing at her killers face. Smerk also cut the phone cord as she tried to call for help, he confessed.

I have a little bit of a scar here; I was worried she had some DNA under her finger, Smerk told detectives in October, according to NBC 4.

When asked about the murder weapon, he said he used the knife to cut her up pretty good.

open image in gallery Robin Lawrence, 37, was stabbed 49 times by Smerk before her body was found on November 20, 1994 ( Fairfax County Police )

Ollie Lawrence, the victims husband, was away on a work trip when the incident occurred. He grew worried after not being about to reach his wife for days, according to a 1994 report from the Post-Standard.

A neighbor testified she noticed the Lawrence households back door open on November 20, 1994, and walked into the home. She found Lawrence's daughter, Nicole, dehydrated but uninjured.

Inching closer to the bedroom, the neighbor saw blood had been smeared across the wall and later said she could not face entering the room.

The victims body was found at about 12:30 p.m. that day.

The aftermath

Smerk later told detectives that he tossed the knife into Chesapeake Bay from a bridge before returning to the barracks. He then said he took a shower and threw his clothes in a dumpster.

Investigators gleaned blood samples at Lawrences but couldnt initially tie Smerk to the murder. The case went unsolved for nearly three decades.

Smerk went on to build a picturesque life while Lawrences family was left mourning.

Attorneys said in court Friday that he received accolades for his military service, got marriedand later divorcedhad two children, returned to school, purchased a home and switched career paths to become a senior software engineer earning $120,000 per year.

After destroying the Lawrence family, he went on to build his own family, Oblon said before announcing his decision, the Washington Post reported. It is beyond callous to know that Mr. Smerk left a two-year-old child alone with her freshly dead, bleeding mother.

open image in gallery Smerk first confessed in September 2023 after turning himself in and gave a full video confession to detectives in September 2024 ( Fairfax County Police )

As police looked at the cold-case murder, they worked with an outside company, Parabon NanoLabs, which used DNA evidence to identify the suspects biological relativeseventually narrowing their search to Smerk.

Two detectives from the Fairfax Police Department took a trip to Niskayuna, New York, on September 7, 2023, to further their investigation police said. Smerk was putting out the trash outside his home.

Police took a DNA swab from the inside of his cheek and left their business card.

Later that evening Smerk called the detectives and turned himself in to the local police station in Niskayuna. He delivered a full confession in Lawrences killing, Police Chief Kevin Davis told CNN at the time.

Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descano said in a statement Friday that Lawrences murder scarred Fairfax County for more than 30 years.

The pain left by Robin Lawrences murder can never fully heal, he added. "But I hope that todays sentence will help her loved ones finally close this difficult chapter."
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A Chinese startup has unveiled a child-sized robot capable of performing continuous backflips.

Beijing-based Noetix Robotics built the N2 humanoid bot to serve as a budget-friendly robot assistant, with an estimated price tag of 39,000 yuan (4,100).

The 1.3-metre-tall bot is bipedal and capable of travelling at speeds of up to 11 kilometres per hour across rough terrain.

Noetix Robotics said the robot comes equipped with an advanced Nvidia Jetson Orin chip that give it powerful perception and interaction capabilities.

The generative AI gives it the ability to communicate in a similar way to ChatGPT-style chatbots, while pre-trained models allow it to perform simple human tasks.

The Startups website features images that show a different version of the robot attending family gatherings and pushing an elderly person in a wheel chair.

open image in gallery Noetix Robotics' N2 robot can run at speeds of up to 11 kilometres per hour ( Noetix Robotics )

A video showing the robot performing a backflip appears to serve only as a demonstration of the robots balance and agility.

Longer front feet and shorter back feet [means] the inertia makes it easier to fall on the back when performing a backflip, said Jiang Zheyuan, a technical leader at Noetix Robotics, who led the development of the robot.

In a frontflip, the long front feet make it harder to fall forward. Therefore, doing a backflip is slightly harder than doing a frontflip.

Noetix Robotics has also recently demonstrated a robot head capable of mimicking over 30 human facial expressions.

The robots are part of a massive push by Chinese companies to mass produce robots in order to fill various roles, from household chores, to industrial applications like factory workers.

China is already the largest industrial robot market in the world, according to data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), accounting for more than half of all robot installations worldwide.

The countrys industrial robot market was valued at $6.3 billion last year, according to separate figures from market research firm Fortune Business Insights, and is projected to grow to more than $20bn by 2032.
Louisiana executed a man convicted of murder with nitrogen gas on Tuesday evening  the state's first execution in 15 years and its first using the largely-untested method  after a raging legal battle that ended with a gas mask strapped over his face in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola death chamber.
Richard Ravalomanana, President of the Senate of Madagascar, praised China's governance system for prioritizing national development and social well-being. Emphasizing the need for fair wealth distribution and balanced living standards, the expert noted that China's model fosters stability and progress. In contrast, excessive political competition of multiple parties can be counterproductive, as opposition parties sometimes obstruct government initiatives. He suggested that focusing on national development rather than partisan struggles could lead to greater prosperity, drawing inspiration from China's governance experience.

Editor: WXY
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Review Eating outMelbourne This freshly hatted restaurant is exciting and delicious, but theres one missing ingredient Dont sleep on this opening from last spring: Morena is flying way under the radar. And were the ones losing out. Besha Rodell March 18, 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 venue appears in the April 2025 Melbourne hit list. See all stories .

1 / 7 Curves, nooks and booths in Morena restaurants upstairs dining area. Chris Hopkins 2 / 7 An elegant ring of blue-eye ceviche. Photograph by Chris Hopkins 3 / 7 Venison tartlet. Chris Hopkins 4 / 7 Duck skewers served on a hibachi grill. Chris Hopkins 5 / 7 Morenas executive chef Alejandro Saravia. Simon Schluter 6 / 7 Goats cheese custard with purple potato crisps (left). Chris Hopkins 7 / 7 The six-course set menu includes dessert, perhaps this Quesillo. Chris Hopkins Previous Slide Next Slide Good Food hat 15 / 20 How we score South American$$$$ Morena is not currently the restaurant its supposed to be. Oddly, that isnt because of the cooking or the service or the room  not really. Its mostly because of us. For Morena to work, it needs more energy, and to get more energy, it needs more customers. Theres perhaps a sense that it missed its window. Opened in September by chef Alejandro Saravia (Farmers Daughters), and with a Sydney sibling of the same name, the restaurant stuttered a bit at its outset. I visited in October and decided to hold off on reviewing  I saw the potential of the place, but service was uneven. The kitchen was packed full of cooks while the floor was understaffed. The Latin American flavours were exciting, and a few dishes were exceptional, but I felt it had room to grow.

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If I get the sense that a new venue is likely to change in its first few months (for better or worse), I often take pause before reviewing. Goats cheese custard with purple potato crisps (left). Chris Hopkins These days the kitchen is living up to its potential, delivering flavours from Latin America that showcase the ways in which those cuisines can shine in the fine dining sphere. (This is hardly revolutionary; Peru and Mexico are two of the most exciting fine-dining destinations in the world right now. But its less common in Melbourne.) Lunch is geared to quicker visits, with two- or three-course menus. At dinner you have the choice of a four-course, $90 set menu, with optional snacks, supplements and desserts (all at an extra charge), or a six-course, $140 menu that includes dessert and a couple of the snacks. Venison tartlet. Chris Hopkins

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Those snacks are full of whimsy and delight. A tiny tart shell holds a delicate dice of venison loin, sweetened slightly with ajicero, a red pepper sauce from Venezuela. The delicate mouthful manages to be light and meaty and floral all at once. Goats cheese custard is topped with salad greens and comes with chips made from purple potatoes; you spoon the custard onto these in creamy, tangy scoops. An elegant ring of blue-eye ceviche. Chris Hopkins For a ceviche dish, firm, fresh blue-eye arrives in a pretty circle, sitting in an addictive, pert pool of green mango tigers milk, the Peruvian citrus-forward sauce. Finger lime and nasturtium act as garnish, and its one of the most elegant and attractive raw fish presentations Ive had in recent memory. Skewers of tender duck are served with fragrant and warm blue corn tortillas, alongside condiments including a tangy, silky green salsa that I wish I could buy and put on everything, its so perfectly balanced.

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Discovering the world of sauces Saravia is showcasing here is perhaps the best thing about Morena  its likely youll taste more than one thing that is wholly and wonderfully new to you, unless youve spent a lot of time dining in Central and South America. The same is true of the drinks, which focus on South American spirits and wines not commonly found here. Pisco takes its place in concoctions that go well beyond the pisco sour, and wines from Argentina and Chile are listed beside Australian and European bottles. There are still some intrinsically peculiar things about Morena. The bathrooms are not in the restaurant, and to get to them you have to go a short way down the block and use a key card  which is fine as long as its not raining. Its likely youll taste more than one thing that is wholly and wonderfully new to you. The space is unusual: two floors that are all angles, with much of the downstairs seating along a kitchen bar, and the upstairs room a puzzle of tables and banquettes slotted into geometric nooks. Again, this would be fun if people were crammed into those nooks and lining that bar, but, as it stands, the layout of the place feels a little incongruous.

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Overall, the good things about Morena far outweigh its slight eccentricities. Service these days is warm and knowledgeable. Id hate to think that we, as a city, are passing this place by because we only like to think of Latin American food in its more casual contexts  wed be missing out if so. But I have faith. The food at Morena right now is elegant, exciting and delicious. Now all the restaurant needs is you. The low-down Atmosphere: Bright, clean and elegant, in a slightly unusual two-storey space Go-to dishes: Venison tartlet, blue-eye ceviche, duck skewers (all part of tasting menu) Drinks: Wide range of South American wines and spirits; creative cocktails Cost: $90 or $140 per person, plus supplements and drinks Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is up now, speaking in Perth. The first topic he wants to hit is the CFMEU, after our reporting on the troubled union.

This is not the first image weve seen of union violence, and its certainly not the last. For the Prime Minister to not condemn that action... is something the PM needs to explain, he said.

The PM has the ability, the power, to stop taking millions of dollars in donations from the CFMEU. When we see the CFMEU in lockstep with outlaw motorcycle gangs you know we have a huge problem. Why are we paying the highest construction costs in the world at the moment? Its because of the CFMEU. The CFMEU is out of control.
Corruption buster Geoffrey Watson, SC, said as much on Sunday night on national television and in this masthead. In doing so, he said what many diligent detectives, state and federal, have conceded privately for months. Put simply, the existing response to fighting crime and corruption in the building industry is failing. Geoffrey Watson, SC, has been investigating issues at the CFMEU for the unions administrator. Credit: 60 Minutes Watson was appointed last year by the CFMEUs administrator, Mark Irving, KC, as his chief investigator and given the task of gathering credible evidence of organised crime infiltration in the union and broader sector. Irving and his administration are the ALPs response to the Building Bad scandal. Having publicly backed Irving, Labor cant easily dismiss Watsons findings, given he is the man Irving has chosen to combat the dark elements in the industry.

Watson made plain that gangland figures, including bikies, had not only run rampant in parts of the industry (most notably on Victorias taxpayer-funded Big Build projects but also in NSW), they were still at it, acting with relative impunity. Loading He also attacked Victoria Police for inaction and warned that the Australian Federal Police, which raided Gattos accountant last Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation under which no charges have been laid, had too limited a brief. If the cops cant do whats needed, how the hell are a couple of albeit brave barristers in Watson and Irving going to tackle the problems? They cant. In other words, administration or police action cant be the only answers to the scandal now laid bare. If you need any convincing of this, look no further than the case of Derek Christopher, the ex-Victorian union boss.

For seven years, he has been the subject of a Victoria Police investigation into allegations he copped bribes from building company bosses. Its nuts that such an inquiry can take so long without charges being laid or the investigation ended. Credit: Matt Golding Regardless of the rights or wrongs of Christophers case, these delays send a strong signal to wrongdoers: break the law and you will probably get away with it. I have spoken to many cops recently, and they repeatedly point out that unless a victim of an extortion  be it one perpetrated by a gangster or a union thug  is prepared to give a sworn statement, police are powerless to act. For good reason, few people want to testify against terrifying bikies. Victorian Labors promised anti-association laws might help a little but are easy to game by bikies going underground, and require enforcement resources that dont exist.

Its why something more than hospital passes to under-resourced policing agencies is needed. Federal Opposition Leader Peter Duttons proposal of anti-racketeering laws is worth serious consideration, given they have been used successfully to break up mafia teamster rackets in the US. Loading It is worth stressing, too, that these rackets typically need three parties: a mobster, a dodgy unionist and a corrupt building company. In other words, this isnt only a union problem. But anti-racketeering laws also need serious enforcement resources, which at the moment dont exist. Even the most ardent CFMEU haters are wary of Duttons deregistration plan, given the Hawke governments deregistration of the Builders Labourers Federation led to dishonest union leaders simply re-organising via other unions, causing the problems that we see today.

What is needed is full accountability of the type that a good, targeted commission of inquiry can deliver. Victoria had its chance with last years Wilson inquiry report, but it was so superficial it became part of the problem. Watson, while not accusing report author Greg Wilson of wrongdoing, rightly dismissed it as a cover-up. Its often mentioned that the two last royal commissions that looked at the building industry (2001 and 2014) failed to clean it up. But the first merely glanced over organised crime and the second lost its way in its eagerness to machinegun as many unions as possible rather than land a targeted knockout punch on the worst offenders.

In the absence of a searing targeted inquiry into organised crime in the construction sector, what should happen in the short term is a major injection of funding into the administration. It shouldnt be Geoffrey Watson versus the underworld. At the very least he needs a team of investigators he can deploy. Irving needs vastly more backing to keep delivering public reports into corruption in the industry. Loading A federal-state taskforce needs to be properly funded (right now the funding is a joke), but also needs a legislated mandate that extends beyond simply trying to press charges and which also involves deterrence and asset seizure. New laws around IR mediators need to be urgently introduced to get rid of the Gattos of the industry, and state governments should boycott any company in bed with bikies. Unless we see serious reform, those in the industry will keep living in a state of fear.
An initiative to build model planes has helped English and science skills soar among students at a school in Melbournes western suburbs.

Christ the King Primary School teacher Quyen Thai began teaching the science and technology skills to help improve language skills at the Braybrook school.

Christ the King Primary School teacher Quyen Thai with students Ethan (left) and Helen. Credit: Penny Stephens

According to the My School website, almost 60 per cent of students come from a language background other than English.

Thai, the schools science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) leader, said the program helps year 5 and 6 with not only important scientific principles, but strengthen their vocabulary and problem-solving skills and improve confidence through presentations.
In October 2022, Paul McHugh scrawled a note on a piece of paper. Something is happening to me and I dont know is very very bad [sic], it read.

Two months later, he died on his 47th birthday.

A coroner found Paul McHughs death could have been prevented after his pharmacy gave him an ultimately fatal dose of paracetamol for months on end. Credit: Getty Images/Cultura RF

A coroner this month found McHughs death could have been prevented, after his pharmacy gave him an ultimately fatal maximum daily dose of paracetamol for months on end.

He complained in the 12 months before his death, why dont the doctors believe me when I tell them I am in excruciating pain, his mother told a coroner.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is considering an election pledge to hold a referendum next term on deporting criminal dual nationals as part of the Coalitions plan to toughen the requirements for Australian citizenship.

As former prime minister Tony Abbott calls for a stricter citizenship test, Dutton and his senior MPs have held high-level talks about changing the Constitution to allow ministers to cancel the citizenship of people guilty of crimes such as terrorism, in what would be the second referendum in as many terms of parliament.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in Melbourne on Monday. Credit: Eamon Gallagher

A special vote would be required to get around a 2022 High Court ruling that found the ministerial power to strip citizenship was unconstitutional because it was a form of punishment in the sense of retribution.

That decision was made after a man who joined Islamic State applied to the court claiming it was unlawful to revoke his citizenship, an argument with which the court agreed because it said powers to strip citizenship involved ministers exercising a function that should be left for judges.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 17, 2025 --

Grand-prize-winning designer to receive a summer internship in Ram Truck design studio and invitation to be student judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design car show

The Stellantis North America design team is calling all high school students interested in creating their dream Chrysler brand vehicle to enter the 13th annual Drive for Design contest. Now eligible high schoolers from around the U.S. will have the opportunity to create and share their own personal vision of a future Chrysler vehicle.

The storied Chrysler brand marks its 100th anniversary in 2025. In addition to creating groundbreaking technologies and achieving various engineering feats throughout its first century, the brand has produced some of the most iconic American automotive designs known the world over.

The inspiration behind the Drive for Design contest comes from Mark Trostle, senior vice president, Ram Truck and Mopar design. Trostle himself won an early iteration of this contest as a high schooler in 1987 and remembers it enthusiastically.

"To this day, I love to draw cars and trucks, so without a doubt I was genuinely inspired by the opportunity early in my career to create my own version of a cool futuristic car," Trostle said. "Every year, we're excited and proud to be able to enlist the promising young talent and to enlighten their parents about automotive design and the many opportunities this type of career path can offer."

In addition to the summer design internship in the Ram Truck design studio, the grand-prize winner will also receive:

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

Featured post on Stellantis North America social media channels

Invitation to serve as a student judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design car show at Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Prizes for the second- and third-place finishers include:

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

Virtual networking opportunity with the Stellantis Design Team

Featured post on Stellantis North America social media channels

Invitation to serve as a student judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design car show at Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan

car show at Ford House in Scholarship to College for Creative Studies three-week Precollege Summer Experience "Transportation Design" program in Detroit, Michigan : July 13 - August 2, 2025

All student-created entries must be submitted by midnight EDT on Friday, April 25, 2025. One grand-prize winner and two additional finalists will be selected from all valid entries. For detailed contest rules, information on how to submit sketches and free resources for students of all ages, visit StellantisDriveForDesign.com.

Students, teachers and parents can follow the contest on the Stellantis North America social media channels and learn about automotive design. Weekly contest updates and content will be posted every Tuesday with the hashtag #DriveForDesign.

Notable Drive for Design winners:

2024 winner: Rohan Seiber ( Portola Valley, California ), former intern

( ), former intern 2016 winner: Ben Treinen ( Loveland, Ohio ), Ram Truck Interior Design Studio employee

( ), Ram Truck Interior Design Studio employee 2015 winner: Dongwon Kim ( Cupertino, California ), Advanced Design Studio employee

( ), Advanced Design Studio employee 2023 winner: Rocco Morales ( Northville, Michigan ), first high school student intern

( ), first high school student intern 2021 winner: Vincent Piaskowski ( Birmingham, Michigan ), 2024 summer intern

( ), 2024 summer intern 2020 winner: Job Skandera ( Santa Rosa, California ), former intern

( ), former intern 2019 winner: Max Cooper ( Miami, Florida ), former intern

( ), former intern 2015 winner: Josh Blundo ( Moultonborough, New Hampshire ), former intern

( ), former intern 2014 winner: Alex Fischer ( Rochester, Michigan ), former intern

Stellantis North America

Stellantis is one of the world's leading automakers, aiming to provide clean, safe and affordable freedom of mobility for all. In North America, it's best known for producing and selling vehicles in a portfolio of iconic, innovative and award-winning brands, including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge//SRT, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Stellantis is executing its Dare Forward 2030, a bold strategic plan that paves the way to achieve the ambitious target of becoming a carbon net zero mobility tech company by 2038, while creating added value for all stakeholders.
People take part in a parade during the Cape Town Carnival 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 15, 2025. The Cape Town Carnival 2025 took place in the legislative capital of South Africa on Saturday evening, attracting around 30,000 people. The annual event, which began in 2010, has gained popularity over the years. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

A woman takes part in a parade during the Cape Town Carnival 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 15, 2025. The Cape Town Carnival 2025 took place in the legislative capital of South Africa on Saturday evening, attracting around 30,000 people. The annual event, which began in 2010, has gained popularity over the years. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

People take part in a parade during the Cape Town Carnival 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 15, 2025. The Cape Town Carnival 2025 took place in the legislative capital of South Africa on Saturday evening, attracting around 30,000 people. The annual event, which began in 2010, has gained popularity over the years. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

People take part in a parade during the Cape Town Carnival 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 15, 2025. The Cape Town Carnival 2025 took place in the legislative capital of South Africa on Saturday evening, attracting around 30,000 people. The annual event, which began in 2010, has gained popularity over the years. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

People take part in a parade during the Cape Town Carnival 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 15, 2025. The Cape Town Carnival 2025 took place in the legislative capital of South Africa on Saturday evening, attracting around 30,000 people. The annual event, which began in 2010, has gained popularity over the years. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

Editor: JYZ
16 convicts on death row in Ngp Central Jail





 By Dheeraj Fartode :

NAGPUR Central Jail currently houses 16 convicts who have been awarded the death sentence by various courts.The Nagpur Jail stands second in Maharashtra when it comes to convicts on death row, after Yerwada Jail, which has 21 such convicts. Of these 16 convicts, the case of SampatVasant Dupare, convicted for the rape and brutal murder of a four-year-old girl in Nagpurs Wadi area, has reached its final stage. His mercy petition was rejected by the President of India, but he has now approached the Supreme Court once again against the rejection.

An official of Prison Department informed The Hitavada that a death sentence is awarded in the rarest of rare cases for heinous crimes such as murder. The sentence must be confirmed by the High Court before execution and further appeals are possible in the Supreme Court. Many of the convicts in Nagpur Central Jail are in different stages of legal proceedings, with some cases pending in the Supreme Court or Bombay High Court. The Nagpur Central Jail was established in 1864 during the British era and is one of only two jails in Maharashtra, along with Yerwada Central Jail, that has a dedicated execution facility known as the Fansi Yard.

Due to this facility, many death row convicts are lodged in Nagpur Central Jail from across the State. Among those incarcerated in Nagpur Central Jail are convicts sentenced to death for their involvement in terrorist attacks, including the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, the 2006 Mumbai Railway bomb blasts and the 2008 Zaveri Bazaar bomb blast. The officials indicate that prisoners on death row are kept in a separate yard. The last execution at Nagpur Central Jail was that of Mumbai bomb blast convictYakub Memon, who was hanged in theFansiYard on July 30, 2015. Memon was convicted for funding the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, which claimed 257 lives. Before him, the last executions in Nagpur Central Jail were those of the Wankhede brothers from Amravati in 1984, who were convicted of murder. Since Indias independence, a total of 21 prisoners have been executed at Nagpur Central Jail, with the first execution taking place on August 25, 1950.
Baloch fighters claim killing 90Pak security men in fresh attack





KARACHI :

Pakistan media claims only five security personnel killed and over a dozen injured

CLOSE ON the heels of Jaffar Express train ambush, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) freedom fighters mounted another attack in restive Balochistan province of Pakistan and claimed to have killed 90 Pakistani security personnel. However, reports in Pakistani media claimed that only five security personnel were killed and over a dozen were injured in the fidayeen attack on bus convoy carrying Pakistani military personnel, on Sunday. The Majeed Brigade, the Fidayee unit of the Baloch Liberation Army, targeted a convoy of the occupying Pakistani military a few hours ago in a VBIED Fidayee attack near Rakhshan Mill on the RCD Highway in Noshki. The convoy consisted of eight buses, one of which was completely destroyed in the explosion, a statement by the BLA said. However, Pakistani local media reports stated that at least five security personnel were killed and more than a dozen injured in attack by suspected Baloch militants in Balochistan province on Sunday.

Four terrorists, including the suicide bomber, were killed in counter-operations in Noshki district of the province, the local media reports said. A suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corp (FC) on the NushkiDalbandin National Highway, said Zafarullah Sumalani, chief of the local police station, adding that the initial investigations suggested that it was a suicide attack He also said that evidence from the site of the attack suggested that a suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the FC convoy.

Soon after the attack, security forces launched an immediate counter-operation, killing four terrorists, including the suicide bomber, reported the newspaper Express Tribune. It also quoted security sources to say that the attack was carried out by militants from the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti all condemned the attack and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives. In a statement, Sharif said, Such cowardly acts cannot shake our resolve against terrorism. He directed the authorities concerned that the injured be provided with the best possible treatment. Those who play with the peace of Balochistan would be brought to a tragic end, Bugti said in an official release. Naqvi strongly condemned the blast and extended condolences to the victims families and wished a swift recovery for the injured. According to a statement shared by the Ministry of Interior on X, Naqvi emphasised that anti-state elements were attempting to destabilise the country. Balochistan Government spokesperson Shahid Rind also condemned the attack targeting innocents.

Over the past few years, Balochistan province has become more restive with the freedom fighters there mounting attacks on Pakistani security personnel. Bordering Iran and Afghanistan, Balochistan is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch liberation groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel, government projects and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in this oil and mineral-rich province. In the past, the railway tracks in this area have been attacked by Baloch fighters using rockets or remote-controlled bombs, and the BLA claimed responsibility for most of the attacks.
MLC By-polls BJP names 3 candidates including Sandip Joshi, Dadarao Keche from Vid

Staff Reporter :

Knowing fully well that the number game is in its favour, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named its three candidates for the Maharashtra Legislative Council by-polls. These polls are being held for the five seats that fell vacant after the members got elected to the Lower House in the Assembly elections conducted in November 2024. BJP announced the names of three candidates--Sandip Joshi (Nagpur), Dadarao Keche (Arvi) and Sanjay Kenekar (Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar).

The five candidates who were elected to Assembly include Amshya Padvi (Shiv Sena - Shinde), Pravin Datke (BJP), Rajesh Vitekar (NCP - Ajit Pawar), Ramesh Karad (BJP) and Gopichand Padalkar (BJP). The BJP central leadership announced the three candidates after their names were cleared by the partys Central Election Committee. Two seats have been left for its allies-- the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Considering the strength of Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena - Shinde and NCP - Ajit Pawar) in the assembly all candidates are likely to be elected unopposed. Monday (March 17) is the last date for filing nominations. By-polls will be held on March 27 and counting will be the same day.

The candidates

Sandip Joshi is former Mayor of Nagpur, who became Standing Committee Chairman of Nagpur Municipal Corporation twice. He was Ruling Party Leader in NMC. He is known for his organising skills. His father Diwakarrao Joshi had won election from Teachers Constituency. If Sandip Joshi wins the election, it would be a notable example of a father and son becoming Members of the Legislative Council. Dadarao Yadavrao Keche is a former MLA who won the 2009 and 2019 assembly elections from Arvi constituency in Wardha district of the Vidarbha region. Keche was denied ticket for the 2024 polls as the BJP then fielded young Sumit Wankhede from the Arvi seat, but he was promised MLC ticket.





System of elections

In this MLC by-polls, all 288 MLAs of State Assembly will exercise their franchise. Since there are five seats, they will get five ballot papers. As per the rule and considering number of candidates and votes to be polled, the candidates winning 145 first preference votes will be declared winner. Considering Mahayutis 232 candidates, the alliance is likely to win the polls. Political pundits say, the opposition may not field the candidates to pave way for Mahayutis unopposed victory.

Tenure of the candidates

For five posts of MLC by-polls, the formula of sitting getting has been applied. Of five candidates who were elected in Assembly polls, three were from BJP, one each was from Shiv Sena and NCP. The term of all BJP candidates- Pravin Datke, Ramesh Karad and Gopichand Padalkar is of 14 months (It is ending on May 13, 2026, that of Shiv Sena is of 40 months--Amashya Padvi is ending on July 7, 2028. The largest term is of Rajesh Vitekar (5 and a half years) which is ending on July 27, 2030.
Good response to ITPIs discussion on Women shaping cities...





Chief guest Rashmitha Rao addressing the gathering as the dignitaries look on.

Staff Reporter :

The Institute of Town Planners India (ITPI), Maharashtra Regional Chapter (MRC), hosted a Panel Discussion recently under the theme Women Shaping Cities: Safety, Leadership, and Inclusive Development The event saw active participation from urban planners, civic officials, academics, professionals, and students. Sujit Rodge, Chairman of ITPI MRC, welcomed the attendees and introduced the esteemed panel, including Chief Guest Rashmitha Rao, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, along with Dr Yogesh M Deshpande, VNIT Nagpur, Dr Pooja M Pathak, Principal, LAD smt RP College for Women, and Dr Vandana S Sharma Director, KNVS Incorporation.

He emphasised gender-inclusive urban planning and ITPIs commitment to advancing town planning education. Chief guest Rashmitha Rao, IPS, DSP, outlined key womens safety initiatives in Nagpur, including the Dial 112 emergency response system, Damini Squad, all-women police patrol, Pink Investigation Teams, handling crimes against women, and the Kaka Programme, self-defense and legal awareness workshops in schools and colleges. Dr Yogesh Deshpande highlighted the role of psychological safety and societal perceptions in shaping womens experiences in cities.

Dr Pooja Pathak discussed strategies for empowering women through education, leadership opportunities, and exposure to diverse environments. Vandana Sharma underscored the role of marketplaces in supporting women entrepreneurs. Dr Sarika Bahadure, the sessions moderator, steered discussions on womens role in urban planning, safety concerns, leadership, and inclusive governance. A session addressed topics like womens participation in policymaking, urban transformation, mentorship programmes, and cultural perceptions of safety. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Sanjay Barai, Secretary, ITPI MRC acknowledging the contributions of panelists and participants. Vandana Khante served as the rapporteur, and Suraksha BN anchored the event. This discussion marked a significant step in promoting gender-inclusive urban planning and fostering safe, resilient, and equitable cities for the future.
In the dark While summer sets in, NMC lacks power to certify water quality at public kiosks





Staff Reporter :

NMC exploring affixing mist cooling systems at its offices that witness large footfall

Amidst the heatwave gripping the city even before start of April, and as Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is training its guns on tackling any heat stroke cases, there are some loose ends regarding the availability of drinking water at public places during the summer. Given the recent outbreak Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), purportedly linked to contaminated water supply, there are no regulations to monitor quality of drinking water supply in the public places. As is the tradition, many social organisations, private individuals set-up water kiosk during the summer by road side. The aim is to provide relief to citizens and keep thirst at bay, especially during the day time. The intention of organisations is good, but as studies revealed that the GBS outbreak in Pune was linked to contaminated drinking water. In most of the areas where the GBS cases emerged, the outbreak was traced to private cool water suppliers. Also, the public water kiosks were found with outdated filters.

Hence when asked about any checks on such sources, NMC officials say they have no control over the private water suppliers, the one who sell chilled water cans. Its utmost necessary to keep oneself hydrated while moving under the sun. This is the most important measure that can avoid heatstroke. So apart from chilled water, even serving of juices, like that of sugarcane and lemon juice by roadside, need proper monitoring, as to the usage of water by the roadside vendors. Dr Goverdhan Navkhare, Additional Medical Office, Infectious Disease Cell, NMC, said, technically, NMC is helpless in checking the public kiosks supplying water during summer. Its just impossible as there is no regulation in place to govern their set up.

At most places where water kiosks are set up, one can see pathetic condition, water puddles with flies moving freely, and lack of cleanliness, but alas their is no monitoring of the same from civic body. Same pertains to centers that have sprung in nook and corner of city selling chilled water cans to citizens. At most, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) might have powers to check them on regular basis, ensuring that all rules relating to treatment of water as per permissible chemicals and ensuring they are free from contamination are followed, said those in know of the system. In the past, at several public places, water ATMs too were set-up through CSR funds. The NMC officials said they do not have any record of who owns and operates these water ATMs.

They do not come under the purview of the civic body. So, during the summer when meteorological officials are predicting constant rise in temperatures, the absence of any checks on water quality that would be served to citizens is a cause of concern. GBS is a rare neurological disorder where the bodys immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system. And since the outbreak occurred just a month or two back, one assumed that authorities, before onset of harsh summer, would put in place necessary mechanism to certify public water systems. Dr Navkhare added that at most, NMC on its own checks the water cooler kept at public offices.

The samples from these coolers are taken and sent to public laboratory and based on outcome of tests, in case samples are found lacking or wanting, then recommendations are made to change the filters. While the coolers might be cleaned occasionally, its the filters that are crucial in keeping harmful micro organisms at bay and they are often neglected. At to private places, NMC can undertake checks if required by the organisations. About other plans, Dr Navkhare said NMC is exploring affixing mist cooling systems at its offices that have large footfalls. It is just a thought in case the temperature soars to unreasonable level as the thikning is that places where citizens comes in large number can find some comfort. This is just a plan and nothing concrete is decided as yet, he added.
Indias innovations transforming global health and agriculture, says Bill Gates





NEW DELHI :

MICROSOFT co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has praised Indias significant role in global health and agriculture, highlighting the countrys growing influence in these fields. Gates, who will be visiting India for the third time in three years, acknowledged the nations advancements and its potential to address some of the worlds most pressing challenges. In a LinkedIn post, Gates reflected on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations longstanding partnership with India. Over the past two decades, the foundation has worked alongside the Indian Government, researchers, and entrepreneurs to drive progress in healthcare, agriculture, and digital transformation, he said. He lauded Indias success in public health, particularly in eradicating polio, recalling his visit in 2011 when India marked its last polio case.

Gates also highlighted Indias leadership in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), noting the countrys investments in new diagnostic tools, AI-powered detection, and innovative treatment strategies. A breakthrough saliva-based TB test, costing under $2, is one example of how India is advancing global health, he mentioned. In agriculture, Gates emphasised Indias role in transforming farming through AI tools that help predict weather patterns, select crops, and reduce risks. He praised Indias innovations, which not only benefit its citizens but also contribute to global progress. Additionally, Gates praised PM Modis efforts during Indias G20 Presidency to share the countrys innovations with the world. Beyond healthcare and agriculture, Gates also highlighted Indias success in digital technology, particularly the development of digital public infrastructure like Aadhaar and digital payments.

These innovations have improved access to essential services such as banking, healthcare, and Government services, he continued. Microsoft co-founder added: AI-powered tools now support rural health workers in disease detection, pregnancy care, and patient data management. Gates visit also marks a historic milestone for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as its Board of Trustees will meet in the Global South for the first time, with India chosen as the location. This visit will also be significant because -- as we mark our 25th anniversary -- the Gates Foundations Board of Trustees is meeting in the Global South for the first time, Gates said. During his visit, Gates plans to meet with Government officials, scientists, and philanthropists shaping the future of India and the world. India is the right place for this milestone, he concluded.
New Zealand PM Luxon arrives on 5-day India visit





NEW DELHI :

NEW Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Sunday began a five-day visit to India with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties. On Monday, Luxon will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will attend the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue as the chief guest. Days ahead of the trip, the New Zealand Prime Minister said he will push for a comprehensive economic partnership with India and explore ways to strengthen bilateral security ties.

Luxon is visiting India from March 16 to 20 in his first trip to the country as the Prime Minister. He is accompanied by one of the largest delegations a New Zealand Prime Minister has ever travelled with. The visiting leader was received at the Delhi airport by Union Minister SP Singh Baghel. What Im looking for is just a much more comprehensive economic partnership and how wed move that forward, Luxon said last week, adding, I am determined that we are going to change the trading relationships with India big time.

The New Zealand PM also described India as an important power in the Indo-Pacific India is an important power in the Indo-Pacific and I will discuss with PM Modi what more we can do together to maintain peace and prosperity in our region, he said. Luxon said travelling with a senior business delegation will help increase trade and business opportunities and promote New Zealand as an investment destination. The delegation accompanying the New Zealand PM comprise Ministers, senior business leaders, a community delegation of prominent Kiwi Indians and several parliamentarians. Luxon will also visit Mumbai from March 19 to 20 before returning to Wellington.

India, New Zealand announce resumption of FTA talk

NEW DELHI,

Mar 16 (PTI)

AFTER a gap of about ten years, India and New Zealand on Sunday announced resumption of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement to boost economic ties. India and New Zealand began negotiating the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in April 2010 to boost trade in goods, services, and investment. However, after nine rounds of discussions, the talks stalled in 2015. The two nations are pleased to announce the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, the Commerce Ministry said. The announcement was made after the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Todd McClay, New Zealands Minister for Trade and Investment.

Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon is here on a four-day visit from March 16.

The India-New Zealand FTA negotiations aim to achieve balanced outcomes that enhance supply chain integration and improve market access, it said. With bilateral trade continuing to grow steadily, surpassing USD 1 billion during April-January 2025, the FTA negotiations aim to unlock new avenues for businesses and consumers, fostering mutual growth and prosperity of our nations, Goyal said in a post on X. According to think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), Indias proposed FTA with New Zealand would have limited benefit to domestic companies as they are already enjoying duty-free access to a significant number of goods in that market.
A pedestrian with an umbrella walks through a wood in the snow in Haidian District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Yin Gang)

BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Beijing experienced a sharp temperature drop on Saturday with multiple areas seeing snowfall. In response, municipal authorities decided to extend the heating season by two days, pushing it until Monday.

Zhao Wei, chief forecaster at the Beijing Meteorological Observatory, said a cold front caused rain-snow transitions, with moderate to heavy snow in western and northern mountainous areas and rain turning to sleet or snow in plains from Friday to Saturday.

Zhao added temperatures are expected to range from 6 degrees Celsius during the day to minus 2 degrees Celsius at night on Saturday, about 5 degrees Celsius lower than the levels on Friday.

As of 1 p.m. Saturday, the northern districts of Huairou, Yanqing and Miyun had issued a yellow alert for icy roads, forecasting snow in the daytime and the evening.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system for strong winds, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. 

This photo taken by a mobile phone shows pedestrians taking photos in the snow in Xicheng District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Xiao Xiao)

Pedestrians with an umbrella walk near Xuanwumen in Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

This photo taken on March 15, 2025 shows a snow scene in Chaoyang District of Beijing, China. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Photo by Liu Jiaqi/Xinhua)

A pedestrian catches falling snowflakes near Xuanwumen in Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Tourists visit the Temple of Heaven Park in the snow in Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Snowflakes fall on winter jasmine in Xicheng District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

This photo taken by a mobile phone shows tourists visiting China Aviation Museum in the snow in Changping District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

People walk in the snow at Civil Aviation Museum in Chaoyang District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2025. It snowed in Beijing along with a significant drop in temperature on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He)

Editor: JYZ
The IT company MODUS X is developing plans to enter the European market, considering it a priority, since its key client  Energy Holding DTEK  is represented there, but allows the possibility of entering other markets, in particular the USA, its CEO Dmytro Osyka said.

"On the one hand, our task is to provide the necessary services and maximum support to the DTEK group of companies wherever they are located. We have part of the team abroad. True, it is not very large, but it is there. On the other hand, we are separately studying the market and the need to open a separate office. In this case, we are looking more at Poland as a place from which it would be convenient for us to serve European clients," Osyka said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, the European market is interesting because it is quite unique, and there are already many companies on it that can provide certain services.

"From what is available now, European clients and partners in this market offer us cooperation. These are niche services related, for example, to migration, let's say, from the cloud of one provider to the cloud of another and vice versa. Both are market leaders, I think everyone can guess who we are talking about. At the same time, we have extensive expertise in both," Osyka gave an example of work in Europe.

He described this as "very specific requests so far," so the company has no big plans to ambitiously capture this market, but it is analyzing it, since its internal client, DTEK, is located there.

"So it would be a sin not to work in this market, and we are preparing everything for this," noted the CEO of MODUS X.

He noted that, accordingly, the company is focusing on Europe, but at the same time does not reject, for example, the American market, which, according to him, is more interesting due to higher margins and the possibility of additional earnings.

"If our clients need our services there, why shouldn't we go after them?" explained Osyka.

At the same time, he noted that there are barriers to entering such markets, in particular, language, mental, and time differences.

The CEO of MODUS X reported that the company was formed at the end of 2022, separating from the structure of the DTEK energy holding after implementing the three-year digital transformation program of the DTEK Modus group of companies, in order to gain competitiveness in the market, including outside Ukraine, and gain new prospects.

DTEK owns MODUS X, but now it works not only with group companies, but also focuses on unrelated clients both in the Ukrainian market and abroad. Since March 2024, it has attracted 14 new clients not from the DTEK group, including large Ukrainian businesses from such industries as retail, banking, automotive distribution, agricultural and food production. In the energy sector, its share as an IT company is at least 25%. The company employs 700 people.
Host Traven Rice spoke with Lower East Side artist Marja Samsom. Samsom is an international artist and filmmaker, whose work confronts and exposes cultural issues with elegant wit. Poised within 1970s international avant-garde, her early works are experiments in self representation.

Her embodiment and simultaneous commodification of the character Miss Bhave and Miss Kerr pose an elegant, tongue-in-cheek dissection of glamour. Samsoms current photography explores relationships between objects that illuminate with a pinch of wicked playfulness. Her practice is daily exploration: making something out of nothing.

Samsom was born in the Netherlands, raised in Europe, and spent time in New York City while exhibiting internationally. Deciding to stay in New York, Samsom created an underground word-of-mouth salon, the Kitchen Club, in the East Village. It developed into the legendary downtown eatery of same name on Prince & Mott Street. Curating both menu and restaurant space, Samsom actualized her Kitchen Club as a gesamtkunstwerk and hosted a radio series Cooking up a Storm on Art International Radio, where she was selected for a residency at the Clocktower Gallery with a storytelling performance Shrine dedicated to her sister.

Recently, she completed a number of performances at Participant Inc. her work is currently included at HART Museum, Amsterdam. She lives and works in Downtown New York City.

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You can listen to the interview here, or on any of your favorite platforms. You can watch it on our YouTube channel here (or above).
On Saturday night, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv took into custody the former deputy head of the State Security Department Vadym Chuchkovsky, setting bail at UAH 400 million, lawyer Ilia Novikov has said.

They are demanding that he testify against (leader of the European Solidarity party, the fifth president of Ukraine in 2014-19 Petro) Poroshenko: that allegedly, on his orders, he met a plane from Moscow with money for the elections at the end of March 2019, Novikov said on Facebook.

At the same time, he referred to a video, which, according to him, by all indications was filmed by the FSB of the Russian Federation at the Russian Sheremetyevo Airport in 2019, in which unknown people hand over several suitcases of cash allegedly for the elections. In Kyiv, some of them were taken by another unknown person. Investigators claim that it was Chuchkovsky.

"Chuchkovsky was interrogated when he refused to incriminate himself, his former boss Fedorov and Poroshenko, a report appeared that according to operational data, Chuchkovsky and Fedorov were preparing to destroy material evidence, so an urgent search without a court order was needed. Such urgent searches six years after the events have always been the signature style of the FSB. They didn't find anything interesting, but no one expected to find it," Novikov wrote.

According to him, Chuchkovsky was detained and notified of suspicion under Article 426-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of official authority by a military person).

"This and the bail of 500 million (the court humanely reduced it to 400) - a clear message: say that you followed the order and then we will let you go. The same story happened in 2021 with suspicion of Deputy Defense Minister General Pavlovsky and Director of Kuznya na Rybalskom Shandra, who were also assigned bail of UAH 475 and 444 million and also required to testify against Poroshenko. Pavlovsky then won the case involving his arrest at the European Court for Human Rights. This story was completely forgotten after 2022, but we remember. Now the same thing is happening again, Novikov added.
New meeting in Ramstein format to be held in Brussels  Zelenskyy

Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/

The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format will be held in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"The Minister of Defense also informed about the organization of the next Ramstein - we are preparing for Brussels," Zelenskyy said in an evening address on Sunday.

As reported, in early March, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format will probably be held in late March - early April.

Pistorius emphasized that in order to coordinate further support for Ukraine, he and his British colleague John Healy decided to continue the work of the Ukraine Contact Group "as co-chairs, under our joint leadership."
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine

The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) has introduced mine safety rules to over 300,000 people since the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine.

Thanks to the efforts of the team of instructors, since the start of the full-scale invasion, over 300,000 people, including 191,000 children, have attended information sessions on the risks of explosive objects and the rules of safer behavior, said URCS Director General Maksym Dotsenko.

As reported by the Communications and Marketing Department of the National Committee of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, the programs focus on familiarizing with the types of mines and explosive objects, as well as on the basic rules of behavior in case they are discovered.

Informing about the risks of explosive objects is one of the key areas of activity of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, as the mine danger in Ukraine remains very high. Instructors continue to teach the population safer actions in case of detection of dangerous finds, because one of the main causes of accidents is the lack of clear algorithms of actions.

The Ukrainian Red Cross Society conducts training on the risks of explosive objects, cooperating with communities, educational institutions and government agencies.
Yes  Significant efforts are being made

No  Much more needs to be done

Some progress  But there are still critical gaps

Vote

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Detention without bail chosen as preventive measure for detainee for murder of Hanul

The court chose arrest without bail as a preventive measure for Senior Lieutenant Serhiy Shalayev, detained on suspicion of murdering public figure Demian Hanul, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Sunday.

"At the request of prosecutors, the Kyivsky District Court of Odesa chose a preventive measure for the suspect in the form of detention without bail," the message on Telegram says.

According to the Odesa Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the Field of Defense of the Southern Region, the soldier of the reserve of one of the military units was reported to be suspected of premeditated murder committed on order and illegal handling of weapons (Clause 11, Part 2, Article 115, Part 1, Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The pretrial investigation in the criminal proceedings is ongoing and is being carried out by investigators of the Main Police Department of Odesa region. All circumstances of the crime and the persons involved are being established.

As reported, on March 14, public figure Demian Hanul was killed in Odesa, the police opened a case of premeditated contract killing. The crime was committed in the morning in the city center. An unknown person shot a 31-year-old public figure and fled. The victim died on the spot.

Five hours later, a man suspected of killing an activist in Odesa was detained.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko noted that the person detained on suspicion of killing Hanul was born in 1978, a serviceman who was wanted on February 23 as a person who had left the military unit without permission. "He is a deserter," the minister confirmed.

Later, the 28th Motorized Rifle Brigade announced the identity of the suspect.
URCS volunteers participate in elimination of consequences of Russian UAV attack on Chernihiv

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine

Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) participated in the elimination of the consequences of the night attack by Russian UAVs on Chernihiv.

"The elimination of the consequences of the night drone attack continued in Chernihiv all night. The Ukrainian Red Cross Society rapid response team in Chernihiv region worked at the scene together with other rescue services of the city," the URCS reported on Facebook on Sunday.

The volunteers were on duty to provide first aid or psychological assistance to the victims.

According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the drone hit a five-story residential building, partially destroying two floors. A strike on the private sector was also recorded.
Norway will allocate $7.8 billion to Ukraine for military and civilian needs in 2025, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

"In Oslo, I had the honor of meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. We discussed further support for Ukraine, in particular, $7.8 billion in aid that Norway will allocate this year for military and civilian needs," Umerov wrote on Facebook.

"The focus is on strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and strengthening Europe's security system. We considered strategic joint projects and priorities for the effective use of resources. Norway continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine. Thank you for your support and leadership," the minister emphasized.
After conducting a series of questioning in Delhi and Punjab, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was established by the Assam Police to look into Gaurav Gogoi and his wife Elizabeth Colburn Gogois alleged links to Pakistan, has returned to the state.

The probe team has questioned an environmental scientist and two employees of the British High Commission in the national capital recently and there have been speculation that Gaurav Gogoi will also receive summons from the SIT to come in for questioning.

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Reacting to the developments, Gogoi told reporters here: I told many times that I am open to any kind of investigation. I will appear before the investigating team whenever SIT calls. They are not required to provide me with coffee or tea even.

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Earlier, the SIT questioned two staffers of the British High Commission in Delhi in connection with Congress MPs alleged Pakistan links.

According to the police, the SIT team questioned two staffers in the British High Commission to retrieve information about their links with the Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh who has been named in an FIR by the Assam Police for his alleged role in destabilising communal harmony.

Sheikh is under the lens for his purported role in seeking key information related to national security. The SIT team has also questioned an environmental scientist in this matter.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the Pak links of Gaurav Gogoi and his wife, has made progress in its initial investigation.

He said: The SIT has found significant evidence related to Pakistani national Ali Sheikh who has been in question for his multiple visits to India and his controversial social media posts expressing immense interest in the politics of Assam. Sheikh visited India with a big delegation from Pakistan including the attorney general of that country.

According to CM Sarma, the Pakistani team including Sheikh frequently visited India till 2018 and stayed in small hotels to avoid public attention.

We have been probing the entire ecosystem related to this Pakistani national in question. If required, we will take the help of Interpol, Sarma stated, adding that he has briefed the Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the developments.

A four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the alleged Pakistani links of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife Elizabeth Gogoi.

Sarma mentioned: Pursuant to the registration of the case, the DGP, Assam Police, has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter. Assam Police will conduct a professional and completely objective investigation.

The SIT would co-opt Inspectors, Sub Inspectors and needed personnel with the approval of the Assam Police Headquarters, he mentioned, adding that the SIT would from time to time report to the Assam Director General of Police.

In response to a series of allegations by CM Sarma, Member of Parliament from Jorhat constituency, Gaurav Gogoi, asserted that he was open to an investigation regarding this.

The Chief Minister earlier raised questions as to why Gaurav Gogoi went to meet the Pakistan High Commissioner and later asked questions regarding national security and Defence in Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for winning the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by Central Banking, London.

PM Modi shared his appreciation on social media platform X, quoting RBIs post and calling it a remarkable achievement.

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He emphasised that digital innovation is strengthening Indias digital ecosystem, empowering millions of people across the country.

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A commendable accomplishment, reflecting an emphasis towards innovation and efficiency in governance, said PM Modi in the post.

Digital innovation continues to strengthen Indias financial ecosystem, thus empowering countless lives, the Prime Minister added.

The Central Bank received the prestigious award for its digital initiatives, Saarathi and Pravaah, which were developed by its in-house tech team.

The bank regulator took social media platform X to inform the same. The Reserve Bank of India has been selected for the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by Central Banking, London, UK, the RBI announced.

The award committee recognised how these initiatives have significantly reduced paper-based submissions and transformed RBIs internal and external processes.

Saarathi, launched in January 2023, has fully digitised RBIs internal workflow. Employees can now securely submit and share documents, improving record management and enabling data analysis through reports and dashboards.

By automating processes, Saarathi has enhanced operational efficiency, task tracking, collaboration, and integration with other RBI systems.

Earlier, different departments used a mix of manual and digital processes, but now, Saarathi serves as a unified digital repository for the central banks information.

Pravaah, introduced in May 2024, provides external users with a digital platform to submit regulatory applications to RBI.

The documents submitted through Pravaah are automatically linked to the Saarathi database, where they can be processed digitally using centralised cybersecurity systems and digital tracking.

So far, Pravaah has digitised over 70 regulatory applications, benefiting nine departments of the RBI.
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) achieved a historic high of 2.16 crore auto claim settlements so far during the current financial year, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.

This was up from 89.52 lakh in 2023-24, she said.

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The minister was giving a written reply through which she informed that the auto-mode claims are processed within three days.

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For auto mode processing of advance claims, the amount limit has been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh.

Further, in addition to illness/hospitalization advances, the advances for housing, education and marriage are also enabled for auto mode processing. Now, 60% of advance claims are processed are in auto mode, the MoS told.

Member details correction process has been simplified, and members having Aadhaar-verified UANs can make corrections in their IDs themselves, without any EPFO interventions.

At present, about 96% corrections are being done without any EPF office intervention, stated the minister.

As high as 99.31% claims are now received in online mode, without any requirement to visit the field office.

In 2024-25, as on March 6, 2025, 7.14 crore claims have been filed in online mode.

Minister Karandlaje said that in Transfer claim submission requests, the need for employers attestation of Aadhaar-verified UANs has been done away with.

Now only 10% transfer claims require member and employers attestation.

The minister apprised the Parliament that EPFO has also provided de-linking facilities to the members, whose EPF accounts have been erroneously/fraudulently linked by the establishments.

Since its launch on January 18, 2025, more than 55,000 members have de-linked their accounts till the end of February, 2025.

Highlighting further the technical upgradation of the system, the minister said the claim settlement process is being further simplified with Centralization of member databases under Centralized IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01).
Private equity firm MBK Partners Ltd., which owns Homeplus, said on Sunday its chief will use his personal assets to support suppliers of the major discount store chain affected by the court-led rehabilitation process.

Earlier this month, Homeplus filed for corporate rehabilitation with the Seoul Bankruptcy Court after two local credit rating agencies lowered the rating of its corporate bonds to A3- from A3, citing the retailers lack of efforts to improve its financial health, reports Yonhap news agency.

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We will fulfill our social responsibility regarding Homeplus rehabilitation process, MBK Partners said in a release. As part of efforts, Chairman Kim Byung-ju will provide financial support to ensure prompt payments for transactions with small businesses, which are expected to face difficulties. MBK Partners did not elaborate on Kims financial support.

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MBK has come under criticism for placing Homeplus into rehabilitation without making self-recovery efforts, though its massive acquisition debt has led to the retailers financial difficulties.

On Friday, Homeplus President Joh Joo-yun apologized to its partners and investors and pledged to do its best to normalize the company as soon as possible.

Joh stressed Homeplus remains financially stable, saying the company had paid 340 billion won (US$234 million) in commercial receivables as of Thursday and holds 160 billion won in cash. She vowed to make a full payment of the remaining debt to avoid any damage involving the rehabilitation process.

Homeplus said it will submit its self-rescue plans to the court by June 3.

The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) has vowed to look into whether there were any flaws in the process of Homeplus selling its asset-backed short-term debts (ABSTBs).

Late last month, Homeplus issued ABSTBs worth 82 billion won through Shinyoung Securities Co. Since then, a controversy has erupted over whether it sold such debts even after knowing the possibility of its credit rating being downgraded.

In 2015, MBK Partners acquired a 100 percent stake in Homeplus for 7.2 trillion won, including 4.3 trillion won in loans, from British retailer Tesco Plc.
Canadian PM arrives in Paris, will discuss war in Ukraine with Macron  media

Mark Carney, the new Canadian prime minister, is in Paris to meet President Macron and discuss various matters, including the war in Ukraine, The Times reported on Monday.

In remarks to reporters, the former Bank of England governor said that in current times, its more important for Canada to strengthen links with reliable allies.

He also emphasized his country's European identity: Canada is the most European of non-European countries.
Kangana Ranauts maiden directorial, the politically charged Emergency finally released on Netflix recently. Since its OTT release, several viewers have been taking to social media and lauding the actress for her commendable acting and filmmaking prowess. The actress is also re-sharing the comments on her Instagram stories and expressing her gratitude. Amid the myriad of messages, a fan remarked that Kangana Ranaut should win an Oscar. However, the actor-politician does not care about the award.

Lauding Emergency, a fan tweeted that Kangana Ranaut should get an Oscar. #EmergencyOnNetflix should go for the Oscars from India. Kangana, what a film. Kangana reposted the tweet with a message. She wrote, But America wouldnt like to acknowledge its real face, how they bully suppress and arm-twist developing nations. Its been exposed in #emergency. They can keep their silly Oscar. We have National Awards.

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Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@kanganaranaut)



Moreover, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta also praised the movie. Today I watched EMERGENCY by @KanganaTeam. Very frankly I wasnt planning to as I had prejudged it. I am so glad that I was wrong. What a fantastic film by Kangana both performance & direction. Top Notch & World Class.

To this, she replied, Film industry must come out of its hate and prejudices and acknowledge good work. Thanks for breaking that barrier Sanjay ji, the barriers of preconceived notions. My message to all filmi intellectuals, never keep any notions about me. Mujhe samajhne ki koshish bhi mat karna, main pahunch se bahar hoon. (Dont try to figure me out, I am out of your reach).

Emergency chronicles the politically turbulent atmosphere of the 1970s Emergency period in India. It seeks to offer a view of a defining moment in the nations socio-political history. The title was initially going to release on September 6, 2024. However, it attracted trouble for a long time. The film didnt receive the certification initially and attracted backlash from several Sikh organisations for its portrayal of the community. The film finally hit theatres on January 17. Apart from headlining the film, Kangana Ranaut also served as the director and co-producer of Emergency. Meanwhile, the film also stars Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, and the late Satish Kaushik in key roles.

Also Read: Imtiaz Ali breaks silence on Love Aaj Kal 2 failure and sequels
K-drama fans have a new series starring the heartthrob Lee Dong Wook to look forward to! The Goblin star is going to lead the upcoming TvN drama The Divorce Insurance. Moreover, the drama will also stream on Amazon Prime Video. Ahead of its release, the makers have dropped a tantalising teaser, promising a thrilling ride.

The Divorce Insurance is an upcoming romantic comedy starring Lee Dong Wook as Noh Ki Jun. In the drama, the actor will star as an insurance actuary in the innovative product development team at Plus Insurance. After going through three divorces himself, Noh Ki Jun comes up with the idea of divorce insurance plans. After being completely drained financially and emotionally, he thinks the rising divorce rate is a disaster. In order to ease such situations, he goes out to create a divorce insurance policy. Moreover, the drama also stars Lee Joo-bin, Lee Kwang-soo, Lee Da-hee and Exy.

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In the newly released teaser, fans get a glimpse of the riveting story that lies ahead. It opens with Noh Ki Jun asking, Is there an insurance for a happy life ahead?. Despite being a genius insurance actuary, Noh Ki Jun experiences failure with every product launch. However, things take a turn as the dry spell ends with his bold idea of- divorce insurance. Noh Ki Jun adamantly proposes his idea and develops a Divorce Insurance Task Force team. The team comprises Kang Han Deul (Lee Joo Bin), Ahn Jeon Man (Lee Kwang Soo), Jeon Na Rae (Lee Da Hee), and Jo Ah Young (WJSNs Exy).

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However, they have a rocky start as they kickstart the promotion of divorce insurance at a wedding expo. As they talk about their service, they are bombarded with dolls. Ahn Jeon Man comments, This is like trying to sell refrigerators in the Arctic, summing up the challenges to come. The intriguing teaser promises a fun and thrilling ride as the team navigates tough waters to make their product a success.

Meanwhile, the slated drama will premiere on March 31.

Also Read: Sweet Home actress Lee Si Young announces divorce
The BJP on Monday condemned the Karnataka governments proposal for a 4 per cent Muslim reservation in government tenders, calling it unconstitutional and an act of vote-bank politics.

The party vowed to challenge the move in courts, Parliament, and through public protests, asserting it threatens national unity.

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Earlier on Friday, the Karnataka state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors, official sources said. The decision was taken on March 14 in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Cabinet Hall of the Vidhan Sabha.

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Reacting sharply to the Karnataka governments decision, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha National President and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, while addressing a press conference at the BJPs headquarters here, accused Congress of historical appeasement, citing Dr BR Ambedkars opposition to religion-based quotas.

The BJP leader expressed disappointment, anger, and frustration over the Karnataka governments proposal to introduce a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in government tenders.

He said the Siddaramaiah governments recent budget proposed amending the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act to implement this provision. This move is not only blatantly unconstitutional but also goes against the principles set by the framers of the Constitution, who had out rightly rejected such provisions during its formation. This is also an idea that quoting the words of Dr. Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar has the potential to Balkanize India,  the BJP leader said.

The BJP firmly opposes this proposed unconstitutional move and demands from the Siddaramaiah government to immediately rollback this proposed unconstitutional misadventure, he said.
Alleging that the police in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh killed an innocent tribal in the name of being a naxalite in a fake encounter, Opposition Congress MLAs on Monday staged a walkout in the state assembly.

Tribal Congress MLA Omkar Singh Markam demanded a high-level inquiry into the police encounter that took place in the Kisli range of the Kanha National park a few days ago.

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The budget session of the Assembly reconvened on Monday, after a three-day break for the festival of Holi.

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The Congress cornered the ruling BJP over the law and order situation in the state.

MLA Markam said that the President also belongs to the tribal community. He urged the President to take cognizance of the matter.

Congress MLAs raised slogans demanding strict action against those involved in the alleged fake encounter. Subsequently, the opposition walked out of the house.

The tribal man, Hiran Singh Partha (38), was killed during a police encounter with a group of naxalites in the tribal-dominated Mandla district a few days ago.

Partha, a father of five kids, belonged to the Baiga tribe, which is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in India.

After the encounter and subsequent identification of Parthas body, questions were raised about the veracity of the encounter.

The Congress claimed that Partha was innocent and the police branded him a naxalite and killed him in a fake encounter.

Following the controversy, Balaghat Zone Inspector General of Police (IG) Sanjay Kumar had admitted that the police currently do not have any record that Partha was a Maoist (naxalite).

The IG, however, stated that it was still being investigated how Partha was moving along with the naxalites in the area.
Four-time BJP MLA Premchand Agarwal, who resigned as the Uttarakhand finance minister recently over his alleged anti-Pahari comments, has had a chequered past with many controversies surrounding him.

The former minister was in the dock after he became speaker of the state assembly in 2017 and then a cabinet minister in 2022 in the Pushkar Singh Dhami government.

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After taking over as the state finance minister, Agarwal made in-camera admission to allegations of illegal appointments in the state assembly secretariat when he was speaker from 2017 to 2022. In 2022, his video claiming that no one can harm him went viral in social media without any action from party bosses.

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Later, his successor and present assembly speaker Ritu Khanduri ordered a probe and constituted a committee headed by retired IAS officer D K Kotia to investigate the allegations.

Khanduri had to cancel 228 appointments made in the Uttarakhand assembly secretariat between 2016 and 2021 owing to the probe report submitted by the Kotia-led Committee. Khanduri brought this matter to the knowledge of the Centre but in vain.

In 2018, as state assembly speaker Agarwal, landed up in another controversy for appointment of his son as assistant engineer in Jal Sansthan department through Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL). Although Agarwals son was removed after the controversy erupted, it went untouched by the BJP leadership. UPNL is a state government agency that provides re-employment to the ex-servicemen, mainly JCOs and NCOs , in various government departments.

In 2019, the BJP MLA had an heated altercation with the then union minister of state Bhagatram Kothari in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat during a meeting on Namami Gange Project in Rishikesh. Agarwals conduct was disapproved by the party leaders in Delhi but ignored yet again for any action.

In 2023, a video of Agarwal went viral as he repeatedly slapped a local youth and BJP worker in Dehradun following a verbal spat between the two. Agarwal was allegedly angry as the victim BJP worker failed to give way to his vehicle on the highway due to fast moving traffic. The youth was stopped by Agarwals driver and other accomplices, and thrashed by all.

However, immediate provocation for his resignation from Dhami cabinet was Agarwals bad mouthing against hill natives in the assembly on February 21 during an argument with opposition legislator Madan Singh Bisht. He had abused the hill-natives and claimed that Uttarakhand was not formed for them alone.

On Sunday afternoon, Agarwal drove to Rampur Crossing memorial Uttar Pradesh and paid tributes to the statehood agitators before announcing his registration late evening in Dehradun. Later, he called upon chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and handed him the resignation letter.

Statement of a statehood agitator like me was distorted and misrepresented. A person who had to bear the pains of lathis and police brutality for statehood agitation is being targeted, said Agarwal with tearful eyes and choked voice before announcing his resignation.

Agarwal was forced to resign owing to continued statewide stir across the hill areas for his abusive and unparliamentary language against hill natives.

He had contested and won the assembly elections for the first time in 2007 from Rishikesh. Since then he has been representing Rishikesh undefeated.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre on Monday over high fuel prices, saying the ruling dispensation is robbing the public by not reducing the prices of petrol and diesel despite falling prices of crude oil.

He asked the BJP government when the prices of petrol and diesel would be reduced.

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In a post on X, the Congress chief wrote, The price of crude oil has been continuously falling, but the prices of petrol and diesel have not decreased. The Modi government is robbing the public fearlessly.

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Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge in an apparent reference to Modis recent podcast with AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman said, Modi ji only tells his Mann Ki Baat to the public through long one-sided podcast.

Crude oil prices have fallen by 34 per cent since May, 2014. Tax collection game of Rs 36 lakh crore in 10 years. When will the price of petrol and diesel be reduced ? For how long will the BJP keep collecting ransom from the public ?, he said.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, along with his post also shared a report that claimed the crude oil prices have reduced.

Earlier, the Congress president had accused the BJP government that it robbed people by taxing fuel.

It may be mentioned that the former Congress chief and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had also attacked the government over the prices of petrol and diesel and accused it of tax extortion.
A shocking case of fratricide unfolded at Kharora village in Raipur district, on March 16, when an ITBP constable shot dead an Assistant Sub-Inspector following a dispute.

The tragic event, which took place within the confines of the ITBPs 38th battalion camp, has stunned both the local community and security forces, casting a spotlight on discipline and mental resilience within Indias paramilitary ranks.

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The confrontation erupted around 8:00 AM during a routine morning parade. Reports indicate that Constable Kumar, stationed at the Kharora camp, arrived improperly dressed, sparking a heated exchange with ASI Dahiya, who was overseeing the drill. What began as a disciplinary disagreement quickly spiraled into a torrent of abuses, culminating in an act of unthinkable violence.

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In a fit of rage, Kumar retrieved his INSAS rifle and unleashed a barrage of gunfire, striking Dahiya with 18 bullets to the head and chest. The ASI collapsed on the spot, succumbing to his injuries instantly.

Kharora, a tranquil village in Tilda Tehsil, lies 41 kilometers east of Raipur and is home to a modest population of around 9000, known for its high literacy and agrarian calm. The presence of the ITBPs 38th battalion camp underscores its role in maintaining internal security, though Raipur district rarely grapples with the Naxal unrest seen elsewhere in Chhattisgarh. This peaceful backdrop makes the ferocity of Sundays incident all the more jarring.

Authorities at Kharora police station acted swiftly, detaining Constable Kumar and launching a meticulous investigation. Senior officials have described the case as sensitive, promising a thorough probe into the events leading up to the shooting. Efforts are underway to review CCTV footage and gather witness accounts to piece together the sequence of this devastating clash.

The brutality of the attack, with 18 bullets fired in a single outburst, has raised troubling questions about camp protocols and the emotional toll of service. This is not an isolated episode for the ITBP in Chhattisgarh, echoes of a 2019 Narayanpur incident, where jawans turned weapons on each other, lingering as a grim reminder of unresolved tensions. Could stress, unchecked grievances, or inadequate support systems have fueled this tragedy? The answers remain elusive as the investigation unfolds.

Police have assured that the situation is under control, urging calm as they delve into the root causes. The loss of ASI Dahiya, a figure of authority and order, has left a void, while Constable Kumars fate hangs in the balance, pending the outcome of a probe that could ripple through the ITBPs ranks.

Was this a momentary lapse of reason, or a symptom of deeper fissures? The incident underscores the need for enhanced discipline, conflict resolution mechanisms, and mental health support for security personnel. As the investigation progresses, authorities will need to address underlying concerns to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
Alluding to the anti-India activities of Khalistan elements in the Pacific island nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday conveyed to his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon New Delhis concern over such activities while asserting that the two countries are firmly opposed to the menace of terrorism.

We are one in the fight against terrorism. Whether it is the March 15, 2019, Christchurch terrorist attack or the November 26, 2008, Mumbai terror attack, terrorism in any form is not acceptable to us. It is necessary to act against the accused in terror attacks, he said at a joint press conference with the New Zealand PM after talks between them.

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The PM said India and New Zealand will cooperate in the fight against terrorism, separatism and radicalism. In this regard, we expressed our concern over the anti-India activities of some unlawful elements in New Zealand. I am confident that we will continue to get the cooperation of the New Zealand Government against these unlawful elements, he added.

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Briefing the media after the meeting between the two PMs, Mr Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said, About Khalistan, this was an issue that came up We do alert our friends to the activities of anti-India elements in their countries and their abuse of freedom of speech and other democratic freedoms to glorify terrorism and to threaten attacks against our diplomats, our Parliament or our events in India.

So these were also conveyed. The government of New Zealand has been receptive and has taken our concerns on board in the past as well, he said.

The two countries signed seven MoUs, including one for cooperation in the field of defence, and made some key announcements like the launch of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and an arrangement facilitating the mobility of professionals and skilled workers.

Modi said India and New Zealand support a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism. We welcome New Zealand on joining the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, he added.

A joint statement issued by the two countries said the two PMs reaffirmed their shared desire to further strengthen the growing bilateral relationship which is anchored in shared democratic values and robust people-to-people ties.

Both leaders recognised that there remains significant potential for further growth in the bilateral relationship and agreed to cooperate closely in diverse areas, including trade and investment, defence and security, education and research, science and technology, agri-tech, space, mobility of people and sports, it added.

The two leaders reaffirmed the right of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reaffirmed the need to pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS.

They noted with satisfaction the strong connections between the people of the two countries, with Indian-origin people making up almost six percent of New Zealands population.

They appreciated the significant contribution of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand and their positive role in facilitating people-to-people ties between the two countries. Both leaders agreed on the significance of ensuring the safety and security of the Indian community, including students, in New Zealand, and of New Zealanders in India and visitors to India.

New Zealand welcomed India joining the Combined Maritimes Forces. Both leaders welcomed advancement in defence ties during New Zealand command of Command Task Force 150.

The two leaders appreciated the regular training exchanges of officers, including at Defence Colleges on reciprocal basis. Both sides agreed for enhanced capacity-building cooperation.

They acknowledged the importance of robust systems of traditional medicine in India and New Zealand, and welcomed discussions between experts, including science and research experts, on both sides to understand and explore possible areas of cooperation, including through sharing of information and best practices and visits of experts.

Both Leaders emphasised on the importance of an effective multilateral system, centered on a United Nations that is reflective of contemporary realities, as a key factor in tackling global challenges. The two sides stressed the need for UN reforms, including of the Security Council through expansion in its membership, to make it more representative, credible and effective.

New Zealand endorsed Indias candidature for permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of extending mutual support to each others candidatures at the multilateral fora.

They emphasised the importance of upholding the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, and acknowledged the value of India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group in context of predictability for Indias clean energy goals and its non-proliferation credentials.

Both Leaders reaffirmed their firm support for peace and stability in the Middle East and welcomed the agreement for the release of hostages and ceasefire of January 2025. They exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and expressed support for a just and lasting peace based on respect for international law, principles of the UN charter, and territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon jointly inaugurated the tenth edition of Raisina Dialogue, Indias premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, here on Monday.

The Raisina Dialogue, hosted annually by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), serves as a multilateral platform where heads of state, cabinet ministers, diplomats, corporate leaders, media professionals, and scholars come together to assess the evolving geopolitical landscape.

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The conference which will be held here from March 17-19, will be attended by deputy prime ministers/foreign ministers of nearly 20 countries, including the Foreign Minister of Ukraine.

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In his keynote address, Luxon said India and New Zealand are so fortunate to live in one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world addig that the Indo-Pacific represents two-thirds of global economic growth in the coming years.

India itself is at the centre of this exciting economic future, the New Zealand Prime Minister said.

Our trade has diversified considerably from wood, thanks to the increased sophistication of your economy. Today, India is a critical source of pharmaceuticals and machinery for us. While we are a great tourism and education destination for you (India), Luxon said.

It is more than 200 years since Indians and New Zealanders began living side by side Just as they were 200 years ago, Kiwi-Indians today are fully integrated into our multicultural society, he said.

Luxon underscored the significant presence of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand, pointing out that New Zealanders of Indian heritage comprise 11 per cent of the people living in Auckland, our biggest city.

Addressing the gathering, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Luxons perspective on the Indo-Pacific is valuable at a time when the world is debating the nature of the global order.

I reiterate our deep appreciation for PM Modis vision and motivation that has driven the Raisina DialogueThe world order is undergoing a great churn. This requires leadership, the kind we have in the room today. It requires systems to think differently, honest conversations, fresh ideas and creative solutionsLet the dialogue begin, the External Affairs Minister added.

Earlier, PM Modi warmly welcomed Luxon, calling it a matter of immense joy to welcome him. He described Luxon as a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader, and expressed his delight at having him as the Chief Guest at the Raisina Dialogue.

In a post on X, PM Modi reiterated, It is a matter of immense joy to be welcoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Delhi. It is equally gladdening that such a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader will be the Chief Guest at this years Raisina Dialogue. He also mentioned their earlier discussions, stating, We had wide-ranging talks earlier today, covering all important sectors relating to India-New Zealand friendship.

The Raisina Dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on the floor of the Maharashtra assembly on Monday that the state government will protect Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar but will never allow the glorification of the long dead emperor, after he faced repeated calls for the removal of the grave by BJP members.

We will protect Aurangzebs grave but not allow glorification of his memory. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs temple will be glorified and not Aurangzebs grave. It is unfortunate that we have to protect Aurangzebs tomb since it was declared a protected site by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) 50 years ago. As a result, it is the responsibility of the Central and state governments to protect it. Aurangzeb killed thousands of our people but we have to protect his grave. However, I promise that no matter what happens, I will not allow Aurangzebs grave to be glorified. I will crush the idea of glorifying Aurangzeb, Fadnavis stated.

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However, on March 10, Fadnavis himself suggested that Mughal emperor Aurangzebs grave which is a protected monument under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), should be removed from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, by using legal means, in response to an appeal to do so from BJP MLAs.

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The controversy about Aurangzeb and his grave erupted in February after Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi praised the Mughal emperor. Azmi was suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the end of the budget session after he was criticised by members of the ruling and opposition parties.

After the controversy was triggered, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had accused Fadnavis of engineering the Aurangazeb controversy to divert attention from Dhananjay Munde issue which was in public memory back then.

In the Legislative Assembly, they (Fadnavis government) were cornered over Dhananjay Munde. So, the BJP instructed Abu Azmi to issue a statement, to trigger a drama. Abu Azmi and Owaisi frequently indulge in such tactics, Raut had stated, hinting that Fadnavis had taken advantage of the popularity of the recently released Hindi film Chhaava, which had highlighted Aurangzebs cruelties.

However, as things stand, organisations like the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad submitted a memorandum to the state government on Monday, urging legal action to remove the grave and warned of karseva and statewide protests if their demand is not met. BJPs Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj, has also sought the removal of Aurangzebs tomb.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal on Monday lashed out at the Fadnavis government for diverting attention from real issues.

By removing Aurangzebs grave, will the farmers problems be solved? Will lakhs of people get jobs if Aurangzebs tomb is discussed? There are some ministers who are instigating people. These ministers rose to power by taking an oath on the Constitution. The entire history of Shivaji Maharaj is connected to this grave. When after 200 or 500 years, Shivaji Maharajs name will be mentioned, this tomb will also be mentioned. Therefore, whatever is related to Shivaji Maharaj should be preserved, Sapkal said.

Earlier, on Sunday, Sapkal said that Fadnavis is as cruel as the Mughal emperor. Aurangzeb was a cruel ruler. Aurangzeb put his own father in jail. Also, Aurangzeb always took the help of religion. Today, Devendra Fadnavis is equally cruel. He always takes the help of religion.

Therefore, the administration of Aurangzeb and Devendra Fadnavis is the same, Sapkal said, prompting the BJP to call Sapkals statement extremely childish.
Umerov to form team to participate in meeting of military reps in London  Zelenskyy

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has had a meeting with Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, and the new Chief of the General Staff, Andriy Hnatov, during which they discussed the frontline situation and engagements with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine.

According to the President, he ordered Umerov to urgently assemble a team that will work on engagements with partners regarding all the details of the security system Ukraine needs, as well as the implementation of decisions made at the military-political level.

As early as this week, the team should participate in the work in London at the relevant meeting of military representatives, Zelenskyy noted.

On March 15, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said military planners would meet in the UK on Thursday to draw up practical plans for how foreign forces could support Ukraine's security.

Our militaries will meet on Thursday this week here in the UK to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraines future security, he said at a press conference following a virtual meeting of world leaders on peace in Ukraine.

On March 16, Zelenskyy announced a meeting in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to provide Ukraine with security guarantees.
The Kerala High Court on Monday set aside a state government order appointing an inquiry commission to find a permanent solution in the dispute between the Munambam residents and the Waqf board.

A single bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas allowed the petition challenging the appointment of an inquiry commission, observing that the order of appointment of an inquiry commission has to be set aside as the order was issued without any application of mind, and it fails the test of law.

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As the relevant facts which ought to have been borne in mind while appointing a commission of inquiry were not considered by the government, exhibit P1 order appointing a commission of inquiry was issued without any application of mind and fails the test of law. Hence, the exhibit P1 order is quashed, the court said.

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The court further said the matter is still pending before the Waqf Tribunal.

The petition was filed by the Waqf Samrakshana Samithy( Waqf protection forum), challenging the appointment of an inquiry commission headed by former Kerala High Court Judge CN Ramachandran Nair.

The Kerala government on 27 November 2024 appointed Justice CN Ramachandran Nair headed inquiry commission to  find a permanent solution with respect to the dispute between the residents of Munambam and the Waqf board.

Around 610 families of Munambam coastal Village in Ernakulam district have been protesting against the claim by the Waqf board on their land.

The Munambam issue started in 2019 with the Waqf board staking claim over the land, citing that it was Waqf land that was donated to Farook College in Kozhikode. In 2022, they were told they could not pay land tax on their property. Following this, the Kerala government intervened and allowed them to pay tax. However, the Kerala High Court stayed the government order allowing the families to pay the tax in a petition moved by the Waqf Samrashana Samithy ( Waqf Protection Forum).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday conveyed to his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon New Delhis concern over the anti-India activities of some unlawful elements in the Pacific island nation and asserted that the two countries are firmly opposed to the menace of terrorism.

We are one in the fight against terrorism. Whether it is the March 15, 2019, Christchurch terrorist attack or the November 26, 2008, Mumbai terror attack, terrorism in any form is not acceptable to us. It is necessary to act against the accused in terror attacks, he said at a joint press conference with the New Zealand PM after talks between them.

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The PM said India and New Zealand will cooperate in the fight against terrorism, separatism and radicalism. In this regard, we expressed our concern over the anti-India activities of some unlawful elements in New Zealand. I am confident that we will continue to get the cooperation of the New Zealand Government against these unlawful elements, he added.

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The two countries signed seven MoUs, including one for cooperation in the field of defence, and made some key announcements like the launch of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and an arrangement facilitating the mobility of professionals and skilled workers.

Mr Modi said India and New Zealand support a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism. We welcome New Zealand on joining the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, he added.

A joint statement issued by the two countries said the two PMs reaffirmed their shared desire to further strengthen the growing bilateral relationship which is anchored in shared democratic values and robust people-to-people ties.

Both leaders recognised that there remains significant potential for further growth in the bilateral relationship and agreed to cooperate closely in diverse areas, including trade and investment, defence and security, education and research, science and technology, agri-tech, space, mobility of people and sports, it added.

The two leaders reaffirmed the right of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reaffirmed the need to pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS.

They noted with satisfaction the strong connections between the people of the two countries, with Indian-origin people making up almost six per cent of New Zealands population. They appreciated the significant contribution of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand and their positive role in facilitating people-to-people ties between the two countries. Both leaders agreed on the significance of ensuring the safety and security of the Indian community, including students, in New Zealand, and of New Zealanders in India, and visitors to India.

New Zealand welcomed India joining the Combined Maritimes Forces. Both leaders welcomed advancement in defence ties during New Zealand command of Command Task Force 150.

The two leaders appreciated the regular training exchanges of officers, including at Defence Colleges on a reciprocal basis. Both sides agreed for enhanced capacity-building cooperation.

They acknowledged the importance of robust systems of traditional medicine in India and New Zealand, and welcomed discussions between experts, including science and research experts, on both sides to understand and explore possible areas of cooperation, including through the sharing of information and best practices and visits of experts.

Both Leaders emphasised the importance of an effective multilateral system, centered on a United Nations that is reflective of contemporary realities, as a key factor in tackling global challenges. The two sides stressed the need for UN reforms, including of the Security Council through expansion in its membership, to make it more representative, credible and effective. New Zealand endorsed Indias candidature for permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of extending mutual support to each others candidatures at the multilateral fora.

They emphasised the importance of upholding the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, and acknowledged the value of India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group in the context of predictability for Indias clean energy goals and its non-proliferation credentials.

Both Leaders reaffirmed their firm support for peace and stability in the Middle East and welcomed the agreement for the release of hostages and the ceasefire of January 2025. They exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and expressed support for a just and lasting peace based on respect for international law, principles of the UN charter, and territorial integrity and sovereignty.
India and the United States on Monday explored avenues for collaboration in cutting-edge defence innovation and niche technologies, reflecting their shared commitment to advancing mutual strategic interests at a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and visiting US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Additionally, the two sides addressed key areas such as enhancing interoperability and fostering greater integration of defence industrial supply chains to bolster resilience and innovation.

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Ms Gabbard, who is the first top representative of the Donald Trump administration to visit India, is scheduled to address the Raisina Dialogue.

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Drawing from the Joint Statement issued after the recent meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President Trump, the discussions between Mr Singh and Ms Gabbard reaffirmed the growing strength of the India-US bilateral defence partnership.

They emphasised that strategic security remains a vital pillar of the comprehensive global strategic cooperation between the two nations. They also reviewed the significant strides made in the areas of military exercises, strategic cooperation, integration of defence industrial supply chains and information-sharing cooperation, especially in the maritime domain, between India and the US.

The defence minister expressed gratitude to the US Director of National Intelligence for her steadfast goodwill and admiration for Indian culture and heritage, noting that such sentiments further deepen the bonds of friendship between India and the US, the Ministry of Defence said.
Opposition parties launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar both inside and outside the Bihar Assembly as the House resumed proceedings on Monday after a break for the festival of Holi.

As the Opposition cornered the government over the issue of murders and deadly attacks on police during Holi, while ruling party leaders retaliated, Nitish Kumar left the House.

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Outside the House, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly raised the issue of law and order during the 20 years rule of Nitish Kumar and made serious allegations against the BJP-Nitish government.

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Citing the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the RJD leader said that 60,000 people were murdered and 25,000 women were raped in Bihar, while a maximum number of attacks on police was recorded during the last 20 years. Bihar has also become the state with the highest number of line-of-duty deaths during Nitish Kumars rule. This government has completely failed and the Chief Minister has bowed down to the criminals, he said.

We wanted this issue to be discussed in the House. They are not discussing it. They are not even discussing the martyrdom of the police personnel. They do not want to debate on this because they do not have any answer, he added.

Earlier, in the Legislative Council premises, former chief minister Rabri Devi said the killing of 22 people during Holi is a serious matter and the chief minister should speak about it. He keeps mentioning about jungleraj, but policemen were not killed as they are being killed during his Mangalraj. Girls are being raped and killed today. Why is Nitish Kumar silent on it, she asked.

After the continuous protests in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar summoned the Director General of Police (DGP) and Chief Secretary of Bihar. He discussed the increasing crime in the state and the failure of the police. It is believed that due to the increasing pressure, the government may soon take some tough decisions.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Pankaj Darad told the media on Monday that 12 cases of attack on Bihar Police were reported during Holi in which two police officers were martyred and 27 policemen have been reported injured.

This year on Holi, a total of 11 incidents were reported between two different communities, however, no serious law and order problems were reported. A total of 14 people were injured in these incidents. No one died. 29 people have been arrested so far.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday appealed to all political parties to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve the two separate bills enhancing the reservation quota for backward classes to 42 per cent in education, employment, and rural and urban local body polls.

The two Bills were passed by the state Legislative Assembly today but will require approval from the Centre for their enactment. Meanwhile, dissident Congress MLC and BC leader Teenmar Mallana met BRS, BJP, and AIMIM leaders over BC reservation.

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Mallana was suspended by Congress for burning the Caste census report and badmouthing the leaders. He alleged that the data was manipulated to undermine the BCs.

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The Assembly passed The Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (reservation of seats in educational institutions and appointments or posts in services under the State) Bill, 2025 and The Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill, 2025.

A third Bill, the Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Bill, 2025 was introduced by state health minister Damodar Raja Narasimha for sub categorizations in the Scheduled Castes reservation.

The two Bills were introduced by the BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar. Chief minister Revanth Reddy said As the Leader of the House I am assuring that I will take proactive measures and lead to achieve 42 percent BC reservation. Appealing to the leaders of all parties to come together and meet the Prime Minister.

The appeal was reminiscent of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha who had led a delegation of states politicians cutting across party lines to Delhi in 1994 to ensure the state reservation was enhanced to 69 percent and included in the IXth Schedule of the Constitution so that it cannot be challenged in court.

Reddy requested the Union ministers, G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar and the floor leader of BJP in the Assembly Alleti Maheshwar Rao to take the responsibility of seeking the Prime Ministers appointment.

He added that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will also be requested to raise the issue in the Parliament and entrusted the PCC president Mahesh Goud to speak to him.

Assuring the House that the caste census report was 100 percent correct the chief minister said they would not sit idle till 42 percent reservation was achieved for the BCs as was announced by the Congress party in the Kammareddy Declaration. Ponnam Prabhakar who introduced the Bills said they would meet leaders of all parties in Delhi to garner support for the bills.

The previous Bill passed by the BRS government in 2017 which had increased the reservation quota for BCs to 37 percent and for STs to 10 percent was withdrawn. The bill was awaiting the assent of the President of India when it was withdrawn. The BRS leader T Harish Rao pledged his partys full support to the twin Bills for increasing reservations for BCs.
Foiling the protest of the BJP to highlight the alleged multi-crore liquor scam in the state-owned monopoly liquor retailer, TASMAC, unearthed by the Enforcement Directorate, the Chennai police on Monday arrested party state president K Annamalai and former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, preventing them from proceeding to the protest venue at Egmore in the city.

The saffron party had called for a protest to lay siege to the TASMAC headquarters demanding a probe into the alleged financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

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Recently, the ED had carried out raids on TASMAC headquarters and on companies manufacturing and supplying IMFL to the state-owned retailer. TASMAC comes under V Senthil Balaji, the minister for Prohibition and Enforcement, who is on bail in a money laundering case in the cash-for-job scam.

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With the police, who had denied permission for the protest, arresting the leaders and functionaries, the protest by the BJP fizzled out. Annamalai was arrested at Akkarai, close to his residence, when he proceeded to lead the protest. Tamilisai Soundararajan was taken into custody after stepping out of her residence in Virugambakkam.

Party legislators Vanathi Srinivasan, BJP Mahila Morcha national president, and Saraswathy, were taken in a police van and kept at a marriage hall along with others who had gathered at Egmore.

Reacting strongly to the police action, Annamalai told the media that the DMK was rattled at the scam getting into the public domain.

The DMK Government is afraid of the scam getting exposed. We will not be cowed down. What will they do if we launch the protest without announcing the date? We will continue to fight. If needed, we will not hesitate to lay siege to the Chief Ministers residence, he fumed. Terming the house arrest of BJP functionaries and arrest of senior party leaders as undemocratic, Tamilisai vowed to expose the liquor scam.

Reacting to the BJPs charges, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy accused the BJP-led Union Government of weaponizing the central agencies to target the opposition ruled states.

The BJP is daydreaming about replicating Delhi in Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu are well aware of the BJPs designs and the saffron partys designs will not succeed, he told the media.
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed uproarious scenes on Monday as members criticized the incident of a police officer kicking a tribal woman protester after the recovery of bodies of two missing youths in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

As soon as the sitting of the House began, legislators raised the issue of the death of Showkat Ahmad of Rajouri whose body was recovered from the Vaishow Nallah in Kulgam on Sunday. Ahmad had gone missing along with two others about a month ago.

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Choudhary Muhammad Akram accused a police officer of assaulting a woman protester during demonstrations in Qazigund and demanded stern action.

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Tension mounted when National Conference (NC) legislators Javed Choudhary, Mian Mehar Ali, Javaid Mirchal, and Zaffar Ali Khatan attempted to storm into the well of the House. They were promptly restrained by Marshals and party colleagues amid rising tempers.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened, assuring members that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had taken note of the matter and would address their concerns. The House must be assured that justice will be served, Rather said.

NCs Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and PDP legislators Waheed Parra and Mehar Ali joined in demanding accountability, calling for a time-bound probe into the alleged police excesses and the mysterious disappearances.

Parra raised concern over the growing trend of missing persons, particularly among the Gujjar community, and stressed the need for transparency. This is not an isolated case. We need answers, and we need them now, he said.

Peoples Conference President and MLA Sajad Lone also condemned the incident.

Images of a police officer kicking the female relatives of two youths who died in Kulgam are utterly disdainful, he said.

The whole action reeks of contempt within the minds of those who are supposed to protect the masses, he added.

The deceased youths family had staged a protest in Qazigund along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, demanding a thorough investigation into the deaths.

Bodies of Showkat Ahmad and his brother Riyaz Ahmad were recovered within days of each other from the same stream. The duo, along with a third person, Mukhtar Ahmad, had left Qazigund for Ashmuji in Kulgam on 13 February to attend a family function but never reached their destination.

Meanwhile, PDP leader Iltija Mufti took to social media to allege that authorities had locked up the gates of her house to prevent her from visiting Kulgam.

What are the authorities trying to hide here? she questioned in a post on X.

A video clip showing a police officers conduct during the protests has added fuel to the fire.

Responding to public outrage, Kashmir Police Zone issued a statement on X confirming that the matter is under investigation.

A video has surfaced on social media regarding a police officers conduct with the public in Kulgam. We have taken cognisance of yesterdays incident and the allegations regarding the officers conduct. DIG SKR will enquire and submit his findings within 10 days, the statement on X read.
As the world moved from an American unipolar moment after the end of the Cold war, the idea of a multipolar world emerged as a popular theme. But a truly multipolar world never materialized. The US remains the most consequential power with China in a strong second place. Together they dwarf other emerging actors. The contours of the world order will certainly be more chaotic. Bipolarity can be defined as a system of world order in which the majority of global economic, military, and cultural influence is held between two states.

The classical case of a bipolar world is that of the Cold war era when the US and Soviet Union dominated in the second half of the 20th Century. Ironically Russia hop ed to usher in an age of multipolarity when it invaded Ukraine in an effort to overturn the Kyiv government, But Moscows failure to achieve a quick and decisive victory instead diminished Russias prestige and stature in world affairs. Within the present bifurcated world order, the power dominance is still heavily tilted in Washingtons favour despite all the talk about the USs declining influence. However, US foreign policy is headed into a period of uncertainty. Bipolarity is no longer returning. It is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Competition among big powers in the economic area will be far greater than the more dangerous military realm. In todays world, Money Speaks, Money Counts.

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The US and Russia maintain one of the most important, critical and strategic foreign relations in the world. They have shared interests in nuclear safety and security, non- proliferation, counter-terrorism and space exploration. The history of relations between the US and Russia has been topsy-turvy. During Joe Bidens presidency, relations reached the lowest point following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During the second presidency of Donald Trump, the US has moved to normalize relations with Russia. There were striking developments during Mr Trumps recent meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

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Mr Trump refused to call Russian leader Vladimir Putin a dictator. However, days earlier, he had labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky in those terms. When asked whether he considered Mr Putin a dictator, Mr Trump responded I do not use these words lightly. We will see how it all works out. In fact, in a stark shift from its longstanding foreign policy and in a stunning move, the US voted for the first time with Russia and against a UN resolution demanding Russias withdrawal from Ukraine and condemning the war. This was the first time the US voted in alignment with Russia. Mr Trumps hardening stance towards Ukraine and overtures to Moscow are surprising. This may lead to the US-Russia axis replacing US-China bonhomie during the Biden era.

Mr Trump has emerged as the most powerful world leader. France, a nuclear powered and veto hold in nation that currently chairs the European Union occasionally challenges him. Recently Presidents Trump and Macron clashed directly and openly when the former made false claims about funding of the Ukraine war. He said Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They are gathering their money back. Macron leaned over to touch Trumps arm and interrupted, No, in fact, to be frank, we paid 60 per cent of the total war efforts. It was like the US: loans, guarantees, grants. Mr Trump has of late been negotiating a mineral revenue sharing agreement with Ukraine to recoup the money that previous administration had sent to Kyiv to repel Russia. Mr Trumps cozying up to Mr Putin marks a significant departure from decades of US foreign policy.

The US is changing its approach, prioritizing global strategy over Europe. Mr Trump is moving away from the longstanding policy of isolating Russia and instead focusing on China. Europe, especially Nato, has been unable to maintain its strategic coherence. European Nato has become a burden on American global strategy, Mr Trump recently remarked. In the evolving US-Russia relationship, India could benefit by creating a more balanced Eurasian geopolitical environment. India must avoid over-reliance on foreign powers for military and strategic needs, learning from the Ukraine situation and Europes challenges with Nato. Mr Trumps victory is no  thing short of remarkable. It can reshape the political landscape for years to come, and will have significant implications for US foreign policy. His America First stance is likely to be strengthened in the second term. The world will not remain untouched to whatever unfolds in the US. As Mr Trumps second term is loaded with deep protectionism alongside growing US-China tensions.

India has a tough balancing task at hand ~ deepening trade ties with the US while tackling tariffs and geopolitical alignments. Analysts argue that the Trump administrations America First moves, and the dismantling of USAID, and the exits from WHO, IMO and Paris agreement have raised concerns that the US is ceding global influence to its rivals. History reveals that the US is not a reliable ally as it abandons its partners whenever it wishes. Recent developments in Ukraine are a case in point. Earlier it had ditched Canada and Mexico. The US also bet ray ed Afghanistan and Pakistan, who were its allies a decade ago. India must recall the political history of the US before considering it as a trusted ally. Businessman Trump, currently worth $7.08 billion as per Bloomberg estimates, is more concerned about the economy and the looming trade deficit disaster.

The ever-increasing US trade deficit has widened to nearly $131.4 billion in January. Mr Trump believes it is a sign of economic weakness and evidence that the world is taking advantage of America. We have deficits with almost every country, not every country but almost ~ and we are going to change it, he Trump justifying recent trade action against Canada, Mexico and China. He did not even spa re his closest ally, the European Union, saying the bloc was an atrocity on trade. The world economy was already grappling with the perplexing assortment of variables. Then, President Trump unleashed a tariff plan that has increased volatility. Mr Trump has not spared any one ~ neither enemies nor allies ~ and as such has signaled the end of all existing trade rules. He announced that the US will levy reciprocal tariffs on trading partners.

It could hardly have come at a tougher time for India, which is already pressed by a slowing economy and sluggish demand. India runs a large trade surplus of $45 billion with the US. The US is likely to impose a 25 per cent tariff on automobiles, semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports. India faces losses of up to $7 billion a year over the reciprocal tariff threat. The US reciprocal tariff is expected to impact between 10 and 30 points on Indias GDP, so it is not a huge impact. Indias exports directly to the US are about 2 per cent of GDP, so it is a manageable hit. India is a lar  ge, relatively closed economy, mostly domestically driven, so it is believed that this will not derail India from its reasonably strong growth trajectory. The US and Russia have moved towards a head-spinning reset of their relationship.

The two sides meeting in Saudi Arabia was not only a striking display of bonhomie after three years of American efforts to isolate Moscow for its 2022 invasion. It obviously signaled Mr Trumps intention to roll back Bidens policy towards Russia, which focused on sanctions, isolation and sending weapons to Ukraine. It may be recalled that Russia was alleged to have interfered in the 2016 US election to Mr Trumps benefit, and then saw the US take a few Russiafriendly steps. But this time it is very different. The United States and Russia, both super-powers, are inching towards working together closely, taking the international arena back to a bi-polar world. It is now hoped that talks with Mr Trump and a peace deal in Ukraine could pave the way for the US to lift the severe sanctions imposed by the Biden Administration on Moscow.

It may also lead to a Nobel Peace Prize, jointly for Presidents Trump and Putin, for their efforts to end the Ukraine war! US-France relations have ever been close and peaceful, except a few aberrations. Mr Trump has called France our oldest ally and one of our greatest. However, differences have emerged over the Ukraine war. France has unwaveringly supplied arms to Ukraine since the war began. Four days after it was invaded by Russia, Ukraine applied for membership of the EU ~ European Union. Thus, President Macron bluntly told Mr Trump that a peace deal with Russia must not mean a surrender of Ukraine. The contours of the world are changing and changing fast in the Trump era. It is likely to unleash a far-right, semi-autocratic regime and an assault on what remains of representative democracy in America.

(This writer is the Chairman of Indian Federation of United Nations Associations, New Delhi)
As India and the United States revisit bilateral trade ties, the Modi government finds itself in a complex negotiation with President Donald Trumps administration. Reports suggest India is considering reducing tariffs on a range of American goods ~ almonds, walnuts, ap ples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents ~ following the visit of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to Washington.

Union Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal main tains that no final decision has been taken and that domestic interests are being protected. Yet, without an offi cial statement clarifying the details, speculation is filling the vacuum. Indian growers ~ especially apple producers in Himachal Pradesh and walnut farmers in Jammu and Kashmir ~ are voicing concerns.

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They fear that lower import duties on US goods will flood the market with chea per alternatives, depressing prices and jeopardising live lihoods already under strain. At the heart of these negotiations is the question: What is India getting in return? Many believe that the tariff reductions under discussion are tied to restoring Indias preferential trade status under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which President Trump revoked during his first term in 2019. But Mr Trumps return to the White House in 2025 signals a hardnosed, transactional approach.

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Unlike the Biden years, whe re diplomacy softened trade disagreements, Trump 2.0 is expected to demand more for less. The Modi govern  ment is walking a tight-rope. On the one hand, deeper tra de ties with Washington are crucial, especially with Chinas economic coercion and the global push for supply chain diversification. On the other, appearing to concede too much to Mr Trump risks domestic political backlash.

The world has seen how Mr Trump frames international trade negotiations. He emphasises eliminating what he calls unfair advantages enjoyed by trading partners and has a track record of abruptly imposing tariffs or revoking trade privileges if he deems it politically expedient. India cannot ignore the possibility that any agreement struck to day may be subject to sudden revisions tomorrow. New Delhi must, therefore, secure legally binding commitments ~ although even these can be upended by a mercurial President ~ and avoid over-reliance on goodwill or vague assurances. Otherwise, it risks being caught off guard by unilateral actions driven by Washingtons domestic political priorities. Moreover, New Delhi has to consider the broader geopolitical landscape. Mr Trumps America-First policy focuses on deals that benefit US producers and voters.

India needs to ensure that tariff concessions are balanced with tangible benefits ~ whether in technology transfers, market access for Indian exports, or strategic cooperation. Transparency is now more important than ever. The government cannot afford to keep citizens guessing. Stakeholders, especially those directly impacted, deserve clarity on how their interests are being safeguarded. Silence breeds distrust, and in a democracy, accountability to the people is paramount. For New Delhi, the challenge lies in negotiating with a Trump Administration that prioritises hard bargains, while reassuring domestic constituencies that Indias economic sovereignty is not up for sale. Only a clear and balanced strategy, communicated openly, can navigate these turbulent waters.
Many believe that Make in India is a new concept. But in reality, its roots go back to the Swadeshi Movement during the colonial era. The difference is that indigenous production against imperial interests was thoroughly discouraged. Later, in the 1970s, a similar vision of make in India was reinforced through import substitution policies. This policy directive aimed to reduce dependence on foreign goods and strengthen domestic industries. The initiative was, however, without a catchy slogan.

Behind the import substitution policy, the most potent driving force was the acute foreign exchange shortage. With limited reserves, India had little choice but to reduce dependence on imports and push for domestic production, even if it meant operating within a highly controlled and bureaucratic framework. Those were different times, marked by the rigid grip of the Licence Raj and stringent price controls. The economys commanding heights belonged to the government, with heavy industries under state ownership. For private enterprises, every installation of plant and machinery had to adhere strictly to the terms of their industrial license.

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Adding to this restrictive environment was the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act of 1969, a robust regulatory force designed to prevent economic concentration and curb monopolistic, restrictive, and unfair trade practices. While the objective of the MRTP was to ensure that manufacturers and traders did not get together and unduly increase prices monopolistically, the bureaucracy made it so stringent that large industries hesitated to document the proceedings of their collective discussions on solutions to their challenges.

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The minutes of the talks had to be drafted strategically. Thus, introduced to ensure fair competition, the MRTP soon became a tool to discourage large-scale investments and technological advancements by companies, reinforcing inefficiencies in the industrial sector. The act also limited foreign investment, as multinational corporations were subjected to stringent controls.

At that time, in national laboratories, researchers mainly pursued their academic interests using the governments resources. The government, therefore, pressurised the scientists to develop technologies for commercialisation and earn revenue for their respective institutions. The drive was to overcome shortages by applying those technologies. Licenses for setting up industries with those technologies were readily granted to the MSMEs. Unfortunately, the technologies developed at national laboratories were based on lab experiments, and most failed commercially.

As a result, there were acute shortages of basic chemicals and crucial intermediates for pharmaceuticals, dyestuffs, etc. Even in the face of a difficult situation in the supply chain, the License Raj and the MRTP conjugated to restrict production over installed capacity in large industries in the name of monopoly. The policies also aimed to cut luxury consumption. White goods remained in short supply, and a long waiting period to buy them led to black marketing. There was a premium on getting a two-wheeler; the waiting period often used to be two to three years for a car.

Once, I had the opportunity to talk to the CEO of an international water cooler of a more extraordinary brand. Most of those were lying inoperative wherever I went. So I asked him why the quality of his product was so poor. He said, my friend, you must wait two years to own that product. We have no spare time to improve our quality in the face of such demand. In these circumstances, there used to be a craze for smuggled imported goods. In the 1970s, I worked for an association of chemical manufacturers.

To encourage Indian entrepreneurs to produce basic chemicals and intermediates in the country, imports of most chemicals were either restricted or banned. The MSMEs that claimed to manufacture these items were unable to meet the requirements in terms of quantities and, most often, quality. There used to be tremendous problems in the supply chain as the local manufacturers were yet to perfect their technology and were facing teething problems. Our association represented chemical producers and those that used intermediate chemicals to manufacture dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other formulated products. I visited the emerging manufacturing capacity to vouch for what the manufacturers claimed.

My role also involved extensive interaction with industry leaders to assess supply chain issues and engagements with emerging MSME entrepreneurs to evaluate their manufacturing capacity and quality standards to balance demand and supply requirements. Based on these insights, the association made representations to the Director General for Technical Development, and our recommendations carried significant weight. There were, however, delays in implementing those recommendations.

The government had set up the National Research Development Corporation, the central agency to market the know-how developed at national laboratories, for which no takers existed. The CTO of the corporation was a couple of years senior to me at the IIT, Kharagpur. I knew him well, and he frankly told me that he himself was not confident about the outcome at the national laboratories. He had, however, been at the job since the Minister thought otherwise and had tremendous confidence in his skills to market technology. In this scenario, I found the Director of the National Chemical Laboratory at Poona, Dr B D Tilak, a down-to-earth person.

The forward-looking person that he was, he had established a pilot plant at the NCL to demonstrate the potential of commercialisation of technologies developed at his unit. He was instrumental in commercialising a few technologies for producing basic chemicals at Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd at Rasayani, near Bombay. His approach was transforming the laboratory. Historically, the NCL was established in 1950 to develop chemical technologies since a number of other laboratories were carrying out research in basic chemistry. However, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru invited Professor James McBain, a renowned Physical Chemist, to become its first Director (1950-52), followed by Professor George Finch, a reputed theoretical chemist (1952-57).

These two unconventional appointments ignored the candidature of Dr K Venkataraman, a father figure in the development of technology for the indigenous dyestuff industry. He was the Director of the University Department of Chemical Technology at Matunga, near Bombay. His appointment as the third Director set the path of the NCL on a different course. Dr. Venkataraman (19571966) redefined NCLs mandate, steering its focus toward applied research in organic chemistry and industrial applications. His successor, Dr. B. D. Tilak (19661978), further reinforced this vision, ensuring that NCLs research efforts were closely aligned with the needs of Indias emerging indigenous chemical industry. Their leadership transformed NCL into a pivotal institution supporting industrial growth through scientific innovation.

At that time, I was only half Dr. Tilaks age, yet my experience in working with chemical manufacturers made me a valued resource in his mission. He regularly sought my insights on enhancing the commercial potential of technologies under development at NCL and identifying prospective buyers for these innovations. What stood out most about him was his hands-on approach. He never hesitated to visit potential buyers, no matter how small their enterprises were. His dedication to bridging the gap between research and industry was genuinely remarkable.

With Sir Robert Robinson, Nobel Laureate and President of the Royal Society, and Professor R. B. Woodward, Nobel Laureate at Harvard University, Dr. Tilak (see photograph) had the privilege of engaging with some of the greatest minds in organic chemistry  an opportunity exceedingly rare in that era. As the Director of NCL, he had access to exceptional resources and the intellectual depth to make groundbreaking contributions to synthesising novel molecules. He could have secured his place among the worlds most renowned organic chemists had he pursued those avenues.

Yet, Dr Tilak chose a different path. He sacrificed personal ambition and prestige to serve the nation, dedicating himself to the growth of Indias chemical industry. His contributions laid the foundation for industrial research and technological selfreliance. Yet, his name remains unrecognised, beyond those who worked closely with him. Today, if I mention Bal Dattatreya Tilak, even the most accomplished academicians in chemistry might ask, Bal, who? (The writer is a chemist who specialised in research management.)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is ready to deploy British troops to Ukraine for a long period to maintain peace and deter a new Russian invasion, The Times reported on Monday.

According to the publication, London and its allies are considering sending up to 30,000 troops as part of a peacekeeping mission. Defense chiefs from the UK, France, Turkey, Canada and Australia will discuss deployment details at a meeting in London this week.

Starmer said British troops would remain in Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Starmer reportedly outlined plans for a Western peacekeeping force of more than 10,000 troops in Ukraine at a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the willing on Saturday. Senior government sources said the prime minister had secured the support of significantly more countries than the three that had initially offered to provide ground troops, although the bulk of the force is likely to come from the UK and France.

According to The Sunday Times, a military source said the final contingent will comfortably exceed 10,000. About 35 countries have agreed to provide weapons, logistics and intelligence support for the mission, which is being called a deterrent force. In the event of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, this should deter Vladimir Putin from another invasion.

Following a conference call on Saturday involving 29 leaders, Starmer announced that military leaders from around the world would gather in London this week as plans for a multinational peacekeeping force move into an operational phase. On Thursday, Defence Secretary John Healey will meet military chiefs at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, the UK's tri-service headquarters in Northwood, north-west London, where all overseas military operations are planned and overseen.

At a Downing Street press conference, Starmer said the world needs urgent action and that new commitments had been made to peacekeeping and tougher sanctions on Russia in a call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rejecting Putin's "yes, but" approach to Kiyv's proposed ceasefire, the prime minister said the Russian president would have to negotiate sooner or later.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Mauritius this week, I reminisced about my own recent sojourn to the island nation about which Mark Twain famously said that Mauritius was created first and then Heaven copied after it!

Located on the east coast of Africa, 702 miles east of Madagascar, mesmerising Mauritius is much more than its storied beaches, reefs and lagoons. The worlds best hotels? Check. World class gastronomy? Check. Adventure sports, museums, wildlife? Check, check.

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And so in between attending an international conference, and ticking off other official engagements, I also squeezed in time to visit some of its most important sites. Mauritius and India have a strong historical and ethnic connection. And nothing showcases this better than Aapravasi Ghat, a UNESCO heritage site located on the picturesque bay of Trou Fanfaron in the capital city Port Louis. This former immigration depot  also known as Coolie Depot  is where almost half a million Indian indentured labourers disembarked to work on the islands expansive sugar plantations between 1834 and 1920.

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The thriving sugar industry in Mauritius demanded great labour input- and the Indians were brought in by shiploads from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the southern provinces of colonial India. They came, clutching their belongings, travelling for days on rough seas to toil in a strange land and make it rich. The Ghat relives their poignant story in great detail.

I began by nipping up the flight of 14 steps which the first batch of 36 Indians took to after landing here on 2 November, 1834. The partial remains of three stone buildings from the original Aapravasi Ghat which still remain, although a bit dilapidated now. Theres also a museum showcasing documentation related to the labourers history and some artefacts.

Passing through Aapravasi Ghat, the labourers would either stay on in Mauritius to work as indentured labour in the sugar plantations or sail onward to destinations, such as Guyana, Suriname and Reunion Island for similar work, the guide informed me as I jotted notes and clicked the sites photos. The Indian immigrants journey across the Indian Ocean took eight to ten weeks. Once they landed here, the depot dealt with around 600 immigrants at a time.

The museum also records Mahatma Gandhis work on the abolition of slavery and his visit to Mauritius in 1901 on his way back to India from South Africa. A 10-minute film featuring the testimonials of the workers descendants makes for an engrossing watch. I next survey what remains of the sheds for housing of the immigrants, kitchens, lavatories, a building used as a hospital block.

Interestingly, Mauritius is the only country that has two UNESCO sites, one dedicated to resistance to slavery, Le Morne, and the other to indentured labour, the Aapravasi Ghat, the guide explained. The Ghat, she added, is the most important symbol of Indian identity in Mauritius as the ancestry of over 70 per cent of its population of 1.3 million can be traced back to India. Dominated by the Arabs, Dutch, English and French, the island was discovered by the Arabs and Malays in 1507. And today, all these nationalities make up the warp and weft of the rainbow nation.

Inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites in 2006, the Ghat represents, in the most sublime way, the triumph of the human spirit in the face of all odds. It stands as a monument to the memory of these valiant men and women. Their immense courage, will and perseverance have shaped the Mauritius of today, reads the Ministry of External Affairs website.

Indeed if more proof were needed of an inclusive and proud nation, at both the beautiful hotels I stayed at  Ravenala Attitude Hotel located on Turtle Bay and Shandrani Beachcomber Resort and Spa that nestles on a private peninsula near Blue Bay Marine Park I was serviced by a warm and welcoming multicultural and multilingual staff. Their ancestors hailed from countries as diverse as India, Mozambique, Madagascar, Surinam, Kenya, Tanzania and more, they told me.

What such diversity and multiculturalism bring to the table  in a world roiled by class divides and inequity  is priceless. It made me realise what makes Mauritius so special. Of course, it was also waking up to a soundscape of ocean waves and birdsong; the healthy juice shots at breakfasts, delicious meals curated by talented chefs; the whiff of lemongrass from icy cold towels, fresh coconuts brought by smiling waiters, expertly sliced open and delicately carved to hold a bamboo straw. Mauritius was all this and more!

The writer is a Delhi-based editor and journalist
The newspaper industry in north-east India (NE) continues to face enormous troubles in its survival. The rapid growth of digital media, thanks to the limitations faced by newspapers in reaching remote locations with native languages, has already posed a serious challenge for traditional media house owners. The Covid-19 pandemic made the situation more complicated causing a drastic fall in circulation and readership of all newspapers across the isolated region. Some prominent media houses have already ceased publications or sold their ownership. The remaining media groups now solely depend on government advertisement revenues, which also come with many inherent conditions. Amidst all troubles, the region with eight States comprising 60 million population nurtures hundreds of newspapers in different languages including English, Hindi, Asomiya, Bengali, Mizo, Manipuri, Khasi, Bodo, Karbi, etc.

As a nation, India supports nearly 100,000 publications (endorsed by the Registrar of Newspapers for India) in various frequencies and languages. The largest democracy on the globe with its billion-plus population also supports nearly 400 satellite news channels along with thousands of portals, WhatsApp channels, and other digital outlets. The revenues collected (from both selling and advertisements) by Indian newspapers, and periodicals including magazines witnessed a shrinking trend after the pandemic, when other media spaces started dominating the financial market space. However, many print observers believe that the print media will slowly recover from its abrupt loss. Resurgence in readership is expected as digital fatigue drives consumers will soon turn back to traditional media for reliable information. They argue that the print media outlets will increase the number of readers up to 200 by 2029 in India. The cumulative revenues are projected to reach US$ 3.01 billion this year and the probable market volume will be increased to US$ 3.20 billion by 2029.

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Expecting a favourable market response from the print media outlets, the north-eastern journalist fraternity now demands that the Press Council of India (PCI), which is assigned to safeguard the freedom of the press, should be empowered urgently. Recently, the Journalists Forum Assam (JFA) raised the issue of enhancing the PCI with the inclusion of television channels, radio and digital platforms under its jurisdiction. Needless to mention, the PCI enjoys limited power for enforcing guidelines and even it cannot penalise the newspapers, news agencies as well as the concerned editors and working journalists for violation of the prescribed guidelines. In a simple line, the PCI can only overview the functioning of newspapers and periodicals. The JFA pointed out that over 300 digital media outlets are functioning in Assam (it will be over 500 across NE) and the journalists working for these entities need to have clear guidelines about appropriate media practices (as well as legal penalties, which may be slapped in cases of the violations).

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But it may be astonishing for many that the countrys statutory and quasi-judicial body PCI, which is assigned to safeguard the freedom of the press, remains non-functional for five months. Even after the term of the 14th Press Council expired on 5 October 2024, no pragmatic initiative has been taken to constitute the 15th Council of PCI. Needless to mention its an autonomous body, which was initially set up in 1966 under the Press Council Act 1965 and later re-established in 1979 following the Press Council Act 1978 with a primary objective to ensure press freedom and also improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the south Asian nation. The council enjoys a three-year term and the continuity broke last year as the chairperson did not initiate to constitute a new council on time. Terming the delay in the constitution of a new council as surprising, various media bodies urged the concerned authorities to do the needful at the earliest date.

The issue was brought to light by the Mumbai Press Club (MPC) alleging that at the core of the crisis was an attempt to oust two important and active journalist bodies (namely MPC and Editors Guild of India) from their representation. The MPC also wrote a letter to Union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaisnav requesting his intervention. It is indeed surprising that the process of reconstitution of the 15th Press Council, which was started way back on 9 June 2024 with advertisements inviting press bodies to apply for inclusion as representative organisations, is yet to be concluded. Though 8 months have passed, there is still no sign of a functioning Press Council, said an MPC statement.

The PCI comprises a chairman (by convention a retired Supreme Court judge is assigned) and 28 members where 13 individuals represent the professional journalists out of whom 6 need to be editors of newspapers and 7 working journalists. Another 6 members represent the management of newspapers (including the owners), 2 each taken from the big, medium and small newspapers, whereas 1 member represents the news agencies. Two houses of the Indian Parliament send 5 members, and 3 individuals are nominated by the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Academy from the fields of education, law and literature respectively.

Days back, the Press Club of Assam (PCA) also expressed worries that the PCI remains elope for all these months. As the PCI discharges its functions primarily through adjudications on complaints received against a particular newspaper/news agency or an editor/working journalist alleging professional misconduct deteriorating the standard of journalistic behaviours, it needs to be in an alert mode always, stated a PCA release. As the PCI enjoys the authority to make observations if the conduct of the government is also found not inappropriate regarding the guaranteed freedom of the press, the council should be reactivated, added the PCA statement. Otherwise, the media industry in the worlds largest democracy (precisely in NE) will face the harrowing task of balancing pure news content in availing government advertisements with secret conditions.

The writer is a Guwahati-based special representative of The Statesman
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stressed the importance of the United States involvement in achieving peace in Ukraine.

Following the Coalition of willing virtual meeting hosted by the United Kingdom, Ishiba stated that the diplomatic efforts by countries including Europe and the United States are tirelessly ongoing to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and Japan welcomes these efforts.

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According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ishiba issued a written message for the Summit Meeting on Ukraine, which was hosted by the UK. He appreciated the efforts towards achieving peace.

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We can never tolerate unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force like Russias aggression against Ukraine anywhere in the world. With this in mind, Japan has worked closely together with Europe, PM Ishiba stated.

We need to bear in mind that the peace to be achieved in Ukraine can impact not only Europe but also global security, including the Indo-Pacific region. We must work together to ensure that the situation does not lead to the drawing of the wrong precedent. We continuously need the US involvement, the ministry statement added, quoting the PM.

Ishiba stated that Japan is committed to work on strengthening Ukraines economic and social resilience. He assured to continue assisting in the recovery and reconstruction through public-private partnership assistance from a medium to long-term perspective.

He expressed hope that the coalition of willing virtual meeting will serve as a further step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, the statement reads.

Earlier this week, during Japans participation in the Group of 7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Canada, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Iwaya Takeshi, welcomed the efforts for peace by the US and European countries.

He pointed out that the way of peace in Ukraine affects not only Europe but the entire international order, including the Indo-Pacific region, and that they must not allow a situation to arise from which wrong precedents can be drawn, the ministry statement added.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya also pointed out the achievement of a framework for lasting peace and the importance of the involvement of the United States and the united efforts of the G7, and stated that Japan is ready to make an affirmative contribution.

He said that Japan would like to contribute to improving Ukraines resilience, which is essential for a lasting peace, by assisting in the recovery and reconstruction through a public-private partnership, the statement added.
In a growing political fissure and conflicting stances, the coalition partner of the ruling Pakistani government, the Pakistan Peoples Partys (PPP) Sindh Council, on Saturday rejected the Centres plan to build six new canals on the Indus River.

It warned that Sindh would not accept any new canal project in the Indus River system, local media reported.

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The Sindh chapter of the PPP demanded that the federal government withdraw the plan and convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address the provinces concerns.

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At a meeting of its Sindh Council, the ruling party in the province warned that Sindh would not accept any new canal project under the Indus River System, the leading Pakistani newspaper, Dawn, reported.

The PPPs Sindh Council meeting was held at the Chief Minister House and chaired by the party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. At the meeting, Bilawal reiterated the PPPs stance against any new canal project on the Indus River.

He expressed support for resolutions passed by the PPPs Sindh Council opposing the federal governments proposed canals, emphasising that the party had always raised its voice against the projects that threatened Sindhs water rights, local media reported.

Earlier this week, rejecting Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardaris speech in a joint session of parliament on the construction of six new canals, the Save Indus River Movement (SIRM) slammed Zardari for allegedly approving the canal projects.

The SIRM leaders at a press conference later demanded that the PPP quit the federal government.

Protests erupted in the Sindh province of Pakistan against the construction of canals on the River Indus, with echoing demands to let the water flow.

Protests and rallies taken out across the province saw an unusually wider participation of the people, who called for an end to the project of building six more canals on the river, reports the leading Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune.

Pakistan has witnessed a series of protests in recent days, with citizens raising their voices against what they describe as anti-people policies and violation of Sindhs rights.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon praised the Indian community in his country on Monday for its significant role in shaping the island nations progress.

His remarks came during his five-day official visit to India, marking the first visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister in nine years since former PM John Key.

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Luxon arrived in Delhi on Sunday and was warmly received by Union Minister of State S.P. Singh Baghel. Members of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand also accompanied him during his arrival.

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Expressing his admiration for the community, he posted on X, The Indian community is the third-largest ethnic group in New Zealand. India is our largest source of skilled migrants and our second-largest source of international students.

He further acknowledged their contributions, stating, Indian-Kiwis make a massive contribution to New Zealand, and Im proud of what this community does for our country.

Highlighting the importance of this visit, Luxon mentioned that he has brought along a high-level delegation comprising community and business leaders, calling it the largest-ever group to accompany a New Zealand Prime Minister on a foreign trip.

Among the prominent figures accompanying him are former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, former National Party MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, business leader Rajna Patel, Sudima Hotels CEO Sudesh Jhunjhunwala, India New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) chair Bharat Chawla, Waitakere Indian Association president Sunil Kaushal, and Wellington Indian Association president Manisha Morar.

The participation of these community leaders highlights the importance of connections between individuals, promoting more profound cultural interaction and enhancing the partnership between the two countries.

Luxon is also scheduled to attend the inaugural session of the 10th Raisina Dialogue 2025 in Delhi on March 17 as the chief guest, where he will deliver the keynote address along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following this, he will travel to Mumbai on March 19-20 for discussions with Indian business leaders and representatives from various industries. His visit will conclude on March 20, when he departs for Wellington.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the visit as a reaffirmation of the longstanding and enduring ties between India and New Zealand.

The statement stressed the commitment of both nations to strengthening bilateral relations across diverse sectors and further deepening people-to-people connections.

In February, Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan met Luxon to explore new avenues for cooperation while reaffirming Indias dedication to elevating the partnership.

Over the past year, Luxon and PM Modi have engaged on multiple occasions, including a meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos in October 2024, as well as a telephonic conversation in July 2024.

India and New Zealand share historically close ties, driven by mutual interests in trade, education, culture, research, and innovation. Despite the geographical distance, both countries have developed a strong partnership, with the Indian diaspora in New Zealand playing a crucial role in fostering cultural and economic cooperation.
Russia calls the statement by the United Kingdom and the European Union countries about moving to the operational phase of sending troops of the coalition of the willing to Ukraine a bluff since it was conditioned on the provision of security guarantees by the United States, local media reported.

The statement about the operational details of introducing occupation troops into the post-Ukrainian space from the lips of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is essentially a bluff because he immediately stipulates that this is possible only with the support of the United States, said Chairman of the Russian Civic Chamber Vladimir Rogov.

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Rogov stated that the introduction of third-country contingents into Ukraine would be illegal and would be contrary to the interests of security and the establishment of long-term peace, state-run media agency TASS reported on Sunday.

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I am convinced that the appearance of British, German, French and other foreign troops will make them a priority target for our army since they cannot have any legal mandate to operate in this territory, the official added.

Meanwhile, the top US and Russian diplomats discussed on Saturday the next steps to end the war in Ukraine, hours after Ukraines allies agreed to exert pressure on Moscow.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a call on Saturday. Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia, US Department of State spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.

Britain hosted a virtual meeting with more than 25 political leaders on Saturday. At a press conference after the virtual meeting, when asked whether any concrete commitments emerged from it, British PM Keir Starmer said the meeting had helped build political and military momentum, with participating countries agreeing to increase collective pressure on Russia.

However, he stopped short of disclosing what specific measures would be taken at the operational phase.

Starmer reaffirmed Britains willingness to take a leading role in the coalition of the willing, a post-conflict arrangement that he announced two weeks ago during a London Summit.

He said Britain is willing to deploy troops on the ground and aircraft in the sky. However, he did not specify how other nations would contribute to the coalition.

Joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders from Canada, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union, Starmer urged Russia to come to the table to negotiate a deal.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier said that the presence of NATO troops under any flag and in any capacity on Ukrainian soil is a threat to Russia. Russia will not accept this under any circumstances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference on March 13 following talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko that Moscow agrees with proposals to end hostilities in Ukraine, but they must lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the crisis, TASS reported.
President Donald Trump has shared Prime Minister Narendra Modis podcast with US-based podcaster Lex Fridman, in which the PM commended the leadership of the American president, on his social media platform Truth Social.

During the three-hour conversation, Modi spoke about his camaraderie with President Trump, emphasizing their mutual trust and commitment to prioritizing their national interests.

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He lauded Trumps humility and noted that the American leader appeared far more prepared for a second term compared to his first.

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PM Modi praised President Trumps unwavering dedication to the US, highlighting his resilience even after the recent assassination attempt.

Even after being shot, he remained unwaveringly dedicated to America. His life was for his nation. This showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in nation first  Bharat first, PM Modi said.

He recalled Mr Trumps gesture at the Howdy Modi event in 2019, where he chose to sit in the audience, calling it a testament to his humility. PM Modi further expressed admiration for Trumps clarity of vision and well-defined roadmap for a potential second term.

Reflecting on his visit to the White House, the PM noted how Trump broke protocol by personally guiding him on a tour of the presidential residence. Despite not having met in person for years, he emphasised that their communication and trust remained strong.

When asked about Trumps past comment that PM Modi is a better negotiator, Mr Modi attributed it to the US Presidents graciousness and humility.

He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals, he said, adding that his own approach to negotiations is always driven by Indias interests.
US President Donald Trump Monday said that he will speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (March 18) as part of his efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Ill be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

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The US president said that he thinks there is a very good chance to bring an end to the war that has been going on for three years now.

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We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance, he added.

The development comes days after Ukraine accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposal discussed with the US in Jeddah earlier this month.

The US ceasefire plan pauses hostilities for 30 days and paves the way for a peace agreement.

However, Yuri Ushakov, a top aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is also part of the team that has been negotiating with the US, has rejected the proposal.

He said the 30-day cease-fire would allow Ukraines forces time to regroup.

Ushakov also conveyed Moscows opposition to the temporary ceasefire to the US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on a phone call.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/kallaskaja/

EU High Representative Kaja Kallas hopes to move quickly with the EUR 40 billion military support initiative for Ukraine, which has broad support among EU member states.

She said this in Brussels on Monday following the meeting of the European Council on Foreign Affairs.

First on Ukraine, there is broad political support for defence initiative of EUR 40 billion. Of course, right now the discussion is in the details, the High Representative said.

She recalled that at the European Council the leaders instructed to move swiftly with this initiative. We have done some more work on this, so hopefully we'll be able to really move on, because everybody understood around the table that we should really show our resolve right now and support Ukraine so that they can defend themselves, Kallas explained.

According to her, the foreign ministers of the EU member states also discussed the results of the negotiations between Ukraine and the United States in Jeddah. Everybody welcomed the results of the Jeddah talks, and now, of course, the ball is in Russia's court, and what we see right now that Russia doesn't really want peace, and also what was understanding around the table is that Russia can't really be trusted. So, they will seize this opportunity to present all kinds of demands, and what we already see, they are presenting demands that are their ultimate goals, so let's see how this develops further, the High Representative explained.
Raising concerns over the fate of IDBI Banks 20,000 employees, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Monday questioned the governments push for privatisation during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.



I stand here to raise the issue of IDBI Bank, Sule said. When Jaswant Singh ji was the Finance Minister, he had promised that it would never be privatised and that 51 per cent would remain with our government. And today, we are reading in the newspapers that LIC has taken many shares of IDBI Bank. If those shares are sold in the market, then 61 per cent of IDBI Bank will go into private hands.

The governments move to privatise IDBI Bank marks the largest strategic sale in Indias banking and financial services sector. In January 2023, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) invited expressions of interest (EOIs) for the sale of 60.72 per cent of the bank30.48 per cent from the government and 30.24 per cent from LIC.

Among the bidders are Fairfax India Holdings, Emirates NBD, and Kotak Mahindra Bank. With the financial bidding process expected to conclude by May-June, concerns have intensified over the future of IDBI Banks employees. All the officers and 20,000 employees of IDBI are demanding that this privatisation should not happen, Sule said. The banks NPA has come down drastically, and it is running very well. Why sell it now? The government should let it continue as it is.

The government is reportedly expecting a premium over the current market price, with the 60.72 per cent stake valued at approximately 47,400 crore. Officials believe the deal could be the second-largest in Indias corporate history after Walmarts $16 billion acquisition of Flipkart. However, the move has triggered widespread protests, particularly from IDBI employees, nearly half of whom belong to reserved categories.

According to data, the banks workforce includes 6,0008,000 employees from SC/ST communities, 4,000 from OBC backgrounds, and 485 physically challenged staff members.

In 2016, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal openly opposed IDBI Banks sale, arguing that it should remain in the public sector. That same year, Balbhadra Majhi, a BJP MP from Nabarangpur, had also spoken against privatisation.

In January, the All India IDBI Officers Association held demonstrations, including protests at Jantar Mantar, against this move that led to a 9 per cent drop in the banks stock price. The association has also sought the support of 25 Members of Parliament across party lines.

With the IDBI sale poised to be the biggest privatisation since Air India, the government has remained tight-lipped about its expected returns.

Meanwhile, Sules speech in the Lok Sabha highlighted the oppositions commitment to ensuring that the issue is not allowed to die down easily in the coming months.
Delegations from 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand) and eight dialogue partners (Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, the US and Russia) will take part in the two-day ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter-Terrorism meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.

India and Malaysia will co-chair the meeting. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh will deliver the keynote address during the opening ceremony on Wednesday.

The ADMM-Plus works as a platform for ensuring cooperation among the defence establishments of the participating countries.

It currently focuses on seven areas of practical cooperation: counter-terrorism, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster management, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian mine action and cyber security.

ALSO READ: The F-35 'kill switch' myth: Can US remotely cripple or control the stealth fighters that it is pitching to India?

The meeting seeks to share the on-ground experience of the defence forces of ASEAN and its dialogue partners. It will lay the foundation for the activities, exercises, seminars and workshop planned for the next three years.

This year's meeting will focus on evolving a robust and comprehensive strategy designed to tackle the evolving threat of terrorism and extremism.

The co-chairs are responsible for laying down the objectives, policy guidelines and directions for the EWG for the three-year cycle at the beginning of the chairmanship, having regular EWG meetings and an exercise for all member nations in the third year to test the progress made in practical cooperation during the three-year cycle.
Amid the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and Canada and US President Donald Trump's threat to make Canada the 51st state, Canada is said to be reviewing its plan to purchase the fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet of American defence major Lockheed Martin to replace the aging fleet of CF-18 Hornets of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

While the C$19 billion ($13.2 billion) contract to procure 88 F-35 fighter jets, announced two years ago, hasn't been cancelled yet, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney asked Defence Minister Bill Blair to review the purchase order to see if there are any other options.

Canadian defence ministry press secretary Laurent de Casanove said the PM asked the defence minister to determine if the F-35 contract, as it stands, is the best investment for Canada, and if there are other options that could better meet Canadas needs."

ALSO READ: The F-35 'kill switch' myth: Can US remotely cripple or control the stealth fighters that it is pitching to India?

To be clear, the F-35 contract has not been canceled, but we need to do our homework given the changing environment and make sure that the contract in its current form is in the best interests of Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces, he added.

So, what are Canada's options?

A close contender for the warplane deal with Canada was Saab AB and the company's Gripen fighter jet was seen as a possible alternative for F-35. Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft known for its agility and advanced avionics. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, it is capable of performing a wide range of air-to-air, air-to-surface and reconnaissance missions. Given the strong bilateral relations that Canada and Sweden enjoy, and the fact that Gripen fighter jets came a close second in the deal make it a possible option for Canada.

Besides, there are indications that Blair was referring to the Swedish firm's proposal when he said, "The prime minister has asked me to go and examine those things and have discussions with other sources, particularly where there may be opportunities to assemble those fighter jets in Canada."

The 4.5th-generation ((or 4.5+ if one is to go by the latest version) twin-engine, multi-role fighter aircraft Dassault Rafale with its "outstanding load-carrying capability and its advanced mission system" could be another possible option that Canada can consider to replace the CF-18 Hornet jets. The combat-proven Rafale, already being exported to seven countries, including India, is being billed as an "omnirole" fighter because of its ability to perform several actionsair-to-ground strikes, air-to-air attacks and interceptions during the same sortieat the same time.

There is also the option to replace CF-18 Hornets with the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, which according to the company can perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defences, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. The transition from CF-18 Hornets to F/A-18 Super Hornet would also be easier, according to defence website armyrecognition.

Then there is Eurofighter Typhoon, developed by a consortium of European companies, including Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, and known for its advanced avionics, exceptional maneuverability, and versatility in both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. Its sensors give the pilot an unparalleled situational awareness, seamlessly integrating data and updating the battle space picture for actionable intelligence, according to the company.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin had said the company values its strong history with Canada's air force and the questions about Canadas procurement of the F-35 are best addressed by the Canadian and US governments.
India and Australia discussed cooperation priorities, including maritime domain awareness, mutual information sharing, industry and science and technology collaboration and joint exercises and exchanges, including deployments from each others territories, during the ninth edition of India-Australia defence policy talks held on Monday.

The Indian delegation, headed by joint secretary Amitabh Prasad, and the Australian side, led by first assistant secretary, international policy division, the country's department of defence Bernard Philip, exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Both sides welcomed sustained progress in bilateral defence cooperation, including the increased frequency and complexity of defence exercises and exchanges.

ALSO READ: ASEAN member countries to hold two-day meeting from Wednesday to strengthen counter-terror cooperation

The meeting reviewed defence outcomes of second ministerial foreign and defence ministers 2+2 in November 2023, inter-sessional 2+2 consultations at secretary-level in October 2024 and the second annual leaders summit in November 2024, the defence ministry stated in a release.

India and Australia agreed on priorities and preparations for the next 2+2 ministerial dialogue to be held in Australia later this year.

Both countries also explored the possibilities of defence industry collaboration and agreed to further deepen cooperation and interoperability across maritime, land and air domains, including working with multilateral partners.

As part of the visit, the Australian delegation will visit Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai. The Australian co-chair will call on defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Tuesday.
Less than a year ago, Sean Baker premiered a film about an American sex worker tying the knot with the son of a Russian oligarch at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Palme dOr. Earlier this month, that same film bagged the top prize at the Oscars  the Academy Award for Best Picture. Now, the comedy-drama film will make its OTT debut.

Streaming platform JioHotstar has announced that Bakers Anora will start streaming from today (March 17). Anora is available to view in English and Hindi. This marks an exciting opportunity for those who want to see what all the buzz is about surrounding the movie that earned the industrys top honours.







About Anora

Anora follows the title character, a Brooklyn-based sex worker, who, initially hired by Ivan "Vanya" Zakharov, the son of a wealthy Russian businessman, later elopes with him. When his parents find out, they are shocked and try to put an end to their union.

The film stars Mikey Madison in the lead role, alongside Mark Eydelshteyn as Vanya, with a supporting cast of Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, and Aleksei Serebryakov.

Anora at the awards

The Sean Baker directorial was the talk of the town during awards season. Being a top contender since winning the Palme dOr, it gained several wins and nominations  the BAFTAs (2 wins, 7 nominations), Golden Globe Awards (5 nominations), Critics Choice Awards (1 win, 7 nominations), and Screen Actors Guild Awards (3 nominations).

ALSO READ | OPINION | Why 'Anora' winning Best Picture makes more sense

Their greatest achievement came at the Oscars, where they clinched five coveted golden statues out of their six nominations. Aside from Best Film, the movie also won Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing  Sean Baker displayed a strong Type-A personality as he served as the producer, director, writer, and editor of the film.
The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Delhi government and issued notice to the states home secretary for inordinate delay in deciding the remission of the convict in the Nitish Katara case. The top court rapped the Delhi government for not even explaining why it required an extension of time in the matter.

Hearing a remission plea by Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan, the convict in the Nitish Katara murder case, the Supreme Court observed that the Delhi government never complies with the orders of the Supreme Court regarding remission without extension. A bench comprising Justices Abhay Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan observed, You don't even have the show the courtesy to apply for an extension of time. You make a solemn statement that you will decide within two weeks and your Sentence Review Board (SRB) has not considered it, Live Law reported.

Nitish Katara murder case | Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Principal Secretary, Home Department, of Delhi government for not deciding remission plea of Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan.



Supreme Court asks the Principal Secretary to explain why contempt proceedings should  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

The Supreme Court, hearing the matter earlier this month, directed the Delhi government to decide on the matter within two weeks.

Lashing out at the Delhi government, the bench said, Is there a rule with the Delhi government that whenever the Supreme Court passes an order to decide a case it will not be decided within the time? the publication reported. Delhi governments counsel argued that complainants in the case had to be heard before granting remission and they have written to SRB that they are facing threats from the convict. The counsel added the SRB is meeting at 3.30pm on Monday and a decision will be taken.

Issuing a contempt notice against Delhis home secretary, the bench said in its order, The state government has not shown elementary courtesy of even making an explanation application for grant of extension of time. We therefore issue notice to the Principal Secretary of the Home Department of Delhi government calling upon him to showcase why action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 should not be initiated against him. The Court asked the secretary to respond to the notice by March 28 and appear virtually during the next hearing.
A resolution moved by the AIADMK in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday against Speaker M. Appavu was defeated by 91 votes. With a total of 154 votes polled against the motion and 63 votes in its favour, the resolution moved by the AIADMK failed.

However, the resolution against the speaker got together the expelled AIADMK leaders including former chief minister O. Panneerselvam and former minister K.A. Sengottaiyan who have been at war with the party leadership for the past few weeks.

AIADMK legislators who contested and won in the two-leaves symbol stood for the motion, while three of the AIADMK MLAs including former speaker P. Dhanapal were absent. The BJP legislators including Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, too, were absent as the party is protesting against the TASMAC scam allegedly unearthed by the Enforcement Directorate.

The DMK and its allies including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK), Tamilaga Vazhurimai Katchi, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi voted against the resolution, while Handlooms and Textiles minister R. Gandhi was absent in the assembly.

The resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Appavu was moved by AIADMKs deputy floor leader R.B. Udhayakumar under the Assembly Rule number 68. A voice vote was called by Deputy Speaker K. Pichandi. As opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami insisted on a division voting method, the votes cast by the members supporting and opposing the resolution were counted by dividing the House into six units. The doors of the house were closed before the division. The resolution was defeated in the House after division voting.

The resolution was moved in January during the assembly session convened to debate the governors address. The resolution was taken up on the first day of debate and discussion on the budget. Speaking on the resolution Palaniswami condemned the Speaker saying that his acts were one-sided and that he had failed to hold the decorum of the house. He also said that it took two years for the Speaker to recognise Udhayakumar as the deputy opposition leader of the house, even when he was elected by the AIADMK legislators in 2022. He condemned the Speaker and the DMK for not live-telecasting the proceedings of the house. Stating that the speaker has been preventing the opposition from getting proper replies from the treasury benches, he said, as the main opposition party, we raise peoples issues and face a lot of intervention from the Speaker himself.

Supporting Appavu, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said that the opposition moved the resolution in the house to divert the attention from the inner bickering within the party. I feel happy when ministers tell me that the Speaker deals with the ruling party members in a firm manner, Stalin said.

Stating that he had once expressed regret for moving a resolution against Palaniswami in 2017, which led to stormy proceedings in the House, Stalin said that the present resolution has provided an opportunity to know about the proceedings of the Houses in the past and the act of the then Speaker, who failed to respect democracy.
Bijapur MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal has courted a controversy and sparked outrage following his remarks about Kannada actress Ranya Rao who is in police custody in a gold smuggling case.

Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru airport with gold bars weighing 14.2 kg, which were hidden in her clothing while flying from Dubai. The foreign-origin gold bars are worth Rs 12.56 crore. Reports have suggested that she received help of her stepfather and DGP K Ramachandra Rao.

VIDEO | Bengaluru: BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, says, "Will name all the ministers involved in this case in the Assembly session. I have gathered complete information about her relationships, who helped her obtain security, and how the gold pic.twitter.com/DF64D0RnNW  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 17, 2025

Yatnal claimed there were lapses by customs officials, adding that Ranya Rao "had gold all over her body, hiding it wherever she has holes."

Vowing to expose the ministers who are involved in smuggling in the next Assembly session, Yatnal said he has detail about them.

"I have collected complete information about her connections, who helped her secure security clearance, and how the gold was smuggled. I will expose everything in the session," he said.

This comes after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed allegations about involvement of ministers.

Yatnal, in 2023, called former Congress President Sonia Gandhi "vishakanya", following which the election panel sent him a notice.

In 2020, Yatnal endorsed the termination of wedding scheme for poor women in minority communities, saying "those wanting the scheme can go to Pakistan."

BJP had in December 2024 issued a show-cause notice to Yatnal for public remarks against the state leadership of the party.
The BJP on Sunday announced the candidates of Sandeep Joshi, Sanjay Kenekar and Dadarao Keche for the March 27 byelections to five seats in the state legislative council. But, the BJP's choice of candidates and snub of senior leader and spokesperson Madhav Bhandari has caught the eye.

Bhandari's son Chinmay Bhandari took to social media to express his displeasure. "My father joined the Jana Sangh, which later became the BJP. In these 50 years, he has helped build organisations in various parts of Maharashtra," Chinmay wrote, stating how he hoped his father would be rewarded in the last stages of his career.

The talk in the political circles is that the list reflects the interest of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Joshi, a former Nagpur Mayor, is a close aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Though there were speculations that he would be fielded from Nagpur West in the recent Assembly elections, the BJP did not include him. By fielding him now, Fadnavis has offered him another chance to stay relevant.

Maharashtra | BJP releases the list of candidates for bye-election to the Legislative Council



Bye-election on five seats of the legislative council is due in Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/Mpg9lPQcsq  Lok Poll (@LokPoll) March 16, 2025

Kenekar is the general secretary of the party's state unit and has established himself as the prominent face of BJP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

As for Dadarao Keche, he is said to have been nominated by Fadnavis as a reward for leaving the Arvi Assembly seat for Sumit Wankhede, CM's OSD, in the 2024 Assembly elections. Though Keche rebelled against the decision, he was pacified by the central leadership, including Amit Shah. Fadnavis reportedly promised Keche the MLC seat then and has not delivered.

NCP, Shiv Sena list today

With the deadline for filing nominations for byelections to the state legislative council ending on Monday, the NCP has reportedly shortlisted three candidates. Though there are too many aspirants, rumours are that the party may choose former Bandra East MLA Zeeshan Siddiqi.

Zeeshan, son of slain NCP leader Baba Siddique, candidature was reportedly discussed in the NCP core committee meeting held last week. The Bandra MLA's name was pushed by senior leader Praful Patel who aided in Zeeshan's father Baba Siddique's entry to the party. Patel had promised Baba a seat in MLC and now wants Zeeshan in the role. However, reports are that Ajit Pawar is not too convinced about his candidature as he believes Rajesh Vitekar from Parbhani is a better candidate as he is from Marathwada. There are also opinions that the candidate should be from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The other names doing rounds are Umesh Patil (Solapur) and Sanjay Daund (Beed).

As for Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, former MLC Chandrakant Raghuwanshi (Nandurbar) is a possible name. Other potential candidates in the fray include BMC corporator Sheetal Mhatre and Kiran Pandav from Nagpur.
Sybiha: Were working to attract global support for our diplomatic efforts, in particular from countries in Indo-Pacific region

Photo: MFA of Ukraine

Ukraine has made significant steps towards peace and is working to attract global support for its diplomatic efforts, particularly from countries in the Indo-Pacific region, said Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who is visiting India.

"Ukraine has recently made significant steps towards peace, and we are working to attract global support for our diplomatic efforts, in particular from the countries of the Indo-Pacific region," Sybiha wrote on the social network X, noting that it was a great honor for him to participate in the 10th anniversary of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.

"I congratulate my Indian colleague Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on his wonderful organization," Sybiha wrote.

He stressed that this influential international platform reflects India's growing global role as well as its remarkable technological, economic and political progress.

"The Raisina Dialogue is a great opportunity to meet with colleagues from the Indo-Pacific region and strengthen Ukraine's ties with the region. Growing cooperation between Russia, North Korea and Iran demonstrates how the security of Europe and Asia is now inextricably linked. We must confront security challenges together," the minister stressed.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that from March 17 to March 19, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will make a working visit to the Republic of India.

Bilateral talks between the Ukrainian Foreign Minister and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and other Indian officials are planned in New Delhi.

The main purpose of the visit will be the ministers participation in one of Asias largest geopolitical forums, the Raisina Dialogue.

On the sidelines of the conference, bilateral meetings between Sybiha and heads of foreign policy departments of a number of countries in South and Southeast Asia and Africa are planned.

As part of the visit, the minister will also visit Mumbai, where he will hold a number of meetings with the aim of expanding interregional economic cooperation between Ukraine and India, and will participate as the main guest of a special Ukrainian-Indian business forum.
Polish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski expressed gratitude on Poland's behalf for Prime Minister Modi's constructive role in avoiding a potential nuclear war amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The revelation came when Bartoszewski, who was in New Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue, spoke to CNN-News18. "We had a great visit of PM Modi to Warsaw," he said, adding that the Prime Minister convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin against using tactical nuclear weapons.

#WATCH | Delhi: On Raisina Dialogue 2025, Poland Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski, says, "It's my 3rd time at the Raisina and it's a fantastic conference. The most important international relations conference in Asia... It's not an pic.twitter.com/lJUER9QAUn  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

"We want permanent peace. We want stable and sustainable peace in Ukraine," Bartoszewski told the outlet. He added that Poland is prepared to support Ukraine with militarily and for peacekeeping operations.

This comes amid PM Modi's interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman, in which he revealed about his close relationship with Moscow and Kyiv.

"I can sit with President Putin and say it's not the time for war. I can tell President Zelenskyy in a friendly way that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield."

Modi said Ukraine's discussions should be with Russia and not its allied in Europe and America. He said at present, Ukraine and Russia have an opportunity for "meaningful and productive talks", adding that a resolution will happen only if they come to the negotiating table.
The Supreme Court on Monday disposed off a plea moved by the parents of the victim in the Kolkata trainee doctor rape and murder case, seeking a reinvestigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The top court said the parents were free to approach the Calcutta High Court.

Hearing the suo motu case taken in the wake of the incident in West Bengal, a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna disposed off the parents plea seeking a reinvestigation of the case and said they were free to approach the Calcutta High Court. The victims parents were present in court during the proceedings. Without making comments, we dispose of the application observing that the applicant is at liberty to pursue the proceedings before the High Court, Live Law reported quoting the bench.

RG Kar rape and murder case | Supreme Court disposes of victim's parents plea seeking fresh CBI investigation in the rape and murder case which took place at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.



CJI Sanjiv Khanna led bench observed that the applicants (victims  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

In January, the Sealdah court in Kolkata convicted Sanjay Roy, the sole accused in the case, to imprisonment till death for the rape and murder of the young trainee doctor at the hospital premises. The victim was found dead at the seminar hall on the third floor of the hospital on August 9, 2024. Kolkata police soon arrested Roy, who was working as a civic volunteer at the hospital. The incident led to widespread protests in West Bengal with junior doctors boycotting duty for weeks.

The CBI which took over the probe in the case also concluded Sanjay Roy was the sole accused in the case. The central agency later approached the Calcutta High Court against the trial courts order and sought the death penalty for the convict. The parents also sought further probe arguing staff at the hospital, who were present on the third floor at the time of the incident were not interrogated by the agency.

Separately, the Enforcement Directorate is also probing financial irregularities at the institution and has arrested former principal Sandip Ghosh in connection with the case.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance is operating recklessly, with internal conflicts among ministers, and power-hungry individuals occupying positions of authority. This is a government-run by gangs, much like Gangs of Wasseypur, and it is the people who are paying the price, said Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshvardhan Sapkal.

Speaking at a press conference in Ratnagiri, Sapkal strongly criticized the BJP-led alliance government. He pointed out that law and order in the state have deteriorated significantly. In Beed district, a sarpanch was brutally murdered, and the public has seen who was responsible. Now, after Aka, we have Khoka (a reference to corruption and scandals). One minister has been convicted for providing fake documents, while the guardian minister of Sindhudurg makes reckless statements daily, disrupting peace and harmony in the state. Misinformation about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being spread. Law and order have collapsed in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg as well, he charged.

Sapkal said the BJP alliance government in Maharashtra has failed to deliver on its promisesit did not ensure fair prices for agricultural produce, nor did it grant loan waivers to farmers. They came to power by securing votes from women, yet after assuming office, 10 lakh women have been deprived of their rightful benefits, the Congress leader said.

Sapkal accused the BJP of attempting to disrupt the Marathi identity of Konkan, which has close ties with Mumbai. Konkan is rich in minerals, and the government wants to hand over these resources to industrialists. To ensure the local people do not resist, they are trying to create communal tensions. The ruling party is destroying Konkan for the benefit of a few industrialists. Even religious centres (Shaktipeeths) are being commercialized for business interests. The government wants the Bahujan community to remain distracted while allowing industrialists to dominate trade and commerce.

In state and national politics, alliances are inevitable, and Congress has paid the price for it. Due to coalition politics (INDIA alliance, MVA), Congress couldnt contest elections in Konkan. Challenges and limitations are natural in alliances, but now the party is focused on strengthening its organization in Konkan. This effort has already started from Sindhudurg, and in the coming days, Congress will increase its representation in the region, said Sapkal.

Aurangzebs tomb is a symbol of Shivaji Maharajs valour. Aurangzeb was a cruel rulerhe imprisoned his own father, killed his brother, and declared another brother insane. It was the Marathi people who buried him in this land. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs valour is our inspiration, but BJP wants to erase his legacy. Some forces are now calling for Aurangzebs tomb to be destroyed. However, the tomb itself is a symbol of Shivaji Maharajs greatness. This is a conspiracy to erase that history. No one should glorify Aurangzeb, but ironically, BJP is the one sponsoring such glorification, he said.

The Congress leader accused the BJP was opposed to Chhatrapati Shivaji. The BJP was born from an ideology that opposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs coronation. The same ideology persecuted Sant Tukaram, Sant Dnyaneshwar, and Savitribai Phule. After Maharajs death, for 200 years, his samadhi was kept hidden from the public. It was Mahatma Jyotiba Phule who rediscovered it. The agenda was always to suppress Shivaji Maharajs legacy. BJP does not follow the Constitution, instead, it follows RSS chief Golwalkars 'Bunch of Thoughts'.

Sapkal said Maharashtra Minister for Public Works, Shivendra Raje Bhosale, should read what Golwalkar and Savarkar wrote about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. BJPs cadres have repeatedly insulted Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj. Those who insult them receive protection and awards. In the BJP government, people like Solapurkar and Koratkar, who have disrespected Shivaji Maharaj, are shielded. Shivendra Raje, why are you tolerating this insult? Resign from a government that disrespects your ancestors, Sapkal urged.
Amid the raging language war between Tamil Nadu and the Centre, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday sought to strike a conciliatory note, saying people who study in their mother tongue excel worldwide though learning Hindi and English has its own benefits.

"I am telling this very clearly to you... language is not for hating, said the chief minister. Hindi is the national language and the international language is English.

While asserting that language is only a means of communication, Naidu claimed that people who study in their mother tongue excel worldwide. However, he added that it is important to learn as many languages as possible for a livelihood without forgetting the mother tongue.

The chief minister called for learning as many languages as possible and slammed 'unnecessary politics over languages'.

Earlier, Naidus deputy Pawan Kalyan had waded into the controversy, saying the National Education Policy 2020 does not mandate Hindi. Taking a potshot at the M.K. Stalin government in Tamil Nadu, Kalyan said spreading "false narratives about Hindi imposition is an attempt to mislead the public.

"If they do not wish to study Hindi, they can opt for Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, or any other Indian language," he said on Saturday.

The Tamil Nadu government has launched an intense campaign against the three-language policy proposed by the National Education Policy, alleging that its an attempt to impose Hindi.

The DMK government even changed the rupee logo from the state budget document, replacing it with the Tamil letter Ru, a move that drew sharp reactions from the BJP.
Since 2016, 6816.25 kanals (852.25 acres) of land has been allotted to 213 non-local investors under the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy 2016-26, and the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Land Allotment Policy 2021-30.

Most of this land6408.25 kanals (801.25 acres)has been allotted in Jammu, while 408 kanals (51 acres) have been allocated to investors in Kashmir.

To boost investment, the government has received 8,532 applications through the single window portal, proposing a total investment of 1,69,282.22 crore, with the potential to generate 6,06,203 jobs. These proposals require 80,668.91 kanals (10,083.6 acres) of land by March 2025.

Under the revised Industrial Land Allotment Policy (2021-30), 6505.25 kanals (813 acres) have been allotted to 179 non-local investors. Of this, 6097.25 kanals (762 acres) have been allocated in Jammu, with 5415.25 kanals (676.7 acres) allotted by SIDCO Jammu and 782 kanals (97 acres) by SICOP Jammu.

In Kashmir, 408 kanals (51 acres) have been distributed among eight investors, with SIDCO Kashmir allocating 364 kanals (45.5 acres) and SICOP Kashmir providing 44 kanals (5.5 acres). Investors primarily come from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh.

Recognising the need for structured industrial growth, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary highlighted several initiatives in the legislative assembly on 15 March. Among them is the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) 2021, a 28,400 crore initiative offering tax relief, investment support, and financial incentives. So far, 971 industrial units have been approved under this scheme, attracting 10,471 crore in investment and generating 51,897 jobs.

To further expand industrial capacity, the government is developing 46 new industrial estates, in addition to the 64 existing ones. These estates, to be ready by March 2025, will provide space for more businesses and employment opportunities. Additionally, land has been identified for 15,994 additional industrial plots to support future expansion.

In 2023-24, investments worth 3,389 crore created 1,46,317 new jobs, a 57 per cent increase from the previous year. In 2024-25, 381 new units began operations, bringing in 3,887 crore and creating 10,715 jobs.

Over the last five years, 2,031 industrial units have become operational, attracting 10,516 crore in investment and generating 65,982 jobs.

With strategic policies, financial incentives, and expanding industrial estates, Jammu and Kashmir is emerging as a key investment hub, driving economic growth and job creation.
The Punjab police gunned down a suspect wanted in the blast outside Thakur Dwara Temple in the early hours of Monday. Cops are on the lookout for one more accused in the case.

#WATCH | Amritsar | Visuals from the site where encounter broke out between Amritsar temple attack accused and Punjab police this morning



In the police encounter, the man accused of lobbing a grenade at Thakurdwara Temple in Khandwala received a bullet injury. He later pic.twitter.com/lpF4aBNv7G  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

According to Punjab police, based on an intelligence tip-off, they tracked down the location of the suspects hideout in Rajasansi. When they inched closer to the suspects, they opened fire at police. Two police personnel were hit in the attack.

Acting on specific intelligence, Commissionerate Police Amritsar decisively tracked down those responsible for the attack on Thakur Dwara Mandir, #Amritsar, on March 15, 2025. An FIR has been registered at PS Chheharta under the Explosive Substances Act, and intelligence-based  DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) March 17, 2025

Punjab police chief Gaurav Yadav tweeted, Acting on specific intelligence, Commissionerate Police Amritsar decisively tracked down those responsible for the attack on Thakur Dwara Mandir, #Amritsar, on March 15, 2025. Police teams tracked the suspects in #Rajasansi. The accused opened fire, injuring Head Constable Gurpreet Singh and striking Inspector Amolak Singhs turban.

Yadav said police had to fire back in self-defence. Acting in self-defence, the police party fired back, injuring the accused. He was taken to Civil Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, Yadav said. He added the second accused fled from the scene and efforts are on to nab him.

A blast had occurred outside the Thakur Dwara Temple on March 15, when two motorcycle-borne men threw an explosive towards the temple, damaging a portion of its wall and shattering window panes. CCTV footage collected from the premises showed the men waiting for a few seconds before throwing the explosive device towards the temple. Punjab police had said they suspect the role of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) behind the attack.
Visiting US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday evening.

Modi presented her with a vase containing Gangajal from the recently concluded Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.

Gabbard arrived in the national capital early Sunday on a two-and-a-half-day trip. This is the first high-level visit to India by a top official of the Donald Trump administration.

#WATCH | Delhi: US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. The PM presented her with a vase containing Gangajal from the recently concluded Prayagraj Mahakumbh. pic.twitter.com/jJ0OJbggNF  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Earlier in the day, Gabbard met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and held wide-ranging talks focusing on enhancing the overall India-US strategic ties, especially in areas of defence and information sharing.

According to a defence ministry statement, both Singh and Gabbar emphasised that strategic security remains a vital pillar of the comprehensive global strategic cooperation between the two nations.

Also read Will US take action against Sikhs for Justice? Rajnath Singh raises Khalistani issue with Tulsi Gabbard

Both the leaders reviewed the significant strides made in the areas of military exercises, strategic cooperation, integration of defence industrial supply chains and information-sharing cooperation, especially in the maritime domain, between India and the US.

They also discussed key areas such as enhancing interoperability and fostering greater integration of defence industrial supply chains to bolster resilience and innovation.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who met US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi on Monday, raised India's concerns about activities of Sikhs for Justice on the American soil.

The bilateral meeting comes ahead of Gabbard's address at the Raisina Dialogue on Tuesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her. She arrived in India on Sunday, becoming the first high-ranking official from the new Donald Trump administration to visit the country.

Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Ms @TulsiGabbard in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues which include defence and information sharing, aiming to further deepen the India-US partnership. pic.twitter.com/DTUgJIgeCN  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 17, 2025

Sikhs for Justice, a pro-Khalistani outfit, has been banned by India. Singh asked Gabbard to take strong action against the organisation for its anti-India activities during the bilateral meeting. The two sides also discussed defence cooperation and intelligence sharing between the two nations.

Taking to X, the defence minister posted, "Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Ms Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi."

Singh's meeting comes a day after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Gabbard to discuss sharing of intelligence and other bilateral issues. The conclave chaired by Doval was attended by intelligence and security officials from around 20 countries, including UK's MI6 chief Richard Moore and Canadian intelligence chief Daniel Rogers.

In February, PM Modi had met Gabbard during his visit to the US. The premier called the official a "strong votary" of the India-US friendship. It should be noted that Tulsi Gabbard, who follows Hinduism, is not of Indian origin but was born in the American Samoa. Her mother Carol Porter Gabbard became interested in Hinduism and hence gave her children Hindu names. Gabbard's siblings are Bhakti, Jai, Aryan and Vrindavan.

The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, which will conclude on March 19, will see India and its friendly nations discuss challenging geopolitical and geo-economic issues that impact the world. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is the chief guest at the event.
The Congress has served a show-cause notice to a woman party leader in Madhya Pradeshs Jabalpur district after she allegedly compared Hindu deity Parshuram with Mughal ruler Aurangzeb on social media.

In the notice, the party has asked Rekha Vinod Jain to reply within 48 hours.

You have violated not only the Indian Constitution but also the Constitution of the Congress party, which has tarnished the secular image of the party, said the notice issued by partys Jabalpur city president Saurabh Sharma.

He said Jains act violated the secular policy of the Congress party and it came under under the purview indiscipline.

"On the basis of the act done, this show cause notice is issued to you and within 48 hours of receiving it, you should publicly apologize for your act in relation to the post and send your reply, Sharma said.

The notice further warned her of of disciplinary action if she did not apologise or failed to send a satisfactory reply.

Jain, in the now-deleted post, had stated that Aurangzeb beheaded his brother and presented it to his father, while Parshuram beheaded his mother.

Aurangzeb was cruel, no one considers him an ideal; Muslims also do not name their children Aurangzeb. But the followers of Hindutva even build temples of Parshuram," she further said in the post.

Jain later deleted the post and apologised for her act, saying she had no intention to hurt the sentiments of any community.

As soon as it came to my notice, I removed that post from the wall. Also, I apologize to everyone for hurting your feelings," she stated in a separate post.

However, the ruling BJP sought to corner the Congress, saying it had become a habit for the opposition party to insult Hindu deities.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a review of the states economy directing that special three-day event highlighting the achievements of the government be organised in all districts to mark eight years of service, good governance and prosperity under his leadership. On March 25, Adityanath will complete five years as the states CM.

The Yogi government has set a one trillion target for the states economy. However, this requires contribution from every department, but the convenience of the public will have to be given top priority, according to the CM.

Uttar Pradesh: CM Yogi Adityanath will be visiting Saharanpur to distribute 49 crore in loans to entrepreneurs and self-help groups. He will inspect the new university, review law and order, and also visit Shakambhari Devi Temple. Security has been tightened ahead of his visit pic.twitter.com/vebGqCzeov  IANS (@ians_india) March 17, 2025

He stressed that every department would have to step up, if the one-trillion-dollar economy were to become a reality. Its potential would have to be identified, and expansions into new dimensions be made.

The department-wise target should be reviewed every fortnight at the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary level and monthly review should be done at the ministerial level. In the review meeting, every aspect of the progress relative to the target, the strategy adopted and the effects should be considered and an action plan should be made and implemented for improvement.

The CM also warned against policy inertia emphasising that whatever system is most convenient for the people should be implemented. Reform and simplification should be the keywords.

One sector he pointed out for reform was health, a portfolio that is held by his deputy Brajesh Pathak. Calling for comprehensive reforms, the CM said, the priority should be to make treatment available to every person on time and at low cost. There must be no outstanding dues of hospitals registered under the Ayushman Bharat or Chief Minister Jan Arogya schemes. Hospitals should be paid within one month of completion of treatment of the Ayushman card holder. Empanelment rules for hospitals should be simplified and more hospitals be empanelled.

He also emphasised the need for capacity building of government personnel. All government employees are to be enrolled under Mission Karmyogi and its progress will be monitored by the CM office.

One important efficiency measure he highlighted was to cut down the unnecessary calling of field officers to the state headquarters. Instead video conferencing should be used whenever feasible, he said.
Photo: https://president.gov.ua/news/andrij-yermak-zustrivsya-z-generalnim-sekretarem-mizhnarodno-96661

Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak met with the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization Arsenio Dominguez, whom he informed about the agreements reached by the Ukrainian and American delegations in Jeddah, as well as about the constant shelling by the Russian Federation of the port infrastructure of Odesa region.

According to the presidential press service, Yermak called on the International Maritime Organization to regularly inform the world about Russian crimes against Ukrainian port infrastructure.

"The Head of the Presidents Office also called for the introduction of enhanced measures to counter the Russian shadow fleet. In addition, during the meeting, they discussed the work of the Black Sea grain corridor in the context of constant shelling by the aggressor country," the message reads.

In turn, Dominguez stressed that the International Maritime Organization will continue to support the principles of free navigation and the safety of crews in the Black Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthis have retaliated to the US air strikes, 24 hours after the US launched airstrikes at Houthi targets within Yemen. The militant group claimed on Telegram that the attack was "in retaliation to the continued American aggression."

Houthis claimed they launched 18 missiles and a drone at the aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships. Though the US has not officially responded to the reports, a US official told The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity that the Houthis did fire drones and at least one missile in its first claimed attack.

The attack began about midnight Saturday-Sunday local time in Yemen and 11 drones and one missile were fired over 12 hours. While 10 drones were intercepted by US Air Force fighter hets, one was intercepted by a Navy F/A-18 fighter jet.

 Houthi terrorists have just attacked the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier 



Trump is going to unleash hell!



They are dead men walking  pic.twitter.com/e1fYvjwkn4  Majority Unsilenced (@MajUnsilenced) March 16, 2025

The official said that beginning at about midnight Saturday-Sunday local time in Yemen, the Houthis fired 11 drones and at least one missile over about 12 hours. Ten of the drones were intercepted by US Air Force fighter jets and one was intercepted by a Navy F/A-18 fighter jet. The missile fell into the water far from the ship, and nothing came close to hitting either the carrier or the warships in its strike group, the official added.

However, Iranian state media quoted a statement by Yemeni armed forces which said they "targeted the American aircraft carrier with a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, in an engagement that lasted several hours."

"The Yemeni Armed Forces successfully thwarted a hostile attack that the enemy was preparing to launch against our country," the statement read. "Enemy warplanes were forced to return to their launch points after a series of missile and drone strikes targeted the aircraft carrier and several of its accompanying warships," it said.

Israel on alert

The counterattack by Yemenis has put Israel on its toes after a missile launched from Yemen landed in Egypt overnight between Saturday and Sunday. The IDF said it was investigating whether the missile was aimed at Israel. It has also stepped up alerts for Houthi missile and drone attacks on the country.
China on Monday appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's latest remarks on Lex Fridman's podcast regarding the Sino-India ties.

China said that a cooperative dance between the elephant and dragon is the only choice for both nations. Modi's remarks stressed favouring dialogue over discord.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the "positive remarks" by PM Modi on China-India relations reflect the improvement and development of bilateral ties.

"Our cooperation isn't just beneficial, it is also essential for global stability and prosperity."



Watch fully subtitled remarks by Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji on India-China relations.#PMModiPodcast



CG @PratikMathur1 @EOIBeijing @IndianDiplomacy@indiandiplomats pic.twitter.com/NrbR3Fcdwf  India In Shanghai (@IndiaInShanghai) March 17, 2025

She also mentioned the successful meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, in October. Strategic guidance for improving the ties was provided in the meeting, Ning added.

While speaking on the podcast, PM Modi emphasised strengthening India-China ties, saying that competition should not turn into conflicts and differences shouldn't be replaced by disputes.

The historical records show that India and China have learned from each other for centuries, said Modi. "Old records suggest that at one point, India and China alone accounted for over 50 per cent of the world's GDP...That's how massive India's contribution was," he added.

Though Modi acknowledged the differences between the two nations, he stressed that India is not looking to turn differences into disputes.

China and India have shared the task of accelerating their development and revitalisation and understand and support each other's successes, said Ning.

This serves the fundamental interests of over 2.8 billion people, meets the common aspiration of regional countries, and follows the historical trend of the Global South growing stronger and conducive to world peace, she added.

The two countries should be partners that contribute to each other's success and a "cooperative pas de deux", a ballet between dragon and elephant, is the "only choice for both sides", she said

China also shared its willingness to work with India to implement a common understandings between the two leaders.
The US launched a wave of air attacks on Houthis across Yemen on Saturday which continued till Sunday. About 40 air raids are reported to have been undertaken, mainly by US fighter aircraft operating from the Harry S Truman aircraft carrier being deployed in the Red Sea.

The attacksincluding in the capital Sanaa, Saada province, the governorates of Ibb, Al Bayda, Hajjah, Taiz, etcare believed to have killed about 30 people and injured at least a hundred.

As tensions rise in the Middle East, the US said it will keep hitting the Houthis till they stop attacking Red Sea shipping. The Houthis, in response, called the strikes a war crime and signaled it will escalate advances https://t.co/d3NaQDdBnB pic.twitter.com/SLb06srthV  Reuters Asia (@ReutersAsia) March 17, 2025

The US began the attacks after the Houthis threatened to resume attacks on Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea. The Houthi rebels, who control large parts of Yemen had begun attacking ships in the Red Sea region since November 2023 as acts of solidarity in support of the Palestinians against Israel.

But there are several objectives the US hopes to achieve behind President Donald Trumps order behind the large-scale attacks.

First, to serve as a warning to a defiant Iran with whom the US is keen to pursue nuclear talks. At the least, the US gains a bargaining ground during negotiations.

The Houthis are Shia militants who are closely supported by Iran and form part of the Axis of Resistance which is a coalition of Iranian-backed militant and political organisations unified by the common objective to oppose the US and Israel. Besides the Houthis, the other entities in the Axis are the Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the Popular Mobilization Forces, Hamas in Gaza and a few other Palestinian militant outfits.

Second, the smart businessman that President Trump is, he is more focused on undisturbed and unhindered trade on the most strategically important waterways. And what could be more vital than the main canals, like the Suez and Panama.

While in Panama, Trump has declared his intentions to take back the canal so as to counter from what he says is under "Chinas control," Trump is reported to be exploring military options too to pursue his conviction. In 1999, the US handed over the complete control of the canal to the Panamian government.

On the Suez canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea and is the key trade route between Europe and Asia and also Africa, the US wants to stamp its authority of dominance, all the more, because there has been a challenge to that hegemony by the Houthis.

Third, a rattled US may have also been prompted by a rapidly growing nexus between China, Russia and Iranstrongly exemplified by a joint naval war game by the three powers near the strategic port of Chabahar that ended on March 14, the same day that a joint declaration on "Irans nuclear issue" was issued by the three powers from Beijing.

The attack on a powerful Iranian proxy would send the message that the USD is still the 'top dog' when it comes to the waters around the Middle East region.
Amid reports that US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin may have a call this week to agree on a ceasefire, Ukraine has reportedly prepared a series of "red lines" it wants Russia to toe, according to a report.

These include not ceding any more territory despite Putin's intention to take four Ukrainian regions occupied by the Russian military, according to a report by the Independent. While Ukraine is willing to accept the current battle lines with Russia holding on to some territory for the ceasefire to work, it won't accept ceding additional territory. "It is not reasonable to demand that, for example, Zaporizhzhia or Kherson be fully handed over," Independent quoted an unnamed official.

Kyiv is hoping to retake these territories with diplomacy, the official added.

It also insists on the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Ukraine claims at least 20,000 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of families. Kyiv wants the policies of "Russification" on these children stopped, which include "forced passport adoption and re-education."

The other conditions include the return of thousands of civilians illegally held by Russia. Kyiv also wants international security guarantees should Putin infringe on any ceasefire deal.

Ukraine has reportedly informed the US of its red lines at the meeting in Jeddah. Ukraine also wouldn't want any curbs on the size of the defence forces, no prohibitions on Ukraines participation in international organisations, including the EU and NATO. However, high-level Ukrainian sources briefed on the ongoing talks believe it is unlikely that Russia would accept a reasonable deal. "We expect another trick," he told the Independent.

The report also quoted an official who said Ukraine was "willing to make peace and needed long-lasting peace, not a short ceasefire." "Putin is playing games. We have made a strong move  now it is his turn.

We have proved we are reasonable; we are willing to have peace  if Russia doesnt agree, the whole world will see they are liars."
President Donald Trump said Friday that he was being a little bit sarcastic when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours  and even before he even took office.

Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the Full Measure television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.

Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that, Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. What I really mean is Id like to get it settled and, Ill, I think, I think Ill be successful.

It was a rare admission from Trump, who has a long record of making exaggerated claims.

Trump said at a CNN town hall in May 2023, Theyre dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And Ill have that done  Ill have that done in 24 hours.

That is a war thats dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president, Trump said during his September debate with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. If I win, when Im president-elect, and what Ill do is Ill speak to one, Ill speak to the other. Ill get them together.

The Republican repeated the claim frequently on the campaign trail.

His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in Moscow this week for talks on a U.S.-proposed ceasefire, which Ukraine has accepted.

In the interview, Trump was also asked what the plan would be if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire to the war he started three years ago.

Bad news for this world because so many people are dying, Trump said.

But I think, I think hes going to agree. I really do. I think I know him pretty well and I think hes going to agree.

(AP)
A group of House Republicans on Friday put forward legislation seeking to prevent Chinese students from studying in American schools, as some U.S. lawmakers are targeting China over national security concerns.

Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., introduced the bill that could bar Chinese nationals from receiving visas that allow foreigners to travel to the U.S. to study or participate in exchange visitor programs. Five other Republicans co-sponsored the measure.

By granting Chinese nationals such visas, the U.S. has invited the Chinese Communist Party to spy on our military, steal our intellectual property, and threaten national security, Moore said in a statement. Its time we turn off the spigot and immediately ban all student visas going to Chinese nationals.

The measure is unlikely to pass, and it has drawn criticism from organizations and scholars over concerns that hostile policies and rhetoric toward Chinese students could hurt U.S. interests.

No policy should target individuals solely on the basis of their national origin, Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, an association of international educators, said in a statement.

Making international students  the most vetted and tracked nonimmigrants in the United States  a scapegoat for xenophobic and anti-Chinese sentiment is misguided and antithetical to our national interest, Aw said.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said China expresses strong concern and firmly opposes such practices. He said education exchange and cooperation has long served as a pillar for the stable development of China-U.S. relations.

The Asian American Scholars Forum said such legislation would harm the talent pipeline of Asian American scientists, scholars and researchers, undermining U.S. leadership in science and innovation.

Despite the bills slim chance of getting approved, Yangyang Cheng, research scholar at Yale Law Schools Paul Tsai China Center, said the bill should be seen as part of a broader effort to restrict academic freedom and hurt higher education in this country, to control what can be taught, which research projects can be pursued, and who have access to the classrooms and laboratories.

In the 2023-24 school year, more than 277,000 Chinese students were studying in U.S. universities, or a quarter of the total number of international students, according to an annual report on international students from the Institute of International Education. The number of Chinese students in the U.S., however, has been declining for years. Last year, China lost its status to India as the top feeder country of international students.

In 2023, Florida passed a law prohibiting state universities from hiring students from China and six other countries for graduate assistant and postdoc positions., and its been challenged in court. Several U.S. universities have ended academic partnerships with Chinese schools amid mounting pressure from Republican lawmakers over national security concerns.

Reactions on Chinas social media to the new legislation were varied. Some who said they had recently received offers from American schools expressed concerns, some dismissed it as a political show, and some called it another Chinese Exclusion Act.

(AP)
Vice President JD Vance said Friday that he was hopeful a deal to keep TikTok operating in the U.S. will be wrapped up by the early April deadline.

There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise, Vance said in an interview with NBC News abroad Air Force Two.

Questions about the future of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring its China-based parent company to divest or face a ban took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, President Donald Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.

Vance, along with National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, were tapped by Trump to find an approved buyer. On Sunday, Trump told reporters aboad Air Force One the administration was in talks with four different groups about TikTok and that a deal could come soon.

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have not publicly commented on the talks. Its also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.

After it made those comments, ByteDance and TikTok launched a legal challenge against the federal law, which was passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed by then-President Joe Biden. In January, the two companies lost their case at the U.S. Supreme Court.

NBC News reported that Vance did not offer details on who the potential buyers could be but noted that some issues could push a final agreement past the April 5 deadline.

Wed like to get it done without the extension, Vance told the news outlet. I think the question is, what is the equity ownership of the new joint venture? How do you do the contracts for all the investors, the customers, the service providers?  The deal itself will be very clear, but actually creating those thousands and thousands of pages of legal documents, thats the one thing that I worry could slip.

Trump has previously said the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He has also proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasnt provided details on what that type of deal would entail.

(AP)
A high-stakes diplomatic mission turned into a heated television showdown on Sunday, as CNNs Jake Tapper confronted Steve Witkoff, Donald Trumps U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, over his three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Appearing on State of the Union, Witkoff defended his visit to Moscow on Friday, a meeting that reportedly came after Putin left him waiting for eight hoursa power move reminiscent of the Russian leaders past diplomatic tactics. Trump himself vehemently denied the delay in a Truth Social post on Saturday, slamming the report as fake news.

Despite the tense optics surrounding the meeting, Witkoff characterized the discussions as positive and solution-based, claiming that progress had been made.

Tapper, however, was quick to challenge that optimism, pressing Witkoff on reports that Russias ceasefire conditions included international recognition of Ukrainian territory that Moscow has seized.

Jake, I would not call your description entirely accurate, Witkoff responded, pushing back on the characterization of Russias demands. He acknowledged that the two sides had started the negotiation miles apart but insisted that they are today a lot closer.

One of the most striking moments of the interview came when Tapper asked whether Putin himself was the primary obstacle to peace. The CNN host cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently stated that if Russia refuses to agree to the terms Ukraine has already accepted, then well unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.

So as Secretary Rubio puts it, is it now clear that Putin is the impediment to peace right now? Tapper pressed.

Witkoff sidestepped the question, refusing to directly blame the Russian leader. Instead, he emphasized that Putin, Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky all want to see an end to this and that negotiations remain ongoing.

I dont want to put words in President Putins mouth, Witkoff said carefully. But I think hes indicated that he accepts the philosophy of President Trump. President Trump wants to see an end to this. I think President Putin wants to see an end to this. I think President Zelensky wants to see an end to this  there are all details that have to get worked out at the table.

When asked for a timeline on a potential agreement, Witkoff echoed Trumps belief that progress could be seen in weeks.

Witkoff also underscored that Trump is deeply involved in the talks, revealing that the former president is likely to speak with Putin by phone later this week.

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(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Since the beginning of March, Russian invaders have begun assault operations on the positions of the Defense Forces in the area of Mali Scherbaky, DeepState reports on its Telegram channel.

A little later, it became known about the assault actions of the 108th Airborne Assault Regiment of the Russian Federation in Pyatykhatky area, where footage showed the clearing of the southeastern outskirts of this village.

"In recent days, assault operations on Pyatykhatky have not ceased, and the enemy is trying to take them under complete control. The fighting continues," the report says.

It is noted that the enemy was also spotted in Stepne area, where he is trying to get out and consolidate his position on the highway. Now Ukrainian units are managing to hold back the Russians with artillery and other means of fire, but the enemy has approached the highway.

Small infantry groups continue to attack Mali Scherbaky, but the situation there is being clarified. It is known that the enemy has had success from the south of the village and is gaining a foothold in the plantings. The fighting continues.
Lawyers for convicted baby killer Lucy Letby and former executives at the hospital where she worked have asked to halt an inquiry into the deaths after a panel of medical experts found no evidence of a crime, a judge said Monday.

Justice Kathryn Thirlwall announced the requests before hearing closing statements in the inquiry that began in September seeking accountability for staff and management for the harm to babies at Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England.

The inquiry was predicated on Letbys guilt, and Thirlwall had said she would not review the convictions after an appeals court upheld them. But lawyers for Letby said that if the convictions are overturned, the inquiry might reach the wrong conclusions, and 10 million pounds ($13 million) spent so far will have been a waste of taxpayer funds.

In short, it will defeat the purpose of a public inquiry, to fully and fearlessly understand the circumstances in which the babies died or became unwell, attorney Louise Mortimer wrote in a letter to Thirlwall.

Thirlwall is expected to publish a final report in the fall.

Letby, 35, is serving multiple life sentences with no chance of release after being convicted of seven counts of murder and attempting to murder seven other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

Prosecutors said Letby left little or no trace when she harmed babies: injecting air into their bloodstreams, administering air or milk into their stomachs via nasogastric tubes, interfering with breathing tubes or poisoning them with insulin. They said she was the only employee on duty in the neonatal unit when the children collapsed or died.

But a group of 16 international medical experts in pediatrics and neonatology who reviewed the medical evidence concluded that natural causes or bad medical care led to the death or collapse of each newborn, Dr. Shoo Lee, a retired neonatologist from Canada, said last month.

The panel also questioned the premise that there was an unexplained spike in deaths at the hospital. It said evidence of schedules that showed Letby was present during all the deaths was incomplete, selective and, therefore, meaningless.

Letbys convictions are being examined by the Criminal Case Review Commission, which looks at potential miscarriages of justice. It could refer its findings to the Court of Appeal.

Former executives at the hospital  chief executive Tony Chambers, medical director Ian Harvey, director of nursing Alison Kelly and human resources director Sue Hodkinson  asked for the public inquiry to be halted after the medical panel released its findings.

The Crown Prosecution Service has said two juries convicted Letby and three appellate judges had rejected her arguments that the prosecution expert evidence was flawed.

Several related investigations remain active.

Cheshire police announced last week that its investigation into corporate manslaughter at the hospital had been expanded and was now looking at individual suspects for gross negligence manslaughter.

Letbys lawyer criticized that decision, based on the medical panels findings.

We now have substantial and significant expert evidence which completely demolishes the prosecution case against Lucy Letby and points the finger in a very different direction to that which the police are currently looking, Mark McDonald said. It is time they take a step back and ask themselves whether have they made a huge mistake.

A separate investigation is looking into other deaths and near-deaths of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Womens Hospital when Letby worked there between 2012 to 2016.

(AP)
A top Jackson Township official appears to be entangled in a shocking display of bias against Orthodox Jews, raising serious legal concerns about potential violations of a federal consent order.

Documents obtained by Lakewood Alerts, a YWN subsidiary, reveal that Andrew Cheney, Jacksons Chief of Code Enforcement, lodged a complaint with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance against Jackson Council President Jennifer Kuhn, accusing her of real estate steering. However, Cheneys allegationsand their eerie similarity to anti-Orthodox rhetoric promoted by the group Jackson Strongsuggest a far more troubling picture: A township official may have weaponized his position to advance an anti-Orthodox agenda.

Cheneys February 26, 2025, letter details an incident involving real estate outreach regarding a landlocked property on White Road in Jackson. The property had no direct access, and adjacent property owners were contacted to gauge their interest in selling. This is a standard practice in real estate, particularly when dealing with landlocked parcels. Two property owners responded to the outreach: one on Kevin Court and another at 130 White Road. As a result, 130 White Road was listed for sale along with 134 White Road for a combined $7,400,000.

Despite the routine nature of the transaction, Cheneys complaint focuses on the fact that two of the property owners on Kevin Court were, as he describes, the last remaining non-community residents. The letter suggests that these homeowners were being pressured to sell to members of the Orthodox Jewish community and claims that such actions could violate the Fair Housing Act. However, Cheney provides no concrete evidence to support this claim, relying instead on the account of a single resident who allegedly felt targeted.

The full complaint can be read by clicking here.

The complaint raises serious questions about how a government official determines the religious composition of a neighborhood  is Cheney going around counting how many Jews live on a block?  and whether it is appropriate for township authorities to intervene in private real estate matters based on such assumptions.

The timing and content of Cheneys letter are particularly concerning given Jacksons long history of legal trouble over discrimination against Orthodox Jews. Under a consent order with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Jackson Township agreed to end discriminatory practices after years of litigation. Cheneys letter, which appears to be driven by concerns over Orthodox Jewish property purchases, could put the township in direct violation of that agreement.

Making matters even more troubling is the revelation that Cheneys letter closely mirrors a post from Jackson Strong, an activist group that was specifically named in the DOJs lawsuit against Jackson. The Jackson Strong post accused Kuhn of steering, using nearly identical language and details as Cheneys complaint. Both documents cite the same real estate transaction, express concern about Orthodox Jews moving into the area, and even include the same photo as Cheneys complaint. This raises serious concerns about whether Cheneys complaint was independently filed or if it was influenced by a group known for opposing Orthodox Jewish growth in Jackson.

If a Jackson official is using township resources to target Orthodox Jewish homebuyers or sellers, it could have significant legal ramifications. The DOJs consent order strictly prohibits township officials from engaging in discrimination, and any indication that a public official is acting with bias could reopen federal scrutiny. Additionally, if it is determined that Cheney used taxpayer-funded time to submit a complaint based on an activist groups rhetoric, it could lead to further legal challenges against the township.

The implications of Cheneys actions extend beyond this single complaint. If a Jackson official is willing to involve himself in private real estate transactions in this manner, it sets a dangerous precedent. Any Jewish homeowner who receives a code enforcement citation may now has legal grounds to argue that Jacksons enforcement is systematically biased. This could expose the township to lawsuits, potentially placing Jackson in an even worse legal position than before the DOJs intervention.

Lakewood Alerts reached out to Jacksons only Orthodox Jewish Councilman, Mordy Burnstein, for comment. Burnstein confirmed that he is aware of the situation but declined to comment publicly, citing the potential for legal action against the township.

Lakewood Alerts will be reaching out to additional Jackson Township officials for comment.
In a powerful display of Israels advancing defense capabilities, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Israels enemies, vowing that any aggression would be met with overwhelming force. During a visit to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Katz confirmed that the Iron Beam laser interception systemhailed as a revolutionary leap in missile defensewill soon be operational.

Our enemies should know and understand clearlywe have many means to deliver a decisive blow. If they raise a hand against Israel again, that hand will be severed, Katz declared, standing alongside military leaders and top defense officials.

The Iron Beam, set to be deployed later this year, represents a game-changing breakthrough in modern warfare. Unlike the Iron Dome, which relies on expensive interceptor missiles, the Iron Beam uses high-powered lasers to neutralize incoming rockets and drones at a fraction of the cost. The system, developed by Rafael, is designed to complement Israels layered air defense network, working alongside the Iron Dome, Davids Sling, and Arrow missile systems to protect Israeli cities from relentless aerial threats.

The laser system is the weapon of the future, capable of neutralizing an entire layer of threats with outstanding and continuously improving results. Israeli citizens need this protection, Katz asserted, underscoring the necessity of Iron Beams rapid deployment.

Unlike traditional missile defense systems, the Iron Beam never runs out of ammunitionas long as theres an energy source, the lasers can keep firing. This unlimited capability provides a critical advantage in sustained conflicts, reducing the financial and logistical burden of replenishing costly interceptor missiles.

Since Hamass brutal October 7 attack, which saw the massacre of over 1,200 Israelis, Israel has faced a relentless bombardment from multiple fronts. In just over five months, more than 26,000 rockets, missiles, and drones have been fired at Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.

Israeli air defenses, particularly the Iron Dome, have intercepted thousands of incoming projectiles, saving untold lives. But with enemies adapting their tacticsusing massive barrages, drones, and long-range precision strikesthe demand for a next-generation, cost-effective defense system has never been greater.

Rafael, the defense firm behind the Iron Dome and Davids Sling, has worked tirelessly to refine the Iron Beams accuracy, range, and reliability. Once fully integrated into Israels air defense network, it will provide an unprecedented multi-layered shield, ensuring that threatswhether from Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iranare met with instant, surgical elimination.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Recently released Israeli hostage Tal Shoham revealed that Hamass terror infrastructure in Gaza remains intact, with its underground tunnel network expanding dailyeven after more than a year of war. In an interview with Fox News, Shoham detailed his harrowing 505-day ordeal in Hamas captivity, revealing new insights into the terror groups relentless efforts to rebuild and strengthen its underground stronghold.

Shoham, who was abducted from Kibbutz Beeri on October 7 while visiting his wifes parents, endured months of physical and psychological torment, starvation, and complete isolation. Despite Israels intensive military campaign to dismantle Hamass labyrinthine tunnel network, he confirmed that Hamas has never stopped diggingnot even for a single day.

Shohams nightmare began when he voluntarily surrendered to Hamas terrorists, believing it would spare the lives of his wife, Adi, and their two children, Yahel (3) and Naveh (8). His wife and children were later released in the November 2023 hostage truce, but Shoham was left behind, enduring nearly 17 months of captivity.

He recalled the chilling moment he stepped outside and was met by 40 armed terrorists. Some filmed him like a trophy, others laughed in his face. Hauled into Gaza in a car trunk, he was dragged out and ordered to kneel.

I said, I cant control whether you kill me or not, and I raised my handsbut I refused to kneel, Shoham recalled. If you want to kill me, kill me, but you will not execute me like ISIS.

Hamas terrorists paraded him through the streets of Gaza, jeering crowds watching. I just waved and smiled. I didnt show fear, he said.

For 50 agonizing days, Shoham had no idea if his wife and children were alive. The isolation and uncertainty pushed him to the brink of despair.

Never in my life have I experienced suffering like this, he admitted. To survive, he forced himself to accept that his family was dead.

I sat on the floor and imagined myself at their funeral. I stood in front of a graveone large for my wife, two small for my childrenand I eulogized each of them. I sobbed but didnt let my captors see me cry. That was the hardest thing Ive ever doneburying my family in my mind.

Then, on Day 50, a miraclea letter from his wife. Adi and the children were alive.

That was the most important thing, Shoham said. I didnt need to be a father and husband protecting them anymore. Now, I could focus on my warthe one I knew how to fight, the one for survival.

After months of isolation, Shoham was eventually transferred into Hamass vast underground tunnel network, a subterranean maze described as a city beneath a city. There, he lived alongside his captorswho, even amid Israels relentless attacks, continued digging tunnels every single day.

Hamas never stopped digging. Not for a single day, Shoham revealed.

His chilling testimony confirms Israeli intelligence reports that Hamass underground network remains a formidable, ever-growing fortress, despite direct military strikes.

A January 2024 report estimated the tunnel network spans 350 to 450 miles, with over 5,700 tunnel shafts across Gaza. By July 2024, Israeli defense sources indicated that Hamas had repaired major sections, proving its ability to regenerate even in the midst of war.

Like many other released hostages, Shoham described being deliberately starved by Hamas.

At first, he was given just pita bread. Then, supplies dwindled.

For days, I survived on three spoons of avocado and three dates, or half an orange from a tree in the yard. His captors rationed him only 300 calories a daya fraction of what a man his age needs to survive.

After months of severe malnutrition, he was given just 300 milliliters of water per dayfor both drinking and washing.

By the time his captors finally called a doctor, Shoham was already suffering from severe internal bleeding in his legs.

My legs turned blue, yellow, and purple, he recounted. The doctor gave him blood thinners to prevent clots and a weeks worth of vitaminsthe first meaningful nutrients he had in months.

It tasted like dog food, but it saved my life.

On February 22, 2025, Shoham was finally freed. But many were not so lucky. His fellow captives, Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa Dalal, remain in Gazaamong the 59 remaining hostages still held by Hamas.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The Israeli Air Force has raised its air defense systems to the highest alert levels amid concerns that the Houthis will strike Israel in response to the US strikes on Yemen over the weekend, Channel 12 News reported on Monday.

According to the report, the alert level was raised after a Houthi missile exploded in the Sinai in Egypt on Sunday  an attack that is estimated to have been aimed at Israel.

The Houthis overnight Motzei Shabbos and Sunday launched dozens of explosive drones and at least one missile at the USS Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea in retaliation for the US strikes. The drones were all intercepted before reaching the ship.

On Monday morning, the Houthis claimed that they carried out a second strike on the USS Truman overnight, launching additional missiles and drones.

At least 53 people in Yemen were killed in the US strikes, including Abed al-Rab Jafraan, the head of the security detail for Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

White House national security adviser Mike Waltz told ABC News on Sunday night that the US strikes eliminated several Houthi leaders. The US has vowed to continue attacking Yemen until the Houthis halt their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

The US airstrikes were carried out several days after the Houthis announced they intend to resume attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea area due to the halt of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar responded to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahus announcement on Sunday of his intention to dismiss him this week by saying he has no intention of leaving his position.

Bar claimed that Netanyahus decision to remove him is not based on his failures regarding the October 7 massacre and that he intends to remain in his position until the return of all the hostages and the completion of several investigations. However, after a backlash, the Shin Bet later issued a statement saying that if the government decides to fire Bar, he will respect the law.

As expected, following Netanyahus announcement, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara sent a letter to the Prime Minister saying that he is not permitted to fire Bar unless she determines that the dismissal is legal.

The responses of Bar and Baharav-Miara were widely slammed by government officials, with one political official saying that Bar has become confused as to who is subordinate to whom. The Prime Ministers lack of confidence in the Shin Bet chief is not a personal matter but a distinctly public matter and his attempt to cling to his position harms the Shin Bet and the security of the state.

The official continued by saying that Bars insistence that he will determine when he will end his position is how he decided on the night of October whom not to wake up and whom not to alert [a reference to his failure to wake up Netanyahu]. The Shin Bet chief repeats the lie that he warned the political echelon about the Hamas attack, while the protocols prove the exact opposite: on October 1, 2023, seven days before the massacre, the Shin Bet chief said that Hamas was deterred and that it should be granted economic benefits to maintain calm. The Shin Bet chief even repeated these claims three days before the massacre.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin slammed Baharav-Miaras letter, stating: The Shin Bet Law explicitly states that the government is authorized to terminate the tenure of the head of the service before the end of his term. The Attorney General should also be familiar with this law. In case anyone is confused, Israel is a democracy, and everyone in it, including the Attorney General, is subject to the law.

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich responded by stating that Bar should have gone home on October 8, 2023. In what normal country would you even need a special reason to fire the head of an intelligence organization who is personally responsible for a terrible intelligence failure that led to the greatest disaster in the history of the State of Israel? Maybe if Bar had guarded Gazas threshold instead of some illusory political threshold, the October 7 massacre would have been thwarted.

Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir stated: Since the Attorney General herself is in the midst of an impeachment process, perhaps it is important to remind her that conflict of interest also applies to her adversarial actions against the government and its head. The time has come to put an end to the rule of the deep state, and first and foremost, to expedite the dismissal of the Attorney General.

The Torat Lechima organization responded: The Attorney General opposes the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief and the Shin Bet chief will protect the Attorney General in case they try to fire her. There are two political players here who are busy with one thing  preserving the power of the left in state institutions and controlling its citizens.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A yeshiva bochur was arrested on Sunday evening by military police for desertion from the IDF and sentenced to 14 days in a military prison.

The incident began when the 21-year-old bochur was stopped by traffic police on Purim for a routine check. His name came up as an army deserter and he was summoned on the spot to an immediate court hearing. When he arrived at the court, the military police were waiting for him and he was immediately sent to a military trial and sentenced.

Kikar HShabbat reported that the bochur is a mitchazeik [someone growing closer to Yiddishkeit] and comes from a family who became frum in recent years. He is a talmid of the Maorot HaTorah Yeshiva in Telzstone, a yeshiva for bochurim from non-yeshivish backgrounds.

The Agudas Bnei Hayeshivos hired a lawyer for the bochur and issued a statement saying: This is a mitzchazeik talmid yeshivah, who moved to a yeshiva framework where he began to learn Torah for most of the day.

Someone involved in the Chareidi recruitment issue told Kikar: The case of this bochur is the classic case that the Rabbanim spoke about. He is not a standard yeshivah bochur, he is a mitchazeik who moved to a yeshiva framework from a family that was growing close to Yiddishket.

In the coming hours, we will see what happens with the bochur and it will then be decided whether to go out to the streets for stormy protests throughout the country. The Sephardi Chachmei HaTorah and the Roshei Yeshivos of Maorot HaTorah have announced that they intend to wage a battle for the bochurs full release from military prison so he can swiftly return to the benches of the Beit Midrash.

He continued by saying that the Sephardi Rabbanim will put all their weight behind this bochur, who was only mitchazeik in recent years and can easily succumb to the IDFs threats and leave yeshivah for the army.

The Sephardic Chachmei HaTorah who spoke with Agudas Bnei HaYeshivos emphasized that the main struggle against the recruitment decree is being waged over this case and similar ones. Even those who are not classic talmudei yeshivah must not fall into the framework of the destructive army.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
In a sad testament to the fact that not all Israelis gleaned a lesson about the importance of unity from the October 7 massacre, protest organizations are planning a large protest in Jerusalem on Wednesday against the dismissal of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

Since the government is holding the vote to dismiss Bar on Wednesday, the organizations are planning to hold a march that day in Jerusalem that will end in protests outside the Knesset and the Prime Ministers Residence.

Dr. Zeev Degani, a principal of a high school in Hertziliya announced on Monday that he is cancelling classes on Wednesday so the students can attend the protest.

In fallacious statements reminiscent of the year before the October 7 massacre, Degani told the teaching staff that the prime minister is turning the country into a dictatorship and we must fight for the future of democracy in Israel.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch excoriated Degani and threatened him with the immediate loss of all government funding if he cancels classes for political reasons.

Zeev Degani is a criminal, Kisch said. His decision to shut down classes and send students to a political demonstration is a serious and direct violation of the Compulsory Education Law. The education system is not lawless and we will not allow schools to become arenas for political clashes.

Therefore, Degani and the Board of Directors of Herzliya Gymnasium have been summoned to an urgent hearing on Wednesday. If the school is indeed shut down, the budgets that Herzliya Gymnasium receives from the education system will be terminated immediately. Schools are places for learning, not platforms for political propaganda. Leave politics to the politicians.

Tel Aviv University President Prof. Ariel Poroat also published a strongly worded letter to members of the universitys academic staff, in which he declared that if Bar is dismissed, he will declare a strike and lead protests.

He called on the academic staff and senior members of the economy to join him in the move.

Opposition chairman Yair Lapid stated on Monday that the heads of the opposition parties are filing a petition to the Supreme Court against Bars dismissal.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Betzalel Smotrich said on Monday that Israel is preparing for a large-scale attack on the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the Knesset, Smotrich that during these days, against the backdrop of Hamass consistent refusal to return our hostages, we are preparing, bezrat Hashem, to return to war in Gaza through a large, lethal, and multi-divisional attack that will lead to the destruction of Hamas and the conquest of the Gaza Strip.

Smotrich added: We will not repeat the mistakes of the past in managing the war and will not transfer logistical supplies to Hamas. This time, bezrat Hashem  until victory and the implementation of President Trumps plan to encourage immigration and the transfer of millions of Gazans far from our border to other countries. We are advancing in preparations for the implementation of the plan, budgeting for it, and will carry it out in a comprehensive manner.

This is the only solution for Gaza. We will no longer allow a people full of hatred and lust for murder to sit here on our border and plan the next massacre.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Shin Bet is investigating a new affair related to the activity of a senior employee in the Prime Ministers Office who allegedly endangered the security of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by leaking information about his whereabouts to leftist protesters, Haaretz reported on Sunday.

According to the report, another person who is not an employee of the Prime Ministers Office is also under investigation. The suspect is one of the leaders of the left-wing protests against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

A gag order has been imposed on the affair but it is known that the Shin Bet has taken unusual measures against those involved.

Kan News reported that Netanyahus associates were shocked by the identity of the suspect in the Prime Ministers Office involved in the affair. According to sources in the office, the senior official is considered close to the Netanyahu couple and was even in direct contact with Sara Netanyahu.

According to one of the sources in the office, the suspect is the last person you could think of doing something like this.

Channel 12 journalist Amit Segal commented on his Telegram channel that in the past, Shin Bet people used to say that they work in the Prime Ministers Office, adding that this is a big story. He raised the possibility that there is a connection between the investigation and previous reports that the Prime Ministers convoy was diverted from its regular route due to fear of blockades by leftist protesters.

Do you understand what is happening here? Segal wrote. The suspicion of cooperation between a senior official in the Prime Ministers Office and protest activists, and it is so dramatic that the Shin Bet is throwing a senior official in the Prime Ministers Office and a protest activist into detention.

Let me clarify: This Shin Bet investigation, which allegedly deals with criminal ties between protest activists and senior officials in the Prime Ministers Office, is not directed against Netanyahus associates but rather is intended to examine possible harm to the system surrounding him.

MK Tally Gotliv (Likud) revealed details about the affair, saying that a senior employee in the Prime Ministers Office knowingly passed information about Netanyahus location to protest activists. She added that the suspect has already been detained for an extended period of time.

This is a coup on steroids! she stated. Right-wing people, wake up! When a senior employee at the Prime Ministers Office knowingly passes information about the Prime Ministers location to protest and civil disobedience people, it is the embodiment of a dangerous coup. By the way, if you wanted a reason why I had to reveal that the husband of Shikma Bressler, the leader of the leftist revolt against Netanyahu who encouraged IDF refusal, is a member of the Shin Bet, I think everything is clear now. And it is even clearer why they are persecuting me so much.

A senior employee from the Prime Ministers Office who admitted that he passed information about the Prime Ministers location to protest activists has been detained in Shin Bet facilities for a long time. Why the gag order? Who are you protecting? she questioned.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has banned entry to Romanian politician Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca, who is writing letters to Putin calling for the takeover of Ukraine.

"The Security Service has banned entry into Ukraine for three years for the head of the pro-Russian Romanian party SOS Romania Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca, who supports the Russian war against Ukraine," the Telegram channel said on Monday.

According to the Ukrainian Security Service, the foreign politician is writing letters to Putin in which she praises the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation and calls for the seizure of our state.

It is noted that Iovanovici-Sosoaca also questions the national sovereignty and internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, in particular in its western and southwestern regions.

In addition, the foreigner regularly spreads Kremlin narratives during her public appearances in Romania and other EU countries.
The United States conducted a fresh wave of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday, targeting the Iran-backed militias strongholds in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and the Al Jawf governorate north of the capital, Sanaa.

The strikes, reported by the Houthis Al Masirah TV, mark an intensification of a U.S. military campaign aimed at curbing the groups attacks on international shipping lanes, a vital artery for global trade that has been repeatedly disrupted since late 2023.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed the operations, stating that the strikes were designed to degrade the Houthis ability to threaten maritime security and regional stability. The targets included missile storage sites and command facilities, part of a broader effort to neutralize the militias capacity to launch drones and ballistic missiles.

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, indicated that the campaign could extend for weeks, reflecting a resolute stance against the Houthis persistent aggression.

The airstrikes come on the heels of a significant U.S. operation that began Saturday, which saw fighter jets from the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group hit dozens of Houthi positions across Yemen.

That initial wave resulted in at least 53 deaths, including civilians, according to the Houthi-run health ministry, though U.S. officials have emphasized that the strikes are precision-guided to minimize collateral damage while maximizing impact on military infrastructure.

The escalation follows a breakdown in a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel has faced renewed pressure from Hamas after suspending humanitarian aid shipments earlier this month. The Houthis, aligning themselves with the Palestinian cause, had paused their maritime attacks during the ceasefire but resumed threats after Israels decision, prompting the U.S. to act decisively.

President Donald Trump, who has prioritized securing shipping lanes since taking office in January, warned the Houthis on Saturday that hell will rain down if their attacks persisted, a message underscored by Mondays strikes. Earlier on Monday, Trump said Iran is responsible for and will suffer the consequences of continued attacks by the Houthis.

For Israel, a key U.S. ally, the Houthi threat extends beyond shipping disruptions. The militia has launched over 400 missiles and drones at Israeli territory since October 2023, most intercepted by Israeli defenses, in retaliation for Israels military operations in Gaza. The U.S. campaign against the Houthis thus serves a dual purpose: protecting international commerce and supporting Israels security by weakening a member of Irans so-called Axis of Resistance, which includes Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran, the Houthis primary backer, condemned the strikes, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei calling them a gross violation of international law. However, U.S. officials have dismissed Tehrans protests, pointing to Irans role in arming and funding the militia. President Trump has repeatedly called on Iran to cease its support, warning of consequences if it fails to comply.

The Houthis, undeterred, claimed early Monday to have launched a second attack on the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea, though a U.S. official told Reuters that no such strike succeeded, with 11 Houthi drones shot down on Sunday alone. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi vowed to continue targeting U.S. assets as long as American attacks persist, signaling a potential cycle of retaliation.

The conflicts toll on Yemen remains stark. The Houthi-run health ministry reported that Mondays strikes in Hodeidah and Al Jawf added to the weekends casualties, though exact figures were not immediately available.

The U.S. has maintained that its actions are necessary to prevent a broader humanitarian crisis by ensuring the flow of goods through the Red Sea, a route critical for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

International reactions have been mixed. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for restraint on Sunday, warning of further destabilization in Yemen and the region. Meanwhile, allies like the United Kingdom have provided logistical support, though London did not participate directly in Mondays strikes.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Fast fashion retailer Forever 21 could be set to shutter its US operations after filing for bankruptcy for the second time in six years.

Forever 21, which was bought out of bankruptcy by investors in 2019, blamed the rapid ascent of foreign rivals like Shein, in addition to rising costs and 'economic challenges', as it announced plans on Sunday.

Its US holding company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Delaware court, thereby giving the group space to implement an 'orderly wind down' of operations in the country while looking for a potential buyer of some or all of its assets.

The brand will conduct a liquidation sale at its 350 stores, which will remain open alongside its website during the process.

Chapter 11 'first day' relief will also allow it to use cash collateral to pay staff wages and fund operations.

Chief financial officer Brad Sell said Forever 21 had 'evaluated all options to best position the company for the future' but had been 'unable to find a sustainable path forward'.

The brand's UK and other overseas businesses, which operate under different licences, will be unaffected by the move

He highlighted competition from foreign fast fashion companies, which he said had 'been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin'.

US President Donald Trump rocked the fast fashion world last month as he signalled an end to the so-called tax loophole, which has helped the likes of Shein and Temu grow rapidly as low-value products have flooded into the US market.

More than 30 per cent of all packages shipped to the US each day under the loophole are estimated to come from China, according to a 2023 Congressional committee report, with nearly half of all packages shipped under de minimis coming from the country.

Sells also noted 'rising costs, economic challenges impacting our core customers, and evolving consumer trends'.

The brand's UK and other overseas businesses, which operate under different licences, will be unaffected by the move.

Authentic Brands Group, which also holds Ted Baker, Billabong and Reebok within its large stable of brands, continues to own Forever 21's intellectual property.

Sells added: 'As we move through the process, we will work diligently to minimise the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders.'
Crispin Odey has been handed a seven-figure fine and faces a ban from the UK financial services industry after a damning regulatory probe into the millionaire hedge fund manager's conduct

The City veteran's hedge fund empire eventually crumbled after he stood down in June 2023, following a Financial Times investigation that revealed accusations of sexual assault and harassment against him.

It follows a 2021 court case that saw Odey, now 66, found not guilty of an alleged indecent assault in 1998.

Odey continues to deny all allegations against him and is even reportedly planning to sue the newspaper for libel damages.

But a Financial Conduct Authority investigation has concluded that Odey sought to 'frustrate' his company's disciplinary processes into his conduct 'to protect his own interests'.

This 'reckless disregard' for governance, the FCA said, even caused Odey Asset Management to breach certain regulatory requirements.

The hedge fund manager has referred the decision to the Upper Tribunal where he and the FCA will present their cases, meaning the regulator's decision remains provisional for now.

Odey was found to have 'frustrated' investigation efforts

Odey purges exec committee

Odey was found to have used his majority shareholding to remove executive committee members charged with overseeing his disciplinary hearing on Christmas Eve 2021.

He then appointed himself as the sole member of the executive committee before deciding his hearing would be indefinitely postponed as he would be 'unable to conduct it with impartiality'.

Odey went on to appoint new executive committee members only to dismiss them again following a 'disagreement about how to proceed'.

The disciplinary hearing was eventually held on 29 November 2022, nearly one year after it had been originally scheduled.

The City watchdog has handed Odey a 1.8million fine and he faces a ban from the UK financial services industry 'for a lack of integrity'.

FCA joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight Therese Chambers added: 'A culture of silence in which allegations of misconduct are not dealt with effectively can put consumers and markets at risk.

'Mr Odey repeatedly sought to evade and obstruct efforts to hold him to account. His lack of integrity means he deserves to be banned from the industry.'
The tax office has doubled down on its investigations into underpaid capital gains tax, according to new figures.

Investigations into unpaid CGT liabilities rose from 4,564 to 14,223 in the 2023-24 tax year, as HMRC cracked down on amateur traders and crypto investors.

The figures from accountancy group UHY Hacker Young show that a total of 202.4million in under paid tax was recovered from the investigations, an increase from 180.8million in the previous 12 months.

CGT is levied on profits from assets ranging from shares to second homes, buy-to-let properties and personal possessions.

HMRC crackdown: Tax office targets amateur investors who have underpaid CGT

The annual tax-free allowance was 12,300 until April 2023, which meant CGT was typically levied on wealthier taxpayers.

However, huge cuts - to 6,000 in spring 2023 and 3,000 from April 2024 - have brought more people into the scope of CGT.

The rates for stocks and shares gains were also hiked in the Autumn Budget from 10 to 18 per cent for basic rate taxpayers and from 20 to 24 per cent for those paying higher rates of tax.

Plenty of new investors might be unaware they are liable to pay tax and file their CGT return correctly, which means HMRC are more likely to investigate them.

Brian Carey, tax partner at UHY Hacker Young, said said: 'With Gen Z embracing non-traditional investments like crypto and meme stocks, HMRC is concerned it is missing out on a lot of unpaid CGT.'

HMRC is also cracking down on investors who are underreporting profits made on their crypto investments.

Last year, the tax office sent thousands of 'nudge' letters to individuals it suspects owe tax on their crypto assets after it urged Britons to come forward and disclose any unpaid tax.

Some crypto holders may be unaware they owe CGT on the sale of assets, or even income tax on their holdings if HMRC deems them a crypto 'trader'.

Traders could subject to paying income tax if they mine cryptocurrency, gain interest from staking their cryptocurrency or regularly trade significant amounts.

Carey added: 'HMRC's crackdown on unpaid CGT is a stark reminder that your tax obligations cannot be ignored, no matter the source of your profits.'

Investing inside an Isa or pension can protect you from capital gains tax on profits.

To protect your investments, the key is to ensure that they are inside a stocks and shares Isa wrapper to shield them from CGT, or to potentially hold them within a self invested personal pension. However, you cannot add crypto investments to your Isa.

An HMRC spokesman told This Is Money: 'Taxpayers are responsible for ensuring they have declared and paid the correct amount of CGT.

'We have launched a number of campaigns to raise awareness, including for those selling online, and will continue to take action to educate customers and ensure the right amount of tax is paid.'
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha met with British Prime Minister's National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell in India to discuss the results of the meeting in Jeddah and further diplomatic efforts to achieve a just peace.

In New Delhi, I met with Jonathan Powell, UK Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, to discuss the outcome of the Jeddah meeting and further diplomatic efforts to achieve a fair peace. I thanked the United Kingdom for its leadership in forming the coalition of the willing, Sybiha said on X.
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas says Russia's conditions for the US ceasefire offer raise doubts about whether Russians really want peace.

She told reporters this in Brussels on Monday before the start of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. Noting that there are many issues on the agenda, Kallas said: So first, of course, we are going to discuss Ukraine, and we really welcome the Jeddah talks and then the results of it. Now we need to really see that the ball is in Russia's court and what kind of conditions they are presenting, which is [a] big question whether they want peace.

The High Representative stated that the conditions put forward by the Russians show that they do not really want peace. Kallas emphasized that they are putting forward conditions for their ultimate goals, which they want to achieve through war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law on sending Ukrainian Armed Forces units to other countries during the war, the Verkhovna Rada reported on its website.

According to the information posted on the website, the law with the signature of the head of state returned to parliament on Monday.

As reported, on February 25, the Verkhovna Rada re-adopted the law (No. 12378) on amendments to some laws regarding certain issues of sending units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to other states during the period of martial law with the proposals of the president.

After the deputies adopted the law on January 15, the president disagreed with the wording of the new parts of Articles 2 and 7 of the law and proposed excluding them. According to these articles, during the period of martial law, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine may be sent to other states, and the president of Ukraine makes a decision on such a direction, except for cases of using units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of a state carrying out armed aggression against Ukraine, to repel such aggression. Zelenskyy justified his proposals by the fact that these provisions are regulated by the Constitution and other laws.

According to the law, during the period of martial law, formations, military units and subdivisions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in the manner determined by the legislation of Ukraine, may be sent to other states and be located on the territory of these states for the purpose of implementing measures related to ensuring national security and defense, repelling and containing armed aggression against Ukraine, protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as realizing the right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations.
One pedestrian has died and another one has been airlifted to hospital with "serious injuries" after being struck by a car in the early hours of St Patrick's Day in Co Donegal.

The two men, both pedestrians aged in their 60s, were hit by the car on Lower Main Street in Letterkenny at around 3am this morning.

One of the pedestrians, a man aged in his 60s who was seriously injured in the collision, passed away at Letterkenny University Hospital earlier today.

The Coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged.

The second pedestrian, a man also aged in his 60s, has been airlifted to Galway University Hospital where he continues to receive medical treatment for serious injuries.

The driver of the car involved in the incident, a male aged in his late teens, was arrested at the scene of the collision. He remained in Garda custody on Monday afternoon.

The incident has been referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOH) because of an earlier interaction between the driver of the car and gardai.

Gardai continue to appeal for witnesses to come forward. In particular, Gardai are appealing to anybody who was in the area between Dry Arch Roundabout and Oldtown Road at the time.

Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 2.30am and 3.30am this morning, Monday 17th March 2025, are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on (074) 916 7100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

The Letterkenny St Patricks Day parade has been cancelled as a mark of respect.

"It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of todays St Patricks Day Parade following a serious traffic incident that occurred in the town early this morning," Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce posted.

"Following consultation with An Garda Siochana and in the interest of public safety, we have made the difficult decision not to proceed with the event. While we cannot comment on the specifics of the incident, we must prioritise the safety and well-being of our community and those attending. The parade route is directly affected, making it impossible to proceed as planned.

"We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly in preparing for todays eventour volunteers, participants, local businesses, and supporters. Your dedication and effort do not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate your commitment to bringing this celebration to life. We understand this will be disappointing news for many, but we appreciate your understanding and support during this time."

READ MORE | Man arrested after smashing up departure gate at Dublin Airport due to 'missed flight'
We're a few moments to the start of the parade . . . And so much traditional day drinking.

Here's the not-so-sacred backstory . . .



"In 1973 a group of friends meeting for a quick (or otherwise) drink and a bit of conversation at Hogertys Cocktail Lounge in downtown Kansas City decided a Parade downtown was just what the City needed; and so it began again. Radio talk show host Mike Murphy, P.R. person Pat ONeill, SR. and local saloon keeper Dan Hogertys brainstorm came alive in Kansas City.



"On Friday, March 15, 1974 Daniel Thomas Hogerty led a St. Patricks Day parade of secretaries, businessmen and shoppers on what would again become a Kansas City Tradition. The block and one half parade route led from the Continental Hotel back to Hogertys lounge, of course. Billed as the worlds shortest and worst parade it drew hundreds of people to what became a downtown street party in the 1200 block of Baltimore."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade | March 17th | Westport | KC St Patricks Day Parade Join us for the annual Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17th in Westport. Celebrate Irish heritage with floats, music, and fun-filled festivities in Midtown.

Browne's Irish Marketplace to celebrate 138th St. Patrick's Day in Kansas City Browne's Irish Marketplace in Kansas City's Midtown sits less than half a mile from the start of the city's St. Patrick's Day parade. The shop's celebrations can be traced back 138 years.

FOX4 Forecast: Luck of the Irish! View today's latest video forecast for the Kansas City area in both Kansas and Missouri from the FOX4 weather team.
Unofficially, this is Kansas City homicide #25 so far this year . . . The pace has slowed after an early spate of violence . . . However, the numbers typically increase amid warmer weather.

Moreover . . .

What we notice in this report is that the level of KCMO deadly domestic violence continues to dramatic increase given that this is 8th fatal incident so far this year.

Here is the first report and then more info to local news links . . .

Homicide 400 block of E Armour

This afternoon just after 2:15 pm officers were called to an apartment building in the 400 block of E. Armour Blvd. on a shooting call.



On arrival officers were directed inside the building to an apartment upstairs. Officers located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive just outside one of the apartment units.



Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victim deceased.



Responding officers detained an adult female for further investigation at the scene.



Detectives are talking with numerous people who were at the scene when officers arrived and canvassing for any additional witnesses. Crime scene investigators are processing the scene for evidence.



Detectives are not looking for any additional suspects at this time, and there is no active threat to any of the residents in the area related to this incident.



We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency.



We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents.

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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Kansas City police investigating homicide near Armour Kansas City police are investigating after a homicide near the 400 block of E. Armour Blvd on Sunday afternoon.

Police respond to scene of fatal weekend shooting in Kansas City An investigation has opened as police continue to respond to the scene of a fatal shooting in Kansas City.

Developing . . .
Celtic Routes, the specialist luxury tour operator known for its bespoke Land Rover adventures across Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, has announced a significant expansion of its curated experiences portfolio with eight new premium activities now available to travelers.



(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - March 17th, 2025 -

The new offerings range from exclusive culinary experiences to wildlife adventures and heritage exploration, further enhancing the company's commitment to providing authentic, immersive travel experiences throughout the British Isles.

"Our expansion reflects our dedication to showcasing the very best of what Britain and Ireland have to offer," said a spokesperson for Celtic Routes. "We've carefully selected experiences that provide our guests with meaningful connections to the landscape, culture, and traditions of these remarkable destinations."

Among the new experiences is the opportunity to sail on Windermere in the Lake District, offering travelers a unique perspective of England's largest natural lake and its surrounding fells. For photography enthusiasts, a special North Coast 500 photography experience with renowned Scottish landscape photographer Karen Thorburn has been added, allowing guests to capture Scotland's most spectacular coastal scenery under expert guidance.

Culinary offerings have been enhanced with the addition of the prestigious Cookery School at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, where guests can learn from world-class chefs in one of Britain's most celebrated gastronomic establishments.

Heritage enthusiasts can now experience the golden age of travel aboard the luxurious Belmond Pullman train, while outdoor adventurers can enjoy open water swimming at the tranquil Ullswater Swim Place or mountain biking across the dramatic landscapes of the Isle of Skye.

The new experiences complement Celtic Routes' existing portfolio, which already includes falconry, whisky tasting in the Scottish Highlands, wildlife cruises from Oban, historic sites such as Newgrange in Ireland, and journeys aboard the famous Jacobite Steam Train featured in the Harry Potter films.

All experiences can be incorporated into Celtic Routes' bespoke itineraries, which are conducted in the company's fleet of luxury Land Rover vehicles. The company's expansion into England adds a fourth nation to its operating territory, which previously covered Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

These new offerings coincide with increasing demand for authentic, high-end experiences in the UK and Ireland travel market, as visitors seek more meaningful connections with destinations beyond traditional sightseeing.

For more information or to book a bespoke journey, travelers can contact Celtic Routes directly or visit their website.

https://www.celticroutes.com/

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Macron speaks with Zelenskyy, calls on Russia to prove it really wants peace

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French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and stressed the need to "move forward" with all partners to present a specific peace plan.

"Following Saturday's meeting on peace and security in Ukraine and my exchange of information with Donald Trump yesterday, I spoke today with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Zelenskyy had the courage to accept the American offer of a 30-day ceasefire. Now Russia must prove that it really wants peace," Macron wrote on social media X.

He stressed that "the weapons must fall silent" and that abuses and sabotage must stop, and that Ukrainian children deported by the Russian Federation must be reunited with their families.

"There are so many conditions that Russia must meet. And I know President Trump is committed to this. Now we must move forward with all our partners to present a specific peace plan. A peace plan that gives lasting security guarantees to Ukraine. A peace plan that guarantees lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe. A peace plan that prevents Russia from attacking again," Macron urged.
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By Nicole Lyons, March 17, 2025

The University of Central Missouri (UCM) announces that Ann McCoy, Ph.D., has been named Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Dean of Graduate Studies.



McCoy has served in an interim capacity since July 1, 2024, and will officially begin her duties on April 1, 2025.



"Dr. McCoy is a tremendous asset to UCM and her prior experiences and servant leadership approach aligns well with the role of Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Dean of Graduate Studies, said Tim Crowley, provost/vice president for Academic Affairs. I look forward to working with Dr. McCoy to continuously improve the Division of Academic Affairs at UCM. She has deep institutional knowledge and existing relationships, is a skilled communicator, a collaborative leader, an excellent data-informed problem solver, and has a passion for student success. Most of all, she has a clear vision for the future growth of the institution and her ability to balance our strategic direction with the immediate needs of faculty, staff and students sets her apart."

In this role, McCoy will provide leadership as she works with faculty and staff in enrollment management, student services, and institutional support offices within the Academic Programs and Graduate Studies area. McCoy will lead numerous critical processes for the Division of Academic Affairs, including the implementation of the universitys strategic plan, academic leadership development, curriculum management, the general education program, HLC accreditation efforts, academic advising, tutoring and writing assistance, university-wide course offerings, sponsored projects and research integrity, and enrollment management operations for graduate and international students.



As a two-time graduate and long-term faculty member at UCM, I know very well the high-quality programs, dedicated faculty and staff, and special students we have at UCM. I am honored to have the opportunity to continue serving UCM in a new role, McCoy said. The Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Dean of Graduate Studies focuses on student success. I look forward to supporting our academic programs, our support services and our faculty and staff in their work to enhance student success.

After more than two decades of teaching in the Clinton School District, McCoy joined the UCM faculty in 2006. She has been an assistant professor, associate professor and professor of mathematics education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.



In addition to her work in the classroom, McCoy has held a number of leadership positions at the university, including undergraduate program coordinator, graduate program coordinator, chair of the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, chair of the School of Teaching and Learning, associate dean and, most recently, dean of the College of Education.



In 2022, the UCM Student Government Association presented McCoy with the James C. Kirkpatrick Excellence in Governance Award, recognizing her outstanding public service and her efforts to prepare Missouri educators. The award is the highest honor presented by students.



McCoy earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1983 and her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in 1988, both from UCM. In 2011, she attained a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on mathematics education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a telephone conversation with Argentine President Javier Miley and expressed condolences over the recent flooding that killed 16 people.

Ukraine is ready to help Argentina in protecting lives and providing necessary assistance, Zelenskyy said on X Monday.

The President informed his interlocutor about the meeting of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah, during which Ukraine supported the US proposal regarding an unconditional, complete 30-day ceasefire.

Now, we see how Russia is setting absolutely unnecessary conditions and, in fact, rejecting this proposal. Moscow wants not peace, but the continuation of the war. Javiers voice can help bring peace closer, and we are relying on him, Zelenskyy noted.

In addition, the parties discussed strengthening bilateral relations, in particular trade and economic relations.
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Saudi Arabia showcases 'New Murabba' at MIPIM 2025

Saudi Arabia showcased its 'New Murabba', a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, at the real estate event MIPIM 2025 held from March 11- 14 in Cannes, France

Monday March 17, 2025 1:32 AM , ummid.com News Network

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia showcased its 'New Murabba', a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, at the real estate event MIPIM 2025 held from March 11- 14 in Cannes, France.

MIPIM (from the French: Le Marche international des professionnels de l'immobilier) is a four-day property and real estate trade show held annually in March at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France.

The participation of New Murabba was aimed at enhancing international investment in the Kingdom and highlight its commitment to economic diversification.

New Murabbas presence at MIPIM 2025 featured a series of insightful sessions led by key executives. These sessions provided attendees with a deeper understanding of New Murabbas strategic vision and its alignment with Saudi Arabias broader development goals, the company said in a statement released Sunday.



CEO of New Murabba Michael Dyke took part in a panel discussion titled "How the Saudi Giga Projects Are Contributing to the Kingdoms Economy and Vision 2030," while Head of Sales Robert Pearce participated in the panel discussion "Changing Saudi Economy and Changing Regulations for Foreign Investment."

EPMO and Stakeholder Management Division Head Eissa Almunif contributed to the panel "Changing Demographics in Saudi Arabia and How This Affects Development Planning."

Development Director Ashwaq Albabtain joined the panel "Mega Events, Hospitality, and Leisure," while Executive Director of Capital Partnerships Development Nida Raza participated in the discussion "The Evolving Real Estate Sector in Saudi Arabia".

Director of Healthcare and Education Development Reham Alawaji took part in the panel "Creating Livable Cities with Purpose."

"We are committed to collaborative development and world-class execution. New Murabba has completed 14 million cubic meters of excavation while achieving 5.5 million safe hours without lost-time incidents. This milestone enables the commencement of permanent works for The Mukaab, ensuring the groundwork is set for the next phase of construction", Dyke emphasized during his participation.

He also added that this progress underscores New Murabbas dedication to delivering a world-class destination that will redefine urban development and contribute to a vibrant live-work-visit offering within the project.

About New Murabba

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) announced the launch of the New Murabba Development Company, in February 2023 to oversee developing a new downtown area spread over 19 sq.km in capital Riyadh.

The main feature of the project has been named the Mukaab, a gigantic cube structure has been described as the future 'face of the city', and critics say it may even be the face of a new Saudi Arabia, focussing and generating more revenue through tourism than petroleum. At present, the plan is to fill the cube with 100,000 residential units as well as 9,000 hotel rooms.

New Murabba (square) and the Mukaab were however widely ridiculed by social media users, both within and outside Saudi Arabia, apart from a large number of Muslims all across the globe, as soon as the plans were announced.

The Mukaab was also denounced for its likeness to the most important cube-like structure in Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world - the Kaaba .

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Nagpur calm after clashes over Aurangzeb Tomb

Situation in Nagpur is under control following the violent clashes between the two groups amidst tense situation over Mughal Emperor Aurangzebs tomb

Tuesday March 18, 2025 0:32 AM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies

Nagpur: Situation in Nagpur is under control following the violent clashes between the two groups amidst tense situation over Mughal Emperor Aurangzebs tomb.

The situation in the city is under control after a brief spell of clashes Monday night, Police Commissioner Dr Ravinder Singal told reporters.

Police blame rumors

Violence erupted in the Chitnis Park and Mahal areas of Nagpur after rumors that right wing Hindutva groups led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) burnt cloth imprinted with Kalma.

Kalma is the Shahada and Islamic creed and declaration of faith in Allah  The Almighty.

Local police asserted it was a rumor that led to the violent clashes around 8 to 8:30 PM Monday, according to Nagpur Today.

The violence hit areas of Nagpur were tense after VHP led Hindutva groups took out a march demanding removal of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb from Khuldabad.

CM backs removal of Aurangzeb Tomb

The Aurangzeb Tomb is a protected site. Demands to remove the tomb has also been made by some other groups affiliated to the ruling BJP, including some ministers.

Amidst the growing demands, Chief Minister Fadnavis backed them but said law should have upper hand.

"We all 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, he said.

On another occasion, Fadnavis said it is unfortunate that the government has to protect Aurangzebs grave.

Opposition blames government

The opposition Congress blamed the BJP led government for the violence clashes in Nagpur.

"Tensions in the city, stone pelting and arson is the utter failure of the home department. In the last few days, state ministers have been deliberately making provocative speeches to incite violence in the society. It looks like those efforts have found success in Nagpur," Maharashtra Congress Chief Harshvardhan Sapkal, said in a statement released a little while ago.

Ambadas Danve, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and the leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, also blamed the state government for the Nagpur violence.

"The state government is completely responsible for the situation," he said.

Provocative statements about Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb are being made by the BJP and its affiliate groups since last month when a controversial film Chaava was released.

The film, which is based on a novel, portrayed Aurangzeb a cruel ruler. The historians however dispute the claims made in the film even as the filmmaker had to publicly apologies for some of the narrations in the film.

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UP: Prof filmed, uploaded obscene clips of students on pornographic websites

In a shocking incident reported from the BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh, a professor in Hathras filmed and uploaded obscene videos of female students on pornographic websites

Tuesday March 18, 2025 0:01 AM , ummid.com News Network

Hathras (Uttar Pradesh): In a shocking incident reported from the BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh, a professor in Hathras filmed and uploaded obscene videos of female students on pornographic websites.

The professor, identified as Rajneesh Kumar, Head of the Geography Department and Chief Proctor at PC Bagla PG College in Hathras has been suspended. He, however, is at large and a hunt is on for his arrest.

Along with different police stations, complaints against the professor were also filed with the Rashrtiya Mahila Aayog (National Commission for Women).

Consequently, the Uttar Pradesh Police filed an FIR against the professor on March 13 after it received anonymous complaints and finding over 55 explicit videos of the students.

The professor lured the female students on the promise of helping them in competitive exams and secure jobs, according to the complaints.

Along with the complaints filed about 18 months ago obscene photos of the students were also sent. It is also found that the PC Bagla Degree College administration did not cooperate in the investigations.

The police in its investigation however found allegations against the professor to be true. The investigation also revealed that the professor recorded the explicit videos of the students himself using his mobile phone, as reported by Amar Ujala.

The investigation also revealed that some of the videos have also been uploaded by the professor on pornographic websites, according to a report by Aaj Tak Hindi news channel.

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Explainer: Facts about latest U.S. attacks on Yemen's Houthis

Xinhua) 08:23, March 17, 2025

This photo taken by a mobile phone shows smoke rising after an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

Abdul-Ghani Al-Zubaidi, a Yemeni political and military observer, said that without a clear political strategy, the campaign could drag Washington into a prolonged, uncertain conflict.

ADEN, YEMEN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. forces launched a large-scale air and sea operation against Houthi forces in Yemen on Saturday night and Sunday morning, targeting radar systems, air defenses and missile installations.

The operation, causing at least 31 fatalities, was described by U.S. media as the most significant military action since U.S. President Donald Trump's second term began.

Trump later vowed on social media to deploy "overwhelming lethal force" against the Iran-aligned group, blaming it for repeated attacks on U.S. and allied assets in the Red Sea.

WHY DID THE U.S. ATTACK?

The United States said its operation aims to secure vital Red Sea shipping lanes, which have faced persistent threats from Houthi attacks over the past year.

A lull in Houthi assaults followed a January ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. However, as negotiations for a second-phase Gaza ceasefire stalled and humanitarian aid remained blocked, the Houthis announced on Tuesday they would resume attacks on "Israel-linked" ships across the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the renewed offensive was intended to support Palestinians and pressure Israel to reopen border crossings for aid.

Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi had earlier given Israel a four-day ultimatum to allow humanitarian access, warning of renewed naval attacks if demands were not met.

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed military deterrence operations against the Houthis with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "Continued Houthi attacks on U.S. military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated," Rubio said.

Armed men loyal to the Houthi group participate in an armed tribal rally supporting the resumption of attacks against Israeli ships, in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 11, 2025. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

Lavrov called for "an immediate cessation of the use of force" and stressed the importance of political dialogue to prevent further bloodshed, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

After the recent attacks against Yemen, the Houthis accused the United States and Britain of aggression targeting residential areas in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The BBC, citing British sources, reported that Britain did not take part in Saturday's U.S. strikes on Houthi targets but provided routine refueling support.

The U.S. move is also seen as part of broader efforts to counter Iranian influence, marking a sharp escalation from the previously limited airstrikes under President Joe Biden's administration.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the strike an aggression against the United Nations (UN) Charter. He called for the UN Security Council to react to the developments and for collective action by the international community, as well as Islamic countries, to deal with the "ongoing genocide" in the region.

WILL WASHINGTON ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES?

Military experts note that despite U.S. air superiority, the Houthis have honed asymmetric tactics, using low-cost drones and missiles while drawing on strong local tribal support.

Since November 2023, the group has targeted dozens of merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with missiles, drones and small boat attacks, sinking two vessels, seizing a third and killing four crew members.

Previous U.S. attacks, launched by the Biden administration, have not stopped the Houthi offensives.

Abdul-Ghani Al-Zubaidi, a Yemeni political and military observer, said that without a clear political strategy, the campaign could drag Washington into a prolonged, uncertain conflict.

Residents clean broken glass on a street after U.S. overnight airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

Since seizing Sanaa in 2014, the Houthi movement has consolidated control over roughly one-third of the country's territory -- including the strategic port of Hodeidah -- and a majority of its population. The group's forces, estimated to have more than 350,000 fighters, are equipped with tanks, artillery, fighter jets and advanced drones.

After the recent attacks, Houthi leaders condemned the strikes as "war crimes" and vowed retaliation. Senior Houthi official Nasruddin Amer pledged continued support for Gaza and defiance against U.S. pressure.

Observers warn that prolonged U.S. military involvement could escalate regional tensions, risking the involvement of Iran or other actors in a wider conflict.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
On Tuesday, March 18, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference "Opening of single RnD hub on mine action." Participants include Chairman of the Board of the Public Association Ukrainian Mine Clearance Cluster Maksym Tkachenko; First Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian National Association for Humanitarian Mine Clearance Oleksiy Botnarenko; Chairman of the Ukrainian Public Association for Humanitarian Mine Clearance Oleksandr Bortnykov; Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Public Association for Humanitarian Mine Clearance and Restoration Anushavan Harutyunyan (8/5a Reitarska Street). The event will be streamed on the Interfax-Ukraine YouTube channel. Admission requires registration on the spot with press ID cards. Additional info by phone: (097) 935 9127 (Svitlana).
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Azerbaijan and North Macedonia are prime examples of how countries can contribute to global peace, Srgjan Kerim, former Foreign Minister of North Macedonia and President of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

Speaking on the sidelines of the XII Global Baku Forum in Azerbaijan, Kerim emphasized the warm relations between Azerbaijan and North Macedonia.

"Azerbaijan and North Macedonia are a clear example of how countries can genuinely contribute to peace, stability, and cooperation worldwide. This is very important. The more such examples there are, the more stable and prosperous the world will be," he said.

The former minister also underscored the significance of the XII Global Baku Forum, pointing out that it serves as a shining example of how a country like Azerbaijan can roll out the red carpet with its goodwill, organizational prowess, and dialogue services for the world stage.

"Dialogue is an alternative to conflict and war. Azerbaijan is a wonderful example of the necessity of dialogue and its promotion. During the three days of discussions here, we have indeed covered many vital and important issues that engage political forces around the world. I believe this discussion is a valuable contribution to the world.

Within the framework of the forum, we engaged in constructive discussions on topics where we held differing opinions. We presented a range of ideas, initiatives, and proposals aimed at finding effective solutions to key global challenges, including stability, peacebuilding, combating terrorism, addressing climate change, advancing sustainable development goals, and resolving conflicts and wars," he added.

The former foreign minister also spoke about other key topics addressed during the forum.

"We discussed the situation in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the relations between global players such as the US, China, the European Union, as well as the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Arab world, and Central Asia. Overall, I believe that the Global Baku Forum is an excellent example of how we, as politicians and diplomats, should actgathering, discussing, exchanging ideas, and offering our services for the benefit of all nations, peoples, and cultures.

This forum also serves as a platform for bringing together diverse cultures, traditions, and religions from all corners of the world. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and the forum organizers for their exceptional efforts in ensuring such a high standard of organization," he concluded.

The XII Global Baku Forum was held in Azerbaijan's Baku between March 13 and March 15, 2025.

The forum was organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and will be held under the theme "Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities."

Discussions focused on key global issues, including geopolitical shifts, multilateralism, the global health crisis, recovery and regional stability, COP29, and more.

The forum brought together over 300 world leaders from more than 60 countries, including more than 25 former presidents, over 15 former prime ministers, around 10 UN and international agency heads, and over 25 former ministers and deputy ministers.

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March 17 2025

The accidental rise of Princes Street as Edinburgh's lopsided shopping thoroughfare could be put in balance for the first time since the Georgian era under a double-barrelled vision set out by Richard Murphy Architects.

Rising to the challenge presented by recent developments, not least the St James Quarter which has left the street on life support and mindful that retailers seek to turn heads towards their wares, hard to achieve when you have a world heritage site opposite, the practice advocates the replacement of 'cheap shops and boarded up properties' with hotels, cafes, restaurants and leisure development.

Improved traffic management would reroute an endless procession of buses to Hanover Street with bus stops concentrated at Frederick and Castle Street - freeing up valuable real estate from the choking convoys of buses. Further interventions to improve the north side pedestrian experience include the introduction of a cycle path between bus lanes and pavement with planting and public realm further softening the harsh urban environment without intruding on castle views.

Outlining the need for action the practice wrote: "There are 39 bus lines that each stop at one of six bus stops between Hanover Street and South Charlotte Street. The buses often use the tram lane and then pull over onto a continuous bus stop lane. Although the pavement is wider than most, the perception from a pedestrian might be of constant bus traffic with its resultant noise and fumes pollution (albeit electric buses are already arriving). Pushing this further away and obscuring the lower sections of the bus might help in this regard."

In tandem with these improvements, the team, which includes Calum Dalgetty and Cameron Duncan, call for the removal of the 'anachronism' of railings to Princes Street, together with widening the pavement by up to 8m. This would provide space for small retail pavilions at select locations. Further changes would see a sunken 'parade of restaurants' created below the new pavement.
The University of Wyomings School of Energy Resources (SER) has added four new members to its Energy Resources Council (ERC).

The ERC plays a vital role in advising SER on its research priorities, educational programs and outreach initiatives. The council is composed of leaders from industry, government, academia and the community. The council represents a broad range of perspectives on energy issues, helping provide direction on SER priorities.

Bill Miller, senior vice president of the Anschutz Corp., and Peter Gottfried, president of Natural Systems Analysts Inc., both were appointed by Gov. Mark Gordon and confirmed by the Wyoming Senate. Both bring extensive experience and unique perspectives to the council, enhancing its capacity to guide SERs objectives in addressing critical energy challenges.

Miller, a Wyoming native now living in Denver, Colo., is a seasoned executive with a distinguished career in the energy industry. His extensive background in oil and gas, land work, renewable energy, finance and navigating federal regulations will be invaluable as SER navigates serving Wyoming in the complex energy landscape. Millers understanding of market dynamics, technological advancements, policy considerations and Wyoming energy will provide critical insights to the ERC.

A long-term resident of Dubois, Gottfried is an environmental scientist and GIS expert with more than 47 years of experience in the field. Throughout his career, he has cultivated expertise in environmental assessments, habitat analyses and GIS mapping for various projects, including those related to energy development. His understanding of environmental science and GIS technology will be crucial in guiding SERs research and outreach efforts, particularly in ensuring responsible resource development and environmental stewardship.

We are honored to welcome Bill Miller and Peter Gottfried to the Energy Resources Council, says Cindy Crane, chair of the ERC. Their combined expertise and dedication to Wyoming's energy future will play a key role in shaping SERs strategic direction. Bills industry knowledge and Peters scientific and technical acumen will complement the existing strengths of the council and enhance our ability to address the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing the energy sector.

Miller and Gottfrieds appointments come as SER acknowledges the invaluable contributions of outgoing ERC members Vello Kuuskraa, from Arlington, Va., and Carl Bauer, from Pittsburgh, Pa. Kuuskraa and Bauer have served on the council for many years, providing exceptional leadership and guidance during a period of significant change in the energy industry.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Vello and Carl for their years of dedicated service to the Energy Resources Council, Krutka says. Their insights and commitment have been invaluable to SERs success, and we have deeply enjoyed their engagement and support.

In addition to the governor-appointed positions, the ERC is statutorily required to include representatives of the Wyoming Legislature to ensure that SERs work is relevant, impactful and aligned with the needs of Wyoming and the nation. Serving a minimum of a two-year term, one member comes from the Wyoming Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, and the other from the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the House.

New to the ERC, beginning in 2025, are Sen. Ed Cooper and Rep. Scott Heiner to succeed Sen. Jim Anderson, of Casper, and Rep. Don Burkhart Jr., from Rawlins.

Representing District 20, Cooper has deep roots in both the energy and agricultural sectors in Wyoming. Hailing from Ten Sleep, he started his own oil and gas consulting firm in 1972 and owns Cooper Land and Livestock, a company rooted in farming and cattle operations. Cooper was elected to the Legislature in 2021 and is now in his second term. Among several other committees, he serves on the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee.

Representing District 18, Heiner, from Green River, is the House majority leader and chair of the Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee. An engineer by trade, Heiner enjoyed a long career in the oil and gas industry before moving into public service as an elected official in Wyomings citizen legislature in 2021.

Wyomings legislators understand energy, and it is a privilege to have our legislators contribute their time and counsel to SER through serving on the ERC, Krutka says. We have benefited greatly from the dedication and expertise of members in the past -- including Sen. Anderson and Rep. Burkhart -- and look forward to the continued engagement from Rep. Heiner and Sen. Cooper to inform important decisions for Wyomings energy industries.

The newest members to the ERC will ensure that SER continues to benefit from the expertise and guidance of experienced leaders as it tackles complex energy challenges and drives innovation, Krutka adds.

SER remains committed to its mission of advancing energy-driven economic development for Wyoming by conducting world-class research, providing cutting-edge education and engaging in meaningful outreach with local stakeholders and beyond.
Photo: Cole Burston/Getty Images

Nearly a year after the rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake first kicked off, Drakes still catching strays. Now, theyre from his own label, in a motion to dismiss his defamation lawsuit over Lamars hit diss, Not Like Us. Drake lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated, attorneys for Universal Music Group, which distributes Not Like Us along with Drakes music, argue. Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Ouch! Of course, Drake has already attempted to volley back, with his lawyer calling the motion a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability.

UMGs motion expands on the conglomerates original defense after Drake filed the suit: that Not Like Us cant be defamatory because Lamars lines accusing Drake of being a pedophile are not meant to be taken as fact. The motion argues that diss tracks are a popular and celebrated art form centered around outrageous insults, and they would be severely chilled if Drakes suit were permitted to proceed. UMG notes that Drake also made similarly incendiary attacks at Lamar, and that in 2022, Drake himself even signed a petition against using rap lyrics as legal evidence. As Drake recognized, when it comes to rap, the final work is a product of the artists vision and imagination, UMGs lawyers argue. Drake was right then and is wrong now. Further, UMG notes that Drake (in the AI-generated voice of Tupac) goaded Lamar to talk about him likin young girls on Taylor Made Freestyle, and later acknowledged the rumors about him texting a teenage Millie Bobby Brown on The Heart Part 6. Clearly Drake himself understands that Lamars lyrics refer solely to well-known issues, UMG writes.

Elsewhere in the motion, UMG also bats down Drakes claim that UMG distributed Not Like Us knowing it would incite violence. Additionally, UMG says Drakes claims that the label used bots to stream Not Like Us and paid radio stations for airtime are entirely bogus. In response, Drakes attorney said, UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists, and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence. UMG is seeking to dismiss the whole lawsuit with prejudice, which would not allow it to be refiled.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree aimed at ensuring the functioning of the "Azerenergy" Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC), Trend reports.

The decree outlines the delegation of authority for conducting the general assembly of the OJSC as follows:

To the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

Reorganization or liquidation of the company.

Creation of the company's executive body.

Appointment and dismissal of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and their deputies.

To the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

In agreement with the President, approval of the company's charter and structure, determination of the authorized capital, and any changes to these documents.

Defining the development strategy of the company.

Approval of the companys annual reports, financial statements, profit distribution, and loss allocations.

Decision-making for transactions that exceed 25 percent of the company's net assets or those that involve independent auditors with transactions involving 5 percent or more of the companys assets.

Addressing any other matters outlined by the Civil Code related to the general assembly of shareholders.

To the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

Consent for the establishment or liquidation of the companys branches, subsidiaries, and representative offices, as well as decisions regarding capital investments in other legal entities.

Approval for property and/or financial contributions to joint projects involving the company.

A Board of Directors consisting of three members will be formed to oversee the company's operations. This includes the Chairman of the Board, appointed by the President of Azerbaijan, and two deputies.

The Cabinet of Ministers is required to approve the companys charter and structure within one month in agreement with the President and resolve any other issues arising from this decree.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Photo: Monica Schipper/WireImage

In Sundays fifth episode of The White Lotus, season three, Rick (Walton Goggins) finally makes it to Bangkok where he may  or may not  attempt to kill hotel owner Sritalas (Patravadi Mejudhon) husband, who he believes murdered his father when Rick was a kid. We dont know much about Rick, a loner with few intimate associations other than his perpetually worried younger girlfriend, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), but upon arriving in Bangkok, he reconnects with an old friend played by none other than Sam Rockwell.

While Rockwells appearance was a surprise to viewers, with his role otherwise unmentioned in the lead-up to the show, we maybe should have seen this coming by one telltale clue: Leslie Bibb. The two have been together since 2007, and rarely is one without the other. They met while shooting Iron Man 2 and worked together in the film Don Verdean. Rockwell had been conspicuously absent from Bibbs behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram from her months shooting in Thailand, though maybe he was off filming something of his own. But knowing them and their love for each other, it was only a matter of time until he popped up.

Will Rockwell and Bibb appear in any scenes together? That seems far from likely: Bibbs Kate is close to blowing a fuse alongside her bad, blonde friends Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Rockwells Frank is most likely just there to play wingman to whatever scheme Rick has cooked up. The point of their rendezvous is for Frank to bring Rick a duffel bag with  something in there, but Rick asks his buddy to keep the next night open, too, just in case. In the interim, Rockwells character regales Rick with the story of his sobriety, a long-winded tale of misguided sexuality and binge drinking and dissociation. Its rare that we see someone doing worse than Rick  maybe Jason Isaacss beleaguered Timothy  and Gogginss face betrays a level of compassion and confusion we have yet to see from him. Can his friends sad story convince Rick that maybe his own issues are mostly internal, that enacting revenge wont fulfill him the way he thinks it might? Sure, thats probably the morally cathartic option, but thats not why we come to The White Lotus.

So does this portend more celebrity-couple cameos? Mostly, thats just us asking if Carrie Coons husband  actor and playwright Tracy Letts  might pop up on the horizon.
This column originally appeared in Brian Moylans newsletter, The Housewives Institute Bulletin. Sign up here to be the first to read the next edition. Obviously the Tres Amigas, right? Not so fast Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO

It should surprise no one that Mike White, the creator, writer, and director of The White Lotus, is a fan of reality TV, considering he appeared on both The Amazing Race and Survivor. But we had no idea he was a huge Bravo fan. Sam Nivola, the actor who plays the youngest member of the Ratliff family, recently told People that White advised him and his co-stars to watch Southern Charm because that was his model for the family, or at least their accents. Well, now that you mention it, there are some striking similarities between many of this seasons characters and your favorite Bravolebs. Lets break down the casts reality-docusoap counterparts.

 The Ratliff Family (Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola): Theyre from the South, which is the obvious Southern Charm connection, but their dynamic brings a different Bravo family to mind: An eternally disengaged mother, a business-minded absent father who is oddly angry, a shockingly hot older son, a twink-y younger son questioning his sexuality, and a daughter who is barely there  are we sure this isnt Meredith Marks and her clan? (I mean, have you seen her oldest?)

 Kate, Laurie, and Jaclyn (Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, and Michelle Monaghan): You thought I was going to say these three would be the Tres Amigas because they seem to be a trio, but one of them is always on the outs. But, no, I think they were inspired by a different threesome. One of them has gotten famous, the other two are resentful for it, but they also both talk shit about each other to the famous one. Yes, the famous one is Stassi Schroeder, and the other two are Katie Maloney Schwartz Maloney and Kristen Doute. These three are the Witches of WeHo.

 Rick and Chelsea (Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood): He is a stressed-out older man worried about how much everything costs and seems to be into some shady shit. She appears slightly bothered by her man at all times and feels free to spend money she knows she doesnt have. If you just switch their accents, its PK and Dorit Kemsley.

 Sritala Hollinger (Lek Patravadi): Shes a little past her prime, thinks she is far more talented than she actually is, and keeps everyone waiting while she gets her glam done. She even has a random white dude following her around hyping her up all the time. Whats Karen Huger doing in Thailand? Isnt she supposed to be in prison?

 Mook and Gaitok (Lalisa Manobal and Tayme Thapthimthong): They both work in hospitality at the same place, hes been in love with her for years, and she barely seems to notice. This could be Maddi Reese and Joe Bradley from Southern Hospitality.

 Greg / Gary (Jon Gries): He got rich thanks to his wife, and now hes left her so he can go bopping around the globe on luxury trips with a bunch of models. This has to be Mauricio Umansky.

 Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius): The hot Russian health mentor seems like he might be trying to sleep with three women all in the same friend group. Its Slade Smiley  no, wait, its Harry Dubin  no, wait, its Tom DAgostino  no, wait, its Sonja and Luanns Pirate.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. A Board of Directors has been established for the "Azerenergy" Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC), Trend reports.

The decision is part of the decree signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, aimed at ensuring the functioning of the OJSC.

The decree specifies that the company's operations will be overseen by a 3 (three) member Board of Directors, consisting of the Chairman, appointed and dismissed by the President of Azerbaijan, along with two deputies. The new Board is tasked with ensuring the smooth functioning of the company.

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The number of children stuck on waiting lists at University Hospital Waterford has risen slightly to more than 4,000 following successive reductions in minors waiting for care in recent months.

In the last three months, the number of children on UHW waiting lists dropped to 3,995 in December, and January saw a further reduction to 3,986 before the figures rose to 4,033 in February. This figure includes 347 children who have been waiting for more than 18 months for care - primarily in ophthalmology and otolaryngology for inpatient cases, while dermatology joins ophthalmology as the primary causes of such lists for outpatient care.

In total, 1,983 children are stuck waiting for otolaryngology care at UHW, 661 for ophthalmology appointments, and 586 for dermatology care. The remaining figures are spread across orthopaedics, urology, general surgery and small-volume specialities.

Waiting lists surge across the board

Waiting lists in the Deise hospital have increased across the board, as shown by the latest data from the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

At University Hospital Waterford, the majority of people are on waiting lists for outpatient appointments - treatments that do not require hospitalisation - which saw a slight rise to 40,542, against the comparatively small adult inpatient list of 4,980 - up 2% on the January figures.

A speciality of note in Waterford - cardiology - is set to see an expansion in primary percutaneous coronary intervention coverage to 8am to 8pm at weekends, but has seen a slight increase in outpatient waiting lists from 3,079 to 3,113, while inpatient lists dropped slightly.

Of concern, the number of outpatient cardiology cases, which have been waiting for more than 18 months, has reached 1,000 for the first time since November.

Continuing the trend in January, the combined inpatient and outpatient waiting lists in 2025 remain nearly 5,000 higher than the same period last year. Rising from 49,218 last month, 49,555 people are on the combined waiting lists in February, an increase of 4,800 on the same month in 2024.

Trolley Watch figures

In 2024, the number of patients waiting on trollies for hospital beds at University Hospital Waterford was at its lowest in 16 years, and data from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) shows the hospital is on track to beat those figures.

In the first two months of 2025, UHW is down 17.7% on its 16-year record performance from the same period last year.

The metric, which is meant to demonstrate the level of overcrowding in Irish hospitals, showed that, in 2024, just 385 people were put on trollies in the Waterford hospital. If figures continue as projected throughout the year, UHW could see that figure drop further.
Waterford City and County Council once again has its full complement of Councillors following the co-option of Sandra Conway into the vacant seat in the Tramore and Waterford City West LEA.

Councillor Conway was nominated to fill the vacant position under the Local Government Act 2001 by her husband, the newly elected Senator Joe Conway.

Councillor Sandra Conway said she was honoured and privileged to have been co-opted on to the Council [on Thursday] by the Members.

The new Tramore and Waterford City West Councillor recognised in a statement that the times ahead will be a challenge as she adapt[s] to the work of a Councillor.

It goes without saying that I will do my very best for the people of Tramore and Waterford.

Speaking at the recent Plenary Council meeting following her co-option, the new Independent Councillor thanked her "proposer and seconder Councillor [Lola] O'Sullivan and Councillor [Blaze] Hannigan saying she was looking forward to working with you both over the next few years."

Fine Gael Councillor Lola OSullivan, who proposed Cllr Conways co-option, credited her new colleague as having lived in Tramore for close to 40 years.

She knows the town and its people well and I know she will work hard with her councillors to improve our town, our city and our county, Cllr OSullivan said.

Councillor Mary Roche welcomed her new colleague to the council saying, On my own behalf and on behalf of the Womens Caucus, which is a sub-committee of the council with all of the women councillors, regardless of party.

Cllr Roche highlighted the fact that the co-option of a female councillor brought the number of women in the chamber to seven, which she said was the highest representation of women on Waterford City and County Council.

This brings us up to just 20% representation  which is an interesting statistic that people might be interested in. Obviously, I am sure all of the other women in the chamber and indeed many of the men  although not at their own expense  would like to see that number grow higher!

Cllr Roche wished the new Senator the very best and said she was sure it will do us well to have such a close connection between the chamber and the Senate going forward.

Speaking to Waterford News & Star, the outgoing council representative Senator Joe Conway said his wife was an ideal fit for the vacant seat on the Council and described her as a very shrewd political operator who has built up knowledge and experience in and around the Council chambers over the past two decades.

The whole purpose of co-option is based on the dual mandate, which was done away with some years ago and prevents people from taking up seats on the local authority and the national parliament, and I think that was a good thing, he said.

The co-option process tries to ensure continuity and familiarity, and I think Sandra, who was working with me on the election trails for the last 21 years, certainly has the familiarity but also will provide good continuity on the council.

Senator Conway said his election to the Seanad had been a long and arduous process highlighting his repeated electoral attempts going as far back as 1981 which is now 44 years ago, its probably the longest apprenticeship in Irish employment history!

While the new Senator speculated he may be eligible for the Guinness Book of Records, he said he was proud to have been elected to the position after a long tenure on Waterford Council.
Waterford TD Conor McGuinness has called on the government to back up their platitudes with action and real delivery on the issue of children in Waterford with special educational needs being unable to get places in special schools.

The clear message from parents is that action and real delivery must follow the platitudes given by [the] Government over recent weeks, Deputy McGuinness said.

Tea and sympathy from the Minister is simply not good enough - appropriate school spaces for these children is the only meaningful metric.

The Sinn Fein TD met with parents of children who were unable to secure a place in special schools in Dungarvan alongside Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald and Cllr Kate OMahoney  who was co-opted onto the Council following Deputy McGuinnesss recent General Election success.

The West Waterford TD said he has been engaging with parents from the day they were first informed there would be no space locally for their children.

David Cullinane and I have raised the issue in the Dail on many occasions and we jointly hosted a delegation of parents in Leinster House last month. Mary Lou McDonald raised the Dungarvan situation with the Taoiseach last week during Leaders Questions in the Dail.

Deputy McGuinness characterised the Governments response as hand wringing and called for more action on the issue: The response from Government has been to wring their hands, offer empty platitudes, and state how much worse the situation could be. This is not good enough.

I will continue to work with [those] impacted to push for a resolution. In the short-term, that means using modular units to increase capacity, but ultimately we need a new, larger home for St. John's in Dungarvan, coupled with additional special education spaces across Waterford.

Waterford's Fianna Fail TD and Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler recently announced that 11 special classes had been sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for the coming school year 2025/2026, including one in each of CBS Secondary School and Ard Scoil na nDeise - both located in Dungarvan.
REVIEW: Des Bishop Lately at Theatre Royal

WellBishop is just drop-dead cool in his three-piece suit with the waistcoat buttons all done up and a charm that would disarm the hardest of traffic wardens' hearts. Hes funny, engaging and has a smile that would lift the despair of a bus queue on a windy wet Monday.

And he loves to remind all and sundry of his Deise connections.

A New Yorker who arrived in Ballygunner at the age of 12 and thought everyone around him was talking gibberish. He went to mass in Ballygunner with the singing priest who insisted on singing every line.

"I thought I would never escape," says he and then goes on to deduce that all the priests that sang at mass were gay! He gives an impromptu impression of the padres warbling and  guess what  the whole audience sings along. Weve even got some altos harmonizing on Eagles Wings. Whew.

"So hows it goin in Waterford?" he asks with that disarming big-as-a-bay smile. "Is everyone still unemployed?"

He wants to know if Johns Park had calmed down and if theres anyone from Ballybeg or Farron Park in the audience?

Bishops heading for his Hawaii now. Born in 1975, hes heading for fifty now and hes taking stock. Particularly with all the Gen Zedders (lads born between 1997 and 2012) who really believe, in their hearts and souls, that no other generation has had it so hard. Mmmmm?

Des has got news for all the Zedders  his generation has had it tougher. Dess Generation X had to deal with phone boxes (when they worked), two television channels, letters, no internet or email or privacy. And mothers who terrorised their sons.

Hey says he in faux-outrage we couldnt even use calculators because teachers told us that we wouldnt have them in exams.

Now theyre everywhere  on hands, in your pocket. What were all those tables about? And  to prove the point  shouts Hey Alexa, whats twelve times twelve? Andjust for the recordlikewho decided that the tables should stop at twelve? (Just for the recordThe practical reason is that we commonly use sets of numbers where being comfortable with multiplying and dividing by 12 is useful. For example: eggs are sold by the dozen, there are 12 months in the year, 24 hours in a day, 360 degrees in a circle, 12 inches in a foot, and so onjust sayin like)

Hes got a Godchild staying in his house in Dublin whos Generation Woke. Making money and paying bills isnt exactly her forte. Still she  who lives rent-free in Dess gaffe  rubbishes landlords as if they were the spawn of Satan.

Shes a tattooist with a stick and poke technique that brings arched eyebrows and knowing looks that speak of dodgy, erotic goins-on from the audience. Des assures us that its all above board although a furlong or two short of high-end art. Mmmm...

When a punter arrives for a tattoo  who must be addressed as they  the craic starts. Its the Goddaughters eye-roll attitude that bugs him and sets him off on a rant that begins and ends with just who exactly they is  or aremaybe. Stillyou can feel Des soft spot for the freeloading Goddaughter who really believes the world is out to get her. Hes about to discover that dependence is a two-way street.

Bishops laid-back style and breath of original material makes it easy to like him. Hes a comic who is analytic in his approach and thinks about the art of comedy and its delivery. He notes his audiences reaction and teases them when the laughs come a little late. I suspect that he constantly reworks his material.

He clearly loves Waterford and its audience who have packed the Royal for his Episcopal visit. Its his Holy See.
St Joseph, the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus, exerts a powerful and enduring influence on the Christian imagination. His feast day is celebrated this Wednesday, March 19. We know little of this man who lived 2000 years ago, except that he was righteous in the Lord and was a descendant of the royal line of David.

The gospels mention him, but we do not hear his own words. His actions speak of his character, a man who devoutly and courageously follows his Jewish faith. He accepted his role as father, protector and provider in a world where life was often short and brutish under the oppressive rule of the Pax Romana.

All fatherhood is shaped differently through the unique and irreplaceable domestic intangibles and intimacies of family life. As the patron saint of fathers, Josephs example heralds the ideal of fatherhood: faithful, firm, fair  and fun.

As the patron saint of workers, Joseph understood what it was to work hard at his trade, carpentry, to do his best, to take pride in his ability, to provide for those who depended on him. He understood the dignity of work and its value in providing meaning and purpose.
People with severe body image distress also struggle with decision-making, planning and short-term memory, new research has shown, in revelations expected to shake up how the disorder will come to be treated.

Researchers at Swinburne Universitys Centre for Mental Health recently sought to establish the depth of processing difficulties experienced by people living with body dysmorphia. To do so, they analysed 54 previous studies that referenced neurocognitive vulnerabilities.

Eman Allouche battled severe body image issues as a teenager and similar thoughts returned after she had a baby. Credit: Justin McManus

Body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, occurs when a person becomes preoccupied with and distressed by perceived flaws in their physical appearance that are either not visible or appear slight to others. Individuals will frequently engage in repetitive mirror checking or avoidance, excessive grooming and constantly compare themselves with others.

About 80 per cent of people with BDD will have suicidal thoughts, and its estimated that one in four have tried to take their own lives.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, led a delegation to the Alley of Honor in Baku, on March 17, Trend reports.

The delegation paid tribute to the memory of Heydar Aliyev, the architect and founder of our modern independent state and the national leader of our people, by laying a wreath at his tomb.

The memory of the prominent ophthalmologist and academician, Zarifa Aliyeva, was also honored, with fresh flowers placed on her tomb.

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This story is part of the March 15 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories .

When my youngest daughter, Millie, laughs, its a deep, almost belly-laugh, as if her whole body is in on the joke. Her hearty giggles burst in joyful waves, filling the room and drawing everyones attention. She finds great delight in the smallest things: the clang of a spoon hitting the floor, the crash of a toy tumbling from a table, a bubble popping  even herself passing wind. Her laughter is even louder when shes the one making the noise, eyes squeezed tight with unfiltered joy.

Laughing is one of the better-known traits of Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder that disrupts typical messaging in the brain. A single missing gene leads to the absence of a vital protein needed for proper brain function, affecting motor skills, speech and cognitive development. For reasons that are still unclear, it also brings frequent smiles and laughter, sometimes for no obvious reason at all.

Mum and Millie: Theres one thing the author wishes she could tell people who might glance our way and feel a pang of sympathy. Credit: Jacqui Turner

Millie started school last month, and one of my biggest concerns was, and still is, that her happy demeanour would be misunderstood. Shes often cheerful, but her laughter isnt always a sign of joy  it can also be a response to discomfort, uncertainty or even pain. And thats just one of the many worries swirling in my head. Does she like school? Will she make friends? How does she make her needs understood? People living with Angelman syndrome are usually non-verbal, and while some learn to communicate using an augmentative device  such as an iPad app with symbols to tap for words  were not at that stage yet with Millie.

Starting school is a huge milestone for any child, and this was round two for us, but it was vastly different from when our eldest began. On Millies first day, there was no skipping through the gates with an oversized backpack dwarfing her small frame. No nervous chatter as she hurried off to make new friends. No excited waves from the classroom door. Instead, we wheeled her into the school and helped her out of her chair to walk into the classroom. She hesitated at the entry, gripping my hand tightly as I felt her whole body stiffen with anticipation. When one of the teachers aides knelt down and held out a small toy that looked perfect for squeezing, Millies fingers uncurled slightly.

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The school that Millie is attending is designed for children with multiple and complex needs, and they are taught both life skills and academics. Officially known as Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs), these learning environments defy simple labels, each offering a unique space for growth. But it can feel overwhelming at first. The first time I visited the school, the sight of so many wheelchairs and mobility aids was confronting. When your child is little, a disability isnt as noticeable, but as they grow, the differences become more pronounced.
A group of scientists has voiced dismay at a federal decision to disregard any heritage value of Western Australias Nullarbor Plain in considering a $100 billion wind and solar project proposal.

The Western Green Energy Hub would build 3000 wind turbines and six million solar panels in WA to power production of hydrogen and ammonia, mostly for export, though potentially leaving some for local use.

These ochre hand stencils in a Nullarbor cave indicate the traditional ownership of the Mirning Peoples who used the cave system for shelter, ceremony, creative expression and a source of water and flint for tools. Credit: Stefan & Bronwen Eberhard

The project would start at the South Australian border and stretch west along the Nullarbor for hundreds of kilometres near the worlds largest arid limestone karst system, which Save the Nullarbor scientists describe as a spectacular hidden world of ancient caves and rock holes of staggering dimensions, beauty, scientific values, and priceless cultural importance.

A delegate of federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has determined the project will require a full assessment of its impact on three criteria: threatened species, migratory species and the Great Australian Bight Marine Park.
Kocani, North Macedonia: The moment a firework ignited the ceiling of a crowded nightclub in North Macedonia, triggering a horrific blaze that killed 59 people, has been caught on camera, showing the fire take hold as musicians on stage play on, oblivious to what is happening above them.

Local pop group DNK was performing to a packed crowd of mostly young people in the eastern town of Kocani when the fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday, sparking a panicked rush for the clubs single exit. Some of the musicians were among those killed, the BBC reported.

Parents scoured hospitals for their children in the aftermath of the blaze as devastated locals came to realise they knew many of the victims. Three of those killed were under 18, officials said, with the youngest only 16. Victims suffered burns, smoke inhalation and fatal injuries in the crowd crush, with 155 injured, including 20 critically.

A police officer who was checking for drugs and underage guests in the club when the blaze broke out was also among the dead, The New York Times reported.
More than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang have been deported by the US and sent to El Salvador after President Donald Trump invoked a law last used during World War II.

Trump issued an order to rapidly deport accused members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organisation, arguing he had a right to declare them alien enemies under a wartime act.

A day later, the move was blocked by a federal judge, saying that the 1798 Alien Enemies Act refers to hostile acts perpetrated by another country that are commensurate to war. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling.

Alleged Venezuelan gang members deported from the US arrive at El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Centre on Sunday. Credit: El Salvador presidential press office via AP

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele announced that 238 alleged members of the drug gang had arrived early on Sunday and had been transferred to his countrys infamous CECOT mega-prison.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, leading an official delegation, visited Martyrs Lane in Azerbaijan's Baku on March 17 as part of her official visit, Trend reports.

During the visit, the memory of the heroic sons of the homeland who gave their lives for the countrys freedom and sovereignty was respectfully honored, and fresh flowers were laid on their tombs.

Matviyenko executed a ceremonial placement of a floral tribute at the "Eternal Flame" monument, constituting a significant homage.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is expected to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia, Trend reports.

According to the president's office, the visit is scheduled for March 30 - April 2. The president will be accompanied by Elke Budenbender, the country's First Lady. It will be the first time that a Federal President has visited either country.

"During his visit to Azerbaijan, the Federal President will visit Bakus historic city center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and hold a conversation on interfaith understanding and tolerance with Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious leaders," Steinmeier's office says.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The revanchism tendency in Armenia poses the main obstacle in finalizing the normalization process, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said in the article titled "Azerbaijan's Independent and Sovereign Foreign Policy Model" published in the Azerbaijani parliament's analytical information journal, Trend reports.

In his article, the minister spoke about the negotiations related to the text of the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agreement.

"Despite the progress made in the framework of bilateral negotiations on a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the ongoing tendency of revanchism in Armenia, along with the failure of the Armenian side to demonstrate political will to amend provisions in the country's constitution and other legal acts that include territorial claims against our country, as well as Armenia's rapid militarization with direct support from foreign powers, remains the most serious obstacle to the completion of the normalization process. Keeping these threats under constant attention remains one of the main goals of our diplomacy.

Alongside this, expanding international efforts to solve the problem of missing persons created as a result of Armenia's nearly 30-year-long aggression, attracting support for large-scale humanitarian mine clearance operations, as well as focusing on the restoration of the rights of nearly 300,000 Azerbaijanis displaced from Armenia, are also highly significant directions," Bayramov notes.

The minister states that, similar to the 30 years of occupation, following the 44-day Second Karabakh War and anti-terrorist operations, it is imperative to persist in efforts to counter the defamation campaign against Azerbaijan orchestrated by Armenia and its allies. Additionally, it is crucial to implement measures to neutralize threats to Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, articulate these measures to the international community, and thwart endeavors to challenge or constrain these actions through consistent, systematic, and assertive foreign policy initiatives.

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Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. During the ongoing trial at the Baku Military Court on March 17, defendant Lyova Mnatsakanyan stated that he was appointed as the so-called "defense minister""commander" of the "army" of the illegal regimeby then-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in June 2015.

Mnatsakanyan revealed that his appointment was initially recommended by then-Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and subsequently approved by Sargsyan. "During our meeting, Sargsyan told me that this is a very important post," the accused stated.

According to the so-called "official information" released by the illegal regime in 2015, Mnatsakanyan was allegedly appointed by then-"president" Bako Sahakyan.

Court proceedings continue against Armenian citizens accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimesincluding preparing and conducting a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violations of the laws and customs of warfareas well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and other offenses committed during Armenias military aggression.
February 3rd, 2025, marked the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Manila. Fought in the closing stages of World War II, the operation to liberate the Philippine capital from Japanese tyranny turned into a massive slaughter of 100,000 non-combatants and the destruction of the beautiful city.

Not widely known is that among those killed were five Irish Columban missionary priests, one of whom, Fr John Henaghan, was from Louisburgh in West Mayo. The others were Fr Peter Fallon, from Dunmore, Co Galway; Fr John Lalor from Cork; Fr Patrick Kelly from Tullamore, Co Offaly; and Fr Joseph Monaghan from Banbridge, Co Down.

On December 8th, 1941, just hours after they bombed Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, Japanese troops invaded the Philippine Islands. The defending forces, under General Douglas MacArthur, consisted of American and Filipino troops. Inexperienced and ill-prepared for battle, they retreated to the Bataan Peninsula, leaving Manila, the capital, undefended. By January 2nd, 1942, an advance column of Japanese soldiers had entered the city. Thus began a brutal three-year occupation of the islands.

Fr Henaghan, the Regional Superior in the Philippines, was responsible for the Columban missionaries. Because they were Catholic priests and foreigners, they were immediately viewed with suspicion by the Japanese.

American and Allied civilians were arrested and interned at Santo Tomas University, where hunger was an issue from the start. For the first two years, local people were permitted to bring them food, medicine and clothing in what was known as the 'packet line'. Fr Kelly, their parish priest, insisted on being allowed to visit them. Taking great risks, he maintained a crucial line of communication between the internees and the outside world, often providing support for escapees.

By March 1942, Japanese forces had achieved significant territorial gains. To deny them the propaganda coup of capturing one of America's most famous generals, MacArthur, promising to return, was evacuated to Australia.

Bataan fell on April 18th, followed by the island of Corregidor on May 6th. Subsequently, about 60,000 Filipino and 10,000 US prisoners of war were forced to march over 100 kilometres under a blazing sun with little food or water in what became known as the Bataan Death March. Those who survived the march faced death from disease, dysentery and starvation in prisoner-of-war camps where conditions were inhumane and minor or imaginary infractions resulted in death by bullet, bayonet or beating.

Fr John Heneghan, a native of Louisburgh who was served as a Columban missionary in Manila during World War II.

Humanitarian crisis

From the outset, the Columbans were involved in delivering humanitarian aid to the prisoners of war in the Bilibid and Cabanatuan camps. Their parish house served as a centre for storing food, medicines, shoes made from worn tyres and old clothes collected by Fathers Fallon and Monaghan. These were smuggled into the hard-pressed prisoners by Filipino resistance agents.

Over the next few years, about 250,000 Filipino guerrillas, 25,000 of whom were female, participated in a fearless underground campaign against the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Columbans sought alternative ways to alleviate what would become one of the worst humanitarian crises of World War II.

In June 1942, the Irishmen took over a temporary hospital established by the Philippine Red Cross at Malate Catholic School. It was funded by wealthy Catholics and staffed by volunteer doctors and young women from Fr Monaghans Legion of Mary. Fr Lalor managed the facility, which he named Remedios Hospital in honour of the patroness of Malate parish - Nuestra Senora de los Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies).

Using an assumed name and dressed as a doctor, he ministered to the sick and the dying and was a vital link in the underground supply chain. Initially, the hospital treated wounded and sick prisoners of war, but by the end of 1942, they were allowed to admit ailing or elderly internees from Santo Tomas.

In July 1943, the disappearance of their confrere, Fr Frank Douglas, a New Zealander stationed in Pililla, Luzon, rattled the Columbans and caused Fr Henaghan, his Superior, great anguish. The blood-spattered walls of the baptistery in the church in Pililla left no doubt as to the New Zealanders fate.

By late 1943, food and medicines became scarce, and prices rocketed, while donations from the townspeople dwindled as they had barely enough for themselves. Fr Henaghan, as Regional Superior, struggled to fund supplies for the hospital patients, the civilian internees, the American prisoners of war and the local guerrilla groups.

In February 1944, the Japanese eliminated the 'packet line', which had been crucial for the survival of the civilian internees at Santo Tomas. The Columbans then arranged the delivery of aid through an underground supply network. It was a risky business because of the vigilance of Filipino collaborators.

On July 8th, following a major bombing raid on Tokyo, the Japanese interned 300 religious 'enemy aliens' at the College of Agriculture at Los Banos, which became affectionately known as the 'Vatican City'. In December, their daily intake of calories was roughly 900 per person, and by January 1945, it had plummeted to about 570 calories. Their rations were soon reduced to two scoops of thin rice water per day with corn and maggots. The Irish priests, being of neutral status, were not imprisoned but had to wear red identity armbands.

In September, with the war going against them, the Japanese appointed General Tomoyuki Yamashita to command their troops in the Philippines. By the time he arrived, American planes had already begun bombing strategic targets in preparation for their return to liberate the islands. When General MacArthur landed on the island of Leyte in October, many believed the occupation would soon be over, unaware that the worst was yet to come.

Arrests and executions

A few days before Christmas 1944, Fathers Kelly and Lalor, along with either Fr Henaghan or Fr Monaghan, were arrested. Meanwhile, the remaining Columbans cooked dinner for 200 starving Filipinos on Christmas Day. Tortured and beaten, the three priests were eventually released. Undeterred but more vigilant, they continued their humanitarian work.

Preparing to defend the islands, Yamashita divided his troops into three groups. Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi was ordered to evacuate ammunition and food supplies from Manila, destroy her strategic infrastructure and then withdraw peacefully. However, in contravention of his orders, he fortified the city with landmines, gun embankments, concrete bunkers and strategically placed snipers for a fight to the death.

On February 3rd, 1945, US troops broke through the gates of Santo Tomas and liberated the 3,677 emaciated internees, 480 of whom were children under the age of ten. They were just in time, as their food stores were nearly empty, and the supply of cats, rats, pigeons and weeds that had previously sustained them were exhausted.

With the liberation of Santo Tomas, MacArthur thought the war was over. He expected Manila to be an open city and anticipated a victory parade. However, the rest of the sprawling city, home to one million Filipino men, women, and children, remained under the control of Japanese troops, who were about to embark on a desperate and brutal killing spree.

They carried out systematic mass executions of men, women, children and members of religious orders by beheading, bayoneting, clubbing, hanging, burning alive, drowning and death by explosives. They inflicted unimaginable torture, raped women and girls of all ages, many of whom were mutilated or killed in the process and ripped unborn babies from their mothers wombs. In the background was the rattle of Japanese machine guns and the thunder of American artillery.

Iwabuchi sealed all the gates of Intramuros, the ancient walled city of Manila, and set it ablaze. It became a raging inferno as one section after another caught fire.

Soon after, American artillery began shelling the Malate and nearby Ermita districts. Most of the houses were made of wood, and soon, the district was burning, block by block.

The people of Manila were caught in a vice-grip between their oppressors and their liberators; if they remained in their homes, they risked being burned alive, and if they ventured outside, they faced the threat of Japanese snipers.

On February 7th, the Japanese looted and set fire to Malate church and presbytery. Fathers Henaghan, Kelly, Fallon, and Monaghan were arrested and taken to the nearby Syquia Apartments. Reports as to how they died vary. A Maryknoll nun, who was in Manila at the time, gave a harrowing account of their deaths to Professor James T Carroll of Iona University, N.Y., in 1995 - the Filipino guerrillas were assisted by the Irish Columban Fathers who maintained their cover well into the war. When the Japanese discovered that they were not pro-Japanese, they nailed them to the church doors.

Fr Lalor was working that day and escaped arrest but was killed along with 200 others on February 13th when American troops accidentally shelled the hospital.

In all, sixty priests and Brothers were murdered in a brutal and cold-blooded series of executions by the Japanese.

Liberation

The 'Vatican City' was liberated on February 23rd in a daring and high-risk rescue by the combined Eleventh Airborne Division of the United States Army and Filipino guerrillas. The 2,132 starving inmates were rescued just minutes before they were scheduled to be executed.

What remained of the beautiful city of Manila, once known as the Pearl of the Orient, was liberated on March 3rd.

Collectively known as the Malate Martyrs, the Columbans chose to remain with their people throughout the savage Japanese occupation, saving the lives of many and bringing spiritual comfort to countless others. Their bravery in the face of a brutal enemy is inspiring. Afterwards, letters of gratitude from survivors commending their courage and devotion flooded into the Columban headquarters at Dalgan Park, Navan.

The memorial beside Malate Church in Manilla that commemorates the heroic priests.

In recognition of their commitment to the American prisoners of war, the US Marines bestowed the honorary title of Leatherneck of God on Fathers Henaghan, Kelly and Lalor, Leatherneck being slang for a US Marine. In 1948, the United States government officially recognised their "meritorious service to the United States during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines from 1942 to 1945" by posthumously awarding them the Medal of Freedom (with Silver Palm), the highest honour for non-American citizens.

The grateful people of Malate erected a Pieta beside Malate church in 1997. Its emotive inscription, in memory of the people of Malate who were killed during the Second World War and the five Columban priests who stayed with them and died with them, captures the heartfelt appreciation of the great sacrifice made by the Irishmen on their behalf
Stephen Maguire

A man in his 60s has died after he was struck by a taxi in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, in the early hours of St Patrick's Day.

Another male pedestrian (60s) was left seriously injured following the incident on Lower Main Street at 3am. He has since been airlifted to University Hospital Galway.

The vehicle also collided with a house causing some minor damage.

The driver of the car, a male aged in his late teens, was arrested at the scene, and remains in Garda custody.

The incident has been referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission due to an earlier interaction between gardai and the driver.

As a mark of respect, the St Patrick's Day Parade in Letterkenny has been cancelled.

A statement from the Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce said: It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of todays St. Patricks Day Parade following a serious traffic incident that occurred in the town early this morning.

Following consultation with An Garda Siochana and in the interest of public safety, we have made the difficult decision not to proceed with the event. While we cannot comment on the specifics of the incident, we must prioritise the safety and well-being of our community and those attending. The parade route is directly affected, making it impossible to proceed as planned.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly in preparing for todays eventour volunteers, participants, local businesses, and supporters. Your dedication and effort do not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate your commitment to bringing this celebration to life.

We understand this will be disappointing news for many, but we appreciate your understanding and support during this time.

Gardai have sealed off the area for a technical exam by investigators. They are appealing for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.

In particular, gardai are appealing to anybody who was in the area between Dry Arch Roundabout and Oldtown Road between 2.30am and 3.30am on Monday morning.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on (074) 916 7100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. OSCE Parliament Assembly Special Representative on South Caucasus Luis Graca has welcomed the finalization of a draft peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

He encouraged both sides to build on this momentum and "continue working towards a peaceful and cooperative future in a constructive and sincere manner".

"This progress marks a vital step toward lasting stability and peace in the region. The OSCE PA remains ready to support initiatives that promote regional stability, confidence-building, and lasting reconciliation in the South Caucasus," Graca said.

Meanwhile, on March 13, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the completion of negotiations on the draft text of the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"We once again reaffirm Azerbaijans long-term and principled position that the main condition for signing the agreed text is the amendment of Armenia's constitution to remove claims to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We also stress the need for the official dissolution of the outdated and non-functional OSCE Minsk Group and related structures. We are ready to continue bilateral dialogue between the two countries on these and other issues related to the normalization process," the MFA stated.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Mostly sunny and a bit warmer, but with still comfortable humidity levels. .

Tonight

Mostly clear and milder overnight.
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BETHESDA, Md.  The mural of Anthony S. Fauci hung in the halls of the National Institutes of Health, greeting passersby with an inspirational quote from the retired federal official.

"Science is telling us that we can do phenomenal things if we put our minds and our resources to it," read the message from Fauci, who ended his five-decade career at the agency in December 2022.

Now there is no image of Fauci, no inspirational message - just a discolored, empty patch of wall. The portrait and quote, which welcomed NIH leaders and staff in one of the campus's central buildings, was cut out of the mural in the first weeks of the Trump administration, said three current NIH staffers, who provided photos to The Washington Post.

NIH didn't respond to questions about the agency's relationship with its most prominent alumnus, including why the mural depicting him was removed. But it is of a piece with other recent actions that the new Trump administration has taken toward the longtime infectious-disease expert, five years after President Donald Trump announced covid-related shutdowns that he and his advisers have since blamed on guidance from Fauci. Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind the U.S. DOGE Service, in November called Fauci "a freaking demon," alleging that the retired federal scientist indirectly funded risky virus research in China that sparked the pandemic. Fauci and his colleagues have repeatedly denied the claim, and there is no evidence SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the pandemic, was in any laboratory before the outbreak.

The ongoing focus on Fauci also comes during broader pressures on NIH, a nearly $50 billion scientific agency that has been largely paralyzed under the Trump administration. Federal research funding has slowed to a trickle, prompting universities to freeze ongoing work and rescind offers of employment. Grants for vaccine-hesitancy studies and other work have been canceled. Current and former NIH officials say they are alarmed, and politicians in both parties have said they're worried about the implications.

"It's a profound threat to scientific progress in America," said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), who spoke at a rally outside NIH last weekend. "This is the jewel of the scientific establishment  and Elon Musk and DOGE have brought their slash-and-burn tactics right to its doorstep."

Raskin also castigated efforts to minimize the work of Fauci, the highest-profile government scientist in recent years. DOGE canceled a long-planned NIH exhibit to honor the 84-year-old doctor's career, with Musk touting the cost savings in a social media post. The exhibit was largely complete, said several current and former NIH officials, who suggested the savings would be minimal at best. NIH also withdrew an invitation to have Fauci speak on campus this month as part of an NIH Grand Rounds series, Fauci told The Post.

"This is the kind of treatment that scientists get in totalitarian societies like Stalinist Russia if they don't toe the political line of the leaders," Raskin said.

Megan Ranney, dean of Yale University's public health school, said Fauci's career had been defined by efforts to improve human health and engage with his critics, such as the HIV activists who confronted Fauci in the 1980s and later became his champions.

"Did he make mistakes during covid? Absolutely - everyone did," Ranney said. "We can and should engage in real inquiry about what went well and what didn't  erasing someone is not a productive solution."

The White House defended its approach to NIH, saying that its changes to the agency's funding model were intended to steer more money toward science and away from administrative costs, and criticized Fauci's record.

"Americans are no longer interested in blind faith adherence to demonstrably fallible experts' like Anthony Fauci," spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement. "The Trump administration will continue to restore transparency, accountability, and confidence in our healthcare apparatus to Make America Healthy Again while being a good steward of taxpayer dollars."

Fauci rose to global prominence during the covid-19 pandemic, providing guidance to two presidential administrations - and reassurance to a nervous public that initially hailed his briefings and media appearances. Universities and other organizations bestowed honors on him, saying that Fauci's long career of fighting HIV/AIDS, covid and other infectious diseases made him a symbol for public health.

"His beyond impressive medical and scientific accomplishments have been too often reduced to political crossfire," David Perlmutter, the dean of the medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, said at the school's 2023 commencement, calling Fauci the "ultimate model of what can be achieved by the career of a physician-scientist."

But Fauci's high profile proved to be two-sided as backlash to the nation's covid response steadily grew. Republicans such as Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to investigate and potentially prosecute Fauci for his pandemic guidance or for his agency's funding of risky virus research. Other Americans grew frustrated with school shutdowns and other pandemic-era policies that remained in place for months or even years, sometimes with little evidence to support their implementation - and amid mounting evidence of learning loss. Fauci himself acknowledged missteps as new data emerged.

"It was a pretty quick honeymoon period at the beginning of the pandemic, where we had some unity and trust in our national institutions on health," said Liz Hamel, a vice president and director of public opinion and survey research at KFF, a nonpartisan health-care think tank.

Hamel cited KFF findings that public trust in Fauci steadily declined, driven by a partisan split. Roughly 8 in 10 Republicans and Democrats said they trusted Fauci in April 2020, near the start of the pandemic; two years later, only 25 percent of Republicans said they trusted Fauci, while 86 percent of Democrats said they did.

Outgoing President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned Fauci in one of his final acts in office this year, with the former president and Fauci both saying that he had committed no crime but faced threats from the incoming administration.

Meanwhile, critics of Fauci have risen to power across the government and particularly at NIH. The Trump administration in January tapped Matthew J. Memoli, a mid-level flu researcher at NIH, to serve as the acting head of the biomedical agency, bypassing dozens of other officials; Memoli had publicly criticized Fauci in 2021, making him a pariah within NIH leadership but winning him fans outside of it. Memoli said that Fauci's push to mandate coronavirus vaccines was unethical and inappropriate, particularly because the vaccines were unable to stop transmission of the virus.

"He has been behaving exactly as I was taught not to behave as a physician in medical school, a judgmental, paternalistic and aloof physician," Memoli wrote to a colleague in October 2021 in an email released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford academic and trained physician who co-wrote the October 2020 Great Barrington Declaration - a letter that criticized the federal coronavirus response and called for rolling back broad shutdowns - also blamed Fauci and his NIH colleagues for attempts to suppress that letter and broader dissent. Those efforts inadvertently helped raise Bhattacharya's profile and have put him on the verge of being confirmed as NIH's new leader.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), a physician who served on a GOP-led coronavirus oversight panel that wrapped its work in December, said that the panel's review left her critical of Fauci and NIH leadership.

"The final [panel] report details how readily apparent both Dr. Fauci and the NIH were suppressing covid origins and actively suppressing contrary opinions (lab leak theories) on social media platforms," Miller-Meeks said in a statement.

In an email, Fauci defended his disclosures, saying that he had been forthright about the possibility of a laboratory leak. He pointed to an email sent in early 2020, where Fauci discussed the need to alert authorities if scientists uncovered evidence that the virus had been man-made.

"It is inconceivable to me that anyone can read that email and conclude that I was trying to cover up anything," Fauci wrote. He also said that he never tried to suppress Bhattacharya's work, which was widely criticized by public health groups that warned rolling back coronavirus protections would put vulnerable people at risk.

"There is a difference between suppressing someone's work and disagreeing with it," Fauci wrote. "I disagree with the premise of the Great Barrington Declaration (GBD). I find it to be conceptually and practically flawed."

Fauci said that he has continued to retain a private security detail because he is still facing credible threats that began during the pandemic. Trump in January ended Fauci's government-provided security detail after nearly five years, saying that former government officials should not expect security for the rest of their lives.

Trump's return also has ushered in a new environment for Fauci and his allies.

Some scientists, physicians and other experts who previously spoke up to defend Fauci demurred when approached this month by The Post. One physician who publicly called Fauci a "hero" two years ago wrote in an email that his views had not changed - but the political climate had, prompting his request for anonymity to speak on Fauci again. Others said they were worried of drawing scrutiny from the Trump administration at a moment when NIH funding has been imperiled.

Leaders of some universities that honored Fauci with awards and speaking invitations during the height of the pandemic, such as Michigan State and Washington University in St. Louis, did not respond to requests for comment.

Others have called for a reexamination of Fauci and the broader role of public health experts.

"I don't have a positive view of Fauci's role during the pandemic," said Frances Lee, a Princeton University political scientist who co-wrote a new book, "In Covid's Wake," that revisits decisions made during the crisis.

In an interview, Lee cited examples of Fauci shifting his position on the value of masking, on the utility of vaccines to stop virus transmission and other matters that she said contributed to a mistrust in government officials, with long-lasting consequences. Lee pointed to the decision to elevate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, to the role of the nation's health secretary, saying that Kennedy benefited from supporters' sense "that the full truth was not being told to them on a variety of issues" during the pandemic.

Public health experts have said that it is easy to second-guess Fauci's guidance and some of the harshest aspects of the covid response today, a view that some have called "pandemic revisionism" because it can discount the uncertainty and fear as a new virus spread.

"I think it's important to remember that we did not have anything to offer people," said Caitlin Rivers, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist and author of "Crisis Averted," which reviews public health interventions. "We had no vaccines and no treatments, and no clear timeline of when they would become available. Hospitals were overwhelmed in many places. And the impacts were profound - over a million Americans died."

Regardless of the cause, there is now a notable divide in views on Fauci between Democrats, who continue to admire him, and among Republicans, where he is scorned. The split evokes similar differences in trust for public health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hamel, the KFF pollster, called the division "troubling."

"In the event of another health crisis - if bird flu or measles were to worsen into something even close to what the covid pandemic was like - I think it will be really difficult for public health officials to convince some people to take actions and behaviors that may be necessary to protect their own health or protect other people's health," she said.

Meanwhile, on the NIH campus, some staff told The Post that they continued to look to Fauci as an example. One shared a photo of a printout of Fauci's portrait - the same image that had been removed from the mural - that had been posted on a wall with a different Fauci quote: "Keep pushing."
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. On March 17, from 01:25 a.m. to 12:55 p.m., the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the directions of Yukhari Zaghali settlement of Basarkechar region and Digh settlement of Gorus region using small arms periodically subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions, Trend reports.

Meanwhile, on March 16, Azerbaijani Army positions came under fire three times in a row, the country's Ministry of Defense reported.

At about 09:45, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of Digh settlement of Gorus region using small arms subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions.

At approximately 18:35, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of Khazinavar settlement of Gorus region using small arms subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions.

From 20:10 to 20:45, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of Burun settlement of Gorus region using small arms several times subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions.
Trailblazing cyber law in Africa

CDTA recipient Dr Nomalanga Mashinini made history as the chair of the first-ever African Cyber Law Conference (ACLC).

As a recipient of the Wits Carnegie Diversifying the Academy (CDTA) Programme run by the Wits Transformation and Employment Equity Office, Mashinini led discussion during this groundbreaking initiative that is reshaping the landscape of cyber law on the continent. Her journey from an ambitious idea to a fully realised, impactful event is one that both current and aspiring CDTA recipients can draw inspiration from.

She is a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Law in the Wits School of Law and an advocate for technology law and image rights. Her passion for cyber law was sparked during her Masters studies, where she began exploring how technology affects personal rights.

Over the years, she delved deep into issues such as artificial intelligence, image rights, deepfakes, and the exploitation of personal data. However, despite attending numerous international conferences in New York, Mexico, and Geneva, she noticed a glaring gap - Africa had no dedicated cyber law conference.

I could not shake the loneliness that came with going to conferences abroad and realising that we didnt have a homegrown space for cyber law scholars in Africa, Mashinini reflected. Every time I looked at my CV, I noticed that all my conference presentations were happening outside of South Africa. That needed to change.

Fuelled by this realisation, she envisioned a conference in South Africa that would bring together African scholars, policymakers, and legal practitioners to discuss and shape the future of cyber law on the continent. But turning this vision into reality was no small task. The first challenge? Securing funding. Recognising the potential of her idea, she applied for the National Research Foundations Knowledge Interchange and Collaboration Grant. This required meticulous planning, from structuring the conferences objectives to securing keynote speakers before even receiving funding.

Mashinini spearheaded the process with a formidable team of African female academics, from branding the conference as the African Cyber Law Conference (ACLC) to building its digital presence through a dedicated website. Her determination led to the successful execution of a conference that not only attracted key African scholars but also engaged voices from the UK and India. The response was overwhelming: the conference received 85 abstract submissions and saw participation from over 60 delegates.

Importantly, she ensured that inclusivity was a core value of ACLC. The conference featured a majority of female keynote speakers, challenging the traditional male dominance in technology law. It also created a multidisciplinary platform, bringing together experts in competition law, tax law, digital finance, and artificial intelligence ethics. Dr Mashinini credits her leadership success to a strong sense of humility and faith. I had to become small so that the vision could grow. There was no room for my ego - only for the purpose of creating a platform that would foster academic engagement, she shared.

Her ability to manage tensions, delegate tasks, and maintain professionalism played a key role in ACLCs success. She envisions ACLC growing into a globally recognised event, positioning Africa as a cyber law leader. She urges CDTA recipients to embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasising that even the smallest ideas, when driven by passion and strategy, can reshape industries. For those aspiring to make an impact, Mashininis journey proves that vision, resilience, and boldness can break new ground.

The future of African cyber law is unfolding, and through ACLC, Africa is claiming its place on the global stage.
Jordi addresses Annual Conference of the African Society of Forensic Medicine

Prof. Peter Jordi of the WITS LAW CLINIC presented the keynote address at the 12th Annual Conference of the African Society of Forensic Medicine.

Prof. Peter Jordi's address tackled Human Rights and Torture from a lawyer's perspective. He spoke of his experience as a plaintiffs attorney litigating against the Minister of Police for damages as a result of police misconduct involving torture; wrongful arrest and detention.

Jordi is a Practising Attorney and runs the Criminal Law and Delict Unit at the WITS LAW CLINIC. He has over 30 years of experience in these matters and has settled millions of rand in damages on behalf of his clients. His address dealt with the principle mechanisms of torture favoured by the police, such as suffocation; electric shock and blunt force trauma. He advised the forensic pathologists at the conference of common errors made by doctors when examining victims of torture. He said that better medical reports increase the chances of plaintiffs succeeding in their damages claims.

Jordi also chaired several sessions at the conference.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Azerbaijani members of parliament have been invited to take part in the Nevsky International Ecological Congress, Trend reports.

The announcement was made by Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, during the opening of the 22nd session of the Commission on Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.

I invite the Azerbaijani side to participate in the Nevsky International Environmental Congress, which will be held on May 22-23, 2025, she said.

Matviyenko emphasized that solutions to issues related to climate change and the environment are crucial for growth, development, and quality of life.

Russia is one of Azerbaijans leading economic partners. Russia ranks third among Azerbaijans key trading partners, she added.

According to the Chairperson, there are vast opportunities for increasing trade turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan to up to $8 or $10 billion.

Matviyenko also highlighted the importance of maximizing the opportunities of countries that have established good-neighborly relations.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The Western Azerbaijan Community has called on the international community to apply pressure on Armenia to fulfill its obligations following decades of conflict between the two nations, Trend reports.

"The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, which began in 1987 with violence against Azerbaijanis in the Gafan region, has caused significant damage and suffering for Azerbaijan over the years. With Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty now restored, the conflict has officially been left behind, paving the way for potential peace in the region," the community said.

In a statement released recently, the Western Azerbaijan Community emphasized that while Armenia had accepted Azerbaijan's proposals on certain aspects of a draft agreement, more work remains to be done.

"As recently reported, during negotiations on the draft agreement addressing various issues related to the normalization of relations, Armenia agreed to Azerbaijan's proposals on the two remaining open articles.

However, this progress is insufficient. The Armenian side must also take further steps to resolve other outstanding matters essential for achieving lasting peace and justice. These include ensuring the safe and dignified return of Western Azerbaijanis to their homes, guaranteeing unhindered transit, removing territorial claims against Azerbaijan from its constitution and laws, advocating for the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, and acknowledging its responsibility for occupying Azerbaijani territories, inflicting significant damage, and committing acts of violence against Azerbaijanis.

Furthermore, Armenia must address compensation payments, dismantle all so-called "institutions" of the regime on its territory, cease the glorification of war criminals, halt its weapons program, and return any acquired weapons.

The Western Azerbaijan Community urges the international community to exert pressure on Armenia to fulfill its obligations and take meaningful action toward peace," the statement concludes.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting is bringing US President Donald Trump and his right-hand billionaire Elon Musks DOGE programme to Britain beginning with an assault on the National Health Service (NHS).

Streeting announced last Thursday that he would be abolishing the worlds largest quango, NHS Englanda government-funded but independent body running health services in the country. Up to 10,000 administrative jobs will go as the organisation is folded into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), a cull worth roughly 400 million a year.

The Murdoch presss Sun newspaper immediately understood what was afoot. We couldnt be happier, wrote the papers editors: For years we have demanded a bonfire of the quangoslargely useless bloodsucking state-funded bureaucracies.

Labour had done what the Tories should have sorted long ago and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was living the Tories dream.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announces abolition of NHS England in a speech in Hull, March 13, 2025 [Photo by Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street/Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Streetings announcement went totally unopposed by the Conservatives, with former health secretary Jeremy Hunt praising his boldness, health minister under Boris Johnson Lord Bethell declaring, I wish wed had the guts to do this, shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchel admitting himself very supportive and one-time Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick arguing, I think we should back him.

With such strong support from parliaments vultures, the Sun urged, the PM must now take his chainsaw to hundreds more quangos.

The Labour government has not been slow to answer. The next day, Streeting made clear that 20-30,000 jobs were actually at risk. The NHSs 42 integrated care boardswhich allocate the NHS budget locally and commission serviceswould be expected to cut running costs by half. Its 220 trustswhich provide medical carewould be told to slash roles in HR, finance and communications. These cuts would amount to upwards of an extra 750 million a year.

Streeting is beginning with NHS England in an attempt to benefit from popular dissatisfaction with what has always been seen as a bureaucratic weight on the genuine care work of the health service.

Wes Streeting speaking at Labour's conference, October 2023 [Photo: screenshot of video: Telegraph/YouTube]

There is good reason for this, but not the one Streeting gives. NHS England was set up in 2013 by Tory Health Secretary Andrew Lansleyclosely connected with the private healthcare lobbyas part of a disguised privatisation drive within the NHS.

At the time, it was considered politically impossible to openly discuss an increased role for the private sector in the NHS, or to openly and directly attack the health service. NHS England was Lansleys solution, created to oversee an internal market regime providing ever-expanding opportunities for private providers, which could proceed formally independent of the government and out of the spotlight.

Not only did the privatisation of health services rapidly increase, but large sums of money came to be spent on the NHS England stalking horsewhich in many cases duplicated functions performed with the DHSC.

Streeting, with his own extensive ties to the private health lobby, has seized an opportunity. He came into power with the Labour government pledging to increase the involvement of the private sector in the NHS and attacking it in terms no shadow or government health secretary in British political historyTory or Labourhas ever used. He is perfectly prepared to dispense with the layer of deniability offered by NHS England.

He can do so while claiming to be cutting a bureaucratic drain on health spending. The reality is that the arms-length privatisation agenda pursued through NHS England is being brought in house, to proceed at breakneck speed under the health secretarys whip.

Streetings intention in slashing jobs is not to cut waste or to reduce micromanagementhis continual demands for productivity increases from an exhausted workforce will bear down on health workers harder than ever. He wants fewer government administrative workers because he expects less work for them to manage once large chunks of the NHS are handed over to private companieswith more ways to leech money out of the health service, in profits, bonusses, outsourcing contracts, dividends and all the rest.

The second pillar of this agenda is slashing public funding. Streeting told the Sunday Telegraph that Jim MackeyCEO of NHS England until its dissolutionwould be gripping NHS finances and putting an end to the deficit-by-default culture that has consumed our health service. Streeting will do the same at the DHSC, going through budgets line by line.

Mackey told Integrated Care Board (health service commissioning groupsset up as part of the former privatisation by stealth initiative) and NHS Trust (ditto) leaders that his work was being done to reset NHS finances and prevent it overspending by the 6.6bn in 2025-26 that initial estimates said was likely, according to the Guardian.

An earlier round of cuts already took 20 percent out of ICB budgets. The paper reports: Senior figures running ICBs say the order to halve their running costs will make it impossible for them to undertake the full range of their activities, which include funding vaccination programmes, offering blood pressure checks and improving childrens dental health.

One leader explained, In our ICB we have no more fat to trim. Its very difficult to see how, if implemented in a blanket way, this doesnt lead to service cuts.

To drive this agenda forward, Streeting told the Telegraph Labour would be introducing league tables, so we can see which providers are cutting waiting times and managing their finances responsibly, and which are failing. Those at the top will be incentivised to go further, faster, while those at the bottom will be paid a visit by turn around teams to whip them into shape.

This was just the beginning, not the end, he declared, with the Telegraph writing, Wes Streeting has warned that hundreds of official bodies are cluttering up the health system as he prepares to axe more health quangos.

More than the health service is at stake. Starmer used Streetings announcement Thursday as an occasion to publish another article in the Telegraph which its deputy political editor summed up in the words, Starmer: I will tackle our flabby state.

The prime minister complained of having left tax and spending at, or close to, historic highs and of a state that employs more people than it has in decades We dont want bigger state, or an intrusive state, an ever-expanding state.

Just as with the NHS, criticisms of bureaucracy and inefficiency will be used to justify slashing swathes of the civil service as part of plans to drastically reduce social services. Labour is already preparing billions of pounds in welfare cuts as part of its upcoming Spring Statement.

Meanwhile, enterprise, Starmers word for big business, will be given free rein. We will pull every lever to unleash it, he writes, announcing, a new target across government to cut administrative costs of regulation by 25 percent.

The Telegraph asked Steve Baker, a leading figure on the Tory right, for his opinion on the last few days announcements. The former RAF officer and Lehman Brothers financier answered, with a tone of admiration in his voice, the paper reports, It should be humbling for every Tory thinker that we have been outflanked on the Right by Labour.
25 years ago: Uganda cult kills over 400 people in mass suicide

On March 17, 2000, a Ugandan Christian cult group called the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God corralled people into a church, nailed windows shut, boarded-up doors and ignited bombs, killing more than 400 people, including 78 children. Additional heinous crimes included strangulations, slashing and hacking members to death, and starvation.

The founders of the doomsday cult, Joseph Kibwetere, a former wealthy farmer and leading member of the Catholic-oriented Democratic Party, and Credonia Mwerinda, a former prostitute, escaped before the blazing inferno consumed the building. They left the country with enormous sums of money and financial assets donated from cult members they had convinced to end their sorrow and misery.

Uganda cult leaders. From left to right: Ursula Komuhangi, Credonia Mwerinde, Joseph Kibwetere, and Dominic Kataribabo

The atrocious event was the outcome of nearly 70 years of British colonial rule, followed by a series of open or thinly disguised dictatorships entirely subservient to British and Americain imperialism. Both colonial and neocolonial regimes manipulated tribal divisions to sustain the looting of the countrys natural resources to enrich a tiny bourgeois aristocracy.

After nominal independence from Britain in 1962, Milton Obote, the first prime minister of the country, representing the Ugandan Peoples Congress (UPC), forged a fickle alliance with the tribal-based Bugandan royal establishment. Several years later Obote dissolved the alliance, using the military and police to set up his own dictatorship. Growing popular unrest led military chief Idi Amin to oust Obote in an imperialist-backed coup in 1971. After Amins regime invoked mass terror as state policy, killing upward of 500,000 people, the Tanzanian army invaded and ousted his government in 1979.

This opened the doors for Obotes return in a rigged election in 1980. Opposition arose from several armed guerrilla movements and leaders, the most prominent being Yoweri Musevenis National Resistance Movement (NRM). Espousing Marxist and socialist phrases to the masses gave the NRM a degree of popular support in a guerrilla war from 1981 to 1985 in which another half a million Ugandans died.

But Musevenis championing of Pan-Africanism was just another form of adaptation to imperialist domination, based on upholding the arbitrary borders drawn by the colonial powers, and accepting the dictates of the IMF and World Bank. He dismantled and privatized state-run enterprises, opening the country to international investors to exploit its natural resources and cheap labor.

The transformation of left-talking populists like Obote and Museveni into kleptocratic dictators produced widespread disillusionment among the Ugandan masses, which led to the formation of dozens of millennialist religious sects. Some, like the group led by Kibwetere, focused on the year 2000 as the promised end of the world. Others, like the Lords Resistance Army, became sizeable guerrilla forces that waged brutal warfare against equally brutal repression by governments in Uganda, Sudan, Congo, Rwanda and the Central African Republic.

50 years ago: Trial of the Baader-Meinhof group begins in West Germany

On May 21, 1975, the trial of the Baader-Meinhof group began inside Stammheim Prison in Stuttgart, West Germany. The defendantsAndreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Ulrike Meinhof and Jan-Carl Raspemembers of the militant Red Army Faction (RAF), faced charges including murder, bombings, bank robberies and other crimes allegedly committed by the organization.

The RAF emerged in the late 1960s out of the West German student movement which had mobilized hundreds of thousands of youth against the Vietnam War. The group, while motivated by anti-imperialism and opposed to the rehabilitation of Nazi officials into the West German state, was hostile to the construction of a socialist movement in the working class. Instead, the RAF carried out bombings and other urban guerilla terror activities with the desperate aim of pressuring for a change in imperialist policy.

Ulrike Meinhof

The first major arrests of RAF members began in 1972. Those accused of crimes, like the Baader-Meinhof group, were held for years in solitary confinement before trials were organized. One prisoner, Holger Meins, was killed after being force fed by prison guards while attempting a hunger strike.

When the trial was finally prepared, it was held under unprecedented security measures. The courtroom had been specially built adjacent to Stammheim Prison where the defendants were held. It featured bulletproof glass partitions and reinforced walls. Public access was restricted, and journalists could only observe proceedings via closed-circuit television.

The West German government went as far as to pass special laws restricting the Baader-Meinhof groups access to attorneys. Specifically, attorneys suspected of any political sympathies for the RAF were not permitted to represent the defendants. The conditions of the trial were criticized by civil rights attorneys as prejudicial. They argued that the isolation of the defendants and the construction of special restrictive facilities prevented the group from receiving a fair trial.

The court proceedings proceeded slowly. The defendants refused to recognize the legitimacy of the hearings and were often forcibly removed. In May 1976 Meinhof was found hanged in her cell. The death was officially ruled a suicide, but many suspicions remain about state involvement. At the very least, the inhumane conditions of prolonged solitary confinement were undoubtedly a factor in her death.

The trial concluded nearly two years after it began on April 28, 1977, with life sentences for Baader, Ensslin and Raspe. Meinhof was convicted posthumously. Months later Baader, Ensslin and Raspe would also be discovered dead in their cells. All four deaths were officially ruled as suicides.

75 years ago: Belgian government collapses following referendum on monarchy

On March 18, 1950, the government of Belgium collapsed with Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens and his cabinet resigning following a national referendum over whether King Leopold III could return to the country from his exile in Switzerland.

One week prior, voters were asked: Are you of the opinion that King Leopold III should resume the exercise of his constitutional powers? Some 57 percent of the countrys population voted in the affirmative, with most of this support from more rural areas and the conservative middle class. By contrast, large sections of the Belgian working class opposed the reinstatement of the monarch, with industrial regions such as Wallonia voting against it.

Gaston Eyskens

A conflict emerged within the ruling Catholic-Liberal coalition government. The Liberals pulled out of the coalition after refusing to call a joint session of parliament to make the legal preparations for Leopolds return. Eyskens resigned shortly after, handing the governments resignation to the regent, Prince Charles, who would dissolve parliament until the June elections that brought the Christian Social Party (PSC-CVP) to power.

The opposition on the part of the Liberals to Leopolds was borne out of tactical considerations. The monarch was a widely despised figure among the Belgian working class. In 1940, Leopold unconditionally surrendered Belgium to the Nazi Germany invasion, an act declared unconstitutional by the former prime minister, Hubert Pierlot. Leopold met with and shook hands with Hitler in November 1940, which earned him further hostility from the Belgian population.

The promised return of Leopold prompted a resurgence of working class struggles and strike actions under the sloganStop Leopold. Strikes involving over 10,000 workers in total broke out in the working class regions of Charleroi, Mons and Liege, which all voted almost 70 percent against the return of the monarch. Even in Antwerp, where a majority had voted in favor of the referendum, 15,000 dock workers walked out on strike against the decision.

100 years: Fascist kidnapping of British Communist leader raised in Parliament

On March 17, 1925, in the British House of Commons, Joseph Kenworthy, a Liberal MP, raised the issue of the March 14 kidnapping and detention of Communist Party leader Harry Pollitt by eight men at a train station.

On March 14, Pollitt had been on a train bound from London to Liverpool where he was scheduled to speak at a meeting. He was seized at Edge Hill station by the individuals, who refused to identify themselves, and moved him to a room at the Liver Inn in Rhydtalog, Flintshire, North Wales, where he was imprisoned over the weekend. Although he was not physically abused, Pollitt was certain that his abductors were members of an organization called the British Fascists (BF), founded in 1923 by Rotha Lintorn-Orman.

Harry Pollitt

After Kenworthy presented the issue to parliament, Home Secretary William Joynson-Hicks confirmed the kidnapping and claimed that railway officials did not intervene because they believed Pollitt was under legal restraint. He assured Kenworthy that the inquiry was ongoing. 

Kenworthys complaint was, according to the New York Times, received by the majority of members of the House as a good joke that the Communist should have been treated to a little of his own medicine.

On March 19, Joynson-Hicks reported to parliament that warrants had been issued for the arrest of individuals suspected of involvement in Pollitts detention, with three already in custody. 

Five men associated with BF were eventually arrested and charged with the kidnapping of Pollitt. During the trial, the defense characterized the kidnapping as unserious, and the head of the Liverpool branch of the British Fascists denied authorizing any such action. All five defendants were acquitted.

Pollitt himself would rise to the post of general secretary in the British Communist Party and later become the principal spokesman for Stalinism in Britain and the defender of horrendous crimes against the Trotskyist movement and the British and international working class.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a condolence letter to President of the Republic of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Trend reports.

"Dear Madame President,

We were deeply shocked by the news of the tragic incident in the town of Kocani, which resulted in the loss of many lives and injuries.

In light of this tragedy, on behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the families and loved ones of the deceased, and all the people of North Macedonia. I also wish the injured a swift recovery," the letter reads.
The Socialist Equality Party and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality campaigned at Saturdays Gaza genocide protest in London to demand the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil by the Trump administration in the United States.

March participants at the SEP's stall on Whitehall in London

On March 8, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents ambushed Khalila Columbia graduate and prominent advocate for last years campus protests against the Gaza genocideand his wife, an American citizen, in the lobby of their building.

They snatched Khalil, threatened his wife with arrest and transported Khalil to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holding cell in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Even as his lawyers filed a habeas corpus motion in Manhattan, he was secretly flown 1,300 miles away to a private detention centre in Louisiana. Khalil was disappeared without any charge, despite being a legal permanent resident of the US and a green card holder.

Another anti-genocide protester, Leqaa Kordia, a West Bank Palestinian and current Columbia student, was snatched on Friday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A protester holds up a sign reading "Free My Colleague Mahmoud Khalil Now", London, March 15 2025

SEP members distributed copies of the March 10 WSWS editorial board statement: Free Mahmoud Khalil! Mobilize the working class against Trumps dictatorship! March participants came to the SEPs stall to express their support for Khalils freedom and hear a genuine socialist perspective against war.

Another protester said, I have been watching the case of Mahmoud very closely. They are only targeting Mahmoud because he is a student and they know students especially in America are the heaviest voices. So let us hope other students stand up behind him, whether you believe in Palestine or not this is about humanity.

Actor Khalid Abdallawho played Dodi Fayed in the fifth and sixth seasons of The Crownspoke from the platform of Khalils fate. Abdalla was one of the speakers at the brutally repressed January 18 March for Palestine rally in London, who then had to attend an interview at a police station.

Khalid Abdalla speaking at the March 15 rally

Abdalla said, This world looks a lot like the rise of fascism in the 1930s, and yes it looks a lot like McCarthyite America.

And yes this is a genocide. And this is why Jewish people around the world, who see this moment for what it is, are in solidarity with the movement for Palestinian liberation in unprecedented numbers, true to the most extraordinary Jewish traditions. Most recently taking over Trump Tower to free Mahmoud Khalil. Free Mahmoud Khalil! Just as they did in Penn Station and in the college campuses in Columbia, in America and around the world, and here today in every part of this movement.

The fight for Khalils freedom has won widespread support, with over half a million signing petitions demanding his release and 1.2 million people participating in a letter-writing campaign launched by on-campus groups.

The campaign can only be successful to the extent that it turns to the working class. As the WSWS Editorial Board statement calling for his freedom states:

The attack on Khalil takes place in the context of mass layoffs of tens of thousands of federal workers by Trump and Elon Musk, the elimination of all restraints on corporate exploitation, and a frontal assault on social programs like Medicaid and Social Security. The assault on democratic rights is inseparably connected to the deepening war preparationsfrom Trumps calls to annex Greenland and Canada to his backing of Israels ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

It continued, Students cannot be left to fight alone. This fight must be taken into the working class. Khalil is a member of the United Auto Workers (UAW), yet the UAW leadership has remained silent. Rank-and-file workers must act. Graduate students in the UAW, along with autoworkers, educators, Amazon workers, healthcare workers, and every section of the working class must take up the fight for Khalils freedom.

Saturdays march, attended by around 50,000, and led by organisations including the Stop the War Coalition and Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was the 25th national rally held in London since Israels genocide began. It was significantly smaller than recent national rallies, firstly due to police repression, fuelled by demands in ruling circles that the protests against the war be criminalised.

However, the dwindling numbers are also due to participants being given no perspective from organisers on which to oppose the genocide in Gaza and the expanding war in the Middle East.

Once again, no link was drawn between the Gaza genocide and opposition to war in Ukraine. Stop the War convenor Lindsey German declared that the genocide was supported by Donald Trump and by Keir Starmer here in London.

Lindsey German speaking at London rally

Without mentioning the word Ukraine, she added obliquely that Starmer wants to take the world into a bigger and bigger war, spending more and more on arms while the disabled people are having their benefits cut, when the pensioners are freezing and where the children are suffering because they wont lift the cap on the two child benefits.

German stated, We want an end to the attacks on the Palestinian people, but we dont want a war in Europe, we dont want another war in the Middle East. The war in Europe she doesnt want, led by the NATO powers, has been waged in Ukraine against Russia for three years now. It has not been mentioned once by Stop the War from the platform in 15 months of the anti-Gazan war protests!

Stop the Wars duplicity was epitomised by the presence of John McDonnell, former shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyns leadership of the Labour Party, who was skulking around Saturdays protest. He is a warmonger who demonstrably broke with the Stop the War Coalition in 2023along with a significant section of the nominally left Socialist Campaign Groupdue to his support for NATOs war in Ukraine, and insistence that Britain upped arms supplies to the Zelensky regime.

McDonnells jingoism over Ukraine is no obstacle to his joining other Stop the War Coalition leaders at the front of their march, beneath the organisations banner, because the first priority is to promote the Labour left, even when its representatives back Starmers war drive.
Greens parliamentary group leader Katharina Droge (front right) on 13 March 2025 in the Bundestag [AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi]

The German Greens stand ready to use their votes in the outgoing Bundestag (parliament) to adopt the gigantic rearmament programme proposed by the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD), who are set to form a grand coalition in the next parliament. This was announced by the Greens parliamentary group leaders, Katharina Droge and Britta Hasselmann, in a press statement Friday.

On the same day, the Supreme Court in Karlsruhe rejected several urgent appeals filed against holding the special session of the Bundestag planned for Tuesday, at which the arms package worth hundreds of billions is to be voted on.

The adoption of the largest German rearmament offensive since Hitler and the Nazis is thus considered likely. In the outgoing Bundestag, the CDU/CSU and SPD, together with the Greens, still have the two-thirds majority needed for a constitutional amendment to get the massive rearmament and war package off the ground.

The CDU/CSU and SPD want to exempt all defence spending above 1 percent of GDP from the debt brake, which places a constitutional limit on government borrowing. This means that military expenditure can be increased without any limit, with 500 billion euros being discussed as a figure. On top of this comes a so-called special fund for federal/state/local infrastructure amounting to a further 500 billion, which essentially also serves to prepare for war.

The Greens, the party of the wealthy and warmongering upper middle classes, who fully represent the interests of the state and German imperialism, had signalled their agreement in principle to the plans of the CDU/CSU and SPD from the outset. While paying some lip service to climate protection, they wanted above all to ensure that the special fund would actually flow directly and exclusively into stepping up the repressive powers of the state at home and rearmament, war-related infrastructure and further support for Ukraine, and not be spent on election gifts by the grand coalition partners.

They have apparently achieved that. In an official post on X celebrating the agreement with the CDU/CSU and SPD, the Greens state, among other things: We are investing in security. This concerns the Bundeswehr [Armed Forces], but also domestic security, e.g., intelligence services, cyber defence and civil defence. To this end, we are immediately supporting Ukraine with 3 billion euros.

The Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz (CDU) and the SPD leadership also praised the agreement and made clear what it is all about: the unleashing of German imperialism. It is a clear message to our partners and friends, but also to our opponents, to the enemies of our freedom: we are capable of defence, and we are now fully prepared for defence, said Merz, celebrating the agreement and exulting, Germany is back.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil, who also heads its parliamentary faction, made similar comments; announcing in a brief press statement, We want to free our country from financial shackles. Adopting the spending package would achieve precisely that, he said. He added that Germany would be sending a historic signal, to Europe, Ukraine, but also to President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The rearmament programme aims to rebuild Germany as an aggressive military power after two lost world wars and horrific crimes in the 20th century, warned the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP, Socialist Equality Party) in a recent statement. It continued: The consequences of this programme mean war, dictatorship and ultimately nuclear destruction. Official propaganda cannot hide this.

The first parliamentary debate on the rearmament package on Thursday provided an indication of what the working class can expect. Deputies from the CDU/CSU, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), SPD, Greens and Liberal Democrats (FDP) were in a veritable war frenzy, outdoing each other in their demands for German rearmament and leadership. Klingbeil called for Europes destiny to be taken more into European hands now and that Germany play a leading role in this. It was high time that we loosened the chains in this country. Germany must lead the way for a strong, united Europe, and that is why we are laying the foundations here.

The SPD leaders main concern is the escalation of the NATO war against the nuclear power Russia. If Ukraine falls, then peace in the European Union will also be endangered, he warned. We know what Putins goals are and there is no time to lose. Support for Ukraine, was not a gesture driven only by purely human motives, it was always also about our own interests.

Klingbeil could not make it clearer. In its push to the east, Germany is not concerned with defending freedom and democracy, but, as in the past, with predatory economic and geostrategic interests.

Above all, the debate made one thing plain: As in the 1930s, great power politics, rearmament and war go hand in hand with the abolition of democracy. In his speech, Merz demanded, Germany must be capable of making decisions independently of election dates and independently of the composition of the Bundestag. Germany must become capable of defence, and Germany must return to the international stage as a capable partner in Europe, in NATO and in the world.

Merz continued, saying he knew that this decision is not shared by everyone in our country and obviously not by everyone here in this House either.

Not only in the east, but throughout Germany, he said, there are increasing doubts and questions about the political balance in our decisions. And yet they had to be implemented!

The whole world is looking to Germany in these days and weeks. We have a task in the European Union and in the world that goes far beyond the borders of our own country and the well-being of our own population.

This is an open call for world power and dictatorship at the expense of the workers. Accordingly, the plans for rearmament and great power status must be implemented regardless of elections and the composition of parliament, against all resistance.

In saying this, former Blackrock banker Merz is not just speaking for himself and the CDU; he is articulating the standpoint of German imperialism and the German financial oligarchy. Like the ruling class in the US under the leadership of the fascist Trump, it is willing to enforce its interests with the utmost brutality at home and abroad and destroy all remaining social and democratic rights.

Regardless of what the party leaders officially say, it is clear that the enormous sums will be reclaimed from the working class in the form of wage cuts, mass layoffs and the destruction of the welfare state. In their exploratory paper, the CDU/CSU and SPD had already announced that they would also make savings in the context of the budget deliberations and, in addition, gradually switch to target- and impact-oriented budget management.

Among the parties in the Bundestag, there are only tactical differences of opinion as to how and under what conditions the armaments offensive should be implemented. The fascist AfD, the party of German militarism in its purest form, which fully agrees with the war mobilisation and even calls for Germany to have nuclear weapons, wants to finance the rearmament drive directly through budget cuts and rigorously cut superfluous spending, as its parliamentary faction leader Alice Weidel put it.

The Left Party, which made it clear on election night that it was ready for talks should Merzs efforts to organise a majority in the outgoing Bundestag fail, is now appealing to the Greens not to back the spending package after all. It is not too late, party leader Ines Schwerdtner told the press. Otherwise, a central mistake of the outgoing government would be repeated, namely climate protection and rearmament without social balance. In other words, the war loans should be accompanied by some empty social promises in order to better control the opposition among the population against the war madness.

Such opposition is precisely what is happening, and it now needs conscious political leadership. It is time to become politically active and to study the programme of and join the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei and the International Committee of the Fourth International, the SGP writes in its recent statement. Building a united movement of the European and international working class based on a socialist and revolutionary programme is the only way to stop the developing world war.
March 15 marked six years since the fascist terrorist Brenton Tarrant massacred 51 people and injured dozens more in mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.

The anniversary of New Zealands worst mass shootingwhich the United Nations designated in 2022 as an International Day to Combat Islamophobiaattracted minimal media coverage. Successive governments have sought to suppress public discussion of the atrocity, including how Tarrant was able to carry out the attack, his links to fascist organisations, and his admiration for US President Trump and other far-right politicians.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses Christchurch massacre memorial meeting, March 15, 2025. [Photo: Facebook/Christopher Luxon]

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon delivered a hypocritical speech at a memorial meeting in Christchurch, declaring that Islamophobia, like all forms of hatred, has absolutely no place in New Zealand, and it is our duty to challenge it wherever it appears, whether its in words, policies, or in the silence that allows prejudice to fester.

In Australia, Tarrants home country, Labor Party Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a similar statement, Australia stands firm against any expression or act of hatred or hostility toward the Muslim community.

Who do these politicians think they are fooling? Both governments and the entire political and media establishment have spent the past two years supporting the US-Israeli genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and demonizing pro-Palestine protesters. Students, academics, doctors, nurses, journalists, artists and others who have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people are being smeared as anti-semites and, in some cases, forced out of their jobs.

Research by the Islamophobia Register of Australia has found that instances of anti-Muslim abuse more than doubled between January 2023 and November 2024especially after Israel began its genocidal assault on Gaza in October 2023. The report highlighted physical attacks on people wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh and the hijab, as well as an arson attack on a Palestinian restaurant, and a bomb being planted on a car outside a house displaying the Palestinian flag.

Rosemary Omar, who lost her son Tariq during the massacre at Al Noor Mosque, told Radio NZ she had very little faith that a similar attack will not occur. She noted that Tarrant had many admirers and pointed to the recent threat by a teenager from Western Australia to carry out a Christchurch 2.0 attack against a mosque in Sydney.

New Zealands right-wing coalition government launched a witch-hunt in January against Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, which has organised many protests against the genocide. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, from the right-wing nationalist NZ First Party, made inflammatory statements, falsely accusing the group of fascism, racism, and encouragement of violence and vigilantism.

Peters, who is also New Zealands foreign minister, is currently visiting the United States, where he will grovel before the fascistic President Donald Trump, who Tarrant hailed in his manifesto as a symbol of white renewal. Peters will reiterate New Zealands support for US-led wars in the Middle Eastwhere NZ personnel are assisting in the bombing of Yemenand the militarisation of the Indo-Pacific region in preparation for war against China.

The NZ government and opposition Labour Party welcomed Trumps election victory and inauguration, which was marked by two Nazi salutes by billionaire Elon Musk. They have made no criticism of the Trump administrations assault on democratic rights, including plans to deport millions of immigrants and the arrest of pro-Palestine protesters such as Mahmoud Khalil.

NZ First was also part of the Labour Party-led government of Jacinda Ardern when the 2019 terror attack happened. The international media glorified Ardern for her performative acts of kindness, while ignoring her alliance with NZ First and Labours support for its anti-immigrant policies. NZ First has a long record of racist agitation against Asian and Middle Eastern migrants and Muslims.

A student pays his respects at a park outside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand in March 18, 2019, after gunman Brenton Tarrant had killed 51 people at two Christchurch mosques. [AP Photo/Vincent Yu]

In the days following the Christchurch massacre, the World Socialist Web Site opposed the propaganda that Tarrant was a lone actor who could not have been stopped and whose actions had nothing to do with the policies of the Ardern government. The New Zealand and Australian ruling classes had for decades fuelled anti-Muslim sentiment, including by joining the criminal US-led war on terror and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The WSWS warned that the attack was the product of the deliberate cultivation, at the highest levels of the capitalist state in country after country, of the most extreme right-wing nationalism. As the working class internationally comes forward in a mass resurgence of class struggle against unprecedented levels of social inequality and the danger of war, the ruling class is once again, as it did in the 1920s and 1930s, seeking to use fascist forces to divide, intimidate and suppress the opposition to the bankruptcy of capitalism and the nation-state system.

Political parties and individuals espousing views that are not far from those of Brenton Tarrant can be found in the governments and parliaments of every European country, in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and in the US Congress and White House.

This is even truer today than it was six years ago.

While Trump has returned to power, the neo-Nazi AfD is now the largest opposition party in Germany and the government has adopted its anti-immigrant policies. Italys government is now led by Mussolini admirer Giorgia Meloni, and far-right parties in France, Austria and across eastern Europe are all setting the agenda for the militarisation of the continent and expelling migrants and refugees.

In addition to fully backing the genocide in Gaza and seeking to criminalize domestic opposition, the European powers are escalating the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, where the Zelensky regime and its military are infested with Nazi admirers.

Tarrant visited Ukraine prior to carrying out his 2019 attack, and told his family he liked it so much that he considered moving there. The rucksack he carried during the massacre was emblazoned with the sonnenrad (black sun) symbol used by the neo-Nazi Azov movement, which has been integrated into Ukraines armed forces.

Map showing countries visited by Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant in Europe [Photo: Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques on 15 March 2019)]

Discussion about Tarrants links to fascist groups internationally has been deliberately suppressed. Ardern instructed the media not to report on Tarrants views and declared that she would never speak his name.

In an anti-democratic decision, the New Zealand state made it a crime to possess his manifesto, which expressed admiration for Trump and far-right parties in Europe, indicated that he had contact with groups in Europe, and made clear the similarity between his anti-immigrant views and those of NZ First and other establishment parties.

A royal commission of inquiry was held in secret in 2020 and evidence presented by the police and the intelligence agencies, as well as statements by Tarrant himself, have not been released. It reached the conclusionunsupported by any evidencethat Tarrant had acted entirely alone and could not have been stopped.

Tarrant had well-known links to the neo-Nazi Lads Society in Australia, whose leader Thomas Sewell tried to recruit him. Sewells current organisation, the National Socialist Network, continues to operate in Australia with protection from the police and the judicial system.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 29, at the Christchurch High Court after pleading guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism in Christchurch, New Zealand, Aug. 27, 2020. [AP Photo/John Kirk-Anderson]

Questions remain about why Tarrant was not arrested in Australia when he made death threats in 2016 against opponents of the United Patriots Front, the Lads Societys predecessor. Another opportunity to stop Tarrant was missed when New Zealand police failed to investigate a complaint about anti-Muslim threats made by members of the Bruce Rifle Club, where Tarrant trained for his attack. The royal commission accepted claims by police that they did not receive any complaint about the club.

In response to widespread anger from the victims families over the royal commissions whitewash of state agencies, a coronial inquiry into the massacre was launched in 2022 and is ongoing. Coroner Brigitte Windley restricted the scope of the inquiry to focus on the events of March 15, 2019, whether Tarrants online activity contributed to his radicalization, and why Tarrant was able to obtain a firearms licence. She made clear that she will not release information gathered by the royal commission that remains restricted for national security reasons.

The main response by the state to the Christchurch massacre was to give more money and power to the spy agencies and to boost internet censorship which is aimed, not against the far-right, but against left-wing and socialist groups. Ardern set up the Christchurch Call to Action in collaboration with the Macron government in France, which is notorious for its anti-Muslim demagogy, to establish protocols to remove so-called terrorist and violent extremist content from online platforms.

The Christchurch Call is supported by 55 governmentsincluding the US, Germany, Britain and others which have denounced socialist and anti-war activism as extremismand 19 tech and social media companies, including Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and X (Twitter).

The billionaire owners of these companies have embraced the Trump administration and are promoting its agenda of militarism, racism and extreme reaction. They are censoring the WSWS and numerous anti-war websites and pro-Palestinian voices while amplifying fascists.

The main lesson that must be drawn from the Christchurch massacre and everything that has happened in the past six years, is that the danger of fascism cannot be halted by appeals to capitalist governments. The imperialist powers are lurching to the right and promoting the same extreme nationalist ideology espoused by Tarrant as they defend unprecedented levels of social inequality and prepare for war to redivide the world.

There is mass opposition to fascism in every country, but historyincluding the rise of fascism in Germany in the 1930sdemonstrates that anger and opposition is not enough. What is urgently required is the building of a socialist party, capable of mobilising the political power of the international working class to put an end to the capitalist system, which is the root cause of war, fascism and inequality. This is the program fought for by the International Committee of the Fourth International, and the Socialist Equality Group in New Zealand.
President Donald Trump speaks at the Justice Department in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. [AP Photo]

On March 12, Washington D.C. federal judge Beryl Howell temporarily blocked Donald Trumps March 6 executive order targeting Perkins Coie LLP, the 35th largest US law firm, with sanctions that threaten its existence. The potential adverse impact cannot be overstated, Howell said from the bench, adding that the executive order casts a chilling harm of blizzard proportion across the entire legal profession.

Our justice system is based on the fundamental belief that justice works best when all parties have zealous advocates, Howell explained. That fundamental promise extends to all parties, even those with unpopular ideas or beliefs or causes disliked by President Trump.

Howell concluded, I am sure that many in the profession are watching in horror at what Perkins Coie is going through. She described little chills down my spine before signing the temporary order blocking the executive order from continuing in effect.

Less than 48 hours after Judge Howells rebuke, Trump issued a similar executive order targeting Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, the nations 44th largest law firm. Hinting that more orders are coming, Trump said, Global law firms have for years played an outsized role in undermining the judicial process and in the destruction of bedrock American principles, through activities that make our communities less safe, increase burdens on local businesses, limit constitutional freedoms, and degrade the quality of American elections.

Both mega-firms cater to the ruling class and align with elements from both bourgeois parties. Nevertheless, the executive orders jeopardize the fundamental right of people to lawyers who will represent them without fear of government retaliation. Trumps demands for obeisance call to mind the National Socialist League of German Jurists, which compelled lawyers to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler or lose their ability to practice law.

Perkins Coie incurred Trumps wrath by representing Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign, which involved the controversial Steele dossier on purported connections between Trump and Russian intelligence. The firm also represented litigants who successfully opposed Trump in multiple lawsuits filed to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election, and aligned with the Democratic National Committee to litigate ballot access and voter suppression in the elections of 2016, 2020 and 2024.

In addition to the election matters, in which Perkins Coie was backed by activist donors including George Soros, the executive order cites lawsuits against the Trump Administration, including one designed to reduce military readiness, a reference to Perkins Coies representation of current US service members challenging the Trump executive order banning transgender personnel.

These cases are only a sliver of Perkins Coies big-business-oriented practice. Originating in Seattle over 110 years ago, Perkins Coie maintains 21 offices staffed by 1,200 lawyers in the US, Europe and Asia. Its annual revenues exceed $1.2 billion, generating a profit of $1.6 million per equity partner.

Paul Weiss is slightly smaller but significantly more lucrative. Established in New York City 150 years ago, its 1,009 lawyers operate 10 offices, five outside the United States, generating revenues of $2.5 billion last year, with a profit of $7.5 million per equity partner.

In his executive order Friday, Trump cited a Paul Weiss partner who sued individuals alleged to have participated in the events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, as well as the unethical attorney Mark Pomerantz, who had previously left Paul Weiss to join the Manhattan District Attorneys office solely to manufacture a prosecution against me.

After District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to file criminal charges, Pomerantz authored People vs. Donald Trump: an Inside Account, in which he likened Trump to Mafia boss John Gotti.

Both firms are heavily involved in the lucrative technology sector. They cater to corporations and wealthy individuals who interact constantly with federal agencies such as the Patent Office, the Department of Defense, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Health and Human Services, the Labor Department, the Consumer Protection Bureau and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trumps first executive order smeared all 1,200 Perkins Coie attorneys as dishonest and dangerous, although Trump nominated two to federal judgeships during his first term as president. It directed federal officials to refrain from hiring employees of Perkins Coie absent a waiver certifying that such hire will not threaten the national security of the United States.

It bars all 2,500 employees from access to federal buildings and prohibits federal agencies from engaging with the firms lawyers. For example, one federal prosecutor refused to meet with a Perkins Coie attorney who was representing a defendant in a white-collar criminal case.

Most damaging, both executive orders direct federal agencies to take appropriate steps to terminate any contract, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Emphasizing that clients will suffer consequences unless they move out of the crossfire to law firms of which he approves, Trumps accompanying Fact Sheets state: To ensure taxpayer dollars no longer go to contractors whose earnings subsidize partisan lawsuits against the United States, the Federal Government will prohibit funding contractors that use either Perkins Coie or Paul Weiss.

This is an express attack on the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship that underlies the entire edifice of bourgeois law.

Trumps retaliatory orders implement his threat posted last September on Truth Social that WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. Please beware that this legal exposure extends to Lawyers.

Like the compilation and publication of enemies lists in the McCarthy era, Perkins Coies lawyers argued in their court papers filed before the March 12 hearing, the Executive Order smacks of a most evil type of censorship and cannot be reconciled with the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and political association.

The Perkins Coie attorneys further argued that had Congress enacted legislation mirroring Trumps Executive Order, that would have constituted a bill of attainder similar to those used by the British Parliament in the years preceding the American Revolution to label critics of the British government as disloyal and impose punishments, including the confiscation of property, based on status alone and without due process.

Article 1 of the US Constitution explicitly prohibits bills of attainder because only the judicial branch should determine guilt. The Constitution likewise bars the President from punishing his political opponents law firms with a sweep of the pen, the Perkins Coie attorneys wrote.

Moreover, the order is not only an assault on the firm and its clients, it is a reckless assault on the criminal justice system and the rule of law, the Perkins Coie attorneys continued, citing Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark 1963 Supreme Court case that enforces the right to counsel enumerated in the Constitutions Sixth Amendment.

Trump was represented at Wednesdays court hearing by Chad Mizelle, Attorney General Pam Bondis chief of staff, one of the highest ranking lawyers in the Department of Justice. Mizelle swept aside the First Amendment, separation of powers, due process and right-to-counsel issues, arguing that Perkins Coie cannot be trusted with the nations secrets and that Trump has the unrestrained power as the chief executive to block access to government contracts as he sees fit.

Judge Howell has set an expedited schedule requiring briefs to be filed in April with a more permanent ruling to follow. Paul Weiss has not yet responded to the second order.

In a related action, Trump revoked security clearances for lawyers with the firm Covington & Burling who provided representation to Jack Smith, the special counsel who brought two federal indictments against Trump.

Neither the Democratic National Committee nor any prominent Democrat has come to Perkins Coies or Paul Weisss defense and denounced Trumps fascistic attack on the legal system.
Brazilian troops suppressing demonstration against the military dictatorship. [Photo: Arquivo Nacional]

The recent publication of a study on secret archives of Brazils1964-1985 military dictatorship has shed light on this fascist terror regimes forging of a counter-revolutionary network throughout Latin America subordinated to US imperialism.

The study led by researchers from the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), the University of Sao Paulo (USP) carried out the first systematic analysis of 8,000 documents in the archive of the military dictatorships Foreign Intelligence Center (CIEX), the regimes clandestine foreign intelligence agency tasked with monitoring opponents worldwide between 1966 and 1986.

A year-long effort with the collaboration of more than 20 researchers and undergraduate students gave rise to a database they have named the Latin American Transnational Surveillance Dataset. It established that more than 17,000 individuals were under the surveillance of Itamaraty, Brazils Foreign Ministry, over the 20 years of the CIEXs operation. Of these, only 30 percent were Brazilian citizens.

Through clandestine methods of espionage and collaboration with the repressive agencies of local regimes, the Brazilian dictatorship used its embassies and consulates around the world as centers for the political persecution of oppositionists. This transnational surveillance system was instrumental in the imprisonment and extrajudicial execution, or disappearance, of an incalculable number of individuals from Brazil and other countries.

One of the studys important conclusions is that CIEXs activities sequentially targeted opposition activity in Uruguay (1966-1970), Chile (1970-1973), Argentina (1973-1975) and Portugal (1976) onwards. In other words, its actions were concentrated in countries under nominally democratic regimes, which served, at different times, as hubs for Brazilian political exiles. Participating in these criminal operations were not only Brazilian diplomats and consular officials, but also local police and military forces with whom they held extra-official collaboration.

Reflecting on the significance of their findings, the researchers state:

The finding that TS targeted a smaller proportion of nationals compared to non-nationals has serious theoretical implications. On the one hand, it challenges conventional notions of who counts as a victim of transnational state repression by highlighting the degree to which non-nationals too can suffer the extraterritorial arm of foreign autocracies. On the other, it prompts us to reevaluate the impact of autocratic state repression against dissent on international relations writ large, including how transnational political violence may affect civil liberties in an interconnected world.

As revealing as these documents are in themselves, they are likely only a limited part of the Brazilian dictatorial diplomacys secret archive. Those files were preserved in the basements of Itamaraty despite an order by the National Intelligence Service (SNI) during the final days of the regime to destroy the archive.

The very existence of CIEX was kept secret until 2007, more than two decades after the end of the dictatorship, when it was brought to light by a series of reports in Correio Braziliense, which had first-hand access to the archive that was transferred to Brazils State Archive.

Knowledge of this hidden chapter of the dictatorship puts back diplomacy alongside the military in the dock at the trial of history, wrote Claudio Dantas Sequeira, the author of the award-winning journalistic series.

The CIEX was founded in 1966, according to former members of the department who spoke to Correio, by a top secret ordinance that remains inaccessible, confined in an immense safe located in the basement of Itamaraty.

Brazilian diplomat Manoel Pio Correa, a leading agent of counter-revolution across Latin America. [Photo: Arquivo Nacional]

The creator of CIEX was diplomat Manoel Pio Correa, who headed the Political Department of Itamaraty from 1959 until the end of Juscelino Kubitscheks government in 1961. In the words of Sequeira, As the executor of Brazils foreign policy, a post to which Correa was elevated by the military regime, he launched a crusade against communism, convinced that it was an evil to be extirpated from society. His efficiency earned him admiration and respect in the barracks, and the nickname reactionary troglodyte from Brazilian political asylums.

A fact that holds a critical political lesson is that this agenda of transnational persecution began to be articulated by Correa well before the 1964 coup.

In a memoir, he claims to have received a precious gift from his predecessor in the post, Odette de Carvalho e Souza, when taking over the Political Department of Itamaraty: an archive with files on Brazilian and foreign citizens involved in subversive activities during the previous decades. When I left the department at the end of the Kubitschek government, suspecting, quite rightly as we saw later, what was to come under the next government, Correa wrote, I left this archive, considerably enlarged, entrusted to an officer friend, who liaised with the then Information and Counter-Information Service (SFICI) with Itamaraty.

Working in the meantime as the Brazilian ambassador to Mexico, once the military regime was established, Correa was sent to the embassy in Uruguay, where the ousted president, Joao Goulart of the Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), lived in exile. Working to neutralize opposition activity against the coup regime in Brazil, Correa forged an extensive network of contacts with politicians, military officers, police delegates and judges in the nominally democratic neighboring country. I found in the departmental police excellent sources of information and occasionally some kind of active, unofficial cooperation, he wrote.

Appointed Brazils Secretary General for Foreign Affairs afterwards, a post he held throughout the military regime, Correa universalized these criminal methods in the creation of CIEX.

Correas consistent role as an agent of counter-revolution across Latin America, both at the head of CIEX and in his long career before that, is closely linked to the operations of US imperialism, which sponsored the 1964 military coup in Brazil.

In his memoirs published in 1976, CIA agent Philip Agee, who was in Montevideo in 1964, testified that the decision to send Pio Correa to Uruguay was taken by the CIA base in Rio de Janeiro, which was determined to carry out operations against the [Brazilian] exiles. The CIA considered Correa to be the right man since he had demonstrated great efficiency in operational tasks for the [CIA] base in Mexico City, during his time as ambassador.

It is a well-established fact that the Brazilian military dictatorship acted in coordination with Washington to overthrow democratic regimes and drown in blood the wave of revolutionary uprisings that swept Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s.

The CIEX archives shed light on how the fascist Latin American military, aided by the CIA, forged their secret networks for joint action, preparing coups detat and persecuting, torturing and murdering hundreds of thousands of political opponents.

The operations promoted by CIEX beginning in 1966 led to and culminated in Operation Condor, established in 1975-76. Operation Condor formalized the collaboration of the repression agencies of the dictatorships of Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile and Bolivia. Under the inspiration, funding and training of the CIA, it extended its clutches also to Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia and, since the end of the 1970s, with increasing intensity to the countries of Central America.

The result of these criminal operations was the transformation of the continent into a labyrinth of horror, in the words of Argentine author Stella Calloni. A political exile could be kidnapped, taken as a hostage and taken across borders, tortured and disappeared, without any judicial authorization, Calloni wrote in Operation Condor: Criminal Pact.

The preserved secrets and renewed relevance of the military dictatorships crimes

Almost 20 years have passed since Sequeira reported that the official order to create CIEX remained locked away in a secret archive in the basement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the time, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, of the Workers Party (PT), was beginning his second term in office.

When directly confronted in 2007 by a Correio Braziliense reporter, the Foreign Ministry, headed by Celso Amorim, declared that it had no comments to make on aspects of a past that fortunately no longer exists.

This response, coming from a government that proclaimed itself the representative of the left in Brazil, generated a wave of indignation against Lula and the PT.

The organization Torture Never Again, made up of victims of political persecution by the military regime, published a letter of repudiation against the government, stating: It is disgusting and even revolting that these archives and many others are closed to the relatives affected by state terrorism and to the general public who have the right to know their history. Belisario dos Santos, a prominent lawyer for political prisoners during the dictatorship, said: Our Chancellor Celso Amorim should be stunned by this, but he reacted as if he already knew.

Even though the PT spent another 12 years in power and Lula is now in his third term as president, the Brazilian state has never acknowledged the existence of CIEX, and documents such as its founding decree remain under lock and key.

On February 24 this year, O Globo reported that it had asked the current PT government why it never acknowledged the espionage activities, to which Itamaraty gave an evasive answer. The newspaper wrote to have also asked how many [Foreign Relations] officials were part of CIEX, its formal role in the government, the countries where it worked and we requested the full text of the ordinance responsible for its creation, which is still unknown. The government failed to reply.

O Globo interviewed Matias Spektor, the FGV researcher who led the recent study on the CIEX archive, who explained that one of the reasons for the Brazilian state to keep such secrets is the fact that many of the officials who worked in the repression machine continued their careers as diplomats in Itamaraty after the dictatorship ended.

The present political relevance of this only partially uncovered past can hardly be overestimated.

Throughout Latin America, the military and political heirs to the terror regimes of the 1960s-1970s have once again been brought to the center of political developments.

In Brazil, two years ago, former president Jair Bolsonaro and the fascist clique that remains at the head of the Armed Forces attempted a coup detat aimed at reestablishing a military dictatorial regime. The evidence of this fascistic conspiracy, which culminated in a mob laying siege to government buildings in Brasilia on January 8, 2023, exposes the absolute perfidy of the PT. It continues to treat the crimes of the military dictatorship and its diplomatic operatives as a past that fortunately no longer exists.

Police stand aside as fascists invade Brazilian government buildings [Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agencia Brasil ]

The PT and its pseudo-left satellites have never raised the issue, for example, that Col. Alexandre Castilho Bittencourt da Silvaone of the 23 military officers accused of participating in the coup conspiracywas living in Santiago de Chile at the end of 2022, when he took part in the drafting of the Letter to the Commander of the Army from Senior Officers of the Brazilian Army, considered a key piece of the coup attempt.

It is known that Bittencourt commanded the Armys 6th Police Battalion until February 2022 and left the post to pursue a post-graduate degree in Conducting Strategic Defense Policies at Chiles National Academy of Political and Strategic Studies (ANEPE). What political relationships did he establish during this critical period?

The existence of such relations between the Brazilian and Chilean militaries has the gravest implications. Their criminal historical ties go back to the joint plotting of the coup that overthrew Salvador Allendes government and massacred tens of thousands of Chilean workers. They subsequently led to collaboration in Operation Condor, headed by the bloodthirsty dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

Parallel to the renewed ties between the Brazilian and Chilean armed forces, the extra-constitutional relations between US imperialism and Latin Americas military forces are being rapidly revived in the context of Washingtons drive to counter the growing influence of China and Russia in the region.

Washingtons offensive to violently re-establish its hegemony over the Western Hemisphere has taken on an ever more feverish pace under the new Trump administration. These efforts are directly linked to the drive by Trump and his cabinet of fascist oligarchs to impose a dictatorship in the United States, taking direct inspiration from Latin Americas bloody history.

Trump has enthusiastically announced his goal of deporting US citizens to prisons in countries like El Salvador, where the government of Nayib Bukele has erected a system of mass incarceration of the population, without due process and under conditions of torture and the most severe human rights violations.

Through his links with fascist political forces like Bukele, Bolsonaro and Javier Milei in Argentina, Trumps ambition is to rebuild the labyrinth of horror of the Condor years, this time deeply integrated with the political persecution of the working class and youth within the United States itself.

These developments emphasize the urgent need for workers and youth in Latin America and the United States, who are entering a new period of mass struggles, to unite across borders and build a revolutionary leadership armed with an international strategy for the overthrow of the rotten capitalist system.
Demonstrators rally on Capitol Hill in Washington at "No Kings Day" protest on Presidents Day in support of federal workers and against recent actions by President Trump and Elon Musk, Feb. 17, 2025. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana]

On Friday, President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) implemented a new round of attacks on US government workers under the guise of continuing the reduction of the federal bureaucracy.

In a published executive action and accompanying fact sheet, the White House announced the elimination of the operations of seven long-standing federal offices that the President has determined are unnecessary. The shutdowns will impact the jobs of hundreds of federal employees.

The seven offices are: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS); the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM); the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution; the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS); the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH); the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund); and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).

In the presidential action, Trump and DOGE advisor Elon Musk claim that the eliminations will only impact the non-statutory components and functions of the government entities to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.

The new round of attacks on federal workers is proceeding swiftly, with the organizations being given just seven days to confirm full compliance with this order and explaining which components or functions of the governmental entity, if any, are statutorily required and to what extent.

Furthermore, the action states that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget or the head of any executive department or agency charged with reviewing grant requests by such entities shall reject funding requests for such governmental entities to the extent they are inconsistent with this order.

On Saturday, for example, news outlets began reporting that Crystal G. Thomas, director of human resources for USAGMwhich oversees Voice of America (VOA), the largest US international broadcaster, and several other US government-funded news agencies such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asiainformed all full-time employees, 1,300 people, that they had been placed on administrative leave.

A report by CBS News said:

The notice was sent to all full-time VOA employees, including reporters and all the way up to senior managers, but not to contractual employees, whose contracts expire in June, a source with VOA told CBS News in a phone interview.

The CBS News report continued:

However, a second source later told CBS News that VOA personal services contractors, who are also full-time, had received the same administrative email as federal employees. As of Saturday, all employees could not access VOA headquarters in Washington, D.C. All VOA freelancers and stringers worldwide, and those with monthly contracts or assignments, have to stop working because there is now no way to pay them, the source added.

Some VOA employees were walking to their studios when they received the notice and were told, No, go home.

Michael Abramowitz, director of Voice of America, said in a statement, I learned this morning that virtually the entire staff of Voice of Americamore than 1,300 journalists, producers and support staffhas been placed on administrative leave today. So have I.

The political and ideological purpose for targeting the seven entities for elimination is transparently clear. The shutdown of these agencies aligns with Trumps extreme nationalism, attacks on democratic rights, jobs, social programs and living standards of the working class, and his defense of the wealth of the oligarchy and preparations for war.

In the case of USAGM, the existence of news agencies with any degree of independence from the White Houseeven those that began broadcasting in 1942 and have functioned as a primary vehicle for US imperialist propaganda internationally since the end of World War IIare deemed obstacles to Trumps fascist and America First agenda.

A review of the origin, purpose, budgets and number of jobs at the other six entities illustrates the politically motivated attack by Trump and Musk, as well as how far the entire US political system has shifted to the right over the past five decades:

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) was established on June 23, 1947, as an independent agency of the US government under the Taft-Hartley Labor Management Relations Act. Its primary objectives have been to promote labor-management cooperation and prevent strikes to ensure that capitalist profit-making continues without disruption.

The FMCS budget for fiscal year 2023 was $53.7 million and the office employs 218 people, including 155 full-time FMCS mediators who are stationed at 64 offices throughout the US.

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

The Wilson Center was established by an act of Congress on October 24, 1968 (Public Law 90-637). It was created as a memorial to Democratic Party President Woodrow Wilson, the 28th US President from 1913-1921. The center is part of the Smithsonian Institution but operates independently under its own board of trustees.

According to the centers website, it is non-partisan and its purpose is to help policymakers and stakeholders make sense of global developments. It conducts research, analysis and scholarship in furtherance of the needs of US imperialism.

For fiscal 2024, the Wilson Centers budget is $16.1 million, allocated through federal appropriations. This funding supports salaries and benefits for approximately 57 full-time employees, fellowship programs and operational expenses. The center also relies on private funding sources such as grants, endowments, and donations to supplement its federal budget.

Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent federal agency established in 1996. It serves as the primary source of federal support for the nations libraries and museums. IMLS was created to consolidate federal library and museum programs, aiming to strengthen the institutions through support and policy development.

The IMLS website states that the mission of the agency is to ensure that individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage.

The fiscal 2024 budget of IMLS is $266.7 million. For fiscal 2025, the Senate proposed allocating $214.1 million for library services. As of 2023, IMLS had 70 full-time employees. In 2022, they voted to unionize, joining the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH)

The US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) was established on July 22, 1987 as part of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (PL 100-77). Stewart McKinney was a Republican US representative from Connecticut who served from 1971 to 1987. The organization was originally called the Interagency Council on the Homeless and was renamed to USICH in 2002, with the change enacted into law in 2004.

The USICH website states that agencys purpose is to coordinate the federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the effectiveness of the federal government in contributing to the end of homelessness.

For fiscal 2025, USICH has requested a budget of $4.3 million. This is an increase from its previous budget of $3.6 million. USICH had 18 full-time employees as of the 2025 budget request.

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund)

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) was established on September 24, 1994, when then-President Bill Clinton signed the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act into law. The legislation received bipartisan support in Congress and was the result of efforts by both parties and community activists to expand banking and financialization into underserved communities in the US.

The CDFI Fund was part of the destruction of social welfare programs under Clinton and the shift from direct government funding in impoverished urban and rural communities to a national network of so-called community development lenders, investors and other financial parasites.

In fiscal 2025, the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended an allocation of $354 million for the CDFI Fund, which represents a $30 million, or 9.3 percent, increase from the previous fiscal year. This proposed budget includes specific allocations for various programs, such as the Native CDFI Assistance Program.

The exact number of employees at the CDFI Fund is not publicly available.

Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) was established on March 5, 1969 by then-President Richard Nixon through Executive Order 11458. Originally named the Office of Minority Business Enterprise, it was renamed MBDA in 1979.

The agency was created as a component of Nixons promotion of Black capitalism in response to the urban rebellions that erupted in major US cities in the mid-1960s, such as Los Angeles, Detroit and Newark. In 2021, it was made a permanent federal agency through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

According to its website, the MBDAs mission is to promote the growth and global competitiveness of Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) in order to unlock the countrys full economic potential.

For fiscal 2024, the MBDAs budget is $110 million, supporting regional offices, business centers and initiatives like the Rural Business Center Program. As of 2025, the agency employed approximately 254 people, who work within a network of MBDA business centers and strategic partnerships.

In related developments, the New York Times reported Friday that Elon Musk had brought one of his most trusted and longstanding business associates, private equity investor Antonio Gracias, into the Social Security Administration. According to documents reviewed by the Times, nine DOGE members including Gracias have arrived at the Social Security Administration in recent days.

Although Gracias specific role is not known, the Times report says, The involvement of such a close ally with the Social Security Administration suggests that Mr. Musk has made overhauling the agency a priority; in recent weeks, the tech billionaire has regularly talked about supposed fraud inside the system. This follows Musks recent comment that the Social Security system is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.

Two other Musk associates connected with Gracias and his Valor Equity Partners investment group, Jon Koval, a vice president, and Payton Rehling, a data engineer, have also been assigned to the Social Security Administration, the Times reported.

The Times also said Gracias stated during a recent podcast, that he and his team at Valor had been scrutinizing audits of the Social Security Administration and that he had been alarmed by the size of its so-called trust funds, government accounts created to make sure Americans receive their full benefits. Mr. Gracias said he believed this showed there were material weaknesses in the system.

On Saturday, Oklahoma KFOR reported that retiree James McCaffrey had his Social Security benefits suddenly suspended without warning. McCaffrey, 66, who was born at a US Army base overseas to an active duty US solider, said because of recent comments by DOGE leader Musk hes worried his benefits were cut because of his foreign birthplace.

McCaffrey noticed that his Medicare payment had not been processed and, when he called about it, he was told his Social Security had been suspended. In this case, the staff person he talked to was able to restore his benefits.

Also on Saturday, the Seattle Times published a report about Ned Johnson, 82, who had been declared dead by the Social Security Administration. Johnson found out about it when a letter was mailed to his wife, Pam, that her husband was deceased and that the recent payment of $5,201 issued by the Social Security Administration was being deducted from their bank account because Ned was paid the money after their passing.

This is just a foretaste of the terminations, errors and disasters that will be hitting the US public as the wrecking operation mounted by Trump, Musk and DOGE takes effect and guts the vital services masses of people rely upon each day for their survival.
In this photo taken Sept. 10, 2019, detainees walk toward a fenced recreation area at the GEO Groups immigration jail in Tacoma, Washington during a media tour. [AP Photo/Ted S. Warren]

The US immigration gestapo, empowered by the Trump administration with the complicity of the Democratic Party, is willfully violating the law to kidnap, detain and deport people across the country.

Over the last week, outrages have been reported targeting teachers, students and workers of virtually every background and legal status. This underscores the necessity of building a mass, international movement in the working class that defends the right of all immigrants and refugees to live and work wherever they choose.

Bostons Logan Airport has been the site of several such incidents in the last week. On Friday, Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, a Lebanese citizen, organ transplant specialist and professor at Brown University, was detained at Logan Airport for approximately 36 hours while returning to the US from a two-week visit to family in Lebanon.

On Friday, Yara Chehab, Alawiehs cousin, filed a complaint to prevent her from being deported, noting that she was in the US legally on an H-1B temporary visa. In an email to Newsweek, Thomas Brown, a lawyer for Dr. Alawieh, wrote, I can confirm that Dr. Alawieh had a valid H-1B temporary worker visa in her passport when she arrived at Logan Airport on Friday, March 14, 2025.

In a court order filed later that same day, Judge Leo T. Sorokin of the Federal District Court in Massachusetts ordered the government to provide the court 48 hours notice before any attempt to deport Alawieh.

Despite Judge Sorokins order, Alawieh was forced to get on a flight to Paris, France over the weekend. In a court order filed Sunday morning, the judge wrote that Chehabs lawyers had filed a petition on Saturday alleging that Customs and Border Protection willfully disobeyed his previous order to not remove Alawieh without providing him 48-hour notice.



These allegations, Judge Sorokin wrote, are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under oath affidavit filed by attorney. He ordered the government to respond to these serious allegations by Monday morning.

Speaking to the New York Times, Dr. George Bayliss said his co-worker, Dr. Alaweih is a very talented, very thoughtful physician. He added, We are all outraged, and none of us know why this happened.

In another disturbing incident at Logan Airport, on Friday, March 7, Fabian Schmidt, 34, a legal resident of the United States and German national, was detained and, according to his mother, tortured at the airport for refusing to give up his green card.

Fabian Schmidt [Photo: Astrid Senior]

In an interview Friday, March 14, with WGBH, Astrid Senior, Fabian Schmidts mother, said she had not heard from her son directly until this past Tuesday, March 11, after he had been hospitalized as a result of being assaulted at the airport upon returning from Luxembourg on March 7. She told the TV outlet her sons partner had gone to the airport to pick him up but after four hours was told by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement that he would not be available.

She said that on Tuesday her son recounted being violently interrogated at the airport for hours.

This interrogation, Senior related, included being stripped naked, forced to take a cold shower and then placed in a chair. Senior said her son was not the only person tortured and that after he refused to give up his green card he was placed on a mat in a brightly lit room at the airport with other people.

She recounted that her son and the others were given little food or water, deprived of sleep and denied access to medication for anxiety and depression. Senior said that under these conditions, He hardly got anything to drink. And then he wasnt feeling very well, and he collapsed.

Senior said that after a brief stay in the hospital, where Schmidt was diagnosed with influenza, he was eventually transported to the ICE Wyatt detention facility.

Senior told WGBH that she and Schmidt moved to the US in 2007, both received their green cards in 2008, and her sons was recently renewed. Schmidt is currently an electrical engineer. He has a partner and an eight-year-old daughter, both US citizens.

On Sunday, USA Today reported that Camila Munoz, wife of US resident Bradley Bartell, was detained by immigration police while the couple was returning to the United States after honeymooning in Puerto Rico. Bartell told the newspaper that while Munoz had overstayed a temporary visa, she worked on a W-2, paid her taxes and had already applied for a green card.

Despite the fact that Munoz, originally from Peru, has no criminal record, she is still being detained in an ICE prison in Louisiana, trapped in a room with 100 other people, Bartell told USA Today. The only communication the couple has is 20-cent per minute phone calls.

USA Today reported that Munoz is not the only woman without a criminal record that ICE has detained for weeks. Through lawyers, court filings and ICE, the newspaper confirmed that several people were swept up at airport checkpoints in mid-February in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, including:



a woman in her 50s who has lived in the US for more than 30 years and is married to a US citizen;

a woman in her 30s with proof of valid permanent legal residency, who first came to the US as a teenager and whose father and siblings are US citizens; and

a woman engaged to a US legal permanent resident with whom she has lived nine years.

Workers who have no memory of living in any country but the United States are being kidnapped and deported to countries they have never visited and with which they have no family or language connection. In a particularly horrific case that threatens the life of a mother of five children, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week that Ma Yang, a South Milwaukee resident, was deported to Laos.

The paper reported that the 37-year-old Hmong American came to the United States as a baby after her parents, Hmong refugees, fled the country after the Vietnam War. Yang, a nail technician and mother to five children, the youngest being six years old, was a legal permanent US resident starting at age 7, but, unbeknownst to her, that status was revoked in 2022 after she was convicted for her role in a marijuana distribution operation.

As part of her plea deal, Yang spent 30 months in federal prison. She claimed her lawyer told her it would not affect her immigration status, but at the conclusion of her sentence she was transferred to an ICE facility, where, on the advice of a different attorney, she signed a paper agreeing that a deportation order would be levied against her in exchange for being released. Neither Yang nor her lawyer, apparently, thought she would be deported, as Laos typically does not accept US deportees.

However, at an ICE check-in in mid-February, Yang was arrested and sent to a jail in Indiana before being whisked onto a plane to Laos, where she arrived on March 6. Upon arriving, Yang said she was questioned by military authorities and placed under house arrest for five days before being allowed out to purchase a cell phone.

Yang told the newspaper she does not speak the language and that Laos officials took all of her documentation. She also said she has no insulin for her diabetes and is running out of her high blood pressure medication.

In an interview with WTMJ4, Yang said, Im so scared because theres a lot of unknown questions. She added, I would love to come back. I have five children. Im praying. I pray every day to come back.

I dont know what I would do. I dont have any family here. I dont have any friends here. Ive never been in this country.
President Donald Trump speaks at the Justice Department in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. [AP Photo]

In an hour-long campaign-style speech to his own appointees and aides at the Department of Justice, President Donald Trump threatened to jail his political opponents in the Democratic Party and declared that criticism of himself on television and in the corporate media should be illegal.

As with his two previous major addresses since taking office, at his inauguration January 20 and to a joint session of Congress March 4, Trump combined self-praise, non-stop lies, and apparent moments of brain fog, producing the overall impression of a senile tyrant raging against his enemies, while claiming unrivaled personal popularity.

If one judges the American ruling class by its last two presidentsTrump, followed by Biden, followed by Trump againone would have to conclude that the financial oligarchy has scraped the bottom of the barrel in the selection of its leading personnel. Corruption vies with decrepitude and sheer ignorance. This is whom the ruling class has entrusted with the management of its global and domestic political affairs, including the proverbial finger on the nuclear button.

Trumps remarks were largely recycled from the two previous speeches, particularly the address to Congress, and need not be examined in detail, as the WSWS has already done so, here and here. But Trump broke new ground by giving such a speech at the headquarters of the Department of Justice, which he never visited during his first term, frustrated by the unwillingness of both of his selections for attorney general, Jeff Sessions and William Barr, to act as direct instruments of the White House in persecuting his political opponents.

There is no such reluctance on the part of those he has chosen to run the DoJ in his second term. They consist almost entirely of his own personal attorneys in the countless legal cases he has faced, ranging from impeachment to instigating the January 6, 2021 attack on Capitol Hill to numerous episodes of financial corruption.

Attorney General Pam Bondi was one of Trumps representatives in his first impeachment trial, while her top deputies, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, were his defense attorneys in his federal prosecution over the January 6 attack, the Georgia case over his efforts to steal that states electoral votes in 2020, and his falsification of New York business records to cover up a payoff to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Trump paid tribute to all three of them, as well as to Kash Patel, now FBI director and acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Patel occupied a critical position in the Pentagon on January 6, 2021, when for three hours the military blocked dispatch of National Guard troops to defend the Capitol from the mob of armed Trump supporters attacking it.

The 78-year-old Trump, the oldest man ever inaugurated as president, appeared to suffer a significant episode of confusion during his remarks, as he boasted of firing James Comey as FBI director before appointing Patel. He seemed to have forgotten that he fired Comey in 2017, during the first year of his first term, an action that triggered a political uproar. He appointed Christopher Wray to replace Comey, and Wray held the position more than seven years, resigning only days before Trump took office to begin his second term, on January 20, 2025.

As usual with Trump, he accused his political opponents of all the criminal and anti-democratic methods in which he himself is engaged, claiming that a corrupt group of hacks and radicals had weaponized the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try and thwart the will of the American people.

Trump boasted, And thats why on day one, I signed an executive order banning all government censorship and directing the removal of every bureaucrat who conspired to attack free speech and many other things and values in America. He had the gall to make this claim at the end of a week in which the White House sought to censor and suppress all political opposition to the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza, including detaining Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil and seeking his deportation.

He continued, these are people that are bad people, really bad people. They tried to turn America into a corrupt communist and third world country. This was the first of several references to communists and Marxists, as Trump continuously gave expression to the fear of the working class and socialism that is the nightmare of the financial oligarchy.

Perhaps the most notable addition to his litany of threats was Trumps claim that the media had been guilty of tremendous abuse against Judge Aileen Cannonthe Trump-appointed judge who threw out the federal case against him for removing classified documents from the White House after he left officeas well as in criticizing Supreme Court justices for their ruling in favor of presidential immunity from prosecution, handed down last July.

Trump said, Its truly interference, in my opinion. And it should be illegal, and it probably is illegal in some form.

He continued, I believe that CNN and [MSNBC], who literally write 97.6 percent bad about me, are political arms of the Democrat Party, and in my opinion, theyre really corrupt and theyre illegal. What they do is illegal.  It has to be illegal. Its influencing judges and its really changing law and it just cannot be legal. I dont believe its legal and they do it in total coordination with each other.

He went on to repeat his long-discredited lies that the 2020 election was rigged, while adding the demandhighly significant given where he was speakingthat the people who did this to us should go to jail. They should go to jail.

The repeated ovations Trump received demonstrate that the political thugs and fascists he has installed at the FBI and DoJ represent a direct threat to the democratic rights of working people and youth.

The Democratic Party will do nothing to stop such attacks, as Senate Democrats showed the same day by voting to approve a six-month budget resolution giving Trump everything he wants for his attacks on social programs and federal workers. The defense of democratic rights requires the independent political intervention of the working class.
Are you a steelworker at ATI or another company? Fill out the form at the end of this article to join the fight to build rank-and-file committees.

Steelworkers at the ATI mill in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania during 2015-16 lockout

In a sign of growing opposition in the working class to eroding living standards, 1,000 steelworkers at ATI specialty steel mills in Pennsylvania and western New York defeated a proposal for a new six-year labor agreement recommended by the United Steelworkers last week. Neither the USW nor the company have released the vote totals or even the terms of the contract that was rejected.

After the rebuke by the rank and file, USW officials immediately agreed to a contract extension until April 30 in order to block any strike action by workers. In a sign that USW negotiators intend to push through essentially the same contract, no negotiations with the company have been scheduled until next month.

On February 28, just hours before the expiration of the previous contract, USW officials announced a tentative contract and ordered workers to continue working.

ATI workers have repeatedly demonstrated their determination to fight both the corporation and its hirelings in the USW bureaucracy. In 2015-16, ATI locked out the workers for seven months. In 2021, workers went on strike for three months. In both of those struggles, however, the USW bureaucracy was able to wear down the resistance of workers and pushed through massive concessions, including cuts to health care, eliminating pensions for new hires and agreeing to the destruction of nearly 1,200 jobs.

ATI operates several mills in southwestern Pennsylvania and one in Lockport, New York. Workers who spoke to World Socialist Web Site reporters said the proposed contract would do nothing to restore benefits or improve wages after years of concessions.

A worker at the ATI flagship plant in Breckenridge, Pennsylvania, who has worked for the company for nearly 10 years, said he voted against the proposal because it did not include a company-paid pension.

The USW gave up the pension for the new hires. We dont get a pension, just the 401K, which you have to put into. This is very hard work. The heat is intense and the fumes are dangerous. When people retire their health is not always that good.

Referring to the death of a young steelworker, 20-year-old Daniel R. Vakulick, at a nearby mill not operated by ATI, he said, These are dangerous jobs. Daniel was killed when there was an explosion at his mill. He was just 20 years old and had his whole life in front of him. The companies just care about money, not our safety.

There were a few things I didnt like, explained a steelworker with nearly 20 years at the ATI Lockport mill. Chief among them was that the USW did not release the full contract to workers before the vote.

USW officials, he said, cherry picked the information they gave us. If Im voting on a contract I want to see the entire proposal. We have guys who worked on the contract for all this time, you would think they would want to show it off. Instead, we are asked to vote on something that we havent seen. Just take their word for it.

The Lockport worker said the company was also cheating them out of incentive pay. Under the terms of the corporatist agreement signed by the USW, if production quotas are not met, workers lose money but they are not supposed to be charged if missed quotas are due to circumstances beyond their control.

Under our incentive program, we should have gotten $7-$8 an hour more. Instead, we just got two bucks. We are repeatedly screwed on incentive pay. Management is lying, they are charging us for everything, even things that are not our fault. One time there was a shipment of raw material that was contaminated with silver, which went into a melt before being noticed. The entire melt had to be scrapped. We got charged for that but that wasnt our fault.

He added:

The raises have been miserable over the last 12 years. Weve only gotten 9 percent. Every contract they tell us times are hard everybodys got to give some. But we see concessions while the company is making millions. It sure feels like we are getting screwed and the union is just letting them walk on top of us.

The Trump administration

ATI, formally Allegheny Technologies, is a maker of specialty metals primarily for the aerospace and military industries. A strike would severely cripple the supply of the specialty metals needed in the making of jet engines, helicopter blades and medical supplies to name a few.

While extending the contracts in Pennyslvania and New York, the USW apparatus reportedly rammed through a new agreement for ATI Specialty Alloys and Components employees in Albany, Oregon, which runs through February 28, 2031.

Like the United Auto Workers, the Teamsters and other unions, the highly paid bureaucrats in the USW are opposed to any collective action by ATI workers because such a struggle could quickly develop in a broader battle by the working class against decades of union-backed concessions and job cuts. Above all, they want to prevent movement by workers that would disrupt the union apparatuss ever closer relations with the Trump administration.

While the USW apparatus urged Trump not to impose aluminum and steel tariffs on Canadawhere the union still has 225,000 membersit is in a de facto alliance with the fascist presidents economic war against the world, and above all, China.

In a frothing nationalist and militarist February 26 statement, USW President David McCall welcomed the opportunity to work with Trumps US trade representative to oppose an array of policies promoted by the Chinese Communist Party that have undermined U.S. maritime, logistics and shipbuilding capabilities, resulting in tens of thousands of lost jobs across our shipbuilding supply chains and destabilizing our economic and national security interests.

The USW bureaucracy has also backed Trumps opposition to the Nippon Steel buyout of US Steel on supposed national security grounds, and its takeover by US-based Cleveland Cliffs.

Build Rank-and-File Committees

In a March 5 article, Steelworkers union pushes sellout contract at ATI as leaders promote tariffs and trade war, the WSWS, called for a rejection of the pro-company agreement and for rank-and-file workers to organize their fight in opposition to the USW sellouts. We stated:

Rank-and-file ATI workers must take the conduct of this struggle into their own hands by building a rank-and-file committee to organize the defeat of this sellout contract. Before any ratification vote workers must have the full contract and sufficient time to study and discuss it. The rank-and-file committee, made up of the most trusted and militant workers, must oversee the conduct of any vote and tabulation to ensure its integrity. Decades of bitter experience has proven that the USW bureaucracy does not represent the interests of steelworkers at ATI or for that matter any of the other steelmakers. The number of unionized workers in the steel industry has fallen by 72 percent since 1974, from 512,000 to 142,000, but the assets of the USW bureaucracy have risen to almost $2 billion, according to the unions most recent filing with the US Labor Department.

The powerful rejection of this sellout agreement must be the start of a counteroffensive by the rank and file. Rank-and-file committees must be formed in all the ATI mills to establish lines of communication, outline a series of non-negotiable demands based on what workers need, not what management and the union bureaucrats say is affordable, and to prepare strike action to win those demands.

Workers cannot afford to sit back and hope that their vote will force the USW bureaucrats to fight for something better. Bitter experience, including the battles in 2015-16 and 2021and the loss of more than half the membership at ATIprove that is not the case. There is no doubt that the USW bureaucrats are already in close communication with ATI management on how to ram through another sellout deal.

Most importantly, workers need a new, internationalist strategy to fight. The battle over tariffs has nothing to do with protecting the livelihood of workers. Rather it is a battle to see which set of capitalists will control markets, access to raw materials and profits. The only outcome of this is world war, in which the sons and daughters of steelworkers and others will be sent to be killed and to kill the sons and daughters of workers from other countries.

A real fight in defense of jobs, living standards and to prevent war anywhere in the world requires the international unity of the working class on the basis of a common strategy. Only through global actions can the working class face off against ATI, US Steel, Cleveland Cliffs, Nippon Steel and their wealthy shareholders.

In opposition to job and wage cuts, workers must advance the demand for the transformation of the steel industry into a public utility under the democratic control and collective ownership of the working class.

The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) is fighting to unite workers of the world in opposition to the nationalist poison promoted by corporate politicians and union bureaucrats in every country.

To join the fight for rank-and-file power, fill out the form below.
South Koreas Constitutional Court is expected to deliver its verdict in the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol this week, though a specific date has not been set. The outcome is unclear and it is entirely possible that Yoon, who was impeached and suspended from office for attempting to declare martial law in a failed coup on December 3, could return to power.

Protesters march during a rally calling for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to step down in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 15, 2025. [AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon]

Protests and demonstrations demanding Yoons immediate ouster took place last week, culminating in a mass rally of one million people in Seoul on Saturday. It was the largest demonstration since Yoons impeachment on December 14 when two million rallied outside the National Assembly to demand the would-be dictators removal from power.

On that date, the opposition bloc in parliament led by the Democratic Party (DP), which collectively holds 192 seats in the 300-seat body, voted to impeach Yoon. The ruling People Power Party (PPP), which owes its status to controlling the presidency, has done its best to stall the proceedings to ensure the impeachment is overturned.

A verdict in Yoons trial was initially expected last week following the final court hearing on February 25. If the Constitutional Court removes Yoon from power, a presidential election is legally required to be held within 60 days. If the court sides with Yoon, he will resume the presidency and all its powers for the remainder of his term until May 2027.

If that happens, it is entirely possible that Yoon could declare martial law again, especially in the event that mass protests develop against his government. It is also possible that sections of the military, acting on their own, could declare martial law to put down any demonstrations as they planned to do in 2017 when President Park Geun-hye was impeached and removed from office for corruption.

Complicating the political crisis, Yoon also faces separate criminal charges for insurrection. He was arrested in January and subsequently indicted. He was detained until March 8 when the Seoul Central District Court ordered his release on the grounds that the prosecution failed to file its indictment against Yoon within the required timeframe.

In criminal proceedings, prosecutors must file an indictment within 10 days of a suspects formal arrest in order to keep them detained during a trial. The court found that the prosecutors had filed their indictment of Yoon several hours after the deadline, making his detention invalid, though the trial will continue.

The prosecution argued that the indictment period should be calculated by days, not hours, but also did not appeal the courts decision. On March 10, the Democrats filed a complaint against Prosecutor General Sim U-jeong with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, accusing him of siding with Yoon.

The PPP, however, claims that Yoons release from detention is proof that the charges against the president lack merit across the board. A party official told Yonhap News, Now that the court has decided to cancel President Yoons arrest, the Constitutional Court should also look into whether there were any problems with the impeachment trial. The PPP hopes that the longer they can delay a verdict, the more they can whip up their base on the far-right, both in defense of Yoon and potentially in support of a future coup.

Far-right and fascistic elements in South Korea, which have no mass support, have held their own rallies waving South Korean and American flags while holding signs reading in English Stop the steal, mimicking the slogan US President Trump used during his coup attempt that culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Many of the participants at Saturdays anti-Yoon rallies, which were controlled by the Democrats and their allies like the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), expressed frustration at Yoons release from detention. Kim Sang-do told the Hankyoreh newspaper, During this time, I had believed that things would just proceed well, but after the release of President Yoon, I had the uneasy feeling that something was going wrong, so I came out to my first rally.

If something has gone wrong, it is because the Democrats primary concern has been to suppress the growth of mass opposition, fearful that protesters would begin to put forward demands that went beyond the removal of Yoon. The DP, the KCTU, and various so-called civic groups have demobilized the protest movement and blocked workers strikes by trying to convince the public that Yoons removal from office was a done deal and that people had simply to place their faith in the courts.

This was on display on Saturday. Some argue that if Yoon is lucky, he could be reinstated and act recklessly, but it would be futile, Kim Min-ung, a leader of the civic group, Candlelight Movement, said during the rally. To anyones eye, Yoons ouster is obvious.

In reality, it is far from obvious how the Constitutional Court will rule. At present, the court consists of eight justices, at least six of whom must side against Yoon to remove him from office. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who serves on Yoons cabinet, has refused to appoint a ninth justice nominated by the DP before the trial began and continues to do so in order to improve the chances that Yoons impeachment is overturned.

The Democrats do not protect democracy, but defend the capitalist system in the interest of the ruling class. The coming to office of Trump in the US and his imposition of tariffs has generated sharp tensions globally, including in South Korea, which is highly reliant economically on exports.

DP spokeswoman Hwang Jeong-a stated last week, A perfect storm is raging in the economy from the tariff bomb from the US, contraction in domestic demand due to martial law, and even a recession. We must solve this political instability as soon as possible.

Furthermore, the Democrats suppress the working class through collaboration with the trade unions, particularly the KCTU, in contrast with Yoon and the PPP, which rely more and more openly on police, military and state repression.

The Democrats fear that Yoons methods of rule and his return to power, coupled with increased economic instability, will lead to an upsurge in working-class anger and demands that the ruling class is unable and unwilling to meet.

The conclusion of the impeachment trial will not end the political crisis in South Korea. Instead, the bitter divisions in ruling circles will only deepen amid worsening economic conditions and rising geo-political tensions internationally.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. It would be expedient to hold the 13th interregional forum of Russia and Azerbaijan, the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Andrey Yatskin said during the 22nd session of the Commission on Interparliamentary Cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

He recalled that the 12th interregional forum of Russia and Azerbaijan was held in February last year and it would be expedient to hold the 13th regional forum, which would be attended by parliamentarians.

According to him, Azerbaijan and Russia have a roadmap for inter-parliamentary cooperation, a number of measures have already been implemented. Now new steps are on the agenda.

Yatskin also noted that the Azerbaijani side has been invited to participate in the Nevsky International Ecological Congress, which will be held on May 22-23 this year.

The participation of the head of Baku city in the session devoted to ecology in megacities would be actual in the framework of the forum, he said.
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In this photo provided by El Salvador's presidential press office, prison guards transfer deportees from the U.S. to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (El Salvador presidential press office via AP) [AP Photo]

On Saturday, the Trump administration formally invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a major escalation in the erection of a police-state dictatorship. The White House moved immediately to deport hundreds of immigrants, defying a court order that any action be delayed.

The Alien Enemies Act, passed in 1798 under President John Adams as part of the Alien and Sedition Acts, grants the president unchecked powers to detain or deport nationals of enemy states without due process. It has been used only three timesduring the War of 1812 and World War I, and, most notoriously, during World War II to justify the mass internment of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans.

In every prior case, the act was invoked during a formally declared war. Trump, however, is using it to justify an entirely fictitious war against gangs allegedly linked to the Venezuelan government. His executive order brands Tren de Aragua (TdA) a foreign terrorist organization, supposedly colluding with President Nicolas Maduro to perpetrate an invasion of and predatory incursion into the United States.

Anyone accused of being a member of TdA is declared ineligible for legal protections under existing immigration laws. Determination of affiliation is made solely on the basis of claims by the president. That is, it asserts the right of Trump to arrest and deport any non-citizen, with no judicial process.

Perhaps even more significant than the order itself is Trumps defiance of a judicial order blocking the deportations, issued just hours after the orders release. Federal Judge James Boasberg ruled that the US is not at war with Venezuela and ordered planes carrying hundreds of chained and hog-tied passengers to turn back.

The Trump administration ignored this order, landing the planes in El Salvador, whose fascistic President Nayib Bukele has offered to open up the notorious Salvadoran prison system and forced labor camps to both immigrants and American citizens.

According to Axios, the decision not to turn back the planes was made by Trumps fascist Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noemon the absurd rationale that the planes were already in international airspace so the judges ruling did not apply.

The White House has appealed Boasbergs ruling, with Attorney General Pam Bondi effectively accusing the judge of treason, claiming he had placed terrorists over the safety of Americans. Even if the courts ultimately rule against Trump, his administration has no intention of abiding by judicial directives.

The Trump administration is following a clear blueprint for dictatorship, modeled on Hitlers fascist regime. Trump and his inner circle of fascist sympathizers are systematically demolishing legal and constitutional restraints, with each violation setting the stage for even more brazen assertions of absolute power.

The events over the weekend followed the illegal abduction of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, who was seized from his home and transported to an immigration prison in Louisiana solely for protesting the genocide in Gaza.

The Trump administrations crackdown will not stop with immigrants and green card holders. At its core, these actions are driven by the expectation of mass resistance from the working class to mass layoffs, deep cuts to social programs and the purge of government employees. The administration is laying the legal and institutional groundwork for the wholesale abrogation of democratic rights and the violent suppression of all opposition.

Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act is tied to executive orders he signed on Inauguration Day. These same orders threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act. That lawhistorically used to crush strikes and social unrestwould allow Trump to mobilize active-duty troops and the National Guard against protesters, strikers and political opponents, including US citizens.

Trump is acting with confidence that he will encounter no serious resistance from within the political establishment. Indeed, late last week Senate Democrats ensured passage of a spending bill to fully fund the government for the next six months.

As the World Socialist Web Site wrote, this amounted to an Enabling Act. In passing the bill, the Democrats knew exactly what they were doing: giving Trump a blank check to take the actions that he is now taking. They are not an opposition party but collaborators and conspirators.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, following his lying justifications for backing Trumps spending bill, gave an extensive interview with the New York Times Sunday in which he backed the seizure of Khalil and smeared protests against the genocide as antisemitic. If [Khalil] broke the law, Schumer said, he should be deported.

What a contemptible fraud! Khalil has not even been accused of a crime. His seizure has been justified solely on the grounds that his political views are contrary to the interests of American imperialism.

In this context, the lawsuit filed on Saturday by Cornell University student Momodou Taalalong with Professor Mukoma Wa Ngugi, and student Sriram Parasuramais highly significant. Taal, a British-Gambian graduate student, was targeted for deportation during the final months of the Biden administration for his involvement in the protests against the Gaza genocide. Now, under Trump, the same repressive measures have been vastly expanded.

The lawsuit, brought by attorney Eric Lee and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, argues that two of Trumps executive orders targeting free speech are illegal and unconstitutional. Referencing the seizure of Khalil and others, the lawsuit declares, Only in a dictatorship can the leader jail and banish political opponents for criticizing his administration.

The Socialist Equality Party endorses this lawsuit. However, no one should be under the illusion that the courts will provide a solution to the crisis of democracy. The judicial system is a component part of the capitalist state, increasingly stacked with right-wing judges. And Trump has made clear he will defy unfavorable rulings.

Political dictatorship is inseparably connected to the economic dictatorship of the financial oligarchy. The Trump administration is a government of the oligarchy, ruling with open contempt for the Constitution as it wages war on Medicaid, food stamps, Social Security, public education and other vital social programs. The administration is preparing 10,000 job cuts of postal workers, an intensification of the mass firing of federal workers, and an enormous increase in exploitation to pay for war and the bailout of the rich.

This attack did not begin with Trump. He is taking it to a new level, but it has been prepared over decades by both parties of Wall Street. Moreover, it is a global phenomenon as capitalist governments worldwide turn to authoritarian rule to suppress opposition to their policies of austerity and war.

The working class must respond with mass resistance. The Socialist Equality Party calls for the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the pro-corporate trade union apparatus, in workplaces and neighborhoods to mobilize workers and youth against Trumps dictatorship, the Democratic Partys complicity, and the corporate assault on living standards.

Industrial action must be animated by a socialist perspective and program. The fight against dictatorship cannot be separated from the struggle against the capitalist system that has produced it. The working class must take up the fight for the expropriation of the financial oligarchy, the dismantling of the imperialist war machine, and the establishment of a workers government that places political and economic power in its own hands.

That is, the fight against dictatorship can only be developed as a fight for socialism, in the United States and throughout the world.
Over the past fortnight, in line with the Trump administrations fascistic Make America Great Again agenda, United States government agencies have sent Australian researchers working on joint projects with American colleagues a 36-point questionnaire, clearly threatening to cut off their funding.

The five-page questionnaire, which appears to be a global notice, essentially demands that all research serve US military and strategic interests, as well as the Trump White Houses far-right offensive against government jobs, social services, science, public health, public education, environmental protection and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

To be completed and returned within 48 hours, the political interrogation features questions about any connections to socialist or communist parties, China or other designated US enemies, and anti-American beliefs, as well as gender ideology.

Macquarie University Chancellery building. [Photo by mq.edu.au

Universities and researchers in Australia and internationally are being targeted as part of the Trump administrations termination of billions of dollars of research grants both in the US and globally, which has already triggered protests from thousands of scientists, educators and students across the US.

In Australia, this missive imperils hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding and thousands of jobs. This is intensifying the pressure on the countrys public universities, which are already axing more than 2,000 jobs as a direct result of the Albanese Labor governments reactionary cuts to international student enrolments and continued chronic under-funding of universities.

The questionnaire combines the Trump administrations drive to suppress left-wing opposition to its anti-immigrant offensive and Elon Musk-led domestic war on working-class services, jobs and conditions, with its global war plans, particularly directed against China.

One question asks: Can you confirm that your organisation does not work with entities associated with communist, socialist or totalitarian parties, or any party that espouses anti-American beliefs.

Another demands: Can you confirm that your organisation has not received ANY funding from PRC [Peoples Republic of China] (including Confucius Institutes and/or partnered with Chinese state and non-state actors), Russia, Cuba or Iran.

Question 6 asks whether the university prohibits collaboration, funding or support for policies that are contrary to US government interests, national security, and sovereignty. Other questions demand that projects must help in ending illegal immigration or strengthening US border security.

Further questions include: Can you confirm this is not a climate or environmental justice project or include such elements? What impact does this project have in increasing American influence, trust and reputation within foreign governments? and Does this project directly impact efforts to strengthen US supply chains or secure rare earth minerals?

Questions insist that research projects must strengthen patriotic values and reinforce US sovereignty by limiting reliance on international organizations or global governance structures (e.g., UN, WHO).

The questionnaires were dispatched by various US federal agencies, enforcing an executive memo from the office of the president requiring researchers to identify all funding was consistent with policies and requirements.

Australian universities have already had research grants suspended or terminated by the Trump administration. According to the Group of Eight (Go8) elite universities, their researchers were notified shortly after the US election that projects spanning a range of topics, from agriculture to foreign aid and diversity and equity, had been cancelled under US higher education cuts, pending a review.

Several research-intensive universities also have received show-cause notifications to justify funding, seeking a response within 24 hours.

For decades, the US has been by far the largest international research partner for Australian universities, including about 80 percent of all current collaborations at Go8 universities. About $515 million in funding for research at Go8 universities in 2024 came from the US, much of which went to military and medical science projects.

That highlights how far the universities are already integrated into US military and weapons research. This includes expanding ties with military conglomerates, such as the Lockheed Martin research centre at the University of Melbourne.

The US offensive has provoked alarm and outrage among university staff, many of whom face potential unemployment, as well as a wholesale assault on research and free speech.

In response, the Albanese government has nevertheless avoided any criticism of the Trump White House, instead pleading for the continuation of the partnership with US institutions.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Jason Clare said Australia was engaging with the US government to understand what these measures mean for future funding and collaboration, adding: Australia and United States research institutions have a long history of cooperation that has helped develop new technologies and solutions to global challenge.

University managements have scurried to underscore their commitment to the US strategic alliance, complaining that it could be damaged by Washingtons measures. Go8 chief executive Vicki Thomson stated:

Go8 universities are deeply engaged in collaborative activities with the US, especially through our defence initiatives and the AUKUS alliance For every one of our members, the US is the largest research partner by far.

The AUKUS pact involves spending hundreds of billions of dollars on long-range nuclear-powered submarines, other weaponry and upgraded Australian military bases for use in a war against China, and ensuring that all research is subordinated to that effort.

The reaction of the main campus trade union, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), displayed a similar pitch to that of the university managements while striking a nationalist stance against blatant foreign interference. NTEU national president Alison Barnes urged the Labor government to push back and guarantee Australian researchers would be protected.

Barnes stated: Donald Trumps hateful agenda is racist, transphobic and misogynistic. The idea of research funding being tied to any of those values is sickening. But her media statement was completely silent on the Trump administrations demand for an unconditional alignment behind US militarism.

Supported by the NTEU, the Albanese government has intensified Australias integration into US war preparations, including via the AUKUS pact and associated legislation, which includes bans on any research links with scholars in China or other countries designated as US enemies.

Last year, the Labor government and the Liberal-National Coalition jointly imposed draconian military secrets laws that place researchers, research institutes and companies in danger of being prosecuted for collaborating, directly or indirectly, with overseas colleagues, except for those from the US and UK.

Researchers were told in Australian Defence Department briefings that they could face criminal charges unless the defence minister granted them individual foreign work authorisations.

The Safeguarding Australias Military Secrets Act, or SAMS Act, set jail terms of up to 20 years for anyone who trains or works for, or on behalf of any overseas organisation or state-backed company, without such a permit.

The legislation has far-reaching implications, especially for university and other researchers in a wide range of science and technology fields. That is particularly so for those who might be accused of any links to, or partnership with, colleagues from China, Russia or other proscribed countries.

The Albanese government introduced this regime despite widespread objections by researchers, research organisations and sections of business because of the crippling impact it has in many scientific fields that depend heavily on international collaboration.

These laws enforce the sweeping whole-of-government and whole-of-nation war effort outlined in the Labor governments 2023 Defence Strategic Review and 2024 National Defence Strategy, directed against Russia and China, which made specific reference to aligning universities and sections of industry more directly with the needs of the military.

Last year, the WSWS warned:

These moves will have a further chilling effect on universities and free speech, adding to the xenophobic atmosphere being created by the governments slashing of international student enrolments, scapegoating them for the intensifying cost-of-living and housing crisis facing working-class households.

That warning was further underscored by last years Labor-Coalition boosting of foreign interference laws that can, as the WSWS documented and explained, not only target China and its alleged local sympathisers. They can be used to outlaw political opposition, anti-war dissent and social protests by alleging that these activities are connected to foreign or international campaigns.

Last year, the Labor government also announced the establishment of a Technology Foreign Interference Taskforce, similar to the already existing University Interference Taskforce, which involves intensive monitoring of educators and their students, and bars any research or teaching that could be branded as assisting a foreign government, especially China.

While aimed at China, these measures are part of plans to suppress the developing struggles of the Australian and global working class under conditions of an economic and social crisis, outrage over the Trump administrations agenda and the Gaza genocide, and the ever-rising danger of catastrophic US-instigated wars.

The fact that the Trump administration, not China, is now interfering to dictate the slashing and redirection of research projects in Australia and internationally makes this assault ever-more blatant.
A section of the mass rally organised by the association of the families of victims of the Tempi train collision, which killed 57 people almost two years ago, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, January 26, 2025 [AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis]

The mass movement of young people and workers that broke out two years after the Tempi train crash is shaking the ruling class in Greece. Faced with the biggest protests in the countrys history, the government is hanging on by a thread. While the trade unions are trying to keep the movement under control, the opposition parties are reacting with various manoeuvres in parliament.

On March 7, the government of the right-wing Nea Dimokratia (ND) survived a vote of no confidence by a narrow majority. Of the 300 MPs, 157 voted for the government, 136 against. Seven were absent, including far-right party Spartiates and the former Prime Minister of ND, Antonis Samaras.

After the general strike and the biggest protests in the history of Greece at the end of February, tens of thousands of demonstrators have again protested in recent weeks, demanding truth and justice for the 57 victims of the train disaster in 2023. Railway workers held rallies; in Athens, police used tear gas and batons against protesting youth in Syntagma Square.

On Wednesday, an event was held at the Pantion University in Athens at which Maria Karystianou, the mother of a Tempi victim and member of the Association of Tempi Relatives who initiated the protest movement, also spoke.

On Thursday morning, students protested in Athens and Thessaloniki. That evening, thousands gathered with posters and banners at an open-air concert in Syntagma Square in memory of Tempi. The students had called for the event with the following words: A song for the people who lost their lives in the trains. ... We will go on to the end! Either their profits or our lives!

A recent survey by Greek opinion research institute MRB also shows widespread dissatisfaction among the population. The majority of those surveyed (72.2 percent) regarded the train crash as a crime, not as an accident; 78.5 percent doubted that the government was committed to solving the Tempi accident, and 57.5 percent were in favour of early new elections. There were 70.3 percent who even endorsed the statement that all trains should be shut down for as many years as it takes to restore the necessary safety to the railway.

The ND government responded to the pressure by reshuffling the cabinet. The new ministers were announced on Friday and sworn in on Saturday. According to leading daily Kathimerini, government circles are talking about a significant new beginning because some younger politicians are getting important posts. But in reality, it is a desperate attempt by the government to create a more stable cabinet with some cosmetic changes to quell working class resistance. The fact that the key posts of foreign and defence ministers remain unchanged also demonstrates the continuity of military support for the war in Ukraine and Israels genocide in Gaza.

In some appointments, the cabinet reshuffle signals a further shift to the right. Former Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, who has enforced the profit interests of corporations and banks against Greek workers, is now being promoted to Deputy Prime Minister. Transport Minister Christos Staikouras is resigning and will be replaced by Christos Dimas (formerly Deputy Finance Minister); his new deputy, Konstantinos Kyranakis, is said to be responsible for the reform of the rail network. Dimas and Kyranakis are both young ND careerists.

As the new migration minister, Makis Voridis, a notorious far-right hardliner, will lead the governments anti-refugee policies. Ultra-right health minister Adonis Georgiadis, who has drastically cut the health budget during his career, retains his post. Right-wing Labour Minister Niki Kerameos, who as former education minister triggered mass protests by teachers and students against the governments deadly lockdown policy during the first phase of the pandemic, also remains in office.

Another change at the political top took place on Thursday. Konstantinos Tasoulas was sworn in as the new president, an office which has primarily a representative function in Greece. At the same time as he was sworn in, relatives of the Tempi victims filed a lawsuit against Tasoulas. They accused him of having been actively involved in the cover-up of the Tempi disaster in his previous role as parliamentary speaker, for example, by not passing on lawsuits against individual politicians and keeping silent about them.

Last weeks vote of no confidence was tabled by the largest opposition party, PASOK, in collaboration with Syriza, the Syriza splinter groups Nea Aristera and Plefsi Eleftherias, and nine independent MPs. During the three-day parliamentary debate, these parties posed as the voice of the protest movement and the left opposition to the right-wing ND.

PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis accused Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of criminal responsibility for the train crash. The head of the pseudo-left Syriza, Sokratis Famellos, denounced the cover-up and declared: The real dilemma is whether we should allow Mr Mitsotakis to lead Greece into chaos.

With this statement, Famellos made clear what Syrizas real concern is. It is not about the investigation of the Tempi crime, for which Syriza is partly responsible due to the privatisation of the railway operator during its time in office. Rather, he does not want Mitsotakis to lead the country into chaos, by which Famellos means the danger of a revolutionary development in the working class that could shake not only the government but the entire ruling class. The role of PASOK, Syriza and their various offshoots is to save the capitalist order and prevent the mass movement from spreading.

Another of Famellos concerns is that Greece needs domestic calm in order to play a more influential role in foreign policy in view of the present world situation. At a meeting of Syrizas Political Secretariat during the weekend, the party leader stated:

Geopolitical instability is intensifying the demand for a change of government. Our country is absent from important international decisions and developments. A strong security policy requires a strong foreign policy and a strong society. The government is not serving any of these needs.

A special parliamentary committee of 27 MPs (14 from ND, three from PASOK, two from Syriza, one from each of the other parties) has also been convened this week to supposedly investigate the allegations of a cover-up of the train crash by former minister Christos Triantopoulos in the Prime Ministers Office.

No one should have any faith in a committee of inquiry that includes the very parties that were complicit in the crime and belong in the dock. This manoeuvre is designed to delay the real investigation into the Tempi accident and continue the cover-up. It is a farce with a clear political objective: to bring the anger of the streets under control and lead the movement into a cul-de-sac.

The criticism of ND by the left opposition parties and their feigned sympathy for the Tempi victims is window dressing. Their empty words cannot hide the fact that the same parties created the very conditions that led to the train crash.

The social democratic PASOK, which was already tanking politically and only managed to win back some votes thanks to the right-wing policies of Syriza and ND, implemented the first rounds of austerity measures from 2009. In the May 2012 election, PASOK was historically punished: It fell to 13 percentfrom almost 44 percent in 2009. Nevertheless, it was again included in the government and, together with ND, implemented the austerity dictates of the Troika of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

After PASOK and ND had become so hated that they could barely control popular resistance, it was the turn of Syriza. Riding the wave of protest in January 2015, it won a historic election victory and called a referendum on whether to implement another austerity programme demanded by its creditors. The clear Ochi (no) vote was immediately trampled underfoot by Syriza. In the following years, it implemented a rigorous austerity agenda and privatised the state railway operator Trainose in 2017. Having also been completely discredited, it lost the 2019 elections by a landslide and has since been languishing in the polls at around 6 percent.

Zoi Konstantopoulous party Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) is currently still ahead of Syriza in the polls. She is trying to capitalise on the Tempi protests by presenting herself as a defender of the relatives and demonstrators. Konstantopoulou, a lawyer, was a leading Syriza member for many years and is the daughter of the former leader of the Syrizas predecessor Synaspismos.

In January 2015, Konstantopoulou was elected to parliament for Syriza, and in February the same year she was elected as speaker of parliament. After the referendum in the summer, she joined the breakaway Syriza MPs in the new Popular Unity party (Laiki Enotita). A year later, she founded her own party, Plefsi Eleftherias, which advocates nationalist positions.

All of these parties offer no perspective for the working class but are an obstacle to its struggle for justice and better living conditions. While they claim to stand on the side of the protesters, they defend the capitalist system, which is the cause of the Tempi disaster and social decline.

As the WSWS emphasised in a recent commentary, workers and youth must turn away from these bankrupt organisations and their affiliated trade unions and turn to an international socialist perspective and strategy. This requires the formation of rank-and-file action committees as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) and the establishment of a Greek section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI).
Striking Chicago teachers march in the city's famed Loop on the fifth day of canceled classes Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, in Chicago. The protest was timed to coincide with Mayor Lori Lightfoot's first budget address. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)

On Saturday, March 15, the Educators Rank-and-File Committee in the US, which is affiliated with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), held a joint online meeting with the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE-US), which was titled, Free Mahmoud Khalil! Mobilize the Working Class Against Trumps Dictatorship! Defend the Right to Public Education!

The meeting, which was well-attended by educators, students and workers from around the world, focused on the urgent threats to public education and democratic rights under the Trump administration. The proceedings were opened with a report by Renae Cassimeda, a member of the ERFC, writer for the World Socialist Web Site and a teacher in Southern California.

It also included contributions by Tom Carter, a California lawyer and WSWS writer; David Rye, IYSSE member and WSWS writer; and Will Lehman, a Pennsylvania Mack Trucks worker and IWA-RFC leader who ran as a socialist candidate for president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) in 2022.

There was wide-ranging discussion at the meeting with comments from teachers and young people in Michigan, Texas, Alabama, Ohio and other states, along with Brazil and Canada. The discussion concluded with a 97 percent vote to adopt the following resolution:

The Educators Rank-and-File Committee and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality demand the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil and all university students and workers persecuted by the Trump administration for exercising their right to free speech against the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza. Trumps declaration that Khalils arrest is the first of many for alleged anti-American activity makes clear his administrations intent to silence opposition. This crackdown extends to educators and workers fighting job cuts, the destruction of public services and attacks on education. We call on educators, parents, students and workers across all industries to resist Trumps dismantling of the Department of Education and privatization efforts. From the American Revolution and the Civil War to the early labor movement and the Civil Rights movement, a fundamental principle has guided every great struggle for equality: an educated populace is the only safeguard against the return of tyrants and despots. But oligarchy is incompatible with democracy. That is why the modern-day tyrants of the Trump administration are waging war on science, culture and historical knowledgeto suppress critical thought and maintain their power. The Democratic Party does not oppose Trump; it serves the same oligarchic interests and supports much of his agenda. On Friday, Senate Democrats backed the Republican spending bill that will give Trump and Musk a blank check to slash social programs, purge federal employees and lay the groundwork for a police state. While they posture as opponents, the Democrats represent the same corporate and financial oligarchy and have spent decades supporting war, austerity and the systematic destruction of public education. The leadership of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) refuse to mobilize educators in any meaningful struggle. Instead of organizing strikes or workplace actions, they promote toothless measures such as petitions, social media campaigns and appeals to Congressstrategies designed to dissipate resistance rather than build it. While educators face mass layoffs, privatization and worsening conditions, the union leadership collaborates with both corporate-controlled parties, negotiating concessions rather than leading a fight. Their role is not to defend public education but to suppress workers opposition and maintain their privileged positions within the existing system.

The working class is the only force capable of stopping these attacks. Mass action must be organized through independent rank-and-file committees in schools, workplaces and communities to prepare for strikes and collective resistance. These committees, affiliated with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, will unite educators with workers across industries and national borders to defend social and democratic rights. We demand: * The immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil. * An end to xenophobic attacks on immigrants. * Full restoration of Department of Education funding and staff and an end to privatization schemes. * The defense of democratic rights and constitutional protections for all. * Billions in funding for education and social programs, not war and corporate tax cuts. * The formation of rank-and-file committees in every workplace and community. The struggle for these demands must be connected to the building of a political movement of the working class against both corporate-controlled parties, which will fight for workers to take political power, expropriate the oligarchs and use societys wealth to greatly expand public education and social equality.

Cassimedas report, which we publish below, detailed the administrations dismantling of public education and attack on essential social and democratic rights, as well as the fighting program of the Educators Rank-and-File Committee. Over the next few days, the WSWS will publish a fuller report on the meeting, including other reports and contributions.

Weve called this meeting to address the urgent crisis facing public education and democratic rights under the Trump administration. As demonstrated by the actions of Trump over the past two months, the reality is that he and his administration of oligarchs are attempting to establish a dictatorship in this country, throwing out the Constitution, the Bill of Rights.

The administration is conducting a sweeping assault on the population through mass cuts to social spending, public education, public health, suppression of free speech and democratic rights, as seen in the abduction and detention of Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. Trump is building a framework for unfettered imperialist aims and World War III.

The situation demands a clear understanding of the stakes, the role of various political forces, the underlying causes and a strategy for genuine resistance.

What is at stake?

What is the current state of attack on public education?

The Trump administration is moving rapidly to dismantle public education and core democratic rights. We have seen the layoff of 1,950 workersor over half the staffat the Department of Education (ED). This is part of a purge of tens of thousands of federal workers, disruption and delays to processing financial aid (FAFSA), the distribution of funds for Title 1, IDEA, Pell Grants and other state grants for college students.

Transformation of the Office for Civil Rights into a tool for suppressing dissent.

Elimination of seven out of 12 regional civil rights offices.

Cuts to elementary and secondary education. This includes English language learning and education research. It also includes cancellation of over $900 million in research contracts, including projects like the Nations Report Card and other education research initiatives.

The mass Reductions in Force (RIFs) are part of the Trump administrations efforts to close the department of education and redirect funds through block grants. Under such a framework the Trump administration stands in a position to dictate who gets access to these funds, namely those schools which support Trump administration policies.

Impact of a 50% reduction in Title 1 federal funding for low-income students [Photo: Education Law Center]

The scale of cuts to public education will have catastrophic implications.

The USDA gutted over $1 billion in funds for two federal programs that supported school meal initiatives and food banks. House Republicans recently proposed $12 million in cuts to federally funded school meal programs. If passed, over 24,000 schools that serve more than 12 million children could lose access to the Community Eligibility Provision program (which allows high-poverty schools to offer meals to all students without requiring individual applications). California faces the highest risk, with 4,091 schools that could lose access to free school meals. Other highly impacted states include Texas (1,711 schools), Florida (1,175 schools) and New York (1,784 schools).

Schools are a lifeline for many students. Food insecurity and overall poverty a major factor in public schools. For many this is their only meal of the day.

Impact of federal spending cuts for free school meals [Photo: Education Law Center]

The attack on the ED is part of a broader strategy to privatize education through school voucher and school choice programs. This is exemplified by the plans laid out in Trumps January Executive Order (EO). Congressional Republicans, backed by the White House, are pushing for a new tax credit that would direct billions of dollars a year to school voucher programs and away from public schools and other social institutions.

The administration is simultaneously attacking democratic rights, shown by the brutal arrest and planned deportation of Mahmoud Khalil for exercising his right to free speech and protesting the genocide in Gaza. Another student at Columbia has since been arrested. While an immediate target on the campuses is students opposing the genocide, these are methods that will be used against the entire working class. Trumps executive order Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling aims to censor curricula and transform schools from centers of learning to centers of fascist and religious indoctrination.

Educators and the working class in general are up against unprecedented attacks on all of its social, political, and constitutional rights. Efforts are underway by multiple states to openly challenge the Supreme Court 1982 ruling in Plyler v. Doe and bar immigrant children from access to public education in this country. Across the United States, immigrant families are living in fear that they or their loved ones will be kidnapped and deported.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests are being carried out with unprecedented force and frequency. This includes at schools. Just a few weeks ago, a father was detained as he was dropping off his children outside Jovita Idar elementary in Chicago. The terrorizing abduction was met with horror and outrage by parents, educators and students.

While the attacks on public education are being spearheaded with the attacks on immigrants, the rights of the working class as a whole to public education and other social rights are what is on the chopping block. This is what is behind the mass firings and gutting of public resources by DOGE. The level of these attacks are unprecedented but they are also a continuation of decades-long assault on public education by both the Republicans and Democrats.

In California, over 2,000 layoff notices have been issued to educators, and districts across the state are facing school closures. This is part of nationwide assault on public education. In Chicago, scores of schools could be on the chopping block. These cuts have taken place under the rule of the Democratic Party. The underfunding and gutting of education is bipartisan anddespite a chronic teacher shortagebudget cuts, layoffs and annual pink slips of educators have been normalized across both so-called red and blue states.

What is the role of the Democratic Party and the trade union apparatus?

The Democratic Party is complicit in these attacks. Like the Republicans, it is a capitalist party of the financial oligarchy. While engaging in superficial and spineless stunts, they fundamentally support Trumps aims. The Biden-Harris administration allowed $190 billion in supplemental COVID-19 funding to lapse, creating fiscal crises in school districts and leading to school closures and layoffs.

The Democrats also collaborate with Republicans to suppress campus protests against the genocide in Gaza, slandering them as antisemitic. The erosion of public education has occurred under Democratic Party leadership in cities like Detroit and Chicago. Obamas Race to the Top program set the stage for the current crisis by cutting Title 1 funding and eliminating hundreds of thousands of teachers jobs.

The Democrats disagreements with Trump are primarily over geopolitical strategythat is, which regions American imperialism should conquer firstnot over the fundamental attack on the working class. Far from genuinely opposing these federal cuts, they have been and will be helping to carry them out.

The Democratic Party is not here to fight, they are here to collaborate. They had the opportunity to cut off funding for Trumps dictatorial measures on Friday but they instead ensured that the government remained fully operational with the support of top Democrats in the Senate. They also passed the Republican spending bill, which essentially removes all Congressional spending directives, giving Trump and Elon Musk a blank check to slash social programs, purge federal employees and lay the groundwork for a police state.

Congresss next priority is passing a budget that includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for the rich and $2 trillion in cuts to social programs, including gutting $880 billion from Medicaid, which provides healthcare for 80 million people. Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has made clear that Social Security and other so-called entitlement programs are next.

Furthermore, not only are the Democrats not an opposition party, they are assisting in efforts to normalize fascism and dictatorship! This was on full display on recent podcasts hosted by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who invited fascists Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk to engage in chummy dialogue and praise.

The Democratic Party has shown time and again that it would rather accommodate fascists than mobilize a genuine fight against them.

What will be the social force to fight against the fascists and their legitimizers in the Democratic Party? It will not be the trade union bureaucracy, which is equally culpable.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), has postured as an opponent of these cuts to education while at the same time declaring her willingness to work with Education Secretary Linda McMahonwhose sole purpose is to abolish the department she leads.

The National Education Association (NEA) and AFT are arms of the Democratic Party and hand over tens of millions of dollars of educators dues money to this capitalist party. The AFT and NEA bureaucrats have responded to the unprecedented attacks of the Trump administration by telling educators and parents to email and text Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

In reality, the union bureaucrats are actively working to prevent any genuine resistance to the scapegoating of immigrants, the terrorizing of students and families, and the attacks on public education.

The unions prioritize labor peace and the enrichment of their officials over the interests of their members. It was the union bureaucrats who came in to isolate and smother the powerful teacher rebellions during the first Trump administration in 2018-2019, and have continued to limit and smother educator opposition.

Facing mass closures, layoffs and budget cuts the California Teachers Association (CTA) has launched its toothless We Cant Wait campaign, telling 80,000 teachers to appeal to the Democrats who run the school districts, the same party that just rubber-stamped Trumps budget.

What the trade union bureaucracies will never call for and are in fact actively working to prevent and contain are nationwide strikes by millions of educators. Instead, they want to ensure the deepening opposition to the Trump administration is straitjacketed. Such opposition would find immediate international support as educators around the globe are facing the gutting of public education, including in Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Germany, just to name a few.

Why is this happening?

In discussions with teachers everywhere, a major question they are all asking is: why is this happening? Teachers are expressing that it is hard to believe that such illegality is possible.

There is a definite reason for this crisis, and it does not come solely from the mind of Trump or Musk. Trumps social counter-revolution and dictatorial measures are rooted in the crisis of the world capitalist system. Trillions of dollars are being redirected from the working class to Wall Street, to fund war preparations and tax cuts for the financial oligarchy. The underlying cause is the capitalist system itself, which is incompatible with the basic interests of the vast majority of the population.

The Trump administration represents a government of, for, and by the oligarchy. Such extreme levels of inequality are completely incompatible with democracy, which is why attacks on speech and constitutional rights are being eroded. With the complicity of the Democrats, Trump is establishing a framework for a dictatorship to suppress resistance from below.

As Thomas Jefferson famously argued, an educated populace is the most effective defense against tyranny. Universal public education, a core ideal of the Enlightenment, has long been seen as essential to democracy and a safeguard against authoritarianism. That is precisely why this administration seeks to dismantle public education. It wants nothing to do with an educated population. The historic rights that the working class has fought for are being eroded. The future of the youth and the very social right to a public education are at stake.

It is only our movement, the genuine socialist movement, that is upholding the fight for social and democratic rights and the ideals of the Enlightenment. This is not a task which can be left to the hands of the complicit Democratic Party or the trade union bureaucracies. Above all, the Democrats fear a movement of the working class far more than they fear dictatorship and fascism spearheaded by the Republican Party.

The international working class is the revolutionary social force in society that can halt this attacks on education. An explosive movement of the working class is emerging and the conditions exist to unite educators with federal workers, healthcare workers, manufacturing workers and students. This requires the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the trade union apparatus.

These committees must unite teachers, students, parents with every other section of the working class in a coordinated struggle against Trumps mass layoffs, the destruction of social programs and the privatization of public education. They will serve as a means by which workers can exchange information, organize across workplaces and regions, and prepare for powerful, collective action, including nationwide strikes. That is among the principal aims of todays meeting. We have hundreds of educators on the call today and rank-and-file committees must be built in every school and campus.

The fight to defend public education must be united with the struggles of immigrant workers facing deportation, industrial workers fighting layoffs and unsafe conditions, and healthcare workers opposing attacks on Medicaid and Medicare.

This is a task not just for us educators here in the US. We are fighting what is a global assault on public education. All the social gains won by the working class in an earlier period are under assault as the ruling classes of each country are preparing for imperialist war, lurching to the right and gutting what remains of any social rights.

The struggle is against Trump and the entire capitalist profit system which has produced him, and which is incompatible with the most basic interests of the vast majority of the population. We call for the expropriation of the wealth of the oligarchy which must be directed to meet the social needs of the population under a socialist program.

The protests and opposition to ICE raids, mass firings, the destruction of public educationall of this is building, but it must have unity and political direction and coordination. This is the purpose of the rank-and-file committees, which are united globally under the International Workers Alliance of Rank and File Committees (IWA-RFC). This requires the fight for socialism and the mobilization of the only social force that has the capacity to defeat fascism and reorganize society to meet social needsthe international working class.
This photo taken from video released by the Ansar Allah Media Office via the Al Masirah TV channel shows a human being taken for treatment at a hospital in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, March 15, 2025 following US airstrikes on the country. [AP Photo/Al Masirah TV]

The US military carried out dozens of airstrikes on Yemen Saturday and Sunday, including strikes on residential areas in the densely populated city of Sanaa, killing at least 53 people, including 31 civilians.

Anis al-Asbahi, a spokesman for the Yemeni Health Ministry, said that over 100 people were wounded, most of whom were children and women.

In an unhinged rant on Truth Social, Trump wrote, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DONT, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!

He added, We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Hill reported, according to a source, that Saturdays attacks were the beginning of many days if not weeks of attacks.

The massacre, a war crime and criminal act of military aggression, was justified as a preemptive strike in response to a statement by Yemens Houthis last week that they will block Israeli ships from transiting the Red Sea until Israel ceases its blockade of food and water into Gaza.

No food, water, fuel or electricity has entered Gaza since March 2, despite a nominal ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has accused Israel of using starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime.

Israel, with the support of the United States, is seeking to starve the population of Gaza, which before the start of the genocide numbered 2 million, in an effort to ethnically cleanse the territory. US President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will seek to own Gaza.

On Sunday, the US military carried out more than 40 raids on Yemen, attacking five different provinces. The victims included at least five children and two women, the Houthi Ministry of Health said. Most of the victims were in Sanaa, where the US claimed it was attempting to murder Houthi leadersitself a war crime.

Michael Waltz, Trumps national security adviser, told Fox News Sunday the attacks were an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out, and the difference here is one, going after the Houthi leadership, and two, holding Iran responsible.

The massacre was the largest military action in the Middle East of the Trump administration to date, and the largest US attack on Yemen in recent years. Between January and May of 2024, the US and UK carried out five major attacks on Yemen.

Ahmed, a father of two, told AFP, Ive been living in Sanaa for 10 years, hearing shelling throughout the war. By God, Ive never experienced anything like this before.

Abdul Rahman al-Nuerah, a resident of Sanaa, told the New York Times that the explosions shattered the windows of his house and terrified his children. I instantly embraced and comforted them.  Children and mothers are afraid and still in shock.

One resident who witnessed the attacks told Reuters, The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake.

In addition to attacks on residential areas, the US bombed a power facility in the town of Dahyan, causing electricity blackouts.

US officials stated the massacre in Yemen was a threat against Iran. The strikes were intended to put Iran on notice that enough is enough, said US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a notorious public defender of US war crimes, in an interview with Fox News.

Hegseth said the US attack on Yemen would be unrelenting, adding, This isnt a one-night thing. This will continue until you say, Were done shooting at ships. Were done shooting at assets.

To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end immediately! Trump said on Truth Social, adding, because America will hold you fully accountable.

In an interview on ABCs This Week, Waltz made clear that the US is considering targeting Iranian forces inside Yemen as well. We will hold not only the Houthis accountable, but were going to hold Iran, their backers, accountable as well, he said. Their Iranian trainers, IRGC and others, that intelligence, other things that they have put in to help the Houthis attack the global economy, thosethose targets will be on the table too.

The attacks could be the beginning of a major new US military intervention in the Middle East, with the New York Times reporting that some national security aides want to pursue an even more aggressive campaign that could lead the Houthis to essentially lose control of large parts of the countrys north.

The Times reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has been pushing Mr. Trump to authorize a joint US-Israel operation to destroy Irans nuclear weapons facilities, taking advantage of a moment when Irans air defenses are exposed, after a bombing campaign from Israel in October dismantled critical military infrastructure.

Over the past year, the United States and Israel have waged a major regional war, coordinated with the Gaza genocide, targeting Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran itself. Israel carried out two major attacks on Iran, targeting its air defense infrastructure and potentially opening the door for a major US-Israeli attack on Irans nuclear program.

The aim of this war is the creation of what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the new Middle East, a term first coined by Bush administration Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2006.

As the US continues its military escalation throughout the Middle East, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating. Without aid entering the Gaza Strip, roughly 1 million children are living without the very basics they need to surviveyet again, said Edouard Beigbeder, a spokesperson for the United Nations Childrens Agency.

Tragically, approximately 4,000 newborns are currently unable to access essential lifesaving care due to the major impact on medical facilities in the Gaza Strip, Beigbeder said. Every day without these ventilators, lives are lost, especially among vulnerable, premature newborns in the northern Gaza Strip.

Despite the nominal ceasefire, Israeli forces continue to kill people in Gaza every single day. Over the past 24 hours, 29 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza, and 51 people were wounded. This has brought the confirmed death toll to 48,572, with another 10,000 missing and likely buried under the rubble. On Saturday, an Israeli drone attack killed nine people, eight of whom were aid workers.

It is with great sadness and regret that we announce the demise in Gaza of eight of our teams dedicated humanitarian aid workers. They were killed in violation of the agreed ceasefire in a drone airstrike, said Shuaib Yusaf, the CEO of the Al Khair Foundation, a humanitarian group.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. During the ongoing trial at the Baku Military Court on March 17, Armenian defendant Lyova Mnatsakanyan admitted that each year, 7-8 thousand conscripts from Armenia were sent for military service in Azerbaijans occupied territories.

He stated that conscription occurred twice a year, with 3,500-4,000 Armenian citizens deployed to the occupied territories during each cycle. Mnatsakanyan further revealed that approximately 70 percent of those serving in the so-called regime's "army" were Armenian citizens, while the remaining 30 percent were Armenian residents of Karabakh.

"There was no distinction between them during their service; they were under the same command and wore the same military uniforms," he added.

Court proceedings continue against Armenian citizens accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimesincluding preparing and conducting a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violations of the laws and customs of warfareas well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and other offenses committed during Armenias military aggression.
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Two-time Oscar winner Adrien Brody plays a globe-trotter in Morocco as the new face of travel brand Monos.

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The Canada-based B Corp. company has tapped the Brutalist actor to debut its new aluminum luggage collection ($665 to $775) in a cinematic campaign video shot in Tangier. Shot by Mexico City-based filmmaker and photographer Alexis Gomez, the campaign highlights Monos new hardshell carry-on, medium and large check-in and trunk suitcases in Aspen Silver, Champagne Gold and Caviar Black.

Titled Kismet, the three-minute film opens with Brody daydreaming on a train  a bit of a throwback to his rail-riding character in Wes Andersons Darjeeling Limited  before exploring the streets of the coastal Mediterranean city, where he encounters surprising and connected moments.

Adrien Brody for Monos Aluminum Collection

Growing up in New York  a city full of diversity and unexpected encounters  ignited a thirst for adventure, Brody says in a statement. I often find myself on location in different places while working on films, which is exciting; I love to explore, to travel, to get lost and find my way. Traveling reminds me that borders are irrelevant, no matter how different cultures or people may seem, were all just people living our unique stories.

Monos new luggage is made from anodized and electroplated aluminum with a refined brush finish and designed to develop a patina over time, per the brand. Each piece is finished with black quilted taffeta lining, a compression system with a removable interior bag, TSA-friendly latch locks, a telescoping handle with four height settings, a soft-release side handle and 360-degree spinner wheels. The aluminum suitcases also include an anti-microbial laundry bag and two shoe bags.

Adrien Brody for Monos Aluminum Collection

The new range marks Monos first all-aluminum offerings; it most recently teamed with influencer Julie Sarinana and Magnolia Bakery on special edition colorways. The company is known for its hybrid aluminum and polycarbonate travel cases under $500. The brand offers a 100-day trial and a limited lifetime warranty on all luggage.

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The 51-year-old actor won his second Academy Award for best actor for his role in The Brutalist, in which he plays an architect who survives the Holocaust and flees to America. He won his first Oscar for his role in Roman Polanskis The Pianist, which made him the youngest to take home a trophy in that category at that time.

See the new aluminum carry-ons and check-in suitcases in every new hue below, and shop the full launch at monos.com.

Monos Aluminum Carry-On Plus in Champagne Gold

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$665 at Monos

Monos Aluminum Check-In Medium in Aspen Silver

Monos Aluminum Check-In Medium in Aspen Silver

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$755 at Monos

Monos Aluminum Trunk in Champagne Gold

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Monos Aluminum Trunk in Champagne Gold

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A 1920s-era bungalow that at once appeared headed for the bulldozer has instead been sold as a completely renovated and restored home on one of Palm Beachs famous Sea streets. The deed for the sale of 439 Seaspray Ave. was recorded at $7.497 million.

Dr. George Snelling sold the Midtown house through a Florida limited liability company, Landover Developments One LLC, which had paid $3.95 million for it in December 2021. At the time, he and his wife, Roberta, expected to tear the 1926 house down and replace it with a new one to accommodate their visits to Palm Beach from their home in Augusta, Georgia, Snelling told the Palm Beach Daily News for a November article about the property.

Near the Intracoastal Waterway, the house stands on a lot of a little more than a tenth of an acre on the northeast side of Seaspray Avenues cul-de-sac, about a block north of Royal Palm Way. The size of the lot ended up constraining the Snellings plans for building a new home on the property.

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The towns rules and regulations made it almost impossible because the lot is small. So we rebuilt it. We did everything  you name it, George Snelling said last fall about the three-bedroom house, which has 2,743 square feet of living space, inside and out.

Dr. George and Roberta Snelling completely rebuilt their vintage bungalow-style home near the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach. The house has sold for just under $7.5 million to a Delaware-registered limited liability company, according to a deed recorded March 12.

A deed recorded March 12 shows the buyer was a Delaware-registered limited liability company named CWNPB LLC. Because of Delawares strict corporate privacy laws, public records did not immediately offer more information about the buyers side of the sale.

The sellers two-year renovation transformed the house so that it looks even more authentic to its era today, said Snelling, a dentist who no longer practices, having instead focused his career on real estate investments through his Snelling Properties.

Achieving a look of authenticity was important to the Snellings, because the house stands in the lake block of one of the so-called Sea streets, which are among the oldest platted roads in town. Like neighboring Seaview and Seabreeze avenues, Seaspray is home to many older homes and landmarked houses.

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Palm Beach architect Yianni Varnav of Varnava Studio designed the down-to-the-studs renovation, which included reworking the interior layout and expanding the number of bathrooms from two to four.

Agent Steve Hall of Compass Florida listed the house in October at $9.6 million, reducing the price in December to $8.995 million. Agent Vincent Kessell, who also is with Compass Florida, acted on behalf of the buyer.

A prominent porte-cochere provides access to the front porch. The first-floor layout includes a living room with a fireplace, a dining room and the main bedroom suite, which has two bathrooms and a walk-in closet. On the second floor are two bedroom suites, and behind the house is a separate one-car garage.

Rooms have hardwood floors, and bathrooms are finished in marble and tile.

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The house has no swimming pool, so the front yards patio, which has a fountain, served as the Snellings' main outdoor entertaining area.

In addition to their Augusta residence, the Snellings have homes in South Carolina  a house in Hilton Head and a condo in Charleston.

dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com

Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly Beyond the Hedges column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call 561-820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Rebuilt 1920s bungalow sells for $7.5M on famous Palm Beach street
Denim Deal, the industry-leading initiative committed to driving circularity in denim established in Amsterdam in 2020, is expanding its reach in Europe.

The public and private organization is launching in France, an initiative that targets all players across the French textile supply chain including brands, collection agencies, recyclers and weavers. Denim Deal France aims to promote the integration of post-consumer recycled cotton, strengthen traceability and encourage more responsible production practices across the French supply chain.

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Denim Deal will kick off the effort on March 27 with an event at The Netherlands Embassy in Paris. The event will review Denim Deals goals, the advantages of joining the collective, testimonials from participants and conversations with industry experts.

The event will also highlight the environmental benefits of building circularity into manufacturing processes and how circularity can be achieved without sacrificing durability and quality.

France is a strategic market for our collaborative platform, building on our success in the Netherlands. With its dynamic denim industry and diverse range of retailers and brands, France presents a unique opportunity for growth. Additionally, the country is at the forefront of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and EU regulations, making it an ideal environment for us to explore and address the operational implications of these regulations with our partners in the industry, Nicolas Prophte, Denim Deal board member, told SJ Denim.

Originally known as the Dutch C-233 Green Deal on Circular Denim, Denim Deal was a pact made between mills, manufacturers, brands and the city of Amsterdam in 2020 to increase the industrys use of recycled content. It ended in 2023 exceeding its goal of producing 3 million pairs of jeans with at least 20 percent post-consumer recycled content.

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The initiative has evolved, driven by a renewed strategy that involves establishing key regional hubs. With a new goal to produce 1 billion pairs of jeans containing at least 20 percent PCR by 2030, Denim Deal is focused on growing brand memberships, as theyre in the driver seat to achieve its goal.

We are confident that our expansion strategy, starting with France and extending to Germany, will create a resilient platform in Europe. Together, we can tackle significant challenges related to circular business models and compliance with EU regulations while simultaneously offering consumers a desirable pair of jeans, Prophte said.

In September, the organization released its first list of members (mostly denim mills) since spinning off from the Dutch framework. It also unveiled a collection of Denim Deal approved fabrics that contain a minimum of 20 percent PCR cotton and adhere to the groups guidelines for quality and durability.
Jewish ultra-Orthodox men and children, some wearing costumes read the Book of Esther, which tells the story of the Jewish festival of Purim, at a synagogue in Bnei Brak, Israel, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. On March 17, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with a delegation led by the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zukan Helez, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Defense Minister.

First, guests visited the graves of the National Leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev and prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva in the Alley of Honor, laid wreaths and flowers and honored their blessed memory.

The delegation from Bosnia and Herzegovina arrived at Victory Park and laid a wreath at the Victory Monument.

During the official welcoming ceremony at the Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense, following the ceremonial passage in front of the guard of honor, the national anthems of both countries were performed and the Book of Honor was signed following established protocol.

At the meeting, the Azerbaijan Defense Minister extended a warm welcome to the guests and conveyed his pleasure at their presence in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan's Defense Minister informed his colleague about the successful reforms carried out under the leadership of the President of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mr. Ilham Aliyev in the army development field after the victories in the 44-day Second Karabakh War and subsequent operations, measures conducted in the liberated territories, as well as the operational situation along the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional state border.

Z.Helez expressed his satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan and conveyed his gratitude for the hospitality. The guest stressed that mutual visits and such meetings contribute to the expansion of military relations, and highlighted the importance of establishing a working group of specialists for effective experience exchange and joint activities.

The meeting emphasized the positive experience of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Partnership for Peace program and the Operations Capabilities Concept. It also highlighted the successful participation of servicemen from both countries in international exercises.

At the end of the meeting, the sides expressed satisfaction with the dynamics of the development of relations between the two countries, discussed prospects for cooperation in the military, military-technical, and military-educational spheres, and held a detailed exchange of views on regional security issues.
Editors Note: This story was originally published in October 2022. It was updated and republished in March 2025 to mark the launch of CNNs Chance Encounters podcast

Rachel Decoste landed in West Africas Republic of Benin in August 2018, anticipating an important journey of self-discovery, but not predicting the extent to which the trip would change her life.

On her first day exploring Benin, Rachel asked a passerby for directions. Two weeks later, Rachel and the stranger were engaged. Within six months, they were married.

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Rachel grew up in Ottawa, Canada, the daughter of Haitian parents whod immigrated to Canada in the late 1960s. As an adult, Rachel relocated to Washington DC for college, later working for a bipartisan tech program associated with the United States Congress.

Rachel loved this job, she loved the diversity of Washington and loved working in public service. When her US visa was up for renewal, Rachel, then in her early 40s, figured shed work remotely for a few months before returning to DC.

But rather than working from Canada, she hatched a plan to set up her desk further afield.

Earlier that year, Rachel had submitted her DNA to an online ancestry site. Rachel had long known she was the descendent of enslaved Africans, but until she got the results, she hadnt known where her forebears had lived. Now, she had a list of countries where she had roots: Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana and Benin.

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DNA tests for a descendant of enslaved Africans has very deep significance for us, Rachel tells CNN Travel. Even though its not a precise science, when you get the map of where your ancestors came from, its an emotional journey.

Rachel arrived in Benin towards the end of her five month remote working trip. Shed already visited the other countries on her list, and her African trip was shaping up to be an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. Nevertheless, Rachel didnt know what to expect from Benin.

Honestly, I dont know if I could find Benin Republic on a map before this, she says.

She booked a room in a bed and breakfast in the port city of Cotonou, planning to stay there for two weeks  working from the B&B and exploring the country in her spare time.

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Following a couple of days settling in, Rachel ventured out for the first time. She planned to visit Ouidah, once one of the most active slave trading ports in Africa. She expected this would be a moving and thought-provoking experience.

Im sure that one of my ancestors passed by there, just because of my DNA test, says Rachel.

Exiting her room, Rachel searched around for the manager of her bed and breakfast  she was looking for guidance on how best to travel to Ouidah.

Shes nowhere to be found. And then I look for the security guard, and the security guard is on break.

Rachel figured her next best bet was asking a passerby outside, so she opened the gates and glanced around.

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The first person she spotted was a man about to get on a motorcycle, parked just outside.

Rachel greeted the stranger in French  as a French Canadian, French is her first language and its also the official language of Benin  and politely asked him how to get to Ouidah.

You have to go to a certain intersection downtown, where all the bush taxis are, explained the stranger. You find the taxi going to your destination, you pay for your seat, and then youll get there.

He started passing on directions to the intersection, but then, realizing they were a bit complicated, changed his tune.

If you want. I can bring you there, its about 10 minutes away, he suggested, gesturing to his bike.

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It was about 9 a.m. Rachel was wary of trusting someone she didnt know, but she decided she was unlikely to come to harm in broad daylight. She agreed.

I take a chance, hop on the back of his motorcycle, no helmet, she recalls.

Traveling together

Honore and Rachel explored Benin together. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

The motorbike-riding stranger was Honore Orogbo, a single father and business owner in his thirties whod lived in Cotonou all his life and just happened to be passing by that morning.

When Rachel opened the bed and breakfast door, Honore had just finished eating some breakfast hed grabbed from a nearby street kiosk.

From the outside, Rachels accommodation wasnt obviously a B&B. Honore says he assumed she was the owner of the house. It was only when she asked for directions that Honore realized Rachel was a visitor.

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When Rachel and Honore arrived at the taxi rank in Cotonou city center, they realized the one heading to Ouidah was pretty empty. Honore explained it would be some time before it departed  the driver wouldnt leave until the taxi was full.

Rachel was disheartened. She didnt have time to wait around  she wanted to spend the whole day in Ouidah without feeling rushed, and to safely return to Cotonou before sundown.

Sensing her disappointment, Honore came up with a suggestion. He had a friend in Ouidah hed been hoping to visit  while he hadnt been planning to go that day, he could, he had a day off.

Im like Cool. Ill pay for gas. Lets go, recalls Rachel.

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Just over an hour later, they arrived in Ouidah.

He shows me how to get back  where the bush taxis are that I can get back that afternoon  and he shows me where the Slave Museum is. And Im like, Okay, good to go. Thanks, sir, recalls Rachel.

But before they were due to go their separate ways, Rachel asked Honore if he wanted to get brunch. She wanted a bite to eat before she started her tour  and extending the invite to Honore felt like the polite choice, hed gone out of his way to help her, after all.

Honore agreed, touched by the gesture. The two sat down to eat.

Rachel was aware that she was a woman traveling alone, and while Honore had been nothing but polite and respectful, he was still a stranger, so she told him she was married.

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She also didnt share details of her job, or her life in the US. But she did explain how she was hoping to travel around Benin over the coming days. She asked Honore if he had any friends or contacts who worked as chauffeurs or tour guides, and who might be interested in escorting her around over the next couple of days. She figured that might be easier than relying on taxis.

Honore contacted a tour guide friend, but he was fully booked

So I said, Well, how about you? Can you be my escort? You helped me out this morning, can I just pay you to do that for three days? recalls Rachel.

No, Im not a Im not a tour guide, said Honore. I dont know my countrys history by heart, and thats not what I do.

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Rachel backtracked. She didnt really need a tour guide  there would be experts at all the historical sites she planned to visit  she just needed a ride.

After a bit of back and forth, Honore agreed to drive Rachel.

When she insisted, I said Why not? Honore recalls today.

He wanted to help Rachel, Honore says. She seemed like a good person, based on the way shed approached him, the way shed asked him questions and the way shed invited him to brunch.

The two agreed Honore would drive Rachel around for the next few days, starting that day in Ouidah, and Rachel would pay him for his services.

Growing closer

Here's Rachel at Ganvie Lake Village in Cotonou, Benin. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

For the rest of the week, Honore took Rachel to Benins most important sites.

Touring Benin was a powerful experience for Rachel. She says visiting the slave fort, inside Ouidahs Museum of History, is a pilgrimage that every afro-descendant should visit to remind us of the cruelty that our ancestors survived.

I didnt know this before going there in person, but if Las Vegas was taking bets on the survival of enslaved Africans, the odds of my being alive today would have been slim to none, says Rachel. I am a walking, talking miracle. I am the one percent. I owe it to those who didnt make it to live my best life.

While traveling around Benin, Rachel and Honore talked. While Rachel still didnt disclose many details about her personal circumstances, but she found herself opening up to Honore about her thoughts and feelings. Honore opened up in turn.

First conversations were about learning about myself, my family, my situation, who I am, who I really am, he says.

We were very open and very candid, because we were strangers and well never see each other again, recalls Rachel.

She remembers being touched when Honore explained that he didnt have a new model of motorcycle because he put all his money towards his sons education.

He says Id rather have my kid have those opportunities than drive a fancy motorcycle. And I thought, Wow, those are the values of my parents. I saw myself in those values, says Rachel.

In one of their many conversations, Honore mentioned his brother was a tailor. On their fourth day together, Honore took Rachel to a market to help her buy fabric that his brother could make into a dress.

Rachel was overwhelmed by the choice  so much so that she asked Honore to pick his favorites. He opted for two pieces of colorful, bright Ankara fabric. The third option was a white, gray, lace style, called lessi. Rachel loved it, and figured the resulting dress could be appropriate for a baptism or some kind of special occasion.

Honore's brother made clothing for Rachel and Honore out of the fabric he picked for her at the market. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

In one of their many conversations driving to Benin landmarks, Honore mentioned to Rachel that he would usually travel to Lome, the capital of the neighboring country of Togo, when he and his friends wanted a night out.

Rachel was intrigued.

I cant guarantee that Ill ever come back here. This is a once in a lifetime trip where Im getting paid while Im working in a foreign country. I want to take advantage of every opportunity, she remembers thinking.

So I said, Well, I have to go back to work this week. But next weekend, if youre willing, I could get two hotel rooms and we could go to Togo together.

The following weekend, Honore took Rachel to a poetry slam night in Lome, followed by a bar with live music. They stayed out all night.

Were dancing. Its just pure joy, says Rachel.

It was around this time that Rachel started to feel things shift. She felt comfortable around Honore in a way shed never felt before.

We get along great. He laughs at my jokes, she recalls thinking. I had a bit of a meltdown a couple times  which Im not proud of  where he didnt freak out, because usually angry Black women scare people. But he took it all in his stride.

Rachel even briefly met Honores son.

Rachel and Honore, pictured here on a beach in Cotonou, grew closer and they soon realized they had feelings for each other. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

She described the situation in an email to one of her close friends back in Ottawa.

I think I think this person should be my husband. But am I crazy? Ive known this guy for a week. Is that stupid? Tell me if Im crazy, she wrote.

Her friend wrote back: Rachel, you are not a stupid person. You have good judgment. You are a good judge of character. If hes the one, grab him.

For Honore, the trip to Togo was a turning point too.

I think its that night that the lightning struck, he says. It was not lightning but it was a feeling of love. I think thats where the feeling of love started.

Rachel only had one more week in Benin before she was set to return to North America. She decided she had no time to waste.

I told him that I really wasnt married. And he was very happy to hear that. And we got together, she says.

I was kind of surprised, says Honore now. I thought a woman like that would probably have a husband.

Next day I saw her differently, he adds. Not like a tourist but my soulmate. Thats how the relationship started. Step by step.

For the remainder of Rachels time in Benin, Rachel and Honore spent as much time together as they could.

Long distance engagement

Honore and Rachel often wear clothing made from matching fabric, a Benin tradition. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

On the evening of Rachels departure, Honore recalls sitting with her on a beach. He was enjoying the moment, but also considering Rachels impending return to Canada, and what it meant for their burgeoning romance.

We were facing the ocean. In my head, I was thinking the past two weeks that Ive spent with you, I have no regrets. We had a great time together. I was really happy to meet you.

The two talked about the future, and if and how they could make a long distance relationship work. They realized they were both equally committed, and so they decided to get engaged, and that Honore would relocate to North America.

It was a big decision. Theyd only known one another for a couple of weeks. And for Honore, emigrating had never been a goal. It would be a big change for his son. But Honore says he decided to follow my instincts, to follow my heart.

Meanwhile, Rachel quit her life in DC, and went back to Canada. Rachel says her friends were shocked, but supportive and happy when she told them about the whirlwind romance. Her parents were more skeptical, she says. But they came round when they met Honore, and saw how in love he was with their daughter.

Rachel returned to Benin six months later, in January 2019, for her wedding to Honore. She wore the dress made from the white lace fabric Honore had picked for her in the market the summer before. It felt like fate.

You cant make this up, says Rachel today, smiling.

Here's the couple at Canadian wedding celebrations. - Two Trees Photography by Timothy J Baklinski

Meanwhile, the couple planned a Canadian wedding celebration for the following year, navigating Honore and his sons immigration journey in the meantime.

I took the time during the separation to start preparing myself mentally and psychologically for a big move, recalls Honore. I had to think about the huge life change that was going to be ahead of me, the cultural differences. I know people who went to the Americas and it wasnt necessarily easy.

Honore also prepared his child for the move.

I explained to him that, My son, we will go to a different country and we will start over together. With time, you will have new friends, you will have new cousins. You will have everything you wish for. everything that you have here you will have over there, in time.

Follow your heart

Today, Honore and Rachel live in Canada together. Here they are pictured at Niagara Falls. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

Honore and his son arrived in Canada in the middle of winter.

It was really really really cold, he recalls. I just didnt understand how cold it could be outside. Because the cold of Africa is a whole different kettle of fish, than the cold in Canada.

Still, once Honore was kitted out with Canada-appropriate boots, coat and mittens, he started adapting to life in a new country.

Rachel and Honore say they were over the moon to be together. The months apart waiting for Honores visa approval had been long.

Honores son settled in very quickly, and Rachel adapted to becoming his stepmother, a role she says she loves.

Im embracing the challenge and the joys of motherhood, she says now.

Its not easy when youve been single since forever to adjust to having to share your life. But hes a good kid.

Today, Honore and Rachel live in Ottawa. Rachel works as a diversity and inclusion expert, while Honore is studying.

Rachel also recounted her experiences traveling Africa in 2018, including meeting Honore, in an audiobook called Year of Return: a Black Womans African Homecoming.

Rachel is now working on a memoir, which she describes as an exploration of self and ancestry, which she hopes will be released by 2026.

Here are Honore, Rachel and their son in Ottawa together. - Woke Enterprises, Inc. Canada

Rachel and Honore are also enjoying bringing up their son together, and run a business selling warm, Canada-winter-appropriate pajamas with African prints, called Woke Apparel.

The pandemic put a stop to their big Canadian wedding celebration plans, but they enjoyed a small ceremony in summer 2020.

Reflecting on their journey together, Honore says their story makes him consider that sometimes you shouldnt force fate.

He sees meeting Rachel as destiny but considers moving across the world to be with her as proof of the importance of trusting your gut.

Just follow your heart, he says. Follow your heart with reckless abandon.

As for Rachel, she says their love story is a reminder to her that its never too late.

Youre not too old to just travel alone by yourself, in a country that you dont know, where you dont know anybody. Youre never too old to find love. Youre never too old to become a mother.

There is no expiration date on opportunity. And grab life by both hands. If I can do it. You can.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN)  A woman accused of bilking Ohio Medicaid out of $1.8 million and later caught in Texas pleaded guilty in the case.

Janay Corbitt, 36, of Dayton, pleaded guilty to felony theft charges and identity fraud.

Corbitt was indicted in May 2024 following a state investigation, but the Attorney Generals Office revealed Crobitt stole the identities of several people so she could open and operate two sham behavioral health counseling agencies in the Dayton area, fraudulently collecting $1.5 million from Medicaid.

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Corbitt was arrested at a bus stop in Dallas.

A previous theft conviction in 2019 had barred her from the Medicaid program.

Her luck has run out  kudos to our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for bringing this scheme to light, said Ohio Attorney General David Yost.

Corbitts sentencing is scheduled for April 17.

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CARROLL COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Maryland State Police (MSP) are investigating after a man died and a woman was injured in a crash in Carroll County on Sunday afternoon.

Just after 2 p.m. on March 16, troopers were called to the Maryland Route 97, Old Washington Road, for a collision involving two vehicles.

MSP said its preliminary investigation revealed that a Baltimore woman was driving a Volkswagen when, for reasons unknown, she slammed head-on into a Chevrolet truck.

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Buckle up! Maryland State Police to increase patrols on highways, roads for St. Patricks Day

The driver of the truck, 78-year-old Richard Snyder of Westminister, was taken to the hospital where he died.

The woman was flown to the hospital for treatment.

Her condition is unknown as of Monday morning.

State police said once the investigation is complete, the results will be submitted to the Carroll County States Attorneys Office. The office will then determine if charges will be filed.

Maryland Route 97 was shut down for over two hours on Sunday afternoon as investigators worked on the scene.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A juvenile was taken to the hospital after a drive-by shooting in Baton Rouge on Sunday.

The Baton Rouge Police Department said officers were called to the 2500 block of 70th Avenue around 6:10 p.m. where a juvenile was found with a gunshot wound. Police said injuries are considered non-life threatening.

Detectives learned that the juvenile was inside a home when shots were fired.

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The investigation remains ongoing and more information will be shared as it becomes available.

If you have any information that could help investigators, call the Violent Crimes Unit at 225-389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

West Baton Rouge trailer park shooting leaves 2 injured, 2 arrested

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Family and friends say a tearful goodbye to a Washington Middle School student after she was killed by a runaway SUV. This, as their Ethiopian community demands Seattle leaders take action.

The 12-year-old Washington Middle School student was laid to rest amid the sobs of her parents, surviving sister, family and friends.

Her family and their community are now calling on city leaders to do more.

The action indeed, the Ethiopian community, would like to see is the arrest of the parent whose vehicle allegedly rolled into this 12-year-old killing her outside her school, as her schoolmates watched in horror.

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It was almost unbearable for the mother of 12-year-old Arsema Barekew, forced to say goodbye to her precious daughter.

Her husband trying to comfort her while dealing with his own grief.

On Thursday, March 6, Arsema was outside with her schoolmates at Washington Middle School during second lunch.

A parent allegedly parked an SUV in a no-parking zone and left it. Eyewitnesses say the unattended vehicle rolled down 20th Place South and struck Arsema, killing her instantly.

Last week, the family shared their concerns first with KIRO 7.

Did you know that your daughter would be walking around the school outside? Berihun MeKonnen, her father, was asked.

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No, he said. No, nothing.

They were also upset with Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones. He spoke to reporters at the scene but had not yet spoken to them. That has apparently changed.

Jones was spotted at the church service for Arsema and, according to a family spokesman, the district provided this school bus and van for her grieving friends and family.

Sebrena Burr, the Seattle Council PTSA co-president, says the parent who drove the SUV and their child need support, too.

So, my hope and prayer is Seattle Public Schools will be intentional about this whole school community in a restorative way, Burr said.

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But Arsemas family and friends want the driver in custody.

There needs to be some type of action to learn oh, you cant just take a life of a little girl and be able to move forward, said Ezanna Kasahun, who knows the family through the Yesler Community Center.

Seattle police have told KIRO 7 they are actively investigating this terrible accident. They have three months to complete their work. KIRO 7 is staying on this story to keep you up to date.
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: Karan Howell Shepherd. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

We want to remember Karan Howell Shepherd, while honoring those who survived and thanking those changed forever.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in western Wisconsin say they have arrested three people, including a 16 and 13-year-old, in connection to a shooting that took place just over a week ago.

According to a release from the La Crosse Police Department, officers initially began to investigate an incident on Sunday, March 9 when one person was shot on the 1200 block of Logan Street in La Crosse and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Wednesday, March 12, police say they arrested a 16-year-old for their role in the shooting, and on the next day, they also arrested a 13-year-old who was believed to be involved in the incident.

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Pet dies to smoke inhalation in Wisconsin 8-unit condo fire, $250K in estimated damages

Officials continued to investigate the incident which led to a third arrest, this time of 19-year-old Jaysen M. Moran.

Moran, the 16-year-old, and the 13-year-old were all arrested on the charge of Party to the Crime of Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide.

Since Sunday, members of the La Crosse Police Department have been diligently investigating this shooting incident. We greatly appreciate the communitys assistance with providing the Police Department information. This type of violence and the young ages of those involved is incredibly concerning. The La Crosse community cannot tolerate this type of crime and the La Crosse Police Department is committed to doing all we can to keep the La Crosse community safe. La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron

Police say this is believed to be an isolated incident and an investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Anyone with any additional information is asked to contact the La Crosse Police Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. During the ongoing trial at the Baku Military Court on March 17, Armenian defendant Lyova Mnatsakanyan responded to questions from state prosecutors regarding the presence of weapons such as Iskander M, Tochka U, and Smerch in Azerbaijans occupied territories, Trend reports.

Mnatsakanyan noted that he had not seen these weapons in the occupied territories before, during, or after his term as "defense minister" of the so-called regime.

Court proceedings continue against Armenian citizens accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimesincluding preparing and conducting a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violations of the laws and customs of warfareas well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and other offenses committed during Armenias military aggression.
DENVER (KDVR)  Police say theyve arrested the second of three fugitives wanted in connection to a violent kidnapping that occurred in December at The Edge at Lowry apartment complex, which has since been closed by the city after it was called an immediate threat to public safety.

On March 13, U.S. Border Patrol agents and the Auburn Hills Police Department responded to a shoplifting call that escalated into the takedown of a dangerous fugitive, according to a Border Patrol post on Instagram. The federal agency said that the suspect was a Venezuelan national who was wanted for kidnapping and torture in Colorado, and linked to the notorious Tren de Aragua gang.

Trump invokes 18th century law to speed deportations, judge stalls it hours later

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Border Patrol said he would face a charge of willfully refusing to depart the U.S.

The Aurora Police Department said that Breider Jhoan Ospino-Morillo, 24, was arrested after running from officers in Michigan. The agency said Ospino-Morillo was wanted out of Arapahoe District Court on four charges of second-degree kidnapping, four charges of aggravated robbery, two charges of menacing with a deadly weapon and two charges of extortion. The charges are all felonies.

The local agency said that one suspects arrest remains outstanding in this case.

In total, that means 11 of the 12 people facing charges in connection to the kidnapping are now in law enforcement custody. The arrests are in connection to a reported home invasion and kidnapping that happened on Dec. 17 at the troubled Aurora apartment complex. Police said that a Venezuelan couple, a man and woman, were tied up, pistol-whipped, beaten and stabbed by approximately a dozen armed people.

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While the couple was tied up, other suspects went to the victims apartment and burglarized the unit, according to police. Hours later, police said the victims were able to convince their captors they would not call the police if released. The victims were freed and went to a friends home, where they called the police department.

The incident resulted in a large police response to the apartment complex. Officers locked the complex down and located 15 people inside one unit, and the Aurora Police Chief told FOX31 that it appeared most of the individuals in that unit were involved in the attack.

I am utilizing any resource that I can to verify who these individuals are, who these suspects are, what their involvement is with this crime and what their identities are, said Chamberlain during a press conference on Dec. 17. I am presently using the Department of Homeland Security, I am using HSI and I am also using ICE to help identify who these suspects are and what actions they are involved in.

American Airlines passengers were told there was a problem before plane landed at DIA and fire started

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During the press conference, Chamberlain said that based on his experience and expertise, without question, this is a gang incident. He said there was a high assumption that the suspects could be affiliated with Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang. The apartment complex was also the site of a viral video showing armed men in the stairwell shortly after a homicide at the complex. Many of those seen in that video have since been identified and arrested.

In January, the Aurora Police Department announced charges for nine of the 19 people who were detained during the initial investigation, and obtained arrest warrants for another three suspects not in custody.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A $2.6 million jackpot-winning lottery ticket sold at a Westmoreland County grocery store is still unclaimed and will expire soon.

The Cash 5 with Quick Cash ticket worth $2,628,337 was sold at the Shop n Save on William Penn Highway in Murrysville for the drawing on May 8. The ticket matched all five balls drawn, 14-22-33-35-38.

The prize must be claimed by Thursday, May 8.

For more information about claiming a prize from the Pennsylvania Lottery, click here.

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A SWAT standoff in DeKalb County led to the arrest of a man wanted for homicide out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, officials announced Monday.

According to the DeKalb County Police Department, SWAT officers were called in Thursday to help U.S. Marshals searching for wanted suspect Jason Bowen at a motel on Flat Shoals Road.

When Marshals got a warrant and went to the motel, DKPD SWAT officers, as well as K-9 and Aerial Support, served the warrant and arrested Bowen along with his girlfriend, Trashawn Hicks.

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Police said they found weapons and drugs in their motel room and both were taken to the DeKalb County Jail.

Bowen was turned over to the Marshals after.

The Tulsa Police Department said Bowen was wanted for the murder of 29-year-old Tevin Goff, who was found near Coweta, Oklahoma, after his vehicle was found on fire in Porter, Oklahoma, on March 10.

Now, Bowen is expected to be extradited back to Tulsa.

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HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP)  A Thomasville man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, according to court documents.

On Friday, High Point Police Department charged Tariq Jordan, 25, with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting a public officer.

Latilla Antionette Terry, 34, of High Point, was also charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting a public officer, leaving the scene of a hit and run as well as identity theft.

According to police, just after 6 p.m. on Friday they responded to a call about shots fired near Gordon Street and Cedrow Drive. According to the victim, two people, allegedly Terry and Jordan, shot at him and chased him as he tried to drive away.

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A nearby officer spotted Jordan running from a wrecked vehicle and he was taken into custody. A K-9 then helped locate Terry.

Jordan was on post-release supervision for a 2015 conviction at the time.

Terry gave the officer someone elses name and date of birth to the arresting officer, documents show. She was also served an outstanding warrant from Virginia.

Neither of them were given bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (WFLA)  Two dogs were found dead, hanging by their necks from a tree in the backyard of a Fort Pierce home over the weekend.

On Sunday evening, the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office responded to a civil matter at a home located in the 2100 block of Dade Road, which quickly turned into an animal cruelty case.

Clearwater bar patron pulls gun on man over broken karaoke machine: police

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When deputies met with the resident, 42-year-old Salomon Cruz-Perez, they discovered two dead dogs in the backyard.

The male and female dog were both found suspended by their necks in the tree, bound with coaxial cable, paracord, tie-down straps, and chains, according to the authorities.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cruz-Perez told officials the dogs got tied up themselves and had walked out to the backyard to discover the dogs already like that. The man said he assumed they were already dead because he didnt see them moving.

Cruz-Perez claimed the dogs were playing a joke on him because, for the past few months, the dogs would go from one side of the house to the other, making a mess and destroying the inside of the home, the affidavit said.

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He also told deputies that one of the dogs tried to kill him three times and said they hung themselves from the tree, according to the document.

St. Lucie County Animal Control took the animals to Orlando for a necropsy, which will determine their cause and mode of death.

Cruz-Perez was taken to the county jail on charges of two counts of aggravated animal cruelty resulting in death. He is being held on a $10,000 bond.

This remains an active investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Two inmates from Los Angeles County are suspected in the fatal attack of another prisoner at Wasco State Prison in Kern County, officials announced Monday.

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, last week, prison staff witnessed two inmates attacking a fellow inmate.

Guards used tear gas and non-lethal weapons to stop the attack, which resulted in 34-year-old Angel Carrasco suffering serious wounds from two improvised weapons recovered at the scene.

Angel Carrasco, 34, was serving a life-sentence for first-degree murder after being convicted in 2009 in Tulare County. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

Carrasco, a former gang member who was serving a life-sentence for first-degree murder in Tulare County, was transported to an outside hospital and pronounced dead.

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Jose D. Castro, 37, and Darnell Rodas, 22, were detained and placed in restrictive housing for their roles in the attack.

Both men arrived at Wasco State Prison from Los Angeles County. Castro arrived in January 2025 to serve a 21-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter with a firearm enhancement. Rodas was admitted in February 2024 to serve a four-year term for second-degree robbery as a second-strike offender.

Darnell Rodas, 22, and Jose D. Castro, 37, were both serving sentences in Wasco State Prison after being convicted in Los Angeles County. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

The attack, which has been ruled a homicide, remains under investigation by the prisons Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorneys Office.

The Office of the Inspector General and Kern County Coroners Office have also been notified, CDCR officials said.

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The facility where the attack took place is currently under limited access, they said.

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LEAVITTSBURG, Ohio (WKBN)  Two corrections officers were transported to a local hospital following an assault by an inmate on Friday.

According to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Chief of Communications JoEllen Smith, a staff assault occurred at the Trumbull Correctional Institution on March 14.

Smith said two officers were treated at a local hospital for their injuries. One officer was released Friday evening, and the other remains in the hospital in stable condition.

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The inmate was transferred to the Ohio State Penitentiary immediately following the incident, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is further investigating.

Smith also said a new pilot program will be tested at the facility in the next couple of weeks. The program will use TASER 10s, starting with staff training, and also be tested at Ross Correctional Institution, which is expected to begin in May.

Smith said these institutions were chosen as they are both higher-security prisons.

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MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN)  What started as a Sunday afternoon traffic stop in Mt. Juliet turned into two arrests and a significant discovery connecting multiple thefts around Middle Tennessee, according to officials.

The Mt. Juliet Police Department (MJPD) said officers stopped a vehicle for following too closely along Lebanon Road on Sunday, March 16. As a result, law enforcement reportedly found two stolen handguns, stolen IDs, credit cards, key fobs, gloves, ski masks, marijuana, and fentanyl.

Authorities said a passenger in the vehicle  described as a 19-year-old Franklin man  had active warrants in Nashville for violating probation related to domestic assault, as well as Fairview for felony theft.

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1 in custody after barricade situation at Clarksville house, police say

The passenger was taken into custody, along with the 19-year-old Fairview woman who was driving the car, officials said. They are both facing charges related to the possession of stolen property and drugs.

According to police, one of the guns they recovered had been stolen from a Montgomery County home on Feb. 18. The second gun was reportedly taken during a Shelbyville car burglary on Feb. 25.

Authorities said this discovery has connected multiple theft incidents across the Midstate, so Mt. Juliet detectives are working with other law enforcement agencies to further the investigation.

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MNPD: 3 charged after fleeing from police in stolen vehicle during traffic stop

Were grateful for our vigilant officers and their proactive efforts that continue to keep Mt. Juliet one of the safest communities around, MJPD posted on social media, along with a video showing guns and other items on the hood of a patrol car. Their dedication to protecting our community never goes unnoticed.

Our team shows up every day, ready to protect and serve, and this is a perfect example of their hard work paying off. What started as a proactive stop turned into the recovery of stolen guns, stolen property, and dangerous drugsconnecting crimes across multiple communities, MJPD Deputy Chief Tyler Chandler said in a statement. This kind of police work doesnt happen by accident. It takes vigilance, dedication, commitment, and strong support from the community. Im proud of our staff who put in the effort day in and day out to protect MJ and beyond. Their work matters, and it doesnt go unnoticed. Thank you for having their back and supporting them.

No additional details have been released about Sundays incident, including the identities of the two teens who were arrested.

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The bracket is set, and it's game on for the 2025 Detroit Free Press Chicken Wing Challenge.

On March 7, we asked readers to nominate their favorite independent restaurants serving the best chicken wings in metro Detroit. Hundreds of submissions later, we put together the 16-restaurant bracket, which will determine who will become the Chicken Wing Challenge champion on April 5.

The 16-restaurant bracket is set for the 2025 Detroit Free Press Chicken Wing Challenge.

Judging by the submissions we got, we know this is going to be well-fought bracket. Many southeast Michigan bars and restaurants are known for mighty fine and tasty chicken wings, from Shelby Township to Ann Arbor.

>> VOTE NOW: First round of the 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge!

First-round voting runs through 11:59 p.m. Thursday. You can vote using the link above or the bracket below.

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Here are the matchups:

No. 1 Sweetwater Tavern vs. No. 16 Brewligans Public House

Sweetwater Tavern, originating out of downtown Detroit, has long been noted for its award-winning wings. The wings are marinated in their specially seasoned marinade for 24 hours, then deep-fried and seasoned again, according to its menu.

Brewligans Public House in Trenton offers its wings as drums and flats tossed in a choice of sauces or served naked with sauce on the side. There are ten sauces to choose from, including Brewligans Buffalo and Threat Level Midnight.

No. 8 Anitas Kitchen vs. No. 9 Fairway Bar & Grill

Anitas Kitchen started in Ferndale more than 40 years ago. It's wings are close to true Buffalo wing style, a reader wrote. But they also have crispness and the addition of garlic can sumac.

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Noted as a classic bar and grill, the wings at Fairway Bar and Grill in Easpointe are juicy, deep-fried chicken wings covered in a choice of sauces.

No. 5 Woodpile BBQ Shack vs. No. 12 The Oxford Tap

Woodpile BBQ Shack in Madison Heights has smoked wings sprinkled with what one reader described as a magic seasoning.

At The Oxford Tap, an Irish pub in Oxford, wings are a house specialty. A reader described its wings prepared just right and served with their tap sauce.

No. 4 Mavrix Restaurant & Bar vs. No. 13 Batch Brewing Co.

Mavrix in Shelby Township got nods from readers for its huge wings. The wings are also described as extra crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. More than a dozen sauces are offered.A popular spot in Corktown, Batch Brewing Co. wings are smoked on site and tossed in a sauce. Szechuan Chili Crisp or Buffalo are two sauces listed on Batchs online menu.

Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 Takeover of Batch Brewing Company in Detroit on July 15, 2021.

>> VOTE NOW: First round of the 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge!

No. 6 Side Biscuit vs. No. 11 Brown Iron Brewhouse

Ann Arbors Side Biscuit is described as a cozy chicken wing and scratch biscuit spot. It was noted for its perfectly cooked wings and array of sauces.

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Brown Iron Brewhouse in Washington Township was nominated for its wings that are first smoked, then fried and sauced.

No. 3 Zeeks Wings vs. No. 14 One Under Craft Beer + Eats

In Detroit, Zeeks Wings is a take-out spot only. Its noted for its crispy and jumbo wings described as premium and offered with mild or hot barbecue sauce, Bourbon Cajun and Buffalo sauce.

One Under Craft Beer + Eats is a family-owned craft bar and restaurant in Livonia, and our 2023 Chicken Wing Challenge winner. Its wings got nods again for their size and sauce.

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No. 7 Bugsys Bar & Grill vs. No. 10 The Block

Bugsys in Warren was nominated for wings, first fried and then sauced. Once sauced, the wings are slightly charred on a grill.

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Located in midtown Detroit, The Block's chicken wings are known as Woodward Wings, which are dry-rubbed and oven-roasted. The whole wings are served with barbecue, Buffalo or sweet chili sauce.

Korean fried caramel chicken wings at Flowers of Vietnam are crispy and sticky, sweet and savory and decorated in tears of fresh rau ma.

No. 2 The Charlevoix vs. No. 15 Flowers of Vietnam

The Charlevoix's wings are one of the main choices on the menu of this neighborhood Grosse Pointe Park restaurant and bar. More than a half dozen styles are listed, including salt and vinegar and Thai.

Flowers of Vietnams wings put this southwest Detroit spot on the map. The caramel chicken wings are whole wings that are fried Korean style and dipped in a savory caramel seasoned with fish sauce, chili and hard spice, and served with a herb mayo.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on X. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2025 Free Press Chicken Wing Challenge: Vote in first round!
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, hosted a meeting with the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Azerbaijan, Nasir Abdulkarim Abdurrahman, on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission in the country on March 17, 2025, Trend reports.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Bayramov expressed gratitude for Ambassador Abdurrahmans effective diplomatic work in Azerbaijan and his contribution to enhancing Azerbaijan-Palestine relations. He wished the ambassador success in his future endeavors. Minister Bayramov also conveyed President Ilham Aliyev's congratulations to the ambassador, who was awarded the "Friendship" Order by the President of Azerbaijan for his exceptional contributions to the development of friendly and cooperative ties between the two nations.

During the meeting, the parties discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Palestine, as well as regional issues. They highlighted the ongoing collaboration in various areas, including political, cultural, humanitarian, and multilateral engagements, and noted the mutual support within regional and international organizations.

The minister reiterated Azerbaijans steadfast support for Palestine's cause in line with international law, particularly United Nations Security Council resolutions, and its long-standing commitment to a "two-state solution." The importance of addressing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and ensuring adherence to a ceasefire was also emphasized.

The ambassador expressed his pride in having served as Palestines ambassador to Azerbaijan for nearly 14 years and thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the high honor of being awarded the state order. He also expressed gratitude for the support he received during his tenure.

Additionally, the meeting included discussions on other matters of mutual interest.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
How well is your school district teaching basic reading? What instruction materials are they using to teach it? Communities now have new tools to help answer that question.

25 Investigates first told you in February , reading levels have reached a crisis level in Massachusetts.

Advocates say it points to a failing system.

We are in a crisis, and I dont use that term loosely, said Jennifer Davis executive director of the Worcester Education Collaborative.

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No ones talking about this, said Lisa Lazare, executive director of Educators for Excellence Massachusetts.

Education advocates continue sounding the alarm about Massachusetts children struggling to read.

As 25 Investigates has reported, according to the National Center for Education Statistics , in 2024, 60% of Massachusetts 4th graders were reading below grade level.

The numbers are even more stark for certain student groups. 78% of black 4th-grade students, 79% of Hispanic students, and 80% of students considered economically disadvantaged are reading below grade level in the Commonwealth.

Reading scores right after 3rd grade are a critical benchmark says Davis Carey.

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That is the point in a childs learning that the curriculum changes from learning how to read to reading, for learning, for reading, for content, she told Boston 25s Kerry Kavanaugh.

There is the assumption that the bare minimum that your child is getting in school is the ability to read. And so, a lot of families dont necessarily recognize how dire of a situation we are in, Lazare said.

New online resources are hoping to change that.

Created by the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership [MEEP] and EdTrust, the Massachusetts Early Literacy Dashboard is designed to help parents and caretakers navigate the system and understand whats happening in their school district.

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On the site, you can find your district in a drop-down menu. Then youll identify literacy score trends and how their reading curriculum stacks up and if the district has invested in improving that curriculum.

In 2023, nearly half of the districts, yes, were using low-quality literacy curricula that included discredited literacy strategies, Lazare said.

Lazare says low-quality reading curriculum is part of the problem. She also points to colleges and universities that arent prioritizing reading instruction when they train teachers. On top of that, there are mental health challenges, chronic absenteeism, teacher shortages and turnover.

It could feel incredibly isolating as a parent to think that your child is the one that is struggling, not recognizing that this is a systemic issue. Its not just your child, said Lazare.

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Davis Carey says with a crisis of this magnitude, it will take all hands on deck to solve it.

That this is not something that we can just say to the Governors office and the legislature, You do it. Or that we can say to the district and the schools, you do it. This really is something that we all have to have a hand in, said Davis Carey.

This is not a narrative about your child and their ability to learn, said Lazare. This is more a bigger conversation about how our system is failing us.

Advocates say it can be really isolating for families to think their child is the only one struggling. They believe the dashboard will help them realize this really is a systemic issue.

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MEEP along with more than two dozen social justice groups have launched a campaign to empower families to better understand that systemic issue.

The coalition of advocates has also created tool kits to help families advocate for better policy within their districts.

There is also a step-by-step guide to help families determine where their child is at academically and how to raise concerns.

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A 25-year-old DOGE staffer violated Treasury policy by emailing a spreadsheet containing unencrypted personal data to two Trump administration officials. The email was sent by Marko Elez, who later resigned after being linked to a social media account that shared racist posts.

A 25-year-old DOGE staffer violated Treasury policies by emailing a spreadsheet containing personal information to two other members of the Trump administration.

In a court filing, a federal official revealed that Marko Elez sent the sensitive information unencrypted and without prior approval, which violated the Bureau of the Fiscal Service's policies on handling sensitive information.

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The spreadsheet, which was sent to two United States General Services Administration officials, contained some personally identifiable information (PII), but it was considered "low-risk PII because the names are not accompanied by more specific identifiers, such as social security numbers or birth dates," David Ambrose, the chief privacy officer for the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, said in the filing.

The email was discovered during a forensic analysis of Elezs email account and laptop carried out when the staffer resigned from his post in early February after being linked to a racist social media account.

Musk, Vice President JD Vance, and President Donald Trump all came to the staffer's defense after the account was revealed by the Wall Street Journal and Elez has since been reinstated in his DOGE role at the Social Security Administration. Elez is one of 10 DOGE workers at the social insurance agency.

The United States Department of the Treasury did not immediately respond to a request for more information from Fortune. The request was sent outside normal working hours.

Legal action against DOGE

The filing is part of an ongoing lawsuit brought by New York and other state attorneys general that challenges DOGE's access to government databases.

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In early February, 19 state attorneys general sued the Treasury Department, accusing the president of neglecting his duty to uphold the nations laws by allowing DOGE to access federal computer systems. The suit successfully blocked the team from accessing the personal financial data of millions of Americans in Treasury Department records.

Last month, a separate filing revealed that Elez was "mistakenly" given read-and-write access to Treasury systems during his tenure in the department. Despite him having edit privileges, the new filing confirmed, Elez did not make any alterations or changes to department payment systems.

Democrats and privacy advocates have opposed DOGEs access to databases containing financial records, Social Security beneficiary information, and other personal data.

Their role has been loosely defined as identifying inefficiencies and potential fraud in government programs, but critics argue they lack the necessary training to handle classified or sensitive personal information properly.

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The team, which was assembled as part of the Trump administrations government efficiency initiative, appears to be partially staffed by young software engineers with little to no government experience.

The new filing raises concerns about the data security practices employed by the team as it accesses sensitive government databases in the Treasury Department and beyond.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Three people were recently arrested in connection to an East Texas undercover prostitution victim recovery operation, arrest records revealed.

9 sentenced in East Texas large-scale drug trafficking ring

Documents obtained by KETK show that a special agent with the Texas Department of Public Safetys Criminal Investigative Division in Tyler is part of an ongoing multi-agency operation tasked with identifying and recovering victims of human trafficking.

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The special agent reported in an arrest affidavit that an undercover officer solicited a prostitute through an online advertisement containing a phone number. As a part of the ongoing operation, a meeting was set up for an hour of sexual services, records show.

An unreported hotel address and room number were sent and when the suspected prostitute showed up they were met by law enforcement and taken to a Texas DPS office to be questioned, according to an arrest affidavit.

A message asking about why the suspected prostitute wasnt answering their phone was then received by the undercover officer and an arrest document described how a nearby surveillance team noticed the driver of a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix talking to a bystander.

The surveillance team did a traffic stop on the vehicle because the driver was allegedly not wearing a seat belt. The driver, who officials identified as Tyirese Ladale Dews, then attempted to smash their phone, an affidavit for Dews arrest alleged.

Mugshot of Tyirese Ladale Dews, courtesy of Smith County Jail records.

Dews was then arrested and charged with promoting prostitution on March 6. Dews arrest affidavit described how the undercover officer texted the number they were communicating with and the now smashed phone started displaying alerts.

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Another similar meeting was set up on that same day, March 6, but this time it was at an undisclosed location in Tyler, a document obtained by KETK showed. The special agent reported that a suspected prostitute from an online advertisement was brought to the Tyler location in a red passenger car.

Mugshot of Tisha Lee Nations, courtesy of Smith County Jail records.

They entered the prearranged location and then met law enforcement before being taken to a Texas DPS office to be questioned. Officials then said a surveillance team followed the red passenger car along Loop 323 before the vehicle was pulled over by law enforcement.

Two adults where in the red passenger car along with a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old child, according to an arrest affidavit.

The two adults were identified as Tisha Lee Nations and Damian Centorian Borens. Arrest records show that they were both arrested and charged with promotion of prostitution.

Mugshot of Damian Centorian Borens, courtesy of Smith County Jail records.

An arrest affidavit for Nations and Borens described Nations admitting she created an online advertisement for prostitution while Borens would tell the suspected prostitute what to text the so-called Johns soliciting prostitution.

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The special agent said they believe Nations and Borens coerced the suspected prostitute into prostitution so they could pay to be driven to see their child.

Dews, Nations and Borens are all currently being held in the Smith County Jail for promotion of prostitution.

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CHICAGO  Three people were critically injured after being shot Sunday afternoon in West Humboldt Park.

Chicago police said the shooting happened just before 3:30 p.m. in the 4200 block of West Crystal Street.

Man charged with 1st-degree murder in death of trucking company president and CEO in southwest suburban Crestwood

The three victims were outside a home when they were shot, according to investigators.

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Police said a 23-year-old man was shot in the neck and groin and took himself to Norwegian Hospital in critical condition; an 18-year-old man was shot multiple times in the torso and right arm and took himself to St. Mary Hospital in critical condition; a 16-year-old boy was shot in the right armpit and took himself to St. Mary Hospital in good condition.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

All three victims were later taken to Stroger Hospital where they are listed in critical condition, according to police.

No arrests have been made and Area Five Detectives are investigating.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Three families were forced from their home after a fire broke out on Indiana Avenue in Providence Sunday afternoon.

A fire official at the scene told 12 News that flames started on the first floor just after 4:30 p.m. and extended to the second.

Nobody suffered any injuries and the fires cause is under investigation.

The Red Cross will be assisting those who were displaced.

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.

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Authorities in Olmsted County are investigating three suspected overdose deaths that happened over a three-day period last week.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office says the two separate incidents happened on Thursday and Saturday in Rochester and Stewartville, respectively.

The first suspected overdose death was reported at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, with deputies called to a home on the 3800 block of Highway 14 East in Rochester. There, they found a man in his 50s unresponsive on the floor.

Lifesaving measures were attempted, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The other incident involved two men in their 30s who were found at a home on Cardinal Lane Northwest in Stewartville at about 2 a.m. on Saturday.

The men were found unresponsive and were also pronounced dead at the scene.

In both incidents, drug paraphernalia was found at each scene.

Both cases remain under active investigation. No details have been provided regarding the drugs thought to be behind the mens' deaths.

Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change.

If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, here's a list of resources offering help and guidance.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least three civilians and injured at least 12 over the past day, regional authorities reported on March 17.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 90 of the 174 attack and decoy drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Seventy other decoy drones reportedly disappeared from radars without causing damage.

Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast killed one civilian in Myrnohrad and injured one in Siversk, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

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Five civilians were injured in Russian attacks against Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

An airstrike against the town of Kupiansk on March 16 reportedly injured a 57-year-old man and damaged 22 houses. In the village of Velyka Shapkivka, an airstrike started a fire and injured three women aged 56, 66, and 75 and a 66-year-old man, Syniehubov reported.

One civilian was killed and three injured during Russian strikes in Kherson Oblast, according to the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. An apartment building and five houses were damaged.

A drone attack against the Odesa district in Odesa Oblast injured a woman, damaged a kindergarten, a house, a shop, and a car, according to Governor Oleh Kiper. Damage to the energy grid left around 500 consumers in Odesa's suburbs without power, according to the statement.

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Russian attacks against Sumy Oblast killed one civilian and injured two, the regional military administration reported.

One person was killed, and an apartment building was damaged during a mortar attack against the Seredyna-Buda community. Two injuries were reported in the Bilopillia and the Myropillia communities.

Drone attacks against Poltava Oblast also led to emergency power outages, with almost 1,100 consumers left without electricity in the Kremenchuk district, Governor Volodymyr Kohut reported.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russias Kursk Oblast

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Three people are in critical condition after a shooting in the citys Humboldt Park neighborhood Sunday afternoon, according to Chicago police.

Shortly before 3:30 p.m., three people were shot multiple times outside a residence on the 4200 block of West Crystal Street. One of them, a 16-year-old boy, suffered a gunshot to his right armpit and transported himself to St. Mary Hospital in good condition. According to preliminary information from police, he was later transported to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

An 18-year-old man was shot in the torso and right arm and transported himself to St. Mary Hospital, and a 23-year-old man was shot in the neck and groin and went to Norwegian Hospital. Both men were last listed in critical condition and also moved to Stroger Hospital.

Police said no arrests had been made as of Sunday evening, and area detectives are investigating.

adperez@chicagotribune.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Three people were taken into custody Sunday afternoon in Rochester after a larceny, and subsequent police chase in a stolen vehicle, according to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office.

Two people from Rochester, a 40-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man, reportedly worked together to steal from the Runnings store in Sweden, before taking off in a vehicle reported stolen from Seneca County, according to deputies, who said they were called to investigate at the store around 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Deputies later found the vehicle and attempted to stop the driver, to no avail, and a chase ensued.

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The pursuit ended in a crash around Chili Avenue and Woodbine Avenue in Rochester, where deputies reported no injuries or damage to the uninvolved people or vehicles.

Canandaigua man charged with DWI, 16 license suspensions

The man and woman suspected of stealing from Runnings were taken into custody and brought to the hospital to be treated for what were described as minor medical complaints.

Deputies said a third person in the suspect vehicle, a 46-year-old man from Niagara Falls, was also taken into custody, but they said he was uninvolved in the initial larceny.

All three people had multiple outstanding warrants, according to MCSO. Charges are pending, and the investigation continues.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
PEARL, Miss. (WJTV)  Mississippi leaders said agencies and volunteers are working to help communities across the state recover from a deadly tornado outbreak that occurred March 14-15.

On Saturday, Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) declared a State of Emergency for Mississippi in order to mobilize state assets and better support response and recovery efforts.

Red Cross aids Mississippi families after tornado outbreak

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Six people were killed during Saturdays storms. The deaths were reported in the following counties:

Covington County  1

Jefferson Davis County  2

Walthall County  3

According to Walthall County Emergency Management (EMA) Director Royce McKee, the three deaths in the county occurred near Darbun along Bethlehem Loop Road. He said the victims were two adults and one child.

Reeves said the three people who were reported missing on Saturday were found alive. He said there were at least 27 injuries across the state.

The preliminary data showed that at least 12 tornadoes hit the state Friday through Saturday. That number could go up. Officials said one of the tornadoes that affected Walthall County was on the ground for 70 miles. Another tornado in North Mississippi was on the ground for more than 50 miles.

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According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jackson, crews plan to conduct storm surveys on Sunday, March 16 in Issaquena, Sharkey, Washington, Humphreys, Carroll, Marion, Jefferson Davis, Covington and Smith counties.

Reeves said more than 200 people have been displaced across the state. Some shelters are open to help those affected by the storms:

Grenada City Auditorium  17 North Main Street, Grenada, MS

Cadence Bank Arena and Conference Center  375 East Main Street Tupelo, MS 38804

Smith County Multipurpose Building  131 Oil Field Rd, Raleigh, MS 39153

A command center has been set up at First Baptist Church in Tylertown.

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Stephen McCraney, executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) said flooding is expected to impact Mississippi in the coming weeks.

Twenty-three counties have reported damage as of Sunday, March 16. MEMA encouraged residents whove sustained damage from this severe weather event to do the following:

File an insurance claim

Take photos of the damage to the home

Report damage to county/MEMA via the self-report tool

If citizens need something as a result of the storms, MEMA encourages them to contact their county emergency management agency. A list of contacts can be found here.

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At least 35 dead as tornadoes, wildfires, and blinding dust sweep across US

If you need assistance with an insurance question or claim, call the Mississippi Insurance Department at 601-359-3569 or 1-800-562-2957, email consumer@mid.ms.gov or visit www.mid.ms.gov.

Follow these steps when filing a claim:

Prepare to file an insurance claim by gathering all relevant policy numbers.

File your claim as soon as possible. Your policy may require that you make the notification within a certain time period.

Be aware, if a widespread disaster has occurred, the company may set up special procedures.

Be sure you cooperate fully with the insurance company. Ask what documents, forms and data you will need to file a claim. Keep a record of all conversations with insurance companies, creditors or relief agencies.

If you are not staying on the property, make sure your insurance representative knows where and how to contact you.

If your home is damaged to the extent that you cant live there, ask your insurance company if you have coverage for additional living expenses.

Take photographs/video of the damage. Inventory your home for damaged or lost items before your adjustor arrives. This will speed up your claim process.

Make the repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your property (cover broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls).

Dont have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage.

Maintain any damaged personal property for the adjuster to inspect.

Ask the adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer.

Be patient and assist claims adjusters assigned to your case. Small losses may be settled quickly; extensive claims will take longer.

Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs covered by your insurance policy.

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As of Sunday, there are 7,859 power outages in the state, which is down from 36,000 outages.

A minor earthquake was also recorded in Mississippi on Saturday. The governor said there was no registered impact from the 3.0-magnitude earthquake, which occurred near Magee.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The Chairperson (Speaker) of Azerbaijan's Parliament Sahiba Gafarova has met with the Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Matviyenko, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

First, the one-on-one meeting was held, following which Matviyenko presented Gafarova with the Order of Friendship of Russia.

The meeting with the participation of delegations then began, during which issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia in political, economic, humanitarian, and other areas were discussed.

Gafarova mentioned the role of our interparliamentary relations before sharing her thoughts on various aspects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation and discussing the importance of the activities of the parliamentarians from both sides in this context.

The role of the Commission on Interparliamentary Cooperation between the Parliament of Azerbaijan and the Federal Assembly of Russia was also emphasized.

Matviyenko shared her favorable impressions of her visit to Azerbaijan and the rapid development of Baku.

She also noted her meeting and conversation with President Ilham Aliyev, as well as her exchange of views with First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva on all aspects of humanitarian relations.

The Federation Council speaker highlighted the large-scale celebrations in Russia marking the 100th anniversary of the outstanding politician and statesman Heydar Aliyev, emphasizing his unparalleled contributions to the Azerbaijani state and people.

Matviyenko spoke about the growing international role of Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

She stressed that Azerbaijan is successfully implementing international initiatives that promote intercultural dialogue, forums, and massive economic projects. Despite all the pressure, the COP29 conference was held with the participation of many delegates and yielded significant results, which Matviyenko congratulated Azerbaijan on.

Furthermore, she noted the importance of the parliamentary meeting held within the framework of COP29.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on other topics of mutual interest.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A professor sued a New Jersey university claiming the school's negligence led 380-million-year-old fossils to end up in a landfill in Nashville, Tennessee, last year.

Martin Becker, a professor of environment science and a paleontologist at William Paterson University, had planned to collaborate with a colleague on a comprehensive monograph featuring his fossil collection, according to the civil suit filed last week in Superior Court in Passaic County.

Becker spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours collecting the Devonian age marine invertebrate fossils from the High Mountain area of Wayne, New Jersey, the suit says.

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Becker needed to send the priceless collection to his colleague in Florida to move forward with the project, the lawsuit says.

On June 18, Becker packaged about 200 fossils into 19 separate boxes, which was about 80% of his collection, the suit says. Each package weighed 20 to 60 pounds, it says. The fossils were taken to the university mailroom that day and given to mailroom supervisor Raymond Boone, who is also named as a defendant, according to the suit.

UPS picked up the packages on June 18, it says. Boone told Becker that he would receive tracking and insurance information, but Becker claims he never received it, according to the lawsuit.

In the following weeks, the suit says, Becker's colleague in Florida informed him that the fossils never arrived.

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Becker said he received tracking information on Aug. 20 after he made two phone calls to the mailroom to speak with Boone, the lawsuit says. Tracking information indicated that the packages were in Parsippany, New Jersey, awaiting delivery, it says.

Becker would repeatedly contact Boone over the course of a month about the packages, the suit says, and Boone assured him on three separate occasions that he was working on the issue.

On Sept. 20, Boone advised Becker that the fossil packages were possibly being held at the UPS fraud department, according to the lawsuit. Becker contacted UPS directly on Sept. 30 and was informed that his packages were intercepted because William Paterson University failed to pay outstanding invoices; as a result, the university's account had been canceled, the suit says.

Our client learned that the packages were dumped at an unidentified landfill somewhere in or around Nashville, Tennessee, the suit says.

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The university's account with UPS was canceled on April 24. The suit claims Boone had known that July 8 and alleges several other packages from other people had also been confiscated for the same reason.

Becker is seeking unspecified damages for the collection, as well as medical expenses for the emotional distress the ordeal has caused him, the suit says.

Boone declined to comment. Becker and William Paterson University did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
TEXARKANA, Texas (KETK) Four men were arrested on Friday after investigators conducted a sting operation targeting individuals attempting to solicit sex with a minor or prostitute in Texarkana.

According to Texarkana Police Department, for several days investigators ran a sting operation to target people attempting to solicit sex and as a result, arrested four men.

3 arrested for promoting prostitution in Smith County after undercover operation

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Officials said that Gregory Alane Frame, 45 of Wake Village and Derek Dean Thomas, 33 of Henderson, were communicating with an undercover officer posing as an underage girl and then showed up at a location expecting to meet her.

Mugshot of Gregory Alane Frame, courtesy of Texarkana Police Department

Mugshot of Derek Dean Thomas, courtesy of Texarkana Police Department

Frame was arrested for online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct and Thomas was arrested for online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct and unlawfully carrying a weapon.

9 sentenced in East Texas large-scale drug trafficking ring

Texarkana PD said Cameron Lamont Dotson, 21 of Texarkana, was arrested for online solicitation of prostitution while Robert Hopkins, 37 of Texarkana, was arrested for online solicitation of prostitution and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance.

Mugshot of Cameron Lamont Dotson, courtesy of Texarkana Police Department

Mugshot of Robert Hopkins, courtesy of Texarkana Police Department

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All four men are currently being held in the Bowie County Jail.

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One young girl is about to spend her third consecutive birthday at Primary Childrens Hospital. Sienna, 4, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and needs an artificial heart and a medical team to keep her alive until a heart transplant is available.

Sienna is the youngest of three children in her family and she has been in the hospital since early 2023. Her mom said they live 45 minutes away from the hospital  when traffic is good. Family comes to stay with the girl every day  either Sienna's mom, dad or grandparents. Sienna's mom said her upcoming birthday is a difficult milestone.

"You hope that you know, that's not their life story," Francesca Barton said.

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Despite the challenges of her long stay, a new cardiac rehabilitation program introduced at Primary Children's Hospital is significantly improving her life right now.

Bringing the pizzazz

Jessica Pavlock, an exercise physiologist and cardiac rehab lead, said she met Sienna about six months after the long hospital stay began. The girl was sitting, watching TV and not moving much.

"Active play wasn't really part of Sienna's day," Pavlock said.

Slowly, she said, the girl started walking to the end of the hallway, pushing weights and picking things up off the floor. Now, Sienna looks forward to exercises and always wants to go for a run and sing  Pavlock said the nurses have to work to keep up with her.

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"She doesn't even realize she's working out at this point," she said.

Sienna Barton, 4, pushes a doll in a stroller at Primary Children's Hospital. She is one of the first heart patients to participate in the cardiac rehab program. | Intermountain Health

They bring along a speaker to play music and make it fun  individualizing treatment to each patients' interests.

"We definitely bring the pizzazz," Pavlock said.

If you walk past Sienna's room she is having a dance party and singing. Pavlock said she is now active for the majority of each day, as a healthy child would be.

Dr. Dan Ziebell, a pediatric cardiologist and director of the cardiac rehab program, said cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program to build physical strength in heart patients. For patients like Sienna, he said it is helping prepare her and build strength to help her recover from her eventual heart transplant. Ziebell said the exercise, three times a week, is keeping her from becoming weak due to the hospital stay.

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"Our program is very intentional about getting her very active, and as active as she can," he said.

A unique program

Ziebell said the program helps outpatient children learn their limits and can lead to them participating in physical education classes or sports, even amid their various ailments. The program consists of 36 sessions in three months and then patients graduate with the confidence and training to exercise on their own.

This program is unique because it is geared toward children, he said, adding that cardiac rehabilitation is mainstream for adult heart patients. Primary Children's is, however, one of the first facilities to adapt the program for young kids.

Ziebell said about 15 patients are currently involved in the program, in addition to others who have graduated over the last few years. The program is available at both Primary Children's locations in Utah and as a telemedicine program for children who can't easily travel to Utah or Salt Lake counties.

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The regularly assisted exercise teaches kids how to exercise independently, and hospital data and parent feedback show the program is making a difference, Ziebell said. It lays a foundation for other comprehensive heart programs to grow, and eventually, this process will be the standard of care like it is for adults.

"They need to be kids, despite having a heart condition," he said. "If we're going to promote lifelong health we need to get these kids active very young."

A health care provider checks Sienna Barton's heart at Primary Children's Hospital. She is one of the first heart patients to participate in the cardiac rehab program. | Intermountain Health

Pavlock said taking Sienna into the hall requires a "whole squad." They need two nurses to carry the ventricular assistance device, or artificial heart, and her medications in an IV bag. Sienna was one of the first two patients to participate in the program, and they both started on the same day.

"It not only helps improve their physical health, but their mental health as well because they feel so strong after completing the program that they go out and they're able to do it. They're not scared to exercise anymore.  They're living their lives," she said.

Ready for a transplant

Barton wants her family to live together again, but that won't happen until her daughter gets a heart transplant  eliminating the need for an artificial heart  and goes through a recovery process.

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She said Sienna is happy at the hospital but isn't able to interact with many other kids because of the need to keep all of the children there healthy.

To get her involved in exercise the team uses Taylor Swift, hanging a Bluetooth speaker on the IV pole, and takes her outside to throw rocks in the pond. Barton said they try to help her discover the outdoors, which is limited for Sienna because of the need for staff to help her move.

"One time we found a ladybug, and for months after, they would take her out there to the grassy area, and they would build a house for the ladybug," she said.

Barton said the therapy has strengthened her body and kept her from being sedentary.

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"The strength is already there and the fight is already in there, the bite is in there  she's ready. The spiciness is there, and all you need is that new heart and the rest of the body will teach it how to go, teach it how to keep up," she said.

The Barton family poses for a photo. Sienna Barton, 4, is one of the first heart patients at Primary Children's Hospital to participate in the cardiac rehab program. | Michelle Paul

Because of Sienna's blood type, and how far Salt Lake City is from most of the large population centers she is one of only a few children in the U.S. who has waited for a heart for this long at the highest status of need.

Barton encouraged people who hear her daughter's story to talk about organ donation with their families now. She said making a decision now means one less decision for a family going through a hard time.

She advocated for signing up to be an organ donor in college because of a friend with a heart condition, and now she will always be an advocate.

It truly is such an incredible way to remember your little one and remember your loved ones and allow them to live on, Barton said.
Mar. 16A 48-year-old Athol man died after he drove head on into a semitruck Friday in North Idaho, according to Idaho State Police.

At about 10 a.m., the man was driving a black 2005 Chevrolet Silverado north on U.S. Highway 95, just north of Samuels, when he drove left of center and struck a southbound semitruck operated by a 31-year-old Calgary, Canada, man, troopers said.

The Athol man, whose identity was not released, was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. The highway was blocked for about 3 1/2 hours.

ISP is investigating.
About 34 million years ago, a group of iguanas went on an epic journey. This lofty band of reptiles traveled about 5,000 miles from the western coast of North America all the way to Fiji. Biologists believe that this is the longest known transoceanic dispersal of any land-based vertebrate. The findings are detailed in a study published March 17 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The outlier iguanas

There are more than 2,100 species in the suborder Iguania. This large group includes other reptiles including chameleons, bearded dragons, and horned lizards. The Western Hemisphere family of lizards are the green ones that most people think of when they picture an iguana. There are 45 different species of Iguanidae in the Caribbean and the tropical, subtropical and desert areas of North, Central, and South America, including the marine iguanas of the Galapagos and the chuckwallas in the American Southwest.

However, the four iguana species found on the Pacific islands of Fiji and Tonga are a bit of an outlier. They sit there in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and scientists have long debated how they got there.

Moving around oceans

Overwater dispersalwhere terrestrial organisms go from one land mass to another via a body of wateris the primary way that newly formed islands are populated with plants, animals, and even humans. This process often leads to the evolution of new species and ecosystems.

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This study suggests that the original ancestors of Fijis iguanas coincided with islands formation by volcanoes. Scientists estimate their arrival at roughly 34 million years ago based on genetic evidence. Fiji iguanas (Brachylophus) and their closest relatives, the North American desert iguanas (Dipsosaurus) show signs of genetic divergence.

Biologists initially proposed that the Fiji iguanas may have descended from an older lineage that was initially more widespread around the Pacific, but has since died out. Another theory was that iguanas traveled from tropical parts of South America and then through Antarctica or even Australia. While there is no genetic or fossil evidence to support these earlier theories, a new genetic analysis does.

We found that the Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the North American desert iguanas, something that hadnt been figured out before, and that the lineage of Fiji iguanas split from their sister lineage relatively recently, much closer to 30 million years ago, either post-dating or at about the same time that there was volcanic activity that could have produced land, Simon Scarpetta, a study co-author and University of San Francisco paleontologist and herpetologist, said in a statement.

That they reached Fiji directly from North America seems crazy, study co-author and University of California, Berkeley herpetologist Jimmy McGuire said in a statement. But alternative models involving colonization from adjacent land areas dont really work for the time frame, since we know that they arrived in Fiji within the last 34 million years or so. This suggests that as soon as land appeared where Fiji now resides, these iguanas may have colonized it. Regardless of the actual timing of dispersal, the event itself was spectacular.

Built-in travel snacks

Todays sailors can typically reach Fiji from California in about one month. However, it would take a group of iguanas a bit longer. The reptiles must hop on some flotsam, ride through the doldrums, and across the equator to Fiji and Tonga.

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Fortunately, iguanas are large and herbivores and can go long periods of time without food and water. Their rafts were also made from uprooted trees that would have provided them with food to eat along the way.

You could imagine some kind of cyclone knocking over trees where there were a bunch of iguanas and maybe their eggs, and then they caught the ocean currents and rafted over, Scarpetta said.

A male Central Fijian banded iguana, Brachylophus bulabula, from Ovalau Island, Fiji. CREDIT: USGS. Peter Gilson

Based on some fossils found in eastern Asia, biologists believed that some now extinct populations of iguanids lived around the Pacific Rim and island-hopped their way to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They may have used the Bering Land Bridge to journey to cross over from North America and then through Indonesia and Australia, or followed the Humboldt Current along the Pacific coast of the Americas. Earlier genetic analyses of some iguanid lizard genes were inconclusive about how the Fiji iguanas are related to those found elsewhere.

Different relationships have been inferred in these various analyses, none with particularly strong support, McGuire said. So there was still this uncertainty about where Brachylophus really fits within the iguanid phylogeny. Simons data really nailed this thing.

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Scarpetta collected genome-wide sequence DNA from more than 4,000 genes from the tissues of over 200 iguanian specimens from museum collections. The genetic data showed that the Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the iguanas in the genus Dipsosaurus. The most widespread species within the genus is the North American desert iguana, which is adapted to life in the searing heat of the deserts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Other species within this genus are native to Santa Catalina Island in the Sea of Cortez.

Iguanas and desert iguanas, in particular, are resistant to starvation and dehydration, so my thought process is, if there had to be any group of vertebrate or any group of lizard that really could make an 8,000 kilometer [4,970 mile] journey across the Pacific on a mass of vegetation, a desert iguana-like ancestor would be the one, Scarpetta said.

The genetic analysis determined that both lineagesBrachylophus and Dipsosaurusdiverged about 34 million years ago. This revised analysis does not align with the earlier theories of the origin of the Fiji iguanas.

[ Related: Pink Iguana hatchlings spotted for the first time on the Galapagos in decades. ]

When you dont really know where Brachylophus fits at the base of the tree, then where they came from can also be almost anywhere, McGuire said. So it was much easier to imagine that Brachylophus originated from South America, since we already have marine and land iguanas in the Galapagos that almost certainly dispersed to the islands from the mainland.

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This new analysis rules out the idea that the iguanas originated in South America. Additionally, because the Fiji Islands themselves emerged from the sea also about 34 million years ago, the iguanas might have landed on the islands just in time not long after. Other Pacific islands aside from Fiji and Tonga may have also harbored iguanas. However, volcanic islands disappear as quickly as they appear, so some evidence of other Pacific Island iguanas may have been lost.

The team will continue to analyze genome-wide data for Iguanian lizards to better understand their evolutionary relationships and learn more about their interactions through time and space.
On Episode 814 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking to Mutha Trucker News Alex Mai about a deadly past few days for trucking. Well share the latest on the horrible I-35 crash where authorities allege that a flip-flop-wearing, intoxicated trucker killed five people.



CPG Sourcing CEO Michael De Clercq talks about how increased tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum could shift global sourcing strategies.



SuperDispatch CRO Stan Deak discusses how tariffs are reshaping demand for used vehicles.



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Plus, trucker busted for dumping 2,000 gallons of jet fuel and more.



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The post 5 dead after allegedly intoxicated trucker in flip-flops crashes in Austin | WHAT THE TRUCK?!? appeared first on FreightWaves.
Tracy Cole remembers evenings when she'd lie on the couch and her teenage son Alvin would get home and greet her with a big kiss on the forehead.

One night in early 2020, as she laughed at his greeting, Alvin said, "Mama, you're gonna miss these kisses, she said.

Its one of the last memories Tracy has with her son.

Friends and family of Alvin Cole said he loved basketball and being around his family.

Alvin, 17, was killed by former Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah weeks later on Feb. 2, 2020 in the parking lot of The Cheesecake Factory at Mayfair Mall.

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A jury trial starting Monday, March 17 in federal court will determine whether Mensah used unreasonable force when he killed Cole and whether the former officer is liable for the loss of companionship Tracy and her husband Albert Cole have experienced due to Alvin's death.

That decision will determine the outcome of a civil lawsuit Tracy and her husband of 32 years first filed in 2021. Their suit was consolidated with two other lawsuits, which have been since closed, from the families of two other people of color whom Mensah, who is Black, killed while on duty in a span of five years.

U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Adelman decided last year that the final claims in the Cole case need a trial and jury decision. The conflicting testimonies from Wauwatosa police officers and Mensah over the placement of a gun in Cole's possession made it "impossible to know...whether Mensahs use of deadly force was reasonable," he wrote in his March 2024 decision.

More: The Joseph Mensah civil trial in the 2020 death of Alvin Cole starts March 17. Here's what to know

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Five years of grieving their son has now come to a head with a federal trial, and it feels emotional for Tracy Cole and her family, she said.

"All I can say is, I've been talking to my higher power, praying, and God came," she told the Journal Sentinel of how she felt to learn of the trial.

The night of Feb. 2, 2020

Tracy Cole got a call the night of February 2, 2020, from her friend telling her to check in on her son. There had been a police shooting at the mall.

Officers had responded to Mayfair Mall over reports of a disturbance including an individual with a gun, the Journal Sentinel previously reported.

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Tracy Cole recalled the evening to a Journal Sentinel reporter in a recent phone call with her attorney Kimberley Motley.

She remembers how she drove around town, including to the mall, to try to find him. She drove to the Wauwatosa Police Department, and they told her they couldn't identify who was killed, but that they would give her a call, she said.

Cole says she felt an instinct and drove to one last place: the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.

She recalls how she never introduced herself, but the staff called her by name to come in.

Ultimately, it was her husband Albert who identified Alvin, she said. Then he broke down.

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"When a mother or father loses a child, half of them is gone," she said. "I didn't truly believe that until I had it happen."

Before the family laid Alvin to rest, Tracy Cole, a former mortician, cleaned and dressed her son for a final time.

Tracy said the Wauwatosa Police Department never called her back.

A representative of the Wauwatosa Police Department declined to confirm to the Journal Sentinel whether officers reached out to the Cole family.

"It would be improper for us to comment on an ongoing case," the department said in an emailed statement. "We have confidence in the legal process and trust that it will reach the appropriate outcome."

Tracy Cole, middle, speaks about her son Alvin during a vigil for him Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, in The Cheesecake Factory parking lot in Wauwatosa, a day after he was shot and killed by a Wauwatosa police officer.

Protests and an investigation

In June 2020, Mensah was identified as the Tosa officer under investigation for shooting Alvin Cole, amidst local and national protests against police violence prompted by the murder of George Floyd.

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Mensah and other officers had responded to the mall over reports of a disturbance including an individual with a gun, the Journal Sentinel previously reported. In a chase, Cole accidentally shot himself and fell to the ground, according to the lawsuit. Shortly after, Mensah shot him five times.

Mensah was not criminally charged by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office in Cole's death.

In October 2020, Tracy Cole and her daughters were arrested by Wauwatosa police for protesting after the announcement that Mensah was not charged in Alvin's death. Their names were also put on a Wauwatosa Police Department "target list" that included identifying information of protesters, activists, and others.

Tracy Cole talks about her late son, Alvin, at a special meeting of the Wauwatosa Common Council Tuesday, July 21, 2020, at Hart Park Stadium in Wauwatosa. A listening session was held to give the public an opportunity to comment on race, equity and police issues.

Mensah resigned from the department in November 2020 following months of public pressure and protests.

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He was hired as a deputy of the Waukesha County Sheriffs Department in January 2021.

The investigation into Cole's death was led by the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team. A Wisconsin Examiner investigation found that it's likely MAIT investigators did not record most officer interview statements in their investigation of Cole's death, following a pattern of MAIT investigation protocols that offer officers certain privileges that differ from civilians.

Tracy Cole, who resides with her husband in Milwaukee, said she now tries to stay away from Wauwatosa.

"I don't even drive through Wauwatosa because I have an eerie feeling about where my son got killed," she said.

Alvin and his family

The Cole family continues to grieve their youngest's death. Cole said her attorneys Kimberley Motley and Nate Cade, extended family and friends, and other mothers who have lost their children to police violence have supported their family through the last five years.

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"Even though my son's been gone for five years, we are still out here fighting for him," Tracy Cole told the Journal Sentinel.

Alvin was "the last of our tribe" as the baby of the Cole family, Tracy said.

He was a happy kid, and his family would sometimes call out his name "Alvinn!!!" in the signature scream from Alvin and the Chipmunks as he ran around the house, his mom said.

Albert Cole shared a deep connection with his son and grieves his death every day, Tracy Cole said.

"My husband was like Mr. Mom," always driving Alvin to get ice cream or nachos, always joking around with his son, she said.

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"He misses those moments with Alvin."

Contact the reporter at bfogarty@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee parents await civil trial against officer who killed son
Photo by ROBERT ATANASOVSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Early this morning, 59 people died in a nightclub fire caused by sparks from pyrotechnics in Kocani, North Macedonia, reports The Associated Press. Over 155 additional people were injured, 20 of whom are currently in critical condition, due to burns, smoke inhalation, and a stampede that took place when attendees tried to escape the Club Pulse concert. DNK, a popular local hip-hop duo, were performing at the venue when sparks from their pyrotechnics hit the ceiling, which was made of highly flammable material, and rapidly spread. According to BBC News, only one member of the band survived and is being treated in a hospital.

We even tried to get out through the bathroom, only to find bars [on the windows], Marija Taseva, a 19-year-old survivor, told The Associated Press. I somehow managed to get out. I fell down the stairs and they ran over me, trampled me. I barely stayed alive and could hardly breathe. Her 25-year-old sister died trying to escape the fire.

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According to Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski, a preliminary inspection revealed that Club Pulse was operating without a proper license and the number of people attending the concert was over twice its capacity of 250. Toshkovski told reporters that they have detained 15 people for questioning, adding, We have grounds for suspicion that there is bribery and corruption in this case.

North Macedonias government ordered a large-scale inspection of all nightclubs and cabarets across the country over the next three days to ensure safety measures are being upheld. The government also declared seven days of national mourning.

Video footage from the Club Pulse fire, shared by BBC News, shows the moment that sparks from DNKs upward-facing flares lit up a small portion of the ceiling above them. As the fire starts to spread wider, someone can be seen attempting to put it out with a fire extinguisher, but the flames and smoke continue to spread too quickly.

Pyrotechnic errors have caused numerous concert fires over the years, in both the United States and abroad. In 2016, the Oakland, California, converted warehouse Ghost Ship caught fire, killing 36 people, sending two of the venues operators to prison, and prompting city officials to clamp down on unofficial venues. Over 100 people died during Great Whites 2003 concert at the Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island, including the bands guitarist, during a pyrotechnic display gone wrong. Most infamously, Cocoanut Grove, in Boston, caught fire back in 1942, killing 492 people in the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history; it led to new requirements for sprinkler systems and accessible exits.

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
60 Minutes took aim at President Trumps war on diversity, equity and inclusion Sunday by focusing on the collateral damage of his controversial executive order  a group of young Black, Hispanic, Indian and Asian musicians who were denied the chance to play with the U.S. Marine Band this year.

Last year, the band  founded in 1798 and nicknamed the Presidents Own by Thomas Jefferson  collaborated with a Chicago-based nonprofit that supports student musicians of color by giving them a chance to audition for the orchestra.

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The plan was for this select group of youths to perform with their adult counterparts at a concert in May, according to the report by Scott Pelley. But Trumps executive order against diversity programs forced them to scuttle the performance, depriving the youths of the unique opportunity.

If were a society thats suppressing art, were a society that is afraid of what it might reveal about itself. If were suppressing music, were suppressing emotions, were suppressing expression, were suppressing vulnerability, were suppressing the very essence of what makes us human, said Rishab Jain, an 18-year-old, Harvard-bound Indian American who was among the 30 students selected to play. We are devaluing our own humanity. We are degrading our own humanity.

Jain was among almost 60 students nationwide who responded to the audition call from Equity Arc, the nonprofit that worked with the Marine band. Equity Arc was formed to help boost diversity in American orchestras, 80% of which are white, 11% are Asian, 5% are Hispanic and only 2% are Black.

Pelley reported that the Marine Bands commanding officer wrote Equity Arcs Stan Thompson to say as long as the executive order is in place, we will not be able to reschedule. So 60 Minutes  whose parent company announced last month that it was rolling back some of its own DEI policies  decided to stage its own concert, instead.

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The CBS newsmagazine gathered the youths along with retired musicians from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, West Point, the Naval Academy and the Marines to perform at a concert hall rented by Equity Arc. Sundays episode showed the orchestra playing Gallop by Dimitri Shostakovich under the leadership of conductor Rodney Dorsey of Florida State University.

I challenge anyone, literally, anyone to come to me and say by having this concert does damage to the United States, said John Abbracciamento, a retired trumpet player from the Marine Band who volunteered to play with the youths. It doesnt. It brings out the best of us.

Their full concert can be found here.

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A single boulder at a regional school in central Queensland was hiding 66 fossilized footprints in plain sight.

Researchers that 47 individual dinosaurs made marks on the boulder, which originally came from a nearby mine and was given to a local high school.

The boulder sat in the open for 20 years until curious community members contacted experts at the University of Queensland.

A boulder siting in a Queensland, Australia, high school foyer turned out to have one of the richest treasure troves of natural history in the entire country. As a University of Queensland (UQ) researcher recently confirmed, that boulder housed one of the highest concentrations of dinosaur footprints ever documented in Australia. The rockoriginally pulled from the Callide Mine near Biloela and donated to the schoolhas sat in the schools foyer for over 20 years.

The footprints are from 47 individual dinosaurs which passed across a patch of wet, white clay, possibly walking along or crossing a waterway, Anthony Romilio, paleontologist in UQs Dinosaur Lab, said in a statement from the university. Its an unprecedented snapshot of dinosaur abundance, movement, and behavior from a time when no fossilized dinosaur bones have been found in Australia.

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Each of the 66 total prints features three toes, indicating they belong to the ichnospecies Anomoepus scambusa small dinosaur with legs ranging in length from six to 20 inches. Based on the tracks, Romilio estimates the animals were moving at less than four miles per hour when crossing the area of the boulder.

Evidence from skeletal fossils overseas tells us dinosaurs with feet like these were plant eaters with long legs, a chunky body, short arms, and small head with a beak, Romilio said.

The community was unknowingly walking the collection of Early Jurassic period fossils every day, until Romilios work defining dinosaur tracks was made public via a nearby Mount Morgan project. Someone in the community saw similarities in the tracks at the school and contacted him to flag the boulder for further examination.

Romilio used advanced 3D imaging and light filters to reveal hidden details in the footprints. The search also led him to discover other fossilized tracks in the areaone on a rock used as a bookend and a set on a 2.2-ton boulder (sitting in the open at the Callide Mine parking lot) that featuring two distinct footprints left by a slightly larger dinosaur.

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As Im driving into the car park, Romilio told Agence France-Presse, I see one of those car park boulders to stop cars from driving on the lawn. And its got this clear-as-day dinosaur fossil. My jaw dropped when I saw that.

Romilio published a study in Historical Biology chronicling how, until now, only a single track had been found from the sandstones of the Callide Basin. With no dinosaurian osteological record from Australias Early Jurassic, these footprints provide valuable evidence for the presence, abundance, and behavior of ornithischian dinosaurs in the region, he wrote in the study.

Significant fossils like this can sit unnoticed for years, even in plain sight, Romilio said. Its incredible to think that a piece of history this rich was resting in a schoolyard all this time.

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I write this from my hotel room, a two-minute walk from the Colosseum.

My trip to Rome has been planned for months, and I looked forward to it with anticipation since well before Christmas.

But after the election, I knew that Id need to prepare myself for foreigners who tend to ask questions like "why did you Americans vote for the candidate who hates Europe?"

Id already experienced that reaction when I traveled during the first Trump administration.

Id also suffered through the raised noses of Frenchmen when, in 1982, I lived in Paris during the Reagan administration.

The patronizing attitude of our Gallic cousins was exacerbated by the fact that their then president, Francois Mitterrand, was a communist-turned-socialist whose Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, had outlawed the use of English phrases like "le weekend" and "le hot dog."

And two decades later, I had to deal with Europeans who hated George W. Bush and blamed him  not Muslim fundamentalists for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lets face it.

Despite the fact that weve fought together in war, traded liberally with each other and commingled blood and culture through generations of immigration, there has always been a latent bit of hostility towards the USA from the conquerors and colonizers across the seas.

We are a brasher race, a less contemplative and impulsive sort of creature, often abandoning diplomacy for more aggressive tactics. We literally, and figuratively, do not speak the same language. Whether its disapproval or a vague sense of envy, Europe is usually just not that into US.

So I wasnt expecting much support for Trump when I visited my ancestral land. But I was wrong.

At least anecdotally, based on my personal interactions with Italians, they are intrigued by this president who pulls no punches and speaks with an uncomfortable and uncompromising clarity that is rare on the international scene.

This is a man who breaks balls and paradigms. And there is, based on the people I spoke to, a grudging respect for that attitude.

It could be a vestige of the Mussolini years, because unlike the Germans who distanced themselves with a vengeance from Hitler, Italians have not entirely disavowed the history of Mussolini.

In fact, they elected his granddaughter Alessandra as a congressional deputy for numerous terms in office.

They also turned another millionaire businessman with sharp elbows and a penchant for nepotism and authoritarianism into their leader: Silvio Berlusconi.

And of all the European leaders who are currently licking their wounds about Trumps rhetorical attacks, it is Italys prime minister Giorgia Meloni who has  in the words of Janis Joplin  taken "another piece of [his] heart."

So the irony is that Italians seem to like Trump better than the sort of American who goes to an official event, the presidents address to Congress, and heckle him.

Who refuses to stand and applaud the release of a Russian prisoner, Putins hostage.

Who looks the other way when a young boy suffering from brain cancer is given a huge honor, deputized as a law enforcement officer.

Who sits on their hands when a 13-year-old who was raped and murdered by noncitizens is honored by an executive order renaming a wildlife preserve after her.

Who keeps raising signs that say "lies" and "not true" during a speech as if they were participants in a macabre auction at Sothebys?

Who refuses to acknowledge any of the objectively good things the president had done since January?

Even reliable leftists were upset at the petty, whining, infantile attitude of far too many Democrats.

U.S. Rep Al Green waves his cane and screams incoherently like a senile street person, and they decry censorship when hes escorted out of the building.

Any sane person would agree that a president who survived two attempts on his life should not be subjected to the maniacal ravings of an angry man. Emphasis on "sane."

Its fine to disagree with Trump. I do. Im not on board with his immigration policies. I wish hed curb the "Pocahontas" comments, and act like a big boy.

But disagreement with his policy and distaste for his style doesnt mean I get to disrespect him, and in doing so disrespect other Americans hes honored at a public event, especially not a little boy suffering from brain cancer.

The American left could take lessons from our neighbors across the ocean, especially Meloni, who knows when to accommodate the flaws in the name of a greater good.

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Christine M. Flowers is a lawyer and columnist.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The 22nd meeting of the Commission on Interparliamentary Cooperation between Azerbaijan's Parliament and the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation took place today, a source in the parliament told Trend.

During the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by the Speaker of Azerbaijan's Parliament Sahiba Gafarova, and the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Matviyenko.

In their welcome speeches, Gafarova and Matviyenko discussed the importance of interparliamentary relations. Both speakers also shared their thoughts on the activities of the deputies within the framework of the Commission on Interparliamentary Cooperation.

At the event, the Chairman of the Culture Committee of Azerbaijan's Parliament Polad Bulbuloghlu was awarded the honorary badge "For Merits in the Development of Parliamentarism" by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia.

The Azerbaijan-Russia Interparliamentary Commission then continued its work.

Co-chairs of the Commission  First Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ali Ahmadov and First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of Russia Andrey Yatskin  informed the participants of the meeting about the agenda.

Following this, statements and comments on the agenda items were made.

After the discussion of the agenda items, the 22nd meeting of the Commission on Interparliamentary Cooperation between Azerbaijan's Parliament and the Federal Assembly of Russia concluded.

The meeting was attended by members of the Interparliamentary Commission from Azerbaijan and Russia, as well as representatives of the relevant government structures.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Weve been hearing a lot about the Comstock Act lately, but there hasnt been much discussion on the details and what that will mean for Hawaii.

So, KHON2.com did a bit of digging to find out what exactly the Comstock Act is and how it can impact laws already in place in Hawai things to know about the Comstock Act; How it can impact Hawaii.

12 things that used to be illegal for women to know about: Hawaii health

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The Comstock Act of 1873 played a significant role in restricting womens access to sex-related information and services in the United States. (By sex, we mean female.)

The Act was named after its sponsor, Anthony Comstock. It was a federal law that made it illegal to send or distribute obscene materials via the mail.

This included anything related to contraception, abortion, sexually transmitted infections or sexual education. Anything that dealt with womens health issues were essentially deemed immoral or indecent by the men who ran the United States Congress of that time.

Something you have to remember about this time period. The Civil War had ended less than 10 years earlier. The Southern States were in the midst of a military occupation, and the dead from the conflict was in the millions.

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Women had gained a bit of freedom during the war, much like during World War 2 when women were allowed to participate in the workforce; and the population needed to be rebuilt, which cannot be done without women. So, the morality of the day relied heavily on ensuring women provided a population of male workers for the workforce.

What the Comstock Act was

Heres how the Comstock Act specifically impacted abortion and reproductive health:

1. Criminalization of abortion information

The Comstock Act made it illegal to distribute or even possess materials related to abortion. This meant that books, pamphlets, or any literature that provided information about abortion or how to perform one were forbidden.

Women seeking information or assistance regarding abortion could not access legal or safe resources.

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2. Restrictions on contraceptive information

The Comstock Act also banned the distribution of information about contraceptive methods, which were seen as linked to the practice of abortion.

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By limiting womens access to birth control information, the law indirectly forced women into situations where they might seek abortions to address unwanted pregnancies.

3. Punishment for physicians

Physicians who performed abortions, even for medical reasons, could face serious legal consequences under the Comstock Act.

The law created a climate where doctors were often reluctant to openly discuss or perform abortion procedures, fearing legal repercussions.

This contributed to a lack of accessible, safe medical care for women who might have needed abortion services.

4. Impact on safe abortions

Since the Comstock Act severely restricted the distribution of abortion-related information, women had limited access to safe and legal abortion procedures.

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Many were forced to turn to unsafe, unregulated methods, leading to a rise in botched abortions, which could result in injury or death. It wasnt until the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that women regained legal access to abortion services in many parts of the U.S.

How the Comstock Act could impact existing laws in Hawaii

5. State vs. Federal law

The Comstock Act was a federal law, but states have the power to pass laws that protect or restrict reproductive rights, such as those in Hawaii. Hawaii has rather progressive laws when it comes to the protection of women and womens rights.

If the Comstock Act were revived or enforced more strictly at the federal level, it would not automatically override state laws like those we have in Hawaii.

The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently upheld the concept that states can legislate in ways that protect certain rights. Because, remember, the concept of states rights was one of the driving factors that led to the Civil War.

6. Impact on Hawaiis laws

Hawaii has strong protections for reproductive rights. The state has laws that protect access to abortion, contraception and education. These include provisions for birth control access, emergency contraception and abortion services.

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Hawaii has the legal parameters to use its state laws to protect access to contraception and abortion even if the Comstock Act were reinstituted.

The state would likely challenge the enforcement of any federal law that interferes with its ability to provide reproductive health services.

7. Potential Federal vs. State tensions

Like with the Civil War, a conflict could arise if the federal government actively enforced the Comstock Act to restrict access to reproductive healthcare information or services that infringed on the rights of states to determine issues like this for their citizens.

Legal experts predict that states with strong protections, like Hawaii, could push back through litigation or legislative action if the federal government tried to enforce such a law in a way that contradicts the states laws.

8. Enforcement mechanisms

The key concern would be enforcement. The Comstock Act is centered on restricting the mailing and distribution of materials, which could include contraception-related information.

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The U.S. Postal Service and other federal agencies could be involved in regulating or preventing the distribution of such materials.

However, enforcement at the local level would likely be difficult to fully implement in states like Hawaii, where the local government has made clear its commitment to reproductive rights.

Basically, the Comstock Act was an important tool in the criminalization of abortion and contraception in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Strong feminist movements were created in the aftermath of the Civil War. Women in the North had come to realize the power of their political involvement. Meanwhile, in the South, women came to understand their economic power. Through the 1870s up until the 1920s, women were a political and economic force to be reconned with.

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Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

So, the Comstock Act greatly restricted womens ability to access information and effectively worked to isolate them from essential knowledge about reproductive health and rights.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
WHITLEY CITY, Ky. (FOX 56)  An 87-year-old man has died after being stabbed when his car was stolen on Sunday.

The McCreary County Sheriffs Office said it happened near Barren Fork. When deputies arrived, they found Roland Sumler, 87, lying in the roadway, bleeding from several stab wounds. A good samaritan stayed on the scene until first responders arrived, holding pressure on Sumlers wounds.

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The sheriffs office issued a Be On The Look Out (BOLO) alert for Sumlers vehicle. When Kentucky State Police spotted it and attempted to pull it over, the driver sped away.

Shortly after, authorities reportedly arrested 51-year-old William Shadoan.

According to the sheriff, Sumler died due to his injuries at an area hospital.

Shadoan was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.

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HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV)  Harrison County deputies arrested three Biloxi men after they recovered 88 pounds of marijuana and firearms.

Harrison County Sheriff Matt Haley said Terence Benard Benjamin, 26; Isiah James Smith, 24; and Marvin Bryan Brumfield, 32, were each charged with a felony charge of trafficking in a controlled substance, marijuana.

Flags lowered to honor three killed in Mississippi medical helicopter crash

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On Friday, March 14, investigators conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Charger on Shriners Boulevard near Village Drive in Biloxi. Haley said they made contact with the suspects and recovered a small quantity of marijuana.

A probable cause search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a handgun and 70 pounds of bulk marijuana concealed in the trunk.

Harrison County deputies arrested three Biloxi men after they recovered 88 pounds of marijuana and firearms. (Courtesy: Harrison Co. Sheriffs Office) Terence Benard Benjamin (Courtesy: Harrison County Sheriffs Office) Isiah James Smith (Courtesy: Harrison County Sheriffs Office) Marvin Bryan Brumfield (Courtesy: Harrison County Sheriffs Office)

According to Haley, the investigation led to a home in the 2000 block of Trailwood Drive in Biloxi. During a search, deputies located 18 additional pounds of bulk marijuana, three rifles and paraphernalia indicative of drug distribution.

Benjamin, Smith and Brumfield were arrested and transported to the Harrison County Jail to each be held in lieu of a $250,000 bond.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the state requests for fire management assistance through grants for the Rest Area Fire in Gray County and the Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County.

Texas is working around the clock to provide all necessary resources to local officials fighting wildfires in Gray and Gillespie counties, Abbott said. With the approval of these Fire Management Assistance grants, we will continue to support our brave firefighters as they battle these dangerous blazes. The safety and well-being of Texans is our No. 1 priority, and we will work tirelessly to ensure impacted communities get the assistance they need. I thank our first responders and brave firefighters for their work to protect their fellow Texans.

MAP: Where have wildfires burned in Central Texas in 2025?

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As of Sunday afternoon, the Crabapple Fire has burned more than 9,500 acres, and officials said several structures have been destroyed.

The Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) said firefighting efforts have resulted in the wildfire reaching 40% containment.

The approval of the grants allows Texas to be eligible for 75% reimbursement from the federal government for costs relating to fighting the wildfires, according to the press release.

Wildfire tips and information on how to report damage can be found on the Texas Disaster Portal.

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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A son accused of shooting and killing a man who was involved in an altercation with his father in Abilene has been sentenced to 75 years for murder.

Marvin Jones, Jr. received his 75 year sentence Friday after being found guilty during a trial for Murder, Evading Arrest, and Abandoning/Endangering a Child in connection to the death of Eric Tonche, who was shot and killed outside a home on the 5100 block of Capitol Avenue in May 2023.

Court documents state an altercation between Tonche, a third party, and Jones Jrs father Marvin Jones Sr. led to the fatal shooting.

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The documents reveal Tonche and the third party were inside a vehicle on Capitol Avenue when Jones Sr, who had a known issue with the third party, approached.

UPDATE: Homicide in west Abilene, suspect arrested

Tonche and the third party then got out of the vehicle, according to the documents, which state the third party and Jones Sr. started to get into a physical altercation, prompting Jones Jr. to come outside from a home on Capitol Avenue and fire shots at Tonche and the third party, hitting Tonche at least one time.

Police were able to locate the the third party, who fled the scene during the shooting, and the documents state he identified Jones Jr. as the shooting suspect.

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A witness also told police that they saw both Jones Sr. and Jones Jr. go into a home on Capital Avenue, then the documents state this witness say Jones Jr. exit with a child and leave in a vehicle.

He was later located near the Mall of Abilene.

No further information has been released.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A lucrative scheme is infiltrating New Mexico. Thats what a four-month-long Larry Barker investigation uncovered after finding local retailers selling disguised bootleg marijuana in packaging labeled as hemp. A city councilor is now joining the fight.

While hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis plant, they differ drastically in their chemical composition and legal status. So, when marijuana is slipped into hemp-labeled products, its not only illegal, its unsafe.

While legislators are pushing for reform at the state level, Councilor Dan Lewis is echoing the sentiment in Albuquerque. We have retailers that are selling intoxicating hemp to, really, the children in the city of Albuquerque, and it should be banned, said Dan Lewis, Albuquerque City Council.

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Years-long FBI investigation into former Navajo Nation presidential candidate

The proposal would ban synthetic cannabinoids exceeding zero-point-three percent of THC.

The ordinance would also authorize the Albuquerque Police Department and Environmental Health Department to conduct immediate enforcement through penalties and petty misdemeanor charges, with the possibility of license revocation. Retailers would also need to put up mandatory signs clarifying that the sale of intoxicating hemp products is prohibited under Albuquerque law.

It makes it illegal to sell in the city of Albuquerque. It gives our, you know, law enforcement the ability to be able to, you know, to be able to deal with it, to be able to enforce that law with any retailer, anybody thats trying to sell that product within the city limits, said Lewis.

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During this legislative session, the house passed a bill that would give the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board the authority to establish safety rules, allowing the states environmental department to regulate hemp products.

Councilor Lewis said the ordinance will be introduced in tomorrows city council meeting.

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Ali Bradley covers developments on the southern border with a focus on human and drug smuggling, immigration enforcement efforts, and the failure to control the influx of migrants. Check out Bradley on the Border on YouTube now!

(NewsNation)  The U.S. deported more than 250 alleged gang members to El Salvador this weekend, and video posted to social media shows the harsh reception they received in the Central American country.

Salvadoran officials said the detainees included 238 Venezuelans who are members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as well as 23 members of MS-13. They were immediately transferred to a Terrorism Confinement Center, where they are scheduled to stay for at least one year, under an agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador worth $6 million, according to the Associated Press.

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What is the Tren de Aragua gang, linked to several crimes in US?

The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said in comments on X that accompanied government video of the high-security exchange.

Footage of alleged Tren de Aragua, MS-13 gang members

In the footage, shackled prisoners are seen stumbling forward as heavily armed officers push them along.

Detainees wrists, ankles and waists are tightly bound, forcing them to shuffle in short, restricted steps. On the tarmac, riot police stand shoulder to shoulder, gripping their batons as helicopters hover overhead, scanning for any disturbances.

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Putin and Trump will speak on Tuesday about the war in Ukraine

The men are loaded one by one onto special units and military buses, their heads forced down as officers keep them under strict control.

Sirens blare as a convoy of armored vehicles, escorted by special forces, transports the migrants to the mega-prison known as CECOT, the same facility where El Salvadors government has locked up tens of thousands of gang members in recent years.

Inside the prison walls, heads are shaved in assembly-line fashion, while guards bark orders.

Chicago neighborhood calms after ICE raids fail to materialize

Cameras also capture the moment they are dressed in white prison uniforms, before they are marched, hands behind their backs, into tightly packed holding cells.

Alien Enemies Act of 1798

The transfer of the migrant detainees comes as the Trump administration is trying to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport members of Tren de Aragua, which the State Department has designated as a terrorist organization.

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The strategy faced immediate legal challenges, and a federal judge in Washington called for planes to be turned around while the issue was settled in court. The White House said the migrant detainees were in international airspace at the time of the ruling.

President Bukele offered an online taunt upon receiving the migrants, saying, Oopsie Too late.

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Almost exactly 30 years after a failed bomb attack on a prison building in Berlin, two suspected members of the left-wing extremist group "Das Komitee" have gone on trial in the German capital.

The defendants in their 60s, identified only as Peter K and Thomas W according to German privacy laws, returned to Germany for the trial after years living in Venezuela, as part of an apparent plea deal.

Prosecutors brought charges against the alleged extremists in December, on suspicion of having conspired to cause an explosive detonation.

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Prosecutors say the pair and a third person, who has since died, formed the left-wing extremist group in autumn 1994 at the latest.

Their aim was to bring about socio-political change through arson and explosive attacks on state institutions.

According to the indictment, they planned an attack on a prison for deportees that was under construction on the south-eastern outskirts of Berlin in April 1995.

They are said to have filled more than 120 kilograms of explosives into propane gas cylinders and prepared them with time fuses.

The attack itself did not take place: the explosives were to be reloaded in a car park near the detention centre - but a police patrol that happened to be driving past intervened. The men fled.

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They were on the run for years, and tracked down almost 20 years later to Venezuela.

An extradition request from Germany was denied, as the two men were granted asylum in Brazil.

However, the duo have since returned to Germany as part of a plea bargain, according to lawyer Lukas Theune.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  A former pastor of a Texas megachurch accused of child sexual abuse surrendered to Oklahoma authorities Monday.

Robert Preston Morris, 63, turned himself in to officials in Osage County, where he was charged last week with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, told The Associated Press.

Court records show an Osage County judge set a $50,000 bond and ordered Morris to surrender his passport.

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Morris is expected to make an initial appearance before a judge at 10 a.m. on May 9, Bacharach said.

Attorney Mack Martin declined to comment on the charges but said he anticipated entering a not guilty plea on Morris' behalf.

Morris resigned last year as pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas suburb of Southlake after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s.

The victim, referred to in the indictment as C.C., told authorities the abuse started when she was 12 years old and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with her family, according to the attorney generals office. She said the abuse continued for four years.

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Cindy Clemishire, Morris accuser, said in a statement that she is very grateful to the authorities who have worked to make the indictment possible and is hopeful justice will ultimately prevail.

After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child, said Clemishire, now 55. Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.

The AP typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Clemishire said she would like her name included.

Morris was known to be politically active. The church hosted President Donald Trump on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a discussion on race relations and the economy.

Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges, according to the attorney generals office.
A federal judge on Monday questioned whether the Trump administration ignored his orders to turn around planes carrying deportees to El Salvador, a possible violation of the decision he'd issued minutes before.

District Judge James E. Boasberg was incredulous over the administration's contentions that his verbal directions did not count, that only his written order needed to be followed, that it couldn't apply to flights that had left the U.S. and that the administration could not answer his questions about the deportations due to national security issues.

That's one heck of a stretch, I think, Boasberg replied, noting that the administration knew as the planes were departing that he was about to decide whether to briefly halt deportations being made under a rarely used 18th century law invoked by Trump about an hour earlier.

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Im just asking how you think my equitable powers do not attach to a plane that has departed the U.S., even if its in international airspace, Boasberg added at another point.

Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli contended that only Boasbergs short written order, issued about 45 minutes after he made the verbal demand, counted. It did not contain any demands to reverse planes, and Kambli added that it was too late to redirect two planes that had left the U.S. by that time.

These are sensitive, operational tasks of national security, Kambli said.

The hearing over what Boasberg called the possible defiance of his court order marked the latest step in a high-stakes legal fight that began when President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 wartime law to remove immigrants over the weekend. It was also an escalation in the battle over whether the Trump administration is flouting court orders that have blocked some of his aggressive moves in the opening weeks of his second term.

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Theres been a lot of talk about constitutional crisis, people throw that word around. I think were getting very close to it, warned Lee Gelernt of the ACLU, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, during the Monday hearing. After the hearing, Gelernt said the ACLU would ask Boasberg to order all improperly deported people returned to the United States.

Boasberg said he'd record the proceedings and additional demands in writing. I will memorialize this in a written order since apparently my oral orders dont seem to carry much weight, Boasberg said.

On Saturday night, Boasberg ordered the administration not to deport anyone in its custody through the newly-invoked Alien Enemies Act, which has only been used three times before in U.S. history, all during congressionally declared wars. Trump issued a proclamation that the law was newly in effect due to what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Trump's invocation of the act could allow him to deport any noncitizen he says is associated with the gang, without offering proof or even publicly identifying them. The plaintiffs filed their suit on behalf of several Venezuelans in U.S. custody who feared they'd be falsely accused of being Tren de Aragua members and improperly removed from the country.

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Told there were planes in the air headed to El Salvador, which has agreed to house deported migrants in a notorious prison, Boasberg said Saturday evening that he and the government needed to move fast. You shall inform your clients of this immediately, and that any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States, Boasberg told the government's lawyer.

According to the filing, two planes that had taken off from Texas' detention facility when the hearing started more than an hour earlier were in the air at that point, and they apparently continued to El Salvador. A third plane apparently took off after the hearing and Boasberg's written order was formally published at 7:26 p.m. Eastern time. Kambli said that plane held no one deported under the Alien Enemies Act.

El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, on Sunday morning tweeted, Oopsie...too late" above an article referencing Boasberg's order and announced that more than 200 deportees had arrived in his country. The White House communications director, Steven Cheung, reposted Bukele's post with an admiring GIF.

Later Sunday, a widely circulated article in Axios said the administration decided to defy the order and quoted anonymous officials who said they concluded it didn't extend to planes outside U.S. airspace. That drew a quick denial from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said in a statement the administration did not refuse to comply with a court order.

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The administration argues a federal judge does not have the authority to tell the president whether he can determine the country is being invaded under the act, or how to defend it.

After Boasberg scheduled a hearing Monday and said the government should be prepared to answer questions over its conduct, the Justice Department objected, saying it could not answer in a public forum because it involved sensitive questions of national security, foreign relations, and coordination with foreign nations. Boasberg denied the government's request to cancel the hearing, which led the Trump administration to ask that the judge be taken off the case.

Kambli stressed that the government believes it is complying with Boasberg's order. It has said in writing it will not use Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport anyone if Boasberg's order is not overturned on appeal, a pledge Kambli made again verbally in court Monday. "None of this is necessary because we did comply with the courts written order, Kambli said.

Boasberg's temporary restraining order is only in effect for up to 14 days as he oversees the litigation over Trump's unprecedented use of the act, which is likely to raise new constitutional issues that can only ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. He had scheduled a hearing Friday for further arguments, but the two organizations that filed the initial lawsuit, the ACLU and Democracy Forward, urged him to force the administration to explain in a declaration under oath what happened.

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As the courtroom drama built, so did international fallout over the deportations to El Salvador. Venezuelas government on Monday characterized the transfer of migrants to El Salvador as kidnappings that it plans to challenge as crimes against humanity before the United Nations and other international organizations. It also accused Bukele's government of profiting off the plights of Venezuelan migrants.

President, I respectfully say to you, are you going to support this cruelty, this injustice ... of imprisoning noble, hard-working migrants, good people, without trial, without having committed crimes in El Salvador, without any kind of sentence issued by a Salvadoran court?" President Nicolas Maduro said on state television. Is this legal? Is it fair? Is it humane?"

Trump's proclamation alleges Tren de Aragua is acting as a hybrid criminal state in partnership with Venezuela.

Families of some Venezuelans in U.S. custody scrambled to find out if their loved ones had been sent to El Salvador. Multiple immigration lawyers said they had clients who were not gang members who were being moved for possible deportation late Friday.

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Franco Caraballo was held by immigration authorities during a routine check-in Feb. 3. His immigration lawyer, Martin Rosenow, said Caraballo not been accused of a crime. Caraballo's wife believes hes been wrongfully accused of belonging to the gang because of a tattoo he got marking his daughters birthday,

He called his wife Friday night in a panic because he was being handcuffed and put on a plane to an unknown destination in Texas, from where flights to El Salvador departed.

That was the last the family heard of him and he's disappeared from the federal immigration detainee locator system. Ive never seen anything like this, said Rosenow.

__

Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela. Joshua Goodman in Miami, Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 17. EIB Global  the global division of the European Investment Bank, has signed a loan agreement worth 200 million euros with the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK), Trend reports via European Investment Bank.

This funding will sustain investments by public and private organizations in sustainable transport infrastructure, including the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, as well as projects aimed at diversifying renewable energy sources and other climate-related initiatives.



"Investments will support Kazakhstan's national road operator KazAvtoZhol with its road rehabilitation program, aimed at improving connectivity and infrastructure quality across the country. This initiative is key to advancing the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor project, a crucial component of the European Union's Global Gateway strategy to strengthen ties between Europe and Central Asia," the information notes.

Meanwhile, in the transport sector, funding is expected to be used to rehabilitate 5,000 km of national and regional roads and improve accessibility for passenger and freight vehicles. Infrastructure modernization will also improve road safety and climate resilience.

This agreement was signed on the course of the first official visit of the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Jozef Sikela, to Kazakhstan's Astana.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is a long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its member states. It finances investments that contribute to the EU's political objectives.

EIB Global is a specialized unit of the EIB Group focused on enhancing the impact of international partnerships and development financing and is a key partner of the Global Gateway initiative.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) questioned Monday whether the White House violated a court order directing it to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Saturday barred the Trump administration from carrying out deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.

President Trump over the weekend signed an order invoking the war powers to swiftly deport anyone suspected of membership in the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The process does not allow for a hearing, sparking fears it will lead to widespread deportations of Venezuelans without connection to the gang.

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But while the order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked it from taking effect, the Trump administration was accused of not following the judges order to turn around any planes carrying Venezuelans targeted under the order.

The ACLU said the order unambiguously directed the government to turn around its planes, and it asks the government be forced to prove compliance.

Based on publicly available information, it appears that there were at least two flights that took off during the hearing but landed even after this Courts written Order, meaning that Defendants could have turned the plane around without handing over individuals, the ACLU wrote in its filing.

Whether or not the planes had cleared U.S. territory, the U.S. retained custody at least until the planes landed and the individuals were turned over to foreign governments. And the Court could not have been clearer that it was concerned with losing jurisdiction and authority to order the individuals returned if they were handed over to foreign governments, not with whether the planes had cleared U.S. territory or had even landed in another country.

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The ACLU said Boasberg issued an oral order to turn around the planes at approximately 6:45 p.m. EDT. Those instructions were also posted to the courts docket at 7:26 p.m. EDT.

The ACLU included flight information it received from the government, indicating planes did not land until 7:36 p.m. EDT and 8:02 p.m. EDT Sunday.

But the organization said both public reporting and publicly available flight data suggest that continuations of those flights didnt leave Texas until 7:27 p.m. EDT, landing in Nicaragua at 9:46 p.m. EDT.

The filing asks the court to force the Trump administration to submit sworn declarations about the timing of the flights.

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According to a social media post from Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, the country has agreed to hold 238 Venezuelans in its Terrorism Confinement Center.

The White House has fired back at the accusation, saying it did not violate the order, suggesting Boasberg does not have authority on the matter despite courts routinely weighing administrations immigration policies.

The Administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory. The written order and the Administrations actions do not conflict. Moreover, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly made clear  federal courts generally have no jurisdiction over the Presidents conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on the social platform X.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil.

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A drag artist performs on the stage at Phoenix Pride Festival 2011. Photo by Devon Christopher Adams (modified) | Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0

A northern Arizona city is considering whether to bar children from attending drag shows  including family friendly ones  and it could face a lawsuit for doing so.

On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona sent a letter to Cottonwood City Attorney John Austin Gaylord warning him and the city council that restricting who can attend drag performances would violate multiple constitutional protections. ACLU attorney Lauren Beall said the organization is willing to take the city to court if it succeeds in passing a blanket ban on minors going to drag shows.

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Let us be clear: we are fully prepared to take emergency legal action if the Council should choose to enact such a ban, she wrote. While we respect opponents rights to be heard and to engage in public debate, we hope this letter will illuminate the breadth of the mistake the City Council is contemplating.

What happened?

Earlier this month, city council members agreed to debate whether to limit the age of drag show attendees at a future meeting. Its unclear when that discussion could take place; it wasnt included on the agenda for the councils March 18 meeting. Councilwoman Joy Mosley, who made the motion to have the discussion, suggested that only people 18 and older should be allowed to go to drag shows.

The renewed interest in regulating drag shows in the rural city comes as the Arizona Pride Tour, an annual event featuring drag artists, is set to visit Cottonwood on March 22. The ACLU of Arizona is representing Miss Nature LLC, the nonprofit that runs the Arizona Pride Tour and is headed by Tucsonan Chris Hall, who performs as drag queen Miss Nature.

Hall, who grew up in a rural area, established the tour, in part, to provide positive visibility for LGBTQ youth who might be experiencing hostility in their communities.

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This isnt the first time city officials have lashed out against the tour. In 2023, the council narrowly defeated a similar move after the ACLU threatened to launch a legal challenge, voting instead to revoke an already approved liquor license from the business hosting the show, which organizers criticized as discriminatory.

Concerns about the possibility of legal repercussions were raised at the council meeting that approved next weeks discussion. Councilwoman Debbie Wilden, who voted against having the debate, said the issue was iffy and that she was unsure about the councils legal obligations. Chairwoman Ann Shaw responded that it would be addressed when the policy is discussed.

What are critics saying?

Some of the violations the city could be accused of include infringing on free speech rights and discriminating against a protected class of citizens, according to the ACLU. Beall wrote that the ordinance, if passed, would represent an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech. The Supreme Court has long held that a government restricting the exercise of free speech before it occurs, and before any purportedly unlawful acts take place, is illegal.

Beall added that the personal opinions of city councilmembers shouldnt be used to restrict who can attend the Arizona Pride Tour.

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If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because societyor, in this case, one segment of the local community finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable, she wrote, referencing the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in the 1989 Texas v. Johnson case, which concluded that flag burning is protected speech.

And while the courts have ruled that some materials or performances, especially sexually explicit ones, can be regulated in the interest of protecting children, the Arizona Pride Tour doesnt fall into that category. Organizers have put in place several precautions, and separated shows by family-friendly and adult-rated content, which dont allow minors.

The Cottonwood stop is family-friendly. Children who attend shows must be accompanied by an adult, IDs will be checked at the door at every show and performers are contractually prohibited from using innuendo or songs with adult lyrics during family-friendly shows.

Beall said that while opponents have sought to characterize all drag as sexually explicit, the reality is that the performances vary, and the common thread between all of them is a commentary on gender. The legal definition of prurient speech, which is used to keep minors away from sexually explicit material, excludes materials which have artistic, literary or political value.

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Drag is not inherently sexual or prurient, Beall wrote. Drag performances can be all-ages or adults-only, just like dance performances can range from ballet for all ages to nude dancing for adults.

Preemptively restricting who can attend the Arizona Pride Tours event might also constitute discrimination against LGBTQ people, according to the ACLU. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2020 found that discriminating against Americans based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is unconstitutional.

And while Beall acknowledged that not all drag performers identify as LGBTQ, drag has long been an important part of the community and has been critical for advancing the political struggle for LGBTQ rights. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the two trans women who led the Stonewall riots that first kicked off the LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S., were drag queens.

Some LGBTQ minors also find belonging and acceptance in the events put on by the Arizona Pride Tour. Beall shared a message sent to Miss Nature LLC expressing gratitude by a young Arizonan who attended one of the drag shows.

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They said thank you, noted that they had been bullied for their sexuality, and said: seeing that you are . . . finally able to express yourself and your art is extremely inspiring . . . youre helping a lot of us young adults in this town have a voice, Beall wrote.

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An active-duty airman was arrested on Friday for allegedly killing a 21-year-old woman on an air base in South Dakota, according to the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

Quinterius Chappelle, 24, an active-duty airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, faces second-degree murder charges for allegedly killing 21-year-old Sahela Sangrait, the sheriff's office said in a statement on Saturday.

On March 4, a hiker discovered Sangrait's body at a location south of Hill City, South Dakota, near the Pennington County and Cluster County line.

PHOTO: Missing servicemember Sahela Sangrait was last seen at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, S.D. (South Dakota Missing Persons via Meta)

Officials said the human remains were "badly decomposed," and the body was later identified as Sangrait, who had been missing since Aug. 10, 2024.

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Sangrait was last known to be staying with a friend in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, and said she was traveling to Box Elder, South Dakota, "to get some of her things, then planned to travel to California," according to a missing persons poster shared on Facebook.

Authorities determined that Sangrait was murdered at the air base. The relationship between Chappelle and Sangrait has not yet been made clear.

MORE: 3 charged with second-degree murder after 5-year-old killed in hyperbaric chamber explosion

"This investigation has been an excellent collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in our area to include the Pennington County Sheriff's Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

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The suspect is being held at Pennington County Jail and no bond has been established, according to jail records. It is not yet clear whether Chappelle has legal representation.

Chappelle entered the service in April 2019 and was working as an aircraft inspection journeyman, according to Ellsworth Air Force Base.

PHOTO: Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, S.D. (Arielle Zionts/Rapid City Journal via AP)

The base's "thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Sahela," Col. Derek Oakley, the 28th Bomb Wing commander at Ellsworth, told ABC News. He added they are working closely with law enforcement agencies.

"We hold airmen accountable for their actions, and if service members are found in violation of military or civilian law, they will be punished," Oakley said in a statement to ABC News.

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The case will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office, the sheriff's office said.

Anyone with additional information related to Sangrait's murder should contact the Rapid City FBI office at 605-343-9632.

Active-duty airman arrested for allegedly killing woman on South Dakota base originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
March 17 (UPI) -- An active duty airman has been arrested and charged with the death of a 21-year-old woman who has been missing since August, South Dakota authorities said.

The airman, Quinterius Chappelle, 24, was arrested on federal charges of second-degree murder for killing Sahela Sangrait, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Facebook on Saturday.

Sangrait -- a resident of Box Elder, a western South Dakota city of some 13,800 people located in Pennington and Meade counties -- was reported missing Aug. 10.

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On March 4, a hiker found what authorities described as "a badly decomposed body" near the Pennington-Custer County line.

Authorities announced on Wednesday that the body belonged to Sangrait.

According to jail records, Chappelle was booked into the Pennington County Jail on Friday at 11:41 p.m. local time.

Little information about the arrest and the alleged crime has been made public and it was not immediately clear what the relationship between Chappelle and Sangrait was.

The Pennington County Sheriff's Office said authorities have determined that Sangrait was killed on the Ellsworth Air Force Base, located in Box Elder, where Chappelle was stationed.

The U.S. Attorney General's Office for South Dakota is prosecuting the case.
Oscar-nominated actress Debra Winger sounded off about having a debt to pay for her Jewish upbringing as she joined last weeks Trump Tower protest over the arrest of anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil.

I was brought up Jewish, I was brought up with a lot of things that were untrue, said Winger, 69, to Al Jazeera outside President Trumps Midtown East tower Thursday, when nearly 100 demonstrators were arrested in the protest in defense of the Columbia University activist.

I was brought up with a lot of things that werent true, I had to unlearn them, and its taken me a lot of years, said Winger  whose performances in the flicks Terms of Endearment and Shadowlands earned her best-actress nominations in 1984 and 1994, respectively.

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She explained, for example, that she didnt agree with an idea she was raised on  that Israel is the Jewish homeland.

Actress Debra Winger, 69, joined demonstrators at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Thursday. Al Jazeera

I have a debt to pay. I have a debt for what I grew up with and believed on what the state of Israel has done and what they havent done and how theyre conflating Judaism with Zionism, she said of some pro-Israel advocates.

Winger called Khalil  who was arrested by US immigration officials and faces deportation for his role in anti-Israel protests that rocked Columbia last year  a political prisoner and accused Trump of running a fascist regime.

[Khalil] was abducted from his home with his eight-months-pregnant wife illegally and taken to an undisclosed location. Does that sound like America? she said.

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They come for students first. They come to universities, they try to take over universities. Just read some history, every single fascist regime has done this, Winger said. They start with the educators and the students because thats where the movement is strong.

The protesters flooded the atrium of Trump Tower, and 98 people were arrested. AFP via Getty Images

Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia University graduate and green card holder born in Syria, was arrested March 8 at his city apartment and carted off to an immigration detention center in Louisiana.

He has not yet been charged with any crime, but his arrest is what Trump called the first of many to come for students who engage in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.

Khalil is said to be the leader of the group Columbia United Apartheid Divest, which has been accused of supporting the terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah and distributing their propaganda.

Winger was nominated for a best-actress Oscar for her 1983 performance in Terms of Endearment. Courtesy Everett Collection

The legality of his deportation is being battled over in the courts, while his arrest has sparked protests across the country.

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At Trump Tower last week, about 150 protesters from the group Jewish Voice for Peace stormed the buildings atrium wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with Stop arming Israel and other slogans.

NYPD officers eventually descended on the crowd and arrested 98 people.

With Post wires
Democrat Adrienne Adams raised $128,000 in the first week of her mayoral campaign but fell short of qualifying for public matching funds  in a major blow to her campaign.

The City Council speakers late entry into the race ahead of a June 24 party primary  and failure to immediately tap into the 8-1 public matching funds  makes her road to victory more difficult, campaign strategists said Sunday.

It certainly puts her at a disadvantage, said Chris Coffey, who ran Andrew Yangs mayoral campaign in 2021 and is supportive of ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomos comeback bid for City Hall.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams fell short of qualifying for matching public funds for her mayoral campaign in the first week. James Keivom

Former Brooklyn Councilman Sal Albanese, who ran for mayor in 1997 and 2017, said, Youre not a candidate unless youre on TV.

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He said he qualified for taxpayer dollars just before the 1997 Democratic primary run.

My poll numbers shot up 12 points because I was able to put up TV ads. But it was too late. I got the funds a few weeks before the primary, Albanese said.

Candidates need to collect at least $250,000 in donations from 1,000 contributors to be eligible for matching funds, according to the city Campaign Finance Board  and Adams likely wont get access to matching funds until May.

Still, Albanese believes Adrienne Adams  no relation to rival Mayor Eric Adams  can be competitive because most voters dont pay close attention until the final weeks before the primary.

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Adrienne Adams campaign team put out a positive memo Sunday claiming she has big energy despite the late start.

Adams only raised $128,000 in the first week of her mayoral campaign. Brigitte Stelzer

Adams supporters holding up posters at a campaign kickoff event in Queens on March 8, 2025. Brigitte Stelzer

She raised more than $128,000 in five days from 1,128 donors, including 875 donors who reside in New York City.

The campaign said more than $78,000 in matchable donations qualify for $624,000 in matching funds, once the campaign qualifies.

This early surge reflects real, organic enthusiasm  something this race has largely lacked, aside from Zohran Mamdanis base, the campaign said.

They categorized Cuomos support as passive while hers is active. The Cuomo campaign is expected to report his campaign donations on Monday.

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Allies to the ex-governor have a Super PAC called Fix the City to independently bolster his campaign.

But some critics said the council speaker faces an uphill battle, with one Queens Democrat saying, Adrienne would be a great alternative but she got into the race too late.

The source said allies of the council speaker would have to set up a separate Super PAC, known as independent expenditure, to drump up the millions of dollars needed to go up against frontrunner Cuomo and other candidates.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomos mayoral campaign is expected to report donations on Monday. James Messerschmidt

Four other contenders have obtained matching funds  city Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, state Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.

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The CFB rejected Eric Adams matching funds due to ongoing legal woes, but he has raised $4.4 million.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Democratic Party chairwoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn  a close ally of Eric Adams  endorsed Cuomo.

Mayor Adams has raised $4.4 million for his re-election campaign. Paul Martinka

Her husband, Edu Hermelyn, works for the Cuomo campaign, The Post reported last week.

Its a 180-turn for Bichotte, also a state assemblywoman, who on Aug. 3, 2021 said Cuomo should step down and resign as governor after a damning investigative report commissioned by state Attorney General Letitia James concluded he harassed or mistreated a slew of women.

Cuomo denied the accusations but resigned under threat of impeachment, and now is attempting a comeback bid for mayor.
Instructors fit a firefighter's gear. (Photo courtesy U.S. Fire Administration)

Canceling classes at the National Fire Academy may not be the biggest of the many federal budget cuts made by the Trump administration in recent weeks, but David Durstine says that doesnt mean it wont have impact.

The cancellation of these classes really has a detrimental effect on the entire fire service, said Durstine, the vice president of fire and government sales at IDEX Fire & Safety Experience.

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His comments come just a week after the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued an indefinite cancellation of all classes at the academy that require a federally funded instructor, leaving just a few click-and-play online classes.

Durstine said the closing the academy in Emmitsburg, which trained firefighters from across the country, has taken away foundational education from fire leaders of the future.

This may be a quick little move for, maybe, what is the efficient use of dollars, potentially but what does it do to the local communities in the remote areas of the country that rely heavily on the foundational education provided by the National Fire Academy, Durstine said.

The abrupt closure came without warning in a March 7 email and took effect immediately. There have been no announcements about the future of classes at the academy since, but the outlook seems grim. A senior official at the Department of Homeland Security, which FEMA falls under, said Tuesday that travel costs were a reason behind the cancellation.

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The bottom line is we are no longer paying for non-employee travel, the official said. We are only authorizing travel for mission critical programs, this isnt one.

Its not just experts who are concerned about the impact of cancellations at the academy  a letter signed by 64 members of the U.S. House and Senate is demanding answers from FEMA. That letter was led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th), and signed by every Democrat in the Maryland delegation.

Firefighters and other first responders lay their lives on the line every day for our communities, the letter said. The abrupt cancellation of courses has affected dozens of firefighters, educators, and local departments that rely on the National Fire Academys and Emergency Management Institutes resources, classes, and expertise to promote safe and effective fire prevention, enhance firefighter safety, and reduce the loss of life and property to fire, floods, and other natural disasters.

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The lawmakers pressed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for answers to several specific questions including why the classes were canceled, how long the review process will take and whether there will be reimbursement for canceled classes that were already paid for.

McClain Delaney said the influence of the classes can be seen in fire departments across the country.

Tens of thousands of firefighters have actually gone through training there, McClain Delaney said, adding that fire supervisors across America said that the training is incredibly valuable.

Its unbelievable that they would make these cuts and really undermine our preparedness as a country, McClain Delaney said.
Mar. 17ROCHESTER  Last year, Filiberta Cano's small farm provided fresh produce for Channel One Food Bank through the Village Agricultural Cooperative. The sales were a good addition to the weekly markets where Cano would sell her family-grown tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, zucchini and sweet corn.

They were also a reason Cano decided to try to expand the farm looking ahead to 2025.

"I just need to find the land first to plant," she said.

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However, with the apparent cancellation of funding for a state program that helped fund purchases of local foods and help small farmers with startup costs, expansion for Cano looks unlikely for 2025.

Throughout Minnesota, farmers, farmers markets, food banks, tribal nations and others are left in limbo as federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the Minnesota Local Food Purchase Assistance Program have been cut off. Those organizations were poised to receive more than $3.5 million in funding as part of the first round of LFPA for the 2024 budget year, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Cano was paid for her farm's produce. However, the nonprofit Village Agricultural Cooperative was left holding the bag.

"We have a legal contract for 2024, so I don't know how they can not pay us," said Amanda Nigon-Crowley, executive director for The Village Agricultural Cooperative.

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The cooperative's invoices from 2024 to the federal government are so far being denied. That means $82,500 of $100,000 in LFPA spending by the cooperative has not been reimbursed. As a result, the cooperative has had to lay off all its part-time staff, Nigon-Crowley said.

The Southeast Minnesota Food Rescue and Redistribution Program had also budgeted $100,000 in local food purchases through the program. While the promised funds helped the food rescue program divert more than 250,000 pounds of food from the landfill, the organization was also left with costs that weren't reimbursed.

A farm that provided locally raised chicken to Channel One Food Bank was left with $10,000 in expenditures that haven't been reimbursed. The food bank itself had budgeted about $77,000 in local food purchases the remainder of its fiscal year as part of $125,000 in LFPA purchases for its entire fiscal year.

The program funding was part of federal legislation to help startup farmers.

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"There's an identified need to get more farmers into the industry," Nigon-Crowley said. LFPA was a needed catalyst for small and mid-sized farmers, she added.

"It provided a guaranteed market for new farmers," she said.

Lisa Schutz, director of the Southeast Minnesota Food Rescue and Redistribution Program, said while investments are required to help startups, she is looking for ways to pivot to help startup and small farmers.

"The key to this is doing what we've always done as a farming community  that means we help each other," she said. "This is not a time to be working in a silo."

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The LFPA is just one of the programs a federal freeze on funding has halted that leaves farmers in limbo as they prepare for planting and create a budget.

Dozens of farmers who are members of or are participating in programs through the Land Stewardship Program are wondering how to pay for work that's been done or for initiatives they plan to implement this year.

"The on-the-ground reality is we still have members who aren't able to access their EQUIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program), CSP (Conservation Stewardship Program) funding," said Laura Schreiber, government relations director for LSP.

The Land Stewardship Project is a nonprofit organization founded in 1982 that works with farmers to promote sustainable agriculture and support healthy rural communities.

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Like LFPA, these programs helped farmers plan a budget and their next growing season.

"There had been a commitment made by our federal government and our farmers have planned around that," said Sean Carroll, policy director at LSP.

"Not only have those commitments been broken, but we aren't following a democratic process," he added. "This has been done through administrative action upending the democratic process."

The Minnesota Farmers Union announced on Friday that it will be sponsoring a People's Town Hall from 1:30 to 3 p.m. March 31 at People's Energy Cooperative, 1775 Lake Shady Ave. S., in Oronoco, to hear what family farmers and rural residents think of the potential trade war and the firing of USDA employees among other topics. Meetings are also being planned around the state, the MFU said.

"Farmers are wondering what a potential trade war, proposed cuts to Farm Bill programs and layoffs at USDA offices will mean for them and their livelihoods. Minnesota family farmers are already facing uncertainty with rising input costs, falling commodity prices, concentrated markets, a scarcity of childcare and difficulty accessing and affording health care," MFU President Gary Wertish said in a statement. "We want to hear directly from MFU members and other interested citizens on how the state and federal government can help them meet their needs and build robust family farms and rural communities."
In collaboration with a number of government ministries, the Chinese internet watchdog Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has announced that all AI-generated content on the internet will have to be labeled as such.

As Bloomberg reports, the new regulation will require any synthetic content to be identified, either explicitly in its description or via metadata encoding.

It's a major inflection point as governments attempt to shore up some control while the internet gets flooded with low-quality AI slop.

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Regulators have long rung the alarm bells about tech being misused to spread disinformation and material intended to harm others.

Former president Joe Biden attempted to address the issue with an executive order in 2023, which has since been repealed by his successor Donald Trump. Instead of reining in the problematic use of generative AI, the current Trump administration has instead opened the gates, going as far as to instruct federal agencies to scrub AI guidelines and encourage them to use the tech more.

That's in sharp contrast to both China and the European Union, which have furthered rules about labeling AI-generated or manipulated content. Last year, the European Union passed the AI Act, the "first-ever legal framework on AI, which addresses the risks of AI and positions Europe to play a leading role globally."

Now China has followed suit, announcing a new set of rules requiring internet service providers to label AI-generated material.

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"The Labeling Law will help users identify disinformation and hold service suppliers responsible for labeling their content," the CAC wrote in a statement, as translated by Bloomberg. "This is to reduce the abuse of AI-generated content."

As part of the new rules, app store operators will have to review labeling mechanisms to ensure they comply with the new regulations.

Even users will have to declare when they're posting AI-generated content, as the South China Morning Post reports. Those who alter AI content labels after the fact could face penalties.

But as AI-generated content becomes increasingly more difficult to tell from the real thing, questions remain regarding the effectiveness of AI-labeling regulations and how enforceable they really are.

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And early attempts to address the issue have fallen flat. Last year, Meta attempted to roll out a "Made with AI" label on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. But the initiative failed right from the start, with users immediately noticing the feature was labeling real photos as being AI-generated.

Meanwhile, the tidal wave of AI slop on the internet has reached a fever pitch, strangling out entire platforms. Last month, Futurism found that Pinterest had been engulfed in a torrent of uncanny AI-generated slop, frustrating users.

The first six results for a simple search for "healthy recipe ideas" on the image-sharing website showed clear signs of having been generated by an AI. Only one was explicitly labeled as synthetic.

More on labeling AI: Pinterest Is Being Strangled by AI Slop
A variety of artificial intelligence (AI) firms and industry groups are hoping to shape the Trump administrations forthcoming policy on the emerging technology and keep the U.S. a leader in the space.

While the recommendations come from a variety of industry players, the proposals largely overlap and offer a glimpse into how the industry envisions its future under President Trump.

The White House set a Saturday deadline for comments on its AI Action Plan. The feedback, which it states will influence its future policy, will likely be made public in the days following the deadline.

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Here are four takeaways from the recommendations:

Need for a federal framework, but not overdoing regulation

Multiple companies and groups called for a clearer regulatory framework but strongly argued against any policies they believe will hamper AI innovation.

OpenAI, in its 15-page response to the White House, called for a regulatory strategy that also gives them the freedom to innovate.

The popular ChatGPT maker suggested a holistic approach involving voluntary partnerships between the federal government and private sector, while giving private companies exemption from the hundreds of AI-related bills introduced at the state level.

There are already multiple partnerships between the government and AI firms like OpenAI, though it is unclear if they will last under any cuts to the Commerce Department and its AI Safety Institute.

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The AI industry has long called for regulatory clarity at the federal level, though debate over these rules have stalled most measures from passing Congress. States have taken the issue into their own hands, resulting in patchwork of regulations across the country that firms often argue are too difficult to comply with.

This patchwork of regulations risks bogging down innovation and, in the case of AI, undermining Americas leadership position, OpenAI wrote.

Concerns about overregulation are also felt among middle tech companies, which fear it could interfere with their prospects given their limited resources.

Internet Works, the association representing companies like Roblox, Pinterest, Discord and Reddit, is advocating for flexibility in any regulation that comes down the pipeline.

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Regulation should be scaled to the size and operational capacity of all participants to prevent smaller enterprises and Middle Tech companies from being disproportionately impacted, the association wrote in its proposal first shared with The Hill.

The regulation should be risk-based, Internet Works argued, giving stricter oversight only when there is an increased risk of harm to users.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), a standards and technology trade organization, also pushed for federal primacy, with its senior vice president of government affairs, Michael Petricone, calling state-by-state AI regulations a compliance nightmare.

The CTA suggested these standards should be voluntary and industry-led to avoid crushing startups.

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For his part, Trump has signaled a scaling back of regulations that may appeal in part to some of these concerns.

During his first week in office, Trump signed an executive order revoking past government policies that he said acted as barriers to American AI innovation.

Vice President Vance doubled down on this sentiment last month, when he slammed excessive regulation at the Paris AI Summit.

Strengthening export controls amid foreign competition

The need for strengthened export controls was a common request among some major AI firms, signaling an increased concern among the industry over foreign competition.

Anthropic pushed for hardened export controls specifically on semiconductors and semiconductor tooling and pointed to the Trump administrations first term restrictions as an effective approach.

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Meanwhile, OpenAIs proposal for export controls placed a heavy focus on China, a similar concern of the Trump administration.

A comprehensive export control strategy should do more than restrict the flow of AI technologies to the PRCit should ensure that America is winning diffusion, i.e., that as much of the world as possible is aligned to democratic values and building on democratic infrastructure, OpenAI wrote.

Tightened chip exports were a key focus for the former Biden administration, which announced an AI diffusion rule in its final days of office earlier this year. The rule placed caps on chip sales to most countries around the world, except for 18 U.S. allies and partners.

OpenAI proposed various changes to the AI diffusion rule, including a more aggressive banning of China or nations aligned with the Chinese Community Party from access to democratic AI systems.

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It comes nearly two months after the surge of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which took the internet and stock markets by storm in January after claiming to build a competitive model without U.S. chips at the fraction of the cost it takes AI firms to build large language models.

OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman has largely shrugged off DeepSeek as a real threat and the company proposal called on the government to ban startups models.

Google, the maker of the Gemini AI chatbot, approached the subject with a different tone, stating export controls can play a role in national security but only when carefully crafted.

The company criticized the Biden administrations AI export rules as counterproductive potentially undermining economic competitiveness.

Government adoption of AI

As the government looks to create policy on AI, industry players hope it will incorporate the tools in federal agencies own work.

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Google and OpenAI both suggested the government lead by example in AI adoption and deployment. This may include using AI for streamlining purposes and modernizing agencies technologies to keep up with foreign governments.

AI firms have increasingly made efforts to have their technology incorporated in the government. In January, OpenAI launched a new version of ChatGPT model specifically made for government agencies and workers.

And last month, scientists with the Energy Department gathered to evaluate models from Anthropic, OpenAI and other firms for science and national security purposes.

Anthropic encouraged further model testing of this nature, which could involve standardized frameworks, secure testing equipment and expert teams to point out risks or threats.

More money for AI infrastructure

The Trump administration made clear from day two it believes AI infrastructure development is crucial to the advancement of AI.

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Trump, joined by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other industry figures on his second day back in office, announced an up to $500 billion investment in building AI infrastructure in the U.S.

The project, called Stargate, will keep the technology in this country, Trump said at the time, referencing China as a competitor.

AI firms seem to be in agreement, especially when it comes to infrastructure that will help meet the unprecedented energy demands required to build and maintain AI tools.

Anthropic floated allocating existing federal funding towards energy infrastructure projects, while Google said the U.S. government should pursue policies with the availability of energy in mind.

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A potential lack of new energy supply is the core constraint to expanding AI infrastructure in the near term. Both training and inference computational needs for AI are growing rapidly, Google wrote in its proposal.

According to a Department of Energy report late last year, the energy demand for U.S. data centers tripled over the past 10 years and is expected to double or triple by 2028.

Data centers are also projected to consume between more than six to 12 percent of the U.S.s electricity by 2028, according to the report.

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NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.  The Aiken County Coroners Office is investigating the death of a man after a fire broke out in his apartment.

According to authorities, the fire broke out in the apartment of Ronald Parrish, 85, on March 3rd at approximately 11:30 P.M.

ALSO ON WJBF: Late night apartment fire sends 80-year-old, 2 others to hospital

Authorities state that Parrish was a resident at the Ledges Apartment on Sikes Avenue in North Augusta and was transported to Doctors Hospital for thermal injuries.

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According to the Coroners Office, Parrish was pronounced dead on Monday morning at 10:46 a.m. from complications of his injuries.

Authorities state that the cause of the fire was accidental and foul play is not suspected.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  A 24-year-old airman has been charged with killing a Native American woman who went missing in South Dakota about seven months ago.

Quinterius Chappelle, 24, made his first court appearance Monday on one count of second-degree murder in the killing of Sahela Sangrait, 21. The court documents in the case are sealed, but authorities said Sangrait was killed in August on the Ellsworth Air Force Base in western South Dakota, where Chappelle was stationed as an active-duty airman.

Chappelle is being prosecuted in federal court, and court records show he is being represented by the federal defender's office. A woman who answered the phone at that office declined to comment on his behalf. He is being held at the Pennington County Jail.

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The U.S. Attorneys Office said he pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Chappelle is an aircraft inspection journeyman assigned to the 28th Maintenance Squadron at the Ellsworth base, according to a statement from the base. He began serving in April 2019.

First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Sahela, Col. Derek Oakley, 28th Bomb Wing commander, said in a statement. We hold Airmen accountable for their actions, and if service members are found in violation of military or civilian law, they will be punished."

A hiker discovered Sangraits body on March 4 near the Pennington County and Custer County lines, according to a Facebook post from the Pennington County Sheriffs Office. Sangrait was reported missing on Aug. 10, and her remains were badly decomposed, authorities said. Her cause of death was not made public.

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Sangrait was from Box Elder, South Dakota, where the Ellsworth base is located. Officials did not share whether Sangrait knew Chappelle.

According to a missing person poster shared on Facebook, Sangrait was staying with a friend in Eagle Butte and was going to return to Box Elder to gather some of her things before heading to California. It is unknown whether she ever reached Box Elder.

Sangrait was Native American, according to the poster. There are 59 cases of missing Native Americans in South Dakota and more than half of them are women, according to the attorney general's missing persons database. Federal and state task forces were created to investigate cases of missing and murdered indigenous people across the country.
Monmouth County commissioners ended their bid to seize a privately owned Wall Township airport after reaching an agreement with its owner, Alan Antaki. (Photo by Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor)

The owner of a private Monmouth County airport celebrated Monday, days after county officials passed a resolution ending their long-running bid to acquire the facility through eminent domain.

Monmouth County Commissioners on Thursday approved a resolution officially concluding their plan to seize the airport, ending an increasingly acrimonious fight over the fate of the 746-acre property just miles away from a planned Netflix film production studio.

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With the countys decision to withdraw its claim on my property, I can resume my dream to make the airport into the first-class facility I have always dreamt it would become, Alan Antaki, Monmouth County Executive Airports owner, said in a statement Monday. Instead of investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in lawyers, I can now invest millions in the airport.

Monmouth Commissioners have sought to take control of the Wall Township airport for more than a year, alleging unspecified safety concerns.

In their resolution, they said Antaki had secured $1 million in grant funding for improvements there, agreed to give the county right of first refusal if he ever moved to sell the airport, and pledged to explore partnerships with Brookdale Community College and area vocational schools.

My goal has always been to continue making the airport safer, while growing the airport as an economic engine for Monmouth County and surrounding areas, Antaki said. I look forward to now making that dream a reality.

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The commissioners denied ever attempting to take control of the airport through eminent domain, though letters from county attorneys retained for the matter and earlier resolutions cited the states eminent domain statute in authorizing appraisals ahead of a possible condemnation.

I would be remiss if I did not say that the government threat of the use of eminent domain to take private property  or in my case, a successful business  is an awesome and frightening display of government power against an individual. Eminent domain should be used sparingly and only as a last resort, Antaki said.

He added an earlier end to the dispute would have saved those involved a lot of money, time, and anguish.

Monmouth County has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars exploring a potential takeover of the airport. The board declined to say exactly how much at its Thursday meeting but is seeking have the state and federal Departments of Transportation reimburse those costs.

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NAIROBI (Reuters) - An airstrike by South Sudan's airforce killed at least 19 people in the country's east, residents said, less than two weeks after government forces withdrew from the area following intense fighting with an ethnic militia.

The clashes in Nasir, near the Ethiopian border, between national forces and the White Army, a loosely organised group mostly comprising armed ethnic Nuer youths, had threatened to reignite the 2013-2018 civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people died.

The government accuses the party of First Vice President Riek Machar, a Nuer, of collaborating with the White Army, which fought alongside Machar's forces during the civil war against the predominantly ethnic Dinka troops loyal to President Salva Kiir. Machar's party has denied involvement.

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A South Sudanese general was among around 27 soldiers killed on March 7 when a U.N. helicopter trying to evacuate them from Nasir came under attack.

South Sudan's Information Minister Michael Makuei told journalists at a news conference the airforce bombed Nasir on Monday morning.

Kang Wan, a community leader in Nasir, said it happened late on Sunday night, and that of the 19 dead, 15 people were killed immediately, while the others later succumbed to their wounds. Another resident said they saw 16 bodies and that three others had died.

"All of them they got burned, everything got burned," Wan told Reuters by telephone.

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Medecins Sans Frontieres said its hospital in nearby Ulang received three wounded patients from Nasir on Monday morning.

"Two of them were declared dead on arrival due to the severe burns they had sustained," MSF said in a statement, giving no further details.

Nasir County Commissioner James Gatluak Lew, who is allied to Machar, said the South Sudanese armed forces were likely seeking revenge for the helicopter attack.

Last week Uganda said it had deployed special forces in South Sudan's capital Juba to "secure it". The South Sudanese government at the time denied the presence of Ugandan troops in the country.

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However, Makuei said in a statement some Ugandan army units were in the country "to back up and support the (national army) according to their needs".

(Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Alison Williams)
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT)  Former Decatur Police Officer Mac Marquettes immunity hearing is on track to take place as scheduled, after the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals denied his petition to stay the hearing and remove the judge in the case Monday.

Marquette is charged with murder in the September 2023 on-duty shooting death of Stephen Perkins following a botched vehicle repossession. Marquettes immunity hearing is still set for March 25.

On March 7, Marquettes attorneys filed the petition asking an Alabama appeals court to pause his immunity hearing and remove Judge Charles Elliott from his murder case, arguing he has violated judicial ethics rules. Elliott denied those claims, according to court records.

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The appeals court denied both those requests Monday, arguing the defense did not provide evidence, to show Elliott had engaged in improper conversations. The court says Marquette failed to meet his heavy burden of establishing the prerequisites needed for the panel to grant his petitions.

The petition, filed with the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals by Marquettes attorneys, said 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.

Marquettes lawyers said after they heard of this conversation, they filed a motion asking Elliott to remove himself from the case, but he refused without granting a requested hearing. The defense alleged 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.

The appeals court said in their order Monday that they provided no evidence that supported the claims questioning Elliotts impartiality.

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Marquette is charged with killing 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.

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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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey speaking to members of the Alabama State Board of Education at the board's monthly work session. Mackey told board members that the state department would be OK if the U.S. government shuts down or if the U.S. Department of Education is dismantled. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey said Thursday that we dont need teachers panicking, we dont need parents panicking amid widespread cuts to the federal workforce, including the U.S. Department of Education.

They just need to focus on getting the work done, and well get it done, he said.

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The U.S. Department of Education announced workforce cuts on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Mackey said the state department was unable to access nearly $9 million of its federal funding.

When our folks went in, the portal simply didnt work. It was completely shut down, Mackey said Thursday after the State Board of Education meeting around 10:45 a.m. And then there was a message that said that due to the reduction in federal labor force, there would be a very long wait at the help desk.

Mackey said around 12:30 p.m. Thursday that the state was able to get that money back.

Its just like your online banking account. Just because you do a transaction, you dont do a remote deposit on the check, Mackey said.

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The superintendent did voice concerns about cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees funding for free-and-reduced lunches. The agency also supports farm-to-table initiatives for Alabama school lunch programs, which is largely supported by the Central Alabama Food Bank.

The federal funding they get, all flows through us, the Department of Agriculture to us, and us out there too, he said.

The Department of Agriculture also supports bringing fresh produce to schools, like apples and satsuma oranges, Mackey said. He said there is an apple orchard in Madison County and a satsuma farm in Mobile County that provides these fresh fruits to schools.

We go buy from a neighborhood farmer. It actually usually costs a little more, but we think thats worth it, he said.

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Mackey said with the cut in workforce, students will not get the fresh produce. The state department received a $16 million federal grant that allowed the farm-to-school program.

Theyre going to get plenty of food, all the cafeterias, but it might not be farm-to-school, he said. Im in hopes that we can find a way to maybe work with the Ag Commissioner to kind of keep that going, but we wont have any federal money to pay for it.

Mackey said it is highly unlikely for the U.S. Department of Education to be dismantled. That would require congressional action, including 60 votes in the Senate which Republicans narrowly control.

It was established by Congress. It would take an act of Congress to abolish it, he said. It is, by the way, the smallest federal cabinet level agency already.

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The U.S. Department of Education administers Title I programs, which provide funding for academics at high-poverty schools, and help fund special education programs and education programs for children with disabilities. About one-third of Alabama schools are high-poverty, according to al.com.

Board members asked Mackey what they should tell parents when they are worried about their students, especially those who need special education.

Vice President Tonya Chestnut said a parent called her worried about how a looming government shutdown will affect their childs special education.

Special education federal funds are continuing to flow, and those children have protected rights under federal law, and it would take an act of Congress, truly, to change that, Mackey said.

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Mackey also said that even if the federal government shuts down, the state funds more special education than the federal government, which funds less than 20% of special education in the state. The superintendent also said that even though a government shutdown would impact the state, students should not notice a difference if the U.S. Senate fails to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government through September.

It would definitely have an impact. But again, on the day-to-day, children going to schools shouldnt see any change in the classroom, Mackey said.
Voters return to their car after voting at Optimist Park on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz for Alabama Reflector)

Voting rights groups Friday dropped a lawsuit against Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen over a voter purge program that targeted immigrants.

Danielle Lang, a senior director of voting rights at the Campaign Legal Center, one of the groups that sued Allen, said in an interview Friday afternoon that there was no settlement, but their understanding is that Secretary Allen has no plans to reimplement the process that we sued over.

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Allen also touted the dismissal in a press release Friday evening as a win, crediting President Donald Trump for dismissing a couple hours a companion lawsuit from U.S. Department of Justice later that said the program was rolled out too close to Election Day.

I am incredibly pleased to announce that President Trumps USDOJ has filed to dismiss this case and that the liberal organizations involved have followed suit, Allen said in the statement, although DOJs dismissal came about two hours after the plaintiffs.

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Last August, Allens office said that over 3,000 registered voters in the state had been assigned noncitizen identification numbers by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The office directed local boards of registrars to deactivate those individuals and begin the process of removing any non-U.S. citizens from the voter rolls.

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The Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, the League of Women Voters of Alabama, the Alabama Conference of the NAACP and four affected voters filed suit against Allen in September, saying that Allens action violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and Voting Rights Act of 1965, as well as the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution for discriminating against naturalized citizens.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco blocked Allens purge in October, ruling it violated the National Voter Registration Act. Manasco agreed with the DOJ, saying that Alabama violated the laws requirements that bars significant voter roll changes within 90 days of a federal election. During a hearing, she indicated that errors in the states list  including potentially naturalized citizens  could affect the cases outcome.

Manasco in late December put the case on hold at the request of both the voting rights advocates and the state. Voting rights advocates said they hoped to negotiate a settlement. The state saying they may develop a different program in 2025.

Lang said their clients would be looking closely at any new process Allen may develop.

And if theres a new process, that will demand a new lawsuit if it, in fact, runs afoul of the law the way the old one did, Lang said.

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Mar. 17Alaska's U.S. senators will deliver their annual addresses to the state Legislature this week.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan  both Republicans  have diverged in recent weeks in their reception of the new administration of President Donald Trump.

Murkowski will speak to a joint session of the Alaska House and Senate on Tuesday. Sullivan will speak on Thursday.

Murkowski has been one of the most vocal critics of Trump within the GOP, openly questioning his decisions to freeze federal funding and fire federal workers that she said were critical for various sectors of Alaska's economy.

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Sullivan, meanwhile, has openly embraced Trump's renewed interest in Alaska's resource development sector, and shied away from publicly criticizing the president's unilateral efforts to cut the federal workforce and spending.

Both senators are expected to take questions from lawmakers and reporters during their time in Juneau.

Their addresses can be viewed online on Gavel Alaska's website, KTOO.org/gavel.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  The Alee Shriners showed up big time for the 2025 St. Patricks Day Parade!

We love being out with the crowd and the people. They just love us, Alee Pirate Mike Morris said.

Potentate Danny Fries had the honor of leading the Alee parade. He said this parade is something they look forward every year.

Im around all my brothers, friends and the community that supports us. We enjoy every parade that were in, but especially Savannah since were hometown boys, Fries said.

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Being in the parade helps the Shriners spread the word about their mission, funding 21 Shriners Childrens Hospitals.

Thats our heart all the kids with their smiling faces. It doesnt get any better, Morris said.

Check them out here!

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2)  Silas Zion, 23, who is accused of being now-deceased 39-year-old Christopher Lucrisias getaway driver, was charged with multiple crimes on March 16, following Lucrisias nearly week long crime spree and three day manhunt.

Zion was charged with Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Place to Keep Pistol, Place to Keep Ammunition and Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree.

Alleged shooter Christopher Lucrisia dead after nearly three day manhunt

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According to Big Island police, Zion owned and operated a white pickup truck that was used to aid Lucrisia in evading police.

12 things that used to be illegal for women to know about: Hawaii health

On March 14, police found the duo in the truck at a bank in Hilo, where Lucrisia and police exchanged gunfire before Zion drove away with Lucrisia, according to authorities.

Zion was arrested later that day on Ihope Road in Mountain View, and his truck was also confiscated by police. Several days later on March 16, police would find Lucrisia in the same location and Lucrisia would eventually die after exchanging gunfire again with police.

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The relationship between Zion and Lucrisia is currently unknown and the investigation is ongoing. Zions bail is set at $3,075,000.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2)  Just shy of the third complete day of the island-wide manhunt for alleged police officer shooter Christopher Lucrisia, 39, Big Island police were able to locate Lucrisia.

He was located in Mountain View on the afternoon of March 16, resulting in a shootout and the suspects death.

12 things that used to be illegal for women to know about: Hawaii health

While I am certainly grateful that no one else was injured, our primary focus was always to bring Lucrisia into custody unharmed, said Hawaii Police Department Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz. Unfortunately, his own actions prevented that hope from becoming reality.

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Alleged getaway driver of Big Island gunman charged with multiple crimes

Police say Lucrisias alleged crime spree began on March 10 during the early morning hours, when Lucrisia fired a gun at his ex-girlfriends residence in Mountain View. As a felon, it is illegal for Lucrisia to own or possess a firearm or ammunition.

8 things to know about the Comstock Act, impacts on Hawaii

Since March 10, Lucrisia allegedly returned to his ex-girlfriends residence, to her absence. While there, police say he stole a bag from a bedridden 75-year-old woman in the residence, adding robbery to his case.

Celebrate St. Pats for lunch at these 8 local spots

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On March 14, Lucrisia was spotted in Hilo in a white pickup truck, which was being operated by 23-year-old Silas Zion. Officers approached the vehicle, instructing the pair to turn off the car and exit, only for Lucrisia to allegedly open fire on the police.

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One officer was struck once in the arm and once more in the head. He was later flown to Oahu for treatment where police say he remains in critical, but stable, condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

Police at the scene returned fire to Lucrisia. It is unknown if any of the rounds hit Lucrisia or Zion. The truck then fled the scene toward the airport.

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Later that afternoon police were able to find and arrest Zion in Mountain View, and also seized the white pickup truck the duo were sitting in at the time of the gunfire. According to police, there was blood found in the vehicle.

Around 3 p.m. on March 16, police received reports of a home invasion on Ihope Road in Mountain View. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the intruder was Lucrisia, and he had entered the residence and threatened the habitants, eventually stealing the keys to their car.

Island wide search for man who allegedly shot Big Island police officer continues, getaway driver arrested

Over a dozen detectives and other personnel were nearby and immediately responded to the scene, where they were able to shutdown Ihope Road and Stainback Highway, the same area where Zion was arrested days prior.

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As officials arrived, Lucrisia, armed with a rifle and a pistol while hiding in a vehicle, opened fire on detectives. As the suspect continued to fire at personnel, one officer returned fire, and Lucrisia eventually ceased fire.

Police attempted to make contact with Lucrisia, and were able to send in an unmanned drone into the area, where the suspect was seen unresponsive in the vehicles backseat. Upon medical evaluation, it was determined that Lucrisia had died. No officers were injured in this shootout.

I want to acknowledge that there was fear and pain and concern that this situation has caused us and when violence erupts in our neighborhoods, nobody wins, said Hawaii Mayor Kimo Alameda. This has been a tragic and deeply unsettling event and my heart goes out to everybody involved This is a reminder of the risks [police] take each and every day to ensure that we are safe.

The investigation is still underway as officials are looking to determine who, if anybody, aided Lucrisia in his run. Those with any information are urged to call the Big Island police non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
So far, President Donald Trump's second term in office has been characterized by antagonism to allied nations. In just two months, Trump has shown hostility to the NATO defense alliance while gleefully pursuing a trade war against Canada and Mexico by imposing double-digit tariffs on the two largest purchasers of U.S. goods for specious reasons only to then agree to a pause, before repeating the cycle all over again.

One side effect of Trump's brash, undiplomatic attitude is that some allied nations may back out of purchasing F-35 fighter jets from the U.S., the latest indignity in a program that has infamously become a years-long boondoggle.

"The F-35 Lightning II aircraft (F-35) is the Department of Defense's (DOD) most ambitious and costly weapon system and its most advanced fighter aircraft," according to an April 2024 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). "However, DOD's projected costs for sustaining the F-35 continue to increase while planned use of the aircraft declines." While the DOD plans to keep the jet in service through 2088, it estimates the cost to do so at $2 trillion.

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The department has little to show for the exorbitant price tag. "DOD plans to fly the F-35 less than originally estimated, partly because of reliability issues with the aircraft," GAO found. "The F-35's ability to perform its mission has also trended downward over the past 5 years."

In September 2018, the jet entered its initial testing phase, expected to last a year. In November 2019, a DOD assessment extended the testing period another year due to the sheer amount of problems it had found. "Although the program office is working to fix deficiencies, new discoveries are still being made, resulting in only a minor decrease in the overall number," the report found.

Among the jet's issues were "unacceptable" accuracy in its mounted gun and 873 separate software problems, 13 of which were classified "must-fix" issues "that affect safety or combat capability."

Yet despite the F-35's questionable track record and ballooning taxpayer-funded price tag, some allied nations agreed to buy them. In 2023, Canada agreed to purchase 88 F-35s for $19 billion after previously pledging not to. In April 2024, the Portuguese Air Force chief of staff said his country would transition from the F-16 to the F-35 in a process estimated to cost 5.5 billion euros ($6 billion).

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That all appears to be changing. "Portugal is getting cold feet about replacing its U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets with more modern F-35s because of Donald Trump," Politico reported last week.

"The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO," Defense Minister Nuno Melo told Portuguese media, "must make us think about the best options, because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account."

Over the weekend, the CBC reported Canada may follow suit: Defense Minister Bill Blair said his country was "examining other alternatives" to F-35s.

And it may not stop there. "Trump's calls to seize Greenland from Denmark and turn Canada into America's 51st state pose a 'real challenge' for the program," Audrey Decker of DefenseOne wrote last week, citing a former defense official, "as both countries fly the fifth-generation combat jet and rely on U.S. spare parts and software upgrades."

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The U.S. could "degrade" allies' F-35s, Decker added, "by withholding spare parts, canceling services, and blocking software updates delivered by U.S. cloud-based software systems."

Last week, the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland called for the country's defense department "to stop the F-35 procurement immediately."

In May 2023, U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters the government saw the F-35 as a learning experience for how not to make the same mistakes on future projectsthough in a perfect example of the sunk cost fallacy, the government continued funding it.

Indeed, canceling the F-35 program would not recoup the money already lostwhich the November 2019 DOD report estimated at $428 billionbut it could prevent the government from continuing to throw good money after bad.

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Incidentally, one prominent critic of the F-35 program is Elon Musk, who now nominally runs the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). "Some US weapons systems are good, albeit overpriced," Musk posted on X in November 2024, "but please, in the name of all that is holy, let us stop the worst military value for money in history that is the F-35 program!"

"Manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway," Musk added. "Will just get pilots killed."

So far, Musk has not addressed the F-35 in his capacity as government cost-cutterindeed, Canada's National Post reported last month that the nation's Department of National Defense "continues to have confidence in the F-35 program" and did not fear any DOGE cuts.

But one potential benefit of Trump's chaotic public statements and antagonism of America's allies could be that it gives us a perfect excuse to finally kill the F-35, a project that has gone significantly over budget with little to show for it.

The post Allies Cancel Orders of F-35s, the Fighter Jets That Will Cost $2 Trillion appeared first on Reason.com.
A Charlotte-bound flight in American Airlines network made an emergency landing Sunday afternoon due to a possible mechanical problem, the company said.

American Eagle Flight 5852, operated by Piedmont Airlines, left the Newport News / Williamsburg International Airport around 11:30 a.m. for Charlotte. It was diverted to Richmond International Airport, just outside of Richmond in Sandston, Virginia. The plane landed at 12:17 p.m.

The flight landed safely with 47 customers and three crew members. Passengers were placed on other flights to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and their final destinations.

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The Embraer E145 aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected by a maintenance team, according to an American Airlines spokesperson. They are trying to find out what caused the problem.

Air Safety concerns

Airline safety has been on travelers minds in the wake of a Washington D.C. crash in January that killed 67 people, and several reported incidents in recent weeks.

American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in the nations capital. All of the 60 passengers and a Charlotte-based flight crew died on the commercial plane. Three people inside the military chopper also were killed.

On March 14, two people were killed in a private plane crash at 7:45 a.m., near the Pitt-Greenville Airport in North Carolina, several minutes after taking off for Vero Beach, Florida.

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Last month, a Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with 76 passengers and four crew members crashed and turned upside down on a runway in Toronto. Everyone survived that Feb. 17 incident, but 21 people were treated for injuries.

About CLT

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the seventh busiest airport in the world for arrivals and departures, according to Airports Council International. Most of those flights are provided by American Airlines. CLT is the second largest hub for the Fort Worth, Texas-based company and accounts for about 90% of all flights out of the airport.
The post American Pie Actress Jasmine Mooney Spends Two Weeks in ICE Detention Facility appeared first on Consequence.

Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian citizen who appeared in 2009 film American Pie Presents: The Book of Love, spent nearly two weeks in an ICE detention center after being detained at the Mexican border earlier this month.

According to San Diegos ABC 10 News, Mooney was arrested after attempting to enter the US through a border crossing in San Ysidro, Mexico. As she recounted in an interview, her US work visa was initially revoked in November 2024 due to a paperwork issue. At the advice of her lawyer, she recently traveled to Mexico with proof of a new job offer from a US-based company and an application for a new work visa.

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Instead, Mooney was arrested by immigration officials and held at a detention center where I was put in a cell, and I had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days, she told ABC 10 News.

Mooney was later transferred to another detention facility to Arizona, a process during which she spent 24 hours wrapped in chains.

After nearly two weeks in captivity, Mooney was finally allowed to return home to Canada this past Saturday. Even now, she says has yet to be given an exact reason for her lengthy detainment.

In a statement, a spokesperson for ICE told CBS News that Mooney was processed in accordance with Donald Trumps immigration policies: All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the U.S., regardless of nationality,

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American Pie Actress Jasmine Mooney Spends Two Weeks in ICE Detention Facility

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(NewsNation)  American influencer Sam Jones, who left Australia amid outrage from its political leaders and others, says her life was threatened for taking a baby wombat away from its mother and posting it on social media.

Jones received the ire of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, with the former suggesting she try doing that to a baby crocodile.

Wildlife groups also criticized Jones and raised concerns that the joey may never have gotten back to its mother after Jones initially ran away to show off the animal for a video.

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Jones apologized in a post to her Instagram account after the now-deleted video went viral.

American draws Australian PMs ire after snatching wombat

I stopped to ensure (the wombats) got off the road safely and didnt get hit, Jones wrote. I was concerned it may have been sick or injured, and made a snap judgement to pick up the joey and see if this was the case.

Jones said she fled from the mother out of fear of being attacked and not to show off the baby for social media clout.

I have learned from this situation, she wrote, and am truly sorry for the distress I have caused.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)  As a wounded Democratic Party struggles to regroup, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is holding mostly chummy conversations with prominent conservatives on a new podcast he's touting as a way for the party to grapple with the MAGA movement's popularity.

In doing so, he appears intent on showing he is more than a progressive warrior. But he has stunned some members of his own party by agreeing with his guests on issues such as restricting transgender women and girls in sports. Newsom called dismantling police departments lunacy and remained silent when Steve Bannon, an architect of President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, falsely said Trump won the 2020 presidential election.

The programs provide a fresh lens on a liberal governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate who not long ago was enlisted as a chief surrogate for President Joe Bidens campaign. Ahead of the 2022 midterms, he chastised national Democrats for being too passive in defending abortion rights and same-sex marriage, an issue he championed two decades ago as mayor of San Francisco.

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Newsom said his choice of podcast guests reflects his interest in knowing more about how Republicans organized in the last election, when Trump swept every battleground state and Republicans locked up majorities in the House and Senate.

I think we all agreed after the last election that its important for Democrats to explore new and unique ways of talking to people, he added in an email to supporters.

Newsom's party criticizes his guests

After spotlighting Bannon, conservative radio personality Michael Savage and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Newsom will quickly diversify his lineup: His next guest is Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, last year's Democratic vice presidential nominee. But some Democrats say the governor, who is widely viewed as having presidential ambitions, is selling out Democratic values in favor of his own political aspirations.

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Aimee Allison, the founder and president of She the People, a national organizing hub for electing women of color, said Newsom is betraying California and showing his weakness and naked ambition. Allison was among Democrats who helped Newsom defeat a 2021 recall attempt.

We need a governor that will defend Californias values, support vulnerable children, LGBTQ+ people, Black people, women, and everyone else whos in the line (of) fire of the Trump administration. Instead he is making the worst moves possible in a time of rising fascism. Hes trying to remake himself to be acceptable to MAGA, Allison wrote in an email, referring to supporters of Trump's Make America Great Again movement.

California Assembly member Chris Ward and state Sen. Carolina Menjivar, who lead the states LGBTQ+ legislative caucus, said they were profoundly sickened by Newsoms statement on transgender athletes. And Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, another potential 2028 candidate, said of Bannon, "I dont think we should give him oxygen on any platform  ever, anywhere.

Finding a new audience

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Podcasts have become an increasingly important venue in politics, and as Newsom considers a national campaign he has been praised by some for venturing into unfamiliar territory.

Democratic consultant Bill Burton, who was national press secretary for former President Barack Obamas 2008 campaign, credited Newsom with trying to reach voters who might not engage with traditional media.

I think there are going to be a lot of people this alienates in the short term, Burton said. But, he added, Democrats have to take a lot of big swings.

The governor  who called Trump a threat to American democracy throughout last years campaign  has been trying to navigate a tenuous relationship with the White House as the state recovers from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in January. He's requested $40 billion in federal aid.

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Newsom, while progressive, has never been locked into one ideological position: He's broken at times with more liberal factions in the Legislature. His shift this time may be to head off the kind of criticism Republicans have aimed at former Vice President Kamala Harris, also of California, or edge toward positions more closely in line with public opinion. According to AP VoteCast, 55% of voters nationwide in the 2024 election said support for transgender rights in government and society has gone too far.

During the podcast episodes released so far, Newsom has been mostly affable and agreeable, though he's challenged his guests at times. This is not the tart-tongued Newsom who appeared in a 2023 televised debate with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom he described as weak and pathetic, or who called the state legislature into special session last year to attempt to safeguard the states progressive policies under a Trump administration.

In an age of rigid partisanship, talking with the other side is so rarely a part of public discourse it seems like either bravery or lunacy, said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego. While there are clear risks, he is trying to align his national reputation ... in a slightly unpredictable middle.
Thebe Ikalafengs view

Its not difficult to understand why the proud people of the Kingdom of Lesotho took offense when US President Donald Trump, in his address to Congress this month, referred to the southern African nation as a country nobody has heard of. Its just like when Namibia took exception after he mispronounced the country as Nambia in 2017, or how he caused upset when he reportedly referred to nations in Africa collectively as shithole countries in 2018.

But this isnt only about Trump. Whether its TheEconomist calling Africa the hopeless continent in 2000 or changing its mind in 2011, with its Africa Rising cover, much of the image, narrative, and brand perception of Africa and African countries is shaped by non-Africans. Africa No Filter, a media advocacy group, found that over 60% of the people who write about Africa do not have a base on the continent. The narrative has tended to be of a continent that is poor, hungry, and war-torn  except when its time to go on safari in Kenya or buy a holiday home in Cape Town.

All this suggests that Africa has a continental and nation-branding challenge.

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In the 15 years since my company started our Brand Africa study of the 100 most-admired brands in Africa, on average, 80% of the top brands have been non-African. If one accepts that brands are a vector of a countrys image and identity, then it would seem Africans have an aversion to African brands. You could also conclude that perhaps we are incapable of building desirable global African brands. But the pan-African success stories of South African telecom group MTN, Nigerias industrial giant Dangote, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenyas Safaricom M-Pesa belie that. Theyve all had a transformative impact on the home nations brands, as well as the wider perception of Africa.

Its time for African countries to come together, under the auspices of the African Union, and enact a Buy African Act to drive a brand-led Made in Africa agenda. It is in Africas interests to build resilient, competitive, and independent continental and country brands.

There is plenty of precedent for this. Most notably, in 1933 the US Buy American Act legislated that at least 50% of all procurement by the US government and its agencies must be made in America. Over time, driving the national interest of America has made it a dominant economic power with globally desired brands, the resources to build its military might, and the soft power to influence world affairs and culture, expressed in music, movies, and media.

If the ambitious African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which was ratified in 2018 and is hoped to increase intra-Africa trade from 15% of total trade to 50% by 2030 is to succeed, then the AU and member countries must champion a Buy African agenda to catalyze and inspire African entrepreneurship and the growth of African brand-led solutions. Otherwise the goods and services that will be advantaged will not be made in Africa  and the dreams of a prosperous Africa will remain just a pipe dream.
By Dawn Chmielewski, Kane Wu and Krystal Hu

(Reuters) - In the closely watched sale of TikTok, the White House is playing the role of investment bank, with Vice President JD Vance running the auction. It is an unprecedented level of involvement in a private deal by the country's highest office that adds to the complexity of striking an agreement.

Vances lead counsel, former Federal Election Commission Chair Sean Cooksey, is the main contact for bidders for TikTok's U.S. assets, providing feedback and suggesting adjustments to their offers, according to bidder Reid Rasner, a Wyoming entrepreneur.

U.S. President Donald Trump said four different groups are bidding on the popular short-video app, which has 170 million American users and is facing shutdown in the U.S. next month if Chinese owner ByteDance does not find an American buyer.

A lot of people want it, and its up to me, he said on March 9.

While it is not unusual for Washington to meddle in the private dealings of publicly traded companies for strategic reasons, the White Houses direct oversight of the bidding process is extraordinary, said government ethics lawyer Richard Briffault, who teaches at Columbia Law School.

I'm actually not aware of anything like this, Briffault said. This is at the highest levels of the government, and it's not clear this is a strategically significant company.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment from Vance or his team. TikTok did not answer a request for comment.

Jeff Yass' Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Sequoia Capital are among ByteDance's U.S. backers.

The sale has attracted interest from other billionaires and entrepreneurs. Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt is teaming up with Canadian investor Kevin O'Leary and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian on a bid. Social media star Jimmy Donaldson is in talks to join that group, a source familiar with his plans said.

Trump has suggested the U.S. could take a 50% stake in TikTok's U.S. business.

The bidding process is anything but typical, McCourt said. There is no defined set of assets, no valuation and ByteDance has not hired an investment bank to lead the deal, he told Reuters.

Beijing has a say in TikTok's sale and ByteDance could shut the app down in the U.S., McCourt said. The Chinese parent company is lightly engaging in talks, but not to the degree one would expect from a motivated seller, he said.

The negotiations are fluid, said several potential buyers, who have until April 5 to reach a deal. Vance expects general terms of an agreement by the deadline, officials said.
In March 2025, social media users shared a rumor that firefighters were shot off their ladders as they tried to put out blazes after U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned such instances in a speech.

While addressing the Justice Department on March 14, Trump praised law enforcement and said:

That includes our fire departments, too. They don't get spoken about enough, you know. They go into some of the areas, I read, where they're shooting them off ladders. Can you believe it? They go up to put out a fire [] and they go and they shoot them off a ladder. It's just unbelievable.

The Daily Mail posted a clip of Trump making the comment, which spread across X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and was then picked up by users on Threads and Bluesky (archived, archived, archived, archived, archived, archived).

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https://www.instagram.com/californiafirefighter/reel/DHMd9p8SjR4/

It is true that there are multiple examples of reputable news outlets reporting on firefighters having been shot at while responding to an emergency call. However, we could find no evidence that attackers were "shooting them off ladders," as Trump asserted. It is not clear whether Trump was referring to a specific incident, and we have contacted the White House for clarification and will update this story if we get a response.

For example, in 2012, CNN reported that a man ambushed firefighters in New York, killing two and seriously injuring two others. The Dallas Morning News reported a man shot a firefighter responding to a call in 2017, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report in 2021 detailing the shooting of a Wisconsin firefighter by a revived overdose patient. Alabama-based AL.com reported in 2023 that a gunman shot two firefighters at a station in Birmingham, killing one and injuring one. WBTS-TV in Boston reported that same year that a man shot at firefighters as they arrived to tackle a building fire, but nobody was hurt. In 2024, British newspaper The Guardian reported that a firefighter and two police officers were fatally shot in Minneapolis while responding to a call.

None of these reports mention the firefighters being attacked while on a ladder putting out a fire.

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The U.S. Fire Administration also keeps a log of firefighter fatalities across the country, organized by year. This data, however, does not account for those who were not fatally injured. At the time of writing, it did not specify that any firefighters had died in a shooting in 2025, although two causes of death have yet to be determined.

Snopes has previously reported on claims about firefighters, including rumors that South African firefighters went to Los Angeles to help fight the January 2025 wildfires and that half of LA's fire trucks are electric and have to go back to the fire house to recharge every eight to 10 hours.

Sources:

Duke, Alan. "Shooter Who Ambushed Firefighters Left Note Showing Intent to Burn, Kill." CNN, 26 Dec. 2012, edition.cnn.com/2012/12/25/us/new-york-firefighter-shooting/index.html. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Emily, Jennifer, et al. "East Dallas Gunman Killed Godfather before He Shot Neighbor, Paramedic." Dallas News, The Dallas Morning News, 3 May 2017, www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2017/05/03/east-dallas-gunman-killed-godfather-before-he-shot-neighbor-paramedic/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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"Firefighter Fatalities in the United States." U.S. Fire Administration, apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Guardian staff reporter. "Two Police Officers and Firefighter Fatally Shot after Call in Minneapolis Suburbs." The Guardian, The Guardian, 18 Feb. 2024, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/18/minneapolis-burnsville-shooting-police-firefighter. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Johnson, Malcolm. "Person in Custody after Shooting at Boston Firefighters amid Blaze." NBC Boston, NBC10 Boston, 30 Dec. 2023, www.nbcboston.com/news/local/standoff-in-mattapan-after-report-of-person-shooting-at-boston-firefighters/3231840/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Miles, Stephen T, et al. "Career Firefighter Killed, a Police Officer and a Civilian Wounded When They Were Shot during EMS Incident  Wisconsin." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Jan. 2021, stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/163345. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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PalmBeachPost. "LIVE: Donald Trump Speech at Justice Department Visit to Address Immigration, Crime in US." Www.youtube.com, 14 Mar. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=19Q8wJJFjq0. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Robinson, Carol. "Birmingham Shooting That Killed 1 Firefighter, Severely Injured Another Still Unsolved 1 Year Later." Al.com, 12 July 2024, www.al.com/news/2024/07/birmingham-shooting-that-killed-1-firefighter-severely-injured-another-still-unsolved-1-year-later.html. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Moody's Investors Service has upgraded Greece's sovereign credit rating to Baa3 from Ba1, reflecting improved resilience to future economic shocks, Trend reports.

The upgrade follows a steady improvement in Greece's public finances, which have exceeded expectations, alongside a stable political environment and strong institutional reforms.

According to Moodys, Greece is set to continue generating substantial primary surpluses, which will help reduce its high debt burden. The health of the banking sector is also improving, mitigating the risk of any potential banking crises impacting the countrys credit profile.

The stable outlook from Moodys recognizes that while some of Greece's credit challenges will take time to address, the country's solid institutional framework and continued policy reforms offer a positive trajectory. The rating agency highlighted Greeces strong performance in tax revenue collection, bolstered by anti-evasion measures and a push for modernization in tax administration.

Moodys also raised Greeces local and foreign currency country ceilings to Aa3 from A1, citing the stability provided by the euro areas institutional and regulatory frameworks.

Looking ahead, Greece is expected to maintain large primary surpluses of around 2-2.5% of GDP. Moody's estimates Greeces debt-to-GDP ratio will continue its downward trend, projecting it will decline from 156.1% in 2024 to 140.6% by 2026. This improvement is supported by a favourable debt structure, with an average maturity term of 18.8 years and all debt at fixed rates.

In 2024, Greece prepaid 7.9 billion euros of crisis-era debt and plans to make a 5 billion euro early repayment in 2025, continuing efforts to reduce its overall debt load.
The Scoop

A veteran politician in South Africas African National Congress has emerged as the leading candidate to be the countrys next ambassador to the US after the expulsion of its top diplomat in Washington deepened tensions between the nations.

Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Carl Nel has emerged as an early favorite, according to three people familiar with the matter. Nel, who is said to be widely respected within the coalition governments largest party, has been a deputy minister since 2009.

South Africa is scrambling to appoint a new ambassador to the United States after Ebrahim Rasool was booted out of Washington last week. Government leaders in Pretoria felt embarrassed after what they described as Rasools indefensible criticism of US President Donald Trump at a webinar on Tuesday, said the three senior members of the ruling ANC.

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Nel is said to be an uncontroversial figure. He wont speak out of line. He is a smart guy and his messaging will be disciplined, said an ANC colleague. He is of Afrikaans heritage, though people familiar with the matter said that is not why he is being proposed. Nel was part of the liberation struggle and became a lawmaker in 1994 when Nelson Mandela led the ANC to power.

At least three names, including Nel, will be considered by the ANC, said the people familiar with the matter.

Know More

Afrikaans lobby groups AfriForum and Solidarity have become central to the tensions between Washington and Pretoria, often complaining about the ill-treatment of the white minority group.

Trump has accused South Africa of grabbing white-owned land among what he said were bad things happening in Africas most industrialized economy. Trumps claims, which have been disputed, appeared to echo claims by AfriForum.

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Trump has criticized South Africas land expropriation law as being discriminatory and offered asylum to white South African farmers, adding to growing tensions between Washington and Pretoria.

The law, enacted in January, aims to address inequalities dating back to apartheid that mean most private land is owned by white people who make up around 7% of the population. It allows the government to confiscate land in exceptional circumstances if deemed to be in the public interest. No land has been seized under the legislation.

Step Back

Rasool was given 72 hours to leave on Friday following his webinar comments. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Rasool of being a race-baiting politician who hates the US and Trump.

Semafor first reported last week that the veteran diplomat, who also served as ambassador during the Obama administration, was struggling to secure crucial meetings in Washington. He is likely to have been frozen out for his prior vocal criticism of Israel, a South African diplomat told Semafor; Rasool is widely considered to be among the governments most ardent pro-Palestine voices.

Sams view

This is just the beginning of what could be a fractious process, as the ANC is no longer the sole decider, after it lost its majority in last years election. The Democratic Alliance, the second-biggest party in the coalition, may want to assert itself before a final decision is taken. Ultimately, it is South African President Cyril Ramaphosas decision to appoint the ambassador.

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The ANCs coalition partners have clashed over various government decisions, including the countrys budget allocations, suggesting there will be intense discussions over the role and attempts to influence Ramaphosas eventual choice.



Notable
Mar. 17The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage Assembly to answer a series of issue questions. Read all of them here.

Name: Amie Steen  District: 3  Age: 30  Occupation: Nursing assistant, military police, mental health specialist, religious affairs  Website: AmieSteen.com

Candidate background:

I have worked since I was about 5 years old. I know what hard work is. I graduated with my bachelor's degree in criminal justice, and became the first member of my family to have graduated college. I'm currently an Air Force Reservist and have been working full-time. I have seen the hardships that come from purchasing a home in this economy. I'm fairly new to Alaska and have much to learn still, but my home is here now.

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Why are you running for the Anchorage Assembly, and what makes you qualified for the job?

I believe our community deserves a strong leader with a good heart. I am qualified because I've stood in front of adversity and came out stronger every time.

What is the most important problem facing Anchorage? How would you address it?

Property taxes. I would advocate for transparent budgeting processes, rigorous budget evaluations, and active community engagement.

Please give a letter grade, A-F, for Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's performance as mayor. Explain.

I do not know much about the mayor to give her a grade. I have not confirmed the authenticity of her efforts. I will say, though, that as a homeowner, I have an issue with paying the amount of property taxes I do, therefore, I assume others feel the same and for that reason I'm here to question it all and see it for myself. This applies to the Assembly as well.

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Please give a letter grade, A-F, for the performance of the current Assembly. Explain.

No answer provided.

What's your vision for improving and diversifying Anchorage's economy?

Ensure that hard-working residents, not just large businesses or outside investors, benefit from economic growth. Too often wealth is concerned with those who profit and leave, while everyday homeowners and workers struggle with rising costs. I want to see an economy that supports all Anchorage residents; those who love their neighborhoods, care for their homes and are here to stay.

What other important issue would you like to discuss?

Anchorage's homelessness crisis is not only a humanitarian issue but a safety concern. I'm also committed to protecting victims' rights, especially young children.
Mar. 17The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage Assembly to answer a series of issue questions. Read all of them here.

Name: Angela Frank  District: 5  Age: 44  Occupation: Death doula and owner of Lilies of the Valley, women's circle leader and marketing director  Website: liliesofthevalleyak.com

Candidate background:

My professional journey is rooted in over a decade of private client service for families. I have an education in digital marketing and a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute. I have certifications of End-of-Life Planning and Death Doula Training, Wild Woman Project Circle Leader Training, and 20-hour Restorative Yoga Teacher Training. Owner of Lilies of the Valley, I serve as a death doula and women's circle facilitator, fostering open dialogue on end-of-life planning. I am currently studying Ayurvedic medicine and 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. I am a member of the National End-of Life Doula Alliance (NEDA), National Home Funeral Alliance (NHFA), Going with Grace and The Wild Woman Project. I am a volunteer with Hospice of Anchorage and Alaska Blood Bank.

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Why are you running for the Anchorage Assembly, and what makes you qualified for the job?

For over a decade, my career has been dedicated to serving the community. My experience includes working in local government, which has given me a deep understanding of municipal operations. As a death doula and community facilitator, I've developed strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills. I'm passionate about holistic health, end-of-life planning and ensuring that all members of our community are heard. My diverse background and commitment to service make me a strong candidate for the Anchorage Assembly.

What is the most important problem facing Anchorage? How would you address it?

Lack of connection and collaboration. There are numerous individuals working to improve this city and an organized structure for community collaboration is crucial for ensuring effective participation, clear communication and successful outcomes. Establishing SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) is what our community needs to address this. From there, we can develop a collaborative framework and implement a process for planning and action.

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Please give a letter grade, A-F, for Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's performance as mayor. Explain.

A. I support our mayor. If elected for the Anchorage Assembly, collaboration with LaFrance is crucial to maintain a strong legislative and executive branch of our municipal government. She emphasizes a collaborative, nonpartisan approach to addressing Anchorage's challenges while prioritizing immediate needs as well as building a sustainable future for the city. I believe this is what we need to focus on.

Please give a letter grade, A-F, for the performance of the current Assembly. Explain.

B+. As with the mayor, I support our Assembly members in their efforts to improve our community, but I do see areas for improvement in terms of organized collaboration. Given my background, I will utilize my skills to support this and strengthen our team of Assembly members.

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What's your vision for improving and diversifying Anchorage's economy?

By striving to improve the communication and collaboration in our community, we can create more connection that will benefit many of the challenges Anchorage is facing. I want to reduce the dependence on the housing tax by diversifying avenues of income for the city. I believe we can begin to do this by expanding tourism, support of local businesses, and investment in education and workforce development.

What other important issue would you like to discuss?

While my public speaking skills have room for improvement, my diverse background has led me to excel at research, critical thinking and problem solving. I'm running for the Assembly because I want to see Anchorage as a safe place to live and allow our community to thrive. Our city is big and beautiful with a diversity that deserves to be celebrated. There are resources out there and if we can come together, I believe we can make this city a clean, safe and desirable place to live again.
Mar. 17The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage Assembly to answer a series of issue questions. Read all of them here.

Name: Keith McCormick  District: 6  Age: 33  Occupation: Physician Assistant  Website: keithforassembly.com

Candidate background:

Anchorage has been home to my family for three generations. I grew up in Oceanview, spending my time outside fishing and exploring the outdoors. After graduating from South High, I enlisted in the Marine Corps Infantry, serving over five years with multiple deployments overseas. When my service ended, my wife and I returned to South Anchorage with our eldest son, ready to build a future in the community that shaped us. I worked as an EMT in Whittier before deploying again as a private military contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan. I later founded a successful software company, earning recognition as Alaska's Entrepreneur of the Year. After years of service in high-pressure environments, I pursued a Doctorate in Medical Science, and now work as a Physician Assistant in pediatric psychiatry.

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Why are you running for the Anchorage Assembly, and what makes you qualified for the job?

I'm running because Anchorage is my home, and I want to ensure it remains a place where families can thrive. As a Marine Corps veteran and medical professional, I've dedicated my life to serving my community. Now I want to bring that same commitment to local government. We need common-sense solutions that prioritize fiscal responsibility, public safety and a strong local economy. I've spent my career in high-pressure environments, making tough decisions and leading teams through complex problems. I believe that my experience, combined with my deep roots in this community, will help me serve South Anchorage effectively. I'm not a politician  I'm a problem solver, and I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for our city.

What is the most important problem facing Anchorage? How would you address it?

Anchorage's most pressing issue is the worsening homelessness crisis  one that continues to drain taxpayer dollars without delivering meaningful results. Despite millions spent, encampments are expanding, crime and drug use are rising, and public spaces like trails, parks and neighborhoods are becoming unsafe for families. This isn't just a funding problem  it's a failure of strategy. We need a results-driven approach that prioritizes both accountability and compassion. That means expanding access to mental health treatment, substance abuse recovery and job training for those willing to work toward stability. At the same time, we must enforce trespassing laws and crack down on illegal activity to protect public safety. Simply increasing spending without measuring outcomes isn't a solution. Anchorage deserves policies that actually reduce homelessness, restore public spaces and make our city safer for everyone.

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Please give a letter grade, A-F, for Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's performance as mayor. Explain.

Assign a letter grade assumes leadership can be boiled down to a simple scale, but governance is about whether policies are working. Mayor LaFrance has kept city operations running and has engaged with residents, which is important. However, her leadership has mostly followed the Assembly majority, reinforcing existing priorities instead of pushing for new solutions. Transparency and accountability have been ongoing concerns, particularly regarding homelessness services, where increased funding has yet to show real results. Public safety remains a major issue  crime persists, pedestrian fatalities have risen. All while property taxes keep going up, yet residents aren't seeing meaningful improvements. Leadership isn't just about maintaining stability; it's about ensuring government delivers tangible benefits to the people who pay for it. The city needs leadership that values accountability, welcomes diverse viewpoints, and measures policies by their results, not just their intentions.

Please give a letter grade, A-F, for the performance of the current Assembly. Explain.

The real question is whether the Assembly's actions are making Anchorage safer, more stable and more prosperous. So far, the results don't reflect the record spending. Despite major investments, homelessness has gotten worse. Camps are more visible than ever, and the city's approach hasn't led to meaningful change. Public safety is a growing concern  encampments, crime and fire risks are on the rise, making many neighborhoods less safe. The Assembly has leaned heavily on tax increases  including discussions of a sales tax  rather than evaluating whether current spending is working. This approach places more burden on families and businesses. Effective leadership isn't just about allocating more money; it's about making sure it's being used effectively. Anchorage needs leadership that prioritizes accountability, asks tougher questions and ensures policies actually improve outcomes without creating unnecessary burdens.

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What's your vision for improving and diversifying Anchorage's economy?

Anchorage's economy should be built on opportunity, not obstacles. Right now, overly complex permitting, contradictory development rules, and excessive regulations are discouraging investment and pushing developers and entrepreneurs elsewhere. If we want to solve our housing shortage and attract new businesses, we need to streamline these processes, eliminate unnecessary barriers, and make Anchorage a place where innovation and growth are encouragednot hindered. Anchorage should be seen as a destination for investment, not a place to avoid. A predictable, business-friendly environment will attract new industries, support small businesses, and create quality jobs that keep young professionals here instead of looking elsewhere. By prioritizing smart, strategic growth, we can diversify our economy, strengthen long-term stability, and build a thriving, resilient community for future generations.

What other important issue would you like to discuss?

Anchorage's Hillside faces a growing wildfire threat due to dense fuels, beetle-killed spruce and increasingly dry summer conditions. Despite multiple close calls, the community remains at risk of a catastrophic fire. Addressing this danger requires proactive mitigation strategies, including expanding community Firewise programs, accelerating dead vegetation clearing and improving evacuation planning. Emergency access routes must be strengthened, and firefighters need specialized training and resources tailored to wildland-urban fire threats. Wildfire prevention isn't just a government issue  it's a shared responsibility. City leaders must work closely with residents to implement effective mitigation efforts that protect homes, families and neighborhoods before disaster strikes.
Mar. 17The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage Assembly to answer a series of issue questions. Read all of them here.

Name: Kyle Walker  District: 2  Age: 33  Occupation: Civil Engineer  water resources  Website: walkerforassembly.com

Candidate background:

I was born in Anchorage and moved to Eagle River in first grade. I attended Fire Lake Elementary, Mirror Lake Middle School and graduated from Chugiak High School in 2009. I received my bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Arizona State University and quickly moved back to Anchorage to get my master's degree from UAA. I bought my first and current home in Eagle River in 2017.

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My time spent working as a civil engineer has provided me with the opportunity to work with federal, state, local and tribal government agencies. I know what it means to concede parts of a project because of budget, red tape, etc. But sometimes part of a project is still a better result for a project than no project at all.

Why are you running for the Anchorage Assembly, and what makes you qualified for the job?

I am running for Anchorage Assembly because I know firsthand how amazing the Anchorage/Eagle River community can be to grow up in and be a part of. I also am very aware that things in the community have changed in the last 15 years since I graduated from Chugiak High School, and not all of them are for the better.

I believe that my time working as a civil engineer makes me a uniquely qualified candidate (particularly in my time working for the state of Alaska) as I know what it takes to get capital improvement projects completed from the design and permitting side. Having that expertise on the Assembly would be a valuable addition to the review process.

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What is the most important problem facing Anchorage? How would you address it?

Making Anchorage feel clean and people feel safe in public again.

We have to figure out a better way to help the homeless population and clean up downtown and other shared community areas, because what we are currently doing is not working. This will require a holistic approach and is not going to be a quick fix. We need to work with local nonprofits, churches, and/or other organizations to figure out how we can get these people get back on their feet. That does not just mean off the streets and out of community areas, but also help those who want and are willing to be helped.

This will likely need to be a combination of incentives, relaxing of red tape and additional funding. Either way, a collaborative solution between the city, state and other agencies will be paramount. Another aspect of this is that we need to better equip our local agencies like AFD and APD with the man power necessary to respond to other incidents faster, without this clogging up their resources .

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Please give a letter grade, A-F, for Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's performance as mayor. Explain.

B. She was fortunate enough to have had one of the worst snow years on record allow her to start her term with her focus on issues that are not snow-plowing related.

Please give a letter grade, A-F, for the performance of the current Assembly. Explain.

C. The main (visible) issues across the city have not improved in the last three years, but things have not become visibly worse either.

What's your vision for improving and diversifying Anchorage's economy?

Anchorage's economy has become reliant on federal funds and tourism. In order for the city to take a step toward financial independence, we need to make the most out of the tourist season. There are already hotel, rental car and other tourist-related taxes, so this should be done via a citywide sales tax. This could be done with a permanent tax, like the one already proposed, or via a seasonal sales tax to reduce the impact to residents.

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What other important issue would you like to discuss?

We need to fill vacant positions in the MOA. Part of the reason Anchorage residents feel like they are not getting the most bang for their taxed buck is that there are too many vacant positions in the MOA. These includes positions like AFD and APD, office assistants, accountants, engineers, lawyers, safety workers and everything in between. The amount of vacant positions has caused a slowdown in all the government processes and (as a resident) makes it feel like things move at a snail's pace. In order for us to maximize the services we receive for each tax dollar, we have to start actually receiving these services again. A hard look at recruitment and retention is needed. That might mean increasing pay and incentives for these government positions, or moving these jobs to the private sector.
A gun at Casos Gun-A-Rama, open since 1967, on Feb 11, 2023, in Jersey City, NJ. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor)

Alaska has the fifth-highest rate of gun deaths in the nation, with an average of 175 people dying each year by gun, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 70% of gun deaths every year in Alaska, or 120 people, die by suicide.

House Bill 89, sponsored by Anchorage Democratic Rep. Andy Josephson, would allow law enforcement officers or household members to petition the court for a temporary protective order, to prevent someone who poses a danger to themself or others from possessing or accessing firearms.

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The goal of the bill would be to reduce the amount of fatalities, Josephson said in an interview on Friday. So these come either in the form of a homicide, or a suicide, or they could be grievous assaults that are permanently disabling . It seems like a good place to start.

Nationwide, 21 states have enacted similar gun violence protective orders, often referred to as red flag or extreme risk protective order laws, for quick intervention for someone at risk.

A petition for the court order can be filed by a police officer, or a household member, which includes a family member, current or former spouse, co-parent, person in a substantive dating relationship or roommate of the individual.

A judge would evaluate the petition based on several criteria: the petition provides clear and convincing evidence that someone is a danger to self or others; that less restrictive alternatives have been tried and were ineffective; and if the respondent has been contacted by police. Witnesses can be called to testify under oath, or provide information to the court via an affidavit.

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The bill allows an ex parte hearing  where the individual is not notified  to protect others who may be endangered, Josephson said. Youre not going to call your estranged lover or husband, and say, Hey, youre furious at me and threatening me. But I want you to feel even worse, because Im about to tell you Im going down to court. I mean, think how dangerous that would be, right? So you have to sort of have an ex parte system, he said.

A judge could issue the emergency order for 20 days or up to six months, with the possibility of renewal.

Often gun rights enthusiasts say, Please focus on the dangerous people, the people that are real threats, and leave me out of it. And this bill absolutely does that.

 Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage

Police would then notify the individual of the court order, and they would have the right to respond and request the order modified at a hearing within 20 days. Under the court order, they would have 24 hours to surrender all firearms to local law enforcement, who would store them until the order expires.

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Opponents of the bill have voiced concerns with court orders infringing on the U.S. Constitutions Second Amendment right to bear arms. Josephson said he understands, but there has to be limitations on people who are at extreme risk.

I respect the critics of the bill, he said. We shouldnt broad-brush people and say, a pox on everyones houses. In fact, often gun rights enthusiasts say, Please focus on the dangerous people, the people that are real threats, and leave me out of it. And this bill absolutely does that.

The bill sparked debate in the House State Affairs Committee during its first hearing on Thursday, and passionate public testimony both in support and opposition.

I have received more emails on this issue than I have on education, said Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance. You have created a firestorm in the state over this bill . What crime have they committed? Simple as that: What crime have they committed?

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Josephson pointed to current state law for domestic violence restraining orders, which already allows a judge to prohibit possession of firearms for those served, and to order them surrendered to police. This would go a step further, to intervene before violence takes place, he said.

Fundamentally, theyre not allowed to threaten people with firearms or to assume that if theyre suicidal, God forbid, as tragic as that is, that the public is just going to watch them live amongst guns and not care about their their health. So thats the answer, he said.

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Josephson also pointed to new federal case law: Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in U.S. v. Rahimi that to prohibit domestic abusers from possessing guns is constitutional under the Second Amendment. Our tradition of firearm regulation allows the Government to disarm individuals who present a credible threat to the physical safety of others, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.

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Supporters of the bill testified and urged lawmakers to prevent further personal tragedy, while opponents expressed concern with the process and limiting the right to have guns.

Guns are so lethal in the suicide world, said Gordon Williams of Douglas, a self-described gun owner and hunter, speaking in support of the bill. Ninety percent of suicide attempts with a gun are successful, and that doesnt give (people) a chance . So I think HB 89 provides an important tool to focus on mental health. Having the weapon out of the equation while mental health services are provided, and mental health can address it, is a really good thing.

Spencer King of Wasilla opposed the law.

If this is done ex parte, is this going to be like served through a no knock warrant at 5 a.m., waking people up in the middle of the night and kicking in their door with no notice? King said. I dont support this bill at all. And this is just a ploy by the gun grabbers to add more burden to legal gun owners that are going to be burdened by judicial and bureaucratic hardship.

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The House State Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks, said public testimony will continue, though the next hearing of the bill has not been scheduled yet.

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NEW YORK  Since launching his mayoral campaign earlier this month, ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo has raised more than $1.5 million in private donations, cementing his status as the races early front-runner, though some other, lesser-known candidates pulled off large hauls in the latest reporting period, too.

Cuomos campaign, which shared the top-line dollar figure ahead of its first detailed public fundraising disclosure due Monday, said $330,000 of the money came from 1,700 New York City residents.

That means Cuomo has met the thresholds to be eligible for public matching funds, making his estimated fundraising total for the most recent reporting period $4.1 million, according to his campaign.

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The flood of private cash  the largest, single-period haul out of any of the 2025 mayoral candidates to date  flowed into Cuomos coffers between his March 1 campaign launch and this past Friday, the close of the last reporting period.

Ive been humbled by the depth and breadth of the outpouring of support weve received upon entering this race, Cuomo said in a statement on his first fundraising performance. New York is the greatest city in the world and those who live here deserve a New York that is better, stronger, safer and more affordable than the New York we have today.

Though Cuomos full filings werent immediately available, his spokesman Rich Azzopardi said among those who contributed to the fundraising rally was Geoffrey Berman, the ex-Manhattan U.S. attorney fired by President Donald Trump in 2020, Broadway producer Tom Kirdahy and Jessica Seinfield, cookbook author and comedian Jerry Seinfelds wife.

Cuomos major money moves come after polls have for months shown him as the favorite to win Junes Democratic mayoral primary by double digits.

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Cuomo has also recently lined up support from several prominent backers of Mayor Eric Adams, whose reelection bid is sputtering amid accusations that hes beholden to Trumps administration amid its attempt to drop his federal corruption indictment in exchange for immigration enforcement assistance.

A campaign lawyer for the mayor, whos reeling from record low approval ratings and has struggled to raise money for his reelection in recent months, declined to provide a snapshot of his latest campaign finances ahead of Mondays public disclosure. Complicating matters further for the embattled incumbent is the fact that the Campaign Finance Board has denied him any public matching funds due to his indictment.

Though Cuomo  who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual misconduct accusations he denies  is polling ahead of the rest of the mayoral pack, several of his challengers have noted surveys also show hes netting high disapproval ratings, a wrinkle that could complicate his path to victory as campaign season begins heating up.

Among the most vociferous of Cuomos challengers is Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist whos social media-heavy mayoral campaign has garnered significant support from younger, left-leaning voters.

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According to Mamdanis campaign, that momentum has also reverberated on the fundraising front, with the lawmaker drawing in $845,000 from nearly 11,000 new donors in the most recent reporting window. With matching funds factored in, Mamdanis campaign said he raised more than $4.3 million in the latest stretch, adding to the nearly $3.5 million he has previously raked in, putting him close to the $7.9 million spending cap for the June 24 primary.

Also in the latest period, Comptroller Brad Lander raised about $228,000 for his mayoral run, putting his total haul to date at over $6.7 million with matching funds included, according to his campaign.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose late entry into the mayoral race earlier this month stands to shake up the dynamic of this springs campaign, didnt raise enough money this period to qualify for matching funds. But her campaign said shes still in a good position, having pulled in $128,000 from 1,128 individual donors in the five days after her campaign kickoff.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already raised more than $1.5 million for his mayoral campaign, cementing his status as the races early front-runner, according to new filings.

Mayor Adams, however, had not filed his latest fundraising disclosure as of Monday evening, the Campaign Finance Board confirmed, though his team had until midnight. Adams, whos facing political headwinds amid his corruption indictment and surrounding scandals, didnt return a request for comment via his lawyer.

In its first public fundraising disclosure since his March 1 campaign launch, Cuomos team reported the sizable $1.53 million haul came from 2,704 individual donors, 420 of whom gave the maximum $2,100 each.

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Just over $991,000, or about 64%, of the cash came from New York City residents, the filings show. Cuomos campaign reported in the filing, made public Monday night, that it submitted 1,700 of those donations, worth a total of $330,000, for public matching funds.

That means Cuomo has met the thresholds to be eligible for the public funds, making his estimated fundraising total for the most recent reporting period $4.1 million, according to his campaign. Hes not expected to get the public money until next month.

Cuomo will need to give back some of the money hes reporting in the bank, though.

The largest contribution he received in the latest period was $10,000 from Steven Weiss, a partner at an Albany-based law firm, on March 1, the filings show.

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Thats well above the $2,100 legal threshold, and Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi told the Daily News the campaign will return the $7,900 over-the-limit balance from Weiss.

Azzopardi said the Weiss donation was inadvertently accepted because the Cuomo teams internal vetting hadnt been totally set up yet on March 1. Campaigns can be fined for taking illegally large contributions.

The second largest donation Cuomo took clocked in at $2,500 and is thereby also due for a refund.

The flood of private cash  the largest, single-period haul out of any of the 2025 mayoral candidates to date  flowed into Cuomos coffers between Feb. 28 and this past Friday, the close of the last reporting period.

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Ive been humbled by the depth and breadth of the outpouring of support weve received upon entering this race, Cuomo said in a statement.

Among those who contributed to Cuomos rally was Black Swan filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who gave $1,000, as did Jessica Seinfield, the cookbook author and wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, records show. Sopranos actor Michael Imperioli, who played Cuomo in Espace at Dannemora, gave the ex-gov $200, per the records.

Geoffrey Berman, the ex-Manhattan U.S. attorney fired by President Trump in 2020, gave Cuomo the max $2,100, as did ex-Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci and Melissa DeRosa, Cuomos longtime top adviser who was the first person to donate on Feb. 28, according to disclosures.

Cuomos haul  which was also boosted from a number of executives in the citys influential real estate industry  comes after polls have for months shown him as the favorite to win Junes Democratic mayoral primary by double digits.

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Cuomo has also recently lined up support from several prominent backers of Adams, whose reelection bid is sputtering amid accusations that hes beholden to Trumps administration due to its attempt to drop his federal corruption indictment in exchange for immigration enforcement assistance.

Adams, whos reeling from record low approval ratings and has recently struggled to raise money for his reelection, declined to provide a snapshot of his latest campaign finances ahead of the public disclosure when asked at a press conference Monday afternoon.

Complicating matters further for the embattled incumbent is the fact that the Campaign Finance Board has denied him public matching funds due to his indictment.

As of the end of the last reporting period, Adams had raised just shy of $4.4 million in private funds, putting him behind several of his challengers, whose war chests are larger with matching funds factored in.

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At his press conference at City Hall, Adams insisted his competitors, including Cuomo, are catching up to him.

I started raising early and I was pleased with the team, he said. So theyre catching up to me.

Though Cuomo  who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual misconduct accusations he denies  is polling ahead of the rest of the mayoral pack, several of his challengers have noted surveys also show hes netting high disapproval ratings, a wrinkle that could complicate his path to victory as campaign season begins heating up.

Among the most vociferous of Cuomos challengers is Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose social media-heavy mayoral campaign has garnered significant support from younger, left-leaning voters.

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According to Mamdanis campaign, that momentum has also reverberated on the fundraising front, with the lawmaker drawing in $845,000 from more than 13,327 in the most recent reporting window, his latest filings show. With matching funds included, Mamdanis campaign said he raised more than $4.3 million in the latest stretch, adding to the nearly $3.5 million he had previously raked in, putting him close to the $7.9 million spending cap for the June 24 primary.

Also in the latest period, Comptroller Brad Lander raised about $228,000 for his mayoral run, putting his total haul to date at over $6.7 million with matching funds included, according to his campaign.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose late entry into the mayoral race earlier this month stands to shake up the dynamic of this springs campaign, didnt raise enough money this period to qualify for matching funds.

But her campaign said shes still in a good position, having pulled in $128,000 from 1,128 individual donors in the days after her campaign kickoff.

Former Comptroller Scott Stringer, one of the several other candidates also challenging the mayor in Junes primary, reported his worst fundraising period to date, drawing just over $191,000 in the latest window. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, meantime, became the first major mayoral candidate to report a financial deficit, disclosing in her latest filing that shes $881 in the red after raising less than $70,000 in the most recent period.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, contact RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline for free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and en Espanol at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and online.RAINN.org y RAINN.org/es

Since returning to the U.S. and arriving in Fort Lauderdale in a private jet, internet "manosphere" personality and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate has been trolling Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Your wife will never win governor unless you arrest me, @GovRonDeSantis," Tate posted on X, formerly Twitter, Friday. "Youve proven to be a communist who attacks American citizens for zero. When Americans who are unfairly imprisoned abroad return home you betray them. You better nail me now. Lets go. Arrest me.

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Tate demanded that DeSantis arrest him several times the day before, saying he was back in Miami and ready.

Tate and his brother Tristan are under investigation in Romania on accusations of forming an organized criminal group, human trafficking, trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering. They have denied all wrongdoing, although Tate frequently jokes about it online. A travel ban was lifted last month.

The one-sided war with DeSantis began after the governor, responding to a reporter's question about the brothers' arrival in the state, said that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was looking at what jurisdiction Florida may have to deal with them. The reality is no, Florida is not a place where youre welcome with that type of conduct, he said.

Last week, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said an investigation "is still ongoing" despite the brothers having left the state.

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"These guys are charged with pretty horrific offenses around the world," Uthmeier told reporters at an unrelated press conference in Tampa. "There are victims that have come forward around the world, and we're looking at possible victims and possible conduct that may have taken place on Florida soil."

Tate has been steadily taunting the governor, saying on X that DeSantis opened a criminal case "for zero reason," that DeSantis attacked him because he was worried Tate would support gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds over his wife, and jokingly asking Florida to open a criminal case because his brother stole his snacks on the plane.

Who is Andrew Tate?

A self-described misogynist who often poses in expensive settings with fast cars and guns, social media influencer Tate has gained millions of fans by promoting an ultra-masculine attitude that critics say denigrates women.

Emory Andrew Tate III, 38, is a former professional kickboxer who gained notoriety for promoting an extreme view of men and women. He appeared on the 17th season of the British reality show "Big Brother" but was removed after six days after videos emerged showing him hitting a woman with a belt and telling another to count the bruises he apparently caused. Vice later reported that the producers dropped him when they became aware of an ongoing rape investigation, which was later dropped.

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Tate and his brother Tristan started a webcam studio with up to 75 webcam models which he later admitted was a scam, according to GQ, and opened several different online schools to encourage teenage boys and young men to forego traditional life paths and instead focus on making as much money as possible through unconventional, mostly online means.

Tate's popularity exploded online due to his increasingly inflammatory statements, claiming women had to take responsibility for being raped, depression isn't real, Nazis might not have been the bad guys in World War II, women belong to men, and how he would attack a woman who accused him of cheating. He has also defended other people accused of sexual assault such as actor Russell Brand. In 2022, The Guardian reported that students in his various schools were told to flood social media with his most controversial clips to help boost his content.

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter all blocked his accounts, although he was reinstated on Twitter after Elon Musk bought the social media company.

Tate has said such comments were jokes or taken out of context.

What are Tate brothers accused of?

Tate and his brother were arrested in their home near Bucharest in August amid new charges against the brothers and four other suspects on trafficking charges, BBC News reported.

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There is also a British arrest warrant out on the brothers on allegations of rape and serious physical and sexual assaults dating back to 2012-2015 in the UK. Romania granted the extradition request, but only after the Romanian legal proceedings are completed. British police have also started a civil case against them for alleged tax evasion.

A first Romanian criminal case against the Tates failed in December when the court cited problems with the indictment and sent the files back to the prosecutors, according to Reuters. Tate was under house arrest from August, when he faced a second Romanian criminal case, until January.

The Tates, who have denied accusations against them, are under judicial control, a light preventative measure under which they are required to check in with the police regularly.

One of President Donald Trump's top envoys reportedly brought up the case with a Romanian foreign minister just a few weeks before the country lifted the Tates' travel ban. Tate's fan base is heavily right-wing and male and he has been a strong supporter of Trump.

Florida woman sues Tate brothers

USA TODAY reported that, in February, a Florida woman listed only as Jane Doe filed a countersuit against Andrew and Tristan Tate in the first U.S. case brought against the brothers. She said she met him in Miami in 2021 when he teased her with a romantic relationship before she flew to Romania to visit him. While there, she feared that she and the other women at the house were being groomed to sexual videos and they made a plan to escape together, according to court documents.

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After the women got free of the Tates with the help of Romanian authorities who raided the brothers compound in April 2022, the Tates sued her, another woman and some witnesses, saying Doe was "a serial extortionist and blackmailer who preys on successful men."

Jane Doe's countersuit alleges sex trafficking by force and/or coercion, conspiracy to violate the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, defamation, malicious prosecution, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Since filing it, she says she has been bombarded with online harassment, including sharing of personally identifiable information about her.

Is Andrew Tate a US citizen?

Andrew Tate, who was born in Washington, DC, and his brother Tristan have dual U.S.-UK citizenship.

Contributing: Luiza Ilie, Reuters and Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Andrew Tate demands Florida Gov. DeSantis arrest him, taunts him on X
Mar. 16Spokesman-Review reporter Nick Gibson was in Florida last week to report on Anne McClain's and NASA's SpaceX launch from the Kennedy Space Center. Follow along in print and online at spokesman.com/sections/return-to-space.

Spokane astronaut and Crew-10 commander Anne McClain has arrived at the International Space Station.

The SpaceX Dragon docked at the station at 9:04 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.

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The 250-mile trek took just shy of 29 hours, despite traveling at speeds as fast as 17,000 mph.

The arrival of Crew-10, composed of McClain, fellow NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, means Crew-9 (NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore) will be coming back to Earth in short order.

U.S. Space Force Col. Nick Hague, aboard the ISS, donned an alien mask while awaiting Crew-10's passage from the space craft. Williams, all smiles, stood nearby with a photo camera in hand as Wilmore cleared and checked for any debris in the area. The Dragon hatch opened at 10:35 p.m., and 10 minutes later Crew-10 boarded the space station.

Onishi was the first to board, welcomed with cheers, clapping, smiles and hugs all around, followed by Peskov and Ayers. McClain was the last to board.

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"Hi everybody on Earth," McClain said on a live feed after taking a group photo minutes after boarding. " ... Let me tell you, that is such an amazing journey. You can hardly put it into words."

Williams and Wilmore, who had a weeklong stint aboard the station turn into a monthslong stay after the Boeing Starliner they traveled to the station was deemed unfit to bring them home.

Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, in which private companies partner with the space agency and international governments for transportation to the orbiting laboratory's staff, stressed Friday that this is a shift change, not a rescue mission, and pushed back against the narratives that have plagued the pair's stay.

"It's the first principle in space flight, you always have a way for the crew to come home," Stich said. "And Butch and Suni have had a way to come home."

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That "way to come home" has changed slightly, but there has always been a capsule attached to the station they could hop into, if need be.

"To me, we are embarking upon a handover with two crews, and Butch and Suni happen to be part of the expedition," Stich said.

Dina Contella, NASA's deputy manager of the International Space Station Program, said in a news conference Friday that Crew-9 could return as soon as Wednesday, weather permitting. The space agency is shooting for a shorter handover than usual to make the most of any potential return opportunities and to limit the consumption of the station's food supply before more supplies arrive.

"Last year, we had some handovers that were more extended, waiting on good weather, and so we don't want to lose any good opportunities that we might have," Contella said.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 17. President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, met with Shen Yanfeng, the General Director of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), to discuss prospects for cooperation in nuclear energy, Trend reports.

In the course of the meeting, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev informed Shen Yanfeng about Kazakhstan's plans for the development of the industry, emphasizing the importance of the recent decision to establish the Nuclear Energy Agency for the systematic implementation of the strategic tasks facing the national economy.

President Tokayev also noted that Kazakhstan is interested in the extensive experience of CNNC, which is a leader in nuclear energy in China.

In turn, Shen Yanfeng informed Kassym-Jomart Tokayev about the company's projects both in China and abroad.

In the midst of the meeting, the two sides discussed cooperation on the study of advanced peaceful nuclear technologies and the training of Kazakh specialists.

The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is the largest state-owned corporation in China, engaged in the development and production of nuclear energy, as well as research and technological projects in the field of nuclear energy. CNNC was founded in 1999 to consolidate China's efforts in the nuclear industry.




WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  The largest beer and wine-tasting event in Wichita Falls is coming up this weekend.

The Annual Red Rive Wine & Beer Festival is happening this Saturday, March 22, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the JS Bridwell AG Center.

Guests can try a variety of over 40 Texas wines, including beers and spirits.

At the event, there will be live music, raffles and vendors selling food and merchandise.

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Admission includes a souvenir glass and 10 tasting tickets for wine and beer.

Tickets for the Red River Wine & Beer Festival is $40. To purchase tickets, head to Wichita Falls Brewing Company, Kocks Liquor Beer & Wine or online at www.redriverwineandbeerfestival.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 Texomashomepage.com.
A fourth person who was on the trip with Shanquella Robinson when she died has filed a motion in federal court seeking the Robinson familys lawsuit dismissed.

Shanquella Robinson attorneys ask judge to keep case in US

An attorney representing Khalil Cooke filed the motion in federal court on Friday.

In October 2022, Robinson died in Cabo. Her family members say they were told she died of alcohol poisoning but an autopsy in Mexico claimed she died of neck and spinal injuries.

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A video also surfaced of Robinson being attacked on the trip. The FBI declined charges.

Like the dismissal request by Alysse Hyatt and Wenter Donovan, Cookes argument for dismissal is that he is a bystander and there is no allegation that defendant Cooke participated in the fight or touched anyone.

Cookes dismissal request also says the lawsuit should be heard in Mexico since a substantial part of the plaintiffs claims occurred there.

Numerous important witnesses reside in Mexico who possess relevant information regarding plaintiffs claims and Mr. Cookes defenses to those claims. Those witnesses include medical personnel who treated Ms. Robinson and were in the hotel room prior to and shortly after her death. Hotel personnel may also have potentially relevant information, the court document stated. Moreover, critical witnesses include Mexican law enforcement who responded to the scene as well as the coroners office who forensically examined Ms. Robinsons body and opined on her cause of death. All of these witnesses would likely be an essential part of any trial of this action.

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No one is facing criminal charges over Robinsons death.

In addition to Cooke, Hyatt and Donovan, Malik Dyer is seeking the lawsuit dismissed. Two other travel mates, including the person who allegedly attacked Robinson, have not yet responded. The travel group was later dubbed The Cabo 6.

A judge will determine the lawsuits future at a later date.





VIDEO: FBI files shed some light on Shanquella Robinson investigation
Days after federal immigration agents showed up to Ranjani Srinivasans apartment  prompting her to leave the country out of fear she would be taken into custody  the student is disputing the Trump administrations account of her story.

Srinivasan, 37, an Indian national and Fulbright Scholarship recipient at Columbia University, says she is being targeted for exercising her right to free speech.

Department of Homeland Security officials identified her last week as one of two more Columbia University students they targeted for immigration action as part of the Trump administrations crackdown on international students who participated in protests against the Israel-Hamas war.

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Srinivasan has been in the United States since 2016, when she enrolled as a graduate student at Harvard University.

Srinivasans attorneys said she attended a handful of protests.

But her attorneys say she did not participate in a protest last year in which students occupied Hamilton Hall, leading to dozens of arrests.

Srinivasans attorneys say the night the Hamilton Hall incident unfolded, she was returning home from a night out with friends. As she approached her Columbia University apartment, she found the streets barricaded and police did not allow her to access her apartment.

During the confusion, Srinivasan was detained. She received a court summons and was charged with failure to disperse and blocking the sidewalk. Both charges were dismissed, and she has never faced any disciplinary action, her attorneys said.

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Her social media activity was limited to sharing or liking posts highlighting human rights violations in the war in Gaza, and in December 2023, she signed an open letter published by the Society of Architectural Historians in support of Palestinian liberation.

Srinivasan, who enrolled at Columbia in 2020 and is also an architect, was pursuing a doctoral degree at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She was expected to graduate this year.

Since leaving the US last week, Srinivasan says her enrollment has been revoked without explanation from the university and that shes not sure whether she will be able to complete the degree she has been working toward for the past five years.

Having my visa revoked and then losing my student status has upended my life and future  not because of any wrongdoing, but because I exercised my right to free speech, Srinivasan said in a statement to CNN.

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Columbia University declined to comment on a request regarding Srinivasans enrollment.

Immigration officers visited student without warrant, attorneys say

Srinivasan first learned something was amiss with her visa two weeks ago after she was contacted by the US Consulate in India, which notified her that her student visa had been revoked.

Srinivasan contacted Columbia Universitys International Student Services Office for help and was told that visa revocations sometimes happen, and that she could simply apply for a new visa when or if she left the country.

Until then, she would have legal status as an enrolled student and would be able to continue her teaching duties at Barnard College, the university told her.

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It was during that phone call that immigration officers first showed up at Srinivasans door. She says she did not let them in.

According to Srinivasans attorneys, immigration officers returned to her apartment the following evening around the same time that federal immigration officers descended on Columbia Universitys campus and arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist who was closely involved with the campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war.

Khalil, who is married to a US citizen and is a permanent legal resident, remains in custody at an ICE detention facility in Louisiana.

Khalil completed work on his masters degree from Columbia University in December. He was arrested and detained by federal agents on March 8 after his lawyer said the Trump administration revoked his green card.

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Khalils wife, who is eight months pregnant, was present during his arrest.

Nearly 100 people were arrested Thursday after protesters gathered at Trump Tower in Manhattan to denounce Khalils detainment. Khalils attorneys filed a motion for his release on Friday, arguing Khalils First Amendment and due process rights were violated during his arrest.

Srinivasans attorneys say the officers did not have a warrant during their initial visit and threatened to return to her apartment until they could contact her.

By Tuesday, Srinivasan made the decision to leave the US for Canada.

I came to the U.S. to study. American universities are places where students can learn and engage in political discourse without fear of retaliation. I simply want to complete my studies so I can finish what I started, Srinivasan said in a statement.

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Last week, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted a video on X showing Srinivasan walking through an airport as she made her way out of the country. In a post, Noem said Srinivasan had used a US Customs and Border Protection app to self-deport  a claim that her attorneys now deny.

Despite doing nothing wrong, Ms. Srinivasan booked a flight out of the country to comply with U.S. law, which gave her a 15-day deadline to depart after DHS illegally terminated her student status, Nathan Yaffe, an attorney for Srinivasan, said in a statement.

The fact that DHS falsely claims she self-deported via a CBP app only underscores that the administrations targeting of her is built on fabrications, not facts, Yaffe said.

CNN has reached out to DHS officials for comment.

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DHS confirmed last week that Srinivasans visa was revoked in accordance with an obscure legal statute that gives the secretary of state authority to act if he or she believes a non-citizen would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

CNN previously reported the Trump administration is using the seldom-used law to target students who may have been involved in protests last year.

DHS officials also confirmed Srinivasan failed to disclose the two citations in her most recent visa, although it is not clear whether that is the sole basis for the revocation.

CNNs Chelsea Bailey contributed to this report.

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Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described Ranjani Srinivasans role in the protests. Her attorneys say that while she attended a handful of protests, she did not participate in the occupation of Hamilton Hall the night she was arrested.

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(Bloomberg) -- The Democratic Action Party, which has the most parliamentary seats in the ruling coalition, hopes the government will amend the federal constitution to restrict prime ministers to a maximum 10 years in office, the Malay Mail reported.

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The party hopes the government would amend this within the next two years, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke was cited as saying. Loke, who is also Malaysias transport minister, added that the party will continue to back Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim even after the next general election, according to the report.

Anwar said he agreed with the proposed reform, adding that he still needed two-thirds majority support in parliament to push through the change, the Malay Mail reported. He acknowledged his coalition has yet to fulfill several reform promises, including the 10-year limit for the prime ministers post.

Anwar commands the support of at least two thirds of Malaysian lawmakers  albeit via a testy alliance with long-time rivals and regional parties from Sarawak and Sabah. He has lasted more than two years as prime minister, a milestone that none of his three immediate predecessors reached.

Mahathir Mohamad, who had a second stint as prime minister that ended in 2020, spent more than two decades in the top spot.

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A majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say their party's top priority should be working to "stop the Republican agenda," according to a poll commissioned by CNN that found Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is seen as best embodying the party's values.

The survey, conducted by polling firm SSRS, found that 57% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters think that opposing the GOP should be Democrats' priority, as opposed to 42% who say it should "mainly work" with Republicans to improve legislation. In 2017, only 23% of Democratic voters said the party should primarily focus on obstruction, with 74% at the time expressing support for bipartisanship.

Overall, the poll found that the Democratic Party has plummeted in terms of favorabilty: just 29% of those surveyed expressed a positive opinion of the party, compared to 54% who expressed an unfavorable opinion. A decade ago, 47% of voters had a favorable opinion of the party, with 45% disapproving.

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In keeping with the broad desire for a party that fights back, the most popular Democrat  the one who "best reflects the core values the Democratic Party"  was Ocasio-Cortez, who was the pick of 10% of those surveyed; former Vice President Kamala Harris was listed by 9% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was listed by 8%. Former President Barack Obama, who was the top pick of voters surveyed in 2017, registered 18% at the time, fell to 4% in the latest survey.

"I noticed that Chuck Schumers name wasnt on that at all," PBS White House correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez noted in an appearance on CNN. "The congresswoman is clearly tapping into something across the Democratic base because she is someone who ... unlike I think a lot of other Democrats, knows how to operate in this new media ecosystem," she said. "Voters are responding to her message and theyre feeling like, out of everyone in the party, she is potentially the person who is giving voice to their anger."
Community members wait in line at the water tank in Peridot, Arizona, so that they can place a red hand print of the mural honoring Emily Pike and everyone impacted by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror

Alika Harvey from the White Mountain Apache Tribe placed her hand covered in red paint firmly on the water tower, adding to the hundreds of other red hand prints stamped across a mural painted in honor of late San Carlos Apache Teen Emily Pike and other Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples.

Emily was the same age as me, Harvey said. She was 14. I am 14.

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Emily, a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, went missing in January. Her remains were found on Feb. 14 outside of Globe, in a remote area off of U.S. Route 60.

Harvey, who serves as Jr. Miss White Mountain Apache 2024-2025, drove with her family to San Carlos when she heard that local artists had created a mural in Emilys honor and the community was hosting a vigil for the family.

When Harvey heard about Emilys story, she said it made her mad, especially after hearing about how Indigenous women go missing and experience violence at higher rates than the national average.

Why are we still going through this as Indigenous people? she said.

Jr. Miss White Mountain Apache Alika Harvey, 14, gets her hand-painted red on March 15, 2025, to place it on the mural in honor of Emily Pike in Peridot, Arizona. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror

Harveys mother, Desiree, watched her daughter place her handprint on the water tower and said it was beautiful.

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They came out in support of Emily, Desiree said, because her tragedy impacts all Indigenous peoples.

Were all coming together, she added.

Seeing the mural of Emily and all the hand prints on it, Alika Harvey said it really touched her as an Indigenous woman because shes happy to be a part of it.

Its important for this to be put up in her memory, to spread awareness (and) to show people that we care, she said. Were still here and we see that this shouldnt be happening anymore.

Mural honoring Emily Pike

The mural of Emily Pike is on a large water tank that can be seen off U.S. Route 70 near a Bashas grocery store in Peridot.

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San Carlos Apache artist Myron Starr said when he learned about Emilys love for art, he started thinking of how to use his talent to honor her. He decided a mural for her was the best way.

I didnt know what to expect, Starr said when he approached the family about the mural. To his surprise, they already knew who he was.

They were honored, he added.

Starr began the mural on March 7 and ultimately brought five other artists on board to contribute to it. The mural, which stands more than 40 feet tall, was completed on March 11. A few days later, they held an event to involve the community by asking them to place red hand prints on it.

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The artists who joined Starr for the project were Carrie Sage Curley and Samuel Bendle, who are both San Carlos Apache, and AJ Larson, Felicia Garcia and Erica Raymond.

This is something that had to be done, Starr said of the mural. She needed to be brought home the right way.

The murals centerpiece is a portrait of Emily wearing a red Apache camp dress surrounded by medicinal plants used by the San Carlos Apache people. Silhouettes of Apache warriors stand beside her. The words Apache Strong are written boldly in white, surrounded by a butterfly and stars. The final touches of the mural were the individual red hand prints from people who wanted to honor her and support the fight against the murdered and missing Indigenous peoples crisis.

It speaks volumes without speaking, Starr said of the mural.

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When the idea of allowing the community to add red handprints came up, Starr said the artists did not expect how well it would be received.

It united the community, he said. Hundreds of people came through to place a red handprint. The artists had Emilys mother, Stephanie Dosela, right in the center of the mural. Her red handprint is the only one in that area.

The red handprint of Emily Pikes mother, Stephanie Dosela, is placed right in the murals center. Her red handprint is the only one in that area, as requested by the artists to honor Emily. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror

Curley joined Starr and the other artists after passing by the area late one night and seeing them working on the mural. She contacted Starr and said he invited her to join.

As an artist, its such an honor to be part of it, she said, and she thanked all the other artists who worked on the mural because it was hard.

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People think that art is just beautiful, but its heavy, she said. Its heavy at many times to paint crosses, to paint memorial things  but this is beautiful.

Curley said they chose to paint Emily wearing an Apache camp dress because its a shield for them as Apache women, and she believes that a lot of Indigenous women can understand that.

This is us respecting her, she said, adding that having a mural for Emily is bringing her home in a good way.

Curley said the water tank off Highway 70 was a great canvas for the mural because it allows people to see it from the road and brings more awareness to whats happened.

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Having her be seen is number one, Curley said. This is our way as artists.

Larson thanked the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the community for letting them work on their land and paint the mural.

Its been one of the most powerful experiences Ive ever been through, he said. I painted other murals that people have lost their loved ones, but this one hit differently for me.

He said witnessing everyone come and place their handprints on the mural was beautiful.

Each one of you basically signed that water tower, he said.

Emilys aunt, April Victor, talked about the mural during a candlelight vigil on March 15. She said that it was an emotional experience to place her handprint on the water tank.

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Once I put my hand on the tank, I couldnt help but cry and tell Emily Im sorry, Victor said. Im sorry nobody was there to protect you. Im sorry you had to be alone when you died. Im sorry that you had to suffer the way that you did. Im sorry that none of us were there to save you.

She said she commends the work that all the artists did for Emily.

Community candlelight vigil

Hundreds of people, some holding signs, others wearing red or having red handprints across their mouths, gathered in front of the Apache Gold Casino on March 15 to honor Emily Pike and demonstrate their support for her family and those affected by the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.

San Carlos Apache Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler spoke during the vigil, updating the community on the investigation and announcing an award.

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Rambler said the Gila County Sheriffs Office is leading the ongoing investigation, but the San Carlos Police Department and Game & Fish Department are assisting.

The Gila County Sheriffs Office is committed to finding whomever committed this horrible act, he said. They will continue to update us, and we will share what we can.

A community member holds a candle in front of her sign during a candlelight vigil honoring Emily Pike on March 15, 2025, in front of the Apache Gold Casino. The sign listed all the other names of missing and murdered Indigenous people from the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror

Rambler shared with the community that the San Carlos Apache Tribal Council is offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

He said the council has launched an independent study to help determine where the tribe can improve its internal processes to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.

Our San Carlos Council will be meeting with Governor (Katie) Hobbs, our state legislators, and our sister tribes to work with our representatives to help improve group home standards off reservation to help prevent something like this from happening again, Rambler said.

At the time of her disappearance, Emily lived in a group home in Mesa. She was last seen on the evening of Jan. 27 near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road. Two days later, the Mesa Police Department issued a poster for Emily, listing her as a missing or runaway juvenile.

When Emily went missing, it took a week before San Carlos Tribal Social Services notified the family. A month after she went missing, the Gila County Sheriffs Office reported that Emilys remains had been found.

She was so young, super young. She had everything ahead of her, San Carlos Apache teen Alayna Redhouse said about Emily. She attended the vigil and placed a handprint on the mural in her honor.

We care about our people, Redhouse, 16, said. She attended the vigil with her friend, Dlavin Thompson, 15. They both had a red handprint over their mouths and danced with the community during a prayer song.

She deserved better than this, Thompson said of Emily. When she heard what had happened to her, she was heartbroken and started crying.

This needs to stop, because why us? she added.

Emily Pikes aunt, April Victor, holds the mic for the San Carlos Apache Medicine Man to sing a prayer song during a candlelight vigil honoring Emily Pike on March 15, 2025, in front of the Apache Gold Casino. Photo By Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror

As the sun set behind the snow-covered mountains and the temperatures started to drop, supporters remained well into the night to hear from Emilys family, listen to the drum group, enjoy community members singing and hear from tribal officials.

Emilys uncle, Allred Pike Jr., spoke during her vigil, thanking the community for supporting the entire family.

Allred Pike said that Emily knew that all life was precious and her life may have been cut short, but her name will be remembered all over.

Her name is not confined to this reservation anymore, he said. It has spread throughout all of Indian Country.

Allred Pike said people are saying her name because they all want one thing: justice for Emily.

Weve got to continue to say her name, he added. Weve got to let the world know that we want justice for our very own.

San Carlos Apache Tribal Vice Chairman Tao Etpison said the tribe will continue to work until an arrest and conviction is made for what happened to Emily.

We will not rest. We will not sit back, he said. Apaches are known everywhere, and this has happened to us. We are victims of a missing and murdered Indigenous person.

Etpison said that the tribe will continue to look for people who are missing and make sure they are returned safely if thats possible.

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A federal appeals court in a 2-1 decision Monday declined to immediately block a judges order that the Trump administration reinstate fired probationary employees at six federal agencies.

The new ruling, which does not address the legality of the firings, refuses the administrations request for an administrative stay that would temporarily freeze the ruling until the next stage of the appeal.

Given that the district court found that the employees were wrongfully terminated and ordered an immediate return to the status quo ante, an administrative stay of the district courts order would not preserve the status quo, the court wrote in its ruling. It would do just the opposite  it would disrupt the status quo and turn it on its head.

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U.S. Circuit Judge Bridget Bade, a Trump appointee, dissented from her two Democratic-appointed colleagues. Bade warned of a potential whiplash effect where the employees rehired under the judges order could be fired again.

Plaintiffs do not contest these assertions. They argue that government services upon which they and their organizational members rely have been thrown into chaos by the terminations and that they will continue to be injured by the governments inability to render services, Bade wrote.

But Plaintiffs offer no reason to believe that immediate offers of reinstatement would cure these harms, the judge continued. Instead, the administrative undertaking of immediately reinstating potentially thousands of employees would likely draw (already depleted) agency resources away from their designated service functions.

The Trump administration has moved rapidly to reshape the federal bureaucracy, including by firing thousands of federal employees in their probationary period, which typically extends for the first year or two of a given employees role.

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The administration appealed after U.S. District Judge William Alsup, an appointee of former President Clinton who serves in San Francisco, last week ordered officials to reinstate those terminated at six agencies by finding the firings were unlawful. Hours later, a federal judge in Baltimore issued a similar ruling that covered roughly a dozen other agencies.

As part of Mondays ruling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that written briefing be concluded by Thursday on the administrations motion to block Alsups ruling, pending the full appeal.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  A man wanted in Arizona is in a South Dakota jail cell  accused of threatening President Donald Trump.

46-year-old David Combe is scheduled to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Rapid City on Wednesday.

Cimpl halts harvest operations in Yankton

Hes charged with two counts of making threats against the President and one count of false information and hoaxes.

Court documents say Combe mailed a letter to the President in early September 2020. It allegedly contained white powder and said, PS: enjoy the anthrax in the envelope.

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Combe is also accused of writing a letter addressed to the President that said in part, I will hunt you down and kill you

The federal indictment says the crimes happened between September 8, 2020, and September 14, 2020, which was during Trumps first term in office. The indictment and arrest warrant werent filed until February of this year.

Court documents do not say whether Combe now lives in South Dakota or just happened to be visiting 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 KELOLAND.com.
Houston-based immigration officials greet each other after December arrests involving the smuggling of immigrants on a tractor trailer. A revived task force cooperation program will let state and local law enforcement coordinate with the Trump administration on immigration arrests during routine police work. (Courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

A top Republican in the Arkansas Senate has introduced a bill that would require state prison system officials and county sheriffs across Arkansas to work more closely with federal immigration authorities just as the Trump administration looks to ramp up its promised mass deportation efforts.

Senate Bill 426, the Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act, is sponsored by Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs) and Rep. Fran Cavenaugh (R-Walnut Ridge). Hester is the Senate president pro tempore.

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SB 426 requires any sheriff whos in charge of a county jail to apply to participate in the Warrant Service Officer Program, which is run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Participating sheriffs are essentially deputized to act as ICE agents for purposes of serving warrants on people held in their jails, according to the immigration agencys website.

In other words, the program would make it easier for a sheriff to hand over an unauthorized immigrant to ICE if that person were already held in the county jail. (Heres more on the Warrant Service Officer Program in a 2019 announcement by ICE and a recent fact sheet.) SB 426 would also require the state Division of Correction to apply to participate in the program.

The bill would also enhance criminal penalties for unauthorized immigrants convicted of certain serious felonies involving violence, such as murder, battery or aggravated assault. And it would build on an existing state-level ban on so-called sanctuary cities to forbid such policies in counties and unincorporated areas.

The Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act was one of the pieces of legislation promised by Gov. Sarah Sanders in her address at the start of the 2025 session. The bill would slap enhanced penalties on violent illegal immigrants and remove them from our state, she said at the time.

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To be clear, though, those are two different things. The enhanced penalties under the bill would take place within the state criminal justice system; they would apply to people convicted of violent crimes who also happen to be unauthorized immigrants. The removals referenced by Sanders, which would presumably be expedited under the ICE program, could apply to an unauthorized immigrant held in jail for any crime, violent or not. A person who was arrested for public intoxication or shoplifting, for example, could still be handed over to ICE.

Would enhanced penalties based on immigration status even be legal here? Its possible, Little Rock attorney Jeff Rosenzweig said. It is saber rattling, but it has a good chance of getting upheld by the courts, he said.

SB 426 isnt the only bill in the state Legislature that aims to further Trumps immigration crackdown. House Bill 1789, sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Burkes (R-Lowell), would ban cities and counties from issuing ID cards to any person who does not provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. Little Rock is one such city with a municipal ID program that provides an alternative to drivers licenses or state-issued IDs.

Then theres House Bill 1655 by Rep. Wayne Long (R-Bradford). The bill would establish two new felony offenses under state criminal law, human smuggling and harboring illegal aliens. If passed, anyone who knowingly conceals, harbors, or shields from detection any person who is in the U.S. unlawfully could be convicted of a Class D felony.
Photo: Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 17. President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has appointed the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization and international economic organizations, Trend reports.

"By the President's decree, Kairat Torebaev has been appointed as the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization and international economic organizations," the information says.

Kairat Torebaev, from October 2014 through June 2019 served as Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since June 2019, Torebaev has been working as Director of the International Cooperation Department of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, presents Senate Bill 184 to the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Thursday, February 13, 2025 while Sen. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, looks on. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)

A legislative proposal to dissolve the Arkansas State Library Board will remain on the table after the board did not take action that bill sponsor Sen. Dan Sullivan requested, he told the Advocate Friday.

The library board narrowly rejected two motions put forth by member Jason Rapert of Conway, Sullivans former Senate colleague, during a special meeting Thursday. Later, the board passed a motion proposed by Lupe Pena de Martinez of Mabelvale, who said she trusted that the Jonesboro Republican would respond by withdrawing Senate Bill 184 from consideration.

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As first written SB 184 would eliminate both the State Library Board and the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, which oversees Arkansas PBS, and transfer the boards powers and authorities to the Arkansas Department of Education.

Thursdays library board meeting came a week after Arkansas Educational Television Commission Chairman West Doss said a discussion he had with Sullivan saved the commission from dissolution.

Sullivan has since said he is amending SB 184, which passed the Senate Feb. 17, to remove the Arkansas Educational Television Commission. An amendment hadnt been posted on the Legislatures bill monitoring website as of Friday evening. A House committee has yet to hear the bill.

Library board member Pena de Martinez also spoke to Sullivan before last weeks meeting. He told her he would pull the bill if the board developed non-binding policies to protect children, she said Thursday. The board voted 4-3 to pass the motion she introduced to create such policies.

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In an interview with the Advocate Friday, Sullivan said he told Pena de Martinez and other board members that his preference would be to see two things: that the library board have policies that protect children and that it disaffiliate itself from the American Library Association. He was referring to the national nonprofit trade association that advocates for public libraries and helps them secure grant funding. It also accredits masters of library science degree programs.

Pena de Martinez said Thursday that Sullivans exact words to her were Develop non-binding policies to protect children and I will pull Senate Bill 184 at least two or three times.

On Friday, Pena de Martinez corrected herself and confirmed that Sullivan expressed both of his wishes in their conversation. She reiterated a concern she expressed at Februarys regularly scheduled board meeting: that she is not aware of any high-caliber body that could replace the ALA in accrediting higher education programs for librarians in training.

She also said she made Thursdays motion in good faith and was disappointed in Sullivans response.

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Im a lifelong educator, she said. I want nothing more than to protect children, and I think Ive been clear on that.

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Non-binding

Rapert made both of the motions that the board rejected Thursday by the same 4-3 vote. One would have eliminated all references to the ALA from the boards documents; the other would have created an ad hoc committee of board members that would make recommendations to protect children from sexually explicit materials in public libraries.

The second motion would also have sought assistance from the Department of Education and the state attorney general to compile rules for the board to adopt in order to withhold state funds from libraries where sexually explicit content is within childrens reach.

Shari Bales (center), a member of the Arkansas State Library Board, addresses her fellow board members, including Lupe Pena de Martinez (left) and Jo Ann Campbell (right), at the boards quarterly meeting on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

All three of Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointees to the library board  Rapert, Shari Bales of Hot Springs and Sydney McKenzie of Rogers  voted against Pena de Martinezs motion and voted for Raperts motions. McKenzie is the newest member and the wife of Rep. Brit McKenzie, R-Rogers.

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Pam Meridith of Cherokee Village and Jo Ann Campbell of Fort Smith joined Pena de Martinez and board chairwoman Deborah Knox of Mountain Home in voting for the motion that passed while opposing the two from Rapert.

I could simply not support Mr. Raperts motions yesterday, even though that probably does spell the end of our board, Knox said in an interview Friday.

Knox also said she was not sure what the State Library Board could do to satisfy Sullivan besides its passage of Pena de Martinezs motion. Sullivan acknowledged Friday that non-binding policy is all they can do.

Pena de Martinezs motion specified that the policies to be developed will honor the constitutional and legislative principles of intellectual freedom, including First Amendment protections. It also emphasized that libraries are required to exercise due care in [the] selection, classification and access for materials.

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Knox said the First Amendment language was a very important part of the motion since Raperts attempts to regulate where sexually explicit books are located really interferes with the First Amendment right people have to go to the public library and choose the books of their choice.

She also said local libraries do very well at protecting children from inappropriate content because I think they know how to classify their books and house them appropriately.

Meridith made a similar comment Thursday, but Rapert disputed this point and decried Pena de Martinezs motion as senseless.

You all would love to do something non-binding because it has no effect. It does nothing, Rapert said. You have no intention of protecting Arkansas children.

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Campbell mentioned that Raperts motion to create a committee focused on governing libraries management of explicit materials included the phrase non-binding guidance.

Former state Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway (Dwain Hebda/Arkansas Advocate)

Im sorry, this is a library board: cant we read? Rapert replied. It is an agenda item. Thats not a motion.

Knox said Friday she agreed with Pena de Martinez that the motion the board approved should have fulfilled Sullivans wishes.

Sullivan, however, told the Advocate the board made a conscious choice that was just the opposite of the Arkansas Educational Television Commissions actions.

When the state says our policy is the safety and protection of children  thats what the library board should do, the Jonesboro Republican said. If librarians already do well at protecting children, as one board member put it, how hard is it to develop guidelines to make sure youre doing what you say youre doing?

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My goal is to eliminate the state library board, he said.

ALA debate

Rapert has repeatedly pushed for defunding libraries where minors can access inappropriate content, and he has said the State Library Board should be abolished for not supporting these efforts.

At Februarys regular meeting, Rapert proposed that the State Library remove the ALA from its policies detailing its power to fund public libraries and scholarships for aspiring librarians. The board rejected the proposal.

Rapert and Sullivan have both criticized the statement within the ALAs Library Bill of Rights that access to libraries should not be restricted based on a persons age. Far-right conservatives nationwide who object to the public availability of certain content have claimed this is proof that the ALA believes in forcing content about sexual activity and LGBTQ+ topics onto children.

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Emily Drabinski, ALAs president in 2023, called herself a Marxist in a 2022 tweet after being elected into the role. Rapert and Sullivan have said this means the ALA supports a political agenda and expects libraries to do the same.

Sullivan mentioned Drabinskis tweet in a February committee hearing over a bill he sponsored that is now Act 242 of 2025. The law removes the states requirement for public library directors in Arkansas to hold a masters degree from an accredited American Library Association program, and allows someone with work experience in the field of library operations but without a masters degree to run a library with approval from its local governing board.

Knox said Friday that one outspoken president of ALA does not represent the organization as a whole and she could not in good conscience support cutting Arkansas ties to a group that helps local libraries.

Pena de Martinez agreed, saying the last thing we want is to dilute education.

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We say were an education state, she said, referring to a comment Sanders has made several times, yet we want to reduce the qualifications for librarians. Its nonsensical to me that the political leanings of one former head of an organization would be enough for us in Arkansas to completely disregard the accreditation standards.

State libraries in some Republican-led states, including Missouri and Texas, cut ties with the ALA in 2023, and other states have made similar efforts since then.

Late Wednesday night, Sullivan submitted an amendment to House Bill 1127, the bill to give the Arkansas State Library its spending authority for fiscal year 2026.

If the bill becomes law with the amendment included, the State Library would not be allowed to budget, allocate, or expend any funding to any library that is affiliated with the ALA, including as a member; refers to the ALA in any of its official documents; or makes payments or grants of any kind to the organization.

A bill with a similar mandate for Iowa libraries has been advancing in that states legislature, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. The bill includes a ban on funding libraries affiliated with the states chapter of ALA, the Iowa Library Association.

HB1127 amendment 3.12.25

Sullivan once said the Arkansas Legislature should defund the Arkansas Library Association, which does not receive state funding.

The Joint Budget Committee adopted Sullivans amendment to HB 1127 Thursday morning. Rapert informed the Arkansas State Library Board of the amendment at Thursdays meeting and said it should have motivated the board to detach the State Library from the ALA.

Joint Budgets Special Language subcommittee will be responsible for approving the amendment before the committee votes on the entirety of HB 1127. The subcommittees next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

PBS negotiations

After his ALA-related motion failed Thursday, Rapert said the board had sunk itself and would walk the plank. He also said Arkansas PBS at least was smart enough in their commission to make some changes.

Doss, the commission chairman, explained those changes in an interview Friday, saying he hopes Sullivan can be an asset to Arkansas PBS. Sullivans hot buttons include corporate governance and services for homeschooled children, and Arkansas PBS will focus on how best to handle both of those things, Doss said.

Sanders appointed Sullivans wife, Maria Sullivan, to the Arkansas Educational Television Commission last year. Doss said Maria Sullivan is set to lead an Arkansas PBS task force aimed at better serving homeschoolers.

We hope were well on the way to healing all around, and well continue to build PBS, Doss said.

He said at the commissions March 6 meeting that the agency would be a propaganda arm for whoever is in power, regardless of the dominant political party, if it were no longer governed independently of the Department of Education.

Sullivan told his colleagues the same day that he had drafted an amendment to remove Arkansas PBS from SB 184. As of Friday afternoon, the amendment was not available on the Legislatures website, and Sullivan has not filed any new legislation pertaining to the State Library.

Weve come up with a resolution I think we can work together on, Sullivan said just before the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 64, Arkansas PBS fiscal 2026 spending authority.

SB 64 failed on the House floor Wednesday but can be taken up as many times as needed before the end of the legislative session next month. Appropriation bills need three-fourths of each chambers approval, and the House voted three times each to pass the agencys fiscal 2023 and 2025 appropriations.

Sullivan unsuccessfully tried to reduce Arkansas PBS spending authority in the 2022 and 2024 fiscal sessions. He has been a vocal critic of Arkansas PBS, particularly since its regularly scheduled 2022 audit indicated that administrators might have sidestepped state laws related to contract bidding. A specially requested audit that concluded last year led auditors to forward the findings to a prosecuting attorney.

Arkansas PBS CEO Courtney Pledger told lawmakers in September that the agency had learned from its mistakes and errors.

Editor Sonny Albarado contributed to this story.

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The Arlington National Cemetery has seemingly removed information and educational materials regarding the history and contributions of Black and female service members from its website in alignment with Donald Trumps call to end DEI Initiatives.

According to BBC, the alterations to the website were discovered on Friday (March 14), as internal links directing users to Notable Graves of women and minorities who served in the military were removed.

In addition, short biographies of notable Black, Hispanic, and female veterans, as well as information on the lives of the Tuskegee Airmen are no longer accessible on the website. Previously listed links led to pages focused on African-American History, Hispanic History, and Womens History.

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Monday marks three years since the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 American service members.

In response to the backlash surrounding the abrupt removal of content, a spokesperson for the cemetery told The Washington Post that theyre working on restoring the missing links and that its staff remains committed to sharing the stories of military service and sacrifice to the nation.

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Established following The Civil War and located at the home of General Robert E. Lee, the Arlington National Cemetery houses the gravesites of approximately 400,000 service members.

Christmas wreaths sit on a headstone during Wreaths Across America Day at the Arlington National Cemetery on December 16, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. Volunteers started just after sunrise placing wreaths on each of the 260,000 headstones and at niches throughout the cemetery to honor fallen service members.

This is not the first time that the Arlington National Cemeterys website has been subjected to the removal of content pertaining to the contributions of women and minorities

Earlier this year, the Defense Department responded to the removal of information regarding the Tuskegee Airmen from the cemeterys website by reinstating the materials on the site.

However, the latest purge of DEI materials are deeply concerning, said Representative Adam Smith, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who has been outspoken amid attempts to banish DEI practices in the military and throughout the federal government.

Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, place flags at the headstones of U.S. military personnel buried at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day, on May 23, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Nearly 1,500 joint service members will spend around four hours placing small American flags in front of more than 260,000 headstones. The cemetery, consisting of 639 acres, is the final resting place of approximately 400,000 veterans and their dependents.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, who has ordered the release of classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, said on Monday that his administration will make public around 80,000 pages of files related to the former president on Tuesday.

"People have been waiting for decades for this," Trump told reporters during a visit to The Kennedy Center in Washington.

"It's going to be very interesting."

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Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to present a plan to release records related to the assassinations of Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said in early February it had found thousands of new documents related to the assassination of Kennedy.

Trump signed an order during his first week in office related to the release and promised to release also documents concerning the assassinations of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy, both of whom were killed in 1968.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Writing by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Sandra Maler)
LIBERAL, Kan. (KSNW)  An arrest has been made after a man died from suspicious burns in a fire last month in Liberal.

The Liberal Police Department says they were contacted on Feb. 16 about an incident that had happened a day before. An unidentified man suffered significant burns at his home in the 200 block of South Clay in Liberal. He was flown to a Wichita hospital for treatment but died from his injuries.

Woman trapped in wreckage along I-70 overnight found Monday

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An autopsy is underway to determine the exact cause of his death. Liberal police say they began investigating the circumstances surrounding the mans death, and they identified a person of interest. They later arrested a 60-year-old woman in connection to his death. Formal charges are pending.

The Liberal Fire Department, the Kansas Fire Marshals Office, and the Seward County Medical Examiners Office assisted with the investigation.

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HOWLAND, Ohio (WKBN)  A juvenile has been arrested following threats made to Howland Middle School on social media Sunday, according to Howland polices Facebook page.

Police posted on Facebook around 2 p.m. that the department was aware of a threat toward the Middle School that was posted on TikTok and that officers were investigating.

Police updated the post two hours later and said an arrest was made in reference to the TikTok post and that there is no longer any active or immediate threat.

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A police report on the incident gave few details but said the report was made on Sunday and that the suspect is facing a charge of inducing panic. Police said the suspect is a child.

Chelsea Simeon contributed to this report.

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A Milwaukee police squad in front of the Municipal Court downtown. (Photo | Isiah Holmes)

Activists in Milwaukee are calling for more community control of police as the public learns about a Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) officer arrested by federal authorities last week. Juwon Madlock, who had 10 years of service at MPD, is accused of a variety of crimes stemming from his alleged relationship with a local gang.

A federal complaint accuses Madlock  among other things  of possessing a machine gun, selling guns and ammunition to local gang members and using police databases to furnish intelligence to those gangs about rivals and informants. The complaint alleges that Madlock worked with a violent street gang in Milwaukee identified by federal authorities as the Burleigh Zoo Family. Its unclear whether the gang chose the name or whether it was bestowed on the group by law enforcement investigators.

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The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a local group which has called for accountability and community oversight of law enforcement, released a statement noting that Madlock appears on Milwaukee Countys Brady List of officers with problematic histories. A searchable database compiled by TMJ4 states that at the time Madlock was placed on the Brady List, he was still employed at MPD.

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.

Records related to Madlocks disciplinary history maintained by the Fire and Police Commission (FPC) mention that Madlock and another officer, Benjamin Bender, violated integrity standards for failing to investigate a reported shooting from a victim who came into MPDs District 7 in 2021. Representatives from the FPC didnt respond to a request for comment.

The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression questions why an officer with Madlocks history was allowed to remain on MPD, and whether other officers who have violated police standards continue to serve on MPD. We need these questions answered now, and we need concrete steps from Chief Jeffrey Norman to rectify this situation, the group said in a statement.

A press release from MPD states that Chief Norman expects all members, sworn and civilian, to demonstrate the highest ethical standards in the performance of their duties and was extremely disappointed to learn about the misconduct in this case. Chief Norman wants to remind the public that everyone is afforded the right of due process under the law, and as such, are innocent until proven guilty.

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Madlock was arrested on March 12, after agents from the FBI office of Milwaukee and MPDs Internal Affairs division made contact with him, according to the departments press release. The trail to Madlocks door began on Feb 13, when MPDs Special Investigations Division, tactical units, and federal task force officers of the FBIs Milwaukee Area Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant of a home in the Milwaukee suburb of Greenfield. Their target, 29-year-old Cobie Hannah Jr., was wanted by the Milwaukee County sheriff according to the federal complaint. Although Hannah was ordered not to have weapons, when officers searched his home, they allegedly found firearms, stolen license plates and false vehicle registrations.

After seizing and searching an iPhone and laptops, investigators found a text message chain from a number they later linked to Madlock using law enforcement and open-source databases, the complaint states. The text messages reveal conversations in which Madlock discusses selling guns and ammunition to members of the Burleigh Zoo Family according to the complaint. The messages also discuss what investigators believe are plans to steal cars.

In separate instances, Madlock appeared to be providing gang members with information about police movements and patrols, so that alleged gang members who were wanted could avoid law enforcement. Some of the messages suggested Madlock used law enforcement databases to renew plates which were also used by gang members to avoid law enforcement. One of the more damning messages suggests that Madlock used law enforcement information databases to identify informants and find addresses to arrange shootings among rival gangs. The unchecked use of such databases by law enforcement, particularly when it comes to surveillance of citizens without a clear public safety reason, is a growing concern among privacy and civil liberties groups.

Protesters march in Milwaukee calling for more community control of the police. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

After Madlock was brought into custody, he allegedly spoke with investigators about the text messages and what they meant. A federal search warrant was served on Madlocks North Side Milwaukee home. A handgun affixed with a machinegun conversion device was found in the basement. When asked about the various guns he allegedly offered for sale, the complaint states, Madlock claimed the weapons were owned by his parents and brother. Madlocks father allegedly told law enforcement later that the guns were indeed his, but that his son did not have permission to sell them, and that he didnt know about the machine pistol.

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The complaint also mentions that Madlock claimed that Hannah was a source of information for him, in his capacity as a police officer. Madlock did not sign Hannah up as an official confidential source, however, and had not taken the required training to use informants. Nor could he show investigators instances  such as through text messages - of times when Hannah served as an informant or source of information. Instead, the federal complaint states, the situation was reversed: MADLOCK, the police officer, is providing information to HANNAH, the wanted fugitive. MADLOCK did not have a cogent response.

The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression says the case points to a need for greater community oversight of the police. Although Madlock was arrested over the course of the federal investigation, he remained on the force for years after being flagged on the Brady List as an officer with integrity issues. The fact that the integrity concern was raised over Madlocks lack of investigating a reported shooting raises further red flags in the eyes of community members. If the Chief of Police will not hold his own police officers accountable, we need a mechanism through which the people of Milwaukee, the people who are policed, can hold them accountable, the Alliance said in a statement.

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Following a week-long trip to the International Space Station that unexpectedly turned into months, two NASA astronauts are finally set to come back down to Earth this week.

Barry Butch Wilmore and Sunita Suni Williams are slated to depart from their home of the last nine months in a SpaceX Dragon capsule shortly after 1 a.m. EDT Tuesday, and splash down near the Florida coast by just before 6 p.m.

Theyll be joined by Crew-9 mission members Nick Hague and Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who launched to the orbiting laboratory last September with two empty seats for Wilmore and Williams. That craft has been attached to the station since then.

After an unexpected nine months on the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore (right) and Sunita Williams (left) are set to return to Earth this week. The pair are joined by NASAs Nick Hague and Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (NASA)

The space agency will host live coverage of the event starting at 10:45 p.m. Monday.

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Their departure comes after four Crew-10 members successfully launched from Floridas Kennedy Space Center over the weekend, docking to the space station early Sunday.

They include NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos Kirill Peskov. Theyll stay on the station for roughly six months.

The Crew-10 mission launched to the space station last weekend. There are now 11 crew members on the International Space Station (Getty Images)

Otherwise a routine crew rotation flight, the Crew-10 mission was a long-awaited step to bring Wilmore and Williams back home after problems their Boeing spacecraft. The Starliner capsule returned to Earth without the former Navy captains shortly before Hague and Gorbunovs launch.

That plan was set by NASA last year, but has been given greater urgency by President Donald Trump since he took office in January.

Wilmore and Williams launched to the space station last June. They had trouble docking during the test flight of their Boeing Starliner (AP)

Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk have continually spread the narrative that Williams and Wilmore were left high and dry by the Biden administration and that the pair were stuck.

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Thats also a narrative Williams and Wilmore have repeatedly refuted during interviews from the space station.

Thats been the rhetoric. Thats been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck  and I get it. We both get it, Wilmore told CNN. But that is, again, not what our human spaceflight program is about. We dont feel abandoned, we dont feel stuck, we dont feel stranded.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Angelo State University student Blythe Meacham of Frisco received the top prize at the recent 2025 Great Plains Honors Council Conference in Denton for her research presentation.

Meacham, an English major and junior in ASUs Honors Program, was selected to receive the Dennis Boe Award Award for exceptional research and writing by an undergraduate honors student, according to the university. She was presented with a plaque and a $200 cash prize, and her work will be published in The Windmill, a scholarly journal that features undergraduate research.

Only three Dennis Boe Awards are presented annually to undergraduate students who are juniors or seniors, ASU said.

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ASU: Promotions, tenures approved for 22 faculty members

Meachams oral presentation and paper research detailed her project, called Beyond the Female Gothic: Wild Women in Charlotte Dacres Zofloya and Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights.

This latest recognition speaks to the continued academic success of our Honors Program students and the excellent mentoring they receive both within their academic majors and through the Honors Program, Honors Program Director Dr. Shirley Eoff said. Our students continue to produce high-quality work that engages important issues in their own academic disciplines while also connecting to issues of current concern  in this case, how the interplay between conceptions of natural and civilizing forces play a role in shaping human lives.

ASU stated that Dennis Boe Award winners are selected through a blind review by a committee of university honors program deans, directors and faculty from across the region. Meacham is the 12th ASU Honors Program student to win the award since 2013.

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Multiple other students also presented their research during the Great Plains Honors Council Conference. They are as follows, as per ASU:

Hannah Bankhead of Arlington  Studio Art major

Matthew Garner of San Angelo  English major

Isabel Gilbert of Clancy, Montana  Biology major

Daisy Herr of San Angelo  English/History major

Hannah Jones of Fort Worth  Studio Art major

Clay Loper of San Angelo  Management major

Avery Schafer of San Antonio  English/Spanish major

Luis Segovia of Del Rio  Biology major

Kaci Wainscott of Lubbock  History major

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A federal appeals court has ruled that three Atlanta police officers who were fired and later reinstated cannot sue former city officials.

Mark Gardner, Lonnie Hood and Ivory Streeter were fired after two students were pulled from their car and Tased during the May 2020 protests in downtown Atlanta.

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Former Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields and former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said a video showed a clear use of excessive force. Former Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard also filed charges, which were later dropped.

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The Atlanta Civil Service Board later ruled that the officers jobs should be reinstated, saying the city didnt follow its termination policy and denied the officers due process.

The group tried to sue Shields, Bottoms, Howard and the Fulton County government, but a district court dismissed the lawsuit. The appeals court backed up their ruling.

The district court dismissed each claim, finding that the officers had not plausibly established a cause of action against any of the defendants. After careful review and with the benefit of oral argument, we agree that the officers cannot plausibly support a viable claim for relief and affirm the district courts dismissal of the second amended complaint.

Read the ruling below.

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Officers appeal denied by WSB-TV Assignment Desk on Scribd

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Initiatives and projects contributing to the strengthening of economic relations between Azerbaijan and Israel were discussed, Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on X, Trend reports.

"As part of our working visit to Israel, we held a meeting with Eli Cohen, Israels Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. Our discussions focused on initiatives and projects aimed at strengthening economic relations and advancing the energy cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and Israel," Jabbarov pointed out.
An Australian woman has pleaded guilty to offensive conduct involving human remains after she planned to sell on the black market human toes that she had recovered from dog vomit.

The woman was a ranger at an animal shelter in the south-eastern state of Victoria when two dogs regurgitated the toes and other human remains in February 2024, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported on Monday.

The dogs had been surrendered to the shelter after the death of their owner, who died of natural causes before his pets ate parts of his body, the agency said.

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Prosecutor Melissa Sambrooks said Joanna Kinman was not present when the dogs regurgitated the remains, but searched a bin looking for the digits.

"She located two human toes and took them home and placed them in a jar containing formaldehyde," Sambrooks said, according to the AAP.

She then discussed a plan to sell the toes online with her daughter. The woman reportedly believed she could get as much as $400 Australian ($253 US) for the remains.

Police arrived at her home after a tip-off from an unknown source.

Kinman admitted possessing the remains and intending to sell them online, showing police the jar, which was beside other oddities including an alligator claw, a bird skull, guinea pig trotter and her children's teeth, AAP reported.

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Police found Kinman was a member of the "Bone Buddies Australia" Facebook group, commonly used to buy, swap and sell specimens online.

Kinman was an avid contributor to the site, Sambrooks said, and had previously sold "wet specimens" of a stillborn kitten and puppy.

The dead man's relatives are unaware of the crime, with his son choosing to shield them from the investigation, AAP reported.

Kinman, who is yet to be sentenced, faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
An Australian woman pleaded guilty on Monday to a plot in which she attempted to sell two human toes from a deceased man.

Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, of Melbourne, was charged with offensive conduct involving human remains, but will avoid jail time despite a magistrate calling the crime astounding and distressing.

Instead, she was given a community corrections order that will allow her to serve her sentence in the community, according to the Australian Broadcasting Company.

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Kinman was employed at a Melbourne animal shelter in February 2024 when two dogs whose owner had died of natural causes arrived.

Apparently, the dogs had eaten parts of the mans body before he was discovered and then vomited up some of his remains, including two toes, at the shelter.

Kinman did not witness this, but she later found the toes in a wheeled bin at the shelter, took them home and placed them in a jar with formaldehyde, prosecutors told the court, according to 9News.com.

Authorities say she then called her daughter and said she planned to sell the toes online and believed she could get the equivalent of $250 for them.

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Police later showed up at Kinmans home after getting a tip from an unknown source. Authorities say she admitted to possessing the toes and intending to sell them online.

I thought, cool, its a toe, she reportedly told detectives.

Officers said that Kinman showed them the toes, which were in a jar. She also had an alligator claw, a bird skull, a guinea pig trotter and her childrens teeth.

Further investigation showed that Kinman was a member of a Facebook group called Bone Buddies Australia, where she previously sold wet specimens of a stillborn kitten and puppy.

Kinmans attorney, Rainer Martini, told the court that he understood why the community might be repulsed by his clients actions. He noted that she is no longer employed at the animal shelter.

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Well, thats hardly a surprise, Magistrate Andrew Sim responded, according to the Australian Broadcasting Company.

Still, Martini said his clients actions were a purely spur-of-the-moment decision and that the consequences have been significantly negative to her.

Detective Andrew Austin told the court that the dead mans son was aware that Kinman had taken the toes, but said he had not informed other family members to avoid causing them additional suffering.

The judge called Kinmans actions entirely odd, but sentenced her to an 18-month community corrections order rather than time behind bars, the Australian Broadcasting Company reported.

By the barest of possible margins you will not be going to jail today, Sim told Kinman. You were dealing with body parts of a deceased person. That person would have expected they would have been treated with dignity and respect by any person who came into contact with their remains. You failed to do that.
While attending the G8 Summit in France in May 2011, a major piece of legislation reached Barack Obamas desk in the Oval Office.

Invoking national security concerns, the former president authorized an aide in Washington to use an autopen to affix his signature to a bill extending three provisions of the Patriot Act.

It marked the first reported time a U.S. president had a mechanical device to sign a bill into law. The White House pointed to an existing 29-page opinion commissioned by the Department of Justice claiming its use was legal.

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Almost 14 years later, the autopen is back making headlines after President Donald Trump accused his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden of using the mechanical device to sign pardoning documents, rather than doing so by hand. Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Biden had no knowledge or approval of the documents.

On Monday morning, Trump said that Bidens pardons are void and those he granted clemency to  ranging from members of the January 6 House select committee to the the former presidents own family  would be subject to investigation at the highest level.

But what is an autopen, and are Trumps attacks against Biden being undermined by his own alleged autosignatures?

What is an autopen?

Trump, photographed signing an executive order in the Oval Office on January 20, has accused Biden of not having knowledge or granting approval of his presidential pardons (AP)

An autopen is a device designed to replicate a handwritten signature, without the direct involvement of a human.

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The individual's signature is digitally recorded and stored and a robotic arm holding a pen or pencil creates a near-exact replica of the signature on paper. Only a well-trained eye could spot the difference between a hand-written signature and a well-done autosignature.

Presidents have signed documents using signature copying devices since Thomas Jefferson used a machine known as a polygraph in 1804, according to the National Museum of American History. He is believed to have called it the finest invention of the present age.

The first commercially successful autopen was not developed until 1942 by Robert M. De Shazo Jr, when it quickly gained popularity in the government, according to a Facebook post by the official National Park Service for The White House and President's Park last year.

What are the claims against Biden?

The president has spent several days berating Biden for his alleged autopen use.

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On Friday, he told reporters at the White House that the Democrat was grossly incompetent and a day later he wrote on Truth Social: The person who was the real President during the Biden years was the person who controlled the Autopen!

The president also trolled Biden in another Truth Social post on Sunday with a meme replacing his official portrait with an autopen mimicking his signature.

Trump appeared to seize on reports from the Oversight Project, a self-described investigative arm of the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation.

Last week, the group challenged the legitimacy of the orders signed by Biden claiming in a spelling mistake-laden X post that that an autopen signature was used across almost every document it could find.

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The exact number of documents reviewed was not immediately clear, however, the Oversight Project shared three examples of Bidens signature on official documents.

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.

CNN, however, claims the machines use in the Biden administration was said to be rare with the White House often going to great lengths to ensure that the former president physically signed bills. This 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.

Has Trump ever used an autopen?

Trump, photographed holding a signed executive order in the Oval Office on January 23, appeared to seize on the Oversight Projects reports about Bidens alleged autopen use (REUTERS)

An examination of President Donald Trumps executive orders during his first and second administrations found the signatures were also the same, the outlet said.

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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.

An internal memo by Trump Staff Secretary William Scharf described the Trump White House as having more stringent rules around autopen use than other administrations.

Our practice around autopen usage is far more restrictive than most previous administrations. We do not use the autopen for documents that exercise the powers of the Presidency, Scharf wrote according to the memo seen by the New York Post Thursday.

He later added: We will occasionally use the autopen when a single document requires multiple presidential signatures, or when multiple copies of a single document require signing, but only after the President has personally signed off and only at his direction.

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The White House didnt respond to The Independents request for more information about Trumps alleged autopen use last week.

What other presidents have used an autopen?

Biden, photographed signing a document in the East Room of the White House on January 14, reportedly rarely used autopen (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Multiple iterations of the autopen have been used by presidents to sign a raft of official documents.

The 33rd U.S. President Harry Truman has been cited as the first president to use the autopen, while Gerald Ford publicly acknowledged his use of the machine.

In 1968, Lyndon Johnson allowed photographs of his autopen while he was in office, which followed a front page splash in the National Enquirer titled: One of the best-kept secrets in Washington: The robot that sits in for the president.

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Obama again reportedly used autopen in January 2013 while signing the extension to former president George W. Bushs tax cuts while on vacation in Hawaii.

Bush himself allegedly avoided using autopen over fear of legal concerns. However, he directed an autopen to be used to sign legislation for a one-week funding extension for the Federal Aviation Administration in May 2024 while he was traveling in San Francisco, according to CNN.
(WHTM)  President Donald Trump accused former President Joe Biden of using an autopen to sign pardoning documents as opposed to signing them by hand.

According to the Independent, Trump took to Truth Social to accuse his Democratic predecessor of using an autopen to sign pardoning documents, rather than doing so by hand.

The Independent says Trump claimed, without evidence, that by Biden using the autopen, he did not officially consent before pre-emptively pardoning the nine House Select Committee members who investigated the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol building or granting clemencies to many others on January 19, his last day in office.

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According to Yahoo News, an autopen is a device that stores a humans handwritten signature and then uses a robotic arm to replicate that signature on paper.

Yahoo says presidents have used signature copying devices to sign documents since 1804 when Thomas Jefferson used a polygraph. According to DAMILIC, autopens have been used by numerous institutions, including universities and government agencies for over 60 years. The company says autopens allows leaders to more effectively apply their time and attention to important issues without compromising the impact of personalized correspondence.

Yahoo News says both Trump and Biden have used the autopen in the past, and attribute former presidents Harry Truman and Gerald Ford as the first presidents to use the autopen.

In 2024, the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that pardons are not required to be in writing. The answer is undoubtedly no, the ruling says. The plain language of the Constitution imposes no such limit.

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For Roger Plowden, custodian of the Historic Plowden Estate in the undulating Shropshire Hills, the River Onny which meanders through his land is incredibly special.



It has otters, he says, standing on the bank in the spring sunshine. Wild brown trout, kingfishers too. Its a vital breeding ground for Atlantic salmon.

Despite the pristine beauty of the small river, it is under threat. Severn Trent, one of the UKs largest water companies, currently discharges treated wastewater - or sewage effluent - into the neighbouring River Clun, which runs for roughly 15 miles through the adjacent Clun Valley.

But the lowest stretch of the Clun is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), due to it being home to one of Englands rare populations of freshwater pearl mussels. With the discharged wastewater and agricultural run-off contributing to pollution in the river, Severn Trent has now drawn up plans to build a four-mile pipe to take effluent out of the Clun, and put it instead into the Onny.

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The company argues this will not only improve the fate of the protected pearl mussels, but also allow Shropshire Council to greenlight local housing developments, which are currently stalled due to the pollution issues.

Plowden, one of a number of locals opposed to the plans, is appalled. The whole plan defies belief, he says. I do have some sympathy with Severn Trents attempts to reduce pollution in the Clun, and for those who want new housing, but this effluent cannot simply be dumped in the Onny.

The A489 running through the Onny Valley is dotted with bright red signs reading: Save the Onny - Jay Williams

Should the plan go ahead, the pipe - which would cost Severn Trent 8.1m - would exit the sewage works, which treats waste from the 2,000 inhabitants of market town Bishops Castle, cross the Clun and Onny valleys, and empty wastewater into the Onny roughly a mile upstream of Plowdens land.

He warns it would also set a precedent for other such proposals elsewhere.

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Last year, water companies - under increasing pressure from regulator Natural England and the government to clean up rivers - revealed plans to build a pipeline network across the UK to move treated sewage away from conservation areas and into lakes, rivers and seas without protection.

At the time, water regulator Ofwat said billions of pounds would be spent on such pipelines over the next five years - with customers bills rising by an average of 19 a year to fund them.

Severn Trent alone has proposed 10 such schemes, but the pipe running from Bishops Castle is one of the first. Chiefly, this is due to the extent of the pollution in the Cluns SAC.

Despite its 2005 protected status, levels of phosphates, nitrogen and suspended solids and sediment in the river still remain too high - in part because of the wastewater which flows into it.

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The issue means no housing can be built in the surrounding area due to nutrient neutrality rules imposed by Natural England, which state no extra pollution can be created from developments.

In reality, due to varying restrictions, this housing moratorium has been in place in Bishops Castle since 2018.

The market town of Bishops Castle  Severn Trents proposed pipeline would carry the towns wastewater and deposit it into the Onny - Jay Williams

So in 2021, frustrated by the status quo, Shropshire Council, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Severn Trent Water came together to form the Strategic Clun Liaison Group, in order to agree a combined vision of how to move forward.

The favoured proposal was a pipe to take wastewater out of the Clun valley completely - with Natural England saying in December 2024 that this was the most viable option to progress development while avoiding impacts on the River Clun SAC.

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However, the radical plan has created alarm among locals - both those opposed to environmental implications on the Onny, and those in the Clun Valley who do not wish to be inundated with excessive new housing after years of no development.

In draft plans, Shropshire Council has proposed that roughly 100 to 150 houses be built by 2038 - all of which could be in the vicinity of Bishops Castle should the pollution issue be solved.

I know we need affordable housing, says local mayor Josh Dickin. Our town is losing people who cant afford to live here. They move to Wales instead where its cheaper.

But if this pipe goes ahead, Shropshire Council could potentially put pressure on us to build hundreds of houses in the Bishops Castle area and we dont want that. We just want a sustainable number - 40 or 50 say.

Josh Dickin, mayor of Bishops Castle: We are not prepared to sacrifice the Onny so we can have housing - Jay Williams

He adds that he is not a fan of Severn Trents plans to move the waste water to the Onny.

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You will get some people who might not care about the pearl mussels, he says. But most people, myself included, care about both the Clun and the Onny. We are not prepared to sacrifice the Onny so we can have housing. There needs to be another solution.

Concern has also been raised by South Shropshire MP Stuart Anderson, who has said he will monitor the plans for the pipe very closely. An online petition has meanwhile received more than 8,000 signatures.

Severn Trent insists the main case for the pipe is to clean up the Clun SAC, with any subsequent development a secondary benefit. The company told the Telegraph they are not moving the waste water to circumvent pollution targets.

The proposed Bishops Castle transfer scheme is first and foremost to reduce nutrients in the River Clun Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and meet Favourable Conservation Status, a spokesperson told The Telegraph. Its a long way from the realisation of this project, which will only go ahead if Natural England and the Environment Agency are satisfied that the proposed scheme will not do any harm to either the Clun or Onny.

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The water company, which announced pre-tax profits of 297.8m in November last year, also stressed that the pipe would only carry fully treated wastewater and never raw sewage.

Yet campaigners and environmental experts warn that fully treated wastewater could still harm aquatic wildlife and water quality. Dr Rob Collins, director of policy and science at The Rivers Trust, says: Despite water companies using the term fully treated, the wastewater treatment process does not fully remove most pollutants; instead they are discharged, partially treated, to the river.



That includes pathogens, including bacteria resistant to antibiotics, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. These are known to adversely impact aquatic life and, the microbes in particular, pose a health risk to swimmers and other water users.



For many of the Shropshire campaigners, the impact of the wastewater on the 25-mile Onny, its wildlife, and the people who use it is the key concern.

Such is the strength of feeling that 8,500 people have signed a petition against the plans, while the A489 running through the Onny Valley is dotted with bright red signs reading: Save the Onny, Stop the Pipe.



Even 20 miles downstream, where the Onny flows into the Teme near the town of Ludlow, before eventually joining the River Severn, locals are worried about the impact.



The rivers Onny, Clun and Teme have to be protected, says Ludlows mayor, Beverley Waite. The Teme is a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with bathing water status. But this is about all the rivers in Shropshire and the rest of the country.



Referencing the fact that the same bodies who are involved in proposing the pipe plan - Natural England and the Environment Agency - will decide if it gets approved, she adds: These agencies and water companies have been getting away with policing themselves for too long.

We have to stand up to them in whatever way we can.

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A spokesman for the Environment Agency said the organisation believes protecting the environment, improving river water quality and delivering sustainable development can go hand in hand, now and into the future.

We are working with Severn Trent on their proposals. If the company proceeds with the new pipeline, it will need to apply for an Environment Agency permit before starting work. These applications are rigorously assessed in an open and transparent manner, including a formal public consultation to ensure evidence and information provided by local groups is taken into consideration.

But back on the banks of the Onny, lead campaigners, Andy Boak, a former freshwater ecologist, and John Wood, a retired director for British Airways, are sceptical.

We want the Clun clean, says Andy Boak, a former freshwater ecologist - Jay Williams

In the cool spring sunshine, they watch the clear water trickling over the stony river bed, and voice their dismay at the proposals.

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Boak, instrumental in gathering data on water pollution, says: I monitor the Clun and I can tell you that the wastewater is bad for the river, the fish, the invertebrates and insects.

It is pumped in every day, and Ive been there in heavy rain and seen black discharge from the pipe.

The pearl mussels are in a bad way and unlikely to survive. We want the Clun clean, with lower phosphates and nitrates but this is not the way.

Wood, too, is hoping Severn Trent will think again. Now in his seventies, and chairman of the local Plowden Fishing Club, he recalls first fishing on the Onny when he was five, catching brown trout with both his father and uncle. He has returned every year since, even when living abroad, and has often spotted salmon swimming upstream to spawn in December.

It is simply wrong, and very lazy, for Severn Trent to take pollution from one river and dump it in another, says John Wood, a retired director for British Airways and chairman of the local Plowden Fishing Club - Jay Williams

Im retired, he says. I really dont want to be out campaigning on this issue but I dont have a choice.



This may seem like a tale of two rivers, with a choice having to be made between the Clun and the Onny, but its not that.



This is about right and wrong; and it is simply wrong, and very lazy, for Severn Trent, to take pollution from one river and dump it in another. Theyve had twenty years to clean up the Clun, and now they have come up with this. I dont understand how environmental regulators can sanction it.

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Does he think the campaign will succeed?

It has to, Wood says, with one more glance at the Onny. The pipe has to be stopped. Or its not only the Onny that will be polluted. If they get away with this, no river will be safe.

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German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has urged US President Donald Trump not to make unilateral concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin that could harm Ukraine.

Trump said on Sunday evening that he would talk to Putin on Tuesday as part of his efforts to "bring that war to an end."

Speaking at an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday, Baerbock stressed the importance of trans-Atlantic unity, insisting that Ukraine's territorial integrity must remain the basis for all negotiations.

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"No options should be taken off the table in advance," she said, without criticizing Trump's planned talks with Putin.

Baerbock noted that Putin has so far resisted a US-backed 30-day-long ceasefire in Ukraine. Kiev, however, has said it is ready to accept it.

"The ball is now in Putin's court," Baerbock said.

Many EU nations view Trump's approach as problematic, as it has so far focused on pressuring Ukraine for concessions.

As part of a peace deal with Russia, the Trump administration has suggested it wants Kiev to abandon its push for rapid NATO accession and accept that parts of its territory will remain under Russian control.
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

Due process in the federal justice system depends on many players. Some, like judges and lawyers, are more enthusiastic about the concept than others, like law enforcement and the prison system. But each has duties under the law to protect the rights of individuals.

And if some or all of them fail in those duties and an obvious injustice results, the president himself has the power to set offenders free.

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Due process has redundancies, in other words. So if you want to get rid of it and fully weaponize the justice system, you need to undermine all of the players involved, not just one or two.

You can make prisons crueler, but your enemies wont end up there if judges are protecting their rights. You can demagogue judges, but they might rule against you if your enemies are represented by talented lawyers. You can intimidate the lawyers, but your enemies wont face charges in the first place unless law enforcement is willing to persecute them.

To collapse the structure of American justice and replace it with a proper banana republic, each pillar holding it up needs to be weakened.

The president spent most of his first two months in office focused on a single pillar: law enforcement. He purged officials at the Justice Department and FBI and replaced them with clownish toadies like Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino. That was a sensible way for an authoritarian to prioritize: Of the institutional players Ive mentioned, corrupt cops and prosecutors can do the most damage. As long as the DOJ is willing to behave like a secret police force, Donald Trump doesnt need to send Liz Cheney or Mark Milley to prison to make their lives miserable. Investigations are punishment enough.

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His Castro-esque speech on Friday to Justice Department officials reflected his priorities. The president labeled political enemies like former special counsel Jack Smith scum, claimed that CNN and MSNBC are behaving illegally somehow, babbled about the supposedly rigged 2020 election, and insisted that the January 6 defendants he pardoned were grossly mistreated. The speech ended with the song YMCA, as you might hear at one of his political rallies.

Watching it felt like watching a dog mark his territory.

If all Trump wants to do is harass his enemies, weaponizing law enforcement will suffice. But if hes after something more robustly caudillo-esque, the other pillars of due process will also have to yield. This weekend he began to discredit them more aggressively.

Lawyers and judges.

On Friday night, a few hours after hed turned the DOJ into a politicized joke, the president resumed his campaign to intimidate the legal profession.

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This time it was the law firm Paul Weiss whose security clearances were canceled and whose access to federal buildings was threatened. Paul Weiss attorneys worked with Robert Mueller on the Russiagate probe and the Manhattan district attorney in the Stormy Daniels matter, and had every right to do so. But Trump has never distinguished between his personal interests and the publics, so Paul Weiss has been stripped of state privileges for the crime of lawyering in a way that the president didnt like.

This makes three firms that have been penalized by him. Its blatant retaliation designed to scare other attorneys away from challenging Trumps administration in court and to scare would-be clients away from hiring those that have already crossed him. But it also aims to discredit and delegitimize the profession writ large: As more firms lose their security clearancesand more willmore Americans will conclude that the entire legal industry is even swampier and more unethical than theyd assumed.

On Saturday the administration turned its attention to one of the pillars of due process it had been reluctant to attack so far. For the first time, it defied a judgesort of.

Trump signed an executive order the day before invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 (AEA), which empowers the president to summarily deport immigrants from countries with which the United States is at war, that have invaded the United States, or that have engaged in predatory incursion, in the words of the New York Times. Thats why authoritarians are forever comparing immigration to an invasion (and elections to terrorist hijackings), of course. As peacetime problems are reimagined as wartime crises, Americans are conditioned to expect fewer legal constraints on a presidents power.

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Only three times before in American history had the AEA been invokedthe War of 1812, World War I, and World War II, when it was used to justify sending Japanese Americans to internment camps. Trump has resorted to it now because he wants to deport gang members from foreign countries without the usual nerdy due-process niceties designed to make sure that the deportee actually is in a gang, is subject to removal, and is who the feds think he is.

A hearing was held in a Washington federal district court on Saturday regarding some of the several hundred immigrants targeted for immediate ejection under the AEA. Despite the likelihood that the judge would halt the deportations, the administration loaded the deportees onto planes and prepared for takeoff. Per Politico, two flights departed during a 40-minute break in the hearing; by the time the court was informed, the planes were en route to El Salvador. The judge told the administrations lawyers that the aircraft should be turned around and issued a written order to that effect. Around 10 minutes after the written order was issued, the Washington Post reported, a third flight took off from Texas.

The White House ignored the courts order, claiming later that the first two planes were over international waters by the time it was filed and therefore had no legal effect. But that doesnt explain the timing of the third flight, and it sure doesnt explain why the administration was in such a hurry. One lawyer alleged that the deportees were removed before Trump had even notified the public that hed invoked the AEA; a White House official who spoke to Axios claimed that the original plan was to get them out of the country before a judge could get the case, but this is how it worked out, he said.

Our friend David French made the point recently that, for all his incompetence in other matters, Trump is shrewd about picking political targets. Hes done it again here. If you want to make Americans skeptical of due process and contemptuous of its judicial guardians, you dont dive in headfirst by defying a major Supreme Court decision. You start by choosing the least sympathetic defendants you can findBig Law, campus Hamasniks, now alleged immigrant gang membersand trust that the public will side with you against them on political grounds, the legal merits be damned.

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As Trump plays the strongman eager to protect Americans from predators and their enablers in the judiciary, hell earn the goodwill hell need later to get away with telling the Supreme Court no. Thats what the AEA saga is about, I think: Rushing to deport the alleged gang members before a court could intervene was the White Houses way of showing that safety must take precedence over the rights of violent thugs. To quote Tom Homan, Trumps immigration czar, Were not stopping. I dont care what the judges think. I dont care what the left thinks. Were coming.

Look around online today and youll find various populists offering barely veiled fascist apologias for ignoring or punishing the courts when they get in the way of the common good. If ruthlessness in pursuit of dominance is the core of Trumpist populism, and if due process is the chief bulwark against ruthlessness by the state, then a confrontation between populist postliberals and the courts is inevitable. The AEA saga is the first breeze in a hurricane thats already descending.

You can have a system of rules and norms that works for the bad guys or you can have a system led by Men of Action who deliver results for the good guys, but you cant have both. Thats the choice Trumps apologists are setting up for Americans.

Prisons and pardons.

The kicker to this weekends court drama is where the alleged gang members were sent.

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It wasnt back home to Venezuela. It was to El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele has agreed to warehouse criminals deported from the U.S. regardless of their country of origin in return for a fee. Conditions in Salvadoran prisons are exactly what youd expect, to the point that Bukele celebrated the arrival of the migrants with an online hype video hinting at how rough theyll have it. Bukele himself is what youd expect too: He mocked the federal court order that Team Trump ignored (oopsie) and enjoys a MAGA fan following online, which includes Elon Musk, for saying things like If you dont impeach the corrupt judges, you CANNOT fix the country.

Our partner in this deportation effort, in other words, runs an honest-to-goodness banana republic and conducts himself accordingly.

For Team Trump, thats a feature rather than a bug. American prisons arent bastions of humane treatment, but theyre soft compared to their third-world counterparts, and the president and his fans detest being soft on bad guys. (Or on anyone, really.) They may disdain sh-thole countries but they share the belief of many ruthless sh-thole governments that theres no social problem that cant be solved by ratcheting up the brutality. Thats why Pete Hegseth recently said he would replace top military lawyers: Hes always had a soft spot for accused war criminals and seems to believe that a military thats less soft will be more effective, never mind how thats gone for the Russians in Ukraine.

Shipping off gang members to Bukeles prisons or to Guantanamo is Trumps way of discrediting the modicum of due process that Americas prisons afford to inmates. Our system is too accommodating to such savages; only by moving them beyond the reach of American lawor reforming the justice system to be more brutalwill they receive the punishment they deserve.

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Which brings us to pardons, the break glass in case of emergency option for presidents to mete out justice in cases where due process has failed to do so. You would think Donald Trump, the great liberator of insurrectionist miscreants, would zealously guard the executives power to break that glass. Not so. On Monday morning, he discovered a loophole.

The Pardons that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!

Needless to say, the Supreme Court isnt going to open a legal can of worms by siding with Trump and thereby calling into question the validity of every presidential document signed by Autopen, a practice that dates back many years.

But this is what it looks like when the president, for once, presumes to be a stickler about procedure. Biden issued those pardons because he worried, justifiably, that due process wouldnt prevent Trumps administration from trying to persecute members of the January 6 committee. Now heres Trump making, of all things, a process argument against the pardons because hes keen to begin that persecution.

It took the pardon power being used to avert an injustice, rather than to facilitate one, for Trump to finally become a skeptic of it.

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All in all, it was a busy 72 hours for the White House. Embarrassing federal law enforcement, disparaging the legal profession, flouting the judiciary, avoiding the prison system, and impugning presidential pardons: Thats a full-court press in delegitimizing due process, exactly what wed expect from a banana Republican eager to convince Americans that hes the only actor in the justice system who can be trusted to prioritize the countrys best interests.

I think that explains the outsized rage at Amy Coney Barrett among MAGA fanatics after she sided against the White House in a few minor rulings recently. True to the spirit of their leader, populists rationalize all political defeats as products of illegitimate motiveshate, spite, bias, weakness, corruptionin order to discredit the opposition that defeated it. The media is biased; the deep state is hateful; moderate Republicans are spiteful; election-rigging Democrats are corrupt; the courts are weak bleeding hearts.

Virtually every Trump antagonist can and will be dismissed on these grounds, up to and including milquetoast Bush judges like Chief Justice John Roberts. But Barrett is a hard case. Trump himself appointed her; she replaced Ruth Bader Ginsburg, heralding a conservative judicial revolution; and shes earned serious right-wing cred already by voting to overturn Roe v. Wade. The grand fascist project to delegitimize rival institutional sources of power over American justice will struggle to discredit Trumps three SCOTUS appointees if they stand in his way, and Barrett appears to be the one whos most likely to do that.

So theyre going in on her early, just in case.

Chaos.

Speaking of which, I wonder: Has Trump moved too early in his war on the justice system?

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Arguably not. The honeymoon period is when a president should be bold, one might say, as hes unlikely to ever again be as popular as he is now. His immigration policies are especially popular, which gives him even more political capital to spend on confronting the judiciary over due process on deportations. If hes going to turn up the heat on Americas boiling frogs by normalizing the idea of flouting court orders, this is the moment.

But then I think of the market correction we just experienced, and of tariff mayhem, and of the ongoing disorientation over which nations are allies and which are enemies. Thats a lot of chaos for Americans to swallow, and much more is coming in a few weeks. Civic degenerates on Twitter with a jones for banana Republicanism might be spoiling for a fight with the judiciary but the average joe could find another destabilizing move so soon too much to take. At that point Trump wouldnt be gradually inching up the heat on a boiling pot; hed be turning up the burner all the way.

What if the frogs jump out?

You know me: I think theyre already boiled. But it appears were going to find out sooner than we thought.

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BANGOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  A double-wide trailer in Bangor Township was destroyed in a fire on Monday.

Just before noon, crews with the Bangor Community Fire Department were sent to a home on 62nd Street south of 36th Street for a fire.

Responding crews found a double-wide trailer fully engulfed in flames and quickly worked to extinguish the flames with the help of surrounding area fire departments, the fire department said. An earth mover was brought to the scene so firefighters could extinguish hot spots.

The scene of a fire in Bangor Township on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy of the South Haven Area Emergency Services) The scene of a fire in Bangor Township on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy of the South Haven Area Emergency Services) The scene of a fire in Bangor Township on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy of the South Haven Area Emergency Services) The scene of a fire in Bangor Township on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy of the South Haven Area Emergency Services) The scene of a fire in Bangor Township on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy of the South Haven Area Emergency Services)

Deputies with the Van Buren County Sheriffs Department are investigating the fire. They determined that it started when flammable liquid spilled as it was poured onto a portable stove.

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The person who poured the liquid was burned on his legs, the fire department said. He was treated at the scene.

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 WOODTV.com.
BARNWELL, S.C. (WJBF)  The service was at Barnwell Elementary School, where dozens of community members were able to meet and worship with those who keep our community safe.

A processional started the service of all policemen that attended, and a song before the message started.

The service has been held at the Barnwell Elementary School since the first service 3 years ago.

Sheriff Steven Grits Griffith with the Barnwell County Sheriffs Office says, Its just a positive event every year, we seem to grow every year in our attendance. Its just a get together for us to be able to worship with the community.

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Elder Bentrice Frazier with the South Carolina Highway Patrol gave the message. Many other people in law enforcement had the opportunity to share their testimony.

The word of course is the best and we have some wonderful vocalists in law enforcement and the singing I enjoy that. but just the camaraderie and the fellowship, it just brings us all a little but closer together. Griffith says.

Two students from the Barnwell County Career Center criminal justice class attended as ushers for the service.

Griffith says one thing he wants everyone to remember.

Law enforcement, were people too and we have faith, and we want the community to be involved with us in all aspects.

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Officers from across the palmetto state including Orangeburg, SC State, State Troopers and more joined the service.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A Cranston man who became notorious for robbing several banks in succession has been sentenced in a separate, but related case.

Justin Worley, 44, pleaded guilty last fall to holding up an East Providence bank on New Years Eve 2019.

Prosecutors said he and Nicholas Lage, 39, entered the TD Bank on Pawtucket Avenue and ordered the tellers to empty the drawers. Lage was said to be armed with a knife at the time.

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The two men made off with $11,569 and were captured that night at Twin River casino.

(L-R) Justin Worley and Nicholas Lage

Worley has been in custody since his arrest. He was sentenced Friday to time served, which was five years and two months.

He was also ordered to pay $11,569 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release, starting with six months at a residential reentry facility, according to acting U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

When Worley was arrested, he was on supervised release for a previous bank robbery case.

Worley became known as the Bearded Bandit while he was committing a series of nine robberies in Rhode Island and Massachusetts back in 2012. He was eventually convicted and served six years in federal prison.

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Lage pleaded guilty to the East Providence robbery in April 2021 and was sentenced to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

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El Salvador President Nayib Bukele framed his offer to house dangerous American criminals and criminals from any country as a win-win for all.

The fee for transferring detainees to a newly built Salvadoran mega-prison would be relatively low for the U.S. but enough to make El Salvadors entire prison system sustainable, Bukele wrote in a post on the social media platform X dated Feb. 3, 2025.

What was left unsaid is that the individuals would be knowingly placed into a prison system in which a range of sources have reported widespread human rights abuses at the hands of state forces.

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A first transfer of U.S. deportees from Venezuela has now arrived into that system. On March 16, the U.S. government flew around 250 deportees to El Salvador despite a judges order temporarily blocking the move. Bukele later posted a video online showing the deportees arriving in El Salvador with their hands and feet shackled and forcibly bent over by armed guards.

As experts who have researched human rights and prison conditions in El Salvador, we have documented an alarming democratic decline amid Bukeles attempts to conceal ongoing violence both in prisons and throughout the country.

We have also heard firsthand of the human rights abuses that deportees and Salvadorans alike say they have suffered while incarcerated in El Salvador, and we have worked on hundreds of asylum cases as expert witnesses, testifying in U.S. immigration court about the nature and scope of human rights abuses in the country. We are deeply concerned both over the conditions into which deportees are arriving and as to what the U.S. administrations decision signals about its commitments to international human rights standards.

Eroding democratic norms

Bukele has led El Salvador since 2019, winning the presidency by vowing to crack down on the crime and corruption that had plagued the nation. But he has also circumvented democratic norms  for example, by rewriting the constitution so that he could be reelected in 2024.

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For the past three years, Bukele has governed with few checks and balances under a self-imposed state of exception. This emergency status has allowed Bukele to suspend many rights as he wages what he calls a war on gangs.

The crackdown manifests in mass arbitrary arrests of anyone who fits stereotypical demographic characteristics of gang members, like having tattoos, a prior criminal record or even just looking nervous.

As a result of the ongoing mass arrests, El Salvador now has the highest incarceration rate in the world. The proportion of its population that El Salvador incarcerates is more than triple that of the U.S. and double that of the next nearest country, Cuba.

Safest country in Latin America?

Bukeles tough-on-gangs persona has earned him widespread popularity at home and abroad  he has fostered an immediate friendship with the new U.S. administration in particular.

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But maintaining this popularity has involved, it is widely alleged, manipulating crime statistics, attacking journalists who criticize him and denying involvement in a widely documented secret gang pact that unraveled just before the start of the state of exception.

Bukele and pro-government Salvadoran media insist that the crackdown on gangs has transformed El Salvador into the safest country in Latin America.

But on the ground, Salvadorans have described how police, military personnel and Mexican cartels have taken over the exploitative practices previously carried out by gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18. One Salvadoran woman whose son died in prison just a few days after he was arbitrarily detained told a reporter from Al Jazeera: One is always afraid. Before it was fear of the gangs, now its also the security forces who take innocent people.

Torture as state policy

Bukeles crackdown on gangs has come at a huge cost to human rights  and nowhere is this seen more than in El Salvadors prison system.

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Bukele has ordered a communication blackout between incarcerated people and their loved ones. This means no visits, no letters and no phone calls.

Such lack of contact makes it nearly impossible for people to determine the well-being of their incarcerated family members, many of whom are parents with young children now cared for by extended family.

Despite the blackout, scholars, international and national rights groups and investigative journalists have been able to build up a picture of conditions inside El Salvadors prisons through interviews with victims and their family members, medical records and forensic analysis of cases of prison deaths. What they describe is a hellscape.

Incarcerated Salvadorans are packed into grossly overcrowded cells, beaten regularly by prison personnel and denied medicines even when they are available. Inmates are frequently subjected to punishments including food deprivation and electric shocks. Indeed, a U.S. State Departments 2023 country report on El Salvador noted the harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.

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The human rights organization Cristosal estimates that hundreds have died from malnutrition, blunt force trauma, strangulation and lack of lifesaving medical treatment.

Often, their bodies are buried by government workers in mass graves without notifying families.

Although El Salvador is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, Amnesty International concluded after multiple missions to the country and interviews with victims and their families that there is systemic use of torture in Salvadoran prisons.

Likewise, a case-by-case study by Cristosal, which included forensic analysis of exhumed bodies of people who died in prison, determined in 2024 that torture has become a state policy.

At risk of irreparable harm

What makes this all the more worrying is the scale of potential abuse.

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El Salvador now houses a prison population of around 110,000  more than three times the number of inmates before the state of exception began.

To increase the countrys capacity for ongoing mass incarceration, Bukele built and opened the Terrorism Confinement Center mega-prison in 2023. An analysis of the center using satellite footage showed that if the prison were to reach its full supposed capacity of 40,000, each prisoner would have less than 2 feet of space in their cells.

It is to this prison that deportees from the U.S. have been taken.

President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act in transferring the detainees. The wartime act has been invoked only three times, including to justify Japanese internment during World War II.

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There are serious concerns over both the process and the legality of transferring U.S. prisoners to a nation that has not protected the human rights of its detained population.

While Trump said the deportees were members of the gangs Tren de Aragua and MS-13, the incarcerated individuals did not receive a hearing to contest allegations of their gang membership, eliciting questions as to the viability of that claim.

Moreover, the agreement through which the Trump administration is seeking to moving migrants detained in the U.S. to El Salvador faces scrutiny under international law, given what is known about the countrys prison conditions.

International human rights is governed by laws that prohibit nations from transferring people into harms way, be it returning foreign nationals to countries where there are substantial grounds for believing that the person would be at risk of irreparable harm, or transferring detainees to jurisdictions in which they are at risk of being tortured or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

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The efforts of human rights organizations, journalists and scholars to document prison conditions point to an unequivocal conclusion: El Salvador does not meet the terms necessary to protect the human rights of deported and incarcerated migrants.

To the contrary, the government of El Salvador has repeatedly been accused by rights groups of committing crimes against humanity, including against its prison population.

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: Mneesha Gellman, Emerson College and Sarah C. Bishop, Baruch College, CUNY

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Mneesha Gellman received funding from Emerson College's Faculty Development Fund. She is the Director of the Emerson Prison Initiative.

Sarah C. Bishop has received research funding from the Fulbright Organization, The Waterhouse Family Institute for the Study of Communication and Society at Villanova University, the Robert Bosch Stiftung Foundation, and the Professional Staff Congress at the City University of New York. She serves on the board of directors of the nonprofit organization Mixteca.
Emilie Dequenne, the Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in Rosetta, has died, a news report says. She was 43.

Her family and agent told the news agency Agence France-Presse that Dequenne died Sunday of a rare cancer in a hospital outside of Paris. In 2023, Dequenne revealed she had been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma. Representatives for Dequenne did not immediately respond to inquires from The Associated Press on Monday.

Dequenne was only 18 when she was selected as best actress at Cannes in 1999. In Rosetta, from Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, she portrayed a teenager trying to escape her difficult life in a caravan park with an alcoholic mother. The film also won the Palme dOr that year.

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Born in Belil, Belgium, in 1981, Dequenne had a performance streak from a young age. She studied drama at the Academie de Musique de Baudour.

She became well-known in France after starring alongside Catherine Deneuve in The Girl on the Train, in 2009, based on the true story of a woman who falsely claimed she was the victim of an antisemitic attack. Dequenne also portrayed police officer Laurence Renauld on the French series The Missing.

In 2012, she won the Un Certain Regard actress prize from Cannes for Our Children, a dark psychological drama inspired by the real story of a Belgian woman who killed her five children. She was also nominated for several Cesar Awards throughout her career, finally winning best supporting actress in 2021 for the romantic comedy Love Affair(s).

Speaking to The Guardian in 2013 about the difficult role in Our Children, she said, For my part I went home every weekend, and stayed with my family, which is a very safe place. Making a film like that is something that you have to survive.

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More recently, she co-starred in Close, Lukas Dhonts tender boyhood drama, which brought her back to Cannes again in 2022. She saw similarities between her young co-star and her own breakout role with Rosetta.

For me to be here and to come back here after 23 years, its very emotional and there is like a reflection between Eden (Dambrine) and myself because I remember when I was here the first time with Rosetta, she told The Associated Press. It was like a very powerful movie with this main character, which is in every scene, every, every shot. And thats the same for him.

Dequenne returned to the festival again in 2024 for the 25th anniversary of Rosetta. Her last film was Frederic Jardins post-apocalyptic thriller Survive, which came out earlier this year.

While she loved taking on work in England, France and Belgium, she had little interest in Hollywood.

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I have been to Hollywood and had meetings, but really they dont do the kind of films I like to make. And everything is kind of boring, no? she said in the interview with The Guardian. Honestly, its not a fun place, or at least not my kind of fun.

She is survived by her husband, director and producer Michel Ferracci, and daughter, Milla Savarese.
A beloved member of the Long Beach community is celebrating receiving birthday cards from strangers across the world, thanks to a Next Door post his mom made four years ago.

Nathan Bonsteel, a young man with Down syndrome who loves Disney and the Dodgers, is going to turn 24 years old on March 22. His wish is to connect with people far and wide.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Nathans mom, Cindy Bonsteel, thought it would be a good idea to have people send him letters.

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She posted a request on the Next Door app, and it took off.

He has received some from the UK, Australia, Canada, the US, Cindy told KTLAs Carlos Saucedo. Its fun to open up a map and show him where we live and how far away the cards have come from.

The most cards Nathan ever received happened two years ago, when more than 3,000 birthday cards were sent to his Long Beach address.

It was during COVID, and he was not in school. Since then, hes out of school and he doesnt have a day program, hes just at home with me, said Cindy. I just thought, Lets bring this kid some joy, and then in turn we realized how much it was bringing other people joy.

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Cindy said theyre grateful for the love and support Nathan receives around his birthday, especially from strangers.

This year, hes only got 78 so far, Cindy said on Sunday.

However, with a week left before Nathans birthday, his family and community are hopeful that plenty more cards will come in.

Those looking to send Nathan a birthday card can mail it to 6938 E. Fairbrook St., Long Beach, CA, 90815.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- Today Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is set to join company executives and local leaders in Owensboro to break ground on a new manufacturing building for Mizkan America.

Lloyd Expressway to be temporarily shut down on Monday

Mizkan is a private international food manufacturer headquartered in Handa City, Japan. Mizkan America maintains 12 manufacturing facilities in the United States and is one of the leading makers of pasta sauces and vinegar products in the United States with brands such as Ragu and Bertolli. The new facility will allow the company to expand the range of products produced at the Owensboro plant. Todays groundbreaking is set to take place at 11:30 this morning.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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).
OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT)  Governor Andy Beshear joined leaders of Mizkan America to break ground on the companys $156 million expansion project in Owensboro on Monday. The project is expected to create 44 new jobs.

The tremendous growth we are seeing within Kentuckys manufacturing industry has been a crucial component of our surging economy, said Beshear. Mizkan Americas decision to reinvest in the commonwealth and our communities shows that our New Kentucky Home is the best place for business. I look forward to the companys continued success here in Kentucky.

Officials say the project includes an expansion of Mizkans Owensboro facilities by approximately 320,000 square feet, bringing the companys operational space to nearly 1 million square feet. The investment will be used to support building improvements, new machinery and equipment, IT upgrades, a new manufacturing line and warehousing space to allow the company to manufacture Holland House, cooking wine, Mizkan Asian sauces and vinegar and Nakano rice vinegar at the Owensboro plant for the first time.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 17. State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has received licenses to conduct exploration work in Israel, Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on his X page, Trend reports.

"During our working visit to Israel, alongside Rovshan Najaf, President of SOCAR, we attended the presentation ceremony of exploration licenses for Block "I" in Israel's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). These licenses offer strategic advantages in strengthening SOCAR's international position and leveraging innovative experiences," the minister explained.

To note, Israeli President Isaac Herzog hosted Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov during his official visit to the country. During the visit, the parties deliberated on the principal aspects of Azerbaijani-Israeli relations established by the heads of state, as well as potential channels for economic collaboration.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A Davenport man was arrested after police say he fled from them at about 110 mph in a 35 mph zone in a car stolen out of Chicago.

According to the criminal complaint, a Bettendorf Police officer tried to stop an SUV because the vehicle did not have registration plates, had blacked out front side windows and made an unsafe entry to the roadway, from Summit of Bettendorf nursing home onto 53rd Avenue on March 14 at about 6:30 p.m. The officer was in a fully marked Bettendorf Police squad car and tried to stop the vehicle with emergency lights and siren activated.

Kmirriyon Cartwright (Scott County Jail)

The suspect, later identified as Kmirriyon Cartwright, 20, is accused of fleeing from police in excess of 80 mph in a 35 mph zone. The pursuit was shut down but Cartwright allegedly continued driving recklessly; he was estimated to be driving 110 mph in a zone with a similar 35 mph speed limit at one point. Cartwright drove through at least two solid red lights, at Crow Creek and Middle Road and at Interstate 74 E On/Off Ramps and Middle Road. Cartwright drove left of the yellow center line on at least two occasions while fleeing westbound on Middle Road, almost causing at least one accident.

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The complaint says that while turning left from the wrong lane (not the left most lane) and running a red traffic signal at the same time, Cartwright did not maintain safe control of his vehicle and collided with two vehicles, injuring the occupants at the intersection of Interstate 74 E on/off ramps and Middle Road. Cartwright fled on foot while officers chased him in a marked patrol vehicle with emergency lights activated and on foot. He did not stop to check on the injured people or offer assistance.

The SUV Cartwright was driving was reported to be stolen out of Chicago. Officers searched the vehicle and found 1.69 grams of marijuana. He has a prior conviction for distribution of a controlled substance (marijuana) in Scott County from 2019. He does not have a valid drivers license.

Cartwright was arrested and charged with:

Eluding

Failure to maintain control of a vehicle

Failure to prove insurance

Interference with official acts

Leaving the scene of an accident

No drivers license

Possession of a controlled substance

Two counts of prohibited passing

Reckless driving

First degree theft

Other traffic charges

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Cartwright was released from the Scott County Jail on a $20,000 secured bond and is awaiting an initial court appearance.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
In mid-March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed former President Joe Biden used an autopen, an automatic signing machine, to sign many official documents, including pardons, thus voiding Biden's preemptive pardon of the Jan. 6 investigative committee and "many others."

Trump's claim appeared to originate from an X post by the Oversight Project  an investigative arm of Project 2025's Heritage Foundation  which claimed digitized versions of Biden's signed documents showed they were signed by autopen.

The project's claim lacks credibility; it appeared to use the Federal Register's digitized documents, which all use an identical picture of the president's signature, regardless of whether the original physical document was signed by hand or not. Copies of Biden's pardons published by the U.S. Department of Justice show varied signatures, suggesting they were signed by hand.

Furthermore, presidents have signed documents via autopen since Thomas Jefferson. In 2005, former President George W. Bush's Justice Department cited numerous former U.S. government memos and other documents which conclude that signing various official documents  including pardons  using an autopen is legal.

On March 17, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on his social media platform, Truth Social, that former President Joe Biden used an autopen, or automatic signing machine, to sign his pardons and because of that, Biden's pardons for were "VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT."

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(Trump's post primarily focused on the validity of Biden's preemptive pardons for the Congressional Jan. 6 committee, which investigated the 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.)

Trump also claimed on March 14 that the "person who controlled the autopen" was the "real president" during the Biden years. Rumors about Biden's purported use of an autopen have spread through posts on Facebook, X and Reddit, as well as reports from media outlets including Fox News, Newsweek and The Independent.

These rumors originated from a March 6 X post by the Oversight Project, an investigative arm of the conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation  the same group that authored Project 2025. "WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY," the X post read.

WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY



We gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency.



All used the same autopen signature except for the the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the https://t.co/CC3oJUkNr4 pic.twitter.com/mtNrZsALDu  Oversight Project (@OversightPR) March 6, 2025

The Heritage Foundation and its Oversight Project have a reported history of spreading misleading political information; the group did not respond to a request for comment for more information about its methodologies.

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These reports are not credible evidence demonstrating Biden's purported frequent use of an autopen, given that the digitized version of official documents from the U.S. government all use the same image of the president's signature, regardless of who is in office. Even assuming Biden did use an autopen to sign pardons, that still would not automatically void the pardons.

According to CNN, Biden did use an autopen to sign at least one piece of legislation  although he would not be the first: Presidents have signed documents using signature copying devices since Thomas Jefferson in 1804; former President Barack Obama was reportedly the first to sign actual legislation with an autopen in 2011.

It is unclear how often Biden signed other documents, including executive orders and pardons, via autopen. We were unable to reach Biden's team as of this writing.

Biden's signature

The Oversight Project, in its X post, claimed it "gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency. All used the same autopen signature except for the the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year."

Images of Biden's purported autopen signature, which reads

Biden's purported autopen signature (top) compared with the signature from his letter dropping out of the race (bottom). (Federal Register / Oversight Project on X)

Fox News claimed it "examined more than 20 Biden-era executive orders documented on the Federal Register's office between 2021 and 2024 and found each had the same signature." The Federal Register is the U.S. government's daily publication for executive orders and other official documents.

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While it is true that many of Biden's executive orders carry a signature matching the one posted by the Oversight Project, the National Archives, which runs the Federal Register, said in an emailed statement that official documents published in the Federal Register use a copy of the president's signature that "comes from one graphic file."

"At the beginning of each administration, the White House sends a sample of the President's signature to the Office of the Federal Register, which uses it to create the graphic image for all Presidential Documents published in the Federal Register," communications staff at the National Archives wrote.

As the Federal Register's digitized documents do not represent what the signature looks like on the original documents, the Oversight Project's claim lacks credibility.

Neither the project nor Fox News provided evidence that these are autopen signatures, other than the fact that the purported autopen signature looked different from the signature Biden used in a letter announcing he would drop out of the presidential race in 2024.

Two side-by-side versions of former President Joe Biden's signature at the end of his executive orders; the signatures appear to match.

Left: An image of Biden's purported autopen signature. Right: An image of Biden's signature from the Federal Register's digitized copy of a Jan. 26, 2021, executive order Biden signed by hand. (Oversight Project / Federal Register / Snopes Illustration)

Furthermore, there are photos of Biden signing  by hand and in person  executive orders that carry signatures matching the purported autopen signature. For example, see this Jan. 26, 2021, Getty Images photo matching this executive order on criminal justice and this July 8, 2022, photo matching this executive order on reproductive rights. One image shows him virtually signing an August 2022 executive order cited by the Oversight Project as supposed evidence that Biden used an autopen (he had COVID-19 at the time and was isolating).

A white man with short white hair in a suit, former President Joe Biden, signs an executive order using a fancy black and gold pen. A graphic overlaid on top of this image shows a zoomed-in and rotated version of his signature within the original image.

Biden signs an executive order on Jan. 26, 2021. A close-up and rotated screenshot of his signature in this image shows similarities to his alleged autopen signature but it does not appear to be an exact match. (Getty Images / Snopes Illustration)

The image of Biden signing the order by hand seems to show a signature similar to the purported autopen one but does not appear to have the loop in the "R" pictured on the Federal Register's copy, demonstrating that, as the National Archives said, the original signature on the documents is not reflected by the digitized versions.

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As Fox News noted, many of President Donald Trump's executive orders from both of his terms also use the same signature.

Four screengrabs of Trump's signature from four different executive orders. Each appear to match each other.

A sampling of Trump's signature on his executive orders published by the Federal Register. (Federal Register / Snopes illustration)

Finally, Trump's claim that Biden specifically signed pardons via autopen is not credible. Unlike the Federal Register documents, digitized copies of Biden's pardons on the U.S. Department of Justice website carry differing signatures.

For example, see the Jan. 6 committee pardon compared to these pardons from 2022, 2023 and 2024, in which Biden writes "Joseph" in three of them and "J" in the 2022 version for his first name, among other differences, particularly in the "R" and "Jr."; none of these signatures are an exact match for the purported autopen one.

Four different signatures from former President Joe Biden's pardons. All signatures are Biden's, but some include his full first name, while others say

A sampling of Biden's signature on pardons from 2022, 2023 and 2024 as well as his Jan. 6 committee pardon from 2025 (from left to right). (U.S. Justice Department / Snopes Illustration)

According to a May 2024 CNN story citing an anonymous White House official, Biden did use an autopen to sign a bill extending funding for the Federal Aviation Administration while in San Francisco. The same story said "the use of the autopen has been a rarity in the Biden administration. The White House has gone to great lengths at times to fly physical bills to Biden while he's traveling abroad, including a $40 billion Ukraine aid package the president signed while in South Korea in 2022 and a 2022 bill to avert a government shutdown while the president was on vacation in St. Croix."

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Other reputable news outlets, including The Associated Press, covered the White House's efforts to fly bills both to South Korea and St. Croix.

History of the presidential autopen

Thomas Jefferson was the first U.S. president to use a version of the autopen, then known as the polygraph, just a year after its invention in 1803, according to the National Museum of American History. He called it "the finest invention of the present age."

An image of an old wooden device which allows the writer to sign two pieces of paper at once. The writer moved one pen and the other pen mirrored its movements.

A polygraph at Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States. (Getty Images)

According to the National Park Service's official Facebook page for the White House and President's Park, the first commercially successful autopen was not developed until 1942, when it "quickly gained popularity in the government."

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"Harry Truman was said to have been the first to put the autopen to use, but Lyndon B. Johnson was the first to be photographed using it. In 1968 the National Enquirer published an article featuring those photos titled "The Robot that Sits in for the President," the post said.

The page noted that it would be "incredibly challenging" for a president to sign, by hand, the thousands of pieces of paper requiring a signature  "from bills and executive directives to letters and photographs."

In 2005, former President George W. Bush asked his Justice Department to determine whether signing legislation passed by Congress with an autopen is constitutional, given that the U.S. Constitution dictates in Article I, Section 7 that presidents "shall sign" bills into law. The government's lawyers determined legislation can be signed via autopen without violating the Constitution  and that the Department of Justice "has long recognized" that the president "may sign a document, within the meaning of various statutory signing requirements, by directing that his signature be affixed to it by another (page 115).

To make this determination, the Justice Department's decision cited many other instances where various U.S. government lawyers decided a copy of the president's signature suffices for official documents, including pardons (see page 113).

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In fact, a 2024 decision by a federal court said pardons and commutations by the president don't even have to be in writing (see page 13). "Nothing in the Constitution restricts the President's exercise of the clemency power to commutations that have been rendered through a documented writing," the decision said (page 15).

However, Bush never used an autopen to sign legislation; presidents reportedly did not sign legislation with autopens until Obama used one while in France to sign a four-year extension of the Patriot Act, a post-9/11 bill meant to combat terrorism, according to numerous news articles. Obama's use became the subject of controversy: 21 Republicans signed a letter calling on Obama to personally re-sign the Patriot Act and commit to signing legislation by hand. It is unclear whether Trump has signed legislation or policy with an autopen, although some reports suggest he signed campaign items for sale via the device.

Thus, the claim Biden used an autopen to sign official documents may be somewhat truthful, but it lacks context. There is credible evidence that Biden's executive orders and pardons purportedly signed via autopen were actually signed in person and by hand. Furthermore, presidents have used versions of autopens since the 1800s due to the vast number of documents requiring the commander-in-chief's signature.

Sources:

ABC News. "Autographed Trump Hats and Books Sold on His Website Were Signed by Machine." ABC News, 18 Nov. 2016, abcnews.go.com/Politics/autographed-trump-hats-books-sold-website-signed-machine/story?id=43638238. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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Agee, Steven. JAMES ROSEMOND v. RICHARD HUDGINS. 13 Feb. 2024, cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/22-7188/22-7188-2024-02-13.pdf?ts=1707852633. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Baker, Peter, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs. "Biden to Sign Ukraine Aid Bill during His Trip to Asia." The New York Times, 21 May 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/us/politics/ukraine-aid-bill-biden.html. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Biden, Joe. "Executive Order 14076 Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services ." Federal Register, 22 July 2022, www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-07-13/pdf/2022-15138.pdf. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

---. "Presidential Documents 7483 Title 3- the President Reforming Our Incarceration System to Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities." Federal Register, 29 Jan. 2021, www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-01-29/pdf/2021-02070.pdf. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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---. "Presidential Documents 49505 Title 3- the President Securing Access to Reproductive and Other Healthcare Serv- Ices." Federal Register, 3 Aug. 2022, www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-08-11/pdf/2022-17420.pdf. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Bloomberg. "US President Joe Biden Signs an Executive Order with US Vice..." Getty Images, 8 July 2022, www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/president-joe-biden-signs-an-executive-order-with-us-vice-news-photo/1241779662?adppopup=true. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

"Chief Executive." Smithsonian National Museum of American History, americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-presidency/online/foundations/the-presidents-job/chief-executive. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Fram, Alan, and Aamer Madhani. "Ukraine Aid Bill Hitching Ride to Seoul for Biden Signature." AP News, 20 May 2022, apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-south-korea-asia-seoul-b1c87ec419168374e321330886ef6746. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Freeman, Demetrius, et al. "President Joe Biden Signs an Executive Order Virtually during The..." Getty Images, 4 Aug. 2022, www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/august-3-2022-us-president-joe-biden-signs-an-executive-news-photo/1242295417?adppopup=true. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Graves, Tom, et al. "Mr. President: On May 26, 2011, the House of Representatives..." CBS News, 7 June 2011, www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/AutopenLetter061711a.pdf. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Justice Department. "Whether the President May Sign a Bill by Directing That His Signature Be Affixed to It." Justice.gov, 5 Dec. 2006, www.justice.gov/olc/opinion/whether-president-may-sign-bill-directing-his-signature-be-affixed-it. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Knoller, Mark. "Obama Uses Autopen, Again, to Sign Bill into Law." Cbsnews.com, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2011, www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-uses-autopen-again-to-sign-bill-into-law/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

National Archives. "Executive Orders." Federal Register, www.federalregister.gov/presidential-documents/executive-orders. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Ngan, Mandel, and Getty Images. "US President Joe Biden Signs Executive Orders after Speaking On..." Getty Images, 26 Jan. 2021, www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/president-joe-biden-signs-executive-orders-after-speaking-news-photo/1230803007?adppopup=true. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Office of the Pardon Attorney. "Pardons Granted by President Joseph Biden (2021-Present)." Www.justice.gov, www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-joseph-biden-2021-present. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Saenz, Arlette, and Clare Foran. "Biden Signs One-Week FAA Extension via Autopen." CNN, 10 May 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/05/10/politics/biden-week-faa-extension-autopen/index.html. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Seabrook, Andrea. "Obama Wields His ... Autopen?" NPR, 27 May 2011, www.npr.org/2011/05/27/136717719/obama-wields-his-autopen. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Shear, Michael D. "Autopen Is Used to Sign a Bill into Law, a United States First." The New York Times, 28 May 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/us/politics/28sign.html. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Stamp, Jimmy. "President Obama's Autopen: When Is an Autograph Not an Autograph?" Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2013, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/president-obamas-autopen-when-is-an-autograph-not-an-autograph-574822/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Stokols, Eli, and Laura Egan. "Worst Trip to St. Croix, Ever." POLITICO, 5 Jan. 2023, www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2023/01/05/worst-trip-to-st-croix-ever-00076640. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

"The Robot That Sits in for the President." Archive.org, National Enquirer, web.archive.org/web/20140423055833/signaturemachine.com/company/robot.htm. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

The White House and President's Park. "Got a Pen? The White House Receives Thousands of Pieces of Paper That Require the Signature of the President..." Facebook.com, 24 Aug. 2024, www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=921319726701199&id=100064695398315. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Updates:

March 21, 2025: This story was updated to include a 2024 court decision about whether the president's pardon powers need to be in writing.
A development company is seeking a $1.8 million loan from the city of Tacoma to help renovate 78 residential units and nine retail spaces in an area of downtown Tacoma, according to a funding request submitted to the city.

The Rialto redevelopment project, led by Seattle-based real estate company Urban Black with partner Great Expectations LLC, would renovate and redevelop three existing buildings on St. Helens Avenue and South 9th Street under the Ceiba Redevelopment LLC entity. Apartments would target people who make 30%-50% of the area median income and include workforce housing for front-line workers, seniors, veterans and students, according to the developers funding request. The buildings include the Rialto Apartments, The Exley and the St. Helens Building.

The loan from the city would help pay for the cost of architects and engineers, permitting, special inspections, storefront glazing, facade painting, management, insurance, renovations and fees, the request said. If the developers can secure funding from the city, the hope is the first rental units would be available by September, with final completion by October, according to the request.

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We have a big vision for that block, said Kateesha Atterberry, founder and managing director of Urban Black. [It will] breathe life into the area.

For years, several buildings along St. Helens Avenue have been boarded. The Candy Market convenience store at the corner of Market Street and South 9th Street closed in February after management was behind on rent and agreed to vacate, said Ben Maritz, the CEO of Great Expectations LLC. The business faced issues over the years, including in 2022 when a clerk at the store stabbed a woman experiencing homelessness to death with a sword and was later found mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Design renderings included with the funding request depict newly painted buildings on St. Helens Avenue with new restaurants and shops. Maritz told The News Tribune earlier this month that a new convenience store would open in the Candy Mart location and the Christian Science Reading Room at 756 St. Helens Ave. may renew its lease.

Plans to update the commercial spaces were entirely unfunded as of Sept. 26, 2024, according to the request.

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Maritz said Great Expectations LLC wants to work with the Tacoma Housing Authority to bring affordable housing to the area. Although the companies are currently in the concept phase, securing investment in the project would bring more traffic and investment to downtown, he said.

Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards told The News Tribune Friday she saw the project as an investment in Tacoma.

[Im] really excited that they were willing to purchase the building and keep the integrity of the space while modernizing it for those who are going to be able to use it, whether that is in the businesses or with the people who are residents of the building, Woodards said. Broadway has been completely leased up. Last time I heard there are no spots open on Broadway, so revitalizing the next block up makes a lot of sense.

City spokesperson Maria Lee said the developers plans meet the City Councils priorities for affordable housing and revitalizing the downtown core.

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Ceiba has obtained site control of the properties and Community & Economic Development Department staff is underwriting a loan proposal for $1 million from [Urban Development Action Grant] Major Capital Projects funds to complete the redevelopment of the site(s), Lee said in an email March 5. We would expect Ceiba to engage with the Planning & Development Services Department for permitting once a funding agreement has been negotiated and approved by the City Council.

Lee said Thursday the funding request is currently being reviewed by Community and Economic Development staff for project feasibility. If the project is determined to be feasible, staff will present loan options to the city council to consider, likely in April, which may include UDAG funds, she said.

Pierce County recently announced it would contribute $1 million to the project from money raised by the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Tax.

According to the project overview, the plan would include rehabilitating 13 vacant units and refreshing other units that become vacant in subsequent months. Underperforming tenants like Payee Service and Candy Mart would be removed as they contribute to negative street activity.

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The companies would engage with potential new tenants through the Downtown Tacoma Partnership and estimated an eight-month process to secure fully tenancy, with an additional six months for build-outs, according to the project timeline submitted to the city. Full occupancy of all retail spaces is estimated to be in mid-2026.

A rendering of a proposed mixed-use redevelopment project on St. Helens Avenue in downtown Tacoma depicts new businesses like a restaurant, clothing store and jewelry store in an area where storefronts are currently boarded up. Urban Black, Great Expectations LLC

Plan is to bring in small local businesses

Atterberry said the company officially closed on the building acquisitions Sept. 9 and has been working closely with the mayors office and the City Council on the project.

Urban Black is a Black-owned real estate development company that has done similar mixed-use affordable housing and commercial projects in Seattle, including at Pike Place Market. Atterberry said her company takes a mission-based approach to master planning, focusing on community, small local businesses and respecting and honoring the local culture. The Theater District project would be Urban Blacks first in Tacoma, Atterberry said.

Great Expectations LLC has a number of affordable-housing development projects underway in Tacoma, including the 119-unit Cornus House project at 2502 Pacific Ave. and the 300-unit Arbutus House project at 109 S. 25th St. and 102 S. 24th St. in the Dome District, as previously reported by The News Tribune.

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Atterberry said they hope to attract Tacoma local businesses to the new commercial spaces and said, We dont do franchise businesses. Youre not going to see a Starbucks there, anything like that.

The buildings Urban Black plans to renovate are currently boarded up and need a lot of capital and construction improvements, including mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, she said.

That takes a lot of money, and thats where that $1.8 million funding request is coming from, Atterberry said. Being able to not only bring those spaces up to standard, it offsets the cost a local Tacoma business would pay to move into a space.

Atterberry said they would offer lower rent than the downtown Tacoma area market rent and revitalize that street.

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Kateeshas specialty is working with small business owners who come from diverse backgrounds  people of color ... and so on. So were really hoping to just have an awesome collection of entrepreneurs in that space who are wanting to contribute to downtown revitalization, Maritz said.

More information about the project will be shared in a news release next month, Atterberry said. Any interested businesses can contact Urban Black at 206-701-1485 to tour and learn more.
At a protest on Saturday at the Capitol in Madison, a man who asked to be identified only as Tony said he was worried about cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the withdrawal of U.S. support for Ukraine. | Photo by Ruth Conniff/Wisconsin Examiner

It was a blustery, grey Saturday afternoon on March 15 as about 40 people wearing togas, carrying signs and waving upside-down American flags gathered on the steps of the Capitol in Madison to protest Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the current administrations assault on democracy.

The Madison rally, part of a loosely organized nationwide effort launched by the 5051 Movement, was one in a series of 50 protests held in 50 states on a specific day. The theme on this day was the Ides of March  hence the togas and signs denouncing Trump and Musk as American Caesars.

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I am tired of bullies in our state and in our national government, said a white-haired man who asked to be identified by only his first name, Tony. I think theyve lost the whole idea of what our government is all about. Threatened cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the withdrawal of U.S. support for Ukraines effort to repel Russias invasion were among the issues that brought him to the protest.

Im old, said Ann Kimber, 70, explaining why she showed up to the Capitol in her wheelchair. I get Medicare. My daughters on Medicaid. And I know some people who need their VA benefits. I want people to know were concerned they might go away.

Ann Kimber at the Ides of March protest in Madison | Photo by Ruth Conniff/Wisconsin Examiner

Kimber organized a Facebook group of Fitchburg seniors, she said, because she felt there was nothing happening to resist the dangerous assault on the federal government by the Trump administration. She was optimistic that protests were having an effect, causing the administration to backtrack on some of its planned cuts. I think each group that has some stake in the matter should be out there protesting all the time, she said.

Kimber recalled the massive 2011 protests against former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, whose attack on public employee unions and drastic cuts to education propelled tens of thousands of Wisconsinites to mount historic rallies at the Capitol. She said she thought Trump and Musk, like Walker, would suffer an inevitable public backlash because of their arrogance, acting like kings. If they would have been a little more subtle about it they would get farther, she said.

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Madison, home to one of the top research institutions in the country, stands to lose $65 millions as Trump takes a meat cleaver to National Institutes of Health funding, with dire ripple effects for the states economy and for critical progress on everything from curing childhood cancer to dementia.

But unlike the 2011 Wisconsin uprising against Walker, the public response to the stunning aggression of Trump and Musk has been eerily quiet. Some of the Madison protesters said they thought too many people were intimidated about speaking out, especially after the high-profile arrest of Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian protest organizer Mahmoud Khalil, who was taken from his apartment in New York earlier this month and held under threat of deportation at a detention center in Louisiana.

If theyre gonna start arresting people for the stuff they say  thats fascism 101, said Julie Mankowski, who helped organize the Madison event and showed up wearing a king-size bedsheet. When the first person disappears, if theres not enough outrage, it becomes no resistance at all, just fear, she added.

People of various ages and backgrounds joined the march, including a lot of faces I havent seen, said Mankowski, a lot of people with diverse concerns, but the real theme seems to be this is not what our country is about.

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After chanting on the State Street corner of the Capitol for a while, the group made a lap of the Capitol square, flags flying, led by a cheerful young man with a megaphone who chanted, Fascists out of the White House!

A couple of self-appointed marshals stopped at each intersection, facing traffic as the group crossed the street. One young man had a handgun in a holster on his hip and a defend equality patch on his shoulder with the image of a military-style assault rifle against an LGBTQ pride flag. The jarring suggestion of violence was muted by the jolly mood of the gathering. Cars honked and passers-by accepted handbills promoting free speech.

Carrie McClung marches around the Capitol in Madison | Photo by Ruth Conniff/Wisconsin Examiner

The Ides of March theme had shifted to free speech, explained Carrie McClung, another toga-clad protest organizer, after Khalils arrest. I hope more people start coming out, McClung added. I know people are frustrated. I know people are angry. And I hope it encourages people  this is our right to be out here.

The first popular test of the Trump/Musk regime will take place in Wisconsin on April 1, in a state Supreme Court race Musk has spent millions to try to buy. Some protesters carried signs supporting Judge Susan Crawford in that race and opposing Musk-backed candidate Brad Schimel. The race has garnered national attention since, as The Wall Street Journal reports, it will show whether Musk could be a political liability for Republicans.

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Buoyed by all the honks of encouragement and thumbs-up from passing pedestrians, the Madison protesters wound up back on the corner of State Street where they bopped to tunes on a boom box.

While Democrats and much of the public have been too shocked and disoriented by the scale of Trumps assault on democracy to react, the ragtag group stood out in the wind, trying to spark a movement.

In fact, this spring, signs of a bigger backlash have begun to appear, including a 3,500-person rally with Bernie Sanders at UW-Parkside in Kenosha earlier this month, where an additional 500 people were reportedly turned away from a packed arena. Videos of Sanders Fighting Oligarchy tour have gone viral. The same weekend as the small Ides of March Madison protest, I heard a gravelly Brooklyn accent coming through my teenagers bedroom door.

From the bottom of my heart, I am convinced that they can be beaten, Sanders said of the billionaires taking a chainsaw to the social safety net and Hoovering up the wealth of our nation. Despair is not an option.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A suspect has been arrested in connection to a shooting that occurred on Saturday, according to the Birmingham Police Department.

At around 12:33 a.m., an adult male was shot while crossing the street in the 200 block of 17th Street North. BPD officers arrived on the scene and found the victim suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services arrived on the scene and took the victim to UAB Hospital for treatment.

The BPDs Real Time Crime Center quickly located the suspects vehicle in the 800 block of 44th Street North. South Precinct officers took the suspect into custody without incident.

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Talladega Countys Winterboro High School damaged in tornado

The suspect has been identified as Kelein Blevins, 38, of Birmingham. Blevins was placed on a 48-hour felony extension in the Birmingham City Jail.

Detectives with the BPD presented case information to the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office, and they obtained warrants for first degree assault, certain persons forbidden to possess pistol and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Blevins will be transported to the Jefferson County Jail.

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Blue Alert canceled, man suspected of shooting police officer in custody

UPDATE 10:26 AM

According to the Muskogee County Sheriffs Office, Billy Williams has been taken into custody.

ORIGINAL STORY

MUSKOGEE COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has issued a Blue Alert for a man accused of shooting a police officer in Muskogee County.

Billy Williams. Image courtesy OHP.

According to OHP, Billy Williams is 511, 380 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

He is suspected of shooting a police officer and is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

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He may be traveling in a white Nissan Altima. If seen, do not approach and call 911.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Kent-based space exploration firm Blue Origin has donated one of its groundbreaking rocket engines to the Museum of Flight for a new display thats set up at the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery. The donation marks a new partnership with the museum.

The prototype BE-3U engine was designed to power the upper stage of Blue Origins giant reusable New Glenn rocket that launched for the first time only a couple of months ago. It stands about 15 feet tall and weighs over a ton.

According to the museum, the engine is now one of the largest objects on display in its exhibit focusing on the latest in rocket science and space programs.

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KIRO 7 spoke to Timothy Hinerman, who is on the team that developed the BE3U rocket engine. Monday morning, he oversaw the delicate installation of the engine at the museum. He said he hopes the work with the Museum of Flight and the new display will inspire a new generation to space exploration.

This is one of the early development units we have tested, he said. Its already been hot-fired. We learned a bunch from it.

KIRO 7 also spoke to Geoff Nunn, a space curator at the museum. He watched the engine installation Monday morning and says Western Washingtons space exploration ecosystem is a strong one.

I think its important that we recognize all the accomplishments that NASA makes, but we have that resilience in the addition of private players like Blue Origin, he said.

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Nunn believes Blue Origin will be a leader in the field of space exploration for years to come, if not decades.

Theyve managed to secure quite a few contracts as it is, he told KIRO 7. I think they have a chance.

The installation comes about a month after Blue Origin announced it would be laying off 10 percent of its workforce. Thats about 1,000 employees. The company has not specified how many Washington State employees would be impacted, but it maintains a large presence at one of its main offices in Kent.








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A bite-sized chunk of my big-picture piece from Quadrant has now been excerpted in Australia's national newspaper, The Australian:

The biggest story of our time is that the entirety of the western world is sliding off the cliff  and most citizens of the west are not even aware of it, and have no desire to be made aware of it. In that respect, I envy them. It is comforting to paddle one's canoe and insist that the ever louder roaring sound from up ahead is the crowd at a Taylor Swift gig and not Niagara Falls. To be sure, permanence is the illusion of every age, but only in our time do we choose consciously not to believe our lyin' eyes. Nevertheless, the west is now weak by every measure. First, and most obviously, it is demographically dying. Second, it is economically moribund. Third, it is militarily feckless. Fourth, it is culturally suicidal... A couple of decades back, I would have kept the list going for another half-dozen sobering bullet-points, but let's just cut to the chase: We're nuts, and we're raising our kids to be even nuttier. That last bit doesn't always work, of course: on the Continent, young voters are some of the most enthusiastic supporters of Germany's AfD, France's National Rally and other 'far right' 'neo-fascist' parties...

But "democracy" no longer quite works as it's meant to, does it? In Romania, the election got cancelled and the leading candidate arrested; in Canada, a globalist technocrat who's never sat in Parliament and is entirely unknown in his native land got parachuted in from Klaus Schwab's hollowed-out Alp. And, in between, western European elections have dwindled down to a grimly reductive standard operating procedure: the "far right" might occasionally "win" - in the sense of being the largest party in the legislature - but the "centre-right" has agreed to save democracy by only working with far-left parties. In Austria, the winning party has been excluded from a coalition of the losers. In the Netherlands, where the winning party has been admitted to the coalition, it is on terms that marginalise it and render its voters' concerns irrelevant. This uniparty continuity dooms to failure not just this or that individual government but the system itself. In Germany, after last month's election, the victorious Friedrich Merz has yet to take office but he's already being written off as a total wanker loser by his own voters:

More than half of Germans do not believe that Friedrich Merz will be a good chancellor, a new survey has said. According to the poll conducted by the Forsa polling institute for the RTL/n-tv Trendbarometer, 52% of respondents are sceptical of the CDU leader, compared to only 38% who think he will do a good job... Voters who did give their support to the centre-right party did so thinking that Merz would deliver on his promises to take a tough course on migration and revive Germany's faltering industrial base while getting rid of radical climate policies. So far, however, he has made a U-turn on his policieseven before becoming chancellorin order to accommodate the Social Democrats. On migration, for example, he has backtracked on his vow to close Germany's borders to illegal and undocumented migrants, and on the budget, he is willing to indebt the country instead of pursuing fiscally conservative politics.

Yeah, well, that's your fault, Krauts. If you persist in voting for a "centre-right" party that pledges only to work with parties to its left - including its far left - all you're doing is volunteering to be the first to get screwed over on the morning after the election.

In the United Kingdom, if one were to dignify far more than it deserves Nigel Farage's conduct this last week in seeking to get his most effective MP gaoled as a violent sex predator (a charge not even the useless Brit media take seriously, and which even Nigel has given up talking about), it is because he - polling in roughly the same territory as AfD and National Rally - does not want to see Reform UK fall prey to a local variant of the Continental exclusion policy: oh, look - at the 2029 election there is no majority and the Tories pledge they're only going to work with respectable moderate mainstream parties such as the Greens and Sinn Fein.

When Farage says Rupert Lowe has been captured by the "online far right", he's saying that Reform's priority should continue to be aging lounge-bar whingers who, above all else, see themselves as the voice of Middle England and have no desire to remake themselves as firebrand revolutionaries. Of course, being a mainstream normie doesn't mean the uniparty won't shut you out anyway: ask Mme Le Pen, whose strategy of "de-demonisation" and reinvention of herself as a harmless cat lady Nigel seems to be trying to emulate. In France, the cat lady herself has a Paris prosecutor demanding she be gaoled for five years and banned from public office.

By way of a Rorschach test, here is a recent tweet from my former GB News colleague and soon-to-be Mark Steyn Cruisemate Father Calvin Robinson:

Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education. They inspect schools and other educational institutions in England to ensure they are "promoting British values". The new interim chairman is a Mohammedan. pic.twitter.com/0RN2HAp4dM  Fr Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) March 13, 2025

This is correct: Sir Hamid Patel CBE is the new chairman of the British education system's regulatory authority - that's to say, Ofcom for readin', writin' and 'rithmetic. Yet the first comments I saw on the Tweet called it "disgusting" and said it made Father Calvin "look dumb" - because Sir Hamid is a respected educator whom the Headmaster of Eton likes.

I'd never heard of the bloke, and so I just looked at the picture and saw a man in Islamic garb who's now the head of a prominent UK government body. The white shalwar kameez was invented by Muslims as a response to the particular climate of South Asia, but like other Islamo-couture it's everywhere now, closing in on the Arctic Circle. Me a decade ago:

Just a lone stabber going full Allahu Akbar in a shopping mall in Turku. Two women dead, eight injured. As it happens, I was in Turku last year, driving up the west coast of Finland all the way to Kemi, a somewhat unprepossessing burg at the top of the Bay of Bothnia, where I'd had an extensive conversation, in the pedestrian shopping arcade, with an elderly 'refugee' in a dingy dishdash. And I'd intended to write something about how absurd it was that clothing designed for the deserts of Araby was now a not unfamiliar sight in southern Lapland, in a town that's more or less the last stop before Santa's Grotto.

So, when some people look at that Tweet, they see not a respected educator but something alien - and the portent of a future in which more and more of the people who count are dressed like that while they serve as Chairman of the BBC or Governor of the Bank of England. Alas, in a multicultural society where huge numbers of people are still able to drone "Diversity is our strength" with a straight face, even to draw attention to the above is "disgusting" and renders one really "dumb". Of course, you can always grumble into your beer about it with your mates down the pub - but in England the pubs are closing at the rate of fifty a month, and in the ones that are left Sir Keir Stasi's new Employment Rights bill has made provision for a "banter ban". In the future they're planning for you, you will be denied even the consolations of culture.

The question then arises: what comes next? The most important thing I linked to this week was an interview by onetime Steyn Show guest Louise Perry with David Betz, Professor of War in the Modern World at King's College, London. If you're not into links, well, here's the whole thing:

Louise has the voice of a lovely English rose and Professor Betz is a mild-mannered soft-spoken Canadian, and such accents calmly discussing the road to "civil war" makes it far more unsettling than if it were just another blowhard roaring from his cyber-bunker. Especially when Mr Betz, who has advised governments around the Commonwealth on "counter-terrorism", says right at the end that it's too late to prevent it, and it's time to work on mitigation strategies to secure the nation's great artistic treasures and its nuclear weapons.

The idea that Britain and France are either a) lost or b) doomed to civic collapse would be dismissed by those whose principal concerns are capital gains and school fees. But both of these superficially stable nations have made recent territorial adjustments: the United Kingdom's present borders date all the way back to, oh, 1922, and until the Sixties French Algeria was divided into administrative departements no different from Provence or Normandy and inhabiting much the same psychological space in the national consciousness: in 1962 the million who fled, in a few months, from Algeria to metropolitan France was the biggest population displacement in Europe since the Second World War. As Professor Betz observes, during the thirty years of the Irish "Troubles" a few hundred terrorists were able to carry out destabilising operations at the highest levels of the British state, killing prominent politicians and members of the Royal Family, blowing up the Prime Minister's hotel, and putting a rocket through a Downing Street window.

Go back to the riots over the three girls slaughtered in Southport last summer and the ensuing lies by Starmer about who did it and why. The Troubles were maintained by a couple of hundred active insurgents drawn from a broader population of half-a-million "nationalists" in Northern Ireland. If you take seriously the bollocks peddled by the government and its media poodles, the biggest threat to social tranquility in the UK comes not from "refugees" or ongoing Islamisation but from the "far right". Okay. If you say so. In that case, do the math: England has a population a hundred times the size of Ulster's Catholic community. A take-up rate equivalent to the IRA's would be tens of thousands.

By doing what the uniparty has done in Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands, etc, the state is not only delegitimising itself, but teaching the citizenry that nothing can be changed through peaceful civic participation. Eventually enough of them will draw the logical conclusions of that lesson.

Before the end of this decade, we will be in an entirely new phase.

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)
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 17. Akim (Governor) of the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan, Nuralkhan Kusherov, instructed the heads of responsible departments and the akims of districts and cities to strengthen efforts to attract investments to the region, Trend reports via the Akimat of the Turkestan region.

As part of this initiative, the Governor of the Baidibek district of the Turkestan region, Yerlan Nurmakhanov, presented a project for a new cotton processing complex that will be implemented in the district. This project is aimed at developing the region's agriculture and promoting the cotton processing industry.

The project will be implemented in the Baidibek district. Currently, work has begun on fencing the plot where the enterprise will be located. In the future, the project plans to organize production processes based on modern technologies, the report says.

The district's Akimat is overseeing the implementation of the investment project and taking appropriate measures to ensure its timely and high-quality completion.

The project is initiated by the Kazakhstani company "AMANAT AGRO HOLDING." The investment volume amounts to 2.7 billion tenge (approximately $5.4 million). The annual production capacity of the complex is designed to process 60,000 tons of cotton raw material. Upon completion of the project, 60 new jobs will be created (for one shift).

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
FLORENCE, Miss. (WJTV)  A boil water notice has been issued for more than 550 customers in Florence.

According to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), the notice was issued due to a line break.

Tornado damage in Tylertown prompts boil water notice

The notice affects customers in downtown Florence, North Church Street, South Church Street, East Main Street, White Street, Lewis Street east of Mullican Cove and part of West Main Street from Meadows Cove East.

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Residents will be notified immediately by the water system when the advisory is lifted.

Health officials strongly recommend that all water be boiled vigorously for one minute before it is consumed.

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Boise State University President Marlene Tromp delivers her fourth state of the university address on Aug. 17, 2022. (Courtesy of John Kelly/Boise State University)

This story was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 17, 2025.

Boise State University President Marlene Tromp has been named the finalist for an identical position at the University of Vermont.

Tromp is interviewing at the Burlington, Vermont, campus Tuesday and Wednesday, the university said on its presidential search website.

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The website lists no other finalists for the vacancy.

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We are delighted to announce that the University of Vermont Board of Trustees has approved Dr. Marlene Tromp as sole finalist for the position of university president, the co-chairs of the universitys presidential search committee said in an open letter Monday.

The search committee interviewed more than 10 candidates for the job. The universitys board of trustees first discussed the opening with Tromp in February.

The State Board of Education  which would ultimately have to search for and hire a successor at Boise State  was terse Monday.

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The State Board is aware that Dr. Tromp is a finalist at the University of Vermont, spokesman Mike Keckler said in an email.

Boise State declined comment Monday, deferring to the State Board and the University of Vermont.

Boise State President Tromp has presided over enrollment growth, pains of COVID-19

Tromp has been president at Boise State since July 2019, a tenure marked by several milestones.

She has presided over a period of enrollment growth  and enrollment rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic. The states largest four-year university, Boise States fall student headcount was 27,198 last fall, up nearly 4% from 2019. Tromp also has presided over a period of growth in in-state enrollment.

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While student numbers have grown, Boise State has also seen an improvement in graduation rates. In 2022-23, Boise States four-year graduation rate was 42.7%, up from 38.1% three years earlier.

Boise State has also grown its research portfolio over the past five years. Research awards totaled $83 million in 2024. In a speech in August, Tromp said Boise State was just a hairs breadth away from achieving R1 status, the highest research classification offered by the American Council of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Boise State also reported a record $61.3 million in fundraising in 2023-24, as the university is pursuing a five-year, $500 million Unbridled capital campaign.

But Tromps time at Boise State has not been without controversy. Since her arrival, Tromp has been a lightning rod in the ongoing Statehouse debate over social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion. And in September, an Ada County jury awarded Big City Coffee owner Sarah Jo Fendley nearly $4 million in a First Amendment lawsuit against Boise State; Tromp testified in the trial.

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If Tromp leaves for Vermont, she would be going to a smaller university, at least in terms of enrollment.

Founded in 1791, the University of Vermont has an enrollment of close to 15,000, including nearly 12,000 undergraduates.

The University of Vermont is the states land-grant institution. Its research portfolio totaled $266.4 million last year, and it received R1 research designation this year, according to a university fact sheet. The university is also home to the Larner College of Medicine, the nations seventh oldest medical school.

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*The above video was ahead of the 2024 Book Lovers Book Sale.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The annual Friends Of The Sioux City Public Library Book Lovers Book Sale will be returning to the Southern Hills Mall this April.

This years book sale will be located inside of the old Chuck E. Cheese location near Barnes & Noble at the Southern Hill Mall. The sale will only be accessible from the outside door.

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Izaak Walton League provides aid to flood victims

This years book sale will run from April 24 through May 3.

On opening night, the sale will be open from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and a $5 donation will be taken for access to the sale.

You can view a full list of dates and times below.

Thursday, April 24  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, April 25  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 26  10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 27  12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday, April 28  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, April 30  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 1  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, May 2  4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 3  10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or when all books are gone.

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For more information on the upcoming book sale, click here.

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A border guard who broke his ankle during a 14-hour shift rescuing migrants from boats in the Channel has won an 80,000 court fight with the Home Office.

Alan Quartermain, 66, had been working since 2am and just taken part in his third rescue of the day when he was injured getting back onto his boat on June 3, 2021.

The veteran seaman was escorting a paramedic to attend to an injured person at Dover when he fell while boarding, slipping on a surface he said was covered in water, fuel and vomit.

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Mr Quartermains ankle broke in the fall and had to be kept in a protective boot for five weeks.

He has now claimed that the ongoing impact forced him to retire from the sea, a job he had held since he was 16.

He sued the Home Office, his former employer, which was ordered this week to pay 9,000 in compensation and cover Mr. Quartermains legal fees, estimated at more than 70,000.

The injuries sustained by Mr Quartermain forced him to retire from his job at sea - Champion News Service

The judge, Registrar Richard Davison, said there was no reason why a handrail had not been attached to make it safer for Mr Quartermain to get onto the boat.

Londons Admiralty Court, a specialist branch of the High Court which deals with maritime disputes, heard Mr Quartermain had been employed a seaman all his working life.

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He was engaged in patrolling the Channel in June 2021, when he was called out in a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) at around 2am.

Foreseeable risk of slipping

Giving evidence, he told the judge it had been a particularly busy day, that his team had been constantly backwards and forwards and on at least their third small boat rescue of the day when he was hurt 14-and-a-half hours later.

He returned to Dover with migrants from a craft and disembarked them all, save for one who had been injured in their crossing and needed medical attention.

While escorting a paramedic to the boat, known as HMC Alert, he slipped as he stepped onboard via a storage container called a baton box.

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The claimant submits that the deck and baton box had become befouled with vomit, urine, fuel or other contaminants, causing a foreseeable risk of slipping, said Benjamin Rose, Mr Quartermains barrister.

Handrail would have arrested the fall slightly

Mr Rose added that a handle or guard rail ought to have been affixed to the baton box to allow for safe boarding and disembarkation.

In his evidence, Mr Quartermain said had the boats removable handrail been attached at the time, he would have grabbed it as he boarded.

I believe a handrail would have, if not prevented it, would have arrested that fall slightly and not had such consequences, he said.

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The seaman, who was an officer in the Border Force Marine Command at the time, required 11 weeks off work after the accident.

But he went on to suffer further problems, he claimed.

He had to have a bone spur removed and became concerned about his mobility, which led to his retirement in 2023.

Confidence and ability to do the job was affected

My confidence was affected and my ability to help my colleagues, he said. I wanted to remain at sea. Thats what I have known, but there wasnt much in the way of adjustments they could do.

He said he realised actually Im not sure if I can do my job as well as I used to.

For the Home Office, barrister Alex Littlefair claimed the handrail could have been used as a weapon if left attached.

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Whatever method the Home Office took, there was necessarily going to be some balancing of the risk, he said.

If the handrail was left there, somebody might use it as a weapon.

No real reason why it wasnt fitted

The Home Office also claimed that, because the vessel was engaged in search and rescue, its duty was limited to having to act so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure the health and safety of the worker when performing that activity.

Giving judgement following a trial at the Admiralty Court, Registrar Davison found in favour of Mr Quartermain on his claim.

Although the boat was still engaged in search and rescue operations, health and safety risks could have been better mitigated by attaching the removable handrail.

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There seems to be no real reason why it wasnt fitted on this occasion, he said.

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The number of migrants caught illegally crossing the US southern border has dropped by 82 per cent since Donald Trumps immigration crackdown.

In February, 8,347 people were arrested trying to illegally cross the border, according to US border patrol statistics, putting the new administration on track for the lowest year of migrant crossings in decades.

The numbers represent a staggering decline in arrests at the Mexico border since December, the final full month of the Biden administration, when the border patrol apprehended 47,330 migrants.

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That was the lowest daily average for any month during Mr Bidens presidency, but it was still five times as many as February - the first full month since Mr Trump returned to the White House.

If the current trend holds for the remainder of the year, migrant arrests in the US could fall to their lowest level since the mid-1960s, according to the New York Times.

The number of people trying to reach the United States by crossing the Darien Gap - a treacherous land bridge between South America and Central America that is run by gangs - also dropped to 408 in February.

This is down 99 per cent from 37,000 in the same month last year, according to Panamas immigration institute.

Donald Trumps hard-line tactics may be working - Go Nakamura/Reuters

Hard-line tactics

The drop off in migrant crossings suggests that the presidents hard-line tactics to curb immigration are paying dividends.

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Under the Biden administration, the US struggled to get a handle on illegal immigration, with hundreds of thousands of people crossing into the country every month.

The number of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border reached a record high in December 2023, when more than 225,000 people were apprehended in a single month.

Within hours of returning to the Oval Office in January, Mr Trump declared an emergency at the US-Mexico border as one of the first in a flurry of executive orders designed to cut off immigration.

He has since implemented a series of tough measures, including halting asylum claims, deploying thousands of troops to the border and ramping up highly publicised deportation flights, designed to deter migrants from making the journey in the first place.

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He has also strong-armed Latin American countries into accepting removals and doing more to limit migration at source by threatening economic sanctions.

In a further boost, the president struck a deal with Mexico last month for the country to deploy 10,000 of its own troops to patrol its side of the border.

The administration has claimed that migrant crossings on some individual days have fallen by as much as 94 per cent.

The homeland security secretary pilots a US Coast Guard response boat - Alex Brandon/AP

Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, told New Nation on Saturday: Just recently, we saw less than 200 encounters in a day. Thats remarkable.

Now our agents can get back to doing their jobs and enforcing the law instead of processing.

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Addressing the impact of heightened border security on Mexican cartels, she said that gang members recognise were not letting people just walk across the border any more.

Kristi Noem speaks during a tour along the Nogales border wall at the Mariposa Port of Entry - Alex Brandon/AP

Ms Noem said: We are building a wall, we are securing our borders, and were not going to let this illegal activity continue.

The South Dakota governor, who was confirmed by the Senate in January to lead the department, has pledged to secure the US border and support deportation efforts.

Ms Noem, 53, oversees the US agency overseeing border enforcement and migrant deportations, which also leads federal efforts on cybersecurity, terrorism and emergency management.

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BOSTON (AP)  Tommy McCarthys Irish bar just outside Bostons city limits pours more Guinness than almost anywhere in the U.S., yet come this St. Patrick's Day, the longtime owner of The Burren is stocking up on plenty of nonalcoholic options too.

Its come a long way since we first opened, McCarthy said, who started slinging pints at the beloved establishment in 1996 after moving to the Boston area from West Clare, Ireland.

There is perhaps no other holiday tied more to a city than St. Patrick's Day in Boston. According to historians, the city was the first in the country to throw a celebration for the patron saint of Ireland on March 17, 1737, as a way to support the city's wave of Irish immigrants.

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Yet while the holiday has become connected to heavy drinking over the centuries, a small but growing crowd has found ways to participate in the St. Patrick's Day parades, festivals and banquets without a buzz. They're doing so by turning to nonalcoholic beers, mocktails and solely sober spaces  even in the heart of Boston.

A holiday that's not just about booze

St. Patricks Day is a huge drinking holiday. It is promoted absolutely everywhere, said Jackie Taylor who has been sober for 12 years.

But she's found lots of ways to celebrate the holiday  whether out on the town or at home  without risking a situation where "you might not make it out of there sober.

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Nonalcoholic drinks are popular on St. Patricks Day weekend during The Burren's four days of Irish music shows, which can last 10 hours each. McCarthy said hes a Guinness drinker but sticks to the nonalcoholic brew when playing the fiddle.

I top it up with the real creamy alcohol head, he said. Youre only getting a small bit of the alcohol, but you get the real cream. But youre also getting the taste of the real Guinness without the alcohol. It kind of beats all.

Michelle Flynn, manager at the Brendan Behan Irish pub in Boston's Jamacia Plain, said most bars now serve nonalcoholic beers  a significant shift from decades ago.

The neighborhood, society, everything has changed, has shifted a 1,000%  especially in the youth, she said.

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Young people don't drink as much anymore

It's not just bar owners noticing an uptick in a demand for nonalcoholic options. Young adults are drinking less than they were in decades past, according to polling by Gallup, which reported in 2023 that adults under 35 were less likely to say they use alcohol at least occasionally than they were in the early 2000s.

Gallup also saw a decline in the share of young adults who drink regularly or say they sometimes drink more than they think they should over the same time period.

Michael Scelfo, chef and owner of four Boston area cocktail bars, said his businesses have served mocktails since he opened Cambridge-based Alden & Harlow 11 years ago. But after the pandemic, demand significantly increased.

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Its really kind of an expected and formidable part of the menu now, he said, with bartenders putting just as much care into a mocktail's execution.

Reclaiming St. Patricks Day for Irish heritage

For nearly 15 years, William Spencer Reilly has been throwing a  Sober St. Patrick's Day  in New York City  which kicks off after the parade with Irish bands, dancers and food  and may soon expand the mission to Boston.

The sober event's founder and chairman has always had his eye on Boston "for all the obvious reasons.

According to Reilly, it's about refocusing the typically-booze forward festivities on celebrating Irish heritage and honoring St. Patrick, the priest born in the late fourth century who was enslaved in Ireland and later returned to promote the spread of Christianity. It's also a chance to break hurtful stereotypes of Irish people.

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When he first proposed the idea of a sober event on such a booze-heavy day, he was met with incredulity and doubt over public interest. Now he's in talks with Bostons local leaders and believes theres finally enough interest and support to branch out next year.

People generally seem more interested in being healthier, said Scelfo. That includes how they choose to spend their holidays.

The perils and pitfalls of alcohol are well-documented when not used responsibly, he said. Weve got an intelligent young generation thats focused on health and wellness. And I think that thats a great thing."

___

Krusei reported from Nashville, Tennessee, and Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia. Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington D.C. contributed.
DENVER (KDVR)  The Boulder Valley School District announced Friday that it would not have classes on Thursday after a large number of staff members called out for the day.

Its because March 20th is a day of action led by the Colorado Education Association dubbed No More Education Cuts. A letter written by BVSD Superintendent Rob Anderson said that over 600 staff members had requested time off on the 20th, preventing the district from keeping the schools open and operating in a safe and meaningful manner.

Gov. Polis speaks on federal cuts, impacts to Colorado

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We know this presents significant hardship for our families, our goal was to share this in advance so families can make necessary arrangements, Anderson said in its announcement.

The day will remain a workday for all school and district employees, requiring those absent to use their personal leave time. Schools will reopen as normal on Friday, Anderson said.

The public education funding crisis will present real impacts to our school district, Anderson wrote in his announcement. With our governors proposed student count averaging change (moving from a five-year average of student enrollment to a single-year count) our school district will experience a loss of funding for next year by nearly $5 million.

Anderson said the district administration supports the fight for fully-funded schools, and said the board of education and himself will continue to advocate at the legislative level and will share updates at our regular public meetings.

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According to the Colorado Education Association, the Colorado Legislature is considering cutting almost $150 million to education funding because of the proposed student count averaging change, which would use student enrollment from a single year, instead of using the four-year average currently in place.

The association said that schools are underfunded by about $4,000-4,500 per student each 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 FOX31 Denver.
BOUNTIFUL, Utah (ABC4)  A Bountiful man was taken into custody over the weekend after police said he shoved a pregnant woman and threatened others with a hatchet.

Robert Jesse Bloomer, 35, was booked into the Davis County Jail on one count of second-degree felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor charges of assault, threat or use of a dangerous weapon, and assault of a pregnant person.

According to court documents, officers responded to the area of 200 West and 800 South on Sunday, March 16, after victims said Bloomer had assaulted them out of rage. One victim said Bloomer shoved both her and her pregnant sister, with one sustaining a small injury to her finger.

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A second victim told officers Bloomer choked him to the point where he started seeing stars and losing consciousness. Police said the second victim suffered injuries to his bottom lip.

A third victim said he was bitten by Bloomer while he was trying to pull him off the second victim, according to court documents. Bountiful Police Officers reported finding bite marks on the third victims arm that had broken the skin.

Court documents say the third victim also reported Bloomer pulling out a hatchet during the confrontation and displayed it in an aggressive manner.

Bloomer later admitted to pulling out the hatchet, according to court documents, saying he did it in order to defend himself from the others. Police said Bloomer was then safely taken into custody and booked into the Davis County Jail on the aforementioned charges.

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Bloomer has been ordered to be held without bail, pending a pretrial hearing.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  High school students from seven counties will descend upon the Bradley University campus on Tuesday for a college fair.

The Illinois Association of College Admission Counselors Regional College Fair will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. March 18 at Bradleys Markin Family Recreation Center, said university spokeswoman Libby Derry.

More than 60 colleges will fill the center and students from Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Fulton, Stark, Marshall, Putnam and Knox counties can connect with the schools, she said.

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People from the school will be available to answer any questions students may have about a variety of topics including admissions, academic programs, campus life, financial aid and others.

This is a great opportunity for students to explore their options and gather important information about their future educational paths, said Angie Cooksy, Bradleys vice president for enrollment management, marketing and communications. Bradley is proud to host this event as part of its commitment to supporting students in their college search process.

Students and families can show up and walk around without a reservation.

More information can be found on Bradleys website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday that it will immediately phase out gender-affirming care medical treatments for transgender veterans, citing President Donald Trumps January 20 executive order defining gender as strictly male or female and fixed at birth assignment. The decision, effective immediately, halts access to hormone replacement therapy for transgender veterans unless they were already receiving it through the VA or the military at the time of their discharge. All other medical care for gender dysphoria, including speech therapy and prosthetics such as chest binders and wigs, has been discontinued, according to a VA press release.

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but VA should not be focused on helping veterans attempt to change their sex. The vast majority of veterans and Americans agree, and that is why this is the right decision, said VA Secretary Doug Collins. All eligible veterans  including trans-identified veterans  will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services theyve earned under the law. But if veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime.

All major medical associations in the U.S. support gender-affirming health care for transgender people.

The VA claimed that savings from eliminating gender-affirming care would be redirected to support veterans with severe injuries, including amputees and paralyzed veterans. "VA will not provide any other medical or surgical therapy for gender dysphoria to any patients in any circumstance," the press release states.

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The announcement comes just days after The Advocate reported on the VAs rescission of VHA Directive 1341 , which had provided protections and health care guidance for transgender veterans. At the time, VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz denied that any policy change had taken place and demanded The Advocate retract its reporting. However, the VAs website confirms the directives removal, with a new document published Friday formalizing the policy shift.

The rollback of support for trans vets has triggered a fierce backlash from veterans advocacy organizations, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which called the policy the ultimate betrayal.

The recent action by the current Administration to eliminate life-saving care for veterans who need it is the ultimate betrayal of those whove served and sacrificed so much for our country, said IAVA CEO and Iraq War veteran Allison Jaslow. If as a country we tell ourselves that we want the very best for Americas veterans, this recent action by the VA flies in the face of that and makes one wonder if its one that VA physicians would agree with.

IAVA, which represents over 425,000 post-9/11 veterans, vowed to fight the policy reversal: Regardless, our nation has just said a big f-u to veterans whove served and sacrificed when so many are unwilling to, and that should bother all of us.

Dr. Mary Brinkmeyer, a psychologist who resigned from the Hampton VA Medical Center in February in protest of the administrations approach to LGBTQ+ veterans, said she was deeply disturbed by the announcement.

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Im shaken not only by the announcement but by the dismissive cruelty in the way Sec. Collins refers to transgender veterans and their medical care, Brinkmeyer said. Ive worked with trans service members and veterans since 2016, and Ive seen their patriotism and desire to serve. They deserve better than this. Im extremely worried about the mental health effects of removing medically necessary care for gender dysphoria in this vulnerable population.

Lindsay Church, a Navy veteran and executive director of Minority Veterans of America, was emotional when speaking with The Advocate about the decision.

This is probably one of the cruelest things Ive read in a long time, Church said, their voice breaking. I had two VA appointments today, and I canceled both. I dont feel safe going to the VA right now.

Church also condemned the administration for pitting transgender veterans against those with spinal cord injuries and amputations, a tactic, they said, Collins used to justify the decision by saying that cost savings would be redirected to other veterans.

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While the department claims it is cutting services to save money for veterans with severe injuries, in the same press release, the VA admits that it has never consistently tracked how much it has spent on gender-affirming care or how many veterans received it.

The VA also acknowledges that transgender veterans make up less than one-tenth of one percent of the 9.1 million veterans enrolled in VA health careraising questions about how much money, if any, is actually being saved by the cuts.

One, VA doesnt know how much money they spend on gender dysphoria care, Church said. And two, thats not how VAs budget works. You cant just shift money like that. This is a bald-faced lie.

Congressional leaders rebuked the policy shift, with Democratic California U.S. Rep. Mark Takano, chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, calling it an act of cruelty.

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This isnt cost-cutting, its cruelty, Takano said in a statement to The Advocate. Secretary Doug Collins is unilaterally restricting medical care for transgender veterans, ignoring the clinical judgment of the VA providers that have prescribed this care and the expertise of all the major medical associations in the United States that support this care. Veterans deserve access to the medical care their providers deem appropriatewithout Secretary Collinss interference. Secretary Collinss willingness to pit veterans against each other in todays announcement is shameful. It shows that he is unwilling to take his responsibility to support all of our veterans, regardless of their identity or medical needs, seriously.

The Human Rights Campaign also condemned the VAs move, with President Kelley Robinson calling it an attack on those who have served.

Transgender veterans share the same commitment and the same love of country as all other veterans. They made the same sacrifices and are owed the same respect and care after their service, Robinson said. Despite this, the VA has decided to turn its back on transgender veterans who committed their lives to serving in our armed forcescomplying with an administration hellbent on harming and scapegoating the transgender community. We must continue to stand up for our transgender servicemembers and veterans. We must push back against these attacks until our nations policies reflect the values of honor, respect, and duty that our transgender veterans embody.

Church accused the administration of weaponizing fear and misinformation to justify stripping transgender veterans of essential medical care.

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Most people who receive hormone therapy, prosthetics, or surgeries at VA are not transgender, they said. VA is still going to provide all of these services, just not for gender dysphoria. This isnt about medical necessityits about bigotry. They are sentencing us to death.

Church also took issue with Collins claim that he made the decision with respect.

For the secretary to issue this release and say, I mean no disrespect while issuing the most disrespectful press release Ive ever readits just cruel, Church said. The secretary is doing harm to the community and pretending that he is doing something good for the veteran community. He doesnt have data. He doesnt have statistics. He just has abject hate for our community.

Church said the psychological toll of the decision cannot be understated.

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Im terrified to even step foot in a VA facility now, they said. They have made us public enemy number one. For what? Just for trying to live our lives?

Advocacy groups and medical providers warn that it would have devastating consequences for transgender veterans, who already experience disproportionately high rates of mental health struggles and suicide. Research shows transgender people serve in the military at nearly twice the rate of their cisgender peers.

The Advocate has contacted Kasperowicz for comment on Mondays announcement and the agencys previous denial.

Editor's note: This developing story has been updated with additional reporting.
The News

A sense of responsibility weighs heavily these days on Breitbart News. Washington Bureau Chief Matt Boyle, emerging from a newsy interview with the Treasury secretary last Thursday, mused about another huge moment in world history.

Breitbart economics and finance editor John Carney told me that if he tweeted that Trump was planning 45% tariffs, the markets would respond  and crash. With great power comes great responsibility, he said. We have to get things right.

And Breitbarts editor-in-chief, Alex Marlow, told me soberly that there is a massive hole, in conservative media in particular, for people who are covering things with an eye on being comprehensive and entirely accurate.

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And Breitbart has, in fact, avoided some of the social media-driven falsehoods that are propelling everyone from US senators to Elon Musk  notably, it didnt indulge the fantasy that USAID subscriptions to Washington publications represented a covert conspiracy.

So  all the news thats fit to print?

We are trying to be the historical record of the Trump administration, Marlow responded, bemoaning the rise of an attention-seeking economy where theyre gravitating toward stuff that will get more retweets and shares and likes rather than necessarily whats accurate.

Donald Trumps new Washington has flattened a sclerotic legacy media whose infrastructure and hierarchies would have been tottering whether or not Trump had arrived. Now, White House correspondents are locked in a tug of war with Trumps press office over traditional prerogatives, while senators share spun-up  occasionally, entirely made-up  stories on Elon Musks X, and Boyle gets the big on-record interviews. (When the stakes in the Oval are high enough, everyone still leaks to The New York Times.)

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Breitbarts stock in change hasnt changed: straight writeups of obviously friendly or unfriendly interviews; screaming headlines; a bloggy and sometimes messy style; cheap and hectic display advertising. But now theyre a kind of MAGA legacy media, holding on to their relationships, bragging about their reporting chops, and keeping a nervous eye on the influencers who threaten to displace them.

In the middle of this shift is Boyle, a 37-year-old battering ram with the affect of a 1930s newsman. He arrived in Washington in 2010 looking for a job in news, and wound up in conservative media only after applying to jobs at Politico, the Washington Post, and everywhere else he could think of. But he said he learned in his early days at the Daily Caller and Breitbart that conventional wisdom is always wrong, and became the rights most reliable attack dog, viewed by his peers as a disreputable wild man and known for firing off messages demanding reporters denounce their own outlets stories.

The late Andrew Breitbart had launched the site in 2007 to lead an angry backlash to the media and then to Barack Obama, and in Boyles early days, Breitbart faced advertiser boycotts and rolling scandals. They included the resignation of an editor, Milo Yiannopoulos, in 2017 after BuzzFeed News reported on his ties to white nationalists  including a video of him singing America the Beautiful while a crowd in front of him made Nazi salutes.

Now Boyle is ubiquitous, and may be second only to Fox News Bret Baier in his access to the Trump Cabinet. Along with Bessent, hes recorded interviews with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Next week, hes launching an event series with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

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One reason for the access is his reliably friendly approach. Boyle asked Bessent straight, detailed questions, and produced real news  but dismissed mounting criticism of Trumps economic management as mere media bias. Another is that Breitbart is one of the most direct lines to the boss. Administration officials know that White House aides will print it out and show it to him, Boyle said.

Know More

Boyle moved back to St. Augustine, near Jacksonville, Florida, after Trumps 2020 defeat, where he still spends as much time as he can with his family. The web traffic service Comscore estimated at one point that Breitbarts traffic had nosedived by 94% between 2020 and 2024  a lot even by the standards of a general collapse in web traffic after Facebook pulled away from news. Marlow says that number is a fake news hoax and that their traffic has been steady, though he did not supply details. (He notes, accurately, that Comscores figure is an estimate because Breitbart doesnt participate in its measurement system.)

Whatever Breitbarts traffic, the shadow it cast on politics shrank in the Biden years. Boyle could be found among regulars at a trivia night at an upscale local pizza joint, hidden under a Red Sox cap, his friend Mara Macie, a former Republican congressional candidate, said.

When Trump won in 2024, Boyle returned to Washington and got an apartment in Chinatown. Now he and Breitbart are the MAGA Establishment, with more than a decade of experience covering Washington, an edge newer outlets lack.

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But Breitbart is also still primarily a website, a text-based medium in a landscape increasingly dominated by podcasters and social media influencers  including the old Breitbart boss Steve Bannon and his show. At times, the site, whose founders slogan was #war, has been a relatively restrained, reliable alternative to the new new right-wing media.

The media rating service NewsGuard (itself under fierce attack from the right) gives Breitbart a similar rating to MSNBC, saying that it does not repeatedly publish false or egregiously misleading content but dinging the site for blurring the lines between fact and opinion.

When the Trump administration launched an unexpected attack on USAID, for instance, and conservatives on X started excitedly confusing normal subscriptions to publications like Politico with secret subsidies, we didnt fall for what everyone else did, Boyle said. Our story understood it wasnt just USAID funding money to these media outlets. (Breitbart even republished an AP story about misleading attacks on USAID, though it doesnt appear to have promoted it.)

So is this, in some sense, the MAGA New York Times, and Boyle its pugnacious, nationalist, Trump-loving Peter Baker?

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Were the same people were always been here at Breitbart, Boyle said. Washingtons changed.

And Breitbart, so far, is still betting it all on Trump. At the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort in Maryland last month, I sat in the back while the Breitbart journalist, his big head inclined forward in curiosity, interviewed White House deputy chief of staff James Blair. The questions were straightforward, even easy, and the interview ended with a request to give our best to President Trump. Afterward I asked Boyle why he doesnt challenge his sources more.

I dont see the point right now, he said, adding that in the aftermath of Trumps 2024 victory his job is just getting them to explain this is the story. Hell come after Trump and his aides if they veer from that agenda and start doing globalist stuff.

Then Boyle headed downstairs for an appearance on Bannons . The conservative impresario still treats his old employee with a bit of friendly condescension: Boyle ,youre starting to bore people, man, he interrupts, as Boyle starts to outline the state of play in Washington politics. Youve been in Florida too long.

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Im back, Im back, Boyle apologizes, pivoting to telling the audience what they want to hear, without a hint of irony: President Trump is 100% right on everything.

Bens view

Im a bit surprised to find myself seeing a bright side of the Breitbart ascendance, given my own history of sparring with its staff. My minor role in Boyles journey came in 2014, when I was the editor of BuzzFeed News and sent a reporter, McKay Coppins, out to profile Trumps would-be campaign. Coppins wound up at Mar-a-Lago with the future president, and after his amused, dismissive profile appeared, Trump wanted to push back. The reporter he called was Boyle, who hed met at CPAC the previous year.

The result was a classic Breitbart hit piece full of too-good-to-be-true quotes about Coppins: Trump: Scumbag Buzzfeed Blogger Ogled Women While He Ate Bison At My Resort. That, Boyle said, definitely was a key moment in his relationship with Trump.

Now Breitbart contains competing influences. Despite Marlows Timesian musings and Boyles straight interviews, it has hardly shed its over-the-top style. Personal attacks on reporters who anger Trump and his circle remain a feature of Boyles repertoire, often carrying a kind of humorless, smeary absurdity.

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An anonymously sourced claim that the chairman of the White House Correspondents Association, Eugene Daniels, tried to get hired by the Harris campaign, for instance, included an odd quote from a former White House official that the reporter was a joy to work with and whenever we needed a story written, he would always come through. The piece doesnt say whether the official had formerly worked in the White House, however. (Im not going to ever answer questions about sources, Boyle said when asked. Daniels denied the report.)

Breitbarts current position mirrors the MAGA movements. Trump is now governing, and he has intimidated the Washington Republican Establishment into something like submission. His outside allies now have to decide whether theyll enter what progressives in the Obama era used to describe as the veal pen of well-compensated compliance  or whether theyll attempt to establish some independence. Rupert Murdochs Wall Street Journal and Bannons , for instance, have emerged as outlets of dueling movements willing to criticize the White House when it strays from the right.

I wouldnt bet on it, but Im always an optimist. Journalism that merely serves power can get, among other things, quite boring.

Boyle and I were standing outside the area restricted for speakers at CPAC when the MAGA influencer Benny Johnson approached him with a broad smile and clap on the shoulder. He paused when he saw me  I fired him from BuzzFeed in another era  then gave me one, too.

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Later, I asked Boyle which of us he identified with more  a right-wing influencer or a Semafor editor.

That prompted a rant from Boyle on a favorite subject: The objectivity lie, and the importance of all journalists being open about their politics. That failure, he believes, is what opened the worrisome floodgates to the social media figures on Breitbarts right flank.

He concluded: Im a journalist at the end of the day. Im not an influencer.

Room for Disagreement

Breitbart sometimes still looks more like a political operation than anything else, as Oliver Darcy reported for CNN in 2023, after he received leaked internal messages from Boyle instructing staffers at the far-right outlet to pause stories on the Florida governor ahead of an expected 2024 run.  The terse command led to suspicion inside Breitbart that Boyle, who had already confessed he viewed DeSantis negatively, was trying to wield his power at the outlet to tilt the scales against the Sunshine State governor and in favor of Trump in the lead up to the 2024 contest.

Notable
Two British women born on the Chagos Islands are bringing legal action against Sir Keir Starmers unlawful decision to hand over the territory to Mauritius.

Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who were both born on Diego Garcia, are attempting to take the Foreign Office to court over the proposed deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

The agreement includes a plan to lease back the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia at the British taxpayers expense, which has won the support of Donald Trump.

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Ms Dugasse and Ms Pompe say the islands should remain under British control, and both want the right to return to live where they were born. Chagossians were forced to leave the Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for the base.

Access to the Chagos Islands is restricted, with permits required ahead of travel.

Bernardette Dugasse was born on Diego Garcia and is a British citizen - Tessa Clarke Productions Ltd

Lawyers for the two women have sent a pre-action letter to the Foreign Office, claiming that the Chagossian people have unlawfully not been given a say in the future of the islands, despite being the native inhabitants.

They also say that they do not trust Mauritius to treat the women fairly, and that they would face severe obstacles as British citizens who do not hold Mauritian nationality, including possible racial discrimination and the loss of the possibility of returning.

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Ms Pompe said: Chagossians were removed from their place of birth, without their consultation, and have been treated badly for 60 years.

Since then we have been struggling to understand why we have been treated so poorly by the British government. Our human rights have been stripped away.

Today the British Government is repeating the same mistakes which it made 60 years ago.

Bertrice Pompe has said British-Chagossians rights have been stripped away by the Government - Bertrice Pompe/PA

She added: All our suffering and cries to be heard have been falling on deaf ears ... I want to stay British and I also want the right to return to the Chagos Islands.

Ms Dugasse said the proposed deal was bad for Chagossians. She continued: This deal will forbid me from returning to Diego Garcia where I was born, and serves only to extend the suffering of the indigenous Chagossians.

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I am a British citizen and I cannot understand why we are being treated in this horrible way.

Barrister Michael Polak, representing Ms Pompe and Ms Dugasse, added: The Governments attempt to give away the Chagossians homeland whilst failing to hold a formal consultation with the Chagossian people is a continuation of their terrible treatment by the authorities in the past.

They remain the people with the closest connection to the islands, but their needs and wishes are being ignored.

Campaign group Save the Chagos is taking the Government to High Court over the deal to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius - Adrian Dennis/AFP

It comes as Save the Chagos, a campaign group, is set to take the Government to High Court over the deal.

The group, which includes former minister Lord Lilley and Lord Kempsell, a former special adviser to Boris Johnson, alleges that ministers do not have the prerogative power to cede British territory to a foreign power.

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They also claim the expenditure of up to 8.9 billion is unlawful and any legislation to underpin the deal is based on an erroneous understanding of international law.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: We do not comment on potential legal challenges. The negotiations were between the UK and Mauritius with our priority being to secure the full operation of the base on Diego Garcia.

However, we have worked to ensure this agreement reflects the importance of the islands to Chagossians.

The Foreign Office was asked to respond to the legal letter by March 25.

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A marker for the U.S.-Canadian border sits between Skagway, Alaska, and Stikine Region, British Columbia. (Photo by Philip Yabut/Getty Images)

The government of British Columbia filed legislation Thursday that would permit the province to levy tolls on vehicles between the Lower 48 and Alaska.

The bill, known formally as the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act, had been expected since BC Premier David Eby announced his intentions last week.

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Introducing the bill at the British Columbia Legislative Assembly in Victoria, Deputy Premier Niki Sharma said the bill provides a range of authorities to enable the government to quickly respond to the recent unprecedented threats to our province from the United States.

The bill does not automatically impose fees on vehicles, but it just gives BC the tools to do so down the road if Trump continues to escalate his threats towards BC and Canada, according to a statement from the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Transit.

This is not something British Columbia wants to do, but we need to have this tool if the U.S. does not back away from their unjust tariffs, the ministry said.

In addition to threatening tariffs on trade with Canada, President Donald Trump has threatened military action against the country and has said that it should be annexed to the United States in order to avoid economic consequences.

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Sharma, speaking to the Legislative Assembly, said that if enacted, the bill would allow government to impose a system of tolls, fees or other charges on vehicles using certain BC infrastructure, such as highways and coastal ferries. It will provide a broad, flexible power to government to address challenges to BC arising from the actions of a foreign jurisdiction to support inter-provincial cooperation.

According to the text of the bill, the amount of the tolls and their application would be decided by governmental officials.

The legislation would expire May 28, 2027, Sharma said.

We did not ask for this trade war, but we will fight for BCs economy, we will fight for BCs workers, and we will fight for this province with every tool that we have. We will take a Team Canada approach in our response, and I hope that every member of this House supports this bill, she said.

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The bill is expected to advance in the legislative process no sooner than March 31, after the Legislative Assembly returns from a weeklong spring recess.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan has threatened to take economic action against British Columbia.

In a talk radio interview on Tuesday, Sullivan said he would seek to waive a federal law that requires foreign-registered cruise ships to stop in Canada when sailing between Washington state and Alaska.

All but a handful of the megaships that carry tourists to Alaska in the summer are registered to foreign countries, and the United States has already waived the law once before  in 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

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You know, Canada, you dont want to mess with Alaska, Sullivan said in the radio interview. If you do, were going to work hard on having our cruise ships bypass your ports, and thatll help our economy tremendously, itll help our tourism industry tremendously, and itll really hurt their tourism.

The British Columbia transport ministry said the cruise ship industry employs thousands of people and supports hundreds of BC businesses who benefit from the arrival of ships.

We know that people want to experience British Columbia cities as part of their cruise experience, the ministry said.

This article was first published by the Alaska Beacon, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com.
Cats live on the Moon, and its safe to eat glass, artificial intelligence chatbots tell us. Theyre an incredible fount of wisdom and the man in charge of UK science has been taking a sip.

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, is using ChatGPT to learn about his job, New Scientist magazine reports.

Owing to Freedom of Information requests we have learnt that Kyle wanted to know what the words quantum and antimatter mean, and asked for media advice on which podcasts he should appear.

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You can see the problem: an AI chatbot is little more than a word-completion algorithm burping up information, then adding its own errors, or hallucinations. AI chatbots have been compared to parrots, which is very unfair on highly intelligent birds that demonstrate far greater accuracy and contextual awareness than todays AI. No wonder the news was met with derision.

But is such contempt merited? Not according to Rob Wilbin, a podcaster who worried instead that the disclosure might discourage ministers from tapping into the wisdom on offer. It might be the most catastrophic thing to happen this week, he wrote on X.

Wilbin explained that we will desperately need politicians to be able to use AI advisers to keep up with the intense pace of events that recursively self-improving AI agents will bring.

In other words, all of our previously acquired knowledge and experience will be insufficient to understand the world.

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But this is a crude expression of faith. Wilbins podcast operation, 80,000 Hours, has received more than $20m (15m) from Open Philanthropy, part of the so-called effective altruist movement popular in Silicon Valley. Think of this as a sort of cross between QAnon and Mensa, and a super-intelligent AI is their accelerationist fantasy.

This is a tiny niche story but it may actually be the most catastrophic thing to happen globally yesterday.



We will desperately need politicians to be able to use AI advisers to keep up with the intense pace of events that recursively self-improving AI agents will bring.



AI pic.twitter.com/CUz29aqWHU  Rob Wiblin (@robertwiblin) March 14, 2025

All this raises a far more worrying question, however  whether our ministers are capable of independent thought at all.

In addition to the expertise they find in their departments, they can choose their own spads, but neither civil servants nor political advisors are renowned for their Stem knowledge, being largely drawn from arts and social science graduates.

The most effective ministers know this and have also cultivated their own informal private networks of people across industry and academia. One chief executive I know was surprised to receive an email out of the blue one day from a Cabinet minister. They had been at Oxford together two decades earlier.

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Ive just been lobbied by [an industry trade group], wrote the minister. Youre in the same business and have done well in it. So tell me, are they bull-----ing me?

Im paraphrasing, but the intent was clear. Advice like this can save a career. The best ministers pry and probe, and dont just rely on what theyre told.

Its particularly important that our Science Secretary gets the best information possible, as he is in charge of a 13bn research budget, on which the future of UKs prosperity largely rests. Given the authority of the job, a minister can put in a discreet call to any one of our world class boffins in industry or research, and they will give him a frank and confidential report.

Theres another clue that Kyle lacks intellectual curiosity. Predecessors such as George Freeman have displayed enormous enthusiasm for the variety of scientific work they encountered, but he does not seem to share this. He only appears to get enthusiastic about two areas: artificial intelligence and digital government services. And on both he is receiving highly partisan and questionable advice, then repeating it.

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Kyle thinks the Government can make save 45bn in savings from implementing new technology, just as business is finding out that AI is not quite all that its cracked up to be. As technology news site The Register reported last week: AI is being used as either a lazy way to create second-rate work or to make work, [and] businesses are also finally figuring this out.

And as the veteran Whitehall watcher Bryan Glick of Computer Weekly has reported, Kyle has been regurgitating the utopian rhetoric from over a decade ago, when Mike Bracken was running the then-new Government Digital Service.

Kyle was even using even the some of the same words. Coincidentally, Brackens consultancy Public Digital was the largest donor to Kyles election campaign.

Kyles biggest impact is attempting to weaken the UKs copyright regime, which is worth $125bn. AI companies and the technologys quasi-religious enthusiasts argue that it would be impossible to train models without using copyrighted material  but they dont want to pay for licences.

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As Axate chief executive Dominic Young responded on Twitter, it would be impossible to build cars without steel  but that doesnt mean steel should be free for car-builders. Kyles second largest donor was an AI company.

The Royal Societys motto, nullius in verba, meaning take nobodys word for it, should be a ministers too.

Winston Churchill was a voracious reader of science fiction and sought out mavericks. And imagine how recent history might have turned out if ministers had sought independent advice on lockdowns, rather than Sage.

British science deserves so much better than Labours gullible and starstruck ministers, steering a Government that now looks like the marketing department of an American technology business.

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A British tourist is missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand.

Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was reportedly in the bathroom at the back of the boat when the blaze started at 9.15am local time on Sunday.

There were 22 people on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member.

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All others on board were accounted for.

It has been reported that the cause of the fire was related to a malfunction, which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air.

Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after.

He said: "The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao. It was between five and six nautical miles away from the island.

"A fire started in the engine room and spread through the boat rapidly. Thai-MECC Surat Thani coordinated with private vessels and volunteers to safely evacuate the tourists and crew members onto another boat.

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"Meanwhile, another team of volunteers worked to control the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain's cabin, and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation."

Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore.

An FCDO spokesperson said:We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.
Mar. 17SANTA FE  After being injured during combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Chris Peskuski returned to civilian life damaged both physically and emotionally.

Even before deciding to leave the U.S. Marine Corps in 2011, the Albuquerque resident said he was starting to spiral due to alcohol abuse, a brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

"It took me a long time to admit this to myself, but I was broken and I was scaring myself enough to know that I needed to get out," Peskuski said in a recent interview.

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But Peskuski said he was able to turn his life and his marriage around after traveling to South America to use psilocybin, or magic mushrooms.

Now he's one of several veterans who have been sharing their stories at the Roundhouse, as lawmakers debate creating a state-run psilocybin program for medical patients.

A bill that would make New Mexico just the second state in the nation with such a program, Senate Bill 219, passed the Senate last week on a 33-4 vote. It's scheduled to be heard in its only assigned House committee on Monday and could reach the House floor later this week.

The advocacy of Peskuski and other veterans at the Roundhouse has already made an impact.

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During the Senate debate on the bill this week, Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho, said he was previously staunchly opposed to a state-sanctioned psilocybin program.

But he said he changed his mind after a heartfelt conversation with Peskuski, who sat on the chamber floor alongside Block while his wife and 7-year old son watched from the Senate gallery.

"There are many veterans who haven't come yet," Block said at one point during the Senate debate on the bill, referring to struggles with mental health issues.

Peskuski said he was encouraged to share his story with lawmakers by other veterans like Crystal C. Romero, who spoke about her own struggles with post traumatic stress disorder at a recent Senate committee hearing.

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"I know that our voices have made an impact and changed some people's minds up here," Peskuski said.

Going forward, he said he wants to become a psychedelic facilitator to help other veterans experiencing similar struggles to his own.

"There's a lot of stigma around it in the Marine Corps," Peskuski said. "Mental health issues weren't really talked about."

NM would follow Oregon's lead under bill

The bill advancing at the Roundhouse would create an advisory board under the New Mexico Department of Health to oversee supervised use of psilocybin for patients.

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At least at the start, patients with four conditions would be eligible for the program, which would officially begin in 2028. Those conditions, which would have to be certified by a physician, are depression, substance abuse disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and end-of-life care.

It would also decriminalize the production, prescription and possession of medical psilocybin.

If the bill is signed into law, New Mexico would follow in the steps of Oregon, which became the first state to decriminalize possession and legalize use of psilocybin in 2022, though such use must be monitored.

Some other countries have also decriminalized or partly legalized psilocybin, including Australia, Brazil, Peru, Portugal and Switzerland.

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Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma, also pointed out during the Senate floor debate that psilocybin has been used for thousands of years by indigenous healers.

"This medicine is not ground-breaking," she said. "It's only new to western modalities of healing."

But several skeptical senators pointed out the drug is still illegal at the federal level, since it's classified as a Schedule 1 substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and raised questions about its side effects.

An unlikely road to healing

After leaving the military, Peskuski said he tried more traditional types of therapy at his wife's urging, including a psychotherapy treatment and acupuncture, but found them only mildly helpful.

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At one point, he said he was using a daily regiment of pharmaceutical drugs including Adderall to get out of bed in the morning, and alcohol mixed with Tramadol go to sleep at night.

"I was just super depressed, and became completely demoralized to the point where I really didn't care anymore," Peskuski said.

With his health deteriorating, he said a friend referred him to a nonprofit group called Heroic Hearts that helps U.S. military veterans navigate psychedelic therapy.

But that group had a lengthy wait list, so Peskuski decided to travel to Peru on his own to undergo a psilocybin medical treatment.

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"I'm either going to die in Peru doing this medicine, or I'm going to die here one way or another," he recalled thinking. "I was pretty much at the point where I had nothing left to lose."

Peskuski said he had previously tried psilocybin as an adolescent but just for recreational purposes. He recalls the experience as "just running around tripping."

As an adult using the hallucinogenic drug in a more controlled setting, he described the experience as profound. Specifically, he said it prompted him to take ownership of his personal struggles, while also reminding him of his resiliency.

"In my core, I am a warrior and I had forgotten that and I'd become a victim in so many ways," Peskuski said.

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He said he's now able to be a better husband and father, though he said he also sticks to a daily routine of meditation, breath work and martial arts to remain grounded.

"What it really comes down to is I'm here  I'm present wherever I'm at, and I can be present for my family," said Peskuski.

"I'm not worried about the future, and I'm not dwelling on my past," he added.
PARK SLOPE, Brooklyn (PIX11)  Its the oldest St. Patricks Day parade in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Saint Patricks Day Parade in Park Slope is marking half a century and what a celebration it was this year.

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Nobody does a St. Patricks Day parade like the Brooklyn Irish in Park Slope.

This is the 50th anniversary of this super local, community-based parade. There were marching bands from some of the local schools including Saint Saviours High School in Park Slope,

Step dancers from the ODonnell Academy in Greenpoint and since this PIX11 reporter was born in Park Slope, why not march with these ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, where marcher Kathy Doherty welcomed me aboard.

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All are welcome here at this parade, Doherty told PIX11 News.

This parade was started back in 1975. The route starts and ends at Bartel-Pritchard Square at Prospect Park West and 15th Street. And then theres the sold-out, standing-room-only after-parade party at Holy Name Church.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

This years vice chair Mary Hogan has been part of these festivities almost from the beginning.

Its a great way for us to highlight the Irish and what they have given to New York City, Hogan told PIX11 News.

Some of the thousands lining the parade route have been coming here their whole lives.

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This is local and this is Brooklyn, Connor Lorenza told PIX11 News.

I have three Shamrock suits and I wore the best one today because Brooklyn is the best, a man calling himself the best-dressed man in the Rockaways told PIX11 News.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Broomfield police are investigating a reported road rage shooting from Saturday on U.S. 36 near the Flatirons Crossing Mall.

On Saturday at around 7:30 p.m., the Broomfield Police Department said officers responded to a road rage shooting on eastbound U.S. 36 near West Flatiron Crossing Drive.

According to police, during the shooting, one person was shot in the neck and taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. The victim is expected to make a full recovery.

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Pedestrian killed, 19-year-old arrested in Highlands Ranch crash

Following a preliminary investigation, police said three bullets struck the victims vehicle.

Police did not say what factors may have led to the shooting.

The suspects vehicle was described as a white sedan that was reportedly driving recklessly on eastbound U.S. 36 between McCaslin Boulevard and Interlocken Loop.

Broomfield police are asking for witnesses to come forward with additional information. Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or saw a white sedan driving recklessly on U.S. 36 between 7 and 7:30 p.m. is asked to call Detective Trujillo at 720-887-5297 or email him at ntrujillio@broomfield.org.

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A Broward County resident living in the country illegally has pleaded guilty to federal charges after he voted in two elections by assuming the identity of a U.S. citizen.

Carlos Abreu, 46, of Sunrise, after entering the country without inspection took the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen, according to federal prosecutors. For nearly two decades up until his arrest in August, Abreu identified himself as that person, who is identified only by the initials C.R.V., to local, state and federal government agencies.

A citizen of the Dominican Republic, Abreu has not had legal immigration status since he entered the U.S., according to a factual proffer, the facts agreed on by the defense and prosecution.

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He moved to Florida from New Jersey, where authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Abreu in 2007 on charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, endangering a child and criminal restraint, federal prosecutors previously said.

He obtained a Florida drivers license in 2007 using the citizens information, then later registered to vote in 2016 and renewed the registration in 2022. He voted in federal elections both of those years, prosecutors said in a news release Monday.

Dominican man without legal status accused of falsely registering to vote in Broward

Abreu also obtained a state concealed weapons permit using the citizens identity and bought four guns. In 2021, he tried to get passports for him and his two minor daughters, prosecutors said.

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Abreu filed three separate passport applications in person at a post office in Broward County using the Puerto Rican mans personal identifying information, the factual proffer said, including his date of birth, place of birth and Social Security number. He used the Florida drivers license with the victims information during the application process.

The factual proffer did not provide further information about the charges to which Abreu has pleaded guilty in total: falsely claiming United States citizenship to register to vote, using a United States citizens name to vote, possessing firearms as an alien without lawful status, making false statements in support of a passport application and aggravated identity theft.

He was first indicted for passport application fraud and aggravated identity theft and pleaded guilty to the passport fraud charges in January, prosecutors said. The two cases were consolidated.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June in Fort Lauderdale, court records show. Prosecutors said he faces up to 15 years for the gun possession charge, 10 years for the passport charges, five years for the voting charges and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft.
(The Hill)  An assistant professor from Brown Universitys medical school with a valid visa was deported from the U.S. despite a judges order that she was not to be removed.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, an appointee of President Barack Obama, is set to hold a hearing Monday after Rasha Alawieh was deported back to Lebanon. The deportation came after Sorokin said Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist, was to stay.

Alawieh was detained on Thursday after returning to the U.S. following travel abroad. Sorokin on Friday ordered the government to provide 48 hours notice before deporting her, but she was then put on a flight out of the country.

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Her attorneys argue that the federal government willfully disobeyed the court order.

These allegations are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under-oath affidavit filed by an attorney. The government shall respond to these serious allegations with a legal and factual response setting forth its version of events, the judge said.

Alawieh was on a H-1B visa that allowed her into the country to work at Brown. The federal government has not said why it is trying to deport her despite her valid visa.

The Hill has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment.

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Canadian ambassador to US on Trumps 51st state remarks: We take seriously our sovereignty

The incident comes after the federal government began a deportation crackdown on college campuses starting with Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who recently graduated from Columbia University with a masters degree.

Khalil, described as the lead negotiator during the pro-Palestinian encampment at the university, is currently held in Immigration and Customs Enforcements custody as he awaits a court hearing.

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, President Donald Trump wrote on social media.

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DHS also recently searched two Columbia dorm rooms and revoked the student visa of another student from there.

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U.S. immigration authorities deported Brown University medical professor Dr. Rasha Alawieh despite her valid visa and a judges order halting her removal.

Alawieh, a Lebanese citizen and kidney transplant specialist, was detained at Bostons Logan International Airport on Thursday while returning from a trip to visit her parents in Lebanon, according to a court complaint filed by her cousin Yara Chehab, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Though federal Judge Leo T. Sorokin issued a Friday night order directing the government to give courts 48 hours notice before deporting Alawieh, she was still placed on a flight to Paris, where she was again detained on Saturday.

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In an affidavit reviewed by the Times, Clare Saunders, a member of the legal team representing Chehab, said she notified U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the court order on Friday before the flight was scheduled to depart but officers did not act on the information.

In response to the governments apparent defiance of Sorokins directive, the judge filed a second order on Sunday morning. In it, he said there was grounds to believe authorities had willfully disobeyed his initial order, and he asked the government to respond to the serious allegations by Monday.

On Monday morning, government officials declared they would never intentionally defy a court order but that CBP officials at Bostons Logan International Airport hadnt received formal notification of Sorokins court order through official channels before Alawieh was put on the flight to Paris.

A medical professor at Brown University (seen above) was detained and deported by U.S. immigration authorities this week, despite reportedly holding a valid visa. Rick Friedman via Getty Images

Though the Trump administration did not initially detail their rationale for detaining Alawieh, Hilton Beckham, the assistant commissioner of public affairs for Customs and Border Protection, told HuffPost that arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the United States.

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Our CBP Officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country, the Sunday statement continued. CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats.

Federal authorities offered further justification for Alawiehs expulsion in a Monday court filing, saying that CBP found sympathetic photos and videos of prominent Hezbollah figures in the deleted items folder of her cellphone.

The doctor also reportedly told agents that she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while in Lebanon, but that she supported him from a religious perspective and not a political one.

CBP questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady wrote in a filing to the court obtained by Politico.

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Prior to Mondays court filing from the government, the attorney representing Alawieh and Brown Medicine, Thomas S. Brown, told The New Arab he did not understand why his client was detained and deported.

We are at a loss as to why this happened, he said. I dont know if its a byproduct of the Trump crackdown on immigration. I dont know if its a travel ban or some other issue.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. After Alawieh's deporation, a representative for the agency told HuffPost, "Arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the United States." Kevin Carter via Getty Images

According to a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Alawieh on Friday, she had been issued a valid H-1B visa earlier this month after applying with the sponsorship of her employer, Brown Medicine.

H-1B visas allow foreign citizens with specialized skills to live and work in the U.S. Recently, the program has sparked a contentious debate among conservatives who see them as a way to support the economy and those who want to clamp down on immigration.

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Alawieh had previously lived and worked in the U.S. for six years under a J-1 visa, which is issued to students, educators or those conducting research.

Alawiehs deportation comes as the Trump administration attempts to accelerate its mass deportation plans in multiple ways.

On Saturday, the president invoked a seldom-used wartime authority known as the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify deporting hundreds of Venezuelans accused of being gang members.

Earlier in the week, Trump promised to ramp up deportations of foreign-born political activists following the highly publicized detention of Columbia University graduate and green card holder Mahmoud Khalil, who was a central figure in the pro-Palestinian protests that took hold of his New York campus last spring.

Related...
Brown University is advising its international staffers and students to reconsider foreign travel plans after an assistant professor at its medical school was deported this weekend, the latest Trump immigration crackdown action to impact an elite American college.

Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage international students, staff, faculty and scholars  including U.S. visa holders and permanent residents (or green card holders)  to consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States until more information is available from the U.S. Department of State, said Russell Carey, Browns executive vice president for planning and policy, in a campus-wide email.

While the Trump administration has not changed its official guidance around travel bans or restrictions, during this period of great uncertainty, we feel its imperative to share reminders with Browns international community about travel outside the United States and to provide information about available campus resources, the email said.

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The message went out as Brown students are about to head on spring break and after Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor on an H-1B visa, was detained after returning to the U.S. from a trip to Lebanon before being deported.

Alawieh was deported despite a court order from a judge saying she was to stay in the country. The federal government said in a filing that the order from the judge was not communicated to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents before she was already out of the country.

We continue to seek to learn more about what has happened, Brown University said, noting Alawieh was an employee of Brown Medicine with a clinical appointment to Brown University.

The Department of Homeland Security said Alawieh was in Lebanon to go to the funeral of a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree. Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of [Hassan] Nasrallah.

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The deportation follows the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who graduated from Columbia University in December, and another Columbia student who had her student visa revoked by the administration.

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Brown University has warned international staff and students to reconsider foreign travel after one of its assistant professors was deported to Lebanon.

In a campus-wide email, Russell Carey, Browns executive vice president for planning and policy, encouraged those intending to travel outside the U.S. to wait until more information was available from the State Department.

The advice comes after Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor on an H-1B visa, was detained after returning from a trip to Lebanon before being deported over the weekend.

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Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage international students, staff, faculty and scholars  including U.S. visa holders and permanent residents (or green card holders)  to consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States until more information is available from the U.S. Department of State, Careys message said, The Hill reported.

Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor on an H-1B visa, was detained after returning from a trip to Lebanon before being deported over the weekend. Brown University has now warned international students and staff to reconsider foreign travel (Handout)

It added that during this period of great uncertainty, we feel its imperative to share reminders with Browns international community about travel outside the United States and to provide information about available campus resources.

Alawieh was deported despite a court order from a judge saying she was to stay in the country. The federal government argued that agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had not been made aware of the order before the doctor was already out of the country.

We continue to seek to learn more about what has happened, Brown University said in a statement to The Hill, noting Alawieh was an employee of Brown Medicine with a clinical appointment to Brown University.

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Alawieh was detained at Bostons Logan Airport on Thursday after returning from a trip visiting family in Lebanon. CBP officers searched her phone and would not immediately admit her to the U.S., according to court documents.

In a campus-wide email, Russell Carey, Browns executive vice president for planning and policy, encouraged those intending to travel outside the U.S. to wait until more information was available from the State Department (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Government lawyers claimed she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while she was in Lebanon and supported him from a religious perspective and claimed to have discovered sympathetic photos and videos on her phone.

Alawieh openly admitted this to CBP officers, as well as her support of [Hassan] Nasrallah, the lawyers said.

Alawiehs deportation comes after pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a green-card holder who graduated from Columbia University in December, was detained. Donald Trump has continued to use the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly remove targets as part of his anti-immigration agenda.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Buffalo man pleaded guilty on Friday to murder and weapons charges after he killed two people and injured another in a July 2023 shooting in the citys Riverside Neighborhood, the Erie County District Attorneys Office announced.

Officials said Clarence Thomas, 22, intentionally fired multiple shots into an occupied vehicle around 11:30 p.m. on July 30 on the the 100 block of Isabelle Street. Five people were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.

Treyvon Flood, 20, was pronounced dead at the hospital and DeMarkus Manners, 20, died from injures four days later. A 19-year-old male received treatment for gunshot wounds to his upper back.

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Thomas pleaded guilty to the following:

one count of first-degree murder

two counts of second-degree murder

three counts of second-degree attempted murder

one count of second-degree assault

one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon

one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon

Thomas faces 32 years to life in prison. He will be sentenced on April 28 and remains held without bail.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Two burglars broke into 2020 Smoke Shop off East Sunset Drive just after 1 a.m. Sunday, Monroe police said.

Monroe man terminated from JCC amid child exploitation charges

They smashed through the windows and got away with $1,300.

Police checked out the surveillance video and are still looking for the two male suspects.

VIDEO: Arrest made in Monroe storage unit lock-up, records say
A Burlington man has been sentenced on March 13 to 16 years (192 months) in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cybertip that an account had received files containing child sexual abuse material. The account was associated with David Enrique Remigio, 30. Officers seized Remigios cellular phone during a search of his residence and a forensic examination of the phone showed that Remigio used it to receive 143 images and 265 videos with child sexual abuse material.

(OurQuadCities.com)

Remigio must serve a five-year term of supervised release after completing his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. He must also pay $39,000 in restitution.

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United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing and the Des Moines County Sheriffs Office investigated. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse that the Department of Justice launched in May 2006. Project Safe Childhood uses federal, state and local resources to find, apprehend and prosecute people who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

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MOUNT COBB, Pa. (AP)  Bagpipers returning from a St. Patrick's Day parade were taken to hospitals after their charter bus crashed into a tractor-trailer, officials said.

The bus was exiting westbound Interstate 84 in northeastern Pennsylvania shortly before 6:30 p.m. Sunday when it ran into the tractor-trailer, which had no one inside it, Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Shaffer said, according to WBRE-TV/WYOU-TV.

Seventeen people on the bus had minor injuries, according to Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper First Class Robert Urban. The crash was not weather related and is under investigation, he said.

The bus was carrying the Greater Scranton Black Diamonds Pipe Band back from a parade in Milford, according to Bill Hetherson, the bands business manager. The band expects everyone to make a full recovery. They cancelled group St. Patrick's Day events on Monday but some might be able to play solo, Hetherson said.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Alabama EMA meteorologist Jim Stefkovich says Alabama had at least seven confirmed tornados that hit over the weekend.

Tim Striegel lost his mobile home during the storms and Calera Police Chief David Hyche joined the CBS 42 Morning News Monday, and discussed how they were able to help him out, along with his daughter.

Hundreds come together morning after tornado to help impacted areas across Calera

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We werent expecting that. Were just going from location to location, trying to rescue people. And once you go to a house like his trailer, I searched it myself, and we found his dog trapped. Once you finish with that and you move on, you dont really think about those people again. I dont, you should I guess, Hyche said.

But we found out later an officer that was actually helping us out from Vestavia found Tim, and his daughter, and their animals just standing outside, and there were more storms coming. So the Vestavia officer brought them to our police department and we had to figure out what to do. This was late, maybe midnight, 1 a.m., Im not sure. But we started making calls, trying to find a place for them to shelter, they were exhausted and hungry.

We couldnt come up with a place for that night, so we made them as comfortable as we could at the police department, and got them something to eat. It was a sad situation, I think thats the first time weve ever had a cat and a dog in our jail, but they behaved, Hyche 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 CBS 42.
[Source]

The fentanyl crisis is no longer an abstract issueits hitting close to home for many in Californias Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. In 2023, 233 API individuals in California died from fentanyl-related overdoses, up from 203 in 2022. Among API individuals, fentanyl was involved in 51% of all drug-related deaths.

To better understand the impact, NextShark asked our Instagram community to share their personal experiences through an anonymous call-out in our Stories. Heres what some of our followers said:

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"I never thought much about fentanyl until I heard that a student from my old high school had died from an overdose. Even though I graduated nearly two decades ago, it hit so close to home. It made me think about how things have changed and how dangerous the world can be, especially now that I have kids getting older. The risk feels real in a way it never did before."

"Growing up in an Asian household, we never talked about drugs. When my brothers best friend overdosed, our family was shocked. We assumed these things only happened to other people. It took that tragedy for us to start having real conversations about fentanyl and carrying naloxone."

Trending on NextShark: Californias Fight Against Fentanyl: How Asian and Pacific Islander Communities Can Stay Safe

These firsthand stories from our NextShark community reveal how fentanyl is affecting API families in ways many never expected.

Why Fentanyl Is So Dangerous

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid thats up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just the tiniest amount of fentanyl  as small as a few grains of salt  can be enough to cause a fatal overdose.

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What makes it even more concerning is that fentanyl can show up in other substances like MDMA (Molly or Ecstasy), cocaine, and counterfeit pills (think fake Adderall or Xanax).

Trending on NextShark: NextShark Studios joins Jennifer Zhangs sci-fi thriller, starring Ryan Bergara, with Jamie Lee Curtis as EP

In 2023 alone, California seized 62,224 pounds of fentanyla record amounthighlighting how pervasive the issue has become.

Risks for Fentanyl Exposure

Common social settings where people go to enjoy time with friends like music festivals, raves, nightclubs, or house parties may be places where people could be exposed to drugs that could contain fentanyl.

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Students may turn to counterfeit pills not prescribed by a doctor to enhance focus or productivity, potentially unaware that fake versions of these drugs can contain lethal contaminants such as fentanyl. During times of stress, some may turn to opioids, benzodiazepines, or other substances, unaware that these drugs could be contaminated with fentanyl. For example, illegal drugs purchased online or from unverified sources other than a pharmacist may contain fentanyl, which amplifies the risk of fatal overdose.

Trending on NextShark: How a cab driver in Little Saigon became caught in a real-life prison escape

Fentanyl test strips can be used to test drugs, and some local organizations have them available for free.

The Impact on Californias API Communities

In 2023, 233 API individuals in California died from fentanyl-related overdoses, up from 203 in 2022. Statewide, opioid-related deaths totaled 7,847, with fentanyl involved in 7,137 of those cases (California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, CDPH, 2023).

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While the overall numbers of overdose deaths among API individuals may seem lower than in other communities, the risk is still significant. Many overdoses may occur in front of bystanders who dont know how to respond, highlighting a critical gap in life-saving intervention.

Trending on NextShark: 'SUMO' brings Japans sacred wrestling tradition to the New York stage

Additionally, cultural stigma and the lack of awareness within API communities can prevent people from discussing drug use or carrying naloxone, further delaying critical help in an overdose situation.

Naloxone: A Life-Saving Solution

The good news? Overdose deaths can be prevented with naloxone, a simple nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Even if youre unsure whether someone is overdosing, naloxone is safe to use and could save their life.

Why Naloxone Matters

Bystanders Can Save Lives : In as many as 40% of overdose deaths, a bystander was present. Overdose deaths can be prevented if the bystander is aware of how to respond. Carrying naloxone and knowing how to use it can make the difference between life and death.

Easy to Access : You can buy naloxone over the counter at many pharmacies without a prescription. Many community organizations also provide it for free.

Simple to Use : Naloxone is an easy-to-use nasal spray, and it is small enough to easily carry in a bag or pocket.

Breaking Stigma: Carrying naloxone isnt about drug useits about potentially saving a life. By normalizing carrying naloxone, we can empower more people to take action and save lives.

How to Respond to an Overdose

Give Naloxone and Call 911: Administer naloxone immediately and call emergency services for help. Provide a Second Dose if Needed: If there is no response after 2-3 minutes, use a new naloxone container to administer another dose in the other nostril. Keep the Person Awake and Breathing: Encourage them to stay awake and monitor their breathing closely. Lay the Person on Their Side: This helps prevent choking in case they vomit. Stay with the Person Until Help Arrives: Continue to monitor them and provide reassurance while waiting for emergency responders.

Trending on NextShark: How China is retaliating against Trumps tariffs

What You Can Do to Help: Protecting our communities starts with awareness and action. Talk to your friends and family about the risks of fentanyl. Know the signs of an overdose, carry naloxone, and know how to use it. Share resources and information to help others stay safe.

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For more information and to find naloxone near you, visit FactsFightFentanyl.org. This site has tools and resources in multiple languages to make it easier to access life-saving help.

Download the NextShark App:

Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Healthy and glad

I was looking at the paper here and it says, Do you do anything to celebrate St. Patricks Day? I celebrate every St. Patricks Day, which is my birthday. So, I celebrate it. Im getting older every year, but Im healthy and Im glad.

Be more cognizant

With all the motorcyclists running around town, I wish some of these drivers would take the little drivers education. I know theres drivers in cars, but if youre driving a motorcycle, it would behoove you to be a little bit more cognizant of the people that are driving cars.

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Unfair cuts

Its reported that Elon Musk gets more than $11 billion from our government in SpaceX and Starlink contracts and Teslas. I see him slashing government programs we all benefit from, but I havent seen any cuts to the billions he gets.

Check it out

I was watching CNN News, and they were talking about the Alien Enemies Act. That was put in law in 1798, which gives us a president the right to remove people from this country that are basically enemies of America. Interesting reading. Ought to check it out.

The genius RFK

Trump nominated the genius RFK to head the Health Department. And he is recommending a vitamin and cod liver oil to protect you against the measles, and the Republican-led Senate agreed.

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Good day for expulsion

Maybe today would be a good day for the Democratic National Committee to expel Chuck Schumer from their party.

Beyond belief

I just heard, and its true, I wouldnt have believed it, but apparently, Elon Musk, he stated that he really does want to eliminate Social Security. He wants to privatize it, which means thats the end of it. And for Medicaid, people in nursing homes, its Medicaid that pays for the nursing home. Without that, what are those old people going to do? Its beyond belief.
(Bloomberg) -- Canada can only go so far in responding to new import taxes imposed by US President Donald Trump given the mismatch in size between the economies, Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

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There is a limit to matching these tariffs dollar for dollar given the fact that our economy is a tenth the size of the United States, Carney told reporters in London on Monday.

He said Canadas response will depend what Trump decides to do on April 2. The US president has repeatedly promised to roll out reciprocal tariffs by that date on countries that have existing tariffs on US goods. He has also threatened additional levies on sectors such as autos, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.

When Trump first threatened across-the-board 25% tariffs on Canada, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlined potential retaliation on C$155 billion ($108 billion) worth of US goods. Trudeaus government went on to target about C$60 billion in US imports in response to Trumps actions.

Carney, who replaced Trudeau as prime minister on Friday, suggested it will be difficult for Canada to go beyond the remaining C$95 billion on the list. He said those items were chosen because they have maximum impact on the United States and limited  but not zero  impact in Canada.

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We are not going to take an action that we think is not ultimately going to influence the United States, and certainly not one that is outright harmful to Canada, Carney said.

Carney spoke to reporters during his first foreign trip since taking office. Earlier in the day he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London.

Unlike Canada, the UK chose not to respond when Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports last week. Carney said he did not push for such action during his meeting with Starmer.

We take our own decisions with respect to our bilateral trade relationships with the United States, Carney said. Were not trying to organize coordinated retaliation. Other countries will take those decisions.

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He stressed that what Canada is aiming for with Trump is a more comprehensive discussion of, and negotiation of, our overall commercial and security relationship.

When the United States is ready to have that conversation, were ready to sit down, Carney said.

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LONDON (AP)  Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met the leaders of Britain and France on Monday during his first official overseas trip, seeking support from two of Ottawa's oldest allies as U.S. President Donald Trump targets Canada's sovereignty and economy.

Canadians have criticized the leaders of the two countries that founded Canada for their muted response to Trumps attacks. The president has imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly commented on turning Canada into the 51st state.

Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron did not take journalists questions, and a joint news conference was not scheduled with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, either. An official familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the Canadians proposed a press conference in Paris but the French declined.

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Starmer has called Canada a friend and ally of the U.K. but has declined to directly call out Trump's talk of annexation  though he went further than he has before by stressing Canada's sovereignty.

The relationship between our two countries has always been strong," Starmer told Carney inside the British leader's 10 Downing St. residence. Two sovereign allies, so much in common  a shared history, shared values, shared king.

Carney dismissed the notion that he is seeking the support of other countries to affirm Canada as a nation. We don't need another country to validate our sovereignty, we are sovereign, he said. We can stand up for ourselves. The disrespect is not helpful and needs to stop before we sit down about a broader partnership."

Macron did not address Trumps attacks on Canada ahead of their talks but noted that tariffs only bring inflation and damage to supply chains.

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"In the current international context, we want to be able to develop our most strategic projects with our closest, more loyal partners, Macron said.

In London, Carney was received at Buckingham Palace by King Charles III, Canada's head of state, before his talks with Starmer. The monarch, wearing a red tie and an Order of Canada lapel pin, congratulated Carney on his recent victory. He was sworn in on Friday.

Canada is fortunate to have a steadfast defender in our sovereign," Carney posted on X.

On Tuesday, Carney will travel to the edge of Canadas Arctic to reaffirm the countrys security and sovereignty.

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Why Paris and London?

Carney has chosen the two European capitals that shaped Canadas early existence. During his swearing-in, he noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous.

He added that Canada is fundamentally different from America and will never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States.

I want to ensure that France, and the whole of Europe, works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries," Carney said, but vowed to maintain the most positive relations possible with the United States.

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Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said other leaders are playing it safe and making sure to avoid gaffes at a time of international tension around Trump's actions and rhetoric.

Carney's choice of itinerary emphasizes Canada's strong connection with the two former colonial powers, Beland said, and noted that the fact that Canada never broke away from the U.K. in a violent fashion is a key historical and institutional difference between the United States and Canada."

The trip to London was a kind of homecoming. Carney became the first non-British governor in the Bank of Englands 319-year history when he took the job in July 2013. He served until March 2020.

No Washington trip planned

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Carney said he wont sit down with Trump until the U.S. is ready to have a more comprehensive discussion on trade and security. "When the U.S. is ready to have that conversation were ready to sit down, he said.

The prime minister also said Canada is not trying to organize a coordinated retaliation response among countries. He also said there is a limit to what Canada is prepared to do in retaliation given that the U.S. economy is 10 times the size of Canadas.

Carney also noted the United States, France, the U.K. and Canada and other countries are members of NATO and it would be unthinkable for the U.S. to annex Canada through military means.

Carney has said previously that he doesnt plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a phone call with the president soon.

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His government is also reviewing the purchase of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in light of Trumps trade war. Carney said the potential for having more production in Canada is a factor.

Meanwhile, Macron has been increasing efforts to persuade Frances allies to move away from purchases of American military hardware. That coincides with mounting concerns in Europe that European defenses are overly dependent on U.S. weaponry, technical support and goodwill.

Macron also touched on the French-British plan for securing any ceasefire in Ukraine, and said that "Canada and France are powers of peace, reliable allies, which will take part together in this effort. He did not give details.

Carney spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone late Sunday and invited him to the G7 summit this summer that Canada is hosting.

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Carney is expected to call a parliamentary election by the end of the week, to take place in late April or early May. Canada's governing Liberal Party had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war. Now, the party and its new leader could come out on top.

___

Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris and Danica Kirka and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
OTTAWA (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump must stop making "disrespectful" comments about Canada before the two countries can start serious talks about future ties, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday.

Trump, who is promising potentially crippling tariffs against imports from Canada, frequently muses about making the country the 51st U.S. state.

"We've called out those comments. They're disrespectful, they're not helpful, and they ... will have to stop before we sit down and have a conversation about our broader partnership with the United States," Carney told reporters in London.

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The remarks by Carney are his toughest yet on Trump since launching his political career in January. Carney, who was sworn in last Friday, has yet to speak to Trump and the U.S. president has remained silent about his appointment.

Carney said Canada wanted a more comprehensive discussion and negotiation of the two neighbors' overall commercial and security relationship.

"When the United States is ready to have that conversation, we're more than ready to sit down," he said.

Canada has retaliated with tariffs against tens of billions of dollars' worth of U.S. imports. Carney said Ottawa would only take action it thought could affect U.S. behavior.

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"So this will be very deliberate and there is a limit, full stop. There is a limit to matching these tariffs, dollar for dollar, given the fact that our economy is a tenth the size the United States," he said.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Chris Reese and Deepa Babington)
By Michel Rose

PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said it was important to strengthen ties with "reliable allies" in Europe, as he met British and French leaders on his first overseas visit amid tensions with the United States.

Carney's decision to visit Paris and London instead of Washington, as is usual for Canadian leaders, comes after U.S. President Donald Trump escalated trade tensions with both Canada and Europe, and floated threats of annexing Canada.

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"(It) is more important than ever for Canada to strengthen its ties with reliable allies like France," Carney said, ahead of a working lunch with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, noting that Canada was "the most European of non-European countries."

The former Bank of England governor later arrived in London to meet King Charles, Canada's head of state, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Downing Street.

Carney, also a former head of the Bank of Canada, became the leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party this month by depicting himself as an outsider with a history of tackling crises.

The political novice argued he was best placed to oversee trade negotiations with Trump, who is threatening additional tariffs that could cripple Canada's export-dependent economy.

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During Carney's stop in Paris, Macron made a veiled reference to the U.S. president, saying Canada was a good example of a country that defends its national interests while being collaborative on the global scene.

"I think we both believe that fair trade that respects international rules is good for everyone's prosperity, and is certainly more effective than tariffs," Macron said.

After leaving France, Carney travelled to London where he met Charles, who has not hidden his support for Canada in recent weeks.

In February, the king issued a statement to mark the 60th anniversary of the national flag of Canada, describing it as "a symbol that never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration, as I recall with the deepest affection my many Canadian visits and friendships".

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In his meeting with Carney on Monday, Starmer stressed that the two countries were "the closest of sovereign allies and friends," according to a readout released by the British leader's office.

"The leaders agreed that the UK-Canadian partnership is based on shared history and values, membership of the Commonwealth and a shared King and they both looked forward to strengthening ties," it added.

Trump has stunned allies and foes alike since he returned to the White House in January, imposing tariffs, ending the isolation of Moscow and even floating threats of annexation for Canada or the Danish territory of Greenland.

(Reporting by Michel Rose; editing by Richard Lough, Rachna Uppal, Sharon Singleton and Deepa Babington)
Canadian actor and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney is speaking out about her detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after attempting to enter California from Mexico earlier this month.

Mooney, a Vancouver native known for her role in 2009s American Pie Presents: The Book of Love, now runs the wellness brand Holy! Water. She was traveling from Vancouver to where she works in Los Angeles when a U.S. border officer at the Vancouver airport informed her that her three-year work visa had been revoked.

Seeking to renew her travel authorization, Mooney then attempted to enter the U.S. through the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego, where she originally obtained her visa, but was detained on March 3.

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She was held for three nights at San Diegos Otay Mesa Detention Center, where she described alarming conditions.

I was put in a cell and had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, just an aluminum foil wrap over my body like a dead body for two and a half days, Mooney told San Diegos ABC affiliate, KGTV.

The San Ysidro Port of Entry crossing in San Diego, Mexico. Canadian actor and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney described "imhumane" conditions after being detained at the border earlier this month. NurPhoto via Getty Images

She was later transferred to Arizonas San Luis Regional Detention Center with 30 other women, all shackled for the duration of their journey.

We were up for 24 hours wrapped in chains, she told KGTV from detention, adding, Ive never in my life seen anything so inhumane.

HuffPost has reached out to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

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Mooneys case comes amid the Trump administrations escalating mass deportation efforts and growing tensions between the U.S. and Canada.

British Columbia Premier David Eby told CityNews Vancouver he has urged Canadas federal government to intervene but fears Mooneys detention will further strain relations with the U.S.

The harm this does to the U.S. economy  through impacted tourism, business relationships, and skilled workers unable to obtain visas  is reckless, Eby said. This woman should be brought back to Canada as quickly as possible.

Related...
Kirsten Hillman, Canadian ambassador to the U.S., said on Sunday that her country takes its sovereignty seriously as President Trump appears to be holding firm in his ambitions to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Fox News anchor Jacqui Heinrich asked whether Canadas new prime minister, former central banker Mark Carney, hasnt connected yet with Trump because of the U.S. presidents remarks about making Canada the 51st state.

I think we take seriously our sovereignty. We take seriously the will of Canadians, and over 91 percent of Canadians are, you know, not interested in a discussion around joining the U.S., Hillman said. So I think he takes that seriously.

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And thats not a slight to the president, and thats not a slight to the American people, she continued. Its an expression of our own patriotism and our own sense of who we are as a country.

Hillman said, however, that shes confident that the two countries leaders will connect soon, noting the Canadians have already reached out. Were looking forward to having that, you know, having them connect.

So I think Prime Minister Carney will be looking to speak with the president as soon as possible and looking to forge a good and solid relationship, Hillman said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday faced pointed questions from Canadian journalists over the seriousness of Trumps calls for Canada to become the 51st state. He said Trumps pitch to annex Canada was not on the agenda of the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Charlevoix, Quebec, but was pressed on the presidents antagonism toward Americas northern neighbor.

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The Canadian government has made their position clear. The president has made his argument clear as to why he thinks Canada would be better off joining as a state for economic purposes, Rubio said.

There is a disagreement between the two. That was not a topic of conversation, because thats not what this summit was about.

Rubio said Trumps stance on Canada joining the U.S. came following a dinner conversation with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who warned of the economic costs on Canada by Trumps threats of tariffs.

At that point, the president said Canada should become a U.S. state. POTUS has made an argument about why Canada would be better off economically being a state, and I think that stands for itself, Rubio said, referring to the president.

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Jasmine Mooney has spoken out after she was arrested by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained her.

After spending 12 days in different facilities in the Southwest, the American Pie Presents: The Book of Love actor said in an interview with CTV News at the Vancouver International Airport on Saturday that she was still processing exactly what happened to her.

I havent slept in a while and havent eaten proper food in a while, so Im just really going through the motions, she told the network.

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Mooney had been detained after crossing the San Ysidro border between Mexico and San Diego on March 3. She was carrying an incomplete application for a new Trade NAFTA (TN) work visa after her first was unexpectedly revoked, according to her mother, Alexis Eagles.

Eagles said her daughter was subsequently held for three nights at the border before being transferred to the Otay Mesa Detention Centre in San Diego for three more.

She spoke to ABCs 10 News San Diego from the facility about the inhumane conditions she experienced including sleeping on a mat with no pillow or blanket with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days.

An online tracking system then indicated Mooney had been released, only for it to emerge that she had been transferred to the San Luis Detention Center in Arizona.

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Mooney later confirmed that she arrived home in a since-expired Instagram Story, thanking everyone who reached out to her.

Im sorry if I haven't been able to respond to everyone  just got home after what felt like escaping a deeply disturbing psychological experiment, her message began. I am beyond grateful for my friends, family, and the media who worked tirelessly to get me out  without them, Id still be there. I wouldnt wish that experience on anyone.

She continued: While I was in prison, I began writing an essay about my experience, which I will be sharing soon. I refuse to let what happened break me; instead, Im choosing to use my voice in the hope that it can help others.

Speaking to CTV News, Mooney claimed she was given no information about why she was being detained or when she would be able to leave. No one told me anything. Not once, she said. I still dont even know how Im home.

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When she was asked whether or not she regretted trying to apply for a new visa, she told the outlet of course.

If I knew that that was even a possibility, like even a possibility that that could happen, I would have never, in a million years gone there, Mooney said. Im telling you, from the second I got there to now, I cant even process what just happened.

An ICE spokesperson confirmed to People on Monday that Mooney was detained on March 3 for not having legal documentation to be in the U.S. and that she was processed in accordance with President Donald Trump's Securing Our Borders executive order.

All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the U.S., regardless of nationality, the spokesperson continued.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 17. Deputy Prime Minister  Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu in the course of a visit to Japan, met with the country's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and discussed prospects for the development of an enhanced strategic partnership, Trend reports.

The parties also discussed trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as joint work within the framework of international organizations.

"Japan is one of Kazakhstan's key partners in the Asia-Pacific region. We are determined to increase trade, economic, and investment cooperation with Tokyo," stated the head of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nurtleu also conveyed greetings and best wishes from the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to the Prime Minister. He confirmed Kazakhstans firm commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations.

In turn, Ishiba assured that the Government of Japan is firmly committed to strengthening multi-faceted cooperation with Kazakhstan.

Special attention was given to the development of cooperation within the framework of the "Central Asia + Japan" Dialogue and the preparations for the first summit, as well as the need to maintain regular high-level contacts.

Following the meeting, the sides expressed their mutual desire to give a new impetus to bilateral cooperation.

"Central Asia + Japan" is a concept and strategic approach describing the interaction between the countries of Central Asia and Japan in various fields, including economy, politics, culture, and security. This term is often used in the context of diplomatic and trade relations, as well as in the development of bilateral or multilateral initiatives and cooperation between the Central Asian countries (such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan) and Japan.
Canadian businesswoman and former actress Jasmine Moony, held in ICE detention for 12 days while trying to procure a new work visa, spoke out over the weekend after finally arriving home.

Im still, to be honest, really processing everything, she told waiting reporters at Vancouver International Airport, according to CTV News. I havent slept in a while and havent eaten proper food in a while, so Im just really going through the motions.

The 35-year-old founder of the Los Angeles-based Holy! Water wellness brand, who also appeared briefly in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love, said she was never really told why she was held, and didnt know how shed gotten released.

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No one told me anything. Not once, Mooney said of ICE. I still dont even know how Im home. My friends and my family and the media are the reason, I think, that Im home.

Her troubles began when she learned while visiting Vancouver that her three-year work visa had been revoked because I didnt have a proper letterhead on my paperwork, Mooney told San Diegos KGTV-TV. She decided to get a new one the way she had gotten the first: by showing up at the border in San Ysidro, California, with paperwork documenting her new job.

What happened next was something she wouldnt have imagined in a million years, she told CTV News. Officials not only rejected her visa but also threw her into a series of holding centers, shuffling her and a slew of other women among various facilities across the Southwest, in inhumane conditions, instead of letting her return to Mexico or fly home to Canada.

I was put in a cell, and I had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days, Mooney told KGTV of her three days at the Otay Mesa Detention Center.

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A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said Mooney had been detained March 3 for lack of proper documentation, in accordance with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

Despite her experience, Mooney knew she had it better than most other woman in detention, at least one of whom had been there for 10 months, she told CTV News. Many of them had not yet spoken to a caseworker, her father, Stephen Mooney, told CBC News.

_____
Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit in June, Le Journal de Quebec reported on March 17, citing a Canadian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Canada, which holds the G7 presidency this year, will host the summit on June 15-17 in Kananaskis County, located in the western province of Alberta.

Carney had a phone call with Zelensky on March 16 and invited him to the summit, according to the media outlet.

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Carney was sworn in as Canada's prime minister on March 14, replacing former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as head of the governing Liberal Party. Trudeau announced his resignation in January.

Under Trudeau's leadership, Canada was a strong ally of Ukraine, providing 19.5 billion Canadian dollars ($13.5 billion) in assistance, including 4.5 billion Canadian dollars ($3.1 billion) in military aid.

Read also: Who is to gain more from a ceasefire  Russia or Ukraine?

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Group of Seven summit to be held in June 2025 in the Canadian province of Alberta.

Source: AFP citing a representative of the Canadian government, European Pravda reports

Details: Carney extended an invitation to the G7 summit to Zelenskyy during a telephone conversation the day before.

"President Zelenskyy has been invited to the G7 meeting in Alberta in June," the Canadian government spokesman said.

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Canada, which holds the presidency of the Group of Seven this year, will host the summit in Kananaskis, in the western Canadian province of Alberta, on 15-17 June.

Background:

Commenting on a recent conversation with the Canadian prime minister, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it "good and meaningful".

Mark Carney himself had previously assured Ukraine of Canadas continued support and called on Russia to come to the negotiating table.

On 14 March, the G7 countries declared their readiness to impose further sanctions on Russia and increase support for Ukraine if Russia refuses the ceasefire proposal.

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The cancer-stricken mother of a beloved New Jersey woman stabbed to death more than a year ago is fearful shell succumb to illness and die before her daughters killer sees justice  as the accused murderers trial has faced months of delay.

Its not about me getting an answer. I want to make sure her killer gets whats deserved, said Janet Pizzelli, whose 27-year-old daughter Maryrose Fealey was murdered on January 30, 2024.

My daughter got a death sentence, and I now have to live the rest of my life not seeing my daughter, she told The Post.

Janet Pizzelli, 60, and her daughter Maryrose Fealey, who was murdered in January 2024 at just 27. Obtained by NY Post

Pizzelli, 60, had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer when Fealey  a Rutgers Business School graduate who walked away from a high-paying federal job to work in addiction charities  was found bloodied and dead outside her Somerville apartment after being stabbed a horrifying 37 times.

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Days later, 28-year-old David Shroitman  who went to Somerville High School and college with Fealey but was a complete stranger to her  was arrested after being found with a manifesto allegedly explaining his plans for the murder.

He was also allegedly cleaning out his car with bleach when police caught up with him, and resembled somebody whom security cameras caught near the scene the night of the killing.

But 14 months after the murder, Shroitman still has not gone to trial as his defense argues hes not psychologically competent, Fealeys family explained.

Fealey with her brother, whose addiction struggles inspired her to quit her high-paying job and work for charities. Obtained by NY Post

His side had an expert interview him and they said hes not competent. Then it came back to the prosecutors side. They hired somebody who said he is competent, said Meghan Kelly, a friend of Pizzelli who had known Fealey since she was born.

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The matter was due to be settled during a January hearing, but it was pushed back and is scheduled for April. After that hearing happens  if it happens at all  the family may need to wait even longer for an actual trial date.

All the while, Pizzellis health has continued to deteriorate  leaving her increasingly fearful she wont last much longer.

Since Fealeys murder, Pizzelli has undergone a double mastectomy, spent a month unconscious after an allergic reaction to chemotherapy, was briefly wheelchair-bound and now cant get around without a cane  while her cancer persists.

Its not the worst thing that happened last year, but whatever, Pizzelli said of the cancer.

David Shroitman, 28, is accused of stabbing Maryrose Fealey to death. Somerset County Prosecutor's Office

Shes fearful that if she dies, her daughters killer might walk away with a lighter sentence.

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Were trying to avoid further delays and definitely want to avoid any sort of lighter sentence that might be given just due to the amount of time thats passing, she said.

Pizzelli and Fealeys friends recently started an organization, 100 Voices for Maryrose, to keep her case alive in the minds of the community in the hope of getting the Somerset County Prosecutors Office to bring it to trial.

She put out a lot of light into the world, said Mary Kelly, the daughter of Meghan Kelly and a lifelong friend of Fealey whos heading the organization. I feel like people say that all the time with cases like this, where theyre always like, Oh, they were a great person, thats all you hear. But Mary was actually making great strides to really change peoples lives.

Maryrose was stabbed 37 times last year, allegedly by a former classmate she didnt know. Obtained by NY Post

Pizzelli listed numerous instances of her daughters selflessness  including once giving away her car to a woman escaping an abusive relationship, and also taking time away from her career to personally help her brother battle addiction.

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And she says one of the hardest parts about fighting cancer has been having to do it without Fealeys help.

The last thing she said to me was, Mom, tomorrows going to be the most painful day of your life, and then itll be better,' Pizzelli said, recalling how hours before the murder, her daughter stopped by to ease her worries about a chemo treatment scheduled for the next day.

She came over and sat on my lap. And she kissed me and said, I love you. Ill see you later.'
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?
Newly sworn in Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss strengthening economic and commercial ties.

His visit comes as Canada finds itself in the middle of a trade war with the United States, which has imposed 25% tariffs on many goods imported from Canada, including steel and aluminium. Ottawa has retaliated with counter-tariffs on the US.

US President Donald Trump has also been campaigning for Canada to become the "51st state" and frequently belittled the previous Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

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The fact Carney, who was sworn in on Friday, is making his first trip abroad to Europe  and not to the US like many of his predecessors  is seen as a signal to Washington.

"Unfortunatley, we are in the midst of an economic and geopoltical crisis," Carney, speaking in French, said alongside Macron before the two held talks.

He said Canada would be guided the values of "sovereignty solidarity, dynamism and sustainability."

"We know that economic cooperation, not confrontation, enables us to build strong economies," he said, calling France a "trusted ally."

Macron said he was honoured by the visit and called Canada a unique friend.

First France, then UK

On Saturday, Carney's office announced his first trip abroad since taking office would bring him to France followed by the United Kingdom, in an effort "to strengthen two of our closest and longest-standing economic and security partnerships."

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Carney and Macron were to discuss bilateral ties as well as artificial intelligence (AI), according to the Canadian premier's office.

The Elysee Palace said, in a statement published by French media, that the leaders would also discuss the war in Ukraine as well as international crises and "the projects at the heart" of the "strategic partnership" between the two countries.

The Elysee said that Macron and Carney would also discuss "major global issues, particularly with a view to the UN Ocean Conference set to take place in Nice from June 9-13."

After his stop in Paris, Carney was due to head to London for talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, then to Canada's Arctic territory of Nunavut, which encompasses over 2 million square kilometres and forms most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

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"My visit to France and the United Kingdom will strengthen trade, commercial, and defence ties with two of our strongest and most reliable partners, and my visit to Nunavut will be an opportunity to bolster Canada's Arctic sovereignty and security, and our plan to unlock the North's full economic potential," Carney said ahead of the trip.

Carney's visit to Nunavut comes amid concerning rhetoric coming out of the White House since Trump returned to power in January.

Trump has been talking for months about wanting to take control of Greenland, which is part of the kingdom of Denmark, and expand US influence in the Arctic. Trump has also been publicly musing for weeks about annexing Canada as the 51st US state.
Newly sworn in Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss strengthening economic, commercial and defence ties between the two countries.

On Saturday, Carney's office announced his first trip abroad since taking office would bring him to France followed by the United Kingdom, in an effort "to strengthen two of our closest and longest-standing economic and security partnerships."

Carney and Macron were set to discuss bilateral ties as well as artificial intelligence (AI), according to the Canadian premier's office.

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The Elysee Palace said, in a statement published by French media, that the leaders would also discuss the war in Ukraine as well as international crises and "the projects at the heart" of the "strategic partnership" between the two countries.

The Elysee said that Macron and Carney would also discuss "major global issues, particularly with a view to the UN Ocean Conference set to take place in Nice from June 9-13."

After his stop in Paris, Carney was due to head to London for talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, then to Canada's Arctic territory of Nunavut, which encompasses over 2 million square kilometres and forms most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

"My visit to France and the United Kingdom will strengthen trade, commercial, and defence ties with two of our strongest and most reliable partners, and my visit to Nunavut will be an opportunity to bolster Canada's Arctic sovereignty and security, and our plan to unlock the North's full economic potential," Carney said ahead of the trip.
Mark Carney has warned Donald Trump that the pair will not speak until his disrespectful comments about Canada stop.

The new Canadian prime minister suggested the nation could stand up for ourselves in wake of the presidents barrage of threats to make Canada Americas 51st state.

Weve called out those comments. Theyre disrespectful, theyre not helpful, Mr Carney told reporters in London during his first foreign trip since being sworn in.

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It will have to stop before we sit down and have a conversation about our broader partnership with the United States, but were Canada, we dont need other people to come to our aid.

Mr Carney says comments made by Donald Trump are not helpful

Mr Trump has declared a trade war on his northern neighbour and continues to call for Canada to become the 51st state, a position that has infuriated Canadians.

He has also threatened to raise his planned tariffs on steel and aluminium for Canada from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

The comments come as Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Mr Carney to Downing Street.

Mr Carney also met with the King at Buckingham Palace after he arrived in the UK from Paris, where he met Emmanuel Macron, the French president.

The King meets Mr Carney in Buckingham Palace on Monday - WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe

Sir Keir said it was fantastic to have Mr Carney in the UK so early in his tenure and that the relationship between the two countries has always been strong.

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Two sovereign allies with so much in common, shared history, shared values, shared King.

Canada has been taking part in discussions around a coalition of the willing which could contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

The country took part in a virtual meeting of world leaders hosted by Sir Keir on Saturday, focused on the so-called coalition of the willing, alongside Australia and New Zealand as well as European nations.

At No 10, Sir Keir thanked his Canadian counterpart for his approach to Ukraine.

It doesnt surprise me that our two countries see this through a similar lens, with the same objectives, Sir Keir said.

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NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  The Carnival Sunshine will have a delayed departure from Norfolk due to the weather, according to the cruise line.

We are monitoring a cold front which is impacting the Norfolk area, said Caro Ferrer, senior manager of communications for Carnival Cruise Line. The storm is now producing strong winds and rain that requires us to delay our departure.

The departure has been rescheduled for 7 a.m. Monday.

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The ship, which returned on Sunday from an eight-day cruise to the Eastern Carribean, was set to depart on a six-day Bahamas itinerary on Sunday afternoon.

The cruise line previously had a postponement due to weather on Feb. 15.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
A cartel scout caught near mountains south of metro Phoenix last month told authorities he helped smuggle about 1,000 undocumented immigrants into the country last year.

He had continued his job even through the start of President Donald Trump's border crackdown, records show.

Border Patrol agents captured Edgar Armanda Vargas-de La Rocha on Feb. 24 north of I-8 near the town of Maricopa while investigating why "government equipment located in the South Maricopa Mountains had recently gone offline," according to court records released Friday.

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Vargas-de La Rocha was dressed in a camouflage outfit and equipped with binoculars. Agents soon found the man's backpack, which contained a "black Motorola radio" and a mobile phone.

He waived his Miranda rights and admitted he was in the country illegally working for the Los Memos cartel, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. His job was to send reports on the locations of U.S. agents and border activity to cartel members. "In the previous season," he explained, the cartel paid him 200,000 pesos (about $10,000 U.S.) to work as a scout and that he'd helped smuggle "approximately 1,000 illegal aliens."

The man told agents that in February, "he successfully helped illegally smuggle six groups" from the border fence to Interstate 8, where they were driven to Phoenix.

The Arizona Republic reported last week how some immigrants deported under Trump's crackdown are already returning.

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Vargas-de La Rocha signed a plea agreement on a felony conspiracy-for-financial-gain charge with federal prosecutors last week, court records show. His change of plea hearing is set for March 20 at the federal courthouse in Phoenix. He could get up to 10 years in prison but would get a lesser sentence as long as he continues to comply with court orders, the plea deal states. Still, the charge requires a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence even for a first violation.

Border Patrol: Cartels still smuggling migrants

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release on Feb. 28 with basic information about the arrest of the scout during a two-day stretch in which two other scouts and a cartel guide were also caught. Besides Vargas-de La Rocha, who was not named at the time, the release noted the arrest near Marana the following day of two more suspected cartel scouts and, in Pisinemo Village on the Tohono Oodham Nation, the arrest of an admitted "foot guide for Los Memos."

Asked about the cartel scout's estimate of the immigrants who he'd helped smuggle into the U.S., the agency said through a spokesperson Sunday it is working to carry out President Donald Trump's orders to secure the border.

CBP "is leveraging legal authorities to take every reasonable step to ensure illegal aliens are placed in detention and expediently removed from the country," the spokesperson's statement said. "These actions have led to a significant decrease in the number of illegal aliens attempting to enter the U.S. and a significant increase in the percentage of aliens removed."

Get the Memos? In 3 events, Casa Grande agents arrested 3 illegal alien scouts & 1 foot guide, 2 confirmed to work for the Los Memos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal charges; 8 USC 1324 Alien Smuggling, 8 USC 1326 Re-entry, & 18 USC 371 Conspiracyhttps://t.co/Mrlwl9laqW pic.twitter.com/9imlIsk53n  Chief Patrol Agent - Tucson Sector (@USBPChiefTCA) February 28, 2025

Despite the decrease, "cartels continue to smuggle aliens across the border, recklessly endangering the lives of individuals they control for their own financial gain with no regard for human life," the statement said.

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Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on X @raystern.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cartel scout tells border agents he helped smuggle 1K immigrants into US
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 17. The ministers of Turkmenistan and Qatar sat down at the table to hash out ways to broaden their partnership, zeroing in on energy, investment, and transportation, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A Turkmen delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov also exchanged views with Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on regional security, economic development, and the situation in Afghanistan. The officials emphasized the importance of high-level meetings between the leaders of the two countries in strengthening Turkmen-Qatari relations.

Special attention was given to the ongoing construction of the Serhetabat-Herat section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, with the Qatari side praising Turkmenistan's efforts in the project.

The parties reaffirmed their commitment to working together within international organizations. Qatar was also invited to participate in a high-level forum set to take place in Turkmenistan on December 12, 2025, as part of the International Year of Peace and Trust.

Turkmenistan and Qatar emphasized the importance of deepening their economic ties and exploring new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation across various sectors. Moreover, agreements signed in 2022 and projects planned for 2023-2024 indicate a deepening of economic ties between Turkmenistan and Qatar. Both countries are rolling up their sleeves to broaden the horizons of trade and investment, particularly in the fields of agriculture and construction, with an eye on building a solid foundation for infrastructure development.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy for the Middle East, has stated that negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine should include discussions on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, access to ports and the situation in Russias Kursk oblast.

Source: Witkoff on air on CBS News

Quote: "A ceasefire involves how to get people to not be fighting with each other over a 2,000 kilometre border Nor does that include a main area of confrontation, which is Kursk. And so there's different battlefield conditions. We've got to discuss that.

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There are regions that we all know the Russians are focused on. There is a nuclear reactor that supplies quite a bit of electricity to the country of Ukraine. That's got to be dealt with. There's access to ports. There's the Black Sea potential agreement, there's so many elements to the implementation of a ceasefire here."

Details: Witkoff compared the situation in Ukraine to Gaza, noting that Gaza is a limited, defined space, whereas the war in Ukraine and Russia spans a vast area. He emphasised that, despite the complexity, "no one is throwing their hands up in the air".

He added that all interested parties, including European countries, must do everything necessary for a successful resolution.

Background: On 16 March, Witkoff expressed optimism that the US could achieve progress in settling Russias war against Ukraine within the coming weeks.

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"In the past several months, we have seen significant progress toward eliminating hospital emergency boarding for psychiatric patients, but that progress will likely stall if more people lose their ability to pay for treatment, medication, and help with social determinants of health." (Getty Images)

The 60-year-old Medicaid system, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, ensures that individuals have access to critical mental health and substance use treatment, along with primary care. In 2025, the Medicaid system serves about 184,000 individuals in New Hampshire, or 13 percent of the states population.

Most people understand what Medicare is but not necessarily Medicaid. While Medicaid and Medicare were signed into law as a package in 1965, the programs are different and distinct. Medicaid is a federal-state partnership intended to provide health insurance coverage to children, women who are pregnant, people with low incomes, and those who may have a disability. New Hampshires 10 nonprofit community mental health centers (CMHCs) receive the largest amount of their total revenue from the Medicaid program  between 70 and 90 percent  which enables us to provide care to over 55,000 children and adults annually.

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The New Hampshire Legislature is now deliberating bills that propose deeply concerning changes to the Medicaid program, including the imposition of work requirements.

The work requirement bill targets individuals in the Medicaid expansion program  aka the Granite Advantage program  by requiring validation from employers, raising privacy concerns and creating unnecessary stress, particularly for someone with a mental illness. The majority of Granite Advantage enrollees already work, or have appropriate exemptions, yet under the proposed legislation, all enrollees would need to take on more paperwork and run the risk of losing coverage if the paperwork cannot be gathered, validated, or filed in a timely fashion.

There are also proposals being considered by legislative budget writers to impose a monthly premium on Medicaid enrollees and double the copays for prescriptions. While the governors spokesperson calls these increases nominal, members of the House Finance Committee who have publicly pushed back have said these proposals will put a financial strain on families, noting that a single parent with two children making around $68,000 could have to come up with an extra $283 a month. This represents a car payment, food, rent, or child care expenses for a low-income family.

Unlike other states, New Hampshire law mandates that the Granite Advantage program will terminate in 6 months if the federal match for Medicaid drops below 90 percent. (The Granite Advantage program has an enhanced federal match.) There are over 58,000 individuals enrolled in Granite Advantage in 2025. Many of those in this population receive care from community mental health centers, and many will be cut out of the safety net if the federal government chooses to make that change. Others will still be eligible for services, which means centers will be bound to provide continuing care even without Medicaid coverage; this will add to the crushing burden of uncompensated care the CMHCs are already experiencing.

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This is the framework to consider as changes to the Medicaid system are being discussed by policymakers in Washington and in Concord. But the impact on revenue is only one part of the story here. There will also be an extended impact on community resources, hospital emergency departments, and first responders if the current Medicaid expansion group loses coverage.

In the past several months, we have seen significant progress toward eliminating hospital emergency boarding for psychiatric patients, but that progress will likely stall if more people lose their ability to pay for treatment, medication, and help with social determinants of health.

Since 2023, the CMHCs have worked collaboratively with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services on the Mission Zero initiative, intended to eliminate ER boarding. Mission Zero includes: (1) expansion of certified community behavioral clinics; (2) location-based centers for crisis stabilization; (3) care traffic control coordination; (4) expansion of DRF beds; (5) expansions in step-down less-restrictive care; and (6) landlord incentives to expand places to remain stably housed. All the work invested in Mission Zero by the state and by the CMHCs is in jeopardy if the Medicaid system is undermined and weakened.

Proposals to dismantle Medicaid and the safety net under the guise of fiscal responsibility are misguided and the potential consequences to the citizens of our state are enormous. We have done great work together to support those living with mental illness and addiction over the past several years. We are seeing improvements  lets not go backward. The New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association, representing the CMHCs, strongly opposes any effort to make critical mental health services less accessible to the people we serve.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Charges were dropped last week in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court against a couple who were accused in 2023 of child endangering.

A sole count of child endangering, a third-degree felony, was dismissed against Rita Crockett, 61. Two counts of rape, a first-degree felony; a count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and child endangering were dropped against Mark Andrews, 65.

A reason was not listed in court records.

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The two were charged in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a child who was under the age of 10 in 2022.

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TAHLEQUAH, Okla.  With rare diseases affecting 1 in 10 Americans and over 7,000 known conditions, the Cherokee Nation is taking a significant step toward raising awareness and addressing these complex medical challenges.

The Cherokee Nation Health Services Rare Disease Task Force recently released its nine-page report outlining progress made over the past year and recommendations the tribe can take in the future to help address the unique challenges faced by patients with rare diseases both on and off the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

Established by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., the task force has spent the past year thoroughly examining treatment approaches and developing strategies to enhance care for patients and families affected by rare diseases.

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The work of the Rare Disease Task Force represents our unwavering commitment to provide the most comprehensive care possible for the patients in our health system, including those facing the unique challenges of rare diseases, Hoskin said. The conclusions of our task force not only highlight the significant progress weve made in the past year but also charts a clear path forward to ensure no one is left behind in our health care system.

The Rare Disease Task Force report provided several recommendations and outlined some key accomplishments:

The establishment of a committee to evaluate specialty lab availability, including genetic testing for rare disease diagnosis, while adhering to evidence-based medicine protocols.

The planning phase for a dedicated research department and the development of system-wide cancer care coordinator positions.

Continue to host the tribes Rare Disease Summit

Establish a permanent rare disease advisory group

Expand behavioral health and specialty services

Develop financial support mechanisms for patients with rare diseases

Strengthen data sovereignty and research partnerships to ensure patient information is protected and respected

Continue the growth of rare disease case management

Our hope is that, by implementing the Rare Disease Task Forces recommendations and continually looking for ways to do more, that Cherokee Nation citizens like Meadow will find more comfort and care and recognize that they are not on their journey alone. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.

Since the task force began its work in 2024, Cherokee Nation Health Services has assigned a Registered Nurse as a case manager for rare disease patients. The case manager works closely with the primary care team and specialists to close gaps in care and assist patients with access to critical resources, helping facilitate referrals, durable medical equipment needs, and other necessary services.

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The Rare Disease Task Force announced the tribes plan to host its second Rare Disease Summit on June 12.

The summit will address the unique challenges facing tribal citizens with rare medical conditions and bring specialty physicians, healthcare professionals, and community members together to discuss key topics and rare diseases impacting the reservation.

Registration is required to attend the free summit, and you can complete it by clicking here.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WAVY)  A Chesapeake man wanted for a murder case in Suffolk was captured in Raleigh Monday.

Mark Anderson, 49.

Mark Anderson, 49, is now facing several charges, including fugitive-homicide, felony murder, distribution of narcotics, concealment of a body and disposing a body on private property. He is being held without bond in North Carolina awaiting extradition back to Hampton Roads. He has a court date scheduled for Tuesday.

Anderson was arrested on S. Saunders Street in Raleigh, court records show.

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According to Suffolk Police, a mans body was found along the Seaboard Coastline Trail off Suburban Drive this past Friday afternoon. Officers arriving to a medic call located the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released the mans name. Investigators quickly identified Anderson as the suspect in this case and secured warrants for his arrest.

Anderson is listed as an inmate in the Wake County Detention Center.

Suffolk Police said the person who died has been identified as Jason Spencer, 43, of Suffolk.

Police continue to investigate the deadly incident.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

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CHESTERFIELD, Mo.  A years-long retail theft scheme unraveled when an undercover Chesterfield police officer posing as a buyer exposed a Ferguson woman selling stolen goods on Facebook, leading to the seizure of more than $25,000 worth of merchandise.

Chesterfield police were tipped off about suspicious online activity, where a woman was selling new clothing for steep discounts on Facebook Marketplace.

Tyisha Acoff, now facing a felony charge of receiving stolen property, was arrested after police linked her online sales to a string of thefts at multiple local retail stores.

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Starting back in November, investigators quickly established a pattern: her car had been spotted at or near the scenes of reported thefts, and the merchandise she was selling closely matched stolen inventory from the same stores such as Nike and Ulta.

An undercover officer posing as a customer met Acoff at her Ferguson home and purchased $150 worth of brand-new clothing for just $40. During the sting operation, the officer noted piles of retail merchandise, many items still with tags, scattered throughout the home.

The following day, police executed a search warrant, uncovering an extensive stash of stolen goods, including clothing, accessories, and a large stock of detached security tags.

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When officers took Acoff into custody, she reportedly admitted to the scheme, telling them, I know why yall here, its because of me boostin.

Boosting is just concealing items without paying for them and reselling them. It looks like todays method is social media and it looked like she was fairly successful, Sgt. Robert Powell, a Chesterfield Police Department spokesman, said.

Police said Acoff confessed to working with others and said the operation had been running for years. Now, authorities continue investigating the full scope of the retail theft ring.

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Trust us to do our jobs and this is a highlight of what can happen when the community reaches out to its police department, Powell said.

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A Chicago man was charged with two felonies in the shooting death of a 21-year-old woman at a suburban nightclub last weekend, Stone Park police announced Monday.

Kevin Henley, Jr., 35, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, police said. He is scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday.

On guard, unchecked: Security guards get little scrutiny, even when they fire their guns

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Zulma Daniela Calderon Pacheco, 21, of Chicago was killed in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 8 at the Mansion Live nightclub in Stone Park after she was shot by a security guard, officials said. Her death was classified as a homicide by the Cook County medical examiners office.

Stone Park police said the name of the nightclubs security was a company called JMC Security LLC. The company was involuntarily dissolved on March 14, according to records from the Illinois Secretary of State. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions from the Tribune about the dissolution.

The company had operated out of west suburban River Grove since 2023, according to the records.

According to Stone Park police, a fight broke out inside the nightclub about 1:40 a.m. on March 8. During the fight, police said the security guard pulled out a gun and fired a shot, which struck Calderon Pacheco in the face.

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Witnesses Izabela Encino and Briana Herrera, both of Milwaukee, previously told the Tribune that they were dancing near the stage at a friends 21st birthday celebration when they felt people start to shove.

Encino, 21, said she looked over and saw fighting, and watched a man pull out a gun. She heard a gunshot just as she turned around, she said.

When the two friends made it out of the club, they said they saw a man carrying a woman, later identified as Calderon Pacheco, with blood on her face and in her hair.

Herrera, 20, said she tried to offer Calderon Pacheco first aid, checking her pulse and searching for the place on her head or face where she had been wounded. But she was only able to stay with the woman for a few moments before authorities arrived at the club.

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This is not the first time the Mansion nightclub has had a shooting. In 2020, a man was fatally shot outside the club. Mansion also took over Club Allure, a strip club that was embroiled in controversy with a 2014 lawsuit from nuns in 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 the shooting. It has so far garnered over 5,000 signatures.

Chicago Tribunes Nell Salzman and Caroline Kubzansky contributed.
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in Fond du Lac say a man from Chicago has now been convicted of Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide and Mayhem following an incident in January 2023.

According to a release from the Fond du Lac District Attorneys Office, a 39-year-old woman (at the time) came to the Fond du Lac Police Department at 3:30 a.m. on January 7, 2023, to report a domestic abuse incident.

19, 16, and 13-year-old arrested in connection to Wisconsin shooting

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Officials say a significant cut on her wrist and a large 4 to 5-inch cut across the middle of her neck could be seen leading to her being taken to St. Agnes for treatment.

While at the hospital, she told police that she and the suspect, Lataye Smith from Chicago, had gotten into a verbal argument in their apartment on the 100 block of Main Street. The victim reported that the suspect often becomes aggressive after drinking and in this instance had reportedly threatened to kill her.

While leaving the apartment to go smoke in her vehicle, the victim says she coughed in the hallway of the apartment and believes that the suspect had thought she said something to him. After getting into the vehicle, the suspect allegedly approached the door of the vehicle aggressively with clenched fists, opened the door, and questioned what the victim had said.

Officers reported that the woman admitted to laughing at Smith stating that she had just coughed leading to him again threatening the victims life and grabbing her wrist in what is believed to have led to the first cut.

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The victim then reported that Smith had grabbed her head and she felt something sharp go across her neck several times while he continued to yell repeated threats and I love you at her.

After breaking free from Smith, police report that she had asked him if he cut her, which he allegedly admitted he did. The victim says she saw a box cutter in his hand and she then ran from the suspect on foot to the Fond du Lac Police Department.

Officers say Smith had been physical with the victim in the past, strangling the victim on two separate occasions and reportedly saying that he would put them both in an eternal sleep (meaning death) just three days before the incident.

Smith was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lake Regional Fugitive Task Force on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

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Pet dies to smoke inhalation in Wisconsin 8-unit condo fire, $250K in estimated damages

A jury trial for Smith and his alleged actions in this incident began on March 10 and ended on March 14 with the jury convicting Smith of the following:

Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide with a Dangerous Weapon

Mayhem with a Dangerous Weapon

Battery with a Dangerous Weapon

All three charges are said to include a domestic abuse enhancer and Smith now faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 80 years in prison.

The victim heroically fought off the defendant and showed her bravery at trial by testifying and telling the jury how the defendant tried to kill her. I couldnt be more proud of her bravery and courage as well as the work of the City of Fond du Lac Police Department for their investigation, which lead to these convictions. If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone and help is available through the national Domestic Violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 and the local Solutions Center hotline: 920-923-1700. District Attorney Eric Toney

No additional information is available at this time. Local Five will update this story should additional details be released.

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 17. The exhibition dedicated to the 17th anniversary of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan (UITT) and the international forum Investing in Turkmenistan's Future will be held from March 17 through March 19 in Ashgabat," Trend reports.

The event will be held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and will showcase products from sectors such as the food and light industry, construction materials, textiles, electronics, and furniture, as well as trade, education, advertising, and printing industries.

The forum is expected to serve as an important platform for discussing the prospects of economic growth, the implementation of innovations, and attracting foreign investments. It is anticipated that the event will give a new boost to the development of the private sector and international cooperation.

President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, also emphasized the significance of the event. He noted that the "Social and Economic Development Program of Turkmenistan and Investments for 2025" aims to further support small and medium-sized businesses and increase the private sector's share of the economy through the improvement of business structures. The goal is to raise the share of the non-governmental sector in the gross domestic product to 71.6 percent.

The Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, founded in 2008, currently represents more than 28,000 members of Turkmenistan's business community.
A popular fast-food chain is coming back to Middletown.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Chick-fil-A will be returning, according to the city.

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City officials shared the news on social media, saying the new location would be on Culbertson Road, next to Tire Discounters.

An opening date hasnt been set, but it is expected to open later this year.

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David Plasterer, with the anti-poverty advocacy group RESULTS, holds his son, Lewis, during a January news conference in Indianapolis, during which advocates urged Indiana lawmakers to approve an infant child tax credit. More states across the country are looking to create or expand child tax credits. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Cash would flow directly into the hands of Ohio parents under a proposal from Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

As part of multibillion-dollar budget negotiations this session, Ohio lawmakers will consider the new refundable tax credit worth up to $1,000 per young child, to be paid for by an increase in tobacco taxes.

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In neighboring Indiana, the state Senate approved a bipartisan plan to give a $500 refundable tax credit to families with an infant.

If passed, the measures would mark the first time a Republican-controlled state has implemented a refundable child tax credit. Advocates view that type of credit as key because it delivers cash even to poor families with little or no income tax liability.

State interest in creating or expanding child tax credits boomed after the pandemic-era expansion of the federal child tax credit delivered cash directly to millions. That move quickly lifted millions of children out of poverty. But the expanded tax credit expired in 2021  leading to a doubling in the nations childhood poverty rate in 2022.

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have some child tax credit programs. But so far, all 11 states with refundable credits are led by Democratic governors and legislatures.

Obviously, its great to see more places are interested in it, but I think it really comes down to the design of them and whos included and whos excluded, said Megan Curran, policy director at Columbia Universitys Center on Poverty and Social Policy. Thats going to determine how effective they are at the end of the day,

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In Indiana, lawmakers want to include parents who recently adopted a child or those with children under the age of 1. Even those with no income could qualify for the refundable credit. As proposed, eligibility would top out for families with an adjusted gross income thats 720% of the federal poverty level  about $191,000 for a family of three.

The legislations Republican sponsor, state Sen. Greg Walker, said the program could be expanded over time to include older children.

I think its  pardon the pun  a baby step to introduce a credit for a newborn, he said. I dont think anyone disputes  all the costs associated with bringing a new baby into the world.

Like the federal tax credit, Indianas would empower parents to spend the money however they choose. Aside from helping thousands of families cover escalating costs of living, Walker said it also would provide relief for lower-income families who pay a higher proportion of their earnings in taxes because of the states flat income tax rate.

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While the state Senate unanimously passed the bill, Walker said details of his proposal could change during the legislatures budget process. As proposed, the infant tax credit is expected to cost the state about $34 million per year.

It would be another $34 million in circulation in the hands of consumers that are not sitting on the money, he said. This is not going into a 401(k) account.

Bipartisan support for child tax credits

In announcing his proposal, Ohios governor said there was bipartisan agreement across the country on the merit of investing in working families.

This is not a liberal or a conservative proposal, DeWine said in a promotional video in early February.   This will be a significant amount of money and it will help these families move forward with their lives however they want to live those lives.

Discussions surrounding the federal tax credit also received bipartisan support. During the presidential campaign, then-Sen. J.D. Vance advocated for expanding the child tax credit. More than two-thirds of U.S. House Republicans supported legislation expanding the credit last year.

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But Senate Republicans killed the measure in August, saying it could disincentivize work and favor Democrats in the November election.

DeWines proposal is estimated to cost $450 million per year. The tax credit would apply to families with children under age 7. Individual parents who earn $2,500 per year would qualify for a portion of the credit, with a minimum income of $22,500 required to qualify for the full $1,000 credit. The threshold is an apparent effort to incentivize work. In budget documents, the governors office noted that any parent working full time at a minimum wage job would qualify for the full credit.

The credit, which phases out for higher incomes, would not be available to individuals earning more than $69,000, or married couples earning $94,000 or more per year.

Last week, DeWines proposal received praise from Democratic lawmakers, though some Republicans seemed skeptical of the idea.

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In analyzing the proposal, the progressive advocacy group Policy Matters Ohio noted that the $2,500 income threshold excludes many of the states poorest parents. The organization said that fact undercuts the governors claim the credit is targeted for those with the most need.

Still, that group, along with many other advocacy organizations, are supporting DeWines effort.

This is not a liberal or a conservative proposal.  This will be a significant amount of money and it will help these families move forward with their lives however they want to live those lives.

 Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine

This is the type of tax relief that families are demanding on both sides of the aisle, said Lynanne Gutierrez, president and CEO of Groundwork Ohio, a statewide advocacy group for young children.

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Gutierrez pointed to research showing the struggles of many Ohio families: A recent poll taken on behalf of her organization found that more than a third of Ohio parents with children under 5 reported serious problems paying rent or mortgages, and nearly half said they were struggling to pay their credit card bills.

The previous expansion of the federal tax credit helped millions of American families cover the basics: U.S. Census Bureau research showed families largely spent their credits on child care, rent, utilities, food and school expenses.

I am continuously surprised about how little money, relatively speaking, can really break a family or send them kind of spiraling, Gutierrez said.

Which families benefit

As Indiana and Ohio pursue refundable credits, other states with Republican legislative majorities are moving forward with nonrefundable child tax credits. While nonrefundable credits can reduce how much a filer owes in taxes, refundable credits give cash through returns  even to those who owe little or no income tax.

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As part of a wider tax cut bill, both chambers in Utah earlier this month approved expanding eligibility for the states nonrefundable child tax credit. The credit currently applies to families with children at least 1 year old and under 5 years old. The expansion would apply to all children under age 6, including infants. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox has previously expressed his willingness to support legislative tax cuts, the Utah News Dispatch reported.

And last month, Georgias GOP-controlled state Senate unanimously approved a nonrefundable tax credit of $250 for each child under age 7.

The bill, estimated to cost the state about $180 million annually, would expand an existing tax credit for child care expenses and provide tax benefits for businesses that offer child care for workers. The measure was championed by Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is considering a run for governor.

We believe that families shouldnt have to choose between having a career and being a parent, state Sen. Brian Strickland, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said during a February news conference in Atlanta.

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To proponents of child tax credits, these moves mark encouraging  if not perfect  progress on the issue.

The nonrefundable programs often dont help the lowest-income families, who may earn too little to owe income taxes. Thats particularly important because most states have regressive tax policies that disproportionately tax lower income families, said Aidan Davis, the state policy director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a liberal tax policy nonprofit.

Similarly, some of the refundable tax credit proposals could be strengthened, she said.

The Ohio plan, for instance, has a minimum income threshold to qualify, ostensibly a measure to incentivize work. But Davis said that can exclude the children of parents with disabilities, those who have been laid off, or those who cant afford child care to work.

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Despite design imperfections, Davis said, the interest and support in conservative-leaning states is an incredible development.

I think conversations need to continue around how to best design them to make sure that they reach the populations and the kids most in need, she said. But that being said, I think these are great starting points for conversation.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org.

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Toddler stools shouldnt leave children bruised or with brain injuries. Thats why Blissful-Time recalled about 10,300 Onasti Toddler Tower Stools sold exclusively on Amazon.com.

The stools can collapse or tip over while in use, posing serious fall and injury hazards to children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notice states.

The notice also says Blissful-Time knows of four times the stools did collapse or tip over, including two injuries, with one causing bruising and the other a brain injury to a toddler.

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Recalled plastic stools can be folded and come in blue/gray, gray/white, beige/white, green, light blue and pink.

Onasti Toddler Tower Stool in the beige/white color scheme.

Blissful-Time isnt offering refunds, but, rather, a free repair kit. That said, demanding a refund might get one.

Either way, reach out to Blissful-Time either through its recall website, by phone at 833-999-9327 or by emailing support@onasti.net.
(Courtesy Childrens Mercy)

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Wichita parents will have more health care options for their children next year. Childrens Mercy Kansas City announced on Monday that it plans to build a new multi-specialty ambulatory clinic in Wichita.

Childrens Mercy says the expansion will address the communitys growing needs and serve more than 10,000 pediatric patients in the region.

The new facility will be at North Greenwich Road and East 28th Street North.

Childrens Mercy already has a Wichita clinic near Murdock and Hillside. Officials say the new 18,000-square-foot standalone facility is expected to open in the summer of 2026.

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This new larger clinic location deepens our promise to support childrens health and well-being in the region, and were excited to grow alongside the communities we serve to help all children reach their full potential, Dr. Alejandro Quiroga, Childrens Mercy president and CEO, said in a news release.

Weve been part of Wichita for more than a decade, and we look forward to building on that relationship to foster a healthier and stronger community, Dr. Mary Ann Queen, Childrens Mercy vice president, said.

Woman trapped in wreckage along I-70 overnight found Monday

In a news release, Childrens Mercy says it has provided pediatric care in more than 30 specialty clinics, including cardiology, endocrinology, and nephrology. It says the new clinic will allow for additional specialty offerings in person and through telemedicine.

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Officials said they would not be available to answer questions but plan to do interviews in April. Look for updates next month on KSN and KSN.com.

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BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -Chinese military exercises near Taiwan on Monday were punishment for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's continued promotion of "separatism", according to a stern statement out of Beijing, as Taiwan hit back by calling China a troublemaker.

China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control, has stepped up military and political pressure against the island in recent years.

Taiwan's defence ministry said China had carried out "joint combat readiness patrols" - one in the morning and one in the afternoon - sending 54 Chinese warplanes including J-10 jets and drones to areas near Taiwan.

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It said the Chinese aircraft flew in airspace to the north, west, southwest and east of Taiwan, and that Taiwanese air and naval forces were dispatched to keep watch.

Among them, 42 planes crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, an unofficial buffer between the two sides, the ministry said.

If the Lai administration "dares to provoke and play with fire, it will only bring about its own destruction," a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office said in the statement.

Taiwan routinely reports such military activity by China, but China's government very rarely offers comment on them.

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Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said Beijing had continued to threaten the island militarily, raising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and destabilizing regional peace and stability.

The Chinese Communist Party is a "troublemaker" in every sense of the word, the council said, urging ally countries to stop China's military expansion.

Taiwan's security officials have said China was trying to normalise drills near Taiwan, carrying out such patrols near the island every 7-10 days on average.

Lai said last week that China had deepened its influence campaigns and infiltration against the island, pledging measures to tackle Beijing's efforts to "absorb" Taiwan.

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China views Taiwan as its territory, a claim rejected by the government in Taipei.

Lai has repeatedly offered talks with Beijing but has been rebuffed. He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom and Yimou Lee in Taipei; Editing by Ros Russell)
China has sent a senior-level delegation to Panama at a time when relations have been clouded by developments surrounding the Panama Canal, a move seen by observers as an attempt to "understand what is unfolding" and possibly reverse the situation.

According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, a delegation led by Ma Hui, a vice-minister of the Communist Party's diplomacy arm, the International Department, visited the Central American country last week, holding talks with "leaders of major political parties" and think tanks.

Ma was quoted as saying that China was "willing to strengthen exchanges with Panama's political parties and think tanks, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and consolidate the public support foundation for friendly China-Panama relations".

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Ma Hui, a vice-minister of the Communist Party's International Department, led the Chinese delegation in Panama last week. Photo: Handout alt=Ma Hui, a vice-minister of the Communist Party's International Department, led the Chinese delegation in Panama last week. Photo: Handout>

The visit followed a surprise announcement this month by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing's CK Hutchison Holdings that it would sell its port operations, including those near the Panama Canal, to a group led by American investment firm BlackRock. That came amid US pressure on Panama to free the canal from what was viewed as Chinese control.

China has fiercely criticised the move, with Beijing's top office for Hong Kong affairs running several commentaries in pro-China newspaper Ta Kung Pao that described the sale as "betraying" the Chinese people. US President Donald Trump has meanwhile lauded the deal.

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Dylan Loh, assistant professor of foreign policy at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, said the Chinese delegation's visit was likely to be aimed at finding out more about the recent moves by Panama to "acquiesce to US pressure and try to tease out the strategic intent of Washington".

He said another goal would be to see if Panama's recent moves were a sign of a "decisive shift" towards the US, and that Beijing would also have been seeking more information on what the sale of ports could potentially mean for China's trading and shipping routes.

Both Panama and China have dismissed Trump's claims about Chinese influence over the Panama Canal. But Panama, under mounting pressure from Washington, last month moved to withdraw from China's Belt and Road Initiative, a decision described by Beijing as "not in the vital interests of Panama".

Loh noted that the delegation led by Ma was from the Communist Party's International Department rather than China's foreign ministry - meaning it was framed as a party-to-party visit - but he added that foreign policy was likely discussed.

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"To me, this is a quick response from Beijing to understand what is unfolding and if this may require further ... actions," he said.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University in Beijing, said the visit came amid growing US concerns over increasing Chinese investments in Panama. He said Washington saw that as a challenge and wanted to "weaken China's position as the largest global trading partner".

"The US is trying to disrupt things, forcing Panama to withdraw from deals in a manner similar to what happened with Italy," he said, referring to Italy's exit from Beijing's infrastructure programme in 2023 to align more closely with its Western allies including the US.

According to Wang, the visit showed that despite recent developments China would continue to engage with Panama and seek to "avoid negative impacts" from recent developments, especially involving the Belt and Road Initiative.

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He noted that China was set to hold a forum with Latin American and Caribbean states this year, and that Beijing hoped the current situation would not affect that gathering. "Too much negativity could emerge otherwise," he said.

Wang said Beijing needed to work with Panama to "oppose measures forced by the US that go against Panama's long-term interests", and "see if there is room for negotiation to turn the situation around".

"We need to not only improve Panama-China relations but also prevent a domino effect that causes misunderstandings between China and other countries," he said. "We should continue engaging positively with these countries, encouraging them to resist US coercion, which violates their national interests."

According to the Xinhua report on last week's visit, Panama expressed its willingness to deepen friendly exchanges between the two sides and "promote the sustainable development of the Panama-China friendship".

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This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China is willing to work with the United Kingdom to deepen cooperation in financial services, trade and investment, as well as green and low-carbon development, Ding Xuexiang, China's vice premier, told British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on Monday.

Developing a stable relationship between the two countries is conducive to addressing global challenges, Ding said, according to a readout of his meeting with Miliband in Beijing released by China's foreign ministry.

(Reporting by Yukun Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Chinese state-owned firms have built, financed or currently operate more than one-quarter of Africa's ports, according to a new study that has detailed the scope of Beijing's investment in the continent's port developments.

Of a total of 231 ports in 32 African countries, China is invested in 78 facilities, with the heaviest concentrations in West Africa, underscoring the region's strategic importance to China's global trade ambitions, according to a report by Paul Nantulya of the National Defence University's Africa Centre for Strategic Studies.

Under China's current five-year plan, which outlined a "connectivity framework" positioning Africa as a pivotal link in China's global trade network, two forces have driven the investment wave in the continent: the Belt and Road Initiative and Beijing's "go out policy" - a government initiative that provides state backing to firms to venture into overseas markets such as Africa.

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Three of the six trade corridors outlined in the Chinese plan run through Africa, landing in East Africa, Egypt and the Suez region, and Tunisia, according to the report.

"This reinforces the central role that the continent plays in China's global ambitions," Nantulya said in the report published by the centre on March 10.

For instance, China Harbour Engineering Company was the contractor and engineering firm for Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria. The firm took a 54 per cent stake in the port which it operates under a 16-year lease, after securing financing from China Development Bank, according to the report.

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China gains as much as US$13 in trade revenues for every dollar invested in African ports, according to the study.

Isaac Kardon, a senior fellow for the Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said China's presence in Africa's ports is multifaceted - driven by access to African natural resources, especially critical minerals and hydrocarbons, while opening the continent's rapidly growing markets to Chinese products, such as tech and telecoms.

At the same time, China is building a diplomatic coalition in developing countries that will provide legitimacy, votes and political support for China, Kardon said.

China's drive to export capital to the commercial ports has led to concern that such facilities could be repurposed for military use. The transition of Djibouti's Doraleh Port in the Horn of Africa into China's first overseas military base in 2017 has led to speculation about similar conversions elsewhere, despite official denials.

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"Military access is a distant third priority, focused mainly on providing security for China's overseas interests," said Kardon, who has studied Chinese port activity in Africa.

John Calabrese, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said China's involvement in West African ports is driven primarily by economic interests - encompassing everything from financing and building to managing operations.

"Its financial leverage facilitates 'resource-led diplomacy' for raw material and mineral access," Calabrese said, adding that the ports themselves serve as entry points or gateways to African markets for Chinese companies seeking export destinations.

"Each new or expanded port in Africa adds to the track record of leading Chinese shipping firms like Cosco Shipping, reinforcing their status as world leaders in maritime operations," Calabrese said.

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Sub-Saharan geoeconomic analyst Aly-Khan Satchu stressed that in addition to financing, China has been the single biggest provider of infrastructure on the continent, including railways, roads and ports, for more than two decades.

"The Chinese understood that investing in Africa's infrastructure preferably under a 'build and operate' premise provided seriously above trend returns," Satchu said.

China's presence in Africa's ports has grown alongside its return on investment - the result of Beijing's outsize bet on Africa and its 1.4 billion consumers, and a conviction that the average revenue per user would improve significantly over time.

Satchu was not surprised. "China, like any other country, is seeking to protect its economic interests," he said.

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Some of Africa's Chinese-invested ports can accommodate the country's navy vessels. Since 2000, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has made 55 port calls and conducted 19 bilateral and multilateral military exercises in Africa, according to the study.

Debate over the military activity has continued on the continent which has historically been averse to foreign military intervention. Apprehension grew when it emerged that China may have explored prospects for a military base in Namibia's Walvis Bay.

Namibia's press first reported on the possibility in 2015, triggering a denial from the Chinese embassy.

"Given that similar denials were made when stories began circulating about a potential Chinese base in Djibouti prior to the development of Doraleh, those disavowals have failed to tamp down speculation of similar outcomes in other locations," Nantulya said.

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Calabrese said China's growing economic interests necessitated protection against threats such as piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and regional upheaval in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

"Although primarily commercial, these ports might be repurposed for military applications," Calabrese said.

He said the move would be consistent with the PLA Navy's "two oceans" approach.

"The dual-use features of some of these ports could be seen to serve as discreet, non-provocative steps toward an eventual expansion of Chinese maritime power projection," Calabrese added.

Kardon, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the Djibouti base transition showed Chinese naval forces already utilised Chinese-owned-and-operated commercial facilities in Africa.

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"The potential for more intensive utilisation of these dual-use facilities is clear, as is the possibility of establishment of another base, perhaps on the Gulf of Guinea where counter piracy would provide a parallel rationale to the earlier move to set up basing in the Gulf of Aden," Kardon said.

However, it would likely take a major security challenge to China that exceeded the capacity of its African partners to respond for Beijing to significantly expand its military footprint on the continent, he added.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
BEIJING (AP)  Chinese government officials on Monday outlined steps they are taking to try to boost domestic demand by getting consumers to spend more as a tariff war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to curb the country's exports.

The central bank will study creating new tools to increase low-cost funding for important consumption areas, said Che Shiyi from the Peoples Bank of China, the central bank.

On the spending side, the government has already provided a first tranche of 81 billion yuan ($11.2 billion) to local governments in January for a rebate program to boost auto and appliance sales, announced Li Chunlin, the vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission.

The officials spoke at a news conference one day after the government, together with the ruling Communist Party, released a multi-faceted plan to try to boost consumer spending. The moves seemed designed to demonstrate that the government is committed to reviving a sluggish economy.

While there are few new details on how the government will increase spending, the details of the plan show a greater determination to tackle Chinas consumption problem this year, Lynn Song, the chief Greater China economist at ING bank, wrote in a report on the plan.

New government data released Monday showed signs of improvement in the first two months of the year, though housing market weakness remained a drag on growth.

Retail sales were up 4% in January and February compared to last year, more than forecast. Industrial production rose 5.9%, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. The stronger than expected data helped buoy stock markets in Asia.

A bureau spokesperson said the economy is moving in the right direction but cautioned that challenges remain at home and abroad. Trump has imposed a 20% tariff on Chinese products, which could set back an economy with a high dependence on exports and late on Sunday, he reiterated his intention to push ahead with more tariffs in early April.

The external environment has become more complex and grim, domestic effective demand is insufficient, some companies are facing difficulties in production and operation, and the foundation for the continuous recovery of the economy is still unstable, Fu Linghui said at a news conference.

He added, though, that Chinas foreign trade has proven resilient.

Chinas industrial system is complete, and its innovation capabilities are gradually improving, he said. There is a foundation and conditions for the steady development of foreign trade.

The long-running real estate crisis has depressed consumer confidence and spending. Real estate investment fell 9.8% in the first two months of the year, the statistics bureau said.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 17. Turkmenistan's ambassador to the Republic of Korea Begench Durdyev held meetings with representatives of Singaporean delegations and discussed the prospects of bilateral relations, Trend reports, via the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Korea.

Durdyev first met with Samuel Tan, Director-General of Singapores Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. They discussed high-level visits, political consultations, interparliamentary cooperation, and international collaboration. The Turkmen delegation presented events for the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality and the 2025 declaration as the "International Year of Peace and Trust." Durdyev also introduced the concept of outlining key national activities.

The Ambassador also held discussions with Yu Sin Tai, Deputy Director of the Department of Europe and Central Asia at Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry. They focused on strengthening trade and economic ties, specifically the attraction of Singaporean investments in Turkmenistans special economic zones.

The participants also discussed the exchange of expertise in e-commerce, increasing the export of Turkmen agricultural products, and opportunities for cooperation with Singapores financial institutions. A significant part of the discussions was the signing of bilateral agreements and the organization of business forums.

Moreover, Durdyev met with Bernard Lim, Director-General of the International Relations and Security Department at Singapores Ministry of Transport. The key topics included expanding cooperation in the transport and logistics sector, modernizing the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port, shipbuilding, and ship repair.

The special attention was paid to the development of cooperation between the Turkmenbashi Maritime Transport Agency and the Caspian Institute of Turkmenistan with relevant Singaporean organizations.
(NewsNation)  Chinese auto manufacturer Build Your Dreams Co. has revealed its new electric vehicle charging system, which drastically cuts down the time needed to charge up a battery-powered car.

The 1,000-volt charging system provided roughly 290 miles worth of energy in five minutes, BYD founder and Chairman Wang Chuanfu said Monday, according to Bloomberg.

That means the up-and-coming Tesla rivals super e-platform could enable EV drivers to fuel up just as quickly as those pumping gas.

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Robotaxis are racking up tickets in San Francisco

BYDs charge speeds (a promised 1000 kilowatts) would easily lap other industry leaders. Teslas supercharger option gives certain models a 200-mile range in 15 minutes, according to its official website.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, EVs take anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours to fully recharge, depending on the charger and battery type used.

BYD would first implement battery systems in its Han L and Tang L sport utility vehicles  both of which cost roughly $40,000 USD. The company plans to construct 4,000 charging stations capable of ultrafast charging.

BYD announces system as Tesla stock stumbles

The Elon Musk-led company has seen a rough few weeks  both on the stock market and on the showroom floor.

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Tesla cars and dealerships have been the target of protests and vandalism as part of the Tesla Takedown movement fueled by Musks government involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

While Musks political reach is growing, Teslas stock price has consistently dropped since he was tapped to help out in Washington. Musk, the richest man in the world, has seen his net worth plunge by roughly $83 billion since the start of the year.

Family of AI whistleblower Suchir Balaji speaks out: Exclusive

Teslas new vehicle sales were down 45% across Europe in January, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

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Tesla sales have also slowed in China, down 11.5% in January from a year earlier, CNBC reported. Meanwhile, lower-cost Chinese rivals like BYD and Xpeng saw sales grow over the same period.

Trump, in a show of support, shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway last week, though the presidential backing of a private company has caused concern.

NewsNations Andrew Dorn 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.
The deal that shifted majority ownership of the ports on both sides of the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led consortium is under fire from Chinese state media, illustrating that the geopolitical tensions surrounding the pivotal trade artery arent quite ready to cool down.

A commentary published by a Hong Kong state-owned newspaper, Ta Kung Pao, slammed the decision of H.K.-based port operator CK Hutchison Holdings to sell Panama Ports Company for $22.8 billion to the consortium, which also includes the terminal operating wing of container shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

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The piece was reposted on the website of Chinas Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office on Thursday. It was also shared by Chinas liaison office in Hong Kong.

The Chinese government hasnt officially commented on the agreement.

The commentary called the transaction a spineless kneeling, profit-seeking and unrighteous act, ignoring national interests and national justice, and betraying and selling out all Chinese people.

In the diatribe, author Wang Junxi said that due to the deal, Chinas shipping and trade here will inevitably be subject to the control of the United States. Wang said potential surcharges would bring great risks to Chinese companies logistics costs and supply chain stability, all while increasing Chinas freight berthing costs, and squeezing the market share of Chinese shipping companies like Cosco Shipping.

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Wang also lamented other potential hits to the Chinese shipbuilding industry, including the recent proposal from the U.S. Trade Representatives office to charge special docking fees to Chinese ships stopping at U.S. ports. Those fees could go as high as $1.5 million per ship.

The BlackRock-Hutchison deal is broken up into two parts. The first part covers the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, but that deal still was only signed in principle. That portion is expected to be finalized on April 2, but still needs approval from the Panamanian government.

But the second iteration covers another 41 ports comprising 199 berths in 23 countries, and is expected to proceed on an expedited basis according to the official press release, meaning it can go through even if the Panama piece does not.

With that in mind, it appears the deal still needs to be ironed out on Panamas side.

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On March 7, the Panama Maritime Authority, which oversees shipping and port infrastructure in the country, requested all legal and financial documents from the transaction. The authority is expected to analyze the transaction at the cabinets request to ensure that public interest in the terminals will be protected, according to Panamas minister to the presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac.

In a statement, he said that the government took the action due to a lack of knowledge on the deal. According to Orillac, Panamas government didnt hear of the BlackRock/MSC acquisition until news of the deal came out through the media.

The ports are not part of the Panama Canal, and dont have any bearing on vessels passing through the waterway.

While all eyes remain on the deal, reports from Reuters and NBC News have indicated that the Trump administration has called on the Pentagon to plan scenarios where the U.S. would increase military presence in Panama to ensure access to the canal

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The U.S. military currently has more than 200 troops in Panama, but the number fluctuates as troops rotate in and out.

According to the NBC News report, U.S. Southern Command is developing potential plans that vary from partnering more closely with Panamanian security forces to a less likely option of U.S. troops seizing the Panama Canal by force.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that the U.S. needs to take back the canal on baseless allegations that China controls the waterway. Allies in Washington, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stressed that the true concern remained over Chinese influence over the canal, global trade and potential dangers to American national security.

During his speech to Congress earlier this month, Trump celebrated the BlackRock acquisition.

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To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and weve already started doing it, he said, in a message that appeared to suggest the White House had plans to expand its Panama Canal agenda beyond the BlackRock deal.

On the morning after the speech, Panama President Jose Raul Mulino called out President Trump for lying about the situation.

The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored, and this is certainly not the task that was even discussed in our conversations with Secretary Rubio or anyone else, said Mulino in a post on X. I reject, on behalf of Panama and all Panamanians, this new affront to the truth and to our dignity as a nation. Cooperation between our governments requires clear understandings on issues of mutual interest, as has been done. It has nothing to do with the recovery of the Canal or with tarnishing our national sovereignty.
Chobani announced Monday it granted $250,000 to infrastructure projects near it's plants in Chenango County and in Idahos Magic Valley "to create vibrant community spaces that foster connection, inclusivity, and growth."

According to a news release from the company, Chobani created the Chobani Legacy Project Fund in 2022 "based on the understanding that great communities arent built overnight  they are nurtured and strengthened by people coming together." Each year, Chobani employees nominate and choose local infrastructure projects that make a lasting difference in the local community, the release stated.

Locally, Chobanis gift will support Unadilla Community Farms buildout of a solar-powered commercial kitchen and classroom space in West Edmeston.

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"In rural New York, small farms, food banks and pantries work side by side to fight hunger  but often lack the facilities to make the biggest impact, the release stated.

The multifunctional kitchen, which will turn fresh harvests into nutritious meals for those in need, according to the release, will also double as a teaching space for the Unadilla Community Farms Beginning Farmer Training Program. Food made on-site will be donated to regional food pantries and community clinics through the Unadilla Community Farm Food Access and Herbal Aid Programs. Once complete, the space will also be open to community members for public rental, encouraging community gathering, the release stated.

Were thrilled to support the commercial kitchen at Unadilla Community Farm as this years Legacy Project. The Legacy Projects gives our employees a chance to spotlight the causes they care about most, offering a sense of pride and connection to the community, said Nate Gundlach, senior vice president of operations at Chobanis plant in South Edmeston. This investment isnt just about food, its about building skills, creating jobs and bringing people together in a space where learning and generosity go hand in hand.
More than a year after a woman filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Christ Hospital over her late husband's death, parties have reached a settlement of an undisclosed amount.

The 55-year-old father of four Michael Thompson, from Liberty Township, died in June 2020 due to a bacterial infection in his heart. Prior to his death, he'd asked doctors for help four times for his shortness of breath, persistent fever and joint pain, court documents show. Two of the doctors worked for Christ Hospital, while one worked for Teladoc, a virtual health care company.

The suit was filed by Thompson's widow, Tyna Thompson, whose lawyers asked for a settlement of $5 million, according to a transcript of Monday court proceedings. The hospital's lawyers made an offer of $90,000.

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Lawyers for both parties declined to share the final amount negotiated, citing the settlement's confidentiality clause.

Dr. Jennifer McLellan, the Christ Hospital doctor who discharged Thompson prior to his death, was dropped from the suit, according to the court transcript.

Michael Thompson served in the Air Force for a decade.

Lawsuit alleged medical negligence

The lawsuit claimed that McLellan failed to properly diagnose and treat Thompson's endocarditis, the heart infection that ultimately caused his death.

Thompson, who had a history of heart disease and had had part of his heart replaced the year prior, had experienced shortness of breath and a fever for 10 days by the time his daughter drove him to Christ Hospital's urgent care center on Red Bank Road.

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It was there that he was seen by McLellan, who conducted a physical exam and ordered an X-ray and a blood test before discharging Thompson without antibiotics.

Five days later, Thompson died of septic shock and respiratory failure caused by the heart infection.

The legal team for Christ Hospital claimed that McLellan was not subject to disciplinary action or liable for damages due to Ohio House Bill 606, which granted services provided by health care workers immunity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thompson did not have COVID-19 and tested negative for the disease three times prior to his death.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Christ Hospital settles wrongful death suit
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) spoke about the state of the Democratic Party after a contentious week in which he was criticized by many of his party members.

Schumer sat down to speak with Lulu Garcia-Navarro for The New York Times The Interview podcast on Monday and Saturday. The episode was released Sunday, days after Schumer and several other Democrats bent the knee to Republicans by signing off on a GOP spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. The move highlighted apparent division among party members.

Despite this, Schumer claimed that Democrats are authentic and have real direction now. He added that Democrats, known as the party for working people, did not publicly voice how they were fighting for the working class in recent years, to their detriment. According to Schumer, thats no longer the case.

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Schumer also dodged Garcia-Navarros question about whether he thinks its time for him to retire. Instead, he claimed that the partys members are all united in their front against President Donald Trump.

I think we have mutual respect in our caucus, and we are all united, no matter how people voted on this vote, to continue fighting Trump. We are a united and strong caucus fighting against Trump, Schumer claimed. We disagreed on this issue, but that doesnt diminish in any way how were going to fight every step of the way against Trump. And I believe that were going to have some real successes.

Garcia-Navarro also asked Schumer whether he believes Democrats have his back for a 2028 primary.

Thats a long time away, he replied. I am focused on bringing Trumps numbers down, his popularity down, exposing what he has done to America and what he will do. Thats my focus right now. You know, three years from now is a long way to speculate. I believe that my hard work against Trump will pay off.

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Echoing his previous sentiments during a floor speech, Schumer also defended his decision to backtrack on his plan to filibuster and vote against the GOP spending bill.

A shutdown would shut down all government agencies, and it would solely be up to Trump and DOGE and Musk what to open again because they could determine what was essential, Schumer said, referring to the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and its de facto head Elon Musk.

So their goal of decimating the whole federal government, of cutting agency after agency after agency, would occur under a shutdown, he continued, adding that he was aware his decision would be unpopular among Democrats.

The bottom line is if the filibuster would have been used and the government shut down, the devastation would be terrible. You see, weve had government shutdowns before, but never against such nihilists, such anti-government fanatics as Trump, DOGE, Musk, Schumer said, before mentioning Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought. Theyve given us a playbook, by the way. Vought has already written what he wants to shut down if he got a shutdown. Trump wanted a shutdown. Musk wanted a shutdown. Ask yourself why.

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By contrast, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said the decision by Schumer and other Democrats to vote in favor of the legislation was unthinkable.

This turns the federal government into a slush fund for Donald Trump and Elon Musk, sheadded.

And so to me, it is almost unthinkable why Senate Democrats would vote to hand the few pieces of leverage that we have away for free when weve been sent here to protect Social Security, protect Medicaid and protect Medicare.

Related...
Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer has delayed his book tour this week for security reasons following the backlash over backing a Republican spending bill.

The Senate Minority Leader announced Thursday that he would advance the Republican bill to avert a government shutdown, branded a tremendous mistake by some in the Democratic Party.

Schumer was scheduled to appear in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore this week to promote his new book titled Antisemitism in America: A Warning, but now the events have been postponed.

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Due to security concerns, Senator Schumers book events are being rescheduled, a spokesperson told Politico in a statement. The Independent has contacted Schumers representatives for further comment.

Schumer argued that a government shutdown would hand President Donald Trump and Elon Musk even greater power and momentum to cut the federal workforce.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has postponed his book tour for security concerns after backlash following his decision to back a Republican spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Schumer was scheduled to appear at events in New York City, Baltimore and Philadelphia this week (EPA)

The Republican bill is a terrible option, but I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option, Schumer said last week.

But angry advocates protested outside the senators New York residence Friday over his decision to back the bill. Protesters held signs saying: Fight for us and Someone please do something, The City reported.

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The move allows Republicans to move toward their major goal of passing massive legislation to extend the tax cuts Trump signed in 2017, increase defense spending, beef up funding at the U.S.-Mexico border and expand oil exploration.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also hit out at Schumer last week. I cannot urge enough how bad of an idea it is to empower and enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk in this moment. It is dangerous and it is reckless, Ocasio-Cortex told CNNs Jake Tapper.

Campaigners are angry at Schumer after he backed the Republican spending bill. Schumer argued that a government shutdown would have been the far worse option (AFP via Getty Images)

Any Democrat who helps to pass funding bill with blank checks for Musk and Trump will be cursed by it just like [Hillary] Clinton and [John] Kerry were by their votes for the Iraq war, Murshed Zaheed, a Democratic strategist and a former senior leadership aide for former Senate majority leader Harry Reid, also told The Independent.

Anger over Schumer comes as support for the Democratic Party has hit a record low, according to two damning polls released over the weekend.

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An NBC News poll of registered voters found that just 27 percent of people viewed the party positively.

It also revealed that 65 percent of Democrats wanted Democratic lawmakers to stick to their guns  even if this slowed things down in Washington  while just 32 percent believed that bending to Trump to gain his support on legislation was key.

A second poll, released by CNN and conducted by SSRS, also presented dismal findings for the party. Only 29 percent positively favored the Democrats  a record low in CNNs polling since 1992.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer postponed his book tour amid backlash over his handling of a Republican bill to fund the government last week.

The New York Democrat had planned to promote his new book on antisemitism, Antisemitism in America: A Warning, during a series of events in New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., this week. All of them have been postponed.

Due to security concerns, Senator Schumers book events are being rescheduled, Schumers spokesperson said in a statement.

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Progressive activist groups had already been organizing and encouraging protests at events hosted by members of Congress of both parties. That likely included Schumer after he eased passage of legislation averting a government shutdown last week. The bill did not include language Democrats had sought forbidding President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk from continuing to freeze congressionally approved spending.

Over the weekend, the progressive organizing group Indivisible called on Schumer to step aside as Democratic leader of the Senate.

Your recent vote to enable Republicans extreme funding bill paved the way for Trump and Musk to continue their power grab, New York state Indivisible groups wrote in a letter to the senator on Monday. In a rare moment of leverage for Democrats, you surrendered. This calls into question your ability to fight back to stop the emergency of this constitutional crisis and reckless dismantling of fundamental democratic institutions.

Schumer had argued that as bad as the GOP spending bill was, a shutdown would be even worse since it would allow Trump to permanently shutter parts of government.

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A shutdown would shut down all government agencies, and it would solely be up to Trump and DOGE and Musk what to open again because they could determine what was essential, Schumer told The New York Times, referring to the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and its de facto head Musk.

The bottom line is if the filibuster would have been used and the government shut down, the devastation would be terrible. You see, weve had government shutdowns before, but never against such nihilists, such anti-government fanatics as Trump, DOGE, Musk, he said.
A Cincinnati school resource officer on the city's East Side, remembered by fellow officers for his big brother mentorship with the kids he served, died Saturday after a medical emergency.

Marcellus Jones, 33, served as a school resource officer across Cincinnati's East Side, assigned to Clark Montessori High School in Hyde Park but rotating across other schools in the area.

Jones served as a police officer for six years, first joining the Wilberforce University police near Dayton in 2018 and then the Cincinnati police in 2021 as a beat officer. He only became a school resource officer in Cincinnati this past fall, a role that had long been a goal of his to step into, said Officer Andrea Booker, one of Jones' close partners on the SRO unit.

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"He had a passion for being a youth officer, even before joining the unit," Booker told The Enquirer. "He always made all the kids feel real comfortable. They adored him."

Jones was a younger officer on Cincinnati's youth services unit, which former Cincinnati officer Jim Brown said typically consists of officers with double-digit numbers in their career. But that didn't stop him from giving it his all.

Officer Marcellus Jones, furthest to the right, with other members of Cincinnati's Youth Services unit.

"He was able to work with the kids in a quiet manner, listening to them but also following up. He would take time for the kids," Brown said. "Those kids go home and tell their parents about their interactions with the police. He built trust."

Jones' supervisor Casandra Smith said the young officer brought fresh ideas the unit and was in tune with what the kids like. His playful personality resonated well, so much so that when Jones had volunteered for a police-hosted community event at Camp Joy, Smith joked she thought Jones was one of the kids there instead of an officer.

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Outside of work, Jones loved to sing  much to the amusement of his partners on the unit and those around him, Booker said. He liked to sing karaoke and was a member of the choir at his church, New St. Paul Baptist. A regular jokester, Booker compared him to the little brother who would always be seeking your attention and kept you laughing.

Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge requested Monday all sworn members of the Cincinnati Police Department shroud their badges in memory of Jones, according to a department Facebook post.

Jones was born in 1991 in Cleveland to James Cleveland and Vernetta Marie Jones. He attended the Success Technical Academy High School and later Bowling Green State University, majoring in Communications, and the University of Akron, majoring in Police Science.

Information about funeral arrangements and other celebrations of life were not immediately available Monday afternoon.

This story was updated to add additional information about Jones.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati school officer, 33, died after weekend medical emergency
WEST PALM BEACH  No one in the City Hall meeting room, surely, was under any illusions about their citys segregated past, about the ways its historic Black neighborhoods had been forced for decades to subsist cut off and underserved.

But a presentation at a city commission meeting this week brought the hazy bigotries of decades past into vivid focus for the gathered leaders.

An overhead projector was displaying the yellowed paper of an old city document from 1923 on Monday, March 10. It was a West Palm Beach planning proposal, and it had a solution for what it called the problem of providing for the negro population.

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The question of providing for the future negro population of West Palm Beach is one of the important problems that needs to be solved, the old master plan proposal stated.

West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city's intention to segregate and underserve the city's historic Black neighborhoods. The documents were shown during a presentation by the Quantum Foundation at a March 10 city commission meeting.

It was a premise with a racist solution: ensuring that the citys Black residents would confine themselves to certain sections of town  Pleasant City and the area around Tamarind Avenue, both north of downtown and west of Dixie Highway.

Such segregation would have to be done indirectly. The plan warned that it is not possible legally to set aside such districts and restrict them to any race or color.

But it continued: such districts can be established and every facility provided to encourage the settlement therein of people for which they have been planned.

West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city's intention to segregate and underserve the city's historic Black neighborhoods. The documents were shown during a presentation by the Quantum Foundation at a March 10 city commission meeting.

One benefit of pushing the Black population into that section of town, the plan noted, was that it would be partly separated from the rest of the city by existing railroad lines and future ones.

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The line of the railroad would thus definitely bound the district practically on all four sides, it stated.

Mayor: 'This is intentional, institutional'

West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, pictured in 2022.

It was a jarring presentation for Mayor Keith James and the city commissioners, offered up by an executive from the Quantum Foundation as historical context for new plans to revive the citys Coleman Park neighborhood.

But it was hardly surprising.

A century later, the effects of segregation efforts remain. Those neighborhoods are still the traditional heart of the citys Black community, and they remain largely cut off by the same railroad tracks and underdeveloped compared to the fast-growing neighborhoods to the east.

West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city's intention to segregate and underserve the city's historic Black neighborhoods. The documents were shown during a presentation by the Quantum Foundation at a March 10 city commission meeting.

Let this sink in, everyone, James, the first Black mayor since the city moved to a strong-mayor system in 1991, told meeting attendees after the documents had been displayed.

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This was part of the citys master plan back in 1920, he said. I dont want us to rush through this. This is intentional, institutional. So when people talk about the lack of progress in some of these communities, that was designed.

Indeed, there was more to the historic presentation. A slide showing yellowed city maps revealed the lack of paved streets and sewer systems in what had been designated the negro neighborhood. A notation next to it made clear the citys intentions: Will not improve.

West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city's intention to segregate and underserve the city's historic Black neighborhoods. The documents were shown during a presentation by the Quantum Foundation at a March 10 city commission meeting.

Raphael Clemente, executive director of a Quantum Foundation initiative called Palm Beach Venture Philanthropy, was leading the presentation, and he called attention to the notation.

It meant, he said, that the city will not make investments for infrastructure improvements in these neighborhoods.

West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city's intention to segregate and underserve the city's historic Black neighborhoods. The documents were shown during a presentation by the Quantum Foundation at a March 10 city commission meeting.

For the vast majority of that area, particularly north of Banyan (Boulevard), there was no street pavement, there was no water system and there was no sewer system, he said, even though these were neighborhoods that were occupied, and quite densely occupied.

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Six years after the planning proposal was submitted, city leaders in 1929 approved an ordinance to officially designate Pleasant City and adjoining neighborhoods as the "negro district," according to a city timeline.

West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city's intention to segregate and underserve the city's historic Black neighborhoods. The documents were shown during a presentation by the Quantum Foundation at a March 10 city commission meeting.

What are the plans for Coleman Park? 'An opportunity for meaningful change'

Clemente, who led the citys Downtown Development Authority for 12 years before moving to the Quantum Foundation, had a particular point in showing the century-old documents, which he said an acquaintance had unearthed in an historic archive.

Clemente and the foundation are putting together a plan to reinvigorate the Coleman Park neighborhood, which sits squarely in the citys historic Black sector, north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard and east of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks.

The plans are ambitious, from murals and public art to attracting a fresh food market. The foundation wants to ensure all bus stops in the neighborhood have benches and shade, start a tree-planting initiative and add buffering along the Brightline railyard.

An oversized baseball at the Coleman Park Community Center in West Palm Beach's Coleman Park neighborhood attests to its gloried past in this file photo. The center is built in the old Lincoln Park, where Negro League legends such as Satchel Paige played.

It wants the city to extend 17th Street to create a better connection between Douglass Avenue and Tamarind. It envisions a community land bank and a business incubation program supporting the neighborhood.

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Achieving all those things will require investment from the city government, he said, but it was needed to make up for decades of underinvestment and discrimination.

What took 60 or 70 years to do I think we can significantly undo in a decade, he said. This is an opportunity for meaningful change.

Commissioner Shalonda Warren, who is Black, said it was very stunning to see the old city plans  not just for the chilling formality of their segregationist aims, but the way the effects still overshadow the city.

My heart is pounding in my chest now today, she said, just in retrospect of how deliberate the exclusion was and how theres still barriers that are being overcome today more than a century later.

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James said residents in those neighborhoods today have every reason to distrust the city.

Two children cross the Florida East Coast Railway tracks near 23rd Street as they head to Pleasant City Elementary School in 2004. According to 1923 West Palm Beach documents, the city purposely tried to confine Black residents to certain sections of town  Pleasant City and the area around Tamarind Avenue. One benefit of pushing the Black population into that section of town, the documents noted, was that it would be partly separated from the rest of the city by existing railroad lines and future ones.

This is a city that basically screwed them, for lack of a better word, for years, he said. So why should they trust city government? So thats a hurdle that we have to overcome as city leaders, unfortunately, but its understandable.

James noted with dismay that one of the authors of the proposed city plan had studied at Harvard University, where James received his bachelor's and law degrees.

What he probably never anticipated, he said, was that a 'Negro' would be mayor of this city.

Andrew Marra is a reporter at The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at amarra@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Old plans for segregated city remind West Palm leaders of racist past
A reception at Gracie Mansion for the Greek-American community set for Thursday in advance of the groups annual parade has stirred controversy after senior Adams administration officials revoked an award for one of the events honorees in the last minute.

On March 7, Mayor Adams office notified Astoria, Queens, businessman Gus Lambropoulos, a recent candidate for state Senate, that he would be one of four honorees at the reception for his many years of community service. The vetting for the award had lasted about a month.

Five days later, on March 12, after Lambropoulos had invited friends from other parts of the country to see him honored, Adams administration officials told him he wouldnt get the award after all, the Daily News has learned.

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Lambropoulos wife, Maria Markou, a lawyer and district leader in Astoria, was steamed.

This is just another example of reckless judgment by the mayors administration in taking back an award from a worthy NYC citizen, she said. Markou estimated the couples friends had spent some $7,500 to travel to the event.

Markou believes there were politics at play. She thinks City Hall changed course because it was aware she and other district leaders in Queens are planning next week to endorse ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomos 2025 mayoral primary challenge against Adams.

To congratulate, give it, and then take it back is a complete disrespect and a slap to our beloved Greek-American community, she said.

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Kayla Mamelak, a spokeswoman for Adams, said Lambropoulos was removed from the list after officials realized Markou had been honored at a similar heritage event two years ago and because some community members raised questions about whether he was the best person to be among those receiving the honor.

It was also clear that this individuals wife had received this exact same award two years prior, Mamelak said.

Lambropoulos called that ridiculous.

They say one thing and then they say another, he said. Everything is in the emails. They are just trying to cover up the story.

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Mamelak also said that heritage event awards are limited to one per household so that we can recognize as many community members as possible.

Markou said thats surprising, given City Hall knew from the start the couple was married. The pair are both well known in the community.

If there was a policy as they allege last minute, why did they do the vetting process, my husband passes it and they congratulate him and ask for the list of guests? she said. This does not make sense. I believe this is politically motivated by Eric Adams side.

And on whether the couples plans to endorse Cuomo, Mamelak said the city had no idea who they were going to support in this years mayoral elections, and that it has nothing to do with who is selected for the awards.

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Other honorees at this weeks Gracie event include Margo Vondersaar Catsimatidis, the wife of billionaire supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, a major player in city politics whos close to both Adams and Cuomo. On Feb. 27, Catsimatidis donated $20,000 as a sponsor of this months Greek Heritage parade on Fifth Ave. and is listed as a chairman emeritus of the organizing committee.

Catsimatidis told The News on Monday that hes also a sponsor of this weeks Gracie Mansion event, which is seen as a pre-party for the parade, and plans to help pay for food and other extra costs associated with it.

He said his wife is a good person deserving of the award, but wouldnt respond to Markous accusations other than to note that he has never met Lambropoulos.

Catsimatidis was also a sponsor of the same annual Hellenic event at Gracie Mansion in 2024.

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Catsimatidis is a high-dollar political donor with extensive ties to President Trumps orbit and has a radio show thats influential in conservative circles.

The mogul has been a backer of the mayor, but has recently shown signs of warming up to Cuomo. He had Cuomo on his radio show on March 9.

A Cuomo spokesman declined to comment Monday.

Lambropoulos said he first learned he would be an honoree in early February as long as he passed a background check. He submitted his date of birth, bio and resume to City Hall for vetting.

He works as a business consultant on real estate projects and describes himself as a 9/11 survivor and a two-time cancer survivor. He lost his bid for the state Senate last year in the Democratic primary to Kristen Gonzalez.

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On March 7, Ido Shargal, senior adviser of the mayors community affairs unit, wrote to Lambropoulos to introduce him to Jayson Littman, director of events and protocol for the mayors office. Jayson has informed me you passed vetting, Shargal wrote, according to emails obtained by The News.

Littman then wrote in an email to Lambropoulos, Congratulations on your honor! Littman went on to write that honorees are approved for six guests and are asked for their contact info.

Thank you so much, Lambropoulos replied, copying Shargal. My family will attend and are incredibly excited and humbly honored to be a part of this event.

Five days later, Lambropoulos got a call from Deputy Community Affairs Commissioner Valerie Vasquez.

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She says, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your wife got the award two years ago, Lambropoulos said. I had just told 100 people from all over to come.

Lambropoulos appealed to Fred Kreizman, Adams community affairs commissioner.

He just said, It is what it is,' Lambropoulos said.

In a text message to Lambropoulos provided to The News, Kreizman wrote, [Your] wife received an award at this event two years ago and they didnt realize that. It was a week too late but people failed in due diligence.

Littman offered to still allow his guests to attend the event.

But Lambropoulos remains unsatisfied. Its just another way they are lacking responsibility and ownership for what they do, he said. How would the mayor feel if someone did that to him?
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 17. A delegation from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Water Resources visited Turkmenistan to discuss key areas of cooperation in the water sector, Trend reports.

The discussions focused on the operation and modernization of water infrastructure, flood control measures, riverbank reinforcement on the Amu Darya River, and the rational use of water resources.

The participants visited the Tuyamuyun Hydroelectric Complex and held detailed discussions on joint measures to ensure its efficient operation.

The sides committed to closely cooperating on the necessary hydraulic engineering measures aimed at preventing water losses and ensuring the rational use of the Amu Darya River's flow.

Moreover, the participants reached an agreement to carry out joint scientific research on transboundary water resources, exchange experiences on water-saving technologies, and enhance the digitization of water resource management. The two countries also agreed to cooperate on training specialists for the water sector.

This cooperation will play a vital role in ensuring the sustainable management of shared water resources in the region.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The San Diego City Council on Tuesday is set to finalize a settlement in a 2019 federal lawsuit that alleged the citys policies to spur housing development were unfairly concentrating these projects in predominately low-income areas.

The agreements terms would require the city to take a number of steps to reverse the quality-of-life effects of this increased density in communities, which the lawsuit described as tantamount to modern-day redlining.

Among the actions the city would need to take includes putting more of an emphasis on advancing projects that would increase density in high-resource areas, or moderate- to high-income neighborhoods with access to quality amenities like good schools and safe streets.

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San Diego City Council votes to begin rolling back controversial ADU program

The city would also need to direct its Economic Development Department to offer a sales tax rebate through its Business Cooperation Program to incentivize the construction of a new grocery store in southeastern San Diego, an area long considered a food desert.

On top of that, the city will be asked to make two monetary payments  an up to $500,000 contribution to the San Diego Housing Commissions First Time Homebuyer Program and a $650,000 payout to the residents who filed the lawsuit for fees associated with its litigation.

However, with the settlement, a staff report notes the city is not admitting fault and reiterates its denial of any discriminatory impacts caused by housing policies. The report also says these steps detailed in the deal were aligned with those the city already intended to implement in the near future.

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The settlement agreement marks the winding down of years of litigation in the federal suit first filed by several southeastern San Diego residents back in 2019, known as Patrice Baker, et al. v. City of San Diego, et. al.

Representing historically majority-minority neighborhoods like Encanto, Logan Heights and Lincoln Park, the plaintiffs argued then-recent changes to accelerate affordable housing construction came at the expense of their quality of life, violating federal housing fairness laws.

Specifically, the residents referred to changes made throughout the 2010s that removed certain barriers for developers to pursue a speedier timeline if the projects provide affordable housing, such as the waiving of developer impact fees or an intensive environmental review process.

The suit alleges these policies were not evenly applied to historically affluent areas, and in some cases, only applied to the corridors of southeastern San Diego.

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The residents further pointed to updates to the areas zoning codes and community plans during this time that reined in commercial, industrial and office development in these areas, but allowed for more deed-restricted affordable housing and multi-family plots of land.

According to the lawsuit, the combination of these factors allowed 19,093 of the 30,000 housing units added in the 2010s  or 64%  to be placed in historically low-income areas.

This, the residents alleged, stifled investment in the communitys infrastructure and economic opportunity, keeping property rates low and poverty high.

How to report storm damage to the City of San Diego

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The city council is set to vote on the settlement agreement during its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, where it is expected to pass.

During a January closed session meeting, it was approved by the body almost unanimously, with Councilmember Henry Foster III casting the lone vote against, according to the city attorneys office. Councilmember Vivian Moreno was absent from the meeting.

The San Diego Housing Commission will also be voting on Tuesday to approve a similar resolution tied to the settlement agreement, allowing the entity to work with the city to carry out its terms.

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Italys right-wing government has stepped up attacks on the freedom of the press, showing heavy intolerance to media criticism and unprecedented levels of interference in public service media, a coalition of civil liberties groups has said.

Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) released a report Monday calling out several European governments for what they say is a systematic dismantling of democratic norms and the rule of law with regard to media freedoms. A total of 43 human rights organizations in 21 EU member states compiled the Liberties report.

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Giorgia Melonis right-wing government in Italy was singled out for particular criticism as one of five so-called dismantlers of the rule of law alongside eastern European nations Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia. Viktor Orbans Hungary is in a class by itself, designated as an electoral autocracy by Liberties researchers, who said they detected a significant regression in the rule of law in the country in 2024.

Italys attack on the media is more recent, with Liberties calling out what it said were unprecedented levels of political interference, at Italian public broadcaster RAI, heightening the risk of public service media being captured by political power. The report points to allegations that RAI allegedly censored a planned anti-fascist monologue by prominent writer Antonio Scurati (M: Son of the Century) and called out RAIs governance and funding structures which currently leave the public broadcaster vulnerable to political interference.

Liberties researchers also flagged proposals drafted in Rome the group said would give Melonis government open-ended powers to the justice ministry over prosecutors, and which would increase political control over the judiciary.

Europes democratic recession has deepened in 2024, Liberties said in a statement Monday, summarizing the reports conclusions. Over more than 1,000 pages, the report details disturbing trends of political manipulation and growing corruption as well as increasing harassment of journalists and restrictions on free speech provisions.

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Without decisive action, the EU risks further democratic erosion, the report concludes.

European governments last year passed the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), intended to ensure editorial independence in European media and to enhance transparency of media ownership across the EU. But the Liberties report found, with few exceptions, that member states have not taken serious action to implement EMFA into national law. The EMFA goes into full effect in August.

The coming months may determine whether member states move toward greater press independence, the report concludes, or if existing power structures remain intact.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A Clay County man was sentenced to 80 years in prison for producing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona on Monday.

Michael Baker, 32, of Ashland, was sentenced to 960 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography in October.

Man convicted in 2020 Galleria shooting sentenced to 26 years in prison

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According to court documents, between July 25, 2022, and July 23, 2023, Baker produced a video and image of child pornography and uploaded it online. While having communication with an undercover agent, Baker expressed his desires to engage in sexual acts with two other children and admitted to sexual acts with a 13-year-old child.

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OFALLON, Ill.  Siding lost, roofs torn apart, and trailers overturned. Friday nights severe storms tore through OFallon, Illinois, leaving a path of destruction across several mobile home parks and neighborhoods.

Residents on one street in the Keck Ridge neighborhood said every home on the block damaged by hail, some pieces as thick as half an inch.

Well, Ive seen everything from roofs ripped off, Ive seen extensive hail damage to vinyl roofing systems missing parts, Kirk Kupsky, resident and owner of iRestore STL Storm Damage, said. Weve even seen trailers turned over and, unfortunately, there have been people who have lost their lives.

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Kupsky said his own home was not spared by the devastation.

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It was pretty severe here as well, too. My roof shot, my truck got hammered, and you know, the siding all damaged up. You know, so, it was pretty rough, he said.

Three homes were destroyed in Parkview Mobile Home Park. Residents in the area said the hail piled up so high against basement windows that they had to use snow shovels to break through.

Brian Obernuefemann of OFallon was caught in the storm Friday and described a terrifying experience.

I could almost see nothing. There was so much debris blowing and I was just trying to get to a safe place in my car, he said. Things were hitting my car. A metal shopping cart came rolling across the highway. Yeah, it was scary.

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Linemen with Ameren Illinois are working to restore power for the remaining customers coping without.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Georgia Power crews are still working to restore service to thousands of homes and businesses that lost power when a tornado touched down in Paulding County.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

There was a lot of damage that happened here, yes, property owner Nikhil Patel told Channel 2s Audrey Washington. The canopy was completely out of the ground, Patel explained.

Saturday, the winds from a confirmed EF-1 tornado blew through much of Paulding County.

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It swallowed up a gas station canopy on Villa Rica Highway and then slammed it back down on top of a building. Patel owns the property.

Patel said a friend told him about the damage after that friend watched Channel 2 Action News Sunday morning.

He called me and was like, looks like your store is on the news, Patel said.

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Patel said the high winds also knocked out power to his store, Highway 61 Liquors.

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Herman Espinoza of B&H Wheels and Tires said he also has no power.

I have no power, and weve been working with a generator and a small compressor, Herman Espinoza told Washington.

Espinoza said while he has no power, he has plenty of cleanup ahead of him.

There were scattered trees and debris on Espinozas property.

Luckily I have a chainsaw, Espinoza laughed.

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On Monday, Georgia Power worked to restore service and clear away trees. Patel hopes to have his power restored within 24 hours.

When the power comes back on, thats when well know how much damage was done to the pumps, Patel explained.

Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson said the storm damaged at least 14 homes, but no one was seriously hurt.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has confirmed that statements from European partners supporting and assisting Ukraine over the past two to three weeks are not mere words but are backed by concrete actions.

Source: Sybiha in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "Regarding specifics  yes, we already clearly understand the list of countries ready to deploy their troops as key and effective elements of the future security guarantees system. That is why we are now at the stage of discussing the details. These details include geography, numbers and mandate."

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Details: Sybiha recalled that a summit of a coalition of the willing took place on 15 March with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussions continue through the Office of the President led by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, and national security advisors.

"This is no longer an abstract idea; these are matters that are not just under discussion but are in the implementation stage," Sybiha stated.

Speaking about the presence of foreign forces as an element of the future security guarantees system, the foreign minister stressed that "support from the American side is extremely and critically important".

"We need America; we need American involvement and leadership," he said.

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When asked how Ukraine would overcome Russias resistance, as Moscow categorically opposes an international contingent in Ukraine, Sybiha stated that Kyiv would act in line with its national interests and measures that genuinely guarantee Ukraines long-term security.

Quote: "We are not satisfied with merely the absence of hostilities. Peace is not just the absence of war. We are talking about a stable, long-term and just peace that prevents the resumption of Russian aggression in the long run. That is precisely what our efforts, together with our allies, are aimed at.

We now have a clear and solid coalition  Ukraine is not alone."

Background:

French President Emmanuel Macron previously voiced support for the idea of sending European troops to Ukraine but emphasised that this would only happen on a very limited scale and far from conflict zones.

Meanwhile, British newspaper The Times reported that the UK is considering sending Typhoon fighter jets to Ukraine for an air patrol mission. The UK government believes that such a step could help avoid the need to deploy large numbers of ground troops in Ukraine.

On 13 March, it was reported that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron were negotiating with 37 countries to form a coalition of the willing regarding Ukraine in the event of a peace settlement.

On 15 March, following a virtual meeting, the UK prime minister announced that efforts by a coalition of the willing had entered an operational phase, and military officials would meet in the UK on 20 March to plan how to strengthen a future peace agreement.

Keir Starmer also stated that there are two main pressure points to force Russia to the negotiating table: increasing Ukraines military capabilities and imposing sanctions against Russia.

The UK also announced that it could send 10,000 troops to Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraines partners not to listen to Russias stance on deploying a foreign contingent in Ukraine to guarantee a peace agreement.

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WEBBER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  All around the closed prison north of Baldwin are signs of poverty in one of Michigans poorest counties: boarded up and abandoned homes.

When the North Lake Correctional Facility was open, with its glistening concertina wire, it was Lake Countys biggest employer. Even closed, its the countys biggest taxpayer.

The 1,800-bed private prison, owned by Florida-based GEO Group, closed in 2022 after President Joe Biden issued an executive order to end the federal governments use of private prisons.

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Theyre a private prison, for the most part, selling beds to the feds, Lake County Administrator Tobi Lake said. And the feds have gone Republicans, Democrats, Republicans, Democrats. It seems like every four to eight years, were kind of stuck in the middle.

North Lake Correctional Facility in Lake County. (March 17, 2025) North Lake Correctional Facility in Lake County. (March 14, 2025) North Lake Correctional Facility in Lake County. (March 14, 2025) North Lake Correctional Facility in Lake County. (March 14, 2025)

Now, the American Civil Liberties Union says it has obtained documents through the Freedom of Information Act that show under President Donald Trump, the pendulum is swinging back.

The GEO Group, the ACLU says, has offered to reopen the prison for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold detainees.

This is certainly an offer by the facility to become an immigration detention facility, Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney at the ACLUs National Prison Project in Washington, D.C., said.

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The GEO Group could not be reached for comment. An ICE spokesman refused to discuss the Lake County prison.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements enhanced enforcement operations and routine daily operations have resulted in a significant number of arrests of criminal aliens that require greater detention capacity, the spokesman said in an emailed statement. While we cannot confirm individual pre-decisional conversations, we can confirm that ICE is exploring all options to meet its current and future detention requirements.

The ACLU attorney says it would be a bad fit for any community.

I think its also important for us to be paying attention to what is happening in Washington, D.C., with respect to how money is being allocated, whether we want further cuts to really important services, to our veterans, to our kids in the Department of Education, rather than having all that money going into places like immigration detention facilities, which in the end of the day are only going to fatten the bottom line for private prison companies, Cho said.

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Not only that, she said, but a detention center would make it easier for ICE to go after immigrants in the area.

Any time an immigration detention facility opens in a community, it certainly increases the risk that people in the local community could be more vulnerable to immigration enforcement and detention as a result, she said. I think its important for communities to say, This is not what we want in our town.'

Thats not what theyre saying In this town.

The poverty rate in Lake County is 21%  much higher than the rest of the state.

Abandoned homes near the shuttered prison.

John Arndt lives in a camper tucked away in the woods just down a gravel road from the prison. He has heard rumors about reopening.

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Im not opposed to that at all, he said. Its a facility that would employ people here.

The prison employed as many as 300 before closing.

At the end of the day, besides what your philosophical view is or your morality, at the end of the day, they are the biggest taxpayer, and when theyre open, the biggest employer in our county, the Lake County administrator said. And that has a huge spinoff effect.

These are dollars that flow into our community, go to the bank, go to the barber, go to the restaurant, he said.

He said the prison contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars in property taxes.

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GEO Group has asked the Michigan Tax Tribunal to cut the prisons taxable value almost in half to $15 million from $27.5 million, according to county records. The county administrator said that could cost the state and local governments, along with the local school district, a total of $600,000 in revenue.

Lake County Chamber of Commerce President Larry Reed said the prison owners argued it is less valuable when empty.

Which is a huge impact on Lake County, Reed said. Lake County is one of the poorest counties in the state, so by cutting their tax revenue, that impacted everything from our veterans to our 911 dispatchers to our senior millage to our schools. Again, Baldwin schools is one of the poorest schools in the state.

I think the sentiment in the community is we dont really care what capacity that its opened, even if it went back to a state of Michigan contract, which I dont think it ever will, but if that does happen, we would just like to see the facility opened, Reed said.

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Weve got some houses for sale  lets sell them. Lets get people making decent incomes. Its all going to help drive revenue for Lake County.

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The band Semisonic said it does not condone the White House using its song Closing Time in a social media video about deportation.

We did not authorize or condone the White Houses use of our song in any way, the band said in a statement to HuffPost. And no, they didnt ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.

In the video on the White Houses official Instagram account, Border Patrol agents handcuff someone while Closing Time, originally released in 1998, plays.

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The lyrics Closing time/ you dont have to go home/ but you cant stay here, which can be heard during the video, are also in the posts caption.

After the man is handcuffed, the video shows people getting on a plane, seemingly to be deported.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but during Mondays White House briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referenced Semisonics song in defense of the video.

I think the White House and our entire government clearly is leaning into the message of this president, Leavitt said. We are unafraid to double down ... We are unafraid to message effectively what the president is doing on a daily basis to make our communities safer. And the specific video you referenced, I think it sums up our immigration policy pretty well. You dont have to go home, but you cant stay here.

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Plenty of artists have spoken out against President Donald Trumps campaign using their songs without authorization, including Beyonce, Celine Dion, the Foo Fighters and more.

In September, a judge ordered Trump to stop using the late Isaac Hayess song Hold On, Im Coming during campaign events.

Hayes son, Isaac Hayes III, wrote on social media, Donald Trump represents the worst in honesty, integrity and class and [we] want no association with his campaign of hate and racism.

Related...
Dan Wilson performing with Semisonic in 2024. The band says, We did not authorize or condone the White Houses use of our song in any way, - Credit: Medios y Media/Getty Images

On Monday morning, the White House shared 17 seconds of propaganda in which Border Patrol agents appear to arrest an undocumented immigrant. The video is soundtracked by Semisonics Closing Time, the 1998 song written by future pop hitmaker Dan Wilson. On X, the official White House account shared Wilsons lyrics You dont have to go home but you cant stay here.

In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, Semisonic reacted to seeing their song about a tipsy last call repurposed as nativist propaganda. We did not authorize or condone the White Houses use of our song in any way, the band said. And no, they didnt ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.

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The White Houses video depicts a young, tattooed, brown-skinned man being led onto a plane in handcuffs. The video comes just days after the Trump administration deported hundreds of immigrants accused of being tied to gangs to El Salvador, even as a federal judge ordered that the deportations be halted. The video is just one small part of the larger blitz of deportation propaganda the administration has been churning out since the start of Trumps administration.

Over the past year, Foo Fighters, Isaac Hayes, Rufus Wainwright, Jack White and Celine Dion have all objected to Trumps use of their songs in assorted rallies and political settings. This also isnt the first time one of Wilsons songs has been appropriated by either Trump or his supporters: Last year, MAGA accounts on TikTok used the Chicks Not Ready to Make Nice, which he co-wrote, in their clips against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Wilson began his career as a member of the Minneapolis band Trip Shakespeare in the late 1980s. He and bandmate John Munson later co-founded Semisonic with drummer Jacob Slichter; the group recorded three critically-praised alt-rock albums before parting in 2001. After that, Wilson went on to a highly successful career as a songwriter for A-list acts including Adele and Taylor Swift.

Closing Time was Semisonics biggest hit, topping Billboards Alternative Airplay chart and airing regularly on MTV. The song was inspired by both a defunct Minneapolis bar as well as the birth of Wilsons daughter. The song still gets played on the actual radio, Wilson recently said of the song. Its insane. And people talk about it like its one of those things that everybody knows. Closing Time is the song that never fell off the radar. I have no idea how that happened, but thats what happened.

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A clubgoer left in critical condition after he was set on fire as he left a nightspot near Times Square is a well-liked party promoter who organizes celebrity shindigs, a friend said on Monday.

Mark Whyte, 45, is in critical but stable condition and a lot of pain a day after a man doused him with gasoline and lit him up after they exchanged words outside the Nebula nightclub on W. 41st St. near Broadway.

Cops said Whytes attacker grabbed a gasoline canister from a food cart and emptied it on the victim before starting the blaze about 4 a.m. on Sunday. The assailant has not been caught.

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Its absolutely horrific. You cant even imagine. Its disgusting, said Zachary Depew, a friend and former colleague of Whytes.

Hes stable but hes critical at the same time. He has third-degree burns. Hes still in the hospital. Hes in a lot of pain.

Whyte was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell, where he continues to undergo treatment.

YouTube video surfaced of a dazed but conscious Whyte standing shirtless on the street as cops and medical personnel covered him with a blanket in the aftermath of the attack. Burns are visible on Whytes face, chest, torso, neck and back.

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Cops are looking for a suspect described as Hispanic, about 5-feet-8 with a medium complexion dressed all in blue. The victim and suspect knew each other, police sources said.

I mean just from the pictures he is in so much shock, Depew said of his friend. You can tell hes sizzled.

When youre in the club-promoting business your image is a massive thing and hes not going to look the same, he added. He has third-degree burns all over his face. His upper body does have significant burns. His shirt was taken off because he was in flames.

Depew said there are inherent dangers in working such late hours  but being set on fire defies all expectations.

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I dont know why anybody would do something so gruesome to somebody regardless of whatever happened, Depew said. I dont know the story of what came about, but I dont care what happened. Nobody deserves to be set on fire.

Depew said his friend is very protective and looks out for women who are sometimes harassed on the street as they exit various clubs.

He would always protect these women, Depew said. Weve had encounters where Mark had to defend these women.

Whyte looks out for his friends, too, Depew said.

Several years ago, Whyte intervened when Depew was attacked by a homeless mugger.

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He punched me in the face and tried to take my wallet, Depew said of the attacker. Mark Whyte was there. He potentially saved my life.

Nebula opened in November 2021, boasting a multilevel 11,000square-foot space that can accommodate up to 700 revelers  making it the largest nightclub to have opened in Manhattan in years, Time Out reported at the time.

In December, police arrested a man they say lit a sleeping homeless woman on fire in a Brooklyn subway car at the Coney-Island-Stillwell Ave. station,, then watched calmly as she burned to death.

Cops said Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, approached the sleeping woman, Debrina Kawam, 57, without saying a word and set fire to her clothes, engulfing her in flames in a matter of seconds.

With Rocco Parascandola
Looking to put some creamer in your morning (or afternoon) coffee? Make sure it's not part of the latest food recall.

More than 75,000 bottles of International Delight creamer are being recalled in multiple states across the U.S. including Tennessee, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this week. The voluntary recall comes after the Colorado based company received "complaints of spoilage and illness with the use of the products," according to a statement from the FDA.

The parent company of International Delight, Danone, is based in Louisville, Colo.

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"International Delight is aware of a texture issue that some consumers have experienced with two of our creamers," Danone North America said in a Friday statement obtained by USA TODAY. "We take every concern to heart, because this is not the quality we strive for."

Here's what Tennesseans need to know.

Which International Delight flavors are being recalled?

Two flavors in the quart size from the widely popular creamer brand are being recalled, Hazelnut and Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll coffee creamer.

Here's the details:

Hazelnut International Delight Coffee Creamer: 32 oz (1 qt) bottles.

The product has a best-used-by-date of July 3, 2025.

The recall number is: F-0626-2025

The UPC is: 0 41271 02565 2

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Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll International Delight Coffee Creamer: 32 oz (1 qt) bottles.

The product has a best-used-by-date of July 2, 2025

The recall number is: F-0625-2025

The UPC is: 0 41271 01993 3

What is wrong with International Delight creamer?

The recall isn't due to a pathogen or bacteria, but due to a quality issue, according to the statement from the company.

"While we know this is disappointing for our creamer fans, testing data has confirmed that this is not a food safety issue," read the statement. "We chose to voluntarily recall these isolated products out of an abundance of caution while we address the quality issue."

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The issue with the two products could cause premature spoilage.

Has anyone gotten sick from the International Delight recall?

The FDA report, that was published online Wednesday, indicated that some people had become sick, but the amount of people it has affected was not included.

If you did consume the creamer and begin to feel ill, seek medical attention, the FDA warns.

What states are impacted by creamer recall?

The products were shipped to various stores in Tennessee and 30 other states across the country, according to the FDA notice.

The states affected include:

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Maine

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Mississippi

North Carolina

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

Ohio

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

What should I do with the creamer that is being recalled?

If you have either of the two creamers, the FDA says toss it.

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Consumers who are currently experiencing an issue with the product can contact the International Delight Consumer Care Line at 1-(800)-441-3321.

USA TODAY contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: International Delight coffee creamer recall in Tennessee. What to know
ST. LOUIS  Following a taste of spring with temperatures last week, Monday morning is starting off with winter-like temperatures.

Temperatures were starting St. Patricks Day off in the lower 30s with mostly sunny skies.

Despite the lows, temperatures will be steadily climbing throughout the day to bring us into the mid to upper 60s this afternoon and a high of 68 F.

A high pressure system is making its way across the country, bringing warm weather to the area on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Following this warm front, a cooler system arrives Wednesday.

These temperatures come as the National Weather Service will continue to survey damage across the area from Friday evenings severe weather, which has already totaled to seven tornadoes in our viewing area.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Coldplay and Dame Joanna Lumley are backing calls to overturn a Charity Commission report into Kids Company, which collapsed in controversy a decade ago.

They are among a list of celebrities seeking justice for the late Camila Batmanghelidjh, who founded the charity and died last year.

The south London charity supported deprived and vulnerable children, but concerns were raised over how its funds were spent.

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Ms Batmanghelidjh was forced to step down in 2015. The High Court cleared her of wrongdoing but in 2022 a Charity Commission made a formal finding of mismanagement in the administration of the charity.

A judicial review is scheduled to take place this week. Coldplay and Dame Joanna are signatories to an open letter, published by the Good Law Project. Other names on the list include Sir Stephen Frears, the film director; Bella Freud, the fashion designer; Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the former BBC director-general; and Alan Yentob, the BBC executive and former chair of trustees for Kids Company.

Coldplay were major donors to the charity, funding the creation of the Kids Company Tree House centre in north London and donating 1m in 2009 alone.

Kids Company collaborated with numerous A-listers including Claudia Schiffer, Stella McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Natalia Vodianova - Dave M Bennett/Getty

The letter describes the closure of Kids Company as tragic and reads: This review is crucial not only for seeking justice for the charity and its founder, Camila Batmanghelidjh, who sadly passed away on 1 January 2024, but also for upholding the integrity of the entire charitable sector in the UK.

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In February 2021, the High Court unequivocally stated that false allegations, not operational issues, led to Kids Companys closure. No evidence of wrongdoing or fund misuse was found.

But in its 2022 report, the Charity Commission chose not to accurately represent these finds, prompting this judicial review to ensure that the report is consistent with the facts The report inaccurately depicts the reasons for Kids Companys closure, abjectly failing to acknowledge the harmful impact of unfounded allegations and external pressures on the charity.

It ends: In loving memory of Camila and all who supported Kids Company, we seek accountability, transparency and justice from the Charity Commission. We urge the public to stand behind this significant judicial review.

A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: We will robustly defend the findings and conclusions of our inquiry into Kids Company at the High Court.

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To be  or most definitely  not to be.

Regarded as the most influential writer in the English language, some of William Shakespeares work is now viewed by critics as racist, sexist and homophobic.

As a result, the Shakespeares Birthplace Trust is decolonizing his hometown museum over the growing concerns about how his ideas are being portrayed today.

Man of Shakespeares work has certainly aged in 2025. Moment Editorial/Getty Images

The trust is taking different measures to address these concerns. Getty Images

The trust  which owns several buildings in Shakespeares hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, England and a collection of personal documents of the writers  wants to create a more inclusive museum experience by promising to remove offensive language from its collections.

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As part of our ongoing work, weve undertaken a project which explores our collections to ensure they are as accessible as possible, a statement from the trust read.

According to GB News, the trust intends to research how Shakespeares artifacts could be interpreted to be less offensive and more diverse and inclusive.

This discussion surrounding Shakespeares work has been going on for a few years.

Three years ago, a research project conducted by the trust and Dr. Helen Hopkins at the University of Birmingham suggested that the writers works benefits the ideology of white European supremacy, as reported by the Telegraph.

These views on Shakespeares work arent necessarily new. Something more drastic is just being done about it now. Getty Images

Adaptations of Shakespeares work have been going on for hundreds of years, but in 2023, the historic Globe replica in London  which is closely associated with the writer  issued a warning of misogyny and racism for their performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream.

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According to the Daily Mail, at the time, a spokesman for the Globe said, Content guidance is written in advance of the creation of each production and based on what is present in the play. These will be updated as the production comes to life.

A year prior to that, many US schools wanted to take Shakespeare out of their curriculum, stating that the writers work promoted racism.

While many around the world are doing what they can to no longer promote the writers work, Broadway doesnt seem to be joining the bandwagon.

The playwrights 1603 tragedy Othello has opened at the Barrymore Theatre with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. The show is set to run through June 8.

Prior to that, the latest adaptation of Romeo and Juliet starred Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor at the Broadways Circle in the Square, which closed in early February.
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR)  A group of 17 students and three faculty members from Colorado Christian University recently returned from an international internship in Budapest, Hungary, where they provided trauma-informed care to Ukrainian refugees.

War is an incredible amount of trauma, said Katie Dizon, a counseling intern at CCU. When something major like this happens, it impacts entire family units, entire communities, cities. That trauma is felt by so many people.

The trip was coordinated through CCU2theWorld, and it took place from Feb. 10-18. It was led by Casey Hall, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling; Josh Kreimeyer, Ph.D., associate professor of counseling; and Kateryna Kuzubova, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling.

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I personally had been going to Ukraine since 2015, so I had this heart and passion for the people that I got to know and love over there, Kreimeyer said. When I came onboard at Colorado Christian University, I just had this vision to bring students along to help in some of the work that I had started.

Boulder Valley School District cancels school Thursday for staff shortage, planned action

Kreimeyer said they partnered with Bridge UA, a ministry led by Ukrainian refugees George and Sharon Markey, to serve the 800,000 individuals displaced by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

We did hear a lot of the horrific stories from the trenches of fleeing under the cover of night, Kreimeyer said. People had to go through like five or six different countries sometimes just to settle where they were. They would say they heard that it was safe to go into this country, but once they got across the border they wouldnt let them stay there.

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Over the course of four days, the team provided counseling and trauma care to nearly 90 refugees.

If they have a husband or any male family members, theyre either on the frontlines or they cant leave the country, so they feel guilty for being safe. So, theres these layers of experience, Kreimeyer said. Many of the people just appreciated us being there with them, giving them a break, telling them that it was OK to feel how they feel and having a break to do something normal.

Along with counseling, their work included engaging with parents, students and teachers, as well as a refugee outreach day for families from neighboring villages.

When we left, one lady came up to me, she grabbed both of my hands, put her hands around mine and she said, Thank you, thank you, thank you in Ukrainian, said CCU student Angela Stout. It meant so much. Not only to them but to us to be able to be there and hold their hurt and their pain within our hands just for a moment.

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For some students, this experience reinforced their desire to provide more of this type of help overseas in the future.

Its hard to take that home, but it also makes me more motivated to go overseas more and do more work like that, said Megan Token, a CCU student.

CCU is planning to return for another trip in June to provide more counseling 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 FOX31 Denver.
EXCLUSIVE: Post-production is underway on Our Colors Never Fade, a documentary on LGBTQIA+ Ukrainians who sprang to the defense of their country after Russias full-scale invasion.

Jim McSherry directs and International Emmy winner Artem Lysak executive produces the feature film which is expected to be released in 2025. Deadline understands the project is fully funded.

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This documentary offers Ukraine through the lens of an unseen perspective, showcasing the untold stories of Ukrainians who, faced with an unprovoked invasion on February 24, 2022, refused to flee their homeland, a release notes. Instead, these ordinary citizens became frontline soldierssuch as a veterinarian swapping a stethoscope for a snipers rifle, a game developer exchanging storyboards for FPV drone manufacture and a father and son fighting together on the Front Line. LGBTQIA+ military have worked tirelessly to not only provide safety for Ukrainian citizens but also for the abandoned animals left behind when their owners fled the fighting. The film captures their personal reflections, sacrifices, and the complex intersection of identity, survival, and duty during a time of war.

Our Colors Never Fade

At its core, the release continues, Our Colors Never Fade explores the often-overlooked experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals in conflict. Despite facing persecution from both the Russian invaders and, at times, their fellow Ukrainians, these brave souls have shown resilience in the fight for their countrys freedom and their very existence! Through candid interviews and frontline footage, the documentary illuminates how LGBTQIA+ soldiers have risked everythingnot only to defend their land but also to challenge societal norms in the face of war.

In late 2022, Ukraines parliament passed legislation banning hate speech aimed at people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Parliament is also considering a bill that would grant legal recognition to same sex partnerships. This stance contrasts sharply with Russia, which since the invasion has become an even more hostile place for its LGBTQ people. As just one indication of that, Russias supreme court in November 2023 declared the international LGBTQ movement to be an extremist organization.

The Kyiv Independent reported last year, Russian occupation authorities targeted members of the LGBTQ+ community during the occupation of Kherson back in 2022, citing a report by the NGO Projektor. The NGO said between March and September 2023, it interviewed 107 people who belong to the LGBTQI+ community and became either victims or witnesses of war crimes committed by Russian militaries during the occupation of Kherson city. Their testimonies are raising the issue of gender-based and war crimes against the LGBTQI+ community and emphasize the problem of fixation gender-based persecution and violence towards LGBTQI+ within the context of armed conflict.

Jim McSherry (right) in directors booth

In a directors statement, McSherry writes, I am a gay American Journalist and Filmmaker. Our Colors Never Fade is a documentary on the LGBTQIA+ members of the Ukrainian military and civilians fighting in the war against the Russian aggressors.

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The filmmaker continues, This is the first time in my lifetime I have seen the LGBTQIA+ community fighting not only for their countrys freedom but for their very existence as a community. Our Colors Never Fade tells the personal stories of their life before the war, and now during the fighting, I hope to show their heroism as Defenders, as well as their lives as ordinary citizens. I am just the messenger. When people see and hear about others fighting for their countrys freedom, they view them as Patriots.

Executive producer Artem Lysak (left) and director Jim McSherry on the set of Our Colors Never Fade

Will that be true for the LGBTQIA+ Defenders? Will their fellow Ukrainian citizens accept them for who they are? The objective is to show who the LGBTQIA+ community really is in the context of the war. And, to help break down the prejudices people have through real life education about the community, and not fear based hatred. The target audience for the film is inside Ukraine as well as the international community Worldwide.

Our Colors Never Fade is being edited by Oleksandr Shuklin and Dmytro Konopko. Cinematography is by Oleh Hutorov. Vladyslav Kurach, co-owner of Cavemen Records, is handling sound mixing, engineering, and music composition.

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In just over a fortnight new sentencing guidelines will come into force which will advise judges that ethnic minority defendants should normally not be sentenced until a pre-sentencing report about them is completed.

The guidelines are just the latest example of the wholesale capture of our institutions by Marxist academic thought. The peculiar notion of equity has replaced equality in many organisations.

While everyone can sign up to the notion of equality  the principle that everyone should be offered the same opportunities irrespective of their background  equity is an entirely different proposition. It aims to mandate outcomes of policy by offering a helping hand. In the US it is called affirmative action. The preferred phrase in the UK is positive discrimination.

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Which is all very well as a topic for enthusiastic undergraduates to debate before they head to the student union for a round of cheap beers. But when such principles are allowed  nay, are positively encouraged  to creep into our court rooms, someone somewhere has to put their foot down.

The principle of equality before the law should be sacrosanct. But a new generation of lawyers and administrators see it as getting in the way of social progress.

Cultural relativism, where a crime is seen as less or more serious depending on the colour of the skin of the person committing it, is the order of the day.

Let us be clear: there is evidence that people of colour are treated more harshly by the courts than white people; that is a failure of judges and it has to change. But a defendants prior record and the severity of the crime are far more appropriate indicators of whether a jail sentence is justified than his ethnic background or skin colour.

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Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, seemed genuinely appalled when her opposite number Robert Jenrick revealed the Sentencing Councils new guidelines to the House of Commons. Rather than equivocate, Mahmood displayed a sure political touch by immediately distancing herself from the guidelines.

As somebody who is from an ethnic minority background myself, she said, I do not stand for any differential treatment before the law for anyone of any kind. She added that: there will never be a two-tier sentencing approach under my watch or under this Labour Government.

You cant get much clearer than that. Mahmood later doubled down by threatening to legislate to reform the independent council if that was the only way to prevent the guidelines from being introduced.

Time is running out. There have been exchanges of letters and a meeting between the Justice Secretary and members of the Sentencing Council; the latter are clearly outraged at the very notion that people as important as them should be expected to be held accountable for any decision they make.

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Mahmood has committed herself to a course of action that, while impressive and undoubtedly correct, flies in the face of this cautious Government.

The Justice Secretary cannot take back what she has said in the Commons. She can settle for nothing less than the scrapping of these guidelines and a return to the principle of colour-blind justice.

Any concession to the Sentencing Council, however modest, will be rightly seen as a surrender to the arrogance of the legal establishment; her resignation from the Government would be the inevitable result.

For how could she have any authority in her current role while sentencing guidelines to which she has personally objected are in full force?

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Like welfare reforms, bringing judges to heel and forcing them to acknowledge and reflect public discontent with two-tier justice is easier for a Labour Government than a Conservative one. The Tories would be hobbled by constant accusations of populism and cynicism by the Labour Opposition were it to attempt the same thing in power. This boil needs to be lanced now while there is a political consensus to do so.

And if Mahmood wont do it, her party will pay a heavy price.

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I have to wonder: When will Vice President JD Vance condemn his own administration?

Last month, Vance, a self-described foreign policy realist who scorns the practice of describing countries as good guys and bad guys, caused quite a stir at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. He invited controversy, however, not by advocating a more amoral, realpolitik foreign policy but by delivering a finger-wagging, highly moralistic lecture about, among other things, how our allies are insufficiently liberal about free expression. In Britain, and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat, he said more in sorrow than anger.

In an attempt to seem fair-minded, he even acknowledged that America is not perfect. And, in the interest of comity, my friends, but also in the interest of truth, I will admit that sometimes the loudest voices for censorship have come not from within Europe but from within my own country, where the prior administration threatened and bullied social media companies to censor so-called misinformation.

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Read more: Contributor: The Trump administration schooled Europe on free speech. Why ignore the lesson at home?

The implication, of course, was that his own administration would be an unvarnished advocate for, and defender of, the liberal value of free speech.

Now, I should say that I agree with many of Vances criticisms of our allies and of the Biden administration. But I think it was bizarre that the man who thinks we should be less judgy about the internal affairs of oppressive regimes chose to sound like a Wilsonian scold to our democratic allies. Suffice it to say that, that just because he was wrong to use that venue to say it, doesnt mean everything he said was wrong.

Whats more relevant is that it appears he didnt mean a word of it.

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On Friday, Vances boss, President Trump, addressed the staff of the Department of Justice. A large share of the speech was aimed at relitigating his grievances about past investigations into his conduct.

Read more: Editorial: Free speech or discrimination? Colleges need help drawing the line

The president displayed the rhetorical discipline and analytical precision hes famous for, calling various former officials scum and the like. Of the judges who ruled contrary to his interests, he said, Its not even imaginable how corrupt they were.

And in Trumps view, that corruption is exacerbated by an equally really corrupt media that pressures judges to rule against him. Dubbing the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and MSDNC as fake news, he explained that what they do is illegal.

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Its totally illegal what they do, he said to the assembled prosecutors in the audience. I just hope you can all watch for it, but its totally illegal. And again : It has to stop. It has to be illegal. Its influencing judges and its really changing law, and it just cannot be legal. I dont believe its legal.

Spoiler: Its legal.

In short, the president told the nations top federal law enforcement officers, who answer to him, that negative coverage of him is illegal as far as hes concerned and that they should watch out for such illegality.

Read more: Trump opens investigations at three California colleges alleging race-based discrimination

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But it doesnt end there.

The president, whose campaign website promised to end censorship and reclaim free speech, and who bragged to a joint session of Congress that he brought free speech back to America, has launched a fairly massive effort to punish not just protests on Americas college campuses  a cause that arouses some sympathy from me when those protests venture outside the confines of mere speech  but also on school curricula and internal policies .

His Department of Justice sent a threatening letter to a member of Congress who criticized Elon Musk.

The White House has also been scrambling the way the press covers the president, denying the Associated Press access to major events because it wont call the Gulf of Mexico, the body of water Trump renamed Gulf of America, by its new name.

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The administration committed to fighting misinformation and partisan fake news has credentialed the most cartoonishly pro-Trump outlets, such as Gateway Pundit, and pillow magnate (and election conspiracy theorist) Mike Lindells LindellTV. Meanwhile, over the weekend, Trump issued an order shuttering the Voice of America for being  anti-Trump . The VOA was founded with the mission to counter propaganda with factual reporting. It started as a bulwark of truth first against Nazis, but later against authoritarian and totalitarian regimes around the globe.

Now, you dont have to disagree with all of these moves. But the pattern is hard to square with a vice president who insisted, mostly backed up by a few anecdotes, that the greatest threat to Europe was the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values  i.e. from free speech values  shared by the United States of America.

@JonahDispatch



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A top director at the Commerce Department in charge of expanding internet access to rural areas claimed in a scathing email to colleagues that rural broadband funding may soon be funneled to Elon Musks Starlink, despite its comparatively lower quality service.

The 1,100-plus-word email, first reported by Politico , was written by Evan Feinman, the director of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program (BEAD), within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Part of the Department of Commerce, BEAD is a $42.5 billion effort created in 2021 to expand high-speed internet access across the country through initiatives like infrastructure implementation and funding.

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Feinman has led the project since 2022, but announced that his last day in the role was March 14part of a scorched-earth warning sent to his colleagues on Sunday about the programs future and the Trump administrations alleged cronyism.

It was unclear whether he had been fired or voluntarily left the role.

Elon Musk walks to the White House after landing in Marine One on the South Lawn on March 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. / Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Stranding all or part of rural America with worse internet so that we can make the worlds richest man even richer is yet another in a long line of betrayals by Washington, Feinman wrote in the email, according to Politico.

The former BEAD director added that he was disappointed not to be able to see this project through and warned that the administration should not change BEAD to benefit technology that delivers slower speeds at higher costs to the household paying the billreferencing Musks satellite internet service, part of his astronautics company SpaceX.

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Reach out to your congressional delegation and reach out to the Trump Administration and tell them to strip out the needless requirements, but not to strip away from states the flexibility to get the best connections for their people, Feinman continued.

The Daily Beast has contacted the Commerce Department, NTIA, and SpaceX for comment.

US President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to the press as they stand next to a Tesla vehicle on the South Portico of the White House on March 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. / MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Over the past few years, BEAD has been the subject of bipartisan controversy for its prioritization of fiber projects, which provide higher speed and greater longevity, but also take longer to deploy and are more expensive.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick slammed the program in a statement earlier this month where he announced he would be launching a rigorous review.

Howard Lutnick listens as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks before Lutnick is sworn in as Commerce Secretary in the Oval Office at the White House on February 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. / Win McNamee/Getty Images

In 2021, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand Americans access to high-speed internet. But, years later, because of the prior Administrations woke mandates, favoritism towards certain technologies, and burdensome regulations, the program has not connected a single person to the internet and is in dire need of a readjustment, Lutnick said.

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Under my leadership, the Commerce Department has launched a rigorous review of the BEAD program, he continued.

The Department is ripping out the Biden Administrations pointless requirements. It is revamping the BEAD program to take a tech-neutral approach that is rigorously driven by outcomes, so states can provide internet access for the lowest cost. Additionally, the Department is exploring ways to cut government red tape that slows down infrastructure construction.
There is a better way to make the federal government more efficient than what Americans are witnessing under the Trump administration and Elon Musks DOGE: an improvement process that has worked wonders in the business world and for some state governments. (Photo illustration by Bongkod Worakandecha)

Elon Musks purge of our federal government is a teachable moment. Contrary to its purported goal of streamlining government, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is crippling agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It was, as Nicholas Kristoff observed, the worlds richest man gleeful at destroying an agency that serves the worlds poorest children. Other targets include agencies charged with protecting Americans from toxic pollution, communicable diseases, illiteracy, and financial fraud.

What would genuine efficiency initiatives look like? Mission-driven efficiency can be achieved through Lean process improvement methodology. As a Lean trainer and practitioner, I see a connection between the DOGE debacle and the long-delayed ECHO Village pallet shelters in Providence. I am also a senior consultant at one of three firms with a Master Price Agreement with the State of Rhode Island for agencies seeking process improvement consulting services.

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Lean techniques originated in manufacturing and are equally effective in the public sector. Its about accomplishing the mission with minimal waste. Its not about cutting services or reducing headcount.

Lean is politically neutral. Nebraska had a robust Lean program under former Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts. Project teams reduced the time the state reimbursed expenses to parents of kids with special medical needs from 15 days to two days, and cut wait-times on calls for economic assistance from 23 minutes to 5 minutes. The highway safety grant program had 126 steps and 32 handoffs; the redesigned process had a 58% reduction in work time.

The achievements of Results Washington, under Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, were highlighted in Jacob Stollers cogent explanation of the difference between top-down cost-cutting, and what actually works. As Stoller explained, waste doesnt show up as line items in financial reports but is distributed in tiny increments throughout the organizations processes.

Unfortunately, this common sense waste-detection methodology is not well known. Policy makers lack the vantage point to detangle administrative bottlenecks. They create umbrella agencies to coordinate redundant programs. Or they turn to disruptive forces like DOGE to destroy what exists. Neither approach is responsible or cost-effective.

Removing the waste to accomplish the mission

Consider the example of permitting. The purpose of a permitting process is to protect the health and safety of the community, not to frustrate the applicants. The process should allow those who comply with appropriate regulatory standards to receive a timely response.

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Heres a high-level view: An administrator would charter a Lean project team comprised of the people who do the work. The team maps the process as it is currently conducted. They assess the purpose of each step, differentiating those that add value from those without. The future state map omits the nonvalue added steps.

Designing an efficient process without sacrificing standards is the fun part. Implementing the changes is another matter. Some changes will be within the purview of the administrator sponsoring the project. Others will require regulatory or statutory approval by policy makers who are faced with pressure from interest groups.

The stakes

Of the many systems in urgent need of improvement, housing is the clearest example. Rhode Island needs 24,000 units to ease the housing crisis, yet we are last in the country in housing permits per 1,000 residents. The regulatory stranglehold that caused the ECHO Village project to take longer and be more costly than any other pallet community in the country is emblematic of a much broader problem. Clearly, we must do better.

The future

When those who seek to end the mission are in charge, they will sabotage it. When those who believe in the mission are in charge, they can use proven techniques to root out inefficiencies.

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Our administrators and policy makers must rise to the challenge  not just to preserve our institutions, but to improve them. Lets show the country how to make government work for all.

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The News in Brief Monday, March 17, 2025

The current course of the Georgian government threatens the country's European path, prompting a strong response from the European Union, European Commission spokesperson for external affairs and security Anitta Hipper stated in Brussels.According to Hipper, the political crisis in Georgia has deepened, particularly following the October 26 parliamentary elections."Georgia is sinking into a deep political crisis, and we are witnessing a deterioration of human rights since the parliamentary elections on October 26. The Georgian government's current course poses a threat to Georgia's European path. As a result, the European Union has reacted strongly. We have reduced political contacts and frozen financial assistance," she said.Hipper noted that the redirected funding now supports civil society, and the EU has also taken measures regarding diplomatic visas."We continue to monitor the situation in Georgia to remain engaged and stand by the Georgian people," she added.Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the Strategy Builder party, stated that Georgia's relations with the United States will improve once political prisoners are released and new elections are scheduled.He emphasized that the MEGOBARI Act represents increased pressure on those who "falsify" the will of the Georgian people."Relations between Georgia and America will begin to improve as soon as political prisoners begin to be released and new elections are scheduled. Ultimately, the strategic partnership will be restored as soon as we change the government and expel these anti-Western, anti-human, anti-democratic forces, the self-proclaimed regime, and when democratic forces come to power. The MEGOBARI Act is the foundation for this," Vashadze explained.He outlined two potential paths for Georgia: isolation, which he believes the Georgian Dream government is leading the country toward, or integration with America and Europe, resulting in more investments, jobs, visa-free travel, and benefits for the Georgian people."The MEGOBARI Act means even more pressure on all those people who falsify the will of the Georgian people. At the same time, the MEGOBARI Act means immense support for the Georgian people," Vashadze concluded.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 17. The European Union (EU) is ready to support renewable energy projects in Kyrgyzstan, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Sikela, said at a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Trend reports.

Kyrgyzstan has enormous potential in renewable energy, and the EU is prepared to support projects that bring sustainable and long-term benefits to the region and harness this potential. The initiatives agreed upon during my visit will certainly help in this regard, he emphasized.

Sikela also praised the agreement on border delimitation between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, calling it crucial for regional peace. He reaffirmed the EUs commitment to regional integration and connectivity between Central Asia and Europe.

During the talks, Zhaparov highlighted that the EU has been a reliable partner to Kyrgyzstan since the country gained independence. He underscored the active dialogue between Kyrgyzstan and EU countries, as well as the agreement on expanded partnership and cooperation signed in Brussels in June of 2024. The President expressed confidence that the agreement would be a significant step in developing trade, economic, and investment relations.

We greatly appreciate the EUs continued support in implementing democratic reforms and developing a stable and resilient state in Kyrgyzstan, Zhaparov said.

In the presence of both Japarov and Sikkela, the Government of Kyrgyzstan, the EU, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Under this agreement, a new program will be launched to enhance Kyrgyzstan's resilience to climate change. The programs main goal is to implement water-saving technologies and innovative solutions to improve the countrys agricultural productivity.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
SHARON, Pa. (WKBN)  Sharon Regional Medical Center is set to open its doors this Tuesday after months of working toward saving it.

On Sunday, the community celebrated the efforts from the local to the state level to make the reopening a reality.

As Tuesday inches closer, one phrase gets thrown out for good.

Who is tired of hearing the words, We are so close?' said Tenor Health CEO Radha Savitala. Everyones impacted by the hospital, whether you work here or youre a member of the community or youve gotten care here, and now youre able to come back.

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Services returning day one include the emergency room, behavioral health and other outpatient services. Savitala hopes surgery will return shortly after the reopening.

On Sunday, many thanked Pennsylvania State Sen. Michele Brooks (R, D-50) for continuing to fight at the state level for the hospitals reopening. Brooks said the fight for rural health care continues and that reopening procedures could be reworked in the future.

Theres a process needed where theres an arbitrator in there thats objective and looking at both sides of the story and thinking about the families that need the hospital to reopen, Brooks said.

600 staff members who were employed before the closure will return to Sharon Regional.

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They may not have gotten paid, or not knowing what the future holds, or who have family obligations and who are still here ready to come back day one. Its really a testament to the strength of our community, Savitala said.

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SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  The community were out in full force Saturday at a comedy show fundraiser organized for high schoolers Aidan and Evan Fahlman, identical twins whose parents both passed away unexpectedly.

BACKGROUND: Hopkinton twins who lost both parents channel grief into wrestling

The event happened at the Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. in South Kingstown, and was set up by Ed and Roxanne Cekala in collaboration with the organization Funny 4 Funds. Ed previously told 12 News that his son, Ethan, grew up with the twins.

Courtesy: Roxanne Cekala

Roxanne Cekala said the night was amazing, when describing how the sold out event went.

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Around $25,000 was raised from the show, all of which will go toward the twins future expenses.

This was the second biggest show and money raised through funny4funds since they started 17 years ago, she added.

Alongside the money raised at the show, theres also a separate GoFundMe created for the twins, which has raised over $37,000 as of Sunday night.

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ELGIN, Ill.  Vineyard Church of Elgin welcomed worshippers on Sunday from First United Methodist Church to pray, mourn and stand in unity after strong storms Friday night severely mangled their historic building.

Elgin is strong and its beautiful to see everyone is coming to support a church that has been a staple in our community, churchgoer Diana Alfaro said. Wonderful feeling in the community coming together regardless if theyre Methodist or not. People are showing we are one community.

The church is not the building. We are the church, the people that make it up, churchgoer Paul Duffy added.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Historic church in northwest suburban Elgin damaged in weekend storms

The intense winds ripped off the churchs copper roof, leaving the building exposed, particularly over the sanctuary where congregates gather to worship. This led to water seeping in, causing damage to the ceilings and walls.

That storm did a lot of damage in a short period of time, Rev. Felicia LaBoy of First United Methodist Church said.

Although they expected the storms to affect the area, they had hoped their church would be spared from destruction. However, this isnt the first time the building has been impacted by tragedy.

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NWS confirms at least 4 tornadoes from overnight storms Friday into Saturday

One-hundred-and-five years ago there was a tornado that came through, LaBoy said. It killed some people at the congregational church and at the Baptist church. Our folks were spared, but our whole thing imploded, and thats why this building was there.

In the fall, the whole west side flooded. Initially that was shocking. This being the second event, were a little more prepared. It doesnt make it easier, Duffy added.

The 187-year-old congregation has witnessed both the best and worst of times. As worshippers gathered in a temporary space the day after the devastation, all remained hopeful that theyd soon be able to return.

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We will survive. We will rebuilt and be there lie they said for another 187 years, Duffy said.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

First United Methodist Church served as a shelter with dozens seeking refuge there during the night of the storm.

LaBoy is grateful no one was hurt and while its unclear how long it will be before they can move back, theyre exploring other locations to hold services.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
One Swiss company has unveiled a brand-new line of trains that just might usher in the next generation of high-speed rail travel. And it'll be available sooner than you think.

Stadler Rail recently debuted the newest addition to its KISS train collection at the company's factory in St. Margrethen, Switzerland. The six-car train will become the first double-decker available for the Railjet service that runs through countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

As first reported by Railway Supply, the new model will begin operations in Austria in mid-2026. Travelers aboard the next-gen, high-speed train can expect speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, which will dramatically decrease travel times.

According to Stadler Rail, the double-decker train will be able to accommodate 480 passengers in its first- and second-class cabins. The train will also feature dining areas and storage space for bicycles and wheelchairs.

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In a study published in the Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journal, a team of researchers concluded that high-speed railways reduce carbon emissions. They also said that high-speed railways promote "eco-friendly development" and offer a transition to more sustainable energy sources.

In 2023, OBB, which operates the Railjet service, signed a massive $633 million deal with Stadler to replenish its fleet of trains. The deal included 14 of the new six-car, double-decker trains.

Once the railway infrastructure expansion is completed in more countries, the double-decker trains will run in wider service areas. The move will allow a larger part of the population to enjoy shorter commutes while contributing to a cleaner environment.

Since the 1800s, human activity has been a driving force in increasing the global temperature at a rate that had not been seen for millennia.

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As more people turn to public transportation and mass transit, we can help turn the tide of climate change. By reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and other harmful emissions, we can work on cooling our planet.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
(FOX40.COM)  Two companies have agreed to a $1.3 million settlement after they were accused of selling sham health insurance plans, the California Department of Justice said.

According to the CA DOJ, Sedera, Inc. and Sedera Medical Cost Sharing Community, LLC (SMC) billed customers monthly in exchange for the payment of medical services, a plan which they advertised as a non-insurance medical cost-sharing product.

The agency determined that these products qualified as health plans under California law but failed to comply with a number of regulations such as providing coverage for preventative care.

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Sedera and SMC were able to sell their sham health insurance plans at lower costs precisely because those plans were a sham and failed to comply with state law. For example, they did not offer Californians the essential health benefits they were entitled to, Attorney General Bonta said.

Over 2,000 Californians purchased these plans from the two companies.

SMC, falsely purported to be a non-profit but sold the health plans through its for-profit administrative vendor, Sedera Inc, the CA DOJ said.

As part of the settlement, the companies are banned from operating health plans in California and must pay $1.3 million, $800,000 of which will be returned to customers.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
Earlier this year, Michael Woolfolk attended a legislative committee in Georgia where lawmakers considered for a third year whether to compensate the 45-year-old for the 19 years he spent behind bars for a 2002 killing before charges against him were dismissed.

Behind him sat Daryl Lee Clark, also 45, who spent 25 years in prison for a 1998 murder conviction that was vacated over a series of legal and police errors. It was his second attempt to obtain compensation.

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Georgia is one of 11 states with no law on compensating people found to have been wrongfully convicted. Individuals seeking compensation take their cases to the legislature, where they seek a lawmaker to sponsor a resolution to pay them. Critics say it mires the process in politics.

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Lawmakers have been considering legislation to move the decision to judges, but now its unclear if that will pass this year.

We need to take care simply of people who have lost so many years of their lives and their ability to make money, have a job, have a family, create stability, Republican Rep. Katie Dempsey, a sponsor of the Georgia bill, told The Associated Press. Many are at the age where they would be looking at their savings, and instead, theres none.

Missouri lawmakers have sent the governor a bill updating the states compensation law, and legislatures in Florida and Oregon also are considering updates of their laws. Montana is considering an update of its expired program and Pennsylvania is among those, like Georgia, looking to create one.

A tricky process

Of the 1,739 people who have filed wrongful compensation claims under state laws since 1989, 1,328 received compensation, according to data from George Washington University law professor Jeffrey Gutman.

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That doesnt include cases in states like Georgia, which has no law outlining a process.

Since 1995, 12 Georgians have received compensation and at least 11 more have sought it, according to the Georgia Innocence Project. Even some people with strong cases were turned down because they failed to convince lawmakers they were innocent, advocates say.

The latest version of Georgias proposal would require individuals to prove their innocence to an administrative law judge. They could receive $75,000 for each year of incarceration and reimbursement for other costs such as fines and fees. There would be an additional $25,000 for each year of incarceration awaiting a death sentence.

The way that the state has treated these individuals by taking away their freedom and liberty and effectively ruining their lives, by wrongfully convicting them and then failing to expeditiously compensate them and help them get back on their feet, doesnt sit well with me, said Democratic Rep. Scott Holcomb, a bill sponsor and former prosecutor.

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Whether a person was released based on a finding they were not guilty or based on trial or law enforcement error is often a sticking point. Advocates say those wrongfully convicted deserve compensation either way because they are innocent until proven guilty, but some lawmakers are hesitant to pay them.

Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson, a former sheriffs deputy, was the lead opponent last year of individual requests for compensation and an effort to pass a compensation law. He takes issue with the term exonerated, which he says is too often used in cases where convictions are overturned based on trial errors.

Robertson this year introduced a different compensation bill with stricter rules that didnt get a hearing.

RELATED STORIES

Other states consider changes

Florida is the only state that prevents exonerees with previous felony convictions from qualifying for compensation, according to an analysis by the advocacy group The Innocence Project.

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Florida Republican state Sen. Jennifer Bradley wants to change that. For the third year she is sponsoring a bill to end the rule, arguing that an unrelated charge should not prevent people who were wronged by the state from being compensated for their lost liberty.

A bill in the Oregon Legislature would update a law passed in 2022 that provides exonerees $65,000 for each year they were wrongfully imprisoned, on the condition they file a successful petition proving their innocence. The new bill comes amid criticism that few exonerees have received compensation since the law took effect.

Missouris legislature recently passed and sent to the governor a measure expanding a restitution program for people wrongly convicted of felonies. The legislation would raise compensation from $100 to $179 per day of imprisonment and remove a requirement that innocence is proven by DNA analysis.

Many Georgia lawmakers have said they dont want to play judge and hope the state process changes.

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If the legislature doesnt pass a bill before adjourning April 4, Woolfolk and Clark may not be compensated this year. The House overwhelmingly approved five requests that could fail in the Senate.

Starting a career at 45 is hard, Woolfolk said, and he missed his childrens upbringing. He said he is sick of trying to convince lawmakers to help him.

Clark, who does not have children, got a standing ovation from House lawmakers last year who voted to compensate him.

This year, his hope and prayers are that he also gains some help.

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Associated Press reporters Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, and David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.

Kramon and Payne are corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
HOLMESVILLE, Ohio (WJW)  The Holmes County Sheriffs Office is looking for information about the welfare of a local man.

Isaiah Troyer, 24, hasnt been heard from since he left his home on County Road 201 on March 11 driving a blue 2006 Chevrolet truck, according to the sheriffs office.

Akron Childrens Hospital patient attacked pregnant nurse: police

Isaiah Troyer Courtesy: Holmes County Sheriffs Office

Courtesy: Holmes County Sheriffs Office

Family members are concerned for his safety, the department said.

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More cat food recalled due to bird flu risk

Troyer is a white man with brown hair and brown eyes. He stands about 5-foot-6 and has an average build.

Anyone with information on Troyers whereabouts is asked to contact the Holmes County Sheriffs Office at 330-674-1936.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi has met U.S. lawmaker Ronny Jackson to discuss fighting in the east of the country and opportunities for U.S. investment, Congo's presidency said.

The meeting took place one week after Washington said it was open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo. A Congolese lawmaker in February contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal.

A presidency statement described Jackson as a "special envoy" for U.S. President Donald Trump.

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Tshisekedi faces an insurgency by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in east Congo and his government plans to send a delegation to peace talks in Angola on Tuesday.

Congo has vast reserves of cobalt, lithium and uranium among other minerals.

The government has not publicly detailed a proposal for a deal with the U.S., saying only that it was seeking diversified partnerships.

There was no direct mention of minerals in Sunday's statement.

"We want to work so that American companies can come and invest and work in the DRC. And to do that, we have to make sure that there is a peaceful environment," Jackson was quoted as saying in the statement.

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The long-running conflict in east Congo is rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo's vast mineral resources.

It escalated significantly this year and M23 now controls east Congo's two biggest cities. Rwanda is accused of backing the Tutsi-led M23, which it denies.

Byron Cabrol, senior Africa analyst at Dragonfly, said last week it would be a struggle to entice U.S. mining companies to invest in Congo due to poor infrastructure, insecurity, corruption and the dominance of Chinese firms.

(Reporting by Ange Kasongo; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Angus MacSwan)
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 17. President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador of India to Kyrgyzstan Birender Singh Yadav, Trend reports.

During the ceremony, President Zhaparov congratulated the ambassador on the commencement of his diplomatic mission in Kyrgyzstan.

The sides focused on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and discussed opportunities for deeper cooperation in areas such as trade, economics, culture, humanitarian exchanges, and military affairs.

"The bilateral relations between Kyrgyzstan and India are grounded in deep cultural and historical ties. We highly value the strategic partnership established in 2019," said the president

He emphasized Kyrgyzstan's strong commitment to the "Central Asia - India" dialogue and the countrys readiness to participate in high-level events.

Furthermore, the ambassador highlighted the substantial potential for expanding cooperation in trade, investment, and education, underscoring the importance of increasing trade turnover and creating favorable conditions for business contacts.
DAKAR, Senegal (AP)  The Rwanda-backed rebels who captured key areas of Congo's mineral-rich east said Monday they were withdrawing from peace talks this week with the Congolese government, saying that international sanctions on the group's members have undermined such dialogue.

The talks scheduled to start in the Angolan capital of Luanda on Tuesday have become impracticable as a result of the sanctions announced by the European Union against some of its members on Monday, M23 rebel groups spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement. Alleged offensives still being carried out in the conflict-hit region by Congo's military also undermine the talks, he said.

Consequently, our organization can no longer continue to participate in the discussions, he added.

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Congo's government, after initially rejecting such talks, said Monday it would participate in the dialogue in Angola. A delegation representing Congo already had traveled to Luanda for the talks, Tina Salama, the spokesperson for President Felix Tshisekedi, told The Associated Press.

M23 also had sent a delegation to Luanda, the group's spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said on the X platform on Monday.

The conflict in eastern Congo escalated in January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February.

Angola, which has acted as a mediator in the conflict, announced last week that it would host direct peace negotiations between Congo and M23 on Tuesday.

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Peace talks between Congo and Rwanda were unexpectedly canceled in December after Rwanda made the signing of a peace agreement conditional on a direct dialogue between Congo and the M23 rebels, which Congo refused at the time.

A dialogue with a terrorist group like the M23 is a red line that we will never cross, Tshisekedi had said during a speech to the diplomatic corps on Jan. 18.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, in a conflict that has created one of the worlds most significant humanitarian crises. More than 7 million people have been displaced.

The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, and at times have vowed to march as far as Congos capital, Kinshasa, about 1,575 kilometers (978 miles) to the east.

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The U.N. Human Rights Council last month launched a commission to investigate atrocities, including allegations of rape and killing akin to summary executions by both sides.

On Monday, Rwanda cut diplomatic ties with Belgium and ordered all its diplomats to leave, a month after Brussels suspended development aid to the East African country. Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Sunday accused Belgium of trying to destroy Rwanda.

International pressure is growing on Rwanda as the European Union sanctioned five Rwandan nationals, including the commander of Rwandan special forces deployed in eastern Congo on Monday. The EU also sanctioned four Congolese nationals, including the political leader of M23, Bertrand Bisimwa, and three other high ranking members of the rebel group.

Rwanda's only gold refinery, Gasabo Gold Refinery, also was sanctioned by the EU, which accused it of contributing to illegal extraction and trafficking of natural resources" from eastern Congo.

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Alongside gold, the region holds deposits of key minerals used in the production of smartphones and computers. Last year, the UN said M23 generated around $300,000 a month in revenue through its control of a mining area in eastern Congo.

The U.S. State Department said last week it was open to a mining partnership in Congo and has confirmed that preliminary discussions had begun.

On Sunday, Tshisekedi met with the U.S. special envoy to Congo, Rep. Ronny Jackson, to discuss potential security and economic partnerships.

We want to work together so that American companies can invest and work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and for that we have to make sure there is a peace in the country, Jackson told reporters after the meeting.



Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels, Belgium and Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda and Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa, Congo contributed to this report.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) posted a Tiktok video on Feb. 20 saying he had breaking news about the fate of Medicare coverage for telehealth visits, which allow patients to see health care providers remotely from their homes.



Breaking news: The Trump administration just announced that Medicare will stop covering telehealth starting April 1, Khanna said. We need to stand up to these Medicare cuts.



The same day, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted a document online titled Telehealth that said, Through March 31, 2025, you can get telehealth services at any location in the U.S., including your home. Starting April 1, 2025, you must be in an office or medical facility located in a rural area (in the U.S.) for most telehealth services.



CMS did not respond to requests for comment about the post. The White House also did not respond to requests for comment.



The telehealth benefit was first put in place as a temporary Trump-era addition to Medicare coverage during the covid-19 public health emergency.



Khannas statement took on more significance leading up to the threat of a government shutdown, but late last week Congress averted one by approving a stopgap spending bill.



The expiration date for the benefit has been known since December, when Congress extended coverage around telehealth through March 31. The roughly 90-day reprieve was part of a compromise after then-President-elect Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk criticized a sweeping, end-of-year legislative package that would have, among other things, continued those benefits for two years.



Their opposition forced Congress to pass a stripped-down version of the end-of-year bill. Telehealths two-year extension, included in the initial bill, became collateral damage.



Last week, just as the clock was ticking down, House Republicans passed a spending bill for the rest of the fiscal year that includes another extension of telehealth flexibilities  this one lasting through September. The Senate then cleared the bill for Trumps signature, with the support of 10 Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.



Regardless, the two-year extension proposed in December  or a permanent extension, as Khanna has urged  looks unlikely.



President Trump and Elon Musk blew up the continuing resolution last December that would have extended these telehealth authorities by two years, Khanna told KFF via email. Trump should work with Congress to extend telehealth coverage for Medicare beneficiaries.



It wouldnt come free. Permanently extending telehealth for medical care under Medicare could cost taxpayers about $25 billion over 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated. The CBO calculated five months of expanded telehealth coverage as costing $663 million, and calculated that that would total almost $25 billion through fiscal year 2031 if spending remained level, which it may not do.



Also, the agency and the Government Accountability Office have raised concerns about fraud and overuse of the benefit, among other potential issues.



Congress made Medicare coverage of behavioral health services delivered remotely permanent in December 2020, but left other telehealth benefits hanging on by a string. Instead, lawmakers extended them for short periods during the nearly two years since the public health emergency officially ended in May 2023.



Now, once again, weve got another deadline where, if Congress doesnt act, our flexibilities go away, said Kyle Zebley, senior vice president of public policy for the American Telemedicine Association.



And if, at some point, the telehealth benefits arent extended, is it fair to describe the policy change as a cut? Khanna, for instance, plans to introduce the Telehealth Coverage Act, which would require Medicare to cover seniors telehealth services.



Politically speaking, its a powerful question when trying to leverage public support  and politicians in both parties often accuse their opponents of cutting federal benefits when they make changes to programs.



Khanna is overly dramatic, said Joseph Antos, a senior fellow emeritus at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.



If the provision expires, Antos said, this is not a Trump cut.



But beneficiaries might have a different experience. Since the early days of the pandemic  five years now  millions of patients have come to rely on telehealth for their medical services. That benefit, even with another temporary reprieve, would still be at risk.



According to CMS, more than 1 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries used virtual care services as of 2023. And, after the Trump administration green-lighted telehealth for Medicare recipients in 2020, many private insurers did the same.



Overall telehealth claims in Medicare rose from fewer than 1% of all claims before the covid pandemic to a peak of 13% in April 2020. Now they stand at close to 5%, according to Fair Health, a nonprofit that tracks health care costs.



Those in the telehealth industry are optimistic about the current extension. The Trump administration, they say, has been sending encouraging signals  even highlighting its previous support of telemedicine in its fact sheet on the launch of the Presidents Make America Healthy Again Commission.



Weve been sweating bullets, Zebley said. But its been nerve-wracking before. I think were going to get it done.



Antos said, however, that after the extension in the House-passed spending bill, Medicares telemedicine benefits could be dead.

Our Ruling

Khanna said, Breaking news: The Trump administration just announced that Medicare will stop covering telehealth starting April 1.  We need to stand up to these Medicare cuts.



The statement is partially accurate, because the Trump administration announced the March 31 sunset of Medicare telehealth visits, and some beneficiaries who were using that benefit could see it as a cut. But the claim lacks key context that the expiration date was set by Congress, not the Trump administration.



After Khannas claim, Congress extended access to telehealth coverage through September.



Based on information that was available at the time, we rate Khannas statement half true.

Our Sources:

Rep. Ro Khannas Feb. 20, 2025 TikTok video.

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The American Relief Act, 2025.

Vice President J.D. Vances X post on behalf of himself and President Donald Trump on the year-end legislative package, Dec. 18, 2024.

One of a flurry of Elon Musks X posts deriding the governments year-end legislative package, Dec. 20, 2024.

Email interview with Rep. Ro Khannas office, March 3, 2025.

H.R.1968  Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025.

H.R.133  Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

Phone interview and follow-up texts with Kyle Zebley, senior vice president of public policy for the American Telemedicine Association and executive director of ATA Action, March 3, 2025.

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Email interview with Joseph Antos, senior fellow emeritus for public policy research at the think tank the American Enterprise Institute, March 8, 2025.

A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services post CMS post titled Telehealth that includes information to recipients about Medicare telehealth benefits ending April 1, 2025.

The journal Primary Care, The State of Telehealth Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic, April 25, 2022.

CMS, Medicare Telehealth Trends, Jan. 1, 2020 and June 30, 2024.

Fiscal Considerations for the Future of Telehealth, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, April 21, 2022.

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H.R. 2471, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Congressional Budget Office, March 14, 2022.

Medicare and Medicaid: COVID-19 Program Flexibilities and Considerations for Their Continuation, U.S. Government Accountability Office, May 19, 2021.

Preprint: Telehealth and Outpatient Utilization: Trends in Evaluation and Management Visits Among Medicare Fee-For-Service Beneficiaries, 2019-2024, March 6, 2025.

Preprint: Association Between Telehealth Use and Downstream 30-Day Medicare Spending, Feb. 11, 2025.

Ro Khannas press release on the telehealth bill hes introducing.

Annual Number of Users of Online Doctor Consultations Worldwide From 2017 to 2028, Statista Market Insights, March 15, 2024.

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ATA Action letter to Congress, Jan. 13, 2025.

Make America Healthy Again fact sheet, Feb. 13, 2025.

CMS, Medicare Telehealth Trends Report, October 2024.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF  an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.



The post Congressman Blames Trump Team for Ending Telehealth Medicare Benefit  Is He Right? appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
GLASTONBURY, Conn. (WTBH)  A summer camp, affiliated with Yale University, helps kids cope with their parents journey through a cancer diagnosis.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, Heather Marchegiani of South Windsor said. I had three little kids ranging from 1 to 6 years old.

Connecticut Families: Students, teachers revitalize nature trail at Keney Park in Hartford

In 2021, Marchegiani had a bilateral mastectomy and treatments. It was a lot for her children to understand.

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It was terrifying and theres a level of guilt that we feel when were diagnosed with cancer when we think about our kids and the trauma that theyre going to go through, she said.

So, from a friend, she learned about Camp Kesem, supporting kids who have a parent with cancer.

Her boys have attended the sleepover camp twice, starting when they were six and nine.

Kesem at Yale is one of the many chapters at universities across the country, counselor and co-director Anjali Dhanekula explained.

Its a lot of sitting around the campfire and having a blast, constant laughs and giggles for 5 straight days, Marchegiani added.

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While Kesem does offer those typical camp experiences, theres more.

An Empowerment ceremony brings campers and counselors together to talk about their shared experience, of having a parent fighting cancer.

Its just a space where we can go around and share and be heard or just listen if you dont want to share which is also totally acceptable, counselor and co-director Nicole Campbell said.

Campbell and Dhanekula are Yale students. Many of them also went through the cancer journey with mom or dad.

We pass around a ball of yarn and each tie a bracelet to our wrist sort of to symbolize the common thread that runs among many of us, Campbell said.

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Its been really rewarding, Ive definitely learned a lot of lessons from my campers about resilience and strength and also about finding joy in unexpected places, Dhanekula said.

Marchegiani  who is doing well  said Camp Kesem helps children feel less alone, so they can face the future with hope.

Seeing them so happy is just so special given we know what they struggled with a few years ago, she said.

The camp is free. Its taking place from August 15 to 20 at Camp Wah-Nee in Torrington. Kids can sign up now. Sign-ups are rolling until camp starts.

Click here for more information.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
Originally appeared on E! Online

Conor McGregor was feeling patriotic on St. Patrick's Day.

The Irish mixed martial arts fighter made an appearance at the White House alongside Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt March 17, where he gushed over the relationship between Ireland and the United States.

"We wish to be taken care of by the big bro," McGregor, who attended President Donald Trump's inauguration in January, said in the White House press briefing room. "The United States should look after its little bro. And thats how we feel."

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Leavitt shared that the 36-year-old was set to meet with the president later that day.

The UFC fighter also appeared in a video posted to the official White House X account where he wished America a happy St. Patrick's Day in addition to posing for a photo in front of Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance's official portraits. He also signed a "Make Ireland Great Again" hat during his outing.

McGregor had announced his visit to the White House on social media that morning, writing, "I land shortly in Washington for the most important meeting of my countries future. I am beyond ready."

He added, "THE WORLD WILL HEAR IRELANDS CALL."

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"I do happen to like your fighter. He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen Conor's great," he told the Taoiseach at the time, per Fox News. "Ireland's always had a lot of good fighters. You know why? Because they're tough people, theyre smart people, and theyre passionate people."

More from E! Online

Trump had recently sung the athlete's praises during Prime Minister Micheal Martin's official visit to the White House a week prior.

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"I do happen to like your fighter. He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen Conor's great," he told the Taoiseach at the time, per Fox News. "Ireland's always had a lot of good fighters. You know why? Because they're tough people, theyre smart people, and theyre passionate people."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheNotoriousMMA</a> <a href="https://t.co/5GEKWLR8qg">pic.twitter.com/5GEKWLR8qg</a></p> The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1901641493455995078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

McGregor isn't the only White House visitor to turn heads recently.

After photos of Elon Musk's son X  A-12, 4who he shares with ex Grimes along with Exa Dark Siderl, 3, and Techno Mechanicus, 2went viral after he sat next to the president during a press conference in the Oval Office, his mother condemned the appearance.

Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

I would really like people to stop posting images of my kid everywhere, Grimes said in an interview with TIME published Feb. 25. I think fame is something you should consent to. Obviously, things will just be what they are. But I would really, really appreciate that.

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Keep reading for a look back at the start of Trumps second presidency.

Barron Trump, Melania Trump & Donald Trump

Take them to church: Barron Trump joined mom Melania Trump (in a coat by American designer Adam Lippes) and his father, president Donald Trump for services at Washington, D.C.'s St. John's Church as part of the 2025 Inauguration Day festivities Jan. 20.





Ivanka Trump

Incoming first daughter Ivanka Trump also put on her Monday best for the church services.





Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump & Melania Trump

"Welcome home," President Joe Biden said as he and First Lady Jill Biden greeted the Trumps at the White House.





Usha Vance, Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris & JD Vance

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff were also on hand to welcome VP JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance at the White House.

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Michael Boulous & Tiffany Trump

Pregnant Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos joined her father at the St. John's Church services.





Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner

Former advisor Ivanka was joined at the services by husband Jared Kushner and their kids Arabella, Joseph and Theodore.





Elon Musk

Trump pal Elon Musk took in the view as he arrived inside the Capitol Rotunda.





Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar & Donald Trump

Before delivering her speech, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar led Biden and Trump out of the White House. "While we have major differences of opinions on policy and the like," she said of chairing the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, "I want to make sure this works, Klobuchar said of the ceremony."

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Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush & Laura Bush





George W. Bush, Laura Bush & Barack Obama

With wife Michelle Obama not attending, former president Barack Obama hung with the Bushes.





Mike Pence

Trump's former vice president Mike Pence turned up solo for the ceremony.





Eric Adams

New York City mayor Eric Adams worked the room at the Capitol.

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Janet Jones & Wayne Gretzky

Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet Jones were among those who decided to take a shot at watching the inauguration.





Rupert Murdoch & Elena Zhukova

Former Fox Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch (joined by wife Elena Zhukova) was among the billionaire businesspeople in attendance.





Sundar Pichai & Elon Musk

Tech talk: Tesla CEO Musk socialized with Google CEO Sundar Pichai.





Robert F. Kennedy

Trump's pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy came to watch him get sworn in.

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Mitch McConnell & Elaine Chao

Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell held tight to wife Elaine Chao.





Jake Paul & Logan Paul

Influencer turned boxer Jake Paul was on hand with his brother, wrestler Logan Paul.





Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai & Elon Musk

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined Amazon exec Jeff Bezos, his fiancee Lauren Sanchez, Pichai and Musk on the dias at the Capitol.





Eric Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr.

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Barron Trump

Trump's youngest childNew York University student Barrontraveled to Washington, D.C. to watch him take the oath of office for the second time.





Christopher Macchio

Opera tenor Christopher Macchio was tapped to sing the National Anthem. "I was looking forward to seeing 100,000 people spread across the National Mall," he acknowledged to the Associated Press ahead of the events. "Unfortunately I wont be getting that visual while I perform, but its still going to be such a tremendous honor."





Shou Zi Chew

Hours after TikTok went dark (and then restored service) in the United States, CEO Shou Zi Chew turned up at the inauguration.





Tim Cook, Vivek Ramaswamy & Kristi Noem

Apple CEO Tim Cook posed alongside onetime presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota governor Kristi Noem.




Conor McGregor, the Irish mixed martial arts fighter who lost a civil trial for rape, took over the White House lectern to launch a political speech on St Patricks Day.

On a tour of the White House press room on Monday before meeting Donald Trump, McGregor stepped on stage unexpectedly and told reporters illegal immigration was destroying Ireland.

Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness, McGregor said from the press room podium, while wearing a green suit, waistcoat and tie.

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Micheal Martin, Irelands taoiseach, responded on X: Conor McGregors remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patricks Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

McGregor had no mandate to speak for the Irish people, Simon Harris, Irelands deputy prime minister warned.

Mr Trump had suggested that McGregor was his favourite Irish person during an Oval Office press conference with Mr Martin last Wednesday.

Donald Trump has said that Conor McGregor is his favourite Irishman

McGregor, 36, harbours ambitions of becoming Irelands next president. The meeting will fuel speculation that Mr Trump could endorse him in an election, which must be held by Oct 27.

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The fighter attacked the Irish government, a coalition of the centre-Right Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties led by Mr Martin and Mr Harris.

McGregor said that it had long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty.

Ireland and America, we are siblings... The United States should look after its little bro.

He added: The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country.

There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.

BREAKING: Conor McGregor is at the White House to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.



"HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, AMERICA!"



 pic.twitter.com/Rx9mI3ivUZ  Cillian (@CilComLFC) March 17, 2025

Rising levels of immigration have sparked protests and riots in Ireland, including arson attacks on asylum centres by far-Right groups. Tensions have been exacerbated by the housing crisis in Ireland and high healthcare costs.

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McGregor added: Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Irelands ears.

Never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland faced been spoke.

In the Oval Office, Mr Trump showed McGregor a map with the Gulf of Mexico renamed as the Gulf of America, reflecting an executive order issued by the president earlier this year.

Congratulations, McGregor told the US president, adding: Ill tell you what: your work ethic is inspiring. Your work rate is inspiring.

Mr Trump replied: Yours is too. You are fantastic.

As he left the White House, McGregor responded to the remarks made about him by the Irish taoiseach.

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He said: Every available metric has shown that the government of Ireland currently has failed the people of Ireland.

In 10 years Dublin city centre has gone from one of the most safest cities in Europe to one of the most dangerous so shame on him for saying that and speaking down on an Irish man.

I wont speak about him personally or throw a jab. I could. I could throw many jabs at them, I could throw jabs handily at them.

McGregor also recorded a video for US troops with Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, urging them to keep up the good fight.

Brutally raped and battered

The former Ultimate Fighting champion was ordered to pay almost 250,000 (210,000) in damages after a civil jury of eight women and four men found that he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

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Ms Hand had told the court that the Irish fighter would not take no for an answer. She alleged McGregor pinned her down, choked her three times and brutally raped and battered her.

He said that it was consensual sex.

McGregor is expected to argue that the finding that he raped the 35-year-old mother of one was unsafe when he appears at the Court of Appeal on March 21.

Like McGregor, Mr Trump was also found liable for sexual assault in a civil court. In 2023, a jury found him liable for sexually abusing the advice columnist E Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million (3.8 million) in damages.

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We couldnt think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day, said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, who was also wearing green.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters: We couldnt think of a better guest to have with us on St Patricks Day - Jim Lo Scalzo/Bloomberg

In New York, Mr Harris said: Its for President Trump to invite whoever he wants into his home and he is perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.

But let me be very clear. Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. He is here in a personal capacity. He doesnt speak for Ireland. He doesnt speak for the people of Ireland and has no mandate to do so.

He added: I dont want to comment on something on a matter that may end up before the courts again other than to say I have spoken to Nikita Hand. I admire her courage and her bravery and Id much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.

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The Irish Times reported that Mr Harris said Irelands presidential election would be decided by people living in Ireland, when he was asked about the possibility of a Trump endorsement.

I dont wish to provide free air time here to Mr McGregor. I dont expect he is going to be the president of Ireland, he said.

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Conor McGregor used a visit to the White House on Monday to air grievances over immigration in Ireland, pleading for help from the US.

The former two-weight UFC champion, who was visiting the White House on St Patricks Day, has been increasingly vocal about what he deems political issues in Ireland in recent years.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face, said the 36-year-old on Monday (17 March). Itll be music to the people of Irelands ears, because never on the main stage have [these issues] been spoken.

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Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland, and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability.

Our money is being spent on overseas issues that have nothing to do with the Irish people. The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country. There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop.

So, issues need to be addressed, and the 40m Irish-Americans need to hear this, because if not, there will be no place to come home and visit.

Conor McGregor tells the White House press room hes in Washington to raise the issues the people of Ireland face pic.twitter.com/nzpc4eDCid  The Mac Life (@TheMacLife) March 17, 2025

Last week, US President Donald Trump called McGregor great, naming the fighter as his favourite Irish person. In January, McGregor attended Trumps inauguration.

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McGregor, who has not fought since suffering a broken leg in a 2021 defeat, also said on Monday: Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling. So, its important for Ireland to be a peaceful, happy, prosperous country  for the 40m Irish-Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home.

So, we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue, and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro; the US should look after its little bro. Thats how we feel.

Conor McGregor addressing reporters from the White House Press Briefing Room (Getty Images)

In November 2023, McGregor was accused of stoking tension in Dublin as the city suffered from riots, in the wake of an attack on a group of children by a reportedly Irish-Algerian man. The stabbing left a five-year-old girl seriously injured and led to violent protests in the Irish capital.

McGregor criticised the governments reaction to the attack, having already been vocal after the sentencing of a Slovak man, who was jailed for life over the murder of a 23-year-old Irish woman. At the time, McGregor said: I do not condone last nights riots [...] I do understand frustrations, however, and I do understand a move must be made to ensure the change we need is ushered in.

McGregor was again in the news in November 2024, when a civil-court jury found he had raped a woman in Dublin in 2018. McGregor, who denied a claim that he brutally raped and battered the woman, said he would appeal the verdict, which required him to pay over 200,000 in damages.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  UFC fighter Conor McGregor paid a visit to the White House on St. Patricks Day to meet with President Donald Trump. McGregor told reporters in the briefing room that he wanted to raise the issues that people of Ireland face with the president.

You know Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness and Im here to raise the issue and highlight it, he said ahead of his meeting with President Trump.

McGregor accused Irelands government of abandoning the voices of its people and said illegal immigration is running ravage in the country.

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Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability, he said. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that have nothing to do with the Irish people.

McGregor, who was sporting a three-piece green suit, was joined in the briefing room by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

We couldnt think of a better guest to have with us on St. Patricks Day, Leavitt said.

McGregor is considered a controversial figure in Ireland. In November, he was found liable for a 2018 sexual assault and was ordered to pay nearly 250,000 euros in damages. McGregor has denied the allegations.

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Last week, President Trump hosted Irelands prime minister, Micheal Martin, for a St. Patricks Day celebration at the White House. During a meeting in the Oval Office, President Trump accused the country of taking advantage of the United States.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ex-UFC fighter Conor McGregor visited the White House on Monday for a meeting with President Donald Trump.

The St. Patricks Day gathering came less than a week after Trump met with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin. McGregor used his time in the White House press room to rail against Irelands welcoming immigration policies.

Its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland, McGregor said. Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness.

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Ireland has welcomed more than 120,000 immigrants in the past 12 months. Many of the arrivals have been refugees and asylum seekers from war-torn parts of the world.

A notable portion of the Irish population dislikes the new arrivals, as shown in massive anti-immigrant riots in Dublin that erupted in November 2023. McGregor was accused of boosting the conflict on social media, posting at the time: There is grave danger among us in Ireland that should never be here in the first place.

Trump has praised McGregor for years and attended many MMA fights. In his meeting with Martin last week, he called McGregor his favorite Irishman.
Dressed in a green three-piece suit and flanked by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, former UFC Champion Conor McGregor began his St. Patricks Day visit to the White House Monday morning with some impassioned, incendiary statements to the press.

Im here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face, and itll be music to the people of Irelands ears, McGregor told reporters. Never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland faced been spoke[n]. Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland, and its high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland.

McGregor is set to meet with President Trump, whose work ethic he called inspiring, Monday afternoon. During their meeting, McGregor said he intends to discuss the Irish governments spending and its handling of the countrys ongoing influx of foreign immigrants, which the famous fighter claimed has put Ireland on the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness.

What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability, McGregor remarked. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that has nothing to do with the Irish people. The illegal immigration racket is [ravaging] the country. McGregor said native Irish citizens have been made the minority in their hometowns.

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Issues need to be addressed, and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because, if not, there will be no place to come home and visit, McGregor continued. Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness, and Im here to raise the issue.

Its also St. Patricks Day, so a little bit of celebrations for sure, he added. A little bit of learning and and listening to Mr. President Trump, whose work ethic is inspiring. All that does to me is highlight the lack of work on my side. So thats it. Thats what Im here for.

Monday is not the first time McGregor has criticized the Irish government. In November 2023, he responded to riots on Irelands streets over an Algerian immigrants stabbing of three young children and a care assistant by tweeting, Ireland, we are at war. A month later, he expressed his interest in potentially running to become the President of Ireland.

Last week, during his meeting with Irelands Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, President Trump praised McGregor, telling reporters, I do happen to like your fighter. Hes got the best tattoos Ive ever seen. Conors great. McGregor was, notably, one of the celebrities in attendance at Trumps inauguration in January.

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In addition to his press room remarks, the White House also shared on X an image of McGregor posing between photos of Trump and Vice President JD Vance, as well as a video of McGregor sauntering out of the White House in his green suit and proclaiming, Happy Paddys Day, America!

You can watch McGregors speech in the video above.

The post Conor McGregor Visits White House on St. Patricks Day, Calls Trumps Work Ethic Inspiring | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 17. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has decided to initiate the process of appraising the Rogun hydropower plant (HPP) construction project in Tajikistan, Jozef Sikela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships said on X, Trend reports.

Sikela and EIB representatives visited the Rogun HPP, accompanied by Deputy PM Usmonali Usmonzoda, who is responsible for its realization, during his trip to Central Asian countries.

The construction of the plant is supported through loans by a group of global development banks, and the European Investment Bank is also seriously considering involvement. EIB representatives were with us today during the visit to Rogun. The bank has now decided to initiate the process of appraisal of the project, he said.

Sikela noted that the shareholders of the EIB are EU member states. The bank carefully evaluates all projects and only supports those that are economically sustainable. In this way, the bank sees its loans come back home, interest and all, while keeping a tight ship with its own funds or those pulled in through bonds and other financial tools.

We, as the European Union, also support the project, which is appreciated both by local stakeholders and by European companies competing for contractsand who are already quite successful in doing so, he said.

Sikela highlighted that, at this juncture, approximately 17,000 individuals hailing from a multitude of nations across the globe are currently engaged in operations here.



He articulated that upon culmination, the dam will achieve the zenith of global elevationapproximately 335 meters. The hydroelectric facility is projected to achieve an output capacity of 3.6 gigawatts, surpassing the operational metrics of any existing power generation station across the European continent. It is projected to nearly double the nations yearly energy output.



The European Commissioner pointed out that it will also substantially enhance the nations hydrological management framework and bolster regional agronomy.

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For several years, the federal judiciary has been racing to strike down laws that restrict young people ages 18 to 20 from buying or possessing firearms. A slew of appeals courts have invalidated such measures, concluding that they violate the Second Amendment rights of people under 21. It seemed inevitable that these decisions would build a consensus that the Supreme Court might embraceuntil Friday, when a court broke from the pack in a surprise decision. By an 84 vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit last week upheld Floridas law prohibiting 18- to 20-year-olds from buying guns. Better yet, the courts opinion was authored by Chief Judge William Pryor, a highly influential George W. Bush appointee. Pryors decision is doggedly originalist, a meticulous history lesson that proves the constitutionality of Floridas ban beyond all reasonable doubt. It might just be persuasive enough to convince his ideological allies on the Supreme Court to uphold this lifesaving limit on the right to bear arms.

At least 22 states limit the ability of young adults ages 18 to 20 to buy weapons. So does federal law, which generally bars those under 21 from buying a handgun. These measures have come under legal fire at the U.S. Courts of Appeals as the Supreme Court has steadily expanded the Second Amendment. Already this year, the 5th Circuit has struck down the federal age restriction as unconstitutional. And the 3rd Circuit refused to revisit a recent decision invalidating Pennsylvania laws that bar those under 21 from carrying guns in public during a state of emergency. Last year, the 8th Circuit tossed out a Minnesota law forbidding those under 21 from obtaining a public carry permit. And in 2022, the 9th Circuit struck down Californias ban on the sale of rifles to those who are 18 to 20. (That decision was later set aside for reasons unrelated to the merits, though the 9th Circuit has not yet repudiated it.)

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These decisions were frustrating for two primary reasons. First, they were deadly: We know that people under 21 are far more likely to commit violent crime, especially with guns. One study, for instance, found that people ages 18 to 20 commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 and up. FBI data shows that this group commits deadly shootings at a much higher rate than older Americans. A disproportionate number of our deadliest mass shootings were committed by 18- to 20-year-olds who bought their weapons legallyincluding the Parkland shooter, whose massacre prompted Florida to enact its age restriction. Simply put, the data confirms that restricting young people from possessing firearms is a crucial tool for protecting all Americans from gun violence.

Second, the decisions striking down those age-based laws purported to be originalist, yet they were, at their core, living constitutionalism at its most freewheeling and undisciplined. SCOTUS has instructed lower courts to uphold firearm regulations that comport with the nations history and tradition. And in 1791, when the Second Amendment was ratified, people under age 21 were considered legal minors with virtually no rights themselves, including the right to buy or possess weapons without their parents consent. It is true that in the 20th century, most states shifted the age of majority back to 18. But that development does not mean that, as an originalist matter, the government violates our history and tradition when it applies the 18th-century age of majority to gun possession.

The courts that rejected this reality relied on the fact that in 1791, states often compelled 18- to 20-year-olds to join the militia, which required them to bear arms. Gun rights advocates raised this argument at the 11th Circuit, as welland they had good reason to think theyd prevail. After all, the court has a strong majority of Republican appointees. And after an unusually liberal three-judge panel upheld Floridas law in 2023, the full court swept away its decision, choosing to rehear the case en banc (with every judge participating). Typically, a rehearing en banc indicates that the full court disagrees with the panel decision. But that didnt happen here. Instead, the en banc court reached the same conclusion. And in the process, it provided vital new support and legitimacy for the legal basis behind these age restrictions nationwide.

Chief Judge Pryors majority opinion is so cogent and compelling that it almost makes you believe that courts can fairly apply the hopelessly unworkable history and tradition test. He began by recounting the gruesome facts of the Parkland massacre, vividly reminding readers of the horrors that precipitated the statutes enactment. From there, he explained that at the nations birth, a person was an infant or a minor in the eyes of the law until age 21an ancient rule of English law that the founders carried over to America. The Founders generation shared the view, Pryor wrote, that minors lacked the reason and judgment necessary to be trusted with legal rights, quoting Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Because of this lack of reason, minors were subject to the power of their parents until they reached age 21.

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In the 18th century, this legal incapacity deprived minors of the capacity to contract, and to purchase goods on account. They also generally had no income of their own, because their parents lay claim to any wages they earned for work. As a result, minors could not buy firearms themselves; they lacked both the legal right and the actual money to do so. When the Second Amendment was ratified in 1791, then, Americans ages 18 to 20 had no right to buy or possess a gun. So Floridas law, and others like it, are consistent with our historical tradition of firearm regulation.

But what about mandatory militia service for those under 21? Unlike other federal courts, Pryor took the time to canvass the historical record. And he found that states addressed the problem of providing minors the firearms necessary for militia service in different ways. Some exempted minors from the firearm requirement entirely. Others required parents of minors to acquire firearms for their militia service. Another group implicitly required parents to supply minors with firearms by subjecting them to fines if their children did not obtain weapons. As universal militia service faded in the 19th century, many states enacted outright bans on the sale or transfer of firearms to people under 21.

These laws held firm until deep into the 20th century, when most states embraced 18 as the new age of majority. But as Pryor explained, the federal right to keep and bear arms does not turn on a sliding scale defined by contemporary state law that varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. A state does not lose its constitutional authority to regulate minors access to firearms just because it gives 18-year-olds greater rights than they would have enjoyed at the Founding. To hold otherwise would mean importing into the Second Amendment an evolving standard of adulthood that is divorced from the text of the Amendment and from our regulatory tradition.

It is hard to overstate the significance of these words coming from the pen of a deeply conservative, dyed-in-the-wool Federalist Society stalwart like Pryor. He is arguably the most influential appeals court judge active today: Supreme Court justices regularly cite him by name, invoking his authority to bolster their own argumentsa rare honor reserved for marquee lower-court jurists. By embracing the constitutionality of Floridas law, he has instantly increased the odds that SCOTUS will say such age restrictions comply with the Second Amendment. Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, will take his opinion very seriously when they decide this issue. And they likely will soon, because there is a growing circuit split that the Supreme Court will feel obligated to resolve. (The 10th Circuit has also upheld an age ban.)

Thanks to Pryor, the justices now have exhaustive historical evidence that the Framers would have no objection to age limits on gun purchase or possession. It should not be a close call. Compared to the 11th Circuits decision, other courts opinions on this subject are half-baked and muddled, reliant upon dubious generalizations that gloss over key historical materials. History, in its messy complexity, does not always provide a single correct answer. But here, it does. And the odds just shot up that the Supreme Court will reach it.
A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

The issue du jour is deportations, but the question has been a constant of Donald Trumps presidencies: Is he acting within the Constitution?

In his first term, it came up repeatedly: When he tried to quash an FBI investigation; when his administration ignored subpoenas; and when he tried to stay in office after losing an election.

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Now, while Trump has said he wont defy the courts, he has also joined calls among his allies for US District Judge James Boasberg to be impeached.

Chief Justice John Roberts rebuked such calls, without naming Trump, and said that the appeals process, not impeachment, is the avenue to disagree with courts.

Read the latest CNN report.

One branch of government is on a collision course with another and the third, Congress, controlled by Republicans, has so far been compliant with Trump. Be prepared for more people to the term constitutional crisis.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was asked by CNNs Wolf Blitzer if the US is currently in a constitutional crisis.

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No one really knows, Breyer said. People have different views on that. And the best thing I think for the judges is you follow the law, you simply follow the law. And that is what they try to do.

He described the idea of Trump flouting court orders as a hypothetical for now.

As long as people are appealing, as long as people use the legal process as it is intended to be used, he said, adding, as long as they follow the traditions of 200 or more years, we wont have that hypothetical.

What is a constitutional crisis?

There is no set definition and no clear agreement about when the US actually enters a constitutional crisis.

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Generally speaking, the US system of government is built around the idea that three coequal branches of government place checks and balances on each other.

People generally use the term constitutional crisis to describe periods when institutions of government are clearly in conflict, law professors Sanford Levinson of the University of Texas and Jack Balkin of Yale wrote in 2009.

But they argued there has been promiscuous use of the term.

The mere existence of conflict, even profound conflict, cannot be the definition of crisis, they wrote. Government institutions are always in conflict.

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If one branch stops honoring checks completely, the system gets out of whack.

To me, where we get into real trouble is if there is open, willing defiance of a court order, said CNNs senior legal analyst Elie Honig, appearing Monday on CNN Max. People use this phrase constitutional crisis. I hesitate to use that phrase. But if we get into open defiance, then we are there.

Did Trumps administration ignore the court?

The Trump administration is not currently saying it has the authority to simply defy the court, but it seems to be flirting with the idea.

A district court judge can no more enjoin the expulsion of foreign terrorists to foreign soil than he can direct the movement of Air Force One, White House adviser Stephen Miller told CNNs Kasie Hunt in a contentious interview on her show The Arena on Monday.

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Look for more debate over the details of when the order was issued and whether the administration could have or should have turned the planes around.

What is supposed to happen?

If the administration disagrees with a court, it has recourse, said Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center for Justices Liberty and National Security Program.

The presidents remedy is to appeal, perhaps file an emergency appeal with the appellate court, but not to defy the order, she said, also on CNN Max. Thats what checks and balances mean. It means that the president cannot sit as the judge of his own actions.

Why isnt this a constitutional crisis?

The Berkeley Law professor John Yoo, who worked in the George W. Bush administration and has taken an expansive view of executive authority, wrote Monday that he does not think the US is currently in a constitutional crisis. Presidents are bound to come into conflict with courts and Congress, Yoo argued.

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I followed up by email asking Yoo what the term means to him.

I confess that I have no clear definition of a constitutional crisis, he said, adding that he does have clear ideas about what is not a constitutional crisis:

It cannot just be a disagreement over the meaning of the constitution. It cannot be just a fight between the branches of government.  Not only do we have these conflicts all the time, but the Framers designed the separation of powers  according to James Madison  to encourage the three branches to fight.

Yoo, currently a visiting scholar at the University of Texas at Austin, sees it differently, and told me claims of a constitutional crisis today are examples of the hyper-partisan policies of our time than any real assault on the Constitution.

Constitutional hardball

Levinson, who co-authored a 2009 paper trying to define a constitutional crisis, told me during Trumps first administration that crisis is built into the Constitution.

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Its the Constitution itself that constitutes a crisis, because it sets up this byzantine system of separation of powers we often refer to as checks and balances that turns into a ping pong game without a definite end to it, Levinson told me in 2019.

A very different Congress for Trump 2.0

I reached out to Levinson to ask how things have changed in the past six years.

Even if the US is not in the midst of a constitutional crisis, it is stuck in an era of constitutional hardball, which is the willingness to take advantage of every last legal possibility or legal technicality you try to score points for your political party, Levinson said. Thats certainly a culture were living in.

A major shift, however, has occurred in Congress at the outset of Trump 2.0, Levinson argued, pointing to the total and complete collapse of Congress as a genuine institution of governance.

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Even Republicans who might six years ago have opposed Trump on some issues, he said, have turned into what I think really is a cult of personality.

How those Republicans act if or when Trump actively ignores courts will be key.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the New York Times that the question of whether Trump defies courts is what wakes him up at 2, 3 in the morning.

I believe Republican senators, on this issue, will stand up, Schumer said of a handful of his colleagues on the other side of the aisle. About five or six have said publicly they will work to uphold the courts, and to uphold the law if Trump tries to break it. And we can do that legislatively if we have to.

That would be an example of lawmakers reasserting equilibrium.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

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DEL RIO, Texas (FOX 44)  A Bryan man has been sentenced in a Del Rio federal court to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.

According to court documents, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of an SUV traveling south on U.S. Route 377 on July 3, 2024. The driver, identified as 22-year-old Mark Anthony Sanchez, Jr., accompanied by 20-year-old Alexzander J.M. Bisbee, stopped the vehicle to let three undocumented noncitizens exit and run into the brush. As the agent approached the vehicle, Sanchez quickly accelerated and fled from the immigration stop. The agent returned to his vehicle and gave pursuit before ultimately terminating the pursuit for safety reasons.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) says Sanchez and Bisbee were later pulled over by the Sonora Police Department for speeding and ordered to exit the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle uncovered two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, including an AR-15style pistol. Agents canvassed the area, where the passengers were observed fleeing, and apprehended two of the undocumented noncitizens being transported by Sanchez and Bisbee.

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Man arrested, weapons seized at College Station night club

Bisbee admitted that an unindicted co-conspirator contacted him on Instagram and offered to pay him to transport undocumented noncitizens, and that he would be paid $2,000 per person. Bisbee was a convicted felon at the time of the offense, having previously been convicted of burglary of a building.

Bisbee pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024. Sanchez pleaded guilty to the same charge on December 18. His sentence hearing is scheduled for May 13.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
With a year to go until the 2026 primary election, Democratic Cook County officials are marking their territory.

County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Sheriff Tom Dart, Treasurer Maria Pappas and Assessor Fritz Kaegi have all declared or signaled they plan to run again.

Preckwinkle, who turned 78 Monday, announced her re-election bid to once again lead the board in an interview with Politico. Dart is hosting a re-election campaign kickoff and fundraiser next week. Kaegi sunk $500,000 into his campaign coffers earlier this month  filing a self-funding notice for next years primary  a reminder to any potential challengers of his deep pockets. Pappas didnt release a re-election announcement but simply told the Tribune, Im in.

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Pappas, Dart, and Preckwinkle have been in their roles since 1998, 2006 and 2010, respectively.

Many believed Preckwinkles current term would be her last, an assumption so baked in that preliminary jockeying among current members of the majority-Democratic board to succeed her had kicked off. But allies of Preckwinkle, who also chairs the countys Democratic Party, suggested she still had the energy and interest for another term. In a statement, she echoed another motivator allies have cited: maintaining a steady hand during the Trump presidency.

With a new administration at the helm in the federal government causing chaos and uncertainty, now is not the time to step aside from this important work. Now is the time to lead the fight to protect all residents of Cook County, she said in a statement.

Pre-slating, where countywide candidates introduce themselves to members of the party, will be held mid-April.

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Besides those countywide candidates, all 17 members of the Cook County board are up for re-election, as are judges, water reclamation district commissioners and two members of the countys Board of Review. Petition passing doesnt begin until Aug. 5, giving challengers plenty of time to bolster their bids.

Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele is widely rumored to be considering a run for assessor but has not yet publicly declared her intentions. If she runs for assessor, she would have to give up her board seat, which is also up in 2026 along with that of fellow commissioner George Cardenas. So far, Liz Nicholson, a Democratic fundraiser, has filed paperwork to run in Steeles district. Fellow commissioner Larry Rogers, who defeated a Kaegi-backed challenger last year, said he might run to unseat Kaegi next year, or help fund a candidate to challenge him.

Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, who won a special election to replace the late Karen Yarbrough last year, is also expected to run.

Though he has not made a formal declaration, either, Kaegi has filed paperwork with the state board of elections to run for a third term. In recent months, he has reminded taxpayers of their eligibility for property tax exemptions and pushed circuit breaker reforms in the General Assembly. Those reforms, in theory, would help low-income people pay fast-rising property tax bills, but Kaegi and allies dont have a way to pay for it yet.

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The $500,000 loan from Kaegi to his campaign brings his self-funding total to $5.6 million since he first ran for office in 2017, according to the Illinois Sunshine database.

I love this work. Im running for re-election because theres more work to be done. Making the Assessors Office fairer is a crucial part of maintaining the publics trust in local government. We need that now more than ever, Kaegi said in a statement.

In explaining her decision to go again, Pappas said she wanted to see through the publication of more brilliant studies from her property tax research team and talked about her desire to create an artificial intelligence unit. The treasurer is pursuing her own changes to the tax sale process in Springfield. The 75-year-old has also started a side hustle as a model signed with Lilys Talent Agency.

The only reason Im successful is Ive hired people much smarter than me, but I know how to run it, Pappas said Monday. Thats what a good executive does.
A public comment period on a proposed reservoir on Baynham Branch south of Joplin will remain open until Thursday, April 3, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Missouri American Water has announced plans to build an 828-acre reservoir in Newton County as a source of water for its customers in the Joplin area.

Currently, Missouri American gets most of its water for Joplin from Shoal Creek, supplemented by 10 wells that pump from the Ozark aquifer.

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The public comment letter, sent to people in and around the area who would be affected by the reservoir, says as the population in Jasper and Newton counties increases, existing water sources would not meet projected water demand during prolonged drought.

The project purpose is to provide a long-term water source for the city of Joplin and nearby communities to meet current and projected water supply demands, according to the letter. The proposed reservoir would have the potential to provide up to 20 million gallons per day for the Missouri American Water Company service area. The project involves construction of an earthen dam on Baynham Branch to create an 828-acre water supply reservoir with a maximum normal pool depth of 80 feet. Baynham Branch is an intermittent tributary to Shoal Creek within the Spring River watershed. The dam would be located 0.6 miles upstream from the confluence of Baynham Branch and Shoal Creek. The drainage area upstream of the reservoir site would be 15.7 square miles.

Reservoir construction would require relocation of existing roads and utility lines or closures and abandonment due to the inundation in the reservoirs footprint.

Missouri Americans senior director of external communications, Christie Barnhart, said the notice was mailed to people who would be affected by the proposed reservoir.

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One of those residents is Glenn Brown, a Newton County property owner who said studies he has paid for show the karst nature of the site will result in major leakage within the basin, which has several losing stream segments, and it would not be a workable site for the reservoir. Brown also said he thinks the reservoir will end up being an expensive failure that will require an expensive fix in the future and affect water rates for customers. The cost of the project has been put at more than $200 million.

However, Missouri American officials believe the site will work based on their own field analysis. In fact, the utility in 2021 previously noted: The investigations have not indicated what would be considered a fatal flaw in the project site.

Brown said that using a direct allocation from Stockton Lake, which the Corps approved earlier this year as an option, would be much better than building the reservoir.

Storage space in Stockton will now be reallocated to provide for drinking water and industrial water supply to communities that participate in the nonprofit Southwest Missouri Water, formerly the Tri-State Water Resource Coalition. Approximately 38 million gallons of water per day will be available from Stockton for members of Southwest Missouri Water, which also includes Carthage and Jasper County. Roddy Rogers, executive director of Southwest Missouri Water, said the allocation would provide over half of the projected available future supply to meet demand through 2060.

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Water for the reservoir would come from three possible sources: Baynham Branch itself, water that would be diverted into the reservoir via a pipeline from Shoal Creek during periods of high flows, and possibly water that could be pumped via pipeline into the reservoir from Stockton Lake.

Jay Woods, a communications specialist with the Corps office in Little Rock, Arkansas, said the Corps and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will work together on the permitting process.

People who want to comment can send an email to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at wpsc401cert@dnr.mo.gov or write the department at P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102.

People can view the entire Corps of Engineers public notice at https://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Public-Notices/Article/4099301/swl-2019-00034/.
WASHINGTON  Its not only that the Trump administration is firing government employees en masse, or trying to swallow up neighboring Canada, or squeezing Ukraine, a democratic nation fighting off Russias invasion.

For those in the crosshairs, no small part of the ordeal is the public humiliation theyve endured. The new administration has been rushing to execute its agenda and along the way has left a roadside trail of unsuspecting and, in some cases, helpless casualties.

In recent weeks, the world has seen images of federal workers leaving their building for the last time, tearfully clutching boxes with small plants and other belongings after abruptly learning theyre out of a job. Some of them were given just 15 minutes to clear out their desks.

Many USAID employees were given just 15 minutes to pack up their belongings from the agency's former headquarters.

Justice Department officials perceived to be not fully on board with the Trump agenda were escorted out of the building by law enforcement or security guards as if they had committed wrongdoing.

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Does he feel responsible for those whove been put out of work? NBC News asked President Donald Trump in an Oval Office appearance Wednesday.

After saying he felt very badly for them, Trump suggested that many are freeloaders who never showed up to work.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited into the Oval Office last month for a face-to-face meeting about the status of a peace deal. With cameras rolling, Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated their guest after he laid out how Russian President Vladimir Putin had broken past promises.

Youve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position, Trump said.

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Vance scolded him for not saying thank you once. (Zelenskyy twice thanked Trump in his opening remarks.)

As riveting as that press conference was, and jaw-dropping as it was, it was really unfortunate for Ukraine and for diplomacy generally in the way that heads of state behave, Marc Miller, Canadas minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, told NBC News in reference to Trump.

Then theres Millers country, or, in Trumps vision, Americas 51st state. Oh, Canada. A nation that fought beside the U.S. in wartime and sheltered stranded Americans after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is a nation in name only, Trump has suggested. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Trump said, To be honest with you, Canada only works as a state.

Pressing the point, Trump has taken to labeling Canadas erstwhile prime minister Governor Trudeau.

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Trumps supporters often liken him to a counterpuncher. Hit him and hell hit back. In this case, Justin Trudeau was already flat on the canvas, knocked out. Amid ebbing popularity, he announced his resignation Jan. 6, two weeks before Trumps inauguration. He left office for good Friday.

Trudeau wasnt so much counterpunched as sucker punched, as one Canadian official describes it.

His [Trumps] approach is abusive; its appalling, the Canadian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk freely. I dont think the president may be aware, but he is now becoming a despised figure in our country. The way he treated our prime minister is a disgrace. And I think everybody, partisanship aside, recognizes that.

"President Trump returned to Washington with a mandate from the American people to bring about unprecedented change in our federal government to uproot waste, fraud, and abuse," White House spokesman Harrison Fields said. "This isnt easy to do in a broken system entrenched in bureaucracy and bloat, but its a task long overdue. The personal circumstances of every American is top of mind for the President, which is why hes working to cut regulations, reshore jobs, lower taxes, and make government more efficient.

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A decade into Trumps presidential political career, American voters have surely concluded Trump is no Mr. Rogers. Indeed, that may be part of his appeal.

His pugnacity is a deal-breaker for some, a selling point for others who hope the same feral energy that built Trumps business and brand would, when harnessed on behalf of the U.S., improve their lives.

Howard Lutnick, Trumps commerce secretary, described Trumps methods as the reason Americans in some northern states wont be paying higher energy prices in the coming months.

In a showdown with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Trump had threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel from 25% to 50%, in response to Fords announcement that he would raise prices by 25% for electricity sold to Michigan, New York and Minnesota. (Ford, in turn, had imposed that surcharge in retaliation for Trumps tariffs on Canada.)

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The tit for tat ended with Ford dropping the surcharge and Trump scrapping the extra tariffs.

Speaking to CBS News last week, Lutnick said, I think that is the Thank God we have a president whos taking care of us. Because if you were in one of those states and you thought your energy prices were going to go up 25% and you said, Wheres the president? And all of a sudden he came down like thunder to make that end, youd say, Cool. Im glad thats the guy in the White House. And thats what weve got.

Still, the Trump administrations approach in his second term shows a degree of personal animus that seems more pronounced than in the last, diplomats and foreign policy analysts say.

Youve seen a different version of Trump in this administration, with probably less cares to give than in the first term, Canadas Miller said.

President Donald Trump chastised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he visited the White House recently.

Consider the escalating trade wars. Last week, Trump threatened to slap a 200% tariff on alcohol coming from the European Union in retaliation for a tariff it had imposed on American whiskey.

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It gets tough to follow the ball as it ping-pongs between continents, but the whiskey surcharge was Europes response to Americas tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Lutnick left little doubt about Trumps pique when he learned about the whiskey countermove.

The president was totally annoyed that the Europeans did this, and so youre going to hear back from someone who emotionally cares about America, he said on Bloomberg Television. He cares about America and he wants to take care of Americans.

Josh Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Councils GeoEconomic Center, said Trump is taking a punitive approach separate from any strategic effort to boost American jobs and wealth.

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Its actually about trying to punish another country and its different from the first term, Lipsky said. We did not see tariffs used really in that way  certainly not against a neighbor, but really against any country. Its the style of economic diplomacy thats really veering on economic coercion thats raising so many questions about the approach and the strategy.

Foreign governments have the wherewithal to fight back. Laid-off workers have little they can do on their own. Theyre largely reliant on public employee unions and the court system to reclaim their jobs and fight arbitrary firings.

As the Trump administration goes about shrinking the federal workforce, fired employees say the methods have been impersonal and dehumanizing.

Workers have been notified of their firings in late-night emails that, in some cases, dont even include their names. One employee at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received an email at 9 p.m. saying the person had been dismissed.

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The letter was addressed to [EmployeeFirstName] [EmployeeLastName].

Anthony Badial-Luna, 28, was fired from his job at the Education Department. An Air Force veteran, he had only been working at the department for a month. The letter notifying him of his dismissal said that based on your performance  you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest.

Having just started the job, Badial-Luna said his performance hadnt even been reviewed.

The performance thing was a lie, said Badial-Luna, a member of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 252. Two federal judges last week agreed on this point and ordered the Trump administration to reinstate the fired workers.

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An added insult was that the letter misidentified his position. A management and program analyst, Badial-Luna was told once in the letter that he was being removed from that position, and later that he was losing his job as an attorney adviser.

Shernice Mundell, also an Air Force veteran, was fired from her job at the Office of Personnel Management on Feb. 13.

Joining a 2:30 p.m. conference call, she said that she and other employees were told their jobs had been terminated and if they were working in the building, they had until 3 p.m. to gather their things and leave. Mundell said she didnt know the man who told her theyd been fired and he didnt introduce himself on the call.

Now she finds herself in a crowded job market, looking for a regular paycheck that will help cover her $1,200 monthly mortgage.

You go to LinkedIn and see a job you might be a good for but, its like 1,000 other people are all looking for the same job, said Mundell, 47, a member of AFGE Local 32. One-hundred people applied for the job in the last day. Its crazy.

It was just heartless, she said of her firing. Like were not even people. What we do is affecting everyday American citizens, and it didnt matter.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Child care worker Marci Then helps her daughter, Mila, 4, put away toys to get ready for circle time at the Little Learners Academy in Smithfield, R.I. A new study highlights the high cost of child care. (Elaine S. Povich/Stateline)

The cost of child care now exceeds the price of college tuition in 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to a new analysis conducted by the Economic Policy Institute.

The left-leaning think tank, based in Washington, D.C., used 2023 federal and nonprofit data to compare the monthly cost of infant child care to that of tuition at public colleges. In North Dakota, infant care costs $12,373 a year, 25% more than in-state tuition at a public four-year college, the analysis shows.

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The tally increased five states since the pandemic began. EPIs last analysis relied on 2020 data, which showed child care costs outstripped college costs in 33 states and Washington, D.C., said EPI spokesperson Nick Kauzlarich.

The organization released a state-by-state guide this month showing the escalating cost of child care. Average costs range from $521 per month in Mississippi to as much as $1,893 per month in Washington, D.C., for households with one 4-year-old child, EPI found.

In North Dakota, the average cost child care cost for households with a 4-year-old child was $873 a month, the report found.

The analysis also found child care costs have exceeded rent prices in 17 states and the District of Columbia. In North Dakota, infant care costs 5.5% more than the average rent, according to the report.

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EPI leaders said child care is unaffordable for working families across the country, but especially for low-wage workers, including those who provide child care.

This isnt inevitable  it is a policy choice, Katherine deCourcy, EPI research assistant, said in a news release. Federal and state policymakers can and should act to make child care more affordable, and ensure that child care workers can afford the same quality of care for their own children.

The organization highlighted New Mexico as a case study on the growing challenge facing families.

There, the average annual cost of infant care exceeds $14,000  or nearly $1,200 a month, the group said. Care for a 4-year-old costs nearly $10,000 per year  or over $800 a month.

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While experts often consider housing as a familys single largest expense, EPI found New Mexicos annual infant care costs outpace rent by over 10%. Child care is out of reach for about 90% of New Mexico residents, according to the federal governments definition of affordability, which is no more than 7% of a familys income.

Advocates often call for universal preschool programs as a way to provide quality, free child care. EPI noted a 2022 constitutional amendment approved by New Mexico voters guaranteeing a right to early childhood education. That created an annual fund of about $150 million to help subsidize early childhood programs.

New Mexicos investments mark an important step toward affordable child care, but investments like this are needed across the country, EPI argued in a Wednesday blog post.

Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.
The former downtown library near Century II could become the Wichita Police Departments new headquarters.

At least, thats the idea floated by Wichita Mayor Lily Wu at her first State of the City address Sunday night.

That would restore a great public asset with a civic use and put officers closer to a critical part of our city, Wu said in her speech at the former library at 223 S. Main.

But she didnt stop there.

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She suggested that once the move is complete, Sedgwick County government could occupy the three floors the department now uses in City Hall.

The county has been looking for a new, more permanent office space since it moved out of the Sedgwick County Courthouse and into the Ruffin building downtown.

In addition to saving taxpayer money, moving the county into city hall aligns nicely with the goal of shared services, improving government efficiency, fostering stronger collaboration and easier coordination between city and county departments, Wu said.

The two governments have been in talks to consolidate several services in the past year in an attempt to cut down on spending and reduce property taxes.

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Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Howell, who attended Sundays speech, was not supportive of the mayors idea.

This is the front door of our city. This is a beautiful building, Howell said. Im not sure that a police headquarters, in my opinion, is the most welcoming thing you see. My personal opinion is thats just not the right fit.

I know the conversations out there, but you know what? Weve been looking for a building now for a better part of a decade, and I think were getting closer and closer to finding some solutions that are, in my opinion, probably less expensive than the idea that was floated today.

Wu did not say what renovations would be needed for the building or how much her plan could cost.

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On Monday, Sedgwick County Manager Tom Stolz confirmed that there has been some talk about the county moving into City Hall. Its among options the county is considering, but only if space is freed up at the city building.

Ive not had discussions with city management on this, but we have politically talked over here, Stolz said. Ive talked with commissioners about this to some degree, so I dont think anyone was surprised when the mayor put it out there.

We wait for the will of the people now. I wait for the commission to get me direction on how they how they want this analyzed and studied.

Celeste Racette, an outspoken advocate for renovating the former library, and Century II nearby, was not supportive of the departments move into the building.

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Heres what I would suggest, and even when I ran for mayor, is Visit Wichita pays over $350,000 a year to rent that space in Waterwalk. Why are we paying that rent? Racette said. Lets move Visit Wichita in here as one of the ground tenants.

Police Chief Joe Sullivan, who also attended the mayors speech, said he was not surprised by the mayors suggestion to move the department into the former library.

Theres been some discussion, but theres been discussion about various potential uses for this, Sullivan said. So we trust in council to evaluate all those and decide [which] one is in the best interest of the city.

The city has issued two requests for proposals for the former library, but has not accepted any bids that have come from those.

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The building was most recently used as a COVID-19 vaccination center in 2021.

The library building, which was built in 1967 and closed to the public in 2018, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered a unique example of Brutalist architecture.

The mayors speech

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu gives the State of the City address to a large crowd gathered at the former downtown library.

Before her speech Sunday night, Wu was a special guest at the Wichita Police and Fire Foundations benefit reception, which was also held in the former library.

She announced during her speech that she would donate all of the raise she would receive this year  about $5,000  to the foundation.

Wu tried to reject the raise during a council meeting in December, but was shut down by the city council, who also received the same 4% raise.

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Last year, Wu made $125,970.

You may recall, one of my campaign promises was to not accept a salary increase, she said. Unfortunately, I was prevented from rejecting a raise. But one way or another, I keep my promises.

Wu highlighted a number of issues in her speech, including crime, homelessness, street infrastructure, and economic development.

Most people simply want to feel safe, drive on decent streets, have access to clean drinking water, and live in a community suitable for attracting more opportunities, Wu said.

Much of her speech also highlighted promises she made on the campaign trail.

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Ive championed increased transparency, challenged city bureaucracy, prioritized public safety, and opposed wasteful spending and tax increases, she said. Ive kept my word and will continue to stand on principle for the people of Wichita.

Members of the Sunflower State Animal Guardians held signs at the entrance he former downtown Wichita library where Wichita Mayor Lily Wu gave the State of the City address on Sunday evening.

Before her speech, several protesters with Sunflower State Animal Guardians stood outside with signs of dogs and cats inside the citys animal shelter.

The group said theres been a steep increase in the euthanasia rate at the shelter, and that the mayor has not been responding to their inquiries.

For over a decade, we were considered no-kill. That means less than 10%, and so since mid 2023, in less than six months, they went from a no-kill to a high kill facility, Diana Tedlock said.

Wu did not comment on the protest or animal shelter in her speech.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 17. A fresh flight path has taken to the skies between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, linking Bishkek and Khujand in a new chapter of travel, Trend reports the administration of the Sughd region.

The inaugural flight took to the skies thanks to Asman Airlines from Kyrgyzstan. The launch of the route is set to pave the way for a flourishing partnership in economic, tourism, and cultural cooperation between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, in keeping with the handshake agreements made by the two countries' leadersTajik President Emomali Rahmon and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.

The fresh air connection between Bishkek and Khujand is set to bolster economic bonds and boost tourism, paving the way for new opportunities for both nations.

Furthermore, as of March 14, the Tajik aviation entity Somon Air has reinstated its operational schedule for the Dushanbe-Bishkek air route.

In a prior engagement, President Emomali Rahmon articulated the reinstatement of these aviation operations amidst his diplomatic mission to Kyrgyzstan. In the course of the diplomatic engagement, the heads of state from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan executed a bilateral accord pertaining to the delineation of the international boundary between their respective sovereign territories.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
MISSOURI  A Missouri lawmaker called for making St. Louis, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County the 51st state during a debate last week regarding the state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police.

State Rep. Michael Burton, D-Lakeshire, suggested the city and two counties secede from the state and directed his argument at the Republican side of the chamber, stating, We subsidize your counties.

30-mile EF2 tornado ripped through St. Louis County, across state lines

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Maybe we can just keep all that tax revenue in St. Louis, and can you imagine how great St. Louis would be if we just kept our own tax dollars? Burton said in a video posted by our partners at the Post-Dispatch.

According to the Post-Dispatch, Burton has not officially filed legislation regarding his proposal, but said hes asked the House staff to put something together that would allegedly make St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County the 51st state of the U.S.

I agree with President Trump. Maybe we should have a 51st state. I just dont think it should be Canada, Burton said while on the House floor.

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This is not the first time a city or rural area has proposed seceding from their states. An Indiana House committee has advanced a bill that would adopt several Illinois counties that have proposed seceding from the state.

Illinois voters who support the proposal argue that Chicago and Cook County hold a large sway in policies that do not align with their priorities as rural residents.

According to the 2020 census, the three jurisdictions made up about 27% of the states population and would currently rank 40th among all states population-wise.

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Note: Video above is from January 15



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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  A New Mexico court granted a temporary restraining order Monday against the release of certain records related to the investigation into the recent deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

The order is in response to a request by Julia Peters, a representative for the couple's estate. She urged in a motion filed last week that the court seal records in the case to protect the familys right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Peters emphasized the possibly shocking nature of photographs and video in the investigation and potential for their dissemination by media.

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A hearing has been scheduled for later this month to argue the merits of the request. For now, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and the state Office of the Medical Investigator cannot release photographs and videos showing the couples bodies or the interior of their home, autopsy reports or death investigation reports.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home in late February. Authorities have confirmed that Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimers disease about a week after hantavirus pulmonary syndrome  a rare, rodent-borne disease  took the life of his wife.

The request to seal the records notes that the couple placed a significant value on their privacy and took affirmative vigilant steps to safeguard their privacy over their lifetime, including after they moved to Santa Fe and Hackman retired. The state capital is known as a refuge for celebrities, artists and authors.

The personal representative seeks to continue to preserve the privacy of the Hackmans following their tragic death and support the family's constitutional right to remembrance and desire to grieve in peace, the document states.

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New Mexicos open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of people who are deceased. Experts also say that some medical information is not considered public record under the state Inspection of Public Records Act.

Still, the bulk of death investigations by law enforcement and autopsy reports by medical investigators are typically considered public records under state law in the spirit of ensuring government transparency and accountability.

Privacy likely will play a role as well as the couple's estate gets settled. According to probate court documents filed earlier this month, Hackman signed an updated will in 2005 leaving his estate to his wife while the will she signed that same year directed her estate to him in the event of her death. With both of them dying, management of the estate is in the hands of Peters, a Santa Fe-based attorney and trust manager.

A request is pending to appoint a trustee who can administer assets in two trusts associated with the estate. Without trust documents being made public, it's unclear who the beneficiaries are and how the assets will be divided.

Attorneys who specialize in estate planning in New Mexico say it's possible more details could come out if there were any legal disputes over the assets. Even then, they said, the parties likely would ask the court to seal the documents to maintain privacy.
The suspect shot by police after an armed robbery of a Covington bank last month pointed a toy gun disguised in black tape at officers, Kenton County prosecutor Rob Sanders said Monday.

Charles Davis, 62, of Covington, was shot by two officers shortly after a robbery at the U.S. Bank on the 600 block of Madison Avenue on Feb. 28.

A 911 call from a bank employee told police the suspect had a gun and a can of gasoline during the robbery around 3 pm. that day and had threatened to set the bank on fire.

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In body camera and security footage from the shooting, Covington Officer Wade Webster is seen being flagged down by an employee at the nearby Hotel Covington before finding Davis in an alley less than a block from the bank.

Davis was walking down the alley, dropping money from the bank that had just been robbed. Webster and another officer, Phouthakone Homphothichak, tell Davis multiple times to put his hands up as he stands with the toy gun in his hand.

Webster fires nine shots at Davis and he collapses, dropping the toy to the ground. Seconds later, he gets up and goes to grab the toy again. Webster fires two more shots at him, but Davis is able to grab the toy and hold Webster at what seems like gunpoint. Webster advances toward Davis, trying to wrestle the toy away from him as he resists. Homphothichak fires one shot just inches from Davis' chest and he falls back, dropping the toy.

Covington Police recovered a toy gun from the scene that Davis is seen brandishing at officers during the shooting.

Officers began rendering aid to Davis, cutting off his shirt and using tourniquets to stop the bleeding until more help could arrive, Sanders said.

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Davis was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries and has since been released.

Prosecutor Sanders declined to press charges against the officers who shot Davis, saying Monday they were justified in shooting him because his toy was modified to hide the fact it was not actually a gun.

"I've got to say if I was ever faced with someone pointing a gun at me like Officer Webster was having a gun pointed at him, they could count on me firing back at them as well," Sanders said.

The decision comes after Kentucky State Police investigated the shooting, a common but not required practice in Kentucky for shootings involving police officers.

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No other injuries were reported during the robbery and subsequent shooting, authorities said.

Davis is accused of stealing $883 from the bank during the robbery, according to an indictment in Covington federal court. His bank robbery charges are being handled by the FBI and no additional charges are expected for pointing a toy gun at officers, Sanders said.

Davis remains in custody at the Campbell County jail.

This story was updated to add information from the Monday news conference.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Covington police shooting: Suspect pointed toy gun at officers
The John C. Cox homestead was recognized Monday with the unveiling of a new storyboard sign installed near the end of the property's driveway to provide information about its significance in Joplin's heritage.

The Joplin Celebrations Commission, a group of residents formed by the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, began installing storyboards three years ago to tell stories of key points of history and events in Joplin, a town that found its future in early lead and zinc mining and associated industries.

The Joplin Celebrations Commission is led by Brad Belk, community historian, and Patrick Tuttle, director of the Joplin Conventions and Visitors Bureau.

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Tuttle said several other Heritage Trail storyboards commissioned by the celebrations group can be found in Landreth Park and Spiva Park and in East Town.

Metal signs had been placed on some historic properties in the 1960s to 1980s, but Tuttle said they are being replaced with the storyboards because they did not give enough information about why the locations or people named on them were important in Joplin's history.

Joplin author and retired Missouri Southern State University department chair Chad Stebbins said Cox is regarded as the father of Joplin. Cox, a pioneer, named the community around his homestead in what today is the East Town neighborhood in honor of a preacher who became his friend, the Rev. Harris G. Joplin. Joplin was a settler in 1839 and founded the first Methodist church in the town that was incorporated in his name.

Cox was born in 1811 in North Carolina and moved with his family to Tennessee, Stebbins said. In 1838, Cox and his wife, along with the couple's 15-year-son and Cox's mother, came to Jasper County by wagon and settled here, Stebbins said. Cox held many positions to develop the rural area. He established the first post office at his home, which then was called Blytheville, and was the first postmaster. He was the county surveyor, justice of the peace and the first judge.

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History attributes the first lead strike occurring on the Cox property in about 1849, Stebbins said.

"The Civil War a decade later kind of brought that to a halt," Stebbins said of mining efforts. A cemetery was built there in 1849, and Cox's mother was the first interred there. The cemetery still exists with burials of the immediate Cox family and other early visitors, settlers and some of the later residents of the original Joplin township, which is now known as the East Town neighborhood.

The foundation for the Cox home, 619 E. Persimmon Ave., was built at the time the Civil War broke out.

"He and his family had to flee to Neosho during the Civil War because of all the raiding parties that were coming through this area," Stebbins said of the Cox family. They returned from Neosho in 1867, after the war; he finished the house then.

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Michael Apfel is one of the Cox descendants who attended Monday's ceremony. He is the son of the late Ron and Mindy Apfel, who inherited and lived on the property for years.

"Just to be part of a place that your family was involved in the founding and the initial growth and development of the area, that is inspiring and very humbling," Michael said.

"We always celebrated great-great-grandpa Cox and Sarah (his wife). We used to do a tour of the cemetery. It was lots of fun and fascinating" to learn about what took place on the homestead.

During the Civil War, while the Cox family was relocated, the site served as a hospital for soldiers, some of whom were buried in the cemetery on the property, Apfel said.

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Asked how it feels to see the expansion of the community started by his great-great-grandfather, Apfel said: "You can't take any credit for what the people here have done in the time since. But it is a thrill to see a community thrive and come back from a horrible, horrible disaster and the spirit that still remains here," Apfel said, referring to the 2011 tornado.

"As a kid, I rode my bike all over the city, and there was a real sense of belonging and sense of self as a boy and still, even though those years are long gone. It's just a wonderful, wonderful feeling."

What words would Cox have today about what he started here?

"Probably 'Please don't mention my name,'" his descendant said. "He was an extremely humble man. Despite his very public works, he was very, very quiet, and a very humble man. He would have taken a page from Dickens: 'God bless us, every one.'"
This is James Heriot territory, once every bit a rural idyll. But down an unassuming, potholed lane towards Busby Stoop Farm near Thirsk in North Yorkshire, a mass extermination is underway.

Its bad isnt it?, says a local woman of the vile sour smell that fills the air. Another adds: no media allowed here.

At least 39,000 turkeys were culled here late last week, after cases of the highly infectious H5N1 bird flu virus were detected on site.

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They were whole house gassed with a mix of nitrogen and carbon dioxide and strict biosecurity measures are in place in a 10km radius around the farm.

Two other farms nearby have also had to exterminate infected flocks, and there are now Bird Flu Control Zone signs everywhere.

The Yorkshire turkeys are the latest victims of a global mass culling of domesticated birds.

A map showing the protection and surveillance zones implemented in North Yorkshire - NFU

Although scarcely reported, 500 million birds have been killed on thousands of farms around the world as authorities rush to try and slow the virus.

In the UK, over three million birds have been culled on nearly 300 farms in the last three years, costing the taxpayer 42m in compensation payments to farmers in 2022 alone.

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In the US, where 166m birds have been culled, egg prices have jumped by 50 per cent and are projected to hit $10 a dozen by Christmas.

Such is the impact on household finances, even Donald Trump is taking notice.

While H5N1 has been around since the late 1990s, its evolution over the past two years has triggered a global crisis in farming. It has ravaged wild bird populations, jumping to poultry, cattle and fur farms. Farm cats, dogs and mice have been infected, along with over 70 farmworkers.

Avian influenza kills entire flocks of birds and causes devastating losses for the farming sector, Dr Keith Hamilton, Head of the World Organisation for Animal Health Preparedness and Resilience Department, said last year.

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Once H5N1 is detected in a flock of birds, it spreads like wildfire  and is lethal to 90 per cent of the animals it infects.

Meat and eggs from infected birds are banned from entering the food chain, resulting in huge losses for farmers and industry.

In the UK, US, and Europe, culling has become the main method of controlling the virus and preventing it from jumping to humans but it costs farms  and taxpayers  dearly.

James Herriot on his farm in Yorkshire in 1995 - Julian Calder/Shutterstock

In the US, where bird flu has infected over a thousand major poultry farms in the last year, 27 million egg-laying hens  about nine per cent of the nations egg-laying flock  have been killed in the last two months alone.

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The US Department for Agriculture has paid roughly $400 million in compensation to farmers since January, and $1.1 billion since 2021.

Such is the scale of the problem, that grocery stores like Trader Joes are now restricting their customers egg purchases, while some restaurants have removed egg-based dishes from their menus.

Trumps secretary of agriculture, Brooke Rollins, said last week she is considering importing half a billion eggs from Turkey to meet demand.

In Britain, the situation is similarly grim, although less well reported.

In the last four months, 35 poultry farms in England have been ordered to cull their flocks to control H5N1 outbreaks, resulting in the deaths of 1.8 million chickens and turkeys.

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Egg prices are up here too, rising 20 per cent since January from around 1.40 to 1.80 for a half a dozen, according to The Grocer magazine.

A screengrab from a video shows a mass culling on an Italian poultry farm

In Britain, if a farm suspects H5N1  which is typically spread to poultry via the droppings of wild birds like waterfowl and shorebirds  it is legally required to notify the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the agency responsible for animal biosecurity.

The virus has telltale signs: birds develop swollen heads, twisted necks, breathing difficulties, body swelling, discoloured droppings, dragging legs, and loss of consciousness.

Most birds die within a day or two.

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Failure to notify the authorities can result in an unlimited fine and a six-month prison sentence.

After notification, government officials from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are deployed within 24 hours to carry out laboratory testing.

In the meantime, the farm is put into lockdown  no birds, equipment, or farm vehicles are allowed to come or go.

If the test results confirm H5N1, a culling or depopulation order is issued.

Huge financial implication bird flu

Even if only a small portion of birds are sick, the entire flock will be destroyed. Farmers are compensated for the great bulk of birds destroyed, with compensation payments averaging 160,000 per farm.

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But many argue they should be paid more, because compensation is based on the value of any healthy birds that must be culled to contain the virus and does not include the birds that have already died or are sick with it.

The financial implication of avian influenza is huge, and the emotional strain on affected farmers and their families is devastating, with many now forced to reconsider their future, James Mottershead, the National Farmers Union poultry board chair, told Poultry Weekly.

There are several methods used in culling, which in Britain is carried out by government contractors.

One method  heavily criticised by animal rights activists  is known as ventilation shutdown, and is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to kill hundreds of thousands of birds at a time.

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It involves sealing off vents that keep the air in a packed poultry shed cool, causing the temperature to rise rapidly.

Over the course of around three hours, temperatures climb to around 70 degrees celsius  a consequence of the body heat produced by thousands of tightly packed birds  so that their core body temperature soars to a fatal level.

There are several methods used in culling, which in Britain is carried out by government contractors - Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Research shows birds killed in this way experience anxiety, fear and pain.

Ventilation shutdown has never been used in the UK, although can legally be authorised as a last resort on a case-by-case basis by DEFRA.

It is regularly used in H5N1 outbreaks on US farms, however.

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In March 2022, one of the worlds largest egg farms, Rembrandt Enterprises in Iowa, used ventilation shutdown to kill 5.3 million chickens after it detected an avian influenza case.

Workers on the farm described it as roasting the animals alive.

In Britain, most infected birds are culled via whole house gassing. As the name suggests, the building housing the birds is sealed off and filled with gas  usually a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen  reducing oxygen to minimal levels and killing the birds within half an hour.

Because the animals fall unconscious well before they die, it is considered a more humane method of putting them down.

But its main advantage is the protection of human health  no one needs to handle the live birds themselves.

Vaccinated birds can still become infected and transmit the virus to other birds, mammals, and humans - GAIZKA IROZ/AFP via Getty Images

For smaller flocks, DEFRA recommends the use of special gassing units.

These are portable machines, designed to stun and kill batches of poultry by exposing them to a mixture of carbon dioxide and argon.

It works much like whole house gassing; the birds are placed into metal gas chambers, that then fill with a gas mixture that flushes out the oxygen.

Livetec, a company which DEFRA contracts to carry out cullings across the UK, offer three sizes of portable gassing units.

The largest can process 9,000-10,000kg of birds per hour  equivalent to around 6,000 birds. The smallest processes around 80, suited to small batches of backyard poultry like house-kept chickens.

Our industry-leading, gas-based stunning systems provide a cost effective, scalable and rapid solution for high welfare on-site depletion or depopulation, reads Livetecs product guide.

Farmers, animal rights groups, and trade unions have battled for years to stop mass culling, instead arguing that vaccinating birds against H5N1 would spare them  and the animals  unnecessary pain.

Though there are avian flu vaccines that have been licenced for use in poultry, the UK has never authorised their deployment.

DEFRA says that while vaccination may reduce poultry mortality, vaccinated birds can still become infected, shed virus, and transmit the virus to other vaccinated and unvaccinated birds, mammals, and humans.

This could result in a vaccinated flock being infected without detection as well as potentially creating a false sense of security, resulting in a possible relaxation of biosecurity and vigilance, further undermining the combined effectiveness of all measures to control the disease, the agency has said.

Turkeys in North Yorkshire have been the latest victims of a global mass culling of domesticated birds - Julie Fryer Images/Alamy Stock Photo

For this reason, several countries, including the UK and most of Europe, place high import barriers and checks on poultry and poultry products from countries that vaccinate their chickens.

But some countries have, successfully, pivoted away from culling in favour of vaccines.

A handful of countries in which avian influenza is endemic, including China, Egypt and Vietnam, already routinely vaccinate poultry against it.

In October 2023, France became the first large poultry exporter to introduce H5N1 vaccines for birds  specifically ducks  after millions of birds were wiped out in successive bird flu outbreaks.

In response, the US and Canada banned imports of French ducks and duck products.

Both countries lifted their embargoes this January, however, after French authorities convinced trading partners that they had nearly eradicated the virus from their duck population.

Since the introduction of vaccination, there have been just 10 H5N1 outbreaks in France, compared to over 400 in 2023.

The Trump administration is now also considering deploying a mass vaccination campaign in US poultry, although Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said publicly in an interview with Fox News last week that he opposed the decision.

Back in Thirsk, where there was once a chorus of clucking, there is now silence.

A series of low, drab green warehouses  once home to thousands of turkeys  now lie empty. Their carcases have been incinerated at a government-run disposal site to eliminate any trace of the bird flu virus.

The area has seen trouble before. Busby Stoop Farm occupies land that was used by Bomber Command in World War Two.

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.  A St. Charles County mans flirting at the Saint Louis Galleria ultimately led to his arrest for allegedly breaking into cars and stealing credit and debit cards.

According to the Maryland Heights Police Departments probable cause statement, the thefts occurred on May 31 and June 8, 2023, at Creve Coeur Lake and Creve Coeur Park, respectively.

In the first incident, police met with the victims, who said they parked their 2015 Toyota Corolla with the windows cracked. When they returned to the vehicle, they found the drivers side window had been pushed down and their credit and debit cards had been stolen, along with other items. The window was knocked off its operating track and damaged.

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Officers learned one of the stolen credit cards was used at the Macys and Finish Line stores at the Galleria. Police spoke with an employee at Finish Line, who said the man using the card had flirted with her and gave her his phone number. She also remembered the man had a distinctive tattoo on his neck. Police reviewed security surveillance video and identified the suspect.

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In the latter theft, the victim told police someone entered her vehicle by pushing down a cracked window, damaging the window and causing it to become stuck. She said her Macbook Air and credit cards had been stolen, along with cash. The stolen cards were used at Neiman Marcus, Saks 5th Avenue, Gucci, Schnucks, and Target.

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The victims coworker had a dashcam in their vehicle, which showed the theft as it happened, police said. Officers also reviewed surveillance footage from the stores where the credit cards were used and confirmed the individual was the same person who committed the earlier theft.

Investigators eventually identified the suspect as Anthony L. Jackson Jr. (age not provided).

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Jackson with two counts of stealing, two counts of first-degree property damage, and one count of stealing  $750 or more. Jackson was issued a criminal summons to appear in court on Monday, April 21.

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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 17. Russia continues to be one of the key trade and economic partners for Tajikistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Moscow, Trend reports.

Russia stands as a pivotal and paramount economic ally within the trade landscape of Tajikistan. Our bilateral engagement is evolving, with last fiscal year witnessing a trade volume escalation exceeding seven percent, culminating in an approximate valuation of $1.6 billion. Furthermore, a total of 80 administrative divisions within the Russian Federation have forged collaborative alliances with the provinces of Tajikistan," Putin stated.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on Sunday did not address directly whether she would support Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in a hypothetical primary challenge against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in 2028, saying instead there might not even be elections at the time.

Thats four years from now, Crockett told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union when asked whether she would support such a primary challenge.

If you were asking me, at least in two years, then I would have an absolute answer, she continued. But I can tell you that there are a lot of people that are watching his leadership in this moment. This is the moment.

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We dont even know what elections will look like in four years, if we will have elections, she added.

Crockett  who, along with Ocasio-Cortez, has emerged as a young star in the Democratic Party in recent years  said there might be an appetite for fresher candidates when the 2028 election comes along.

I definitely think that younger, fresher leadership may be something that many of us  not just depending on what part of the spectrum youre on  but many Americans may be looking for it, especially in the state of New York, she added.

Schumer has come under fierce scrutiny by some in his party over his decision not to block a GOP-led continuing resolution to extend government funding by six months.

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Talk of Ocasio-Cortez potentially challenging Schumer for his Senate seat has circulated since before Schumer was reelected to the Senate in 2022.

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BUDONG-BUDONG, Indonesia (AP)  Nearly seven months after a crocodile attack almost took her life, Munirpa walked to the estuary outside her home with her husband and her children, ready to brave a reenactment.

Munirpa, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, recounted how one early morning in August, she threw her household garbage into a creek about 50 meters (164 feet) away from her house, as she normally would.

She didn't see what was coming next.

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By the time she realized a crocodile had attacked her, the four-meter-long (13-foot) beast had already sunk its teeth into most of her body, sparing only her head. She fought hard, trying to jab its eyes. Her husband, hearing her screams, ran over and tried to pull her by the thigh out of the crocodile's jaws. A tug-of-war ensued; the reptile whipped him with its tail. Fortunately, he saved Munirpa in time, eventually dragging her out of the crocodile's grip.

People have long feared the ancient predators in the Central Mamuju district of Indonesias West Sulawesi, where the Budong-Budong River meets the sea. For Munirpa, 48, that fear turned into a brutal reality when she became one of nearly 180 recorded crocodile attack victims in Indonesia last year. Residents like her are learning to coexist with the crocodiles, a legally protected species in Indonesia, as they balance conservation with looking out for their safety. But as attacks rise, several residents and experts have called for better government interventions to stop the problem from getting even worse.

Communities near the crocodiles are on edge

Following the attack, Munirpa was hospitalized for a month and has had two surgeries. By February this year, her fear was still clearly visible, as were the scars on her legs and thighs.

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I am so scared. I dont want to go to the beach. Even to the back of the house, I dont dare to go," said Munirpa. I am traumatized. I asked my children not to go to the river, or to the backyard, or go fishing."

In the villages surrounding the Budong-Budong River, like Munirpa's, crocodiles have become a daily topic of conversation. Their presence has become so common that warning signs now mark the areas where they lurk, from the river mouth to the waterways which were once a popular swimming spot for children.

In 2024, there were 179 crocodile attacks in Indonesia, the highest number of crocodile attacks in the world, with 92 fatalities, according to CrocAttack, an independent database. Social media videos showing crocodile appearances and attacks in Sulawesi and other regions in Indonesia are also on the rise.

The increase in attacks began about 12 years ago with the rise of palm oil plantations around the river mouth, said 39-year-old crocodile handler Rusli Paraili. Some companies carved artificial waterways, linking them to the larger part of the Budong-Budong River. That was when the crocodiles started straying, leaving the river and creeping to nearby residential areas, such as fish and shrimp ponds, he explained.

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Palm oil plantations now dominate the landscape in West Sulawesi, from the mountains to the coast, and patrolling for crocodiles has become part of people's daily routine. When residents check the water pumps in their ponds, they have no choice but to keep out an eye for the beasts  flashlights in hand, scouring up, down and across canals and waterways  resigned to the uneasy reality of sharing their home with a predator.

Balancing conservation and safety

The saltwater crocodile has been a legally protected species in Indonesia since 1999, making it an animal that cannot be hunted freely. As a top predator, there is also no population control in nature.

Paraili, the crocodile handler, said that while the law protects crocodiles from being killed, the rise in attacks is a major concern. In response, he's taken care of some of the crocs in a specially-designed farm away from human populations. He's received some financial support from the government and community donations, as well as support from palm oil companies for the last five years.

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The farm has four ponds and around 50 reptiles. Some have names: Tanker, the largest, shaped like a ship, or Karossa, named after the sub-district the animal was caught after fatally attacking someone.

When funds run low, he uses his own money to ensure theyre fed, at least once every four days.

Amir Hamidy, who studies reptiles at the National Research and Innovation Agency, worries the rise in attacks indicates that crocodile numbers are becoming far too dangerous. Hamidy supports better population control.

Being a protected species does not necessarily mean that the population cannot be reduced when it is at a level that is indeed unsafe," he said.

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Improving protection for residents

Around a year ago in Tumbu village, Suardi, who goes by one name, was harvesting coconuts when they fell into the river. When he went to retrieve them, he was attacked by a crocodile he initially didn't notice. He's since made a full recovery.

Still, the experience has made him more cautious. Yes, I am worried. But what else can we do," Suardi said. The important thing is that we are careful enough.

Along with Munirpa, Suardi is one of 10 people in the region who was attacked by a crocodile last year. Three of those attacked were killed.

Suyuti Marzuki, who's head of West Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency, said the crocodile habitat shift is making people's everyday activities  like harvesting coconuts, fishing or even disposing of garbage like Munirpa  very risky.

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Marzuki said the government is looking at possible options that can provide both safety and economic alternatives for residents.

While he acknowledged that crocodile population numbers and ecosystems need to be protected, Marzuki also raised the possibility of bolstering the local economy through the crocodile skin trade. That industry is controversial because of conservation and animal welfare issues.

Paraili, the crocodile handler, also urged serious government interventions.

"This is a matter of human lives. So when the government is not serious, then our brothers and sisters in the future  in 5 or 15 years  there will be even more who will die from being attacked by crocodiles, he said.

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Residents like Munirpa and Suardi are waiting for more immediate and realistic steps from the authorities to ensure their community's and families' safety.

It is enough that I've been bitten by a crocodile," Munirpa said. I wont let it happen to my children.

___

The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org
Crude oil prices jumped to their highest levels since 4 March following US military strikes on Yemens Houthi group at the Red Sea over the weekend.

During the early Asian session, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures at NYNEX rose as much as 1.5% to $68.19 per barrel, and the Brent futures at ICE jumped 1.42% to $71.58 per barrel before pulling back. The natural gas futures price also climbed nearly 1% to $4.14 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) during the same time frame.

Additionally, China announced a special plan to boost domestic consumption, alongside a slew of positive economic data, adding to the demand optimism. Chinas retail sales rose 4% in the first two months of this year, accelerating from a 3.7% increase in December.

Houthi resumes Red Sea attacks

The Red Sea and the Suez Canal are vital routes for oil and gas shipments between Europe, Asia, and North America. In late 2023, the Iran-backed Houthi group, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the United States, launched attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, following Israels retaliation against Hamas in Gaza. The Red Sea unrest had previously caused a surge in energy shipping costs, as oil and gas cargo shipments were forced to take longer routes. Last week, the group said it would resume attacks after the six-week ceasefire in Gaza as Israel halted all humanitarian aid.

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On Saturday, US President Donald Trump ordered military attacks on Houthi militia sites in Yemen in response to disruptions in shipping routes. He posted on the Truth Social that attacks on American vessels will not be tolerated. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US military strikes will be unrelenting until Houthis stops military attacks, during an interview on Fox News.

Crude prices rebound from multi-year lows

Earlier this month, crude prices fell to their lowest levels since November 2021 last week due to darkened economic outlooks amid an escalating global trade war. The ceasefire talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine have also sparked concerns about a return of Russias production.

In February, China imposed 10% levies on crude oil and 15% on liquified natural gas (LNG) from the US in response to Trumps tariffs. Last week, Trump proceeded with a 10% tariff on Canadian oil. Meanwhile, the OPEC+ decided to start hiking its production by 138,000 barrels per day in April. These factors contributed to a plunge in crude prices, with both benchmarks experiencing sharp declinesBrent down 16% and WTI down 18% since mid-January.

Last week, crude prices rebounded from their respective multi-year lows on news that the US will tighten sanctions on Iran. Iran accounts for 24% of the Middle Easts oil reserves and 12% of global reserves, according to the EIA. Its oil exports have increased since 2022, following Russias invasion of Ukraine, with current supply reaching 1.5 million barrels per day, or 1.4% of global production.

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Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin demands changes to the US ceasefire deal, also diminishing hopes for an immediate truce in the Ukraine war. A weakened US dollar and a potential oversold technical signal may have also supported the rebound.

However, analysts expect the rebound in oil prices to be capped by economic concerns. Lingering uncertainty over U.S. trade policy and mounting concerns about the economic outlook are capping risk appetite, limiting oils upside, said Dilin Wu, a research analyst at Pepperstone.

Oil supply to outpace demand in 2025

However, the International Energy Agency warned last week that global oil supply could exceed demand by approximately 600,000 barrels per day in 2025, due to record production in the US and weakened demand amid rising global trade tensions, despite growing demand in China.

US inventory data showed weekly stockpiles increased for six out of seven weeks since mid-January. Crude inventories rose by 1.45 million barrels in the week ending 7 March, following a 3.6 million build in the previous week. The US crude oil field production steadied at a near-record high of 13.58 million barrels per day in early March.
Mayoral candidate and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo used heavy-handed tactics and secretiveness with Big Apple officials as the city struggled to contain the deadly COVID pandemic, a scathing new study says.

Ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio also gets dinged in the report, which was issued by several city agencies that analyzed New York Citys handling of the health crisis  and which specifically criticized the toxic relationship between him and Cuomo.

Coordination challenges between Governor Cuomos and Mayor de Blasios administrations impeded City-State collaboration and contributed to duplicative work, inconsistent recommendations, and a loss of trust from New Yorkers, says the COVID-19 Response Review Report covering January 2020 to July 2022 and obtained by The Post.

Then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo used heavy handed tactics and secrecy when dealing with de Blasio administration officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report. Stephen Yang

The analysis was prepared by city agencies  notably the Health Department, Office of Emergency Management and Health+Hospitals  serving under Cuomos now-mayoral foe, Hizzoner Eric Adams.

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Cuomo was accused in the report of big-footing City Hall and unnecessarily micro-managing the citys response.

The Cuomo administration was reluctant to share data with the City and often refused to give advance warning of policy changes and new directives, the study said.

For example, in March 2020, the state restricted the citys access to its Health Emergency Response Data System (HERDS), which tracks hospital capacity across New York state, though the city historically had regular access.

This limited the Citys insight into hospital impacts and hindered its ability to support the NYC healthcare system, the report said.

COVID-19 testing at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens on April 6, 2020. Dennis A. Clark

Don Weiss, the former longtime surveillance director for the city Health Department, said state Health Department officials he worked with for years told him they werent supposed to share information.

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It was because of the pissing contest between Cuomo and de Blasio. It was ludicrous, he said.

A former state official said Cuomos strong dislike of de Blasio certainly was an issue but that officials in Albany and City Hall still found creative ways to quietly work together despite the chill between the two power brokers.

State officials were also slow to release critical pandemic-related guidance, the report said  resulting in the city either releasing its own guidance or policy which would later be superseded by the state.

Refrigerated trucks for victims of COVID kept in Brooklyn on May 9, 2020. RICHARD HARBUS

The confusion significantly impacted healthcare operations early in the pandemic, the report said.

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The disharmony spilled over into the crucial COVID-19 vaccine distribution period, the findings said.

The city obtained its COVID-19 vaccine supply directly from the federal Centers for Disease Control, as it had other vaccines.

But unlike previous vaccine campaigns, state approval was required for the citys vaccine allocation and the Big Apples distribution plan each week, which created an additional bureaucratic layer, the report said.

The coordination challenges between Cuomo and de Blasio led to a loss of trust among New Yorkers, the COVID-19 Response Review Report found. John Roca

A former state official who requested anonymity said Albany micro-managed the citys vaccination program.

The study also pointed to state and city guidance contradictions as creating serious issues.

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De Blasio publicly announced plans to close schools and non-essential businesses because of a COVID-19 surge in parts of Brooklyn and Queens in October 2020.

But Cuomo, who had the authority to impose such measures, rejected the mayors plan and announced his own geographical areas and closures for the city to enforce, the report said.

Bronx state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, chairman of the New York Senates Health Committee, said Cuomos big-footing everybody was one of the reasons he voted against legislation giving the governor emergency powers without reporting back to the legislature.

Hes an abusive bully, said Rivera, a Democrat along with Cuomo and Adams.

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Cuomo defended his oversight of the pandemic in the city as governor.

Feeble attempts to rewrite history now  five years later  in the midst of a political campaign are as ineffective as they are disingenuous, the former governors spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, told The Post. New Yorkers know what happened because they were there with us every step of the way.

Decisions were made and communicated in real time as the facts on the ground kept changing and lines of communication with local governments, including the city, were open to the largest extent practical.

The Cuomo rep said a strong state presence was needed to aid the city.

De Blasio and Mayor Eric Adams at the COVID-19 Five Year Remembrance event in Elmhurst on March 14, 2025. Paul Martinka

Whats forgotten here is that the entire reason a uniform hospital system was set up in the first place was because Elmhurst, a city-run hospital, nearly collapsed and there was no plan from the city to redirect patients, Azzopardi said.

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The city needed a manager then, and it does now. This was a once-in-a century pandemic and one would think any objective retrospective would be devoid of politics or political campaigns.

But Gustavo also claimed Cuomo blocked vaccine clinics from opening his district to spite him, potentially triggering more deaths from COVID-19.

The Cuomo campaign fired back with a list of five vaccination sites in the northwest Bronx in 2021.

Gustavo is a liar. The facts are the facts, Azzopardi said.

Hes trying to block and tackle for his [Democratic Socialists of America] buddies.
By Lili Bayer

BRUSSELS/PRAGUE (Reuters) -EU powers said on Monday they would try to save Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - the U.S.-funded news outlet set up to reach people under communism during the Cold War - but warned they might struggle to replace funding cut by Donald Trump.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky urged EU ministers at a meeting in Brussels to consider ways to allow the Prague-based service to continue to provide news coverage in countries where free media is banned or in its infancy.

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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Radio Free Europe "a beacon of democracy" and said it was sad that the U.S. had decided to cut its funding. She said ministers had agreed to look at what the EU could do to help but it would not be easy.

"Can we come in with our funding to ... fill the void that U.S. is leaving? The answer to that question is ... not automatically, because we have a lot of organisations who are coming with the same request to us," she told reporters.

"But there was really a push from the foreign ministers to discuss this and find the way, so this is the tasking to our side, to see what can we do."

Touted by U.S. President Trump as a move to cut back on federal bureaucracy, the U.S. Agency for Global Media over the weekend terminated grants to RFE/RL, which broadcasts to Iran, Russia, Belarus and war-torn Ukraine among other countries.

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RFE/RL journalists kept working on Monday with stories appearing on its website.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in a statement over the weekend that the cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys grant agreement "would be a massive gift to America's enemies".

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Monday "we will look at what can be done" to assist both Radio Free Europe and Voice of America, where more than 1,300 employees were placed on leave on Saturday.

Trump also signed an executive order on Friday aimed at gutting the parent of U.S. government-funded media outlet Voice of America and six other federal agencies, shortly after his government cancelled more than 80% of all the programmes at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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Trump ally Elon Musk called for RFE/RL to be shut down in a post on X last month, saying "it's just radical left crazy people talking to themselves".

(Reporting by Lili Bayer, Andrew Gray and Geert De Clercq, writing by Krisztina Than and Jason Hovet, editing by Andrew Gray, Timothy Heritage, Ed Osmond and Andrew Heavens)
The Beltway media thumbed its nose at President Donald Trump on Sunday.

In a subtle dig, reporters at the annual Gridiron Club dinnerwhich brings together prominent members of the Washington, D.C. press corps each yearbroke with a 140-year-old tradition by declining to toast the sitting president. Instead, journalists raised their glasses in support of press freedom.

A toast to the First Amendment, said Gridiron President Judy Woodruff, a former anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour, according to the Washington Post.

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The gesture of rebuke comes after White House officials themselves broke with tradition. Each year, the press toasts the president, and the president or vice president closes the event with a speech.

President Joe Biden departs the Grand Hyatt Hotel following the annual Gridiron Dinner in 2024. / Tom Brenner / REUTERS

Trump and Vice President VD Vance declined to attend, as did White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Communications Director Steven Cheung, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Nobody went because either we were busy working or we just dont care to be recognized by that crowd, a White House official told Politico after the dinner.

Simmering tensions became even more visible at one point in the evening.

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One of the nights speakers, Democrat Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, joked about the Trump administrations ties with Russia.

If I actually wanted to be president, I wouldnt do any of this, he said. Instead, I would take my case directly to the people who are in charge of our democracy, the Kremlin.

In response to Moores jab, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll walked out in protest.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Organizers of the event further improvised to cap off the dinner.

To close the eveningwhen the sitting President usually speakswe showed video and audio excerpts of the past four Republican presidents, starting with President Trump in 2018," Woodruff told Politico. These demonstrated the good humor and fellowship this dinner is all about.

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Trump did attend the Gridiron Club dinner in 2018, showering the journalists in attendance with praisea sign of how much his relationship with the press has soured since.

I dont get to say it often, but you have some incredible, brilliant, powerful, smart and fair people in the press, he said, thanking attendees for the work they do to support and sustain our democracy.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Monday on the Daily 8, were looking at a deadly shooting in Parchment, a warning about why you might hear gunshots in Grand Rapids, how bad West Michigans air quality was this weekend and more.

You can watch the full Daily 8 for March 17, 2025, in the video player above or check out any of the stories mentioned below:

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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.
U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn meets with prospective voters at a Big Red Keno in west Lincoln on Oct. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Former Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn has expanded his options for a next possible run for office to a seat in the U.S. Senate or House or a bid for the Governors Mansion.

Osborn told the Examiner he is now considering running in eastern Nebraskas 1st Congressional District against Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, in addition to weighing a House bid he had previously discussed against Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in the Omaha-based 2nd District.

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Osborn is also considering two statewide bids, one for Senate against U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. and another for governor against Gov. Jim Pillen, as he mentioned last month to the Omaha World-Herald.

Many variables to consider, Osborn told the Examiner.

Fischer race raised profile

Osborn, a steamfitter and former Omaha union leader, made national headlines with his populist style of politics, as his 2024 campaign against U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., turned an expected safe seat to a potential upset. He lost by about 6 percentage points.

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb, addresses a business forum in Ashland as, from left, Sen. Pete Ricketts, Rep. Adrian Smith, Rep. Mike Flood and Rep. Don Bacon listen. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

After the race, he launched a political action committee to support working-class candidates and get more plumbers, carpenters, teachers, nurses and factory workers to run for office.

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His former opponent, Fischer, and national Republicans long alleged that many of the millions that poured into Osborns labor-led 2024 campaign came from Democrats and Democratic-leaning donors.

Osborn denied ties to any party, though he acknowledged having previously pursued the endorsements of Nebraska Democrats and third parties. Fischer and Nebraska Republicans said they felt vindicated late in the race, when Senate Democrats main super PAC dropped more than $3.8 million into an outside group supporting Osborn. Many Democrats kept the independent at arms length until the final days of the campaign.

2nd District race might be crowded

A potentially crowded 2nd District race could be why Osborn is looking beyond the Omaha-area House race. Local and National Democrats have told Osborn, a populist nonpartisan, that he would have to become a Democrat if he wanted to run and win in the 2nd District. National Democratic donors often target the 2nd District as a potential pickup from Republicans and want a Democrat to compete.

The Nebraska Democratic Party told the Examiner earlier this month that while we respect Dan and look forward to building a true alliance with him and independent voters to end the Republican stranglehold on our state, the party would announce a 2nd District candidate soon.

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It is our job to build the Democratic Party, and we are focused on doing that while creating alliances with candidates like Dan when it is the best path for Nebraskans, said Jane Kleeb, the state party chair.

Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb addresses a crowd of more than 40 Democrats gathered to hear then-second gentleman Doug Emhoff speak. To her right is 1st District Democratic House candidate State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

Osborn, speaking recently with his former campaign manager on the Dan Parsons Show podcast, discussed the challenges of competing in a potential three-way race in the 2nd District. He said it would be his brand of politics versus the incumbent Bacon and a potential Democratic candidate.

Ultimately, would a three-way race be winnable with an independent? Osborn asked.

Osborn said on the podcast that nonpartisan or independent candidates typically play a spoiler role, which is something he doesnt want to do. He said he doesnt want to run or get into office just for the sake of it.

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I want to make a difference, Osborn said This is what keeps me up at night.

GOP in charge

Republicans have almost completely dominated Americas heartland, a region once known for its prairie progressivism.

If Osborn were able to unseat any of Nebraskas federal delegation, it would be first time a non-Republican had represented Nebraska in Congress since Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford upset Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Terry in the 2nd District in 2014. The last non-Republican governor was Ben Nelson in the late 1990s.

Osborn didnt respond to a reporters question about a timeline for when he would make a decision. He had told the World-Herald he would decide by early March.

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A political spokesperson for Flood and Ricketts had no immediate comment on Osborn but said that she has never seen someone office shop so much.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is playing a crucial role in Uzbekistans ambitious $250 million program to transition toward a low-carbon, resilient, and inclusive economy, AIIB's Chief Investment Officer Konstantin Limitovskiy told Trend.

Konstantin Limitovskiy outlined the expected milestones and indicators that will be used to evaluate the progress of the program, which targets the development of low-carbon solutions in sectors such as energy, transport, and e-mobility. The program is designed to support Uzbekistans transition to a low-carbon economy, fostering reforms in energy, transport, and climate resilience.

"A major indicator will be the adoption and implementation of the National Climate Policy and the Climate Change Gender Action Plan (CCGAP), integrating climate-focused measures into national planning, budgeting, and public investment management. Strengthening climate and sustainability risk disclosures for state-owned enterprises will also be critical, ensuring that public sector entities factor climate risks into decision-making processes," he said.

According to him, the improved governance and monitoring mechanisms - such as climate-responsive regulations - will be tracked to assess the programs effectiveness in driving resilience and sustainability.

"Sector-specific milestones will include policy reforms enabling Uzbekistan to meet its target of generating 54 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, alongside measures to enhance energy efficiency and transition the transport sector to low-carbon mobility. The integration of gender considerations in climate adaptation policies, particularly in agriculture and urban transport, will be another key metric," Konstantin Limitovskiy noted.

He emphasized that AIIB will work closely with Uzbekistan and other stakeholders to ensure these institutional reforms lead to tangible outcomes supporting the countrys long-term climate and economic priorities.
Ivan Hansen, a retired Danish police officer, loaded up his basket at the supermarket, carefully checking each product to avoid buying anything made in the United States. No more Coca-Cola, no more California Zinfandel wine or almonds.

The 67-year-old said it's the only way he knows to protest U.S. President Donald Trump's policies. He's furious about Trump's threat to seize the Danish territory of Greenland, but it's not just that. There are also the threats to take control of the Panama Canal and Gaza. And Trump's relationship with Elon Musk, who has far-right ties and made what many interpreted as a straight-armed Nazi salute.

On his recent shopping trip, Hansen returned home with dates from Iran. It shocked him to realize that he now perceives the United States as a greater threat than Iran.

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Trump really looks like a bully who tries in every way to intimidate, threaten others to get his way," he told The Associated Press. I will fight against that kind of thing.

A growing boycott movement across Europe

Hansen is just one supporter of a growing movement across Europe and Canada to boycott U.S. products. People are joining Facebook groups where they exchange ideas about how to avoid U.S. products and find alternatives. Feelings are especially strong across the Nordic region  and very possibly strongest in Denmark given Trump's threats to seize Greenland.

Google trends showed a spike in searches for the term Boycott USA, and Boycott America, as Trump announced new tariffs, with the top regions including Denmark, Canada and France. At the same time, a global backslash is also building against Tesla as the brand becomes tied to Trump, with plunging sales in Europe and Canada. In Germany, police were investigating after four Teslas were set on fire Friday.

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Elsebeth Pedersen, who lives in Faaborg on the Danish island of Funen, just bought a car and made a point of not even looking at U.S.-made options.

Before Elon Musk started to act like a maniac a Tesla could have been an option. And maybe a Ford, she said.

French entrepreneur Romain Roy said his solar panel firm has bought a new Tesla fleet each year since 2021 but canceled its order for another 15 to take a stand against Musk's and Trumps policies.

Describing the United States as a country closing in on itself, he cited Trumps withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and Musks arm gestures. He said he was instead buying European models, even though it would cost an additional 150,000 euros ($164,000).

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Individual consumers, society, our countries, Europe must react, he told broadcaster Sud Radio.

Responding to consumer demand, Denmarks largest supermarket chain, the Salling Group, created a star-shaped label this month to mark European-made goods sold in its stores. CEO Anders Hagh said it's not a boycott, but a response to consumers demanding a way to easily avoid American products.

Our stores will continue to have brands on the shelves from all over the world, and it will always be up to customers to choose. The new label is only an additional service for customers who want to buy goods with European labels, he said in a LinkedIn post.

I have never seen Danes so upset

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For Bo Albertus, "when Trump went on television and said he would by political force or military force take a piece of the Danish kingdom, it was just too much for me.

The 57-year-old said he felt powerless and had to do something. He has given up Pepsi, Colgate toothpaste, Heinz ketchup and California wine, and replaced them with European products.

He is now an administrator of the Danish Facebook page Boykot varer fra USA (Boycott goods from the U.S.), which has swelled to over 80,000 members.

Drink more champagne, one user posted after Trump threatened 200% tariffs on EU wine and Champagne.

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Albertus, a school principal, told the AP he really misses the strong taste of Colgate. But he's been pleasantly surprised at finding a cola replacement that is half the price of Pepsi.

Trump's policies have brought the Danish Viking blood boiling, said Jens Olsen, an electrician and carpenter. He is now considering replacing $10,000 worth of U.S.-made DeWalt power tools even though it will cost him a lot.

He has already found European replacements for an American popcorn brand and California-made Lagunitas IPA beer, which he calls the best in the world.

Ive visited the brewery several times, but now I dont buy it anymore, he said. He has mixed feelings because he is a dual Danish-U.S. citizen, and has spent a lot of time in the United States. But he can't contain his anger.

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Im 66 years old and I have never seen the Danes so upset before, he said.

Michael Ramgil Sthr has canceled a fall trip to the U.S. and is among many choosing to buy Danish instead of American-made, though he cannot pinpoint the exact moment he made the decision.

Maybe it was when (Trump) announced to the world press that he intended to take Greenland and the Panama Canal, and if necessary by military force. That and the gangster-like behavior towards the Ukrainian president in the White House, the 53-year-old Copenhagen resident said.

The man is deadly dangerous and is already costing lives in the developing world and Ukraine, added Sthr, who works helping disabled war veterans, many of whom got injured serving alongside U.S. troops in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. He himself served in Bosnia.

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Rising anger in France, too

Edouard Roussez, a farmer from northern France, launched an online group, Boycott USA, Buy French and European! that in just two weeks has attracted over 20,000 members on Facebook.

Roussez believes a boycott of U.S. companies is a good way to express opposition to Trumps policies, especially the commercial and ideological war he believes Trump is waging against Europe.

First of all, these are the companies that financed Donald Trumps campaign, he said on state-owned LCP television channel. Im thinking of Airbnb, Im thinking of Uber, Im thinking of Tesla of course.

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The irony of it all? The group is on Facebook. Roussez said only the American online social media platform gave him the reach he needed. But he's working to migrate the group to other platforms with no U.S. funding or capital.

As for any impact on U.S. export profits or policymaking, that's unlikely, said Olof Johansson Stenman, a professor of economics at the University of Gothenburg.

The boycott could have a psychological effect on Americans who see the scale of anger, but some may also say, We dont like these Europeans anyway, Stenman said.

Some choices are harder than others

Simon Madsen, 54, who lives in the Danish city of Horsens with his wife and 13-year-old twins, says the family has given up Pringles, Oreos and Pepsi Max. Not so hard, really.

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But now they're discussing doing without Netflix, and that is a step too far for the kids.

He also wonders whether he should keep buying Danish-made Anthon Berg chocolate marzipan bars, which are made with American almonds.

It's important, he said, for people to use the power of the purse to pressure companies to change.

Its the only weapon weve got, he said.

____

AP writers Stefanie Dazio in Berlin, John Leicester and Samuel Petrequin in Paris, and Laurie Kellman in London contributed.
DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A 32-year-old Darlington County man remains in jail after allegedly choking his girlfriend until she became unconscious, a report said.

Darlington police charged Andy Stevens Bramlette with attempted murder, kidnapping and unlawful conduct toward a child after the incident. He is being held without bond at the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center.

Officers went to a residence on Friday and found the woman outside crying and very upset, a report said. After coming out of the home, Brameltte told police that they had not been arguing that day.

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He later acknowledged that they had argued on Thursday after he went through her phone because he thought she had been cheating on him, a report said. He said it was not physical and that they talked afterward and everything was OK.

According to arrest warrants, Bramlette pinned the woman to the floor, put both of his hands around her neck and yelled, You gonna die today, you gonna die today. Bye, bye. The incident happened with a young child nearby.

Officers arrested Bramlette after watching a video of the incident that the report said was sent by the woman to another person.

* * *

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.

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From its emergence, Make America Great Again has doubled as a nostalgic call to action and a promise for a dramatic course correction. Its proponents vow to rectify the wrongdoings of successive political generations: to reclaim a set of American principles that the alleged villains of the leftist elite have either corrupted, forgotten, or willingly abandoned.

Many who dreaded the unprincipled, brutish chaos of Trump & Co. nevertheless acknowledged the existence of the issues he shouted about. Even if he described them with typical unmeasured vulgarity, Trump wasnt wrong to identify a southern border dysfunctional enough to no longer resemble a border, an abandonment of common sense in favor of a professed sensitivity to ever more obscure identity groups, and an illiberal policing of thought and language in leading cultural and even medical institutions. The left tacitly justified its overreach by fixating on the incorrigible sins of America, often listed from seats of cultural privilege by those who most benefit from Americas virtues.

There were, in other words, some issues to be dealt with, some balance to be redressed, some pendulum that needed to begin its oppositional swing. For many American voters, the Democratic leadership refused to sufficiently name the scale of the problem, either because they were unwilling to implicate themselves in its creation, or because they were unwilling to run afoul of the set-menu orthodoxy on immigration, race, gender, and history that their own fringe demanded.

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Some tentatively hoped that even with Trump at the helm, MAGAs diagnosis of voters discontentwhich Democrats still couldnt get a handle onwas at least broadly accurate enough to lead to some positive changes. At this point in the administrations tenure, however, such hope recedes and a grimmer reality appears. Its most unsettling feature is not Trump being Trumphis rashness, instability, and torching of norms are all playing out as promisedbut the fact that a movement built on decrying the existential threat of leftist activism expects us to believe that unchecked activism from its own side will somehow produce different results.

In other words, countering the excesses of the left with the same excesses on the right dooms those on the political right to repeat, rather than correct, the follies of their opponents.

Take DEI. A well-intentioned goal of greater access for minorities in an increasingly diverse country animated the DEI mission within the Democratic Party. But subsequent manifestations of the ideology in cultural institutions and schools destroyed faith in the project, as unpopular racial preferencing took precedence over meritocracy, and a commitment to a highly politicized anti-racist agenda was mandated to the detriment of other civil liberties, such as freedom of speech or conscience.

Bidens executive order to advance an ambitious, whole-of-government equity agenda exposed Democrats to the charge of granting the government too much power over a nebulous issue that arguably involved an attempt at thought control. The new equity agenda represented a departure from a civil rights-era commitment to equality of opportunity, in which meritocracythe content of ones character, if you likecounted more than skin color or group identity in determining outcomes.

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In his countermove, Trump could have scrapped the federal DEI program on the grounds that unpopular activist agendas have no place in government. Instead, he harnessed the same overreach of federal power for his own activist agenda, not only shutting down DEI programs in the government, but creating a list of private companies to pursue for theirs. If voters hoped for a check on a leftward ideology that surveilled federal employees for latent signs of racism, Trump has delivered its mirror image: a ban of DEI that encourages a McCarthy-style purge of the old ideology and vows to excise references to DEI  principles, under whatever name they may appear, raising the same alarm bells over freedom of speech and conscience that DEI did.

The MAGA campaign promised an end to the broader climate of woke, better characterized by political philosopher John Gray as hyper-liberal ideology. One of the critiques of this ideology was its virtue-signalling policy rhetoric, which promised justice, but when carried through often worsened the causes it claimed to champion. Federal and corporate DEI workshops can actually make people more racist, for example. Bidens student debt forgiveness promised to ensure higher-education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity, when in fact, between 69 and 73 percent of the debt forgiven accrues to households in the top 60 percent of the income distribution. The COVID school closures advocated by left-leaning teachers unions and Democratic states disproportionately affected poor students and students of color, while it became taboo in progressive circles to question them at all.

In these and other issues like gender activism and defund the police, rhetoric from progressive Democrats alienated their previous working-class voters and made them the party of the elitism they purported to topple. This is partly because to understand and advance hyperliberal ideology requires access to money, education and networks. The loudest voices pushing niche identity politics were likely several degrees of insulation away from the poverty and crime that actually beleaguered people.

For Gray, this is where hyperliberalism departs from more focused historical activism that sought to end class inequality. Once questions of identity become central in politics, he writes, conflicts of economic interests can be disregarded. Many of the lefts rallying cries, in other words, involved minimal real sacrifice from the privileged. They could believe they were justice-warriors who championed the poor while remaining almost entirely in the realm of discourse, rather than substantially parting from their own time, money, or status.

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Trumps MAGA campaign promised an end to such reality-estranged identity politics. But so far, weve only seen a different set of elite, out-of-touch billionaires cravenly insert their own identity-based shibboleths in place of their opponents mantras. Left or right, these are still the politics of identity, and they still deflect from the issues that face voters on the ground, while encouraging toxic, irrational tribalism on both sides of the aisle.

A post-Biden administration could have called out the hypocrisy of an elite-educated class who could fiscally and culturally afford to prioritize policies language and political coding over their efficacy or appeal. Instead, Trump has used the same playbook: shouting loudly to signal to his base that he will deliver radical justice for them, while neglecting pesky little details of whether or not the policies will actually work for the groups hes speaking to.

Brazen economic moves like tariffs may signal a grand shakeup to Americans who feel forgotten or disadvantaged by the globalized economy, but they are likely to only hurt American consumers by raising the prices of goods and services across the country. Meanwhile, the DOGE chainsaw anticswhat Paul Krugman calls austerity theaterhas so far succeeded only in making government less effective and has little chance of cutting federal spending in a meaningful way. The fact that the man holding the chainsaw is the literal richest in the world and likely invulnerable to any catastrophic fallout of his actions smacks of the same hypocrisy of those who rallied to defund the police from the safety of their affluent gated neighborhoods.

If much of the justice-signaling by the privileged left was virtue theatera performance both untethered to and masquerading real issuesTrumps circus show is no better. Queers for Palestine contains no more irony than the party of evangelical Christians bending a knee toward a ketamine-fueled father of (reportedly) 14 children by four different mothers, or celebrating the return of the misogynist Tate brothers from Romania, where they picked up charges of human trafficking, rape, and money laundering.

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Another breaking point was the far lefts moral confusion in the immediate wake of Hamas October 7 attack on Israel. Widespread campus protests and subsequent congressional hearings exposed disturbing antisemitic trends on the left: either the outright celebration of murder and rape under the guise of resistance or the quiet reluctance to name the event for what it was, regardless of preexistent geopolitical issues in the region: terrorist slaughter. Sam Harris, speaking of students at the most prestigious and historic universities in the country, wondered in 2024: Were you one of these imbeciles who couldnt figure out who the bad guys were on October 7th?

How are bad guys faring now? Promising to restore common sense to American culture would surely mean a new era of moral clarity when it comes to foreign adversaries. Instead, Trump and his administration have contorted themselves into the same ethical backbends that made children and elderly peaceniks in kibbutzim, at least to some Americans on the left, the villains on the day of their own slaughter. Now, the villains for some on the right are the legions of besieged, raped, and dead Ukrainians and their president, Volodymyr Zelensky, whom Trump calls a dictator and who he claims started the war with Putins Russia.

At the heart of the hypocrisy lies that uncanny resemblance between the two political poles. The writer Andrew Sullivan describes MAGAs governing tactics in terms often associated with hyperliberals at the height of woke. For both the critical theorists on the far left and the post-fact MAGA brigade, truth is fundamentally unfixed and can therefore be contorted to meet the needs of todays narrative or tomorrows explanation. Critical Trump Theory, Sullivan writes, is unfalsifiable, irrational, and seeks to replace objective reality with Trumps lived experience so that, in the end, only his power remains.

The promise was common sense. The delivery is an inversion of truth and morality. In the case of Ukraine, this not only deserts an ally and desecrates American credibility on the world stage; it heralds a dangerous split with Western allies and a departure from a liberal Western worldview.

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The mistake was ever hoping that actual historic American valuesthe checks and balances, individualism, distrust of centralized power, and inherent governmental restraint embedded in the classical liberalism that shaped the American Constitutionoccupied any space in the MAGA promise. Some Trump champions have cheaply invoked the revolutionary nature of Americas founding as a justification for the insurrectionary chaos of its administration. But the careful, discerning spirit of the American Revolution, not to mention the self-knowledge of the Founders, finds no place in the MAGA movement.

The 18th century American Revolution grounded itself in the cautious notion that, as John Adams warned, absolute power intoxicates alike despots, monarchs, aristocrats, and democrats. Yet we still see this intoxication play out today, as both left and right succumb to the seductive thrill of illiberal power.

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March 17 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1762, New York City staged its first parade honoring the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It was led by Irish soldiers serving in the British army. In 2002, President George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to take part in the event, more than six months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the city.

In 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. The Boston area marks Evacuation Day along with its St. Patrick's Day parade each year.

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In 1901, 71 paintings by the late Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh were shown at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris and caused a sensation across the art world.

File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

On March 17, 1974, the oil-producing Arab countries agreed to lift a five-month embargo on petroleum sales to the United States. File Photo by Warren K. Leffler/U.S. Library of Congress

In 1917, Russia appeared headed toward a republic following the end of the 300-year-old rule of the Romanoff family.

In 1958, the U.S. Navy launched the satellite Vanguard 1 into orbit around Earth.

Participants march on the parade route at the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City on March 17, 2017. On March 17, 1762, New York City staged its first parade honoring the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India.

File Photo by John Eggitt/UPI

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President Nelson Mandela casts his vote in the second all-race democratic elections in Johannesburg, South Africa, June 2 1999. On March 17, 1992, South African whites, by a margin of 68.7 percent to 31.2 percent, voted to end minority rule. File Photo by Debbie Yazbek/UPI

In 1969, Golda Meir, a 70-year-old former Milwaukee schoolteacher, was elected first female prime minister of Israel.

In 1974, the oil-producing Arab countries agreed to lift a five-month embargo on petroleum sales to the United States. The embargo, during which gasoline prices soared 300%, was in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel during the October 1973 Middle East War.

U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shakes hands with outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir on May 2, 1974. On March 17, 1969, Meir, a 70-year-old former Milwaukee schoolteacher, was elected first female prime minister of Israel. UPI File Photo

In 1990, Lithuania rejected the Soviet Union's ultimatum to renounce its declaration of independence a week prior. The Soviets implemented sanctions against Lithuania and conducted a military operation in 1991 before other Soviet republics eventually declared their independence.

In 1992, South African Whites, by a margin of 68.7% to 31.2%, voted to end minority rule. Nelson Mandela was elected two years later as the first president in a fully representative democratic election.

Proponents of a free Lithuania gather on Capitol Hill on June 2, 1990, to urge freedom for the Baltic state. On March 17, 1990, Lithuania rejected the Soviet Union's ultimatum to renounce its declaration of independence a week prior. File Photo by Richard Tomkins/UPI

In 2003, as war with Iraq seemed a certainty, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave the country. The ultimatum was rejected.

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In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin won a fifth term in office, making him the longest-serving leader of the country in about two centuries. A Russian election watchdog called the election unconstitutional.

President George W. Bush speaks to the world from the Oval Office on March 19, 2003, announcing the start of the war against Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Two days earlier, the president gave Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq, an ultimatum that was rejected. File Photo by Alex Wong/UPI
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A Dayton woman has pleaded guilty to felony theft and fraud charges related to stealing $1.5 million from Medicaid.

Janay Corbitt, 36, pleaded guilty to theft (2nd-degree felony) and three counts of identity theft (3rd-degree).

Her 2024 arrest and indictment came five years after a 2019 conviction for theft also related to Medicaid.

Her luck has run out, said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Kudos to our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for bringing this scheme to light.

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An investigation by Yosts office discovered that Corbitt had stolen multiple identities in order to run two fraudulent behavioral-health-counseling agencies.

Corbitt also stole and used IDs of counselors to bilk Medicaid for services not provided.

She had been indicted in May 2024, but spent several months on the loose. She was eventually apprehended in August 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Sentencing is set for April 17.

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The Washington, D.C., attorney generals office has dropped its lawsuit against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In a court filing, the attorney generals office said the city was unlikely to be able to find enough money to justify continuing the case against the conservative groups.

The case was being dismissed with prejudice, which means the claims against the defendants cannot be brought again.

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It was originally brought by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D) in 2021.

The complaint was against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and named several individuals over their roles in the Capitol riot, which forced the evacuation of Congress as it sought to certify the 2020 election results.

Racine argued the people involved broke both local D.C. and federal laws, including a statute that stemmed from the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act, which focused on violent conspiracies.

The lawsuit was seeking damages from the defendants for restitution and recompense for those injured.

The Hill has reached out to the attorney generals office for comment. A spokesperson said in a statement to The Washington Post that there were challenges facing the District and there were relatively small potential recoveries they could make from the case. As a result, office of the attorney general resources are now needed and best used elsewhere.

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In a post on social platform X, former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio reacted to the news.

Another exoneration? If God is with us Who can be against us, Tarrio said.

Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers, were pardoned by President Trump when he regained office earlier this year. They both said they would like to see the president seek retribution on their behalf.

Tarrio was released from prison in January after receiving a full pardon from Trump, ending his 22-year sentence after being convicted of sedition related to the riot. Stewart had his sentence commuted by Trump to time served. He was serving an 18-year prison term for the Capitol attack.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is asking for the publics help identifying a person who was riding an ATV and hit a police officer over the weekend.

The incident took place on the night of March 15 at the intersection of 15th and U Street.

According to police, the person was riding an ATV when they hit an officer before driving away.

Man killed in crash on Indian Head Highway in Oxon Hill identified

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The officer was taken to the hospital and was later released.

In an update on Monday, D.C. police released surveillance video showing the ATV driving through the Sunoco gas station on U Street.

In the video, the person could be seen riding around and on the sidewalk.

Anyone who knows the person is urged to call MPD at 202-727-9099 or text the police departments tip line at 50411.

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KOCANI, North Macedonia (AP)  As families gathered at a hospital for updates, Tomco Stojanov already knew his son's devastating fate: 25-year-old Andrej died trying to save others in a nightclub fire that left dozens dead in North Macedonia, including many trampled during a desperate bid to escape.

Thank you for your condolences, but my pain is incurable. The wound is incurable, Stojanov said, holding up a photograph of his son, clean-shaven and wearing a suit jacket.

"He died while returning and entering to save other people. And he was pushed, run over, thats how my son died."

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North Macedonia is grappling with the loss of dozens of young lives in Sunday's nightclub inferno in the eastern town of Kocani, and trying to hold those responsible to account and prevent another calamity.

Authorities were investigating allegations of bribery surrounding the fire in the nightclub, which was crammed with young revelers and at double capacity. Kocani's mayor resigned Monday over the emerging scandal.

Fire tore through the overcrowded Club Pulse during a live concert, leaving 59 people dead and more than 150 injured from burns, smoke inhalation and being trampled in the panicked rush toward the buildings single exit.

Videos showed sparkling pyrotechnics on the stage hitting the club's ceiling and igniting the blaze as a band played.

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Bribes to authorities to skip licensing requirements and skirt safety regulations are commonplace in North Macedonia, practices that have caught the attention of Western governments.

The European Union has repeatedly expressed concerns over pervasive corruption in the country, identifying it as a major obstacle to the countrys accession to the bloc.

Silent protests against corruption were held Monday in Kocani, joined by thousands of residents and separately by university students in Skopje.

Justice is expected, that is what we all expect so that there are no such similar situations in the future, Stavre Janev said at the Kocani protest.

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The protesters' anger boiled over, with some toppling a van and smashing windows of a storefront  both belonging to one of the club owners.

The latest in a string of deadly nightclub fires around the world, Sunday's tragedy shook this nation of 2 million, where close-knit extended family bonds made the disaster personal to many. Clubgoers as young as 16 were among the casualties, and the nation declared seven days of mourning.

We are all in shock, and I am shocked myself: as a mother, as a person, as a president, North Macedonian President Gordana Davkova Siljanovska said in an address to the nation Sunday night.

Safety code violations in the club

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North Macedonias government ordered a sweeping three-day inspection to be carried out at all nightclubs and cabarets across the country, starting Monday.

State prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski said a preliminary inspection of the Club Pulse nightclub had revealed numerous safety code violations, including a lack of emergency exits, an insufficient number of fire extinguishers and improper access for emergency vehicles.

The fire caused the roof of the single-story building to partially collapse, revealing the charred remains of wooden beams and debris.

The omissions are significant. I can confidently say that this is a failure of the system, the prosecutor told reporters, also noting the lack of an overhead extinguisher system and fire alarms, and the use of flammable materials to line the inside walls.

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Speaking to reporters in Skopje, Interior Minister Panche Toshevski said it appeared the clubs owners paid bribes to former officials to issue a forged license and turn a blind eye to the venue operating far beyond capacity and in violation of fire code. Former economy minister Khreshnik Beteshi was being questioned at a police station in Skopje, his lawyer Elenko Milanov told reporters.

The country was in mourning as people watched harrowing scenes in the town of 25,000 people, where rescuers for hours carried out the grim task of removing the charred bodies of clubgoers.

A state coroner said the bodies were being brought for identification in batches from morgues due to the high number of people killed.

Neighboring countries provide help

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Flags around the country have been lowered to half-staff, and the death toll may rise further, with 20 of the injured in critical condition, Health Minister Arben Taravari said.

Neighboring and nearby countries  Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Turkey  along with a number of others have already accepted some 50 patients with the most serious injuries, while several countries are also sending medical teams to North Macedonia, officials said.

All patients who have been transferred abroad are currently in stable condition. We hope it stays that way and that we will receive positive news from abroad, Taravari said.

Officials said 10 people remain in police custody for questioning in Kocani, some 115 kilometers (72 miles) east of the capital, Skopje. Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski added that a preliminary inspection revealed the club was operating without a proper license. He said the number of people inside the club was at least double its official capacity of 250.

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Condolences poured in from leaders around Europe as well as from the office of the hospitalized Pope Francis.

Late Sunday, Kocani's residents held a candlelight vigil in support of mourning families, waiting in long lines to light church candles.

Beti Delovska, an economist from Skopje, said North Macedonia has never experienced a tragedy like this, with dozens of young people vanishing in minutes. She noted that many young people with bright futures had already left the nation, in search of opportunities elsewhere.

North Macedonia is on its death bed, Delovska said. We have no more credible institutions, the health system is completely dismantled, education is poor, judiciary is partisan and corrupt to the bone, she said.

"I do believe now that only God can save (North) Macedonia.

___

Testorides reported from Skopje, North Macedonia
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan Railways and Kazakhstan Railways put their heads together to hash out plans for joint projects that will hit the ground running in enhancing railway services and infrastructure, Trend reports.

The matter was reviewed at a working meeting between representatives of Uzbekistan Railways and Kazakhstan Railways.

During the meeting, the sides explored opportunities for digitalization, emphasizing the need for modern technological solutions to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, they addressed the integration of advanced technologies into the railway network to optimize passenger transportation and ensure sustainable development in the sector.

Earlier, Uztemiryulcontainer (a joint-stock company in Uzbekistan that manages the country's railway container transportation), in collaboration with Kedentransservice (a leading logistics and transportation company in Kazakhstan) and TLC TransTerminal, supported the launch of the first container train from India to Kazakhstan.

The mentioned train, comprising a total of 12 twenty-foot intermodal units, has commenced its transit from Mundra Port in India and is en route to Sorokovaya Station in Kazakhstan.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, left, leans in to listen to State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln at a legislative retreat in Kearney on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  A legislative proposal to let an independent, nonpartisan commission set the compensation of future Nebraska state senators is now on pause and will fall to the bottom of legislative priorities in 2025.

State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, the sponsor of Legislative Resolution 25CA, announced the decision Monday after multiple senators spoke against the proposal during its first two hours of debate on Friday. Hansen said much of the opposition focused on issues that didnt pertain to the proposal itself, and he wanted to move forward.

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In the good nature of not holding up the session for I dont know how many more hours, I think we have some other work that needs to get done, Hansen said.

Hansen said he still hopes to address the proposal later this year, or early next year, which if passed would send the final decision to voters at the November 2026 general election.

The intent of the commission is to remove lawmakers annual $12,000 salary from the Nebraska Constitution. Because it is in the Constitution, pay increases, or decreases, cant happen without a statewide vote, unlike other state officials. The commission could also consider health care benefits, per diems or reimbursement rates.

Any compensation changes could occur no earlier than 2029, after lawmakers current terms.

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Lawmakers ultimately would need to appropriate funds to cover any pay increases, Speaker John Arch of La Vista and Hansen said during debate. State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha suggested tightening the commissions authority to make it a requirement.

Voters last approved a salary increase in 1988, bumping salaries up from $400 each month ($3,600 annually) to $1,000 each month ($12,000 annually).

Its not dead by any means, Hansen said of his LR 25CA. Just want to bring it up later and get the peoples work done first.

We are not doing our jobs

During Fridays debate, State Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and Megan Hunt of Omaha said lawmakers didnt deserve raises if they wouldnt support working families.

Speaker John Arch of La Vista and State Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha and Ben Hansen of Blair, from left, meet on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. Jan. 15, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Cavanaugh said we are not doing our jobs, and she graded the Legislatures work an F.

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We are nickel and diming people of Nebraska on everything, Cavanaugh said. I dont feel that, in good conscience, I can support something to raise our own salary, as measly as our salary is, so long as we cant also raise resources we give to people who are 50% of the poverty level, who make less than $12,000 a year.

The progressive lawmakers pointed to proposals that they said could hurt workers or weaken protections for minimum wage, child care, affordable housing, transportation, food or education.

They think that legislators deserve more than everyday working families, and I disagree, Conrad said.

Conrad and Hunt said supporters speaking about reinforcing institutional strength and integrity were hypocritical, with Conrad saying they were only doing so when it has an opportunity to benefit yourself, personally, financially, individually.

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Hunt said strength comes from lawmakers with the personal integrity to stand up for the legislative branch and their constituents, not from a paycheck.

Pay raises are not going to make any lawmakers fight executive overreach, Hunt said. That takes leadership and courage.

You get what you pay for

State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, whose LR 7CA would increase legislative salaries up to $30,000, said he worked with Hansen on the commission idea. Dorn and Hansen will be term-limited in January 2027.

State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, center, speaks with State Sens. John Fredrickson of Omaha, left, and Bruce Bostelman of Brainard. July 30, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Dorn said lawmakers work an hourly wage of about $5.67 during the session and devote two to three days each week full time later in the year. He and others said it very much limits who even considers running for office.

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In the lead-up to the debate, Dorn said emails echoed the comments from Cavanaugh, stating: Youre not doing a good job, youre not worth the pay that you have now.

Dorn said he turned that around in his replies based on a philosophy his dad taught him, that you get what you pay for.

When were answering those emails, Im telling those people that if youre complaining about the senators and low quality of people we have up here, just remember, you get what you pay for, and that happens quite often in life, Dorn said.

Devoting 100% to the job

State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha said that when she was considering running for office for the 2022 election, she approached her predecessor, former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, and told him she needed to keep her full-time job.

State Sen. Christy Armendariz, left, talks with State Sen. Wendy DeBoer, both of Omaha, at a legislative retreat in Kearney on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Lindstrom hesitated, she said, but told her he thought she could pull it off. And she did for her first two years, working 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week and working weekends.

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But this year, she said she realized that wasnt a sustainable path and that she wasnt giving 100% to either her constituents or her full-time position. So, she quit.

It just isnt my nature to do anything part way, Armendariz said.

Armendariz said she would still run again, knowing it is a volunteer position, but were really, really far away from getting super valuable people on the floor, unless they are self-funded in some other way.

I do think it is fair, since the people are the ones that are the recipients of what is done on this floor, the people should be the ones to make a decision whether they want to expand that pool of people that can be elected, Armendariz said.

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State Sens. Terrell McKinney and Ashlei Spivey, both of Omaha, as well as Cavanaugh and Hunt said the Legislature needs more diversity in its membership.

State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, center, shakes hands with State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus. Jan. 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Similar to Armendariz, Spivey said she puts in 18 hours of work each day into her legislative duties and paid work outside the Capitol, while still needing to be a mother and wife. She said LR 25CA was a weird dichotomy between what lawmakers say versus what they do.

I would love to have more women in the body that are parents, more folks of color, working people that can really bring perspectives and advocate for Nebraskans in a way in which I think that doesnt always happen currently, or in our history, Spivey said.

McKinney said something needs to change, which could help people who care decide to run.

Another political trap

State Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk said the proposal was a good idea but was probably the right bill at a wrong time.

State Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk, center, talks with State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner at a legislative retreat in Kearney on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

He pointed to the states $457 million projected budget shortfall for the next two years, prior to any legislative action. Dover asked why the proposal was coming up while the state is considering cutting dollars for public health, the University of Nebraska, cancer research, dual credit reimbursement and affordable housing.

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It makes no sense to me whatsoever, Dover said.

Dover, who will be term-limited in January 2029, warned his colleagues running for future office that if they voted for the proposal, it was a matter of when, not if, theyd have a mailer attacking them for doing so.

Conrad agreed and pointed to former State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha who was blasted for a similar 2018 proposal. Conrad said LR 25CA was nothing more than another political trap.

Its not a good faith effort to strengthen the institution, she said. Its an effort to force Nebraska legislators to continually vote on their own pay raise and to use it against them at election time.

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Hansen said that if lawmakers do a crappy job, which he said he feels has happened in some years, the commission could decide to cut compensation.

They could actually lower our pay, thats what I love about this, Hansen said. The onus is on us, as representatives of the people of Nebraska to do a good job, to listen, to do the peoples work. And if we dont, we could be SOL.

It will ultimately be up to Speaker Arch whether he reschedules the measure. The proposal has about six hours left on first-round debate and would face two more debates, if advanced. At least 30 lawmakers would need to approve the bill on final reading.

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Gray stations are adding an afternoon newscast called Local News Live.

The one-hour newscast will air on 37 of Gray Media's local television stations starting today. The show is anchored by Debra Alfarone with live coverage from reporters across Gray's 113 markets.

This expansion means Local News Live | LNL now airs Monday through Friday in a total of 46 television markets and reaches more than 19 million households according to Nielsen.

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"Local News Live is uniquely positioned to deliver the stories the nation is talking about through a distinctly local lens," said General Manager of Gray's Washington Operations Lisa Allen. "We are excited to increase our footprint and deliver impactful news and information to millions more viewers."

In addition to live reports from local news teams, the program focuses on the local impact of national and international stories. Gray's Washington DC Bureau team contributes daily, including White House press briefing updates from White House Correspondent and Senior National Editor Jon Decker. Senior National Correspondent Peter Zampa reports live from New York City covering relevant topics including Wall Street and the United Nations.
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, shown campaigning with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in Tampa on Oct. 25, 2024. She sought to oust Sen. Rick Scott but failed. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix).

Older readers may remember the cartoon book, 101 Uses for a Dead Cat, in which deceased felines were repurposed as tent pegs, toilet paper holders, boat anchors, and other objects.

I came across my battered copy the other day and  for some reason  thought of the Florida Democratic party.

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The national Democratic Party, too, though its not quite as dead, and so plans to turn individual Dems into table lamps are premature.

Table lamps are actually useful.

Reubin Askew via State Library and Archives of Florida

Bob Graham via U.S. Senate

The late Gov. Lawton Chiles via State Library and Archives of Florida

Harsh, sure. But as the arsonists President Musk and his little buddy Donald Trump burn the nation down to the ground, the Democrats cant even put together a bucket brigade.

Younger readers might not be aware that Florida was once solidly Democratic.

The party had held power since Florida became a state in 1845. Maybe they figured they always would.

For more than a century, Democrats were the party of slavery, states rights, and Jim Crow, but, gradually and imperfectly, became the party of civil rights, voting rights, and workers rights, switching places with Republicans, who once had a strong streak of social progressivism.

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Then the Rs were seduced by Nixons Southern Strategy and became the party of pro-segregation white people.

For 30 years, Florida elected New South governors such as Reubin Askew, Bob Graham, and Lawton Chiles, leaders who believed in education, open government, protecting the environment  crazy stuff like that.

Taken for granted

But Democrats kind of forgot to do the political outreach part, taking their voters for granted, failing to build a bench of young leaders.

Sure, Bill Clinton won Florida in 1996; Al Gore damn near won in 2000 (if the court had ordered a count of the over-votes, he would have become president), and Barack Obama won in 2008 and 2016.

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State politics, however, were a different animal.

Jeb Bush (assumed to be the smart one in the family) put together a coalition of hungry Republicans and conservative Democrats, winning the gubernatorial race in 1998. That same year, Florida Democrats made one of their most boneheaded moves.

Former state Rep. Willie Logan in 1991. (Don Dughi Collection via State Library and Archives of Florida)

Legislative Democrats chose Rep. Willie Logan of Miami-Dade as their speaker designate. He had a good chance of becoming the first Black Speaker of the Florida House.

Then, for reasons they could never quite articulate, his own party ousted Logan during a public meeting.

When they named a white woman instead, the Black Caucus walked out, furious.

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White Democrats mumbled stuff about Logan being a little too liberal and a little too laid-back.

Or it might have been that Logan was a little too Black.

He claimed they worried Republicans would put my picture on fliers and pass them around saying, If you vote for a Democrat, this is going to be the next speaker of the House.

I guess those Democrats forgot that African Americans were  and are  the heart of the party.

That was the beginning of the hard times.

Republicans surge

Other factors, including gerrymandering and the hordes of tax-hating, socially conservative Midwestern white folks moving to the state, contributed to the Democrats becoming a minority, but this high-profile insult of a young leader did not inspire confidence or help foster party unity.

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Republican majorities in the Legislature have only grown since then, and Democrats have been unable to field convincing candidate for statewide office.

This is how we got landed with the super-rich, super-sleazy Rick Scott, whose company defrauded Medicare, and the petulant Ron DeSantis, energetically destroying Florida in the name of a phantom he calls DEI.

There was that brief, giddy moment last fall when it seemed just possible the state was inching toward purple.

The reproductive rights amendment looked like it could pass; Debbie Mucarsel-Powell mounted a good senatorial campaign against the appalling Scott; it even seemed just possible the Democrats would deny the Republicans a supermajority in the Legislature.

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Of course, they failed.

Now that Trump is back in the Oval Office, smashing up the national china and turning the White House lawn into a car lot, Dems across the country have misplaced their mojo.

We shall overcome

This lawless administration attacks free speech, wrecks our democratic institutions, tanks the economy  and the opposition responds by wearing Barbie pink to Trumps address to Congress.

I like pink, and I get that its the pussy hat march color, but come on, yall: How about something a little more effective?

A little louder?

Even respect-the-office when-they-go-low-we-go-high types ought to applaud Texas Rep. Al Green for heckling Trump as he stood telling lies before the nation.

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Ten Democrats demonstrated a measure of intestinal fortitude when the House formally censured Green, stepping up to the well with him and singing We Shall Overcome.

To borrow a phrase from Donald Trump, it made good TV.

Maxwell Frost via U.S. House

Some more good TV: Floridas own Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost calling Trump the grifter-in-chief, drawing the incoherent ire of House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky, who threatened to have him thrown out of the building.

Comer, known for accusing the Biden family (with zero evidence) of lying, cheating and stealing, piously invoked the decorum of the House.

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House members are known for their passionate commitment to decorum.

Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden hollered at President Biden during his State of the Union Speech, calling him a liar, yet neither he nor the small army of Republicans who made a hobby of yelling at Barack Obama got censured.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, who was famously asked to leave a theatrical performance of Beetlejuice for illicit vaping, loud singing and, er, over-enthusiastic groping of her date, referred to Rep. Al Greens walking stick as a pimp cane.

No word of protest from the Rs.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, that paragon of charm, grace, and the kind of elegant manners even the Princess of Wales would envy, called her colleague Rep. Boebert a little bitch and displayed sexually explicit photos of Hunter Biden.

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The point is, to compete with the Republicans 24/7 freak show, Democrats not only need to concoct some policies on which to campaign (shouldnt be that hard, since Americans are getting fed up with President Musks Reign of Error) but find some effective leaders and hone  if not their insult skills  their wit and showmanship.

Showwomanship, too. (Go ahead: call the DEI Police on me).

Prospects

We already know who aint getting the job done.

That would be Chuck Schumer (bless his heart) and Hakeem Jeffries. Esteemed gents, sure. Firing up America? Nah.

How about a Florida Man to counter that orange immigrant Florida Man?

If Dems had any sense, theyd trot out Maxwell Frost every chance they get.

Hes cute and hes fearless.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Floridas 23rd District might be useful, too  he trolls the idiot likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene like a boss.

Greene likes to claim the gubmint controls hurricanes and Ukraine is teeming with Nazis.

U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz via U.S. House

Anna Eskamani via Florida House

Moskowitz calls her head of the Mensa caucus and suggests Vladimir Putin appoint her his special envoy to Congress.

The problem with Moskowitz is that hes got this impulse to work with Republicans, which might have made sense in, say, 1996, but these days means letting Republicans trample decency.

He (and several other Dems) voted to censure Al Green.

Moreover, he defends the war criminal prime minister of Israel.

Meanwhile back in the (not) Free State of Florida, Anna Eskamani shines like a diamond in a bucket of dead mullet.

Shes bright, shes brave, and she won a swing seat in 2018.

Shes also bailing out of the Legislature to run for mayor of Orlando.

Maybe that will set her up for a future run for statewide office; maybe in a few years, the MAGAs will fed up with the Trumpocracy.

As for the national Dems, they might want to follow the lead of Sen. Bernie Sanders, whos traveling the country on a Fighting Oligarchy tour, drawing thousands at town hall meetings.

Republicans tried the town hall thing but wilted in the face of public rage.

Still, Im not sure simply turning a bright light on Republicans dictatorial tendencies, stupidity, and general jerkiness will be enough.

Six-dollar avocados

The Democrats kind of need some concrete, well-expressed, easily digested policies people (even people as dumb as MTG) understand will help, not hurt, them.

The problem is, by the time the Dems get it together, the government will have likely have been destroyed: no VA, no civil rights, no environmental protection, no accessible heath care, no science, no hurricane forecasters, no academic freedom.

On the upside, Trump is tanking the economy as fast as he can.

People do get a bit upset if they have no money.

Six-dollar avocados and $20 eggs will focus voters minds, even here in the Free State of Florida.

They might  just might  vote for a Democrat.

But dont hold your breath.

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During his first two months in office, Donald Trump has taken a shock and awe approach to remaking the Federal Government. He attempted to close USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He laid off thousands of Federal workers despite questions about the legality of these moves without the approval of Congress. He has imposed crippling tariffs on close allies and plans to close the Department of Educationand its been less than 60 days since he took office.So who will stand up to the man ruining America?

You would think that Democrats would be the ones standing up to the President, but no. Hakeem Jeffries made it clear that there was nothing he, the Minority Leader in the US House of Representatives, could do to fight the Commander in Chief. Chuck Shumer, Minority Leader in the Senate, is not much better. He and nine other Democratic Senators just voted with Republicans to advance GOP funding bill and avert a Government shutdown that would have laid bare the disfunction in the Presidents own party.

So, I ask again. Who will stand up to Donald Trump?

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I am not a Republican, but I have had a grumpy respect for some of them. Folks like John McCain and Mitt Romney werent my kind of people. They were too militaristic when it came to foreign policy and they didnt like the kind of policies I liked. (Remember the uproar over Obamacare?) But they always came off as decent. Would I like to get a beer with one? Probably not. But I never wondered if they would undermine the entire democratic experiment that is America. Todays GOP is different.

They go along with whatever the President wants to do even if it undermines their own authority. MAGA has so enveloped the GOP that it makes me wonder who, if anyone, will stand up to the man who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

I have an idea about who can do it, however. But its just a theory. Hear me out.

We need a handsome, in shape white man who guzzles beer but doesnt look like it. He cant come from the North because that might make Republicans suspicious. He needs to be from the South: Texas, maybe. It cant be Mississippi or Alabama because Black folks tend to be suspicious of people from those states. A Matthew McConaughey type minus the banging on bongos in the middle of the night while high on Za.

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tiktok-7438572723791564064

I dont know who that will be. Given all the animosity to DEI, it cant be an Obama type. And despite the number of women in Trumps orbit, his base seems suspicious of a woman having too much power.

So, a white dude from Texas who is willing to stand up to Trump while not alienating the Presidents base. Thats what we need. And now that marijuana is widely accepted, maybe McConaughey could actually do it. He sure as hell hasnt been in a good movie for a while. And last year, he was toying with the idea.

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For what seemed to be the first time over the weekend, the Trump administration openly defied a judges order. The administration loaded 238 alleged Venezuelan gang members onto two airplanes Saturday night headed for El Salvador. While the plane was in the air, a judge ordered that the planes return to the United States. Trump ordered them to continue on. The White House says it did not defy the judge because the aircraft were already in international territory at the time the judge spoke, but thats silly. You can turn around a plane any time. Attorney and commentator Mark Zaid said this was the start of true constitutional crisis.

This followed Trumps outrageous speech at the Department of Justice last Friday. For a president even to go to Main Justice and give a speech is potentially dubious, unless that speech says, You just do your jobs and ignore me, which is obviously not what Trump said. In fact, he made it crystal clear to our countrys top lawyers, without exactly saying so, that theyd be well advised now to pursue his revenge agenda and go after lawyers, journalists, and others whove found their way into his sights.

This, Democrats, is what you need to focus on. You had a bad week. Check thata horrible week. It was mostly Chuck Schumers fault, and people are quite rightly furious at the Senate minority leader for caving to Republicans in the government funding fight. Now you are collectively polling below 30 percentjust about your worst approval number ever. But the country needs you to fight Trump, not each other.

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I would like to have seen the Senate Democrats vote no to the GOPs continuing resolution and force a shutdown. This was just one of those moments when history was grabbing them by the lapels, shaking them, and saying, Do something dramatic! Thats the bottom line here. They should have taken a stand.

And, if they werent going to take a stand, Schumer certainly should have signaled as much earlier in the week. If he hadnt been so emphatic in saying he was voting no, his 180 last Thursday wouldnt have been such a shocker (indeed, by definition, it wouldnt have been a 180). So he really blew the politics of this, in a way he normally doesnt.

But having said all that: There is in fact a case for wanting to avoid a shutdown. And its not a political case. Its a substantive case.

Schumers critics, from what I can see, are focused almost wholly on the politics of the situationpublic perception, and whod be blamed. Much was made of that Quinnipiac poll last week showing that 32 percent of respondents would blame Democrats while a combined 53 percent would blame Republicans (31 percent the GOP Congress and 22 percent Trump).

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Democrats could have won the politics. So why on earth should they have had any hesitation at all? Because aside from politics, theres substance, and I became convinced over the weekend through some things I read and conversations I had that, as bad as Trump and Elon Musk are now, and as bad as this funding bill is, a shutdown could potentially give them vastly more power.

Read this thorough and calm and well-reported piece posted by Substacker Gabe Fleisher last Thursday. He goes into a lot of history on shutdowns. They didnt exist until a memo by Jimmy Carters attorney general conjured them into being. This means that there is no congressional law involved here. It also means that Trumps attorney general, Pam Bondi, can write any sort of memo any time she wants to redefine the terms of a shutdown.

But thats not the worst of it. Basically, it would be entirely up to Trump (and Musk) to decide who is and isnt essential. And the whole thing would be run on a day-to-day basis by the Office of Management and Budgetin other words, by Russ Vought, the lead author of Project 2025.

Trump could unilaterally shut down entire agencies. Conversely, he could take activities he deems essentialmass deportations, sayand dramatically expand them. Permanently.

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So what, you say? Hes already doing that. Well, he is, to an extent. But during a shutdown, he can order the shifting of resources from one agency to another with no checks at all on his decisions. That is different. Fleisher quotes law professor Charles Tiefer as saying: I think [Trump] views his powers as limitless in a shutdown situation. And so, yes, he would move money around, so that he could increase [immigration] holding facilities. Hes already said that theres an emergency, so this would just be one more use of the emergency status. And who is there to stop him if he turns to Russell Vought and says, Would you move money from the Department of Education to ICE? Voughts not going to say no. And Pam Bondi is not going to say no.

Its true that the GOP bill the 10 Senate Democrats supported hands Trump a lot of power too. And its difficult to know exactly how much more power Trump would have during a shutdown to shape the executive branch to his liking. But to me it stands to reason that the unilateral power to declare employees nonessential would let Trump do anything.

No more Environmental Protection Agency? He probably couldnt do that if Congress had a say in it. Even this Congresstheyd cut it deeply, but I doubt theyd just eliminate it. Do we doubt Trump would?

Sosure, Democrats could win the politics of a shutdown. But the substance of a shutdown would hurt: thousands of federal employees, and millions of Americans who need them to do the jobs they do.

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As for what the Democrats should do now? Lets start with what they shouldnt do. They shouldnt tear each other apart. Schumer made a terrible own goal, but for now, hes probably not going anywhere. Post-2026 is another matter. There are smart younger senators in that caucus, and its their time. Schumer needs to bring these people forward and showcase them: Senator A leads a weekly press conference on Veterans Affairs cuts, Senator B leads one on Medicaid cuts, Senator C on all the legal cases, Senator D on Project 2025, and so on. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries needs to do the same in the House. Just keep punching, week after week after week.

I know that sounds unglamorous and a little dull. But nothing is going to change overnight here. Trump is unpopular by presidential honeymoon standards; on the other hand, that hes even in the mid-40s is troubling, and a sign that a decent chunk of swing voters are not yet enraged. And lets not fool ourselves into thinking that these angry town halls mean that the Trump-Musk agenda is failing. An NBC poll over the weekend delivered a mixed verdict on DOGE, but mixed isnt all bad46 percent thought it was a good idea versus 40 percent who said bad.

This is going to take time. Schumer said one true thing in that big New York Times interview Sunday: Getting Trump down to 40 percent approval is key. When Trump was president before, Schumer said, when he went below 40 percent in the polls, the Republican legislators started working with us. When their leader is unpopular, lawmakers start thinking about what they need to do to save their own necks.

Hell get there, as people see the consequences of the tariffs and other policies, and as he forces a constitutional crisis or three. Democrats need to be ready for that moment. And they just need to pick themselves up and fight. They may be mad at each other, and fine, let them have that argument for a few days. But they need to keep their eyes on the prize here.
The Trump Administration appeared to openly defy multiple court orders over the weekend, deepening concerns among Democrats and legal experts that the constitutional crisis many feared when President Donald Trump was elected has now arrived.

On Saturday, federal officials ignored an order from Judge James E. Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, who had directed the government to turn around deportation flights carrying Venezuelan detainees. Instead, the planes continued on their course to El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele, a Trump ally, boasted that the 238 detainees would be held for at least a year in the countrys Terrorism Confinement Center. Oopsie  Too late, Bukele wrote on social media, a post later amplified by White House officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed gratitude to the Salvadoran president, pointedly ignoring the judges ruling.

A day earlier, in Boston, a similar scenario played out. A federal judge had issued a restraining order to block the deportation of Rasha Alawieh, a Brown University medical professor with a valid visa returning from a family visit to Lebanon. Despite the order, she was deported anyway.

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Taken together, the incidents suggest that the Trump Administration is increasingly willing to brush aside judicial authority in pursuit of its policy goals. It follows a pattern in which Trump and his allies have sought to test the limits of judicial power, sometimes circumventing rulings, other times attacking judges outright.

The country is far beyond a constitutional crisis, says Kim Wehle, a law professor at the University of Baltimore and a former assistant U.S. attorney. A constitutional crisis is the accumulation of unchecked power in one branch. Weve seen now for weeks the Trump Administration ignoring acts of Congress, says Wehle, noting that the President has ignored Congress constitutional power of the purse by withholding federal funds and by terminating federal employees and senior officials without cause.

Other legal scholars, while alarmed, hesitate to label the administrations actions as an outright crisis. Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia, describes the administration as challenging the courts thus far up to a point.

I dont want to call it a constitutional crisis because Im waiting to see them say in their own words, We will not comply with court orders anymore, says Frost, who is the director of UVAs Immigration, Migration, and Human Rights Program. They have yet to say that. And while theyve done some things to violate corners of the margins, they have so far followed along.

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She adds, Im very concerned and think theyre being very disingenuousbut I would not say that they have yet crossed the line of suggesting they no longer feel that they need to abide by the rule of law.

Yet signs of open defiance are emerging. White House officials have said the judges order came after planes carrying the Venezuelan migrants had already left the U.S. Tom Homan, Trumps White House border czar, dismissed the weekends rulings, telling Fox News on Monday that the court orders had come too late to make a difference.

Were not stopping, Homan said. I dont care what the judges think.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked to clarify those comments Monday afternoon, insisted that the Administration is complying with the court order, even though the planes with Venezuelan deportees landed in El Salvador hours after the judge gave verbal instructions to Justice Department attorneys that the flights must return to the U.S. We are quite confident in that, and we are wholly confident that we are going to win this case in court, Leavitt told reporters. She also said there are questions about whether a verbal order carries the same weight as a  written order.

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Federal judges are now weighing how to respond to cases that may end up before the Supreme Court. Judge Boasberg scheduled a Monday evening hearing to determine whether the administration defied his ruling. In Massachusetts, Judge Leo T. Sorokin has demanded an explanation from the government for why Dr. Alawieh was deported in apparent violation of his order.

The Administration says it invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798a wartime law rarely used in modern historyto deport Venezuelans who the government say belong to the Tren de Aragua gang, without due process. Federal courts have repeatedly ruled against the administrations use of emergency powers, including on immigration and border security, yet officials have continued to push forward in ways that some see as ignoring or undermining the judiciarys authority.

In the case of Dr. Alawieh, who is Lebanese, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that she openly admitted to CBP officers her support for a Hezbollah leader and attended their funeral. A visa is a privilege not a rightglorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied, the statement said. This is commonsense security. The official White House account on X said: Bye-bye, Rasha with a hand waving emoji. Alawieh was sent back to Lebanon, even though the judge ordered on Friday that she be kept in the U.S. and brought to a court hearing on Monday.

Legal scholars warn that if courts allow such defiance to go unpunished, the judiciarys ability to serve as a check on executive power could be permanently weakened. There is an accumulation of power in one place, Wehle says. That means Donald Trump becomes the law. The law is what he sees the law to be. He picks and chooses winners and losers.

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The checks and balances are gone, she adds.

The Trump Administration is working aggressively to shape public perception of both the deportations and its defiance of the courts as wins for the American people. Social media posts from administration officials and pro-Trump influencers have celebrated the deportations. One post showed a video of shackled men being led onto the planes, accompanied by Semisonics 1998 song Closing Time.

Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.

The White House is trying to have it every way possible in a high-stakes dispute over its speedy deportation of hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador. It is unlikely to end tidily, which may very well have been the point all along.

Witness Mondays White House briefing, where Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had the unenviable task of simultaneously saying the administration was complying with a judges orders while arguing the same judges oral directives were not binding at all, all while also defending a senior White House aide saying on TV, when asked about those orders, I dont care what the judges think.

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The whiplash of rhetoric seemed to carry just one commonality: the elasticity of facts and justifications.

This Kafkaesque saga began late Friday, when President Donald Trump quietly signed an order availing himself of a wartime authority to carry out the mass deportations. According to the White House, 137 alleged gang members from Venezuela were sent to El Salvador, where military and law enforcementand videographersgreeted them en route to a mega-prison that has been of major concern for human-rights advocates. Another 124 individuals were also shipped to San Salvadors airfield under different federal laws.

On Saturday, after word of the plan leaked, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg tried to block Trump from deporting the immigrants without hearings and told the administration to turn around planes carrying 261 migrants. When Boasberg told administration lawyers this, the planes were already out of U.S. airspace and, per some in the administrations thinking, thus out of reach of the U.S. courts.

By Sunday, the narrative fell into the predictable pattern of Trump allies arguing the legal merits of the exceptional executive powers remaining unchecked and the fecklessless of judges authorities. In the background, the nations top diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reposted a social media message from Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele about the courts attempts to intervene that boiled-down to raw schadenfreude: Oopsie Too late.

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Trump lawyers are citing a 1798 law as the basis for booting the migrants from the country without a day in court, although in practice the law has not been used since World War II. Legal experts are divided on whether this is in bounds, but rather than keep the fight in the courts, Trump pals seem more than eager to throw multiple explanations into the ether to see which seems to gain the most traction.

At Mondays public press briefing, Leavitt seemed to be arguing on multiple planes of reality. Any of them may have merits, but cobbled together they came across like a desperate attempt to find justification.

This administration acted within the confines of the law, Leavitt said. Left unsaid: the arbiter of the law, Boasberg, said those migrants needed to stay in the United States.

All of the planes subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, Leavitt said, suggesting that planes traveling internationally were beyond the judges reach. Left unsaid: That argument may not fly and, regardless, a judge had signaled those planes should have stayed grounded.

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Theres actually questions about whether a verbal order carries the same weight  as a written order, and our lawyers are determined to ask and answer those questions in court, Leavitt said. Left unsaid: lawyers who ignore a judge seldom fare well.

The timeline is a dramatic illustration of just how dynamic the state of play remained around all this.

Boasberg, at 5 p.m. on Saturday, asked when the deportations would start. The court went into a recess so government lawyers could find out. The plane took off at 5:45 p.m. At 6:52 p.m., according to a must-clip timeline of the weekend from Just Security, Boasberg ordered the planes back to U.S. runways. The migrants landed at 8:02 p.m.

All the while, Trumps aides and allies are relishing this fight. Over the weekend, Trumps White House was fairly brazen in boasting about how it outmaneuvered a judge, with even his top policy hand on border issues openly bragging about how the courts cant stop the administration.

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Were not stopping, border czar Tom Homan told Fox News. I dont care what the judges think. I dont care what the left thinks. Were coming.

All of which left Washington debating whether the Trump administration started all this Friday evening with the express goal of engineering a court showdown that could ultimately strengthen the executive branchs power when it comes to immigration policy.

Its a playbook Americans may see repeatedly from this White House in the coming years: charge ahead too quickly for the courts to keep up, and trust that the administrations lawyers and allies will keep the debate as muddyand as disjointedas possible.

Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter.

Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com.
BOSTON  Federal authorities say they deported a Lebanese doctor holding an American visa last week after finding sympathetic photos and videos of prominent Hezbollah figures in a deleted items folder on her cell phone.

Rasha Alawieh, a physician specializing in kidney transplants and professor at Brown University, also told Customs and Border Protection agents that while visiting Lebanon last month she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and followed his teachings from a religious perspective but not a political one, according to an official report on her interrogation by an immigration officer.

CBP questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady wrote in a court filing Monday.

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The claims in court filings submitted Monday by Justice Department lawyers are the first public explanation of why Alawieh, 34, was deported Friday despite holding a U.S. visa typically issued to foreigners with special skills for a job that an employer claims difficulty finding American candidates to fill.

The assertions about Alawiehs affinity for Hezbollah came shortly before a federal judge was scheduled to hold a hearing Monday on whether the government defied an order he issued Friday requiring that she not be deported without advance notice to the court. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin postponed the hearing Monday morning just before it was to begin. He gave the government another week to submit further information about what happened with Alawieh.

CBP official John Wallace said in a sworn declaration filed with the court that CBP officials at Bostons Logan Airport hadnt received formal notification of the court order through official channels before Alawieh was put on an Air France flight bound for Paris Friday night.

At no time, would CBP not take a court order seriously or fail to abide by a courts order, Wallace wrote, while adding that the agency only acts on orders it gets from its legal counsel or is able to verify with that counsel.

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Due to the extremely close timing between the issuance of the court order in this case and the boarding time of [the Air France flight] CBP did not receive the courts orders until after the flight departed the United States, Wallace added.

Alawieh has lived in the United States since 2018, when she came on a student visa to take part in a nephrology fellowship at Ohio State University. She later attended a similar program at the University of Washington and an internal medicine program at Yale.

Alawieh arrived at the Boston airport Thursday and was questioned by CBP officers who searched her phone and would not immediately admit her to the U.S., according to the governments chronology.

On Thursday, a CBP officer interrogated Alawieh about her views of and potential ties to Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and religious group that has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. for more than two decades.

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Asked about the photos and videos of Nasrallah and other leaders connected to Hezbollah, Alawieh said shes apolitical and had the images because those leaders are revered by many Shia Muslims.

So I have a lot of Whatsapp groups with families and friends who send them. So I am a Shia Muslim and he is a religious figure. He has a lot of teachings and he is highly regarded in the Shia community, Alawieh said, according to the transcript filed in court Monday.

I think if you listen to one of his sermons you would know what I mean. He is a religious, spiritual person, as I said, he has very high value. His teachings are about spirituality and morality, she added about the sheikh, who was killed last September in an Israeli airstrike on his bunker in the Beirut suburbs.

Asked if she supported Nasrallah in any way, Alawieh initially denied doing so but later appeared to acknowledge that she supported and admired him from a religious perspective.

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When questioned about photos of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Alawieh said that was typical of Shia Muslims. It has nothing to do with politics, the physician added. Its a purely religious thing. Hes a very big figure in our community.

Asked why she appeared to have deleted some photos a day or two before arriving in the U.S., Alawieh replied, Because I dont want the perception. But I cant delete everything. But I know Im not doing anything wrong. Im not related to anything politically or militarily.

Alawieh also said she probably did know about the U.S. terrorism designation for Hezbollah. Im not much into politics, but yes, she said.

Its not clear how CBP officials obtained Alawiehs phone or whether it was locked, but any property a traveler has with them when entering the U.S. is subject to inspection by the authorities.

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After the interview, CBP officials informed Alawieh she was being denied entry, her visa had been canceled and she was subject to a five-year bar on returning to the U.S. Justice Department lawyers said the decision was due to derogatory information discovered during the inspection process.

With the help of a couple of lawyers, Alawiehs cousin filed a habeas corpus petition on Friday evening seeking her release. It hit the docket at the U.S. District Court in Boston at 6:43 p.m., court records show.

About a half hour later, at 7:18 p.m., Sorokin issued an order that Alawieh shall not be moved outside the District of Massachusetts without providing the Court 48 hours' advance notice of the move and the reason therefor.

In a court filing made public Monday, a member of the legal team representing Alawieh said she was at the airport Friday night as the court petition was filed and informed a CBP officer who identified himself only as Officer Collins about it. When the judges order came through a short time later, attorney Clare Saunders said she wasnt able to reach that CBP official or any other at the airport.

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I yelled loudly and repeatedly through the office trying to get an officers attention, in case Officer Collins or one of his colleagues were simply at the back, in a portion not visible from the front portion of the office. I received no response, Saunders wrote. During the 20 minutes I was waiting at the CBP office, I called the number listed on the handwritten sign approximately 8 more times.

Saunders said she also went to a state police kiosk and pressed the emergency button around 7:55 p.m.

Wallaces declaration says CBP officers walked Alawieh to the gate around 7:20 p.m.

Flight tracking databases show Air Frances Boston to Paris flight departed the gate Friday at 7:43 p.m., two minutes early, and took off at 7:59 p.m.

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Sorokin issued a follow-up order Sunday that called Alawiehs lawyers claims of non-compliance with the earlier court order serious allegations. The judge, an appointee of President Barack Obama, demanded a written response by Monday and ordered the government to preserve all relevant documents.

However, due in part to a shake-up on Alawiehs legal team, Sorokin postponed the hearing shortly before it was to begin.

In a court filing Sunday night, Alawiehs immigration lawyer, Stephanie Marzouk, asked to delay the hearing.

While petitioner intends to seek to return to the United States at the earliest opportunity, she is no longer in transit  Petitioner has recently changed counsel. New co-counsel is expected to join the case shortly, but will require additional time to adequately prepare for the hearing, Marzouk wrote.

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After the postponement Monday, Marzouk told reporters outside the courthouse: Were not going to stop fighting to get her back in the U.S. to see her patients, and were also going to make sure that the government follows the rule of law.

In a court filing Sunday, a lawyer who agreed to represent Alawieh last week in the federal court case, John Freedman, said he and several colleagues at firm Arnold & Porter were seeking to withdraw from the case as a result of further diligence. He did not elaborate.

CORRECTION: This report previously misstated who appointed U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin.
A San Bernardino County Sheriffs deputy was killed in a crash in Victorville that occurred during a pursuit Monday morning, KTLA has learned.

The crash at El Evado and Seneca roads was reported at about 11 a.m., and injuries were reported, according to department spokesperson Gloria Orejel.

The extent of those injuries was initially undetermined, as there were live wires down in the area and Southern California Edison was en route to assist, Orejel added.

A San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy was involved in a serious crash near Victorville on March 17, 2025. (KTLA) A San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy was involved in a serious crash near Victorville on March 17, 2025. (KTLA) A San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy was involved in a serious crash near Victorville on March 17, 2025. (KTLA) A San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy was involved in a serious crash near Victorville on March 17, 2025. (KTLA)

A pursuit was reported in the area a few minutes before the crash occurred, and though the Sheriffs Department would not initially confirm if the two were connected, officials later told KTLAs Chip Yost that the deputy was indeed in a pursuit at the time of the crash.

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Southern California deputy killed in violent pursuit crash identified

Lt. Kari Klaus later said the pursuit was related to a reported stolen vehicle.

Aerial footage from Sky5 showed what appeared to be a deceased person near a vehicle that was split into two parts, with the break in the car occurring near the dashboard.

KTLAs Shelby Nelson learned that at least one person was indeed killed, and that person was an SBSD deputy.

Their identity has not been released, though Klaus said it was a man who was injured and declared dead at the scene.

Another person, a woman, was also hurt, and she was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

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That woman was driving at the time and had no passengers in her vehicle, and her condition hasnt been released, Klaus 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 KTLA.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) put their heads together to explore ways to reel in international financial resources and give a leg up to entrepreneurship, Trend reports.

The matter was reviewed at a meeting between Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan Davron Vakhabov with representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), including the banks principal banker, Batyr Hudaynazarov.

During the meeting, the parties deliberated on company finance, the execution of investment projects in critical sectors, and support for accessing external financial markets. Particular emphasis was placed on the creation of the Center for Assisting Entrepreneurs in Securing International Financial Resources inside the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This facility is anticipated to serve as an essential instrument for enhancing business access to capital.



The parties also addressed initiatives in the textile sector, encompassing the enhancement of processing capabilities, upgrading of equipment, and the implementation of novel technologies. The discussion also focused on the rehabilitation of dormant factories, the solicitation of private investments, and the execution of technological upgrading initiatives.

Another key topic was the development of financing methods for entrepreneurs, including export financing (factoring), the expansion of textile zones, and support for green economy projects.

Moreover, the stakeholders conducted a comprehensive analysis of the criteria that regional businesses are mandated to fulfill in order to secure direct funding from the EBRD. Essential parameters encompass fiscal clarity, a well-defined strategic framework, robust organizational oversight, marketable export capabilities, and adherence to global ecological regulations.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Gov. Ron DeSantis helped defeat two proposed state constitutional amendments in November, one to enshrine a right to an abortion and another to legalize recreational marijuana.

Now, hes targeting the procedure that put them on the ballot  the citizen petition process itself.

Pointing to a series of fraudulent petitions submitted by groups pushing ballot measures in recent election cycles, detailed in the Office of Election Crimes and Securitys annual report, DeSantis believes new restrictions are needed to thwart bogus petitions.

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His GOP colleagues running the Legislature are heeding his call. Two bills began advancing in the House and Senate this week to impose new, strict measures on those gathering and submitting petitions and on the groups paying for petition drives.

But Democrats and critics of the bills believe the new restrictions would be so harsh they would be the death knell for the petition process altogether  effectively removing the one avenue citizens have to directly alter their constitution.

This is another way to really restrict citizens from even participating in this process, said Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville. It does feel like its a nail in the coffin.

If they succeed, DeSantis and Republicans would turn the history of citizen-led petitions to approve constitutional amendments on its head.

Askew was behind first successful petition drive

In the 1970s, then-Gov. Reubin Askew had a problem. His push for a Sunshine Amendment to require lawmakers and candidates for office to disclose their finances was hitting a wall with his fellow Democrats in charge of the Legislature at the time.

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It was the Watergate era, when the public was shocked by corruption at the very top of the federal government. It was no different in Florida, where Askew saw monied interests sway lawmakers whose campaign funds were held largely in secret and where the state Supreme Courts justices were caught taking illegal gifts from parties involved in cases they heard.

So Askew went around the Legislature, gathering petitions from citizens to place the Sunshine Amendment on the ballot. It passed in 1976 with 78% of the vote. It was the first successful citizens petition ballot measure since the state constitution was rewritten in 1968 to allow for the process.

The idea in theory is, if you have a legislature that is not being responsive to public opinion, what the majority of residents would want, this is a way to circumvent them ... and let voters have a say, said University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett.

Nearly 50 years later, DeSantis wants to drastically restrict that process.

Gov. Ron DeSantis gives his State of the State Address on opening day of the Florida legislative session, Tuesday,March 4, 2025.

Under the House version of the bill (HB 1205), groups sponsoring a ballot proposal couldnt sponsor more than one per election cycle.

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They would also be required to put up a $1 million bond with the Division of Elections, and affirm the people gathering petitions on their behalf are U.S. citizens who havent been convicted of certain election-related felonies. If they hire someone who isnt a citizen or who has been convicted of such a felony, a $50,000 fine could be assessed.

Petition gatherers would have to undergo background checks before being registered with the state and have mandatory training. Petition forms would require a person signing the measure give their drivers license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Other restrictions include requirements that all petition gatherers be Florida residents, and petitions must be delivered to local supervisors of elections within 10 days, down from the 30 days in current law. A $50 fine for each day a petition is late, up to $2,500 could be assessed. Current law is a $50 flat fine for each late petition.

The Senate version (SB 7016) has many of the same provisions in the House bill, but allows those who arent registered as petition gatherers to gather petitions from immediate family members and grandfathers in petitions already submitted to the state.

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Both bills passed through the first committee in their respective chambers this week.

A change in process

The logistical challenges in gathering petitions in the third-most populous state mean the ballot initiative process has morphed from allowing citizen-led grassroots campaigns to get amendments on the ballot to essentially requiring campaigns of hundreds of millions of dollars.

To get on the ballot, a proposed amendment needs to receive 8% of the votes cast in the last presidential election. In the 1970s, that was around 200,000 petitions. Now, its 880,062.

Just in terms of sheer numbers it is a huge undertaking, Jewett said. Its much bigger than it used to be to get all those signatures to get it on the ballot.

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Smart and Safe Florida, the group behind last years Amendment 3 attempt to legalize recreational marijuana, spent $152.3 million in an unsuccessful attempt to pass it.

DeSantis, who controversially spent millions of dollars in taxpayer funds on public service announcements to defeat the abortion and pot amendments, has bemoaned the big money interests that have pursued ballot measures. His supporters agree the constitution shouldnt be tinkered with by any special interest with enough money to pay for a petition drive.

The process itself is incredibly sacrosanct, and we want to make sure that its being done very well, (that) the accountability is as high as possible, said Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. Because regardless of the issue, were talking about changing the Florida constitution. Thats a big deal.

But for those pushing a cause, the petition ballot process is the only way to make progress if the Legislature ignores their entreaties.

Sen. Tracie Davis listens to Senate President Ben Albritton speak during opening day of the Florida legislative session on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

Bills to legalize medical marijuana and increase the minimum wage routinely failed to get hearings in the GOP-dominated Legislature in the years before those ballot measures were put to voters, who approved them.

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Instead of responding to the issues, lawmakers put up new hurdles, putting a measure on the ballot in 2006 to require 60% of the vote to pass future ballot measures. A bill passed in 2021 put a cap on donations to ballot measures at $3,000, but it was knocked down by the courts.

And when voters have passed an amendment opposed by the GOP-run Legislature, lawmakers have often attempted to undercut them.

A measure allowing ex-felons to get their right to vote back once they served their sentence was passed in 2018 by voters, but lawmakers then required them to pay all of their outstanding fines and fees to be able to vote.

A bill moving in the Legislature this year would allow businesses to pay interns and apprentices less than minimum wage, despite the 2020 measure boosting the minimum wage to $15 by 2026.

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Davis, of Jacksonville, was one of the people who knocked on doors to gather petitions to get the minimum wage on the ballot. It was approved by 61% of voters.

It was across the board; there was engagement and excitement, Davis said. There wasnt a party issue on the ground with that petition. It wasnt a gender issue. It wasnt a racial issue. People saw that as an issue that just affected them or someone they knew.

Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Petition restrictions could end citizen-led amendments in Florida
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (ABC4)  Its possible Utahns could hear a few more booms over the next six months as Hill Air Force Base plans more detonations in Utahs west desert.

The Base said it will plan to begin its season of large detonations this month at the Utah Test and Training Range, located just 80 miles west of Salt Lake City. Officials said the detonations would destroy old or obsolete Department of Defense rocket motors.

Depending on weather conditions, Utahns can expect about one or two planned detonations per week from March until September. The detonation schedule is subject to change depending on weather, workload and other factors, however.

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Amanda Burton, the 75th Civil Engineer Groups Environmental Branch Chief, said detonation is environmentally the best way to dispose of the large rocket motors and the Utah Test and Training Range is the only permitted place in the United States to do it.

Layton apartment fire causes $150K in damages, may have started from cigarette ashes

But these large detonations can create sound waves that, at times, can be felt throughout the Wasatch Front.

Burton explained that the Air Force takes atmospheric readings before any detonation. They check for wind speed, wind direction, and other weather factors to determine whether or not conditions are acceptable for a quiet detonation. If the sound prediction model predicts that the detonation will be louder than permitted levels, the detonation will be delayed.

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But sometimes, the sound prediction model can be a little off. This happened last year when detonations at the testing range caused Utahns to feel vibrations and hear loud booms from Davis County to Utah County.

Atmospheric conditions can change rapidly between the time we take a reading and the actual detonation, said Burton. This current model were using is a very reliable tool in determining how far sound from a detonation will travel from the UTTR.

Burton said Hill Air Force Base aims to complete its work without adversely affecting the bases neighbors or the environment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  A Detroit, Michigan man was officially sentenced on Monday after being found guilty of bringing hundreds of grams of methamphetamine into Harrison County.

Davonta Brogdon

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Davonta D. Brogdon, 32, of Detroit, will spend 150 months (12.5 years) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth as part of a larger drug trafficking operation in Harrison County.

Court documents and statements made in court say that Brogdonalso known as Zone and Tay was one of the main people involved in transporting large amounts of controlled substances from Detroit to Clarksburg. Brogdon also recruited other people to help him do this.

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Fairmont man charged after allegedly sexually abusing a 6-year-old

During a traffic stop on one of his trips law enforcement officers said they recovered 443 grams of meth as well as more than 50 grams of fentanyl. He was indicted in May 2022 on several drug charges.

Following his sentence, Brogdon will serve three years of supervised release.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
A recent fire has left a Detroit woman homeless  and wondering if some of the damage could have been prevented if the apartment building was up to code.

Regiina Owens, a retired nurse living with multiple sclerosis, noticed flames in her apartment January 23 as someone was helping her cook dinner.

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"I didn't know exactly what was happening, all I knew was that I saw some flames in the kitchen," Owens told CBS News.

Despite not knowing how serious the flames might be, she quickly evacuated and called 911.

According to the Detroit Fire Department, it took firefighters just three minutes and 57 seconds to get to the complex, but Owens says they got to the fire much later.

I could hear their sirens, but it seemed like it was taking forever for them to get there," Owens told CBS News.

Heres what happened and how to avoid a mishap in an emergency situation where time is of the essence.

Code violations limited firefighter access

Owens could hear sirens for several minutes because of a locked gate at the back of the apartment complex, Marketplace Court Apartments.

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The gate restricted firefighters' access to the unit, forcing them to drive a block away to access a hydrant, reported CBS News.

"How insecure is that?" Owens asked during an interview with CBS reporters. "When an emergency occurs, they can't get in quick."

Even a few minutes of delay can allow a fire to spread, worsen the damage and even risk lives. According to Ready.gov, a fire can become life-threatening in just two minutes  quicker than it took firefighters to reach Owen's apartment.

CBS reported that the locked gate was a fire code violation. The Detroit Fire Department cited Marketplace Court Apartments for the misstep, though reporters were unable to reach the building's management for comment.

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For now, Owens is trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild her life  including re-purchasing expensive medical equipment.

"I was a nurse for 20 years and had to retire when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis," Owens said. "I was comfortable in that apartment because it was accessible."

She is living with her son and grandson in the interim, but it's not ideal. She lost many of her mobility aids in the fire, and her son's place is difficult for her to navigate.

"My home isn't accessible like hers was," said her son, Kristopher Owens. "It's a struggle to get around corners, the bathroom isn't large enough and we don't have any sort of ramp to help her get in and out of the home."

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Owens does have renters insurance, but they're not sure when the money will be available or how long it will take to find another accessible apartment. Her son has set up a GoFundMe for financial aid in the meantime.

Read more: An alarming 97% of older Americans are carrying debt into retirement  heres why and 4 simple things you can do if youre stuck in the same situation

Safety violations could impact insurance payouts

When a property has code violations, it's not just a matter of inconvenience  it can also create complications when it comes to insurance payout and rates.

If a landlord refuses to comply with fire safety regulations, it could be considered negligence, which might impact claim approval. In some cases, an insurance provider may deny claims or reduce payouts if they determine the code violation contributed to the damage, according to Omar Ochoa Law Firm.

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If your building has multiple code violations, insurers may increase your rates or refuse coverage altogether due to the increased risk.

For example, if a fire spreads due to a blocked or inaccessible hydrant  as was the case in Owens apartment complex  an insurer might argue that the fire could have been contained earlier if proper fire safety measures were in place.

Fortunately, a renters insurance policy should still protect the belongings of the tenant. But a negligent landlord can still create delays and financial uncertainty for displaced tenants who are relying on their insurance payout to recover.

While renters can't control whether their landlord follows safety regulations, there are steps you can take to protect yourself:

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Report anything you suspect is a code violation to the property manager or fire department if needed, including blocked doors, broken smoke alarms or locked gates.

Ensure your policy covers potential risks, such as fire damage, temporary housing and the replacement of expensive medical equipment.

Consider increasing your coverage limit or adding riders for mobility equipment, required medical equipment or other items you need for daily life.

Know your rights. If your insurance company denies your claim due to landlord negligence, consider getting legal assistance or hiring an independent insurance adjuster.

For Owens and her family, the impact of this fire goes beyond just losing a home  it highlights how crucial it is for rental properties to meet safety standards. Without proper enforcement, renters are at risk of both physical danger and financial hardship.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
A doctor who was arriving in the United States to teach medicine was detained at Boston's Logan International Airport on March 13 and deported -- despite a court order blocking her removal from the country, according to legal documents obtained by ABC News.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh had a valid H1B visa, or work visa, that had been issued on March 11. A Lebanese citizen, Alawieh was employed by Brown Medicine as an assistant professor of medicine.

A kidney transplant specialist, Alawieh had also previously trained at both the University of Washington and Yale University.

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According to court documents filed by attorneys for the federal government and reviewed by ABC Boston affiliate WCVB, Alawieh was detained at the airport and questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents before she was deported. Agents also inspected her cellphone, according to the documents.

PHOTO: Dr. Rasha Alawieh, pictured in this undated photo, was detained at Boston's Logan International Airport on March 13, 2025, by Customs and Border Patrol officers and deported back to her home country, Lebanon. (George Bayliss)

"During the interview, Dr. Alawieh was questioned about multiple photos she had on her phone of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the terrorist organization in Lebanon, Hezbollah...In explaining why these multiple photos were deleted by her one to two days before she arrived at Logan airport, Dr. Alawieh stated that she did not want to give authorities the perception that she supports Hezbollah and the Ayatollah politically or militarily," according to the document filed by the government.

Nasrallah and other Hezbollah commanders were killed in September 2024 Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, according to Hezbollah and Israeli officials.

During the interview, Alawieh purportedly told customs officers, according to the document, "I think if you listen to one of his sermons, you would know what I mean. He's a religious, spiritual person. As I said, he has very high value. His teachings are about spirituality and morality."

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In a post Monday on the social media site X, the Department of Homeland Security said, "Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah -- a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree. Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah."

"A visa is a privilege not a right -- glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security," the DHS added in its post.

In a statement on Monday, Hilton Beckham, Customs and Border Patrol assistant commissioner for public affairs, added, "Officers act swiftly to deny entry to those who glorify terrorist organizations, advocate violence, or openly support terrorist leaders and commemorate their deaths. Anyone found with extremist materials linked to a U.S.-designated terrorist group will be removed."

A hearing on Alawieh's case was scheduled for Monday in federal court in Massachusetts, but it was postponed to allow Alawieh's new attorneys time to review the facts. It would also allow the federal government to further respond to why the professor was deported against a judge's order to keep her in the her country.

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MORE: Judge blocks Trump from deporting noncitizens under Alien Enemies Act, orders flights turned around

After Alawieh's hearing was postponed Monday, Dr. Susie Hu, interim director of the Division of Kidney Disease & Hypertension at Brown Medicine, told reporters that Alawieh is a respected and hardworking colleague.

"She's only one of three transplant nephrologists in the state of Rhode Island, and her absence will be felt deeply," Hu said, according to WCVB.

Alawieh's attorneys claimed in a court filing that Brown's Division of Nephrology was "extremely distressed" that she had been deported.

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"She is an assistant professor and has serious responsibilities," the document attested, according to WCVB. "Her colleagues have been covering for her, but that is no solution. Dr. Alawieh is an outstanding academic in Transplant Nephrology, and she is needed at Brown Medicine.

Alawieh was detained at Logan after she arrived from a visit with family in Lebanon.

MORE: Trump administration ignores judge's order to turn deportation planes around: Sources

A U.S. district court judge in Massachusetts ordered that Alawieh should not be deported without 48 hours' notice and a reason why from DHS.

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Instead, according to a notice of apparent violation, DHS willfully disregarded the court order and deported Alawieh to France, with a scheduled flight to continue to Lebanon. The government said Monday that notice of the court order did not reach Customs and Border Protection officers at Logan Airport until after Alawieh was on her way out of the country.

Her lawyers today reported that she is now in Lebanon.

DHS alleges deported Lebanese doctor sympathized with Hezbollah originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Monday on the social platform X the deported assistant professor from Brown Universitys medical school attended the funeral of a terrorist in Lebanon.

The agency said Rasha Alawieh went to Lebanon in February to go to the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, a former secretary-general of Hezbollah.

He was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree, DHS said.

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Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah, the agency continued, referring to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A visa is a privilege not a right  glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security.

Alawieh, who was on an H-1B visa, was deported after a judge decided she would remain in the U.S., with the federal government saying in court filings that the agents who sent her out of the country were not aware of the court order before doing so.

According to a court filing seen by Politico, the government says Alawieh also had sympathetic photos and videos of Hezbollah members in a deleted items folder on her phone.

She told federal agents she followed Nasrallahs teachings from a religious perspective, not a political one, Politico reported.

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The deportation came amid heightened tensions on campus after Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and former Columbia University student, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and another Columbia student had her visa revoked.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Dinosaurs have captured peoples imagination ever since their bones and teeth were first scientifically described in 1822 by geologist and palaeontologist Gideon Mantell in England.

Dinosaur bones have taught us a great deal about these animals from the age of dinosaurs, the Mesozoic Era, which stretched from approximately 252 million years ago to 65 million years ago. However, theres something especially appealing about a different kind of dinosaur fossil: their tracks, which show researchers what the animals were doing while they were alive.

Ichnology is the study of tracks and traces and, since 2008, the Cape South Coast Ichnology Project has documented more than 370 vertebrate tracksites on South Africas southern coast. These sites are from the Pleistocene Epoch, which stretched from approximately 2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago, much more recent than the Mesozoic.

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We knew that this coastline contained Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, some of which include non-marine sediments that could potentially preserve dinosaur tracks. We are both familiar with dinosaur tracks from our research in Canada, so we decided to investigate the possibility of tracks in South Africas Western Cape.

We found some  and, once we knew what to look for, it was evident that the tracks were not rare. In a new paper published in the journal Ichnos, we describe our findings in detail, presenting evidence of tracks of sauropods (enormous plant-eating dinosaurs) and possibly ornithopods (another group of large herbivorous dinosaurs).

The tracks were found in a rugged, remote, breathtakingly spectacular coastal setting. They were made by dinosaurs in a variety of estuarine settings. Some were walking on sandy, inter-tidal channel bars. Others walked on the bottom of tidal channels, their feet sinking down into soft mud forming the bed of the channel. Other vague squishy structures were formed by dinosaurs wading, or even wallowing in the muddy fill of abandoned channels.

These tracks are around 140 million years old, from the very beginning of the Cretaceous period when the African and South American tectonic plates were starting to pull apart. Southern Africa has an extensive record of Mesozoic vertebrate fossils, but that record ends at around 180 million years ago in the Early Jurassic with the eruption of voluminous lava flows. To the best of our knowledge, all the southern African dinosaur tracks known until now are from the Triassic and Jurassic periods, so they pre-date these eruptions.

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That means these tracks are not only the first from the Western Cape. They also appear to be the youngest  that is, the most recent  thus far reported from southern Africa.

Knowing where to look

After deciding to hunt for potential dinosaur tracks, we visited a few likely sites on the Cape south coast in 2022, choosing areas with non-marine deposits of the appropriate age, mostly in the eastern coastal portion of the Western Cape. We found a few promising spots on that visit and, in 2023, undertook a dedicated examination.

Large horizontal bedding surface exposures in this area are very rare. We knew that, if we were to find dinosaur tracks, they would be evident mostly in profile in vertical cliff exposures.

Read more: Footprints take science a step closer to understanding southern Africa's dinosaurs

In the public imagination a dinosaur trackway extends across a level surface and toe impressions are visible. Some may also know that the infill of dinosaur tracks can occur on what are today the ceilings of overhangs or cave roofs. However, there are also distinctive features that allow tracks to be identified in profile. Thats because the animals footfalls deformed underlying layers in a distinctive manner.

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The problem is that other mechanisms, such as earthquakes, are capable of generating broadly similar deformation structures.

The deposits we were examining had probably also been affected by seismic activity. The challenge was for us to differentiate between the two types of deformation.

The Early Cretaceous rocks that we examined had been studied and reported on decades ago, and the deformation structures had been attributed to origins such as earthquakes rather than living organisms. Since then, however, scientists have developed a better appreciation of what dinosaur tracks look like in profile.

After careful examination, our conclusion was straightforward: both dinosaur-generated and earthquake-generated types of deformation were present in the Cretaceous rocks.

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Further evidence that we were looking at dinosaur tracks comes from the regions bone fossil record. Cretaceous bone material has been reported from the region, mostly in the Kirkwood area in the Eastern Cape province. Two dinosaur bones have also been reported from the Knysna area in the Western Cape. One of these, a theropod tooth, was found  and correctly identified  by a 13-year-old boy.

Read more: Dinosaur tracksite in Lesotho: how a wrong turn led to an exciting find

Clearly, dinosaurs were present in the Western Cape area. That means our discovery of ichnological evidence of their presence is not entirely surprising, but it is still extremely exciting.

Keep exploring

Our team plans to keep exploring deposits of suitable age in the region for evidence of more dinosaur tracks. We also hope that our discovery will inspire a new generation of dinosaur trackers to continue the quest and keep exploring.

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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: Guy Plint, Western University and Charles Helm, Nelson Mandela University

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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Kim Evans, center, announced Friday she was retiring from her position as director of the Family Support Division. She's pictured here speaking to the media in Jefferson City on March 28, 2023, about Medicaid renewals, alongside MO HealthNet director Todd Richardson, right, and former department director, Robert Knodell (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent).

The head of the Missouri agency that for years has struggled to administer public benefit programs like food assistance and Medicaid announced her retirement on Friday afternoon, effective immediately.

Kim Evans had served as director of the Family Support Division within the Missouri Department of Social Services since 2020. She spent over two decades working for the department, including as a program eligibility specialist, manager and deputy director.

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(The Department of Social Services) is grateful for her service and wishes her the best in the next chapter, Baylee Watts, the departments spokeswoman, said in an email.

The interim director will be Mandi Adams, who is currently one of the divisions deputy directors.

Evans departure last week is the latest in a series of leadership changes underway at Missouris embattled social services agency since Gov. Mike Kehoe was elected in November. A new department director, Jessica Bax, began in January, and a new director for the child welfare division, Sara Smith, was named last week.

During Evans tenure, the department faced criticism from state lawmakers, the federal government and advocacy organizations over its administration of public benefits  which affect the lives of millions of Missourians.

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A federal judge last year ruled Missourians were illegally denied food aid by the state due to hours-long call center wait times for participants to receive a required interview.

Those delays  which leadership has largely blamed on call center staffing issues  translate to families struggling to feed their young children while rearranging their days to wait on hold, Missourians with disabilities who cant understand the application forms being unable to get help and some subsisting on little food while using up prepaid phone minutes on hold.

While call wait times fluctuate and have shown some improvement, the record demonstrates too little progress, the judge in that case, U.S. District Court Judge M. Douglas Harpool, wrote last year. Consequently, Missourians who suffer food insecurity have been forced to either go hungry or seek alternative sources of food when their applications are denied.

The state has been required to submit monthly reports as part of the lawsuit. The average wait time for the interview line for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was 45 minutes in January, the most recent monthly data states.

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The average wait time for the general call line, which handles all other inquiries  for programs including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and non-interview related SNAP queries  was just under one hour in January.

That case is still ongoing, and the parties are in mediation.

The department in its budget request to the state legislature asked for $11 million to hire 220 new staff in the Family Support Division to help ensure the agency complies with federal and state rules on timely processing, and maintains a reasonable wait time in the call centers, the budget request stated. The governor recommended only 55 new positions.

Asked about the call center issues in a Senate appropriations committee hearing last month, Bax was candid about the ongoing problems, stating that over 10,000 applications for SNAP were rejected solely due to failure to interview in January.

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Bax told the committee the agency is looking at overall efficiencies including trying to get a shortened and condensed SNAP interview approved, and specializing some of the call center staff.

So that is where the plan is: to really kind of take back those specialized teams and then have an ability to condense that interview so that we can free up the phone lines, Bax said.

Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City said she continues to hear from constituents about their issues accessing aid to which theyre entitled.

This is one of the things that I continue to have very grave concerns about, Nurrenbern said at last monthss appropriations committee hearing. How long people are waiting online for essential services, and hear a lot of frustration from constituents reaching out and saying, Ive been waiting online all day and nobodys getting back to us.

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So I really hope that this is something that this committee can put some emphasis on and making sure that we are being as efficient as possible with these services, she added.

Bax replied that she could not agree more.

Baxs testimony differed from prior testimony of Evans, who typically downplayed issues with wait times to legislators. At one hearing in late 2023, Evans told lawmakers she was excited the wait time was only a few minutes the morning of a hearing, though records obtained by The Independent would later show the average that month was actually over an hour.

There have also been years-long problems with Medicaid application processing, leading to issues like pregnant Missourians going without prenatal care.

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Last summer, the federal Medicaid agency announced it was intervening to help bring the state back into compliance with timely processing.

Bax said last month, regarding some Medicaid cases, were about three months behind on the applications.

According to data for January, the average time to process Medicaid applications for aged, blind and disabled applications was 107 days. The federal limit is 90 days for those applications. The average for the other category of Medicaid applications was 29 days, climbing in recent months but still below the 45-day standard. Bax also said last month the department is looking at using contractors to help with annual Medicaid renewals.

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Protesters gathered across Mexico on Saturday to demand justice following a grisly discovery of charred bones, shoes and clothing at a suspected drug cartel training ground.

Demonstrations took place in the western state of Jalisco, where the remains were found, and in cities across the country, including the capital Mexico City, Tijuana, Veracruz and San Luis Potosi, according to AFP journalists and local press reports.

Families searching for some of the more than 100,000 people missing in Mexico discovered the bodies on March 5 at a ranch where forced recruits are thought to have been held.

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The Guerreros Buscadores collective -- a group dedicated to locating missing people -- described the site as an "extermination center" with "clandestine crematoriums," causing shock in a country that has become inured to spiraling cartel-related violence.

Pairs of shoes depicting victims are pictured during a vigil for the victims of the clandestine mass grave recently found in Teuchitlan, in the state of Jalisco, at Zocalo square, in Mexico City, Mexico March 15, 2025. / Credit: Seila Montes / REUTERS

In the Mexican capital, demonstrators placed candles and rows of shoes in tribute to the missing.

"I came to speak out for my son and for all the disappeared," said Aurora Corona, 58, whose son vanished in March last year in Mexico's northeastern Nuevo Leon state.

She hoped the discovery would pressure authorities to do more to find the 124,059 people officially registered as missing in Mexico, mostly since 2006 when the government declared war on drug cartels.

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"Hopefully they'll pay attention to us now they see the horrors of the country we live in," she said tearfully.

Since October 2023, groups searching for missing Mexicans have reported the discovery of six more alleged clandestine crematoriums in Jalisco.

Hundreds of graves have been discovered elsewhere in the country.

The United Nations Human Rights Office on Friday described the finding in Jalisco as a "deeply disturbing reminder of the trauma of disappearances linked to organized crime across the country."

"The discovery is all the more disturbing given that this site had been previously raided as recently as September 2024 by the National Guard and the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office, without crucial evidence being detected," it added.

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Juan Carlos Perez, a 22-year-old student demonstrating, hoped the protest would serve as a wake-up call to take action against the rampant criminal violence that has overwhelmed Mexico's security and justice institutions for two decades.

"My first reaction (to the finding) sadly was 'ah look, another one', but then I started following the story and realized that it could have been me, it could have been my dad, my mom," he said.

This photo released by the Jalisco State Attorney General's Office shows shoes at the Izaguirre Ranch where skeletal remains were also discovered in the municipality of Teuchitlan, Mexico, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. / Credit: Jalisco State Attorney General's Office via AP

Jalisco State Prosecutor Salvador Gonzalez de los Santos visited the ranch personally last week. He said that investigators had found six groups of bones, but it was unclear how many victims they could belong to. He did not provide details on why investigators had previously failed to find what the untrained private citizens did, but said the previous efforts "were insufficient."

His office posted photos of all of the evidence located hoping that relatives might identify an item of clothing.

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Multiple mass graves have been found in recent months in Mexico. In January, at least 56 bodies were discovered in unmarked mass graves in northern Mexico, not far from the border with the United States.

A mass grave discovered last December in a suburb of Guadalajara with dozens of bags of dismembered body parts contained the remains of 24 people, authorities said. That same month, Mexican authorities said they recovered a total of 31 bodies from pits in Chiapas, a state plagued by cartel violence.

Collectives searching for missing persons say that drug trafficking cartels and other organized crime gangs sometimes use ovens to incinerate their victims and leave no trace.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan Airways is spreading its wings by launching a new flight route from Fergana, Uzbekistan, to Urumqi, China, Trend reports.

Commencing April 4, the operational schedule for air travel from Fergana to Urumqi will feature weekly flights every Friday, thereby enhancing logistical efficiency for travelers navigating the corridor between Uzbekistan and Urumqi.

In the interim, the carrier facilitates air travel connectivity from Tashkent to Urumqi, with operational frequencies set at five cycles per week.

Moreover, the aggregate of Uzbek nationals traversing to China reached a total of 18,347 in the year 2024. This metric has experienced a year-over-year escalation of 89.4 percent.

The predominant impetus for Uzbek nationals embarking on journeys to China was tourism, with a total of 14,623 individuals participating in this sector.
By Nate Raymond

BOSTON (Reuters) -U.S. authorities on Monday said they deported a Rhode Island doctor to Lebanon last week after discovering "sympathetic photos and videos" of the former longtime leader of Hezbollah and militants in her cell phone's deleted items folder.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh had also told agents that while in Lebanon she attended the funeral last month of Hezbollah's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom she supported from a "religious perspective" as a Shi'ite Muslim.

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The U.S. Department of Justice provided those details as it sought to assure a federal judge in Boston that U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not willfully disobey an order he issued on Friday that should have halted Alawieh's immediate removal.

The 34-year-old Lebanese citizen, who held an H-1B visa, was detained on Thursday at Logan International Airport in Boston after returning from a trip to Lebanon to see family. Her cousin then filed a lawsuit seeking to halt her deportation.

Her expulsion came as Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has sought to sharply restrict border crossings and ramp up immigration arrests.

In its first public explanation for her removal, the Justice Department said Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist and assistant professor at Brown University, was denied re-entry to the United States based on what CBP found on her phone and statements she made during an airport interview.

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According to a transcript of that interview reviewed by Reuters, she told CBP she did not support Hezbollah but had high regard for Nasrallah because of her religion.

"I'm not a political person," she said. "I'm a physician. It's mainly about faith."

Western governments including the United States designate Hezbollah a terrorist group. The Lebanese militant group is part of the "Axis of Resistance", an alliance of Iran-backed groups across the Middle East that also includes the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which sparked the Gaza war by attacking Israel 17 months ago.

Based on those statements and the discovery of photos on her phone of Nasrallah and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, the Justice Department said CBP concluded "her true intentions in the United States could not be determined."

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"A visa is a privilege not a right - glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied," U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "This is commonsense security."

FIGHT CONTINUES

Stephanie Marzouk, a lawyer for Alawieh's cousin Yara Chehab, told reporters outside of court on Monday that they were "not going to stop fighting."

Hours later, hundreds of demonstrators, including some of her colleagues from the hospital, gathered on the lawn of the Rhode Island State House in Providence to show their support, carrying signs that said "Her visa was valid," "She did nothing wrong," and "Stop mass deportation now."

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A spokesperson for Providence-based Brown University said it was seeking to learn more about what happened. Alawieh has been employed by Brown Medicine, a non-profit medical practice affiliated with Brown's medical school.

Following news of Alawieh's deportation, Brown issued guidance on Sunday advising its international students, staff and faculty to consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States "out of an abundance of caution."

In Monday's filing, the Justice Department also defended CBP officials against claims by the cousin's legal team that Alawieh was flown out of the country on Friday evening in violation of an order issued by U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin that day.

The judge had issued an order barring Alawieh's removal from Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice. Yet she was put onto a flight to France that night and is now back in Lebanon.

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The judge on Sunday had directed the government to address "serious allegations" that his order was willfully violated ahead of a hearing that had been scheduled for Monday.

That hearing was canceled on Monday at the request of the cousin's lone remaining attorney, after lawyers at the law firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer representing her pro bono withdrew, citing "further diligence" about the quickly-moving case.

A lawyer with that firm said she had gone to the airport on Friday and shown a CBP officer a copy of Sorokin's order on her laptop before Alawieh's Air France flight departed, and another CBP official in a declaration on Monday said he was made aware that occurred before taking Alawieh to the boarding area.

But the Justice Department said the notification needed to be received through standard channels and by the agency's legal counsel for their review and guidance, which did not happen.

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"CBP takes court orders seriously and strives to always abide by a court order," Justice Department attorneys wrote.

The Justice Department's filing was later sealed by Sorokin at the request of a lawyer for the cousin. Reuters reviewed it from a public terminal in the courthouse before access was further restricted.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Additional reporting by Brian Snyder in Providence, Rhode Island; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Nick Zieminski, Stephen Coates and Saad Sayeed)
A doctor is challenging the official timeline outlining when Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman likely died.

In an interview with Daily Mail, Dr. Josiah Child, who runs Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said, "Mrs. Hackman didn't die on February 11 because she called my clinic on February 12."

In a news conference, the Santa Fe County sheriff and New Mexico medical examiner had theorized that Arakawa Hackman may have died on Feb. 11 because that was the last time they believed anyone had heard from her. The medical examiner said that she perished from hantavirus syndrome about a week before Hackman died of cardiac issues and hypertension, with Alzheimer's disease as a contributing factor.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa during Gene Hackman Sighting at Spago - September 5, 1986 at Spago in West Hollywood, California, United States. Ron Galella/Getty Images

Child told Daily Mail that Arakawa Hackman called the clinic on Feb. 12 to make an appointment. His website describes a lengthy career in emergency medicine.

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"She'd called me a couple of weeks before her death to ask about getting an echocardiogram [heart scan] for her husband," he told the publication. "She was not a patient of mine, but one of my patients recommended Cloudberry to her. She made an appointment for herself for February 12. It was for something unrelated to anything respiratory."

The doctor said that Hackman's wife never showed for the appointment.

"She called back on the morning of February 12 and spoke to one of our doctors who told her to come in that afternoon," he told Daily Mail.

"We made her an appointment, but she never showed up. She did not show any symptoms of respiratory distress. The appointment wasn't for anything related to hantavirus. We tried calling her a couple of times with no reply."
Officials at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center confirmed they will receive one of two $4.9 million grants from the Department of Defense to fund a study of MDMA, the active ingredient in the street drug known as ecstasy, according to emails shared with Military Times.

The psychedelic drug will be given to active-duty Army personnel with mild to moderate post-traumatic stress disorder to study the psychological flexibility patients experience as a potential mechanism of MDMAs therapeutic effect.

The second grant, provided as part of the 2024 Defense Appropriations Act, will fund a separate MDMA-assisted therapy study done in partnership between Emory University and STRONG STAR, a medical consortium and training network based in the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

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While the U.S. government first conducted illegal experiments with psychedelics on soldiers half a century ago, this new study marks the first-ever trial of MDMA for the treatment of PTSD in active-duty soldiers.

Maj. Aaron Wolfgang, the head of Inpatient Psychiatry at Walter Reed who specializes in treating PTSD, will be the lead author and physician of the double-blind placebo trial.

Wolfgang is the first author in a systematic review and overview of MDMA and MDMA-assisted therapy featured in the January issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. The article, written by a cohort of leading psychedelic researchers, describes common misconceptions about MDMA due to its close association with classical psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and mescaline.

Unlike other psychedelics, the paper says, MDMA uniquely induces prosocial subjective effects of heightened trust and self-compassion while maintaining ego functioning as well as cognitive and perceptual lucidity.

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VA awards $1.5 million to study using psychedelics for PTSD treatment

This apparent gain of function suggests what advocates for the legalization of MDMA have been saying for decades: the drug is uniquely positioned to be a breakthrough therapeutic for PTSD and other depressive disorders.

The new study expects to enroll 91 active-duty service members not anticipated for redeployment. Each participant will receive three MDMA dosing sessions between three and five weeks apart over the course of 10 months. Participants would receive three preparatory sessions before the first dosing session and three integration sessions after each dosing session.

Unlike other MDMA-Assisted Therapy/Psychedelic Assisted Therapy long-term studies, this will be one of the first that Im aware of to incorporate long-term follow-up that remains double-blinded, which will provide us with higher confidence data, Wolfgang said.

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The pharmaceutical company Lykos Therapeutics, formerly MAPS PBC, made a major push in December 2023 for MDMA to receive FDA approval. When approval was denied in August 2024, the result came as a shock to advocates for psychedelic-assisted therapy, many of whom were veterans and their family members.

FDA rejects psychedelic MDMA as treatment for PTSD

I think that PTSD should be treated while youre in service, not force you to decide to stay in or get out in order to receive the care you need, said Jonathan Lubecky, a veteran who served with the Marine Corps Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment and deployed to Iraq with the Army in 2006.

Last June, Lubecky provided testimony at an FDA public hearing, where he credited MDMA-assisted therapy, which he underwent in 2014, with allowing him to truly live for the last decade and weather many of lifes traumatic experiences long after returning from his deployment.

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Wolfgang believes the military will have more success in elevating the legitimacy of MDMA-assisted therapy.

The history of MDMA and the military runs deep. An animal toxicology study of MDMA was done by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps in 1953 and 1954 as part of the secretive Edgewood Arsenal experiments.

Vets used in secret tests make progress in court

About 20 years later, American biochemist Alexander Shulgin taught retired Army Lt. Col. Leo Zeff, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, how to use MDMA to treat his therapy patients. Zeff was deeply impressed by the psychedelic and came out of retirement to evangelize MDMAs therapeutic benefits. In a 2005 New York Times article Shulgins widow, Ann, recalled a speaker at Zeffs memorial service saying that the retired Army officer had introduced the drug to about 4,000 therapists.

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Shulgin, a Navy veteran who served on the Clemson-class destroyer Pope during World War II, went on to synthesize several unique psychedelics, including 2-CB, often described as a combination of MDMA and LSD.

Wolfgang hopes a new generation of soldiers could benefit from the drugs consideration as a breakthrough therapy.

I also envision this project  and the lasting program I hope to see it turn into  as a beacon of hope for countless service members and their families who are suffering and whose lives are being upended due to PTSD, Wolfgang said. [They] already sacrifice so much in service to our country. Id like for them to know that we hear them and to know that we are working tirelessly to ensure we offer them the absolute cutting edge.
In the two months since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, his administration has cleared the military of most of its top female ranking officers, disappointing many women veterans and active-duty personnel.

Trump touted plans during his campaign to flush out military leadership. And following a series of high-profile departures in recent weeks, the U.S. military was without a single woman in a four-star general or admiral leadership position.

The presidents actions have since raised serious questions from women veterans and service members about whether his administrations trademark campaign on abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives played a role. In addition, some troops have begun to express concern about whether the firings could signal a growing vacuum of support for its female officers.

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I wish people would think about their mothers. Are you really saying that this person who bore you is incapable of leading you? said Sgt. Maj. Pamela Wilson, an Army veteran who served for nearly 35 years.

String of firings

The departures began when Adm. Linda Fagan, the first female to lead the Coast Guard, was fired on Trumps first day back in office. The reasons officials cited for her dismissal included failure to address border security threats and an excessive focus on diversity programs.

Fagans firing drew immediate outcry from fellow veterans, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who worked with her.

From the start, senators lauded her as a good pick for Coast Guard commandant and gave her unanimous support during her Senate confirmation hearing in 2022.

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After she was fired, Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, wrote on her X account that Fagan was more qualified to serve in her role than Pete Hegseth is to be Defense Secretary. She added that Trump would rather appear anti-woke than keep our military strong.

During Fagans almost 40-year career, she served on all seven continents, including in high-ranking roles like Pacific Area commander, district and sector commander and marine inspector.

Coast Guard commandant fired after Trump returns to White House

However, at times, Fagans tenure was mired by complaints about the agencys response to problems of sexual assault and harassment.

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Despite questioning Fagan over those issues at public hearings, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement that her firing still raises concerns about how Donald Trump intends to treat professional, dedicated military men and women who have faithfully served our country for decades.

Weeks later, Lisa Franchetti, the first female Chief of Naval Operations, was next out the door. Before her dismissal, Franchetti spent almost 20 years commanding various fleets, including the destroyer Ross, two aircraft carrier strike groups and naval forces in Korea.

Hegseth, who ordered Franchettis firing, did not provide a specific reason for the decision. The move came after Hegseth faced scrutiny during his Senate confirmation hearing for his past comments suggesting women should not serve in combat roles.

Why should women in our military, if you were the secretary of defense, believe that they would have a fair shot and an equal opportunity to rise through the ranks if, on the one hand, you say that women are not competent, they make our military less effective? Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., pressed Hegseth during the hearing.

Then-U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations hearing on Capitol Hill on June 11, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Most recently, Hegseth dismissed Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short, the senior military assistant to the secretary of defense. Short, a former C-130E navigator and an A-10 pilot, served in the role for less than a year.

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After Shorts dismissal came that of Telita Crosland, the former head of the militarys Defense Health Agency, who was forced to retire after a 32-year career.

We were making progress

Officers who served in the same high-ranking positions before Franchetti or Fagan typically lasted in those roles until the end of their posts, withstanding presidential transitions and multiple administrations, experts said.

Many veterans, including Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., called these firings an affront to qualified female officers.

Last month, Sherrill wrote on her X account that Hegseth and others are relegating women to second class citizens in our military, taking competent and qualified individuals out of important leadership posts in our armed forces.

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Before running for office, Sherrill served on active duty for nine years as a helicopter pilot in the Navy, during which time she met Franchetti at the Atlantic Fleet Headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia.

At a February town hall meeting in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Sherrill told a buzzing crowd she was so happy to find out about Franchettis appointment months ago. She commended Franchetti as a top leader and trailblazer in the military.

It would have been unimaginable to me as a midshipman that we would have a woman in that role, said Sherrill, while donning her Navy bomber jacket. I was feeling like we were making progress here.

Franchetti receives her surface warfare officer pin from Capt. Patrick Shepherd, commanding officer of the destroyer tender Shenandoah, sometime between November 1989 and February 1990. (Courtesy of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations)

The firings have also drawn sympathies from other veterans who fear that the current situation might not be a one-off.

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Pamela Wilson served 32 years on active duty as a religious support specialist. She enlisted in 1985, the same year Fagan entered the Coast Guard.

I can only imagine whats going on in [Fagans] head. Were hurting the wrong people, Wilson said. What is the metric thats even being used? They havent been negligent in their duties.

During the Iraq War, Wilson served as one of the few top female leaders in the operation. She helmed a multinational unit of forces, directing them to provide religious support and guidance to the rest of the soldiers. After she retired, Wilson became the first woman appointed as honorary sergeant major of the Chaplain Corps in 2019.

She said these recent firings were low blows from the Trump administration, and she fears they mean female officers face a polarizing future.

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Some service members recalled a time when women serving in the military were a rarity. Constance Edwards was 22 when she enlisted in the Army Student Nurse Cadet Corps. She was later deployed with the Army for a year during the Vietnam War, when most serving women were nurses.

During her 33 years in the U.S. Army Reserve Nurse Corps, Edwards was appointed as a colonel, the highest rank within the military branchs Nurse Corps.

Edwards called the recent firings of female leaders by the Trump administration pure ignorance and said the dismissals possibly reaffirm the militarys tradition of being male-dominated.

We needed females [to come] into the military in top administration, because the military was set up for men, she added.

Lack of female military leaders today

In recent years, female enlistment in the U.S. military has continued to grow. In 2023, women made up 17.5% of active-duty military personnel. Women today serve in all branches of the military, including combat roles.

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A recurring problem, however, has been the ability of the military to recruit and retain women service members.

According to a 2020 Government Accountability Office study, women were 28% more likely to withdraw than men. Studies also found that gender discrimination and sexual harassment have remained prevalent for female officers.

Women did not officially serve until June 1948, when President Harry Truman signed the Womens Armed Service Integration Act, allowing women to receive regular permanent status in the armed forces.

Rochelle Crump was among the thousands who served in the Womens Army Corps, the sole womens branch of the U.S. Army before it was merged with the male units in 1978. At 17, she joined her unit in 1971 near the height of the Vietnam War.

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Crump was never deployed overseas, but she served tours in military forts across California, Alabama and Georgia. Seeing other young female officers around her at the time provided her a deeper sense of can do in the military, she said.

Today, when women are still in the minority in the Army, they need to see that representation from leadership, said Crump, who serves as the president of National Women Veterans United in Chicago, Illinois.

Those women will need that leadership, they need to see that leadership, they need to know they can do those things those officers can do now, Crump said.

Crump added that the Trump administrations recent dismissal of female military officials has been a backwards situation thats been coming a long time.

" It was not because of DEI [that] they earned it, Crump said. They worked hard for it, and they deserve to have been in those positions.
A standing room-only crowd packed the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission offices in Warwick on Monday, March 10, 2025, for a public hearing about proposed summer utility rates. (Photo by Megan Cotter)

Ubaldo Quintero peers through the window of his second-floor apartment at a Rhode Island Energy truck driving through his Pawtucket neighborhood. He hopes and prays utility company technicians arent coming to his door.

Quintero, 63, has faced multiple shutoffs over the past five years for defaulting on his payment plan, he explains through an interpreter. Quintero is from Colombia and speaks Spanish.

Ubaldo Quintero, 63, of Pawtucket, attends a Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission hearing in September 2024 to protest proposed rate hikes. (Courtesy of the George Wiley Center)

He cant say how much his latest electric bill is; he avoids opening the mail because he knows his income as a security guard is not enough to cover the cost. And so he waits for the next time the lights dont turn on, and the humming medical devices helping his wife, Janeth, manage her chronic illnesses fall silent.

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If Quintero didnt have to work on Monday night, March 10, he would have gone to a public hearing to share his story with state utility regulators considering changes to electric and gas bills. Hes attended such twice-a-year hearings in the past. Hes also written to lawmakers in support of bills that would provide relief for low-income and medically vulnerable residents like him.

Nearly 200 people packed the Warwick offices of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the March 10 hearing to denounce rising energy bills. Among them was Rep. Megan Cotter, an Exeter Democrat and a first-time attendee at the rate review hearings.

This is an issue that impacts every single Rhode Islander, from seniors on fixed income to small businesses, Cotter said in an interview. Rhode Island needs to wake up and do something. Whatever its going to take.

But solving the structural and systemic problems at least partially responsible for soaring and unpredictable utility bills is complicated. State law limits the PUCs oversight over the supply-side energy prices, as long as the company can prove its proposed rates are a direct reflection of what it pays third-party suppliers, with no additional profit, the rates must be approved.

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The appointed utility panel is expected to vote soon on Rhode Island Energys proposed changes to electric and gas rates before they take effect on April 1, though a meeting date has not been scheduled.

Meanwhile, at the Rhode Island State House, energy costs are in the spotlight thanks to a bevy of bills. Some are perennial proposals: to cap bills based on income and to give more time for seniors and medically vulnerable residents like Quintero and his wife to pay their overdue bills. Others are more radical: encouraging purchase of nuclear power as an alternative energy source, chopping Rhode Island Energys profit ceiling of 9.275% by more than half, and setting up a study panel to review the alternative of a state-run public utility.

Cotter, who is behind the latter two bills, acknowledges her proposals might sound severe. But so is the problem.

And she has no confidence that PPL Corp., the publicly traded parent company that owns Rhode Island Energy, will fix it on its own.

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Theyre not ever going to try to get less money, Cotter said. Theyre always looking out for shareholders. Thats their job as a company and a business.

Who profits off your power?

PPL Corp. reported $888 million in profits for 2024, including utility operations in Rhode Island, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. The earnings mark a 20% increase over the prior year, with a corresponding increase in earnings per share.

Under the terms of its 2022 purchase of Rhode Islands utility operations from former owner National Grid, PPL was barred from hiking distribution costs to Rhode Island customers for three years. So 2026 will be the first time the utility carrier can propose higher fees not tied to supply-side fluctuations or state policy mandates. The companys proposed distribution charges are expected to be submitted this fall.

But even without extra distribution fees, Rhode Island energy customers have seen their bills skyrocket due to political unrest and limited supply, which drives wholesale prices higher. Supply-side electric charges  which account for half of the average monthly bill  reached their highest rate in state history in winter 2022, with the second highest rates on record the following winter. The peaks coincided with international market spikes in response to the war in Ukraine, magnified in New England because of limited regional pipeline capacity. Meanwhile, state laws mandating decarbonization, including offsetting 100% of state electricity usage through renewable sources or credits by 2030, hiked bill charges associated with renewable energy.

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This winter, market prices declined, while the PUC issued bill credits to offset a $25 million overcollection from 2023. Most residential customers received a one-time credit of nearly $69 on their December bills, while low-income customers got $140, divided into $23 monthly increments for the last six months.

Recent cold snaps spiked wholesale pricing and customer demand for electricity again, escalating what was already a nearly $169 monthly electric bill for the average residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

My bill went from $100 to $200 last month, Catherine Zelazny, of Warwick, told state regulators during the March 10 hearing. I did not change anything. I do not use the oven, I keep my house at a low temperature.

Brian Schuster, a Rhode Island Energy spokesperson, attempted to empathize in his opening remarks at the hearing, promising relief would be on the way.

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We have experienced one of the coldest winters, and we feel the pain youre going through, Schuster said.

The crowd responded with jeers.

Pat Crowley, a labor organizer with Rhode Island AFL-CIO, addresses a crowd of protestors outside the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission office in Warwick on Monday, March 10, 2025. (Photo by Megan Cotter)

Summer electric rates to decrease

In keeping with seasonal fluctuations in electricity prices, Rhode Island Energy customers would see their electric bills decrease for the six-month period starting April 1.

The proposed rate reduction would save an average residential customer about $28 on their monthly electric bill  from $169 to $142 per month  according to calculations from Rhode Island Energy submitted to the PUC.

But fired-up residents at the hearing did not want to talk about summer electric savings, or the proposed $78 increase in annual natural gas fees  the other item on the agenda. One after another, they took aim at Rhode Island Energy and its executives, blaming their profit-centered approach for skyrocketing bills.

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I am angry at an ever-increasing profit that squeezes hardworking Rhode Islanders, forcing us to choose between heat and food, children and rent, said Sue Kelley, 76, of Cranston. I am angry that no corporation expects itself to support the greater community or consider the morality of its actions.

Kelley urged state regulators to force an immediate rate cut, a plea echoed by many among the 50 people who testified.

The commission has never denied the base supply rates, as proposals have always proven to directly reflect market pricing, said Todd Bianco, chief economic and policy analyst for the commission, in an interview. However, the commission has attempted to blunt the impact to customers bills at least five times over the last 10 years by deferring proposed increases to warmer months, and offering credits from various revenue sources, including the states carbon trade program.

PUC Chairman Ronald Gerwatowski told the crowd during the hearing that he and fellow commissioner Abigail Anthony were not allowed to respond to comments. The third, $139,000-salaried seat on the three-member panel has been vacant since commissioner John Revens Jr. stepped down in December.

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But Cotter felt commissioners were not receptive to the public testimony.

It did feel like a lack of empathy for the folks who were speaking, Cotter said.

Ubaldo Quintero wrote a letter to state lawmakers supporting a bill to expand protections against utility shutoffs for medically vulnerable residents. His wife, Janeth, has chronic conditions that require medical machines. (Courtesy of the George Wiley Center)

The Massachusetts model

In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey on Monday ordered the states utility regulators to issue credits for April electric bills while announcing a $220 million Energy Affordability Agenda to find competitive alternative energy suppliers, reduce seasonal and market-based price volatility, and enroll more people in discount programs. Last month, at Healeys urging, the states Department of Public Utilities forced natural gas companies to lower March and April bills by 5%, temporarily suspending delivery fees that help pay with energy efficiency programs and capital infrastructure improvements.

Rep. Teresa Tanzi, a Narragansett Democrat, criticized Gov. Dan. McKee for not taking a similar role in Rhode Island.

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I think hes out of touch, Tanzi said of McKee in an interview. This is something a governor should be addressing without a doubt.

Energy costs are a top priority, Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKee, said in an emailed response. She gave examples of efforts to help customers, including bill credits issued last fall at McKees direction, along with the recent $8 million settlement with Rhode Island Energy for invoicing fraud committed by its predecessor National Grid.

The settlement money is not being used directly to reduce customers bills, but instead will pay down debt in a separate fund for emergency responses, indirectly sparing customers higher fees in the long run, Bianco said.

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources is also soliciting proposals from vendors to administer the states energy efficiency program to determine whether a third party  rather than the state utility company  offers the best net benefits to state residents, as required under the states fiscal 2024 budget. Bids were due Friday, though information on the number and identities of bidders was not immediately available.

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Activists with The George Wiley Center, Rhode Island Working Families Party, Black Lives Matter PAC and Indivisible RI have flooded McKees inbox with letters, and petitions urging the governor to address the escalating utility costs that are crushing families.

Camilo Viveiros, coordinator and executive director for the George Wiley Center, said he has not heard anything from the governors office in the week since a 600-signature petition was sent.

State representatives met twice over Zoom with Rhode Island Energy leaders in February in the hopes of finding ways to cut costs for customers. But Tanzi said they werent prepared to answer specific questions, and didnt let lawmakers record the call for those unable to attend.

I too often feel that they are trying to do a song and dance around this, and in this case put the blame on us, Tanzi said. Theyre saying theyre so cut to the bone, they have no room to be doing anything differently.

Caroline Pretyman, a Rhode Island Energy spokesperson, said in an emailed response that the company will continue to have continued discussions with policymakers, regulators and other stakeholders.

This is an issue that impacts every single Rhode Islander, from seniors on fixed income to small businesses. Rhode Island needs to wake up and do something. Whatever its going to take.

 Rep. Megan Cotter, an Exeter Democrat

Rep. June Speakman, a Warren Democrat, on Feb. 28 introduced a resolution asking the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers to meet with Rhode Island Energy to consider immediate and meaningful action to reduce utility bills, reporting recommendations to House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi by April 22. The non-binding resolution, co-sponsored by 10 House Democrats, also points to what utility regulators did in Massachusetts as a model for Rhode Island to consider.

National Grids energy efficiency charge in Massachusetts  which is being suspended for two months on natural gas bills  is 4.5 times higher than what Rhode Island Energy charges its natural gas customers. Temporarily suspending the energy efficiency charge in Rhode Island would not drastically reduce customers natural gas bills, especially in the warmer months, Bianco said.

In search of a solution

State utility regulators arent opposed to policy solutions. They have written to lawmakers to support a bill that would enact a policy model popularized in a dozen other states. The Percentage of Income Payment Plan program would create a tiered-income plan in which the lowest-income residents would pay no more than 3-6% of their income on gas and electricity.

Rhode Island Energy did not oppose the bill in 2024, but warned of additional programmatic and administrative costs, according to an April 1, 2024, letter from its lobbyist Nicholas Ucci.

The company has come out strongly against both of Cotters bills to cap revenue and create a study commission to explore how the state could set up a public-owned utility. In op-eds published in The Providence Journal and The Boston Globe respectively, Rhode Island Energy President Greg Cornett warned the bills would increase rates while risking safety and reliability. He said Cotter glosses over the risk for Rhode Islanders in this plan, and ignores the real reasons that energy costs are rising.

Viveiros of the George Wiley Center sees Cornetts public rebuttal as further evidence of Rhode Island Energys poor communication.

I dont know who their publicity marketing person is that they are spending millions of dollars for, and our bills pay for, but that isnt what consumers want to see, Viveiros said.

Ucci was paid $24,000 as Rhode Island Energys lobbyist in 2024, according to the Rhode Island secretary of states Lobby Tracker. Advocates with the George Wiley Center have been unable to meet or talk to Ucci or other company executives outside of bill hearings, unlike National Grid executives, including its company president, who made themselves available to discuss policy ideas prior to selling the states utilities, Viveiros said.

Pretyman said Rhode Island Energy has spoken with sponsors of the Percentage Income Payment Plan bill at various times in past sessions, noting that hearings on this years PIPP bills have not been scheduled.

Relief cant come soon enough for Pawtucket resident Quintero, who just finished paying back his neighbor the $250 lent to him last fall to turn his power back on.

Quintero stopped paying for natural gas heat 15 years ago, relying on a small space heater and sealing his windows shut to try and avoid extra costs. But he still cant afford groceries and power. As long as Janeths medical machines keep running, she can stay comfortable and manage her chronic conditions, including sleep apnea and lipedema.

She basically cannot live without those machines, he says through an interpreter.

He lets out a long, low sigh.

This is a constant problem.

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TO READERS: This essay has been updated to correct the scope of the Government Accountability Office's estimate for annual fraud of $233 billion to $521 billion. The figure is for the entire federal government.

Elon Musk is the latest of a long line of protectors against egregious government waste, fraud and abuse. Sen. Bill Proxmire had his annual Golden Fleece Award. Sen. John McCain posted his annual Most Wasted Book. Sen. Tom Coburn announced his Wastebook in which he famously exposed the RoboSquirrel and the Bridge to Nowhere. Taking a page from Coburn, Sen. Joni Ernst rode to election with her pledge to cut government waste and make em squeal like castrated pigs. Sen. Chuck Grassley has reported exposures by whistle-blowers of wasteful Department of Defense spending for years.

They all follow in the footsteps of Iowa icon Rep. H.R. Gross, who was my congressman when I was growing up. Grassley said Gross earned a legendary reputation as watchdog of the Treasury. He represented northeast Iowa for 26 years in Congress. He was so frugal that he pinched his cigarette between his thumb and first two fingers with the burning end held upright because he thought it would burn slower. He voted against nearly every spending bill, and all foreign aid, congressional junkets and earmarks. He voted against funding President John F. Kennedys eternal flame at Arlington. He said the cost of the monthly gas bill of $6 wasnt much but it added up over eternity.

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He never took a junket and was a pain in the backside to his colleagues who loved him nevertheless. When he retired his fellow members bought H.R. and his wife, who had managed his office, an around-the-world trip. He took one last shot at spending when with tears in his eyes he thanked them, Wherever, we go, I am sure Ill see you all on your taxpayer junkets! Time magazine called him the useful pest. H.R. would say Amen! to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) mission.

DOGE exposes many examples of wasteful spending

Every day new examples of government waste, abuse and fraud are reported by DOGE. They are catalogued online under highergov.com and reported in news headlines with stories about spending on "Sesame Street" in Iraq, millions of dollars to farmers in Afghanistan that doubled poppy production for opium, $2 million for funding Moroccan pottery classes, $1 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development (in addition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding) for bat research on corona viruses that the CIA thinks likely led to COVID-19, and hundreds more. We learn that $10 million of our taxpayer dollars funded DEI transgender experiments on mice, rats and monkeys; $1.1 million to find out if female rats receiving testosterone therapies to mimic transgender men were more likely to overdose on a LGBTQ party drug.

Sen. Tom Harkin used to dismissively call such individual wasteful boondoggles "just pencil dust." However, the aggregate cost of waste, fraud and abuse is significant. According to the Government Accountability Office, the estimated annual cost of fraud within the federal government is between $233 billion and $521 billion. The vast Department of Defense budget is a significant target for potential fraud because of complex contracts with multiple layers of subcontractors. Grassley has exposed $10,000 toilet seat lids and $43 million Afghanistan gas stations.

In 2023 the Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden estimated that improper payment to Medicare and Medicaid totaled over $100 billion (8.58% of total spending).

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DOGE is auditing the books of all the federal agencies and departments and will uncover many more egregious examples. There wont always be agreement on what are wasteful spending programs. Some, such as eliminating DEI embedded in most agencies, will be seen by many as eliminating waste but by others as cuts in important areas. Some estimates on the ultimate cost of DEI is $1 trillion. However, there is bipartisan support for eliminating government waste and fraud as evidenced by the unanimous advance of Ernsts bill to stop secret government spending and Grassley and Sen. Bernie Sanders' bipartisan bill to audit the Pentagon for wasteful spending.

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to the media, next to Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his son X  A-12, with a Tesla car in the background, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S.,

Mandatory spending is most of the culprit for deficits

Mandatory spending programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid account for about two-thirds of federal spending and are growing as the population ages. Annual interest on the national debt will surpass $1 trillion soon, Federal debt is already 120% of GDP, and annual deficits are running over $1.4 trillion. Cutting discretionary spending by the government  defense, education, infrastructure, agriculture  wont balance the budget, even if all waste, fraud and abuse were eliminated. It would take miraculous economic growth of 4% to 5% to balance the budget. Deregulation, some types of tax cuts or an AI tech boom could improve revenues. However, with health care costs rising more than 6% a year and the number of retirees doubling by 2050, I wouldnt bet on economic growth as sufficient. Some mix of entitlement cuts (like means testing and raising eligibility ages) and raising taxes is probably the only practical fix in addition to growing the economy.

When I was in Congress we balanced the budget for five years and actually paid down the national debt. I would meet with constituents and frequently heard, Dont cut my programs just stop waste, fraud and abuse! That is why it is so important to eliminate these egregious examples of unnecessary spending, waste, and fraud. Medicare Grey Panther recipients will jump on Congress members' car hoods before accepting increasing costs or decreasing benefits when they see the federal government spending $50,000 in India to train corporate employees about transgender policies or doing transgender mice experiments.

Reducing waste, fraud, abuse, and stupidity is a necessary first step

It is imperative that efforts to reduce waste, fraud, abuse, and stupid projects are eliminated as much as possible. Without doing this the public will not stand for what really needs to be done to prevent eventual economic catastrophe. Successful DOGE is the sine qua non, the necessary prerequisite, for the public to swallow the bitter medicine that will be required to treat the budget deficit and our national debt while ultimately protecting the entitlements.

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We can hope that other members of Congress will emulate spending watchdogs like Proxmire, McCain, Coburn and Iowas Grassley and Ernst in tackling the waste and abuse. Iowa has a tradition of fiscal rectitude.

Gross, would be at the forefront of Elon Musks DOGE were he still "The Useful Pest" in Congress.

Dr. Greg Ganske is a retired plastic surgeon who cared for women with breast cancer, children with birth defects, farmers with hand injuries, and burn patients. He served Iowa in Congress from 1995 to 2003. He was the Iowa GOP nominee for the US. Senate in 2002.

This essay was updated March 17, 2025, to add a correction and a link.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Reductions via DOGE are a necessary first step on deficits | Opinion
(NewsNation)  The Department of Justice announced details about a joint task force that will investigate the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel and the ongoing threat posed by Hamas.

Joint Task Force October 7 was established by Attorney General Pam Bondi on her first day in office, with the DOJ saying it would be seeking justice for victims of the Oct. 7 attack.

The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not winand there will be consequences, Bondi said. As Attorney General, I have had the solemn honor of meeting with several families of U.S. citizens whose loved ones were kidnapped by Hamas on that dark day. This task force will strengthen the Departments resolve to achieve justice for these families and their loved ones as we continue to fight antisemitism in all its forms.

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Homan defends deportations despite judges order blocking flights

The attack committed by Hamas on Oct. 7 led to the murders of approximately 1,200 people with around 250 taken hostage. Among those, 47 people who died were U.S. citizens, and eight U.S. citizens were among those taken hostage.

Following the attack, Israel began military actions in the Gaza Strip, the start of a war that is currently in a temporary ceasefire as negotiations for a permanent ceasefire continue.

The task force will focus on charging and securing for prosecution those who directly perpetrated the attacks and Hamas leadership who were involved in planning the Oct. 7 attacks and other acts of terrorism.

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Trump says autopen voids Bidens pardons for Jan. 6 committee

The task force will also investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations by individuals or groups who provided support or financing to Hamas, other Iranian-backed proxy groups and affiliates. According to a press release from the department, that will also include acts of antisemitism.

The task force will be led by a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the DOJ and will include senior FBI officials, trial attorneys and other specialists.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Michigan man was sentenced to serve more than two decades in prison after pleading guilty to multiple child exploitation charges, officials said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), 55-year-old Robert Northrup, of Niles, Michigan, was sentenced on Friday, March 14 to 25 years in federal prison for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, advertising child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen, and committing an offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender.

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Officials said the convictions are connected to incidents that occurred between July 21, 2022, and August 22, 2022. During the month span, Northrup allegedly spoke with an FBI employee online, who was posing as a 13-year-old girl, on a dating app and by text message.

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The DOJ said Northrup had at least eight accounts on the dating app and requested sexual explicit photos of multiple minors, discussed sexual activity with the FBI employee and sent inappropriate photos and videos.

According to officials, the 55-year-old has prior convictions ranging from criminal sexual conduct third degree, child solicitation, and inappropriate communication with a child, which required him to register as a sex offender.

In addition to those offenses, Northrup has six convictions for failure to register and attempted to failure to register as a sex offender, per the DOJ.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

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After serving his 25-year sentence, the 55-year-old will reportedly be on supervised release for the remainder of his life.

Stopping those who intend to prey on children is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice, said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. This sentence will make sure that Robert Northrup will not harm another child for a quarter century. I commend the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Morrison for their diligent pursuit of justice and drive to hold child sex offenders like Northrup accountable for their crimes.

The DOJ said the case was investigated by FBIs Clarksville Resident Agency.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Don Lemon accused unnamed CNN colleagues for the first time Sunday of sexually harassing him during his 17-year tenure at the news network, recalling one specific instance that saw a female staffer tweak his nipples in the companys Atlanta cafeteria. Another involved an off-site encounter with a female staffer when he was still so new at the company.

Joining Bill Maher for his Club Random podcast in a nearly two-hour conversation, the journalist said that he never went to HR or management over such instances because he feared they may find a way to get rid of me. (Lemon was fired from the network in 2023 amid accusations of misogyny and workplace misconduct.)

I have been harassed by women and men in the work[place]. And some things are not even  its ridiculous, Lemon said. Now look, there are some things that are really egregious, but not everything is Harvey Weinstein-level.

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Thats when Lemon shared details of encounters with two women he worked with in Atlanta. One involved a young lady who comically tweaked my nipples in the cafeteria and exclaimed Oh, its cold in here!

I said, OK, you realize if I did that theyd be walking me out the door right now? But I didnt care to go to HR, Lemon recalled. I didnt say anything because I was just like, its a double standard, its fine.

Lemon was more reticent when speaking of the second woman, also an alleged Atlanta staffer when he was so new there.

Ive never told this story as well, someone who I worked with also harassed me at CNN, and I never went to management. First of all, I was so new there  a woman, and she knew I was gay. And it was bizarre, Lemon shared. She was going through a divorce, it was just weird. And I never went to management. First of all, I thought, like, OK, they may find a way to get rid of me because if I told this story, I dont know if theyre going to believe me or not. But then she was so mean to me after that, I was like, I shouldve told the story. But yeah, Ive been harassed by men and women.

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Prodded by Maher for more details on what constituted being harassed by this second woman, Lemon shared that it wasnt a twirl for me' cliche of workplace power abuse, but that it occurred out of the office.

Theres a lot of cocktail parties, and remember, this was awhile ago and there was not Uber or anything like that, and if you are in Atlanta, taxis arent available, Lemon said. And so you say, Hey, weve had a couple drinks, do you mind I  Oh, no, no, no stay in the guest room, that sort of thing.

CNN declined TheWraps request for comment for this story.

Maher and Lemons conversation of workplace harassment began while they criticized the Democratic Party and its habit of what Lemon called getting rid of their strongest allies for some stupid thing.

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He cited Al Franken, who was run out of politics in 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct during a USO comedy tour in 2006.

No one is perfect. Look at Al Franken. It was the dumbest thing that Ive ever seen, Lemon said. I had a really tough time, Im in New York, I had a really tough time filling in the dot for Kirsten Gillibrand because she did that and she was such virtue signaling.

Don, Im sure if you had a nickel for every time someones hand drifted down your waist when you were taking a picture with them, youd be a very rich man, Maher quipped. Im just guessing.

Im an adult, and maybe I think it is different for men and women, depending on the power structure, Lemon later reflected. I think its flattering as long as you can send them off easily. As a man, I could say, No, Im not interested.

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Listen to Lemons full Club Random podcast interview here. Discussion of Lemons experience of sexual harassment at CNN begins around the 14-minute mark.

The post Don Lemon Says He Was Sexually Harassed at CNN, Remembers One Woman Tweaked His Nipples appeared first on TheWrap.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey delivers the State of the State address in the Old House Chamber at the Alabama State Capitol on Feb. 4, 2025 in Montgomery, Alabama. The governor last week said she would "trust President Trump" in his efforts to destroy the U.S. Department of Education. (Will McClelland for Alabama Reflector)

Gov. Kay Ivey is a sure-footed politician.

Shes walked the narrow and dangerous path of Alabama politics all the way to summit. It requires focus, dedication and balancing performative apathy and winking cruelty. And constant, emphatic declarations that you care more about your party than the people who live here.

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That may explain why Ivey said last week that she supports the efforts of President Donald Trump and effective President Elon Musk to destroy the U.S. Department of Education.

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Im all for shrinking government where we can, al.com reported Ivey saying. And truth be known, every state has an education department. I know weve got a good one and a state board of education and local boards that can handle education very well. So Im going to trust President Trump on this one.

Alabamas chief executive puts more trust in a man who defrauded students than civil servants trying to make childrens lives a little easier.

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Excuse me. Bureaucrats.

Heres what these bureaucrats do. They provide resources to Alabama students that our state government will not.

The department administers Title I, a federal program that sends money to high-poverty schools, about a third of all public schools in Alabama. It pays for special education programs and for educating children with disabilities.

The department investigates civil rights complaints. It creates regulations to protect students. And it oversees federal aid for college. The department does not set curriculum. Thats up to the states.

In short, it provides needed resources to students who lack them and  at least before Trump took over  advocates for those on the margins. It does this with far fewer employees than most other federal agencies, even prior to the White House throwing 1,300 of them out on the street.

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Federal aid may be a fraction of state money spent on schools, but with so many Alabama schools operating on shoestring budgets, losing it would be a disaster.

Ivey either doesnt understand this, doesnt care, or actively opposes aid to poor Alabama children.

Trump and other conservatives have targeted the Department of Education for years, claiming it had powers over what students learn that it does not. On the campaign trail last year, the president said he wanted to return education to the states.

Alabama shows that you cant trust the states to put children first.

Exhibit A is our school funding model, created over 150 years ago and refined in the racist Constitution of 1901.

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The white planters who designed that model had one overriding goal: making Black Alabamians miserable.

They especially hated the idea of Black children getting an education. (They didnt like poor whites going to school, either, but they couldnt stop them once formerly enslaved Alabamians built our public education system.)

So they imposed extreme property tax caps on cities and counties, strangling their ability to pay for education. They repealed laws requiring equitable school funding. They forced Black students into segregated schools with few resources and used Black taxpayers money to fund white schools their children could not attend.

In the 1910s in Wilcox County  Iveys home  the state spent $13 on every white student. It spent 60 cents on every Black student.

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Black Alabamians had to pay taxes and then reached deeper in their pockets to make private payments to teachers. That was the only way to keep schools open more than three months a year.

Black Alabamians also shouldered the burden of building schools in their communities. In the 1910s, Black southerners paid more to build schools sponsored by white philanthropist Julius Rosenwald than Rosenwald did.

The funding gaps began to close in the 1960s. And only because the federal government started providing money to education.

State leaders leave us alone argument would be plausible if Montgomery took concrete steps to address the destructive legacy of Jim Crow in our schools. Instead, officials further crippled public education in the 1970s with the lid bills, severely limiting property tax assessments and local governments ability to pay for services.

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Last year, the Legislature approved a law that will stuff $100 million a year  and probably more  into the pockets of wealthy families to pay for private school tuition.

Turning your tax dollars into gifts for the rich is educational choice. Aid to impoverished children is government overreach. This isnt how you make schools better.

Lets be clear. Alabamas method of funding public education was designed by racists. It had racist goals, and it led to racist outcomes. Federal money is the only force that provides any counterbalance to it.

Our state leaders, by and large, hate the agency that provides that force. But they show no interest in fixing an unjust tax system that created  and sustains  a large achievement gap between white and Black students in Alabama.

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They might not endorse the reasons that system was created. But they tolerate it. And its ongoing failures to properly educate every child in the state.

And when they cheer efforts to stop federal aid to poor students  and insist the states methods are the right ones  they own those failures.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan's Qanot Sharq Airlines is expanding its route network with direct flights from Tashkent to Milan, the airline told Trend.

The flights will be conducted starting April 19, 2025.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan Airways will increase the frequency of flights to Milan, offering three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays starting April 2025.

In addition, Uzbekistan Airways will start operating seasonal flights to Rome from March 30, which will be operated on Sundays.

The airline currently operates regular flights to Milan on Fridays.
Donald Trump once offered a MAGA newcomer his bed while she was feeling unwell, but told her to keep it a secret from Melania, according to a new bombshell book.

The president made the offer aboard his personal jet in 2023, when Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, 35, was pregnant.

If you need a bed to lay down in, theres one here on the plane. If you feel sick and you need to lay there, you can lay on it, Trump reportedly told Luna.

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Just dont tell Melania. She doesnt like other women on my bed, he joked.

Donald Trump with Anna Luna during a town hall event in October 2024. / Logan Cyrus/Getty Images

The comments, revealed in Axios reporter Alex Isenstadts new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trumps Return to Power, cast new light on the presidents eyebrow-raising marriage to Melania Trump.

She f---ing hates him, a source close to Trump and his family told Michael Wolff, who last month published another book to delve into Trumps second campaign, All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America. The White House responded to the book by calling Wolff a lying sack of s---.

Responding to the books claims on X, Luna described the moment in detail, adding it was the most compassionate thing that could have been done at the time as she was experiencing pre-eclampsia symptoms, a serious complication during pregnancy that, if left untreated, can cause fatal problems for the mother and child.

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I seldom respond to nasty headlines because I dont like giving trash credibility, however, being that there is allegedly a book coming out with me named and attacking @POTUS, his marriage, our first lady, and frankly implying something distasteful about me, I am responding, Luna wrote after the Beast first published this story.

The 35-year-old explained she was very pregnant and at the time experiencing pre-eclampsia symptoms, but was not diagnosed. As soon as @realDonaldTrump boarded the plane, being the gentleman and good person that he is, said if I did not feel well, I could use the back room.

I seldom respond to nasty headlines because I dont like giving trash credibility, however, being that there is allegedly a book coming out with me named and attacking @POTUS , his marriage, our first lady, and frankly implying something distasteful about me, I am responding. https://t.co/D1QyG0eYde  Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) March 17, 2025

Luna said the exchange was made in front of her husband in a respectful way. She added: He also assured me that they had a medical team on board in case anything happened and they were aware of how pregnant I was. This was the most compassionate thing that couldve been done at the time.

I find it disgusting that the author fails to recognize that, Luna continued. A few weeks later, I was induced because I did have pre-eclampsia. The author of this book never reached out to me for comment. Which means that this book is likely going to be a s--- hit piece. If people in POTUS orbit are talking to this author, they need to be cut off immediately. This is gross.

Donald Trump kisses Melania Trump at his inauguration on January 20, 2025. / Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images

In a statement to the Daily Beast, an Axios spokesperson stood by Isenstadts account.

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In our report, Axios correctly portrayed and contextualized comments made by President Trump during an interaction that he had with Rep. Luna, an interaction she confirmed in her statement did in fact happen, the spokesperson said.

Melania was rarely seen by Trumps side on the campaign trail last year. The first lady has reportedly limited her stays at the White House since Trumps return to power, splitting her time between D.C. and Florida.

She leads her own life and joins [the president] when appropriate in either place, a source told People last month.

Isenstadts book divulges other candid moments from the presidents campaign trail, such as sarcastic comments about going after his political opponents.

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Listen, everybody. There will be no retribution, there will be no revenge. Wink, wink, he reportedly told aides in March 2024.

He also raged against E. Jean Carroll and Stormy Daniels to an aide in April 2024, reportedly ranting, E. Jean Carroll says I f---ed her. Stormy Daniels says I f---ed her. But I never f---ed them. Everyones f---ing everybody, but I never f---ed any of these people.

But his Republicans colleagues werent off the hook either. When Ron DeSantis prepared to run against him in the 2023 Republican primary, Trump reportedly told then-Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, Im going to squash this guy like a bug. He also insulted Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) for lacking charisma and made fun of casino mogul Steve Wynns incurable eye disease, according to Isenstadt.

Many of these so-called insider books are a desperate attempt to make money off of President Trumps name because journalism is a dying industry with reporters peddling lies and selling their souls in order to make a quick buck, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said in a statement to the Daily Beast.

These works of fiction either belong in the bargain bin of the fantasy section in a discount bookstore or should be repurposed as tissue paper.
President Donald Trump has addressed the failure to meet one of his most significant campaign pledges.

During his 2024 presidential bid, Trump repeatedly pledged to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Now, nearly two months after his inauguration, the three-year conflict continues to rage.

In an interview broadcast Sunday, Trump, though, claimed he didnt mean that campaign promise literally.

Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that, Trump told Full Measure. What I really mean is Id like to get it settled, and I think Ill be successful.

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Still, during the buildup to the 2024 presidential race, Trump appeared unequivocal in his assertions that he could bring a prompt closure to the war, telling Fox News Sean Hannity in March 2023 he could fix the conflict as soon as he won the presidential election.

I would fix that within 24 hours, and if I win, before I get into the office, I will have that war settled, he added. One hundred percent sure.

Since then, he has made similar claims multiple times, including during the ABC News debate with former Vice President Kamala Harris in September.

If Im president-elect, Ill get it done before even becoming president, Trump said at the time.

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During the Full Measure interview, Trump also referred to the 30-day ceasefire proposal the U.S. has made to both Ukraine and Russia. Kyiv has already green-lit the plan, but the Kremlin has yet to confirm its approval.

Asked about what he is prepared to do if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to back the ceasefire, Trump didnt offer a direct response, noting that it would be bad news for this world.

I think hes going to agree, I really do, Trump said of Putin. I think I know him pretty well, and I think hes going to agree.

We just finished interviewing President Trump. He spent the day negotiating over Ukraine and seemed optimistic. Heres how to watch Sunday: https://t.co/1zR7xf8Vn9pic.twitter.com/ErIN03uS6R  Full Measure News (@FullMeasureNews) March 14, 2025

Trump told reporters Sunday evening on Air Force One that he would speak to Putin on Tuesday after his envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Moscow to meet with the Russian president last week.

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The Kremlin on Monday also confirmed the planned talks.

Trump added that he believes his administration has a very good chance at bringing the war to a close.

We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants, he said.

Related...
President Donald Trump has silenced Voice of America, the federally-funded news organization that has beamed its broadcasts abroad for over eight decades.

On Friday afternoon, the Trump administration issued an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the outlet. The following morning, over one thousand VOA employees learned that they were being placed on administrative leave-a day that has already been labeled Bloody Saturday.

Deprived of new content, a number of overseas VOA-affiliated radio stations switched to an all-music format or went quiet altogether. Television and digital outlets, meanwhile, will likely seek to fill airtime with stories provided by other nations, including China and Russia.

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VOA director Michael Abramowitz said he was deeply saddened about the organizations silencing in a statement posted on various social media platforms, including LinkedIn, over the weekend.

VOA needs thoughtful reform, and we have made progress in that regard, wrote Abramowitz, a former Washington Post journalist who was appointed to his position last July. But today's action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission. That mission is especially critical today, when America's adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States.

In a statement following the executive order-which targeted a total of seven federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Minority Business Development Agency-the Trump administration accused the VOA of broadcasting radical propaganda.

Voice of America has been out of step with America for years, a White House official later claimed to Fox News Digital. It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda for years now.

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Trump has been highly critical of publicly-funded media in both of his administrations. Since returning to the Oval Office, he has placed renewed pressure on PBS and NPR in particular.

On Jan. 30, FCC chairman Brendan Carr opened an investigation into both outlets, stating: I do not see a reason why Congress should continue sending taxpayer dollars to NPR and PBS given the changes in the media marketplace.

Public television and radio stations play a significant role in our media ecosystem, FCC commissioner Geoffrey Starks said in response. Any attempt to intimidate these local media outlets is a threat to the free flow of information and the marketplace of ideas.
UPDATED, with comments from press secretary: Donald Trump on Monday will make his first visit to the Kennedy Center since he ousted leadership and ensured that he would be chairman of the D.C. arts institution.

While the center has been beset by cancellations of major shows by artists protesting the Trump takeover, the president told reporters that we have to straighten it out. It is not a good situation. Like everything else in this country.

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Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president hopes to restore arts and culture that embrace American tradition, not disparage it, as we have unfortunately seen over the past several years. She said that Trump would do a tour of the center and would perhaps be discussing some future plays and musicals and theatrical programs that the center will be hosting under his new leadership.

The New York Times reported that Trump will address a Kennedy Center board meeting this afternoon, amid a proposal that would give the president more control over who is honored every year as part of the Kennedy Center Honors. The resolution would give the chairman  Trump  the power to select who would be part of an honors advisory committee.

During his first term, Trump skipped the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, bucking a tradition that dated to its inception in 1978. Trump made the announcement after the 2017 slate of honorees was announced. One of them, Norman Lear, said that while he would attend, he would skip the pre-ceremony reception at the White House in protest of the presidents proposed cuts in arts funding. Other honorees followed in their pledges to boycott the event.

CBS has an agreement to broadcast the ceremony through 2025, but it is unclear what will happen after that point.

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The network has broadcast the honors since its start, typically airing the ceremony around Christmas.

A Kennedy Center spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

The honorees have previously been selected via solicitation from the Board of Trustees, the artistic community and the general public. The Honors Advisory Committee  which last year was chaired by David Bohnett and included a mix of past recipients and other artists  recommends each ceremonys recipients, who were then confirmed by the executive committee of the board.

When Trump took office, the board was split almost evenly between Trump appointees from his first term and Joe Bidens selections during his term. But Trump ousted Bidens appointees, and instead installed his own loyalists and supporters, including his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and Fox News Laura Ingraham.

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The honorees in 2024 included Francis Ford Coppola, The Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval and the Apollo Theater.

Trump has criticized the Kennedy Center in general for going woke, attacking the appearance of a drag performer in its programming lineup. But even before Trump took control, the Kennedy Centers highest-profile programming included shows that were hardly controversial, including Riverdance and The Sound of Music.

Trumps takeover has led to some artists canceling their shows, including the producers behind the blockbuster Hamilton, which was to run next year. Another show that was dropped, the childrens musical Finn, will have a benefit performance in New York this evening. The Kennedy Center said that the show was canceled for financial reasons, and the decision was made before the takeover. But the producers said that they were informed after the new leadership was installed.

Last week, Vice President JD Vance was booed as he entered for a performance of the National Symphony Orchestra, a reflection of what has been the centers core audience: Democratic strongholds in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, including many government workers hit by the Trump administrations widespread cuts to the federal workforce.

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Its unclear who Trump would like to see honored at a Kennedy Center ceremony. But he has named Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight as his ambassadors to Hollywood. During his first term, he presented the National Medal of Arts  an honor that has been ultimately selected by the president since it was started in 1984  to Toby Keith, Ricky Skaggs, Mary Costa, Alison Krauss and Voight.

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North Carolina hopes to improve its hiring and retention of state employees under the Stein Administration. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)

182 days.

Thats the average length of time it takes for North Carolinas state employee hiring process, and Staci Meyer, director of the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) knows the state could do better.

For an hour last Thursday, Meyer was peppered with questions from the House Committee on Oversight about how she would help state agencies address lingering staffing vacancies in hard-to-fill positions.

Staci Meyer, director of the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) (Photo: NCGA video stream)

My commitment begins with our first strategic priority. That is offering all of the available assistance and support to those in western North Carolina recovering from Hurricane Helene, Meyer pledged. I intend to address the high vacancy and turnover rates in critical positions, such as nurses, correctional officers, and engineers.

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But Meyer said North Carolina must modernize and simplify the state Human Resources Act.

We need to allow candidates to apply for state jobs with resumes or online profiles. We need to increase temporary-to-permanent hiring.

Meyer said she was confident that with the transformation of the current HR system, the states workforce would be stronger and more responsive to the needs of North Carolinians.

Lawmaker frustration

Rep. Allison Dahle (D-Wake) said while she meant no ill will toward Meyer, she was very frustrated with the notion that it would take Human Resources more than six months to fill an open position with the state.

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Meyer did not argue with Dahles assessment, noting that the average hiring time in the private sector is closer to 44 days.

Rep. Allison Dahle (D-Wake)

We have built a system that is so complex to apply for a job. Our state application is lengthy, Meyer said.

Meyer, who was appointed to the position by Gov. Josh Stein just 75 days ago, said the office is now examining every form it has to simplify what it means to apply for a job in state government.

We want people moving here from everywhere. We want to tell a different story about working for North Carolina, said Meyer.

Meyer said she is now working in her tenth administration, and the state of North Carolina has not changed its application process since the late 1980s.

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Im not attacking, Dahle offered. I do have a family member who has been waiting for almost three months to hear about a job, and then they keep on reposting that position, so you dont know if you did or didnt [get the job] or whatever. So how can we speed this up with the resources that we have now?

Meyer said recent funding from the General Assembly has allowed Human Resources to contract in December with a company called Workday, which will give state agencies one platform for building its workforce. Some agencies have been using their own legacy systems for hiring.

It is on track, and I commit to you that that will go live in October.

Rep. Allen Chesser (R-Nash)

Meyer said in the interim the state should look more closely at temp hiring and allowing qualified workers to become permanent employees if they are doing a good job.

An antiquated system

Rep. Allen Chesser (R-Nash) said before he won his state House seat he was working in an engineering position within the state Department of Transportation.

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It makes no sense to me. How do we not have the ability to scan and interpret resumes that are uploaded into the system? What is the point in having them uploaded if we dont have the ability to use them in the hiring process? Chesser asked.

We do need statutory changes that reflect modern day and how the real world is operating. But at the same time, I think that with a basic rule change and a basic policy change that we will be able to use resumes and online application in order to schedule interviews, Meyer said.

Chesser said OSHR needed to also address changes in the promotion process for existing state employees.

For instance, when I put in for a promotion, when I was with DOT, because of the antiquated system, it kicked back and said I wasnt even eligible for the job that I had been in for four years, Chesser shared. Its almost like cheating on a test. You gotta have somebody who knows how to work the system, standing over your shoulder, telling you what [keywords] to type into the system.

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Meyer said the General Assembly had the power to simplify the process.

I think there are absolutely ways that we can do that. But I think we have to start by looking internally at our own processes and what our own barriers are in terms of our rules, our policies, and the state Human Resources Act, she said.

Meyer told lawmakers the act is 60 years old and isnt keeping up with modern technology and changes to job recruitment and the application process in the private sector.

Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg)

A need for improved benefits, hiring incentives

Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) said what troubled her was the 33% vacancy rate in state health care jobs. Cunningham said that outside of state government, nurses are paid significantly well with additional incentives to keep them happy.

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I want to know, has there been a survey inside of your employees to look at what is a priority benefit? Cunningham asked. If you work for Atrium, if you work for Novant, theyre going to show you a benefits package on top of your recruitment pay, which could be $15,000 to sign you up and another $10,000 in a year if you stayed during the contract. So, I want us to think about what do our employees really value? Is it vacation time? Is it time to take care of their families when theyre sick? Is it the time that they want to just take care of themselves, a mental health day?

Meyer said OSHR has not conducted a survey, but with employees soon being asked to pay higher rates under the State Health Plan, its critical the state re-examine its benefits package.

We have talked about going on a listening tour to meet with people across North Carolina to say, what would make you want to work for North Carolina?

Better retention practices

Cunningham said while the state has had recent success in hiring, its also spending excessive money training new employees while not retaining those workers.

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I have a granddaughter who graduated from nursing school a couple of years ago. Shes had four jobs. If she doesnt like that one, she leaves it and goes and gets another one. If theyre not paying what she wants, she leaves that one and goes and gets another one. Thats just how the young people think. Theyre not thinking Im going to stay somewhere for 30 years, Cunningham shared.

Meyer said OSHR will be looking at the structure of longevity pay and whether paying that additional stipend at different intervals would help keep some talented employees.

I think there are a lot of things that we can do up front with the abilities that we have now, like incentive leave. I remember when I started in state government, I had to work a year before I had time that I could take off or be sick because of the way you earn.

Meyer said her agency will also evaluate when state workers receive their paycheck.

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One of the secretaries met with me recently and he said, you know, people really want money up front. Its hard for them to wait a whole month to be paid.

Meyer told the oversight committee there was both opportunity and urgency to fill the states open positions.

The opportunity came from former federal workers looking to pivot to the stability of a state job.

As for the urgency, over the next five years, 25% of the state workforce will be retirement eligible with 30 years or more of service.

North Carolina currently has more than 1,000 job openings.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Columbus State Community College is readying to break ground on a new 80,000-square-foot academic building.

Columbus Downtown Commission approved on Feb. 25 the colleges collaboration with OhioHealth to construct a new healthcare education building at the northeast corner of Cleveland Avenue and East Spring Street, currently home to a parking lot. The three-story building will be named the OhioHealth Center of Health Sciences and is set to break ground this fall. Watch a previous NBC4 report on the center in the video player above.

Is Shaquille ONeals chicken chain still coming to Columbus?

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This is an important step forward in meeting our commitment to rapidly scale up home-grown healthcare talent, Martin Maliwesky, Columbus States senior vice president of academic affairs, said. This building represents another investment of Franklin County bond proceeds to provide the in-demand skills critical to the ongoing prosperity of our region.

A rendering of the OhioHealth Center of Health Sciences. (Courtesy Photo/Columbus State Community College)

Columbus State said it is using bond proceeds approved by Franklin County residents to fund construction of the $66.5 million academic building bearing OhioHealths name.

The center will provide upgraded labs, simulation spaces, classrooms and other student success amenities, as Columbus State works with the regions healthcare providers to double the talent pipeline over 10 years. The college announced the project in June 2023 and expects it to open by the start of the 2027-2028 academic year.

The new building is one part of the colleges $120 million OhioHealth partnership, which aims to increase the number of professionals in five key fields: nursing, surgical technology, medical imaging, respiratory therapy and sterile processing. OhioHealth touted a $25 million endowment it created to support instructional and administrative needs as college healthcare programs grow.

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COTA program for residents with disabilities faces criticism for late arrivals, no shows

After the Center for Health Sciences is completed, Columbus State plans to renovate an existing building, Union Hall, to update further dedicated healthcare education spaces. The college also announced last fall it will invest more than $50 million in other new classroom improvements, including a $35 million Franklin Hall renovation that will yield new classrooms and specialized labs.

Columbus States new center was one of several construction projects reviewed by the Downtown Commission during the February meeting. Members voted to table Bluestone Brothers Developments request for approval to bulldoze several single-story buildings on the southeast corner of East Rich and South Fourth streets. After demolition, Bluestone Brothers plans to construct a 24-story, 504,000-square-foot tower called The Estrella.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  An extreme fire danger continues to affect all counties across Kansas this week, and Missouri is also under a high fire danger this week.

In Missouri, there were more than 40 wildfires burning across the state as of Monday morning. In Kansas, there were four  one burning across 1,500 acres east of Winfield and another spanning 1,200 acres west of Dover.

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The Kansas Forest Service warned of the continued fire risk this week Sunday night on Facebook.

This week brings continued high fire danger across the state, the Forest Service said. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of fire season.

In preparation for the fire danger this week, the Forest Service said its coordinated with the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact to bring in reinforcements from out of state  including Wyoming and Utah.

Residents should avoid burning.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  UVM has named Dr. Marlene Tromp as the sole finalist in their presidential search.

The board of trustees initially met with Dr. Tromp in February to discuss the position, but she will also take part in multiple on-campus interviews this week, on March 18 and 19. Over the course of this visit, students and staff members will have a chance to meet her and provide feedback.

Tromp was approved following a six-month national search.

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How to avoid bear conflicts, according to VTF&W

Dr. Tromp has been president of Boise State University since 2019, and previously served in roles at University of California Santa Cruz, Denison University plus Arizona State University. She is also a widely published scholar, specifically for Victorian culture and literature.

During her time at Boise State University, she led the university to historic advances in graduation rate, research awards, and philanthropy, according to a UVM release.

UVM community members will have an opportunity to talk to Tromp at an open forum Wednesday, March 19 at 3:00 p.m. in the Silver Maple Ballroom. An online survey for the Board of Trustees will also be available.

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Patricia Prelock was named active interim president following the departure of Suresh Garimella, who was named University of Arizonas president.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
For the last six years, Dr. Rasha Alawieh studied and worked on kidney transplant cases in the United States, including in Rhode Island, under the legal protection of a H-1B work visa.

That was, until she was deported to her native Lebanon on Friday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials detained Alawieh at Boston's Logan Airport as she was returning from a two-week trip to visit family in Lebanon. Despite a court order that would have halted Alawieh's deportation, her plane took off anyway.

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U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin, the federal judge who issued the initial court order, has instructed officials to respond to the allegations at a hearing Monday.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Brown Medicine doctor who was recently deported to Lebanon, despite a federal court order.

Who is Dr. Rasha Alawieh?

Alawieh is a 34-year-old physician at Brown Medicine. She is originally from Lebanon, and had been legally working in the United States before her deportation.

According to her provider bio, Alawieh works in the division of kidney disease & hypertension, where she specializes in transplant nephrology.

Alawieh graduated from medical school in 2015 and moved to the United States in 2018, completing fellowships at universities in Ohio, Washington and Connecticut, according to a legal complaint filed by her cousin. She was hired to teach at Brown last July.

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"Dr. Alawieh is an outstanding academic in Transplant Nephrology, and she is needed at Brown Medicine," the complaint said.

Dr. George Bayliss, the transplant divisions medical director at Rhode Island Hospital, told The Providence Journal that Alawieh evaluates potential transplant patients and follows their post-operation progress at the hospital.

Why was Dr. Rasha Alawieh deported?

In a statement to The Providence Journal regarding Alawieh's case, Hilton Beckham, assistant commissioner of public affairs for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said that "arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the United States."

"Our CBP officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country," the statement said. "CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats.

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Thomas S. Brown, a lawyer who handles immigration and visa issues for doctors affiliated with Brown Medicine, said that Alawieh was returning to the U.S. on a valid H-1B visa, which would have allowed her to work in the country until mid-2027.

After Alawieh was detained Friday, U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin issued an order saying she could not leave Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice to the court. Officials deported her despite the order.

More: Documents shed light on why RI doctor was detained, deported.

What is a H-1B visa?

Non-American citizens can legally be allowed in the United States under certain circumstances, including if they are working in the country.

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The H-1B visa is what allows employers like Brown Medicine to sponsor highly skilled foreign citizens to work in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website, H-1B visas are temporary and issued if an individual meets certain criteria, including if they are working in the U.S. for specialty occupations" that require at least a bachelor's degree.

There is an annual statutory cap of 65,000 H-1B visas, although there is an allowed 20,000 additional visas for foreign professionals who graduate with a masters degree or doctorate in the U.S., according to the American Immigration Council.

Melina Khan is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY Network - New England, which serves more than a dozen affiliated publications across New England. She can be reached at MKhan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Who is Brown's Dr. Rasha Alawieh? Why was she deported?
The News in Brief Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Tbilisi City Court has found Mikheil Saakashvili, the third president of Georgia, guilty of illegally crossing the state border, sentencing him to 4 years and 6 months in prison. Additionally, he was sentenced to 8 years for embezzling state funds, bringing the total sentence to 12 years and 6 months.In response to the court's decision, Saakashvili condemned what he called a series of illegal and "shameful" actions by the government, which he accused of using the judicial system to destroy him physically while behind bars. He referred to the court ruling as an act of "destruction under the guise of a court order," claiming that it was intended to intimidate both his supporters and the Georgian public.Saakashvili further argued that the ruling was also meant to send a threatening message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "They are telling him that the same fate awaits him if he does not surrender Ukraine," Saakashvili stated.Tinatin Bokuchava, the Chairperson of the Unity - National Movement, strongly criticized the decision by President Salome Zourabichvili not to pardon former President Mikheil Saakashvili. During a briefing at the party office, Bokuchava accused Zourabichvili of sharing responsibility for the "historical injustice" against Saakashvili, who was sentenced to 12.6 years in prison for illegal border crossing.Bokuchava emphasized that Zourabichvili's refusal to use her constitutional power to pardon Saakashvili, despite international calls, directly contributed to the harsh sentence. She further stated, "No matter what anyone thinks today and what political taste they have, it will definitely be written in the pages of Georgian history that the fifth president of Georgia, who tried to resist the Russian occupation regime with the European flag, did not pardon the third president of Georgia, who first raised the European flag in Georgia."Bokuchava concluded by assuring Saakashvili that the United National Movement would continue to fight for his freedom. "We will be as united as ever, and we will have your words today as a torch - 'We fight and we win.'"
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan and the US discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saiov wrote on his Telegram channel, Trend reports.

"Glad to welcome US Congresswoman Carol Miller today at the Ministry. We discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Our strategic partnership continues to expand dynamically across all sectors with even greater potential for future collaboration," he wrote.

The minister noted that the active interparliamentary ties between both countries remain a key priority, and Uzbekistan deeply appreciates the role of the Congressional Caucus on the country as a vital bridge between two nations.

In January 2025, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and the US reached $54.9 million, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 9.1 percent from $59.9 million in January 2024.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Topeka police responded to a three-vehicle crash at a busy intersection near the downtown area on Monday morning.

Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka told 27 News both the Topeka Police Department and Topeka Fire Department were called around 10 a.m. on March 17 to the intersection of Huntoon and Topeka Boulevard on reports of a crash. First responders arriving at the scene found three vehicles involved in the crash.

KHP hit driver with $500 fine for 119 mph speeding violation on the Kansas Turnpike

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Nichols said medical personnel treated one person involved in the crash for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was injured in this crash. The crash scene was cleared by 10:45 a.m. on March 17.

(Photo by: Tim Schoepflin) (Photo by: Tim Schoepflin) (Photo by: Tim Schoepflin)

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NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  An investigation is underway after a driver crashed into a parked van in North Kingstown Monday.

Surveillance footage from the Wickford Shipyard shows the moment the driver slammed into the back of the parked vehicle. The van tipped over into the water upon impact and became wedged in a boat slip.

The van was removed from the water by crane and towed away.

No one was inside the parked van at the time, shipyard employees told 12 News. Though shaken up, the workers said the driver who crashed into the parked van was not injured.

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After the Rapidan Dam failed last summer and the Blue Earth River carved a new course through Minnesota Valley, researchers are using drones to survey the area and monitor changes that affect the entire waterway and landscape downstream, MPR News reported.

The project is being led by Phil Larson, earth sciences director at Minnesota State University Mankato, and Zach Hilgendorf from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, who will monitor the area until the summer of next year. They're looking at how the flooding river has cut new channels and cliffs through the area, what's happening to all the sediment being washed away, and the stretches of exposed soil left behind.

"It looks like we're on the moon or something," said Larson, per MPR News.

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The Rapidan Dam was an old but still sturdy structure. It underwent "avulsive failure," meaning the water didn't go through it; it went around. During a flood, when water levels were high, the river dug a new channel through the softer earth beside the dam and released the built-up pressure behind the barrier.

"The river just evolved and went over here and said, 'We don't want to, I don't want to deal with the dam,'" Larson said, per MPR News. "'I'm going to cut down over here through this landscape, because it's weaker, softer materials.' So, the river now has been locked into this new course here, and we have this dam just sitting here doing nothing."

That sort of thing is getting more common for two reasons. First of all, America's infrastructure is aging, dams included. The older it all gets without being repaired or replaced, the more likely it is to fail.

Meanwhile, heat-trapping air pollution is making the world hotter, which makes the weather less stable overall. Cycles of drought and flooding, plus heavy storms, are all part of the package. And when those storms and floods hit, they can change the landscape.

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In the Blue Earth River's case, that means six Olympic swimming pools' worth of sediment is being pushed downriver. As a result, the river is shallower  between 1.5 and 4 feet when the water is low  and will eventually flow into the Minnesota River and then the Mississippi. The chemical composition, which includes a lot of phosphorus, could damage the environment.

The news isn't all bad. Dam removal creates opportunities for fish that were previously blocked from traveling upstream and now may be able to return again. That could be great for struggling fish populations.

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.
Linda McMahon, President Donald Trumps nominee to be secretary of Education, testifies during her Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing in February. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights opened investigations into Duke University and 44 other schools for race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs, according to a Friday announcement.

This follows allegations that the universities have violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by partnering with The Ph.D. Project, an organization aiming to assist doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D., but restricting eligibility based on race.

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An additional six universities are under investigation for awarding impermissible race-based scholarships and one for administering a program that segregates students on the basis of race.

Institutions violating Title VI can lose federal funding.

Its the latest attempt by the Trump administration to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, this time in the field of higher education.

The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.

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In April 2024, Duke University ended its Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship Program, a full-ride scholarship for top applicants of African descent. The university put a leadership program open to all undergraduates regardless of race in its place.

This move follows a Supreme Court decision in June 2023 that overturned the use of affirmative action in college admissions, although the university maintained the ruling did not affect the programs termination, according to the Duke Chronicle.

Other institutions under investigation include Clemson University in South Carolina and Emory University in Georgia.

The Trump administration made numerous cuts to the Department of Education last week, including laying off nearly half of the employees in its civil rights branch, the Associated Press reported.

Its unclear how these layoffs will impact the new investigations.

Duke University did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers are investigating a crash involving a dump truck on I-75 in Sumter County.

Troopers said the crash happened around 1:20 a.m. on northbound I-71 near mile marker 333.5.

Investigators said the dump truck appeared to have left the raised position by the driver, which caused it to crash into the CR-475 overpass.

The crash was so violent that it sheared the dump trucks bed completely off, leaving it wedged between the highway and the overpass.

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Crews worked to clear the wreckage, and engineers with the Florida Department of Transportation cleared the overpass for traffic to resume.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

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In our cynical times, most people are familiar enough with doublespeak to understand that anything called a "freedom city" is likely to be the opposite. It's a sign of the delusional self-confidence in their own mendacious powers that the tech oligarchs who are financing this idiotic idea insist on going with that branding anyway. Investigative reporters Vittoria Elliott and Caroline Haskins published an in-depth report on this scheme for Wired earlier this month. What immediately becomes clear is that what the Silicon Valley billionaire class considers "freedom cities" is simply neo-feudalism, a plan to end the concept of citizenship and make every working person a serf whose entire life is controlled by the whims of their boss.

By design, the details of how "freedom cities" would be established are laden with legalese like "federal enclaves with special economic and jurisdictional zones" or "interstate compacts." In practice, the plan is straightforward. Advocates want the federal government to set aside land to build cities exempt from federal and state laws. Instead, the cities would function as mini-dictatorships, where the CEO of each town runs everything, and the people who live and work there are subject to the boss's whims. It would be like being an employee of a controlling company, except you don't clock out at the end of the day or have a life  or rights  outside of what the boss allows you.

"These are going to be cities without democracy," journalist Gil Duran told Wired. He's spent years documenting how the Silicon Valley elite  along with politicians like Vice President JD Vance  have pushed the idea that democracy should be ended and replaced with governments run by all-powerful businessmen. "These are going to be cities where the owners of the city, the corporations, the billionaires have all the power and everyone else has no power." In the tech bro world Elon Musk comes from, the definition of "freedom" is that rich people get to treat everyone else however they like, without that pesky government coming in to protect people's safety, autonomy or civil rights. As Duran explained in his newsletter, "These cities will be controlled entirely by tech billionaires and corporations, operating outside of U.S. laws."

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It sounds too preposterous to believe, but Musk's close friend Peter Thiel has been spending lavishly on organizations designed to make it a reality. Pilot programs have begun to create artificial islands where the rich owners rule like kings. One such corporate city, named Prospera, has been built in Honduras, though the government is currently trying to kick them out, disagreeing that the city's owners get to reject any national laws they don't like. And, of course, Donald Trump loves the idea of creating cities that exist outside of federal authority, putting out a video in 2023 promising to give over federal lands to oligarchs to begin their mini-dictatorships. Tech executives, fueled by their ill-gotten crypto gains, are heavily lobbying congressional Republicans right now to make this dystopian dream happen.

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In the tradition of reactionaries everywhere, including his "buddy" Trump, Musk tends to project his sins onto people he dislikes. So it's telling that he has a particular obsession with demonizing progressives, journalists, and pro-democracy activists as feudalists. He painted Tesla, a company he famously rules with nearly an iron fist, as an egalitarian workplace with "no lords and peasants," because there's no "special elevator only for senior executives." Tesla factory employees, however, make 30% less than autoworkers represented by unions, which Musk has aggressively opposed. He even joked openly with Trump about using illegal tactics to union-bust. Musk accused unions of creating "a lords and peasants sort of thing," as if allowing workers bargaining power turns executives into serfs. He even griped in 2022 about then-Twitter having a "lords & peasants system for who has or doesnt have a blue checkmark," referring to their system of marking "verified" users like journalists and politicians, who had proven their identity to the company. Instead, he's replaced it with a pay-to-play system that turns blue check users into "lords" whose subscription fee gives them perks like being at the top of mentions and being promoted in the algorithm.

All of this helps illuminate the ideology fueling Musk's war on the federal government, and propping up his faith that he, an unelected billionaire, should have the right to nullify any federal agency or policy created through the democratic process. It also helps explain why he is happy to go along with Trump's tariffs and other assaults on the economy, even though the chaos is causing the stock market to crash and executives at his own company, Tesla, to panic about the future of the business. The possibility that his reckless actions cause social, economic and governmental collapse doesn't bother Musk, because in the ideological waters he swims in, destroying it all so it can be rebuilt as a tech-dystopian dictatorship is very much the point.

As Kyle Chayka explained in February for the New Yorker, "Silicon Valley is premised on the idea that its founders and engineers know better than anyone else," and "they must be able to govern better than politicians and federal employees." The tech right believes, therefore, that they must destroy "the existing order to create a technologized, hierarchical one with engineers at the top." It's a lot of five-dollar words, but it can be boiled down to the view "dictators good, working people bad." Musk even went so far on Thursday to repost an X user who claimed, "Stalin, Mao, and Hitler didnt murder millions of people. Their public sector employees did," implying that everyday people were working on their own against the will of their dictators.

Engaging in blunt apologetics for Hitler is quite a follow-up performance for a man who caused a "debate" over whether his stiff-armed salute at a Trump rally should be interpreted as the "sieg heil" it looked exactly like. But this goes deeper than making references to Nazis to troll the liberals. The ideology Chayka labels "techno-fascism" that fuels Musk, Thiel, and their fellow tech billionaires rests on the assumption that the only functional form of governance is strict top-down hierarchies. One of the favorite pseudo-intellectuals of the movement, Curtis Yarvin, sneeringly calls it "dictator phobia" to argue that government should depend on the will of the people, dismissing democracy as outdated and inefficient.

If one believes dictators are good and democracy is bad, however, it's hard to reconcile that with the long history of dictators sowing destruction, ordering genocides, or getting embroiled in unnecessary wars that lead, as happened under Hitler, to much of their countries being blown to bits. Actual dictatorships are messy and chaotic, not the smooth, efficient states of the techno-fascist imagination. And, of course, there is no moral justification for the untold amount of human suffering they cause. So instead of dealing with the cognitive dissonance, Musk is burrowing himself in this fantasy that the problem with Nazi Germany, Maoist China, and Stalinist Russia is not too little democracy, but too much of it. It's a fantasy too stupid to need debunking. The fact that he went there shows how hard he is clinging to any justification for his destructive behavior, even if it's as pathetic as it is evil.
The former leader of Project 2025 says the initial actions from the Trump administration aligns pretty closely with the conservative Heritage Foundations vision for the presidents return to the White House.

Paul Dans, who led the project until he resigned as leader in July amid backlash to many of the proposals, told Politico in an interview published Sunday that hes very pleased with President Trumps agenda so far.

Im saying that directionally, they have a lot in common, but so do great minds, Dans said. We had hoped, those of us who worked putting together Project 2025, that the next conservative president would seize the day, but Trump is seizing every minute of every hour.

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Project 2025 was a key point of attack for Democrats on Trump throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, with liberals tying him to the project as many former Trump staffers were involved in crafting it. Trump repeatedly denied any involvement in the project and said he didnt know much about it.

The project comprised conservative organizations and Trump allies and featured a 900-page outline on a wide range of policies for the potential second Trump administration.

An analysis from Time magazine found almost two-thirds of the initial executive orders that Trump issued in his first days back in office at least somewhat mirrored proposals from Project 2025, and reports have noted similarities in scaling back the federal workforce, going after diversity, equity and inclusion programs and moving to ban gender-affirming care for minors, all of which Trump discussed on the campaign trail.

Dans told Politico that Trump told the truth when he said he wasnt involved in the project, as it was completed independent of him and for the conservative movement to say what they believe in.

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He said the agenda of Project 2025 goes back beyond Trump, to the foundation of the Progressive Era ushered in by former Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt.

The entire artifice of the federal government had been built over the last 100 years in essentially a very anti-democratic manner, he said.

Dans said Project 2025 was caught in a maelstrom of misinformation as the left decided to go all in on attacking it, leading to his resignation. But when asked if the Trump administration was falling short or diverging from his original vision for the project, Dans said Its actually way beyond my wildest dreams.

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The East Lansing Public Library will host a party to unveil its new strategic plan, highlighting its future endeavors.

The librarys new strategic plan was created based on community feedback through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. The plan will be a guiding document for decisions about budget, programming, materials, community partnerships, and other services, says ELPL.

Community members are welcome to attend a Q&A session, snacks, activities, giveaways, and open discussions about the new plan.

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The event starts today from 3 p.m. through 6 p.m. The library is located at 950 Abbot Road.

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By Mariam Sunny and Christy Santhosh

(Reuters) -The Trump administration's decision to pause U.S. foreign aid has "substantially disrupted" supply of HIV treatments in eight countries, which could soon run out of these life-saving medicines, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The global health agency said that Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Ukraine could exhaust their supply of HIV treatments in the coming months.

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"The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference. He added that this could lead to over 10 million additional HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths.

Efforts to tackle HIV, polio, malaria and tuberculosis have been impacted by the U.S. foreign aid pause implemented by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office in January.

The WHO-coordinated Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, with over 700 sites worldwide, also faces imminent shutdown, the agency said. This comes at a time when measles is making a comeback in the United States.

The United States has a "responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it's done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding," Ghebreyesus said on Monday.

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Funding shortages could also force 80% of WHO-supported essential health care services in Afghanistan to close, the agency said in a separate statement.

As of March 4, 167 health facilities had shut down due to funding shortages, and without urgent intervention, over 220 more facilities could close by June.

The United States' plans to exit the WHO have also forced the UN agency, which typically receives about a fifth of its overall annual funding from the U.S., to freeze hiring and initiate budget cuts.

The WHO said on Monday that it plans to cut its funding target for emergency operations to $872 million from $1.2 billion in the 2026-2027 budget period.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. The Samarkand Climate Forum will take place on April 4-5, 2025, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, experts, and activists to address the pressing climate challenges facing Central Asia and beyond, Trend reports.

Themed "Central Asia facing global climate challenges: consolidation for common prosperity," the forum will serve as a high-level platform to advance discussions on environmental sustainability, green economic development, and climate resilience. With a focus on regional and international cooperation, the Samarkand Climate Forum 2025 will feature expert panels, plenary sessions, and strategic dialogues covering key areas such as clean energy, integrated water resource management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable urban development.

One of the critical topics of discussion will be the Aral Sea crisis, a striking example of global-scale environmental degradation. Experts and decision-makers will explore solutions for land restoration, combating desertification, and mitigating the socio-economic impacts of climate change in affected regions.

The Samarkand Climate Forum 2025 is expected to host leaders from Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as well as representatives from the European Union, the United Nations, international financial institutions, and leading environmental organizations. This diverse participation underscores a collective commitment to green transformation and sustainable development in the region.

A key outcome of the event will be the presentation of the Samarkand Forums Regional Concept of Green Development, laying the foundation for a shared vision of climate action and sustainability in Central Asia in the field of climate change. It will outline the approaches of leading international organizations to solving environmental problems in the region.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
El Dorado County Fire announces death of Fire Marshal

(FOX40.COM)  El Dorado Fire Protection District announced the death of Fire Marshal and Division Chief Lucas Shepard early Monday morning.

The fire protection district said Shepard died Friday afternoon while on vacation with his family.

Sacramento Metro Fire knocks down attic fire in Rancho Cordova

Chief Shepard dedicated his career to serving the El Dorado County community with unwavering commitment and professionalism, the El Dorado Fire Protection District said.

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Shepard began his journey with the El Dorado County Fire Protection District as an Apprentice Firefighter in March 2006 and graduated from the Sacramento Regional Fire Academy in May 2007. He later became a firefighter paramedic.

In April 2021, he was promoted to Fire Captain and Prevention Specialist, and in December 2024, he was promoted to Fire Marshal with the rank of Division Chief.

(IMAGE: El Dorado County Fire Protection District) (IMAGE: EL DORADO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT) (IMAGE: El Dorado County Fire Protection District)

El Dorado County Fire Protection District said the family is receiving support from a multitude of groups including the fire protection district, the El Dorado County Professional Firefighters Association, and many others.

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Currently, no information regarding services is available.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. Chief Shepards legacy of service will not be forgotten, El Dorado County Fire Protection District said. Please keep his loved ones in your thoughts.

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First responders were searching Monday afternoon for an elderly man missing after fire consumed a home in the Long Island town of Island Park in the early morning.

The blaze broke out just before 2 a.m. and quickly escalated into a three-alarm fire, due to the magnitude of fire and proximity of the neighboring property, the Island Park Volunteer Fire Department said in a statement. It was intense enough to catch the siding of the house next door, ABC News reported.

Firefighters from Long Beach, Point Lookout, Lido, Oceanside, Baldwin, Freeport, East Rockaway, Lynbrook and other towns responded, the department said. In all, it took 90 minutes for 120 firefighters from 10 departments to put out the flames, News 12 Long Island reported.

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On Monday heavy machinery was brought in to comb through the homes rubble, News 12 Long Island reported. At first it was believed that two elderly people were in the house when it started, but determined later that a woman they thought was there had not been. Police were not certain whether the man was inside, and were proceeding slowly, ABC News reported.

Search efforts were complicated by an inordinate amount of clutter that was adding to the debris, police told News 12. Weather conditions made the fire tough to tackle, Nassau County Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro told ABC News, though there was a chance it could also explain the cause.

There were storms in the area, high winds, there were thunderstorms, so were trying to look at lightning strikes, all other types of electrical emergencies, transformers, etc., he said.

Across the street, Maggie Stovickova said although she had smelled a fireplace but that it wasnt normal, prompting her to look out the window to see her neighbors house on fire, she told ABC News.

Hes a good man, an unidentified neighbor told News 12. Sorry it happened. Breaks my heart, it really does.
UPDATE: 3/17/2025  As of Monday morning, the road next to the Phil Gainer Community Center has been reopened.

An updated Facebook post from Elkins City Hall states that roofers have advised that the roof of the center is stable, therefore making the road passable.

ORIGINAL: ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY)  Due to wind damage, the City of Elkins has decided to close a portion of road next for everyones safety.

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According to a Facebook post from Elkins City Hall, the roof of the Phil Gainer Community Center was damaged by the wind, which is above the road along the south/Flood Control side of the building. Because of this, the city has decided to close the road as there is a risk of falling debris.

The post states that the closure will begin immediately and will last until a roofing company can assess the damage and stabilize the roof.

Thousands in NCWV without power following strong storm

The city also noted that because of the closure, the pick up and drop off patterns followed at the nearby Elkins Middle School will need to change. The city provided a photo of the new pattern parents and guardians should follow.

Photo from Elkins City Hall Facebook Page

You can see more storm damage from Sunday here.

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With continued influence over nearly every major government agency, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been granted extraordinary power over federal systems and programs which has the strong potential of directly boosting his bottom line.

Even as Tesla faces a nationwide public backlash, Musk is poised to weaken federal agencies with direct oversight of his companies and just last week capitalized on President Donald Trumps promotion of his vehicles outside the White House.

Hes also making his gratitude known  and proving that it pays off.

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While setting himself up to affect policy that could conceivably increase his net worth by billions, Musk is pouring millions into efforts to cement the Republican Partys control across the nation. His latest effort is taking place in Wisconsin, where a critical statewide election is taking place at the beginning of April.

The states supreme court is currently split 4-3 with a liberal majority, one that has been in place just two years since the election of Janet Protasiewicz. Conservatives, emboldened by Trumps victory in Wisconsin this past November, are hoping to seize on that momentum and retake the courts majority.

Democrats this time around are backing Susan Crawford, a circuit court judge from Dane County. Shes up against Brad Schimel, a fellow circuit court judge and Wisconsins former attorney general.

Schimel is an open Trump supporter (even dressing as him for Halloween) and has attended multiple explicitly Republican events despite bans on openly partisan activity for members of the judiciary. He was appointed to the circuit court bench in 2018 after losing his battle for reelection.

Then-attorney general Brad Schimel at a rally for former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in 2018, the year Schimel lost re-election. (Getty Images)

Health care advocates are particularly worried about the impact the race could have on Wisconsin, given Schimels history. In 2018, a year after the failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Congress, Schimel teamed up with the Texas attorney general to lead a multi-state lawsuit aimed at killing the healthcare program largely known as Obamacare.

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I can tell you that as a physician, I am very concerned about my patients ability to get health care in Wisconsin, Dr Kristin Lyerly, an OBGYN and board member of the advocacy group Committee to Protect Health Care, told The Independent.

When he was the attorney general, [Schimel] led the charge to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and to me, that's where I get my own health insurance, said Lyerly, a former Democratic congressional candidate. That's where so many of my patients, over 300,000 Wisconsinites, are able to access healthcare, because of the ACA.

Lyerlys group joins a host of others including reproductive rights advocates in lining up against Schimel, who is endorsed by one of the nations leading anti-abortion campaigns: Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America.

Abortion rights were formally re-established by law in Wisconsin in 2023, following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade by the US Supreme Court, but the return of a conservative majority at the states highest court could reverse that landmark gain for the left.

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Musk is pouring money into Schimels cause even as Donald Trump has not yet formally endorsed in the race  a sign that the tech billionaire is hoping to strengthen his own ties with the broader GOP base, and is taking on his political activities for the long haul.

Crawford has spent more than Schimel directly as the race nears the April 4 vote, but a Wispolitics.com analysis found that outside spending (led by more than $10 million in ad buys from two Musk-aligned PACs) is tilting the money game in Schimels favor.

DOGE baron Elon Musk is using Donald Trumps name (through his PAC) to support Brad Schimel in the expensive state supreme court race. (Getty Images)

Even without Trumps endorsement, Musks America PAC has issued mailers describing support for Schimel as a vote to support Trump and the MAGA agenda.

The race is likely to be the most expensive state supreme court election in history  just beating out the previous one in 2023. Spending that year totaled more than $45 million.

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Lyerly warned that the impact of setting the state on a radically different course  overturning abortion rights and rolling back healthcare access  would accelerate a brain drain in Wisconsin as younger residents and physicians leave for safer opportunities elsewhere.

Attitudes like Brad Schimels  which prevent people from getting full scope reproductive health care, drive doctors out of the state, drive people of reproductive age out of the state, Lyerly said.

This brain drain, which has been happening since ... before he was the attorney general, it has continued to deplete the state, both from a talent perspective and an economic perspective.

Dr Kristen Lyerly, an emergency room physician with the Committee to Protect Health Care, spoke at a rally against Brad Schimel outside of Wisconsin's state capitol building in March. (Twitter: Committee to Protect Health Care)

All of this comes as Musk is leading cuts at the federal level targeting agencies which deliver critical social-safety net benefits to vulnerable Americans, including the elderly and low-income families.

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In Congress, Republicans are taking a similar route by eyeing cuts to Medicaid and federal food stamp benefits as well as the implementation of work requirements as they work to construct a budget plan. More than one million Wisconsinites rely on Medicaid benefits in some fashion, according to a recent analysis.

The result? Voters in the state are quickly turning out to express their displeasure. Several of Wisconsins Republican members of Congress have said that they would opt for tele-town halls going forward to dodge a wave of angry constituents turning in-person events into calamitous screaming matches.

So many people are worried about what's going to happen with their Medicaid, said Lyerly. My friends and my neighbors who are disabled are concerned about how they're going to be able to continue living. They're already living on a shoestring budget, she noted.

Constituents are very angry and very frustrated., she emphasized. They want to be represented. They're not thinking about this in terms of Republicans and Democrats. They're thinking about this like, I don't know how I'm going to live my life if this continues. And it's just getting started.
The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights announced Friday that theyd opened investigations into dozens of universities, citing allegations of race-exclusionary practices in graduate programs.

Among the universities in the list of 45 institutions was Emory University in Georgia.

Federal officials said the investigations opened into the various institutions followed a Feb. 14 Dear Colleague letter sent by the department that reminded the various schools of their civil rights obligations to end use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.

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Further, the department said the investigations follow allegations that the 45 institutions had violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through their partnership with an organization called The Ph.D. Project.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The Department of Education said purports to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities, but limits eligibility based on the race of participants.

Along with the 45 universities under investigation for involvement with The Ph.D. Project, OCR said they were also investigating seven institutions for allegations of using impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation.

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In the announcement, the Department of Education said institutions violation of Title VI can result in loss of federal funds.

TRENDING STORIES:

The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination. The agency has already launched Title VI investigations into institutions where widespread antisemitic harassment has been reported and Title IX investigations into entities which allegedly continue to allow sex discrimination; todays announcement expands our efforts to ensure universities are not discriminating against their students based on race and race stereotypes, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.

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Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Emory University and The Ph.D. Project for comment and are waiting for their responses.

Heres the list of the universities under investigation, as announced on Friday:

Arizona State University  Main Campus

Boise State University

Cal Poly Humboldt

California State University  San Bernadino

Carnegie Mellon University

Clemson University

Cornell University

Duke University

Emory University

George Mason University

Georgetown University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Montana State University-Bozeman

New York University (NYU)

Rice University

Rutgers University

The Ohio State University  Main Campus

Towson University

Tulane University

University of Arkansas  Fayetteville

University of California-Berkeley

University of Chicago

University of Cincinnati  Main Campus

University of Colorado  Colorado Springs

University of Delaware

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

University of Nebraska at Omaha

University of New Mexico  Main Campus

University of North Dakota  Main Campus

University of North Texas  Denton

University of Notre Dame

University of NV  Las Vegas

University of Oregon

University of Rhode Island

University of Utah

University of Washington-Seattle

University of Wisconsin-Madison

University of Wyoming

Vanderbilt University

Washington State University

Washington University in St. Louis

Yale University

Heres the list of institutions being investigated for allegations of race-based scholarships and race-based segregation:

Grand Valley State University

Ithaca College

New England College of Optometry

University of Alabama

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

University of South Florida

University of Oklahoma, Tulsa School of Community Medicine

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(Bloomberg) -- Energy Secretary Chris Wright praised a division of the Energy Department charged with funding research projects deemed too risky to get private-sector investment, amid questions about its future in the second Trump administration.

Most Read from Bloomberg

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The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, or ARPA-E, has doled out some $4.2 billion to more than 1,700 energy projects since 2009. Trump proposed eliminating it during his first stint as president, and Republicans at that time criticized it as unnecessary.

More recently, the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 called for scrapping the agency, which has a budget of $460 million. ARPA-E also appeared on a list of programs being scrutinized by the White House Office of Management and Budget as President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk seek to shrink the US government.

But Wright, who gave the keynote address Monday at ARPA-Es annual summit in National Harbor, Maryland, cast the agency as necessary to help power an AI race that will be critical for the future of national defense and medical research.

The only way we can get there is if we grow our energy system faster and faster, and thats why you are all here, Wright, a former oil and gas executive, told attendees. There is a huge, life-changing opportunity for innovation there. He lauded the potential of energy storage and the increasing efficiency of US solar manufacturing.

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Wright also promoted small modular reactors and said nuclear fusion could achieve commercialization in the near future. He later toured some of the summits project exhibits, including those of Westinghouse Electric Co., which received $6.6 million from the agency to develop a nuclear microreactor, and the company Deep Isolation Inc., which got $3.8 million from ARPA-E to create technology to isolate nuclear waste in deep boreholes underground.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Prior coverage in video player above.

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  An inspection is underway after a downtown building partially collapsed due to high winds this weekend.

The City of Dayton has personnel remaining on scene after a partial collapse occurred in the upper portions of a downtown building located at 34 N. Main Street.

Expect tornado sirens to sound Wednesday morning

The incident was first reported Saturday, March 15, when high winds caused portions of the upper building to become detached, fall and damage lower powers of the building. The damage also affected the Stratacache Tower nearby at 40 N. Main Street.

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No injuries were reported, but as a precaution, N. Main Street was closed between Second and Third streets throughout the weekend.

Dayton officials say a structural engineer was called to assess the building on Monday. Further evaluation will aid in protecting the infrastructure from any additional collapse or damage.

Parts of N. Main Street and nearby sidewalks may remain closed as assessment continues. 2 NEWS is working to learn when the road will reopen.

The Board of the Montgomery County Land Bank, which owns the building at 34 N. Main Street, plans to meet Tuesday morning at 8:30 p.m. to discuss next steps.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
A New England doctor was detained last week at Bostons Logan Airport after visiting her parents overseas and deported on Friday night.

Dr. Rasha Alaweih, a Rhode Island-based kidney transplant doctor, has been working at Brown University in Providence for the last six years. Still, despite valid visas and a federal judges explicit orders, she was sent back to Lebanon on Friday night.

Alaweih, 34, was sent away just as the Trump administration transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even though a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.

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Judge Leo Sorokin ordered that Alaweih remain in Massachusetts after returning to Boston but she was deported before her case could be heard in court. Sorokin was expected to hear a habeas corpus petition, which argued that she had a valid visa to enter the country, according to The Boston Globe.

A family lawyer says Alawieh was cleared to return to the U.S. and that she has both an active visa through 2027 and a passport.

Alawiehs family has filed a complaint to the U.S. District Court, which has stated that she not be deported within 48 hours notice.

Sorokin on Monday will ask federal authorities to explain why the US Customs and Border Patrol deported Alaweih despite his orders to hear her case.

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These allegations are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under oath affidavit filed by an attorney, Sorokin wrote in a violation notice, according to the Globe. The government shall respond to these serious allegations with a legal and factual response setting forth its version of events.

A Brown University spokesperson confirmed to Boston 25 News that Alawieh is an employee of Brown Medicine with a clinical appointment to Brown University.

A rally will be held in support of Alaweih at the Rhode Island State House lawn on Monday at 6 p.m.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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DENVER (KDVR)  An Englewood dog rescue, Moms and Mutts: Colorado Rescue, relinquished its Pet Animal Care and Facilities license on Wednesday under an agreement it entered into with the state program.

According to the Colorado Department of Agricultures PACFA program, MAMCO entered into the written agreement on March 12. The document prevents MAMCO or any of its directors, managers or principals, from applying for any type of PACFA license for the next five years.

Previous: Englewood dog rescues license suspended; state investigates rabies protocols

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In return, PACFA will not pursue civil penalties, including a $12,000 fine that was put on hold from a December 16, 2024 Stipulation and Order, the state wrote in a release.

The state said the December order put MAMCOs license on probation for 18 months, and that the rescue failed two inspections in January and February.

Because of this, and because inspectors found an imminent threat to the health and safety of Colorado dogs and their owners, MAMCOs license was suspended on February 28 and MAMCO was ordered to stop all activities that require a license, the state wrote in a release.

The rescues director, Aron Jones, said on Facebook that she voluntarily surrendered the license after it was suspended due to false charges that PACFA made up. She called the investigation of her rescue pure corruption, and noted that the charges originally filed against her rescue were dismissed with prejudice. A judges dismissal of charges with prejudice means they cannot be filed again based on the same argument or injury.

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She stressed that MAMCO is still in possession of a valid Colorado business license and a 501c3 nonprofit status.

Columbine survivor dies from colon cancer, community rallies around her husband

We voluntarily surrendered our PACFA license for a multitude of reasons, number one being bankrupt; number two, Im tired of being harassed, and we are not going to be taking dogs into Colorado anymore, Jones said. But that does not take away from our core mission, which is to rescue dogs. And right now, were focused on dogs in Belize, and were focused on children in Belize, and were going to continue doing good work.

The website for MAMCO reflects the news of its license surrender.

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MAMCO Rescue is no longer doing adoptions in Colorado, the organization wrote on its website. We are so grateful for all the years we were able to serve Colorado adopters, fosters, volunteers and of course the dogs. Please check out our newest ventures on the MAMCO Belize page.

MAMCO Belize describes itself as a Division of Moms and Mutts Colorado Rescue for Pregnant and Nursing Dogs, and says its mission is to help empower the next generation of Belizean children through a volunteer driven scholarship program in Stann Creek, Belize. Our program will educate young people while empowering them to become leaders in their community.

The website goes on to explain that it has a service program geared towards teaching young people proper animal care techniques and said the volunteers undergo two hours of training, and then are able to help with vaccinations, deworming, basic health checks and other important aspects of a pet rescue.

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MAMCO first came under state scrutiny in July 2024 after a puppy at an adoption event tested positive for rabies, leading to 11 puppies being euthanized. She previously stated that she believes the state was using MAMCO as a political pawn in an effort by PACFA to pass a new rabies protocol that would disallow Colorado rescue from bringing in any dog that is not vaccinated against rabies.

Dogs must be at least 14 weeks old before they can receive a rabies vaccine.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A 24-year-old man from Uvalde, Texas, was killed when he was struck by a train Sunday afternoon, March 16 in Fabens, the El Paso County Sheriffs Office said.

The Sheriffs Office identified the man who was killed as Salazar Samson Zenas of Uvalde.

The Sheriffs Office said he was walking along the tracks and failed to react to the train blowing its horn as a warning.

El Paso County Sheriffs Office: Person killed by train in Fabens

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The incident happened at about 12:20 p.m. Sunday along the 17200 block of Alameda.

When deputies arrived to assist the Fabens Fire Department, they found the man along the north side of the tracks. The man, later identified as Zenas, had no signs of life and was pronounced dead at the scene, the Sheriffs Office said.

Detectives learned that the pedestrian was wearing a hoodie over his head and had headphones on. Despite multiple warnings from the trains horn, the man did not react or move out of the way, the Sheriffs Office said.

The Medical Examiners Office responded to the scene and confirmed the individuals identity through a Texas identification card found in his possession. His family has been notified.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan and the EU discussed strengthening relations, with a strong focus on economic cooperation, investment, and regional stability, Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov wrote on his Telegram channel, Trend reports.

Had a productive meeting with Jozef Sikela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships. We explored ways to further strengthen relations, with a strong focus on economic cooperation, investment, and regional stability. The EU remains a trusted and strategic partner, and we are committed to deepening our collaboration for shared prosperity, he wrote.

The minister noted the upcoming Central Asia - EU Summit in Samarkand, which will mark a significant milestone in enhancing partnership and fostering closer ties between regions.

Meanwhile, the first EU-Central Asia summit will take place on April, 3-4 in Samarkand.

The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, along with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, will participate in the summit. The summit will be chaired by Uzbekistan and attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 16 spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time since his second term began in January, with the conversation covering key issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine.

During the conversation, Erdogan expressed support for President Trump's efforts to bring an end to the war. He emphasized that Turkey backs Trumps initiatives aimed at resolving the war and voiced hope for a positive outcome under his leadership.

Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in Russia's all-out war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, by maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with both nations while supporting Ukraine's sovereignty.

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Leveraging its strategic position and influence in the Black Sea region, Turkey has facilitated negotiations, grain exports, and expressed willingness to participate in ceasefire monitoring.

In late February, Turkey indicated its openness to deploying troops in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force. Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Erdogan raised the issue in separate meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during visits to Ankara earlier that same month.

While Moscow has openly opposed the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine, Russia has yet to provide a clear response to Turkey's proposal.

Read also: How Ukraines defense tech is shaping the future of warfare

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NEW YORK  Mayor Eric Adams remains a registered Democrat, but on Monday he repeatedly refused to rule out running for reelection as an independent.

When I'm ready to  do my official re-announcement and my plan, I will do so. And I will make sure all of you are invited, he told reporters, when asked about a recent New York Post story speculating that he may run on a politically unaffiliated ballot line in November if he loses the Democratic primary.

When asked if a theoretical run as an independent would help someone from the far left win the Democratic primary, the mayor again deflected.

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New Yorkers: Be careful what you wish for, Adams said during a City Hall press conference. I know how well we have done. I know how well we will continue to do for the next five years.

The mayor has done little to build up his campaign ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary: He has a skeleton staff devoid of top aides from his 2021 team, he skipped a candidate screening for a union that endorsed him four years ago and, until recently, he hadnt reactivated his website. When he did, he made a point of noting hes a Democrat  an addition necessitated by his embrace of Donald Trump as he continues to fight federal corruption charges the Republican president can effectively disappear.

Petitions bearing his name are hard to come by as candidates scramble to lock in the requisite signatures by the April 3 deadline.

Hes also been set back by external forces feeding on what they see as a political carcass  namely a slew of racially and geographically diverse endorsers central to his 2021 victory who are backing Andrew Cuomos bid for mayor instead.

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And the citys Campaign Finance Board has denied Adams over $4 million in public matching funds  money thats all but essential to run a successful campaign in New York City, where donations and spending are capped, and ad buys are costly.

Despite the setbacks, Adams insisted Monday he is running  he just didnt commit to doing it as a Democrat, as he has in recent weeks.

Hypotheticals [are] not what Im answering, he said, declining to address a third question on whether hed run as an independent.

He also took a rare jab at Cuomo  the front-runner whom Adams has avoided pouncing on  criticizing the former governors for his record on state employee pension plans and signing into law bail reforms Adams has blamed for an increase in crime.

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Looming over Adams press conference were reminders of what has distanced him from New Yorks dominant political party in the first place  his refusal to join fellow Democrats in criticizing Trump.

On Monday, the mayor declined to take a position on the Trump administrations invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. He expressed openness to meeting again with border czar Tom Homan. And he dismissed concerns over potential federal education cuts, saying more people should have criticized former President Joe Biden for inflicting $7 billion worth of asylum-seeker costs onto New York City.

The real apprehension is not in what may happen, Adams said. The real apprehension is what happened.
After more than a decade, the Erie Police Department is bringing back their K-9 officer unit.

Three officers and their canine partners are currently training with Tri-State Canine in Warren, Ohio and will be done in mid-April.

Depot Rd. improvement project to resume this month, expect detours

All three Belgian malinois, which are each about a year old, are dual-purpose. Their primary use will be as patrol tactics dogs, where theyll be able to track and conduct article searches.

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Additionally, two of the dogs will be trained in narcotics detection while another will be able to detect explosives.

Erie woman makes 45-mile run from state line to state line

That will greatly enhance assisting officers on several calls regarding anything to do with narcotics, article searches, helping out in the schools, were on several task forces, and being called out not only by our officers here in the City of Erie but by other agencies and assisting them, said William Marucci, deputy chief of the Erie Police Department.

They started today, go to April 18th for five weeks of training, said Curtis Waite, sergeant of the K-9 unit. That week of April 21st is officially when theyre certified and able to go out on the street.

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Funding for the unit was supported by a state grant, which paid for new vehicles, equipment, training, and the dogs themselves.

Once in service, the K-9s are expected to be on the streets for some six to eight years.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  An Escambia County man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2021 shooting death of 33-year-old James Johnson.

Fairhope is one of two remaining single-tax colonies in the U.S.  what it means

Dewitt Charles Echols was found guilty of second-degree murder by an Escambia County jury on Jan. 15. Echols was sentenced by Judge Amy Brodersen to serve his sentence in Florida State Prison.

A mugshot of Dewitt Echols (Escambia County Sheriffs Office).

According to a state attorneys news release, Escambia County Sheriffs Office deputies were called to the 10000 block of North Loop Road on Aug. 23, 2021.

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There, they found 33-year-old James Johnson dead with a gunshot wound in the drivers seat of a Chevrolet Malibu. The engine was still running.

The Escambia County Sheriffs Office handled the investigation.

Coffee creamer shipped to Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, among other states, recalled

Assistant State Attorneys Alvin Trey Myers and Robert Little prosecuted the case.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Ethics Commission on Monday finalized its settlement agreement with Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters after investigating a complaint regarding social media posts supporting President Trumps candidacy.

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters, Image KFOR

The settlement revealed no further ethic violations were found, with Walters required to comply with the following:

Remove the title of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction from his personal X account

Remove Supt from the personal account handle listed as @RyanWalterSupt. and instead use his personal name in the title of the account without reference to his elected position

Remove the official State Superintendent profile picture associated with his account @RyanWaltersSupt and instead use a non-state picture

Participate in training from the Ethics Commission on ethics rules

$5,000 fine, which includes Commissions attorney fees

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High winds fueled wildfires causing damage across much of Oklahoma

According to the Ethics Commission records, Oklahoma State Ethics Rules prohibit the use of a social media account maintained in the name of a state officer as a state officer to advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate for elective office.

Walters has been given 10 days to meet the Ethics Commission requirements associated with the settlement agreement.

Walters-2024-37Download

No word from Supt. Walters at the time of this posting.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ukraine will receive 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion) after the Council of the EU approved the third installment of non-refundable grants and loans under the Ukraine Facility program, the Council announced on March 17.

With this disbursement, Ukraine will have received nearly 20 billion euros ($21.7 billion) under the Ukraine Facility since the program was launched in early 2024.

"The Council concluded today that Ukraine had satisfied the necessary conditions laid down in the Ukraine Plan in order to receive a third disbursement from the Ukraine Facility," the statement reads.

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The Ukraine Plan outlines Kyiv's strategy for recovery, reconstruction, and modernization and a reform timetable as part of Ukraine's EU accession process over the next four years.

To qualify for this funding, Ukraine implemented 13 key reforms, including measures to boost renewable energy, strengthen the independence of the energy regulator, and streamline border-crossing procedures in line with EU standards.

The EU approved the four-year Ukraine Facility in February 2024, allocating 33 billion euros ($36 billion) in loans and 17 billion euros ($18 billion) in grants to support Ukraine's economy and reconstruction efforts.

Read also: Territorial integrity, military size, alliances  FM Sybiha sets 3 fundamentals for potential peace talks

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The initiative of Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on an urgent military aid package includes plans to provide Ukraine with weapons, ammunition and other types of assistance worth 40 billion.

Source: Kaja Kallas at a press conference after a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 17 March, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kallas stressed that the European Union is discussing her initiative to provide Ukraine with military assistance totalling 40 billion, which has received broad political support from EU states.

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Quote: "First on Ukraine, there is broad political support for a defense initiative of 40 billion. Of course, right now the discussion is in the details. So at the last European Council, we had the wording that we need to move swiftly with this initiative, and we have done some more work on this."

Details: Kallas added that "everybody understood around the table that we should really show our resolve right now and support Ukraine so that they can defend themselves".

Background:

Kaja Kallas's proposal of a large package of military aid to Ukraine will be discussed at an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Warsaw on 2-3 April.

It is worth noting that on 17 March, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reiterated that he would oppose Brussels' proposals to support Ukraine.

Read more: "Coalition of the willing" for Ukraine and the EU: how a new security alliance can save trust in Brussels

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The extensive military aid package for Ukraine, proposed by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, will be discussed at an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Warsaw on 2-3 April.

Source: Kaja Kallas before the EU Council meeting in Brussels on 17 March, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "There is broad political support for this initiative, which is good, but there are a lot of details that need to be worked out because there are also defence ministers that need to have a say, and we have a meeting of defence ministers. But its important that the Council said that we need to move swiftly and that is what we are doing."

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Details: The European Commission confirmed to European Pravda that this refers to an informal meeting of the EU defence ministers, which will take place in Warsaw.

Diplomatic sources familiar with Kallas updated military aid proposals told European Pravda that the initiative envisions military support for Ukraine in 2025 worth between 20 billion and 40 billion. It will cover Ukraines urgent needs, including air defence systems and missiles, ammunition and military training.

The initiative includes forming a coalition of the willing, ensuring voluntary participation by EU states in military aid to Ukraine. This approach aims to bypass potential vetoes from countries such as Hungary and Slovakia, the sources added.

Background: On 17 March, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reiterated that Hungary would oppose Brussels' proposals for supporting Ukraine.

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The European Union is not in a position to automatically take over the funding of Radio Liberty but it should examine the situation and see how it can help the project, which is a "beacon of democracy".

Source: Kaja Kallas at a press conference after a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 17 March, a correspondent of European Pravda reports

Details: The EU's chief diplomat said that during the meeting of EU foreign ministers, it was decided to discuss the situation around Radio Liberty and find a way for Europe to help this important for democracy news agency.

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"It is sad to hear that the US is withdrawing its funding [for Radio Liberty]. Now, the question for us is, can we come in with our own funding to leave or fill the void that the USA is leaving," said Kaja Kallas.

"The answer to that question is that not automatically, because we have a lot of organisations who are coming with the same request to us,"she added.

The EU's top diplomat said that on 17 March "there was really a push from the foreign ministers to discuss this and find a way".

"So this is the tasking to our side to see what can we do," Kallas concluded.

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She called Radio Liberty a very valuable "beacon of democracy".

Background:

Earlier, the EU, commenting on the decision of Trumps administration to cut off funding for Radio Liberty and the actual cessation of broadcasting by Voice of America, said that this would play into the hands of common enemies.

The cancellation of funding for Radio Liberty was reportedly linked to US President Donald Trump's decision to cut the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

There were also problems at Voice of America, where journalists were suspended from work, which means the broadcaster was effectively shut down.

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The United States has officially informed Eurojust of its decision to withdraw from the international group established to investigate the actions of state leaders responsible for Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Source: Sky News, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Eurojust has confirmed that the United States has officially notified them of the cessation of its participation in the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA).

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"The ICPA hosted by Eurojust continues its work in support of the national investigations into the crime of aggression related to the war in Ukraine," Eurojust added.

The news of the US withdrawal from this multinational group was first reported on Monday by The New York Times.

The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine was established to hold the leadership of Russia, as well as its allies in Belarus, North Korea and Iran, accountable for crimes defined by international law and treaties as aggression that violates another countrys sovereignty and is not initiated in self-defence.

Background:

The administration of former US President Joe Biden joined the ICPA in 2023, with the US being the only country outside Europe to collaborate with the group.

The ICPA started operating in The Hague in July 2023, and as stated by the EU, it was expected to play a crucial role in investigating Russias crime of aggression against Ukraine and assist in forming cases for future trials.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 17. Uzbekistan and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) discussed a project to modernize the gas distribution networks in the Samarkand region under public-private partnership (PPP) terms, Trend reports.

The matter was reviewed at a meeting between Ilkhomjon Umrzakov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, and a delegation from the AIIB, led by Principal Investment Solutions Specialist Syed Afsor Hassan Uddin.

The modernization initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of gas distribution networks in Uzbekistan, improve energy infrastructure, and ensure a more reliable gas supply.

In the course of the meeting, the parties discussed the initial evaluation results of the project and outlined the key steps needed for its successful implementation.

Following the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the project and agreed on the next steps to facilitate its effective execution.

Meanwhile, the AIIB has approved $250 million in financing to accelerate Uzbekistans climate transition towards a green, inclusive, and resilient economy.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in the country's efforts to enhance climate resilience and promote sustainable economic growth, in line with its New Uzbekistan 2030 development strategy and updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The updated NDC commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 35 percent below 2010 levels by 2030.
Ukraine will soon receive approximately 3.5 billion after the EU Council approved the third disbursement of non-repayable grants and loans under the Ukraine Facility.

Source: EU Council, as reported by European Pravda

Details: With this third payment, Ukraine will have received around 20 billion under the programme since it came into force a year ago.

Quote: "The Council concluded today that Ukraine had satisfied the necessary conditions laid down in the Ukraine Plan in order to receive a third disbursement from the Ukraine Facility."

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More details: As noted, Ukraine has successfully demonstrated compliance with 13 different conditions, including implementing reforms to increase the use of renewable energy sources, enhancing the autonomy of the energy regulator, simplifying border crossing procedures to align with EU standards, adopting a strategy for agricultural and rural development including the clearance of anti-personnel mines in agricultural areas and continuing work on compiling a list of strategic and critical raw materials.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko stated that Ukraine expects to receive 12.5 billion from the EU in 2025 under the Ukraine Facility.

During her visit to Kyiv on 24 February, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that Ukraine would receive a new 3.5 billion payment in March from the EU.

Background: The Ukraine Facility, which came into force on 1 March 2024, provides up to 50 billion in stable funding through grants and loans to support Ukraines recovery, reconstruction, and modernisation between 2024 and 2027.

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EU foreign ministers are set to discuss a new initiative that could provide billions of euros of further military aid for Ukraine at a meeting on Monday.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has proposed providing Ukraine with aid worth between 20 billion and 40 billion ($22-44 billion), according to dpa information. EU member states would contribute to this amount based on their economic strength.

To prevent a possible veto by individual governments, participation in the initiative would be voluntary, a text from the EU's diplomatic corps, seen by dpa, stated.

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Hungary has rejected EU military aid for Ukraine in the past, calling it pointless and saying it prolongs the war.

The foreign ministers are not expected to reach an agreement on the initiative, diplomats said, suggesting further talks between heads of government will be necessary. EU leaders are set to meet on Thursday for their next summit.

For some countries, such as Germany, the support proposed by Kallas would not be a problem. Berlin has already approved aid totalling 4 billion for this year, with a further 3 billion to be added soon.

However, other large countries such as France, Italy and Spain would have to significantly increase their support for Ukraine if they were to make a contribution to the fund that is proportionate to their economic strength.

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In addition to the financial pledges, the initiative also sets a target for participating countries to deliver two million rounds of artillery ammunition to Kiev this year.

Other topics on the meeting's agenda include the EU's relations with the United States, its policy on Iran and the situation in the Middle East. A conference on Syria is scheduled to begin immediately after the meeting at 3 pm (1400 GMT), with the aim of mobilizing further support for the people in the war-torn country and Syrian refugees abroad.
EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the termination of the U.S. grant that funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) during a meeting in Brussels on March 17, according to a Kyiv Independent reporter in Brussels.

The news follows U.S. President Donald Trumps executive order on March 14 to eliminate seven federal agencies, including the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees RFE/RL and Voice of America (VoA).

As a result of Trumps decision, the congressionally authorized grant that funded RFE/RL has been terminated.

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Before the ministerial meeting in Brussels, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky emphasized the importance of RFE/RL and VoA's work, calling them a "beacon" for people living in countries under authoritarianism.

"Do we see value in such an organization, broadcasting to countries like Russia, Belarus, Iran, and many others? And if we see such value, what are we willing to do to keep such a service in our favor?" Lipavsky said, adding that the Czech Republic has hosted Radio Liberty's headquarters in Prague for almost three decades.

Czech officials also circulated among their EU colleagues a draft statement seen by RFE/RL expressing grave concerns about the situation with RFE/RL's funding.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski confirmed that the EU is considering options to help the media after the U.S. funding cutoff, according to a Kyiv Independent reporter in Brussels.

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"We are at the stage of brainstorming, but clearly, these are worthy institutions whose mission should continue," Sikorski said.

Trump has long criticized U.S.-funded media organizations, criticizing them over their coverage of the U.S. president, and often referring to them as "fake news."

The Trump administration has previously cut thousands of federally-funded positions, with the cuts directly impacting support for Ukraine.

In February, the Trump administration terminated the employment of top officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after they attempted to prevent representatives from Elon Musk's DOGE from accessing restricted areas.

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Read also: Everyone is really shocked and upset  Trump administration puts Voice of America journalists on leave, cuts funding to Radio Free Europe

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The leaders of the European Union are planning to adopt a statement calling on Russia to demonstrate a real willingness to end the war in Ukraine at a meeting in Brussels on 20-21 March.

Source: European Pravda; Czech news agency CTK, which has a draft of the summit's final document

Details: CTK reports that EU leaders will reaffirm their support for a "comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law" in the summit's conclusions.

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They will also support the agreements between Ukraine and the United States following the meeting in Saudi Arabia on 11 March, in particular "the proposal for a ceasefire agreement, humanitarian efforts and the resumption of intelligence sharing and security aid by the United States".

"The European Council calls on Russia to demonstrate a true political will to end the war," the draft conclusions of the EU summit read, as quoted by the news agency.

Background:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to speak at the next EU summit, which is scheduled for 20-21 March.

Hungary's representatives insist on reducing the section on Ukraine in the summit's final document by removing references to continued military support for Ukraine and peace from a position of strength.

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The initiative to provide Ukraine with 40 billion euros ($43.6 billion) in military aid has "broad political support" among EU member states, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on March 17 before the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels.

EU diplomats reportedly suggested doubling military aid for Ukraine as the Trump administration's steps cast doubt on its commitment to Kyiv's security.

Some member states have reacted cautiously to the initiative, according to Reuters. Kallas refuted these claims, saying there is "a broad political support," but "a lot of details need to be worked out."

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"It's important that the ouncil said that we need to move swiftly, and that is what we are doing," Kallas said.

The EU foreign policy chief also added that the initiative will be discussed during a separate meeting involving EU defense ministers, which is scheduled on April 2-3 in Warsaw, Poland.

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto previously denounced EU plans to provide Ukraine with additional aid.

"We won't be dragged into this; we will not allow Hungarian taxpayers' money to be used to finance arms shipments to Ukraine," Szijjarto said , insisting instead that Budapest supports peace negotiations.

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Hungary's leader, Viktor Orban, has consistently obstructed and delayed sanctions against Russia and military support for Kyiv. He has also lauded U.S. President Donald Trump's reelection, expressing expectations of a quick end to the war.

Read also: Lithuania backs EU plan for $43.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports

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(Bloomberg) -- Europes biggest missile maker plans to spend as much as 2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) in the next five years to lift production and will go on a hiring spree as the region refocuses on supporting local arms providers amid increasingly fraught trans-Atlantic relations.

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MBDA Missile Systems, a venture between Frances Airbus SE, BAE Systems Plc from the UK and Leonardo SpA of Italy, plans to bolster its workforce to 19,000 in 2025 by adding 2,600 employees, Chief Executive Office Eric Beranger said at a press conference in Paris on Monday. The company boasts an order backlog of 37 billion after the intake reached an all-time high of 13.4 billion last year, he said.

Europe is in the process of rethinking its domestic defense capabilities as the US under President Donald Trump shows growing signs of wavering on decades of close strategic alliances. With the Russian-Ukrainian war now in its fourth year, more governments in Europe say theyre on their own to defend themselves against any future aggression coming from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has shown little inclination so far to give in to pressure from Washington and end the conflict.

We have everything that we need in Europe, said Beranger, touting his company as a model for closer European defense ties across different countries and companies.

European Union leaders will hold a summit this week to discuss the blocs rearmament plan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made proposals to mobilize as much as 800 billion in additional defense spending in response to Trumps reversal of US security commitments in Europe.

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The US still accounted for the majority of arms imports by European NATO states in the last four years, according to Swedens Sipri research institute, highlighting the regions dependence on the worlds biggest arms exporter.

MBDA is also working on strengthening its supply chain operations, including with takeovers such as tactical propulsion company Roxel, Beranger said. The company is investing to guarantee it can swiftly fulfil orders, the CEO said.

While there have been some discussions about producing missiles in Ukraine, such a move would be too difficult to achieve for the time being, given the complexity of a process that would take years to enact, the CEO said.

I have not identified a case where it would make sense to manufacture directly locally in Ukraine, he said.

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PARIS  Europe may have to wait for its own capability to suppress long-range enemy air defenses until at least 2033, with the expected arrival of a new high-speed maneuverable missile from MBDA, according to military experts at the Paris Defence and Strategy Forum last week.

The French Air Force currently lacks a real capability for suppression of enemy air defenses, or SEAD, and that capability should be restored from 2033 with an upgrade of the Rafale jet together with the RJ10 missile being developed by MBDA, according to Col. Guillaume Kubala, a fighter pilot and aerospace expert at the French Armed Forces Ministrys directorate for international relations and strategy. He was speaking at a March 13 round table on deep strike and air superiority here.

The RJ10 is part of the French-British Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon long-range strike project and will perform the mission of suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses, according to Pierre-Marie Belleau, who oversees the deep strike portfolio at MBDA. Current capabilities are a little limited compared to existing air defenses, he said.

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The goal is for the missile to arrive at the same time as the future F5 standard for the Rafale, Belleau said during the round table, without providing an exact date.

This missile must arrive concomitantly with Rafales F5 standard, Belleau said, adding thats a factor driving the development schedule. We would like it to go faster, but we have to be realistic.

France retired the AS.37 Martel radar-homing missile in the late 1990s, leaving the country without a dedicated anti-radar capability. Some European NATO partners including Germany rely on variants of the U.S.-made AGM-88 missile for anti-radar-based SEAD.

For Europe to rebuild offensive capabilities is  extremely important , including weapons able to destroy enemy air-defense batteries, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Adm. Pierre Vandier said in a press briefing at the Paris forum last week.

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SEAD today clearly has to be the number one priority, said Lt. Col. Adrien Gorremans, a French Air Force officer and military fellow at IFRI, the French Institute for International Relations. I believe thats also what our leaders are defending quite strongly.

The RJ10 will be the new SEAD missile for integration on the Rafale F5 by 2035, and offensive electronic warfare will also be needed to saturate airspace and jam enemy detection, Air and Space Force Chief of Staff Gen. Jerome Bellanger told Le Figaro in an interview in February.

France plans to upgrade its jets to the F5 standard in the 2030s, and said in October it had awarded the first contracts for the Rafale enhancements.

The F5 standard is set to integrate a stealthy combat drone as a so-called loyal wingman for the Rafale by 2033, while the upgraded jet will also carry the future ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile MBDA is working on. The new standard will include the Thales-developed next-generation RBE2 XG radar including gallium nitride technology and artificial intelligence.

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The F5 standard will allow for a reactive and autonomous automated targeting loop, providing the ability to target increasingly mobile surface-to-air systems, according to Kubala. Unmanned combat aerial vehicles and remote carriers operating much deeper into the territory could handle target acquisition, he said.

As part of the FC/AWS program, MBDA is working on two complementary missiles: the RJ10 that travels at high supersonic speeds while remaining maneuverable, and the TP15 stealthy subsonic missile. Italy is set to join France and the U.K. this year for the development and manufacturing phases of the project.

MBDA displayed mockups of both missiles at the Euronaval conference in November.

Until the arrival of the new missiles, the SCALP-EG will remain the only air-launched cruise missile in service with the French Air Force into the start of the next decade, Kubala said.

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Integrated air-defense systems have evolved completely in recent years, with greater range and different means to detect and intercept, according to Kubala. That creates a need for more powerful and technologically advanced missiles. If were relying on 20-year old technology, we have to ask ourselves how credible our SEAD and our capabilities are.

Both Gorremans and Kubala pointed out that that fighter jets as well as cruise missiles can still avoid air defenses by flying close to the ground, allowing current systems to remain credible.

The biggest challenge for deep-strike missiles currently is survivability, and thus the ability to penetrate enemy defenses, Belleau said. Solutions include a high-speed, maneuvering vector sufficiently evasive in the terminal phase to defeat defenses; a stealthy missile with low radar and infrared visibility; or collaborative strike that combines different vectors to saturate air defenses.

If a deep-strike capability is unable to penetrate ground-based air defenses, it wont be credible, Kubala said. He said the role of the RJ10 would be to neutralize long-range air defenses, opening the way for cruise missiles and other arms.

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The high-speed, highly maneuverable missile represents an extremely complicated technical challenge, according to Belleau. Maintaining speed and maneuverability requires adjustable propulsion for the entire flight.

The RJ10 will have ramjet propulsion and operate at high supersonic speeds but below Mach 5, according to MBDA. The company already makes the ramjet-powered Meteor, considered by analysts to be one of the best beyond-visual-range, air-to-air missiles in operation.

Hypersonic missiles follow the same logic of being fast and maneuverable, even if theyre at the high end in terms of speed, Belleau said. He cited the absolutely enormous per-unit cost cited by the U.S. for the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile  a 2023 Congressional Budget Office report estimated procurement cost per missile at $41 million spread over a purchase of 300 missiles.

The cost of a cruise missile is in the range of 2 million to 3 million, according to Gorremans.

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France is working with Germany, Italy and Poland, the U.K. and Sweden on the European Long-range Strike Approach project, or ELSA, which Kubala said aims to offer a realistic response to the deep-strike requirement in terms of cost, deadlines, performance and interoperability. MBDA is offering a ground-launched version of its naval cruise missile as a short-term option for the project.

The aim is to have a complete deep-strike chain, including targeting, penetration of defenses as well as ground-to-ground, air-to-ground and anti-ship assets, Kubala said.

The first ELSA projects should see the light of day in coming months, Kubala said during the round table. He declined to provide details.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The United States has no right to dictate Iran's foreign policy, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said in a post on his X page, Trend reports.

The period of American hegemony over Iran came to a close in 1979, according to Araghchi.

This statement comes hot on the heels of an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on February 5, with the goal of cranking up the pressure on Iran to the max. Trump expressed hope that such pressure would not be applied too frequently and reiterated his willingness to engage in dialogue with the Iranian President.

Furthermore, President Trump reportedly sent a letter to Iran on March 5 regarding potential discussions, which was delivered by UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that it was sad to hear that the U.S. was withdrawing funding for Radio Free Europe but that the EU cannot automatically come in with funding.

Radio Free Europe "has been a beacon of democracy, and very valuable," Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, told reporters in Brussels, noting that the issue was raised at a meeting of foreign ministers.

"It is sad to hear that U.S. is withdrawing its funding. Now the question for us is, can we come in with our funding to ... fill the void that U.S. is leaving? The answer to that question is ... not automatically," she said, adding that the bloc will "see what can we do".

(Reporting by Lili Bayer; Editing by GV De Clercq)
Candidates who run for mayor of Evanston can tap into public campaign funds from the city, but neither incumbent Daniel Biss nor challenger Jeff Boarini, both running for mayor in the April 1 Cook County consolidated election, are doing so, according to the citys clerk.

The matching funds program began in 2023, when the Evanston City Council approved an ordinance allowing mayoral candidates to receive matching campaign donations from the city. Called the Small Donor Democracy Matching Fund, it can help candidates who dont have large donors but do have a swell of donors giving amounts under $150.

The program is meant to empower grassroots supporters by amplifying small donations and reducing candidates reliance on large donors or special interest groups, according to the citys website.

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City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza said in a phone call to Pioneer Press that candidates who have accepted donations over $150 cannot use the program. Mendoza said both Biss and Boarini were notified of the program and how it functions. Both have accepted larger donations.

The program is voluntary, meaning that if a candidate were to opt into it, they would need to reject donations greater than $150.

Boarini filed his campaign committee to the Illinois State Board of Elections on Oct. 2, 2024, records show. On Nov. 18, Boarinis campaign committee reported to the state Board of Elections his first contribution over $1,000, a $2,000 donation from a Wilmette couple.

Biss, who has been an elected official since 2011, has been using his Friends of Daniel Biss committee since that year. His committee reported a $5,000 donation from the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council on Nov. 18, 2024.

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The disparities in campaign donations are stark. Since Jan. 1, Boarinis campaign reported receiving $29,000 in large contributions ($1,000 or more). Also since Jan. 1, Biss campaign reported receiving over $74,400 in large contributions, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections and Reform for Illinois campaign finance database. Biss campaign also reported having approximately $184,000 in funds available on the last day of 2024.

More accurate pictures of their fundraising will be known on March 31, because campaign laws require candidates to file contributions over $1,000 to the state within five business days, or two days in the 30-day period before an election, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections A Guide to Campaign Disclosure. Contributions under $1,000 can be reported in quarterly reports, with the next quarter ending on March 31, a day before the election.

Regarding the citys donor matching fund, it starts the year with $68,750, or 1/60th of 1% of the citys annual budget, whichever is greatest, according to the citys ordinance. Mendoza said even though the program is not being used in this election cycle, the funds are rolled over and can be used in future elections.

Mendoza said that the $150 donation is low for a mayoral race, and that it will be on the next City Council to look back on the current ordinance and see if there are any lessons to be learned.

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Mendoza also said the next City Council could also decide to expand the program to better service ward races and first time candidates. Evanstons least expensive contested race with an opponent on the ballot is for the 8th Ward. Challenger and Former Land Use Commission Chair Matt Rodgers reported $2,000 in contributions since Jan. 1. Eighth Ward City Councilmember Devon Reid has not filed donations greater than $1,000 in 2025 as of deadline. The report coming out March 31 should list their smaller donations.

Its a big ask, for first-time candidates to solicit donations for their campaigns, Mendoza said.

The city council passed the ordinance on a 6-2 vote in Sept. 2023, per city documents. Reid and City Councilmember Tom Suffredin (4th) voted against it, with City Councilmember Bobby Burns (5th) absent from the vote.
For several Nevadans caught in the workforce purge the legal ruling is just the latest development in a chaotic administration that has burned them again and again. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Since being fired last month amid efforts to slash the federal workforce, aquatic ecologist Riley Rackliffe has been hopeful about getting his job back at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Rackliffes hopes were bolstered Thursday when two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of federal workers abruptly fired across more than a dozen agencies  an action courts say violated laws governing the reduction of federal workers.

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Im certainly hopeful that I will actually get reinstated, Rackliffe said. If they rehired me tomorrow, I would jump right back in.

But for several Nevadans caught in the workforce purge the legal ruling is just the latest development in a chaotic administration that has burned them again and again.

Maybe Ill get reinstated and fired a month later, Rackliffe said. Ive got job interviews lined up because Ive been job hunting, and Im not sure I would cancel those.

Rackliffe was among at least 13 federal workers fired from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Valentines Day.

Federal workers skepticism isnt without warrant.

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The Trump administration swiftly appealed the first ruling by a California district judge, which ordered the immediate rehiring of all probationary federal workers fired from the Defense, Treasury, Energy, Interior, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs departments.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the ruling an absurd and unconstitutional attempt to encroach on the presidents power to hire and fire employees, in a statement Thursday.

A second wave of mass firings are also expected in the coming weeks after President Donald Trumps administration told agencies to submit plans for large-scale reductions in force by March 13 in an effort to cull more federal workers.

Fired probationary federal workers in Nevada who spoke to the Nevada Current said they had not received any communication or indication from their department heads as of Friday that they would be immediately rehired.

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Federal employees in Nevada said they are grateful for Thursdays rulings, and hope their departments are quickly put back together, but many of them arent counting on it.

Its good that its a win in our favor, but even though the judge made that decision, how much of it will be enforced? said Mark Wagstaff, a disabled veteran who was fired from his job as an administrative assistant at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center.

We already know the next stage in the administration is to do the reductions in force plans across the agencies as a whole. So whos to say that these jobs might be reinstated, only to be cut back again? Wagstaff said, adding that he may have to consider more stable job offers if hes asked to return.

Federal probationary workers typically have less than a year in their roles, and do not have the same job protections as those who have been in their roles for longer. All federal workers start new roles on a probationary status, including workers who were recently promoted or who changed departments after years of service.

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The sweeping cuts are part of a push by Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to reduce the federal workforce in an effort to radically remake the federal bureaucracy. The task has largely been left to Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

Some federal workers in Nevada who have received more promising signs that they could get their jobs back are reluctant to accept any job offers after weeks of poor and confusing communication.

After a federal board ordered the Department of Agriculture to reinstate more than 5,600 workers for at least 45 days, the agency released a press release Wednesday stating that fired probationary workers would start receiving back pay while the agency develops a plan to reinstate them.

Jim Fogelberg, a disabled veteran and Fernley resident who was fired from the Department of Agricultures Rural Development, only found out about the order after a coworker forwarded him the press release in an email. Fogelberg was fired so abruptly in February his equipment shut down while he was still talking to his supervisor, and is now in a storage bin in his garage.

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I still have nothing saying, Jim, come back now, Fogelberg said. Its very, very unclear and very frustrating.

Im not banking on going back to USDA and having a job. I dont trust them at this point, he continued.

After living in Nevada for 10 years, Fogelberg said theres a possibility he may have to leave the state if he doesnt land a job where he can work from his home in Fernley.

Nevadas federal workers perform crucial jobs, many of which are highly-specialized roles that cant be easily replaced or picked up by remaining employees. Those roles may go unfilled if fired federal workers dont return.

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Jacob Zortman, an agricultural engineer with the USDA living in Reno, said in no uncertain terms that he would not return to the federal agency despite the announced plan to reinstate fired workers.

Absolutely not, Zortman said, adding that he has already scheduled a move back to his home state of Kansas for a state job.

There isnt much stability or hope in returning or staying. Its hard to be comfortable this far away from anyone and everything I know when theres no stability, Zortman said.

After repeated failed attempts to get a response from the agency, Zortman said he had to cut his losses and move on. Before the Trump administrations indiscriminate mass terminations Zortman said he was eager to fill the critical need for engineers in the federal workforce.

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But considering how chaotic and unstable it is, and no clear guidance on the future? Yeah, no, Im not interested in trying again, Zortman said.

At least be honest about why youre firing us

There is no official estimate of the number of federal workers fired in Nevada following the Trump administrations push to slash the federal workforce by firing probationary workers, but federal workforce data hints that it could be more than a thousand.

In his ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge William Alsup said the Office of Personnel Management  the central human resources office for the federal government  broke the law when it ordered federal agencies to terminate thousands of probationary employees.

The judge also criticized the Trump administration for citing poor performance in termination letters to employees who only ever received positive performance reviews.

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It is sad, a sad day, when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well thats a lie, he said. That should not have been done in our country.

Rackliffe, the aquatic ecologist, said the judges comments brought him some peace of mind, if not full confidence he will get his job back in the immediate future.

Its kind of vindication, Rackliffe said. At least be honest about why youre firing us at least get the record straight.

Theres a high probability fired federal workers will look for work outside the federal government given their recent treatment and the uncertainty created by constant reductions and funding cuts, Rackliffe said.

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But for Rackliffe working for the National Park Service has always been a dream job. The National Park Service is a reflection of what good government can accomplish, said Rackliffe.

Working for the Park Service feels like making an America that everyone can participate in. It feels like a great way to be part of the best things about America: the community, the people, Rackliffe said.

Even if in the worst case scenario, they rehire me and a month later they fire me again, I think it would still be worth it, he continued.
Sunday marked four years since Robert Aaron Long entered three massage parlors across the metro Atlanta area, shooting and killing eight people.

Asian American rights advocates commemorated the date in Norcross, where they gathered to remember the victims and fight for change.

Victoria Huynh, an AAPI Community Organizer/SME in Georgia, organized Sundays event, which centered around Leading with Compassion.

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We are here to create a safe space for community members to talk about the issues theyre worried about, said Huynh.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Conversations about immigration policies, safety for elders, and other topics impacting the AAPI community were discussed, while the lives of the victims were honored.

We want to listen and come up with community solutions so that we can continue to build upon the work of the last four years and ensure that those victims arent forgotten, and that their families are still being supported, added Huynh.

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Georgia State Representative Long Tran attended Sundays event, sharing this message about what he hopes for the future:

I want people to know that everyone just wants to live their life. Go to work, spend time with their family... We may look different and have different religions, but we all just want to be great neighbors to one another.

Four years later, Long has been convicted in Cherokee County, but the criminal proceedings are still ongoing in Fulton County.

While he has already been sentenced to life in prison for four of the murders in Cherokee County, he still faces the death penalty under Georgias Hate Crime Law in Fulton County.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  If you hear a tornado siren sound on Wednesday morning, its nothing to worry about.

At 9:50 a.m. on March 19, tornado sirens across the state will sound for the Ohios statewide tornado drill. It is anticipated that the sirens will activate for roughly 3 minutes.

This drill is aside from the single monthly test conducted across each county at noon at the beginning of the month.

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Although WDTN.com has compiled a few jurisdictions in Montgomery County conduct the test below, there countless others will also participate.

Clayton Jefferson Township Phillipsburg German Township Miamisburg Trotwood Harrison Township Miami Township Washington Township

Click here to learn more.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
An expert witness said a tidal wave emanating from a melting glacial lake is unlikely, as an oral hearing began on Monday in a civil case brought by a Peruvian farmer against Germany energy giant RWE.

In the lawsuit, which began in 2015, 44-year-old mountain guide and farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya from the town of Huaraz wants RWE to contribute to the costs of protective measures for his house, which is threatened by a potential flood wave from the Palcacocha glacial lake in the Andes.

RWE does not operate in Peru but the farmer is being supported by German environmental organizations Zukunftsfahigkeit and Germanwatch in the civil case in the western German city of Hamm.

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He says RWE shares responsibility for the risk to his house because the company produces large quantities of greenhouse gases through its power plants in Germany, Europe and the United States.

This contributes to global warming, which may lead to the glacial lake melting, he argues.

Geoscientist Rolf Katzenbach told the Hamm Higher Regional Court that the probability of a flood feared by the farmer is a "ridiculously small" 1%.

If a flood wave does occur, the plaintiff's property will be flooded to a maximum height of 20 centimetres and the structure of the building would not be affected, Katzenbach added.

The first oral hearing is expected to conclude on Wednesday.
You never know when a natural disaster will strike. They can happen anywhere, anytime, including right here in the Pittsburgh area.

Hurricane Helene brought a wave of destruction to the Southeast in 2024. The storm led to massive flooding  where homes and lives were washed away. In California, massive wildfires destroyed entire communities and businesses burned to the ground.

Take a look at these numbers:

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90% of natural disasters involve flooding

1,000 tornadoes touch down in the U.S. each year

The 2024 U.S. hurricane season caused an estimated $500 billion in damage

If you were told to evacuate because of a natural disaster would you know what to grab? Channel 11s Susan Koeppen talked to experts who said everyone needs a go bag.

Kerry Tucker lost her home during the Pacific Palisades fire. She was away for work when she told her 21-year-old son to grab some things in the house and get out.

And some of the humor in this is my son called and said okay mom Ive got the passports, Ive got your laptop, Ive got both Xboxes and my skis, Tucker said.

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When Tucker and her kids finally returned to see what was left, they found the house was all gone.

We had time to grab a couple of things but you didnt pack the whole car and you didnt grab all the things that now you say I wish I had grabbed [that] because you dont prepare for that kind of evacuation, Tucker said.

Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute says no matter where you live, you should always have a go bag with essential items.

Emergencies happen quickly and you may be given orders by local authorities where you have to evacuate now, Friedlander said. Have important documents, your insurance documents, including all contact information for your insurance companies and your insurance agents, copies of your social security cards, of birth certificates for every family member, even your marriage certificate.

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These emergency bags can also include a copy of your bank account numbers, passports, a list of your medications including dosage, a list of important contacts, a handful of cash in small bills in case of power outages, chargers and a change of clothes.

Its recommended for a go bag to be kept in a closet near the front or back door.

Somewhere on the ground floor, where its easy to access and everybody in your household is aware of it, Friedlander said.

As Tucker tries to rebuild, she recommends everyone take pictures and videos of their belongings before disaster strikes.

Because the most painful part right now is trying to remember everything that was there, she said.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The renewed sanctions imposed on Iran by the United Nations (UN) Security Council have no legal foundation, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said, Trend reports.

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran today, Baghaei emphasized that Irans nuclear program is entirely peaceful in nature.

All of Irans activities related to the nuclear program are within the framework of the safeguards agreement and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The logic behind the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] is that Iran voluntarily takes a series of steps to build confidence regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. In return, the sanctions imposed on Iran should be lifted, he said.

To note, at the behest of France, Greece, Panama, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the UN Security Council convened a private meeting on March 12 to discuss Iran's escalation of highly enriched uranium production.

Prior to that convening, on March 3, Rafael Grossi, 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.

To recall, by the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.

Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 2030 percent.

Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The popularity of fast fashion has caused a lack of demand for natural fibers. Farmers in Texas are speaking out about the industry's impact on farming and why consumers should choose natural fibers  for the sake of the planet and local economies.

What's happening?

Consumers have embraced fast fashion due to the ease of ordering, social media trends, and inexpensive pricing, regardless of how it affects their local economies.

Fast fashion giant Shein had $38 billion in sales in the USA in 2024. To put that in perspective, it's almost double the 2024 sales of long-time department store Macy's.

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"Farmers want everybody to wear cotton here in Texas," Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller told Everything Lubbock. "It's our number one crop. We have seven million acres of cotton."

Why is avoiding synthetic fabrics important?

Synthetic fabrics shed microplastics into our waterways every time they are washed and discarded. Plastics take hundreds of years to break down, whereas natural fibers take only a few months.

Natural fibers like cotton are also a lot more comfortable and better for your skin. Because of how cotton breathes, it is the most recommended fiber for those with eczema, sensitive skin, and those undergoing cancer treatment.

"If people understood the benefits of cotton, they'd see it's a natural, sustainable choice compared to polyester and other synthetics," organic cotton farmer Jeremy Brown shared with Everything Lubbock.

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Purchasing clothes made with natural fibers also encourages the sourcing to stay local and reduces the overall carbon footprint of the production cycle. It keeps the money flowing into your local economy instead of sending it abroad.

How can I avoid synthetic fabrics in fast fashion?

For clothing to be sold at such a low price, it requires a combination of unethical practices as well as mostly using synthetic materials over natural textiles.

To avoid contributing to the fast fashion machine, you can choose to go thrift shopping for second-hand clothes instead of buying from sellers like Shein, H&M, and Temu.

When choosing new clothing, always take a look at the tag to see the fabric breakdown and prioritize items with cotton, wool, mohair, or leather.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
As cases of the deadly measles virus continue to circulate around the country, experts warn that infection remains a danger to peoples health even years after initial illness.

There are now hundreds of cases confirmed in Texas, New Mexico, and 14 other states. Two people who had not received preventative vaccines have died amid the outbreak, including a child.

While most children recover from measles, the virus impacts the ability of the immune system to respond to infectious organisms that can cause disease in the future - such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites.

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"So whenever you get measles, you lose some of your immune memory. And the more severe your case of measles is, the longer it lasts, the more of your immune system is destroyed, Stephen Elledge, a professor in the genetics department at Harvard Medical School, told NPR on Monday.

The number of measles infections around the U.S. is already higher now than the tally for all of last year. Experts warn that infections can remain a danger for years (Getty Images)

The immune systems memory helps to fight viruses, but measles can destroy the cells that hold that memory. In a recent study, Elledge and his colleagues found that unvaccinated children had lost between 11 percent to 73 percent of their antibodies, that help to identify foreign substances.

Previous research published in the journal Science found that measles disables immune memory for up to three years.

"And when you lose that memory, then you're no longer immune to that particular pathogen," he said. "So the next time you get it, you've got to fight that battle all over again."

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The way to prevent this outcome, and measles infection, is through vaccination. Two dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine are 97 percent effective against measles. Those who have been fully vaccinated have lifelong protection. For the rare breakthrough infections, which are more common in areas of high risk, it can fend off severe illness and complications.

More than 300 measles cases have been confirmed across 16 states. The majority are in West Texas, the epicenter of the recent outbreak (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

In total, more than 300 cases have been reported across 16 states - a tally higher than all of last years cases - in the latest outbreak.

Only two of cases in the West Texas outbreak have been in vaccinated individuals, while 257 were in those who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. Most cases reported elsewhere were in people who were unvaccinated. In Atlanta, cases were confirmed in three unvaccinated family members. In New York City, neither of the patients had been vaccinated.

Although it remains unclear if cases in other states are linked to the Texas outbreak, data from health authorities shows they have been reported in California, Alaska, Washington, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. However, state health officials have also reported cases in Michigan and Kansas.

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Very few people who are vaccinated  about three out of 100  will become infected if they are exposed to measles. A concern is that cases of the highly contagious virus could spread to other unvaccinated communities. Thats especially worrying as childhood vaccination rates fall.

"There's no doubt that we will in the future see the long-term consequences of measles," Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in New York City, told NPR.
HARSTAD, Norway  An agreement with Norway that provides U.S. forces with access to a dozen Norwegian military facilities and areas remains in place, a Norwegian official said, with Washington moving ahead with investments to expand an airbase where F-35s are stored.

Officials from both governments signed the Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2021, and it took effect the following year. Despite recent tensions between the Trump administration and European nations, the pact between the two countries remains alive and is thriving, Norwegian State Secretary Andreas Flam told Defense News.

Norway and the U.S. have enjoyed close defense cooperation for more than 75 years, both bilaterally and within NATO  the SDCA remains an important framework for further developing bilateral defense cooperation, he said.

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Under the agreement, U.S. forces and contractors have  unimpeded  access to a total of 12 agreed Norwegian areas, which involve key military sites such as the Evenes and Sola air stations as well as the Ramsund Naval Station.

The designated facilities are to be used in part for training, maneuvers, transits, refueling of aircraft, bunkering of vessels, contingency operations, landing and recovery of aircraft, and staging or deploying forces and materiel.

Another site included is the Rygge airport, where some of Norways F-35s are kept. In 2023, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense revealed that Washington was investing $188 million into the expansion of the air station to build four fighter hangars, and warehouses, increase capacity for ammunition storage and fenced parts around it with a patrol road.

Flam says infrastructure plans are moving forward and expects the first contract to be announced this summer.

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Earlier this month, Norway received three new F-35A aircraft, marking the delivery of 49 fighters, with the remaining three planned to be shipped before the summer time.

In recent weeks, defense experts and lawmakers have voiced concerns over the possibility that the U.S. could block allies from using or maintaining their F-35 fleets. These worries came about after President Trump appeared to be increasingly aligned with Russia and has repeatedly threatened to annex both Canada and Greenland.

Norwegian officials, for their part, are not fearing a freeze in relations.

The F-35 is a vital component of our national defense capability, the cooperation and dialogue with the U.S. continue to support the development and use of this high-end platform  we expect this to continue into the future, Flam said.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  The music, the food and of course, the dancing. St. Patricks Day is a chance to celebrate the Irish roots in Western New Yorks history.

Everybody loves to put on green and were proud of that, everybody likes to celebrate with us, said Tim Flanagan, the Buffalo Irish Center Board of Directors chairman. At the end of the day too, we want them to remember that the Irish came here for a better way of life like many people, and with them they brought their customs and traditions.

Flanagan said the Irish came to Buffalo as a result of the Great Hunger or Famine in the 1800s and first settled in the Old First Ward. Then, as the Irish community continued to grow, they moved into South Buffalo.

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It just became a natural home, so as more Irish came here, including my grandfathers who came here in 1953, this just was home, Flanagan said. This is where the Irish community was and so many of them started out here.

Flanagans grandparents were founding members of the Buffalo Irish Center 55 years ago, which today serves as a home for a dozen local Irish organizations.

The center announced on Friday a capital campaign to renovate the inside of their building that turns 100 years old next year.

Its a place I grew up in, Ive watched changed over the years. Weve seen the highs, the lows and the bumps and so to be involved, to help promote, to help keep it going. Its a legacy, Flanagan said. I have a 12-year-old niece whose an Irish dancer and I want to make sure that when shes my age, she has a home here for her kids to come and celebrate being Irish and all the wonderful things we do.

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Failte means welcome in Gaelic, and St. Patricks Day or not, they said everyone is welcome at the Buffalo Irish Center.

We always want people coming in here  dont have to be Irish, dont have to know anything about Ireland to come in the door, Flanagan said. What we say is, Cead Mile Failte  hundred thousand welcomes.

The Buffalo Irish Center is open to the general public Tuesday through Saturday as a bar and restaurant and is also home to local Irish organizations that hold classes of Irish language, dance music and more. Its also a space for meetings, fundraisers special events and more.

For more information about the Buffalo Irish Center, visit its website here.

Latest Local News

Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
During the first week of March, a major transformation in European economic policymaking took place within the short span of 48 hours. It started in Brussels, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an 800 billion ReArm Europe plan that would include the suspension of the European Unions fiscal rules for additional defense spending of up to 1.5 percent of GDP by member states as well as 150 billion in loans to supplement national defense budgets. The funding for the loans would be borrowed by the commission on capital markets and passed on to national governments, only the second time in the nearly 70-year history of the EU that collectivized debt, or Eurobonds, has been used to finance common objectives. The first time it happened, during the COVID-19 pandemic, was supposed to be a historic one-time exception rather than a precedent for future action.

On its own, ReArm Europe would have signaled a major shift in thinking about the role of economic tools in advancing the EUs global interests. Yet a second striking contribution to this sea change in European fiscal policy came the following day in Berlin: Friedrich Merzthe leader of Germanys center-right Christian Democratic Union and likely future German chancellor after winning that countrys elections in Februarycalled for exempting all national defense spending above 1 percent of GDP from Berlins constitutionally anchored debt brake, which strictly limits government borrowing. To accompany this surge in defense outlays, Merz also proposed a 500 billion special fund to finance infrastructure investments.

Both plans must still be approved by EU member states and Germanys parliament, respectively, with the latter looking likely to pass as soon as tomorrow. But if they are, they will usher in the emergence of a European defense industrial ecosystem and bring to an end a decade and a half of austerity and underinvestment in Germany in sectors ranging from high-speed internet and telecommunications to rail, road and energy networks.

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To be fair, this new approach in both Berlin and Brussels does not come out of nowhere. Momentum for reform had been building, albeit slowly, for some months now. Most recently, two major EU reports by former Italian prime ministers released last year were already pointing to the need for increased political courage to break policy taboos that were holding back everything from finance for tech start-ups to more efficient defense spending. The first from Enrico Letta called for further integrating the EU single market while the second from Mario Draghi, who also served as president of the European Central Bank, focused more broadly on EU competitiveness.

To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter.

If there is one lesson that Europe already seems to be learning from this new economic nationalism coming out of Washington, it is that it can no longer afford to anchor its own economic strategy in the institutional status quo.

The backdrop to these calls was a combination of internal and external factors that were becoming hard to ignore. While the first China Shock immediately after the Beijings entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 primarily affected manufacturing industries in the United States, there is growing concern about a second shock that is already hitting German industries like automobiles, machine tools and renewable energy, where Chinese companies are now strong competitors and in some caseslike electric vehicles, or EVsindustry leaders. In response to Chinese-government subsidized overproduction of EVs, the EU has already imposed countervailing duties last year, and it has a number of new trade tools available to deter or respond to similar actions in the future.

Beyond competition from China, the move to break Europes dependence on affordable supplies of oil and gas from Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has raised costs for German industry, where energy-intensive sectors saw a decline in production of approximately 20 percent in the past three years. This search for energy diversification comes at a time when Germanys remaining nuclear power plants are coming offline and subsidies for renewable energy are becoming less generous.

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The combined result of increasing Chinese competition, the need for energy diversification and aging infrastructure in Germany has been two years of recession. Moreover, the impact doesnt stop at Germanys borders but rather feeds into the economic performance of several smaller EU countries whose industries supply those in Germany.

While all these factors played an important role in the policy innovations announced in Brussels and Berlin, they would not have happened when they did and with the degree of determination that accompanied them had it not been for the upheaval provoked by the abrupt change of course in U.S. foreign, economic and national security policy in the two months since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House.

The Trump administrations pressure on Ukraine to come to the negotiating table with Russia, which has included reductions in arms provisions and intelligence-sharing for Kyiv, is a radical departure from Washingtons full-throated support under former President Joe Biden. And a speech by U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference in February called into question the Trump administrations commitment to the community of values that has characterized the trans-Atlantic partnership for decades.

Yet there are equally difficult challenges for the EU and Germany stemming from U.S. shifts in trade and economic policy. The Trump administrations 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum just went into effect last week, while under its America First Trade Policy, across the board reciprocal tariffs will be imposed on all trading partners in early April. The White House is also expected to target automobiles coming from the EU, whose tariff is 10 percent compared to Washingtons 2.5 percent rate, although the U.S. has for decades maintained a much higher tariff on imported trucks. The EU has already announced retaliatory tariffs in response to the steel and aluminum duties, prompting Trump to threaten further escalation of what could become a full-scale trade war.

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Trumps rationale for these tariffs is hard to pin down. Sometimes the aim appears to be to incentivize companies to move their manufacturing operations to the United States. Sometimes it is to reduce the U.S. trade deficit, which Trump sees as a sign of unfairness in bilateral trade relationships. And sometimes, as in the case of the on again, off again tariffs on Mexico and Canada, they are linked to non-economic objectives like immigration. But whatever is motivating Trumps faith in tariffs to advance U.S. interests, the common thread is a preference for a power-based rather than a cooperative approach to the U.S. role in the world. The Trump administration appears to believe that allies like Germany and other EU member states can be spurned either because they are not neededfor example, to combat Chinas predatory economic practicesor because the U.S. will have enough leverage to oblige their cooperation at a later time if they are.

If there is one lesson that Europe already seems to be learning from this new economic nationalism coming out of Washington, it is that it can no longer afford to anchor its own economic strategy in the institutional status quo, whether that be the EUs debt and deficit limits, Germanys debt brake or the partnership with a U.S. plagued by political polarization and unpredictable policymaking. Instead, Europe must rethink its geoeconomic approach, shaped by a clear-sighted understanding of European interests and armed with the sovereign agency necessary for action. This is especially urgent at a time when the international system is moving away from the post-World War II settlement toward new arrangements that are still to be defined.

As Jean Monnetthe joint architect behind the European Coal and Steel Community that was launched in 1952 and ultimately evolved into todays EUonce said, I have always believed that Europe would be built through crises, and that it would be the sum of their solutions. Because of an accumulation of smaller crises and now a large one with its key ally, the United States, the transformations announced at the beginning of March in Brussels and Berlin suggest that the EU is living one of these Monnet moments, from which it can be expected to emerge with greater unity and prosperity.

Peter S. Rashish is vice president and director of the Geoeconomics Program at the American-German Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Washington.

The post Facing a Moment of Crisis, Europe Rewrites Its Economic Playbook appeared first on World Politics Review.
Claim:

A post celebrating a Black Medal of Honor recipient was deleted from the U.S. Department of Defense website and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) to the page's former URL on or about March 15, 2025.

Rating:

Rating: Outdated

Context:

The page dedicated to Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers was indeed deleted, but restored soon afterward. The Pentagon said it had been scrubbed during an "auto removal process."

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Amid the ongoing and controversial elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs by U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration, claims that a decorated Black Medal of Honor recipient was removed from the Department of Defense (DOD) website circulated online in March 2025.

Further, the claim alleged the web address, or URL, of the page in question was changed to include the acronym "DEI." This change adjusted the end of the URL "slug" from "medal-of-honor-monday-army-maj-gen-charles-calvin-rogers" to "deimedal-of-honor-monday-army-maj-gen-charles-calvin-rogers" (emphasis ours).

Users across multiple Reddit threads pointed out the deletion, with some commenting that it disrespected all United States veterans. Users on social media platforms like X (archived) and Instagram (archived) spread the claim further, eventually prompting outlets like Newsweek, The Guardian and Military.com to report on it.

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As a result, readers inundated the Snopes email inbox with questions about the truth behind the reports.

The claim first surfaced through a post on the social media website BlueSky (archived).

The post shared images of the broken webpage and the changed URL and said, "This is blood-boiling. Charles Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam after being wounded three times leading the defense of a position. Google his name and the entry below comes up. When you click, you'll see the page has been deleted and the URL changed to include 'DEI medal.'"

The claim that the DOD removed a page celebrating Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers and updated the page URL to include "DEI" is true. The page was reinstated soon thereafter, however, which is why we have rated this claim outdated.

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The page was originally published on the DOD website on Nov. 1, 2021. An archival link is available for viewing on the Internet Archive.

On or before March 15, 2025, the page was removed and instead users were redirected to a page that said "404 - Page Not Found." The URL was updated to include "DEI." Both the "404" error and the adjusted URL slug can be seen in this archived link from that date.

(Internet Archive)

As of this writing on March 17, the page has been restored to its original appearance and URL. An attempt to go directly to the "DEI" version of the URL now brings up the original page and URL.

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Using the Screaming Frog SEO Spider web crawler, Snopes confirmed there is a redirect in place, which means the DOD corrected the removal by ensuring any visits to the "DEI" version of the URL would instead send a user to the restored original link rather than the "404" screen. In sum, anyone without prior knowledge of the removal would likely never know it happened.

"The Department has restored the Medal of Honor story about Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers at https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2824721/medal-of-honor-monday-army-maj-gen-charles-calvin-rogers/. The story was removed during auto removal process," a Department of Defense official told Snopes via email, but did not immediately respond to a follow-up about what exactly the "auto removal process" entails.

However, it is likely related to the ongoing efforts of the Trump administration to remove references to "DEI" from government websites and programs. In January 2025, a similar scrubbing happened with U.S. Air Force training programs that featured Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

"It's difficult to determine if the unpublishing was intentional or from incompetence, but what is true is that it was targeted and action was taken because it was flagged as being related to DEI," Jon Henshaw, a search engine optimization expert, told Snopes via email.

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According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website, Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon on May 14, 1970, for actions that occurred on Nov. 1, 1968 during the Vietnam War, citing Rogers' "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Rogers' temporary removal from the DOD website or his service in the U.S. Army. Rogers died in 1990, according to the profile on the DOD's website.

Rogers' Medal of Honor page is not the first to be removed from government websites since Trump returned to office. Snopes previously reported on claims that Arlington National Cemetery removed webpages about Black, Hispanic and female veterans and claims the U.S. military purged WWII Enola Gay aircraft photos.

Sources:

"Black War Hero's Medal of Honor Page Deleted by Pentagon." Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/charles-c-rogers-black-medal-honor-removed-dei-2045741.

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Charles Calvin Rogers. https://veterans.wv.gov/mhof/medal-honor/Pages/Charlescalvinrogers.aspx. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

"Charles Calvin Rogers | Vietnam War | U.S. Army | Medal of Honor Recipient." Congressional Medal of Honor Society, https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/charles-c-rogers. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Christensen, Laerke. "Arlington National Cemetery Removed Links to Webpages about Black, Hispanic and Female Veterans." Snopes, 14 Mar. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/arlington-national-cemetery-veterans/.

Ibrahim, Nur. "What We Know about U.S. Military's Anti-DEI Purge of WWII Enola Gay Aircraft Photos." Snopes, 10 Mar. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/03/10/dei-enola-gay-wwii/.

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"More DEI Fallout: Air Force Scraps Course That Used Videos of Tuskegee Airmen and Female WWII Pilots." AP News, 25 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/air-force-dei-tuskegee-women-wwii-pilots-ecdeac68dc7696535d093c7690ab73bc.

Stilwell, Blake. "Highest-Ranking Black Medal of Honor Recipient Erased in Pentagon DEI Purge." Military.Com, 17 Mar. 2025, https://www.military.com/history/highest-ranking-black-medal-of-honor-recipient-erased-pentagon-dei-purge.html.

Yang, Maya. "Black Medal of Honor Recipient Removed from US Department of Defense Website." The Guardian, 16 Mar. 2025. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/16/defense-department-black-medal-of-honor-veteran.
Claim:

The Department of Government Efficiency issued guidance restricting Transportation Security Administration employees from submitting requests related to food, kenneling and veterinary care for dogs on the agency's explosives detection canine teams.

Rating:

Rating: Mixture

What's True:

A TSA spokesperson confirmed over email that the agency's "credit card purchases have been restricted for 30 days."

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What's Undetermined:

The TSA spokesperson said that "canine operations have not been adversely affected by this effort," but did not explain how the dogs' care was currently being funded. They also did not directly confirm or deny DOGE's involvement in the spending freeze.

On March 13, 2025, Fox News' Jennifer Griffin posted (archived) a screenshot showing what she said was an internal Transportation Security Administration email informing employees that the Department of Government Efficiency, U.S. President Donald Trump's cost-cutting initiative, had frozen all payment requests associated with the care and feeding of dogs in the TSA's bomb-sniffing units.

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The text visible in the screenshot read:

Subject: NEW GUIDANCE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!

Importance: High Good morning all, As of the moment, ALL requests for everything to include (Vet visits, kenneling, dog food, etc) have been put on hold until we receive further guidance. I apologize for the confusion, but due to new guidance sent out last night, nothing is being approved at this time. Once I receive an update, I will be sure to share with all of you. Thanks

(X/Jennifer Griffin)

The screenshot did not contain the names or titles of the email's sender or recipients.

In the body of the post, Griffin said the email came from the TSA and that DOGE was responsible for the guidance:

DOGE cuts at TSA hit Canine (K-9) bomb sniffing units as the White House celebrates K9 Veterans Day. From TSA/Security Operations National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program: vet visits, kenneling and dog food put on hold effective immediately.

Griffin made her post in response to a post (archived) the official White House account made earlier that day in honor of National K9 Veterans Day. That post included a photo of Trump posing next to a seated dog.

In the days after Griffin shared the screenshot, internet users on social media platforms including X (archived), Reddit (archived) and Facebook (archived) spread the claim.

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Snopes readers wrote in and searched our site to find information about whether DOGE had really cut or frozen spending on TSA's bomb-sniffing dogs.

Over email, a spokesperson for the TSA appeared to confirm the freeze  but also claimed, without providing specific details, that it was temporary and had not resulted in any interruptions to the care of the animals. The spokesperson also did not directly confirm that the screenshot Griffin shared in her March 13 post authentically showed a real TSA email.

Because of these unanswered questions, we've rated the claim a mixture of true and unverified information.

The spokesperson's full statement  which they also provided to Newsweek  was, "Our heroic canines are happy, healthy, and funded. Credit card purchases have been restricted for 30 days, but Canine operations have not been adversely affected by this effort."

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We've followed up with the TSA spokesperson to ask for further details including the reason for the restrictions as well as the level of DOGE's direct involvement in the guidance. We will update this story if we hear back.

No information about any TSA canine-related cuts or freezes appeared on DOGE's official website or X account at the time of this writing.

The 2001 Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which established the TSA, mentions "Search by canine explosive detection units" among the act's "enhanced security measures." Air Force civilian employees initially trained the dogs. The agency's dedicated Canine Training Center opened in 2005 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in February 2025.

According to a 2021 TSA fact sheet about the agency's canine program, "more than 1,000 TSA canine teams" are deployed at airports and in mass-transit and maritime systems nationwide. Per the agency's website, dogs selected for the teams are typically "German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador retrievers and German shorthaired pointers," and at least some of the animals come from shelters.

Sources:

140 Dog Years of Training by TSA's Canine Training Center | Transportation Security Administration. https://www.tsa.gov/about/employee-stories/140-dog-years-training-tsas-canine-training-center. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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A TSA Canine's Work Is Never Done | Transportation Security Administration. https://www.tsa.gov/about/employee-stories/tsa-canines-work-never-done. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

admin-afba. "National K9 Veterans Day: Honoring Our Four-Legged Heroes." AFBA, 6 Mar. 2024, https://www.afba.com/uniformed-services-news/first-responders/national-k9-veterans-day-honoring-our-four-legged-heroes/.

"DOGE Makes Cuts to Bomb-Sniffing Dogs at TSA: What to Know." Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/doge-cuts-bomb-sniffer-dogs-tsa-homeland-security-2044872.

TSA Canine Training Center | Transportation Security Administration. https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/factsheets/tsa-canine-training-center. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
Claim:

An audio recording authentically captured U.S. President Donald Trump advocating to rename the District of Columbia to the "District of America."

Rating:

Rating: Fake

In March 2025, about two months after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a rumor circulated online alleging that he also wanted to rename the District of Columbia to the "District of America."

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Users shared the rumor on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and X  sometimes with an audio recording supposedly depicting Trump advocating for the name change.

However, the recording was not real and there was no evidence of the president wanting to rename the district. A social media user created the audio recording with an artificial intelligence (AI) tool. The voice sounded similar to Trump's but featured some slight differences in its tone and manner of speaking.

The fake recording played on a hypothetical scenario in which Trump confused the "Columbia" in the "District of Columbia" for the differently-spelled, South American country of Colombia. The fake Trump voice said:

No more Washington, D.C. I hate it. It makes no sense. They call it the District of Columbia. It's got nothing to do with Colombia. It's nowhere near Colombia. From now on, it will be Washington, D.A., District of America. No more of this Columbia nonsense.

TikTok user @whmole  a handle meaning "White House mole"  appeared to be the creator of the audio. However, a check of the account on March 14 displayed the message "Couldn't find this account," which meant its videos and inbox for direct messaging were no longer accessible. (We reached out to TikTok to ask whether the company removed the @whmole account or if the user deactivated the page on their own, and a representative said TikTok was looking into the matter.)

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Webpage-archiving websites did not host any archived versions of the @whmole account's page. That said, before the account was deactivated, Snopes confirmed it was the source of several videos featuring fake, AI-generated audio clips of Trump  similar to the recording in question.

Also, a separate TikTok video with the audio of Trump supposedly talking about renaming the district displayed a watermark for @whmole, an indication that account was the recording's creator. That video's on-screen caption read, "Trump CAUGHT on a HOT MIC. Getting rid of Washington D.C.??! Wed March 12 2025. Wait til the end...."

Look out for other audio recordings with the @whmole watermark, including clips that supposedly depict Trump comparing his adviser Elon Musk to "Isaac Neutron" rather than English physicist Isaac Newton and advocating for an end to daylight saving time because people "die faster" when the clock moves an hour forward.

Sources:

Clarke, Amelia. "No Evidence Trump Compared Musk to 'Isaac Neutron' Instead of Isaac Newton." Snopes, 14 Mar. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/trump-musk-isaac-newton/.

Esposito, Joey. "Yes, Trump Said He Wants to Rename the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America.'" Snopes, 7 Jan. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/trump-rename-gulf-of-america/.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  As Ohio lawmakers weigh changes to voter-approved cannabis law, NBC4 investigated concerns contributing to the call for reform.

Ohio lawmakers in favor of marijuana law changes said legalizing cannabis leads to increases in crime and traffic accidents. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima), a sponsor of one pending marijuana bill, equated cannabis to alcohol concerning crime. See previous coverage of proposed cannabis law changes in the video player above.

This is all true for marijuana, Huffman said. The more alcohol is available, the more people drink and the more bad behavior results. Were not going to ban alcohol. Were not going to ban marijuana. But there are things we can do to make sure that the worst situations happen less.

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Some Statehouse leaders call universal meal programs at schools wasteful

NBC4 looked into the correlation between cannabis and crime and found the research varies wildly. Recreational cannabis is newly legal, so there has not been much time to conduct research, limiting studies. Further, there are many other factors regarding crime, making it hard to single out cannabis effects.

The Moritz School of Law at Ohio State University looked into the topic extensively, comparing trustworthy sources and conducting its own research. Ohio State researchers said much of the data regarding legalized recreational marijuana is limited, leading to discrepancies between studies. However, Ohio State researchers have generally concluded legalizing recreational cannabis does not lead to more crime.

Overall, the literature exploring the relationship between liberalization of marijuana policies and crime seems to suggest that legalizing marijuana is not a threat to public safety, Ohio State researchers said.

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Where and when 17-year cicadas are expected to invade Ohio this spring

A 2022 Ohio State study compared literature from states that had already legalized recreational use and found there can be benefits to legalization in public safety and health. According to preliminary data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, crashes involving marijuana declined by 12% from 2023 to 2024, when recreational marijuana was legalized. During that same period, fatal crashes declined by 30%.

NBC4 analyzed highway patrol data regarding substance-impaired driving arrests from 2020 through the most recently available data, March 9, 2025. To fairly analyze the changes, the year-long data from 2020 to 24 was prorated to compare with this years data, and this years data thus far was used as an estimate to calculate year-long 2025 data.

State data shows OVI arrests are slightly more common in warmer months but not different enough to discount the several hundred fewer arrests after legalization. Similarly, warmer months may contribute to a higher-than-estimated final OVI tally in 2025, but they do not appear to differ dramatically enough to account for the estimated 1,000 fewer cases. Increased awareness of legalization could also be a factor in this decrease.

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Generally, marijuana crime has gone down since legalization, which is to be expected as some former offenses are no longer illegal. An Ohio State study published in February surveyed Ohio law enforcement agency leadership about the effects of cannabis legalization. Those surveyed said relevant cannabis offenses occur around the same frequency as before legalization.

However, law enforcement leaders reported some difficulties following legalization. Law enforcement mostly said it is now more difficult to search vehicles during traffic stops and investigate other crimes, as marijuana alone no longer qualifies as reasonable suspicion. In response, pro-legalization advocates often point to the many studies that have found legalization cuts down on over policing of people of color.

Gov. DeWine addresses future of Intel, CHIPS Act

Half of the sheriffs and police chiefs surveyed also reported being strongly concerned that legalization would increase access to illegal drugs on the street. That fear is coupled with Ohios high drug overdose rate, which the CDC places at a rate of 45.6 per 100,000 people, much higher than the national average of 31.3. Like many cannabis questions, some research suggests marijuana can contribute to harder drug use, and other research suggests it helps decrease harder drug use.

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Although Ohio States research indicates cannabis likely does not contribute significantly to higher crime rates, there are other concerns. Hannah Hayes, director of the Central Ohio Poison Control Center, said legalization has led to noticeable increases in Ohioans under the age of six accidentally ingesting cannabis, a conclusion supported by a recent nationwide study.

As Ohio lawmakers and citizens alike look toward the states future with cannabis, research indicates it likely wont increase crime dramatically, but other concerns need to be studied further. Legalization was enacted by voters, so Huffman said it will not be repealed, but regulations can be changed by lawmakers.

Two marijuana reform bills currently sit in the House, with one in the House Judiciary Committee after being passed in the Senate. The Judiciary Committee is set to meet Wednesday, but is not scheduled to discuss either marijuana 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Claim:

In early 2025, an 82-year-old man named Ned Johnson in Seattle was declared "dead" by the U.S. Social Security and deprived of his benefits.

Rating:

Rating: True

In March 2025, in the first weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump instituted the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and appointed tech magnate Elon Musk as its figurehead, a rumor began to spread that an 82-year-old man had lost his Social Security benefits after DOGE mistakenly declared him dead.

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For example, a post on X said DOGE had "stolen" the man's Social Security payments and canceled his Medicare health insurance (archived):

DOGE stole several months of this 82 year old's social security payments, canceled his Medicare, and falsely declared him deceased to claw back payments retroactively. He then struggled to rectify this because DOGE is gutting the Social Security admin staff and closing buildings. https://t.co/JisOINwhHj  regwag2025 (@wideofthepost) March 16, 2025

As of this writing, the post had gained nearly one million views and 33,000 likes. The same claim appeared several times on X, but also on Reddit. Further, The Express Tribune, an English-speaking newspaper in Pakistan, published an article relaying the story, as did Common Dreams, a nonprofit, left-leaning news outlet in the U.S. Several Snopes readers emailed asking for confirmation that the claim is true.

Snopes contacted the Johnsons via telephone and was able to confirm the details of the story with them. We have therefore deemed the claim true (though we have seen no evidence definitively linking DOGE to the error).

The rumor stemmed from an article by The Seattle Times, published on March 15, 2025 (archived). In the story, writer Danny Westneat said he identified a man named Leonard "Ned" Johnson who had been affected by being falsely reported as dead, just as DOGE's meddling with the Social Security Administration (SSA), an independent government agency, intensified. (Snopes has seen no evidence definitively linking DOGE to the erroneous classification of Johnson as deceased.)

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We have reached out to the Social Security Administration, DOGE and Musk ask them to confirm details of the story and we will update this report should they respond.

According to Westneat, Johnson's wife Pam received a letter from the bank offering condolences on her husband's death. The letter went on to explain that the bank had deducted the equivalent of two months of Social Security payments from Johnson's account to return them to the benefits to the agency  $5,201 for December 2024 and January 2025. According to the bank, Westneat reported, Johnson had died in November 2024.

However, Johnson was very much alive. But because of this false report, Westneat said the 82-year-old Seattleite had not received his February or March 2025 Social Security deposits. Further, his Medicare insurance was canceled and his credit reports were closed.

When he called the bank, they reportedly told him to talk to Social Security. Westneat said that for two weeks, Johnson tried to call the hotline several times a day, to no avail. Eventually, Johnson went directly to the local Social Security office, which he described as packed with people and very much understaffed, according to The Seattle Times article. Thanks to an employee there, his status was restored as alive.

The Johnsons confirm the story

During a telephone conversation on March 17, 2025, Pam Johnson told Snopes that her husband had gone to the Social Security office on March 13, and that Westneat had come to their house with a photographer to interview them the next day.

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She added that the couple had not received any explanation as to how the false death report had occurred. "They kept passing the buck between the bank and Social Security," she said.

As she spoke, Johnson logged into their bank's online client portal to confirm that the February payment had also been restored to their account, though they were still waiting on the March payment.

While on the telephone with Snopes, she also asked her husband about the status of his Medicare health coverage. Snopes heard him confirm that he had indeed received notice from his health insurance company that his coverage was restored. Johnson was preparing to give an interview to CNN about his ordeal on the afternoon of March 17, 2025.

"For us, this is not life or death but the ramifications can be terrible," Pam Johnson said. "We think Ned is the canary in a coal mine, this is a much bigger story."

Sources:

As Trump-Musk Target Social Security, Seniors Share Stories of Benefit Cutoffs | Common Dreams. https://www.commondreams.org/news/social-security-benefits. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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Desk, News. 'US Social Security Error Costs 82-Year-Old His Benefits and $5,000'. The Express Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2534743/us-social-security-error-costs-82-year-old-benefits-and-5000.

'I Found a "Dead" Person on Social Security in Seattle'. The Seattle Times, 15 Mar. 2025, https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/heres-a-dead-person-on-social-security-in-seattle-with-plenty-to-say/.

Updates:

March 18, 2025: A previous version of this article erroneously attributed the notion that DOGE was to blame for the false death report to Seattle Times reporter Danny Westneat. This has been corrected.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi received Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who arrived in Tehran for consultations with Iranian officials, Trend reports.

The parties stressed the importance of ongoing consultations between the two countries at various levels to develop bilateral relations and promote regional and international peace and stability.

Araghchi also referred to the recent trilateral talks in Beijing and considered continued consultations on international issues important to ensure common interests.
Claim:

U.S. President Donald Trump authentically wrote on Truth Social: "After I've annexed Greenland and making it the 52nd State, I will annexe Alaska. The people of Alaska don't want to be part of a backward nation in Canada. I will make all Alaskan's rich and prosperous when they become the 53rd State of our mighty country. Nobody in Greenland or Alaska would ever have dreamed of this under Crooked Joe Biden."

Rating:

Rating: Fake

Context:

Trump has repeatedly said in the past that he would like to annex Greenland. However, he has not said the same of Alaska. The president never posted the above statement on Truth Social.

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In mid-March 2025, a screenshot spread widely online purportedly showing a post from U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social account (archived).

Numerous Snopes readers also sent us the screenshot asking about its authenticity.

The alleged post read:

After I've annexed Greenland and making it the 52nd State, I will annexe Alaska. The people of Alaska don't want to be part of a backward nation in Canada. I will make all Alaskan's rich and prosperous when they become the 53rd State of our mighty country. Nobody in Greenland or Alaska would ever have dreamed of this under Crooked Joe Biden.

(Screenshot via X)

However, the screenshot is fake. There is no evidence that Trump posted the above message on Truth Social or any other social media account.

There were no examples of it on his Truth Social account. Likewise, it could not be found within archives of Trump's social media history kept by political news site Roll Call. A Google search of selected sections of the quote resulted in no authentic sources for the statement.

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It was not clear where the fake statement was first posted or who created it. Another clue that the post was fake includes the format of the text being different from authentic Truth Social posts.

Furthermore, the claims in the fake post are factually incorrect. For example, Alaska is not part of Canada. It was proclaimed the 49th U.S. state in 1959.

On March 10, 2025, Trump posted a Fox News article about Alaska with the headline: "Alaska leaders cheer Trump oil and gas drilling executive order." In January 2025, Trump issued an executive order reversing limits on drilling activity imposed by former President Joe Biden and opening up oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Trump has called for the U.S. annexation of Greenland. In January 2025, he wrote on Truth Social:

I am hearing that the people of Greenland are "MAGA." My son, Don Jr, and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights. Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!

In March 2025, hundreds of Greenlanders gathered to protest Trump's stated goals of annexing the region. Greenland's incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told the media: "There is not the slightest chance that I will talk to Trump about Greenland becoming part of the US. Greenland will be Greenland."

Sources:

"Alaska from Russian Colony to U.S. State." American Experience | PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/alaska-timeline/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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Arias, Pilar. "Alaska Leaders Cheer Trump Oil and Gas Drilling Executive Order." Fox News, 22 Jan. 2025, https://www.foxnews.com/us/alaska-leaders-cheer-trump-oil-gas-drilling-executive-order. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

'Around 1,000 Greenlanders Gather in the City Center and March to The...' Getty Images, 15 Mar. 2025, https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/around-1-000-greenlanders-gather-in-the-city-center-and-news-photo/2204699384.

'Biden Administration Moves to Protect More of Alaska Refuge from Drilling'. Reuters, 16 Jan. 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-moves-protect-more-alaska-refuge-drilling-2025-01-16/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

"Fact Check: Fake Screenshot Has Trump "Annexe" Alaska And Greenland, Making Them 52nd And 53rd State -- No Such Post." Lead Stories,16 Mar. 2025, https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2025/03/fact-check-trump-post-annexe-alaska-greenland.html. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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"Greenland: Hundreds Protest against Trump's Takeover Plans." DW, Mar. 15, 2025." https://www.dw.com/en/greenland-hundreds-protest-against-trumps-takeover-plans/a-71933403. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

"Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations - Office of the Historian." https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/alaska-purchase. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

"Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential." The White House, 21 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-alaskas-extraordinary-resource-potential/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.


Claim:

U.S. President Donald Trump's DOGE adviser, Elon Musk, reposted another user's post on X in March 2025, showing a screenshot reading, "Stalin, Mao and Hitler didnt murder millions of people. Their public sector workers did."

Rating:

Rating: True

In March 2025, users on X claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump's DOGE adviser, Elon Musk, either posted or shared another user's post that displayed an image reading, "Stalin, Mao and Hitler didn't murder millions of people. Their public sector workers did." Readers also asked about this matter via email.

A review of Musk's X activity found that on March 13, 2025, he truly reposted a message saying that Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, Communist China's founding leader Mao Zedong and German dictator and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler didn't murder millions of people, and that "public sector workers did." In other words, the repost genuinely existed, and no one doctored the screenshot with any image-editing tools. He later removed the repost on or following March 14.

Specifically, Musk used the repost function on X, previously known as a retweet in past years on Twitter, to share another user's post. That other user's post featured a screenshot of a different person's post (archived) about Stalin, Mao and Hitler, tweeted years before on Jan. 30, 2019.

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The White House did not respond to a request for comment, including a question asking for the Trump administration's stance about the thought expressed in the post.

The Indeed job search website defined present-day public sector workers as people employed at federal, state and municipal levels who generally receive government funding. That's similar to the funding Trump said he tasked Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to find and eliminate  dubbed by DOGE as "waste, fraud and abuse." Examples of modern public sector employees include police and fire officials, other emergency-service workers, teachers, health care workers and military service people.

Stalin, Mao and Hitler

Britannica numbered victims of Stalin's reign in the tens of millions. Stanford Report similarly published, "Stalin had nearly a million of his own citizens executed, beginning in the 1930s. Millions more fell victim to forced labor, deportation, famine, massacres and detention and interrogation by Stalin's henchmen." BBC and International Business Times reported further details.

In 1994, The Washington Post published of Mao, "While most scholars are reluctant to estimate a total number of 'unnatural deaths' in China under Mao, evidence shows he was in some way responsible for at least 40 million deaths and perhaps 80 million or more. This includes deaths he was directly responsible for and deaths resulting from disastrous policies he refused to change." Brittanica reported additional information, as did The Washington Post in 2016.

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Regarding Hitler's leadership of Nazi Germany, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) hosts detailed pages offering a wealth of information about both the Holocaust and Hitler.

Under Adolf Hitler's leadership and imbued with his racially motivated ideology, the Nazi regime was responsible for the mass murder of 6 million Jews and millions of other victims. Learn the history: https://t.co/Way8jdrT4H  US Holocaust Museum (@HolocaustMuseum) December 1, 2022

The U.S. National WWII Museum also published, "The Holocaust was Nazi Germany's deliberate, organized, state-sponsored persecution and genocide of approximately six million European Jews. The genocide of the Jews is also sometimes referred to as Shoah, a Hebrew word for 'catastrophe.' The Nazis also persecuted other groups, perpetrating a genocide against the Roma (derogatorily called 'gypsies'), in which more than 250,000 people were murdered, and killing over three million Soviet prisoners of war, nearly two million Poles, over 250,000 people with disabilities, over 1,000 Jehovah's Witnesses, hundreds of men accused of homosexuality and other victims."

Musk's salute and alleged antisemitism

One reader who emailed about Musk's repost shared an Instagram meme (archived) that described the repost and included a photo of the much-publicized, twice-given Inauguration Day gesture that the online neo-Nazi and far-right communities interpreted as a Nazi salute. Following the moment on Jan. 20, Musk said, "Thank you. My heart goes out to you." Days later, he blamed (archived) the "legacy media" for allegedly misinterpreting his actions.

In May 2024, Musk reinstated the X account for Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust-denying white supremacist. Musk posted (archived) of Fuentes' reinstatement to "let him be crushed by the comments and Community Notes," adding, "It is better to have anti whatever out in the open to be rebutted than grow simmering in the darkness."

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In November 2023, Musk replied (archived), "You have said the actual truth," in response to a user who created a post (archived) saying, in part, that Jewish people support "dialectical hatred against whites." Musk later posted clarifications to his reply. Axios reported of the discussion, "Elon Musk backs antisemitic claim; Tesla shares tumble."

Sources:

"Adolf Hitler." U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/adolf-hitler.

"Adolf Hitler: Man and Monster." BBC Teach, https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/articles/zbrx8xs.

Contreras, Russell. "Elon Musk to Reinstate X Account of White Nationalist Nick Fuentes." Axios, 3 May 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/05/03/elon-musk-nick-fuentes-x-account.

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Dickinson, Tim. "Right-Wing Extremists Are Abuzz Over Musk's Straight-Arm Salute." Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2025, https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/elon-musk-salute-reaction-right-wing-extremists-1235241866/.

Ghosh, Palash R. "How Many People Did Joseph Stalin Kill?" International Business Times, 5 Mar. 2013, https://www.ibtimes.com/how-many-people-did-joseph-stalin-kill-1111789.

Gilbert, David. "Neo-Nazis Love the Nazi-Like Salutes Elon Musk Made at Trump's Inauguration." Wired, 20 Jan. 2025, https://www.wired.com/story/neo-nazis-love-elon-musk-nazi-like-salutes-trumps-inauguration/.

Haven, Cynthia. "Stalin Killed Millions. A Stanford Historian Answers the Question, Was It Genocide?" Stanford Report, Sept. 2010, https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2010/09/naimark-stalin-genocide-092310.

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"How Many People Did the Nazis Murder?" U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/documenting-numbers-of-victims-of-the-holocaust-and-nazi-persecution.

Indeed Employer Content Team. "A Guide to Public vs. Private Sector Employment." Indeed.com, 27 Jan. 2025, https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/public-vs-private-sector.

"Joseph Stalin | Biography, World War II, Death, & Facts." Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Stalin.

"Joseph Stalin: National Hero or Cold-Blooded Murderer?" BBC Teach, https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/articles/zhv747h.

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Liles, Jordan. "Did Musk Give 'Nazi Salute' at Trump's 2025 Inauguration Rally? Here's What We Know." Snopes, 21 Jan. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/01/20/musk-nazi-salute/.

---. "Musk's X Didn't Verify Accounts Representing Hitler." Snopes, 26 Feb. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/musk-hitler-verifiy-accounts/.

"Mao Zedong - Chinese Revolution, Communism, Chairman." Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mao-Zedong/The-road-to-power.

Primack, Dan. "Elon Musk Backs Antisemitic Claim; Tesla Shares Tumble." Axios, 16 Nov. 2023, https://www.axios.com/2023/11/16/elon-musk-antisemitic-claim-tesla-shares.

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Schram, Stuart Reynolds. "Mao Zedong | Biography & Facts." Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mao-Zedong.

Somin, Ilya. "Remembering the Biggest Mass Murder in the History of the World." The Washington Post, 3 Aug. 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/08/03/giving-historys-greatest-mass-murderer-his-due/.

Strauss, Valerie, and Daniel Southerland. "How Many Died? New Evidence Suggests Far Higher Numbers for the Victims of Mao Zedong's Era." The Washington Post, 16 July 1994, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/07/17/how-many-died-new-evidence-suggests-far-higher-numbers-for-the-victims-of-mao-zedongs-era/01044df5-03dd-49f4-a453-a033c5287bce/.

"The Holocaust." The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, 8 May 2024, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/holocaust.

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Wendling, Mike. "White House Criticises Elon Musk over 'hideous' Antisemitic Lie." BBC News, 17 Nov. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67446800.

Updates:

March 17, 2025: We updated two lone mentions of "Zedong" to Mao.

March 18, 2025: We updated this article to remove a mention of Musk's repost still displaying on his account.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration's decision to deport Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador despite a judge's explicit order that the planes carrying them be turned around represents an extraordinary escalation in the president's challenge to the U.S. Constitution's system of checks and balances.

What follows is a timeline  mainly drawn from court filings and the plane tracking website Flightradar24  showing how the deportation operation proceeded on Saturday, as the judge ordered it to come to a halt. All times are Eastern Time.

Friday March 14 Several Venezuelan detainees being held at the El Valle Detention Center in Texas are told that they are being moved in preparation for a flight or a transfer to an unknown destination.

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Saturday March 15

Early Saturday  The American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward sue the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump in federal court in Washington, D.C., saying five Venezuelan men being held at El Valle and elsewhere were at "imminent risk of removal" under the Alien Enemies Act.

2:31 p.m.  Thomas Cartwright  a finance executive-turned-immigration activist  says on the social media site X that he has spotted "TWO HIGHLY UNUSUAL ICE flights showing up now from Harlingen to El Salvador," adding that in the past 1-1/2 months there had only been one such flight. "Venezuelan deportation??" he wrote. Harlingen Airport is a half-hour drive from El Valle.

5:00 p.m.  Judge James Boasberg begins holding a hearing via videoconference in the ACLU's case.

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5:26 p.m.  A GlobalX Airbus A320 bearing the tail number N278GX departs Harlingen.

5:45 p.m.  A GlobalX Airbus A320 bearing the tail number N837VA departs Harlingen.

Between 6:45 p.m. and 6:48 p.m.  Judge Boasberg blocks the application of the Alien Enemies Act, telling lawyers for the government that "you shall inform your clients of this immediately, and that any plane containing these folks  because it's going to take off or it's in the air  needs to be returned to the United States." Boasberg immediately repeats the instruction, telling the lawyers, "those people need to be returned to the United States, however that's accomplished, by turning around the plane or not embarking anyone on the plane." He then underlines the point a third time, telling the government lawyers: "This is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately."

7:25 p.m.  Judge Boasberg's order hits the docket.

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7:37 p.m.  N278GX lands in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on its way to El Salvador.

7:37 p.m.  A GlobalX Airbus A320 bearing the tail number N630VA departs Harlingen.

8:10 p.m.  N837VA lands in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on its way to El Salvador.

9:50 p.m.  N630VA lands in Comayagua, Honduras, on its way to El Salvador.

11:10 p.m.  N278GX lands in San Salvador, El Salvador.

11:43 p.m.  N837VA departs Tegucigalpa, Honduras on its way to El Salvador.

Sunday

12:18 a.m.  N837VA lands in San Salvador, El Salvador.

1:08 a.m.  N630VA lands in San Salvador, El Salvador.

8:13 a.m.  Salvadorian president Nayib Bukele publishes a choreographed video, set to martial music, of migrants being dragged from planes in shackles and hustled into buses amid a massive security presence. Three GlobalX jets are visible in the video, including one bearing the tail number N837VA. Bukele says the prisoners will be forced to work to pay for their upkeep. In response, Elon Musk, Trump's tech baron ally, responds saying, "Much appreciated." Bukele's post is also shared by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

(Reporting by Raphael Satter, Ted Hesson, and David Shephardson in Washington, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
The Fulton County District Attorneys Office was ordered to pay more than $54,000 as the result of a lawsuit alleging violations of Georgias Open Records Act.

The lawsuit was brought by attorney Ashleigh Merchant and the Merchant Law Firm.

Merchant represents Michael Roman, a 2020 Trump campaign staffer who was one of the defendants alongside President Donald Trump in the Fulton County election interference RICO case.

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Merchant sought attorneys fees and injunctive relief for claims that District Attorney Fani Willis and the Fulton County DAs office had failed to provide records requested by the attorney.

The Fulton County DAs Office told Channel 2 Action News they plan to appeal the ruling.

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Citing state statute, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause ruled that an agency or custodian of public records has three business days, upon receipt of an ORA request, to determine whether and how to produce or permit copying and inspection of the requested records.

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Krause said in the Final Judgment Order filed Friday that the DAs office and Willis had failed to comply with the records laws, saying that the failure to comply was not substantially justified, and no records were made available.

At hearings over the records being provided, the judge said that through the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond - were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchants requests were handled differently than other requests.

The judges order cites multiple examples of taking a different process for requests by Merchant compared to others, in a way indicating lack of good faith.

As a result of this behavior, Krause awarded fees and expenses to be paid to Merchant for a total of $54,103.23.

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Willis and the Fulton County DAs Office have 30 days from March 14 to provide those funds and must certify under oath that they will comply with the order, not only paying the fees but performing appropriate searches of all employee emails and DAs Office files and records to make sure all locations for documents requested are searched.

Afterward, the documents must be provided without redaction, alteration, deletion or modification in any way but as necessary to protect sensitive information in accordance with state law.

The DAs office will also have to explain all efforts taken to find the documents, including detailing the searches conducted, in writing, according to the judges order.

Should this not occur, the judge said Merchant can be awarded attorneys fees and expenses incurred for getting the DAs office to comply with the order.

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In a statement online after the ruling, Merchant posted that she was proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law.

Proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!! #faniwillis #openrecords #fultoncounty https://t.co/r1FFPMFf6J  Ashleigh Merchant (@AshleighMerchan) March 14, 2025

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Raul Rodriguez from S&J Farms in El Guique, is part of New Mexico Grown and participated in the Regional Farm to Food Bank recently canceled by the USDA. (Photo by 4Birds Photography)

The executive director of Northern New Mexicos food bank, The Food Depot, says the recent U.S. Department of Agricultures elimination of a program that connected food banks to local food producers is devastating.

The Regional Farm to Food Bank program, created under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, is currently funded through the USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance, one of two federal programs the USDA recently canceled.

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According to a news release from The Food Depot and the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association, last year, the RF2FB program accounted for 34% of all institutional purchases from small and midsize producers in the New Mexico Grown program.

Under the program, officials say, more than 200 farmers, ranchers and other food producers have sold close to 900,000 pounds of locally grown food since January 2023, providing 749,502 healthy meals distributed across all 33 of the states counties.

The USDA announced in October of last year a $500 million extension of the LFPA plan, with $2.8 million designated for New Mexico for the next three-year cycle. Then, on March 7, the USDA informed the New Mexico Department of Agriculture the agreement would be terminated, the news release said, and the program will end when the current program ends at the end of June.

These are relationships for New Mexicans, The Food Depot Executive Director Jill Dixon told Source. We believe in community and food banks helping people access food, and producers who care about beautiful, local, nutritious food being in the hands of their community members. Thats who was at the table here: people who all have the same passion for feeding people good food.

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And the program worked, she said. There were definite gains happening. We saw producers growing. We saw them scaling, buying additional land, buying machinery, buying additional [cattle] head, planting new rows. Its just really devastating.

Make no mistake: The current funding cycle had its challenges, she said, because it had eliminated money for administrative costs. We were just working on figuring out how we were going to run a program that didnt have any administrative fund associated with it.

Now that program will simply end.

Organizers say 94% of last years RF2FB purchases came from socially disadvantaged and historically underserved producers.

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Without this support, we risk losing more than income; we risk losing the ability to sustain our land, our families, and our way of life, Manny Encinias, owner of Trilogy Beef and Buffalo Creek Ranch in Moriarty, New Mexico said in a statement. This decision doesnt just impact ranchers. It threatens the entire rural economy, including locally owned businesses like our USDA meat processing facility, which depends on ranching families like us to stay in operation. Perhaps most concerning, it makes it even harder to bring the next generation back to the ranch.

New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association Executive Director Denise Miller told Source her members are super disappointed, and noted that rapid changes hit the agriculture sector particularly hard.

Its not like turning water on from a sink, she said. It takes time for farmers to put crops in the ground, for ranchers toget their operations adjusted to new market opportunities. And so when something like this is really an abrupt end to a program, it just puts the brakes on everything that had been building beautifully for the last few years.

U.S. Sen Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), who was scheduled to have a roundtable discussion with local food banks on Monday, called RF2FB an essential program that was agreed to in a bipartisan way over the last few years, understanding the need across America when it came to access to food and the problem with hunger. When these programs are severed or eliminated, it just makes it harder for everyone.

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Lujan told Source the approach Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency has taken with these programs has eliminated certain tools typically available to address program losses.

What I have been trying to do in the area of food programs, this included, is work with Republican colleagues that are also going through something similar in their states with their constituents, saying, This is bipartisan, this is nonpartisan. We need to be able to help those that need access to these programs, so how can we work together with you to be able to change the switch on this?

Dixon said the loss of the program really hurts small scale producers, small and mid scale producers in our area. These are people that weve developed relationships with and friendships with, where food banks became a huge part of the market share.

But its also the elimination of a food source for food banks. While the food banks typically procure food at scale in much bigger quantity than they did within the RF2FB program, theres something deeply important about having folks who are accessing food security services seeing fresh local food at those distributions.

The food banks, she said, are going to have to get really creative to try to figure out how we can continue to have local food have a presence.

Danielle Prokop contributed reporting to this story.
More than a dozen people have been killed since clashes erupted along the Syrian-Lebanese border after three Syrian soldiers were kidnapped and killed by Lebanon's Iran-allied Hezbollah movement.

At least 10 people have been killed in Syria since fighting broke out on the country's border with Lebanon on Sunday evening, Syrian state television reported on Monday.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said that seven people were killed in Lebanon and at least 52 were injured.

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Syria's Ministry of Defence said on Sunday that Hezbollah militiamen ambushed and kidnapped three Syrian soldiers near Zeita Dam, in western Homs province, before taking them into Lebanese territory and killing them, according to the SANA news agency.

The ministry vowed to "take all necessary measures following this dangerous escalation by Hezbollah militia."

Syria's Ministry of Defence dispatched more rocket launchers and drones to the border area in order to target Hezbollah positions inside Lebanese territory, a source close to the Syrian army told dpa.

Syrian forces have destroyed a Hezbollah ammunition depot in the border area, the source added.

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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that Syrian forces have been shelling Hezbollah sites along the border.

The Lebanese army said it has handed over the bodies of the three soldiers to Syria following intensive contacts between the two sides.

Lebanese villages and towns have been subjected to shelling from Syrian territory, the Lebanese army said, which prompted its military units to respond with appropriate weapons.

The army said it has been in contact with the Syrian authorities to maintain security and stability along the border.

Hezbollah has denied involvement in the clashes at the border or inside Syria, Lebanon's NNA news agency reported.

Hezbollah was a key supporter of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad for more than a decade after the 2011 uprising against his regime and until he was toppled in December.
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  Two people were killed in an early Sunday house fire in Pikeville.

Kentucky State Police said troopers were called around 6:21 a.m. to a home on Brushy Road, where they found two people dead inside.

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Authorities said the bodies were sent to the State Medical Examiners Office to be identified and autopsied.

The cause of the fire is unknown, according to KSP, but no foul play is suspected.

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(FOX40.COM)  The FBI noted the 75th anniversary of the creation of its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on Friday.

The FBIs Sacramento Field Office said that since the program began on March 14, 1950, 18 fugitives from the 34-county area it serves have been added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Video Above: Senate confirms Kash Patel as FBI director

According to the field office, the list was created after a reporter for the International News Service asked about the toughest guys wanted by the FBI.

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In its 75 years of existence, 496 people on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list have been apprehended or located, the agency said.

Two arrested for credit card scheme during a retail theft operation by SCSO

The field office highlighted three fugitive cases from the Sacramento area.

Howard Jay Barnard

Howard Jay Barnard (Image: FBI)

Howard Jay Barnard was the first fugitive from the region to be added to the list on April 12, 1963. The escapee was apprehended in Sacramento on April 6, 1964, when fleeing a robbery, the FBI said.

According to the FBI, Barnard was arrested by local police after robbing a motel of $1,000. At the time of his apprehension, Barnard was wearing two sets of clothes, actors makeup, and gold hair.

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The FBI said he had cotton stuffed in his nose and mouth to disguise his face and that officers had to remove glue from his hands so he could be fingerprinted.

Glen Stewart Godwin

Glen Stewart Godwin, an escapee, was added to the list on December 7, 1996, the FBI said. He was removed from the list due to the fact he no longer met with FBI Top Ten Fugitives list criteria but remains wanted by the FBI.

In 1987, Godwin escaped from Folsom State Prison in California where he was serving a sentence for murder, the FBI said. He was arrested that same year in Mexico for drug trafficking and sent to a prison in Guadalajara.

In April of 1991, Godwin allegedly murdered a fellow inmate and escaped five months later.

Nikolay Soltys

Nikolay Soltys headshot, suspect in multiple homicides, Sacramento, California, photo (IMAGE: Associated Press)

Nikolay Soltys, who was wanted for fleeing to avoid prosecution for the murder of six of his family members in Sacramento, was the last fugitive placed on the list on August 23, 2001, the FBI said. He was apprehended in Citrus Heights on August 30, 2001.

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According to numerous media reports from the time, Soltys committed suicide in prison the following year.

Current Top Ten

Members of the current list include Ruja Ignatova, who founded of a cryptocurrency company believed to have defrauded victims out of $4 billion, and former Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding, who is suspected of running a transnational drug trafficking operation and orchestrating multiple murders.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
An FDNY firefighter was critically injured after suffering a medical episode while battling a two-alarm blaze in Brooklyn on Sunday, officials said.

The fire broke out in a four-story building on Lafayette Ave. near Bushwick Ave. in Bushwick around 11:30 a.m., the FDNY said.

More than 100 firefighters and EMS members from 25 units raced to the scene, where the fire had spread to numerous floors and to the cockloft of the building.

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Firefighters brought the blaze under control just before 1:25 p.m., but during the battle, one of New Yorks Bravest suffered a health emergency, plunging him into cardiac arrest, officials said.

Medics rushed him to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in critical condition; he was later transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital. Officials did not immediately release his name or what company he was with.

One other firefighter and two civilians suffered minor injuries in the blaze, according to the FDNY.

The cause of the fire was under investigation Sunday night.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can address existing minor issues, the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in a post on his X page, Trend reports.

In his social media post, Gharibabadi stated that during his meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, discussions focused on resolving remaining issues, nuclear facility security, recent developments regarding nuclear matters, and the lifting of sanctions.

He underscored the extensive historical synergy between Iran and the IAEA, highlighting their longstanding collaborative framework.

"In the absence of extrinsic political influences, we are positioned to implement autonomous, technical, impartial, and expert measures in conjunction with the agency. Concurrently, Iran, while prioritizing its sovereign interests and security protocols, continues to affirm its commitment to engage with the IAEA in alignment with its safeguard obligations," he noted.

The IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi previously mentioned on March 3 that Iran had increased its enriched uranium stock to 275 kilograms, a significant rise from the previous quarter. Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, which has raised concerns.

On February 14, the IAEA Director General Grossi reported that Iran is increasing the amount of uranium enriched to 60 percent by nearly seven times. In the coming weeks, Irans stock of 60 percent enriched uranium is expected to reach around 250 kilograms. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, a development that has raised international concerns.

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 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
Jessie Hoffman is schedule to die by nitrogen hypoxia Tuesday, March 18, 2025, for the 1996 kidnapping, rape and murder of Mary Molly Elliot in St. Tammany Parish. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals removed a district judges injunction that was blocked Hoffmans execution. (Photo courtesy Hoffmans defense team)

This story originally appeared on Louisiana Illuminator.

NEW ORLEANS  A federal appeals court Friday overturned a district judges order that had blocked Louisianas first planned execution using nitrogen gas, allowing the state to carry out the death sentence Tuesday barring a last-minute reversal.

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An attorney for convicted killer Jessie Hoffman said she will take the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Louisiana last put a condemned person to death in 2010 using lethal injection, and 56 people currently await execution.

Hoffman was found guilty of the 1996 murder of Mary Molly Elliot, 29. Investigators said Hoffman kidnapped Elliot after she left work in downtown New Orleans the day before Thanksgiving, drove her to a remote area near the Pearl River, raped and shot her. A hunter found her nude body the next day.

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State lawmakers and Republican Gov. Jeff Landry approved a switch to nitrogen gas as Louisianas preferred execution method in 2024 after the state failed for years to acquire the drugs needed for lethal injections. Under public pressure, major pharmaceutical companies have stopped making the medications available for the death penalty.

Attorneys for Hoffman argue that death by nitrogen hypoxia, in which the subject is deprived of oxygen, is a form of cruel and unusual punishment that is prohibited under the U.S. Constitution.

The three-judge 5th Circuit panel ruled 2-1 to reverse the preliminary injunction U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, issued Tuesday. Her order followed a 12-hour hearing last week during which Hoffman, who is on death row at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, requested he be put to death by a firing squad or a physician-administered drug cocktail.

The preliminary injunction is not just wrong. It gets the Constitution backwards, because its premised on the odd notion that the Eighth Amendment somehow requires Louisiana to use an admittedly more painful method of execution  namely, execution by firing squad rather than by nitrogen hypoxia. That cant be right, 5th Circuit Judge James Ho wrote in his prevailing opinion.

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President Donald Trump appointed Ho to the appellate court in 2017, a year before he nominated the third member of the panel, Judge Andrew Oldham, to the 5th Circuit.

Judge Catharina Hayes, a 5th Circuit appointee of former President George W. Bush, dissented, agreeing with the district judge that Hoffman has not been given enough time to challenge Louisianas new form of execution.

On Feb. 10, the governor made the formal, legally required announcement that he had established the states protocol for carrying out the death penalty with nitrogen. St. Tammany-Washington District Attorney Collin Sims obtained a death warrant for Hoffman two days later, setting his execution date for March 18. Details in protocol werent made public until March 5.

The timeline in which [Hoffman] could challenge it and the setting of his execution date  all happened within the last month, Hayes wrote in her opinion. As the district judge thoroughly discusses, there are issues that need more time to be resolved and decided. Obviously, that cannot be done once he is dead.

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Cecelia Koppel, one of Hoffmans attorneys, told the Illuminator before Friday evenings 5th Circuit ruling she was prepared for the case to go up to the Supreme Court regardless of decision.

Attorney General Liz Murrill has represented the state in challenges to its death penalty method.

This is justice for Mary Molly Elliot, her friends, her family, and for Louisiana, Murrill said in a statement after the 5th Circuit ruling.

Murrill has previously told the Associated Press that Louisiana intends to execute at least four people this year. It would become the second state to carry out nitrogen executions, following Alabama where the method has been used four times since February 2024.

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Some witnesses to those executions have said the condemned men went through significant distress, and that their deaths were not instantaneous. Dr. Joseph Antognini, a California anesthesiologist, has countered those claims. Murrill called on him as an expert witness for last weeks hearing before Judge Dick.

In Fridays interview, Koppel questioned the integrity of the information Murrills expert provided.

Dr. Antognini, who is a hired hand by the state, has testified in at least 20 different cases around the country, basically rubber stamping the states execution methods in each and every one of those cases, Koppel said.

Dick put more credence in the defenses hypoxia expert, Dr. Philip Bickler also of California, according to Koppel. But in his majority opinion, Ho dismissed any notions that nitrogen hypoxia involves suffering, and he noted Louisiana has modeled its protocol after Alabamas.

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Breathing 100% pure nitrogen causes unconsciousness in less than a minute, with death following rapidly within ten to fifteen minutes, Ho wrote. And it does not produce physical pain.

Hoffmans death was scheduled for the day after the execution of Christopher Sepulvado, who had been sentenced to die for the 1992 murder of his 6-year-old stepson, Wesley Allen Mercer, in DeSoto Parish. But Sepulvado, 81, died Feb. 22 at Angolas infirmary. He had been in failing health for months, which his lawyers said made his pending execution pointless.

The last person Louisiana put to death 15 years ago was Gerald Bordelon, 47, who gave up the right to appeal his execution for the rape and murder of his 12-year-old stepdaughter Courtney LeBlanc.

Prior to Bordelon, lethal injection had been most recently used in 2002 for Leslie Dale Martin, who had contested his execution for the rape and murder of 19-year-old McNeese State student Christina Burgin in 1991.

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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.

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Air Force veteran and military spouse Iceley Andaya was fired from her job at the Veteran Benefits Administration as part of the Trump administration's purge of probationary employees. (Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer)

Veterans need assistance accessing their benefits. Who can they call? A fellow veteran was making sure their financial claims were processed.

The public often struggles to find the information they need to access disability benefits and other services across the federal governments thousands of websites. Could one central search engine answer all questions? A web developer was working on it.

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Cities and counties want to build new infrastructure like bridges and train stations with federal assistance. Can they do it without damaging a Native American burial site or the environment? A historian was helping them.

The Trump administrations purge of tens of thousands of federal workers across agencies and across the country has upended the governments work providing human services, ensuring safety and building infrastructure that the public expects.

A pair of federal judges ordered the reinstatement of probationary employees across many agencies, though the Trump administration plans to appeal. In the meantime, workers the Reformer spoke to say they havent heard how the ruling affects them.

The Trump administration has not released exact figures of how many employees have been fired and from which agencies  there are more than 18,000 federal civilian employees in Minnesota.

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Out placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas tallied up more than 60,000 from 17 different government agencies, while the New York Times estimate is around half that. The layoffs threaten to send shock waves through the greater economy as laid off federal workers cut down on spending and struggle to make mortgage and rent payments.

Eliminating the workers hasnt eliminated the work. The result: lengthy delays or the government turning to pricey private contractors to carry out its business, foiling the Trump administrations goal to offset tax cuts by cutting personnel.

Three fired federal workers in Minnesota shared their stories:

Veterans make up nearly a third of the federal workforce

Iceley Andaya started a job in the Veterans Benefits Administration in December shortly after earning her bachelors degree. Shes a veteran who served four years in the Air Force.

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I love helping veterans, Andaya said. I think veterans are one of the cornerstones of the country because we are the people who are serving to protect everyone, not just ourselves, not just our families, everyone in the country, regardless of any differences.

Andaya was program support assistant, helping process financial hardship waivers for veterans who were mistakenly overpaid benefits but couldnt afford to repay the funds. But soon after she was trained in, she received a boilerplate letter sent to tens of thousands of probationary employees  usually those in their first year or two of service  saying she was being terminated for poor performance.

I know its not personal, but it just feels personal, Andaya said.

Andaya cant collect unemployment benefits since she was in school completing her degree last year, so she must rely on her wifes income while she searches for another job.

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Andayas wife is currently serving in the military in Minnesota. Part of the reason Andaya left the Air Force was because it can be challenging for military spouses to find joint assignments in the same locations while both advancing in their careers.

But she felt confident leaving the armed forces because her status as a veteran and a military spouse promised to give her an advantage in seeking civilian federal employment. She could still advance in her career while following her spouse to different assignments. The purge of the federal workforce now has her doubting the governments commitment to her and other veterans.

There is no job stability anymore, which is unfortunate, Andaya said.

Many workers chose purpose over paychecks

Nina Sawyer poses for a portrait in her home Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)

Nina Sawyer took a pay cut and a less prestigious title to join the General Services Administration in 2023.

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She had a successful career in the private sector working in web and game development, but she desperately wanted a job that she felt had a greater purpose. She comes from a military family and grew up wanting to serve her country, but couldnt join the armed forces herself because of an epilepsy diagnosis.

I wanted to give back, Sawyer said. I can make more money (in the private sector), but thats not the point. Thats not what I wanted to be doing.

The GSA helps other federal agencies but also state and local governments with procurement services and real estate  like the federal governments office manager.

Sawyer was using her skills to make government websites more user-friendly and efficient. She was working on rebuilding the federal governments search engine so the public would be able to easily pull information from multiple agencies like the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration when accessing disability benefits.

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Sawyer, who was working remotely, liked working for the federal government, and had stellar reviews. About three months ago, she was hired for a higher-paying supervisory role with the Technology Transformation Services. Which made her a probationary employee.

After DOGE fired up its chainsaw to hack down the size of the federal workforce, Sawyer learned her job was likely on the chopping block. She worried about not having affordable health insurance if she were laid off; her daughter also has epilepsy.

So when the Office of Personnel Management  the federal governments human resources department  offered federal employees buyouts in its Fork in the Road email, she felt she had to take that sketchy, shakedown offer, as she called it. The deal promised workers pay through September if they voluntarily resigned. Sawyer says she was fired anyways (though is currently being treated as if she accepted the resignation deal).

Trust, it wasnt eroded. It was atomized, Sawyer said.

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Shes worried that after this indiscriminate purge, the federal government wont be able to recruit talented workers. One of the key selling points for the federal government was stability, and thats gone.

Sawyer said the indiscriminate purge of federal workers doesnt seem aimed at improving the enterprise.

Theyre talking about building smarter, better software and government (but) my skill set wasnt even taken in consideration when it was time to fire people, she said. Theyre just going in with a hammer and breaking things.

Work wont disappear even if the workers do

Katie poses for a portrait in her home office Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)

Historian Katie Haun Schuring joined the Federal Railroad Administration last fall after about seven years at the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

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It might seem strange for a historian to end up at government agencies overseeing highways and railroads rather than at a museum or university, but her expertise is needed to make sure infrastructure projects comply with various environmental and historic preservation requirements.

When a local community receives federal money for a new train station or a bridge over a rail line, she would make sure there wasnt an archaeological site or historic building in the way. If there were, she would help planners work around those assets and minimize the impact of construction.

While the Trump administration eliminated Haun Schurings job, it cant eliminate those regulations.

(Projects are) going to still have to go through the environmental process unless the law is repealed With fewer people doing that work, it just means theres going to be further delays, Haun Schuring said. (She emphasized that she doesnt speak for the agency.)

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Cities and towns may still hire a private company to do the work, which seems to be the goal. Musk said the government should privatize everything that can be  even the postal service  although it may not increase efficiency or cut costs.

Haun Schuring worked at a private-sector consulting firm before entering government doing similar work.

The grant money that is made available to a city or a county is not going to go as far because now theyre going to have to hire me as a private consultant who can charge more for the work compared to someone who is a federal employee, Haun Schuring said.
FORT SCOTT, Kan.  Federal funding cuts to the 2025 spending bill for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and other related agencies made back in July of last year are taking a toll on one southeast Kansas historical site.

We spoke with the president of the Friends of the Fort Scott National Historic Site, Matthew Wells.

He says that federal cuts have led to the site operating with less than 50 percent of its normal staffing, as well as cuts to the park services budget for maintenance repairs.

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To help fill the funding gaps, volunteers from the group have offered help to alleviate the lack of staffing.

Shortages reduce Ft. Scott National Historic Site operations

The site has also changed its hours and is no longer open daily.

Now, its open only Friday through Tuesday.

Staff-led tours also have reduced hours, and some programs have also been canceled.

Wells says there is a trickle-down effect that concerns the city as well.

Fort Scotts a gateway community, and when I look at how that affects us, I see a loss of economic tax dollars and money coming into our community, thats vital as a tourism center. Hotels, restaurants and all of the supporting accouterment are going to be affected by the fact that the Fort is now closed multiple days a week, said Matthew Wells, Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site president.

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Thats why Wells encourages the community to spread the word to elected senators and representatives on the national historic sites significance to the community.

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Most everyone remembers the devastating July 2023 flood when the Antietam Creek swelled from a 7-inch rainfall and wiped out the Antietam Junior/Senior High School.

Whats been forgotten is that the same storm also flooded the Willow Creek in Maidencreek Township, damaging as many as 60 homes in its path and washing away acres of surrounding cropland.

But Deanne Boyer wont forget.

Boyer raises 50 head of grass-fed beef on 75 acres along Hoch Road, which was the epicenter of that flooding event.

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Her Willow Run Farm emerged unscathed from the flooding, thanks to work done through the cooperation of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Although her family has owned the farm since her grandfather purchased it in the 1950s, it wasnt until 2017 that Boyer quit her day job as a librarian and decided to go into grass-fed beef farming full time.

NRCS actually helped to design the infrastructure of my farm, Boyer said while relaxing for a moment in the shady gazebo of the farmstead that dates to the 1850s. So my fencing, my water line, the way I rotationally graze, NRCS provided a lot of technical support for that.

NRCS also provided needed funding.

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Thats some of the funding that is at risk for other farmers at this point, which is deeply concerning, she said.

The Trump administration fired around 6,000 probationary employees at the ag department in February. Those employees received a 45-day reprieve in the beginning of March while the employees appeal the decision.

Mitigating extreme weather events, which have become much more frequent, has been a goal of Boyers farm plans.

A shed was washed across Hoch Road in Maidencreek Township from a backyard in the first block of South View Road following heavy rains July 9, 2023, that flooded the Willow Creek. (BILL UHRICH  READING EAGLE)

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She has planted riparian buffers and installed stream-bank fencing along the unnamed tributary to the Willow Creek that runs through her property with funding help from the NRCS.

Boyer has devoted six acres to silvopasture, planting trees to help with fodder and more importantly, to provide shade to her livestock in the summer.

That is a significant problem, especially as weve been seeing the hotter summers, she said, but more specifically, the long spells of extreme heat that were having in the 90-degree area, the cattle can get stressed, so it helps them continue to eat and maintain their weights.

There is also another benefit.

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By planting these trees, were also increasing our water infiltration in our pastures, which in our area, particularly, weve been seeing a lot of mass water events such as in 2023 and a lot of water runoff, she said.

The farm has also been affected by the current drought. The creek that runs through her farm has been dry since October, the first time since 2017, she said.

The recent federal cutbacks have affected her plans to plant an additional 12 acres in silvopasture.

The Department of Government Efficiency canceled the contractor who performs environmental reviews for these projects, she said.

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The 12 acres of silvopasture that I was planning on planting expands that creek area, she said. It is an area that water is coming off of other farms onto my land, and the more water I infiltrate, the more water I hold, the less is heading downstream to my neighbors.

Deanne Boyer has six acres of silvopasture on her farm and was looking to plant another 12 acres until uncertainties with federal funding to farm agencies disrupted her plans. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Wait and see

Dean Druckenmiller, executive director of the Berks County Conservation District, has one word to keep in mind: Patience.

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The key word is just patience right now to let Washington sort this out, he said.

There are a lot of questions on the federal funding side, whether or not some of these programs are going to continue, Druckenmiller said. Theres just a pause in the funding to see where these dollars are going towards and how theyre being utilized. Were still in the dark on a lot of this, so its really hard to project out and tell our farmers whats going on. Were basically put in a pretty difficult position right now.

A memo distributed last week from the National Association of Conservation Districts, of which Berks is a part, outlines some of the changes that could be expected.

Within USDA, the administration has moved to terminate leases for 13 Farm Service Agency offices in eight states and 36 NRCS offices in more than 20 states and territories, the memo states. Approximately 60 percent of Americas 3,000 conservation districts are co-located in USDA offices. These actions have created significant hardships and disruptions to local NRCS and district office operations, local staff and the administration of conservation services for producers across the country.

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Its unclear so far how these changes will affect Berks.

The local USDA office housed in the Berks County Agricultural Center did not respond to requests for comment.

The conservation district has a large presence in the Berks agricultural community, Druckenmiller said, working with farmers to instill best management practices on their farms to make them operationally more efficient and also environmentally more beneficial.

Basically, what we try to do is reduce soil erosion on farms and also address water runoff issues that may transport high amounts of nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphate and things like that, off the farm and into our local waterways, he said.

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We do that a number of ways, he said. We have state funding programs that we utilize, and we also partner with the USDA, specifically the NRCS, and we work together with them on a lot of our projects that involve our agricultural producers here in Berks County.

Funding freeze

Berks Nature also leverages a variety of state, local and federal funding sources for farm and forest conservation, said Kim Murphy, executive director.

There are hundreds of thousands of dollars that were able to bring into Berks County to help support farmers, Murphy said.

But the recent freeze affected one grant for $108,000 that Berks Nature has been working on that helped with nutrient management by placing dry manure under roof and mitigating runoff from three farms in the Maiden Creek watershed that feeds Lake Ontelaunee, the primary water source for Reading and surrounding communities, Murphy said.

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This is a contract from 2021, she said. Weve already completed the work. Weve laid out all the funding.

Its one thing for them to be looking at new areas to cut and new areas where they have chosen not to fund anymore, but its a completely different thing when they renege on a contract.

Murphy notes that all of the federal funding goes to the project. Berks Nature handles the administrative expenses.

This is why Governor (Josh) Shapiro brought the lawsuit against the federal government, and it shows that the federal government is not being a trustworthy partner, she said.

The Shapiro lawsuit was supposed to release over $2 billion in already committed federal funding to the state.

Despite Shapiros lawsuit, Berks Nature still has not received the funding.

Impact widespread

Boyer is hoping for the best, not only for her Willow Run Farm, but also for the local community.

These programs affect our small communities in more ways than people realize, she said. They affect farmers across the board. They affect the businesses that people have available to them, and they affect how we are combating extreme weather events in our local communities.

And so to lose these kinds of practices is something thats not just going to impact farmers, its going to impact the regular persons dollar at the grocery store and what their communities look like in the future.
Mar. 17A mural in the federal courthouse in Portland. A large painting in the lobby of a federal office building in Bangor. Sculptures that welcome visitors at the border between Canada and Maine.

They're some of the 26,000 artworks owned by the federal government and displayed in public buildings across the country. Their future  and who takes care of them  is now uncertain, as The Washington Post reported this week that the Trump administration will fire more than half of the workers in the U.S. General Services Administration who oversee the massive collection.

"It's just going to be extremely detrimental," said Charlotte Cohen, executive director of the Association for Public Art in Philadelphia and a former fine arts officer for the GSA.

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Maine is home to 11 artworks owned by the General Services Administration. A spokesperson for the GSA said the employees based in New England have not been affected by the job cuts, and there are no commissions in progress in Maine right now.

"GSA's reorganization and restructuring of our workforce will have no immediate impact on the artwork in GSA's portfolio," Paul Hughes, a regional public affairs officer, wrote in an email.

Still, the disruption is another example of how the ongoing changes to the federal government could impact the daily lives of Mainers in ways big and small.

The artworks in Maine range from large outdoor sculptures to small paintings. Five are located at border stations or ports of entry. Four are in the Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor, which houses a courthouse and offices. One is on loan to the Monhegan Museum of Art and History on Monhegan Island, and one is painted on the wall at the Edward T. Gignoux U.S. Courthouse in Portland.

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The General Services Administration manages government buildings and technology. The art collection is one of the oldest and largest in the country, with objects dating from before the Civil War to the present day. The administration also oversees the Art in Architecture program, which dedicates 0.05% of the estimated construction cost of each new federal building or major renovation project to commission art. "Our collection is your collection," the GSA's website says. "These artworks were created by and belong to the American people."

The 26,000 pieces range from outdoor sculptures to oil paintings to works on paper. A 2016 blog post said the staff inspects the entire collection every two years. Art can get dirty or damaged, especially when it is outside or in high-traffic spaces. The GSA handles general upkeep, cleaning and repairs. Even the works that are made to be in the elements might need touch-ups to remove vandalism, clean animal debris or replace lighting.

"The inspections are a critical part of the work we do in maintaining the artwork," Liz Mees, architect and regional history preservation officer, said in that post.

Fine arts and historic preservation workers told the Washington Post that at least five regional GSA offices were shuttered last week and that more than half of the division's approximately three dozen staff members were abruptly put on leave pending their terminations. The cuts came just days after the GSA published, then removed a list of "noncore" buildings that it intended to list for sale.

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The list included four properties in Maine: the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building in Augusta, the historic U.S. Custom House in Portland, the Social Security Administration building in Presque Isle and a parking lot in Portland. Those buildings do not house any of the artwork from the GSA's Fine Arts Collection.

In an email, Hughes said the properties on the list won't necessarily go on the market.

"The Fine Arts Program makes decisions regarding final disposition of artworks in disposed buildings on a case-by-case basis," he wrote. "The overarching goals are to protect the artwork in the best way possible and to ensure the public's access to the artwork."

Cohen said the federal government doesn't usually sell art to make money.

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"It doesn't just sell it off because, 'Hey, we could get $1 million,' it just doesn't do that," she said. "We keep the property of the citizens of the United States."

Even if the art isn't sold, observers and artists wonder whether the staff would be able to maintain the collection in the same way. Jamie Bennett, interim co-CEO of the nonprofit Americans for the Arts, said these changes raise questions about both the care and the location of these works.

"There's a good chance that, because they got rid of so many staff at the GSA who know the art world, that they may end up with a whole set of artworks that just get stuck in storage somewhere," Bennett said. "Even if they magically got stuck in temperature-controlled storage and were perfectly fine, these are works of art that have been paid for by the public that the public should have access to."

Portland artist Aaron Stephan made a sculpture called "Intersect" for the U.S. border station in Jackman in 2009. He said the administration contacted him for the project because he had signed up for a national registry of artists who are available for commissions. He was intrigued by the strict limitations of the project; for example, the piece could not block sight lines, and built a matrix of cast iron and steel.

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He hasn't had much contact with the administration since then, but a conservator was on site for the installation and took detailed pictures of the process just in case those records would be needed for reference in the coming decades. "Like every bolt," he said.

"I seem to remember really extensive maintenance plans," Stephan said. "Five, 10, 50 years."

Nina Katchadourian is an artist based in New York and Germany. In 2013, she worked with Maine artist Glenn Hines to make a sculpture for the U.S. port of entry in Van Buren. "Grand State of Maine" is a life-size bronze moose adorned with state symbols such as chickadees and even a can of Moxie. She said a sculpture in a public place is different than one in a gallery or a museum.

"It is exactly that someone is not expecting to find art there," she said. "There are ways of surprising people."

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Ralph Helmick, who is based in Massachusetts, made the most recent commission in Maine for a new border station in Madawaska in 2023. He has made work for the GSA twice before over 30 years, and said the process has become more bureaucratic over time. But the staff were vigilant to make sure the sculpture, titled "Stella" would be as low maintenance as possible. And the core idea of the Art in Architecture program has been around for decades.

"Wouldn't it be great if we had really good public art gracing these buildings?" he said.

------

The 11 works in Maine in the U.S. GSA's Fine Arts Collection

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"Abalone Boats" (1935-1942) by James Edward Fitzgerald. On loan to the Monhegan Museum of Art and History on Monhegan Island.

"Autumn Expansion" (1981) by Yvonne Jacquette. Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor.

"Clouds" (1984) by Robert Brooks. U.S. Border Station in Fort Kent.

"A Declaration of Conscience (after Senator Margaret Chase Smith)" (2013) by Tim Rollins and K.O.S. Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor.

"Glacial Erratic (New England)" (2014) by Spencer Finch. Land Port of Entry in Calais.

"Grand State of Maine" (2013) by Nina Katchadourian. Land Port of Entry in Van Buren.

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"Intersect" (2009) by Aaron T. Stephan. U.S. Border Station in Jackman.

"Moving Sky Mirrored" (2013) by R. Scott Baltz. Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor.

"Opening Sky Stillness" (2013) by R. Scott Baltz. Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor.

"Stella" (2023) by Ralph Helmick. U.S. Border Station in Madawaska.

"The Virtues of Good Government" (1996) by Dorothea Rockburne. Edward T. Gignoux U.S. Courthouse in Portland.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  A federal court upheld Kentuckys longest-held death row inmates sentence on Friday.

Karu Gene White was sentenced to death in 1980 for the brutal murder of three seniors in a Breathitt County robbery. Since his sentencing, Attorney General Russell Coleman said White has lost repeated appeals in state and federal courts.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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This violent criminal committed these horrific murders more than 40 years ago, and hes spent the decades since attempting to dodge the justice lawfully delivered by a jury. This ruling upholds the jurys verdict, gives relief to the victims families and clears the way for long-overdue justice, Coleman said.

Coleman noted that White and two juvenile accomplices used a crowbar to beat Charlie Gross, 75, his wife Lula Gross, 74, and Lulas brother, Sam Chaney, 79, to death inside the Breathitt County general store they operated.

The attack was so violent that the Coroner, Kentucky State Trooper, and detective all testified it was the most brutal murder they had worked. The Coroner described the scene as a slaughterhouse, a press release detailing the case read.

Kentucky lawmakers move forward to reinstate death penalty after 15-year ban

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This brutal killer stole my grandparents. Then he took 40 years of my life as he tried to escape justice, said Mary Lou Herald, the Grosses granddaughter. After all this time, we are hopeful the sentence will be carried out and justice will finally be done. Im grateful to the Office of the Attorney General and every person that worked over the years to ensure my grandparents and family were never forgotten.

Court documents affirmed that despite years of delay, the truth persists: neither the law nor justice stand in the way of his sentence.

In 2010, executions were put on a 15-year pause in the Commonwealth.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
This article was originally published by the Alaska Beacon.

James Brooks

Alaska Beacon

Federal fisheries managers did not mishandle trawl fishing rules amid Alaskas ongoing salmon subsistence crisis, a federal judge in Anchorage has ruled.

In a 45-page order published Tuesday, March 11, Judge Sharon Gleason ruled against the Association of Village Council Presidents and the Tanana Chiefs Conference, which sued the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2023 over its management of Bering Sea trawl fisheries in the years since a marine heat wave.

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This suit arises from the apparent tension between federal defendants management of the fishery and the needs of Alaskan communities in times of significant change in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region, Gleason wrote.

The warming event harmed salmon and contributed to the ongoing shortage of fish in Alaskas inland rivers. The two tribal groups argued in court that NMFS should have conducted a new environmental impact statement  the bedrock analysis behind federal fisheries decisions  before setting annual catch limits for the Bering Seas lucrative pollock and cod fisheries.

A new environmental impact statement could have resulted in additional restrictions on trawlers that occasionally catch salmon while pursuing pollock and cod, a process known as bycatch.

Salmon are critical for life in the predominantly Alaska Native communities along Alaskas rural rivers, while trawl industry experts argue that their ships catch relatively few salmon, many of which arent destined for Alaska rivers.

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Salmon, in particular, provide a crucial source of food and culture, Gleason wrote. As changes to the marine ecosystem in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region have depleted salmon stocks, salmon bycatch in the groundfish fishery has further diminished stocks and escapement, which is the number of salmon that escape fisheries in the ocean and survive to return to freshwater streams to spawn.

But while Gleason acknowledged the tribal groups need for salmon, she found that federal managers annual scientific updates, known as Supplementary Information Reports, or SIRs, adequately updated the situation and allowed managers to make reasoned decisions on fisheries.

Plaintiffs had to prove that fisheries managers acted in an arbitrary and capricious way in order to overturn their actions as a violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Plaintiffs didnt do that, Gleason concluded.

By reviewing up-to-date information and considering whether the information indicated a substantial change  NMFS considered whether supplementation was necessary and articulated its conclusion that it was not, as NEPA requires. Its harvest specifications decisions are therefore not arbitrary and capricious on this basis, she wrote.

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Gleason later added, regarding the fishery services handling of updated information and the environmental impact statement, NMFSs conclusion  that the information is not of a scale or scope to place it outside what was considered in the Harvest Specifications EIS  is inherently a factual determination that NMFS makes based on its expertise.

Plaintiffs, represented by the environmental law firm Earthjustice, could appeal Gleasons decision but did not immediately say whether they would.

In a written statement, they said they were disappointed by the decision.

The lack of salmon in our region has become a humanitarian crisis, the likes of which we have never before experienced. Despite this setback, we will continue to fight with all available tools and use all avenues to end the salmon crisis, said AVCP CEO Vivian Korthuis.

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Tanana Chiefs Conference Chairman Brian Ridley said that even in defeat, the case provided arguments to use in front of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which sets harvest limits.

We must correct how NMFS manages the natural resources it is responsible for protecting  because if they dont believe climate change is the cause (of salmon declines), then that leaves only poor management decisions and bycatch as the obvious answers, he said.

An official for the U.S. Justice Department, which represented NMFS in court, declined comment on the ruling.

The At-Sea Processors Association and United Catcher Boats, two industry groups that sided with the federal government during the lawsuit, issued a statement commending Gleasons decision.

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This decision underscores the complexities of fisheries management and the critical need for science-driven decision-making, said Andrea Keikkala, executive director of UCB. Our fleet operates under strict federal guidelines, including 100% coverage by federal fisheries observers in the pollock fishery, and we remain committed to working with regulators, scientists, and stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

James Brooks is a longtime Alaska reporter, having previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. He can be contacted at jbrooks@alaskabeacon.com.
Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis and the ensuing Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza, Columbia University became a hotbed of anti-Israel demonstrations. That activism boiled over in April 2024, when activists set up a Gaza Solidarity encampment on a university lawn; occupied a university building; and prompted the cancellation of in-person classes. A rabbi at Columbia urged Jewish students that month to go home for Passover and not return because Columbia Universitys Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students safety in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy.

Earlier this month, the Trump administrations Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced that it was cutting $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the schools continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement that universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. The National Institutes of Health announced it was cutting $250 million in grants to Columbia, but Inside Higher Ed reported last week that neither the Trump administration nor the university have provided a comprehensive accounting of whats being cut, and its hard to tell whether the NIH were included in the $400 million cut or on top of it. One Columbia professor told The Dispatch: The individual [Columbia] researcher knows if their grant has been pulled, but the public doesnt know which researchers have been affected. The task force made clear the $400 million in cuts were just the start, and additional cancelations are expected to follow.

You take federal money, and you accept the strings that come with it. Those strings include civil rights laws, Ilya Shapiro, a constitutional scholar with the conservative think tank the Manhattan Institute, told The Dispatch. Shapiro contends that Columbia has indeed violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Though the law does not mention religion, it has been interpreted by the federal government to protect Jewish and Muslim students, and universities can be held liable for violating the law if they permit a hostile discriminatory environment for students. Its not just speech, Shapiro said. Its student programs being disrupted, classes being disrupted  blocking access, harassment, and intimidation. All of these things violate Title VI.

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The fight playing out now in Columbia could be replayed at dozens of other colleges where anti-Israel encampments and disruptions occurred since October 7, 2023. And it raises important legal questionsnot only about whether Columbia and other universities ran afoul of the Civil Rights Act but also about whether the Trump administrations attempts to enforce it are legal.

The Trump administration has not actually taken Columbia to court yet, and according to Harvard law professor Noah Feldman that means the initial $400 million in cuts are unlawful. The administration hasnt even specified in particularsat least not publiclywhat the Title VI violations are, Feldman told The Dispatch. Federal law and regulations say the government cant terminate these grants or contracts for violation of the anti-discrimination law unless a court has found that it has done so after a hearing at which the university has the right to defend itself, Feldman wrote in a column for Bloomberg View. He also noted that federal law states that funds cant be terminated until the federal government has both determined compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means and informed congressional committees of its plans to cut funding; furthermore, the cuts can only apply to the particular program in which the violation has occurred. Asked about Feldmans argument, Shapiro replied: Im confident that if and when the Ts are crossed and Is dotted, the administrations position on the substance will prevail in court.

But more than a week after the Trump administration announced its $400 million cuts, Columbia hasnt given any sign it intends to challenge the administrations move before a judge. The university has actually already begun caving to some of the administrations demands. On March 13, Columbia announced it was issuing sanctions to students ranging from multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions related to the occupation of [Columbia University building] Hamilton Hall last spring.

If the university has such a strong legal case against the Trump administrations funding cuts, why is it negotiating rather than fighting in court? Its rational for a university to first, before it brings out the big guns of a lawsuit, to see if they can negotiate with the administration, Feldman told The Dispatch. The total amount of money that the federal government could withhold from Columbia could become an existential threat pretty quickly, he said. The university has $5 billion in federal funding tied up in multi-year commitmentsthat amounts to nearly a third of the universitys $15 billion endowment. Sometimes when youre sued, you settle the lawsuit, Feldman said.

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Yet, its possible the Trump administration could push Columbia into a position where it feels it has no choice but to fight it out in court. On the evening of March 13, the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism wrote a letter to Columbia that outlined immediate next steps that we regard as a precondition for formal negotiations regarding Columbia Universitys continued financial relationship with the United States government. In addition to issuing expulsions and multi-year suspensions for students who occupied the university building, the task force made several other demands of Columbiaincluding adopting a specific definition of antisemitism that includes anti-Zonism; delivering a plan for comprehensive admissions reform; and placing the Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies department under academic receivership for a minimum of five years, which means faculty in that department would lose control of it. (A professor in that department praised the October 7 massacre.)

The list of the Trump administrations demands from Columbia is very expansive and goes well beyond anything thats very tightly connected to remedying specific civil rights violations, Yale law professor Keith Whittington told The Dispatch. Whittington pointed, for example, to the demand that the Middle East studies program be placed under academic receivership as a potentially unconstitutional infringement on academic freedom.

Even if you think that this department fosters troubling and problematic ideas and philosophies in various ways, telling a private university what kind of academic departments and academic research and courses they ought to be teaching is an extraordinary intrusion into the academic freedom of that institution, Whittington said. Even laying aside the constitutional issues, I think we should be extremely reluctant to want to empower government officials to intrude into private university affairs in that way.

Whittington noted that because of the amount of money involved, universities much prefer to comply with whatever it is the federal governments demanding than to actually try to fight them in court. During the Obama presidency, the Department of Education successfully used such threats to get universities to change their disciplinary processes for handling sexual assault allegations in a way that, many conservatives said, violated the due-process rights of the accused.

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The outcome of the fight between the federal government and Columbia will have implications for dozens of universities across the country. While the Trump administration announced in February that it was investigating Columbia and four other universities for potential Title VI violations, that list expanded to 60 colleges and universities on March 10.

I find it completely plausible that, not only at Columbia but some other universities, there were genuine Title VI violations, Whittington said. Disrupting classes, preventing students from being able to freely move across campus, singling out individuals for harassing activity would all start running afoul of [Title VI] if the university doesnt do anything to step in.

One such example of a clear-cut Title VI violation occurred at UCLA, where Jewish students who refused to denounce Israel were barred by activists from accessing parts of campus. In August 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Scarsi issued a preliminary injunction saying the university could not tolerate this behavior and issued a scathing rebuke of UCLA:

In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the state of California, in the city of Los Angeles, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating. Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. UCLA does not dispute this. Instead, UCLA claims that it has no responsibility to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students because the exclusion was engineered by third party protesters. But under constitutional principles, UCLA may not allow services to some students when UCLA knows that other students are excluded on religious grounds, regardless of who engineered the exclusion.

Such incidents were not isolated occurrences across the country. In October 2024, House Republicans on the education and workforce committee released a 325-page report documenting universities failing to address antisemitism that appears to have crossed the line from mere speech to violations of civil rights law. How much that inaction will cost universities, both in terms of dollars and academic freedom, remains to be seen.

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.
Annual staple on the Tasmanian music event calendar A Festival Called Panama has announced plans to take a break in 2026, as it pushes to raise public awareness and amp up political pressure to protect its threatened native site.

Its the right time for us and it will be nice for the land and the valley to have some time to rest, organisers recently announced in a press statement, following the conclusion of their successful 2025 event earlier this month. Well be working hard on Protecting the Panama Forest and we may run some PANAMA Presents events. Well keep you in the loop with what were up to.

THE PANAMA FOREST IS UNDER THREAT

The Panama Forest is under threat, their statement continued. If you look up above the main stage you will see a swathe of native forest stretching up to the ridgeline. That forest is our namesake; The Panama we need to share the news that The State Government and Forestry Tasmania have plans to open up the Panama Forest for logging. 

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A Festival Called Panamas organisers are now calling on the community to write letters to key government decision makers, to oppose the logging free-for-all on The Panama, as well as 39,000 hectares of other native forests in the Lutruwita region.

Its our belief that with enough of us using our voices we can make this plan too much of a political liability for the government to proceed, they said. So, if PANAMA has ever meant something to you, we ask that you take the time now, to send a few emails to the people in power.

Head here if you want to lend your voice to the cause, or head here to educate yourself on all the relevant info.

On a happier note, the fests leaders have also praised the community for a wonderful 2025 event.

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PANAMA 2025 was majestic and beautiful. A weekend spent through the looking glass in a world of connection to land, community and art, they added.

You, our patrons, took care of the space and each other and treated us, the organisers, with the utmost respect. Its noted and appreciated.

Further Reading

A Festival Called Panama 2024: King Stingray, The Beths, Kaiit + More

Man Dies at Tasmanian Music Festival PANAMA

REPORT: Splendour In The Grass Not Returning In 2025

The post A Festival Called Panama Announces Year Off, Calls For Action To Protect Site appeared first on Music Feeds.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. There are significant contradictions and differing views in the recent requests made by the United States regarding Iran, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement, Trend reports.

In a press conference held today in Tehran, Baghaei stated that while the US expresses a willingness for dialogue, it keeps tightening the screws with sweeping sanctions on different Iranian trade and production sectors.

The spokesperson highlighted that Iran's oil minister, Mohsen Paknejad, has been sanctioned solely for performing his official duties related to crude oil production and sales.

Baghaei emphasized that these actions demonstrate a lack of consistency between the US's calls for dialogue and its punitive measures. He noted that diplomatic discussions should be based on mutual interests, respect, and equality.

To note, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reinstate maximum pressure on Iran on February 5. He also expressed hope that this policy would not be used frequently and stated that he was open to discussions with the Iranian president.

Reports indicate that President Trump sent a letter to Iran regarding potential negotiations on March 5. The letter was delivered to Iranian officials by Anwar Gargash, the UAE's diplomatic advisor.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
In Philadelphia, fatal overdoses are the No. 3 cause of death after heart disease and cancer. Thats been the case each year since 2016, except in 2020 and 2021 when COVID-19 deaths outpaced overdose deaths. The vast majority of fatal overdoses in Philly involve the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Data on overdose deaths in Philly in 2024 is not yet available. However, new research shows that drug deaths are dropping in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Still, opioid overdose deaths in Philadelphia remain what public health researchers call a wicked problem. These are complex, multifaceted challenges that are constantly changing and have no clear solution.

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The Conversation U.S. published several articles over the past year that sought to untangle various threads of this wicked problem in Philadelphia. Here are four essential reads.

1. Overdose deaths down  but still high

Philadelphias 7% drop in fatal overdoses in 2023 is notable. Still, opioid use disorder claimed the lives of over 1,100 residents that year  more than three times as many lives as 10 years earlier.

Ben Cocchiaro, assistant clinical professor of family medicine and community health at Drexel University, explains one likely reason why overdoses in Philly spiked in the first place: the unpredictable potency of the citys street fentanyl supply.

Local drug-testing efforts found as much as a fiftyfold difference in potency between bags of fentanyl that appear identical, Cocchiaro writes. Its like cracking a beer and not knowing whether drinking it will get you mildly buzzed or send you to the graveyard.

Read more: How opioid deaths tripled in Philly over a decade  and what may be behind a recent downturn

2. Tranq wounds proliferate

Forensic testing has revealed that over 90% of street heroin and fentanyl samples in Philly now contain xylazine, an animal tranquilizer with no FDA-approved use in humans.

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Rachel McFadden is an emergency room nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and also works at a walk-in clinic in North Philadelphia that serves people who use drugs. Before xylazine, she says, most of the wounds she saw were minor skin infections that she treated with antibiotics.

But that changed in late 2019.

"Participants at the wound care clinic started to come in with a different kind of wound. They were filled with black and yellow dead tissue and tunneled deep into the skin. They were not wounds from infection but rather from tissue death or necrosis, McFadden writes.

McFadden explains the protocol for treating these serious wounds, which involves removing the dead tissue, administering antimicrobials and antibiotics for the inflammation and infection, and keeping the wound moist and dressed. She says its also important that peoples other basic needs, including food, shelter and a place to shower, are met so they can properly heal.

Read more: How opioid deaths tripled in Philly over a decade  and what may be behind a recent downturn

3. A new treatment for withdrawal

The combination of fentanyl and xylazine in Philly street opioids has made withdrawal symptoms far more excruciating than those experienced by heroin users in the past.

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Thats according to Kory London, an emergency room doctor and associate professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. London says these withdrawal symptoms lead many patients who are addicted to opioids to discharge themselves from the hospital before their treatment is complete.

Patients with opioid use disorder will often do whatever they can to stay out of the hospital due to fear of withdrawal, he writes. Asking how withdrawal symptoms are managed, therefore, is often their first priority when hospitalized. We see this even when they have conditions that require complicated and time-sensitive treatments.

Beginning in 2022, London and colleagues began experimenting with new approaches to treating "tranq dope withdrawal in Philly. The new protocols reduced the likelihood of these patients leaving early by more than half  from 10% to just under 4%.

Read more: Philly hospitals test new strategy for 'tranq dope' withdrawal  and it keeps patients from walking out before their treatment is done

4. Industrial chemical BTMPS has unknown risks

Philadelphas public health department has issued health alerts about xylazine and medetomidine becoming more prevalent in the citys street opioid supply.

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Researchers Karli Hochstatter and Fernando Montero at Columbia University are part of a team that tests fentanyl samples collected in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia each month. Those tests have turned up a new adulterant: an industrial chemical known as BTMPS that is used in making plastics.

We first detected BTMPS in Philadelphia in June 2024. We found it in two of the eight samples  25%  that we collected that month. By November 2024, 12 of 22 samples  or 55%  contained BTMPS, Hochstatter and Montero write. Whats more, the amount, or concentration, of this industrial chemical in the drug samples often exceeded the amount of fentanyl.

BTMPS has not been studied in humans, but rat studies reveal exposure  at far lower levels than what is found in the Philly fentanyl samples  can cause heart defects, serious eye damage and death.

Read more: Philly's street fentanyl contains an industrial chemical called BTMPS that's an ingredient in plastic

This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives.

Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.
(Bloomberg) -- Slovak authorities charged a 72-year-old retiree who is accused of shooting Prime Minister Robert Fico at close range last year with carrying out a terrorist attack.

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The Slovak General Prosecutors Office filed charges against Juraj Cintula on Monday, it said in a statement. The attacker, who has told authorities that he acted alone out of frustration with government policies and had no intention of killing the premier, would face a life sentence if convicted.

Fico emerged from a meeting northeast of Bratislava on May 15 last year and approached a crowd outside when he was shot by an assailant, the first such assassination attempt of a European leader in more than two decades. Gravely wounded, the premier underwent a series of surgeries.

During a hearing last year, the attacker told a judge that he disagreed with the prime ministers decision to abolish a special prosecutors office and what he called persecution of culture and media workers. He also opposed Ficos stance regarding Ukraine and labeled his nationalist-backed government treacherous toward the European Union.

A lawyer for Cintula, Namir Alyasry, declined to comment because the indictment hadnt yet been delivered.

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The Slovak police initially said they were investigating the possible involvement of others, implying that the shooter may not have acted alone. But authorities have focused on the single suspect.

Fico has repeatedly linked the attacker to opposition parties, but has produced no evidence.

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BEIRUT (AP)  Lebanese and Syrian defense officials reached an agreement late Monday for a ceasefire to halt two days of clashes along the border, Syria's state-run SANA news agency reported.

The agreement also stipulates enhanced coordination and cooperation between the two sides, the statement from the Syrian Ministry of Defense said.

Lebanon's president earlier Monday ordered troops to retaliate against the source of gunfire from the Syrian side of the border after more deadly fighting erupted overnight along the frontier. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that seven Lebanese citizens were killed and another 52 injured in the clashes, including a 4-year-old girl.

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The fighting happened after Syria's interim government accused militants from Lebanon's Hezbollah group of crossing into Syria on Saturday, abducting three soldiers and killing them on Lebanese soil. Hezbollah denied involvement and some other reports pointed to local clans in the border region that are not directly affiliated with Hezbollah but have been involved in cross-border smuggling.

It was the most serious cross-border fighting since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December.

Syrian News Channel, citing an unnamed Defense Ministry official, said the Syrian army shelled Hezbollah gatherings that killed Syrian soldiers along the border. Hezbollah denied involvement in a statement on Sunday.

Information Minister Paul Morkos said Lebanon's defense minister told a Cabinet meeting that the three killed were smugglers.

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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said five Syrian soldiers were killed during Mondays clashes. Footage circulated online and in local media showed families fleeing toward the Lebanese town of Hermel.

Lebanon's state news agency reported that fighting intensified Monday evening near Hermel.

What is happening along the eastern and northeastern border cannot continue and we will not accept that it continues, Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said on X. I have given my orders to the Lebanese army to retaliate against the source of fire.

Aoun added that he asked Lebanon's foreign minister, who was in Brussels for a donors conference on Syria, to contact Syrian officials to resolve the problem "and prevent further escalation.

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Violence recently spiked in the area between the Syrian military and armed Lebanese Shiite clans closely allied with the former government of Assad, based in Lebanon's Al-Qasr border village.

Lebanese media and the observatory say clans were involved in the abductions that sparked the latest clashes.

The Lebanese and Syrian armies said they have opened channels of communication to ease tensions. Lebanon's military also said it returned the bodies of the three killed Syrians. Large numbers of Lebanese troops have been deployed in the area.

Lebanese media reported low-level fighting at dawn after an attack on a Syrian military vehicle. The number of casualties was unclear.

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Early on Monday, four Syrian journalists embedded with the Syrian army were lightly wounded after an artillery shell fired from the Lebanese side of the border hit their position. They accused Hezbollah of the attack.

Meanwhile, senior Hezbollah legislator Hussein Haj Hassan in an interview with Lebanons Al Jadeed television accused fighters from the Syrian side of crossing into Lebanese territory and attacking border villages. His constituency is the northeastern Baalbek-Hermel province, which has borne the brunt of the clashes.

Lebanon has been seeking international support to boost funding for its military as it gradually deploys troops along its porous northern and eastern borders with Syria as well as its southern border with Israel.

Speaking from the southern border on Monday, U.N. envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert also warned the Security Council that the sustained presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese territory, alongside ongoing Israeli strikes, could easily lead to serious ripple effects.

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On Monday, Israeli strikes hit several sites in southern Syria, including in the city of Daraa. The Israeli military said it was hitting command centers and military sites containing weapons and military vehicles belonging to the old Syrian regime, which (the new army) are trying to make reusable. Since the fall of Assad, Israeli forces have seized territory in southern Syria, which Israel said is a move to protect its border.

Syria's Civil Defense said that three people were killed and 14 injured in the strikes, including four children, a woman and three civil defense volunteers.

___

Associated Press writers Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus, Syria; Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Oklahoma is under alert for fire danger on Monday after being devastated by deadly blazes over the weekend, and amid a continued fire threat in the Plains.

More than 40 million Americans are under alert for fire weather conditions over the next few days. Red flag warnings have been issued from Texas to South Dakota for critical to extreme fire danger due to the chance for high winds and low humidity.

Parts of Oklahoma, as well as Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Texas, face a critical threat of fire danger, with gusts up to 45 mph possible along with very low humidity.

PHOTO: Following last week's deadly fires, the fire threat remains elevated to critical for Monday in the Great Plains, including much of Texas and Oklahoma. (ABC News)

Amid the threat, a "dangerous" wildfire ignited in southeast Guthrie, Oklahoma, the U.S. National Weather Service in Norman said Monday afternoon while urging residents in the area to evacuate immediately.

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The continued fire threat comes after four people were killed and over 140 injured in Oklahoma due to high winds and raging wildfires that ignited on Friday, officials said.

More than 130 fires were reported in 44 counties, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said Friday.

PHOTO: An aerial view of a home destroyed by Friday's wildfire, March 16, 2025, in Stillwater, Okla. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

More than 400 homes and structures have been damaged in the fires, the agency said. That includes Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's ranch near Luther; the governor said his farmhouse experienced a "total loss" in Friday's fires.

"We'll be rebuilding with all of Oklahoma," he said in a video posted to social media over the weekend.

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MORE: 4 dead and 142 injured in Oklahoma wildfires; more than 400 homes damaged statewide

Stillwater Fire Chief Terry Essary told ABC News on Monday that 75 structures were lost in his area alone after multiple wildfires broke out on Friday amid high winds that made for challenging conditions.

"The wind was blowing so hard," Essary said. "It was a very helpless feeling, but you just keep at it. You do what you can, you save what you can, and you keep moving on to the next and helping as many people as possible."

PHOTO: Fire burns residences during a wildfire outbreak in Stillwater, Okla., March 14, 2025. (Nick Oxford/Reuters)

A state of emergency remained in effect on Sunday for 12 Oklahoma counties due to the wildfires and fire weather conditions, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said.

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On Tuesday, the fire threat continues in Oklahoma and increases for parts of the Texas Panhandle and southeastern New Mexico, where there will be an extreme critical risk for fire weather conditions. Winds could gust 50 to 75 mph combined with very low humidity and dry fuels. Any fires that develop in these conditions can spread easily and will be very difficult to control.

PHOTO: The fire threat will be even worse on Tuesday with an extreme fire risk in West Texas. (ABC News)

ABC News' Mireya Villarreal and James Scholz contributed to this report.

Fire danger continues for Oklahoma after deadly wildfires ravage state originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  After the really nice conditions for most of Tuesday. Roads have deteriorated fast for most Wednesday morning with lots of closures of schools, businesses, and roads. Wednesday is continuing to look rough to say the least, as we see wind gusts climbing to 60 mph and snow coming down very heavy of nearly 1 per hour in some instances.

Crews battling grassfire off I-29 in Sioux City; Outside lane of northbound traffic closes

Whiteout conditions are possible and may make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. Travel will likely be very difficult. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility, and could be close to 0 miles at times. The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday morning and evening commutes. Strong winds could cause tree damage.

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This snow is going to come down heavy through the rest of the morning for most and even into the afternoon with some snowfall rates that are going to come down at 1-2 per hour in some instances. With wind gusts up to 65 mph, that will make visibility near 0 miles with whiteout conditions, and even make the snow blow horizontally.

Most areas will see the snow come to an end by around 5-7 p.m. Wind gusts will be around 50-65 mph for the majority of the day on Wednesday making travel nearly impossible at times. After 7 p.m. Wednesday, the wind starts to die down and we finally can start to dig out of this system.

Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for: Clay and Union counties in South Dakota until 7 PM, and in Sioux and Osceola counties in Iowa until 7 PM Wednesday, and Cedar, Pierce, and Antelope counties in Nebraska where a total of up to 2-4 are possible.

Blizzard Warnings are in effect for: Woodbury, Ida, Plymouth, Cherokee, Buena Vista, OBrien, Clay, and Dickinson counties in Iowa, and Dakota and Dixon counties in Nebraska until 7 PM, for Emmet, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Calhoun, Sac, and Crawford counties in Iowa until 10 PM Wednesday, for Knox, Cedar, Antelope, Pierce, Madison, Stanton, and Wayne counties in Nebraska until 7 PM Wednesday; for Cuming, Thurston, and Burt counties in Nebraska as well as Monona and Harrison counties until 10 PM Wednesday. A grand total of 4-10 is likely in these areas.

Daily Weather Forecast

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Northerly winds 30-40 mph, gusting as high as 60 mph are likely. Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

High Wind Warnings continue for all of our Nebraska counties, Union County in South Dakota, and all except Lyon county in Iowa until 7 PM this evening, with Yankton, Clay, and Lincoln counties and Lyon county in Iowa under a Wind Advisory through 7 PM this evening.

Strong winds and snowfall will also lead to reduced visibilities.

As always, you can stay safe and up to date with the latest from the KCAU 9 weather team by clicking here!

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
Mar. 16STERLING  A barn was destroyed and another building damaged Sunday morning when fire broke out at 17264 Ridge Road.

The Sterling Fire Department, Rock Falls Fire Department, CGH EMS and Whiteside County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a reported barn fire about 8:20 a.m. Dixon Rural and Milledgeville firefighters also were called to the scene, followed by a MABAS 20 mutual-aid box alarm.

Upon arrival, crews found a two-story barn with heavy fire and other small fires caused by exposure to the main fire. A second alarm was asked for at this time. The crews made an aggressive exterior attack on the main fire building, with the exposures being attended to as additional crews arrived, according to a news release.

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Due to the high winds, travel distance for the water shuttles and cold weather, a third alarm was asked for. In all, Sterling firefighters were assisted by Dixon City Fire, Prophetstown FPD, Polo Fire, Morrison Fire, Tampico Fire, Advance Ambulance, Chadwick Fire, Amboy Fire, Morrison EMS, Franklin Grove Fire, Erie Fire, Manlius Fire, Lanark Fire and Fulton Fire. Some departments assisted with station coverage, although some were moved up to the scene.

The main fire building sustained major damage, with minor damage to one of the exposed buildings, according to the release. The owners said there was a loss of chickens, but all cattle were out of danger.

Crews had the fire under control in about 25 minutes and were on scene for a total of 2 1/2 hours.

The state fire marshal's office is investigating.
YATES CENTER, Kan.  One resident of a Yates Center nursing home did suffer smoke inhalation after Fridays fire destroyed the facility.

The remaining residents, patients, and staff were all safely evacuated following the wildfire. Fire officials say they are not 100% certain what caused the rapidly spreading prairie fire that burned down the Yates Center Health & Rehabilitation facility, in Woodson County, Kansas.

PREVIOUS: Southeast Kansas nursing home catches fire, residents evacuated

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According to a news release issued by Mission Health Communities, owners of Yates Center Health and Rehabilitation, they say it was a swift and coordinated response by everyone that saved lives Friday.

Reports say the fire initially set a group of cedar trees ablaze, south of the facility, and eventually spread to the buildings roof. Dry conditions and high winds drove the fire to quick acceleration, requiring an immediate emergency response.

The Woodson County Fire Department informed the public that the fire could have posed a potential threat, and leaders at the health center implemented the Emergency Evacuation Plan.

Temporary quarters at Yates Center High School were used to house the 38 residents and patients.

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As the fire spread, the town shut off power, requiring additional relocation to other Mission Health area facilities.

Additionally, US Highway 75 was closed for several hours. A first responder rehabilitation center was established in the community building and was staffed by both volunteers and emergency medical personnel.

Although the exact impact of damage is not fully known at this time, reports indicate a significant impact from fire, smoke, and sprinkler activation-related damage. The next steps are being determined by Mission Health, in tandem with area authorities and restoration specialists.

A post on the Woodson County Emergency Managements Facebook page calls the facility a total loss.

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All families of our residents have been notified and will continue to receive updates, said Nikki Jacobs, regional vice president of Mission Health Communities. We are committed to ensuring our residents are comfortable and well cared for as we navigate this situation. Our team is focused on supporting our residents, families, and staff throughout this transition.

Mission Health thanked the many emergency crews and employees that played a vital role in keeping residents safe.

We will continue to bring updates to this story as they become 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Iran views the recent meeting in Beijing among the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, China, and Russia as a constructive and beneficial event in support of the rule of law, said spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmail Baghaei, Trend reports.

Speaking during a press conference in Tehran on March 17, Baghaei explained that this meeting, initiated by Iran, was the first of its kind and that Iran continuously engages in bilateral, regional, and international consultations with both Russia and China.

Baghaei highlighted that during the meeting, discussions were held among officials from Iran, China, and Russia regarding the Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action (CJPOA) and Irans nuclear program. Additionally, consultations were held on multilateral cooperation under platforms such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

To note, a meeting was held in Beijing with officials from China, Iran, and Russia to discuss Iran's nuclear program on March 14. The discussions emphasized the need to end unilateral and unlawful sanctions against Iran, resolve issues through dialogue and diplomatic channels, and halt the policy of threats involving sanctions, pressure, and the use of force.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Around 2:15 on Sunday, crews from East Jefferson Fire and Rescue answered calls of a fire at the Port Townsend Paper Company.

When fire crews arrived, they found an electrical fire in the turbine room.

Crews fought the fire with dry chemical fire extinguishers until the power was shut off.

Once the power was cut, firefighters used water to make sure the fire was out.

There were no injuries as a result.
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  A new scholarship program will soon be available for medical students and future students at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) looking to attend and stay close to home.

On Monday, March 17, Five Star Bank and LECOM at the Elmira campus announced the partnership and creation of the LECOM Five Stats Scholars Program.

The scholarship is an inventive way to encourage students from 14 counties in the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes, and western New York, to apply and attend LECOM. During the news conference, representatives from Five Star Bank presented LECOM with a $25,000 check to start the scholarship fund.

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US overdose deaths far outpace other countries: Report

The scholarship is open to people from all aspects of income and class levels with officials from Five Star Bank hoping the scholarship can have a significant impact on healthcare in Upstate New York.

Theres an overwhelming demand for the delivery of clinical services, from medical professionals, physicians, doctors, and LECOM and filling a significant need with the graduation of new doctors and new talent into the system, said Martin Birmingham president of Five Star Bank.

Birmingham said this scholarship is unique in that its specifically targeted at LECOM, as it is one of the most affordable medical education that exists.

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Its filling a critical need, and a unique curriculum, and were thrilled to be able to partner with them in that way, Birmingham 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
As the world watched COVID-19 affect cities around the world, it was no different once the virus reached Las Vegas. Southern Nevada healthcare workers and first responders found themselves on the frontlines of an unprecedented, deadly outbreak.
Mar. 16A Flathead County contractor accused of ripping off his clients agreed this month to pay $200,000 to his victims and stop doing business in Montana.

Nathaniel Gevern Lewis, through his construction businesses NGL Construction and From the Ground Up Construction, took customers' payment and then failed to complete the work, said Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen on March 12. On some jobs, Lewis allegedly demolished walls or decks without prior approval, occasionally claiming they suffered from rot or violated building codes, and then demanded more money.

Lewis demanded large upfront payments, typically more than 50% of a project's total cost, Knudsen said. Several of his customers were left with unfinished jobs or structures exposed to the elements, according to the attorney general.

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The contractor also allegedly included threats of legal action or property liens when he demanded extra money.

Lewis agreed to the deal with the Montana Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Protection after an investigation found that he had violated the state's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, according to Knudsen. While both the attorney general and Lewis had signed the agreement, it still requires the signature of a Flathead County District Court judge.

In the meantime, Knudsen warned that Lewis may still be operating in the Flathead Valley and scamming customers. Knudsen recommended that those looking for a contractor remember to research their projects; get multiple bids; check references; ensure a contractor is registered, insured and bonded, draft a contract; communicate with the contractor in writing; and remain leery of con artists.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.
An American Eagle flight on its way to Charlotte made an emergency landing in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday, according to a statement by American Airlines.

American Airlines regional carrier flight 5852, operated by Piedmont Airlines, left Newport News, Virginia at 11:50 a.m., according to flight records.

The plane, an Embraer E145, landed in Richmond around 1 p.m., according to flight records. The flight was diverted due to a possible maintenance issue, according to American Airlines.

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READ: Charlotte Douglas Airport to change general, corporate aviation operator

The flight arrived safely in Richmond and the plane was taken out of service for inspection, the statement said. Three crew members were aboard as well as 47 passengers and no injuries were reported.

We never want to disrupt our customers travel plans, and we apologize for the inconvenience, American Airlines said in a statement.

WATCH: Charlotte Douglas Airport to change general, corporate aviation operator
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks at a get out the vote event at Solidarity House in Detroit on Nov. 1, 2024, days before the presidential election. (Photo by Anna Liz Nichols/Michigan Advance)

A Florida Democratic consultant has pulled down an online ad for two Florida congressional candidates featuring New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after being criticized for using it without her permission.

Jackson McMillan said Sunday night that out of an abundance of caution, he would withdraw the ad, although he defended its use.

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The ad touted the candidacies of Democrats running in special congressional elections on April 1  Gay Valimont in the 1st Congressional District and Josh Weil in the 6th District. Both are prohibitive underdogs in those red districts.

On Saturday, AOC said on X that footage taken from a 92-minute Instagram Live presentation she gave on Feb. 3 for an ad boosting Valimont and Weil was being used without her consent.

That prompted Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, who emerged as a national advocate for gun safety as a co-founder of the group March for Our Lives following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, to chime in, claiming that McMillan had done the same thing to him.

The campaign hasnt been approving this type of content  its this consultant whos running this without anyones consent, Hogg wrote on X.

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People like Jackson McMillan are the exact type of consultants who people say are the problem in our party. Im done dealing with these a and its time they start being called out. Everyone says f the consultants but wont name names. Jackson is one of many. [Elisions by the Phoenix.]

Contacted Sunday night, McMillan sent this comment to the Phoenix.

We are excited that the congresswoman and Mr. Hogg have indicated the importance of these critical elections in Florida on their personal social media, he wrote. We utilized that content, not unlike a public news segment, in ads that highlight the importance of the campaign. Out of an abundance of caution, the ads have been removed.

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A Florida man has been arrested in connection with bomb threats that led to evacuations at three stores in Rutherford County.

The threats did not include the Walmart in Shelby, which was also evacuated.

South Charlotte bar that burned down received multiple fire code violations

Police say Charles Parris once lived in Rutherford County but now resides in Gainesville, Florida. Hes accused of making bomb threats that forced evacuations at the Lowes and Walmart in Forest City.

I dont really understand what the point of that would be besides just scaring people, said Virginia Russell, who works in a store near the Walmart in Shelby. She said Walmart customers started pouring into her shop after it was evacuated on Thursday.

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Investigators say the same thing happened at the Lowes in Forest City five days before the call in Shelby, and again at the same Lowes on the same day as the Shelby threat. There was another call into the Walmart in Forest City at the same time. Police emptied both stores for hours.

We have to treat them as serious and make sure everybody is safe in the community, said Forest City Police Chief Chris LeRoy.

Forest City police called in help from 16 other agencies, including the SBI and U.S. Marshalls.

Hold them accountable, especially if it creates the kind of chaos that it created last week, LeRoy said.

Authorities arrested Parris in Florida on Friday.

VIDEO: Chase involving teen driver leads to crash in Catawba County
A Florida woman took over a co-op building in trendy Williamsburg, illegally pocketed rent and even tried to sell the building for $1.4 million, a new lawsuit claims.

But alleged landlord Jessica Vargas claims she did nothing wrong because a city official told her ownership of the squatter-infested building was good to go before she allegedly collected nearly $450,000 from the low-income co-op.

A thief? Vargas told The Post. Thats not who I am  Ive always been honest.

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Vargas was named in a lawsuit this week filed by state Attorney General Letitia James, seeking to take the buildings title back, and pushing Vargas to return the rent to the coop.

A lawsuit accuses a Florida woman of stealing the title to 13 Scholes Street in Brooklyn, an affordable housing co-op currently allegedly occupied by squatters.

Vargas, the suit contends, created multiple false documents to claim ownership of 13 Scholes St., a three-family limited-equity co-op building known as an HDFC, turning the supposedly affordable building into a Floridians personal piggy bank, James said in a statement this week.

Jessica Vargas declared herself president of a building she had no claim to, exploiting New Yorkers for her personal gain while living over a thousand miles away, James said.

But Vargas said that she only inherited a situation her late father created  and that after he died in 2018 a since-retired city official told her everything was kosher.

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Her lawyer, Alexander Levkovich, said Vargas is innocent, and called the suit a significant overreach.

The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday by Attorney General Leititia James, claims that the building should remain affordable, and the stolen funds be returned. Hans Pennink

The suit states that Vargas, 41, who grew up in the building with her family and now lives in a Tampa suburb where she works as a data specialist, has engaged in repeated fraudulent acts and must return $442,000 in rent that should have gone to the co-op. The building owes over $40,000 in city property taxes.

Vargas said the money she netted  $6,500 in monthly rent paid by a developer-owned LLC her father signed an agreement with before he died  was used to support her siblings and legal fees for the building, not to make her rich.

Ive been living in the same house for over 20 years, Vargas said. I have no fancy cars. I have nothing  nothing. They say: Wow, yeah, she came into a lot of money. No, Im just doing what I have always been doing since I was five-years old: taking care of my siblings.

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Her father, Albert Rivera, first claimed ownership of the co-ops shares in a document containing only his and his wifes signatures, which the lawsuit said is fraudulent since it lacked signatures from the other shareholders.

An LLC run by developers has been paying $6,500 a month per an illicit 2017 lease agreement, the suit claims. RHannafo

Vargas said that when the other shareholders died, their shares transferred back into the HDFC and her father, an idea that James office said flies in the face of basic estate law.

Court documents include an affirmation from a shareholders estate claiming their shares were never transferred to Rivera.

Rivera signed a 2017 lease agreement with an LLC held by developers, giving them reign over the building and an option to buy for $1.4 million, as long as they paid a rent of $6,500 a month.

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But James office said that lease agreement was void, since any tenant would have to meet strict income criteria with shareholder approval. Even if the lease were legitimate, that money was meant for the co-op, not Riveras or Vargas pockets, the office contends.

When Rivera died, Vargas, as administrator of her fathers estate, continued to collect the money and presented herself as the buildings sole owner through several alleged false documents filed with city agencies  including a fraudulent stock certificate claiming sole ownership, according to James filings.

Vargas told The Post that following her fathers death, she met with an HPD official, whom her father allegedly met with years ago and had approved the lease.

She showed him everything that I had related to the building, and that the official said I was good to goHe told me to put down that Im the owner, Vargas said.

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An email from her father in December 2016 states that he met with the official and noted that HPD cannot give anything in writing in regards to his ownership claim.

The Post was unable to reach the official  whose name is being withheld  to verify any of Vargas claims.

HPD confirmed that the official no longer works at the department and that they have no records of any meetings with Vargas or Rivera.

The spokesperson added that the LLC lease would not be permissible due to HDFC restrictions, and that the HDFC was never dissolved.

The allegedly false stock certificate claiming Vargas controlled all the shares of the co-op, according to the AGs suit. RHannafo

Vargas dealings have left the co-op in debt  including $41,479 in unpaid property taxes and a $3,000 water bill  as she collected at least $442,000 in unreported income from the building, the suit alleges.

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When the AGs office first opened its investigation over a year ago  spurred by questions of ownership raised during a suit to remove alleged squatters who took over the long-vacant building in 2023  they asked Vargas to produce documents showing her ownership and the dissolution of the HDFC.

Vargas told The Post she had cooperated fully, but officials said Vargas failed to produce any evidence that her claim was legitimate.

Then the AGs office offered a deal: if Vargas dropped her claims to the title, prosecutors wouldnt go after the allegedly stolen funds.

Vargas rejected the offer.

The benefit of Jessica entering into this agreement would have been strictly for the AG to pretty much take over the property, said Levkovich, Vargas attorney.

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Vargas said shes been nothing but honest, and that if HPD told her there was a deficiency in the title, she would have followed whatever they told her to do at the time.

Levkovich said theyll have to start a gofundme to pay for the significant resources to defend the suit.

I cant sleep, Vargas said. Being accused of stealing something? Thats not me  Ive always been honest.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The use of the "snapback" mechanism related to Iran's nuclear program under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will undoubtedly have negative consequences for its European members as well, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said,Trend reports.

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran today, Baghaei stated that there is no justification for activating this mechanism against Iran.

This mechanism could simply be used for political pressure against Iran, he said.

"Iran has never pursued a strategy of confrontation. Iran bases its negotiations on discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and JCPOA members," he added.

The Spokesperson further noted that Irans negotiations with European countries have been carried out and will continue in the future.

The "snapback" mechanism is a provision within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. It allows any of the signatory countries to reimpose previously lifted international sanctions on Iran if they believe Iran is violating the terms of the agreement. If the issue is not resolved through diplomatic channels, the country raising the concern can refer the matter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where the sanctions can be reinstated. The term "snapback" refers to the quick reapplication of these sanctions, which were suspended as part of the deal's terms.

Under Articles 36 and 37 of the JCPOA, various stages are initiated if one of the member countries files a complaint against another party for violating the plan. If these stages are not resolved, the complaining country can bring the issue before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). If the complaint against Iran is brought before the UNSC and accepted, international sanctions could be re-imposed on Iran. Furthermore, the UNSC members may authorize military operations against Iran.

On February 14, the IAEA Director General Grossi reported that Iran is increasing the amount of uranium enriched to 60 percent by nearly seven times. In the coming weeks, Irans stock of 60 percent enriched uranium is expected to reach around 250 kilograms. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, a development that has raised international concerns.

By the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.

Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 2030 percent.

Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
By Laurie Chen

BEIJING (Reuters) -Dozens of foreign CEOs will visit Beijing this month for a flagship development conference where some are expected to meet President Xi Jinping, according to a draft agenda and three sources familiar with the matter.

The annual China Development Forum will take place on March 23-24 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in the capital, two sources told Reuters.

Beijing is keen to attract foreign investment at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, as policymakers try to boost domestic consumption to offset fresh U.S. tariff pressure.

Those attending include the CEOs of FedEx, Siemens, automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz, chip designer Qualcomm, AstraZeneca, Nestle, Saudi Aramco, Citadel, Rio Tinto, Estee Lauder, Standard Chartered and KPMG, according to a draft agenda seen by Reuters. The chairman of Deutsche Bank is also on the list.

A Mercedes-Benz spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that CEO and Chairman Ola Kallenius would attend the forum. A spokesperson for pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca declined to comment on whether the CEO was attending and meeting Xi.

BMW's China chief Sean Green will also attend, according to people familiar with the matter, adding CEO Oliver Zipse would make clear to the Chinese government that the German carmaker planned to continue to support the market. BMW declined to comment.

None of the other firms immediately responded to requests for comment.

Top executives of several major mining, engineering and healthcare firms will also take part, according to the draft agenda, which could be subject to last-minute changes, one of the sources said. Compared to previous years, a higher proportion of European CEOs are represented.

Xi is likely to meet a select group of foreign chief executives on March 28, which could include European and British CEOs, said one source, adding that the list of attendees and timings could be subject to last-minute changes. Reuters was not able to determine the list of overseas CEOs expected to meet Xi.

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 20% tariffs on Chinese exports this month, prompting China to retaliate with additional duties on American agriculture products.

Foreign direct investment into China fell 13.4% year-on-year in January, according to official data released last month.

"Any trip to China by American CEOs would be very low-key given the current heightened scrutiny on American investment in China from Washington," said the source, adding that fewer U.S. CEOs would attend this year.

However, some leading American chip firms such as Broadcom and Synopsys are sending their CEOs, according to a list of foreign delegates seen by Reuters. Micron said on Tuesday its CFO Mark Murphy has been invited to attend the forum this year.
Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in six years, and is set to embark on the "orderly wind down" of its U.S. retail operations.

Operating company F21 OpCo announced Monday it had filed for Chapter 11 protection and has entered into a support plan with its lenders.

Its remaining stores will stay open for now, with liquidation sales set to be launched as it goes through a process for the sale of some or all of its assets.

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Barring a late rescue from a new owner, it looks like it'll mean the closure of its one remaining Minnesota location, at the Apache Mall in Rochester.

Forever 21 had four outlets in the state as recently as 2019, with other stores in addition to Rochester found at the Mall of America, the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, and Rosedale Center in Roseville.

The Mall of America location was the most recent store to close. It opened in 2012 in the 80,000 sq. ft. space formerly occupied by Bloomingdales, but held a closing down sale in December.

The Forever 21 in the Mall of America, which closed late last year.Forever 21 inside Mall of America. Photo by Christine Schuster | Bring Me The News.

Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy in 2019 before it was rescued by the current ownership group in 2020.

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In announcing the latest bankruptcy, F21 OpCo CFO Brad Sell blamed competition from "foreign fast fashion companies" for the shutdown, which CNBC reports is believed to be referring to cut-price, fast-fashion retailers such as China-based Temu and Singapore-based Shein.

"Following the conclusion of our strategic review and after careful deliberation, we made the decision to file for chapter 11 to implement a court-supervised marketing process to solicit a going concern transaction, and, in the absence of such an arrangement, an orderly wind down of operations," he said,

"While we have evaluated all options to best position the Company for the future, we have been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin, as well as rising costs, economic challenges impacting our core customers, and evolving consumer trends," he continues.

"As we move through the process, we will work diligently to minimize the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders."

The de minimis exemption is a bipartisan tax exemption passed by Congress that allows imports to the U.S. valued at under $800 per person, per day, to enter the country free of duty and taxes.
The Iowa Judicial Building. (Photo and seal courtesy of the Iowa Judicial Branch)

Warren Countys former top prosecutor has been sanctioned a fourth time for allegedly violating the rules of professional conduct for Iowa lawyers.

Former Warren County Attorney Bryan Tingle of Des Moines was recently charged by the Attorney Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Iowa with a lack of diligence in case handling, failure to expedite litigation, and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.

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The charges are tied to two separate disciplinary cases. In one of those cases, the board alleges Tingle failed to appear in court for a client and was removed by the court as his clients attorney. In the second case, Tingle was alleged to have filed multiple last-minute motions to continue two cases and was removed from one criminal case when he failed to appear for a court hearing.

As a result of those two cases, the Attorney Disciplinary Board has issued Tingle a public reprimand.

Court records show that in 2010, after losing his bid for reelection as Warren Countys top prosecutor, Tingle accepted a job as the attorney for the City of Cumming. In May 2011, he was arrested after Carlisle police alleged he was seen in his car while holding a glass methamphetamine pipe. After a search of his vehicle uncovered three pipes and a small amount of the drug, Tingle was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He later pleaded guilty to both charges, according to the board.

The board then accused Tingle of knowingly and willfully violating the very laws you were charged with enforcing as county attorney. In that disciplinary case, Tingle was issued a public reprimand.

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In two separate, subsequent disciplinary cases dating back to 2020 and 2022, Tingle was privately admonished by the board for failing to appear in court on his clients behalf.

Other disciplinary board actions

Other Iowa-licensed attorneys subject to recent action by the Attorney Disciplinary Board include:

 Kim Cohenour Roddick, of Galena, Ill., who is alleged by the board to be responsible for a near total loss of accountability for client funds paid to her for legal services, and a complete inability to safekeep client funds.

The board alleges that its Client Security Commission found that after an attempted audit of Roddicks client account, neither Roddick nor the commission could determine how much the account was off by. The commission was forced to end its audit unsuccessfully, the board alleges.

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Roddick was formally charged with comingling attorney and client funds, failing to reconcile financial accounts, improper deposits of client funds, and mixing funds from Iowa and Illinois client trust accounts.

The board stated it was gravely concerned with the commissions inability to audit Roddicks accounts and with the fact that Roddick answered untruthfully to multiple questions on a questionnaire dealing with client security issues. As a result of those findings, the board recently issued Roddick a public reprimand.

 James Rollins of Darien, Ill., who has applied for reinstatement of his Iowa law license following a five-month suspension in 2024. The suspension was tied to allegations that in 2017, Rollins submitted fraudulent expense documents to a law firm where hed recently begun working. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission alleged that Rollins acted dishonestly by creating fake documents, including invoices, a bank statement and checks, which he submitted to his law firm, falsely representing that he had paid business expenses totaling $81,000, although his actual expenses were closer to $18,000.

In choosing to suspend Rollins Illinois law license for five months, the commission said Rollins had actively sought to defraud his partners in the law firm.

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He lied when he was confronted in May 2017 and then created additional phony documents, the commission stated. He lied again when he was confronted in August 2017. (He) intentionally tried to cheat his new law firm out of $63,000 and would have succeeded if he had not been caught.

The Iowa Supreme Court later took reciprocal action and suspended Rollins Iowa license for five months based on the Illinois commissions actions. A hearing on Rollins application for reinstatement of his Iowa license is scheduled for April 9, 2025.

 David Joseph Martin of La Junta, Colorado, whose Arizona law license was suspended last year for five months for allegedly failing to provide services to a client in a personal-injury case, which resulted in the dismissal of his clients case. Martin was accused of repeatedly neglecting his clients case and then misleading the client as to the status of her case after it had been dismissed by the court. The Iowa Supreme recently took reciprocal action, suspending Rollins Iowa license for five months based on the actions taken in Arizona by that states presiding disciplinary judge.
On the day Joe Biggs found out he was being released from a lengthy jail sentence by the newly inaugurated Donald Trump, a prison officer was on hand to dampen his mood.

You're still gonna get screwed, Biggs recalls the guard warning him. You're not getting pardoned. You're only getting your sentence commuted, so you're still a terrorist.

It would turn out to be a prescient parting shot.

Days after returning to the White House for a historic second term, Trump overturned the biggest single prosecution in American history by issuing a mass pardon of 1,500 people for their role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

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But a much smaller group of 14 people, Biggs included, had their sentences commuted without a pardon, meaning they were released from jail with their crimes still on the books.

Im extremely disappointed in him, Biggs, a former leader of the far-Right Proud Boys who received one of the highest sentences of the January 6 attackers, says of Trump.

I didn't go to trial and blame him for it. I didn't go and say, Oh, this was Trump's fault. I sat there and I bit my tongue and I ate it.

Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys (L) and Joe Biggs (R) gather outside of Harry's bar during a protest on December 12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

Biggs was sentenced to 17 years for seditious conspiracy for his role in the attack on the Capitol. Prosecutors said he served as an instigator and leader of the attack and that by tearing down a fence between protesters and police on that day he took a deliberate, meaningful step to disrupting the electoral vote count.

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Despite only serving four years of that sentence, Biggs complains that his life is still on hold until he can get a pardon.

Its like you're out of jail, but you're still in jail, he tells The Independent.

You're kind of a burden on your family when you're in prison. But now I come home and I'm just draining money. I'm not bringing anything to the table to help my family. So I'm more of a burden, and I don't fit in. I don't feel right, says Biggs.

Because of his particular circumstances, Biggs is now one of only 14 people in the entire country to face any lasting legal consequences for what has been described as the worst attack on American democracy since the Civil War.

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His story is full of the same contradictions that characterize the most extreme parts of Trumps MAGA base. He has gone to jail for Trump, been forgotten by Trump, and yet still believes in Trump.

In the years since the attack, his views on the meaning of January 6 have shifted and changed depending on his circumstances.

At his sentencing, he spoke through tears as he expressed regret.

On January 6 I was seduced by the crowd and I just moved forward, he said. My curiosity got the better of me and I have to live with that for the rest of my life, and I'm so sorry.

Today, though, he is less circumspect. Asked if he had any regrets about his actions that day, he replies: No, not really.

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If I was there slapping people around and acting stupid, yeah, I would probably be ashamed of something like that, he says.

What he does regret, however, is not getting a pardon. As a retired veteran, Biggs received a monthly pension that provided a large part of his income. He also received health care through the Veterans Affairs agency to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a traumatic brain injury he suffered while deployed to Iraq, for which he received a Purple Heart.

All of that was cut off as a result of his conviction.

I have PTSD, I have anxiety, I have sleeping issues. You throw in four years of combat, plus four years in prison, two years in solitary confinement  I'd like to be able to go to the doctor. I'd like to be able to talk to somebody and work on some stuff, he says.

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Still, he says he has no regrets for his actions that day. And despite all the damning evidence  the video footage, photos, text messages, and social media posts  Biggs still insists the Democrats, the media and the Justice Department exaggerated the severity of January 6 simply to hurt Trump.

Biggs, who describes himself on X as a Right Wing Extremist and Proud Terrorist to the left, has reached out to the key MAGA figures who championed his cause while he was in jail for help. He went to CPAC last month and met with Steve Bannon, but he has since been brushed aside.

All they care about is having you on their show so they can sell their f***ing products and make money off of you and your story, and then as soon as you walk away, they forget all about you, he says.

The Trump administration has not given an explanation as to why some of the convicted attackers were given commutations instead of pardons. There is no definitive correlation between the seriousness of the charges and who received one  Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys who received the highest sentence of all, 22 years, was pardoned. Tarrio was not at the Capitol that day, but prosecutors accused him of leading the assault from afar. Many others who committed acts of violence against Capitol police officers also received pardons.

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It blows my mind that there's people out there with violence  they're ripping furniture apart and trying to chase cops around, bash their heads in, and they get a full pardon. And meanwhile, I walk around, ask a cop for a bathroom to take a leak, and get treated like a terrorist the entire time, Biggs says.

Biggs argues his actions on the day in question were the result of being swept along by the crowd, not an attempt to overturn the election.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, accused Biggs of being the tip of the spear during the attack on the Capitol, part of a cell created by the Proud Boys leadership that conspired to prevent, hinder, and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States.

Full list of January 6 rioters whose sentences were commuted

Stewart Rhodes: Sentenced to 18 years in prison.

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Kelly Meggs: Sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Kenneth Harrelson: Sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Jessica Watkins: Sentenced to 8.5 years in prison.

Roberto Minuta: Sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.

Edward Vallejo: Sentenced to 3 years in prison, with the first year on home confinement.

David Moerschel: Sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Joseph Hackett: Sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.

Ethan Nordean: Sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Joseph Biggs: Sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Zachary Rehl: Sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Dominic Pezzola: Sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Jeremy Bertino: Sentencing delayed.

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They said Biggs breached multiple barricades and tore down fencing on his way into the Capitol.

As the attack was unfolding, Biggs posted a video from the west lawn of the Capitol in which he stood alongside his fellow Proud Boys and said: January 6 will be a day in infamy. The next day he appeared on a podcast and said the attack was a warning shot to the government look, we started this country this way and well f***kin save it this way.

Prosecutors justified the long sentence by arguing that he was criminally responsible for actions taken by those who joined the plot because of his prominent role in the Proud Boys.

The true nature of Defendants dangerousness stems from his role as a leader, and his ability to encourage and coordinate the actions of others in breaching the Capitol at a precise place and time, the prosecutors said.

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Biggs claims to have only been in the Capitol building for around 5-6 minutes and didnt commit any acts of violence. He also denies the central claim by prosecutors that he was there that day to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Four years on, the attack on the U.S. Capitol remains the defining political event of the modern era.

Spurred on by Trumps false and repeatedly debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, thousands of his supporters marched on the Capitol while the results were being certified. When it became clear that legal efforts to stop the certification had been exhausted, those supporters used violence to force their way inside, beating Capitol police officers and forcing an evacuation of the building to stop the process.

More than 140 police officers were injured in the riot that followed. One rioter was shot and killed by police as she tried to break through a window into the main chamber. Three people died as a result of medical emergencies suffered during the attack and four officers present that day later died by suicide.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Trump and the attackers received widespread condemnation from Democrats and Republicans. Today, the meaning of the attack has become a partisan issue.

After initially condemning the violence at the Capitol, Trump reversed course in the years that followed and now refers to it as a day of love. In announcing his pardons, he called the jailed rioters hostages.

His campaign to rebrand January 6 worked. His base and his party followed suit.

The percentage of Republicans who strongly disapprove of the attack dropped more than 20 points since January 2021  from 51 percent to 30 percent. More than 70 percent of Republicans supported pardoning those who forced their way into the Capitol.

Trump promised to pardon the January 6 attackers during his campaign for his second term, and fulfilled that promise in his first days in office.

For half of the country, it was the final act of betrayal by a man who had successfully dodged justice for trying to overturn an election. But for Biggs and others involved in the attack, it was the righting of a historic wrong.

Biggs insists the prosecutions against him and the Proud Boys were directed by the Biden administration, then carried out by the Justice Department and un-American communist losers in the FBI to send a message.

They needed a well-known Boogeyman. You can't if it would have just been like some obscure you've got, you know, guy from Utah, right? You know that wouldn't have been scary, he insists.

FILE - Proud Boys members Joseph Biggs, left, and Ethan Nordean, right with megaphone, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

He received just one year less than the leader of the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, who came to Washington, D.C., that day with a team of fellow militia members promising a bloody and desperate fight. His group spent thousands of dollars on weapons and formed a quick reaction force that was waiting at a hotel across the river in Virginia waiting to join the fight.

The Capitol attack wasnt the first time Biggs had been in trouble. He and other members of the Proud Boys were successfully sued for $1 million by a historic Black church in Washington, D.C., for destruction of property after they tore down a large Black Lives Matter sign. In his ruling, Judge Kravitz called their conduct hateful and overtly racist.

That judgment has exacerbated his current financial and legal troubles.

Since the pardons were issued, militias and far-right groups like the Proud Boys have been emboldened and are regrouping with Trumps tacit support.

Late last month, Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes, the leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, held a press conference outside the Capitol building to condemn what Rhodes called the massive fake conspiracy case against Trump and their two groups.

The two have spent most of their time since their release calling for retribution against prosecutors who convicted him and his co-conspirators.

Rhodes, who also only received a commutation, is fighting his own battle for a pardon.

Im definitely, of course, appreciative and grateful for President Trump for getting me out of prison, Rhodes told Real Americas Voice during an interview on Sunday. But I was completely innocent like my co-defendants.

What that means is that although our prison sentences are ended  were free  we are still second-class citizens because were all still felons, he added.

Biggs, meanwhile, claims he is focused on getting his own life back on track before he fully commits to the Proud Boys again.

If anybody's focus is on a club right now, and not them getting their life back, then their priorities are a little off, he says. I'm friends with all those guys, and I've been to a few events, but I don't know right now. I just want to get all my stuff squared away.
TREMONTON, Utah (ABC4)  The former Tremonton Fire Department Chief accused of multiple child sex crimes made his first appearance in court on Monday  though not much was done.

Ned Brady Hansen, 54, appeared virtually before Judge Reuben Renstrom in a brief hearing where Renstrom said he had recused himself from the case.

Hansen, who was arrested in late January over child pornography allegations has been linked to alleged crimes committed by former Justice Court Judge Kevin Christensen. According to court documents, the two allegedly had several graphic conversations regarding child sex abuse materials and were reportedly involved in a sexual relationship with one another.

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Christensen, 64, was arrested earlier this month and submitted a letter of resignation from his position just a week later.

While the two are currently being tried separately, Judge Renstrom indicated Hansen and Christensen could be tried as co-defendants in the future. The possibility caused Renstrom to have some reservations about continuing with administrative matters on the case.

Hansens hearing was continued to Thursday, March 20, before Judge Joseph Bean, who is also presiding over Christensens case. During the rescheduled hearing, Hansens attorney, Shannon Demler, is expected to make arguments for Hansens release on bail.

Christensen is also scheduled for an in-person appearance before Judge Bean on Thursday. It will be Christensens initial appearance.

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Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Robert Preston Morris, a former Texas megachurch pastor and former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump accused of child sexual abuse, has surrendered to Oklahoma authorities. Morris, 63, turned himself over to officials in Osage County on Monday after a grand jury indicted him last week with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office told The Associated Press.

Morris turned himself in before 8 a.m. CST, The Dallas Morning News reported, citing the Osage County Sheriffs Office. The former pastor surrendered his passport and was released on a $50,000 bond, Osage County officials told the outlet.

Morris' attorney, Mack Martin, declined to comment on the charges but told the AP that he anticipated entering a not guilty plea on his client's behalf.

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In 2024, Morris resigned as pastor of the Dallas-area Gateway Church after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s, when she was 12 years old. As NBC News reported:

The woman, Cindy Clemishire, told NBC News that Morris, now a senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, was staying with her family on Christmas night in 1982. She was 12; he was 21. Clemishire, now 54, said he invited her to his room, where he instructed her to lie on her back. He then touched her breasts and felt under her panties, Clemishire said  the first of several similar encounters that would span the next 4 years, she said.

In a statement released to WFAA-TV in Dallas last year, Morris admitted he was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.

It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong, Morris said at the time. In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young ladys father. They asked me to step out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did. Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area.

Robert Morris during a roundtable discussion at Gateway Church Dallas Campus in Dallas in 2020.

After establishing Gateway Church in 2000, the Texas pastor increasingly involved himself in local, state and national politics. He was named to the first Trump presidential campaign's spiritual advisory board in 2016. I have such tremendous respect and admiration for this group and I look forward to continuing to talk about the issues important to Evangelicals, and all Americans, and the common sense solutions I will implement when I am President, Trump said in a statement at the time.

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In 2020, Morris church hosted Trump for a discussion on race relations and the economy, during which the president referred to the former pastor as a great person with a great reputation.

After Clemishire publicly accused Morris last year, Trump 2020 campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said Trump had not been aware of the allegations, NBC News reported.

According to Oklahomas attorney generals office, Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges. Hes expected to make an initial appearance before a judge on May 9.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
March 16 (UPI) -- Longtime U.S. Rep Nita Lowey, 87, of New York,. has died from metastatic breast cancer, her family announced Sunday.

"She sponsored life-changing legislation in the fields of education, medical research and international relations," a statement released by her family said.

Lowey, a strident Democrat who served Westchester County for 32 years, was first elected to the House in 1988 at age 51, and was well-known by her supporters and critics for supporting liberal causes and helping craft legislation to advance them in .Washington,

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She was regarded as a "master legislator" by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who said Lowey was at once gracious and tenacious in her pursuit of legislation to help her constituents.

She was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee in 1993 and became the ranking Democrat in 2013. She was the first woman chosen to lead the committee in 2019 when the Democrats won power, the same year Lowey announced her retirement from Congress.

U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., addresses the delegations at the Democratic National Convention at the Fleet Center in Boston in 2014. File photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI

Her Republican colleagues warned other House members not to be disarmed by her kindly demeanor.

"She can make you smile while you're bleeding," said Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill. "We call that the perfumed ice pick."

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In 1999, Lowey voted against a measure that would have made it a crime for an adult to take a minor across state lines to seek an abortion to avoid the girl having to seek parental permission for the procedure in her home state.

"This bill could throw grandmothers in jail for helping their granddaughters," she said then. Lowey also opposed measures by the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations that would have banned federal funding to organizations worldwide that provided abortions. She said the policies were a "cruel and unprecedented attack on the world's most vulnerable women."

Lowey also worked to secure funding for hurricane recovery victims, to strengthen drunk driving laws and bolster relations between the United States and Israel.

She was married to her husband, Stephen Lowey, for for 64 years. The couple had three children.
A view of the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters at Federal Triangle in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 10, 2014. (EPA/U.S. Government work)

President Donald Trump appointed a former Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives to lead the Environmental Protection Agency region that includes Colorado.

Cyrus Western was appointed EPA Region 8 administrator, leading the Trump administrations environmental agenda in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Region 8 is headquartered in Denver.

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Im grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of the region and foster human health and environmental protection while encouraging sound economic growth, Western said in a statement. As a Wyoming native, I understand some of the unique challenges and opportunities this region faces and am committed to ensuring we meet the needs of the people while implementing the Administrators Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the initiative in February. It highlights his priorities for leading the agency under Trump, including restoring the countrys energy dominance, making the U.S. the artificial intelligence capital of the world, and restoring American auto jobs. Last week, Zeldin announced he will undo more than 30 of the agencys regulations.

I am grateful Cyrus Western is joining EPA as our Regional Administrator for Region 8, Zeldin said in a statement. I know with Cyrus experience in the Wyoming State House of Representatives championing energy and wildlife conservation, he will work non-stop to implement President Trumps policies across the Region.

Cyrus Western

Western led legislation in 2024 that added new requirements for who can bid on state oil and gas lease parcels, a measure supported by the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. The bill came after a conservation group bid on a controversial oil and gas lease that affected a wildlife migration corridor, and the new law bans groups that intend to conserve the parcel from bidding.

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In 2020, Western made national headlines after he posted a racist tweet about Wyomings first Black sheriff. He deleted the post and apologized after he received criticism, calling his post dumb and uncalled for. The Republican Party from his home county censured him in 2023 for his involvement in a political advertisement paid for by a political action committee that was not registered with the state.

Former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives KC Becker led Region 8 under the Biden administration. She is an environmental lawyer from Boulder who worked to increase environmental protections in her time as administrator.

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Photo: Official website of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. In Moscow, following the completion of high-level talks in the presence of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, new cooperation documents were signed, Trend reports.

The cooperation documents include:

- Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the rehabilitation of the territories of the Republic of Tajikistan affected by uranium mining and ore mining operations;

- Agreement between the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the field of industry;

- Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Government of the Russian Federation on the establishment of an Industrial Park in the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan;

- The Strategic Partnership Program between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in the military field for 2026-2030 and the Implementation Plan for 2026-2028;

- Memorandum between the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Tajikistan, the National Bank of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on cooperation in improving the financial literacy of the population;

- Memorandum of Understanding between the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation and the Russian-Tajik Business Council on cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies;

- Agreement between the Executive Body of State Authority of the Khatlon Region of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Government of the Kirov Region of the Russian Federation on the implementation of international and foreign economic relations in the trade, economic, scientific, technical, socio-cultural and humanitarian spheres.

After signing new documents on cooperation, the heads of state Emomali Rahmon and Vladimir Putin held a press conference for a wide range of journalists and made statements on the results of the high-level talks.
Jake Lang is a Florida U.S. Senate candidate who was recently pardoned by President Trump for attacking cops on Jan, 6, 2021 (Photo from Jake Lang Senate campaign)

Could a recent Florida transplant who was charged with beating up cops during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot really have a shot at defeating Ashley Moody in the race for U.S. Senate in 2026?

Jake Lang thinks so.

The soon to be 30-year-old native New Yorker was one of the more than 1,500 people charged with offenses related to the attack on the Capitol who received pardons from President Donald Trump earlier this year, and hes filed paperwork to challenge Moody next year.

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Electing a January Sixer to go back to the Capitol and represent we the people and the constitutional conservatives and a real 1776 patriot is more than just about individual campaign issues, said Lang, who lives in West Palm Beach, in a phone interview with the Phoenix earlier this week.

Its really about a hallmark moment in American history where the old era of Mitch McConnell, uniparty, RINO Republicanism in the Senate is over, and Florida, the most MAGA state in the country, sends a young firebrand to Washington.

Edward Jacob Lang, then living in Newburgh, New York, was arrested on Jan. 16, 2021, and indicted on Jan. 29, 2021. He satin jail for nearly four years awaiting trial on an 11-count indictment for his actions at the Capitol, including charges of assaulting law enforcement with a deadly weapon and engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds.

Those charges evaporated upon Trumps mass pardon on Jan. 20, just hours after he was inaugurated as the countrys 47th president.

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Jan. 6 was the day when free men stood against tyranny, Lang said in response to the federal charges filed against him.

We peacefully protested. We exercised our God-given right to redress a grievance with our government. A stolen election. A fraudulent and rigged election. And we were out there praying in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and singing hymns and waving our American flags and the unspeakable occurred.

The unspeakable, he asserted, was that law enforcement unleashed an attack on those who came out peacefully petitioning their government, replete with pepper ball bullets, tear gas, concussion grenades, and flash bangs.

They basically took what was kindling and threw a match on it and they blamed Jan. 6 and created some sort of false narrative that it was an insurrection. Nobody believed that, he maintained.

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Nobody showed up armed, and after many years of maintaining my integrity and refusing to crumble, even though I spent 900 days in solitary confinement, I never took a plea deal, Lang said  claiming that he saved two lives in the ugly melee that unfolded outside the Capitol (one of those individuals, Phillip Anderson, publicly thanked him on X after he also was released in January).

Attacks on officers

Jake Lang at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Photos from the U.S. Dept. of Justice)

The feds took a different perspective. His indictment includes detailed descriptions of how Lang repeatedly, and strategically, attacked the officers guarding the Capitol with that bat.

The indictment goes on to read: Specifically, he can be seen striking the officers with the bat at the following times: 4:54.58 p.m.; 4:56.30 p.m.; 4:56.44 p.m.; 4:57.13 p.m.; 4:57.15 p.m.; 4:57.21 p.m.; 4:57.26 p.m.; 4:57.32 p.m.; 4:58.06 p.m.; 4:58.29 p.m.; 4:59.10 p.m.; 4:59.32 p.m.; 4:59.49 p.m.; 4:59.51 p.m.; 4:59.54 p.m.; and 4:59.58 p.m.

The U.S. Attorneys Office argued against releasing Lang because of his involvement in establishing a paramilitary group in the days after Jan. 6.

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He also has created a legal defense fund for J6ers that he claims he directed from his prison cell. The Phoenix was able to locate three separate websites Lang is connected to that have been collecting funds for Jan. 6 participants; one purports to have raised nearly $600,000; another claims to have raised nearly $200,000; and a third says that it has raised more than $241,000).

My team and I are basically the figureheads of the Jan 6 movement, he said. Weve gotten lawyers for over 50 Jan 6ers and it was those lawyers and our team of professionals that basically have been liaising with President Trumps team, giving them all of the evidence that they needed, that even people like myself that were charged with violence are not guilty because it was in a self-defense posture and so we were very involved working night and day with people very close to Trump.

DeSantis-Trump 2?

When asked specifically if he thought he has a chance against Moody, the twice-elected Florida attorney general appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in January to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate, Lang said he believes Moody isnt that well known outside of political circles. He referred to a University of North Florida survey published last month that showed that a majority of voters had never heard of her.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody via her Senate webpage

He referred to a potential race against her as round two of the DeSantis-Trump GOP presidential primary of 2023-2024.

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There is the DeSantis camp, which is the RINO establishment uniparty, which is what everyone recognizes his 2024 presidential bid was a betrayal of President Trump and the Make America Great movement. And so, Ashley Moody represents the old school Ron DeSantis/Jeb Bush/Paul Ryan/Mitch McConnell wing of the Republican Party, he said.

He added that his interviews on his Political Prisoner Podcast from his jail cell with MAGA luminaries such as retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former CBS-turned conservative reporter Lara Logan, and conservative gadfly Laura Loomer show that he has MAGA patriots solidly behind him.

The Moody campaign declined to respond to Langs comments.

Aubrey Jewett via UCF.

Aubrey Jewett is a professor of political science at the University of Central Florida. Hes skeptical that Lang will gain much traction in the Republican primary  especially in trying to convince voters that Moody, who long has proclaimed her ardor for Trump  is not a MAGA Republican.

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In the pre-Donald Trump political era, someone who had been convicted of rioting in the Capitol and attacking police officers would in no way ever be considered a serious candidate for Congress by either party but especially Republicans, who are always claiming that law-and-order mantle in support of the police, Jewett said. But here we are.

With so much activity taking place in the first six weeks of the Trump administration, some might forget the outright shock felt by many when Trump pardoned nearly every person convicted of offenses for Jan. 6. Just a week before, Vice-President J.D. Vance had said, If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned.

Jacksonville-area Republican U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, who previously served as Duval County sheriff, told Roll Call before the mass release of Jan. 6 rioters that he did not support releasing those who had been violent with law enforcement.

Im certainly not for an across-the-board pardon of everybody, because theres some violent felons in there, Rutherford told the website. Im a 41-year police officer. You attack a police officer, I want your ass going to jail.

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Jake Hoffman, executive director of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, doesnt take Lang seriously.

Every cycle, both parties have insane candidates with a less than 0% chance of winning enter a race, but they do it anyway. This is one of those cases, he told the Phoenix.

Lake County Commissioner and former GOP state Rep. Anthony Sabatini represented Lang legally for four months but told the Phoenix that he is not involved with his campaign.

Lang would not be the first individual involved with Jan. 6 to run for office in Florida, if in fact he sticks it out through next year.

In 2022, Jeremy Brown, a self-described Oath Keepers member and lauded 20-year U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison on weapons charges related to an investigation into his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 riot, lost a race for state House in District 62 in the Tampa Bay Area against Democrat Michele Rayner. Brown ran his campaign from jail, an obstacle that Lang would not have to encounter.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  The Four Star family of dealerships has much to celebrate after winning numerous awards from Cars.com.

Kelly Strausser, owner, said every award is a testament to her staff.

HotterN Hell nominated as USATodays Best Road Cycling Event

I dont know of any other dealer group in the country that has these kinds of awards. All of these awards are from independent companies that are widely recognized in the automotive industry, Strausser said. To have a small group from Texoma winning across the board  dominating large and small dealers all over the state its an unbelievable testament to our staff who care so much about our customers and work hard to give each person an amazing experience, not just in the short run but also in the long run.

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The awards won by the Four Stars dealership family include:

Four Stars Auto Ranch , Henrietta, TX Texas Chevrolet Dealer of the Year Award for Superior Customer Experience Third consecutive win! Four Stars Auto Ranch General Manager Chris McDonald said, We are privileged and honored to be named the Cars.com #1 Chevrolet Dealer in Texas for the third consecutive year. We pride ourselves on providing a top-notch customer experience. This award isnt about us  this award belongs to all of our customers who helped us achieve this recognition by giving us 5-star reviews about their experience. Thank you to all of our customers!

Four Stars Toyota , Altus, OK Oklahoma Toyota Dealer of the Year Award for Superior Customer Experience Fifth consecutive win! Four Stars Auto Ranch General Manager Chris McDonald said, We are privileged and honored to be named the Cars.com #1 Chevrolet Dealer in Texas for the third consecutive year. We pride ourselves on providing a top-notch customer experience. This award isnt about us  this award belongs to all of our customers who helped us achieve this recognition by giving us 5-star reviews about their experience. Thank you to all of our customers!

Four Stars Ford , Jacksboro, TX Texas Ford Dealer of the Year Award for Superior Customer Experience Four Stars Ford General Manager Floyd Goatcher said, Its been five years in the making, one customer at a time. Patience and great people can move mountains and do amazing things. Out of all my automotive achievements, this proves to be number one and means the most to me. One amazing customer experience at a time can change lives.



Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
Fox News host Trey Gowdy criticized Republicans on Monday for railing against a federal judge who issued a court order blocking the Trump administration from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members under an 18th-century law, noting that conservatives had previously praised this same judge.

So you cant pick and choose what day you like a judge and what day you dont! Gowdy declared during a Fox News appearance.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump kicked off a constitutional showdown with the judicial branch of government when his administration defied a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg on deportation flights set for El Salvador. Despite the judges order that the planes of Venezuelan detainees turn around and return to the United States, the aircraft continued to El Salvador, where a video of the prisoners being shaved and herded into a mega-prison complex was shared by the countrys right-wing president.

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Oopsie  too late, Nayib Bukele boasted on X (formerly Twitter). The White House reshared his post, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally thanked the El Salvadoran leader.

Fox News host Trey Gowdy criticizes Republicans for blasting a federal judge who issued a temporary restraining order on Donald Trump's deportations of Venezuelan migrants, noting they previously praised the same judge. (Fox News)

I think theres clearly irreparable harm here given these folks will be deported, Boasberg said in his order. A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm.

He added: Particularly given the plaintiffs information, unrebutted by the government, that flights are actively departing and planning to depart, I do not believe that Im able to wait any longer. Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States.

According to an executive order quietly signed by Trump on Friday night, the deportations are being carried out under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an obscure maritime law that had only been invoked three times before  and only during times of war. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, meanwhile, denied that the administration defied the order but acknowledged that the White House essentially ignored it. A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil, she said.

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During an appearance on Americas Newsroom, Gowdy  a former federal prosecutor and GOP congressman  pointed out that while he agrees that gang members should be deported period, the issue revolves around the lack of due process and relying on that applies to rival nations in wartime.

I get peoples frustration, he stated. But judges dont make the law. They follow the law. If we have a law from 1798 that deals with foreign countries, how does that apply to a non-nation state that happens to be a criminal gang?

Gowdy was then asked to react to statements put out by Leavitt and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who groused that Boasberg was just another judge deciding policy to benefit foreign gang members and that judges are acting as activists and not arbiters of the law. The Fox News personality, however, felt his former GOP colleagues were being more than a tad hypocritical.

Look, this is the same judge  I think Bill and Dana, if Im right  that ordered the release of 14,000 Hillary Clinton emails, Gowdy told Fox News anchors Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino. This the same judge, if I'm right, that said no you cannot access Donald Trumps tax returns. So you cant pick and choose what day you like a judge and what day you dont!

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Indeed, in September 2016, Boasberg ordered the State Department to release a specific number of emails from Clintons time as Secretary of State before Election Day that year. He also issued a 2017 opinion that said the court lacks the authority to order the IRS to release Trumps tax returns.

Really, if you are mad at the judge, you might want to look at Chuck Grassleys tweet and say maybe Congress ought to update a law from 1798, Gowdy concluded. Really? Thats the best we can do?
Fox News host Trey Gowdy on Sunday served up a Silence of the Lambs-inspired quip to critique the fallout from President Donald Trumps economic agenda.

Ive been watching Silence of the Lambs because its less scary for me than looking at the stock market, Gowdy, a Republican former South Carolina congressman, told Forbes Editor-in-Chief Steve Forbes during a discussion about Trumps tariffs that have, so far at least, tanked the markets.

The president is not relenting on tariffs, but neither are other countries, Gowdy noted, referring to retaliatory measures being put in place by Americas former economic allies and trading partners.

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So, where does that leave us? Gowdy asked.

Forbes advised not to focus too much on the Hannibal aspect of the situation, referring to Anthony Hopkins fictional cannibalistic character Hannibal Lecter in the hit 1991 horror film  a character Trump, incidentally, weirdly loved to heap praise on during his 2024 campaign.

Uncertainty over the on-off, on-off tariffs has seen businesses and individuals pausing their plans and it just underscores the need to pass a big beautiful tax cut bill to get real tailwinds for this economy, Forbes added.

Watch here:

Related...
Ann Arbor Police are seeking the publics help in finding the people who vandalized the home of University of Michigan Provost Laurie McCauley over the weekend.

Police said they were called to the home about 8 a.m. Sunday.

Upon arrival, officers discovered an object had been thrown through a bedroom window, police spokesman Chris Page told the Free Press in an email.

Page said officers also discovered the words Free Palestine, Divest and No Honor in Genocide had been spray painted on the front of the residence.

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More: U-M Gaza protesters must wait to learn if they'll stand trial

More: Protesters target Tesla, Musk at West Bloomfield store: 'Honk if you hate Nazis'

Page said no one was injured in the attack. Investigators said it appears to have happened between 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday.

Its unclear if the home was occupied at the time.

University of Michigan Provost Laurie McCauley speaks at U-M's Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. Her home in Ann Arbor was vandalized over the weekend.

Ann Arbor Police are leading the investigation because the home is off campus. University spokeswoman Kay Jarvis said in a statement the school was aware of the incident and its police department would be assisting in the case.

Anyone with information about the incident, including surveillance video, is asked to contact Ann Arbor police at 734-794-6920 or via email at tips@a2gov.org. Tips also can be submitted through the departments silent witness at aapd.a2gov.org/silentwitness.

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The attack is the latest in a series of efforts targeting university officials related to the Gaza War.

In June, vandals targeted the Southfield law office of U-M Regent Jordan Acker, who is Jewish.

In that case, vandals used red and black paint to deface the firms sign with phrases that included "Free Palestine," "Divest now," "F*** You Acker" and "UM Kills." The vandals also left red handprints on the doors.

In December, vandals again targeted Acker, this time at his Huntington Woods home. In that case, spraying antisemitic graffiti and smashing a window of his home with a jar of urine.

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Acker, his wife and three children were sleeping in the home at the time.

U-M's campus has seen lengthy, loud protests related to the conflict, some of which have prompted felony charges.

The school also has faced civil rights complaints from Jewish and Muslim advocates. Both groups claim the school has violated their rights under Title VI, a federal law prohibiting educational institutions that receive federal funding from discriminating based on race, color or national origin.

Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Vandals spray paint, break windows on home of U-M provost
March 17 (UPI) -- A French lawmaker says the United States should return New York's Statue of Liberty because America now sides with "tyrants."

"We're going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty,'" Raphael Glucksmann, a member and founder of France's Place Publique party, said Sunday at a political party convention.

He said America no longer encapsulates the values that "Lady Liberty" represents.

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"We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it," he added. "So, it will be just fine here at home."

The statement came amid sweeping layoffs and other firings by the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency in a number of federal agencies and departments.

That was coupled with President Donald Trump's embrace of dictators like Russia's President Vladimir Putin and open hostility to Ukrainians during a contentious Oval Office meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The second thing we're going to say to the Americans is: If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world's leading power, then we're going to welcome them," Glucksmann, 45, said of the wave of mass firings and workers' potential emigration to France.

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Glucksmann previously was married to former Georgian and Ukrainian politician Eva Zguladze.

On Monday, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt called Glucksmann a "low-level politician" and claimed that thanks to U.S. intervention in World War II, "the French are not speaking German right now."
A French member of the European Parliament has taken a bold swipe at the United States under President Donald Trump and called for the return of the Statue of Liberty, which France gave to America and has since become a symbol of freedom and democracy worldwide.

Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Raphael Glucksmann told supporters of his center-left Place Publique party on Sunday.

We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home, he continued of the iconic landmark that was dedicated in New York Harbor in 1886 to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Rendez-nous la statue de la Liberte ! : la demande de Raphael Glucksmann aux Americains pic.twitter.com/B6p1WHIG6w  LCI (@LCI) March 17, 2025

Glucksmann also had a mesage for the U.S.-based scientists who have been hit by Trump-enabled billionaire Elon Musks gutting of federally backed research programs via the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

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If you want to fire your best researchers  those who, through their freedom, innovation, and pursuit of knowledge, helped make your country the worlds leading power  then were going to welcome them, Glucksmann declared.

Raphael Glucksmann sur les chercheurs americains: "nous allons les accueillir (...) nous serons le pays des scientifiques" pic.twitter.com/1snOgAbPNP  BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 16, 2025

Related...
A French politician is requesting the U.S. return the Statue of Liberty in the wake of President Donald Trumps policies that appear to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Raphael Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament, made the remarks at a convention of the Place Publique center-left movement Sunday.

"Give us back the Statue of Liberty," said Glucksmann, according to Agence France-Presse. "We're going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty.

A French official is now calling for the return of the Statue of Liberty after 140 years (Getty Images)

France gifted the statue, which stands at 305 feet tall and weighs 450,000 lbs, to the U.S. on July 4, 1884, to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The sculpture, created by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, currently sits on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. There is a replica of the statue in the Seine river in Paris.

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The U.S. likely would not have won the Revolutionary War had it not been for financial backing from the European nation. The U.S. did not return the favor when the French Revolution began in 1789.

Glucksmann, a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, is a staunch supporter of Ukraine.

Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office and suggested Ukraine started the war even though Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Zelensky was ultimately asked to leave the White House last month following the meeting.

"We gave it to you as a gift, Glucksmann continued, citing the United States founding values of freedom and liberty. But apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.

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During a White House briefing Monday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. would absolutely not send the statue back to France.

We gave it to you as a gift, Glucksmann continued, citing the United States founding values of freedom and liberty, Raphael Glucksmann said. But apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. would absolutely not send the statue back to France (AFP via Getty Images)

My advice to that unnamed, low-level French politician would be to remind them that its only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now. So they should be very grateful, added Leavitt, pointing to U.S. military assistance during World War II after Nazi Germany seized France.

Glucksmann concluded his remarks by stating France would welcome top researchers who had been fired in the cuts to the National Institutes of Health and similar organizations.

"The second thing we're going to say to the Americans is: 'If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world's leading power, then we're going to welcome them.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. Israeli army launched new strikes on the headquarters of the Hezbollah Radwan special forces in Lebanon, the Israeli army press service said in a statement, Trend reports.

According to the information, the strikes also hit buildings belonging to Hezbollah.

The Israeli military noted that "the presence of such terrorist facilities [in the area] is a gross violation of the ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon."
A French European parliament member quipped over the weekend that the U.S. should return the Statue of Liberty to France after President Donald Trump decided to side with the tyrants against Ukraine.

Raphael Glucksmann, a a member of the European Parliament and co-president of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, a small left-wing party in France, suggested in a speech Sunday that the U.S. was no longer worthy of the gift it received from France in the 1880s.

Glucksmann accused Trump and other Americans of choosing to switch to the side of the tyrants.

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Give us back the Statue of Liberty, he joked. It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us.

Glucksmanns comments came after the administration suspended aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine to speed up negotiations to end the war, which started in Feb. 2022 when Russian launched its invasion.

The U.S. later resumed intelligence sharing and security support amid productive talks on a ceasefire proposal.

Glucksmann also alluded to the current administrations immigration policies, by referencing New York poet Emma Lazarus words about the statue, the mighty woman with a torch who welcomed the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

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Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was, he said.

Trumps White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dismissed Glucksmanns demand Monday, describing him as an unnamed low-level French politician who should be grateful he isnt speaking German, a reference to the Nazis invasion of the country during World War 2.

Glucksmanns request is unlikely to be granted.

UNESCO, the United Nations organization that includes the statue on list of World Heritage sites, says the statue belongs to the U.S. government.

It was transported to the U.S. in 350 pieces in 1885 and was officially unveiled Oct. 28, 1886.

_____
Senate Democrats are bracing for a painful post-mortem as they try to avoid a September rerun of their latest government funding defeat.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and nine of his members helped get a House GOP-authored government funding bill to the finish line, saying a vote to advance legislation they loathed was the least bad option. The alternative, they argued, was allowing a shutdown that could empower President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to accelerate their slashing of the federal bureaucracy.

This was the first time since the start of Trumps second administration that the party had real leverage to fight the president, as Republicans needed Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster. Democrats could have refused to put up those votes to avert a shutdown, but Schumer folded instead. This gambit is now raising internal questions about how Democrats will handle the next shutdown deadline at the end of September  and how they can avoid the same result.

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Schumers strategy exposed major fissures within the party, marking for many of his members a disappointing retreat. Its also raised questions among some Democrats about whether its time for the New Yorker to step aside  though no senators have publicly embraced those calls.

We should do a retrospective, said Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Asked whether his party lost some of its clout by acquiescing to the GOPs funding bill, Gallego said: That was my concern.

Senate Democrats have already started discussing privately how to avoid getting rolled again. They bet this month that House Republicans would never be able to pass a stopgap funding bill without Democratic support, and Democrats hoped they could leverage that failure into a bipartisan deal. That assumption backfired when Speaker Mike Johnson called their bluff, sending the Senate a funding patch that passed the House with only one Republican opposing it.

We were just talking about that, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said when asked how the party will pursue the next funding fight. Weve got to come up with a plan.

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Some Democrats are now afraid that they inadvertently gave Republicans a playbook for government funding fights in the future: Cut Democrats out of the negotiations, muscle legislation through the House with only GOP votes and bet they can jam the Senate. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) pointed to that possibility as he laid out his frustrations after the Senate cleared the funding measure Friday night, warning that Democrats set a really dangerous precedent and questioned why would Republicans work with us going forward.

This isn't the first time Democrats have found themselves divided as they learn how to navigate the return of the Trump era. But with a second funding battle looming, not to mention a potential brawl over the debt ceiling, Democrats are warning that they need to quickly find a foothold that unites their caucus and its disparate voices while also delivering results.

Democrats say they need to have a blunt conversation about how much political risk they are willing to absorb to fight Trump, including blocking unrelated legislation or symbolic opposition to nominees. Some Democratic senators are floating holding a series of rallies and town halls to try to build public support for opposing Trump.

I think our caucus needs to work through how we are going to coordinate a common message and approach, said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.).

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Senate Democrats spent a lot of time last week agonizing over how to handle the government funding fight in closed-door meetings; some became so heated that senators could be heard shouting in the Capitol hallways. Schumer gave his colleagues room to air their grievances, which included complaints about the lack of a clear strategy. But he also encouraged them to not outwardly lean into a shutdown threat in the lead-up to the House vote that he hoped would fail.

Many Democratic senators were frank in the final days before the vote that they were barreling toward a lose-lose situation. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) called the two choices Democrats faced  supporting the House GOP bill or driving the government into a shutdown  full of despair.

A Senate Democratic aide, granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said there was a very clear split in strategy between Schumer and other senior Democrats ahead of Fridays vote. The aide said that there needs to be a reset heading into the funding fight this fall.

The leverage point still exists, the aide added. Its just a matter of using it.

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Meanwhile, Republicans have been gloating over Schumers missteps. The Democratic leader warned from the Senate floor last week that the House bill did not have the votes to advance in his chamber, only to say the next day that he would help get it over a 60-vote procedural hurdle. Several Republican senators and even Trump complimented him for helping advance the funding bill, even as he ultimately opposed it on passage vote.

Schumer has defended his strategy, arguing that as leader of the caucus he has to make politically painful decisions to protect both his members and the country from what he viewed as a worse alternative: The possibility of a prolonged shutdown with Trump and Musk in the driver's seat. Schumer privately warned his members ahead of last weeks vote that if the government shut down there was not a clear offramp out of one, and that Republicans could potentially try to cherry pick which parts of the government to reopen.

Schumer, in a sit-down with reporters last week, acknowledged that Republicans could try to jam them again in September. But Schumer said hes betting that Trumps actions and policies will make him less popular, which could splinter congressional Republicans in the coming months and give Democrats a decent chance at more leverage heading into September negotiations. Other Democratic senators indicated they feel similarly.

With the failed Trump economic policies, with a market that continues to wobble at best  I think a lot of this is going to start bubbling up, said Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).

Katherine Tully-McManus, Lisa Kashinsky and Hailey Fuchs contributed to this report.
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A Georgia state Senator is asking for the states Insurance Commissioner to investigate whether major insurance companies are using affiliate companies they own to hide profits.

State Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes sent a letter to Insurance Commissioner John King asking that his office undertake a comprehensive investigation into Georgias insurance market.

Working families cannot continue to afford rising premiums, and we need to find out what the real cause of these rising premiums are, and whether or not its because insurance companies are running a shell game, Islam Parkes told Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray.

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The letter comes after the release this month in the state of Florida of an analysis ordered by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation back in 2022.

The report examined the relationship between many insurance companies in Florida and affiliate companies they own and use to provide everything from accounting and underwriting to claims investigation.

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Republicans and Democrats last week in a Florida House of Representatives hearing expressed concerns about the findings that indicated that insurance companies in Florida may be using those affiliates to hide profits as they raise rates.

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Our purpose today is to find out if insurance companies have been allegedly ripping us off ripping the citizens of Florida off, said Florida Republican state Rep. Mike Caruso.

The Florida report found that while the insurance companies they examined claimed losses of $432 million, their affiliate companies made $1.8 billion in income.

I think wed be fools to think similar practices arent happening in the state of Georgia, Islam Parkes said.

In his response letter, King said his office regulates those agreements between insurance companies and their affiliates and that the review of these agreements is performed on a case-by-case basis to determine what is fair and reasonable.

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In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, Kings office says affiliate agreements in Georgia require prior approval by the Insurance Commissioner before going into effect and require regular review.

The statement also said Georgias market is different than Floridas, with fewer affiliate companies.

Floridas insurance market presents unique challenges which are not prevalent in Georgia. Specifically, due to the prevalence of intense natural disasters in the state, many if not most of the larger insurers seek to form a state-specific insurer in Florida. In the Georgia property marketplace, most larger insurers operate under the national corporate structure, with premiums paid directly to the national insurer, rather than through that of a subsidiary and then through to the parent insurer, an Insurance Commissioner spokesperson wrote.

Rising insurance costs in Georgia are one of the main reasons Gov. Brian Kemp has cited for pushing for tort reform this legislative session.

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As a small business owner for 40 years now, Ive seen it in my own escalating insurance costs. Insurers that are pulling out of the marketplace so that people cant have access to insurance even if they have the ability to pay for it. So, we are simply trying to stabilize the market, Kemp said.

But Islam Parkes counters there should be more data about those insurance companies' fee structures before any laws are changed.

What are the reasons that auto insurance, homeowners' insurance is going up? We need to make sure that these insurance companies are not taking advantage of Georgians, Islam Parkes said.
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The US wants countries impacted by trade disruptions from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea to take action against the militia after US President Donald Trump ordered military strikes against the group, a top US intelligence official said.

Our country and other countries should not be in a position to reroute commerce going through that area simply because of the threat that exists, Tulsi Gabbard, US director of national intelligence, said in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV during her visit to New Delhi.

Trump has taken decisive steps to combat the issue and we will look to other affected countries, as there are many impacted by this, to similarly take action, Gabbard said.

The US president on Saturday ordered military airstrikes against sites in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, killing at least 31 people.

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India was among the countries affected by the Houthi piracy attacks in the Red Sea, which is a major route for trade with Europe. Repeated attacks by the Houthis had forced several countries and shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea and go around southern Africa, a costlier option.

Gabbard is in New Delhi this week to attend the Raisina Dialogue, an annual security and geopolitical conference, which this year includes speakers like New Zealands prime minister and Ukraines foreign minister. Gabbard met with Indias defense minister and will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her visit.

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U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 18 to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal. Putin claimed Russia would pause attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days, but did not commit to a broader ceasefire.

Russia has declined to immediately accept the 30-day ceasefire proposal, with the Kremlin pointing out that Ukraine stands to benefit more from the halt in military action.

Putin demanded that Kyiv first halt mobilization, military training, and foreign aid deliveries before Russia would consider halting military action.

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According to experts, a month-long ceasefire would benefit both sides, allowing the warring parties to replenish and regroup their forces.

The battlefield situation, however, is developing worse for Ukraine than for Russia. Following Ukrainian troops' withdrawal from the town of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast, experts who spoke with the Kyiv Independent said that Kyiv had a greater need for a pause in military action.

"Russia can regroup as well, but because Ukraine's problems are so much centered on questions of manpower and Russia has more blood to spare, I think it is more urgent for Ukraine to replenish some understaffed front-line brigades and therefore, the ceasefire could benefit them more," Sascha Bruchmann, a military analyst at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, told the Kyiv Independent.

Kyiv could also get a respite from Moscow's missile and drone attacks, which have been more devastating than Ukrainian retaliatory strikes deep inside Russia.

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Read also: Conditions for Ukraines surrender  Why Putins demands for ceasefire make no sense

Who would benefit from a ceasefire on the ground?

Following talks in Jeddah on March 11, Kyiv said it had agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Washington, provided that Russia did as well.

On March 13, Putin said Russia was ready to agree to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire with Ukraine but then followed up with a list of demands that Kyiv and Washington must accommodate in order for Moscow to proceed with peace talks.

The topic of a potential ceasefire is first on the list of the upcoming Trump-Putin phone call scheduled for March 18.

Meanwhile, both Ukraine and Russia have experienced problems with manpower and equipment.

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Russia has been on the offensive in Donetsk Oblast since 2023, with its advance bogging down over the past month and Ukrainian troops even making gains near the towns of Toretsk and Pokrovsk.

Ukraine, however, has faced setbacks in Russia's Kursk Oblast, losing the key town of Sudzha and withdrawing closer to the border.

Peter Layton, a military expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said that "both sides would try to rearm during a ceasefire and rush supplies forward to the front line."

"Ukraine was suffering from Russia's manpower advantages, especially in Kursk (Oblast)."

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Federico Borsari, a defense expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis, also argued that "the ceasefire would be beneficial for both sides, given the issues and problems both Ukrainian and Russian forces face."

However, Ukraine would still gain a bit more from a potential ceasefire.

Borsari said that a ceasefire "will allow much-needed (Ukrainian) unit rotations in key sectors of the front line (Sumy-Kursk, Lyman, etc), train new forces, strengthen defenses, and resupply units along the front lines."

Ukrainian military vehicles driving past the border crossing point into Russia's Kursk Oblast from neighboring Sumy Oblast, Ukraine on Aug. 13, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

"Ukraine was suffering from Russia's manpower advantages, especially in Kursk (Oblast), and as the two sides seem to be on a relative technological parity in the use of tactical drones, a ceasefire gives Ukraine time to carefully assess the situation on the front line, establish more anti-drone countermeasures, and train new forces," he added.

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"Russia was advancing in Kursk (Oblast), so a ceasefire may be detrimental to any potential attempt to advance in (bordering) Sumy (Oblast) by exploiting Ukrainian vulnerabilities in that localized area."

Meanwhile, Bruchmann said that "there is an overriding political imperative, so the ceasefire approval in principle is good for Ukraine as it reinvigorates the U.S.-Ukraine weapons and intelligence partnership."

"Everything else pales in comparison," he added.

But in some areas of the front a ceasefire could favor Russia more than Ukraine at the moment.

"In recent days, Ukrainian forces have managed to regain sizeable chunks of territory near Toretsk while also stopping Russian advances southwest of Pokrovsk," Borsari argued.

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"Russian forces in these areas were becoming overstretched and lacked sufficient mechanized support to continue their assaults. A ceasefire, therefore, would be more beneficial for Russia in this specific sector."

Read also: Ukrainian drones strike deeper into Russia, aiming to break war machine, sow discontent

Ukraine would benefit from a ceasefire in the sky

Meanwhile, Ukraine would clearly benefit from a halt in Russia's air assaults and bombardments, analysts say.

Russia has been attacking Ukraine's entire territory with drones and missiles on a daily basis. As a result, a large part of Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

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Ukraine has retaliated, striking deep into Russia with drones of its own making and attacking border regions with foreign-provided missiles. Although Ukraine has caused damage to refineries, ammunition depots, and troops, the impact has been less devastating than that of Russian attacks on Ukraine.

The foreign-provided missiles are also running out.

"While Ukraine's long-range strike campaign against Russian bases and infrastructure has had some significant effects, especially in forcing Russian forces to distribute their assets in less efficient ways, it is undeniable that the impact of Russia's long-range strike campaign on Ukrainian society, industry, and the military has been greater," Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, told the Kyiv Independent.

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire at the site of a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 20, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

People receive help after missile debris, preliminarily identified as Kinzhal, fell in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 20, 2024. (Vlada Liberova/Libkos/Getty Images)

"This is due to the far greater strike weight, especially in terms of heavier cruise and ballistic missiles, that Russian forces can generate. Therefore, any ceasefire agreement covering long-range strikes and aerial glide bomb attacks would almost certainly be more advantageous for Ukraine than for Russia  assuming all other factors remain equal."

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Borsari argued that "Ukraine would be able to significantly replenish its air-defense interceptors stocks and repair critical energy infrastructure, though Russia can also restock its missile arsenal for newer attacks."

Erik Stijnman, a military expert at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael), said that "both air forces do not have air superiority, let alone air supremacy over the contested battlespace."

"Removing the glide bomb out of the equation will probably benefit the Ukrainians a bit more," he added. "Although enforcing a ceasefire for air assets should be achievable, restricting or enforcing the use of drones is very difficult, as it is to attribute the use of drones to one of the parties."

However, Russia could also need a respite from Ukrainian drone attacks.

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"What Ukraine's strike campaign has done is to significantly drive up the costs of aggression for Russia," Fabian Hoffman, a defense policy expert at the Oslo Nuclear Project, told the Kyiv Independent.

"The effectiveness of the strike campaigns has varied on both sides, so has their impact. At times, Ukraine's campaign was likely more effective, while at other times Russia's was."

Read also: Ukraine struggles to hold on in Kursk Oblast as Russia strikes back before peace talks

Black Sea question

In the Black Sea, meanwhile, the ceasefire would give Russia some breathing room.

Ukraine has successfully targeted Russian warships with drones and missiles, pushing them out of large parts of the Black Sea. One of Ukraine's most spectacular successes was the sinking of Russia's flagship cruiser Moskva in 2022.

Ukraine's victories have allowed it to launch a corridor in the Black Sea in 2023 to ship its grain and other agricultural products.

Bruchmann said that "on the seas, (a ceasefire) might favor Russia slightly."

"I think the Russians failed to seize the initiative in the Black Sea for some time," he said. "Their navy is boxed in and did not find a solution against Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), which seem to have become more lethal and versatile."

Meanwhile, Borsari said that "overall, the ceasefire would not bring any significant change in the Black Sea."

"In the Black Sea, we have seen a progressive decrease in Ukrainian attacks against Russian naval assets due to Russia's adaptation and decision to move most of its assets further away and outside the reach of Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles," he added. "Ukraine has used USVs and motherships with first-person view drones (FPVs) to destroy a few valuable air-defense systems."

"This would benefit both parties, but probably Ukraine more, as it has access to one route."

Stijnman said that "looking at operational advantages, a ceasefire on the sea will probably be the easiest to enforce, allowing the unhindered use of sealines of communications."

A Ukrainian Maritime Guard inspection group prepares to board a cargo ship in the northwestern Black Sea on Dec. 18, 2023, amid the Russian invasion. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

"This would benefit both parties, but probably Ukraine more, as it has access to one route," he added.

The prospects for a ceasefire at sea, in the air, and on land remain unclear, but both Ukraine and Russia could see it as an opportunity.

"Both parties will need to prepare for the next phase, whatever it will be," Stijnman said.

"The advent of ceasefire negotiations, ceasefires, and peace negotiations will create a window of opportunity to (re)gain a more advantageous position over the other (side), either in a defensive, offensive, or stabilizing operation framework."

"The difficulty with any ceasefire, however, is that all parties are unsure to what extent the other party will commit to the agreements made," he added.

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Gas pumps around Washington could be giving different amounts of fuel than what you paid for

Have you ever wondered if your gas pump is really giving you the amount of fuel youre paying for?

Here in Washington, the Weights and Measures program under the Department of Agriculture monitors that. Their job as inspectors is to check the accuracy, safety, and quality of each gas pump across the state.

Gas pumps are not their only task. They also check grocery store scales, highway weigh-stations, and any other commercial use scale in the state.

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We found most gas stations in the Puget Sound area arent checked regularly due to a shortage of pump inspectors, according to Weights and Measures program manager, Tahis McQueen.

Because we are short-staffed, we have not been able to make those inspections in that timely 18-month time frame, McQueen said.

There are 1,055 gas stations across King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. Those stations are supposed to be inspected every two years or less, per state law.

KIRO 7 requested the gas station inspection reports for 2023-2024. We received 75 reports.

Out of those 75 reports, 26 of them showed the pumps had an issue with useability and fill accuracy.

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Summed up, only 7% of the countys gas stations have been inspected in the past two years and 1/3 of the ones that have been inspected failed.

Its easy to spot when a pump has been last inspected. Each pump at every station should have a sticker on it that has a hole-punched month and year.

KIRO 7 found many pumps across the three Puget Sound counties that had no sticker at all.

According to the reports, many stations have not been recently inspected. If the sticker date goes back more than a few years, its possible whats on this screen doesnt match whats going into your tank. Pump errors are possible due to lack of accountability with few inspections happening.

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Here in Western Washington, we know every penny matters when it comes to buying a full tank.

If theyre above or below the zero marker, we have a tolerance of six cubic inches in either direction, McQueen said.

Six cubic inches comes out to be a little less than half a cup of gas.

Reports show some pumps are giving up to two whole cups less than what the customer paid for.

At the same time, other gas stations are giving more gas than paid for.

Either way, whats in your tank doesnt match whats coming out of your wallet.

75 stations were inspected from 2023-2024. 26 of them failed the test due to calibration accuracy requirements. Out of the 26, 14 stations were giving gas away, benefitting the consumer, while 12 of them were not giving people what they paid for.

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McQueen tells us the gas station operators are likely not doing this on purpose.

Its usually a problem with the actual meter its not tampering or anything like that, McQueen said.

But on the chance your favorite gas station fails an inspection, there are checks and balances.

If theres a problem with the accuracy of the meter, they will write the station up telling them what the issue was as far as accuracy goes and give them 30 days to get that fixed, McQueen said.

After that deadline, the state is then required to go back to that station and make sure the issue was resolved.

Below is a list of each gas station that was inspected from 2023-2024 in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. This information was given to KIRO 7 via a request to the Washington Weights and Measures Department. We asked them for all reports from those two years in those three counties.

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If the gas station had an issue with a pump, the inspector flagged the problem and often issues the station a fine and a charge to fix the problem within a month. The statistics below represent inspection results from specific days in 2023-2024, they do not represent if the gas station currently has a calibration or system issue.

Passed: Chevron, 11122 Steele Street S Lakewood WA 98499

Passed: 76, 2601 N Stevens St Tacoma WA 98407

Passed: Safeway, 11501 Canyon Rd E Puyallup WA 98373

Passed: Chevron, 1772 S 72nd St, Tacoma, WA 98408

Passed: Safeway, 2735 N Pearl St Tacoma WA 98407

Passed: Shell, 801 S Hill Park Dr, Puyallup, WA 98373

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Passed: 76, 8817 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98444

Passed: ARCO, 401 Ellingson Rd, Pacific, WA 98047

Passed: Chevron, 2626 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA

Passed: Shell, 24821 NE Redmond Fall City Rd Redmond WA 98053

Passed: 7/11, 22422 83rd Ave Kent WA 98032

Passed: Pacific Pride, 22429 SE 231St Maple Valley WA 98038

Passed: ARCO, 1537 Duvall Ave NE Renton WA 98059

Passed: Chevron, 601 Stevens Pass Hwy Sultan WA 98294

Passed: Chevron, 502 W Stanley St Granite Falls WA 98252

Abnormal: Chevron, 19923 International Blvd SeaTac WA 98188

Abnormal: Shell, 24821 NE Redmond Fall City Rd Redmond WA 98053

Abnormal: ARCO, 13055 NE 70th Pl Kirkland WA 98033

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Abnormal: Garrys on Pearl, 4601 N Pearl St Tacoma WA 98407

Abnormal: Chevron, 6701 6th Ave Tacoma WA 98406

Abnormal: Fred Meyer, 33702 21st Ave SE Federal Way WA 98023

Abnormal: 76, 719 91st Ave NE Lake Stevens WA 98258

Abnormal: Shell, 6410 state route 92 lake Stevens WA 98258

Abnormal: Shell, 6410 state route 92 lake Stevens WA 98258
Generation Z are giving up on work, a new study suggests, with almost four in 10 considering leaving their job and ending up on benefits.

PwC warned that a generation of workers were now in danger of permanently drifting out of the jobs market, and identified mental health conditions as a major driver of youth worklessness.

It said economic inactivity, where people are neither in work nor looking for a job, was on course to rise further, with 4.4m workers  one in 10 of the overall workforce  now on the brink of leaving the labour market.

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In a stark warning, the big four accountancy firm, which employs roughly 26,000 people in the UK, also said many employers were wary of taking on people who had been out of work for an extended period.

Concerns are rising over the number of young people condemned to a life on benefits as Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, prepares to unveil a major overhaul of sickness and disability payments this week in the face a likely backbench rebellion.

PwC said: Younger workers  aged 18 to 24  are particularly at risk, with mental health a major driver.

It added that 37pc had considered in the last 12 months leaving their jobs.

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Almost 2.8m people are economically inactive because they say they are too sick to work.

While the rate of inactivity has declined from its peak last year, worklessness among under-35s has proved more stubborn, according to PwC, with an increasing proportion out of work because of long-term sickness.

PwCs poll of 4,000 people found that those aged between 18-24 were 40pc more likely to cite concerns with mental health compared with older respondents.

The UK remains the only G7 country with fewer people in work now than before the Covid lockdowns in 2020.

Ms Kendall will unveil full details of the planned cuts on Tuesday, with expected savings of between 5bn and 6bn a year.

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Personal Independence Payments (Pip) have been targeted for most of the savings, with changes to eligibility and a reduction in the highest payments set to be unveiled.

A move to freeze the current level of Pip this April, in what would have amounted to a real terms cut, has been dropped amid fears of the biggest rebellion of Sir Keir Starmers premiership.

But Labour MPs critical of the cuts are warning Downing Street that they must water down the package further if they are to avoid a public showdown over the plans.

Rachael Maskell, the Labour MP for York Central, said: It is not too late to change these possible proposals.

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The Government must now go out to talk to the experts who are impacted by them as well as people like occupational therapists, to make sure people are being protected and wont fall further into poverty.

Im hearing from my constituents that they are very concerned and distressed about the plans.

A second Labour MP said the apparent about-turn on the Pip freeze had only brought the Government temporary breathing room, adding: The opposition inside the party will now move on to other aspects of the cuts.

The source said: The Cabinet needs to do its job and tell them Rachel Reeves is out of order.

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But No10 is holding firm, with one insider making clear the package has been approved by the key ministers and will now not change.

Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, on Sunday said that the welfare benefits system would be unsustainable and unaffordable if savings were not made.

He also said in his BBC One interview that there had been an overdiagnosis in mental health conditions, adding that too many people [are] being written off.

Labour is attempting to frame the reforms as living up to its party names belief in the power of work, arguing the current welfare system is failing to help people get back into employment.

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Marco Amitrano, a senior partner at PwC said its survey of 4,000 people revealed some hard truths.

He said: The UK has an excessive number of adults who are neither in work nor actively looking for work, eclipsing the number of unemployed by six to one.

As well as a major societal problem, economic inactivity acts as a constant handbrake on growth. While the issue is rightly attracting strong attention, understanding of how to tackle it is weak.

Mr Amitrano said there was a widespread reluctance among businesses to take a chance on people they felt may not have the right skills for the job.

As many as a third of employers said they linked economic inactivity with people gaming the system.

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He said: Businesses told us they are wary of recruiting people who have been out of the workforce for a long time  with skills and experience gaps being a particular concern. But it is equally true that businesses want to stop talented workers from leaving.

PwC called for more support to stop people from drifting out of the workforce, particularly from small and medium companies.

Business groups have already warned that a combination of increases in the minimum wage and the workers rights bill championed by Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, mean companies are more likely to hire experienced staff and pass over young workers.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17. The US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce has commented on the situation with regard to dismantling the Voice of America and other government-funded media outlets worldwide, Trend reports.

"What I can tell you with all the aspects that are happening in this shift is that it's a fluid situation. And I look forward to watching it unfold, as you do. I know you're all reporters, and some reporters here in the bullpen have been affected. But the fact of the matter is that this is serious business. It's the business of government using taxpayer dollars. So, the same standard applies here. And, of course, it's just happened. I look forward to seeing how this unfolds. But right now, it's new. It's a fluid situation. And we'll have more for you as it unfolds," she said during a briefing.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to eliminate seven additional federal agencies, including the one overseeing Voice of America and other government-funded media outlets worldwide.

The order specifically affects the US Agency for Global Media, which funds media outlets such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia.

Additionally, the order mentions the US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which is the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries in the US.

Trump directed the heads of these agenciesmostly lesser-known organizations dealing with labor mediation and homelessness preventionto eliminate any functions not mandated by law. According to the order, their activities and staffing levels should be reduced to the minimum necessary for fulfilling the legal functions assigned to them.
The very private Gene Hackman will be allowed to retain some of that privacy posthumously, at least for a few more weeks.

Almost three weeks after the two-time Oscar winner and spouse Betsy Arakawa were discovered dead at their Santa Fe home, a New Mexico judge Monday granted their estates request to seal medical records. As well, Judge Matthew Wilson has sealed all police photos and video footage of the couples bodies and one of their dogs when they were found February 26.

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Suffering from Alzheimers and heart disease, the 95-year-old Hackman is assumed to have died on or about February 18, according to New Mexico authorities. That was almost a week after 63-year-old Arakawa is said to have died as a result in part of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a disease primarily spread by rodents feces, as state medical officials and Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza revealed.

Unlike what occurred in the immediate aftermath of the January 2020 helicopter crash death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna with photographs of the wreckage and the bodies passed around for days by cops and others, Wilson today ordered the potentially gruesome details of what was discovered in the Hackmans secluded home to be kept out of the public eye. That order follows a filing last week from Julia Peters of the Hackman estate to respect the couples exemplary private life and constitutional rights.

Today, Wilson wrote the Office of the Medical Investigator and the Sante Fe Sheriffs office including each entities agents, assigns, and employees are hereby temporarily restrained from disclosing through IPRA or other means, any, and all photographs or videos containing images of the following:

The body of Gene Hackman The body of Betsy Arakawa-Hackman The interior of the [MJW] Mr. and Mrs. Hackmans residence Any Label footage that includes Mr. or Mrs. Hackmans bodies Any Label footage that includes images of any deceased animals at the Hackman residence

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Additionally, even with that quite vivid press conference of earlier this month, the Medical Investigator is temporarily restrained from disclosing through IPRA or any other means means [MJW] the Autopsy Reports and/or Death Investigation Reports for Mr. and Mrs. Hackman.

The Santa Fe County Sheriffs office, which had basically asserted this matter was nearly wrapped up two weeks ago, did not respond to request for comment from Deadline on todays order.

A hearing is set in Wilsons courtroom for March 31 for the police and the University of New Mexico, which runs the Office of the Medical Investigator, to argue why the now sealed images and information should not be permanently kept under wraps.

The case does reflect some conflicting legal and ethical headwinds for the state, the estate and the court. Traditionally, the availability of such material as images of dead bodies and medical info is not released into the public sphere in New Mexico. However, because Arakawa is believed to have passed away suddenly due to Hantavirus that she could have picked up from rat or mice droppings, there is a public health and safety element to her medical records.

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Usually, with others potentially at risk, such information is made public under New Mexicos Inspection of Public Records Act  but not here, at least not now.

On March 7, New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell was open about what had gone down in the Hackmans home in late February.

The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, aged 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimers disease as a significant contributory factor, Jarrell explained outside the county administrative building, noting the long-ailing French Connection star had likely starved to death without the presence of his sole caregiver Arakawa to help him. Autopsy examination and a full-body post-mortem CT examination demonstrated no acute findings of internal or external trauma, and showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks and severe changes of the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure.

Having retired from Hollywood after 2004s Welcome to Mooseport, The Royal Tenenbaums patriarch Hackman won Oscars for The French Connection (1971) and Clint Eastwoods Unforgiven (1992). In a career spanning four decades, Hackman was Oscar-nominated for his performances in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970) and Mississippi Burning (1988).

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Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills - Credit: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage/Getty Images

A New Mexico judge is blocking, at least temporarily, the release of any photos or video showing the partially mummified bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa-Hackman after the actor and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home last month.

The new order from Judge Matthew J. Wilson lasts until a hearing on the matter set for March 31. It specifically bars the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office and the states medical examiner from fulfilling any public-records requests seeking photos or officer lapel video footage showing either of the couples bodies or the interior of their residence in Santa Fe. It also prohibits the release of any autopsy or death-investigation reports, or any bodycam footage showing any deceased animals at the Hackman residence.

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The judge said state and county officials should appear at the March 31 hearing in person if they plan to argue that a permanent injunction against release of the material should not be issued.

Julia Peters, who represents the couples estate, is behind the push to seal the records on privacy grounds. She has cited Hackmans discreet and exemplary private life, his familys constitutionally protected right to grieve privately, and the gruesome nature of the photographs and bodycam footage recorded when police entered the home.

While New Mexico law typically blocks the dissemination of potentially sensitive images of citizens deaths as well as medical records, the nature of Arakawas death  her main cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory disease usually transmitted by mice  could potentially present a public-health concern and thus be available under the states Inspection of Public Records Act.

At a March 7 press conference, officials said they believed Arakawa, 65, died first, possibly as early as Feb. 11, the last day she was seen alive. They said Hackman, 95, succumbed to heart disease and advanced Alzheimers disease, most likely days or even a week later, on Feb. 18. They said Hackman was in such an advanced state of Alzheimers that it was quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased.

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TBILISI, Georgia (AP)  A court in Georgia on Monday handed another prison sentence to former President Mikheil Saakashvili, extending his total imprisonment to 12 years, in a verdict that he denounced as illegal.

Saakashvili, who served as Georgias president from 2004-2013, had previously been sentenced on charges of abuse of power and embezzlement that he and his defense have rejected as politically motivated.

On Monday, the court sentenced him to four years and six months on charges of illegal border crossing. With his previous sentences accumulated, he now has to serve 12 years and six months behind bars.

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Saakashvili, speaking by videoconference, dismissed Monday's verdict as an absolutely illegal, unjust sentencing of me for crimes I have not committed.

They want to annihilate me in prison, he said. "But no matter what, I will fight till the end.

Saakashvili, who led the so-called Rose Revolution protests in 2003 that drove his predecessor out of office, enacted a serious of ambitious reforms tacking official corruption as president of the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million. He also presided over a short but fierce war with Russia in 2008 that ended with the humiliating loss of its last footholds in two separatist territories, and he cracked down on protesters who charged that his zeal had mutated into autocracy.

In 2012, Saakashvilis United National Movement party lost the election to the Georgian Dream party established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia. Georgian Dream has remained in power ever since, tightening its grip on democratic freedoms and drawing accusations from the opposition of steering the country away from the path toward European Union membership and back into Russias sphere of influence.

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Saakashvili left for Ukraine in 2013, obtained Ukrainian citizenship and served as a governor of the countrys southern Odesa region from 2015-16. He returned to Georgia in October 2021 to try to bolster opposition forces before nationwide municipal elections and was quickly arrested.

The former president spent much of his time behind bars in a prison hospital after going on a hunger strikes and later claiming that he had been poisoned. He is currently receiving medical treatment at the Vivamedi Clinic, where he is being monitored for several chronic conditions, and his health reportedly worsens periodically, according to the clinic.

Saakashvili's lawyer, Beka Basilaia, said that Monday's verdict again showed that Saakashvili is a political prisoner.

"As long as Georgian Dream remains in power, the judiciary is a farce and will make whatever decision it is instructed to, Basilaia said.
The QTS data center complex under development in Fayetteville, Georgia, US, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. QTS, the data-center developer that Blackstone bankrolls, complex is expected to consume as much electricity as about a million US households leaving utility Georgia Power rushing to build the infrastructure to meet demand. Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Georgia Public Service Commission is scheduled to begin hearing testimony later this month from Georgia Power officials about how the states largest utility plans to spend billions of dollars to meet its skyrocketing energy demand, primarily due to the projected growth of large data centers supporting artificial intelligence.

State regulators have set aside multiple days for hearings on Georgia Powers long-term 2025 Integrated Resource Plan. Company officials estimate that 80% of its projected increased energy demand over the next decade is tied to expected new data centers growth in the state.

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Georgia Power is projecting electrical load growth will increase by 8,200 megawatts by 2030, representing an increase of 2,200 megawatts compared to its forecast in the 2023 Integrated Resource Plan update. One megawatt can power about 600 homes.

The latest demonstration of the growing interest from prospective data center companies emerged last week with an application filed with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for a massive data center in Troup County.

The Project West proposal is for a 513-acre data center campus comprising six industrial buildings totaling 1.5 million square feet. The centers house computer servers and typically require a large supply of electricity to run.

Georgias economy is continuing to grow, which increases the need for electricity in businesses and factories, a panel of Georgia Power executives said in March 10 testimony filed with the PSC. The states population is also growing, leading to more electricity use in homes. The rise in large commercial and industrial customers, such as data centers and manufacturing plants, is contributing to the new demand. Also, the adoption of electric vehicles, both for personal and business use, is steadily driving up electricity consumption.

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Georgia Power regularly updates every three years its Integrated Resource Plan, which is the companys 20-year comprehensive plan for meeting the needs of current and future customers. The hearings on the latest plan will being March 25.

Georgia lawmakers, clean energy and consumer advocacy groups are concerned about state regulators signing off on Georgia Powers repeated utility bill increases as the investor-owned utility has passed along to ratepayers new electricity base rates, overrun costs associated with building two new Vogtle nuclear power plant units, coal ash cleanup and other expenses.

All told, the average Georgia Power household is paying about $43 more per month on utility bills since the start of 2020. Georgia Power is the largest supplier of electricity in the state, with about 2.7 million customers.

A pair of major cases will be settled by the five elected members of the state regulatory commission this year, which will affect Georgia Power ratepayers pocketbooks as well as determine the mix of fossil fuels and renewable energy sources the company will use to generate electricity for the next few years.

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During PSC proceedings, environmental organizations, consumer protection nonprofits, manufacturers, and other groups offer expert testimony and perform cross examinations of witnesses.

Earlier this month, Georgia legislation intended to protect residential consumers from rising utility costs associated with data centers failed to advance out of the House and Senate chambers ahead of the critical March 6 Crossover Day deadline.

The full Senate did not hold a chamber floor vote on two bills sponsored by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a Rome Republican who says rising utility and property tax bills are the two most common complaints he hears from Georgians.

Hufstetler said Saturday that a data center amendment likely doomed the passage of his Senate Bill 94, which would re-establish a utility consumer advocacy office that provides legal and financial resources for residential consumers and small businesses in electric rate cases and other utility matters.

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Hufstetler said he was unable to get a full Senate vote on his consumer utility counsel bill despite having 45 out of 56 senators support for his amendment to prevent utility companies from passing data center costs along to residential and small business customers, who have been handed six rate increases since the beginning of 2022.

He said he plans to continue to advocate in future sessions for his bill to re-establish the consumer utility counsel that was abolished in statewide budget cuts mandated by Gov. Sonny Perdue during the 2008 recession.

In the absence of the counsel, consumers depend on the PSC staff to represent ratepayer interests.

Hufstetler criticized Georgia Power for overbuilding in a way that allows the companys shareholders to maximize profits and called for the commission to hold the company accountable for rising costs.

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I did say Ill pull the amendment if thatll get the utility counsel but then it ran out of time so it didnt happen, Hufstetler said. Im certainly disappointed that with the majority of the senators wanting this bill that wasnt allowed to be on the Senate floor and get passed.

On the other hand, we had numerous statements from both the PSC and Georgia Power that they would not pass on any of these costs to the residential and small business customers, Hufstetler said. At the same time, they didnt like my bill, which said exactly that, but I think we can certainly hold them accountable for their numerous statements that they would not pass down this cost.

Representatives with Georgia Power and the Data Center Coalition said they opposed Senate Bill 34 because it would give the state Legislature control over a ratemaking process that is typically handled by the elected five-member PSC.

They argued that new rules that apply to data center adopted by the PSC are sufficient to prevent residential and commercial customers from getting stuck with costs incurred to serve data centers.

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The new rules include a provision allowing Georgia Power to require data center companies to put up front-end collateral for energy costs over the lifetime of the contract. If the company abandons the project prior to the contract expiring, then Georgia Power would keep the remaining money owed.

Another utility-related bill that failed to advance by the Legislatures Crossover Day deadline was Woodstock Republican Rep. Jordan Ridleys House Bill 446, which would have granted discovery rights to all parties at PSC hearings, giving stakeholders new authority to request information during electric rate cases and other utility proceedings.

Allison Kvien, Vote Solars Southeast regulatory director, criticized Georgia lawmakers who failed to increase transparency at a time when many people are struggling to pay higher energy bills.

HB 446 would have allowed all stakeholders to better advocate for policies that encourage economic development and access to affordable, clean energy in commission proceedings Kvien said. Georgia Power shouldnt be the only one with a seat at the table  Georgia households and businesses deserve to give informed input into decisions about their energy future.

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A court in Georgia has sentenced former President Mikheil Saakashvili to an additional four and a half years in prison on illegal border crossing charges, Georgian TV channel Mtavari reported on March 17.

The ruling follows a prison sentence issued last week on state funds embezzlement charges, meaning that Saakashvili was ultimately sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison, the court ruled.

The border crossing case concerns Saakashvili's secret return from Ukraine to Georgia on Sept. 29, 2021, despite being wanted by Georgian authorities. He was arrested on Oct. 1, 2021.

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Four others were charged in separate proceedings over Saakashvili's illegal entry and released on bail.

Saakashvili, who served as Georgia's president from 2004-2007 and to 2008-2013, sought to align the country with the West but lost elections to the Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party years after a defeat in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

Considering the time he had already served, Saakashvili is expected to remain in prison until April 1, 2034.

A longtime critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Saakashvili has accused billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream, of orchestrating his prosecution on Moscow's orders.

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled last May that there were no grounds to believe that Saakashvili's criminal proceedings were unfair.

Saakashvili, who holds Ukrainian citizenship and previously served as the governor of Odesa Oblast, has faced worsening health conditions during his custody.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February 2023 that the "Georgian government is killing" Saakashvili after images surfaced showing his significant weight loss.

The ruling follows mass protests in Tbilisi over Georgia's disputed October elections, which saw the Kremlin-friendly Georgian Dream party retain power.

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The crisis deepened after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia's EU integration could be delayed until 2028.

Read also: Russia open to civilian observers in Ukraine under possible peace deal

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German start-up Isar Aerospace will soon be able to launch its first test rocket into space.

The Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority has granted authorization for the flight from Andya Spaceport, the company based in Ottobrunn near Munich said in a statement on Monday. The test launch can take place from Thursday onwards.

The launch would not only be a first for Isar Aerospace, but also the maiden space flight for an orbital launch vehicle in continental Europe.

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Isar Aerospace develops launch vehicles for transporting satellites into orbit but the test will not include any customer payloads.

"We are approaching the most important moment of our journey so far," Daniel Metzler, chief executive and co-founder of Isar Aerospace, said in a statement.

The rocket start-up recently secured additional funding in a new financing round. Among the investors is the NATO Innovation Fund, a venture capital fund supported by 24 NATO states.

Last year, even India launched more rockets than Europe. One reason for this is years of delay in the development of the European Space Agency-backed Ariane 6 launcher.

Isar Aerospace's vision for the future is to build up to 40 launchers per year.
German and Ukrainian officials met in Kiev on Monday to discuss further assistance for the war-hit nation.

Wolfgang Schmidt, still the head of the German chancellery before a new government is formed, held talks with Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Yermak.

"Expressed gratitude for Germany's support in combating Russian aggression and especially highlighted Germany's leadership in Europe in terms of military assistance," Yermak said on X, without giving details on any agreements made in the meeting.

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Schmidt replied, "Thanks for the good exchange, Andriy!"

Ukraine has been defending itself against a large-scale Russian invasion with Western support for more than three years.

Germany is the second biggest arms supplier to Kiev after the United States.

The German government, which is likely to soon be headed by conservative leader Friedrich Merz as chancellor instead of Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, has expressed its lasting solidarity with Kiev in order to achieve a just peace.
The family of a German national who has been in the U.S. on a green card for 17 years and was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport has no idea why he is being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Fabian Schmidt joins a growing number of visa and green card holders in the U.S. who have found themselves swept up in the Trump administrations aggressive immigration crackdown.

The 34-year-old electrical engineer has held a green card since 2008 and renewed it last year, according to his mother, Astrid Senior, who also lives in the U.S. on a green card.

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He was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport on March 7 after returning from a short vacation visiting family in Germany. Senior claimed he was interrogated before being taken to Rhode Islands Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls. She has not heard from her son since March 11.

I feel helpless. Absolutely helpless, Senior told NBC News.

German national Fabian Schmidt was returning to the U.S. after a vacation when he was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport on March 7, according to his mom. He is being detained in an ICE detention facility in Rhode Island. (Astrid Senior/Gofundme)

Schmidt, who lives in Nashua, New Hampshire, with his partner and child, faced a misdemeanor charge a decade ago but has no active legal issues, Senior told the outlet.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection assistant commissioner, Hilton Beckham, said in a statement: If statutes or visa terms are violated, travelers may be subject to detention and removal.

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Due to federal privacy regulations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection cannot disclose details about specific cases, Beckham added.

The family claims that Schmidt was forced to strip naked before being placed in a cold shower and shoved back into a chair, according to reports. His family said agents pressured him to give up his green card. He was also held without food or water, and taken to the hospital after collapsing from the flu, his mother claimed.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson blasted the claims as false.

Schmidt joins a growing number of U.S. visa holders who have been swept up in Trumps immigration crackdown. Ivy League Dr. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon over the weekend despite a court order ruling she remain in Massachusetts. (Handout)

Senior has launched a Gofundme page to support Schmidts legal fees. It has so far raised over $4,000. His legal costs are now racking up, and obviously he is not able to work and earn, Senior said. He really needs our help.

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The case comes as Ivy League Dr. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon despite a court order that she stay in the U.S. until a court could determine more details of her case. Alawieh, a Brown Medicine doctor specializing in kidneys, must stay in Lebanon for now while a federal judge hears arguments to determine whether Donald Trumps administration intentionally defied a court order to halt her deportation.

Alawieh was also detained at Boston Logan International Airport Thursday after returning from a trip visiting family in Lebanon.
(Bloomberg) -- German plans for a debt-financed splurge on defense and infrastructure remained on track for parliamentary approval on Tuesday after conservative and Social Democrat lawmakers signaled overwhelming support for the spending bill.

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I have no doubt that this will succeed tomorrow, conservative Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said after a caucus meeting of his CDU/CSU bloc Monday in Berlin. He said he expects less than a handful of no votes in Tuesdays ballot in the lower house of parliament, or Bundestag.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil sounded equally optimistic following a closed-door meeting of his partys lawmakers. Im confident that well get the constitutional changes through parliament tomorrow, he told reporters. One SPD legislator will be absent due to illness and will be counted as a no vote, Klingbeil said.

The conservatives, the Social Democrats and the Greens, who will also be needed for the necessary two-thirds majority, will hold final test votes Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. CET. Combined, they have 520 seats in the Bundestag lower house of parliament  31 more than the 489 required for the supermajority needed to make changes to the countrys constitution.

Merzs conservative bloc and the SPD last week sealed the agreement with the Greens that should secure passage through the Bundestag, barring any last-minute surprises. Green party officials have also indicated that nearly all of their lawmakers are behind the legislation.

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The bill also needs a two-thirds majority in the Bundesrat upper house, where Germanys 16 federal states are represented. The vote there is scheduled for Friday, after which President Frank-Walter Steinmeier can sign it into law.

The legislation will mean that spending on defense and security in excess of 1% of gross domestic product, or roughly 45 billion ($49 billion), will be exempt from borrowing restrictions written into Germanys constitution  the so-called debt brake. That effectively means any defense spending beyond 1% of GDP has no upper limit.

The law will also anchor a special, off-budget infrastructure fund into the constitution that will be empowered to borrow as much as 500 billion spread over 12 years. And Germanys states will get more leeway to borrow as much as 0.35% of GDP, or the equivalent of around 16 billion. They were previously required to run balanced budgets.

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2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Jaquet Droz unveils a new version of its rare Charming Bird, which was last heard whistling in 2015. A titanium piece from a workshop that goes against the current, following its own agenda, exclusively with unique pieces.

Watchmaking is somewhat schizophrenic. On one hand, it boasts of "centuries of tradition and innovation." On the other, it fails to remember the significant events of the last ten years. Why? Because the novelty machine crushes everything. There are too many fairs, too many creations, and social media dilutes importance into urgency, being into having.

As often happens, one must take a step aside to appreciate what truly stands out from the ordinary. Take a step back, pause your "feed" to discern the beautiful, the right. And see that, 10 years ago, something truly rare happened at the Theatre du Leman.

A Look Back

On October 29, 2015, Jaquet Droz's "Charming Bird" won the Prix de lException Mecanique. A prize among a dozen others? Yes. But, when you know how to read between the lines, this one is unique. First, because Jaquet Droz designed a whistling automaton inside a glass cage, in a wristwatch format. No one had ever done that, and no one has since. Then, because the La Chaux-de-Fonds workshop is one of the last, alongside Van Cleef & Arpels, to fight for the survival of automaton watches. Finally, because this piece was not an isolated "stunt," but simply the first step. Jaquet Droz has just taken the second step.

Charming Bird Titanium  Jaquet Droz

Titan Bird

The brand unveils today a Charming Bird in Titanium. One appreciates the timing: in 10 years, riding on its success, Jaquet Droz could have imagined numerous versions: white gold, gray, red, pink, tantalum, steel, carbon, sapphire, etc. But that was not the case. When youre nearly three centuries old (Jaquet Droz was founded in 1738), you have little left to prove. And you take your time. The brand has therefore taken about ten years to produce so few examples of these exceptional pieces  about one watch sold each year. A number that is far from insignificant given its uniqueness in the market.

Perfect Acoustics

Respecting the long time, the watchmakers time, Jaquet Droz presents the titanium version of its creation in 2025. Two things can be observed from this novelty. The first is the unfortunate tendency of titanium to set fire to the tools trying to tame it. Crafting such a complex case, all curves, is a technical challenge that had to be met. The second is the significant weight reduction. The piece has gained over 15% in lightness, or more than 40 grams less on the wrist. The whistling bird is more airborne than ever.

In practical terms, the 47 mm-diameter piece thus offers increased comfort without sacrificing any of its acoustic performance. This is where we must dismiss a common but unfortunate parallel often drawn between the Charming Bird and a minute repeater: the material of the case has no impact on the musical quality of the Charming Bird. Unlike a minute repeater, whose chimes are confined within the case, the melody of the Charming Bird escapes outside the case through lateral openings.

Charming Bird Titanium  Jaquet Droz

This clever feature could thus pave the way for many other materials. One can dream of a Charming Bird Sapphire. The result would be dazzling because, in addition to the fact that Jaquet Droz is the only brand working with 100% Swiss Made sapphire, its cases are completely devoid of screws and inserts. This would create the illusion of a bird singing... in freedom. See you in 2035?
Germany has provided three Gepard anti-aircraft systems with 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 24 mine protection vehicles, and other defense aid to Ukraine in its latest round of aid deliveries announced on March 17.

Berlin is Ukraine's largest military donor in Europe, second only to the U.S. in terms of defense assistance provided.

The new delivery included 5,000 155 mm artillery shells, 2,000 122 mm shells, 8,000 120 mm mortar shells, and ammunition for Leopard 1 tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and IRIS-T air defense systems.

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Ukraine has also received fresh support in unmanned systems, including 50 Vector reconnaissance drones, 30 Gereon RCS tracked drones, and 30 drone detection systems.

The latest tranche further included small arms, first aid kits, demining equipment, and border protection equipment.

Germany initially allocated around 4 billion euros ($4.36 billion) in defense assistance to Ukraine in 2025. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz held up an additional 3 billion euros ($3.27 billion) proposed by his coalition partners, but his incoming successor, Friedrich Merz, pledged to push the package through.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russias Kursk Oblast

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Germany updated its list of military assistance to Ukraine on Monday 17 March, which included, among other things, Gepard anti-aircraft systems and drones.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the updated list

Details: The updated list of military aid from Germany to Ukraine includes 24 mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles (MRAP), ammunition for the Leopard 1 main battle tanks and ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles, including for the MARDER infantry fighting vehicles.

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Ukraine also received three Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems and 10,000 rounds of ammunition for Gepard (the Gepard's ammunition load consists of 640 rounds).

Germany provided Ukraine with missiles for the IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defence system, 5,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition, 2,000 rounds of 122mm ammunition and 8,000 rounds for the 120mm mortar.

Ukraines defence forces also received drones, including 50 VECTOR reconnaissance drones with spare parts.

Additionally, Germany donated 30 tracked Gereon RCS drones and 30 drone detection systems.

Furthermore, Ukraine received two WISENT 1 armoured mine-clearing vehicles, 100 portable mine-clearing systems and two mine ploughs, as well as laser rangefinders, infrared binoculars, vehicles, assault rifles and medical kits.

Background:

On 17 February, the German government updated the list of military assistance to Ukraine, announcing the provision of new equipment, drones and ammunition for various systems.

On 14 March, it was reported that an agreement among key political parties in Germany regarding a large funding package could pave the way for additional military aid to Ukraine.

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Germany said on Monday it will provide an additional 300 million ($327 million) to help mitigate the devastating impact of Syria's civil war.

The funds will primarily support humanitarian aid, civil society and education, while also assisting Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Development Minister Svenja Schulze made the announcement at a donor conference in Brussels.

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"All measures in Syria will be implemented exclusively through UN aid agencies and non-governmental organizations, not with the Syrian transitional government," a separate German government press release stated.

Addressing Syria's situation since the ousting of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, Baerbock acknowledged both progress and ongoing challenges.

Speaking at an EU foreign ministers' meeting, she condemned recent violence in the coastal province of Latakia, and urged the transitional government to conduct a full investigation.

"Those responsible for the horrific crimes against hundreds of civilians must be held accountable," she said, emphasizing the need for the government to assert control over its security forces. A lasting peace, she added, requires an inclusive political process.

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In early March, pro-Assad militants attacked security forces in Latakia, prompting a major military response from the transitional government.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, about 1,500 people, many of them civilians, were killed.

The government viewed the uprising as an attempt by al-Assad loyalists to destabilize the country.

Baerbock urged Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to govern responsibly and inclusively. "This is a historic opportunity, a monumental challenge, and a delicate balancing act," she said.

Germany's latest pledge is significantly lower than last years 1 billion commitment.
The conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group of Christian Democratic (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz intends to propose experienced politician Julia Klockner to be the next Bundestag president later Monday, according to dpa sources.

Merz made the announcement at a parliamentary group meeting in Berlin, according to information obtained by dpa. Prior to this, leading CDU representatives had already backed Klockner's candidature for the key parliamentary role.

The newly elected Bundestag will convene for its constituent session on March 25, when the new parliamentary president will be elected by secret ballot.

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Traditionally, the largest parliamentary group, which in the new parliament is the conservative alliance comprised of the CDU and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU), fills this post.

The Bundestag president occupies the second-highest office of state after the federal president, so in protocol terms this is superior in rank to the chancellor and the president of the upper house, the Bundesrat.

The president opens and closes sittings, calls items of business and grants lawmakers permission to speak.

The outgoing Bundestag president is Social Democrat Barbel Bas.

Leading CDU politicians praise Klockner

Michael Kretschmer, premier in Saxony in south-eastern Germany, and deputy CDU chairman, said he's known Klockner for more than 20 years and said she's "a person who has shown that she can bring people together." She represents confidence "and Germany needs confidence," he said.

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Klockner was agriculture minister in the Cabinet of former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel from 2018 to 2021 and was a deputy leader of the CDU between 2012 and 2022.

Trained as a journalist, Klockner grew up on her family's nearby vineyard and was elected German Wine Queen in 1995.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's constitutional court threw out new challenges by opposition parties against a plan by the prospective coalition government to push a massive public borrowing initiative through the outgoing parliament, it said on Monday.

The decision paves the way for parliament to convene on Tuesday to consider the proposals of conservative election winner Friedrich Merz to reform constitutional debt rules and set up a 500-billion-euro infrastructure fund.

(Reporting by Ursula Knapp; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Sarah Marsh)
Giles Paxman, who has died of cancer aged 73, was a highly regarded diplomat who was in turn Britains ambassador to Mexico and to Spain; he was a younger brother of the broadcaster Jeremy Paxman.

A committed European who in retirement joined in demonstrations against Brexit, he was seconded from the Department of Transport early on for training alongside Frances governing elite, meeting his wife in Paris. He went on to manage Britains relationships within Europe during postings to Rome, Paris, and twice to the UKs permanent representation to the EU (Ukrep) in Brussels.

As Ukreps political counsellor at the turn of the century, Paxman rolled the pitch for Tony Blairs programme for economic reform in Europe, momentarily adopted by all member states at the Lisbon summit in March 2000.

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His powers of diplomacy were stretched most during his final posting, to Madrid from 2009 to 2013, as relations with Spain over Gibraltar went through one of their periodic lows. Philosophically, he told Spanish television: We always have our ups and downs with Gibraltar. Theres 300 years of history there, and every now and again that bubbles up and creates tensions.

Giles Paxman, right, presenting his credentials to the Spanish king, Juan Carlos I - Jose Perez GEGUNDEZ

In his first month, he had to apologise after a Royal Navy ship used what appeared to be a Spanish flag for target practice, and he left with Spanish border guards blockading the crossing into the colony.

His great passion, apart from Europe, was for the environment. He started his Whitehall career in the infant DoE, being concerned even then about global warming. In Mexico he was nicknamed el embajador verde (the green ambassador).

Paxman was a workaholic; in Rome, he once had to break out of the embassy after being locked in at night. He was energetic, creative, calm and resilient under pressure, clever, and above all likeable.

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His relationship with his better known brother generally stayed private, although when he joined the FCO, his security clearance was held up because Jeremy Paxman had been reporting from Republican areas in Northern Ireland.

Accompanying Charles, then Prince of Wales, on a visit to Spain in 2011 - Alamy

In 2013 there were media hints that Giles had strained the relationship by declining to be interviewed on Newsnight about the tensions over Gibraltar. Eight years previously, however, just after arriving in Mexico, he had appeared on the programme to be questioned about the devastation caused by Hurricane Wilma. Jeremy Paxman signed off the encounter with Give my love to the family.

Timothy Giles Paxman was born at Gosport, Hampshire, on November 15 1951, the second of four children of Keith Paxman and the former Joan Dickson. His father, a factory manager and former naval officer, left and settled in Australia; Jeremy remembered him as overbearing and bad-tempered. Giless maternal grandfather, a self-made businessman, stepped in to pay the childrens school fees.

Brought up in the Lickey Hills, south of Birmingham, Giles followed Jeremy, 18 months his senior, to Malvern College, then read modern languages at New College, Oxford, with a year as a riding instructor in France. He joined the Department of the Environment in 1974, and went with the DoT when it was hived off two years later.

Cutting a cake with his wife Segolene at the British Embassy in Madrid to celebrate the Royal Wedding in 2011 - Carlos Alvarez

In 1978 he was sent for a year to the Ecole nationale dadministration in Paris. He returned to the DfT, then in 1980 joined the FCO, posted to Ukrep as a first secretary dealing with the environment, consumer affairs and the internal market. There he saw a lot of Boris Johnsons father Stanley, then an environment official with the Commission.

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After four years in Brussels and a further four back in London dealing with Europe, he went to Singapore in 1988 as head of chancery. From 1992 to 1994 he was seconded to the Cabinet Office, handling the impact on eastern Europe of the implosion of the Soviet Union and making regular trips to Moscow. Next, he was posted to Rome as economic and commercial counsellor.

Paxman really made his reputation after returning to Ukrep in 1999. Ministers across government attending EU meetings found his expertise calming and invaluable, and he was missed when he moved on to Paris as deputy head of mission in 2002.

His first ambassadorial appointment, in 2005, was to Mexico. Within weeks Hurricane Wilma, the regions strongest tropical storm ever, struck, causing devastation and stranding up to 9,000 British tourists around Cancun.

Chatting with passenger stranded at Madrid airport after Icelandic volcano activity in 2010 - Denis Doyle

In October 2009 Paxman moved on to Madrid, where his work was dominated by the need for his consular staff to look after 14 million British visitors a year, and nearly a million expats.

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Hoping to ease the workload caused by holidaymakers getting drunk, crashing hire cars and falling from balconies, Paxman staged nocturnal visits to clubs in Ibiza, accompanied by television crews. Some of these cases are hugely distressing, he explained. Young people have come to Spain, and because theyve not taken the right precautions or because of a moment of stupidity  often alcohol fuelled  they can ruin their lives. My people have to pick up the pieces.

In July 2013, Spanish border guards first let a queue of 10,000 cars build up, then started turning back trucks of concrete for the controversial (to Spain) expansion of an artificial reef off the Rock. The stand-off was ongoing when Paxman retired that October.

He later joined The Ambassador Partnership, providing problem-solving and corporate diplomacy services to business, and sailed the Atlantic twice with friends. In 2017 they took the 100ft Rapture across the Pacific from the Galapagos Islands to Tahiti, a six-week voyage.

Paxman was appointed LVO in 1989 and CMG in 2013; colleagues felt him unlucky not to have been knighted.

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Giles Paxman married Segolene Cayol in 1980; she survives him with their three daughters.

Giles Paxman, born November 15 1951, died March 8 2025

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY)  The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) has announced the return of Gold Rush stockings for 2025.

According to a release from WVDNR, stocking of more than 50,000 golden rainbow trout will go on between April 1-12 at 69 lakes and streams around the state, including waters in or near 15 state parks and forests. 100 of these stocked fish will have a numbered yellow tag.

If an angler is aged 15 or older and has a West Virginia fishing license with a current trout stamp and a valid form of identification while fishing and catch a fish with a yellow tag, they can enter the number on the tag online for a chance to win a prize, including:

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(1) Free Resident West Virginia Lifetime Fishing License (1 Winner)

(1) One-Night West Virginia State Park Lodge Stay (5 Winners)

(1) $25 West Virginia State Parks Gift Card (5 Winners)

Fishers who report their tagged catch during the event also will be eligible to receive a gift bag, which all other prizes will be awarded by a random drawing.

Miranda Lambert to perform at the State Fair of West Virginia in 2025

As we celebrate the eighth anniversary of the Gold Rush, we look forward to seeing all of the ways this exciting event helps recruit the next generation of anglers and helps us keep West Virginias outdoor traditions alive and well for years to come, said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion.

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You must have a West Virginia fishing license with a current trout stamp and a valid form of identification to participate. Licenses and stamps can be purchased online at WVfish.com.

You can view a map of all Gold Rush stocking locations around the state and find more information about Gold Rush here.

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The next madness from Chronometrie Ferdinand Berthoud is gradually taking shape through photos and sketches. The outlines of Naissance d'une Montre 3 are emerging.

Its now been 6 years since Ferdinand Berthoud announced the detailsor rather, the very special conditionsof Naissance d'une Montre 3, the one that will be its new collection. Despite the secrecy still surrounding it, some details have already been revealed, which the brand is unveiling with caution and patience. This teasing campaign tells us that Naissance d'une Montre 3 will be produced in a limited edition of 11 pieces. It will be unveiled in 2025, after Watches & Wonders Geneva, an event at which the brand will participate. It will feature a flared, deeply notched crown. Its display will be off-center, with hours and minutes at 1:30 (which is likely to be inherited from one of Berthouds historical clocks). Its hands will be blued by flame. It will feature a chain and fusee powertrain equalizer. And it will be the product of a reconstruction of skills, expertise, and techniques brought together in the Ferdinand Berthoud manufacture, which is housed within Chopard's facility in Fleurier.

Naissance d'une Montre 3  Ferdinand Berthoud

Handcrafted, and Only by Hand

Strangely, the core principles of Naissance d'une Montre 3 have been decided for years, as it follows the same guidelines as the two previous editions. This project, which started in 2007 under the aegis of the Time Aeon Foundation, established a specification document that governs all watches bearing its name. Everything revolves around one idea, simple to state, but horrifically complex to execute: Naissance d'une Montre 3 will be made entirely by hand!

Of course, this doesn't mean without tools. After all, one doesn't attack brass with their teeth, nor maillechort with their nails. However, the tools cannot be automated, programmed, or operated by a computer. Lathes, mills, files, punching tools, pantographs, and other extensions of the hand must be guided by it. They can be motorized, since it's hard to drill steel with a hand tool. But the ubiquitous help of CNC tools is strictly prohibited.

Naissance d'une Montre 3  Ferdinand Berthoud

A Herculean Task Ahead

That distinction aside, its important to grasp the difficulty of the very principle. A watch has at least 200 components, and knowing Ferdinand Berthouds ambitions, it will be far more. The brands first teaser indeed showcased a chain and fusee system, which is their technical signature. But a chain requires a minimum of 600 parts. A conservative estimate would be around 800 components.

Furthermore, these parts vary greatly in size and type. They require a vast array of manufacturing techniques depending on whether their shape is round and suitable for turning, long and requiring milling, or irregular, which complicates things even further. These operations, once performed to near perfection by machines, have become lost arts, forgotten, or even considered obsolete by over 99% of the watchmaking industry. How has Ferdinand Berthoud learned them? Relearned? Reconstructed? The answer has not been revealed yet, but its easy to imagine that this is a project of monumental scale.

Naissance d'une Montre 3  Ferdinand Berthoud

And the Finishes?

Manufacturing is just the first step. Its followed by a vast range of finishing techniques. Polishing, sandblasting, satinizingFerdinand Berthouds finishing workshops already operate largely using manual processes. But these will certainly need to be taken even further than before.

Especially since manual manufacturing does not allow for the easy production of long series of parts, with the easeand even carefreenessthat automation allows. Every component that leaves the workshop is inherently rare. Mistakes, burrs, and defects, which are already poorly tolerated, will become nearly taboo within the specifications of Naissance d'une Montre.

Naissance d'une Montre 3  Ferdinand Berthoud

But these are general principles. The specific case of Naissance d'une Montre 3 is still unknown. At most, the brand has released a few sketches, a form of expression it has favored since its beginnings, as the hand-drawing recalls the touch of its inspirer, Mr. Berthoud, and the level of care the brand applies to its creations.
Authorities announced that a man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection to a vicious assault that occurred over the weekend.

According to the Riverside County Sheriffs Office, deputies from the Perris Station were dispatched to the 21000 block of Mountain Avenue in Good Hope at 7:45 a.m. Sunday on reports of an assault with a deadly weapon.

Good Hope is a census-designated place located west of Perris and northeast of Lake Elsinore.

Salvador Ortiz as seen in a booking photo provided by the Riverside County Sheriffs Office.

When deputies arrived at the scene  a rural neighborhood with dirt roads, according to Google Street View  they found a man suffering from traumatic stab wounds.

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The unidentified victim was immediately rushed to a hospital where they remain in stable condition as of Monday.

Deputies began investigating and were able to identify and locate the suspect, 36-year-old Salvador Ortiz, at the scene.

Trump administration deports hundreds of immigrants even as a judge orders their removals be stopped

Ortiz was booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta for attempted murder. Inmate search records indicate that he is also charged with assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.

Homicide, violent crime rates dropped in Los Angeles last year, officials say

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His bail was set at $1 million, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Anyone with additional information surrounding the incident is asked to contact Lead Investigator Lance Colmer at RSO dispatch by calling 951-776-1099. Calls can also be directed to the Perris Station: 951-210-1000.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
One in eight Mainers face hunger, according to the Good Shepherd Food Bank. (Photo via Good Shepherd Food Bank)

Earlier this month, the leader of Maines largest hunger relief organization told the Legislature her organization has had to provide more food for more people with fewer resources.

That challenge could be even harder now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is making cuts to food assistance programs including some used by Good Shepherd Food Bank to help the one in eight Mainers who face hunger.

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Those numbers mark an increase from last year, said Good Shepherd Food Bank President Heather Paquette in her testimony before the Legislatures Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee on March 6. She was there supporting LD 415, a bill to provide an additional $1 million per year to the statewide hunger relief program administered by the state Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled the Local Food Purchasing Assistance program that would have provided $1.25 million to Maine over the next three years for food banks to source fresh food from local producers. That equates to 500,000 to 600,000 pounds of food Good Shepherd would have distributed to families, according to a news release from the food bank last week.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree and more than 80 other members of Congress wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins expressing their concern over the cuts Monday. There were also a series of questions in the letter about justification for the cuts, how the USDA plans to use the funds and how it will help farmers and schools in their absence. Pingree and the others who signed on demanded those answers by Friday.

Now that we are trying to understand the full scope of the impact of the federal food and funding freeze, it just makes state investment such as LD 415 that much more important, said Amy Sassi, vice president of government affairs for Good Shepherd.

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If passed, LD 415 would double the states investment in Good Shepherds Mainers Feeding Mainers program, which sources produce from local farms for food pantries across the state.

The agriculture committee is slated to discuss the bill Tuesday and decide whether this funding should be prioritized by the Legislature.

Now, its even more important that we help the Mainers and keep our farms alive, said Rep. Anne Graham (D-Yarmouth), the bills sponsor.

Pointing to the projected $450 million deficit for the next two-year budget cycle, Graham acknowledged its hard to ask the state to spend more money. But as someone who regularly volunteers at her local food pantry, she said she anticipates an increasing number of people will need help putting food on their tables.

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Good To Go! passes are like medicine, pantry staples or electronics  they have a shelf life.

At some point, they need to be replaced. But you might not know exactly when.

The Washington State Department of Transportation charges tolls on various roads and bridges in the state. A Good To Go! pass allows drivers to pay tolls electronically without having to stop at a toll booth or pay by mail, and offers the lowest toll rate  $4.50 for a two-axle vehicle on the Narrows Bridge.

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Some Gig Harbor-area drivers are frustrated that WSDOT doesnt give them notice of when their pass might be expiring or is no longer working.

Gig Harbor resident Paul Sarsfield told The News Tribune in a direct message on social media that his wife drives across the bridge four days a week. She has a Flex pass, which costs $15 plus tax and snaps into a plastic clip designed to stick onto the inside of a cars windshield. Other Good To Go! passes include a $5 sticker pass, an $8 motorcycle pass and a $12 license plate pass that attaches to your license plate with screws, according to the Good To Go! website.

Cars pass under the automated license plate cameras and pass readers on an onramp on WA-16, on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Gig Harbor, Wash. Brian Hayes/bhayes@thenewstribune.com

After about 12 years, her pass stopped working last month, Sarsfield wrote. Not knowing why, Sarsfield filed a dispute with WSDOT and was refunded the additional 25 cent charges his wife received each time the Good To Go! toll reader failed to detect her pass and took a picture of her license plate to bill her account, via the Pay By Plate option.

After he kept seeing the extra charges appear, he contacted WSDOT again and was told to order a new pass. His wife is still being charged the extra 25 cents while they wait for the new one to arrive, he wrote.

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Another frequent bridge crosser, Marcy Burns, said shes consistently had problems with her Flex pass. She drives across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge three to five times a week for work and other appointments, and said she started noticing after she moved back to the Gig Harbor area in 2020 that the toll readers only detected her pass about two-thirds of the time.

Since then, shes tried five different Flex passes, but the 25-cent charges kept appearing on her account, she told The News Tribune. She filed disputes with WSDOT and made a complaint to the state Office of the Attorney General, eventually getting over 50 individual 25-cent fees refunded. WSDOT representatives have told her the issue seems to be with her car, a Toyota RAV4, which is equipped with various sensors that may interfere with the pass signal, and said she needed to pay for a license plate pass instead of a Flex pass, she said.

Burns said it doesnt feel right that she should have to pay for a more expensive pass because of problems she attributes to WSDOTs tolling technology, and emphasized that many other people have the same type of car she has. She also said she feels the departments public communication is lacking to remind customers to check their accounts regularly for unexpected charges.

Do Good To Go! passes expire? Why might they malfunction? The News Tribune spoke with WSDOT to find out and to learn what options are available if you spot surprise charges on your bill.

Do Good To Go! passes expire?

Chris Foster, communications manager for the WSDOT toll division, said in a phone interview March 13 that each Good To Go! pass has a three-year warranty. Generally, the passes last for longer than that, but WSDOT suggests that drivers treat their toll account like a credit card account: something you check regularly.

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We recommend drivers, account holders to check their account once a month or so just to make sure that their pass is working correctly, Foster said.

Several variables can cause issues with a Good To Go! pass, leading to an extra 25-cent processing fee to read a vehicles license plate, according to Foster. A pass might not be installed properly or might just need to be replaced because of its age. Metal in a vehicles windshield, which he said sometimes happens with cars equipped with heated windshields, driver-assistance technologies or other modern features, can also interfere with the passs signal.

WSDOT doesnt tell you if your pass is about to expire or stop working, but customers can login into their Good To Go! account and review their transactions, where they can see if theyre being charged the extra 25 cents for each trip, according to Foster.

WSDOT also sends out a monthly statement reminder telling customers that a statement of their transactions is available. The default is via email, but customers can opt in to get physical copies in the mail for an additional fee, he said.

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The Good To Go! division has received 3,942 dispute cases in the last 12 months regarding 25-cent Pay by Plate fees, across all of WSDOTs toll roads, Foster told The News Tribune via email Friday. They represent 0.07% of all Good to Go! pass transactions processed during that time period.

Lauren McLaughlin, another spokesperson for WSDOTs toll division, clarified in a phone call on March 14 that these disputes included times when a customers pass became faulty and needed to be replaced and when a pass was improperly installed, among other situations when a customers pass wasnt read and WSDOT charged them the extra 25 cents.

WSDOT recently replaced cameras and toll readers on Narrows Bridge

WSDOT replaced the cameras and pass readers on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge March 5, according to Foster. Prior to that, the old cameras and readers installed when the bridge opened in 2007 did experience minor issues detecting passes on a consistent basis for a small percentage of customers, he wrote.

Declines in revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the agencys plans to replace the aging equipment, he continued. Leading up to the replacement, WSDOT offered refunds to customers who said they were charged an extra 25 cents and strongly advised them to continue monitoring their account and contact (WSDOT) if they received additional fees, he wrote.

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WSDOT works regularly with a third-party vendor to maintain the bridge cameras and toll readers, according to Foster. Crews complete preventative maintenance on the cameras and pass readers at least twice a year, and the vendor uses real-time monitoring software to continuously check how the technology is working.

Foster added that WSDOT did notice that the new pass readers installed March 5 werent detecting certain Good To Go! passes, leading to an extra 25-cent fee for those drivers.

We are correcting the issue and refunding the 25-cent charges, and will continue to monitor the new equipment to ensure its working properly, Foster said.

What to do if you spot extra charges on your toll bill

Good To Go! account holders can dispute tolls and fees charged within 60 days of the transaction at mygoodtogo.com or by contacting the divisions customer service center, according to WSDOTs terms and conditions for account holders.

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If you need to replace your pass, you may be charged a replacement fee, the terms and conditions say. But if the customer service center finds your pass is defective, it may be replaced free of charge within three years from the date of purchase.

Foster said even if customers have charges they wish to dispute past the 60-day window, they should reach out to the toll division.

Well work on it on a case-by-case basis, he said.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  Goodwill of the Southern Rivers announced a multi-vendor hiring event will take place Wednesday, March 19 in Columbus.

Goodwill says the event will take place at the Columbus Career Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The career center is located at 2601 Cross Country Dr.

According to Goodwill, the event will feature companies looking to fill full and part-time positions.

Companies advertised for the event include the City of Columbus, Phenix City, Columbus Parks and Recreation and more.

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For more information call 706-256-1873.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Republican Rep. Brandon Gill (Texas) said he would be pushing to impeach the federal judge who ordered the Trump administration to halt deportations of Venezuelan gang members over the weekend.

Ill be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week, Gill wrote in a post on social platform X.

On Saturday, President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Its just the third time the wartime act has been used and the first time since World War II. The order was intended to target members of the Tren de Aragua gang, who Trump said could be arrested, restrained and removed from the country.

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U.S. District Judge James Boasberg had earlier ordered a temporary block on the deportation of five of the groups members, which prompted Trump to issue the proclamation.

The judge then verbally ordered the planes carrying the members to not leave the U.S. or turn around if they had already left.

The Trump administration has stated the plane was already out of U.S. jurisdiction and the members were unloaded in El Salvador after Secretary of State Marco Rubio secured a deal with the countrys president for a prisoner swap.

The matter has become a more complicated legal battle, as the American Civil Liberties Union questioned if the White House violated the judges order. The administration insists it did nothing illegal.

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Gill is not alone in pushing for a judge who disagreed with Trump to be ousted.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) filed articles of impeachment against District Judge Paul Engelmayer in February after he limited the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) access to sensitive data at the Treasury Department, Axios reported.

Several other lawmakers since then have looked to push out the judges who have gone against the administrations sweeping moves since Trump took back the White House.

DOGE leader Elon Musk last month called for a wave of judicial impeachments as various judges check the power of his agency and the Trump administration.

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For much of his 10-year gubernatorial career, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has been trying to pass a school voucher bill  a goal he insists hell be able to accomplish this year.

Now, a new analysis, exclusive to The 74, sheds light on why hes had so much trouble. While its common knowledge that rural Republicans in the state House have been standing in his way, homeschool parents opposed to education savings accounts have also been part of the resistance.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has spent the past several years trying to pass a voucher bill and campaigned against lawmakers in his own party who opposed them. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Leslie Finger, a political science professor at the University of North Texas, analyzed roll call votes on 13 private school choice bills that reached the floor of either the state House or the Senate between 2013 and 2023. She found that lawmakers were more likely to vote against private school choice not only if they represented a rural area, but also if they had more homeschoolers in their districts.

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We specifically opted out of this system, Faith Howe, president of Texans for Homeschool Freedom, said about public schools. While proponents of the voucher plan say it will be optional for families, that doesnt satisfy Howe. I dont think theyre going to have a problem coming back and saying Well we need more regulations on these homeschoolers.

Leslie Finger

Texas voters ousted the Republican holdouts in last years primary election after Abbott campaigned against them. He is counting on their replacements to deliver a victory this session. But even if that happens, Fingers results point to a segment of parents who have been getting louder in recent years as ESAs, which parents can spend on tuition or homeschooling costs, have spread across red states. Many traditional homeschoolers fought for the right to educate their children at home and fear that ESA laws could erode some of those protections  even if they dont take the funds.

While voucher advocates dismiss many of the homeschoolers concerns, Finger said her findings should serve as a warning.

The presence of big homeschooling communities could make selling private school choice challenging, Finger said.

Government control

That was certainly the case in Colorado, one of three states last November where voters defeated school choice ballot measures.

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Government money comes with government control, said Carolyn Martin, who monitors state legislation for Christian Home Educators of Colorado. Her group viewed the measure as a potential infringement on parents rights to educate their children as they see fit.

Two issues raised red flags for them. The measure said all children should be able to access a quality education, which they interpreted as an opportunity for the government to define quality for homeschoolers. It also gave students, as well as parents, the right to school choice. That could spell trouble if kids and parents arent on the same page when it comes to education, Martin said.

At some point the state would probably have to step in and arbitrate between the parent and the child, she said. That is not our worldview.

Carolyn Martin with Christian Home Educators of Colorado monitors how state legislation could impact homeschoolers. (Carolyn Martin)

Other homeschoolers say ESAs contradict conservative values, such as smaller government and less regulation. Gary Humble, executive director of Tennessee Stands, a Christian organization, called the states recently passed voucher bill wealth redistribution.

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This is another Tennessee entitlement program, he said. Its expensive. Its irresponsible.

The state is expected to spend $1 billion on the program over the next five years. While opponents werent able to stop the Republicans from passing the law, Humble tells homeschoolers that if they participate, they could be giving up the freedom to educate their children the way they choose.

Homeschoolers in Tennessee lobbied against the states new voucher law. (Tiffany Boyd)

All they hear from special interest groups is that they get seven grand and there are no strings attached, he said. Theyre not policy wonks, so they dont understand the trap doors that are laid out ahead of them.

ESA programs often require homeschooling families to reapply for funding every year, to take annual standardized tests and to only buy approved items from specific vendors. Homeschooling families who dont participate want to ensure such restrictions dont eventually extend to them.

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But those worries fall under what Jeremy Newman, vice president of policy and engagement for the Texas Homeschool Coalition, calls free-floating anxiety.

Theyre concerned somebody is going to do something, sometime, but theyre not sure who or when or what, he said.

Related

In Texas, a Years-Long ESA Push Nears the Finish Line

His organization is strongly in favor of passing a voucher bill in Texas, saying that tax-paying homeschoolers should have just as much access to state education funds as parents who send their kids to public school.

He points to research on regulatory creep from Angela Watson, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and an expert on homeschooling. She found that publicly funded school choice programs, like ESAs, dont contribute to more government overreach.

Not a monolith

But the fact that some homeschoolers are so opposed to them proves a point, Watson said.

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The mistake that everyone makes when they talk about homeschooling is that they continue to think of it as a monolith, she said. Homeschooling is just so varied.

Nationally, about 6% of the nations students are homeschooled, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Traditional homeschoolers often chose that path for ideological or religious reasons.

But many new converts, who left public schools during the pandemic, show support for what former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos calls backpack funding  allowing parents to spend education dollars on any type of schooling they choose. Its a policy that polled high in a December survey from the National Parents Union, with 71% of parents favoring such a system.

The split among homeschoolers over ESAs, Watson said, has created some interesting bedfellows  conservative parents aligning with liberal teachers unions to oppose school choice ballot measures. Thats what happened, not only in Colorado, but also in Kentucky, where two-thirds of voters rejected such a proposition last year.

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Howe in Texas has heard the criticism. Were being accused of being leftist, Marxist and supporting the teachers unions, she said.

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Ballot Propositions: Voters in 2 States Reject Private School Choice Measures

Newman, with the Texas coalition, said his group is watching out for homeschoolers interests. Leaders maintain a strong presence at the state capitol in Austin to ensure legislation doesnt interfere with homeschoolers freedom to choose their own curriculum and teaching methods, he said.

Homeschooled himself as a child, Newman sympathizes with those who recall when it was illegal in most states to educate children at home and not unusual for child protective services to investigate a family when a neighbor reported children not being in school.

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But Howe notes that it was a state regulation in Texas  not legislation  that treated homeschooled students as truant. After a lengthy legal fight, the state Supreme Court ruled that parents who homeschool are essentially small private schools.

In Idaho, its the state tax commission that will be writing some of the rules for a new private school choice program that Gov. Brad Little signed into law last month, despite overwhelming opposition from the public. The state also has an existing ESA-like grant program targeted toward lower-income families.

Audra Talley, a board member of Homeschool Idaho, said Republican lawmakers have assured her that as long as they control the legislature and the governors office, homeschoolers dont have to worry about rules encroaching on their parental rights. But thats what she finds disturbing.

Its an admission that the potential exists, she said. Now we are relying on a certain party or a certain group of individuals to keep those regulations from coming at some future date.

Dont want to go back

Shes not exaggerating that some Democrats would prefer to increase monitoring of families who homeschool.

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A proposal in Illinois, for example, would require families to notify their local school district if they intend to homeschool. Families would have to submit teaching materials and their childrens work if authorities are concerned about their education. Hundreds of parents rallied at the state capitol against the bill earlier this month.

Under another controversial plan, Michigan homeschoolers would have to register with the state. Superintendent Michael Rice argues that officials should have a count of students in all types of schooling  public, private, parochial and home. Reports of abuse and neglect involving homeschool families led to his proposal for more oversight.

Homeschoolers opposed to ESAs often point to West Virginia  a Republican-led state  as an example of how lawmakers sometimes forget that not everyone wants the governments money.

The state passed its Hope Scholarship ESA program in 2021, which requires homeschooled students receiving the scholarship to take annual standardized tests or have their work reviewed each year by a certified teacher. The law specifically exempted homeschoolers not in the program from the requirements, but a 2023 bill would have erased what advocates call a carve out if they hadnt stepped in.

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ESA proponents use the same example to say the homeschoolers fears were overblown and no harm was done. Colleen Hroncich, a policy analyst with the libertarian Cato Institutes Center for Educational Freedom, thinks the division among homeschoolers over school choice will fade over time.

As we get further past the generation of homeschoolers that fought for the right to homeschool, it seems like most homeschoolers support funding programs, she said. Hopefully the bigger numbers also help push back on additional regulations down the road.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is encouraged by the Trump administrations aggressive actions to reduce the role of the Department of Education and returning power where it belongs: to states and local communities.

In an op-ed piece published Monday in the Washington Examiner, Cox argued that the federal government and education policy are bad partners.

Education is, and always has been, a state and local responsibility, wrote the governor. Yet for decades, Washington, D.C., has taken an outsize role in telling states how to educate their children  often with disappointing results.

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Cox calls for a commonsense discussion about winding down the department altogether.

Thats an action Trump has long touted  calling the DOE a big con job and, in recent days, handing pink slips to a sizable chunk of the agencys workforce.

For nearly a half-century, Cox noted, the federal government has expanded its education reach  rewriting rules and renaming programs. Yet none of these reforms address the underlying problem: Education shouldnt be dictated by Washington.

The DOE, wrote the governor, distorts power divisions between the states and the federal government  stifling innovation, wasting tax dollars and failing to deliver better outcomes for students.

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In Mondays op-ed, Cox noted that the DOE spent $268 billion in 2024. About $68 billion of that was sent back to states and school districts in the form of grants  but only after states jumped through expensive, time-consuming hoops.

The states, he added, are now tasked with multiple administrative tasks to access DOE-provided funds such as Title I and other assistance programs.

The requirements are so burdensome that in some Utah classrooms, paraprofessionals do much of the teaching because licensed teachers are overwhelmed by federal paperwork, wrote Cox.

Thats not to say the goals behind these programs arent worthwhile. And I have no doubt there are good people in the department working hard to help students. But the idea that Utah  or any state  needs Washington bureaucrats overseeing our schools is both outdated and wrong.

Cox: How to fix education

The governor also laments in his op-ed piece that states have become dependent on federal funds administered by the DOE. If a state opts out, its taxpayers dont get their money back  they end up subsidizing other states. Thats neither fair nor sustainable.

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So whats a better solution?

The federal workforce reductions announced this week are a promising start, answered Cox.

If Congress and the president want to go further, they should consider proposals such as the LEARN Act, which would offer tax credits to residents of states that opt out of federal education programs.

Taxpayers could keep more of their money, and states could decide which programs to continue locally.

Many watching the ongoing upheaval of the DOE worry that kids from disadvantaged homes and communities would be harmed if the federal agency is shuttered or dramatically restructured.

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But Cox countered that Utah has a long track record of investing in education  including supporting low-income schools.

But we could do it with more flexibility, less bureaucracy, and greater accountability to Utah families  not Washington regulators.

Scrapping the 46-year-old Education Department would require an act of Congress  and its uncertain if Trump has the support he would need to eliminate the agency.

But short of that congressional action, wrote Cox, shifting to flexible block grants would make for sound policy. It would cut red tape, save money, and allow states to innovate in ways that best serve their students.

Washington doesnt have all the answers

The governor acknowledged fears that without national oversight of education, some states might fall behind.

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But thats how federalism works. Our founders expected states to try different approaches and learn from one another. Innovation happens when states are free to lead  not when Washington imposes one-size-fits-all solutions.

Others are unsettled by institutional change  or sound alarms about remaining competitive with countries such as China.

But I am not convinced that more federal control is the answer, wrote Cox. In fact, I believe its part of the problem.

Cox concluded Mondays op-ed saluting Utahs educators, administrators and parents  calling them some of the nations best.

If freed from burdensome federal mandates, theres no doubt we could deliver an education system that reflects our values, meets the needs of our students, and prepares them for a dynamic world.

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Dismantling the DOE, Cox repeated, is good common sense.

Washington doesnt have all the answers. Its time to trust states and local communities to do what they do best.

So what does the Education Department do?

For starters, the DOE does not dictate what educators teach in the classroom. Thats up to local schools and districts.

Instead, the agencys primary role is financial.

The departments largest K-12 task is overseeing implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires states to monitor their schools progress and intervene in poorly performing schools in exchange for federal money, including funding from Title I, an $18.4 billion program, according to Education Week.

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The department also administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act  a $14.2 billion program that helps schools pay for special education services for students with disabilities.

In higher education, meanwhile, the Education Department oversees the Free Application for Student Aid, or FAFSA, and the massive federal student loan and grant programs (the federal direct student loans program has a portfolio of outstanding loans totaling over $1 trillion).

Trump has not offered details on how the DOEs core functions of sending federal money to local districts and schools would be handled.

During Linda McMahons recent confirmation hearing, the education secretary said she would preserve core initiatives including Title I money, Pell Grants and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. But she also questioned whether some programs directed by the DOE should be moved to other federal agencies.

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More than 100,000 Utah K-12 students benefit from federal funds allocated by the DOE through programs such as Title I.

Local Utah education leaders recently said they are waiting to learn the DOEs fate before articulating a possible responses if the embattled federal agency is eliminated or significantly altered.
SPRINGFIELD  Jill Friday said her Spanish language classrooms at Southeast High School in Springfield last year often felt like student living rooms, with kids scrolling on their phones, taking calls from family members and listening to music on headphones.

After weeks of tripping on phone chargers snaking around chairs, Friday enlisted a school janitor to plug up all the charging outlets. Students still snuck to the halls to charge their phones and answer family calls.

Those problems ended, for the most part, last August, when the Springfield school district enacted new rules requiring high schoolers to have their phones off and put away during class, middle schoolers to keep their phones in their lockers and elementary schoolers to keep them in their bags. Previously, each school could write its own policy.

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The districts phone policy update was a relief for Friday.

In the past, kids would just sit there passively because they already had something else to do, and it was called being on the phone, which just makes you not want to get out of bed some mornings and go into work, Friday said in an interview. I was in this weird triangulated corner telling kids to not answer their mom, and parents told them to answer their calls, but now its against policy, and I feel like Im a teacher again.

Districts across the state could be required soon to implement similar policies. Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois lawmakers proposed a law last month to bring back a cellphone ban in Illinois public school classrooms.

Pritzkers proposal, which is now incorporated into bills introduced in both the state House and Senate, would require school districts to adopt guidelines to prohibit students from using cellphones during instructional time, while providing secure and accessible storage for the devices, before the 2026-27 school year.

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The proposal lists a few exceptions, such as allowing students to use phones during an emergency, when a teacher authorizes the device for instruction, or when a phone can assist students with a disability or is necessary for a student learning English. The bill would not allow fines, fees, ticketing or the help of police officers, as a means of enforcement.

I know that a lot of students dont love the idea of putting their cellphones away during class time, but better learning is better for all the kids in the classroom and really for the entire school and the entire community, Pritzker said at a news conference earlier this month.

Pritzkers proposal enters a decades-long debate over phones in schools, with some arguing students need phones for security while others say they create a distraction and provide a means for cyberbullying.

Illinois first tried a ban on wireless devices in schools in 1990 through a bill sponsored by state Rep. Mary Flowers. Cellphones were rare and expensive, but the ban was aimed at addressing concerns that drug deals were being negotiated on phones.

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That ban was rescinded in the early 2000s with a law allowing public school districts to set their own rules on cellphone use. It was an initiative that Flowers and many others supported after the mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

What resonated with me the most was the Columbine situation, Flowers, a Democrat from Chicago who doesnt support the latest effort to ban phones in schools, said in an interview last month. A lot of those kids ran away from the school, and so parents were calling trying to find out where their children were.

Stephanie Diaz was a student at Highland Park High School in 2023 when another student brought a gun into the building, leading officials to order a lockdown. She said having a phone allowed her to let her mother know she was OK.

It just felt like a sense of security, like you just knew that you were fine, Diaz said. And also, in that moment, you just want to know that youre seen, if that makes sense, like in that moment I want to know Im safe. I want to let my mom know that I am fine, like Im alive and well. And I feel like doing that through the school office is just not effective.

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Under the proposed legislation, students would be able to get possession of their phones and use them in cases of emergency, although its not clear how that would be accomplished. Based on her experience, Diaz said its not practical for students to rush and get their phones in an emergency. During the lockdown, she ended up in another classroom where she wouldnt have had her phone.

Countering the security argument, school safety expert Kenneth Trump said phones can have a negative impact on safety because they can distract students from split-second instructions that will be given by schools. Phones can also be used to accelerate rumors, spread misinformation and cause parents to flock to schools, hindering the work of first responders, he said.

Cellphones provide an emotional security blanket to parents, understandably, I should say, but they may not provide physical safety for kids, and can actually be counterproductive, said Trump, who has worked on safety measures with pre-K-12 schools for over four decades.

The legislation also includes a provision allowing students to have a phone if a licensed physician determines its necessary for the students welfare, or to fulfill accommodations such as an Individualized Education Plan or 504 plan. That part of the proposal is also subject to criticism, with some arguing that its just one additional way those students would stand apart from their peers.

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I would be more concerned about the othering, bullying or stigma that could come from this. If two students in a classroom are allowed to use phones for accessibility purposes, it is not hard to imagine the social impact of singling them out in such a way, said Frank Lally, an education policy analyst for Access Living.

The Illinois Education Association, which represents teachers and other education professionals, is not taking a position on the Illinois bill, according to IEA spokesperson Bridget Shanahan.

Cellphone policies vary at school districts across the state. According to Friday, the Springfield school district policy requires phones to be off and away during class time but leaves the mechanism for achieving that up to individual schools and teachers. Other districts with a ban, including those in Peoria and Hinckley Big-Rock, west of Aurora, use magnetized pouches to lock phones away for the day.

Educators offer many reasons for instituting bans. Hinckley-Big Rock School District 429 Superintendent Jessica Sonntag said videos taken by students in class were sometimes used to humiliate classmates.

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I started having kids tell me that they would take a zero on assignments before they would present in class, because they were afraid that they were gonna be recorded by their classmates and made into a TikTok meme or whatever for people to just destroy them over, Sonntag said.

Phones have also been blamed for their role in promoting fights, with students using their devices to both set up the confrontation and then record it on video, said Wendy Turner, a teacher at Grant Middle School in Springfield.

There are a lot of issues with violence in our schools, and a lot of it is the recording of the fights, and last year, when they were allowed to have their phone in their pocket, the fights were being planned, Turner said.

Martin Torres, Pritzkers deputy governor for education, said officials in Peoria have told him that stricter phone policies have lessened classroom distractions and improved student mental health.

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They say that its improved student participation in classroom dynamics, and this is going to help reduce screen time and social media exposure, and theres a lot of research evidence that suggests social media is linked with anxiety and depression and body dissatisfaction eating disorders, Torres said. We felt like it was important for the state of Illinois to have one common, one common policy with respect to this matter.

Its unclear how the state policy would be enforced.

The precise method is less important to me than making sure we have that baseline, Pritzker said at the Champaign news conference earlier this month. This is about local control. Were setting simply a minimum standard.

Becca Lamon, superintendent of the Ball-Chatham School District west of Springfield, said parents need to be more involved in restricting phone use.

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Theyre asking us to police how their child is using the device they gave their child, Lamon said. We could be supported more by parents setting limits on those devices. Our teachers are here to teach, and their time should be spent on teaching, not becoming cellphone police.

Chicago Public Schools has no district-wide policy on cellphones, but individual schools can create their own rules. Disney II Magnet High School on the Northwest Side implemented a policy last year that gave students the option to place their device in a phone locker or keep their phones in their backpacks, in addition to not allowing students to take their phone to the bathroom.

Iliana Rzodkiewicz, the schools principal, said parents underestimate their kids addiction to phones. A school survey showed students spend an average of 12 hours a day on their phone. Parents estimated four hours in a separate, similar school survey.

In East Aurora School District 131, students are required to place their phones in the lockers at the beginning of each class period, hold onto the key during class and take them out at the end of each period. Theyre free to use their phones in between classes or at lunch, according to the districts superintendent, Jennifer Norrell, but must repeat the locker process at each class they go to, according to Cynthia Martinez, an eighth grade social studies teacher at Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy, a middle school in the East Aurora school district.

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Compliance hasnt been perfect, and Martinez said the restrictions can only do so much if parents dont also reinforce cellphone rules to their kids.

Some of these students, you know, really the first time theyre asked to put away the phone is at school, Martinez said, saying they cant control what goes on in students homes.

Students give a number of reasons for wanting to hold onto their phones in class. Some argue not having a phone creates a distraction.

I feel like just having my phone on me keeps me focused, Tony Ballard, a Springfield Lanphier High School student, said. Im on my phone before I do my work, and it helps me function on what Im doing. It just triggers something to get me focused.

The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated issues with student phone use and socializing at East Aurora, Norrell said earlier this month. Rzodkiewicz said the pandemic skyrocketed phone use and issues stemming from phones.

Friday, the Springfield high school Spanish teacher, said taking phones out of students hands has left her only more convinced that kids are too dependent on them. She said shes also seen more learning gaps that she missed when students had their phones.

If theyve got a phone the whole time, you might not have any idea of students communication skills or their ability to carry on a conversation, Friday said. It shows the very places where its our job as teachers to help.
WALTHALL COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT)  Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) toured the tornado damage in the Pine Belt from Saturdays severe storms.

On Monday, the governor met with Mrs. Lott and her family near Seminary. According to Reeves, Lott lost her husband on Saturday, and her sister was hospitalized due to the storms.

Tornado damage in Tylertown prompts boil water notice

Life is precious, and I pray for Gods strength in these challenging times! Please join me in prayer for everyone that is suffering, he said.

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During a news conference in Tylertown, Reeves said 23 counties have reported damage across the state. He said there is a high likelihood for individual and public assistance to be approved.

Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) meets with Mrs. Lott and her family on Monday, March 17 near Seminary, Miss. The area was affected during the tornado outbreak on March 15. (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves) Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) toured the tornado damage in Covington County on Monday, March 17, 2025, along with Rep. Noah Sandford (R-District 90) and State Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-District 41). (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves) Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) toured the tornado damage in Covington County on Monday, March 17, 2025, along with Rep. Noah Sandford (R-District 90) and State Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-District 41). (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves) Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) toured the tornado damage in Walthall County on Monday, March 17, 2025, along with Rep. Daryl Porter (D-District 98), State Sen. Gary Brumfield (D-District 38), State Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-District 41) and Rep. Bill Pigott (R-District 99) (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves)

Officials said 12 tornadoes hit the state this weekend, and 10 of those tornadoes have been confirmed by the National Weather Service (NWS).

Six fatalities have been reported in Mississippi. Three of the deaths occurred in Walthall County. The Walthall County coroner identified the victims as Jeffrey Irvin, 42; Gabrielle Pierre, 34; and Carter Young, 7.

Disaster response is pouring into the county to provide aid. Hot meals will be prepared on Monday at Salem Baptist Church and at 353 St. Paul Road outside of Tylertown. Donations of non-perishable foods and household supplies can be dropped off and picked up at the Walthall County EMA on Armory Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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Disaster teams will also be available at Tylertown Baptist Church to help victims with assistance with structural cleanup. Volunteers can also sign up at the Tylertown Fire Department.

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Eight types of pottery were made at El Argar, all in the same area and with the same clay.

While in the East, Egypt was entering its Middle Kingdom, Hammurabi was building the Babylonian Empire, and the Minoan culture of the First Palaces was flourishing in Crete, Western Europe was still emerging from the Neolithic era  except in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula.

Between northern Almeria and southern Murcia in Spain, the Argaric culture emerged over 4,000 years ago. In just a few decades, it reached its peak, covering an area roughly the size of Maine. Dominating copper mining and supported by extensive grain production on the plains, the Argaric people had already developed social classes and a form of aristocratic parliament. While dozens of cities and hundreds of settlements are known, the full extent of their power was previously unclear. However, a recent study of their pottery has shed light on the boundaries of this ancient civilization.

In the Bronze Age, pottery was like plastic today; it was the most common commodity of the time, says Adria Moreno Gil, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Germany. They used it for eating, cooking, storing, transporting... even for burying their dead.

This practice, in particular, makes the Argaric people stand out  they buried their loved ones within their homes, sometimes inside large jars. As with nearly every ancient culture, Argaric pottery has unique shapes, designs, and styles. Classical archaeology has long used these formal differences between pottery types to define distinct cultures. However, style alone does not reveal the full history of a culture.

To uncover more, Gil Moreno and colleagues from the Autonomous University of Barcelona mapped 1,643 ceramic remains from 61 settlements, some of which were Argaric, while others belonged to neighboring groups. The results of their work have recently been published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory.

As Moreno Gil explains, in Europe, small-scale local production was common to meet local needs. Even for forms that were widespread across the continent, such as the Bell Beaker, it wasnt that these forms spread across Europe from a single location; rather, it was a production style adopted by various regions, but it was still produced locally, he adds.

However, in El Argar, things were different. First, because its standardized; in the rest of the peninsula, we see a wide variability of forms. Since everyone made what they could or wanted, there were many different styles. In contrast, in El Argar, we have eight forms, and all eight are found everywhere, the archaeologist explains. Furthermore, a repetitive pattern of capacities appears across the region. That tells us that ceramic production is much more regulated by a central or centralizing entity, he says.

On the left, pottery from a settlement on the border of the Argaric territory. On the right, a cup from the peak period of El Argar's expansion. This cup is made from natural clay sourced from metamorphic rocks, which made it less ductile but significantly more resistant. ASOME-UAB/J.A. Soldevilla

But they discovered something else. As Carla Garrido, a researcher at the University of Barcelona and co-author of the study, explains: Traditionally, archaeology has always studied pottery from a stylistic perspective: the shape of the piece, the type of decoration, whether its painted... But those of us who dedicate ourselves to studying ceramics as a human-made element perform whats called an operational chain study, analyzing the entire process from obtaining the clay to assembling the piece and finally firing it.

When studying the clay composition of hundreds of pieces recovered from the 61 settlements, the researchers discovered that they all came from a single site, perhaps two, located in the south of what is now Murcia province. The Argaric ceramics were made from clays sourced from the Sierra de la Almenara, situated in the southern part of modern-day Murcia, at the northernmost tip of the Penibetica mountain range. This site is a considerable distance from the Argaric settlements farther to the west.

Were not talking about gold, silver, or metals; were talking about ceramics, and in very large quantities, says Garrido.

The fact that an everyday object, requiring human labor, was being produced in one place and distributed across a vast territory  sometimes over distances of up to 100 miles  tells us that the capacity for territorial control and material distribution structures must have been highly developed, adds Moreno Gil.

This centrality and hierarchical structure of production and distribution serve as the key to defining the boundaries of El Argar. Once we identified and defined the type of paste they used, we began to observe differences at the border sites, where ceramics made by other groups appeared, simply because of the clay type. We are fortunate that in El Argar, everything is so homogeneous, explains Garrido.

In this way, the researchers were not only able to delimit the boundaries, but also to track the Argaric expansion itself: Having the Argaric paste so clearly defined allowed us to demonstrate how the border shifted. In other words, we could see where Argaric ceramics began to appear, with a significant presence in some sites to the north, Garrido says.

The map illustrates the maximum expansion of El Argar from its area of origin, as well as the region where the study of the ceramics has been conducted.

The eastern border of El Argar was defined by the Mediterranean Sea, which also marked its southern boundary. To the north, the civilization didnt extend beyond the Crevillente mountain range (in Spains Alicante province), but it was to the west where its territory expanded, and where pottery has been instrumental in helping to define its limits.

This research was carried out in only a portion of the area, focusing on the headwaters and middle section of the Segura River valley. Adria traveled 150 kilometers from site to site, says Roberto Risch, professor of prehistory at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the senior author of the research. But we hypothesize that El Argar had about a thousand kilometers of border, he adds. They hope the pottery will help confirm this.

Being Argaric isnt just about burying your people in your homes. Being Argaric isnt just about having certain taxes. Its about those eight ceramic forms, and not just their shape, but how theyre made, Risch explains. All the pottery from that culture is made with the same raw material sourced from very specific mountain ranges, which are also the [foundational] territory of El Argar, he adds.

The study of ceramics further supports the interpretation of El Argar society as an integrated and cohesive political and economic organization, with far more developed systems for production and distribution of raw materials and goods than previously thought. For Risch, these results significantly support the hypothesis that El Argar developed the first state structures around 1800 BC in Western Europe.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden is kicking off a economic development tour Monday in Sioux Falls.

Cimpl halts harvest operations in Yankton

According to a news release, Rhoden is speaking at the Sioux Falls Chamber: Inside South Dakota event on Monday at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance building on Russell Street.

The Open for Opportunity Tour will feature Rhoden visiting South Dakota communities and highlighting their economic development efforts, learning specific needs and working together to chase down opportunities.

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BALTIMORE  Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says he is not new to the concept of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

If you believe in cutting waste, fraud, and abuse, the answer is that so do I. And thats what weve been doing, Moore told Semafor during an interview at the BlackRock retirement summit last week in Washington, D.C.

In the interview, Moore reiterated his attempt to position himself as not the leader of the resistance against President Donald Trump while discussing his own efforts to improve Marylands government functions  such as hiring Chief Performance Officer Asma Mirza in August 2023.

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One of the first hires I made was a chief performance officer, Moore said. Weve been doing DOGE in Maryland long before anyone knew what that word was.

The Trump administration has consistently framed DOGE as a tool to make widespread cuts to the federal civil service. On Friday, Vice President JD Vance said some federal workers clearly are collecting a check and not doing a job.

Moore pointed to reforms in information technology (IT) and real estate as examples of enhancing the performance of his states government.

Weve pulled together initiatives, doing everything from fleet management to IT consolidation, to looking at procurement reform  were doing massive procurement reform looking at real estate, Moore said. Theres certain buildings, for example, that are on state rolls. I dont know why these buildings are on the state rolls, so get them off the balance sheet!

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The governor suggested that not all vacant government positions should be filled blindly and argued for more specified approach to right-size the federal civil service. At the same time, he described many DOGE cuts as seemingly arbitrary and ideological and cruel given the prevalence of federal workers in Maryland  more than 160,000 federal workers call the Old Line State home.

If you know theres over 10,000 vacancies, does that mean you bring on 10,000 working people? The answer is no because Im not interested in rebuilding someone elses government, Moore said. Im interested in having a government that actually works. So tell me how to right-size it, and then tell me how you can add measurements and accountability where you can utilize technologies to increase efficiencies and to get rid of waste and fraud.

Asked about rising pressure from Democratic voters who want their party to fight back against DOGE cuts, Moore said he remains focused on protecting our people. Such an effort could include greater partnerships between the public and private sectors, such as for healthcare researchers and other high-skilled workers who were laid off or had their funding cut, according to the governor.

This is a time when I think the private sector also has a chance to go after some real talent that is available, people who are working really important jobs for the federal government who now, pretty arbitrarily, find themselves out of that role, Moore said.

_____
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has included a $1 million fund to review the Oxford High School shooting in the new state budget.

On Nov. 30, 2021, four students were killed in the shooting and seven others were injured at Oxford High School in Oxford, MI.

This filing was listed in the States executive budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 as a one-time general fund, to support a review of the handling of the events in November 2021 at Oxford High School.

State of Michigan Executive Budget:

FY26 Budget BookDownload

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The budget plan doesnt include specifics on how the funds will be used in the investigation.

Families of victims and survivors of the shooting have demanded a new state-led investigation into the events leading up to the tragedy.

Oxford High School shooting victims families call for investigation, Michigan Attorney General responds

In Nov. 2024, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said a new investigation was out of her control.

We offered immediately to help the Oakland County Sheriffs Department in their investigation, they declined, said Nessel. I asked the Oakland county prosecutor if they desired or were interested in our help. I asked over and over again.

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Ethan Crumbley, the shooter, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in Dec. 2023. He was denied a motion to withdraw his guilty plea and request for resentencing by the Oakland County Circuit Court in Dec. 2024.

Oxford School Shooters motion to withdraw plea denied

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One nationalist influencer called it truly gratifying. Another said he was laughing his head off. And a state-media editorial hailed the demise of what it called the lie factory.

Chinese nationalists and state media could hardly contain their schadenfreude after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and other US government-funded media organizations that broadcast to authoritarian regimes.

For years, the Chinese government and its propaganda apparatus have relentlessly attacked VOA and RFA for their critical coverage of China, particularly on human rights and religious freedom.

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And now, the Trump administration is silencing the very institutions that Beijing has long sought to undermine  at a time when China is spending lavishly to expand the global footprint of its own state media.

In an editorial Monday, the Global Times, a pugnacious Communist Party-run newspaper, denounced VOA as a lie factory with an appalling track record on China reporting.

From its coverage of alleged human rights abuses in the far western Xinjiang region to reporting on South China Sea disputes, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the coronavirus pandemic and the Chinese economy, almost every malicious falsehood about China has VOAs fingerprints all over it, the editorial claimed.

As more Americans begin to break through their information cocoons and see a real world and a multidimensional China, the demonizing narratives propagated by VOA will ultimately become a laughingstock of the times, it added.

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VOAs China coverage stretches back decades. During the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy protests, its Chinese-language radio broadcasts became a critical source of uncensored information for the Chinese people. (VOA discontinued its Chinese radio broadcasts in 2011 but its Chinese language website remained online as of Monday.)

RFA, founded in 1996, broadcasts to China in English, Chinese, Uyghur and Tibetan-language services, catering to ethnic minorities whose freedoms the Chinese government has long been accused of suppressing.

RFA CEO Bay Fang called the US grant cutoff a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space.

On Chinese social media, nationalist influencers celebrated the demise of VOA, which has placed all 1,300 staff on administrative leave, and of RFA, which said it may cease operations following the termination of federal grants.

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Voice of America has been paralyzed! And so has Radio Free Asia, which is just as malicious toward China. How truly gratifying! wrote Hu Xijin, a former editor-in-chief of the Global Times and prominent nationalist commentator.

Almost all Chinese people know the Voice of America, as it is a symbolic tool of US ideological infiltration into China, Hu wrote in a post on microblogging site Weibo, where he has nearly 25 million followers. (I) believe that Chinese people are more than happy to see Americas anti-China ideological stronghold crumble from within, scattering like a flock of startled birds.

Another nationalist commentator accused VOA and RFA of being notorious propaganda machines for color revolutions, referring to protests of the 2000s that toppled governments in the former Soviet Union and the Balkans.

Im laughing my head off! they said.

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Others cheered Trump, who during his first term in office was nicknamed Chuan Jianguo, or Trump, the (Chinese) nation builder by the Chinese internet, in a mocking suggestion that the US presidents isolationist foreign policy and divisive domestic agenda was helping Beijing to overtake Washington on the global stage.

Thank you, Comrade Chuan Jianguo and Elon Musk, please take care and stay safe, a Weibo user said on Monday.

Musk, the billionaire adviser to Trump who has been spearheading sweeping cuts to the US government, has used his social media platform X to call for VOA to be shut down.

This news marks the end of an era, said another comment on Weibo on Sunday.

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The White House defended Trumps executive order in a statement Saturday, claiming it will ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.

But as the US-funded stations dial down, China is busy amplifying its own messages to the world.

Under leader Xi Jinping, China has drastically expanded the reach and influence of its state media outlets as part of its push to gain discourse power in a world it sees as unfairly dominated by the Western narrative.

In 2018, Beijing announced the creation of a giant media conglomerate by merging three existing state-run networks aimed at overseas audiences to better combine resources. Its name? Voice of China.

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Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline camp north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on Dec. 3, 2016, outside Cannon Ball, North Dakota. On March 17, 2025, attorneys for pipeline developer Energy Transfer and Greenpeace gave closing arguments in a three-week civil trial stemming from the protests. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Greenpeace and the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline on Monday had their final showdown in the three-week trial over whether the environmental group engaged in a destructive and defamatory campaign against the pipeline that resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Energy Transfer accuses three Greenpeace entities  Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace International and Greenpeace Fund  of colluding to promote acts including trespassing, violence and vandalism by anti-pipeline protesters in 2016 and 2017. The company also alleges Greenpeace published defamatory statements about the pipeline to hurt the companys reputation and get banks to pull their financial support for the project.

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Greenpeace denies the allegations and maintains that Energy Transfer filed the lawsuit to harm the environmental movement.

Free speech advocates and environmentalists have raised concerns that a verdict against Greenpeace could have a chilling effect on activist groups.

The jury began its deliberations at about 2:45 p.m. and planned to adjourn for the day at 5 p.m.

The protests were started by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and drew thousands of people to rural North Dakota. The tribe views the pipeline as a threat to its water and sovereignty, since it passes through unceded Sioux Nation land. Indigenous groups and others who protested in solidarity with the tribe camped for months near where the pipeline was set to cross underneath the Missouri River.

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In his closing statements, Trey Cox, the lead attorney representing Energy Transfer, accused Greenpeace of using a vulnerable population to further its anti-fossil fuel agenda.

They took the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and they exploited the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, he said.

Cox attributed between $265 million and $340 million in damages to Greenpeace. He said the jury should not only hold Greenpeace accountable for this sum, but also hand down more than double that in punitive damages. If the jury grants Energy Transfers request, Greenpeace could be on the hook for between $800 million and $1 billion.

Cox argued punitive damages would dissuade Greenpeace and other organizations from acting similarly in the future.

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This is your responsibility to tell them, You cant do these things, he said.

Cox said all three Greenpeace defendants worked in concert to send supplies to the protests, share intel with protesters and pay Native activists to conduct trainings in the camps that encouraged demonstrators to break the law.

He showed the jury photos of construction equipment with broken windows, anti-pipeline messages written in graffiti and gas tanks filled with sand. He also displayed photos of vehicles on fire.

Everett Jack, the lead attorney representing Greenpeaces U.S. affiliate in the case, said Energy Transfer provided no evidence that Greenpeace was the reason for any violent or destructive acts alleged by the plaintiffs.

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This lack of evidence is fatal to the claims they bring, he said.

Current and former Greenpeace employees told the jury previously that Greenpeace USA did provide support to the demonstrations, but that it is committed to nonviolence and never endorsed or encouraged destructive behavior by protesters. Some of the activists who provided training to demonstrators at the camps similarly testified that the tactics they taught were nonviolent.

Greenpeace USA says that the support it offered to the Indigenous-led protests was minimal, and that it was one of many organizations present at the camps. Several who testified said that Greenpeace only provided help because it was asked.

Greenpeace International and Greenpeace Fund, meanwhile, say they never sent anyone to the demonstrations or provided any funding or resources to support the cause.

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Cox also told jurors that Greenpeace maliciously circulated nine defamatory statements to harm the company. The organization successfully persuaded some banks to withdraw their financial support for the project, he said.

I call them malicious because they are strategic, they are dangerous and they are manipulative, Cox said.

The nine statements include claims that the Dakota Access Pipeline crosses through tribal land, that Energy Transfer deliberately destroyed sacred cultural sites during its construction and that Energy Transfers private security contractors and law enforcement used violence against protesters.

Cox said that Greenpeace witnesses admitted to publishing these claims without asking for Energy Transfer or law enforcements side of the story. Greenpeace made these claims in order to turn the public against the company, he added.

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She knows exactly where to stick the knife in, Cox said of one statement he attributed to Annie Leonard, former Greenpeace executive director.

Cox pointed to previous testimony by Ashton Hayes, a high-ranking finance administrator for Energy Transfer. Hayes said he believed Greenpeaces actions negatively impacted the companys rapport with banks, Cox said.

Speaking on behalf of Greenpeace, Jack told the jury Cox was trying to gaslight them.

Energy Transfer is using boogeyman terms designed to get you worked up, he said.

Dozens of media outlets and other groups circulated the claims before Greenpeace, he said. Some of the statements were made in open letters to banks that Greenpeace co-signed with hundreds of other organizations, according to records shown during the trial.

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Greenpeaces statements also relied largely on first-hand accounts from Standing Rock leaders as well as people who attended the protests, witnesses said.

Current and former Greenpeace employees also testified that they believed the statements to be true at the time they made them, with some saying they still stand by the veracity of the claims.

Greenpeace International was not involved in seven of the nine alleged defamatory statements. Greenpeace Fund says it did not make any of them.

Jack also disputed Coxs claims that Greenpeaces actions caused a five-month construction delay for the pipeline, and led Energy Transfer to delay refinancing its loan and incur unanticipated financing costs.

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Expert testimony and records previously presented in court indicate that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision to delay granting an easement to allow the pipeline to be built underneath the Missouri River pushed back completion of the pipeline, Jack said.

He said Energy Transfer board minutes suggest that the company delayed refinancing its loan because of an ongoing lawsuit by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Army Corps, which created greater uncertainty about the future of the project.

Jack also argued that neither law enforcement nor multiple Native activists asked to testify in the case believed that Greenpeace was a major presence at the demonstrations.

One Lakota organizer, Nick Tilsen, testified earlier in the trial that he considered the idea that Greenpeace organized the protests paternalistic.

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The lawsuit was first filed in 2019 and has thousands of docket entries. During his closing speech, Jack said that the case has about 900,000 documents.

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A teenager missing for more than a year has been located in another state.

Asata Amun has been in the custody of Tennessee Department of Childrens Services almost since the moment she ran away from home in February last year at the age of 16. She had last been seen in Georgia on Feb. 1, when her familys doorbell camera captured her running from home with no shoes on.

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Gwinnett County police say workers there didnt know her true identity until a case manager became alarmed by some inconsistencies in her statements about her history. The worker then researched children missing in Georgia and learned her real name.

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Thats when they reached out to Gwinnett County Police.

Channel 2s Tom Jones spoke exclusively with Asatas mother, who lives in Connecticut. Jasmine Dominique said she was stunned when she learned her daughter was safe in another state.

I dropped the phone when I heard it. I couldnt believe it, she said.

Jones asked Asatas mother how she ended up all the way in Tennessee. She says her daughter told her she had it rough for a while.

She was in Atlanta when she left and she slept in the street until someone kind of helped her and got her on a bus to go where she needed to go to feel safe, Dominique said.

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Asatas father told Jones last year that she ran away from home after he threatened to send her to military school because of disciplinary issues. Police at one point searched the home looking for evidence that may point to Asatas whereabouts.

Georgias Department of Family and Childrens Services removed Asatas two sisters from the home after allegations their father physically abused them.

Dominique says Asata had complained of abuse, too. Asatas father denies abusing his children.

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Asatas mother says her daughter doesnt know anyone in Tennessee.

I guess she had it in her mind that where she is going will be safer for her, she said.

Police say arrangements have been made to return Asata to childrens services here in Georgia.

Asatas mother says she hopes to reunite with her daughter.

Jones called Asatas father, but he has not yet responded.

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A prisoner inside of the Gwinnett County jail was sentenced to life in prison recently after selling fentanyl to two inmates who died from an overdose.

Officials say Harry Fomby, 54, was found guilty of two counts of felony murder, violation of Georgias Controlled Substance Abuse Act, and two counts of possession of prohibited items by inmates in connection with the September 2021 deaths of 22-year-old Corey Leemarie Bryant and 36-year-old Ian Jabar Longshore.

Fentanyl is a deadly drug, and no matter who you are or where you are, this is not a substance to be toyed with, Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. Two men lost the chance to turn around their lives because of this substance. We pray for their respective families and continue to advocate for prevention of any distribution of this drug in Gwinnett County.

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On Sept. 6, 2021, both men were found dead in their cells. Medical staff ruled both men died from an overdose of fentanyl and xylazine.

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Several inmates informed jail officials that Fomby smuggled the drugs inside of the jail. They confirmed the information after an x-ray showed a small circular item concealed between his legs.

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Surveillance footage also showed Longshore walk to Fombys cell and retrieve a small item that was slid under the door.

In return, Longshore could be seen leaving commissary items in front of Fombys cell which Fomby later picked up.

After a two-and-a-half hours deliberation, the jury determined Fomby would serve two life sentences.

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Armed groups in Haiti have targeted another local media, making it the third outlet to be attacked by gangs in a week marked by the burning of schools, the looting of businesses and escalating panic in the streets of Port-au-Prince.

On Sunday, the editorial staff of Tele Pluriel in the Delmas 19 neighborhood, said heavily armed gang members had broken through the stations main barrier sometime during the night and set fire to its premises while also pillaging their offices. The attack on the independent television channel followed similar assaults on other media.

Between Wednesday and Thursday, armed groups also attacked Radio Television Caraibes and Melodie FM after invading the neighborhood where radio stations are located. All attacks have been blamed on the powerful Viv Ansanm, Living Together, gang coalition. The gang, which controls up to 90% of the capital, has been advancing on the capital day-by-day amid an effort by a Haitian government task force to hit their strongholds with explosive drones that, so far, have proven unsuccessful at either capturing or killing any prominent gang leaders.

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On Friday, automatic gunshots could be heard throughout Port-au-Prince where people brave enough to take to the streets were ducking stray bullets  even in restaurants. In a widely circulated video, gunmen could be seen in a high-rise and sporadically firing at anything moving. Elsewhere, people reported buildings in some downtown neighborhoods engulfed in flames and others being looted. Gang members are reportedly paying individuals to set fire to the buildings.

The intensified gang attacks have led to more individuals fleeing their homes and neighborhoods including several orders of Roman Catholic nuns and orphans.

The losses were enormous, the staff of Tele Pluriel said in a post on its website, adding that due to ongoing violence they have been unable to access the area.

Tele Pluriel is owned by Pierre-Louis Opont, a former head of Haitis Provisional Electoral Council, and his award-winning journalist wife Marie Lucie Bonhomme, a recipient of the 2025 Greeley Peace Prize from the University of Massachusetts Lowell for her defense of human rights and reporting on the challenges Haitians face at home and abroad. She and Opont founded the station in 2012 and Bonhomme presents the evening news on the channel while hosting a weekly show titled Sans Detour.

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A veteran reporter with Vision 2000 and host of its morning current affairs news program, Bonhomme and Opont both found themselves victims of gangs when they were abducted a week apart in 2023. While she was held briefly, Opont was held for several weeks before he was freed after a ransom was paid.

The attacks against Haitian media are being viewed as an attempt to undermine journalists in Haiti and to weaken the press. They also come amid U.S. cuts by the Trump administration that on Saturday led to all full staffers with Voice of Americas Haitian Creole service being placed on full time leave and earlier this year led to the cancellation of the news program Enfomasyon nou dwe konnen (Information We Should Know) by the PANOS Institute. The program disappeared from the broadcast of several Haiti radio stations after the U.S. announced a pause in its foreign assistance.

In a note, the head of SOS Journalistes Haiti, a journalists association, noted that gangs have launched a wanted poster against several journalists and have ordered their arrests. Journalists and the entire population are at the mercy of gangs, Guyler Delva, the head of the association said, lamenting about the lack of protection for journalists under the current regime. He accused members of the countrys nine-member Transitional Presidential Council of endangering the safety of members of the press in an obvious, persistent, stubborn and deliberate manner.

Haiti, the Committee to Protect Journalists said last month, is one of the worlds deadliest places to be a journalists. Among the incidents, it cited was a December attack where the gang coalition opened fire on journalists at a hospital reopening, killing two of them before taking responsibility for the incident.

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As news of the latest media attacks circulated on Sunday, local media reported that armed gang members had set fire to yet another armored vehicle belonging to the Haiti National Police. The vehicle was being driven in the hills above the capital in Kenscoff, the reports said when gang members ambushed it with Molotov cocktails.

Since late January, scores of gang members have been in command of several rural communities in Kenscoff in an effort to take control of wealthy enclaves not yet under their control. The burned police vehicle is the third police armored vehicle to be set ablaze by gangs in Kenscoff and the fifth in recent months.

Earlier in the week, gangs set fire to the offices of Radio Television Caraibes on Chavannes Street in downtown Port-au-Prince. A journalist with the station said it appeared that a fire was started early Thursday morning. Gang members also attacked Melodie FM, located two blocks away on Rue Capois.

The station, per a note, was looted sometime between Wednesday and Thursday.

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According to witnesses, gang members invaded the area in the middle of the night in pickup trucks and broke into several buildings, most of which had been deserted by occupants. To access Melodie FM, they reportedly dug large holes in the walls of its premises, and used them as tunnels to enter the building.

No casualties were recorded during this intrusion, and no radio station employees were present at the scene.

Founded in 1998, the station is owned by journalist Marcus Garcia, another renowned Haitian journalist and columnist who led the struggle for press freedoms against the Duvalier dictatorship in the 1980s. As a result of his fight, he was exiled and fled to the United States where he lived for several years.
A large oil painting hangs in the main dining room of Jinja, an Asian restaurant northwest of Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico. The painting depicts a woman sitting on a beach, gazing out at the sea. The idyllic scene, bathed in turquoise and ochre hues, is one of five works by Gene Hackman displayed in the restaurant. Recently, dozens of people have visited the establishment to learn about this lesser-known side of the legendary actor, a two-time Oscar winner who tragically passed away at the age of 95, just a few meters from his wife, Betsy, 65.

I saw them here once, a long time ago. The paintings are his, and she was involved in the menu because they were partners in the place, says Malisa Aragon, a businesswoman who has been going to Jinja for years. Aragon was lucky. Sightings of the couple in the city were as rare as the passing of a comet. This is confirmed by Dom, one of the restaurants waitresses, who never met the couple, despite working there for eight years.

Not far from Jinja is Pandoras, the interior design store Betsy Hackman (nee Arakawa) founded 24 years ago, inspired by a knitted pillow Gene had brought back from a film shoot in Central Europe. She started the business with her close friend, Barbara Lenihan. The Lenihans were perhaps the Hackmans' closest friends in Santa Fe and knew them most intimately. Its all very sad, Lenihan tells EL PAIS. Gene probably depended a lot on Betsy, and she on him as well, she adds.

Hanging in the Jinja restaurant in Santa Fe are several paintings by Gene Hackman, who was a partner in the business. Luis Pablo Beauregard

The Lenihans met the two after Gene Hackman filmed The Firm, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise. While in a dive shop in Hawaii, where Arakawa was originally from, Hackman saw a map of the USS Arizona, the ship sunk by the Japanese in 1941 at Pearl Harbor, a tragedy that killed 900 American sailors. The map, Hackman learned, was made by Daniel Lenihan, an anthropologist specializing in underwater archaeology who also lived in Santa Fe. Back in New Mexico, the couples went to dinner, marking the beginning of a 30-year friendship.

Gene and Daniel tested their friendship by delving into fiction writing. Together, they published three novels between 2004 and 2011, each acknowledging Betsys invisible but vital contribution. She interpreted Genes scribbles, compiled manuscripts, and offered advice. She also keeps us from killing each other when we disagree, they humorously admitted in the acknowledgments of Justice for None (2004), a novel about a World War I veteran wrongly accused of murder.

Barbara Lenihan isnt surprised by the solitary life her friends led in their home on Old Sunset Trail, in a residential area of the Santa Fe Mountains. They really liked their privacy. She was very competent and organized. They had someone to help them clean, but since there were only two of them, they didnt need it as often. Maybe in the last year or so, they stayed home more, she recalls. The last time a paparazzo captured the couple in public was in March of the previous year, as they left a restaurant in the city. Despite being together since 1991, only a handful of public images of the couple exist.

Lenihan last saw her friend and business partner in January, when she visited Pandoras to buy some candles. Betsy was wearing a mask. She may have already been infected with hantavirus, a disease transmitted through rodent droppings and urine, with an average incubation period of 18 days. Unfortunately, Betsy Hackman was unlucky. The disease has a 43% mortality rate among the 129 patients who have contracted it in New Mexico since 1975. Of the seven cases in 2024, two people died. If it werent for the virus, Gene would have lived a couple more years, and Betsy would have easily had another 30 years, Lenihan reflects.

Gene Hackman and Daniel Lenihan were friends for decades and wrote three novels together after the actor retired from Hollywood. cortesia de la familia lenihan

Kevin Morales, a former employee of Varment Guard, a pest control company, knows the Hackmans' property well. He visited several times to fumigate. There are a lot of mice in the area where the house is located. They didnt have any in their residence, but they did in the maintenance rooms, which were located elsewhere on the property. And these were connected to the central ventilation system, explains Morales, who has fond memories of the couple. They were very kind and always offered us lunch when we visited, he says. In 2020, when the pandemic began, the Hackmans stopped calling the company.

Authorities believe Mrs. Hackman died sometime on February 11. Security cameras captured her that Tuesday morning as she shopped for food and medicine, including painkillers. The doctors who performed the autopsy believe she mistook the symptoms of her infection for those of the flu. Mrs. Hackman rarely used her cell phone but had spoken with Brendan, the Lenihans' oldest son, on February 8. He was expecting his second child. Betsy was very excited about it, and my son thought hed talk to her again soon. He didnt, Lenihan laments.

Mrs. Hackman preferred to communicate by email. Police found no messages sent or read after February 11. Veterinarians for the couples three dogs  Zinna, Bear, and Nikita  also unsuccessfully attempted to contact her by phone to notify her that food was ready for the animals. Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian kelpie who had recently undergone surgery, died at the couples side in a kennel. The dogs full name was Zinfandel, a nod to the Hackmans' fondness for red wines, as it is the name of a grape variety.

Gene Hackman was inside the house and near his wifes body for several days. The autopsy revealed that her heart, which had a pacemaker and a triple bypass to improve circulation, stopped beating on February 18, seven days after her presumed death. The report also revealed signs of advanced Alzheimers in his brain. Authorities believe he may not have realized Betsy had died. There was no food in his stomach, but his body wasnt dehydrated. For their friends, however, the physical deterioration was more apparent than the mental decline. Hackman had lost a lot of weight in recent years, making him more frail. Until recently, he still rode a bicycle.

The case has shocked Santa Fe, a city where one in four residents is over 65. Stepping outside, its easy to notice the high proportion of gray hair and walkers among its 90,000 residents. Health organizations estimate that throughout New Mexico, around 67,000 people, like Betsy Hackman, provide unpaid care to 46,000 Alzheimers patients.

Gene and Betsy Hackman (left) spent several vacations with the Lenihans. Pictured here is a photo of their visit to Lake Powell, on the Utah-Arizona border. cortesia de la familia lenihan

Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, met at a gym in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s. Arakawa was the only child of a single mother who had a successful business career in Hawaii. She studied piano in Honolulu and, at the age of 11, performed in a concert for thousands of children. She attended the private Punahou School  the same elite institution from which Barack Obama graduated  and later moved to California to study social studies and communications. I think she still played piano for them, but only at home. Her life was really about Gene, being a good partner, and helping him, Lenihan recalls.

Hackman, who starred in iconic films such as The Conversation, The French Connection, and Unforgiven, was always private about his personal life. However, in 1985, during the promotion of Twice in a Lifetime, he shared details about the end of his first marriage to Faye Maltese. In an interview with the Florida Sun Sentinel, he said: I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman. We just drifted apart. He had three children from that marriage: Leslie Anne, 58, Elizabeth Jean, 62, and Christopher Allen, 65, the same age as Arakawa. Hackman did not include any of his children in his estate, leaving everything to Betsy.

Although Hackman and Arakawa did not have children together, they formed strong bonds with the descendants of their close friends. The Lenihans, for instance, cherish the memory of Brendans high school graduation. Brendan invited Gene to the ceremony, which turned out to be a memorable evening. Alongside Hackman were notable figures like physicist Murray Gell-Mann, Nobel Prize winner in 1969 for the invention of the quark; playwright and actor Sam Shepard; and author Cormac McCarthy.

After the event, McCarthy, who won the Pulitzer Prize for The Road, approached Hackman and invited him to lunch. Gene agreed, but only on one condition: he invited Brendan along, knowing that All the Pretty Horses, one of McCarthys works, was Brendans favorite novel. Barbara Lenihan remembers, When we told him, he couldnt believe it. It was his graduation present. She adds: All doors opened for Gene. And if you were with him, they opened for you too.

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Over the coming weeks and months, first-wavers around the world will observe five years with Long Covid. Many already have. Others with related diseases like myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)  who warned us about the long-term effects of pathogens early in the pandemic  have been sick for decades.

When I was infected in early February 2020, I was 27 and healthy. I didnt have any respiratory symptoms and had no idea my loss of taste and smell or the pain of a suspected blood clot in my calf were results of SARS-CoV-2. Over the coming weeks and months, new symptoms came and went until they set in for good  and divided my life in a fault line between able-bodied and disabled. My two reinfections have worsened my health.

The beginning of the pandemic was a scary and confusing time to develop Long Covid. Few providers could see me, and the ones that did thought I was depressed or anxious since my tests came back normal. I began to find other people experiencing the same thing, on social media and in early op-eds, rewriting the narrative that most recover in two weeks. Here we are five years later, still sick.

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Looking back on half a decade, there have been numerous milestones in Long Covid research, advocacy, and greater societal awareness, many led by people with the disease. There has also been, and continues to be, a lot of loss: There have been more than 25 million global excess deaths from Covid-19, and more than 400 million people are affected by Long Covid, which can be fatal.

The pandemic  and the worlds failure to respond to it adequately  has led to an unsafe society for disabled and immunocompromised people. Many experience deep grief: the loss of friendships, family relationships, marriages, and bodily safety in a hostile society that ignores the ongoing pandemic.

Despite the overwhelming science finding that Covid-19 impacts nearly every organ system and documenting the risk of reinfection, our federal government and health agency leaders deny and minimize the disease. Ableism and late-stage capitalism propel them as the Trump administration rolls back potential progress and disability protections in what one federal worker recently called fascist and Orwellian policies. This moment rings with the chilling reminder of the rise of fascism following the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.

Demonstration at the Red Cross Emergency Ambulance Station in Washington, D.C., during the influenza pandemic of 1918. (Photo by: HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Because of all of this, I am inspired by the bravery of people with Long Covid who have shared their stories and led the way in the face of so much willful indifference and cruelty. We will face these new challenges fueled by the courage and knowledge we have gained over the past five years.

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None of our understanding about Long Covid today could exist without people with the disease. We filled out thousands of surveys, showing the disease has more than 200 different symptoms. We gave blood and organ samples to researchers. We informed clinicians on what interventions have moved the needle, leading to important clinical trials. We made life-saving support groups and groundbreaking advocacy organizations. We even set up our own research collaborations that have led to scientific breakthroughs.

Long Covid was also named by a person with the disease. On May 20, 2020, Italian researcher Elisa Perego first tweeted #LongCovid. The name quickly gained recognition, as well as the term Long hauler from Oregon-based educator Amy Watsons Long Covid support group, Long Haul Covid Fighters.

Long Covid is short, easy to understand, direct, and works well as a hashtag and a name, Perego recently told me over email. She explained that it also directly captures the prolonged nature of the disease entity, which was important in early 2020 when health officials said Covid-19 only lasted a couple of weeks.

Covid survivors found that this was wrong. Covid was long. So, I think the name Long Covid greatly helped to convey this message and address early erroneous information, Perego wrote.

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Today, the name continues to address widespread denialism and minimization. Often media outlets state that Long Covid lasts for only weeks or months, or that most cases resolve. Unfortunately, neither is the case.

Many studies have shown that a large majority of people with Long Covid have not recovered. Millions of us are proof that Long Covid can last half a decade, and that it (and related diseases triggered by Covid-19) are lifelong. This mirrors chronic illness from earlier pathogens: a 2021 study about SARS-CoV-1 found that people infected with this virus were still disabled nearly two decades later.

For Perego, some of the top milestones of Long Covid advocacy include scientific publications adopting the term and advocacy initiatives like internationally-recognized Long Covid Awareness Day on March 15. Others I spoke with cited Ed Yongs Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the disease and ME, the 2024 Senate hearing on Long Covid, and the resulting Long Covid Research Moonshot Act. Others referenced protests and demonstrations around the world calling attention to Long Covid.

Thanks to the patient community, we saw quick action and acknowledgment of Long Covid early on, said Gina Assaf, co-founder of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative. Im forever in awe of our community and what we did there.

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This, and so many other forms of advocacy, have paved the way for attention on the disease. Contrary to the mainstream medias framing of Long Covid as mysterious, Assaf said that we know a lot about the disease. In fact, on PubMed, there are over 38,000 papers using the term, and researchers are zeroing in on its potential causes, including viral persistence, immune dysregulation, and reactivated viruses.

As we face probable challenges in funding and research in the U.S., Assaf said it will be important for scientists to focus on global collaboration and to consult with patients. PLRC funded vital research last year through their patient-led fund, including a study that found muscle abnormalities in people with Long Covid. Theyve also developed patient-led research scorecards to increase patient insight and hold researchers accountable for pursuing high-reward projects.

While scientists have found promising leads  there are still no approved treatments.

Activists and Long Covid advocacy groups have raised money to help further investigate viral persistence, a theory private researchers like those in Polybios international consortium continue to investigate. Other promising private researchers like the Bateman Horne Center and Open Medicine Foundation also collaborate with patients, leading clinical trials on data-backed drugs and studies into potential biomarkers.

There are important pockets of advancements, Assaf said. Im optimistic and hopeful for us  I hope clinical trials will help us understand what is and isnt working.

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Assafs family has been particularly impacted by Long Covid; on top of Assaf, her sister is severely disabled from Long Covid. It has been hard on our family, financially and emotionally, she said.

Over the past five years, weve seen Long Covids wide reach as multiple family members develop it, couples come down with the illness, and people from all walks of life and every age, including millions of children, develop the disease..

While scientists have found promising leads  there are still no approved treatments for Long Covid. Some of the related diseases people with Long Covid develop, like dysautonomia and mast cell activation syndrome, have treatments that may offer some relief, but finding providers knowledgeable on them can be difficult.

Many people with Long Covid are also unable to access these treatments for co-diagnoses, said Tracey Thompson, the founder of the Black Indigenous Racialized Covid Health project. In the first years of the pandemic, Thompson said she followed every study for a glimmer of hope.

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Ive stopped reading papers, she said. Its not like Ive stopped looking  but I just had to do it for my own well being.

While scientists look for treatments, Thompson stressed the importance of preventing Covid-19. The disease continues to spread, kill, and disable, particularly in marginalized communities, which often have higher Covid-19 rates and less access to care.

The message hasnt changed, Thompson said: wear a mask to prevent infection, and if you do get infected, rest up. I want less people hurt. I want less people damaged. I want less people infected  Anything you can do to mitigate harm is a good idea.

Over the years, weve seen mask blocs, clean air groups, and other mutual aid efforts step in to help mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in their communities as our government failed us. People with Long Covid and other disabilities lead many of these groups. These stop-gap measures have proven life-saving in a society hell bent on mass infection.

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People who reach out to Thompson about Long Covid often assume there are clinics where one can go get all patched up. But if there were, we wouldnt be going on about it for five years, she said. We wouldnt be out there beating these drums that no one wants to listen to.

We keep beating these drums because we care about our loved ones and community members. While much of society does not consider or advocate for us, we continue to deliver the news and share our stories, study after study, life-changing case after life-changing case, to warn them about the lack of safety nets and cures once you develop Long Covid.

We do it as mutual aid organizers delivering masks and tests and homemade meals. We do it as researchers studying mitochondrial dysfunction and viral persistence. We do it as activists dropping banners and hurling public health messages on billboards. We do much of it from bed as we rest and pace.

Over the years, covering Long Covid has reshaped my understanding of journalism. I once dreamed of writing gorgeous long-form features  now I value the importance of service journalism more than any form of writing. I want to continue to inform our community as we fight ableism and navigate the next half-decade of Long Covid. As we navigate new treatments, biomarkers, and, of course, more denialism.

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People with Long Covid are courageous. We will continue to share our stories and do the work the world is too scared to take on.

This essay was republished with permission from The Sick Times, a journalist-founded website chronicling the Long Covid crisis.

The post Half a Decade of Long Covid Later, What Have We Learned? appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY)  Hampton police are asking for the publics help to identify a burglary suspect.

Courtesy: Hampton Police Division

On March 2, a man was involved in two commercial burglaries at 905 and 933 Aberdeen Road.

The suspect was wearing a black Reebok puffer jacket, black jeans, black and yellow Jordan 4s, and a black Nike balaclava. He also has an unknown tattoo on his left hand.

If you or anyone you know has information to assist the police, please contact the Hampton Police Division at (757) 727-6111 or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

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HANCEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  The City of Hancevilles Mayor released a statement Monday about the decision to disband the Hanceville Police Department.

Mayor Jim Sawyer said that looking ahead, the citys goal is to establish a new police department built on a foundation of integrity and service.

Morgan County Sheriffs Office seeking information on man wanted for outstanding warrants

You can read the full statement from the mayor below.

Last week, the City of Hanceville faced the difficult decision to disband the Hanceville Police Department. This step was not taken lightly and came after careful deliberation, consultation with legal counsel, and a thorough analysis of the citys financial standing. While the hope had been to retain the department in its current form, it became clear that the best path forward, both legally and financially, was to rebuild from the ground up. This decision allows us to fulfill our responsibility as stewards of the citys limited tax revenues while ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. We are deeply grateful to the officers and employees who served honorably, and this decision in no way diminishes our appreciation for their dedication. For those impacted by this decision, we extend our heartfelt gratitude and regret for the challenges this may bring. Looking ahead, the citys goal is to establish a new police department built on a foundation of integrity and service. We are committed to hiring a new chief who can lead this effort and assemble a team that embodies the values of our community. In the interim, we remain thankful to the Cullman County Sheriffs Office for stepping in to provide law enforcement coverage and ensuring that our residents remain safe during this transition. The City of Hanceville remains focused on building a stronger future for our citizens, and we thank our community for its understanding and support as we move forward together. Hanceville Mayor Jim Sawyer

On Friday, Sawyer fired the remainder of the police department.

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The letter, given to the Hanceville Police Dispatcher during a meeting with Mayor Sawyer, said due to the pending criminal charges against several former Hanceville Police officers and the recent recommendations from the grand jury to abolish the police department it has been decided that it is in the best interest of the city to cut the rest of the department.

There were 12 remaining employees with the department after five officers, including the chief, were indicted last month.

The letter states that the remaining employees will be paid through March 21. Any sick or vacation time they have remaining will be paid out. Medical insurance will remain through April 1.

Sawyer said that the employees affected by this decision would be able to apply for a job if the department were to reopen.

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On Feb. 20, the entire department was placed on administrative leave and a Cullman County grand jury indicted five Hanceville police officers and one of their spouses and recommended the department be abolished as a result of an investigation following a dispatchers overdose death in August 2024.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Mar. 17A Hancock County probate judge is again at risk of losing his ability to practice law because he has not paid his taxes.

William Blaisdell was sanctioned by the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar last year for failing to file several years of taxes. He was also found in contempt for refusing to make court-ordered child support payments, according to court records.

Blaisdell also admitted last year to demonstrating "a serious lack of diligence" in representing one of his criminally charged clients, who said he spent months behind bars waiting for Blaisdell to argue for new bail conditions.

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Under an agreement with the bar in August, Blaisdell promised to make good on his payments and to comply with the law. He also consented to be monitored for a year by another attorney, and risked a one-year suspension if he violated any of these terms.

Blaisdell admitted last week to Superior Justice James Martemucci that he has failed to comply with those conditions, according to an order signed March 11.

Martemucci is giving Blaisdell until April 1 to "become current with all tax filings and payments and provide proof of compliance to Bar Counsel."

Blaisdell did not respond to a request to discuss Martemucci's order on Monday.

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The order says nothing of Blaisdell's position as a probate judge. He was previously suspended from presiding over cases for three months and was allowed to return in January.

Hancock County Registrar of Probate Juliette Wilbur said she could not comment on whether Blaisdell returned and if he's allowed to oversee cases. She said the office is still considering informal probate matters as it always had.

Neither does the March 11 order address Blaisdell's child support payments. Blaisdell was most recently ordered to pay more than $17,000 in overdue payments and attorney fees, the Ellsworth American reported Wednesday.

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ST. LOUIS  It was another Sunday morning of sometimes heated but always civil political debate on Hancock and Kelley for Sunday, March 16, 2025.

Conservative commentator Chris Arps of NewsTalkSTL is in for Republican consultant John Hancock; he joins Democratic consultant Michael Kelley to discuss the following topics:

We go in depth on the great debate in the St. Louis mayoral race.

As that race nears its climax, theres another one brewing for St. Louis County Executive. Its looking more and more likely that the incumbent, Sam Page, may face a formidable primary challenge from a fellow Democrat.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe takes a victory lap on the return of state control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, as opponents here cry foul.

Our Quote of the Week comes from the unveiling of a new flag for St. Louis County. Its part of a near six-figure rebranding for a county struggling to find money for the basics.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Harvard University just made a major move that will benefit many of its lower-income students and prospects.

According to the Ivy League institutions newsletter The Gazette, starting in the 2025-26 academic year, Harvard will be tuition-free for students from families earning $200,000 or less annually, with all expenses covered for students from families making $100,000 or less. This major expansion of financial aid will make Harvard more accessible than ever, particularly for middle-income families.

Harvards President Alan M. Garber made it clear that this move isnt just about money, but its about making sure that students from all financial backgrounds have access to a world-class education. Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth, Garber stated. He added that the university truly realizes its tremendous potential when diverse, talented students come together to learn.

People gather outside Widener Library on Harvard Universitys campus on March 17, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Hopi Hoekstra, also shared the institutions commitment to broadening its access. Harvard has long sought to open our doors to the most talented students, no matter their financial circumstances, Hoekstra stated. This investment in financial aid aims to make a Harvard College education possible for every admitted student, so they can pursue their academic passions and positively impact our future.

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Reportedly, this expansion means about 86 percent of U.S. families will now qualify for Harvards financial aid. The initiative builds on Harvards long-standing history of increasing access, dating back to 2004 when the university first launched the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative. Back then, the income limit for full coverage was $40,000, which gradually increased to $85,000 by 2023. Now, Harvard is taking it even further, making sure students dont just get in, but have the financial support to thrive.

For students whose family income is $100,000 and below, all of their school expenses will be taken care of including tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs. Additionally, each of these students will receive a $2,000 start-up grant in their first year and a $2,000 launch grant during their junior year to help support the transition beyond Harvard. Students with family incomes of $200,000 or less will receive free tuition and additional financial aid to cover billed expenses, depending on their financial circumstances. And many students with family incomes above $200,000 will also receive aid.

The John Harvard Statue in Harvard Yard during a campus tour on March 17, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard University announced free tuition for students from families that make under $200K a year.

William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard Colleges Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, noted, We know the most talented students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences, from every state and around the globe.

Harvards commitment to increasing access is a big win for students from all walks of life, with 55 percent of undergraduates already receiving financial aid. The universitys financial aid budget for the 2025-26 academic year is expected to be $275,000,000, making it clear that they are investing in the future of tomorrows leaders.

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This shift will be a game changer for students who may have assumed Ivy League education was out of reach. With tuition-free policies expanding, the landscape of higher education is slowly but surely changing, making access to world-class institutions a reality for more students.

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Attending the nations oldest Ivy League university just became a lot cheaper for several students.

Harvard University, a private university founded in 1636, announced Monday that tuition, room and board will be free for students from families with annual incomes of $100,000 or less and tuition-free for students from families with annual incomes of $200,000 or less.

Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth, Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement. By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University.

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The move comes as tuition, room and board at several private colleges and universities in New England now cost more than $90,000 to attend, with several local schools approaching that $90,000-mark in an unprecedented time of soaring costs in higher education.

Harvard follows other private universities, including MIT in Cambridge, that are now offering free tuition to families based on income.

In November, MIT announced that undergraduates with family income below $200,000 can expect to attend MIT tuition-free starting this fall. And students from families with income below $100,000 can expect to pay nothing at all toward the full cost of their students MIT education, which includes tuition as well as housing, dining, fees, and an allowance for books and personal expenses.

Saint Anselm College, a private Benedictine liberal arts college in New Hampshire, announced a new program in September that allows New Hampshire students with a family income of $100,000 or less and a GPA of 3.25 or higher to attend the college tuition-free.

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Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, Harvard College will be free for students from families with incomes of $100,000 or lesswith financial aid covering tuition, fees, food, and housing, officials said.

Students from families with incomes of $200,000 and below will receive free tuition with additional aid. Many students from families with incomes of more than $200,000 will also qualify for financial aid, officials said.

The expanded program announced Monday would enable approximately 86 percent of families in the United States to qualify for Harvard Colleges financial aid, extending Harvards commitment to provide every admitted undergraduate student the resources they need to enroll and graduate, officials said.

Harvard has long sought to open our doors to the most talented students, no matter their financial circumstances, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hoekstra said in a statement. This investment in financial aid aims to make a Harvard College education possible for every admitted student, so they can pursue their academic passions and positively impact our future.

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Harvard officials said starting in the 2025-26 academic year, financial aid will expand in three major areas:

$100,000 annual family income and below: Free

Financial aid will cover all billed expenses, including tuition, fees, food, housing, and more, including a $2,000 start-up grant (first year), health insurance (if needed), travel costs between campus and home, winter gear, event fees, and other activities, and a $2,000 launch grant (junior year) to help students prepare for post-Harvard life.

$200,000 annual family income and below: Free Tuition Plus

Financial aid will cover the full cost of tuition, plus. In addition to tuition, students qualify for financial aid to cover other costs, such as fees, food, and housing, based on their individual financial circumstances.

Family income above $200,000 annually: Tailored Financial Aid

Financial aid will be available to many students from families with incomes above $200,000, depending on individual circumstances. Harvard Colleges financial aid staff work personally and individually with students and families to provide financial aid that matches each familys specific financial situation.

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These thresholds assume typical assets, officials said. Harvard does not include equity in the family home or retirement assets in calculating financial aid awards.

Harvard Colleges undergraduate financial aid packages are based on each individual students financial need. Officials said financial aid staff work closely with families to ensure their unique circumstances are considered.

One hundred percent of demonstrated financial need is met through grants, which do not need to be repaid, and term-time work, officials said. Loans are not included in financial aid packages.

We know the most talented students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences, from every state and around the globe, William Fitzsimmons, Harvard Colleges Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, said in a statement. Our financial aid is critical to ensuring that these students know Harvard College is a place where they can be part of a vibrant learning community strengthened by their presence and participation.

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Mondays announcement expands Harvards financial aid for undergraduate students. In 2004, the university launched the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative that completely covered tuition, fees, food, and housing costs for students from families with annual incomes of $40,000 or less.

This threshold was increased four times over the last two decadesfrom $60,000 in 2006 to $85,000 in 2023.

In 2007, Harvard also eliminated student loans from its aid packages, providing all assistance in the form of grants; and, eliminated home equity and retirement in determining a familys ability to pay for college, officials said.

Currently, just over half of Harvard College undergraduates -- 55 percent -- receive financial aid, and they and their families paid an average of $15,700 for the 2023-2024 academic year, officials said.

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Harvard has awarded more than $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid since launching the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative in 2004. University officials said Harvard Colleges annual financial aid award budget is $275 million in 2025.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.  A former hat store employee is accused of swiping thousands of dollars from the business by taking and keeping multiple cash deposits.

According to the Richmond Heights Police Departments probable cause statement, police were called to the Lids store inside the Saint Louis Galleria on May 14, 2023.

Officers spoke with the store general manager, who said Maurice L. Thomas, a former employee, failed to deliver multiple cash deposits to the bank. Police said they reviewed store security footage showing Thomas collecting items from the cash drawers before closing the store.

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Police said Thomas stole $4,898.26 from the Lids store.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Thomas with stealing  $750 or more. Last week, a circuit judge issued a criminal summons to Thomas, ordering him to appear in court on Monday, April 14.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NEW YORK TIMES / FEB. 24 A raging measles outbreak in West Texas has not abated and may have taken root in New Mexico, health officials reported last month. Nurses administer a measles, mumps, rubella and varicella virus vaccine at Seminole Hospital District in Seminole, Texas.

1 /3 NEW YORK TIMES / FEB. 24 A raging measles outbreak in West Texas has not abated and may have taken root in New Mexico, health officials reported last month. Nurses administer a measles, mumps, rubella and varicella virus vaccine at Seminole Hospital District in Seminole, Texas.

COURTESY KAPI OLANI MEDICAL CENTER Dr. Gina French 2 /3 COURTESY KAPI OLANI MEDICAL CENTER Dr. Gina French CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION VIA REUTERS An illustration provides a 3D graphical representation of a spherical-shaped, measles virus particle studded with glycoprotein tubercles.

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3 /3 CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION VIA REUTERS An illustration provides a 3D graphical representation of a spherical-shaped, measles virus particle studded with glycoprotein tubercles.

NEW YORK TIMES / FEB. 24 A raging measles outbreak in West Texas has not abated and may have taken root in New Mexico, health officials reported last month. Nurses administer a measles, mumps, rubella and varicella virus vaccine at Seminole Hospital District in Seminole, Texas.

COURTESY KAPI OLANI MEDICAL CENTER Dr. Gina French CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION VIA REUTERS An illustration provides a 3D graphical representation of a spherical-shaped, measles virus particle studded with glycoprotein tubercles.

Dr. Gina French, a pediatrician at Kapi olani Medical Center for Women & Children, has been spending more time these days explaining the importance of vaccines to patients and clearing up misinformation being spread online.

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She said she is able to allay fears for some families, but not for others. Still, its a necessary conversation to have, especially as certain areas of the U.S. are experiencing growing outbreaks of highly contagious measles.

In her 40-year career, French, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, has never personally diagnosed measles in a child but has treated youngsters suffering from complications from the disease and seen how debilitating and heartbreaking it can be.

Measles is potentially quite a dangerous disease,  she said. Prior to us having this vaccine, about 500 children a year were dying in the U.S. from measles and about 1, 000 were getting brain swelling or encephalitis from it.

The same conversations are being had at doctors offices after a measles outbreak in Texas has since grown beyond 250 cases, with one reported in a school-aged childthe first in a dec ade. A second death was reported earlier this month in an adult in New Mexico, where measles cases also are growing. Both were unvaccinated.

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As of Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 301 confirmed measles cases nationwide, surpassing the 285 reported for all of 2024.

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The CDC has issued a, warning that more cases are expected as the outbreak continues to expand rapidly. The agency also urged vigilance among clinicians, public health officials and travelers, particularly with spring and summer travel season coming up. The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, CDC said, remains the most important tool for preventing measles.

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Hawaii a gateway Measles cases this year have so far been reported in at least 15 states, including Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Alaska, California, and Floridabut not in Hawaii. With the volume and ease of modern air travel and increasing measles activity internationally and on the continental U.S., Hawaiias a gateway to both sides of the Pacificis more likely to see measles reaching its shores at some point, according to the state Department of Health.

Infected individuals can spread the virus up to four days before and four days after symptoms, further increasing the risk of potential spread,  DOH said in a statement. Measles is also one of the most contagious viruses.

According to the department, 9 out of 10 people of all ages exposed to an infected person will become infected if they do not have immunity. Exposure includes entering a room up to two hours after an infected person has been there.

Due to these factors and the upcoming Spring Break, it is critical to ensure that our community is appropriately protected against this highly contagious disease,  DOH said. Measles vaccination is highly protective against infection, prevents further spread, and remains our best defense against measles.

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Hawaiis last detection of measles two years ago was travel-related. In April 2023, DOH reported of measles in an unvaccinated Oahu resident returning from international travel. Several weeks later, DOH reported a in an Oahu resident who was exposed to the first case.

Prior to that, the last measles outbreak in Hawaii occurred in 2014, with 15 cases reported.

A measles outbreak in Hawaii is of concern, particularly with the states limited hospital capacity. DOH said an outbreak on a neighbor island, for instance, could heavily strain its health care system as there are no pediatric ICU beds available and seriously ill children would need to be medically transported to Oahu.

Vaccinations dropping Hawaiis vaccination rate against measles has dropped below the 95 % threshold needed for so-called herd immunity to prevent an outbreak.

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The measles vaccine is usually given together with those for mumps and rubella. The MMR vaccine has been available in the U.S. since 1971.

The first dose of MMR is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months, followed by a second dose between ages 4 and 6. The CDC says two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97 % protection.

Among kindergartners in Hawaii, the MMR vaccination rate in the 2023-2024 school year was at 89.8 %. DOH said rates fell some time between the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, consistent with falling rates nationally.

In 2000 the U.S. declared measles eliminated, with no measles spreading within the country for more than a year, which was considered a historic public health achievement.

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That is now unraveling due to vaccine skepticism and misinformation, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to KFF, a health policy research nonprofit formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.

KFF noted it has become an increasingly bipartisan issue, with polls showing that a quarter of Republican parents agree that the risks of the MMR vaccine outweigh the benefits.

U.S. vaccination rates, including for the MMR vaccine, have declined since 2010 while exemptions from childhood vaccinations have increased.

In Hawaii, there has been a in students who are not up to date on required school immunizations, with a growing number claiming religious or medical exemptions. In the state, 5.3 % of kindergarteners were exempted from one or more vaccines.

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A House bill in the state Legislature this year proposing to end religious exemptions for childhood immunizations was shelved following hours of testimony opposing the measure. Opposition came from groups such as the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women, Hawaii Christian Coalition and Libertarian Party of Hawaii who framed the issue as a violation of religious and medical freedom and parental rights.

Many parents said only they should decide whether their kids are vaccinated, while others insisted the vaccines were unsafe or inadequately tested. Some testified that without religious exemptions, they would be forced to homeschool their kids, and some railed against COVID-19 vaccines, which are not part of the list of required school immunizations.

French said among the misconceptions often brought up is that the MMR vaccine causes autism, based on a now-discredited study out of England years ago that put the idea out there.

As a doctor who treats autism, she said numerous scientific studies have shown no connection between MMR vaccines and autism.

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Its been around a long time and weve been giving this vaccine safely,  she said. And more than that, weve saved the lives of so many children around the world. We dont want to lose that.

When asked about vitamin A, which has been touted as a treatment, French said that while it is part of treatment for serious cases, particularly in children who may be vitamin A-deficient, it does not prevent measles. Additionally, vitamin A can potentially become toxic if too much of it is taken, so she is concerned about parents administering it to their kids to prevent measles.

French said her conversations with parents often start with, Tell me what youre worried about and why.

Its just vital that everybody go out and get their kids immunized to measles and get their kids immunized to all these vaccine-preventable diseases,  French said.
A hearing scheduled for Monday concerning the deportation of a New England-based professor and doctor was canceled after most of the attorneys associated with the plaintiff withdrew from the case.

An order from Boston federal court Judge Leo Sorokin said the request from the attorneys representing 34-year-old Dr. Rasha Alawieh, Brown University Medical School in Rhode Island, came as a result of further diligence.

Alaweih, a kidney transplant doctor, was detained in Boston last week after visiting her parents overseas. She was sent back to Lebanon on Friday night despite having an H-1B visa to work for Brown Medicine and Sorokins explicit order not to deport her without first giving 48 hours notice to the court.

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A Brown spokesperson confirmed to Boston 25 News that Alawieh is an employee of Brown Medicine with a clinical appointment to Brown University.

United States Customs and Border Protection said its officers at Logan Airport did not receive notice of the order until after Alawieh had already departed the United States, according to Sorokins order Monday.

Sorokin was expected to hear a habeas corpus petition, which argued that she had a valid visa to enter the country. He was also expected to question federal authorities over Alaweihs deportation.

Sorokin is now giving the government one week to provide the court with more information. Yara Chehab, who filed a motion on behalf of her cousin over the weekend in U.S. District Court that alleges customs officials willfully disobeyed Sorokins order, will have until March 31 to respond to the governments request to dismiss the petition.

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Documents that were filed ahead of the planned hearing alleged contents on Alaweihs phone, including deleted photos of the leader of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, led to her detention and deportation. Other photos included Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran.

CBP officials alleged in the documents that Alaweih deleted the photos one or two days before arriving in the United States because she didnt want to suggest she follows their policies politically or militarily.

Alaweih has been working at Brown University in Providence for the last six years.

Brown Medicine is a not-for-profit medical practice that is its own organization and serves its own patients directly. It is affiliated with Brown Universitys medical school.

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Alaweih was sent away just as the Trump administration transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even though a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.

A rally will be held in support of Alaweih at the Rhode Island State House lawn on Monday at 6 p.m.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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On the hills surrounding the port of Nuuk, dozens of small, colorful wooden houses with snow-covered roofs dominate the landscape. Among them, a tiny red house is home to the northernmost U.S. diplomatic mission. Opened in 2020, at the end of Donald Trumps first term in the White House, the U.S. consulate in Greenlands capital reflects Washingtons renewed interest in the vast Arctic island  the largest in the world  with just 57,000 inhabitants and significant geostrategic value. The U.S. already has a military base in Greenland but aims to increase its presence to counter the influence of Russia and China in the region.

In recent months, Greenland  one of the most remote and unspoiled places on the planet  has drawn global attention. Trumps repeated threats to annex this autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark have fueled unease in both Copenhagen and among Greenlanders. Trump, who first floated the idea of purchasing the island from Denmark, a NATO ally, in 2019, continues to insist that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity for Washington.

As Greenland heats up  literally and figuratively  Denmark is scrambling to contain the situation. The government is rallying support from European allies and has announced a multi-million-dollar investment to strengthen Greenlands long-neglected defense capabilities in the coming years.

The U.S. interest in incorporating Greenland  a territory roughly the size of France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined  is nothing new. Washington previously attempted to acquire the island in 1867, 1910, 1946, and 1955, all without success. In recent years, the Arctic has become a key battleground for the strategic interests of Russia, China, and the U.S., and Trump now sees Greenland as the jewel in the crown.

The United States has maintained a presence in Greenland  which is geographically part of North America  for more than eight decades. During World War II, with Denmark under Nazi occupation, the U.S. military temporarily took control of the island. A 1951 agreement between the U.S. and Denmark  later joined by Greenlands Home Rule Government in 2004  grants Washington the right to build military bases on the Danish territory, provided that Copenhagen and Nuuk are informed.

A drone view shows a general view of Nuuk, Greenland, March 14, 2025. Marko Djurica (REUTERS)

Since 1943, the U.S. Armed Forces have operated the Pituffik military base in northwest Greenland, now under the command of the U.S. Space Force, a military branch created by Trump in 2019. Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, explains that this base  which houses an early warning system for detecting and tracking intercontinental missiles  is of crucial strategic importance to Washington. If Russia or China were to attack the U.S. with nuclear ballistic missiles, they would cross the North Pole, and Pituffiks radars would be essential in preventing impact, he says.

Once a potential flashpoint during the Cold War  with a dense military infrastructure and the shortest route between the U.S. and the Soviet Union  the Arctic later transformed into a zone of international cooperation following the collapse of the communist bloc. That progress, however, was upended in 2022 when Russias invasion of Ukraine shattered years of collaboration. Shortly after Russian tanks crossed the border, the seven Western members of the Arctic Council  the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland  suspended the organizations activities indefinitely. Moscow had created the council in 1996, back when Russia was still part of the G-8.

In addition to the escalating geopolitical tensions, climate change is also rapidly reshaping the Arctic. Melting ice is opening up new economic opportunities, from emerging maritime routes to the potential exploitation of previously inaccessible mineral and hydrocarbon resources.

Russia and Chinas growing interest in the Arctic is clear. Moscow has revived more than a dozen military bases along its northern coast that were abandoned after the Cold War, and also constructed several new ones. Meanwhile, China declared itself a near-Arctic state in a 2018 white paper, and last October, its Coast Guard entered Arctic waters for the first time as part of a joint patrol with Russia.

Trump argues that the increasing influence of Moscow and Beijing in the region makes U.S. control over Greenland a strategic necessity. You dont even need binoculars. You look outside, you have Chinese ships all over the place. You have Russian ships all over the place. Were not letting that happen, he declared in January.

Russian submarines

Pram Gad believes that the U.S. is concerned that, in the event of a conflict, Russia could destroy Pituffiks radars and infiltrate fighter jets and submarines along Greenlands east coast undetected. The Danish researcher adds that Washington has spent the past decade pressuring Copenhagen to install radars capable of detecting submarines.

The Northern Fleet, based in the Russian city of Murmansk, is the largest fleet north of the Arctic Circle and operates at least 10 of Russias 16 strategic submarines  vessels designed to carry and launch intercontinental ballistic missiles with thermonuclear warheads. Jeppe Strandsbjerg, a researcher at the University of Greenlands Center for Foreign and Security Policy, notes that Denmark has been slower to react to these risks than the U.S. would have liked.

Russian military personnel during maneuvers last September in the Arctic Ocean. AP/ LaPresse

However, both Pram Gad and Strandsbjerg believe that Trumps claims regarding Beijings influence on the Danish Arctic island are clearly exaggerated. China tried for years to get involved in various projects in Greenland, but it has essentially given up; it has realized that the U.S. and Denmark will never allow it, says Strandsbjerg.

In a further sign that Trumps Greenland ambitions are serious, the president outlined his intentions last Friday at the White House to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

I think itll [annexation] happen, said Trump. Im sitting with a man that could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security. We have a lot of our favorite players [Chinese and Russian] cruising around the coast. And we have to be careful.

Rutte replied: When it comes to Greenland, yes or not joining the U.S., I would leave that outside, for me, this discussion, because I dont want to drag NATO into that. The NATO secretary-general, however, added that Trump is totally right about the risks posed by China and Russia in the region.

Strandsbjerg explains that the U.S. historical interest in Greenland is not without logic, but Trumps attitude  and that of those around him  elevates the issue to a new level.

The researcher from the University of Greenland criticizes the U.S. consulate in Nuuk for responding to the presidents threats on social media and for attempting, unsuccessfully, to convene a meeting with representatives from the main political parties just days before Greenlands parliamentary elections last week, to discuss the islands future relationship with the worlds leading power.

On Saturday, hundreds of Greenlandic citizens, including Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the winning Liberal Party, and acting Prime Minister Mute Egede, demonstrated in front of the U.S. consulate in Nuuk, braving temperatures nearing minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), to protest Trumps plans under the slogan Enough is enough!

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POLAND, Ohio (WKBN)  Local fire crews investigated what sparked an evacuation Monday at McKinley Elementary/Middle School in Poland.

Students and staff evacuated around 1:20 p.m. according to procedure and everyone was accounted for, according to the districts messaging system.

Fire crews investigated the building.

Officials gave an all-clear at 1:40 p.m., and students and staff have returned to normal operations.

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The school later said that a heating unit above the kitchen began to smoke and that no active fire was in the building.

Kristy Regula contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
The U.S. Secretary of Defense has made clear that his concerns about the grinding conflict that has engulfed Yemen for more than a decade only extend as far as U.S. shipping interests in the region.

I dont we dont care what happens in the Yemeni civil war, Hegseth said in this weekends appearance on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures.

The Defense Secretary had been discussing ongoing attacks by Houthi rebelsa militant group backed by Iran, and a key player in the civil conflict that has claimed at least 370,000 lives over the past ten yearsagainst international shipping vessels passing through the Gulf of Arden and into the Red Sea on their way to the Mediterranean.

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This is about stopping the shooting of assets in that critical waterway to reopen freedom of navigation, which is a core national interest of the United States, Hegseth went on.

He added that Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far too long, and that they better back off.

Hegseths comments came after 31 people were killed on Saturday in a series of large-scale military strikes sanctioned by President Donald Trump against rebel targets in the Middle-Eastern country.

Those actions, which officials have said may continue for weeks to come, represent the largest U.S. military operation launched in the region since the president resumed office in January.

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They were also preceded by a typically bellicose online post from Trump himself.

To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DONT, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE! as he posted on Truth Social late Saturday night.

The strikes have also been widely received as a direct message to Iran, accompanied by the Trump administration ratcheting up sanctions against Tehran in a bid to force the repressive Islamic republic to negotiating table with respect to its nuclear armament program.
(Bloomberg) -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed back a Seoul visit he has been eyeing for as early as this month as political uncertainty continues in South Korea after President Yoon Suk Yeols shock martial law declaration.

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His South Korea visit had been under discussion between the two countries but its postponement was unavoidable due to scheduling on the US side, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-gyu said during a regular briefing Monday, referring to the Pentagon chief.

The postponement of Hegseths trip to Seoul gives the impression that Donald Trumps administration may be reluctant to engage with South Korea while a leadership vacuum continues there. The nation is waiting for a decision over the coming days in Yoons impeachment trial and whether he will return to his presidential duties or if an election will take place.

Hegseths skipping of Seoul is another setback for South Korea after Washingtons unforeseen designation of the Asian ally as a sensitive country for energy cooperation.

Theres no point in any diplomatic efforts if your counterpart doesnt acknowledge you, said Kim Jung, a political science professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, referring to the limitations Acting President Choi Sang-mok faces. A certain degree of diplomatic fallout is inevitable for South Korea.

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The postponement of the trip follows a decision by the previous Biden administration in January to add South Korea to the lowest category of the Department of Energys Sensitive Country List, a move that will go into effect next month, according to South Koreas Yonhap News.

South Koreas Foreign Ministry said it is taking the development very seriously and is in close communications with the US over the matter.

The DOE website says countries on the list are given particular consideration in the approvals process for access by their nationals and may be added to the list for national security, nuclear nonproliferation or terrorism support reasons.

Its not immediately clear what led to the US decision to add South Korea to the list. But it comes after more South Korean politicians called for the nation to move closer to the threshold of producing its own nuclear weapons after Trumps election victory.

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South Koreas addition to the list is a blow to the country whose alliance with the US has been touted as the linchpin of security in the region.

South Koreas top diplomat, Cho Tae-yul, said his government didnt get a prior notice on the decision until it reached out to the US after learning of the move via an unofficial channel.

Choi, the interim leader of South Korea, ordered the countrys industry minister to meet with Energy Secretary Chris Wright for consultations this week and other government agencies to actively reach out to the US to minimize any impact on their bilateral energy cooperation.

The back-to-back blows come after Yoon was impeached and suspended from duties for his short-lived martial law declaration in December. The Constitutional Court has yet to announce when it will deliver a ruling to decide his fate.

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While South Korea remains in limbo without a clear policy direction, North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear ambitions with leader Kim Jong Un emerging as a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine.

Over the weekend, multiple warplanes from Russia entered an air identification zone maintained by Seoul, underscoring the security challenge Seoul faces while Kim bolsters ties with Moscow.

The air zone is an area where aircraft are supposed to identify themselves as they draw near it. The Russian jets did not enter South Koreas territorial air space and said they were conducting exercises, according to South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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On Achill Island, off Ireland's rugged west coast, there's a pub called McLoughlin's Bar that's been in the family for four generations and part of the community for 155 years. The current owner, Joseph "Josie" McLoughlin, was born upstairs in the pub and has worked behind the bar for 43 years.

Now McLoughlin is about to retire, and he has no one in the family to pass the pub on to.

Enter Heineken, which is running an unconventional recruitment campaign to find the pub's next owner. There's one important requirement, though: your name must also be McLoughlin.

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Heineken's "Pub Succession" initiative launches on St. Patrick's Day (March 17), when Irish pubs are naturally in the spotlight, and will be open until the end of May in cities around the world.

From New York to Boston to Buenos Aires to Sydney to Phan Thiet, Vietnamall places where large numbers of Irish people have emigratedthe brewer will run billboards, ads, and a digital and PR campaign to find a McLoughlin successor.

Heineken will run recruitment ads in cities where large numbers of Irish people have emigrated Heineken

Besides sharing a name with the current owner, the right candidate must also have experience in hospitality, a passion for running a pub, and a desire to immerse themselves in Irish pub culture, according to the brand. If the search is unsuccessful, Heineken may explore other ways to help Josie McLoughlin find his replacement.

The successful applicant will also receive mentorship, business support, and investment guidance from Heineken.

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LePub and Publicis Dublin created the campaign, with support from PR agencies The Romans, Thinkhouse, and M Booth.

More than an Irish-themed marketing stunt for St. Patrick's Day, Heineken's initiative aims to address a bigger issue. Many family-run Irish pubs face an uncertain future, as more than 4 in 10 rural publicans say they are considering retirement, but 84% have no family to take on their legacy, per data from trade organization Vintners' Federation of Ireland.

Heineken Hidden Message

Heinekens Technology Stops Smartphones From Ruining Gigs

"Pubs in Ireland are more than just places to enjoy a drink; they are living pieces of history, places of laughter, song, and kinship. With many of these institutions facing uncertain futures, we want to rally the Irish diaspora, inspiring a new generation of pub owners to take on not just a business, but a cultural legacy," Mark Noble, marketing manager at Heineken Ireland, said in a statement.

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This is part of a broader program, "For the Love of Pubs," through which Heineken supports and invests in pubs. Last year, the brewer invested about $50 million (39 million) to upgrade and reopen British pubs.

Also in 2024, Heineken's "Pub Museums" campaign used augmented reality (AR) technology to preserve the stories of Irish pubs. It won gold and silver Lions at Cannes Lions and was shortlisted for the Titanium Lions.
(NEXSTAR)  A vicious combination of storm conditions left a path of destruction across multiple states this weekend, killing dozens and upending the lives of many more.



The dynamic storm pattern that began Friday earned an unusual high risk designation from weather forecasters. By Sunday evening, fatalities had been reported in Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

Donate now to Red Cross storm relief efforts

Nexstar, the parent company of this news station, has journalists across the country, frequently chronicling the bravery of emergency personnel firsthand, and telling the stories of resilience in communities that come together to rescue and rebuild. We also know the importance of partnering with organizations dedicated to providing basic necessities in the hours after a disaster. Thats why, as with previous emergencies, we are partnering with the Red Cross to support victims of this storm. You can join our campaign to support storm victims by donating today.

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It may take days to know the full extent of the damage from the powerful weather events, but as of Sunday at least three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were confirmed dead in central Alabama when multiple tornados swept across the state.

In Troy, Alabama, parks officials said the recreation center where many residents had taken refuge had to be closed due to damage from overnight storms. No one was injured.

We are thankful the Lord provided protection over our community, and over 200 guests at the Recreation Center storm shelter on Saturday night, the parks department said in a statement.

Fatalities from twisters in battered Missouri reach 12

Missouri resident Dakota Henderson said he and others rescuing trapped neighbors found five bodies scattered in rubble Friday night outside what remained of his aunts house in hard-hit Wayne County. Scattered twisters killed at least a dozen people in the state, authorities said.

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Its really disturbing for what happened to the people, the casualties last night, Henderson said Saturday, not far from the splintered home he said they rescued his aunt through a window of the only room left standing.

Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, Missouri, described the home where one man was killed as just a debris field.

The floor was upside down, he said. We were walking on walls.

Six deaths in Mississippi; three die in Arkansas

In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves announced that six people died and more than 200 were displaced after tornadoes sowed devastation across three counties. And in the northern part of the state, roads were inundated and some people were stranded by flood waters.

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One of the deaths occurred in Covington County, where Seminary resident Traci Ladner said she watched a tornado knock down trees and power lines and destroy a house Saturday as she drove home from Wards Restaurant.

The twister touched down briefly, traveled over Highway 49 and then went back up before making another quick descent, she said.

I was crying. My legs were shaking. It was pretty scary, she said.

In Arkansas, officials confirmed three deaths.

Wildfires and dust storms drive up the death toll

Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Texas and Oklahoma and officials warned Sunday that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week.

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More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma and nearly 300 homes were damaged or destroyed, Gov. Kevin Stitt said.

Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph, said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Its an insurmountable task.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said Sunday that two people were killed as a result of the wildfires and weather.

Meanwhile, dust storms spurred by high winds claimed almost a dozen lives on Friday. Eight people died in a Kansas highway pileup involving at least 50 vehicles, according to the state highway patrol. Authorities said three people also were killed in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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As a media scrum gathered last week on the first floor of the Leighton Criminal Court Building after a detention hearing for a suspect in the high-profile Hadiya Pendleton case, Cook County States Attorney Eileen ONeill Burke made an appearance joining the prosecutor on the case to talk about the hearings outcome.

Though her administrative offices are in the Loop, ONeill Burke said she often works at the busy main courthouse on the citys Southwest Side a few days a week.

Theres an energy to this building, she said. You walk in and you can feel the buzz.

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After several months in office, the new top prosecutor is forging her routines, making some moves typical of new administrations, such as increasing visibility at local courthouses and reorganizing some of the offices structures.

But as she stepped into her role, she also quickly set a different tone, calling Chicagos gun violence problem war zone numbers and pledging in her swearing-in speech to take a hard stance on guns.

Shes implemented new policies around guns and pretrial detention that were cheered by officials such as Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling but criticized by others who said the changes move the city backward toward bygone eras of mass incarceration that contributed to an inequitable justice system.

With her first 100 days in office behind her, ONeill Burke gave one of the first one-on-one interviews since she was ceremonially sworn in Dec. 2.

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She reflected on her recent policy moves, the nitty-gritty details of running the second-largest prosecutors office in the country and raised concerns about impending changes to the countys electronic monitoring programs.

Theres always going to be people who dont like this policy or dont like that policy, but I ran on my belief that the guns are  disrupting an entire community, ONeill Burke told the Tribune in an interview in her office at the 26th Street courthouse.

Last year, the former appellate judge narrowly defeated her Democratic primary opponent, Clayton Harris III, and then Republican Bob Fioretti by a wider margin in the general election.

Her predecessor, Kim Foxx, was elected with a mandate for reform in the wake of the murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by then-Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Foxx was part of a cohort of so-called progressive prosecutors, and her time in office was in part marked by initiatives such as mass marijuana expungements and raising the threshold at which the office would charge retail theft as a felony.

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In contrast, ONeill Burkes early policy announcements have been more typical of a tough-on-crime approach, pledging to automatically seek pretrial detention for certain offenses and directing prosecutors to seek prison sentences in every felony case involving machine gun-type weapons. She has also revoked Foxxs retail theft policy, enabling prosecutors to charge as felonies retail theft cases at the legal threshold of $300.

Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell called her machine gun policy a mass injustice. And advocates for Illinois cash bail reform criticized her detention policy, saying that it does not allow for individual decision-making and evaluation of each specific case.

She shrugged off the critiques.

In every single case, two people walk out of a courtroom and one thinks youre an idiot and one thinks youre brilliant, she said. Youve got to be OK with that.

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Her offices handling of potential wrongful convictions has also led to friction in courtrooms.

In one recent post-conviction case, defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean blasted the office for how it opposed vacating a murder conviction in a case linked to disgraced Chicago police Detective Reynaldo Guevara.

The states attorney wants to signal that theres a new sheriff in town. This isnt the way to do it, Bonjean said.

Judge Carol Howard ultimately did reverse the conviction for Tyrece Williams, whose case became the 50th murder conviction linked to Guevara to be overturned.

Asked whether she has a different approach to potential wrongful convictions, ONeill Burke said no, pointing out that the offices Conviction Integrity Unit remains in place.

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That is a vital unit, she said.

However, ONeill Burke said the offices position on issuing certificates of innocence has shifted. Such certificates are often pursued after a conviction has been vacated and as a precursor to a lawsuit.

She said she views certificates of innocence as appropriate in cases where there is concrete, irrefutable evidence that the individual is innocent, such as a DNA exoneration.

Theres a lot of daylight between We cant prove the case again and Youre innocent, she said. There is a significant difference in that.

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ONeill Burke also took office just as the county was making a long-discussed change to merge separate electronic monitoring programs, unifying them under the auspices of the chief judges office, rather than the Cook County sheriffs office. The sheriffs office will stop accepting new defendants April 1.

In a statement, the sheriffs office said it has been working in close collaboration with the Office of the Chief Judge and other stakeholders and is on track to stop accepting new placements to our EM program as of April 1.

ONeill Burke raised some concerns similar to those raised by county commissioners in a March 11 criminal justice committee hearing, such as enforcement of violations when the courts pretrial services staff do not have the arrest powers of deputies and how quickly Timothy Evans office will be fully staffed to handle the change.

Evans office has said it needs up to 153 additional employees to run the program. The office has proposed a plan to gradually onboard new hires through May 2026.

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So not only do you not have the personnel that are needed in order to enforce electronic monitoring because they dont have the criterion of being law enforcement personnel, but you dont have any personnel that can handle the influx of cases right now, she said. So I have some significant concerns.

Like many new administrations, ONeill Burke has also tinkered with the offices structure with the goal of spreading out the experience and talent of top-level prosecutors, some of whom were siloed under a previous setup, she said.

All of our experience and all of our talent in the office  was all in this one unit, and when they went to try cases, they would just try cases with each other, she said. At the same time, we had massive attrition happening in the trial division and they were getting just pummeled with cases so we knew that structure wasnt working anymore for a bunch of different reasons.

This allows the most experienced prosecutors to serve as mentors and trainers for younger assistant states attorneys, she said.

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The office is also building up its public corruption unit, anticipating going after bigger fish in light of the Trump administrations stance on corruption cases.

I think we can all acknowledge the federal government is not going to be going after public corruption in the next few years, she said. We need to be ready to fill that void.

She also noted the large numbers of people leaving federal employment, which could be a boon for the office.

Were a good house for people to come to, she said.

Chicago Tribunes A.D. Quig contributed.
South by Southwest brings nearly half a million people to the city of Austin, Texas, each spring for its sprawling series of conferences and festivals. For many marketing professionals, its a tentpole event on par with CES or Cannes Lions-but offering a different audience and focus.

While CES showcases futuristic tech and serves as a jumpstart to the calendar year, SXSW has a culture-focused component that gives marketers more time to network, explore, listen to music, and catch up with industry colleagues.

For agencies, its still a client-focused affair-but with an arguably more fun backdrop than the Las Vegas Strip. Its also ahead of Cannes Lions, where marketers take the temperature of different industry trends and determine which predictions made at CES are proving true.

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Throughout the week and after the final day of SXSW on March 15, ADWEEK asked marketing and advertising leaders to share their learnings, takeaways, and general impressions from the 2025 conference and festival. Heres what they said:

Paulie Dery, chief marketing officer, AG1

It's not the panels, its not the parties.

It's not the self promotion or the self pity.

It's the people that make a great SXSW.

And the best people are still coming to Austin.

Nathan Friedman, co-president and chief marketing officer, Understood.org

I was pleased to see accessibility efforts like ASL interpreters and closed captioning in Understood.org's official session. However, theres an untapped opportunity to accommodate the one in five people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD, who might find events like SXSW overwhelming. Sensory-friendly environments, like quiet rooms, and clear wayfinding throughout downtown Austin could significantly enhance the conference experience.

Scott Hudler, chief marketing officer, Whataburger

This is where trends happen, where they originate, still. Culture can get shaped at [SXSW], and we want to be a part of that. We think were doing it-we think [the Whataburger Museum of Art] is really cool and something we want the world to see and we want to share. By doing it here versus just setting setting it up in a random convention center in some town, we think it just delivers stronger cultural relevance that we can continue to build off of.

Jeremy Lockhorn, senior vice president of creative technologies and innovation, 4As

Three key themes stood out to me: 1.) The return of immersive storytelling; 2.) The creator economy continues to advance, with brands shifting dollars from other channels while simultaneously exploring new models and longer-term partnerships to help mitigate risk; and 3.) AI has already started to change how humans (and enterprises) approach daily tasks. We can learn from previous transformative technologies like the intersection of mobile and social to help us forecast the more profound impacts that AI will have on human evolution.

Dani Mariano, president, Razorfish

[At SXSW], what Im seeing our clients doing is brand building. Their personal brands, being on panels and then the brand activations. For me, this is about being where my clients are.

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I am a big fan of blockchain, and I think that some of the attributes of that technology allow us to provide super fans ownership. Not through stock, but through marketing to become part of the brand and advise the brand and create a two-way conversation about the brand. Thats a different kind of loyalty. I want to move us all from purchase loyalty through discount programs to earned loyalty because you love what the brand stands for.

Ed Mitzen, co-founder, Business for Good

Brand purpose was talked about more this year than in years past. Companies that unapologetically deliver on brand promises will succeed. During my time at SXSW, I met with senior leaders across the aisle and across industries-challenging them to use their privilege and to join me in addressing inequities across the U.S. We need it now more than ever.

Graham Nearn, chief brand officer, Stanley 1913

SXSW underscored the importance of conversations that drive innovation and cultural change. These prompt us to move from should we to how we? From talking to action. Were demonstrating this through accelerating materialization initiatives-73% of our products now utilize at least 90% recycled stainless steel-plus developing innovative partnerships with scaled and like-minded organizations such as the PGA Tour. For Stanley 1913, walking our talk must be our most meaningful contribution.

Lee Newman, president, GSD&M

This year's SXSW felt more intimate-in the best way. As a local, it's always great to connect and host people when they come to our hometown. But looking around, it's clear brands have an opportunity to bring back the buzzworthy activations that once lit up Austin. On the content front, the smartest brands aren't just pushing content or focusing on creators-they're meeting audiences where they are and curating the right conversations. This must be the goal for all of us.

Jennifer Risi, founder and president, The Sway Effect

I did see more hesitation and trepidation from leaders across the board in answering questions around DEI this year. I witnessed this firsthand, in one-on-one discussions, at events and on the stage. It was a topic no one wanted to touch. We need to continue to do the work and stay the course. Imagine if more brands did this in 2025.

James Thorton, chief executive officer, Intrepid Travel

The need for personalization and human control over data usage and AI oversight was a recurring theme at SXSW 2025. SXSW 2025 also reinforced the evolving role of purpose-driven brands. I feel inspired by Intrepid's ability to show up well because in-person, real-life experiences built around community and connection will be very much in demand in an increasingly artificial world. We saw it in our main stage panel on the Sunday as well as in all of our meetings with leaders who are getting to know our brand.
The US is flying U-2 "Dragon Lady" spy planes on patrol missions around the southern border.

The top Air Force officer confirmed the involvement of the aircraft last Friday.

The U-2 planes join other surveillance aircraft on missions around the US-Mexico border.

The US military has its high-altitude U-2 "Dragon Lady" spy planes and other reconnaissance aircraft flying patrol missions along the southern border, a senior Air Force officer has confirmed on social media.

US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said Friday that U-2, RC-135, and remotely piloted aircraft  or drone  crews are providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support for US Northern Command at the border "to restore sovereignty and protect American communities."

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The Trump administration has deployed a range of American military assets to the US southern border with Mexico as part of the crackdown on illegal immigration and the drug cartels, which officials have said are national security concerns. Deployed military assets include aircraft, ground forces, armored vehicles, and even warships.

US Air Force and Navy planes have been flying ISR missions around Mexico for several weeks now.

A U-2 Dragon Lady flies above the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in California in March 2016. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert M. Trujillo

The U-2 is a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft that can fly at over 70,000 feet and collect intelligence. Made by Lockheed Corporation, it was introduced in the mid-1950s and has been operated by the Air Force and CIA since then. During the Cold War, it flew over the Soviet Union and other communist countries.

One of these planes was famously shot down in 1960 by Soviet Air Defense Forces.

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The high-flying U-2 can provide signals, imagery, electronic measurements, and signature intelligence, also known as MASINT. They are based at the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base in California, although they are rotated to operational detachments around the world.

Because U-2 planes operate at such high altitudes, on the edge of space, the pilots wear full-pressure suits like those worn by astronauts. The aircraft have been upgraded throughout its service life, and the 33 that are still active were built in the 1980s. The aircraft is likely looking at retirement in the next few years, possibly as early as next year.

US airmen prepare to board a RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft. Gen. David Allvin via X

CNN reported the U-2's involvement in the border missions last month, but Allvin's comments on X last Friday appear to be the first public confirmation of its involvement.

Meanwhile, the RC-135 Rivet Joint is a reconnaissance aircraft that was introduced in the 1960s. Allvin didn't specify what kind of drones are involved, but CNN reported in February that MQ-9 Reaper drones had been flying covert missions inside Mexican airspace to monitor the cartels.

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Among the ISR aircraft flying missions on the border, P-8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft have also been reported to be involved.

The Trump administration has made the southern border one of its main priorities, dispatching a large amount of military hardware to the area in a bid to tackle immigration and drug smuggling into the US.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border at the start of his term. Since then, the Pentagon has dispatched thousands of troops, Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters, and Stryker armored personnel carriers to the area. A Navy destroyer, USS Gravely, that was involved in the Red Sea conflict has also been deployed.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  High school students in East Baton Rouge Parish with good grades have a shot to win big prizes, including a new car.

A one-day event gives nearly 1,500 students a chance to engage in a career fair, enter a chance to win a car and qualify for a scholarship to college.

Last year we gave out somewhere in the tune about 750,000 worth of prizes between the scholarships and vehicles. We hope to do the same, Judge Wilson E. Fields said. Fields created the Academic Honors Network to find ways to give back to students excelling in the classroom.

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The giveaway opportunities are for local high school juniors and seniors earning a cumulative 3.0 during the 2022-2023 school year. Students must have a valid drivers license and be in attendance to win.

We wanted to make sure we could celebrate these juniors and seniors, but also make sure that they would hopefully stay in Louisiana and visit Louisiana colleges, Johnathan S. Hill, pastor and event spokesperson, said.

The Academic Honors Day Celebration is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 26 at the Raising Canes River Center. All students must ride the bus to the venue to attend the event.

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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) The storms may have washed away the hopes for this years St. Patricks Day parade, but they couldnt wash away the Irish pride that lives on through Hilton Head Islanders.

Even with the cancellation of the parade, locals and visitors gathered today at beloved pubs, dressed head to toe in green, to continue with the islands cherished traditions.

The Hilton Head Island St. Patricks Day Committee made the difficult decision to pull the plug on this years parade due to the bad weather. Its a decision they say wasnt made lightly.

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We just felt like the right decision was to protect everyone, said Kim Capin, a member of the Hilton Head Saint Patricks Day Parade Committee.

For many residents and tourists who had planned ahead for the event, it was a choice between heading home or carrying on with their annual traditions.

Im German, but I love going into my Irish self, and I love doing it here at Reilleys on Hilton Head. The best place ever, said Joe Pearson, a resident of Hilton Head Island.

Rain or shine, Reilleys Bar and Grill  a true Irish staple on the island  was the place to be for many.

The Charleston Pipe Band even brought their talents to the pub, delivering a true Irish performance for this years parade performance.

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Locals shared that the best part about Hilton Head Island is that in a situation like today, the community always finds a way to come together to celebrate the Irish heritage.

People like to have a good time here. And, you know, thats one of the beauties of this community, said Capin.

Though the St. Patricks Day Parade wont happen this year, the Hilton Head Island St. Patricks Day Parade has been rescheduled for next year. The committee promises to redo the 40th Anniversary celebration with hopes of making it even better next year.

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Amid the rain and wind, a blue United Nations flag flutters above a surveillance post in Lebanese territory, just a few meters from the border fence with Israel. A dividing line poisoned by violence and witness to four Israeli invasions: in 1978, 1982, 2006, and 2024, the latter of which continues to this day. Hugging this demarcation, the road winds through the mountains, leading from Kibbutz Misgav Am, where an Israeli tank is positioned, to Kibbutz Manara, passing through Margaliot, another small farming community.

Israel announced last Tuesday that it will begin talks with the Lebanese government regarding the border divide between the two states  a constant source of tension  and released five Lebanese detainees as a gesture of goodwill. These talks, sponsored by the United States and France, seek the normalization of bilateral relations and mutual recognition of the border, according to diplomatic sources cited by several Israeli media outlets, who attribute the initiative directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Beyond the fences and concrete walls, alternating obstacles, no members or vehicles of UNIFIL, the UN mission in southern Lebanon, can be seen. Nor is there any movement of Israeli soldiers, despite the fact that this is the same area where the Israeli army is currently maintaining one of its five detachments in the neighboring country, in violation of the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, which came into effect on November 27 and stipulates that those soldiers should have already withdrawn. The talks, which will be conducted by working groups, could begin in April and will address, in addition to the border conflict, the Israeli military presence in Lebanon and the Lebanese nationals detained by the authorities of the Jewish State, according to Israeli media.

The objective of maintaining these occupation troops, despite complaints from the Beirut government, is to guarantee the security of small Israeli communities like those mentioned above and to allow the return of the population that left during the first days of the conflict, Israel insists. I like my house. I sleep perfectly here, says Mirta Serur, 68, sitting next to her husband Ruben, 70, in the kitchen of their chalet in Kibbutz Snir, less than a kilometer (0.6 miles) from Lebanon. The couple, who arrived from Argentina in the 1970s, have returned thanks to the ceasefire after months away from their home, spending most of their time in Tel Aviv. Despite the uncertainty, they prefer to live where they have for almost 50 years, amid tensions with Hezbollah and attacks.

Its very difficult for me to live in the city, summarizes Mirta, a staunch defender of life in a community that is home to just 200 families. Its going to be harder for others to return, she acknowledges. Some citizens have been put up in hotels or rented accommodation in different areas of Israel since October 2023, funded by the public treasury. The government has given them the opportunity to remain in that arrangement until July 7, explains Roberto Hofman, displaced in Tel Aviv. He acknowledges, however, that many families have begun returning north. Many, he adds, are families with minors who have chosen to return despite their children having to change schools again, as happened in 2023.

In total, some 60,000 residents have been ordered to leave the Lebanese border area by authorities during the current conflict, and Netanyahus priority objective is for them to return without feeling threatened by the neighboring country. The five military bases  temporary, but with no withdrawal date  are Israels way of preventing Hezbollah from carrying out further attacks. The truce, under the intervention of Washington and Paris, stipulates that the Lebanese army will ensure the fundamentalist militia is retained above the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Israel. Weve had these military posts before, and after a while, the attacks begin again, notes Ruben Serur. But he and his wife are determined not to have to leave again.

These five detachments dont think they can sustain themselves for long, maybe two to four months, estimates Gideon Harari, head of security at the Shear Yeshuv moshav (an agricultural community similar to a kibbutz), also located near the border. Its true that Lebanon is right that its their land, and the Israeli presence goes against resolution 1701, and were not opposed to the international community. That UN Security Council resolution ended the previous war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 and stipulates an end to daily Israeli bombings and overflights of Lebanon, as well as prohibiting the presence of Israeli troops on Lebanese soil and armed militiamen south of the Litani River, a Hezbollah stronghold.

Tensions remain simmering, and people are still afraid; they havent regained confidence, Harari says, a few days before the Ministry of Education announced on March 9 that nearly two-thirds of the 16,000 schoolchildren and 83% of the teachers evacuated have returned to their classrooms. Despite everything, he advocates for everyone to return, although he understands those who dont want to. As a former military officer, Harari is one of those who has had the opportunity to visit the other side of the border with troops, where the the damage inflicted on the Shiite communities of Lebanon has been the greatest ever. He understands that Hezbollah and Iran have suffered a blow like never before, and therefore hopes that the Lebanese understand that war isnt worth it, even though Hezbollah is trying to return. He maintains that Lebanon has a great opportunity to advance as a country, and the army can gain ground given the current weakness of Hezbollah and Tehran.

The normal thing here is to live in fear, admits Hillel Barad, 62, who has come with his dog to do some shopping in Kiryat Shmona from Kibbutz Kfar Blum, where he lives. He doesnt hide his pessimism. He believes the Lebanese army  a joke  will not be able to bring Hezbollah under control. Down the hill, two or three kilometers in a straight line from the separation fence, Kiryat Shmona is the main population center in the area. It is a good indicator of the resurgence of northern Israel after the end of the Hezbollah bombing. It had about 20,000 inhabitants before the war, of whom some 90% were evacuated.

Life is slowly resurfacing on the streets, but the town is running at half speed. Almost all establishments remain closed. Fifty-year-old Shai Shnaidman has reopened his small restaurant despite the lack of customers. Across the street, a large furniture store has been open for business for a few days, but only its two employees are inside. A group of teenage volunteers from other areas, like 18-year-old Shira Tamar, are helping with some tasks to revive the community.

The interior of the Nehemiah shopping mall is desolate. The escalators are still dormant, and tarps cover some of the stalls in front of the demolished storefronts, except for the pharmaceutical giant SuperPharm. Alone, accompanied only by the noise of a floor-scrubbing machine operated by an employee, Natalie Shoshani, 53, waits for someone to come to the lottery booth she runs. She resumed her activity three days ago, after returning from her exile on the Mediterranean coast near Tel Aviv. She, too, doubts that placing those five outposts on Lebanese territory will be enough.

We dont feel safe. We dont trust the Lebanese army, explain Lea, 67, and her husband Ariel, 70, (who prefer not to have their real names published), who fled Metula, Israels northernmost town, due to Hezbollah attacks. They have no plans to return for the time being, despite the truce. Metula, surrounded by Lebanese territory at the tip of the so-called Finger of Galilee, has been one of the localities hardest hit by the Lebanese militias projectiles. The mayor, David Azoulay, says that only 8% of the 2,500 residents have returned and criticized Netanyahus decision to begin the populations return, which was supposed to be delayed until July, according to the Haaretz newspaper.

Lea and Ariel will continue to live in a rented kibbutz a few kilometers south. They periodically walk around their home, which she promised not to clean until they could move back in. But one of the walls suffered severe damage from an Israeli tank, and that promise has gone unfulfilled.

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said she has no intentions to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to just take people off the streets.

Hochul joined MSNBCs the Rev. Al Sharpton on Sunday, where she discussed her recent conversation with President Trump over ways they can work together on issues like congestion pricing, transportation and immigration.

I reached out to the president again because there is so much I need to deliver for New York and New York City in particular, she said. I need to get Penn Station done and make sure we have money for the Second Avenue subway, which is so important.

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I want to make sure that we have an understanding on immigration that says well help you when you have serious, violent criminals you need to get off the streets, Hochul continued. Ive always said that. Weve done that under the Biden administration, but were not going to be there to allow you to just take people off the streets and split up families.

Her remarks come as the Trump administration has ramped up deportations, including of hundreds of members of the Tren de Aragua gang over the weekend.

Hochul and Trump have clashed over the governors congestion traffic pricing program in New York City. It was aimed at reducing traffic in the city and bringing in money for other infrastructure through the toll. Trump said he would rescind the order, and Hochul vowed to oppose the president in court.

The governors clashes with Trump could help increase her national profile as she likely faces a competitive reelection battle.

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Her spokesperson told The Hill that Hochul will continue to work to deliver results for New Yorkers and push back against federal overreach.

She initially was one of the Democrats who said she would look for places to work with Trump, but she postponed her meeting with the president over a legal challenge from the administration over immigration policies.

Hochuls meeting with Trump on Friday was the rescheduled effort. She said they also spoke about the presidents tariff plan and how it is devastating for upstate farmers and factory workers.

I need to keep that dialogue going, she said about the meeting, later adding, My willingness to talk about areas we could have a common interest does not take away from my responsibility as a leader of the state to fight back and fight back hard when the line is crossed and youve hurt New Yorkers.

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Border czar Tom Homan said he doesnt care what the judges think about the deportation flights of Venezuelan gang members as the administration faces a legal battle over the flight.

Im proud to be a part of this administration. Were not stopping, he said Monday on Fox & Friends.

I dont care what the judges think. I dont care.

Over the weekend, President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, the third time the wartime act has been used and the first since World War II.

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It was intended to target members of the gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) who Trump said could be arrested, restrained and removed from the country.

A federal judge expanded a temporary block on the deportations of five of the migrants and verbally ordered the plane carrying nearly 300 alleged TdA members to not leave the U.S. or to turn around.

The Trump administration has insisted the plane was already out of U.S. jurisdiction, sparking a more complicated legal battle as the American Civil Liberties Union questioned whether the White House defied the court order.

It wasnt until this flight was already in international waters heading down to El Salvador that the judge made some comment about returning the flights, Homan said. Were already in international waters. Were outside the borders of the United States.

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Homan argued the judges decision to return the flights defies logic and he questioned why anyone would want terrorists returned to the United States.

Look, President Trump, by proclamation, invoked the authorities of the Alien Enemies Act, which has a right to do, and its a game changer. And we removed over 200 violent criminals from the United States, not just TdA, but also MS-13.

The actions of President Trump made this country safer, he added.

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HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT)  When Nick Derzis became chief of the Hoover Police Department in 2005, he figured he wouldnt remain on the job more than 10 years.

Now leading the department for the last 20 years, Derzis is now looking to take the top job in the city: mayor.

On Monday, Derzis announced he would run for mayor, challenging incumbent Frank Brocatto. Wearing a grey pinstriped suit and a green floral tie to commemorate St. Patricks Day, Derzis spoke about how he had spent his entire career in working for the people of Hoover.

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Hoover needs leadership that innovates, not stagnates, Derzis said. Leadership that listens, not manipulates; leadership that plans, not reacts.

During his remarks, Derzis stood in front of a vacant store front off Creekside Avenue that was once the home of Buy Baby Buy, which closed its doors in 2023, as he talked about how he felt the city of Hoover was tired.

This is what tired looks like and this is what a lack of vision looks like, he said. The worst part? I dont know if there is a plan to fix it and no vision of what Hoover can and should be, but it doesnt have to be this way. This does not have to be the image that people associate Hoover.

With a population of over 92,000 people, Hoover is one of the largest cities in Alabama and was recently named one of the top 25 places in the Southeast to live by Livability.com.

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I spent my career making tough decisions, managing the citys largest budget and ensuring that my team had the resources they needed to keep you safe, he said. Now, Im ready to take that commitment to city hall.

Originally born in Germany and living all around the world before making Alabama his home in 1977, the sartorially elegant Derzis first joined the HPD in 1979, rising through the ranks to become acting chief in 1995, replacing former Chief David Cummings. After only 18 months on the job, Derzis was put on paid administrative leave in March 1997 after being named in a federal investigation, as well as former Lt. J.B. Thrasher and former Hoover Mayor Frank Skinner. In a 2005 report published by The Birmingham News Jon Anderson, federal grand jury subpoenas at the time had requested documents specifically pertaining to the Hoover Police Christmas Toy Fund, the purchase of vehicles, uniforms and other items, canceled warrants, traffic citations and lost, stolen or missing items from police evidence storage.

After 13 months of investigations, Derzis was never charged with anything and the case was closed. He returned to the department as a captain toward the end of 1998 and became assistant police chief the following year.

Nobody ever sat down with me from any government and ever talked to me or asked my any questions about anything, Derzis told The News shortly after becoming chief. Im not sure exactly what I supposedly did or what I was a target of.

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In July 2023, Derzis and the police department were put on the world stage in the midst of the Carlee Russell kidnapping hoax, where the nursing student had gone missing for a couple of days in the summer of 2023 before coming back home, claiming she had been kidnapped.

As the department investigated Russells story, Derzis publicly expressed his doubts over her claims.

I do think its highly unusual the day that someone gets kidnapped that seven or eight hours before that theyre searching the internet, Googling the movie Taken about an abduction, Derzis said in a press conference held July 19, 2023. I find that very, very strange.

By July 24, Russell admitted that she had lied about the abduction. She was later charged and convicted of filing a false police report and filing a false statement to law enforcement authorities. The case inspired the Alabama Legislature to pass a bill seeking higher punishment for people who file false police reports.

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Hoovers municipal election will be held Aug. 26.

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Rep. Roni Green (D-Philadelphia) speaks at a rally for equal pay for women Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Pennsylvania Capitol. (Capital-Star/Peter Hall)

Women in Pennsylvania earn less than men by a wider margin than the nation as a whole. Legislation reintroduced in the state House aims to close the gender pay gap.

When the commonwealth first passed a law to address gender discrimination in the workplace in 1959, women earned 59 cents for each dollar earned by men. Since then the gap has narrowed, Rep. Jennifer OMara (D-Delaware) said, but women are still at a disadvantage in the workplace.

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Closing the gender wage gap isnt just about fairness, its about acknowledging and repairing systemic biases that perpetuate inequality in the workplace, OMara said at a rally Monday at the state Capitol. Its time to accelerate progress towards true equality by demanding equal pay and equal opportunities for all individuals.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women in Pennsylvania earned 82.4% of mens wages in 2023. Thats below the national average of 83.6% and four of the commonwealths six neighboring states.

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OMara and Rep. Melissa Schusterman (D-Chester) are co-sponsors of House Bill 630, which would explicitly prohibit employers from paying workers less because of their gender, race or ethnicity and protect workers from retaliation in wage discrimination matters. It would also bar prospective employers from using an applicants pay history to set their wages.

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House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) recalled as a young lawyer applying for a job, she was asked how much she wanted to be paid. After seven years in university and law school, she had no idea how to negotiate for a salary.

No one explained  to make sure youre getting paid what they would pay a man, McClinton said Its unacceptable that in Womens History Month in this commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are stuck with these inequities.

Legislation similar to H.B. 630 passed in the House last May but was not considered in the GOP-controlled Senate. Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) and President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) did not respond to emails to their offices.

The gender pay gap is wider for women of color, Annmarie Pinarski, staff attorney with the Womens Law Project, said.

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Black women in Pennsylvania typically earn only 65 cents for every dollar, a figure that drops to 57 cents for Latinas, who represent the fastest growing population in the commonwealth, Pinarski said.

Using a job applicants salary history perpetuates inequality, Pinarski said, noting that lawmakers havent updated the state equal pay law since 1967. Meanwhile, 21 other states and numerous cities, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, have enacted bans on the practice.

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Does the Pennsylvania Legislature believe that rural women dont deserve the same protection? Meanwhile, poverty rates in rural Pennsylvania are already higher than in urban areas, Pinarski said.

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Schusterman used a Wawa soft pretzel as a visual aid representing one dollar earned by men. She broke off pieces to demonstrate the significance of the gap until only about half the pretzel remained, representing what Latina women earn compared to men.

That affects households as a whole, Schusterman noted, meaning families have less money for clothing, car payments, retirement or vacations.

The women in your households are earning less money, and its about time your wife or partner made the same amount of money as her male coworker for this same work, Schusterman said.

OMara said the difference in earnings translates to an average of $10,000 less per year.

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As someone raised by a single mom, I cant imagine what that additional $10,000 would have done and meant for our family, OMara said.

With the cost of child care and no requirement for employers to offer paid family leave, OMara said the burden falls disproportionately to women.

The harsh economic reality that we live in means that women are choosing to stay home rather than work because its cheaper to do so, she said. That is not a reality that we should be living in in the year 2025. Women should never have to choose between contributing to the workforce or their families.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Over the weekend, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in Brooklyn, days after Congress avoided a government shutdown.

I will vote to keep the government open, Schumer said during the vote.

Schumer sided with Republicans, helping pass a critical vote that moved the bill forward to its final passage, something House Democrats did not support.

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This is not about one individual. This is about the American people, Jeffries said. It will hurt everyday Americans, in our opinion.

When asked if it was time for new leadership in the Senate, Jeffries repeatedly responded, Next question.

Since then, Schumer canceled his book tour scheduled for this week, and neither office confirmed what the two leaders discussed during their meeting.

Obviously theres a tremendous amount of division, especially at the very top, said Todd Belt, a political expert at George Washington University.

Belt noted Jeffries responses were unusual for his typically composed demeanor.

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Hakeem Jeffries is not the type of person who would do what he did the other day, Belt said. Its obvious hes very, very frustrated, and he probably feels like he was sold out by Chuck Schumer.

Belt added that many Democrats are frustrated with the outcome and said party unity is usually stronger in the minority.

Usually, you dont have this much infighting and squabbling because everybodys really focused on the main prize, which is the next set of elections, Belt said.

As lawmakers return home to hear from their constituents, some Democrats are looking for new strategies moving forward.

I continue to support Senator Schumer, but I want to see our tactics change, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

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Two people have been arrested and charged with performing illegal abortions at a Houston-area health clinic, the first criminal charges brought under the states near-total abortion ban.

Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, a licensed midwife, and Jose Ley, 29 and her employee, were charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, as well as practicing medicine without a license. The abortion charge is a second-degree felony, which comes with up to 20 years in prison.

Rojas, who identified herself as Dr. Maria, operates a network of clinics in Waller, Cypress and Spring, where she unlawfully employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals, according to a press release from Attorney General Ken Paxton.

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Rojas, with Leys assistance, attempted an abortion on a person identified as E.G. on two separate occasions in March, according to court records. In interviews with investigators, E.G. said Rojas employees portrayed her as a doctor, so when Rojas told E.G. that her pregnancy was likely non-viable, she agreed to take the abortion pills Rojas offered.

The woman told investigators that she would have continued the pregnancy, but since the gynecologist informed her of medical complications that would arise should she continue with the pregnancy, she relied on that medical advice.

In its bail motion, the state says Rojas also performed an abortion in Harris County earlier this year. Calls to Rojas clinics were not immediately answered Monday.

Court records show Rojas was first arrested on March 6, charged with practicing medicine without a license and given a $10,000 bond. She was again arrested Monday morning, alongside Ley, and charged with practicing medicine without a license and performing illegal abortions. A third person, Rubildo Labanino Matos, was arrested March 8 and charged with conspiracy to practice medicine without a license, Paxton said Tuesday.

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On Thursday, a Waller County judge granted a temporary injunction effectively shutting down Rojas' clinics by prohibiting them from providing medical services. The injunction expires after 14 days, but a hearing scheduled for next week will likely extend it.

Inside the investigation

The investigation into Rojas practices spanned more than a month and involved more than a dozen people with the Office of the Attorney General, the arrest affidavit shows.

It started with an anonymous complaint filed to the state Health and Human Services Commission, alleging two women had received abortions at the Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller. K.P., 26, had an abortion at three months pregnant in September 2023, and D.V. had an abortion at eight weeks pregnant in January, the affidavit said.

The complaint was initially filed Jan. 17, and in a follow-up email a week later, the person who sent the complaint said the facility had been performing abortions for some side money for some time. They said the two abortions they were aware of were not due to medical complications and suggested the patients acted irresponsibly by not wanting to protect themselves using birth control.

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Investigators with attorney generals office and the Harris County Sheriffs Office began surveilling Rojas clinics in late January and early February. They observed a man later identified as Ley working alone in one of the clinics as people came in and out, apparently seeking medical care.

Ley is not licensed to practice medicine in Texas. He was a licensed doctor in Cuba, but came to the United States illegally in 2022 and later was paroled and received a green card, according to the affidavit. Ley later told investigators that he was connected with Rojas after training with the global health nonprofit Doctors without Borders.

Ley told investigators that he saw patients as a medical assistant and would consult via tablet with someone he believed to be Labanino Matos, before signing forms with Labanino Matos name.

Labanino Matos, a licensed nurse practitioner, was under an agreed order from the Texas Board of Nursing for negligent treatment of a patient at another clinic. Texas law requires nurse practitioners to have a practice agreement with a licensed physician, which the affidavit says Labanino Matos did not have in place for these clinics.

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In late February, the woman identified as D.V. confirmed that she received an abortion and identified Rojas as the person who performed the procedure, per the affidavit.

On March 3, an investigator was observing one of the clinics when a car pulled up and a young couple went inside. Only Ley was at the clinic, the investigator said, but after a time, Rojas arrived as well. When the couple left, it was clear the woman had undergone some sort of medical procedure, the investigator said.

On March 5, the attorney generals office secured arrest warrants and search warrants for Rojas, Labanino Matos and Ley on charges of practicing medicine without a license. The search warrants found misoprostol, a common abortion-inducing drug that can also be used for other medical purposes, as well as ultrasound machines, forceps and other medical supplies.

Ley spoke to investigators, but Rojas declined.

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While those arrests were unfolding, investigators tracked down and interviewed the woman who had been at the clinic on March 3. Identified as E.G. in the records, she said she had delivered twins by cesarean section six months prior and went to the clinic on the advice of her doctor in Mexico.

She said employees referred to Rojas as a gynecologist. Rojas told E.G. she was four weeks pregnant, but there was only an 18% chance of the pregnancy being successful. Lab results showed there was only a 9% chance of a successful pregnancy, E.G. said, which Rojas told her was insufficient to continue with the pregnancy.

Rojas gave her a pill orally, and Ley administered an IV and an iron injection. The next day, when she hadnt had the expected bleeding, she returned to the clinic and was given an additional dose of the medication orally and vaginally. She later learned the medication was misoprostol.

E.G. paid $1,320 total for the consultations. She told investigators she was shocked to learn Rojas was not a gynecologist.

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Based on this information, the attorney generals office charged Rojas and Ley with performing an illegal abortion.

The state recommended Rojas and Ley each be held on a million dollar bond. On Monday, a Waller County judge ordered their bonds set at $500,000 for the abortion-related charges and $200,000 for the medical license charges.

Holly Shearman, a midwife who runs Tomball Birth Center, where Rojas worked part-time providing prenatal care, said she was shocked by the news of her arrest. She described Rojas as a devout Catholic and skilled midwife whose clinics provided health care to a primarily Spanish-speaking, low-income community.

I dont believe it for one second, she said about the allegations. Ive known her for eight years and Ive never heard her talk about anything like that. I just cant picture Maria being involved in something like this.

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.

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Correction, March 19, 2025 at 8:56 p.m. : A previous version of this story misidentified Maria Margarita Rojas' occupation. She is a licensed midwife.
This story has been updated with new information.

A licensed midwife from the Houston area has been arrested and charged with performing two illegal abortions, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday, marking the first known arrest under the state's near-total abortion ban.

Maria Margarita Rojas, 49, was taken into custody in Waller County on Monday and is being held on a combined $1.4 million bail, according to jail records. Her employee, 29-year-old Jose Lendan Cey, was also booked in jail Monday and charged with illegally terminating a pregnancy.

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Both were also charged with practicing medicine without a license.

The pair was charged under Texas' House Bill 1280, which took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June 2022 and prohibits abortions except when a pregnant person could die without one. The abortion ban makes no exceptions for rape, incest or fatal fetal diagnoses.

Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore, a Republican, referred the case to the attorney general's office for prosecution "to see that this case is handled with all of the resources necessary to see that justice is done." The state agency has limited prosecutorial responsibilities but Texas law allows local authorities to request assistance from the attorney general.

In Waller County, we respect the sanctity of all life and our citizens expect people to follow the laws of the Great State of Texas," Whittmore, who previously worked for the attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, said in a statement Monday evening.

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An assistant attorney general in Paxton's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has been appointed as a special prosecutor for Waller County to pursue the cases against Rojas and Ley.

Paxton, a Republican who supports Texas' abortion ban, said his office conducted an "extensive investigation" into the clinics allegedly operated by Rojas.

"I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our states pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted, Paxton said in a news release. Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.

Anti-abortion protesters march through downtown Austin with the Texas Rally for Life in January. Thousands from across the state of Texas gathered for the annual march before rallying at the State Capitol on Jan. 25.

More: Texas GOP senator files bill to clarify abortion ban, expand protections in emergencies

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Rojas was first booked in the Waller County jail on March 6 and charged with practicing medicine without a license, according to court records. She was released the next day on $10,000 bail.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, she has been a licensed midwife since July 2018 and the license remains valid until February 2026.

According to Paxton's office's investigation, Rojas operates several clinics under the names of Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring.

The attorney general's news release said the clinics "unlawfully employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals to provide medical treatment."

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Rojas is the first person arrested under HB 1280, the 2021 state trigger law that prohibits all but lifesaving abortions. The law, which became active post-Roe, carries penalties including the loss of a medical license, fines of no less than $100,000 and sentences of up to life in prison.

The law also gives the attorney general authority to seek civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation for unlawfully performing an abortion.

As of Monday evening, no attorney was listed for Rojas in court records.

More: 'Confused and frightened': Texas Medical Board guidance on abortion ban exceptions unveiled

Kaitlyn Kash is comforted by Josh Zurawski after she spoke at the Texas Medical Board meeting to discuss guidance around physicians for medical exceptions to the states abortion ban laws at the George H.W. Bush State Office Building in March of 2024.

Abortions in Texas

State Republicans are seeking to continue cracking down on abortions with new legislation this year. GOP lawmakers Friday filed Senate Bill 2880 and House Bill 5510 to let Texans sue organizations that mail abortion-inducing drugs into the state. The identical proposals would also make it a crime to pay for a Texas woman's "elective abortion."

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The law would "appl(y) extraterritorially to the maximum extent permitted by the Texas Constitution or federal law." The state Senate has also made it a priority this year to ban taxpayer funded abortion travel.

Rojas' arrest escalates the Republican attorney generals campaign against abortion months after he filed the first lawsuit against an out-of-state abortion pill provider, New York doctor Maggie Carpenter, in December.

Paxton has also sued Austin and San Antonio for allocating taxpayer dollars for abortion travel, and in December 2023 he successfully blocked Kate Cox, a mother of two in Dallas, from legally terminating her pregnancy. Coxs baby had been diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and had virtually no chance of survival, as per an OB-GYN, but the Texas Supreme Court found that the case had not clearly fallen under the abortion ban's exception to protect the life of the pregnant patient.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Houston midwife arrested, charged with violating Texas abortion ban
President Donald Trump on Monday said that further attacks or retaliation by the Houthis would be considered an attack by Iran and it would face dire consequences.

Trumps threat comes after the United States launched a new series of airstrikes against the Yemeni group beginning Saturday. The Houthis on Sunday claimed to have thwarted a hostile attack the enemy was preparing to launch against our country. A U.S. official told ABC News that the Houthis fired 11 drones and one ballistic missile at the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier group in the Red Sea on Saturday, none of which came close to hitting any U.S. vessels.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called the Houthis "sinister mobsters and thugs" said their attacks "emanate from, and are created by, IRAN."

PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as military strikes are launched against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis over the group's attacks against Red Sea shipping, at an unspecified location in this handout image released March 15, 2025. (White House via Reuters)

MORE: Trump orders attacks against Houthis in Yemen

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Trump said Iran is "dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, 'Intelligence.'"

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" Trump said.

On Sunday, the Houthis claimed to have fired 18 ballistic missiles and a drone in two separate attacks over the previous 24 hours. All drones were downed by fighters -- 10 shot down by Air Force planes and one by Navy planes -- while the ballistic missile was not intercepted as it fell far short of the vessels, the U.S. official said.

Trump described the U.S. strikes as "decisive and powerful military action" against the Iranian-backed group. The Houthis have been targeting Western-linked shipping and launching munitions into Israel since the fall of 2022, in protest of Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft and drones," Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday. "We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the head of operations at the Joint Staff, told reporters at Monday's Pentagon press briefing that the U.S. struck 30 targets at multiple locations on Saturday and there were additional strikes conducted on Sunday. He said the operation continued Monday "and it will continue in the coming days until we achieve the President's objectives.

Grynkewich said targets included terrorist training sites, unmanned aerial vehicle infrastructure, weapons manufacturing capabilities and weapon storage facilities. They also included command and control centers, where "several senior duty unmanned aerial vehicle experts were located on Sunday," as well as facilities that have been used to threaten shipping.

The Yemeni Health Ministry said the strikes killed 53 people and injured 98 more. Grynkewich there were dozens of military fatalities from Saturdays strikes and that there are no indications of civilian casualties. He said the Pentagon was aware of reports of civilian casualties, and we look at those closely when they do come in, but we have no credible indications.

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Speaking with reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he was not concerned about retaliatory strikes related to the latest American strikes.

National security adviser Mike Waltz told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that the strikes represented "an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out. And the difference here is, one, going after the Houthi leadership, and two, holding Iran responsible."

Detailing their latest attack on U.S. Navy vessels, the Houthis said in a Sunday statement that they will "continue to ban the passage of Israeli ships through the zone of operations until the blockade on the Gaza Strip is lifted."

The Houthis then released a statement late Monday, claiming "the implementation of a qualitative military operation targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman for the third time in the past 48 hours, as well as targeting a US destroyer, in response to the brutal US aggression against our country." Similarly, on Tuesday, they said they had implemented "a qualitative military operation targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman for the fourth time in 72 hours. The operation also targeted a number of enemy warships, thwarting an air attack being prepared against our country." The extent of their attacks or their relative success has not been confirmed.

PHOTO: This image taken from video provided by the U.S. Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 15, 2025. (AP)

MORE: Iranian general raises prospect of response amid US strikes on Houthis

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ABC News' Will Gretsky, Nicholas Kerr, Michelle Stoddart and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

Trump says Iran will suffer 'dire' consequences for any more Houthi attacks originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Qabil Ashirov

Unfortunately, the words of the German philosopher Georg Hegel, "The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history," have been proven to be true for all periods. Being an egoist, mankind are prone to think that what happened to others will not happen to him/her and easily repeat the same mistakes.

In 1991, when the Soviet Union conducted a referendum on whether to restore the USSR, 95% of Azerbaijanis voted in favour of restoration, whereas 75% of Armenians voted against it. At the time, Azerbaijan was considered the most pro-Russian country in the region. Despite Azerbaijan's goodwill and favourable attitude towards Russia and Russians, the Kremlin chose to appease Yerevan and sided with Armenia during the Garabagh conflict. Baku was pressured into making concessions.

However, this strategy backfired. Against all odds and threats, within just two years, the very Azerbaijanis who had voted for the Soviet Union banded together like a fist, becoming the first country in the region to drive the Russian army out of its territory. In comparison, it took Georgia 12 years to achieve the same outcome. As for Armenia, a Russian military base remains stationed there to this day. In no time, Baku found a new ally in Turkiye to replace Russia. As a result, today Russias South Caucasus strategy is on the ropes.

Following the dissolution of the USSR, during one of the direst periods in its history, Azerbaijan turned to Iran in hopes of enlisting its support. Iran soon became Azerbaijan's largest trade partner. Unfortunately, much like the Kremlin, Tehran aligned itself with Yerevan. Despite having all the leverage to force Armenia into peace, Iran sat on its hands, offering only lip service.

It did not take long for Azerbaijan to find a new ally in Israel. With Israel's assistance, Azerbaijan not only navigated political challenges in Europe and America but also developed one of the most formidable armies in the region, which led to the liberation of its occupied territories. Similar to Russias, Irans South Caucasus strategy hit a dead end. Today, as Iran voices concerns over its diminishing influence in the region, it finds that it is too late, as the proverb goes, 'the genie is out of the bottle'.

All these prove that Azerbaijan neither succumbs to any threats nor is lured by any shiny words. However, the West thinks that they can gain something from Azerbaijan by using the methods that both Russia and Iran failed with. Thus, as is known, Azerbaijan detained the leaders of separatist groups who headed armed organizations that killed, raped, and plundered Azerbaijanis during the Garabagh Conflict and put them on trial. Some of the European Politicians are running around as headless hens to get them free by threatening Azerbaijans sanctions. Blowing smoke to the face of the world, these politicians go to extreme lengths to pass the separatist leaders off as POWs. Even they managed to bring the issue to the European Parliament.

Additionally, yesterday, National Security Advisor of the Trump Administration Mike Waltz shared a post which touched upon this issue as well. Noting that the USA is pleased Azerbaijan and Armenia have taken a big step forward and agreed to a peace treaty.

I told him we should finalize this peace deal now, release the prisoners, and work together to make the region more secure and prosperous.

America's Golden Age will bring peace and prosperity to the world, and we won't stop working until that happens, concluded the post.

Needless to say, Armenians and their mouthpieces did not miss any minute to use the post as a flag. However, the post raises questions: why do we  Azerbaijanis  need Americas Golden Age if it will not bring justice to the victims of Garabagh, including Khojaly? Why do we need Americas Golden Age if it will not bring justice to thousands of Azerbaijanis who were uprooted from their luxury homes and spent their life in tents? Why do we need Americas Golden Age if it will not bring justice to killed infants? And so on

Instead of using threats to force Azerbaijan or constructing posh words to lure it, I think the West would be better off reading the history of Azerbaijan and understanding that these actions will not work, as they did not work before.
A judge has refused to ban immigration agents from raiding schools. Tennessee has taken the first step toward banning undocumented children from attending school. Florida has increased college tuition fees based on a students immigration status. The Donald Trump administration has announced an investigation into 50 universities for allegedly promoting inclusion and diversity on their campuses. The agency overseeing English-language education has disappeared as part of the dismantling of the Department of Education. Unrelated but related, several state and federal initiatives are converging on one goal: depriving migrant students of their right to an education.

Last Tuesday, the Tennessee House committee approved Republican Majority Leader William Lamberths bill, which would allow K-12 public and charter schools to enroll or refuse to enroll a student who is unlawfully present in the United States. Outside the meeting room, angry protesters chanted Shame on you! and Shut it down!

It is false hope to give children the best education available in the world and then tell them they can be licensed professionals, they can be licensed doctors, they can be lawyers, they can be accountants, they can run for office, because it is not true, Lamberth said, according to the Tennessee Lookout. If they are illegally present, their dreams at some point will have a ceiling and that is inappropriate, he added.

His proposal goes even further than the one being discussed in the State Senate, which had already sparked outrage in the immigrant community. Sponsored by Republican Senator Bo Watson, the bill requires public schools to verify students immigration status and charge tuition to children who cannot prove legal residency in the United States.

Both initiatives advocate the idea that undocumented immigrants are a burden on taxpayers, even though they pay the same taxes on gasoline, food, and retail purchases that help fund public schools.

Its not legal. If Tennessee approves it, it would violate federal law. But this will obviously make parents afraid to send their children to school. And Im sure it will have a domino effect and, again, lead to significant drops in student attendance, says Loredana Valtierra, a partner at The Century Foundation, a think tank that promotes equality in education.

These projects still need to go through several legislative processes to be approved, but if they become a reality, it is very likely that they would face legal challenges from civil rights organizations, since it contradicts the Supreme Courts ruling in Plyler v. Doe, which in 1982 recognized the right to education of all children regardless of their legal status.

Although not prohibited by authorities, the fear of arrests as part of Trumps campaign of mass deportations has already wreaked havoc on school attendance. Considered for years as sensitive locations, such as hospitals and churches, the Republican has scrapped that protection, and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents can now enter these buildings in search of migrants to deport.

Fear of raids

Children suffer from anxiety about going to school and parents are afraid of sending them and, if detained, never seeing them again. Border czar Tom Homan, head of ICE, has repeatedly advocated for detentions to be carried out in schools if necessary. This week, the case of a child from Konawaena Elementary School in Kona, Hawaii, who was detained while attending class, was brought to light. County authorities explained that this was done to reunite him with his father, who was also detained. Both had deportation orders.

Cruelty and chaos are the key point, and they want people to be afraid to go to school and learn, because they dont want foreigners in this country to have access to education. Thats the ultimate goal. Thats why people are so concerned about the presence of police officers in schools, about children being abandoned by their parents, and about having to witness their arrest. This violates the right to education, says Naureen Shah, director of government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The latest setback in preventing feared ICE agents from invading classrooms in search of undocumented students to deport has come from a federal judge in Denver, who rejected a lawsuit filed by Denver Public Schools seeking to keep immigration enforcement off school campuses. Attorneys for the lawsuit argued that families' fear of detention since the ban on sensitive locations was lifted is leading to increased student absenteeism.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, a Trump appointee and former Colorado attorney general, said it was unclear to what extent the fear was actually due to the new rules, rather than broader concerns about increased immigration enforcement. He also noted that public schools in Denver had not yet been raided.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is another state where attempts have been made to ban undocumented students from education. Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican, halted a plan promoted by State Superintendent Ryan Walters and approved by the State Board of Education to require children's immigration status upon enrollment in public school. Stitt, who has spoken out against illegal immigration, said policymakers should focus on targeting those in the country illegally and those who commit other crimes.

Florida

Efforts to impede immigrant access to education have been notable in the state of Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis, a fan of Trumps anti-immigration campaign, has repeatedly attempted to ban undocumented students from in-state tuition at Florida universities. Last February, he succeeded, repealing the 2014 law that allowed students without legal status to pay in-state tuition, which is much lower than that paid by out-of-state residents. Although the measure has been criticized by both Democrats and Republicans, starting July 1, students without legal papers will see their already high university tuition rates triple.

The price increase will affect, among others, beneficiaries of the DACA program, which grants residency permits to those who arrived illegally as children.

Students of immigrant origin have been a vital source of the U.S. college population for two decades. The number of students enrolled rose from 3.4 million in 2000 to nearly 6.1 million in 2021. This 78% increase contrasts with the 22% increase in total college enrollment, from 15.3 million to 18.7 million, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI).

Research at 50 universities

Ending diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which have allowed many Latino and other racially diverse students to access college, is one of the Trump administrations goals. Last Friday, the Department of Education announced that investigations have been opened against more than 50 universities for alleged racial discrimination against white and Asian American students.

Most of the inquiries concern the universities' partnership with the PhD Project, a nonprofit organization that helps students from underrepresented groups earn business degrees with the goal of diversifying the business world.

The Department of Education explained that 45 universities are under investigation in connection with schools civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in educational programs and activities. Six other universities are being investigated for allegedly awarding impermissible scholarships based on race and one university for allegedly operating a program that segregates students based on race.

The Supreme Court, in a 2023 decision, prohibited universities from using race as a factor in admissions.

Reduction of the Department of Education

The attack on universities follows the president's assault on the Department of Education, which he has already said he wants to get rid of. This week, he announced the layoffs of 1,300 employees, halving the 4,133-employee workforce he had when he took office. In addition to the layoffs, 572 employees accepted voluntary redundancies, and 63 probationary workers had already been dismissed last month.

Among other functions, the department administers federal loans for college education, monitors student performance, and enforces civil rights laws in schools. One of the agencies that has disappeared is the Office of English Language Acquisition, which oversees how students and school districts help children learn English.

Migrant students, in this case, will be directly affected. We won't know who will now be responsible for ensuring that schools provide children with the right to learn English. That will have devastating consequences, Valtierra warns.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Amid nationwide government agency spending cuts and layoffs since the start of the Trump administration, hundreds of Colorado federal employees are filing for unemployment.

Federal agencies have reported mass layoffs during the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiencys push to shrink the federal government. Nationwide, the Department of Education announced its laying off nearly half of its workforce, while several other agencies, like the Department of Veterans Affairs and Internal Revenue Service, have experienced tens of thousands of job cuts.

DOGE is terminating $9.4M in leases across Colorado: See the full list

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In Colorado, hundreds have filed for unemployment since President Donald Trumps inauguration, which a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said has doubled from 2024.

Government employees filed for unemployment

Between Jan. 19 and March 8, the spokesperson said just over 600 unemployment claims were filed in Colorado from workers separated from a federal agency.

Colorado prepares for impact of mass layoffs on federal civilian workforce

The department said these claims are filed by the federal agency the workers identified as their most recent federal employer at the time of filing the claim. Here are the federal agencies with unemployment claims:

Department Cumulative by Employer Department of Agriculture 23.8% Department of the Treasury/Internal Revenue Service 18% Department of Interior/National Park Service 6.4% Department of Veterans Affairs 6.2% Department of Energy 4.8% Department of the Interior/U.S. Geological Survey 3.8% Department of the Interior/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 3% Department of Commerce/National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 2.6% Department of the Interior/Bureau of Land Management 2.6% U.S. Postal Service 2.1% DHS/ Transportation Security Administration 1.8% Department of Housing and Urban Development 1.6% Environmental Protection Agency 1.5% Department of Commerce/Bureau of Census 1.3% Department of Transportation/ Federal Highways Administration 1.1% Department of the Army  NAF/Department of the Army  NAF 1.1% Department of Interior/Bureau of Reclamation 1% Small Business Administration 0.8% Department of the Interior 0.7% Social Security Administration 0.7% Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources 0.5% General Services Administration 0.5%

The spokesperson said the department doesnt know the specific circumstances of the unemployment, however, FOX31 spoke with former IRS and Veteran Affairs employees who were laid off as part of the Trump administrations efforts to shrink the federal workforce.

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The spokesperson said these claims are more than half what they were this time in 2024.

Out of all the former employees who filed claims since Jan. 19, the spokesperson said the Department of Agriculture had the most claims, with 127 people filing for unemployment since Jan. 19. Meanwhile, 110 people filed for unemployment from the Department of the Treasury/Internal Revenue Service.

Other top agencies with employees filing for unemployment included 39 people with the Department of Interior/National Park Service, 38 people with the Department of Veterans Affairs and 29 people with the Department of Energy.

Among these claims, the spokesperson said 99 claims came out of Denver, while there were 74 claims in Jefferson County, 71 claims in Larimer County, 60 claims in Arapahoe County and 50 claims in El Paso.

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DOGE lease cancellations in Colorado: When offices could be closed this year

We are committed to ensuring eligible employees get access to benefits while simultaneously helping them with reemployment support. Our goal is to get Colorados skilled federal workers impacted by the recent reductions in force back on their feet and back into the workforce, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said resources are available to support federal workers through the unemployment claim filing process and with job search efforts. The department is also hosting virtual town halls this week to answer claimant questions.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
An Iowa husband has been charged with murder after he confessed to killing his sick wife to put her out of her misery, police said.

Richard Hoesing, 75, called 911 around 8:45 p.m. Sunday and told Dallas County Dispatch that he had killed 74-year-old Jean Hoesing.

Officers then responded to the scene at Lucinda Street in Perry, Iowa.

A criminal complaint obtained by WHO13, stated that on the call, Hoesing told dispatchers that he had killed her to put her out of her misery because she suffered from Bipolar condition and Multiple Sclerosis.

Richard Hoesing, 75, called 911 and confessed to killing his wife who suffered from Bipolar disorder and MS, according to police (Dallas County Jail)

Jean Hoesings body was found in a bedroom on the main floor and she had a severe laceration across the front of her throat, the outlet reported, per the complaint.

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Detectives later found a small wooden-handled kitchen knife in the bathroom, which looked to have been cleaned but still appeared to be blood on the tip.

Blood was also found on Hoesings hands and clothes.

The Perry Police Department reported that Hoesing was cooperative with officers and was taken to the police station before being charged with first-degree murder. He was then taken to the Dallas County Jail to be booked.

The Independent has reached out the the Dallas County Sheriffs Office for further information.
A man turned himself in to German police on Monday after a woman travelling on a tram was set on fire in broad daylight the day before.

The suspected perpetrator, who told police he was the woman's husband, poured flammable liquid over her and ignited the fire in front of other passengers.

People on the tram pressed the emergency button, which stopped the vehicle that was travelling through Gera in the state of Thuringia, a police spokeswoman said.

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The tram driver rushed to the woman's aid and extinguished the flames on her body with a fire extinguisher.

Police said the 46-year-old woman's upper body, arms and neck were on fire and she was critically injured. She was taken to hospital by helicopter.

Pictures of the scene show a charred area near two seats in the tram.

The perpetrator fled after the attack, with the police searching for him using police dogs and a helicopter.

On Monday morning, the 46-year-old man turned himself in to the police. He did not resist and was provisionally arrested, said police, who launched an investigation for attempted murder.

Special forces from the State Office of Criminal Investigation searched the man's flat in Gera.

Both the man and the victim are from Georgia. The family has several children.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported on Wednesday that 48 migrants have been detained following a week-long ICE operation in three New Mexico cities. These arrests have advocacy groups concerned for the safety of mixed-status families.

Twenty of those arrested have criminal charges or convictions for a serious criminal offense, such as homicide, drug trafficking, or DWI. The aftermath of these arrests has sent a chill down the spines of mixed-status communities and advocacy groups.

Protestors demonstrate outside Tesla dealership in Bernalillo

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We dont know under what circumstances they were arrested, under what conditions or circumstances theyre being held now. Are they in one of these three detention centers in New Mexico? shared Marcela Diaz, Executive Director of Somos Un Pueblo Unido.

Diaz expressed frustration at the lack of transparency exhibited by immigration enforcement and the arrest of migrants with no serious criminal offenses. This is something that is deeply concerning when it comes to democracy in general, but it also is deeply concerning to those of us who are in these communities and who know at any time that we could be next, Diaz continued.

Tesla says it is exposed to retaliatory tariffs

The report stated the 28 others were arrested on immigration violations such as illegal entry and illegal re-entry after deportation, but Diaz fears they werent granted due process. When legal service providers are saying that in these detention centers, theyre not seeing 48 new faces, which is whats happening right now, were asking, where are folks? Have they been deported without due process? said Diaz.

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Somos, along with the ACLU, the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, and other advocacy groups, will host a conference on Monday at the Roundhouse to speak out about these arrests.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
What we know is people in our community are gone, workers are gone, family members are gone, our neighbors are gone, said Marcela Diaz, founding executive director of Somos un Pueblo Unido, during a news conference on March 17, 2025 at the New Mexico Legislature. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

In the first week of March, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it arrested four dozen New Mexico residents as part of immigration raids in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Roswell.

Now those people are unaccounted for, according to an American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico civil rights complaint filed Sunday, which alleges all 48 have been forcibly disappeared.

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What we know is people in our community are gone, workers are gone, family members are gone, our neighbors are gone, said Marcela Diaz, founding executive director of Somos un Pueblo Unido.

According to ICEs own announcement, it arrested most of those people not for criminal convictions, but for violations of civil immigration law, such as illegal entry or re-entry after deportation. Diaz said Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Roswells mayors told members of her organization that they didnt know the arrests would happen, and that ICE had assured them they would only be going after people with criminal convictions.

According to the complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, ICE hasnt identified any of the 48 people they arrested, nor indicated where or in what conditions theyre being detained, whether they have access to attorneys or which agency is holding them.

We dont know whats happened to these four dozen New Mexicans. Theyve effectively disappeared. Theyre gone, said Becca Sheff, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, during a Monday news conference at the New Mexico Legislature.

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The complaint states that neither ACLU-NM nor any other legal service providers have made contact with any of the people arrested. ICEs online detainee locator only allows people to be located by their names, dates of birth, countries of origin or numbers assigned to them by DHS, it states.

Attorneys who help people held New Mexicos three ICE detention facilities  the Otero County Processing Center, the Cibola County Correctional Center and the Torrance County Detention Facility  are typically only able to conduct pre-representation or representation legal visits with detainees if they are able to identify them beforehand, the complaint states.

The complaint also notes that arbitrary and enforced disappearance is unlawful under the U.S. Constitution and international human rights law.

No one here in New Mexico should have to live with this kind of fear that they or their loved ones could be picked up and effectively disappeared, Sheff said.

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The complaint calls on the civil rights and detention ombudsman offices to investigate, ensure the disappeared peoples physical and psychological well-being, ensure no retaliation occurs against them for the complaints submission and pursue accountability for all personnel and contractors involved.

We are alarmed and disturbed that these four dozen New Mexican individuals remain unidentified and that insufficient transparency, oversight, and accountability has taken place to date regarding their whereabouts and wellbeing, the complaint states.

Sheff told reporters on Monday the offices with which the ACLU filed the complaint have their own authority under the law separate from ICE, and she had not yet received confirmation that they have received the complaint.

The Trump administration is developing Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, into a deportation hub and considering Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque as a possible military detention site for undocumented immigrants, the New York Times reported on Feb. 21. New Mexicos all Democratic congressional delegation on March 5 wrote a letter to Trump and Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth objecting to the plans.

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When Edwin Jesus Garcia Castillo, a fellow with the New Mexico Dream Team, was detained in the Torrance detention center in 2019 and in 2024, he said his family didnt know where he was or what was happening and the guards denied him access to a phone to call them or a lawyer.

I saw how these places tear you down, physically and mentally, he said at the news conference. These places are inhumane places, theyre really cruel places.

These places are inhumane places, theyre really cruel places, said Edwin Jesus Garcia Castillo, a fellow with the New Mexico Dream Team who was detained in the Torrance detention center in 2019 and in 2024. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

Two immigration bills still pending

The arrests and the complaint come as the New Mexico Legislature debates two legislative proposals that would limit state and local collaboration with federal immigration enforcement and detention.

Garcia Castillo encouraged lawmakers to pass one of them, House Bill 9, saying it will save lives.

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For immigrant New Mexicans to feel safe calling and interacting with state or local police, they cannot be perceived to be involved with enforcement of federal immigration law, said Gabriela Ibanez Guzman, staff attorney at Somos un Pueblo Unido.

There must be a clear and distinct line between who is enforcing federal immigration law and who is in our community to keep us safe, she said.

Senate Bill 250 would ensure that distinction by prohibiting local and state jurisdictions from using public funds; personnel time; property and office space; or equipment to help federal agencies enforce immigration law, Ibanez Guzman said.

New Mexico Immigrant Law Center Director of Policy and Coalition Building Jessica Martinez said any reduction in the number of ICE detention beds in New Mexico would make communities safer, because research shows ICE is more likely to conduct raids and make arrests closer to where they have existing detention beds.

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With a decrease in border crossings, she said, ICE will fill detention centers by separating immigrants from within the U.S. from their families.

Martinez said HB9 and SB250 complement each other and are critical to ensure immigrants safety in New Mexico.

Less than one week remains for lawmakers to pass bills and send them to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who would need to sign them into law. Diaz said people need state lawmakers, and state and local agencies, to step up.

Weve seen a lot of good bills already die, Martinez said. Ours are still standing because we are organized and time is of the essence.

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At the news conference, New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops Executive Director Allen Sanchez called on the New Mexico Senate to pass both bills, and cited a letter by Pope Francis from last month about the dignity of every human being, and Jesus Christs identity as an immigrant.

Some votes  and not all votes, but some votes  follow you to the gates of heaven, and these are one of them, Sanchez said.

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Gov. Brian Kemp announced the Georgia Department of Public Safety would be strengthening its partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through a new training program.

Kemps office said that DPS Commissioner Billy Hitchens has asked for all 1,100 state troopers and other sworn officers in the department be trained by ICE to better assist in identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who pose a risk to public safety in the state.

That means theyll be participating in whats called the 287(g) Program, which authorizes ICE to delegate some of its authority for immigration officer functions to state and local law enforcement via the federal Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.

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If you are in our country illegally and committing crimes, you have no place in Georgia, Kemp said in a statement. This is another commonsense measure on top of those weve taken since I first took office to further enable hardworking law enforcement to assist in identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who pose a risk to public safety.

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He also thanked the current White House administration of President Donald Trump for recognizing the gravity of this issue and prioritizing keeping Americans safe by securing the border and cracking down on illegal immigration.

The Georgia Department of Corrections is already a 287(g) participant, according to the governors office, through the Jail Enforcement Model. The agreement between ICE and the State of Georgia was renewed in 2019 and 2020.

Officials said that last week, ICE contacted the GDOC requesting two additional corrections officers to assist in the deportation of undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes as part of the current 287(g) agreement.

Right now, the department has a sergeant and three GDOC officers assigned to the programs measures. The governors office said the states corrections department has about 1,730 criminals on ICE detainers who have been taken off the streets in their custody.

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We take the safety of Georgians and travelers to this state very seriously, Hitchens said in a statement. This training and collaboration between agencies increases our ability to keep our communities safe. Identifying those who pose a threat and who are not in our country legally through education and interagency communication allows us to serve our citizens to the best of our ability, which is ultimately our goal.

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CHICAGO (AP)  Federal immigration agents violated the rights of 22 people, including a U.S. citizen, in immigration enforcement arrests during the first weeks of President Donald Trumps second term, Chicago activists and attorneys alleged Monday.

The arrests allegedly violate a 2022 agreement between Chicago groups and the federal government detailing how U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers can make  collateral arrests, where agents detain others besides those being targeted. The agreement, following a lawsuit over 2018 immigration sweeps, covers Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin, which are under the ICE office in Chicago.

Every time you hear from this administration about how they're rounding up gang members, terrorists, the worst of the worst, you need to take a dose of reality," said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center, said at a news conference. "You need to dig deeper to understand who exactly they are arresting.

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The NIJC detailed alleged violations in a federal complaint filed last week on behalf of advocacy groups in Chicago. Among other things, the agreement says ICE agents can make a warrantless arrest only when they have evidence that an individual is likely to escape.

The groups are seeking the release of two people who remain detained, sanctions against arresting officers and more transparency in how the agency conducts its operations, among other things.

ICE declined comment Monday, citing pending litigation.

Aggressive immigration enforcement has been central to the Trump administration's agenda, particularly in places such as Chicago that are often called sanctuary cities because they limit cooperation between federal immigration agents and local police. To send a message, the Trump administration gathered top immigration officials in Chicago in January to kick off an enforcement operation with cameras rolling live.

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But there have been limited details on how the arrests are taking place and what practices are being used.

While the 2022 settlement applied only to six states, the new federal complaint could have nationwide implications. For instance, advocates in other states could join the effort .

Of those arrested, one was deported, 19 were released on bond and one was a U.S. citizen who was released after being handcuffed for hours. Most in the complaint do not have criminal records aside from one person with a driving under the influence charge, according to attorneys.

Those detained include Abel Orozco Ortega, a 47-year-old man who was arrested Jan. 26 while returning to his suburban Chicago home after getting tamales for his family. According to the complaint, ICE was actually looking for one of his sons in his 20s who has the same name. Ortega, who is in the U.S. illegally, remains detained in Indiana.

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Family members said Monday that Ortega has no criminal record. His wife has breast cancer, they said, and, they have struggled to make mortgage payments without him.

Were all human, we deserve to be treated as such, his son Eduardo Ortega, a U.S. citizen, said at a news conference.

Twelve of the arrests came from a Feb. 7 immigration sweep at a Mexican restaurant in Liberty, Missouri, where armed agents questioned employees for hours before the lunch rush. The complaint alleges agents did not have probable cause that the individuals were likely to flee before a warrant could be issued.

The federal government has until early April to respond in court. The current agreement expires in May.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that one person was deported instead of two.
Three cases concerning the limits of freedom of expression in the United States illustrate the inconsistent standards applied to the realm of ideas since Donald Trumps return to power.

The first is the arrest of Palestinian student Mahmud Khalil, a Columbia University activist and spokesperson for campus protests against the Gaza war, who was accused by the White House of aligning himself with Hamas terrorists.

The second is the macabre joke made by former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett during a talk at Harvard, in which he suggested sending pagers to those who interrupted his speech, referencing the explosives Israel used against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, which caused numerous deaths.

The third example comes from the world of social media: the reinstatement of a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee who had resigned after making racist comments on an X account, including advocating eugenic immigration (the Nazi theory of a perfect race) and proudly declaring, I was racist before it was cool. Elon Musk welcomed him back after Vice President J.D. Vance dismissed his comments as youthful indiscretions.

The last two cases have largely been reduced to anecdotes  little more than footnotes in the chaotic start of Trumps second term. However, the case of student Mahmud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident who remains detained while awaiting a decision on his deportation, is particularly explosive. It represents a political detention that intertwines fundamental rights  namely, freedom of expression, protected by the Constitution  with his status as a foreigner amid an ongoing assault on immigration policies. Adding to the complexity is Trumps crusade against antisemitism. Together, these factors have made Khalil  and others in his situation  a target due to their triple identity as Palestinian, activist, and foreigner.

Social media has become a court, if not a pillory, and artificial intelligence has become a tool for sparking dissent. While Khalil remains imprisoned in a detention center for foreigners in Louisiana, news broke of the dismissal of a Yale scholar after an AI-powered website allegedly found her ties to a group said to be a benefactor of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Washington considers a terrorist organization. Helyeh Doutaghi, an Arab researcher who wears a headscarf  another image easily turned into a target  was immediately dismissed as deputy director of a Law School project she had worked on since 2023.

On Friday, a second Palestinian student was detained at Columbia University for overstaying his visa, and a third student, an Indian national, decided to self-deport after having her visa revoked. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is investigating whether student protests on the Columbia campus against the Gaza war violated federal terrorism laws, Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Friday.

Is freedom of expression  a right enshrined in the First Amendment  at stake in the U.S.? Or is it only at risk when people say things the powers that be dont like? Khalils case turns Trumps threat to expel foreign students involved in illegal protests into a reality. The president declared that his arrest would be the first of many.

Federal agents who typically target drug trafficking or financial crime networks are now combing social media for posts supportive of Hamas. They are using AI to make the tracking faster and more comprehensive, as seen with the website that led to Doutaghis dismissal at Yale.

The accusatory finger of the White House, wielding a presidential decree to combat antisemitism, now turns anyone who has demonstrated in support of Palestinians in Gaza or called for a ceasefire into a suspected terrorist. And that suspicion, without the need for a formal charge  as in Khalils case makes them subject to deportation under an old statute: the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and the Immigration and Nationality Act. This provision targets any 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 U.S., particularly its close relationship with Israel.

An arrest that reeks of McCarthyism

The harassment raises serious concerns about the violation of fundamental rights and revives dark episodes from history, like the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s.

The detention of Khalil, a green card holder legally studying in this country, is selective, retaliatory, and an extreme attack on his First Amendment rights, says Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. The unlawful arrest reeks of McCarthyism. Its clear that the administration is selectively punishing him for expressing dissenting views, which is a terrifying escalation of the repression of pro-Palestinian speech and an aggressive abuse of immigration law.

In addition to fostering denunciation and harassment, McCarthyism also undermined due process rights for those suspected of communist sympathies, a period that became known as the Second Red Scare.

The repression of dissent also dangerously encroaches on the First Amendment, which constitutionally guarantees the freedom of expression.

In the US, the First Amendment guarantees everyone freedom of expression. Targeting a student activist is an affront, a manifestly unconstitutional act that sends the deplorable message that freedom of expression is no longer protected, says Murad Awawdeh, head of the New York Immigration Coalition. A green card can only be revoked by an immigration judge, demonstrating once again that the Trump administration is willing to ignore the law to instill fear and promote its racist agenda.

Far from achieving its goals  silencing all pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses, which have remained largely dormant since last years massive mobilizations  Khalils arrest has done the opposite. Sit-ins, rallies, and both spontaneous and organized protests, many of them led by progressive Jewish groups, have brought many of the protesters supposedly neutralized a year ago back into the streets. On Thursday, around 100 people were arrested inside Trump Tower, where they were protesting under the leadership of a Jewish group. The small schism this case has sparked within the large American Jewish community is evident, revealing a sharp imbalance between its support for Israel and its commitment to civil liberties.

Economic blackmail of Columbia University

Meanwhile, disciplinary actions against students continue  last week, Columbia University expelled several students for occupying a building a year ago  while immigration agents conduct new raids on campus residence halls. The institution is facing $400 million in cuts to federal fund, a measure imposed by the Trump administration as punishment for its perceived weak response to alleged displays of antisemitism. To recover the funds, the White House has demanded discipline and changes to the universitys admissions policies.

Columbia is one of 60 universities currently under investigation for allegations of antisemitic harassment and discrimination. Additionally, 50 universities are in the federal spotlight for their DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies, which have been attacked by Trump.

Columbia is a private university, and the First Amendment only protects us from government censorship, not from private entities, says Jay Clavert, a law professor at the University of Florida. But nonetheless, this is really designed, in my opinion, to send a loud and clear message to students who want to protest in support of Palestine or in support of Hamas, or whatever, that that kind of speech is not going to be tolerated under the Trump administration. So [Khalils arrest] has what we would call a chilling effect. And by that, I mean it will lead to self-censorship.

Khalil has been condemned without evidence by the White House; in fact, no charges have been filed against him, and his case lacks legal grounds.

In my opinion, two different things are happening. One is the power of the federal government to try to strip a person of their [legal resident] status, which is possible in the interest of national security if they were to support or advocate terrorist activity or try to persuade others to do so, Clavert continues. But more importantly, all of this is happening in retaliation for having exercised their right to free speech. If they hadnt spoken out, why would they come after them? We can call it retaliation for exercising their First Amendment rights to free speech.

Defense of violence?

The case against Khalil also exposes the limitations of immigration laws: can a legal resident be deported for exercising their right to free speech? While awaiting a decision from an immigration judge, constitutional scholar Eugene Volokh, professor emeritus at the University of California, is firm in his stance: The Supreme Court has never made clear whether the First Amendment prohibits the government from deporting non-U.S. citizens for their speech.

Volokh emphasizes that after all, the First Amendment generally protects support for or advocacy of violence. Americans are perfectly free, for example, to say that it would be a good thing if Putin were assassinated [whether in Russia or when he visits, say, Belarus]; that Israel should start taking Palestinians hostage [even if doing so would be illegal under U.S. law]; or that the Palestinians were right to take Israeli hostages. The list of speech generally protected by the Constitution would be very long.

The heated situation offers disoriented Democrats an opportunity to rearm. Senator Chris Murphy shared a video on social media that is as educational as it is passionate, comparing the cases of Khalil and the employee reinstated by Musk.

Of Khalils situation, he says: You can disagree with his views or his politics, but there is no evidence he has broken any law [...] Hes in jail because of his political speech. And heres why everybody should care. In America, your political speech is protected, whether or not the president likes what you say. But today, if youre loyal to Donald Trump, your speech is going to be protected. Even if its hate speech. You can be Marko Elez, an employee of DOGE, who said he was racist before it was cool. [...] But if youre disloyal to Trump or you are organizing against Trumps political agenda, your speech could be criminalized.

Murphy argues that there will be no turning back if an individual can be locked away with no charges against them simply because they protested.

Continuing Murphys comparison between the arrest of the Palestinian and the rehabilitation of the young racist, a final example underscores the flexibility of the yardstick. In November 2023, Elon Musk expressed support for an antisemitic post on X, calling it the actual truth. It was his response to a post by a user who claimed that Jews have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them. After all, a Nazi salute, like the one made by the demiurge  or sorcerers apprentice  of the second Trump administration, doesnt come out of nowhere.

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The Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise shines in the sunlight on Jan. 7, 2025. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

A bill to reduce the maximum income refugees can earn to still access a federal medical assistance program is headed to Idaho Gov. Brad Little for final consideration.

House Bill 199, cosponsored by Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, would decrease the maximum income refugees in Idaho can earn to remain eligible for the Refugee Medical Assistance program to 133% of the federal poverty level, down from its higher current cap of 150% of the federal poverty level.

Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, speaks from the House floor at the Idaho Capitol on April 6, 2021. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

Under the bill, the new income cutoff for refugee medical assistance for a single person would be about $20,814 in annual income, down from the $23,475 it is under the existing income cap, based on annually updated federal poverty guidelines.

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The Refugee Medical Assistance program is a federally funded program that provides short-term medical coverage for refugees who arent eligible for Medicaid, according to the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.

In the last fiscal year, Idaho spent about $1 million on the Refugee Medical Assistance program, Idaho Reports reported. The bill is not anticipated to change state revenue, or increase state or local government spending, the bills fiscal note says.

The Idaho Senate passed the bill on a 29-6 vote on Monday. All six Senate Democrats opposed it.

When the bill is transmitted to the governors desk, he has five days  excluding Sundays  to decide how to act on it. He has three options: He can sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without his signature, or veto it.

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In committee, lawmakers focused on creating same eligibility cap. But bill would set lower program cap than for Medicaid expansion.

Sen. Josh Keyser, R-Meridian, listens to proceedings during the Senate Health and Welfare Committee meeting held March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

In the Senate Health and Welfare Committees hearing on the bill nearly two weeks ago, Sen. Josh Keyser, R-Meridian, who is cosponsoring the bill in the Senate, pitched the bill as a way to match every other Idaho federal poverty guideline of 133%.

But Idaho Medicaid expansion has a slightly higher income eligibility cap, of 138% of the federal poverty level, according to the Department of Health and Welfares website. The new bill would set the Refugee Medical Assistances income eligibility cap at 133% of the federal poverty level.

Effectively, the bill would create a lower income eligibility cap for the Refugee Medical Assistance gap than for Medicaid expansion  which is part of the broader Medicaid program that the Refugee Medical Assistance Program is an alternative to.

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The income cap difference  of five percentage points in the federal poverty level  is a gap of about $782 for a single-person household. But the gap grows as family size increases.

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Only 19 peoples eligibility would be affected by the reduced income eligibility cap, Keyser told the committee on March 6.

Several Republican senators on the committee said they supported the bill because it set uniform public health assistance standards.

I dont want to be callous to the fact that 19 people are going to be affected by the vote that were about to cast, Sen. Camille Blaylock, R-Caldwell, told the committee. That being said, it doesnt sit well with me either to have Idahoans at a different, at a lower rate  understanding even the traumatic situations that theyre coming from.

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Asked about how the bill would set a lower income eligibility cap for the refugee aid program than for Idaho Medicaid expansion, Vander Woude, a House lawmaker cosponsoring the bill, told the Sun on Monday If its if its an alternative to Medicaid, then it doesnt have to deal with the Medicaid (expansion population) thats at 138 (percent of the federal poverty level). Because this is not part of Medicaid. Its part of the refugee program, and so their benefits are the same as the U.S. citizens are.

Keyser, the Senate cosponsor, declined to comment.

An Idaho Department of Health and Welfare spokesperson declined to answer questions about if the bill could create a health care program assistance gap, saying the agency does not comment on pending legislation.

Its not a ton of money  but it matters a lot to those people, Sen. Wintrow says

Sen. Camille Blaylock, R-Caldwell, chats with Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, on the Senate floor on the morning of March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, opposed the bill in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and on the Senate floor.

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Maybe it is a special treatment. But to say, in our heart of hearts, If you have watched a loved one murdered in front of you and had to leave your country for your own well being and safety, that we should give you an extra boost. And Im willing to do it  because its not that much, Wintrow said in committee on March 6. Its not  its not a ton of money that were doing, but it matters a lot to those people.

That echoed what some members of the public testified in the Senate committee.

The numbers are not astronomical, but for the lives that it will make a difference in, it will make a difference. And it could access the kind of health care they can get based on what private insurance theyre able to get, said Holly Beech, communications manager for the Idaho Office of Refugees.

Hannah Habineza, a refugee medical case manager who said she was testifying for herself in opposition of the bill, said shes seen many refugees who have had to choose between work and their health.

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If they lose this assistance, then theyre having to either stay home and not go to the hospital  and then continue to work. And maybe theyre not even able to continue to work because of those  conditions that they have, she testified.

Bill is largely an effort to convert agency rules into law

The programs higher eligibility cap was created through an agency administrative rule by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The bill would shift much of that administrative rule on the program into state law, but would reduce the programs income eligibility cap.

Administrative rules are policies adopted by agencies, subject to legislative approval. But agency rules are generally easier to change than state laws.

If the bill becomes law, it would take effect July 1.

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The Idaho House passed the bill last month. Only eight Democrats voted against the bill, compared to all 61 House Republican lawmakers who backed the bill. One Democrat, Rep. Brooke Green, D-Boise, was absent for the House floor vote.

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Jeremy Kitzhaber speaks to the Idaho House Health and Welfare Committee to advocate for medical marijuana. He previously served in the U.S. Air Force as a civil engineer and first sergeant. He has stage four cancer, which he developed while transporting radioactive materials in the military. In the blue bag to his right, he stores opioids, anti-anxiety medication and Narcan. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Idaho Capital Sun)

Jeremy Kitzhaber, a U.S. Air Force veteran, held up a blue lunch bag to a committee of Idaho lawmakers on Monday which he uses to store the drugs meant to soothe his pain, including hydrocodone, morphine and oxycodone.

Kitzhaber has a rare type of stage four cancer that he developed while transporting radioactive and hazardous materials in the military. He can take those strong opioids at any point in the day  in addition to the drugs he takes to keep his cancer from growing and manage his bowel and anxiety. However, the one drug he cannot legally take is marijuana.

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Idaho has some of the strictest laws against any kind of marijuana usage, but an informational hearing held in the Idaho House Health and Welfare Committee opened the discussion for Kitzhaber to advocate for a bill to legalize medical marijuana for Idahoans living with chronic pain and answer lawmakers questions about what legalizing marijuana would look like in Idaho.

Kitzhaber has been working on legislation to legalize marijuana for six years, and this year, Reps. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, and Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, named House Bill 401, or the Sergeant Kitzhaber Medical Cannabis Act, after him. The sponsors introduced it as a personal bill, meaning it has no chance of advancing this session and is intended to send a message.

What would medical marijuana look like in Idaho?

Unique to most of its neighboring states, marijuana is recreationally and medically illegal in Idaho.

During the 2025 legislative session alone, lawmakers passed at least two pieces of legislation aimed to restrict marijuana usage in Idaho. This includes a bill signed by the governor and set to take effect July 1 to implement a $300 minimum fine for individuals found possessing less than three ounces marijuana. Another piece of legislation passed in both chambers is a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that, if approved by voters, would make it so that only the Idaho Legislature has the power to legalize marijuana and other narcotics.

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House Bill 401 is modeled after Utahs legislation, Rubel told the committee, who said Idaho lawmakers should at some point consider this type of legislation.

The bill would move marijuana from a schedule 1 drug to a schedule 2 controlled substance. It would allow medical practitioners to give medical cannabis cards to patients who are at least 21 years old and diagnosed with qualifying conditions such as cancer, ALS, AIDS, Crohns disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating illnesses. The card would be valid for up to one year, and renewal must be sought after.

Under the bill, individuals with medical cannabis cards would not be subject to prosecution for certain amounts of marijuana possession.

The bill does not legalize cannabis, it only decriminalizes it, Kitzhaber said.

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Rep. Rob Beiswenger, R-Horseshoe Bend, asked Kitzhaber how the bill addresses preventing the smell of marijuana from reaching the public. Kitzhaber said it would be illegal to use medical marijuana in public, and users who violate the policy once would lose their card.

Kitzhaber has gone through 150 rounds of cancer treatment and eight different types. His monthly treatment and medicine costs $17,000, he said. Hes tried marijuana in states where it is legal, and he said it helped him sleep. It is safer and less expensive than the opioids he takes now, he said.

Allowing medical marijuana would help him and other veterans with similar conditions, he told the committee, but Kitzhaber said he does not risk using it in Idaho because it would put his veteran benefits at risk.

I have an exemplary military career. I dont have a criminal record, and I dont want one for something like this, Kitzhaber said.

This article was first published by the Idaho Capital Sun, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, on the House floor at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Idahos Republican supermajority-controlled Legislature plans to keep Idahos strict abortion ban laws largely untouched this year.

In 2024, Idaho lawmakers held off on changing the states abortion bans while lawmakers waited on the U.S. Supreme Court to consider a lawsuit by the Biden administration challenging Idahos bans, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

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That decision came despite Idaho doctors requesting an exception for mothers health  not just their lives  as many doctors say they struggle to know when to provide emergency abortions under Idahos abortion bans. Doctors have said Idahos laws have resulted in patients being emergency air-lifted to other states and has spurred obstetric and gynecology doctors to leave Idaho  which is already in a doctor shortage.

In January, just before the 2025 Idaho legislative session began, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and House Speaker Mike Moyle signaled lawmakers would keep waiting on lawsuits to resolve before changing Idahos abortion laws.

Since then, major litigation challenging Idahos abortion bans shifted from being led by the federal government to Idahos largest health system. A federal judge recently reissued temporary court protections that allowed emergency abortions in Idaho.

The Idaho Legislature, a part-time statehouse, is presumably winding down for the year. But the Legislatures official end will likely be delayed by the powerful budget committees unfinished work to set state budgets, the Sun reported.

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Rep. Crane says doctor will be more comfortable as time passes

Doctors are not being prosecuted, and as time passes, theyll be more comfortable under the laws, Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, who chairs the House State Affairs Committee that typically handles abortion legislation, told the Sun in an interview Thursday.

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, speaks from the House floor on March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. Also pictured is Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Its fairly late in the session, so trying to figure out any fix now isnt going to happen, Crane told the Sun, saying only two to three weeks remained for the legislative session.

The more that this plays out, I think doctors are going to become more comfortable with it and understand the true intent behind the law, he added. So well just let it play out and see  if there is need for legislative intervention.

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But the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians says doctors are in an impossible situation.

Without clarity, our doctors are being put in an impossible situation  either risk facing punishment for providing care or turn their patients away against their medical training and ethical duties, the academys Executive Director Liz Woodruff told the Sun in a written statement. We have already lost too many health care practitioners to other states. This is not sustainable, and we need change now. Doctors should be allowed to practice medicine the way they are trained and for the safety of Idahoans.

Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, called the Republican-controlled Legislatures stance to keep waiting to change Idahos abortion bans catastrophic.

We dont know if next week temporary emergency abortion court protections could go away, and were right back to women getting airlifted out of the state, and women having catastrophic, lifelong health problems  due to our laws, she told the Sun in an interview.

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Asked why waiting on lawsuits is the right approach, Crane drew a comparison with Idahos library harmful materials for children law  which book publishers and authors sued over.

Let the court make some ruling on some of these, so we know where the court is at. And then we can respond, he told the Sun. We might go and try to change it here, and all of a sudden, the court heads over here. Now we gotta change that. And youre just constantly chasing your tail.

Hitting brick wall with Legislature, people shifted hope to ballot initiative, Idaho House Democrat leader says

Last year, Idaho doctors held an hour-long presentation in the Idaho State Capitol  pleading with lawmakers for a maternal health exemption, saying lack of clarity under Idahos abortion laws has worsened Idahos long-standing doctor shortage.

This year, there werent stark public calls for action in the Statehouse.

Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, speaks with Rep. Todd Achilles, D-Boise, before a floor session on March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. Also pictured is Assistant Minority Leader Steve Berch, D-Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Rubel said people hit a brick wall, realized no health exception bill would be considered, and turned to a ballot initiative collecting signatures for abortion exemptions for emergencies, fetal viability and other reproductive health protections in the 2026 Idaho general election.

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Its for when your pleas land on deaf ears in the Legislature, Rubel said.

Melanie Folwell, spokesperson for the group behind the ballot initiative, Idahoans United for Women and Families, told the Sun in a written statement the only path forward is clear.

Our doctors and hospitals have continued to ask for a fix to Idahos near-total abortion ban. And for three years, the legislature has declined to provide a solution to the very problem they created, she said. Luckily, citizen initiatives can answer the call when politicians fail us: the only path forward is clear.

Idahos abortion ban doesnt include explicit health exception. But Rep. Crane suggests law gives doctors discretion.

Idaho has several abortion ban laws that, if violated, could allow doctors to be prosecuted and lose their medical licenses and even allow them to be sued for at least $20,000 by family members of a person who obtained an abortion.

In a survey for Boise State Universitys annual Idaho Public Policy Survey last year, 64% of Idahoans said the state should at least have exceptions for documented rape cases, incest, non-viable pregnancies and both the life and health of the mother.

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Idahos ban contains an exception to save the pregnant patients life, but not to prevent detrimental health outcomes, including the loss of future fertility, which is a risk with severe infection or bleeding.

Without further clarity written into the law, doctors have said they cant confidently assess when to safely intervene to save someones life and what constitutes a good faith judgment, States Newsroom reported.

Idaho Republican officials  including Crane and Attorney General Raul Labrador  have said attorneys are not being honest with doctors about how Idahos abortion bans work.

Crane said he and Labrador met with OB-GYN doctors and found that their attorneys were misunderstanding what the law actually does.

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In fairness and in defense to those attorneys representing the OB docs, attorneys typical position they will take is to try to mitigate as much risk as possible for their client. And so I think that they were taking a very overly broad, very cautious approach to what the law says, Crane told the Sun. But I think now that folks like myself, Labrador, (and anti-abortion activist David) Ripley have met with some of these OB docs and help them understand this is exactly what the law does, and youre not going to be in trouble if you do X, I think its kind of tamped that down a little bit.

Crane said the law was intended to stop abortion on demand, or elective abortions, which he said it has done. And he said the law lets doctors exercise discretion.

The intent behind the law is  you guys are the professionals. You guys make that judgment call, Crane said.

Rubel, an attorney, said the laws are plain as day: That there is no health exception, that there is no emergency exception.

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But she said you dont need to be an attorney to understand that.

You just need to look at this bill, and it says its plain as day on its face that it is only permissible to avoid death. It is not permissible to avoid loss of body organs, loss of permanent fertility, (or) other catastrophic health consequences, Rubel said.

Idaho senator introduces abortion bill to let judges dismiss lawsuits

The Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday introduced a bill that would let judges dismiss poorly founded abortion lawsuits against doctors.

Bill cosponsor Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa, told the committee that the dismissal process in Senate Bill 1171 is modeled after a recently approved Idaho law that outlines how Idaho judges can quickly dismiss frivolous lawsuits  dubbed strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP lawsuits.

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Crane called the new abortion lawsuit dismissal bill a very small step that had been in the works even before the U.S. Department of Justice dismissed its lawsuit challenging Idahos abortion ban.

To Rubel, its cold comfort.

I feel like were seeing a lot of efforts to dance around and obfuscate how dangerous and terrifying Idahos abortion law is. Theyre unwilling to wrestle with the actual law, she told the Sun. Theyre unwilling to actually remove the dangerous prohibitions on emergency abortion care therein. But they want to look like theyre doing something, because they know that people are really upset.

Because of Idahos abortion ban and a court decision that does not protect emergency room physicians from prosecution under that law, some Idaho physicians are advising their pregnant patients, or those trying to become pregnant, to purchase memberships with companies like Life Flight Network or Air St. Lukes in the Boise area to avoid potentially significant costs if they need air transport in an emergency. (Courtesy of Life Flight)

Expecting Trump administration to drop Idaho emergency abortion lawsuit, St. Lukes filed its own

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Justice  under the Trump administration  dropped a lawsuit brought under the Biden administration that secured federal court protections to allow Idaho doctors to provide abortions in emergencies, States Newsroom reported.

Anticipating that move, in mid-January St. Lukes Health System filed its own lawsuit against Idaho, seeking to extend emergency abortion court protections.

The health systems lawsuit alleged a similar legal dispute than the Biden administrations challenge: That Idahos abortion laws conflicted with a federal law, called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, that requires hospitals to provide stabilizing care in emergencies.

U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill granted a temporary restraining order in St. Lukes lawsuit, essentially extending court protections for emergency abortions in Idaho that he allowed through a preliminary injunction in the DOJs case.

Since June 2024, when those federal court protections for emergency abortions in Idaho were in place, St. Lukes doctors didnt need to transfer any patients out of state, the health system told the Sun in January. Before then, when the federal protections lapsed, air transports out of state for pregnancy complications at St. Lukes increased from one, in all of 2023, to six in the first four months of 2024, States Newsroom reported.

Last fall, another lawsuit in Idahos 4th Judicial District challenging Idahos abortion ban went to trial. But the judge has not yet issued a ruling.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Originally appeared on E! Online

The Idaho murder victims families continue to mourn their loved ones.

More than two years after the four University of Idaho students were murdered, the father of victim Kaylee Goncalves is sharing his reaction to a newly released 911 call placed hours after their deaths.

Two and a half years later, when you're still hearing things for the very first time, Steve Goncalves told NBC News, it's just like the very first day. It's like you got to relive that day all over again.

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He added, There was just a lot of pain, there was a lot of like horror in those girls' voices, their breathing. There was the relief of knowing that it was a horrible event, but we were truly getting the truth.

While suspect Bryan Kohberger was arrested following the Nov. 2022 murdersand currently awaits trial after pleading not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in 2023Steve says waiting all this time for answers has been a challenge on the victims families.

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It's like a slow torture, where just a little comes out and a little more comes out, he said. As long as we truly give the community a chance to hold this person accountable, I feel there will be closure.

The 911 call in questionplaced hours after Kaylee, her roommates Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle as well as Xanas boyfriend Ethan Chapin were killeddetails the moment unnamed women found their bodies.

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Something just happened in our house, one woman told the dispatcher in audio obtained by E! News. We dont know what.

After an exchange with the dispatcher, a second woman added, One of our, one of the roommates is passed out. And she was drunk last night and shes not waking up.

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Oh, she added, and they saw some man in their house last night.

The two women were audibly distraught and tearful as they communicated with the dispatcher, who asked they make sure the roommatewhose name wasnt confirmedwas truly unconscious.

Photo by Ted S. Warren-Pool/Getty Images

Bryanwho was a PhD student at nearby Washington State University at the time of the killingshas been accused of stabbing the four students during the early hours of Feb. 13 in what was described by police as an "isolated, targeted attack" committed with "an edged weapon such as a knife.

His trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 11.

For more information on the heartbreaking case, keep reading.

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Who Were Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle?

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, were University of Idaho students who lived in an off-campus apartment. On Nov. 12, 2022the night before their bodies were foundGonclaves and Mogen were at a nearby sports bar, while Kernodle and Chapin were at the latters fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on Nov. 13, the four roommates and Chapin were back at the three-story rental house. Goncalves was a senior majoring in general studies at the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. She was expected to graduate in December before heading to Austin, Tex., for a job at a marketing firm, her friend Jordyn Quesnell told The New York Times. Mogen, who was studying marketing, was best friends with Gonglaves since the sixth grade. She had plans to move to Boise after graduation, family friend Jessie Frost shared with The Idaho Statesman. Kernodle was a junior majoring in marketing, the University said at the time. She and Chapinwho majored in recreation, sport and tourism managementhad been dating since the spring, the roommates neighbor Ellie McKnight told NBC News.





Were There Any Survivors?

Two roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, had been home at the time of the murders. In text messages that were unsealed March 6, 2025, Mortensen and Funke tried contacting their roommates on Nov. 13 after the former saw a masked man moving through the house, according to documents obtained by E! News. "No one is answering," Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. "I'm rlly confused rn." She continued to reach out to their roommates, urging them to respond. "Pls answer," she texted Goncalves at 4:32 a.m. and again at 10:23 a.m. "R u up??" At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was placed after Kernodle was found unresponsive, per an additional motion obtained by E! News. A woman named A1 in the transcript described the current situation to the operator. "One of the roommates who's passed out and she was drunk last night and she's not waking up," she said on the phone. "They saw some man in their house last night."





Who Is Bryan Kohberger and How Was He Found?

Bryan Kohberger, who has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, was a doctoral candidate at Washington State University. Over one month after the bodies of Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were discovered, Kohberger was taken into custody Dec. 30 in Monroe County, Penn. He was extradited to Idaho Jan. 4. As for how authorities connected him to the killings? DNA was found on a knife sheath that was left at the crime scene, prosecutors revealed in June 2023 court documents, per NBC News. When the DNA didn't match anyone in the FBI database, authorities ran the DNA through public ancestry websites to create a list of potential suspects, according to the filings. After learning that Kohberger had driven to his parents' home in Monroe County, local officials then went through their trash and found DNA that tied him to that found on the sheath.





What Is Kohbergers Defense Arguing?

At the moment, a motive for the attack has not been detailed and a gag order prevents many involved in the case from speaking publicly, NBC News reported. However, the unsealed documents provided some insight into their arguments. Kohberger's attorneys argued in a motion obtained by E! News to strike the death penalty that Kohbergerwho could face the death penalty if found guilty on all counts, a judge ruled in November 2024has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that executing him would violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on "cruel and unusual punishment." His defense argued that Kohbereger "displays extremely rigid thinking, perseverates on specific topics, processes information on a piecemeal basis, struggles to plan ahead, and demonstrates little insight into his own behaviors and emotions." "Due to his ASD, Mr. Kohberger simply cannot comport himself in a manner that aligns with societal expectations of normalcy," the motion said. "This creates an unconscionable risk that he will be executed because of his disability rather than his culpability."

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Where Does the Case Stand Today?

Kohberger had a judge enter a not-guilty plea to the first-degree murder charges on his behalf after remaining silent at his May 2023 arraignment. Although his trial was set to begin Oct. 2, 2023, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in August 2023. His new trial datewhich will take place in Ada County, more than 300 miles from Latah County, where the killings took placeis set to begin Aug. 11, 2025. Latah County Judge John Judge ruled in favor of the transfer request made by Kohberger's defense in September 2024 based on "presumed prejudice" if the trial remained in Latah County.

Ada County Judge Steven Hipplerwho is now presiding over the casedenied the defense's request to suppress key DNA and other evidence, including cell phone and email records, surveillance footage, past Amazon purchases and DNA evidence in the trial.



For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
DENVER (KDVR)  An arrest affidavit is shedding new light on a deadly wrong-way crash with a suspected DUI driver that closed Interstate 70 in Wheat Ridge for hours on Thursday.

The affidavit details how officers found the scene on eastbound I-70 near the Ward Road ramps. A Ford Escape was found facing north in the dirt between the off-ramp and on-ramp, and had significant front end damage.

1 dead after auto-pedestrian crash in Highlands Ranch

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A Lexus RX350 was facing east on the north shoulder of I-70, just west of the off-ramp at Ward Road. The Lexus was described as having extensive damage on the front drivers side of the vehicle, extending back toward the front drivers side door.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the driver of the Ford Escape as Jody Weber, 36, of Lakewood. She was found dead in the backseat of the car. Police said it appeared she hadnt been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Her two-year-old son was found in a car seat in the backseat with scrapes and bruises, but no substantial injuries, according to the court document.

Her husband spoke to FOX31 after the suspect in the case appeared in court on Friday. He said their son is physically fine and has been released from the hospital, but emotionally still healing.

Hes looking for momma, you know, he wants to know where his momma is, said Steven Chavez through tears on Friday. Every time someone knocks on the door, every time he hears his moms phone ring, he thinks its her. He doesnt understand. Its really hard for him.

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The affidavit described how an officer arrived on scene and saw the suspect in the crash, Jian Bin Chen, 34, exit the Lexus through the front passenger door. After the officer set up cones and flares around the area to curb any further traffic concerns, he saw that Chen had opened the driver-side rear door of the patrol vehicle and entered voluntarily.

The officer also reported difficulty communicating with Chen, who said his English was not very good, according to the arrest affidavit. However, the officer allegedly noticed a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his mouth, also saw the suspects eyes were bloodshot and he seemed to struggle to keep his balance.

DUIs are entirely preventable and were a jurisdiction that dealt with a 62% increase in DUI crashes last year in 2024, Wheat Ridge Public Information Officer Alex Rose told FOX31 on Thursday. We can control the enforcement, it continues to be frustrating that we cant control the behavior of people behind the wheel.

Man arrested, accused of repeatedly ramming car into Boulder Police vehicle

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Chen told a firefighter who medically evaluated him for injuries that he believed he was in Oklahoma (where his drivers license is from), and the firefighter noted the odor of alcohol on his breath. Chen was transported to a hospital where he was subject to two blood draws, the results of which are pending. The suspect reportedly told medical officials that he wanted to speak to a lawyer.

A witness told officers that the silver SUV was braking and swerving into the three lanes and right shoulder, and traveling slower than the speed limit. They both exited I-70 at Kipling Street, and turned south. The silver SUV then turned into the I-70 east exit ramp and re-entered the highway, going the wrong way.

Another witness told officers that at about 5:10 a.m. he had to dodge out of the way of the SUV, and said the vehicle was going around 40 to 50 mph.

Chen is facing charges of negligent manslaughter, vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving a vehicle on the wrong side of a divided highway and failure to present evidence of insurance.

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A GoFundMe has been established to fund funeral arrangements for Weber.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Haley McB

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In April 2024, I was arrested alongside 20 others at Hanscom Field, an airport in Bedford, Massachusetts that primarily serves private and corporate aircraft. We sang as the police arrived, confiscated our fabric signs (including this gorgeous twist on Britney Spearss Toxic), and rounded us up. The song on our lips was a fervent rejection of the airports planned expansion of 17 private jet hangars that, if completed, would effectively cancel out over half, if not more, of Massachusetts carbon emissions reductions from solar power, according to an estimate from local nonprofit Save Our Heritage. Starting this May, some of my friends who were arrested are slated to go on trial for trespassing and disorderly conduct, while billionaires are free to trespass on the rights of our planet and our people and conduct climate chaos. (The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) told Teen Vogue to direct all questions about the expansion to the project developers. A representative for the developers did not return our request for comment.)

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So many lives have already been lost to climate disasters fueled by a concentration of largely wealthy man-made pollutants in our atmosphere. My fellow arrestees and I were infuriated that the people whose wealth far exceeds whatever wealth the majority of the population can scrape together in their lifetimes would seek to expand the use of their private jets, irrespective of the increases their jets excess carbon emissions would contribute to asthma rates, air and noise pollution, biodiversity and habitat loss, and the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. As British climate scientist Kevin Anderson suggested in 2018, if the richest 10% reduced their emissions to the average carbon footprint of an individual in the European Union, that reduction alone could cut global emissions by a third. Luxury emissions from ultrarich lifestyles violate our common right to a livable climate.

Sitting on the sidewalk in the rain, hands cuffed behind our backs, cheeks flushed with the invigorating gratitude one feels when taking a stand alongside loved ones to resist injustice, my friends and I called upon Massport (which operates the airport and backs the expansion project) to do the right thing and halt the airport expansion. We gathered in the downpour to be arrested merely a town away from where Henry David Thoreau resided, who himself was arrested in 1846 for refusing to pay his poll tax to a government that enslaved people. Like Thoreau, we were arrested for disrupting business as usual. In the spirit of Thoreau, we could not sit idly by and watch as private jets take off with our future.

Extinction Rebellion Boston

I decided to risk arrest at Hanscom Field because I dont have a retirement plan. Thousands of climate scientists predict that untold suffering will wreak havoc on the planet if fossil fuel expansion, among other actions worldwide, does not come to a screeching halt. In fact, in many ways, the havoc is already here. Even the privileged people whose homes have yet to be lost to flames, floods, or brutal bombings, those who have not yet been reached by the ripple effects of crop failures, or whose organs have not yet failed during a heat wave still cannot lay claim to a livable future. A lot of the concerns that white, middle-class climate activists like myself have about our future are already the current reality for a majority of the world's population. I dont have a retirement plan because I wonder whether someday I will join the legions of people whose everyday survival is already under threat as a consequence of the very systems upon which my middle-class American comforts depend.

Nearly a year after my arrest at Hanscom Field, tragedies and disasters stack up, but legislators, like our Massachusetts governor Maura Healey, drag their feet (or simply shirk responsibility) in enacting policy that would relieve Americans of the issues ailing our daily lives. For example, defending women, as a recent Trump executive order claims to do, means addressing issues that affect women. A more effective way to defend women than legislating word choice would be ending the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, which is only rising. As I have elaborated on elsewhere, the same harassment, degradation, and assault that women face daily go hand in hand with the practices sucking the life out of this Earth and, as research suggests, limiting our life expectancy. Stopping private jet expansion halts an egregious source of emissions that accumulate, making our lives more vulnerable to tragedy and disaster.

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There is already precedent that points to the legality of our actions: On this same airfield in 1971, more than 150 peace activists were arrested protesting the Vietnam War and the lack of a record of their arraignments suggest that they never faced charges. If youre reading this, please start a volunteer organization in your community or join your nearest chapter of Extinction Rebellion to resist the systems driving the destruction of our world.

In the words of Uruguayan journalist Raul Zibechi, It is impossible to change the world without first changing ourselves, because change, like movement itself, is singular and it is multiple, and we cannot afford to not be involved. To truly defend ourselves from harm, we must not sit idly by, but continue to speak out, loudly and visibly against those legislators and executives who set our future on fire and are content to feed the flames.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

Want more Teen Vogue climate coverage?
An asylum-seeker from Cuba, along with her young daughter, watches the sun rise while waiting to be being taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2021 in Yuma, Ariz. Immigration drove population growth in many booming Sun Belt counties and the agricultural Midwest, new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Immigration was the biggest factor in population growth for many booming Sun Belt counties as well as for the agricultural Midwest, according to a Stateline analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau county estimates.

The analysis shows the significant impact immigration had between mid-2020 and mid-2024 in fast-growing states such as Arizona, Florida and Texas, as well as how it boosted growth or minimized population loss across the country.

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The surge of newcomers to the United States was the primary driver in population changes for 38% of counties nationwide and for most counties in states across a large swath of the Midwest: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Immigration also was the largest growth factor in most counties in Louisiana and Massachusetts.

In Iowa, immigration more than doubled population growth in the two counties that surround the state capital of Des Moines and Iowa City. Local advocates are planning to bolster services for new arrivals.

In North Carolina, immigration was the largest factor in population growth in 13 counties  Bertie, Duplin, Durham, Halifax, Hertford, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Orange, Robeson, Rockingham, Sampson, Scotland, and Wayne,

The census estimates, to be released Thursday, March 13, are the first at the county level to use a new method that tries to count asylum-seekers and other immigrants based on government data on green cards, visas, international students, refugee admissions and border releases.

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Eric Jensen, a senior research scientist for the Census Bureau, said the new immigration estimates will be tweaked next year to better account for where asylum-seekers and refugees may have eventually settled.

In Texas, where Houstons Harris County saw the nations largest population growth, the immigration of more than 260,000 people accounted for the bulk of the roughly 278,000-person increase. The rest came largely from births.

The new numbers have helped clarify how much of the states growth has come from immigration, said Texas state Demographer Lloyd Potter.

Weve been saying for a while now, where are all these people coming over the border? Theyre not showing up in census data, Potter said.

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Floridas Miami-Dade County, home of Miami, had the states largest population growth since 2020. But the county would have shrunk without the immigration of almost 321,000 people to offset more than 205,000 people who moved away.

Florida has complained for many years that new immigration was not reflected accurately enough in population estimates, said Richard Doty, a research demographer for the states Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida.

From a Florida perspective, the big news is the dramatic increase in their population estimates driven entirely by the Census Bureaus revised estimates of [immigration], Doty said. The change increased Florida and U S. population estimates not just for the current year but also for all years since 2020, he said.

Immigration was the largest factor for five of the nations top 10 growth counties, which included Arizonas Maricopa County, home of Phoenix; Nevadas Clark County, home of Las Vegas; and Floridas Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located.

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Newcomers from around the country were the biggest factor in the other top 10 counties, including Collin, Denton, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties in Texas, as well as Floridas Polk County, south of Orlando.

Those Texas counties are fast-growing exurbs of Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston with a lot of new housing developments, Potter said.

That creates its own kind of issues. People are moving in, bringing a couple of cars, and theyre going to need retail and a whole range of infrastructure and transportation, Potter said.

Nationwide, 278 counties in 42 states and the District of Columbia would have shrunk in population were it not for immigration.

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They include: Floridas Orange and Broward counties along with Miami-Dade; Washington states King County, where Seattle is located; Dallas County in Texas; Middlesex County in Massachusetts, near Boston; Ohios Franklin County, which includes Columbus; Salt Lake County in Utah; Middlesex County, New Jersey; and Sacramento County, California.

Immigration also helped stem population losses in many counties that ended up shrinking anyway: Los Angeles County in California lost more than 260,000 people since 2020, but the losses would have been much larger without about 257,000 new immigrants.

Louisianas Jefferson Parish, in the New Orleans metro area, lost almost 14,000 people since 2020, but the loss would have been more than double if not for 16,000 new immigrants. Public schools there have been plagued by absences amid fears of immigration raids under the Trump administrations plans for mass deportation, according to press accounts.

Immigration also minimized population loss in 958 counties in 47 states, including: Chicagos Cook County, Illinois; four New York City boroughs; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; suburban Prince Georges County in Maryland; Detroits Wayne County, Michigan.

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Polk County, Iowa, which includes Des Moines, saw most of its growth of almost 24,000 people from new immigration. The county plans a welcoming center for immigrants in Des Moines, called Global Neighbors, but the county also has been roiled by mostly false rumors of immigration raids.

Mak Su?eska, who will direct operations for the center, is a refugee from Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia who arrived in the United States in 1993. At an event this week in Iowa City, he described the planned $4 million center as a space for refugees and immigrants to call home.

Iowa City in Johnson County, another area where immigration more than doubled population growth since 2020, is also interested in more immigrant services, said Peter Gerlach, executive director of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, speaking at the March 12 event.

Its really important to learn from each other, from like-minded communities, about how we can support and create welcoming communities, Gerlach said, especially given the ways in which our refugees and immigrants are being targeted.

This report was first published by Stateline, which like NC Newsline, is part of the national States Newsroom network.
An asylum-seeker from Cuba, along with her young daughter, watches the sun rise while waiting to be being taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2021 in Yuma, Ariz. Immigration drove population growth in many booming Sun Belt counties and the agricultural Midwest, new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Immigration was the biggest factor in population growth for many booming Sun Belt counties as well as for the agricultural Midwest, according to a Stateline analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau county estimates.

The analysis shows the significant impact immigration had between mid-2020 and mid-2024 in fast-growing states such as Arizona, Florida and Texas, as well as how it boosted growth or minimized population loss across the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The surge of newcomers to the United States was the primary driver in population changes for 38% of counties nationwide and for most counties in states across a large swath of the Midwest: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Immigration also was the largest growth factor in most counties in Louisiana and Massachusetts.

In Iowa, immigration more than doubled population growth in the two counties that surround the state capital of Des Moines and Iowa City. Local advocates are planning to bolster services for new arrivals.

The census estimates, to be released Thursday, March 13, are the first at the county level to use a new method that tries to count asylum-seekers and other immigrants based on government data on green cards, visas, international students, refugee admissions and border releases.

Eric Jensen, a senior research scientist for the Census Bureau, said the new immigration estimates will be tweaked next year to better account for where asylum-seekers and refugees may have eventually settled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Texas, where Houstons Harris County saw the nations largest population growth, the immigration of more than 260,000 people accounted for the bulk of the roughly 278,000-person increase. The rest came largely from births.

The new numbers have helped clarify how much of the states growth has come from immigration, said Texas state Demographer Lloyd Potter.

Weve been saying for a while now, where are all these people coming over the border? Theyre not showing up in census data, Potter said.

Floridas Miami-Dade County, home of Miami, had the states largest population growth since 2020. But the county would have shrunk without the immigration of almost 321,000 people to offset more than 205,000 people who moved away.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Florida has complained for many years that new immigration was not reflected accurately enough in population estimates, said Richard Doty, a research demographer for the states Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida.

From a Florida perspective, the big news is the dramatic increase in their population estimates driven entirely by the Census Bureaus revised estimates of [immigration], Doty said. The change increased Florida and U S. population estimates not just for the current year but also for all years since 2020, he said.

Immigration was the largest factor for five of the nations top 10 growth counties, which included Arizonas Maricopa County, home of Phoenix; Nevadas Clark County, home of Las Vegas; and Floridas Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located.

Newcomers from around the country were the biggest factor in the other top 10 counties, including Collin, Denton, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties in Texas, as well as Floridas Polk County, south of Orlando.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those Texas counties are fast-growing exurbs of Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston with a lot of new housing developments, Potter said.

That creates its own kind of issues. People are moving in, bringing a couple of cars, and theyre going to need retail and a whole range of infrastructure and transportation, Potter said.

Nationwide, 278 counties in 42 states and the District of Columbia would have shrunk in population were it not for immigration.

They include: Floridas Orange and Broward counties along with Miami-Dade; Washington states King County, where Seattle is located; Dallas County in Texas; Middlesex County in Massachusetts, near Boston; Ohios Franklin County, which includes Columbus; Salt Lake County in Utah; Middlesex County, New Jersey; and Sacramento County, California.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Immigration also helped stem population losses in many counties that ended up shrinking anyway: Los Angeles County in California lost more than 260,000 people since 2020, but the losses would have been much larger without about 257,000 new immigrants.

Louisianas Jefferson Parish, in the New Orleans metro area, lost almost 14,000 people since 2020, but the loss would have been more than double if not for 16,000 new immigrants. Public schools there have been plagued by absences amid fears of immigration raids under the Trump administrations plans for mass deportation, according to press accounts.

Immigration also minimized population loss in 958 counties in 47 states, including: Chicagos Cook County, Illinois; four New York City boroughs; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; suburban Prince Georges County in Maryland; Detroits Wayne County, Michigan.

Polk County, Iowa, which includes Des Moines, saw most of its growth of almost 24,000 people from new immigration. The county plans a welcoming center for immigrants in Des Moines, called Global Neighbors, but the county also has been roiled by mostly false rumors of immigration raids.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mak Suceska, who will direct operations for the center, is a refugee from Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia who arrived in the United States in 1993. At an event this week in Iowa City, he described the planned $4 million center as a space for refugees and immigrants to call home.

Iowa City in Johnson County, another area where immigration more than doubled population growth since 2020, is also interested in more immigrant services, said Peter Gerlach, executive director of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, speaking at the March 12 event.

Its really important to learn from each other, from like-minded communities, about how we can support and create welcoming communities, Gerlach said, especially given the ways in which our refugees and immigrants are being targeted.

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SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
An asylum-seeker from Cuba, along with her young daughter, watches the sun rise while waiting to be being taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2021 in Yuma, Ariz. Immigration drove population growth in many booming Sun Belt counties and the agricultural Midwest, new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Immigration was the biggest factor in population growth for many booming Sun Belt counties as well as for the agricultural Midwest, according to a Stateline analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau county estimates.

The analysis shows the significant impact immigration had between mid-2020 and mid-2024 in fast-growing states such as Arizona, Florida and Texas, as well as how it boosted growth or minimized population loss across the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The surge of newcomers to the United States was the primary driver in population changes for 38% of counties nationwide and for most counties in states across a large swath of the Midwest: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Immigration also was the largest growth factor in most counties in Louisiana and Massachusetts.

In Iowa, immigration more than doubled population growth in the two counties that surround the state capital of Des Moines and Iowa City. Local advocates are planning to bolster services for new arrivals.

The census estimates, released last week, are the first at the county level to use a new method that tries to count asylum-seekers and other immigrants based on government data on green cards, visas, international students, refugee admissions and border releases.

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Eric Jensen, a senior research scientist for the Census Bureau, said the new immigration estimates will be tweaked next year to better account for where asylum-seekers and refugees may have eventually settled.

In Texas, where Houstons Harris County saw the nations largest population growth, the immigration of more than 260,000 people accounted for the bulk of the roughly 278,000-person increase. The rest came largely from births.

The new numbers have helped clarify how much of the states growth has come from immigration, said Texas state Demographer Lloyd Potter.

Weve been saying for a while now, where are all these people coming over the border? Theyre not showing up in census data, Potter said.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Floridas Miami-Dade County, home of Miami, had the states largest population growth since 2020. But the county would have shrunk without the immigration of almost 321,000 people to offset more than 205,000 people who moved away.

Florida has complained for many years that new immigration was not reflected accurately enough in population estimates, said Richard Doty, a research demographer for the states Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida.

From a Florida perspective, the big news is the dramatic increase in their population estimates driven entirely by the Census Bureaus revised estimates of [immigration], Doty said. The change increased Florida and U S. population estimates not just for the current year but also for all years since 2020, he said.

Immigration was the largest factor for five of the nations top 10 growth counties, which included Arizonas Maricopa County, home of Phoenix; Nevadas Clark County, home of Las Vegas; and Floridas Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located.

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Newcomers from around the country were the biggest factor in the other top 10 counties, including Collin, Denton, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties in Texas, as well as Floridas Polk County, south of Orlando.

Those Texas counties are fast-growing exurbs of Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston with a lot of new housing developments, Potter said.

That creates its own kind of issues. People are moving in, bringing a couple of cars, and theyre going to need retail and a whole range of infrastructure and transportation, Potter said.

Nationwide, 278 counties in 42 states and the District of Columbia would have shrunk in population were it not for immigration.

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They include: Floridas Orange and Broward counties along with Miami-Dade; Washington states King County, where Seattle is located; Dallas County in Texas; Middlesex County in Massachusetts, near Boston; Ohios Franklin County, which includes Columbus; Salt Lake County in Utah; Middlesex County, New Jersey; and Sacramento County, California.

Immigration also helped stem population losses in many counties that ended up shrinking anyway: Los Angeles County in California lost more than 260,000 people since 2020, but the losses would have been much larger without about 257,000 new immigrants.

Louisianas Jefferson Parish, in the New Orleans metro area, lost almost 14,000 people since 2020, but the loss would have been more than double if not for 16,000 new immigrants. Public schools there have been plagued by absences amid fears of immigration raids under the Trump administrations plans for mass deportation, according to press accounts.

Immigration also minimized population loss in 958 counties in 47 states, including: Chicagos Cook County, Illinois; four New York City boroughs; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; suburban Prince Georges County in Maryland; Detroits Wayne County, Michigan.

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Polk County, Iowa, which includes Des Moines, saw most of its growth of almost 24,000 people from new immigration. The county plans a welcoming center for immigrants in Des Moines, called Global Neighbors, but the county also has been roiled by mostly false rumors of immigration raids.

Mak Suceska, who will direct operations for the center, is a refugee from Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia who arrived in the United States in 1993. At an event this week in Iowa City, he described the planned $4 million center as a space for refugees and immigrants to call home.

Iowa City in Johnson County, another area where immigration more than doubled population growth since 2020, is also interested in more immigrant services, said Peter Gerlach, executive director of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, speaking at the March 12 event.

Its really important to learn from each other, from like-minded communities, about how we can support and create welcoming communities, Gerlach said, especially given the ways in which our refugees and immigrants are being targeted.

This story is republished from Stateline, a sister publication to the Kentucky Lantern and part of the nonprofit States Newsroom network.
Opinion articles written in the style of their author. These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. All opinion articles written by individuals from outside the staff of EL PAIS shall feature, along with the authors name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

As an American who embraces my countrys foundational principles of a constitutional republic, the early months of Donald Trumps second term have been deeply trying. Following an authoritarian playbook, Trumps rapid-fire actions have undermined the legitimacy of democratic norms and institutions in the United States. They have also damaged the reputation and image of my country and its people throughout the world.

By rejecting the key tenets of the U.S. system of governance, Trump is showing that he lacks the vocation to lead a superpower that defends national interests. Promoting core values is more than a liberal fantasy. It is the bedrock of U.S. global influence. The U.S. is destroying the main sources of its power in the world.

Not surprisingly, Trumps disdain for liberal values and his aggressive posture on the global stage have revived references to The Ugly American, a 1958 political novel about U.S. policy in Southeast Asia. The book sharply critiques arrogant U.S. officials and diplomats who had contempt for foreign languages and customs, which alienated local populations.

No where has the dissipation of goodwill towards the United States been more dramatic than Canada, where Trumps absurd tariffs and insults have ignited nationalist passions. Canadas The Globe and Mail has featured titles such as The Return of the Ugly American.

Writing in The Atlantic, journalist Anne Applebaum suggested that ugly American may be too benign and that we are in fact witnessing a new type, the brutal American  not only arrogant, but cruel. Trump and vice-president J. D. Vances humiliation of president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the White House on February 28 marked a low point  at least so far.

Anti-Americanism has a long and unhappy history in Latin America. When I lived and studied in Colombia a half century ago, I perceived a strong anti-American current, derived not only from U.S. involvement in multiple coups in the region, but also from the Vietnam War and racial injustice in the United States. In the 2000s, the Iraq war inspired an anti-U.S. sentiment in Latin America, as did U.S. policy towards Israel and Gaza more recently. The truth is that the U.S. image has been eroding for some time, not only in many parts of the world, but in the United States itself, where many Americans have lost confidence in their institutions and leaders.

Trump has shrewdly exploited, and benefited from, the crisis in confidence of many Americans. While past administrations failed to give democracy and the human rights the importance they deserved  examples of hypocrisy abound  Trump has taken an extreme stance, with a nasty edge, centered on America First and his own, personal interests.

Trumps radical departure from traditional methods has already had far-reaching consequences.

Under the direction of Elon Musk and the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) the administration has indiscriminately slashed the government bureaucracy. It is hard to see how the cuts contribute to America First. The human costs have been enormous. And an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear has taken hold.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been dismembered, removing one of the main instruments of soft power the U.S. was able to deploy throughout the world. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy, who was greatly influenced by The Ugly American, created USAID. Kennedy proposed a new approach, focused on fostering cultural sensitivity, directly engaging at the grassroots level, and assisting the poor and disadvantaged.

The idea of projecting a more sympathetic face of U.S. diplomacy was also aimed at strengthening U.S. national security. This meant countering communism and, in Latin America, the Cuban Revolution. Kennedy, a staunch anti-communist, wanted to show that reform, not revolution, was the answer. Today, as the United States seeks to counter Chinas spreading influence and deployment of its own soft power in Latin America, the dismantling of U.S. foreign assistance is self-defeating. The stereotypical American portrayed in the 1958 novel has a name and a face.

In addition to destroying U.S. foreign assistance, the other radical and unexpected element in Trumps second term is his appetite to expand U.S. territory, which harks back to the 19th century. His pledge to retake control of the Panama Canal  highlighted in Trumps inaugural address and repeated in his first speech before Congress  became more ominous when he recently ordered the U.S. military to develop options.

This is not, however, a revival of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which has become a shorthand to keep out external actors  in this case, China  from Latin America. But Trumps ambitions go beyond Latin America. He also wants to seize Greenland, turn Gaza into a beach resort, and make Canada the 51st state.

One can search in vain for a Trump doctrine. After all, doctrine implies some coherence that is inconsistent with Trumps impulsiveness and erratic decision-making. It is possible, though, to discern some patterns about how Trump tends to deal with big, strong countries like Russia and China  in contrast to small, weaker countries in, say, Central America. He is driven by power and money, rewarding loyalty and punishing those who refuse to accede to his demands.

What is most striking about Trumps return to power is the rupture in the transatlantic alliance. Trumps break with European powers was most shockingly reflected in Vances speech at the Munich Conference in February. Vance told Europe that its main weakness is internal, stemming from a lack of democratic values. He used the platform to meddle in domestic politics and support far right movements in Europe. For the rest of his term Trump will likely treat Europe with the indifference that has marked the U.S. approach to Latin America.

After Trumps first week in office, some suggested that Latin America would be a foreign policy priority  for good or ill. They pointed to the surprising salience of the Panama Canal issue, the confrontation with Colombian president Gustavo Petro, the threat of tariffs on Mexico (and Canada), and Marco Rubio being the first latino secretary of state taking his first foreign trip to Central America and the Dominican Republic.

By now, however, it is clear that U.S. Latin American policy under Trump is following a familiar pattern. In priority rankings, the region is pretty much where it usually is. The high-stakes wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and China globally, take precedence.

No one believes Trumps hardball tactics, bullying and humiliation of other leaders will stop. Most regional governments will try to avoid a fight with Trump. But his predatory approach will exact an enormous cost in U.S. credibility and reliability  in Latin America and globally  not befitting a serious superpower.
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(NewsNation)  Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India is opening up about his deep Hindu faith, which he describes as a way of life, and divulging his fasting routine and how it helps him govern over a billion Indians.

In a new interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Modi says fasting, which is deeply rooted in ancient Hindu scripture, is a form of self-discipline that elevates the body, mind and soul.

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Google under fire for allegation its censoring faith-based content

For me personally, even while I go about doing my daily activities during a fast, my mind remains deeply introspective and focused inward, and that experience is profoundly transformative for me, Modi said.

Modi said he began fasting as a child, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who encouraged the nation to take part in one-day fasts to protest British colonial rule.

Something inside me said, I should be part of this, he said. I felt neither hunger nor any desire for food. Instead, I felt a new awareness, a surge of energy within me.

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays his respect at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat on Gandhis death anniversary in New Delhi on January 30, 2025. The death anniversary of Gandhi is also observed as Martyrs Day in the country. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP) (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images) Narendra Modi, Indias prime minister, speaks during a news conference at Parliament House in New Delhi, India, on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Modi said the upcoming budget will provide energy and confidence to the country as it moves toward achieving its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. Photographer: Prakash Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for a press conference with US President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC  FEBRUARY 13: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. Prime Minister Modi is meeting with President Trump to discuss tariffs and trade relations in the wake of President Trumps announcement on implementing reciprocal tariffs. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Narendra Modi, Indias prime minister, center, during a news conference at Parliament House in New Delhi, India, on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. Modi will find it increasingly difficult to distance himself from the latest controversy erupting around Gautam Adani, one of the worlds richest businessmen whos widely seen as having close ties with the Indian leader. Photographer: Prakash Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Modi: Fasting a powerful spiritual tool

The 74-year-old, who rose from humble beginnings to lead the worlds largest democracy, describes fasting as a powerful spiritual tool that goes beyond skipping meals. He says the practice even enables him to do more than he usually does.

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When I need to express my thoughts, Im amazed at where they come from and how they flow, Modi said.

Dalai Lama offers his vision for Tibetan people after his death

During the monsoon season, which lasts about four months, the leader says he eats a single meal within 24 hours since the digestive system slows down. During the religious festival to honor the goddess Durga, Modi fasts for nine days, eating only one specific fruit, papaya.

Modi says hes been fasting for about 50 years.

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The storms that rolled through Indiana County early Sunday afternoon produced an EF-1 tornado, according to the National Weather Service.

RELATED COVERAGE >>> 4 EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Westmoreland, Indiana counties Sunday, NWS confirms

[It] was definitely something to experience, said Joseph Canton, who lives in Blairsville.

He said it all happened in an instant.

PHOTOS: Strong winds, severe storms blast Western Pennsylvania

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Dark skies, a little bit of debris, and bad wind, that was it. No really big rain or nothing like that, Canton told Channel 11s Andrew Havranek. I started hearing that freight train typical sound you get coming off the mountain off the back side over here, and I looked out the window and it really picked up steam with wind. Everything was blowing bad, and the building started disappearing pretty much. Quick in and out within about 20 seconds.

Most of the damage on Cantons property was to a dry storage building that his family used to use as a turkey farm.

We just got it done last year too, because a storm passed through, he said, noting the second time the building has been damaged by weather.

He said about 30 trees on his property were uprooted or damaged.

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Its gonna take us a few days, but weve got the chainsaws, so well make it happen, Canton said.

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh sent out two teams to survey damage. One crew stopped first in Derry Township, Westmoreland County.

It was a very large squall line that came through yesterday just afternoon so theres damage kind of all up and down through Westmoreland, Indiana and even into Armstrong County, said Jared Rackley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. Were looking at the uproots, which indicates really strong winds, and then were looking at things like whether the trees are converging in a pattern or if theyre all down in the same way.

Another place Rackley stopped to survey damage was the Yellow Creek State Park. He said the tree damage there was caused by straight-line winds, not a tornado.

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The tornado in Blairsville marks the first tornado in Indiana County since June 26, 2024.

Canton said hes going to get the dry storage building on his property rebuilt. Hes thankful nobody was hurt.

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said U.S. President Donald Trump was 'far more prepared' for his second term, furnished with a clear roadmap, speaking in a podcast interview weeks ahead of reciprocal tariffs planned by Washington.

India is among the trading partners set to face the tariffs from April, which threaten to cause distress to its exporters in industries from automobiles to agriculture.

After Modi and Trump met last month, the two nations agreed to resolve tariff rows and work on the first segment of a deal by the fall of 2025, aiming to reach two-way trade of $500 billion by 2030.

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"This time, he seems far more prepared than before," Modi said in a podcast with American computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman released on Sunday, referring to Trump's second term, which began in January.

"He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals," he added.

During the discussion, which ran for more than three hours, Modi spoke on issues from diplomacy and artificial intelligence to his early life, in a conversation Fridman called one of the most "powerful" of his life.

Modi praised Trump for what he described as his graciousness and humility, underscoring a strong bond between the leaders.

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"His (Trump's) reflection showed his 'America First' spirit, just as I believe in nation first. I stand for India first, and that's why we connect so well," Modi said.

INDIA'S NEIGHBOURS

India's relations with neighbour China improved last year after striking a milestone pact to lower military tension on their Himalayan border following talks between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia.

"Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return," Modi said during the podcast, as the two countries work to restore relations to their state before a military border skirmish in 2020.

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"But of course, it will take some time, since there's been a five-year gap," he said, adding that the focus of the two nations was to ensure their differences "do not turn into disputes".

China's foreign ministry welcomed Modi's comments, adding that the October meeting in Russia between Xi and Modi laid the foundation for improving ties.

"The two countries should be partners that contribute to each other's success," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters, adding that a cooperative dance "of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both sides".

On ties with archfoe Pakistan, Modi expressed hope for peaceful relations.

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"Every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal," he said, adding, "we sincerely hope that wisdom prevails upon them and they choose the path of peace."

Pakistan's foreign ministry criticised Modi's remarks as "misleading and one-sided", accusing India of being involved in "fomenting terrorism on Pakistan's soil", a charge New Delhi has denied in the past.

"Pakistan has always advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir," a Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta; aditional reporting by Charlotte Greenfield in Islamabad and Ryan Woo in Beijing, writing by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, YP Rajesh and Ros Russell)
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A North Jackson man is free on $25,000 bond after being secretly indicted Thursday on 10 counts of voyeurism.

Richard Kaszowski, 53, posted his bond Friday shortly after being arrested on the secret indictment, records from the Mahoning County Jail show.

He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, according to court records.

The indictment in the case said that Kaszowski is accused of secretly filming or photographing a person who was 13 years old at the time 10 times from March 5, 2024, to June 6.

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The indictment does not say where the criminal activity took place. Details of the case were not immediately available.

The Mahoning County Sheriffs Office investigated the case, according to court records.

Kaszowski is currently on probation after pleading guilty Oct. 16 to a charge of domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor, in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown.

That charge was originally filed by Lake Milton Police.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
After lightning struck Beech Mountain Resort, North Carolina, several housing units and cars were engulfed and destroyed by fire early Sunday morning, according to local news reports.



The Beech Mountain Volunteer Fire Departments Chief Bob Pundey said the blaze was caused by high winds, according to WSOC-TV.



Multiple fire agencies responded to the incident, which was reported around 5:30 a.m.

Eyewitnesses said the lighting hit a back deck at the Snow Tree Villas before the inferno began, WCNC reports. Eyewitnesses also said propane tanks in the area added further fuel to and worsened the blaze, WNCN reports.



Crystal Rogers, a witness of the fire, shared a post on Facebook illustrating the scene in words and photos.



Transformers started blowing, then propane tanks. Power line down across vehicles, she wrote, adding that first responders had to cut through downed trees to reach the fire.

There have been no reported injuries, according to several local news outlets.



The Snow Tree Villas are located on Beech Mountain Resorts terrain park and, according to the accommodations website, are ski in or ski out in the Winter, bike in or out in the summer.



Beech Mountain Resort was closed on Sunday, and those with prior ticket purchases were refunded. The ski area reopened Monday morning with plans to spin its lifts until March 22, which is the scheduled closing day for the winter season.



Located almost a three-hour drive from Charlotte, North Carolina, Beech Mountain Resort features 95 skiable acres and nine lifts. It opened in 1967 and is the highest ski area in eastern America.

Related: How To Read a Snow Report (and Actually Understand It)
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma County Detention Center says a female inmate was discovered unresponsive in her cell by officers on Monday morning.

According to OCDC, officers found Michelle Young in her cell at 3:50 a.m. and called for medical personnel and began lifesaving measures. She was transported to the hospital and passed away.

Four deaths after Fridays wildfire outbreak

Michelle Young, Image courtesy OCDC

OCDC officials confirm, Michelle Young was booked into jail on February 13, 2025, for failure to appear on a 2024 Indecent Exposure Charge. She was being held on a $5,000 bond.

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The death is under investigation as a final determination is made by the Oklahoma State Medical Examiners Office. Youngs family has been notified, says OCDC.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
(INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS)  This week on Inside California Politics, Rep. Mike Levin (D  Calif.) spoke with Inside California Politics regarding his letter to the Trump administration questioning the decision to release 2.5 billion gallons of water into Tulare Lake earlier this year.

Independent journalist Tara Palmeri joined the show to discuss the political futures of various California Democratic leaders.

Host Nikki Laurenzo goes over the weeks other top headlines, including former Congresswoman Katie Porter jumping into the California governors race and Gov. Gavin Newsoms decision to borrow $3.4 billion to fund Medi-Cal.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
The international community has pleged another 5.8 billion ($6.3 billion) in aid to help mitigate the devastating impact of Syria's civil war, EU commissioner Dubravka Suica said following a donor conference on Monday.

Of this amount, 4.2 billion are earmarked as grants and 1.6 billion will be provided as loans, Suica said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Development Minister Svenja Schulze announced an additional 300 million, primarily to support humanitarian aid, civil society and education, while also assisting Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.

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"All measures in Syria will be implemented exclusively through UN aid agencies and non-governmental organizations, not with the Syrian transitional government," a separate German government press release stated.

The US government meanwhile did not make a specific pledge but merely said it would continue to provide targeted support.

Representatives for the administration of Donald Trump also called on other states to shoulder some of the financial burden that the US had previously carried.

It was the ninth edition of the conference and the first since the fall of Syria's long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.

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Hopes for permanent peace have been dashed by a new wave of violence.

Addressing Syria's situation since the ousting of al-Assad by an Islamist-led rebel alliance, German Foreign Minister Baerbock acknowledged both progress and ongoing challenges.

Speaking at an EU foreign ministers' meeting, she condemned recent violence in the coastal province of Latakia, and urged the transitional government to conduct a full investigation.

"Those responsible for the horrific crimes against hundreds of civilians must be held accountable," she said, emphasizing the need for the government to assert control over its security forces. A lasting peace, she added, requires an inclusive political process.

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In early March, pro-Assad militants attacked security forces in Latakia, prompting a major military response from the transitional government.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, about 1,500 people, many of them civilians, were killed.

The government viewed the uprising as an attempt by al-Assad loyalists to destabilize the country.

Baerbock urged Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to govern responsibly and inclusively. "This is a historic opportunity, a monumental challenge, and a delicate balancing act," she said.

Germany's latest pledge is significantly lower than last year's 1 billion commitment.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt denied on Sunday that the Trump administration had defied a ruling by District of Columbia Judge James Boasberg. A day earlier, Boasberg had temporarily blocked the use of an 18th-century law permitting the wartime deportation of enemies of the United States, which had been applied to Venezuelan citizens allegedly linked to the Tren de Aragua criminal organization.

The judge also issued a verbal  not written  order for two ongoing deportation flights to return immediately. One of those flights, carrying approximately 261 migrants, landed in El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele later released a video touting his tough stance on the arrivals.

Guards at the Terrorism Confinement Center transferring alleged members of the criminal gang known as Tren de Aragua, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, 16 March 2025. Presidency of El Salvador / HANDOUT (EFE)

In a statement, Leavitt argued that the judges order was issued only after the aircraft had already left U.S. airspace, dismissing concerns that the executive branch had chosen to defy the judiciary  a fear some experts have voiced since Trumps return to power. Leavitt said the order had no lawful basis and argued that federal courts lack jurisdiction over the presidents foreign policy decisions and his authority to expel foreign enemies.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil, said Leavitt.

The plane that arrived in El Salvador carried a total of 261 undocumented immigrants. Of these, 137 were deported under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, while another 101 Venezuelans were removed under Title 8, an immigration law. The remaining passengers included 21 Salvadoran members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, and two high-ranking leaders of that criminal organization.

Bukeles video

In a three-minute video reminiscent of a prison thriller, Bukele boasted that he had received the deportees under an agreement with the Trump administration. The Salvadoran president also took to X to mock the Washington judge, posting a message in English that read: Oopsie Too late.

02:03 Salvadoran police offers transfer deportees to the Terrorism Confinement Center The deportees are transferred to cells.

Later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took to the same social media platform to thank El Salvadors president, calling him the strongest security leader in our region and a great friend of the United States.

In the video filmed by Salvadoran authorities, a squad of hooded, heavily armed agents is seen escorting dozens of detainees. The officers force the men to lift their shirts to reveal their tattoos, then lead them away in handcuffs with their heads bowed. Their hair and beards are shaved before they are marched to the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT), a notorious prison that has become a symbol of Bukeles hardline approach to crime. The facilitys treatment of inmates has drawn consistent criticism from international human rights organizations.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance joined Leavitt in defending the decision not to recall the deportation flight. There were violent criminals and rapists in our country, Vance wrote on X. Democrats fought to keep them here. President Trump deported them.

The deportation was carried out under the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law enacted during the presidency of John Adams, which authorizes the expulsion of foreign nationals deemed enemies during wartime. Trump invoked the law on Friday through a presidential decree. It has been used only three times before: during the War of 1812 against the British and in both World Wars. The last time it was enforced, it led to the internment of Japanese Americans  one of the most infamous civil rights violations in 20th-century U.S. history.

The application of this law raises serious legal questions. As the judge noted in his Saturday brief, it must be proven that the actions of Tren de Aragua members constitute an invasion. Furthermore, for the United States to formally declare war, congressional approval is required. The White House is prepared to take the case to the Supreme Court, where six of the nine justices are conservative  including three appointed by Trump between 2017 and 2021.

A crucial factor in this legal battle will be determining the exact timing of the flights departure. Boasberg issued his ruling shortly before 7:00 p.m. Washington time, which was around 5:00 p.m. in El Salvador. The judges decision was electronically sent to the Departments of State and Homeland Security at 7:26 p.m. However, the video of the deportees arrival was clearly filmed after nightfall, raising concerns over whether the Trump administration ignored an explicit court order.

Tren de Aragua is a criminal gang from Venezuela that became a frequent talking point at Trumps reelection campaign rallies, where he used it to justify his promised mass deportations. The gang is involved in serious crimes, including drug and human trafficking.

The U.S. president first designated Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization. His executive order on Friday mandates the deportation of anyone linked to the group, provided they are over the age of 14. The administration also claims that the gang collaborates with drug cartels allegedly backed by the Venezuelan government, further escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.

On Sunday, Nicolas Maduros regime condemned the deportation of its citizens, calling it a violation of both U.S. and international law. Venezuelan authorities added that the use of the Alien Enemies Act constitutes a crime against humanity. In a statement, they compared the Trump administrations actions to the darkest episodes in human history, citing slavery and Nazi concentration camps.

Maduro had previously reached an agreement with Trumps special envoy for Venezuela, Richard Grenell, to facilitate deportation flights. Under this deal, three flights carrying approximately 609 people arrived in Venezuela in February. However, as the deportations stalled, Washington responded by revoking oil giant Chevrons license to operate in Venezuela, delivering a severe blow to Maduros already fragile economy.

Last week, Grenell and Jorge Rodriguez, speaker of the Venezuelan Parliament and a key Chavista political figure, announced that deportation flights would resume on Friday. It remains uncertain how this weekends events will impact that agreement.

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DENVER (KDVR)  The company that distributes International Delight coffee creamers, Danone Wave, voluntarily recalled two of its creamers after reports of spoilage and illness when customers used the product.

Danone Wave is based out of Louisville. It said it was voluntarily recalling its Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll International Delight creamer, which has a best by date of July 3, and its Hazelnut International Delight creamer, which has a best by date of July 2.

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According to the recall information, the product was shipped to Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, as well as Colorado.

About 4,762 cases of the hazelnut flavor are subject to the recall, while another 7,747 cases of the Cinnabon flavor are subject to the recall, which amounts to over 75,000 bottles of coffee creamer.

The company did not issue a press release about the recall. The recall was initiated on Feb. 21 and remains ongoing.

Class II recalls are issued for products that have a lower chance of causing serious injuries or death, but where there is still the potential for significant adverse events with irreversible consequences, the FDAs page on recall classifications states.

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Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of a 22-year-old Iowan who was named a person of interest in the disappearance of a college student there, according to multiple news reports.

Joshua Riibe, who originally is from Rock Rapids in northwestern Iowa and is a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, has been confined to the hotel premises with a police escort wherever he goes, his attorneys told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Saturday. Riibe is believed to be the last person to see 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki before she went missing March 6 while on a spring break trip.

He has not been allowed to leave, officials with the Guzman Ariza law firm said in an email to the Star Tribune. Only when taken for questioning and escorted always by the police.

Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, 20, an University of Pittsburgh student who went missing while on spring break in Dominican Republic, is seen in this undated handout obtained by Reuters on March 13, 2025.

Chad Quinn, spokesperson with the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office in Konanki's hometown in Virginia, said the investigation into her disappearance is not criminal and Riibe is not a suspect.

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Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, traveled to the island with five girlfriends during spring break. Authorities say she was last seen early March 6 on the beach with friends. In a previous statement, police said surveillance cameras captured five women and one man leaving the beach at about 6 a.m. Konanki apparently stayed behind with a man, later identified as Riibe, and surveillance video shows him leaving the beach area hours later without her.

Quinn said Riibe was not part of the group that Konanki traveled to the island with and is believed to have met them in the resort town of Punta Cana.

Riibe's family said in a statement Friday that Riibe is "deeply dismayed" by Konanki's disappearance, according to WTAE, the ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic use a drone as part of the ongoing search operation of Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, 20, an University of Pittsburgh student who went missing while on spring break, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic March 13, 2025.

"We express our deep sorrow and solidarity with the family of Sudiksha Konanki during this painful time," the statement said. "Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through and we share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible."

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The family said despite Riibe's "full willingness" to cooperate, he has been detained under "irregular conditions" and has been subjected to extensive questioning without official translators or legal counsel, the statement said.

"This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process," the statement said.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office in Rock Rapids released a statement from friends of Riibe's family Sunday on social media. The sheriff's office said it does not normally act as such a conduit but agreed to release the statement anonymously due to international media coverage in the case. It said it verified the statement and senders' authenticity.

"The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family," said the statement, adding Riibe and his family first moved there in 2015.

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"Josh has unwavering devotion to his faith and genuine kindness towards others. He exemplifies the values of compassion, respect, and integrity that are fundamental to our church and community," the statement says.

A drone piloted by members of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic takes off as part of the ongoing search operation of Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, 20, an University of Pittsburgh student who went missing while on spring break, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic March 13, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices

It asked the public to respect the privacy of the Riibe family.

Last week, Riibe told authorities that he and Konanki had talked and kissed, and were in the ocean together when a large wave hit them and pulled them out farther into the ocean, news outlets including ABC News and the Dominican publications El Nacional and Noticias SIN reported, according to a transcript they obtained of his interview with police.

"When we surfaced, we tried to plead for help, but there was no one there," Riibe said, according to ABC News.

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Riibe said he had worked as a lifeguard at a pool before. He said he "held her under my arm and swam to get her out of the water," ABC News reported. "I was trying to make sure that she could breathe the entire time  that prevented me from breathing the entire time and I took in a lot of water," he said.

The Hotel Riu Republica, where Konanki was a guest, experienced a 25-hour power outage before her disappearance, but electricity was restored before she was last seen.

The electrical outage occurred in the early hours of March 5, but service was fully restored just after 2 a.m. the next morning, the hotel said. Security cameras were operational and captured several images of Konanki around the hotel with other young guests.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

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Jose Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com or follow him on X @mendiola_news.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Joshua Riibe's passport confiscated in missing student investigation
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi will be released from house arrest on Monday, state media reported, 14 years after he was detained for calling for a rally in support of protests that swept the Arab world in 2011.

"My father was told by security agents that his house arrest will end today," his son Hossein Karroubi told state news agency IRNA, adding that security agents would remain at the premises until April 8 due to security concerns.

The 87-year-old, ailing mid-level cleric has remained defiant, questioning the legitimacy of the clerical establishment in statements published by pro-reform websites.

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After calling for a rally in solidarity with pro-democracy uprisings, Karroubi - along with ex-prime minister Mirhossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard, a prominent academic - were put under house arrest in February 2011.

They have not been put on trial or publicly charged.

Former parliament speaker Karroubi and Mousavi ran for election in 2009 and became figureheads for Iranians who staged eight months of mass protests after a vote they believed was rigged to bring back hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Karroubi's son Hossein told pro-reform Jamaran news website that his father demanded the release of Mousavi.

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"They told my father that the same process ... would be carried out for Mousavi within the next few months and Mousavi too would be released," the Jamaran website quoted him as saying.

Iran's judiciary made no comment.

Karroubi, like Mousavi and Rahnavard, had been under round-the-clock surveillance by security guards initially living in his home. But conditions improved in past years for Karroubi, with some family and politicians allowed to visit him.

Suffering from various medical complications, Karroubi has been taken to hospital several times for heart surgery and treatment.

During his election campaign, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian promised to make an effort for their release.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Writing by Parisa Hafezi Editing by Andrew Heavens and Andrew Cawthorne)
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran will respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation to talks after proper scrutiny, the foreign ministry said on Monday, accusing Washington of not matching actions with words.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian have rejected Trump's letter and public exhortations for nuclear talks as deceptive and bullying.

But Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said a diplomatic response was in the works.

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"So far, we have no reason to publicise (Trump's) letter... Our response to this letter will be done through appropriate channels after full scrutiny," Baghaei said.

The Iranian spokesperson noted contradictory signals from Washington which was voicing readiness for talks while also applying new sanctions on Tehran's economy.

"Diplomatic negotiations have etiquette in that each side must recognise the other's interests and, more importantly, believe in fulfilling their commitments," Baghaei added during a televised press conference.

"The U.S. does not respect that and uses the possibility of negotiations as a propaganda and political tool."

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In his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a 2015 deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits in the development of its nuclear programme.

Western powers accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons by enriching uranium up to 60% purity, above what they deem is justifiable for a civilian programme.

Tehran says the development of its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and that it respects its commitments under international law.

(Reporting by Dubai NewsroomEditing by Andrew Cawthorne)
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, saying it was striking dozens of Hamas targets in its heaviest assault in the territory since a ceasefire took effect in January. Palestinian officials reported at least 69 deaths.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. Officials said the operation was open-ended and was expected to expand.

Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength, Netanyahus office said.

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The surprise attack shattered a period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and raised the prospect of a full return to fighting in a 17-month war that has killed over 48,000 Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across Gaza. It also raised questions about the fate of the roughly two dozen Israeli hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive.

In a statement, Hamas condemned what it called Israel's unprovoked escalation and said it had put the fate of the hostages in jeopardy.

There was no immediate U.S. reaction. But over the weekend, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been leading mediation efforts along with Egypt and Qatar, warned that Hamas must release living hostages immediately or pay a severe price."

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the unfolding operation, said Israel was striking Hamas' military, leaders and infrastructure and planned to expand the operation beyond air attacks. The official accused Hamas of attempting to rebuild and plan new attacks. Hamas militants and security forces quickly returned to the streets in recent weeks after the ceasefire went into effect.

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Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, said the gates of hell will open in Gaza if the hostages aren't released. We will not stop fighting until all of our hostages are home and we have achieved all of the war goals, he said.

Explosions could be heard throughout Gaza, and at least 69 people were killed in the morning airstrikes, according to four hospitals that received the bodies. The territory's civil defense agency said its crews were having a difficult time carrying out rescue efforts because various areas were being targeted simultaneously.

Talks on a second phase of the ceasefire had stalled

The strikes came two months after a ceasefire was reached to pause the war. Over six weeks, Hamas released roughly three dozen hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in a first phase of the ceasefire.

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But since that ceasefire ended two weeks ago, the sides have not been able to agree on a way forward with a second phase aimed at releasing the nearly 60 remaining hostages and ending the war altogether.

Hamas has demanded an end to the war and full withdrawal of Israeli troops in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. Israel says it will not end the war until it destroys Hamas governing and military capabilities and frees all hostages.

Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to resume the war, and early this month cut off the entry of all food and aid deliveries into the besieged territory to put pressure on Hamas.

This comes after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all offers it received from the U.S. presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators, Netanyahu's office said early Tuesday.

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Taher Nunu, a Hamas official, criticized the Israeli attacks. The international community faces a moral test: either it allows the return of the crimes committed by the occupation army or it enforces a commitment to ending the aggression and war against innocent people in Gaza, he said.

Gaza already was in a humanitarian crisis

The war erupted with Hamas' Oct 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage.

Israel responded with a military offensive that killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza's population. The territory's Health Ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and militants, but says over half of the dead have been women and children.

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The ceasefire had brought some relief to Gaza and allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to resume to what remained of their homes.

But the territory is coping with vast destruction, with no immediate plans to rebuild. A resumption of the war threatens to reverse any progress made in recent weeks toward halting Gaza's humanitarian crisis.

A renewed Israeli ground offensive could also be especially deadly now that so many Palestinian civilians have returned home. Before the ceasefire, civilians were largely concentrated in tent camps meant to provide relative safety from the fighting.

The return to fighting could also worsen deep internal fissures inside Israel over the fate of the remaining hostages. Many of the hostages released by Hamas returned emaciated and malnourished and described harsh conditions in captivity, putting heavy pressure on the government to extend the ceasefire.

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The released hostages have repeatedly implored the government to press ahead with the ceasefire to return all remaining hostages, and tens of thousands of Israelis have taken part in mass demonstrations in recent weeks calling for a ceasefire and return of all hostages.

Mass demonstrations are planned later Tuesday and Wednesday following Netanyahu's announcement this week that he wants to fire the head of Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet. Critics have lambasted the move, saying it is an attempt by Netanyahu to divert blame for his government's failures in the Oct. 7 attack and handling of the war.

Since the ceasefire in Gaza began in mid-January, Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians who the military says approached its troops or entered unauthorized areas.

Still, the deal has tenuously held without an outbreak of wide violence. The ceasefires first phase saw an exchange of some hostages held by Hamas in return for the freeing of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate the next steps in the ceasefire.

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Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas instead wants to follow the ceasefire deal reached by the two sides, which calls for negotiations to begin on the ceasefires more difficult second phase, in which the remaining hostages would be released and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others.

___

Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. AP reporter Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike killed three Palestinian men in Gaza on Monday as they tried to gather firewood, medics said, with no sign of progress in renewed talks on sustaining a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In the latest bloodshed to underline the fragility of the Gaza war's three-stage truce, the three, all from the same family, had left their homes in central Gaza to collect the wood for cooking.

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That has become a daily task for many Gazans as Israel has continued to ban fuel, food, and medical goods from entering Gaza for over two weeks, residents said.

The Israeli military said in a statement it struck "terrorists" operating near their forces and attempting to plant a bomb.

At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza's Deir Al-Balah, relatives rushed to pay farewell to the three white-shrouded bodies.

"They were targeted - and when their cousins and others in the area came to rescue them, the drone targeted them with bombs," said Jabr Abou Hajeer, the father of one of the victims.

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Later on Monday, medics said an Israeli air strike killed a father and his son inside a school sheltering displaced families in Bureij camp, near the site of the earlier strikes, raising the day's death toll to five. 

The Israeli military said the strike hit two people who were attempting to plant a bomb in the ground near where forces operated in Bureij.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said Israel's "violations" could "undermine all efforts for de-escalation".

He put the number of Palestinians killed since the January ceasefire at 150.

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Israel's military says it has repeatedly thwarted attempts by Palestinians to plant bombs or otherwise threaten their forces.

Israel's suspension of goods entering Gaza for 16 days has increased pressure on Gaza's 2.3 million people, most of whom have been made homeless by the war. The suspension, which Israel said was aimed at pressuring Hamas in ceasefire talks, applies to food, medicine, and fuel imports.

BAKERIES CLOSED

Several bakeries have recently closed and food prices are rising, while the electricity cut could deprive people of clean water.

Israel wants to extend the first phase of the ceasefire mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S., a proposal backed by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Hamas says it will resume freeing hostages only under the second phase that was due to begin on March 2.

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Israel and Hamas have been holding successive talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said on Monday that while his group was complying with the terms of the truce, Israel "seeks to foil the agreement and impose new conditions".

On Friday, Hamas said it had agreed to release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and four bodies of the hostages if Israel agreed to begin talks immediately on implementing the second phase of the agreement. Israel accused Hamas of waging "psychological warfare" on hostage families.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said negotiators had been instructed to be ready to continue talks based on the mediators' response to a U.S. proposal for the release of 11 out of 59 living hostages still held, and half of the dead captives.

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Gaza's latest war began when Hamas led a cross-border raid into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's assault on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, displaced most of the population and reduced much of the territory to rubble.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi. Additional reporting by Tala Ramadan; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Aidan Lewis, William Maclean)
At least five people were killed in two separate Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza on Monday, according to Palestinian reports.

In one incident, the Israeli military said "three terrorists who were operating in proximity to [Israeli troops] and attempting to plant an explosive device in the ground in central Gaza were struck." Nearby, another strike targeted two people, it said.

A similar strike was also carried out in Rafah, in southern Gaza, the military said.

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The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported multiple injuries from the attacks.

Israeli attacks continue despite a fragile ceasefire agreement reached in January between Israel and Hamas. Negotiations to extend the truce have so far failed.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other extremist groups attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.

Since then, Gaza's Hamas-run health authority has reported 48,572 deaths, including many women and children. These figures, which do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified. Israel estimates it has killed around 20,000 militants.
CAIRO (Reuters) -At least two people were killed and 19 were wounded on Monday after Israeli air strikes in the vicinity of southern Syrian province of Daraa, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

The Israeli army confirmed the strikes which were the latest string of strikes targeting Syria's military infrastructure. It said it targeted military headquarters and sites containing weapons and equipment.

Last week Israeli jets conducted several raids on former Syrian army barracks and outposts in Daraa.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din, Editing by William Maclean)
JERUSALEM  Rafael and Elbit Systems will supply a European NATO country with electronic countermeasures for protecting frigates from ship-killing missiles, the companies announced on Monday.

The systems in question amount to an integrated solution from both companies, featuring Elbits DESEAVER MK-4 decoy control and launching system (DCLS), along with a range of Rafaels countermeasures.

Rafaels passive and active decoy countermeasures were designed to neutralize threats such as advanced Anti-Ship Missile (ASM) seekers, the companies said in a statement. And Elbits equipment provides a maritime electronic warfare capability for repelling complex missile attacks.

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The integrated system fires various types of decoy rounds from multiple launchers to counter simultaneous threats, positioning it as the fourth generation of naval EW dispensing systems that enhance soft-kill anti-missile defense capabilities, the firms said.

The announcement did not name the buyer governments nor the deal amount, and company officials declined to elaborate. But the announcement mentions that the contract is set to be executed over a period of four years, and that it includes the delivery of systems for 5 vessels.

One possible client combo is the Netherlands and Belgium. The two countries announced a purchase of two anti-submarine frigates each in April 2023, built by Damen shipyard and Thales for the electronics.

The first Dutch frigate is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2029, while Belgium is scheduled to receive its first vessel in the second half of 2030.
TOKYO - Japan has requested that Taiwan explicitly state its pavilion at the upcoming World Exposition in Osaka is run by a private firm, sources close to Japan-Taiwan ties said Sunday.

The Foreign Ministry is believed to have made the request after determining that a statement by the Taiwanese government suggested the pavilion would be an official exhibit. Japan does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Taiwan will be exhibiting under a private firm as it is not a member of the Bureau International des Expositions. Its economic affairs ministry said in a statement earlier this month that it would be presenting the "Tech World" pavilion.

According to the sources, Taiwan was perplexed by Japan's reaction to the statement, which was intended for a Taiwanese audience, and sought dialogue to prevent any issues.

The exhibition will be operated under Tamayama Digital Tech Co., which was founded by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, an organization under Taiwan's economic affairs ministry.

The first two letters of the "Tech World" pavilion are meant to evoke Taiwan, while the government budgeted approximately NT$2 billion ($60.7 million) for the expo.

Japan's Foreign Ministry refrained from commenting on whether it made such a request to Taiwan, while the self-ruled island's economic affairs ministry said it hoped that the expo will lead to a deepening of ties between Japan and Taiwan.

Referring to the Taiwan pavilion, the Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier in the week said it "opposes any kind of official interactions" between Taiwan and any country with diplomatic ties with China. China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war.

Related coverage:

Ticket presales, pavilion completion slow 1 month before Osaka Expo

JAL unveils jet with Gundam images ahead of 2025 World Expo in Osaka

Some standout pavilions at 2025 World Expo Osaka
Israel has confirmed that its F-35 stealth fighters have flown airstrikes using external ordnance. The F-35s so-called beast mode, featuring heavier loads on underwing pylons, is familiar by now, but as far as is known, it has not been called upon operationally by any other countries. Meanwhile, Israels unique F-35I fleet  locally known as the Adir (Hebrew for mighty)  which features various local modifications, has frequently been at the forefront of demonstrating new capabilities.

The Israeli Air Force announced the development in a post on the social media site X:

The Israeli Adir aircraft is the only aircraft in the world that has carried out operational strikes with an external armament configuration, which increased the attack capabilities.

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This was a follow-up to a post that had announced the arrival of the next three F-35Is for the Israeli Air Force at Nevatim Air Base, last Thursday, where they will join 116 Squadron, the Lions of the South.

Three Adir (F-35I) fighter jets, manufactured by @LockheedMartin, landed last week at Nevatim Airbase.

The three jets will join the IAF and the 116th Squadron, bearing the IAF insignia.

The expansion of the Adir fleet significantly enhances the lethal capabilities of the IAF. pic.twitter.com/6H01XnEKy6  Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 16, 2025

In another post, the Israeli Air Force said that, since the outbreak of the latest war in the Middle East, in October 2023, the services F-35Is have flown more than 15,000 operational flight hours, taking part in thousands of sorties in all theaters.

Most intriguing is the statement that, during the conflict, Israel was actively working on a new external Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) capability for the F-35I.

During the war, the Flight Test Center (FTC), in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the F-35 program at the Pentagon, developed a new capability to carry external JDAM weapons on the aircrafts wings, the Israeli Air Force says.

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While the F-35s ability to carry offensive weapons  including JDAMs  on four underwing pylons is far from new, it may be the case that the operational clearances for this in Israeli service were accelerated to meet an urgent requirement. It could also be the case that the Israeli beast mode differs in certain respects from the baseline standard that has been demonstrated in tests elsewhere.

An F-35A test jet during trials with four external GBU-31 JDAMs at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Lockheed Martin photo by Darin Russell Darin Russell

Regardless, the Israeli Air Force has confirmed that its the first F-35 operator to use the beast mode in combat.

The exact configuration used is unclear, although a photo published by the Israeli Air Force on X shows the unique instrumented F-35I assigned to the Flight Test Center carrying four external 2,000-pound class GBU-31 JDAMs. A single AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile can be seen in one of the internal weapons bays, which may also house another internal JDAM. The nature of the store just visible in the left weapons bay is unclear, but some kind of telemetry pod would make a lot of sense for an ordnance test mission like this one. Also noteworthy is the blanked-off Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) fairing under the nose, which is transparent on operational jets.

A GBU-31 JDAM is loaded on an Israeli Air Force F-16 during the Gaza crisis in 2021. Israeli Air Force

When it comes to adding new capabilities to the F-35I, this has been aided by the provision of a uniquely outfitted test variant of the stealth fighter, which arrived in the country in 2020. The one-off version of the jet is charged with putting Israel-specific equipment through its paces, including weapons trials, avionics integration, and airframe modification and testing.

The Israeli Air Force F-35I test jet on the flight line together with an F-15I strike fighter. Amit Agronov/Israeli Air Force

Its also not clear in which particular strike missions the F-35I utilized external offensive stores, although the aircraft has seen extensive combat action since October 2023. It has been involved in raids on targets in Gaza and Lebanon and has also taken part in long-range strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and against Iran. It should be noted, however, that the exact role of the Adir in the strikes on Iran is somewhat unclear, with some claims that the stealth fighters penetrated into Iranian airspace.

A photo taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot shows an F-35I over the northern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 29, 2023. Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

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The Adir has also been used in an air defense capacity, including against Houthi cruise missiles, as you can read about here.

There had been previous indications that the F-35I was being used to carry external as well as internal ordnance in the current conflict.

Back in August last year, for example, the Israeli Ministry of Defense released a video showing an F-35I refueling from a tanker, purportedly during a mission over Lebanon. The fighter was clearly fitted with a pair of underwing pylons (on the inner hardpoints) although these were not carrying any stores, at least not in this phase of the sortie.

    ,            -  : pic.twitter.com/YUul4bCMVs  Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) August 25, 2024

For Israel, the F-35s beast mode is especially relevant.

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Carrying external stores erodes the F-35s valuable stealth characteristics in return for providing a considerably larger payload. For many of the kinds of missions that the Israeli Air Force flies, especially against opposition with little to no meaningful air defense capabilities, such a tradeoff would make complete sense.

When it comes to prosecuting targets in more contested airspace, the Israeli Air Force prefers using standoff weapons, keeping its crewed aircraft out of the range of most air defense systems. In this kind of scenario, the low-observable capabilities of the F-35 are again less important, and there would be an argument to sacrifice them in favor of increased weapon carriage.

At this stage, however, we dont know if any standoff weapons have been integrated into the Adir. As it stands, the JDAM is unpowered but can provide a degree of standoff range, being able to hit targets at up to about 15 miles away with launch from a typical fast-jets speed and altitude.

An Israeli Air Force F-35I. Amit Agronov/Israeli Air Force A.A_Photogrphy@

Its also worth noting that Israel has reportedly also developed a means of extending the range of its F-35Is, allegedly providing them with enough reach to hit targets in Iran without needing aerial refueling.

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How the F-35Is have had their range increased is unclear, but the most likely option involves additional external fuel carried in drop tanks. Other options might include some kind of conformal, flush-mounted fuel tank or perhaps some kind of fuel tank within the weapons bays. Were some or all of the F-35Is internal stores capacity to be turned over to fuel, for long-endurance missions without tanker support, then carrying ordnance on external pylons would become more of a necessity.

British beast mode  a fully loaded F-35B on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth. Its armament includes four Paveway IV precision-guided bombs under the wings. Crown Copyright

For now, there are no more details of the F-35Is apparent range extension, although now that the jets underwing pylons have been proven in combat, we might start to see weapons beyond the JDAM.

These could also include Israeli-made weapons, as well as laser-guided precision munitions, which would be ideal for prosecuting moving targets.

In the past, Israeli media has reported that the F-35I was modified to employ a one-ton bomb, which implies a weapon weighing around 1,000 kilograms or just over 2,200 pounds. That would put it in the broadly same class as the U.S.-made GBU-24 Paveway laser-guided bomb or the GBU-31 JDAM. However, like the GBU-31, the new Israeli weapon, developed by Rafael Advanced Weapons Systems, can also be carried internally in the F-35 without impacting the aircrafts radar signature.

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Another option could be Rampage missiles, an air-launched adaptation of the ground-launched Extended Range Artillery guided rocket, or EXTRA.

An Israeli Air Force F-16 armed with underwing Rampage missiles. Israeli Ministry of Defense

Rampage offers a significant standoff range, reducing risks to the launching aircraft, and is part of a growing arsenal of Israeli air-launched ballistic missiles and other similar aerial munitions, the importance of which has come into sharp focus in recent months, especially in retaliatory strikes on targets in Iran and also airstrikes in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force might also look at the option of increasing the air-to-air magazine depth of the F-35, by putting AMRAAMs (or potentially other missiles) on external pylons.

F-35A/C weapons stations capacities. F-35 JPO

In the past, we have examined the value of having a stealthy flight of F-35s call up missiles on demand from non-stealthy beast mode configured F-35s operating many miles behind them. This would help overcome the F-35s wanting internal air-to-air missile carriage capability, which is limited to four missiles at this time, although a six-missile internal load-out  known as Sidekick  is in the works for the F-35A and F-35C. With Israels F-35Is already being tasked with defeating drones and cruise missiles, the option of carrying more air-to-air missiles to tackle larger numbers of threats could be interesting.

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Israel has repeatedly shown a willingness to expose its F-35 fleet to combat operations. Israel announced in May 2018 that it had become the first operator to use the jet on offensive operations and, since then, it has also recorded success in aerial combat against Iranian drones.

For now, the latest milestone in the Israel Air Forces Adir story is the first confirmed instance of airstrikes using external ordnance in the F-35s beast mode.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
The News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would fire the chief of the countrys intelligence agency, Shin Bet, after months of disagreement, although his attorney general delayed the move.

Netanyahu said that he had ongoing distrust in Ronen Bar.

While the government can in theory remove Shin Bet leaders, it has never happened, and the attorney generals office warned earlier this month that it would review any such move to ensure compliance with procedural and substantive safeguards.

Netanyahu has long wanted to remove Bar, The Times of Israel reported, as he seeks to pin the blame for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Shin Bets failures. But Bar has refused to quit, saying his loyalty was to Israel, not Netanyahu.
By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel spent 112 billion shekels ($31 billion) on its military conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon in 2024, the Finance Ministry said in a report on Monday.

Between October 7, 2023 - when Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel to trigger the war in Gaza and subsequent missile fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon - and the end of 2024 spending reached 141.6 billion shekels.

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Israel has since forged ceasefire deals with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Total spending on defence in 2024 was 168.5 billion shekels, or 8.4% of gross domestic product, up from 98.1 billion in 2023, when defence costs were 5.2% of GDP, the report showed.

The increase in war spending pushed the budget deficit to 6.8% of GDP in 2024, a revision from a preliminary estimate of 6.9%. Israel's economy grew 0.9% in 2024.

Prior to war, in May 2023, Israeli lawmakers approved a 2024 budget of 513.7 billion shekels but the fighting required three additional budgets in 2024 that raised state spending by 21% to 620.6 billion shekels. Revenue last year was 484.9 billion shekels.

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The deficit, which had topped 8% of GDP during 2024, has since eased and stood at 5.3% in February.

Due to political infighting, Israel has yet to approve a budget for 2025 and the country is using a prorated version of the base 2024 budget.

Failure for lawmakers to pass a budget by the end of March would trigger new elections. The budget draft of tax hikes and steep spending cuts will be approved on time, said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The budget, he said, "reflects a responsible budget that will ensure stability and the continued proper functioning of the government while addressing Israels security needs during this period."

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Accountant General Yali Rothenberg added: "It is crucial to reduce the deficit below 5% of GDP to stabilize government expenditures and the debt-to-GDP ratio."

($1 = 3.6576 shekels)

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have assessed that even if a ceasefire is reached in Ukraine, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin is unlikely to give up his ambitions for the country.

Source: ISW

Details: Mike Waltz, US President Donald Trumps National Security Adviser, said on 16 March that Ukraine would receive some security guarantees in exchange for some territorial concessions, although he did not specify which guarantees he meant or which concessions he was referring to.

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Waltz also said that the United States is considering "the reality of the situation on the ground" in diplomatic negotiations to end the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Quote: "It is not clear exactly what Waltz meant by the reality of the situation on the ground. Russian officials have frequently used the narrative that any negotiations must consider the realities on the ground to refer to the current front line in Ukraine and their claims of the inevitability of further Russian battlefield gains."

Details: Meanwhile, analysts believe that Waltz's acknowledgement that Ukraine will receive undefined security guarantees is a key aspect of achieving US President Donald Trump's stated goal of ensuring lasting peace in Ukraine, but that the cessation of combat actions on unprotected lines would limit the effectiveness of security guarantees.

It was noted that the current line of contact does not provide the strategic depth Ukraine needs to reliably defend itself against renewed Russian aggression.

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Quote: "Russian forces are just across the Dnipro River from Kherson City, roughly 25 kilometres from Zaporizhzhia City, and 30 kilometres from Kharkiv City.

Russian troops on the Dnipro River could use a ceasefire to prepare for the extremely difficult task of conducting an opposed river crossing undisturbed, significantly increasing the likelihood of success in such an endeavour.

Stopping a well-prepared, major mechanised offensive cold is extremely rare in war, which means that a renewed Russian assault would likely threaten both Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia cities, as well as key cities in the Donetsk fortress belt, almost immediately."

Details: The analysts also pointed out that Russia is building a major motorway and railway aimed at connecting major cities in Russia and the occupied part of Ukraine. This is supposed to strengthen Russia's control over occupied Ukraine and enhance Russia's ability to transport and supply Russian forces operating in Ukraine in the event of a future Russian offensive in Ukraines south.

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Quote: "The US and Europe would likely need to provide military aid to Ukraine more rapidly, in much larger volumes, and at higher cost the closer the ultimate ceasefire lines are to the current front line.

Ukraine would likely need an even larger military with greater capabilities to play its critical role in deterring and, if necessary, defeating future aggression along the current front line (both within Ukraine and along Ukraines international border with Russia) that is over 2,100 kilometres long."

More details: Enforcing a ceasefire along the current line of contact would also require a large number of Western forces. Assisting Ukraine in the recapturing of strategically important areas, as Trump has suggested, could significantly reduce the cost and complexity of securing a future peace.

A ceasefire in more defensible positions would also disadvantage Russian forces in resuming offensive operations, making future Russian aggression less likely.

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Russian officials, however, maintain their maximalist territorial claims to all of occupied and much of non-occupied Ukraine.

Senior Kremlin officials, including Russian leader Vladimir Putin, have consistently demanded that Ukraine give up all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, including those areas not yet occupied by Russian forces, and have reiterated these demands in recent weeks.

Quote: "Continued Kremlin statements demanding that Ukraine cede unoccupied Ukrainian territory indicate that the Kremlin and Putin remain committed to these territorial goals despite ongoing negotiations."

Details: In addition, Putin has repeatedly called on Ukraine to permanently abandon its goals of joining NATO or any security bloc and to reject future offers of foreign military assistance, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently stated that Russia would reject the future deployment of any European peacekeepers to Ukraine and would consider any such deployment to be "direct, official, undisguised interference by NATO countries" in the war.

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Given the Kremlin's demands, the ISW notes, it is unlikely that Putin will give up his ambitions for Ukraine even after the ceasefire.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 16 March:

US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz stated on 16 March that Ukraine will receive unspecified security guarantees in exchange for unspecified territorial concessions.

The current front lines do not provide the strategic depth that Ukraine will need to reliably defend against renewed Russian aggression.

Russian officials maintain their maximalist territorial claims over all occupied Ukraine and significant parts of unoccupied Ukraine, however.

Russian officials have given no public indications that they are willing to make concessions on their territorial or security demands of Ukraine.

Russia continues to seize on diplomatic engagements with the United States to normalise its war demands.

The UK convened a virtual Coalition of the Willing summit on 15 March to reiterate support for Ukraine and discuss plans for peace.

Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova and Russian forces advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Velyka Novosilka.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues efforts to posture as solving issues with the Russian military.

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By Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Italy and Spain made clear on Monday they were not ready to back a European Union proposal to pledge up to 40 billion euros ($43.67 billion) in military aid for Ukraine this year, with each country contributing according to the size of its economy.

The proposal by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas could mean a doubling of EU military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia's invasion as the bloc and its members gave some 20 billion euros in 2024.

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EU officials say it is vital to keep backing Ukraine on the battlefield amid uncertainty over the future of U.S. support under Donald Trump's administration, which has ended Russia's diplomatic isolation and is pressing both sides to negotiate.

U.S. President Trump said he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about ending the war.

After a meeting on Monday of foreign ministers from the EU's 27 countries in Brussels, Kallas said her proposal had "broad political support" and discussions were now going into details.

The proposal has strong backing from northern and eastern European countries, according to diplomats.

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But some southern European capitals have been more reticent, reflecting a division between those geographically closer to Russia that have given more aid to Ukraine and those further away that have given less, as a share of their economies.

Estonia, Denmark and Lithuania lead the field in Europe, having given more than 2% of their GDP in aid to Kyiv between January 2022 and December 2024, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy think tank.

Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus are among those to have given the least, having provided less than 0.5% of their GDP.

Hungary, which has the EU's most Russia-friendly government, is bottom of the EU table.

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WAITING FOR TRUMP AND PUTIN

Speaking before the meeting, ministers from Italy and Spain - the EU's third and fourth biggest economies - said it was too early to take a definitive position on the proposal. France has also raised questions about the plan, diplomats say.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the proposal would have to be discussed in depth and in the light of forthcoming developments.

"We are waiting for the Trump-Putin telephone call to see if there will be any steps forward in order to reach a ceasefire," he said, adding that Italy also had to find money to boost its own defence spending.

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"There is a lot of expenditure to be tackled," he said.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said: "We'll see how the debate goes, but at this point there's no decision on it."

Albares said Spain had already committed to providing 1 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine this year. He said Madrid had not had to "wait for the High Representative (Kallas) to make any proposal" to show Kyiv could rely on its support.

During the ministers discussion on Ukraine, Slovakia signalled it would not obstruct the plan but also would decline to contribute, according to three EU diplomats.

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Both Hungary and Slovakia do not provide military aid to Ukraine but EU officials say they should not be able to block the proposal as contributions would be voluntary.

"We will not be dragged into this, nor will we let Hungarian taxpayers' money be used to finance arms supplies to Ukraine,"

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on X.

($1 = 0.9160 euros)

(Reporting by Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray in Brussels, Angelo Amante in Rome and Inti Landauro in Madrid. Writing by Andrew Gray, editing by Ed Osmond)


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Christopher Churchill

Jacinda Ardern was just 37 years old when she captured the hearts of the globe. Elected prime minister of New Zealand in 2017, a race she won a mere seven weeks after entering the contest, she was the youngest female head of state, one of just 13 women premiers worldwidea progressive who promised to combat climate change, support abortion rights, and make her country the best place in the world to be a child.

They called it Jacindamania. It was the first time many in the U.S. had known the name of the person leading the small South Pacific nation, let alone followed her every history-making move. She won fans around the world and made headlines for having an equal number of women and men in parliament; for being the second head of state in history to give birth while in office; for taking parental leave; for being unmarried; for having her partner, Clarke Gayford, stay home with their daughter, Neve, while she went back to work.

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She was called the anti-Trump for the kindness and collaborative spirit she exuded on the world stagean antidote to the rise of populist strongmen in countries like Brazil and Hungary. She was also praised for her empathetic leadership style in the face of a deadly volcano eruption and mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch that claimed 51 lives (she embraced the Muslim community in New Zealand in the days that followedsaying They are us and wearing a headscarf and hugging mournersand announced a ban on assault rifles six days later). In October 2020, Ardern was reelected in a landslide, her popularity fueled by her deft handling of the COVID pandemic. And then, after over five years in office, in January 2023, she shocked the world when she announced her resignation, saying, with tears in her eyes, that she didnt have enough left in the tank to do the job justice.

Three months later, in a viral speechher final before ParliamentArdern reflected on her legacy: I cannot determine what will define my time in this place, she said, swathed in a traditional Maori cloak. But I do hope Ive demonstrated something else entirely: that you can be anxious, sensitive, kind, and wear your heart on your sleeve. You can be a mother, or not. You can be an ex-Mormon, or not. You can be a nerd, a crier, a huggeryou can be all of these things. And not only can you be here, you can lead. Just like me.

Christopher Churchill





With those words, Ardern left New Zealand politics behind, but she didnt exactly take time off. I am what you might call an active relaxer, the now 44-year-old former prime minister tells me as we sip cappuccinos at Henriettas Table, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, institution, adjacent to her office in the Harvard Kennedy School, that serves up skillet hash and large flaky biscuits. I have taken a bit of time. But I have not felt like Ive slowed down. I still feel like Ive been busy, busy.

Shes deliberately kept a lower profile, enjoying some time as an observer rather than a central figure on the world stage. But behind the scenes, Ardern has been as devoted as ever to the issues that came to define her time as prime minister: combating extremism and injecting more kindness into politics. She holds three fellowships at Harvardas an Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow, a Hauser Leader at the Center for Public Leadership, and a Senior Fellow in the Women and Public Policy Program. The fellowships were originally meant to last for three months but have been extended. I had some hesitancy about leaving New Zealand, she says. But its been a nice break.

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One of her favorite things has been talking with students during office hours. When I marvel over the opportunity students have had to meet with a former prime minister, she stresses, Oh, but what an opportunity for me. Shes usually fairly incognito walking around campus: coat, backpack, AirPods in, head down. But she is occasionally recognized, particularly by international students. New Zealanders are unfazed, she says: Itll just be like, Oh hi, Jacinda.

Last summer, in partnership with the Center for American Progress Action Fund, she founded the Field Fellowship for Empathetic Leadership to support and connect leaders who embrace an alternative form of leadership. Clearly modeled on Ardern herself, the fellowship centers on pragmatic idealism and draws on the strength of kindness and empathy to develop and build public support for progressive policy solutions to complex problems. Ardern is also one of 12 global leaders to receive a $20 million grant from Melinda French Gatess Pivotal Ventures, a sum shes been entrusted with distributing to charitable organizations she deems to be doing urgent, impactful, and innovative work to improve womens health and well-being globally. She also continues to work with Christchurch Call, the initiative she cofounded with French President Emmanuel Macron in the wake of the shootings, dedicated to eliminating terrorist and violent extremist content online.





A Different Kind of Power

$29.76 at bookshop.org

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When we meet, she is jet-lagged, having returned from New Zealand just a few days prior, after spending time with family over the holidays. Her daughter, now 6, is struggling with the time difference and has been waking up at 4:30 A.M. Ardern is only in town for a few days before shell jet off to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and from there to Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival, where a documentary shes the subject of, Prime Minister, will premiere. Not long after that, shes due to attend a climate event in Paris as part of her work as a board member of Prince Williams Earthshot Prize.

Between the film and the publication of her memoir, A Different Kind of Power, coming June 3, Ardern is gearing up for the increased exposure. I have to get used to being out there again, she tells me. There are trade-offs. Sometimes I think about the ease of having a smaller world and a smaller profileits much easier to be in the world that way. But she wonders if she can continue to make an impact at that size: Can I be useful and small? she asks. I dont know if I can. Since leaving office, thats what Ive grappled withhow can I still be useful? And I probably cant be useful and stay small.

Ardern grew up in Morrinsville, a rural dairy farming community on North Island, about two hours south of Auckland (today, the town of 8,500 people is dotted with 60 fiberglass cow sculptures). Her grandparents worked in the industryher moms side were dairy farmers, while her paternal grandfather was a drain digger. Her father worked as a policeman for 40 years, while her mom mostly worked jobs that allowed her to be home when the kids were home. Ardern was raised Mormon, but left the faith as a young adult because of the churchs stance on LGBTQ issues.

When Ardern was in high school, her mom ran the canteen in the school cafeteria, a hole-in-the-wall tuck shop with sandwiches and meat pies for the hungry teens. Ardern was close with her sister, just 18 months her senior. (Her sister still lives in New Zealand; she is a scientist by training and owns a cybersecurity business with her husband.)

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Her parents had an orchard when Ardern was young, where she learned to drive a tractor and roamed free among the fruit trees for hours in the summertime, her mom telling her to be back by dinner. She rode her bike to school, often showing up for class barefoot, which she assures me is the New Zealand way.

Her introduction to politics came from an aunt who was active in the Labour Party. I dont remember there being any point where I sat down and analyzed all the political parties, Ardern says. I just remember having a team and knowing that this was the party that aligned most with the way I saw the world. She joined the party at age 17 and was voted Most Likely to Be Prime Minister by her classmates. She says the prescient title was bestowed upon her simply because she was the only one in school who belonged to a political party, but then adds, Its very easy for me to dismiss it. But there were signs she was meant for this life.

She was on the high school debate team; she and a friend started a human rights action group and wrote letters for Amnesty International. One of her friends likes to remind her that she was often trying to find ways to help others. She once campaigned for girls to be allowed to wear pants to school (many public schools have uniforms in New Zealand, and girls were often required to wear skirts). I can tell you it was not on behalf of fashion. It was just very pragmaticit was cold in the winter, she says. But that was my first time campaigning.

The fire had been lit. By the time she finished high school, she knew she wanted to make a difference in the world, and she understood politics as the way to do that. She studied professional communications and international relations at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, the nearby city where she was born. After graduation, she began working as a junior adviser to Helen Clark, the countrys second female prime minister. (New Zealand was the first country in the world to allow women to vote, in 1893, and has now had three women heads of state.) Following that, she spent time overseas: six months in New York City, sleeping on a friends couch in Brooklyn and volunteering at a Catholic soup kitchen because she didnt have a work permit. Then she was off to London, where she worked in the Cabinet Office as a civil servant.

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Two years later, in 2008, someone put her name on a list in a winnable district, and just like that, she was elected to Parliament and returned home. She was the youngest member of the body at the time and felt like it: I remember feeling like, Do I go buy suits now? Do I change who I am? And I made quite a conscious decision to just be myself.

Getty Images / Maya Dehlin Spach

She held on to that commitment nearly 10 years later when she was tapped to run for prime minister. The former party leader, an older man who had served for many years, resigned following bad poll numbers when the election was just seven weeks away. The party desperately needed a boost from a younger candidate. (Sound familiar?) As deputy leader, Ardern was up. There was no time to redesign myself, or for anyone to tell me who I needed to be, she says. So that was quite freeingI could just be myself. Her slogan was direct: Lets do this. She jokes that an alternative slogan could have been, This is happening, folks!

On Oct. 26, 2017, she was sworn in as prime ministeraround the same time as she learned she was pregnant. She understands being the second elected world leader to give birth while in office is part of why she got such outsize attention (the first was Pakistans Benazir Bhutto in 1990), but says, Those are the things we dont want to be novel. The day weve made progress is the day its not worth commenting on. When it came to taking leave, and having Gayford stay home with Neve, she wasnt trying to be revolutionary. We were just thinking, How do we make this work? And how do I keep doing my job? she says, noting that she only ever experienced the job either pregnant or as a mom: So you just build your normal around it.

Living in a small country at the bottom of the world, she says, Kiwis arent used to people paying them much attention. You dont really step out to do your job on the world stage thinking about what anyone other than the people in your country think about the work youre doing, she says of experiencing Jacindamania. My instinct is always to discount anything that feels like it might be a distraction, or isnt about getting us to where we need to be. So I was very dismissive of it. I had a job to do.

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But it was impossible to ignore the eyes on her altogether. In a way, it raised expectations, and I was always afraid of not meeting those, she says. She tells me about a time, years before, when she had moved up in the ranks of her party. A member of the opposition came over, shook her hand in congratulations, and then told her there was only one way to go from there: down. He was wrong, of courseshe would go on to climb higherbut [the idea was] that once youve reached a pinnacle, then you inevitably fall. And it really struck me, she says. So with any good poll, or with the so-called mania, in the back of my mind would be, What comes after this? Where do I take us next? And so that was always the way I viewed the worldanticipating the downside of things.

It makes it very hard to celebrate in the moment, because youre constantly [worrying], she continues. But the upside is, it means that you never dwell too much, and youre constantly looking for the thing that you can do next to help, to take you further, to succeed.

Over time, she says, it started to feel like every day was a test: I remember the commentary for any crisis would be, This will be a test of her leadership. And then the next one would come, and theyd say it again. And I realized that actually there was no point at which anyone would conclude that I had proven myself, she says. But I do remember, at the point when I concluded that it was time to go, I felt like I didnt need to do that anymore.

The night before announcing her decision to the world, she was speaking to a senior member of the party, explaining her reasoning. She said to me, I totally understand, but what are you going to tell the public? And I said, That. She couldnt conceive of saying anything other than the truth.

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When it came time to leave, it wasnt because I felt like I wasnt strong enough to keep going. It was simply that the 5 years felt more like 10, and I realized that should another crisis present itselfwhich it could at any timeI knew I didnt have the extra that was required, she tells me. If I had stayed on, then I wouldnt be doing the best job I could. I could keep going, but I wouldnt have done the job justice, and I wanted to be open about that.

Christopher Churchill

She was a bit bothered that the dominant narrative became that she was burned out, because thats not how she felt. In my mind, burnout is, youre in a fetal position in the corner of the room. Youre done. Youre tapped out. Its over, she says. And I wasnt there.

Burnout is a very legitimate reason for people to say, I need time. It just wasnt an accurate reflection for me. It was a bit more nuanced than that, she continues. Im very actively trying to work on issues that I still care about, because thats what gets me out of bed in the morning. And yes, I still get out of bed in the morning. Theres not a lot of sleeping in. Especially with a 6-year-old.

She didnt want to rattle off the typical politician exit line: Im leaving to spend more time with my family. When youre only the second woman to have a baby in office, I felt so conscious about what I was telling people about the experience, she says. I didnt want to say that, because it implies that you cant have a family and be in these jobsand you can. I hated the idea of leaving a message that, Actually, Im leaving because its not possible to have a family and feel like a present person. She also didnt want to imply that her family was pressuring her to leave office. I felt like it was almost putting the decision on them, saying my family doesnt want me to stay.

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Toward the end of our conversation, we get to talking about how to increase the number of women in politics. She admits, Politics has always been a hard place to be, but for a whole range of reasons, it certainly feels like its getting harder. People are in the spotlight; theres a 24/7 media cycle and constant online critique. Theres very little room for error; theres very little privacy. Its a hard place to be. And does that mean good people will opt out? I think it does. So how do we keep attracting good people to public leadership? Thats one of our challenges.

Christopher Churchill

Shes doing her part through her Field Fellowship for Empathetic Leadership. The inspiration to create it came from people who found the way she responded to the Christchurch tragedy remarkable. It felt to me like any human in my shoes would have responded in that way. And yet, if it was notable, what did that say about how leaders are taught that they are meant to be? she says. So I started thinking about what would have made it easier to be an empathetic leader in office. I felt strongly that actually having people around me who viewed leadership in the same way would have probably been quite helpful, and so thats where the fellowship came from.

The first cohort was all women. A coincidence, perhapsmen are welcomebut perhaps not a surprise, as kindness is generally seen as a female trait, one of many perceptions Ardern hopes to shift. The one thing that I wanted to see more of in politics was the humanity, she says. There have been, in the past, times when some leaders havent felt like they could show emotiontimes when that would have been seen as weaknessbut that will only change when people start showing that you can be those things and still demonstrate strength as well.

In June 2023, five months after stepping down, she announced her book deal on Instagram, saying she didnt want to put out a typical political memoir that raked over every policy decision in boring detail. Instead, she said she planned to write a book that would have made a difference to her 14-year-old self, the young woman from small-town cattle country, who would have benefited from knowing she could be her own brand of leader.

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Ardern tells me the book is ultimately about how it feels to lead, especially if youre someone who couldnt envision that life for yourself. She wrote it herself, no coauthor or ghostwriter, largely over the summer when, yes, she was supposed to be taking a break. She is honest that the process was brutal for her and left her feeling vulnerable. Its very personal, she says of the finished book. I hope theres something in there for anyone whos experienced self-doubt, because I dont think we talk about that a lot, but Im in a position now where I can.

If you want to make a difference in the world, she adds, Sometimes it requires you to put yourself out there.

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Hair and makeup by Kacie Corbelle; photographed at The Newbury Boston.

A version of this story appears in the April 2025 issue of ELLE.

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An uncle of Jacob Blake, whose shooting by a white police officer sparked days of sometimes violent protests in Kenosha in 2020, was recently acquitted of disorderly conduct charges.

A six-member jury in Kenosha County handed down its decision in Justin Blake's favor on March 10.

Blake, 56, of Chicago, was among about three dozen people who demonstrated outside the Kenosha County Public Safety Building on April 25, 2021.

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The protest came several months after Kenosha police Officer Rusten Sheskey fired seven rounds at Jacob Blake's back as Jacob Blake entered an SUV to leave the scene of a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.

Kenosha County sheriff's deputies alleged in a criminal complaint the 2021 demonstration was blocking the only access way to the public safety building.

Deputies asked several times for demonstrators to not block the entry, and after numerous requests and attempts to negotiate a compromise, three men were taken into custody for disorderly conduct, according to document.

Two of them identified themselves. The other man didn't say who he was at first, but turned out to be Justin Blake.

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He also refused to identify himself initially once he was in custody, but eventually he did. Justin Blake's lawyer, Kimberly Motley, said her client and his family are well-known and recognizable in the community, and that he shouldn't have been charged at all.

She believes Justin Blake was held as retribution for being a plaintiff in one of several lawsuits that have been filed against filed against law enforcement following his nephew's shooting.

"I think it was retaliation," Motley said. "They knew who he is and know what family he comes from, and that he has legal action pending against them."

Justin Blake's federal lawsuit lists as respondents Kenosha County, Sheriff David Beth and several deputies, some of whom aren't identified by name. It claims violations of Blake's right to free speech, excessive force and detention and other causes of action.

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Numerous protests developed in the hours and days after the younger Blake was shot seven times by Sheskey.

Attempts to disable Blake with a Taser were ineffective, and Sheskey believed Blake was going to stab him. Four of the shots by Sheskey hit Blake's back, leaving him paralyzed.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jacob Blake's uncle acquitted of disorderly conduct in Kenosha County
TOKYO (Reuters) - Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government dropped to a record low after he handed out gift vouchers to some ruling party lawmakers, a poll conducted by the Asahi newspaper showed on Monday.

The approval rating slid 14 percentage points to 26% from the previous survey done in February, the worst since Ishiba took the office last October, according to the March 15-16 poll by the Asahi.

Other polls done by the Yomiuri newspaper and the Mainichi newspaper over the weekend also showed public approval for the Ishiba's cabinet fell to a record low.

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Ishiba found himself in a hot water as he handed out gift vouchers worth 100,000 yen ($673) each to 15 first-term lower house lawmakers of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) earlier this month, drawing criticism as it could violate a political law.

Speaking in parliament, Ishiba said he used "pocket money" to hand out gift certificates to the lawmakers before having dinner with them on March 3 as a "show of appreciation" for their hard work getting elected.

The premier said the gift handout didn't violate a political fund law but apologised for his action caused "distrust and anger among many people."

All of the 15 lawmakers returned the gift vouchers to the Ishiba's office, according to Japanese media.

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The slide in opinion polls could be a blow to Ishiba's leadership ahead of an upper house election slated for July, and comes at a time when Japan's economy faces headwinds from the escalating trade war waged by U.S. President Donald Trump.

($1 = 148.5600 yen)

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
OSAKA - One of Japan's largest cold storage warehouses has been built in Kobe, a major international port and key distribution hub in the west, amid growing demand for frozen food, a logistics business operator said Monday.

GLP Japan Inc. unveiled a five-story facility with about 46,000 square meters of floor space, built with a 15 billion yen ($101 million) investment, as rising construction costs make it increasingly difficult for companies to build their own storage sites.

The warehouse, with temperatures ranging from minus 25 C to 10 C, is already fully occupied by three tenants, including a transport firm, according to GLP Japan.

Yoshiyuki Chosa, president of GLP Japan, said the company plans to invest an additional 200 billion yen over the next three to five years to further develop the facility, as establishing such warehouses near consumers has become increasingly important.
A Japanese man was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison in Belarus after he was convicted of working for Japan's intelligence service.

Masatoshi Nakanishi, who has been in custody since his arrest in July, was accused of taking pictures of military and civilian facilities for Japanese intelligence, inflicting damage to Belarus' national security.

The Minsk City Court convicted and sentenced Nakanishi after a two-month trial that went on behind closed doors. He also was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to about $6,700. Belarusian authorities had rejected the Japanese Embassy's request to attend the proceedings.

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Belarus' Viasna Human Rights Centre declared Nakanishi a political prisoner. The group says that Belarus now has more than 1,200 political prisoners, including 36 foreign citizens.

Nakanishi had lived in Gomel, Belarus second-largest city, since 2018 and taught Japanese at a local university, according to Belarusian state-controlled media.

Belarusian state TV has reported that Nakanishi took 9,000 photographs of military installations, airfields, railway lines, bridges and other infrastructure in the Belarusian-Ukrainian border area. Japanese authorities protested the TV report, saying it infringed on Nakanishi's rights.

Belarus authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for over 30 years and has relied on Russia's subsidies and support, allowed Moscow to use his countrys territory to send troops into neighboring Ukraine in 2022. Lukashenko also has allowed Russia to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.
CARTHAGE, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 39-year-old Carthage man wanted by multiple law enforcement agencies was arrested for allegedly writing bad checks, which included one for his mothers funeral.

According to a release from the Carthage Police Department, they alleged that Kyle Lane wrote a bad check totaling $5,170 to Lundys Funeral Home in March 2024 for his mothers funeral.

Flood warning issued for parts of Jefferson and Lewis counties

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Carthage Police Chief John Poggi said that Lane was picked up in Syracuse and transported back to Carthage.

Lane was also charged by the New York State Police and other area law enforcement agencies, including ones in Pennsylvania, with additional misdemeanor and felony charges. He was also identified as a fugitive from justice in the State of Pennsylvania for additional felony charges as well.

He was arraigned in Jefferson County CAP Court on March 15 and ordered held without bail.

The Carthage Police Department was assisted by the New York State Police and the Syracuse Police Department.

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GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Jenison third graders raised thousands of money to help students still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where flooding destroyed their elementary school.

On Friday, third graders at Sandy Hill Elementary spoke with those students over Zoom to share that they raised $5,308. The students have been working on the plan since October 2024 after their teacher, Tina Ryan, asked how they could help.

Jenison students plan fundraiser for North Carolina flood victims

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The students came up with a number of ways to raise money during a fundraiser in the Jenison Junior High School gym last week. They had a book sale, a bake sale and a beverage stand with hot chocolate and lemonade. About 500 people showed up.

The students also collected pop cans during the fundraiser but had to explain what pop was to the North Carolina kids.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Attorneys for Louisiana death row inmate Jessie Hoffman have filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking justices to halt his execution, which is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18.

The petition for writ of certiorari and application for stay of execution were filed Sunday, March 16, marking the latest development in the ongoing legal battle over Louisianas use of nitrogen hypoxia as a new execution method.

Defense argues nitrogen gas execution is unconstitutional

Hoffmans attorneys argue that Louisianas nitrogen gas execution protocol violates the U.S. Constitution and federal religious protections.

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The petition raises two key legal questions:

Whether execution by nitrogen gas violates the Eighth Amendments ban on cruel and unusual punishment due to the psychological suffering, terror, and mental anguish it allegedly causes.

Whether nitrogen hypoxia infringes on Hoffmans religious rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by preventing him from engaging in meditative breathing, a core Buddhist practice at the time of death.

Jessie Hoffmans case raises exceptionally important constitutional and statutory issues that have divided the federal courts, said Cecelia Kappel, one of Hoffmans attorneys. It would be unconscionable for the Supreme Court to allow Jessie to be executed before these questions of religious freedom and cruel and unusual punishment can be carefully and thoroughly resolved.

District court initially ruled in Hoffmans favor

Hoffman, 46, was sentenced to death for the 1996 kidnapping and murder of Molly Elliott in New Orleans. Louisiana has not carried out an execution in 15 years but announced in February that it would resume executions using nitrogen gas after the legislature approved the method in 2024.

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Hoffmans attorneys filed a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction in late February, arguing that Louisianas execution protocol lacked transparency and posed a severe risk of unnecessary suffering.

A federal district court ruled in Hoffmans favor on March 11, citing expert testimony that nitrogen gas would cause prolonged psychological terror akin to waterboarding. However, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals later vacated that injunction, allowing the execution to proceed unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes.

Louisiana execution protocol unsealed: Heres how the state plans to use nitrogen gas

Louisiana defends execution method

Attorney General Liz Murrill, who has championed Louisianas push to resume capital punishment, filed an emergency brief on March 12 urging the courts to allow the execution to move forward.

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We disagree with the district courts decision and immediately appealed to the Fifth Circuit, Murrill said. Theres nothing legally preventing us from moving forward with executing Jessie Hoffman if the injunction is lifted.

Murrill argues that nitrogen hypoxia has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court as constitutional and has been previously used in Alabama. She dismissed concerns about psychological suffering, stating that courts focus on physical pain rather than emotional distress when evaluating execution methods.

Religious leaders, legal experts call for halt

Hoffmans case has drawn opposition from Louisiana faith leaders and anti-death penalty advocates, who have called on state officials to halt the execution.

The Supreme Court petition asserts that Louisiana failed to properly disclose details of its nitrogen gas execution protocol, only releasing its full procedures on the eve of the March 7 hearing. The lack of transparency, attorneys argue, violates due process and prevents meaningful legal scrutiny.

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The petition also highlights recent legal challenges to Alabamas nitrogen executions, where witnesses reported that inmates convulsed, gasped, and showed visible signs of distress for extended periods before losing consciousness.

There are plenty of execution methods Louisiana could adopt that would not interfere with Jessies ability to practice his Buddhist meditative breathing, Kappel said. And only onenitrogen gasthat makes it impossible for him to do so.

What happens next?

The U.S. Supreme Court could issue a ruling on the stay request at any time before March 18. If the court denies the request, Louisiana could proceed with executing Hoffman by nitrogen hypoxia. If the stay is granted, the execution will be delayed indefinitely while legal arguments continue.

Murrill filed a response briefing, arguing the states method is legally sound.

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Alabama has already done this four times using nitrogen hypoxia, and every one of its cases have run up through the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court declined to intervene which allowed Alabama to proceed. We expect that same decision. Tomorrow, justice will finally be served for Mary Molly Elliot, wrote Murrill.

A temporary restraining order has been granted to restrain the state from executing Hoffman.

Attorneys for Mr. Hoffman continue to file pleadings in an attempt to see what will stick. Well continue to address them as they come, however, I expect the execution to go forward as planned. The currently issued TRO only lasts until 9:30 Tuesday morning. If necessary, we will once again seek relief in the Louisiana Supreme Court, Murrill said in a statement.

Louisiana First News will continue to follow developments in this case.

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This Week in Louisiana Politics: Gulf of America, March 29 election and execution trial

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Sherwin Williams

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Must be at least 21 years of age. Must be legally authorized to work in the USA without needing sponsorship for employment work visa status now or in the future. Must have a valid, unrestricted CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement. Must have a valid Medical Examiners Certificate (MEC) from TXDOT or be willing to obtain one within five business days of receiving a conditional offer of employment.

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The Trump administration arrested permanent U.S. legal resident Mahmoud Khalil last week, despite having no evidence of a crime. Now, as protests for his release mount, John Oliver is weighing in, dismantling the whole situation on Sunday nights episode of Last Week Tonight.

As always, Oliver kicked off the show with a smaller segment before getting to his main story, and that segment picked apart every piece of logic President Donald Trumps team has given for detaining the former Columbia University student, seemingly on the sole basis of the fact that he led pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

Though Oliver dismantled each piece individually, he was most struck by one argument in particular.

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Maybe the most chilling statement this week came from a White House official who said the allegation here is not that he was breaking the law, Oliver marveled. Thats a pretty alarming thing to say about someone you literally just arrested at his home in front of his pregnant wife. It seems that weve gone from innocent until proven guilty to innocent, but you know what? Get in the van anyway.'

But, like we mentioned, Oliver made sure to go through the defenses piece by piece. The first piece was the idea that Trump is simply cracking down on anti-Semitism in the U.S.

Trump wanting to crack down on anti-Semitism is pretty rich, given a top DoD press secretary was recently found to have a history of racist and anti-Semitic tweets, [Elon] Musk and JD Vance both recently supported Germanys AFD, a party with ties to neo-Nazis, and of course, there was this st, Oliver sniped, pulling up a graphic of Musks apparent Nazi salute at Trumps inauguration.

And that is all before you get to their efforts this week to make sure that this fking guy  the comedian pulled up a photo of Mel Gibson  whose views on the Jews are, lets say, a matter of public records, got his guns back, he continued.

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Setting all that aside though, Oliver was quick to point out that Khalil himself expressly said that anti-Semitism and any other form of racism has no place on this campus and in this movement.

Oliver was also quick to note that, when pressed by journalists on what specific evidence there is that Khalil ever supported the terrorist organization Hamas, DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar didnt offer a real answer.

In fact, Edgar simply said, Well, I think you can see it on TV, right? and cited participation in pro-Palestine activity. And that made Oliver chuckle.

First, when the question is about providing support for Hamas, and the answer is pro-Palestinian activity, you are already telling on yourself, he said. And it is not great when your best evidence is I think you can see it on TV, right? Thats the same level of detail my parents would give to the question, What does John do for work?'

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Jokes aside, Oliver added that when the accusation is terrorism, you should need a bit more than the vibes are off. Protesting, in and of itself, is not a crime, even if it makes people uncomfortable.

To wrap up the segment, the host offered a warning, reminding viewers that Khalil has a green card and is married to a U.S. citizen.

If someone can be deported as a green card holder for speech in support of Palestine, or anything else this administration objects to, that should chill you to the bone, he said.

Last Week Tonight is now streaming on Max.

The post John Oliver Dismantles Mahmoud Khalil Arrest: Gone From Innocent Until Proven Guilty to Get in the Van Anyway appeared first on TheWrap.
While Jonathan Majors has largely moved on from his 2023 domestic abuse case, newly surfaced audio of the actor admitting to harming his then-girlfriend has reignited conversation surrounding the incident.

Obtained by Rolling Stone, the 2022 audio finds the Magazine Dreams star confessing to have aggressed his partner at the time, Grace Jabbari. Im ashamed [as] Ive ever [been] , Majors began in the audio, per the outlet. Ive never [been] aggressive with a woman before. Ive never aggressed a woman  I aggressed you.

You strangled me and pushed me against the car, Jabbari interjected, with Majors confirming, Yes, all those things are under aggressed, yeah. Thats never happened to me.

Jonathan Majors, looks backs at media while leaving Manhattan Criminal court after his pre trial hearing on August 03, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Jabbari went on to question why he would physically assault her, asking if it was, Because I said something sarcastically, in your eyes?

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Well clearly, its more than that, Majors replied.

Something inside of you, she said, with him responding, Yeah, towards you, before the audio ends.

Majors was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment for attacking Jabbari in late 2023. However, the 35-year-old was acquitted of two other counts of intentional assault and aggravated harassment. He has since been dating actress Meagan Good, whom he proposed to in November 2024.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  NOVEMBER 17: (L-R) Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good attend the 2024 Ebony Power 100 List at Nya Studios on November 17, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

The guilty verdict resulted in Marvel Studios severing all ties with the actor who played Kang the Conqueror in Marvels Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the Disney+ spinoff series, Loki.

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There were days when it was like, Is this real? Its a heartbreak like Ive never experienced and it just compounded and compounded, he recently said of losing his position within the MCU.

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KSNF/KODE  How is a mutual connection from Joplin, Missouri, helping animals affected by the recent wildfires in Southern California?

According to a recent press release, animal lovers have teamed up to help an animal shelter in Castaic, an unincorporated community in the northwestern area of Los Angeles County, California.

Almost 400 miles north, in Cool, California, the owner of a small business is doing her part to make a difference.

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Our community has had its fair share of devastating fires, and weve seen donations come

from people down south to help our animals. We wanted to return the favor, said Lorrie

Attleberger, owner of American River Pizza and Grill in Cool, CA.

Attlebergers social media content creator is none other than former KSN news anchor Shari Sanders LaRocque.

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Through mutual connections, Attleberger was able to connect with the Castaic Animal Shelter in Los Angeles County to help provide much-needed support.

Along with an Amazon Wish List, the assembled group collected donations, conducted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser, and collaborated with Eddie Peck (known for his role as Cole Howard on CBSs The Young and the Restless) to secure additional donations.

LaRocque and Peck share a mutual connection of both spending time in Joplin, Missouri, which is where they met while signing autographs. After nearly 40 years, theyve reconnected over a shared love for animals.

It will be Christmas in March. I am so thankful for the donors and their efforts and for the

Attlebergers for stepping up. Every time a donation comes in, Im crying and thanking

God for these people. said Sanders-LaRocque.

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Additional donations collected in Cool will make their way to the animal shelter on Monday, March 17, bringing incredibly-needed supplies to the workers and animals who need them.

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To help support the animals and pet owners affected by these devastating wildfires, visit their Donorsupport page here. You can also visit the LA Animal Services wishlist at the link here.

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A federal judge conducting a "fact-finding" hearing Monday over the whether the Trump administration knowingly violated a court order when it handed over more than 200 alleged gang members to El Salvadoran authorities over the weekend told DOJ attorneys it was "heck of a stretch" for them to argue that his order could be disregarded.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, in verbal instructions issued during a hearing on Saturday, told the government to turn around any aircraft that had already departed the country if they were still in the air. However, sources said top lawyers and officials in the administration made the determination that since the flights were over international waters, Boasberg's order did not apply, and the planes were not turned around.

The verbal instructions from Boasberg accompanied a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from deporting noncitizens currently in custody, which the judge issued less than two hours after Trump attempted to invoke the 18th century Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

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MORE: Trump administration ignores judge's order to turn deportation planes around: Sources

Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli argued Monday during a "fact-finding" hearing convened by Judge Boasberg thay the judge's directive on Saturday evening to turn around the flights did not take effect until it was put in writing later that evening.

"You knew in the morning that there would be a hearing at 5 p.m., so any plane that you put into an air in or around that time you knew that I was having a hearing about," the judge responded. "So when I said directly to turn those planes around, the idea that my written order was pithier, that this could be disregarded, that's a heck of a stretch."

Lawyers with the Department of Justice refused to provide any additional information about the Trump administration's recent deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, arguing disclosure of the information "national security and diplomatic concerns."

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Kambli insisted that the Trump administration had complied with the court's written order -- but provided no additional information to support the claim -- before offering seemingly conflicting defenses and arguing the breadth of Trump's authority as president made the removals lawful.

PHOTO: Alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua who were deported by the U.S. government, are detained at the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador in a photo obtained Mar. 16, 2025. (El Salvador Presidential Press Office via AP)

"Once that they are in international waters, the president has authority outside of the Alien Enemies Act, which would not have been subject to either order," Kambli said.

"My equitable powers are pretty clear that they do not lapse at the water's edge," Boasberg replied.

Kambli, however, repeatedly refused to provide more information to support his claims, insisting the information would risk national security.

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"The information that I am authorized to provide is that no plane took off from the United States after the written order came through," Kambli said.

Judge Boasberg -- who previously oversaw the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court -- pushed back on the idea that the information could not be disclosed to the court.

"What's the basis for not disclosing it to me?" he said.

"Your Honor, it is based on national security concerns with flight patterns and things of that sort," Kambli said.

Boasberg ordered the DOJ to submit, by noon Tuesday, a sworn declaration of what they represented in a filing Monday -- that a third flight that took off after his written order on Saturday carried detainees who were removable on grounds other than the Alien Enemies Act.

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He said he would hold another hearing on Friday, barring any stay on the proceedings from the appeals court.

Prior to the hearing, DOJ attorneys argued in a Monday court filing that the court should vacate the hearing because they do not believe they violated the court's orders, and they are not prepared to provide any further operational security or national security details to the plaintiffs or to the public.

Justice Department attorneys subsequently asked the circuit court to step in and stop the hearing and to assign the case to a different judge, but the hearing proceeded as planned.

MORE: Judge blocks Trump from deporting noncitizens under Alien Enemies Act, orders flights turned around

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Top DOJ leadership wrote in a filing that "an oral directive is not enforceable as an injunction" -- claiming the government not violate any order because the oral directive in court, issued at 6:46 p.m. ET Saturday, was not in the written order that was filed to the docket at 7:25 p.m. ET.

In a court filing late Sunday night, lawyers with the ACLU and Democracy Forward Foundation argued that the Trump administration may have committed a "blatant violation" of the court's directive by acting as if the order only applied to flights in U.S. airspace and individuals on American soil.

"This Court orally and unambiguously directed the government to turn around any planes carrying individuals being removed pursuant to the AEA Proclamation," the filing said.

Lawyers with the Department of Justice insisted in a court filing Sunday that they removed "gang members" pursuant to Trump's Alien Enemies Act proclamation before the court issued its order.

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However, lawyers representing some of the migrants argued that assertion not only conflicts with the timeline of events but also misconstrues when the United States loses jurisdiction of the noncitizens.

"Whether or not the planes had cleared U.S. territory, the U.S. retained custody at least until the planes landed and the individuals were turned over to foreign governments," the plaintiffs' filing said. "And the Court could not have been clearer that it was concerned with losing jurisdiction and authority to order the individuals returned if they were handed over to foreign governments, not with whether the planes had cleared U.S. territory or had even landed in another country."

MORE: Timeline: Trump's race against courts to deport alleged gang members under Alien Enemies Act

Plaintiffs' attorneys said that based on publicly available information, it appears that two flights carrying migrants under the Alien Enemies Act landed after the court's verbal and written orders. They added that "public comments made by Defendants and the President of El Salvador" boasting about the court being "too late" to stop the deportations reinforces concerns that the Trump administration may have violated the order.

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"Defendants could have turned the plane around without handing over individuals subject to the Proclamation and this Court's [Temporary Restraining Order]," the lawyers argued.

Finding the deportations would cause irreparable harm, Boasberg's temporary restraining order on Saturday barred the Trump administration from deporting "all non-citizens who are subject to the AEA proclamation" for at least 14 days.

"You shall inform your clients of this immediately any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States," Boasberg said during Saturday's hearing. "However that's accomplished, turning around the plane, or not embarking anyone on the plane. ... This is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately."

'Heck of a stretch': Judge grills DOJ over Trump deportation flights originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
"I see a bright future for the Chinese market." Exhibitors attending the 24th China Xiamen International Stone Fair have voiced strong confidence in the Chinese market.
LONDON (Reuters) - A judge looking into the murder of newborn babies by British nurse Lucy Letby said on Monday she would hear arguments why the inquiry should be paused, after requests from hospital managers and a politician campaigning to overturn Letby's conviction.

Letby, 35, was found guilty in 2023 of murdering seven children and attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016 while working in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, northern England, making her Britain's most prolific serial child killer of modern times.

Since then she has been found guilty of an eighth count of attempted murder, and was denied permission to appeal.

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The shocking case prompted the government to order an inquiry which started last September to examine how the killings went undetected, and review the hospital's response to concerns raised about Letby before her arrest. The inquiry is not questioning whether Letby is guilty.

But a group of politicians and medical experts have since publicly challenged her convictions, with the specialists saying they had conducted a review that cast doubt on evidence the babies had been murdered.

The inquiry chair Kathryn Thirlwall, a senior judge, said at the start of closing submissions on Monday that she had received a request from lawyers representing hospital managers calling for the inquiry to be paused.

Lawmaker David Davis, who has championed Letby's cause, had also written requesting a similar pause, she said.

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"For that reason I have decided that submissions should be heard on that topic as well as closing submissions," she said.

She added that she had also just received a letter from Letby's lawyers asking for the inquiry to be suspended but had not had time to read it.

Last week, police said they had widened an investigation into possible corporate manslaughter at the hospital to also consider gross negligence manslaughter committed by individuals.

Letby's new lawyers, meanwhile, are seeking to challenge her conviction on the basis that expert evidence presented by the prosecution at her trial was flawed. They have applied to a body, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which can recommend new trials in cases of suspected miscarriage of justice.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Peter Graff)
BOSTON (AP)  Homeland Security officials on Monday said that a doctor from Lebanon who was deported over the weekend despite having a U.S. visa openly admitted to supporting a Hezbollah leader and attending his funeral.

The department's statement, posted on social media, provides a possible explanation for Dr. Rasha Alawieh's deportation, which has sparked widespread alarm, especially after a federal judge ordered that she not be removed until a hearing could be held. Government lawyers have said customs officials did not get word until after Alawieh was sent back to Lebanon.

A visa is a privilege not a right  glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security, Homeland Security said in its statement.

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Its the latest deportation of a foreign-born person with a U.S. visa, after Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who helped lead protests of the Gaza war at Columbia University, was arrested and a doctoral student's visa was revoked. The Trump administration also transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.

Stephanie Marzouk, Alawiehs lawyer, said she would not stop fighting to get the 34-year-old doctor back in the U.S., to see her patients where she should be.

Marzouk did not immediately return a request for comment surrounding Homeland Securitys allegations that Alawieh supported a Hezbollah leader.

Some court documents are sealed

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The Justice Department has also detailed its reasons for deporting Alawieh in court filings, but a federal judge has sealed those documents.

News outlets that obtained those records before they were sealed reported that Alawieh had photos on her phone of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group for the past three decades. The Boston Globe reported she also had pictures of Hezbollah fighters and martyrs on her phone.

According to Dr. Alawieh, she follows him for his religious and spiritual teachings and not his politics," the court documents stated.

When asked why she deleted the photos days before arriving in Boston, Alawieh allegedly told officers: Because I didnt want the perception. But I know Im not doing anything wrong. Im not related to anything politically or militarily.

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Alawieh's deportation

Alawieh was granted the visa on March 11 and arrived at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday, according to a complaint filed on her behalf by a cousin in federal court.

Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist who previously worked and lived in Rhode Island, was detained at least 36 hours, the complaint said. She was to start work at Brown University as an assistant professor of medicine.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin issued an order Friday that an in-person hearing be scheduled Monday, with Alawieh brought to court.

On Saturday, the cousin filed a motion saying customs officials willfully disobeyed the order by sending Alawieh back to Lebanon.

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Lawyers for the government said in a court filing Monday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Boston airport did not receive notice of the order until she had already departed the United States, the judge noted. They asked that the petition be dismissed.

Alawieh worked at Brown prior to the issuance of her H1B visa, the complaint said. It said she has held fellowships and residencies at three universities in the U.S.

A spokesperson for Brown said Alawieh is an employee of Brown Medicine with a clinical appointment to Brown.

Brown Medicine is a not-for-profit medical practice that is its own organization and serves its own patients directly. It is affiliated with Brown University's medical school.

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A rally in Rhode Island

On Monday, a handful of Alawiehs colleagues stood outside Bostons federal courthouse to support her.

She is one of three transplant nephrologists in the entire state of Rhode Island, which, you know, also serves the parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, said Dr. Susie Hu. Her absence is really detrimental to our program.

Dr. Douglas Shemin, who said he hired Alawieh at Brown Medicine, called her an outstanding clinician, physician and teacher who eagerly put in long hours without complaining.

Brown Medicine has roughly 300 to 400 patients awaiting kidney transplants, according to Shemin. Each needs regular evaluations.

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More than 100 people gathered in the rain outside the Rhode Island Statehouse on Monday evening to rally in support of Alawieh, holding signs reading Dr. Rasha Has Rights and We cannot tolerate this!

Dr. Paul Morrissey, director of the organ transplantation division at Brown, said at the rally that he was shocked that Alawieh was deported and that patients will experience a delay in care because of it.

Rasha is a first-class human being  a very talented physician  and it will be Americas loss if we cant have her back in Rhode Island, he said.

Speaking at the rally, Brown University student Kai Blades called the deportation part of a broader pattern of political repression.

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Were here to stand in opposition to deportations, in opposition to racism and in opposition to the fascist state terror that has been used not only against our beloved community member Rasha, but others like Mahmoud Khalil, Blades said. We are here to stay. Were going to stand up for our community and were going to be as loud as possible when theyre under attack."

Dr. Mindy Saboda, an internal medicine colleague, said Alawieh had been returning to the U.S. after visiting family in Lebanon for the first time in six years.

Her daughter, Ada Sobota-Walden, a high school student, called the deportation upsetting.

We need to stand up when things like this happen because otherwise theyll keep happening, Sobota-Walden said.

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Mahmoud Khalil's lawyers seek his release

Meanwhile, lawyers for Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, requested Monday that he be released on bail or returned to New York from a Louisiana detention facility.

In papers filed in Manhattan federal court, the lawyers wrote that the treatment of Khalil meant every noncitizen must wonder whether they will face retaliation for engaging in speech on issues of public concern or critical of the U.S. government. It seemed designed to prevent Mr. Khalil  and many others  from speaking in this country at all, they added.



McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire, and Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press journalist Larry Neumeister in New York also contributed.
Ashleigh Merchant, attorney for Michael Roman, speaks during a hearing in the case of State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump in Atlanta, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. Alyssa Pointer/Pool Photo via AP (file)

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to turn over documents and pay $54,000 in attorneys fees in the 2020 election interference case after a judge ruled that she violated state open records laws.

Fulton Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause ruled Friday in favor of defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant after finding that Willis and Fulton officials acted in a hostile and substantially groundless manner while not complying with the Open Records Act to turn over public records.

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Krause wrote that after listening to testimony and reviewing evidence presented during a court hearing, Fulton officials failed to make any meaningful effort to search for documents requested by Merchant and did not respond to her initial request within three business days.

The judge ordered Williss office to provide Merchant with the requested documents within 30 days, including relevant employee emails and communication between the D.A. and purchasing office about payments to outside legal counsel. In addition, Willis must submit a copy of the non-disclosure agreement that employees must sign, as well as turn over a list of the attorneys hired by Willis since 2021, the order says.

Krause wrote that Fulton County records custodian Dexter Bond testified that he intentionally treated Merchants request differently than other open records filings, which included not communicating with the Marietta attorney by phone.

Merchant filed the lawsuit in Fulton County court after not receiving documents from the prosecutors office while she represented Michael Roman, one of 18 co-defendants indicted along with Republican President Donald Trump who were accused of illegally conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

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Merchant requested records from Willis after uncovering evidence of a romantic affair between Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade, a lawyer she hired to lead the election investigation.

The Georgia Court of Appeals eventually disqualified Willis from the election case as a consequence of prosecutorial misconduct after Merchant filed a motion in January 2023 that undermined the Willis investigation of Trump and the remaining 15 co-defendants. Four of the people originally indicted plead guilty.

Merchant testified at a March 2024 Senate Special Committee on Investigations that she began gathering information about Wades contract with the D.A.s office and other details surrounding his November 2021 appointment by Willis.

Willis is requesting that the Georgia Supreme Court consider her challenge after the states appellate court disqualified her from prosecuting the Trump case.

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Willis also continues to try to block the Senate investigative committee subpoenas requesting her to testify and turn over a trove of documents.

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Find our latest story on Dr. Rasha Alawieh here

A federal judge has postponed a hearing to allow U.S. Customs and Border officials to respond to allegations they willfully disobeyed his order not to deport a Rhode Island doctor until he could review her case.

Documents filed in federal court ahead of the hearing allege that it was the contents of Dr. Rasha Alawieh's cellphone that led to her detention, and ultimate deportation, from Logan Airport in Boston.

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Federal authorities say in court documents filed in the deportation case of Alawieh, 34, that custom and border officials found "sympathetic photos and videos" of Hezbollah leaders on her cell phone.

They also found "various other Hezbollah militants" in the deleted photo folder of her cell phone.

"With the discovery of these photographs and videos CHP questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined," the documents allege.

"As such CBP canceled her visa and deemed Dr. Alawieh inadmissible to the United States."

On Friday U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin, in Massachusetts, issued an order that Alawieh not be deported without giving the court 48 hours notice. That hearing was continued. No new hearing date has been set, but CBP has until March 24 to respond and the judge gave Alawieh's lawyers until March 31 to respond the the government's motion to dismiss the complaint.

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According to the court documents, some lawyers who filed a petition on Alawieh's behalf moved to withdraw from the case late Sunday night "stating that as a result of further diligence, they no longer represent the petition.

The petitioners remaining lawyer simultaneously filed a motion asking the court to continue the case to give new lawyers additional time to prepare.

Despite his order, the Brown Medicine kidney doctor and Lebanese citizen departed for Paris Friday evening. Alawieh arrived back in Lebanon Sunday morning, said a friend and colleague.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Brown Medicine doctor who was recently deported to Lebanon, despite a federal court order.

U.S. Customs and Border Protections responds to deportation of Dr. Alawieh

On Sunday evening, for the first time since the incident began Thursday and ignited a wave of outrage on the part of Alawieh supporters, Hilton Beckham, the assistant commissioner of public affairs for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issued a statement regarding the case.

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Beckham said: Arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the United States. Our CBP officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country. CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats.

Alawieh was in the U.S. on a valid H-1B visa

Thomas S. Brown, a lawyer who handles immigration and visa issues for doctors affiliated with Brown Medicine, said Alawieh was returning to the U.S. on a valid H-1B visa she had recently acquired at the American consulate in Lebanon.

The H-1B visa allows employers like Brown Medicine to sponsor highly skilled foreign citizens to work in specialty occupations.

Alawieh, who had studied and worked in the United States for six years, and in Rhode Island since last July, worked at Rhode Island Hospital evaluating potential kidney transplant recipients and followed the progress of those patients after their procedures, said Dr. George Bayliss, the transplant divisions medical director.

Alawieh was deported despite a court order to keep her in the country

On Friday, while Alawieh remained detained at Logan, her cousin, Yara Chehab, filed a complaint in U.S. District Court, Massachusetts against officials in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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In the complaint, Chehab said federal authorities had unlawfully detained her cousin without any justification and without permitting [her] access to their counsel.

In a subsequent motion filed Saturday, Alawiehs lawyers alleged that Customs and Border Patrol received actual notice of the courts order [giving the court 48 notice before any deportation] and nonetheless thereafter willfully disobeyed the order by sending her out of the United States.

These allegations, Judge Sorokin said Sunday in his order are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under oath affidavit filed by an attorney.

Judge Sorokin orders officials into court to answer for the deportation

Sorokin ordered that federal authorities shall respond to these serious allegations with a legal and factual response setting forth its version of events. This response is also due by 8:30 a.m. Monday March 17, 2025, so that it is available to the court and the petitioner in advance of the hearing on Monday.

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The hearing is set for 10 a.m. at the John J. Moakley Courthouse in Boston.

Alawiehs deportation comes amid growing reports of the Trump Administration detaining people who are returning to the United States and hold green cards and visas.

Her supporters have scheduled a protest for Monday at 6 p.m. outside the State House.

This story has been updated with new information.

Contact Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI doctor deported because of alleged Hezbollah connection, feds say
Mar. 17A jury found a Dayton man guilty of killing a 15-year-old girl after he reportedly shot into a vehicle in Harrison Twp. more than a year ago.

Tommy Lee Moreland, 30, was convicted of three counts of felonious assault, two counts of murder and tampering with evidence and one count each of discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

On Nov. 17, 2023, Montgomery County sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting near Turner Road and Philadelphia Avenue.

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When they arrived, they learned the victim, 15-year-old Heaven Washington, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital in a private vehicle.

Once at the hospital, they discovered Washington had died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Washington was staying at a group home and was being driven by a staff member at the time of the shooting.

The driver, Baretta Byrdsong, was taking her to get money for a field trip, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.

On the way back, Moreland reportedly pulled up to their vehicle and fired multiple times.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said Washington was not the intended target in the shooting.

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"This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of how an ongoing street grudge can escalate to a fatal encounter, tragically taking the life of an innocent little girl on her way to school for a field trip," he said. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Heaven Washington during this difficult time."

Byrdsong was also injured in the shooting, according to Vandalia Municipal Court records.

A license plate reader camera put Moreland's rental vehicle in the area at the time of the shooting.

While detectives were surveilling the SUV near the Englewood Kroger, Moreland fled the unmarked patrol vehicles.

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Detectives activated the lights and sirens as Moreland continued, going approximately 70 mph and running red lights, according to municipal court records.

Moreland got onto Interstate 70 West and traveled through New Lebanon and into Farmersville.

He abandoned the SUV in a field on Havermale Road in Farmersville.

The pursuit reached speeds of 109.8 mph.

Moreland was arrested in March 2024 after he showed up to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court for an unrelated case.

Two others, Byrdsong and Darrell Bostic, were also indicted in Washington's death.

Byrdsong is facing one count each of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide and endangering children.

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Byrdsong and Moreland reportedly had an ongoing feud and Byrdsong was the intended target in the shooting.

Bostic was allegedly in the SUV with Moreland at the time of the shooting.

He's facing murder, felonious assault, discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and having weapons under disability charges.
EDITORS NOTE: The video above first aired in May of 2024.

MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland County Sheriffs Office continues to investigate the shooting death of an Oklahoma man killed last May. Now, Crime Stoppers has announced an increased reward for information.

The incident occurred between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on May 12, 2024. Investigators with MCSO were called to the 10400 block of W Interstate 20 after shots were fired. At the scene, deputies found 26-year-old Austin Winn dead on the ground outside of his 18-wheeler.

Family members said Austin was killed in a drive-by style shooting. An employee inside the store where Winn had stopped heard the gunshots and called 911. But so far, no one has been identified as a suspect.

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My brother had got off at I-20 in 1788 and he had just sent my mom a text telling her Happy Mothers Day, hed be home, you know, at 9:37 is when he sent that message to her. He had been on the phone with his girlfriend, you know, talking to her, telling her the same thing and that he would see her, you know, that night. The sheriff showed up to my parents between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. telling them that, um, you know, my brother was found dead outside the truck, said Ashlyn Winn Jones, Austins sister.

From Tecumseh, Oklahoma, Austin was hauling horses through West Texas in his rig at the time of his death.

He had been to Presidio, and he always comes home and thats an area (Midland) that he stops to get fuel on his way home. He runs that route anywhere from one to three times a week, that same route, said Jones.

Despite the very public shooting, investigators have not had much luck and now Crime Stoppers and a private donor have offered a $7,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

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Anyone with information has been asked to call 432-694-TIPS. You can also submit your anonymous tip online or by using the P3 TIPS mobile app.

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MANHATTAN (KSNT)  K-State is now shutting down federally funded research programs after the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) issued stop-work orders earlier this year.

K-State has paused Feed the Future Innovation Labs. The project uses funding to research crop resilience and improve global food systems.

Evacuations ordered in Wabaunsee County due to fire threat

The dean of the universitys agriculture school says the cost to fund the program is only a fraction of what the program makes in return, making it economically and internationally beneficial.

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Theres an $8 economic return for every dollar thats expended, Dean of College of Agriculture, Ernie Minton said. So, its a great investment for the U.S. going forward.

The dean says they will look for alternative opportunities to fund their research and promote food security.

Feed the Future Innovation Lab focuses on stored product crops like grains, oilseeds, legumes, root crops and seeds. To read more on the halt orders impacting K-State, click here.

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.

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KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  Kalamazoo protesters calling for an end to the war in Gaza are concerned by the Trump administrations efforts to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

On Sunday, a small band of pro-Palestine protesters held their signs and flag high as part of weekly demonstrations in downtown Kalamazoo.

In the crowd was Marissa Wagner, president of Western Michigan University Students for Justice in Palestine. The recent immigration detention of Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil was a shock to her. Wagner says the group is adjusting by having organizers with stronger immigration status take on leading rules for international students.

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What to know about Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia protester arrested by ICE and facing deportation

Students from Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, Congo, their families are being brutalized, and I cant even fathom what that does to a persons mental health. So on top of that, they shouldnt have to advocate for themselves or their families. We should do that for them, said Wagner.

Khalils attorneys said the recent university graduate is a permanent resident with a green card. During his arrest earlier this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents said Khalils student visa and green card were revoked.

Western Michigan University Professor Said Abubakr was taking part in Sundays demonstration outside of the federal building and U.S. courthouse. He said he became a U.S. citizen in the 90s. The revocation of Khalils immigration status does not make Abubakr worry for himself, but rather for his international students he said are now scared to speak out.

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What I hear from students is that they are very concerned. You know, theyre second, third, fourth year of school and they dont want to lose that. They spent a lot of money and resources to get to that point and they are scared. They want to graduate, of course, said Abubakr.

Khalils dentation comes amid an executive order by the Trump administration to detain and deport student activists who took part in nationwide campus protest sparked by war in Gaza. In a Truth Social post last week, President Donald Trump said it 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 wrote in the post.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Khalils detention and the executive order.

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The Justice Department is investigating whether Columbia University hid students sought by the US

There are kids at these schools that cant go to class. You pay all this money to these high-priced schools that are supposed to be of great esteem, and you cant even go to class. Youre afraid to go to class because these lunatics are running around with covers on their face screaming terrifying things. (If) you told us thats what you intended to do when you came to America, we would have never let you in. And if you do it, once you get in, were going to revoke it and kick you out, he said.

Wagner pushed back on the rhetoric that the Palestinian protesters are supporting terrorism.

We are advocating for the end to the violence, we are advocating for human rights, we are advocating for everyone to have the right to self-determination, she said.

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On Friday, WMU student protesters called on the administrations to adopt polices they say will protect students First Amendment rights.

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Throughout her presidential campaign, former vice president Kamala Harris told the American people specific things Donald Trump would do if he became president. Now, a mash-up video of her warnings is going viral on both TikTok and X because Donald Trump is already doing many of the things she warned us about. Here are a few of them:

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

1.Harris told CBS's Norah O'Donnell that Trump would adopt the policies outlined in Project 2025 despite his denial.

Brandon Bell / Getty Images / Via youtube.com

TIME found that nearly two-thirds of the president's early executive actions mirrored Project 2025, including deregulation measures and aggressive immigration reform. He also called on two people who wrote the plan to play significant roles in his administration.

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2.Harris told MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle that Trump's import tariffs would greatly harm the average American's wallet.

3.Harris told the American people, in a debate with Donald Trump, that he would succumb to Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to overtake Europe.

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

Politico reports that the Trump administration has appeared to give up its negotiating leverage to Russia in regard to the war in Ukraine. Trump also falsely claimed that Ukraine started the war with Russia when it was the other way around.

4.Harris told teachers in Houston that Trump would move to eliminate the Department of Education.

5.Harris told a rally crowd in Milwaukee that Trump would cut Social Security and Medicare and give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations.

Andy Manis / Getty Images

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NBC reports that Republicans can't meet their budget targets without cutting Medicare or Medicaid. Also, Trump and Elon Musk are baselessly claiming that tens of millions of dead people are collecting Social Security to justify cutting the program they have called "waste" and "fraud." Additionally, House Republicans are pushing to extend provisions from a 2017 tax law that would benefit people with high incomes.

6.Harris told radio host Charlamagne Tha God that Trump would move to terminate the Constitution, putting Americans' civil rights at risk.

7.And finally, Harris told people at a Univision Town Hall that Trump would be a dictator on day one of his presidency.

Chris DuMond / Getty Images / Via youtube.com

In an interview, Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Trump, "Under no circumstances, you are promising America tonight, you would never abuse power as retribution against anybody?" In response, Trump said, "Except for day one... I want to close the border, and I want to drill, drill, drill."

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"We love this guy," Trump said about Hannity. "He says, 'Youre not going to be a dictator, are you?' I said: 'No, no, no, other than day one,'" he repeated. To be clear, Trump has yet to be classified as a dictator, and we are not saying he is one. We are only pointing out what both he and Harris said about his first day in office.

In the comments, people expressed their frustration. "Kamala has been right all along," this person declared.

"America had an open book test with all the answers highlighted and still failed," this person said.

"yall were too worried to vote her cuz she was a woman who laughed, ain't nobody laughing now," this person said.

"America fumbled so bad she said all the right things over and over again and people still refused to listen," this person shared.

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"So we're all just crying over what could have been, right? WE TOLD YOU SO," this person cried.

"I voted for her I miss feeling hopeful," this person shared.

And other people just wished Harris happiness after trying her best to warn everyone. "I hope she is having a lovely day and enjoys grocery shopping with her husband. How exhausting," this person expressed.

What do you think? Were Harris's warnings valid? Let us know in the comments.

Jeff Swensen / Getty Images
President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua meets with Musaeva Aktilek, Kyrgyz Ambassador to China, in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2025. The two sides exchanged views on enhancing communication and cooperation between Chinese and Kyrgyz media. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua met with Musaeva Aktilek, Kyrgyz Ambassador to China, in Beijing on Monday.

The two sides exchanged views on enhancing communication and cooperation between Chinese and Kyrgyz media.

On the basis of strengthening cooperation on news reporting, technology and personnel exchanges between the two sides, they expressed their willingness to take the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit as an opportunity to jointly promote the Shanghai Spirit, and continuously advance close communication and mutual support between Chinese and Kyrgyz media within multilateral frameworks. 
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred in the 400 block of Armour Boulevard on Sunday afternoon.

KCPD says that around 2:15 p.m., officers were called to an apartment complex on reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they were directed inside the building.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

They found an adult male shooting victim unresponsive just outside one of the apartment units. Officers then called for EMS, who declared the victim dead upon their arrival.

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The victim has since been identified as 43-year-old Terrance Frost.

KCPD says that they detained an adult female for questioning and that detectives are on the scene investigating. Those detectives say they are not looking for additional suspects at this time.

This is an ongoing investigation, FOX4 will provide updates as theyre made available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Topeka Democratic Rep. Alexis Simmons joined former Kansas Republican Party executive director Kris Van Meteren on the Kansas Reflector podcast to outline their reservations about a bill that would simultaneously double campaign contribution limits for Kansas Legislature and statewide office positions while also removing caps on donations to county, district or state party committees. (Maya Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Democratic Rep. Alexis Simmons and former Kansas Republican Party executive director Kris Van Meteren stand uncommonly side-by-side against elimination of contribution limits applicable to political party committees.

The duo said on the Kansas Reflector podcast it would be a mistake to allow Republican or Democratic party committees to become spinning turnstiles for wealthy donors with the capacity to buy commanding influence over elections. They agreed a bill, approved by the Kansas House 77-46 and now undergoing scrutiny in the Kansas Senate, would distort campaigns by allowing donors with cash to burn to easily pick winners and losers.

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Its going to fundamentally alter the amount of money that can be spent directly on electing a candidate, Van Meteren said. Under this law, theyre going to be able to give unlimited contributions to party committees, which can expressly advocate for their candidates.

Both said they could see logic to House Bill 2054s doubling of contribution limits for candidates seeking election as governor and other statewide offices, the Kansas Legislature and State Board of Education. A $1,000 primary or general election donation to a gubernatorial candidate just didnt buy what it did when that cap was set more than 30 years ago.

Ill acknowledge its probably due, said Simmons, the Topeka Democrat. But I dont love it. I dont love it because were in this moment where folks cant afford to buy groceries, and were telling them the expectation is that theyre going to write larger checks to candidates.

She said the legislation should be split into individual bills, because an increase in the contribution limit to candidates could advance while removal of the cap on party donations could languish. Bundling the two was a method of compelling legislators to swallow the sweet and sour of political reform, she said.

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Decent policy would be actually to raise the caps on those individual limits, but it forces legislators to also accept the party committee piece. I think it was very sneaky, she said.

Democratic Rep. Alexis Simmons of Topeka, left, and former Kansas Republican Party executive director Kris Van Meteren of Leavenworth County, bottom, took part in the Kansas Reflector podcast to discuss campaign finance reforms pending in the Legislature. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Throws open door

In terms of the legislation, its important to distinguish a county or state party committee from a political action committee. Kansas doesnt impose a contribution limit on PACs, but Republican or Democratic party committees can accept a maximum $5,000 each year from sources other than a national party. Another key difference: PACs cannot spend money in coordination with individual candidates, but political committees can use contributions to collaborate directly with candidates.

Simmons and Van Meteren said uncapping donations to party committees and allowing those entities to coordinate with candidates would give wealthy donors a huge edge in influencing nominations and elections. Simmons said the bill passed by the House ought to be renamed the incumbent reelection act.

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This legislation throws open the door to all kinds of corruption. We need legislators to stand up  and say, This is not OK,  Simmons said.

Simmons said it was useful to keep in mind the effort to make it easier for politicians to raise campaign cash came on the heels of a state law nearly doubling salaries paid members of the Legislature.

Its a shell game that theyre playing, Van Meteren said. What party committees are going to become is a pass-through straw man. Megadonors can give unlimited amounts of money to the party committee, who can turn around and then spend it on their candidates. Its politician buying, in my opinion.

Under the House-approved bill, donors could give $4,000 each primary and general election to candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer and insurance commissioner. State senators and state Board of Education members could accept $2,000 from a donor in both elections. State representatives would be limited to $1,000 from a donor in each of those elections.

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During testimony to the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee, Kansas attorney Josh Ney said laws mandating unconstitutionally low limits on donations had been struck down in federal courts across the country. Ney, who assumed a prominent role in urging the Legislature to alter state campaign finance law, said important questions were being raised in Kansas about the propriety of limiting donations to party committees.

If the legitimate public purpose of campaign finance laws under the First Amendment case law is to prevent quid pro quo promises or corruption of elected officials, why are party committees limited and political (action) committees not? Ney said.

However, a handful of House Republicans, including Reps. Scott Hill of Abilene and Bill Rhiley of Wellington, joined Democrats to oppose HB 2054.

It allows the unlimited voice of those controlling the party to essentially force their speech onto any that are dissenting within the party, they said in a statement. Second, it allows major contributors of the party to control the voice of the party by their financial influence.

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Eye of the beholder

During the podcast, Van Meteren and Simmons said also they were disappointed with work by legislators to advance House Bill 2206 redefining PACs, altering coordination rules among political groups and candidates, and giving new meaning to donations given in the name of another. The issues have been tied to campaign finance investigations conducted by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission or KGEC.

Van Meteren, who supported an unsuccessful attempt to convince the Kansas Republican Party to look into possible campaign finance violations by GOP politicians and organizations, said this bill would improperly legalize making donations in the name of another.

He alleged HB 2206 was part of a legislative agenda drafted or advocated by lawyers who represented individuals investigated by KGEC.

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Put more succinctly, Van Meteren said, it obliterates transparency and allows megadonors wishing to exercise an outsized influence over Kansas political and policymaking environment to mask their activities by directing funds through other entities to benefit of their favored candidates.

He said this push to rewrite Kansas ethics law was a self-serving effort to stall, block or thwart the KGECs investigation altogether or, at a minimum, weaken the penalties for violating existing laws.

Ney, the attorney with clients investigated by KGEC, said the bills new definitions were meant to illuminate boundaries for financing political campaigns rather than leave statutes open to interpretation by KGEC.

Otherwise, Kansans will be at the mercy of eye-of-the-beholder interpretations in enforcement actions without the benefit of prior notice, he said. Many of our clients have been on the receiving end of these lawmaking-by-enforcement actions from this agency.
Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, D-Prairie Village, said a Senate bill given first-round approval Monday by the House would unnecessarily require the Kansas Legislature to micromanage accreditation of academic programs at public and private colleges and universities throughout the state. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  The Kansas House delivered preliminary approval Monday on legislation forbidding external postsecondary educational organizations from compelling a Kansas public and private college or university to violate state law in order to receive full accreditation.

The bill previously passed by the Kansas Senate was championed by two out-of-state, conservative organizations lobbying to convince states to move higher education away from certain ideologies, programs or expenditures. One area in which Senate Bill 78 could come into play would be if Kansas enforced a prohibition on programs tied to diversity, equity and inclusion that were traditionally a factor in college or university accreditation reviews.

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This bill would prohibit accrediting agencies or an association from compelling an institution to violate state law, said Rep. Sherri Brantley, R-Hoisington.

If the bill revised by a House committee earned the minimum 63 votes for passage in the House, the new version would need to be affirmed by the Senate before forwarded to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. It passed the Senate on a vote of 32-8 in February.

The legislation would give colleges, universities, community colleges and municipal institutions until Dec. 31 to review and update accreditation policies and practices. Accreditation associations and agencies eligible to do reviews in Kansas would have to be selected from a list maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, which President Donald Trump has indicated he would seek to eliminate.

The bill would grant Kansas higher education institutions authority to file lawsuits against associations or organizations that took adverse actions against a postsecondary institution that sought to abide by state law  assuming the relevant Kansas statute wasnt preempted by federal law.

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Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, D-Prairie Village, said the legislation was unnecessary because the Kansas Board of Regents, which has control of state universities and oversight of community college and technical colleges, possessed authority to insist accreditation adhere to the law.

He said there had been discussion about bringing forward a separate bill that could render the accreditation legislation egregious. The Senate Ways and Means Committee proposed withholding $2 million from the Kansas Department of Administration and $2 million from the governors office until it was affirmed DEI programs had been eradicated from certain executive branch agencies.

Rep. Linda Featherston, D-Overland Park, said the House and Senate could potentially withhold state funding from colleges or universities declared noncompliant with Senate Bill 78.

That would put colleges, universities, medical centers in danger of either accepting an accrediting body that isnt recognized by others or losing their state funding, she said. I feel this bill is the slippery slope to seeing all our mental health programs in Kansas  to seeing our social worker programs  go without accreditation.
Sen. Mike Thompson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee, said a collection of House amendments were removed from the Senate bill outlining a new process of filling vacancies for U.S. Senate, state treasurer and state insurance commissioner. The House and Senate approved the compromise bill Monday with two-thirds, veto-proof majorities. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  The House and Senate voted to approve a bill Monday placing the Legislature in greater control of decisions traditionally left to governors when temporarily filling vacancies for U.S. Senate, state treasurer and state insurance commissioner.

The content of Senate Bill 105 was developed based on the potential of U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall or Jerry Moran, both Republicans, vacating office before completing their Senate terms. The bill also envisioned a scenario in which state Treasurer Steven Johnson and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, also Republicans, departed early.

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Traditionally, Kansas governors have temporarily filled vacancies in these political offices until a special election or the term of the departed politician was close to expiring and a regularly scheduled election took place.

Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican, said the compromise bill would allow formation of a 12-member joint legislative committee to review applicants for vacancies in these jobs. Ten of 12 members on the nominating committee would be appointed by Republican leaders in the Legislature, with two selected by Democratic leadership in Legislature.

The committee would be required to conduct at least one public meeting so nominees could be heard. Only members of the Legislature  125 representatives, 40 senators  would be eligible to nominate candidates to fill a vacancy. Each legislator could nominate one person. An individual serving on the nominating committee couldnt be recommended to fill a vacancy.

To be eligible to assume the role of U.S. senator, state treasurer or state insurance commissioner, an applicant would have to be a Kansas resident and registered in the same political party as the previous officeholder for at least six years preceding the vacancy. If the departing officeholder was unaffiliated with a political party, any suitable person residing in Kansas could be eligible the appointment.

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We were opposed to this to begin with, said Rep. Silas Miller, D-Wichita. Now, its even worse. Legislative power grab.

The House voted for the deal 84-36, which led to the Senates 31-9 vote affirming the deal. The bill moves to the desk of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly with two-thirds margins capable of overriding a veto.

Under existing law, a Kansas governor possessed the power to appoint a Democrat to a seat formerly held by a Republican or the other way around. In 2020, Kelly named Democratic Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers to replace state Treasurer Jake LaTurner, a Republican who had been elected to the U.S. House. Republicans in the Legislature expressed disappointment Kelly handed a statewide office to a fellow Democrat. Republicans won the post back in 2022.

The negotiated bill would require the nominating committee to submit a list of three finalists to the full House and Senate. If available, the House and Senate would meet in joint session to vote on nominees. All members of the Legislature would be expected to vote. If the Legislature endorsed less than three finalists, the nominating committee would reconvene to come up with alternatives.

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If the Legislature wasnt in regular session and no special session was called within five days, the nominating committee would be responsible for forwarding names of three finalists directly to a governor. A governor would have to make the appointment within three calendar days of receiving the nominations.

It gives a little urgency to the Legislature to decide whether or not the Legislature wants to come back in special session, said Sen. Mike Thompson, a Johnson County Republican.

Thompson said all sorts of amendments added to the bill by the House were dropped during final negotiations among Senate and House members.
According to Kansas Reflector opinion editor Clay Wirestone, a bipartisan coalition of Kansas leaders has shown unrelenting hostility to free speech since the session began this year. (iStock/Getty Images)

From the first day of 2025 Kansas legislative session, a bipartisan coalition of leaders has shown unrelenting hostility to free speech.

In proposed legislation, during hearings and through executive action, lawmakers have torn down one of our nations foundational freedoms. That would be the right, as shared in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to freedom of speech, assembly and religion. While advocates have been quick to protest, others have been slow to recognize the wider pattern.

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That needs to change, or worse will follow.

In case anyone has forgotten the point of the First Amendment, its to protect the right of people to share opinions that others dont agree with. You dont need constitutional protections for innocuous speech. You dont put a clause into your founding document to protect speech with which a majority agrees.

The First Amendment only matters  only has force  if it applies to the minority, or to those without hands on the levers of power.

Free speech is for transgender-rights advocates at the Statehouse. Its for the Satanic Grotto. Its for those who make lawmakers tense up and grimace when they speak in a committee. Its for those who face general social opprobrium.

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Heres a list, in reverse chronological order, of affronts to the First Amendment that have occurred only this year at the Kansas Statehouse.

March 14: The Kansas Senates budget committee wants to hold $4 million hostage from the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly until state agencies proved they eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion jobs and programs as well as ended use of gender-affirming pronouns in signature blocks of employee emails.

March 13: In the counter-complaint taken up by the special committee on Thursday, (GOP Rep. Leah) Howell alleged (Democratic Rep. Ford) Carr should be reprimanded, censured or expelled by the full House for engaging in patterns of violent rhetoric, physical violence, intimidating behavior and derogatory language which is unbecoming of any Kansan, much less a member of the Kansas House.

March 12: Lest you think that Republicans own this problem, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly intervened Wednesday in satanists plans to conduct a black mass on March 28 at the Statehouse by declaring they would not be allowed inside.

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March 5: Rep. Susan Estes, R-Wichita, interrupted and admonished Rabbi Moti Rieber for saying lawmakers were prejudiced toward transgender children. She had Capitol Police forcibly remove Iridescent Roney, who shouted, with a fist in the air, Trans rights are human rights. 

Feb 19: The Kansas Senate on Wednesday passed legislation that would ban school district employees from using names or pronouns other than a minor students corresponding biological sex or birth certificate without parental permission.

Feb 18: Senate Bill 63 also prohibits the use of state funds for psychological treatment for transgender children, bans state employees from promoting social transitioning and outlaws liability insurance for damages related to gender-affirming care. For more on SB 63s dire free speech implications, read our story about an identical bill last year.

Jan 23: New Statehouse barriers for journalists were limply justified. During debate Thursday over an array of new House rules, (House Speaker Dan) Hawkins said he implemented the new restrictions to give his staff a better place to sit. Previously, staff sat on a bench in front of the press box.

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Jan 13: Hawkins banned reporting from the House chamber floor in new rules issued ahead of the legislative session, breaking from historical precedent and further exhibiting his disregard for news reporting.

If transgender Kansans and state employees and journalists do not have free speech, no Kansan has free speech. We only have the appearance of freedom if we share an opinion that everyone loves.

Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost, wrote Thomas Jefferson in 1786.

He saw clearly then what appears cloudy to lawmakers today.

Kansas leaders should be careful because their actions have played out in front of a national backdrop that shows unprecedented challenges to free expression. The Trump administration has tried to deport activist Mahmoud Khalil for his role in leading protests at Columbia University. Thus far, Khalil has not been accused of violating any law, simply expressing speech that the government disagrees with.

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Trump also sued media organizations and social networks, reeling in multimillion dollar settlements in constitutionally shaky cases.

With this kind of nonsense happening across the nation, you would hope that leaders in Kansas would set an example for their constituents. They could stand up and say that we make a point of respecting everyones right to make their voice heard, no matter the subject, no matter the controversy, no matter the person speaking.

They have shown themselves instead more interested in scoring political points and delivering body blows to the First Amendment along the way.

Now it lies bleeding inside the Statehouse, gasping for air as lobbyists and legislators step over its battered body.

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Who will salve its wounds? Who will rescue our rights? Who will protect the First Amendment  and all of us besides?

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Kate Middleton is back celebrating St. Patricks Day!

The Princess of Wales is attending the Irish Guards' St. Patricks Day Parade at Wellington Barracks, after missing the event last year due to her cancer diagnosis. For the occasion, she rewore a forest green Alexander McQueen coat from her closet, and opted for a Lock & Co. hat.

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

This is the Princess of Waless second time attending the parade as Colonel of the Irish Guards, but her tenth time handing out the symbolic shamrocks to the Irish Guardsa royal tradition that dates back to 1901. She accessorized with a gold Cartier shamrock brooch and a sprig of shamrocks pinned to her jacket, along with Kiki McDonough green tourmaline, green amethyst, and diamond earrings.

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

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Samir Hussein - Getty Images

According to Kensington Palace, Following the parade, Her Royal Highness will meet veterans of the Irish Guards and Mini Micks who are junior cadets from Northern Ireland. Kate will then visit the Junior Ranks dining hall and the Sergeants Mess to meet with Irish Guards members and the families.

While Prince William has historically joined Kate at the parade, this year, she was there solo. William is set to travel to Estonia this upcoming Thursday, but no specific reason was given for his absence today.

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Princess Kate participated in a beloved St. Patrick's Day tradition Monday after missing the event last year due to health issues.

Kate attended the Irish Guards' annual St. Patrick's Day parade Monday in London, an event she's attended regularly since 2012, making her absence at last year's parade stand out.

Kate did not attend the parade in-person in 2024. Just five days later, she announced to the world in a video message that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

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Kate has not shared further details of her diagnosis publicly but said in January that she is in remission.

As her recovery has progressed, Kate, 43, has gradually returned to her public royal duties over the past several months, including attending Monday's parade.

PHOTO: Catherine, Princess of Wales meets veterans of the Irish Guards during the 2025 Irish Guards' St. Patrick's Day Parade at Wellington Barracks on March 17, 2025 in London, England. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Kate was named honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2022, a role she inherited from her husband Prince William after his father, King Charles III, ascended to the throne.

Kate Middleton joins school kids on field trip

Though William has joined his wife at the parade in years past, Kate attended solo this year.

PHOTO: Catherine, Princess of Wales during the 2025 Irish Guards' St. Patrick's Day Parade at Wellington Barracks on March 17, 2025 in London, England. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Kate stood out at the parade in a green Alexander McQueen coat that she wore previously on a visit to Boston with William in 2022.

PHOTO: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales visit Boston City Hall to start the countdown to The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony on November 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Samir Hussein/Pool/WireImage/Getty Images)

Following tradition, Kate handed out medals and presented sprigs of shamrock to her soldiers before taking the salute at the parade.

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Kate Middleton shares new photo, powerful message for World Cancer Day

She was also spotted interacting with Seamus, an Irish deerhound who is the regiment's mascot, and sipping Guinness while talking with soldiers after the parade.

PHOTO: Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales takes a sip of Guinness during her visit to Wellington Barracks, in central London, Mar. 17, 2025. (Eddie Mulholland/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

William and Kate's official account on X shared photos from the parade Monday, along with the message, "Happy St Patrick's Day!  Great to be back to join the Irish Guards for their annual St Patrick's Day parade here at Wellington Barracks. Proud to be your Colonel, and celebrate 125 years of the regiment with you today."

Kate Middleton rejoins St. Patrick's Day tradition she missed amid cancer battle originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego held a joint town hall in Arizona on Monday focusing on Republican cuts to Medicaid where several constituents demanded they get more aggressive in pushing back against President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.

It seems like were not willing to get in the mud with them. Maybe its time we start getting a little bit dirtier with our messaging, one man who identified himself as Markos told the senators at the event, which was held at a community health center in Scottsdale.

Another constituent urged the senators to stand up for them by ousting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is facing intraparty backlash after he refused to block Republican legislation funding the government last week. Schumer postponed a planned book tour on Monday amid the outcry.

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Neither Arizona senator addressed the topic, and Gallego steered the conversation back to fighting the GOP legislative agenda.

We can do better, and we should do better. We owe it to every Arizonan, Gallego told the audience before urging them to speak out and put pressure on Republican lawmakers instead.

We are going to make the moves, but leaders need to have people that are there with them, he added. And you guys are the actual leaders. Were here to facilitate. Were going to continue to put pressure where we can on the people that are really going to have to end up making this decision.

The senators spent the vast majority of the event talking up the threat of hundreds of billions of dollars in Republican cuts to Medicaid, which Republicans are expected to raid to help pay for a $5 trillion tax cut package. The program covers medical bills for more than 70 million Americans, pays for more than 40% of all births, and is the single-largest financier of nursing home care.

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Make no mistake, theyre coming after you, Kelly warned at the town hall.

All of this stuff youre hearing every single day is so they can give a big giant tax cut to people who dont need a tax cut, he said of Trump and the Republicans. We could raise the taxes of billionaires and they will still be billionaires. And thats what we should be doing.

Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego hold a town hall in Scottsdale, Arizona. Igor Bobic / HuffPost

A woman named Tiana told the senators she was concerned about health coverage for her special needs child, adding that merely the threat of cuts to Medicaid is already having a big impact on her family.

We feel incredibly powerless trying to plan for our family, we cant wait, the woman said. We need to know how to prepare [for] what may come down the hatch. Would you mind telling your colleagues in Washington theyre burning down the house while my kid is inside?

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Other attendees expressed dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party and its handling of the moment.

I would ask the senators to be more straight with us, a woman who identified herself as Jeffrey said at the event. When you say we need to try to convince the GOP leaders... theyve shown us over and over and over again [that] they dont care if people die. They dont care if people suffer. We want you to be straight with us. How do we go to the next level to fight this, if thats the case?

Kelly said it was important for people to make their voices heard, including by calling their members of Congress and showing up in Republican districts to protest Trump administration policies.

They really matter, Kelly said. When the phone system shuts down in the U.S. Senate office buildings because so many people in the country are pissed off, everybody knows that.

Show up in front of their office, tell them how pissed off you are and how bad this is for our country, he added.
KENTUCKY (FOX 56)  Over the weekend, a deadly severe storm system made its way across the nation, bringing tornadoes, fire, blinding dust, hail, and rain throughout a vast swath of the U.S. So far, at least 35 deaths nationwide due to the storms have been reported.

Communities across the Bluegrass were hit by consistent heavy rain and high winds on Friday into Sunday morning.

Latest central Kentucky weather forecast

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Just before 8 a.m. on Sunday, the Mercer County Fire District posted on Facebook that emergency personnel in the area had been conducting a water rescue.

The Mercer County Fire District posted on Facebook that a water rescue was underway on Sunday. (Mercer County Fire District)

(Mercer County Fire District)

Around noon on Sunday, members of Powell County Search & Rescue worked through dime-sized hail and rain to help a woman who reportedly fell at Natural Bridge State Park.

Members of Powell County Search and Rescue worked on Sunday through hail and rain to help a woman who reportedly fell at Naturl Bridge State Park. (Powell County Search & Rescue)

(Powell County Search & Rescue)

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The Monticello Police Department posted on Facebook on Sunday morning warning residents about street closures due to high water.

On Sunday, the Monticello Police Department wrote on Facebook that Mockingbird Lane, Hummingbird Lane and Asbury Road were impassable due to flooding. (Monticello Police Department)

(Monticello Police Department)

Please avoid these areas and DO NOT attempt to drive through these flooded areas, Monticello law enforcement wrote.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), 24 roads have been closed across the Commonwealth due to weather hazards. For a full map of Kentucky roads along with their status, visit the KYTC website.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Just before 11 a.m. Sunday, nearly 10,000 Kentucky customers were without power, according to PowerOutage.Us. As of around 5 p.m., crews have worked to reduce that number to nearly 4,600 statewide.

(PowerOutages.Us) (PowerOutage.Us)

Kentucky Utilities staff urged Kentucky residents who find downed power lines to assume they are energized, stay away from them, and call (800) 981-0600. KU customers can report and track outages through the mobile app and lge-ku.com/storm.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
PHNOM PENH, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Monday officially launched here a South-South Cooperation project on climate-resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) with support from China and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"This initiative reaffirms a shared commitment to ensuring that the most vulnerable communities have access to clean, safe, and climate-resilient water and sanitation services, mitigating the increasing threats posed by climate change," said a press release by the Cambodian Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI) after the event.

Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation Hem Vanndy said Cambodia has made significant progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals 6.1 and 6.2.

"These goals commit us to ensuring universal and equitable access to safe, affordable drinking water, as well as adequate sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030, while prioritizing the needs of women, girls, and vulnerable populations," he said.

Under the scope of this cooperation, three Cambodian ministries, namely MISTI, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Public Works and Transport, are directly involved and will benefit from the program's technical and financial support from China's Ministry of Water Resources and UNICEF China, the press release said.

It added that under the cooperation, a comprehensive multi-year plan has been developed, which includes enhancing water quality and sanitation in schools and communities, implementing solar-powered and gravity-fed water systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the press release, approximately four million Cambodians rely on water supply and sanitation services that are increasingly at risk due to frequent drought, floods and other extreme weather events. 
KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44)  The Killeen Independent School Districts Crisis Response website has been updated in wake of the fatal stabbing at Roy J. Smith Middle School last week.

The district said an altercation between two juvenile students occurred on March 10, resulting in the stabbing. The suspect, also a student, was quickly apprehended by Killeen ISD Police near the campus and placed in custody.

The Killeen Police Department says officers arrived on campus and found a 14-year-old girl, identified as Serenity Baker, suffering from the stab wound. Baker was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Gregory Johnson. The suspect is also 14 years old.

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SEE ALSO: Fundraiser to assist family of Killeen stabbing victim

The district said regarding its Crisis Response website:

This page serves as a central resource for updates, support services, and frequently asked questions. We encourage our community to stay informed and connected as we navigate this journey together. Killeen Independent School District

For more information, as well as to see the recent updates, you can visit the 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 KWKT - FOX 44.
Earlier this month, King Charles met with then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Sandringham House when the PM was in the UK for summit on Ukraine. But as the saying goes, a week is a long time in politics, and today the King has met new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, this time at Buckingham Palace.

The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney (Prime Minister of Canada) was received in audience by His Majesty, Buckingham Palace said in a statement today at 5pm in the UK. The meeting took place in the 18th Century Room and lasted for 30 minutes. The King congratulated the PM on his election and the rest of their discussion was private.

As a Commonwealth realm, Canada has King Charles as its head of state. He has yet to visit the country since becoming King and curtailing his travel because of his cancer diagnosis.

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Carney became Canadas new Prime Minister after being elected as the new leader of the ruling Liberal Party earlier this month. After being sworn in, he addressed the statements made by President Trump about making Canada the 51st State of America. We will never, in any shape or form, be part of the US. We are very fundamentally a different country, he said.

There has been much focus on the King and royal familys support for Canada in recent days. Following his meeting with Trudeau, the King received the Canadian Usher of the Black Rod and the speaker of the Canadian Senate at Buckingham Palace. An aide said it was an opportunity for the King to reaffirm the sentiments shared in his Flag Day message, which he released in February this year to mark the 60th anniversary of Canada's flag. The message described the Canadian flag as an internationally recognised as a symbol of a proud, resilient and compassionate country.

For my own part, it is a symbol that never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration, as I recall with the deepest affection my many Canadian visits and friendships, the Kings message read. There was also speculation that Kate Middleton chose red to the Commonwealth Day service in support of Canada.

The King is currently walking what might be described as a diplomatic tightrope. As head of state in the UK, he issued a formal invitation to President Trump for an unprecedented second State visit.

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At least 42 people are dead after a weekend of dynamic storms unleashed tornadoes, blinding dust and wildfires  leaving behind uprooted trees and flattening hundreds of homes and businesses across eight U.S. states in the South and Midwest.

Weather forecasters gave an unusual high risk designation to the storm system, which began Friday before tapering off Sunday. For now, people in the affected communities are surveying damage as some brace for more potentially damaging weather.

Here's what to know about the unusually erratic and destructive weather system that socked central and eastern portions of the U.S.

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Where and how did people die?

Missouri lost the most lives in the storm and tornadoes, with 13 reported killed. Mississippi saw six people killed by tornadoes.

Wildfires or high winds were blamed for four deaths in Oklahoma, including a person who died in a car crash due to poor visibility and an individual whose remains were found in a burned home.

Vehicle crashes caused by dust storms killed eight in Kansas and three in Texas. Alabama and Arkansas each reported three.

The storm also killed two boys, ages 11 and 13, when a tree fell on their home in western North Carolina on Sunday, according to firefighters.

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Multiple tornadoes in several states

There was a significant outbreak of tornadoes, with a preliminary count of 46 on Friday and 41 on Saturday, said Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Two strong tornadoes tore through the same Mississippi county roughly within an hour of the other on Saturday, according to the weather agency.

The twisters had preliminary ratings of EF-2 and EF-3, out of a rating scale of 0 to 5, and caused devastating damage in Walthall County, in far southern Mississippi, and in Tylertown.

Wildfires and dust storms also proved deadly

Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Oklahoma and officials in both Oklahoma and Texas warned that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of fire danger this week.

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More than 130 fires were reported across the state on Friday and over 400 homes were damaged.

Dust storms spurred by high winds resulted at least 50 vehicles crashing on a highway Friday, killing at least eight people, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Authorities said three people also died in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle.

Another system is coming this week

The National Weather Service said weekend tornado watches had mostly expired, but dangerous winds were still possible in the Carolinas, east Georgia and northern Florida through Sunday.

Another system is moving out of the Rockies and into the Plains in coming days, Chenard said. The threat of winter weather picks up on Tuesday into Wednesday in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, with significant snow and wind bringing hazardous conditions.

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To the south across portions of the Plains there will be drier air, bringing fire weather risk.

Recovery efforts

President Donald Trump said the White House was monitoring the storms and would assist state and local officials to help in the recovery. He said National Guard troops were deployed to Arkansas.
TALLAHASSEE  The Florida House is for the third time pushing to undo a law that bans people younger than 21 from buying a rifle.

In the past two legislative sessions, the bill failed amid opposition from Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.

But this year, gun rights activists say theyre more hopeful, pointing to new legislative leadership, a court ruling and continued support from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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Heres what to know about the proposal and what it would mean for Floridians.

Why does Floridas law restrict people under 21 from buying rifles?

The law was a direct result of the 2018 Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, where 17 students and teachers died.

The gunman was a 19-year-old who used an AR-15-style rifle that hed legally purchased about a year earlier.

The school shooting, one of the deadliest in U.S. history, happened in the middle of Floridas legislative session. Family members of the dead begged lawmakers for change. The result was a sweeping bipartisan gun and school safety package that Gov. Rick Scott signed into law.

The National Rifle Association opposed the bill and quickly challenged the requirement that someone be 21 to buy a long gun. Federal law already required that someone be at least 21 years old to buy a handgun.

Whats still allowed under the current law?

Floridas law only bans the sale or transfer of a firearm by any licensed gun dealer or manufacturer to someone younger than 21.

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Federal law already prohibits the sale of handguns to someone younger than 21, but allows people to purchase a rifle or long gun if they are at least 18.

People under 21 can still possess and use rifles if they lawfully get the firearm another way, like having it gifted to them.

The law also allows people 18, 19 and 20 to purchase rifles if they are a law enforcement officer, correctional officer or service member.

A service member is defined as any person serving as part of the United States Armed Forces on active duty or state active duty, anyone in the Florida National Guard, and anyone in the United States Reserve Forces.

What have the courts said?

The National Rifle Association quickly challenged Floridas law after it was passed in 2018, arguing that the restriction violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms and the Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.

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In 2023, a federal appeals court upheld Floridas law, saying that it was consistent with historical firearms restrictions.

On Friday, an appeals court reaffirmed that the under-21 restriction was valid.

From the Founding to the late-nineteenth century, our law limited the purchase of firearms by minors in different ways, the court wrote. The Florida law also limits the purchase of firearms by minors. And it does so for the same reason: to stop immature and impulsive individuals, like Nikolas Cruz, from harming themselves and others with deadly weapons.

The decision was supported by eight judges on the court, including five judges appointed by a Democrat president and three justices appointed by a Republican president. Four judges, all appointed by President Donald Trump, dissented.

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The decision sets up a possible challenge that could run up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Earlier this year, a different appeals court ruled that a federal age restriction on firearms was unconstitutional.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Friday made clear he disagrees with Floridas age restriction. He said on social media that if Floridas case moves to the Supreme Court, he and his office would not defend the law (unlike his predecessor Ashley Moody).

Are younger people more likely to use guns?

Perpetrators of gun violence are more likely to be young men, with the peak age being 18, said Daniel Webster, a distinguished scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

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But Webster noted that gun violence is a handgun problem more than it is anything else.

Webster, citing data from the FBIs National Incident-Based Reporting System for murder and non-negligent manslaughter, noted that arrests hit their highest for 18-year-olds, and then fall for each subsequent age group.

Webster said that the prefrontal cortex, which plays a large role in decision-making, isnt developed until about age 25 for males, which he said helps explain the age distribution for violent crime.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said the idea behind restricting the purchase of long guns is to provide speed bumps for people who are 18, 19 or 20.

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Gualtieri, chairperson of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, said people in that age range tend to be impulsive, and that the current laws stops people from buying a rifle on impulse.

Theres nothing in there that prevents a 19-year-old from possessing a rifle or a shotgun, Gualtieri said.

Where do legislative leaders stand?

House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, has said he supports the bill to lower the rifle-buying age to 18. Perez voted for the post-Parkland bill in 2018 that made the change, saying it was a very emotional time and that the Legislature was trying to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.

And because of that, government has gotten involved with the Second Amendment, Perez said earlier this month.

Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, has said hes thinking through the proposal, but he has not yet indicated if hes for it or against it.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Those planning to fly drones at St. Patricks Day Parade in downtown Peoria on Monday are reminded to follow responsible and safe practices.

In a post on their Facebook page, the Peoria Police Department laid out rules and regulations, as well as penalties for those who do not follow proper procedures when it comes to flying drones at the parade on March 17.

Airspace over large public gatherings, like our parade, presents unique safety challenges. We understand the appeal of capturing aerial footage, but public safety is our top priority, the post said.

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In the post, they laid out the following key safety rules:

 FAA Regulations: All drone operators must adhere to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. This includes, but is not limited to, registering your drone, flying within visual line of sight, and respecting Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) that may be in place.

 No-Fly Zones: During the parade, specific areas along the route may be designated as temporary no-fly zones. Please be aware of and respect these restrictions. Information regarding TFRs can be found on the FAAs website.

 Crowd Safety: Do not fly directly over people or moving vehicles. Maintain a safe distance and be aware of your surroundings. A drone malfunction or loss of control can cause serious injury.

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Not complying with not only FAAs rules but also local ordinances can result in civil fines from the FAA, reckless endangerment charges and confiscation of your drone, the post said.

Police officers will be monitoring the route with their drone team as well as officers on the ground to make sure all rules and regulations are being followed.

We encourage all drone operators to fly responsibly and safely. Lets work together to ensure a safe and enjoyable St. Patricks Day for everyone, the post said.

All questions on drone regulations can be found by visiting the FAAs website, as well as contacting the Peoria Police Departments Drone Commander at 309-494-8303.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has ended a program that paid Wisconsin farmers to grow fresh produce for food pantries.

The Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program was part of a nationwide project that began in 2021 with the goal of supporting local farmers and reducing hunger.

Here's what to know about the program and why it was canceled.

What was the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program?

Those who used the program described it as a win-win that improved farmers' bottom lines and promoted healthy eating of locally sourced food.

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It was administered through the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The Wisconsin Farmers Union, the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative and Marbleseed, an organic farming nonprofit, were program partners.

The program issued two kinds of grants: One to farmers to help them expand their market reach by working with local hunger relief groups, and one to local organizations to set up programs that purchased Wisconsin-grown or Wisconsin-raised food and gave it for free to people in need.

How many Wisconsin farmers and food pantries participated?

During last year's growing season, almost 300 farms participated in the program, sending $4.2 million worth of food to more than 250 pantries and schools, according to a news release about the termination from the Wisconsin Farmers Union.

The organizations receiving the food ranged from small, local pantries to major food banks like Feeding Wisconsin and Hunger Task Force, which supplied the food to their own networks of pantries.

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Almost 40% of the producers picked to receive funding last year were Black, Indigenous or other people of color, more than half were new or beginning farmers, and 42% of the farms were women-owned. The program was in part aimed at giving historically marginalized groups a leg up in the world of agriculture, which is overwhelmingly white and male.

How did it work?

Once farmers were chosen for the grant, they worked with staff from Marbleseed to create their contract, make projections about how much food they planned to sell, and set their prices. Each farmer was awarded between $5,000 and $25,000 for their contributions.

About once a week during the growing season, a driver from the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative would visit the farms and pick up food items that had been packed into boxes for shipping. From there, the boxes would get distributed to individual pantries and food banks. Every county in the state was served by the program.

Why did it end?

In a March 7 termination letter, USDA deputy administrator Jack Tuckwiller wrote that the program "no longer effectuates agency priorities."

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The cancellation comes as President Donald Trump enacts sweeping cost-cutting measures to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.

Jackie Anderson, executive director of Feeding Wisconsin, said in the news release that the elimination of the program was especially disheartening during a time of "significantly increased" need for food bank services. More than 617,000 Wisconsin residents are food-insecure, according to Feeding America.

Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about Wisconsin's Local Food Purchase Assistance Program
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The United States under President Donald Trump has launched a new campaign of intense airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels.

This weekend's strikes killed at least 53 people, including children, and wounded others. The campaign is likely to continue, part of a wider pressure campaign by Trump now targeting the Houthis' main benefactor, Iran, as well.

Here's what to know about the U.S. strikes and what could happen next:

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Why did the U.S. launch the new airstrikes?

The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year. Their leadership described the attacks as aiming to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis' profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.

Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, said his administration targeted the Houthis over their unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism. He noted the disruption Houthi attacks have caused through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key waterways for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and Europe through Egypt's Suez Canal.

We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective, Trump said.

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Didn't the U.S. already target the Houthis with airstrikes?

Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. and the United Kingdom began a series of airstrikes against the Houthis starting in January 2024. A December report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies said the U.S. and its partners struck the Houthis over 260 times up to that point.

U.S. military officials during that period acknowledged having a far-wider target list for possible strikes. While the Biden administration didn't go too far into explaining its targeting, analysts believe officials largely were trying to avoid civilian casualties and not rekindle Yemen's stalemated war, which pits the Houthis and their allies against the country's exiled government and their local and international allies, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Trump administration, however, appears willing to go after more targets, based on the weekend's strikes and public remarks made by officials.

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Were doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News' Face The Nation on Sunday. Thats the mission here, and it will continue until thats carried out.

Rubio added: Some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.

Israel also launched its own airstrikes on Houthi-held sites, including the port city of Hodeida, over the rebels' missile and drone attacks targeting Israel.

What could the new U.S. strikes mean for the wider Mideast?

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In two words: More attacks.

The Houthis said last week they'll again target Israeli ships traveling through Mideast waterways like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, because of Israel's blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. No rebel attack targeting commercial shipping has been reported as of Monday morning.

However, the new U.S. campaign likely could inspire Houthi attacks at sea or on land beyond American warships. The rebels previously targeted oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two countries deeply involved in Yemen's war since 2015.

Although the U.S. has been striking at Houthi targets for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict, analysts at the Eurasia Group said Monday.

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Gulf Arab countries "will distance themselves from ongoing hostilities but now face threats to their major oil infrastructure. The Houthis will want to hit President Donald Trump where it hurts, oil prices.

Meanwhile, the Houthis likely will expand their possible targets for ship attacks, meaning shippers will continue to stay out of the region, said Jakob P. Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners.

Where are the Iranians in all of this?

Iran long has armed the Houthis, who are members of Islams minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons back to Iran. That's likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.

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The Houthis now form the strongest group within Iran's self-described Axis of Resistance." Others like Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have been decimated by Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that sparked Israel's war of attrition in the Gaza Strip. Allied Shiite militias in Iraq largely have kept their heads down since the U.S. launched retaliatory attacks last year over a drone attack that killed three American troops and injured at least 34 others at a military base in Jordan.

While Iranian state television aired footage of civilian casualties from the weekend strikes in Yemen, top political leaders stayed away from suggestion Tehran itself would get involved in the fight. Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami notably underscored the Houthis made their own decisions  while not offering any warning over what would happen if the strikes killed any members of the Guard's expeditionary Quds Force, who are believed to actively support the rebels on the ground.

We have always declared  and we declare again today  that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy, Salami said.

Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz, speaking to ABC's This Week on Sunday, warned Guard officials training the Houthis will be on the table too as possible targets for attack.

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Meanwhile, Iran is still trying to determine how to respond to a letter from Trump aiming to restart negotiations over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday officials continue to review the letter and will respond "after investigations are completed.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately traveled Sunday to Oman, which long has been an interlocutor between Tehran and the West. The Houthis also operate a political office in the sultanate.

The attacks on the Houthis are a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in his insistence that Iran return to the negotiating table to deal with its nuclear program, the New York-based Soufan Center said in an analysis Monday.
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that a telephone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump is planned for Tuesday, as EU foreign ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss additional aid for Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that preparations for the conversation were under way, without giving further details.

Trump had previously said that he wanted to talk to Putin about trying to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, saying that he may have news to announce on Tuesday.

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This would be the second formal phone call between the two presidents since Trump returned to office, following their first conversation in February.

The Russian confirmation comes as EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday to discuss a new initiative that could provide billions of euros of further military aid for Ukraine.

German minister warns against unilateral concessions

Speaking in Brussels, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Trump not to make unilateral concessions to Putin that could harm Ukraine.

Trump said on Sunday evening that he would talk to Putin on Tuesday as part of his efforts to "bring that war to an end."

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Baerbock stressed the importance of trans-Atlantic unity, insisting that Ukraine's territorial integrity must remain the basis for all negotiations.

"No options should be taken off the table in advance," she said, without criticizing Trump's planned talks with Putin.

Baerbock noted that Putin has so far resisted a US-backed 30-day-long ceasefire in Ukraine. Kiev, however, has said it is ready to accept it.

"The ball is now in Putin's court," Baerbock said.

Many EU nations view Trump's approach as problematic, as it has so far focused on pressuring Ukraine for concessions.

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As part of a peace deal with Russia, the Trump administration has suggested it wants Kiev to abandon its push for rapid NATO accession and accept that parts of its territory will remain under Russian control.

EU ministers discuss further aid

Following the change of course in Washington under Trump, EU countries are scrambling to procure further support for Kiev.

On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that Ukraine will have to wait for fresh military aid commitments as key details remain unresolved.

While broad political support exists, Kallas noted at the meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers that EU defence ministers must also be involved in discussions.

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According to diplomats, a decision in principle on the aid is unlikely before Thursday's summit of EU leaders.

Kallas has proposed sending 20-40 billion ($21.8-43.6 billion) in aid this year, with contributions based on each member state's economic strength.

But to avoid potential vetoes, participation would be voluntary, according to a document seen by dpa.

Hungary, led by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, opposes the aid, calling it futile and prolonging the war. Budapest recently forced the EU to lift sanctions on several Russians.

For some countries, such as Germany, the support proposed by Kallas would not be a problem. Berlin has already approved aid totalling 4 billion for this year, with a further 3 billion to be added soon.

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However, other large countries such as France, Italy and Spain would have to significantly increase their support for Ukraine if they were to make a contribution to the fund that is proportionate to their economic strength.

EU ministers stick to Syria plans

Following discussions on Ukraine aid, EU foreign ministers agreed to stick to plans to lift sanctions on Syria, despite a recent surge in violence in the war-torn country.

Following the consultations, Kallas said that it was important to offer hope to the population to prevent further violence.

The EU is closely monitoring the course of the new Syrian leadership, the EU foreign policy chief said, particularly regarding recent violence in the coastal province of Latakia.

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In early March, militants linked to the regime of ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad attacked security forces in Latakia, prompting a major military response from the transitional government.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, about 1,500 people, many of them civilians, were killed.

The government viewed the uprising as an attempt by al-Assad loyalists to destabilize the country.

EU countries agreed to gradually ease sanctions on Syria in February, some two months after al-Assad was ousted by an Islamist-led rebel alliance, to allow for a quick economic recovery and reconstruction of the country.

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The step was also motivated by hopes that hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees currently living in the European Union may one day be able to return.

Monday's ministerial consultations were followed by a donor conference to raise aid for the Syrian population and Syrian refugees in the region, with Germany pledging an additional 300 million to help mitigate the devastating impact of Syria's civil war.
The Kremlin claims that calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine are merely an attempt to give the Ukrainian military time to regroup and rearm, according to Vladimir Putins aide, Yuri Ushakov.

"We see this as an effort to provide Ukrainian forces with a pause during a difficult period. The Russian army is advancing on all fronts, and under these circumstances, the ceasefire could be viewed as a way to allow Ukraine to strengthen its position," Ushakov told state-owned media on March 16.

He added that Russia has conveyed its concerns to the United States and that while communication between the two countries continues, it does not extend to direct talks between the presidents.

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Ushakov also noted that a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin could be arranged quickly if necessary.

During negotiations in Saudi Arabia, U.S. officials suggested a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. During talks in Jeddah on March 11, Kyiv accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, after which Washington resumed its military and intelligence support for Ukraine.

On March 13, Vladimir Putin said that Russia is willing to accept the ceasefire but insists on guarantees that Ukraine will not mobilize troops, conduct training, or receive military assistance during the truce.

To discuss the proposal, U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow. Following the visit, Putin reportedly signaled his willingness to accept the U.S. plan but insisted that any ceasefire must contribute to a long-term resolution of the war.

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Despite this, Ukraine remains doubtful that Russia would uphold a ceasefire agreement.

Read also: Painful for Russia: What new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy mean for Moscow

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
An aerial drone photo shows staff members celebrating the maiden flight of China's domestically developed tonne-class unmanned transport aircraft, the TP1000, at an airport in east China's Shandong Province, March 15, 2025. (Yi-Tong UAV System Co., Ltd/Handout via Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's domestically developed tonne-class unmanned transport aircraft, the TP1000, has completed its maiden flight in east China's Shandong Province.

Designed and manufactured by Yi-Tong UAV System Co., Ltd, based in Yantai, Shandong Province, the aircraft flew for 26 minutes on Saturday at an airport in Shandong. Its stable performance validated its design and reliability, reported the Science and Technology Daily on Monday.

The maiden flight signifies another significant advancement for China in the field of high-end unmanned aviation equipment.

As a large cargo drone developed under China's civil aviation airworthiness procedures, the TP1000 boasts a payload capacity of 1,000 kilograms, a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers when fully loaded, and a 7-cubic-meter cargo bay.

With a takeoff weight of 3.3 tonnes, it features twin-engine modular installation, a self-developed multi-redundant flight control system, and advantages in endurance, payload, and cost-efficiency.

Notably, the TP1000 is equipped with a large rear cargo door, enabling intelligent airdrop for material delivery and emergency rescue in various scenarios, according to the report.

"In addition to transporting goods, the TP1000 can be quickly modified according to customer specifications for marine monitoring, scientific exploration, resource development, and regional infrastructure projects due to its excellent flight performance, load capacity, and lower operating costs," said Yi-Tong's General Manager Jin Ge.

Yi-Tong aims to obtain airworthiness certification for the TP1000 by late 2025, with commercial operations expected to begin in 2026 after regulatory approval, said Jin.

"The TP1000's successful debut upgrades our product portfolio centered on fixed-wing and vertical takeoff composite-wing drones," said Jin.

Currently, the company's fixed-wing TP500 model, with a payload capacity of 500 kilograms, successfully completed test flights of its newly certified design in February 2025, moving into a new certification phase. Meanwhile, the TR100, a core model with a payload capacity of 150 kilograms, has also entered the trial operation stage, according to Jin.

"Compared to the TP500, which carries 500 kg over 500 km, the TP1000 offers greater payload and range. Together, they will address the booming demand for low-altitude logistics," he said.

The company has secured 30 orders from clients including ZTO Express.

This achievement aligns with China's strategic push to develop its low-altitude economy, which has been identified as a key growth sector in the country.

The Yantai Huang-Bohai New Area has emerged as a hub for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) research and development, and manufacturing, hosting enterprises and research institutes across drone production, core components, and air-land-sea applications.

Yi-Tong has established a 4,000-square-meter production line in the new area and has initiated the construction of a UAV industrial park over 20,000 square meters, said Jin.

By the end of 2025, the company aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 100 large UAVs, fostering a cluster of upstream and downstream supporting industries to help Yantai develop into a national-level UAV industrial hub, he added. 

An aerial drone photo shows China's domestically developed tonne-class unmanned transport aircraft, the TP1000, conducting its maiden flight at an airport in east China's Shandong Province, March 15, 2025. (Yi-Tong UAV System Co., Ltd/Handout via Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo shows China's domestically developed tonne-class unmanned transport aircraft, the TP1000, conducting its maiden flight at an airport in east China's Shandong Province, March 15, 2025. (Yi-Tong UAV System Co., Ltd/Handout via Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo shows China's domestically developed tonne-class unmanned transport aircraft, the TP1000, conducting its maiden flight at an airport in east China's Shandong Province, March 15, 2025. (Yi-Tong UAV System Co., Ltd/Handout via Xinhua)
(Bloomberg) -- The Kremlin confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to speak to President Donald Trump on Tuesday amid the US push for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.

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Such a conversation is being prepared for Tuesday, Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday, according to the Interfax news service. He declined to comment further on the planned discussions.

Trump had first announced the call to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, saying there was a very good chance for a deal. We are doing pretty well I think with Russia, he said. Well see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday.

The US is pressing for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine has said its ready to accept. While Putin has said Russia is willing to consider a truce in principle, he has insisted on a number of conditions before hell commit to any halt to the invasion he started three years ago.

The date of the planned call is loaded with symbolism for Putin, who has declared March 18 as the annual day of Russias reunification with Crimea to mark the 2014 annexation of Ukraines Black Sea peninsula. At a concert on Red Square last year marking the 10th anniversary of the seizure, Putin told Russians the same is true for areas of eastern Ukraine that Russia has occupied since he ordered the 2022 full-scale invasion.

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The Russian leader is also due to speak to Trump a year after he celebrated getting 87% of the vote for a fifth term in a March 17 election that was tightly controlled by the Kremlin.

This would be the second phone call between Trump and Putin. The first, on Feb. 12, was followed days later by a meeting between top US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia at which they agreed to revive diplomatic ties. Russian and US officials held further talks in Istanbul last month.

US envoy Steven Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow last week, though he didnt disclose what they discussed. It was the second time they had held talks.

Ukraine accepted US proposals for a 30-day truce at talks between the two sides in the Saudi city of Jeddah last week.

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The flurry of engagement between Washington and Moscow has made European leaders worried that Trump may concede too much on Ukraines behalf in a direct exchange with Putin.

Putin has deflected efforts to stop the fighting as his forces make incremental battlefield gains, including pushing Ukrainian forces back from most of the parts of Russias Kursk region that theyd seized in an surprise offensive last year.

Trump said much of the planned call on Tuesday will be about territory.

A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war, as you know, he told reporters. Well be talking about land, well be talking about power plants  thats, you know, thats a big question.

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Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets, he added.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said concessions need to be made by Russia, because otherwise you will be compromising international law and the UN Charter, which would have global implications.

To be loud and clear, I think the genuine effort by President Trump to really achieve peace here should not be misused by Putin to further weaken Ukraine, she told reporters on Monday.

Putin has said he wants a long-term settlement, while insisting on conditions that would be difficult for Kyiv to accept. The Kremlin has previously demanded that Ukraine become a neutral nation, significantly reduce the size of its armed forces and cede territory that Russia has already seized in the war, while abandoning ambitions to join the NATO military alliance.

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The European Unions top foreign policy official, Kaja Kallas, said the conditions that Moscow has presented show that they dont really want peace.

They are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war, she told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. We really need to see that the ball is in Russias court.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has stressed the need for security guarantees strong enough to deter Russia from renewing hostilities in the future.

Read: US Allies Try to Work Out Who the Real Rubio Is at G-7 in Canada

European officials thrashed out plans for a peacekeeping force of more than 10,000 troops for Ukraine, the Sunday Times reported, citing senior government sources. The bulk would likely come from the UK and France, according to the newspaper, which also said that about 35 countries have agreed to supply weapons, and logistical and intelligence support to the mission.

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European leaders want to see any force on the ground in Ukraine backed up by US security guarantees in the form of air power, intelligence and border surveillance. Its far from clear whether Trump would be willing to do that.

(Updates with further details in the fifth paragraph.)

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Ukraine is extraditing a German citizen who fought in Ukraine's Defense Forces and is suspected of rape and other crimes, the BBC and Suspilne reported on March 17, citing sources in the Prosecutor General's Office.

Ben R. is suspected of rape in Germany and Ukraine, as well as possessing and distributing images of sexual violence, including those involving children, according to the BBC.

The German citizen reportedly fought for Ukraine between 2022 and 2024.

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German prosecutors requested his extradition twice in late 2023, but Ukrainian authorities took the step only a year later, in December 2024. Ben R. was reportedly arrested in Sumy Oblast a month later and left Ukraine via the Polish border on March 17 to stand trial in Germany, the BBC reported.

Ben. R reportedly appealed the decision twice, but both times with procedural violations, leading to the court rejecting the appeals.

German prosecutors allegedly possess video evidence of Ben R. raping women, including two Ukrainians, one of whom is a minor. Both of them confirmed this during a pre-trial investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors, though the underage girl later withdrew her testimony, the BBC wrote.

The suspected rape of a minor remains under investigation.

Mehr als zwei Jahre lang hat sich Ben R. den deutschen Strafverfolgern in der Ukraine entzogen, nun wurde der fruhere Bundeswehrsoldat in der Region Sumy festgenommen. Er soll nach Deutschland ausgeliefert werden.https://t.co/AfvBi9hfMq  DER SPIEGEL (@derspiegel) February 7, 2025

Ben R. officially served in the International Legion of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) but also carried out tasks for combat units of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the BBC reported after receiving confirmation from both agencies. According to the outlet's sources, Ben R. took part in the battle of Bakhmut.

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The International Legion is divided into two units, one under the military intelligence agency and the other under the Armed Forces.

Citizens from over 50 countries have joined the unit since the start of the full-scale invasion, including military veterans from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Europe, and beyond, Ukraine's military intelligence said.

Initially lauded as a PR success, it soon became marred by scandals and stories about misconduct.

Prior to his service in Ukraine, Ben R. served in the German military but was banned from performing military service in March 2022 and officially discharged a year later following a probe by German military prosecutors, the German newspaper Spiegel reported.

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Foreigners with criminal records cannot serve in Ukraine's Defense Forces.

Last year, Ukraine extradited Craig Lang, a U.S. citizen who fought for Ukraine but was wanted in his homeland on murder, robbery, and other charges.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russias Kursk Oblast

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
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Walker II was last seen on trail camera footage on February 27. | Credit: Gautala Wildlife Sanctuary

A lone tiger, often spotted on camera traps in the protected Gautala Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra state India, has been thought to have been killed by poachers after disappearing from footage.

The only tiger in the park, known as Walker II, was often spotted on camera traps placed near water holes in the sanctuary, and was last seen on February 27. A couple of days after Walker II was last spotted, forest department officials caught a group of poachers with the remains of multiple wild animals.

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The lack of any fresh sighting of the tiger, even near the water holes  which are the only source of drinking water for wild animals  on the camera traps has sparked concern among conservationists.

Rajesh Thombare, the honorary wildlife warden for Jalgaon district, said a thorough investigation is needed to expose the poaching threat. It is suspected that the poachers also killed a tiger and a leopard along with other wild animals. They smuggled the tiger and leopards body parts with the help of a woman accomplice. However, no woman has been made an accused in the poaching case so far.

When contacted by The Times of India, forest department authorities refuted the claims of tiger poaching in the sanctuary. Going by past experiences, trap cameras may or may not spot the tiger, said a senior forest department official. We are waiting for reports from a Nagpur-based lab where body parts and carcasses of wild animals hunted by poachers are sent for analysis.

Walker II wandered into the sanctuary in March 2021, and had almost no contact with humans, but had regularly been captured on the many camera traps that monitor the wildlife in the park.

Take a look at our guides to the best trail cameras, and the best cameras for wildlife photography.
Search efforts pressed on into their second week for Sudiksha Konanki, a college student at the University of Pittsburgh who went missing in early March during a trip to the Dominican Republic resort town Punta Cana.

Details surrounding Konanki's disappearance have begun to emerge as the international investigation continues. Here's what we know so far about her case.

Konanki seen on video walking to beach

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Konanki, 20, is from Chantilly, Virginia, a Washington, D.C., suburb, and attends college in Pittsburgh. She has permanent residency in the United States as well as citizenship in India. She arrived in the Dominican Republic for spring break on March 3 and was vacationing with a group of friends, five other women, according to investigators and her parents.

She has been missing since Thursday, March 6, after surveillance video showed her, three of her friends and two other American men walk toward the beach area outside the Riu Republica hotel. The video was from around 4:15 a.m., investigators in the Dominican Republic said.

Power outages at the hotel may have prompted guests to move outdoors around that time, the hotel said in a statement. An earlier surveillance video showed Konanki and one of her friends hugging at the hotel bar.

Sudiksha Konanki / Credit: Defensa Civil Dominicana

One of the men in the group walking to the beach has been identified as 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, an American college student. In the footage, Konanki and Riibe are seen walking with their arms around each other.

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Video shows the other four individuals later returning to the hotel, but Konanki and Riibe stayed behind on the beach, a police source said. The last sighting of Konanki and Riibe in the water happened around 4:50 a.m., according to Loudon County Sheriff Mike Chapman, whose office in Virginia is involved in the investigation.

Riibe told police he and Konanki were swept into the ocean by a large wave and both struggled against rough seas. He said he believed Konanki got out of the water but was not certain, according to a person with direct knowledge of Riibe's statements to U.S. investigators.

He is presumed to be the last person who saw Konanki alive.

Konanki's disappearance is so far being investigated as a missing persons case, not a criminal investigation.

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The Dominican Republic's attorney general said investigators were exploring whether Konanki drowned, but not ruling out the possibility of foul play.

Chapman said "it's hard to say" whether there are indications Konanki's disappearance was anything other than an accident.

"We know that at about 4:50 a.m. was the last sighting that we had of them in the water. We don't know what happened after that," Chapman said in a "CBS Mornings" interview. "And we also don't know what happened between the time that [Riibe] claimed to have come out of the water and the time that he actually left the beach, so it's really hard to say. It'd be speculative on my part to assume or presume anything at this point."

Konanki's family seeking closure

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The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told CBS News that Konanki's family has requested that she be declared deceased, expressed gratitude to investigators for their work and expressed a desire for closure following her disappearance in the Dominican Republic.

The family provided the request in writing to the sheriff's office, according to spokesperson Thomas Julia. Julia said the family made a similar request to Dominican authorities.

Konanki's family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CBS News has learned that their written request referenced Riibe's cooperation with investigators and a lack of evidence collected to date that would suggest foul play was involved in Konanki's disappearance.

Chapman said the family has expressed their belief that she drowned.

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"While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible as we continue to review the evidence and information made available to us in the course of this investigation," he said.

Riibe returns to U.S. after facing questioning

Riibe had been confined to a hotel in Punta Cana for more than a week as he faced questioning during the investigation, with officers escorting him anywhere he went. A judge in the Dominican Republic ruled on March 18 that Riibe should be freed from police surveillance.

The law firm representing Riibe, Guzman Ariza, had pushed in legal documents for his freedom, given the absence of any criminal charge, which led to the hearing. In court, Riibe argued to the judge that he was detained inappropriately.

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"I really want to go home and see my family," Riibe said. "I understand I'm here to help but it's been 10 days."

His attorneys said earlier that authorities had confiscated Riibe's passport. The judge's March 18 ruling did not include an immediate decision on the issue of returning Riibe's passport, but the next day, his attorneys said the La Altagracia Prosecutor's Office informed Riibe it was willing to return his passport.

"Although grateful for the decision of the Prosecutor's Office, Joshua decided, for privacy reasons, to request a new one at the United States Consulate, which was urgently issued to him," Riibe's attorneys said.

He then returned home to the U.S. with his father, his attorneys said.

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Riibe and his parents, Tina and Albert Riibe, extended "deep sorrow and solidarity" with Konanski's family in a statement released through his attorneys while he still in Punta Cana.

"Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through and we share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible," the statement said. "Joshua Riibe is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated in the search and clarification of the facts from the very beginning."

Chapman told "CBS Mornings" that Riibe was "very forthcoming" with sheriff's detectives who traveled to the Dominican Republic to speak to him, and did not "seem to hesitate on answering any of the questions that we threw his way."

Chapman noted there was "nothing that would really make us feel as though there was anything untrue coming from Joshua."

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Originally from Iowa, Riibe is a college senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, where he is pursuing a degree in land surveying.

His family in their statement described him as "a beloved son, brother, and friend, known for his kind nature, sense of humor, and commitment to his community."

They also shared concerns about the "irregular conditions" of his detainment in Punta Cana, where, they said, he had been "subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12." The family retained a lawyer "to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process," according to the statement.

Intensifying search efforts

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More than 300 police and other officials, with support from the FBI, are searching the air, sea and land to locate her, Dominican President Luis Abinader said. The Dominican Republic National Police said they have assembled a new "high-level commission" to oversee the case, and Interpol has issued a global police alert at the request of investigators.

"We are concerned," Abinader said at a news conference on March 10. "All government agencies are searching  because the latest information we have from one of them, from the last person who was with the young woman, what he says according to the reports is that a wave, while on the beach, crashed into them."

Dominican Republic National Police said in a statement March 11 that they were "re-interviewing targeted individuals who were in the victim's proximity at the time of her disappearance." Investigators said the individuals included "hotel employees where Konanki and her companions were staying, with the goal of gathering information to corroborate her movements, interactions, and any relevant details for the investigation."

Sneak peek: The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills

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Over the weekend, the Trump administration transferred more than 200 immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order to bar the deportations temporarily.

On Saturday night, District Judge James E. Boasberg ordered the administration not to deport anyone in its custody over the newly invoked Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century declaration that has only been used three times in U.S. history, all during periods of war. Trump issued a proclamation that the 1798 law was newly in effect due to what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling.

On Monday, plaintiffs filed a lawsuit to halt the deportations and asked a federal judge to force officials to explain under oath whether they violated his court order.

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Here's the latest:

US Institute of Peace board gutted and DOGE arrives

The Trump administration has fired most of the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace and sent its new leader into the Washington headquarters of the independent organization Monday.

The remaining three members of the groups board fired President and CEO George Moose on Friday, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.

An executive order Trump signed last month targeted the organization and others for reductions.

Current USIP employees said staffers from Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency entered the building despite protests that the nonprofit is not part of the executive branch.

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Moose called it an illegal takeover by elements of the executive branch of a private nonprofit.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the organization wasnt complying with Trumps executive order and that rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage.

Trump says hes nominating Republic Airways CEO to lead FAA

Trump says Bryan Bedford will bring over three decades of experience in aviation and executive leadership to the critical position of administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

He said Bedford will work with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to overhaul the agency, safeguard exports and ensure the safety of air travelers.

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The position requires Senate confirmation.

US Institute of Peace says DOGE has broken into its building

Employees of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency have entered the U.S. Institute of Peace despite protests from the nonprofit that it is not part of the executive branch and is instead an independent agency.

The organizations CEO, George Moose, said, DOGE has broken into our building.

The DOGE workers gained access after several unsuccessful attempts Monday and after having been turned away on Friday, a senior U.S. Institute of Peace official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

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It was not immediately clear what the DOGE staffers were doing or looking for in the nonprofits building.

 Read more about DOGE employees entering the U.S. Institute of Peace building

___

Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee contributed.

Trump says hes ending early Secret Service protection of Bidens adult children

President Trump said Monday he was ending immediately the Secret Service protection details assigned to Joe Bidens adult children, which the former president had extended for six months shortly before leaving office in January.

Trump, in a social media post, objected to what he said were 18 agents assigned to Hunter Bidens protective detail while he is in South Africa this week. He said Ashley Biden has 13 agents assigned to her detail and that she too will be taken off the list for protection.

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Former presidents and their spouses receive life-long Secret Service protection under federal law, but the protection afforded to their immediate families over the age of 16 ends when they leave office, though both Trump and Biden extended the details for their children for six months before leaving office.

What is an autopen, and why is it suddenly an issue?

An autopen is a mechanical device that is used to replicate a persons authentic signature. A pen or other writing implement is held by an arm of the machine, which reproduces a signature after a writing sample has been fed to it. Presidents, including Trump, have used them for decades. Autopens arent the same as an old-fashioned ink pad and rubber stamp or the electronic signatures used on PDF documents.

The Oversight Project at the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank recently said its analysis of thousands of pages of documents bearing Bidens signature found that most were by autopen, including pardons. Conservative media have amplified the claims, which have been picked up by Trump. He has commented for several days running about Bidens autopen use.

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Mike Howell, the projects executive director, said in an interview that his team is scrutinizing Bidens pardons because that power lies only with the president under the Constitution and cant be delegated to another person or a machine. Howell said some of Bidens pardon papers also specify they were signed in Washington on days when he was elsewhere.

There is no law governing a presidents use of an autopen.

 Read more about Trumps autopen accusations

The president of a federal agency sues Trump administration for firing staff

The president of a small U.S. federal agency that invests in businesses in South America and the Caribbean has sued Monday to block her firing last month by the Trump administration.

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After Sara Aviel was fired from the Inter-American Foundation, a Trump appointee declared himself the acting president and laid off almost the entire staff. Since then, the administration has canceled essentially all of the agencys contracts.

This wholesale gutting of the IAF by the Government flies in the face of the law, Aviel said in her suit.

The Trump administration also targeted three other independent federal agencies for closure.

After Trump halted funding for Afghans who helped the US, this group stepped in to help

No One Left Behind helps Afghans and Iraqis who qualify for the special immigrant visa program, which was set up by Congress in 2009 to help people who are in danger because of their efforts to aid the U.S. during the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.

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The charitable organization consists of U.S. military veterans, Afghans who once fled their country and volunteers in the U.S. Their efforts come after the Trump administration took steps to hinder Afghans who helped Americas war effort from resettling in the U.S.

Trump lowers authorities needed for launching offensive strikes against Yemen-based Houthis

In a marked departure from the previous administration, Trump gave U.S. Central Command the ability to take action when it deems appropriate.

The Biden administration had required White House approval to conduct offensive strikes such as the ones over the weekend. It did allow U.S. forces to launch defensive attacks whenever necessary, including the authority to take out weapons that appeared to be ready to fire.

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Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said delegating the authority for an offensive mission to the regional commander allows us to achieve a tempo of operations where we can react to opportunities that we see on the battlefield in order to continue to put pressure on the Houthis.

He said the expanded authorities also allow the U.S. to hit a broader array of targets.

U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Trump made the decision last week.

___

Associated Press reporter Lolita C. Baldor contributed.

FDA staff return to crowded offices, broken equipment and missing chairs

Thousands of Food and Drug Administration employees are returning to the office to find overflowing parking lots, cramped workspaces and missing equipment.

The FDA is the latest federal agency scrambling to meet the Trump administrations return-to-office mandate. Monday was the first day that all FDA staffers were required to report to the agencys headquarters in Maryland.

Staffers who spoke with The Associated Press described long lines to park and get through security, followed by hours of hunting for office space and supplies. Employees also confronted broken desks, missing chairs and locked offices for which they didnt have keys.

Read more about FDA employees experience returning to the office

Trump says Kennedy files to be released Tuesday

Trump, after he was sworn into office, ordered the release of the remaining classified files related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

While at the Kennedy Center, Trump told reporters his administration will release 80,000 files on Tuesday, though its not clear how many of those are among the millions of documents that have already been made public.

We have a tremendous amount of paper. Youve got a lot of reading, Trump said to reporters.

He also said he doesnt believe anything will be redacted from the files.

I said, Just dont redact. You cant redact, he said.

US national intelligence director says Trump is looking forward to success ahead of talk with Putin

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, speaking ahead of an expected phone conversation Tuesday between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Monday that while the negotiations to end Russias war with Ukraine have just begun, Trump is looking forward to success.

Gabbard criticized former President Joe Bidens handling of the war in Ukraine and said Trumps push for both sides to agree to a ceasefire comes from an unwavering commitment to peace.

Trump will speak with Putin on Tuesday in a possible pivot point in efforts to end the war in Ukraine and an opportunity for Trump to continue reorienting American foreign policy.

Trump deports hundreds of immigrants he says are part of a Venezuelan gang, counter to a judges order

Over the weekend, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport more than 200 people he said were part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Trump has not identified who was deported, nor provided any evidence they are in fact members of the gang or that they committed any crimes.

The flights from the U.S. to El Salvador were already in the air when a federal judge issued an order to stop the action.

To invoke the law from 1798, a president has to declare the U.S. is at war. He can then detain or deport people who arent citizens who would otherwise be protected by immigration or criminal laws. The last time it was used was to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II.

 Read more about the move and the history of the Tren de Aragua

The band Semisonic is pushing back at the White Houses use of their hit song Closing Time

The White House used the song in a deportation video on social media showing a man with his wrists handcuffed and shackled to his waist as hes patted down. The video was captioned with the songs lyrics You dont have to go home but you cant stay here.

We did not authorize or condone the White Houses use of our song in any way. And no, they didnt ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely, the power pop trio said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Asked about it Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said our entire government clearly is leaning into the message of this president. U.S. Customs and Border Protection retweeted the White Houses post on X with the caption Its closing time. We are making America safe again.

Semisonic joins a long list of performers whove objected to Trump using their songs.

US targets Houthi sites used for launching drones and storing weapons

Military leaders say the U.S. airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi targets have struck more than 30 targets since Saturday, including headquarters locations, drone launch sites and weapons storage facilities.

Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, estimated those strikes have killed dozens of militants and would continue in the coming days.

The strikes targeted headquarters positions and drone sites where militants the Pentagon identified as key leaders for the Houthis drone program were located, Grynkewich told reporters Monday.

During the attacks, the Houthis claimed to fire one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles in response.

At a news briefing, both Grynkewich and Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the responses didnt come anywhere near U.S. assets in the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.

Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping will be visiting the US sometime soon

Hell be coming in the not too distant future, Trump said during a meeting of the new Kennedy Center board.

Trump mentioned the Xi visit as he said hes had foreign leaders visiting him at the White House in recent weeks and has been asking them how Washington looks.

Trump says hes cleaning up Washington, including trying to clear tents used by the homeless and graffiti.

Trump arrived at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a board meeting

The president said he took time out of his day Monday afternoon to go to the performing arts center because it represents a very important part of D.C. and actually our country.

I think its important to save this structure and this building, he said.

He said his message to Americans was Come here and see a show. But then he immediately followed up by saying, I was never a big fan, I never liked Hamilton very much. The popular Broadway musical canceled planned shows at the center after Trump took over the institutions leadership.

EPA reinstates more than 400 fired employees after a federal judges order

The Environmental Protection Agency says it reinstated about 419 employees in response to the ruling Thursday night that ordered agencies across the government to bring back workers fired by the Trump administration.

Most of the affected EPA employees have been placed on administrative leave, an agency spokesperson said in an email Monday.

Tens of thousands of probationary workers were let go in mass firings across multiple agencies as part of Trumps dramatic downsizing of the federal government. Two judges separately found legal problems with the way the terminations were carried out and ordered the employees at least temporarily brought back on the job.

Brown University professor and doctor deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa

The deportation of 34-year-old Dr. Rasha Alawieha over the weekend has sparked widespread alarm.

Homeland Security officials on Monday said Alawieha openly admitted to attending the funeral of a Hezbollah leader, as well as supporting him. News outlets that were able to obtain access to sealed court records report that Alawieh had photos of Hassan Nasrallah  the leader of the Lebanese militant group for the past three decades  on her phone.

Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist who had worked and lived in Rhode Island previously, was detained at least 36 hours. She was to start work at Brown as an assistant professor of medicine.

 Read more about the deportation of the doctor

Return to work order prompts a flood of CDC workers in Atlanta

The flood of workers at the main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention caused extreme traffic back-ups and other delays Monday morning.

Employees said driving the last two miles took as long as 40 minutes. One said a CDC administrator greeted employees coming back with a card that said; YOU ARE APPRECIATED!

Many CDC employees began working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Trump administration ordered that employees who live within 50 miles of the office had to show up in-person starting Monday.

Many CDC workers have been dreading the return, in part because the CDC in the last few years has been reducing the amount of office space it leases in the Atlanta area, meaning fewer desks and parking spaces.

Wall Street climbs Monday following weeks of scary swings

The steady trading may be short-lived, though, with a decision by the Federal Reserve on interest rates coming later in the week and worries continuing about President Trumps trade war.

The S&P 500 was 1% higher in afternoon trading, coming off its fourth straight losing week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 483 points, or 1.1%, as of 2:34 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.8% higher.

Stocks have been tumbling recently on worries that Trumps rat -a- tat announcements on tariffs and other policies are creating so much uncertainty that theyll push U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would hurt the economy.

Leavitt: Deportation video shows the White House is leaning in to the message

She was asked by a reporter about a video of the deportations the White House shared on its X account Monday showing a man with his wrists handcuffed and shackled to his waist as he was patted down. The video was set to the Semisonic song, Closing Time.

I think the White House and our entire government clearly is leaning into the message of this president. And we are unafraid to double down and to take responsibility and ownership of the serious decisions that are being made, Leavitt said said.

White House says peace deal close as Trump prepares for Putin call

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wouldnt get into details about Tuesdays scheduled call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But she sounded optimistic that the talks can help push Russia closer to a deal to end its three-year war in Ukraine.

I wont get ahead of those negotiations, but I can say we are on the 10th yard line of peace, Leavitt told reporters Monday. And weve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment. And the president, as you know, is determined to get one done.

White House press secretary: Administration didnt violate court order in deportations

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday again said the Trump administration did not violate a court order when it deported more than 200 immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge ordered the deportations to be temporarily stopped.

All of the planes that were subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, U.S. territory, before the judges written order, Leavitt said at a news briefing.

Leavitt said there are questions about whether the judges verbal order carries the same weight as a legal order, as a written order.

VA to phase out medical treatments for gender dysphoria

The announcement Monday from the Department of Veterans Affairs said the change was in response to President Trumps executive order declaring there are two sexes, male and female. The VA has never offered gender-affirming surgery, but has provided hormones, voice training and prosthetics to a small number of patients.

The VA will continue to offer hormone therapy to veterans already receiving such care and those who become eligible for VA care who were receiving hormones in the military. Veterans with gender dysphoria will continue to receive other types of care.

VA Secretary Doug Collins said transgender veterans will always be welcome at VA, but if veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime.

WHO chief says the US has responsibility to ensure an orderly pullout of aid funding

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom said the U.S. has been extremely generous over the years and of course, its within its rights to decide what it supports and to what extent.

But the U.S. also has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, its done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding, the U.N. health agency chief told reporters in Geneva.

In his first day back in the Oval Office in January, President Trump issued an executive order announcing a U.S. pullout from WHO  which takes a year to take effect  and called for a pause of U.S. funding for the agency. Sweeping cuts to funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development has hit many aid providers hard.

From France comes a call for Trumps America to return Lady Liberty

Hey, America: Give the Statue of Liberty back to France. So says a French politician whos making headlines in his country for suggesting the U.S. is no longer worthy of the monument that was a gift from France nearly 140 years ago.

As a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party in France, Raphael Glucksmann cannot claim to speak for all of his compatriots.

But his assertion in a speech this weekend that some Americans have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants reflects the broad shockwaves President Trumps seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policy are triggering in France and elsewhere in Europe.

 Read more about the call to return the Statue of Liberty

Canadas Carney meets with European allies as Trump targets his countrys sovereignty and economy

New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday during his first official overseas trip, seeking support from one of Ottawas oldest allies as Trump attacks Canadas sovereignty and economy.

Macron did not address Trumps attacks on Canada ahead of the talks but noted tariffs only bring inflation.

In the current international context, we want to be able to develop our most strategic projects with our closest, more loyal partners, Macron said, adding that we are stronger together, better able to ensure the respect of our interests, the full exercise of our sovereignty.

Carney was sworn in Friday. After Paris, his next stop was London, where he was due to hold talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, the head of state in Canada.

 Read more about Canada and its European allies

Fearing deportation, Cornell student and pro-Palestinian activist sues Trump administration

The federal lawsuit seeks to to block enforcement of executive orders Momodou Taal fears could lead to his deportation.

Taal, 31, is a Ph.D. student in Africana studies at Cornell University and is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Gambia.

He was temporarily suspended last fall after participating in a demonstration on the Cornell campus in upstate New York. He has limited access to campus for research, medical and religious reasons as he continues his studies remotely, according to the lawsuit.

The suit filed Saturday by Taal and two of his allies at the Ivy League school cite the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student, as well as a statement by President Trump promising more arrests at universities across the country.

Trump signs measure to kill Biden-era methane fee on oil and gas producers

The measure, approved by Republican majorities in the House and Senate, eliminates a federal fee on companies that release high levels of methane, a planet-warming super pollutant.

The fee, which hadnt gone into effect, was expected to bring in more than $7 billion over the next decade and lower U.S. methane emissions, averting thousands of early deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks and lost school days every year.

Methane is a much stronger global warming gas than carbon dioxide, especially in the short term. Oil and gas producers are among the biggest U.S. methane emitters.

Republicans said the fee would inflate energy prices, reduce domestic energy production and empower U.S. adversaries.

US State Department says South Africas ambassador has until Friday to leave the United States

After Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was no longer welcome in the U.S. and posted his decision Friday on social media, South African embassy staff were summoned to the State Department and given a formal diplomatic note explaining the move, the department said.

We made the embassy aware that Ambassador Rasool has been found unacceptable by the United States to be a representative of his country, the department said.

It said Rasools diplomatic privileges and immunities expired Monday and he would be required to leave the United States by March 21. It isnt clear if hes in the U.S. now.

Rubio announced his decision in a post on X, accusing Rasool of being a race-baiting politician who hates President Trump.

ACLU asks judge to force Trump administration to state under oath if it violated his court order

Plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed to halt deportations under a rarely-used 18th century wartime law invoked by President Trump asked a federal judge Monday to force officials to explain under oath whether they violated his court order by removing more than 200 people from the country after it was issued and celebrating it on social media.

The motion marks another escalation in the battle over Trumps aggressive opening moves in his second term, several of which have been temporarily halted by judges. Trumps allies have raged over the holds and suggested he doesnt have to obey them, and some plaintiffs have said it appears the administration is flouting court orders.

 Read more about the Trump administrations deportations

Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor is visiting the White House for Saint Patricks Day

McGregor appeared in the briefing room alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt, where he criticized his countrys government as having abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland. He said there was zero action with zero accountability, and complained about the illegal immigration racket.

His comments come days after Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin visited the White House to meet with President Trump.

McGregor has faced legal problems of his own. He was ordered to pay 250,000 Euros ($257,000) to a woman who sued him for sexual assault. McGregor denied the accusations.

Schumer is postponing several planned events as liberal groups threaten protests

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer was planning to promote his new book, Antisemitism in America: A Warning, but is rescheduling after some liberal groups shared plans to stage protests.

A representative for Schumers book, Risa Heller, said that the tour would be rescheduled due to security concerns.

The cancellations of events in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and other cities came amid widespread criticism from the partys liberal base over Schumers vote to move forward with Republican spending legislation last week.

Schumer said the bill was terrible but that a shutdown would have been far worse, and difficult to get out of, as Trump has already slashed jobs and funding for agencies across the government.

Americans increased spending tepidly last month as anxiety over the economy takes hold

U.S. shoppers stepped up their spending a just bit in February after a sharp pullback the previous month, signaling Americans are shopping more cautiously as concerns about the direction of the economy mount.

Retail sales rose just 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, the Commerce Department said Monday. Sales rose at grocery stores, home and garden stores, and online retailers. Sales fell at auto dealers, restaurants, and electronics stores.

The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and Trumps tariff threats and government spending cuts have led to widespread uncertainty among consumers and businesses.

 Read more about U.S. retail sales

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer met with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in New York

The Sunday meeting came two days after Jeffries publicly criticized Schumer over a vote to move forward on Republican spending legislation.

The two New Yorkers met in Brooklyn, according to a person familiar with the meeting.

Schumer announced Thursday that he would join with Republicans on a key procedural vote to move the spending legislation to final passage. He said that the bill was terrible but that a shutdown would be far worse, and Democrats would not have an off ramp to get out of it.

Jeffries strongly disagreed and repeatedly declined to answer questions Friday about whether he has confidence in Schumer.

We do not want to shut down the government. But we are not afraid of a government funding showdown, Jeffries said.

The meeting was first reported by Punchbowl News.

 Mary Clare Jalonick

Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate the kitchen or install a new deck? Youll be paying more

The Trump administrations tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China  some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks  are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects.

The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S. housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales.

 Read more about how tariffs are raising building costs

Wall Street holds steadier after its manic roller-coaster ride in recent weeks

But the calm may not last with a decision coming this week on interest rates from the Federal Reserve and worries continuing about President Trumps trade war.

The S&P 500 was up 0.2% early Monday. The index is coming off its fourth straight losing week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 97 points, and the Nasdaq composite was up 0.1%.

Stocks have been tumbling on worries that Trumps rat-a-tat announcements on tariffs and other policies are creating so much uncertainty that theyll push U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending.

 Read more about the financial markets

Trump has ordered airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Heres why

The Houthi rebels started attacking military and commercial ships in one of the worlds busiest shipping corridors shortly after the war in Gaza began between Hamas and Israel in October 2023.

The Houthis said they were targeting vessels on the Red Sea with links to Israel or its allies  the United States and the U.K.  in solidarity with Palestinians, but some vessels had little or no link to the war.

The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, until the current ceasefire in Gaza took effect in mid-January. Other missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach their targets, which included Western military ones.

 Read more about the Houthi rebels in Yemen
A north Texas leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a letter to Fairview Mayor Henry Lessner and town council members on Monday asking them to reaffirm their commitment to allow the church to build the McKinney Texas Temple in Fairview.

We value our relationship with the community and are eager to work together for a positive outcome to this project and our long-term relationship as friends and neighbors, Allen Texas Stake President Daniel M. Trythall wrote in the letter, which was posted on a church website.

In November, the church and the town council negotiated a non-binding agreement in mediation that would allow the church to build a smaller temple than the one it proposed originally. Days later, under pressure from some residents, Lessner announced the mediated height for the temple was still too tall.

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Trythalls letter arrived before an important date looming next week. The church sent Fairview a notice on Jan. 27 that served officially as an intent to sue. It triggered a 60-day period after which the church can seek a solution through the courts.

Trythall stated there was still a way forward without seeking a legal remedy.

We respectfully invite the Town to reaffirm the commitments it made during the mediation process, which previously the Town Council unanimously voted to support, he wrote. Upholding the agreement is an essential reassurance that would make it unnecessary for us to seek judicial assistance to resolve this impasse.

The 60 days toll on March 28, almost a year to the day that the U.S. Department of Justice sent an official letter to state, county and municipal officials across the nation in March 2024 to remind them that federal law prohibits governments from imposing or implementing land use regulations that unreasonably limit religious assemblies, institutions or structures within a jurisdiction.

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The letter noted that, While zoning is primarily a local matter, where it conflicts with federal civil rights laws such as the Fair Housing Act or RLUIPA, federal law takes precedence.

The Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act says a court action cannot be brought unless written notice is provided to a government agency by certified mail 60 days before bringing a lawsuit. Any suit also must be filed within one year after the church learned a substantial burden had been placed on its religious freedom.

The churchs Jan. 27 letter included a notice to the town that it had outlined the burdens placed on the church by Fairviews decision to deny the building permit for the temple in letters in July and August of 2024.

The church contends that the towns denial of its application to construct a house of worship imposes a substantial burden on the churchs religious exercise without a compelling governmental interest and in a manner that is not the least restrictive means of furthering the towns interest.

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The church originally proposed a two-story temple of 44,000 square feet with a main height of 65 feet. The steeple was to reach to a total of 173 feet.

After mediation, the two sides agreed the temple would be reduced to one story of approximately 30,000 square feet with a main height of 45 feet and a steeple height of 120 feet. A church representative characterized the concessions as significant and said the Town Council had indicated they fully addressed its previous concerns.

Members of Fairview United, a citizens group, have said they oppose a steeple taller than 68 feet, which is the height of the Latter-day Saint meetinghouse on the proposed temple site. The Dallas Morning News reported that is the tallest religious building in the town.

The site is in a residential zone. The towns zoning laws restrict buildings in residential zones to a maximum height of 35 but allows exemptions for churches with a conditional use permit. The Fairview Planning and Zoning Council rejected the churchs application for a permit in May 2024. The Town Council rejected it in August.

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Lessner did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Monday afternoon. Fairview Town Manager Julie Couch confirmed the town received Trythalls letter.

Lessner has said previously what the town wants to maintain to protect our environment and character of our town.

The church prepared a revised application based on the mediation settlement. A church official said the intended to file it by a Jan. 13 deadline set in the mediation agreement, but public statements by Lessner and discussions between church and town representatives raised concerns the town would not honor the settlement.

The church contends that the temples size in both proposals meets Fairviews zoning regulations for conditional use permits. Houses of worship and schools typically are approved in residential American neighborhoods to serve people living nearby.

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It is important to clarify misinformation that may have circulated about this process, Trythall wrote Monday. It is disheartening to face mischaracterizations of our proposed temple as against the law, when it is entirely appropriate under local law and fully protected by both federal and state laws that protect religious rights in the United States of America.

Our intention has always been to collaborate openly at every stage of this process, he continued. Despite our sincere efforts to avoid conflict, we must stand firm against any actions that would impede the rights of members of our church  or any church  to worship freely as protected by the laws of the land.

President Russell M. Nelson announced plans for a temple in Prosper, Texas, in October 2022. The church announced the location would be in Fairview in December 2023.

The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant  is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, President Nelson said in a quote posted on the churchs website for the temple. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the church, point to the Lord and his holy house.

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It has been almost one year since the LDS Church surprised our community with their plan to build a gigantic building on the residential side of our town, Lessner wrote in his statement. I am ready to travel to Salt Lake to meet with someone who is a decision maker in the LDS hierarchy to see if we can come to a common understanding that will avoid a lawsuit.

Mondays full letter

Dear Mayor Lessner and Fairview Town Council Members:

I write this letter on behalf of the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to discuss the proposed temple project in Fairview. We value our relationship with the community and are eager to work together for a positive outcome to this project and our long-term relationship as friends and neighbors.

Temples are sacred to us. They are the Houses of the Lord, sanctuaries where we commune quietly with Him, unite families for eternity, and experience hope and peace. Each of the 376 temples around the world embodies this faith. We also deeply cherish our connection with the communities where temples are located. Local members of the Church are an integral part of the Fairview community and the surrounding areas. We appreciate the vision for development that preserves Fairviews unique character. We hope to support such an approach and want to reassure residents that the temple will be a beautiful and peaceful place that enhances the neighborhood in alignment with the long-term vision for the area.

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The chosen 8.1-acre site is well-positioned among existing religious buildings along a busy commercial road, allowing for beautiful landscaping that will enhance and beautify the surroundings. Were committed to not only meeting but exceeding local standards whenever reasonably possible.

However, it is troubling that members of the Town Council seem to have already withdrawn their support from the agreement made during the recent mediation. When the Church sought to engage with council members individually to discuss their commitment to this compromise, we were met with refusal. While we continue to believe that the Towns denial of the current application substantially burdens the practice and expression of religious beliefs for the Church, we would still be prepared to shoulder that burden and file our application for the smaller temple. Before filing an application for a smaller temple, we ask only for assurance that the Town would live up to the original obligations it made during mediation. We remain concerned, however, that our religious rights could be compromised if the Town does not honor its word as agreed to during mediation. We entered mediation with hopes for a respectful and expedient solution that advanced everyones goals. That remains our hope.

It is important to clarify misinformation that may have circulated about this process. It is disheartening to face mischaracterizations of our proposed temple as against the law, when it is entirely appropriate under local law and fully protected by both federal and state laws that protect religious rights in the United States of America. Our intention has always been to collaborate openly at every stage of this process. Despite our sincere efforts to avoid conflict, we must stand firm against any actions that would impede the rights of members of our Church - or any Church - to worship freely as protected by the laws of the land.

There is a way forward. We respectfully invite the Town to reaffirm the commitments it made during the mediation process, which previously the Town Council unanimously voted to support. Upholding the agreement is an essential reassurance that would make it unnecessary for us to seek judicial assistance to resolve this impasse.

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Thank you for your consideration. We consider ourselves part of the Fairview community and share this information in a spirit of transparency and friendship. We hope to find a mutually acceptable solution that honors Fairviews future and the sacred role of the planned temple on this beautiful site. We hope you will engage with Fairview residents who want this temple and who share a love both for their faith and their local community.

Sincerely,

President Daniel M. Trythall

Allen Texas Stake

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(FOX40.COM)  Sacramento County Sheriffs Office and Sacramento Police Department responded to two bomb threats at Walmart across the Sacramento region.

Video above: What happens when you call 9-1-1?

SCSO said that their deputies responded to a bomb threat on Gerber Road near Elk Grove Florin Road in South Sacramento at around 3:15 p.m. with no one being hurt and the store being evacuated. At around 4:30 p.m., bomb dogs were sent on the way to clear it.

Two arrested for credit card scheme durng a retail theift operation by SCSO

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Sacramento Police Department received a bomb threat at another Walmart on the 3600 block of Truxel Road in Natomas. When officers arrived at the scene at 3:30 p.m., they worked to search the area as people evacuated the building

At around 4:40 p.m. SPD said that the store was reopened for business and that this appeared to be a hoax.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
The average number of youth charged as adults per year in Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2021 was 450.

Representative Chris Rabb told Channel 11 most of them were automatic as part of the states direct file statute that deems teens between the age of 15 and 17 that commit certain crimes to include homicide, rape or aggravated assault to automatically be charged as adults.

No matter how heinous no matter how violent that crime is, it was committed by a child and our brains arent formed until we are 25. This doesnt excuse the offense, doesnt excuse the violent act, Rabb said.

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Rabbs new bill will eliminate the direct file and allow the decision of how to charge up to the local district attorneys.

There is no evidence that shows this keeps us safer, more importantly if we put kids in the system as adults, we are training them to be better criminals and eventually they come home, Rabb said.

Looking at the stats, about two-thirds of the cases direct filed each year do get pushed back to juvenile court or withdrawn.

Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible said his office talks with each officer in these cases before ever charging as adults and in Beaver County, almost all of those cases are homicide.

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At 16 years old you understand the consequences of killing someone and you understand that they are never coming back you are taking their life, Bible said.

Bible said he doesnt know how much of an impact this legislation will have as District Attorneys will still have the ultimate power to make the decision to be charged as an adult.

What he would like to see is stricter punishments for the juveniles with guns and believes that may lead to more reform.

Maybe these juveniles would think twice about I dont want to carry this gun for you because I dont want to go jail but now its like sure Ill carry it because what is going to happen to me, Bible said.

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Rabb is hopeful to get bipartisan support on the bill as he works to get co-sponsors before formally introducing the bill in the House.

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Lawmakers on the Assembly Health, Aging and Long-Term Care committee weighed what happened during a tense hearing on a bill to ban gender affirming medical care and then voted along party lines to advance the bill. Rep. Lisa Subeck became emotional while speaking to her colleagues. Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner.

A little over 12 hours after a tense public hearing on a resurrected bill to ban gender affirming medical care for children, lawmakers on the Assembly Health, Aging and Long-Term Care committee weighed what happened and then voted along party lines to advance the bill.

AB 104 would ban gender affirming care, including prescribing puberty-blocking drugs or gender-affirming surgery, for those under 18. It would also require revocation of a medical providers license found to be providing the care. It is the fourth bill focused on transgender youth in Wisconsin to receive a hearing over the last two weeks.

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After sitting through the hearing on this bill yesterday, I would hope some people are taking a step back and saying, wait a minute, maybe this isnt the route that we should go, Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) said during Thursdays executive session. She noted that one person at the hearing even had a change of heart.

Larry Jones of Milwaukee spoke about seven hours into the hearing. Sitting in front of lawmakers, he began apologizing for being there and said he was invited to the hearing to show his support for the bill.

I have very little knowledge of gay people and things like that there, so when I came here, my eyes were opened, he said Wednesday at around 9:12 p.m. I was one of the critics that sat on the side and made the decisions there was only two genders, so I got an education that was unbelievable and I dont know just exactly how to say this but my perspective for people have changed. Id like to apologize for being here and I learned a very lot about this group of people.

Subeck, talking to her colleagues the next day, became emotional as she spoke about the committees upcoming vote on the bill.

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The governor is going to veto [the bill]. I feel really good about that, Subeck said. I dont feel so good about the fact that were gonna have a vote here where people are gonna vote to support this.

Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a similar bill last session, and vowed to LGBTQ+ youth in January to continue vetoing any bill that makes Wisconsin a less safe, less inclusive, and less welcoming place.

Subeck said the bill causes harm. It is the latest in a slate of bills focused on LGBTQ+ youth introduced by Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin. The bills come as President Donald Trump has also made targeting transgender people a key point in the first couple months of his term. In a recent survey of Wisconsin LGBTQ+ youth by the Trevor Project, 91% of respondents reported that recent politics negatively impacted their well-being.

Subeck pointed to the emotional testimony lawmakers heard into the night, including from Charlie Werner, a teen, who testified with his parents, Allison and Dan Werner, around 8 p.m. The family was also present in 2023 at a bill hearing and when Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the bill.

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Werner told lawmakers that he was dealing with depression before realizing he was dealing with gender dysphoria. He said that therapy and finding community, especially among other queer and trans people, has lifted him.

Werner said the gender affirming care he has received, including puberty blockers and later receiving testosterone, has helped him go from being so uncomfortable in my body to finally feeling a bit of clarity. He said the care has allowed him to experience similar traits as his cisgender peers, including a lower voice.

I finally feel like myself, Werner said. Gender affirming care saved my life I dont believe you are bad people. I simply think this is what you have been taught, but you still have the opportunity to change and make better decisions for the people that you serve.

Subeck had a similar message for her colleagues during the executive session.

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Many of you Ive known for a very long time, some of us came into this Legislature together. I know that youre good people who care. I know that, Subeck, who has served since 2014, said. That is why its so bothersome to me to think  you can sit in this room and vote for this bill Were better than that as a body. This isnt about doing whats right.

Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee) said that he used the hearing time to listen and to learn, and pushed back on the idea that the bill is a judgment on trans people. Rather, he said, the bill comes from a conservative approach to medical care that may be irreversible.

If youre accusing us of wanting to be conservative when it comes to the medical care of minors, then that is true, Neylon said. That doesnt mean we want them dead, right? That doesnt mean we dont recognize their right to exist.

However, Neylon also acknowledged that the bill may not be the exact right approach.

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It might not be hitting directly where it should and it might come across political and I understand the pain and I wanted to stay [at the hearing] to make sure that people had an opportunity to share their things, Neylon said. I would be angry if I was young too, but its not coming from a place of saying, like trying to other them or saying, like, you dont belong in our society.

Committee Chair Rep. Clint Moses said that the hearing was beginning to become unproductive because of political theater as some members were being yelled at. He had two people removed by officers from the committee room for yelling during the hearing.

Throughout the hearing, there were moments of frustration for both lawmakers and members of the public who came to speak.

One of those moments came a little over 6 hours and 18 minutes into the hearing when FAIR Wisconsin Executive Director Abigail Swetz finally got her opportunity to speak to lawmakers. She used her time to tell transgender youth in the state that there are many of us in this state who love you exactly as you are and exactly as you are becoming. She reached the time limit before finishing her comments.



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Rep. Tara Johnson (D-Town of Shelby) asked if Swetz had anything she wanted to add. Moses stopped this, saying it wasnt allowed. Johnson replied that others had done the same earlier.

Swetz started finishing her comments as the lawmakers went back and forth and others in the room started to clap. Moses then began banging his gavel and threatened to adjourn the meeting if the clapping continued.

Moses told the committee on Thursday that he was ready to adjourn and just walk out because it was not productive. He then suggested that members look at the Assembly rules again.

The chairman of the committee has a lot of power the way its set up, so I try not to abuse it  be a tyrant, Moses said. I want to hear from everybody. I dont care if you agree with me or not. I want all perspectives in there, so Im doing my best to do it, but yesterday it got a little much, a little much, so I think maybe dial it back on some of these with the theater.

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Moses said he had to start cutting time because of the number of people who came to speak and how late the hearing was running.

Johnson said the tension in the room was partially because people had been waiting so long to be heard by lawmakers.

Some of the escalation came because they felt disenfranchised, Johnson said. They felt like it was very lopsided that the pro-voices were heard at greater length, including when my colleagues also asked questions that extended testimony for very long stretches of time.

Hearings on bills focused on transgender youth have often been lengthy and emotional. Last week, a hearing on bills that would mandate how schools deal with transgender athletes and name changes lasted over 10 hours. In 2023, many showed up in opposition to a gender affirming care ban bill.

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The hearing Wednesday lasted nearly nine hours, but mostly supporters spoke during the first three hours of the hearing despite being vastly outnumbered by opponents.

According to the record of committee proceedings, there were 79 people who appeared against the bill and 18 who appeared for, including the two bill authors. There were also 17 people who registered in favor of the bill, but didnt speak and 103 people who registered against, but didnt speak at the hearing.

At one point during the hearing, Subeck asked Moses to begin alternating between supporters and opponents of the bill, but he responded by saying that was up to him.

Some opponents to the bill spoke about their frustration with this when they finally got their chance to speak.

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We sit here for all this time, all these people, youre allowing the anti-trans voices to go first. It feels like the world is stacked against us and were getting tired of it, Cory Neeley said. My voice is cracking because Im literally fuming at the fact that Ive sat here all day long listening to people call me a groomer. People calling me a person who doesnt care about their children Im a good parent.

Subeck told the Wisconsin Examiner in a call Friday that she has seen chairs put certain voices first before, but the degree to which it was done was unusual and pretty unprecedented. The first three hours of the hearing were mostly supporters of the bill, aside from Sens. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove).

Committee chairs often try to, if they can, literally go back and forth, one to one, Subeck said. But even if youre not literally going one for, one against, certainly front loading it so heavily when you have a room full of people there to testify against, including families with children who are going to be impacted by the bill, it certainly felt more like a tactic than a simple oversight.

Subeck noted there was some disruption during the hearing and there can be consequences for that.

I also cant help but wonder how it could have been different if the chair had actually let some of the folks who were there to testify against the bill testify before we were already a couple of hours into the bill, Subeck said. Some of the hateful rhetoric of those early testifiers was directed directly at some of those young people who were coming to testify about how this bill impacted them.

Moses told lawmakers Thursday he would take the criticism into consideration

If theres any issues anyone has, you know, how theyre running? Please come and see me, Moses said. Well try and work it out privately if Im still doing it.

Rep. Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) acknowledged that the conversation about the issue was painful for everyone involved, but he said he thinks the conversation does need to be had. He and Rep. Patrick Snyder (R-Weston) said that an informational hearing, rather than a hearing on a bill, may have been a more prudent approach for lawmakers to learn more.

Youre right, its not going to become law, Brooks said. I do think yesterday was beneficial from an educational standpoint for a lot of us, regardless of how you vote. I dont know how you cant come out of there a little richer with your knowledge on both sides. Im going to support the bill.

The committee voted 10-5 with Republicans for and Democrats against to advance the bill, setting it up to go to the Assembly floor.

Subeck told the Examiner that she was disappointed and frustrated and upset Republicans voted for it, saying they are still putting what is truly partisan motivation political agenda ahead of the kids and families who came and testified to us.

However, she said the conversation during the Thursday executive session did give her some hope.

In private, legislators have a lot of conversations that dont reflect the votes that are taken on the floor, and I think the tenor of the conversation in that room was a little bit closer to the conversations that we often have when we are sitting one on one, talking to each other, Subeck told the Wisconsin Examiner. It makes me a little bit hopeful, because while my Republican colleagues continue down the path of voting their party line  even when they have said they have things to learn and it gives them pause  the fact that they were willing to even sit in that room, in sort of a public sphere, and have a conversation means that there is room for change.

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Correction: This story has been updated to correct the number of people that spoke for and against the bill.
For more than 40 years, Floridas public high school students have needed to pass state language arts and math exams to graduate. Now, as more students struggle to pass the tests and the bar is set to get higher, some lawmakers want to scrap that requirement.

Nearly 43% of the class of 2024 graduated from high school without passing one or both of Floridas high-stakes graduation exams that test Algebra 1 and 10th-grade language arts knowledge, state data shows. Instead, they got diplomas by substituting failing scores on those state tests with passing marks on other exams.

Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, is pushing the change  as he did unsuccessfully last year. His bill (SB 166) would mean students would not have to pass those two tests to graduate, though scores from the exams would figure into their final course grades.

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The bill, which has received two unanimous, favorable votes this month, comes as national test scores last year showed Florida students academic achievement was declining, and so it worries some education advocates.

Simon thinks eliminating the test as a high school graduation requirement would make public schools more competitive with private schools, which have no such requirements.

Our public school education system is a choice for our families. Its not a default setting in our education system, it is a choice, he said last week.

The Senate passed Simons similar bill last year. But the measure failed when the House declined to take it up. The bills support in the House this year is not clear as no House lawmaker has filed a similar legislation, something that often happens when the full Legislature is in lock step.

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Some educators, whove long disliked Floridas use of high-stakes tests for key education decisions, back the change, saying it will reduce the testing burden on students. Administrators with Orange County Public Schools told lawmakers they support the bill, echoing Simons point that accountability should be the same for public schools as it is for private schools that accept state scholarships, often called vouchers.

Sharyn Battey, the president of PTA at Sterling Park Elementary in Seminole County, said she supported the bill because decreasing testing is very important for students.

Our kids have testing anxiety, and I even hear on a student level  I am so done with testing, and they get discouraged, and they feel down on themselves, she said.

But critics worry such a change will hurt student achievement which  like it or not  is tracked by tests. Floridas math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress fell to their lowest mark in more than 20 years in 2024, with middle schoolers posting their worst scores in more than 25 years. Floridas eighth-grade NAEP reading scores fell in 2024 too, with the state performing worse than 27 other states. The states score dropped below the national average score for the first time since 2015.

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Just point blank, this reduces student expectations at a time when the world is getting more competitive, not less, said Nathan Hoffman, the senior legislative director for the Foundation for Floridas Future, former Gov. Jeb Bushs education group.

Scrapping graduation tests is a bridge too far, he said.

We will not improve a single student outcome by making it easier to graduate from high school without having ever demonstrated an ability to have an eighth-grade-level math knowledge, he added.

Florida needs to improve its math and language arts instruction, not make it easier to pass kids along, Hoffman said.

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Florida lawmakers in 1976 first approved tying diplomas to passing scores on state math and reading exams. The tests got tougher when Bush became governor as he pushed for school accountability and improved student achievement.

High school seniors can substitute scores from other exams if they cannot pass the state ones. Now, many students use scores on the SAT or ACT college readiness tests to earn their diplomas.

Last year, 83,650 seniors used that path. Students who cannot pass algebra 1, for example, can earn a diploma if they score a 420 on the SAT math section, which has a top score of 800.

The number of students who used these substitute scores increased 12 percentage points from 2019 to 2024, state data shows.

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The ranks of students failing state exams soon could grow. Next year, 12th graders need to earn higher marks to pass the states exams.

The State Board of Education approved a new scoring system in 2023, and it kicks in for the class of 2026. At the time Education Commissioner Manny Diaz said the state wanted to raise the bar and continue to move our students forward.

Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami, said he voted for the bill because he want to reduce students testing load, but said the states decline in math scores worries him.

Last year, 55% of first-time test takers passed the states Algebra 1 exam compared to 62% in 2019, according to state data. Floridas SAT math score dropped eight points last year, with its average score among the lowest for the ten states that, like Florida, test more than 90% of their graduating seniors.

We have a math proficiency problem in this state. It has been shown time and time again, he said.
By Qabil Ashirov



A delegation led by Ramin M?mm?dov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, visited Georgia on March 16. Azernews reports that the delegation included Arzu Na??yev, the head of the Azerbaijan-Georgia Parliamentary Working Group, Faiq Quliyev, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Georgia, and other official representatives.

The delegation first visited the statue of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the Rustavi Park. They paid their respects to the monument, a symbol of the strong ties between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Following the visit, the delegation participated in an iftar dinner organized for the Azerbaijani community in Rustavi. The event was attended by members of both the Azerbaijani and Georgian parliaments, Rustavis Mayor Nino Latsabidze, religious figures, and community members. The iftar dinner was a collaborative effort by the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, the Moral Values Promotion Fund under the Committee, and the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia.

Ambassador Faiq Quliyev expressed the significance of the iftar event, calling it a joyful occasion that emphasizes solidarity, brotherhood, and unity.

"Such events allow us to reiterate our unity and shared values," he said.

Chairman Ramin M?mm?dov highlighted that the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia are based not only on official protocols but also on deep friendship and mutual respect between the peoples.

"These relations reflect the brotherly and cooperative feelings shared by our nations," he stated.

M?mm?dov also referenced the words of National Leader Heydar Aliyev: "The peoples of Azerbaijan and Georgia are fraternal and neighboring nations."

He emphasized that the foundation of the friendship between the two countries is strong and based on shared strategic goals and mutual cooperation.

"Our primary goal today is the development of our states, the well-being of our peoples, and the continuation of independent policies," he added.

Georgian Parliament Deputy Irakli Shatakishvili commented on the symbolism of the flags of Azerbaijan and Georgia, noting that the Azerbaijani flag carries the crescent and star, symbols of the Muslim world, while the Georgian flag features the cross, a symbol of the Christian world. "The sight of these two flags together symbolizes our unity," he said.

Rustavis Mayor Nino Latsabidze spoke about the spiritual and physical purification that the month of Ramadan brings, emphasizing how it nurtures both individuals and society by fostering inner peace and harmony.

Other speakers congratulated the global Muslim community, wishing prosperity, abundance, and purity to all.
NEW DELHI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Indian police Monday said a suspect in a recent grenade attack on a Hindu temple in the northern Indian state of Punjab was killed in an exchange of fire with policemen.

However, his accomplice managed to escape during the stand-off.

The exchange of fire between the suspect and police took place in Rajasansi town near Amritsar, the Sikh holy city in Punjab.

"Following the attack on the temple in Amritsar on March 15, we formed multiple police teams and they immediately identified the suspects," Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar told media.

"This morning during a chase these people were asked to stop. However, one of the suspects fired upon our police party using a pistol and fired five rounds. A head constable was wounded after being hit in his arm. Another bullet hit the turban of one of our officers and he was luckily left unhurt. A third bullet hit a police vehicle," Singh said.

"Acting in self-defense, the police party fired back upon the suspect wounding him badly. Both injured policemen and the suspect were later removed to the civil hospital, where the suspect succumbed to his wounds. The policeman is undergoing treatment."

Singh said the other accused fled from the spot but their efforts to trace him were underway.

On Saturday, a grenade attack was carried out on a Hindu temple in Khandwala area of Amritsar. The attack damaged the walls of the temple and shattered its window panes. However, no loss of life or injuries were reported in the attack.

Visuals of the attack captured on closed-circuit television cameras showed two unidentified people coming to the Thakur Dwar temple on a motorcycle. After waiting for a few seconds outside it, one of them hurled something towards the temple, and then they fled from the spot on their motorcycle. Within no time, the explosion took place, emitting shrapnel.

The attack triggered panic among residents in the area. 
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke at a Capitol press conference on March 17, 2025, about a bill to bolster his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer.

Minnesota lawmakers are proposing a bill to curb Medicaid fraud by increasing penalties and bolstering Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellisons Medicaid fraud unit with more investigators and additional authority to subpoena financial records.

When people steal from Medicaid, theyre stealing from all of us. Theyre stealing health care from the people most vulnerable amongst us, Ellison said at a Capitol press conference Monday. Medicaid fraud isnt only illegal, its also immoral and reprehensible.

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Ellisons Medicaid Fraud Control Unit works to uncover and prosecute people and organizations that steal from Medicaid, which in Minnesota is known as Medical Assistance. The units largest investigation came out of Faribault, where prosecutors say that interpreters and drivers recruited hundreds of residents from the city about 60 miles south of the metro to specialty clinics in the Twin Cities as part of a huge, multi-million dollar fraud.

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General said Minnesotas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit had the most fraud convictions among similarly sized operations in other states.

Now, lawmakers want to give the unit additional resources to catch fraud and future crime after several years of unceasing headlines about the theft of public money from Medicaid and other public programs.

The bill (HF2354) would appropriate $390,000 to the fraud unit over the next two years for nine new staff members, increasing the staff from 32 to 41.

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It would also increase criminal penalties associated with Medicaid fraud, classifying it as an attempted theft of public funds rather than a completed theft. This would increase the maximum prison sentence from 2.5 years to up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for theft of Medicaid dollars over $35,000.

In addition, the bill would allow the Attorney Generals Office to subpoena financial records during criminal Medicaid fraud investigations.

(The bill will) get the message out there that if you do steal this money, we will find you and we will prosecute you for that, said Nick Wanka, director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

The bill currently has bipartisan co-authors in the House. Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart, DFL- Wayzata, is the bills chief author in the Senate, and on Monday she said shes confident the bill will also have bipartisan support in the coming days.
ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)  A lawsuit filed in federal court last year is accusing a Piedmont Triad sheriffs office is a wrongful death and inflicting emotional distress upon the mother of the victim.

The lawsuit centers on a deputy-involved shooting that left Warren Kent Davis dead on May 8, 2023. Davis mother, Kathy Fujiwara, filed the wrongful death suit against Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson and multiple unnamed deputies last fall. They will be set for a pre-trial hearing in April, if the parties are unable to reach agreement on a discovery plan, the pretrial hearing will take place, according to court documents.

Fujiwara alleges that deputies shot Davis, who was mentally ill and suffered from substance abuse issues, in the arm while he was wielding a knife at his girlfriends home.

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Davis girlfriend had taken out a protective order against Davis some months prior, However, on May 8, the lawsuit alleges that she picked Davis up and brought him to her home. At some point, she called both 911 and Daviss twin brother to remove Davis from the home. Chuck Fujiwara was also called.

PHOTOS: Lightning sparks fire, burning ski slope condos in Beech Mountain

Numerous deputies, as well as Sheriff Terry Johnson, arrived at the home after they were called. Johnson knew Davis by name, calling him Kent, and spoke with him. At some point, Davis was shot in the arm.

The lawsuit alleges that 10 deputies surrounded Davis and he hid underneath a truck, lying prone on his stomach. Deputies then deployed a nonlethal flashbang.

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Immediately after the deployment of the flashbang, several, if not all of the deputies, opened fire on Kent while he was lying prone on his stomach.

The lawsuit alleges that the deputies were reacting to the sound of the flashbang, but all knew that Davis did not have a gun on him at the time.

Kent was struck numerous times and killed by a lethal shot to his head while lying prone

under the truck, according to the suit.

Fujiwara claims that the Alamance County Sheriffs Office lied about the nature of the event, quoting a contemporaneous media release where they state that a deputy offered Davis a cigarette, shot him after he lunged with a knife and then after a second lunge fatally shot him. She says they used various types of guns including AR-style rifles to shoot Davis while he hid on the ground.

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Deputies at the scene were wearing body-worn cameras, and the footage has not been publicly shared. The lawsuit states that the camera footage contradicts the narrative that the sheriffs office released to the public and that the SBI did not investigate the shooting, as is standard procedure in officer or deputy involved shootings.

The lawsuit goes on to state that the sheriffs office failed to train the deputies properly, accusing them of failing to de-escalate and stand down until Sheriff Johnson had concluded his attempts to get Kent to surrender and subjecting Kent to unnecessary, extreme, excessive, and deadly force in attempting to effectuate his detainment.

Fujiwara also states that the use of deadly force was malicious, reckless, and deliberately indifferent to Kents federally protected rights.

The lawsuit states that Fujiwara, as the plaintiff, is entitled to recover compensatory, consequential, and punitive damages from Defendants, in an amount determined by the trier of fact, for both Daviss wrongful death and the emotional distress inflicted upon her.

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The lawsuit is seeking damages and a trial by jury.

Queen City News

QCN INVESTIGATION: LOST TRUST

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LONDON (AP)  Lawyers for convicted baby killer Lucy Letby and former executives at the hospital where she worked have asked to halt an inquiry into the deaths after a panel of medical experts found no evidence of a crime, a judge said Monday.

Justice Kathryn Thirlwall announced the requests before hearing closing statements in the inquiry seeking accountability for staff and management for the harm to babies at Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England.

The inquiry that began in September was predicated on Letby's guilt, and Thirlwall had said she would not review the convictions after an appeals court upheld them. But lawyers for Letby said that if the convictions are overturned, the inquiry might reach the wrong conclusions, and 10 million pounds ($13 million) spent so far will have been a waste of taxpayer funds.

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In short, it will defeat the purpose of a public inquiry, to fully and fearlessly understand the circumstances in which the babies died or became unwell," attorney Louise Mortimer wrote in a letter to Thirlwall.

Thirlwall is expected to publish a final report in the fall.

Letby, 35, is serving multiple life sentences with no chance of release after being convicted of seven counts of murder and attempting to murder seven other infants between June 2015 and June 2016 while working as a neonatal nurse at the hospital.

Prosecutors said Letby left little or no trace when she harmed babies: injecting air into their bloodstreams, administering air or milk into their stomachs via nasogastric tubes, interfering with breathing tubes or poisoning them with insulin. They said she was the only employee on duty in the neonatal unit when the children collapsed or died.

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But a group of 16 international medical experts in pediatrics and neonatology who reviewed the medical evidence concluded that natural causes or bad medical care led to the death or collapse of each newborn, Dr. Shoo Lee, a retired neonatologist from Canada, said last month.

The panel also questioned the premise that there was an unexplained spike in deaths at the hospital. It said evidence of schedules that showed Letby was present during all the deaths was incomplete, selective and, therefore, meaningless."

Dozens of Letby's supporters gathered outside the inquiry in Liverpool to call for her release. They held signs saying: Free Lucy Letby! No babies were murdered! and others referring to flawed science and the nurse Letby witch hunt.

Letbys convictions are being examined by the Criminal Case Review Commission, which looks at potential miscarriages of justice. It could refer its findings to the Court of Appeal.

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The Crown Prosecution Service has said two juries convicted Letby and three appellate judges had rejected her arguments that the prosecution expert evidence was flawed.

Former executives at the hospital  chief executive Tony Chambers, medical director Ian Harvey, director of nursing Alison Kelly and human resources director Sue Hodkinson  asked for the public inquiry to be halted after the medical panel released its findings.

But a lawyer for the National Health Service trust that runs the hospital said during his closing remarks that the inquiry shouldn't be suspended.

A postponement, which would necessarily be of indeterminate length, is not warranted and it would serve to delay the implementations of recommendations which unhappily the evidence in this inquiry have demonstrated are desperately needed, attorney Andrew Kennedy said.

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Kennedy said the hospital had acknowledged some failings at the start of the inquiry but that it was now clear it should have acted even sooner to banish Letby from the neonatal unit.

We recognize the significance of this concession to the parents of children who were harmed or killed by Letby after the beginning of November 2015 and I can only say that the trust is profoundly sorry for the failure to intervene sooner," Kennedy said.

Several related investigations remain active.

Cheshire police announced last week that its investigation into corporate manslaughter at the hospital had been expanded and was now looking at individual suspects for gross negligence manslaughter.

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Letby's lawyer criticized that decision, based on the medical panel's findings.

We now have substantial and significant expert evidence which completely demolishes the prosecution case against Lucy Letby and points the finger in a very different direction to that which the police are currently looking, Mark McDonald said. "It is time they take a step back and ask themselves whether have they made a huge mistake.

A separate investigation is looking into other deaths and near-deaths of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Womens Hospital when Letby worked there between 2012 to 2016.
Lawyers suing the Newark archdiocese over sex abuse claims are seeking internal Seton Hall University documents the school says should remain secret. (Photo by New Jersey Monitor)

A state judge will hear arguments Tuesday in a fight over whether Seton Hall University must disclose secret documents to lawyers suing the Archdiocese of Newark over its handling of sexual abuse claims.

Seton Hall administrators have refused to hand over the documents, which include a 2019 investigative report on abuse allegations at the schools seminary and alleged failures by Monsignor Joseph R. Reilly, the universitys president since last July and a former seminary rector and dean, to properly report them.

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In a February motion, the schools lawyers argued the report and related records are protected by attorney-client privilege because they were prepared to help the school respond to anticipated litigation. They want a judge to issue an order protecting the documents from disclosure.

The compelled disclosure of these documents will have a chilling effect on all universities and corporations in New Jersey, sending the message that institutions should not retain counsel to protect their rights and responsibilities in anticipation of litigation or take action to mitigate potential legal exposure, because, years in the future, a court may order counsels work product and privileged communications to their client to be disclosed to an adverse party, Seton Hallsattorneys wrote.

But the plaintiffs attorneys, who say they learned of the secret documents after Politico New Jersey reported about them, disputed the purpose of the report, saying it was an independent investigation Seton Halls board of regents commissioned to learn more about the abuse allegations and the administrations response. Attorney-client privilege only exists between attorneys and their clients, they noted.

Seton Hall shared the report with the Vatican, and under New Jersey law, sharing purportedly privileged documents and information waives any privilege, the plaintiffs attorneys wrote in a brief filed earlier this month.

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In New Jersey, an assertion of privilege applies only to the attorneys thoughts, conclusions, and recommendations. It does not cloak an entire document or communication in a blanket of privilege, and it does not apply to factual information or assertions within the documents, the attorneys wrote.

The case at hand involves claims by 450 plaintiffs that they were sexually abused by clergy in the Newark archdiocese. A judge overseeing the case ordered the archdiocese in 2020 to disclose documents to plaintiffs, but Seton Halls attorneys have argued they did not have to comply with that order because the university is a separately named defendant in only six of about 450 cases that were consolidated.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs rejected that claim too, saying Seton Hall is part of the archdiocese and consequently must comply or face significant monetary sanctions.

Seton Halls suggestion that it is not subject to this Courts Orders requiring the production of institutional discovery is, at best, flawed, and, at worst, intentionally deceitful, they wrote.

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Lawyers for LCPD officer in 2022 manslaughter case request new trial

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE)  The Las Cruces Police officer who shot a man in the back of the head at point blank range for stealing a beer at a gas station is asking for a new trial. In February, the court convicted Brad Lunsford of voluntary manslaughter, but now, hes requesting a new trial, saying the jury was biased.

The video shows Lunsford shooting Presley Eze in the back of the head in 2022 after an altercation broke out, even though Eze resisted arrest and grabbed for an officers tazer. The state argued Lunsford couldve de-escalated the situation.

2 children hurt in Las Cruces in jumping balloon accident

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After an extensive jury selection process, documents filed by Lunsfords attorneys claim one juror was biased in the case. The defense says that the juror did not disclose that they had discussed their calling at a birthday party, saying it was a case of police brutality. Lunsfords attorneys claim that shows bias in the case.

Lunsford is asking for a new trial, with court records showing a hearing on the matter is scheduled for this week. In a statement to News 13, the New Mexico Department of Justice said the following:

Brad Lunsford was convicted at the conclusion of a lengthy trial where a jury of his peers had the opportunity to evaluate all the evidence submitted by both the state and the defense. He had his day in court, and he was found guilty. While the prosecution does not control the logistics for excusing jurors before deliberations begin, the community should know that every member of the jury who found Lunsford guilty was present for the entire trial, and there is no basis in law for this conviction to be overturned. We look forward to upholding the jurys verdict and stand prepared to take the matter up on appeal should that become necessary. New Mexico Department of Justice

The court is processing Lunsfords request for a new trial.

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At least 13 people are facing charges in connection with incidents at the St. Patricks Day Parade in South Boston on Sunday, authorities said.

Nine people were arrested and four others will be summonsed to face a judge, Boston police announced after the 122nd annual celebration. They will also face charges of minor in possession of alcohol to assault and battery, public fighting, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, assault and battery on a police officer, and destruction of property in South Boston District Court.

One of the individuals is a juvenile, while the other twelve are adults, police noted.

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An earlier start time for the 2025 edition of the parade was agreed upon by city leaders to help curb the public drinking and rowdiness that occurred during the 2024 event, but police still seized copious amounts of alcohol.

Spectators watch the St. Patrick's Day parade from a balcony, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Participants dressed as Minutemen march during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Spectators cheer during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A sheet metal worker high-fives the crowd during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

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A Shriner motors by the crowd during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A man on a float encourages the crowd to cheer louder during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Graham Johnston, of St. Louis, Mo., dressed as a leprechaun, and others reach for treats thrown by participants at the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Spectators cheer at the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

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A drummer performs during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Michele Hunter, of Pawlet, Vt., center left, and Erin Riley, of Saugus, Mass., cheer a performer at the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Performers shoot muskets at the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A man dressed as a leprechaun slaps hands with the crowd during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

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Spectators celebrate during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Empty containers used for homemade drinks overflow the garbage cans after the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

FILE - A person waves an Irish flag while watching the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Boston's South Boston neighborhood. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

The Boston Police Department showed off its efforts to curb underage and public drinking.

Officers shared photos of a slew of borgs that were seized from paradegoers.

A borg, also known as a blackout rage gallon, is a mixed drink made in a plastic gallon jug, generally containing water, vodka, and flavored drink mix.

Borg drinking trend on college campuses raises concerns among Boston health experts

The borg is a trendy choice among college students and also for Sundays festivities, with officers collecting dozens upon dozens of jugs filled with various colored mixtures.

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Alcohol has been seized due to underage and or public drinking, the department wrote in a statement. We thank the vast majority of those celebrating today for doing so in a safe and appropriate way.

MBTA Transit Police also seized alcohol from St. Patricks Day revelers at Broadway Station.

Some folks refuse to listen and follow simple rules, the department wrote on X. This is a small sampling of what Transit Police officers seized from people coming into the parade.

Some folks refuse to listen and follow simple rules. This is a small sampling of what Transit Police officers seized from people coming into the parade. pic.twitter.com/ZBAvTzJp7y  MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) March 16, 2025

Some of the alcohol confiscated by TPD officers. pic.twitter.com/KmSv3cXJXg  MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) March 16, 2025

The annual tradition celebrates the rich Irish heritage that permeates the city, and it also honors the day in 1776 when British troops left Boston after a lengthy attack during the Revolutionary War.

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Since 1948, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council has been organizing the parade.

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In the moments before a tornado destroyed her family's Arkansas home, Misty Drope noticed the silence.

"There's a silence that happens before a strong storm hits you," Drope told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview on Monday. "And I said, 'Oh no, this is not good.'"

She and her family -- Bruce and Keely Drope -- were standing outside what was left of their home in Paragould. The tornado that tore through the town over the weekend was the second to touch their neighborhood in less than a year.

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"You're so thankful you're alive," Bruce Drope said.

PHOTO: Friends and neighbors salvage items from the storm damaged home of Neva Willitte after an overnight tornado hit the area in the Alpine community near Plantersville, Alabama, Mar. 16, 2025. (Mickey Welsh/USA Today Network via Reuters)

Looking at a photo of their destroyed home, Keely Drope pointed out the corner of the house she and her family took shelter in and noted that it was the only area of the residence where the roof was still intact.

"In that photo, it literally looked like God just had his hand right there over us because that's the only part that has the roof left," Keely Drope said.

At least 42 people were killed amid more than 970 severe storm reports across more than two dozen states over the weekend. A three-day tornado outbreak tore through at least nine states.

PHOTO: Cynthia Leake comforts Mickey Power in front of his home the day after a tornado destroyed it in Tylertown, Mississippi, Mar. 16, 2025. (Brian Broom/USA Today Network via Reuters)

In Missouri, 12 people were killed in tornadoes that touched down. In Kansas, another eight people perished, while Mississippi reported six storm-related deaths.

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Severe storms, including tornadoes, killed four people in Texas, four in Oklahoma, three in Arkansas and three in Alabama.

2 children killed

In North Carolina, two children -- ages 11 and 13 -- were killed early Saturday when a tree uprooted by a storm fell on their single-wide mobile home in the town of Brevard, Transylvania County, authorities said. Connestee Fire Rescue Chief Matthew C. Owen said in a Facebook post that the tree fell on the bedroom that 11-year-old Joshua Leviskia and his 13-year-old brother, Josiah, were in.

"When Connestee Fire Rescue firefighters arrived, they located a single-wide trailer with an approximately 3-foot-diameter uprooted tree through the center of the trailer," Owen said in the post. "The surviving members of this family indicated there were two children trapped in their bedroom."

Firefighters found the brothers dead under the tree and other debris, the agency said. Five other people who lived in the residence were not injured, the agency said.

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A tornado rated by the National Weather Service as an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale tore through Tylertown, Mississippi, with wind speeds up to 111 mph, Owen told ABC News. It killed at least three people, officials said.

PHOTO: Trailers and campers lay torn apart at the Burton Campers saleyard after storms hit the area around Calera, Alabama, Mar. 16, 2025. (Dane Rhys/Reuters)

Many of the cabins at Paradise Ranch RV Resort in Tylertown were reduced to rubble as the tornado tore through, leaving behind a mangled mess of tree branches and building materials. But the campground's manager told "GMA" that there were no deaths reported there, in part because most of the cabins were empty.

Next week, about 250 campers were expected to show up, the manager said.

EF-3 tornado wreaks havoc in Alabama

The NWS confirmed that an EF-3 tornado packing winds between 136 mph and 165 mph touched down in the small community of Plantersville, Alabama, about 41 miles northwest of Montgomery, destroying homes and mowing down pine trees or turning them into projectiles that penetrate roofs and walls of homes.

PHOTO: Kerry Walker checks the storm damage of his home after a fatal overnight tornado hit the area in the Alpine community near Plantersville, Alabama, Mar. 16, 2025. (Mickey Welsh/USA Today Network via Reuters)

Anita Ownes told ABC affiliate station WBMA in Birmingham that her mother was killed when a twister destroyed her Plantersville home. Ownes said her mother's body was located about 350 yards from her destroyed residence.

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She said her uncle, who lives in the same neighborhood as her mother, was hospitalized with injuries from the tornado.

"To be honest, you wouldn't think just wind and tornadoes would do this much devastation," a tearful Ownes said as she surveyed the splintered wood, cracked cinderblocks and twisted metal strewn across the Plantersville.

PHOTO: Debbie Bush and her husband duck under a power line to inspect their camper that was in storage at the Burton Campers saleyard after storms hit the area around Calera, Alabama, Mar. 16, 2025. (Dane Rhys/Reuters)

Asked about her mother, Ownes said, "I don't really know what to tell you right now about mom except she loved everybody."

School bus hurled into gym

In Winterboro, Alabama, about 60 miles southeast of Birmingham, a tornado, which the NWS rated as an EF-2, ripped through the community, destroying homes and damaging the high school. The twister, packing winds of 120 mph, was strong enough to lift a school bus and hurtle it into the Winterboro gym.

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MORE: Video American Red Cross provides relief after tornado outbreak

The Talladega County Coroner identified the one person who died in the tornado that hit Winterboro as 83-year-old Harry Leon Fain, who authorities said lived in a mobile home across the street from Winterboro High School.

"Everybody knew him. He was a real nice fellow," Luther Lackey, second assistant chief at the Winterboro Volunteer Fire Department, said of Fain in an interview with WBMA. "He came to the fire station four hours early to make sure the storm shelters were open."

PHOTO: Volunteers work to gather Tim Striegel's belongings after his home was torn apart when storms hit the area around Calera, Alabama, Mar. 16, 2025. (Dane Rhys/Reuters)

Lackey said Fain told firefighters he was going home but planned to return to one of the storm shelters.

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"Four hours later, they had to try to find him," Lackey said.

Powerful winds also fanned wildfires that erupted over the weekend, destroying nearly 400 homes near Norman, Oklahoma, officials said. At least four people were killed in the fires and heavy winds, according to the state's office of the chief medical examiner.

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 142 injuries related to the wildfires were reported to state hospitals.

While the threat of more tornadoes has subsided in the Great Plains, fire danger remains elevated Monday in the region. Red Flag fire danger warnings were issued for parts of Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. On Tuesday, extreme fire danger is expected for West Texas and New Mexico, officials said.

2 young brothers among at least 42 deaths as tornadoes swept US originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Severe storms swept across the southern and midwestern United States over the weekend, killing at least 40 people, including 12 in the state of Missouri and injuring dozens more.

The US weather service warned that more severe weather is expected to hit parts of the East Coast on Sunday and issued a number of tornado watches.

US President Donald Trump said the White House was actively monitoring the weather situation.

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"36 innocent lives have been lost, and many more devastated," he wrote on Truth Social.

"My Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage."

Trump said the National Guard had been deployed to Arkansas.

Since Trump made the comments, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey confirmed three people died in her state due to the extreme weather, while the death toll in Texas rose from three to four, local news reported.

Damage consistent with an EF4 tornado had been found in two locations in Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service office in Arkansas. EF4 tornadoes have 260 to 320 kilometre per hour winds, according to the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

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At least 12 people have died in Missouri and one person is missing, Governor Mike Kehoe said in a statement.

Hundreds of homes, schools and businesses had been either destroyed or severely damaged, he said.

"The scale of devastation across our state is staggering," Kehoe said.

"While we grieve the lives of those lost, we are also focused on actiongetting power restored, clearing debris, and ensuring our communities have the resources they need to recover," he said.

"The strength and resilience of Missourians are already on display, and we will be with them every step of the way."

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Kehoe declared a state of emergency on Friday ahead of the storms.

Damage assessments were being carried out "in preparation for a federal major disaster declaration request," he said.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency and urged residents to prepare. Residents in high-risk areas were advised to seek shelter in buildings with underground protection and to avoid mobile homes.

The storms began on Friday. At least 40 tornadoes were recorded in eight states - Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama and Indiana.

Residents fled in their cars as dust storm fronts approached, causing pile-ups involving dozens of vehicles. In Kansas, 50 vehicles collided in a series of accidents on Saturday, killing at least eight people.

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In many areas, the storms has not only destroyed homes and cars, but also knocked out power. The US website PowerOutage reported more than 230,000 affected households in five states on Sunday.

The strong winds have also fanned existing wildfires. In Oklahoma alone, hundreds of fires are reported to have broken out, affecting 170,000 hectares. Four people were confirmed dead in the state, according to the medical examiner's office.

A general view of the damage after a tornado passed through Alabama. Jeremy Raines/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
March 17 (UPI) -- National Guard and National Weather Service crews were dispatched to the central and eastern United States some 52 tornadoes and wildfires killed at least 44 people over the weekend.

Weather-related deaths were reported in eight states by Accuweather.com: 12 in Missouri; eight in Kansas; six in Mississippi, four in Texas, four in Oklahoma, four in North Carolina, three in Arkansas; and three in Alabama.

The North Carolina deaths included two boys who were killed when a tree fell on a trailer Sunday.

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And more bad weather is forecast. On Monday, 8 million people in the western United States were under winter storm watches and warnings.

Light snow is forecast from the Northeast to the southern mid-Atlantic Coast through Tuesday evening, and over the Lower Great Lakes and Central Appalachians through late Monday afternoon.

Conversely, NBC's Al Roker said conditions would be "bone-dry," with a critical risk for fire from Denver down to San Angelo, Texas, and east to Oklahoma City. On Monday, 42 million people are under fire alerts in Great Plains and the Florida peninsula.

With clean-up beginning for some, the central and southern High Plains wereaat risk for extreme or critical fire weather Monday, the National Weather Service said.

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In Oklahoma, almost 300 houses and structures were destroyed by wildfires.

About 170,000 acres in Oklahoma burned. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt promised a "post-mortem look" on the causes of the wildfires beyond the high winds and low humidity. "We think some of the power lines contributed to this," he said.

The NWS issued a Fire Weather Watch from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday in several areas, with wind gusts up to 35 to 45 mph expected to hit much of central and southwest Oklahoma. Meteorologists forecast conditions to be worse Tuesday, posing higher fire risk.

Also, the weather service issued red flag warnings in several states as high winds and low humidity raise the risk of wildfires.

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"Dry and breezy weather may lead to the initiation and spread of wildfires," the weather service in Fort Worth, Texas, posted on X. "Stay weather aware and avoid activities that can lead to wildfires!"

President Donald Trump on Monday posted on Truth Social his office was "actively monitoring the severe tornadoes and storms that have impacted many states across the South and Midwest." He said the National Guard has been deployed to Arkansas.

"My administration is ready to assist state and local officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage," Trump said. "Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!"

Weather service field crews across the central and eastern United States conducted tornado damage surveys Sunday.

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Electric companies have been restoring power. Missouri had the most outages, 20,000, by Monday afternoon, according to Poweroutage.us.

In Missouri, an EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 140 mph was reported Saturday.

Gov. Mike Kehoe posted on X Sunday he "had the opportunity to hear directly from Missourians who have lost so much -- but even in the face of destruction, their resilience and determination to rebuild are inspiring.

"This is a long road, but we are in this together. My team and I will continue working around the clock to get resources where they're needed most."

I spent yesterday on the ground, seeing the devastation firsthand and meeting with the first responders, emergency crews, and local leaders who are working tirelessly to help our communities recover. Their dedication is nothing short of heroic. I also had the opportunity to hear... pic.twitter.com/DwykmruOkT Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) March 16, 2025

In Kansas, eight people died when high winds and a dust storm caused a collision on Interstate 70 that involved at least 71 vehicles, Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman said.

We're working as fast as we can to get the interstate open. Vehicles involved is now up to 71. The special number that has been set up for loved ones is 785-827-4437. We also would like to express our sincere condolences to all the loved ones who were affected by this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/uopVL7j1IY Trooper Tod (@TrooperTodKHP) March 15, 2025

In Texas, blowing dirt and wildfire smoke caused multiple car crashes Friday. Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Cindy Barkley told USA Today that nearly 40 vehicles were involved in a Randall County, though no life-threatening injuries were reported.

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"We had so many crashes that day, I can't even keep up," she said.

In Mississippi, Tyrene Power's home is buried under rubble after a tornado struck their home.

"You know, they say you hear a train," Power told the Clarion Ledger as she sat in a vehicle Sunday morning to stay warm outside of the remains of her destroyed home. "We heard no train. It was just the wind and then it was there."

Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston said on Facebook that Taylorville "experienced significant damage due to tornadoes that struck" Sunday.

In Alabama, damage was reported in 52 of the state's 67 counties, Gov. Kay Ivey confirmed on X.

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"Emergency management officials have been working hard to assess the damage brought by this weekend's storms," she wrote.

An EF-2 threw a yellow school bus onto the roof of Winterboro High School in Talladega County on Saturday.

The strongest confirmed twister was a powerful EF-4 with 190 mph winds in Jackson County, Arkansas.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders surveyed damage Friday, writing on X: "In the worst moments you see the best of Arkansans. Showing up and helping one another. Thankful to lead the greatest state in America."

In the worst moments you see the best of Arkansans. Showing up and helping one another. Thankful to lead the greatest state in America. pic.twitter.com/tPHrbPKxgg Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) March 16, 2025

In North Carolina, a tree fell on a trailer in Brevard, killing two boys ages 11 and 13, fire officials said Sunday.

"I am heartbroken to learn that two children were killed over the weekend due to severe weather. May their memories be a blessing," North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein wrote in a Monday post on X.

Nearly 1,100 flights nationwide were canceled Friday and Saturday during a peak period because of spring break for schools. On Monday afternoon, FlightAware showed 524 cancellations Monday.
LENEXA, Kan.  A Kansas woman is fighting a rare legal battle after her brother allegedly told police he killed their mother and aunt.

Leah Howard says her brother is listed as the only beneficiary on their mothers accounts. Now, Leah says she is looking to gain control of those accounts while also grieving her loved ones, who were killed last month at a home in Lenexa.

On Feb. 12, Leah answered her door during breakfast to find Lenexa police detectives.

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He told me, you know, your mom has passed away, Howard remembered.

And I said, stop, hold on. Give me a second to catch my breath here. I kind of figured that was what he was here for, but I wasnt ready for what he had to say next, and that was that my brother took her life. I just remember I had to walk out and I had to go and put my bare feet in the snow because I thought that it wasnt real.

Police later in a statement identified the victims as Joyce E. Austin, 71, and Valerie A. Howard, 63, both from Lenexa.

Howard went on to describe that the following weeks were the toughest of her life as she began settling her mothers affairs. However, settling those affairs and making funeral arrangements proved to be traumatic as well.

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And thats kind of when we were met with a lot of pushback because unfortunately and my mom had my brother as her beneficiary on like literally everything, Howard said.

Leahs brother, Luke Howard, is charged in Johnson County District Court with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the February killings. He allegedly admitted to police he killed their mother, and still stood to inherit almost all of her money and belongings.

In Kansas, two different laws are in place that prohibit Luke from receiving the inheritance, but Leah and her lawyers have to inform all institutions individually.

They kind of just treat you like youre crazy, you know, that youre just this crazy family member, trying to come in and get money or, you know, start drama or whatever, she explained. Thats really difficult when youre in the grieving process, you know, when you have so much to deal with.

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On top of dealing with her mothers passing, she now has to deal with a legal battle that could take a year or more.

However, Leah says that its her loved ones that have kept her going. A GoFundMe page has been set up for support.

Just to know that people care, to know that theyre thinking about you and theyre supporting you through something thats so difficult and nobody should ever have to experience. Its it really restores my faith in humanity.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait are a resolute response to foreign connivance and support to "Taiwan independence," and a serious warning to Taiwan separatist forces.

She said China's military actions are necessary, legal, and justified measures to defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Mao made the remarks during a daily press briefing when asked to comment on a media query. According to reports, the Chinese military conducted military exercises in the Taiwan Strait on Monday. It is believed that the drills were related to recent changes on the U.S. State Department's website regarding Taiwan policy, as well as the actions of "Taiwan independence" forces.

Mao recently said that the U.S. side has taken a series of wrong actions in regard to the Taiwan question. In particular, the United States deleted the literal expression that reflected the one-China principle and that did not support "Taiwan independence" on the website of the U.S. Department of State, which indicates wrong signals to Taiwan separatist forces.

Mao reiterated that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and the one-China principle is the fundamental basis of China-U.S. relations.

"Mishandling of the Taiwan question will shake the very foundation of China-U.S. relations," Mao said, adding that separatism for "Taiwan independence" is as incompatible with peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait as fire with water, and that containing China with the Taiwan question will only lead to self-harm.

Mao Ning urged the United States to fulfill commitments made by past U.S. administrations on the Taiwan question, cease provocative actions that cross red lines, and handle Taiwan-related questions with greater caution to avoid causing further serious damage to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and to China-U.S. relations. 
The Founders knew that Americans, for better or worse, had an insatiable desire for overseas trade. They are as aquatic as the tortoises and sea-fowl, observed John Adams, and the love of commerce, with its conveniences and pleasures, is a habit in them as unalterable as their natures. As early as 1785 he foresaw that Americans would be compelled to form connections with Europe, Asia, and Africa, and he advised that the sooner we form those connections into a judicious system, the better it will be for us and our children. Thomas Jefferson would have preferred to cease all commerce with the rest of the world and rely on the simple virtues of the yeoman farmer, but he knew this was impossible. Our people have a decided taste for navigation and commerce  and their servants are in duty bound to calculate all their measures on this datum. Even that much-caricatured Jacksonian, Andrew Jackson himself, as president never fired a shot in anger but negotiated more trade agreements with foreign powers than any of his predecessors.

The American love of trade made using the practice as a weapon against other nations difficult. When Jefferson forgot his own lesson and tried to embargo trade with Great Britain in 1807 in response to the British navys abuse of American merchants on the high seas, his efforts backfired, stirring talk of secession in the New England states that conducted most of that trade. It turned out to be easier to get Americans to support a shooting war with Great Britain than a trade war.

Donald Trump is now learning the hard way how vulnerable America is when it comes to trade wars. This is not because the United States doesnt in theory hold the strongest hand. The American market is the most desired in the world, and any restriction on access to that market should hurt other countries more than it hurts the United States. The ratio of international trade to GDP for the U.S. is roughly 25 percent, compared with more than 60 percent on average for all other nations. In Germany, foreign trade tallies up to 90 percent of GDP. That ought to make the country vulnerable and give the United States leverage. In practice, however, Americans have proved time and again that they have a very low threshold of pain when it comes to trade wars. Jefferson was not wrong to believe that Britain depended heavily on American trade when he launched his embargo in 1807; what he did not anticipate was that his own citizens would cave before Britain did.

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[Read: How Republicans learned to love high prices]

The problem is, or at least has been up until now, democracy, and, more specifically, electoral politics in a federal system where narrow, local interests can have broad national political impact. A trade dispute might harm only one sector of the economy, but if that sector happens to coincide with a crucial voting bloc, it can put the United States at a disadvantage in a contest with a nominally weaker power.

A good example of this came during World War I, before the United States had entered the war and Woodrow Wilson was trying to navigate his way through British blockades and German submarine attacks on transatlantic shipping while desperately trying to preserve American neutrality. The United States was far less reliant on international trade then; it was only 11 percent of GDP. But as Wilson learned, even damage to particular sectors of the economy could threaten political upheaval. Although his personal inclinations were pro-British, for instance, Londons threats to blockade cotton as contraband of war infuriated the Democrats key southern constituency. Wilsons secretary of the Treasury, William Gibbs McAdoo, recalled spending more sleepless nights thinking about cotton than about anything else during his time in office. The rest of his sleepless nights were spent worrying about finding markets for midwestern grain, much of which had been purchased by Germany and other European nations prior to the war. These specific sectors, because they involved states and regions essential to national political coalitions, had influence on American decision making that exceeded their overall importance to the American economy.

[Read: Trumps most inexplicable decision yet]

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Trump must believe, as Jefferson did, that the world needs America more than America needs the world, and he may be rightin theory. The problem is that individual voting blocs mean more to him than carrying out a consistent trade war, as he has repeatedly demonstrated during both terms in office. In his first term, the damage done to farmers by his tariffs on imports was sufficiently threatening politically that he had to spend much of the money gained by the tariffs to compensate the farmers for their losses. His vacillations and emendations in his latest rounds of tariffs this year have been similarly motivated by his desire not to alienate Republican voters in particular statesnorthern-tier states that rely heavily on trade with Canada and automaking states that stand to lose badly from tariffs on auto parts, steel, and aluminum crossing the Mexican and Canadian borders. It is no accident that among the Europeans first retaliatory tariffs have been those against Harley-Davidson and American whiskey. Other nations may know their history better than Trump does and have figured out that tariffing sectors of the economy that hit Trump voters can have an impact beyond their dollar value. The United States is a nation split down the middle politically, so marginal voting groups can have a huge effect. This significantly vitiates the American advantage.

It would be one thing if Trumps supporters were willing to suffer economic hardship in order to show their support for the MAGA way. As Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama put it, Theres going to be some pain with tariffs, but no pain, no gain. The problem for Trump is that, so far, as in the past, even his own voters dont have much tolerance for pain.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Lucy Letbys lawyers are to meet with the Criminal Cases Review Commission to present 11 new strands of evidence they say undermine the nurses conviction.

Today Letbys defence team wrote to Lady Justice Thirwall asking her to pause the Thirwall Inquiry until after the case has been considered by the CCRC - which deals with potential miscarriages of justice.

The inquiry is looking into how the deaths and attacks at the hospital could have been prevented.

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Letbys defence team said they would soon be meeting with the allocated commissioner at the CCRC to to talk through the large, authoritative, body of new clinical evidence.

Following this meeting, it is likely that the CCRC will not take long to consider the application before referring it back to the Court of Appeal, the letter said.

It is estimated that over 10 million pounds has been spent so far on the inquiry. It is now clear there is overwhelming and compelling evidence that Lucy Letbys convictions are unsafe.

For the Inquiry to be effective and the tax-payers money not to be wasted, we urge that the inquiry be suspended and to wait for the outcome of the review to take place.

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Letbys lawyers have also written to Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, asking him to pause the inquiry until the CCRC has decided whether to send the case back to the Court of Appeal.

Sir David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary, and the former management of the Countess of Chester have also asked for a suspension, arguing there is now real doubt about Letbys convictions.

04:11 PM GMT

Thats all for today

The inquiry has finished for the day and will resume in the morning when it will hear lengthy submissions from former senior management from the Countess of Chester Hospital about why the hearing should be suspended.

03:26 PM GMT

Letbys criminality not relevant to proceedings, say representatives

Representatives of the Countess of Chester Hospital said that they would oppose a postponement to the inquiry arguing that the Letbys criminality was not relevant to proceedings.

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Andrew Kennedy KC, representing the hospital, said that suspending the hearing would only serve to delay the implementations of recommendations which the evidence in this inquiry have demonstrated are desperately needed.

Letbys convictions stand; they have been tested in two unsuccessful appeals, he said,

The focus of your inquiry has not been on whether Letbys criminality was established or not but on the response or lack of it to the increasing number of deaths on the neonatal unit and their potential link to Letby.

Letbys conviction is not, we would suggest, necessarily relevant to a consideration of the adequacy of the actions taken by nurses , doctors, managers, executives or indeed the board.

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He added: It cannot be fair, reasonable or proportionate to postpone the inquiry based on the mere possibility that her case will be referred to the Court of Appeal.

02:40 PM GMT

Letby lawyers to pass 11 pieces of evidence to CCRC

Lucy Letbys lawyers will this week pass 11 pieces of evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) as they seek to challenge the safety of her convictions.

These include a series of reports authored by experts which interrogate the evidence on which the nurse was convicted.

The legal team will also refer to comments by Dr Dewi Evans, an expert witness for the prosecution in the case, in which he arguably undermines his independence as an expert witness.

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Elsewhere, they will highlight alleged failings of the prosecution to disclose pieces of evidence to the defence.

02:11 PM GMT

50 Free Letby protesters mass outside inquiry

Around 50 protesters have been demonstrating outside Liverpool Town Hall where the Thirlwall Inquiry is being held, reports Ian Leonard.

Many held Free Lucy Letby placards aloft and chanted messages calling for her freedom.

One banner labelled the case against her a witch hunt and another claimed that flawed science was weaponised to convict her.

Former nurse Bryan Evans, 66, had travelled from Bristol to attend.

He said he was convinced the Letby case was a travesty of justice.

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He said: It just strikes me that it wasnt thoroughly investigated and the expert witnesses called by the prosecution were not up to the job and lacking in knowledge.

Instead of criminality, there were other explanations for baby deaths, he believes, including failures by the hospital.

01:51 PM GMT

Revealed: The letter sent by Lucy Letbys legal team

The Telegraph has seen the letter sent to Lady Justice Thirlwall this morning from Letbys lawyers in which they ask for the inquiry to be suspended.

In the four-page document, they argue there was no direct evidence against the nurse, and said compelling new data from international experts suggest there were no crimes.

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Setting out 11 reasons why the evidence presented to the jury was deficient, they urged the inquiry to be paused to wait for the outcome of the Criminal Cases Review Commission

Ms Letby maintains her innocence, the letter states. There is now substantial evidence that undermines all the convictions. The terms of reference of the Inquiry were drafted on the basis that Lucy Letby is guilty and therefore will not consider any evidence which contradicts this.

If, given the overwhelming evidence that the convictions are unsafe, they are overturned, then any report produced by the inquiry will be based on the wrong premise.

Letbys legal team said they planned to submit all their new evidence to the CCRC this week.

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The letter adds: There will soon be a meeting between the defence team and the allocated Commissioner to talk though the large, authoritative, body of new clinical evidence.

Following this meeting, it is likely that the CCRC will not take long to consider the application before referring it back to the Court of Appeal.

12:54 PM GMT

Inquiry breaks for lunch

The inquiry has broken for lunch and will resume at 2pm.

12:42 PM GMT

High bar needed to suspend Letby inquiry, says CQC

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said any decision to suspend the inquiry would need to pass a high bar.

Jenni Richards KC, representing the CQC, said the Supreme Court had ruled that the mere fact of parallel criminal proceedings would not, without more, be sufficient to satisfy this hurdle.

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She said: (It) would require the chair to consider whether it would be fair to all the participants in the inquiry to suspend it for an indefinite period pending a decision by the CCRC as to whether the case should be referred to the Court of Appeal.

As things stand there is a conviction and matters have proceeded no further than a reference to the CCRC.

12:06 PM GMT

Care watchdog apologises to babies families

The Care Quality Commission has apologised to families for not showing enough professional curiosity about why baby deaths had risen at the Countess of Chester.

However Jenni Richards KC, representing the CQC said that despite ample opportunities nobody told them of concerns when they carried out inspections.

At no point before, during and after the inspection, did anyone at the hospital, be it manager, executive, doctor or nurse, tell CQC that there were concerns regarding deaths on the neonatal unit, she said.

There were ample opportunities to do so.

12:03 PM GMT

In pictures: Letby protesters gather outside inquiry

Supporters of Lucy Letby demonstrate outside the inquiry at Liverpool town hall - Chris Neill

Demonstrators displayed placards in support of the nurse - Chris Neill

11:31 AM GMT

NHS England neutral on suspending inquiry

NHS England has said it is taking a neutral position on whether to suspend the inquiry.

Jason Beer KC, representing the body, which will soon be abolished, said that it was an issue for the Secretary of State which, in this case, is Wes Streeting.

NHS England adopts a neutral position in relation to whether the inquiry should be suspended, he told the hearing

Whatever decision is ultimately taken, the work NHS England has described in these closigng submissions as underway will continue.

The inquiry is having a break and will resume at 11.45am.

10:46 AM GMT

Department of Health must get better at implementing inquiry recommendations

The Department of Health and Social Care has admitted it has to get better at implementing recommendations from previous inquiries.

Neil Sheldon KC said: The bottom line is that the Secretary of State is determined to ensure that the department improves its record in this regard.

The tragic events at the Countess of Chester should not have been allowed to happen in the first place but when they do the lessons have to be learned and real lasting change has to be implemented.

Addressing the bereaved families, he added: The dignity and resilience that they have shown throughout this inquiry has been remarkable.

10:23 AM GMT

Abolition of NHS England causes headscratching for inquiry

The abolition of NHS England is causing some head-scratching at the inquiry as the Department of Health will now need to soak up any recommendations addressed to the body.

Lady Justice Thirlwall said she wanted very clear reassurance that this is actually going to happen.

I would need to be very clear about what the process was going to be and who was going to be responsible for it, she said.

Neil Sheldon KC, representing DHSC said: Through the Secretary of State, the Department bears ultimate responsibility for the healthcare system, both at the time of the events being examined and now.

It exercises oversight through a range of other bodies and systems. Those oversight mechanisms did not protect the babies born at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

For its part, the Department acknowledges that there has been a failure to learn from past incidents. Recommendations have been made but insufficient action has been taken.

The Secretary of State has been unequivocal that this must change, describing the NHS as broken and announcing that it is the mission of the Government to build an NHS that is fit for the future.

10:14 AM GMT

Letbys solicitors call for inquiry to be suspended

Lady Justice Thirlwall has said she has received a new letter this morning from solicitors representing Lucy Letby calling for the inquiry to be suspended.

Previous requests to pause the inquiry have come from the former senior managers of the Countess of Chester and Sir David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary.

A few moments ago I received a letter from a new firm of solicitors on behalf of Lucy Letby, she said.

Ive not had the time to read it, but I can see from the second paragraph, its a request that I should suspend the inquiry. Ive asked that the letter be sent to all core participants.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is opening the closing submissions this morning.

10:01 AM GMT

What is the Thirlwall Inquiry?

The Thirlwall Inquiry is investigating how Letbys actions might have been prevented if bosses at the Countess of Chester Hospital and outside agencies had acted faster.

The former neonatal nurse is serving 15 full life terms for the murders of seven infants and the attempted murders of seven others.

However the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is now investigating whether there has been a potential miscarriage of justice.

09:57 AM GMT

Police widening investigation into Letby hospital

Calls to halt the inquiry come as police said they were widening their own probe into the Countess of Chester Hospital.

On Thursday, Cheshire Constabulary said officers were expanding the scope of their investigation to include gross negligence manslaughter against individuals at the hospital which was already facing corporate manslaughter charges.

Police said investigations would now focus on the negligent action or inaction of individuals at the hospital who failed to prevent the deaths of babies Letby was convicted of killing. The force is continuing to investigate Letby for further alleged crimes.

Mark McDonald, Letbys barrister, accused police of making a huge mistake in expanding their investigation just as the Thirlwall Inquiry was considering pausing proceedings.

It is astonishing that on the eve of the legal argument to stop the Thirlwall Inquiry, the police have decided to issue a press release discussing gross negligence manslaughter, he said.

In a statement, Det Supt Paul Hughes, the senior investigating officer for Operation Hummingbird, said: This focuses on senior leadership and their decision-making to determine whether any criminality has taken place concerning the response to the increased levels of fatalities. Those identified as suspects have been notified.

09:56 AM GMT

Letby hospital managers to call for end to baby deaths inquiry

Former managers at Lucy Letbys hospital are expected to call for the public inquiry into her crimes to be halted, arguing that there is a real chance that her convictions will be overturned.

Lady Justice Thirlwall, who is chairing the Thirlwall Inquiry, asked barristers representing parties to address her on Monday during closing submissions about whether the inquiry should be paused.

The legal team representing former managers at the Countess of Chester is expected to submit that continuing the inquiry without considering the alternative hypotheses being looked at by the CCRC would be a breach of the duty to act fairly under the Inquiries Act.

It comes as protestors gathered outside Liverpool Town Hall, where the hearing is taking place, to protest against Letbys convictions.

Barristers representing the families are expected to argue that the managers are trying to absolve themselves of blame.

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To the editor: Is hurting Tesla changing Elon Musks behavior ("Ive been betrayed. Tesla drivers are pushing back on Elon Musk," March 12)? I understand the sentiment to want to stop him, but there is no evidence, so far, that harming Tesla is doing anything to change his behavior. This means the insults hurled at Tesla are only helping oil companies, since folks who would have otherwise bought an electric vehicle are instead keeping their gas cars.

The oil companies are our real enemy, not Tesla. Tesla is the reason the entire global auto industry is going electric. Thats a phenomenally big deal and deserves recognition. Well-meaning, but uninformed people are targeting the wrong company.

Toyota sold over 10 million gas cars last year. Air pollution literally kills millions of people every year, according to the World Health Organization, and the fuel that powers gas-powered vehicles ensures tens of billions go to the oil companies.

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Toyota donated $1 million to President Trump's inauguration. Thats the company people should be protesting.

Paul Scott, Santa Monica

..

To the editor: Would someone please explain why Trump and Elon Musk can use the White House as the backdrop for advertising Tesla cars and trucks and no one calls it a conflict of interest or disgustingly inappropriate?

Susan Greenberg, Los Angeles

..

A Tesla Cybertruck owner asks, So, why should I feel embarrassed? driving it. How about having spent $130,000 on a ridiculous-looking vehicle?

Pablo Prietto, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: It appears that Trump has finally found a job that fits his ethical standards and level of competence: Hawking Tesla cars on the south lawn of the White House. He has become an errand boy for Musk!

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Gary Vogt, Menifee

..

To the editor: Trump haters see Musk as a threat to a civilized progressive society. First, he built an electric car that helps the environment. Second, Musk's Space X is scheduled to save two American astronauts who have been trapped for seven months. Third, Musk is helping Trump trim the fat off the bloated bureaucracy in D.C. Fourth, Musk bought Twitter and turned it into a so-called free thought zone.

As I see it, these actions qualify Musk as a menace to society. America is under attack by a fascist billionaire. He must be stopped!

Mark Walker, Yorba Linda



This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Guest commentator says Senate Bill 74s practical effect would be to criminalize library workers for simply doing their job. Getty Images

Georgians have access to a public library in every county in the state, adding up to more than 400 public library branches. In 2024, Georgias library cardholders borrowed more than 11.7 million items from their local public libraries, an increase of 407,500 items borrowed compared to the year before. This is made possible by library workers who ensure materials are accessible, maintain various collections, assist patrons, and handle the behind-the-scenes work to keep the checkout systems running smoothly. Despite this, these crucial professionals now face unwarranted threat of criminal prosecution because of whats happening at the Georgia Legislature. Senate Bill 74 would strip library workers at all public libraries (i.e., county, university, K-12, and community libraries) of protection from criminal prosecution if they knowingly distribute material that is deemed harmful to minors. This phrase is defined in Georgia Code  16-12-102 based loosely on the U.S. Supreme Courts obscenity definition.

The legislations practical effect would be to criminalize library workers for simply doing their job.

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For example, for library workers to avoid prosecution under SB 74, they would have to be familiar with the complete content of the hundreds of thousands of titles contained in their library collections and make a good faith effort to keep media containing any portion that could be deemed harmful out of the hands of any person under 18. It is not feasible for library workers to maintain such encyclopedic knowledge of their collections, nor for them to determine what is harmful for each minor library patron they encounter.

As any parent can tell you, what is harmful for a kindergartener may be entirely suitable for a high school junior, yet SB 74 takes no account of these age distinctions. Moreover, with the availability of library reading rooms and the advent of self-checkout machines, library workers are not going to be privy to the materials that each person under the age of 18 is browsing or checking out. In the words of one career librarian in the state, Making an assurance that minors would never have any contact with objectionable material would be nearly impossible without keeping anyone under the age of 18 away from all library resources.

This would have a chilling effect on what materials libraries carry in their collections and result in unanticipated restrictions on young people using libraries.

Georgias library workers already give a great deal of thought to age-appropriate content. There are existing selection processes that require that materials added to library collections meet certain criteria for quality, relevance, and value. Whether a book is scientific, literary, historical, or religious, it goes through a vetting process by professional library workers, who consider factors like author credibility, readership interest, and educational merit.

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Even if a book is considered controversial, its presence in a library suggests it has been determined by library professionals to merit inclusion in the collection for public access, discussion, or preservation. Criminalizing library workers for enabling patrons to check out books disregards the professional judgement exercised by trained library workers in assembling their collections and thwarts the fundamental role libraries play in peoples access to information.

The legislation echoes the past. Georgia has a long history of attempting to use state power to restrict access to information under the pretense of protecting the public. In December 1829, Georgia passed anti-literacy laws, criminalizing teachers for educating enslaved Black people. Later, segregated libraries limited access to information for Black and White readers. The legislation is a modern-day restriction of access to knowledge based on a government-imposed definition of harmful materials influenced by the governments disfavor of certain topics or viewpoints.

Other states that have passed bills similar to SB 74 have faced and lost costly legal battles. In Arkansas, for instance, in July 2023 a federal judge temporarily blocked provisions that could imprison library workers for providing harmful materials to minors. Then, in December 2024, a federal judge ruled those provisions unconstitutional, permanently blocking the implementation of certain provisions. If SB 74 passes, Georgia taxpayers could end up footing the bill for inevitable legal challenges  court battles the state is likely to lose.

Managing which materials young people access from their public libraries is best and most appropriately handled by parents and their kids making their own family- and age-specific decisions, not the government.

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With more than 11 million checkouts in 2024a surge compared to 2023Georgians have made it clear: Public libraries are a needed resource for diverse and valuable information. By making it possible to criminally prosecute library workers, SB 74 threatens to chill access by reducing both the variety of materials on the shelves and the ability of young people to access it.

Library workers need your support. Call or email your local legislator and demand they oppose SB 74. Donate, volunteer, or simply visit your local librarybecause library workers deserve protection, not prosecution.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Brandy V had the honor of cutting the ribbon to her new home. She will live in this duplex with 7 other residents. Brandy just picked out her room and was excited to show us .

Right here, said Brandy.

Tom- Is this your room?

Yeah.

Tom- Do you like it?

I love it



The $1.4 million duplex is the 5th one Lifescape has built for the people it supports.

If you step back and you understand the challenges that these individuals had in their lives, for the dignity that this creates, the ability to have their own room, brand new room and opportunity where their families can come and spend time with them, be together as roommates but also part of the community, which is part of this intent, which is why we dont build them all together, said Lifescape CEO, Steve Watkins.

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Watkins goal was to open one new duplex every year. The organization has been able to to that since 2021, with a little help.

With South Dakota Housing Authority we have a mission to provide accessible and safe housing for some of the most under served populations in South Dakota. This aligns with our mission, these types of home and this is the 5th home that weve been able to come along side LifeScape and help fund, said Alex Jensen who serves on the S.D. Housing Board of Commissioners.

These new homes are meant to provide a stable environment that meets the complex needs of the residents. Ben Jacobs, the director of residential services says Brandy has lived in different apartments. The homes are meant to foster independence. They are one level with multiple living areas and room for staff

It takes away from some of those struggles that we have when we think of either buying in the community or renting in the community where we struggle with mobility issues everything is built here to support people and so you really can if you want be here form now until end of life if thats what your choice is, you dont have to move around depending on your needs and those changes that come with life.

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Houses six and seven are being planned, so more people like Brandy can thrive and be empowered to live their best life.

Lloyd companies and Furniture Mart also lend their support to the project.

To learn more about LifeScape and the wide range of services the non profit provides, weve provided a link below.

https://www.lifescapesd.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 KELOLAND.com.
State Sens. Danielle Conrad and Beau Ballard, both of Lincoln, clashed at a Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee hearing regarding a proposal to change annual contribution levels to the state's school retirement plan, depending on actuarial funding levels. The Lincoln senators vied for the committee chair position in January. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Two Lincoln state senators clashed Friday at a hearing over a governor-backed priority to reconsider what to do with Nebraska retirement plans once they are fully funded, starting with schools.

The proposal in question, Legislative Bill 645 by State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, seeks to lower annual contribution rates to the statewide school retirement plan for eligible teachers and school employees, excluding those in the Omaha Public Schools, who have a separate retirement plan.

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The initial bill, introduced at Gov. Jim Pillens request, had received broad condemnation from the Nebraska State Education Association and teachers statewide, prior to a latest amendment that shifted the NSEA to neutral because it would lower the payroll deductions for employees, increasing take-home pay.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln speaks at a news conference announcing the 2025 priorities of the Nebraska State Education Association. Jan. 28, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, the current Legislatures longest-serving lawmaker in her 11th year, repeatedly asked Ballard if lawmakers should pause given great risk and significant economic volatility.

She also pinned Ballard over whether he would have proceeded differently knowing the heartache that teachers had over the version of LB 645 that he introduced on the last day of bill introductions without much heads up.

Part of that opposition came because NSEA leaders described the bill as a raid on the retirement fund, which Ballard and the governors staff adamantly denied and said was never an option.

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If you had to do it over again would you proceed forward in such a haphazard and careless manner, or would you have clearer communication and more stakeholder buy-in? Conrad asked.

I disagree with your framing, Ballard, chair of the Retirement Committee, responded. I was confident in my ability to bring stakeholders to the table and talk about a reduction for teachers, and I think that this is going to be a huge win.

State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, left, talks with State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln. July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

The Lincoln senators faced the closest committee chair election on the first day of the 2025 legislative session for the Retirement Committee. After a 24-24 vote, Ballard prevailed over Conrad by one vote, 25-24.

Current status of the plan

This is Ballards first year on the committee, while it is Conrads fifth. During Conrads first stint in the Legislature, 2007 to 2015, she was part of a major 2013 compromise partly led by three key school organizations to keep the retirement plan afloat after rough economic downturns.

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Those compromises have since brought the school retirement plan from around 77.1% actuarially funded to 99.9% as of last summer, which led to LB 645. The retirement plan for judges is also fully funded, which Ballard told Conrad he is open to modifying.

The school retirement plan is annually funded via contributions from:

Teachers and other employees: 9.78% of payroll.

Employers (school districts): 9.88% of employees payroll.

State of Nebraska: 2% of statewide school employee payroll.

Statewide school employee payroll for this fiscal year was estimated to be about $2.5 billion.

When the plan requires more funding than legally required, the obligation falls on the state, which was the case in 2013. The compromise that year was championed in part by the NSEA, Nebraska Association of School Boards and Nebraska Council of School Administrators to provide long-term stability to the plan and lower the shortfall that the state needed to cover.

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The NSEA shifted its stance on LB 645 after a Feb. 13 amendment from Ballard was introduced to streamline stepped-down contributions for the state and employees to three tiers, based on whether the plan is less than 96% actuarially funded, 96% to less than 100% actuarially funded or fully funded.

At 96% funding, the contributions drop to 0.7% of statewide school employee payroll for the state and 7.28% of payroll for employees. Once the plan is fully funded, the state would fully pull out of annual contributions, while teachers would remain at the 7.28% level.

If the plan is less than 96% funded, contribution levels would return to the current levels.

School districts are currently set at 101% of what employees contribute, equating to 9.88% of employee payroll. Ballards amendment would lock that 9.88% contribution into law, foregoing a benefit to the school districts funded by property taxes or state tax dollars.

Three boats all rising

Jeremy Knajdl, business manager for Minden Public Schools in central Nebraska, said employers would effectively pay the same portion of payroll taxes if LB 645 is adopted. However, he said employers would end up paying about 136% of what employees contribute under lowered contribution rates.

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The state would receive its modified contribution rate after the start of each fiscal year on July 1, but employees would get a new contribution rate after Jan. 1 of each year.

Knajdl, representing the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, told the committee that this timing could be hard for some employees who go into winter break with one paycheck and then come back facing a 2.5% increase in required contributions, lowering their take-home pay.

Colby Coash, a former state senator and registered lobbyist for the Nebraska Association of School Boards. (Courtesy of Colby Coash)

Colby Coash, a former Lincoln state senator representing the Nebraska Association of School Boards, said leaving the plan alone makes sense.

Its always when things are good, pull money out, it changes, and then youre not able to be responsive to that, Coash said.

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However, Coash said, if state and employee contributions are lowered, employers should receive an adjustment, too, which he noted would help lower property taxes. His legislative tenure between 2009 and 2017 crossed paths with Conrad and included the 2013 retirement compromise that both supported.

The proposal that got us to where we are was three boats all rising, Coash said. Now were in a situation where thats a little off balance.

Ballard said employers were left out to maintain a certain level of funding.

I believe that this is a recruitment and retention piece for employers, Ballard testified.

Impact to budget negotiations

State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislatures Appropriations Committee, asked whether the 2% state contribution increase passed in 2013 was meant to be for forever, or until we fix the problem.

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Coash responded that it was intended to get us out of the hole.

Clements committee is leading efforts to fill a $457 million projected budget shortfall over the next two years. The committee preliminarily identified about $171 million in cuts and could use another $100 million in more revenue than initially anticipated in the next few months.

State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha speaks at a news conference announcing the 2025 priorities of the Nebraska State Education Association. Jan. 28, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, a former paraeducator and former school board member for OPS, suggested cutting back on sending the Nebraska National Guard to the southern border could save money.

She asked why 100% funded should be the threshold and not a greater cushion, such as when the plan is 105% or 110% actuarially funded.

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Just because were at 100%, to me, I just dont think that that should be the reason why were doing this, Juarez said.

While the lower state contributions could be used toward the projected budget shortfall, Kenny Zoeller, director of the governors Policy Research Office, reiterated the governors stance that the freed-up dollars should remain separate and be used for state investments in education.

Zoeller said the governor identified the dedicated education investments as a North Star for the committees continued work. Zoeller said it is an opportunity to be forward-thinking.

Two other North Stars for the governor, Zoeller said, are ensuring the financial longevity, growth and health of the school retirement plan while finding a proper balance in increasing teacher take-home pay and providing tax relief in state dollars.

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This bill is truly an exciting opportunity for the state to deliver wins for teachers and the taxpayer, Zoeller said.

I have nothing to hide

Another contentious moment Friday came when Conrad pressed Ballard on whether the bill was retribution for the efforts of the teachers union and other advocates the past few years to stop state voucher schemes. About 57% of Nebraskans in November rejected using state dollars to help offset the cost of attending private K-12 schools.

Kenny Zoeller, director of the governors Policy Research Office. (Courtesy of Office of Gov. Jim Pillen)

Ballard said that was never a consideration, and Zoeller shook his head no during the questioning.

Conrad, an attorney, pushed further and asked if public records would confirm Ballards position. He said any records involving his office would.

Ballard said he, like other committee members, had received feedback from thousands of teachers statewide and interacted with more in person and over the phone.

Conrad asked Ballard if he would personally publish his communications with the governors office online. Ballard declined, describing them as private communications.

I have nothing to hide in this, he added.

Lawmakers communications are shielded from records requests, but the executive branch does not have that same privilege.

Ensuring proposals viability

Tim Royers, president of the NSEA representing 26,000 public K-12 school teachers statewide, repeated that the LB 645 amendment was a step in the right direction, but expressed openness to bringing employers to the table.

Royers cautioned that the committee needs more information before acting and shouldnt rush.

My fear is in your quest to reduce an appropriation, I fear youre setting yourself up for a much larger gap in the future, Royers said.

Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, is an invited speaker at the 50th annual Nebraska Ecumenical Legislative Briefing Day at Christ United Methodist Church in Lincoln. Feb. 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Such changes to state retirement plans require an actuarial study before they can be enacted, to ensure the proposals are feasible. One such study was completed one week ago, but Royers said Friday it was a coin flip to whether the state could afford the increased risk and volatility or if employees or the state could be harmed in the long run.

I would love to live in a world where we could do a two-and-a-half percent increase in pay to our teachers, but I cant in good conscience advocate for that if the data tells me that 10, 15, 20 years from now were going to actually see us go in the opposite direction, Royers said.

He continued: Absent additional information that tells us for sure this is a viable plan, no, we cant be comfortable moving forward with this.

Ballard committed to working with districts, administrators, the governors team, teachers and his committee members to figure out how to move forward. On Friday, he identified LB 645 as a 2025 committee priority bill, increasing the chances it could be debated on the floor this year.

The committee took no immediate action on the legislation.

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Lindsay Lohan's dad cannot catch a break as his drama with his estranged wife sparks a probation violation.

Michael Lohan has recently made headlines over his differences with his estranged partner, Kate Major. His first arrest occurred in February for allegedly assaulting Major, a crime he has vehemently denied.

Now, Lindsay Lohan's dad is back behind bars in Florida for breaking the terms of his probation.

Lindsay Lohan's Father Ends Up In A South Florida Jail

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Michael's latest run-in with authorities occurred Sunday evening at the West Palm Beach. Cops took him in on an arrest warrant obtained by his probation officer following his alleged domestic violence incident in Harris County, Texas.

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The media personality was arrested there in late February after he allegedly went to the home where Major lived with their sons and assaulted her. The event led to his booking on a Continuous Violence Against the Family charge, triggering his second arrest.

According to TMZ, Michael's probation officer caught wind of his Texas arrest and obtained an arrest warrant in Florida. Being on probation meant the "Freaky Friday" star's dad could not break any laws, but his domestic violence arrest was considered a probation violation.

Michael Lohan's Legal Rep Refutes The Probation Violation Claim

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Michael's attorney, Robert Gershman, boldly declared his client was innocent following his second arrest. "For sure, he did not violate probation. He has been obedient and responsible through his term of probation," the legal rep said.

"We hope her honor will release him quickly. We deny the allegations by Kate that he assaulted her," Gershman added. Weeks before his arrest, The Blast noted Michael's alleged assault had landed him in trouble in Florida over an existing case.

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In 2022, Michael pled guilty to five counts of patient brokering, resulting in four years of probation. The drama that led to his probation violation stemmed from his estranged wife's assault claims and alleged fear for her safety and that of her children.

The Lohan Patriarch's Estranged Wife Got A Restraining Order Against Him

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Following the alleged domestic violence incident, a judge issued a protective order to ensure Major's safety. The order stopped Michael from assaulting or communicating with her in a threatening manner.

It also mandated that he stay at least 200 feet away from her workplace. Michael's legal rep, Andino Reynal, slammed the restraining order, arguing that the allegations against his client were false.

Reynal stressed that Major had a history of alcoholism and a criminal record, which included multiple DUI arrests. He claimed Michael consistently attempted to help his estranged wife attain sobriety, but she could never overcome her addictions.

The Legal Rep Implied Kate Major's Assault Allegations Were Part Of A Ploy

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According to Michael's legal rep, his client moved to kick Major out of their home when it became evident that she wouldn't stop drinking. He allegedly tried to protect their two young children, but his estranged wife retaliated with domestic violence claims.

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The attorney dubbed Major's allegations "suspicious," given the timing, and believed Michael's innocence would prevail in court. He noted a grand jury would exonerate his client by finding no probable cause for the charges against him.

Following his arrest for "continuous violence against the family," The Blast shared Michael's side of the story. The media personality alleged he was the real victim in the situation. He accused his estranged wife of years-long abuse and claimed he had evidence to support his narrative.

Lindsay Lohan's Dad Claimed He Was Set Up

2008 RAMEY PHOTO / MEGA

Michael dropped his allegations against Major in a heated statement, saying: "I've shut up long enough about Kate's physical, emotional and verbal abuse. She set me up. Originally, she said I was stalking her! Really? Lol."

"Then, when that didn't work, she said, I pushed her over a chair, which is a total lie," he said about the alleged domestic violence incident. In her conversation with authorities, Major claimed Michael forcibly removed her from a chair in their home.

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The incident allegedly caused pain and discomfort, claims that seemed to match the bruising a female deputy reportedly observed on Major's body. The drama marked another evidence of the estranged couple's tumultuous history.

Major was arrested for violating a protection order in 2024 following a confrontation with her former beau. Michael faced a similar trip to jail in 2020 for allegedly choking and harassing his estranged wife.

Given the former couple's insistence on pointing fingers at each other, Lindsay Lohan's father is in for a bumpy legal ride.
Lithuania has voiced support for an EU initiative to provide Ukraine with up to 40 billion euro ($43.5 billion) in military aid this year, arguing that similar funding will be necessary in the future to prevent another Russian attack.

"If we can sustain this amount ... for a longer period of time, that would be the amount that would allow Ukrainians to keep their armed forces at current strength," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told Reuters on March 16.

Since the start of Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, Lithuania has been one of Ukraines most vocal backers.

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The Baltic state ranks among Europe's top defense spenders, allocating 2.85% of GDP to defense in 2024, according to NATO estimates. Vilnius plans to increase that figure to between 5% and 6% from 2026 to 2030.

Read also: Lithuania invests $21 million in Ukraines arms industry, agrees to joint production

EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the proposal in Brussels, with the plan introduced by the blocs diplomatic service, led by former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. The talks come amid uncertainty over U.S. negotiations with Russia, the future of American military support for Ukraine, and Washingtons broader security commitments to Europe.

A document obtained by Reuters on March 14 revealed that EU diplomats have suggested doubling military aid for Ukraine to as much as $43.5 billion. Some member states have reacted cautiously, but Budrys stressed that long-term military support for Kyiv should not be tied to any potential peace talks.

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"Ukraine's armed forces will be the main deterrence forces for Russians not to return," he said.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Lithuanian prosecutors believe that Russia is behind an arson attack on an IKEA furniture store in Vilnius last year.

The two people arrested are suspected of acting on behalf of Russian military intelligence, the public prosecutor's office of the EU and NATO country announced on Monday.

They have now been charged with carrying out a terrorist attack.

The fire broke out on the night of May 9, 2024. No one was injured.
Lithuanian prosecutors believe that Russia is behind an arson attack on an IKEA furniture store in Vilnius last year.

Two people arrested are suspected of acting on behalf of Russian military intelligence, the public prosecutor's office of the EU country announced on Monday. No one was hurt in the overnight incident in May.

The two males in custody have Ukrainian citizenship and one is a minor. One of the two has been charged with carrying out a terrorist attack.

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Prosecutors in Vilnius say the two suspects are said to have agreed at a secret meeting in Warsaw to set fire to shopping centres in Lithuania and Latvia for a reward of 10,000 ($10,919). They were also promised a car, which they later received.

One of the pair is being held in Poland, prosecutor Arturas Urbelis told Lithuanian media.

Lithuania and Poland are members of NATO and are close supporters of Ukraine, which has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for over three years. Both nations border the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

It is unclear why Ukrainian citizens would be working for the Russians.

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The attacks had been planned over several months and the IKEA arson was carried out using an incendiary device with a time fuse.

"The organizer of these actions is Russia, (the suspects) are linked to the military secret service and the security forces," investigator Urbelis said.

One of the accused was arrested in Lithuania while trying to travel to Latvia by bus.

Prosecutors described a "terrorist group" and a long chain of middlemen who communicated via social media and encrypted channels. They then passed on instructions to the suspects.

Both the suspects and their middlemen are suspected of having a connection to criminal offences committed in Poland.

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The Polish government has repeatedly accused the Russian secret service of being behind arson attacks and acts of sabotage in Poland.

Last May, for example, a major fire in Warsaw destroyed a shopping centre with around 1,400 shops. No one was injured, but more than 700 people lost their jobs.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X on Monday: "Dear allies, the investigation of the Lithuanian prosecutors office has confirmed our suspicions that responsible for setting fires to shopping centres in Vilnius and Warsaw are the Russian secret services."

He said it was important to remember how Russia operates ahead of any negotiations with Moscow over a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.

"Such is the nature of this state," Tusk added, referring to Russia.
WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the airstrikes on Houthis will not stop until the group ends its attacks on U.S. ships and drones.

"The minute the Houthis say 'we'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop shooting at your drones,' this campaign will end, but until then, it will be unrelenting," he said on Fox News.

The U.S. strikes on Houthis in Yemen are about "freedom of navigation" and "restoring deterrence," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that he had ordered the U.S. military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthis in Yemen.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz told ABC News that the U.S. strikes targeted and "took out" multiple Houthis leaders.

Comparing the airstrikes with those launched by the Biden administration, Waltz said: "The difference here is, one, going after the Houthi leadership, and two, holding Iran responsible."

The Trump administration has designated Houthis a foreign terrorist organization, he added, accusing Iran of helping the Houthis attack U.S. warships and global commerce.

In response, Iran's Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Hossein Salami said on Sunday the country plays no role in designing the policies of the Yemen-based Houthis, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Salami said the U.S. president once again attributed the operations carried out by the Houthis to Iran, noting that Iran had always emphasized that the Yemenis are independent and free people with their own independent national policy.

At least 31 people have been killed and 101 injured by the airstrikes on Yemen, said an NBC News report on Sunday morning, citing the Houthi health ministry. 
Lithuanian prosecutors believe that Russia is behind an arson attack on an IKEA furniture store in Vilnius last year.

Two people arrested are suspected of acting on behalf of Russian military intelligence, the public prosecutor's office of the EU country announced on Monday. No one was hurt in the overnight incident in May.

The two males in custody have Ukrainian citizenship and one is a minor. One of the two has been charged with carrying out a terrorist attack.

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Prosecutors in Vilnius say the two suspects are said to have agreed at a secret meeting in Warsaw to set fire to shopping centres in Lithuania and Latvia for a reward of 10,000 ($10,919). They were also promised a car, which they later received.

One of the pair is being held in Poland, prosecutor Arturas Urbelis told Lithuanian media.

Lithuania and Poland are members of NATO and are close supporters of Ukraine, which has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for over three years. Both nations border the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

It is unclear why Ukrainian citizens would be working for the Russians.

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The attacks had been planned over several months and the IKEA arson was carried out using an incendiary device with a time fuse.

"The organizer of these actions is Russia, (the suspects) are linked to the military secret service and the security forces," investigator Urbelis said.

One of the accused was arrested in Lithuania while trying to travel to Latvia by bus.

Prosecutors described a "terrorist group" and a long chain of middlemen who communicated via social media and encrypted channels. They then passed on instructions to the suspects.

Both the suspects and their middlemen are suspected of having a connection to criminal offences committed in Poland.

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The Polish government has repeatedly accused the Russian secret service of being behind arson attacks and acts of sabotage in Poland.

Last May, for example, a major fire in Warsaw destroyed a shopping centre with around 1,400 shops. No one was injured, but more than 700 people lost their jobs.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X on Monday: "Dear allies, the investigation of the Lithuanian prosecutors office has confirmed our suspicions that responsible for setting fires to shopping centres in Vilnius and Warsaw are the Russian secret services."

He said it was important to remember how Russia operates ahead of any negotiations with Moscow over a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.

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"Such is the nature of this state," Tusk added, referring to Russia.

A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office in Warsaw confirmed on Monday that a suspect connected to the arson attack on the furniture store in Vilnius was detained in Poland in May.

The individual is under investigation for allegedly spying for the Russian secret service.

However, neither this suspect nor the male arrested in Lithuania is believed to be responsible for the fire at the shopping centre in Warsaw.
(Bloomberg) -- Lithuanian prosecutors accused Russias military intelligence of recruiting individuals to carry out an arson attack on an Ikea store in the Baltic countrys capital last year.

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The prosecutor generals office filed an indictment that accuses a Ukrainian citizen, who was a minor at the time, of planting an explosive among flammable goods at the shopping center last May, Prosecutor Arturas Urbelis told a news conference in Vilnius Monday.

The suspect was detained on his way to neighboring Latvia, where he intended to carry out a similar attack, he said. The individual received a BMW 530 car as reward for completing the task and was promised another 10,000 ($10,905), according to Urbelis, who added that another suspect was detained in neighboring Poland.

Lithuanias intelligence service said in a report earlier this month that the Kremlin likely considers relations with the West to be in a gray zone between war and peace and feels emboldened to launch brazen acts of sabotage.

Russias Defense Ministry didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Last week, Polish prosecutors charged a Belarusian citizen with espionage and sabotage for allegedly setting fire to a large construction supermarket in Warsaw on behalf of Russias intelligence services.

The Lithuanian report said Russian intelligence services use social networks to recruit individuals seeking a quick financial reward to carry out sabotage operations in Europe, where more than 50 saboteurs were apprehended last year. The goal is to increase distrust among Western societies and weaken support for Ukraine, the report said.

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By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuanian prosecutors accused Russia's military intelligence on Monday of orchestrating an arson attack on an IKEA store in Vilnius in May, and suggested it may have been targeted because the chain's logo uses the same colours as Ukraine's flag.

The fire broke out in the store in Lithuania's capital three days before a shopping centre in neighbouring Poland was hit by a blaze that authorities there said they suspected may have been part of a growing Russian sabotage campaign.

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Russia denies carrying out sabotage attacks and says the West is stoking anti-Russian feeling by blaming Moscow for every incident. Russia's GRU military intelligence service could not be immediately contacted for comment on Monday.

Investigations had found that the IKEA fire was linked to Russian military intelligence through a chain of more than 20 intermediaries, Arturas Urbelis, from the Lithuanian prosecutor general's office, said.

"The chain includes the organisers, then more organisers for certain goals, then more intermediaries, all down to the perpetrators. It is a multi-stage, very complex system," Urbelis told reporters.

The store was not chosen randomly, he added. IKEA had halted operations in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and "IKEA's colours are the same as Ukraine's flag - this has strong symbolic meaning," Urbelis said. Ukraine's flag and IKEA's logo are blue and yellow.

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The Swedish furniture giant said it appreciated the work investigators had done but did not want to comment further as the matter was before a court.

The fire, which was triggered by a timed detonator in the early hours of May 9, was quickly contained, Urbelis said.

Two Ukrainian citizens, one under 20, one under 18 at the time, were offered 10,000 euros and a used BMW vehicle for their efforts, and took numerous trips to Vilnius from Poland to scout and prepare, he added.

One of them was detained afterwards in Lithuania, the other in Poland and both will face trial in those countries, he added.

In the early hours of May 12, a massive fire almost completely destroyed the Marywilska 44 shopping centre in Warsaw. At the time, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said investigators were looking into whether Russia was involved.

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On Monday, he welcomed the Lithuanian investigation that he said on X had "confirmed our suspicions that responsible for setting fires to shopping centres in Vilnius and Warsaw are the Russian secret services".

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Additional reporting by Anna Koper in Warsaw and Helen Reid in London; Editing by Terje Solsvik, Anna Ringstrom and Andrew Heavens)
Lithuanian authorities suspect Russia's intelligence services of orchestrating arson attacks on an IKEA warehouse in Vilnius and a shopping center in Warsaw in 2024, the LRT broadcaster reported on March 17.

A fire broke out at the IKEA warehouse in Vilnius on May 9, 2024, causing an estimated 500,000 euros ($545,000) in damages. Investigators consider the incident a terrorist act and claim two Ukrainian citizens, allegedly recruited by Russian security services, were responsible. One suspect is a minor.

Saulius Briginas, deputy head of the Lithuanian Criminal Bureau, said the fire could have destroyed the entire shopping center if not for the quick response of staff and firefighters.

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On May 12, 2024, a massive fire destroyed a shopping center in Warsaw with 1,400 stores. The incident has also been linked to Russian intelligence services.

Arson attacks have also targeted other EU countries, raising suspicions of a coordinated Russian effort to destabilize the countries that support Ukraine against Russian aggression.

The Lithuanian prosecutor's office alleges that Russia's military intelligence (GRU) formed a special group to carry out arson attacks across Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia. Polish authorities are jointly investigating, with one suspect detained in Poland.

"Dear allies, the Lithuanian prosecutor's investigation confirmed our suspicions that Russian secret services were behind the fires in Vilnius and Warsaw," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on X.

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"Good to know before negotiations. Such is the nature of this state," he added, alluding to expected peace talks that the Trump administration seeks to broker between Kyiv and Moscow.

Tensions between NATO and Russia have risen following Moscow's all-out attack against Ukraine. Western leaders and intelligence agencies have warned of a potential large-scale war in Europe within the next five years, citing Russia's increasingly aggressive posture.

Moscow has denied involvement or refrained from commenting on the sabotage incidents.

Read also: Territorial integrity, military size, alliances  FM Sybiha sets 3 fundamentals for potential peace talks

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has stated that security guarantees are essential for achieving a lasting and just peace in Ukraine and outlined five key elements that must be included.

Source: Budrys ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Budrys declared that the first element is long-term and consistent military support for Ukraine, amounting to at least 40 billion this year. The second element is the presence of European troops in Ukraine, with support from the US. The third element involves increasing pressure on Russia through sanctions and the seizure of frozen assets. The fourth element must be justice through accountability  not only in a legal sense but also through reparations.

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The Lithuanian foreign minister added that the fifth element was Ukraines accelerated accession to the EU, stating that 1 January 2030 was seen as an achievable goal through joint efforts.

Meanwhile, European Pravda sources revealed that during discussions on the draft conclusions of the European Council meeting on 20-21 March, Hungarys representatives are again pushing to shorten the section on Ukraine. They are attempting to remove references to continued military support for Ukraine and the concept of "peace from a position of strength".

Background: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to sign the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting on 6 March regarding support for Ukraine, resulting in the final text being approved by 26 out of 27 EU member states.

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In addition to the arson of an IKEA store in Vilnius, Russian intelligence services were also behind the fire at a shopping mall in Warsaw.

Source: Polish news portal RMF24, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Lithuanian Prosecutor's Office has confirmed that the Russian military intelligence (GRU) was responsible for the arson of an IKEA store in Vilnius last year. Lithuanian investigators believe the GRU was also behind the fire at a shopping mall in Poland.

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The Lithuanian investigation revealed that the direct perpetrators of the arson were connected to Russian services through a long chain of intermediaries.

The General Prosecutors Office stated that both perpetrators of the crime are Ukrainian citizens. One of the accused is currently detained in Poland, and law enforcement agencies in both countries are cooperating and coordinating their actions. The case of the other individual was transferred to court in Lithuania on 17 March.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded to the Lithuanian Prosecutor's Office's information.

"Dear allies, the investigation of the Lithuanian prosecutors office has confirmed our suspicions that responsible for setting fires to shopping centres in Vilnius and Warsaw are the Russian secret services. Good to know before negotiations. Such is the nature of this state," Tusk wrote on X.

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Background: Last week, Polish investigators also brought charges against a Belarusian citizen in relation to the arson of a large construction market on Radzyminska Street in April last year, shortly before the fire at a shopping mall on Marywilska Street, both in Warsaw. The investigation showed that this man also acted on orders from Russian intelligence.

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UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11)  Its billed as the oldest and largest St. Patricks Day parade in the world, but will it also be the wettest?

The 264th New York City St. Patricks Day parade will start at 11 a.m. Monday rain or shine, like it has since 1762.

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150,000 marchers will go up Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th Street. Event organizers expect 2 million spectators many will be dressed in green, including possibly green ponchos and green umbrellas.

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Ive got my rain jacket and my green sweater. Im going ready for water, Alexandra Leighton, an enthusiastic parader-goer, told PIX11 News. From what I saw on the weather the whole coast is going be flooded out so if anyone can fun in the rain its the Irish, she added.

The Monday morning rain is expected to end just as the parade steps off Fifth Avenue.

But with possible wind gusts surging up to 40 mph, and lots of downpours before the start of the parade, these tourists from Croatia are preparing for a rainy windy morning as they plan to arrive early to get a good spot.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

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I dont want rain, Stella Mikacinc, a tourist from Croatia, told PIX11 News. I hope it will surprise me, she added.

Were hoping for no bad weather, but we have umbrellas ready and we hope to see the parade, Matej Ciper, another tourist from Croatia passing by told PIX11 News.

Debbie Joffe Ellis, a New Yorker walking on Fifth Avenue added, Whats a little wetness when you get together, cheer, have a good time, probably a little Irish whiskey, and have fun.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Elected officials, parents, educators, and community advocates gathered on Monday in opposition to a state bill that would allow a state takeover of Memphis Shelby County Schools.

County Commissioner Caswell, multiple school board members, and other elected officials and advocates were in attendance.

MSCS state takeover could move forward this week

According to a press release, HB 0662 allows the Commissioner of Education to seize control of districts meeting arbitrary performance criteria, replacing locally elected school boards with a state-appointed Board of Managers for at least four years.

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This bill is an attack on democracy, said Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell. Our schools belong to our communities, and decisions about our childrens education should be made by the people who know them best: parents, teachers, and locally elected leaders.

One of the six board members who voted to terminate Feagins made an appearance at the event, but school board member Amber Huett-Garcia made it clear that, though the others were not present, the board is on the same page and united in the effort to avoid a state takeover.

This is beyond any recent decisions that weve made. This is about control, said Huett-Garcia.

Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) says his proposal would create a nine-member board over the next couple of years.

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School board members are asking the state to work with the board to improve the district instead of attempting to take it over. This comes after what some call a controversial move by the MSCS board to fire its superintendent, Dr. Marie Feagins.

All three members of the board who voted against Feagins termination spoke at the event. Board member Michelle McKissack noted the three of them wanted to make clear to the state that, despite the vote that took place, they are not in support of what the state is proposing.

As a board, we still stand with moving forward as a board, as an elected board by the people, said McKissack.

The bill would allow a state-appointed board to take over for four to six years. The school board made its stance on the matter clear, stating that the power should belong to the people of Memphis and Shelby County during elections.

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We as a board may not agree, we definitely dont agree on all of our decisions. But we do not think that the best decision right now is to come in and have a completely new board that is appointed by the state to be the voice of the people, said McKissack. It just doesnt work that way. Thats what our democratic society is all about  to be elected by the people and they make the decision on how they want to keep us or not at the next election.

Garcia described the bill as extreme and stated that the possibility of the state taking the reins is frightening.

This is so much bigger than us There is nothing that stops some form of legislation that starts doing this to city councils, starts doing this to county commissions. Thats how you erode a democracy, said Garcia. I find it frightening that we are willing to give up power.

She agreed that instead of cleaning house and allowing an appointed board to take over, voters should wait for the next election cycle to decide for themselves.

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Later Monday, an advocacy group also spoke out against the bill.

Admittedly we might need a makeover, but we do not need a takeover, said Bishop Linwood Dillard, citadel of deliverance church of God.

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Inmates in the Midland-Odessa area are now facing federal charges, again

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 215 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 10 through March 13.

In Austin, several individuals were charged with illegal reentry after deportation, after being found in local area jails. Among those were Ricardo Hernandez-Hernandez, a Mexican national who had allegedly been previously removed from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions and had been convicted of indecency with a child sexual contact and failure to register as a sex offender; Andres Garcia-Saldana, a Mexican national who had allegedly been previously removed from the United States on four occasions and had been convicted of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury and driving while intoxicated three timesthe third time being a felony conviction; Hernan Vasquez-Medina, a Mexican national who had allegedly been removed from the United States three times before and had been convicted of making a terroristic threat and driving while intoxicated three timeslike Garcia-Saldana, Vasquez-Medinas third DWI was charged as a felony as well; and Jaime Ricardo Lopez-Rojas, a Mexican national who had allegedly been removed from the United States a total eight times and had been convicted of illegal entry twice, illegal reentry after deportation four times, driving while intoxicated three times, and family violence assault causing bodily injury.

In the Midland-Odessa area, two individuals with prior federal convictions were found in local area jails and were charged with illegal entry after deportation. Mexican national Saul Villalobos-Vasquez was allegedly removed from the United States once before and convicted in the Eastern District of Texas for unauthorized use of a social security number for which he had been sentenced to 12-months imprisonment in 2016. Daniel Olivas-Nieto, also a Mexican national, had been allegedly removed from the United States and was previously convicted in the Western District of Texas for the illegal transportation of aliens for financial gain, for which he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

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While 200 plus cases in four days may seem shocking, Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland said it should come as no surprise.

The numbersare crystal clearThe U.S./Mexico Border was wide open, and the invasion was real, he said in a social media post late last week.

Cleveland said the average number of encounters at the southwest border this March is about 244, thats significantly lower than March of 2024 when border agents encountered about 4,434 people per day along the same stretch. ICE arrests are also up, sitting at about 32,000 so far this year, thats a drastic change from 2024, when 33,242 people were arrested over the course of an entire year.

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Mar. 17MOSES LAKE  The Moses Lake Police Department responded to a report of gunshots fired just past noon Friday at the Hiawatha Lake homeless camp, near the 1000 block of North Frontage Road East in unincorporated Moses Lake. After capturing the suspect, the weapon involved turned out to be a BB rifle.

When the police arrived, the victim told MLPD that he heard a woman crying for help and said he went to look at where the sound was coming from. The victim said he saw Jonathan Pray, 25, on top of a trailer where Pray was covering the chimney smokestack with a tarp. The victim said it appeared as if he was trying to force occupants out.

The victim said Pray then fired a rifle at him three times. The victim ran for safety and Pray chased the victim up a sand hill near the homeless camp.

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Pray then barricaded himself inside a camping trailer that was soon surrounded by MLPD, Washington Fish and Wildlife Police and deputies from the Grant County Sheriff's Office, along with a crisis responder from Renew.

"U.S. Fish are Washington State Fish and Wildlife police are commissioned law enforcement officers in Washington State, not only do they protect the state's wildlife, but they also are empowered to do police work," GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said. "They were out there assisting with the operations, keeping the site safe and the suspect contained.

There were about 13 people who responded to the incident and were available to assist with the negotiation and secure the scene, according to Foreman. Negotiators tried to convince Pray to surrender.

Deputies were granted a search warrant and entered the trailer at around 3:10 p.m.

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They found Pray hiding under the trailer.

"I don't know if he ended up under the trailer after going inside of it or just hid underneath the trailer," Foreman said. "All we knew was that he was right there in that area."

Pray was then arrested without incident. Pray faces charges of First Degree Assault and Second Degree Attempted Murder, Foreman said. He also noted that a juvenile was killed in the Mae Valley area by a BB gun just a few years ago in an accidental shooting.

The victim sustained no injuries.

"With Fish and Wildlife's help, Moses Lake Police, as well as support from Grant County Fire District 5, LifeLine Ambulance and a crisis responder from Renew we were able to take Mr. Pray into custody safely," Foreman said.

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While executing the warrant, GCSO found a BB rifle in the trailer. It is believed to be the weapon described by the victim, according to a statement from GCSO.

"Yes, a (BB rifle) will make a noise, not as loud as a rifle," Foreman said. "It's much quieter."

Pray was lodged into Grant County Jail for investigation of first-degree assault and investigation of second-degree attempted murder.

"The incident was handled well through the cooperation with Moses Lake Police and with Washington State Fish and Wildlife police, we all teamed up," Foreman said. "We all team up when there is a report of a critical incident, and this was another example of how strong that relationship is."

Agencies included in the response were MACC-911, MLPD, WDFW, GCFD 5, Lifeline Ambulance, Renew and GCSO.
MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia will demand concrete security guarantees from the United States and NATO as part of any agreement on Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with local media on Sunday.

Ukraine's neutral status and NATO's rejection of Ukraine's membership must be central to these guarantees, said Grushko.

Since 2019, the number of military contingents on NATO's eastern flank has doubled, posing a significant threat to Russia, he said, adding that the ongoing rearmament of European countries adds to Moscow's security concerns.

He said the deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine would only be feasible if both parties to the conflict deem it necessary.

Moscow remains open to separate negotiations with the European Union if Brussels signals a willingness to engage, he added. 
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A local nonprofit organization is gave back to the community on Sunday.

United Returning Citizens hosted a free giveback at its building on Belmont Avenue in Youngstown. People who attended could get a free haircut and free lunch.

The organization helps people who have been incarcerated with finding housing and job searches.

Its just a way to show how thankful we are for the community. All the support theyve shown us throughout the years, and just another way to give back to the community, beccause this year is our 10-year anniversary. So, theyve been supporting us for 10 years, said Rick Zeigler with United Returning Citizens.

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The organization also does food drives every Monday and Wednesday as well as food drives for people 65 and up every third Thursday of the month.

Tino DiCenso contributed to this report.

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Zoe Rose says its been an emotional rollercoaster trying to get her daughter Sierra back home to Boston from Thailand.

The emotions of like, weve been approved and oh my God, were going and oh my God, were making progress and then crash it comes tumbling down, said Rose.

Rose just arrived in Thailand this weekend, where her daughter suffered serious injuries in a moped accident while on vacation there last week.

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Physically you can see that her nose is over to the side, physically she doesnt have any teeth, her chin was kind of removed, but its now back on and her eyelid was gone, but thats now on, said Rose.

Rose is now with her daughter at a hospital in Krabi, where she says its open-air with no AC.

Much different than Salem Hospital, where Sierra works as an ICU nurse.

There are pigeons walking around our room, said Rose.

Now the goal is to get Sierra to a hospital in Bangkok for a facial surgery, which is more than 10 hours away by ambulance since doctors wont allow her to fly right now because of the cabin pressure.

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Theyre worried if she sneezes, blows her nose, or gets jolted that her face will collapse, said Rose.

Rose says the big issue now is that Sierra lost her passport in the accident, and shes not allowed to transfer to the next hospital without it, so shes working with the Embassy to try to get that for her daughter as soon as possible.

I dont know if Im going to have to leave my child here alone and fly to Bangkok and go get it and then fly back here to get her and then fly to Bangkok with the Medcraft. I have no idea how this is transpiring, said Rose.

Meanwhile friends back home in Boston have created a Go-Fund-Me to try to help Sierra with all of these medical costs as she tries to get a Medflight back home to Boston after this surgery.

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She has to have surgery here, fine, have the surgery here, stabilize her face and get her home, said Rose.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A local university has received a $1 million grant to expand its opportunities for STEM students.

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The Choose Ohio First Grant gave Cedarville University $1.05 million to help support students in allied health, biology, chemistry, molecular biology, and nursing programs, according to a media release.

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The Choose Ohio program requires students to complete research, internships, or clinical training in their field before graduating.

We are grateful to now have Choose Ohio First scholarships for almost every eligible STEMM major at Cedarville, said Kyle Brewer, the assistant director of grant and foundation management at Cedarville University. We will continue to steward well the resources entrusted to us by the Ohio Department of Education and will seek to provide additional scholarships in the future.

Currently, 110 Cedarville students enrolled in the Choose Ohio First grant program receive annual scholarship awards.

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A Dayton woman was sentenced to six to nine years in prison after stealing $1.5 million from Ohio Medicaid, according to the attorney generals office.

Janay Corbitt pleaded guilty to second-degree felony theft and three third-degree felony counts of identity fraud.

On top of the prison sentence, Corbitt will pay $1.5 million in restitution.

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Corbitt was arrested in August 2024 at a bus station in Dallas by police and U.S. Marshals, according to Attorney General Dave Yost.

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According to the attorney generals office, Corbitt stole the identities of multiple people so she could open and operate two fake behavioral health counseling agencies in the Dayton area.

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Investigators believe Corbitt also stole several identities of licensed counselors and used their credentials to bill Medicaid for services that were not provided.

Corbitt was convicted of theft in 2019 in a separate Medicaid scheme.

The conviction banned her from the Medicaid program.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A longtime local business is making a big expansion as Fun Time Pools launches the Zachary Toy Store, bringing a unique and diverse selection of toys to the community.

Brittany Anderson, owner of Fun Time Pools and Zachary Toy Store, is a third-generation owner of the business, which was originally founded in 1976. Anderson said she wanted to do more than sell pool toys. So, she created a new department with its own identity.

As a working parent, I struggle with the balance of kids and work. We had a wonderful toy store for years in Zachary, and I utilized them all the time for last-minute gifts or holiday gifts, Anderson said. I want a parent to be able to call, tell us their budget, gender, and age, and we have it wrapped and ready to go after the swipe of a card!

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The new store will carry a wide range of toys for infants, toddlers, and preteens, including learning toys and trending viral products. Anderson wants to offer an alternative to big-box stores. They provide unique items at low prices. You can get free gift-wrapping for all purchases. She also offers wrapping services for outside purchases during the holidays, starting at just $1.

While the toy store will be a new draw, Fun Time Pools will continue to operate as a pool supply business. The store will still have pool chemicals and testing services. It will also offer outdoor accessories like pool toys, fire pits, and SPF skincare products.

Yes! So we still are operating as a pool store. We always will have pool chemicals, pool toys, outdoor accessories, solo smokeless fire pits, SPF care, outdoor showers, etc. We also test pool water and help maintain safe pool chemistry for our area pools, Anderson said.

Baton Rouge brewery to open satellite taproom in Nebraska

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The store has also introduced new brands beyond toys, including Duke Cannon mens grooming products and Mimosa Lane skincare. Anderson expressed excitement about these additions, highlighting the unique benefits of each product line.

We have been open since 1976. A little over a year ago, I started bringing in way more toys, Anderson explained. Giving the toy department its own identity will hopefully let our community know what we have so we can build that side of the business.

The store is at 4860 Zachary Slaughter Highway. In the summer, it is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the plan is to have extended hours to accommodate more traffic. In addition to the new inventory, Anderson is looking forward to hosting community events, including a pre-Easter open house with a real bunny photo opportunity and a pool season kickoff event in March.

I have been meticulous to bring in unique and affordable prices. I am looking forward to watching kids come in and shop or helping pick out gifts for busy parents, Anderson said. What sets us apart is the fact that we have been trusted for multiple generations. Youre going to get the small business customer service, the gift wrapping, and ease for customers at no extra cost.

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Adding to the unique experience, the business also hosts a permanent food truck, Aji Peruvian Fusion Food, which operates Wednesday through Saturday.

Anderson is eager to receive feedback from the community and continue growing the new store to meet customer needs.

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March 17 (UPI) -- A University of British Columbia graduate mailed a package to the school that turned out to be a book he had borrowed from the library 64 years earlier.

Susan Parker, a librarian at the university, said a package arrived in January and she opened it to discover a 1931 edition of Horace Kephart's book Camping and Woodcraft: Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers in the Wilderness.

The book had been checked out of the library in 1960 by then-student Robert Murray.

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"Most people return overdue books surreptitiously or anonymously," Parker said in a university news release. "I've never received one this long overdue."

The book was accompanied by a letter from Murray, now 83, along with a check for about $70.

Murray wrote that he had made good use of the tome over the years.

"I determined that this book was a treasure -- a light year ahead of anything published on the subject at the time I borrowed it, and it has remained so over anything I've seen published since," he wrote.

Murray's package also included a newspaper clipping from 2013 about a 1965 edition of the same book being returned to the Prince George Public Library after 30 years.

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Parker said Murray took good care of the book.

"Although he returned it six decades late, he was an ideal library book caretaker," Parker said. "I've seen books deteriorated more that were loaned out for much shorter periods of time, and even found a book where they had clearly used a piece of bacon as a bookmark."

Parker said the book had long-since been removed from the library's system, but he money Murray sent to cover the late fee will be put to good use covering other outstanding library fines.
Voters leave the Bricolage Academy gym after casting their ballots in New Orleans, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator)

Its not everyday that conservative activist Chris Alexander finds himself on the same side of a political fight as the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana. But a ballot measure that could make it easier to send minors to adult prisons has brought him together with many liberal advocates.

Alexander runs the Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group and produces a podcast called State of Freedom. Hes known for his fights against vaccine mandates and denying the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

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More recently, however, he has been campaigning against Constitutional Amendment 3 on the March 29 ballot. The proposal would give the Louisiana Legislature more authority to expand the list of crimes for which a person under 17 could be sent to an adult prison.

Persons age 14-16 can already be treated as adults in the criminal justice system when accused of one of 16 serious offenses, including murder, rape and armed robbery. If Amendment 3 passes, lawmakers would have the authority to add other felonies to that list without voters permission.

Its going to do nothing to reduce crime in Louisiana. Nothing, Alexander said in an interview last week.

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A menagerie of groups who oppose Amendment 3 repeated that sentiment ahead of early voting, which started Saturday. They range from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, one of the states largest unions, to the Leaders for a Better Louisiana, made up of business leaders.

Among the most surprising opponents are eight retired Louisiana juvenile justice and prison officials, including two former heads of the state juvenile justice system, a previous director of probation and parole services, and a retired adult prison warden. They released a statement this week encouraging people to vote against Amendment 3.

The professionals in corrections that worked in this field do not think this is a good idea, said Mary Livers, former deputy secretary of juvenile justice under Gov. Bobby Jindal. We do not want to send more kids to adult prisons. That may get people elected but its not good policy.



But Gov. Jeff Landry, the most powerful elected official in the state, is personally backing the amendment. He won his 2024 campaign by promising to bring a tough-on-crime approach back to Louisiana and capitalized on a crime spike during the COVID-19 pandemic to increase funding for law enforcement and lengthen prison sentences.



Last week in Terrebonne Parish, the governor encouraged people at a business group luncheon to vote in favor of Amendment 3, characterizing it as another step toward increasing public safety.

[R]ight now on the ballot, there are four amendments, and one of those amendments is Amendment 3 that is going to further aid us, he said.

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But opponents argue there is no evidence that putting younger teenagers in adult prisons makes communities safer as Landry claims.

The amendment opponents also point to scientific studies that show a persons brain doesnt fully develop until their mid-20s, meaning younger people who commit crimes have far more capacity for rehabilitation. Teenagers lack of brain development also explains why they exhibit poor judgment and commit offenses they might not do once they reach adulthood.



The U.S. Supreme Court has found this brain science so convincing, they ruled in multiple cases to limit criminal sentences for minors. The justices abolished the death penalty and life sentences for all crimes except murder for defendants in their adolescence.

Still, Amendment 3 has one powerful group of supporters: The Louisiana District Attorneys Association has endorsed the proposal, executive director Zach Daniels said.

Current restrictions in the Louisiana Constitution make it difficult for state lawmakers to respond to modern public safety concerns, Daniels said. He considers the list of crimes that allow someone under 17 to be transferred into adult outdated, and said lawmakers need to be able to revise it without having to go through a statewide vote each time.

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None of that should have been in the constitution to begin with, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto, who also supports the amendment, said in an interview.

Amendment supporters point to carjacking as an example of an offense that should be added to the list of crimes.

State Rep. Debbie Villio, a Republican who sponsored the legislation to get Amendment 3 on the ballot, said in January that she would likely file a bill to expand the types of carjackings that could land a younger teen in adult prison if voters approve the measure.

Rep. Debbie Billion speaks to the House and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday, May, 26, 2022. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)

Minors as young as 15 can already go to adult prison for carjacking with a weapon under the states armed robbery statute. Villio wants to add carjacking by use of force or intimidation  in other words without a weapon  to the list of crimes could get a younger minor transferred to adult prison.

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Should that happen, 15- and 16-year-olds could face much longer sentences. An adult found guilty of carjacking without a weapon can be put in prison five to 20 years for an initial conviction, a maximum sentence four times longer than the current guidelines for people under 17.

Amendment opponents argue putting more teens into adult facilities will be expensive for the state. Teenagers are easily influenced by older prisoners and more vulnerable to coercion and threats, they maintain. It takes more prison staff and more money to keep them safe in adult correctional facilities, according to Kelly Ward, a retired warden who managed the David Wade Correctional Center in Homer who is against the amendment.



The federal government also requires adult prisons to house minors separate from incarcerated adults.

If you are going to spend money on additional resources, then why not take those resources and apply them into a juvenile system that is designed for that age group? Ward said.

Its not clear theres a formal political campaign in support of Amendment 3.

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Daniels said it was be left up to individual district attorneys to decide how much they want to campaign for the proposal. Landry, who has vast political resources, could put up money for a late advertising push if he wanted, but there isnt a high-profile effort to do so yet.

The amendments opposition has a more visible public campaign two weeks out from the election. The Liberty and Dignity Coalition, comprised mostly of left-leaning organizations, has launched a No on 3 campaign and has paid for digital advertising, yard signs and direct mail pieces across the state.



The Legislature is asking for a blank check to fill our adult jails and prisons with children, said Sarah Omojola, a criminal justice advocate and coordinator for the coalition. We cant really trust them with that judgment and that power.

At least two influential, right-leaning groups working to pass the three other amendments on the March 29 ballot are sitting out the Amendment 3 fight.



The Pelican Institute, a conservative think tank focused on Louisiana, is encouraging its followers to vote yes on every other proposal except Amendment 3, for which it hasnt taken a position. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry also announced its support for every amendment except for No. 3 this month.

Will Greene, LABIs CEO and president, said the group decided not to take a stance because the amendment didnt touch upon the groups main mission to improve Louisianas business climate.

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Editor Greg LaRose contributed to this report.

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Correction: This report was updated to correct the spelling of Sarah Omojola and the name of the Liberty and Dignity Coalition.
Lvivs Danylo Halytskyi International Airport may resume aviation operations as early as April or May, according to an optimistic scenario under government consideration, its general director told Vysokyi Zamok media outlet on March 15.

Other potential dates for reopening Ukraines airspace include the summer months.

Five to seven airlines have expressed readiness to begin operations in Lviv within a month of the terminals reopening, Tetiana Romanovska, General Director of Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport said, adding that it could serve as a strong symbol of solidarity with Ukraine.

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Additionally, the government is considering reopening another airport in western Ukraine's Uzhhorod, located directly on the border with Slovakia and in close proximity to the borders of Hungary and Poland, all of which are NATO member countries.

Read also: European air forces could protect Ukraine from Russian aerial strikes, experts suggest

Romanovska confirmed that airlines such as Wizz Air, Air Baltic, Turkish Airlines, SkyUp, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, and LOT are prepared to operate from Lviv once flights resume. "Right now, we are talking about restoring regular flights from Lviv," Romanovska said. "SkyUp will likely take the lead in bringing back charter flights, as they have a well-developed route network in Europe and are ready to resume the same routes from Lviv or another Ukrainian city."

Airlines have already begun preparations. "This year, airline representatives have reached out to us, conducted their audits, and are analyzing the situation. Wizz Air completed its audit last year," Romanovska explained. She added that once a decision to reopen airspace is made, airline teams could arrive and begin operations within three to four days.

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"We hope the airport will reopen in the summer period because thats when aviation traffic is at its highestduring vacations, long daylight hours, and peak travel season," Romanovska said. "But if it happens in April or May, that would be an extremely positive development for us."

Read also: With Putin demanding new concessions for a ceasefire, all eyes are on Trumps next move

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LOS ANGELES, March 17 (Xinhua) -- NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) since last June, are scheduled to return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft on Tuesday, according to NASA.

Their fellow Crew-9 astronauts, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are also preparing to leave the ISS following the arrival of Crew-10 to the orbital laboratory.

NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida's coast for the return of the Crew-9 astronauts.

Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for Tuesday evening, said NASA.

According to the latest schedule, the spacecraft carrying the four astronauts is scheduled to undock from ISS at 1:05 a.m. Eastern Time (0505 GMT) Tuesday to start the journey home. The spacecraft is scheduled for a splashdown off Florida's coast at 5:57 p.m. Eastern Time (2157 GMT) Tuesday.

NASA said mission managers will continue monitoring weather conditions in the area, as Dragon's undocking depends on various factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather and sea states.

Williams and Wilmore have been stuck in space since last June due to technical problems of Boeing's Starliner which took them to the ISS. 
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A 56-year-old man is accused of felony animal cruelty after a pig was found with four deep lacerations that witnesses say were made with a machete.

Harold Gene Smith of Mohave Valley, Arizona, remained in custody on Monday at the Mohave County Jail in Kingman. The attack was reported on Thursday afternoon, but apparently it occurred the day before.

The reporting party advised they had located a large pig with severe, obvious injuries to its back. Deputies observed the pig to have four deep lacerations and the animal was obviously suffering and having trouble breathing, so the decision was made to humanely euthanize the pig, according to information provided by the Mohave County Sheriffs Office (MCSO).

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A witness told police that Smith struck the pig with a machete on Wednesday.

Sheriffs officials said Smith admitted to striking the pig with the machete.

Mohave Valley is south of the Laughlin/Bullhead City area, about 115 miles south of Las Vegas.

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While the topline takeaways in the latest NBC News poll related to Donald Trump and his weakening public standing, there were some revelations related to Democratic voters attitudes that were every bit as interesting, if not more so. From the networks analysis:

Back in April 2017, 59% of Democrats said they wanted congressional Democrats to make compromises with Trump to gain consensus on legislation, with 33% saying they should stick to their positions even if that means not being able to get things done in Washington. Now, that sentiment has completely flipped. Almost two-thirds of Democrats, 65%, say they want congressional Democrats to stick to their positions even if that risks sacrificing bipartisan progress, and just 32% want them to make legislative compromises with Trump.

The shift from 2017 to 2025 is certainly notable, given the relevant parallels: It compares the beginning of the presidents first term with the beginning of his second.

But theres also value in looking back even further. I wrote an item for the Washington Monthly about this way back in 2011, noting an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll that reflected striking partisan asymmetry: At the time, in the wake of the 2010 midterm elections, more than two-thirds of Democratic voters (68%) said they expected their partys leaders to make compromises as part of a broader effort to gain consensus. The same data found a majority of Republican voters (56%) arguing that GOP leaders should stick to their guns and avoid compromise, no matter the consequences.

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A week earlier, a Pew Research Center survey pointed in a nearly identical direction: Most Democratic voters said Democratic officials should focus on compromise, while most Republican voters wanted GOP officials to stand on principle. A Gallup poll taken around the same time found very similar results.

The disconnect between the parties was extraordinary, and it endured for quite a while. For over a decade, Democratic voters embraced a compromise-based approach because it appeared unavoidable: In a complex, Madisonian style of government, filled with choke points and pitfalls, give-and-take is baked into the system. It seemed wholly unrealistic to think any one party or faction would get everything it wanted, so rank-and-file Democrats naturally understood that concessions and negotiations would be part of any responsible approach to governing.

The Democratic base not only endorsed compromise as part of a mature policymaking model, those same voters also expected it.

Most Republican voters fundamentally rejected such a posture, insisting that those who compromised were guilty of weakness and betrayals.

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Not surprisingly, the parties elected officials internalized these attitudes. It became the norm for Democratic officials  in the White House and on Capitol Hill  to strive for bipartisan agreements, while GOP officials equated bipartisan dealmaking with defeat.

In time, not surprisingly, Democrats noticed that they werent getting many RSVPs to the compromise parties they threw. Republicans slapped away outstretched hands. Olive branches were treated like poison ivy. GOP officials even abandoned some of their own ideas and priorities the moments Democrats endorsed them.

In other words, theres no great mystery as to why, exactly, the Democratic base has shifted so dramatically in its approach to bipartisan negotiation and cooperation.

To be sure, its a multifaceted dynamic. The increasing radicalization of Republican politics necessarily repulses much of the Democratic mainstream, making compromise effectively impossible. Relatedly, given the degree to which the incumbent GOP president appears indifferent to bipartisan governing and reality, its not too surprising to see so many Democratic voters reject the idea of trying to work with him in good faith in pursuit of common ground.

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But at the heart of the debate, theres an inescapable realization: Democratic voters were on board with compromises until they grew tired of being alone. Now, according to the data, theyre ready for something different  thanks entirely to the conditions that Republicans themselves created.

The question for party leaders is whether Democratic policymakers are ready to reassess years worth of assumptions and adapt to their bases new set of expectations.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* The latest national NBC News poll found Donald Trump underwater, both in terms of his overall approval rating (47%) and in his handling of the economy (44%). The latest Reuters/Ipsos and Quinnipiac University surveys found the presidents public support even lower. (Click any of the links for more information on the polls methodologies and margins of error.)

* But while the Republican is struggling as his second term gets underway, Democrats are not capitalizing: Recent polls show the Democratic Partys favorability rating reaching their lowest point in a generation.

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* Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu continues to face questions about a possible U.S. Senate candidacy, and the Republican is leaving the door ajar. In comments late last week to Fox News, Sununu said: Im not saying its a high probability. Cant wait to jump in. Definitely not.

* On a related note, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will soon wrap up his second term, and his fellow Republicans are being unsubtle in urging the governor to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in the 2026 election cycle.

* As Democrats eyeing the 2028 presidential race quietly participate in the invisible primary, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear spoke at a House Democrats retreat last week and expressed his disapproval of California Gov. Gavin Newsoms recent podcast guests.

* And in Wisconsin, Democrat Rebecca Cooke ran a competitive race last year against Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, and last week, Cooke announced that shell seek a rematch next year. Its not yet clear whether shell face any primary rivals, though given her 2024 performance, Cooke will be heavily favored to win the Democratic nomination.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays edition of quick hits.

* A closely watched case: Trump administration officials Sunday announced the deportations of hundreds of immigrants the White House alleges are members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador under the wartime Alien Enemies Act after a judge temporarily blocked the effort Saturday.

* In Yemen: Yemeni Houthis have twice attempted to attack the USS Harry S. Truman after at least 53 people have been killed and 98 injured after the U.S. launched a series of airstrikes on Yemen on Saturday, according to the Houthi health ministry. A U.S. defense official told NBC News on Monday that the militia had launched two retaliatory attacks against the USS Harry S. Truman that had both been unsuccessful.

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* Impressive protest, Part I: Tens of thousands rallied in Budapest against Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday, waving the national flag as the leader of the surging opposition Tisza party pledged to make Hungary part of a strong Europe and end Orbans 15-year rule.

* Impressive protest, Part II: At least 100,000 people descended on Belgrade on Saturday for a mass rally seen as a culmination of months-long protests against Serbias populist President Aleksandar Vucic and his government. The rally was part of a nationwide anti-corruption movement that erupted after a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Serbias north in November, killing 15 people.

* South Africa sure is important to the White House lately: The United States has expelled South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool for criticizing the Trump administration, further heightening tensions between the two countries.

* Ridiculous: Arlington National Cemetery has purged its website of pages about notable Black, Hispanic and women veterans, as well as information about the Civil War and Black history, as the Trump administrations ongoing effort to remove references to diversity and inclusion on government webpages.

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* Wouldnt it be interesting to listen in on this? President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are set to speak in a phone call Tuesday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin confirmed Monday, as the United States seeks Moscows support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

* Tesla troubles: Once again, Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have made history, though its not the kind of record he likely was aiming for this time. JPMorgan auto analyst Ryan Brinkman warned clients the politically divisive entrepreneur is, in all likelihood, repelling far more prospective car buyers than he has gained through his proximity to President Trump and far right in Europe.

* Quite a trend in higher ed: Harvard announced on Monday that it plans to offer free tuition for students whose families earn $200,000 and below, making it the latest elite school to expand financial aid after the Supreme Court banned the use of racial preferences in college admissions. The plan with the new income cap will take effect starting this fall. Previously at Harvard, only families with incomes under $85,000 were offered free tuition. The median household income in the United States is about $80,000.

See you tomorrow.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The latest national NBC News poll asked American voters which country has their sympathies in the Russian/Ukrainian war, and the results werent close: Only 2% of Americans sided with Vladmir Putins regime, while 61% chose U.S. allies Kyiv. The same poll, however, asked about Donald Trumps sympathies, and a 49% plurality said they believe the Republican president is sympathetic to Moscow.

Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates, who conducted the survey along with a GOP colleague, said, I cannot recall a moment in history when American public opinion and voters views of a president, as to which country they are more aligned with, have been more in conflict with each other.

There is no reason to see the poll as an outlier. The latest national survey from Quinnipiac University found that a majority of Americans disapprove of Trumps handling of the war and believe he hasnt been tough enough on Putin. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll also found that more than half of Americans agreed that the president is too closely aligned with Russia. Similarly, the latest CNN poll found that a majority of Americans disapprove of the Republicans policies toward Russia and Ukraine, and 50% said his approach to the war is bad for the United States. (For more information on the polls methodologies and margins of error, click on any of the above links.)

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With data like this, its tempting to think the American president, whos been a little too eager of late to align his administration with Moscow, might consider a change in direction. Hes not. On the contrary, Trump continues to double and triple down on his unpopular approach.

During his unhinged remarks at the Justice Department late last week, for example, the president falsely suggested that Ukraine tried to pick on Russia. The next day, for reasons that werent altogether clear, Trump published a 150-word item to his social media platform, insisting that Putin was punctual for his meeting with my Highly Respected Ambassador and Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff  who is not actually an ambassador.

Around the same time, NBC News published this striking report:

President Donald Trumps special envoy for Ukraine and Russia was excluded from high-level talks on ending the war after the Kremlin said it didnt want him there, a U.S. administration official and a Russian official told NBC News. Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg was conspicuously absent from two recent summits in Saudi Arabia  one with Russian officials and the other with Ukrainians  even though the talks come under his remit.

During the presidential transition process, Trump announced that the retired general would oversee the administrations policy toward the war, but the NBC News report, published late last week, said Moscow made it clear behind the scenes that it did not approve of Kellogg.

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The next day, Trump announced that Kellogg would now have a new job, serving as his special envoy to Ukraine. It led reporter Laura Rozen to note that it looks like Trump let Russia veto one of his negotiators.

In case that werent quite enough, as this week got underway, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration has informed our longtime European allies that the United States is withdrawing from the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine  a multinational group created to investigate leaders responsible for the invasion of Ukraine.

The Trump administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared two weeks ago. This largely aligns with our vision.

The latest polling suggests this is not what the American mainstream wants. The American president doesnt seem to care.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Midway through Barack Obamas third year as president, Congress approved a controversial measure related to national security, with just 15 minutes to spare before certain surveillance powers were set to expire. The president, however, was in France when the bill cleared Capitol Hill.

In generations past, this mightve posed a logistical challenge, but thanks to modern technology, White House officials werent concerned: Obama authorized use of the presidential autopen to sign the legislation into law. Some House Republicans werent pleased, but the administration pointed to a Justice Department guidance, written for George W. Bush, on the legal permissibility of the tool.

In the years that followed, discussion about the use of autopens has largely evaporated, though late last week, it apparently made a comeback: During remarks at the Justice Department on Friday, Donald Trump questioned Joe Bidens use of the tool, saying that measures signed by his Democratic predecessor might not be valid.

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Two days later, the Republican incumbent posted an item to his social media platform, suggesting that it was the autopen, and not Biden himself, who served as president for four years.

Shortly after midnight, Trump went considerably further, claiming he was invalidating at least some of Bidens pardons. The message read in its entirety:

The Pardons that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!

Theres a lot to unpack in this 158-word harangue, and theres probably no point in highlighting every individual error of fact and judgment. The bottom line, however, is relatively straightforward: Trump claims that Biden didnt actually sign pardons for members of the bipartisan House Jan. 6 committee, so as far as the Republican is concerned, prosecutors are free to go after them, despite the fact that theres literally no evidence that they did anything wrong.

The entire pitch is based on the presidents apparent belief that (a) his immediate predecessor used an autopen to sign the pardons; (b) documents signed by autopens dont count; and (c) Biden suffered from mental deterioration to such a horrific degree that he wasnt aware of his own policies and preferences.

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The first point is dubious, given that theres no evidence that Biden used the tool to issue the pardons; the second point appears unsupported by law; and the third point is offensive on its face.

But lets also not lose sight of the forest for the trees: For the first time in American history, a sitting president is asserting the right to invalidate a predecessors pardons.

In other words, as the United States deals with a sustained offensive against the rule of law, Trump has made up a new power for himself that does not exist.

To be sure, theres often a disconnect between what Trump says hes doing and what hes actually doing. The Republican has now claimed in writing that hes voiding some Biden-era pardons, but given recent history, its entirely possible that in the coming hours and days, the White House will pretend he never actually published such a message. Perhaps, in other words, this radicalism will soon be forgotten.

But if Trump seriously takes steps to undo Biden's pardons, because he feels like it, the coming fight will be dramatic.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Republican leaders understand that the GOP has earned a reputation for championing the interests of the wealthy, but they occasionally make the case that the party has changed.

Around this time four years ago, for example, then-House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy declared, The uniqueness of this party today is were the workers party. Around the same time, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote online, The Republican Party is not the party of the country clubs, its the party of hardworking, blue-collar men and women.

Its difficult to say with confidence whether GOP leaders ever believed their own rhetoric when it came to workers interests, but Donald Trump continues to take steps that leave little doubt that the contemporary Republican Party is most certainly not the workers party. Bloomberg Law reported:

President Donald Trump scrapped Biden-era executive orders that raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 and drove federal infrastructure investments toward companies that agree to union neutrality. ... In addition to union neutrality, the now canceled EO 14126 favored companies that offer equitable compensation practices and participate in registered apprenticeships.

In case anyone needs a refresher, it was in early 2014 when Barack Obama raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $10.10 an hour. As we discussed at the time, because government contracts can be lucrative, and so many private enterprises want federal work, the Democratic president, with a stroke of a pen, gave a raise to a whole lot of employees. The shift also sent a message to the private sector that to compete in the labor force, businesses should follow suit.

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Republicans were less than pleased but faced a messaging challenge: Since most Americans support a higher minimum wage, the GOP didnt want to be seen attacking the Democrat for doing something popular. As an alternative, Republicans pretended to be outraged that Obama advanced one of his goals by way of an executive order.

Republican Rep. Randy Weber of Texas, for example, called Obama a Socialistic dictator and the Kommandant-In-Chef. (I assume he meant chief.) Then-House Speaker John Boehner suggested the minimum-wage hike for contractors was unconstitutional. Ted Cruz was so incensed that he wrote an op-ed condemning the imperial presidency of Barack Obama.

Undeterred, Biden built on the policy in 2021, raising the wage for federal contractors to $15, amid a series of related efforts to use White House power to encourage corporations that do business with the government to adopt pro-labor policies.

Trump has now used his power to undo all of these Biden-era steps.

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The presidents move comes four months after he appeared on NBC News Meet the Press and faced a question about the federal minimum wage. Host Kristen Welker reminded the Republican that the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 for more than 15 years and asked whether he was prepared to raise it.

Its a very low number, Trump conceded, referring to the status quo. I will agree, its a very low number.

As the exchange continued, however, Trump, who has spent years offering confusing and contradictory positions on the issue, declared that he believes having a federal minimum wage doesnt work.

Evidently, he apparently believes raising the minimum wage for federal contractors doesnt work, either.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
MAGA joined forces Sunday night to defend the Trump administrations decision to ignore a federal judges order to turn back deportation flights en route to El Salvador.

On Saturday, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime authority that allows summary deportation of people from countries at war with America. Trump invoked the act to target members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Citing White House sources, Axios and CNN reported that the Trump administration decided not to heed the order to turn around flights, arguing that they were already outside U.S. airspace.

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The Administration did not refuse to comply with a court order, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory.

On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump posted a three-minute video of deportation flights on Truth Social .

These are the monsters sent into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats, he wrote. How dare they!

The presidents allies, including Vice President JD Vance, followed suit, hailing the deportation flights on their own social media accounts.

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There were violent criminals and rapists in our country, he said. Democrats fought to keep them here. President Trump deported them.

There were violent criminals and rapists in our country. Democrats fought to keep them here.



President Trump deported them. https://t.co/kSS9MqlClm  JD Vance (@JDVance) March 17, 2025

Stephen Miller , White House deputy chief of staff, issued a warning to criminals: You break into our country. Attack our people. Menace our citizens. You will pay the consequences. Leave now  or face justice.

Axios reported that Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem orchestrated the plan to keep the deportation flights in the air. A White House official reportedly said they didnt intend to defy the court order, but this is how it worked out.

Harrison Fields, a White House principal deputy press secretary, took a swipe at the judiciary over the order.

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When you have a political party and a media establishment actively working to protect dangerous criminals in our country, aided by judges who seem more focused on undermining the Constitution and disregarding the will of the people, its becoming increasingly clear that the true threat may be coming from within, he wrote on X.

YEP.



When you have a political party and a media establishment actively working to protect dangerous criminals in our country, aided by judges who seem more focused on undermining the Constitution and disregarding the will of the people, its becoming increasingly clear that https://t.co/MeympptIWw  Harrison Fields (@HFields47) March 17, 2025

Republican senator Eli Crane echoed Fields: The activist judges were suspiciously quiet when Joe Biden enacted all the policies that led to gang members ENTERING America. Hows that work? Only vocal when President Trump DEPORTS them?

Leavitt and MAGA firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene said Americans voted for the deportation flights.

This is what we campaigned for, promised, and President Trump is delivering, Greene said.

This is what we campaigned for, promised, and President Trump is delivering.



And I voted for this.  https://t.co/2nhcQXDYA4  Marjorie Taylor Greene  (@mtgreenee) March 17, 2025

The Trump administration has grown increasingly frustrated with federal judges blocking its sweeping efforts to overhaul the government and enforce its long-promised deportation blitz.

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In a series of emergency filings with the Supreme Court last week, the administration said nationwide injunctions have reached epidemic proportions since Trump returned to office.

That sharp rise in universal injunctions stops the Executive Branch from performing its constitutional functions before any courts fully examine the merits of those actions, and threatens to swamp this Courts emergency docket, acting solicitor general Sarah Harris wrote.
Conservative media figures are pushing Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murder in the 2020 killing of George Floyd that sparked widespread Black Lives Matter protests.

It seems the White House has taken notice.

Beginning this week, high-profile commentator Ben Shapiro will begin airing a docuseries called The Case of Derek Chauvin, part of a pardon push that began earlier this month and has now wracked up some 50,000 signatures on a petition.

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A reprieve would be a watershed moment. In the aftermath of Floyds death, in which officers including Chauvin knelt on the mans back and neck for minutes as he screamed he couldnt breathe, some of the largest protests in U.S. history took place. Chauvin was later convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.

A pardon would only apply to Chauvins 21-year federal sentence, leaving his 22-and-a-half year state sentence from 2021 intact.

Shapiro has argued that Chauvin, who was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges, then pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses, was put behind bars on extraordinarily scanty evidence.

The broadcaster argues that Floyd may have died from some combination of underlying health conditions, drug use, and excited delirium, a now-discredited pseudo-scientific diagnosis frequently invoked in police violence cases.

Chauvin still would face a lengthy state sentence if he got his federal plea pardoned (Hennepin County Sheriff)

During his state trial, the county medical examiner, who declared Floyds death a homicide, testified that it was the police restraint that ultimately killed Floyd, while drug use and heart disease were not top line causes.

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Shapiro also claims Chauvin didnt get a fair trial because of public attention around the death, and points to alleged issues like a juror who it was later revealed wore a Black Lives Matter t-shirt with the words Get your knee off our necks to a 2020 march.

The Supreme Court in 2023 rejected Chauvins attempts to appeal his state conviction.

Fellow right-wing broadcasters, including Turning Point USAs Charlie Kirk, have boosted Shapiros campaign.

Kirk interviewed Shapiro recently and called the aftermath of Floyds death the gateway drug towards mass anarchy in the streets.

Its unclear where the Trump White House stands on the matter.

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Earlier this month, when asked about the pardon push, Trump said, I haven't even heard about it.

White House adviser Elon Musk, meanwhile, wrote on X a pardon was: Something to think about.

Trump condemned Chauvin after the 2020 killing, and has said hes unaware of the pardon push (Getty Images)

In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the president initially condemned Floyds death, which set off nationwide racial justice protests and riots, though the Republican also used controversial tactics including riot police, tear gas, and federal agents in unmarked vehicles to crack down on those same protests.

All Americans were rightly sickened and revolted by the brutal death of George Floyd, said Trump in a speech at the time. My administration is fully committed that, for George and his family, justice will be served. He will not have died in vain.

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Trump, who has often framed himself as a pro-police and law and order candidate, has shown a willingness to pardon people tied to violent crime in the past.

Among his first acts in office upon was reelection was pardoning over 1,000 participants in the pro-Trump, January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, which led to multiple deaths and over 100 injured police officers.
Mar. 17The University of Maine's Garbrecht Law Library has been one of the few places where the public can remotely access some superior court rulings in Maine for more than 20 years.

The library recognized a shift in how people were accessing information at the turn of the 21st century, said director Christine Dulac. It's a small service to keep students and the public informed and is not affiliated with the judicial system.

"It was just an access to justice issue," Dulac said.

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Yet even as dozens of other states have moved their records online, Maine courts still largely remain in the world of paper files.

The state has spent more than $17 million to date trying to catch up, according to data provided Friday by Barbara Cardone, a spokesperson for the Maine Judicial Branch.

"It's years and millions of dollars in taxpayer funding later, with very little to show for it," said American Civil Liberties Union of Maine Chief Counsel Zachary Heiden. "How can we as a democracy function if the public doesn't know what's going on?"

Cardone said part of what's taking so long is that they are still developing a method for protecting "confidential data" included in otherwise public records. Cardone said the judicial branch currently doesn't have the staff to both run an eCourts system and ensure public access.

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"We have limited human resources to address all of the issues that we have to deal with in rolling out the entire eCourts system," Cardone wrote in an email.

Court officials say they have been chronically underfunded for years and will need more money and staff to operate a secure and reliable system.

If the eCourts system isn't run properly, there will be consequences beyond the courthouse, Court Administrator Amy Quinlan warned lawmakers last month, apparently referring to a lawsuit initially filed against some North Carolina court officials involving their eCourts system.

For court employees, "the repercussions of if they don't do their job right has direct impact on people's liberty, in some instances," Quinlan said.

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MILLIONS SPENT

Maine has been talking about an electronic filing system for years, but work on one didn't begin until 2016 when the judicial branch signed its 10-year contract with Tyler Technologies, a Texas-based software company with multiple offices in Maine that develops content management systems for the public sector.

Tyler declined an interview request, but a spokesperson said in an email these projects are complex and "the work we are doing with (Maine) will help provide a court system that streamlines processes for government workers and improves the experience for residents."

Tyler is being sued in North Carolina over its rollout of eCourt systems there. That lawsuit alleges several people were wrongfully arrested and detained because of issues with a Tyler system. The company has denied any wrongdoing in court records. State court officials were recently dismissed from the case.

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Lawmakers agreed to let the judicial branch pay for the $15 million contract through bonding, a type of state loan.

Cardone said the state has spent roughly two-thirds of that bond so far ($9.8 million), mostly on implementation costs to both Tyler and other vendors for smaller updates. Maine has also paid Tyler roughly $7.7 million in annual operational fees.

Maine will still have to pay those yearly costs once the project is complete. Court officials are already worried about how they'll pay to keep it running.

Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill told lawmakers last month that the judicial branch won't be able to afford its eCourts program without additional funding. The courts are asking the Legislature to give them $1.8 million annually to pay for maintaining the system because they haven't been able to raise enough using surcharges and filing fees.

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Meanwhile, other new initiatives have been put on hold. In 2019, lawmakers ordered the judicial branch to create a notification system for criminal defendants and others involved in court cases.

Heiden, from the ACLU, said a notification program would reduce the number of people who "fail to appear" on charges in court. But it won't take effect until they start moving criminal cases to the eCourts system, according to Cardone.

"It's not just a matter of convenience. It really has real world impacts, at a time when information is accessible and online and available," Heiden said.

PRIVACY DEBATE

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Former Chief Justice Leigh Saufley surprised public access advocates in 2018 when she announced public records would be available online, for a fee.

But at some point in the last couple of years as the court system started to put some traffic and civil records online, it decided to halt public online access.

Attorneys and those directly involved in a case can still access their own files, but the general public can only see a "registry of actions." Cardone said files are still physically available at the courthouse for free.

Court officials said they made the policy decision out of a "commitment to protecting sensitive and personal information in court records from being released online and the inability of the current technology to provide that protection."

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Some types of cases that are in the e-filing system would not be viewable to the general public anyway  like protection orders, which federal laws prohibit from being published on the internet.

New England First Amendment Coalition Executive Director Justin Silverman said the policy shift to remove that access amounts to courts reneging on Saufley's promise.

"If a document is public, then it should be public in the courthouse and online," Silverman said. "There shouldn't be a distinction between the two. I don't see much justification for denying that kind of access. ... It doesn't matter what categories of record we're talking about. If they are public, then they are public, regardless of where they're located."

Cardone, the court spokesperson, said she shares the concerns about limited public access, but the judicial branch's first priority is getting all cases loaded into a new case management system before the current one "fails altogether."

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"Until we get all of our trial courts online, we are not going to be able to expand that access in the way that both provides the public with access to public documents and protects the private information of litigants that may be included in digital documents," she said.

Stanfill told lawmakers last month that the next step is piloting an online criminal case system in Androscoggin County this summer. The courts have given no indication what online public access will look like for those cases.

Silverman and the ACLU of Maine continue to press for more access, they say, as a matter of equity and accountability.

It's about "making sure that everyone in Maine can have access to their courts without having to potentially drive hours to a specific courthouse and take time out of their busy days to get information about cases they have an interest in," he said.

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DATA IMPLICATIONS

Stanfill told the Legislature she believes eCourts will be a worthy investment, one that will help improve the judicial branch's ability to collect and analyze data.

"Data helps us understand the cost and benefits of programs and strategies," Stanfill said. "Moreover, having better data available also fits with the goal of increasing transparency and openness in the judicial branch. The implementation of Maine eCourts will help us in marshaling that data in the future."

But the fact that the system is still a work in progress has often been used as a reason not to fulfill data requests and initiatives to improve the court systems.

Colby College professor of anthropology Winifred Tate was shocked a couple of years ago when she set out to pull court records on drug-related cases in Kennebec County for a research project.

Tate wanted to analyze who the state is prosecuting for drug use. She wanted to know the nature of their charges, how many people are pleading guilty and the circumstances of their case. Tate said she especially wanted to see if claims that Maine was diverting people from the criminal justice system held water.

The data was harder to pull then she imagined  she had to physically be in the courthouse and know the cases she wanted to pull. She spent several days sorting through manila folders stuffed with sticky notes.

"I didn't have the time  the months or even the years  to go through that," Tate said. "It was incredibly onerous, and I think really contributes to the opacity of what's actually happening in the courts."

Electronic records would undoubtedly make her research easier.

"I think it's really important, given the amount of money that Maine is dumping into the criminal legal system," Tate said. "What is a real, profound crisis in multiple dimensions ... we can't actually figure out what's going on if we don't have access or the ability to do this kind of research."

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NAIROBI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya announced on Monday that it aims to increase its dairy exports to nine billion Kenyan shillings (about 69.5 million U.S. dollars) in 2025, up from 7.3 billion Kenyan shillings in 2023, as the country strengthens its position in the global dairy market.

Genesio Mugo, chairman of state-owned Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya that key international markets include the Middle East, South Sudan and Somalia.

"We are planning to get certification at the international level so that our milk can access the European Union," Mugo said.

According to KDB, Kenya produced 5.76 billion litres of milk in 2024, out of which 4.8 billion litres was sold without being processed.

Mugo said that one of the main strategies to increase exports is to process more milk into butter, cheese, ghee and yogurt.

He added that Kenya also plans to leverage on the African Continental Free Trade Area to access countries which are net importers of dairy products such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
If you shop at Whole Foods, you should know that a popular frozen product has just been recalled. According to a recall notice issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some of the chain's store brand 365 by Whole Foods Market's Small Bites Macaroni & Cheese products may contain undeclared egg and meat ingredients. C.H. Guenther & Son LLC, the manufacturer of Whole Foods' mac and cheese bites, released an allergy alert on March 14, 2025. The company announcement stated that the mac and cheese bite product is being recalled from Whole Foods shelves because "it may contain undeclared eggs and meat ingredients," which could pose major risks to those who have food allergies and cause potential issues for vegans and vegetarians.

The recall specifies the 365 by Whole Foods Market Small Bites Macaroni & Cheese frozen products purchased between February 6 and March 11, 2025, with the UPC code 99482499709 and a best-by date of November 29, 2025. According to the FDA, a customer called to complain about the mac and cheese bites product containing meat, prompting the swift recall. An inspection of the ingredients listed on this frozen product displays the lack of both eggs and meat. Consequently, persons allergic to either eggs or meat who might consume these undeclared ingredients are at risk for a potentially deadly reaction.

To date, no adverse reactions, illnesses, injuries, or deaths have been reported as a result of consuming this product, meaning this isn't yet the most dangerous type of FDA food recall class. The issue has been dealt with in a timely manner, which will hopefully prevent any health consequences. Furthermore, C.H. Guenther & Son LLC reported that preventative measures have been taken to ensure that no future incidents of undeclared egg and meat occur. If you have purchased frozen mac and cheese bites affected by the recall, dispose of the product and return to the Whole Foods location that you purchased it with a receipt for a full refund.

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Read more: 12 Mistakes You Need To Avoid With Mac And Cheese

Symptoms Of Egg And Meat Allergies To Watch For

Hand holding 365 by Whole Foods Market Small Bites Macaroni and Cheese bites - @wholefodshype/Instagram

Luckily, this recall doesn't involve the most common food allergy in adults. However, while both egg and meat allergies are rare in adults, they are more common in infants and children. According to a 2020 article published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, of the 8% of children in the U.S. with food allergies, egg allergies only affect 0.9% of them. Furthermore, egg allergies are more prevalent in children under the age of 5. While the complaint about meat in the mac and cheese bite package didn't specify the type of meat or egg contained therein, people with chicken allergies are told to avoid all chicken products, including eggs. Chicken allergies are even more rare than egg allergies, affecting less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to Wyndly.

While egg and chicken allergies are rare, allergic reactions can be dangerously severe, especially in very young children. Reactions usually start within minutes to a few hours of consuming the problematic food. Symptoms include skin conditions, such as hives and swelling of the face, lips, or tongue. Dizziness, gastrointestinal problems, and respiratory problems like wheezing, coughing, and congestion can also be indications of food allergies. These symptoms may indicate the beginning of anaphylaxis, the most severe allergic reaction that can lead to death if untreated. Here's what experts have to say about rising food allergy rates.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Mar. 16After reading articles about how children were helping their neighbors, Edgerton Elementary third graders in Alexis Gilbert's class were inspired to make a change in their own community.

"We can do this," third-grader Theron Paugh said when asked what he thought about starting a fundraiser.

First, a class meeting was held where different ideas were proposed such as collecting school supplies or books, third-grader Odin Ogden said. Taking a vote, the class decided to hold a schoolwide coin drive to benefit a local nonprofit.

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After learning about nonprofits, the type of work they perform and what such organizations exist in the Flathead Valley, the class assembled a list of organizations and took another vote. The Humane Society of Northwest Montana received four paws up for the win. Jobs were assigned and two weeks of fundraising efforts got underway.

As interest in the project grew, Edgerton's other third-grade classrooms joined the endeavor. They spread the word among their classmates, families and neighbors, urging them to make a donation.

"[We thought] we can work together," said third-grader Lili Andrasko, who helped make posters to advertise the coin drive.

That didn't mean there wasn't room for some friendly competition to see which grade level could raise the most money, however. Andrasko said the second graders were going to win until "one of the teachers who helps our class brought in $20 and I brought in another $20."

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"We won by $17," she said.

Counting $533.44 in mostly coins is no easy feat, according to third-grader Theron Paugh, who helped with the daily tallying.

"It took five days," Paugh said.

To keep track of the money, the young third graders created a spreadsheet.

Paugh and Andrasko agreed that they didn't anticipate they would be able to raise that much money.

"It feels like we accomplished something that we worked really hard doing," Andrasko said.

On Tuesday, more than 75 third graders piled into the school entryway to present the Humane Society with a handmade oversized check. As the chattering students rounded the hallway their faces lit up with smiles, some clasping their hands in front of their faces, as they saw Humane Society of Northwest Montana Executive Director Stacie DaBolt and Shelter Manager Noelle Almrud holding two puppies, Pluto and Hades, the last of their litter available for adoption.

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Seeing children excited about helping their community is always encouraging, DaBolt said.

"Kids are our favorite ... and they're future animal lovers, they're future donors, they're future volunteers," DaBolt said.

To donate to the Humane Society of Northwest Montana, or to set up an appointment to meet the cats and dogs up for adoption, call 752-7297 or visit https://humanesocietypets.com.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.

Edgerton Elementary third-grader Paisley Sheldon shares about the process of organizing and holding a schoolwide coin drive to benefit the Humane Society of Northwest Montana to shelter staff on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the school. The fundraiser was initiated and spearheaded by third-grade teacher Alexis Gilbert's class (Hilary Matheson/Daily Inter Lake)
Mar. 16A man brought up on a felony charge after allegedly abandoning his vehicle in the intersection of two state highways to pop into a casino for drinks in 2024 later received a suspended jail sentence.

Samuel Walter Rauser, 33, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence, second offense, in Flathead County District Court on April 4, 2024. Initially charged with felony criminal endangerment, he struck a deal with prosecutors in early April 2024.

Under the terms of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend Rauser receive a one-year sentence in the county jail with all, but five days suspended and receive credit for five days of time served. Rauser would also undergo a chemical dependency evaluation and pay fines amounting to $1,200 per the agreement.

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Judge Amy Eddy stuck to the terms of the deal during his sentencing, which occurred on the same day as his change of plea hearing.

Authorities arrested Rauser after Montana Highway Patrol troopers found his pickup truck abandoned at the intersection of Montana 35 and Montana 206 at about 1:33 a.m., Jan. 13, 2024. The pickup was left blocking four lanes of traffic and without the use of hazard lights, court documents said.

Troopers called Rauser after running the pickup's license plates and finding him listed as the owner. Rauser allegedly told them the truck had locked up and he had gone into a nearby casino. Investigators described Rauser's speech as slow, slurred and stuttering, according to court documents.

They ordered him to return to the truck, but Rauser allegedly never showed up. Troopers later found him outside the casino's bar, court documents said.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.
GRANTS, N.M. (KRQE)  A man accused of shooting a police officer in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, was taken into custody in New Mexico Monday.

Multiple law enforcement agencies surrounded Billy Wayne Williams car parked outside a Walmart, Grants Police said. As law enforcement went to confront him, Williams shot himself and was taken to Cibola General Hospital and later transferred to an Albuquerque hospital, according to police.

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Williams is currently in critical but stable condition, and the FBI has taken custody of him.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol told the Grants Police Department to keep an eye out for Williams, who was believed to be an armed and dangerous person. Grants Police officers used a license plate reader to find Williams car around 7:42 a.m. before tracking it to a Walmart parking lot.

The officer Williams is accused of shooting in the face during a traffic stop Sunday night was treated and released from the hospital, according to CBS affiliate News on 6 in Tulsa.

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ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo.  A St. Louis man is due in St. Charles County Circuit Court later this week for allegedly attacking and stabbing a former girlfriend more than two weeks ago.

According to the St. Charles County Police Departments probable cause statement, the attack occurred on Feb. 28. Police did not provide a more specific location.

Police said John W. Walker drove to an event where he knew his former girlfriend would be. He parked near the victims vehicle and waited for roughly 20 minutes before his ex-girlfriend left the event.

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As the woman approached her car, police said Walker exited his vehicle and began attacking her with a knife. The victim suffered two lacerations to her upper abdomen. The attack was captured on surveillance video.

Bystanders intervened and grabbed Walker as he tried to get back to his vehicle, police said.

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During the fracas, a stocking cap fell to the ground and was taken in for evidence. Police said the attacker was seen wearing the cap on surveillance. The stocking cap was submitted for DNA analysis, which returned a match to Walker. Investigators also found a video posted by Walker to social media showing him wearing an identical stocking cap.

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The victim eventually identified Walker during two different photo lineups, police said. She explained she had a prior relationship with Walker in 2022 but ended things after entering a new relationship. She said their last interaction happened in October 2024. However, the victim told investigators Walker sent her a message on Instagram just after 11 p.m. the night of the attack, less than an hour prior. She didnt respond to the message and later saw that Walker had blocked her on the app.

Investigators said Walkers cell phone was traced to the site and time of the attack.

While being questioned by detectives, police said Walker admitted he was there that evening, but said his intention was only to assault his former girlfriend, not to kill her. He later claimed to be a sex slave and alleged that the victim had raped him.

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According to police, Walker said hed been a sex slave for eight years and said he was going to solve things or shoot up a school over his frustrations. He later stated several times that he should have killed the victim.

Investigators found a medical evaluation on his phone regarding his desires to commit a school shooting. The evaluation was dated Aug. 10, 2023.

In addition, police said Walker has a criminal history for felony counterfeiting, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, and other ordinance violations.

The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Walker with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Walker remains jailed on a $100,000 cash-only bond. Hes due in court for a 7-day bond hearing on March 19.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO) A man wanted in Arizona is in a South Dakota jail accused of threatening President Donald Trump.

Crews blast old Pierre-Ft. Pierre bridge Monday

46-year-old David Combe is scheduled to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Rapid City on Wednesday.

Hes charged with two counts of making threats against the President and one count of false information and hoaxes. Court documents say he mailed a letter to the President in early September 2020.

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The letter allegedly contained white powder and said quote PS: enjoy the anthrax in the envelope.

Combe is also accused of writing that he would hunt down and kill the president.

The alleged crimes happened toward the end of Trumps first term in office. There wasnt an indictment in the case until the end of last month. Court documents do not say whether Combe now lives in South Dakota or just happened to be visiting the state.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The man arrested after a 13-hour manhunt in Miamisburg last week made his first visit to court Monday.

Dametrius Turner appeared at his arraignment in Miamisburg Municipal Court via video from the Montgomery County Jail. He was accompanied by his lawyer.

Turner entered a not guilty plea to seven charges, including murder and felonious assault, related to the death of Leslie Ross, 52.

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Miamisburg officers were sent to a home in the 700 block of Golden Arrow Court around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. When they arrived, officers discovered Ross dead inside the home.

After several hours of searching for the suspect, Turner was found in West Carrollton shortly after noon on Thursday, March 13.

During Mondays arraignment, a representative of Ross family spoke to the court regarding bail for Turner, which was amended to $1.5 million.

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LEEDS, Ala. (WIAT)  A man was arrested after an alleged carjacking at the Buc-ees in Leeds on Friday.

Kujuan Ash, 33, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, is charged with attempting to elude, first-degree theft of property, first-degree criminal mischief, obstructing justice using a false identity, third-degree theft of property, two counts of attempted unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle and third-degree retail theft. His bond totaled $88,000.

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According to Leeds Police Department, Ash entered an occupied vehicle that was parked at a gas pump at the citys Buc-ees. Ash allegedly took possession of the vehicle, and the victim was able to escape and flee without sustaining injuries. Leeds police officers observed the vehicle in the vicinity of I-59/20 southbound. They attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Ash allegedly failed to stop and fled from officers.

The pursuit came to an end in the vicinity of I-65 and U.S. 31. Police stated after a brief foot pursuit, Ash was taken into custody. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Birmingham Police Department, Vestavia Hills Police Department, Homewood Police Department, Shelby County Sheriffs Office and Alabaster Police Department assisted in the pursuit.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man arrested last week by city police after a search warrant served at a West Side home reportedly uncovered felony-one level cocaine now faces a federal gun charge.

A criminal complaint was filed Friday in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio charging David Poyssick, 41, with possession of ammunition by a person convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.

Tuesday, Poyssick was arrested after police and members of the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force served a search warrant in the double-digit block of North Hartford Avenue. Reports said officers found powder and crack cocaine.

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Court records show Poyssick was released on bond after he was arraigned on that charge Wednesday in municipal court. He was booked back into the Mahoning County Jail Friday after the federal charge was filed.

An affidavit accompanying the complaint in the criminal case said two members of the FBI were at an Austintown gun range Feb. 11 when they saw Poyssick sitting at a table with a gun. Poyssick told the agents he got the gun the day before at a Niles sporting goods store and chatted with them about the gun, the affidavit said.

Reports said Poyssick went to a shooting lane and fired several shots at a target. There were two other men with Poyssick also firing at the target, the affidavit said, but the affidavit did not say if those two men had their own guns.

When Poyssick and the two men he was with left, one of the agents swept up the cartridges that were left over in Poyssicks shooting lane, the affidavit said. Agents also found a receipt with Poyssicks name on it that showed he paid for ammunition, the affidavit said.

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Poyssick was convicted March 3, 2009, of misdemeanor domestic violence in Youngstown Municipal Court, the affidavit said.

The affidavit also said Poyssick also tried to purchase a gun April 22 but that purchase was denied.

Court records show Poyssick is expected to have a detention hearing later Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carmen E. Henderson.

The affidavit does not make clear if the search warrant was served because of the gun investigation or for another reason. Reports from the search warrant do not list a gun as among the items recovered by police.

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by Murad Abdo

ADEN, Yemen, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States launched its most extensive military operation against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen over the weekend since President Donald Trump took office in January, a significant escalation that analysts warn could further destabilize an already volatile Middle East.

According to Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, the U.S. bombardment on Saturday night resulted in at least 53 deaths and 98 injuries, raising concerns about Washington's strategic objectives. This escalation comes after months of unwavering U.S. support for its ally Israel in its war in Gaza, as well as its conflicts with Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Mohamed Al-Ahmadi, a Yemeni political expert, said the U.S. military operation in Yemen represents "an extension of Washington's policy of military intervention in the Middle East."

While the United States has justified its actions as necessary to protect international navigation, Al-Ahmadi argues the repercussions extend beyond stated objectives and may be part of a broader U.S. strategy to "reshape regional balance and pressure certain actors."

Al-Ahmadi outlined two potential scenarios: If the attack forms part of a comprehensive strategy to dismantle Houthi control over northern Yemen, it could potentially promote regional stability and restore legitimate state institutions. However, if it is merely a temporary retaliatory measure, it risks "significantly complicating the regional situation, increasing instability in the Red Sea and its surroundings, and consequently threatening international trade and global energy security."

Yemeni military analyst Khaled Al-Nasi said the U.S. strike would have a "significant impact" on Houthi capabilities. However, he emphasized that without follow-up ground operations by Yemeni forces opposing the group, the Houthis would likely recover despite currently facing "their most difficult phase."

Regarding whether the airstrikes would affect Iran's support for the Houthis, Al-Ahmadi expressed doubt about any direct impact on the Iran-Houthi relationship.

Fatima Al-Asrar, research director at the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies, said U.S. strikes could achieve their stated objectives only if they continue to target Houthi military sites across Yemen and if Washington engages with the Yemeni government to create a unified deterrence strategy.

"The Houthis have a known pattern of escalation, and they will not yield to deterrence," she said, predicting that the group's next move would likely target Israel.

On Saturday night, American fighter jets conducted approximately 40 airstrikes targeting multiple locations across six Houthi-controlled governorates in northern Yemen, according to Houthi-affiliated media.

The U.S. Central Command announced the large-scale operation against Houthi targets aims to "defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation." 
MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas (KETK)  On Saturday, a man accused of stealing over 1,500 pounds of copper wire was arrested by the Titus County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriffs office said that in late February, investigators became aware of a man selling unusual amounts of scrap copper several times a week. Investigators believed the copper was being stolen from a business in Mount Pleasant so they began to communicate with the businesss owners.

4 men arrested for online solicitation of minor, prostitute after sting operation in Texarkana

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After weeks of monitoring the man, investigators received a tip on Saturday alerting them that the man was back at the business where they suspected he was taking the wire from. Officials responded to the tip and arrested the man who was identified as James David Robertson.

After searching Robertsons truck, the sheriffs office said investigators discovered copper wire in various sizes filling over half of his bed. Officials suspect that Robertson sold over 1500 pounds of copper wire between early January and March 15.

Photos courtesy of Titus County Sheriffs Office

Robertson was arrested for seven counts of theft of material and transported to the Titus County Jail, according to Titus County Jail records.

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A California man is set to receive quite the hefty payout years after he was severely burned at a Starbucks drive-thru. The Associated Press reports that a Los Angeles County jury has found that delivery driver Michael Garcia should be awarded $50 million as a result of his injuries.

During the incident, which took place on February 8, 2020, Garcia was picking up an order from the California Starbucks drive-thru when a venti-sized tea drink he was handed spilled onto his lap. The spill occurred immediately after he was given the scalding-hot drink from a worker at the coffee shop. The lawsuit states that Starbucks is to blame given that the tea wasn't secured properly in the takeout tray it was wedged in.

Following the spill, Garcia underwent skin grafts and other procedures on his genitals. His lawyers noted that he suffered permanent and life-changing disfigurement as a result of the accident.

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Nick Rowley, one of Garcia's attorneys, had stern words for Starbucks following the jury's verdict.

This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility, Rowley said in a statement, the AP reports.

Starbucks, who emphasized that it remains committed to the highest safety standards, plans to appeal the court's decision.

We disagree with the jurys decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive, the coffee behemoth revealed in a statement.

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Residents were left shaken after a car went on a destructive rampage throughout the quiet neighborhood Friday night.

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Videos on social media show a car driving up onto peoples laws and crashing into property, our news partners at WCPO reported.

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Neighbors told WCPO that some of them were left with serious damage.

Residents said the truck was driving through peoples lawns, into poles, and even side-swiped several vehicles.

Hamilton County Court records state that Benjamin Rowland has been charged with Operating a Vehicle Impaired, Failure to Control and Unlawful Restraint.

Court records said that the unlawful restraint charges stem from Rowland allegedly having a passenger in the truck with him and refusing to let them out of the car.

We will continue to follow this story.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A man who was convicted with killing an 8-year-old child in a shooting at the Galleria was sentenced to 26 years in prison Monday.

Demetrius Jackson, 23, was sentenced to 20 years for reckless manslaughter. He was also sentenced to 10 years with two years to serve on each of the three second-degree assault charges.

Galleria shooter Demetrius Jackson found guilty of reckless manslaughter in 2020 shooting

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Jackson was found guilty after a jury deliberated for nearly two days to determine whether or not he was guilty in the case. He was originally charged with capital murder in the case.

On July 3, 2020, Jackson had reportedly gotten in an argument with a group of people near the food court in the mall, subsequently followed by a shooting. Royta Giles Jr., 8, was killed in the shooting.

King Williams and Montez Coleman had previously pleaded guilty to reckless murder in connection to the shooting and Giles death.

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A man was arrested after five people were injured in a three-vehicle crash that sent one vehicle careening into the front of a home in Boston on Sunday night.

The man, whose name hasnt been released, was expected to be arraigned Monday in Brighton District Court on a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol, according to the Boston Police Department.

Officers responding to a report of a crash in the area of 314 Faneuil Street in the citys Brighton section just before 7:40 p.m. found a Nissan Rogue lodged up against a home, as well as two other damaged vehicles, police said

Video captured by a Boston 25 News photographer showed the wrecked vehicles being towed away from the scene.

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Five people were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The cause of the crash wasnt immediately clear.

An investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A Peruvian fisherman was found alive after drifting at sea for 94 days, a navy official said Saturday, as he was discharged from hospital following his ordeal.

Maximo Napa, 61, was rescued in his small fishing boat on Tuesday after being spotted by an Ecuadoran vessel off the coast of Chimbote in northern Peru.

He told local media in a tearful interview that he survived at sea by eating cockroaches, birds and turtles.

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"I didn't want to die, for my mother. I have a two-month-old granddaughter  I clung to that. Every day I thought about my mother," Napa said.

The Peruvian navy posted images of the rescue, including one showing Napa reuniting with his brother after being rescued and another showing the fisherman receiving medical attention.

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent over 90 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screen grab taken from handout video. / Credit: La Republica/Handout via REUTERS

On Saturday, he was discharged from hospital in the coastal city of Paita.

"Mr. Napa arrived in good physical condition. He could walk, wash himself. Shocked, but in good physical condition," said Peruvian Navy port captain Jorge Gonzalez.

The fisherman had set sail on Dec. 7 from the port of San Juan de Marcona but bad weather conditions and the current caused him to lose course.

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His small boat, which had no radio beacon, ended up on the high seas.

"It is a miracle that my father has been found," his daughter Ines Napa told the RPP radio station. "We, as a family, never gave up hope of finding him."

His niece, Leyla Torres Napa, told the RPP radio station the family planned to celebrate his birthday, which passed while he was lost at sea, according to the BBC.

"The day of his birth was unique because all that he could eat [while at sea] was a small cookie, so it is very important for us that we celebrate because, for us, he has been reborn," she said.

A military medical team provides care to Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent over 90 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, after his rescue in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screen grab taken from handout video. / Credit: La Republica/Handout via REUTERS

Napa's ordeal comes just months after the dramatic rescue of another man lost at sea for an extended period of time. In October, Russian Mikhail Pichugin was rescued after spending more than two months adrift in a small inflatable boat in the Sea of Okhotsk, off the coast of Russia. He said he survived by battling shivering cold and drinking rainwater. Pichugin, 46, had set off to watch whales with his 49-year-old brother and 15-year-old nephew. But the boat's engine shut down on their way back on Aug. 9. Pichugin's brother and nephew later died, and he tied their bodies to the boat to prevent them from being washed away.

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In 2023, an Australian sailor said he survived more than two months lost at sea with his dog. Tim Shaddock, 51, and his dog Bella were sailing from Mexico to French Polynesia when rough seas damaged their boat and its electronics system, leaving them adrift and cut off from the world.

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JAKARTA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian resort island of Bali has reported more than 2.2 million international passengers in the first two months of 2025, climbing 11 percent year on year, official data showed Monday.

Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport General Manager Ahmad Syaugi Shahab told local media on Monday that the airport management had also recorded around 12,000 aircraft movements between January and February this year, a 7 percent increase year on year.

"In comparison to last year, the movement of passengers and aircraft on international routes has experienced quite a good increase," he said.

The international route contributing the highest increase is to Singapore, with around 380,000 passengers with over 2,000 aircraft movements. It is followed by the Kuala Lumpur route in second place, serving over 260,000 passengers from around 1,700 aircraft movements.

"Melbourne is the third highest destination city, with a total of 178,170 passengers. Meanwhile, in terms of aircraft movements, Perth is in third place after Kuala Lumpur, with a total of 1,151 flight movements," he said.

The airport also reported that the number of foreign nationals arriving and departing was recorded at approximately 1 million people, with passengers holding Australian passports in first place with around 230,000 people, or 23 percent of the total foreign nationals. 
Lawyers for the Minnesota college student who was with University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki the night she went missing in Punta Cana have requested a habeas corpus hearing, a source from the Dominican Republic Ministry of Justice told ABC News.

Joshua Riibe -- who has not been charged with a crime -- has been questioned by prosecutors over three days, an official close to the investigation told ABC News.

Riibe's lawyers believe he's being detained illegally and want to prevent the 22-year-old from being placed in custody, the source said. Authorities have confiscated Riibe's passport and his attorneys said he's being surveilled at his hotel.

PHOTO: Sudiksha Konanki is seen in this undated photo shared to Meta. (Sudiksha Konanki via Meta)

MORE: Punta Cana spring break mystery: A timeline of the missing Pittsburgh student case

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In the Dominican Republic, people can challenge an unlawful detention through a habeas corpus hearing. Detained individuals are required to be brought before a judge within 48 hours, or they must be either charged or released.

A ruling on the habeas corpus hearing request cannot prevent an order of arrest by Dominican authorities, according to Riibe's lawyer and a source from the Dominican Republic Ministry of Justice.

Authorities said they believe 20-year-old Konanki died by drowning, officials told ABC News.

Her missing persons case is being treated as an accident, sources said. Authorities said Riibe is not a suspect and is cooperating and being questioned as a witness.

PHOTO: A member of civil defense canine unit searches for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, March. 10, 2025. (Francesco Spotorno/AP)

MORE: Man who last saw missing Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki thought she took 'her things and left'

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Konanki was on spring break with her friends in Punta Cana when she went missing in the early hours of March 6.

She was part of a group that went to a nightclub and then for a walk on the beach, officials involved in the investigation told ABC News.

Most of the group went back to the hotel around 5:55 a.m. after their night of drinking.

Riibe -- who Konanki met that night -- stayed with her on the beach, according to a Dominican Republic investigative police report.

MORE: Missing Univ. of Pittsburgh student believed to have died by drowning in Dominican Republic

Riibe told the prosecutor the two went swimming and kissed. He said then they were hit by a wave and pulled into the ocean by the tide, according to a transcript provided to ABC News from two Dominican Republic sources.

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Riibe said he held Konanki and tried to get them out of the water.

"I was trying to make sure that she could breathe the entire time -- that prevented me from breathing the entire time and I took in a lot of water," he said.

When I finally touched the sand, I put her in front of me. Then she got up to go get her stuff since the ocean had moved us," Riibe told the prosecutor. "She was not out of the water since it was up to her knee. She was walking at an angle in the water."

"The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was OK. I didn't hear her response because I began to vomit with all the water I had swallowed," he said. "After vomiting, I looked around and I didn't see anyone. I thought she had taken her things and left."

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Riibe said he passed out on a beach chair and woke up hours later and returned to his hotel room.

ABC News' Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.

Man seen with missing Pittsburgh student believes he's being detained illegally, requests hearing: Source originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Mar. 16A 46-year-old man charged with killing a married couple in a 2023 Trent Avenue crash was sentenced earlier this month to 6 1/2 years in prison.

Kelly U. Dockins pleaded guilty March 5 to vehicular homicide (reckless manner) before Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michelle Szambelan handed down the sentence.

Michaele Zadekian, 53, and Steven Harnasch, 44, died of blunt force injuries of the head, neck, torso and extremities in the three-vehicle crash on Aug. 11, 2023, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office.

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Witnesses told police Dockins, who was driving a Ford Explorer, was pulling out of the SERVPRO driveway, 4625 E. Trent Ave., onto Trent Avenue when he collided with a westbound silver Mitsubishi Lancer. The Mitsubishi was pushed in front of an Avista Utilities commercial vehicle, which struck the vehicle a second time, witnesses said in court records.

The Avista driver told police Dockins got out of the SUV, approached the Mitsubishi and became distraught, saying something akin to, "Oh my God, they're dead."

Dockins told police he caused the crash and corroborated witnesses' descriptions of it.

He said as he started to pull his car out of the gravel parking area of SERVPRO, he looked left and right and started entering Trent Avenue when he struck a westbound vehicle. He said the vehicle swerved to avoid a crash, causing it to lose control before colliding with the other vehicle.

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Police believed Dockins was impaired based on field sobriety tests, according to documents. It was unclear whether police determined he was impaired.

According to Zadekian's obituary, she was a registered nurse with three sons and four grandchildren. Zadekian loved photography, motorcycle rides and her dogs, the obituary said.

Szambelan ordered Dockins, who has no prior felonies, to serve 18 months of community custody when he's released from prison.
UPDATE: The Clark County Coroners office identified the victim as 52-year-old Che Couyette of Las Vegas. His cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds and was ruled a homicide.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A man was shot and killed in a northwest Las Vegas valley parking lot Sunday night, according to Metro police.

Around 8:50 p.m., police said that a man was shot in a parking lot in the 7700 block of North Durango Drive near El Capitan Way. The man later succumbed to his injuries.

Police said the area would be closed until the early morning hours as officers investigate.

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This is an ongoing story, stay with 8 News Now for updates.

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GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN)  A man added to Tennessees Most Wanted list was arrested Monday, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

ORIGINAL STORY: Man wanted for homicide after deadly shooting reported in Gallatin

The Gallatin Police Department said officers responded to a home at about 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 6 after a relative had found the body of Lisa Drake. Authorities described the incident as a domestic shooting death and initially wanted to find her husband, Little Page Drake III, for a welfare check and additional information about the situation.

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However, a few hours later, police said he had active warrants for criminal homicide. On Friday, March 7, Little was added to the states Most Wanted list of fugitives in connection with the case. In a social media post Monday afternoon, the TBI said Little had been arrested on his outstanding criminal homicide warrant.

The Gallatin Police Department extended appreciation to the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with Littles arrest.

Coordinating with our law enforcement partners is always beneficial in ensuring that justice is served. The collaboration between agencies played a crucial role in locating and apprehending Drake, a press release from the Gallatin Police Department reads, in part. At this time, Drake is in custody and is being interviewed by investigators. This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and we will provide updates as they become available.

PREVIOUS: Man added to Tennessees Most Wanted list after deadly shooting in Gallatin

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Littles arrest came days after the apprehension of another man in connection with the deadly shooting  41-year-old Stephen Grant Mosley Jr. Mosley had been taken into custody for accessory to criminal homicide and evidence tampering.

Anyone with additional information about this case has been asked to call the Gallatin Police Department at 615-452-1313.

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MANHATTAN (KSNT)  The Manhattan Regional Airport (MHK) announced that larger airplanes will soon be landing in the Little Apple.

The MHK announced in a press release on Monday, March 17 that American Airlines will bring larger 65-seat airplanes for daily flights to and from Chicago. MHK said the flights will start in April.

MHK said this will be the first time dual-class service aircraft will be used for the Chicago O-Hare International Airport routes.

The ERJ-170 provides more customer amenities, which include larger overhead compartment space, increased cargo capacity, first-class seats, and two bathrooms. With the addition of the ERJ-170 flights for Chicago, all of the commercial flights offered by American Airlines at MHK are now on 65-seat or larger aircraft. MHK press release excerpt

K-State Ag. dean responds to USAID cuts

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MHK said American Airlines has increased its available seats for 2025 by 16% compared to last year.

We are thrilled that American Airlines is offering a larger, dual-class aircraft for our Chicago routes, said MHK Airport Director Brandon Keazer.

For more information on MHK, click here.

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.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A voluntary manslaughter charge against David Swift, a West Tennessee man accused of killing his wife Karen in 2011, has been dropped, a Dyer County court clerk said Monday.

Swift was indicted on the voluntary manslaughter charge by a Dyer County grand jury last June, after a trial.

The jury in that trial found Swift not guilty of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and attempted second-degree murder.

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David Swift not guilty of murder; mistrial declared on manslaughter charge

The jury deadlocked on the voluntary manslaughter charge, leaving open the possibility of a new trial. But the charge now has been dropped.

Karen Swift was reported missing on Oct. 30, 2011, after attending a Halloween party at a Dyersburg country club. Several weeks later in December 2011, the 44-year-olds partially skeletonized remains were discovered by a group of hunters not far from her home in a cemetery just off of Harness Road and Burnt Mill Road in Dyersburg, Tennessee.

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Two Delta Air Lines flights took about twice as long as usual on Saturday.

They took unusual routes to avoid large areas of bad weather.

Powerful storms across the South and the Midwest killed at least 40 people this weekend.

Passengers endured a pair of flights that were twice as long as expected Saturday because of bad weather.

Delta Air Lines Flight 2778 was traveling from Memphis, Tennessee, to Atlanta.

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The journey usually takes under an hour and can be as little as 45 minutes. But this time, it took an hour and 39 minutes.

Data from Flightradar24 showed the Boeing 717 took an unusual route to avoid a large patch of severe weather.

Instead of flying directly southeast, it went south over Louisiana before turning back northeast around the bad weather.

At the end of the bad weather, make a U-turn... pic.twitter.com/Huq3fvSFYk  Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 15, 2025

A flight from Atlanta to Memphis earlier in the day took a similar diversion, also nearly doubling its flight time.

In a video shared on Instagram, a Delta captain also spoke about how he had dealt with the bad weather.

Kenny Card was about to pilot an Airbus A321 from Denver to Atlanta but noticed he might need to divert around "a line of thunderstorms."

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"We'll look at it in real time and make the safest course possible," he said in the video.

Pointing to red areas on the satellite map, Card said it was "convective activity."

This refers to air moving upward  which can cause thunderstorms. For pilots and passengers, convection can also cause severe turbulence.

If a plane flies through turbulence, it tries to align itself with the changing airflow, so its motion becomes erratic.

"It's essentially like taking a box with something in it and starting to shake the box up and down," Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, previously told Business Insider.

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" Passengers are told to keep their seatbelts done up because if you're tied to the box, you're much less likely to get injured," he added.

Powerful storms moved across the South and the Midwest this weekend. NBC News reported that 40 people were known to have died as of Monday morning. Hundreds of thousands of people were also temporarily left without power.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Heuvelton Presbyterian Church will host a community dinner on Thursday, March 20.

The meal will start at 4:30 p.m. and is free. Donations are appreciated, but not required.

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The Philadelphia United Methodist Church will host a roast beef dinner on Friday, March 21.

The meal will start at 4 p.m. and costs $12. This event will be take-out only with a menu of roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, cabbage salad, rolls and a dessert.

The meal is to aid the churchs fuel fund.

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China and India should be partners that contribute to each other's success, and this is the only right choice for both sides, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily news briefing when responding to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent positive remarks on China-India relations.

Noting that the successful meeting in Kazan between the leaders of the two countries in October last year provided strategic guidance for improving and developing bilateral relations, Mao said both sides have earnestly followed through on the important common understandings of the two leaders, strengthened exchanges and practical cooperation at all levels, and achieved a series of positive outcomes.

As the two largest developing countries, China and India have a shared task to achieve respective development and revitalization, and should understand and support each other, and help each other succeed, Mao said.

This serves the fundamental interests of over 2.8 billion people in the two countries, meets the common aspiration of regional countries, follows the historical trend of the Global South growing stronger, and is conducive to world peace, stability, development and prosperity, according to the spokesperson.

China stands ready to work with India to implement the important common understandings between the two leaders, and take the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations as an opportunity to promote exchange and cooperation in various fields and at all levels and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development, Mao added. 
The post Marine Band Vets Join Student Musicians Whose Concert Was Canceled by White House Due to Anti-DEI Policy appeared first on Consequence.

Last year, the Chicago-based nonprofit Equity Arc organized a program that invited 30 teenage musicians to perform with the United States Marine Band, a long running federal institution that was founded in 1798. The concert was supposed to take place on May 4th, but thanks to Donald Trumps wave of executive orders targeting DEI initiatives, it was indefinitely canceled. However, thanks to a group of Marine Band veterans, the concert went forward anyway.

As profiled on Sundays episode of 60 Minutes, the initiative began after the United States Marine Band contacted Equity Arc in 2022. The Marines were looking to foster music education for the youth and reach out to young musicians of color, as todays American orchestras remain overwhelmingly White (80% White, 11% Asian, 5% Hispanic and 2% Black). The resulting collaboration saw about 60 teenage musicians virtually audition for a chance to play and study with the band, with about half being selected for the trip to Washington D.C.

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But because it was a program focused on diversity and inclusion, one of Trumps day-one executive orders (Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing) mandated its cancellation. As long as the executive order is in place, we will not be able to reschedule, Equity Arcs Stan Thompson wrote in an email to the Marine Bands commanding officer. I am really sorry to be the bearer of this news.

In response to the programs cancellation, and to the intentions behind the executive order as a whole, the 30 musicians and Equity Arc planned a makeup concert. After 60 Minutes flew them out to conduct interviews for the profile  a common practice of the news program  Equity Arc organized rehearsals and booked a concert hall. In place of the official Marine Band, who were ordered to stand down, former members of the United States Marine Band filled in instead.

I just felt like, well, theres usually two responses to something. You can complain about it, or you could do something about it. I chose the latter within seconds. And it was the easiest decision ever, John Abbracciamento, retired Marine Band trumpeter, said. After being asked about how he thought the current band members felt about the executive order, he replied, I know them like the back of my hand. So, I dont think its too much for me to go out on a limb to say how disappointed they were.

I challenge anyone, literally anyone, to come to me and say by having this concert does damage to the United States, he continued. It doesnt. It brings out the best of us.

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Watch the full 60 Minutes profile on the Equity Arc program and makeup concert below.

Marine Band Vets Join Student Musicians Whose Concert Was Canceled by White House Due to Anti-DEI Policy

Jonah Krueger

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WASHINGTON Co., Va. (WJHL)  A Marion man was charged on Saturday after allegedly shooting a family member, the Washington County, Virginia, Sheriffs Office said in a release on Sunday.

Shortly before midnight on Saturday, deputies were called to Johnston Memorial Hospital after a victim was brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound from an incident that occurred in the Meadowview area along Lee Highway.

Multiple crews, USFS respond to fire at 421 Boat Ramp

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After an investigation, deputies discovered the shooting happened over an alleged domestic-related incident.

Upon recovering evidence from the scene, including the firearm from the incident, deputies were able to charge Torry Chamont Perkins, 34, with the following:

Abduction, by force, etc. to deprive of liberty

Assault on a family member

Firearm use in the commission of a felony, 1st offense

Malicious assault, victim severely injured

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Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) touted his new vehicle on Sunday after he announced last week he would ditch his Tesla amid an ongoing back-and-forth with Elon Musk, the CEO of the electric vehicle company.

In a video posted Sunday to the social platform X, which Musk owns, Kelly showed off what he called his new ride while standing next to a Chevy Tahoe SUV in Washington.

Got one of these in Tuscon as well. This one was made by union labor, United Auto Workers in Arlington, Texas. Always good to buy union cars, incredibly reliable, Kelly said in the video. And Im looking forward to driving this for many, many years.

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It came just two days after he said he would look for a new ride since his Tesla was built and designed by an ahole.

Every time I get in this car in the last 60 days or so, it reminds me of just how much Elon Musk and Donald Trump is doing to our country, he said in a video last Friday.

Talking about slashing Social Security, cutting health care benefits for poor people, for seniors. Its one bad thing after the next, he said, in reference to Musks leadership of Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts.

Kelly, a former U.S. Navy combat pilot, said Musk is also firing veterans.

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Im a veteran. So, I have a really hard time driving around in this thing, he said of his Tesla last week. I think its time for an upgrade today.

Elon Musk kind of turned out to be an ahole, and I dont want to be driving a car built and designed by an ahole. So, looking forward to my new ride, he added.

Earlier last week, Musk called Kelly a traitor on social media in response to the Senate Democrats trip to Ukraine earlier this month.

Kelly slapped back at Musk, writing on social media, 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.

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He later told MSNBCs Rachel Maddow Show that the only oath I can think of that maybe Elon has sworn is an oath to his own checking account, to his pocketbook.

Kellys ditching of his Tesla comes amid a bigger protest against Musk for his involvement in DOGE, which has led to mass layoffs, spending cuts and access by DOGE agents to sensitive personal information.

Teslas stock has plummeted more than 50 percent since late last year, while demonstrations are popping up at the electric vehicle companys showrooms across the country.

Musk has also faced backlash in Europe for his criticism of the Ukrainian government and support for far-right political parties on the continent. The Tesla CEO admitted Monday he is having great difficulty running his various companies while juggling the work of DOGE.

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This essay has been adapted from the forthcoming book Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at Americas Colleges.

In the era of Donald Trump, many liberals understandably look back with fondness at the time when Republican moderates recognized that racial diversity strengthens institutions.

Such nostalgia can include favorable feelings for three Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices who, over the course of nearly four decades, provided the crucial swing votes to sustain racial affirmative action in higher education. Nixon appointee Lewis F. Powell Jr. did so in the 1978 Bakke decision. Reagan appointee Sandra Day OConnor did so in the 2003 Grutter ruling. And another Reagan appointee, Anthony Kennedy, did so in the 2016 Fisher case.

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But what if that view is wrong? Looking back today, after the Supreme Courts 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision, which struck down racial preferences, a very different picture emerges. Many (though not all) colleges have managed to preserve previous levels of racial diversity by adopting new programs to admit more low-income and working-class students of all races.

In light of this emerging evidence, the efforts of moderate Republican-appointed justices to fortify racial preferences takes on a different light. After all, the old admissions regime tended to benefit well-off Black and Hispanic students, and it provided political cover for a larger system of preferences for the mostly white children of alumni, donors, and faculty that is now coming under attack. What if the Republican moderates werent so much champions of racial justice as economic elitists who fulfilled the worst stereotypes of Republicans from that era?

Indeed, in the early discussions of affirmative action in the 1960s, racial preferences were not the favored path of many liberal heroes.

Martin Luther King Jr., for example, argued that with passage of civil rights laws, affirmative action programs should be aimed at supporting economically disadvantaged people of all races. King proposed a Bill of Rights for the Disadvantaged rather than a Bill of Rights for Black people. He suggested that an economic approach to affirmative action would disproportionately benefit Black people, who suffered the economic legacy of racial discrimination, and that poor white people should also be included as a simple matter of justice. King also predictedaccuratelythat racial preferences would fracture his dream of a multiracial progressive coalition of working-class people.

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In 1974, Kings idea of economic affirmative action was picked up by Justice William O. Douglas, who is largely viewed as one of the Supreme Courts most liberal members. When a low-income white Jewish applicant, Marco DeFunis, challenged racial preferences at the University of Washington Law School, Douglas wrote that admissions boosts should be provided on the basis of class disadvantage, not race.

Douglas wrote:

A black applicant who pulled himself out of the ghetto into a junior college may thereby demonstrate a level of motivation, perseverance, and ability that would lead a fair-minded admissions committee to conclude that he shows more promise for law study than the son of a rich alumnus who achieved better grades at Harvard. That applicant would be offered admissions not because he is black, but because as an individual he has shown he has the potential, while the Harvard man may have taken less advantage of the vastly superior opportunities offered him.

Douglas did not prevail. A majority of the justices in the case ruled that it was moot because DeFunis had already graduated from law school. But the larger issue did not go away. In 1978, Allan Bakke, who was white and the son of a milkman, filed a lawsuit after being denied admission to the University of California at Davis Medical School, despite having stronger academic credentials than many of the minority students admitted through a racial quota that set aside 16 out of 100 seats.

The court was split. Four conservatives said the quotas were a violation of the Civil Rights Act. Four liberals backed class-blind racial quotas. When one member of the liberal group, Justice William Brennan, asked Justice Thurgood Marshall whether Marshalls economically privileged Black son deserved a preference, Marshall replied: Damn right. They owe us.

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The swing vote was Lewis Powell Jr., who was looking for a compromise. Powell could have picked up on Douglas approach, but, unsurprisingly, he did not. The two justices were about as far apart on issues of class as imaginable.

Douglas, raised by a struggling single mother, and appointed to his seat in 1939 by Franklin Roosevelt, saw the importance of class inequality in virtually all his jurisprudence. He joined in decisions striking down Californias anti-Okie law that made it a crime to transport a poor individual into the state, providing the right of counsel to indigent criminal defendants, and invalidating poll taxes that required people to pay to exercise their right to vote.

Powell, by contrast, was born into a prosperous family and attended private schools. As a corporate lawyer, he worked closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and represented tobacco giant Philip Morris. On the Supreme Court, Powell authored a major decision that denied protections to economically disadvantaged children seeking equal educational funding.

In the Bakke case, Powell took his cue from Harvard University, which argued that racial preferences were justified not as a remedy for Americas history of racial oppression but in order to provide the educational benefits of a diverse student body. Harvard, of course, had an enormous financial self-interest in avoiding Douglas class-based approach to affirmative action. Students admitted under such a plan would need financial aid. Racial preferences were much cheaper. Data later showed that nearly three-quarters of Black and Hispanic students at Harvard were from the richest one-fifth of the Black and Hispanic populations nationally.

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Powell, the former corporate lawyer and decisive vote in Bakke, ultimately diverted the dream of class-based affirmative action that King and Douglas had championed. Powells worldview helped set the tone on the issue for decades to come.

The American public never agreed with Powells support for racial preferences, and in a series of referenda, including in California in 1996 and Washington in 1998, voters rejected such policies. By 2003, opponents of racial preferences were back in the Supreme Court challenging the use of race at the University of Michigan, and they had good reason to believe that they might prevail. The swing vote on the court, Justice Sandra Day OConnor, had been a skeptic of racial preferences and had authored a 1995 decision saying that institutions needed to try race-neutral alternatives to achieve racial diversity before resorting to racial preferences.

There was growing evidence that the Douglas-King approach could work to produce high levels of racial diversity, but OConnor voted to preserve racial preferences and said she took Michigan at its word that it would like nothing better than to find a race-neutral admissions formula and will terminate its race-conscious admissions program as soon as practicable. Like Powell, she ignored the massive financial incentive universities had to stretch the truth to claim that class-based affirmative action wouldnt work.

Justice Anthony Kennedy dissented in the Michigan case, believing that OConnor had been too deferential to the university. But when the Supreme Court took up a challenge to racial preferences at the University of Texas at Austin 13 years later, Kennedy would end up rejecting the King-Douglas approach as well.

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The Texas case presented the issue of race-neutral alternatives squarely. In the face of a circuit court ruling banning racial preferences in the 1990s, the state Legislature, working with Gov. George W. Bush, had created the Top Ten Percent Plan to admit students from across the state who graduated with the highest grades in their high school classes, coupled with consideration of economic status rather than race. Suddenly, students from poor and working-class high schools that had sent few students to the flagship, UT Austin, had access. The result was higher levels of racial diversity, and much greater socioeconomic diversity, than under the old system of racial preferences.

Nevertheless, when OConnor gave the green light to use race in admissions in 2003, UT reinstated its racial preferences for a portion of the class, while also retaining the Top Ten Percent Plan. Everything seemed queued up for a victory for class-based affirmative action. But in a 2016 opinion, Kennedy balked. He wrote that Texas Top Ten Percent Plan and enhanced consideration of socioeconomic disadvantage was not a viable alternative in part because the Equal Protection Clause does not force universities to choose between a diverse student body and a reputation for academic excellence.

The elitist subtext of this passage was that programs that relied on recruiting economically disadvantaged students from working-class high schools inherently conflicted with high academic standards. Kennedy provided no evidence for his position, presumably because there was plenty of evidence contradicting it. Justice Samuel Alito noted in his dissent in the case that Top Ten Percent Plan students didnt struggle academically; in fact, they received higher college grades than the African-American and Hispanic students admitted under the race-conscious program.

In the most recent round of litigation, the 2023 case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, elites finally lost. Harvard trotted out the old argument that if it admitted more low-income and working-class students in order to achieve high levels of racial diversity, the academic caliber of the institution would suffer great harm. As an expert witness in the case, however, I demonstrated, in collaboration with a Duke University economist, that if Harvard increased its preferences for economically disadvantaged students and ended its preferences for the children of alumni and faculty, it could produce almost as much racial diversity as through its use of racial preferences, and mean SAT scores would still be at the 98th percentile.

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Harvard also claimed that Black representation would plummet from 14 percent to 6 percent if it couldnt use racial preferences. But when it reported its data in 2024, after the use of race had been banned, the Black share of the student body was not 6 percent but 14 percent, a modest decrease from the previous year. Hispanic representation actually grew from 14 percent to 16 percent, and Asian representation held steady at 37 percent. A decade earlier, around the time the litigation was filed, just 7 percent of Harvard students were the first in their families to attend college. By 2024, under intense public scrutiny from the litigation, that share tripled to 21 percent.

Other institutions, such as Yale and Dartmouth, maintained high levels of racial diversity and reported record levels of socioeconomic diversity.

Paradoxically, a right-wing court decision helped bring universities back full circle to the economic approach to affirmative action backed by Martin Luther King Jr. and William O. Douglas. Justices Powell, OConnor, and Kennedy no longer look like moderate heroes for saving racial preferences, but rather like guardians of privilege. Today, decades later, selective universities are finally opening their doors to meaningful numbers of talented working-class students of all races.
BALTIMORE  Gov. Wes Moore said Monday afternoon that the current version of a bill creating a broad new tax on business-to-business services will not be in the states final budget for fiscal year 2026.

A broad [business] to [business] tax will not happen in the state of Maryland, Moore said in Annapolis Monday.

Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, a Republican representing the Eastern Shore, said that it was good to hear the governor come out and forcefully say that the proposed 2.5% tax on business-to-business services would not move forward, but added that more detail is necessary before he can fully support Moores position.

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I think we have to understand what broad means in that situation, Hershey said. It didnt sound like he totally took it off the table, but it sounds like there might be some qualifiers in that that wed want to understand and see what that means.

Moore said that when he rolled out his budget in January, he had three very clear guidelines: reform the tax system so that it doesnt severely impact the middle class, make Maryland more economically competitive and invest in people.

That is exactly where I am to this day, and we have not moved and will not move from those three guidelines, the governor said.

During his weekly news conference Friday, Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, said that, though new taxes are the last place we want to be this session, the 2.5% sales tax on business-to-business services is still on the table.

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I think it is a very real possibility that some version of it is on the table in the final menu [of options for bridging the budget gap, Ferguson said.

Additionally, according to Moore, legislation placing a new 2-cent-per-ounce excise tax on the distributors of sugary beverages, powders or syrups will not be moving forward this session.

We also said that, in order to really support Marylanders  particularly working Marylanders, right now  that we had to be able to drive and get the cost of things down, he said. Thats why things like the soda tax will not happen in the state of Maryland, and the soda tax will not be included in the final budget.

_____
Robyn Shaber left the ShopRite in Cardiff in Harford County, Maryland, last week with her grandson and at least 24 plastic bottles of Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew.

This is probably a couple days worth, said Shaber, whose husband drinks a lot of soda.

Even with a sale  two packs for $12 and two more for $10  soda prices keep going up, shes found. If Maryland starts taxing sugary beverage distributors as has been proposed in Annapolis, Shaber plans to stop buying soda at the ShopRite, just feet from the Mason-Dixon line, and buy it instead in Pennsylvania, where she lives.

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Consumers, business owners and experts are facing off over a controversial state bill crafted to address Marylands growing budget deficit.

Advocates say sugary beverage tax will help plug up a deficit and lead to a healthier community by discouraging the consumption of sweetened beverages. Revenue estimates show the 2-cent-per-ounce excise tax on distributors of sugary beverages, powders or syrups is projected to reach $500 million in fiscal 2027.

But opponents argue that taxing the popular beverages will only hurt families, workers and small businesses. House Republicans have called the proposal a Slush Tax.

At Brookville Market, a small grocery store in affluent Chevy Chase bordering Washington, the store manager of 18 years said he didnt think such a tax would affect sales.

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If people want to buy a product, no matter what the tax is, theyre not going to buy less because of a 2-cent tax, Joe Wong said.

Under a House bill sponsored by Montgomery County Del. Emily Shetty and Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk, who represents Prince Georges and Anne Arundel counties, a sugary beverage is a drink containing added sugars or artificial sweeteners. It does not include natural fruit or vegetable juices, milk, infant formula, beverages for medical use or alcoholic beverages.

Plans call for nearly half of the projected tax revenue raised to go toward funds for healthy school meals and child care scholarships. Most of the rest would flow to the states general fund, though a new amendment could provide a health equity fund with about $15 million.

This bill is a public health bill, Shetty said at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing earlier this month. It will decrease consumption of sweetened beverages while investing in universal school meals for children, and other health needs.

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Stephanie Joseph, a Silver Spring resident and state employee, said she supports Shettys bill.

Its a tight budget, and its a healthy way to help Marylanders, she said while shopping at Sniders Super Foods in Silver Spring with her two children. I rarely buy sodas, mainly just for parties.

The proposal may be a way for the government to create a solution through the problem itself, said JP Krahel, a professor of accounting at Loyola Universitys Sellinger School of Business who specializes in tax issues. He argues that the consumption of sugary drinks will raise revenue to combat health problems that stem from those drinks.

A small tax on each of us may lead to large benefits, Krahel said. A targeted tax measure like this may help to plug Marylands multi-billion dollar deficit in a way that still gives consumers choice but encourages healthier drink options. There are worse ways to plug a budget deficit than to link something to health concerns.

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While no one likes higher taxes, I also dont like the idea of falling ill from drinking too much sugar and everyone pays the bill for increased ER visits, he said.

But higher costs on sugary drinks in Maryland could prompt consumers who live close to Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia to frequent stores in neighboring states, hurting retailers in Maryland, said Daraius Irani, chief economist and a vice president of strategic partnerships and applied research at Towson University. Meanwhile, people who lack transportation or live in lower-income areas may shoulder higher burdens, having fewer options and paying more when they want to buy sweetened drinks, he said.

Judy Lee, a York County resident from Susquehanna Trails, said she and her family constantly pick and choose between Maryland and Pennsylvania for different purchases. Gas is currently cheaper on the Maryland side, while vape cartridges cost less in Pennsylvania, she said. Lee believes soda will be another factor that tips the balance in favor of Pennsylvania.

Im just tired of the way were being taxed every which way, she said.

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Ron Hash, a Pennsylvania resident who regularly shops with his wife at the Harford County ShopRite in Cardiff, echoed those sentiments, saying he needs to keep his family living within its means and the government should too.

When youre in government, you dont care, he said. They spend millions and billions because they think the tax money is just like Niagara Falls, just keeps coming in.

If sales actually decline because of the beverage tax  a likely outcome if people switch beverage types to avoid the tax  it may be difficult to reach state revenue goals, Irani warned.

Theres a lot of moving parts, but that sales number is not going to be the same sale number that it was, Irani said. Another challenge is once you open the door to this, do you open the door to other taxes, and does this stay at 2 cents or go to 3 cents?

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Irani said a similar tax in Philadelphia led to a drop in sugary drink sales and some related job losses.

That would happen too in Maryland, warned William Davis, president of Teamsters Local 639, the union representing hundreds of workers employed in production plants and distribution centers and as truck drivers in the states beverage and soft drink industry.

When prices go up, sales go down, Davis said in a March 5 letter to the chair of the House Ways & Means Committee. It is the men and women who manufacture, package and deliver these products who would suffer from a decrease in sales.

Two recent polls on the 2-cent tax had opposite findings. A Gonzales poll, commissioned by the American Heart Association, found a majority of state voters, or 63%, favor the tax. But another survey, by David Binder Research, shows that a majority of voters, or 56%, oppose it. That survey was done on behalf of the Alliance For An Affordable Maryland with support from the American Beverage Association and in partnership with the MD-DE-DC Beverage Association.

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Imposing taxes and boosting prices on products the government deems unhealthy is not the way to go, said Lee Hartman, who was shopping at Safeway on Harpers Farm Road in Columbia last week. It should be up to parents to decide whether or not they want to buy sugary drinks for their children.

I know sugary drinks arent healthy for little kids, but I think parents can regulate that without a tax, said Hartman, a Columbia resident.

Wong, the Brookville Market grocery manager said that when alcohol taxes took effect in Maryland, it didnt change his shoppers buying habits.

People didnt stop buying wine with that tax, he said. I saw no difference.

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Lisa Martin, a resident of Hampstead in Carroll County, said she only buys a liter of ginger ale about twice a month so an added tax is no biggie to me.

David Olive, a Washington resident shopping last week at Brookville Market, said he doesnt typically drink a lot of carbonated beverages and didnt change his habits after Washington imposed a beverage tax on sugary drinks. Washingtons tax is similar to Marylands proposal.

A few miles away from Brookville in Silver Spring, Luis Quintino, the manager of La Salvadorenita Grocery, had another view. He does expect sales to be impacted if the legislation passes.

Actually right now its really tough because everything we buy is more expensive, and everything is going to go up, Quintino said.

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The store has already stopped buying Coca-Cola products because the pricing has increased so much, he said.

Right now, we buy more water.

(Reporters Natalie Jones and Allana Haynes contributed to this story.)
BOSTON (SHNS)  Annual state budget hearings got off to a late start this year, but lawmakers packed two hearings into three business days before pausing for an unusual two-week break that is coinciding with a general lack of activity among all legislative committees 10 weeks into the new session.

While it doesnt explain the full length of the pause, nearly a dozen lawmakers, including the chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, were out of the country recently for three days.

In response to a News Service inquiry about the longer-than-usual break in budget hearings and possible out-of-state travel, aides to House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate Way and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues said 11 legislators, all Democrats, left for Canada on Thursday with plans to return Saturday.

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Rodrigues spokesman Sean Fitzgerald called it an alternative energy fact finding trip.

In an email late Friday, Fitzgerald called the visit part of a broader strategy to explore affordable, sustainable, and renewable forms of carbon-free energy and said the legislators planned to tour the HQ James Bay Generating Facility, which is part of Hydro-Quebecs operations.

The facility is a two-hour propeller plane flight out of Montreal and is one of several options to ensure the availability and viability of New Englands energy future, Fitzgerald said. With uncertainty at the federal government occurring in all sectors of the American economy, it is especially important to maintain the partnership with Hydro Quebec as one avenue to help meet the Commonwealths renewable energy goals and future grid demand.

The trip comes as state energy policies shaped through a series of clean energy laws are suddenly at odds with the new direction of federal energy policy under President Donald Trump.

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State policies are geared toward compliance with strict carbon emission reduction mandates, while U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright this week emphasized the critical role of fossil fuels in meeting global energy demands, according to the energy department, and hyped the the need to end the Biden administrations irrational, quasi-religious policies on climate change that imposed endless sacrifices on our citizens.

In the last week, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved a plan to extend the operational life of Montanas Spring Creek Mine by 16 years, enabling the production of nearly 40 million tons of coal. The U.S. Department of Energy signed a major liquefied natural gas export permit approval, the White House said, and the Environmental Protection Agency launched the biggest day of deregulation in American history.

State officials in Massachusetts also face new and serious questions about federal support for ongoing and future clean energy efforts. As Trump looks to build jobs in fossil fuel-based energy, plans in Massachusetts to grow jobs and produce a major new supply of clean power through offshore wind projects are in doubt.

Sen. Ed Markey and eight other U.S. senators released a letter Friday demanding that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin cease his illegal witch hunt to claw back nearly $20 billion in congressionally appropriated and legally obligated funds that underpin the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The fund is designed to spur economic development, lower energy costs, and reduce pollution, Markey said.

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Ana Vivas, a spokeswoman for Mariano, said in an email Thursday night that legislators planned to visit the Hydro-Quebec Research Institute, the dikes, dam and spillway that are part of the Robert-Bourassa hydroelectric facilities, and an underground generating station that she said are part of the largest hydroelectric facility in North America and include a dedicated transmission line to Ayer, Massachusetts.

Budget hearings paused after a March 10 hearing in Gloucester and will resume March 24 in Amherst, starting a string of four budget hearings in six business days. After two final budget hearings in April, the House Ways and Means Committee plans to release its redraft of Gov. Maura Healeys $62 billion budget during the week of April 14, with floor debate scheduled for the week of April 28. Healey filed her budget Jan. 22. The Legislature has made a habit of not completing annual budget by the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

Rodrigues, Sens. John Cronin and Jacob Oliveira were on the trip, according to Fitzgerald. Cronin is a member of the Legislatures Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

House members who went on the Canada trip included Rep. Mark Cusack, the new House chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, and vice chair Rep. Michael Kushmerek. Senate co-chair Sen. Michael Barrett and vice chair Michael Brady were not listed as trip participants.

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Rep. Jeff Roy, who Mariano moved off his former Energy Committee chairmanship and up into his leadership team, was also on the trip to Canada. Roy has been the focus of Boston Globe reporting over his relationship with an energy sector lobbyist.

The other House members who went to Canada, according to Vivas, are Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz, Rep. Danielle Gregoire, Rep. Kathy LaNatra, Rep. Meghan Kilcoyne and Rep. Michael Finn. None of those representatives are among the House members of the Energy Committee.

Fitzgerald said senators on the trip were responsible for paying for transportation, lodging and expenses.

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Radio Free Europe streamed unflinching coverage of Russias war in Ukraine to Russians when the Kremlin banned its citizens from calling it a war.

Radio Free Asia bravely exposed Chinas mass detention of the Uyghurs, a predominately Muslim ethnic minority in the far west of the country.

The Open Technology Fund helped fund the creation of Signal, the hugely popular encrypted messaging app.

All three American government-funded outlets are in jeopardy now that the Trump administration has terminated all of the grant programs at the US Agency for Global Media, or USAGM.

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The administration said Saturday that the agency is not salvageable. Thousands of employees and contractors are now trying to figure out whats next for them.

Advocates for the networks, including lawmakers in both the United States and Europe, say the cutbacks will undermine press freedoms and hurt Americas standing in the world.

Americas international broadcasters have, for more than eight decades, served as critical sources of independent news for audiences living under censorship, state-controlled media, and information blackouts, the UK-based Association for International Broadcasting said in a statement. Their reporting provides an essential counterbalance to disinformation and propaganda in some of the most restrictive media environments in the world.

The president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Steve Capus, was more blunt over the weekend: He said the termination of the network would be a massive gift to Americas enemies. The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker.

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The biggest network targeted by Trumps dismantling is Voice of America, a global news outlet with stations and websites in local languages around the world. Voice of America abruptly stopped publishing new stories Saturday when virtually the entire staff was placed on administrative leave and told to stop working.

Until Saturday, USAGM also bankrolled networks in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the Open Technology Fund, which fights online censorship and promotes an open internet, countering repression and surveillance by authoritarian regimes. The agency also oversees the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which has a long history of broadcasting news in Spanish to the island of Cuba.

The Trump administration has indicated that the funds for those efforts are being cut off, though the networks were still operating as of Sunday.

Since the agency was established and funded by Congress, and its broadcasting initiatives have historically won bipartisan support, some employees are wondering if and when Trumps actions will be challenged.

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Radio Free Asia CEO Bay Fang said we plan to challenge this short-sighted order and pursue whatever means necessary to continue our work and protect our courageous journalists.

Fang called the grant cutoff a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space.

Thats the primary point made by outside advocates, as well. USAGM promotes press freedom and counters disinformation worldwide, Democratic congresswoman Lois Frankel said Saturday. Dismantling it silences independent journalism, emboldens authoritarian regimes, and weakens democracy at home and abroad.

Republican congressman Don Bacon also praised the broadcasters for getting Americas story to the rest of the world.

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The Trump White House is telling a completely different story. In a press release, the administration claimed the Voice of Radical America produced radical propaganda. Trump loyalist Kari Lake, who was tapped to oversee Voice of America, said waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant in this agency and American taxpayers shouldnt have to fund it.

In a late-night executive order on Friday, Trump said the agency should be reduced to its bare minimum function as required by statute.

Affected employees are now left wondering if Lake and her deputies will try to transform the gutted networks into an overtly partisan, pro-Trump media apparatus.

For now, theyve been told to remain on leave until further notice.

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Liam Scott, who covers the press freedom beat for VOA, said that 10 journalists from US-funded broadcasters are currently imprisoned around the world for doing their jobs.

He wrote on X, I hope they will not be forgotten.

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Tan Ruisong, former board chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd., has been arrested on suspicion of embezzlement and accepting bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said in a statement on Monday.

The case was handed over to prosecutors for examination and prosecution following the conclusion of an investigation by the National Commission of Supervision, the SPP said.

Tan was placed under investigation in August 2024. 
NEW YORK (PIX11)  New York City Mayor Eric Adams did not rule out an independent run at reelection.

The mayors comments came during his weekly open press availability at City Hall on Monday.

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Adams was responding to reports and rumors that have been swirling for some time that the longtime Democrat might consider an independent candidacy, lagging far behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the polls.

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When I am ready to do my rollout, my official re-announcement, and my plan, I will do so, Adams said, before chiding the press. I will make sure all of you are invited. You can stand in the back with me if you want and be part of my support group like others who support, but when that comes I will do so.

In follow-up questions, Adams was asked about the timing of an independent run for mayor. He said he would not comment on a hypothetical about whether he would run as an independent only after he lost the Democratic primary.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Many backers of Adams four years ago have moved toward Cuomo, since he declared two weeks ago. This includes Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, leader of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. Adams said he is still good friends with the assemblymember and politics isnt personal.

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Adams also would not disclose recent his fundraising figures. Many Democratic primary contenders are reporting multimillion-dollar hauls when factoring in the Citys Campaign Finance Boards 8-to-1 matching program. Adams was denied matching funds this election cycle due to his federal corruption charges, which are on the verge of being dismissed.

The mayor likely has at least $4 million banked from fundraising before his legal troubles but has set up little current campaign infrastructure. He would only say theyre catching up to me on money and policy, when asked about his recent fundraising figures.

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Los Angeles leaders are touting the latest batch of crime data as proof that the city is safe and getting safer  at least on paper.

Homicides declined roughly 14% in the city last year compared with 2023, while 225 fewer people were struck by gunfire citywide in the same period, according to figures released Monday.

The total number of homicides fell by 47 in areas patrolled by the L.A. Police Department, with the San Fernando Valley seeing the largest percentage decrease of the department's four geographical bureaus, with a 28% decline in slayings last year from 2023.

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City and police officials attributed the declines to programs aimed at some of the city's historically troubled housing developments. Areas where the LAPD's Community Safety Partnership and the mayor's gang intervention office "have taken proactive measures to engage residents" saw a 40% reduction in homicides, the city said in a statement.

Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell held a news conference Monday morning to trumpet the anti-violence initiatives.

Read more: LAPD cops shot 21 bystanders in 10 years. How does it keep happening?

This progress is the direct result of the tireless work of our law enforcement officers, community leaders and residents who have come together to build a safer, stronger city," Bass said in a statement. "While we recognize this progress, we remain committed to sustaining these reductions and ensuring that every resident feels safe in their home, on their street and in their community.

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McDonnell called the dwindling homicide and shooting numbers a reflection of "the impact of our ongoing commitment to public safety and the strength of our partnerships with the community."

Officials also pointed to successful efforts to stem the flow of illegal guns onto city streets. Authorities seized roughly 7,600 firearms last year, and said one out of every 10 was an unregistered "ghost gun." Shootings were down roughly 19% last year from 2023, according to the latest data.

"While we celebrate this progress, there is still work to be done and we realize if you were a crime victim these numbers may not carry weight. We hear you," McDonnell said in a statement. "The LAPD remains committed to ensuring every resident feels safe in their neighborhood.

The numbers reported Monday differed only slightly from ones Bass and McDonnell highlighted in December as evidence of public safety improvements.

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The decreases were even more dramatic this time in certain categories, including a 50% reduction in gang-related homicides. The downward trend continues despite a shrinking police department, economic turbulence and high demand for services aimed at housing, mental health and substance use disorders.

On Monday, Bass and McDonnell also credited proactive enforcement efforts, such as the creation of task forces to address smash-and-grab retail crime and copper theft.

Bass played up the positive crime stats while facing the threat of a recall. Her supporters have called the group behind the campaign "wealthy oligarchs," noting the involvement of her onetime mayoral opponent, real estate developer Rick Caruso.

Read more: A trans sex worker called 911 to report being kidnapped. LAPD officers shot and killed her

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The group recently posted a campaign video that focused heavily on Bass' handling of the Palisades fire, but also mentioned the city's worsening financial outlook and the perception of growing lawlessness under her watch.

Criminologists have long cautioned that the reasons why crime rises and falls are complex, with police data offering only a snapshot in time. LAPD officials have offered a disclaimer that year-over-year comparisons are nearly impossible for certain types of crimes since the department switched to a new record-keeping system this year.

The changes, which the department has said were necessary to comply with federal reporting guidelines, have made it challenging to get a precise view of how thefts, robberies and other offenses have increased or dropped citywide from previous years.

The 2024 statistics continue a years-long decrease in serious crimes from COVID-19 pandemic highs. Even with serious crime numbers dwindling, public safety anxieties were a central issue in recent elections. Voters ousted progressive prosecutors in L.A. and Alameda counties after campaigns in which crime was a central issue, and also resoundingly approved the tough-on-crime measure Proposition 36, which extends prison sentences for some thefts and drug offenses.

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Read more: Secret recordings reveal LAPD cops spewing racist and sexist comments, complaint alleges

McDonnell has said publicly that he's heartened to see the drop in crime, but that officials needed to remain vigilant. At the same, he said, burglaries remain a concern in divisions such as Topanga, Devonshire and Southwest. The department has explored using drones on the city's Westside, similar to cities such as Beverly Hills.

Police detectives recently broke up a break-in crew, known as the Uber Eats Crew, whose members reportedly dressed up as Uber Eats or Amazon delivery drivers while casing homes, McDonnell said.

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SWEETWATER, Tenn. (WATE)  Two people died in a fire in Sweetwater Saturday night, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office reported.

The fire was in the 700 block of Hawkins Road. Deputies were dispatched at approximately 10:58 p.m. and were advised en route that two people were trapped in the residence, Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones said.

As the day progressed, the smoke got heavier Cocke County resident spots Hall Top wildfire from his backyard

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Multiple fire departments responded to the scene and battled the fully engulfed structure throughout the night, Jones wrote. Monroe County deputies confirmed with the family that two individuals were unaccounted for and were believed to be inside and may have possibly perished.

After the fire was put out, officials found the remains of two people, MCSO reported. The remains were taken to Regional Forensic Center for identification.

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This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates.

Special agents trained in fire investigation with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were requested to assist in the investigation, Jones wrote. I would like to ask everyone to pray for the family during this tragic time.

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Cases of measles increased by 10-fold in the European Union last year, the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) has said.

In 2024, 32,265 cases of the Victorian-era disease were recorded in the EU  compared to just 3,973 in 2023. About 60 per cent of those infected were hospitalised.

The UK also reported a surge in cases last year at 2,900, an eight-fold increase compared to 2023.

The spike has been felt around the world. In the World Health Organizations European Region  which includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia  cases doubled in 2024 and reached their highest levels on record since 1997.

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In 2024, there were 127,350 reported cases across the region  nearly all of which were in the unvaccinated. At least 38 people died, mostly children under five who are more vulnerable to the disease.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on earth, and can lead to serious complications like pneumonia, brain swelling, blindness, and a phenomenon known as immune amnesia  whereby a persons immune system loses the ability to fight off common infections.

The Victorian-era disease has also made a major comeback in the US this year - Julio Cortez/AP

The highest number of cases in the WHOs Europe region were recorded in Romania, at 30,692, followed by Russia and Kazakhstan.

The sharp increase has been blamed largely on disruptions in routine vaccination programmes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which have yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

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In 2020, 1.8 million infants in Europe missed their measles vaccine, which is given in two doses  at 12 months and three years.

The backlog has yet to be cleared, with half a million children in Europe missing their first dose in 2023 alone.

Disinformation spread through social media  including the discredited claim by former doctor Andrew Wakefield that the MMR vaccine causes autism  has also majorly contributed to widespread vaccine hesitancy, which has picked up speed again since the pandemic.

The global vaccination coverage for the disease now stands at just 83 per cent, which falls significantly short of the 95 per cent needed to eradicate measles.

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Measles is back, and its a wake-up call, Hans Kluge, WHO director for Europe, said in a statement. Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security.

The Victorian-era disease has also made a major comeback in the US this year, which recorded its first measles death, in an unvaccinated child, in over a decade last month.

So far in 2025, the country has recorded more than 250 cases across several states  exceeding the entire total for 2024.

The majority of cases have been reported in rural Texas, where vaccine scepticism is particularly high.

It comes as the new health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Junior, has promoted the false theory that childhood vaccinations are linked to autism, and promoted alternative treatments  like cod liver oil  as miraculous remedies to treat the disease.

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In Afghanistan, where only 43 per cent of children have both measles vaccines, there has also been an alarming surge in cases this year, according to the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, which operates three hospitals in the country.

In the first eight weeks of 2025, MSF recorded one child dying every day from measles complications  a three-fold increase from the same period in 2024.

The Taliban-run Ministry of Health said the report was inaccurate.

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Michigan Economic Development Corp. | Susan J. Demas

Kettering University in Flint has received more than million dollars in economic development funds aimed at supporting programs in semiconductor manufacturing, hydrogen fuels, software engineering and engagement with pre-K through grade 12 students, according to a Thursday announcement.

As part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporations Higher Education Strategic Initiatives the university was granted $1.6 million in an effort to bolster the states advanced manufacturing efforts. Kettering also received funding to provide $5,000 and scholarships to students completing Co-ops in Michigan with select employers, alongside $10,000 incentives for students who commit to a full-time position, staying in Michigan for at least one year after graduation.

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Kettering Universitys experiential educational model has always been focused on developing leaders that will shape the future, said University President Robert K. McMahan. This funding accelerates our ability to prepare Michigans workforce while enhancing our capacity to equip it with the critical skills and hands-on experiences necessary to thrive in industries that will define the economy of the state for decades.

The $1.6 million will be divided among the following programs:

$320,882 for semiconductor curriculum development

$354,202 for hydrogen fuels curriculum focused on the future of hydrogen fuel technologies

$287,432 for software engineering curriculum to develop new classes and acquire specialized equipment to prepare students for careers in software engineering and advanced systems development

$53,324 for Pre-K through 12 engagement, with the university launching summer hackathon camps to provide students with hands-on learning experience in engineering and advanced manufacturing.

The grants to Kettering are part of the nearly $30 million the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has invested into higher education institutions that are working with employers to prepare students for in-demand, mobility-related careers.

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Charmeka Newton, a psychotherapist in Lansing, Mich., is passionate about serving Black and Hispanic communities on Medicaid. But low Medicaid reimbursement rates can make that difficult. (Photo courtesy of Charmeka Newton)

Charmeka Newton, a psychotherapist who has her own practice in Lansing, Michigan, is passionate about serving Black and Hispanic patients. Theyre often looking for therapists who will understand how their race, ethnicity and culture may affect them, she said, and she helps provide that care.

Medicaid is a major source of health care for people of color. But Newton can only afford to see a small number of Medicaid patients, because the program pays her so much less than commercial insurance.

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Republicans in Congress are aiming to make extensive cuts to Medicaid, the joint federal-state health insurance program that covers a total of 72 million low-income people and people with disabilities, or 1 in 5 U.S. residents. If that happens, Newton and many other mental health providers worry that already-low Medicaid reimbursement rates will stagnate or even decline.

That would make it difficult for her to keep seeing Medicaid patients.

Medicaid is probably one of the most challenging insurances to work with, Newton told Stateline. My biggest fear if cuts happen is that individuals wont have access to providers that are able to help them.

Already, there is a shortage of mental health care providers. About 122 million people, or about 35% of the U.S. population, are living in an area with a mental health care professional shortage, according to data from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. If Medicaid reimbursement rates go down and more providers refuse to see those patients, the shortage would get worse.

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Nationwide, Medicaid covers nearly 1 in 3 working-age adults who live with mental illness, or about 15 million adults, according to health policy research organization KFF.

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, is looking for at least $880 billion in budget savings over the next decade, largely to pay for extensive tax cuts. A March 5 letter from the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan research arm of Congress, confirmed that a cut of that size would have to come from either Medicaid or Medicare, the insurance program for older adults.

President Donald Trump has said that Medicare is off the table, so that leaves Medicaid.

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Lawmakers are considering numerous options, including shrinking the federal governments share of the cost of covering people who became newly eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. If that happens, states that opted to expand to cover those residents  adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level  would have to either increase their own spending or find savings elsewhere.

That could mean removing some people from Medicaid rolls, eliminating coverage for certain services or reducing reimbursement rates  any one of which could reduce Medicaid recipients access to mental health care, said Stephen Gillaspy, director of health policy and health care financing at the American Psychological Association.

Those [actions] would have a huge negative impact for behavioral health care, Gillaspy told Stateline. Everyones on pins and needles about the potential cuts right now.

Variations across states, different challenges

In at least 15 states, more than 40% of people on Medicaid reported experiencing a mental illness, according to a KFF analysis of 2021-2022 survey data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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Republicans in Congress are still hammering out whether or how they might cut Medicaid. Chris Pope, a senior fellow at the conservative-leaning policy group the Manhattan Institute, told Stateline he doubts mental health services or reimbursement rates would be affected, because the largest sources of spending are acute and long-term care.

From a fiscal point of view, mental health is basically a drop in the bucket. Its not where the big savings are going to need to come from, Pope said.

Medicaid reimbursement rates for mental health services vary dramatically from state to state. Reimbursement for an hourlong individual psychotherapy session ranged from $95 to $135 in 2022, according to a 2023 study published in the journal Health Affairs.

States generally have flexibility in setting their physician reimbursement rates. So if states have money to increase reimbursement rates, they can do that, Pope noted. And many states have done that. According to a January 2023 KFF report, nearly two-thirds of the 44 states that responded to a survey said they increased behavioral health reimbursement rates for some Medicaid enrollees in 2022 or planned to in 2023.

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Oregon passed a bill during its 2022 session to raise the states Medicaid behavioral health reimbursement rates by an average of 30% for providers who mostly see Medicaid patients, in an effort to address mental health care workforce challenges. In 2022, the state had the fourth-highest rate for unmet need in mental health treatment across the nation. Now, the state has one of the highest reimbursement rates.

In Oregon, they actually have always really committed to paying providers well and giving cost-of-living updates so that it makes it much more attractive to providers providing Medicaid services, Jen Yerty, a licensed counselor in Portland, Oregon, told Stateline. But Yerty said the higher reimbursement rate is the bare minimum to keep providers interested. She said she helps her clients with case management, including assisting them with accessing social services and rental aid.

It would be great if they would actually reimburse us more for all the case management things that we do. It would be great if they offer a lot more resources, Yerty said.

But behavioral health services, such as a psychological test to assess mental health function, are not one of the federally required Medicaid services, like a primary care doctor visit.

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Gillaspy, of the American Psychological Association, noted the level of services offered across states also varies. And case management and psychological testing are exactly the types of services that may be on the chopping block as states consider cuts, he said.

What states can and have done

Researchers at KFF point out four main ways states have been trying to address mental health workforce shortages for state Medicaid programs. They include increasing reimbursement rates, reducing administrative burden on providers, creating licensure compacts to allow providers to work across state lines or reducing licensure requirements, and incentivizing participation by, for example, reimbursing providers quickly.

Megan Cole, an associate professor of health policy at Boston University, told Stateline there are other options states could pursue, such as raising taxes to offset the federal cuts and keeping reimbursement rates high. She also said Medicaid can ask primary care providers to start integrating preventive mental health screenings and services before care becomes acute and requires an emergency room visit.

There are models of care that work well in this space, and not every state is currently implementing them. So I think there is a lot of opportunity for expansion of some of these integrated care models, Cole said.

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Another option she recommends is for states to invest in community health centers, where a lot of patients on Medicaid see mental health providers.

Investment in public health facilities is also what Michigan Republican state Rep. Phil Green had sought when he cosponsored a bill with Democratic lawmakers in 2023 to increase reimbursement rates to community behavioral health clinics. But the bill died last year, likely because other issues took priority, he said.

Green told Stateline that mental health issues are a bipartisan issue. Green says lawmakers in his caucus, including some veterans, are well aware that mental health issues are a big concern within the population. Republicans and conservatives alike realize that this is a growing issue and a growing need.

He thinks that if the feds cut their contributions to Medicaid, state Republican lawmakers will still be interested in finding some solutions to the shortage of mental health care workers.

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In California, the state in 2023 implemented changes to improve reimbursement for providers of Medicaid mental health and substance use disorder services through county behavioral health departments. The goal of the effort was to remove some of the common problems providers faced, including long delays in reimbursements and lengthy auditing processes.

David Hindman, a past president of the California Psychological Association, said the most important effect was to increase the rates of reimbursement to help meet the increased costs of providing care for Medicaid recipients. Hindman works for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, but said he is not authorized to speak on behalf of the department.

Weve actually expanded services significantly, Hindman said. Its completely incentivized provider agencies to see low-income patients because it gives them better reimbursement rates. It covers more things.

Still, Hindman said, clinicians not working through county health departments who see a lot of Medicaid patients still struggle with making ends meet. And he says states will still have to explore solutions to the workforce shortage in the face of major federal funding cuts.

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Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at schatlani@stateline.org.

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.

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Ed Martin is not a typical pick for a U.S. attorney.

President Trumps choice to lead the federal office in Washington, D.C., has never been a prosecutor  making him the first person without that background to lead the office in more than 50 years.

Already in the role on an interim basis, hes sparked attention with his fiery presence on the social platform X and a tenure that has already resulted in clashes with lawmakers and his own staff.

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Hes always just been a ball of fire. Ive always known him to be tireless, hugely enthusiastic  and hes a cause-oriented guy. Hes mission-driven, said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who knows Martin through Missouri political circles.

Hes never been an establishment guy  ever. Hes always been a disrupter, wherever he is.

In just a few short weeks on the job, Martin has brought a fair amount of upheaval.

Hes sent letters to two lawmakers accusing them of threatening political figures. Hes pointed to his new role in claiming to be one of the presidents attorneys  flouting Justice Department credo to serve as the peoples lawyers.

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He sparked alarm with public letters to Elon Musk threatening to use his prosecutorial platform to go after those who even acted simply unethically.

And hes also overseen the firings and reassignments of prosecutors that worked on Jan. 6, 2021, cases. A veteran prosecutor leading the offices criminal division resigned rather than carry out an order from Martin she felt was not backed by sufficient evidence. He also recently penned a letter to Georgetown University demanding it stop all diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, threatening that he would otherwise stop hiring graduates from the school.

Martins now facing a trio of ethics complaints from different lawmakers, the latest sent this week by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) asking for an investigation by the Department of Justices inspector general, saying that in seven short weeks, the list of Mr. Martins constitutionally, legally and ethically indefensible actions have grown exponentially.

Meanwhile, Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have asked the D.C. Bar to review Martins conduct.

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Just about everything hes doing unquestionably violates the spirit and ethos of the Department of Justice, and in many cases I think violates the rules and procedures. He is overtly using the power of his office for purely political reasons, said Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who asked the Justice Department inspector general for an investigation into Martins continued representation of a Jan. 6 defendant as a U.S. attorney.

Martin did not respond to The Hills requests to be interviewed for this story. The U.S. attorneys office declined to comment and did not respond to questions.

It doesnt seem Trump initially thought of Martin for the job; he first announced Martin as chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget before shifting gears.

But once Martin was tapped as interim U.S. attorney, he wasted little time in pursuing the permanent role, auditioning on social media with zealous vows to go after purported enemies of the Trump administration and reform Washington. Trump formally nominated him to lead the D.C. office last month.

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Martin appears to be ready to take on the title. In all the communications hes posted on X, he refers to himself as a U.S. attorney despite serving in the role on an interim basis.

Hes laid out a Make D.C. Safe Again plan that includes requiring bringing gun charges in federal court, which carries harsher penalties.

And he also penned an open letter to police to announce that he would prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any thug that assaults an officer. The same letter said he would stand up against public defenders or judges who maligns our officers.

A former chair of the Missouri Republican Party, Martin has been a presence in the states political circles for some time, launching repeated bids for political office while also hosting a conservative talk radio show.

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He got his start in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, working as director of its Human Rights Office. Justin Rigali, the archbishop of the city, wanted the office reined in, so he selected Martin, who had become a friend, for the job, St. Louis Magazine reported in 2011, when Martin was running for U.S. Senate.

His presence there was not necessarily welcomed. Angie OGorman, an employee of the office, complained to archdiocesan officials that Martin had no experience in human rights work, St. Louis Magazine reported; Martin later fired her.

Catholicism has shaped much of Martins life, having attended Catholic high school and received his undergraduate degree from College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, where he roomed with one of former Justice Antonin Scalias sons.

After that, he briefly lived in Rome studying philosophy at a private pontifical university, where he has said he grew a bond with former Pope John Paul II.

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A person close to Martin told The Hill that his faith is more fundamental to him than his Republicanism, informing his approach to every breath he takes, including in his work.

After several legal and political roles, Martin joined Phyllis Schlaflys Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund, a conservative advocacy group focused primarily on social issues named after the late conservative activist. Martin and Schlafly co-authored a book titled The Conservative Case for Trump, which was released a day after her 2016 death.

The groups office sat across the street from St. Josephs on Capitol Hill, where the person close to Martin said the now-top prosecutor likely spent almost as much time in prayer as he did in the political office.

Martins LinkedIn indicates he worked for the group for more than a decade, starting as a special assistant to Schlafly and ascending to president of the group. His X account still dubs him EagleEdMartin.

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In just a few weeks on the job as an interim U.S. attorney, Martin has operated differently from many of his predecessors.

Hes been quick to curry favor with Musk, firing off photos of letters hes drafted exclusively via the X platform owned by the billionaire Trump ally.

In those letters, he vowed to go after those who even acted simply unethically, saying he would chase them to the ends of the earth to hold them accountable and added that noone is above the law.

It was a pledge that drew Martin heavy criticism on the platform for acting unethically, as the Justice Department manual instructs prosecutors to only pursue cases in which there is evidence of a crime.

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Goldman called the letter absurd.

You must have reasonable suspicion to believe a crime was committed in order to open an investigation, and the notion that he would be threatening to open a criminal investigation based on what he perceives to be unethical conduct is disallowed by the law. Its also unethical, he said.

Nonetheless, those letters to Musk appeared to serve as the basis for later correspondence to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) asking about alleged threats they made against public officials. Martins investigation into Schumer for comments he made five years ago warning justices would pay the price in regards to an abortion case appears to have fallen by the wayside, according to reporting from The Washington Post.

Bruce Green, a legal ethics professor at Fordham University Law School, said all the problems with Martin seem to stem from his belief that he is an attorney for Trump.

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He seems to think that his job is to do Donald Trumps bidding and/or to promote his interests, including his political interests, and thats wrong, Green said.

The basic problem is that hes threatening to use the criminal justice power against people who were just on the other side of the political aisle and havent done anything.

Garcia said he had yet to receive any additional letters from Martin and said he was unaware of the status of the investigation. But he criticized Martin for what he called an effort to intimate lawmakers.

Its important, I think, for us not to be discouraged to speak out and to speak out against Elon Musk and Donald Trump. And clearly, there are efforts to intimidate members of Congress and U.S. senators, and I think thats dangerous for the country. I think we need to be able to speak out, and we have a right to be opposed to the administration, and thats what well continue to do, he said.

Green said Speech and Debate Clause protections would likely shield lawmakers but he feared Martins pledge to Musk could have a chilling effect on agency staff who may be rightfully and lawfully blocking DOGE access to different department functions or data.

Green noted a speech from former Attorney General Robert Jackson, warning of prosecutors who pick people that he thinks he should get, rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted.

To me, Mr. Martin is basically indicating hes going to use his power to get people, Green said. And the people hes going to get are the people who are in the other political party.  Thats a thing that prosecutors do in totalitarian states.

Martins Jan. 6 connections  both before and after taking on his new role  have also caused alarm.

Martin flouted a subpoena by the now-disbanded Jan. 6 panel in relation to his role as a Stop the Steal organizer. He spoke at a rally the day before the riot and was on the Capitol grounds as the building was being stormed by Trumps supporters. He never showed for his deposition or supplied requested documents.

And he also later represented at least three defendants who were charged in connection with storming the Capitol.

That background has resulted in clashes in his new role.

Martin is facing requests for two different ethics investigations after he simultaneously was the attorney of record both for the Justice Department and a Jan. 6 defendant he represented, filing to dismiss his charges following Trumps widespread pardons.

It appears that he benefited one of his own clients after he was given this post in the US Attorneys Office. That serious matter, said Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Durbin has asked the D.C. Bar to investigate Martin, citing an impermissible conflict of interest.

I dont do that very frequently, and there is a question about whether there is an ethical lapse there, Durbin said.

Martin has since sidelined prosecutors that worked on Jan. 6 cases, demoting several to entry-level positions.

Its not clear when Martin will come before the Senate for his confirmation hearing, as the chambers Judiciary Committee must still work its way through a series of Justice Department nominees before turning to the nations 94 U.S. attorneys.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (Va.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, recently sent his own letter to Martin asking for a series of assurances, including asking him to affirm criticism of Musk is protected free speech and whether the Justice Department would target anyone based on their political viewpoints.

Hes not even pretending to be neutral, objective, fair and balanced, Connolly said.

But my hope would be that my colleagues in the Senate will go after his behavior, because the public needs to see it. They need to be exposed to what hes been doing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 two stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are finally coming back to Earth.

Their spaceflight has become such a drama that Elon Musk and President Trump are commenting on it.

Meet the two astronauts who flew to space on a Boeing ship, got stuck, and are flying SpaceX back.

Two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are finally coming back to Earth on Tuesday. Their spaceship is scheduled to splash down off the coast of Florida at about 5:57 p.m. ET.

The duo  affectionately known as "Butch and Suni" in NASA lingo  has been thrust into the global spotlight since they flew to the International Space Station for a short stint to test Boeing's new Starliner spaceship.

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They were supposed to spend about eight days on the ISS for a demonstration flight. As they approached the station in June, though, the Starliner's engines malfunctioned, kicking off the months-long saga of two stranded astronauts.

The Starliner spacecraft approaches the International Space Station carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. NASA

NASA tapped SpaceX to carry them home, since the company has already successfully flown nine astronaut crews. The decision was made in August, with their return scheduled for early 2025.

Elon Musk said in January that President Trump asked SpaceX to speed up that schedule.

How stuck are the astronauts?

Wilmore and Williams have served a longer-than-average, but not exceptional, shift on the ISS. They're about 100 days shy of the current record for longest US spaceflight, which astronaut Frank Rubio set just two years ago.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore talk with reporters from the International Space Station after their spaceship departs without them. NASA TV

Though they have been stuck up there for technical and scheduling reasons, they weren't "abandoned," as Trump said on Truth Social.

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After NASA sent Starliner back to Earth without them (it landed safely in the end), the duo took on the regular duties and routine of space-station staffers. They've received supply shipments from NASA and have had their SpaceX return vehicle docked at the space station since September.

NASA officials have said that the original eight-day timeline for their mission was always an estimate, and everyone involved knew it could go longer than that  though not quite this long.

Musk, however, has leapt at the opportunity for his rocket company to take over its competitor's space mission.

At Trump's behest, last month NASA shuffled around SpaceX's spaceship schedule to bring the astronauts home a few weeks earlier than planned. They're set to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon ship on Tuesday.

Who is Sunita Williams?

Like many NASA astronauts, Williams and Wilmore are both decorated US Navy test pilots.

Wilmore and Williams pose for a picture during T-38 pre-flight activities. NASA/Robert Markowitz

"We've both been on deployments. We're not surprised when deployments get changed," Williams said in a September call with journalists. "Our families are used to that as well."

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Williams was born in Ohio and grew up in Needham, Massachusetts. She became a Naval aviator in 1989 and made a series of deployments overseas as part of a helicopter combat support unit, including for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Provide Comfort in the Persian Gulf.

She ran a detachment for Hurricane Andrew relief in Miami in 1992, then spent a few years conducting rotary aircraft test flights before becoming an instructor.

NASA selected Williams to be an astronaut in 1998, while she was deployed on the USS Saipan. She began training two months later. Her first gig at NASA was going to Moscow to work with Russia's space agency on its piece of the International Space Station.

In her wide-ranging time at NASA, Williams has also spent nine days living in an underwater habitat and flown two previous missions totaling 322 days on the International Space Station.

Williams conducts a spacewalk, attached to a robotic arm of the space station. GRK/NASA

When asked in the September call what she missed about Earth, she said, "of course, the things that we always miss: our families. I miss my two dogs, I miss my friends."

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She and her dogs live with her husband, Michael, and the couple enjoy some highly technical hobbies: working on houses, cars, and airplanes together.

Who is Barry 'Butch' Wilmore?

Wilmore is a retired US Navy captain, having spent the first part of his career flying tactical jets.

He's completed 8,000 flight hours, 663 landings on an aircraft carrier, and four operational deployments. During Operation Desert Storm, he carried out 21 combat missions from the flight deck of the USS Kennedy.

He spent some time as a flight instructor at Edwards Air Force Base, California, before NASA selected him as an astronaut in 2000.

Butch Wilmore photographs Earth landmarks from the space station's cupola. NASA

He's previously flown two NASA missions: an 11-day mission on the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009 and a shift of 167 days on the International Space Station in 2014 and 2015.

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Wilmore and his wife, Deanna, are originally from Tennessee. Now, the couple and their two daughters, Daryn and Logan, live in Texas.

During the September call, Wilmore cited a Bible verse about gaining strength from adversity as "how I feel about all of this."

He later added, "We deal with all types of difficulties in all types of situations and it builds a great deal of fortitude and it builds a great deal of character."

Read the original article on Business Insider
CLEVELAND (WJW)  Cleveland firefighters who have died in the line of duty are being honored on St. Patricks Day.

The Cleveland Firefighters Shamrock Club and the Association of Cleveland Firefighters IAFF Local 93 will host the annual Memorial to Fallen Firefighters on March 17 at the Firefighters Memorial, located at the corner of Erieside Avenue and Lerner Way.

More cat food recalled due to bird flu risk

The service will begin at 11:25 a.m., preceding the citys St. Patricks Day Parade.

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The memorial honors Cleveland firefighters who have died in the line of duty since 1863.

Ashtabula County sees rise in strep, scarlet fever

Among those remembered are Paul N. Aukens, the first firefighter to make the ultimate sacrifice on Feb. 25, 1869, and Firefighter Johnny Tetrick, who passed away on Nov. 19, 2022.

Johnny Tetrick

This year, the Shamrock Club will also recognize Cadet Firefighter Timothy Graham, who died from injuries sustained while training with Pompier ladders on Oct. 17, 1888. Graham fell 35 feet at the Fire Departments Pompier tower on Church Street and succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 20, 1888.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
As part of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) activities, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of Azerbaijan (Ombudsman) Sabina Aliyeva conducted inspections at two special boarding schools for children with disabilities, Azernews reports.

The E. Guliyev Special Boarding School No. 9 and the E. Mirzayev Republican Special Boarding School No. 6, operating under the Ministry of Science and Education, were visited to assess living conditions, treatment standards, and children's rights in these institutions. The inspections also aimed to monitor progress on previously identified shortcomings.

During the visits, dormitories, canteens, medical stations, classrooms, and administrative rooms were examined, alongside evaluations of childrens leisure activities, nutrition, drinking water supply, and documentation practices.

Key findings included:

Psychological support documentation was incomplete in both institutions.

Special Boarding School No. 6 had expired medications and substandard lighting.

Special Boarding School No. 9 had expired food products.

Institutional staff were reminded of legal and international requirements, and recommendations were issued to improve conditions. The Ministry of Science and Education will be formally appealed to address the identified shortcomings.
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China and Thailand working together as two sovereign nations to crack down on human smuggling and other cross-border crimes is in line with domestic laws of both countries as well as international law and common practices. The United States has no right to interfere in such cooperation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to a query regarding moves by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who announced sanctions including visa restriction policy that will apply to Thai government officials involved in the deportation cooperation.

Noting the 40 Chinese nationals, under wrong influence, illegally crossed the border and ended up stranded in Thailand, where they were detained for over a decade, Mao said the Chinese government has the obligation and responsibility to protect its citizens and help them reunite with their families and resume normal lives.

By politicizing this issue, the United States is in nature applying double standards and trying to suppress others, Mao said, adding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported the removal of over 270,000 noncitizens to 192 different countries during the 2024 fiscal year, marking the highest level of deportations since 2014.

The United States on the one hand engages in indiscriminate deportation against illegal immigrants, yet on the other points fingers at and smears other countries' legitimate law enforcement cooperation, and slaps sanctions and put pressures on others, said the spokesperson. "This is typical bullying."

She said China strongly condemns all ill-intentioned vilification and illegal sanctions against China and Thailand, and firmly opposes the United States manipulating Xinjiang-related issues under the pretext of human rights, interfering in China's domestic affairs, and disrupting the normal law enforcement cooperation between China and relevant countries.

"China will continue to enhance communication and coordination with relevant countries on the basis of mutual respect and equal-footed consultation, protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and work for stronger international law enforcement cooperation," Mao said. 
Victim-serving agencies in Tennessee have been making public pleas for Gov. Bill Lee to include funding for them in the state budget. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

A Memphis domestic violence agency has abruptly closed its doors amid an urgent fight for state funding by victim-serving organizations in Tennessee.

The Family Safety Center of Memphis and Shelby County shut down without warning or public explanation last week.

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The agency served as a one-stop shop for victims of domestic violence, aiding victims in obtaining orders of protection in coordination with police and the District Attorneys office, and connecting families to housing, food and other resources.

Its sudden closure has left a web of agencies that worked together to address domestic violence scrambling, said Marqulepta Odom, executive director of the YWCA Greater Memphis.

We were all caught off guard by its closing in the middle of the week like that, said Odom, whose agency operates a 78-bed domestic violence shelter, the largest in the state.

Odom said the closure will have a great impact and a loss for our community for sure. It was that central place that survivors and victims knew where to go.

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But Odoms agency  like victim-serving agencies across Tennessee this year  also faces an uncertain funding future: federal funding for victims of crime in Tennessee has dwindled in recent years from a peak of $68 million in 2018 to $16 million last year.

The YWCA Greater Memphis experienced a 17% percent cut last year as a result and faces the prospect of crippling budget cuts this year if it cannot find a way to replace the lost federal dollars.

Agencies that operate crisis hotlines, provide counseling to child abuse victims, conduct sexual assault exams and operate shelters are facing additional cuts in federal funding up to 40% more come July.

Those ongoing cuts in federal dollars had already hit the Family Safety Center hard before it closed its doors.

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The agency received $742,000 in federal crime victim funding in 2020, according to the Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP), which distributes the federal funding to Tennessee nonprofits. This year, that funding had dwindled to about $132,000.

The OCJP got notice March 6 that the Family Safety Center had shuttered the previous day. Ethel Hilliard, the centers executive director, stated that the closure was due to a board decision related to financial issues, a spokesperson for the OCJP said.

The most recent available tax records show the agency operated at a deficit in 2021 and 2022, when it reported a $289,000 deficit. Like other agencies funded through the federal Victims of Crimes Act, it faced steep cuts again in July.

And while 35 other states have taken action to provide their own state funding in the face of federal crime victim budget cuts, Tennessee is not one of them.

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Stephen Woerner, executive director of Tennessee Childrens Advocacy Centers, said the Memphis agencys closure illustrates the vulnerability of agencies that aid victims of abuse.

I do not know the details of why they closed, but it speaks to the fragility of the victim serving community, particularly those that have not truly invested in diversifying their funding, Woerner said.

Woerners organization operates 46 centers across the state that employ specialized counselors who work with children who have been abused, neglected or sexually assaulted. The organization received $5.5 million annually from the federal crime victims fund at its peak; this year, it received $2.1 million, he said.

Woerner is among hundreds of advocates across the state who are pressing Gov. Bill Lee to include $25 million in recurring state funding to crime victim agencies in the states budget.

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Thus far, Lee has not committed. Lees office did not respond to a question about the funding on Friday.

Leaders of the Family Safety Center in Memphis have made no public statements about the reasons behind the closure and Ethele Hilliard, executive director, did not respond to emailed questions from the Lookout.

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Metro Detroit is back to average. At least in terms of weather, and at least for now.

After a weekend that saw temperatures dancing around the low 70s and strong gusts of wind, the region was much cooler Monday but expected to briefly warm up again, according to the National Weather Service.

The temperatures toward the end of last week and into the weekend were outside of the average for this time of year, said Mike Richter, a National Weather Service meteorologist in White Lake.

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The normal temperature is about 46 degrees Fahrenheit, he said.

Monday was expected to be in the mid-40s, with temperatures expected to slowly rise and hit the mid-60s by Wednesday before falling back down again.

So, another little, nice, little warm stretch here, Richter said.

Its about 20 degrees above average and a flip from the colder-than-average winter residents have seen, he said.

As for the gusts of winds that knocked out power for some in Michigan during the weekend, Richter confirmed those were tied to the storms that killed at least 40 people across seven other states. Some gusts Saturday reached the mid-50 miles per hour.

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Were in the wake of that system, Richter said.

Another system is on its way, of course, though it probably wont involve as strong of wind gusts.

Some rain and gusty winds are expected Wednesday into Thursday, and this coming weekend temperatures are so far expected in the 40s with a chance of rain possible, Richter said.

Typical March  late March  weather, he said of the expected weekend weather.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Metro Detroit weather: Brief warm up before cooler temps return
A New Mexico court on Monday blocked the release of police bodycam video and other images that show the bodies of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, after they died and were discovered by Santa Fe County officials.

Hackman, 95, died from heart disease as much as a week after Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Their bodies were found Feb. 26 at their Santa Fe home. Hackman's pacemaker showed it was active until Feb. 18, which were the last signs of life, authorities said.

Hackman also showed advanced Alzheimers disease, according to the medical investigator who performed the autopsy on his body, but the couple's deaths remained a mystery while investigators awaited for the official cause.

The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in Santa Fe, N.M. (Roberto E. Rosales / Associated Press)

Although the investigation remains open, many of the major questions surrounding the couple's deaths have been answered, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza. He said the county would comply with requests for the release of records in the death investigation, but Monday a state court temporarily blocked the release of records in the case.

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Judge Matthew Wilson in the First Judicial District Court issued a temporary restraining order that prevents the Office of the Medical Investigator at the University of New Mexico and the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office from releasing records under the state law.

Wilson ordered representatives for the medical investigator's office and Santa Fe County to appear in court March 31 to argue their case in response to the order.

Read more: 'Just a regular guy': Gene Hackman enjoyed a quiet, simple life in Santa Fe, until tragedy struck last week

The court blocked the release of photographs and bodycamera videos that contain images of the couple's bodies. The order also includes the inside of their home.

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One of the couple's dogs was found dead in a closet not too far from Arakawa's body, according to authorities. The order also blocks the release of any images or videos of any dead animals inside the Hackman home.

The order also extends to any autopsy and death investigation reports.

A representative for Hackman's estate asked the state court to seal records in the case to protect the family's right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Hackman and Arakawa were reportedly private individuals who maintained a quiet life in Santa Fe. Days before her death, Arakawa was seen on surveillance video running errands around Santa Fe. The seemingly everyday visits to the pharmacy and the market became pieces of the death investigation, according to the Sheriff's Office.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Michigan judge is making headlines for his unconventional approach to justice, turning Walmart shoplifters into makeshift car washers. However, his boss is pumping the brakes on the well-intentioned plan for the misdemeanor offenders to clean cars as a form of punishment.

This Walmart story lightens the heart compared to last year's tragedy when a 19-year-old employee was tragically found dead inside a walk-in oven, leading to the closure of the store.

Michigan Judge's Walmart Car Wash Plan Scrubbed By Chief Judge

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Judge Jeffrey Clothier had hoped to make petty thieves work for their redemption, handing them sponges and buckets as a unique form of punishment.

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However, Chief Judge William Crawford II quickly put a stop to the initiative, ruling that such an alternative sentence needed higher approval before implementation.

Crawford made it clear, "'Walmart Washes' will not be taking place as reported," emphasizing that the court must adhere to standard sentencing practices.

AP reports that despite the setback, Clothier remains determined to find a creative solution to the growing shoplifting problem, citing a staggering 100-plus theft cases in just the past month. Though the car wash idea is dead, he now plans to assign other forms of community service instead.

Judge Jeffrey Clothier's Punishment Sparks Backlash

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Clothier's attempt to curb shoplifting by ordering thieves to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot was met with fierce criticism from the public. The car washes were meant to be free, serving as both a deterrent and a community benefit. But online, the response was overwhelmingly negative.

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Critics quickly flooded the comments section under a February report on the plan, rejecting the idea outright. Many expressed skepticism and outright disdain, with one bluntly stating, "I wouldn't want any of these near my car, tbh."

Others mocked the concept, warning that it could backfire. One sarcastically posted, "Breaking: Large uptick in thefts from vehicles," while another quipped, "What could possibly go wrong!"

More direct critics argued for traditional sentencing, with one user insisting, "Or you can use the justice system we already have in place and just sentence them to prison time." Another warned, "Touch my Porsche with your grubby wash mitt, and we gonna have words."

Inside Walmart's 19-Year-Old Employee Tragedy

Ron Adar / M10s / MEGA

Beyond the recent Walmart controversy, the retail giant faced another shocking incident last year when an employee in a branch in Canada was tragically found dead inside a walk-in bakery oven.

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The Blast reported that the devastating incident took place on October 19 2024, at the Walmart located at 6990 Mumford Road in Halifax.

According to the statement, "A 19-year-old woman employed at the store was found deceased. Investigators are working closely with Occupational Health and Safety and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service to determine the cause and manner of death."

An update was provided days later, confirming that the employee was found inside the large industrial oven.

While police did not confirm whether foul play was involved, they emphasized that "the investigation is complex and involves several partner agencies. An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time."

Authorities Urged Public To Stop Speculating After The Tragic Incident

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

In the wake of the devastating incident at a Walmart in Canada, authorities pleaded with the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

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The Halifax Regional Police urged people in a second statement to avoid spreading unverified information, emphasizing the potential harm that speculation could cause.

"Please be aware of the impacts that speculation could have on family, colleagues, and loved ones of the woman," the statement read.

The message follows the similar words Constable Martin Cromwell had previously told reporters. At the time, he encouraged patience, reminding the public that the investigation was still ongoing.

Walmart Mourned Employee's Tragic Death And Shut Down Store

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Walmart also expressed deep sorrow following the tragic death of the 19-year-old, who was later revealed to be a member of the Sikh community. In a statement released on October 23, 2024, Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss shared that the loss devastated the company.

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"Our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family. Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need," Moss stated.

She also acknowledged the complexity of the case, noting that authorities were still investigating, adding, "Our store will be closed until further notice." However, Moss did not confirm whether the young woman had been working at the time of her passing.

Despite the backlash and the shutdown of his plan, Judge Clothier remains determined to find a new solution to Walmart's rising shoplifting problem.
Forever 21, which has nine stores in Michigan, is entering bankruptcy and closing all of its stores.

The retail chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company announced Monday, with going-out-of-business sales set to begin soon at all U.S. stores. Forever 21 operates nine stores at malls in Michigan.

"On behalf of the Company, Id like to express our deep appreciation for the hard work of our dedicated employees and their commitment to our customers. We are also grateful for the many years of support from our partners and our loyal customers, who have allowed us to serve as a fashion industry leader and go-to retailer for generations," Chief Financial Officer Brad Sell said.

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Here's what to know.

More: Major retailers are cutting back. Here are chains closing stores in Michigan

What is happening at Forever 21?

Forever 21 is preparing to close all U.S. stores as the company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The chain previously announced store closings, the closure of its Los Angeles headquarters and layoffs of more than 350 employees, USA Today reported. The company has been facing financial challenges amid competition from Chinese online discount retailers Shein and Temu.

Where are Forever 21 stores in Michigan?

Forever 21 has the following nine stores in Michigan:

More: Where are Michigan's spring festivals? Where to enjoy blooms, music, outdoors

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Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor: 602 Briarwood Circle, D101A

Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills: 4160 Baldwin Road

The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township: 17360 Hall Road No. 191

Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn: 18900 Michigan Ave.

Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids: 3195 28th St. SE

Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi: 27434 Novi Road

The Crossroads Mall in Portage: 6650 S. Westnedge Ave. No. 139

Southland Center in Taylor: 23000 Eureka Road Space No. 1360

Oakland Mall in Troy: 460 W. 14 Mile Road

When will the stores close?

The retailer said in court documents that it will conduct going-out-of-business sales at stores. It did not say when they would begin.

USA Today contributed.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Forever 21 files for bankruptcy. All Michigan stores set to close
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  Midland Colleges Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honors Society  the worlds largest and most prestigious honor society for two-year college students  recently showcased its excellence at the 2025 Texas Regional Convention in Houston. The honor society brought home multiple prestigious awards while also leading educational workshops for fellow attendees.

Among the 97 PTK chapters in Texas, Midland Colleges chapter has consistently demonstrated outstanding achievement, maintaining its Five-Star Chapter status for the past seven years. This year, MC PTK students returned home with an impressive collection of accolades, including:

Texas Top Chapter

Honors in Action Award of Merit  Theme 6

College Project Award of Merit

Distinguished Chapter Officer Team

Hall of Honor for Outstanding Officers  Guneet Sehgal and Dilan Gutierrez

Hall of Honor for Outstanding Members  Adebisi Princess Saubana

Five Star Chapter Plan Recognition

Roll Call Competition: First Place, District I

Honors in Action and College Project Participation Award

District I Hall of Honor Pins  All 9 MC PTK Officers

Transfer Edge Pins



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Watching our Phi Theta Kappa students be recognized for their dedication, hard work, and leadership was an incredible experience, said Dr. Terry Gilmour, Advisor and Division 1 Coordinator for Phi Theta Kappa. As an educator, theres nothing more rewarding than seeing students seize opportunities to learn, grow, and make a real difference in the lives of others. Their passion for academic excellence and service truly shines, and I could not be prouder to celebrate these well-earned achievements with them.

MC PTK members also had the distinguished honor of hosting two workshops at the event:

Network Like a Pro  A session designed to help students develop essential professional networking skills.

Navigating the Ethics of AI in Academics  Presented by Dr. Gilmour, this workshop explored the evolving role of artificial intelligence in education and ethical considerations for students and educators.

Midland College congratulates all PTK members on their success and looks forward to continuing this tradition of excellence.

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For more information about MCs Phi Theta Kappa chapter, visit the MC website.

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MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Midland International Air & Space Port reported the second-highest number of aircraft passengers in the month of February.

In February 2024, the total number of passengers on Southwest, United, American Eagle, and Delta was 53,797, a 2.94% reduction from the previous record. Still, the number of passengers through five months of this fiscal year (300,333) is 5.02% more than last years record pace.

The February 2025 total also demonstrates a long-term increase in the number of airline passengers in Midland. Last month, there were 52,217 passengers, up 13.8% from February 2019 and 48.3% from February 2015.

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Southwest Airlines once again transported the most passengers, accounting for approximately 45.3% of the total in February. United was second with 29.5%.

According to city officials, parking revenue at MAF grew by 9.39% in February. The $642,951 in net parking revenue brought the fiscal year-to-date total to $3.53 million, representing a 9.61% increase over the first five months of FY 2024.

Passengers at Midland International Air & Space Port

(Airline passengers leaving Midland)

February 2025: 52,217

February 2024: 53,797

Percent decrease: 2.94%

Fiscal year-to-date 2024-25: 300,333

Fiscal year-to-date 2023-24: 285,969

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Percent increase: 5.02%

By Airline

Southwest: 23,916

United: 15,127

American Eagle: 12,489

Delta 1,730

Net parking revenues

February 2025: $642,951

February 2024: $587,754

Percent decrease: 9.39%

Fiscal year-to-date 2024-25: $3,530,892

Fiscal year-to-date 2023-24: $3,221,288

Percent increase: 9.61%

These numbers were reported by the city of Midland

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A Texas midwife has been arrested for owning and operating a network of illegal abortion clinics in the northeast Houston area.

Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas, the state attorney general announced on Monday.

Rojas, a midwife known as Dr. Maria, was taken into custody in Waller County. She is also charged with practicing medicine without a license.

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An investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxtons law enforcement division revealed that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics under the names Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring.

The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals in order to provide medical treatment, investigators said.

Midwife Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas, the state Attorney General has announced (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Rojas herself also performed illegal abortion procedures in her clinics in direct violation of the Texas Human Life Protection Act, the AGs office said. Rojas is the first person to have criminal charges brought under the states near-total abortion ban.

In addition to the arrest, Paxton has filed for a temporary restraining order to shut down Rojass network of clinics to prevent further illegal activity, he added.

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In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our states pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted, Paxton said in a statement.

Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.

Some states with abortion bans have exceptions to the law in cases of rape or incest, but the Texas law does not. In 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion, returning the issue of abortion regulation to individual states. In Texas, this led to the enactment of a "trigger law" banning most abortions, with exceptions for life-threatening conditions.

An investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxtons law enforcement division revealed that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics that employed unlicensed individuals (Getty Images)

However, only in narrow circumstances can an abortion be carried out in order to save the life of a pregnant patient in the state.

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In order to allow the abortion to take place, it must be carried out by a licensed physician, the patient must have a life-threatening condition and be at risk of death or "substantial impairment of a major bodily function" if the abortion is not performed. and the physician must try to save the life of the fetus unless this would increase the risk of the patient's death or impairment.

Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. Online court records reflect the date of Rojas offense as March 5, 2025.

She was booked into jail on March 6 and was released on $10,000 bond on March 7, according to Waller County records.
A milkman was sacked after taking 77 pats of butter from his work canteen in two days for his wife to bake cakes.

Christopher Rogers flouted a four items per person per day rule, admitting to being cheeky and asking if he could take more.

The milk bottle delivery driver was at one point caught taking 40 foils of butter at a time from dairy company Arla Foods canteen, which sold butter, cheese and other dairy products to staff at a discounted rate.

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Mr Rogers was suspended for the alleged theft of items worth a total of 35. When asked by management what he could possibly do with 77 items of butter he told bosses his partner Kelly bakes cakes.

He denied knowledge of the four product rule, but was sacked for gross misconduct over the failure to pay in full for the items taken from the canteen.

Mr Rogers took the delivery company to an employment tribunal but his claims of unfair dismissal were dismissed after a judge found that he had been abusing the system.

The investigation into the butter  sold for 50p a pack  cost the company 17,000, the Watford tribunal heard.

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Mr Rogers worked as a HGV driver for XPO Transport Solutions UK Limited, it heard. His role involved collecting bottles of milk from Arla Foods  a customer of the delivery company  and transporting it to a site in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

Four-item rule

The tribunal heard items damaged in the warehouse would go to the canteens shop for very cheap and were therefore very popular. A sign reading only four items per person once a day was displayed next to the shop but Mr Rogers said there was no policy or rule that he could only purchase this number.

In late September 2023, CCTV footage of Mr Rogers came to light and was shown to his shift manager. The clip showed Mr Rogers take four tubs of butter to the till and pay. He then returned to the chiller cabinet, where the items were stored, took out eight more tubs and put them in his bag before leaving.

A second clip showed Mr Rogers take 40 foils of butter from the chiller cabinet and put them into a bag. He and his colleagues were then seen at the till, but the judge said it was not possible to see if any payment was made. The judge later heard Mr Rogers paid 4 for the products - which should have cost 14.

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In another clip, Mr Rogers handed his wifes credit or debit card to three of his colleagues so they could pay for four tubs of butter.

Mr Rogers and his colleagues were suspended and invited to a meeting over the alleged theft. The butter was priced at either 35p each for 250g, three for 1, or 50p for 400g.

The tribunal heard Mr Rogers admitted to being cheeky and asking if he could take more after purchasing four packs for 2.

Mr Rogers told the investigation meeting the worker on the till could not work out the price when he purchased the 40 foils of butter. He said he told her it was 14 but she wrongly charged him just 4, and he paid without looking. He was asked what he could possibly do with 77 items of butter and in response Mr Rogers said his partner makes cakes at home. The driver then added he would take butter to his father-in-law who runs a cafe in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

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His manager concluded he had pressured his colleagues into buying butter for him which was not allowed and broke company trust. She found his behaviour to amount to gross misconduct and said he had implicated a number of people.

Mr Rogers was invited to a formal disciplinary hearing where he claimed he did not know how many items he could buy because of his dyslexia.

The driver was dismissed for gross misconduct after his manager concluded he was aware he had been undercharged. It was found 42 items were not paid for. Mr Rogers was carrying out private trading by selling butter to his father-in-law, his manager added.

The tribunal heard the investigation resulted in 81 days of employee suspension at a direct cost of 17,000, plus management time spent on it.

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Mr Rogers appealed the decision to fire him, and said a staff member serving in the canteen allowed him to buy more. The fact he underpaid was a mistake on her part, not mine, he added.

His appeal was dismissed so he took the transport company to an employment tribunal for alleged unfair dismissal.

Employment Judge George Alliott found XPO Transport Solutions had conducted a reasonable investigation and said the dismissal was procedurally fair.

The judge commented: [Mr Rogers] had clearly been abusing the four item rule to the commercial benefit of his father-in-law.

To characterise this as a trading may be a bit of an exaggeration but he was working the system and being reimbursed.

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I do find that he was abusing the system and knew it. It is clear to me that [Mr Rogers] knew perfectly well that he was only supposed to buy four items per day.

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After a 14-month delay, a lawsuit from a parent, and a judge's threat to fine the city a $1,000-a-day, school resource officers are supposed to return to MPS today.

While some may celebrate their return (if indeed it happens), I still have concerns because it represents a failure to listen. Students were never given a seat at the table to articulate their needs, fears or concerns, before or after, the mandated return of 25 police officers under a state law known as Act 12.

If anyone bothered to ask, students would have said they need mental wellness counselors of color; trusted adults they can talk to about problems they face in and out of school; professionals who can provide them with the tools they need to cope. That mental health support could help curb some of the problems the officers are being put in schools to address in the first place.

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Opinion: Change the channel from Trump to the WI Supreme Court race. You can't miss it.

Lia Knox, a licensed professional counselor with more than 20 years of experience, said students should have been included in the conversation especially since police are being asked the roam school hallways to keep them safe.

"This is a time where our young people need us the most and it's also the time where we need to listen to them," Knox said.

Lawsuit prompted action after movement stalled by city, MPS

After a judge last month forced a resolution between the district and city about how much each will contribute for the program, they approved a memorandum of understanding laying out conditions for the school resource officers, including that police should not be involved in disciplining students unless they are breaking the law.

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Still, there are many unknowns as officers get set to report for duty inside schools each day. I have mixed feelings about their return after MPS ended its contract with police for school officers in 2020.

As a 1987 John Marshall High School graduate, when cops came to the school, it was a big deal. Most of the serious school discipline issues were handled by strong and respected teachers. If needed, the principal would step in, and nobody wanted that to happen.

That's not the case today where thousands of students walk through metal detectors and where police responded to Milwaukee Public Schools 3,141 times just last year. Every time a squad is called to a school, that's taking them away from something going on in another part of the city.

Yet police cannot be a school's personal security guards, and adding 25 officers alone may not reduce that high call rate much. More importantly, unless we address the many traumas children face, this problem will not be resolved.

If not handled right, officers could make things worse

I've interviewed many MPS students and listened to them speak at community forums. They've all spoken about the need for mental wellness professionals more than cops. They're coping with serious problems such as bullying, violence in the community, not having support at home or having anyone to talk to.

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But that point hasn't seemed to register. Just after passing a $252 million referendum last year, MPS cut mental wellness professionals in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods. A lot of the behavior problems like fighting, disrupting class, or even shutting down and not contributing are all events requiring intervention. By whom is the question.

Opinion: I'm the father of son with Down syndrome. Using the 'R' word is never acceptable.

Knox said if these issues are handled inappropriately by SROs, teachers or other school administrators, the school environment could get even worse.

Knox, who created "Black Space," a community organization that provides free group therapeutic experiences for Black and Hispanic communities, said youth experiencing traumatic episodes typically fit into four categories:

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Fight. Students are usually in an agitated state physically and emotionally. This student may be considered a bully, often the result of an unconscious protective mechanism because the child may feel as though they are fighting for their life or trying not to be hurt.

Flight. The student is under so much stress and inner turmoil they struggle with the ability to take in information and learn. Often this child may consider dropping out of school because they just feel like giving up.

Fawn. The student doesn't cause any problems, but they are just there. They put in very little effort. They usually don't cause the teacher any problems and they are often ignored. This is bad because they are not thinking about their future endeavors like college, work or anything past just existing at that moment. These are the students who are often referred to as those who slip through the cracks.

Flop. The student is under so much trauma and stress they have given up. This may be the student who just sleeps during class or the student who drops out because in their mind they are already beaten down so much they have nothing to look forward to.

It's important to know that most young people may experience one or two traumas before they turn 18. Having those who understand how to talk to young people in these positions is critical if we want schools to be safe and students to achieve both academically and mentally.

Now that the SROs are back, we can't consider the work is done.

The real work requires helping students address and cope with their traumas instead of bringing only a heavy hand and punishment.

Reach James E. Causey at jcausey@jrn.com; follow him on X@jecausey.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Focus on students mental wellness must be MPS priority | Opinion
BAGHDAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani met here Monday with visiting Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar to discuss bilateral relations and energy cooperation.

During the meeting, al-Sudani reaffirmed Iraqi government's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Turkish companies across various fields, particularly in the energy sector, as Iraq is working to diversify its energy sources, according to a statement from al-Sudani's media office.

Al-Sudani emphasized the importance of reinforcing cooperation on water management to ensure stable and consistent water flows into Iraq, read the statement.

He also highlighted the government's extensive efforts to resume oil exports from Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, stating that negotiations are currently underway with international oil companies operating in the region to resolve technical issues necessary for restarting exports, read the statement.

For his part, Bayraktar expressed Turkiye's keen interest in further expanding cooperation with Iraq across various fields, including refinery projects and petrochemical industries, the statement said.

He also underscored the importance of exporting Iraqi oil from Basra through Turkiye's Ceyhan Port, and highlighted the promising investment opportunities offered by Iraq's Development Road project, an ongoing infrastructure project aiming to connect Asia with Europe.

Following the meeting, Bayraktar wrote on social media platform X that the two sides discussed ways to deepen energy cooperation, jointly contribute to regional energy security, and increase Turkiye's electricity supplies to Iraq in a short time. 
The house chamber stands half-empty as Democratic representatives boycott the session on the first day of the 94th legislative session at the Minnesota State Capitol Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer.

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the 29 recall petitions against the House Democrats who boycotted the beginning of the legislative session earlier this year, ruling the allegations failed to meet the level of serious malfeasance or nonfeasance thats needed for a successful recall.

The Minnesota Republican Party last month filed recall petitions against 29 House Democrats for being absent from the Capitol for three weeks at the start of the legislative session. All 66 House Democrats boycotted the Capitol, in an effort to deny House Republicans a quorum, but the Minnesota Republican Party only submitted 29 recall repetitions.

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Democrats feared Republicans would use their temporary 67-66 majority to prevent the seating of DFL Rep. Brad Tabke of Shakopee, so they sought to deny House Republicans a quorum.

The Minnesota Supreme Court in January ruled that 68 members must be present for a quorum, so the 67 House Republican members were unable to conduct business on their own.

Democratic-Farmer-Labor House members eventually conceded the speakership in order to come to a power-sharing agreement and seat Tabke, who won a narrow contest marred by missing ballots.

Now hopefully we can just focus on getting the work of the legislative session done and put that rancor and division behind us, understanding that none of that needed to happen in the first place, DFL House leader Melissa Hortman said Monday.

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Minnesotas recall process is lengthy, and its difficult to successfully recall a lawmaker because of the states high standard.

Republicans based their recall petitions on House Democrats Capitol absence and an early swearing-in ceremony they held before the legislative session began, which they argued was illegitimate and a type of malfeasance that met the standards for recall.

In her ruling, Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson wrote that recalls require a serious malfeasance or nonfeasance, which the petitions didnt meet.

The quorum-related allegations rest on the allegation that each of the state representatives failed to perform [their] constitutional and inherent duty to represent [their] constituents by not attending the initial organizing session and all subsequent sessions thereafter of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Hudson wrote.

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The petitions also conceded, however, that Democrats eventually returned to the Capitol on Feb. 6, which undermines the seriousness of their absence.

Critically, this concession also fatally undermines the alleged seriousness of any nonfeasance as alleged in the petitions, which is an independent requirement for recall, Hudson wrote.

The allegation of malfeasance for the early swearing-in ceremony is also unfounded, Hudson wrote, because the petitions didnt successfully show that the swearing-in ceremony was held unlawfully, and previous chief justices have dismissed recall petitions for oath-related arguments.

Each of the recall petitions is dismissed for failure to allege specific facts that, if proven, would constitute grounds for recall, Hudson wrote.
BELOIT, Wis. (WTVO)  Rebecca Osmond, 47, has been missing since February 22, but her family reported on Sunday that she has been found alive.

Osmond last spoke on a Facetime call to her son on February 22. Her mother said her phone was off after that.

The family told police they believed she arrived in Tampa, Florida via an Amtrak train on February 24th.

The family held a candlelight vigil for Osmond Sunday afternoon, and five minutes before it was scheduled to start, Osmonds sister said she got a phone call from the police confirming Osmonds location.

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I am so in shock right now, Osmonds sister Stacy Rebhahn said. Theres a lot of emotions going through me right now. Im so thankful that everybody came through and helped get her name out there, even though shes going to be very, very angry at how far this has gone. Itll teach a lesson that you need to tell people whats going on with you because it doesnt just affect you.

Rebhahn said the Beloit Police Department told her there was an issue in the spelling of Osmonds name that led to the investigation delay.

This story is developing.

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Newly released video shows missing college student Sudiksha Konaki with her friends and a person of interest at a hotel bar before she disappeared in the Dominican Republic earlier this month.

Konaki, 20, was visiting the island on spring break from the University of Pittsburgh when she vanished March 6 while walking on a beach at Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana. She was last seen around 4:15 a.m. local time, the Dominican Republic National Police said in a press release.

In the early hours of March 6, Konaki and friends were with another group that included 24-year-old Joshua Riibe, who has been described as a person of interest. New surveillance video shared by Noticias SIN shows the groups at the bar hours before Konaki disappeared. Other videos show Konaki outdoors, leaning over and appearing to vomit, and a man believed to be Riibe also retching.

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A previous video shared by the outlet showed Konaki walking toward the beach with a man wearing a similar outfit as Riibe. Her clothes were later found draped over a beach chair.

Police have questioned Konankis travel companions and Riibe. He has claimed he and Konanki were swept out to sea by a wave and he saved them both from drowning. Riibe has not been charged with any crime, but his passport was confiscated and he cannot leave the country while the investigation plays out.

The Loudon County (Virginia) Sheriffs Office has disputed there is any evidence Konaki drowned and said the case is being aggressively investigated by U.S. law enforcement working with the Dominican national police, with support from assets here at home. Foul play has not been ruled out.

_____
(FOX40.COM)  Local law enforcement is asking for help finding an at-risk missing person last seen at California State University, Sacramento.

 Video Above: What should you do if someone you love goes missing?

Kameron Turner-Brown, 27, is described as being African American, 5 foot 11 inches tall, 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was reported missing to the Suisun City Police Department on March 10 and is deemed at risk due to mental health concerns, according to SCPD.

Police are asking for help to find an at-risk missing person, Kameron Turner-Brown, 27, who they say was last seen on the Sacramento State campus on March 11, 2025./Sacramento State Police

Search for missing Northern California woman Nikki Saelee McCain turns into homicide investigation

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SCPD said Turner-Brown was last seen wearing a black short-sleeved tee shirt with a white Nike logo on the front, black sweatpants, red and black Adidas shoes, and may be wearing transition eyeglasses.

His last-known whereabouts were at the Sacramento State campus on March 11, according to SCPD. Police in Suisun City are working with the Sacramento State Police Department to find him. An extensive search has been conducted on the Sacramento State campus. Officers said Turner-Brown is not a current student but graduated from Sacramento State several years ago.

Anyone with information on Turner-Browns location can call Suisun City PD at 707-421-7373 or Sacramento State PD at 916-278-6000.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A missing woman from Wisconsin believed to be in Tampa has been found, the City of Beloit Police Department announced.

Police were looking for Rebecca Osmond, 47, who had last made contact with her family on Feb. 22.

Osmond was believed to have arrived in Tampa on Feb. 24 by an Amtrack train, police said.

Friends said, Osmond last spoke to her son from a train station in New York.

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A friend of Osmonds, James Brown, said there was evidence she made it as far as Orlando.

As of March 16, Osmond was located.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
UPDATE: Around 9:20 p.m. Sunday Metro police said the missing woman was located.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Metro police are searching for a missing 73-year-old woman last seen in the central Las Vegas valley.

Cynthia Dias was last seen on Sunday around 12:50 p.m. near the area of Charleston Boulevard and Fremont Street, according to police.

Dias was last seen wearing a pink shirt, plaid pants and black and white shoes. Police said she may possibly be in severe emotional distress and in need of medical assistance.

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Anyone with information regarding Dias and her whereabouts is strongly encouraged to contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at (702) 828-3111, the Missing Persons Detail during business hours at (702) 828-2907 or by email at missingpersons@lvmpd.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
(NewsNation)  A Missouri rancher, Wes White, and his family joined NewsNation Live Sunday live from Alton, Missouri, after surviving tornadoes and storms in the South that have killed at least 35 people.

The White family ranch is in tact, and none of the family suffered any injuries but their neighbors property wasnt so lucky.

They previously lived in Alaska and endured earthquakes before moving to the Midwest.

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Tornadoes, wildfires and blinding dust sweep across US as massive storm leaves at least 35 dead

Ive experienced Arctic hurricanes, I used to work on the Arctic, but this was like nothing weve ever felt before when it went over us. Its kind of unexplainable, Wes White told NewsNation Live Sunday.

I didnt know it was a tornado, but I know something we never experienced before, he added.

Despite high anxiety and emotions, no animals or infrastructure was damaged on the White property.

At least 8 dead after 71-vehicle pileup during dust storm in Kansas

The White familys ranch is Tick Creek Ranch and runs both cattle and horses. They can be found on social media showing off the realities of farm life.

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We build everything ourselves here and we would be rebuilding everything again if that [storm] path would have been just 200 feet this way, we would look just like our neighbors, White added.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: The permit would allow up to 20,765-acre-feet of water per year.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The South Dakota Legislatures approval this month of Senate Joint Resolution 501 gives the green light to Western Dakota Regional Water System (WDRWS) for a Future Use Permit application.

The permit would allow the use of Missouri River water on the western half of the state. Because its a joint resolution, Gov. Larry Rhoden doesnt have a direct say on the matter. But he will have some influence, because the next step in the process is final approval from South Dakotas Water Management Board, the governor-appointed entity that issues Future Use Permits.

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Absent lawmakers at public meetings causes concern

WDRWS believes the permit will be a critical tool for ensuring that water resources are available for long-term water development in South Dakota. It would allow up to 20,765-acre-feet of water from the river to be utilized per year. Thats nearly 7 billion gallons annually.

The Missouri River is an abundant resource that flows through South Dakota. It is important that we claim what is available to us, before we find ourselves without enough water. says Kristin Conzet, WDRWS Executive Director.

Future Use Permits greater than 10,000-acre-feet per year require legislative approval. The issuance of permits is carefully aligned with the states water management policies to balance future demands with current water supply.

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Rapid City Sen. Helene Duhamel is the bills prime sponsor. She also introduced Senate Bill 202 to create the water infrastructure development fund.

According to the WDRWS website, in 2024, South Dakota legislators and the Board of Water and Natural Resources approved $2.165 million dollars of ARPA grant funding to assist in the technical studies for the proposed project. In addition, Gov. Kristi Noem signed Senate Bill 16 which includes a $1 million grant for WDRWS to conduct a feasibility-level study and administration of the study.

KELOLAND News has reported on this bill and the Missouri River water project before.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KABUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A total of 96 Afghan refugee families returned to their homeland Afghanistan in a single day on Sunday, reported the state-run Bakhtar news agency on Monday.

The migrants returned from neighboring Iran and Pakistan, the state-owned media outlet said, adding all the returnees have received necessary assistance from the government bodies at the crossing points before departure for their provinces.

Since the decision of Pakistan and Iran to deport foreign nationals living illegally on their soil, hundreds of Afghans return to their homeland every day.

Around 120 Afghan refugee families returned to their homeland last week.

More than 1.2 million Afghan refugees have reportedly returned to their homeland from Pakistan and Iran over the past year, while some 6 million Afghan refugees with the majority of them living in the neighboring countries are yet to return. 
A Missouri mother took matters into her own hands after her teenage son was allegedly caught doing the unthinkable. Now, 18-year-old Patrick Sloan has been hit with serious charges in connection to a racist vandalism spree targeting two local schools.

Police say the first of the two attacks occurred on March 7 at Affton High School, from which Sloan reportedly graduated last May. When officials arrived at the school, they discovered swastikas and other offensive messages had been spray painted on an outside wall, according to Fox 2 News. The writings were quickly scrubbed off, but just days later, a similar attack would rock the Affton community.

On the morning of March 12, just a couple hours before students were expected to come to school, officers were called to Rogers Middle School just after 5 a.m. where similar racist messages were plastered on the front of the building, Fox reported.



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Officials said the messages on both schools were of racial slurs, including a threat to kill Black people, swastikas, the words wite power, and the numbers 88, which means Heil Hitler, according to KSDK. In response to the racist attacks, Affton Superintendent Travis Bracht said Let us be clear: There is absolutely no place for hate in Affton School District. He continued saying, These actions do not define who we are. Our responsestanding together in rejection of racism, bigotry, and feardoes.

Police caught a break in the investigation when they discovered the attack on Rogers Middle was caught on surveillance footage. From there, officials were able to connect the suspect, who was dressed in all black, to a hardware store robbery where the suspect stole two cans of black spray paint on March 6, the night before the Affton High vandalism, according to reports.

After St. Louis County police shared the surveillance footage with the public, urging anyone with information on the suspect to come forward, they got their wish. Court documents say it was Sloans own family member as well as other witnesses who connected him directly to the crime. Now, his mother is speaking out after she said she was just doing what was right.

I was aware of the incident. And after review of the security footage, I realized that it was my son, Sloans mother told Fox 2 News. So, I did what I feel is the correct thing: to turn him in. I dont accept his behavior.

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His mother continued saying thats not how she raised him, but recently, Sloan got caught up with the wrong crowd. He has become involved with a radicalized political group... He was considering marching with them, she said. His intent was to stir up the community, which he very well did. He is not of that belief system. Police soon arrested Sloan and charged him with two counts of property damage motivated by discrimination, KSDK reported.

I am truly sorry for the concern and hurt that has been caused in the community, because this is a small community and we are supposed to live in peace with each other, Sloans mother concluded.

Sloan is currently being held on $25,000 bond. He does not have any court dates scheduled, according to Fox 2 News.



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This is Sunshine Week, set aside each year to focus on open government and the publics right to know about the conduct of public business (Getty Images).

When Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey took office in January 2023, he inherited a pile of more than 200 unfilled open records requests left over from his predecessor.

Some of the requests had been languishing for more than a year before Bailey took over.

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It wasnt a good look for the state official specifically empowered to enforce the Missouri Sunshine Law. To tackle the backlog, Bailey assigned new staff to the problem and implemented a policy to work through requests on a first-come, first-served basis.

It took more than two years, but in February Bailey finally could say he

had cleared the backlog and was down to 75 recent requests still pending.

But Baileys office isnt the only Missouri state agency where the public sometimes waits years to receive requested records.

This is Sunshine Week, set aside each year to focus on open government and the publics right to know about the conduct of public business. To test state government compliance with the Sunshine Law, The Independent sent an identical request for logs showing pending requests to 26 state departments and divisions and the five statewide elected officials inaugurated in January.

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The requests were sent in the third week of February. By Friday, every agency had provided its log  or reported that it did not maintain a formal log  except the departments of conservation, corrections and natural resources.

The state agency where the public faced the longest delays getting access to government records was the Missouri Department of Social Services.

The department received 988 records requests last year. As of last month, it had 54 still pending, including four from 2022 and five from 2023. Two of those longstanding requests were noted as pending legal review and seven as time extension.

Seven of the long-standing requests are from news reporters and two are from individuals. All sought records regarding child abuse investigations, including at least one looking for department records for the Agape Boarding School, the Stockton-based Christian residential that closed in January 2023 while under scrutiny for alleged abuse of its students over decades..

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There is no reason records requests should drag on so long, said Echo Menges, president of the Missouri Sunshine Coalition.

Requesters should expect complex requests to take a reasonable amount of time, she said, but requests that linger unfilled for years smack of deliberate delays.

Theyre basically being stonewalled and withholding information, said Menges, editor of the Edina Sentinel. Theres no way to gently explain that.

Dan Curry, legal adviser to the Missouri Press Association, said the public is entitled to ask for a specific date for producing records and specific reasons if the response is delayed.

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They should always make that request if they feel like theyre being slow walked or or stonewalled in any way, Curry said. Submit a written request demanding a detailed explanation, and the government body is required to provide a detailed explanation. A generic we just need more time is not sufficient.

Other findings from The Independents investigation:

The Department of Transportation was the only other agency besides social services with pending requests received before Jan. 1, 2024. It had two, one from 2022 and another from 2023. There is no indication on the log provided of the nature of the records sought.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, which because of its work generates thousands of crash and arrest reports annually, provided a 968-page log of its requests for 2024 that contains approximately 30,000 entries. There were 171 open requests listed.

There are 12 agencies that provide an online portal that requires registering an email address and creating a password to submit and retrieve records. The remaining agencies and officials handle requests through a dedicated email for the custodian of records.

The Department of Conservation, in an interim response, said to expect a copy of its Sunshine log by March 7. The departments custodian of records did not respond to a message sent early last week seeking a reason for the delay and the date when the records would be available.

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The Department of Corrections sent the same formulaic response to two requests, one sent to the departments custodian of records and another sent to the Board of Probation and Parole.

Due to the size of our agency and the volume of records we maintain, locating, reviewing and copying the records could take up to sixty working days, the response stated. Should we find that we will not be able to get the records to you within sixty working days, we will contact you again to tell you the reason for the delay.

The Department of Natural Resources, in an interim response, said to expect a copy of its log by March 24. The departments custodian of records did not respond to a message sent early last week seeking a reason for the delay and the date when the records would be available.

It is like an A-minus to me, state government as a whole, Menges said when asked to grade the quality of the responses. Although graded on their own, natural resources still has some time, but conservation is an F.

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When a public agency misses the date it has set for fulfilling a request, or does not set a specific date in a response stating it cannot provide the records immediately, requesters should demand a specific date  and the specific reasons for the delay, said Dave Roland, litigation director of the Freedom Center of Missouri.

Under the Sunshine Law, every request shall be acted upon as soon as possible with a requirement that the records, or a reason why they cannot be provided immediately, by the end of the third business day following the date the request is received.

When responding to ask for reasons, Roland said requesters should incorporate the statutory language requiring a detailed explanation of the cause for further delay and the place and earliest time and date that the record will be available for inspection.

Then you see what they say, Roland said. If they do not give an adequate explanation or an adequate estimate as to when theyre going to comply, then you can let them know, well, youre at risk of violating the Sunshine Law.

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The Missouri Supreme Court, in a 2021 decision, ruled that then-Gov. Mike Parsons office violated the Sunshine Law by giving an approximate number of days rather than a particular date when records would be available. That decision was also notable because it barred public agencies from charging for time spent by attorneys reviewing records before release.

Open government as a right

Rebecca Varney, left, speaks with attorney Dave Roland outside the Phelps County Courthouse after a Sept. 2, 2023 trial of her civil rights and Sunshine Law case against her hometown of Edgar Springs (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

The publics right to see government records is rooted in common law. The Sunshine Law, passed in 1973 to codify that right, wasnt the first statute to do so. In 1961, the legislature passed a law imposing criminal penalties on officials who interfere with the right to inspect public records and protecting the publics ability to make copies of those records.

Under the Sunshine Law, every public agency from the largest state department to the smallest water district must have a custodian of records responsible for providing access. There is no requirement that a requester state a reason for seeking the records and no requirement that the requester be a resident of Missouri or the place where a local agency has jurisdiction.

Agencies are not required to create new records in response to a request. And they are allowed to require payment for staff time needed to search for records and the costs of copying them. The costs are limited to no more than 10 cents per page for copying costs and by using employees of the body that result in the lowest amount of charges for search, research, and duplication time.

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High charges for public records have been found to be a violation of the law. In 2020, Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris ruled that the University of Missouri had sought an excessive amount when it demanded $82,000 for records of dogs used in research.

The cost estimate in this case was tantamount to a denial of the request, Harris wrote.

The general compliance by state agencies in their responses to a simple request isnt surprising, Menges said, because as the largest and most complex organizations subject to the law, they should set the standard.

The most common violations, she said, are by local government agencies. Throughout Missouri, there are fire, hospital, water and other districts governed by part-time boards with members who have never been subject to the Sunshine Law before.

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The attorney generals office provides training, as do many state associations, but it is the responsibility of those board members to learn the law and make sure their agencies follow it, Menges said.

On a local level, we have a huge education issue, which is people do not understand or know how to follow the Sunshine Law in public boards, public offices, Menges said. Its rampant, especially in rural communities.

Failure to follow the law can be costly. A lawsuit to enforce the Sunshine Law means large legal fees even if the government agency wins.

The Western District Court of Appeals is considering a case against the Western Cass Fire Protection District where a former board member accuses it of 46 violations at 11 different meetings. One of the meetings had an agenda item special considerations with no other explanation; the intent was to remove two board members.

The attorney generals office filed a brief in the case, supporting the accusations that the district violated the law. Agenda items must be written to describe what will be discussed, Assistant Attorney General Jason Lewis wrote in the brief.

That means that a public governmental body cannot hide an elephant in a mouse hole by using vague or excessively broad terms to hide what the body intends to do, Lewis wrote. The tentative agenda must be specific enough for the public to be able to make an informed decision about whether to attend the meeting.

In tiny Edgar Springs in Phelps County, Roland represented Rebecca Varney in a case where she was banned from city hall because staff became annoyed at her visits seeking city records.

The city was found to have purposefully violated the Sunshine Law and ordered to pay $750 to Varney and almost $80,000 to Roland for his time. The city is appealing an order compelling it to turn over most of its available cash to pay the judgment, with interest accumulating since the 2023 ruling

It really flows through not just publicly elected officials, but voters themselves, Menges said. Its OK if you want to vote for someone who doesnt care to follow the Sunshine Law, but what that case has shown us is youre going to pay for it.

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HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- A bill which would require a moment of silence before each school day in Kentucky is now on its way to Governor Beshears desk. Senate Bill 19 would require moments of silence or reflection at the start of each school day lasting at least one minute, but not exceeding two minutes in length.

Disaster team begins work on Brescia Universitys hail damage

The bill outlines that students are to remain seated and silent so that others may exercise their individual choice to meditate, pray or engage in any other silent activity. A late amendment to the bill would also require that local school boards give students the option to travel off campus for up to an hour each week to receive moral instruction with a parent or guardians permission.

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The bill does not include any punishment for districts which do not enact a moment of silence.

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If all goes as a Milwaukee judge ordered, school police will walk the halls of Milwaukee Public Schools on Monday.

If that happens, it would be the first time in over 14 months that MPS has complied with state law requiring the presence of 25 school resource officers in district schools. Noncompliance with the law known as Act 12 prompted a lawsuit against the MPS school board, and later the city, by a district parent and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.

Milwaukee Circuit Judge David Borowski set three separate deadlines for police to get into schools: Feb. 17, Feb. 27 and March 15.

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In issuing that third deadline, and growing increasingly frustrated, Borowski also found the city of Milwaukee liable for contempt in failing to get officers in place by his earlier deadlines. He ordered the city to be fined $1,000 per day for noncompliance. But Borowski also stayed those penalties until March 15, giving the city time to take certain steps to comply with Act 12. A hearing in the case is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Monday.

To avoid penalties, the city must show the judge that:

It has taken steps to implement a memorandum of understanding with MPS outlining the terms of the school resource officer program;

School resource officers are either registered for, or have completed, training through the National Association of School Resource Officers, and;

It can provide a list of the names of the 25 school resource officers, and the schools where they will work, to the judge.

Since Feb. 27, both the city Common Council and Milwaukee Board of School Directors have taken formal action to approve a memorandum of understanding that contractually outlines the details of the school police program.

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Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed the memorandum March 10, according to his spokesperson Jeff Fleming.

Among other things, the agreement says school police should become involved only when a student breaks the law, and school discipline should be handled by MPS staff. Defining that line between police as law enforcement officials and school disciplinarians has been an issue in the past.

Activists against SROs have argued that police too often entangle students with the legal system for behaviors that should otherwise be handled by school staff. Research has shown that students of color and students with disabilities are more likely to be arrested or suspended when police are present in schools.

In creating the police-related requirements of Act 12, state lawmakers are forcing MPS to reverse course on a 2020 decision to terminate contracts with police. The district and school board took that action in the wake of national anti-police brutality protests and the murder of George Floyd.

When will officers be in place in MPS schools?

Borowski has made clear he wants police in schools as quickly as possible. But it still remains unclear exactly when that will happen.

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In a March 12 statement, the mayor's spokesperson, Jeff Fleming, said school police were expected to complete the required training by March 14. Fleming said he did not know specifics about when officers would be in schools or at which schools they would be stationed.

A spokesperson for the Milwaukee Police Department declined to provide updates on Friday, citing ongoing litigation.

A spokesperson for MPS also declined to provide updates Friday.

Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Monday is the deadline for city to prove action on MPS police program
A 33-year-old former employee at the Levine Jewish Community Center is facing child exploitation charges in Union County, officials and law enforcement said.

Child sexual abuse photos, videos found on Mint Hill mans devices

Joseph Velez of Monroe worked in the aquatics department at the JCC and was arrested for exploitation charges, JCC officials said.

They have notified people who participate in the department.

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There is no indication that any of these offenses occurred at the JCC, and his employment was immediately terminated after learning of the charges, officials said.

They said they are cooperating with law enforcement. JCC officials said Velez passed a thorough background check. He even attended child abuse and prevention training.

The suspects not been charged with anything that would be considered a hands-on offense with a child at this point, said UCSO Lt. James Maye. These are all offenses that have occurred using online platforms, search engines, things like that.

The Union County Sheriffs Office is working with the State Bureau of Investigation on another child exploitation investigation involving the suspect.

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In late February, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent detectives information regarding the possession and distribution of sexually explicit images of children from online accounts linked to Velez.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Velezs home and seized multiple electronic devices.

Velez allegedly had photos and video of girls under the age of 10 and 3. The videos showed sexual activity and rape, according to the arrest warrant.

The big message here, and the big message for people doing this, is that you may be in a dark room in your house, but what youre doing will be found out ultimately, Maye said.

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Investigators in Union County charged Velez with 20 counts of felony second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He is being held at the jail under a $2 million secured bond.

VIDEO: NC man behind Thank You Jesus signs charged with exploitation of a minor








Mar. 16Twenty current and former federal workers gathered at state Department of Labor and Industry offices across Montana at 9 a.m. on March 12 for a "Rapid Response Event" aimed at "assist[ing] those impacted by federal layoffs." Another 23 people attended virtually.

In all, they represented a negligible percentage of the 10,129 federal workers that live in Montana.

The conference room at the back of the Job Services office in downtown Kalispell was nearly vacant. Dozens of folders stuffed with flyers advertising job services remained unopened.

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"It's hard for people to seek [the department's] support right now," explained one of the two federal workers that attended the Kalispell event.

The worker asked that their name and job title not appear in print. Despite being among 360 other Montana Forest Service workers fired in February, they had been temporarily reinstated to their job position and were not authorized to talk to the press.

While thrilled to return to work, the Forest Service employee said that the reinstatement had also created more uncertainty. The future state of their employment hinges on the outcome of a federal lawsuit, alleging that the mass termination of probationary U.S. Forest Service workers was unlawful. A federal board is expected to hand down a verdict by April 18.

Until then, their job is akin to Schrodinger's cat, both existent and non-existent. That makes it hard to do things like file for unemployment or send out resumes.

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"It's overwhelming for me still to try to look for a job," they said.

The Forest Service worker hoped the event might provide some answers. After a series of presentations from state staff, they typed a question into the chat, asking whether employees affected by the lawsuit should file for unemployment. A flood of similar questions filtered onscreen, asking about the language in termination letters, the documents required to file for unemployment and the impending threat of a government shutdown.

Nearly all the inquiries were met with similar catechisms about reviewing things on a "case-by-case basis." A morose sense of humor crept into the conference room.

"It's going to be years before this gets sorted," said the second Kalispell attendee, an employee of U.S. Agency for International Development.

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The Department of Labor and Industry has helped workers navigate mass layoffs before. Last year, about 250 lumber workers found themselves unemployed after two mills shuttered in quick succession. Another 700 workers were laid-off a few months later when the Sibayne-Stillwater mill downsized. Both times, the state agency hosted similar rapid response events to help those affected file for unemployment, revamp resumes and find new jobs.

Those efforts benefited from $5.5 million worth of federal grants administered through the U.S. Department of Labor. The federal government reportedly froze some of those grant funds in late February, making future payments uncertain.

In a March 6 statement, the department also acknowledged that federal employees may face extra challenges navigating more traditional employment routes.

"Unlike many Rapid Response events the agency hosted over the last year, the layoff of federal workers requires specialized support to translate the skills and duties of a federal employee to the private sector or work in other public sector and nonprofit professions," reads the statement.

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The state Labor Department's existing challenges could multiply, as Thursday marked the deadline for several agencies to submit "Agency Reorganization Plans" that include measures to reduce full-time positions.

There is no information as to how these plans may affect Montana workers, but there are new additions to the state Labor Department's website. A page titled "Federal Worker Resources" now lists the number for a hotline for federal workers seeking help with unemployment insurance and other benefits as well as a dropdown menu for "Upcoming Rapid Response Events."

The department was unable to provide the Daily Inter Lake with comment by its print deadline.

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4433.
Gov. Wes Moore (D) told reporters about ongoing budget discussions as the General Assembly heads into the last three weeks of the 2025 session. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

A plan to tax services used by some businesses will not have the support of Gov. Wes Moore (D) unless it also expands on the people who pay.

Moore told reporters Monday that his office has been working very closely with lawmakers. As a result he told reporters that two proposed taxes  a sales tax on services between businesses and another on sweetened beverages  would not pass.

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The governor said the proposals did not measure up to his goals of making the state more business-friendly and lowering costs for residents who are feeling the pinch.

That is why the broad business-to-business tax will not be in the final budget. So, a broad B2B tax will not happen in the state of Maryland, Moore said.

The proposal  with identical bills in the House and Senate  would levy a sales tax on some services between businesses. It would raise an estimated $940 million in fiscal 2026 and a projected $1.4 billion in fiscal 2030 as currently drafted,with tech and consulting businesses paying the bulk of the tax.

But Moores comments did not fully explain the position he was announcing. Moores opposition to a broad business-to-business tax on services would become more acceptable if a sales tax was also assessed on services that some consumers would pay directly.

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Moore also cited his priority to keep costs to Marylanders down as he announced that a proposed 2-cent per ounce tax on sugary drinks would not get his signature if it reached his desk.

Weve got to impact, weve got to bring down the costs of what people are seeing inside grocery stores and inside markets, Moore said. And thats why the soda tax will not happen in the state of Maryland the soda tax will not be included in the final budget.

The governor left immediately after making his statement. He did not take questions from reporters.

Following that appearance, administration officials spoke to reporters to provide additional details.

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In those discussions, administration officials familiar with budget negotiations, repeated the governors objection to a tax solely on businesses.

Those same sources, who spoke on background with reporters, said Moore would consider a package that also included taxes on services direct to consumers as well as on businesses. Those sources acknowledged that any business-to-business sales tax would likely be passed on to consumers if the current bill became law.

The exact list of services or examples were not provided.

Those same officials left open the door for a change in the current proposed rate of 2.5%  lower than the 6% sales tax rate the state levies on goods. Officials said that while the number is in the ballpark they would not rule out a decrease or increase in the proposed rate.

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Mary D. Kane, president and CEO of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, initially expressed excitement over what she interpreted as Moores announcement to kill the business-to-business sales tax.

I was thrilled to hear him say that, Kane said. I was also thrilled to hear him say that hes going to look at each proposal through three lenses, including, Does this make Maryland more competitive? This is what weve been trying to say all along.

Kane said her excitement was tempered after learning business-to-business tax was not dead but might be expanded in some way.

Taxing business services is not going to help any small or large business, even if they cherry-pick, Kane said. Picking different services and expanding it out to consumers  its tough enough as it is already with inflation and everything else going on.

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Adding services to consumers would not be a novel approach. A similar efforts have been proposed in the legislature including in 2024.

Its the same problem in different packaging, Kane said.

Mike OHalloran, state director for the National Federation of Independent Business applauded the announcement, but said vigilance is warranted.

Its good to hear that small businesses strong opposition to this tax has reached the governor, OHalloran said. Were equally thankful for his voice on this important matter. But the work is not done.

Any tax that pushes Maryland further down the list of states to do business in shouldnt be on the table in any form, he said. Small businesses also remain concerned with a proposed increase to their personal income taxes. Such a hike would adversely impact those owners who file as pass-through entities.

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It is not clear on how much the House, Senate and the governor actually agree.

House Appropriations Chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince Georges and Anne Arundel) did not comment on specific negotiations with Moore or the services sales tax.

We have been working closely with the governor and the budget that house appropriations and ways and means will pass tomorrow will reflect that, Barnes said in a statement Monday.

Leaders in the Senate were not immediately available for comment.

Its the same problem in different packaging.

 Maryland Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mary D. Kane

Republicans, who make up about a third of the House and Senate, said the announcement leaves unanswered questions about potential taxes in the proposed budget.

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I think the key issue to be determined is that the word broad is in the eye of the beholder, said House Minority Leader Del. Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany). Gov. Moore has come out and said, very clearly, I wont support this broad business-to-business services tax. I would suggest that the bill as written would certainly qualify as a pretty broad business-to-business services tax. Where that goes, in terms of what theyre negotiating comes next, I dont know.

Democrats, who hold supermajorities in the House and Senate will ultimately control the final budget outcome.

The Democrats appear to have considered a straight one-penny sales tax increase, but have taken that off the table, saying its too regressive, yet now they are willing to create a brand new tax that targets businesses and the middle class, said Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore).

Moores comments on the so-called sugary drink tax come as no surprise.

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The proposed tax was projected to raise nearly $500 million in the first year. Nearly $190 million would go to expand the states free meal program to every public school and all qualifying private schools. Another $50 million would go toward the states child care subsidy program. The balance, about $210 million, was to be earmarked for the general fund budget.

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The bill was expected to have a difficult road to passage.

I think its important to note that the sugar tax polls very, very high. It has a lot of support by Marylanders, especially because all of it was dedicated to three main purposes, said Del. Emily Shetty (D-Montgomery), the lead sponsor of the bill. These are things that our communities support, and are excited about. That said, I know this is a tough year with tough decisions and hope that the conversation continues.

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Despite the polls, businesses came out in droves to oppose it.

Moores comments come as the legislature continues to hammer out a spending plan for fiscal 2026. Lawmakers are meeting in multiple voting sessions as they hurry to meet a key legislative milepost: Each chamber was racing to pass bills that could be sent to the other chamber by the end of the day Monday.

Bills that miss that deadline face a tougher time becoming law.

Additionally, the House and Senate continue to hammer out a budget. The House delayed finalizing its version of Moores spending plan in order to see if the federal government would shut down last week. The delay puts the House on track to debate the bill as early as the end of the week with the Senate getting the bill next week.

The delay, which was not unexpected, likely means the House and Senate will miss a deadline to complete the budget by the 83rd day of session. As a result, Moore is expected to issue a letter requiring the legislature to remain in session to work only on completing the budget. The House and Senate are expected to complete the budget by April 7 before the General Assembly adjourns.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) declared March 16-22, 2025, as Flood Insurance Awareness Week in Mississippi.

According to the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID), more than 1 million properties in the state are not covered by flood insurance.

Mississippi has experienced significant flooding in recent years, causing hardship and financial loss to homeowners and business owners, said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. Its estimated that even a few inches of rain in a small home could cost more than $10,000 in repairs. At last check, there were nearly 53,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies in force in Mississippi.

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Homeowners can buy flood insurance through the NFIP or through private insurance. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding. It typically takes 30 days for a flood policy to go into effect.

Volunteers unite to aid Mississippi tornado victims

Other tips to prepare for flooding now:

Sign up for your community warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.

Learn and practice evacuation routes and shelter plans.

Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Make digital copies of those documents to upload and protect them with a password.

Designate someone out of state to be your family contact in the event of an emergency. Make sure everyone knows the contacts address and phone number.

Gather supplies you might need if you have to leave home quickly. Keep in mind, you may need medication, pet food and crates, and extra batteries and chargers for mobile phones.

After a flood:

Listen to authorities for information and return home only when authorities say its safe.

Avoid driving, except in emergencies.

Snakes and other animals may have come into your home or business during the flood.

Wear gloves and boots during cleanup.

Dont touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if youre in standing water. If its safe, turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock.

Avoid wading in floodwater as it could be contaminated.

Only use a generator outdoors and away from windows.

File a flood insurance claim as soon as possible. Call 18006213362 for further assistance or Register for FEMA Flood Disaster Assistance.



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(NewsNation)  Tensions are high in the Middle East as the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have vowed to escalate attacks after airstrikes by the United States over the weekend, which killed more than 50 people.

President Donald Trump warned Iran would pay for the Houthis targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea.

The White House said the strikes could be the first of many, and Trump said Iran must end its support of the terrorist group.

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Accused gang members deported to El Salvador get harsh reception

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth went a step further, saying the strikes were a direct response to ongoing threats in the Red Sea.

U.S. fighter jets hit many Houthi military targets across Yemen on Saturday, and the Houthi Health Ministry reported at least 53 people have died and nearly 100 others injured.

National security adviser Michael Waltz said the strikes took out Houthi leadership.

The White House has said the rebel group launched hundreds of missiles and drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in response to the war in Gaza.

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Trump administration tariffs create uncertainty for brewery owner

The Red Sea serves as one of the most vital shipping corridors, and the attacks and threats have forced a 60% drop in the number of ships passing through the crucial trade route.

Trump posted to social media, directing a message to Iran: BEWARE! he wrote. America will hold you fully accountable, and we wont be nice about it!

Iran has denied any sort of involvement in the attacks by Houthi rebels, but the Houthi vowed to meet th escalation with more attacks.

Trump is currently trying to push a new nuclear agreement with Iran. He recently sent a letter to Irans supreme leader in an effort to spur negotiations.

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Retired Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, a NewsNation senior national security contributor, weighed in on the conflict in the Middle East on Morning in America, saying what has unfolded is a dramatic shift by President Trump toward the Houthis.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Donald Trump announced a crackdown at the border upon returning to office to stop the flow of fentanyl into the US.

But in recent months, more eggs than fentanyl have been seized by border agents as prices soar, according to a report.

Since October, border officers have seized 3,768 poultry-related products compared to 352 seizures of the deadly opioid, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows.

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Egg interceptions are up 36 per cent nationwide in the year starting in October compared to the previous year, the report found.

In parts of Texas, a hot spot for egg smuggling, seizures have risen by 54 per cent, according to CBPs Laredo field office. Meanwhile, in San Diego, they have more than doubled.

Its the price difference, Roger Maier, a CBP spokesman, explained to The Wall Street Journal.

Mr Maier is based in El Paso, where, since January, agents have foiled 90 would-be egg smugglers trying to ferry the breakfast staples across the border. The price is like a third of what it is in the US, he said.

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The surge in egg-based criminal activity is the latest sign of the lengths consumers and suppliers are prepared to go to get around surging prices.

A sign shows that eggs are sold out at a grocery store in Alameda, California - JOHN G MABANGLO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Last month, a dozen A-grade large eggs cost $5.90 on average, according to Labour Department data. Thats the highest price on record and a 97 per cent increase on the $3 cost of the same box a year ago.

The soaring prices are being driven by an outbreak of avian flu that has ravaged the US hen population, with farmers forced to cull their entire flock if a single case of the disease is found.

Grocery shoppers in some regions have seen prices rise to $10 or more per box, while others have been faced with empty shelves.

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In New York, a new phenomenon has emerged of bodegas selling eggs outside of the box, known as loosies, in individually wrapped plastic bags.

In one instance, a small grocery store was selling three eggs for $2.99, rather than charging $12 for an entire carton, CBS reported.

Restaurants have been forced to adapt to the trend, with Waffle House and Dennys among those recently adding a 50-cent surcharge for each egg added to a dish.

Dennys informed customers about the surcharge in February - Eric Thayer

Meanwhile, the shortages have even led to daring heists, such as one in early February, where 100,000 eggs with a market value of $40,000 were stolen from a distribution centre in Pennsylvania.

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In a bid to contain the situation, the justice department has launched an investigation into the causes of soaring prices, including whether large-scale producers are manipulating prices or supplies.

The USDA last month announced plans to invest up to $1 billion to address the price of eggs, including $500m for developing biosecurity measures at egg farms.

The US department of agriculture does not allow travellers to import eggs or egg-based products as they can spread disease if not properly inspected.

CBP officials told the WSJ that most people arriving at the border dont know that unofficial egg imports are banned, and that many take with them flat cartons containing up to 30 eggs.

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Officials are said to have been instructed to ask whether drivers are carrying eggs, at which point most people admit to their mistake.

However, those who fail to reveal their illicit contraband may face charges of up to $300 for a first-time offence.

Several of the 16 penalties that customs officers in El Paso have given out in recent weeks are said to relate to concealed egg cargoes.

Border agents are required to destroy any eggs recovered using established protocols, one agent told the outlet, explaining that the offending food-stuffs are placed in an incinerator.

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The China Banking Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce jointly issued a proposal on Monday, calling on the country's banking financial institutions to use more concrete measures to enhance services for private enterprises. #XinhuaNews
Benefits are being claimed by over one million foreign nationals, according to an analysis of Government figures.

Households with at least one foreign national claimant received more than 7.5 billion in Universal Credit in 2023, figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show.

Foreign nationals become eligible for Universal Credit and other benefits on the same terms as British citizens once they are granted indefinite leave to remain and have settled or refugee status.

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After paying National Insurance for 10 years, they are also entitled to the state pension.

The analysis by the Centre for Migration Control (CMC) suggests 40 nationalities  after getting indefinite leave to remain, settled status or refugee protection  are claiming benefits at a greater rate per head of population than British citizens.

Three nationalities  Congolese, Iraqis and Afghans  are claiming benefits at four times the rate of British people.

The disclosure of the foreign welfare bill comes ahead of an expected announcement by Sir Keir Starmer unveiling up to 6 billion of benefit cuts. He has described the system as unsustainable, indefensible and unfair but is facing the biggest rebellion of his premiership over the planned reforms.

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The cost of foreign benefit claims excludes a further 5.4 billion for accommodating and supporting a backlog of more than 100,000 asylum seekers. That cost rose five-fold in five years under the last Conservative government.

The bill is likely to increase as 800,000 foreign nationals are expected to receive indefinite leave to remain in the UK over the next decade following record levels of net migration of up to 906,000 a year, according to a separate analysis by the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS).

The Tories have proposed that jobless and low-paid migrants should be barred from remaining indefinitely in the UK.

They have also argued that the length of time before anyone who has come to the UK can claim such leave to remain should be increased from five to 10 years.

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Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the benefits bill for foreign nationals was unacceptable and astonishing, adding: It is immoral that British taxpayers are subsidising nationals of other countries on an industrial scale. No wonder our taxes are so high.

Research shows low-wage migrants actually cost other taxpayers money. This is why the era of mass migration has to end. I have tabled amendments to the Borders Bill to create a legally binding annual cap on immigration numbers and an increase in the visa salary threshold to 38,000 across the board.

The CMC analysis is based on DWP data from 2019, which shows that there were 990,000 foreigners  610,000 non-EU nationals and 380,000 EU nationals  claiming working-age benefits, an increase of nine per cent on the year before.

This compared with 6.1 million Britons, which had only increased by four per cent since 2018.

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The DWP has not updated the figures since the pandemic, but CMC has estimated that a further 168,000 claimants would have been added if foreign nationals claims continued at the same rate.

This would give a cumulative total of 1,158,000 but will be lower as some will have left, died or stopped claiming. The CMC calculated rates of claims per nationality in 2019 relative to their overall population in the 2021 census.

Of the 200 nationalities, Poland accounted for the largest number of claimants at 89,040, followed by Pakistan (85,881), Bangladesh (54,589), Romania (45,727), India (33,561), Portugal (32,063), Nigeria (23,627) and Ireland (17,933).

The Congo had the highest rate, at 445 claims per 1,000 of its population in the UK, based on 2021 census figures from the Office for National Statistics.

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It was followed by Iraq at 434 per 1,000, Afghanistan (414), Algeria (361), Eritrea (355), Syria (352), Somalia (336), Iran (334), Morocco (286) and Slovakia (283). The average for the UK was 100 per 1,000 of the population.

If the average Universal Credit claim of 393.45 a month for a person over 25 was applied to the one million foreign claimants, the bill would total 4.7 billion a year.

In a response to a freedom of information request by the CPS, however, the DWP revealed that in 2023 households with at least one claimant from outside the UK or Ireland who had passed a habitual residence test received 7.6 billion in Universal Credit.

The DWP said that because Universal Credit was a household benefit, one claimant could be a UK national and the other not, or vice versa. We are unable to apportion the total amount to each individual, therefore we have stated at least one claimant, it said.

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Karl Williams, the research director at the CPS, said: We need to move towards a much more selective immigration system that prioritises migrants likely to be substantial net contributors.

This spring, Sir Keir will unveil a white paper to reduce migration by banning bosses who break employment law.

Bosses who fail to pay their staff the minimum wage will be banned from hiring workers from abroad for up to two years and companies will be required to train Britons for jobs before they can recruit from overseas.

Rob Bates, the CMC research director, said: It is an unsustainable state of affairs, and one that reveals the real folly behind our current indefinite leave to remain laws, meaning someone who has been here for just five years has access to the welfare state that British nationals have paid into for generations.

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A DWP spokesman said: We have a duty to pay benefits to all those entitled to receive them. However, the figures highlighted refer to 2019, and cant be used to provide an indication of the current nationality of claimants.

Universal Credit is designed to incentivise moving people into employment and progression at work and has a thorough application process.

Illegal migrants with no immigration status cannot receive Universal Credit, and refugees and non-UK or Irish citizens can only receive payments once they have had their status granted by the Home Office and satisfy the Habitual Residence Test.

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MORRIS, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY)  A Morris man is facing several abuse charges after an investigation revealed a relationship with a minor and led to his arrest on Friday.

The Otsego County Sheriffs began the investigation after a complaint from the New York State Child Abuse Hotline. Further investigation found that the suspect  48-year-old Scott Strain of Morris  had entered into a sexual relationship with a minor. Otsego County Sheriffs did not reveal their identity due to their age.

Otsego County Sheriffs said that during Strains relationship with the minor, he requested and received indecent material from the minor.

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Sheriffs executed a search warrant on Strains property on Friday, March 14. During the execution of the warrant, Strain was located and arrested without further incident.

Strain was processed at the Otsego County Sheriffs Office and awaits centralized arraignment at the Otsego County Jail in Cooperstown. He is currently being charged with:

First-degree Dissemination of Indecent Material to Minors, a Class D Felony,

Promotion of a Sexual Performance by a Child, a Class D Felony, and

Third-degree Rape, a Class E Felony.

Otsego County Sheriffs say additional charges are pending.

An order of protection has been requested on behalf of the victim. Bail for Strain has been set at $15,000 cash or credit card or $150,000 bond.

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Otsego County Sheriffs were assisted by the Otsego County Child Advocacy Center and the United States Department of Homeland Security.

The investigation remains ongoing. We will provide more information as it becomes available to us.

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Mar. 17MOSES LAKE  A Moses Lake man was arrested Friday in connection with a March 8 shooting on Stratford Road in Moses Lake.

Luis Medina, 27, was arrested in Moses Lake and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault and drive-by shooting, said Moses Lake Police Department Captain Jeff Sursely in a press release.

The shooting injured Monty Dent, 32, Moses Lake. Dent was hit in the arm and back; his father, Tom Dent, a Republican who serves in the Washington House of Representatives, said the nature of the back injury caused him to be airlifted to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. His son has since been released from the hospital and is recuperating.

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"During the arrest, a gun was recovered from the suspect's vehicle and will be tested to see if it was the gun used in the assault," Sursely said.

Moses Lake Police Department officers were summoned to a report of an argument in the 1100 block of Stratford Road on the evening of March 8. When they arrived at the fight scene, they received notification of a shooting at Stratford Road and Maple Drive Northeast.

"A witness described a white sedan pulling up next to the victim and firing several shots into the vehicle as they traveled northbound on Stratford Road," Sursely said.

Rep. Dent was participating in the 2025 Washington Legislative Session, but emergencies don't respect time nor place, he said. His wife was also away from home.

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"I'm really concerned with the anger that's in the community," Dent said. "What are we doing that's creating this?"

Dent said it's more common now for people to respond to aggravation with violence, which isn't a good trend.

"We need to address this in a different way. We need to look for the cause," he said. "The COVID thing really changed things a lot  people were isolated and unable to have the normal social interactions. They were just shut down and left alone."

That made the trend worse but didn't cause it, he said.

"How are we going to reverse this trend that we're faced with right now?" he said. "That's my big concern."

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His legislative colleagues rallied around, he said.

"I'm really grateful for that, for the support of the Legislature," he said. "All the members on both sides (of the aisle) reached out  unbelievably so. They check in with me every day."

Governor Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, offered the use of the governor's plane to ensure Dent got to Spokane as quickly as possible, he said. He also got a ride from the airport to the hospital.

Dent said he's a longtime supporter of more severe penalties for crimes that involve guns and will advocate for that.

"No matter what, this is not what a polite society does," he said.
Most Americans support Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war and believe US President Donald Trump is on the side of Russia.

Source: NBC News poll, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The survey found that among registered voters in the US, 61% support Ukraine, while only 2% support Russia. Another 35% said they have no preference for either side and 2% were unsure.

When asked which side they believe Trump sympathises with, 49% said Russia, 40% said Trump doesn't sympathise with either side and 8% chose Ukraine. Another 3% were unsure.

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Among the Americans surveyed, support for Ukraine was most commonly expressed by Democratic Party supporters (88%), independent voters (59%) and those with higher education and income levels.

Republican voters more often stated they do not sympathise with either side, with 57% choosing this option.

Regarding voters' views on President Trumps stance on Ukraine and Russia, most Democrats and independents believe Trump sympathises more with Russia.

Meanwhile, among Republicans, 70% believe Trump doesn't support either side, 14% think he sympathises more with Russia and 13% think he supports Ukraine.

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NBC News conducted the survey with 1,000 registered US voters between 7 and 11 March through phone interviews and online polling. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Background: At the beginning of March, slightly more than half of Americans stated they personally support Ukraine in its war against Russia, but few believe that Donald Trump has prioritised Ukraine.

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Patients have their blood pressure checked and other vitals taken at an intake triage at a Remote Area Medical (RAM) mobile dental and medical clinic in Grundy, Virginia. Potential cuts to Medicaid would hit working-age adults who live in small towns and rural areas especially hard. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Working-age adults who live in small towns and rural areas are more likely to be covered by Medicaid than their counterparts in cities, creating a dilemma for Republicans looking to make deep cuts to the health care program.

About 72 million people  nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States  are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to low-income and disabled people and is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Black, Hispanic, and Native people are disproportionately represented on the rolls, and more than half of Medicaid recipients are people of color.

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Nationwide, 18.3% of adults who are between the ages of 19 and 64 and live in small towns and rural areas are enrolled, compared with 16.3% in metro areas, according to a recent analysis by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.

In 15 states, at least a fifth of working-age adults in small towns and rural areas are covered by Medicaid, and in two of those states  Arizona and New York  more than a third are. Eight of the 15 states voted for President Donald Trump.

Twenty-six Republicans in the U.S. House represent districts where Medicaid covers more than 30% of the population, according to a recent analysis by The New York Times. Many of those districts have significant rural populations, including House Speaker Mike Johnsons 4th Congressional District in Louisiana.

Republican U.S. Rep. David Valadao of California, whose Central Valley district is more than two-thirds Hispanic and where 68% of the residents are enrolled in Medicaid, has spoken out against potential cuts.

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Ive heard from countless constituents who tell me the only way they can afford health care is through programs like Medicaid, and I will not support a final reconciliation bill that risks leaving them behind, Valadao said to House members in a recent floor speech.

U.S. House Republicans are trying to reduce the federal budget by $2 trillion as they seek $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. GOP leaders have directed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid and Medicare, to find $880 billion in savings.

Trump has ruled out cuts to Medicare, which covers older adults. That leaves Medicaid as the only other program big enough to provide the needed savings  and the Medicaid recipients most likely to be in the crosshairs are working-age adults. But targeting that population would have a disproportionate impact on small towns and rural areas, which are reliably Republican.

Furthermore, hospitals and other health care providers in rural communities are heavily reliant on Medicaid. Many rural hospitals are struggling, and nearly 200 have closed or significantly scaled back their services in the past two decades.

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Before the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, there were far fewer working-age adults on the Medicaid rolls: The program mostly covered children and their caregivers, people with disabilities and pregnant women. But under the ACA, states are allowed to expand Medicaid to cover adults making up to 138% of the federal poverty level  about $21,000 a year for a single person. As an inducement to expand, the federal government covers 90% of the costs  a greater share than what the feds pay for the traditional Medicaid population.

Last year, there were about 21.3 million people who received coverage through Medicaid expansion.

One GOP cost-saving idea is to reduce the federal match for that population to what the feds give states for the traditional Medicaid population, which ranges from 50% for the wealthiest states to 77% for the poorest ones. That would reduce federal spending by $626 billion over a 10-year period, according to a recent analysis by KFF, a health research group.

Nine states  Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia  have so-called trigger laws that would automatically end Medicaid expansion if the feds reduce their share. Three other states  Idaho, Iowa, and New Mexico  would require other cost-saving steps.

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States will not be able to cover those shortfalls, said Jennifer Driver, senior director of reproductive rights at the State Innovation Exchange, a left-leaning nonprofit that advocates on state legislative issues. Its not cutting costs. It is putting people in real danger.

Studies have shown that Medicaid expansion has improved health care for a range of issues, including family planning, HIV care and prevention, and postpartum health care.

Another idea is to require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work. That would affect an average of 15 million enrollees each year, and 1.5 million would lose eligibility for federal funding, resulting in federal savings of about $109 billion over 10 years.

In heavily rural North Carolina, which has a trigger law, there are about 3 million people on Medicaid, and 640,000 of them are eligible under the states expansion program. About 231,000 of the expansion enrollees live in rural counties. Black residents make up about 36% of new enrollees under the states eligibility expansion, but only about 22% of the states population.

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Brandy Harrell, chief of staff at the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, an advocacy group based in Cary, North Carolina, that focuses on rural issues, said the proposed Medicaid cuts would deepen the existing disparities between white people and Black people and urban and rural residents.

It would have a profound effect on working families by reducing access to essential health care, increasing financial strain, and jeopardizing childrens health, Harrell said. Cuts could lead to more medical debt, and also poorer health outcomes for our state.

Two of the North Carolina lawmakers with about 30% of their constituents on Medicaid, U.S. Reps. Virginia Foxx and Greg Murphy, represent heavily rural districts in western and coastal North Carolina, respectively.

Foxx has supported GOP budget priorities in social media posts. Murphy, a physician and co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus in the House, has focused his statements on taking care of what he says is abuse and fraud in the Medicaid system.

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But North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein earlier this month sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders of both parties, saying the states rural communities disproportionately rely on Medicaid and that cuts would upend an already fragile landscape for rural hospitals in the state.

The damage to North Carolinas health care system, particularly rural hospitals and providers, would be devastating, not to mention to people who can no longer afford to access health care, Stein wrote.

In Nebraska, 27% of residents live in rural areas, and state lawmakers are already scrambling to make up for reduced federal Medicaid funding.

Dr. Alex Dworak, a family medicine physician who works at an Omaha health clinic that serves low-income and uninsured people, said a dearth of health care options in rural Nebraska already hurts residents. He has one patient who drives up to three hours from his rural community to the clinic.

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It wouldnt be just bad for marginalized communities, but it would be worse for marginalized communities  because things were already worse for them, Dworak said of proposed Medicaid cuts. It will be an utter disaster.

Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein and Statelines Barbara Barrett contributed to this report. Scott S. Greenberger can be reached at sgreenberger@stateline.org.

This story was originally published by Stateline, which like the New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
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Americas superrich have always found ways to avoid paying taxes, but in recent years, theyve discovered what might be the mother of all loopholes. Its a three-step process called Buy, Borrow, Die, and it allows people to amass a huge fortune, spend as much of it as they want, and pass the restuntaxedon to their heirs. The technique is so cleverly designed that the standard wish list of progressive tax reforms would leave it completely intact.

Step one: buy. The average American derives most of their disposable income from the wages they earn working a job, but the superrich are different. They amass their fortune by buying and owning assets that appreciate. Elon Musk hasnt taken a traditional salary as CEO of Tesla since 2019; Warren Buffett, the chair of Berkshire Hathaway, has famously kept his salary at $100,000 for more than 40 years. Their wealth consists almost entirely of stock in the companies theyve built or invested in. The tax-law scholars Edward Fox and Zachary Liscow found that even when you exclude the 400 wealthiest individuals in America, the remaining members of the top 1 percent hold $23 trillion in assets.

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Unlike wages, which are taxed the moment they are earned, assets are taxed only at the moment they are soldor, in tax terms, realized. The justification for this approach is that unrealized assets exist only on paper; you cant pay for a private jet or buy a company with stocks, even if they have appreciated by billions of dollars. In theory, the rich will eventually need to sell their assets for cash, at which point they will pay taxes on their increase in wealth.

That theory would be much closer to reality if not for step two: borrow. Instead of selling their assets to make major purchases, the superrich can use them as collateral to secure loans, which, because they must eventually be repaid, are also not considered taxable income. Larry Ellison, a co-founder of Oracle and Americas fourth-richest person, has pledged more than $30 billion of his companys stock as collateral in order to fund his lavish lifestyle, which includes building a $270 million yacht, buying a $300 million island, and purchasing an $80 million mansion. A Forbes analysis found that, as of April 2022, Musk had pledged Tesla shares worth more than $94 billion, which serve as an evergreen credit facility, giving Musk access to cash when he needs it.

This strategy isnt as common among the merely very rich, who may not have the expensive tastes that Ellison and Musk do, but it isnt rare either. Liscow and Fox calculated that the top 1 percent of wealth-holders, excluding the richest 400 Americans, borrowed more than $1 trillion in 2022. And the approach appears to be gaining momentum. Last year, The Economist reported that, at Morgan Stanley and Bank of America alone, the value of securities-backed loans increased from $80 billion in 2018 to almost $150 billion in 2022. The real question is: Why would you not borrow hundreds of millions, even billions, to fund the lifestyle you want to live? Tom Anderson, a wealth-management consultant and former banker who specializes in these loans, told me. This is such an easy tool to use. And the tax benefits are massive.

[Annie Lowrey: Trump says his tax plan wont benefit the richhes exactly wrong]

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You might think this couldnt possibly go on forever. Eventually, the rich will need to sell off some of their assets to pay back the loan. That brings us to step three: die. According to a provision of the tax code known as stepped-up basisor, more evocatively, the angel of death loopholewhen an individual dies, the value that their assets gained during their lifetime becomes immune to taxation. Those assets can then be sold by the billionaires heirs to pay off any outstanding loans without them having to worry about taxes.

The justification for the stepped-up-basis rule is that the United States already levies a 40 percent inheritance tax on fortunes larger than $14 million, and it would be unfair to tax assets twice. In practice, however, a seemingly infinite number of loopholes allow the rich to avoid paying this tax, many of which involve placing assets in byzantine legal trusts that enable them to be passed seamlessly from one generation to the next. Only morons pay the estate tax, Gary Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive and the thenchief economic adviser to Donald Trump, memorably remarked in 2017.

All of this is completely, perfectly legal, Edward McCaffery, the scholar who coined the term Buy, Borrow, Die, told me. But, he said, the strategy has basically killed the entire concept of an income tax for the wealthiest individuals. The tax economist Daniel Reck, who has spent his career documenting the various ways the rich evade taxation, told me that Buy, Borrow, Die is the most important tax-avoidance strategy today. The result is a two-tiered tax system: one for the many, who earn their income through wages and pay taxes, and another for the few, who accumulate wealth through paper assets and largely do not pay taxes.

Much of the debate around American tax policy focuses on the income-tax rate paid by the very wealthiest Americans. But the bulk of those peoples fortunes doesnt qualify as income in the first place. A 2021 ProPublica investigation of the private tax records of Americas 25 richest individuals found that they collectively paid an effective tax rate of just 3.4 percent on their total wealth gain from 2014 to 2018. Musk paid 3.3 percent, Jeff Bezos 1 percent, and Buffettwho has famously argued for imposing higher income-tax rates on the superrichjust 0.1 percent.

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The same dynamic exists, in slightly less egregious form, further down the wealth distribution. A 2021 White House study found that the 400 richest American households paid an effective tax rate of 8.2 percent on their total wealth gains from 2010 to 2018. Liscow and Fox found that, excluding the top 400, the rest of the 0.1 percent richest individuals paid an effective rate of 12 percent from 2004 to 2022. (Twelve percent is the income-tax rate paid by individuals who make $11,601 to $47,150 a year.)

One solution to this basic unfairness would be to tax unrealized assets. In 2022, the Biden administration proposed a billionaire minimum tax that would have placed a new annual levy of up to 20 percent on the appreciation of even unsold assets for households with more than $100 million in wealth. Experts have vehemently debated the substantive merits of such a policy; the real problem, however, is political. According to a survey conducted by Liscow and Fox, most Americans oppose a tax on unrealized gains even when applied only to the richest individuals. The Joe Biden proposal, perhaps unsurprisingly, went nowhere in Congress. Making matters more complicated, even if such a policy did pass, the Supreme Court would very likely rule it unconstitutional.

[James Kwak: The tax code for the ultra-rich vs. the one for everyone else]

A second idea would be to address the borrow step. Last year, Liscow and Fox published a proposal to tax the borrowing of households worth more than $100 million, which they estimated would raise about $10 billion a year. The limitation of that solution, as the authors acknowledge, is that it would not address the larger pool of rich Americans who dont borrow heavily against their assets but do take advantage of stepped-up basis.

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That leaves the die step. Tax experts from across the political spectrum generally support eliminating the stepped-up basis rule, allowing unrealized assets to be taxed at death. This would be far more politically palatable than the dead-on-arrival billionaires minimum tax: In the same survey in which respondents overwhelmingly opposed broad taxes on unrealized assets during life, Liscow and Fox also found that nearly two-thirds of them supported taxing unrealized assets at death.

Even a change this widely supported, however, would run up against the iron law of democratic politics: Policies with concentrated benefits and distributed costs are very hard to overturn. Thats especially true when the benefits just so happen to be concentrated among the richest, most powerful people in the country. In fact, the Biden administration did propose eliminating stepped-up basis as part of its Build Back Better legislation. The move prompted an intense backlash from special-interest groups and their allied politicians, with opponents portraying the provision as an assault on rural America that would destroy family farms and businesses. These claims were completely unfoundedthe bill had specific exemptions for family businesses and applied only to assets greater than $2.5 millionbut the effort succeeded at riling up enough Democratic opposition to kill the idea.

The one guarantee of any tax regime is that, eventually, the rich and powerful will learn how to game it. In theory, a democratic system, operating on behalf of the majority, should be able to respond by making adjustments that force the rich to pay their fair share. But in a world where money readily translates to political power, voice, and influence, the superrich have virtually endless resources at their disposal to make sure that doesnt happen. To make society more equal, you need to tax the rich. But to tax the rich, it helps for society to be more equal.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
People are already dying due to cuts from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

As the New York Times reports, care workers in African nations  which, lest we forget, the president called "shithole countries" during his first turn in the Oval Office  relied upon United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to keep their charges alive.

Musk insisted earlier in March that "no one has died" from DOGE's freeze on USAID grants  but the death of 10-year-old South Sudanese boy Peter Donde and others like him demonstrates otherwise.

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Thanks to medications disbursed through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a George W. Bush initiative, children like Donde were able to survive and even thrive despite their parents dying from the deadly virus.

After Musk and Trump cruelly and possibly illegally froze USAID, however, those children were on their own  and are now suffering tragic and preventable deaths.

In late February, the newspaper notes, Donde died of a pneumonia infection that he got after his immune system took a hit without the medications keeping his viral load low from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Moses Okeny Labani, an outreach worker who helped the 10-year-old and nearly 150 others stay alive, told the NYT the boy "would not have died" if USAID was still supplying funds for his medicine.

Prior to speaking to the newspaper, Labani had never heard of Musk. Once NYT writer Nicholas Kristof gave him a quick rundown of the billionaire's bona fides  and his claim that "no one has died as [a] result of a brief pause to do a sanity check on foreign aid funding"  the care worker insisted the South African-born magnate was "wrong."

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Donde, unfortunately, isn't the only exception to Musk's erroneous assertion that nobody has died from the cuts.

The NYT learned of others in South Sudan alone  including 8-year-old Achol Deng, five-year-old Evan Anzoo, and his mother, 35-year-old Jennifer Inyaa  who have all gotten sick and died in recent weeks after losing access to USAID-managed care.

Margret Amjuma, a healthcare employee who confirmed Deng and Donde's deaths, had a dire warning that has been repeatedly echoed in other publications: "Many more children will die in the coming weeks."

Perhaps most heartbreaking, however, is the pre-epitaph from Angelina Doki, a volunteer whose charges have already started to die following USAID shutting off supply chains for life-saving antiretrovirals.

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HIV positive herself, Doki told the newspaper that her own supply of antiretrovirals had run out and suggested that she, too, will die soon.

"I am going to develop the virus," the healthcare volunteer said. "My viral load will go high. I will develop [tuberculosis]. I will have pneumonia."

"We are," Doki concluded, "going to die."

More on healthcare in Trump's America: The FDA, Which is Run By A Homophobic Conspiracy Theorist, Has Raided a Poppers Company
Hikers attempting any of Mount Fujis four main trails will be charged a fee of 4,000 yen (21) from this summer, after local authorities passed a bill on Monday.

A record influx of foreign tourists to Japan has raised concerns about overcrowding on the countrys highest mountain, once a tranquil pilgrimage destination.

A number of regions in Japan are exploring measures to address overtourism, including Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture, which has proposed raising the entrance fee for non-residents to visit its historic castle.

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Las month, The Telegraph revealed that Kyoto is considering a dual-pricing system on buses that would mean tourists pay higher fares.

Last year, the Yamanashi region  home to Mount Fuji  introduced a 2,000-yen (10.50) entry fee, along with an optional donation, for the popular Yoshida Trail, which leads to the active volcano.

In addition, daily entry caps and online reservations were implemented for the trail because of concerns about safety and environmental impact on Mount Fujis majestic slopes.

Mount Fuji is no longer a peaceful, nature-filled pilgrimage site - Mathias Cena/AFP

This year, the Yoshida Trail fee will be doubled for the July-September climbing season, while the neighbouring Shizuoka region passed a bill on Monday to also charge 4,000 yen for its three trails, which were previously free.

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In part thanks to the new restrictions, the number of climbers on Mount Fuji decreased to 204,316 last year, down from 221,322 in 2023, environment ministry data show.

Although climber numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, 200,000 hikers is still huge, Natsuko Sodeyama, an official from Shizuoka Prefecture, told AFP.

There is no other mountain in Japan that attracts that many people in the span of just over two months. So some restrictions are necessary to ensure their safety.

Mount Fuji is covered in snow for most of the year, however during the summer hiking season, many trekkers ascend its steep, rocky slopes through the night to see the sunrise.

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The symmetrical mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusais Great Wave. It last erupted abound 300 years ago.

In February, Koji Matsui, the mayor of Kyoto, told The Telegraph: We are considering changing bus fares between residents and non-residents, asking non-residents to pay a slightly higher fare. The purpose of this would be to use it as a financial resource to help ease congestion and preserve Kyotos beautiful cultural cityscape.

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.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Rapid City Firefighters had an interesting call for service over the weekend.

New cat room planning to open at The Cattitude Cafe

According to a Facebook post from the Rapid City Professional Firefighters, crews were called to assist Game, Fish and Parks in rescuing a young mountain lion from a neighborhood tree on the southside of the city.

Photo from: Rapid City, SD Professional Firefighters IAFF L1040.

The cat was tranquilized and relocated once it fell from the tree.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
KIEV, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed legislation allowing the deployment of Ukrainian troops abroad during martial law, the parliament's press service said Monday.

According to an explanatory note, the legislation allows Ukraine to deploy its troops abroad to support national security and defense and facilitate military equipment acquisitions from partner nations.

It added that the law is expected to help Ukraine staff military units with personnel and equipment that require long-term training before deployment.

The Ukrainian parliament passed the legislation last month.

Ukraine imposed martial law in February 2022 in the wake of the conflict with Russia. 
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland Police Department has asked the community for help to identify a theft suspect.

According to the department, around 1:51 p.m. on March 5, the man pictured below entered a United Supermarket, located at 3317 N Midland Drive. Investigators said the suspect grabbed some re-usable shopping nags at the door and used them to conceal merchandise. He then reportedly walked past all the checkout counters and out of the door with more than $1,000 of unpaid merchandise.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 432-694-TIPS and reference case number 250310301. You may also submit your anonymous tip online or by using the P3 TIPS mobile app. If your tip leads to an arrest, it could be worth a cash reward.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
Missouri Southern State University last week announced approval of several new academic offerings as well as an expansion of the Lion Pride tuition program.

The announcements followed a board of governors meeting held Friday.

The board approved:

 A bachelor's degree in education studies, designed for students pursuing careers in education policy, student affairs, health policy, grant writing, library support, multimedia design, and the development of educational games and simulations.

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 A child studies certificate and the basic language competency certificate, aimed at enhancing professional development for students in related fields.

 Expansion of the Lion Pride tuition initiative, extending in-state tuition rates to students from Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada.

We are excited to expand the Lion Pride in-state tuition program to include these new states as part of our ongoing efforts to recruit students and strengthen Missouri Southerns presence nationwide, Shellie Hewitt, associate vice president of admissions and enrollment, said in a statement.

For more information on MSSUs programs and tuition benefits, visit https://www.mssu.edu/student-affairs/bursar/undergrad-in-state-cost-on-campus.php.
POLK COUNTY, Iowa  Multiple fire departments battled a large field fire near Pleasant Hill on Monday afternoon.

At around 12:30 p.m. multiple departments, including the Pleasant Hill Fire Department, were called to the 7400 block of NE University Avenue on a report of a field fire.

Whiting murder suspect says she was assaulted; Officials say story doesnt add up

According to the City of Pleasant Hill, the high winds caused the fire to spread to a nearby home. No injuries have been reported.

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According to a post on Facebook, the westbound lanes of University Avenue from 80th Street to 75th Street were closed while firefighters battled the blaze.

Photo of field fire in Pleasant Hill. Photo courtesy of viewer Dawn Hyler. Photo of field fire in Pleasant Hill. Photo courtesy of viewer Dawn Hyler.

This is a developing story; check back to www.who13.com for updates.

Metro News:

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Wichita Falls own history keepers are celebrating a big milestone and inviting the community out to celebrate with them.

On Thursday, March 20, the Museum of North Texas History will kick off its 25th-anniversary celebration at 8 a.m. at Wake Up Wichita Falls with the Chamber of Commerce.

Four Stars dealership family wins numerous awards from Cars.com

Then, at 9 a.m., the museum will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony, complete with the MSU band ensemble and base honor guard presenting the colors.

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Thursday evening, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., the museum will host a reception with heavy hors doeuvres. Tickets are still available for $50 a piece and can be purchased by calling the museum at 940-322-7628.

On Friday, the museums actual anniversary, admission will be free from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

For executive director Jeremy Davis, local stories are essential in telling history.

Ive always said that you cant tell the history without the story, Davis said. Thats one of the reasons why since Ive been here, weve really tried to ramp up being able to tell the individual stories because you have those artifacts, but every artifact in that museum has a story behind it.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
The YouTube community is in mourning after a young content creator was found dead. According to exclusive reports by TMZ, P2isthename, whos real name is Philip Enewally, was only 26.

Details surrounding his death are scarce as a formal investigation into the matter continues. So far, family members have confirmed to TMZ that Enewally died on March 14, just two weeks after uploading his final YouTube video on the platform.

The Los Angeles County Coroner reported Enewally was found dead inside of a Los Angeles mail room, although it remains until how exactly he ended up there. His family is asking for privacy as they continue to deal with the tragic matter.

On YouTube, P2 amassed almost 4 million subscribers. On Instagram, he has close to 800,000 followers. The YouTuber had been making videos and creating content for almost ten years. He built his brand first by making gaming content online, but over the years, he progressed to broader lifestyle content, with his final video being titled a regular night with my rich psychotic friends. Recently, Enewally had even started his own clothing line called DontMindUs and had plans to move from Los Angeles to Atlanta.

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The Nigerian American influencer was loved by many, and since news of his death, fans have expressed their sympathies and love for him. On X, fellow YouTuber and close friend to Enewally, COLETHEMAN, tweeted saying wow. Im honestly at a loss for words. He was always so kind to me and gave me so much content creation advice.



Streamer Kai Cenat also shared his condolences saying I want to say RIP P2... he literally showed me support over and over at the start of his career. Fellow gamer Adin Ross also honored the memory of his friend with a moment of silence. You never know when its your last day on earth, he said.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three kids moved from Kensington Palace in London to Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor Castle estate in late summer 2022but thats not the only home on their property.

The four-bedroom, two-story Adelaide Cottage is modest by royal standards, and provides a sense of normalcy for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis (although, as some of the most famous children in the world, it would otherwise be difficult to call their lives normal). As reported by Hello!, Adelaide Cottage has seven gated entrances and exits to Windsor Castle, so the family of five can come and go without the intrusion of photographersperfect, especially, for Kates private battle with cancer that took up most of 2024.

Jonathan Brady - Pool/Getty Images The family not long after moving to Adelaide Cottage in 2022 The family not long after moving to Adelaide Cottage in 2022

But, as Hello! reported, there is a mysterious property that is practically on their doorstep. This building is called Adelaide Lodge, named to reflect Royal Lodge, which is also on the Windsor estate, boasting 30 bedrooms and currently occupied by Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.

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But Adelaide Lodge, next to Adelaide Cottage, is eerie and empty, and is currently abandoned and inhabitable due to problems with it not being underpinned. Underpinning is a construction method used to support buildings, and Adelaide Lodge is unfit for safe living conditions without it, according to Hello!.

Adelaide Lodge is so close to Adelaide Cottage, in fact, that the two buildings share the same driveway, and is just a stones throw from where the Wales family of five call home.

Getty An aerial view of the Windsor Castle estate An aerial view of the Windsor Castle estate

Little is known about what the property was used for or who live[d] there, nor is it known why the royals havent planned to renovate the now-abandoned Lodge, the outlet wrote.

As George, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6, grow up, Hello! assessed that the building so close to Adelaide Cottage could make a welcome extension to their space as their children get older, referring, of course, to William and Kate.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

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Adelaide Cottageoriginally built in 1831 for William IVs wife Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (hence the name of the cottage, according to People)was a favorite home of Queen Victoria and was once the home of Peter Townsend, the ex-beau of Princess Margaret. Adelaide Cottage underwent major renovations in 2015, seven years before the Wales family took residence.

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A family friend told People in 2022 that The move is mostly down to schooling, and in Windsor, George, Charlotte, and Louis can play freely in the countryside, as opposed to Kensington Palace, in the heart of busy London.

They love that the kids can go out on their bikes and cycle around the estate, a friend told People. Its a real little community.

Read the original article on InStyle
After four failed attempts, scientists have at last dated the skeleton of a possible human-Neanderthal hybrid found in Portugal more than two decades ago.

The famous and mysterious Lapedo child lived and died less than 30,000 years ago, a finding that sheds light on their burial, as well as human- Neanderthal relations.

Years before scientists sequenced the full Neanderthal genome, this skeleton was the one big clue we had that our ancestors were mating and mixing with their closest human relatives.

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The discovery of the Lapedo child in 1998 turned the story of humankind inside out, hinting at a long and secret love affair.

Scientists found the skeleton of undetermined sex in an ancient rock shelter in Portugal, and it quickly became famous for its 'mosaic' of Neanderthal and human features  kicking off a fierce "academic furor" over whether it was a hybrid or not.

Images of the Lapedo skeleton, animal bones, and traces of charcoal during the excavation in 1998. (Joao Zilhao/Cidalia Duarte)

Now, many years after the Lapedo child's discovery, some of the same researchers who first excavated the child have confirmed that this strange-looking human lived tens of thousands of years after Neanderthals went extinct.

If the Lapedo skeleton really is a hybrid, as some scientists maintain, it shows just how strong the influx of Neanderthal genes into the human lineage might have been. For more than ten thousand years, outward Neanderthal features persisted in the human lineage.

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While the remains of the Lapedo child have yielded no direct DNA to confirm a shared Neanderthal-human ancestry, the appearance and age of the skeleton leaves open the possibility.

"Being able to successfully date the child felt like giving them back a tiny piece of their story, which is a huge privilege," lead author Bethan Linscott from the University of Oxford told the Associated Press in an email.

Overview of the rock shelter from the northwest in December 1998, at the time of discovery. ( Joao Zilhao)

Nowadays, it is no longer a radical notion that Neanderthals and human ancestors interbred. In fact, we know that Neanderthals and humans were getting it on a lot right across Eurasia. Some people have even found out the approximate percentage of their genes they can attribute to Neanderthals thanks to genetic testing, which can sometimes reach up to 4 percent of the areas of variability between our species.

Since 1998, there have been four previous attempts to date the Lapedo child's bones, all of which were unsuccessful due to the degradation and carbon contamination of the remains.

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Finally, modern advances have made the feat possible, and the dates scientists have come up with change some of the ways we view the child's burial.

Using a sample of the skeleton's right radius, an international team of researchers measured the radiocarbon decay rate in a major component of collagen, a technique used for particularly degraded remains. This allowed them to determine the bones were between 27,780 and 28,550 years old.

Neanderthals went extinct roughly 40,000 years ago.

The right radius of the Lapedo child. (Linscott et al., Science Advances, 2025)

Some of the animal bones buried near the child, like the pelvis of a red deer, were significantly older than the human, which suggests they were not killed as part of the burial ritual, as some researchers once proposed, but possibly used to create a burial 'structure'.

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Even the charcoal found at the burial site is at least 150 years older than the child, according to the new dating study. This refutes the idea that there was ritual burning upon burial.

The skeleton of the Lapedo child is stained red by ochre, and this may have occurred from a dyed 'shroud' the remains were buried in. The bones of rabbits littered around the child, including across its legs, are also stained red, which suggests they were intentionally placed there as part of the burial. The dates of the rabbit bones broadly align with this interpretation.

Lapedo may have been the first early human hybrid proposed by scientists, but the individual wasn't the last.

In 2012, scientists working in Russia excavated the skeleton of a roughly 13-year-old hominin, who, according to her DNA, is the result of a Neanderthal mother and a Denisovan father. 'Denny' is the only known first-generation hybrid hominin.

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In 2015, genetic research on a fossil in Romania found an ancient individual, who looks similar to the Lapedo child and who contains up to 11 percent autosomal Neanderthal DNA, hinting at some past interspecies hanky panky.

Perhaps advancements in DNA recovery will one day allow scientists to make similar estimates for the Lapedo child.

The study was published in Science Advances.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, did not enter a guilty plea Monday in Ascension Parish court, where his rape case was scheduled for a plea deadline. Instead, the judge delayed the case until May 19.

Tyler, 54, faces charges including first-degree rape, domestic abuse battery  strangulation, and false imprisonment stemming from his July 2022 arrest. Authorities said the victim was distraught and had visible injuries after the alleged attack.

The New Orleans rapper pleaded not guilty in September 2022, and his attorneys have maintained the accusations are false.

Prior legal troubles

Mystikal has a history of sexual assault allegations:

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2003: He pleaded guilty to sexual battery and served six years in prison.

2016: He was charged with kidnapping and sexual assault, but the case was later dropped.

If convicted of first-degree rape, he faces a mandatory life sentence.

Whats next?

Tyler is scheduled to return to court on May 19 at 9 a.m. in Gonzales, La.

Louisiana First News will continue following updates in this case.

Baton Rouge man sentenced to life in deadly 2016 nightclub shooting

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally coming home.

The astronauts, who had planned to visit the International Space Station for just a week but have been there more than nine months, departed early Tuesday.

Their journey back to Earth will close out an unusual and closely watched chapter in spaceflight history. Williams and Wilmore became household names after launching on the first crewed test flight of Boeings Starliner capsule in June. But they encountered problems with the vehicles thrusters while docking to the space station, which eventually led NASA to bring the Starliner back to Earth without anyone on board.

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That forced Williams and Wilmore to remain in orbit for far more time than planned. But at long last, they departed the space station on Tuesday at 1:05 a.m. ET aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

The astronauts should then splash down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. ET.

Alongside them will be NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who are wrapping up a roughly six-month mission at the space station.

The particular timing of the groups return flight on Tuesday was decided based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18, NASA said in a statement. (The agency previously targeted Wednesday for the journey.)

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The SpaceX vehicle that the four will share arrived at the space station in September, carrying Hague and Gorbunov, along with two empty seats to accommodate their colleagues. Williams and Wilmore then stuck around so that Hague and Gorbunov could complete their mission.

That is now ending as a new set of astronauts takes over. On Sunday, Williams, Wilmore, Hague and Gorbunov welcomed the incoming crew  NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov  to the orbiting outpost.

In that sense, despite the attention their extraordinary circumstances have garnered, Williams and Wilmore were not stranded in space. Both have repeatedly challenged that characterization, maintaining that they have enjoyed their extended time living and working in low-Earth orbit.

Every day is interesting because were up in space and its a lot of fun, Williams said in a news briefing earlier this month, but added that the waiting and uncertainty was likely hard for family members on the ground.

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Nonetheless, their unexpectedly long stay in orbit has become a political talking point for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. Both have made unsubstantiated claims that the Biden administration held up the flight back to Earth for political reasons.

This began when I asked Elon Musk to go up and get the abandoned Astronauts, because the Biden Administration was incapable of doing so, Trump wrote Monday in a post on Truth Social. They shamefully forgot about the Astronauts, because they considered it to be a very embarrassing event for them.

The SpaceX capsule carrying NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Alexander Gorbunov after undocking Tuesday.

However, NASAs plan to use a SpaceX vehicle for the return journey has remained consistent since it was announced in August, during the Biden administration.

After Musk made a claim similar to Trump's in a joint interview on Fox News last month, a public back-and-forth between Musk and several current and retired astronauts erupted on X. European astronaut Andreas Mogensen called Musks comments a lie, and things got ugly after Musk fired back, calling Mogensen an idiot and a derogatory term. Retired astronauts Scott Kelly, Mark Kelly and Chris Hadfield also waded into the online dispute.

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In the recent news briefing, Williams and Wilmore carefully skirted the politics, with Wilmore saying they had respect and admiration for the president and the utmost respect for Mr. Musk.

But in response to a question about recent comments Musk made suggesting that the U.S. should abandon the International Space Station in two years rather than keep it operating through 2030 as planned, Williams voiced her disagreement.

I would say were actually in our prime right now, she said. I would think that right now is probably not the right time to call it quits.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
JOHANNESBURG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is prioritizing Early Childhood Development (ECD) to prepare children to make a meaningful contribution to the country's future, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday, stressing access to quality early education.

Ramaphosa made the remarks at the official opening of the Bana Pele 2030 ECD Roadmap Leadership Summit in Johannesburg, the largest city and economic hub of South Africa.

"We recognize today that investing in ECD is not just about education. It is about shaping the next generation of skilled, capable, and entrepreneurial citizens who will drive our economy forward," said Ramaphosa. "Early Childhood Development provides children with the foundational skills they need to build a successful future. It helps to break the cycle of poverty that is handed down from one generation to the next."

The president underlined that early childhood is important for developing foundational skills such as language, literacy, and numeracy.

"Early Childhood Development is about giving children from all backgrounds the opportunity to grow into confident, capable citizens who contribute positively to society. Children who receive a strong start are more likely to succeed in school and the workforce, reducing societal costs in areas such as healthcare, crime prevention, and welfare," he said.

Siviwe Gwarube, minister of basic education, said there are nearly 7 million children aged 0-5 in South Africa, while about 1.3 million children aged 3-5 are not attending any form of ECD program.

"To rescue the children of South Africa, we have set out on a strategic reorientation of the basic education sector toward foundational learning. By 2030, we want every child in South Africa to have access to quality early learning," Gwarube said.

Enoch Godongwana, minister of finance, recently announced an additional investment of 10 billion rand (about 550 million U.S. dollars) in ECD over the next three years. 
Two NASA astronauts who have been stuck aboard the International Space Station are finally preparing to head back home to their families.

The world has been following the ordeal that NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been facing since last June.

NASA selected the pair as the first crew to fly to space aboard the new Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

However, Starliner experienced several issues during the launch and after reaching the orbiting laboratory.

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The problems prompted NASA leaders to send back Starliner without its crew, stranding them aboard the ISS.

Williams and Wilmores planned short stay at the ISS turned into an extended ordeal that lasted nearly nine months as they waited for a way to return to Earth.

SpaceX was selected to shift their missions to provide a ride home for the stranded astronauts.

With Crew-10s arrival last week, Williams and Wilmore now have the ability to board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for their journey back home.

They are set to depart the ISS around 1 a.m. on Tuesday.

They will return with a splashdown off Floridas coast around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

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Channel 9 will have continuing coverage of the astronauts return on Eyewitness News.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
US space agency NASA has said that a SpaceX capsule due to bring home two US astronauts that have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June would set off on Monday.

The capsule, which reached the space outpost in the early hours of Sunday, was due to begin hatch closure preparations to leave the ISS at 10:45 pm (0245 GMT Tuesday) and splashdown off the coast of Florida about 20 hours later, NASA said on Sunday.

The space agency had initially said the capsule would not depart the ISS before Wednesday.

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"The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected for later in the week," NASA said in a statement.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft brought NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov to the ISS.

In its return journey it is set to bring US astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, back to Earth.

Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS at the beginning of June on the first manned test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. They were only meant to stay in space for a week, but numerous technical problems with the craft left them stranded.

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The Boeing-produced Starliner is a partially reusable spacecraft that consists of a capsule around 3 metres high for the crew and a service module.

Unlike the Crew Dragon vehicle built by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, the Starliner does not land on water but on dry land.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  For the seventh consecutive year, Columbus National Infantry Museum won USA Todays best free museum award (2025).

The National Infantry Museum provides an extensive look at the history of the U.S. Army Infantry. From interactive exhibits to historical artifacts, the impressive variety likely contributes to the Museums continued success. The award is readers choice meaning winners are determined by public vote.

The community was invited to celebrate the achievement on Friday, February 21st. The Columbus Mayor, Skip Henderson, and president/CEO of the National Infantry Museum Foundation, Brigadier General Pete Jones

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The president and CEO of the National Infantry Museum Foundation, Retired Brigadier General Pete Jones

I think that we win year after year because we have, one, a great volunteer staff. We have a great army and foundation staff, but more importantly, we have a great connection, not just only to Fort Benning (Fort Moore) and the soldiers and families that come here. We have a great support from our community. If it wasnt for the community that voted every day on every device for almost 30 days, we wouldnt be here today and we wouldnt have been here previously.

The community celebrates another win. The Columbus Museum won Readers Choice Best New Museum.

These national awards demonstrate continued success in the community.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Officials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have reportedly told scientists to scrub all references to mRNA vaccine technology from grant applications, sparking fears that the agency could soon scrap research programs into the vaccinations under Health and Human Services Commissioner Robert F Kennedy Jr.

One vaccine scientist based in New York funded by the agency was warned that references to mRNA vaccines should not appear in any future applications after referring to them in previous ones. There will not be any research funded by NIH on mRNA vaccines, the scientist added.

The technology was deployed in the development of Covid vaccines, which President Donald Trump boasted about during his first term in his Operation Warp Speed vaccine summit. It has been credited with saving some 3 million lives.

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The mRNA vaccine technology is currently being studied at the NIH, which falls under the domain of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for the prevention and treatment of other infectious diseases, such as flu and AIDs. Its also part of research in the fight against cancer.

But now scientists are concerned that under Kennedy the agency will move away from the life-saving research, reports to KFF Health News.

One scientist at a biomedical research center in Philadelphia wrote to a colleague that a project officer at the agency had flagged our pending grant as having an mRNA vaccine component, the email seen by the outlet said. Its still unclear whether mRNA vaccine grants will be canceled, the scientist reportedly added.

Kennedys war on vaccines has started, the scientist added in the message to his colleague, noted KFF Health News.

Scientists fear Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr is in the process of gutting valuable research into lifesaving mRNA vaccines (via Reuters)

Kennedys office and the White House will also be informed about any grants, contracts or collaborations involving mRNA vaccines, according to a memo from the agencys acting director, Matthew Memoli.

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Memoli said in another message that the agency was no longer interested in learning why people shun vaccines or in exploring ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment, KFF reported.

MAGA people are convinced that these vaccines have killed and maimed tens of thousands of people. Its not true, but they believe that, the vaccine scientist in New York told the outlet.

An official at the National Cancer Institute told KFF that it is reasonable to assume mRNA vaccine work is next, referring to cancellation of research.

The Independent has contacted the agency for comment.

During Trumps first term, he boasted about the impact mRNA vaccine technology had on tackling the coronavirus pandemic. Now, under his administration, scientists have been told by the NIH to stop referring to it in grant applications. (Getty Images)

Public health agencies have canceled vaccine meetings and research since Kennedy took up the post under Trump.

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During his first address to thousands of workers at the federal public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Food and Drug Administration, Kennedy promised to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule.

Just days later, the CDC canceled a public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Panel, a group of doctors and scientists who make recommendations on vaccines. That meeting has not been rescheduled, the Associated Press has reported.

Another canceled public meeting of vaccine advisers who make recommendations on the flu vaccine every year for the Food and Drug Administration has has not been rescheduled.

The CDC, meanwhile, is preparing to research an unproven link Kennedy has often raised between autism and vaccines, planning to leave no stone unturned in its mission to figure out what exactly is happening, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said in a statement to AP.

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Numerous studies have concluded that there is no link between the two, a fact the agency even states on its website.

During his Senate confirmation hearings earlier this year, Kennedy repeatedly rejected any notion that he would undermine vaccines.
The U.S. conducted a series of strikes on areas of Yemen held by the Iran-backed Houthis. Kevin Baron, national security analyst and former executive editor of Defense One, discusses the implications of the attack and what message it sends to Iran. He also reacts to Trumps dismantling of the U.S. government-funded media network Voice of America and the countrys role in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
The Pacific Blue Line collective, a group of nongovernmental organizations, called on Pacific Island leaders to enact a widespread ban on deep sea mining (DSM), according to RNZ Pacific.

They released a statement to coincide with Pacific Island leaders' high-level talanoa in Fiji, where they discussed DSM.

Though a talanoa sparks dialogue, there is no expectation of agreement. During this meeting, no big decisions on DSM were made. However, the collective's statement represents growing discontent with DSM and may push governments in the right direction.

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Recent technological advancements have made deep-sea mining possible, though only on a small scale. The ramifications for commercial DSM are yet to be seen.

While Pacific nations such as Nauru favor it for its potential economic benefits, Fiji, Samoa, and others remain opposed. Scientists are still discovering new deep sea creatures every day. Mining the ocean floor could disrupt the deep sea ecosystem, harm the tens of thousands of species known to live there, and do untold damage to wildlife.

In a Fijian newspaper ad quoted by RNZ, Pacific Blue Line cited that as their main reason for opposition. "It is vital that the duty of care to safeguard our oceans is at the forefront of discussions," they said. "We must act with urgency to halt DSM before it begins."

The collective's briefing paper delved into specifics. It argued that the biodiversity loss would have a ripple effect, harming marine life throughout the ocean and endangering fishermen's careers. It called for further research and hard data before a decision is made.

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At the time of writing, the Pacific Islands have yet to reach a consensus. Other nations are hesitant to give the go-ahead, as well. Last December, Norway postponed its DSM plans, marking a win for conservationists.

Even so, the fight is far from over. As Pacific Blue Line stated in their paper: "A global moratorium on DSM  would ensure that the Pacific's marine resources and wealth are preserved for future generations."

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NATO fighter jets conducting air patrol missions in the Baltic States carried out three sorties over last week to detect and escort Russian aircraft violating flight rules.

Source: Lithuania's Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Ministry of Defence reported that NATO fighter jets conducted a sortie on 10 March to intercept a Russian An-72 military transport aircraft flying in international airspace.

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On 12 March, they escorted two Russian Su-27 fighters, two supersonic Tu-22 bombers and one Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft.

Later that same day, NATO planes were again dispatched to identify two Tu-22 bombers and two Su-27 fighters, as well as a passenger Il-18 aircraft.

The Russian aircraft was flying with its radar transponder switched off, without flight plans and often failed to maintain radio contact with the regional area control centre (RFC), the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence added.

Background:

In late February, French Rafale fighters intercepted two Russian aircraft off the coast of Latvia.

Prior to that, Norwegian F-35s intercepted a Russian bomber group in the High North.

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A Navy warship that had been used to fight Houthi rebels in the Middle East is being deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border to provide added security.

The USS Gravely, which was used in combat in the Middle East last year, will now be heading to the Mexico border, Defense Department officials announced over the weekend, the same day the vessel departed the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Virginia.

The department said the ship will contribute to military efforts in response to President Donald Trumps immigration executive orders to restore integrity at the U.S. southern border, the statement read. Gravely reinforces the nations commitment to border security by enhancing maritime efforts and supporting interagency collaboration.

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The effort is part of an interagency response to combating maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction and illegal seaborne immigration.

Gravelys sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security, said General Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Gravely docked at its home port Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia. The warship is now heading to the U.S.-Mexico border (Getty Images)

The ship had previously been used in a nine-month deployment and played a pivotal role in providing air defense for a strike group conducting missions against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen (Getty Images)

Deploying the vessel is unusual because the waters in the area - which Trump has renamed the Gulf of America from the Gulf of Mexico - are usually protected by the U.S. Coast Guard.

A U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment will be placed on the ship, signaling that it could be utilized against migrants found in the ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard is the countrys primary maritime law enforcement agency.

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The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for additional information. Officials did not release additional details about the vessels potential missions.

The USS Gravely is a missile destroyer. It was named after Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely Jr., the first Black man to become an admiral and commander of a warship and fleet. He served from 1944 until his retirement in 1980.

The vessel spans 510 feet in length and was first deployed in 1991.More than 320 crew members operate the ship and its weapons, including missiles, torpedoes and guns. There are also helicopters on board the ship equipped with torpedoes and missiles.

The ship had previously been used in a nine-month deployment and played a pivotal role in providing air defense for a strike group conducting missions against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and escorting shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, officials said in July.
an ad for corrections officers

Despite recruitment ads like this, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction is still struggling with a 26% job vacancy rate. (Photo: https://www.dac.nc.gov/)

A fifth of North Carolinas total state government jobs currently sit vacant. Many others will likely turn over within the next year.

The states new director of human resources, Staci Meyer, told lawmakers last week that to fix those statistics, North Carolina needed to overhaul its HR system.

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North Carolinas state job vacancy rate currently sits at 20%. The turnover rate is 12%, but is significantly higher within an employees first year  31%. Key sectors have even higher vacancy rates: 33% for health care, and 26% for corrections.

And the average time to fill one position, according to Meyer? 182 days.

We want people moving here from everywhere, she said last week. We want to tell a different story about working for North Carolina.

A directory of more than 1,000 state job postings analyzed by NC Newsline found that many of the states openings are within three departments: the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Adult Correction.

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The vast majority of those postings are for permanent, full-time positions (976). But the total number of postings reflect only a fraction of the total vacancies within state government.

For example, the Department of Adult Correction has more than 4,500 total vacancies across the entire agency, communications director Keith Acree told NC Newsline. That includes 2,900 correctional officer positions, 190 probation and parol officer positions and about 112 registered nurse positions.

Job postings are most plentiful where state government is centralized  in Wake County (303). But there are dozens of open roles across every single one of North Carolinas 100 counties  including 80 in western Buncombe County, 101 in Granville County and 83 in Wayne County.

Of the 1,000+ jobs posted as of mid-March, 715 of them have an estimated annual salary of $60,000 or above; 192 pay more than $100,000.

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Almost all of the vacancies are on location or primarily in-person. Just 92 of the openings are designated as flexible/hybrid; five are remote-only.

As the Trump administration cuts wide swaths of the bureaucracy, states are stepping up recruiting efforts to attract ex-federal workers. Multiple states have launched initiatives to fast-track former federal workers into state government  though hurdles, including skill sets and salary mismatches, remain.

NC Newslines Clayton Henkel contributed reporting.

Update: This story was updated Tuesday, March 18 to reflect additional information on vacancies from the states Department of Adult Corrections.
The 2025 NCAA Women's Tournament bracket is set to be revealed shortly after 8 p.m. ET Sunday.

Tennessee is expected to earn a 5-or-6-seed, with the late-season slump preventing the Lady Vols from hosting in the first weekend. As many as six other SEC programs could be first-weekend hosts, including possible 1-seeds South Carolina and Texas.

Keep tabs on this page for brackets, pairings and TV schedules for the 2025 NCAA Women's Tournament.

2025 NCAA Women's Tournament printable bracket

2025 NCAA Women's Tournament Printable bracket (PDF)

2025 NCAA Women's Tournament first round schedule

*UPDATING AS THE BRACKET IS ANNOUNCED*

Regional 1-- Spokane

In Los Angeles (Friday)

1-seed UCLA (30-2) vs. 16-seed UC San Diego/Southern winner

8-seed Richmond (27-6) vs. 9-seed Georgia Tech (22-10)

In Waco, Texas (Friday)

5-seed Ole Miss (20-10) vs. 12-seed Ball State (27-7)

4-seed Baylor (27-7) vs. 13-seed Grand Canyon (32-2)

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Saturday)

6-seed Florida State (23-8) vs. 11-seed George Mason (27-5)

3-seed LSU (28-5) vs. 14-seed San Diego State (25-9)

In Raleigh (Saturday)

7-seed Michigan State (21-9) vs. 10-seed Harvard (24-4)

2-seed NC State (26-6) vs. 15-seed Vermont (21-12)

Regional 2 -- Birmingham

In Columbia, S.C. (Friday)

1-seed South Carolina vs. 16-seed Tennessee Tech (26-5)

8-seed Utah (22-8) vs. 9-seed Indiana (19-12)

In College Park, Maryland (Saturday)

5-seed Alabama (23-8) vs. 12-seed Green Bay (29-5)

4-seed Maryland (23-7) vs. 13-seed Norfolk State (30-4)

In Chapel Hill, N.C. (Saturday)

6-seed West Virginia (24-7) vs. 11-seed Columbia/Washington winner

3-seed UNC (27-7) vs. 14-seed Oregon State (19-15)

In Durham, N.C. (Friday)

7-seed Vanderbilt (22-10) vs. 10-seed Oregon (19-11)

2-seed Duke (26-7) vs. 15-seed Lehigh (27-6)

Regional 3 -- Birmingham

In Austin (Saturday)

1-seed Texas (31-3) vs. 16-seed High Point/William & Mary winner

8-seed Illinois (21-9) vs. 9-seed Creighton (26-6)

In Columbus, Ohio (Friday)

5-seed Tennessee (22-9) vs. 12-seed South Florida (23-10)

4-seed Ohio State (25-6) vs. 13-seed Montana State (30-3)

In Notre Dame, Indiana (Friday)

6-seed Michigan (22-10) vs. 11-seed Iowa State/Princeton winner

3-seed Notre Dame (26-5) vs. 14-seed Stephen F. Austin (29-6)

In Fort Worth (Friday)

7-seed Louisville (21-10) vs. 10-seed Nebraska (21-11)

2-seed TCU (31-3) vs. 15-seed Fairleigh Dickinson (29-3)

Regional 4 -- Spokane

In Los Angeles (Saturday)

1-seed USC (28-3) vs. 16-seed UNC Greensboro (25-6)

8-seed Cal (25-8) vs. 9-seed Mississippi State (21-11)

In Lexington, Kentucky (Friday)

5-seed Kansas State (26-7) vs. 12-seed Fairfield (28-4)

4-seed Kentucky (22-7) vs. 13-seed Liberty (26-6)

In Norman, Oklahoma (Saturday)

6-seed Iowa (22-10) vs. 11-seed Murray State (25-7)

3-seed Oklahoma (25-7) vs. 14-seed Florida Gulf Coast (30-3)

In Storrs, Connecticut (Saturday)

7-seed Oklahoma State (25-6) vs. 10-seed South Dakota State (29-3)

2-seed UConn (31-3) vs. 15-seed Arkansas State (21-10)

First Four

11-seed Iowa State vs. 11-seed Princeton, TBD

11-seed Columbia vs. 11-seed Washington, TBD

16-seed UC San Diego vs. 16-seed Southern, TBD

16-seed High Point vs. 16-seed William & Mary, TBD

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: NCAA Women's bracket 2025: March Madness first round TV schedule
WELLINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) on Monday welcomed the latest National Risk Assessment (NRA) which evaluates threats, sector vulnerabilities, and their impact on money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing risks in New Zealand.

This NRA, published by the Police's Financial Intelligence Unit, updates and describes the significant criminal behaviors generating illicit income that threaten New Zealand's financial system. It also assesses and identifies the vulnerabilities within the country's financial system that criminals are taking advantage of when they launder proceeds of crime.

"An effective Anti-Money Laundering and Countering-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system enhances the economic well-being and prosperity for all New Zealanders by safeguarding the integrity of our financial system and keeping it resilient against crime," said RBNZ Manager AML/CFT Supervision Damian Henry.

The report highlights the primary criminal activities generating illicit funds that pose a risk to New Zealand's financial system, Henry said, adding it also examines the vulnerabilities that criminals exploit to launder proceeds of crime.

The NRA serves as a crucial reminder for reporting entities to reassess and update their own risk assessments, he said, calling on all entities to review the report.

According to the assessment, the most significant threats stem from fraud-related crime, drug offenses, and transnational money laundering. As a result, the banking sector remains highly exposed to money laundering risks, along with any industry offering financial services that facilitate the movement of illicit funds into or out of New Zealand.

The NRA is a vital tool in strengthening New Zealand's AML/CFT framework, "enabling direct responses and maximizing the benefits of security for both our financial sector and communities," Henry said. 
Mar. 17OGDENSBURG  Approximately 200 protesters gathered in front of Ogdensburg City Hall Saturday to rally against the federal cuts being made by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency.

The protest, titled a "March To Stop The Cuts," was sponsored by Adirondack Voters for Change and North Country Neighbors for Civic Engagement.

According to a press release from North Country Neighbors for Civic Engagement, the group is concerned with a February budget resolution passed by House Republicans that would cut nearly $880 billion over the next 10 years with expectations that deep cuts would be made to Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

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"The budget resolution passed would enact a vast tax giveaway to billionaires, funded by ripping away up to $880 billion in Medicaid funding that millions of Americans rely on. This would be a looting of our nation's safety net on a massive scale, making our nation sicker and poorer. We call on members of Congress to stop these egregious cuts to prevent severe harm to working families, children, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities and all who rely on Medicaid for the care they need," George Gresham, president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, said in a statement.

NY-21 congressional candidate Blake Gendebien, a Lisbon farmer, said that families and seniors in the district are "feeling the squeeze."

"Too many working families and seniors in our district are feeling the squeeze, struggling to keep up with rising costs. But instead of making life more affordable, politicians in Washington and Albany are busy playing political games. With nearly half of our community over 65 and living on fixed incomes, we need real solutions to bring prices down and make everyday essentials affordable. That's why I will never vote to cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid  seniors and families deserve the care they've earned," Gendebien said.

Steve Knight, former CEO of United Helpers, said that nursing home and home care costs have been inflated due to inadequate Medicaid reimbursement.

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"Many times I've seen a private pay resident's life savings be devoured in 2-3 years leaving no legacy for their children or loved ones. Thousands of North Country jobs and countless businesses depend on organizations who rely on Medicaid reimbursement," he said.

A similar protest took place at the Clinton Government Building in Plattsburgh. Both have offices for Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, who is expected to vacate her seat this year and be confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to dismiss Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet internal security service, has prompted calls for protest.

Several organizations called for protest rallies on Tuesday and Wednesday, while opposition Leader Yair Lapid announced that his centrist Yesh Atid party would file a lawsuit.

Netanyahu said on Sunday evening he planned to sack Bar, citing a "lack of trust."

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He said that Israel is in a struggle for survival and that Bar's dismissal was "critical for the rehabilitation of the agency, for achieving all our war aims, and for preventing the next disaster."

Netanyahu said he would ask his Cabinet to fire Bar in the coming days.

Relations between the two have been strained. Netanyahu had removed Bar from the Israeli negotiating team conducting the indirect talks with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas over the war in Gaza.

In an investigation by Shin Bet into the mistakes that had made the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023 possible, Netanyahu's policies had come in for criticism.

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In addition, Shin Bet is investigating alleged illegal ties between Netanyahu's associates and Qatar. Qatar is one of the negotiators in the talks with Hamas, and is also a supporter of the group.

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said on Sunday evening that Netanyahu could not dismiss Bar until a thorough legal investigation into the circumstances had been conducted.

David Horovitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel, wrote that Netanyahu's move was aimed at tightening "his personal control of Israel."

He wrote in an opinion piece that in doing so, Netanyahu was plunging Israel back into the crisis that his right-wing government had triggered at the start of 2023 with the proposed overhaul of the judiciary.
Technology giants from Amazon to Dell are focused on bringing workers back to the office after years of remote and hybrid work schedules.

Bringing colleagues together can foster a sense of community when approached thoughtfully, but too often, office policies fail to meet the needs of a diverse workforce. To retain and recruit a robust, talented workforce, technology leaders must commit to making workplaces accessible to all  including neurodivergent people.

Neurodivergent is a term that has come to be preferred by many people who have neurological conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourettes, and others.

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These neurological conditions are part of the normal variation in how peoples minds work, part of the richness and diversity of human talents and abilities. Strengths such as attention to detail, consistency, pattern recognition, novel thinking, work engagement, perseverance, honesty, and dependability are all talents and skills that autistic and other neurodivergent people can bring to their work, and research reveals competitive advantages to employing neurodivergent people.

Tech industry must tap the talents of missing millions of Americans

Despite their talents, neurodivergent people face significant barriers to employment.

A dismal 15% of autistic adults secure long-term, meaningful work; an 85% rate of unemployment and underemployment.

This prevents them from contributing their talents. Since 15% to 20 percent of the world population  including over 50 million Americans  is neurodivergent, systematic unemployment and underemployment represents a massive opportunity cost to society, estimated at $100 billion of lost economic productivity annually, not to mention the enormous toll on individual quality of life.

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The U.S. tech industry will need to more fully tap the talents of these missing millions of Americans (a term coined by the U.S. National Science Board in its Vision 2030) to fill the talent gap in its workforce and for the U.S. to maintain global leadership in science and technology.

A growing number of academic researchers and business scholars  such as at Vanderbilt Universitys Frist Center for Autism & Innovation, of which we are a part  are developing new tools and management methods, as well as deep benches of neurodivergent talent, to help companies learn how to enlist neurodivergent strengths and to accommodate their support needs.

And a number of companies are stepping up and taking the lead to implement these tools and methods. For example, Ernst & Young, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and others have created neurodiversity employment initiatives that recruit, integrate, and support neurodivergent employees.

Opinion: 'We are not broken.' People with autism want a community that embraces them

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Others like Auticon, The Precisionists, and Aspiritech hire neurodivergent people for business-services work, offering their employees custom-designed workspaces and on-site support professionals, a model that can be especially important for neurodivergent people whose support needs cannot be readily met in traditional workplaces.

Vast majority of workplaces have not adopted an inclusive model

The two of us are witnessing the benefits of these neuro-inclusive workplace models personally. One of us has an autistic son who, after completing his masters degree through the Frist Centers program in Neurodiversity Inspired Science & Engineering, is now gainfully employed at a leading engineering firm.

The other of us has an autistic son who will graduate from high school this year and then aspires to attend one of the nearby colleges that are part of the Frist Centers College Autism Network or else to go straight to work; his dream is to work at The Precisionists near his home in Nashville.

Opinion: Sign up for the Tennessee Voices newsletter showcasing opinion across the Volunteer State

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But the vast majority of workplaces still havent adopted an inclusive model. Many hiring managers report negative impressions of candidates behaviors such as eye-contact despite a strong resume; many co-workers express bias and negative attitudes toward an individuals unusual social and behavioral traits regardless of their strong talent and skill; unaccommodating sensory environments in workplaces (lights, noises, etc.) can distract or distress neurodivergent employees; and many workplace cultures reward likability over performance.

We have a long way to go before our sons, and many others, have full and fair access to the opportunities they deserve. Even the largest and most successful of the current leading neurodiversity employment initiatives have hired neurodivergent people by the hundreds, which is to be celebrated, but far from the millions who are still missing: their talents and abilities, as well as their dreams and aspirations, are waiting for the right doors to open and welcome them in.

Keivan G. Stassun is a 2024 MacArthur Fellow and director of the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation. Jon Perlin is chairman of the Frist Centers Advisory Board and CEO of the Joint Commission.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Technology companies should include neurodivergent workers | Opinion
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A mule deer pregnant with twin fawns was shot and left to die in the Ruby Mountains, and now officials with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) are asking for the publics help with any information that might help find who is responsible.

A game warden who responded to a March 5 report of a deer found near the Lattin Ranch south of Elko found what appeared to be bullet entry and exit wounds in the does left rear hip/back.

The doe  initially reported as sick or injured  died before the warden arrived. NDOW described the incident as a senseless killing.

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The 67-year-old doe was pregnant with twin fawns which also died due to the gunshot wound killing the adult doe, according to a news release. NDOW believes that this deer may have been shot sometime between March 1 and March 3, 2025.

The Elko County site is known as Harrison Pass in Hunt Unit 103. The area is about six hours (350 miles) north of Las Vegas.

NDOW is looking for any information related to the shooting. Any information can be relayed to NDOW by calling 1-800-992-3030 or by utilizing the Tip411 app.

The deers death comes about two months after NDOW reported two separate incidents of elk poaching near the Nevada-Utah border. A $2,000 reward has been offered for information in solving those cases.

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Days after telling lawmakers that he took out a $3.4-billion loan to pay for Medi-Cal costs through March, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said Monday that he's asking the state Legislature to approve another $2.8 billion in extra funding for the healthcare program for low-income Californians through the end of the current fiscal year.

The funding decisions suggest Medi-Cal spending is running as much as $6.2 billion above state estimates from last summer at a time when California is experiencing higher than expected costs for expanding coverage to undocumented immigrants, greater enrollment and rising pharmacy expenses for the program.

The governor's office declined to provide information about how much of the new Medi-Cal price tag can be attributed to unforeseen expenses of providing state-sponsored healthcare coverage to the undocumented immigrant community. In February, the Newsom administration said the cost of expanding coverage to all income-eligible immigrants, regardless of residency status, had ballooned to $9.5 billion in state and federal funding, which was more than $3 billion over June estimates.

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The rising costs have drawn criticism from Republicans and added pressure on Democrats to consider scaling back the program as the state anticipates cuts to federal funding and other economic headwinds that could force difficult conversations during budget negotiations this year.

With tough fiscal choices ahead, Gov. Newsom, jointly with Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), will evaluate proposals to rein in long-term spending  including in Medi-Cal  while working to protect the core health and social services Californians rely on," said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor.

Read more: Cost of undocumented healthcare in California is billions over estimates, pressuring Democrats to consider cuts

In order to pay for President Trump's $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, Republicans in Washington are considering sweeping cuts to Medicaid, the federal governments health insurance for low-income residents.

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Medi-Cal, the state program that provides healthcare coverage to roughly 15 million low-income Californians and half of the children in the state, largely relies on federal Medicaid funding. Nearly two-thirds of all federal dollars received by the state, or more than $100 billion, fund Medi-Cal.

The scale of the funding reduction to Medicaid is still unknown and its impossible to project the severity of the cuts for California with any certainty. Republicans in the House have suggested cutting $880 billion across the federal government, a significant portion of which would have to come from Medicaid, but have also shared their desire to avoid reducing funding for the healthcare program.

The Newsom administration is also anticipating economic blowback from Trump's tariffs that could impact state revenues and watching for stock market volatility that could affect tax collections that fund state programs.

Read more: If Trump cuts Medicaid, this California Republican's House seat would be imperiled

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Despite a history of clear cost overruns, the governor's office has pushed back on criticism from Republicans that California's expansion of healthcare coverage to low-income immigrants regardless of residency status, which went into full effect in 2024, is the only reason Medi-Cal spending is over budget.

Program costs have more than doubled from $79.5 billion in 2014-15 to an estimate of $188.1 billion in Newsom's January budget proposal for 2025-26.

Newsom's office attributed the price spike this year to higher-than-expected enrollment, an aging population and rising healthcare costs across the nation.

The governor's office said Newsom anticipates that lawmakers will vote on his request for $2.8 billion in additional Medi-Cal funding in April in order to keep the program solvent through the fiscal year that ends in June.

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"We took these steps because it is important to maintain our commitment to our providers and plans to make timely payments for the remainder of the current year to ensure Californians and those on Medi-Cal get the services in the current year," said Michelle Baass, director of the California Department of Health Care Services, during an Assembly budget hearing on Monday.

Newsoms office said the money will come from state tax revenue in the general fund. Tax collection through February was $4.6 billion above projections made in the governors January budget proposal, according to new data released Monday by the Department of Finance.

Lawmakers will also have to pay back the $3.4-billion loan at some point in the budget process.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  An NFTA box truck crashed into Buffalos Historic Bethel AME Church on Monday morning.

The incident occurred at 1525 Michigan Ave. A News 4 photographer was on the scene at 8 a.m. and saw one person being taken away in an ambulance.

News 4 reached out to Buffalo police for more information and is waiting to hear back.

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.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
New Hampshire lawmakers have much work ahead of them to shape the next two-year budget. (Photo by Dana Wormald/New Hampshire Bulletin)

As the lengthy New Hampshire state budgeting process unfolds in the State House, residents were finally given the opportunity to weigh in during a hearing last week.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte unveiled her proposed state budget  outlined in House Bill 1  and an accompanying policy-related trailer bill  House Bill 2  last month. That budget, which comes amid a tight fiscal environment, seeks to cut down on costs while still expanding several programs in what the governor has called an effort to recalibrate. Those cost-cutting measures include shifting more of the cost of Medicaid to recipients and reduced funding for the state university system. The two budget bills would also dramatically expand the voucher-like education freedom accounts program and spend $1 billion to ensure theres no waitlist for people with developmental disabilities trying to receive services from the state.

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That budget proposal is now being considered by the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Ayottes budget relies on rosy fiscal projections that predict a strong rebound on state business tax revenues, which have lagged in recent years. These projections have seen pushback from Ayottes fellow Republicans in the State House, where the House Ways and Means Committee is basing its work on projections hundreds of millions of dollars lower than the governors. To kick off the March 12 hearing, which was held by the House Finance Committee, Committee Chairman Ken Weyler addressed this challenge.

We must fit (the budget) to the revenues proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee, he said. That revenue differs from the governors estimate by almost $800 million in an almost $16 billion budget. Obviously, this is a bigger challenge than most budgets, but less than some previous challenges.

Another challenge, he said, is that the budget is on a path to overspend by about $50 million.

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Speakers at the hearing took the time Wednesday to express concerns about the changes to Medicaid, to call for increased education funding, and to commend the governor for committing to restoring a key benefit to retired first responders.

Pleas for increased education funding

Many speakers raised concerns that Ayottes budget does not contain enough funding for education  and voiced opposition to Republican plans to expand the income eligibility for the education freedom accounts program.

Rob Nadeau, a member of the Hopkinton School Board, argued his town needs more property tax relief from the state. After Hopkintons recent five-year property revaluation, 62 of the 127 properties in town that saw their property taxes double are located in The Meadows, a manufactured home park largely occupied by seniors, Nadeau said.

Raising the amount the state pays out to school districts through the adequacy formula could help those residents, Nadeau argued.

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When you increase adequacy, you help lower the burden for the people that are least able to pay that property tax, Nadeau said. That, I believe, is a duty that we all hold as public agents.

Ellen Farnum argued her Lakes Region town of Tamworth also has high property taxes: in 2024, the towns total tax rate was $14.43 per $1,000 of property valuation, according to the Department of Revenue Administration, just under the statewide average of $17.03 per $1,000.

We have an aging population with many people living on fixed incomes, and we are struggling right now to fund our town services and our public schools, she said. I therefore find it astonishing that this proposed budget adds to our problems by including money for educational freedom accounts.

Education freedom accounts allow households making up to 350 percent of the federal poverty level  $112,525 for a family of four  to access state adequacy funds that historically had gone to public schools and use them for private and homeschooling expenses.

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Republicans and school choice advocates have proposed lifting the income cap entirely, arguing the program makes alternative education programs more accessible. Farnum argued the money should be spent on public schools instead, and that it would privilege wealthier private schools and families over less wealthy property-tax payers.

Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, a Democrat, former mayor of Lebanon, and current Lebanon city councilor, agreed.

When the state fails to cover special education costs and diverts taxpayer dollars from public schools to private schools, local property taxes go up, she said. I know this because Ive seen it firsthand for the past 20 years as a city councilor.

At one point, Weyler, House Finance Chairman, chastised those testifying for devoting too much time to the subject.

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It seems like weve heard a lot about school funding, he said. More than we really need to know. We know that its a problem. We dont need to hear it 50 times. Thank you.

Changes to Medicaid

As a cost-cutting measure, Ayotte has proposed a number of changes to New Hampshires Medicaid program in HB 2.

First, she wants to charge certain Medicaid recipients  those with children who earn 255% of the federal poverty level and those without children who earn between 100% and 138% of the poverty level  premiums of up to 5% of their income. She also wants to increase the portion of prescription costs Medicaid recipients are responsible for, from $1 or $2 to $4 per prescription (unless it exceeds 5% of household income). Finally, shes calling for a complete end to continuous enrollment, a system implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow people to stay on Medicaid even after they no longer met the requirements; that system already ended, but its taken time for the state to disenroll recipients.

Andrew Harmon, of New Hampton, pointed to problems hed have with these changes as someone who works as an independent contractor.

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This 5% increase would be an income tax I have to pay, and I would not be sure exactly what amount I am going to be paying since my income literally changes from month to month, he said. Ive had some months where Ive made as little as $200. Ive had some months where Ive made almost $1,000, so not knowing how much Id have to set aside would be a huge problem, especially since some of my medical needs are not always covered by Medicaid.

Several New Hampshire providers who treat and care for patients on Medicaid spoke during the hearing.

Jacob Reagan, director of operations at Maxim Healthcare in Bedford, said the state should be increasing the amount of money it puts into Medicaid, not decreasing it.

Maxim Healthcare employs more than 100 nurses and provides skilled nursing to medically complex pediatric and adult patients with chronic conditions in their own homes. Reagan commended the Legislature for approving Medicaid rate increases during the pandemic that allowed them to better recruit and retain nurses. However, in previous budget cycles, he said the Legislatures failure to similarly invest in this area created critical access issues for essential services and left many patients forced to seek more expensive care at nursing homes or hospitals at precisely the time when the capacity was needed elsewhere.

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Each time provider groups such as ourselves and parents are forced to get involved and raise awareness, it is already too late, he said. This committee had the opportunity and the responsibility to offer these children and their families a better way of life while also helping balance New Hampshires Medicaid budget.

That opportunity, he said, was to increase the Medicaid rate again with a cost-of-living adjustment to make New Hampshire competitive with other states. He urged the Legislature to use general funds to add these cost-of-living adjustments every year in this budget.

Cuts to renewable energy fund

While education and health care topics dominated the hearing, Ayottes proposal to remove $10 million from the states renewable energy fund also got some attention.

HB 2, in its current form, directs the Department of Energy to transfer millions from the funds coffers into the states general fund.

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The renewable energy fund, created in 2007, provides money for several rebate and grant programs, including for projects like installing a wood chip biomass boiler in a high school, low and moderate income community solar efforts, and incentivizing the use of wood pellet boilers and furnaces, according to the funds most recent annual report.

The pot of money was brought into existence as a part of the states Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard law, which requires that renewables make up 25.2% of the states electricity by 2025, according to the DOE. Electric services providers that dont meet that benchmark must make Alternative Compliance Payments, also called ACPs, which are deposited into the fund.

These payments brought in a little more than $5.8 million to the fund in 2023, according to the annual report.

Rep. Wendy Thomas, a Merrimack Democrat, said the fund has benefited more than 1,100 businesses in the state since its inception and leveraged over $355 million in private spending.

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On average, the REF leverages six times more private investment than public dollars, Thomas said, and, this past year, it was a 9-to-1 ratio of private investment versus public subsidy.

She argued that redirecting the money would violate the agreement made with taxpayers and stakeholders when the fund was created for renewable energy initiatives, and that it would hurt workers and businesses that have benefited from the programs.

Redirecting funds like this only leads to an erosion of public confidence in government fiscal responsibility, Thomas said.

Meredith Hatfield, associate director for policy and government relations with The Nature Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit, also urged the committee to reject this transfer of funds. She said the proposal would shift the funds from their lawful, intended uses that benefit electric ratepayers.

She also raised issues with certain aspects of the bills effort to streamline the permitting process. Though these changes are aimed at increasing the housing supply in the state, they would impact all permitting, Hatfield said. She pointed to the fact that housing makes up a minority of alteration of terrain permits and only a small sliver of wetland permits received by the Department of Environmental Services.

Hatfield said the group was also concerned about proposed shifts of staff and duties from the Fish and Game Department and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to DES.

We deeply respect the work of DES, Hatfield said, but we are concerned that this proposed streamlining that consolidates the staff and duties would be detrimental to the important services that DNCRs Natural Heritage Bureau and Fish and Game provide to protect the health, the water resources, and the wildlife of New Hampshire.

She urged the committee to carefully consider these proposals and bring them before the Houses related policy committees.

Praise from first responders

One piece of Ayottes budget received praise from public employees: her proposal to restore retirement benefits for police officers and firefighters who retired prior to September 2013.

Those employees, known as Group II employees, saw their benefits reduced by the Legislature in 2011 as lawmakers slashed spending in response to budgetary pressures during the Great Recession. Ayottes budget would restore the benefits for those employees who retired before September 2013, and would devote another $33 million to do so.

Brian Ryll, president of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, welcomed that change. He said the 2011 reduction in benefits had demoralized firefighters in the state and had driven many to take jobs out of state.

This exodus threatens to undermine the integrity of public safety in our state, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces, given that word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising, said Ryll. Reinstating these benefits for those who have been taken away should be seen as the most effective strategy for retaining senior leadership and attracting the leaders of tomorrow.

Ryll and others called on the House to keep those provisions in their version of the budget, which they must pass by April 10.

Frank Campo, president of the New Hampshire Troopers Association, said the 2011 changes had had a measurable impact.

Ayottes budget simply restores benefits that were unfairly taken away from first responders prior to those changes, he told the Finance Committee. New Hampshire never had an issue retaining police officers. Since then, especially in the past five or six years, police service in the state has become a revolving door.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 17 (Xinhua)-- Brunei plans to build its own waste incinerator plant, which will be operational by 2029, a minister said at Brunei's Legislative Council on Monday.

The contract on such a project is scheduled to be signed in October 2026, Haji Muhammad Juanda, Brunei's minister of Development has said.

The minister said, the waste-to-energy plant will be equipped with 25 megawatt capacity daily. Currently, the project is at the stage of request for proposal which is open in July 2025.

Before the plant is set in place, Brunei will enforce waste management regulations, take initiative to reduce waste and widen rubbish collection from house to house.

The minister said that besides generating electrical energy, it will also produce ash to be used in the horticulture and construction industry. Brunei produces between 500 and 600 tonnes of waste per day.

Data by the Ministry of Development shows that the waste produced by each person in Brunei is 1.21 kilograms per day.

For decades, the waste disposal has been done at the landfill in Tutong, the country's middle district. The landfill sits on a 104-hectare land and is forecast to reach its limit by 2030. 
(Bloomberg) -- A blaze in a nightclub in North Macedonia has claimed the lives of at least 59 people and 155 have been injured.

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The fire was probably caused by pyrotechnics used for stage effects during a concert, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters in the town of Kocani, where the accident took place. An investigation into the incident has started. Many of the victims, most of whom are in their 20s, initially couldnt be identified. More than 20 of those hurt and three of those who died are under-aged. Hospitals from neighboring countries including Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey are hosting patients from North Macedonia.

The accident is a tragedy for the former Yugoslav nation of 1.8 million people, which for decades has been trying to improve its rule of law and to advance on its path to join the European Union.

The police is investigating more than 20 people and about 15 have been detained, including the son of the club owner, the manager of the company in charge and former officials at the Economy Ministry, which issued the license of the club that Toshkovski said wasnt legal and was obtained through corruption. Former Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi has been called in for questioning, MIA public newswire reported, citing the Interior Ministry.

North Macedonia must be stronger than the corrupt system, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, whose nationalist party took power in June, told reporters late Sunday in Skopje. He promised a thorough inspection of the countrys regulatory bodies. There will be decisive steps and solutions, there will be steps that the public is not used to, but the changes start with ourselves.

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Countries across the Balkans have for decades struggled to tackle corruption, which has been linked to other deadly incidents. A fire at a nightclub in the Romanian capital Bucharest a decade ago took the lives of 64 people, sparking mass anti-graft protests that eventually led to the ouster of the government. In Serbia, hundreds of thousands rallied on Saturday to demand government accountability following the collapse of a recently renovated train station canopy that killed 15 people.

North Macedonias government declared a 7-day mourning period and postponed a planned meeting of regional leaders. The European Commission has received a request for aid to tackle the consequences of the fire, after previously informing the government it is ready to provide civil assistance, MIA reported.

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A disused warehouse building has caught fire, a kindergarten, a residential building and a shop have been damaged and one person injured as a result of a nighttime Russian drone attack in Odesa Oblast.

Source: State Emergency Service (SES); Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote from SES: "As a result of enemy strikes, a disused warehouse building, a shop and a car caught fire. Firefighters swiftly extinguished the blaze. A kindergarten and a residential building were also damaged. One person was injured."

A firefighter extinguishing the fire.

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Photo: State Emergency Service

Details: Kiper reported that around 500 consumers in the suburbs of Odesa are currently without power due to the damage to energy infrastructure. All the appropriate services are working to deal with the aftermath.

Background:

At night, the Russians attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones, damaging infrastructure facilities in two districts and causing power supply disruptions.

Emergency power outages were introduced in the Kremenchuk district of Poltava Oblast following a Russian drone attack.

A large-scale fire broke out at premises belonging to a business in Kharkiv Oblast after a Russian Shahed drone strike on the night of 17 March.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  No arrests have been made in the homicide that happened one week ago near the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House.

Mountain lion rescued from tree in Rapid City

Police were called to the area of 8th Street and Indiana Avenue to assist a man with a severe head injury after a fight broke out March 8. 24-year-old Jacob Scott Gallman Ringing Shield later died of his injuries in the hospital.

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Were making progress on the case, SFPD spokesman Sam Clemens said at Mondays police briefing.

Police do not believe there is any danger to the public and police say the suspect and Ringing Shield knew each other.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Despite its status as the smallest state, Rhode Islands neat division into 39 distinct municipalities was a complicated process that spanned centuries.

Some cities were part of the first wave of Colonial charters, while other areas developed decades later as the state moved away from an agrarian society and into the modern world of manufacturing.

While many of the Ocean States regional names are a nod to Narragansett Indian Tribe words, others came from English Colonists. But you might have wondered, whats the deal with towns that sort of share a name, but tack on East or North to clearly distinguish themselves?

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Read on to learn why we have East Greenwich and West Greenwich, plus Smithfield and North Smithfield.

East Greenwich and West Greenwich

West Greenwich was originally part of East Greenwich.

Founded in 1677, the town of East Greenwich formed directly as a result of King Philips War. The bloody conflict between New England Colonists and their former Indigenous allies in the 1670s caused displacement, and it wasnt until the war ended that Rhode Islanders began returning to their settlements.

At that point, the Connecticut colony attempted to usurp portions of present-day Rhode Island, issuing a proclamation that they had gained the land by conquest during the war. The Rhode Island General Assembly retaliated by establishing the Town of East Greenwich in an effort to control the territory. Its name was an ode to the original Greenwich in England.

A sign marks the entrance to East Greenwich from the Warwick border.

By the turn of the century, Rhode Island was no longer just an agricultural colony. Flourishing maritime trade and the expansion of settlements in interior regions brought rapid growth. East Greenwichs population in 1708 was 240 people, but by 1730 it had reached 1,223. The town contributed to Newports coastal trade industry by providing lumber and crops. Around that era, the General Assembly also extended the towns boundaries to the Connecticut border.

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As more townships were formed around western Rhode Island, East Greenwich was officially divided in 1741. The split maintained similar populations, dividing the western rural portion into West Greenwich and the more commercial eastern portion into East Greenwich.

Smithfield and North Smithfield

Smithfield followed a similar pattern to East Greenwich. It was originally a single town that grew and broke into North Smithfield, as well as other townships.

The Town of Smithfield was named after John Smith, one of the five men who joined Roger Williams in his first party to establish a settlement in present-day Rhode Island. The area was slow to grow throughout the 17thh century, as few people were interested in leaving Providence for the wilderness. King Philips War changed things here, too, paving the way for Colonists to take more land.

Smithfield was formally established in 1731 as the outland areas became too burdensome for Providence to supervise. This also led to the founding of Glocester and Scituate. At the time, Smithfield had a population of fewer than 500 people. However, the highway act of 1738 promoted the construction of roads, establishing a commerce corridor for trade and offering weary travelers a resting point in one of the towns numerous taverns.

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When the textile industry swelled in Rhode Island, Smithfield became an epicenter of cotton manufacturing. Mill work attracted immigrant families, and whole villages structured around mills developed  typically made up of a mill store, workers housing and adjacent lands, all belonging to the mill owners.

The regions sprawling, rugged landscape contributed to a lack of cohesiveness in Smithfield, and tensions between the various villages created an identity problem. As a result, the town divided in 1871, relinquishing some land to Woonsocket and splitting into three townships: Smithfield, North Smithfield and Lincoln (which later separated further into Lincoln and Central Falls).

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: How did East Greenwich, West Greenwich, North Smithfield get named
A former lawyer for the Hmong-American woman who was brought to the United States at eight months old and lived in Milwaukee until she was deported 11 days ago to Laos says her expulsion came as a complete surprise.

Ma Yang, 37, was born in Thailand and attained legal status as a permanent US resident before the mother of five was stripped of her green card by the Trump administration some two-plus years after being released from federal prison, where she served 30 months on marijuana-related charges. In February, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Yang to report to the agencys Milwaukee facility. When she showed up, agents detained Yang, sent her to Indiana, then Chicago, and finally was shipped off to Laos.

The United States sent me back to die, Yang said.

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Yang was removed from the U.S. after President Donald Trump pledged during his campaign to deport millions and millions of people. On Saturday, he invoked the rarely-used Alien Enemies Act of 1798 , which is intended for use during wartime.

In a previous interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Yang said her attorney in the case never told her deportation was a possibility. Defense attorney Matt Ricci, who represented Ma Yang in the 2020 marijuana case, disputed this on Monday, saying his files and notes showed otherwise. He said he told Yang at the time that deportation could happen, but that he didnt think it would happen.

We knew that Laos didn't take people from the U.S., Ricci told The Independent. She was doing her time, and when she got out of prison, she would presumably stay in the U.S. But there was no guarantee There were no deportations to Laos, [the idea of it] never crossed anybodys mind.

Ma Yang was deported from Milwaukee to Laos, a country she has never before visited (AFP via Getty Images)

Ricci said on Monday that many of Yangs 12 siblings had been born in the U.S., but the fact that Yang was born in a refugee camp overseas simply made her the victim of stupid birth circumstances.

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Nobody with any compassion would think thats any compelling reason to separate Yang from her family, said Ricci, who has not previously spoken to the news media.

It was really just a weed case, he added, with astonishment. She was such a small pawn in this whole thing. It was bad even if she didn't get kicked out of the country. She didn't do anything that deserved 30 months.

But while Yangs present situation has received widespread attention, the harrowing details of her early life have not been previously covered.

Yang was often left alone by her parents, who were both physically and emotionally abusive, Ricci wrote in a March 2022 sentencing memo reviewed by The Independent. During these times, it says, an older brother was put in charge of her care. When he got angry, the brother, who is not named in the memo, was prone to violence, the memo continues, adding, He was often angry.

Ma Yang has lived in Milwaukee since she was an infant (Getty Images)

When she was 11, Yang began to run away from home, according to the memo. She was then sent to live with an aunt in Minnesota, where, at the age of 14, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Azia. Yang eventually moved back to Milwaukee. At the age of 20, the memo reveals, Yang, who has worked in a nail salon and as a bartender, had a second daughter, Fantazia.

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Around 2010, after Yangs relationship with Fantazias dad ended, she met her longtime partner, Michael Bub. The two remain together, and have three children of their own, according to the sentencing memo. However, Bub has serious health issues that resulted in at least two brain surgeries. The memo says Bub is incapable of living on his own and stays with his parents, although Bubs father is himself extremely ill.

Reached by phone on Monday, Bub declined to comment.

In September 2020, Yang and Bub were among 26 people arrested in a massive takedown coordinated by federal authorities. Investigators had been eavesdropping on Yangs calls, which they said proved her involvement in a cross-country trafficking ring that shipped marijuana between California and Wisconsin, that she had received and packaged cannabis and cash, and stored numerous firearms in the home she shared with Bub.

Ma Yang's deportation case centers on a conviction for marijuana, which is now legal in a majority of US states (AFP via Getty Images)

Yangs initial involvement came when her sister Xina asked if she could have packages delivered to her home, according to the sentencing memo. Ma agreed, but specifically chose not to ask what was in the packages, the memo states.

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It did not take long to figure out something illicit was occurring, but she did not ask what was in the packages, the memo contends. She was told by her sister that she couldnt get in trouble if she didnt know what was in the packages.

In court filings, Yang, who had no prior criminal record, placed the bulk of the blame for the weapons on Bub, who was released from prison in January 2024. He was a gun enthusiast, owned the firearms legally, and enjoyed going to the range, according to a 2020 bail motion Ricci submitted to the court. The subsequent sentencing memo points to Yangs sister and her sisters boyfriend as the ones who roped her into the situation, contending that Yang felt immense shame of her own for her actions.

She certainly regrets her involvement in her crimes, but she has other significant regrets as well, the memo said. [S]he has been absent from her family, watching her children grow on video camera. She has not helped her children with their homework. Her children had their own difficulties, prior to the arrest. She has not helped her daughter with speech therapy or been present for her autistic son. She is trying to raise her children from jail.

As Riccis sentencing memo argued, She is guilty. She has suffered. She has no record. There is nothing to suggest an intent to reoffend. A probationary sentence is appropriate in this matter.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. (WWLP)  The city of North Adams is calling on local artists to bring creativity to the streets.

A new public initiative will transform eight downtown crosswalks into vibrant works of art and aims to continue beautifying the city while enhancing the downtown experience for both residents and visitors.

Springfield Symphony Orchestra shines light on seven fearless women

Four artists with a strong connection to North Adams will be selected to create original designs for the crosswalks. The initiative is part of the citys ongoing efforts to integrate public art into everyday spaces.

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Selected artists will each receive a $2,000 stipend to cover supplies and their time, ensuring they are fairly compensated for their contributions.

Courtesy of North Adams Cultural District Committee Courtesy of North Adams Cultural District Committee Courtesy of North Adams Cultural District Committee Courtesy of North Adams Cultural District Committee Courtesy of North Adams Cultural District Committee

This project highlights the power of collaboration between artists, city leaders, and local organizations, said a spokesperson from the Cultural District Committee. Public art brings people together and fosters a sense of identity and pride in our city.

Crosswalk Locations:

Main Street & American Legion Drive

Main Street & Eagle Street

Main Street & Holden Street

Holden Street & Center Street

Eagle Street & Church Street

Ashland Street & Main Street

Center Street & Marshall Street

Eagle Street & Center Street

Courtesy of North Adams Cultural District Committee

The city will prepare the crosswalks before painting, and artists will be assigned designated time slots to complete their work, ensuring minimal disruption to traffic.

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The city has issued an open call for submissions, with applications due by April 4. Interested artists must submit the following:

A sample crosswalk design (.jpeg or .pdf)

Contact information

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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.

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A subset of North American iguanas likely landed on an isolated group of South Pacific islands about 34 million years ago  having rafted some 5,000 miles from the West Coast of the faraway continent, a new study has found.

Their epic journey to what is now Fiji marks the longest known transoceanic expansion of any terrestrial vertebrate species, according to the study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Overwater travel for both animals and plants isnt unique in and of itself, as this is the primary way in which newly formed islands have become populated by plants and animals, the study authors noted.

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Such travel has often led to the evolution of new species and ecosystems  a phenomenon that has fascinated scientists since the time of Charles Darwin.

Iguanas themselves are also known for their propensity to float elsewhere and are often found rafting around the Caribbean aboard plant life, the researchers explained.

And while the scientists were already aware that the lizards traveled 600 miles to get from Central American to the Galapagos Islands, the massive 5,000-mile trip to Fiji took them by surprise.

That they reached Fiji directly from North America seems crazy, senior author Jimmy McGuire, a professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley said in a statement.

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As soon as land appeared where Fiji now resides, these iguanas may have colonized it, added McGuire, who is also a herpetology curator at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology.

Previously, biologists had assumed that Fiji iguanas  four species from the genus Brachylophus  descended from an older lineage that was at one point common around the Pacific but ultimately died out. Another possibility was the idea that the lizards hitchhiked from South America and then through Antarctica or Australia.

Nonethless, the researchers found there was no genetic or fossil evidence to support those theories.

To draw their conclusions, the researchers acquired genome-wide, sequence DNA from more than 4,000 genes and from the tissues of more than 200 iguana specimens in global museum collections.

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As they began comparing the data to that of the Fiji iguanas, the scientists found that these animals were most closely related to iguanas in the genus Dipsosaurus. Within that genus, the most widespread lizard is the North American desert iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, which has adapted to the desert heat of the U.S. Southwest and Northern Mexico, according to the study.

If there had to be any group of vertebrate or any group of lizard that really could make an 8,000 kilometer journey across the Pacific on a mass of vegetation, a desert iguana-like ancestor would be the one, lead author Simon Scarpetta, a former postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley.

The findings also indicated a much more recent emergence on Fiji  up to 34 million years ago  than the previously suggested arrival times of either 43 million years ago or up to 60 million years ago.

The lineage of Fiji iguanas split from their sister lineage relatively recently, much closer to 30 million years ago, added Scarpetta, who is now an assistant professor in environmental science at University of San Francisco.

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That appearance in Fiji would have either postdated or occurred at about the same time that there was volcanic activity that could have produced land, Scarpetta said.

The four species of Fiji iguanas, which inhabit both Fiji and Tonga, are listed as endangered  due to habitat loss, predation by invasive rats and smuggling for exotic pet trades, the authors noted.

McGuire acknowledged it may have been easier to imagine that Brachylophus originated from South America, since marine and land iguanas dispersed to the Galapagos from the mainland. But this theory can now be ruled out, he and his colleagues confirmed.

Although the scientists could not pinpoint the exact moment and circumstances under which the iguanas arrived in Fiji, they marveled at the prospect of the journey.

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Regardless of the actual timing of dispersal, the event itself was spectacular, McGuire added.

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Workers package blueberries at a company in Mengzi of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2025. In 2024, China's blueberry cultivation area surpassed 73,000 hectares, yielding around 500,000 tonnes of berries, making China one of the fastest-growing blueberry producers in the world. Yunnan Province, with its ideal climate and extended growing season, has emerged as a leading production hub, contributing about 30 percent of the national output. (Photo by Xue Yingying/Xinhua)

KUNMING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- While blueberry bushes in most parts of China are just beginning to bloom, early-ripening varieties in southwestern Yunnan Province are already being harvested.

Farmers are currently working tirelessly to pick and pack the fresh berries, which swiftly make their way to markets across China and beyond.

Originally native to North America, blueberries have found a second home in China.

In 2024, the country's blueberry cultivation area surpassed 73,000 hectares, yielding around 500,000 tonnes of berries, making China one of the fastest-growing blueberry producers in the world. Yunnan Province, with its ideal climate and extended growing season, has emerged as a leading production hub, contributing about 30 percent of the national output.

Thanks to its unique geographical conditions, abundant sunlight, significant temperature variations between day and night, Yunnan offers an optimal environment for blueberry cultivation. "Yunnan is a natural habitat for blueberries," said He Jiawei, head of the Institute of Alpine Economic and Botany, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Science.

The province is home to 46 wild blueberry species -- more than half of China's total, making it one of the best production areas worldwide.

The city of Mengzi in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture is home to over 2,300 hectares of greenhouse-grown blueberry cultivation space, generating over 3 billion yuan (about 418.48 million U.S. dollars) in revenue and improving incomes and livelihoods for more than 20,000 local farmers.

Min Hongwei set up a 12-hectare blueberry plantation base in Mile, another city in Honghe, last year. "During peak harvest season, our workforce jumps to over 150 people, most of whom are local villagers. They can earn at least 150 yuan per day, and some make as much as 300 yuan," he said.

Yunnan's blueberry boom has attracted over 100 domestic and international companies to Honghe, creating jobs for more than 100,000 people. According to the province's agricultural department, Yunnan's blueberry cultivation area reached 16,660 hectares in 2024, producing 171,000 tonnes with an estimated industry value of 17 billion yuan.

While Chinese blueberries were initially grown for domestic consumption, they are now making their mark on the international stage.

Chen Canling, sales manager of Anmei, an agriculture and technology company, said the company had successfully entered the Malaysian market this year.

"To meet export standards, we've implemented precision management throughout the supply chain from harvesting techniques to packaging and international logistics," Chen said. "Our goal is to export 300 tonnes of blueberries this year."

"Every four days, we airfreight two tonnes of blueberries to Dubai," said Wang Rui, chairman of Fengji, an agricultural development company, adding that customers in Dubai can enjoy fresh blueberries from Yunnan in about 40 hours.

China's blueberry exports are rapidly gaining momentum. According to Kunming Customs, in 2024, the customs office in Mengzi supervised the export of 1,425 tonnes of blueberries, accounting for over half of China's total blueberry exports and making it the country's top blueberry exporter.

"Since China first exported homegrown blueberries to Russia in 2020, they have reached more than 10 countries and regions, highlighting the immense market potential of Chinese blueberries," said Li Yadong, a professor at Jilin Agricultural University. 

A farmer selects blueberries at a cold storage in Mengzi of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2025. In 2024, China's blueberry cultivation area surpassed 73,000 hectares, yielding around 500,000 tonnes of berries, making China one of the fastest-growing blueberry producers in the world. Yunnan Province, with its ideal climate and extended growing season, has emerged as a leading production hub, contributing about 30 percent of the national output. (Photo by Xue Yingying/Xinhua)

A farmer harvests blueberries at a greenhouse in Mengzi of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2025. In 2024, China's blueberry cultivation area surpassed 73,000 hectares, yielding around 500,000 tonnes of berries, making China one of the fastest-growing blueberry producers in the world. Yunnan Province, with its ideal climate and extended growing season, has emerged as a leading production hub, contributing about 30 percent of the national output. (Photo by Xue Yingying/Xinhua)

Workers package blueberries at a company in Mengzi of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 28, 2025. In 2024, China's blueberry cultivation area surpassed 73,000 hectares, yielding around 500,000 tonnes of berries, making China one of the fastest-growing blueberry producers in the world. Yunnan Province, with its ideal climate and extended growing season, has emerged as a leading production hub, contributing about 30 percent of the national output. (Photo by Xue Yingying/Xinhua)
A cow feeds inside the barn at the North Dakota State University dairy research facility in Fargo on March 14, 2025. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

North Dakotas struggling dairy industry could get a boost from a new milk processing plant and state incentives for more processing.

As North Dakota House Agriculture Committee members heard testimony last week in favor of incentives to add milk processing to the state, one committee member said his family plans to add a processing plant.

Rep. Dawson Holle, R-Mandan. (Photo provided by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly)

Rep. Dawson Holle, R-Mandan, is part of a dairy farming family in Morton County. He said the farm has the goal of breaking ground on a processing plant in June, though the project still is in the planning stages.

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He said the plant would be built on the Holle farm or a neighboring property. Holle said the farm is one of the larger dairy farms left in central North Dakota, the traditional heart of the dairy industry in the state.

The dairy industry has been shrinking in North Dakota over several decades. Processing plant closures in Bismarck and South Dakota are forcing Holles family and other dairy farmers in central North Dakota to send milk greater distances, with transportation costs cutting into their profit margins.

Holle announced his plans during Thursdays discussion of Senate Bill 2342, which would provide a grant of 5% of the cost of opening a milk processing plant, up to a maximum of $10 million.

Bill sponsor Sen. Paul Thomas, R-Velva, told the committee that the bill was not proposed with a specific project in mind, but was intended to get the attention of milk processors that could provide a market for North Dakota milk.

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He also said the bill that was approved by the Senate contained an error and suggested an amendment to correct the error. He said the bill should be worded to make grants available to processors capable of handling 3 million pounds of milk a day. Instead, the bill says it could go to a processor with the capacity of 3 million pounds per year, making the grant available to much smaller processors.

Holle informed the committee of his familys plans but said he was unsure they would take advantage of the incentives.

The Agriculture Committee voted down the amendment, with Holle among those voting against it.

The committee gave the bill a do pass recommendation Friday.

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In an interview after the Thursday hearing, Holle said he supported the bill with or without the amendment.

Its great for dairy either way, Holle said.

Holle said his parents and grandparents are still active in the dairy farm. He said the family has been considering a processing plant for some time, but closure of nearby processors has sped up plans.

It wasnt really our intent to get government handouts, Holle said.

Holle participated in the committee votes and discussion on the bill. He said he didnt see any potential for a conflict of interest because the bill will benefit the dairy industry as a whole.

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Were just in a unique circumstance that were one of the largest farms close to Bismarck-Mandan, Holle said.

Holle is not among the bill sponsors. I have just been very encouraging from the sidelines, he said.

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Thomas, the bill sponsor, said the bill builds on efforts to increase animal agriculture in North Dakota, which lags behind neighboring states.

Dairy without processing is going to be really tough to kick back in, Thomas said.

More livestock helps provide a local market for corn and soybeans, with the North Dakota Corn Growers Association among the farm groups testifying in favor of the bill.

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North Dakota has gone from about 93,000 dairy cows in 1980 to 14,000 in 2023 and about 10,000 last year.

Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Tom Bodine testified that there are only 23 permitted dairy farms left in North Dakota and one of those is not operating. There are only about 8,700 cows in the state.

That number could quadruple with plans for two huge dairy operations in eastern North Dakota, closer to existing milk processing facilities, including plants in Fargo.

Holle said North Dakota is an importer of milk and his familys plant would concentrate on fluid milk and possibly cream at the outset. He said dairy products such as butter could come later.

Holle remains optimistic about the dairy industry.

Theres been growth, and especially demand for locally sourced milk, he said.

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Prairie Public Broadcasting's offices in downtown Fargo. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

The North Dakota Senate defeated a bill that bans state or federal funding for public broadcasting but some senators who voted against the bill still called for defunding Prairie Public Broadcasting.

North Dakota typically funds Prairie Public Broadcasting through the Office of Management and Budget bill. Gov. Kelly Armstrongs proposed budget included nearly $2.9 million for Prairie Public.

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When House Bill 1255 mandating the public broadcasting funding ban passed the House of Representatives, Appropriations Committee members took Prairie Public funding out of the OMB bill.

Sen. Kristin Roers, R-Fargo, said Monday that the appropriations bill is where the funding decision should be made and warned of unintended consequences of passing the House bill.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jorin Johnson, R-Fargo, failed on a 41-6 vote.

Roers said the House bill would have prevented federal funding for public broadcasting from passing through a state agency. She said the bill also could have prevented state agencies from renting space on towers owned by Prairie Public for things such as emergency sirens and weather instruments.

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If you want to defund public radio and television in North Dakota, do that through the appropriations process, Roers said.

Roers said there are upsides to continuing to fund Prairie Public, such as supporting broadcasts of state high school sports, educational television and local documentaries that are free over the air. She said Prairie Publics broadcast towers also benefit the state.

Sen. Scott Meyer, R-Grand Forks, and Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, were among those who voted against the funding ban but advocated for cutting funding in House Bill 1015, which funds the Office of Management and Budget.

John Harris, president and CEO of Prairie Public, testified last week in a Senate Appropriations hearing asking that the funding be restored.

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Harris said Prairie Public would be spending $4 million to $7 million in the next 18 months to upgrade facilities and buy transmitters.

The nearly $2.9 million for Prairie Public during the 2025-27 biennium in Armstrongs preliminary budget included $1.7 million in one-time funding to assist with transmitter maintenance and replacement.

Prairie Public leaders have testified that the organization can survive without state funding, but that it will mean less local programming. Other sources of funding include charitable gambling, endowment funds and investment funds.

This story was updated to correct the vote total.

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By Fatos Bytyci

KOCANI, North Macedonia (Reuters) -Sporadic violence broke out in North Macedonia on Monday as thousands of people demanded justice for 59 people killed in a nightclub blaze and called for an end to the corruption that they say was behind the country's worst disaster in years.

The fire broke out during a hip hop concert in the town of Kocani at around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT) on Sunday when sparks from flares set a patch of ceiling alight. Hundreds of people scrambled for the unlicensed venue's only exit as flames spread across the roof.

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The incident has shattered the town of 25,000 people, 50 miles (80 km) east of the capital Skopje. Bulldozers and workers with shovels dug a line of fresh graves in the town's cemetery on Monday. People with missing loved ones queued outside the hospital to give DNA samples in case their relatives were not immediately identifiable.

Officials said that the "Pulse" nightclub's licence was illegally obtained and that the venue lacked fire extinguishers and emergency exits. More than 150 people were injured.

"I want everyone who helped this place carry on with its business to be jailed," said 16-year-old Jovan, who said he lost a friend in the fire. "We need change because this is a corrupt country."

Jovan joined thousands of others in a quiet protest in Kocani's central square on Monday. People hugged and cried as they lined up to light candles for the dead and write messages of condolence.

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Some held placards that read: "We are not dying from accidents; we are dying from corruption" and "Everything is legal here if you have connections". Hundreds more held a vigil in central Skopje.

Violence broke out briefly when a group of people used rocks to smash out the windows of a pub that three protesters said was run by the same person who owned "Pulse".

Later hundreds of people descended on the mayor's home, throwing rocks and smashing windows. Next door, a family who had lost a relative in the fire looked on in tears.

NO WAY OUT

The club, which local media described as a former carpet warehouse, is a squat building with a corrugated iron roof that backs onto a grassy vacant lot. It had just one emergency exit, which was locked during Sunday's concert, two fire extinguishers and no fire alarm or sprinkler system, North Macedonia's state prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski said.

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"It did not have two exit doors, but only one single improvised metal door at the back of the building, which was locked and without a handle on the inside," Kocevski said.

The ceiling was made of flammable materials and the plasterboard walls were not fire-resistant. Reuters pictures on Monday showed the club's roof burned through and collapsed in places, its interior wooden beams exposed and blackened.

"(The nightclub) operated in substandard conditions. It does not have this and that, and people were making money from it. Who is responsible?" said Sasa Djenic, a school teacher whose 15-year-old daughter escaped the fire with burns on her arms.

Draghi Stojanov's son died in the fire. "After this tragedy, what do I need this life for? I had one child and I lost him," he told Reuters.

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ILLEGAL LICENCE

Authorities have arrested about 20 people in connection with the fire, including government officials and the nightclub's manager.

State prosecutor Kocevski said his office was working to determine the criminal liability of a number of people for "serious offences against public security" and other crimes.

"The individuals acted contrary to the regulations and technical rules of the protection measures and thereby caused a danger to the life and work of people on a large scale," he said.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the club's licence was issued illegally by the economy ministry and said that those responsible would face justice. Former economy minister Kreshnik Bekteshi was questioned by police over the disaster, the local TV 5 broadcaster said.

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Fifty-one people were treated in hospitals in Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Turkey. Burn specialists from Serbia, the Czech Republic and Israel were expected in North Macedonia on Monday to assist local medical staff. More would be taken to hospitals in Croatia and Romania, officials said.

(Additional reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade; Writing by Edward McAllisterEditing by Ros Russell and Gareth Jones)
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A donut shop, Duck Donuts, has been reopened after its Northland store was broken into.

The store that was broken into is located on Antioch Road in Kansas City, Missouri.

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The store released the news on Facebook Monday morning, saying that the store was broken into.

The business has not released any details about the break-in at this time.

This is a developing story; FOX4 will update this story when more details are available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
The news that the prime minister of Canada saw the King yesterday would not normally set the pulse racing, but we live in new times.

Let me go back a bit. As a young journalist in 1982, I remember being faintly perturbed by the Canada Act of that year. This patriated the Canadian Constitution, getting rid of the last vestiges of British power over Canadian affairs. It came into effect just after Argentina had invaded the Falkland Islands. I sensed it might be a bad idea.

The Act was perfectly logical, however. It was the final step in the emergence of Canada as an entirely independent country.

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After Confederation in 1867, the Balfour Declaration (no, not the famous one) of 1926 and the Statute of Westminster of 1931, Canada had the unquestioned right to control both its internal and foreign affairs. The 1982 Act confirmed in law what had become true in fact  that the British Parliament no longer exercised authority.

The only important remaining constitutional commonality was that the British monarch was also, and would continue to be, the Queen or King of Canada. The Act passed without difficulty.

In those days the background was extremely placid. The United States of America had no problem with Canada. The joke was that the dullest American headline was Canada: friendly neighbor to the North  dull because it was so uncontroversially true.

But that was before Donald Trump. Now the 45th and 47th president threatens Canada over tariffs and speaks of it becoming the 51st state. He teasingly called the outgoing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau Governor Trudeau.

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Mr Trumps behaviour stirs up long latent feelings. Canada began to take its present shape in reaction to the American War of Independence. Large numbers of American colonists who did not want to break with the British Crown fled north and were accommodated in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. King George conferred upon them in perpetuity the title of United Empire Loyalists. Canadian identity, even including French Canadian identity, was forged by a wish not to be part of the United States.

In 1793, Benjamin Franklin tried and failed to take Quebec for the rebel colonies. In the War of 1812, the US again attacked Canada, again unsuccessfully. Much later, new Canadian provinces, including British Columbia, were created in the West, partly to repel American gold prospectors a bit too keen on their countrys manifest destiny.

When the Americans were trying to wipe out the Sioux, chief Sitting Bull was given sanctuary in Canada. Legend has it that he later wrote to thank Queen Victoria for protecting his people as feathers protect the snowy owl in winter.

So the spirit of the Canadian half of North America (the two cover a very similar landmass) is quite different from that of the United States. The first began and has evolved retaining loyalty to the British Crown. The second came into existence through revolt against it.

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Their underlying ideologies are different, too. The US Declaration of Independence rails against the repeated injuries and usurpations perpetrated by the British King and speaks of the inalienable Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The British North America Act of 1867 created a Canadian parliamentary system like ours, retained the Crown and spoke not of Enlightenment doctrines but of peace, order and good government.

Americans can be a bit vague about the Commonwealth and especially about the other realms of the British Crown. In 1983, President Reagan caused consternation to Queen Elizabeth II and to Mrs Thatcher by invading the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada, which had been the victim of a Marxist coup, without clearly informing Britain. He did not seem to know, or perhaps to care, that Grenada (133 sq miles) had the Queen as its head of state. There was a lot of upset, but ultimately little harm was done.

Canada (3,855,103 sq miles) is something else. Possibly, President Trump does not realise how great a potential storm he could be brewing. He may imagine that because Canadians are mainly white people who share the same language and similar heritage they will be thrilled with the idea of amalgamation. Many, however, will see Trumps behaviour as meriting the headline America: unfriendly neighbor to the South if he starts inflicting on their country the sort of disruption he so enjoys.

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Mr Trump is right, of course, that many Canadians are fed up with the extreme wokery of Canadas Trudeau era. Some, particularly in the West, like the sound of his proposed takeover. But the effect is the opposite of what he intends, empowering Trudeaus almost equally woke Liberal successor, Mark Carney, the Remainer former governor of the Bank of England, who is Oxford-educated and married to a posh, green Englishwoman. The previously rising Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre are now quite widely regarded as being too close to Trump. The Liberals have recovered in the polls.

You can see why most Canadians, Left, Right or centre, would be annoyed. After all, it is incredible cheek for Mr Trump to abuse an allied governments prime minister and then announce that you want to annex his country. Anti-Americanism, both there  and indeed, here  is bound to grow.

Canadas next federal election is due before October 20 this year. It would be a fine thing if the King, who has already subtly reminded the United States that he is Canadas head of state, were to go there to open the ensuing parliament, as his mother did twice in her reign.

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BOSTON  The federal government said in court papers filed Monday that a Rhode Island doctor, Dr. Rasha Alawieh, was deported from Logan Airport last week after customs and border officers found "sympathetic photos and videos" of Hezbollah leaders on her cell phone.

"With the discovery of these photographs and videos, CBP questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined," the documents said.

"As such CBP canceled her visa and deemed Dr. Alawieh inadmissible to the United States."

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Brown Medicine doctor who was recently deported to Lebanon, despite a federal court order.

What was found on Dr. Alawieh's cell phone?

According to government filings, Alawieh, 34, of Providence and a kidney transplant doctor for Brown Medicine, told customs and border officials that she followed the religious and spiritual teachings of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah but not his politics.

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Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Hezbollah's headquarters on Sept. 27, 2024.

The documents said Alawieh had attended a commemoration for Nasrallah during her recent two-week visit back to Lebanon to visit her family. Her friend and colleague Dr. Basma Merhi told The Journal on Friday that Alawieh, who is single, traveled home to see her family after years abroad and missing them.

In an affidavit, a CBP officer reported asking Alawieh about photos found on her phone of Nasrallah and Iranian cleric Ali Khamenei that had been deleted one or two days prior to her return flight to Boston.

Alawieh replied Im a Shia Muslim. Hes [Khamenei] a religious figure. It has nothing to do with politics. Its all religious, spiritual things.

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Alawieh allegedly told the officer she deleted the photos because she didnt want to give the perception she supported Hezbollah.

The Department of Homeland Security weighed in on the controversy Monday, writing on X:

"Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree. Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah. A visa is a privilege not a rightglorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security."

Why was Dr. Rasha Alawieh deported, despite court order?

The court documents were filed prior to a scheduled hearing in U.S. District Court Monday, where a judge ordered authorities to explain why Alawieh, traveling on a valid H-1B visa, had been deported Friday allegedly after his directive that they not do so without giving him 48 hours notice to review the case.

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The hearing was originally scheduled for 10 a.m., but was continued to give the government more time to address the allegations. No new hearing date has been set, but CBP has until March 24 to respond, and the judge gave Alawieh's lawyers until March 31 to respond to the government's motion to dismiss the complaint.

According to the court documents, the lawyers who filed a petition on Alawieh's behalf moved to withdraw from the case late Sunday night "stating that as a result of further diligence, they no longer represent the petitioner.

The petitioners remaining lawyer simultaneously filed a motion asking the court to continue the case to give new lawyers additional time to prepare.

In its initial response, lawyers for the government said it did not receive notice of the courts order from their legal counsel until after Alawieh had already departed the United States and that at no time would CBP not take a court order seriously or fail to abide by a courts order.

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Clare A. Saunders, a lawyer for Alawieh, contended in a court submission that she went to Logan Airport and spoke to at least two custom offers after the judges order had been issued shortly after 7 p.m.

One of them, identified in her statement only as Chief Kane, stated that he couldnt do anything with the order because I was showing him an electronic copy. He asked me to please produce a printed version.

Alawiehs Air France flight to Paris was scheduled to leave at 7:45 p.m.

Colleagues say Alawieh is one of only a few nephrologists in RI

Dr. Susie Hu, interim director of Brown Medicines Division of Kidney Transplant & Hypertension, was among Alawieh supporters in court Monday.

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She said Alawieh was a highly competent doctor, devoted to her patients. As to the photographs found on her phone, Hu said everyone has all kinds of photographs on their phone and these photographs in no way implicated her as a terrorist sympathizer, she said.

Dr. Douglas Shemin, former director of the division, said Alawieh, who had studied and worked in the United States for six years, was hired last July after a national search.

He said she is one of only three trained nephrologists in Rhode Island and desperately needed.

Both Hu and Shemin said they had never heard Alawieh talk about politics and that the division had a diverse staff of doctors.

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Alawieh worked at Rhode Island Hospital evaluating potential kidney transplant recipients and followed the progress of those patients after their procedures.

The Division of Kidney Transplant & Hypertension has 1,300 patients enrolled in the program, said Hu.

By Monday afternoon, Hilton Beckham, CBPs Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs said in a statement "Foreign nationals who promote extremist ideologies or carry terrorist propaganda are inadmissible to the U.S., plain and simple. A visa does not guarantee entry  CBP has the final authority after conducting rigorous security checks. Officers act swiftly to deny entry to those who glorify terrorist organizations, advocate violence, or openly support terrorist leaders and commemorate their deaths. Anyone found with extremist materials linked to a U.S.-designated terrorist group will be removed."

This story has been updated with new information.

Contact Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI doctor's controversial deportation caused by Hezbollah photos, feds say
A total of four cases of measles have been confirmed in Oklahoma as of Friday. (Getty Images) (This photo cannot be republished without a Getty subscription.)

OKLAHOMA CITY  As the number of measles cases in the state grew by two, health officials for the first time have publicly identified possible exposure sites in Owasso and Claremore.

The State Department of Health reported the first probable cases of measles in Oklahoma Tuesday, but said Friday evening that two additional cases had been identified. All four individuals were unvaccinated, according to a news release, but their ages were not disclosed.

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All four are linked to measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, which is confirmed to have killed at least one child and sickened almost 300 people.

The new cases were reported to the health department Friday and the agency immediately began its investigation, according to a press release.

The health department said the public may have been exposed to measles at five public locations in Owasso and Claremore, including a Kohls, an Aldi, a Walmart Supercenter, a Sams Club and Sprouts Farmers Market.

Measles can be prevented with a Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine which is recommended for children at 12 to 15 months of age and again at 4 to 6 years old. Receiving two doses of the vaccine is about 97% effective at preventing measles, and one dose is about 93% effective, the health department reported in a statement.

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Almost 92% of surveyed Oklahoma kindergartners were up to date on their MMR vaccines, according to the 2023-24 Oklahoma Kindergarten Immunization Survey.

The agency urged people who have been exposed to measles or are experiencing symptoms to report this to the department and exclude themselves from public settings.

The health department is working closely with the Tulsa Health Department to investigate and plans to share future updates and public setting exposures as they are identified.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The severe weather has moved out, but the cleanup and recovery efforts are only beginning in Mississippi.

According to Governor Tate Reeves, six people lost their lives during the severe storms.

In fact, the National Weather Service reported that 12 tornadoes touched down in Mississippi between Friday and Saturday night.

However, that total is expected to increase.

The impact of the storms and tornadoes led Governor Reeves to issue a State of Emergency.

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He said the weekend storms brought back painful memories of the deadly tornadoes that happened in the state in 2020 and 2023.

Three people hospitalized following severe Grenada County storm

More than 200 people were displaced and at least 27 storm-related injuries have been reported across the state.

We are now up to 23 counties across Mississippi that are reporting damage and damage assessments are ongoing, Reeves said.

Governor Reeves said at least 12 counties have filed requests for emergency assistance and he expects that number to rise.

The severe weather left behind devastating and destructive damage in several Mississippi counties, including Grenada and Marshall.

Damage following storms in Elliot, Mississippi. Damage following storms in Elliot, Mississippi. Damage following storms in Elliot, Mississippi. Damage following storms in Elliot, Mississippi. Water rescue on Whitten Road. Farley Road rescue

WREG brought you Team Three Coverage from both of those areas on Saturday.

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We spoke with one Grenada County couple who went into detail about the damage theyre currently dealing with.

Our ceilings are coming in, theres insulation, theres debris, Farrah Peters said. You cant get into this back bathroom back here. Both of my sons rooms are gone.

Flooded roads create problems in Marshall County

As the recovery and cleanup enters its early stages, emergency officials are sounding the alarm about new risks.

Really, the damage and the storm is not over, is I guess my main point is right now, said Stephen McCraney, the Executive Director for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. Were gonna get floodwaters that are gonna move down through the state, that are gonna impact the rest of the state, for probably the next week and a half to two weeks.

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It could take weeks, even months, for Mississippi to recover from the devastating and destructive weather.

However, the community is prepared to come together and rebuild one day at a time.

Its devastating. Its some really, really difficult things to see and a lot of damage, Reeves said. Its gonna take us a while to recover, but were gonna do what Mississippians do, and were gonna get up and help ourselves and help our neighbors.

There are three storm shelters open in Mississippi, one of them is in Grenada County. For more information about the shelters location, 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 WREG.com.
UPDATE: 9:30 p.m.: The four confirmed tornadoes had an estimated wind speeds of 100-105 mph, according to the NWS.

Survey crews will head to Fayette County on Tuesday, to cover ground they couldnt reach on Monday. The team will check on damage in Menallen Township.

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: The National Weather Service confirmed a fourth tornado touched town just northeast of Ligonier on Sunday.

And now we have four confirmed tornadoes from yesterday: the fourth is an EF-1 tornado near Wilpen in Westmoreland County. Our survey teams are en route back to the office, and we will share more information when they complete their analysis.  NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) March 17, 2025

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UPDATE 2:18 p.m.: The National Weather Service confirmed that another EF-1 tornado touched down near Josephine in Indiana County.

This is the third tornado confirmed to have touched down in our area on Sunday.

We've confirmed two more tornadoes. An EF-1 near Ligonier (from the same part of the line that produced the tornado in Donegal), and an EF-1 near Josephine in Indiana County. The last tornado in Indiana County was June 26th, 2024. More information will be available later. https://t.co/25XNNgkczU  NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) March 17, 2025

UPDATE 12:53 p.m.: The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down just southwest of Ligonier on Sunday. This is from the same part of the line that produced the tornado in Donegal.

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UPDATE 11:42 a.m.: The National Weather Service confirmed that its survey team so far has found damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado in the area from Bear Rocks, to Acme, to Donegal.

Our survey team has confirmed damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado around Donegal in Westmoreland County. More information will be available later. The last tornado in Westmoreland County was June 26th, 2024.  NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) March 17, 2025

The NWS continues to survey the area and will release more information later today.

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Initial coverage:

Two teams from the National Weather Service will survey parts of the area after severe storms moved through on Sunday.

PHOTOS: Strong winds, severe storms blast Western Pennsylvania

The teams will go to the area from Donegal through Ligonier in Westmoreland County, and Derry through Blairsville to Yellow Creek State Park areas in Westmoreland and Indiana counties.

We will be conducting storm surveys today in these areas of Indiana and Westmoreland Counties in relation to the severe thunderstorms that moved through the area on Sunday. Results will be shared as soon as possible! pic.twitter.com/EiWmv0WVp5  NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) March 17, 2025

The NWS said results will be shared as soon as possible.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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TEHRAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The recent Beijing meeting between China, Russia, and Iran on the Iranian nuclear issue has helped lay the cornerstone for backing the rule of law at the international level and promoting multilateralism, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday.

"In the meeting, the cornerstone was laid for a constructive and fruitful process for the three countries as well as supporting the rule of law at the international level and promoting multilateralism," Baghaei told a weekly press conference.

Expressing gratitude to China for hosting the meeting and to Russia for its participation, Baghaei said such meetings will continue in the future.

China always plays a "constructive and contributing" role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and as part of the negotiation processes pertaining to the Iranian nuclear issue, he added.

On Friday, deputy foreign ministers of China, Russia and Iran held a meeting in Beijing in a fresh bid to strengthen communication and pave the way for the resumption of talks concerning the Iranian nuclear issue.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the three countries emphasized the necessity of terminating all unlawful unilateral sanctions, and reiterated that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remains the only viable and practical option.

China and Russia welcomed Iran's reiteration that its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes, and not for development of nuclear weapons, and also welcomed Iran's commitment to full compliance with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement, supported Iran's policy to continue cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and stressed the need to fully respect Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as a State Party to the NPT.

In July 2015, Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

However, during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term of office, the United States withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments. 
NEW YORK  A reception at Gracie Mansion for the Greek American community set for Thursday in advance of the groups annual parade has stirred controversy after senior administration officials for Mayor Eric Adams revoked an award for one of the honorees at the last minute.

On March 7, Mayor Adams office notified Queens businessman Gus Lambropoulos, a recent candidate for state Senate, that he would be one of four honorees at the reception for his many years of community service. The vetting had lasted about a month.

Five days later, on March 12, after Lambropoulos had invited friends from other parts of the country to see him honored, Adams administration officials told him he wouldnt be honored, the New York Daily News has learned.

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Lambropoulos wife, Maria Markou, a lawyer and district leader in Queens, was steamed.

This is just another example of reckless judgment by the mayors administration in taking back an award from a worthy NYC citizen, she said. Markou estimated the couples friends had spent some $7,500 to travel to the event.

Markou believes there were politics at play. She thinks City Hall changed course because they were aware she and other district leaders in Queens are planning next week to endorse ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomos 2025 mayoral primary challenge against Adams.

To congratulate, give it, and then take it back is a complete disrespect and a slap to our beloved Greek American community, she said.

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But Kayla Mamelak, a spokeswoman for Adams, said Lambropoulos was removed from the list after officials realized Markou had been honored at a similar Heritage event two years ago. When it comes to heritage events, we do one award per household, so that we can recognize as many community members as possible. And his wife had received a similar award, Mamelak said.

Markou said thats surprising, given City Hall knew from the start the couple was married. The pair are both well known in the community.

If there was a policy as they allege last minute, why did they do the vetting process, my husband passes it and they congratulate him and ask for the list of guests? she said. This does not make sense. I believe this is politically motivated by Eric Adams side.

The other honorees include Margo Vondersaar Catsimatidis, the wife of billionaire supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, a major player in city politics whos close to both Adams and Cuomo. On Feb. 27, Catsimatidis donated $20,000 as a sponsor of the parade and is listed as a chairman emeritus.

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He told The News on Monday that hes also a sponsor of this weeks Gracie Mansion event and plans to help pay for food and other extra costs associated with it. He wouldnt immediately comment on his wifes expected award or Markous accusations.

He was also a sponsor of the same annual Hellenic event at Gracie Mansion in 2024.

Catsimatidis is a high-dollar political donor close to President Donald Trump and has a radio show that is influential in conservative circles. The mogul has been a backer of the mayor, but has recently shown signs of warming up to Cuomo. He had Cuomo on his radio show on March 9. A Cuomo spokesman declined comment Monday.

Lambropoulos said he first learned he would be an honoree in early February as long as he passed a background check. He submitted his date of birth, bio and resume to City Hall for vetting.

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He works as a business consultant on real estate projects and describes himself as a 9/11 survivor and a two-time cancer survivor. He lost his bid for the state Senate last year in the democratic primary to Kristen Gonzalez.

On March 7, Ido Shargal, senior adviser of the Mayors Community Affairs Unit, wrote to Lambropoulos to introduce him to Jayson Littman, director of events and protocol for the mayors office. Jayson has informed me you passed vetting, Shargal wrote, according to emails obtained by the Daily News.

Littman then wrote in an email to Lambropoulos, Congratulations on your honor! Littman went on to write honorees are approved for six guests and asked for their contact info.

Thank you so much, Lambropoulos replied, copying Shargal. My family will attend and are incredibly excited and humbly honored to be a part of this event.

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Five days later, Lambropoulos got a call from Valerie Vasquez, the Deputy Commissioner of Community Affairs.

She says, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your wife got the award two years ago, Lambropoulos said. I had just told 100 people from all over to come.

Lambropoulos appealed to Fred Kreizman, Adams Commissioner of Community Affairs.

He just said, It is what it is,' Lambropoulos said.

In a text message to Lambropoulos provided to The News, Kreizman wrote, (Your) wife received an award at this event two years ago and they didnt realize that. It was a week too late but people failed in due diligence.

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Littman offered to still allow his guests to attend the event.

But Lambropoulos remains unsatisfied. Its just another way they are lacking responsibility and ownership for what they do, he said. How would the mayor feel if someone did that to him?

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The city Health Department missed early detection of COVID-19 because it listened to CDC bureaucrats  losing the chance to potentially spare untold numbers from death, a former agency director claims.

The departments leadership decided to strictly adhere to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Preventions rigid COVID-19 testing guidelines in early 2020, which delayed confirming the presence and transmission of the virus in the Big Apple by more than a month, writes Don Weiss in his new book, Disease Detectives: True Stories of NYC Outbreaks.

The city Health Department missed early detection of COVID-19 because it listened to CDC bureaucrats, author Don Weiss claims.

Weiss, a former surveillance director for the Big Apples Department of Health, was monitoring the situation from the trenches at the time.

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He said he was frustrated by CDC guidelines that limited testing to suspected infected patients who returned to the US from Wuhan, China, and elsewhere overseas, exhibited severe lower respiratory illness or were exposed to a known case.

Many New Yorkers were only exhibiting mild, flu-like symptoms from COVID and would not be tested under the CDC criteria.

That meant they were potentially unaware that they had it  and more importantly, could infect others who were in poor health, immunocompromised or with serious pre-existing conditions or illness.

At a time without a vaccine, COVID turned into a death sentence for many elderly people and others with serious illness.

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I worried that wed miss the opportunity to prevent an onslaught, Weiss said in the book of the limited testing.

By following the CDCs strict criteria for testing we were missing cases.  The overwhelming probability favored mild cases arriving in NYC, but our hands felt tied.

He said he and some others who tracked the disease wanted to test residents suspected of having even mild cases of COVID-19 to start a public health campaign sooner.

But we were voted down and we stuck to CDCs criteria.  We needed to go off the CDC script, wrote Weiss, 67, who directed the city DOHs surveillance unit for 22 years.

At a time without a vaccine, COVID turned into a death sentence for many elderly people and others with serious illness. Christopher Sadowski

It was a horrible place to be, wedged between the suspicion of cases and the inability to test them, he said. It was four weeks into the pandemic, and we still hadnt identified a COVID-19 case in NYC, and the email to my colleagues imploring that we veer from CDCs rigidity received zero response.

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He noted that Sharon Balter, a former department employee now working in the Los Angeles Health Department, was sending specimens to the CDC that didnt meet the testing criteria because the Big Apple agency was still stubbornly trying to fight back.

The CDC had strict criteria for testing in part because of the limited ability to test, Weiss said.

On Jan. 29, 2020, a Brooklyn hospital reported a patient who was a ride-share driver in his late 40s who was very sick and on a ventilator. Tests for influenza and RSV were negative, but he wasnt tested for COVID.

Although the patient himself didnt travel, he had exposure to travelers.  I was voted down and the patient wasnt tested, well, not until several months later, Weiss said.

Weiss, a former surveillance director for the Big Apples Department of Health, was monitoring the situation from the trenches at the time. Stephen Yang

It turned out that the ride-share driver had COVID. He had underlying ailments and died from COVID-related issues in May 2021.

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Nearly 240 suspected COVID-19 cases were reported to the citys Health Department before the first COVID case was confirmed March 1, 2020.

COVID-19 was clearly circulating in NYC a month before the first recognized positive case, Weiss wrote.

The delay in testing capacity resulted in delayed recognition of the circular virus, which impaired the public health response until well after community transmission was established.

Weiss, in a subsequent interview with The Post about his book, said, Theres a possibility we would have saved lives if COVID transmission had been detected sooner.

At the very least, residents could have been warned to quarantine and wear masks to protect themselves and others, he said.

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Neither the CDC nor New York City Health Department responded to The Posts requests for comment.

Nearly 240 suspected COVID-19 cases were reported to the citys Health Department before the first COVID case was confirmed March 1, 2020. Christopher Sadowski

Weisss book also:

Slammed then-Mayor Bill de Blasios handling of the pandemic.

Weiss was enraged when de Blasio mentioned a child in The Bronx who tested positive for COVID-19 revealing enough information that the kid was identified.

The child became the target of abuse from classmates and the community.  We were outraged and vowed not to share any more information that could repeat the cruelty we witnessed, Weiss wrote.

He told The Post that city Health Department staffers actually donated money to the student.

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Repeated previous criticism about what he described as the citys eventual overreliance on testing and called its Test and Trace program an expensive bust.

Contact tracing in NYC was ineffective at slowing transmission of COVID-19. Anyone who claims differently is putting lipstick on a pig, Weiss said.

He said the screening of students at school for COVID-19 was also overused.

Its fair to argue that it was appropriate to try different strategies to help tame a once-in-a-century pandemic, Weiss said.

But the tenacity with which the city stuck with ineffective strategies cant be justified, he said. We need to move toward a more tolerable balance of individual freedom and community protection.

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Data show 46,879 deaths in the city have been associated with COVID-19 and its variants since the original outbreak. There have been roughly 3.7 million total cases of COVID and 241,203 hospitalizations in the Big Apple.

Weiss retired in 2023 after being reassigned over he said was him calling out political correctness run amok.
The city Correction Department has seen a mysterious jump over the past 18 months in the numbers of officers taking time off under laws that allow leave for pregnancies and caring for sick relatives  sparking concerns that officers are using the leaves as their own literal get-out-of-jail-free card, according to data and correction sources.

Until August 2023, the number of officers out each day on so-called FMLA leave was fairly steady at around 45 a day on average, according to department figures cited in a November report by the federal monitor tracking violence and uses of force in the jails.

The total jumped to an average of 86 officers a day in August 2023 and then to about 110 a day on average one month later, the figures show. The daily average has remained consistently above 110 since then, the figures show. In 2024, the average was 113 officers a day  or 151% higher than in the summer of 2023.

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These increases are much smaller than those in the postpandemic sick leave scandal of 2021 and 2022, when it was routine for 1,500 officers a day to be out, and some officers were charged with crimes over their absences, but the rise was important enough to be mentioned in the little-noticed November report by the monitor.

While the department appears to have effectively curbed abuses in these areas [sick leave], a problem involving potential abuses of Family Medical Leave Act and Personal Emergency leave has emerged, the federal monitoring team tracking violence and staff use of force in the jails noted in November. Staff are also not utilizing Personal Emergency time as designed.

The number of officers out per day on personal emergency leave also rose, from 30 in 2022 to 44 in 2024  a 47% jump, the figures show.

The federal Family Leave and Medical Act provides for 12 to 26 weeks of unpaid leave for special time away from work for situations like pregnancies and caring for a loved one who is sick. State law provides for 12 weeks of paid leave.

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Multiple Correction Department sources claimed one factor is that some officers use the FMLA allowances as de facto sick days without obtaining prior approval.

Theyre using it like a bank card. They will call and say Im FMLA-ing for today, or the next two hours. Why is it happening? Because the commissioners not holding them accountable for it, a source said.

Union officials didnt respond to a request for comment.

The sources said the problem emerged in a more pronounced way after the crackdown on sick leave abuse that included home visits by correction investigators to verify the reported illness. You have officers who might be allowed one to three days a month, but they are going over 10 or 15 days, a source said.

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Maureen Sheehan, a former Correction Department deputy director of investigations, said one issue has been that the agency has been lax in checking the paperwork that is supposed to be filed and approved whenever a staffer goes out on FMLA.

Its hard to even know if they took an FMLA day because its just handwritten into a logbook at the facility, she said. Theres no one really checking.

The disclosure emerges as the department is once again struggling with staffing shortages. On March 7, the Daily News reported that Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie backed down on a plan to move to 12-hour tours after a staff revolt. Its unclear what her next plan will be.

In remarks to the City Council that same day, Maginley-Liddie cited a 32% increase in the jail population during Mayor Adams three-year tenure to 6,900 detainees along with a 20% drop in officers to about 6,000 during the same period. Some 700 officers will be eligible to retire this year, with an additional 750 in 2026, she said.

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As we move into this next fiscal year, we must confront some hard truths, she said.

Correction Department spokesmen did not directly address a connection between the 12-hour tour plan and the FMLA numbers. But they noted that the percentage of staff out on sick leave has dropped from 22% in December 2021 to 11% in December 2022 to 7% in December 2024.

Officers who are medically restricted, or barred from working directly with detainees, has also dropped from 10% in December 2021 to 5% in December 2024.

The NYC Department of Correction holds our staff to the highest standards. Any unbecoming conduct will be investigated, department press secretary Annais Morales said. As we said before, our scheduling strategies are intended to address staffing challenges while improving coverage, predictability and work-life balance for our dedicated staff.

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The Correction Department declined to provide statistics on how many officers are directly working in the jails on a given day or offer an explanation for the increase in officers out each day on FMLA and emergency leave except to reiterate that abuse allegations are investigated.

Morales said recruiting is a priority of the agency, noting that the citys fiscal 2026 budget includes $5 million for that purpose.
NEW YORK  The president of the union representing New York Citys deputy sheriffs was transferred out of her unit and punished by Sheriff Anthony Miranda and his team for questioning the agencys crackdown on illegal pot shops and several personnel changes, a city Office of Collective Bargaining report says.

After reviewing union president Ingrid Simonovics complaint about her transfer in 2023, the Office of Collective Bargaining concluded that she would not have been transferred were it not for her union activity and ordered her returned to her previous post on March 6.

The Sheriffs actions were taken in retaliation for protected union activity, Office of Collective Bargaining Director Susan Panepento wrote in her decision.

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The report highlights the ongoing rift between Simonovic, the New York City Deputy Sheriffs' Association, and Miranda. As the union continues to negotiate for a new contract with the city, members are demanding Mirandas resignation, claiming the Sheriff has mismanaged the agency, mistreated its workforce and exhibited sexist behavior toward Simonovic.

Simonovic is the only female president of all the citys uniformed labor unions. In December 2022 she filed a sex discrimination complaint against Miranda and the city with the state Division of Human Rights.

Following an investigation, the state agency in September found that probable cause exists to believe that (Miranda and the city) have engaged in or are engaging in the unlawful discriminatory practice complained of and recommended a public hearing on the matter, state documents show. The hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Simonovic believes Miranda ignores her questions and concerns about his leadership because shes a woman.

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Miranda wont meet with me, she told The News last week. Complaints filed against the Sheriffs office include allegations that Simonovic has been barred from the Sheriffs office.

Im being treated differently than my male counterparts in the other unions, she said.

Simonovic was moved out of a Homeland Security task force, where she was working on several investigations, and sent to work the night shift at the Sheriffs Law Enforcement Bureau in Manhattan in February 2023 following several heated meetings she had with Mirandas leadership team over changes to employee hours and the citys push to have the Sheriffs office lead the citys pot shop enforcement.

When she was transferred, her new supervisor, Undersheriff Orpheus Cuttino said management reassigned her to Manhattan so I can watch you, according to her testimony to the Office of Collective Bargaining.

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Good, now nobody can say that the union president has a cushy gig, Cuttino said, adding he wasnt going to give her any special treatment, according to the report.

Instead, Simonovic was forced to work 2 p.m. to 12 a.m. even though everyone else in the bureau finished their shift at 10 p.m. She was also forced to work five days a week when her normal shift was four days, according to the findings of the improper practice proceeding.

The fact that President Simonovic was assigned to work a schedule different from the other bargaining unit members in the New York County Law Enforcement Bureau, ensuring that she would be alone in the office for several hours each shift, reinforces the retaliatory nature of her re-assignment, the OCB noted.

When Simonovic, a nursing mother, asked to go to the buildings lactation room, Cuttino refused, claiming that management didnt want (her) wandering around the building. In turn, Cuttino said she could express milk at an office next to his, the report states.

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These unrebutted statements sent a clear message that President Simonovic was reassigned to subject her to greater supervision, scrutiny, or surveillance, indicating that the assignment was made in retaliation for her union activity, OCB determined.

In its testimony, the Department of Finance, which oversees the Sheriffs office, said Miranda had decided to move deputy sheriffs out of specialized units long before the heated meetings with the union. The city said Cuttinos comments were uncorroborated and are attributed to a (staffer) who does not speak for the Department of Finance.

As of Friday, Simonovic remains working at the Manhattan office and has not been returned to her previous post. The citys Department of Finance was reviewing the OCB determination and did not immediately return a request for comment. The Sheriffs Department also did not respond.

Deputy Sheriffs are responsible for executing eviction notices, orders of protection, and investigating financial and tax fraud. When Adams appointed Miranda, the Sheriffs office was tasked with also inspecting illegal cannabis shops in the city, but a recent court ruling has curbed that work.

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Simonovic and the union are calling for Mirandas resignation, claiming he has created a hostile work environment that has led to an exodus of rank-and-file members. In complaints against Miranda, the union has claimed the city sheriff has discriminated and retaliated against union members. Since 2022, the union has lodged more than 13 complaints against Miranda and his executives with various agencies, which are still pending.

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The founder of the Oath Keepers militia begged President Donald Trump to issue him a full pardonnot just a commutationfor his conviction over his key role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Im definitely, of course, appreciative and grateful for President Trump for getting me out of prison, Stewart Rhodes said Sunday during an interview with Real Americas Voice. But I was completely innocent like my co-defendants.

In May 2023, Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy after he was found guilty of helping to orchestrate the violent attempt to overthrow former President Joe Bidens 2020 election victory.

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Using encrypted communications, Rhodes helped recruit and train rioters, brought paramilitary gear and weapons to Washington, D.C., and helped breach the Capitol building. While the angry mob attacked police officers inside, Rhodes remained outside coordinating the attack, according to the Department of Justice. He then continued plotting even after the riot failed to stop the elections certification until he was arrested in 2022.

On his first day in office, Trump pardoned about 1,500 of the Capitol rioters, which effectively wiped out the convictions. He also commuted the sentences of 14 peopleincluding Rhodesfound guilty of organizing and leading the attack. The commutations keep the convictions in place but reduce the punishments.

Rhodes was found guilty of organizing the deadly attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. / Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Rhodes said Sunday he was still not quite sure why he was given a commutation instead of a pardon.

What that means is that although our prison sentences are endedwere freewe are still second-class citizens because were all still felons, he told Real Americas Voice.

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During the interview he wore his trademark cowboy hat and eyepatch; he lost his eye in his 20s after he accidentally dropped a gun and it went off.

As a felon, Rhodes cant own a gun, cant vote in his home state of Texas, and has been stripped of his veterans benefits, he said. He was a paratrooper in the Army until he was injured in a parachuting accident, leaving him with a fused spine.

While he was being held in solitary confinement in prison, he got a really nasty letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs, he claimed.

They sent me a letter saying all thats wiped out, he said. No more veterans benefits at all, or healthcare, and I cant be buried in a veterans cemetery now.

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He added that others whose sentences were only commuted are also in the same boat.

Were all in this position of being second-class citizens and having our benefits stripped from us, Rhodes said. We really need a pardon.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A registered sex offender who was arrested late last month after a runaway teen was found in his home is facing new charges after the teen was released from the hospital and told her story to investigators.

Michael Gene Linthicum has now been charged with Abandon/Endanger a Child Criminal Negligence and Purchase/Furnish Alcohol to a Minor. Thats in addition to his other charges, which include Harboring a Runaway and Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Requirements.

Records showed that Linthicum was convicted of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in 1985 and had also been arrested on multiple occasions for failing to comply with sex offender registry requirements.



According to an Odessa Police Department report, in early February, the family of a 14-year-old girl sought help after the child ran away from home. The investigation into her whereabouts intensified late last month after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued an alert for information in partnership with Ring Neighbors App, a feature that reaches millions of users providing real-time assistance in locating missing children.

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On February 28, the teen contacted her loved ones from a phone belonging to Linthicum, which prompted a search of his property. At the home on Golder Avenue, investigators said they found the 14-year-old and learned that shed been staying with a woman named Anita Newton and Linthicum since she ran away from home on February 1.

Both Newton and Linthicum arrested at the scene and were charged with harboring a runaway, which is a crime in Texas that is punishable by a fine of up to $4,000 and or one year in jail.

New documents showed that when OPD arrived at Linthicums home and found the teen, she was so intoxicated that she needed medical attention. Upon her release from the hospital, the girl spoke with a forensic investigator and said shed lived with the suspects for 28 days and that during that time, Linthicum gave her alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamines.

Linthicum remained in the Ector County Law Enforcement Center as of Monday afternoon on a combined $110,000 bond.

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What is harboring a runaway child?

Harboring a runaway child occurs when someone shelters a minor without the consent of their legal guardian

The minor may have escaped from a detention facility, probation officer, or peace officer

The minor may be voluntarily absent from home without their parent or guardians consent

Parents and guardians can press charges against anyone who harbors their child without permission.

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ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer was injured in a crash Monday morning.

According to police, an officer was struck by a vehicle in the express lanes on Interstate 70 near Shreve Avenue. It originally started with a carjacking investigation and led to a chase, SLMPD said in a press conference.

The officer was rushed to the hospital in a police cruiser with a serious injury to his leg.

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Police says he is currently in surgery as of 10 a.m. and his family had a chance to speak to him. He is listed in a critical but stable condition.

It shows the dangerous work our officers are out there doing each and every day, and if it wasnt for the quick action of the officers on the sceneputting him in one of our Tahoes, clearing out down Kingshighway, getting him to Barnes Hospitalit couldve been even worse than it is right now, SLMPD Chief Robert Tracy said. Pretty much saved his life.

Traffic has been narrowed to one lane as emergency crews are at the scene.

This is a developing story. More will be posted as it comes into the FOX 2 newsroom.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Donald Trump is all about revenge. He also makes no secret of his distaste for the LGBTQ+ community. What did we ever do to him to make him come after us so hard? I was texting with a friend about this the other day, who replied at one point, Well, he cant hate you that much, since he has a gay Treasury secretary. And I wrote back, Yes, a gay Treasury secretary who oversees a department where words like advocate (Does Trump mean us?), assigned at birth, assigned female at birth, assigned male at birth, biologically female, biologically male, gender, gender based, gender based violence, gender diversity..." and I listed even more.

Did I get my point across? I also said that Hitler had a gay high-ranking military aide who was a leader in the Nazi Party while Hitler was rounding up gays for concentration camps .

This week, Pete Buttigieg, President Bidens Transportation secretary and a golden boy of the Democratic Party, announced he would not seek Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat , opting instead to focus on other avenues to serve the nation. This decision leaves the door open for a potential presidential bid in 2028, positioning him strategically for a future campaign. It has fueled speculation about his ambitions for the highest office, a move that could not be more timely or necessary.

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In a political era fraught with division and regression, the prospect of the gay Buttigieg ascending to the presidency in 2028 is paradoxically rich in irony, all the while offering a beacon of hope for America's future.

Why couldnt Buttigieg make a successful go of it as a presidential candidate? His political journey is marked by notable successes and many firsts for a queer person . His 2020 presidential campaign, though not victorious, showcased his eloquence, intelligence, and ability to connect with a diverse electorate. He won the most delegates in the Iowa caucus , although Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont won the popular vote there.

As secretary of Transportation under Biden, Buttigieg played a pivotal role in advancing infrastructure projects and promoting sustainable transportation initiatives, earning bipartisan praise for his effectiveness and vision. Now we have, like Trump, former reality star Sean Duffy running transportation. An airplane caught on fire in Denver Thursday, the latest in a string of aviation disasters since Trump took office.

In an era when media appearances can make or break political careers, Buttigieg has consistently demonstrated his prowess. His interviews on conservative platforms like Fox News have been master classes in poise and articulation. During those appearances, he deftly addressed criticisms of the administration's infrastructure plan, turning potentially hostile exchanges into opportunities to communicate the administrations message effectively.

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Such performances have not only bolstered his popularity among Democrats but have also earned him respect across the political spectrum; however, if Buttigieg wants to be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028, hes going to need to spend more time on CNN and MSNBC than Fox. Perhaps one of the lessons from 2024 is that party leaders worried just a bit too much about what Republicans were going to do.

These last few horrible weeks have been characterized by Trump signing a series of his overreaching executive orders that have been detrimental to LGBTQ+ individuals. In January, Trump signed Executive Order 14168 , which redefined sex in federal law as strictly binary, effectively erasing protections for transgender individuals.

This order mandated that federal agencies remove materials promoting "gender ideology" and barred transgender people from accessing government-funded single-sex facilities that align with their gender identity. Additionally, the administration reinstated a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military , a move that has sparked legal battles and widespread condemnation.

The administration also waged a war on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, dismantling federal initiatives and pressuring corporations to retreat from diversity commitments. This regression sent a chilling message to all Americans who aren't straight white men and Christian, undermining decades of progress toward equality. Thats why all those naughty words I sent my friend were labeled illegal.

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Furthermore, federal funding was suspended for institutions like the University of Maine over unfounded allegations related to transgender policies, jeopardizing essential research projects. Despite the university's clarification that none of its institutions currently have transgender athletes, the funding freeze remained in effect , highlighting the administration's punitive approach toward perceived noncompliance with its discriminatory policies.

Electing Buttigieg in 2028 would be a profound repudiation of the Trump administration's discriminatory policies. It would signal to the world that America rejects intolerance and embraces diversity. Buttigieg's unique background as a Rhodes Scholar, military veteran, and out gay public servant equips him with the empathy and experience needed to unite a fractured nation.

Some people thought that Kamala Harris was the perfect antithesis to Trump as a Black woman , so there will surely be an argument made that America isnt ready for a gay president; yet I disagree with that. Yes, its way too early to predict the mood of the electorate in 2028, but Barack Obama, as a Black man, won in 2008 in part because America was done with the incompetency and destructive nature of the George W. Bush administration.

The same argument might be made in 2028 in that America looks toward something new, different, cleaner that reflects a country that wants to be seen as more tolerant after four years of intolerance by Trump.

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Further, Buttigieg's potential candidacy for president in 2028 embodies the hope for a more inclusive and united America. His leadership could serve as the antidote to the regressive policies of the past, reaffirming the nation's commitment to equality and justice for all.

Finally, Ive always said that therell never be a gay president in my lifetime. And while Im wrong about many, many things, I want to be wrong about this!

Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit Advocate.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. 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.
Mar. 17A bipartisan bill pending in the Ohio House would require public schools to pick a daily time to recite the pledge of allegiance in a bid to instill patriotism in Ohio youth.

The bill, House Bill 117, would retract current law, which allows individual school districts to draw their own policies on when, and how often, to say the pledge.

H.B. 117 would then replace the stricken language with a mandate for school boards to set "a time and manner for the daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance to the flag."

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The bill sets out that participation would not be compulsory for students or staff. It does, however, encourage lesson plans and forbids districts from making any alterations to the pledge's language.

Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma, a former civics teacher, told the Ohio House committee this week that the state's current law resulted in some districts choosing to do the pledge only on special occasions, others only once a week, and others not at all.

Republican joint sponsor Rep. Tracy Richardson, of Marysville, said districts opting not to recite the pledge "has resulted in students who simply never learn our Pledge."

"It's too bad that we have to bring this bill, right? I mean, it's too bad that they're not saying the Pledge of Allegiance in every single school every single day in the state of Ohio," Brennan said.

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While both lawmakers asserted some of the 680 Ohio public school districts would need to change their policies under the bill, neither pointed out specific districts.

It's unclear if any Miami Valley districts would be impacted if the bill became law. The Dayton Board of Education, for example, already requires a daily recitation on the basis that it helps students learn of "our democratic heritage, ideals and freedom."

The bill sponsors argue a similar point.

"I truly believe in my heart that one of my duties as a school teacher was to instill a feeling of patriotic duty, unity and love of country in every one of the students I served," said Brennan. "This bill is one little way we can move that needle in the right direction of instilling a sense of patriotism in our students."

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H.B. 117 has yet to receive proponent or opponent testimony in its House committee.

------

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An area county jail is housing nearly 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees.

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Almost 90 ice inmates are being held today in the Butler County Jail in Ohio. Thanks President Trump and Vance, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones wrote on X.

TRENDING STORIES:

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The jail began housing ICE detainees on March 5 after the Butler County Commission approved a contract with ICE in February.

Two other detention centers in Ohio hold ICE detainees, according to the agencys website  Seneca County Jail and Geauga County Safety Center.

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Support for private sector reiterated

08:29, March 17, 2025 By Cao Desheng ( Chinadaily.com.cn

An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector and unswervingly encouraging, supporting and guiding the development of the nonpublic sector was published on Sunday, sending a clear message again that the country remains committed to bolstering the growth of the private economy.

The article by Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, came nearly one month after he held a special symposium on private enterprises on Feb 17, aiming to boost private businesses. It was published in this year's sixth issue of Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

The article highlighted that China's basic economic system, in which the core principles and policies of the Party and the country regarding the development of the private economy are laid out, has been incorporated into the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Party Constitution. The system "will not and cannot be changed", the article said.

The Party and the country ensure that economic entities under all forms of ownership have equal access to factors of production in accordance with the law, can compete on a level playing field, and are protected by the law as equals. This enables them to complement each other and develop side by side, facilitating the healthy development of the nonpublic sector and those working in it, according to the article.

Both the public and nonpublic sectors are important components of the socialist market economy and an important basis for China's economic and social development, it noted, adding that the two sectors should complement each other and develop in tandem.

China's consistent commitment to the development of the private economy, which has been demonstrated in various forms such as policy announcements and high-level meetings, comes at a time when debates on the relationship between State-owned enterprises and private businesses have gained traction.

In the 1980s, China's private economy started from scratch, but it experienced rapid growth over the past four decades.

In terms of the role of the private economy, Xi's article said that for a long time, the rapid expansion of China's private sector has played an important role in stabilizing growth, powering innovation, increasing employment, and raising people's living standards.

Official statistics show that private businesses contribute approximately 50 percent of the country's tax revenue, 60 percent of GDP, and 70 percent of technological innovation, and they account for 80 percent of urban employment.

Paul Frimpong, executive director and senior research fellow at the Ghana-based Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory, said the Chinese government's effective partnership with the private sector has been central to the country's economic success through enhancing prosperity, employment, and livelihoods.

"By driving GDP growth, creating jobs and fostering innovation, private enterprises underpin the nation's economic resilience," Frimpong said. "By fostering a dynamic and inclusive private economy, China can sustain high-quality growth, improve living standards and enhance global competitiveness."

However, China's private enterprises have faced mounting challenges in the past few years, including financing difficulties and concerns about fair competition and legal protections, which, to some extent, have thwarted the confidence of private businesses.

To address these challenges, the Chinese government has introduced several key measures since 2023 to enhance the institutional environment for private enterprises. They include a 31-measure guideline to boost the private sector, the establishment of the private economy development bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission, and legislative progress on a law to promote the private economy.

Speaking in February at the symposium, which was attended by the nation's leading private entrepreneurs, Xi emphasized that the current difficulties and challenges facing the private sector are partial and temporary, rather than holistic and long-term, and "they can be overcome".

He also mentioned that this is an opportune moment for private enterprises and entrepreneurs to showcase their talent and significantly contribute to the country's development.

Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan and a professor of the Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University, said the high-level symposium, the first of its kind hosted since 2018, took place amid the complexities of emerging global economic challenges, including heightened geopolitical tensions and regulatory overreach against some of the country's corporate giants.

"What is certain is that the symposium communicates a clear message of support for private sector entrepreneurs at the highest level, which will inspire much-needed spirit and optimism for renewed growth in China, particularly in its tech sector," Otorbaev said in an article published on the website of the China Global Television Network.

According to the Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Qiang at the annual session of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, on March 5 in Beijing, China will encourage private investment by implementing new mechanisms for public-private partnerships in a well-regulated manner and guiding more private investment toward major infrastructure and public well-being projects, thus creating more opportunities for the development of private capital.

Observers said the Chinese government's engagement with private entrepreneurs, as well as ongoing policy refinements, reflect a pragmatic approach aimed at fostering an environment where State-owned and private businesses can thrive together.

Rather than retreating, the private sector is being empowered to take on new opportunities in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the digital economy and international trade, they said.

Huang Hanquan, director of the National Development and Reform Commission's Academy of Macroeconomic Research, emphasized the importance of faithfully implementing the measures to boost the private economy.

"Many supportive policies have been in place," Huang said in an interview with China Media Group. "The key, however, is to ensure their implementation. It is essential to enable private enterprises to truly feel tangible benefits, to genuinely experience the value and specific advantages of national policies."

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
By Alimat Aliyeva

A consortium of domestic shipyards and container shipping companies has successfully demonstrated the 3D printing of ship components, marking a significant step forward for their maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations, Azernews reports.

The consortium, which includes Ulsan and affiliated organizations, CSCAM, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), HMM, and the Korean Register, expects the 3D printing systemset to be fully operational by December 2025to save ship operators considerable time and money when manufacturing MRO-related parts.

Traditionally, large vessels carry a variety of spare parts onboard in case of unexpected breakdowns. However, with 3D printing, ships can produce the required parts on demand, eliminating the need for large inventory spaces and reducing the time spent on ordering, producing, and delivering spare parts.

HD HHI and HMM reported that their 3D printing technology demonstrated stable operation during final evaluations and a demonstration at the HD Hyundai Samho shipyard in South Jeolla. A key challenge in 3D printing on ships is mitigating the effects of vibration, as vessels are constantly in motion. The successful demonstration showed that the technology can perform reliably in such conditions.

The project, launched in 2023 with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, aims to revolutionize the shipbuilding and MRO industries. HD HHI, a shipbuilding subsidiary of HD KSOE, plans to commercialize the technology by building a digital parts library and establishing a network between ships and ports for remote ordering and localized part supply.

In collaboration with HD KSOE, the subsidiary is also developing carbon steel powder for creating ship components. Carbon steel is ideal for 3D printing ship parts due to its durability and cost-effectiveness compared to plastic or stainless steel.

"This demonstration has confirmed the competitiveness of 3D printing technology in the shipbuilding industry," an HD HHI official said. "We will continue to lead innovation in the ship MRO sector through ongoing research and development."

This breakthrough in 3D printing technology could potentially reshape the way the maritime industry approaches parts manufacturing and inventory management, significantly improving operational efficiency. Additionally, it has the potential to reduce carbon footprints by cutting down on the resources used in traditional spare parts production and shipping. As the technology continues to advance, it could also pave the way for on-demand production of more complex and critical components, further enhancing the sustainability and flexibility of the global shipping industry.
VILNIUS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian prosecutors have classified the fire at an Ikea store in Vilnius last May as a terrorist attack and have referred the case to court, Lithuanian National Video and Television (LRT) reported on Monday.

Arturas Urbelis, chief prosecutor at the Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, told LRT that the attack was carried out by a terrorist group that may have ties to Russian special services.

The investigation found that the perpetrators were two individuals under the age of 20, including a minor. Both suspects are Ukrainian citizens, and the group was reportedly coordinated through social media and used classified messages, according to the prosecutor.

The suspects allegedly came to Lithuania from Poland and had been preparing for the attack since April. They planted an explosive device in the Ikea shop in the northern town of Siauliai on May 8 and detonated it on May 9.

Lithuanian officials arrested one suspect on May 13 last year. The perpetrators were also linked to crimes committed in Poland.

The indictment includes a civil claim for 485,000 euros (529,229 U.S. dollars) for damage caused to the Ikea store. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollars) 
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH)  Drivers caught traveling 30 mph or more over the speed limit on Ohio roads could face an additional fine on top of a ticket if a recently introduced bill becomes law.

House Bill 111, introduced in February by Reps. Kevin Miller (R-Newark) and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), would tack $200 onto any existing ticket or penalty for drivers caught traveling at least 30 mph over the speed limit.

Third fatal crash within 12 hours closed Interstate 70 in east Columbus

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The goal of House Bill 111 is to deter the most egregious speeding offenses which not only place the offender at risk but equally affects the safety of the motoring public, Miller said.

The cost of speeding fines in Ohio varies between jurisdictions, but tickets can cost hundreds of dollars with additional court fees. Under state law, penalties also increase if the speeding happens in a school zone, construction zone, or if the driver is a repeat offender.

Currently, in Franklin County, the typical fine for those traveling up to 20 mph over the speed limit is $155, the fine for speeding 21-25 mph over the limit is $177, the fine for speeding 26-29 mph over the limit is $202, and the fine for speeding 30 mph or more over the limit is $227. Under the bill, Franklin County drivers ticketed for traveling 30 mph or more over the speed limit could face fines of $427 or more, depending on multiple factors.

The legislation states if the court determines an offender cannot afford the additional fee, it can be waived.

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Bill addresses decision-making for Ohioans with developmental disabilities

Fatal car crashes happen much more often when people are driving at reckless speeds such as 30 mph over the speed limit, Creech said. This legislation simply seeks to give our law enforcement the tools to make our streets safer.

Under current law, being caught driving 30 mph or more over the speed limit also results in an offender receiving four points on their drivers license. Racking up 12 points in two years results in a six-month license suspension.

In 2024, there were 27,224 speed-related crashes in the state and 318 of them were fatal, according to statistics from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The patrol reported there were 250,042 crashes total last year.

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So far this year, from Jan. 1 through March 9, there have been 6,065 speed-related crashes in the state  including 27 that were fatal  out of 43,118 total. Additionally, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has issued 1,337 tickets for driving more than 30 mph over the speed limit, which equates to 4% of all 33,940 speeding tickets issued.

HB 111 was assigned to the Houses Public Safety Committee, where it awaits its first hearing. It currently has one Democrat and three Republican cosponsors.

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Students are led to their classroom by a teacher. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

This years budget debates have focused heavily on the future of education funding.

Early in the budget cycle, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman came out strong for K-12 budget cuts, saying the current education budget in Ohio is unsustainable. The governors budget has come under some fire from education advocates for shifting resources away from public schools.

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Some in the public have debated whether education funding creates benefits for students or whether it is just wasted by administrative spending in school districts. A couple of years ago, a working paper tackling this question was circulating through academic circles.

Finally published last year in the American Economic Journal, this study was a comprehensive meta-analysis of impacts of school spending on student outcomes. They found when school spending increases by $1,000 per pupil for four years, test scores increase by 0.0316 standard deviations and college matriculation increases by 2.8 percentage points.

Okay, so school spending does help students test better and go to college more often. But is this worth it? This is a question my firm asked in 2023. We conducted a cost-benefit analysis to see whether this increased spending would pay off for the state as a whole.

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The general model looks like this: if a student is at a school with more resources, they will have higher test scores and a higher chance to go to college. Both of these will lead to higher future wages for that student. These wages and the reduced social spending on that student in the future due to higher wages will both increase the size of the state economy. If schools have less resources, students will test worse, go to college less, make less over their lifetime, and the public will spend more money supporting them with social spending down the road.

To analyze what Ohio would look like under different scenarios, we compared Ohios current spending (about $14,000 per pupil at the time) to a decrease in per-pupil spending that would put Ohio at about Indianas per-pupil spending (about $10,000 per pupil). We also compared an increase to per-pupil spending at Pennsylvania levels (about $16,000 per pupil).

Overall, we found that increased school spending paid off for the state. Conservative simulations of increases in per-pupil spending to Pennsylvania levels put wage and social savings benefits of spending increases outweighing the costs of spending by $23 billion. On the other hand, reducing spending to Indiana levels led to decreases in wages and social spending outweighing savings from the program by at least $30 billion.

Overall, the analysis is clear: from a long-term perspective, increases in school spending within standard limits of what we have seen in the United States lead to economic benefits that outweigh costs. Decreases in school spending lead to economic development costs that outweigh savings benefits. We studied these over a range of discount rates, too, finding that even very short-sighted policymakers should not favor spending cuts if they care at all about future economic development.

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To put it short, school spending is an investment. And according to the evidence we have available, it is an investment that will pay off for Ohio.

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Activists protest the agenda of President Donald Trump during a rally near the water tower on the Magnificent Mile on Jan. 25, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Two Ohio Republicans have introduced a measure directing state agencies to track the number of people they interact with who arent in the country legally.

The bill, sponsored by state Reps. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., and Tex Fischer, R-Boardman, requires an annual report from law enforcement, education and health officials among others.

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Backers describe it as simply adding a box to a form, but make it clear they want to leverage that information to restrict benefits.

This information is going to come to the legislative body who has the power of the purse, Williams told committee members. Thats where the teeth are. 

What the bill does (and doesnt) do

Under the proposal, four state agencies  the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, Job and Family Services, Education and Workforce, and Medicaid  as well as every Ohio law enforcement agency, are directed to collect and maintain citizenship status for the people they serve. Each year the agencies must report their figures, broken down by the citizens who are lawfully present, and those who arent here legally.

Agencies in charge of benefits like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance or cash assistance have to report data based on household  whether all members are legal citizens, or if at least one member is not, with information about their specific immigration status.

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The agencies are also directed to report the monetary value of the benefits given to households with individuals who are not citizens.

However, the proposal doesnt indicate how agencies are supposed to verify an individuals status or how the reports will avoid counting individuals multiple times.

Theres also no effort to quantify what immigrants contribute to the state. A recent American Immigration Council report, for instance, estimates in 2023 Ohio immigrants paid $7.3 billion in taxes  $2.5 billion of that to state and local governments.

Data and consequences

Williams and Fischer introduced their bill last week. Fischer noted agencies throughout the state already collect several kinds of demographic data, but there is currently no provision in Ohio law to require these entities to collect data on citizenship status.

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The citizens of Ohio have a right to know where their tax dollars are being spent, Fischer said, and this bill allows us to take a step forward in painting the full picture of where our public funds are going.

Under federal law, unauthorized immigrants are generally barred from access to benefit programs like SNAP, Medicaid and various forms of cash assistance. Even lawful permanent residents (green-card holders) have to wait five years before getting access to those benefits.

I think ultimately our hope is that this data will come in over the next couple years, and we will see that we dont have a widespread problem with people who are unlawfully present in the country collecting these benefits, Fischer said.

But his co-sponsor, Williams, thinks benefits definitely are going to unauthorized immigrants. The Toledo-area lawmaker criticized the city for becoming a Welcoming City.

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One element of that designation is that programs supporting entrepreneurs dont discriminate based on immigration status.

Williams said that means our local tax dollars are definitely going towards illegal immigrants.

This claim is patently false, City of Toledo Communications Director Rachel Hart said in a text message.

She described the designation as an affirmation that the city is a place where immigrants can pursue the American Dream and that it does not dictate funding decisions.

This kind of ludicrous rhetoric is a waste of time and a distraction from the real challenges Toledoans face, she added. Once again, Rep. Williams is more interested in pandering to the extremes of his party than in serving the real needs of Northwest Ohio.

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And while the sponsors pitched the changes as minor record-keeping updates, Williams has long-term plans for the information.

Were going to get into a budget cycle where were going to have those department heads come and answer to us in (the) Finance (committee) and to our individual standing committees, and were going to be able to say 5%, 3%, 10% of your budget went towards this  heres the data. Williams said.  Its the legislators that have the teeth when it comes to the budget, right? Were able to strip that funding out.

Problems in practice

Across the aisle, Democratic lawmakers wondered if the sponsors had adequately thought through their bill.

Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, said hes sensitive to the limits on eligibility after working with the Cleveland Food Bank to sign people up for SNAP benefits. He noted the five-year waiting period for permanent residents, and that officials need to collect applicants social security numbers.

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So, Im wondering if you had conversations with (Job and Family Services) if this is not information in some way, shape or form, they already have, and if this isnt sort of, at least in this respect, a little bit redundant, Rader said.

The sponsors said they had not spoken with the agency.

State Rep. Latyna Humphrey, D-Columbus, asked if theyd reached out to school officials or superintendents? Again, no.

ACLU of Ohio Chief Lobbyist Gary Daniels said there appears to be a lack of knowledge about what data are collected and what services immigrants are eligible to receive.

Referencing limits on SNAP, he noted the bill requires state officials collect citizenship information about an entire household while remaining silent about how this is to be accomplished to the satisfaction of the bills sponsors.

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Daniels added that collection of data from schools is particularly revealing. The sponsors have argued these data could be the premise for budget cuts, but federal law and U.S. Supreme Court precedent requires public schools enroll undocumented kids.

So, if/when the data reveals how many undocumented students are attending Ohios public schools, what do the sponsors anticipate the legislatures response will be, he asked, keeping in mind schools have no choice in this matter regarding enrollment?

Practically speaking, he added, carving out private entities like charter schools or hospitals from the data collection requirements would likely leave whatever report their legislation does produce, skewed and perhaps entirely unreliable, no matter what side of this issue one takes.

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A regulatory boards rejection of a permit for a large solar farm in southwestern Ohio has essentially rewritten state law to give local governments veto power over clean energy projects, an attorney for the projects developer argued last week before the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Ohio Power Siting Boards 2022 decision denying Vesper Energy the right to build a 175-megawatt solar facility in Greene County is the subject of a high-stakes legal challenge with potentially devastating consequences for the states ability to grow its electricity generation capacity, the developers attorney said.

All of Ohios energy infrastructure will be affected by this decision, said Michael Settineri, who represents Vespers Kingwood Solar project, in an oral argument before the court on March 13.

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The company claims the siting board failed to follow state law in its analysis of whether its project is in the public interest  one of eight criteria that power generation projects must meet to receive a site permit. Instead of evaluating the merits of opponents' arguments, the board used the mere existence of local government opposition as reason to deny the permit, Kingwood Solars attorney said.

A lawyer for the Ohio Power Siting Board argued that it has wide discretion to make policy judgments and that members used a broad lens to make their decision.

Local criticism has killed multiple Ohio solar projects

Renewable energy permitting has become especially difficult in Ohio over the last four years. A 2021 law lets counties block most new utility-scale wind and solar energy projects before they even get to the Ohio Power Siting Board. Others, like Kingwood Solar, have been denied based on local opposition, even though they are exempt from that part of the law because they filed permit applications or got in the grid operators queue prior to the legislations passage.

In 2022, the board found that the proposed Kingwood Solar facility met all the other legal requirements for a permit, yet it concluded that the unanimous opposition of every local government entity bordering the project was controlling on the public interest question. The board denied the permit.

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Settineri urged the court to reverse the Ohio Power Siting Boards decision, arguing that it was clearly not supported by evidence. And, as a legal matter, the board essentially rewrote the law for granting or denying a permit in a way that gives local governments control that they shouldnt have, he said.

Justice Jennifer Brunner noted another part of Ohio law that says local governments cant require their own consent for the construction of power facilities. When the boards Kingwood Solar decision said that unanimous opposition is controlling, that actually infers that consent is required by the locality. Isnt the board violating the statute? she asked Settineri.

He answered,The way I read the boards decision, it is giving the local governments veto power  contrary to the concept of a state siting regimen.

Renewable developer says Ohio regulators failed to consider evidence

The boards ruling was also internally inconsistent, Settineri said. The board claimed it gave weight to the vigor and rationale of local governments objections, which included worries about visual impacts, preservation of agricultural land, and construction.

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But the solar developer presented experts and other evidence addressing those topics during a 2022 hearing in the case. It was also willing to accept permit conditions to minimize any impacts. As a result, the board sided with the developer on those issues in its findings on statutory criteria other than public interest, including considerations related to agriculture and the environment, Settineri said.

There has to be evidence, and the board has to consider the evidence, Settineri said, arguing that the fact some people say they dont want the project shouldnt be enough to decide the case.

Judge Marilyn Zayas, a court of appeals judge sitting in for Justice Patrick DeWine, who recused himself, asked Stephen Funk, the lawyer representing the Ohio Power Siting Board, whether the board is able to weigh the factors any way they wish.

Funk told Zayas that the board has broad discretion, and it made a policy judgment that this would not serve the public interest after considering the vigor and rationale of arguments by the local opposition.

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Brunner appeared skeptical of Funks efforts to make it seem as if the board members did more than cede to local governments opposition. The board didnt say it was giving those governmental entities veto power, but in effect they did, she countered.

Responding to questions from Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Funk said each permitting case is considered individually. He also said public comments werent used as evidence by the board and didnt determine the outcome.

On rebuttal, Settineri stressed that, in light of the rest of the boards decision on Kingwood Solar, there is no evidence backing up the claim that the vigor and rationale of local governments opposition meant that the project would not serve the public interest. If I yell loud enough, does that give me a win? he asked.

The board appeared to accept local objections at face value, said Chris Tavenor, general counsel at the Ohio Environmental Council, which is not a party to this case. The evidence on the record needs to be interrogated closely to see whether what the government is bringing forward is factually accurate and correct.

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The board needs to actually weigh reasons for opposition, Tavenor added. The mere existence of opposition or support shouldnt be enough.

A looming decision

The Ohio Supreme Court will debate the case and is expected to come out with a decision in the coming months.

A decision against Kingwood Solar would establish a legal precedent that makes it much harder for companies to overcome local pushback, which has often been fueled by misinformation. An adverse ruling for the solar developer also would continue the uncertain regulatory standards and framework from the past several years.

Layne Ashton, a senior project development advisor focused on utility-scale solar at Engie North America, said his company would be very cautious about moving ahead with new facilities in Ohio.

Wed do some significant due diligence up front for any potential projects in the state, he said. That would include testing whether local officials would welcome them. The courts judgment will also impact the broader legal question of whether Ohio Power Siting Board decisions must be based on evidence, versus politics or opinions.


Cynthia Stratton, left, and Judith Winterwood, both from Columbus, join a veterans protest outside the Ohio Statehouse against the early actions of the second Trump administration. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

Veterans and others came from across Ohio on Friday to protest the Trump administrations proposed cuts to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. But many said they had a broader agenda: to fulfill their oath to protect the Constitution.

About 200 gathered on the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse, holding signs, chanting and waving to drivers heading up Third Street. Small cars, motorcycles and even large trucks honked their support.

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Fridays gathering was one of many held in 50 state capitals, and a larger rally was held in Washington, D.C.

Some at the Ohio rally carried signs saying Save the VA, while others said things like, We do not take an oath to a king, Impeach President Elon, We are the real Oath Keepers, End Fascism, and Veterans vs. Nazis, Round 2.

As the signs indicated, many said they turned out to protest the thousands already fired from the VA  which provides health benefits to vets. They also protested 80,000 additional VA workers proposed for firing by the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency.

Participants in a veterans protest of the Trump administration line Third Street outside the Ohio Statehouse.

(Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

In many protesters minds the issues of benefits and constitutionality were connected  veterans benefits under threat by an unofficial agency headed up by the worlds richest man for whom nobody voted.

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This is a cause I fought for all my life, said Cynthia Stratton of Columbus.

Stratton served 10 years in the U.S. Army and 15 in the U.S. Air Force, undertaking three tours of duty in Iraq. She called the Iraq missions boondoggles, but she said looking out for her fellow veterans and the Constitution was her duty.

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Harmon Tully of Millersport served in the U.S. Navy as a weatherman on a helicopter carrier in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. He said Musk has no business deciding the future of the VA.

Im concerned about what Musk is doing to veterans benefits. Theyre ours, not his, he said.

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Asked what he wanted to happen, Tully said hed like to see Musk go away.

Who is he and why is he here? He didnt have to pass any confirmation or anything. In my opinion, he purchased where he is, he bought his position, Tully said.

Rebecca Micallef, 24, of Columbus, served in the Navy from 2020 to 2024. Then, she was medically separated with post-traumatic stress disorder after being sexually assaulted in the Navy two times with no help from my command, she said.

Micallef said she was protesting Friday to protect benefits she needs to continue as a student at Ohio State.

I go every week (to the VA for treatment), but now Trumps threatening that, she said. Under his administration, we will lose our rights to VA benefits. I use the VA to deal with the trauma the military caused me. Without it I wouldnt be able to deal with my daily life.

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It wasnt a coincidence that the protests were scheduled for March 14. Thats a reference to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which states that people who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion after taking the oath of office are barred from taking office again.

Many of the marchers believe thats exactly what Trump did on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters went to the U.S. Capitol to stop Congress from certifying his election loss. After again taking office in January, Trump granted clemency to more than 1,200 involved in the attack, including some who also had been convicted of rape and domestic violence.

Randy Holton of Columbus served in the Navy from 1970 to 1974. Between 1971 and 1973, he cruised off the coast of Vietnam, assisting in 84 missions firing naval artillery onshore in support of ground forces. He said he turned out Friday because of the oath he took all those years ago.

Im defending the Constitution, Holton said. Thats what I signed up to do. It seems like the Constitution is trying to slip away with the new administration. Ive got to be here.

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Holton helped William Peel, 26, of Canton stretch out a banner Peel was holding. It said A U.S. president is not above the law. Just below was a crown with a red X through it surrounded by two images of the scales of justice.

William Peel, left, and Randy Holton hold a banner at a veterans protest of the Trump administration at the Ohio Statehouse.

(Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

A veteran of the Navy from 2017 to 2024, Peel said hes worried about his peers.

People in my generation arent really waking up and thats a damn shame, he said. Whats happening right now for veterans, immigrants, women, minorities is sickening.

Holton said he stays in close touch with former Vietnam shipmates, and he thinks some of their views might be changing.

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I dont think they fully understand. Most of them are definitely (Trump voters), but I dont think they understand whats happening and how its hurting them, he said. But people are definitely listening to me now, and that wasnt happening before the election.

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Muskogee Police Department announced Monday that a suspect was arrested in New Mexico after a search began on the weekend.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert on Sunday after a police officer was shot during a traffic stop in Muskogee County.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation told News on 6 that an officer pulled over a speeding driver around 5:45 p.m. Sunday. Officials say the suspect, Billy Wayne Williams, drove on before stopping, and at some point during the stop, shots were fired and the officer was hit in the face.

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Authorities told news outlets that she was taken to the hospital, treated, and has since been released.

Multiple agencies including OHP and Cherokee Marshals were looking for Williams, who is 5'11" and weighs 380 pounds, and was believed to be driving an unknown-year Nissan Altima.

Williams was considered armed and extremely dangerous, according to OHP.

Updated possible vehicle. The white suburban has been located. Posted by Oklahoma Highway Patrol on Sunday, March 16, 2025

What is a Blue Alert?

Blue Alerts are issued after an individual is suspected of killing or seriously injuring an officer in the line of duty. They also can be issued if a suspect poses a threat to law enforcement or when an active duty officer is missing.

Related: What is a Kacey Alert? See Oklahoma's five alert systems

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Similar to AMBER alerts, they can be alerted through television, radio stations, cell phones and wireless devices.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Okla. officials issue Blue Alert after officer shot in Muskogee County
UPDATE: OHP says it has located Williams and the Blue Alert has been canceled.

WEBBERS FALLS, Okla. (KNWA/KFTA)  Oklahoma Highway Patrol is searching for a man it considers armed and dangerous after he allegedly shot a police officer.

OHP said Billy Wayne Williams is suspected of shooting a police officer in Muskogee County.

Williams is 511 and 380 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.

OHP believes he initially was driving a white suburban, however, that vehicle has been located. The department says he may be driving in a white Nissan Altima.

(Courtesy: Oklahoma Highway Patrol)

A Blue Alert was issued by OHP on behalf of the Webbers Falls Police Department. Blue Alerts are issued to aid in the apprehension of a person who is suspected of killing or seriously injuring an officer in the line of duty.

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Oklahoma is one of 37 states that has a Blue Alert Plan, but Arkansas is not one of them.

KNWAs NBC affiliate in Tulsa reported that the shooting occurred at the intersection of North Stand Watie Boulevard and West Lynch Street in Webbers Falls.

OHP said if you see Williams, do not approach him and call 911 immediately.

Webbers Falls is around 50 miles from Fort Smith.

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OKLAHOMA CITY A federal court has declared that Oklahoma Human Services is no longer subject to the oversight of child welfare monitors.

The state has fulfilled its obligations under the Compromise and Settlement Agreement that brought forward the states Pinnacle Plan.

In 2012, DHS settled a class-action civil rights lawsuit against its foster care system by agreeing to improve targeted areas of the states child welfare system. The Pinnacle Plan was developed as part of that settlement agreement.

I want to make Oklahoma the best place in the nation to raise a family. Weve made huge investments into our child welfare system and have made the well-being of our states children a top priority. Governor Kevin Stitt

The Pinnacle Plan concludes that Oklahoma is on the right trajectory. This marks the conclusion of more than a decade of intensive foster care reform efforts to serve Oklahomas children and families better.

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Since the inception of the Pinnacle Plan in 2012, Oklahoma Human Services has worked diligently to implement meaningful changes to serve children and families better. Over the years, the agency has reduced the number of children in state custody from more than 11,000 in 2014 to just under 5,800 in March 2025. The reduction is the result of a strategic focus on prevention services, family support initiatives, and improved foster care systems.

We remain committed to the strength and resilience of Oklahomas families, and I see a bright future ahead of us, Stitt said.

While this represents a significant milestone, he said the agency remains steadfast in its commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, ensuring the progress made under the Pinnacle Plan is sustained for years to come.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond commended the dedication and work of his staff, the state Department of Human Services, and the state Legislature for completing all requirements under the Pinnacle Plan, which has transformed Oklahomas child welfare system into a national model of excellence.

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Today marks the culmination of 13 years of dedicated work to protect Oklahomas most vulnerable children, Drummond said in a prepared statement. Our office has been proud to work hand-in-hand with DHS throughout this process, from negotiating the initial settlement to witnessing the remarkable transformation of our child welfare system.

While the formal oversight has ended, The Oklahoma House of Representatives will continue to work alongside the Department of Human Services to build on these successes, ensuring that every child in our state has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving environment, said Majority Leader Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa.

Even though external monitoring has ended, Oklahoma Human Services remains committed to publicly reporting on its performance. The agency will continue working with community partners, legislators, and other stakeholders to maintain transparency and ensure Oklahoma families have the resources they need for lifelong success.

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Edmon Low Library at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater is pictured April 15. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

There are no winners in the unfolding situation that has embroiled Oklahoma State University.

To date, we have a seemingly popular president who resigned for as-yet-unexplained reasons, reports of $41 million in misappropriated funding, and no semblance of a plan to find a permanent, qualified person to lead the states second-largest university out of this bizarre chaos.

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But worst of all, we seem to be stuck with a publicly appointed governing board thats clearly demonstrating that theyre out of their league, in part because theyve hamhandedly tried to control the release of public information surrounding Kayse Shrums abrupt departure last month by dribbling it out in bits and pieces.

What a shining example for OSUs more than 26,000 students.

The biggest loser in these shenanigans, of course, has been the average Oklahoman. We rely on our government officials to be competent, transparent and honest about why decisions are being made. That transparency includes promptly responding to open records requests.

This week, as Americans across the country are celebrating Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan event that highlights the need for open records and government, it feels a bit like OSU officials have been playing Simon and Garfunkels popular refrain Hello darkness, my old friend on repeat.

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Why? Because there has been a ton of obfuscation surrounding Shrums departure that started the moment a public board unilaterally decided to wait two days to announce that the university no longer had someone at its helm.

Had social media not broken the news, who knows how long they would have hidden that information from us. (A month later, officials tried to justify the decision to keep the public in the dark due to an agreed upon timeline between Shrum and the governing board, though theres no indication of that agreement in her nine-sentence resignation letter.)

The fact that a public board, which is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, felt like the public wasnt immediately entitled to know Shrum had up and quit with seemingly no notice is a massive fail for public transparency. It should also raise red flags about the accountability mindset of the people that our elected officials have appointed to oversee this massive institution.

Because this is not an itty-bitty state agency that suddenly finds itself under a microscope. This is a mammoth entity that has an over-$1.8 billion dollar budget, including nearly $227.5 million in state appropriations. It even has the resources to hire a third-party public relations consultant with close ties to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. We were still waiting last week, by the way, for OSU to fulfill our open records request and to provide a copy of Donelle Harders contract, including her compensation.

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In fact, as I write this, Oklahoma Voice was still waiting for OSU to find a suitable sense of urgency to fulfill several open records requests, seeking a variety of information linked to Shrums departure, the governing board, and the now-defunct Innovation Foundation, which was a crucial pillar of the former presidents strategic plan. To date, theyve only fulfilled our requests for a copy of Shrums resignation letter, her contract and a copy of a financial audit.

And OSU couldnt be bothered to release that resignation letter until nearly two weeks after Shrum left.

Oklahomas Open Records Act guarantees that people have the inherent right to know and be fully informed about their government to ensure that they can efficiently and intelligently exercise their inherent political power. The law requires the public be granted prompt, reasonable access to records.

Unfortunately, the law neglects to define prompt.

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Lawmakers, are you listening? Clarifying that timeline is in your wheelhouse.

Maybe the university is simply incompetent or maybe officials have figured out how to weaponize the states Open Records Act in a way that best serves their interests by picking and choosing the order in which information is released to the public.

Because regents had no problem releasing a scathing audit that painted Shrums administration in a terrible light. The audit found that since 2022, OSU had incorrectly transferred $41 million in state funds to accounts that didnt align with the specific purpose for which it was intended. It also found OSU leaders understated the amount of money received from the Legislature by $55.5 million. While the audit didnt specifically blame anyone, the probe and at least one regent zeroed in on the Innovation Foundation.

Shrum in various statements has denied wrongdoing and said she relied on the same legal advice that the board was given. She also plans to return to OSU in July as tenured faculty, per her contract, after a brief sabbatical, according to her resignation letter.

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The board appears to be good with that, so clearly it doesnt view her sins as too egregious.

So, why did Shrum quit with no notice?

And why, over a month after her departure, is this governing board essentially patting us all on the head and telling us not to worry about such a pesky little detail as who will be named the universitys 20th president?

Do they already have someone in mind? Was Shrum pushed out to clear the pathway for someone more politically influential?

And why isnt the governing board  or our Legislature  asking for our state auditor to conduct a more thorough, independent audit of the universitys overall spending practices to ensure that every dollar is being used correctly? Taxpayers already pay for and elect a state auditor to conduct that function on their behalf.

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This is exactly why we have laws designed to ensure that light shines in the darkest corners of government.

Heres hoping that lawmakers and OSU officials embrace that.

Oklahomans deserve nothing less.

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The complete reunification of China is inevitable, and seeking "Taiwan independence" through foreign support is doomed to failure, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday.

The spokesperson made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' plan to promote the establishment of new institutions in certain countries and use "Taiwan" instead of "Taipei" to name these institutions.

Mao said that the one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations and a consensus in the international community, and it serves as China's political foundation to establish and develop relations with other countries.

"The government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing the whole of China. Taiwan has never been a country. It never was, and never will be," the spokesperson said.

For some time, under the guise of exchange and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science, technology, culture and education, the DPP authorities have been trying to break the international community's adherence to the one-China principle and expand the so-called international space by attempting to establish new institutions in certain countries or rename existing ones, she said.

Mao warned the DPP authorities that the complete reunification of the country is inevitable, and that seeking "Taiwan independence" through foreign support is doomed to failure.

"China always firmly opposes any form of official exchange between Taiwan authorities and any country that has diplomatic relations with China," Mao said. 
A sign for Oklahoma State University is pictured at the Stillwater campus on Dec. 6. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  Twelve Innovation Foundation employees were laid off by Oklahoma State University in the latest fallout of an internal audit that found legislatively appropriated funds were improperly sent to the foundation.

The university is not providing those employees severance, but they will remain employed through June 1, said Jeff Hopper, a spokesperson for OSU, in a statement on Monday.

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We are working with the employees impacted to identify open positions across the OSU system which fit their skill sets and career goals, Hopper said. Ultimately, the employees may choose whether to pursue these employment opportunities.

Jim Hess, OSUs interim president, announced last week that the university would discontinue funding for the foundation. A university spokesperson said the layoffs impacted foundation employees who worked in shared services and facilities.

Hess said in a message to students, faculty and staff announcing the closure that the university is working closely with affected employees to provide transition support during this challenging time.

Following the abrupt resignation of former OSU President Kayse Shrum in February, the university released an audit March 5 revealing $41 million in misappropriated legislatively appropriated funds during the time she was president.

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The audit found $11.5 million of the funds were wrongly sent to the Innovation Foundation, which aims to expand OSUs footprint in aerospace and advanced mobility, energy and agriculture. It found that the foundation was not financially viable and did not generate enough independent funding.

While the organization was a crucial pillar of Shrums strategic plan for the states second largest university, officials have not said the audit is the reason for Shrums departure and did not place blame on any specific individuals.

Shrums nine-sentence resignation letter did not reveal her reasons for leaving and did not mention the foundation.

The audit recommended the mismanaged funds be repaid to their intended source within the university. Hess and Chief Financial Officer Chris Kuwitzky will be responsible for implementing the recommendations of the audit.

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Hess announced the university would no longer fund the Innovation Foundation, according to The OColly, the campus news outlet, which first reported the news.

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Its been a long year for Abigail Desravines-Louissaint, one of the longest since she arrived in the United States some 15 years ago.

Desravines, who is on the leadership team of several groups and nonprofits geared toward helping Haitian immigrants, spends her time comforting families who are having to start over  while worrying about her own parents fate.

Two weeks ago, my parents left their home, Desravines said, eyes welling. Its gotten worse.

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Last March, Haitis downward spiral reached a new low. Its government ceded control of most of the countrys capital, Port-au-Prince, to gangs. Gang leaders shot and killed indiscriminately in their fight to control territory and resources.

NGOs warned about a lack of resources and a growing hunger crisis. The prime minister stepped down in April amid growing pressure.

The transition government has been mired in uncertainty ever since.

Families are losing much more than they were losing last year, Desravines said. The gangs are controlling more cities, more streets. Its getting everywhere now. So its like a circle.

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Floridas government reacted to the crisis by sending the State Guard to the keys to keep an expected wave of migrants at bay.

The wave largely never materialized, but plenty of others found their way to Florida, either through the Mexican border or by overstaying visas. Its estimated that 250,000 more Haitians have made the United States their home since an earthquake in 2010 sent the first shockwaves through the countrys stability.

Desravines was one of the earlier arrivals, and now watches as more recent migrants face the potential loss of their Temporary Protected Status beginning this summer. The Trump administration shortened the latest extension of that status and has made no secret of its desire to remove as many immigrants as possible from the states.

Desravines says its not time to go back. Not with the danger families continue to face or the violence that awaits anyone who returns.

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Its not just that, though. She said the countrys situation is so dire, it simply does not have the infrastructure to welcome back the hundreds of thousands of people who have left.

This is war, she said. Its not structured for that.

When asked, she said the country would eventually be ready. It simply needed more time  and she said Central Florida should be welcoming the hundreds of thousands of dollars Haitian immigrants are pouring into the economy as they try to rebuild their lives.

We are looking for the same thing. You want to feel safe, you want to feel heard, you want to feel seen, she explained. God has not forgotten about us He will heal our land, and I am not giving up on Haiti. I know better is yet to come.

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An emergency hearing is being held Monday afternoon over the Trump administrations use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport around 300 alleged Venezuelan gang members without a trial. Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants Rights Project Lee Gelernt joins Ana Cabrera while on his way to that very hearing. Also, NBC News Julia Ainsley and former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance explain more.
ONEIDA COUNTY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente released on Monday, March 17, that the county will be filing a lawsuit against New York State over the ban on hiring fired correction officers for government positions within the state.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the ban on hiring the fired state correction officers who did not return from striking on Tuesday, March 12.

DOCCS: Correction officer strike ends, over 2K fired

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The executive order from the governor bans the fired officers from any state job, removes their names from the state registry that verifies an officers training and temporarily bans local governments from hiring them for any job.

Picente says the governors order is a violation of the fired officers right and a violation home rule for local governments.

The motion will be filed within the next 48 hours and then Oneida County will hire as many of the former officers as possible to fill vacancies in the sheriffs office and other county departments, Picente said.

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Technology firms must do more to tackle illegal content on their platforms as Ofcom gains new powers. From Monday, the regulator will start enforcing the Online Safety Acts illegal content codes, requiring social media companies to find and remove content such as child sexual abuse material.

The illegal content codes relate to material such as child sexual exploitation and abuse, terrorism, hate crimes, content encouraging or assisting suicide, and fraud. New duties on social media firms require them to detect and remove the content, using advanced tools such as automated hash-matching and robust moderation and reporting mechanisms.

New strict enforcement rules will also now give Ofcom the power to administer hefty fines for non-compliance, and even bans in the most serious cases.

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Technology secretary Peter Kyle said the changes represent a major step forward in creating a safer online world. He added that for too long child abuse material, terrorist content and intimate image abuse have been easy to find online, but social media platforms now have a legal duty to prevent and remove it.

Peter Kyle, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology (PA Wire)

However, some have criticised the time it has taken for these powers to come into effect, and say the new powers do not go far enough. The bill first came into law in October 2023, around 18 months ago, as the new laws were consulted on and tech firms were given time to ensure they were complying.

Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life aged 14 in November 2017 after viewing harmful content on social media, said the introduction of the new powers should have been a watershed moment but that children and families have been let down by Ofcoms timidity and lack of ambition.

The chairman of the Molly Rose Foundation added that Ofcom appears to have lost sight of the fundamental purpose of regulation, which is preventing harm.

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Suzanne Cater, enforcement director at Ofcom, commented: Platforms must now act quickly to come into compliance with their legal duties, and our codes are designed to help them do that.

But, make no mistake, any provider who fails to introduce the necessary protections can expect to face the full force of our enforcement action.

Heres everything you need to know about the Online Safety Act:

What does the Online Safety Act do?

Passed in October 2023, the Online Safety Act is designed to make the internet safer, especially for children. A central element of the bill is the new duties it places upon social media firms and the powers it gives Ofcom to enforce them.

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The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) says the bill will make the UK the safest place in the world to be a child online. It will require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful or age-inappropriate content online.

Ian Russell, whose daughter took her own life, said much more needs to be done to protect young people from online harms (PA Archive)

The bill also named Ofcom as the UKs independent regulator of online safety. This will give the telecoms watchdog new powers to enforce the rules laid out in the bill.

A number of new criminal offences are laid out as part of the act, cyberflashing, intimate image abuse (revenge porn), and epilepsy trolling. The most relevant offences to what the country has seen in recent days are threatening communications and sending false information intended to cause non-trivial harm.

The act also now requires social media firms to take action against illegal content and activity. Both racially or religiously aggravated public order offences and inciting violence are included as types of illegal content.

How will the act be enforced?

Ofcom will be able to enforce the rules laid out in the Online Safety Act in a number of ways. Platforms will need to begin providing evidence to the watchdog of how they are meeting the set requirements. Ofcom will then evaluate and monitor these companies, before deciding to take action for non-compliance.

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Companies can be fined up to 18 million or 10 per cent of their revenue worldwide (whichever amounts to more). Criminal action can even be taken against senior managers who fail to ensure information requests from Ofcom are fulfilled.

Specifically on child-related offences, the watchdog will be able to hold companies and managers criminally liable for non-compliance.

And in extreme cases, Ofcom will be able to require internet providers and advertisers to stop working with platforms, essentially banning them from operating in the country. This would be subject to agreement from the courts.
By Sam Tabahriti

LONDON (Reuters) -Only one tank filled with jet fuel was damaged after the U.S. military-contracted tanker that was transporting a shipment was struck by a cargo ship off England's northeast coast, U.S. logistics firm Crowley said.

The tanker, Stena Immaculate, which can carry tens of thousands of tons of jet fuel, was at anchor on March 10 off Humberside when it was struck by the smaller Solong. Fires and explosions broke out.

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Crowley, which manages the tanker, said in a statement on Sunday the third-party salvage team had confirmed damage "was limited to one cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel and one ballast tank containing sea water".

Owner Stena Bulk confirmed on Monday there were 18 fuel tanks aboard the vessel, contrary to previous statements by Crowley that there were 16.

Out of the 220,000 barrels of jet fuel the Stena Immaculate was carrying, Crowley said 17,515 were lost due to the impact and three-day fire.

The logistics firm also commended the crew for triggering a firefighting system before abandoning the ship.

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Erik Hanell, chief executive of Stena Immaculate owner Stena Bulk, previously told Reuters earlier that two of 18 fuel tanks had leaked, with an estimated 10% of the cargo.

In an update on Monday, the coastguard said that small pellets of plastic resin - known as nurdles - used in plastics production had been spotted in the water near the British coast on Sunday, with some also washing up on shore.

Nurdles are not toxic but can be dangerous to wildlife if ingested. The coastguard said cleanup efforts had started.

In a subsequent update, the authorities said that both ships remained stable and that salvage operations were continuing. They added there were only small periodic pockets of fire on the Portuguese-flagged Solong, which were not causing undue concern.

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On Saturday, the Russian captain of Solong, Vladimir Motin, appeared in Hull Magistrates' Court after being charged with gross negligence manslaughter over the death of Filipino national and Solong crew member Mark Angelo Pernia.

Motin did not make an application for bail and was remanded in custody to appear in court in London on April 14.

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, additional reporting by Jonathan Saul; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
In the early 1990s, the Department of Defense made a pivotal decision that has shaped American defense production for decades. Then-Secretary of Defense Les Aspins infamous Last Supper meeting with defense industry leaders signaled that the end of the Cold War would mean a drastic reduction in military spending and that industry consolidation was required. This move, reminiscent of Britains post-war industrial policies, has led to an inefficient and uncompetitive defense sector.

As we stand at another crossroads, the Department of Government Efficiency has a unique opportunity to modernize the defense business, to bring it to the level of innovation and efficiency enjoyed by Americas private sector. As detailed in a recent American Enterprise Institute report, there are steps that the Pentagon could take to propel the modernization of the American military.

The consolidation of the defense industry, much like Britains failed national champions policy, has stifled competition and innovation. The Pentagons long, inflexible procurement process, last overhauled in 1986, has only exacerbated these issues. Each successive reform has added layers of complexity, making the system less responsive and more bureaucratic. The result is a defense sector plagued by cost overruns and delays.

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Today, we have a chance to change this trajectory. The presence of tech industry titans at the recent inauguration, coupled with Googles decision to allow its AI technology to be used in American military weapons, suggests that big tech firms are beginning to recognize their American identity and the importance of supporting national defense. This shift could mark the beginning of a more innovative, efficient and productive future for the Department of Defense.

To achieve this future, DOGE must help the Pentagon rethink its approach to defense production. Here are 10 specific actions that can help align requirements with warfighting needs, eliminate excessive acquisition regulations, promote competition and modernize the defense budget:

Eliminate the acquirer-operator divide: The defense organizational structure currently separates innovators and acquirers from the people who will actually use the innovations. The services should reallocate by mission area those innovation organizations that have been established to work around the system so they are closely in touch with the warfighters they support. This would start to reverse the centralization of power that began with the Goldwater-Nichols legislation in 1986. Special Operations Command has demonstrated the effectiveness of this model, innovating faster and better than the services.

Cut regulations: Reduce the Defense Acquisition rulebook by 75 percent, starting with non-statutory regulations. Encourage the acquisition workforce to balance diligence with aggressive creativity and seek input from industry on regulatory barriers.

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Rescind executive orders: Work with the White House to find and rescind executive orders that impose unnecessary compliance burdens on defense contractors.

Forbid joint programs: Stop creating joint and multi-service programs to drive competition back into the procurement system. The Joint Strike Fighter program exemplifies the inefficiencies and cost overruns these programs currently create.

Prioritize scalability: Focus on scalable, cost-effective and timely delivery of weapons and munitions. The military should prepare for two long-duration wars  one in Europe and one in the Pacific  and avoid expensive, un-scalable weapons.

Simplify accounting: Eliminate the requirement for defense companies to maintain separate financials for the Department of Defense, reducing administrative overhead in industry and encouraging commercial best practices.

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Modernize the budget: Overhaul the defense budget structure by eliminating legacy statutory appropriations titles to remove barriers between development, procurement and sustainment. Consolidate program elements and budget line items to simplify oversight and execution.

Create a rapid response fund: Establish a large, no-color, multi-year appropriation for buying drones and new information technology systems, allowing for rapid response to national security challenges.

Revise contracting practices: Empower contracting officers to write new contracts faster and more efficiently and prohibit the use of thin primes that subcontract most of the work. This will save taxpayer money and improve control over contractors.

Strip obsolete statutes: Propose that the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act remove statutory provisions that no longer make sense, fostering a more dynamic and competitive defense sector.

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The post-Last Supper consolidations of the 1990s transformed the U.S. defense industry into a state-managed sector, echoing the failed industrial policies of post-war Britain. The result has been monopolization, inefficiency and stagnation. To maintain its military and technological edge, the U.S. must break free from this legacy and restore genuine industrial competition.

The Pentagon must stop acting as a central planner and start fostering an environment where innovation, efficiency and competition can thrive once again. Otherwise, Americas defense industrial base risks suffering the same fate as British industry: once dominant, now a cautionary tale.

Elaine McCusker is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. She previously served as the Pentagons acting undersecretary of defense (comptroller). Todd Harrison is a senior fellow at AEI. He previously worked as a senior executive in the defense industry and as an officer in the Air Force Reserves. Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John G. Ferrari is a senior nonresident fellow at AEI. He previously served as a director of program analysis and evaluation for the service.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The pandemic accelerated tutoring like never before  expanding the ways we deliver it and propelling it to the top of the list of effective interventions for closing academic gaps.

Armed with $190 billion in COVID-19 recovery funds from the federal government, nearly every state spent at least some of it on tutoring, with more than half adopting standards to ensure districts and schools used high-dosage, high-quality programs. During the 2022-23 school year alone, states spent $1 billion of federal pandemic aid on tutoring, on top of an estimated $3 billion in COVID funds spent by districts on such efforts.

Five years after the pandemic dramatically disrupted learning, with the federal aid now spent, Americas education system is still struggling to regain lost ground. The latest NAEP scores reveal persistent academic gaps, underscoring the urgent need for effective interventions.

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Amid all the setbacks, tutoring has broken through as one of the few recovery strategies that states and districts are strategically embedding into their budgetsexpanding, refining, and solidifying programs that, in some cases, have delivered significant gains in student achievement.

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Even in these politically divisive times, theres one thing we can all agree on: Every student deserves the opportunity to build foundational skills in reading, writing, and math that will serve them through life. With nearly $1 trillion spent on education each year, we must ensure that investment translates into real educational opportunities that lead to good jobs and meaningful lives.

High-dosage tutoring delivered during the school day from a consistent, well-trained tutor is the most promising lever for change. In Rapid City, South Dakota, a group of retired teachers come to Title I schools each day to work as tutors, one-on-one with predominantly indigenous students. In Harrison, Colorado, paraprofessionals tutor students  and become so inspired by the academic success that they become full-time teachers themselves through innovative educator apprenticeship models. In Springfield, Ohio, aspiring teachers tutor local elementary school students building their skills while shoring up those of their students.

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High-Impact Tutoring: Inside the Efforts to Combat COVID Learning Loss

Over the past two decades, our organizations have dedicated significant resources to studying, supporting, and scaling this approach. Not only are we optimistic about what we are seeing, but we are firmly convinced that school systems, policymakers, and philanthropic leaders must double down on their commitment and investment to this transformative work.

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This belief is driven by significant progress and success across several key areas: continued positive research on tutoring outcomes; growing demand from parents and teachers and schools; viable paths to affordable delivery at scale; new models that solve implementation challenges of time, people, and money; better understanding of policies and data systems that improve tutoring delivery; and a nascent AI sector with the potential for significant breakthroughs.

High-dosage tutoring is uniquely effective in helping students learn, including when implemented at scale. A recent analysis by University of Virginia researcher Beth Schueler, along with Brown Universitys Matthew A. Kraft and Grace T. Falken, analyzed 282 randomized control trials and found that large-scale tutoring programs yield months of additional student learning per year, though effectiveness diminished as programs scale beyond 1,000 students. Yet even large-scale tutoring results were stronger than educational interventions like summer school, class size reduction, and extended school days. Additionally, recent studies of individual tutoring programs continue to find strong positive effects on students, even in challenging learning conditions.

Importantly, schools and parents want more tutoring in their schools. The most recent NCES nationwide survey of school leaders found that high-dosage tutoring implementation increased again last year, growing from 39% of schools in 2022-23 to 46% of schools in 2023-24. This is not just a fleeting post-pandemic trend  schools are investing in tutoring even as federal relief funding winds down, because tutoring is wildly popular with parents. In Louisiana, high-dosage tutoring outperformed every other education policy polled, with an astonishing 90% approval.

Despite our prevailing partisan politics, the push for more tutoring comes from red and blue states, from city systems and rural counties  with some wondering aloud whether tutoring is the next big bipartisan school reform.

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Arkansas passed regulations outlining the characteristics of quality tutoring and requiring student-level reporting of delivery so that the state can manage implementation, elevate best practices, and support struggling schools. Baltimore City Public Schools is currently tutoring over 10,000 students through partnerships with external tutoring providers and a district-run program using paraprofessionals.

Pitt County, North Carolina partnered with Tutored by Teachers to provide critical tutors to multilingual learners, using technology to deliver services in students native languages, including even American Sign Language, in rural schools. And New Mexico is expanding virtual middle school math tutoring statewide, breaking down barriers to access for students in rural areas.

Federal pandemic aid may be gone, but state appropriators are putting money where theyre seeing progress: Virginia added $418 million in its state budget for academic recovery, with plans to spend 70% on high-dosage tutoring for its students who are furthest behind academically. Maryland stood up a $28 million middle school math tutoring program for underserved students. And Michigan set aside $150 million in state funds last year for intensive tutoring.

Finally, we are at the very beginning of a wave of innovation fueled by emerging technologies like AI. Innovation through virtual and hybrid models has helped reduce both the cost of tutoring as well as implementation barriers. The months of learning from past studies will soon come from programs that are cheaper and easier for schools to implement without losing the ability to personalize tutoring sessions, support tutoring quality, and maintain program effectiveness in student learning.

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New Research: Done Right, Virtual Tutoring Nearly Rivals In-Person Version

Collectively, our organizations, and other like-minded organizations such as the National Student Support Accelerator and Saga Education, have supported tutoring delivery to hundreds of thousands of students, have launched and published dozens of studies on tutoring, and have infused tens of millions of dollars into the space to spur innovation and capture learning. But we still have more work to do.

Five years after the pandemic began, students remain behind where they should be, and the gaps between Black and Latino students and their peers are growing rather than shrinking. Federal relief funding that allowed districts to try new things has run out. And yet the evidence has never been clearer: High-dosage tutoring works and can help millions of students. But without action, this critical intervention risks being lost to politics, budget cuts and inertia. There is enormous potential in staying the course with continued investment in high-dosage tutoring.

We must double down on evidence-based strategies, reject fatalism, and embrace the urgency of this moment. The latest NAEP scores confirm whats at stake. States, districts, and funders must step up to ensure that every student who needs tutoring gets it. This isnt just an investment in students  its an investment in our countrys future.

Disclosure: Walton Family Foundation, Overdeck Family Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provide financial support to Accelerate and The 74.
President Trumps decision to shut down the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio y Television Marti in Cuba and other U.S. government-funded media entities overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, was sudden, harmful and deeply unfair. It places journalists in foreign language services who have devoted years of their lives to their jobs and have done nothing wrong in an impossible position.

To be sure, these agencies have suffered from terrible management decisions in recent years. But to break things by stopping all programming does not make these agencies better. Rather, it weakens their usefulness to U.S. national security.

Members of Congress from both parties must pressure the White House to allow these broadcasters to resume their work as soon as possible, even while supporting the administrations efforts to restructure, downsize and reform the agencys bloated and dysfunctional bureaucracy.

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Although I was shocked by what happened Saturday when these agencies were shut down, I was not entirely surprised. Since I left my journalistic career at the Voice of America and retired from government service in 2006, I have continuously warned various agency CEOs, directors and the oversight board members from both parties that their tolerance of partisan journalism, practiced mainly by the VOA central English newsroom with the tacit approval and often encouragement of the executives above them, would sooner or later result in the defunding of the organization.

I was right to worry and to warn, but I did not anticipate the Trump administrations sudden, drastic and counterproductive action of shutting down all journalistic operations serving audiences abroad.

As someone who listened to Radio Free Europe in Poland under communism, I have a deep appreciation for the critical work of journalists in these foreign language services for U.S. national security and the prevention of violence and war. Journalists in these foreign-language services and their audiences in countries starved for good information are paying a very high price for the mistakes of the agencies previous corrupt and incompetent management and the radical left-wing partisanship of a relatively small number of their American-born colleagues producing English-language content.

I agree with Kari Lake, Trumps choice to be the VOA director, that the U.S. Agency for Global Media is not salvageable. I have long called for its abolition. Congress should return to taxpayers some of the money saved by firing hundreds of its bureaucrats and use the rest to support the work of VOA journalists providing uncensored news to nations ruled by the most repressive and authoritarian regimes  China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and a few other countries.

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But what happened last week is a tragedy and a gift to those dictators  a sudden, unneeded, harmful and regrettable White House decision to stop all information outreach.

Former VOA China Branch chief Sasha Gong, who was fired by Obama administration appointees a few years ago when she refused to censor an interview offensive to Beijings communist regime, has speculated that a VOA reporter might have precipitated or hastened this decision by antagonizing Trump, asking him about expelling Palestinians from Gaza. This may have been the straw that broke the camels back, coming after an earlier disclosure that some editors and reporters in the VOA English-language Washington newsroom had refused to refer to Hamas as terrorists and even tried to excuse their murderous rampage of October 2023.

The VOA Charter, passed by Congress in 1976, requires Voice of America to present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively.

Lake must still be appointed by Trumps nominee for CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, L. Brent Bozell III, who is himself still awaiting Senate confirmation. Lake currently serves as an advisor.

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They may ultimately run a much-reduced organization. After Elon Musk called for abolishing the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty a few weeks ago, Lake countered that the U.S. is fighting an information war, and theres no better weapon than the truth. She said that the VOA can be that weapon without becoming Trump TV but instead practicing objective journalism.

With a relatively small budget, along with honest reporting, we can spread the values of freedom all over the world and prevent trillion-dollar wars, she added.

No single event can be blamed for the misguided decision to place most staff on paid administrative leave. It was a reaction to years of corruption by the previous management. As Dan Robinson, a 34-year veteran of Voice of America and its former White House correspondent, wrote last year: I have monitored the agencys bureaucracy along with many of its reporters and concluded that it has essentially become a hubris-filled rogue operation often reflecting a leftist bias aligned with partisan national media. It has sought to avoid accountability for violations of journalistic standards and mismanagement.

I admire Robinson, a lifelong Democrat. But the agencys previous management brought shame upon the organization by, among other things, using taxpayer dollars in a scheme to discredit Robinson and other critics as right-wing.

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Reform is essential. The White House decision, in contrast, imposes collective punishment and, as such, is profoundly unfair to the foreign language services broadcasters. Most are not responsible for the mess caused by the agencys previous partisan appointees.

There are a few problematic foreign language services. Some have outlived their usefulness, but most refugee journalists U.S. Agency for Global Media entities do a stellar job of providing objective news where it is needed. Today, they are crushed and confused while the dictators and authoritarians rejoice.

English-language programming may seem important to people in Washington, but it is not at the core of this agencys mission. Unprofessional English-speaking reporters and editors can be easily let go or replaced, but it will be much harder to replace specialists in foreign languages.

Even if some operations are eventually restored, a journalist in the VOA Russian Service wondered in an e-mail to me what this crisis would do to the nations reputation, the credibility of VOA programs, and staff motivation. These foreign-born journalists are some of the most talented and hard-working professionals I know.

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These journalists are also fearless defenders of human rights. A broadcaster in the VOA Bosnian Service, whom I admire, is deeply worried that some of her colleagues in the other foreign language services may be forced to return to their native countries to live under dictatorships.

Even in the VOA English newsroom, there are still a few professional and unbiased reporters.

Congress should immediately take bipartisan action to persuade Trump and his Cabinet to let the good journalists get back to work at VOA while also continuing to break up its dysfunctional and corrupt agency bureaucracy.

Ted Lipien was Voice of Americas Polish service chief during Polands struggle for democracy and its acting associate director. He served briefly in 2020 to 2021 as president of Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty.

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MANILA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine senator Imee Marcos, the elder sister of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, on Monday called for an urgent investigation into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying the issue has "deeply divided" the Southeast Asian country.

"It is imperative to establish whether due process was followed and to ensure that his legal rights were not upheld but protected, especially given the involvement of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the International Criminal Court (ICC)," said Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

She stressed the need for the Senate to address "these critical concerns to uphold the country's jurisdiction and to clarify policies governing our law enforcement agencies and their engagement with international tribunals."

"Our sovereignty and legal processes must remain paramount," she added.

To shed light on this matter, Marcos said she would invite key officials and agencies, including officials from the national police, justice department, and foreign affairs department, among others, as resource persons and witnesses.

The Philippine authorities arrested and flew Duterte, 79, out of the country to The Hague in the Netherlands on March 11. The Philippines surrendered Duterte to the custody of the ICC on March 12.

Duterte is being detained in an ICC jail to face trial over his controversial "war on drugs" campaign.

Over the weekend, Duterte's supporters in the Philippines have staged protest rallies to urge the government to bring the former president home. In Davao City alone, local media estimated that 30,000 people gathered on Sunday to support the former city mayor.

Meanwhile, anti-Duterte supporters, including the relatives of the alleged extrajudicial killings, also held rallies urging the ICC to arrest Duterte's former police chiefs, Ronald de la Rosa and Oscar Albayalde, for their alleged involvement in Duterte's drug war. 
Shalom, Mahmoud, the Trump White House declared last week on social media, celebrating the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student at Columbia University. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Khalil at his doorstep as he returned home with his wife, eight months pregnant with their first child.

It took Khalils lawyers more than 24 hours to learn that he had been moved to an ICE detention facility in Louisiana operated by the private prison company GEO Group.

The motive for the arrest, however, wasnt a mystery. Khalil was a lead spokesperson for Columbias student protests against Israels horrific war in Gaza. In recent weeks, pro-Israel advocates have been clamoring for the deportation of noncitizen student activists in the name of fighting antisemitism.

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Last October, the Heritage Foundation included this recommendation in Project Esther, a set of strongarm policies to stifle the movement for Palestinian rights. Much like its better-known cousin Project 2025, Esther is an unabashedly authoritarian document. It calls on the Trump administration to disrupt and degrade pro-Palestinian advocacy using a variety of tactics lifted from the sordid history of McCarthyism in America. These range from the deportation of noncitizens to the levying of criminal and civil prosecution against activists, attacks on the nonprofit status of NGOs and liberal foundations, and public vilification campaigns against social justice leaders.

Khalils arrest, and the administrations parallel efforts to defund and intimidate higher education institutions like Columbia in the name of fighting antisemitism, are lifted straight from the Project Esther playbook. And while student organizers such as Khalil and institutions like Columbia are the first target, they wont be the last.

Upon Project Esthers release, reporters noticed that there were few actual Jewish groups involved in Heritages antisemitism task force, which published the report. Rather, the task force launched in November 2023 as a coalition of mostly conservative Christian groups. Project Esther lamented that the American Jewish community may be blind and deaf or in such disbelief that they cannot even acknowledge the threat. Such accusations have been lobbed by Christians at Jews for centuries  only this time, instead of burning us at the stake for being in disbelief, they are claiming to fight on our behalf.

Project Esther is named after the heroine of the biblical Book of Esther, celebrated on the Jewish holiday of Purim, who uses her influence over an ancient Persian king to save the Jewish people from genocidal persecution. Indeed, one of the stranger unsettling facts of our time is that conservative Christians are pushing themselves to the front of the fight against antisemitism and claiming, in essence, to be better Jews than the Jews themselves.

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This is our moment, it is for this time that Christians, like Esther, have to stand up against these anti-Israel decrees, Pastor Mario Bramnick, a leading figure behind Heritages initiative, stated last March while visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders on a delegation.

Their motives, however, are often less than altruistic. Most Christian Zionist leaders believe that support for Israel can help bring about the biblical end times, when Jesus will return and establish a global Christian dominion that leaves little room for Jewish, Muslim or any other faiths. Israel is Gods end time clock, proclaimed Pastor Bramnick in a sermon, but it is also Gods end time glory.

The right-wing Christian lobby group Family Research Council, one of the initial members of Heritages antisemitism task force, featured a speaker at last years annual conference who outlined a grim end times prediction in which two-thirds of world Jewry would die.

Gods not done yet with Israel, the speaker proclaimed, and so we look forward to a massive number of Jewish people coming to faith in Yeshua, in Jesus. Bramnick, too, once gave a speech calling on Christian Zionists to embrace our Jewish brethren and tell them about the love of Messiah and the day that we are living in.

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Even while claiming to strenuously oppose antisemitism, many Christian Zionists seem perversely excited that its rise may be a harbinger of the Second Coming. Last summer, Luke Moon, another Heritage task force leader, helped organize a rally against antisemitism outside Columbia. The day before the rally, Sean Feucht, Moons co-organizer and a popular Christian musician, could barely contain his excitement. Were seeing this rise and this flood of antisemitism across the world  yes, these are the end days, he told his followers in an Instagram livestream. Were one day closer to the return of Jesus, and as that ramps up, were going to see a rise  of hatred for the Jewish people.

While Project Esther sets its sights on undergraduates, antisemitism continues to flourish on the right. Elon Musk and Steve Bannon are trying to turn the Nazi salute into an acceptable ironic public gesture for conservative leaders. In recent weeks, some of the countrys most popular podcasters  whose endorsements and platforms helped Trump win reelection  have hosted guests who promote antisemitic conspiracy theories, raising alarm even among conservative media leaders.

There certainly has been some genuine antisemitism at campus protests, even if more commonly the charge has been indiscriminately conflated with legitimate criticism of Israel or with brands of ultra-radicalism that sooner suggest political immaturity than anti-Jewish animus. But the richest person on the planet who is actively dismantling the federal government, or a podcaster with an audience in the tens of millions, hold much more power than any undergraduate or professor on a college campus. It is clear where the greater threat to Jewish safety lies.

When Trump declares Shalom, Mahmoud as he launches an attack on civil liberties, he may well fan the flames of the antisemitism he claims to combat. Recent polling shows support for Israel at historic lows across the American public, but powerful Christian Zionists  such as U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  stand ready to deepen American backing.

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By putting a kosher label on their anti-democratic project, the Christian conservatives behind Project Esther can conveniently keep their own influence hidden from view. If this deflection ends up feeding the falsehood that a conspiracy of Jewish power lurks behind the scenes, then this rise in antisemitism is just further proof to their followers that the end times are near. Maybe that is precisely the point.

Ben Lorber is a senior research analyst at Political Research Associates, focusing on white nationalism and antisemitism. He is the co-author of Safety through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Judging by the tsunami of sales pitches that school district leaders get from ed tech companies, artificial intelligence is the antidote to every problem in education today. However, theres every reason to be apprehensive  so many tech products over the last 30 years have overpromised and underdelivered.

As an underlying technology, AI does seem different  more conversational, more flexible, more powerful. Most notably, past ed tech products have relied on multiple-choice tests that dont always accurately assess a students understanding of different concepts. Now, AI can analyze and react to open-ended student responses, helping to boost critical thinking skills and deepen comprehension. In addition, AI provides real-time visibility into each students performance so teachers can be more strategic with classroom discussions.

Here are three guiding principles to help educators be rigorous when selecting AI tools to pilot and scale as they lean into this new chapter of teaching:

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First, rather than look to develop an AI strategy, district leaders should create a strategy for teaching and learning and use AI to power specific aspects of it. They should start by identifying goals and priorities, then ask: What can AI do to help our district achieve them?

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In both our districts, the most urgent focus was increasing student achievement. To help schools achieve this goal and narrow down potential tools from the 300-plus AI education products on the market, district leaders centered objectives on implementing high-quality instructional materials, increasing teacher effectiveness and improving student engagement and well-being.

Our districts landed on an AI tool that creates high-quality, interactive experiences for students with personalized feedback and support to deepen their understanding of the curriculum. It also directs educators attention in real time to the students who most need help. By combining the power of top-rated curricula and AI, teachers can embed intervention-type support into core instruction.

Second, ed tech providers should design their tools with teachers, students and district leaders, not just for them. Part of the reason educators have not gotten needed quality and usability out of products in their schools is that vendors exclude teachers and students from the development process.

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A big part of why teachers and students in our districts are enthusiastic about this AI solution is that educators were able to offer feedback directly to ed tech company leaders who regularly visited our schools  and then implemented that feedback. This fall, Sumner County teachers asked to make the AI writing support more bite-sized, giving students an initial score, one piece of feedback at a time and the ability to revise their writing multiple times and update their grade. A Denver Public School leader asked whether AI could identify the most common misconceptions students were having in class, which led to an expanding suite of real-time analysis tools. Students asked for more clarity into their progress at each step, more celebrations and the ability to customize their experience.

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Because every voice was valued and the solutions evolved to meet stakeholders needs, both student achievement in English Language Arts and teacher satisfaction have increased. In Sumner County, the six schools using the tool have shown significantly more progress on their English assessments than the six schools not using it, and 90% of teachers reported that the product made their jobs easier and more enjoyable.

Third, educators must break the ed tech habit of having students work silently on their own personalized pathways with headsets on and without interacting with their classmates. Instead, AI should emphasize the social experience of learning and foster connection, inclusion and discourse.

At our districts, a top priority is the effective implementation of high-quality instructional materials. While various schools have chosen different, top-rated curricula, they share a vision of classrooms with rich and interesting texts, student writing and lots of discussion both in small groups and the full class. District leaders want AI products that bring schools closer to this vision. Rather than dedicating 20 minutes a day to a supplemental, skills-based tool that students work on silently, teachers should have tools that make collaboration easier and give students more confidence to bring their insights into full-class discussions.

AI brings new possibilities for better ed tech, but schools will realize this potential only if district leaders lean into this moment, guided by their goals and values. If they do, they can create future-ready schools that prioritize transformative student outcomes and human connection.
For obvious reasons, in the ever-turbulent saga of U.S.-Iran relations, President Trumps claim to have sent a letter to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is the latest twist in a long-running drama. Trumps announcement, made during a Fox Business interview, was characteristically brash.

I wrote them a letter saying, I hope you are going to negotiate, he said, adding that Iran could either handle the U.S. militarily or make a deal.

The presidents remarks were accompanied by his trademark mix of threats and vague promises, leaving observers to wonder whether this was a genuine diplomatic overture or merely another piece of political theater. Trump stated, I wrote them a letter saying, I hope you are going to negotiate, before veering into an awkward gaffe  referring to Khomeini instead of Khamenei, mistakenly invoking the name of Irans long-deceased revolutionary founder.

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Media reports claim that the letter had been written but not sent, while Irans government officials flatly denied having received any such correspondence. This episode underscores the performative nature of Trumps diplomacy, where grand gestures often precede  or outright replace  substantive engagement.

This is not the first time a U.S. president has attempted direct outreach to Irans supreme leader. Barack Obama, in a more serious effort at diplomacy, sent two letters to Khamenei. Even Trump previously relied on intermediaries, such as former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who in 2019 delivered a message to Tehran only to have Khamenei reject it outright.

The leaders refusal reflected a deep-seated distrust that has only grown since Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Obama administrations Iran nuclear deal  the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018  dismantling years of multilateral negotiations and reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran. The timing of Trumps claim about the letter is notable. Trumps approach also suffers from a fundamental contradiction. On the same day he spoke about his desire for negotiations, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, promised even harsher economic restrictions on Iran.

Speaking at the Economic Club of New York, Bessent vowed that a second Trump administration would shut down Irans oil sector and drone manufacturing capabilities and further sever the countrys access to the international financial system.

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This contradiction  the offer of dialogue alongside threats of escalated economic warfare  only further reinforces Irans skepticism toward any overtures from Washington. The Iranians have been very clear that they will not negotiate while being pressured. Khamenei has often called the talks with the U.S. unwise, unintelligent and dishonorable and this is in concordance with the cultural disposition of the Iranians who have been brought up to suspect the West.

From the 1953 CIA-sponsored coup that restored the Shah to the imposition of sanctions, Tehran has never seen Washington as anything but a country that wants only to take and has no intention of giving in return.

Trump has always had a combination of threat and compromise with respect to Iran. Although he claims to have a primary interest in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, his actions suggest something different. After throwing away the nuclear deal  an agreement that put the most stringent nuclear material oversight program on Iran  Trump effectively pulled away the very mechanism of ensuring Iranian compliance. Instead, his administration adopted a policy of maximum pressure to induce Iran to give up its missile program and cut ties with regional powers such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Publicizing a letter before it reaches its intended recipient is an unusual diplomatic move, one that analysts suggest is more about optics than genuine diplomacy. If Trump were serious about negotiations, he would not simultaneously be threatening military action or boasting about crippling sanctions. Iran, having weathered years of economic isolation, is unlikely to be swayed by media theatrics.

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Moreover, there is no clear evidence that Trumps military threats carry much weight. A full-scale U.S. attack on Irans nuclear facilities would be quite challenging due to the fact that the country has spread out its nuclear facilities. Any such action would inevitably lead to a severe Iranian counter-response and further escalate the conflict in the region and beyond. The risks are much higher than the potential gains, and yet Trump continues to wield the threat of force as a rhetorical tool.

The broader context of U.S.-Iran relations suggests that Trumps latest maneuver is unlikely to yield results. Washingtons withdrawal from the nuclear deal not only alienated Iran but also fractured Western unity on the issue. While European signatories initially attempted to salvage the deal, they eventually began imposing their own restrictions on Tehran, contributing to its slow demise.

In response, Iran started rolling back its own commitments in 2020, having concluded that the West had already abandoned its obligations. Iranian leaders, meanwhile, remain defiant. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqhchi dismissed reports of Trumps letter, stating unequivocally that no such communication had been received. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf reinforced this stance, emphasizing that Tehran will not rely on U.S. engagement to resolve its economic challenges. Instead, he argued that Iran should focus on strengthening its domestic economy and fostering ties with non-Western powers.

Trump, for all his self-styled deal-making prowess, has yet to demonstrate a coherent strategy for dealing with Iran. His approach oscillates between threats and vague promises of negotiation, all while deepening Irans economic and military resolve. If his goal is to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear program, his policies have thus far achieved the opposite. By dismantling the Iran nuclear deal, he removed constraints on Irans uranium enrichment.

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By imposing harsher sanctions, he strengthened hardliners in Tehran who argue that engagement with Washington is futile. Irans response to Trumps letter  whether real or imagined  reflects a broader trend in its foreign policy. The Islamic Republic has long viewed negotiations with the U.S. as a trap, a means for Washington to extract concessions without offering meaningful guarantees. This perception has only hardened in the Trump era, with officials across Irans political spectrum voicing deep skepticism toward any overtures from Washington.

As Trump continues to flirt with the idea of renewed talks, the reality remains unchanged: meaningful diplomacy requires trust, consistency, and a willingness to compromise  qualities that have been in short supply these days.

Imran Khalid is a physician and has a masters degree in international relations.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The strange official corruption case of New York City Mayor Eric Adams is about to draw to an abominable close.

The Trump Justice Department has made an unholy deal with Adams that he collaborate in its draconian crackdown on illegal immigrants, in exchange for a dismissal of the criminal corruption charges against him. Adams swore, in open court and under oath, that there was no such deal, but this was false.

Adams faced corruption charges that he accepted free hospitality and illegal indirect campaign contributions from the Turkish government in exchange for political favors. His defense was that he was borough president of Brooklyn at the time  a but that was in another country and besides the wench is dead defense.

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The deal was so over-the-top that the Trump-appointed acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, Danielle Sassoon, resigned in protest along with five other Justice Department lawyers.

Sassoon, a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia, noted in her resignation letter that Adamss attorneys repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be able to assist with the departments enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed. She added that Trumps appointed Deputy Attorney General, Emil Bove, demanded all notes taken at this meeting.

Trump Border Czar Tom Homan, appearing alongside Adams on Fox and Friends, obtusely spelled out the quid pro quo: If he doesnt come through, Ill be back in New York City, and we wont be sitting on the couch, Ill be in his office, up his butt, saying Where the hell is the agreement we came to? To which outrageous statement Adams laughed nervously. Was Homan kidding? I dont think so.

The Justice Department wanted a dismissal under Criminal Rule 48, but with an odd fillip appearing nowhere in the rule, a dismissal without prejudice. This means the case could be resurrected in the future. This transparent ploy would mean that the administration wants to hold Adamss feet to the fire, retaining the ability to prosecute him later on the charges if he steps out of line.

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The motion for dismissal was so bizarre that District Judge Dale Ho appointed a conservative lawyer  Paul Clement, the highly respected solicitor general in the George W. Bush administration  to to present arguments on the governments motion to dismiss.

Normally, courts are aided in their decision-making through our system of adversarial testing, which can be particularly helpful in cases presenting unusual fact patterns or in cases of great public importance, the Judge Ho wrote.

The adversarial system is the crown jewel of the common law we got from the British. And the appointment of an outside lawyer may be necessary when both sides seek dismissal and there is no one on hand to represent the public.

Clements conclusion was to recommend the dismissal of the entire case with prejudice so that it would never again see the light of day. Clement contended that the provision in the rules requiring leave of court for such a dismissal is for the protection of the defendant, and the court should not permit the defendant to live under a looming Sword of Damocles.

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A courts discretion in a Rule 48 motion is normally quite circumscribed, but it has plenty of discretion to deny it on these facts or at least to hold a hearing.

The court may want to scrutinize the governments motive, let alone the Justice Departments legal reasoning in seeking dismissal. Here, the facts were particularly glaring. The department conceded that it took its decision not to prosecute without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based. Really?

Rule 48 permits courts faced with dismissal motions to consider the public interest in the fair administration of criminal justice and the need to preserve the integrity of the courts. One court held that even when the defendant consents to dismiss, the trial court may deny the motion in extremely limited circumstances when the prosecutors actions indicate a betrayal of the public interest.

The judge should be satisfied that the agreement adequately protects the public interest and may withhold approval if he finds that the prosecutor committed such a departure from sound prosecutorial principle as to [constitute] an abuse of prosecutorial discretion, an appellate court said.

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Judge Ho has yet to rule on the governments motion, but the smart money is that he is all but certain to dismiss the case. Criminal cases rest on a three-legged stool involving the branches of government: Congress makes the law, the executive branch prosecutes and the judiciary presides over a fair trial in accordance with the law. But it is only the executive branch that can initiate a criminal prosecution, and only the executive branch that can end one, either by moving the court under Rule 48 or by use of the pardon power.

It is virtually unheard of for the judiciary to order the executive to prosecute a case when it is unwilling to do so, and it is only in the rarest of instances involving contempt of court that the judge can appoint an independent counsel to prosecute a criminal case.

Interestingly, nowhere in Clements 26-page Brief of Appointed Amicus Curiae does he cite the case involving Gen. Michael Flynn from Trumps first term. In May 2020, when Justice sought to dismiss the Flynn case using Rule 48 against the Trump crony who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, the judge in Washington appointed an outside lawyer, retired District Judge John Gleesson, to assist the court.

Gleesson found the behavior of the Justice Department in seeking to dismiss a criminal case after the defendant pleaded guilty a gross abuse of power. He concluded in the strongest language that the facts reveal an unconvincing effort to disguise as legitimate a decision to dismiss that is based solely on the fact that Flynn is a political ally of President Trump.

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Clement never went there in the Adams case.

Our law is based on precedents, and the Adams case presents a particularly bad one. If the case is dismissed, it surely means that any public official justly accused of corruption can wriggle out merely by supporting a presidents political agenda.

The case is truly one for the books. This has never been the way our laws have been enforced in American history. It is a true miscarriage of justice.

James D. Zirin, author and legal analyst, is a former federal prosecutor in New Yorks Southern District. He is also the host of the public television talk show and podcast Conversations with Jim Zirin.

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For nearly 250 years, Americans of diverse identities have worked to build a more perfect union based on founding values and ideals rather than race, religion, nationality or creed. Building unity from diversity is also our story as members of the Vote Is Sacred Fellowship , convened by Interfaith America , for leaders of faith and conscience to encourage peaceful democratic engagement and social trust. We are descendants of enslaved Africans and sharecroppers, Mayflower passengers, and many generations of immigrants who fled religious persecution to build a better life in America. Members of our fellowship lead faith communities and advocacy organizations across the religious and ideological spectrum, provide ethical leadership and build community networks.

We are Catholics, Protestants, Black Liberationist Christians, Sikhs, Bahais, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Humanists and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We disagree about fundamental questions like when life begins and what happens after we die. This makes our shared work challenging, yet each of our traditions teaches about the dignity of every individual. This shared value brings us into conversation as collaborators for the common good. Knowing our differences, we believe it is better to stand together and build coalitions than to go it alone.

The 2024 election cycle was marked by anger and fear. We came together as faith leaders (including people who identify as agnostic or atheist and are committed to ethical leadership and building community) from different political backgrounds to promote confidence in the election and to find ways to build social trust afterward. We have our work cut out for us: Americans of all political stripes desire unity, but most often describe the United States as divided . Weve found in our work that there is no way to circumnavigate the process of building trust and community, no shortcuts to creating durable human connection. If we want the benefits of community, we need to put in the work of building it, from the local to the national level.

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Focusing on collaborative solutions helps bridge divides by highlighting common values over differences. Consistent, respectful dialogue and curiosity about others perspectives, even in disagreement, creates the foundation for long-term cooperation. Our group repeatedly engaged in tense disagreements over the risks of voter fraud versus the risks of voter suppression while we debated messaging to promote trust in the 2024 election. These remain, to a certain extent, unresolved, and we choose to continue collaborating where we do agree, such as our work to promote social trust.

To build a common vision for our collective good, we need to be willing to come into close contact with one another, hear differences of opinion, see each others struggles and sorrows, share in one anothers joys and have conversations that rise above political and party affiliations. We find that the diversity of our group makes the work more meaningful. Our meetings prioritize allowing everyone opportunities to participate and speak about their lived experiences. Taking time to engage everyone is how we build consensus about something like balancing specific policy concerns with the need to focus on transcendent truths and wisdom, even in writing this op-ed.

Faith and community leaders are most equipped to hold a mirror to our elected officials and implore them to be just, compassionate and merciful. Politics engages our deepest questions of morals and values, so it is critical to voice spiritual wisdom that prioritizes the needs of all humanity and to remember our responsibility to people around the world whose very lives depend on the choices and decisions America makes. We commend those who follow the prophetic tradition of leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who courageously spoke against the atrocities of the Vietnam War alongside the economic and racial justice concerns at the center of his reform efforts.

If we commit ourselves to building bridges even across the deep differences of politics and religion that exist in a pluralistic democracy, we can expect that consistent, respectful dialogue and service creates a foundation for long-term cooperation and reduces polarization over time. It is also a work of considerable joy. If you are an American concerned about polarization, we urge you not to give up on participating in our civic life. In our own communities, we are involved in post-prison reentry programs; legal aid for victims of the LA fires; nonpartisan civic education; advocacy against religious hate speech; providing nutrition, health care and housing to those in need; and more. As a group, we implore our fellow citizens and national government to keep investing your time, hope and talent to get involved in projects that prioritize the common good within your communities.

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Signed,

PJ Andrews, Director of Public Discourse, Bahais of the United States

Imam Makram El-Amin, Executive Director, Al-Maauun

Rev. Frederick Davie, Senior EVP, Union Theological Seminary

Jacob Dunlap, Director for Government & External Relations, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

Greg M. Epstein, Humanist Chaplain, Harvard and MIT

Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners

Darcy Hirsh, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, National Council of Jewish Women

Suhail Khan, Senior Fellow, Institute for Global Engagement

Rabbi Michael Namath, Assistant Vice President, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism

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Qasim Rashid, Human Rights Lawyer, Common Defense

Erica Ramirez, Director of Research, Auburn Theological Seminar

Stephen F. Schneck, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Catholic University of America

Harman Singh, Executive Director, Sikh Coalition

Amy Sullivan, Board Member, Sojourners

Jennifer Walker Thomas, Co-Executive Director, Mormon Women for Ethical Government

Eli Valentin, Director of Latino Studies, Virginia Union University

Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights
As expected for any new administration, we have seen many changes in policy and practice. Many of these changes reflect the administrations stated goals of reducing the size of government, the evolving role of the Department of Government Efficiency, and the administrations views of the presidents authority under the Impoundment Control Act.

Earlier this month, The Hill published an opinion piece asking where the U.S. Government Accountability Office is amid these rapid changes. As the general counsel of the GAO, Im here to tell you we are actively engaged on all fronts and watching out for Congress and the American people.

GAO remains steadfast in our mission to support Congress in carrying out its constitutional duties. Often called the congressional watchdog, GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress.

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As a legislative branch agency, GAO is not subject to executive orders and related guidance affecting the work and workforce of executive branch agencies. GAOs work is primarily done at the request of Congress.

GAO is uniquely situated to provide lawmakers and agency heads with objective, professional, fact-based recommendations to help the government save money and work more efficiently and effectively for the American people.

GAOs work provides a blueprint for quickly identifying opportunities to improve program management and save federal funds  exactly the kind of information and recommendations the administration, DOGE, and Congress can use.

GAO routinely makes 1,200 or more recommendations each year to assist Congress and improve government performance. Since 2002, GAOs work has resulted in over $1.45 trillion in financial benefits for Congress and the American people. Weve estimated that if every remaining GAO recommendation were implemented, wed see another $106 to $208 billion in financial benefits.

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GAOs work also goes well beyond cost-cutting measures. Its findings and recommendations make programs and services better for the American people. Policymakers use our recommendations as a resource to help change laws, improve public safety and other services, and promote better management throughout the government.

In February, GAO released one of our signature reports, our High Risk List, which identifies 38 areas of government operations with serious vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, or in need of transformation. This list can serve as a roadmap for oversight and identifies ways for the federal government to save billions of dollars.

Our list has led to significant financial benefits for the country and taxpayers. Efforts to address high-risk issues have totaled nearly $759 billion in savings  an average of $40 billion per year. Since the last update to this list two years ago, the government has made progress in 10 areas  resulting in approximately $84 billion in financial benefits.

During the High Risk List congressional hearing in February, the comptroller general and head of GAO addressed GAOs ongoing work requested by Congress on the administration and DOGEs actions with respect to information systems, personnel and other areas, including Impoundment Control Act inquiries.

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GAO has commenced work at the request of Congress on actions taken by DOGE at numerous departments and agencies. This work involves reviewing access to, use and protection of federal information and data systems, as well as personnel issues (such as the requirements for special government employees), among other topics.

The comptroller general also testified in this hearing that GAO is conducting legal reviews on numerous Impoundment Control Act issues for both foreign and domestic funding. GAO is actively conducting legal reviews of the administrations pause of numerous funds for both foreign and domestic programs to determine if these actions comply with the act.

GAO takes seriously its statutory responsibilities under the Impoundment Control Act to report on the impoundment of funds to Congress. Our longstanding appropriations law work and testimonies before Congress for over 50 years demonstrate our commitment to reaching those decisions in an independent manner.

In all these matters and more, GAOs work remains grounded in our over 100-year-long tradition of nonpartisan, fact-based service to Congress. We will seek the information we need to make factual and legal determinations necessary to complete our work and to do it right.

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We are committed to completing the work Congress needs to carry out its oversight of the executive branch and its constitutional responsibilities. The American people deserve nothing less from the nations congressional watchdog.

Edda Emmanuelli Perez is general counsel of the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

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Illegal crossings at our nations southern border have nearly come to a halt since President Trump was sworn in for his second term. But while attention and resources are spent securing the U.S.-Mexico border, our northern border with Canada remains largely overlooked. Human smugglers are already taking extreme advantage of this.

The vast span of undefended land could easily become the next hotspot for illegal immigration into the U.S. The Trump administration must devise and implement a plan now to secure the U.S.-Canada border.

Border patrol agents encountered about 8,000 illegal immigrants crossing the southern border in February, which was the lowest figure in at least 25 years. For reference, during the Biden administration, border agents would often encounter more than 8,000 illegal immigrants in a single day. But as illegal crossings plummet at the southern border, they may be poised to skyrocket at the northern border.

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The U.S.-Canada frontier is the largest land border in the world. Much of this border is remote, and unguarded, and the sectors in the east are a relatively short drive from several major airports in Canada. Those looking to travel to the U.S. illegally and human smugglers appear to have caught on.

Last year in Canadas Swanton Sector  an enormous 24,000 square mile terrain that incorporates the borders of eastern New York and the entirety of Vermont and New Hampshire  19,000 illegal crossers were apprehended by U.S. border agents, more than the last 17 years combined. For reference, in 2021, agents only apprehended 365 illegal crossers in the sector. Border officials, who seized nearly 50 pounds of fentanyl at the northern border in 2024, warn that some smugglers carry dangerous weapons. At the same time, human smuggling runs rampant. In New Yorks Northern District federal courts, 55 percent of cases over the last two years were immigration-related. This includes 1,300 active immigrant smuggling cases.

People flew to Canada from 85 countries last year  including from Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq and Syria  then made the drive south to enter the U.S. illegally in the Swanton Sector. That same year, 358 known or suspected terrorists were caught trying to enter the U.S. from Canada. And far from the medias conjured images of women and children, many of crossers at the northern border are men. In Maine, which has also seen a significant increase of illegal crossers at its more than 600-mile border with Canada, more than 97 percent of illegal crossers encountered in 2024 were single adult males.

For human smugglers, business has been booming. Many Canadian coyotes brazenly use TikTok to advertise their smuggling services for as much as $5,000. The posts typically urge would-be migrants to send them a direct message for more details. Most of the smugglers leave from Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver on the West Coast. To the Swanton Sector New York border, the trip includes a mere two-hour car ride and 25-minute walk through the woods.

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Some of the smugglers TikTok accounts even include customer reviews, as though smuggling were a legitimate business. And as quickly as the border-crossing accounts are removed from the social media platform, new ones pop up.

The explosion of illegal drug and human smuggling along the northern border is already wreaking havoc on communities. Some residents in rural New England who live near the border recount experiences similar, albeit on a smaller scale, to those living on the Texas-Mexico border. Some described illegal migrants from Canada trespassing in their backyards at all hours of the day last year. Residents find trash, clothing and tire ruts all over their property. Border patrol told locals not to interfere because the smugglers or migrants may have weapons.

Meanwhile, some impacts of the crisis are being felt far from the border. Americans continue to die at records numbers from fentanyl overdoses as drugs pour in from the north. And increased illegal immigration puts a strain on hospitals, schools and housing markets in Americas northern cities.

There are several reasons for the surge at the northern border. In 2019, Canada waived visa requirements for many countries, including Mexico. The change made it easier for people from around the world to get into the U.S. illegally via Canada, but it still doesnt fully explain the uptick. In February 2024, Canada reinstated some of its visa requirements and the illegal crossings continued to escalate anyway.

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Perhaps the most significant reason for the increase is simply that potential illegal migrants around the world increasingly realize that if they can fly into Canada, the trip to the U.S. is shorter and easier than it would be over the southern border. Rather than walk for days through blazing heat, and finding a (likely treacherous) way to cross the Rio Grande, migrants crossing the northern border can simply book a comfy flight to the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport then take a short drive south into the U.S. Plus, there are significantly fewer agents working the northern sectors, so the chances of getting caught are lower.

Since Trumps inauguration, brutal winter temperatures have swept the northern U.S., especially near the East Coast. The frigid weather has likely suppressed northern illegal crossing numbers for now. But spring is around the corner, and with warm weather on its way the Trump administration must immediately roll out a robust plan to prevent the catastrophe at the southern border from being recreated to the north.

The security of our country, and the success of Trumps second term, may depend on it.

Kristin Tate is a political writer based in Boston and the author of three books, the most recent of which is titled The Liberal Invasion of Red State America. She is an on-air contributor for Sky News and a columnist for The Boston Herald.

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You heard it here first: President Trump will bow to pressure from MAGA media influencers and pardon Derek Chauvin, the white Minneapolis policeman convicted of killing a Black man by kneeling on his neck for nearly 10 minutes.

Trump has already demonstrated a willingness to use presidential pardons to score political points. He pardoned Jan. 6 rioters who sought to overturn the results of a legitimate election  some of whom menaced and even injured police officers. In a shameful perversion of justice, he granted clemency to 1,500 people involved in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Around the same time, and to less fanfare, he also pardoned two D.C. police officers convicted in connection with the killing of a young Black man in October 2020.

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Is the white policeman who cruelly killed a Black man in Minneapolis next?

Last week, influential right-wing podcaster Ben Shapiro launched a petition urging Trump to pardon Chauvin on his federal convictions. Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal crimes after being convicted by a Minnesota jury and sentenced to more than two decades for murdering George Floyd, a Black man suspected of passing a counterfeit bill, by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes.

Shapiros petition quickly gained traction on conservative social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), owned by Trumps biggest financial supporter, Elon Musk.

When Trump was asked about allies [who] are calling on you to pardon Chauvin, he said: I havent even heard about it. But the prospect of a Chauvin pardon is setting off alarms.

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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) pushed back on Shapiros calls for a pardon. He said it would amount to blatant disrespect for the rule of law.

Pew polling in April 2023, nearly three years after Floyds death, showed most Americans, 51 percent  including 42 percent of white Americans  still supported Black Lives Matter and the goal of racial justice.

As I write in my new book, New Eyes for These Eyes: The Rise of Americas Second Civil Rights Movement  BLM began in 2013 after a volunteer security guard was acquitted in the killing of an unarmed 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin.

But BLMs defining moment came after Floyds death, a video of which ignited protests under the BLM banner.

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I cant breathe, Floyds plea as Chauvin kept pressing on his neck and upper back, became a rallying cry. BLM protests in 2020 took on a distinctly anti-Trump tone in the months before Trump lost a reelection bid.

To pardon Chauvin now would neatly fit with a pattern of Trump seeking revenge against the BLM movement.

Since he returned to the White House this year, Trump has worked to systematically dismantle Former President Bidens BLM-inspired policies to advance racial justice. Now, as the stock market takes a hit from his use of tariffs and failed promise to end wars quickly in the Middle East and Ukraine, Trump is moving on a racially loaded agenda to distract and change the nations political conversation.

Government documents and websites, it was reported last week, are being pushed under Trump to erase language, even words dealing with diversity, disability, injustice, black, Hispanic minority, and women, according to the New York Times.

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In another move with major racial implications, Trump has called for the shutdown [of] the Department of Education, according to Linda McMahon, the education secretary. The education department is a primary source of aid for public schools in poor, minority-heavy areas, and it monitors of performance of non-white children.

He is also gutting the Environmental Protection Agencys environmental justice offices, which have been especially important in serving less affluent and less white communities.

That fits with the successful pressure campaign mounted by Trump and his congressional allies to get D.C. city officials to erase the large, boldly painted words Black Lives Matter, from the streets near Lafayette Park and the White House.

Lafayette Park in June 2020 was the ugly scene of National Guard troops tear-gassing people peacefully protesting police brutality and specifically the cruel killing of Floyd.

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Trump officials wanted the park cleared after he declared himself the president of law and order, and decided to march across the park to St. Johns Church to hold up a Bible. A day earlier, he had scolded weak governors for not sending in National Guard troops to halt nationwide demonstrations, even though the vast majority had been peaceful.

Pardoning Chauvin is the next step in this playbook of racially divisive politics.

Trump used similarly racially loaded tactics during the 2024 presidential campaign, viciously attacking Black prosecutors and judges overseeing his criminal cases  Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg  calling them animals and accusing them of engaging in politically motivated lawfare.

Chauvin being held responsible for murdering Floyd is a central part of the story of todays rise of a second civil rights movement. BLMs public profile declined in 2024 as Trump won a second term. But the ideals at the heart of the movement have remained widely supported.

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Chauvins jailing is key to the fragile assurance of racial peace at this moment  the understanding that when a white police officer like Chauvin uses excessive force and kills a Black person, he can and will be held accountable by the justice system.

A federal pardon of Chauvin, although it would not vitiate his state murder conviction, risks shattering what little faith remains in the justice system among Black Americans.

Mr. President  please dont do it.

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.

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Utah has always been a land of promise  a state shaped by the sweat and sacrifice of pioneers who built something remarkable out of the desert. We have thrived because of our faith, our work ethic and our unwavering belief in the American dream. But in recent years, Washingtons failures have threatened the very principles that made Utah and this nation great. Out-of-control spending, crushing regulations and a radical agenda have placed undue burdens on hardworking families  making it harder to run a business, harder to afford a home and harder to trust that the next generation will inherit a stronger country than we did.

That era of decline is over.

With President Donald J. Trump back in the White House, America is experiencing a great resurgence, an inspiring comeback and a new golden age. Trumps relentless focus on economic revival, energy independence, education reform, strength at home and peace abroad is putting our country back on a path to prosperity.

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Utah  built on strong families, a thriving economy and a pioneering spirit  is positioned to lead in this new era of renewal. From my seat in Congress, I will work alongside President Trump every single day he is in office to make sure Utah remains a shining example of what is possible when government gets out of the way and lets the American people thrive.

To my Democratic colleagues and neighbors, I extend an invitation  not to abandon your beliefs, but to take an honest look at the undeniable progress we are making as a nation. For too long, partisan divisions have prevented meaningful conversations about what is working and what is not. But facts do not belong to a single party. The reality before us is clear: Wages are rising , industries are returning , schools are being restored to their rightful purpose and communities are growing safer . These are not Republican victories or Democratic losses; they are American successes.

This is not about politics. It is about recognizing policies that work. Policies that lift families out of economic hardship, strengthen our national security and give parents a voice in their childs education. I do not ask for blind allegiance, nor do I expect a shift in long-held convictions. I ask only for an open mind, a willingness to examine results and an honest acknowledgement of what is best for the people of Utah and the nation.

Our economy, once suffocated under oppressive regulation and unfair foreign competition, is surging back to life. Under Trumps leadership, trillions in new investments are pouring into U.S. industries that were once left for dead. Manufacturing is coming home , small businesses are being unshackled and the American worker is, at long last, being placed first .

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Utah, with its powerhouse economy and unmatched entrepreneurial spirit, is positioned to flourish in this new era of prosperity. No longer will our industries be undercut by cheap foreign labor. No longer will our businesses be strangled by bureaucratic nonsense. We are open for business, and with Trumps policies paving the way, the future has never looked brighter.

Equally transformative is the return of American energy dominance, a revolution that directly benefits Utah. For too long, radical ideologues sought to shackle our nations vast energy potential, forcing families to pay more while making us dependent on foreign adversaries. That misguided era has ended.

Trump has unleashed Americas energy resources , tearing down bureaucratic blockades , reopening critical drilling projects and ensuring that Utahs rich natural resources can once again be harnessed for the benefit of all Americans. Lower energy costs , higher wages , and an explosion of new jobs in manufacturing and the energy sector are on the horizon , as is heightened national security and economic independence.

Yet even these victories pale in comparison to the battle for our nations future  our children. Nowhere has the war against American values been waged more fiercely than in our schools, where radical ideologies have attempted to replace education with indoctrination. Under the previous administration, parents were silenced , classrooms were politicized and students were subjected to dangerous social experiments that ignored history, science and common sense.

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That madness is coming to an end.

Under Trump, we are restoring education to its rightful purpose. Schools will once again serve as institutions of learning, not laboratories for ideological activism. Parents will regain control over their childrens education, with expanded school choice allowing them to pursue excellence over agenda-driven nonsense. Utah has long prided itself on academic achievement, and with this renewed commitment to educational integrity, our students will be poised to lead the next generation of innovators, leaders and patriots.

And while we secure our childrens futures, we are also securing our nations borders. The invasion of illegal immigration under the previous administration threatened the safety and stability of communities across America, including right here in Utah. Fentanyl poured into our neighborhoods, criminals slipped through the cracks and hard-earned taxpayer dollars were wasted on failed policies that rewarded lawbreakers over law-abiding citizens.

No longer.

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Trump has taken swift action to end the chaos. Illegal border crossings have plummeted to historic lows. Dangerous criminals are being arrested and deported at record rates. The border wall is being completed , and the rule of law is being restored . Utahns deserve to live without fear of cartel-driven violence, and under this administration, that right will be upheld.

I have always believed that Utah represents the best of America. It is a state built by pioneers, shaped by visionaries and strengthened by those who refuse to surrender to complacency or despair. Now, with Trump at the helm, we have an opportunity to expand that legacy, to build a stronger, safer and more prosperous nation for generations to come.

I will continue to serve in Congress alongside President Trump, ensuring that Utahs voice is heard, that its people are protected, and that the policies benefiting our state are defended and expanded. This is not a moment of pause, but a moment of action. Our work is far from over, and I will be there every day, fighting for Utahs rightful place in Americas renewal.

The path before us is one of growth, security and boundless opportunity. Let us seize it together.
In the opening months of the war in Ukraine, we warned about the strange case of Dr. Vladimir and Mr. Putin. Duality of purpose and multifaceted end states have always been central to Russian President Vladimir Putins calculus and decisionmaking.

Controlling Ukraine and its mineral riches is his immediate goal as the would-be Don of the Donbas. But Putins broader geostrategic goal also includes dismantling NATO.

Putin knows, conventionally-speaking, that his military cannot defeat NATO in Ukraine, much less Europe. But he can create enough division from within its ranks to divide the United States, old NATO and new NATO in order to fracture trust from within the 32-member defensive alliance.

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed as much during a press conference with Putin on Thursday. Referring to President Trumps proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Lukashenko reminded the audience that he had observed early in the war that a deal between Washington and Moscow would be the end of Europe.

By Europe, he also meant NATO.

Putin seized on the point. He noted that if the U.S. and Russia cooperate on energy deals, Europe will then be able to get cheap Russian gas. Cheap, perhaps in terms of monetary cost, but as Putin knows, European independence  and by extension NATO  would again be undermined by its dependence on Russian sources of energy.

EU countries have spent more on Russian energy in the last three years than they have invested in Ukraines defense. This has, among other things, led to Hungary and Slovakia to veto NATO and EU measures to support Ukraine.

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NATOs viability is also heavily tied to a just outcome of the war in Ukraine. If Putin walks away from Ukraine enriched and emboldened, he will keep coming for more of Europe  specifically the Baltic States  and this will be easier if he can first destroy the transatlantic NATO alliance.

Putins script in this regard is not new if you understand that Russias citizens and economy are expendable to him, so long as he can achieve his desired national goals for Russia and himself. His illegal war against Ukraine is evidence enough. Since the beginning of his sputtering operation in Ukraine, he has willingly suffered more than 890,250 Russian casualties.

Putins dual-purpose playbook had its origins in St. Petersburg when he began his meteoric rise to power in Russia as a deputy mayor. In a paradigm since repeatedly replicated on a national and global scale, Putin worked in tandem with local mafia to create his powerbase and wealth.

He expanded this approach after becoming Russias prime minister in August 1999, but with a deadly global twist as he used foreign affairs and crises to increase his power. His bloody 10-year war in Chechnya devolved into an oft-repeated blueprint later used in the Middle East and Africa.

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Organized crime melded with the FSB, the KGBs successor agency. Its agents became Putins shock troops on the frontlines, creating support for separatist movements in former Soviet regions illegally occupied by Russia today  Transnistria (in Moldova), Abkhazia and South Ossetia (in Georgia) and Crimea and the Donbas (in Ukraine).

Yevgeny Prigozhin took this to a new level by militarizing Russias mafia culture  the result being his Wagner Group. Putins mercenaries offer plausible deniability as they topple democratic regimes in Africa.

Now, as part of his ideological global war against the west, Putin is using this same playbook to create a wedge between Trump and his European allies. Trump is taking the bait, including threatening withdrawal from NATO, not coming to the defense of NATO countries failing to pay for their own defense, imposing tariffs on the EU and Canada, and repositioning 25,000 American troops from Germany to Hungary.

Putins Svengali-like effect on Washington is dangerous. Former President George W. Bush famously thought he could see into Putins soul. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton deceived herself into thinking that she and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov could improve relations by pushing a giant reset button. Lavrov is still standing and Clinton is not.

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Team Trump would be wise to remember this as it negotiates an end to the war. Otherwise, Trump risks fumbling Europe to Russia, just as Russian President Boris Yeltsin suggested to President Bill Clinton in 1999: Just give Europe to Russia, because Russia is in Europe and the United States is not.

Putins war against NATO is in evidence across Europe. On Monday, the Russian captain of a container ship appeared to intentionally ram an oil tanker laden with U.S. military jet fuel 13 nautical miles off of the U.K. coastline. Coincidence? Not when you consider Russian plots to bomb DHL jet freighters in Germany and the U.K., and Russian interference in elections in Moldova, Georgia and Romania. Not when you consider the recent bloody assassination in Spain of Maxim Kuzminov, a Russian defector.

On Wednesday, X was hacked by a pro-Palestinian hacktivist collective known as Dark Storm, which is known to use tactics that are very similar to a Russia-linked group called KillNet. This, too, should serve as a reminder that the FSB excels in a Western legal world of plausible deniability and reasonable doubt. Nothing is done to challenge the actions  that would mean confronting Russia directly and risking further escalation. And so, each time, Russia pushes harder.

Having failed to win militarily in Ukraine, Putin is shifting targets. While Kursk, Donbas and Crimea remain the principal battlefields of this war, the aim of dividing the NATO alliance is now within reach.

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If he can divide NATO, Putin can break the alliance and eventually move ahead with his plans to reestablish the Kievan Rus.

Europe must play a role in preventing NATO from being destroyed from within and without. Europes thin red line is in Ukraine. Brussels must secure Ukraines sovereignty and ensure that European peacekeepers deter future Russian military aggression.

Europe must also dramatically increase its own defense spending. The ReArm Europe Plan was a good start. But it is not enough to match a Russian economy that is on a full war footing.

Saving NATO is the only way to save Europe, and this begins with closing the gap on member-nations GDP contributions.

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Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan E. Sweet served 30 years as an Army intelligence officer.

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MANILA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Three suspected rebels have been killed in a series of clashes with government troops in Northern Samar province in the central Philippines, the Philippine military said Monday.

In a report, the military said the three New People's Army (NPA) rebels were slain during gunfights that started around 6 a.m. local time in Mapnas town on Sunday.

Troops recovered two M16 rifles, an anti-personnel mine, and assorted ammunition from the encounter sites, the report added.

No government soldier was killed or wounded in the fighting.

NPA rebels have been fighting against government troops since 1969.

Military data showed that the NPA's personnel strength has declined since its peak of around 25,000 armed members in the 1980s.

Despite its dwindling fighters, the NPA continues to launch small-scale attacks in the countryside. 
From using the White Houses South Lawn to shill cars for his biggest campaign donor to demanding taxpayer-funded ads that claim he victoriously closed the southern border, President Donald Trump is demonstrating that, as he stated in his first term, he has the right to do whatever I want. Thats his twisted interpretation of Article 2 of the Constitution, which describes the power of the president.

Yet the president of the United States is not a king. Hes not a monarch ordained by a god. As former President Barack Obama said in a 60 Minutes interview in November 2020, the president is a public servant. The person elected to that office should represent and serve the publics best interest  not his own.

As mass protests against the Trump administration take place across the nation, let us remember the historical role and responsibility of the president and what others whove held the office have had to say about the responsibility that comes with the position. The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants, former President Teddy Roosevelt wrote in a May 1918 editorial in The Kansas City Star. In 1954, former President Harry Truman said, I would much rather be an honorable public servant and known as such than to be the richest man in the world.

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The president is supposed to serve us, the American people. Not just the people who voted for him or who donated to his campaign or inauguration  but all the people. Toward that end and in keeping with Americas long-standing policies, Trump should be working to preserve and strengthen our democratic society and democracies around the world  not undermining them by playing nice with dictators.

The American people elected Trump and have entrusted him to serve their bests interests. Public service is a public trust, reads Executive Order 12674 from 1989, spelling out one of the primary principles of ethical conduct for government officers and employees. President Thomas Jefferson even asserted, When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.

You just have to laugh at the idea of Trump  who wants to privatize public services from the U.S. Postal Service to education and even sell off public lands to private interests  ever considering himself public property. The absolute, fiendishly calculated chaos he has unfurled in the first weeks of his second term proves that serving the publics best interest was never a part of his  or, lets be honest, Project 2025s  agenda. In that way, Trump, who has always loved flaunting his wealth, is the opposite of Truman.

In that 1918 editorial, Roosevelt asserted it was as important that the public blame [the president] when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right  in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the nation as a whole.

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The problem is that Trump and his supporters dont always appear to be committed to codes of ethical conduct or the law. And Trump has shown over the course of his career that he doesnt take accountability for his actions. Deny everything is one of the lessons he learned from his lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn. Trump has decimated independent federal agencies likely because they are units of accountability  specifically in terms of offering oversight and regulation  in our government system of checks and balances.

Notably, Roosevelts words about the president being the most important public servant were not directed to then-President Woodrow Wilson but to his fellow Americans to encourage them to tell the truth about [the presidents] acts.  Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.

In other words, we, the American people, are responsible to each other to secure the health of our democracy. This means we must elect to office presidents who are committed to public service, and if we fail at that, then we must use our First Amendment rights to protest against them.

Theyre there to serve us, not the other way around.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Editors Note: This story was updated to correct how a name was spelled. We regret the error.

At first glance, the answer to the question of who speaks for the Catholic Church in the United States seems obvious: the Pope. When it comes to divinely revealed dogmas concerning faith and morals, the word of the Pope is infallible.

But apart from the inner counsels of the church, the Pope is an important voice. With a 78 percent favorable rating among American Catholics  a number most politicians would envy  the Popes public declarations on political issues also carry weight.

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Yet the question of who speaks for American Catholics has become a battle for control of the microphone. Mathew Schmalz, a religious studies professor at the College of the Holy Cross, told me in an interview that the Catholic Church is highly polarized, thus, intensifying the struggle over who speaks for it.

In a separate interview with me, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) described how the political polarization among Catholics deepened in 2021, when the U.S. Catholic bishops pitched their theological tent with the Republicans. And they used it to attack Joe Biden on the abortion issue.

Since then, the chasm has only widened. Referring to President Trumps policy of deporting millions of immigrants, Pope Francis bluntly told the U.S. Catholic bishops: The true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all  welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, took issue with the Pope, citing a centuries-old Catholic teaching known as ordo amoris, meaning order of love. In an interview with Fox News, Vance said: You love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.

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Pope Francis immediately clapped back: Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the Good Samaritan, that is by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.

The cacophony of Catholic voices either in support of or opposition to Francis or Trump are numerous. Catholics for Catholics is a pro-Trump organization that promises to restore the true Catholic faith to the public square. Meanwhile, Catholics for the Common Good generally supports Democrats and advocates for social justice and equity issues.

When asked who speaks for the American Catholic Church, Steven P. Millies, director of the Bernardin Center and professor of Public Theology at Catholic Theological Union, told me: Well, its not JD Vance. It should be Pope Francis, but unfortunately, that doesnt seem to be the case either.

According to Millies, the title of spokesperson is up for grabs. And a contest for the microphone has been long in the making. An obvious contender should be the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Shortly after Trump took office this year, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the conference, called Trumps immigration policies deeply troubling, saying they will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us.

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But Broglio speaks for a divided conference. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, writes: Allowing violent gangs, individuals with serious criminal histories, dealers of lethal illegal drugs, human traffickers and those who pose threats to our national security to enter our country and harm U.S. citizens is a serious dereliction of duty by our elected leaders. I commend President Trump and those in his administration for addressing this serious, national threat.

Cardinal Robert McElroy, the newly installed Archbishop of Washington, D.C., decries a war of fear and terror being waged on undocumented immigrants. At his March 11, installation, McElroy lamented the divisions of race, gender, ideology and nationality where the poor and the migrant are daily dispossessed, and the dignity of the unborn is denied.

Cardinal McElroy is poised to be a leading Catholic spokesperson. As the only political scientist ever to lead an archdiocese, he is, as Steven Millies told me, made for the job.

Schmalz said McElroys mandate is to be a prophetic voice for the Catholic Church, especially on matters of social justice.

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Still, the battle over who speaks for the U.S. Catholic Church continues. For example, Bishop Robert Barron has 1 million YouTube subscribers. In 2022, his Word on Fire ministry raised $11.4 million. Barron aligns himself with Trump and Vance, calling Vances citation of the ordo amoris refreshing.

Another competitor is the Eternal Word Television Network. Its 11 networks broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to more than 435 million television households in more than 160 countries. In 2022, the network raised $89.5 million.

During the Francis papacy, EWTN became a major voice of dissent. Raymond Arroyos EWTN program, The World Over became a focal point for papal criticism. In 2021, Francis criticized media attacks on his pontificate as the work of the devil, a comment many thought directed at EWTN.

As 88-year-old Pope Francis recovers from pneumonia, and Catholics wrestle with the legacy of this dynamic papacy, the battle for the Catholic microphone continues. Political polarization, which has touched nearly every department of life, including matters of faith, shows no sign of disappearing.

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And as Catholics choose sides, their ears are often attuned to those who reflect their views while shutting out the voices of others whom they frequently demean as heretics.

John Kenneth White is a professor emeritus at The Catholic University of America. His latest book is titled Grand Old Unraveling: The Republican Party, Donald Trump, and the Rise of Authoritarianism.

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Those who enjoyed Christopher Nolans 2023 blockbuster film Oppenheimer will recall the intensive scientific collaboration and advancement  from Cambridge, England, to Los Alamos, New Mexico  that resulted in the Allied powers winning the race to develop the atomic bomb. Anglo-American partnership on this most lethal of deterrents deepened further in 1962, when over three days in the Bahamas President John F. Kennedy and Prime Minister Harold Macmillan mapped out the Polaris Sales Agreement, which to this day underpins the nuclear umbrella the U.S. and U.K. provide its people and its allies.

These historic technological partnerships  for all their destructive might  ultimately allowed us to secure a technological edge over our adversaries and bring an end to the tyranny and slaughter of the Second World War. Thereafter, the nuclear deterrent delivered an unprecedented period of stability for our nations that underwrote decades of rampant economic growth. An exemplar of peace through strength.

American and British science cooperation  ever restless  went on to deliver the technology upon which all contemporary commerce, communication and defense is based: the internet.

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We dont need another deterrent, but there are major life-enhancing and lifesaving advances to which we need to put our minds. The biggest immediate example is artificial intelligence (AI). We stand at the foothills of this next great foundational technology that will redefine the century ahead, accelerating every other endeavor and discovery we want to undertake.

I will join many of Britains greatest AI innovators and investors this week in California for the Global Tech Conference, the worlds premier AI gathering. Of the many issues we will discuss with our U.S. and allied counterparts, I expect a central theme to dominate: the strategic technology rivalry between us and our adversaries.

Once more, we must combine our strengths to keep our citizens ahead in the global race. Our two science-rich nations, the U.S. and U.K., are the only two Western countries with trillion-dollar technology eco-systems. Our combined research and innovation prowess (the U.S. and U.K. are home to the worlds top 15 universities) arguably remains our greatest defense of the values and freedoms we cherish.

The challenges we face today are as profound as any we have confronted together in our past. Yet so are the opportunities.

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Many governments are focused on the risks and the dangers of AIs unknown powers, which we must be alert to. But too few are investing enough energy into unlocking the enormous life improving potential AI can unleash, from health and education to the security of our people.

And as with Manhattan and Polaris, the U.S. and UK are natural allies to work together to deliver generational advances. Our two governments should steer, facilitate and empower our world-leading scientists and industries to maximize the positive outcomes technology holds.

We are at a genuine inflection point. Now is the moment to back the innovators at the tech frontier. Instead of over-regulating these new technologies, our two governments stand ready to enable and seize the almost unimaginable benefits they offer.

The fair exchange of manufactured products is, and will remain, important to both the U.S. and U.K. economies. But the trade agreement Prime Minster Starmer and President Trump left the West Wing seeking a few weeks ago imagines a much broader and future-focused collaboration that looks well beyond goods and services to a full spectrum technology partnership between Britain and America.

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I am excited by the breakthroughs such a partnership could accelerate together. In biotech, there is huge potential in genomics, protein design and engineering. Artificial intelligence could enable earlier and more precise diagnosis, better drug discovery and personalized cancer vaccines. We are determined to build advanced data centers and develop the worlds first advanced quantum computer. And there are opportunities to collaborate in advancing nuclear technology.

These are just a few areas in which the U.S. and U.K. could create moonshot achievements. Our vision for this partnership should span a range of possibilities, on Earth and in space.

In an era of heightened competition and contest, we cannot afford to stand still. It is vital that our great democracies adapt to counter new threats, retain the edge over our adversaries and embrace new opportunities across critical advanced technologies to improve the daily lives of all our citizens.

As closely allied democracies, America and Britian can achieve more together than they can do apart. That is why a technology partnership needs to be at the heart of any U.S.-U.K. economic deal. We need to think MEGA  Make our Economies Great Again  for all our prosperity and security.

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Peter Mandelson is the United Kingdoms ambassador to the United States.

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To hear President Trump describe it, the U.S. is beset by emergencies. We allegedly have an energy emergency, a government waste emergency and a foreign trade emergency.

Trump has called America a failing nation  in decline, with mental patients, criminals and rapists surging across our borders. He says we suffer from bloodshed, chaos, and violent crime committed by thugs and tyrants and fascists, scoundrels and rogues who are leading us into servitude and ruin.

There is a method to this alarmism.

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The New Republic notes that the far rights rhetoric is suffused with dark talk of impending calamities. The road to authoritarianism is paved with this trope  the dire pending calamity that only the strongman has seen, and which only he can solve.

At the same time, Trump is distracting America from its true emergency. Worse, he and his team are methodically destroying the federal policies that were doing something about it.

Global climate change is no longer a future crisis  it is a clear and present danger to the national economy, to the health, safety and quality of American lives, to our natural resources and to our energy security.

Nevertheless, Trump and his team have buried their heads so deep in the sand that all they see is oil.

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Energy Secretary Chris Wright promises to deprioritize climate change and emphasize fossil fuel production. Americas top military and intelligence experts have warned since the 1980s that climate change threatens national security. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says his department does not do climate change crap. Trump has even created his own cancel culture, whereby federal officials are not free to use scores of woke words, including clean energy, climate crisis, climate science and pollution.

As Team Trump dwells inside its bubble of false facts and alternative realities, the rest of America is experiencing a relentless succession of tragedies. The human and economic costs are devastating.

Hurricane Helene killed at least 221 people last fall. In 2023, more than 100 people in the historic town of Lahaina perished in a wildfire. Fires destroyed entire neighborhoods and took 29 lives in Los Angeles earlier this year. Last summer, Phoenix experienced 113 consecutive days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the longest such streak ever recorded. Thousands of Americans (more than 2,300 in 2023) are dying in heat waves. The death toll has climbed 117 percent during the last quarter-century.

The most recent data show that nearly 10 percent of Americas businesses lost money because of extreme weather in 2022. After each major weather disaster, 40 percent of affected businesses never reopen, and 90 percent fail within two years. Climate change is increasing the price of consumer goods. Disaster spending is draining money from other essential government functions. Homeowners are straining under rising insurance premiums and falling property values in disaster-prone places. Millions of Americans are moving away from those places, depriving at-risk communities of tax revenues for public services.

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The First Street Foundation says real estate values in America could drop by $1.5 trillion over the next 30 years. Experts warn that at-risk properties are already overvalued, creating the conditions for another mortgage crisis like the one that put the economy into a tailspin in 2007.

Oil companies and banks that had promised to become carbon-neutral are now capitulating to Trump by canceling their pledges. BP is upping its annual oil and gas investment by $10 billion while cutting renewable energy investment by more than $5 billion. Citing political pressure, big banks and asset managers are quitting climate-action coalitions, including the Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo.

Denial remains a Republican Party doctrine, even though 99.5 percent of the nations congressional districts have experienced at least one billion-dollar or bigger weather disaster over the last dozen years. The real hoax is the oil cartels long campaign to discredit good science, greenwash and elect allies to public office so the government keeps subsidizing our oil addiction.

All the while, fossil fuel pollution collects in the atmosphere like a blanket that holds in the suns heat. Scientists measure the blankets density in parts per million  about 350 parts per million is just right, but it is approaching 430 parts per million today, the highest in more than 2 million years.

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Last year, the U.S. put an average of 17.5 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every day. Significant parts of the U.S. are already becoming deadly, unaffordable and uninhabitable.

The good news is that pollution-free energy from sunlight, wind and other renewable resources is readily available and cheaper than fossil fuels. U.S. investment in those resources reached $280 billion in 2023. The bad news is that oil, natural gas and coal still provide about 80 percent of Americas and the worlds energy.

Writing in Foreign Affairs, energy expert Daniel Yergin and two colleagues point out that the clean energy transition has been additive rather than transformative. In other words, it has kept the share of fossil fuels from rising, but it has not put a dent in their dominance.

Skeptics cite the intermittency of sunlight and wind as barriers to their use, but the real problem is the repeated waxing and waning of national and international political will. Democratic presidents have consistently led the charge against climate change, while Republican presidents have retreated. As a result, billion-dollar-plus weather disasters in the U.S. have grown from an annual average of nine over the last 45 years to 18 over the last five.

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Pressure from voters and consumers could change this trend. Over 70 percent of Americans accept that global warming is underway, and 56 percent expect extreme weather to affect their communities over the next decade. Yet voters elected Trump, and consumers are more worried about the price of eggs.

This is the real national emergency. Only the president can make it official, but he wont. Its up to voters to reorder their priorities  and force Congress to do the same.

Until then, we are turning nature into an enemy rather than an ally and depriving our children of a stable and secure world.

William S. Becker is a former regional director at the U.S. Department of Energy and author of several books on climate change and national disaster policies, including the 100-Day Action Plan to Save the Planet, published by St. Martins Griffin, and The Creeks Will Rise: People Co-Existing with Floods, published by the Chicago Review Press.

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Last week, the Trump administration crossed a red line in its unprecedented attack on American higher education. In a letter to Columbia University, the administration laid out a series of sweeping changes that the school must take to reverse the administrations cancellation of $400 million in federal funding. The letter affirms that for the faculty and administrators at American colleges and universities, silence is no longer an option. They must speak out and act, both individually and collectively.

In canceling the grants earlier this month, the Trump White House accused Columbia of continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. The administrations new letter details immediate next steps that we regard as a precondition for formal negotiations regarding Columbia Universitys continued financial relationship with the United States government. Each of those steps touches on the universitys core functions.

Among other things, the federal government demands that Columbia change its admissions practices and its disciplinary process, including mandating the arrest and removal of agitators who foster an unsafe or hostile work or study environment. It requires the university to ban masks intended to conceal identity or intimidate others. It even demands that the university put its Middle East, South Asian and African Studies Department in academic receivership.

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Putting an academic department in receivership would remove governance of that department, including control over its curriculum, from its faculty. As The Associated Press notes, receivership is a rarely used practice, and only if a department cannot manage its own affairs. That is not the case with respect to this particular department. One can (almost) admire the Trump administrations ingenuity in using receivership as a smoke screen for censorship.

Nonnegotiable preconditions like these more commonly come from hostage-takers or terrorists than officials in a democratically elected government. But that is where this country and its higher education institutions now find themselves.

If the government can single out an academic department at a college or university because of what it teaches or how it teaches, there would be nothing left of academic freedom. We have seen hints of this kind of attack on higher education in this country before, especially during the Red Scare of the early 1950s. But according to Joan Scott, a historian and member of the academic freedom committee of the American Association of University Professors, the Trump administrations latest demands on Columbia are an escalation of a kind that is unheard of. Even during the McCarthy period in the United States, this was not done.

Before the administrations latest letter to Columbia, in an article aptly titled First They Came for Columbia, Harvard Universitys Ryan Enos and Steven Levitsky called on their university to express solidarity with its fellow Ivy League school. Autocrats  both left-wing and right-wing  always attack universities, they wrote. Its claim to be fighting campus antisemitism rings ... hollow ... Autocrats are allergic to sources of dissent, so they almost invariably seek to silence, weaken, or control them.

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American colleges and universities are in uncharted territory, and they are temperamentally unprepared for confrontation. They still emphasize discussion over direction and consensus over coercion, particularly as these institutions become more corporate.

As Enos and Levitsky explain, Most universities  including Harvard  have responded to these attacks with strategies of self-preservation. They are lying low, avoiding public debate (and sometimes cooperating with the administration) in the hope of mitigating the coming assault. Those schools not yet in the governments crosshairs are keeping their heads down lest they replace Columbia as the White Houses top target.

Colleges and universities have little time to get their bearings, but passivity is the wrong path. They need to organize in defense of Columbia now. This defense should comprise more than just statements. College presidents should go to Columbias campus and be seen with its president, lobby on its behalf with lawmakers, mobilize their alums, and, where possible, offer financial support.

Failing to do so is, as Enos and Levitsky say, not only morally objectionable, but self-defeating. Columbias leadership made repeated concessions to right-wing critics, they point out, only to be the first to come under attack.

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There is much to scrutinize and criticize about events at Columbia in the post-Oct. 7 period. But addressing those issues is not the federal governments responsibility. All of us in higher education, not just university presidents, must say so.

As the New York Times M. Gessen noted last month, history teaches that for people to be able to stand up (to authoritarianism), they needed the words. That is why the administrations attempt to bring Columbia and other universities to heel is so important, not just for the fate of higher education but for every American. Colleges and universities are in the business of fashioning the words and ideas needed to help people understand why standing up for democracy is so important.

All of us in higher education must get busy with that work. We can start by defending Columbia University. If we fail to do so, we will fail higher education and also the entire country.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The Saint Patricks festivities were well underway this weekend. The Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy hosted a dinner and concert at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Club in Springfield.

How to celebrate safely for St. Patricks Day

This sold-out event was a unique mix of Italian and Irish heritage coming together to celebrate Saint Patricks Day. Those in attendance enjoyed a performance by Sarah the Fiddler and traditional Irish food like corned beef and Irish soda bread.

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We have been very close together since the beginning of our immigration stories. And from that, its a great way for us to share our own cultures, pass on stories, and build new friendships, expressed the President of the Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Salvatore Circosta.

And they will be holding another dinner at the end of this month to celebrate Saint Josephs Day. That takes place on March 29th and tickets are now available for purchase.

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.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A woman from Central Point was killed in the heavy flooding that hit southwest Oregon on March 16.

Jackson County Sheriffs deputies responded to Kane Creek Road in rural Central Point at 4:21 p.m. for a report of a missing woman. Rescuers later found the woman in a flooded creek.

Heavy rain and flooding led to the tragic death, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office said.  Investigators learned the woman was attempting to clear branches from a culvert under her driveway when her waders filled with water and swift flood waters pulled her through the culvert and into nearby Kane Creek.

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Oregon officials host town hall for fired federal employees

The Jackson County Fire District 3 swift-water-rescue team found the woman roughly 100 yards downstream from the culvert. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the woman, and she was flown to a local hospital. However, she was later pronounced dead.

Everybodys scared: Wyden, Bynum get earful at town hall

This incident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of rainstorms leading to flooding, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office said. During periods of heavy rains, stay away from flood-prone areas such as stream beds, drainage ditches, and culverts. Move to higher ground if flooding threatens your area. If you live or work in flood-prone areas, remain alert during heavy rainstorms. Fast-moving water can erode stream and riverbanks, making them unstable and dangerous. The water may carry debris on and beneath the surface which can pose significant risks.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Sunday, the inaugural Orleans-Monroe Bridal Show attracted newly engaged couples looking to begin their wedding planning journey.

(WROC/Trinity Wilson)

Calling it their inaugural wedding extravaganza, 21 local vendors, including florists, bakeries and photographers, gathered to offer couples everything they need for the big day.

(WROC/Trinity Wilson)

It gets the small businesses names out there and it helps, just, to again  get to know everybody in the community. I feel like it brings you closer with your community, having events that incorporate everybody, said Renee Hemby, owner of Forever Floral and the host of Sundays show.

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More than 1,000 students compete in 2025 Finger Lakes Robotics Regional

She added that she wanted to continue hosting this event in the future for even more couples to turn to. The Bridal Show was held at 4400 Sweden Walker Road in Brockport from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
OTSEGO COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  An Otsego County man was taken into custody for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a minor.

The Otsego County Sheriffs Office announced the arrest of Scott Strain, 48, of Morris following an investigation into a sex abuse complaint received by the New York State Child Abuse Hotline.

During the investigation, it was determined that Strain had allegedly entered a sexual relationship with a minor. During the relationship, Strain requested and received indecent material from the victim.

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On March 14, following the execution of a search warrant, Strain was arrested and charged with Dissemination of Indecent Material to Minors in the First Degree, Promote a Sexual Performance of a Child, and Rape in the Third Degree.

Strain was processed at the Sheriffs Office and remanded to the Otsego County Jail to await arraignment.

The Otsego County District Attorneys Office was consulted and provided a bail recommendation of $15,000 cash, $15,000 credit card or $150,000

An order of protection was requested on a behalf of the victim.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.

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Nearly 90% of New York City voters support expanding involuntary commitment and care of mentally ill residents roaming the streets or the subway, according to a new poll.

The findings from the Association for a Better New York showed a staggering 88% of voters supported expanded treatment  as Gov. Kathy Hochuls bid to expand the involuntary commitment laws is facing some resistance in the legislature.

Nearly 90% of New York City voters support expanding involuntary commitment and care of mentally ill residents roaming the streets or the subway, according to a new poll. Stephen Yang

Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose expanding the state eligibility standard for involuntary treatment and care to include individuals who are unable to care for themselves and meet their basic needs? the survey asked.

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Of the 600 voters polled only 4% said they were opposed and 8% were undecided as support for change was overwhelming in all parts of the city and demographic groups.

More than nine in 10 voters (91%) also agreed with the statement that it is more compassionate to provide involuntary treatment and care for people with severe mental illness than it is to leave them on the streets  including a majority (53%) who strongly agree with that statement.

Similarly, 91% of voters agree that people struggling with severe mental illness should not be denied life-saving psychiatric care because their illness prevents them from recognizing that they need help  including 59% who strongly agree.

The poll  conducted by Tulchin Research for ABNY  also found that 73% of voters said that the number of public safety incidents in New York involving individuals with untreated severe mental illness has increased in recent years. Some 18% said the number has stayed the same, and just 4% said it has decreased.

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New Yorkers are rightfully concerned about their safety, said Steven Rubenstein, chairman of ABNY. This isnt just from watching the news. It is rooted in the firsthand experiences that New Yorkers are having in the transit system every single day.

There is an overwhelming consensus spanning every borough and every political party that we have a problem and there are compassionate ways to fix it, Rubenstein added. The proposed laws to better care for people who cannot care for themselves have the solid support of New Yorkers.

Over 90% of voters agree that people struggling with severe mental illness should not be denied life-saving psychiatric care because their illness prevents them from recognizing that they need help Stephen Yang

Some 86% of Big Apple residents said theyve seen a person wandering on the street or in the subway who appears to be struggling with severe mental illness and unable to care for themselves.

About nine in 10 voters believe it should be a top or high priority of New York State lawmakers to address untreated severe mental illness, the poll showed.

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Nearly-two thirds of respondents said they have felt endangered while riding the subway or bus due to the actions of someone grappling with severe mental illness.

A Hochul rep said she and the voters are in sync on wanting common sense solutions to help mentally ill residents get care while bolstering public safety.

Providing care to people facing significant health risks due to mental illness is a compassionate and humane approach that all New Yorkers can recognize. This is why there is overwhelming public support for Governor Hochuls proposal, spokesperson Avery Cohen said.

Gov. Kathy Hochuls bid to expand the involuntary commitment laws is facing some resistance in the legislature. Hans Pennink

We look forward to working with the Legislature to enact these statutory changes and align New York with 43 other states that already have this in their laws. The cost of inaction is far too high.

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In its analysis, Tulchin Research said voters widely see involuntary care as compassionate and necessary to help those who cant help themselves and believe that expanding the eligibility standard for involuntary care also protects public safety.

Despite overwhelming public support, Hochul is facing some headwinds in Albany.

The state Assembly and Senate either entirely omitted or scrapped parts of Hochuls bid to expand involuntary commitment laws in separate counter proposals to the governors budget plan released last week.

The lower chambers one-house budget proposal omits Hochuls proposal around expanding the necessary criteria to compel mentally ill people into psychiatric care.

Tulchin Research said voters widely see involuntary care as compassionate and necessary to help those who cant help themselves. Stephen Yang

But it includes provisions for strengthening hospital discharge planning and requiring review panels after serious incidents where mentally ill people fall through the cracks or harm others.

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Many mental health care advocates and civil activists also oppose forced treatment, but others including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said there could be room for acceptable compromise.

We want people to feel safe on the subways. Subways should not become temporary living places for people who have mental health issues, Heastie said last week.

Tulchin Research conducted the ABNY survey among 600 voters in New York City from Feb. 4-10. It has a margin of error of+/- 4 percentage points.
by Xirui Li

NEW YORK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Experts warned that U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for "reciprocal tariffs" is adding uncertainty to international trade.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration raised global steel and aluminum tariffs to 25 percent and set an April 2 deadline for implementing reciprocal tariffs -- matching U.S. tariffs on foreign goods to the rates those countries impose on U.S. products.

This policy quickly provoked retaliation from Canada and the EU, prompting Trump to threaten a 200 percent "counter-counter tariff" on alcoholic products from the EU on Thursday.

These developments, along with Trump's recent "on-and-off" tariff policies toward Mexico and Canada, are the latest in a series of tariff measures announced by Trump under his so-called "Fair and Reciprocal Plan," a presidential memorandum he signed on Feb. 13 to address "longstanding imbalances" in global trade.

Under Trump's proposal, the United States would establish different tariff rates for different countries based on a comprehensive assessment of their trade openness.

However, many experts argue that the trade policy is undermining the global trading system, creating uncertainties for global businesses and eventually backfiring on the U.S. economy.

"A decision to unilaterally increase U.S. import tariffs, product by product, country by country, would be President Trump's biggest blow yet to the rules-based trading system," Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told the New York Times.

He said Trump's tariffs would violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules in two ways: applying different tariff rates to different countries would violate a commitment by WTO members not to discriminate against one another; and if the United States raises its tariff rates beyond the maximum rate it has negotiated with other members, that would break trading rules, too.

Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told Xinhua that "reciprocity" meant overall balance, in terms of concessions given and concessions received, between each country on the one hand and all its trading partners on the other hand, but Trump has redefined the meaning of "reciprocity" to apply on a line item basis, country by country, rather than overall balance.

Economists warned of the severe consequences for the global economy amid the uncertainty brought by Trump's tariffs.

"We're now facing a new crisis," said Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem.

"Depending on the extent and duration of new U.S. tariffs, the economic impact could be severe," he added. "The uncertainty alone is already causing harm."

"If the world embarks on the path towards a trade war, this will have an extremely negative impact on the growth prospects of the global economy," European Central Bank Vice-President Luis de Guindos told Xinhua in an interview.

"Increases in tariffs and quotas are a negative supply shock, especially if accompanied by retaliation. This vicious circle should be avoided," he said.

Meanwhile, some experts warned that such moves would undermine U.S. credibility in trade negotiations and dampen its own economy.

Craig Allen, former president of the U.S.-China Business Council and now a senior counselor at the Cohen Group in Washington, D.C., noted that trade policy uncertainty is driving more outbound U.S. investment.

Highlighting the robust growth in Asian markets, Allen argued that U.S. firms seeking to benefit from this growth are being pushed to invest in these markets instead of doing trade with them due to trade barriers, hurting American workers and the broader U.S. economy. 
A freight-related Paycheck Protection Program loan scam wrapped up recently with the second of two convicted Ohio women receiving her final sentencing.

In March 2024, Lorie A. Schaefer, 63, of Westerville, and Latisha C. Holloway, 42, of Reynoldsburg, were indicted on charges of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving COVID-19 relief funds. They illegally obtained more than $2.8 million in PPP loans through falsified documents and fraudulent business claims.

Schaefer fraudulently applied for nearly $1.9 million in PPP loans by claiming an affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurant chain, fabricating financial records to support her application. She used the funds for personal expenses, including $26,000 for liposuction, a $10,000 baby gift and over $900,000 for real estate. Schaefer also assisted Holloway in securing over $980,000 in PPP loans for a fictitious business, Jaguar Logistics LLC. Holloway, in turn, wired Schaefer $180,000.

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Both women pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Holloway was recently sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution. In July, Schaefer pleaded guilty and is paying back at least $2.89 million and forfeiting more than $2 million in assets.





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KAL Freights fallout

KAL Freights financial collapse is heading toward a chaotic finish, leaving over 800 drivers and millions of dollars in cargo at risk of being stranded across the country. The Texas-based carrier, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is now facing a do or die moment as creditors debate how to liquidate the company.

A rapid shift to Chapter 7 liquidation could mean immediate shutdown, cutting off fuel cards and leaving drivers abandoned with loaded trailers. Triumph Financial and Daimler Truck Financial Services, two major creditors, are pushing for a structured wind-down to prevent a logistical nightmare. They warn that an abrupt closure could lead to trucks and cargo scattered nationwide, exposing assets to loss, theft or destruction.

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KAL Freights bankruptcy is more than just a financial collapse; related claims of fraud have rocked the trucking industry. Court documents suggest that the California-based carrier defrauded Daimler Truck Financial Services of nearly $40 million through a series of fraudulent asset transfers, fake purchases and unauthorized sales.

One of the most shocking accusations is that KAL Freight obtained $16.9 million from Daimler to buy 164 trailers that never existed. The company allegedly submitted fake certificates of title with recorded liens, all while making loan payments to maintain the illusion. Additionally, Daimler claims KAL Freight illegally moved 366 financed trailers to a Canadian affiliate, where they were sold or leased to third parties, and put an additional $20 million in assets at risk.





While some creditors push for a quick shutdown, others are demanding a controlled exit to avoid a Celadon-style disaster.

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Verified Carrier locks down patent to combat fraud

Verified Carrier is seeking a provisional patent (U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/766,249) for its innovative carrier verification process. The patent covers the companys back-office system, which combines AI-driven automation with rigorous human verification to ensure carrier credentials are legitimate.

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As freight fraud grows more sophisticated, Verified Carriers multilayered approach is gaining traction among top brokerages and even regulators. By leveraging extensive carrier data and direct third-party verification, the company is looking to set a new industry standard for fraud prevention. The system not only validates Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data but cross-checks insurance, banking and business ownership records to detect inconsistencies before fraud can occur.

Freight fraud is an industry-wide problem, and our verification process has proven to be a critical tool in fighting it. With adoption from some of the largest brokerages and recognition from regulators, securing a patent was the next step in ensuring our technology remains a trusted industry standard, Alex Panfilov, founder and CEO, told FreightWaves.

Learn more about the companys work in fighting fraud here.

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Registration open for May Freight Fraud Symposium in Dallas

Be part of the solution that stops freight fraud in its tracks. Lets cut through the noise and address this issue head-on!

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Freight fraud has reached a crisis level, and it impacts everyone in the industry. Its time for us to come together to address this critical problem and share best practices on how to mitigate it.

Join us on May 14 in Dallas at the Freight Fraud Symposium, where transportation executives, freight leaders and technology buyers will come together to discuss the issues we all face, share lessons learned and get insights on the latest technology to help us tackle this problem.





Space is limited, so register now to save your spot!

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Articles by Grace Sharkey

Why You Should Attend the FreightWaves Freight Fraud Symposium

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Shoppers fearful of crime at retail locations

3PL Summit: Truckstop reflects on 30 years of fighting freight fraud

The post Owner of fictitious logistics firm sentenced in $2.8M COVID relief appeared first on FreightWaves.
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Police said a man faces charges after he stabbed his wife to death inside her home in Oxon Hill Saturday.

The Prince Georges County Police Department (PGPD) said it arrested Kenton Donaldson, 38, for the murder of LeNaiya Donaldson, 33.

PGPD said officers went to LeNaiyas home in the 1100 block of Kennebec St. on March 15. Police said a friend of LeNaiya called to say there was a fight taking place inside the home.

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Officers found LeNaiya who had been stabbed a number of times. She died there.

United Airlines gate agent punched in face at Dulles International Airport; passenger arrested

Police said several minutes after LeNaiyas friend placed the emergency call, Prince Georges County Public Safety Communications received a second one from Donaldson who said he had stabbed his wife during an argument in her apartment.

Police said Donaldson told the call taker he left the apartment and was driving to a relatives home in Virginia. The Fairfax County Police Department helped find Donaldson, and police were able to take him into custody.

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As of Monday, March 17, Donaldson was in custody in Fairfax County, pending extradition to Prince Georges County.

If anyone has information that could help in the investigation, police asked that you call 301-516-2512.

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A paedophile Scouts leader stole the identity of a terminally ill man and fled overseas to avoid capture for nearly 30 years.

Richard Burrows, 80, absconded to Thailand in 1997 after abusing 24 young boys across the UK for more than two decades.

The former school housemaster was arrested in April last year at Heathrow Airport when he attempted to return to England.

Burrows boasted in emails of living in paradise while in Phuket province under the name of his friend Peter Leslie Smith, whose details he had used to fraudulently obtain a passport in 1997 and leave the country without detection.

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Chester Crown Court heard how Burrows found work at an advertising company and even featured in the local news in 2019 after his retirement.

Police had launched four unsuccessful appeals on BBCs Crimewatch UK to locate the serial child abuser.

Facial recognition software breakthrough

On Monday he was found guilty of 54 sexual offences at Chester Crown Court, including indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.

He will be sentenced for a total of 97 offences on April 7.

Detectives from the Cheshire Polices Serious and Organised Crime Unit had used facial recognition software to trawl for images of Burrows online in April 2023.

Police used facial recognition by using the image on the right, and matched a distinctive facial feature to track down Burrows

The system found a match with a man named Peter Smith living in the town of Chalong in the south of Phuket.

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Officers became aware of his intention to return to the UK under the name Smith shortly before his 80th birthday.

In liaison with Thai authorities, officers from the National Crime Agency then monitored his flight back to the UK. and arrested him after he touched down at Heathrow Airport.

Burrows had been initially arrested in April 1997 and charged in May 1997 with two counts of buggery and 11 counts of indecent assault in relation to the offences in Cheshire and some in the West Midlands.

After his first appearance at magistrates courts, he was released on bail but failed to attend a further hearing at Chester Crown Court on December 8 1997.

He acted like a coward and fled

Between 1968 and 1995, Burrows systematically abused 24 young boys while working as housemaster and responsible for looking after vulnerable children at Danesford Childrens Home in Congleton, Burrows

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The majority of the abuse occurred through local Scout groups where Burrows was a leader.

Burrows will be sentenced for 97 offences on April 7 - PA

Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson, who led the investigation, said: Following his initial charges in 1997, Burrows knew he was guilty but rather than face the consequences of his actions, he acted like a coward and fled the country using a stolen identity taken from an unwell man.

It was clear throughout his trial that he did not feel remorse and had not thought at any point while living abroad about the impact his abuse had on his young victims.

While his victims will never be able to forget what happened to them, I hope that the fact that Burrows has now been held accountable will finally provide them with some closure.

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The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) said Burrows had repeatedly exploited positions of trust he had gained in the community to sexually abuse boys.

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.  Two St. Louis City men have been charged in connection with a shooting earlier this month just north of Interstate 270.

According to St. Louis County Police Departments probable cause statements, the shooting happened a little after 7:30 p.m. on March 2, near West Florissant Avenue and Dunn Road.

Police were notified of a shooting on W. Florissant and learned two victims arrived at Barnes Jewish Hospital, both suffering from gunshot wounds. A third victim, located at Graham Road, was hospitalized. That persons injuries were not life-threatening.

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The driver of the vehicle suffered serious injuries while the passenger was pronounced dead at the hospital.

On This Date: Tri-State Tornado devastates the Midwest, killing nearly 700

After learning the shooting happened at W. Florissant and Dunn, investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the area and saw a gray Genesis G70 pull alongside the victims vehicle and the occupants of the Genesis fired several shots from a .223/5.56 rifle into the victims vehicle.

Police learned the shooting stemmed from a dispute at a nearby business over parenting.

Police eventually identified the the driver of the Genesis as Kelvin Allen and the alleged shooter as Orlando Taylor. Both men were eventually arrested.

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The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Taylor and Allen each with one count of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and three counts of armed criminal action. Both men remain jailed, each on a $500,000 cash-only bond. Theyre due in court for bond reduction hearings on March 21, with preliminary hearings slated for April 10.

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The Palm Beach County School District is reviewing its diversity, equity and inclusion policies to "ensure compliance with evolving state and federal guidelines," Superintendent Mike Burke said Friday.

When that review began, what it will cover and when it will end isn't clear. But the review is a nod to the increasing hostility Republicans have expressed toward DEI policies, which they have castigated as a form of reverse racism against white people that puts unqualified minorities in positions of authority.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has led a campaign to root out DEI policies at public universities in the Sunshine State. President Donald Trump has amplified that opposition on the national level, signing a series of executive orders dismantling DEI programs at federal agencies and threatening to withhold federal funding from state and local groups that don't follow suit.

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Those executive orders are the subject of lawsuits challenging their validity. Many Democrats view DEI programs as necessary efforts to make sure women and minorities are included in job candidate pools and contracting and to make sure the views of marginalized community members are taken into account as policies are crafted. And Democrats see racism, misogyny and homophobia in the vociferous pushback against DEI programs, which became a theme for GOP political candidates across the country last fall.

Feds finance disabled student eduction, teacher training

The school district gets hundreds of millions each year from the federal government to help it feed students, recruit, train and retain teachers and provide programming and learning for disabled students. Federal funding touches nearly every aspect of the district's work, and state legislators in Tallahassee have made no plans to account for its loss.

Along with the shrinking and possible closure of the U.S. Department of Education  a Trump priority  DEI stands as another threat to the school district's funding.

In a recent letter to the editor published in The Palm Beach Post, Angelique Contreras of Lake Worth Beach, an unsuccessful school board candidate in 2022, reminded district officials of a February 15 letter from the Department of Education that instructed institutions that get federal funding that "they must cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline, and beyond."

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The department letter states that "institutions that fail to comply may, consistent with applicable law, face investigation and loss of federal funding. The Department will begin assessing compliance beginning no later than 14 days from issuance of the letter."

Contreras noted in her letter that "the Palm Beach County School Board has demonstrated a commitment to DEI initiatives. It is up to parents to continue to hold them accountable and push for the reversal of policies, and adopt new mission and vision statements."

School district also is county's largest employer

The district doesn't just oversee education in Palm Beach County. With 23,000 employees, it is also the county's largest employer and a huge supplier of government contract work.

Like other governments in the county, the district has a program aimed at helping small businesses and those owned by women and minorities get contract work. That program is overseen by the district's Office of Diversity in Business Practices.

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The district also has a Diversity and Equity Advisory Committee, which was set up to provide guidance on issues of diversity and equity in academic and operational programs. A series of business and social services group officials, including women as well as racial and ethnic minorities, serve on the committee.

Teacher Emmanuel Cuevas welcomes a student to his class on the first day of school at Grove Park Elementary School on August 12, 2024, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

An item on the March 12 School Board meeting agenda called for the committee to get additional members. The item was on the consent portion of the agenda, a section typically reserved for non-controversial items that are quickly passed without discussion.

But Board Member Matthew Jay Lane pulled the item from consent, saying he did so "for the specific purpose of informing the public that we are well aware of the president's executive orders, and we're in the process of reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure that they're in compliance with state and federal law so that we don't lose federal funding for our programs that serve our most impoverished and disabled students."

The board then voted in favor of adding members to the committee. Board Chair Karen Brill announced that the vote was unanimous, but Lane had raised his hand when she called for those in opposition. Lane later told The Post that he had indeed voted against adding members to the committee, saying it would be "horrendous" to lose federal funding.

Palm Beach County School Board members listen to remarks during the official opening of the new Education Foundation of Palm Beach County headquarters in Lake Worth Beach in January. Left to right: Gloria Branch, Virginia Savietto, Marcia Andrews, Matthew Jay Lane, Erica Whitfield and Chairperson Karen Brill.

"There's a lot of risk right now," Lane said. "To my knowledge, there's a lot to lose."

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DEI presents Burke and board members with a challenging set of choices. The district has employed DEI policies, which tend to be supported by women and minorities. But speaking up for those policies now, as they are in the crosshairs of DeSantis and Trump, carries risk.

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Brill did not respond to calls asking for her views on DEI. Board Member Edwin Ferguson, one of two Black members of the board, said he had no comment when asked for his views on DEI programs. He directed questions to Burke and his staff.

Burke told The Post: "The School District of Palm Beach County is committed to complying with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. As part of our ongoing operations, we regularly review policies and practices to ensure compliance with legal requirements and the best interests of our students and staff. This includes an ongoing review of our policies to ensure compliance with evolving state and federal guidelines. Any proposed School District policy changes will be presented to the School Board for consideration."

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The superintendent added: "At this time, no specific policies have been suspended. Our focus remains on fostering a supportive learning environment where all students have access to high-quality educational opportunities. The School District remains dedicated to serving our entire student population and ensuring that all students  regardless of background  receive the support and resources they need to succeed."

Wayne Washington is a journalist covering education for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump, DeSantis threats prompt School District review of DEI programs
The legislation, first introduced in 2021, had previously drawn scrutiny over concerns about the efficacy of anti-choking devices. (Courtesy of the New Jersey Governor's Office)

New Jersey lawmakers advanced legislation Monday that would require all schools in the state to purchase anti-choking devices, reviving a debate three years after a similar effort stalled.

The bill would mandate all public and private schools to have at least one portable anti-choking device in places like cafeterias and nurses offices (the state would reimburse schools for the cost). The legislation, first introduced in 2021, had previously drawn scrutiny over concerns about the efficacy of these devices.

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A representative from LifeVac  which dominates the anti-choking device market  suggested lawmakers should look at getting the device onto school buses as well. LifeVacs device fits over the mouth and uses suction to remove any lodged object.

We are advocates to make sure that we prevent those tragedies from ever happening. The more people who are educated and aware of airway clearance devices, the more people who actually have them in either their schools, in their transportation vehicles  first responders are absolutely accepting of these devices, said Heidi Felix, head of sales and marketing at LifeVac.

Felix told the committee that the device has been used to save more than 3,700 lives  2,300 of them children  and that its easy to learn how to use. In New Jersey, the devices are in 130 school districts and have saved two lives, according to Felix.

Under the bill, schools must buy devices that are registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. LifeVac would be eligible for schools to purchase under the legislation.

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Darrin Chambers is the co-founder of Mavericks Legacy, a nonprofit named after his four-month-old son, who died after choking. The group donates devices like those made by LifeVac to schools and police departments, including in Sussex County, he said, and is in talks to donate more to the Morris County Sheriffs Office.

Sen. Kristin Corrado is a chief sponsor of a bill that would require all New Jersey schools to acquire anti-choking devices. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

The Senate Education Committee advanced the bill unanimously. Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), chair of the committee, said his concerns lie with making sure schools purchase products from a reputable company instead of vendors selling cheaper, less effective versions. Bill sponsor Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-Passaic) said shed amend the measure to ensure schools are buying from verified companies.

Felix pointed to studies she said show LifeVacs success and touted an October move by the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council to include anti-choking devices as part of recommended guidelines if there is a protocol failure or when traditional methods cannot be administered, like in cases involving individuals in wheelchairs.

Gopal said hes not at all concerned about LifeVacs products.

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Doctors who spoke to the New Jersey Monitor in 2022 raised concerns about anti-choking devices, with one noting that the researchers behind a 2017 study that declared LifeVac devices successful were related to or worked for the devices inventor.

Last month and in 2023, the states emergency medical services office sent a memo to emergency medical technicians saying it neither endorses nor approves the use of anti-choking devices, adding in the most recent memo that the safety and effectiveness of the devices have not been established. A spokesperson for the Department of Health, which oversees that office, did not respond to a request for comment.

Gopal, a former emergency medical technician, referred to those memos during Mondays hearing. Felix said they include improper and false information implying there is an issue with anti-choking devices.

And there havent been, she said.

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The devices cost $70 each and can be used one time before the company replaces it for free, Felix said. Masks on the device have a shelf life of up to three years, she added.

The governing boards for public and non-public schools would develop policies and training requirements for using the devices.

Witnesses testified that anti-choking devices are a key substitute when traditional methods like the Heimlich maneuver and CPR dont work.

Having the right tool on the job is always preferable than having no option at all, he said. I would trade everything I own on this planet now to have one of these devices just available to try on the day of Mavericks accident.

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No other state has a law mandating anti-choking devices in schools, Felix said, but legislatures across the country are weighing similar legislation. Lawmakers have introduced bills in New York, Massachusetts, and Georgia, and a bill to require the devices in schools is moving swiftly in the Kentucky Legislature, years after a child choked to death in a classroom.

Corrado said anti-choking devices should be everywhere, from assisted living facilities to ambulances.

Thats our ultimate goal, she said.

A companion bill in the Assembly introduced in January has not been scheduled for a hearing in the chambers education committee.

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LifeVac in January 2023 sued the New Jersey Monitor alleging its story on anti-choking devices from one year prior amounted to defamation. A state Superior Court judge that June dismissed the complaint.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and other local leaders took part in a panel discussion on Monday, March 17 about border security and migration.

Escobar joined with County Attorney Christina Sanchez, the El Paso Community Foundation and local immigration advocates to discuss an initiative called A Better Way Forward.

The event was held at the El Paso Community Foundations headquarters in Downtown El Paso.

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The event was spearheaded by FWD.us, which bills itself as a bipartisan political organization seeking immigration reform.

The policy initiative is being developed by Andrea Flores, a Las Cruces native and vice president of immigration policy and campaigns for the group.

The framework presents new and practical recommendations for policymakers to reimagine border security and reduce unauthorized migration, according to a news release sent out by the group.

During the panel, the panelists will discuss the need for Congress to enact a proactive policy response to create an immigration system that secures the border, modernizes the asylum system, and creates new legal pathways for immigrants, the news release said.

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The initiative highlights six major policy interventions:

Reduce irregular cross-border movement in the region

Expand access to humanitarian and labor pathways closer to countries of origin

Increase legal pathways to the United States

Modernize border security infrastructure and asylum processing

Reform the U.S. asylum system

Develop a federal resettlement process for asylum seekers

Here is a link to the policy paper that was discussed at the panel.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has stated that the pause in the US sharing intelligence and providing military aid "has not had a material effect" on the war's course, as it was short.

Source: European Pravda; UK foreign secretary quoted by Sky News

Details: Discussing the ceasefire proposal, Lammy said that the UK was ready to consider sending its troops to Ukraine, "but there must be a US backstop".

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Quote from David Lammy: "At stake is not only the future of Ukraine but the collective security of our continent and therefore UK's direct national interest."

More details: The foreign secretary also said that Russia must "pay for the damage it is causing" to Ukraine, and the issue of "moving from freezing to seizing" Russian assets will be discussed.

Background:

Washington paused military aid to Ukraine and limited intelligence sharing after an argument between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and JD Vance.

Later, the US cancelled the pause in intelligence sharing with Ukraine and resumed military aid following talks in Saudi Arabia.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A 19-year-old was arrested in connection to a deadly crash in Highlands Ranch on Sunday.

At about 2:54 p.m., Douglas County Sheriffs Office deputies were called to a crash between a driver and a pedestrian at the intersection of Kendrick Castillo Way and Mayberry Drive. The intersection is east of Chatfield Reservoir.

The pedestrian, a 31-year-old man, was pronounced dead on scene. The identity of the man will be released by the coroner at a later date.

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According to a preliminary investigation, detectives said it appeared the driver may have fallen asleep and struck the man and his dog, who were walking southbound on the sidewalk. The dog was taken to a local veterinary hospital and pronounced dead.

Pedestrian injured after crash with RTD train in northeast Denver

The sheriffs office said the driver stayed on scene. He was identified as Cade Kaminski, 19.

Kaminski was taken into custody and booked into the Douglas County Detention Facility on the following charges:

Vehicular homicide

Cruelty to animals-recklessly or with criminal negligence

Reckless driving

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The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information can contact the Douglas County Sheriffs Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
NAIROBI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technology firm Huawei has completed the second phase of a digital connectivity project targeting 21 primary schools in Kenya to boost learning outcomes among pupils, according to a statement issued on Monday.

Through a partnership with the Kenyan government and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Huawei has supported the rollout of high-speed Internet connectivity in Kenyan schools, following its long-term digital inclusion initiative, TECH4ALL.

Steven Zhang, deputy chief executive officer for public affairs at Huawei Kenya, said connectivity has improved the quality of learning in local schools, besides enabling head teachers to easily access management systems online.

"Connectivity in the classroom is making learning more interesting, fun, and effective," Zhang was quoted as saying, adding that access to high-speed internet is improving access to education resources online, whether videos, curriculum, or experts, and in schools catering for special educational needs, connectivity is helping experts to provide assessment and rehabilitation services remotely.

Phase one of the Huawei-supported DigiSchool project connected 13 schools to high-speed Internet, benefiting 6,000 students and teachers, with a thorough evaluation finding that 98 percent of learners admitted that connectivity met their educational needs, according to Huawei.

In addition, 84 percent of students said the Internet makes learning more exciting, while 71 percent said online resources make complex ideas easier to understand.

John Tanui, principal secretary in the State Department for ICT and Digital Economy, said the second phase of Kenya DigiSchool Connectivity Project, which also covered six schools for children with special needs, aligns with the government's quest to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive growth.

Louise Haxthausen, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, said partnerships are key to boosting access to high-speed Internet in schools, ensuring that children and youth have access to equitable and quality education. 
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  Pennsylvania lawmakers and advocates rallied today at the State Capitol for equal pay.

Monday is Equal Pay Day, highlighting the push to eliminate inequalities among what men and women earn, as well as disparities for people of color. Advocates say women make 84 cents to every dollar a man earns for the same amount of work.

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Last year, House Bill 630 would have prohibited Pennsylvania employers from paying differently based on gender, race, or ethnicity. Employers would also not be able to ask about past salaries in determining new salaries.

The bill passed in the Democrat-controlled House last session but stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate.

How much does it cost to have a baby in 2025?

House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) spoke at the event on Monday, saying women are being paid whats left over.

[Some businesses] say Oh, were so glad youre here. Heres whats left over. Good luck with your childcare. Best wishes paying your rent. Hope everything goes well when your kids are ready for college. Its unacceptable. It is absolutely unacceptable, said McClinton.

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According to the American Association of University Women, the gender pay ratio in Pennsylvania is 81%, which ranks 34th among all states. Rhode Island ranks first nationally with an 89.05% gender pay ratio while Louisiana ranks last at 71.03%.

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LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to state prison after he crashed into a home, causing a gas leak and an evacuation of nearby residences, during a police chase two years ago in Lancaster County, according to officials.

Waleem Felder, 46, of Philadelphia, will spend between three years and nine months, and 12 years in state prison after being sentenced by Judge Margaret Miller on March 5, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office.

Felder was found guilty on charges of risking catastrophe, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, evading arrest, accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, and four summary traffic offenses after a two-day bench trial.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE -> Driver crashes car into homes, causes gas leak after Lancaster County police chase

Felders vehicle had a window tint violation, causing Lancaster City police to try to pull him over at the intersection of South Ann and East Mifflin streets the night of Nov. 13, 2023.

Instead, police were led on a high-speed chase across the city, and struggled to safely pursue Felder due to how fast he was going, the DAs Office says.

Felder put pedestrians in danger during the chase and he nearly hit a bicyclist who jumped out of the way to avoid being hit. He also ran four different stop signs and red lights, the DAs Office says.

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The pursuit came to an end when Felder crashed into a home when he made a turn onto the 300 block of West Mifflin Street and severed a gas line, causing a leak. This led to an evacuation of numerous nearby homes by first responders until the fire department and UGI could stop the leak and test gas levels in the homes.

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The DAs Office says the leak was severe enough that any ignition source could have resulted in a large explosion, according to testimony from the Lancaster City Bureau Fire Chief David Martin and Lt. Alex Carcamo.

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Felder got out of his vehicle, which was still running, and ran from police but he was later found in a bar in the 300 block of West Walnut Street.

In addition to his sentence, Felder will also have to pay more than $8,000 restitution to the homeowner whose gas line was struck and UGI.

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LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Pennsylvania State Police are searching for a missing person in Lancaster County.

According to PSP, troopers are searching for 42-year-old Alexander Neff of Holtwood, Pennsylvania. Neff was last seen leaving his home in the 1000 block of Holtwood Road in Martic Township on March 11, 2025, at 7 p.m.

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Police said Neff is 57, 170 lbs, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a scar on the top of his head. He was last seen wearing a brown Carhartt jacket.

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Neff has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and often stares rather than talks, police said. He has glasses but may not be wearing them.

Photo from Pennsylvania State Police

Anyone with information regarding Neffs whereabouts is encouraged to contact the PSP Lancaster Station at 717-299-7650.

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ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  A Pensacola woman has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison for Accessory After the Fact to a Felony, News 5 has learned.

Rumariya Union (Photo courtesy of the Escambia County Sheriffs Office)

Fairhope is one of two remaining single-tax colonies in the U.S.  what it means

Rumariya Armoni Union, 21, has been sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by Circuit Judge Amy Brodersen, according to a news release.

The case followed a March 14, 2024, homicide at Gonzalez Court Apartments. Police arrived on the scene to find a 15-year-old gunshot victim.

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The victim later died from his injuries, and witnesses pointed to a then 14-year-old as the shooter.

After the shooting, Union took the firearm and hid it in a backpack in her apartment, according to court documents, which said she admitted to police that she hid the gun to keep the teen out of trouble.

The weapon was found after a search warrant for Unions apartment was executed.

Ms. Union later made a statement that she took the gun away to prevent further harm. It was too little too late at that point, stated prosecuting attorney Carrie Gilmer during the sentencing. The damage was already done. Her co-defendant tragically and senselessly ended the life of someone way too soon. Then, Union tried to help cover that up and prevent law enforcement from bringing the killer to justice.

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The Pensacola Police Department conducted the arrest and investigation. Gilmer prosecuted the case for Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida.

Coffee creamer shipped to Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, among other states, recalled

The teenage co-defendant was charged with second-degree murder and will have his next court appearance on April 30, 2025.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
A Navy warship is joining the effort to secure the U.S. southern border  an unusual move announced by the Pentagon over the weekend.

The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer most recently deployed to the Middle East, departed Virginia on Saturday on its new mission to operate in U.S. and international waters, according to the Pentagon.

A specialized Coast Guard maritime policing team, known as a Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), will be aboard the ship.

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Gravelys sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty and security, Northern Command leader Gen. Gregory Guillot said in a statement.

President Trump declared a national emergency on the border and signed multiple executive orders shortly after taking office in January to bolster security efforts there.

As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do, Trump said in his inaugural address.

Thousands of active-duty troops have been deployed, but the use of a guided missile-destroying ship is new.

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Adm. Daryl Caudle of the Naval Forces Northern Command said the deployment marks a vital enhancement to our nations border security framework.

In collaboration with our interagency partners, Gravely strengthens our maritime presence and exemplifies the Navys commitment to national security and safeguarding our territorial integrity with professionalism and resolve, he said in a statement.

The 509-foot Gravely is larger than the Coast Guards vessels and is equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles. It returned to the U.S. in July after a nine-month deployment defending against Houthi attacks on shipping activity in the Red Sea.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled with White House border czar Tom Homan in early February to Texas to survey the border and stress the militarys role in combating illegal immigration.

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Any assets necessary at the Defense Department to support the expulsion and detention of those in the country illegally are on the table, he told reporters during the trip.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The second Trump-era administration has aggressively targeted the LGBTQ+ community  from declaring "only two sexes" to signing several anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders, dismantling DEI initiatives, banning words deemed "too woke" (such as gender, LGBTQ+, sex, and women, among others), and reinstating the transgender military ban.

Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Now, people are saying the message couldnt be clearer after Donald Trump shared a post on Truth Social linking to an article that featured a crossed-out Pink Triangle  a symbol Nazis used to label gay men during the Holocaust.

@realDonaldTrump / The Washington Times / Via truthsocial.com

The article from the Washington Times opinion section, titled "Army recruitment ads look quite different under Trump," defends the new Trump-era military messaging. It argues that the new ads prioritize "lethality"  like a soldier deadlifting 500 lbs  over what they call "Biden-era distractions," such as an ad of an Army officer marching in a Pride parade.

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For those that might not know, during the Holocaust, the pink triangle was used as a badge to label gay men in concentration camps (similar to how Jewish people were labeled with yellow stars), many of whom suffered some of the most horrible abuses at the camps, according to survivors.

Historical / Corbis via Getty Images

Under the Nazi regime, it's estimated that 100,000 gay men were arrested, with between 5,000 and 15,000 placed in concentration camps. Approximately 65 percent of those gay men in the camps died between 1933 and 1945. Even after the war, anti-gay laws persisted, and many gay individuals remained incarcerated.

In the latter half of the century, the LGBTQ+ community began reclaiming the symbol in reverse, most notably during ACT UP's "Silence=Death" campaign during the AIDS advocacy movement. Since then, it has served as a powerful reminder to never forget the past and acknowledge the continued persecution faced by LGBTQ+ people worldwide.

Steve Eason / Getty Images

Given the symbol's history, many people found it deeply unsettling to see it crossed out in red ink and shared by the highest official in the United States. And whether Trump was aware of the symbol's significance or not, his decision to share it has sparked backlash from many:

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"Well this isn't terrifying to see the president of the United States posting Nazi imagery........ Of course the MAGA crowd is okay with the silent dog whistle because most of them don't know what an upside down purple triangle means because they've never been outside of the country or read a history book," one person wrote on Truth Social.

"The upside down purple triangle was used by the Nazis [on] members of the lgbtq community who they placed in camps for liquidation..... That's your president. A Nazi sympathizer."

"LGBT soldiers have fought and died for this country like all other types of Americans. Their queerness does not lessen their lethality, strength, or bravery. It does not demean their integrity, honor, or sense of duty. Thousands of queer soldiers serve in the armed forces today, and they have earned the right to do so," another said on the platform.

After someone argued (while using the r-slur) that Trump didnt create the image himself but merely shared it, one person responded, "oh youre right. he only SHARED the anti lgbtq stance article with blatant nazi imagery. thats much better, my mistake!"

"'He didnt know the meaning' girl be so fr rn ," another person commented on an Instagram carousel sharing Trump's post.

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"I. can. not. for the life of me understand how he was voted to be the president. Watching the news every day from Europe is terrifying. Can't imagine what it must be like to be an American right now. Man, I'm so sorry for you! Hope this nightmare ends soon," another shared.

One simply said, "This is fucking terrifying. Theres no more hiding their ideology."

Well, I agree with the last comment  Trumps stance is as clear as day. But what are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.

Note: If you're having trouble seeing links to Truth Social comments, it's likely because you do not have or are not signed into an account.
If you see the slogan Keep Pepsi Weird on your next can of soda or bag of chips, it might be because the food and drink giant has returned to Austin to acquire yet another burgeoning health brand.

PepsiCo Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Poppi, an industry-disrupting prebiotic soda brand, for $1.95 billion. According to a release, the purchase also includes $300 million of anticipated cash tax benefits for a net purchase price of $1.65 billion.

The transaction is sealed with a potential earnout consideration, which depends on meeting certain performance milestones within a specified period after the transaction closes.

Pepsi's parent company announced Monday that it is acquiring Poppi, the Austin-based prebiotic soda brand, for $1.95 billion.

Weve been evolving our food and beverage portfolio over many years, including by innovating with our brands in new spaces and through disciplined, strategic acquisitions that enable us to offer more positive choices to our consumers, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said.

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More than ever, consumers are looking for convenient and great-tasting options that fit their lifestyles and respond to their growing interest in health and wellness," he said. "Poppi is a great complement to our portfolio transformation efforts to meet these needs.

Poppi is a fast-growing soda brand that combines prebiotics, fruit juice, and apple cider vinegar to create a low-calorie soda with no more than five grams of sugar per serving. In recent years, Poppi has gained cultural recognition and a nutritional profile that has supported its rapid growth and strong consumer base, particularly through marketing designed to appeal to a Gen Z audience.

Poppi was created by Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, discovered on Shark Tank by Rohan Oza and funded by CAVU Consumer Partners from their initial seed round to today.

As we look to reorient our portfolio offerings to address white space consumer needs, the Poppi brands unique intersection with wellness and culture is a perfect addition to our portfolio, said Ram Krishnan, CEO, PepsiCo Beverages North America.

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Texas native and University of Texas alumna Allison Ellsworth co-founded Poppi and expressed optimism about the brand's next phase.

We never imagined how many people we could reach through hard work, determination and a clear mission to create a functional soda that stands the test of time," she said. "We believe Poppi is the soda that will be embraced for generations to come, and were beyond grateful to the amazing Poppi team, our partners who believed in us from the very beginning and most importantly our incredible community.

Pepsi Co. has now invested $3.2 billion in Austin brands

PepsiCo is no stranger to health-driven Austin brands, having announced the acquisition of Siete Foods in October of last year. At the time, PepsiCo stated that the acquisition complemented its portfolio by adding an "authentic, Mexican-American brand" and expanding its range of healthier food offerings.

"The Garza family has built a very special brand. Their passion for making and sharing food shines through in every Siete product, and that's a passion we share at PepsiCo," Laguarta said at the time. "PepsiCo believes in the spirit and authenticity of the Siete brand, and we're excited to carry on the legacy created by the Garza family. We look forward to expanding our multicultural portfolio with these incredible products and even more consumers discovering and enjoying Siete."

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Siete Foods saw rapid growth in the lead-up to its acquisition, expanding its presence from 8,000 stores in 2019 to 37,000 stores by 2023. Additionally, the company saw sales increase from $150 million in 2020 to $400 million by 2023.

This story has been updated to add video.

Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why did PepsiCo just acquire Austin-based Poppi for $2 billion?
PepsiCo said Monday its acquiring the prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion.

The acquisition gives PepsiCo a fast-growing brand in the popular functional beverage category.

More than ever, consumers are looking for convenient and great-tasting options that fit their lifestyles and respond to their growing interest in health and wellness, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.

PepsiCo said the transaction includes $300 million of anticipated cash benefits, bringing the net purchase price to $1.65 billion.

Allison Ellsworth, the co-founder of Austin, Texas-based Poppi, said the combination with PepsiCo will expand Poppis reach.

We cant wait to begin this next chapter with PepsiCo to bring our soda to more people  and I know they will honor what makes Poppi so special while supporting our next phase of growth and innovation, Ellsworth said in a statement.

Ellsworth developed Poppi  then known as Mother Beverage -- in her kitchen in 2015 because she loved soda but was tired of the way it made her feel. She mixed fruit juices with apple cider vinegar, sparkling water and prebiotics and sold the drink at farmer's markets.

The brand took off in 2018 when Ellsworth and her husband pitched it on Shark Tank. An investor on the show, Rohan Oza, took a stake in Mother Beverage and undertook a major rebrand. Poppi, with its brightly-colored, fruit-forward cans, was born.

Were beyond thrilled to be partnering with PepsiCo so that even more consumers across America, and the world, can enjoy Poppi, said Oza, the co-founder CAVU Consumer Partners, which has also invested in beverage brands like Oatly and Bai.

But it hasnt all been smooth sailing for Poppi. Last summer, multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against the brand by consumers who said its products dont improve gut health as much as their marketing suggests.

Poppi denied those claims, and noted that it removed references to gut health from its packaging in late 2023. But according to a court filing last week, Poppi has agreed to a settlement that includes an $8.9 million fund for payments to consumers. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for May 8.

PepsiCo shares rose nearly 2% in morning trading Monday.
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (WHTM)  A Perry County man has died after being found unresponsive in his SCI Rockview cell.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections says Kevin Byler, 47, was found unresponsive on March 14 that staff attempted life-saving measures, which were unsuccessful.

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Byler, of Newport, was serving a 4-8 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to a felony strangulation charge in 2023, according to the Department of Corrections. He had been at SCI Rockview since January 9, 2024.

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Pennsylvania State Police will investigate in accordance with policy. The official cause of death will be determined by the Centre County Coroners Office.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available

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PERRY, Ohio (WJW)  With the weather warming up in advance of the spring season, the popularity of e-bikes, or electric motor-assisted bicycles, seems to be skyrocketing.

At Eddys Bike Shop in Willoughby Hills, Manager Anthony Grabowski said they sold eight of the bikes, which can range in price from $1,500 to $6,000, over the last weekend.

Leaving trash cans out too long is a misdemeanor in Mayfield Heights

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A lot of people are using them as means of transportation commuting to work, but of course in Northeast Ohio we are blessed with a lot of trails and these are really great for everyone, said Anthony Grabowski.

And there is a classification of the bike for everyone.

They allow you to go faster and further, so for someone that wants to ride, they are still getting exercise, they are able to go. Instead of doing 20 miles, they can now do 40, said Grabowski.

But along with the popularity of the bikes come growing concerns.

In Perry Village, e-bikes of every classification are not allowed on sidewalks.

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Local ordinances and state law prohibit anyone under the age of 16 from operating a Class 3 e-bike.

The school district and police reached out to parents to caution them about the bikes:

Dear Perry Local Schools Students and Parents, With the numerous complaints we have been receiving regarding e-bikes either almost being struck by or striking other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, our priority is the safety of all residents and visitors to Perry Village and the Perry School District Campus. We are working with the Perry Local School District to advise your child that if they are under the age of 16, they are not permitted to ride their Class 3 e-bikes on the streets or sidewalks in the village from this point forward. If your child is found to be operating a Class 3 e-bike within the village, they may be subject to being cited into juvenile court or may be subjected to internal school discipline. We take these regulations seriously and hope for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our community, a community to which each of you is a vital part. Statement from Perry Local Schools

Ohio is far from the only state where legislators have passed laws regarding the safe operation of e-bikes, particularly among school students.

Jim Chisholm, the districts director of student services, told FOX 8 News that they welcome students who are walking and who are riding bicycles legally.

But the district is also cautioning parents and students that those who are operating e-bikes illegally are subject to having the bikes temporarily confiscated, and anyone operating an e-bike recklessly or doing anything against school policy is subject to school disciplinary measures.

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There are rules, there are regulations, and to make sure that the bicycle is age-appropriate. So if you have a 12-, 13-, 14-, 15-year-old child, they should not be riding the Class 3 e-bike to or from school or anywhere in the village at any given time, said Police Chief Steve Williams.

Akron Childrens Hospital patient attacked pregnant nurse: police

Williams said parents need to know what the laws are before they spend that much money buying something their child cannot legally ride.

He said the overwhelming concern is about student safety.

We dont want anybody get hurt, so thats our ultimate goal  to make sure that these kids are riding the bikes that are age-specific in a safe manner, said Williams.

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YANGON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A total of 208,889 students sat for Myanmar's nationwide matriculation examination on Monday, the first day of the exam for the 2024-25 academic year, the official television channel MRTV reported.

In Myanmar, students are required to take the matriculation examination before joining universities.

The figure represents 94.59 percent of the students who had registered for the exam, the report said, adding that a total of 220,843 students had registered.

Among them, 12,552 students sat at 47 exam centers in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, while 20 students took the exam at 13 overseas exam centers, according to the report.

The total number of students sitting for the exam this year has increased compared to the 128,801 students who took the matriculation exam in the previous academic year 2023-24, official data showed.

This year's exams are being held at 817 exam centers, including 804 local exam centers and 13 overseas exam centers, and will continue until March 22, the report said.

Myanmar authorities, including administrative officials, healthcare workers, fire service personnel, security officials, and traffic police, are also facilitating the examination process nationwide, the report added. 
Authorities in the Dominican Republic investigating the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki are reportedly turning up the heat on person of interest Joshua Riibe.

The New York Post reports that two of the island nations highest-ranking officials, Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso and Navy Vice Admiral Agustin Morillo Rodriguez, questioned Riibe until approximately 3 a.m. Sunday.

Related: New Video Shows Missing 20-Year-Old College Student Shortly Before She 'Vanished'

Riibe, a 22-year-old student at Minnesotas St. Cloud State University, is believed to be the last person to see Konanki. He has been in custody at Punta Canas RIU Hotel & Resort since shortly after Konanki was first reported missing.

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A source close to the investigation told People that video surveillance at the RIU Hotel & Resort, where both Riibe and Konanki were staying, captured the 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student heading to the hotels beach with seven other people at approximately 4:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 6. At 5:55 a.m., six of the eight individuals were captured returning to their rooms. Separate footage showed Riibe returning to the hotel around 9 a.m.

On Friday, March 14, local authorities confirmed to NBC News that they had confiscated Riibes passport. The following day, Riibe spoke to NBC directly. Im just trying to help them out, he said of Dominican authorities, noting, The ocean is a dangerous place.

In the very early hours of Sunday morning, NBC News reported seeing Riibe on the beach with investigators, along with his father and lawyer, pointing toward the sea while a group of security kept people away from the area.

Police initially believed that Konanki had drowned, as Riibe shared that they had been at the beach together in waist-deep water where they talked and kissed a bit. He then claimed that A big wave came and hit us both. And when the water returned, it swept us out to sea. As soon as we were able to surface, we tried to call for help.

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Riibe, who previously worked as a pool lifeguard, said he attempted to rescue her. While he was able to reach the shore, she was still wading in the water.

The last time I saw her, I asked if she was okay, said Riibe. I didn't hear her reply because I started vomiting all the water I had swallowed. After vomiting, I looked around. I didn't see anyone. I thought she had grabbed her things and left.

Riibe has not been accused of or charged with any wrongdoing.
*Attached video: Cleveland crime by the numbers

AMARILLO, Texas (WJW)  Investigators in Texas have located a man who is accused of pushing a dead womans body around his neighborhood in a stroller.

According to a statement posted to the Amarillo Police Department website, officers were called to an alley on March 11 at about 2:50 p.m. after it was reported that a woman was found dead.

Leaving trash cans out too long is a misdemeanor in Mayfield Heights

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When officers arrived at the scene, they found the body of a woman wrapped in plastic. The woman was later identified as 65-year-old Elizabeth Ann Duckworth, the statement said.

An update to the statement posted on March 12 identified a person of interest in Duckworths death.

According to the statement, the suspect was identified as 67-year-old Ronald Ernest Milles.

At the time, police advised residents of Milles description and asked that they check their security cameras to see if they had any relevant footage. Police also indicated that Milles was frequently seen around homeless camps in the area.

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Akron Childrens Hospital patient attacked pregnant nurse: police

Witnesses report that the body may have been put in a stroller and pushed around the neighborhood, the statement said.

According to a March 13 update to the statement, Milles was booked into the Randall County Detention Center on an unrelated charge.

An autopsy is currently pending for Duckworth, according to police.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Progressives and conservatives rarely agree. But theres a growing consensus about this one data point: Americas men are not OK.

This isnt exactly a political phenomenon  although men are changing politically, too. Last summer, economist Tyler Cowen detected a vibe shift in American culture, noting people were drifting rightward. Among his 19 reasons for the shift, Cowen noted the falling fortunes of males were driving men, including Black and Latino men, into the Republican camp. His insight was prescient: President Donald Trump gained more Latino mens votes and nearly double the share of Black male support in 2024 than he had in 2020.

Changing political preferences isnt necessarily a sign of crisis. But the fact that a growing number of American men are clearly dissatisfied with the male status quo has forced some otherwise progressive thinkers to admit somethings changing. Recently on Real Time with Bill Maher, former Congressman Tim Ryan, a Democrat from Ohio, said his party has been asleep at the switch regarding the problems facing young men.

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What are we going to do with our young men and our boys that are struggling so much with depression  with suicide? Ryan said. Im pro-women  [but] we need a national agenda for our boys, too.

Another major Democrat turning his attention to the floundering fortunes of males is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore who recently committed his administration to begin implementing targeted solutions to uplift our men and boys. He did this because hes seen the data indicating males are in trouble. On every single indicator we care about, Moore said to the Washingtonian, young men and boys are falling off.

Until very recently, it may have been considered sexist  or at least politically tone-deaf  to suggest American men are suffering. Particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the progressive line has been that men are modernitys winners: Theyre hired for the best jobs (and with the highest pay), they control the cultural institutions and theyre never held responsible for breaking the rules.

But the data paint a different picture; and its getting much harder to ignore.

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In his landmark 2022 book Of Boys and Men, Richard Reeves chronicled the falling fortunes of Americas young men. He found that men arent attending college at the same rate as women  higher ed is now about 60% female. In elementary and high school, boys make up two-thirds of the worst-performing students. And we know that 1 in 4 men without college degrees are not employed full-time.

Most importantly, men are between two and three times as likely as women to suffer deaths of despair  death by alcohol, drug use or suicide. Hundreds of thousands of men have died from deaths of despair in the past two decades.

Half a century ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead memorably argued that a healthy nation must have a place for its men. The recurrent problem of civilization, Mead wrote, is to define the male role satisfactorily enough. Men need a mission. When they cant find it in family life, societies flounder.

This couldnt be more visible for our kids. Our research at the Institute for Family Studies has demonstrated the catastrophic social consequences of absentee fatherhood and family breakdown. When children are raised outside of an intact family, those children are markedly more likely to struggle in school, to tangle with the law and to struggle in the workforce. The data show a clear two-parent advantage for kids, especially boys. Our most striking finding is that boys raised outside of an intact family with two biological parents are more likely to go to prison or jail than they are to graduate from college. By contrast, boys raised by their two married, biological parents are about twice as likely to graduate from college as they are to land in prison.

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But theres another surprising discovery in the data. Stable marriages dont just benefit kids. Married fatherhood greatly benefits the men in those marriages, too.

DN graphic-young men

First, the obligations of family life motivate men to work harder and smarter; fathers literally make more money when they have kids, provided that they are married to the mother of their children. But the benefits of marriage and family life transcend economics. The data suggest being a married family man also protects men from self-destruction. Deaths of despair, for instance, are markedly lower in places where more men (and women) are married, economist Jonathan Rothwell at Gallup recently found. Opioid overdose deaths for men are about six times higher among never-married and divorced men, according to the Social Capital Project analysis of CDC data. Suicide is also lower among men who are fathers.

DN-men'sopioideaths

Margaret Meads insight may help us explain the data: Marriage and fatherhood are the most profound mission on offer for most men. Maybe economist Tyler Cowen sensed this, too, when he wrote about the political vibe shift last summer. Economists, after all, are well-versed in whats called the perceived value effect: We value something more highly when we pay more for it.

Protecting and providing for a wife and children exacts a high cost from men. When married dads rise to the occasion, they no doubt value their own lives more highly than they might otherwise. Men need to feel needed, and our country needs more men who know that they are on a mission to serve their families. In fact, the anthropologist Nicholas Townsend has observed that, for most men, marriage, work, and fatherhood go together as a package deal.

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When Reeves wrote Of Boys and Men in 2022 as a center-left scholar, he did not connect the dots between the crisis in American masculinity and the distance too many boys and men have from married family life. In fact, he argued that we needed to develop a model of fatherhood apart from marriage. But like Cowens vibe shift, that may be changing. Heres Reeves writing just a few weeks ago in Medium:

Without the positive pressures that come from being a father and husband, men are even less likely to really go for it on the work front. They are more likely to be unemployed. They become more vulnerable to addiction, more socially isolated. All of which makes them less attractive as potential spouses. Boys raised in single-mother households then struggle in school and in life, and they have difficulty finding a mate and forming a family, too. And so the cycle turns. The economic struggles of boys and men become entrenched across generations.

The masculinity crisis looms large, but the solution is remarkably clear: More American men need a shot at marriage, work and fatherhood. And it looks like more progressives may just be coming around on the importance of reviving this package deal.

Brad Wilcox is the Distinguished University Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and the author of Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization. Maria Baer is a journalist and co-host of the Breakpoint This Week podcast with The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.
By Fabio Teixeira

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A veterinary center run by Brazil's Petrobras in the Amazon region designed to assist animals in the event of an oil spill should be ready for inspection by environmental agency Ibama in April, documents seen by Reuters showed on Monday.

The animal care center in the town of Oiapoque, Amapa state, is one of the main demands from Ibama still not met by Petrobras in order to potentially get approval to drill in an offshore area in the environmentally sensitive Foz do Amazonas region.

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Work on the center is set to be done by March-end, and Ibama could schedule a visit to inspect it starting from April 7, said the document dated March 14.

Despite Petrobras' executives having said that the center is the last demand from Ibama, technical staff at the agency have requested last month that Ibama head Rodrigo Agostinho deny the request for drilling, sources told Reuters.

Agostinho is under heavy pressure from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has said last month that Ibama "is a government agency that seems to be against the government" due to its delay in approving the license.

Ibama blocked Petrobras from drilling the well in 2023, but the company filed a new request, which the agency is currently assessing, with no deadline to give a final answer.

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Foz do Amazonas, in the so-called Equatorial Margin is Brazil's most promising oil frontier, sharing geology with nearby Guyana, where Exxon Mobil is developing huge fields.

While the region holds great potential for Petrobras, the firm has faced stiff resistance from local Indigenous communities in Oiapoque and federal prosecutors related to its bid to drill there.

(Reporting by Fabio Teixeira; editing by David Evans)
Check out these photos of Conor McGregor visiting the White House on St. Patrick's Day. The UFC star is in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss the state of the Irish government. (Photos by Getty Images and Reuters)

Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor speaks at the briefing room lectern, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at his side, during a visit to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor speaks from the briefing room lectern during a visit to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor stands at the briefing room lectern with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a visit to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor stands at the briefing room lectern, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at his side, during a visit to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: Former UFC champion and Irish businessman Conor McGregor briefly speaks with reporters alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt before meeting with President Donald Trump in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. McGregor said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: Former UFC champion and Irish businessman Conor McGregor briefly speaks with reporters alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt before meeting with President Donald Trump in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. McGregor said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: Former UFC champion and Irish businessman Conor McGregor briefly speaks with reporters alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt before meeting with President Donald Trump in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. McGregor said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: Former UFC champion and Irish businessman Conor McGregor briefly speaks with reporters alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt before meeting with President Donald Trump in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. McGregor said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Irish professional mixed martial artist and businessman Conor McGregor (L) speaks from the White House briefing room podium with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (R) in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Irish professional mixed martial artist and businessman Conor McGregor (L) speaks from the White House briefing room podium with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (R) in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: Former UFC champion and Irish businessman Conor McGregor briefly speaks with reporters alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt before meeting with President Donald Trump in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. McGregor said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

UFC fighter McGregor at the White House in Washington

UFC fighter McGregor at the White House in Washington

UFC fighter McGregor at the White House in Washington

UFC fighter McGregor at the White House in Washington

Former Irish MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Speaks To The Press At The White House Before Meeting With President Trump

Former Irish MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Speaks To The Press At The White House Before Meeting With President Trump

Former Irish MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Speaks To The Press At The White House Before Meeting With President Trump

Former Irish MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Speaks To The Press At The White House Before Meeting With President Trump

US-POLITICS-WHITE HOUSE-MCGREGOR

US-POLITICS-WHITE HOUSE-MCGREGOR

US-POLITICS-WHITE HOUSE-MCGREGOR

US-POLITICS-WHITE HOUSE-MCGREGOR

Former Irish MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Speaks To The Press At The White House Before Meeting With President Trump

Former Irish MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Speaks To The Press At The White House Before Meeting With President Trump

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Photos: Conor McGregor at the White House
BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. (WNCN)  A massive North Carolina fire sparked by lightning burned at least three condos along the slopes of Beech Mountain on Saturday night, witnesses and reports said.

The blaze happened early Sunday at the Snow Tree Villas at 105 Wedling Weg, just off the slopes of the ski resort.

Several fire agencies responded to the fire reported around 5:30 a.m., which witnesses said was made worse by several large propane tanks that vented and fueled the blaze. No one was injured.

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Three units of the Snow Tree Villas were destroyed. At least two cars, including a Jeep, were destroyed by the fire.

Photo courtesy: Crystal Rogers Photo contributed to CBS 17 A Jeep burning near the villas on Sunday morning. Photo courtesy: Crystal Rogers Photo contributed to CBS 17 Photo contributed to CBS 17 The devastation after the fire. Photo courtesy: Crystal Rogers Photo courtesy: Brandi Rose The devastation after the fire. Photo courtesy: Crystal Rogers The devastation after the fire. Photo courtesy: Crystal Rogers Photo contributed to CBS 17

Witnesses also said fire crews had trouble accessing the area because of fallen trees that were already down from Hurricane Helene.

A young man first noticed the fire, called 911 and knocked on doors to alert people of the fire, according to Stacey Saunier who was at the scene.

The fire was sparked by a lightning strike on a balcony of the condos, which are described as true ski-in/ski-out properties located on the slopes of Beech Mountain Resort.

Photos showed eerie scenes of the ski slope with snow makers turned off and burning buildings in the background.

The intense fire. Photo courtesy: Crystal Rogers





Crystal Rogers, who was staying in a condo Saturday night, was there when the fire started.

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After the lightning hit, the fire spread, then transformers started blowing, then propane tanks, Rogers wrote on Facebook. Power lines were down across vehicles.

Fire trucks had to cut their way here through fallen trees, Rogers wrote, adding that she was taken to the police station to keep warm after the blaze.

The blaze was also visible from several blocks away, appearing near daybreak almost like the sun rising in the area.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
Meanwhile, the wee ones at Mass General for Children are kicking up their heels (or at least wiggling their toes!) in true Irish step-dancing fashionfeeling lucky, floating on clouds, and wrapped in rainbowscharming everyone around them with their strength and spirit.

Newton-Wellesleys littlest lucky charms are cozied up in pots of gold, tucked safely under rainbows of love and care. These tiny treasures remind us that magic is real.

This St. Patricks Day, Mass General Brigham celebrates the cutest clovers in our patchbringing hope, happiness, and a sprinkle of Irish magic to all.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The Pittsfield Police Department is asking for the publics assistance in locating a man on Monday.

Mass. environmental police charge suspects in illegally obtained wildlife investigation

Norberto Luis Dominguez, 34, is described by Pittsfield police as being a Hispanic man with brown hair and brown eyes. He is approximately 511 and 230 pounds.

Courtesy of the Pittsfield Police Department.

Norberto can be identified with a birthmark in the middle of his forehead. He may currently be in the New York City area.

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If you see Norberto or have any information about where he may be, please contact the Pittsfield Police Department at 413-448-9700.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described a recent meeting between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin as "promising" while acknowledging the complexities of ending the ongoing war.

Speaking on CBSs "Face the Nation" on March 16, Rubio said the discussions provided insight into whether Russia is genuinely considering a ceasefire or merely stalling for time.

Rubio outlined the U.S. administrations two-phase approach to ending Russia's war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

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"Plan A is, get the shooting to stop so that we can move to Plan B, phase two, which is have everybody at a table, maybe not- maybe with some shuttle diplomacy, to figure out a way to permanently end this war in a way that's enduring and it respects everybody's needs and so forth," he said.

Read also: Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, US hopes for ceasefire within weeks, envoy says

The secretary emphasized that the priority remains achieving a ceasefire before beginning broader negotiations for a permanent resolution. However, he acknowledged that even reaching a ceasefire would be difficult, given the complexity of the battlefield and the interests at stake.

On March 11, Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. during talks in Jeddah, after which Washington resumed military and intelligence support for Ukraine.

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Russia said it is ready to agree to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine but demands guarantees that Kyiv will not mobilize or train troops or receive military aid during the truce, accoding to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

While Rubio refrained from disclosing details of the negotiations, he remained cautiously optimistic. He said that President Donald Trump is committed to bringing the war to an end and is actively working to ensure a cessation of hostilities. "No one is saying that that second part is easy, but we can't get even to that second part until we get past the first part," he said, underlining the administrations strategy.

The secretary also highlighted the need for diplomatic engagement and potential concessions from both sides to achieve a lasting peace. "This war cannot continue. The president has been clear about that, and he's doing everything he can to bring it to an end," he concluded.

Read also: Painful for Russia: What new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy mean for Moscow

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A tourist (R) takes selfies with staff members wearing traditional Chinese ethnic costumes during an event of New Zealand Children's Chinese Cultural Festival in Auckland, New Zealand, March 16, 2025. The festival was celebrated here on Sunday, showcasing Chinese heritage through captivating performances and engaging activities for children and families. (Photo by Wu Jiaxiang/Xinhua)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 17 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Children's Chinese Cultural Festival was celebrated here on Sunday, showcasing Chinese heritage through captivating performances and engaging activities for children and families.

The festival provided a unique opportunity for children and families to immerse themselves in Chinese culture while fostering cultural exchange and understanding within the local New Zealand community.

Attendees experienced spectacular displays of traditional Chinese music, dance, magic show and martial arts. Highlights include the iconic lion and dragon dances, folk performances, and live instrumental showcases that reflect the rich history and artistry of Chinese heritage. A giant panda mascot attracted many children to take photos with it.

Children also had the chance to participate in hands-on sessions such as calligraphy lessons, learning basic Chinese characters, and creating traditional crafts like paper-cutting, lantern decorating and shadow puppet play.

Participants also enjoyed classic Chinese pastimes, including shuttlecock, or jianzi, and the ancient throwing game pitch-pot, or touhu. These traditional games aimed to engage attendees in fun and educational experiences while deepening their understanding of Chinese custom.

The event was attended by community leaders, a member of the parliament, representatives from the China Cultural Centre in Auckland and hundreds of local families and children. 

Children perform a drama during an event of New Zealand Children's Chinese Cultural Festival in Auckland, New Zealand, March 16, 2025. The festival was celebrated here on Sunday, showcasing Chinese heritage through captivating performances and engaging activities for children and families. (Photo by Wu Jiaxiang/Xinhua)

A baby interacts with a panda-shaped mascot during an event of New Zealand Children's Chinese Cultural Festival in Auckland, New Zealand, March 16, 2025. The festival was celebrated here on Sunday, showcasing Chinese heritage through captivating performances and engaging activities for children and families. (Photo by Wu Jiaxiang/Xinhua)
The Boston Police Department has announced that 9 people have been arrested, with 4 people being summoned to South Boston District Court following South Bostons Saint Patricks Day parade.

According to police, their charges will range from:

Minor in Possession of Alcohol to Assault and Battery

Affray (Public Fighting)

Disorderly Conduct

Disturbing the Peace

Assault and Battery on a Police Officer

Destruction of Property.

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The 4 individuals who were summoned were not arrested but will face charges.

One of the individuals is a juvenile, while the other twelve are adults.

Boston police have also announced that the streets for the parade route are now all reopened for traffic.

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Law enforcement arrested a man accused of driving around Boise and shooting a gun out of his car on Saturday night.

Officers responded shortly after 9:30 p.m. to two 911 calls reporting gunshots near Ustick and North Five Mile roads., according to a Boise Police Department news release.

Police said they found evidence indicating a man had fired shots from a car while driving down the street.

The gunfire hit the window of a home in the 11000 block of West Goldenrod Avenue, according to police.

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Officers secured the area and began a search for the suspect.

Law enforcement then received a second call just before 10 p.m. of gunshots about two miles away, in the 9000 block of West Lancelot Avenue, according to the release.

Evidence indicates a white male suspect wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt was driving a maroon or burgundy sedan and fired shots toward a home, police said.

Law enforcement responded to a third incident at 10:45 p.m., about five miles from the second incident at a home in the 8000 block of Morning Mist Court, according to the release.

Evidence indicates the suspect approached a home, rang the doorbell, and attempted to open the door, police said.

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Police said officers arrested a 21-year-old Boise man at the third scene who appeared under the influence of alcohol and whose car matched the description of the vehicle in the previous shots fired call.

Officers located a firearm inside his car and noted bullet holes in his windshield, according to the release.

Police said there were no reported injuries in any incident, and no additional homes were damaged.

The suspect was booked in the Ada County Jail on two felony counts of unlawfully discharging a weapon at a house, occupied building or vehicle, as well as a misdemeanor for driving under the influence, according to jail records.
(KRON)  A car thief was arrested in Berkeley after leading officers in vehicle pursuit Friday afternoon, the San Pablo Police Department (SPPD) announced in a social media post on Saturday. Officers were alerted by the owner that their vehicle had been stolen.

San Pablo police initiated a chase and followed the vehicle  thanks to the owners GPS tracker. According to police, the car thief popped a tire early during the pursuit, which slowed him down. The suspect eventually surrendered at a dead-end street and confessed to stealing the car.

No injuries were reported from the theft and car chase. Police the stolen vehicle was returned to its rightful owner. Video (above) shows San Pablo police and their K9 searching the car after it was stopped.

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Intoxicated mother kills children in Napa DUI crash: CHP

Officers arrest a car thief in Berkeley on Friday, March 14. (Photo: San Pablo Police Department)

5 years later: Former San Francisco Mayor London Breed looks back on COVID-19 shelter-in-place order

The suspect, who SPPD did not identify, had an extremely lengthy violent history and was booked into county jail. Those charges include the following:

Evading in a stolen car

Auto theft with prior convictions

Conspiracy

Felony drug possession

Driving while high

Probation violation

Law enforcement agencies across the Bay Area helped out in the response to the auto theft: the California Highway Patrol Oakland, Berkeley Police Department, Contra Costa County Sheriff and Burlingame Police Department.

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SPPD announced the arrest in a Facebook post early Saturday morning at 3:42 a.m.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A fifth-grade teacher at a south Austin elementary school is facing additional child pornography charges.

On March 11, the Texas Department of Public Safety alerted the Austin Independent School District Police Department that Carl Innmon, 50, was under investigation for possession of child pornography, a first-degree felony, according to AISD.

AISD fifth grade teacher arrested, accused of possessing child porn

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Newly filed police documents from March 14 show the teacher at Baranoff Elementary School now faces charges of possession of child pornography with intent to promote, a second-degree felony, and possession or promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child, a state jail felony.

AISD said it immediately placed Innmon on administrative leave once it was notified of the investigation, according to a letter from the district. This was Innmons first year of teaching at the elementary school and he was last seen on the campus on March 10, the district said.

As of Monday afternoon, Innmon didnt have an attorney listed in court records.

According to police affidavits, a search of his devices revealed more than 365,000 images of child sexual abuse. Among them were AI-generated images of two AISD students from the elementary school.

Carl David Innmon, 50 | Mugshot provided by Austin Police Department

Police said Innmon used an AI generator to alter photos of students, making them sexually explicit.

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In a letter to families, the district said DPS and Austin ISD police are working to identify and notify those affected. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Austin ISD police.

Since the school district is on break this week, it recommends families in need of support reach out to the mental health services provider Integral Care at 512-472-4357.

According to Travis County jail records, police arrested Innmon on March 14 and released him on bond on March 16. His bond terms require him to have no contact with minors, and he must stay away from places where minors are known to frequent. Another condition of the bond is not using the internet.

Using AI to create pornography is something that has gotten the attention of Congress. The Take It Down Act, introduced by Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, would criminalize the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated NCII (or deepfake revenge pornography). That measure was passed by the U.S. Senate last month.

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NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB)  Police in North Tonawanda and the Niagara County District Attorneys Office are investigating allegations of fraud in connection with a former longtime worker in the citys Department of Public Works.

North Tonawanda Police Chief Keith Glass said the investigation is ongoing and currently in the hands of the district attorneys office. Niagara County District Attorney Brian Seaman would not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.

Sources told News 4 that the investigation has to do with workers compensation payments the former worker may have received. The New York State Comptrollers Office said the former employee worked for the city of North Tonawanda for over 14 years.

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WIVB News 4 is not naming this former worker because he hasnt been charged.

News 4 spoke to Barry Covert, a local attorney with no connection to the investigation, on violations of the states workers compensation laws.

If theyre somehow misrepresenting the injury itself or injury in how it manifests in the persons body then theyre looking at an E felony for workers compensation fraud, Covert said. Theyre traditionally also charged with grand larceny because usually it does accumulate to a very decent amount of money over the months, over the years depending upon how long it goes on. A thousand dollars will bring it up to the E felony depending on how much more is involved, it could be a D felony, it could go even higher than that depending on how much is involved.

News 4 attempted to contact Mark Zellner, the superintendent of North Tonawandas Department of Public Works, but have not heard back.

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North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec had no comment.

News 4 has also reached out to the former worker and his attorney. We have not received a full response on the ongoing investigation.

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Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.

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A suspicious death investigation is underway Sunday morning in Fresno.

Officers were called out to Tulare and B streets near a store at 7 a.m. for reports of a man who was dead.

Police are investigating the circumstances and have the area taped off as detectives will interview potential witnesses or look for surveillance cameras. The area will be closed off for several hours, Fresno Police Lt. Tim Tietjen said.

Tietjen said more details will be released likely on Monday.
WOLFSBURG, Germany, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Volkswagen Group and China's First Automobile Works (FAW) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to introduce 11 new models in China from 2026, including ten new energy vehicles (NEVs), the German automaker said on Monday.

According to a press release from Volkswagen, the new models include six battery electric vehicles (BEVs), two plug-in hybrids, and two range-extender electric vehicles. The move is part of the company's "In China, for China" strategy to strengthen its position in the world's largest auto market.

Volkswagen said the Jetta brand will also launch its first electric model by 2026, targeting China's growing entry-level BEV segment. The company aims to roll out about 40 new models in China between 2025 and 2027, with over half being electrified.

Ralf Brandstaetter, board member of Volkswagen AG for China, highlighted that the partnership with FAW remains a "strong pillar" of its China strategy and that the company will leverage local research and development capabilities to enhance its products with intelligent connected vehicle technology.

Chen Bin, deputy general manager of FAW Group and General Manager of FAW-Volkswagen, said the agreement marks a "significant milestone" in FAW-Volkswagen's pursuit of high-quality development. "The global automotive industry is facing both opportunities and challenges. FAW and Volkswagen Group will continue to leverage over 30 years of partnership to drive strategic synergy and innovation," he said.

The FAW-Volkswagen joint venture plans to introduce BEVs on Volkswagen's locally developed Compact Main Platform and upgrade models on the global MEB platform with advanced software features. Volkswagen's China Technology Company and software subsidiary CARIAD China will play a key role in development, aiming to cut time-to-market by 30 percent and reduce costs by 40 percent.

Additionally, FAW-Volkswagen will unveil a concept car at the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show, showcasing the new design direction of Volkswagen-brand vehicles in China. 
JEFFERSON, Texas (KETK)  The Jefferson Police Department is searching for suspects involved in an attempted ATM burglary on Monday morning.

Man allegedly hit woman with car after altercation in Marshall

According to Jefferson PD, around 2 a.m. police responded to an alarm call at East Texas Professional Credit Union located at 302 East Broadway St. and found an attempted burglary at the ATM.

Officials said the suspects used a stolen truck to access the ATMs cash compartment but they were unsuccessful and no money was stolen.

Photo courtesy of Jefferson Police Department

Woman arrested after dead baby found in Smith County home

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Jefferson PD is actively investigating this incident as the suspects fled before officers arrived. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Jefferson PD at 903-665-2432.

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Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski has confirmed that Hungary is blocking the decision on Ukraine's accession talks and called on the opposition in Poland to influence them.

Source: Sikorski after a meeting of EU foreign ministers on 17 March, European Pravda reports, citing Onet

Details: Sikorski stressed that the opening of negotiation clusters for Ukraine is "another issue where decision-making is blocked by our old friend, once an ally, the Republic of Hungary".

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He said that during the meeting, the heads of EU diplomacy said that the conditionality of the decision to start negotiations "should not depend on bilateral issues, but on the fulfilment of criteria".

"I have to make a ritual appeal to the Polish opposition, which maintains close ideological contacts with the government and the party of Viktor Orban, to do something good for Poland and Europe  namely, to convince their ideological brothers to unblock these issues," the Polish foreign minister said.

He drew attention to reports that the Polish organisation Ordo Iuris, together with the Hungarians, allegedly plans to advise the US administration "on how to dismantle Europe".

"I would like to ask the Polish opposition what they think about this initiative, whether it serves Polish interests to have the European Union paralysed, reduced to a group of mutual discussions," the Polish minister asked.

Background:

This year, the European Commission announced ambitious plans to open three clusters of negotiations between Ukraine and the EU before the end of the Polish presidency in June 2025.

However, in mid-February, it became known that Hungary had blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster and demanded to expand the list of requirements for Ukraine.

Read also: Easing martial law, reforms by 2027: what the EU expects of Ukraine on its path to membership



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Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski has expressed hope that US President Donald Trump will be able to force the Kremlin's master to give up "some absurd demands" regarding Ukraine during a conversation with Vladimir Putin.

Source: Sikorskis statement quoted by PAP, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Sikorski recalled that President Trump initially "promised to resolve this conflict in 24 hours".

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"We knew it would not be that easy," he added.

The Polish minister added that he wishes Trump good luck in his negotiations with the Russian ruler and hopes that the US president will be as good a negotiator as he imagines.

Sikorski also expressed hope that Trump will be able to convince Putin to give up some of his absurd demands, such as the desire to take control of all of Ukraine or demilitarise it, as well as his plans to conquer additional Ukrainian territories in the future.

"We will evaluate the success of the talks with Trump by the quality of the peace achieved," the Polish foreign minister added.

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He added that the peace talks will be a test for the Russian Federation, as Ukraine has agreed to a temporary 30-day ceasefire, while Moscow is setting conditions that show it wants neither peace nor genuine peace talks.

"We can clearly see who wants peace and who wants war. Russia will want to take over the whole of Ukraine by other means, and preferably also neutralise half of Europe militarily. It will not succeed, but this does not mean that Putin will not try," Sikorski concluded.

Background:

Trump plans to talk to Putin on Tuesday, 18 March. The US president said he plans to discuss ending the war in Ukraine with the Russian leader.

Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, has recently visited Russia and met with Putin to discuss the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

The Kremlin said that "additional signals" were transmitted to Trump through Witkoff.

Trump himself said that the US side had a "very good and productive discussion" with the Kremlin leader and that there is now a "very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally end".

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Just as a judge feared, the Pontiac mother accused of abandoning her children in a house of squalor for years called the kids' caregiver from jail, and had other inmates call the caretaker on her behalf, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.

As a result, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has asked a judge to revoke 34-year-old Kelli Bryant 's communication privileges, alleging she violated a court order that mandated she have no contact with her children or their caregiver. McDonald said she wants Bryant prohibited from using telephone, tablet and video communication devices while in jail.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office arrested a Pontiac woman and accused her of abandoning her children years ago, leaving them to live in alone as their house accumulated garbage and waste.

According to the prosecutor's office, jail records show that Bryant called the childrens caregiver 10 times between March 8 and March 12 to discuss her kids and her criminal case. She also had other inmates do the same on her behalf, the prosecution said.

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This is precisely what a judge expressed concern about when she set Bryant's bond at $250 million last month, though it has since been reduced to $50,000 by another judge.

"I'm concerned that she still may have contact with a family member from the jail with instructions to continue to engage in fear tactics, to forbid the children from cooperating with authorities in their continued investigation.  For that reason alone, I'm giving her a $250 million bond  cash only," 50th District Court Judge Ronda Fowlkes Gross said at the mother's arraignment last month.

The judge who lowered Bryant's bond  50th District Judge Cynthia Thomas  also expressed concern that Bryant may try to intimidate her children to stop them from cooperating with authorities. So she set conditions on her bond, should Bryant get out, including: She may not have any contact with any child under 18; no contact with her children, and no personal contact, phone calls, or text messages with anyone who is caring for her children.

The judge also issued Bryant a warning: "Ms. Bryant, be aware that if you violate any condition of release, you would be subject to arrest without a warrant and may have your bond forfeited, revoked, new conditions imposed, in addition to any other penalties if you are found in contempt of court.

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Bryant's lawyer was not readily available for comment Monday.

Kelli Bryant has clearly and repeatedly violated the judges order not to contact the victims or their caregiver, McDonald said in a statement. That order is in place for an important reason  to protect the victims. The decision to ask that an inmates communications be restricted isnt made lightly, but Bryant was repeatedly disobeying court orders and, by doing so, further endangering the victims.

Bryant is jailed on first-degree child abuse and welfare fraud charges following the Feb. 14 discovery of her three children  ages 12, 13, and 15  living alone in a house of horrors: The toilet didn't work. Feces were in the tub and throughout the house. Garbage as high as 4 feet filled some rooms. Two children slept on pizza boxes.

The children were rescued on Valentine's Day after the landlord called the Oakland County Sheriff's Office for a welfare check, telling deputies that he hadn't received rent since October, or heard from the children's mother since December. The deputies and landlord together went to the townhouse on Lydia Lane and discovered the children living in squalor.

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According to authorities, their bodies and clothing were covered in feces. Their toenails were so long they struggled to walk. And they had difficulty flushing the toilet when taken to the hospital because they hadn't done so in so long.

After rescuing the children, the deputies called the mother, who took a Lyft to the sheriff's office and turned herself in, according to courtroom testimony.

The children are now living with a relative.

According to McDonald and the sheriff's office, the children lived off food that was dropped off at the house about once a week by their mother, or a food delivery service company. The mother never had any contact with the children, authorities said, and allegedly told them to never leave the house.

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The children did as they were told, they said. The two youngest, both girls, never left the house in four years. Their brother went outside a couple of times: to check the mail and touch the grass.

Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Prosecutor: Pontiac mom called kids' caregiver from jail
A new NBC News poll shows only 44% of Americans approve of President Trump's handling of the economy. Former Ohio Governor John Kasich and executive director of More Perfect Union Faiz Shakir join Jose Diaz-Balart to discuss the potential political impact of Trump's government shakeup.
STANTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  Its not out of the ordinary for rescues to take place in Red River Gorge. Powell County Search and Rescue and RedSTAR Wilderness EMS often join forces to save the day.

But a recent falling out between RedSTAR and the county has led to some major, sudden changes to the rescue force.

A Facebook post on Friday by RedSTAR announced that its decade-long partnership with Powell County had been unilaterally terminated.

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The countys judge-executive, Eddie Barnes, said he came to this decision because RedSTAR hadnt been holding up its end of an agreement that each volunteer work at least one 12-hour paramedic shift each month that they would then be compensated for.

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The paramedic shortage is getting worse One of the things that we were looking at is asking RedSTAR if they can have their people to step it up and help us a little bit more, said Barnes.

Barnes told FOX 56 that hes been in contact with RedSTARs coordinator, David Fifer, for over a year, reminding him of this agreement.

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Barnes read an email exchange between the two that said, in part, RedSTAR needs to step up and start providing some coverage like agreed. If not, we may need to revisit our agreement.

He then read aloud Fifers reassuring response, which partly said, I discussed with the RedSTAR roster of the importance of this. And I think you can expect a lot more signups from RedSTAR members, myself included, over the next few weeks.

Barnes said that did not happen.

He took office in January 2023 and said he has only been able to get a draft from a magistrate of the 10-year agreement.

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Barnes told FOX 56 the straw that broke the camels back was a March 8 incident when Powell County EMS received multiple calls, but only one crew was available to respond after another called out sick.

Fifer provided a statement to FOX 56 that said,

RedSTAR was created 10 years ago to provide a specialized response to medical emergencies in the Red River Gorge, and weve consistently delivered on that commitment through thousands of volunteer hours and by raising tens of thousands of dollars to fund our own operations.



Recently, many employees of the county ambulance service have left, and we feel that Judge Barnes has expected that our volunteers shift their focus more to filling these scheduling holes. We met with Judge Barnes to discuss our agreement with the county, gain a better understanding of his expectations, and to seek a new agreement to address them. Judge Barnes abruptly ended that meeting and dismissed us from the county.

Barnes acknowledged his actions in the meeting, and said, I did lose my temper, and I apologize about that, but the thing about it is, I feel strongly about supporting our people here in the community. I want to make sure that everybody here is safe.

Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news

The judge-executive reassured the public that ambulance services are not stopping, and Powell County Search and Rescue will still be making calls.

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Barnes said he plans to call a special meeting with the fiscal court and RedSTAR to possibly come to some common ground.

I hope and pray to God that we, we work this thing out, but, you know, its just everybody coming to the table with an open mind and try to work this thing out, he finished.

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POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  Powell County Search & Rescue (PCSAR) team members worked through Saturday afternoon to find a pair of hikers after their friend lost contact with them.

Powell County rescue officials posted on social media Saturday that members were told a friend was concerned about the wellbeing of two hikers who hadnt returned over an hour and a half after they said they would.

Kentucky crews work to save lives, restore power in wake of deadly, wide-reaching severe weather system

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Rescue officials said the pairs GPS signal was no longer pinging, and calls to them were going straight to voicemail.

Just before 4 p.m., team members said a logistics officer went to the Auxier Ridge Trailhead, where the hikers vehicle was found. Other hikers heading out of the trailhead were interviewed, but none had seen the pair. Within minutes, a full search response began.

Rescuers made contact with the hikers at 5:30 PM and confirmed the hikers were safe, uninjured, and had taken shelter along the trail due to heavy rain and strong winds, PCSAR members wrote.

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Rescue officials urged visitors to the Red River Gorge to never hike alone, and if you do, to tell someone you trust when you plan to return.

These hikers and their friend did everything right! Rescue personnel wrote.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WGN)  Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is not ready to retire.

On Monday, her 78th birthday, Preckwinkle announced shell seek a fifth term to lead the nations second-most populous county.

Im running for reelection because I love my job, she said. If I didnt run for reelection, Id just find a different job and I doubt that I could find one thats as interesting and challenging and as important as this one.

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Among the challenges, according to Preckwinkle: President Trump. His administration is suing in the state, city and county for failing to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts. Preckwinkle is also navigating the impact of federal spending cuts.

Chicagos sanctuary city status under investigation by federal committee amid immigration raids

Chicagos history as a sanctuary city spans 40 years, 7 presidents and 5 mayors

The consequences will be devastating: Pritzker, local Democrats blast proposed Medicaid cuts

Any changes in Medicaid funding  and the only changes proposed are reductions  will have a real impact on us. So were going to have to figure out how to deliver the great care that weve been providing in a very different environment, she told WGN.

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Preckwinkle praised Gov. JB Pritzker as a good partner, especially during the difficult early days of COVID-19. But as she gears up for reelection, shes keeping her distance from Mayor Brandon Johnson, whom she backed in the 2023 runoff election.

You know, I try to stay in my lane, she said when asked of the mayors job performance. Ive got a lot on my plate in the county.

Preckwinkle also serves in the powerful role of county Democratic Party Chair. In that job, Preckwinkle and her lieutenants control the party slating process and a massive campaign war chest.

Paul Vallas, the failed Chicago mayor candidate now serving as policy advisor for the right-leaning Illinois Policy Institute, wasted no time blasting Preckwinkle. Vallas, who insists hes still a Democrat, wants voters to remember Preckwinkle backed Johnson for mayor, Kim Foxx for top prosecutor and she supported a primary challenge to the Circuit Court Clerk.

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Johnson is mayor because of Toni Preckwinkle. Kim Foxx was elected twice as States Attorney, as Cook County States Attorney, with I think disastrous consequences, because of Toni Preckwinkle. Iris Martinez is no longer in the clerks office providing us with the information we need to know how effective these pre-trial release programs are because of Toni Preckwinkle, Vallas said.

Preckwinkle becomes the first political heavyweight to announce 2026 plans. Shes likely trying to get her reelection business out of the way as we wait to learn the intentions of Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. Pritzker and others.

Preckwinkle previously served four terms in the Chicago City Council.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  After a record-breaking 74 tornadoes in Ohio in 2024, officials want to make sure Ohioans are prepared for severe weather this spring and summer.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has designated this week (March 16-22) as Severe Weather Awareness Week.

After last years record-breaking storms, we push this a little harder this year because we never know what kind of weather were going to see throughout the year, Sandy Mackey, public affairs chief for the Ohio EMA, said.

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Spring and summer can bring thunderstorms, heavy rain, strong wind, tornadoes and other types of severe weather.

Those hazards have consequences, and there could be flooding, power outages, property damage, injury and even deaths, Mackey said.

To avoid these dangers, Mackey recommends families make a plan that includes everyone in your households needs.

And once you have a plan, make sure everyone knows what it is and practice it.

The fact is you have that plan and you practice it, Mackey said. Because if you dont practice it, its it doesnt do any good to have the plan.

Another way to be prepared is to build a preparedness kit. Some items to include are nonperishable food, bottled water, a weather radio, a flashlight and a first aid kit.

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You can make that a backpack, it can be a tub that you carry things in, Mackey said. Everybody can have their own and it will have their needs set for them so if you have to evacuate or run into your basement, grab those, have them handy.

As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, Ohio will participate in a statewide tornado drill at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday. Households, schools and businesses are encouraged to participate to practice their tornado drill plans.

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Visitors select pastries at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

A child selects Nezha-style headpieces at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

A band performs at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

Visitors watch performances at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

Visitors select Nezha-themed souvenirs at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

Visitors pose for a photo with Nezha-themed lanterns at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

Visitors watch performances at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 16, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

An actress dressed in Nezha costumes performs at Nezha town in north China's Tianjin, March 15, 2025. Recently, Nezha town in Tianjin hosts a cultural week event, featuring a range of activities centered around the theme of Nezha and other traditional cultural elements. The event included performances, interactive parades, and lantern night tours, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.

Originally the site of the Tianjin Bohai Radio Factory, Nezha town has undergone a transformation as part of Tianjin's urban renewal initiatives. The revitalized site integrates existing resources with traditional cultural elements, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of local economy. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump plans to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone Tuesday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

We want to see if we can bring that war to an end, President Trump said Sunday.

lt comes as the U.S. tries to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine roughly three years after Russias invasion.

We are on the 10th yard line of peace, and weve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

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So far, Ukraine has expressed willingness to accept a 30-day American proposed ceasefire as a step toward long-term peace.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce says, The ball is now in Russias court.

Russia has not agreed to the ceasefire. The White House says sanctions could be on the table to pressure Russia to accept the terms.

Its something the president has floated and certainly is willing to do, if necessary, Leavitt said.

The President says Ukrainian land and other assets that Russia now controls will be part of his discussion with Putin.

Well be talking about land. Well be talking about power plants, President Trump said.

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U.S. officials say both Russia and Ukraine will need to make concessions to end the fighting.

There will likely be difficult conversations to be had on both sides, when youre talking about the release of hostages, when youre talking about potential ceasefire agreements, when youre talking about territory, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said.

Parnell says President Trumps goal is peace.

And really to stop the dying, Parnell said.

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The Prime Minister says he will send British soldiers to Ukraine, on a mission that may require them to fight Russian troops, risking confrontation with a nuclear power unlike anything we experienced in the Cold War. Yet Keir Starmer has been asked few questions about his policy.

The PM says planning for the coalition of the willing is entering the operational phase, when military commanders work out the logistics of deployment. But Ukraine remains a war zone. The Russian constitution now declares Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia parts of Russia, but Ukraine still controls territory in the last four. If the war continues, or Putin accepts a truce and then resumes fighting, what is the plan?

And what is the objective of the coalition of the willing? Ukraine has more than a million men under arms, and Starmer has proposed deploying more than 10,000 troops from different countries. Is the suggestion that this small force would stop Putin if he attacks again? Or is it to show that an attack with Western troops in Ukraine would risk a wider war  fought by the countries of the coalition, Europe or Nato? Is the plan to make this outcome clear, or leave it ambiguous?

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If we do threaten war, what are the consequences of deploying our troops beyond Nato borders? Donald Trump says he will not issue an American security guarantee, Putin says he will not tolerate Western troops in Ukraine, and European military and political leaders admit their capabilities are too limited to fight Russia. What resources do we have to form a credible deterrent? Is an American guarantee likely, or reliable?

If the coalition has a clear objective, what is the timescale for achieving it? Is this an open-ended commitment to Ukraine that will go on, whatever the cost or need to meet other threats? What would be the rules of engagement? Would the RAF and coalition air forces defend Ukrainian airspace? Doing so would require a willingness to shoot down Russian aircraft and attack missile batteries, risking wider war. And we know the Russian modus operandi involves hybrid warfare, in which plausibly deniable attacks are carried out. So how would we respond to attacks on coalition soldiers made by unofficial operatives acting for Putin?

Sending coalition troops to Ukraine would of course raise questions about the future of Nato. Would deploying resources to Ukraine come at the price of reducing support elsewhere on the Eastern European border?

Nato member states never allowed Ukraine into the alliance, did not deploy troops during the war, and will not allow Kyiv to join even now. With ambiguity about the response to Russian attacks on Nato soldiers in Ukraine, the risk of such an attack would be greater, and the burden of responding would fall disproportionately on Britain. A failure of Nato countries to respond collectively  and indeed, a clear statement from some member countries that they would not in these circumstances be drawn into conflict  risks undermining Nato itself, and the Article 5 commitment that an armed attack against one  shall be considered an attack against them all.

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For Britain specifically, there are very serious questions that need to be addressed. The Government says we need to rearm. But will our rearmament programme be driven by the perceived need to send ground troops to Ukraine  which defends a border with Russia almost 1,500 miles long  or by an assessment of the wider and more direct threats we face?

Rearmament driven by the need to man and supply an expeditionary force in Ukraine  or elsewhere in Europe  would distort our future defence policy and budget. With our geography, and the nature of the threats we face, sea and air power are more important than a big army. In future wars, against countries of similar strength or more, modern tech and military hardware will matter as much as manpower. We must be at the forefront of drone and missile technologies, apply artificial intelligence, data science and cyber capabilities, and make strategically ruthless calls about our needs.

So to what extent is deployment to Ukraine driving our new defence policy? What additional spending is needed to rearm to defend our interests and follow the PMs Ukraine policy? What is the speed of the increase in spending, and how will it be funded? Why should Britain send thousands of troops to Ukraine  and distort its defence budget  when European countries closer to the Russian border are not prepared to do so?

Given the other threats we face  and that the principal threat to us from Russia is not invasion  what is the appropriate balance in our ability to project power and force by air, land and sea? If Russia is a menace in our waters, as the PM has said, why is government policy leaving us dependent on vulnerable interconnectors for electricity imports? Why is nothing being done about Putin using our offshore wind turbines to monitor British submarines?

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Why are we making ourselves dependent on another hostile state, China, for the finance and construction of so much of our national infrastructure? Why do we continue to deny the clear threat  increasingly social and political, not just violent  presented by Islamists? Why are we so passive when our border is open to anybody who would like to come here?

Many other questions remain. How can we rearm without reindustrialising? How can we reindustrialise without changing energy policy, and without saving British steel production? Is the Prime Minister considering making commitments to other countries about using British nuclear weapons in their defence? Do we support countries like Poland seeking to acquire their own nuclear weapons? And what are the risks and opportunities in seeking stronger alliances and deeper co-operation with countries like France and Poland, and further afield, Australia, Canada and New Zealand?

The casual ease with which our political leaders and commentators are discussing decisions that could lead us to armed conflict should alarm us all. History tells us the most disastrous of wars often start with small and apparently harmless steps. The Prime Minister should be prepared to answer these very serious questions.

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Princess Kate was a welcome sight at the Irish Guards St. Patricks Day Parade today in London, marking her first attendance at the event since she announced her cancer diagnosis last spring.

The Princess of Wales, who serves as the honorary colonel of the regiment, smiled brightly as she strolled the grounds of the Wellington Barracks with soldiers. For the occasion, she wore a long teal coat adorned with a golden shamrock brooch, a matching scarf, and a dark-green floral fascinator. She accented the look with hints of black, from a pair of slouchy pointed-toe suede boots to her choice of gloves. For one final touch of St. Patricks green, Kate wore emerald-and-diamond earrings.

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Kates absence at last years St. Patricks Day parade was due to her recovery from an abdominal surgery that she had undergone in January. A few months later, Kate announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer following the operation. At the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous, Kate said. The surgery was successful; however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.

Earlier this year, Kate revealed that she is now in remission from her cancer after having successfully completed her chemotherapy treatment. It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery, Kate said in a statement shared to social media. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Judges sentencing a person for a crime at a Las Vegas resort could have more penalties in their toolbox should a Republican state senators bill become law.

Introduced Monday, Senate Bill 371, from Republican State Sen. John Steinbeck, would create additional penalties for crimes at Nevada resort hotels with more than 200 rooms and a casino.

Under current Nevada law, judges can sentence a person to an enhancement in certain crimes. For example, a judge may impose a harsher sentence if the victim of a crime is 60 years or older or if the defendant used a deadly weapon to commit a crime.

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In the case of Robert Telles, the ex-politician found guilty last year of murdering investigative reporter Jeff German, a judge added a minimum of eight years to his sentence because of the weapon and Germans age.

Should Steinbecks proposal become law, a judge could double a persons sentence and require the additional time to be served consecutively. For example, right now based on state statute, if a person is found guilty of robbery on the Las Vegas Strip, they could face a sentence of anywhere from one to 20 years in prison. Under this proposal, a judge could sentence a person to 4-10 years with an additional 4-10 years because the crime happened at a resort.

The proposal did not have a hearing scheduled as of Monday.

Judges hearing cases involving arrests on the Las Vegas Strip can restrict a defendants access to the area while the case is pending. Las Vegas Justice Court implemented a Resort Corridor Court several years ago but closed the program in 2024.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A federal judge dismissed the charges Monday against a Minnesota man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical The Wizard of Oz after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, who had been in poor health with lung disease and other ailments, had been scheduled to change his plea to guilty in January but that hearing was postponed indefinitely after he was hospitalized.

Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley notified the court in a one-page motion Monday that Saliterman died Sunday but did not say how or where. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz granted the request and dropped the charges.

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Defense attorney John Brink confirmed Monday that his client had died but declined to give details. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Fargo, North Dakota, which is handling the case, did not immediately return a phone call seeking further information.

According to court filings, Saliterman was hospitalized in early January "for inability to walk and sepsis, an infection that can be life-threatening. He attended his arraignment three days later via video from what looked like a hospital room. In an update to the court late last month, Brink told the court that his client had been discharged to a hospice facility and that his prognosis was poor. An accompanying letter from his doctor listed severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen and Parkinson's disease.

Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on oxygen last March when he made his first court appearance. He was charged then with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering for his role in the ruby slippers case.

The sequined red slippers were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids. Their whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly 13 years until the FBI recovered them in 2018. They fetched a record for movie memorabilia of $32.5 million in December, according to Heritage Auctions. The slippers were one of several pairs Garland wore during the filming. Only three other pairs remain.

Terry Jon Martin, now 78, of Grand Rapids, used a hammer to smash the glass of the museums door and display case to steal them. According to his attorney, an old associate with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value. But he got rid of the slippers when he learned they were fake, and they ended up with Saliterman. Martin pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced last January to time served because of his poor health.
(This story was updated to add new information.)

A counter-protester was arrested Monday afternoon at an Indiana Statehouse rally featuring Gov. Mike Braun after a dispute with police.

Indiana State Police officers handcuffed Christina Smith, leader of the Indianapolis Education Justice Coalition, and led her away from the event, held to support property tax reform.

In a social media post last week, Smith had invited those opposed to Indiana's Republican leadership and in favor of public education to attend a separate event at the Statehouse on Monday.

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ISP said Smith was arrested for disorderly conduct and that there were no other arrests at the event. She was listed as detained in Marion County's arrest log as of 1:45 p.m. Monday.

The property tax reform event, featuring Braun and Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, filled the third-floor atrium, with participants overflowing onto the stairs and hallway. Authorities estimated the crowd at a couple hundred people.

The arrest happened around 12:40 p.m. Police have not provided an account of the arrest so it's unclear what led to Smith's disorderly conduct charge. However, a colleague of Smith's said she believed the arrest was unwarranted.

.@GovBraun walked up to the property tax reform rally holding someones sign that says Who owns my house? Hes here with his wife, First Lady Maureen Braun. pic.twitter.com/WXB50PSCgf  Brittany Carloni (@CarloniBrittany) March 17, 2025

Smith is a longstanding critic of both Republican and Democratic politicians in Indiana, including Indianapolis Public Schools board members and other groups that support charter schools and school choice. Earlier this year, Smith filed a harassment complaint against an Indianapolis Public Schools board member. The status of that complaint is unclear.

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Smith was at the Statehouse Monday as part of an event to advocate for music education in public schools.

The arrest followed a disagreement with police over the music group's presence on the third floor of the Statehouse, the same location as the property tax rally.

Lawmakers this session are debating property tax cuts, but Indiana school districts and their advocates say those changes could affect public school funding. Braun campaigned on property tax relief.

An organizer for the music education event, Adrea McCloud, said her group had been demonstrating on the third floor of the Statehouse when police approached them and asked for their permit.

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Police told the group, which included Smith, that they needed to leave the third floor and go up to the fourth floor to comply with the permit.

However, McCloud said she was originally told by the Indiana Department of Administration that her group was allowed to move freely within the Statehouse between noon and 1 p.m.

"We did have permission to be there," McCloud said. "We were there to raise support for public education for arts programs to remain funded. She came to support our cause and to advocate for public schools."

More: Mike Braun is facing a political test over property taxes. Pence once had a similar challenge

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Mary Kate Dugan, co-chair of Central Indiana DSA, who was at the music event, said the arrest happened after she and Smith attempted to walk up the west steps of the Statehouse to the fourth floor to comply with the police directive to move. Attendees of the tax reform rally were "blocking and pushing us back," Dugan said.

"There never should've been a clash," Dugan said. "It was very chaotic."

Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Protester arrested at property tax rally led by Indiana Gov. Braun
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  On Sunday, a protest broke out at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where students demanded the release of a former Columbia University student activist who was recently detained by federal immigration services.

College campuses across the country are protesting for the release of Mahmoud Khalil. Two weeks ago, Department of Homeland Security Agents arrested Khaleel, saying he was a critical figure in last years student-led anti-war protests at Columbia.

The US Secretary of State says they are basing their attempt to deport Khalil on the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the government to deport someone they believe could harm US foreign policy interests.

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UNM purchases former problem Motel 6 near Lobo Village

And if you end up having a green card, not citizenship, but a green card, as a result of that visa while youre here in those activities, were gonna kick you out, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

President Donald Trump called Khalil a terrorist sympathizer and accused him of handing out Hamas propaganda. Earlier this week, Khalils lawyers argued it was a political retaliation from the Trump Administration.

Khalil is currently being held at a Louisiana ICE facility.

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Most readers hear pride and prejudice and immediately think of Jane Austens most famous novel, that salty-sweet confection of romance and irony with a fairy-tale ending.

Few people, however, know the history of the phrase pride and prejudice, which I explore in my new book, Jane Austen, Abolitionist: The Loaded History of the Phrase Pride and Prejudice.

Like most Austen fans and scholars, I had read and loved her novels for years without learning much about the history of the title, which Austen chose after scrapping the original one, First Impressions.

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By the 20th century, pride and prejudice became solely associated with Austens 1813 novel.

The phrase, which has religious origins, appeared in hundreds of works before Austen was born. From Britain it traveled to America, and from religious tomes it expanded to secular works. It even became a hallmark of abolitionist writing.

Fighting words for religious factions

While 2025 marks Austens 250th birthday, the phrase pride and prejudice first appeared more than 400 years ago, in religious writings by English Protestants. As the daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter of Church of England ministers, Austen was certainly aware of the tradition.

If ministers wanted to reproach their parishioners or their opponents, they attributed criticism of their sermons to pride and prejudice  as coming from people too arrogant and narrow-minded to entertain their words in good faith.

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While the usage began in the Church of England, other denominations, even radical ones, soon adopted it: Pride and prejudice appears in the writings of Nonconformists, Anabaptists, Quakers, Dissenters and other representatives of Schism, Faction and Sedition, as one anonymous writer called them.

One early takeaway is that, amid fervent religious conflicts, various denominations similarly used pride and prejudice as a criticism.

The unnamed minister himself complained that, owing to the Pride and Prejudice of mens Spirits, the prevailing Interests of some Factions and Parties, the greatest part of the Nation are miserably wanting in their Duty.

At the same time, the phrase could be invoked to support religious toleration and in pleas for inclusiveness.

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When all Pride and Prejudice, all Interests and Designs, being submitted to the Honour of God, and the Discharge of our Duty, an anonymous clergyman wrote in 1734, the Holy Scriptures shall again triumph over the vain Traditions of Men; and Religion no longer take its Denomination from little Sects and Factions.

From politics to prose

In the 18th century, advances in publishing led to an explosion of secular writing. For the first time, regular people could buy books about history, politics and philosophy. These popular texts spread the phrase pride and prejudice to even more distant shores.

One fan was American founding father Thomas Paine.

In his 47-page pamphlet Common Sense, Paine argued that kings could not be trusted to protect democracy: laying aside all national pride and prejudice in favour of modes and forms, the plain truth is, that it is wholly owing to the constitution of the people, and not to the constitution of the government[,] that the crown is not as repressive in England as in Turkey.

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Others included Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe. In his 1708 essay Review of the State of the British Nation, Defoe satirically exhorted the public to vote Tory rather than electing men of sense, to dispell the Poisons that Sloth, Envy, Pride and Prejudice may have contracted, and bring the Blood of the Party into a true circulation.

After the philosophers, the historians and the political commentators came the novelists. And among the novelists, female writers were especially important. My annotated list in Jane Austen, Abolitionist includes more than a dozen female writers using the phrase between 1758 and 1812, the year Austen finished revising Pride and Prejudice.

Among them was Frances Burney. Scholars have often attributed Austens famous title to Burney, who used the phrase pride and prejudice in her novel Cecilia.

But Burney was not alone. Female novelists who used the expression before Austen included Charlotte Lennox, sisters Harriet and Sophia Lee, Charlotte Turner Smith, Mrs. Colpoys, Anne Seymour Damer and mother and daughter Susannah and Elizabeth Gunning, who jointly authored their novel The Heir Apparent.

An abolitionist rallying cry

As the critique embodied in the phrase progressed beyond religious and partisan conflict, it became increasingly used in the context of ethics and social reform.

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My most striking discovery in this research is the long-standing association of the phrase pride and prejudice with abolitionism, the movement to eradicate enslavement and the slave trade.

The leaders of transnational antislavery organizations used it at their conventions and in the books and periodicals they published. In 1843, 30 years after the publication of Austens Pride and Prejudice, British Quaker Thomas Clarkson wrote to the General Antislavery Convention, which was meeting in London.

He exhorted the faithful to repudiate slavery at once and forever if there were any among them whose eyes may be so far blinded, or their consciences so far seared by interest or ignorance, pride or prejudice, as still to sanction or uphold this unjust and sinful system.

He even used the phrase twice. Acknowledging that some violent abolitionists had aroused reaction, he warned his audience that this state of feeling arises as much from pride and prejudice on the one hand, as from indiscretion or impropriety on the other.

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At the funeral for abolitionist John Brown, the minister prayed over his body, Oh, God, cause the oppressed to go free; break any yoke, and prostrate the pride and prejudice that dare to lift themselves up.

The prayer uttered at John Browns burial. Library of Congress

Use of the phrase did not end with Emancipation or the end of the U.S. Civil War.

In fact, it was one of Frederick Douglass favorite phrases. On Oct. 22, 1883, in his Address at Lincoln Hall, Douglass excoriated the Supreme Courts decision rendering the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional.

As was typical of Douglass, the speech ranged beyond racial inequities: Color prejudice is not the only prejudice against which a Republic like ours should guard. The spirit of caste is malignant and dangerous everywhere. There is the prejudice of the rich against the poor, the pride and prejudice of the idle dandy against the hard-handed workingman.

Austens independent women

Early on in Pride and Prejudice, the conceited Caroline Bingley snipes that Elizabeth Bennet shows an abominable sort of conceited independence. Later, the snobbish Lady Catherine accuses Bennet of being headstrong. But near the ending, Mr. Darcy tells Bennet that he loves her for the liveliness of her mind.

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In this respect, Bennet reflects a quality that all of Austens heroines possess. While they try to adhere to standards of courtesy and respect, none are guilty of saying only what the leading man wants to hear.

Given that Austen chose her title to honor the phrase and its history, it is ironic that her own fame ended up drowning out the abolitionist associations of pride and prejudice after the Civil War.

If there is any work of fiction that successfully makes self-sufficiency, independent thinking and open-mindedness look good  and makes sycophants, rigidity and hysterical devotion to rank and status look bad  it is Pride and Prejudice.

Yet the lasting popularity of Austens novel demonstrates that the ethics contained in the phrase continue to resonate today, even if its context has been lost.

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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: Margie Burns, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

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Margie Burns 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.
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The China Banking Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce jointly issued a proposal on Monday, calling on the country's banking financial institutions to use more concrete measures to enhance services for private enterprises.

The proposal calls for optimizing credit services for private enterprises by setting annual service targets, increasing credit supply and expanding service coverage. It emphasizes stable and effective incremental credit support for private businesses, and greater support for small and micro enterprises in obtaining first-time loans, roll-over loans, and credit loans.

Banking financial institutions are called on to innovate their products by leveraging their strengths to provide tailored financial services for private enterprises of different types and at different development stages.

To address financing difficulties faced by the small and micro private enterprises, the proposal urges improving the accessibility and convenience of financing options. It also suggests implementing preferential policies aimed specifically at these enterprises, including fee reductions. It advocates for gradually lowering comprehensive financing costs based on reasonable pricing and enhancing service quality and efficiency.

Banking financial institutions are urged to meet the reasonable financing needs of private enterprises and to adopt targeted strategies to address specific challenges, according to the proposal. 
LAST WEEK, DONALD TRUMP explained that he was just kidding, or being a bit sarcastic, when he repeatedly promised to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war in twenty-four hours if elected, perhaps even before taking office. Meanwhile, his supposed peacemaking quest continues to limp along, generating plenty of news and plenty of confusion but no accomplishmentsexcept for more evidence that, whatever the reason for it, his favoritism toward Vladimir Putin is real (though not total).

The good news: Ukraine is once again receiving the shipments of military aid from the United States approved under Joe Biden and allocated by Congress, and intelligence-sharing is back on. The resumption of aid came in response to the announcement by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine would accept the Trump administrations proposal for a thirty-day ceasefire as a pathway to a durable peace agreement. Since there is no evidence that Zelensky was opposed to a ceasefire prior to the aid being cut offeven during the disastrous Oval Office sitdown of February 28, his only offense was to mention the need for guarantees that Russia would respect the truce given its history of violating such agreements in the pastits unclear what the interruption was for, except to assuage Trumps ego after the disrespect Zelensky supposedly showed on his White House visit. Nor do we know how many Ukrainian lives, which Trump and JD Vance claim to be so concerned about, the pause may have cost: while it was too brief to noticeably affect Ukraines stock of weapons and materiel, even a brief suspension of intelligence sharing may have seriously harmed its ability to shield its citizens from Russian strikes.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented that, with the joint U.S.-Ukrainian ceasefire proposalwhich does not mention security guarantees but does call for a full exchange of prisoners of war, the release of all civilian detainees held by Russia in occupied territories, and the return of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia since the February 2022 invasionthe ball is now in [the Russians] court.

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Putins response two days later, at a press conference with fellow dictator and key ally Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, was a yes, butor, as he put it, We are in favor, but there are nuances.1

And what are Putins nuances? Ironically, they look very much like a demand for guaranteesthe very thing that Trump, Vance, and their supporters have lambasted Zelensky for discussing:

How will those thirty days be used? For Ukraine to mobilize? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question: How will that be controlled? Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000 kilometers? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?

In Putins case, the demand for guarantees is also hypocritical, given that Russia is the party that (1) started this war and (2) repeatedly broke past ceasefire agreements. Whats more, Putin is not offering to pause mobilization, military training, or rearming on Russias side and asking Ukraine to match that initiative; hes implicitly asking for Ukraines hands to be unilaterally tied during the ceasefire.

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So, we could reasonably expect Trump to come out with an angry tirade blasting Putin for refusing to play ball when the ball was in his court, right? Well, not quite: Trump commented that Putin put out a very promising statement but it wasnt complete. Trump also amplified Putins claim, made at the press conference with Lukashenko, that the Ukrainian contingent which had invaded Russias Kursk region last August is now almost completely trapped and about to be fully encircled.

At a meeting of Russias Security Council the next daythe topic of which was the restoration of Russian-American relationsPutin expressed understanding for Trumps request and promised that if the surrounded Ukrainian soldiers laid down their arms, they would be guaranteed their lives and dignified treatment in accordance with the norms of international law and the laws of the Russian Federation.

Why it should take a request from the American president for Russia to promise compliance with international law and even Russias own law governing the treatment of prisoners of war is unclearthough Putin did claim, with no evidence, that Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region had committed numerous crimes against civilians and that those crimes would be qualified as terrorism by Russian authorities. (So far, the only reliable reports of crimes by military personnel in the Kursk region have involved looting by Russian soldiers, a problem acknowledged even by the regions former governor.)

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Even more saliently, however, there is also no evidence of thousands, or even dozens, of Ukrainian troops surrounded in the Kursk region. Its not just a matter of firm denials from the Ukrainian side, including Zelensky; virtually all independent analysts, from the Institute for the Study of War to expatriate Russian journalist Ruslan Leviev, founder of the open-source intelligence group Conflict Intelligence Teamwho sympathizes with Ukraine but has a long record of fair and accurate analysisagree that no encirclement exists and that Ukrainian troops have been leaving the Kursk region in fairly orderly fashion after orders from Kyiv to withdraw. (They still hold some villages near the border.) Whats more, even most Russian military bloggers have been disputing claims that Ukrainian soldiers in the area are surrounded en masse. One even referred to Trumps and Putins comments on the subject as a performance motivated by ordinary politics and negotiations:

Trump is trying to coax the Russians toward a ceasefire and coddling them in every way he can because hes afraid to spook them, and Putin is using this to extract big concessions from Ukraine, since the situation on the battlefield favors the Russian armed forces and there is no great interest in a temporary ceasefire here and now.

In another sign of such coddling, Trump last week reduced his Ukraine and Russia envoy, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, to envoy for just Ukraineapparently because of complaints from Russia about Kelloggs excessive pro-Ukrainian sympathies. And when Sky News reported that Trumps loyal fixer, Steve Witkoff, was made to wait eight hours before Putin finally met with him, Trump reacted with a post angrily denying the slight and blasting fake news and sick degenerates in the media. Until he wrote that, I wasnt sure, quipped Ukrainian TV journalist Olena Kurbanova on her YouTube show. Now I have no doubt that Witkoff had to wait eight hours.

There is one apparent stick among all the carrots: Trump has just slapped new sanctions on energy transactions involving sanctioned Russian banks, removing a Biden-era waiver and making it harder for Russia to sell oil on international markets. But emigre economist Vladimir Milov, who held several government posts in Russia related to the energy sector from 1997 to 2002, noted in an interview that the move had little effect on the Russian oil market, suggesting that Russia had already found ways to circumvent the restrictions. What makes sanctions effective, Milov explained, is not one big and scary cudgel but consistency in finding and closing loopholeswhereas Trumps rhetoric is exactly the opposite: it always revolves around the idea of some single lever that does not exist, while the loopholes are getting looser if only because theres less oversight under Trump.

And the U.S. sanctions may be left with even fewer teeth if Trump decides that Russia has shown sufficient goodwill to deserve a reward. Maybe thats what those phantom encircled Ukrainians are for.

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PUTIN HAS NO INTENTION OF STOPPING the war. Thats it. Theres nothing to explain. Its a position that they are openly, publicly declaring, exiled Russian human rights lawyer and politician Mark Feigin told Kurbanova while Putin and Trump were performing their ritual peace dance. This is the consensus among independent Russian commentators as well as their Ukrainian counterpartsthat Putin has no desire for either a ceasefire or lasting peace, unless the latter amounts to Ukraines full capitulation: massive territorial concessions, the dismantling of the Ukrainian military, no peacekeepers from NATO countries, and the installation of a puppet government in Kyiv.

Partly, Putins intransigence does appear to stem from his belief that hes winning everywhere, reinforced by the Russian armys rapid success this month in dislodging the Ukrainian army from its stronghold in the Kursk region. He may also believe that ending the war without a resounding victoryone that he can sell not only to the general public but to the hawks and the war veteransmay create far more problems than it will solve. For example, an end to the war will mean flooding Russia with hundreds of thousands of embittered ex-soldiers, many of them also ex-convicts.

In reality, the situation on the front is not that great for Russia. The retaking of the Kursk territories takes away a potential bargaining chip from Ukraine and ends a national humiliation for Russia. But there may be a certain symbolism in the fact that when Putin made a TV appearance in what was said to be a Russian command center in the Kursk region wearing military fatigues, he cut a rather pathetic figure. (Critics scoffed that he looked like a retiree moonlighting as a store security guard or a miserable elderly draftee.) Meanwhile, Russias advance in Ukraine is basically stalled; cities whose capture was being predicted last fall, such as Pokrovsk and Toretsk, appear to be safe for the moment, and Ukrainian troops have even been able to recapture some villages and push the enemy back. While the future of U.S. assistance is up in the air under the current administration, Europes determination to step up to the plate seems genuineand Ukraine is also making headway in helping itself: Right on the heels of two barrages of drone attacks that rattled Moscow, it has apparently hit a Russian oil refinery with a domestically produced modified Neptune missile capable of a 1,000-kilometer range. And the economic resources supporting Russias war machine may finally be running out.

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Its hard to say to what extent Putin, living in his bubble of lies, is aware of these looming problems. But it seems fairly clear that he hopes Trump will bail him out by forcing Zelensky into a bad peace that will become a frozen conflict and set the stage for a new low-key hybrid war intended to bring Ukraine to heel. And it is entirely plausible that Trump will try to obligefor instance, shifting the blame for Putins intransigence to Zelensky when the Ukrainian president refuses to submit to Putins unacceptable conditions, or crediting Putins claims of supposed Ukrainian war crimes in the Kursk region.

Notably, the American public remains strongly pro-Ukraine despite the Trump-induced dip in support among Republicans. In a new Quinnipiac poll of registered voters, 62 percent say supporting Ukraine is in the national interest of the United States while only 29 percent say it is not. More than 60 percent think Trumps attitude toward Russia is not tough enough, and 56 percent disapprove of the pause in aid to Ukraine.

All of which is to say: This is a crucial time for Americans who support Ukraines cause to let their opinion be known and signal to Republicans that there will be a political price to pay for betraying Ukraine.

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1

But theres a nuance is the punchline to a well-known, very crude Russian joke in which the nuance amounts to which one of two men is literally screwing the other. Was Putin winking to Russians who see him as their tough-talking macho leader? Given the Kremlin autocrats penchant for illustrating his points with this kind of humor, it certainly cant be ruled out.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "stole" another week of war in Ukraine with his vague response to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Washington and Kyiv last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

Both Ukraine and Russia are seeking to avoid blame for prolonging Moscow's 3-year-old war and undermining nascent U.S.-led ceasefire and peace talks. American negotiators have now met with representatives from both Kyiv and Moscow in their bid to formulate a deal.

Following the U.S.-Ukraine meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last week, the two sides proposed a full 30-day ceasefire as a springboard for a wider peace agreement. Putin said he was "for" the would-be freeze in fighting, though set out additional conditions for its implementation and suggested a pause would benefit Ukraine.

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MORE: Trump and Putin to speak Tuesday as Trump seeks end to Ukraine war, Trump says

Zelenskyy has since released several statements framing Putin as intentionally hindering ceasefire talks.

"After the talks in Jeddah and the American proposal for a ceasefire on the frontline, Russia stole almost another week -- a week of war that only Russia wants," the Ukrainian president wrote on social media on Sunday.

"We will do everything to further intensify diplomacy," he added. "We will do everything to make diplomacy effective."

PHOTO: A Ukrainian tank drives on a road in a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region, on March 16, 2025. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskyy's presidential office, wrote on Telegram, "Russia continues to attack, Ukraine is responding to the attacks and will respond until Putin stops the war."

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Zelenskyy and his top officials are striving to present Ukraine as ready for peace, seemingly hoping to neutralize repeated -- and at times misleading -- criticism from President Donald Trump's administration that Kyiv, rather than Moscow, is the main obstacle to a deal.

Trump said Sunday he expects to speak with Putin by phone on Tuesday.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One as he departs from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Mar. 14, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

"A lot of work" on a potential deal was done over the weekend, Trump said. "We'll see if we have something to announce. Maybe by Tuesday." He said that his administration wants "to see if we can bring that war to an end."

"Maybe we can. Maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," the president said, speaking on board Air Force One as he returned to Washington, D.C., on Sunday night.

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MORE: Putin 'prolonging' Ukraine war, Zelenskyy says after Trump peace appeal

Zelenskyy will be monitoring the Trump-Putin talks with caution and great interest, a Ukrainian official informed about the matter told ABC News.

According to a source close to Zelenskyy's office, Putin's meeting last week with White House special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow regarding the ceasefire proposal did not go well. However, "Trump wants a ceasefire very much and still believes in it," the source added.

When asked if Putin expressed any territorial demands from Ukraine in the initial talks with Americans, the source said that Putin was vigorously raising the question of the presence of Ukrainian forces in Kursk.

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"We agreed to the U.S. ceasefire proposal with zero conditions, and if Putin is gonna start playing with Trump setting demands -- it will not work," the source added.

"We could have had a ceasefire for a week already, and the only reason it is not happening yet is the Russian position," the source said.

MORE: Several Ukrainian drones intercepted overnight just 2 miles away from Kremlin, Russia says

Fighting continues at key points along the front as the parties maneuver for advantage in further ceasefire talks.

Particular attention has been paid to the western Russian region of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces seized territory in a surprise August 2024 offensive. Russian officials have said there can be no peace talks while the area remains partially occupied.

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Recent weeks have seen Ukrainian positions there collapse under intense Russian attacks, with Putin visiting the region last week and saying that Kyiv's troops there could choose to "surrender or die."

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Mar. 14, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik via AP)

Both sides have also continued their long-range cross-border strikes. On Monday, Ukraine's air force said it shot down 90 of 174 Russian drones launched into the country overnight, with another 70 drones lost in flight without causing damage. Seven regions were impacted by the attack, the air force said.

Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said Monday its forces shot down 72 Ukrainian drones since Sunday evening.

Some drones attacked the Astrakhan region of southern Russia, around 500 miles from the closest Ukrainian-controlled territory.

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Igor Babushkin, the regional governor, said Ukraine "attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including the fuel and energy complex."

Babushkin said falling drone debris sparked a fire at one facility, though did not specify where. "The situation is under control," the governor wrote on Telegram. "One person was injured during the attack. The victim has now been taken to the hospital."

Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said on Telegram that "unknown drones struck a fuel and energy complex" in Astrakhan. "The intensity of the work of unknown drones is increasing," he added.

ABC News' Nicholas Kerr and Kevin Shalvey contributed to this report.

Putin 'stole' another week of war by dodging ceasefire proposal, Zelenskyy says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Lisa Coons speaking in Northern Northern during a public input session on July 18, 2024 in Manassas City. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)

With the sudden resignation of Virginias superintendent of public instruction Lisa Coons on Friday amid the changes to education on the federal level, some school leaders are questioning the future of public education in the commonwealth.

The last thing we need is a (state) Department of Education in flux while weve got all of this going on on the federal level, said Krista Barton-Arnold, executive director for the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, who was surprised and disappointed by Coons exit. Educators around the nation are feeling anxious about the future of public education and now with Dr. Coons, we have even more reason to be anxious.

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Barton-Arnold said the association worked closely and collaboratively with Coons, who championed efforts to support new principals and to keep principals informed of department changes through lunch and learn events explaining curriculum changes and measures to hold schools accountable for student success.

Though questions linger in the wake of Coons departure, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the education department are moving forward with a plan that includes Chief Deputy Secretary of Education Emily Anne Gullickson serving as the acting state superintendent.

Coons was Youngkins second appointment to the role in the past four years, replacing former superintendent Jillian Balow, to help Virginia address low student proficiency ratings in math and reading and continue Youngkins directive of restoring excellence in Virginias public schools.

Gullickson will continue Coons work serving as the secretary of the Board of Education.

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Governor Youngkin deeply values Dr. Coons dedication to Virginias students, parents, and educators, Youngkin spokesman Rob Damschen said. As the administration moves forward with its education agenda, we are confident that Acting Superintendent Gullickson, with her experience in the Youngkin administration and her background as a teacher and advocate for students, will lead a seamless transition.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch, which was first to report the resignation, noted that Coons resignation comes after the department missed several deadlines for reports to the state legislature and failed to publish teaching materials for the new history and social science standards, which set Virginias expectations for K-12 student learning in those areas.

The board, along with Coons, also worked to enhance special education regulations and practices, after a number of complaints were filed with the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights, prompting a federal investigation.

During her tenure, the board also overhauled the standards of learning, reduced regulatory barriers, approved new laboratory schools, enhanced the public charter school review process and lowered the vacancy rate of teachers. The Mercury reached out to the education department to learn more about the impetus of Coons exit.

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Coons said serving as superintendent has been an incredible privilege in an announcement to the agency sent through Chief of Staff Jeremy Raley on Friday.

It has been my great honor to serve the students, families, and educators of Virginia in my time leading the Department of Education under Governor Youngkin, said Coons in the message. After careful consideration, I have decided to pursue new professional opportunities, and I wish Governor Youngkin and his administration the best.

Board of Education President Grace Creasey, also a Youngkin appointee, accepted Coons resignation and thanked her for her service.

A great deal has been accomplished under Dr. Coons leadership, Creasey wrote, but did not specify any examples.

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Creasey wrote that Gullickson brings experience, deep knowledge, commitment, and passion to the superintendents role and promised the board would work with her to facilitate a swift and seamless transition.

Keith Perrigan, president of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, thanked Coons for her work.

She has been visible in every region in the commonwealth highlighting excellence in our public schools and her passion for literacy is only matched by her love for students. We wish her well as she pursues new professional opportunities.

The governor appoints the superintendent of public instruction after consultation with the board and other leaders, which is subject to confirmation by the legislature and lasts for the governors term, according to state law. Vacancies are filled through the same process.

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The only specific requirement in state law is that the superintendent must be an experienced educator.

If the governor appoints a new superintendent, he must make the decision before the end of his term, which ends at the end of the year.

The General Assembly is expected to meet in April for the reconvened session to finalize the state budget and in January for the regular session.

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As war in Ukraine rages, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a new frontier for Russias assault on Europe. Putin sees an opportunity to expose Europe as a paper tiger, incapable of resisting his advances. Europe should turn the tables now and expose the Kremlin as nothing but an empty shell.

Milorad Dodik, the Bosnian Serb leader, is seemingly willing to do the Kremlins bidding, and has threatened the secession of Republika Srpska. Last month, a Bosnian court sentenced Dodik to a year in prison and banned him from politics for six years over his separatist activities and for defying the orders of an international peace envoy.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, condemned Dodiks moves. The EU has just sent more peacekeeping troops to Bosnia and Mark Rutte, the secretary-general of Nato, has pledged unwavering support for Bosnias territorial integrity.

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Putin and his proxies want to head in the opposite direction. The court ruling prompted criticism from the Serbian and Russian governments. Aleksandar Vucic, the president of Serbia, flew to Republika Srpska to decry the sentence as shameful, unlawful, antidemocratic.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, called Dodiks conviction a purely politically motivated move. The Russian ministry of foreign affairs announced that Moscow was trying to neutralise threats to inter-ethnic dialogue, peace and stability in the Balkans.

Dodiks secessionist aspirations were supported by Aleksandr Dugin, Russias ultra-nationalist philosopher and a Putin apologist. The Russian propaganda broadcaster RT immediately accused the UK of sending a spy plane to monitor Bosnia.

Moscows rhetorical intervention, buttressed by Serbia, indicates that it senses an opportunity to use ethnic tensions to strengthen its influence in the Balkans.

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Putin is probably calculating that Western powers are keen to avoid renewed violence, especially while they are struggling to sustain support for Kyiv. For Vucic, meddling in Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthens his grip on power in Serbia  especially as last weekend, hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of the capital, Belgrade.

Dodik has met with Putin numerous times over the past few years to strengthen their partnership. In 2024, they met in Kazan, where the Bosnian Serb leader made clear he was working to prevent Bosnias participation in sanctions against Moscow.

The mandate and capacity of the European Unions military mission in Bosnia are limited. Putin, Dodik and Vucic appear to believe they are not a threat to their designs.

Europes response is complicated by Washingtons retreat from the Continent. Regardless of their threats, in truth Dodik is weak domestically, Vucic is dealing with mass protests and Putin is busy in Ukraine. At this time, the EU and the UK could have a quick win and show who is the boss in this house.

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To halt Putins and Dodiks plans, the UK and the EU need to create a coalition of the willing in the Western Balkans, boost their military presence and send information operations teams to counter Russian propaganda.

If Europe fails to muster an adequate response, the Western Balkans could descend into conflict once again. But the West has the capacity to stop this in its tracks  if we have the will.

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HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)  Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Great Britain near the end of the fourth century.

At 16 years old, he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland where he was held captive. While a prisoner, he turned to Christianity for solace and after the six years, he escaped and made his way back to his family in Britain.

St. Patricks Committee of Holyoke hosts reception honoring 72nd Grand Marshal

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Per his own writing, a voice told him to return to Ireland as a missionary, prompting him to become a priest, traveling through Ireland and converting the Irish to Christianity.

Though he is recognized as a saint, St. Patrick was never canonized by the Catholic church.

St. Patrick died on March 17, 461. The popular holiday, celebrated on the same day, has grown into a celebration of Irish culture and legends, like the saint using a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity.

The 72nd annual Holyokes St. Patricks Parade is Sunday, March 23rd and can be watched live on 22News and streamed on WWLP.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.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 originally published by Arizona Mirror.

Shondiin Silversmith

Arizona Mirror

Tribal nations and leaders throughout Arizona honored U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, who died Thursday, as a warrior for Indigenous communities and commended his continuous efforts to support Indigenous peoples fights to protect the environment, water and natural resources.

It was well known that Congressman Grijalva was a champion of tribal nations and worked to ensure that tribal communities had a voice in Congress to speak to important policy issues, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community President Martin Harvier said in a statement.

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Harvier said that, as the longest serving member of the Arizona congressional delegation, Grijalva was keenly aware of issues impacting tribal communities within his district and across the state.

In this time of need, we acknowledge the sacrifice he and his family gave in service to the country and we send our deepest condolences and prayers, he added.

Grijalva, a Democrat from Tucson, passed away at 77 from complications related to lung cancer treatments, his office announced on Thursday. He revealed his cancer diagnosis last April and expressed his intention to pursue an aggressive treatment regimen. He had announced he would not seek re-election in 2026.

I called him Tio Raul, Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly said. Although unrelated to the congressmen, she said she used the Spanish term for uncle to show respect and affection for someone she deeply admired.

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Cazares-Kelly first met Grijalva on the Tohono Oodham Nation during his numerous visits to the Tohono Oodham Community College, where she was employed.

Despite his powerful title, he was incredibly friendly and intentionally sought out conversations with everyday people, she said, adding that he made people feel important and inspired them to think bigger.

Cazares-Kelly said the congressmen advocated for several important issues dear to her, including tribal colleges, environmental concerns and voting rights.

When she was elected Pima County recorder, she said Grijalva continued to encourage her and emphasized the importance of standing her ground, especially in the face of White supremacy.

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I am honored to have personally known him and spent time learning from him, she added. He will be greatly missed.

Grijalva, of Tucson, spent more than 50 years in public service representing the people of southern Arizona, including more than 20 years in Congress.

He represented Arizonas 7th District, which includes the Tohono Oodham Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the Gila River Indian Community, the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe and the Cocopah Tribe.

Indivisible Tohono co-founder April Ignacio said they are devastated by the loss of Grijalva. She said the group was the pebble in his shoe when they began, but he was always gracious.

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He made space for us, Ignacio said, even though their organization first met Grijalva when they crashed one of his town hall meetings in Tucson in 2017.

She said that Grijalva told the crowd that night that no one gets a pass and they need to hold all elected officials accountable. Ignacio said Indivisible Tohono went to that town hall to hold him accountable and he still took the time to take a picture with them.

He was tough on us, but we know he believed in the heartwork we found ourselves in, Ignacio said, adding that the best advice he gave them was to stick to your guns.

Indivisible Tohono wishes to extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children and grandchildren, his staff and all those who knew him as we did, she added.

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With a passion for his community and the planet, Grijalva served as the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, as chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and as a long-time member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

As a congressman, Grijalva routinely included Indigenous communities in his legislative efforts, from infrastructure developments and road maintenance to environmental protection and health care access.

We have an atrocious history of injustice towards the Indigenous people of this land that goes against the very values of our country and that we must constantly work to rectify, his website states.

Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez shared a statement on his Facebook page honoring the congressmen, stating that he and his staff were essential partners during his administration.

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Nez said that Grijalva helped the Navajo Nation secure the funding and resources needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and protect public lands near the Grand Canyon.

Grijalva was always a strong ally to the Navajo Nation and Indian Country, Nez said. He served as a true public servant for the people of his district and of Arizona.

Nez said that his legacy will live on through the impacts of his public service and the countless people he touched along the way.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren released a statement on his Facebook page in honor of Grijalva, saying that no words can express his deep gratitude for the congressmens tireless efforts on behalf of the tribal communities across Arizona.

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He was a champion who answered the call of those who had often been overlooked and unheard, Nygren said. In a world where such calls can be easy to ignore, Rep. Grijalva was always there to lift those voices.

Nygren said that Grijalvas work was instrumental in protecting sacred lands, including the Grand Canyon, and his commitment as a co-sponsored for the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, which will secure water for the Navajo Nation.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, and I pray that the holy people provide them with comfort during this difficult time, he said.

Shondiin Silversmith is an award-winning Indigenous journalist for the Arizona Mirror from the Navajo Nation who has covered Indigenous Affairs for over 14 years. She currently focuses on Arizona's 22 federally recognized tribal nations. Her stories have appeared in local and national news publications across the country.
The U.S. Army is contributing ground-based radars to help spot and track drones as part of the continued build-up of U.S. military support along the U.S.-Mexican border. Drug cartels in Mexico have been steadily increasing their use of weaponized uncrewed aerial systems, as well as unarmed types for surveillance and smuggling. There are also growing concerns about the threats drones pose to the U.S. homeland, especially military bases and other critical infrastructure.

The Department of Defense released pictures earlier today showing members of the Armys 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum in New York State, training with the AN/TPQ-53 and AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radars in Arizona. The 10th Mountain Division is one of a number of units from across the U.S. military that has sent personnel and material to support the enhanced border security mission that kicked off after President Donald Trump took office in January.

A member of the 10th Mountain Division works on an AN/MPQ-64 radar in Arizona earlier this month. DOD/US Army Sgt. Chase Murray

HHB Divarty [Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, Division Artillery,] 10th Mountain Division raise their drone detection capabilities at the southern border, the title of one of the pictures declares. Its caption also notes that U.S. Northern Command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southern border.

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Beyond confirming that the sentinel radar is a C-UAS [counter-uncrewed aerial systems] capability organic to 10th Mountain Division, I wont get into specifics on what other DoD assets may or may not be at the border, a spokesperson for NORTHCOM told TWZ when asked for more information.

The AN/MPQ-64 is a multi-purpose radar that can be used to spot various aerial threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles, as well as drones, and cue air defense systems to engage them.

A stock picture of an AN/MPQ-64 radar. Raytheon

The AN/TPQ-53, also sometimes referred to just as the Q-53, is primarily designed to detect and track incoming artillery rockets and shells, as well as determine their point of origin. Friendly forces can then use that data to target the enemy units that launched those attacks. This is why they are currently found in Army artillery units like the 10th Mountains DIVARTY. The TPQ-53 does also have a demonstrated ability to spot and track drones.

Both the AN/TPQ-53 and the AN/MPQ-64 are well-suited to spotting and tracking low-flying threats. As such, sending the radars to the border with Mexico would provide valuable additional capacity to monitor for cartel drone activity, as well as just offer useful added situational awareness.

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Increasingly well-armed and otherwise equipped, in general, Mexican drug cartels have embraced the uncrewed aerial system and have continued to expand the scale and scope of their use of those platforms. Originally seen primarily as a tool for cross-border smuggling, cartels are now regularly using drones to surveil and launch attacks against each other, as well as government security forces.

#Mexico  : A new video posted "MF" Cartel members operating Explosive-laden drone in #Zacatecas.



Cartel members displays a DJI Drone which is armed with an air-dropped Improvised (locally-made) Grenade which will likely be used against #CJNG members. pic.twitter.com/9pxnm045ct  War Noir (@war_noir) January 23, 2025

Jalisco Cartel, Nueva Generacion dropping small bombs from a drone on a target in Michoacan, Mexico.

People can be seen running away after the bombs hit the camp. #Mexico pic.twitter.com/5pYtg1V9B4  CNW (@ConflictsW) January 11, 2022

#Mexico: Footage showing CJNG (Jalisco New Generation Cartel) sicarios attacking members of Carteles Unidos with a civilian drone. The modification of civilian drones to drop explosives has now made its way to Mexico, a tactic pioneered by militant groups in #Syria and #Iraq. pic.twitter.com/1JpAVZXsBk  POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) August 17, 2022

Multiple incidents in recent years have underscored how cartel-related violence in Mexico can already escalate to points where it takes on a character more in line with an open low-level civil conflict than just organized crime. As the U.S. government, including the U.S. military, has stepped up activity along the southern border in recent months, there have been growing concerns about the potential for that violence to spill over. This includes reported fears that cartels could launch cross-border drone attacks.

Sinaloa cartel members trying to take down Mexican Air Force planes that where providing cover for the apparent extraction of Oviedo Guzman Loera from Sinaloa after his arrest this morning pic.twitter.com/CZD6JB0qNk  Ed's Manifesto (@eds_manifesto) January 5, 2023

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Aeronaves de la Fuerza Aerea sobrevuelan la Ciudad de Culiacan en Sinaloa pic.twitter.com/OFdCF24dQA  Mexico Aeroespacial y Defensa (@maeroespacial) January 5, 2023

#Mexico: Heavy clashes between cartel militants and Mexican security forces have broken out in the Sinaloa city of Culiacan after Ovidio Guzman (the son of the notorious El Chapo) was arrested. pic.twitter.com/QMmN4HPZSY  POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) January 5, 2023

FPV drone war across the border after drug war goes super hot? I mean its crazy that it isnt impossible to imagine it.  Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) February 28, 2025

Drone incursions across the U.S.-Mexican border are already a routine occurrence. I dont know the actual number  I dont think anybody does  but its in the thousands, U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of NORTHCOM and the U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told members of Congress when asked about this issue at a hearing last year.

At that same hearing, Guillot became the first U.S. official to publicly acknowledge still-unexplained drone incursions over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, over a period of weeks in December 2023, which TWZ was the first to report on. The swarming of Langley, as well as a flurry of claimed drone sightings over New Jersey and other parts of the United States bordering on mass hysteria last year, have since become national cause celebres. Helped in addition by constant reports about drone use in the ongoing war in Ukraine, threats posed by uncrewed aerial systems have been fully thrust into the public consciousness. Its interesting to note here that Ukrainian forces have also been using U.S.-supplied TPQ-53 and MPQ-64 radars.

None of this is new, including when it comes to the U.S. homeland, as TWZ has been highlighting in steady reporting about drone activity over military facilities and training ranges, as well as warships offshore, and critical civilian infrastructure, for years now. Incursions last year at bases hosting U.S. forces in the United Kingdom further underscored that these threats are global in nature and not limited to traditional battlefields. In addition to Langley, we have been the first to report on many other drone incidents at home and abroad, something CBS News 60 Minutes drew attention to just this weekend in a segment on this topic.

On top of all this, there has been and continues to be substantial overlap between reports of sightings of what are now often called unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and drones. By the U.S. governments own assessments, many purported UAPs are likely to have been uncrewed aerial systems, though some incidents do remain unexplained.

A breakdown of cases of reported UAP sightings between 2023 and 2024 assessed by the Pentagons All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office to have been drones (UAS) and other explainable objects. AARO

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There were 350 [drone] detections reported last year on military installations, and that was 350 over a total of 100 different installations of all types and levels of security, Guillot had also said at another hearing in January. The primary threat I see for them in the way theyve been operating is detection and perhaps surveillance of sensitive capabilities on our installations.

Despite all this, the U.S. military and the rest of the U.S. government continue to play catch-up when it comes to tackling drone threats, especially with the U.S. homeland.

Well, I think the, the threat got ahead of our ability to detect and, and track the threat. I think all eyes were, rightfully, overseas, where UAVs [uncrewed air vehicles] were being used on one-way attack to attack U.S. and coalition service members, Guillot told CBS News 60 Minutes for its segment this weekend. And the threat in the U.S. probably caught us by surprise a little bit.

At another point in the segment, CBS Bill Whitaker asked Guillot if, as it stands today, could you detect a swarm of drones flying over or flying into the airspace at Langley? Could you detect that today?

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At low altitude, probably not with your standard FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] or surveillance radars, Guillot said, which also highlights the value of having the Army radars near the border with Mexico.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot during a visit to the headquarters of Joint Task Force-North, one of the US militarys main entities for coordinating support for border security operations, in January 2025. US Army

When it comes to the U.S. military more actively addressing drone threats within the confines of the United States, an often obtuse maze of rules, regulations, and legal jurisdictions presents real challenges. Efforts have been and continue to be made to try to simplify and streamline the situation. Any discussion about trying to shoot down drones flying in U.S. airspace has to also take into account various risks, especially to innocent bystanders on the ground. You can read more about all of this in detail in this previous TWZ story.

Customs and Border Protection have various C-UAS capabilities, and the authorities to use them, in the U.S. southern border area, the NORTHCOM spokesperson told TWZ today as part of their response to our queries about the Army radars. USNORTHCOM is working with CBP to tie in complementary C-UAS capabilities, and specific authorities associated with each. As with the rest of the homeland, covered DoD installations are authorized C-UAS capabilities beyond self-defense.

The Army sending the radars to the border with Mexico now highlights the larger continued gaps just in being able to monitor uncrewed aerial activity, let alone disrupt, disable, or destroy those systems, as well as the threats that cartel drones pose more specifically.

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Update: 3/18/2025 

After this story was published, Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the AN/TPQ-53, sent TWZ a press release regarding that radars deployment in support of NORTHCOMs Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB).

The USNORTHCOM southern border mission demands the capability to detect and track various threats, ranging from airborne to ground-based threats, the release says. The AN/TPQ-53 MMR is built to address this demand, offering agile and precise 360-degree scanning that can be deployed in under five minutes. The system identifies rapid threats, such as unmanned aerial systems , enabling service members to swiftly detect and respond with agility.

This integration with the JTF-SB follows recent demonstrations [at] Northern Strike and Desert Guardian 1.0 highlighting [the] AN/TPQ-53s ability to quickly adopt software updates and meet urgent national security priorities, it adds.

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The successful integration of the AN/TPQ-53 MMR in the southern border deployment showcases the power of collaboration between industry, government agencies such as the Department of Defenses Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office and end-users in addressing complex challenges, Rick Cordaro, Lockheed Martins vice president and general manager of Radar Sensors and Systems, said in an accompanying statement. The AN/TPQ-53 MMRs proven performance and reliability have earned it a reputation as a trusted asset, and its open architecture design ensures it will remain a vital component of USNORTHCOMs mission to actively working with Customs and Border Protection to secure the southern border.

Howard Altman contributed to this story.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
Mothers in Hungary will be exempt from paying income tax for life if they have two children under radical new plans to combat the countrys plummeting fertility rate.

Hungarys population is expected to fall to 8.5 million by 2050, compared to 9.6 million today, according to forecasts by the Hungarian Research Network, as fewer Hungarian women have children.

Under the new laws, mothers with one child will be exempt from income tax until they turn 30, while those with two or more children will pay no income tax for life.

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Hungarys population decline has been a concern for decades. A baby bust following the 2008 financial crisis saw the country fall to the bottom of the European fertility tables.

International immigration somewhat offsets the declining population, but Hungary faces immense demographic pressure despite providing generous incentives aimed at encouraging having children.

Mothers with four or more children are already totally tax exempt, the state fully funds some fertility clinics, and there are subsidies for parents buying a home. The incentives drove up Hungarys fertility rate from a low of 1.2 in 2011 to 1.6 in 2021.

But fertility has stalled in the years since, and the fertility rate fell to 1.38 last year. In December, 6,339 children were born while 11,773 died, resulting in a population decrease of 5,434. Marriages in the country fell by a quarter between 2023 and 2024.

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Over the year, the number of children born fell by 9.1pc to 77,500, with a 14pc drop recorded in the summer months of June to August.

At the same time, the number of deaths also fell by 0.5pc to 127,500, meaning the natural decrease in population surged by 16pc.

Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister described the tax cut on Sunday as the largest in Europe, and indeed the entire Western world.

He said: With this, we are opening a new chapter in the history of the Hungarian economy. We are creating the worlds first family-centred economy.

The tax breaks for mothers form part of a wider push by Mr Orban to provide financial aid to traditional families. His announcement comes a year before Hungarys parliamentary elections  set to take place in April next year.

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Mr Orban said: Even by the most modern standards, this is a global sensation. With this, we are securing the future of Hungarian families for decades to come.

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SANAA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi military spokesperson said Monday that his group launched a second attack targeting a U.S. aircraft carrier in the northern Red Sea after the U.S. military conducted fresh airstrikes on Houthi targets.

"In response to the continued American aggression against our country ... our armed forces targeted for the second time in less than 24 hours, the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman in the northern Red Sea with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in the statement early Monday morning aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"Our armed forces also succeeded in thwarting a hostile attack the enemy was preparing to launch against our country by launching several rocket and drone attacks that forced the enemy warplanes to return," he said.

Sarea also vowed to expand attacks to include all U.S. naval and commercial vessels in the region if U.S. airstrikes continued.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said in a post on X that its operations against the Houthi group continued, referring to fresh airstrikes against Houthi targets.

Houthi TV al-Masirah reported that U.S. airstrikes on Monday targeted a cotton ginning factory in Zabid District, south of the western province of Hodeidah, and the governorate building in the northeastern province of Al-Jawf. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Houthi-run health ministry in Sanaa said that the death toll from U.S. airstrikes has increased to 53, including five children and two women, with 98 others wounded. Rescue operations are underway to search for others trapped under the rubble.

The U.S. airstrikes began Saturday evening as President Donald Trump vowed to continue air attacks until the Houthis stopped attacking international shipping lines and ships. 
When a heavy piece of wood and plaster molding fell from the ceiling of Christ Episcopal Church, the congregation knew there was a problem.

The church was empty and no one was hurt when the incident occurred just a few weeks before Christmas, said Chris Spohn, chairman of the churchs property committee.

It was either Saturday night or Sunday morning, Spohn said. It dropped, and when it hit the ground, it actually drove the nails straight into the oak floor.

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Sunday services carried on as usual, said the Rev. Bryce Wandrey, rector of the church. The pews below the damaged ceiling were cordoned off with yellow caution tape, and congregants steered clear of that area, he noted.

But all knew the situation had to be addressed, Spohn said. So the committee turned to Ken Saul Jr., lead craftsman and owner of Restoration Artisans, Greenwich Township.

Saul previously did exterior restoration work at the church and is familiar with its construction and support system, which he described as barn-like.

He determined the molding was decorative, not structural. But to be on the safe side, Saul and the committee brought in a structural engineer to further assess the building.

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The engineer found significant issues involving a sagging beam connecting the oldest section of the church to an addition, Saul explained.

Alex OGorman of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission climbs the scaffolding to examine historical renovations at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Founded in 1763, Christ Church is the oldest English-speaking congregation in Reading. The nave, or main section, dates to 1826, Wandrey said.

The church was expanded and remodeled several times, including in 1873, when the chancel  the area around the altar  was enlarged by 16 feet.

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About that time, the red sandstone front and 200-foot tower and spire were built.

The stone facade was designed by Edward T. Potter, a New York architect and designer of Mark Twains house in Hartford, Conn.

Saul found one of the wooden trusses in the older sanctuary area has a 6-inch dip in the middle, and other beams dip by about 2 inches.

The sagging led to visible cracks in the plaster and caused the roof to settle unevenly, he explained. And if left unaddressed, he said, this could lead to further damage.

Plans for the structural repairs are underway and could include reinforcing the beam with metal brackets or lumber, Saul said.

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Ken M. Saul Jr. of Restoration Artisans in Kutztown, left, points out details that need repair to Alex OGorman and John P. Wood of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

In the meantime, a temporary scaffold was installed to brace the area and allow for continued plaster repairs.

Funding for the repairs is coming from the churchs own resources and fundraising efforts, Spohn said.

The church previously received a Keystone historic preservation grant for exterior masonry restoration from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commissions office of historic preservation.

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As part of the grant requirements, the preservation office holds a protective covenant on the property and periodically inspects it, said John Wood, manager of the offices preservation incentive division.

Ken M. Saul Jr. of Restoration Artisans in Kutztown, left, points out details that need repair to Alex OGorman and John P. Wood of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Wood and his colleague Alex Gorman, historic property inspection supervisor, recently visited the church to check on the interior work.

Their goal, Wood said, was to ensure proper materials were being used and that the work adhered to the Secretary of Interiors standards for rehabilitation.

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The standards, which also have been adopted by the citys Historical Architectural Review Board, help maintain the character and architectural integrity of historic buildings and those within historic districts.

Not only is Christ Church significant on its own, Wood said, but it is a contributing building within the citys Callowhill Historic District.

Preserving it (the church) helps maintain the character and integrity of the entire neighborhood, he said.

The historic district is composed of numerous properties that together convey a sense of community and development and what downtown Reading was in the past, he said.

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So if you start to lose those, not only do you lose the historic building, but it also negatively impacts the historic character of your downtown space and the district itself, Wood said. That really changes the feel and character of your community.

Wood commended the congregation for taking the necessary steps to preserve what he called a historic treasure.

The congregation and pastor of the church, as well as their restoration contractor and architect are really doing a great job at being good stewards of that historic property, he said.

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The Rev. Bryce Wandrey, left, talks with officials from the Pennsylvanian Historical and Museum Commission and workers from Restoration Artisans in Kutztown at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Ken M. Saul Jr. of Restoration Artisans in Kutztown, left, points out details that need repair to Alex O'Gorman and John P. Wood of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Alex O'Gorman of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission climbs the scaffolding to examine historical renovations at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Officials from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and Restoration Artisans along with church members talk about the repairs underway at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Ken M. Saul Jr. of Restoration Artisans in Kutztown, left, points out details that need repair to Alex O'Gorman and John P. Wood of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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From left, Alex OGorman and John P. Wood from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Chris Spohn, property manager; and Ken M. Saul Jr., and his daughter Sophia Saul of Restoration Artisans in Kutztown, discuss historical renovations in the ceiling and trusses taking place at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Ken M. Saul Jr. of Restoration Artisans LLC in Kutztown consults with Andrew Machemer of Ground Penetrating Radar Systems in Aston, Delaware County, about an image from the ground penetrating radar system that shows a metallic object in the wall of Christ Episcopal Church at Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH  READING EAGLE)

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The image from the ground-penetrating radar system shows a metallic object in the wall of Christ Episcopal Church at Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH  READING EAGLE)

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Andrew Machemer of Aston, Delaware County, uses ground penetrating radar to locate a time capsule in the wall of Christ Episcopal Church at Fifth and Court streets on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (BILL UHRICH  READING EAGLE)

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Andrew Machemer of Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, right, scans the wall of Christ Episcopal Church as Cliff Buckwalter, a member of the churchs property committee, watches. The image from the ground penetrating radar system shows a metallic object in the wall of Christ Episcopal Church at Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH  READING EAGLE)

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Andrew Machemer of Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, right, shows the results of his scans to Cliff Buckwalter, a member of the Christ Episcopal Churchs property committee. The image from the ground penetrating radar system shows a metallic object in the wall of Christ Episcopal Church at Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH  READING EAGLE)

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The Rev. Bryce Wandrey, left, talks with officials from the Pennsylvanian Historical and Museum Commission and workers from Restoration Artisans in Kutztown at Christ Episcopal Church, Fifth and Court streets. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Allowing striking workers to collect unemployment would even the playing field between workers and their employers, a union member says.

Going on strike is no vacation. Its likely the hardest thing a worker will ever have to do  I know it was for me.

In 2021, after 20 years of working at the Nabisco/Mondelez facility in Northeast Portland, my union, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union Local 364 (BCTGM), went on strike for 43 days.

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Voting for the strike wasnt easy for us, but we had no choice. After four years of working under an expired contract with no meaningful movement from the company, striking was the last chance we had to get Nabisco/Mondelez to sit down and bargain with us in good faith.

Not striking would have meant staying in an unsafe job, working days and weeks without a break or doing something unthinkable  quitting. Meanwhile, the company was making record-breaking profits off of our labor.

Going on strike meant losing income for a month and a half. It meant taking on second jobs to survive, all while maintaining a 24-hours-a-day strike line. I worked 60-hour weeks as a delivery driver to make ends meet, and many of my coworkers did the same. I was terrified that I would lose my healthcare, as my daughter lay in a hospital battling a chronic illness.

Halfway through the strike, my worst fear came true: Nabisco/Mondelez pulled our healthcare.

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Thanks to a temporary COVID benefit, we were able to keep our insurance for one month. Thats not a benefit available to striking workers today. Without that benefit, I absolutely would have been forced to choose between paying my rent, feeding my family, and paying for my daughters medical bills.

Many people dont know the realities of striking unless they have experienced it themselves. Its not free time off from work. It is costly and scary. Even if unemployment benefits are given to striking workers, going on strike will continue to have a price.

The Oregon Senate is considering legislation that would help make workers who are in impossible positions not have to face dire situations.

Getting unemployment insurance during our strike would have fundamentally changed our lives. The contract we passed, ending the strike, was extremely flawed, but we were exhausted and pushed beyond our physical and financial limits.

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I believe the contract passed because my co-workers couldnt hold out any longer. If the financial stress could have been relieved even a little bit, I have to think we would have stood a chance at winning a stronger contract.

This is the reality for workers across America. Oregon has the opportunity to create a new reality by helping workers stand on more equal footing with their bosses during negotiations.

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THE REPUBLICAN FUNDING BILL THAT ten members of the Senate Democratic caucus helped pass last Friday is a disgrace. Its also a sham.

Defenders of the bill have called it a continuing resolution, arguing that it simply kept in place the spending levels of the last year of Joe Bidens administration. But it cannot be called that. This partisan legislation, written by Republicans without any input from Democrats, whose votes they needed to overcome the Senate filibuster, gutted billions of dollars of federal programs. Were talking cuts to health care, cancer research, housing, infrastructure, and veterans services. Maybe worst of all, House Republicans used a procedural measure before final passage of the bill that prevents Congress from having to vote on keeping or getting rid of Donald Trumps deeply unpopular tariffs, which are raising prices and otherwise tanking the U.S. economy.

By the time the final product came to the floor, all except one House Democrat voted against it. At a minimum, it appeared, this vote could have been used against Republicans in the 2026 elections to flip the House and Senate.

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But then Sens. Brian Schatz, Catherine Cortez Masto, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Kirsten Gillibrand, Angus King, Maggie Hassan, Gary Peters, Chuck Schumer, and Jeanne Shaheen broke from their Democratic colleagues to advance it.

These senators could have used the filibuster to demand that Republicans come to the table to negotiate a bipartisan agreement. Instead, they folded. In doing so, they became emblematic of a neutered and feckless opposition party that has outraged and demoralized Democratic voters (and donors) since the November election.

The condemnation from within the party was near-unanimous, and the critics included fellow members of Congress, who publicly laced into Senate Minority Leader Schumer in unusually harsh terms. In the House, the most revealing commentary was a non-comment. In response to separate questions asking if it was time for new leadership in the Senate, and if he had lost confidence in Schumer, House minority leader and fellow Brooklynite Hakeem Jeffries deflected each time, saying, Next question. The message was clear; take it from someone who has served with Hakeem.

Should you subscribe to The Bulwark? That message is clear, too. Do it here.

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It was worse in the upper chamber, where Senate Democrats are privately mulling replacing Schumer. Before having an aide try to clean up his statement, Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia told the press, I think come 26, 28 well get some new leadership. Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona said he was concerned Democrats had lost their leverage by allowing the bill to move forward. These two men represent some of the swingiest states in America, both of which Trump won in 2024. Their statements should put to rest any notion that Schumers vote was really about providing cover to his vulnerable members. In fact, he may have harmed them.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is already running ads accusing Sen. Jon Ossoff of voting to shut down the government. Now, because of Chuck Schumer and a few others, Sen. Ossoff will be unable to point to any policy concessions made by the Trump administration as a result of holding up the funding bill.

The nicest thing that can be said is that Schumer and the rest genuinely believed their capitulation was the best path forward for the country. But that perspective only underscores an existential problem for Democrats. Our central, defining task right now is to stand up to a lawless bully in the Oval Office. Even the federal workers who stood to be most directly impacted by a government shutdown understood this; the American Federation of Government Employees urged senators to vote against cloture.

As someone whose successful campaign for Congress in 2020 began as a primary challenge to a sixteen-term incumbent and chair of the House Appropriations Committee, in which I argued that Democrats needed to fight harder for the things we said we believed in, I can see another reckoning within the Democratic party coming. On CNN Friday night, Van Jones said he had never seen this level of volcanic anger at a Democrat, ever. The 2018 and 2020 cycles, during the first Trump presidency, saw an uptick in the number of bold, progressive candidates winning primary challenges in the Northeast and Midwest. Given the recent backlash to leftist policies, successful primary challengers in the 2026 and 2028 cycles (if we are fortunate to still have elections) will win by convincing voters not that they are more progressive, but that they will fight harder against Donald Trump and MAGA extremists than the out-of-touch incumbents they seek to replace.

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As the horrors of the second Trump presidency continue to unfold, there will be an increasingly anxious electorate waiting to see that fight and hear that message. That is the reason last weeks vote wont be forgottenbecause it was the main leverage Democrats in Congress will have for the remainder of the year.

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It is notable that New York once again finds itself the staging ground for The Resistance. Even before last week, a poll showed 56 percent of New Yorkers would like to replace Gov. Kathy Hochul next year. Her charismatic lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, has been calling for a new generation of leadership and is widely viewed to be preparing a campaign to unseat her. In a statement Friday night, Delgado criticized Schumer and the other Democrats who caved, but Hochuls handpicked chairman of the state party came to Schumers defense. Meanwhile, the discussion among Democrats about a 2028 primary challenge to Schumer by Reps. Pat Ryan or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has reached a fever pitch. (Schumer will be 78 and has served in office, starting in the New York State Assembly, since age 24.)

Any Democrat looking to serve in high office these days needs to understand that this is not 2010. It is not even 2020. Emboldened by never having to run for office again, the most powerful person in the world is working to end our democracy and punish his perceived enemies. Since his inauguration eight weeks ago, Trump has already made a lot of progress. The opposition party cannot afford to give an inch. Brute power must be met with brute resistance, and I know from having had enough debates with my ex-colleagues in Congress that the Senate Democrats who voted for cloture dont understand that imperative. But their voters do.

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On New Years Day, Mayor Brandon Johnson welcomed 2025 by reminding Chicago leaders of the headwinds Black politicians like him face.

The mayor sent a Crusader piece from last October titled, Are Black mayors under attack across the U.S., some say its a pattern, to his business liaison Charles Smith, according to copies of Johnsons texts obtained by the Tribune through a public records request.

Happy New Year! Johnson wrote to Smith, who replied: Crusader poppin out!

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Johnson also messaged the article to state Rep. Kam Buckner and Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley: Thought this was an interesting read. In other January texts, the mayor told political allies the city was undergoing a new Reconstruction era, an allusion to the period of rapid but ultimately halted Black advancement after the Civil War.

The array of messages from Johnson midway into his term paint a picture of a freshman executive entrenching further into his identity as a Black mayor after two years of steep setbacks and attacks on his leadership abilities.

Outside these conversations, Johnson has made weekly rounds with Chicagos Black media outlets and embarked on a Faith in Government tour this year, arenas where hes evidently felt more comfortable antagonizing naysayers and casting his dustups as part of an existential battle against a political establishment that doesnt want Black Chicagoans to prosper.

The strategy, while not wholly new for Johnson, comes as the Black and progressive bases that formed his road to victory in 2023 show early signs of eroding. His recent effort, apparently to build a voter coalition to carry him to a second term, has seen him double down on outreach to South and West Side voters, a path similar to the one his predecessor, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, charted as she tried unsuccessfully to win reelection.

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And Johnson has made clear in his private and public remarks that he thinks any discontent from Black Chicagoans about his performance is because they arent getting enough information about his achievements.

Our people need to hear more from us and see how we are collaborating to create a more sustainable equitable society, Johnson texted Ald. William Hall, 6th, on Jan. 18. Lets do more community building togetherIm committed. This is an era of Re- Reconstruction.

The Chatham alderman replied, My God. The Re-Reconstruction, before adding the 100 emoji. The mayor sent a similar call to action to five other council members that weekend.

Another ally responded to a Johnson message by drawing an even stronger parallel between the freshman mayor and the historic struggle of Black Americans.

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Rev MLK Jr was the most hated man in America in his time, yet his legacy is beloved, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, texted Johnson on Jan. 19, a day before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday  and President Donald Trumps inauguration. We know the mountaintop is real and within reach.

The barrage of mid-January texts came on the heels of another rough week for Johnson. His political committee had come under fire for a fresh round of accounting issues with his campaign contributions, and the city suffered a credit downgrade over his 2025 budget.

But Hall told the Tribune the mayors controversies pale in comparison with the spending hes done in Black neighborhoods like his.

If the 6th Ward and other Black wards cannot see change in their neighborhoods, that means they are choosing not to look for it, Hall said. He is trying to make sure that the Black community knows he hasnt forgotten about Black people.

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One of Chicagos most prominent African Americans is skeptical.

Willie Wilson, a businessman who has run for mayor three times, said Black congregants at the Sunday services he attends regularly approach him with consternation over Johnson: Why would he put illegal immigrants over the citizens? Why is he trying to raise taxes?

They were referring to the migrant crisis that upended the mayors first year in office (though most of those arrivals were legally allowed to enter and remain in the country as asylum seekers), as well as his attempt to go back on his campaign promise to not hike property taxes. Johnson gave up the proposed property tax increase only when aldermen made clear they wouldnt vote for it as part of the mayors 2025 budget.

The first issue has become one of Johnsons biggest political liabilities, as his emergency response to the tens of thousands of impoverished migrants arriving in Chicago from Texas left many in the Black community feeling neglected.

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He doesnt take care of his own, the people who voted and put him in office. Thats what I think is one of the biggest problems, Wilson said. I dont think it ever gonna go away.  I think he already damaged himself too much.

Johnson would dispute that.

In a March interview with the Black-owned news site The Triibe, the mayor said Black Chicagoans in fact received 20 times the amount of funding the migrants got.

There was a concerted effort by mass media to withhold that information to our people, Johnson said. Our people did not get the benefit of knowing what I was doing for our people. And that does anger me, because it was intentional.

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He rattled off plans to add more affordable housing in the United Centers redevelopment and build homes on vacant lots in Lawndale  all part of his vision to work toward a land of milk and honey. The mayor also touted the many Black leaders he appointed to his cabinet and key City Council leadership positions. Its not enough to win the power, you have to protect the power, he said. The first thing that I did for our people was, I made sure that I put key Black people in positions of power.

About $638 million in taxpayer resources was spent on housing and feeding the asylum seekers bused to Chicago starting in 2022. Of that, $268 million came from the citys coffers; the rest was county, state and federal money.

Asked how Johnson got to the 20 times amount, a Johnson spokesperson shared a list that included $13.6 billion in planned private investments. Among them were the PsiQuantum Center on the Southeast Side in which Gov. JB Pritzker played a major role, the United Center 1901 Project undertaken by the owners of the Bulls and Blackhawks and a new Southeast Side Advocate Health Care site.

The accomplishments also included $426 million in federal disaster relief for West Side flooding earmarked by President Joe Bidens administration, city projects spurred by Johnsons $1.25 billion housing and economic development bond and the reopening of two mental health clinics.

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On Thursday, Johnson stopped by WVON 1690-AM in the latest of the 13 Black radio appearances the mayors office says he has made so far this year. He recited his accomplishments in Black neighborhoods, such as a decline in Chicago violence and growing the citys youth summer jobs program.

Folks are saying hes becoming a regular on WVON. He ought to be, host Cleopatra Draper said on air. He has an opportunity to speak to Black Chicago, and hes unapologetic about it.

At the same time, Dorothy Leavell, publisher of the Crusader, cautioned that advocacy journalism for Black people should not turn into advocacy for Black politicians. There are times that the mayor has been treated unfairly  (but) we have taken the mayor to task when we have not agreed with the things that he was doing, Leavell said.

For Johnson  as with every Chicago mayor  the trick is to hold together a political alliance that will help him build a record of accomplishments he can show to voters while also responding to daily crises that test his ability to keep key constituencies happy.

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Last November, as he was in the throes of one of the citys most contentious budget fights in recent years, Johnson found himself relying on the same Black politicians who were the last to stick with Lightfoot, the citys first Black female and lesbian mayor, when she pivoted her electoral strategy to winning the South and West sides.

At a groundbreaking then for Malcolm X Colleges new west campus, a breezy Johnson praised city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin as the most sanctified elected official here. Behind him, her husband and his handpicked budget chair who was shepherding the grueling negotiations, Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, looked up from his phone and chuckled.

Shes so sanctified, the people want to investigate how saved she is, the mayor said. Just gonna just leave that out there for people to just interpret themselves. You dont have to investigate her salvation.

Johnson did not elaborate on what investigation he meant, though the ethics board last year fined Conyears-Ervin after determining she violated the citys ethics code by firing two top aides who alleged she misused taxpayer resources and pressured public employees to help her political allies, following Tribune reporting bout the issue. The Ervins backed Lightfoot in the first round of the 2023 mayoral race before endorsing Johnson in the runoff.

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A resident of the Austin neighborhood, Johnson finished his remarks by vowing the West Side will never be ignored again as long as Im Black and as long as Im mayor of this city.

The mayor has also made his presence at African American churches more pronounced via a new Faith in Government speaking tour that launched this year in yet another bid to speak directly to Black voters.

During one stop at the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church last month, Johnson offered a fiery prescription for whats really behind the backlash to him shutting off the citys ShotSpotter gunshot detection system last year: a Goliath-esque media determined to make our interest a contradiction to everyone elses.

How dare this giant, this giant raise up an offense against our people. Im going to take my five smooth stones, and Im going to throw, and Im going to hit it right square in the head, and its going to come tumbling down, he said. Johnsons press team said the mayors press criticism refers to right-wing media.

Its a rhetorical style and setting that Johnson tends to embrace when under fire. He has long been nimble about employing vivid religious imagery and invoking his upbringing as a PK, short for pastors kid.

After his first handpicked Chicago Board of Education resigned en masse, he held an explosive October news conference on their replacements inside a Black church where dozens of supporters lined up behind him, sometimes jeering at questions from the press.

Asked about his low approval ratings in a January panel at the University of Chicago, he likened his role throughout the migrant crisis to that of a Biblical figure. Its like a Joseph anointing.  At the end of that story, Joseph was able to take care of his siblings, the ones who were upset with him, and also feed the world, Johnson said.

The Rev. Marshall Hatch, with the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in West Garfield Park, said that despite any reservations Black Chicagoans may still have over Johnson, they would benefit from coalescing around a reelection bid in 2027. The alternative may be watching someone outside their community reclaim the mayors seat, he warned.

Chicago is still very segregated in its politics, Hatch said. Its going to be white people thinking its time for a white mayor again to straighten this out. Thats the sort of racialized perspective about who has the faculties to actually run things, quote, unquote.

Racial politics indeed defined the course of the 2023 mayoral race. However, Johnson was propelled to the runoff by northern lakefront liberals and Milwaukee Avenue progressives. Lightfoot trounced him in the citys majority-Black wards, while Wilson mostly finished second in those areas.

But political bases are ever fluid in this town, and Johnson easily clinched the Black vote in the runoff despite Wilsons legion of Black clergy and an array of South and West Side aldermen falling behind his opponent, Paul Vallas. It was the conclusion of a well-run campaign that portrayed Vallas, a white centrist, as out-of-touch with Black voters  and Johnson as their champion.

Two years later, the mayor continues to position himself as that figure, both on the stump and in his texts.

I need you Tara! This is the battle for the Soul, he messaged Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps on Jan. 18.

Her reply: Ten toes down!
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the threat of wildfires for all of South Florida including Palm Beach County as cold dry air plunges through the state.

The warning is in effect from noon through 8 p.m. It is triggered by the expectations of sustained winds of 15 mph or higher at 20 feet above the surface, a relative humidity of 35% or lower plus a lack of rainfall that has created "critically dry fuels" that could light quickly.

It's the first red flag fire warning for Palm Beach County since January 2023.

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Since Jan. 1, just 2.76 inches of rain has fallen at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. That's a 5 inch deficit from what is normal and marks this year so far as the 17th driest based on 125 years of records.

The National Weather Service in Miami has issued a red flag warning for all of South Florida including Palm Beach County from noon to 8 p.m. March 17, 2025.

Most of Palm Beach County  about 78%  is also considered to be in extreme drought with only a small carve out along the southeast coast in moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The cold front that whipped through early Monday dropped temperatures in West Palm Beach from 76 degrees at 5 a.m. to 64 degrees at 8 a.m.

"An abrupt transition between air masses this morning behind the front as wind gusts pick up and dewpoints/temperatures nosedive," NWs meteorologists wrote in their morning forecast.

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Temperatures are expected to climb to 75 degrees Monday before dropping overnight into the low 50s. Early morning temperatures Tuesday could be as much as 10 degrees below normal for this time of year.

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: Wildfire threat follows cold front in South Florida with red flag warning
At least 40 people across seven states were killed over the last few days as severe thunderstorms and multiple tornadoes swept across the central and southern U.S., leaving widespread damage. AccuWeather reported Monday morning. More than 50 tornadoes were reported between Friday and Saturday, although that number may rise as the National Weather Service conducts weather surveys.

Several areas of North and Central Florida saw tornado watches and warnings issued over the weekend but the Sunshine State largely avoided serious damage from the storms. High winds and waterspouts are possible for northeast Florida down to St. Augustine until 6:15 p.m. EDT Monday, the NWS said, and southwest Florida may continue to see storms and rain through Monday morning.

But Monday's real danger may be fire.

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Strong winds out of the northwest with gusts up to 30 mph and humidity as low as 25-26% could mean critical fire weather conditions may occur. Most of inland Central and South Florida will be under a Red Flag Warning from noon to 8 p.m. Monday.

The current fire danger for Florida is low to moderate, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services's Fire Weather Map, but if a fire did break out the NWS warns that it would spread rapidly under these conditions.

Otherwise, Florida weather for this spring break week will be mostly bright, sunny and warm aside from another chance of rain Thursday, forecasters said.

 Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location

What is a Red Flag Warning?

After the cold front passes this morning, a significantly drier air mass with filter in (dew points falling into the 30s and 40s plus RH values below 30%) and with wind gusts of 20-30 mph, this will bring an increased fire risk. Therefore, burning is not advised. #flwx pic.twitter.com/4jEWxIQPpJ  NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 17, 2025

"A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger," the NWS said.

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During a Red Flag Warning:

If you are allowed to burn in your area, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.

Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle. They may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.

Extinguish all outdoor fires properly. Drown fires with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.

Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.

Which counties are under a Red Flag Warning in Florida?

The following Florida counties will be under a Red Flag Warning for enhanced fire conditions from noon to 8 p.m. morning:

Brevard

Broward County

Charlotte: Inland

Citrus: Inland

Collier: Northern, Southwest

DeSoto

Glades

Hardee

Hendry

Hernando: Inland

Highlands

Hillsborough: Inland

Indian River

Lake

Lee: Inland

Manatee: Inland

Miami-Dade County

Martin

Monroe: Mainland

Okeechobee

Orange

Osceola

Palm Beach County

Pasco: Inland

Polk

Saint Lucie

Sarasota: Inland

Seminole

Sumter

Volusia

Where are the tornado warnings in Florida?

Currently, there are no tornado warnings in Florida.

Weather alerts issued in Florida

Monday : Sunny, with a high near 66. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday night : Clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 69. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Tuesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 72. South wind 10 to 15 mph.

Wednesday Night : A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 64. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night : Clear, with a low around 45. North wind around 10 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind around 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.

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Monday : Sunny, with a high near 67. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Monday night : Clear, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind.

Tuesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 78. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday Night : A 30 percent chance of showers after 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Thursday : A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 8 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

Thursday Night : Clear, with a low around 41.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 69.

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Monday : Sunny, with a high near 67. Windy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Monday Night : Clear, with a low around 45. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 56.

Thursday : A 30 percent chance of showers before 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Breezy.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 64.

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Monday : Sunny, with a high near 67. Windy, with a west-northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Monday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 68. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northnortheast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 75. Light and variable wind becoming east 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 55. East-southeast wind around 5 mph becoming south-southwest after midnight.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 65. North northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

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Monday : Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 55. Breezy, with a south wind 13 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Monday Night : Rain, mainly before 2 a.m. Low around 37. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tuesday : A chance of rain, mainly before 7 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. North wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. North wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Northeast wind 6 to 8 mph.

Wednesday Night : Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Light southeast wind.

Thursday : Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. South wind 6 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Thursday Night : Rain, mainly after 1 a.m. Low around 36. South wind 7 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday: Rain likely, mainly before 9 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

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Monday : A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 a.m. Mostly cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 73. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Monday night : Clear, with a low around 48. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 73. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night : Clear, with a low around 52. Northnortheast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night : Clear, with a low around 55. Calm wind.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 84. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 51. West wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

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Monday : A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 73. Windy, with a northwest wind 17 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Monday Night : Clear, with a low around 58. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 71. Breezy, with a north wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Tuesday Night : Clear, with a low around 64. North wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 75. East wind 8 to 11 mph.

Wednesday Night : Clear, with a low around 64. East wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south after midnight.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Breezy, with a west wind 14 to 20 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Breezy, with a northeast wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

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Monday : A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9 a.m. Mostly cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 77. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14 to 18 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.

Tonight : Clear, with a low around 58. Breezy, with a northwest wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 74. Northeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Northeast wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 77. East wind 7 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night : Clear, with a low around 66. East wind 5 to 8 mph.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 81. South wind 3 to 8 mph.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 61. West wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Northeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

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Monday : Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a northwest wind 13 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Monday Night : Clear, with a low around 52. North wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Night : Clear, with a low around 56. East wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 78. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

Wednesday Night : Clear, with a low around 61. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 78. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 54. West wind 8 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 11 mph.

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Monday : Mostly cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 73. Breezy, with a northwest wind 14 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Monday Night : Clear, with a low around 50. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 80. Northeast wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tuesday Night : Clear, with a low around 52. East wind 3 to 6 mph.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Wednesday Night : Clear, with a low around 58. West-southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 80. Light south wind becoming west southwest 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Westnorthwest wind around 9 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 77. North wind around 10 mph.

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Monday : Sunny, with a high near 66. Windy, with a north-northwest wind 22 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.

Monday Night : Clear, with a low around 55. Windy, with a north-northwest wind 15 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 74. North northeast wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday Night : Clear, with a low around 56. North wind around 7 mph becoming east after midnight.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 75. East-southeast wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south-southwest in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 62. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy, with a south-southwest wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Breezy, with a northwest wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Breezy, with a north-northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

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Monday : Sunny, with a high near 68. Windy, with a west-northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Monday Night : Clear, with a low around 48. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday : Sunny, with a high near 76. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night : Clear, with a low around 49. East-northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 82. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 48. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

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(This story was updated with new information.)

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Red Flag warning for fire conditions in effect in most of Florida
By Jonathan Saul

LONDON (Reuters) - The cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea is expected to remain firm after the United States carried out further airstrikes on Yemen on Monday, adding to fears of new attacks on ships by the Iran-aligned Houthis targeted by Washington, industry sources said.

Responding to the Houthi movement's threats to international shipping, the U.S. launched airstrikes on Saturday. On Monday, the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and Al Jawf governorate north of the capital Sanaa were targeted, the Houthis' Al Masirah TV said.

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In January, the Houthis said they would halt attacks on U.S. and UK linked shipping in tandem with a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

War risk premiums briefly eased to around 0.5% of the value of a ship after the January announcement from over 0.7% in December, before moving higher in February to 0.7% for some voyage rates. For some U.S. and UK linked ships, rates were quoted up to 2% in recent weeks for those still willing to sail through the waterway, industry sources said.

While various discounts would be applied, this still translates into hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional costs for a seven-day voyage.

Rates were likely to stay at firmer levels and may rise in coming days, industry sources said on Monday.

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Following the U.S. military action, there was a "significant uptick in the threat profile against commercial maritime traffic within the Red Sea", said Munro Anderson, head of operations at marine war risk and insurance specialist Vessel Protect  part of Pen Underwriting.

"Specifically, the threat profile is considered critical for all vessels owned and operated by Israel as well as all vessels owned and operated by U.S. entities."

The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers. They say they were acting in solidarity with Gaza's Palestinians after Israel's war with Hamas began in late 2023.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Sunday his militants would target U.S. ships in the Red Sea as long as the U.S. continues its attacks on Yemen.

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"As soon as a missile gets fired off at a passing ship, I would be pressing to get back to higher rates," another insurance market source said.

The Houthis, who have taken control of most of Yemen over the past decade, said last week they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea if Israel did not lift a block on aid entering Gaza.

"This intermediate period is very risky for us as we dont have a clear view of what to expect," a maritime security source said.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, additional reporting by Yannis Souliotis in Athens, editing by Ed Osmond)
Escalating tensions between the U.S. and the Houthis in the Red Sea are fostering even more uncertainty for container shipping and its return to the waterway.

On Saturday, U.S. Central Command initiated large-scale precision air strikes against the Yemeni militant group just days after the designated terrorist organization threatened to resume attacks on Israeli vessels traveling through the region.

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The Houthi attack[s] on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective, said President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social upon ordering the military action. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends.

According to Houthi media, the air strikes resulted in 53 deaths, including several children, and more than 100 injuries. The attacks hit targets in Yemens capital, Sanaa, as well as the northern governorate of Saada and the port of Hodeidah.

In response, the Houthis claimed two attacks on the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman and its warships on early Monday. Various reports indicate a U.S. official said the Houthis fired 11 drones and one ballistic missile, none of which came close to hitting any U.S. vessels.

A statement from Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson of the Yemeni Armed Forces, said the Houthis are confronting this criminal aggression and responding to escalation by escalation.

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The resumption of U.S. airstrikes increases the likelihood of further Houthi attacks on U.S. and allied naval assets in the region, says Jack Kennedy, head of MENA country risk at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Kennedy said the uncertainties around Houthi targeting selection carries a severe risk to all vessels in transit.

Our data shows that 63 percent of vessels targeted by the Houthi lack any clear affiliation to the U.S., U.K. or Israel, said Kennedy. While the stated US intent is to restore freedom of navigation, the Houthis decentralized missile capabilities and intent to assert regional influence complicate the situation, likely leading to increased threats to shipping and regional stability.

From November 2023, all throughout 2024, the Yemen-based Houthis launched missile and drone attacks against commercial vessels sailing through the Red Sea, its chokepoint, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the neighboring Gulf of Aden. This resulted in a massive dip in traffic through the Suez Canal and lengthened East-to-West ocean shipping times as major carriers committed to rerouting their ships around southern Africas Cape of Good Hope.

The Houthis had stopped the attacks after Israel and Hamas entered into a ceasefire, but had claimed they would begin the onslaught again if Israel did not lift a blockade of aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

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According to a Monday report from Reuters, war-risk insurance premiums are likely to stay at firmer levels and may rise in coming days, further preventing container shipping companies from making a return to the Red Sea.

War risk premiums briefly eased to around 0.5 percent of the value of a ship after the January ceasefire from over 0.7 percent in December, before moving higher in February to 0.7 percent for some voyage rates. For some U.S. and U.K. linked ships, rates were quoted up to 2 percent in recent weeks, Reuters said.

Munro Anderson, head of operations at marine war risk and insurance specialist Vessel Protect, told the publication there was a significant uptick in the threat profile against commercial maritime traffic within the Red Sea.

As a new page in the Red Sea drama continues to unfold, the Suez Canal is the subject of an investigation recently opened by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which is looking into whether transit constraints at international trade chokepoints have created unfavorable shipping conditions for cargo movement.

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The FMC will investigate the Suez Canal, as well as the English Channel, the Malacca Strait, the Northern Sea Passage, the Singapore Strait, the Panama Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar.

According to the commission, the probe is examining whether the laws, regulations, or practices of foreign governments or the practices of foreign-flag vessel owners or operators have contributed to the unfavorable conditions.

Trade and shipping law firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg noted in a Monday advisory that the move appears to be part of the Trump administrations effort to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign-owned cargo ships. President Trump already told Congress this month that he would create an Office of Shipbuilding in the White House, and offer tax incentives to bring the industry back to the U.S.

The agency can take multiple remedial measures if it finds wrongdoing, such as refusing vessels entry to U.S. ports if they are registered in a country responsible for creating the unfavorable conditions.

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The only chokepoint operator with a large flag registry is Panama, which has more than 8,000 vessels sailing under the countrys flag.

Additionally, the FMC can impose fees up to $1 million per voyage, suspend an ocean common carriers right to operate under any agreement filed with the FMC and conduct investigational hearings.

Any discussion of remedial measures would occur after collecting information, perspectives and proposed solutions to the concerns. Stakeholders can submit their commentary through May 13.

The FMCs agenda fits in alignment with the Trump administrations America First trade policy, and the U.S. Trade Representatives proposal to levy fees on Chinese-built and -operated vessels. Those fees could cost some carriers as much as $1.5 billion, and were recommended after the USTR found that Chinas maritime, logistics and shipbuilding practices were unreasonable under Section 301 trade laws.

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Trump-appointed FMC chair Louis Sola told the Financial Times that the U.S. should fight fire with fire and impose fees on those vessels to fund subsidies for U.S. shipbuilders. Sola noted that the FMC had assisted the USTR in its nine-month probe into the Chinese industries.

The Trump administration is expected to make a final decision on the proposal after a public hearing in March.

As many as 36,595 U.S. port calls in 2024an astounding 83 percent of container ship stopscould have been affected by the USTRs proposed recommendations, according to Clarksons Research. That would generate an annual fee income between $40 billion and $52 billion.
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about settling the conflict in Ukraine, U.S. media reported.

"We're doing pretty well, I think, with Russia...I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One during a flight from Florida to Washington on Sunday evening.

Trump, who is working to finalize a 30-day ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine, said that land and power plants will be part of his conversation with the Russian leader.

"We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump told reporters. "I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia."

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," he said. 
(Bloomberg) -- Nigel Farage unveiled 29 new councilors  including more than a dozen Conservative defectors  who have joined Reform UK, as a new survey highlighted how his party is gaining traction among Britains voters.

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With less than 7 weeks to go until a round of local elections, Farage presented his new recruits in a press conference at a London private members club on Monday. We are growing. We are building. We are deepening. We are broadening, we are strengthening, he said.

Farage spoke after Ipsos published a poll showing 36% of British adults were likely to consider voting for Reform, up six points from June, and the highest score of any party currently. Reform secured 5 of 650 seats in the House of Commons in the July 4 general election, on about 14% of the vote. the partys leader has vowed to use that as a launchpad toward greater success in the next national vote, due by mid 2029.

The Reform leader is also seeking to draw a line under a bitter spat that saw his party earlier this month expel one of its MPs, Rupert Lowe, accusing him of threatening the party chairman and saying there had been allegations of bullying in his office. Lowe  who earlier this year was touted by Elon Musk as a potential replacement for Farage, and had just been critical of his party leader in a newspaper interview  denied the accusations.

Asked by journalists about the row with Lowe, Farage looked increasingly irritated and responded boring to several questions. During the whole event, Farage never referred to Lowe by name.

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A list of names of its new councilors released by Reform on Monday included 11 independents, 15 Conservatives, a Liberal Democrat and two others. Stephen Atkinson, who defected from the Conservatives in the Ribble Valley Borough Council, said he was joining Reform for the greater good and criticized Labour and the Conservatives for being a uniparty.

While the defections highlight the threat posed to the Conservatives by Farages hard right Reform party, hes also gunning for Prime Minister Keir Starmers Labour. The Ipsos survey showed a 16-point decline in those who said theyd consider backing the governing party in an election. The question asked in the survey is not the same as in a straight voting intention poll.

Labours loss is becoming Reforms gain. Around 22% of those who voted Labour at the last election are likely to back Farages anti-immigration party next time, the survey of 2,248 adults conducted between Feb. 7 and Feb. 11 showed.

Were going to be out there, canvassing, campaigning and doing our best to prove that the polls arent virtual, actually the real votes exist out there on the ground and I believe they do, Farage said.

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Starmers popularity has improved in recent weeks as the prime minister became a key figure in talks over ending Russias war in Ukraine. Yet long-running concerns over high migration levels, sluggish growth and rising costs loom large over Labours approval ratings. And plans to cut welfare spending to meet Chancellor Rachel Reeves fiscal rules have already come under fire from party supporters.

Those considering Reform UK are more likely to say the partys leader would make a better prime minister than others. Immigration is a top issue for Britons mulling a Conservative or Reform vote, while those thinking about Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party prioritize the National Health Service.

Whilst it is still early in the parliament, it is clear that support for Reform UK is has grown since the election, said Keiran Pedley, director of UK politics at Ipsos. Those considering a vote for Reform prioritize immigration as an issue and feel the party is most likely to offer change.

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When Fiona Ashfar was 10 years old, the Iranian revolution broke out, forcing her family to flee to the United Kingdom. What comforted her as a young immigrant in a new country, she remembers, was a gift from her mother  an aging cookbook thick with recipes written in Persian alongside photos of her country. For Persians, food is love, Afshar says. For me, that book was filled with love. The connection I have with food comes from really deep, deep down.



She treasured that book throughout her life and still thumbed through it whenever she missed Iran. Sadly, it was among the treasures she lost when the Malibu home where she and her husband, Ali, raised their three children was reduced to rubble in Januarys devastating Palisades Fire. So was her beloved pasta machine, which she used to create luxurious designs from dough made with all-natural ingredients  gnocchi, ravioli and linguine so intricate and beautiful, they garnered the attention of Gucci, who paid her to do a collaboration.

Related: L.A. Woman: City Councilmember Traci Park Rallies Resources and Relief for Pacific Palisades Fire Survivors

I didnt cry because I lost my house, Afshar says. Yes, I was sad of course. I cried because of all the support and the love from everybody. It was incredible and so humbling.



Someone in Turkey sent her olive oil. A stranger in New Zealand sent her a skincare line for a little joy. All were tokens to urge her to rebuild her world-famous Fionas Pasta (fionaspasta.com), sought-after carbs that are favorites of celebrities like Jennifer Love Hewitt, her former neighbor.



It all started with an Instagram page (@cookingwithfiona), where she showed off her way with dough. She infused it with bursts of color collected from local farmers markets (like parsley, beets and zucchini flowers) to give her designs the incredible hues that inspired the Gucci collaboration. Customers often wait weeks for boxes of artisanal pasta that Afshar handmakes herself  and theyre willing to pay Rodeo Drive prices for it, too.



In February, her family moved into a new home in Westlake. The first thing she ordered for her new kitchen, naturally, was a new pasta machine. Losing everything is not the end of my pasta creations, she says. Its just a new beginning, a chance for new ideas.


CONTENT WARNING: This article contains information about alleged child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Report child pornography to law enforcement by contacting the ICAC Tip Line at (801) 281-1211 or your local law enforcement agency.

LEHI, Utah (ABC4)  A previously convicted sex offender was arrested earlier this month and is facing more than 20 felony charges, according to court documents.

Ryan Kay Limb, 60, is facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, all first-degree felonies; two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, both first-degree felonies; and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, all second-degree felonies.

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According to the Utah sex offender registry, Limb was convicted of other sexual crimes against children in August 2005 and was released from custody in July 2013. According to documents, he is a Lehi resident.

On March 16, the Lehi City Police Department posted on social media to say that detectives with its Special Victims Unit had recently arrested a registered sex offender on more than 20 charges.

While Lehi Police did not provide the name of the individual that was arrested, ABC4.com obtained court documents that matched the description of a registered sex offender facing 22 charges. Information in the documents matched the sex offender registry and inmate records at the Utah County Jail, where police said the suspect was being held.

Salt Lake school employee arrested for alleged sexual exploitation of minor

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Limb is accused of possessing, manufacturing, and viewing child sex abuse material (CSAM)  also known as child pornography  with documents alleging the incidents occurred between December 2023 and March 2025. He is also accused of sexually abusing a child.

In January 2025, Limb was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) after someone who was helping him with his phone saw CSAM images. After that report, officials contacted Limb and interviewed him.

Court documents described several files that were found on Limbs phone, including numerous photos that appeared to have been taken by [Limb].

The investigation is ongoing and further charges may be forthcoming, Lehi police said. The individual was booked into the Utah County Jail and is awaiting further proceedings.

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Court documents clarified that Limb was previously convicted on one count of attempted sodomy of a child and four counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child. Those details were also confirmed by the sex offender registry.

As of March 16, inmate records showed that Limb was still being held in the Utah County Jail and was not able to be bailed out.

Connor Comeau contributed to this report.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  She spent 20 years struggling with drug and alcohol addiction  selling and stealing drugs and writing bad checks.

As a result of her actions, Patrice Palmer was in and out of correctional facilities. But, she turned her life around, even starting an organization focused on breaking the cycle of mass incarceration.

The Chosen for Change founder, Dr. Patrice Palmer, is now an NBC4 Remarkable Woman finalist.

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In 2003, going back to prison for the fourth time, Ill never forget the judge saying to me, If I could give you life, I would, said Palmer. And I thought, Wow, hey, I didnt do  Im not that bad. Like, what are you talking about? And I realized in that moment that he saw me as the habitual criminal. And he said, I, I had no value in life.

That moment resonated with Palmer, she started doing the work  focusing on her future.

And then the warden challenged me to write a program, and it was called Home Run, said Palmer. And every base represented a challenge that people faced in their lives. And how do I get home, right? And having a person as a support system would be up to bat, to hopefully help bring you home. Or once you gain all this strength, you could get up there and bat and hit a home run yourself.

Since her last stay, Palmer has been busy. She leads a re-entry summit for people of all ages preparing to leave correctional institutions. And started an award-winning program in Franklin County to address opioid addiction.

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A lot of things that Im not really proud of, you know, being addicted to drugs, involvement with criminal justice  ashamed of that, honestly, said Palmer. But then the other side is being able to identify those things, accepting responsibility for the mistakes that I made, and then having the courage to say, I want something different.



Im still here. You know, having the courage to say, Oh, I made some poor decisions and choices in life, but I dont allow my past fears and failures to dictate my future possibilities. So, I always get nervous when Im talking about me, because I have to talk about my fears and my dysfunctions because those things I have to embrace because they make me who I am today.

Palmer has earned several degrees, including a doctorate in divinity and theology. Among other things, she was recognized during the YWCAs Women of Achievement in 2023. She is also a mother of five and a grandmother.

The reality is that my children are the winds beneath my wings, said Palmer. To know that I embarrassed them and I was not present in the moment in their lives has been a thorn in my flesh.

After her release in 2003, Palmer went to a treatment program in Cincinnati called Having the Courage to Change. She credits that program with making a life-changing difference.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  Women are breaking down barriers in firefighting and proving that saving lives has no gender.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that only 9% of women are firefighters across the country. Five out of 244 firefighters at the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) are women.

The four first women with the TFD started serving the Topeka community in 1985. Cindy Holt, one of the first female firefighters hired in 1985, retired in 2015.

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Since then, although it has traditionally been a male-dominated field, multiple women have gone through the academy, and many share their thanks to the first four.

Topekan wins bronze at World Special Olympics

Diane Hawkins, a former firefighter and current fire inspector, has been on the job for 27 years.

They really paved the way for the rest of us to get on the job and be women in the fire service, Hawkins said. You know, I give a lot of credit to them for coming into the fire service that was a male-dominated field.

As a firefighter, a second can be the difference between life or death. Since 1985, there has been a significant improvement in acceptance from fellow firefighters. They say they are treated with respect and support, not only from their fellow firefighters but also from the community.

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Alyssa Conway, a current firefighter with the TFD, often gets questions about why she chose to be a firefighter.

Its always positive, Conway said. You know you tell people that youre going through the fire academy or joining the fire department, you get some surprised looks, but I think those are the best looks because you can tell them what its all about.

Kansas law enforcement agencies sign up to help ICE conduct deportations

Alyssa Coway after extinguishing a fire.

Although Conway has been in the fire service for only a year, the spark was ignited long before she held a fire hose. Conway follows in her sisters footsteps. Chelsea Reece, a training officer for TFD, will have spent five years with the TFD as of this April.

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Conway and fellow firefighter BreAnna Droge went through the fire academy together. Droge was inspired by her neighbor to try TFDs Camp Courage. Camp Courage is a five-day training camp for young women ages 16 to 20 who want to explore a career opportunity in the fire service.

BreAnna Droge during Camp Courage.

Its been probably the best journey I have ever taken, Droge said. There are definitely the moments that are harder than others. Its an uphill battle some days but I wouldnt ask to be anywhere else.

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.

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In sixth-century China, a woman known to history as Empress Dowager Ling ruled over an empire called the Northern Wei. Historians do not know her birth name or in what year she was born, but they do know that she served as empress dowager between 515 and 528. As the spouse of a ruling emperor prior to his death, she retained the title of empress dowager in her widowhood.

She ruled on behalf of her young son, the heir to the throne; however, her regency was interrupted by a coup d'etat from 520 to 525. Although the empress dowager was expected to rule only as a regent, historical records indicate that she administered court in her own name. These same records also reveal that she adopted a personal pronoun  zhen , otherwise known as the Chinese royal we  that was reserved for the exclusive use of the emperor.

In my recent book, The Women Who Ruled China, I offer an overview of these historical sources and records that document her life, including a translation of her biography retained in the official chronicle of the Northern Wei. Using these sources, I argue that even though the Empress Dowagers rule was problematic and short  resulting in her assassination  she laid the foundation for other, more successful female rulers across medieval East Asia.

Capitalizing on different cultural traditions

In the late fifth century, the capital city of the Northern Wei was moved from its northern location in modern-day Datong, China, to its southern location in Luoyang, a city at the very heart of Han Chinese culture and history; however, the people who ruled the empire were not ethnically Han Chinese.

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Known as the Taghbach, this group migrated south from the Mongolian steppe and ruled a multiethnic and multicultural empire from Luoyang, the worlds largest city and the former capital of the Eastern Han dynasty. The Northern Wei empire adopted laws, institutions and policies from both Taghbach and Han Chinese traditions.

This cultural hybridity enabled the empress dowager to rule directly: On one hand, the Chinese court system rooted in the Han dynasty had long included the position of empress dowager, even though none of the women who held it had ruled directly. On the other, Taghbach culture had no formal position of empress dowager prior to its adoption of court ranks in the Northern Wei, but it did have a long tradition of women in public life. These women served in the military and advised on political matters.

Multiple sources of evidence indicate that Taghbach women had a high degree of personal autonomy and political power, with no source suggesting otherwise.

A well-known story about Taghbach woman appears in the legend of Mulan, who is said to have dressed as a man so that she could serve in the military in place of her father. The Mulan legend is widely recounted in Chinese literature and inspired a fictional character in two Walt Disney movies based on the Chinese fable.

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As a historian of gender in this period, I believe that the Mulan legend does not accurately depict Taghbach women. Instead, it is a Chinese story that emphasizes a form of gender transgression that makes sense only within Chinese and Confucian culture. Unlike Chinese culture, Taghbach culture had long known women warriors who could ride horses and shoot arrows without concealing their gender.

Empress Dowager Ling was not a warrior, but she embraced martial symbols of her own power that were available to women in Taghbach culture but not in Chinese culture. For example, she was an accomplished archer and famously drove her own horse cart, which was just as splendid and imposing as was the emperors cart.

In the Confucian culture of Han China, such actions were considered highly inappropriate for women, but Empress Dowager Ling carried them out while holding the Chinese title of empress dowager. Her rule, like her empire, was culturally hybrid. That blend of cultural traditions enabled her to take power in a way that neither Chinese nor Taghbach women had done before.

A Buddhist ruler

By the time of the reign of the Northern Wei empire, both Taghbah and Chinese cultures had become deeply familiar with Buddhism, a religion that they had inherited from India in a long process of cultural exchange along the Silk Road. The empire had integrated methods of Buddhist statecraft into its own forms of governance.

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Simply put, what this meant was that the ruler of the empire legitimized his reign through Buddhism, portraying himself either as a Buddha or as a patron of Buddhists  their texts and institutions. This was a type of governance that was widely practiced in premodern East Asia.

Even though Buddhist statecraft was widespread in the empress dowagers time, she was the first woman to directly legitimate her independent rule through Buddhism. As a patron of Buddhism, she commissioned majestic Buddhist architecture. Perhaps seen by her populace as a Buddhist figure herself, she symbolized her co-rule with her son by using a Buddhist visual motif of two Buddhas sitting side by side, a representation that came to be known as the rule by Two Sages, meaning tandem rulers depicted in the guise of buddhas. The source for the image was the popular Buddhist text, the Lotus Sutra.

She also attempted to put her own granddaughter on the throne after the death of her son. As I argue in my book, she did so by capitalizing on the idea that first her son, and then her granddaughter, were thought of as the bodhisattva Maitreya, a being of infinite compassion who is believed to be the future Buddha.

The empress dowagers legacy

Empress Dowager Ling was largely unsuccessful in her bid for power. Her rule was short and contested. She was murdered, and her empire was toppled within 13 years of her rule. For five of those years, she was not in power because of a coup d'etat.

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However, about 150 years after the assassination of the empress dowager, another woman would rise to rule China independently, this time taking the title of emperor. That woman is known as Empress Wu, or Emperor Wu Zhao, and she is undoubtedly the most famous woman in all of Chinese history. Numerous historical sources attest to her life, work and rule.

What those sources tell us, however, is that she ruled using the very same strategies as Empress Dowager Ling. Investing her own family heritage in distant links to the Taghbach, she also positioned herself as a Two Sage ruler alongside the emperor in precisely the same way that Empress Dowager Ling did. She was also able to successfully establish herself as the bodhisattva Maitreya by using Buddhist texts known to Empress Dowager Ling and her court.

She patronized the very same Buddhist structures as did Empress Dowager Ling, including the Buddhist caves at Longmen, just outside of Luoyang. However, she accomplished what Empress Dowager Ling could not  holding onto power successfully. I argue her success was possible because Empress Dowager Ling had paved the way.

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: Stephanie Balkwill, University of California, Los Angeles

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Stephanie Balkwill 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.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A man is accused of beating his sister after she allegedly caused severe injuries to his baby.

An incident report reveals Precious Lee Reed told police her brother had hit her in the face repeatedly after she physically assaulted his 2-month-old daughter.

This man was not arrested due to him, needing to be with his child that was seriously injured, according to the documents.

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Reed, however, was arrested and charged with Injury to Child with Intentional Serious Bodily Injury/Mental following the incident, which took place at an apartment complex on the 2800 block of S 25th Street last week.

Suspect arrested in connection to 2-month old severely injured in Abilene

Officers received multiple calls about a domestic disturbance at the apartment complex, and when they arrived, they found a 2-month-old child suffering from severe injuries.

This child was rushed to the hospital then airlifted to the metroplex due to the severity of the injuries.

At the time of the incident, police did expect the child to survive but her current condition has not been disclosed.

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Reed remains held in the Taylor County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

No further information is available at this time.

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The states property insurance crisis was at its apex in 2022; insurers were claiming insolvency, sending legislators to Tallahassee for emergency sessions to shore it up

That's also when state regulators sat on a report showing insurers doing business in the Sunshine State were paying millions to shareholders and billions to affiliate companies.

No particular companies were named, but the report reveals that the parent companies of these insurers distributed $680 million to shareholders and distributed billions more to company affiliates. Those distributions were happening as the industry started teetering on collapse and policyholders began getting hit with annual increases that would soon jack up rates by up to a third.

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Why state lawmakers are just now learning about it was the focus of a special state House committee hearing Friday that stretched into three hours as both Democratic and Republican lawmakers grilled the current and former state insurance commissioners.

The report may prove a turn in the narrative for the reasons behind the states insurance crisis that has Floridians paying some of the highest property insurance rates in the country.

The insurance market upheaval has long been portrayed as the result of a perfect storm of circumstances: The states vulnerability to devastating hurricanes, the number of lawsuits brought against insurers in settlement disputes and money markets spooked by the cost of helping the states insurers shoulder those two risks.

Bipartisan questioning: Why didn't insurance commissioner share?

At Fridays meeting, much of the questioning focused on why then-Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier received the report, left it in draft form and didn't bother to mention it to his successor, current Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky.

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The Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald put in a public records request for the 2022 study and first reported on it last month after a two-year wait for it to be disclosed. The newspapers' reporting spurred House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, to call for a special hearing of the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.

Rep. Mike Caruso, R-North Palm Beach, asked Altmaier what attempts had been made to finalize the report, which a Connecticut consultant conducted for $150,000 on the complicated arrangements behind the state's insurance market.

That's an area where I wish I had done a better job, said Altmaier, who now works for The Southern Group, a top-tier lobbying firm. Honestly, I think I directed the staff to do the work  (I) should have probably checked with my staff to make sure things were going well.

Cassandra Randall, right, is hugged by Jessica Downey inside a Maddie's grocery store after Hurricane Helene flooded the place on September 27, 2024 in Steinhatchee, Florida. Randall's mother-in-law manages the store.

Caruso bored into the issue that might propel a new set of bills. Without having this information, the Legislature in 2022 passed measures that changed the laws governing lawsuits. That legislation hobbled policyholders ability to sue their insurer in a settlement dispute. A House bill with a companion in the Senate that would undo some of that legislation passed its first committee hearing Thursday.

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So basically, you got a report in March of 2022 which was extremely alarming in terms of the  monies being siphoned off and you  failed to put in the effort you should have to finalize the report, Caruso said. Do you believe  the legislation that was passed might have been different had you provided a final executive summary to the Legislature?

Respectfully, I think failure is a big word, Atlmaier replied.

A mounted deer head is part of the debris washed out onto the street by storm surge after Hurricane Helene hit the area on September 27, 2024 in Steinhatchee, Florida.

The $150,000 report remained unresolved

The 2022 report, conducted for the state Office of Insurance Regulation, involved 53 insurers and looked at issues such as income, payments to affiliates and shareholder dividends.

When excluding companies described as outliers, the report said, companies reported an aggregate loss of $432 million from 2017 to 2019. But it also said there was net income of "affiliated" firms of $1.8 billion.

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The discussion Friday primarily centered on the firms affiliated with insurance companies that perform many day-to-day tasks, such as issuing policies and managing claims.

Insurance companies under the law are limited to a 4.2% profit, and state reports show the companies had negative net income for six years, starting in 2017 as hurricanes battered the state.

Commissioner Yaworsky told the panel that many of the issues raised in the report, about what payments can be made to parent companies and affiliates, have been addressed in subsequent new rules, even if he didnt know about the report until the latter half of last year.

Damage to homes and businesses after Hurricane Helene hit the area on September 27, 2024 in Steinhatchee, Florida.

Official: Corrections have been made

The office, over the past two years, has done everything it can to manage these contractual arrangements and make sure that (the payments) are within a framework of fair and reasonable, Yaworsky told lawmakers.

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House Democrats said after the hearing that the report still should be finalized and more than just a summary of it provided to the public. Rep. Dianne Hart of Tampa raised the possibility that fraud might have occurred in the transfer of money to affiliates.

More: Hurricane Milton likely to be a first test of insurance reforms and spawn a recurring argument

Its alarming that there was a scathing report that gave the OIR (referring to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation) the indication that there was a problem and they did nothing about it, and they did not tell the Legislature, even though we were voting on it, Hart said.

Rep. Kevin Chambliss, D-Homestead, said he found the timing of the report, the passage of legislation  among the most consequential in years  and then Altmaiers subsequent departure weird. He noted that Altmaier did testify at Friday's hearing that the report raised some red flags.

Roy's Restaurant destroyed by storm surge from Hurricane Helene in Steinhatchee, Florida on September 26, 2024.

When your alarm goes off (and) when your antenna goes up, you stop what you're doing, you pause and you see what the alarm is about, Chambliss said. If it was that serious, if it caused them that kind of pause, why wasn't that shared with us?

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That actually would have impacted not only the way that we voted, but I'm sure that it would have impacted the final product of the bill we voted on, he added.

Hart, for instance, called for better regulation of what affiliates are paid and more transparent data, adding that skyrocketing insurance rates have put home payments beyond what some people can afford, forcing them into foreclosure.

As Chambliss said, People of all backgrounds, all demographics and both parties are asking themselves, how can we address homeowners insurance? Know that we have heard them, we will continue working for them, and we will let them know what the truth is  once we're able to find it and make the best decision for the citizens of Florida.

The News Service of Florida contributed. Anne Geggis is the insurance reporter at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at ageggis@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Did insurance legislation in 2022 get to the heart of wobbly market?
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Reports said a 19-year-old man late Saturday led city police on a chase from the South Side to Warren in a car that had no back tires.

Travon Pearce is expected to be arraigned later Monday in municipal court on charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony; and possession of fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony.

Pearce was arrested about 10:20 p.m. on Bane Avenue SW in Warren after a chase that began almost 30 minutes earlier at Mineral Springs Avenue and Volney Road.

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Reports said Pearce was driving a stolen car that was chased by Boardman police, who ended the pursuit when the car entered Youngstown. City police picked up the car at Mineral Springs Avenue and Volney Road but it would not stop, reports said.

Reports said when city police picked up the chase, the car only had one back tire.

Police put out stop sticks at Glenwood Avenue and Mercer Street and blew out the second back tire, but the car still would not stop. Instead, it headed west up Mahoning Avenue to North Meridan Road before turning and heading north.

Police kept up the pursuit as the car drove through Weathersfield to Warren. Reports said Warren police also put down stop sticks and blew out the passenger side front tire at Main Street and Dover Road.

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The car traveled two more blocks before Pearce pulled over into a drive on Bane Avenue SW, where he was taken into custody, according to the police report.

Reports said when Pearce was searched, police found seven fentanyl pills on him.

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NAIROBI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have resolved to begin formal talks on a new lending program, and the IMF will engage with the Kenyan authorities going forward, according to a statement issued on Monday.

Led by Mission Chief Haimanot Teferra, an IMF team visited Kenya from March 6 to 14 and reached an understanding with Kenyan authorities that the ninth review under the current Extended Fund Facility and Extended Credit Facility programs will not proceed.

"The IMF has received a formal request for a new program from the Kenyan authorities and will engage with them going forward," Teferra said after the conclusion of the visit.

During the visit, Teferra said the IMF engaged with the Kenyan authorities on recent developments and the macroeconomic outlook.

The IMF has projected that Kenya's economy will grow by 5 percent in 2025, while the country's National Treasury has expected a growth rate of 5.5 percent. 
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  No one was hurt, but the $70 million jet was lost.

Analysis from a Freedom of Information Act request filed in 2020 over the crash was recently made public to 17 News. Long story short  it was pilot error from beginning to end.

Just shut down the wrong motor. Its just, it doesnt get any more basic than that, the airmanship, said Matthew Whiz Buckley, of the No Fallen Heroes Foundation. Taking your time and stepping through the emergency procedures would have probably prevented this mishap.

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Over four years ago on October 20, 2020, a FA-18 fighter jet crashed near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in east Kern County.

The location of the crash occurred near the intersection of Highways 14 and 178, causing road closures and affecting traffic for days. The shocking news sent then-Supervisor Mick Gleason running out of a Board of Supervisors meeting.

Years later in 2025, we have finally learned what led to the mayday call, with the help of Matthew Whiz Buckley. Whiz is a U.S. Navy fighter pilot of 15 years, who flew FA-18 Hornets in over 40 combat missions.

He spent five years at Naval Air Station Lemoore.

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So, definitely great airspace for flying and not a lot of people around, right? said Buckley. So we put these master jet bases, usually out in the middle of nowhere, for a reasonso civilians arent at risk.

The jet in question is the FA-18E Super Hornet  the single seat model. The FA-18 stands for fighter/attack jetsand they can carry missiles, bombs and other weapons. The two-engine jet is used by the U.S. Navy and costs about $70 million.

Once you know what youre doing, its pretty easy, said Buckley. The jet actually becomes an extension of you.

During emergencies, pilots are required to pay even more attention for certain procedures.

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There are things called immediate action items. So, we have to memorize emergency procedures, Buckley added.

The mishap pilot  thats how hes described in the report, with his name redacted  got a hydraulic, hot caution message. The report explains the FA-18E model has one engine on either side of the jet.

BPD asking for assistance in search of missing Southeast Bakersfield teen

If a hydraulic 1 hot caution message pops up, youre supposed to turn off the left engine. The right engine is to be turned off for a hydraulic 2 hot caution.

So, he executed the immediate action item for that hydraulic hot caution, which says, hey, secure the engine. Well, he secured the wrong engine. The right engine was supposed to be secured. He ended up securing the good engine, said Buckley. Hydraulic hot caution is a big dealthese gears and things are spinning back there, and it needs fluid to keep it cool. So, youre getting a caution like that, the reason you have to shut that motor down pretty, pretty fast is because thats going to result in a fire.

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Whiz says the pilot was more than qualified to be operating the jet, having been a naval aviator of about four years with no prior aviation mishaps.

The report points out  he had a history of responding poorly in emergencies.

If things go wrong, airborne, things kind of break down in his cockpit, which clearly is one of the main reasons of this mishap, said Buckley.

Heres a timeline of events, according to the report. Around 8:40 a.m., the jet took flight, as part of Lemoores VFA-14 Strike Fighter Squadron. Each of the four pilots  including the mishap pilot  flies the single-seat FA-18E Super Hornet.

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The day of the wreck, they were carrying practice bombs and inert rounds of 20mm ammunition. They planned to fly from Lemoore to Superior Valley Tactical Training Range in China Lake, execute their practice mission and then fly back to Lemoore.

But at 09:46:54, the first HYD2 HOT caution message appeared. The squadrons executive officer ordered the two other members to return to Lemoore, while he attempted to assist the mishap pilot. From 10:05:24 to 10:06:10  when the pilot ejected himself  the aircraft was out of control.

The report details after ejecting, the pilot lost his vision momentarily but felt the acceleration of the seat, the shock of the parachute opening and watched the aircraft crash and burn.

Whiz says he wouldve done a few things differently.

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Initially, the mishap pilot was directed to return to home base, despite Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake being closer.

There is no way in hell with a hydraulic hot caution that I would want to fly over the mountains all the way back to Lemoore, period, said Buckley. Land the plane on the closest concrete.

Buckley also says the pilot shouldve restarted the functioning engine he accidentally turned off.

Whats the worst thing that can happen? Youre about to crash anyway, if that thing restarts, and now you got two motors, you can land safely, said Buckley.

After the crash, federal, state and local firefighters responded to the scene, where the jet was fully engulfed in flames with small brush fires around it.

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The pilot was admitted to Ridgecrest Regional Hospital.

How lucky would you say this pilot was that, first of all, he didnt die, thankfully. But also, again, there wasnt a huge fire that started as a result, or that civilians were injured as a result, said Buckley. 100%. Its an act of God, in my opinion. Hopefully he can learn from this and still serve his country.

A spokesperson for the naval air forces tells us the pilot is still serving in the Navy.



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David Plasterer, with the anti-poverty advocacy group RESULTS, holds his son, Lewis, during a January news conference in Indianapolis, during which advocates urged Indiana lawmakers to approve an infant child tax credit. More states across the country are looking to create or expand child tax credits. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Cash would flow directly into the hands of Ohio parents under a proposal from Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

As part of multibillion-dollar budget negotiations this session, Ohio lawmakers will consider the new refundable tax credit worth up to $1,000 per young child, to be paid for by an increase in tobacco taxes.

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In neighboring Indiana, the state Senate approved a bipartisan plan to give a $500 refundable tax credit to families with an infant.

If passed, the measures would mark the first time a Republican-controlled state has implemented a refundable child tax credit. Advocates view that type of credit as key because it delivers cash even to poor families with little or no income tax liability.

State interest in creating or expanding child tax credits boomed after the pandemic-era expansion of the federal child tax credit delivered cash directly to millions. Congress temporarily expanded the tax credit to a fully refundable $3,600 per child younger than 6 and $3,000 up to age 17.

That move quickly lifted millions of children out of poverty. But the expanded tax credit applied to 2021 only. For tax year 2022, it dropped back down to $2,000 per child, with limits in the refundable amount. That led to a doubling in the nations childhood poverty rate in 2022, from a historic low in 2021.

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Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have some child tax credit programs. But so far, all 11 states with refundable credits are led by Democratic governors and legislatures.

Obviously, its great to see more places are interested in it, but I think it really comes down to the design of them and whos included and whos excluded, said Megan Curran, policy director at Columbia Universitys Center on Poverty and Social Policy. Thats going to determine how effective they are at the end of the day,

In Indiana, lawmakers want to include parents who recently adopted a child or those with children under the age of 1. Even those with no income could qualify for the refundable credit.

As proposed, eligibility would top out for families with an adjusted gross income thats 720% of the federal poverty level  about $191,000 for a family of three.

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The legislations Republican sponsor, state Sen. Greg Walker, said the program could be expanded over time to include older children.

I think its  pardon the pun  a baby step to introduce a credit for a newborn, he said. I dont think anyone disputes  all the costs associated with bringing a new baby into the world.

Like the federal tax credit, Indianas would empower parents to spend the money however they choose.

Aside from helping thousands of families cover escalating costs of living, Walker said it also would provide relief for lower-income families who pay a higher proportion of their earnings in taxes because of the states flat income tax rate.

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While the state Senate unanimously passed the bill, Walker said details of his proposal could change during the legislatures budget process. As proposed, the infant tax credit is expected to cost the state about $34 million per year.

It would be another $34 million in circulation in the hands of consumers that are not sitting on the money, he said. This is not going into a 401(k) account.

Bipartisan support for child tax credits

In announcing his proposal, Ohios governor said there was bipartisan agreement across the country on the merit of investing in working families.

This is not a liberal or a conservative proposal, DeWine said in a promotional video in early February. This will be a significant amount of money, and it will help these families move forward with their lives however they want to live those lives.

Discussions surrounding the federal tax credit also received bipartisan support.

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During the presidential campaign, then-Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance advocated for expanding the child tax credit. In January 2024, more than two-thirds of U.S. House Republicans supported legislation expanding the credit.

But the measure stalled in the Senate, then ultimately died in August, after Donald Trump picked Vance as his running mate. Then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer brought it to the floor for a vote to spotlight the issue for Democrats and dared Republicans to vote down a bill they argued needed work.

Most Republicans in the U.S. Senate opposed it, as did two independents who caucus with Democrats. Senators in each party accused the other of being disingenuous.

DeWines proposal is estimated to cost $450 million per year.

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The tax credit would apply to families with children under age 7. Individual parents who earn $2,500 per year would qualify for a portion of the credit, with a minimum income of $22,500 required to qualify for the full $1,000 credit.

The threshold is an apparent effort to incentivize work. In budget documents, the governors office noted that any parent working full time at a minimum wage job would qualify for the full credit.

The credit, which phases out for higher incomes, would not be available to individuals earning more than $69,000, or married couples earning $94,000 or more per year.

Last week, DeWines proposal received praise from Democratic lawmakers, though some Republicans seemed skeptical of the idea.

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In analyzing the proposal, the progressive advocacy group Policy Matters Ohio noted that the $2,500 income threshold excludes many of the states poorest parents. The organization said that fact undercuts the governors claim the credit is targeted for those with the most need.

Still, that group, along with many other advocacy organizations, are supporting DeWines effort.

This is not a liberal or a conservative proposal.  This will be a significant amount of money and it will help these families move forward with their lives however they want to live those lives.

 Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine

This is the type of tax relief that families are demanding on both sides of the aisle, said Lynanne Gutierrez, president and CEO of Groundwork Ohio, a statewide advocacy group for young children.

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Gutierrez pointed to research showing the struggles of many Ohio families: A recent poll taken on behalf of her organization found that more than a third of Ohio parents with children under 5 reported serious problems paying rent or mortgages, and nearly half said they were struggling to pay their credit card bills.

The previous expansion of the federal tax credit helped millions of American families cover the basics: U.S. Census Bureau research showed families largely spent their credits on child care, rent, utilities, food and school expenses.

I am continuously surprised about how little money, relatively speaking, can really break a family or send them kind of spiraling, Gutierrez said.

Which families benefit

As Indiana and Ohio pursue refundable credits, other states with Republican legislative majorities are moving forward with nonrefundable child tax credits. While nonrefundable credits can reduce how much a filer owes in taxes, refundable credits give cash through returns  even to those who owe little or no income tax.

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As part of a wider tax cut bill, both chambers in Utah earlier this month approved expanding eligibility for the states nonrefundable child tax credit. The credit currently applies to families with children at least 1 year old and under 5 years old.

The expansion would apply to all children under age 6, including infants. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox has previously expressed his willingness to support legislative tax cuts, the Utah News Dispatch reported.

And last month, Georgias GOP-controlled state Senate unanimously approved a nonrefundable tax credit of $250 for each child under age 7.

The bill, estimated to cost the state about $180 million annually, would expand an existing tax credit for child care expenses and provide tax benefits for businesses that offer child care for workers. The measure was championed by Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is considering a run for governor.

We believe that families shouldnt have to choose between having a career and being a parent, state Sen. Brian Strickland, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said during a February news conference in Atlanta.

To proponents of child tax credits, these moves mark encouraging  if not perfect  progress on the issue.

The nonrefundable programs often dont help the lowest-income families, who may earn too little to owe income taxes. Thats particularly important because most states have regressive tax policies that disproportionately tax lower income families, said Aidan Davis, the state policy director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a liberal tax policy nonprofit.

Similarly, some of the refundable tax credit proposals could be strengthened, she said.

The Ohio plan, for instance, has a minimum income threshold to qualify, ostensibly a measure to incentivize work. But Davis said that can exclude the children of parents with disabilities, those who have been laid off, or those who cant afford child care to work.

Despite design imperfections, Davis said, the interest and support in conservative-leaning states is an incredible development.

I think conversations need to continue around how to best design them to make sure that they reach the populations and the kids most in need, she said. But that being said, I think these are great starting points for conversation.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org.

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(The Hill)  Republican Florida Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody introduced a bill Friday proposing the NASA headquarters, currently in Washington, be moved to Florida.

Titled Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at Canaveral Act, referred to as the CAPE Canaveral Act, the legislation would relocate the NASA headquarters to Floridas Space Coast in Brevard County. The region houses the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Scotts office called Florida a common sense choice for the new headquarters.

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Theres no better place for NASAs headquarters than Floridas Space Coast, where our nations brightest minds innovate and help America reach for the stars, Scott said in a statement.

Moving to Florida will not only save Americans tax dollars, it will enhance efficiency and streamline operations in this important industry with proximity to private-sector partners and a top-tier workforce ready to help America reach its space exploration goals, he added.

Echoing the sentiment, Moody said Florida is the leader in space exploration and aerospace innovation, adding that establishing NASAs headquarters within the Space Coast will bridge the bureaucracy gap from the top down and bring stakeholders together.

Florida is the gateway to space and this commonsense proposal would save taxpayers money, encourage collaboration with private space companies, and tap into Floridas talented workforce to spur further innovation, she added.

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Scott and Moody are not the only lawmakers calling for the relocation of NASAs headquarters to their state with the buildings lease set to expire in 2028.

On Tuesday, a group of Ohio lawmakers in Congress pushed for NASA headquarters to be moved from Washington, D.C., to Cleveland.

The lawmakers wrote a letter to Vice President Vance, who is from Ohio, and Jared Isaacman, President Trumps pick to lead NASA, that moving the space agencys HQ would serve as a significant opportunity to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility.

The letter was signed by Ohio GOP Reps. Max Miller, Troy Balderson, Mike Carey, Warren Davidson, Jim Jordan, Dave Joyce, Bob Latta, Michael Rulli, Dave Taylor and Mike Turner as well as Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur. Ohio Sens. Bernie Moreno (R) and Jon Husted (R) also signed the letter.

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These efforts come as the Trump administration has sought to transform various federal agencies and departments, cutting spending and reducing the government workforce. The administration has also indicated it would like to sell some federal buildings.

In other office moves, Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler signaled she would move several offices out of sanctuary cities, arguing that existing locations are bad for small business communities and not complying with federal immigration law.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Things seem to be going nightmarishly bad at an isolated scientific base in Antarctica, where a researcher has been accused of assaulting and threatening to murder colleagues.

As England's The Times reports, an unnamed climate researcher at the South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE IV), a scientific base on Norway's Queen Maud Land region of the frozen continent, allegedly threatened the life of one of his colleagues, physically attacking one coworker and sexually assaulted another.

In a pleading message shared with South Africa's Sunday Times, one of the man's coworkers begged their superiors for rescue. According to that letter, the researcher's behavior "has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing" after he "physically assaulted" and "threatened to kill" at least one of the unnamed team members with whom he'll be stranded on the base for at least ten more months.

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"His [behavior] has become increasingly egregious, and I am experiencing significant difficulty in feeling secure in his presence," the letter reads. "It is imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure my safety and the safety of all employees."

According to that same letter  the name of whose author, as with the subject, was withheld to protect their privacy  the alleged attacker has created "an environment of fear and intimidation."

"I remain deeply concerned about my own safety," the author wrote, "constantly wondering if I might become the next victim."

As moving as that plea is, it remains unclear when or even if a rescue mission will be deployed to SANAE IV, which is located on the top of a remote cliff and takes nearly two weeks to access. On average, the temperature stands at nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit at the base, and the winds surrounding it can shoot up to 135 miles per hour, the report notes  which makes getting there all but impossible.

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In a statement to the Times, South African environment minister Dion George said that he plans to speak to the SANAE IV team personally "to assess for [himself]" what's going on.

According to George, a "verbal altercation between the team leader and this person"  the alleged attacker, seemingly  broke out, and that individual did eventually assault the team lead.

"You can imagine what its like, it is close quarters and people do get cabin fever," he said. "It can be very disorientating."

The minister added that an initial investigation into the matter found that the person who did the assault did not have "dangerous intentions," whatever that means. Should they need help, however, George said that his counterparts in Norway and Germany have been contacted "in the event that we need to do an urgent intervention."

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Be that as it may, these accusations seem incredibly serious  and the minister in charge of the SANAE IV team's safety doesn't seem to be handling it with the proper gravity.

More on research gone wrong: Scientist Who Gene-Hacked Human Babies Says Ethics Are "Holding Back" Scientific Progress
The D-Day meal so important Winston Churchill didnt have an alcoholic drink can be revealed.

A signed menu from Churchill and Dwight Eisenhowers secret train where they plotted the landings known as Operation Overlord has emerged for sale for 4,000.

The wartime prime minister met the American military supremo and future US president on the train, named Alive, in March 1944.

While there they planned the Normandy invasion, which was launched three months later on June 6, 1944.

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During the train journey, Churchill inspected US troops at Newbury, Tidworth and Winchester who went on to take part in D-Day.

The pair took a break from discussing strategy to enjoy a dinner of fillet steak, French fries and savoy greens.

They had a starter of tomato soup, while dessert was peach melba and pudding princess. This was followed by cheese and biscuits.

So serious was the meeting Churchill apparently went without an alcoholic beverage, opting instead for coffee.

Bottomless capacity for alcohol

Churchill, renowned for drinking throughout the day, once said the four essentials of life were hot baths, cold champagne, new peas and old brandy.

A menu from Churchill and Dwight Eisenhowers secret train meeting will go under the hammer at Bonhams - Bonhams/BNPS

He promoted the idea he had a bottomless capacity for alcohol, according to historian Richard Langworth.

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And after losing the 1945 election, he went on holiday to Lake Como, with Sarah, his daughter, and Lord Moran, his doctor.

Between them they drank 96 bottles of champagne in a fortnight. Churchill also drank six or seven whisky and sodas a day, as well as three daily brandies.

Alive was one of four special trains put together by Great Western Railway for senior military and political figures during the Second World War.

It consisted of 67 berths, two conference cars, the saloon car Bayonet and storage for vehicles, and was fitted with armour plating and metal shutters for added security.

After July 1945, the train was relinquished by the Americans and taken over for the use of British Army Officer Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

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The archive, which also includes a letter of thanks from Eisenhower to a guardsman and several interior photos of the train, is going under the hammer at London-based auctioneers Bonhams.

It was amassed by Frederic Daw, of the Grenadier Guards, who worked on the train and accompanied Eisenhower throughout Britain.

Mr Daw, the vendors uncle, died in 1995.

The train was codenamed Alive - Bonhams/BNPS

The menu was signed by Churchill, Eisenhower, US military commanders James Lawton Collins and Omar Bradley, and Churchills daughter Sarah Oliver, who was in the WAAF and served as his aide-de-camp.

Critical preparations

A Bonhams spokesperson said: This group relates to Churchill and Eisenhowers secret train, Alive, including a signed menu.

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The recipient of our menu and correspondence, Frederic Daw, signed up with the Grenadier Guards at the outbreak of war, when one of his first tasks was to guard Windsor Castle.

From there, he joined the office of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force and continued his duties on Eisenhowers secret command train, codenamed Alive, where he became a trusted member of his staff.

He travelled with Eisenhower throughout the UK and witnessed at first hand the preparations for the Allied invasion of Europe, and thence to Germany and France, the spokesman added.

March 1944, when our menu was signed, was a critical time in the preparations for the allied invasion of Europe.

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The sale takes place on Thursday.

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President Donald Trump arrives to sign an executive order prohibiting transgender women from competing in women's sportsthe third order he signed that targets transgender people since taking officeon February 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Andrew HarnikGetty Images

Over the past few months, the Trump Administration has unleashed an all-out assault on transgender people. His team has scrubbed the existence of trans people from government websites, threatened access to gender-affirming care, banned transgender people from joining the military, and more.

President Donald Trump and his right-wing supporters have long grounded their anti-trans actions in religious freedom for Christians. Trump and his allies purport that God created two gendersmale and femaleand any interpretations to the contrary violate the fundamental tenets of Christianity. However, the conservative "Christian" crusade against trans rights is deeply un-Christian.

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We have studied and taught the Bible for decades, and there is nothing that would justify such horrendous dehumanization of creatures made in Gods image. The Bible is an expansive text that can help guide us. We cant stand by as right-wing forces make a mockery of our most sacred texts through bad-faith interpretationsand neither should other Christian faith leaders.

Lets start with the obvious. The Bible never says Trans people are bad, Trans people dont exist, Love thy neighbor except trans people, or anything close to these absurd claims. Though conservative Christians may cite Genesis 1:27, which states that God made "male and female," the Bible fluidly compares God to both men and women.

Consider Isaiah 42, for example, in which God proclaims his promise of salvation and foretells the coming of the Messiah. He says that the Lord will march out and raise a battle cry similar to a woman in labor. The text reads, For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant.

Then, in Isaiah 66, God speaks through Isaiah and says, As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.

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Meanwhile, in Deuteronomy 32, God warns people of the consequences of turning away from him. He is compared to an eagle stirring up its nest and hovering over its youngan action that mother eagles take to encourage their offspring to leave the nest. He also condemns you who forgot the God who gave you birth.

We believe that God created trans and intersex people and that gender fluidity is as natural to some of Gods creations as is identification with only a single gender expression. And the struggle for the freedom to be is as old as humanity itself. Indeed, this is the Biblical Story. The Bible tells the story of many faith traditions, cultures, and civilizations striving to be free. Conveniently, right-wing forces ignore the reality of gender fluidity expressed in scripture and in many other manifestations throughout human history at the expense of ignoring some of the most important biblical themes of freedom and acceptance.

But even beyond specific verses of scripture, our sacred text consistently tells us to love our neighbors, support the most vulnerable, and embrace our fellow human beings. Theres no asterisk that says except trans people. Denying the existence of trans people, bullying them, or undermining their rights contradicts all of these core moral values.

As trans writer Julian K. Jarboe explains, God blessed me by making me transsexual for the same reason God made wheat but not bread and fruit but not wine, so that humanity might share in the act of creation.

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Beyond weaponizing the Bible to attack the trans community, theres another hurtful trend related to the anti-trans crusade: Right-wing forces are attempting to imbue their twisted version of Christianity into all layers of public life without any regard for different religious perspectives. For example, President Trump issued directives for the Department of Education to end support for trans students, which could have negative consequences on their physical and mental health.

But theres no clear agreement between and within different religious traditions about how to approach gender identity. By imposing one siloed version of gender on the entire population, the government is undermining the reality of our religiously diverse country and shredding our most basic religious freedoms. It bears pointing out, though, that virtually every religious tradition respects the sanctity of human beings in their rich diversity. This is a religious teaching we can and should apply throughout our society.

So, as religious leaders, we stand in solidarity with all members of the transgender community. We also mourn all the trans lives lost, including the recent torture and killing of Sam Nordquist, a trans man from Minnesota.

We must stop making the Bible a tool of hate. Instead, we much embrace the greater message of love and faith it proclaims and work for justice and equality for all of God's creations.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A Rhode Island doctor was deported over the weekend, something her familys lawyers say should not have happened.

The Providence Journal reports that Dr. Rasha Alaweih, a kidney transplant doctor, was placed on a plane at Logan Airport Friday night, after she had just returned to the U.S. after visiting family in Lebanon.

Her familys lawyer says Alawieh was cleared to return to the U.S. and that she has both an active visa through 2027 and a passport.

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They also say she was denied access to a lawyer.

Alawiehs family has filed a complaint to the U.S. District Court, which has stated that she not be deported within 48 hours notice.

A rally is set at the Rhode Island State House lawn on Monday, March 17, at 6 P.M.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A Brown Medicine doctor was deported despite having an H-1B visa.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh was detained at Boston Logan Airport on Thursday after returning from a trip to visit her family in Lebanon, the Boston Globe originally reported.

Alawieh works in Brown Medicines Division of Kidney Disease and Hypertension.

Dr. George Bayliss told the Globe that Alawieh also works in transplant services at Rhode Island Hospital and teaches at Brown University.

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The school said it is seeking to learn more about the situation.

12 News obtained a copy of a letter to the community from Browns Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy. The letter encourages international students, staff and faculty, including those who have visas and green cards, to avoid traveling outside of the country.

The letter reads in part, We understand that many in our community are feeling a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety as news media share reports of federal deportation actions against individuals who are non U.S. citizens. This includes concerning reports affecting our own community of a couple of individuals refused entry upon returning to the United States.

The letter also notes, it is important to emphasize that, at this time, the federal government has not communicated any new or renewed travel restrictions or bans.

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ALSO READ: Brown University imposes hiring freeze amid federal funding concerns

Bayliss said U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin issued an order for Alawieh to not be moved outside of Massachusetts following her detention at the airport.

A federal court hearing on Alawieh was postponed until next week.

According to the court docket, Alawieh was not supposed to be moved without 48-hour notice. But U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reportedly did not receive that court order until after Alawieh was sent back to Lebanon.

In additional court documents that reporters were permitted to take notes from, Alawieh was questioned by authorities regarding photos she had on her phone, some of which depicted the former head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.

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According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Hezbollah is an Iran-backed militant group and political party in Lebanon. Hezbollah also manages a large network of social services in Lebanon including health care facilities.

The United States designates Hezbollah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Alawieh allegedly said she follows Nasrallahs spiritual beliefs but not his politics.

In a statement, CBP said, arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the United States. Our CBP Officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country. CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats.

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Rhode Island Congressman Gabe Amo told 12 News his office is committed to getting answers from the Department of Homeland Security for both Alawieh and the community.

Since Friday, my office and I have been directly engaged with local and national lawyers, as well as other Members of Congress, to assess the facts surrounding Dr. Alawieh, including the apparent violation of a federal judges order, Amo explained.

In a social media post made just after noon on March 17, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security wrote, Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree. Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah.

A visa is a privilege not a right, the post continued. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security.

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the Trump administration to bring Alawieh back to Rhode Island.

As a U.S. resident for six years and a doctor working for the Division of Kidney Disease & Hypertension at Brown Medicine, Dr. Alawieh played a critical role in treating countless patients who needed treatment by a specialist, CAIR said in a statement. Deporting lawful immigrants like Dr. Alawieh without any basis undermines the rule of law and reinforces suspicion that our immigration system is turning into an anti-Muslim, white supremacist institution that seeks to expel and turn away as many Muslims and people of color as possible.

In a statement, Brown University Health encouraged international staff members to consider postponing or delaying any travel outside of the United States until further information regarding re-entry requirements, restrictions and travel bans becomes available.

The safety and well-being of our employees and patients remain our top priority, the statement reads. We want to assure the public that there will be no disruption to patient care as we continue to assess the situation.

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Dozens gathered outside the Rhode Island State House Monday evening to show support for Alawieh.

We were in shock, Alawiehs colleague Eilene Tarice said. We did not know that someone  a doctor  could have this happen to them.

Were here to support a colleague who has done nothing but give on behalf of American citizens, Brown University Healths Dr. Paul Morrissey added. She treated thousands of patients and has done nothing but exceptional work.

Morrissey, whos worked alongside Alawieh for nearly a year, said her absence will be felt.

We take care of over 800 patients in Rhode Island and shes going to be deeply missed, he continued. It will have a strong and negative impact.

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BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and three others injured on Monday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a van in the town of Yohmor, southern Lebanon, Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said in a statement.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that an Israeli drone fired two air-to-ground missiles at a vehicle in central Yohmor of the Nabatieh Governorate, "resulting in multiple casualties, including one fatality, and causing material damage to a nearby shop and motorcycle."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that the strike targeted two Hezbollah militants who "served as observation operatives and directed terrorist activities."

Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported that at least one Hezbollah fighter was killed.

The strike was the latest in a series of Israeli airstrikes since a truce took effect in November, following months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Although the ceasefire agreement mandated the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, Israel has maintained its military presence at five key border locations beyond the February 18 deadline and has carried out dozens of attacks in Lebanon, claiming they are necessary to neutralize Hezbollah threats. 
Presidential pardons ordered by Joe Biden could be cancelled because they were signed using a robotic pen, Donald Trump has declared.

The president said the pardons were void, vacant and of no further effect because they had been signed by an autopen machine and not Mr Biden himself.

He added that some pardons may have been authorised by aides without the presidents approval, but offered no evidence.

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Mr Trumps comments raise questions about a raft of eleventh hour pardons signed by Mr Biden before he left office. They include many of Mr Trumps enemies like Liz Cheney, Dr Anthony Fauci and retired general Mark Milley.

His attempt to unilaterally cancel the pardons has no legal basis, however Mr Trump has been testing the guard-rails of the US judicial system through the appointment of deeply loyal cabinet members.

In a Monday morning post on Truth Social, the president wrote: The pardons that sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared void, vacant, and of no further force or effect, because of the fact that they were done by autopen.

In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary pardoning documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden.



He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime.

Credit: The Oversight Project

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Presidents including Mr Trump have long used autopen to affix their mark to documents that then have the power to transform America and the lives of its citizens.



Unlike the common e-signature, the autopen is a robot writing instrument that learns how to mimic and repeat the pen strokes of any individual.

It can be fitted with any style of pen, including the sharpie favoured by George W Bush.



The Heritage Foundation, a Right-leaning Washington-based think tank, last week reported that all of the signatures on Mr Bidens last-minute pardons and other documents dating back to the early days of his term were identical and appeared to be done by autopen.



Whoever controlled the autopen controlled the presidency, the organisation said, suggesting that one of Mr Bidens close-knit circle of aides may have issued orders carrying his signature without the full awareness of the president.



Speaking at the Justice Department Building on Friday, Mr Trump suggested that he would not sign executive orders by autopen.



No 1  its disrespectful to the office, he said, before adding in reference to Mr Biden. No. 2  maybe its not even valid because whos getting him to sign? He had no idea what the hell he was doing.



Mr Trump has used the autopen to sign executive orders in both his terms, according to Fox News analysis. Many orders from his first term on the Federal Register website appear to be done by autopen.

Joe Bidens real signature, below, compared with the autopen, above - X

In Mr Bidens case, however, the autopen probes have re-energised debate about how far the 82-year-old was in control of the White House, as his health visibly deteriorated.



The New York Post cited a Biden White House source claiming that one of the presidents top aides was unilaterally deciding what to authorise in the presidents name.



I think [the aide] was using the autopen as standard and past protocol, the source told the Post, adding There is no clarity on who actually approved what  potus or [the aide].

The paper decided not to publish the aides name because of a lack of concrete evidence and strenuous denials from several other Biden administration sources.

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Andrew Bates, a former senior deputy press secretary in the Biden administration, said the weight of Bidens executive orders signed by autopen was just the same as those issued by Trump.

Actually, Donald Trump - y'all's #2 - encouraged using mail-in ballots. https://t.co/SMYMrrQHzz



Trump also used an autopen while president - you know, before Musk. I'd bet you support the executive orders Trump autopenned as President. https://t.co/xai5ayeKzq https://t.co/xPFQYIBQY5 pic.twitter.com/UnbXSyMBCB  Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) March 15, 2025

The US constitution grants huge leeway to presidents in issuing pardons and sets no clear limits on how they must be authorised.

In 2024, the federal appeals court ruled that a pardon did not even have to be issued in writing.

Mr Bush was the first president criticised for over-using autopen, but he defended himself citing the huge volumes of correspondence required of a president.

Barack Obama became the first president to sign a bill into law via use of the machine, extending the Patriot Act by autopen while he was in Europe.

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On Monday, Mr Trump admitted that the decision whether or not to seek prosecutions of Ms Cheney and other political foes would be up to the courts.

But the selection of deeply-loyal allies to lead the Department of Justice, FBI and intelligence agencies gives the president greater leverage than his predecessors in attempting to strong-arm his wishes through the judiciary.

During his presidency, Mr Biden was carefully managed by a team of advisers who backed the Democrats desire to seek a second term and attempted to hide his declining mental faculties from the public.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal in December last year, Joe Manchin, the former senator for West Virginia, described the inner-circle as the eager beavers.

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They were going, Ill take care of that, Mr Manchin said, claiming that this group had a far greater role in driving the presidents agenda than under previous administrations.

Cabinet members also told the newspaper that aides would act as a go-between on issues they felt should have been the presidents prerogative.

The aides would carry their message to the president and then report back on his verdict.

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Hungary has dropped its threat to block the extension of EU sanctions against Russia following a conversation between Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Politico reported on March 17, citing undisclosed sources.

In January, Budapest said it plans to veto the sanctions renewal, citing U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the White House and the possibility of a shift in U.S. policy toward Russia.

Since then, Trump has warned Russia of additional sanctions and trade measures unless it agrees to peace talks in Ukraine.

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According to two Politico sources, Rubio urged Szijjarto to refrain from undermining the EU sanctions system, contributing to Budapest's decision to support the measures.

The outlet nevertheless notes that Trump could alter his approach at any time by offering to ease sanctions as part of negotiations with Russia. If that happens, the EU could lose leverage over Hungary, which has repeatedly used its veto power to extract concessions from Brussels.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, widely considered the EU's most Russian-friendly leader, has consistently opposed military aid for Ukraine and warned that Ukraine's EU accession would "destroy" Hungary.

Orban has maintained close ties with Russia despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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The EU's sanctions framework includes economic measures and restrictions on over 2,400 individuals and entities linked to Russia.

Since sanctions must be extended unanimously, a Hungarian veto could force the EU to negotiate new compromises or risk a lapse in enforcement.

Read also: Territorial integrity, military size, alliances  FM Sybiha sets 3 fundamentals for potential peace talks

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The phrase international rules-based order has long been a fixture in global politics.

Western leaders often use it to describe a framework of rules, norms and institutions designed to guide state behavior. Advocates argue that this framework has provided the foundation for decades of stability and prosperity, while critics question its fairness and relevance in todays multipolar world.

But what exactly is the international rules-based order, when did it come about, and why do people increasingly hear about challenges to it today?

The birth of a universal vision

The rules-based international order, initially known as the liberal international order, emerged from the devastation of World War II. The vision was ambitious and universal: to create a global system based on liberal democratic values, market capitalism and multilateral cooperation.

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At its core, however, this project was driven by the United States, which saw itself as the unmatched leader of the new order.

The idea was to replace the chaos of great power politics and shifting alliances with a predictable world governed by shared rules and norms.

Central to this vision was the establishment of institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. These institutions, alongside widely accepted norms and formalized rules, aimed to promote political cooperation, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and economic recovery for countries damaged by war.

However, the vision of a truly universal liberal international order quickly unraveled. As the Cold War set in, the world split into two competing blocs. The Western bloc, led by the United States, adhered to the principles of the liberal international order.

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Meanwhile, the Soviet-led communist bloc established a parallel system with its own norms, rules and institutions. The Warsaw Pact provided military alignment, while the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance managed economic cooperation. The communist bloc emphasized state-led economic planning and single-party rule, rejecting the liberal orders emphasis on democracy and free markets.

Emerging cracks

When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the liberal international order appeared to have triumphed. The United States became the worlds sole superpower, and many former communist states integrated into Western institutions. For a brief period, the orders universal vision seemed within reach.

By the 1990s and early 2000s, however, new cracks began to appear.

NATO expansion, the creation of the World Trade Organization and greater emphasis on human rights through institutions such as the International Criminal Court all closely aligned with Western liberal values. The spread of these norms and the institutions enforcing them appeared, to many outside the West, as Western ideology dressed up as universal principles.

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In response to mounting criticism, Western leaders began using the term rules-based international order instead of liberal international order. This shift aimed to emphasize procedural fairness  rules that all states, in theory, had agreed upon  rather than a system explicitly rooted in liberal ideological commitments. The focus moved from promoting specific liberal norms to maintaining stability and predictability.

New challenges to the status quo

Chinas rise has brought these tensions into sharp relief. While China participates in many institutions underpinning the rules-based international order, it also seeks to reshape them.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank illustrate Beijings efforts to establish alternative frameworks more aligned with its interests. These initiatives challenge existing rules and norms by offering new institutional pathways for economic and political influence.

Meanwhile, Russias actions in Ukraine  especially the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 invasion  challenge the orders core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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Western inconsistencies have long undermined the credibility of the rules-based order. The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, widely criticized for bypassing international norms and institutions, exemplified a selective application of the rules. This double standard extends toward Washingtons selective engagement with international legal bodies and its inconsistent approach to sovereignty and intervention.

An uncertain future

Supporters argue that the rules-based order remains vital for addressing global challenges such as climate change, pandemics and nuclear proliferation.

However, ambiguity surrounds what these rules actually entail, which norms are genuinely universal, and who enforces them.

This lack of clarity, coupled with shifting global power dynamics, complicates efforts to sustain the system.

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The future of the rules-based international order is uncertain. The shift from liberal to rules-based reflected an ongoing struggle to adapt a complex web of rules, norms and institutions to a rapidly changing international environment.

Whether it evolves further, splinters or endures as is will depend on how well it balances fairness, inclusivity and stability in an increasingly multipolar world.

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: Andrew Latham, Macalester College

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Andrew Latham 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.
Russian forces have killed two civilians in the city of Kherson and its outskirts.

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on social media

Details: Prokudin said that the Russian army attacked a resident of Kherson in the Dniprovskyi district with a drone at around 19:00. The 56-year-old man died on the spot as a result of the explosion.

Another person was killed in Sunday's attack on the village of Antonivka. A 71-year-old man sustained fatal injuries.

Background: On 14 March, the Russians launched a guided aerial bomb at the centre of Kherson. The attack injured two people.

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The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Russian forces captured the Ukrainian village of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 17.

Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn denied the statement.

Stepove, with a pre-war population of 118 people, is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the villages of Pyatykhatky and Mali Shcherbaky in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. All three settlements were under Russian occupation in 2022 and 2023.

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The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its military had taken control of Stepove. However, Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian forces did not lose ground in the Zaporizhzhia sector of the front line.

The DeepState monitoring group map, as of March 17, 2025, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps)

"This is a method of information warfare  the enemy claims that it is there before it has entered. I do not confirm the information that Russia entered the settlements of Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, or Shcherbaky and took them under control," Voloshyn said.

"Fierce fighting continues in this area. The enemy is trying to change the configuration of the combat line in its favor. In total, six combat engagements were registered in the Orikhiv sector over the last day. The day before yesterday, there were 19," Voloshyn added.

According to Voloshyn, since March, Russian forces have intensified their assaults in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Since the beginning of spring, there have been over 130 clashes in the Orikhiv sector alone.

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The Ukrainian military warned in fall 2024 that Russian forces were ammassing in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in preparation for a southern offensive. Heavy fortifications were constructed around the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia ahead of the possible invasion.

The area near Stepove was the main axis of Ukraine's southern counteroffensive in 2023, which led to the liberation of the settlement of Robotyne but achieved no major breakthrough.

Read also: Kyiv sees no surprises as Russia signals its rejection of US-backed ceasefire proposal

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Russias Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev has reported that the fire at the Tuapse oil refinery, which broke out as a result of a "Ukrainian attack", was finally extinguished only after three days.

Source: Kondratyev on Telegram

Quote: "The fire at the oil refinery in Tuapse has been fully extinguished. After the attack by the Kyiv regime on the night of 13-14 March, a tank containing approximately 20,000 tonnes of petrol caught fire."

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Details: Kondratyev said that the fire covered a total area of 1,000 square meters, and the blaze was classified as level four in terms of danger. A total of 188 firefighters and 55 fire appliances were involved in extinguishing the fire.

Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that the refinery in Krasnodar Krai was attacked by the new Ukrainian long-range Neptune missile.

Background: On 15 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported "significant results" in Ukraine's missile programme following the successful test of a domestically-produced long-range Neptune missile.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that a "peace deal may include the presence of unarmed observers and a civilian mission" in Ukraine to monitor compliance with the terms of the agreement and guarantees.

Source: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko in an interview with Izvestia; Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency SS

Details: According to TASS, Grushko stated that "a peace deal may include the presence of unarmed observers and a civilian mission in Ukraine to monitor the implementation of certain aspects of the agreement or guarantee mechanisms".

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Quote from Grushko: "When it comes to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, it will, of course, have an external framework. We will demand that ironclad security guarantees be part of this agreement."

Details: Grushko claimed that only through the establishment of such guarantees could lasting peace in Ukraine be achieved and regional security strengthened. In addition, he added that part of the guarantees should include Ukraine's neutral status and a refusal by NATO countries to admit it into the alliance.

Previously: In early March, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that the potential deployment of European troops in Ukraine would mean NATO's official and direct involvement in the war. Notably, the Russian propaganda machine has been claiming for three years that Moscow is at war with the "West" and NATO on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Ukraine's partners have begun discussing the possible deployment of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Such statements have been made by representatives of France, the United Kingdom and Turkiye.

Background:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised the necessity of deploying at least 200,000 European peacekeepers to prevent further Russian aggression against Ukraine following a ceasefire agreement.

Later Zelenskyy stated that any effective peacekeeping forces deployed in Ukraine must include US troops.

Zelenskyy also pointed out that the number of peacekeepers would depend on the size of the Ukrainian army.

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MANILA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine security forces killed four alleged members of the militant group Dawlah Islamiya (DI) during a clash in Maguindanao del Norte province in the southern Philippines on Monday morning, the military said.

In a report, the military said the troops were conducting combat operations in Barira town when the clash occurred around 5:45 a.m. local time.

Troops recovered two M16 assault rifles, a cal. 45 pistol, two anti-personnel mines, and assorted ammunition from the encounter site, the report added.

No government soldier was wounded or killed in the firefight.

The DI is behind several atrocities in Mindanao, including the bombing at Mindanao State University in Marawi city in Lanao del Sur province in December 2023, which left four people dead and 50 others injured. 
Russia will seek to exclude Ukraine from Nato membership as part of its ironclad guarantees for a peace deal, according to the countrys deputy foreign minister.

In an interview published on Monday with the Russian outlet Izvestia, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that any long-lasting peace treaty with Ukraine must meet Moscows demands.

We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, Mr Grushko told the outlet.

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Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance.

Donald Trump said he would speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as Washington continues to press Moscow to accept a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

I think well be talking about land... well be talking about power plants, Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday night.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

Donald Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Force One - Reuters

Steve Witkoff, Mr Trumps envoy to the Middle East, who met with Putin several days ago, told CNN on Sunday he believed a ceasefire deal could be reached within weeks.

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I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week, he said.

[Mr Trump] really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, maybe, and I believe thats the case.

Putin has previously said that crucial conditions must be met in order for him to agree to any deal.

Britain and France are both willing to send a peacekeeping force to monitor a ceasefire. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said his country was also open to requests.

However, Moscow remains categorically against the deployment of Nato observers to Ukraine.

Mr Grushko said a deployment of unarmed post-conflict observers could be only discussed once a peace deal had been agreed.

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In the meantime, its just hot air, he said.

Mr Grushko added: It does not matter under what label Nato contingents were to be deployed on Ukrainian territory: be it the European Union, Nato, or in a national capacity.

If they appear there, it means that they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that the stationing of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine was a question for Kyiv to decide and not Moscow.

Mr Grushko said European allies of Kyiv should understand that only the exclusion of Ukraines membership in Nato and the elimination of the possibility of deploying foreign military contingents on its territory would work for the region.

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Then the security of Ukraine and the entire region in a broader sense will be ensured, since one of the root causes of the conflict will be eliminated, he said.

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The Russians have attacked Ukraine with 174 Shahed attack UAVs and decoy drones of various types since the evening of 16 March. A total of 160 have failed to reach their targets.

Source: Ukraine's Air Force

Quote: "As of 09:00, 90 Shahed attack UAVs and other types of drones have been confirmed shot down over Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa oblasts. In addition, 70 enemy decoy drones disappeared from radar (without causing adverse effects)."

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Details: Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Sumy, Chernihiv and Kyiv oblasts came under attack.

The drones were launched from the Russian cities of Oryol, Shatalovo, Kursk, Bryansk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk.

Aircraft, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups from the Air Force and the rest of Ukraines defence forces were involved in repelling the attack.

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Russia is open to allowing unarmed observers and civilian missions in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on March 16, according to state-owned news agency TASS.

"A peace treaty may provide for unarmed observers in Ukraine, a civilian mission to monitor the implementation of certain aspects of the agreement, or guarantee mechanisms," Grushko said.

Kyiv has said that strong security guarantees are essential for any peace agreement. The deployment of international peacekeeping forces in Ukraine has been considered as one possible option.

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"If we talk about a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine, of course, it will have an external contour. We will demand that ironclad security guarantees be part of this agreement," Grushko said.

The official reiterated that Russia sees Ukraine's "neutrality" and NATO non-membership as essential parts of any agreement.

Ukraine officially applied to join NATO in September 2022. While the alliance declared in 2024 that Ukraine's path to membership is "irreversible," no formal invitation has been extended.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 24 that Russian President Vladimir Putin would allow European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a deal, though Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has publicly rejected the idea.

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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented plans to send 10,000 peacekeeping troops to Ukraine during a high-level virtual summit in London on March 15, Sunday Times reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Kyiv does not need Russia's approval to invite peacekeeping troops into its territory.

Bloomberg reported on March 10 that Putin has set "maximalist" demands  including territorial concessions, peacekeeper restrictions, and Ukraines neutrality  knowing they will likely be unacceptable to Kyiv and its Western allies.

Read also: Trump plans to call Putin on March 18 to discuss war in Ukraine

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A fire broke out at an energy infrastructure facility after drones attacked Russias Astrakhan Oblast overnight.

Source: Astrakhan Oblast governor Igor Babushkin on Telegram; local media

Quote: "A fire broke out on the premises of the facility due to the fall of drone debris."

Details: Babushkin did not specify at which facility the fire occurred but stressed that the drones had attacked the oblasts fuel and energy infrastructure.

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The official claims that the Russian air defence system had responded successfully, and all employees of the affected facility had been evacuated in advance.

At the same time, he said, one person had been injured.

In addition, the Russian Telegram channel Mash claimed on the evening of 16 March that the Ukrainian Armed Forces drones had attacked the city of Yeysk, where 10 explosions were heard over the Sea of Azov.

In turn, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that its air defence forces had "successfully" repelled the UAV attacks. According to the Russians, air defence forces destroyed 22 drones in Astrakhan, Bryansk, Volgograd and Rostov oblasts, as well as in the Republic of Kalmykia.

Background: On the evening of 16 March, Russia reported a large-scale attack by Ukrainian drones targeting several oblasts.

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Editor's note: The story was expanded with a statement by the Center for Countering Disinformation.

Western sanctions against Russia could be eventually relaxed if the step ensures security and justice for Ukraine, top Ukrainian sanctions official Vladyslav Vlasiuk told Politico in an interview published on March 17.

The U.S., the EU, and other international partners have imposed heavy sanctions against Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, aiming to undermine its ability to wage war.

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Vlasiuk said that easing the economic restrictions imposed on Russia is "a matter of time," but stressed that it has to happen under the right conditions. He noted that sanctions are designed to push Russia to cease its aggression and commit to lasting peace rather than being a "punishment of any kind."

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened additional sanctions and tariffs on Russia while also temporarily cutting off military and intelligence support for Kyiv to push the two countries to peace talks.

While saying it is premature to discuss what sanctions could be lifted, Vlasiuk added that Moscow is already asking to ease specific restrictions, indicating what hurts Russia the most.

A lasting agreement with Russia would have to include justice and "compensations for the Ukrainians" for more than three years of Moscow's full-scale invasion, Vlasiuk noted.

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Later on March 17, Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation clarified that Vlasiuk's statement does not mean Kyiv supports lifting sanctions against Russia at the moment.

"Sanctions have a clear goal  if it is achieved, they can be reviewed," Vlasiuk told the center operating under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

"But it is too early to talk about lifting the restrictions; steps from Russia are needed first. This can be discussed in the future, but for now, sanctions are a key leverage."

Western sanctions have primarily targeted Russia's energy sector, as oil and gas exports represent a major part of Moscow's war budget. The EU has sought to pivot away from Russian supplies, while the G7 imposed a trade cap on Russian seaborne crude oil.

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Over 460 international companies have exited Russia since February 2022, representing a loss of $6 billion in taxes paid to the Russian state, according to the Kyiv School of Economics.

The Trump administration extended some of the sanctions but said that easing the restrictions would have to be part of an eventual peace deal. Last week, the U.S. did not extend an exemption allowing Russian banks to use U.S. payment systems for energy transactions, dealing another blow to Russia's oil industry.

Read also: Painful for Russia: What new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy mean for Moscow

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Russian forces struck the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast on the morning of 17 March, injuring three children aged 15, 12 and 8.

Source: Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration; Donetsk Oblast Prosecutors Office

Details: The Russians struck a house where the children were staying. As a result of the attack, a 12-year-old boy and his two sisters, aged 8 and 15, were wounded. They were diagnosed with blast injuries, burns, a fracture, bruises and a closed head injury. They received medical assistance.

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The prosecutor's office noted that the type of weapon is currently being established. Law enforcement officers have launched a pre-trial investigation in a criminal proceeding over a war crime (Article 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Filashkin reported that the children had previously been evacuated to a safer region, but their parents decided to return to Pokrovsk.

Quote: "Adults who force their children to remain under strikes in frontline cities provoke anger.

If you dont protect yourselves, at least protect your children! Dont wait for a shell or bomb to hit your home! Evacuate!"

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March 17 (UPI) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Monday that any peace deal with Ukraine must include "security guarantees" from the United States and NATO that Ukraine would remain neutral and not be permitted to join NATO.

Grushko told the Izvestia newspaper that Russia would insist on the assurances in line with longstanding proposals in two 2021 draft treaties that called for restricting NATO to its then 29-country membership, banning NATO forces from central and eastern Europe, a U.S. commitment to no NATO enlargement and a requirement that both countries "not implement security measures ... that could undermine core security interests of the other party."

"We will demand that ironclad, concrete security guarantees become part of this agreement. Because only through their formation will it be possible to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine and generally strengthen regional security," he said in an interview with the newspaper which while privately owned has close ties to the Kremlin.

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Grushko also appeared to double down on opposition to an "impertinent" joint-British-French proposal for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine expressed by his boss, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, pointing out it could only happen with the agreement of both sides.

Lavrov said Wednesday that the presence of troops from any NATO country in Ukraine "in any capacity, under any flag" would be considered a direct threat to Russia that would not be tolerated.

Grushko said that the rejection of Russia's proposals had made it clear the nature of the "military construction of the alliance and U.S. military preparations" was aimed at achieving superiority over the Russian Federation with "Ukraine the main battlefield, the theater of military operations against Russia."

"Since 2019, the number of armed contingents on the eastern flank of the alliance has doubled. The rearmament of Europe poses no less a threat to our country," Grushko said. "Sending peacekeepers to Ukraine is possible only if both sides come to the conclusion about such a need."

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He aded the West's long-term planning -- strategic concepts approved by NATO and being developed by the European Union as well as NATO deployments along Russia's borders -- gave no hint that it was in any way attempting to adapt to a future peace agreement.

However, Grushko said Moscow was open to parallel but separate negotiations with the European Union if Brussels signaled it was willing to enter into talks on Russia-NATO dialogue, the future architecture of European regional security and the role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in the reaching a settlement on Ukrainian.

The OSCE, which deployed a large international monitoring mission to Ukraine in 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea with a mandate from its 57 member countries to reduce tensions and promote peace, including a diplomatic solution, quit the country in March 2022 a month after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Grushko's comments came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, described a meeting last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss an interim 30-day cease-fire being pushed hard by Trump as "positive" and "solutions-based."

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"The two sides are a lot closer today than they were a few weeks ago. We narrowed the differences," Witkoff said of his four hours of talks with Putin in Moscow on Thursday, stressing that Trump was "involved in every aspect and dimension of these discussions."

Later Sunday, Trump suggested a deal was close saying he would be speaking directly to Putin on Tuesday and might have an announcement afterward.
Russian agents set fire to a huge Ikea store because the colours are same as Ukraine flag, Lithuanian prosecutors have alleged.

The Kremlins military intelligence has been accused of orchestrating an arson attack on the shop in Vilnius, Lithuanias capital, in May last year. It will be tried as an act of terrorism.

The fire broke out in the store three days before a shopping centre in neighbouring Poland went up in flames.

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Authorities there said that they suspected it may have been part of a growing Russian sabotage campaign.

Ikeas colours are the same as Ukraines flag  this has strong symbolic meaning, said Arturas Urbelis, of the Lithuanian prosecutor generals office, adding that the store was not chosen at random.

Investigators found that the Ikea fire was linked to Russian military intelligence through a chain of more than 20 intermediaries.

The chain includes the organisers, then more organisers for certain goals, then more intermediaries, all down to the perpetrators. It is a multi-stage, very complex system, Mr Urbelis told reporters.

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Both suspects held in pre-trial detention are Ukrainians under the age of 20. They were allegedly rewarded for the attack with a BMW car and the promise of 10,000 (8,400).

Another suspected arson attack destroyed Marywilska 44, Warsaws largest shopping centre, last May, destroying 1,400 commercial units.

Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, called the allegations in line with our suspicions and exceptional treachery. He compared the attacks to an attempted arson at a paint factory in Wroclaw where the Russians hired Ukrainian citizens.

Lithuanian prosecutors are transferring part of the case to their Polish counterparts. Last week, Poland charged a Belarusian national  named only as Stepan K under its privacy law  with carrying out a terrorist arson attack in Warsaw on behalf of Russia.

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Russia denies carrying out sabotage attacks, and says the West is stoking hostile feeling by blaming Moscow for every incident.

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The Russians have attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones, damaging infrastructure in two districts and resulting in power supply disruptions.

Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "Infrastructure facilities have been damaged in the Pavlohrad district as a result of the attack. And also in the Synelnykove district."

Details: In addition, a house, a garage and a fire appliance were damaged in the Synelnykove district.

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The Russians shelled the Pokrovske hromada in the Nikopol district on the evening of 16 March, destroying an outbuilding as well as damaging a house and two greenhouses. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

Lysak added that there are power supply disruptions in the Pavlohrad, Synelnykove and Nikopol districts. Fortunately no casualties were recorded.

Early reports indicate that 15 Russian UAVs were destroyed over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight.

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LONDON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday as both leaders looked forward to "strengthening ties."

Starmer stressed that "the UK and Canada are the closest of sovereign allies and friends," according to a statement released by Downing Street.

"The leaders agreed that the UK-Canadian partnership is based on shared history and values, membership of the Commonwealth and a shared King and they both looked forward to strengthening ties," it said.

During the meeting, they also discussed a virtual meeting on Saturday, chaired by Starmer to support Ukraine.

Earlier, Carney met with Britain's King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

Britain is Carney's second leg of his first overseas trip after France, in a bid to deepen relations with Canada's European allies amid U.S. disputes. He was sworn in as Canadian prime minister on Friday.

Amid a trade war with the United States and threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada, Carney has said currently he has no plans to go to the United States, and he looks forward to speaking with Trump "at the appropriate moment." 
NAIROBI (Reuters) -Belgium and Rwanda announced the expulsion of each other's diplomats, as relations deteriorated over allegations about their respective roles in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kigali said it was severing diplomatic relations and giving Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the East African country, accusing Brussels of "using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda."

Belgium's foreign affairs minister Maxime Prevot said the move was "disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue."

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Brussels will reciprocate by declaring Rwandan diplomats persona non grata, he added.

African leaders have been trying to establish a lasting ceasefire in Congo, where the Rwandan government is accused of supporting an offensive by M23 rebels in eastern Congo.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Writing by Hereward HollandEditing by Bate Felix)
Rwanda has cut diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing it of neo-colonial delusions and ordering all Belgian diplomats in the country to leave within 48 hours.

Kigali said Rwandas former colonial ruler had consistently undermined the country and was now trying to destabilise it, along with the rest of the region.

The expulsion of Belgian diplomats came with Paul Kagame, Rwandas president, under European pressure over Kigalis support for the M23 rebel group which has seized swathes of territory and captured two cities in eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year.

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On Monday, the European Union sanctioned three of Rwandas military commanders and the head of its state mining agency over its support for the group.

A United Nations report said last year that Kigali effectively controls the M23 rebels and has around 4,000 troops in the neighbouring DRC. Britain, Germany and Canada have also cut their aid funding in recent weeks.

Paul Kagame, Rwandas president, is under pressure from the EU over Kigalis support for the M23 rebel group - Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Belgium has spearheaded the push to punish Rwanda over the violence, including calls to block a minerals deal and suspend development aid and support for Kigalis peacekeepers in Mozambique.

Kigalis foreign ministry said it was ordering Belgian diplomats to leave within 48 hours because of Brussels pitiful attempts to sustain its neo-colonial delusions.

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A statement said: Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilise against Rwanda in different forums, using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilise both Rwanda and the region.

Brussels immediately hit at Kigalis disproportionate move.

At the weekend Mr Kagame, who has been in power since 2000, denounced Belgiums behaviour towards his country.

He said: One of the biggest problems we faced is that we were colonised by a small country like Belgium, which cut our country up so it can be small, like it. Belgium has killed us throughout history, and keeps coming back to kill us more.

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Kigali stops short of admitting direct involvement in the DRC conflict, but says its own security is at stake because a Rwandan armed group with roots in the 1994 genocide is based in the DRC and is ignored by the West.

The new EU sanctions were targeted at Ruki Karusisi, a special forces commander, and Eugene Nkubito and Pascal Muhizi, two army division commanders. Francis Kamanzi, the head of Rwandas Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, was also singled out.

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(Bloomberg) -- The M23 rebel group behind the latest flare up of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has pulled out of peace talks a day before they were due to start in Angola.

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The Rwanda-backed militias decision followed European Union sanctions over three senior Rwandan military officials, five senior leaders of the M23, and a gold refinery announced earlier on Monday, as criticism grows of Kigalis backing of the group that has seized two major Congolese cities.

Among the sanctioned senior military officials is Major-General Ruki Karusisi, who commands Rwandan special forces deployed in eastern Congo. The EU also penalized the head of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board.

Successive sanctions imposed on our members, including those enacted on the eve of the Luanda discussions, severely undermine direct dialogue and make any progress impossible, M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement. Our organization can no longer continue to participate in the discussions.

Tuesdays talks would have marked the first meeting between the Congolese government and the rebel movement that President Felix Tshisekedi has referred to as terrorists and refused to engage with.

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The EUs penalties, which follow a similar move by the US last month, signal increasing international frustration with Rwandas support, training and arming of M23, which has swiftly seized vast swathes of territory in the mineral-rich region. The fighting has displaced nearly a million people and killed thousands more, and is now roiling diplomatic relationships.

The Rwandan armys unauthorized presence in the DRC constitutes a violation of that countrys territorial integrity and sustains the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the region, the EU said in legislation adopted by foreign ministers in Brussels.

A spokesperson for the Rwandan government didnt immediately respond to a request for comment, but Rwanda has long denied US, EU and UN expert claims that it supports, arms, fights alongside and trains M23.

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Rwandas army is also responsible for serious human rights abuses, including collective punishment, and sustains serious human rights abuses committed by members of M23, the EU said.

The EU said that the Gasabo Gold Refinery in Kigali contributed to the illegal extraction and trafficking of natural resources from eastern DRC, adding that the facility has been exploiting the armed conflict.

The EU also sanctioned Francis Kamanzi, the chief executive officer of Rwandas mining and energy regulator, because minerals continue to be trafficked to Rwanda for the benefit of the M23 and Rwanda, where these conflict minerals are mixed with Rwandan production.

The sanctions came the day Rwanda severed diplomatic relations with Belgium, according to a statement posted on X by its foreign ministry. The Belgian government said last month a growing international consensus is emerging in favor of sanctions against Kigali over its role in the conflict in eastern Congo.

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Belgium will also declare Rwandas diplomats persona non grata, Maxime Prevot, deputy prime minister of the European nation said in a X post.

This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue, Prevot said.

Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the East African Community and Southern African Development Community, who met Monday, urged the blocs to immediately lead processes for political engagement to facilitate the unconditional ceasefire of hostilities in the Congo by March 31.

--With assistance from Katharina Rosskopf, Matthew Hill and David Herbling.

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State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters has agreed to pay a $5,000 settlement after being accused of ethics violations for pushing for President Donald Trump's election on a social media account with his official title.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission said in its settlement agreement with Walters that "there is no evidence" that the Republican knowingly intended to violate any ethics rules.

The Ethics Commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to settle three cases against Walters over his social media posts in support of Trump. It also voted 5-0 to sue Walters in Oklahoma County District Court over alleged campaign finance violations.

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More: Walters' office slips 2020 presidential election dispute into Oklahoma social studies standards

The Ethics Commission made the settlement agreement public on Monday. Executive Director Lee Anne Bruce Boone said the agreement hopefully will serve "to encourage other state officers and employees to avoid any appearance of impropriety in the future."

Walters signed the agreement Friday. He will pay $4,000 to the state's general fund as a civil penalty and $1,000 to the Ethics Commission to cover its costs and attorney fees.

He agreed not to use "Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction" in the title of his personal X account, @RyanWaltersSupt. He also agreed to remove "Supt" from the handle.

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He agreed to change his profile photo, replacing his official state picture with a "non-state issued picture." The "byline" of his account will read "Teacher, Dad to 4, and State Superintendent of Oklahoma."

Walters has 10 days from the vote to make the changes.

"Supt. Walters has always committed to following all guidelines and transparency in his political operations," his spokesperson, Grace Kim, said.

Walters has become known for his prolific use of that same X account, often posting video of himself in his vehicle, to espouse his political views and attack teachers' unions and what he describes as leftist woke ideology.

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The agreement further requires Walters and others involved in the Oklahoma State Department of Education's social media content to get training from the Ethics Commission within 90 days.

What did Walters do on social media?

The Ethics Commission said in the settlement agreement that Walters made posts on X that "tended to advocate for the election of President Donald Trump and/or the defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris."

This post on the social media platform X is one of the exhibits in a notice to Ryan Walters that he was under investigation for allegedly violating state ethics rules.

Trump beat Harris on Nov. 5 to win a second term in office.

An ethics rule that has been in effect since 2014 prohibits the use of a social media account "maintained in the name of a state officer as a state officer" from advocating for the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.

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The Ethics Commission notified Walters in December he was under investigation over his social media posts.

According to the notice, Walters stated in an Oct. 31 post: "The biggest threat to our economy, our kids, and our families is Kamala Harris. Her border failures have cost our state half a billion dollars. We never had this under President Trump. We must hold Kamala accountable on November 5!"

In another post the same day, Walters stated: "Time to shut the border down: elect @realdonaldtrump and @jdvance."

In a Nov. 4 post, Walters stated, "Tomorrow, we will elect @realDonaldTrump." In a Nov. 5 post, he stated, "I just cast my ballot for President Trump. ... Let's get President Trump back in the White House and get this country back on the right track!"

No specifics revealed about campaign finance allegations

Walters has been under investigation since October over allegations of campaign finance violations. He was the chair and treasurer of his 2022 campaign.

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The Ethics Commission has not made public any specifics about the alleged campaign finance violations. The Oklahoman reported in 2023 that Walters failed to report some campaign donations. The Frontier, an online news site, reported in 2022 that Walters had failed to report certain campaign expenses.

Walters and his campaign committee could be ordered to pay civil penalties as high as $50,000 if the Ethics Commission wins its lawsuit. He also could reach another settlement to avoid being sued.

He already has paid $4,200 to the Ethics Commission for filing campaign reports late.

Walters has not registered with the Ethics Commission to raise funds for a 2026 reelection effort. He has been mentioned as a possible candidate for governor.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ryan Walters settles ethics complaint for $5,000 over X posts for Trump
A Ryanair flight on its way to Morocco circled in the air for almost an hour before landing back in Manchester after a technical issue that prevented it from leaving the UK was discovered.

Flight RK1266 took off from Manchester Airport just after 4pm on Sunday, 16 March, on its way to Agadir, Morocco, but did it not make it far from the city when it started to circle multiple times.

The Boeing 737 flew to Wigan where it then circled the air around the town as well as the Merseyside area down to St Helens about seven or eight times, before flying back to the airport and landing around 5pm, data from FlightRadar shows.

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The plane, which was due to fly a three-and-a-half journey to the Moroccan city never left the UK in the hour it was in the air.

Upon arrival back at Manchester Airport, the plane was met by fire crews on the runway.

Passengers were offered a replacement aircraft after returning to Manchester, which landed in Agadir at 10.30pm that evening.

A spokesperson for Ryanair told The Independent: "This flight from Manchester to Agadir (Sun, 16 Mar) returned to Manchester shortly after take-off due to a minor technical issue.

The aircraft landed normally at Manchester Airport and passengers disembarked.

To minimise disruption to affected passengers, we quickly arranged for a replacement aircraft to operate this flight, which departed to Agadir at 7.05pm local [time] that same day.

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We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused."

This incident comes a week after a Ryanair flight from Malaga to Manchester on had to make a diversion to Bilbao due to a medical emergency  with passengers ended up spending the night in the Spanish city as air traffic controllers went home before the plane could take off again.

After the unwell passenger was taken off the plane, the aircraft was refuelled and prepared to continue to Manchester, however, due to the flight plan exceeding operational hours, the plane could not depart from the airport.

Passengers had to board a flight the following day to complete the journey.

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Another Ryanair flight had to make an emergency stop in Brest, France while travelling to Bournemouth from Gran Canaria after a passenger experienced a suspected heart attack.

This incident, on 10 March, was able to continue its journey an hour later after the woman was transported off the plane to hospital for further treatment.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili was sentenced on Monday to four-and-a-half more years in jail after being found guilty of illegally crossing the state border, Georgian news agency Interpress reported.

According to the verdict, Saakashvili, who has been imprisoned since 2021 on charges that he says are politically-motivated, will be in prison until 2034 as the sentences will run concurrently.

In office from 2004 to 2013, Saakashvili was convicted last week of embezzling 9 million Georgian lari ($3.3 million) via expenses claims for what prosecutors called "luxury" spending.

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Saakashvili was already serving a six-year sentence for abuse of power. He has spent much of that time in a prison hospital.

He is also on trial for a crackdown on protesters in 2007.

After leaving presidential office, Saakashvili moved to Ukraine, where he briefly served as governor of the Odesa region.

He returned in 2021, despite having been convicted in absentia of abuse of power. He was jailed on arrival.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Gareth Jones)
Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images

The election law forgery case against a Saginaw City Council member and a candidate for the council was bound over to trial on Friday.

The Michigan Attorney Generals Office, who is prosecuting the case, is alleging that City Councilwoman Monique Lamar-Silvia, 64, and former candidate for Saginaw City Council Eric Eggleston, 53, together forged documents in order to get Eggleston on the 2024 General Election ballot.

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Lamar-Silvia signed the names of Saginaw voters fraudulently on a petition in the hopes of getting Eggleston a spot on the ballot on July 23, 2024, according to the state Attorney Generals Office. Eggleston then signed a form, falsely asserting that he circulated the petition and submitted the documents to the clerks office, the office says.

Eggleston faces two five-year felonies of conspiracy and election law forgery, as well as one misdemeanor charge of falsely signing a nominating petition as a circulator when he was not the circulator.

Lamar-Silvia faces two five-year felonies of conspiracy and election law forgery and two misdemeanor charges of falsely signing multiple names to a nominating petition and signing a nominating petition with a name other than her own.

Eggleston did not appear on the 2024 ballot and the Saginaw County Clerk filed a complaint of election fraud to the Department of State, which referred the matter to the state Attorney Generals Office.

A pretrial date has not been set yet.

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  A San Angelo man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a child in April 2014, according to court records filed in Tom Green County.

The Tom Green County Sheriffs Office jail roster stated that Mario Pacheco Jr., 39, was booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center at 5:29 p.m. on Sunday, March 16, for one charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. As of the time of publication, Pacheco remains there with a posted bond of $25,000.

An affidavit filed in relation to the charge reported that the alleged offense occurred on or about April 15, 2014.

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According to the affidavit, an investigator of the San Angelo Police Departments Crimes Against Children Unit observed the non-custodial interview of Pacheco conducted by a detective. The investigator learned through their observations that there is an ongoing investigation that involves the juvenile who Pacheco is charged with sexually assaulting as well as another juvenile that had been sexually assaulted. The investigator also learned information that led them to conduct a forensic interview.

Two arrested following traffic stops that led to drug seizures

During the investigators forensic interview, the minor who Pacheco is charged with sexually assaulting stated that Pacheco had forcibly committed sexual acts against them. The juvenile also said Pacheco told them not to tell anyone else and that it is their little secret, as per the affidavit.

The investigator then conducted a non-custodial interview with Pacheco, during which he denied having committed the reported sexual abuse. The investigator identified where the alleged offense took place through this interview.

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The affidavit stated that, in a non-custodial interview conducted by a separate detective, Pacheco said that the juvenile made an advance on him and committed sexual acts.

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DAMASCUS/JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes on Monday launched a series of airstrikes on a military installation in southern Syria's Daraa, killing at least two people and wounding 19 others, Syrian state media reported.

The state-run SANA news agency reported that at least five air raids struck military positions in Daraa, targeting the 132nd Brigade in the Airport District. Israeli jets continued to circle over southern Syria following the attack, it noted.

In a statement on Monday, the Israeli military said it launched a series of airstrikes in southern Syria, "striking military targets" belonging to the Syrian army.

Warplanes struck command centers and military sites, where, according to the statement, weapons and military vehicles have been stored.

"The presence of military assets in southern Syria poses a threat to the State of Israel," the military said.

The strikes were the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on infrastructure belonging to the Syrian military.

The war monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented over 29 Israeli strikes on Syrian territory since the start of 2025, many of which targeted weapons depots and military outposts linked to the previous administration. 
(KRON)  A driver in Santa Rosa was pulled over and arrested Saturday on narcotics and gun charges after he didnt proceed when a traffic signal turned green, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.

Officers saw a vehicle at 12:41 a.m. stopped at an intersection for several seconds after the circular signal turned green, SRPD said. The vehicle was pulled over, and officers contacted the driver, who was identified as Alejandro Gonzalez, 28, of Santa Rosa.

Police said an open container of alcohol was discovered in the drivers door pocket. Following the discovery, a search of the vehicle uncovered approximately 24 grams of suspected narcotics and a loaded 300 Blackout short barrel rifle with a folding stock, according to authorities.

(Santa Rosa Police Department)

The firearm is considered an assault weapon per California law, SRPD said.

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A large amount of fake money was also found in the vehicle, police said.

Gonzalez was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility for:

Possession of a short barrel rifle

Possession of a loaded firearm in public

Possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle

Possession of an assault weapon

Possession of a controlled substance with a firearm

Possession of narcotics for purpose of sale

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(NewsNation)  Christian groups are condemning a Kansas-based satanic groups plans to hold a Black Mass at the statehouse.

After outrage, Gov. Laura Kelly said the March 28 event would be held outside the capitol building, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

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Vatican releases first photograph of the pope in a month as he celebrates Mass in hospital chapel

Kelly denounced the event but said she is obligated to protect freedom of expression.



There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols, Kelly said in a statement. However, as governor, I also have a duty to protect protesters constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, regardless of how offensive or distasteful I might find the content to be.

Satanic Grotto to perform parody of Catholic Mass

Satanic Grotto describes itself as an organization for an independent and non-denominational satanic church. A Black Mass is an intentionally blasphemous parody of a Catholic Mass.

The overall theme in it is expressing the hurt and anger and some of the feelings that come from being oppressed by a religion you didnt ask for and didnt consent to, Michael Stewart, president of Satanic Grotto, told the Topeka Capital-Journal.

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Google under fire for allegation its censoring faith-based content

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Kansas in Kansas City said, We are deeply disappointed that such blasphemous acts that are intended to mock Catholic worship, the beliefs of all Christians, and those who believe in the one true God, are being allowed on the Kansas Statehouse grounds. The archdiocese says its exploring legal options.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA)  Lawmakers are hoping to add some teeth to a bill thats meant to protect children from abuse.

For homicide by child abuse cases, the bill would raise the age of protection from 11-years-old, all the way up to 18-years-old.

Its kind of a gray area as to how to treat the criminal whos charged and ultimately convicted of that death, said previous sponsor, Senator Luke Rankin (R  Horry County).

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The Homicide by Child Abuse Bill was discussed in a Senate Subcommittee Meeting and defines child abuse as being either physical or caused by neglect.

David Stumbo, solicitor for the 8th Judicial Circuit, said he prosecuted a case involving a Fountain Inn family last fall that could have been helped by the proposed law.

Stumbo said 12-year-old Ashantae Glenn, a child with special needs, suffered severe medical neglect and injuries over a long period of time.

They didnt feed her properly, there were some injuries, but they were mild injuries that we couldnt prove a malice case, said Stumbo. So, essentially, senators, we need 405 to protect victims like Ashantae Glenn.

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Since Glenn was above the age of eleven, Stumbo said she wasnt protected under the current homicide by child abuse law. He had to reluctantly negotiate that Glenns abusers, her mother and stepfather, would only receive ten years in prison.

That was the most we could get on the case that we could prove at the time. If this bill were passed and we had that in play at that point, we could have easily argued to a jury the acts or omissions element of homicide by child abuse, Stumbo said.

Senator Rankin said this bill has been unanimously passed before in the senate and expects the same this time around.

It is a difficult conversation for them to have with the victims family to explain why they cant go for this charge directly by homicide and have to walk around, a guilty plea or other charges, Rankin said.

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Stumbo said there are many other cases like Ashantaes and calls passing this bill a no-brainer.

Senator Rankin said he expects this bill to come out of the Senate Judiciary Full Committee at the next meeting.

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The South Carolina House, in its budget proposal for 2025-26, set aside $4 million in child care-related funding. It's enough to cover a pair of programs touted by legislative leaders but still leaves state regulators with some difficult funding decisions. (File photo by Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)

COLUMBIA  After nearly three decades in child care, a GOP leader in the South Carolina House has left the business.

But as co-chair of a special legislative committee formed in 2023 to address shortfalls in the states child care system, state Rep. Shannon Erickson has said shell continue to advocate for the industry and help other operators stay in business.

House Education Chairwoman Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, talks with staff during the Houses organizational session on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 at the Statehouse. (File photo by Mary Ann Chastain/Special to the SC Daily Gazette)

Erickson sold off her four Beaufort-area centers in late 2024 to Otter Learning, which has more than 50 locations across six eastern U.S. states. Rising costs and shrinking margins have made it harder for small companies like hers to operate, leaving only larger, national providers in the market, she said.

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What Im seeing in our industry is the small mom-and-pops like me cant hang, said Erickson, the chambers education committee chairwoman since December 2022. We cant afford to stay in the business.

The study committee she co-leads, which last met in January, hasnt released any recommendations yet. But the state budget might start to help.

The House, in its budget proposal approved last week, set aside $4 million in child care-related funding, enough to cover a pair of programs that the Beaufort Republican told the SC Daily Gazette she considers a priority.

That includes money to give South Carolina access to additional federal funding and a pilot program that, if successful, could serve as a statewide model for funding child care into the future.

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To start, the state Department of Social Services needs $3.1 million more annually to take full advantage of federal child care grants for low-income families. South Carolina became eligible this year for $10.6 million more in federal funding, as long as the state increases its own share.

We need to make sure were drawing down as much federal money as possible, agency spokeswoman Connelly-Anne Ragley said during a Statehouse hearing earlier this year.

The additional funds would be enough to offset the cost of care for 1,700 more children annually whose parents salaries fall below a certain income  for example, less than $83,446 for a family of four.

These so-called scholarships can be used at centers that have volunteered to be part of the states ABC Quality Program and meet health and safety standards beyond state minimum requirements.

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As of late January, federal advocates did not expect proposed congressional budget cuts to impact this pool of funding.

A new model

Next, Erickson expressed hope for a cost-sharing model known as Tri-Share.

The proposal splits the cost of child care three ways  between the parents, employers and the state government.

The program started in Michigan in 2021 and is aimed at families whose income is too high to qualify for federal aid yet too low to afford ever-increasing child care costs. Three years later, the Great Lakes State had 195 employers and 351 childcare providers participating, with about 700 children enrolled.

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At least two other states, Kentucky and North Carolina, have started similar programs.

Individuals need child care in order to get to work and in some cases raise their family out of poverty, Department of Social Services acting director Tony Catone told House budget writers.

The push for a South Carolina pilot started in the Lowcountry, near Ericksons district, with the Greater Island Council of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton.

Under the groups proposal, participating parents pay 50% of their childs tuition, or about $6,500 per year. Participating employers would pay 25%, and the state would pay 25%, about $3,250 each.

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The council said the model is intended to help small and mid-size businesses that can afford to add $1.50 in hourly benefits to their employees paychecks to help pay for child care.

The problem, as is the case with so many things, is money and where to get it, the council wrote on its website.

For infants, the most costly age for care, the price of daily care in South Carolina averaged $11,512 for calendar year 2023, according to an analysis released earlier this month by the Economic Policy Institute. For 4-year-olds, it was $10,481.

A typical family in South Carolina would have to spend 26.10% of its income on child care for an infant and a 4-year-old, according to the report.

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In places like Beaufort County, where the cost of living is greater, families pay more for care.

The state Department of Social Services asked budget writers for $1 million to start a pilot program in five counties: Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Sumter and Beaufort. (Those are the home counties of Statehouse GOP leaders, including the chief budget writers in each chamber, the Senate president, and the House speaker. Beaufort County is home to Erickson and four other committee leaders.)

Meanwhile, at least 42% of South Carolinians live in a childcare desert, defined as any area where there are more than three young children for every licensed childcare slot. While thats the percentage often cited, the problem is likely worse, since that statistic is from 2018.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem, pushing that number, at least temporarily, to 67%, according to First Steps.

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In response, the federal government came in with $955 million in pandemic relief money. Help from startup grants led to 52 more licensed child care centers opening in the state in the past year, said Michelle Bowers, director of early care and education for the state Department of Social Services.

But that funding has dried up, begging the question of what to do next as South Carolinas population and workforce needs continue to grow.

Tough decisions

Even with $4 million that approved in its spending proposal for the fiscal year starting July 1, the state Department of Social Services will be left with some tough decisions on how to allocate that money.

Last year, the Legislature granted the agency $2.5 million to continue with a COVID-era program to help cover child care costs for working families. That was enough to continue with scholarships for 750 children but left more than 2,000 previously enrolled kids without aid.

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The Department of Social Services is seeking $1.9 million more annually in hopes of covering 250 additional children. That wont be possible unless senators fight for it. Their budget proposal is still weeks away.

The other piece I think we have to look at is how do we lower costs, Erickson told agency representatives earlier this year. Because at the end of the day, we dont have an unlimited supply of money, and parents certainly dont.

Bowers agreed that the cost to run facilities certainly is high, but she also had a question: Where do you cut?

Child care workers often make less than $11 an hour. Even so, salaries make up the bulk of providers costs, according to a study by DSS. Plus, federal funds used to give those workers a pay boost during the pandemic are gone, with little hope for the $25 million in annual state funding it would take to keep running.

Out of business

When it came to her own exit from the industry, Erickson said its not something she sought out.

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For her, it began with the pandemic. Beaufort Memorial Hospital asked her to provide care to the school-age children of its employees who were virtual learning. She staffed a classroom with retired teachers, while students did lessons over Zoom. After the state rolled back COVID restrictions, the hospital asked her to keep the space operating as a traditional day care center.

When the hospital opted to move its child care to a new space, Otter bought the recently refurbished building and made plans to move in.

It was then that the company reached out to Erickson, asking her to keep the center operational as the move was made to make it easier for licensing purposes. The relationship grew from there.

So, I wasnt looking, Erickson said. It literally came to me. After six months of conversations and discussions, it made sense.

The 61-year-old legislator and grandmother has growing commitments, both at the Statehouse and to her own family.

It just it all kind of fell into place that it was probably the right choice, said Erickson, first elected to the House in 2007.

It will also be better for her directors and staff that helped her grow her business from one center to four. Otter, as a bigger company, can offer them health benefits, retirement, professional development and career growth.

So, hopefully its given them more options than I could give them, Erickson said. Theyre now in a bigger pond.

The four centers she sold were licensed for 387 children total, according to DSS records.

Larger chains like Otter can tap into savings and spread costs over a greater number of children. Otter has greater purchasing power for groceries and can afford better technology.

Erickson also gave the example of liability insurance, which for her tripled in price over the course of a year.

Not many businesses can withstand that, she said.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA)  A bill in the senate is focusing on how South Carolina Law Enforcement should handle high-speed chases. If passed, Lawmakers said the bill would prioritize public safety and ensure high-speed chases only happen if necessary.

Right now, the only thing the law says is that each agency has to develop their own policy. Some policies can be as simple as be careful or, you know, just dont take unnecessary risks, said Senator Darrell Jackson (D  District 21).

According to the bill, a vehicular pursuit is when an officer in a marked vehicle, with activated lights and sirens, tries to stop a driver who evades arrest by speeding or driving recklessly.

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The bill said in most cases Law Enforcement would be required to have a supervisors permission to engage in a chase. Geoffrey Alpert, a Criminology and Criminal Justice Professor at USC, said the language in the bill needs to be fixed.

Its very difficult for an officer whos in the heat of the chase to consider 42 different variables, Alpert said.

The bill also said officers would be allowed to engage if there is probable cause, reasonable suspicion, or they believe the driver is a threat to public safety.

Officer J.J. Jones from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association said chases are important for everyones safety.

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Pursuits in South Carolina are important for the safety of our citizens and for our Law Enforcement. Innocent bystanders are hurt just as often as law enforcement is. So, we need to make sure whenever bad guys or offenders run from law enforcement, they face the charges, and they face felonies. 

Senator Darrell Jackson said hes willing to work with law enforcement to find a compromise.

I would be devastated if we lose another innocent life, because we did not have a policy that could be as simple as, Im chasing behind this person, he said.

Other states have already passed this bill, and Jackson said it needs to be a top priority for South Carolina lawmakers.

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The bill is scheduled to be discussed in front of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee next week.

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Sen. Adam B. Schiff on Monday rebuffed as a baseless threat a weekend broadside from President Trump in which Trump alleged that Schiff and others could still face investigation for actions covered by a slate of late pardons issued by President Biden.

"Your threats will not intimidate us," the California Democrat wrote on X. "Or silence us."

Schiff, elected last year to fill the Senate seat long held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, is among those who received a pardon from Biden in the final days of his presidency, despite having personally discouraged the move.

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Schiff previously served in the House, where he helped lead the select committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump's supporters. The committee's work led to Trump being impeached by the House  for a second time  for inciting the insurrection, which was an attempt to block the transfer of power to Biden.

Read more: Schumer postpones book tour amid liberal criticism over spending vote

Before leaving office, Biden issued a burst of pardons that he said were designed to protect individuals who had done nothing wrong but who could nonetheless be targeted for retribution by Trump. That included the members of the select committee, including Schiff, one of Trump's most vociferous critics.

Trump has lambasted Biden's pardons since they were issued. But he went a step further in a Sunday post on his social media website, in which he adopted a conspiracy theory pushed online by right-wing pundits that Biden's pardons were invalid because they were signed using an "autopen"  resulting in a digital, not handwritten, signature.

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The theory ignores the fact that digital signatures are commonly used across government and have been accepted for years, that other presidents have used autopens to sign important measures and pardons, and that the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush issued a memorandum opinion justifying their use in 2005.

The theory also plays on the notion that Biden, now 82, was mentally absent or overly reliant on aides toward the end of his term. Elon Musk, Trump's broadly empowered government efficiency advisor and the world's richest man, on Sunday afternoon posted an image showing a line of presidential portraits, with Biden's replaced with the image of an autopen.

Hours later, Trump  who edged out Biden as the oldest president ever to be inaugurated in January  posted his remarks on Truth Social.

"The 'Pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen," Trump wrote. "In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!"

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Trump also repeated claims he has previously made that the select committee deleted evidence in its "witch hunt" against him, and said its members "should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level."

Read more: Trump warns Iran of 'consequences' if Yemen's Houthi rebels continue attacks

Trump's remarks were the latest indication that he intends to target Democrats for political retribution despite his repeated promises that his administration would bring an end to the political "weaponization" of the justice system. Trump has installed loyalists who backed his lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him at the highest levels of the Justice Department, increasing concerns that politically motivated investigations could be launched.

Schiff said the members of the Jan. 6 committee "are all proud of our work."

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Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat and chair of the Jan. 6 committee, echoed Schiff.

"Trump was responsible for Jan 6. Thats why on day one he pardoned those who beat police that day," Thompson wrote on X, referring to Trump's decision to pardon or grant clemency to those criminally charged in the insurrection.

"We thoroughly & legally investigated what he did and have lived rent free in his mind since. He knows his guilt," Thompson said. He added: "I am not afraid of his rant that has no basis in reality."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A tour around Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-NY) upcoming book, Antisemitism in America, has been postponed as the New York Democrat faces blowback over his recent vote to avert a government shutdown.



An event for Schumer moderated by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), slated for Tuesday night at New Yorks Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center, was removed from the centers events calendar over the weekend. A staffer for the Manhattan venue confirmed the events postponement to Jewish Insider on Monday morning.



A spokesperson for Schumer told Punchbowl News later Monday morning that the tour was postponed, citing security concerns.



The first event, originally scheduled for Monday night at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, was set to face protests organized by the far-left group Jewish Voice for Peace. An event at Washingtons Sixth and I synagogue on Wednesday was canceled Monday morning.



The postponement of the gatherings comes days after Schumer argued against forcing a government shutdown as a negotiating tool, saying it would further empower President Donald Trump and White House advisor Elon Musk.



Nine other Democrats joined Schumer in voting for a procedural cloture motion to break a filibuster of a GOP government funding bill and prevent a government shutdown. House Democrats vehemently opposed the move.



After the Senate vote, Torres criticized the Democrats who voted in favor of cloture, saying they are making a strategic miscalculation that we as a party will live to regret.



The event was removed from the Streicker Centers website over the weekend. An archived version of the page saved on March 15 indicates that the event was posted through at least midday Saturday.



The event was also set to face protests from Jewish activists frustrated by Schumers failure to pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act in the last Congress.



Jewish Insiders senior congressional correspondent Marc Rod contributed to this report.




Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has been the target of scathing criticism from members of his own party after voting for a Republican-drafted stopgap spending bill that cut many nondefense programs, says things are looking good for the Democratic Party, which he says has a real direction now.

Schumer told The New York Times that President Trumps agenda of slashing the federal government to pave the way for trillions of dollars in tax cuts has underscored the Democratic Partys identity as the party of workers, even though some Democrats fear thats no longer seen as true.

I dont think we have an authenticity problem, Schumer told the Timess Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

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We have a real direction now. I feel good about it, the embattled leader proclaimed.

First, you gotta look at who the Democratic Party is and who the Republican Party is, he argued. We are the party of working people. We feel that very, very strongly. Thats who we have always been.

Some progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), however, have warned the Democratic Party has drifted away from working-class Americans, citing that shift as why the party lost the White House and Senate in the 2024 election.

Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, accused Democrats in November of abandoning the working class and their partys leaders of defending the status quo.

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It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them, Sanders said in a statement after the election.

Brown argued on the social platform X earlier this month that the Democratic Partys reputation has become toxic and that it no longer represented workers.

We must reckon with how far our party has strayed from our New Deal roots. How we see ourselves  the party of the people, the party of the working class and the middle class  no longer matches up with what most voters think, he said.

When Garcia-Navarro noted to Schumer that Americans dont view the Democratic Party as representing workers, Schumer appeared to concede the point but asserted that its repositioning itself.

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Thats right, and thats where were moving. Thats where we have to move, he said.

Schumer argued the Democratic Partys values never changed but that its messaging became muddled in recent years.

He acknowledged that his message that Republicans want to cut health care and other social services to pay for tax cuts for billionaires isnt new, but he asserted that it drifted from Democrats focus and wasnt emphasized as much as it should have been.

We lost it, he said. We always cared about the working people. But in the last few years, while we did a lot for working people, heres what we didnt do: We didnt tell people about it.

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We thought, just by legislating, people would know about it. They dont! he said, summing up what he sees as one of the partys biggest mistakes while former President Biden was in office.

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Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries met over the weekend to start to mend a deep rift in the Democratic Party after the Senate leader allowed passage of a Republican stopgap spending bill.

The two Brooklyn Democratic congressional leaders sat down face-to-face in their home borough after a grueling week in which Schumer broke with fellow Democrats and voted to pass a bill that kept the government open past a Friday evening deadline.

With Congress on a break, Schumer on Monday canceled a series of events this week to promote his book about fighting antisemitism. Democratic protesters had threatened to use the appearances to attack him and organizers blamed the cancellations on security concerns.

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A planned conversation with Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., at a Manhattan synagogue was also scrapped.

Spokesmen for Schumer and Jeffries did not respond to requests for comment Monday about their meeting a day earlier.

The cancellations of events in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and other cities came amid widespread criticism from the partys liberal base over Schumers vote to move forward with Republican spending legislation last week.

The rift deepened after House Republicans narrowly passed the spending bill that mostly extended spending at current levels until September.

Details of such bills are typically negotiated between the two parties, particularly because votes in the Senate require 60 votes to pass, effectively requiring acquiescence of the minority party. If the bill had not passed, the government would have shut down indefinitely.

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Schumer said he agreed with fellow Democrats that the GOP-written spending bill was terrible.

But he asserted a shutdown would have been far worse, and difficult to end. A shutdown would have given Donald Trump even more power to make cuts, Schumer said, effectively supercharging his effort to slash government spending and even ax whole agencies.

House Democrats traditionally work closely with their colleagues in the Senate, so it was highly unusual for them to publicly slam Schumer.

Jeffries, who has maintained very friendly ties to Schumer for years, even took the unusual step of refusing to say if he still had confidence in Schumers leadership.

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Schumer insists he still has the support of fellow Senate Democrats. And some insiders note there were likely many Democrats who voted against the spending bill while privately urging their leader to fall on his sword to avoid a cataclysmic shutdown.

The rift reflects intense difficulties faced by Democrats as they seek to respond to Trumps election victory and his wide-ranging political onslaught in the first months of his second term in the White House.

Many Democratic base voters are angrily urging leaders to take stronger stances against Trumps actions. But others advise lying lower for a while, anticipating Trumps unpopular actions will backfire on Republicans and the political winds will shift in their favor.

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PARIS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron urged on Monday France's partners to work together to present a concrete peace plan for Ukraine.

Macron made the remarks on his X account, after holding talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday.

"We must now move forward with all our partners to present a concrete peace plan," Macron said.

The French head of state reiterated the importance of a "peace plan that provides strong security guarantees for Ukraine. A peace plan that ensures lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe."

He also said that it is up to Russia to accept the U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire deal "to prove that it truly wants peace."

Ukraine agreed on March 11 to a U.S. proposal for an "immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire" following discussions with a U.S. delegation in Jeddah.

The talks, which took place without European participation, resulted in a commitment for renewed U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, while the United States secured preliminary approval for access to Ukraine's mineral resources. 
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) has postponed his book tour scheduled this week in Baltimore, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia amid an intense backlash from fellow Democrats over his controversial vote to advance a House Republican-drafted funding package that cuts deeply into nondefense programs.

A spokesperson for Schumers book tour said it would be rescheduled due to security concerns.

Schumer was scheduled to barnstorm East Coast cities this week to promote his new book, Antisemitism in America: A Warning.

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He was slated to speak at Central Library on Cathedral Street in Baltimore Monday evening, at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in New York City on Tuesday, at a Politics and Prose event at the Sixth & I synagogue in D.C. on Wednesday and at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia on Thursday.

Those plans are now on hold indefinitely amid a torrent of criticism the Democratic leader has drawn after announcing last week he would vote to advance a GOP-drafted funding bill to avert a government shutdown that received only one Democratic vote in the House.

Due to security concerns, Senator Schumers book events are being rescheduled, a spokesperson for the book tour said.

Some progressive activists had circulated the schedule of Schumers events and had suggested their allies attend to vent their displeasure over the leaders vote.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said many Democrats felt betrayed by Schumers vote.

There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal, she told reporters Thursday. And this is not just about progressive Democrats. This is across the board, the entire party.

Ocasio-Cortez argued that Schumer had undercut House Democrats in districts that President Trump won in 2024 who took very tough votes against the bill.

I think it is a huge slap in the face, she said.

Schumer defended his vote on the Senate floor last week, arguing if Democrats had blocked the House-passed bill it would have triggered a government shutdown that would have further empowered Trump and Elon Musk, who is leading the administrations effort to slash the federal workforce and shutter federal agencies.

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The Democratic leader said while the House bill was very bad, he argued the consequences of a government shutdown would be much, much worse.

For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option, he acknowledged, noting it was deeply partisan.

But he warned that a shutdown would give Trump and Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can now.

He warned it would give the administration full authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel non-essential, furloughing staff with no promise they would ever be rehired.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has postponed three events on his book tour  including one in Washington, D.C.  amid widespread backlash to his capitulation to Republicans during last weeks spending negotiations.

According to multiple outlets, scheduled events in Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C., surrounding the Thursday release of his book Antisemitism in America: A Warning were suddenly postponed on Monday morning. In a statement to The New York Times, a spokesperson for the minority leader said the events needed to be rescheduled due to security concerns.

Last week, Schumer drew the ire of his own party after he publicly supported the GOPs Continuing Resolution (CR) floated by the GOP, which included provisions aimed at codifying President Donald Trump and Elon Musks assault on government institutions and congressionally authorized spending. In a rare moment in which the Democratic minority could have used the Senates 60-vote threshold to force Republicans to the negotiation table or risk a government shutdown, the minority leader rolled over and showed the Trump administration the soft belly of political cowardice.

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In a Sunday interview with The New York Times, Schumer defended himself, claiming that he was caught in the middle of a very, very difficult decision between two bad options, a partisan Republican C.R. [continuing resolution] and a shutdown that Musk and Trump wanted. For me, the shutdown of the government would just be devastating and far worse than the Republican C.R.

Schumer argued that under a shutdown, Trump and Republicans would be able to close large swaths of the federal government and simply refuse to reopen them. So their goal of decimating the whole federal government, of cutting agency after agency after agency, would occur under a shutdown, Schumer argued.

When pressed about Democratic backlash to the decision from prominent figures  including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)  over his decision, Schumer responded that he knew there would be divisions but we have respect for one another. The minority leader also attempted to excuse himself by arguing that Democrats didnt think that [House Speaker Mike] Johnson could get all his votes, and were thus unable to negotiate a bipartisan CR.

The Republicans would like to have some freedom from Trump, but they wont until we bring him down in popularity, Schumer claimed at one point. That happened with Bush in 2005. It happened with Trump in 2017. When it happens, I am hopeful that our Republican colleagues will resume working with us. And I talk to them. One of the places is in the gym. When youre on that bike in your shorts, panting away next to a Republican, a lot of the inhibitions come off.

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The inhibitions may be relaxed at the Capitols gym, but clearly whatever comradery is being forged between the stationary bikes isnt translating into inter-party cooperation on legislation.

Nine other Democrats voted with Schumer in support of the Republican resolution. A shutdown was avoided, but the GOP was still able to cut over $13 billion in non-defense spending, pour billions into funding for mass deportations, and make massive cuts to other GOP targets.

On Friday, President Trump praised Schumer for voting with Republicans. I have great respect for what Schumer did, Trump said during a speech at the Justice Department. He went out and he said Im going to have to vote with the Republicans because its the right thing to do. I couldnt believe what I heard, but I think hes going to get some credit for it.

Schumer may be getting credit from the opposing party for helping them solidify their fiscal agenda, but his own party looks ready to run him out of town  or at least the local book shop.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is postponing scheduled book tour events this week for security reasons, as he faces intense backlash from the party base in the wake of last week's government funding vote.

Schumer was expected to make several stops in the coming days to promote his new book, Antisemitism in America: A Warning, including in Baltimore, Washington, New York City and Philadelphia. Each of these events have been postponed.

Due to security concerns, Senator Schumers book events are being rescheduled, a spokesperson for Schumer said in a statement.

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Websites for two of the events  in Baltimore and Washington  also noted Monday morning: Senator Schumers book tour events during the week of March 17 are being postponed for security reasons. We will work to reschedule this event at a later date.

The postponements come as Schumer is fending off criticism for having helped advance a House GOP-drafted funding bill last week to avert a government shutdown. Activists and advocacy groups had been organizing protests for some of Schumers book tour events.

Schumer, in floor speeches and comments to reporters, defended his decision to vote yes on the procedural motion to advance the funding measure. He argued that while he did not support the bill, a government shutdown risked further empowering President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to accelerate their efforts to cut the size of the federal bureaucracy.
Scientists have identified a possible explanation for the severe inflammatory reaction known as PIMS (Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome) in children.

PIMS, which can occur in rare cases several weeks after a COVID-19 infection, is potentially life-threatening.

According to the study, the inflammatory shock is linked to the reactivation of another pathogen  the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

The Epstein-Barr virus, known as the cause of glandular fever, often goes unnoticed during infection. Around 90% of people contract the virus at some point in their lives, doctors estimate.

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While it can cause flu-like symptoms and require weeks of recovery, the virus remains dormant in the body even after the acute infection has passed.

Reactivation of Epstein-Barr Virus

Study author Tilmann Kallinich, a paediatric rheumatologist at Berlin's Charite hospital, explained that the virus embeds itself in various cells and persists in the body for life.

"It can reactivate years after the initial infection, for example, when the immune system is weakened," he said.

This reactivation was observed in children with PIMS, as detailed in the journal Nature. The researchers found that the childrens immune systems, disrupted by the COVID-19 infection, could no longer suppress the dormant EBV infection.

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It remains unclear whether the children had previously experienced symptomatic EBV infections or if the virus had gone unnoticed, said Kallinich and co-author Mir-Farzin Mashreghi, an immunologist and deputy scientific director of the German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ).

Symptoms and treatment of PIMS

Children with PIMS typically develop symptoms such as heart failure, high fever and skin rashes four to eight weeks after a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

About half of the affected children require intensive care. However, the researchers noted that the condition is highly treatable, with most children making a full recovery.

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The study examined 145 children aged two to 18 who were treated for PIMS between 2021 and 2023 in hospitals in Germany, France, Italy, Turkey and Chile. For comparison, the researchers also studied 105 children who had recovered from COVID-19 without developing PIMS.

In about two-thirds of the children with PIMS, the researchers detected B-cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus in their blood. These findings were absent in children without PIMS. B-cells, a type of white blood cell, work alongside T-cells to adapt the immune system to new pathogens.

All children with PIMS showed an increase in EBV-specific T-cells, strongly suggesting that EBV reactivation was responsible for the condition, Mashreghi explained.

Additionally, 80% of the children with PIMS had EBV-specific antibodies, indicating that their bodies had attempted to fight the virus but failed.

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The study found that the failure to combat the virus was linked to an unusually high level of a signalling molecule called TGF, produced by the childrens bodies in response to the COVID-19 infection.

This molecule suppresses immune cell function, reducing the bodys ability to fight the Epstein-Barr virus. As a result, the virus multiplies, prompting the body to produce more immune cells that remain ineffective.

"This ultimately leads to an extreme inflammatory reaction, which can damage organs and potentially be fatal," Mashreghi explained.

Implications for other COVID-19-related conditions

The findings could also be relevant for other COVID-19-related conditions, such as Long COVID, which involves long-term health effects following a COVID-19 infection.

There is evidence that the reactivation of dormant viruses may play a role in Long COVID. "There may be parallels to the processes observed in PIMS, which would make TGF inhibitors potential candidates for Long COVID treatment," Mashreghi said.
Bats in southeast Asia are proving to be an invaluable ally in human food security.

Christian Voigt, head of the Department of Evolutionary Ecology at Leibniz-IZW, has been studying bats his entire career, but the hunting behavior of one species has remained elusive.

That's why he and his team attached location trackers to wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bats in central Thailand, as Phys.org shared.

Over the course of years, they were able to see that these bats hunted at altitudes high enough to feed on especially destructive pests. These planthoppers cruise at high altitudes to avoid predators and are a scourge to rice farmers in the area. The results were nothing short of breathtaking.

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"No vertebrate with a body weight of just 18 grams has ever been reported to have such a foraging range," Voigt told Phys.org. "Some bats traveled distances of more than [125 miles] from the cave on a single foraging trip and spent up to 11.5 hours in continuous flight in a single night."

Voigt went on to describe how the bats spent more than 50% of their time at altitudes of more than 150 meters and routinely reached 1,600 meters.

Rice is the third-biggest crop in the world and feeds more than half the global population. Rice agriculture already faces challenges with flooding and dramatic temperature changes before taking pests into account. Having a better understanding of those pests and the natural predators that keep them at bay can secure the food supply for millions of people.

In order to do that, natural habitats need to be protected, and that means looking at more than just Thailand.

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"The ecosystem services that Mops plicatus provide to the human population in Thailand and other regions of Southeast Asia extend far beyond local borders," co-author Sara Bumrungsri said, per Phys.org. "Their contribution to pest control has the potential to sustainably secure rice production in Asia."

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.
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  28/22 News has some sad news on Sunday about a Scranton firefighter whose health battle inspired a community outpour of support.

28/22 News spoke with Scranton Fire Lieutenant Kelly Hoppy Hopkins last September, shortly before a big fundraiser on his behalf.

Hopkins was battling stage four paroesophageal cancer.

VIDEO: Electricity arcs on Wilkes-Barre power lines

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28/22 News learned on Sunday that Hopkins passed away following his courageous fight.

Our condolences to his family and his fellow Scranton firefighters.

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A West Scranton man pointed a gun at a girls head when she and some friends tried to knock on his door and run away, according to city police.

The 12-year-old girl told police the afternoon of March 7 she was playing ding dong ditch with friends. Her friend knocked on a door in the 400 block of 14th Avenue and they ran away. As they did, two men, Robert Francis Ulrich and his son Daniel Ulrich, came out and Robert Ulrich, 56, grabbed her and put a handgun to her head, Detective Dina Albanesi wrote in a criminal complaint.

The men made her walk to nearby West Scranton Intermediate School and asked if she wanted to die, according to the complaint. One of the men told the girl he was from Canada and all these kids want a bullet in their head, before the girl then ran away.

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The older Ulrich told police that same day he was sleeping upstairs when he heard loud banging on his door. As he went to the door he saw people running toward Fellows Street. Robert Ulrich ran after and made contact with the girl, who told him her friends knocked on the door. His sons Daniel and Josh Ulrich came outside and the three tried to find the people who knocked on the door, but they went back home when people at the intermediate school told them it was just kids, according to the complaint. The older Ulrich denied using a firearm during the incident.

In an interview with detectives early last week, the girl said she and her friends were walking around playing ding dong ditch when one of her friends knocked on the door at 423 14th Ave. and they ran. She told detectives a man pulled her to the back end of a car, asked if she wanted to die and placed a gun to her head. The girl told him dont do this and put up her hands, according to the criminal complaint.

She said the man made her walk with him and his son to the school to look for her friends, the gun at his side. He also told her he was from Canada and would put a bullet in her head. The girl said she fled when they turned around, and as she did, one of them told her to watch when you go back to school, Albanesi wrote in the complaint.

Two other children who were around the home recounted the same events that the girl told detectives. One of them said the man told her he would shoot and kill her if she tried to do anything. The other said he saw the girl with the man and heard him tell her, If you want to live, tell me where they are. Skateboarders at the intermediate school told her to run one way and told the man that she ran the other way, the girls friend told detectives.

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Detectives obtained video footage from the school showing children running by the front of the building, followed by Robert and Daniel Ulrich walking toward the building with the girl. The footage showed Robert Ulrich holding a handgun in his left hand, concealing it in his pants waist as they continued walking.

Police identified the father and son through officer body camera footage at the scene and a photo search. The girl later identified the older Ulrich as the man who put the handgun to her head.

Magisterial District Judge Paul Keeler arraigned Robert Ulrich late last week on felony charges of kidnapping and unlawful restraint of a minor, as well as charges of simple assault, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and harassment. He was taken to Lackawanna County Prison, unable to post $100,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is March 24.
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic (AP)  The search for a U.S. college student who went missing in the Dominican Republic intensified on Monday, one day after a man questioned by authorities visited the beach where she was last seen and spoke with officials.

Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student at the University of Pittsburgh and an Indian citizen, vanished before dawn on March 6 in the resort town of Punta Cana. Authorities are scouring waters in case she drowned.

Minnesota student Joshua Riibe has not been named as a suspect but has been detained by Dominican police and is believed to be the last person to see Konanki. On Sunday, he and his attorney met with officials on the beach.

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On Monday, Riibe's attorney officially requested his release. A judge is expected to issue a ruling on Tuesday, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information.

According to the transcript of an interview with prosecutors, reported by Dominican media as well as NBC and Telemundo, Riibe told police he was drinking with Konanki on the beach and they were kissing in waist-deep water when they were pulled out to sea by a strong tide. Riibe said he was a former lifeguard and swam her into shore.

He told investigators he vomited upon reaching the beach and that Konanki said she was going to fetch her things. When he looked up, she was gone. He said he was later surprised to hear of her disappearance.

Riibes parents have accused Dominican officials of detaining him under irregular conditions without translators or legal counsel, saying he has been confined to a hotel room with police surveillance for more than a week.

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They said Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud University, has been repeatedly taken to the police station and interrogated, adding that he has fully cooperated with police.

The statement on Friday by Albert and Tine Riibe provided no details about Konankis disappearance or their sons connection to her. His parents said the family has retained a lawyer to ensure his rights are protected.

Dominican public prosecutors have not responded to the statement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also investigating Konankis disappearance.

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SANAA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military launched a new wave of airstrikes on Yemen, targeting several sites in and around the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah Monday evening, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said.

"One airstrike targeted the Al-Arj area in Bajil district, east of the city, while another series of airstrikes hit and destroyed the Al-Habashi iron factory in the Salif district, northwest of the city," the TV channel reported.

Residents described the airstrikes as extremely violent, with explosions heard from miles away. 
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) says its superintendent, Dr. Brent Jones, plans to step down this fall. The district says he wants to spend more time with his family.

It has been an honor to serve as superintendent of Seattle Public Schools and to give back to the community that shaped me, said Dr. Jones in a news release. I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together, and I remain committed to supporting our students, educators, and families during this transition.

During his tenure, the district says Dr. Jones led several key initiatives, including helping SPS exceed its five-year goals for the percentage of students graduating on time. Dr. Jones also implemented districtwide policies to close opportunity gaps, ensuring all students have access to high-quality education. The district says he also helped increase mental health resources, expand counseling services, and prioritize student well-being across all schools.

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On behalf of the Seattle School Board, I want to express my gratitude for Dr. Jones steady and compassionate leadership. His focus on uplifting studentswhether by expanding academic supports, strengthening mental health resources, or ensuring every child has access to the opportunities they deservehas made a meaningful difference in our schools, said SPS Board President Gina Topp in the news release. His dedication to equity has helped us better serve students who need it most, and his thoughtful approach to leadership has left a lasting impact. As we move forward, we will continue building on the strong foundation he has laid. The Board is committed to a careful and thorough search for the next leader and to ensuring a smooth transition for our students, educators, and families. Thank you, Dr. Jones, for your unwavering commitment to Seattles students and schools.

In his remaining months, the district says Dr. Jones will focus on helping with the transition and superintendent search and laying the foundation for the 2025-26 school year.

Further details on the superintendent search process will be announced in the coming weeks.

Dr. Jones last day with the school district will be Sept. 3, 2025.

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I know its going to be a difficult time with whoever gets in, just with the political climate right now, said Chris Perry, a district parent. Theyve got their work cut out for them whoever picks it up.

The district is in the midst of navigating an ongoing budget crisis and faces and multimillion dollar budget shortfall next year.

We are really hoping that the board will conduct a transparent process, and one thats really community oriented, said district parent Alex Wakeman Rouse, who also serves as a board co-chair for All Together for Seattle Schools. The organization advocates for sufficient funding for Seattle Public Schools campuses.

She says the district needs to have more rigorous public oversight over district finances and operations and is hoping the districts next leader has a renewed focus on enrollment.

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We need to see a district who comes and talks to school communities and learns from them about what makes their schools thrive and what they need for their students to achieve, she said.

In roughly the last 17 years, the district has had six superintendents, including Dr. Jones and those in interim roles.
Graphic via https://sunshineweek.org/

Excessive government secrecy takes many forms, including denying or ignoring FOIA requests and deleting data from websites.

These tactics prevent the public from meaningfully participating in self-government in every area secrecy touches, from domestic policy discussions on climate change, to foreign policy debates around international aid.

Sunshine Week, the annual celebration of the publics right to know, reminds us that the federal Freedom of Information Act, which allows the public to request the release of government information, is our best tool to counter this excessive secrecy and hold officials accountable.

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But FOIA is in trouble, and we need congressional help to fix it.

Request backlogs continue to grow, and it often takes years to receive documents  if you get them at all. Delays are compounded by the fact that many FOIA offices often dont have the resources they need to perform their jobs efficiently. To make matters worse, President Donald Trumps administration has ordered agencies to plan for large scale reductions in force, which could further hobble FOIA offices, if not halt their work entirely.

The challenges are steep. But we must continue our work to protect and strengthen FOIA, because when it works, its powerful. Here are just a few examples:

FOIA makes us ask tough questions about what the government does in our name . The New Yorkers investigative podcast, In the Dark, used FOIA to obtain key records on the 2005 massacre of two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, at the hands of U.S. Marines. The releases included photos of the carnage that the military tried to bury, and helped journalists build a database of 781 possible war crimes committed by the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. These revelations prompted Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Van Hollen to ask the Defense Department inspector general if the agency was following the rules for addressing war crimes.

When SCOTUS closes a door, FOIA opens a window. Bloomberg reporter Jason Leopolds FOIA lawsuit for FBI records about its investigation into Trumps classified documents case got an unexpected boost from the Supreme Courts presidential immunity ruling. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell recently ruled that the SCOTUS decision, as well as Trumps firing of the FBI officials working on the case, undercut the bureaus arguments that the documents must stay secret. Howell said the FBIs arguments crumble with no more weight than dust and just as little persuasiveness, and that the presidential immunity could open doors for FOIA requests.

FOIA can help us make decisions about what we eat. I always like to tell the story about the Food and Drug Administration FOIA release that showed a popular blended Parmesan cheese contained absolutely no Parmesan  but it did contain wood chips. I usually tell this story as a joke, but as federal food regulations are poised to undergo massive changes, its clear that FOIAs ability to provide access to food safety information is no laughing matter.

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Id argue its likely that the current administration knows how impactful FOIA can be, and thats exactly why the Department of Government Efficiency is trying to hide its records from FOIA, and why FOIA staff at key agencies have been fired en masse.

In spite of these challenges, the public will continue to file FOIA requests, appeals, and lawsuits to win the release of important information.

But we need more help to fix FOIAs systemic problems, especially under an administration hostile to its implementation.

We must ask members of Congress, whose own access to government information may be compromised, what its doing to ensure we all have the tools we need to scrutinize the government?

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Answers to this question could look like Congress passing new FOIA amendments that require agencies to post more kinds of records proactively, passing a law that makes DOGE explicitly subject to FOIA, or holding regular hearings demanding to know why the Justice Department is not ensuring agencies are complying with the law, and what steps it will take to ensure compliance.

Securing access to information requires the public to be persistent, and to demand the same level of consistent attention from our elected officials. And it demands our attention year-round, and year-after-year.

Lauren Harper is the first Daniel Ellsberg chair on government secrecy with Freedom of the Press Foundation. She can be reached at lauren@freedom.press.
STONE PARK, Ill.  A security guard faces felony charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old woman inside Mansion Live Nightclub in west suburban Stone Park.

According to Stone Park police, officers on Monday arrested Kevin Henley Jr., 35, of Chicago. Prosecutors charged Henley with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon following the early morning events of Saturday, March 8.

Authorities said a fight broke out at the nightclub just after 1:30 a.m. During the fight, police allege that Henley pulled out a gun and fired once, striking and killing a 21-year-old woman from Chicago, identified by family as Zulma Daniela Calderon Pacheco.

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Illinois agencies sued after ex-convict allegedly kills boy who defended mother

Kevin Henley Jr. (Photo courtesy of Stone Park Police Department)

Henley worked as a security guard at Mansion Live Nightclub and was on duty at the time of the shooting, police confirmed with WGN News.

Stone Park officers initially took Henley into custody but later released, police said, pending further investigation. A law enforcement expert told WGN News that detectives were looking at several factors to determine if Henleys alleged actions warranted charges, including his authority to use a weapon, whether he saw other weapons before firing the shot, and if he feared for his life or the lives of others.

Henley will appear in court for a bond hearing on Tuesday, March 18.

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Calderon Pacheco, the oldest of five children, was affectionately known to her loved ones as Dani. In January, she turned 21.

My daughter had just turned 14: Family outraged by lenient sentence following Back of the Yards deadly shooting

The victim had been dancing with her boyfriend, Joel Chimborazo, at the time of the shooting.

When I heard the gunshot, I dropped and she drops, too, and I was scared, because I thought that bullet went that way or something. I go down and reach for her. She feels heavier than usual, because Im trying to pick her up, and her hair was just in her face, covering her face, Chimborazo recalled. I saw blood coming out, but I was just too scared. I was scared that it was just going to be in her face.

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A GoFundMe raised more than $12,000 to help with funeral expenses.

Stone Park police said their investigation remains active.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
The group Semisonic is objecting to the use of their song Closing Time in a White House video on deportations that was posted to the Trump administrations social media accounts.

We did not authorize or condone the White Houses use of our song Closing Time in any way, the group said in a statement. And no, they didnt ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.

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A White House spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

The song was used as a track for a video in which deportees are shown being cuffed to belt chains and then loaded into a departing flight.

You don't have to go home but you can't stay here @CBP pic.twitter.com/yWWhlvKQrb  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Semisonic is just the latest music group to object to their songs being used for political purposes or at rallies by Trump and his team. During the campaign, Beyonce and Foo Fighters were among the groups that objected to the use. Its unclear what kind of license, if any, the White House had to use the work.

This afternoon, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg is having a hearing on the administrations decision to move ahead with a flight of alleged Venezuelan gang members even though he ordered the deportations to be stopped.

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Senator Mike Halpin will be hosting an open town hall to provide updates on key issues affecting the community and listen to your concerns.

Sen. Mike Halpin (photo submitted)

According to a release, Sen. Halpin will be addressing the work being done in Springfield and how it impacts families in Illinois, including the following:

New laws for 2025  Learn about legislation taking effect this year and how it may impact you. Federal government changes  Understand how shifts at the national level affect Illinois policies and programs. Your concerns & priorities  Senator Halpin wants to hear directly from you about the issues that matter most to our community. Office of Senator Mike Halpin

The town hall is Monday, March 17, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the UAW Union Hall, located at 630 19th St., East Moline.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Sen. Troy Singleton said the bills that advanced Monday would spur economic development and encourage construction of more housing. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

A Senate panel approved a raft of bills Monday meant to spur real estate development, though municipal officials warned the package would reduce local control of housing policy.

The bills approved by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee would allow underused or vacant commercial properties to be redeveloped for mixed uses while limiting local officials ability to intervene, create a $25 million grant program to jumpstart development of transit villages, and cut parking requirements for certain residential developments by up to 50%, depending on their proximity to transit.

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The goal is to transform aspects of our state and encourage development that not only spurs economic development but also looks at trying to create more housing, said Sen. Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), the committees chair and the bills sponsor.

Supporters said the redevelopment measure  targeted at strip malls and office parks that have seen occupancy fall as a result of online shopping and a post-pandemic surge in remote work  would help fill a roughly 200,000-unit shortfall in affordable housing.

The plan drew resistance from the New Jersey League of Municipalities, which said builders can already redevelop blighted commercial properties without state intervention.

We view it as an unnecessary preemption of local authority. We believe it undermines the local planning process, which is designed to facilitate grassroots engagement with the community, said Mike Cerra, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

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He challenged as a myth the bills declaration that outdated, rigid municipal zoning regulations often separate residential and commercial uses.

The measure would require municipal officials to approve applications to convert or redevelop underused properties so long as the project complies with a towns existing mixed-use zoning requirements. The bill would substitute its own mixed-use zoning rules if the municipality has none.

Amendments made Monday removed language that would have sunset the bills provisions two years after they take effect.

This is no longer a temporary effort in response to a market turndown or post-COVID. This is permanent, and again, we see this permanent preemption of local, duly elected and appointed officials, Cerra said.

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To be eligible for redevelopment under the bill, a property must be an office park of at least 50,000 square feet or a retail center of no less than 15,000 square feet. In both cases, the commercial space must have a vacancy rate of at least 25% in the preceding 18 months or have faced an economic downturn in the three years preceding an application.

The bills supporters argued allowing the redevelopment of stranded properties would reduce costs by allowing builders to use existing structures and infrastructure while boosting municipalities property tax bases.

The law just makes good common sense, said Al-Tariq Witcher with Fair Share Housing Center, which monitors compliance with housing laws.

The bill would require at least 20% of units in such developments to be set aside for affordable housing.

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The parking bill would entirely eliminate off-street parking requirements within half a mile of rail stations and halve the number of parking spaces needed within a half-mile of ferry terminals, NJ Transit bus stations, or in proximity to multiple bus routes. Required parking would be reduced by 30% for areas between 0.5 miles and 1 mile away from a ferry terminal, bus station, or multiple bus routes.

Erin Knoedler with the New Jersey League of Municipalities said those parking requirements can already be reduced with variances. Others said local control has failed to align parking policy with the states housing needs.

We already have a permissive system, and if it was working, we wouldnt be having this conversation today, said Zoe Baldwin with nonprofit planning group the Regional Plan Association.

We see this permanent preemption of local, duly elected and appointed officials.

 Mike Cerra, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities

Lawmakers approved a third bill that would create a planning advocacy office within the State Department to dispense grants to build high-density housing  50 or 25 units per acre, depending on proximity to transit. The bill would make $25 million in grants available for such construction, with priority for developments where at least 30% of units are affordable.

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That money is what can make this work for towns because they can create transit districts they can be proud of, said Chris Sturm, land use policy director at New Jersey Future.

None of the bills have advanced in the Assembly since their introduction in January.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Sunday night members of the Muslim community gathered for the second annual, free Iftar dinner, hosted by Senator Jeremy Cooney. That happened at the Edgerton R-Center in Rochester.

Ramadan is a holy month, a time when many who follow will fast from sunrise to sundown and focus on reflection and growth. Each night during the full month of Ramadan, Muslims break their fast at whats called Iftar, and eat a meal together.

(WROC/Melanie Sosa)

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A spectacular spectacle of shamrocks: The 2025 Rochester St. Patricks Day Parade

I am thankful for Senator Jeremy taking initiative to bring all Muslim population and non-muslim population together so we have actually a lot of common things we can share, and this is kind of a happy occasion for us. As I said, this is one of the purposes of Ramadan, people come together and share bread together, said Jafer Yasur, Muslim Chaplain at Groveland Correctional Facility.

During the event, individuals were presented with New York State awards for their work and lasting impact on the Muslim community.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on March 16 drew comparisons between the ongoing anti-government protests in Serbia and Ukraine's 2014 EuroMaidan Revolution, vowing to "protect and defend" the country from such an event.

His comments followed a massive rally in Belgrade on March 15, culminating months of near-daily protests against corruption and misgovernance, posing the most significant challenge to Vucic's 13-year rule.

Vucic accused protest organizers of spreading misinformation, including claims that authorities had shut down the internet and used sonic cannons against demonstrators.

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"Then they came up with a story about a sonic cannon... but the army does not have such weapons," Vucic said in a video address published on social media, insisting that what was shown was an anti-drone rifle, not a crowd-control device.

Vucic compared the accusations to those made against ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych during the EuroMaidan protests, which saw over 100 demonstrators killed before Yanukovych fled to Russia in 2014.

"That's how they started talking here: 'Vucic, you shot at your own people,'" the Serbian president said. "There were no wounded; nothing happened to anyone, but they have to come up with something."

The protests erupted in November following the deadly collapse of a newly reconstructed train station roof in Novi Sad, which killed 15 people.

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The reconstruction, financed with Chinese and state funds, was widely viewed as corrupt.

Student-led demonstrations quickly grew into broader anti-government protests, demanding accountability and an end to corruption.

Vucic, who maintains close ties with Moscow, has frequently used Kremlin-style rhetoric to discredit protests.

The Serbian opposition, along with student activists, has accused authorities of deploying a sound cannon against demonstrators during a silent vigil for the Novi Sad victims, with footage of people fleeing after a loud blast circulating on social media.

The Serbian president vowed an investigation into what he called "brutal fabrications and lies" and warned that those responsible would be prosecuted.

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Read also: Explainer: Ukraines EuroMaidan was not a coup, despite Russian disinfo pushed by Musk

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Multiple agencies worked together to assist in the rescue of an individual at the Falls Reservoir in Stanly County.

Stanly Rescue, Stanly EMS and Badin Volunteer Fire Department worked overnight searching on the reservoir for a reported water rescue, according to the VFD.

Someone fell off of a large water intake tube at the Narrows dam, where the Yadkin River meets Badin Lake, according to officials.

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READ: Firefighters battle three alarm fire in South End

The person was lifted out of the area using ropes, officials said, and then sent to the hospital. Their condition is unknown.

North Carolina Wildlife, North Carolina Forestry, and Stanly Sheriffs Office also assisted in the rescue, according to the VFD.

WATCH: Firefighters battle three alarm fire in South End
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  With Severe Weather Awareness Week underway, AES Ohio is reminding customers that severe weather can occur at any time.

According to AES Ohio, its important to be aware and knowledgeable that severe weather can occur at any time.

Severe weather can strike at any time, especially in spring, bringing thunderstorms, high winds, lightning, floods, hail, and tornadoes, which can cause power outages, said AES Ohio.

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The utility company encourages you to have a storm kit for each member in your home before severe weather approaches. Items recommended include cash, medication, flash lights, radio, blanket and more.

You are also encouraged to have an emergency plan regarding knowing what to do if your family members were to get separated.

For up-to-date information on power outages, you are always urged to visit AES Ohios website and social media accounts.

Drivers should remember to not go near or drive over downed power lines.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
LUANDA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Angolan presidency announced late Monday on the social media platform Facebook that direct peace talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group will proceed "as scheduled" on Tuesday in Luanda, the capital of Angola, despite the M23's earlier announcement of withdrawal.

"All conditions have been met for the negotiations to begin on March 18, as planned," the statement said, adding that the DRC government delegation had already arrived in Luanda, while the M23 delegation was expected later.

Angola's presidency and foreign ministry have not yet responded to Xinhua's inquiries regarding the M23's announced withdrawal from the peace talks.

The Angolan statement came about an hour and a half after the M23 declared it "can no longer continue" to participate in the peace talks, citing "successive sanctions that undermine direct dialogue and make any progress impossible."

Tina Salama, spokesperson for the DRC presidency, told the media that the DRC delegation, originally scheduled to depart for Luanda late Monday, would still proceed with the trip despite the M23's absence.

Last Wednesday, Angola announced it would host direct peace negotiations between the DRC government and the M23 rebels in Luanda on March 18. 
Theres a sayingor maybe a truismthat the test of any new technology lies in its ability to reproduce pornography. Long ago, pornography was the stuff of private collections: crude figurines and drawings that spread their influence only as far as they could be carried. But man could not live in this wilderness forever. He had opposable thumbs and pressing needs, and thus were born woodblock printing, engraving, movable type, daguerreotype, halftone printing, photography, the moving image. Man needed these innovations, of course, to spread the great truths of God, nature, king, and country. But it was never very long before some guy wandered into the workroom of the newest inventor, took a look at his gizmo, and thought, You know what I could use that for?

Down through the ages, one thing united these mass-produced forms of pornography: the understanding that no matter how exciting, they were always and only a pale imitation of the real thing. Any traveling salesman who checked into a motel with his copy of Playboy would rather have had a human being on his arm.

But then the internet arrived.

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What a testament to manhow noble in reason, how infinite in faculties!that he continued doing anything else after the advent of online porn. Plenty of women, of course, consume and enjoy or create and profit from pornpeople of every sexual orientation and gender identity do. But the force that through the green fuse drives the flower (and the money) is heterosexual male desire for women. And here was porn so good, so varied, so ready to please, so instantlyinsistentlyavailable, that it led to a generation of men who think of porn not as a backup to having sex, but as an improvement on it. They prefer it.

Where would this take us? Well, now we know. The heterosexual man can now have what many see as a rich sex life without ever needing to deal with an actual woman.

There are men who have fallen in love with sex dolls, the way toddlers fall in love with teddy bears, although for children the toy is a transitional object. Early this month, Elon Musk told Joe Rogan that AI-powered sex robots arent far away from the U.S. market: less than five years probably. They will be able to provide everything except human connection, and what is that anyway? Human relationships, especially between the sexes, are fraught with diverging interests and needs, and when you get right down to it, arent women kind of a drag? With their talk-talk-talk and their dinner parties, and their pouting about laundry that never gets washed the right way? Your sex robot wont do that. Shell never make you go apple picking. She will do only what you want to do.

Sex has the ability to create or strengthen a bond between people, andno matter how many precautions you might take against this terrible outcomeyou could find yourself emotionally attached to a person you have sex with. Before online porn, men had an obvious incentive to put up with the stress of dating, and they developed the social skills necessary to close the deal: enough resilience to ask a woman out, and then a second woman, if the first one rejected them; the drive to locate a clean shirt; and the skill to make conversation over two orders of chicken piccata. It could be awkward; it could be a nightmare. But whether the resulting attachment lasted half a century or a single week, one thing was certain: While the relationship was going on, they were not a statistic in the loneliness epidemic. They were humans in a world made for humans.

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But who needs to spiff up now? Porn will never reject you or look at you with a pitying gaze. Its always there, it never disappoints, and you never have to dig through the clothes hamper for something that smells okayish. As Michael says in The Boys in the Band, one good thing about masturbation is that you dont have to look your best.

Watching online porn has become most adolescents first sexual experience. The average 14-year-old boy today has seen more hard-core porn than all of the American fighting forces in the Second World War. (Probably a good thing, because we really needed to win that one.) Because of the internets power to desensitize people and wear down their natural responses to shocking things, and because of the way these algorithms work, young people quickly proceed to more and more extreme videos, andas it has always beenthese earliest experiences of sexual events pass deeply into their sense of what sex should be.

You cant spend 15 minutes scrolling through a porn site without coming across a video in which a woman seems to be not performing fear or pain, but actually experiencing those things. If youre one of those people who enjoy watching coerced sex, youll never be bored for a second of your life. As far as the moral equations of watching porn go, the one that matters is: Are you excited by the obvious abuse of women, or have you learned to countenance that abuse as a necessary cost of your own pleasure? And which of those is worse?

Were talking about a private, individual experience. Could that have an impact on society? Surely it does. When straight men dont need women for sex, a question starts to form: What do they need them for? If its having children, these men are going to have to surface out in the world and meet some women, even if they think that means settling for second-best sex. Someone whose adolescence has been spent using a phone and laptop for sex probably isnt skilled in making conversation with actual women, which will be a problem if he decides to get out among the apple pickers.

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The porn-first man tends to be an Andrew Tate kind of guy. Former kickboxer, chancellor of Hustlers University, early-episode rejectee from Big Brother (he said a video of him whipping a woman with a belt had been edited to take out the humor and fun of the moment), hes an influencer and the current president of the He-Man Woman Haters Club. He spent the past two years in Romania after he was accused of rape and human trafficking, but late last month was allowed to travel to the freedom of the United States, only to land in the flypaper of Florida, where he is now the subject of another criminal investigation. (He has denied any wrongdoing.)

Tate is charismatic and mesmerizing, a perfect companion to the lonely masturbator. Youre not a loser; youre a king! He provides hours and hours of online content warning men that women are trying to emasculate them. What hes gesturing to is an old idea, probably more true than not: that its in societys best interest for men to couple off with women, because women civilize men. When confronted with that notion, women reject it: Their job isnt to civilize men. When men see the same adage, they feel uncomfortable (what man wants to be civilized by another person, especially by a woman?).

But men taught that women are barely sentient, there to be used and abused, will likely spend their lives alone.

The internets biggest by-product is loneliness; porn isnt special in that regard. You and I werent made to live this way; we barely are living this way. Many of the traits that make us humanour compassion, our ability to devote sustained thought to a problem, our capacity to fall in love and to sacrifice for the people we loveare meaningless to the algorithms that rule us. Theyve deformed us. Every time I hear a middle-class young woman make the utilitarian argument for why she makes sexual videos on OnlyFansbecause she can make in two hours of work what would take her 40 hours to earn waitressingI think, Here it is at last: end-stage capitalism. The phase in which nothing has any value or meaning other than its sale price.

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The internet did not arrive like a wave, allowing us to take time to think about our humanity before we put our toes in the water; it arrived like a flood, and weve been drowning in it for more than a quarter century. It keeps taking our souls away from us; every passing year, were less of who we were. Soon there wont be much of us left at all. The only thing that can save us is a great unplugging. But well never do that. We love it down here under the dark water.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  On Monday, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie unveiled what his office is calling a new vision to tackle the citys homelessness and drug problem. The plan, which the mayors office has dubbed Breaking the Cycle, features a series of actions broken down by timeframe.

The executive directive, which Lurie signed on Monday, is intended to outline a roadmap with immediate actions and longer-term reforms aimed at tackling SFs enduring homelessness and behavioral health crisis.

In the first 100 days of the plan, city departments will be responsible for actions that include launching a new street teams model, deploying emergency housing vouchers, reassessing policies for distribution of fentanyl smoking in public spaces, and merging the Journey Home and Homeward Bound programs, among other things.

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Chuck Schumer book tour postponed, including SF event

In the first six months of the program, the mayor is instructing city departments to expand short-term response capacity by 1,500, expand treatment capacity, improve case management, and encourage regional partners to build capacity to meet responsibility for their residents.

Within a year, the plan aims to maximize Medi-Cal, CalAIM and Prop 1 benefits, improve technology and data systems and evaluate the citys current organizational structure for health, homelessness, and human services, and housing programs.

These reforms will better support the citys most vulnerable residents while keeping public spaces safe and clean and ensuring responsible management of taxpayer resources, Luries office said.

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The new roadmap, Luries office said, builds on work his administration has already been doing since the mayor announced the Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance on his first day in office.

I believe our city must be judged by how we care for our most vulnerable residents, and today, we are outlining immediate actions and long-term reforms to address the crisis on our streets, Mayor Lurie said. This directive will break the cycle of homelessness, addiction, and government failure by transforming our homelessness and behavioral health response.

The mayor promised to being in a new era of accountability and deliver outcomes designed to get people off the street and into stability.

Despite millions, and possibly billions, of dollars being spent over several decades, San Francisco is still faced with a persistent homelessness, drugs, and behavioral health crisis. According to the mayors office, roughly two people die every day from overdose in the city.

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A large-scale fire has broken out at premises belonging to a civilian business in Kharkiv Oblast as a result of a Russian Shahed drone strike on the night of 16-17 March.

Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "03:20, the Chuhuiv district, the Chuhuiv hromada, the village of Kamiana Yaruha. A fire broke out at premises belonging to a civilian business as a result of a Shahed UAV strike." [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

Details: Syniehubov said the fire engulfed a building over an area of 1,000 square metres.

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A T-Mobile building in Los Angeles was seen partially caving in after it was flooded by a sheared fire hydrant on Sunday afternoon.

The L.A. City Fire Department said it received a call just before 3 p.m. for reports of a truck crashing into a hydrant on the corner of West Nordhoff Street and Sepulveda Boulevard.

Officials did not immediately say what caused the driver to veer off and hit the hydrant, but KTLAs Rachel Menitoff was later informed that it was a hit-and-run.

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Footage from the scene showed water gushing high into the air from the hydrant, and crews arrived to find severe water damage in a nearby, one-story commercial building.

Due to a large amount of water falling onto the roof of the T-Mobile, LAFD said the structural integrity of the building is compromised.

Videos from Citizen.com showed water, wires and panels falling from the ceiling. Several inches of water filled the floor of the T-Mobile building, flowing under the tables holding up the phone and technology displays.

Meanwhile, footage from outside the T-Mobile showed significant cracks splitting across the top of the building, causing a corner of the ceiling to cave in.

A T-Mobile in Los Angeles is seen nearly collapsing after a car crashed into a nearby fire hydrant. March 2025. (Citizen.com) A car crashed into a fire hydrant in Los Angeles, consequently flooding and severely damaging a nearby T-Mobile. March 2025. (Citizen.com) A car crashed into a fire hydrant in Los Angeles, consequently flooding and severely damaging a nearby T-Mobile. March 2025. (Citizen.com) A T-Mobile in Los Angeles is seen flooding after a car crashed into a nearby fire hydrant. March 2025. (Citizen.com) A T-Mobile in Los Angeles is seen flooding after a car crashed into a nearby fire hydrant. March 2025. (Citizen.com) A T-Mobile in Los Angeles is seen nearly collapsing after a car crashed into a nearby fire hydrant. March 2025. (Citizen.com) A T-Mobile in Los Angeles is seen nearly collapsing after a car crashed into a nearby fire hydrant. March 2025. (Citizen.com)

The Los Angeles Police Department said a Help Call was generated at the location at some point, requesting additional units to respond for crowd control.

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T-Mobile released the following statement Sunday evening regarding the incident:

Were grateful that our employees and customers are safe. The store is closed, and our team is working quickly on next steps to make sure customers in the area have access to what they need. In the meantime, there are a few other stores in the nearby (just north on Devonshire and Sepulveda along with one at Van Nuys and Chase St.) that can help customers. We do have a store locator on our T-Mobile website here if that helps people find an immediate option close to them.

LAFD said no injuries were reported.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  The Crabapple Fire near Fredericksburg has burned more than 9,700 acres as of Monday morning. The disaster prompted evacuations for many in the area, and affected local ranchers and livestock, according to the city of Fredericksburg. Here are ways you can help support them.

Firefighter injured in 9,700+ acre wildfire near Fredericksburg

The fire started around 1 p.m. Saturday in the 8700 block of Crabapple Road, which is 11 miles north of Fredericksburg, according to the city. As of Monday, the fire was 9,737 acres and 65% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

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According to the city, it wasnt immediately clear how many people were evacuated or displaced.

Gillespie County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

In a Facebook post, The Gillespie County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension shared the livestock supply point location they created to help facilitate donations for fire relief. The supply point is located at the Gillespie County Fairgrounds off 530 Fair Drive.

Donations of hay, feed, and fencing supplies for cattle, sheep, and goats are most needed, the post said. The supplies can be dropped off at the fairgrounds which will be open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The AgriLife Extension team has teamed up with local donation partners to help make the process simple, if you purchase supplies from the following locations, they will make sure your donations are sent directly to the livestock supply point.

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Gillespie County & OneStar

Gillespie County is receiving support from OneStar Foundations Rebuild Texas fund to establish the Crabapple Disaster Fund.

Donations to this fund will provide those affected with emergency aid, essential supplies, long-term recovery assistance to help families rebuild their homes, restore their land, and restart their businesses, the OneStar relief fund said. The city said this is the best way to help.

Friends, family & neighbors

Additionally friends, family, and neighbors have teamed up to help each other recover from this devastating fire. Resident Matt Durrette said in a Facebook post, We love this town. Fredericksburg has always been a strong community, but right now, it needs us.

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Durrette and other local community members hope to raise $10,000 that would help with rebuilding homes, help farmers and ranchers recover from any loss, and provide resources to first responders and food, water, and basic supplies for all affected. Donations can be made to the community GoFundMe.

Zion Lutheran Church shelter

The Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg closed as a shelter Monday around 4 p.m. after serving seven people, the city said.

However, officials said the shelter could reopen, if necessary.

On Sunday, KXAN reported at least seven people sought temporary shelter at the church. Among those in the church were a mother and four children aged 8-15 and two tourists who were on vacation from France, according to the Red Cross.

Marie Dominique Defondaumiere, left, and Elisabeth Petrus, right, displaced by the Crabapple Fire, spoke with KXAN outside Zion Lutheran Church. (KXAN Photo/Aidan Boyd) A Red Cross vehicle sits in front of the Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, which is acting as a temporary shelter. (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant)

At lunch time [Saturday] we heard about the fire and that all the roads were closed and that we couldnt go back to our cabins because it was very close to the fire, said Marie Dominique Defondaumiere. And then we heard about the shelter because we had confirmation that we couldnt go back to the cabins. So, we found the shelter and we had no place to go. And we found a very, very nice welcome for the people from the Red Cross and the pastor.

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Elisabeth Petrus said her heart medication was in her suitcase that she couldnt get to. She said she planned to reach out to a doctor after she and Defondaumiere evacuated. They both hoped to return to rental homes and suitcases not up in ashes.

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Law enforcement agencies across California and the rest of the United States are urging those who are participating in St. Patricks Day celebrations to do so carefully and with regard to others.

Those who choose to be unruly and break laws will face consequences, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), whose main focus with their latest campaign is cracking down on underage alcohol sales and those who purchase alcohol for minors, officials stated in a press release.

In an effort to combat this trend, more than 60 law enforcement agencies across the Golden State have come together to conduct Shoulder Tap operations, which focuses on those purchasing drinks for minors.

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Dont push your luck: DUI patrols in L.A. County for St. Patricks weekend

During a Shoulder Tap operation, a minor being supervised by law enforcement stands outside stores that sell alcohol and ask customers to make a purchase for them, clarifying that they cant buy anything because they are underage.

Should a person over the age of 21 agree to the minors request, they could be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. On March 15 alone, 167 citations were issued, ABC said.

The operation resulted in citations for 162 individuals who allegedly furnished alcoholic beverages to minors, [and] at least five others were cited for driving under the influence or other infractions.

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The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

Heres where to celebrate St. Patricks Day in Los Angeles

ACSs efforts this weekend alongside more than 60 California law enforcement agencies to bring awareness to underage drinking issues was an overwhelming success, ABC Director Joseph McCullough said. These types of collaborative efforts increase public safety for communities in our state and also boost protections for Californias young people.

Keeping alcohol out of the hands of underage drinkers is key to curbing the rate of car crashes involving teens, officials say; according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for teens.

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Of those crashes, more than a quarter of them involved drivers between 15 and 20 years old who had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .01 or higher. California has a zero-tolerance policy for underage drivers BAC, meaning that anything above a zero is illegal.

The legal limit for adults in California is 0.08%.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Members of the UA Local 140 Plumbers, Pipefitters, HVAC&R union march in the St. Patricks Day parade in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

A coalition of union advocates is off and running in a 30-day sprint to collect enough signatures to place a referendum on Utah ballots over controversial legislation restricting collective bargaining for public sector employees including teachers and first responders.

Signature gathering began Saturday as the Protect Utah Workers coalition launched efforts from Logan to St. George, according to a news release.

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That included downtown Salt Lake City, at the annual St. Patricks Day parade that also serves as a celebration of private sector labor unions.

As the parade reached the end of its route at Olympic Legacy Plaza in the Gateway Mall, clipboard-carrying volunteers darted between the crowd lining the road and mingling in front of the stage, talking over the parade announcers as they looked for spectators interested in signing the petition.

Members of the UA Local 140 Plumbers, Pipefitters, HVAC&R union march in the St. Patricks Day parade in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Quick to sign was Mark Ciullo, of Sandy, who had watched in alarm as HB267 narrowly passed the legislature and was signed by Gov. Spencer Cox last month. The bill spurred protests, thousands of messages urging lawmakers to vote against it, and calls for the governor to veto it.

In the name of saving taxpayer dollars, HB267 prohibits unions representing government employees  teachers, police officers, firefighters, municipal workers and others  from engaging in collective bargaining with their employers  who are also government employees  to negotiate pay and working conditions.

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Ciullo had followed news of the referendum push, eager to sign the petition and hoping to bring volunteers to his neighborhood to seek signatures. While he hadnt known there would be canvassers at the parade, he was quick to take the chance to put his name down as his children enjoyed the face painting booth, then waved his wife over to do the same.

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I had actually looked online and things beforehand to see, like, where I could go to actually sign it, because I totally feel like our government is not listening to the people, and they need to listen to the people. We need to stop this nonsense, Ciullo said. I know its also really hard to actually get this referendum done and get this on the ballot. And so, yeah, sign me up.

Per Utah Code, once the first signature is collected, organizers have 30 days to gather signatures from 8% of the states total active voters, and in 15 of Utahs 29 Senate districts. If they succeed, HB267 will be placed on voters ballots, where they could vote to overturn it.

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The coalition is shooting to gather about 200,000 signatures, which is above the minimum threshold, but leaves room for error if some of the signatures are deemed invalid by the lieutenant governors office. Organizers plan on submitting the signature packets by April 16. By late June, the coalition says it will know whether the effort was successful.

Ciullo is a product manager for a health care company, and his wife is a physician. While they arent directly impacted by the bill, Ciullo emphasized the importance he places on supporting the states civil servants.

Its amazing to me that we want to claim that we care about our teachers and firefighters, and then we do something like this thats completely against what I believe is good for them, with their bargaining rights and everything else, I just dont get it, Ciullo said.

The bill takes effect July 1.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The Silver Alert issued for an 82-year-old man out of Hillsborough County has been canceled. He was found safe.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A Sioux City man has been sentenced to more than 50 years for a Sioux City crash that killed two people.

Court documents state that Kenry Rodney Silas, 27, was sentenced Thursday to a total of 55 consecutive years for two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of serious injury by vehicle. He will get credit for time served. He must also pay a $1,025 fine, and he must pay $150,000 each in damages to the estates of the two victims

Silas was sentenced to 25 years for each vehicular homicide count and five years for the count of serious injury by vehicle and will run consecutively. He pleaded guilty to the three charges in December 2024 without a plea agreement.

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On Friday, Silas again pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to two serious misdemeanors in the same case: possession of a controlled substance  marijuana and operating while intoxicated. A sentencing for the two misdemeanors has not been scheduled.

Whiting murder suspect says she was assaulted; Officials say story doesnt add up

Silas was arrested earlier in the year for the deaths of Sandro Sanchez Mendez, 51, and Susana Estrade Molina, 39.

At 9:13 on July 21, 2024, a crash was reported at the intersection of West 3rd and Rebecca Streets. Silas was driving a pickup on West 3rd Street and hit a 2008 Volkswagen heading north on Rebecca Street, arresting court documents stated. Sanchez Mendez died in the crash while Estrade Molina was taken to a local hospital where she also died. Multiple others were hospitalized after the crash. Silas was arrested later that week.

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Documents stated that Silas had bloodshot and glass eyes and also smelled of alcohol. Open beer containers were also found in the vehicle. They also found marijuana on him during a search.

Silas pleaded not guilty to the charges in August. Sentencing has been scheduled for Feb. 10, 2025. He is being held at the Woodbury County Jail without bond.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) According to court documents, a Sioux Falls man is accused of grooming and soliciting a 15-year-old child.

37-year-old Matthew Hursh is charged with three counts of solicitation of a minor.

Matthew Hursh

South Dakotas Division of Criminal Investigation handled the case. The Attorney Generals Office did not say how Hursh met or contacted the alleged victim. The indictment says the allegations date back to March and June of 2024.

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Cimpl halts harvest operations in Yankton

Hursh made his first court appearance on Monday morning, and the judge lowered his bond from $50,000 cash to $5,000 cash.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
DAMASCUS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Syria's information authorities on Monday condemned what it called a deliberate attack on a group of journalists and media personnel near the Lebanese-Syrian border, allegedly carried out by Hezbollah using guided missiles.

The media authorities described the strike as a blatant violation of international law protecting journalists and called on the Lebanese government to hold those responsible accountable.

The reported attack comes a day after Syria accused Hezbollah of kidnapping and executing three fighters with the new Syrian military formation near the border, an accusation the group has denied.

Adding to the rising tensions, Syria's state-run SANA news agency reported that Hezbollah also shelled the Ain al-Tanour water station in the western countryside of Homs province with artillery fire, escalating fears of further conflict along the border.

Syria's defense authorities had earlier vowed to take "all necessary measures" in response to what it called Hezbollah's dangerous escalation. 
Residents asked Indiana State Rep. Hal Slager and State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, direct questions about Medicaid, property taxes and education during a town hall meeting in Schererville Saturday.

Going into the current budget session, Slager, R-Schererville, said the legislature has had to grapple with two challenges: A skinny revenue forecast and an increase in the Medicaid costs the state has to fund.

Indiana has seen an increase in the number of people on Medicaid, which is paid for by the state and federal government, Slager said. In 2023, 21.8% of Indiana residents were signed up for Medicaid coverage, according to Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy.

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Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, authored Senate Bill 2 which would place restrictions on Medicaid, like work requirements on an insurance program for Hoosiers between the ages of 19 to 64.

Mishler called Senate Bill 2 the right size for Medicaid, which has grown exponentially in recent years. In the last four years, Medicaid costs have grown by $5 billion, he said. Meanwhile, since COVID, Medicaid participants have nearly doubled  from 390,000 to 750,000.

Were trying to find ways to reduce that cost, Slager said. You can see how thats just eating into our ability to have any flexibility.

During a meeting last year, Slager said he met with a healthcare administrator to discuss pediatric care, which Slager has filed bills about. They were meeting for the first time to discuss the issue, but Slager said he ended the meeting early after he learned that the womans sole job was to help people sign up for Medicaid.

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I said to her, we dont need to continue this meeting because your agenda and my agenda are completely opposite, Slager said. I said, because I want to see people independent from government help and you want them on government help. This isnt going to work.

The states Department of Education, Family and Social Services Administration and Medicaid saw an increase in funding, while other departments are taking a hair cut in the budget, Slager said.

Irene Martin, of Schererville, said the Baby Boomer generation has been entering the Medicaid system in recent years and will continue to in years to come. She asked if the legislature is taking that into consideration as it debates Medicaid cuts.

The numbers are the numbers, and weve just seen this big growth, Slager said. When it comes to people over 65, we have a share of costs in their long-term care.

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Betsy Hunt, of Schererville, said people from Illinois have been moving to Northwest Indiana in retirement for the lower property tax costs. That could be contributing to the silver tsunami of people joining Medicaid, she said.

I dont know what all the answers are in trying to contain that cost, Slager said. What I dont know, and (Family and Social Services Administration) may know, is what percentage of that growth is directly related to the Baby Boomers.

Gene Ranieri, of Dyer, said he was the only dentistry specialist to accept Medicaid for 30 years.

We need to shoulder some of the burden for people who have less than us, Ranieri said. I know that Medicaid costs are great, but to me, that is part of what being American is about.

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The legislature also has been busy discussing Senate Bill 1, which is property tax reform, that has shifted in recent weeks from Gov. Mike Brauns proposed plan to a Senate amendment which offers some relief to taxpayers but at the same time, not cutting revenues to schools, counties and municipalities as deeply as Brauns plan.

Two weeks ago, the House Ways and Means committee heard Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 518, which would require school corporations to share referendum dollars with local charter schools, which saw nearly 150 people signed up to testify to speak on the two bills, Slager said.

Last week, Senate Bill 1 was amended further to strip the bill and include language House Bill 1402, authored by House Ways and Means committee chairman Jeffrey Thompson.

Thompson, R-Lizton, said the hallmark of House Bill 1402 is a 5-year phase-in of exemptions and deductions so that every parcel in the state hits the property tax cap. Thompsons plan calls for some deductions for homesteads to be replaced, lowering business personal property tax floors, and shifting the authorization of local income taxes.

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The fiscal impact of Thompsons bill would cut $362.8 million across the state through 2028, including $76.7 million from counties, $147.2 million from cities and towns, $186.2 million from school corporations, and $2.1 million from libraries. The fiscal impact of the previous two plans cut billions of dollars from these entities.

Slager said he hasnt received many emails or calls from constituents complaining that their property taxes are too high. Slager said Lake County Finance Director Scott Schmal completed a study that found that property taxes are increasing for homeowners because their assessed values have increased more than assessed values for businesses.

Thompsons bill is a very good proposal, however, it turns the whole system upside down and still requires local governments to cut their budgets and services, Slager said.

Jillian Schranz, of Dyer, said while no one likes to pay taxes, the majority of homeowners dont mind paying their current property tax rate because it pays for local services.

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Tri-Creek School Corporation Superintendent Andy Anderson said his school district, and other nearby districts, have made major cuts in recent years because referendums did not pass. The districts cut all their wants and they are now down to bare minimum needs, he said.

As Braun and the legislature have a desire to fund charter and private schools, that is a want and not a need for the state, Anderson said.

When reviewing education-related bills the Senate and House have proposed, Anderson said the districts chief business officer made various calculations, and one scenario revealed that the district would receive an annual increase of $720.

Were at a time where maybe we need to pump the brakes on expanding the voucher system, Anderson said.

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When it comes to property taxes, Anderson asked if it is an issue that the legislature could hit the pause button and really take our time to sort through instead of run and jamming through an issue that could lead to unintended consequences.

Slager said the bill will be heard in committee, with public comment, for as long as needed.

Were gonna see where it goes, Slager said.

House Bill 1461, authored by state Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, would allow the state to charge tolls on all Indiana interstate highways, including I-80/94 and I-65.

Slager said with more fuel-efficient cars and with the price of road funding going up dramatically in recent years, the state finds itself in the position where it is nearly $1 billion short to cover its road funding costs. The state funds road maintenance entirely through fuel tax, he said.

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There is a whole lot of stuff in House Bill 1461, Slager said, but at one point it included language that would exclude toll roads within 75 miles of nearby toll roads, which wouldve protected Northwest Indiana from being tolled. But, that language was removed, he said.

The concern with tolling, Slager said, is that people will avoid the toll roads and drive down local roads. Another concern, he said, is that if another toll road was set up in Northwest Indiana it would be leased, which would mean the state wouldnt have control over it.

The Republican supermajority in Indiana has been following other states in stripping away rights from those in the LGTBQ community, Schranz said. When Indiana inevitably introduces a bill to criminalize Indiana residents based on who they love or their gender, Schranz asked Slager and Dernulc for a commitment that they wouldnt support legislation that would criminalize residents based on who they love or their gender.

Slager said he doesnt want to criminalize residents. Dernulc said he agreed, but he would have to see the bill.

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Were not on the same page about this, Schranz said. The families in your district, despite any of your own personal beliefs, deserve to be respected.

Daria Depa, of Schererville, asked why the state legislature wouldnt pass a bill to allow for ballot initiatives for residents to vote on matters that relate to education, marijuana, abortions and other issues.

Thats what you elect us for, Slager said.

akukulka@post-trib.com
Boston police are showing their efforts to crack down on both underage and public drinking following the St. Patricks Day parade.

These are all gallon water jugs seized by police, mixed with some beer cans and other bottles.

Additional Seized Alcohol Due to Underage and Public Drinking https://t.co/lDBQ9m6Am2 pic.twitter.com/uwtCKZc5Hn  Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) March 16, 2025

The jugs known as a borg (black out rage gallon) are often a mix of water, alcohol, and flavoring, like electrolytes.

A trendy choice among college students and also at todays parade.

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Police say the majority of people celebrated safely and appropriately.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Prior authorization can help prevent overprescription and misuse by ensuring that non-opioid pain management options are considered before an opioid is prescribed. (Getty Images)

Opioid addiction often starts where many dont expect itin the recovery room after surgery. Too often, patients are prescribed more pain medication than they actually need, leading to dependency before they even realize its happening.

The opioid crisis isnt just about illegal drugsits about how easily prescription opioids can become the first step toward addiction.

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As someone who has worked on substance abuse legislation for years, Ive seen firsthand how a single prescription can change the course of someones life. But Ive also seen how smart, preventive policies can help stop addiction before it begins. One of those policies is prior authorizationa safeguard that helps ensure opioid prescriptions are appropriate, necessary, and not excessive.

Some in the legislature are now pushing Senate Bill 480, which would weaken prior authorization in Indiana. If that happens, providers will face fewer checks before prescribing opioids, potentially leading to more unnecessary prescriptions, more misuse, and more addiction.

This is not just a health policy debateits a matter of life and death.

Prior authorization helps prevent overprescription and misuse by ensuring that non-opioid pain management options are considered before an opioid is prescribed. It serves as a critical checkpoint, especially for patients undergoing routine or minor procedures where opioids may not be the best or safest option. Without it, opioid prescriptions could skyrocket, putting more

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Hoosiers at risk of addiction. This is especially concerning in a state that already ranks among the highest in the nation for opioid-related deaths.

Over the past decade, Indiana has made progress in the fight against opioid addiction. Weve increased prescription monitoring, expanded treatment access, and educated physicians on responsible prescribing. Prior authorization is another key tool in this fight, ensuring opioids arent the first option when safer alternatives exist. Weakening this safeguard will only send us backward. The legislature must take a responsible approach to ensure that any changes to healthcare policy do not unintentionally fuel the very crisis weve been working to solve.

Indiana lawmakers should reconsider SB 480 and ensure we are strengthening, not undermining, efforts to combat opioid addiction. The stakes are simply too high to get this wrong.

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PERRYTON, Texas (KETK) Smith County ESD2 strike team helped save the home of award-winning Hank the Cowdog author on Saturday night in Perryton.

Marshall family uninjured after fire burns home

According to Smith County ESD, their firefighters were apart of the strike team that saved the home of John R. Erickson who is the author of childrens series, Hank the Cowdog.

Photos courtesy of Smith County ESD2

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Last night we defended the Erickson Ranch, home of Hank the Cowdog author John Erickson and his family, Strike Team Leader Josh Bardwell said. They were incredibly kind and supportive

Smith County ESD2 firefighters headed to fight fires in West Texas on March 12 due to the National Weather Service being concerned the strong wind and dry conditions added to an already dry landscape may cause any spark into a fire.

PHOTOS: Payne Springs firefighters respond to lake house fire

Erikson is a Texas native that has written and published 75 books, best known as the author of the Hank the Cowdog series of books, audio-books and stage plays.

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BUFFALO GAP, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A piece of national history has made its way to the Big Country. Buffalo Gap was chosen to be one seven rural towns to host a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Museum called Crossroads: Change in Rural America. Buffalo Gap Chamber of Commerce Board Member Lota Zoth explains the town being chosen to host is a huge honor. For the next six weeks, Big Country residents have the opportunity to visit the exhibits free of charge at the Buffalo Gap Historic Village.

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So this exhibit is just honoring and celebrating rural history and rural towns. Its the name of the Smithsonian exhibition is called Crossroads Change in Rural America, and its presented by the Smithsonian to try to have their wonderful museum items available to everyone, explained Zoth.

This comes as Buffalo Gap is celebrating its 150-year anniversary in 2025. Zoth shares it allows them to not only celebrate the Smithsonian exhibits but also local history.

We have other things that are going on in the town of Buffalo Gap, a heritage auto tour where you can drive around to various spots in Buffalo Gap and have an audio tour. We also are having a lecture series where were bringing in speakers to talk about the various themes that we are presenting over the next six weeks. Its to really shine a national spotlight on Buffalo Gap through being able to share the Smithsonian exhibit but also share our heritage, added Zoth.

To learn more about Smithsonian in the Gap visit here: Smithsonian in Buffalo Gap  Buffalo Gap, Texas

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The Scottish Government has triggered outrage after revealing that a 175m ferry contract has been awarded to a Polish shipyard instead of struggling local manufacturer Ferguson Marine.

A contract to build seven electric vessels for ferry operator CalMac has been handed to the Remontowa yard in Gdansk, which triumphed over four other bids including one from Clyde-based Ferguson Marine.

The Scottish yard was brought under government control by the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) in 2019 and has received hundreds of millions of pounds of state aid.

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Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Tories, said the decision to send business overseas rather than support the struggling state-owned shipyard was a hammer blow for employees and a result of SNP incompetence.

The contract was awarded by state-controlled procurement firm Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL). CalMac has also been under the direct control of the Scottish Government since 1990.

Unions also criticised the decision. Alex Logan, the convenor for the GMB union at Ferguson Marine, said: This contract should have allowed the yard to seize back a reputation for excellence unfairly torn away. We had a worldwide reputation for building small vessels and sending this work overseas makes no sense.

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservatives leader, said the decision to give the contract to a Polish shipyard was a hammer blow for Ferguson Marine - Jacob King/PA

Mr Logan questioned the logic of the SNP failing to award the contract to Ferguson Marine after pledging to invest in the modernisation of the yard. He said the Ferguson Marine workforce had been used as a political punch bag over a number of years.

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Sue Webber, the Scottish shadow transport secretary, said the decision could prove to be the death knell for Ferguson Marine.

She said: It should be a given that a nationalised shipyard wins a Scottish Government contract. Its a measure of how badly the SNP have mismanaged Fergusons that ferries, which should be built on the west coast of Scotland, are to be made in eastern Europe.

Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish transport secretary, said the decision represented a milestone in modernising the fleet of CalMac.

CMAL said the five bids were assessed against various technical and financial criteria by its own experts and outside marine specialists.

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Kevin Hobbs, the procurement companys chief, said it was required to select a yard that would both serve the needs of islanders and deliver the best value for the public purse.

Delivery delays

Ferguson Marine handed over the first of two new CalMac vessels six years late in January.

Remontowa has built vessels for CalMac before, though not for more than a decade, having most recently delivered the MV Finlaggan in 2011.

CMAL also overlooked a bid from Birkenhead-based Cammell Laird and one from Cemre of Turkey, which is in the process of building the next four ships due to join the CalMac fleet.

Cemre recently revealed that the first delivery, originally expected this month, had slipped to June, depriving remote islands of vital links upon which their economies depend going into the tourist season.

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The seven electric ferries to be built in Gdansk will be deployed on short sea crossings to islands including Bute, Mull and Gigha.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  One of the leaders of Iran's 2009 Green Movement protests will be released from house arrest in the coming weeks, his son told state media Monday. However, previous speculation that he would be released failed to come true.

Mehdi Karroubi, a Shiite cleric, parliament speaker and two-time presidential candidate, has been held in his home since the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

His son, Hossein Karroubi, told the state-run IRNA news agency that security officials told his father he'd be freed in early April. He did not identify the officials but said Iran's judiciary had issued the order.

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There was no immediate acknowledgement of any order concerning the octogenarian Karroubi.

Mehdi Karroubi had backed the 2009 presidential candidacy of Mir Hossein Mousavi, who also was put under house arrest in 2011 after calling for demonstrations in support of protests in Egypt and Tunisia during the Arab Spring. State media was ordered not to discuss them or show their images.

In 2009, Karroubi rallied the public in mass protests over allegations of vote-rigging in hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejads disputed reelection as president. Those protests drew millions to the streets and sparked a heavy-handed security crackdown as demonstrators soon demanded the overthrow of Iran's Shiite theocracy and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Scoop

South Africa is scrambling to appoint a new ambassador to the US after the expulsion of its top diplomat last week, according to three people familiar with the matter.

South African government leaders were let down by Ebrahim Rasools indefensible criticism of US President Donald Trump at a webinar on Tuesday, said the three senior members of the African National Congress, the largest party in the ruling coalition.

On Friday US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Rasool of being a race-baiting politician who hates the US and Trump. In the webinar on Mar. 11, Rasool told participants that Trump is leading a supremacist movement disrupting long-established political norms.

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Semafor first reported last week that Rasool, a veteran diplomat who also served as ambassador during the Obama administration, was struggling to secure crucial meetings in a Republican-led Washington. He is likely to have been frozen out for his prior vocal criticism of Israel in support of Palestine, a South African diplomat told Semafor. But several right-wing Washington sources also said Rasools previous Trump criticism, including tweets dating back to 2017, were also of concern.

Ambassador Rasool was on the verge of an engagement with strategic officials in the White House, a spokesman for South Africas foreign affairs ministry, Chrispin Phiri, told Semafor Africa. This regrettable development has scuttled the significant progress.

Know More

The expulsion is the latest controversy in deteriorating relations between Pretoria and the US, South Africas second-largest trading partner, since Trump returned to the White House in January.

In February, Trump criticized South Africas land expropriation law as discriminatory, incorrectly asserting that land was being seized from white South African farmers. The law, enacted in January, aims to address inequalities dating back to apartheid: Most private land in South Africa is owned by white people, who make up around 7% of the population. It allows the government to confiscate land in exceptional circumstances if deemed to be in the public interest.

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Trump ally Elon Musk, who spent much of his childhood in South Africa during apartheid, has criticized South Africas Black empowerment policies as a hindrance to Starlink, his satellite internet company, from entering Africas most advanced economy. Musk heads up the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency, and is leading moves to reduce the size of the US federal government.

Sams view

South Africa is in a real pickle. The perfect ambassadorial candidate for the US in the current circumstances is hard to imagine. The ideal person has to walk a tightrope of earning acceptability and credibility in the Trump 2.0 inner sanctum and MAGA politics while also representing South Africas fiercely independent stance with its foreign policy. The problem is that the nature of South African politics right now is poles apart from the unfolding scene in the White House.

Several commentators believe at the heart of the conflict between Washington and Pretoria is South Africas 2023 decision to launch a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

In addition, Trump has driven a wedge in South Africa by embracing unproven claims of genocide against white South Africans, which have been driven by Afrikaner rights groups.

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Rasools dramatic expulsion offers South Africa the opportunity to reciprocate should a US ambassador ever publicly criticize its government, said one of the people Semafor spoke with. However, another government official said South Africa was not looking for a tit-for-tat at this stage. It would simply scrutinize a US ambassadorial appointment as it would normally do.

Room for Disagreement

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government need to unpack the worsening relations, and understand what exactly the US government finds offensive about South Africas foreign policy, said Tony Leon, former leader of the Democratic Alliance, the countrys second-biggest party. Its antagonism towards Israel is one, and its cooperation with Iran another, he said.

The next ambassador has a tough job ahead. Even if you thought Archangel Gabriel was the best person to represent South Africa in Washington, its not going to work without a tool kit to help him assess some of the current challenges, said Leon, a former South African ambassador to Argentina. You need someone who will not be a red rag to a bull like Ambassador Rasool was. I would not send an Israel-hater, or someone who is sympathetic to Iran, who would then get frozen out of access.

Notable
DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. (AP)  Several dozen people gathered Saturday at an apartment complex along the South Carolina coast to remember a longtime resident who died the day before  an alligator named Walter who sunned beside a pond on the property for more than a decade.

Walter was killed on the property after several complaints over the past week, the management of Daniel Island Village told WCIV-TV in a statement.

Neighbors in the apartment complex near Charleston said Walter had been hanging around the complex for more than a decade, not only earning a name but a little fame.

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Vigil organizer Rebekah Cole told the TV station that people with pets and children could walk right past Walter and not be bothered.

He was a piece of the community. Even though he was a cold-blooded animal, we all loved him and it tore us all up, Cole said.

In a February 2024 Facebook post, Daniel Island Village marked warmer weather after the winter chill with a photo of the alligator hanging out by a pond.

Daylight savings time is coming to an end! It is getting warmer out! Daniel Island Village is on the verge of a beautiful blossom! The proof is in the pudding, WALTER is OUT!! the post read.

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Alligators are a threatened and federally protected species, but state law allows permits to be given to kill or remove them if they threaten people.

At least six people have been killed by alligators in South Carolina in the past decade.

The apartment complex has been issued a permit the past two years to remove an alligator if they decide it is a nuisance and they can hire a contractor to get rid of the animal, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said in a statement.

The statement last week from property managers said Walter's death followed state law and news about his passing can be distressing and (we) sincerely appreciate your understanding.

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In the future, please continue to abide by posted signage about not feeding wildlife, including alligators. For everyones safety, if you observe displaced wildlife in our community, please do not interfere, the property management said.

___

This story has been updated to correct a hyperlink.
Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at a bar in the South End for two and a half hours on Saturday morning.

Smoke was visible across the Charlotte skyline as the Morehead Social went up in flames. Chopper 9 Skyzoon flew over what is left of the building on Monday and captured the nearly demolished building with the roof collapsed.

Channel 9s Gina Esposito asked investigators about the cause of the fire. Fire investigators said the fire started in the basement, but the damage was so bad it was hard to tell.

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Andrew Rogers told Esposito he saw firefighters battling the fire.

There was a lot of water they had to use, he said. They had maybe four to five ladder trucks.

Ella Hudson said the smoke was heavy as she drove by on the interstate.

It took three minutes down 77 to breathe because you could feel the smoke in your car still, she said.

Esposito asked local agencies for fire inspection records and found that the Charlotte Fire Department had issued a number of violations to the bar last year.

READ: Firefighters battle three alarm fire in South End

CFD conducted an investigation in June 2024 and issued five violations including fire extinguishers requiring service, unsatisfactory hoor extinguishing systems and an unsecured compressed gas cylinder, according to an email from CFD.

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Additionally, officials said the bars fire suppression system test certificate and Charlotte fire permit were not posted.

Charlotte Fire has made multiple follow-ups with the business on September 13, October 16, and November 25, 2024, to determine if these violations have been addressed. However, we have not received any response from the business, CFD told Esposito in an email.

No fines or citations were issued during those visits as CFD worked closely with the business to help them improve fire safety, a CFD spokesperson told Esposito.

When Esposito asked CFD if the violations could have affected the fire, the department was not able to say for certain.

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Its difficult to say with certainty. Fire incidents involve many factors, and we cant speculate on how specific deficiencies may have impacted the situation, the spokesperson said.

Esposito called, messaged, and emailed the bars owner for comment and has yet to hear back. But the owner did post on social media saying they are grateful nobody was hurt, and for the fire departments response.

WATCH: Firefighters battle three alarm fire in South End
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on Monday, targeting areas deep in southern and eastern Lebanon.

The Israeli military said in a statement Monday night that it launched a series of airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah military sites, saying that weapons were identified in the attacked sites.

The military warned it "will continue to operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel and will prevent any attempt by Hezbollah."

The Saudi television channel Al-Hadath reported that Israeli aircraft struck seven different sites in Lebanon.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes and drones launched 11 airstrikes on eastern and southern Lebanon overnight, without providing further details.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that a series of airstrikes targeted three villages in eastern Lebanon, and warplanes and drones have been flying at low altitudes to mock air raids.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes also hit the vicinity of Shaqif Castle and the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

Earlier in the day, the NNA reported that an Israeli drone carried out a guided missile strike on a motorcycle in the Hay Al-Baydar area of Yohmor Al-Shaqif, a town in the Nabatieh district. The motorbike, carrying two, was directly hit.

The report added that a passing van was struck by shrapnel, igniting a fire, while a nearby supermarket caught fire due to the strike.

Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center confirmed that the Israeli airstrike on Yohmor killed two and injured five others.

The airstrikes were the latest in a series of Israeli airstrikes since a truce took effect last November, following 14 months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Despite the agreement's stipulation that Israeli forces withdraw from Lebanese territory, Israel has maintained its presence in five key border positions, beyond the agreed deadline of Feb. 18, 2025.

The Israeli military continues to conduct strikes in Lebanon, citing the need to eliminate "threats" posed by Hezbollah. 
Bruce Roseland, poet laureate of South Dakota. (Courtesy of Bruce Roseland)

Bruce Roseland, South Dakotas poet laureate, is the winner of a 2025 Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, with other honorees including the country music duo Brooks & Dunn and the streaming show Yellowstone.

Each winner receives a Wrangler Award, a bronze statue of a cowboy on horseback. The awards will be presented April 12 in Oklahoma City.

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Roseland is the winner in the Poetry Book category for Earls Own Dakota Odyssey, a 2024 epic poem about the adventures of a modern-day western South Dakota ranch hand.

Roseland is a fourth-generation cattleman who ranches near Seneca. Then-Gov. Kristi Noem named him the eighth poet laureate of South Dakota in 2023. He has published eight books of poetry and won four national awards.
CHINO HILLS, Calif. (AP)  The recent desecration of an iconic Hindu temple in Southern California with anti-Hindu and anti-Indian government graffiti has heightened concerns among South Asian groups following a slew of such incidents over the past year.

Devotees who arrived early morning on March 8 at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills were shocked to find the words Hindustan Murdabad, which means death to or down with Hindus and India, scrawled on a pink stone sign bearing the temples name, said Mehul Patel, a volunteer with the organization.

Expletive-laden graffiti targeting Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi was written on one of the outer brick walls and abutting sidewalk, he said. San Bernardino Sheriffs officials have said they are investigating the incident as a hate crime and have not identified any suspects yet.

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Patel said the incident invoked a sense of fear among community members. The impact was felt as far away as India, where most major media outlets reported the incident, and India's External Affairs ministry condemned the vandalism.

We condemn such despicable acts in the strongest terms, said ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. "We call upon the local law enforcement authorities to take stringent action against those responsible for these acts, and also ensure adequate security to places of worship.

Patel said the vandalized temple had nearly 1,000 visitors every day, with thousands of people gathering during Diwali and temple festivals.

We do have security protocols in place, but such a violation still makes you think twice about how safe you really are, especially if you have young children," Patel said.

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The majestic temple, the largest in California, sits on a 20-acre lot along a freeway, its arches and domes carved out of pink sandstone and interior decked with white Italian marble. In October 2023, the organization built in Robbinsville, New Jersey, the largest Hindu temple outside India in the modern era. The Swaminarayan sect, a branch of Hinduism, oversees more than 1,300 temples and 5,000 centers around the world, according to the group's website.

This is not the first time the global Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, known as BAPS, has been hit by vandals. The organizations temple in Melville, New York, was tagged with similar writing on Sept. 16. Nine days later, their temple near Sacramento was hit, and there was also an incident at the Newark, California, temple in December 2023. Those incidents are also being investigated as hate crimes.

The denigration of Modi, under whom Hindu nationalism has surged in India, appears to be a common thread in these vandalism incidents across the country. Other non-BAPS Hindu temples in the U.S. have also been attacked recently. In Hayward, California, Vijays Sherawali Temple, dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Durga and run by a family of immigrants from Fiji, was vandalized in January 2024 with graffiti calling Modi a terrorist and with the words Khalistan Zindabad (Long live Khalistan).

Khalistan is the name by which Sikh separatists refer to a sovereign state they hope to create in Indian state of Punjab, birthplace of Sikhism. A violent Khalistani insurgency in India was quelled by the government in 1984; India has declared it a terrorist movement. Activists in the diaspora are currently holding a nonbinding referendum across the United States to create an independent Khalistan; voting will take place in Los Angeles on March 23.

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In the summer of 2023, tensions escalated between India and Canada over allegations by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the Indian government had a hand in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice stated that an Indian government official plotted to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist leader, in New York who is spearheading the Khalistan referendum. In August, the FBI opened an investigation into a drive-by shooting that targeted Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a close associate of Nijjar, in Yolo County, California.

The temple vandalism incidents in Northern California last year were condemned by local Sikh groups. Sikhs in the diaspora and in India are divided on the issue of Khalistan.

Immediately after the incident in Southern California, the Coalition of Hindus of North America posted on X raising the possibility of a connection between the tagging incident and the upcoming Khalistan referendum in Los Angeles. Pushpita Prasad, a spokesperson for the group, said Thursday that regardless of who committed the crime, this repeated assault on the freedom of Hindus to gather in their place of worship is unacceptable.

We go to a place of worship to find solace, she said. If that place becomes a target, how do you find solace there?

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Prasad called for a robust discussion on what is driving these attacks against Hindu temples and acknowledge that anti-Hindu hate exists. She called for treating Hindu places of worship equally.

Another South Asian group pointed out the perils of jumping to conclusions about perpetrators of a crime before an investigation has concluded. Without evidence, such assumptions only serve to further divide communities, said Prachi Patankar, board member of the interfaith Savera Coalition. Her group represents Indian Americans who are Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Dalit or the people formerly regarded as untouchables in the caste system, and those unaffiliated with religion.

Such incidents should never be used to scapegoat other minority religious communities such as the Sikh community, because it can lead to further criminalization or repression of the entire community, she said.

Patel said it is important for the public to understand that Hindus are not a monolith and the Chino Hills temple is a nonprofit that does not represent any single government, leader or country.

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We are a Hindu temple in the United States, he said. We are Indian Americans. But people who are not of Indian origin who practice Hinduism worship here as well.

He hopes surveillance video, which showed two suspects in the act of scoping the area and tagging the property, will help apprehend them.

Members of the organization gathered in front of their temple on March 9 where a priest chanted the Shanthi Path, a blessing and prayer for peace.

We prayed not just for our community, but also for the perpetrators, Patel said. We believe in the right of people to express themselves, but to get their message out in a peaceful and not in a hateful way.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Five people were rushed to the hospital in unknown conditions after a police pursuit ended in a two-car collision that flipped both vehicles, officials confirmed to KTLA.

It is unclear what initiated the chase with officers from the Glendora Police Department though officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department received reports of the two-car rollover crash at the intersection of San Dimas Canyon Road and Foothill Boulevard just after 7 p.m.

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Departments San Dimas Station also responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.

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In footage of the crash aftermath posted to the Citizen app, a heavy presence of police and firefighters were at the scene, where the road was closed at the intersection and motorists were being forced to turn around.

A police pursuit in San Dimas ends in a violent 2-car rollover crash on March 16, 2025. (Citizen) A police pursuit in San Dimas ends in a violent 2-car rollover crash on March 16, 2025. (Citizen) A police pursuit in San Dimas ends in a violent 2-car rollover crash on March 16, 2025. (Citizen) A police pursuit in San Dimas ends in a violent 2-car rollover crash on March 16, 2025. (Citizen) A police pursuit in San Dimas ends in a violent 2-car rollover crash on March 16, 2025. (Citizen)

It is unknown which of the vehicles was involved in the police pursuit, but both sustained severe damages, with one upside down in the grass and the other upside down in the roadway.

2-car crash kills female pedestrian on Southern California beach

Footage of the incident appeared as if firefighters were working extract some of the patients from the inside of one of the totaled vehicles, though that information has not been confirmed.

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Fire officials only said that two of the five patients were listed as immediate transports to the hospital, while the other three were categorized as delayed transports.

No law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident and no additional details were immediately made 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 KTLA.
Dear Neighbor, wont you please consider getting rid of your Tesla vehicle? The message you are sending at this point is, I am a Nazi too, was the content of a handwritten note placed inside the mailbox of a Tesla owner and Venice resident, who says she feels offended and violated by the letter.

At least one other Tesla owner on Glyndon Avenue in Venice, where Abby Berman lives and got her letter, received a similar message.

The letter, written by a person identified only as Rebecca, came in an envelope with a fake return address on it.

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As it happens, Berman told KTLAs Rachel Menitoff that shes no Elon Musk fan and that she bought her Tesla in 2019 and while its paid off, she cannot afford to simply ditch the car entirely and get a new and different vehicle.

Im not an Elon fan, Im not a Trump fan, Berman explained. Im disgusted by the state of the world and whats going on keeps me up at night, but there are better ways to handle it than sending a very offensive letter. Come talk to me, lets figure out other ways of dealing with it.

A handwritten note left in the put in the mailbox of a Venice resident who owns a Tesla, equating ownership of the EV to Nazi support. (KTLA) Demonstrators seen protesting outside a Tesla dealership in Culver City on March 16, 2025. (KTLA)

These upsetting and somewhat ominous letters coincide with protests against Elon Musk, his involvement in the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE pushing wide-scale cuts to government agencies and programs.

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Sordid case of fame, sex, money and grisly murder in Southern California

Demonstrators have taken to staging outside one of his most visible companies, Tesla.

Just today, in Culver City, activists were demonstrating outside a Tesla dealership, urging people to boycott the electric vehicle companys products, though at least one activist who spoke to KTLA said he did not condone intimidation tactics or threats toward Tesla owners.

I do not think we should be shaming Tesla owners. Most of them who own Teslas bought them before DOGE existed. Its a very personal choice. If they want to get rid of their cars, thats up to them, protester Phil Glosserman said. I think what were really here to do is just raise our voices against what Elon is doing in Washington and the best way to do it is in front of his business. The only way to reach him is through his pocketbook.

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KTLA has reached out to Tesla, asking for its reaction to the anonymous letter sender and the growing discontent with the companys founder and CEO and is awaiting a response.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
UPDATE: MONDAY 3/17/2025 10:48 a.m.

(SOUTHERN COLORADO)  According to the Black Hills Energy website, the power outage in Southern Colorado has been resolved.

MONDAY 3/17/2025 9:44 a.m.

ORIGINAL HEADLINE: Southern Colorado power outage affects over 2,500 people

According to the Black Hills Energy website, a power outage in Southern Colorado is affecting over 2,500 people on Monday, March 17.

According to the outage map, several counties are affected, including Pueblo County, Crowley County, Otero County, Custer County, and Fremont County.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
A so Florida thing to do is coming up: a potential SpaceX rocket launch.

An afternoon rocket launch in semi-cool and semi-breezy Florida might launch Tuesday, March 18, if things go according to plan for the space agency.

SpaceX plans to send a Falcon 9 rocket with several Starlink satellites into orbit. Cape Canaveral is an hour east of the Orlando theme parks. Depending on cloud cover, weather and visibility, people from Orlando, Daytona Beach to Cocoa Beach and Vero Beach to Lake Worth Beach might see a nice streak in the sky  given the proximity to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Space Coast of Florida includes 72 miles of coast, from Mims and Titusville to Melbourne and Grant-Valkaria.

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Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch from this area and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.

Rocket launch calendar: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral

For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.

In Florida, we can best see this historic moment in person if you're anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County) or certain spots in the First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County) or the Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County). Pro tip: If you do watch it in person, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic.

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When theres a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, theres an opportunity for unique photos  the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.

Can a rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach.

When is the next rocket launch from Florida? Tuesday, March 18, 2025: SpaceX Starlink 12-25

Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a payload of Starlink internet-beaming satellites into low-Earth orbit, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows.

Launch time and day: Launch window is from 2:09 p.m. EDT to 6:40 p.m. EDT Tuesday, March 19, 2025.

Location: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will attempt liftoff from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Trajectory: Southeast

Live coverage at floridatoday.com: You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Networks Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock and SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch livestream at floridatoday.com/space, starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type "floridatoday.com/space" into your browser.

Live weather radar: Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?

Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.

Where to see a Florida rocket launch in Palm Beach County: What does a West Palm Beach rocket launch view look like?

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes, some rocket launches from the Space Coast can be visible in Palm Beach County. When theres a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, with a southeast trajectory, theres an opportunity for unique photos. Some examples include United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket launch and SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

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From Cape Canaveral, Florida, to West Palm Beach, Florida, it's about 150 miles.

What the views look like: Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral spotted in West Palm Beach

Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral can often be seen from Palm Beach County, and it can be as easy as walking out of your house and looking north. Try to get away from any obstructions, such as trees, tall buildings, and bright lights. Obviously, cloud cover can also get in the way.

If the forecast is for clear skies and you want a better view, some good places to watch the rocket launch from Palm Beach County include:

Rocket launch photos from around West Palm Beach, Florida

Space x Rocket launch seen from downtown West Palm Beach  Happy Friday! pic.twitter.com/pzB3iVkiGN  James Wieland  (@SurfnWeatherman) March 16, 2024

Caught the #spacex #rocketlaunch from work today in downtown West Palm Beach!  pic.twitter.com/4uc1BmmTH4  James Wieland  (@SurfnWeatherman) November 10, 2023

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Another great plume from Atlas rocket launch. Seen from West Palm Beach. pic.twitter.com/wVuzAW69ey  Kimberly Miller (@KMillerWeather) October 2, 2015

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Atlas rocket launch as seen from Royal Palm Beach, FL pic.twitter.com/5oQPAUpKHH  Joel Solomon (@IvoriesAblaze) September 2, 2015

Awesome reader photo! Atlas V rocket launch seen from Palm Beach County http://t.co/Zt28RG3ukh pic.twitter.com/Af4LYNH3JN  The Palm Beach Post (@pbpost) September 2, 2015

Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: SpaceX launch in Florida: What time is liftoff from Cape Canaveral?
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that the issue of bringing Russia to justice for its aggression against Ukraine has not been removed from the agenda, and there is some progress on the creation of a special tribunal.

Source: Sybiha in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "If we talk about Russia's responsibility, we have made progress in reaching agreements on the establishment of a special tribunal. This work is underway because certain macro decisions were made at the beginning, then everything moved to the level of more expert, professional work, and now we have reached a really significant process, with the prospect of accelerated further movement."

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Details: When asked if this meant that punishment for the aggressors was not off the table, Sybiha replied: "It cannot be off the table. Therefore, the work on the special tribunal and the register of damages is ongoing".

Sybiha also pointed out a recent precedent when a Russian criminal was convicted in Finland.

"And here is a vivid example that the punishment of the enemy for those war crimes, crimes against humanity and this genocidal policy on the territory of Ukraine is inevitable," he concluded.

Background:

At the beginning of 2023, reports indicated that Ukraine, together with its allies and partners, had developed three models for establishing and operating a special tribunal to prosecute Russias crime of aggression.

In August 2023, Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the special tribunal for Russias crime of aggression should hold about 20 representatives of Russias political and military leadership accountable.

On 17 March, media reports revealed that the US is withdrawing from the multinational group investigating Russias crimes during its invasion of Ukraine, including actions by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Additionally, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration is also scaling down the work of the War Crimes Investigation Group, which was established in 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland and staffed with experienced prosecutors.

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KINSHASA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Talks with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), scheduled for Tuesday in Luanda, the capital of Angola, "have become impracticable," the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group said in a statement on Monday.

Factors remain in play for a planned and much-anticipated direct negotiation between the DRC government and the M23 rebels on Tuesday in Luanda. Angolan President Joao Lourenco, a key player in the Luanda Process, a peace mechanism backed by the African Union (AU), brokered the negotiation.

"Successive sanctions imposed on our members, including those enacted on the eve of the Luanda discussions, severely undermine direct dialogue and make any progress impossible," said the M23, referring to the sanctions announced on Monday by the European Union against certain M23 leaders and Rwandan military commanders, including M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa.

Tina Salama, the DRC presidential spokesperson, told the media that the DRC delegation, which was supposed to leave for Luanda late Monday, would still make a trip despite the M23's no-show.

"The DRC delegation will indeed respond to the invitation of the mediator, President Lourenco, in Luanda this Tuesday," said Salama.

The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23, while Rwanda says the DRC military has allied with the Rwandan rebel group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, which is accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide.

The M23 called earlier on DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to make an unequivocal public declaration committing to direct negotiations. The DRC government has consistently considered it a red line to sit at the same negotiation table with the rebels, who have seized large chunks of land in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

In these provinces, the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a politico-military group allied to the M23, has established a parallel provincial administration.

"Never, ever, as long as I am president of the DRC, will I have in front of me the delegation of the M23 or the AFC there ... to negotiate," Tshisekedi said in an interview in August 2024.

Rwanda on Monday severed its diplomatic relations with Belgium and ordered all Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.

"Belgium has consistently undermined Rwanda, both well before and during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in which Belgium has a deep and violent historical role, especially in acting against Rwanda," the Rwandan foreign ministry said in a statement.

The fighting raging on multiple fronts of the DRC, fueled by the M23's continued offensive, threatens to spiral into a wider regional conflict. "If it continues like this, war risks becoming widespread in the region," Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye warned in early February. 
As President Trump proposes tariffs on Canadian goods, travel experts say some Canadians are canceling their trips to the United States.

We caught up with Canadian travelers at Orlando International Airport.

Sherry Alexander says, Its very hurtful to all of us as a nation. Were not being very respected. Were a sovereign nation. We have multiple generations die in various wars, fighting alongside the United States. Bruce Alexander agrees, We were pretty upset with whats happened, after the hard work we did for the free trade agreement.

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Travel experts say the cruise industry has seen a hit, Jenn Lee, President Travel Planners International and Vacation Planners says, Our big cruise line partners are reporting that there are some cancelations coming from the Canadian residents, they are saying its based on uncertainty and tariffs and things that are happening here in the United States political atmosphere.

Lee expects it will eventually turn around. We think it will get better. Anytime someone makes a decision based on emotion, once that emotion dies down they do turn around.

Its over inflated. Ferdinand Staab and his wife say theyve been coming to Florida for the last 10 years and will keep coming in the future.I have no issue coming here.

I think Canada and the U.S. should keep working together. Despite the cold shoulder, Bruce Alexander says theyll keep coming back too. Being Canadian theres a lot of snow back home so its nice to get away from that a little bit.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  The City of Springfield is kicking off the 5th year of the Clean Green Springfield Initiative with the annual C-Street Mulch Madness. Commercial Street residents are teaming up with the City and public works to spread mulch in the landscaping along the historic street.

Commercial street business owners and residents came out this morning from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to help spread mulch in the landscaping up in the historic neighborhood.

Springfield Mayor Ken McClure said in his remarks this morning that Clean Green Springfield fits right in with his challenge for Springfield citizens to be focused on a cleaner Springfield throughout 2025.

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Even after this initiative is over, said Kristen Milam communications coordinator with the City of Springfield. We want people to stay engaged and kind of pay attention so we can really just continue this effort throughout the year.

One Commercial Street resident says she takes pride in being a part of the commercial street community.

This is my neighborhood. So its important to me that things work well, that people work well together, said Christine Schilling who lives on Commercial Street. So when something like this happens and theres a community event, especially one thats supported by the city, Im going to be right in there pitching in, pitching in literally with my pitchfork.

There are multiple opportunities to take part in Clean Green Springfield and the Mayors Challenge including roadway and stream clean-ups, the Point of Pride Kansas Expressway Cleanup Event, the Neat Neighbors competition, and more. You can find more information by clicking here.

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Throngs of green-clad, shamrock-festooned revelers filled the streets of Americas most Irish big city on Sunday for the South Boston St. Patricks Day parade.

Green, white and orange confetti -- the national colors of the Emerald Isle -- rained down along parts of the 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) route. Parade floats and marchers wound through the neighborhood of South Boston, a center of Irish-American heritage in a city where more than 1 in every 5 people are of Irish descent.

Camryn Craddock was among those along the parade route, which included parts of Broadway, the neighborhoods thoroughfare.

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I just like the energy that everyone brings. Everyones really hyped up. Its not boring, the Massachusetts resident said. I didnt even really see much of the parade, but just seeing everyone having fun was really nice and everything.

Travis Wilshire, another reveler, agreed.

Last time I was here, I was just a little kid, the New Hampshire resident said. So its definitely cool to see it, like, in a different age group, you know what I mean?

Spectators packed behind metal barricades playfully hissed as colonial reenactors wearing British tricorn hats and other period garb marched past on the warm but overcast day.

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The parade, which dates to the turn of the 20th century, marks both St. Patricks Day and Evacuation Day, which commemorates the day in 1776 when British troops left Boston after a protracted siege during the Revolutionary War.

Parade-goer Alex Brough found people mostly behaved after violence and public intoxication marred last year s festivities. Parade organizers moved up the start of the festivities and neighborhood leaders warned of zero tolerance for rowdiness and shenanigans ahead of Sunday.

Before the parade, transit police posted a photo on social media showing a pile of clear garbage bags filled with confiscated booze, including gallon-sized jugs filled with green liquid.

There is probably a lot of alcohol consumed today, the Bedford, Massachusetts, resident conceded. We witnessed it, but I think still people were overall behaving rather well, considered.

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The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council organizes the parade and this years chief marshal was retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Alanna Devlin Ball, who grew up in the neighborhood and represented the U.S. at the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany where she took home gold in powerlifting.

Lt. Cdr. Devlin Balls 12 years career in the Navy serves as an inspiration to young women who seek to serve in todays military. We are grateful for her service, sacrifice and power of example, said U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, a South Boston native.

The South Boston parade has been a source of political controversy in years past.

The veterans council banned gay rights groups from marching in the parade up until a decade ago and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upheld that right in the 1990s. Two gay and lesbian groups joined the parade in 2015. Organizers for one of the groups, Boston Pride, heralded the move as a point of progress at the time.

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Chicago held its St. Patricks Day parade on Saturday. Philadelphia also celebrated on Sunday and New York City holds its parade Monday.

___

Associated Press reporters Patrick Whittle in Portland and Philip Marcelo in New York contributed.

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Against the backdrop of an ongoing and unusual budget battle with the mayors office, the St. Paul City Council is contemplating an effort to potentially allow them tighter reins over police, fire and other public safety budgets.

The council has for months called for more guardrails around police overtime spending, but the possible creation of a new council committee dedicated to reviewing public safety expenditures has drawn criticism from at least one council member.

On Wednesday, Council Member Anika Bowie introduced a resolution to create a Public Safety and Community Wellness committee composed of council members, who will provide budgetary oversight over the St. Paul Police Department, the St. Paul Fire Department, the city attorneys office and the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections.

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The focus, according to the resolution, is to be transparent budgeting, program evaluation and policy development to improve public safety and build trust within the community.

Bowie said the city is experiencing challenging times and needs an ongoing structural commitment toward examining public safety priorities, rather than responding to projected budget shortfalls as they emerge.

We are facing a public safety crisis that demands a strong, coordinated transparent and accountable response from this council, Bowie said. The fentanyl crisis is destroying families. Our police force is struggling to recruit and retain officers. The budget  (is) making it harder to fund both emergency response and restorative programs.

Rather than call for an immediate vote, Bowie asked for Version 2  a new form of her resolution  to be revisited by the council on March 26.

Budget transparency effort needs more transparency?

The council approved the request for a two-week layover, 6-0, after some critical comments from Council Member Cheniqua Johnson, who noted that the impacted department directors were unfamiliar with the details and had been unaware the resolution was going to be added to the council agenda.

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Thats a piece of the communication puzzle for me that still hasnt quite been filled in, Johnson said. To get to a place where I would feel comfortable supporting this committee, Id also need it to be very clear that some of these directors  are truly behind what youre trying to do here.

Johnson emphasized that to provide more transparency over hot-button spending items such as police overtime and Office of Neighborhood Safety outreach programs, the committee itself would need more transparency.

She noted that the Version 2 resolution was not available to council members when Wednesdays meeting began, though city staff were able to refresh the council agenda electronically while the meeting was already in motion, publishing the proposed language that had just been introduced to the citys Legistar software onto the Internet for public consumption.

Ive been slightly disappointed about the lack thereof of that transparency, including getting the resolution language for Version 2 now, and not even knowing what it says, said Johnson, adding that she would nevertheless support the two-week layover. I was prepared to come and vote against this today.

An ongoing budget question

Bowie said the two-week layover will provide opportunity to begin those conversations with department leaders.

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I just want to say on record, I hear you, I appreciate the feedback, she said. This revision came before me today.

On Jan. 28, the council released a written statement announcing Council Member Rebecca Noecker as the new council president, and included in the statement reference to the public safety committee as if it were settled.

The council also intends to create a new Public Safety Committee whose scope and responsibilities will be defined, reads the Jan. 28 statement. Bowie and (Council Member Nelsie) Yang will serve as chair and vice-chair, respectively.

On Monday, spokespersons for St. Paul Police and the St. Paul Fire Department referred all questions about the committee to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carters office, which declined official comment last week.

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Mark Ross, president of the St. Paul Police Federation, said Monday the police union had not been included in discussions.

Today is the first weve heard of this, which isnt necessarily surprising. However, I am disappointed that Councilwoman Bowie didnt take the time to discuss any aspect of this with the police federation and department leadership, Ross said. Were all in the dark about what this concept would look like, and it just seems like another layer of unneeded bureaucracy in a city that should be more focused on reenergizing our downtown area.

Our contract and overall policing strategy must be fully considered and understood before proposing something like this, he added.

Questions around public safety spending dogged last years budget process and continue to overshadow relations with the mayors office.

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On Dec. 12, the council voted 4-2 to reject the mayors 2025 budget proposal and slash $1.2 million from police non-emergency overtime spending, holding the city tax levy increase to 5.9% through that and other spending changes. Police officials have said robust overtime spending is necessary because the department is short on officers.

The mayor, who had opted for a tax levy increase of 6.9%, issued five line-item vetoes at the 11th hour  the evening of Dec. 18  to override the councils spending decisions. The council responded the next day by voting to override the mayors overrides, but it remains unclear if their votes had sticking power.

Under the city charter, the city budget must be finalized no later than 12 days before the final levy numbers are recorded by the state, which was Dec. 30. The question of which budget proposal now governs city finances remains unresolved.

Mara H. Gottfried contributed to this report.

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Starbucks has been ordered to pay $50 million to a California delivery driver who suffered severe burns when a hot drink spilled onto his lap at a Los Angeles drive-through in Feb. 2020.

A jury found Starbucks (SBUX) responsible for the incident, which left Michael Garcia with permanent disfigurement and required multiple skin grafts and other medical procedures. Garcias legal team argued that an employee had failed to properly secure the lid of hot tea beverage in the takeout tray, causing it to spill immediately after the driver collected his order.

Garcias lawsuit accused Starbucks of negligence, claiming that the companys lack of attention to safety standards resulted in life-altering injuries and emotional distress.

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While Starbucks expressed sympathy for Garcia, the company disagreed with the jurys decision and plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that the damages were excessive. Starbucks did not immediately respond to Quartzs request for comment.

The verdict, handed down by a Los Angeles County jury on Friday, March 14, marks one of the largest personal injury settlements involving a major coffee chain in recent years.

This case also draws parallels to other lawsuits involving fast-food chains, including the infamous 1990s McDonalds case, in which a woman was awarded less than $600,000 in damages after suffering burns from hot coffee. The recent ruling highlights the ongoing concerns over consumer safety at major foodservice chains.

The financial hit comes at a critical time for Starbucks. The company has suffered four consecutive quarters of lagging sales, prompting new CEO Brian Niccol to announce a plan to restore the companys dominance in the coffee industry.

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The Back to Starbucks strategy will see the chain redesign its stores with expanded seating, power outlets, and comfortable lounge areas. It will also reintroduce condiment bars and handwritten names on cups  although the latter has caused some chaos.

Starbucks is also promising faster service, with baristas brewing fresh coffee in under four minutes. The company has reduced its menu by 30% and added new vegan-friendly options. It also removed the extra charge for dairy-free drinks.

Earlier this month, Starbucks revealed it would eliminate 13 drinks from its menu to make room for better-selling options.



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The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed readiness to deploy troops to Ukraine for an extended period to support a potential ceasefire in the war initiated by Russia and to prevent further invasion.

Source: The Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: A source from the UK government told The Times that the deployment of UK-led forces would be indefinite.

"It would be a long-term commitment, we are talking about years. As long as it takes to preserve a peace deal and deter Russia," the source stated.

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Defence leaders from the coalition of the willing will meet in London on Thursday to discuss "in great specificity" where the peacekeeping forces should be deployed.

Around a dozen countries, including the UK, France, Turkiye, Canada and Australia, are discussing plans to send up to 30,000 troops to Ukraine. Other countries are prepared to provide weapons and logistics support.

However, it is currently unclear whether the peacekeeping forces will be authorised to open fire on Russian soldiers in the event of aggression.

The Times reported that the rules of engagement are likely to be discussed in the coming days.

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The plan involves a ceasefire "in the air and at sea" to easily track any potential violations by Russia. This will be followed by a full ceasefire and the deployment of foreign contingents.

Background:

Russia has repeatedly stated that it will not agree to the presence of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. However, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that when it comes to sending a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine, there is no need for Russia's consent.

Starmer presented plans for a Western peacekeeping force of over 10,000 soldiers for Ukraine during a meeting of the leaders of the coalition of the willing on 15 March.

However, Starmer added that any post-ceasefire plans for Ukraine would need to involve cooperation with the United States.

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CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  Debates over U.S. President Donald Trumps hardline migration policies are focused on the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, to some a ruthless transnational criminal organization and to others the pretext for an overhyped anti-migrant narrative.

Trump labeled the Tren de Aragua an invading force on Saturday when he invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a little-used authority from 1798 that allows the president to deport any noncitizen during wartime. Hours later, the Trump administration transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations. Flights were in the air when the ruling came down.

The Alien Enemies Act requires a president to declare the United States at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners to whom immigration or criminal laws otherwise protect. It had been used only three times  the last time to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II.

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The Trump administration has not identified the more than 200 immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the United States.

Gang gains notoriety in the U.S.

From the heartland to major cities like New York and Chicago, the gang has been blamed for sex trafficking, drug smuggling and police shootings, as well as the exploitation of the nearly 1 million Venezuelan migrants who have crossed into the U.S. in recent years. Trump told Congress this month that a Venezuelan migrant found guilty of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus was a member of the gang.

The size of the gang is unclear as is the extent to which its actions are coordinated across state lines and national borders.

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The Venezuelan gang entered U.S. political discourse after footage from a security camera surfaced on social media last summer showing heavily armed men entering an apartment in the Denver suburb of Aurora shortly before a fatal shooting outside. In response, Trump vowed to  liberate Aurora  from Venezuelans he falsely said were taking over the whole town.

The city initially downplayed concerns. But most of the apartment complex was closed under an emergency order last month after officials said they suspected Tren de Aragua members in the kidnapping and assault of two residents.

Most of the men seen in the video have been arrested, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement accusing them of gang membership.

The Tren originated in an infamous prison

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The Tren, which means train in Spanish, traces its origin more than a decade ago to an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in the central state of Aragua. It has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil under President Nicolas Maduros rule and migrated to other parts of Latin America or the U.S.

Countries such as Peru and Colombia  all with large populations of Venezuelan migrants  have accused the group of being behind a spree of violence in a region that has long had some of the highest murder rates in the world. Some of its crimes have spread panic in poor neighborhoods, where the gang extorts local businesses and illegally charges residents for protection.

The gang operates as a loose network in the U.S. Tattoos, which are commonly used by Central American gangs, are not required for those affiliated with the Tren, said Ronna Risquez, a Venezuelan journalist who wrote a 2023 book about the organization's origins.

Some recently deported Venezuelans have said they believe U.S. authorities wrongly judged their tattoos and then used them as an excuse to deport them.

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Trump targets the Tren

On his first day in office, Trump took steps to designate the gang a foreign terrorist organization alongside several Mexican drug cartels. The Biden administration had sanctioned the gang and offered $12 million in rewards for the arrest of three of its leaders.

Trumps executive order Saturday accused the gang of working closely with top Maduro officials  most notably the former vice president and one-time governor of Aragua state, Tareck El Aissami,  to infiltrate migration flows, flood the U.S. with cocaine and plot against the country.

The result is a hybrid criminal state that is perpetrating an invasion of and predatory incursion into the United States, and which poses a substantial danger to the United States, Trumps executive order alleged.

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Wes Tabor, who headed the Drug Enforcement Administration's office in Venezuela when the gang first came onto law enforcement radar, said Trump's decision to give the DEA and other federal agencies authority to carry out immigrant arrests is a force multiplier that will curtail the Tren's activities in the U.S.

Tabor said authorities need to build a robust database like they did when combating El Salvador's MS-13 containing biometric data, arrest information and intelligence from foreign law enforcement partners.

We have to use a hammer on an ant because if we dont, it will get out of control, Tabor said. We need to smash it now.

Venezuelan officials protest

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In Venezuela, officials originally expressed bafflement at the U.S. interest in the Tren, claiming it had dismantled the gang in 2023 after retaking control of the prison where the group was born. The have also conditioned their cooperation with U.S. deportation flights on progress in other areas in the long-strained bilateral relationship.

Jorge Rodriguez, Maduro's chief negotiator with the U.S., accused Washington of spreading a false narrative about the gang, adding that most Venezuelan immigrants are decent people. He characterized the transfer of immigrants to El Salvador as kidnappings and said the government will challenge the crimes against humanity before the United Nations and other international bodies.

They are not detaining them, they are kidnapping them and expelling them, he told reporters Monday. He added that Venezuelans transferred to El Salvador cannot be held behind bars there because they have not committed any crimes in that country.

We want them all back, said Rodriguez, the leader of Venezuelas National Assembly. Well do anything we can  well even speak with the devil, so that Venezuelans are sent back to their homeland.

___

Goodman reported from Miami.
TUNIS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Prime Minister Kamel Maddouri met Monday with Giuseppe Perrone, the European Union (EU) ambassador to Tunisia, to discuss bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation, according to a statement from the Tunisian government.

"The meeting served as a platform for both sides to acknowledge the progress achieved under their long-standing strategic partnership," it said, adding that discussions focused on strengthening collaboration to address shared challenges more effectively.

Both officials reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutual benefits and sustainable development, emphasizing the principles of respect and equality.

Maddouri stressed the importance of translating the Memorandum of Understanding on the Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership for 2023 into actionable programs and initiatives. He also highlighted Tunisia's need for EU support in implementing key reforms aligned with the country's national vision and priorities.

The prime minister expressed a desire to expand and diversify the Tunisian-European partnership, particularly by increasing financial assistance under the EU's Tripartite Program for 2025-2027.

For his part, Perrone underscored the EU's strong commitment to Tunisia, as evidenced by a variety of joint programs and projects.

He reaffirmed the EU's readiness to assist Tunisia in its reform endeavors, tailored to the country's specific priorities, and committed to providing both financial and technical support.

Perrone also emphasized the importance of modernizing the partnership agreement between Tunisia and the EU to better align with the aspirations of both sides and to effectively address common challenges. 
Danny Walden, right, a resident for Brown University Health, holds a sign at a rally in support of deported nephrologist Dr. Rasha Alawieh outside the Rhode Island State House Monday, night, March 17, 2025. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

A Brown Medicine kidney doctor is stuck in Lebanon, 5,400 miles away from the ongoing legal and political battle over her deportation.

A hearing on Dr. Rasha Alawiehs deportation, initially scheduled for Monday morning in federal court in Boston, was postponed after federal immigration authorities submitted new documents in court attempting to link the 34-year-old Lebanese doctor to extremist terrorist group Hezbollah, according to news reports.

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Meanwhile, a rally in support of Alawieh drew a few hundred outside the Rhode Island State House Monday night. Many protestors wore lab coats and scrubs, or jackets with the small crest bearing the logo for Brown University or the hospital system. One attendee held a poster with tall black letters that read Doctors against Deportation.

Alawieh was stopped by federal immigration authorities at Boston Logan International Airport on March 13 while heading back to Rhode Island after securing a coveted H-1B work visa from the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, according to court documents.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh. (University of Washington photo)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say they detained Alawieh in the Boston airport after seeing photos and messages on her phone showing Hezbollah leaders. Agents took her phone, holding her in custody for 36 hours, prompting her cousin to turn to the courts for help. The petition filed late Friday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts initially sought to prevent Alawiehs deportation.

U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorkin issued an emergency order Friday night, barring immigration officials from deporting Alawieh until a hearing Monday morning. But the court order did not reach immigration officials in time, and by Monday morning, Alawieh had been forcibly flown back to Lebanon, according to court documents.

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The high-profile deportation case comes amid a wave of orders by the federal administration forcing immigrants back to their native countries, including in cases in defiance of federal court orders and despite having legal visas. A New Hampshire man with a green card was also detained by immigration officials at Logan Airport last week and is now being held in custody at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island.

Theres no question, the Trump administration is on a rampage against immigrants in this country, whether theyre undocumented or not, Steven Brown, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, said in an interview. What is disturbing about what is going on is there is almost a complete lack of any due process. These individuals are just being shipped on a plane somewhere far away.

Brown offered legal assistance to Alawieh, but so far, is not involved in the case, he said.

Change of attorneys

A hearing in Alawiehs case scheduled for Monday morning was postponed because Alawiehs legal representation changed, and her new lawyers wanted time to prepare, according to the court docket. Sorkin on Monday also granted requests by her original attorneys to seal documents submitted by federal immigration officials. But not before the documents were obtained by various news outlets, which due to federal immigration law, were only able to be viewed in-person at the Boston courthouse Monday. Rhode Island Current was not able to obtain copies of the documents.

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However, news reports said the filings linked Alawieh to Lebanese militant group Hezebollah through photos and videos on her phone of extremist leaders, as well as an interview transcript in which she allegedly praised the religious commitment of key group leaders, though she did not say she supported their political efforts.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in a post on X Monday alleged that Alawieh was in Lebanon to attend the funeral of the late Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hundreds of thousands of people packed into a stadium in Beirut for Nasrallahs Feb. 23 funeral, nearly five months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah, the post stated. A visa is a privilege not a rightglorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security.

The White House reposted the comment on its own X account an hour later, adding a photo showing President Donald Trump waving from inside a fast food drive-thru window that reads, Come back soon.

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Hilton Beckham, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, defended immigration officials actions in an emailed response on Monday.

Foreign nationals who promote extremist ideologies or carry terrorist propaganda are inadmissible to the U.S., plain and simple, Beckham said. A visa does not guarantee entryCBP has the final authority after conducting rigorous security checks. Officers act swiftly to deny entry to those who glorify terrorist organizations, advocate violence, or openly support terrorist leaders and commemorate their deaths. Anyone found with extremist materials linked to a U.S.-designated terrorist group will be removed.

Golnaz Fakhimi, the legal director for D.C.-based Muslim Advocates, is now representing Alawieh and acknowledged requests for comment Monday but was not immediately available.

Pam Montez of the Deportation Defense Coalition passes out flyers on how to report raids at a protest outside the Rhode island State House on Monday, March 17, 2025. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

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Danny Walden, right, a resident for Brown University Health, holds a sign at a rally in support of deported nephrologist Dr. Rasha Alawieh outside the Rhode Island State House Monday, night, March 17, 2025. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

A crowd assembles outside the Rhode Island State House Monday, night, March 17, 2025, in support of deported nephrologist Dr. Rasha Alawieh. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

Dr. Laura Schwartz, representing the house staff union at Brown University Health, speaks to the crowd protesting the deportation of nephrologist Dr. Rasha Alawieh outside the Rhode Island State House on Monday, March 17, 2025. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

Maya Lehrer, representing the Party for Socialist Liberation speaks out in support of deported nephrologist Dr. Rasha Alawieh outside the Rhode Island State House on Monday, March 17, 2025. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

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The crowd listens as Pam Montez of the Deportation Defense Coalition speaks. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

Protesters gather to protest the deportation of Dr. Rasha Alawieh. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

A view of the crowd listening as Pam Montez of the Deportation Defense Coalition speaks. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

Deportation protest at the R.I. State House. Wearing ball cap is Danny Walden, resident at Brown University Health, representing the house staff union. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

Deportation protest at the R.I. State House. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)

Patients ultimately hurt

As the sky darkened and wind howled across the State House lawn Monday night, Maya Lehrer, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, denounced federal immigration officials for tarnishing the name of Alawieh, one of few kidney transplant doctors in the state.

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She is known as a good person in her community who cares for so many hundreds, if not thousands of patients, and we are not going to allow the narrative to be shifted because of some phone photos, Lehrer said, addressing the crowd with a megaphone. Absolutely not. Shame!

Shame, a chorus of protestors replied.

Danny Walden, a Brown University Health resident who worked with Alawieh, came to the rally outside the State House Monday with several of his colleagues, who declined to be identified. Walden also stressed his participation was a personal choice, not indicative of his employers stance.

This rapid deportation, it does not seem fair, Walden said in an interview at the protest. The people who are ultimately going to be hurt by this are her patients.

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Court documents reveal the Lebanese doctor had been working and studying in the United States since 2018. After finishing her residency at the American University of Beirut, Alawieh completed a series of fellowships in nephrology in the U.S. at Ohio State University, University of Washington and, most recently, Yale University.

In June 2024, she was offered an assistant professorship through Brown Medicine Inc.s Division of Nephrology. The nonprofit, physician-led practice, which is affiliated with the Brown University Warren Alpert School of Medicine, offered to sponsor Alawiehs H-1B visa for the job. While her petition for the specialty work visa was approved in June 2024, she was not able to obtain the visa itself from the U.S. Embassy in Beirut until March of this year  the purpose of her visit home.

But she had already begun work as a local doctor specializing in kidney transplants, based out of Brown Medicines East Providence offices, and partnering with Rhode Island Hospital for consult work on kidney transplant patients, according to news reports.

The Division of Nephrology at Brown Medicine is extremely distressed at this treatment of their colleague, the March 14 petition seeking to stop her deportation states. She is an assistant professor and has serious responsibilities. Her colleagues have been covering for her, but that is no solution. Dr. Alawieh is an outstanding academic in Transplant Nephrology, and she is needed at Brown Medicine.

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George Bayliss, the medical doctor for Brown Medicines transplant division, did not immediately respond to inquiries Monday.

Health system suggests international staff postpone travel out of country

Alawieh also had a clinical appointment at Brown University. Brian Clark, a Brown University spokesperson, declined to comment except to say the university is seeking to understand more about what has happened.

Kelly Brennan, a spokesperson for Brown University Health, which owns Rhode Island Hospital where Alawieh practices as a member of the kidney transplant team, said Monday that the deportation will not disrupt patient care.

We strongly encourage international staff members, including U.S. visa holders and permanent residents (i.e., green card holders), to consider postponing or delaying any travel outside the United States until further information regarding reentry requirements, restrictions, and travel bans becomes available, Brennan said in an email. As this remains an evolving situation of a personal nature, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.

Thomas Brown, a Cranston-based attorney who was quoted in other news reports due to his work with immigration and visa issues for Brown Medicine, also declined to comment Monday because he is no longer representing Alawieh in the case.

Sorkins order Monday gives the attorneys with U.S. Customs and Border Protection until March 24 to supplement their response in the case. Attorneys for Alawieh have until March 31 to respond to the federal governments motion to toss the case.

An online petition started by Providence City Councilor John Goncalves calls for Alawiehs return, urging Rhode Islands congressional delegation to call for a full investigation into why immigration officials ignored Sorkins order not to deport her.

If this can happen to a respected doctor, it can happen to anyone, the petition states.

U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo in a statement Sunday he was in communication with local and national lawyers about the case.

I remain committed to getting answers from the Department of Homeland Security to provide Dr. Alawieh, her family, her colleagues, and our community the clarity we all deserve, Amo said.

Other members of Rhode Islands delegation, U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, did not immediately return requests for comment Monday.

Congressional and state office holders were noticeably absent from the protest on Monday night. Lehrer was unsure if federal and state lawmakers were personally invited to the rally, which was initially organized by Alawiehs colleagues.

I think its sad, Lehrer said of their absence. Weve seen Democrats for so many months speak against Trump and claim to be protectors of the people. If they really truly stand for what they say they do, then they should be showing up.

Updated to include comments and description from the protest.

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Clouds pass over Tiger Stadium on Monday, March 20, 2023, on LSUs campus in Baton Rouge, La. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator)

Two Louisiana lawmakers intervened to get a pair of former student legislative aides placed back on the ballot for an LSU campus government election after they were removed for allegedly bribing fraternity members with food.

Alex Foret and Isabelle Tatman, who were both student workers in the Louisiana Senate, were disqualified last month as candidates for student body president and vice president, respectively. Their opponents, Lavar Henderson and Abry Layrisson, accused Foret of offering to buy dinner for fraternity members who would support his campaign, The Reveille student newspaper reported.

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The LSU Student Government Judicial Branch Election Court, the venue that handles such disputes, disqualified the Foret-Tatman ticket from the race Feb. 24.

For their appeal, state Sens. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, and Gregory Miller, R-Norco, filed a brief last weekend in support of the ousted candidates. The original ruling to remove Foret and Tatman was upheld last week, but LSU Dean of Students FranCee Brown-McClure has intervened to place the ticket back on the ballot for the March 20-21 election.

Sen. Alan Seabaugh

Neither Seabaugh nor Miller have responded to multiple calls and text messages requesting comment. An email seeking comment from Foret and Tatman has also gone unanswered.

Foret served as Millers aide last year, according to his LinkedIn page. Tatmans LinkedIn profile also lists her as a former senate aide in 2024, though she does not name any senators for whom she worked.

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The senators involvement in college student government raises concerns for political analyst Robert Collins, a professor at Dillard University.

Its not just inappropriate. Quite frankly, its bizarre, Collins said. It sounds like basically what theyre trying to do is intimidate the student judges that are on the panel, basically frighten them.

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Foret and Tatman appealed to Brown-McClure, according to Student Government Judiciary Chief Justice Camille Cronin, who said she met with the dean Friday morning. Brown-McClure has the authority to override the student government judiciary only when the case involves a violation of university policies.

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Brown-McClures opinion went further, however.

University regulations are not the only concern, the dean wrote. In all matters involving a public institution, the United States and Louisiana constitutions must also be considered.

To uphold the integrity of our student governance system, the University will be conducting a comprehensive review of the Student Government Election Code and Judicial Court procedures to ensure they align with State and Federal Law, Brown-McClure added.

The message to silence the Court was clear, Cronin said when contacted for comment on the universitys decision.

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Placing the Foret-Tatman ticket back on the ballot is unusual, according to several current and former LSU student senators interviewed for this report.

Popularly elected student governments, considered to be public bodies under the law, play an important though often overlooked role in university governance. Their independence from university administration is key to their functioning, and these positions are often students first experiences with public service.

Cronin, a senior at LSU, said the removal of the two candidates was done by the book. The only variation from procedure was suspending the rules to allow Foret and Tatman to submit additional evidence in their defense, which the court was not obligated to do, she said.

Legally, this was very easy, Cronin said in an interview with the Illuminator. Emotionally, very difficult.

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Cronin said she received a phone call from LSU Deputy General Counsel Trey Jones before her court ruled on the Foret-Tatman tickets appeal. She said Jones raised concerns with how the Foret-Tatman appeal was being handled. Cronin said she told Jones she was following policies and procedures created long before her time on the court.

He was very forward in what he was saying, but it did feel  like it was made to make me feel like Im doing something wrong, Cronin said. I think he was trying to look out for the university, which is his job.

LSU spokesman Todd Woodward declined to comment on Jones call to Cronin.

In their brief, Seabaugh and Miller argued there was insufficient evidence that Foret engaged in bribery. The senators said the fraternitys president made the offer to buy dinner for members without Forets knowledge.

Louisiana state Sen. Greg Miller speaks at a press conference on July 1, 2024, at the Denka neoprene plant in LaPlace, La., against a new EPA rule he and state leaders say is unfair to the company. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator)

Denying citizens  the opportunity to exercise constitutionally protected political activity  should not be based on unsupported inferences with no basis in fact contained in the record, Seabaugh and Miller wrote in the brief.

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Seabaugh and Miller, who are both attorneys, argued that because the election could impact the makeup of student government  and the LSU Board of Supervisors  the election court should carefully weigh the interests of student voters. The only non-political appointee on the LSU Board of Supervisors is its student member, which is selected from the student body presidents of schools in the LSU System.

The Miller-Seabaugh brief is not the first time Louisiana elected officials have gotten involved in LSU student government elections.

Former Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, endorsed the 2021 ticket of Mia LeJeune and Angelina Cantelli. The Reveille reported LeJeune had worked for the governor, and the governors son, Stephen Miller Edwards, was part of the LeJeune-Cantelli campaign team.

The endorsement was criticized at the time as inappropriate and setting a poor precedent.

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Collins said Edwards endorsement, while allowed under student government rules, was inappropriate but not as unethical as the Miller-Seabaugh brief.

I really dont think elected officials should be getting involved in student government politics at all, Collins said.

Dillard prohibits non-students from getting involved in student government matters, Collins added.

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STATESBORO, Ga. (WSAV)  The Statesboro Police Department (SPD) is asking for the publics help to locate a missing teenage girl.

Natalie Parrish, 17, was reported as a runaway on Saturday. She is believed to be in the Adrian, Georgia area.

Anyone with information on her location should contact Cpt. Akins at 912-764-9911 or submit an anonymous tip through the Statesboro PD website using the Submit a Tip link.

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The severed bronze head of King George V, which was removed from its statue in Melbourne last year, has turned up at a concert by Kneecap, an Irish Republican band.

Video footage shows the large head of the King, who reigned from 1910 to 1936, on stage during the Belfast bands performance.

The head was sawn off a statue in Kings Domain, Melbourne, in June last year.

Some madman dropped by with a huge King Georges head so he could hear a few tunes for our last Melbourne show, the band from Northern Ireland wrote on Instagram after the concert held last Friday.

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Allegedly his head was cut off last year in the city. Anyways, he was put on stage for a few tunes and then whisked away. Remember, every colony can fall.

The last comment was an apparent reference to the slogan the colony will fall that is often sprayed onto vandalised colonial statues in Australia as part of protests by Aboriginal land rights campaigners.

Since the head was taken from the statue in Melbourne, it has appeared from time to time on social media posts.

When the statue of George V was desecrated last June, the attackers dedicated the vandalism to King Charles.

A video of the decapitation, accompanied by the Sex Pistols God Save the Queen, was posted online along with the message: Happy Birthday Motherf-----.

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A 50-second video of the attack was posted to the social media platform X by a group that calls itself WACA, or the Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance.

On Australia Day in January this year, the statue was burned on a barbecue. It has also been dumped in a lavatory, and decorated with a feather boa.

Police are investigating the desecration of the statue and the whereabouts of the head. No one has yet been arrested for the vandalism of the monument.

Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives continue to investigate damage to a statue in Kings Domain last year, a spokesman for police in the state of Victoria said.

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Investigators are also aware that the head from what appears to be a statue appeared at a concert in Melbourne on March 14.

Kneecap rap in a mixture of English and Irish and espouse Irish Republican views.

Known for their provocative lyrics, the band was formed in 2017 by three friends who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai.

The latter wears a green, white and orange balaclava  the colours of the Irish flag.

One of their best-known tracks is called Get Your Brits Out.

Their rise to fame has been portrayed in a recently released film starring the Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender.

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A number of British colonial statues in Australia have been vandalised in recent years as part of Aboriginal rights protests, including those of Captain Cook and Queen Victoria.

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North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein delivers his first State of the State address to the General Assembly at the Legislative Building in Raleigh on March 12, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

Like most Democrats, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein holds a dramatically different worldview from the Republicans who lead the state legislature  especially those who embrace the politics of President Donald Trump.

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That said, Stein is also a realist who understands that there are many core issues on which most North Carolinians agree and wish fervently that their leaders would find common ground.

And its in that spirit that the Governor wisely framed his first State of the State speech last week. Sure  Stein could have spent most of his talk outlining his profound disagreements with the GOP over several divisive issues like abortion rights and climate change, but to his credit, Stein mostly reached for the center in hopes of persuading legislative leaders to work with him on popular items like Hurricane Helene relief, education funding, and tackling the fentanyl epidemic.

The bottom line: North Carolinians have fundamental disagreements on many issues, but Gov. Stein is right that, given our divided government, now is a time for cooperation, not fighting. Lets hope legislative leaders respond in kind.

For NC Newsline, Im Rob Schofield.
Karla Jay remembers joining the second night of street protests during the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. For her, and for so many other LGBTQ+ people, something had shifted: People were angry. They didnt want things to go back to normal  because normal meant police raids. Normal meant living underground. It meant hiding who they were at their jobs and from their families. They wanted a radical change.

Radical change meant organizing. Jay joined a meeting with the Gay Liberation Front, which would become the incubator for the modern LGBTQ+ political movement and proliferate in chapters across the country. At those meetings, she remembers discussing what freedom could look like. Holding hands with a lover while walking down the street, without fear of getting beaten up, one person said. Another said theyd like to get married. At the time, those dreams seemed impossible.

Jay, now 78, is worried that history will repeat itself. Shes worried that LGBTQ+ people will be put in the dark again by the draconian policies of a second Trump administration.

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Are things worse than they were before Stonewall? Not yet, she said. Its certainly possible that people will have to go back to underground lives, that trans people will have to flee to Canada, but its not worse yet.

The 19th spoke with several LGBTQ+ elders, including Jay, about what survival looks like under a hostile political regime and what advice they would give to young LGBTQ+ people right now.

Many states protect LGBTQ+ people through nondiscrimination laws that ensure fair access to housing, public accommodations and employment. Supreme Court precedent does the same through Bostock v. Clayton County. Other states have passed shield laws to protect access to gender-affirming care for trans people. But to Jay, a cisgender lesbian, it all still feels precarious. The Trump administration is trying to make it harder for transgender Americans to live openly and safely, and lawmakers in more than a handful of states want to undermine marriage equality.

We have forgotten that the laws are written to protect property and not to protect people. Theyre written to protect White men and their property, and historically, women and children were their property, she said. To expect justice from people who write laws to protect themselves has been a fundamental error of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans community.

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To fight back, LGBTQ+ Americans need to organize, Jay said. That starts with thinking locally  supporting local artists, independent stores and small presses, as well as LGBTQ+ organizations taking demonstrable political action and protecting queer culture.

See what you can do without going crazy. If you can focus on one thing and you can spend one hour a week, or you can spend one day a week, thats much better than being depressed and doing nothing, she said. Because the person youre going to help is yourself. This is the time for all of us to step up.

Renee Imperato (far right) poses with other demonstrators during a protest outside the Stonewall Inn, after the word transgender was erased from the National Park Services webpage, in New York, on February 14, 2025. (Courtesy of Renee Imperato)

Renata Ramos feels obligated to share her experiences with young people. As a 63-year-old trans Latina, she wants young people to know that so many of their elders have already been through hard times  which means that they can make it, too, including during this moment.

Im not scared in the least. Because we have fought so many battles  the elders. We have fought so many battles, with medicine, with HIV, with marching on Washington, with watching our friends die, she said. Its been one war after another in our community that we have always won. We have always been resilient. We have always stood strong. We have always fought for our truth, and were still here. They havent been able to erase us.

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As Ramos watches the Trump administration use the power of the federal government to target transgender Americans and erase LGBTQ+ history, shes not afraid for herself. Shes afraid for young LGBTQ+ people, especially young trans people who now find themselves at the center of a growing political and cultural war. If someone transitioned six months ago, she said, they now have a target on their back  and little to no experience with what that feels like.

They dont know what it is like to be a soldier going into war, as far as social issues. So I fear for them, she said. Who wouldnt be scared?

Criss Christoff Smith has seen firsthand what that fear can look like. On January 28, at 3 a.m., he received a phone call from an LGBTQ+ person who was considering taking their own life. This was a stranger  someone who admired from afar Smiths advocacy as a Black trans man and Jamaican immigrant. This was someone who had been considering a gender transition for years, Smith said, who was now feeling broken. He spoke with them for two hours.

Its been quite dark, Smith said. The onslaught of policies targeting marginalized people and the turbocharged news cycle are working to keep Black and trans people in a constant state of fear and uncertainty, he said.

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I tell everyone in my community, you have to stop responding to those alerts and just try to go inward, he said. Find a space of peace and spirituality.

To Smith, who is 64, looking inward can mean reflecting on whats still here. Although the Trump administration is going to make daily life harder for LGBTQ+ people, he said, laws cant be undone with the stroke of a pen on an executive order. LGBTQ+ Americans need to find whatever source of strength and peace they can find right now  and try to remove themselves from the daily fray as much as possible  while still finding ways to take action.

This is the time when we really have to find community, where we really have to hone in on our spiritual feelings and try to talk to someone. Dont keep it to yourself, he said. Joining protests or lobbying days at state capitols are great ways to find community in-person, Smith said  to be around like-minded people and to not feel so alone.

Thats the best space to be in, not home alone and in your feelings and in your mind, because we can get lost there thinking negatively. So we have to stay positive and stay with like-minded people, and have those people constantly around you to reassure you and just hold you tight in that space, he said.

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Protests against the administrations hostile LGBTQ+ policies have been ongoing  including outside the Stonewall National Monument. In at least one way, history is already repeating itself.

The National Park Service deleted all references to transgender and queer people from its web page honoring the 1969 Stonewall uprising  the most well-known moment from LGBTQ+ history in the country  leaving references to only lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Hundreds gathered in New York City to protest. Among them was Renee Imperato, a 76-year-old trans woman and New York native.

Protests like this are our survival, she told The 19th over email. The rhetoric of this administration is driving a violent onslaught against our community. The Stonewall Rebellion is not over. We are at war, and we are still fighting back. What other choice do we have?

Jay, herself an old hand at joining protests and demonstrations, said that shes been afraid before every one of them. Shes lost sleep the night before and feared for her safety  but she did it anyway.

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Im afraid Ill be beaten. Im afraid Ill be arrested. But if you dont do something even though youre afraid, they win, she said.

The post From Stonewall to now: LGBTQ+ elders on navigating fear in dark times appeared first on The 19th.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Amid the storms, Amtrak riders experienced hours-long stops, with at least one train confirmed halted in the Rochester area for at least six hours on Sunday. Some passengers reported being stuck for a whopping 11 hours on Sunday.

According to Amtrak officials, Train 64 from Toronto to New York City was stopped in the Rochester area just before 2:30 Sunday afternoon. Thats right around the same time a line of storms moved through the area, bringing with it gusty winds and heavy rain.

March winds roar causing scattered power outages around Rochester

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On its website, Amtrak released the following message about Train 64:

Travel Update: As of 8:58 PM ET, Maple Leaf Train 64 remains stopped east of BuffaloDepew (BUF) due to downed power lines and poles ahead. The local utility company crews continue working to restore power in the area and clear the route. We sincerely appreciate your continued patience during this extended delay and will provide updates as information becomes available. Departure estimates are subject to change. If a train is delayed past its scheduled departure time, it may leave earlier than the updated estimate if conditions allow. To avoid missing your train, please stay near the boarding area or monitor Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app for updates.

Amtrak directed News 8 to CSX for further details.

Amtrak Northeast did post the following message to X, indicating numerous rides were likely impacted due to the storms:

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Service Advisory: Due to high winds causing debris on the tracks, Trains operating between Syracuse (SYR) and Niagara Falls (NFL) are experiencing delays. Crews have been dispatched to resolve this issue. We are working to resume travel as quickly as possible.

News 8 reached out to CSX for more details, but has yet to hear back.

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UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is concerned about the Houthi threat to resume attacks on ships in the Red Sea following U.S. attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, a UN spokesman said on Monday.

"The secretary-general calls for full freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "We reiterate our concern at the launching of multiple strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen by the United States in recent days."

Haq said the Houthis reported that U.S. airstrikes had killed 53 people and injured another 101 in Sana'a City, Sa'ada and Al Baydah governorates. The casualty toll included civilians. The strikes also disrupted power supplies in nearby areas.

"The UN calls for utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities," he said. "Any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, fuel cycles of retaliation that may further destabilize Yemen and the region and pose grave risks to the already dire humanitarian situation in the country."

The spokesman called for all parties to respect international law, including international humanitarian law, at all times. He also called for the recent Security Council resolution related to Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels to be fully respected.

"The United Nations remains committed to continuing its efforts towards broader de-escalation in Yemen as well as continued engagement with the Yemeni, regional and international stakeholders in order to secure a sustainable and peaceful resolution to the conflict, and ultimately a better future for the Yemeni people," Haq said.

The spokesman also said the UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, reported over the weekend that he has been in close contact with Yemeni, regional, and international stakeholders.

"He has called for utmost restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law, and he has pushed for a refocus on diplomacy to avoid uncontrollable destabilization in Yemen and in the region," Haq said. "Further contacts are held by his office on numerous levels."

Grundberg further called for support from the international community so that the UN-led mediation efforts can deliver results despite the complexity of the regional dimension of this situation, including the situation in the Red Sea. 
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Winds start picking up again Monday as another storm system moves towards New Mexico. Monday will also be the warmest day of the week, thanks to the wind. The storm will move into the state Tuesday, bringing southwest wind gusts as high as 60 mph. This will again cause areas of blowing dust Tuesday afternoon.

Forecast Continues Below

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Fire danger will increase once again throughout the week for much of central, southern, and eastern New Mexico. Spotty rain and snow showers will move through the northern half of the state. Temperatures will also fall again into the middle of next week, with warmer weather returning again on Thursday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
(WKBN)  Leaders with the State Teachers Retirement System fired back at Ohio Attorney David Yost over comments he made in a letter to their board chastising them for not going after Target over claims that Targets DEI policies violated securities rules and cost the STRS fund $5 million.

Yost sent a letter Friday to STRS members asking them why they ignored his recommendation to join a class action lawsuit and be a lead plaintiff against Target over the funds $5 million loss through investments in the retailer.

Yost letter to STRSDownload

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Yost said the class action claims that Target violated federal securities laws when it misled investors with false claims and misleading statements about its environment, social and governance (ESG), and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) mandates.

Yost said that between August 2022 and November 2024, Target promoted and engaged in several DEI and LBGTQ+initiatives that resulted in disastrous Pride Month marketing that led to widespread customer boycotts that severely impacted Target and its stock price, wiping out an estimated $25 billion in market capitalization. He also said that Target downplayed those market concerns to investors.

Yost accused STRS board members of being reluctant to join the class action because they agreed with Targets policies.

I have been informed that you have declined to join the lawsuit for two reasons. First, because STRSs estimated losses of $5M are too small and not worth pursuing, and, second, because you either agree with Targets stated DEI, ESG and LGBTQ+ initiatives and/or do not believe that such initiatives should be actionable, Yost wrote.

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STRS Executive Director Aaron Hood responded the same day to Yosts letter taking issue with several premises the attorney general made.

Its is disappointing that you would send a distorted representation of this situation, Hood wrote.

Hood said that according to Board policies, STRS Ohio doesnt typically take an active role in securities cases in which the systems losses are less than $10 million.

I take our policies seriously and size alone is reason enough to reject this request, Hood wrote.

Hood added that Board policy states that if the attorney general recommends STRS take action in a securities case, the chief legal officer or executive director would advise board members. He said at this point, it was decided that it was not cost-effective to pursue the case after weighing the materiality of the litigation and the cost.

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It was determined by staff that seeking lead plaintiff status in this matter would not be a prudent use of system resources at this time, Hood wrote.

The Board could invite Yost to present his recommendation in person, but an April 1 deadline looms for filing.

STRS could still benefit from the Target class action even if it is not a lead plaintiff, Hood said. He added that STRS is currently active in three securities cases recommended by Yost.

Whether or not some past leader of STRS decided to recommend to the Board to deviate from our Securities Litigation Guidelines policy is not my concern. The Board Chair made his decision not to hear the AGOs pitch following the recommendation of the staff, Hood wrote.

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STRS has been embroiled in controversy for nearly a year with allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Former acting executive director and CFO Lynn Hoover stepped down in November leaving the fund strong.

DeWine had called allegations against some board members disturbing and an investigation was launched by Yost.

The probe is still ongoing, and lawmakers have since begun considering removing some elected members from the board.

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The Trump administration has made it clear it wants to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, which oversees federal contributions to schools, monitors education outcomes, administers financial aide and ensures a "free appropriate public education" for all students in the United States.

It would take an act of Congress to completely eliminate the agency and its functions, but the White House has already begun efforts to dramatically slash its workforce. A preliminary tally of most of the cuts shows most of the jobs eliminated were in the Federal Student Aid Office, which handles student loan and financial aid disbursement, and the Office for Civil Rights, which protects students and teachers from discrimination.

One of the positions eliminated in this round of cuts was a civil rights attorney based in Edmond.

Will student loans be affected by federal education cuts?

Unless Congress takes action, the federal government will still be required to administer student loans. If it's not under the umbrella of the federal Education Department, the executive branch would have to place its responsibilities in another agency.

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More: What does the Department of Education do? What to know as Trump prepares order to eliminate it

Newly confirmed U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has stressed that congressionally appropriated money, including financial aid, won't be affected by the Trump administrations plans to downsize the Education Department.

President Donald Trump has already proposed moving the Federal Student Aid office, and management of $2 trillion worth of student loans, into the Small Business Administration.

How will Education Department cuts affect Oklahoma?

It's too early to definitively say how Oklahoma's education landscape would change if there were no federal education agency, but some analysts are warning that mass firings and employee buyouts will make it harder to investigate civil rights violations and could delay functions of the student aid office.

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Oklahoma's state superintendent has aligned himself with Trump on virtually every policy, especially on the elimination of the Education Department. Since Trump was elected in November, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters has posted on social media dozens of times about it.

More: Ryan Walters' wish to dismantle federal Education Department seems close to fruition

Walters was especially at odds with the federal agency when former President Joe Biden was in office after an Oklahoma Republican lawmaker asked the agency to investigate the Oklahoma State Department of Education. In the waning days of the Biden administration, Walters sued the federal agency concerning the cost of illegal immigration to Oklahoma schools.

The most significant recent action taken by the federal Education Department in Oklahoma was in November, when the agency determined that Owasso Public Schools was "deliberately indifferent" to student rights by not responding to multiple allegations of sexual harassment against children.

What happens to student IEPs and disability protections?

Many of the functions of the Education Department are mandated by Congress, so they should be protected. Public schools are required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, to provide a free appropriate public education to all students with disabilities.

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That includes protecting the rights of parents who obtain an Individualized Education Program, which is a document that clearly describes a student's special needs and how the school will meet those needs.

McMahon has proposed moving disability rights enforcement to the Health and Human Services Department, which is now overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

However, it may become harder for people to file complaints or seek justice because of rapid downsizing and mass firings. There are also serious questions about whether Trump is disregarding Congress as he asserts "positions about its own authority that is inconsistent with constitutional tradition," according to one constitutional expert.

During his first month after returning to office, Trump moved swiftly to dismantle federal agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, which provides humanitarian and development assistance overseas, and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, which protects consumers from questionable banking practices.

Contributing: Murray Evans, Alexia Aston and Zachary Schermele

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How cuts at the U.S. Department of Education could affect Oklahoma
A regional court judge in Stuttgart on Monday proposed throwing out a case against a protestor of coronavirus measures who is accused of having deceived donors of more than 576,000 ($628,000), saying the case's significance is minimal.

A criminal fraud trial against Michael Ballweg, the founder of Germany's Querdenken (Lateral Thinking) movement, started on February 2 at the court. He protested pandemic measures and collected the funds from thousands of supporters through public appeals, but the prosecutor says he deceived donors about how the money was used.

The public prosecutor's office accuses him of using nearly 576,000 for private purposes. It acknowledged documented and verifiable expenses for the Querdenken movement of around 843,000.

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Ballweg has denied wrongdoing.

The court, defence and public prosecutor's office had discussed the status of the case in a closed session last week.

Ballweg was taken into pre-trial detention in June 2022, as authorities considered him a flight risk. His supporters had repeatedly demonstrated outside the prison. He was released from prison in April 2023.

Germany's Lateral Thinking movement launched in Stuttgart during the coronavirus pandemic but spread to many cities across the country. Supporters repeatedly staged protests against lockdown measures, vaccine requirements and other aspects of the government response.

There were also incidents where police officers and journalists were attacked.
The family of a Minnesota college student who authorities claim was the last person who saw missing 20-year-old Sudiska Konanki in the Dominican Republic say their son has been "detained under irregular conditions."

Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, was reported missing while vacationing with five friends and staying at a Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana. She was last seen on the beach in the early morning of March 6, with the hotel stating her disappearance coincided with a power outage that resulted in many of its guests heading to the beach.

A video surfaced showing a group proceeding to the beach including Konanki and a 22-year-old Iowa man, who is a student at St. Cloud State University and whom authorities believe was the last person to see Konanki before she went missing.

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Dominican authorities say nobody is considered a suspect at this time, while American officials say the incident is considered a missing persons case. WTAE reports that the SCSU student's passport has been confiscated by Dominican authorities.

A statement issued by the man's family over the weekend say he that "despite his full willingness to cooperate," he was "detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12."

"He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours. This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process," they added.

Sudiksha Konanki.Facebook

According to transcripts of police interviews obtained by ABC News, the SCSU student told police he had been in waist-deep water with Konanki, "talking and kissing a little," when a wave crashed into them and took them out to sea.

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The SCSU student, who had worked as a pool lifeguard, said he pulled Konanki back towards shore, and says that when they touched sand she got up to go and get her stuff.

He says he then vomited up water, and when he looked up he didn't see anyone, and thought she'd taken her things and left. He said he was shocked to later learn she was missing.

Konanki is a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States.

"We express our deep sorrow and solidarity with the family of Sudiksha Konanski during this painful time," the SCSU student's family said. "Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through and we share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible."

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They said their son is "deeply dismayed by her disappearance" and has "fully cooperated in the search."

NBC News reports the SCSU student was seen on the beach in Punta Cana with his attorney over the weekend, "pointing toward the sea" while security officials kept the area closed.
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden signs Senate Bill 74, an open meetings bill, on Feb. 12, 2025, in his office at the Capitol. From left: South Dakota NewsMedia Associations David Bordewyk, Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, Sen. Tim Reed, Gov. Rhoden, Rep. Mary Fitzgerald, Attorney General Marty Jackley, SDNA lobbyist Justin Smith and Sen. Steve Kolbeck. (Courtesy of SDNA)

Sunshine Week is a nationwide time to reflect on just how good your government is about conducting the publics business in a transparent, accountable way. South Dakota has always struggled to let the sunshine in, though some clouds may have parted this year.

Those clouds can blot out the sun in South Dakota because of the states limp open meetings law. That law, among other things, governs when city councils, school boards and county commissions may go into executive session  barring the public from seeing them do the peoples work. While there have certainly been transgressions, there has never been a case brought by a states attorney against a local governing board for an open meetings law violation. Never.

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There is reason for hope, however. During the recently completed legislative session, both chambers passed, and the governor signed, Senate Bill 74. It requires local governing boards to conduct a yearly review of the open meetings law. This will surely cut down on some of the infractions that are simply due to an ignorance of the law.

Sunshine Week logo

March 16-22, 2025, is Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government.

Also providing a little sunshine was House Bill 1059, which clarifies that local governing boards are not allowed to conduct business in a group text or email chain except for the purpose of setting a time for an official meeting. That bill was approved unanimously in both chambers and, at this writing, is awaiting the governors signature.

South Dakotas new governor, Larry Rhoden, is also letting some sunlight into the Capitol. His predecessor, Kristi Noem, was prone to seeing the media as an enemy causing her office to be unresponsive or dismissive of media requests. She did her best to shut down media access to state government with her decree that all media inquiries had to go through each departments information officers. The responsiveness and professionalism of those information officers varied wildly by department.

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Rhoden has promised a reset of his offices relationship with the Legislature and the media. Like many professional groups, the South Dakota NewsMedia Association hosts a day in Pierre during the session to meet with lawmakers. A meeting with the governor was a traditional part of NewsMedia Day until Noem gave up on the practice a few years ago.

At this years NewsMedia Day, Rhoden invited SDNAs board of directors in for a meeting to discuss media issues as they pertain to state government. Rhoden has also restarted the governors weekly news conferences during the legislative session, another tradition that Noem gave up on.

While Rhoden and his office have been open to media requests, it may take a while for that openness to trickle down to the rest of the executive branch. After the Noem years of being told not to talk to the media, its likely state government officials are still wary about opening their mouths. Rhoden, however, is setting a good example for them to follow.

Another good example was set last year by Attorney General Marty Jackley, who resurrected the Open Meetings Commission after it went dark during the tenure of Jason Ravnsborg. The commission, made up of states attorneys, met twice last year to deal with the backlog of complaints about open meetings violations. In most cases, the commission found that local boards and councils had run afoul of the open meetings law.

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There is no real punishment for those offenders, other than being reprimanded by the commission. Since the mechanism to review open meetings violations already exists, it would help increase transparency in local governments if the commission were given the power to do more than just slap wrists.

While no one wants to see elected officials go to jail for an open meetings violation, there should be real consequences for failing to handle public business in a transparent way. Perhaps a system of fines, imposed by the commission and to be paid for individually by elected officials who break the open meetings law, would go a long way toward letting some sunshine in.

At the least, a system of fines would ensure that the new law calling for a yearly review of the open meetings law becomes a priority for elected officials.

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A New England professor and doctor who has been deported to Lebanon attended the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, a Hezbollah leader and brutal terrorist responsible for killing hundreds of Americans, federal officials said Monday.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, a kidney transplant doctor of Brown University Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island, was detained in Boston last week after visiting her parents overseas. She was sent back to Lebanon on Friday night.

Boston federal court Judge Leo Sorokin had issued an order not to deport Alawieh, who had an H-1B visa to work for Brown University Health, without first giving 48 hours notice to the court.

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However, federal Department of Homeland Security officials said Monday that Alawieh openly admitted her support of Nasrallah to federal immigration officers. Authorities cited national security as grounds for denial of her visa.

Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree, Department of Homeland Security officials said in a statement.

Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah, federal officials said.

A visa is a privilege not a rightglorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security, federal officials said.

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A hearing scheduled for Monday concerning the deportation of Alawieh was canceled after most of the attorneys associated with the plaintiff withdrew from the case.

Monday night, supporters of Alawieh gathered at the Rhode Island State House lawn.

Colleagues of Alawieh told Boston 25 that her absence is detrimental to hundreds of patients in New England because few practice in her area of expertise.

She manages the medical complications of kidney transplants and also determines, with the transplant surgeon, whether patients are eligible to receive transplants, said Dr. Douglas Shemin, former director of the Division of Kidney Disease and Hypertension at Brown University Health.

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Shemin said Alawieh was recruited last year and brought outstanding qualifications to the table.

She was the best candidate for the job and medically, her absence will be a loss for the men, women and children in our state who have chronic kidney disease and need kidney transplants, Shemin said. She is a lovely person. Intelligent, kind. Besides being an excellent physician, shes also a lovely human being.

Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree. Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her  Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 17, 2025

Alawieh confirmed she attended Nasrallahs funeral while in Lebanon, as did tens of thousands of others.

According to court documents, when agents asked Alawieh if she supported Hezbollah and what the organization stands for, Alawieh answered I dont.

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Alawieh said she supports Nasrallah from a religious perspective, adding that other photos of Hezbollah members came to her from friends and family through WhatsApp.

He is a religious, spiritual person, Alawieh said of Nasrallah to federal agents, according to court documents. As I said, he has very high value. His teachings are about spirituality and morality.

Mourners react as a trailer carrying the coffins containing the bodies of Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah and his cousin and successor Hashem Safieddine drives through the crowd at the beginning of a funeral procession in the Sports City Stadium in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

An order from Sorokin had said the request from the attorneys representing Alawieh came as a result of further diligence.

Stephanie Marzouk, Alawiehs attorney, told Boston 25 News, Our client is in Lebanon and were not going to stop fighting to get her back in the U.S. to see her patients and were also going to make sure that the government follows the rule of law.

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A Brown spokesperson earlier confirmed to Boston 25 News that Alawieh is an employee of Brown Medicine with a clinical appointment to Brown University.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said its officers at Logan Airport did not receive notice of the order until after Alawieh had already departed the United States, according to Sorokins order Monday.

Attorney Stephanie Marzouk, who represents deported Brown University Dr. Rasha Alawieh, speaks to reporters outside the Moakley Federal Courthouse, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Sorokin was expected to hear a habeas corpus petition, which argued that she had a valid visa to enter the country. He was also expected to question federal authorities over Alawiehs deportation.

Sorokin is now giving the government one week to provide the court with more information. Yara Chehab, who filed a motion on behalf of her cousin over the weekend in U.S. District Court that alleges customs officials willfully disobeyed Sorokins order, will have until March 31 to respond to the governments request to dismiss the petition.

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Documents that were filed ahead of the planned hearing alleged contents on Alawiehs phone, including deleted photos of the leader of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, led to her detention and deportation. Other photos included Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran.

Federal immigration officials alleged in the documents that Alawieh deleted the photos one or two days before arriving in the United States.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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LOUISIANA (KLFY)  The Louisiana supreme and federal court has decided the execution of convicted killer and rapist Jessie Hoffman Jr. can proceed as scheduled in a few days.

The state will kill Hoffman using nitrogen gas Tuesday night, March 18, in Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Hoffmans the first person on death row in Louisiana to be executed since 2010. His lawyers argued that using nitrogen gas, a method never used in Louisiana, violates his protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

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Majority if the court disagreed, citing testimony that it is a painless execution method, though some medical experts have called it torture.

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VILLE PLATTE, La. (KLFY)  The man accused of the mass shooting on Mardi Gras in Mamou has been moved to the Evangeline Parish Jail to face charges.

Trealand Tyrell Castille, 19, of Arnaudville, is charged with one count each of first degree murder, second degree murder, illegal carrying of a firearm at a parade with weapon used in crime of violence and reckless discharge of firearm at a parade or demonstration, according to jail records.

Castille was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, ten counts of attempted second-degree murder and five counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.

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Two people were killed and at least 12 others were wounded in the shooting, which took place during a musical performance in Mamou on Mardi Gras.

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Castille was arrested in Texas, and extradited to St. Martin Parish, where he faces other charges in a separate incident.

According to jail records, he was booked in Evangeline Parish at 11:20 a.m. today. His bond is set at $5.2 million.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
The alleged head of a network of fraudsters has been charged in Germany with defrauding 105 people of around 7.6 million ($8.3 million) via call centres and fraudulent trading platforms.

The special prosecutor's office at Bavaria's cybercrime centre in Bamberg said on Monday that the total worldwide fraud is expected to be significantly higher, as there is a large number of unreported cases.

The Bamberg district court issued an arrest warrant for the man, 42, last year. He was arrested at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus in July and extradited to Germany in mid-August. He is now in custody.

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Some accomplices have already been sentenced to prison in Bavaria and Albania.

The unnamed man is accused of being a high-ranking member of a professionally organized group of fraudsters operating from around 2016 to 2021.

The fraud network maintained several call centres abroad, including in Israel, Serbia and Albania, the prosecutors allege.

The suspect is said to have received several million euros. During the investigation, a large-scale raid was carried out three years ago in the Albanian capital of Tirana.
ANKARA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A Turkish man, his wife, stepdaughter, and four others face up to 22 years in prison for allegedly working for Israel's Mossad, gathering intelligence on its targets, Turkiye's local Sabah newspaper reported on Monday.

Ahmet Ersin Tumlucali, an insurance company owner, is accused of leading the network.

Tumlucali allegedly communicated with an Israeli intelligence officer codenamed "Jorg" via email and Skype and later met him in Vienna and Munich. He also met another Mossad contact, Gavin Alfron, in Vienna and Frankfurt.

The indictment accuses him of running surveillance on Mossad targets in Turkiye, Georgia, and Germany, tracking individuals from Jordan, Syria, Azerbaijan, and Lebanon. His wife and stepdaughter allegedly assisted, while another suspect gathered information from Turkish public institutions. A Swiss resident, Andy Grutko, reportedly aided him in Germany.

Mossad is said to pay Tumlucali through cash, wire transfers, and Western Union transactions. Between 2014 and 2019, funds were routed through his wife's account, including a 300,000 euro payment.

Prosecutors said Mossad tested Tumlucali before hiring him and later cut ties in 2020, though he attempted to contact the Israeli intelligence agency until 2022.

Sabah reported that the suspects are set to appear in court soon.

In recent years, Turkish authorities have detained dozens of people, including private investigators, for allegedly gathering information on individuals for Israeli intelligence. 
BRUSSELS (AP)  International donors on Monday pledged almost 6 billion euros ($6.5 billion) in aid for Syria, hoping to encourage the new leaders of the conflict-ravaged country toward a peaceful political transition following the ouster of President Bashar Assad in December.

Ministers and representatives from Western partners, Syrias regional neighbors, other Arab countries and U.N. agencies attended the one-day meeting in Brussels, organized in haste by the European Union amid change sweeping the country.

The European Commission said that 4.2 billion euros ($4.6 billion) were offered in the form of grants, and 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion) in low interest loans. Some of the money was pledged over multiple years, making it extremely difficult to calculate an amount for 2025.

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Last year, donors committed to provide 7.5 billion euros ($8.1 billion) in grants and loans.

Opening the conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU was increasing its pledge to Syrians in the country and the region to almost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) for 2025 and 2026, and urged others to step up.

At this critical time, the people of Syria need us more than ever, von der Leyen said.

Germany said it would pledge around 300 million euros ($326 million) to help deal with the fallout from Syrias civil war. More than half would be used to help people in Syria, with other funding supporting Syrians and communities elsewhere. Britain said that it was pledging up to $208 million.

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Natasha Franceschi, U.S. deputy assistant secretary for the Levant and Syria, said the United States has provided more assistance to the Syrian people than any other nation over the last 14 years, but she did not announce any pledge of money.

We will continue to provide certain assistance in line with U.S. policies and laws, but we also now expect that other nations are going to help shoulder the financial burden, she told the conference. The Trump administration is currently reviewing all foreign aid.

Syrias new leaders are trying to consolidate control over territory that was divided into de facto mini-states during nearly 14 years of civil war, and to rebuild the economy and infrastructure. The United Nations has estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria, while experts say that could reach at least $400 billion.

At the same time, Western governments are cutting back on aid spending, in part to use in defense budgets.

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We will give more, but we cannot fill the gap left by the U.S., EU Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib told reporters. We will need to share the burden.

Security concerns

Security concerns are also making donors hesitate. Last week, an ambush on a Syrian security patrol by gunmen loyal to Assad triggered clashes. Some factions allied with the new government launched sectarian revenge attacks  primarily targeting Assads Alawite minority sect  that monitoring groups say killed hundreds of civilians over several days.

Despite this, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani urged the donors to help reconstruction efforts, encourage investment in Syria, and support sustainable development projects that will create opportunities, generate jobs, improve living standards, and restore hope to millions of Syrians.

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He vowed that the new Syrian government would work with partners "to ensure that aid reaches those who deserve it from all regions and communities, and to create appropriate and dignified conditions for the safe, voluntary return of all refugees.

The 27-nation EU has begun to ease energy, transport and financial sector sanctions to encourage the new authorities, but many other Western sanctions remain in place. The bloc can reintroduce sanctions if things dont go to the liking of Western backers.

Syria's foreign minister said that lifting the measures is no longer just a government demand but "a humanitarian and moral necessity.

"We cannot talk about economic recovery and humanitarian development in Syria while restrictions continue to prevent even the arrival of medical equipment and spare parts to repair damaged hospitals and essential service facilities, al-Shibani said.

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Syria's economy, infrastructure and institutions are in tatters. As a failed state, it could become another haven for extremists.

Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration, urged donors to seize this opportunity to encourage the interim government to move in the right direction.

Its critical that countries take advantage of the moment were in, Pope told The Associated Press.

Of course, we all want to see an inclusive Syria, she said. We want to make sure theres accountability for human rights violations. But the answer is to engage more, not to engage less.

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Economic and humanitarian needs

Syrians have only a few hours of electricity each day. Water supplies are unreliable and often unsafe. Unemployment runs to 80% or 90%. Destruction is widespread.

Infrastructure, health and education must be scaled up. Jobs and cash for work programs are needed so that Syrians can start to make a living.

Many government employees and experts needed to rebuild fled after the 2011 Arab Spring democracy movement collapsed into conflict and authoritarian rule under Assad.

The U.N. refugee agency said that last year around 7 million people were displaced in Syria. More than 4.7 million refugees are registered in neighboring countries, most in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

___

Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin, Abbey Sewell in Beirut and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Defence Minister Michel Menassa and his Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra agreed on a ceasefire, the Lebanese and Syrian defence ministries said in statements on Monday, as cross-border clashes in the last two days left 10 dead.

Three soldiers in Syria's new army and seven Lebanese were killed in border clashes during the past two days, the Syrian defence ministry and Lebanese health ministry said.

On the Lebanese side, 52 people were wounded, the health ministry said.

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The Lebanese and Syrian defence ministers also agreed on continuing contacts between the army intelligence directorates to prevent more deterioration on the border.

The mountainous frontier has been a flashpoint in the three months since Islamist rebels toppled Syria's Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Tehran and Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, and installed their own institutions and army.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's Foreign Affairs Minister Youssef Raji met his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shibani in Brussels to discuss the cross-border developments and agreed to maintain contacts, the Lebanese state news agency NNA reported.

Late on Sunday, Syria's defence ministry accused Hezbollah of crossing into Syrian territory and kidnapping and killing the three members of Syria's new army. Hezbollah denied any involvement.

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A Lebanese security source told Reuters the three Syrian soldiers had crossed into Lebanese territory first and were killed by armed members of a tribe in northeastern Lebanon who feared their town was under attack.

Syrian troops responded by shelling Lebanese border towns overnight, according to the Syrian defence ministry and the Lebanese army.

Residents of the town of Al-Qasr, less than 1 kilometre (0.6 mile) from the border, told Reuters they fled further inland to escape the bombardment.

Lebanon's army said in a statement on Monday that it had handed over the bodies of the three killed Syrians to Syrian authorities, and that it had responded to fire from Syrian territory and sent reinforcements to the border area.

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Syria's army sent a convoy of troops and several tanks to the frontier on Monday, according to a Reuters reporter along the border. Syrian troops fired into the air as they moved through towns on the way to the border.

"Large military reinforcements were brought in to reinforce positions along the Syrian-Lebanese border and prevent any breaches in the coming days," said Maher Ziwani, the head of a Syrian army division deploying to the border.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily and Laila Bassam in Beirut and Menna Alaa El-Din and Muhammed Al Gebaly in Cairo; Editing by Howard Goller and Lisa Shumaker)
By Amina Ismail

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Donors at a European Union-led conference on Monday pledged 5.8 billion euros ($6.3 billion) to help Syria's new authorities as they struggle with humanitarian and security problems after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The pledges at the Brussels gathering were less than last year's 7.5 billion euros in grants and loans, as EU officials pointed to U.S. aid cuts as a major contributing factor.

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The annual conference has been hosted by the EU since 2017 - but took place without the government of Assad, who was shunned for his brutal actions in a civil war that began in 2011.

In a first for a top official from Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani attended the conference along with dozens of European and Arab ministers and representatives of international organisations.

After Assad's overthrow in December, European Union officials hope to use the conference as a fresh start, despite concerns about deadly violence this month that pitted the new, Islamist rulers against Assad loyalists.

"This is a time of dire needs and challenges for Syria, as tragically evidenced by the recent wave of violence in coastal areas," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

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But she said it was also "a time of hope", citing an agreement struck on March 10 to integrate the Kurdish-led and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which control much of Syria's northeast, into new state institutions.

About 16.5 million people in Syria require humanitarian aid, with 12.9 million people needing food aid, according to the EU.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the meeting that the EU was increasing its pledge to Syrians in the country and the region to almost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) for 2025 and 2026. This includes an increase of about 160 million euros to its previous pledge for this year.

Earlier on Monday, European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said U.S. cuts to humanitarian and development aid had limited the money available for Syria.

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The EU is committed to supporting the Syrian people and is ready to participate in Syrias recovery, but we cant fill the gap left by others, Lahbib said.

Syria's Shibani expressed his appreciation for the pledge by the EU and its partners.

"The reconstruction of Syria is a joint effort and a global partnership that we hope with our friends would contribute to a breakthrough to the Syrian people for further prosperity and progress," the Syrian foreign minister said in a post on X.

U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pederson said that while this months violence along the coast of Syria may have influenced donor countries' pledges, other global conflicts and the reduction in U.S. aid have had the most impact.

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What is happening inside Syria  does have an impact, but let's be honest, even without these events, the funding would have been less than in previous years, Pederson told Reuters on Monday.

"And why is that? Of course, because Syria is, you know, in quotation marks, competing with other areas (conflicts), he said, referring to wars including in Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that toppled Assad, is designated as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations. But EU officials want to engage with the new rulers as long as they stick to pledges to make the transition inclusive and peaceful.

Syria has lost 40 years of development due to the war, and it will take at least a decade to return to its pre-conflict state, said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Development Programme.

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The destruction has been compounded by an economic crisis that has sent the Syrian pound tumbling and pushed almost the entire population below the poverty line.

While the needs are increasing, the support is decreasing. And this is, of course, tragic, because we know that the next few months will be critical, Pederson said.

($1 = 0.9192 euros)

(Additional reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din in Cairo ; Editing by Andrew Gray and Kevin Liffey, Editing by William Maclean and Stephen Coates)
Throughout Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, repeated and escalating warnings of the potential for a wider war have only raised fears in the Baltic states that they could be next in the crosshairs of the Kremlin.

Talk about a potential Russian invasion is "very common at parties, gatherings, lunch breaks, water cooler talk," Gabija Stasiukyne, a 32-year-old fintech professional living in Vilnius, Lithuania, told the Kyiv Independent.

"Its everywhere. The conversation inevitably turns in the direction of  what are you going to do?"

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Lithuania's government is also taking the threat seriously  the country reinstated conscription in 2015, and Vilnius in January committed to spending between 5% and 6% of its GDP on defense annually until at least 2030.

"Increasing our military capabilities and strengthening alliances is of utmost importance," Lithuania's Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene, told the Kyiv Independent in written response.

"War wont come tomorrow, but we are reinventing our defense in order to be ready to fight tonight. We know every step of our adversary, and are preparing accordingly."

A long history of Russian aggression

For Lithuania and the Baltic states collectively, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 once again shined a spotlight on, and raised memories of, a long history of Moscow's imperialist ambitions.

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"My great-grandfather was deported (by the Soviets during World War II) to Siberia because he was a teacher, an intelligent man," Emilija Sikorskyite, a 23-year-old English and French language teacher living in Vilnius," told the Kyiv Independent.

"He never came back. He died there."

Many Lithuanians fear being a member of NATO is not the security guarantee it once was.

Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to proclaim independence in 1990, one year before Ukraine, and joined NATO in 2004, providing the country with the security of the military alliance's collective defense clause in the event of Russian aggression.

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But the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his increasingly hostile attitude to Europe and Ukraine have left many Lithuanians fearing that being a member of NATO is not the security guarantee it once was.

A razor wire fence lines the Polish-Lithuanian border near Kaliningrad in Wisztyniec, Poland, on Aug. 12, 2024. (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)

Ignas Zalieckas, a Lithuanian cultural journalist living in Germany, told the Kyiv Independent that the now infamous Oval Office showdown between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky caused "total panic" among his friends and family back home.

"Everybody was thinking that NATO is kind of gone," he said.

Western leaders and intelligence agencies have warned of a potential large-scale war in Europe within the next five years, citing Russia's increasingly aggressive posture. Lithuania's geography puts it directly in the firing line.

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The country shares an eastern border with Russia's closest ally, Belarus, from whose territory Moscow's failed attempt to take Kyiv was launched.

And to the southwest of Lithuania lies the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, a small piece of land measuring 15,100 square kilometers that is home to the headquarters and main base of Russia's Baltic Fleet, not to mention thousands of Russian military personnel and a wide array of missiles and other weapons.

At their closest point, a mere 40 kilometers separates Kaliningrad and Belarus along a narrow piece of land called the Suwalki Gap which closely tracks the Poland-Lithuania border on the Polish side.

A map of the Baltic Sea Region. (Lisa Kukharska/The Kyiv Independent)

In the event of a war between NATO and Russia, Russian and Belarusian forces linking up across the Suwalki Gap would cut off the only land route to all three Baltic states.

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"It's understandable that the Lithuanian government is worried about this," Dr. Stephen Hall, lecturer in Russian and post-Soviet politics at the University of Bath, told the Kyiv Independent.

"The Baltics have a long history of being occupied by other foreign forces, particularly Russia, and a relatively short history of being independent."

In the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine, and a White House washing its hands of European security, talk of an imminent Russian invasion in Lithuania has now gone into overdrive.

Read also: Polish right takes hard line on Ukraine ahead of presidential vote

'War is inevitable'

Barbora Turauskaite, a master's student and the head of communication at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University, told the Kyiv Independent that "all the political science and international relations experts talk about the possibility of war every day."

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She said that she had heard some experts describe war as inevitable, saying that joint Russian and Belarusian military exercises scheduled for September 2025, could serve as a pretext for the build up of a Russian invasion force  just as they did before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Like Zalieckas, Turauskaite says the unpredictable nature of Trump is adding to anxiety in the country.

"We are not sleeping very well. In Lithuanian time, Trump wakes up around 4 p.m. After that, we dont know what to expect," she said.

Lessons from Ukraine

Lithuania has been one of Kyiv's staunchest allies  in Vilnius public buses display their routes along with the phrase "Vilnius loves Ukraine," while the number of Ukrainian flags fluttering from government buildings and private balconies at times seems to compare to that of Lithuanias tricolor flag.

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This has been matched by consistent military aid, but while the weapons and aid have flowed to Ukraine, the war has had a significant impact on the attitudes and priorities of those back home.

Eimantas Cesnys, volunteer soldier from Vilnius, conducts three-day survival courses for ninth-graders, which were implemented after Russia's full-scale invasion began.

"I joined the military in 2022 or 2023 because my whole life I knew that I would go to fight if necessary," he told the Kyiv Independent.

"And when I saw what happened in Ukraine, I thought that I should be prepared."

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Teodoras Grigaliunas, a volunteer coordinator with the Lithuanian Red Cross's civil safety program in Vilnius, told the Kyiv independent he has seen an uptick in people signing up for the course which gives advice on matters such as where to find shelters, electricity, and water supplies in the event of an emergency, and how to pack an emergency "grab bag."

People attend a demonstration marking the third anniversary of Russia's war on Ukraine in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Feb. 23, 2025. (Yauhen Yerchak/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Civilian security excursions in Vilnius, Lithuania on March 11, 2025. (Teodoras Grigaliunas / Lithuanian Res Cross)

"At first, it wasnt a very popular topic and it was sort of hard to get people involved," he told the Kyiv Independent.

"But I do notice a change, a spike in people's interest, especially after the Zelensky and Trump clash," he added.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has provided a blueprint of sorts for what Lithuanians could expect in the event of a worst-case scenario, as well as the motivation to prepare as best as is possible.

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Read also: Who is to gain more from a ceasefire  Russia or Ukraine?

'We are not prepared'

A thyroid cancer diagnosis prevented Aivaras, a 32-year-old freelance film and TV location manager, from following his younger brother into the Lithuanian military, so instead he registered for a new civil role created last year that will enforce curfews and protect infrastructure if martial law is enacted in the event of war.

"I understood that if shit hits the fan, you need to be prepared and know what you are doing," he told the Kyiv Independent, requesting not to print his last name due to fears that invading Russian forces would exact revenge on those known to have signed up to resist.

Aivaras believes war in Lithuania is likely in the next two to five years  potentially sooner, given Trumps actions.

"I think that we are a little bit too relaxed. We are not prepared," he said. "We do not know whats coming for us, and we are very dependent, and we think that somebody else will come and save us."

But for those with families, or those unable to sign up for the military or civil defense roles, more pressing questions with less clear answers are front and center.

In Ukraine, Russia's full-scale invasion prompted a wave of refugees to head west away from the fighting but for Lithuania  only slightly larger than the U.S. state of West Virginia  this isn't a viable option, prompting many to plan where in the country would be the safest place to be.

Evacuation plans

Zalieckas has already discussed evacuation plans with his family but his mother's job as a Supreme Court judge, and his grandparents' health issues mean it's unlikely that they'll be able to leave the country.

His grandparents live in Radviliskis, an "insanely militarized" area close to a NATO air base.

"There's a dual discussion," he says. "Is it the least safe place to be or the most safe? Obviously if somebody bombs, they will bomb that place, but there are also air defense systems there."

Stasiukyne, the 32-year-old fintech professional, and her husband, Arvydas, have packed a few emergency bags with basic necessities and supplies for their two young children in case they have to flee.

They've been informed by special guides on what to do in case of an emergency that were updated and reprinted after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Tiger attack helicopters fly near a German Army Puma infantry fighting vehicle during the NATO Quadriga exercise in Pabrade, Lithuania, on May 29, 2024. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

But beyond packing grab bags and cutting back on expenditures so they have some emergency cash on hand, planning for a potential war with no definitive timeline or idea of what it could look like is tricky.

"Youre never going to feel ready, because you dont know exactly what youre trying to be ready for," Stasiukyne said.

Sikorskyite, the 23-year-old English and French language teacher, studied in Kyiv just before the full-scale invasion and has visited friends in Ukraine several times during the war.

She said her experience of spending nights in bomb shelters and speaking to Ukrainians means she is better prepared for what might happen.

"A lot of Ukrainians are saying they weren't prepared at all. We are trying to learn from people's mistakes," she said.

Let's hope for the best and be ready for the worst.

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(FOX40.COM)  Independent journalist Tara Palmeri spoke with Inside California Politics about the political future of some of Californias top Democratic leaders.

Palmeri said former Vice President Kamala Harris could continue her political career but doubted she would ever reach the highest office.

I think theyd be crazy to run her again for president. You dont win, you move on, Palmeri said. Only the Democrats keep running the same people over and over again. I think it makes sense for her to move on. Governor of California, fine. If thats what you want to do for the rest of your career, do that, but I dont see her making another play for it.

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Regarding Gov. Gavin Newsom, Palmeri foresees potential roadblocks to his presidential ambitions that are out of his control.

Gavin Newson is a particular taste. Hes great for some people, but does he work for the entire country? Palmeri said. He is, after all, some could say a coastal elite. The Democratic Party just tried with Kamala Harris to run someone who came from California, and I think the thinking is trying again might not be the way to go.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
The Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).

Missouris Republican legislators do a whole lot of grandstanding about being pro-life, but consistently refuse to put our money where their mouth is.

A budget is a statement of values. And our budget and two bills passed by the House say Missouri does not value having healthy and fed children.

One in seven Missouri children are food insecure, in part due to the state administering federal food benefits so poorly that a court ruled that Missouri is violating federal law.

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Missouri ranked 40th in the nation in child health last year according to the Casey Foundation. This was based on metrics like our high rates of babies born with low-birth weight and our many uninsured children.

Missouri children visit the ER and are hospitalized for manageable conditions like asthma at high rates. We were making some progress on this problem, but now it is being exacerbated by the state dropping eligible children from Medicaid, causing them to go without medical care.

The states resource-starved administration of Medicaid has also caused pregnant women in Missouri to go without prenatal care. Additionally, we have a dire shortage of maternity care and our maternal mortality rate has long been terrible. Our infant mortality rate is higher than the national average and increasing.

Child care centers have shuttered because Missouri couldnt manage to administer federal funds owed until recently. Missouri consistently ranks among the worst states for early childhood education.

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These are problems that the legislature needs to address. That takes money. This mismanaged state has no business further reducing revenues.

And yet, the House just passed a purportedly pro-life bill that would give more tax credits for unregulated anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers. We already have tens of millions of Missouri tax dollars going to these organizations known to pressure and mislead women into having babies that the state will abandon once born.

Giving millions of dollars away with next to no oversight when we cant even properly administer federal dollars meant to feed our kids is unconscionable. But its a drop in the bucket compared to the legislatures broader efforts to further reduce taxes for the well off.

According to the Missouri Budget Project, Missouri currently ranks close to last among the states for the amount of revenue it collects and spends per person. Our income tax rate has gone from 6% in 2015 to 4.7% this year, well below the national average of 6.22% in states with income taxes. Missouri has the second lowest corporate tax rate in the nation at 4%.

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Missouris low income tax and high state and local sales taxes mean that struggling families taxed on their necessities pay a higher percentage of their income to fund the state than the wealthy do.

And yet our Republican legislators demonstrate a serious lack of concern about the way the state is failing our children.

They just passed a bill in the House that would further lower the income and corporate tax rates and eliminate the capital gains tax, decreasing state revenue by at least $1.3 billion.

Our legislators are doing this at a moment when we need them to be protecting us from the suffering that will flow from President Trump and Elon Musks illegal withholding of funds owed to Missouris people and institutions, and congressional Republicans plan to fund tax cuts for the rich by gutting Medicaidwhich covers one in five Missourians and almost 40% of Missouri children.

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But neither our state nor our federal Republican representatives are fighting to protect food and medical care for our kids.

Missouri U.S. Reps. Mark Alford, Sam Graves, Ann Wagner, Jason Smith, Bob Onder and Eric Burlison all voted for a House budget proposal directing $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years. If those cuts are made to Medicaid expansion, Missouri will have to foot the bill rather than drop coverage because voters put expansion in our constitution via ballot initiative.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, in a surprising act of advocating for Missourians, introduced an amendment that would restrict cuts to Medicaid. However, he has endorsed work requirements, which can sound reasonable, but are actually just a backdoor way to cut Medicaid.

Its a way to kick people off their health insurance because they cant work, typically because they are ill, cant find a job, or dont have childcare.

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Work requirements dont increase employment. What they do is complicate the eligibility processsomething Missouri has already made a spectacular mess ofcausing those who struggle to navigate the red tape to lose coverage. An estimated 445,000 Missourians would be at risk of losing their insurance.

Missouri is not functioning well enough to meet the basic needs of its children and their caregivers. Theres nothing pro-life about our legislators signing on to make things worse.
PERRY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  A 37-year-old man was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly shot and killed his neighbor in Perry County.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said the incident took place Sunday, March 16, along Meditation Lane in Linden.

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TBI special agents and deputies with the Perry County Sheriffs Office reportedly arrived to the area Sunday afternoon and found 46-year-old Samuel Yoder deceased.

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During an investigation, authorities identified 37-year-old Anthony Boberg, Yoders neighbor, as a suspect in the deadly shooting.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

According to officials, Boberg was charged with criminal homicide and was taken into custody without incident. He is being held at Perry County Jail without bond.

No additional details about the incident were immediately released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
America's "Most Convenient Bank" might no longer be so for some Floridians.

TD Bank announced last week it's closing 38 branches across the country, including three locations in Florida.

We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for our impacted customers and colleagues and look forward to continuing to provide legendary service via one of our approximately 1,100 stores or any channel our customers choose, said the spokesperson in a statement to Banking Dive.

Why are they closing TD banks? What was the TD Bank class action lawsuit?

While it's not fully known why the closures are happening, TD Bank did plead guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering. The firm was ordered to pay $3 billion in a historic settlement.

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By making its services convenient for criminals, TD Bank became one, former Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said last year. Today, TD Bank also became the largest bank in U.S. history to plead guilty to Bank Secrecy Act program failures, and the first US bank in history to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering."

That probe not only played a part in the latest round of TD Bank closures but also led to a reduction in salary for TD Bank's U.S. retail banking head Leo Salom.

"There is no doubt that 2024 was a challenging year for TD," board chairman Alan MacGibbon said. "The gravity of TD's U.S. anti-money laundering failures, the associated costs, and the limitations imposed on the U.S. retail business had and will continue to have a significant impact on the bank."

Which Florida TD Banks are closing?

According to news site AS and several other news outlets, TD Bank will close locations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with some in the Southeast, including these in Florida:

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Daytona Beach: 1590 S. Nova Road

Lake City: 160 NW Main Blvd.

Miami Beach: 500 Collins Ave.

When are Florida TD Banks closing?

TD Bank will begin closing targeted branches in June.

How many TD Banks are still in Florida?

TD Bank operates through a network of over 160 branches across Florida, according to Bank Branch Locator.

Contributing: Damon C. Williams, USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: TD Bank is closing locations in Florida. Here's where they are
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson on Monday said that Taiwan's Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM) has overestimated itself while carrying out cyberattacks against the mainland, warning that such provocations will face a stern punishment.

Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to a media inquiry after the Ministry of State Security disclosed information about four members of ICEFCOM responsible for cyberattacks against the mainland in an article earlier on Monday.

Chen said that following instigation from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, ICEFCOM serves as an accomplice to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and spares no effort in launching cyberattacks against or infiltrating the mainland.

Chen expressed the hope that Taiwan compatriots can clearly recognize the malicious intent of and grave harm caused by the DPP authorities' stubborn adherence to their separatist "Taiwan independence" stance, their relentless provocations that aim to seek "independence," and their acts to escalate cross-Strait confrontation.

He added that it is imperative for Taiwan compatriots to resolutely oppose any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, and to genuinely safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as their own security and well-being. 
The News

Tech leaders are warning the US against pursuing a Manhattan Project-style push for AI systems with superhuman intelligence.

Congressional policymakers are considering an aggressive push to reach superintelligence ahead of rivals, modeled on the World War II dash to create an atomic bomb, according to a congressional commission proposal from Nov. 2024.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright also referred to the global AI race as the new Manhattan Project earlier this month.

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But in a policy paper published last week, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and two AI industry bosses argued that countries should be wary of racing for superintelligent AI, just as they dont seek monopolies over nuclear weapons, because the effort could trigger a preemptive strike from China, for example.

The US is currently in an AI standoff similar to the principle of mutually assured destruction, but the congressional commissions plan assumes that rivals will acquiesce to an enduring imbalance or omnicide, the trio wrote.

SIGNALS

How similar are the AI and nuclear arms races?

Source: Rand

Schmidt and his co-authors argued that Mutual Assured AI Malfunction will prevent any one country from creating a superintelligent AI, because if they try to do so their rivals will seek to disable their program through cyberattacks or sabotage. Drawing on the theory of mutually assured destruction in the nuclear weapons realm, they argue that a similar stalemate can be achieved in AI, preventing the emergence of destabilizing AI systems. The theory draws on optimistic assumptions, several experts at RAND countered, noting that developments in cloud computing means there would unlikely be centralized physical locations that can be easily knocked out. Even with nuclear weapons development, the authors noted, adversaries struggled to uncover how far along their rivals were  and this will only be harder with AI software.

AI companies double down on race with China

Sources: OpenAI, Anthropic

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In letters to the Trump administration, leading software companies called for cutting red tape, investing in AI facilities, and integrating advanced AI models into federal departments to ensure the US stays ahead of China. OpenAI said Washington should ensure domestic AI companies can train models on copyrighted data, warning that if the PRCs developers have unfettered access to data and American companies are left without fair use access, the race for AI is effectively over. Anthropic predicted that the next few years will see AI systems with similar reasoning skills to Nobel Prize winners, and called for the US government to tighten export controls to prevent adversaries from accessing the hardware needed to train AI models.

AI use could be eroding critical thinking skills

Sources: Microsoft Research, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal

Even as the US administration has vowed to race ahead with AI, researchers have found that using AI tools for complex work can reduce critical thinking skills. Across the board, reading, math, and science skills have dropped since 2012. This reflects a broader erosion in human capacity for mental focus and application, the Financial Times wrote, likely attributable to the rise of digital media and the overwhelming amount of online information people are exposed to. AI could compound the problem: Teachers are particularly concerned about students using AI at the expense of their learning. This is a gigantic public experiment that no one has asked for, one educator told The Wall Street Journal.
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI)  A 17-year-old was arraigned Monday, accused of shooting and killing his older brother during a fight in Fall River over the weekend.

Jaylen Lambert is charged with murdering his 20-year-old brother, Jaleale Simmons, marking the citys first homicide of 2025.

Officers responded Saturday afternoon to a third-floor apartment on Rodman Street and found Simmons suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

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BACKGROUND: Victim IDd, suspect arrested in Fall River homicide

Police said Lambert admitted to shooting his brother and told officers where to find the weapon.

Several family members were present and emotional for Lamberts arraignment Monday morning. In court, prosecutors said Lamberts mother, who also lived in the apartment, had tried to separate the two by pushing Simmons into his bedroom.

March 17, 2025  Jaylen Lambert arraignment, accused of murdering older brother in Fall River (WPRI-TV)

March 17, 2025  Jaylen Lambert arraignment, accused of murdering older brother in Fall River (WPRI-TV)

The defendant left the area of his brothers bedroom for approximately 30 seconds to two minutes before returning with a firearm with an extended magazine, a prosecutor said in court Monday. The argument resumed, and the defendant shot his brother in his chest, killing him.

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Lambert was ordered held without bail, without prejudice. Hes due back in court on April 25.

12 News attempted to speak with family members outside court, but they declined to comment.

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Originally appeared on E! Online

A Georgia family is seeking answers amid their grief.

More than one week after the bodies of twins Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis, both 19, were found by hikers on Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Ga., authorities have classified the case as a murder-suicide.

Both men were found with gunshot wounds, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a March 9 statement. The preliminary investigation reveals the deaths to be a murder suicide.

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However, a week later they noted that the formal cause of death for the twins has not been concluded.

The organization added March 16, A GBI medical examiner has completed the autopsies, but the official ME ruling and results are pending additional forensic tests.

Qaadir and Naazir had been scheduled to take a flight to Boston on March 7 to visit friends, but the pair never boarded their flight, according to authorities. The brothers bodies were found 90 miles away from their Lawrenceville, Ga., home in an area their family told NBC affiliate WXIA they had never visited with their plane tickets in their wallets.

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How did they end up out in the mountains? their uncle Rahim Brawner told WXIA. They dont hike out there, theyve never been out there. They dont know anything about Hiawassee, Ga. They never even heard of Bell Mountain, so how did they end up right there?

As for investigators murder-suicide ruling, he said, We knew right away that wasnt true.

Theyre very protective of each other. They love each other, he continued. Theyre inseparable. I couldnt imagine them hurting each other because Ive never seen them get into a fistfight before.

Yasmine Brawner/GoFundMe

Its a sentiment their aunt Yasmine Brawner echoed. As she noted, the twins had a huge support system.

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We know them. They wouldnt do anything like this, she told the outlet. To say they did this to each other? No. Something happened in those mountains, and we want answers.

As such, the family is continuing to try to find out what happened.

We want answers, another aunt, Samira Brawner added, we want to know exactly what happened to the twins.

(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
A teenager has been charged after a rock was thrown through a mosque during 9pm prayers.

Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre has condemned two incidents that happened on Saturday evening.

In the first incident, paint was allegedly thrown at the door and pavement area on Spital and a few hours later a rock came through a window of the mosque.

Police are treating the incident as a hate crime and said a 17-year-old boy has been charged. Nobody was hurt but those in the building were left shaken.

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A mosque spokesman told the PA news agency: The rock went through the window and (it) shattered. Everybody was fine but people are a bit shaken. It happened at around 9pm while prayers were going on.

Seventeen-year-old arrested

A Police Scotland spokesman said: Following an investigation into reports of vandalism at a mosque in Spital, Aberdeen, officers have arrested and charged a 17-year-old male. The incident occurred on Saturday 15 March.

Police are treating the incident as a hate crime. The male has been released on an undertaking and will appear at court at a later date.

In a joint statement on social media, the Mosque and Islamic Centre thanked those who offered support in the aftermath and praised kind neighbours and worshippers who united to help clean up the mess.

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They said: We are very grateful to our neighbours and well-wishers in these difficult times.

They added: The mosques in Aberdeen would like to assure all members of the community that, in light of these incidents, all the mosques are taking additional security measures as well as being assured of support from the police.

The police will be performing additional patrols around the mosques during prayer and other busy times.

We would ask all attendees and worshippers to please be alert and remain vigilant, however, do not be alarmed and continue with your efforts and prayers to gain maximum benefits from this blessed month of Ramadan.

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CHICAGO  A teenage boy was shot in the head Sunday evening and left to die overnight before being found by officers in North Lawndale on the citys Southwest Side, according to family and multiple police sources.

Chicago police said officers on patrol found the unresponsive teenage boy on the ground with a gunshot wound to his head just after 2 a.m. Monday in the 1500 block of South Kildare Avenue.

The Chicago Fire Department was called to the scene and attempted to save the boys life, but police said he was pronounced dead at the scene.

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His identity has not yet been released by the Cook County Medical Examiners Office, however, family members told WGN the victim was 13 years old. Family said he had not been heard from and they informed authorities about his last known location, which was in the area where he was found.

21-year-old woman charged with attempted murder in Back of the Yards liquor store shooting

It is not clear what time the shooting happened, sources said, because no 911 calls were made by anyone to report shots fired before the victim was discovered.

Police sources said investigators are looking into two reports of possible shots fired in the area on Sunday, including one earlier in the afternoon, and one just after 6:40 p.m., both made by officers on patrol.

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The area where the shooting happened was previously covered by ShotSpotters gunshot detection technology. The nearest microphone used to detect gunshots was about one block away.

In February 2024, Mayor Brandon Johnson, making good on a campaign promise, canceled the citys contract with SoundThinking, the company behind the technology. It officially went offline later that year in September, despite pushback and last-ditch efforts by some City Council members, including 24th Ward Ald. Monique Scott, to reverse the decision.

Its a needle in a haystack with police officers now looking for gunshots and looking for victims. I think thats disgusting, Scott said.

Prior to the technology being decommissioned, a group of alders voted 33-14 on an ordinance that sought to overturn the mayors plan to eliminate ShotSpotter in Chicago.

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The technology was used to pinpoint the approximate, and oftentimes, exact location of gunfire. Supporters argued the acoustic gunshot detection system helped police respond to shootings when no one calls 911, allowing officers or medics to render aid sooner. Critics argued the technology did little to make the city safer and that it led to over-policing in predominantly minority neighborhoods.

As the city looks to find a replacement technology, some alders argue damage has already been done. Scott said there have been nearly 40 cases city-wide where victims were found and no 911 calls about a shooting were made.

One is too many and this is the second kid in my ward; One was found on the sidewalk, and now this boy in the backyard, said Scott. He should be in school at this time; not in a morgue waiting for his mom to bury him, under no circumstances should this have happened.

Police have ruled the death a homicide, but they have not shared details on what may have led up to the fatal shooting. They also said nobody is yet in custody.

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Man dies after Old Town shooting

Martin Williams, who told WGN News hes a cousin of the victim, came by the area to learn more about what happened.

According to Williams, the victim was last seen hanging out with a group of friends. When the shooting happened, Williams claims all the friends left, leaving his cousin for hours before police found him.

So he laid in a cold gangway, said Williams.

The shooting happened across the street from Charles Hughes Elementary School and Franklin Park, but police have not said if there were any witnesses.

This is an unfortunate event, Williams said. His mother is hurting. His family is hurting. When does it stop?

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WGN has reached out to the Mayors office and Chicago Public Schools for a statement. We have not yet heard back.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Police said Area Four detectives are investigating.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has returned home to Dubai, he said Monday, seven months after being arrested in France over charges that the platform was being used for criminal activity.

Ive returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home, Durov posted on his Telegram channel Monday.

A spokesperson for the Paris prosecutors office told NBC News that Durov remains under investigation.

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I want to thank the investigative judges for letting this happen, as well as my lawyers and team for their relentless efforts in demonstrating that, when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations, Durov said.

Durov, an enigmatic Soviet-born tech entrepreneur who has long claimed to be a champion of free speech, was arrested in Paris in August. The Paris prosecutors office said he had been detained as part of a larger investigation into the platforms complicity in alleged crimes related to child sex abuse material (CSAM), among other accusations.

Last fall, after being released by law enforcement but required to stay in France, Durov announced plans to significantly improve Telegrams response to criminals who abuse the platform.

Headquartered in Dubai, Telegram is rare among global social media platforms for not having overt ties to either the United States or China. Its particularly popular in the Middle East, eastern Europe and Russia, and in recent years has also become popular among some in the American far right.

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Thanks to its history of explicitly avoiding moderation, which Durov has equated with censorship, Telegram has long attracted terrorists, cybercriminals and people who traffic in child sex abuse material.

As NBC News reported in August, Telegram was previously the only major social media platform to refuse to work with any of the major international child safety organizations to combat CSAM.

In December, Telegram announced that it partnered with the U.K.-based Internet Watch Foundation to automatically flag and remove that material.

Despite Durovs pledge to reduce abuse of his platform, its still a preferred platform for some cybercriminals. An NBC News investigation into text message scams last week found that Chinese-speaking cybercriminals who sell software to fake credit card payments routinely use Telegram to advertise.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov said Monday that he has travelled from France to Dubai as French authorities continue to investigate criminal activity on his messaging app.

Durov revealed his whereabouts in a post on his Telegram channel. He had been detained last year after arriving in Paris, where French authorities handed him preliminary charges for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform.

After his arrest, Durov was barred from leaving France pending further investigation, and was required to report to a police station twice a week,

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As you may have heard, Ive returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram, Durov wrote. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home."

French investigators say Telegram was used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that the platform refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

In his post, Durov thanked the investigative judges for letting this happen.

Investigators detained Durov last August when he arrived at Le Bourget airport outside Paris and questioned him for four days as part of a sweeping probe.

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Durov said in his post that when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.

He insisted last year after his arrest that Telegram is not some sort of anarchic paradise, and blamed surging numbers of Telegram users, which caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.
TRIPOLI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Interior Minister, Emad al-Tarabelsi, on Monday called on the European Union and the countries affected by illegal migration flows from Libya to provide effective support to the North African country against illegal migration.

Al-Tarabelsi made his remarks during a meeting in the capital Tripoli with Ambassadors and Charges d'Affaires of the European Union and African Union embassies in Libya, as well as representatives of the European Union Delegation, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said a statement issued by the Interior Ministry published on its official Facebook page.

According to the statement, the minister called on EU countries and countries affected by illegal migration to provide effective support to Libya "by strengthening security on its southern borders, providing modern equipment and technologies to monitor illegal movements, accelerating the voluntary deportation of illegal migrants in coordination with international organizations, and combating smuggling and human trafficking networks through strict measures and targeting organized crime hotbeds."

The minister noted that Libya will not bear the burden of illegal migration alone and will never become a settlement zone (for migrants), warning that the continued uncontrolled flow of migrants will exacerbate the security and social situation, not only in Libya but across the entire region.

Al-Tarabelsi stressed that the ultimate solution to the illegal migration crisis begins with securing the southern borders, not just by monitoring the coasts "as the European Union emphasizes".

Meanwhile, the Libyan minister stressed the necessity for launching development projects in the source countries to curb the motives of illegal migration from its roots.

Because of the insecurity and chaos in the country since the fall of its late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, many migrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya. 
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder and CEO of Telegram, said on Monday that he had returned to Dubai.

Durov was arrested at an airport near Paris last August and subsequently placed under formal investigation, with a ban on leaving France.

Durov said he had spent several months in France "due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home."

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"I want to thank the investigative judges for letting this happen, as well as my lawyers and team for their relentless efforts in demonstrating that, when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations," he said.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Men incarcerated on death row in Tennessee are suing the state over its lethal injection protocol, calling it a violation of the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions.

Nine men currently set to be executed by the state filed the civil rights action in the Davidson County Chancery Court against Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) Commissioner Frank Strada and Riverbend Maximum Security Institution Warden Kenneth Nelsen.

In their suit, the death row inmates say the states new lethal injection protocol, unveiled in January, is too obviously untenable to stand.

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Execution dates set for four Tennessee death row inmates after years of delays

They claim pentobarbital has been shown to pose a high risk of a tortuous death, especially if mishandled or improperly stored. Additionally, they claim TDOC has an internal culture of recklessness and noncompliance, meaning no TDOC employees would be able to comply with even the bare-bones protections against maladministration.

Further, they claim TDOC has imposed draconian restrictions on those receiving the death penalty from communicating with family and friends in the 12 hours prior to their execution, saying the restrictions pose little, if any, purpose.

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Some of the concerns they bring in their suit include the lethal injection drugs storage, handling and administration, citing previous concerns brought to light in April 2022, which prompted Gov. Bill Lee to halt all executions for more than two years.

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The state elected to continue using pentobarbital as part of its lethal injection protocol, even after the U.S. Department of Justice abandoned its use, citing unnecessary pain and suffering.

In the suit, the inmates claim the drugs scarcity, difficulty in obtaining it, and overall secrecy surrounding the states supply of it, all point to constitutional violations by the TDOC.

TN prison system revises lethal injection protocol

They also claim the TDOC protocol contains no minimum competency requirements for a supplier, including no prohibition on using a supplier with a history of safety violations or fraud.

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They ask the court to declare the execution by pentobarbital injection process unconstitutional and for corrections to the inadequacies in the 2025 protocol, as well as the right to have legal counsel present when they are strapped to the gurney and having their IVs inserted, and a determination that the use of curtains and a severed audio-visual connection to conceal the death check is a constitutional violation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
A new Tennessee Department of Health directive bars employees from using pronouns in their email signatures. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The Tennessee Department of Health has banned the use of preferred pronouns in staff emails, mirroring similar directives issued by federal agencies in response to orders issued by the Trump Administration.

The ban on the use of preferred pronouns is reflected in a communication policy branding standards March 5 policy update.

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The updated policy about state employees emails says that gender pronouns may not be included in the subject line, body, or signature line for purposes of identifying the preferred pronouns of the sender.

Pronouns may not be used in an email unless they are being used within a sentence in the place of a noun.

The policy revisions came at the authority of the Commissioner of Health, a spokesperson said. Dr. Ralph Alvarado  a former Republican state senator from Kentucky and one-time running mate of former Kentucky governor Matt Bevin  has been commissioner of the department since 2023.

Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Ralph Alvarado has barred the use of pronouns in department email signatures. (Photo: John Partipilo)

The health departments directive reflects a broader national rollback of policies intended to recognize the identities of nonbinary individuals in and out of government.

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Dean Flener, a health department spokesperson, initially responded to questions about a policy change by saying there was not a new policy.

The previous version of the health department policy, however, revealed no instructions on the use of preferred pronouns. That prior policy was revised March 5.

Flener said the update reflects a more comprehensive reiteration of existing department policy.

The Departments Communication Policy previously addressed what may and may not be included in employee emails and auto-signatures, Flener said in response to additional questions from the Lookout. The updated language in the policy reiterates those existing requirements in a more comprehensive manner.

The new policy also adds one more prohibition: emails may not include inspirational quotations.

DOH pronoun policy

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Southern hospitality is alive and well in Tennessee, which was recently ranked as the No. 2 friendliest state in the United States by World Population Review. South Carolina and Texas also made this list, ranking No. 3 and No. 4 respectively.

"Tennessee is full of the famous southern charm and hospitality," World Population Review said. "Residents are proud and eager to make friends with visitors and show them all that their state has to offer."

World Population Review ranked in two categories: Big 7 Travel "politeness index" survey results and Zippias list of each states average tipping rate.

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Big 7 Travel asked 2.5 million of their social media followers to vote on which states are the friendliest. Tennessee ranked No. 2 on this list also. As for tipping culture, Tennessee scored lower at No. 21, according to Zippia with an average tipping rate of 15.9%.

New York is considered the least friendly state, according to World Population Review. Unsurprisingly, Minnesota took the top spot, but who could compete with "Minnesota nice"?!?

What are the top 10 most friendly states?

Minnesota Tennessee South Carolina Texas Wyoming Indiana Colorado Kansas Oklahoma Hawaii

How do Southern states rank?

Beyond the three states that cracked the top 10 most friendly states, how do Southern states rank in terms of friendlessness?

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Most were in the middle of the pack. Louisiana and Georgia are within the top 20 most friendly states, while Alabama took No. 21 and Mississippi ranked at No. 23. North Carolina may border Tennessee and South Carolina, two very friendly states, but it ranked much lower in spot No. 33.

Arkansas, Florida and Virginia all scored very low on the friendliness scale. Arkansas came second-to-last at No. 49, and Florida claimed No. 43 and Virginia ranked No. 35, according to the data.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What is the friendliest state in the U.S.? Where Tennessee ranks
Its been eight weeks since Tennessee lawmakers returned to Nashville for this years legislative session.

Early days of the proceedings were tied up in a special legislative session that focused on a statewide school voucher program, approving some new state funding for victims of Hurricane Helene, and taking new steps toward state immigration enforcement.

With another month, at least, before adjournment, heres what lawmakers have  and have not yet  done on Capitol Hill.

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Want to contact your state representative or senator to give feedback on a bill? Find the legislator who represents you and their contact information here.

What theyve passed

 Offered new protection for victims of unlawful photography: Following advocacy by a group of Nashville women who joined forces after they were secretly filmed by an ex-boyfriend, lawmakers passed the Voyeurism Victims Act, which will extend the statute of limitations in unlawful photography cases, and allow victims to petition for an order of protection. The bill awaits the governors signature.

Several victims who were filmed illegally and have been seeking justice, stand together for a portrait at the studio in The Tennessean in Nashville , Tenn., Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.

 Banned cellphones during school instructional time: Lawmakers gave final approval to a bill requiring all Tennessee school districts ban the use of cellphones, laptops, smart watches and other devices during instructional time. Its now on its way to Gov. Bill Lee's desk. While many school districts already have such policies in place, the bill requires each district to develop and implement policies restricting the use of any wireless communication devices during instructional time. Districts are required to allow students to access and use devices in emergency situations so they can contact their parents. The bill also requires districts to make exceptions for students with disabilities and special learning needs.

 Approved funding for Helene victims: Lawmakers voted during the special session to establish a disaster emergency response fund and send millions in aid to East Tennessee communities impacted by flooding from Hurricane Helene last year that killed at least 17 Tennesseans. Included in the relief is $100 million for a disaster response program, suspension of unemployment eligibility requirements for impacted residents, and funding to cover 2024 property taxes for residents whose property was destroyed or damaged by the storm. Democrats framed the aid as too little, too late.

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 A statewide private school voucher program: One of the earliest bills passed this year was a $447 million statewide school choice program, offering state-funded scholarships for children of any income to attend private schools, regardless of where they live. The legislation was a top priority of Lee since he first ran for office, and the administration is working to implement the program in time for the 2025-26 school year.

Gov. Bill Lee talks to the students in attendance before he signs the statewide school voucher bill at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

 Created new state immigration enforcement czar, office: During the special legislative session, Republicans passed a bill to establish a new, $5 million central state immigration enforcement office, and change the design for legal resident immigrants drivers licenses to differentiate them from U.S. citizens. The bill also criminalizes local officials who vote in support of sanctuary policies for immigrants. Records related to the new state office are largely exempt from the state public records statute.

What theyre considering

 Requiring schools to check students immigration status: Lawmakers are considering a controversial measure that would allow Tennessee schools to block undocumented children from enrolling, or charge them tuition for public education  a direct effort to challenge U.S. Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe. The measure has seen stringent opposition from immigrant rights advocates, who argue that all children deserve to learn, and immigrants without legal status are still fully contributing to school funding through sales tax purchases, since state has no income tax. Proponents have said the bill is aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

 Making Tennessee drivers license tests English-only: Legislation seeking to require all drivers license tests to be offered in English only  and ban dictionaries and other translation help  is set for hearings in both chambers this week. English is designated as the official language of Tennessee, but there is currently no restriction on offering public documents in other languages. The new bill would also ban the use of aids such translation dictionaries, electronic devices or interpreters during the exams. Currently, written drivers license tests in Tennessee are offered in English, Spanish, German, Korean and Japanese. Driving tests are offered in English only. Immigrant rights groups have denounced the bill as a regressive bill that could compromise road safety.

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 Making juvenile records of deceased school shooters public: Following the deadly shooting at Antioch High School in Nashville, lawmakers are considering making public the juvenile records of court proceedings, mental health records, and interactions with the Department of Childrens Services if a minor commits a school shooting and later dies. A homicide conviction would not be required to make the records public. State law currently requires the records to remain confidential to protect youth offenders, but proponents say making them public in this instance could help identify issues and circumstances that led to the attack  and inform prevention strategies.

Rep. William Lamberth R- Portland walks to the podium to present HB 793 during a House committee meeting at Cordell Hull State Office building in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

 Protecting access for IVF, contraception: After voting down a bill last year to protect access to fertility care and contraceptives amid national tension around in-vitro fertilization, GOP lawmakers are now behind a bill to explicitly clarify that nothing in state law prohibits access to fertility treatments or contraception, and individuals have a right to engage in both. Legal implications of Tennessee's abortion ban on continued access to contraception and IVF care arose following a controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling last year that offered frozen embryos created through in-vitro fertilization the same rights as fully-developed children.

 Excluding soda, candy from SNAP: Lawmakers are considering seeking federal approval to exclude candy and soft drinks from Tennessees food aid program, following initiatives of the Trump administration in an effort to Make America Healthy Again. Soda is one of the most frequently bought commodities in the SNAP program nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and about 11% of dollars nationwide are used to purchase sweetened beverages and candy alone. There were more than 702,000 participants in Tennessee's SNAP program last year. House Republicans approved the bill earlier this month, and it is set to be considered in a Senate committee this week.

Rep. Jason Zachary R-Knoxville, presents SB 1971 during a House session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

 Requiring overnight school facilities to segregate based on biological sex: A bill seeking to require residential educational programs to segregate restrooms and locker rooms based on immutable biological sex is set for a final House vote this week, and will likely see a final vote in the Senate as well. Sponsor Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, says the bill is an effort to protect girls privacy. Democrats have framed the measure as an attack on the LGBTQ+ community. State law already bars transgender students from accessing sex-based multi-use restrooms and changing facilities, instead requiring schools to offer another reasonable accommodation to transgender students and school staff.

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 Instituting a 10% vape tax: A bill imposing restrictions on what vape products can be sold in Tennessee  and a 10% sales tax on such products  is quickly moving forward. The bill would require FDA approval before products like vape pens, vape molds, cig-a-likes, and pod mods are sold. An estimated 400,000 people in Tennessee regularly use vaping devices, and Tennessee is one of about 20 states that does not currently tax such products. The bill sponsor says its an effort to curb the sale of illegal and potentially dangerous Chinese vape products. But vape shop owners say its an attack on their industry backed by big tobacco.

Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, speaks during the third day of special session at the Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.

 Renaming BNA "Trump International Airport": A bill seeking to rename Nashville International Airport after President Donald Trump is moving forward again after stalling due to concern over a $10.3 million price tag. The legislation is up for hearings in both chambers this week.

 Establishing a $25 million farmland conservation fund: Legislation backed by the governor seeking to establish a $25 million fund to offer financial incentives for farmers who voluntarily place their land into a privately-managed conservation easement has passed the Senate, and is awaiting consideration in the House. The bill easily passed the House last year. Tennessee loses about 10 acres of farmland every hour to development. The fund is aimed at offering an alternative to farmers facing unpredictable markets and pressure to sell their land.

Sam Kennedy waits on a heard of about 600 Katahdin sheep to move towards the gate to move to a neighboring pasture at Kettle Mills Farm in Hampshire, Tenn., Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Kennedy's multigenerational farm has been in operation since 1810.

 The state budget: With state revenues flattening this year, lawmakers will face some tough spending choices as they consider the state budget. Lees $58.4 billion budget proposal includes $1 billion in one-time spending to chip away at the states $30 billion in outstanding road projects, funding for 100 more state trooper positions, $579.3 million in new funding for public schools, and no new tax cuts or tax holidays for consumers.

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Melissa Brown contributed.

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee General Assembly: What lawmakers have done so far in 2025
The USDA has scrapped two local food purchase programs, canceling federal funding that would have been used by Tennessee schools and food banks to purchase fresh food from local producers. (Photo:John Partipilo)

Tennessee students will have less access to locally grown foods and Tennessee farmers will lose out on millions of dollars in purchases after the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut two programs funding local foods for schools and food banks.

The USDA announced around $1 billion in cuts last week due to the cancellation of the Local Food for Schools program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program. The cuts come amid efforts by President Donald Trumps administration to slash the federal budget.

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The decision reverses an December announcement from the USDA pledging a $1.13 billion investment to continue the programs  which were originally created to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic  into 2025.

About $660 million intended to allow schools and child care institutions throughout the nation to purchase locally produced food has been scrapped, according to the School Nutrition Association. Another $500 million would have supported local food purchases for food banks nationwide.

The Tennessee Department of Education received more than $4.1 million to purchase food from local producers for schools in 2023, according to USDA records. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture was awarded $8.2 million for the LFPA program  money that was used by five Tennessee food banks to buy food from 247 local producers, 142 of which were classified as underserved producers. The USDA defines underserved producers as beginning farmers, veterans, socially disadvantaged farmers and farmers with limited resources (incomes at or below the poverty line or 50% of their areas median income).

When the Tennessee Department of Agriculture missed deadlines to claim $7.2 million for the LFPA program the next year, outcry from constituents led state lawmakers to carve out an equal amount of unspent American Rescue Plan funds from the annual budget to create the Farm to Food Banks program to fill the gap.

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Federal funding for the programs for fiscal year 2025 is no longer available and agreements will be terminated after a 60-day notification period, the USDA told participating states, territories and tribes.

Were going to continue to feed the kids, but we will not be able to give them the quality of food that weve been giving.

 Vickie Dunaway, Milan Special School District Food Service Supervisor

Tennessees agriculture department intended to participate in LFPA25 but had not yet signed any contracts, department Public Information Officer Kim Doddridge confirmed.

This isnt an abrupt shift  just last week, USDA released over half a billion in previously obligated funds for LFPA and LFS to fulfill existing commitments and support ongoing local food purchases, a USDA spokesperson wrote in an email to Tennessee Lookout.

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Agreements that were already in place under the LFPA/LFPA Plus program will continue to receive funds until the USDA sunsets the program at the end of the performance period. The USDA will focus on its 16 other nutrition programs instead.

The COVID era is over  USDAs approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward, the spokesperson stated.

Tennessee Department of Education Media Director Brian Blackley wrote in a statement to Tennessee Lookout that the end of the Local Food for Schools program will not impact our ability to ensure that Tennessees most vulnerable children are fed at school.

Doddridge said farmers across the state may be impacted by reduction in available current funding due to the LFPA25 cancellation. She directed farmers to the TDA and USDA websites for resources.

But while the USDA and the Tennessee Department of Education view the programs as extraordinary support during the COVID-19 pandemic, local farmers, food banks and school nutrition officials say the funding cuts will be keenly felt in both food quality and community economies.

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Milan Special School District Food Service Supervisor Vickie Dunaway said Friday she views the cuts as going backwards, moving away from feeding kids fresh foods and returning to processed foods that are less healthy but more affordable.

I dont think that its a pandemic thing at all, Dunaway said. I think its just a matter of moving forward and educating our kids and communities on the proper way of eating.

Funding cut could mean more processed food in schools

Dunaway used Local Food for Schools funding to help pay for school lunches and summer meals. Last year, the Milan Special School District fed students more than 132,000 lunches during the school year and more than 30,800 meals during summer months.

The funding allowed her to partner with a local stockyard to get minimally processed local beef delivered directly to the district. She contracted with local farmers to raise broccoli, purple hull peas, tomatoes, corn and melons specifically for the schools.

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That will obviously have to be cut out, because our budget will not withstand being able to purchase local, she said. Purchasing local, minimally processed food is way more expensive than buying from a distributor.

But with that higher price tag come significant benefits: the food is healthier, local farmers and communities receive more support and kids get to see where their food comes from, Dunaway said. Over the summer, her district sent kids home with recipes and whole foods like cabbages, melons or fresh corn on the cob.

Were going to continue to feed the kids, but we will not be able to give them the quality of food that weve been giving, Dunaway said.

Cuts impact whole communities, local producer says

Jeff Letson owns Hitman Smoked Products, a bacon producer in Clifton, Tennessee. He worked with Mid South Food Bank last year, and is now on his second quarter of purchase orders with Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville.

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When the LFPA program started, his company went from processing 500 pounds of bacon each week to 2,500 pounds. He went from having three employees to 10.

The programs cancellation meant he had to cut his workforce by half. The consequences are felt by everyone who benefited from the program, not just farmers, Letson said.

Even though thats a small amount of jobs, Clifton, Tennessee is a small community, and it impacts us, he said. Theres five more people out looking for a job.

Letson has contacted Tennessee U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn about the program cut.

I do believe in a lot of the Department of Government Efficiency efforts  I think we will all benefit from that in some way  but you just cant do that with a shotgun approach on everything, he said. I hope that theres some of these (cuts) that people can contact their senators and congressmen about and say, Heres one that you really need to go back and look at. Its worthwhile.

Food bank leader says cut is devastating news

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee CEO Nancy Keil said in a statement that the cut is devastating news for the five Tennessee Food Banks serving our state.

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Second Harvest has been and will continue to implement the Farm to Food Banks program funded by Tennessee lawmakers last year after the states LFPA application bungle. But LFPA25 would have provided federal funding to extend the program, allowing Tennessee food banks to continue purchasing fresh produce, proteins, and dairy from local farmers, Keil stated.

She refers to the program as a proven win-win.

It supports our food-insecure neighbors, sustains local farmers, and boosts the Tennessee economy across all 95 counties, she wrote. The loss of this $7.7 million funding to support the program is a significant missed opportunity. It impacts the most essential part of our food system  connecting food banks with local growers to provide nutritious food to communities in need.

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Nine inmates on Tennessees death row have filed a lawsuit challenging the states new lethal injection protocol citing a high risk of torturous death and what they say is a history of mishandling executions.

After a nearly five-year hiatus, Tennessee announced plans to resume capital punishment this year with a new lethal injection protocol using one drug called pentobarbital.

Opponents have raised concerns about the risks of using the drug and its links to botched executions where witnesses described inmates gasping for air before they died.

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The evidence keeps piling up to show that pentobarbital poisoning is excruciatingly painful, attorney Amy Harwell, who is representing the death row inmates, said in a statement. Tennessee appears to have picked this method only because they were able to get their hands on pentobarbital, not because its use for executions complies with the Constitution or state law.

The U.S. Department of Justice, under former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, halted the use of pentobarbital for federal death row inmates in January after it was unable to determine whether the drug causes unnecessary pain and suffering.

The Trump Administration, however, has said it plans to make it easier for states to obtain lethal injection drugs.

Tortured to death

The lawsuit filed in Davidson County Chancery Court on Friday cites recent evidence showing pentobarbital, a barbituate, can cause pulmonary edema when used in executions. The condition causes fluid to fill in the lungs, creating a sense of drowning that some experts have likened to chemical waterboarding.

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The suit notes a 2022 study by physicians that found evidence in autopsies that inmates had frothy fluid in the lungs, signaling they had been struggling to breathe before they died.

The lawsuit says the risk is exacerbated by the states history of not following its own protocol. The governor in 2022 halted executions after it was found the state failed to follow its own lethal injection protocol.

A state-commissioned report later found the state failed to test its lethal injection drugs for bacterial endotoxins. The failure likely resulted in the execution of at least two people using expired, compromised or untested drugs.

The Riverbend Maximum Security Prison in Nashville houses Tennessee's death row inmates.

This culture of noncompliance, when combined with the risk-prone nature of pentobarbital poisoning as a method of execution, creates a high risk that a person receiving a lethal injection administered by TDOC will be tortured to death, the suit says.

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The suit says the new protocol fails to outline major details for lethal injection, like qualifications and oversight of those charged with administering the drug, and an absence of safeguards to ensure the drug is handled and stored properly.

The states new lethal injection protocol, a 44-page document, is half the length of the previous one. It contains one page on the use of lethal injection chemicals, and does not include details on how the drugs will be acquired, tested and stored.

The Attorney General's Office, which represents the state in the lawsuits, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Whos on Tennessee death row

While the Department of Justice has renounced pentobarbital, Tennessee and about a dozen other states are pushing forward with the drug.

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Tennessee currently has 45 men and one woman on death row. The nine people who have filed the lawsuit are: Oscar Smith, who is scheduled to be executed on May 22, Byron Black, who is scheduled to be executed Aug. 5, the Rev. Kevin Burns, Jon Hall, Kennath Henderson, Henry Hodges, Darrell Hines, Farris Morris and Glenn Rogers.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee's death row inmates sue to stop lethal injection protocol
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined three key conditions for future negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine in an interview with RBC-Ukraine published on March 17.

"I don't like this definition (red lines). There are fundamental things that are non-negotiable, that cannot be touched upon," Sybiha said when asked what Ukraine's red lines are in potential talks.

Sybiha stressed that Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty are non-negotiable, reaffirming that Kyiv will never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced this stance back on March 12.

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Despite this, the Trump administration has suggested that Kyiv and Moscow must compromise on a peace deal, calling Ukraine's goal of restoring its pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."

Russian forces currently occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine, where reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations continue to emerge.

According to Sybiha, the second key condition is Ukraine's right to choose its alliances. He emphasized that no country should have a veto over Ukraine's NATO and EU aspirations.

Kyiv officially applied to join NATO in September 2022, and in 2024, the alliance declared Ukraine's path to membership "irreversible," though no formal invitation has been extended.

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Sybiha also underscored that Ukraine's ability to defend itself must remain unrestricted, meaning there can be no restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"Russia must be held accountable. These are all elements of a lasting peace," he said.

On March 13, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was willing to accept a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire but demanded guarantees that Kyiv would halt mobilization, military training, and foreign aid deliveries  conditions that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to renewed aggression.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Putin on March 18 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. While Trump seeks to secure a deal, European allies and Ukraine warn that a rushed agreement without security guarantees may fail to ensure lasting peace.

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Read also: Russia open to civilian observers in Ukraine under possible peace deal

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Surveys conducted by Caliber and T-Online both show a sharp drop in favorability for Tesla among Germans. Sales in the first two months of this year plunged a combined 71% amid controversy over Musk's embrace of the AfD and a scheduled production shutdown.

In an affluent residential neighborhood of Berlin, four Tesla vehicles burnt to a crisp in the early morning hours of Friday after unknown vandals set them ablaze.

This latest act of arson to engulf CEO Elon Musks cars is now being investigated by a special commission for its likely political motive, according to the citys police department.

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Symbolically its another blow to the complicated love affair between Musk and a country that is home to his only manufacturing plant in Europe, located less than an hour away from the crime scenes.

While the four burnt cars are perhaps the most vivid manifestation of Germans turning their back, surveys suggest consumers in Europes largest economy are deserting the brand over Musks embrace of U.S. President Donald Trump and the populist far right.

The correlation with Musks behavior cannot be overlooked, Shahar Silbershatz, head of the Danish market research firm Caliber, told the countrys leading business daily Handelsblatt.

His team has been polling Germans on their opinion of Tesla for months. In August, shortly after Musk endorsed Trump, 31% considered purchasing a Tesla as their next car.

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That dropped to just 16% in January amid Trump's inauguration and the scandal around Musks stiff-armed gesture that prompted comparisons to a Nazi salute. February, however, showed a slight rebound to 20%, according to the paper on Monday.

After a catastrophic January and February, March should see an improvement

That is still far more positive than an informal survey by T-Online last week that asked Germans whether they would buy a Tesla. More than 94% responded no while just 3% claimed they still would.

Although it was not conducted with the usual rigor of a professional polling firm like Caliber and therefore not statistically representative, it was notable for the fact that a record number participated, with roughly 100,000 voting through the website.

Directionally, that suggests the brand is losing ground in Germany, which is tied with the U.K. as Europes largest EV market with roughly 380,000 vehicles sold last year.

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The latest sales data support this. In January registrations of new Teslas plunged 60%, a descent that accelerated to 76% in February.

Part of this is due to the changeover from the original Model Y, far and away the brands bestseller, to a version that debuted this month. In the process, Teslas factory outside Berlin shut down for a period to prepare the assembly line.

Some customers will have also postponed a purchase in order to wait for the refresh, so March results will most likely see a sharp improvement over the steep plunge witnessed in the first two months.

Images of Musk's controversial salute may fall foul of German laws

The direction of recent polls suggests Tesla will struggle to claw back lost market share given the growing number of competitor models. A swathe of Germans are infuriated by his failed attempt to install the far-right party in power in last months election.

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Its a remarkable fall from grace for entrepreneur Musk, who took a big gamble in choosing high-wage Germany for the site of his third vehicle factory.

When the countrys domestic carmakers preferred setting up new manufacturing plants in countries like Hungary to capitalize on eastern Europes lower labor costs, Musk invested billions to build his site on a patch of land on the outskirts of Berlin.

Germany's often high level of bureaucracyincluding the full printout of tens of thousands of pages of permitting applications for recordkeepingdidnt deter him. Neither did the opposition from some groups protesting the plant's impact on the local water supply.

Yet the Tesla factory, which has contributed significantly to the regions otherwise weak economy, has become a symbol of Musk and not just the company. Last month it served as the backdrop to a protest with an image of the CEO's stiff-armed salute projected onto the building alongside the words, Heil, Tesla.

The salute is strictly forbidden in Germany. Even the image itself as a political statement against Musk could potentially fall foul of local laws.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Two men accused of plotting to murder a man in Grand Rapids Burton Heights neighborhood in 2023 were back in court Monday.

Tyriq Bettison and Dominike Sterling are accused of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Darryl Yarber, who was shot to death Nov. 6, 2023, in the area of Horton Avenue near Burton Street SE.

GRPD: Conspiracy to shoot, kill man in Burton Heights in 2023

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During a preliminary hearing Monday, one witness testified the two men were upset at Yarber after learning he allegedly ratted Sterling out years before in a bank robbery case.

While the two men have been named as co-defendants, most of Mondays testimony was about Sterling, who police say actually pulled the trigger. An ex-girlfriend testified Sterling took her 9 mm gun and told her she wasnt getting it back. She also testified about specific clothing items Sterling wore the morning of the shooting and what were caught on surveillance cameras.

Attorneys for the co-defendants argued that most, if not all, of Mondays line of questioning and testimony was hearsay or speculation at best.

Tyriq Bettison listens during a preliminary hearing in Grand Rapids on March 17, 2025.

Dominike Sterling listens during a preliminary hearing in Grand Rapids on March 17, 2025.

Court documents say Bettison was a passenger in Yarbers car that day and kept in phone contact with Sterling. At least three others were involved in the shooting, according to police, but Bettison and Sterling are so far the only two charged.

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The preliminary hearing will continue April 25. Once testimony is finished, the judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case on to trial.

Yarber, 32, was the third person killed in the same Burton Heights neighborhood on Nov. 6, 2023, hours after Anayia Rodriguez and Malik Eubanks were shot dead. Suspect Casey Harmon Jr. has been charged in their deaths. Police say Rodriguez and Eubanks deaths were unrelated to Yarbers death.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel military said on Monday night that it launched a series of airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah military sites.

A military statement said weapons were identified in the attacked sites. The military warned it "will continue to operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel and will prevent any attempt by Hezbollah."

The Saudi television channel Al-Hadath reported that Israeli aircraft struck seven different sites in Lebanon.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or the extent of the damage.

The airstrikes were the latest in a series of Israeli airstrikes since a truce took effect last November, following 14 months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. 
This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. It is part three in a four-part series. Read part one here and part two here.

ODESSA, Texas  For retired pastor Columbus Cooper, life can be divided into two periods: the time when he could still drink water out of his tap, and the time after.

When Cooper and his wife bought their home in West Odessa in the heart of the Permian Basin, the U.S.s most productive oil field, they knew they were surrounded by tank batteries holding spent fuel or fracking fluid and injection wells injecting that waste fluid back into the Earth.

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But as lifelong Odessans, they werent worried  until their water started tasting funny and the stench crept in. Until, six years ago, two people died in a pump house down the street. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) later confirmed what many already suspected: The very infrastructure that had fueled the regions economic boom was exposing the people who lived there to dangerous toxins.

Without access to city water, West Odessa residents  like rural Texans across oil country  largely depend on water from wells drilled into the aquifer below. Frequently those wells are as little as a few hundred yards from oil and gas wells or other infrastructure linked with toxic pollution  which are just one explosion or spill away from ruining them.

Now, Cooper laughs when he thinks about their decision to move to the neighborhood. I assumed they would be regulated, Cooper told The Hill, pointing to a tank battery venting invisible, noxious gas. I assumed somebody would be making sure we were safe.

The oil and gas industry has long been a cornerstone of the Texas economy, and has brought a flood of new jobs and money to the Permian Basin in recent years as production has climbed to new highs. In 2024 alone, the industry paid a record $27 billion in state taxes and royalties and employed nearly half a million people, many earning more than $124,000 a year.

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The industry and Texas lawmakers argue that beyond the economy, the states fossil fuel production is important for American energy independence  and the environment. The Permian is the regional wellhead of a vast outpouring of oil and  particularly  gas that both the U.S. government and Western oil industry tout as a means of redirecting global markets away from more-polluting energy sources like coal and foreign producers they say produce dirtier products.

Every country is concerned about three things in descending order: national security, energy security and the health of its land and water, ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance said in March at CERAWeek by S&P Global. Natural gas, he said, delivers on all fronts.

But for many Texans on the doorstep of the states staggering fossil fuel expansion of the past decade, the boom has come at a cost. Millions of Texans now live within striking distance of oil infrastructure  exposed to airborne chemicals, groundwater contamination and, in extreme cases, sudden, violent failures of aging wells, all of which creates public concern. You dont want to live close to any of this development  particularly if youre surrounded by wells, Gunnar Schade, a Texas A&M atmospheric chemist, told The Hill.

Fracking, the increasing use of which has driven the past decades oil and gas boom, has been central to much of the mounting pollution concern. Environmentalists and researchers have warned that the technique, in which cocktails of chemicals are pumped underground to shatter rock and release oil and gas, can contaminate groundwater  accusations the industry has fought for years.

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A 2016 EPA study has been cited by both environmentalists and the industry as support for their positions on the issue. The report found that while direct fracking-related water contamination  penetrating from subterranean oil wells to water wells  was possible, it was rare.

Industry groups such as the Texas Oil and Gas Association point to the steps operators take to wall off wells from surrounding groundwater behind layers of steel casing and cement, as well as thousands of feet of rock. And the Independent Petroleum Association of America points to no fewer than two dozen scientific reviews, including the EPA study, that have concluded that fracking does not pose a major threat to groundwater.

But much of that discourse has centered on the direct impact of the fracking process, which leaves out a great deal of oil and gas operations. The EPA study also identified multiple other ways that the fuels extraction threatens water supplies  like spills or deliberate dumping. In the Permian, for example, The Hill observed numerous pumpjacks and storage tanks dripping produced water, or wastewater resulting from the fracking process, on the soil, sometimes in close proximity to farms. This water can resurface tainted with salt, heavy metals, benzene, toxic forever chemicals and even radioactive isotopes.

The EPA has also pointed to risks that come from the disposal of such wastewater in underground injection wells.

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And in Texas, all of these risks have escalated as the amount of water being used to frack ever-deeper wells has risen  leading to new challenges in disposing of the resulting wastewater.

Each year, Texas oil and gas wells generate more than 12 billion barrels of wastewater  4 billion of them in the Permian alone, more than all other U.S. oil fields combined. Texas is one of the only states moving forward with plans to allow this produced water to be disposed of in aboveground creeks and rivers. For example, in south Texass Eagle Ford Shale, researchers found 700 million gallons per year of produced water was being dumped legally into rivers and creeks that cattle drank.

Much of the rest goes back into the Earth. Permian drilling companies inject about 6 billion barrels per year into disposal wells, a process meant to keep it away from drinking water.

But the subsurface that those wells cut into is riven with underground cracks and fissures and pocked with as many as hundreds of thousands of zombie wells, oil and gas wells that were improperly sealed or left open to deteriorate. Many have rusted-out casings, making them potential pathways between underground water sources and the wastewater being forced into disposal wells. For decades, geologists have warned that underground injection wells could interact with these abandoned legacy wells and contaminate the underground water sources they are connected to.

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Deep injection wells also lubricate faults in the Earth, sometimes causing earthquakes bad enough to crack home walls and foundations. One quake last July was strong enough to break municipal water pipes.

After a decade of local outcry about fracking earthquakes, companies began injecting more shallowly. But this gave rise to another issue: Fracking fluid began bursting from the states old, failing or forgotten wells.

The tendency of fracking fluid to come back to the surface has turned cleanup into a game of whack-a-mole, as Kirk Edwards, a local oil and gas executive and former chair of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, put it.

Zombie wells are a black eye for the industry, Edwards told The Hill. He warned that oil producers had perhaps a year to solve the issue before they would face local revolt. The area needed, he said, a Manhattan Project for water to treat and reuse fracking fluid.

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Economics are a large contributor to the problem, Edwards argued. Its cheap for an oil company to pay a trucker to dispose of it, he said, referring to fracking fluid. He defended producers for the instances when fracking fluid theyve injected underground reappears in unexpected places: Those injections, he noted, are legal. Nobody knows the Earth cant hold that water until you have a breakthrough. You cant blame [an operator for a] business plan that has been working for 25 years.

Some efforts have been made to clean up this pollution. The 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $4.7 billion in funding to cap the 100,000-plus zombie wells across America, of which Texas has received more than $100 million so far. In 2023, Texas lawmakers approved another $10 million. State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R), who represents part of the Permian, is seeking $100 million this session to seal area wells.

But the future of all this funding is uncertain. The second Trump administration has repeatedly sought to block Biden-era federal grants related to the environment. None of the monies approved by Texas in 2023 have been distributed yet. And in that same session, a previous version of Landgrafs bill passed the state House but died in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the backlog of orphaned wells  abandoned sites with no financially solvent owner to take responsibility  has grown.

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And another, potentially greater danger arising from the expanding oil and gas infrastructure also looms. For sparsely populated regions like the Permian, said Schade, the Texas A&M atmospheric chemist, the risk of water pollution pales in comparison to the risk of air pollution  something he told The Hill that state regulators have diligently refused to measure.

Some industry leaders acknowledge their role in air pollution  particularly in regard to the issue of methane that is vented or burned off (flared) from wells to relieve pressure. In 2022, the chief executive of Diamondback Energy voiced his support for Biden-era emission-reduction rules that split the oil and gas industry. The rules, he argued, would gain the industry credit from the general public that we are doing  right [by the] environment in producing the barrels.

But others argued the federal oversight was unnecessary, saying the industry is successfully policing itself. The Texas oil and natural gas industry already has been actively implementing measures to identify and lower emissions, Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, told The Center Square. The oil and gas produced in Texas, he added, is the cleanest in the world.

Independent studies indicate airborne chemicals from oil and gas extraction threaten the communities that live around wells and infrastructure. Studies by Schades lab have found that the fracking boom has dramatically increased the human-caused release of dangerous hydrocarbons  in particular benzene, which is higher in the Permian even than other shale regions like the Eagle Ford. In high enough doses, benzene can break the bodys ability to create red blood cells, raising the risk of developing conditions akin to leukemia.

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Schade noted that increased fracking has also led to higher levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx), which harms the throat and nose and can worsen asthma. When combined with toxic hydrocarbons, NOx can create the chemical ozone, which can spread far from individual wells and increases the risk of death for those exposed over the long term.

People living in the oil patch, Schade said, faced simultaneous exposure to air, water, noise and light pollution that was hard for outsiders to fathom.

Only those actually living in the areas of production, or spending at least a significant time there, he added, should be consulted to get an idea what its like.

Sometimes, those conditions are lethal for residents. In October 2019, a woman named Natalee Dean loaded her two children into the car and went out looking for her husband, Jacob  a contractor with a small local oil company called Aghorn Energy.

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Jacob had been called out to the site hours before to investigate a malfunctioning pump and stopped answering his cellphone, according to criminal charges later filed against the company by the federal government. Frightened, Natalee loaded the kids into the car and drove to the Aghorn pump house.

Jacobs truck was parked outside, empty. Federal investigators later concluded that she found Jacob inside the pump house, dead or dying of hydrogen sulfide poisoning  before she died as well. Her last words, according to state records citing family members who were on the phone with her, were oh, my God, E&E News reported. Passers-by found her children, safe, in the car the next morning.

Cooper, the retired pastor, lived nearby. He and his wife had spent years complaining about the facility to the EPA after reeking water spread out of the facility and onto the road long before the deaths. Around the same time, he and his wife began to notice a growing change in the water from the well they, like most in West Odessa, depended on. It was discolored, smelled bad, and left behind stains and residue on their drinking glasses, Cooper said.

Then there was the smell, which filled their home at all hours. He described it as mainly like sewage, rotten eggs, a real pungent smell of ammonia. It burns your eyes and takes your breath away.

Years after the Deans deaths, under the Biden administration, the EPA and Justice Department charged Aghorn and its vice president with violating the Clean Air Act and Safe Drinking Water Act by lying about the quality of its pumps  allegedly leading to the deaths of Jacob and Natalee Dean. The Justice Department and the company agreed to settle the case earlier this month.

The Hill has reached out to Aghorn for comment.

That federal case, for which Cooper was an official witness, also offered an explanation for the changes he and his wife had observed in the water from the family wells. When the EPA told him Aghorn had been dumping spent fracking fluid into the soil  there was absolutely no way we were going to be doing anything with that water, he said.

Now he and his wife drink, cook and wash their dishes with bottled or filtered water they buy. Over the past year, Cooper told The Hill, the prices of that water have nearly doubled, from $0.20 per gallon to $0.35, so they make do with about 100 gallons per month  significantly below the United Nations threshold for water poverty, or insufficient access to clean water.

Rancher Schuyler Wight is frustrated with the companies. The industry keeps making excuses instead of stepping up and fixing the problem, he said.

The rights to drill on the land, which Wights family sold generations before, are now leased by an oil company, which pumps liquified carbon dioxide underground to force oil and gas back to the surface.

But the wells are old, he said, and if they are not quickly capped when no longer producing, they can develop cracks in the casing that keeps chemicals out of water.

Mix [carbon dioxide] and water, you get carbonic acid, Wight said. Carbonic acid corrodes metal and raises the threat of leaks. He pointed to liquid dripping from a valve. Instead of feeding life, as leaks of fresh water would, past spills had salted the soil so nothing would grow, he said.

With 240 old wells on his property, Wight has many such leaks. One of his parcels borders Lake Boehmer, a 60-acre spill bubbling from an abandoned oil-turned-water well: powder blue, dead tree stumps poking from its center. The air on the parcel reeked of hydrogen sulfide.

Wights biggest fear, he said, is a world shifting away from oil that leaves no money for cleanup. If they dont fix it now, while theyve got money, then what happens when they dont?

Lake Boehmer aside, one of the main problems with oil and gas pollution is that, like germs and viruses, its largely invisible, said Sharon Wilson, director of Oilfield Witness, a watchdog group aiming to change that.

In a field east of Midland-Odessa, Wilson stopped her car where an unlit flare  meant to burn off excess oil and gas  poked up from the ground. To the naked eye, it was a quiet scene: farmers fields, windmills spinning in the distance. But through her cameras viewfinder, which can see the infrared radiation thrown off by the gases, a black, oily plume of unburned methane vented into the atmosphere, heating the planet and likely carrying a long list of toxins. At a nearby tank battery, where workers deposit oil or fracking fluid, invisible smoke streamed into the air.

Those fumes worry many Texas residents, who have fought to keep them away from homes. Anne Epstein, a Lubbock physician, was part of a successful effort to ban oil wells less than 600 feet from peoples homes  before the state passed legislation stripping cities of the authority to regulate fracking.

To see the effects of oil toxins, look at places in the body that are rapidly growing and developing  or small bodies that are rapidly growing and developing, Epstein said. When it comes to such pollution, she said, fetuses, babies, children are especially vulnerable because they breathe faster, exposing themselves to more airborne toxins.

Millions may be at risk. A 2022 study found that 17 million people in the U.S. live within half a mile of an oil or gas well  4 million of them children. At that range, a 2019 Colorado study found a slight uptick in cancer risk and other dangers, significant enough for that state to require new wells be at least that far from homes.

But in Texas, the required distance is just a fraction of that. In February, the city of Arlington, with a population of nearly 400,000, permitted the drilling of 10 new wells less than a quarter mile, or half the Colorado limit, from a day care.

Even the higher limit may not be enough to ensure safety: Schade said that if the winds blow wrong and wells are dense enough, toxins can travel much farther than any current setback requirement.

For Wilson, Oilfield Witnesss campaign is personal. In the early 2000s, she was living in Wise County on the outskirts of Dallas-Fort Worth, when the water from her well  which she and her son relied on  turned dark and foul-smelling.

After a lifetime believing that if something went wrong, someone would come help, what I learned when my water turned black is that, if its oil and gas, nobody is coming. And that was a huge paradigm shift for me, Wilson said. Because then I realized that  America is not like that thing that I believed when I grew up.

She later learned she had been an unwilling participant in the dawn of a boom. Her home was just miles from where wildcatter George Mitchell was carrying out early fracking experiments. Concerns about the processs impact on groundwater had surfaced even before frackings popularization: In 1996, a local jury found Mitchell guilty of hundreds of millions in punitive damages for wrecking local water supplies.

At the time, Mitchell denied the allegations. I have never believed, nor do I believe now, that Mitchell Energy Corp. is the cause of the problems that the plaintiffs are complaining about, he told the Wise County Messenger in a statement.

The following year, a local jury overturned the verdict on appeal  saving the company from bankruptcy and clearing the way for the shale revolution. In 1998, two years after the judgment, Mitchell combined horizontal drilling and fracking into what is generally regarded as the first-ever fracked well. In 2005, Congress further enabled fracking to take off by exempting the technique from the Clean Water Act.

But in his final interview before his death in 2013, Mitchell had changed his tune. He told Forbes that the industry needed more regulation. They should have very strict controls. The Department of Energy should do it.

Why? Because, he said, fracking and horizontal drilling could be done safely  but independent drillers are wild and tough to control. If allowed to operate freely, he said, they risked ruining the industry.

In the street in front of his house, Cooper  the homeowner with the tainted water  met Wilson studying a flare through her camera. She invited him to look. Oh, wow, he said, watching as a corona of thick black smoke, invisible to the naked eye, surrounded the thin flame.

What, she asked him, would he want his elected officials to know if they stood here too? He didnt hesitate. Id want someone to assure that I have clean water, clean air, to know that our investment in our homes is going to be protected, he said.

He wanted, he said, somewhere safe to live  where they would be willing to live themselves.

Gabriella Meza of KMID contributed.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Texas plans to close one of two jail booking facilities it opened a few years ago along the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the states $11 billion border crackdown, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday, adding that he has offered the site to the Trump administration.

The state opened the facility in Jim Hogg County in 2022 to book and magistrate people arrested on border-related crimes such as criminal trespass after he surged Department of Public Safety troopers to the border. A similar facility in Val Verde County remains open.

In a statement Monday, Abbott credited President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown with decreasing the number of border crossings  and making the facilitys planned closure in April possible.

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Thanks to President Trump, illegal border crossings are at all-time record lows and, unlike under President Joe Biden, the Trump Administration is quickly deporting illegal immigrants from our country, said Governor Abbott. As a result, there is no longer a need for Texas to maintain the jail booking facility in Jim Hogg County. Texas will continue to assist the Trump Administration in arresting, detaining, and deporting illegal immigrants.

Border crossings tanked last summer when Biden implemented an executive order that widely curtailed asylum, forcing migrants to wait in Mexico until they secured an appointment with immigration authorities. Crossings have decreased further since Trump took office and implemented sweeping changes to immigration policy, including ending the use of a phone app that migrants utilized to secure the asylum appointments.

Abbott has long credited Operation Lone Star, which he launched in March 2021, for reductions in border crossings  though immigration analysts say that no one variable can explain migration patterns that are influenced by circumstances around the world like poverty and violence.

We cant wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more.

Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025.

TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
The Lone Star State continues to lead the nation in job creation.

Texas added 27,900 nonfarm jobs in January and added 187,700 between January 2024 and January 2025, according to employment data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Texas is Americas jobs engine, adding more new jobs in the last year than any other state, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a release about the news Monday. Our skilled and growing workforce and our business-friendly climate attract job-creating businesses in diverse industries from across the country and around the world."

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According to January employment data from the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas surpassed all previous records for total Texas jobs, the number of Texans working and the size of the Texas labor force:

Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday that Texas had added 27,900 nonfarm jobs in January. In total, the Lone Star State added 187,700 jobs between January 2024 and January 2025, according to employment data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Texas's reached its largest labor force in state history at 15,750,800.

Texas added 27,900 jobs in January, reaching a new high for total nonfarm jobs 14,236,400.

Texas added 187,700 nonfarm jobs from January 2024 to January 2025.

Abbott has been pushing job creation and workforce development efforts as of late, boasting that Texas recently won its 13th straight Governor's Cup, which is an annual award by Site Selection that recognizes the nation's leading job-creating state.

Abbott also released a five-year statewide economic development strategic plan, "Bigger. Better. Texas." earlier this month, outlining a blueprint for economic expansion and job creation.

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The plan has four main goals:

Establishes a unifying vision for the future of our Texas economy

Identifies new target industry sectors and clusters expected to drive strategic economic growth and job creation

Outlines objectives and initiatives to advance the states global competitiveness

Provides data and recommendations to inform economic development decisions across the state

To support additional job creation and small businesses in Texas, Abbott also created the Governor's Small Business Freedom Council in December and declared an emergency item for this legislative session focused on career training.

The council, according to an announcement about its creation, will review government efficiency for Texas businesses and Abbott directed state agencies to recommend ways to cut government regulations.

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"That's why I launched the Governor's Small Business Freedom Council in December and declared career training an emergency item this legislative session," Abbott said Monday. "Texas continues to remove regulatory red tape and invest in education, innovation, and infrastructure as we build a stronger, more prosperous Texas than ever before."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Gov. Abbott touts job creation numbers, continues to lead nation
Tennessee police are searching for several suspects who allegedly robbed a convenience store using pythons.

Last week, Madison County police released CCTV footage of the suspects and their vehicle on Instagram. The unbelievable photos and video show the suspects, sans facial coverings, recklessly wielding the pythons and using them to threaten the cashier.

Police are searching for two males and two females who allegedly entered a local Citgo station on March 4 and used the pythons to steal CBD oil valued at $400. Mayur Raval, the cashier glimpsed in the security footage, told local outlet WREG that he was working with his brother when the alleged thieves entered the store. As it so happens, Raval has a paralyzing fear of snakes. (Its not clear if the suspects were aware of this.)

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They were just waving them around and putting them on the counter. One person brought in one snake first, and then after that, he brought in another snake, Raval said of the peculiar scene. One [snake] is white, and one is brown or a mix.

Related: Restaurant Employees Foil Mans Theft of Robotic Co-Worker

In the ensuing terror and confusion, Raval claims the snake handlers were able to steal the CBD off the counter in front of him. He believes they would have taken more if not for the high number of customers in the store at the time. They pulled their car up to the front of the door, Raval recalled. I think they planned to successfully come here and rob the store. The snake is a weapon, you know.

Several days after the Citgo station incident, 26-year-old Reginald Cook was arrested and charged with two accounts of attempted aggravated robbery after he entered a nearby Shell station with a five-foot snake wrapped around his neck and demanded money from the cashier. Police believe Cook was involved in both incidents, but they are still searching for the other three suspects.
Rutherford County emergency responders had to rescue motorists trapped on storm-flooded roads, a spokeswoman reported Sunday.

"We have several incidents (Sunday) where motorists have driven around barricades, and our water rescue teams had to take action," Rutherford County government spokeswoman Lisa Kaye said in press release emailed at 7:04 p.m. Sunday.

"Please encourage folks not to drive in water covered roadways. Turn around. Dont drown."

Rutherford County Sheriff's deputies prevent drivers from attempting to drive through flooded water at the intersection of Sulphur Springs and Florence roads.

The weekend storms, including an EF-1 tornado that touched down in Christiana community, caused knocked down trees and flooding to block 35 roads on Rutherford County's south side, according to an online road closure dashboard.

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Road conditions improved by Monday morning, Rutherford County Highway Superintendent Greg Brooks said.

"Everything's open up," Brooks said. "I want to give a shout out to Rutherford County EMS (Emergency Medical Services) and Fire Rescue for all of their efforts during this event."

Rutherford County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni reported in a press release at 4:23 p.m. Saturday that emergency crews responded to clear the following roads in the Christiana community:

6,700-block of Williams Road;

4,500-block of Jones Road;

Jacobs Hollow Road and Bradyville Pike;

Webb Road at Barfield-Crescent Road;

U.S. Highway 231 South at Rock Springs-Midland Road;

Interstate 24 at the 88-mile marker toward Manchester near Buchanan Road.

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Kaye, the county government spokeswoman, also announced in press releases at 5:25 a.m. and 3:08 p.m. Saturday that the county's Public Health and Safety Buildings that are equipped with tornado safe rooms built to hold 200 people would be open to the public during severe storms.

"These buildings are above ground and built to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) standards," Kaye said.

The buildings are combined fire and EMS stations in rural areas that surround Murfreesboro in the Rockvale, Kittrell, Walter Hill and Lascassas communities. The county is building one scheduled to open this summer at Plainview Elementary School, County Commissioner Pettus Read said Monday.

An open house will be held at the new Public Health and Safety Building in Rockvale, on Sunday Aug. 27, 2023. The building houses both a fire station and ambulance and a safe room for around 200 people if a tornado is in the area.

'We've very excited': Open house set August 2024 for Rockvale Public Health and Safety Building

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Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription.

The large community room at the Public Health and Safety Building in Rockvale, also serves as a tornado safe room and can protect those in the room from a F4 tornado. Photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Things drying up following EF-1 storm in Christiana within Rutherford
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  An Oklahoma woman recalled a traveling evangelist who preached at her family's church in Osage County more than 40 years ago.

The preacher, along with his wife and son, eventually befriended the woman's family and stayed in their home, she said. That's when the woman alleged the sexual abuse began, in 1982 when she was just 12 years old.

On Monday, former Texas megachurch pastor Robert Preston Morris, 63, surrendered to authorities in Osage County after being indicted on child sexual abuse charges.

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Here are some things to know about the case:

Who accused Morris of sexual abuse?

Cindy Clemishire, Morris' accuser, told authorities that Morris' abuse began on Christmas 1982 when he was staying at her family's house at age 12 and continued over the next four years.

The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Clemishire, now 55, has done.

In a statement last week after the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office announced the charges, she said: After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child. Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.

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What has Morris said about the allegations?

Morris has not returned telephone messages left at numbers associated with him, and his attorney, Mack Martin, declined to comment on the charges. Martin told The Associated Press that Morris will plead not guilty.

When asked about the allegations last year by The Christian Post, Morris said in a statement to the publication that when he was in his early 20s he was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying.

It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong, he said in the statement. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years.

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Who filed charges against Morris?

Morris was indicted last week by Oklahoma's multi-county grand jury, an investigative body that meets in secret and is guided by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office. The indictment was unsealed last week in Osage County.

He has been charged with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges.

According to the Attorney General's Office, Oklahoma's statute of limitations is not applicable in the case because Morris was not a resident of Oklahoma.

Who is Robert Morris?

Morris was the longtime pastor of Gateway Church, a megachurch located in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Southlake and founded by Morris in 2000. The church has multiple locations in the area and says more than 100,000 people attend each weekend.

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Morris, who resigned last year after Clemishire came forward with her allegations, has been politically active. He was among those on former President Donald Trumps evangelical advisory board, and the church hosted Trump on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a discussion on race relations and the economy.

The church said in a statement last week that its members are praying for Clemishire and all of those impacted by this terrible situation.

We are aware of the actions being taken by the legal authorities in Oklahoma and are grateful for the work of the justice system in holding abusers accountable for their actions, the statement said.
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  The Danville Police Department arrested three individuals related to three separate illegal firearms incidents late last week.

On Wednesday around 9 p.m., officers were patrolling near Cherry Street in Danville when they noticed a subject walking illegally in the roadway. The police ordered the person to stop, but he attempted to run away and was placed in custody.

Danville High School hosting JROTC state archery tournament

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During the arrest, a loaded firearm was found on the subject. Officers identified the subject as 18-year-old Kamarion Jones of Danville. Jones was transported to the Vermilion County Public Safety Building. He was booked on charges of aggravated possession of a firearm and being under the age of 21, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and obstructing and resisting a peace officer.

The next day, officers responded to the intersection of Buchanan Street and Perrysville Avenue around 10:15 p.m. after reports of a truck crashing into a garage. Police were also told the driver fled the scene.

When police arrived they learned that the male driver ran into the woods west of the crash site. Officers were given a description of the suspect by the witnesses. After searching the woods, the police officers found the driver and placed him into custody. He was later identified as 20-year-old Michael Sanquenetti of Clinton, Indiana.

Some of our students have barriers: Danville schools help students in need

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After investigating, police also found a gun in the suspects truck. Police added that Sanquenetti is not allowed to have a firearm in Illinois. Sanquenetti was transported to the Vermilion County Public Safety Building and booked for aggravated unlawful possession of a handgun and being under the age of 21, driving under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of an accident with vehicle damage.

On Friday evening, police stopped a vehicle for a registration violation near the intersection of English and Walnut Streets.

The driver was identified as 22-year-old Shatiya Brigham of Danville. Officers saw open alcohol and cannabis inside the vehicle, which allowed the officers to investigate further. The police then found a loaded and stolen firearm on Brigham.

Danville Fire Department pushing for smoke detector safety after another deadly fire

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Brigham was arrested and brought to Vermilion County Public Safety Building. She was booked on aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen firearm, and driving with improper registration.

The Danville Police Department added that all are considered innocent until proven guilty. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Danville Police Department at 217-431-2250. To submit an anonymous tip, contact the Vermilion County Crimestoppers online, use the mobile app P3TIPS or call 217-446-TIPS (8477).

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
A pedestrian remains in critical condition Sunday after two-car crash involving a Miami police officer shut down multiple streets for hours the night before.

Around 6:30 p..m., the officer was in his cruiser heading east on Northwest Seventh Street when a westbround driver turned left at the intersection of Northwest Seventh Street and 47th Avenue, according to Miami Police Officer Kiara Delva. Video from Herald news partner CBSMiami showed a dark Toyota with left front end damage and a Miami police cruiser damaged on the drivers side.

Two women walking down Northwest Seventh Street were hit by either the cars or the copious debris. Delva told CBSMiami that the officer and one woman were hospitalized in stable condition and another was in critical condition. The driver of the Toyota wasnt hurt.

Into Sundays wee hours, Northwest Seventh Street remained closed from Northwest 43rd Avenue to 51st Avenue and Northwest 47th Avenue remained closed from Sixth to 11th Street.
KIEV, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ahead of an upcoming conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We coordinated our positions ahead of the conversation between President Trump and Putin and the upcoming meetings in Europe," Zelensky said in his evening address.

Zelensky expressed gratitude to Macron and France for their support for Ukraine.

Separately, Macron wrote on social media platform X that during their talks Zelensky reiterated his commitment to accepting the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

"It is now up to Russia to prove that it truly wants peace," Macron said.

He added that France, together with its partners, must work to develop a "concrete plan" to provide solid security guarantees for Ukraine and ensure lasting peace in Europe.

Earlier in the day, U.S. media reported that Trump said he planned to talk with Putin on Tuesday about ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 
The embattled app TikTok, in the face of a looming survival deadline, has launched an old-school campaign to sway Washington, blanketing Metro stations with ads to remind policymakers of its importance to the economy, and circulating new research that argues its not a security threat to the U.S.

TikTok took us from $10 to $25,000 in a week! says one ad that has played at Union Station and the Capitol South stop, with a joyful photo of Arizona cafe owner Ruben Trujillo. Another shows a Georgia auto repair shop owner saying 80% of my business is from TikTok.

The campaign comes as the White House is seriously entertaining a pitch by Oracle to keep the company alive in an acquisition deal.

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As a PR strategy, it echoes a push by TikTok almost exactly a year ago, when the company tried unsuccessfully to mobilize its tens of millions of users to prevent a Congressional ban. Now, with the ban in effect and Congress role in the drama over, its far less clear who the new campaigns target is.

The uncertainty highlights the strange predicament TikTok is in. Technically illegal since Jan. 19, it is effectively staying online at the pleasure of President Donald Trump, who announced that he wouldnt enforce the ban until hed had 75 days to work out a deal to sell the company in some way.

That clock runs out April 5.

The company declined to comment on questions about its intended strategy.

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On Capitol Hill, China hawks interviewed by POLITICO appeared unmoved or said they hadnt seen the campaign  and even if they did, its not clear how much they could change. Lawmakers have invited Oracle for meetings this week to discuss the possible deal and their security concerns, POLITICO reported Sunday.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told POLITICO recently that he has not heard of the campaign, and that after the 75-day order expires, I want it [TikTok] to go away. It is absolutely a national security threat. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said he had not seen the ads.

The Washington ads are just one tendril of a nationwide campaign TikTok filmed last spring and has mounted this year with TV commercials, a Super Bowl spot and billboards.

TikTok ran a full-page ad last month in POLITICOs print newspaper, which circulates on Capitol Hill. It featured the same set of creators as the Metro ads and read small businesses in America are thriving on TikTok.



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Washington lawyer Joel Thayer, a defender of the law, said the TikTok ads seem designed to sway Trump personally through his base.

The president responds to political pressure and political pressure given by populations who like him, Thayer said. What I think theyre really trying to do is make a case to the American public and have the American public make their case to the president.

To address a more concrete concern about the app  that China could compel Beijing-based parent company ByteDance to fork over sensitive information on 170 million Americans  TikTok also contracted with a data security firm to assess its existing efforts to shield U.S. data from Beijings access in late February. Since then, it has promoted the reviews finding of no indication of internal or external malicious activity, and no sharing of protected U.S. user data with China.

The study was meant to validate Project Texas, an alternative to a ban that TikTok proposed and partially set in motion to firewall American user data and store it on U.S.-based servers run by Oracle. A complete revival of the initiative would require government participation in implementing key aspects and resuming talks with an interagency panel known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

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The White House is eyeing a similar licensing agreement with ByteDance and Oracle that would give the American cloud provider oversight over TikToks user data and collection in the U.S., Fox Business Charles Gasparino has reported.

So far no deal has been announced. But Vice President JD Vance, who Trump has tasked with brokering one, told NBC News on Friday that before the April deadline, the administration will almost certainly reach a high-level agreement that allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise.

The chief impasse is that ByteDance says dropping its ownership stake is not possible  technologically or commercially  while the law requires the app to eliminate any ties to China. Company leaders and investors continue to view a compromise based off Project Texas, instead of a full sale, as their best hope and Oracle as the only serious contender among interested bidders, according to The Information.

Critics of the TikTok law also said that the current ad campaign looks like an attempt to rewind the national debate and put it back on pre-2024 terms, before the law was signed and when TikTok was trying to prove that warehousing its data in the U.S. was sufficient protection against a security threat.

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Anupam Chander, a Georgetown University technology law professor who has opposed the law, said the ideal outcome for TikTok would be Project Texas, which emerged from company negotiations after Trump tried unsuccessfully to ban TikTok during his first term.

What Tiktok is likely hoping for now is perhaps that the Trump administration takes another look at Project Texas, he told POLITICO. The other possibility, which is also really live here, is that there be some additional ownership adjustments, some changes to ownership that allow the president to have what we might say in the law as a colorable argument that theres been a qualified divestiture.

Anthony Adragna contributed to this report.
Mar. 17When a woman walking to work at River Park Square this winter was dragged into an alley behind P.F. Chang's and mugged, Spokane developer and commercial property owner Sheldon Jackson and like-minded business owners pointed to the incident as further proof of the city's decay.

"This is why this email is so critical," Jackson wrote to more than 400 people, including politicians, city officials, anti-progressive activists and businesspeople.

The incident added to Jackson's vision of the city: that the "Progressive in Spokane" and "Pro criminal activists" are "ruining our city." "Compassion" and harm reduction policies  meant to reduce overdose or disease without forcing drug users into treatment or jail  are killing people on Spokane's streets, and incidents like the mugging were proof that the city needed to pivot to incarceration and forced rehabilitation.

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Except there was no mugging. It was another faulty game of telephone, a misremembered and embellished story passed along seemingly because it proved what people already believed.

In the last year, following conservatives' loss in 2023 of significant political power in Spokane, Jackson has become perhaps the loudest anti-progressive voice in Spokane politics, though most of the public won't hear from him directly.

He hasn't gained and used his influence with big ad buys or election spending like businessman Larry Stone, who has spent hundreds of thousands to attack progressives and support their opponents over the years. Jackson doesn't testify at meetings or organize protests. Instead, he rallies people almost entirely by email.

Jackson repeatedly declined to be interviewed by The Spokesman-Review, and at one point told readers of his email not to speak to reporters without his permission.

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There are many formal organizations representing the Spokane business community that, like Jackson, have highlighted crime and urban decay in the city and called on elected leadership to enact tougher policies, particularly after the hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 2021 Downtown Spokane Partnership survey of the organization's ratepayers and newsletter subscribers highlighted homelessness and public safety as the dominant issues downtown. Overwhelming voter approval of an anti-homeless camping law in 2023 and a 2024 Greater Spokane Incorporated survey of area residents suggest those frustrations are widespread.

The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office recorded at least 327 people who died of overdose in Spokane County last year, a more than 300% increase from 2019. There were 160 overdose patients treated by the Spokane Fire Department in February alone, according to city data.

Downtown business vacancy has climbed to a high of 28%, and some experts have pointed to visible homelessness and perceptions of crime as contributing factors.

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But Jackson's not-quite-a-newsletter, with avid readers including politicians and prominent business owners, is distinct from other local organizations for its lax fact-checking and scathing, off-the-cuff rhetoric.

The lack of a filter in what has essentially become semi-private social media is exactly why Jackson's email has become such an essential political hub, supporters say.

"What Sheldon does with his email is, it takes away all the corporate, 'Oh, I got to be careful about how I offend person this, or who represented that,' " said Aaron Rivkin, owner of Ladder Coffee and critic of the city's law enforcement policies. "So if anything, this is way more helpful, because it creates public discourse that shows people the truth behind what's happening in a way that does not have to be sugarcoated or corporatized to match someone's HR policies."

Detractors believe Jackson has made civil discourse less civil and more uncompromising, painting the progressives in power as fundamentally "murderous" and "idiots" with anecdotes that don't always hold up to scrutiny.

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Much of the crime that Jackson and his readers describe is unquestionably real.

Some of the most dramatic claims, however, have been blatantly false.

'Gossip versus real information'

In January, Jackson parroted a claim from local law firm Dunn and Black that a woman had been dragged into an alley downtown and mugged.

The only part of this story that appears to be true, however, is that an employee at the law firm heard a rumor from an employee of a nearby bank, that story was repeated to the rest of the firm's staff in a memo, and partner John Black personally forwarded that memo to Jackson, who then forwarded it to his hundreds of readers.

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At first, when Jackson realized he had been fed bad information, he apologized profusely and angrily, accusing others of using him to amplify anecdotes of crime and disorder and letting him take the fall if the report was flawed or untrue.

He repeatedly threatened to fold the email altogether.

"If you are passing on gossip versus real information, then you are putting everyone's credibility at risk," Jackson said.

One of Jackson's readers quickly suggested the rumor had been spread based on an incident that had actually occurred in May and argued the claim of a mugging was still true.

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The closest thing the Spokane Police Department could find resembling that allegation was a May 22 report from a woman who claimed to have been approached by a homeless woman who tried to hug her, and when she tried to push the homeless woman away, she received a "minor scratch."

Police contacted the complainant and took a report, police spokesperson Dan Strassenberg said.

The law firm's memo also told their employees the Spokane Ambassadors, the Downtown Spokane Partnership's security and hospitality team, were "highly suggesting" that people working downtown should have a buddy system and carry pepper spray.

But Downtown Spokane Partnership CEO Emilie Cameron immediately wrote to Jackson's readers denying that claim.

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Within a couple of weeks, Jackson returned defiantly with a statement from Black.

Black, in his letter to Jackson, did not apologize for spreading unverified information. Instead, he called the "personal attacks" on Jackson, the law firm and the employee who wrote the erroneous memo "unacceptable," noting the "downtown business core is riddled with homeless ..."

"The focus on one event ignores the reality that these incidents occur almost daily," Black wrote. "Focusing on one event, whether the specific incident did or did not happen, should not be used as an excuse to deny that a real problem exists and must be addressed."

Jackson appeared to take this response as a triumph and dared anyone to go after Dunn and Black for sharing misleading information.

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"Here you go Progressive Trifecta and media. Please kick the hornet's nest and while you are at it you can kiss my ... " Jackson wrote. "Thank you, John Black for stating what we all see every day. No wonder you sent me the information; it might have been wrong but not far from what we deal with every single day."

More often, when Jackson's email is used to spread misinformation, it isn't corrected.

Rivkin is a self-described former addict who named his business Ladder Coffee to symbolize climbing up from a low place in life. He has argued that only jail could make him get his life back together, and those sleeping or using on the streets need the same treatment.

When Rivkin was first trying to start his own business, he met Jackson, who heard Rivkin's story of getting back on his feet and decided to loan him the money to start his first Ladder location in one of Jackson's properties.

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Since Mayor Lisa Brown took office, Rivkin has increasingly accused the city of not responding to crime at his business and of refusing to hold criminals accountable.

On Jan. 5, Rivkin claimed a group of men, passing by one of his coffee shops the day before, had pointed a gun at nearby pedestrians who then sought refuge inside the cafe.

"We immediately called for law enforcement, but shockingly, there was no response," Rivkin wrote in a statement that was spread widely on social media and on Jackson's email chain. "It's deeply troubling that an incident of this severity didn't prompt an immediate reaction."

Rivkin used the incident to scold progressive council members.

"Knowing that my representative in my district doesn't want to enforce the law I called the nearest city council member," he added, saying conservative Councilman Jonathan Bingle responded immediately.

Jackson said the incident was "so screwed up that everyone involved should be fired, starting at the TOP."

But Rivkin's depiction of events barely resembles the police report. He did not attempt to verify his story before spreading it online and in Jackson's email.

In reality, police responded within minutes, with seven officers confronting the suspect in the case.

According to the report, a group including the suspect confronted another group over a stolen bike and both brandished weapons, at least one of which was a realistic BB gun. There is no indication in the report that a couple was confronted and sought refuge in Rivkin's shop.

In an interview, Rivkin said he was informed weeks later that police had, in fact, promptly responded, but that he "didn't feel like I needed to" correct the story.

Instead, he blamed the police for not contacting him before he spread the misleading anecdote.

Immediately after the interview, Rivkin took to Jackson's email to correct his prior story, though he now claims that the suspect had an outstanding warrant and was released by police anyway, justifying his frustration with the incident. The police report made no mention of a warrant and states the suspect was released because he appeared to be acting in self-defense. Court records show the suspect had already served a sentence for two prior crimes and did not have a warrant at the time of the incident.

Rivkin's story was amplified by Christine Quinn, who has credited Jackson with inspiring her to create the law-and-order activist group Save Our Spokane.

As East Spokane Business Association Vice President Wendy Fishburne put it in a recent reply to Jackson's email group: "Sheldon makes things loud, and (Save Our Spokane) makes things actionable."

Quinn's group has held signs outside city hall demanding that police begin to enforce Prop 1, a voter-approved anti-homeless camping law  several months after enforcement of that law had already begun.

Enforcement of various homelessness laws have, in fact, increased dramatically in the last year  driven primarily by a U.S. Supreme Court decision ending restrictions that had hobbled the attempted crackdowns by former Mayor Nadine Woodward, though a noticeable uptick preceded that decision. Jackson has argued that this is meaningless and demeaned citation-based enforcement of homelessness, though, notably, Prop 1 is a cite-and-release misdemeanor offense.

Bingle, who broadly praised Jackson's email chain for getting people politically engaged, said he is concerned when unfounded accusations are thrown out by Jackson and his readers, particularly when they claim police did not respond to an incident. But he also argued mistakes are inevitable in this kind of informal setting, that Jackson tries to vet his claims and, ultimately, his advocacy is a force for good in the city.

"The Ladder (Coffee) one specifically, it's not what it's being made out to be," Bingle said. "In those moments, I do find that problematic.

"But again, I would say that Sheldon is very good about vetting it. He's not a liar," Bingle added. "If he gets something wrong, he's big enough to come along and say we got this wrong."

Immediately after The Spokesman-Review interviewed Bingle, Jackson told his readers he was "pulling all requests to stay silent," saying they should instead deliberately feed The Spokesman-Review disinformation.

"I only ask one thing, throw in some curve balls," Jackson said. "Make up whatever you want. At least we apologize when we're wrong."

Becoming a bullhorn

Growing up in a rural coastal town near Aberdeen, Washington, Jackson watched his mother, grandfather and uncles die from their addictions, he told the Union Gospel Mission in a 2021 profile. "Enabling" had killed his relatives, he told the Christian homeless service provider.

He moved to Spokane in the '90s, attracted by the city's schools, he wrote in a recent email. He formed Selkirk Development in 2007, which had one of its first major projects building the nearly 15,000- square-foot Walgreens on the South Hill's Grand Boulevard. Today, he has full or partial ownership of properties downtown and spanning the Spokane River, including a site next to the Podium where Selkirk is planning the ambitious Papillon Towers Development, a $109 million mixed-use high rise.

The visibility of homelessness and public drug use has negatively affected Jackson's tenants and made it more difficult to find new ones, he often writes in his emails. After a recent stabbing downtown left one person with life-threatening injuries, Jackson mockingly wrote that "Drug addicts are not violent criminals, per Progressives" and said the incident had been a "nice added touch" while he tried to show a property.

He's not the only prominent developer or business owner to argue crime and city leadership has hurt their investments. He may not have come to the same prominence if he wasn't filling a vacuum once occupied by Chud Wendle, of the Wendle Motors family, and political staffer for former U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Today, Wendle serves as executive director of the Hutton Settlement, a foster care alternative funded in large part by a commercial property portfolio.

Hutton Settlement's property management fees increased sharply in 2018 as they hired private security to "mitigate some of the challenges we're facing from the transient population," Wendle said in an interview.

Wendle already was well known as a critic of city government for their handling of homelessness and crime. But when businesses were hit hard during the pandemic, Wendle banded with other property owners, including Jackson, forming the Spokane Business and Commercial Property Council in 2021 to lobby on their behalf.

Jackson began to take long drives around downtown on behalf of the group, detailing what someone considering hosting a convention or starting a business would see. The "Morning Camping Update" included a list of locations and often crude descriptions of the people and conditions he saw there, frequently adding jabs at the city policy or service providers he blamed. Aside from a few hiatuses, this daily report has continued to this day; former City Administrator Johnnie Perkins, who served under Woodward, picked up Jackson's route at least once, and in recent weeks Gates Security has volunteered to conduct the reports.

Then, in 2023, Wendle was "canceled," he recently said at a meeting of Save Our Spokane.

Then-police Chief Craig Meidl was accused of giving Wendle and his group special access to police records that they then leaked for use as political ammo against those in office. Jackson also reportedly received access, but it was Wendle and Meidl who became the face of the controversy.

Wendle said the fallout from the controversy put him under immense pressure and led to a death threat. It also hurt the family auto dealership, noted Chud Richard "Dick" Wendle, who joined his son for the interview.

And when the Hutton Settlement board told the younger Wendle to step back from politics, he did, he told Save Our Spokane members.

That's when Jackson stepped up.

Tilting at windmills

Jackson's approach to coalition-building has been decidedly more ad hoc. His emails appear to have evolved from those early daily reports on homelessness, which he initially sent to select city council members and staff but are now sent out to every elected leader in the city and hundreds of other people.

It isn't a newsletter or a tidy listserv that someone can click to subscribe or unsubscribe. Instead, Jackson has simply added new names over the years to an increasingly unruly "To:" line. One joked he was getting carpal tunnel trying to reach the body of Jackson's daily emails.

Today his dispatches reach more than 400 people, including dozens of politically active business and property owners, politicians and activists. Sheriff John Nowels and Bingle regularly respond, hoping to focus Jackson's readership on laws or policies they oppose. Spokane Chiefs and Spokane Indians owner Bobby Brett, Rencorp Realty owner Chris Batten, NAI Black owner David Black and many other prominent businesspeople read admiringly and often add their own commentary.

And though his attacks are mostly directed at progressives, not all of Jackson's supporters consider themselves conservative. Gavin Cooley, the executive director of the conservative Spokane Business Association who backed Brown's campaign for mayor and who's described himself as politically left-leaning, criticized Jackson's "misinformed" attacks on local service provider Compassionate Addiction Treatment  which Jackson has attacked for years as attracting lawlessness  but ultimately thought he was filling a "vital role."

"It's a two-edged sword having a forum like that that isn't fact-checked, and you do get inaccuracies, but I do think the vast majority is true and blunt, and that bluntness might be essential," said Cooley, who also advocates for involuntary treatment or jail for the chronically homeless.

Jackson has denied being conservative and has begun praising Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson, who has won positive reviews from some Republicans in the Legislature for backing more funding for police and for his reluctance to raise taxes.

Jackson's email has focused his readers' frustration with homelessness and addiction toward specific policies they believe make those tragedies more common. Supporters have mixed reviews on how much this advocacy has changed policy, however.

Some believe the pressure he and readers put on the Spokane City Council forced council members to back down from the "homeless bill of rights," a proposed ordinance that would have made it illegal to not hire or rent to someone because they are homeless, though others have independently taken credit for the same. A pared-back version of that law is expected to soon come back for City Council consideration.

Most recently, Jackson and his readers have turned their attention to proposals like a bill introduced in the Legislature, which was sponsored by two Democratic lawmakers from Spokane, Reps. Natasha Hill and Timm Ormsby. The bill would allow the homeless to sue cities that prevent them from sleeping on public property if the law is not "objectively reasonable," which is not defined.

Jackson, who often expresses frustration that his readers do not do enough, wrote that "all my efforts to get you to sign up" to testify against 1380 "is not working," and asked those reading who "don't respect the work we are doing" to request to be dropped from the email. He called out specific organizations and every Spokane City Council member by name in a bid to pressure their testimony.

"NOW FOR THE REST OF YOU," Jackson concluded his email. "We will have a list at the end of the day. If you do not have 30 seconds to protect yourself, why should we?" Jackson did not himself sign up to testify or register his opposition to the law in either legislative committee where it had appeared by that point. The bill has since apparently died for lack of support, which Jackson claimed was the result of the advocacy of his readers.

Bingle suggested elected leaders might be surprised by what they could accomplish by engaging with Jackson.

"If more elected officials engaged with him, maybe there's some common ground they can find," he said. "Because I really think that's what Sheldon is looking for, that common ground."

City Councilman Paul Dillon, who rode alongside Jackson for one of his daily homelessness reports, said the developer is significantly more affable in person and the two were able to discuss some of that common ground.

But behind a keyboard, Jackson transforms from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde, Dillon added.

"In a time where you constantly have to fight for the truth, to see these tactics, this misinformation, it can be really frustrating," Dillon said. "Oftentimes the sense I get is, even if there might be something we agree on or there is support for an idea or some sensible solution, they would much rather see a progressive fail than see the city succeed."

Not every businessman in the city agrees with Jackson's message or finds his tactics helpful.

In the heart of downtown sits the upscale restaurant Cochinito Taqueria, and its owner, Travis Dickinson, described a city that is facing real but notably less apocalyptic problems than Jackson depicts.

"Every good city needs a downtown, and all of the problems we have aren't native to Spokane. It's a bigger city problem that other cities also face," Dickinson said. "I want people to come downtown. I want people to make a day of it."

Some guests have told Dickinson they don't feel like coming downtown anymore, and while real conditions are contributing to this, so too is the dire rhetoric of people like Jackson, Dickinson said. And that narrative could be helping to push people to the outskirts, rather than spending their money on local businesses that need their dollars, he argued.

There are real problems, Dickinson said, but it's not often his business needs to call police  a recent act of vandalism was the first in around six years. If police or fire are called, "the response time has been great," he added.

Jackson and his supporters, like Rivkin, disagree.

"If you call 911, you will need to wait 1 hour 45 minutes for anyone to show up..." Jackson wrote on Sept. 7. "... Or be like Ladder Coffee who is still waiting for someone to show up after 4 weeks for an active robbery."

Jackson has accused police and fire of wrongdoing, calling the police chief and some officers "minions" of progressive leaders, and insinuated the firefighter union supports progressive politicians to ensure job security because homeless people start fires or overdose under their watch.

Jackson and his allies regularly complain the recent surge in citations for the homeless are meaningless, arguing they need to be kept in jail or forced into treatment. After Officer Jackson Henry told The Spokesman-Review that police couldn't "kidnap" people by arresting them without probable cause, Jackson repeatedly called for him to be suspended.

Spokane police Guild President Dave Dunkin called Jackson's comments "reprehensible."

"Officer Henry is a great officer. This is the guy you want to be a police officer. To take him out of context ... It's disappointing," Dunkin said. "I don't know what people think they're going to accomplish by attacking officers for doing a job they are trained to do. Officer Henry isn't out there ignoring his direction. He is doing what the community asked of him."

Police are not to blame for staffing levels and how that may affect day-to-day operations, Dunkin argued. Using individual officers as "pawns" in political arguments, he said, "doesn't encourage officers to get into this line of work."

"This state has underfunded and understaffed law enforcement, and yet, it's Jackson Henry's fault. Explain how that makes any sense," Dunkin said. "When (comments) like that continue ... It doesn't make things easier for us."

Jackson's heated rhetoric is regularly directed at anyone he thinks supports "drug addicts and criminals." He has called leaders of the city and state the "evil Grinch" that want to steal Spokane, writing that they should be recalled, sued and charged with manslaughter.

Recently, after The Spokesman-Review published a letter to the editor that expressed support for creating legal places for graffiti to discourage illegal tagging, Jackson attacked the person who wrote it as not owning "anything of value" and being someone who "lives in their parent's basement." The writer was a high school student submitting the letter as a class assignment.

Jackson's readers often seem emboldened to respond with the same level of vitriol. A former Rogers High School teacher emailed Dillon and other council members to say she hopes he, the mayor and the rest of the council get fentanyl in their stockings for Christmas.

"I've certainly felt the outrage machine come for me," Dillon said. "I think it was around the holidays when I started getting these messages about how I was dangerous to children."

Some officials, even some who will quietly criticize Jackson's rhetoric and attacks, have taken to Jackson's audience as a way to spread a similar message, if less aggressively. Nowels and Spokane County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Preston McCollam recently rallied Save Our Spokane members against several proposed state laws.

In an interview, Nowels said he understands the frustration being voiced in Jackson's email threads and is glad to see people energized and trying to take action. He also noted he sometimes engages to set the record straight, particularly when law enforcement is attacked.

"That's why I read them and respond from time to time, because if I have the information, it's important to correct it," Nowels said. "Councilman Dillon, to his credit, does set some things straight. I get why the (police) Chief doesn't want to engage, but (he) should. These people will respond to open communication ... Sometimes it's more important to have that with people who don't like you."

Dillon thinks Jackson just wants to fight.

Five days before Christmas, Jackson wrote that a friend had recently compared him to Don Quixote, the titular character of Miguel de Cervantes' 1605 novel whose romantic dreams of glory cause him to repeatedly fight enemies that do not exist. In the best known example, Don Quixote attempts to lance mythical giants that are, in fact, only windmills.

"Unlike the Windmills of La Mancha, the Windmills in Spokane are real," Jackson wrote in a 10-point comparison between himself and "this fine work of art."

"They are not giants but petty, small, individuals."

"There are thousands of Don Quixotes working to topple the last remaining Windmills of Spokane."

"Unlike a Windmill, the Progressive trifecta has no intrinsic value. Instead of producing they destroy."

"The Progressive Trifecta know how to harness the wind, but most of it comes out of Sancho's ride."

And so on.

Dillon said the self-comparison was apt, if not in the way Jackson was suggesting.

" 'Arms are my only ornament, my only rest is the fight,' " Dillon quoted from the first chapter. "And that is such a part of being that character."
Donald Trump has insisted that this is a time of war amid a showdown over invoking an act allowing for mass deportation of migrants.

The president defended his decision to remove 200 illegal alleged Venezuelan gang members, as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.

James E Boasberg, a US District Judge, issued an order at the 11th hour temporarily blocking the deportations but the two planes were already in the air  one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras.

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Judge Boasberg verbally ordered the flights to be turned around, but the planes, which were mobilised by Mr Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act, continued.

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 has been used only three times in US history.

The law, invoked during the War of 1812, the First World War and the Second World War, gives the president extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws.

Credit: X/@nayibbukele

It was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during the Second World War.

These were bad people. That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres, the president told reporters.

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Asked about using the controversial law outside of wartime, Mr Trump added: This is a time of war because [Joe] Biden allowed millions of people  many of them criminals, many of them at the highest level.

They emptied jails out  other nations. Its an invasion and these are criminals.

Venezuelas government rejected the use of Mr Trumps declaration of the law on Sunday, characterising it as evocative of the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, responded to speculation about whether the administration was flouting court orders.

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She said: The administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from US territory.

The acronym refers to the Tren de Aragua gang, which Trump targeted in his unusual proclamation that was released on Saturday.

More than 250 suspected Tren de Aragua members arrived in El Salvador by plane - REUTERS

Over 250 suspected gang members were flown to El Salvador after Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act - Anadulu

A White House spokesperson said on Monday: This weekend, the Trump Administration deported ruthless terrorist gang members  illegal immigrants who invaded our country and brought unspeakable devastation to our communities  as part of president Donald J Trumps utilisation of every possible tool to protect the safety and security of the American people and reverse the damage done by years of feckless Democrat leadership.

This bold, necessary action was immediately heralded by administration officials, members of Congress, and the American people.

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Nayib Bukele, the Salvadoran president, agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of (4.6) $6m in his countrys prisons.

Mr Bukele celebrated the departure of the flights on X, formelly Twitter, mocking the 11th hour attempts to block the deportations. Oopsie too late, he wrote.

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The NASA astronauts who have remained in space for months longer than planned are finally headed back to Earth.

Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams performed the first astronaut-crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024.

However, what was supposed to be a mission lasting about one week turned into a nine-month stay aboard the ISS due to several issues with Starliner.

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MORE: How much radiation Starliner astronauts may have been exposed to while waiting to come home

Issues with the spacecraft prompted NASA and Boeing to send Starliner back to Earth uncrewed and keep Wilmore and Williams onboard the ISS until early 2025, when they would return home on a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft once Crew-10 arrived at the ISS.

SpaceX Crew-9 is finally set to undock in the early hours of Tuesday, March 18, and deorbit in the afternoon, returning to Earth in the evening.

Here's a timeline of the Starliner mission:

PHOTO: Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, June 13, 2024. (NASA via AP, FILES)

April 2, 2024

NASA officials say the target date for the Boeing Starliner's first crewed flight test is no earlier than May 6.

May 6, 2024

Starliner's first attempted launch is scrubbed after a problem with an oxygen valve is found on the rocket that launches the spacecraft into orbit.

May 7, 2024

NASA, Boeing and United Launch Alliance Starliner rocket  say they're targeting a launch date no earlier than May 10.

May 14, 2024

Officials say a new pressure regulation valve has been replaced and tested successfully, and that the new Starliner launch target date will be no earlier than May 21.

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MORE: Elon Musk calls for deorbiting of the ISS. Here's what the space station does

May 23, 2024

NASA announces a new target Starliner launch date of June 1. A launch date had been set for May 25 but a small helium leak was discovered in the service module, which contains support systems and instruments for operating a spacecraft.

June 1, 2024

Officials scrub Starliner's launch just a few minutes before liftoff due to a computer ground launch sequencer not loading properly. A backup date of June 2 is also canceled.

June 2, 2024

NASA and Boeing officials say they are targeting a June 5 launch date for Starliner.

June 5, 2024

After several delays, Starliner launches, lifting off at 10:52 a.m. ET from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to return to Earth aboard Starliner on June 14.

PHOTO: Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket lifts off from the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., June 5, 2024, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station. (Chris O'Meara/AP, FILES)

June 6, 2024

Starliner successfully docks at the ISS after helium leaks and a thruster issue threatened to delay the docking.

June 11, 2024

NASA says Starliner has five "small" helium leaks and that the astronauts' ISS mission will be extended to June 18, pending weather and Starliner's readiness to return them home.

June 14, 2024

NASA and Boeing announce they are targeting June 22 for Starliner's crewed return to Earth.

June 18, 2024

NASA delays the astronauts' return until June 26 while the team troubleshoots some of Starliner's issues, including the helium leaks and thruster failures.

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MORE: What a year in space does to the body as NASA astronaut Frank Rubio returns home

June 21, 2024

The astronauts' return date is canceled again due to conflicts with previously planned spacewalks. Mission officials continue to review Starliner data.

June 28, 2024

NASA and Boeing officials say during a press conference that additional testing is being conducted on the spacecraft's propulsion system before Starliner can be undocked.

July 10, 2024

Wilmore and Williams say they feel "confident" Starliner can bring them home safely.

Aug 7, 2024

During a press conference, NASA officials say Wilmore and Williams may have to come home on a spacecraft other than Starliner.

PHOTO: Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, both Expedition 71 Flight Engineers, make pizza aboard the International Space Station's galley located inside the Unity module, Sept. 9, 2024. (NASA via AP, FILES)

Aug. 24, 2024

NASA officials confirm that the astronauts will have to return home on a different spacecraft in 2025 and that Starliner will return to Earth uncrewed.

Aug. 29, 2024

NASA and Boeing officials say they will proceed with undocking Starliner no earlier than the evening of Sept. 6.

Sept. 7, 2024

Starliner lands uncrewed at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

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MORE: NASA astronaut breaks record for longest trip to space by an American

Sept. 13, 2024

During a press conference, Wilmore and Williams say they don't feel "let down" by not returning on Boeing's Starliner or by the delay in their mission.

March 12, 2025

NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission is canceled less than 45 minutes before liftoff due to a hydraulic system issue.

PHOTO: The NASA SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, that will carry the NASA's Crew-10, is seen docked at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, in Titusville, Fla., March 12, 2025. (Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA via Shutterstock)

March 14, 2025

Members of the Crew-10 mission successfully launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

March 16, 2025

Crew-10 successfully docks at the ISS, bringing four new astronauts to work on the floating lab and setting up the return to Earth of Wilmore and Williams, as well as another NASA astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut.

March 18, 2025

Crew-10 undocks from the ISS a few moments after 1 a.m. ET. The craft moves above and behind the station before beginning a series of departure burns, which send it heading toward Earth, a voyage that's expected to take about 17 hours.

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ABC News' Faith Abubey, Matthew Glasser, Leah Sarnoff and Gina Sunseri contributed to this report.

Timeline of Boeing's Starliner mission that left NASA astronauts aboard ISS for 9 months originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Records made by a recently-created state immigration enforcement office, the result of a new law passed in late January, could largely remain secret from the public  drawing concern from First Amendment experts and immigration advocates.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the immigration bill on Feb. 12, establishing a new state enforcement office which will act as a liaison between local and federal officers on immigration issues. The law largely exempts from the new office from public records laws.

The law also criminalizes local officials who vote for sanctuary policies.

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More: Tennessee GOP passes immigration law to criminalize elected officials' votes

An amendment filed shortly before the law passed states that any information collected by the enforcement office or chief immigration enforcement officer, including but not limited to sensitive or confidential law enforcement information collected at the federal, state or local level, can remain confidential.

This makes the newly created division almost entirely exempt from the Tennessee Public Records Act, meaning that while the office could release whatever information it wants, members of the media and public can de denied nearly any information requested from it.

Lee spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said the new law creates a robust framework to strengthen immigration enforcement across Tennessee, adding that the public records exemption is consistent with current department practice.

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Gov. Lee remains committed to transparency, while recognizing the need to ensure that law enforcement operations are not compromised, Johnson said. The Department will process public records requests consistent with Tennessee state law.

Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, cautioned that the law is written to exempt far more than just law enforcement operations.

The exemption is much broader than that and basically says any records it collects or receivescould be confidential, Fisher said. That is a big swath of records, and it's too broad. And I fear that what we will know about this immigration division will be largely what the division wants to tell the public, rather than what's actually going on.

Laws language casts a broad net of confidentiality

The push to pass the immigration measure was seen by many proponents as a way to help further President Donald Trumps immigration policies.

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The legislation will fund a $5 million office within the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, allowing Lee to tap an enforcement director and incentivize local law enforcement entities to enter into contracts with federal immigration authorities.

Local law enforcement can already apply for the federal contract program, called 287(g) agreements. Currently, only Knox and Greene counties have such agreements. Davidson County dropped its coordination agreement in 2012 after a string of controversies that gained national attention.

Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who sponsored the amendment exempting the division from current public records laws, told the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee in January that the amendment made the new divisions records-keeping more consistent with current exemptions.

Sen. Bo Watson, R- Hamilton County, defends SB 836 before Tennessee senators vote at Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

It also extends  and this is an important component for safety  the confidentiality protections for law enforcement records already held by Department of Safety to also apply to documents maintained by the newly established immigration enforcement division, he said.

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But current exemptions for the Department of Safety and Homeland Security only pertain to criminal investigations, handgun permits, motor vehicle records and other similar administrative forms.

Issues of immigration enforcement are often considered civil matters, not criminal. And the language of the bill does not limit the records kept confidential to law enforcement records, but rather to any record deemed sensitive.

Jason Pack, communications director at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, defended the need to classify documents as sensitive, saying the provision is "designed to protect information that could compromise enforcement efforts, endanger individuals, or reveal operational strategies."

"The 'sensitive' classification isnt arbitrary  decisions will be based on objective factors, similar to how the Department of Safety and Homeland Security already handles security-related records," he said. "The goal isnt to withhold information without cause, but to ensure that law enforcement operations are not compromised."

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Fisher emphasized the public has a right to information collected by such an agency.

I think the public has an interest in the progress toward the immigration enforcement goals, and the public has committed a huge chunk of change to it, Fisher said. In my mind, they need to know if it gets any results, and this seems to shield any access to records.

Fisher compared the action to the law passed last year that similarly allowed records from the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development to be exempt from public records if the tourism commissioner and attorney general deem them sensitive.

Sometimes these things get written really broadly, because they wanted to give them the most latitude possible to keep information confidential, she said. But the public records law exists to assure the right of the public to records.

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Gunita Singh, a staff attorney at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said the usage of the word sensitive to block an unknown number of records is concerning.

The language of the recently passed bill is troubling, she said. What is a sensitive document? Who gets to decide? The language as written imparts too much discretion onto the record custodian when exemptions to public records should be as narrow as possible to maximize public access.

Singh said the states public records law contains an explicit presumption in favor of disclosure, so as to give the fullest possible access to public records.

This bill flies in the face of that longstanding principle, she said.

Immigrant rights groups raise concerns

Emily Stotts, legal director at Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, a nonpartisan pro-bono legal team specializing in immigration services, said the new law feels like a witch hunt.

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I think what some of this legislation is doing, both federally and locally, is just causing a lot more fear amongst the (immigrant) communities, she said, adding the portion of the law that criminalizes local votes for sanctuary policies is especially concerning.

The organization largely serves impoverished clients, particularly in humanitarian-based immigration cases  like asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, DACA applicants, and more  and family-based immigration cases, which includes reuniting families that are often of mixed-status citizenship.

Over the past year, the group served over 800 clients. Currently, Stotts said the organization has temporarily paused taking on new clients due to the current, heavy case load that has resulted from the rapidly changing federal and state immigration responses.

The new immigration enforcement division did not come as a surprise to the organization, Stotts said, though the law is causing panic in vulnerable communities looking for legal help.

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Tennessee has been not an immigrant-friendly state for as long as I've been practicing law, she said. And so that's not really changing ... but it's sort of causing this hysteria.

Amid the increasing pace of newly passed immigration laws, both at the federal and state level, Stotts said a lack of public transparency is of paramount concern.

I worry about that with any law  not just immigration law  but anytime something lacks transparency, she said. It should be a red flag.

Melissa Brown contributed to this report.

The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

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Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN immigration division to be largely exempt from public records laws
Republican lawmakers are going after the judicial branch, claiming that the legal appointees are attempting to usurp Donald Trumps power for merely ruling against the presidents agenda.

These far-left Resistance district court judges are under the impression they were elected president, Senator Tom Cotton posted on X Monday. The idea of ordering the President to turn around a plane filled with violent criminal illegal aliens is outrageous.

Fox News also pitched in on the effort to condemn the judge, broadcasting a photo of James Boasberg, the chief judge of the Washington, D.C., District Court, to its millions of viewers.

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The Trump administration ignored a judges order to turn around two planes carrying hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members on Saturday. In a verbal order, Boasberg demanded that the government cancel the flights immediately.

You shall inform your clients of this immediately. Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States, Boasberg said during a hearing. However thats accomplished, turning around the plane, or not embarking anyone on the plane. This is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately.

Regardless, the planes did not turn around.

Trump had invoked a Japanese internment-era wartime policythe Alien Enemies Actearly Saturday to deport noncitizens he believed to be a part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Five of the men sued the Trump administration in response, attempting to prevent their imminent removal.

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But hours later, when the emergency court hearing had taken a brief pause, the planes were skybound. Once Boasbergs directive was received, Trump officials made the calculated decision to keep the planes en route to Honduras, alleging operational and national security reasons for their continued flight while claiming that the judges order was out of bounds since the planes had supposedly passed over international waters by the time the verbal order was given.

The following day, Trump had his explanation for the blatant infraction, claiming that the nations immigration constituted an invasion while describing the current era as a time of war.

These are criminals, many, many criminals, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. Murderers, drug dealers at the highest level, drug lords. People from mental institutions.
While the crypto markets continued to take a beating over the weekend, one coin is actually gaining ground. TON, which is associated with messaging app Bitcoin stayed flat.

As you may have heard, Ive returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram, Durov wrote on Telegram. The process is ongoing, it feels great to be home.

Durov will be required to return to France by Apr. 7.

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Telegram began to develop TONalso known as The Open Networkin 2017, to allow its rapidly growing user base to quickly process transactions in the app using blockchain technology. It is now an integral part of the platform, used to pay for games, advertisements and transaction fees. It has amassed a market cap of over $8 billion.

Telegram and alleged criminal activities

Durov had been banned from leaving France since August after he was arrested near Paris last year.

Telegram has attracted nearly one billion global users since it was founded in 2013 through its emphasis on privacy and security. It was the companys policy to not comply with government requests for user information until September when Durov reversed this policy in the wake of his arrest. French authorities say the app has been used for the distribution of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud and other criminal activities.

Telegram previously said it was absurd to hold Durov responsible for criminal activities that occur on Telegram in a X post following his arrest. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, the company wrote, adding that its moderation practices are within industry standards and constantly improving. The company did not immediately respond to Fortune's request for comment.

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Durovs arrest prompted backlash from the likes of Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin and U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden, who said the move was a politically-motivated attack on freedom of speech.

Durov has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, writing on Telegram on Monday: When it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
President Donald Trumps administration transferred more than 200 migrants to the custody of El Salvador early Sunday in a chilling video posted online just hours after a judge temporarily blocked the deportations.

A judge ruled hours earlier on Saturday that Trumps invocation of an 18th century wartime lawone that had been used only three times in the nations historyto order deportations would require further hearing.

Lawyers for the government, multiple outlets reported, informed him that there was already one plane to El Salvador and one plane to Honduras shuttling migrants out of the United States in the air.

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U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered those planes be turned around, though only did so verbally and did not include the specific request in his written order.

Either way, his decree went unheeded: in the early hours of Sunday morning, Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele, a cryptocurrency-loving Trump ally who agreed to house 300 migrants in his countrys prisons for $6 million for one year, confirmed that 238 men had been received by local authorities.

Video set to dramatic music and posted by Bukele Sunday morning shows men being removed from an airplane by armed personnel and frog-marched to buses before they are driven to a detention facility.

Today, the first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, arrived in our country. They were immediately transferred to CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center, for a period of one year (renewable).



The United States will pay a very low fee for them, pic.twitter.com/tfsi8cgpD6  Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 16, 2025

Once at the facility, they are shown wearing prison uniforms, having their heads and facial hair shaved, and being placed in holding cells.

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In a social media post, Bukele, who said the video showed the arrival of 238 Tren de Aragua members in El Salvador, appeared to mock Boasbergs attempt to halt the transfer, writing: OopsieToo late .

Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, excitedly shared Bukeles post.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a statement released Saturday after the judges decision, claimed Boasbergs ruling disregards well-established authority regarding President Trumps power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk.

Trump adviser Elon Musk called for the judge to be impeached, in posts on his social media platform X. Musk has previously called for judges who ruled against the administration to be booted from the benches.

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The migrants were deported after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which requires the president to declare the nation is at war and was previously used in the War of 1812 and during the two world wars of the 20th century.

In a statement released little more than an hour before Boasbergs ruling, Trump essentially claimed the transnational Venezuelan criminal syndicate Tren de Aragua was at war with the US.

He called the group a hybrid criminal state that is perpetrating an invasion of and predatory incursion into the United States, and which poses a substantial danger to the United States.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit that resulted in Boasbergs temporary restraining order, said it has asked for clarification about whether the Trump administration defied a court order in carrying out the deportations to El Salvador.

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The ACLU filed the lawsuit on behalf of five Venezuelans in Texas who said they are concerned they could be wrongly accused of being Tren de Aragua members and deportedpotentially to a Salvadorian maximum security prisonif Trump was allowed to invoke the Alien Enemies Act.

In a statement posted to social media Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio boasted that the administration had deported over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.

We have sent 2 dangerous top MS-13 leaders plus 21 of its most wanted back to face justice in El Salvador. Also, as promised by @POTUS, we sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will  Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 16, 2025

The ACLU argued during Saturdays hearing that Trump was not authorized to use the Alien Enemies Act against a criminal organization that was not a recognized state.

Boasberg gave his order to pause the deportations because, he said, the civil rights organization had a reasonable chance of success on the merits of that argument.
LA PAZ, March 17 (Xinhua) -- At least one person died, several were missing, and 40 homes were buried underground after a landslide devastated the community of Andavilque in the mining municipality of Llallagua, the Bolivian southwestern department of Potosi in the early hours of Sunday, local authorities said Monday.

The mayor of the municipality of Llallagua, Adalid Jorge Aguilar, said that the landslide due to heavy rains claimed the life of an older adult who was trapped in his home.

The landslide caused by the collapse of a lagoon with mining waste also affected crops and livestock in the area.

The secretary of the Llallagua mayor's office, Rene Felipez, confirmed to the local press that more than 500 llamas and sheep had perished after the flood of mud, earth and stones, and only a few were rescued alive.

Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Juan Carlos Calvimontes said that the government has mobilized emergency aid for the victims.

"A truck is leaving from La Paz heading to Llallagua, carrying supplies, mattresses, blankets and food," said the official in contact with Bolivia TV. 
Nearly 100 historians and biographers rated past commanders in chief on 10 leadership qualities.

Abraham Lincoln was voted the best US president.

Donald Trump didn't make the top 25  he's No. 41.

Historians agree: Abraham Lincoln was the best US president.

For C-SPAN's most recent Presidential Historians Survey, conducted in 2021, nearly 100 historians and biographers rated the former US presidents.

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The 2021 Presidential Historians Survey, which was released after Donald Trump's first term in the White House, measured 10 qualities of presidential leadership: public persuasion, crisis leadership, economic management, moral authority, international relations, administrative skills, relations with Congress, vision, pursued equal justice for all, and performance within the context of his times.

Scores in each category were then averaged, and the 10 categories were given equal weighting in determining the presidents' total scores.

After his first term, Donald Trump didn't make the top 25  he ranked at No. 41. Jimmy Carter also missed the top 25, coming in at No. 26.

C-SPAN normally releases its Presidential Historians Survey after a sitting president's term. The 2021 survey did not include Joe Biden since he was still in office when it was conducted.

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However, a C-SPAN spokesperson told Business Insider that the 2025 survey, which would have included Biden, has been postponed.

"Upon consultation with our survey's advisory team of historians, C-SPAN has decided to postpone this cycle's presidential leadership survey," Robin Newton, C-SPAN's media relations specialist, told Business Insider. "The consensus is that with a former president returning to office, conducting the survey now would turn it from historical analysis to punditry."

A different presidential survey called the Presidential Greatness Project also ranked Lincoln as the best president, followed by Franklin D. Roosevelt at No. 2 and Washington at No. 3. Published in 2024 by Professor Brandon Rottinghaus from the University of Houston and Professor Justin S. Vaughn from Coastal Carolina University, the project surveyed 154 members of the American Political Science Association and other political scholars. The Presidential Greatness Project ranked Biden at 14th and Trump in last place at 45th.

Here are the top 25 presidents, according to historians surveyed by C-SPAN. The full list can be found here.

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25. Grover Cleveland (22nd and 24th president) ranked well for his public persuasion and administrative skills.

Grover Cleveland. National Archives / Handout / Getty Images

Before President Trump, Grover Cleveland was the only US president to serve non-consecutive terms in office.

24. Calvin Coolidge (30th president) earned strong scores in moral authority and administrative skills.

Calvin Coolidge. Bettmann/Getty Images

Coolidge took office after President Warren G. Harding's sudden death in 1923. He gained popularity for his frugality, helping usher the US into a period that became known as "Coolidge prosperity."

23. William Howard Taft (27th president) ranked well for his administrative skills and international relations.

William Howard Taft. Hulton Archive / Stringer / Getty Images

Eight years after his presidency, William Howard Taft became Chief Justice of the US and is the only person to have held positions in both offices, according to the White House.

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22. Andrew Jackson (seventh president) had strong public persuasion during his tenure, according to historians.

Andrew Jackson. Library Of Congress/Getty Images

Jackson's supporters helped found the Democratic party after he lost the 1824 presidential election, despite getting the popular vote.

21. George H. W. Bush (41st president) ranked high in how he handled international relations.

George H. W. Bush. Lennox McLendon/AP

Bush conducted military operations in Panama and the Persian Gulf during his tenure.

20. Ulysses S. Grant (18th president) ranked well for his public persuasion and international relations.

Ulysses S. Grant. AP

Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Armies during the American Civil War, ultimately defeating the Confederacy.

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19. Bill Clinton (42nd president) ranked high for economic management.

Bill Clinton. AP Photo/Don Ryan

Federal government spending fell during Clinton's presidency, and more jobs were created during his presidency than any other.

18. James K. Polk (11th president) ranked highly for his crisis leadership and administrative skills.

James K. Polk. National Archive/Newsmakers

Polk led the US to victory in the two-year Mexican-American War.

17. John Quincy Adams (sixth president) ranked well for his moral authority and relations with other countries.

John Quincy Adams. bild/ullstein bild/Getty Images

John Quincy Adams won the 1824 election against Andrew Jackson despite losing the popular and electoral races. Because none of the candidates won a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives chose the president.

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16. James Madison (fourth president) ranked highly for "moral authority."

James Madison. GraphicaArtis/Getty Images, VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images

James Madison drafted and helped ratify the Bill of Rights before becoming president.

15. John Adams (second president) also ranked highly for his moral authority and economic management.

John Adams. Hulton Archive / Stringer / Getty Images

Adams is known as "the father of the American Navy" for championing US naval forces and establishing the Department of the Navy in 1798.

14. William McKinley Jr. (25th president) ranked highly for his relations with Congress.

William McKinley. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

With the help of Congress, McKinley passed the Dingley Act, the highest protective tariff in US history.

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13. Woodrow Wilson (28th president) ranked highly for his "vision," according to historians.

Woodrow Wilson. AP Images

Wilson led the country during World War I and was instrumental in crafting the League of Nations, a precursor to the United Nations.

12. James Monroe (fifth president) ranked highly for his handling of international relations.

James Monroe. National Archives / Handout / Getty Images

The president lent his name to the Monroe Doctrine, which asserted that Latin America was within the US sphere of influence.

11. Lyndon B. Johnson (36th president) ranked highly for his relations with Congress.

Lyndon B. Johnson. AP Photo

Johnson passed legislation including Medicare and Medicaid programs, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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10. Barack Obama (44th president) ranked highly for his pursuit of equal justice for all.

Barack Obama. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

9. Ronald Reagan (40th president) ranked highly for his public persuasion.

Ronald Reagan. Scott Stewart, file via AP

Domestically, Reagan is best known for cutting income taxes via two different federal laws: the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 and the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

8. John F. Kennedy (35th president) ranked highly for public persuasion.

John F. Kennedy. JFK Library

Kennedy became the youngest man and first Catholic elected president.

7. Thomas Jefferson (third president) ranked highly for his relations with Congress and his vision.

Thomas Jefferson. Hulton Archive / Stringer / Getty Images

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Jefferson vastly expanded the US borders through the Louisiana Purchase with France.

6. Harry S. Truman (33rd president) ranked highly for his crisis leadership and how he his pursued equal justice for all.

Harry Truman. Getty Images

Truman took over as president when Franklin Delano Roosevelt died. He led the US through the final stages of World War II.

5. Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th president) ranked highly for his moral authority.

Dwight D. Eisenhower. Getty Images

Eisenhower founded NASA and signed a law that would create the Interstate Highway System.

4. Theodore Roosevelt (26th president) ranked highly for his public persuasion.

Theodore Roosevelt. Reuters

Mount Rushmore depicts Roosevelt's face alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd president) ranked highly for his public persuasion and handling of international relations.

Franklin D. Roosevelt. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

FDR is the only president to have served more than two terms, dying in April 1945 at the start of his fourth term.

2. George Washington (first president) ranks highly for his economic management, moral authority, and performance within the context of his times.

George Washington. VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images

Washington remains the only president to not have been affiliated with a political party during his time in office.

1. Abraham Lincoln (16th president) ranks best for his crisis leadership, administrative skills, vision, and pursued equal justice for all.

Abraham Lincoln. Getty Images

Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War helped abolish slavery and save the Union from breaking apart, establishing him as the best president in US history according to historians.

C-SPAN's full presidential ranking can be found here.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Topeka butcher shop opens new location Monday

TOPEKA (KSNT)  A local butcher shop is expanding its operations in Topeka.

Leonard Meat is opening a new location at 1936 Southwest Gage Boulevard suite B. The owner tells 27 News its important for small businesses to stick together, which is why they sell locally made Kansas products in the store.

Leonard Meat has a range of meats for everyone that are quick and easy to prepare.

Get a family bundle or an all-American bundle, has a variety of everything, said owner Chuck Clifton. You just take it home, put in your freezer, and when youre ready to cook, its just right there waiting for you.

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New north Topeka restaurant reveals opening date

The new location will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 17. You can learn more about what Leonard Meat has to offer by heading to its website or calling 785-409-5292.

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.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  The Topeka Police Department (TPD) is asking for community input to help shape the departments first-ever community policing policy.

The TPD opened the survey up to the public on Monday, March 17. The survey asks questions like what does community policing mean to you? and what do you think the biggest challenges are for effective community policing? among other questions. The TPD said the survey will help guide the departments approach to engaging with the community.

We want to hear directly from the people we serve, said Topeka Police Chief Chris Vallejo. Strengthening community policing is one of my top priorities and your feedback is crucial in shaping a policy that truly represents our shared vision for community policing in Topeka.

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K-State Ag. dean responds to USAID cuts

The survey will be open to the public until Friday, April 18. You can participate by clicking here. The survey is also available to Spanish speakers here.

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.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The City of Topeka is warning residents of an ongoing scam targeting local drivers.

Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka said in a press release that residents have been receiving scam texts claiming they owe $6.99 for parking violations. The scammers send victims a link to pay off the fake violation.

The city said it doesnt send text messages for parking violations. The city also said standard parking violations are $10, not $6.99.

If you receive this text, do not click on the linkreport and block the number, then delete the message. City of Topeka press release excerpt

Diecast show coming to the Capital City

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You can confirm payment requests with the city directly by calling 785-368-3111.

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.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
WALTHALL COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT)  Tylertown customers have been placed under a boil water notice after the town was affected by a tornado outbreak this weekend.

According to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), the systemwide notice for the Magees Creek Water Association affects 9,792 connections on the system.

Everything is gone: Walthall County devastated by tornadoes

This is a precautionary notice. Residents will be notified by the water system when the advisory is lifted. For more information, customers may contact 601-876-4838 click here.

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Health officials strongly recommend that all water be boiled vigorously for one minute before it is consumed.

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WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) declared a tornado watch for Washington County on Sunday.

A storm system was passing through the DMV, bringing gusting winds and rain through the region.

Get the latest forecast from DC News Nows weather team here

In a post on X, MDEM said that the tornado watch was in effect until 8 p.m.

Washington County also had a severe thunderstorm warning until 7:45 p.m.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Organizers rally across from Garners Amazon warehouse on Saturday February 8, 2025 -- two days prior to the start of a union election. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline)

The number of U.S. workers belonging to a union fell to a record low of 9.8% this past year. Despite scattered victories like Starbucks unionization, the labor movement is a shadow of the brawny force it once was in American society.

The recent vote at Amazons giant RDU1 facility in Garner underscores the obstacles to resurrecting unionism. A grassroots worker-led group called Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE) fought successfully for a union election, but it lost the vote last month by an almost three-to-one margin Just one of Amazons more than 1,500 U.S. facilities, JFK8 on Staten Island, has voted to unionize  and the company still refuses to recognize those results.

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I had a first-hand view of the Garner election and its lessons for labor organizing. As an anthropologist studying Amazon, I worked in its warehouses for two years, loading trucks at RDU1. Witnessing the sweatshop conditions there led me to join CAUSE and its spunky yet failed fight to unionize the facility.

At least in theory, the time is ripe for labor organizing. A recent poll shows seventy percent of Americans approve of labor unions, weary of corporate greed and drone jobs.

Although unions will not solve everything, working people need the benefits they can bring more than ever. The titans of 21st century commerce like Walmart, Amazon, and McDonalds enforce brutal work rates through the so-called electronic whip of algorithmic management and the threat of firing. Old fashioned generosities like holiday bonuses and paid sick days have been cut to keep costs down.

The big companies have made poverty pay the new norm. At RDU1, you make a few dollars more than cashiering at Dollar General cashiering or assembling Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, but the $18.50 hourly starting pay is less than half the $42.64 an hour that economists estimate as necessary for an adult with a child to get by in the greater Raleigh area. Some RDU1 workers sleep in their cars to save rent money  and this when Amazon cofounder Jeff Bezos banks a surreal $7.9 million an hour with his private jets, super yacht, and multiple mansions.

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Unionizing a gigantic 21st century warehouse with more than 4,000 workers is daunting. What economists call the churn of high worker turnover complicates solidarity-building. So does the heterogeneity of the work force at a place like RDU1 between its hip-hop princes, queer young Latinas and tractor-cap Trumpies along with migrants from more than thirty countries. The jobs grind makes mustering energy to raise labors flag tough too.

Despite the obstacles, CAUSE collected over 1,700 worker signatures to force the union election. But Amazon told organizers they could not hang flyers or hold informational meetings inside the warehouse, while firing three CAUSE leaders and calling the police to arrest volunteers handing out leaflets outside. The company blanketed the facility with vote no messaging on banners, posters, and video screens. From a hastily erected town hall stage, managers seeded lies about CAUSE threatening deportation for migrant workers  and that a union victory would mean everyone losing their benefits. Over CAUSE objections, the election was held inside the warehouse under the surveillance of Amazons video cameras, managers, union-avoidance consultants, and security guards. It felt almost like some sham election in totalitarian North Korea.

CAUSE has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which oversees union elections, to throw out the vote. The complaint cites the targeting of union activists with suspensions, random drug testing, and denying disability accommodations among sixteen different charges, although the Trump administration has signaled intentions to make the NLRB more company-friendly in its rulings.

Even when a union wins certification, companies will stall and dodge to avoid good faith bargaining for a new contract. Starbucks has so far refused to meet barista demands halfway. Here in North Carolina, the Duke Graduate Student Union and REI workers have seen little progress in contract talks despite winning elections almost two years ago.

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Hopeful examples do exist of cooperation. By contrast to union-phobic Amazon and most other big retailers, many Costco stores are unionized, with the Teamsters. Most hourly employees there earn more than $30 an hour and yet the low worker turnover, strong productivity, and not needing to throw millions at union-busting saves the company money. Costco profits have steadily risen in recent years. Unionization can be a win-win for workers and owners.

So long as many companies pay misery pay while treating workers like robots, the fight for unions will continue. At RDU1 after the election defeat, CAUSE president Ryan Brown vowed to keep organizing for as long as it takes.

Hear me well, Brown said. Were not going anywhere.
American warplanes took part in action against Houthi rebels in Yemen at the weekend, with President Trump promising further action in coming days. This was the latest in a series of air strikes, including by the RAF last year, seeking to degrade the groups ability to attack shipping entering the Red Sea bound for the Suez Canal.

This has become something of a forgotten theatre of conflict while the world focuses on Ukraine and Gaza. Yet the impact on world trade as ship owners steer away from the area and take a longer route around the Cape has been considerable.

President Trump called the air strikes decisive and powerful, yet this has been said after previous attacks only for the Iran-backed Houthis to keep up their activities. The UK did not participate in Saturdays US strikes against the Houthi targets but did provide routine refuelling support. This has become a familiar story since these two countries are doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to dealing with the Houthis.

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Even though they are a threat to all shipping, only the US and the UK seem to take it seriously enough to try to stop it with direct military action. President Trump accused the Houthis of piracy and he is right to do so. Historically, such threats to shipping are dealt with by what Sir Keir Starmer might call a coalition of the willing. Barbary pirates who plundered and kidnapped their way around the Mediterranean until in the 19th century they were defeated by an international coalition.

But even though a huge volume of Chinas exports go through the Suez canal, as does a great deal of oil and gas from the Gulf, it is left to the UK and the US to police the worlds trade routes and sort out the Houthi rebels once and for all.

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Trader Joes has issued a major recall affecting tens of thousands of Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Water bottles across 12 states due to potential glass bottle defects. Heres everything you need to know about this massive recall.

Glass Bottle Defect Sparks Major Trader Joes Water Recall

On March 12th, Trader Joes issued a recall for more than 60,000 bottles of Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Water due to a potential safety risk. The recall follows a notification from the products supplier, Germany-based Gerolsteiner, warning that certain lot codes of the glass bottles could be cracked or damaged, posing a laceration hazard.

In a statement, Trader Joes explained, The issue was identified through research related to bottle breakage during production and potentially affects 1 percent of bottles in the lot codes, which are detailed below.

How to Check If Your Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water Is Part of the Recall

Consumers can check if they have the recalled Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Water by looking for the affected lot codes, printed on the lower part of the white, blue, and red label:

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2024/28/11 24 2027/19/12

2024/271/11 24 2027/18/12

The recalled sparkling water was sold in 750-milliliter glass bottles, available individually or in cases of 15 bottles. It was distributed in 12 statesAlabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texasbetween December 27th, 2024, and January 28th, 2025.

Customers who purchased these bottles should stop using them immediately. Trader Joes advises careful disposal and offers a full refund at any store location. For further inquiries, contact Trader Joes Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 or via the retailers online contact form.

Fortunately, as of now, no customer injuries have been reported in connection with the damaged bottles.

Notable Bottled Water Recalls in Recent Years

In recent years, several bottled water recalls have been issued due to serious safety concerns, ranging from chemical contamination to bacterial risks. Here are some of the most significant cases:

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Penafiel Mineral Spring Water Recall (2019): Keurig Dr Pepper voluntarily recalled all unflavored Penafiel Mineral Spring Water after testing detected arsenic levels exceeding the FDAs allowable limit of 10 parts per billion. Although no immediate injuries were reported, long-term exposure to arsenic is linked to increased risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological issues.

Real Water Recall (2021): Real Water issued a nationwide recall after its alkalized bottled water was linked to a hepatitis outbreak that caused acute liver failure in multiple consumers. The FDA and CDC launched an investigation following reports of severe non-viral hepatitis, particularly among children, leading to several hospitalizations. The outbreak was traced to Real Waters Las Vegas-based facility, prompting the company to shut down operations permanently. Numerous lawsuits were filed by affected consumers, underscoring the dangers of inadequately treated bottled water.

Fiji Water Recall (2024): Nearly 2 million plastic bottles of Fiji Water were recalled after FDA testing detected elevated levels of manganese and potentially harmful bacteria strains. While no illnesses were immediately reported, the contamination posed potential health risks, particularly for individuals with weakened immune systems.

Source: AllRecipes.com

Read the original article on GEEKSPIN.

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ADEN, Yemen, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi warned on Monday that maritime routes will remain a persistent source of regional tension as long as Houthi forces maintain control over Yemen's coastal territories.

The statement came during Al-Alimi's meeting with French Ambassador to Yemen Catherine Corm-Kammoun in the southern port city of Aden, where they discussed recent developments in the region, particularly the ongoing Houthi attacks on international shipping lanes, according to the state-run Saba News Agency.

Al-Alimi underscored the need for the international community to adopt "punitive measures against the Houthi militias," stressing that "the only way to end terrorist threats is through supporting the Yemeni government, a United Nations member, in restoring state institutions and asserting authority over all its territories."

He also emphasized Yemen's role as a strategic partner in securing maritime traffic and upholding international peace and security.

The Houthis now control most of the northern areas, including Sanaa and the strategic Red Sea port of Hodeidah. The internationally recognized Yemeni government, led by the Presidential Leadership Council since April 2022, mainly controls the southern and eastern regions, with Aden serving as the temporary capital.

The U.S. military on Saturday evening launched a new wave of airstrikes on Houthi sites in northern Yemen, killing 53 people, including five children and two women.

It came as Trump vowed to continue air attacks until the Houthis stopped attacking international shipping lines and ships. He also warned the Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks "starting today ... hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before."

Following the U.S. attacks, Houthi forces announced Monday they had targeted the USS Harry Truman in the northern Red Sea for the second time within 24 hours, claiming the assault involved multiple ballistic and cruise missiles, along with drones, in an engagement lasting several hours.

The U.S. Navy has not yet issued a statement confirming or denying the alleged attack on its aircraft carrier.

The renewed conflict comes after Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, coinciding with the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

On March 11, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the crossings of the Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.

From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The attacks later expanded to include U.S. and British ships after the U.S.-British navy coalition started to intervene, launching air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group. 
Trader Joe's has recalled more than 61,000 units of Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water sold across 12 states due to a potential safety risk.

The glass bottles may crack, posing a laceration hazard, according to an announcement by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Mar. 13.

PHOTO: Trader Joe's recalls sparkling water bottles over 'laceration hazard.' (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The recall affects 750ml Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water bottles sold individually or in cases of 15. These bottles feature a white, blue and red label with the name "Gerolsteiner" on the front.

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Trader Joe's recalls cashew nuts due to potential salmonella contamination

The affected products come from two specific lots, with lot numbers 11/28/2024 L and 11/27/2024 L, which can be found on the lower part of the label.

The company stated that no injuries have been reported in connection with the recalled bottles, which they say were flagged during an investigation into bottle breakage during production.

The recall affects 61,500 units sold at Trader Joe's locations across 12 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The bottles were available between December 2024 and January 2025 for approximately $3 each, according to the CPSC.

PHOTO: Trader Joe's recalls sparkling water bottles over 'laceration hazard.' (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

Maarten Moog, president and CEO of conSup, the U.S. sales office and importer for Gerolsteiner, told ABC News on Sunday that this is the first recall in the 35 years the company has been importing the product from Germany.

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Moog says the issue stemmed from a single batch of glass bottles from one supplier, with less than 1% of the bottles found to be defective and the recall affects only two days' worth of production that was shipped to the U.S.

"It is a very small number, and then of that small number, it is a very limited percentage of products that could even possibly have a problem," he continued. "There's no harm, and that's why it's not an FDA recall, it's a consumer protection agency recall."

He added, "There's no harm in consuming the product. It is just that there is a potential that a bottle could break right and quite frankly, this was delivered in January of 2025. We are now at the end of March, and the chances that there are any products remaining out in the marketplace are extremely limited."

In the announcement on Thursday, the company also advises consumers to stop using the recalled Gerolsteiner sparkling water bottles and return them to the store for a full refund. Proof of purchase is not required, but the recalled bottle must be returned to receive a refund in cash or credit.

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Meanwhile, in a statement to ABC News on Monday, Trader Joe's said it prioritizes the health and safety of both its customers and employees above all else.

To uphold high food safety standards, the company said it rigorously ensures that all products meet strict quality expectations and takes no risks when it comes to product safety.

"We have a close relationship with our vendors," the statement read. "We [are] on the side of caution and are proactive in addressing issues. We voluntarily take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing the product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality."

"With more than five decades of experience working directly with the producers of our products, we stand by our proactive practices and continually improve our food safety processes," the statement added. "We take these matters seriouslypersonally, even, as our families eat and drink TJ's products, too."

Trader Joe's recalls 61,000 sparkling water bottles due to 'laceration hazard' originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  An investigation by the Bay County Sheriffs Office led to the arrest of three individuals from Panama City on drug charges.

On March 15, BCSO Special Investigations Division conducted a traffic stop along Highway 231 near Youngstown. Officials said the vehicle was occupied by 43-year-old Charles Robinson, 29-year-old Courtney Bates, and 45-year-old Dale Coleman.

When approaching the vehicle, investigators said they saw Robinson throw an item out of the window into nearby bushes. K9 Fila executed a sniff of the vehicle and gave a positive alert to the presence of illegal narcotics, BCSO said.

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Bonifay police alert public to beware of fraudulent cash

During a search of the vehicle, authorities found 132.2 grams of methamphetamine. The package Robinson threw out of the window was found to be 74.4 grams of fentanyl.

When investigators interviewed the suspects, they revealed they had traveled out of state to obtain the narcotics.

Robinson was charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine More than 28 grams, Trafficking Fentanyl More than 28 grams, Importation of a Controlled Substance, Tampering with Evidence, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Bates and Coleman were charged with Principle to Trafficking Methamphetamine More than 28 grams, Principle to Trafficking Fentanyl More than 28 grams, Principle to Importation of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

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More details -- including an altered timeline -- are emerging as officials continue to investigate the tragic deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who were both found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home in February.

"Last Days of Gene Hackman: ABC News Special" airs Tuesday, March 18, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Here's the timeline of the case:

Feb. 9

On Feb. 9, Arakawa picked up one of their three dogs -- the dog who was later found dead in the home with the couple -- from a veterinary hospital after a procedure, which may explain why the dog was discovered in a crate when the bodies were found, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.

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MORE: Likely cause of death for Gene Hackman's dog revealed

Feb. 11

On the afternoon of Feb. 11, Arakawa went to a farmer's market, CVS and a pet food store, and entered her gated community at 5:15 p.m., the sheriff said.

Authorities initially believed the 65-year-old Arakawa died on Feb. 11.

Feb. 12

Investigators later discovered Arakawa called concierge medical service Cloudberry Health on the morning of Feb. 12, the sheriff said.

"That would indicate to me that she was seeking medical advice or medical help, and may have not been feeling well or had been showing signs or feeling symptoms of hantavirus," Mendoza told ABC News.

PHOTO: The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (Roberto E. Rosales/AP)

Arakawa, who wasn't an established patient, told Cloudberry she was "feeling congested," but she "didn't sound ill," according to Dr. Josiah Child, founder of Cloudberry Health.

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Arakawa asked about hyperbaric therapy -- which involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber -- and "they told her she should come in to discuss," Child said.

An appointment was scheduled for 1:15 p.m. but she didn't attend; she also didn't respond to Cloudberry's follow up call, according to Child.

MORE: Gene Hackman's wife died of hantavirus; actor died of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's: Officials

Though the exact date of Arakawa's death is not clear, authorities said she died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted through rodent urine, droppings or saliva.

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Those who contract hantavirus often feel ill for roughly three to six days, according to Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the state's Office of the Medical Investigator.

"Then they can transition to that pulmonary phase, where they have fluid in their lungs and around their lungs," Jarrell said. "And at that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment."

Feb. 18

Hackman, 95, likely died around Feb. 18, about one week after his wife, officials said.

The Academy Award-winning actor's death was from cardiovascular disease with "Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor," Jarrell said.

PHOTO: Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Jan. 19, 2003. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

Hackman's "initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity on Feb. 17, with subsequent pacemaker interrogation demonstrating an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation on Feb. 18, which was the last record of heart activity," Jarrell said.

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Hackman was likely home with his deceased wife for about one week before he died, the sheriff said.

He "was in an advanced state of Alzheimer's, and it's quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased," Jarrell told reporters, adding that the "question is difficult to answer."

Feb. 26

On Feb. 26, the couple's bodies were discovered during a welfare check, the sheriff's office said.

Hackman was on the floor in the mud room while Arakawa was on the floor in a bathroom with a space heater near her body, according to the search warrant.

Arakawa's body showed signs of decomposition; there was mummification to her hands and feet, the document said.

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One of the couple's three dogs was found dead in a crate about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa's body, officials said. The dog likely died of dehydration and starvation, according to a necropsy report.

The couple's two other dogs were found alive. It appeared they had access to a doggy door; one dog was found near Arakawa's body and the other was located outside, the sheriff said.

Hackman is survived by his son and two daughters.

Hackman "was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa," his daughters and granddaughter said in a statement. "We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."

What happens to Hackman's estate?

Hackman left his $80 million estate to his wife and did not name his children. Arakawa left her estate to charity.

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The timeline of their deaths could play a factor in the couple's wills.

"If Betsy passes away first, and then Gene, his will, in a sense, would become void, because the individual he wanted his items to be passed to no longer exists in the eyes of the law," ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire said.

"His estate and everything he left in his will would go to probate court, where individuals can argue that they should receive the benefits of Gene Hackman's will," Buckmire said.

Hackman's son has hired a California trust and estate attorney.

ABC News' Muriel Pearson, Eileen Murphy and Eric Strauss contributed to this report.

The tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa: A timeline originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Tren de Aragua, commonly known as TdA, is the Venezuelan gang targeted by President Trump in recent mass deportations.

On Saturday, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, the first time its been used since World War II. It allows the president to have sweeping powers to deport people and specifically targeted alleged TdA members.

What is TdA?

The gang originated in a Venezuelan prison in 2014. The name is Spanish for the train of Aragua. The group may have gotten its name from a union of railroad workers, NPR reported.

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The gang controlled the prison and controlled crime in the country from behind bars. As Venezuelas economic outlook declined, the gang spread internationally by finding new members among Venezuelans leaving due to the economic crisis, the outlet reported.

Even though Venezuelas government has claimed to have eliminated the organization, several countries have reported arrests of members.

In the U.S., the group has been part of robberies and is suspected of shooting several New York police officers and the death of a former Venezuelan police officer in Florida, NPR reported.

Trump and TdA

While campaigning last year, Trump highlighted conspiracy theories about migrant communities.

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It followed the news that TdA members in Aurora, Colo., had overtaken an apartment building. Trump visited the city after video shared online showed a group of armed men at an apartment complex shortly before someone was shot.

Trump used the incident as an argument that fueled his immigration plans and helped familiarize the group in the U.S.

The Biden administration deemed TdA as a transnational criminal organization last year, and dozens of arrests were made among the group in January as some of Trumps first immigration actions.

In his proclamation enacting the Alien Enemies Act over the weekend, Trump said all Venezuelan citizens who are older than 14 and are not actually naturalized or lawful permanent U.S. residents are liable to be arrested, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies.

Legal ramifications

Trumps proclamation came just hours after a judge temporarily blocked the removal of five Venezuelans the administration said are connected to TdA.

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Then, shortly after Trumps announcement involving the wartime act, the federal judge expanded his ruling and prevented the removal of all individuals deemed eligible for removal under Trumps order for 14 days.

The order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg came as a result of a lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States, Boasberg said.

A day later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced hundreds of TdA members were deported under the act, defying the federal judges order.

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Rubio had negotiated an agreement with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who agreed to imprison the deported Venezuelans in a prisoner swap.

The Trump administration acknowledged the flight in a court filing Sunday but insisted the plane had already left U.S. jurisdiction by the time Boasberg issued his order.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Alzheimers can affect both those who are diagnosed and those who are caregivers.

Vanderbilt student Jackson Noland witnessed this firsthand.

I have a family member with Alzheimers, and while its been sad to see him kind of decline, really the saddest experience has been seeing my grandmother kind of decline as hes declined and seen her health take a toll as well as his.

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Noland is originally from the Tri-Cities and has been researching how caregiving can affect quality of life since high school. He said he wants to help relieve some of the burdens on caregivers.

Buffalo Mountain Park reopens following wildfire, city says

What I found is theres just tremendous impact on being a caregiver where you have so much higher levels of burden than your similarly aged peers and so much lower of a health-related quality of life.

He decided to draft legislation and contacted local representatives, including Tennessee Representative Renea Jones.

His story really touched me and resonated with me as he was telling me about, you know, not only the burden that that was causing financially, but on her physical well-being and as well as just her identity, Jones said.

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Jones says the bill, called the Caring for Caregivers Act, would provide a $6000 grant to qualifying families to help with caregiving expenses.

Qualifications include the patient being diagnosed with Alzheimers or another type of dementia, the caregiver being a family member, and the caregiver caring for the patient in their home.

Jones also cites research showing that similar grants have had a positive impact in other states, including Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

It just might relieve something, some burden, a financial burden on them. The assistance really helps provide a better-quality care for the patient as well, Jones explained.

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Along with local representatives, Noland reached out to Alzheimers Tennessee. They have since endorsed the bill.

There are also times that caregivers have to step away from jobs, said Tracey Wilson, the Regional Director of Alzheimers Tennessee in Johnson City. Many times, all of their needs, desires, want and sometimes health is put on the back burner.

Nolands goal of the bill is for caregivers to feel some relief in their lives.

I just would like to see the impact on that, said Noland, Id like to see how it can improve the quality of life. Id like to see some of those caregivers be able to regain some of the loss of identity that they have.

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The State House and Senate will vote on the bill later this week. If passed, it will be applied to the Department of Disability and Aging.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BOSTON (AP)  A former mayor from Haiti went on trial Monday after authorities say he lied on his visa application about a series of politically motivated attacks against his opponents that left one dead and several people injured.

Jean Morose Viliena, who has been living just north of Boston in the city of Malden, Massachusetts, was indicted in 2023 on three counts of visa fraud. Authorities say he wrote on his application that he had not ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people."

But federal prosecutors allege that while Viliena was mayor of the town of Les Irois, an isolated, rural community of about 22,000 on Haitis western tip, he committed violent atrocities against his political foes. The impoverished community is only accessible by a dirt road that winds through the mountains.

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The defendant was the mayor of this town and he didnt tolerate anyone who questioned or opposed his authority, trial attorney Alexandra Skinnion told the jury, adding that some of the victims of that violence would testify during the trial.

In 2007, prosecutors said, Viliena led a group of his allies to the home of a political opponent, where he and his associates shot and killed the opponents younger brother, then smashed his skull with a rock.

Prosecutors also allege that in 2008, Viliena and his allies went armed with guns, machetes, picks and sledgehammers to shut down a community radio station that he opposed. Authorities said he pistol-whipped and punched a man and ordered an associate to shoot and kill the man and another person.

Both survived, but one of the men lost a leg and the other was blinded in one eye.

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Today, we are in a courtroom in Boston because the defendant lied about all this, Skinnion said. He didn't disclose he was involved in murdering and shooting people because he knew, if he did, he wouldnt be allowed into the United States.

Defense attorneys say Viliena is innocent and therefore didnt lie on his visa application. But Viliena was found liable by an American jury in a civil trial in 2023 in connection with the killing and the two attempted killings and assessed $15.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

The lawsuit was filed by the San Francisco-based Center for Justice and Accountability on behalf of David Boniface, Juders Yseme and Nissage Martyr in Boston in 2017. Nissage Martyr died and his son, Nissandere Martyr, replaced him as a plaintiff.

The lawsuit was filed under the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991, which allows suits to be filed in the U.S. against foreign officials over allegations of wrongdoing in their homeland if all legal avenues in their country have been exhausted.

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The center also called on the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to work with Haiti's government to ensure the safety of its clients and their family members, who have been subjected to retaliation and intimidation.

Defense attorneys argued in court that it was members of a rival political party  including some who they say are government witnesses  who committed the violence detailed in the charges against Viliena. They described the former mayor as the son of a farmer who became a teacher and eventually ran for mayor to improve conditions in town.

Mr. Viliena is innocent of the charges against him and we are looking forward to the opportunity to prove this, Jason Benzaken, the lead counsel for Viliena, said ahead of the trial.
One man has been arrested as authorities continue to investigate the cause of a crash that killed five people Thursday on Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas.

Authorities said 17 vehicles were involved, including a tractor-trailer hauling goods for Amazon, in the accident that happened around 11:30 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-35.

Five people were pronounced dead on the scene, including a child and an infant. Eleven others were taken to hospitals.

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Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, the Dallas-based driver of the tractor-trailer, was arrested Friday by the Austin Police Department and charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.





Preliminary information shows the truck carrying the Amazon haul failed to slow for traffic that had backed up in a temporary work zone for an I-35 expansion project, National Transportation Safety Board investigators said.

The truck that initiated the crash sequence was registered to a for-hire carrier, ZBN Transport LLC, out of Dallas, Texas, Kenny Bragg, an NTSB investigator, said during a news conference on Sunday. In the coming days, the team will continue to document this temporary work zone, conduct a detailed mechanical inspection of the striking truck and collect further information from witnesses. We will also be looking into the truck drivers employment history as a commercial driver, his entire driving history to include crash history and traffic violations, as well as his medical history for factors that may have influenced his driving.

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Officials for ZBN Transport LLC did not return a message seeking comment from FreightWaves on Monday.

ZBN Transport told KXAN that Araya had been with their company for four months and passed background checks.





Amazon officials confirmed that ZBN Transport was contracting a load for the e-commerce company.

This is a horrible tragedy, and our thoughts are with all those involved. Were looking into this further and will cooperate with all investigations, Amazon spokeswoman Maureen Lynch Vogel told the Austin American-Statesman.

The post Trucker charged in 17-car collision in Texas that killed 5 appeared first on FreightWaves.
Vanderbilt University has landed on the growing list of schools being investigated by the administration of President Donald Trump.

In a March 14 news release, the U.S. Department of Education announced an investigation into 45 universities, including Vanderbilt, over failing to comply with "civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities." The investigation, conducted by the department's Office of Civil Rights, is part of Trump's larger push to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives nationwide.

The list includes schools that partnered with nonprofit The PhD Project, which offers support to students from underrepresented groups as they seek doctoral degrees in business. According to a news release sent by the department Friday, the program "limits eligibility based on the race of participants."

Students walk past the Faye and Joe Wyatt Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.

More: Dozens of schools face investigation by Trump administration, accused of 'racial preferences'

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"The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the release. "Todays announcement expands our efforts to ensure universities are not discriminating against their students based on race and race stereotypes. Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin."

Representatives for Vanderbilt did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

McMahon also mentioned other investigations into universities where she claims "widespread antisemitic harassment" has been reported. The University of Tennessee is part of that investigation.

More: Trump administration adds University of Tennessee to list of schools it's investigating

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Here is the full list of colleges and universities under investigation by the Trump administration over what it calls "race-exclusionary" practices through connections with the PhD Project:

Arizona State University

Boise State University

Cal Poly Humboldt

California State University-San Bernadino

Carnegie Mellon University

Clemson University

Cornell University

Duke University

Emory University

George Mason University

Georgetown University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Montana State University-Bozeman

New York University

Rice University

Rutgers University

The Ohio State University

Towson University

 Tulane University

University of Arkansas-Fayetteville

University of California-Berkeley

University of Chicago

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

University of Delaware

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

University of Nebraska at Omaha

University of New Mexico

University of North Dakota

University of North Texas-Denton

University of Notre Dame

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

University of Oregon

University of Rhode Island

University of Utah

University of Washington-Seattle

University of Wisconsin-Madison

University of Wyoming

Vanderbilt University

Washington State University

Washington University in St. Louis

Yale University

Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Reach her at RAwegner@tennessean.com or find her on Twitter and Bluesky under RachelAnnWegner.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump investigates Nashville's Vanderbilt as anti-DEI push continues
ANKARA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of Syrians returning from Turkiye to their country voluntarily has reached 145,639 since December last year, following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said Monday.

Yilmaz said on social media platform X that 145,639 people returned between Dec. 9 and March 16, bringing the total number of returns between 2017 and 2025 to 885,642.

He noted that migration figures are dynamic and subject to change.

"As security conditions, basic services, and the economic situation improve in Syria, which is undergoing reorganization, the numbers are expected to rise further," he said.

Ankara, which severed diplomatic relations with the al-Assad regime in 2012, has voiced support for a peaceful transition in the country after the collapse of the former government.

Turkiye currently hosts some 2.86 million registered Syrian refugees. 
The Trump administration has deported hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador under a rarely used wartime law, bypassing normal immigration procedures and possibly defying a federal judge's temporary ban on the move.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele confirmed the arrival of the deported on Sunday, posting images on X of men in handcuffs being escorted from a plane to buses and a prison.

"Today, the first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, arrived in our country," Bukele wrote. He also declared that 23 members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13, including two high-ranking leaders, were also sent to El Salvador.

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On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order invoking the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to bypass immigration procedures and expedite the removal of foreign nationals deemed a threat. The order applied to all Tren de Aragua members over the age of 14 who were not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The Alien Enemies Act has been used only three times in U.S. historyduring the War of 1812 and in both world wars. The Trump administration justified its use by framing Tren de Aragua as an organization effectively at war with the United States.

"Over the years, Venezuelan national and local authorities have ceded ever-greater control over their territories to transnational criminal organizations, including [Tren de Aragua]," Trump's statement read. "The result is a hybrid criminal state that is perpetrating an invasion of and predatory incursion into the United States, and which poses a substantial danger to the United States."

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Democracy Forward immediately challenged the deportations, initially seeking to block the removal of five Venezuelan men under Trump's proclamation before broadening the case to cover all those affected.



"The Alien Enemies Act cannot be used during peace time for regular immigration enforcement," ACLU lead counsel Lee Gelernt told NPR. "Congress was very clear in the statute that it can only be used against a foreign government or foreign nation. It has never in our country's history been used during peacetime, much less against a gang."

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Late Saturday, U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued a 14-day temporary restraining order halting the deportations. "Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States however that is accomplished," Boasberg directed during the hearing. "Make sure it's complied with immediately."

But during a break in the hearing, a flight carrying Venezuelan gang members reportedly took off. It was about an hour and 15 minutes from landing in El Salvador when the judge's order came through.

"OopsieToo late," posted Bukele on X, adding a smiley face emoji. Secretary of State Marco Rubio retweeted Bukele's post.

The Trump administration has denied that officials intentionally defied the court order, arguing that the deportees had already left U.S. airspace when the ruling was issued. The Justice Department, which immediately filed an appeal against the order, submitted a two-page filing to Boasberg on Sunday afternoon, claiming that "some gang members subject to removal under the Proclamation had already been removed from United States territory under the Proclamation before the issuance of this Court'sorder."

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's actions, dismissing Boasberg's ruling as overreach. "A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from US soil," she wrote on Sunday.

Boasberg has scheduled a further hearing for later today. Meanwhile, ACLU and Democracy Forward attorneys have requested sworn declarations from the Department of Justice to clarify whether the flights took off before or after the court's ruling.

Bukele stated that the prisoner transfer was the result of discussions last month with Rubio. The deportees were sent directly to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a 40,000-person megaprison Bukele built as part of his crackdown on gangs.



CECOT has faced widespread criticism over alleged human rights abuses, overcrowding, and lack of due process. It remains unclear what specific charges the Venezuelan deportees will face in El Salvador or what legal jurisdiction U.S. courts may still have over them.



In exchange for accepting Venezuelan prisoners, El Salvador will receive financial compensation from the U.S.; the precise amount remains undisclosed. The exact number of deportees is also uncertainwhile Bukele reported 238, Leavitt claimed that nearly 300 were sent.



While the Trump administration asserts that all deportees were gang members, any verification of their affiliations remains murky. The New York Times has reported that the deportations "created panic among families who fear that their relatives are among those handed over by the Trump administration to Salvadoran authorities, apparently without due process."



Neither the U.S. nor El Salvador has released the names of the deported Venezuelans.

The post Trump Administration Deports Alleged Venezuelan Gang Members Despite Court Order appeared first on Reason.com.
A poster advertising an equity, diversity & inclusion climate survey is staked into the ground in front of Hebert Hall at Tulane University on Oct. 28, 2022. (Credit: Michelle Liu/Verite)

The U.S. Department of Education is launching investigations into Tulane University and 44 other colleges and universities as part of President Donald Trumps backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) measures.

The investigation, which is being conducted by the departments Office of Civil Rights, comes a month after the department sent a non-legally binding dear colleagues letter warning that schools could lose federal funding if they did not discontinue diversity, equity and inclusion practices and is part of the Trump administrations larger backlash against DEI.

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Tulane, a private university in New Orleans, is alleged to use race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs, according to a media release from the U.S. Department of Education.

We are aware of the announcement and prepared to respond to investigators and ensure we are complying with the law, Tulane spokesman Mike Strecker said in a statement. Were committed to fostering a community where everyone can thrive, without bias for or against any groups.

The release specifically cites Tulanes affiliation with the Ph.D. Project as the cause of the investigation. The Ph.D. Project is a nonprofit organization that partners with universities and industry to support students from underrepresented backgrounds.

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Federal Government Under Siege is a multipart series that explores the impact of the Trump administrations overhaul of the federal government on Black communities.

Overbearing.

Intimidating.

Aggressive.

Oscar Hampton, a Black former attorney at the U.S. Department of Labor, claimed in a federal district court complaint filed in 2023 that this was the language that white attorneys at the agency directed at their Black colleagues. He also claimed that he was demoted, denied bonuses, and eventually dismissed for drawing attention to this environment.

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Hillary Clinton said one time when she was running for office that when traditional candidates do things, people focus on results, but when nontraditional candidates do things, people focus on tone and behavior, and minimize results. Thats really what I experienced, Hampton told Capital B, explaining that there was a lot of questioning of Black attorneys presence at the department because they didnt always have their white colleagues pedigree.

The Department of Labor, he added, should be the model employer of our nation when it comes to quashing discrimination, but its just not. Hes still pursuing his lawsuit against the agency in a federal district court. He noted that hes struggled to secure a job because the information about him online has negatively affected his search.

Dismantling Protections

If President Donald Trump or Elon Musks team of players known as the Department of Government Efficiency gets the final word, we might not see as much attention on the kinds of issues Hampton brought to light. And that wouldnt be because the administration has ended discrimination.

The administration is moving to slash legally mandated equal employment opportunity and civil rights offices that empower federal workers to file complaints and enforce antidiscrimination laws.

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The Department of Labor is preparing to reduce its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, tasked with making sure that government contractors combat discrimination in their work, from 479 employees to 50.

And the Social Security Administration in February shut down its Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, which was made up of some 150 people and charged with overseeing civil rights and harassment complaints and managing disability services.

Federal workers who feel that theyve been discriminated against can seek legal guidance from an array of nonprofit organizations and advocacy networks, but without access to these federal civil rights offices, assistance might be limited and slow going.

This is clearly an attempt to roll back protections and leave little recourse for people being discriminated against at these federal agencies, Adrianne Shropshire, the executive director of BlackPAC, an organization that raises Black communities awareness of issues such as the attack on the federal workforce, told Capital B. We also have to think about the impact on the private sector  the tendency of corporations to follow this administrations lead is scary.

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Fatima Goss Graves, the president and chief executive officer of the National Womens Law Center, echoed some of these sentiments, and she underscored the widespread implications of this overhaul.

People devote so much of their lives to public service because they want to help others, she said. Eliminating these offices just makes it harder both for workers who are there to complain about discrimination, and for those who do business with these agencies to do the same.

How the administration is attacking civil rights

The Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration arent the only federal agencies that are halting or shrinking their civil rights functions and, as a result, imperiling the freedoms of their workers.

The Federal Trade Commission has downsized its equal employment opportunity office from six employees to three; NASAs EEO office also has faced cuts, and most of its information on how to pursue discrimination complaints has been scrubbed from the agencys website, according to February reporting from The Washington Post.

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These moves  made to bring agencies in line with Trumps executive orders seeking to purge the federal government of diversity initiatives and anything that could be linked to them  reveal how regressive the administrations political vision is, Goss Graves argued.

Their agenda isnt to go after DEI. Its to undermine basic antidiscrimination protections, to undermine the basic experiences that workers have on the job, to undermine the basic idea that people should be treated fairly, she said, reiterating what sociologists and historians previously told Capital B.

Federal workers take part in a rally outside Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York last month in support of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In recent weeks, federal employees have articulated that they no longer feel safe at work. Some believe that theyll be fired just for being Black. Others say that its as if the country has returned to the 1950s, and they must retreat back into the closet. Still others worry that theyll be targeted because of their disabilities.

These tensions are arising amid the administrations broader assault on the federal workforce.

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs plans to lay off 80,000 employees beginning this summer, and the U.S. Department of Education announced earlier this month that its cutting about 1,300 positions, including many of its Office for Civil Rights teams. The U.S. Department of Justice in February demoted several top prosecutors, even though it has insisted that its interested in tackling hate crimes and other issues these attorneys covered.

The week that he returned to the White House, Trump rescinded President Lyndon B. Johnsons Executive Order 11246, signed in 1965. It not only prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin for organizations receiving federal contracting  it also required that federal contractors work proactively toward creating equal opportunity for marginalized groups at their firms.

One of our oldest ideas  going back to President Johnson  is that since contractors have the privilege of making money off the federal government, the very least they can do is not discriminate, Goss Graves explained.

The private sector is following suit, with some companies parroting the federal governments actions and eroding civil rights gains.

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Five years ago, [major corporations] were posting about Black Lives Matter, Theodore Johnson, a senior adviser at the public policy think tank New America and a retired U.S. Navy commander, previously told Capital B. But now, he continued, these companies are following government cues, getting rid of race-conscious policies as they scramble to comply with the administrations directions.

How federal workers can still get help

As the Trump administration continues on its quest to demolish the federal government, Shropshire, with BlackPAC, said that employees should get legal help during this period of social and political upheaval.

There are civil rights organizations, such as the NAACP. But it isnt just the national office. There are many tiny local branches, including in places where we know there are a lot of federal employees, she said. Right now, Im in California, which has one of the largest federal workforce populations outside the Washington, D.C., region.

Roughly 450,000 federal workers  one-fifth of the federal workforce  reside in the Washington region, which includes parts of Maryland and Northern Virginia, while 147,500 and 130,000 federal employees are in California and Texas, respectively, per the Pew Research Center.

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Nonprofit organizations and advocacy networks  from the NAACP to the National Employment Lawyers Association to the National Womens Law Center  can champion federal workers at moments like this, when the country is undergoing ferocious change.

Jean L. Tom, a partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, remarked on this turmoil at a recent event hosted by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: Whats kind of striking to me is how every sector is touched right now  and in a negative way, I would say  by whats been unleashed by this administration, she said. Its just been a time of chaos and uncertainty.

The past several weeks have taken a catastrophic toll on Black federal workers in parts of the country.

I thought that I wanted to work in the federal government until retirement. I was totally content to work at the same agency for like 40 years, a Black federal employee previously told Capital B, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. Now, I dont know. Im keeping my options open.

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Still, Goss Graves wants these workers to understand that, even though the administration is making it far more challenging to stay on the job and not experience discrimination, they do have options.

While the administration has sought to end the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  in an unprecedented move, Trump in January dismissed two Democratic commissioners of the agency that upholds workplace civil rights laws  the EEOC remains an avenue.

Indeed, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which among other things embraces the notion that people ought to be able to work safely and with dignity, still protects people, Goss Graves pointed out. The same goes for other statutes that guarantee protections based on age and disability.

Any agency or employer thats deciding that it no longer has to address unfair pay or harassment or discrimination in hiring and firing would be making a giant mistake, she said. The federal government and Trump arent the only ways to enforce our countrys long-standing civil rights laws. Theres a whole private bar prepared to ensure that people can access their rights.

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EEO offices are far from perfect. But culling them is going to have an extraordinarily negative impact, according to Hampton, the former Department of Labor attorney.

When you dont have an internal apparatus that can rein in discrimination and stick up for federal employees, he said, youre going to create an environment where youre not getting the best people to do the job.

Capital B staff writer Christina Carrega contributed to this report.

The post The Trump Administration Is Leaving Federal Workers Vulnerable to Discrimination appeared first on Capital B News.
The White House on Monday was facing a legal battle over its use of the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law, under which the United States began deporting Venezuelans allegedly linked to organized crime.

President Donald Trump also said he planned on Tuesday to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the U.S. president seeks to find common ground for a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.





Latest Developments





Mar 18, 9:48 AM

Trump takes aim at judge amid court battle over deportation flights

President Donald Trump is ramping up criticism of U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, who conducted a "fact-finding" hearing on Monday over whether the Trump administration knowingly violated a court order when it flew more than 200 alleged gang members to El Salvador over the weekend.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the media during a guided tour of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before leading a board meeting, Mar. 17, 2025 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In a new social media post, Trump suggested the federal judge should be impeached.



"This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges' I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!" Trump wrote. "WE DON'T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY."



-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh





Mar 18, 8:47 AM

DOGE, DC police force way into independent US Institute for Peace

DOGE staffers entered the independent nonprofit U.S. Institute for Peace (USIP) on Monday night. Acting President and CEO George Moose told reporters that the group had "broken in" to the building after being rebuffed on Friday. USIP posted a statement on Saturday following the incident.



The White House and DOGEare saying that Moose is no longer in charge of USIP and was removed on March 14, and that Kenneth Jackson has now been installed as CEO.

PHOTO: A sign for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is seen on its' building headquarters on February 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

The administration has also apparently fired most of the 15-member board, save for the officials who are legally mandated to sit on it: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Defense University President Peter Garvin. The remaining 12 members are typically selected by the president and confirmed through the Senate.



-ABC News' Chad Murray and Nicholas Kerr





Mar 18, 4:42 AM

Tulsi Gabbard backs Trumps clear-eyed Ukraine-Russia negotiations

The Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said President Donald Trump is clear-eyed and is focused on peace in efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, speaking during two interviews in India.



When asked about an upcoming meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Gabbard said, With any of these kinds of negotiations, there's a lot of work that goes between people representing both countries, or all of the countries involved in this situation, and at the appropriate time, I'm sure that President Trump will have a very productive conversation with Putin, once again, rooted in his current commitment to peace.



She added, "In a very short period of time, President Trump has made much more progress towards peace than any effort that has occurred by anyone previously. So we're very encouraged by this progress, and President Trump remains committed to the objective of peace.



He's looking forward to success in those negotiations, not for himself, but for the cause of peace and to stop the killing of innocent and taking of innocent lives there, she said.





Mar 17, 10:07 PM

Trump says he looks 'very much forward' to call with Putin

President Donald Trump teased teased his forthcoming phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he looks "very much forward to the call" Tuesday morning.



"Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine. Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains," Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday night.



"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin," the president added.



-ABC News' Molly Nagle





Mar 17, 6:53 PM

Trump pulls Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden

Trump announced Monday on Truth Social that Hunter and Ashley Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection.



"Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer. There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous! He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned," Trump wrote on his social media platform.



Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list," Trump said.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden, accompanied by Hunter Biden walks out of a bookstore in downtown Nantucket, Massachusetts, Nov. 29, 2024. (Craig Hudson/Reuters)

The President was asked earlier Monday who was paying for Hunter Bidens Secret Service protection and he said he would look into the matter later in the day.



It's not unusual for the children of an outgoing president to receive an extension on their protection as a courtesy extended to the outgoing president and his family. Trumps four adult children and their two spouses received Secret Service protection for an additional six months after Trump's first term.



-ABC News Molly Nagle, Hannah Demissie and Luke Barr





Mar 17, 6:21 PM

Miller questions judges authority over immigration policy

Shortly after Trumps border czar Tom Homan flat out stated he didn't "care" what judges thought, Stephen Miller, Trumps deputy chief of staff for policy, questioned the authority of a district court judge to rule over the president's immigration policies.



I asked Miller if this administration believes it needs to comply with a verbal court order. He took it one step farther.



The American people said, to get these terrorist gangs the hell out of our country. The President has plenary authority under the Constitution, under the Alien Enemies Act, under the IMA, under core article, two powers to achieve that and no district court judge, who presides over to some small like little geography of the whole country could possibly presume to have the authority to direct the expulsion of terrorists from our soil, who by the way are also here illegally, he stated, calling the order patently unlawful.

PHOTO: Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington, Mar. 17, 2025. (Ben Curtis/AP)

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The White House has not provided the names of the alleged gang members who were deported or any substantial evidence of the crimes they committed in the United States.



I asked Miller why the White House has released images and videos of the people they deported but has not released their names. He cited "operational security reasons.



"Well, they are actually foreign terrorists and alien enemies the United States and everything that we do is for operational security reasons. We are dealing with one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations on planet Earth," he said.



He added, "They're even more ruthless and violent than MS-13, and so operational security and public safety and national security always going to guide any decisions that are made in this regard."



-ABC News Rachel Scott





Mar 17, 5:41 PM

Trump says unredacted Kennedy assassination files will be released Tuesday

Trump said Monday during a visit to the Kennedy Center that he will release all of the files related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy on Tuesday.



But while we're here, I thought it would be appropriate. We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files, Trump told reporters after attending his first Kennedy Center board meeting after being elected chair by the board he installed.



Trump said there were 80,000 pages of documents and there would be no executive summary.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the media after attending a board meeting at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, Mar. 17, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

We have a tremendous amount of paper. You've got a lot of reading, he said.



Trump said the effort is being led by Tulsi Gabbard, his director of national intelligence, and that he didnt think anything would be redacted.



I said, Just don't redact. You can't redact, he said, noting that he was fulfilling a campaign promise.



When asked if hes seen the files, Trump said he has heard about them.



-ABC News Molly Nagle





Mar 17, 8:17 PM

FAA reinstating more than 100 employees who were laid off, union says

The Federal Aviation Administration is reinstating 132 FAA employees represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists who were terminated as part of the mass layoffs across federal agencies, according to the union.



Those being reinstated include aeronautical information specialists who evaluated and prepared navigation maps, routes, charts, procedures and flight paths -- such as helicopter routes around Reagan National Airport and introduction of drones, the union said.

PHOTO: FAA Headquarters In Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Reagan National was the site of a midair collision between a regional jetliner and an Army helicopter last month that killed all 67 people on the two aircraft.



Others returning to work include maintenance mechanics responsible for servicing air traffic control facilities, as well as environmental protection specialists and aviation safety assistants.



Employees will return to work March 20 and will receive back pay from February 15. the union said.



ABC News has reached out to the FAA and Department of Transportation for comment on the reinstatement.



-ABC News' Ayesha Ali





Mar 17, 3:12 PM

IRS probationary workers temporarily reinstated, placed on leave

Probationary IRS workers on Monday received emails reinstating them at the agency but placing them on administrative leave in light of the court order, according to notices reviewed by ABC News.



"While you are being reinstated to federal service, you are also being placed on Administrative Leave," the note read. "You should not report to duty or perform any work until receiving further guidance."



--ABC News' Benjamin Siegel





Mar 17, 2:09 PM

White House defends deportation flights amid scrutiny

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's defiance of a judge's order to turn around two flights containing hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members as she was peppered with questions during Monday's briefing.



"What do you say to Americans who want safe streets but are concerned due process is being violated?" one reporter asked.



"The president is using every lever of his executive authority and his constitutional authority within the bounds of the immigration laws of our country to ensure that our streets are safer for law-abiding American citizens," Leavitt responded.

PHOTO: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Mar. 17, 2025, in Washington. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

When pressed for more details about the individuals deported and how they were determined for removal, Leavitt said that ICE and CBP were "sure about the identities of the individuals who were on these planes and the threat that they posed to our homeland."



On ignoring the judge's order over the weekend, Leavitt contended that the flights had already departed by the time the written ruling was handed down at 7:26 p.m. When asked about the judge's verbal order, which was given earlier than the written ruling, Leavitt repeated her statement and questioned the validity of verbal orders.

Click here to read the rest of the blog.
Donald Trump has again appeared to liken himself to a king in an artificial intelligence-generated meme posted to social media.

Among a flurry of early morning Truth Social posts early on Monday, the president shared a screenshot of a meme posted by a supporter on X, which they captioned Kings! It included a lion sporting a tuxedo and a crown overlaid with the acronym MAGA on its chest.

The post also teased the Republicans and Democrats with the big cat nestled between an elephant labeled with GOP and, furthest in the background, a donkey staring down at the sand branded DNC.

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Trump offered no caption nor further context about the AI-generated image.

The original post belongs to X user @Donna_Twitting who on Sunday evening commented on a video shared by Elon Musk of two stranded NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams expressing their appreciation for Trump and the tech billionaire, ahead of their expected return to Earth on Tuesday.

It marks the second time in a month that the president has referred to himself as an unelected ruler.

On February 19, Trump declared himself king following his administrations push to strike down new tolls for Manhattan drivers to raise funds for the citys aging mass transit system  just days after appearing to quote French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte and suggest he was above the law.

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CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD, he wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!

AI-generated image of Donald Trump as a king tweeted by the White House on February 19 (White House)

The White Houses X account then shared his statement with a mock cover of Time magazine featuring a portrait of the president wearing a crown with the caption long live the king.

White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich also shared an AI-generated image of the president wearing a crown and royal cape.

It didnt take long for New York Governor Kathy Huchul to weaponize Trumps comments against the administration while vowing to fight the order in court and keep the program active.

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We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king, she said.

The hosts of Fox & Friends however lauded the president for making fun of Democrats and driving them crazy by giving them a little bait.
Donald Trump is trying to show the world what he wants it to see: a president wielding unlimited and uncheckable power.

Trumps challenge to the authority of Congress and the courts has increased in velocity and intensity in recent days. It reached a crescendo this weekend, when Trump invoked wartime powers to summarily deport Venezuelan nationals he deems to be terrorists, and his White House amplified a foreign strongmans mockery of the judge who tried to pause the deportations.

That skirmish was only the latest in an increasingly ominous confrontation between Trumps White House and the other two constitutional branches. In short, the most significant test of Americas system of checks and balances in Trumps second term has arrived. And the outcome is less certain than ever.

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This latest collision between Trump and the judicial branch  in which the White House and its allies are openly assailing the judge weighing the validity of Trumps orders  is a more intense version of the clashes that have stymied his administration since Inauguration Day. Judges have sought to slow or stop some of Trump and Elon Musks efforts to overhaul the federal bureaucracy and workforce, saying they have run afoul of Congress spending authority and laws governing hiring and firing of federal workers.

Judges have also in recent weeks blocked Trumps effort to limit the Constitutions guarantee of birthright citizenship for the children of some immigrants; his efforts to strip federal funding from medical institutions that provide care for transgender youth ; his attempt to fire members of the federal boards that handle workplace grievances and labor disputes; his attempt to freeze refugee admissions ; and his effort to strip funding from institutions that his administration says participate in impermissible DEI practices .

The White House has brushed off its critics as partisan doomsayers who, if they had their way, would see dangerous criminals returned to the country. Officials argue the administration has scrupulously adhered to court orders even as they have publicly attacked the judges who rule against them.

But the administrations legal tangles underscore its make-decisions-first, figure-out-a-legal-defense-later approach to policy making. And the frustration over the rulings highlights how sensitive the White House is about efforts to thwart its agenda after they spent four years during Trumps first term battling not just Democrats but the courts, Congress and even some within the administration to implement their policy proposals. Now, this administration is primed to see any pushback as illegitimate.

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Each order has led to a wave of fury among Trumps Cabinet loyalists, supporters in Congress and the always-online MAGA faithful. On Monday, Trump labeled as dangerous a judges order requiring his administration to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers over a ruling that the administration broke the law by failing to give state governments enough notice about the mass terminations.

Trump has also sought to expand his power in other ways, declaring in a late night Truth Social post over the weekend that some of his predecessor Joe Bidens pardons are void. Trump suggested he may have his administration prosecute the recipients  members of the committee that investigated his supporters Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

But it was the fight over Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act  the 1798 law granting the president power to deport nationals of a wartime enemy nation  that seemed to push the conflict closest to a crisis.

On Saturday evening, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an emergency order to pause those deportations, raising questions about Trumps authority to order them in the first place. But Trump sent plane loads of Venezuelans out of the country anyway, delivering them to El Salvador, whose strongman president Nayib Bukele openly mocked the judges effort to intervene in the matter.

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Oopsie, too late, Bukele posted on X.

The White House and Trumps supporters quickly cheered Bukele on, and Attorney General Pam Bondi accused the judge, an appointee of President Barack Obama, of supporting terrorists over Americans. By Sunday, Trumps uber-adviser and megadonor, Musk, had revived his call for Congress to impeach judges who rule against Trump and his claim that the left had captured the judiciary.

"We're not stopping. I don't care what the judges think. I don't care what the left thinks. We're coming, said Thomas Homan, Trumps border czar, in a Monday appearance on Fox & Friends.

On Monday afternoon, the Justice Department urged Boasberg to call off his scrutiny of Trumps decision to label some Venezuelan migrants as terrorists in order to de-escalate the grave incursions on Executive Branch authority that have already arisen.

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When Boasberg refused to cancel a Monday afternoon hearing, DOJ asked a federal appellate court to remove him from the case altogether, an extraordinary step to circumvent judicial scrutiny.

The White House, for its part, is dismissing arguments that the presidents actions are pushing the country toward a constitutional crisis. Officials agree the nation is in one, but they blame it on the courts, framing recent rulings as the moves of radical leftist judges  though some of those judges were appointed by Republican presidents.

The constitutional crisis is not in the executive branch. Its in the judiciary branch, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said, adding that the pushback to the administrations weekend deportations speaks more of [Democrats] loyalty, or lack thereof, to this nation than anything else.

It was a point that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed during a Monday press conference, saying that the administration acted within the confines of the law and the presidents constitutional authority.

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Perhaps most significantly: The administration firmly believes that it has popular opinion on its side, at least in the fight over deportations of alleged gang members. An analysis from Gallup of six recent polls found that support for deportations reaches high majority levels when voters are asked specifically about deporting people with criminal records, while support for deporting people whose only crime was entering the country illegally is more mixed.

And the Hollywood-style video the El Salvadoran president released  and Trump approvingly republished on his Truth Social account  conveys a get-tough approach to potentially-threatening migrants that could resonate with some Americans. Thats probably the case even as immigrant rights advocates warn the administration has provided little insight into how it determined that those sent to El Salvador under Trumps declaration, seen being forcibly shaved and restrained in the video, were members of Tren de Aragua.

Leavitt, during the briefing, said that the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are sure about the identities of the individuals that were on these planes" and the threat they posed. She added that the administration is determining gang affiliation based on intelligence and the men and women on the ground in the interior of the country.

Still, its a political playing field on which Republicans are happy to be.

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If this is the hill that Democrats, Democrat lawyers and judges, want to die on  keeping MS-13 and TdA in our country, the American people will have something to say about that come the midterms, Fields said.

The line between deliberate defiance and bureaucratic indifference can often be hard to discern. And even when lawyers and courts move quickly, the judicial system can have trouble matching the agility with which the executive branch can carry out a presidential order.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misstated when U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued his emergency order.
Candidate Donald Trump thought that bombing Yemen was "just a failed mentality" when then-President Joe Biden did it. "It's crazy. You can solve problems over the telephone. Instead, they start dropping bombs. I see, recently, they're dropping bombs all over Yemen. You don't have to do that. You can talk in such a way where they respect you and they listen to you," Trump said in a May 2024 interview with podcaster Tim Pool.

Trump is now dropping bombs all over Yemen. Over the weekend, the U.S. military launched its first air raids on Yemen in months, hitting targets around the country and killing at least 53 people. Sources in the administration have told The New York Times that the attacks will continue for weeksand that advisers are pushing for "an even more aggressive campaign" to roll back Houthi control on land, an idea Trump has so far shied away from.

"Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen," Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Saturday. And he threatened a wider war on Monday: "Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible."

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Instead of calling Biden a warmonger, as he had a year ago, Trump claimed on Sunday that Biden's "pathetically weak" policy had allowed "unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism" against American shipping.

In fact, those attacks had already stopped earlier this yearthanks to Trump picking up the phone. The Houthi movement, one of two rival governments in Yemen, had tried to blockade the Red Sea in support of the Palestinian cause. After Trump brokered an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire, the Houthis declared an end to their attacks on foreign shipping; American ships then returned to the Red Sea.

But when Israel began blocking all foreign aid into Gaza earlier this month, Houthi spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree announced that the movement would resume its blockade on Israeli ships. After Trump ordered the airstrikes over the weekend, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi declared that his forces would attack American ships too.

Biden's earlier campaign in Yemen had been an expensive failure. After playing whack-a-mole with alleged Houthi basesand blowing through a year's worth of Tomahawk missile production in one nightBiden admitted that the campaign was not achieving its goals. "Are [the airstrikes] stopping the Houthis? No. Are they going to continue? Yes," the then-president told reporters in January 2024. By the end of the year, Houthi missile attacks were regularly hitting Israeli cities.

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The U.S. intervention came on the tail end of an even larger war. When Houthi rebels stormed Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, neighboring Saudi Arabia intervened to stop them. Both the Obama administration and the first Trump administration supported the Saudi campaign, which involved a ground invasion and a crushing starvation siege. In 2022, both sides agreed to a ceasefire that has held until today.

Trump's notoriously hawkish national security adviser, Mike Waltz, thinks this campaign will be different. "These were not kind of pinprick, back and forthwhat ultimately proved to be feckless attacks. This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out. And the difference here is, one, going after the Houthi leadership, and two, holding Iran responsible," he told ABC on Sunday.

Specifically, Waltz threatened to target "Iranian trainers" in Yemen or "other things that they have put in to help the Houthis attack the global economy," alluding to alleged Iranian spy ships in the Red Sea. Iran has both smuggled weapons to the Houthis and trained Yemeni engineers to produce weapons locally. So far, Iran's government has been trying to wash its hands of the latest Yemeni war. "The Islamic Republic of Iran plays no role in shaping the national or operational policies of any resistance front group," Iranian Maj. General Hossein Salami told reporters over the weekend.

The Trump administration has made it clear that war might come to Iran anyways. Asked by ABC about the possibility that Iran could build a nuclear weaponTrump is currently trying to open talks with the Iranian government about that issueWaltz said that Iran would have to give up "everything," including both its uranium enrichment and its missiles, or "face a whole series of other consequences." Iran has negotiated on its nuclear program before, but it considers missiles to be a vital part of its national defense.

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In another part of that ABC interview, Waltz offered a criticism of past U.S. policy on Russia and Ukraine that could easily be applied to the Middle East right now. "The strategy of the Biden administration was, was, as long as it takes, as much as it takes, no matter what the timeline is, which is essentially endless warfare, in an environment thatcould escalate into World War III," he said. "We can talk about what's right and wrong. And we also have to talk about the reality of the situation on the ground."

The post Trump Attacked Biden's 'Crazy' Yemen War. Now He's Reopening It. appeared first on Reason.com.
By Gram Slattery, Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump visited the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday for the first time since making himself its new chairman, threatening to shutter an expensive new addition and describing the marble Washington landmark as being in "tremendous disrepair."

Trump, who is juggling efforts to end Russia's war with Ukraine while also dismantling U.S. agencies and firing thousands of federal workers, presided over the center's board meeting in a demonstration of his takeover of an institution that has long enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington.

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Trump, a former real estate executive, criticized an expansive addition built on the Kennedy Center complex for lacking windows and suggested closing it.

He said the center would improve physically over time, however, and he encouraged people to attend shows there.

"This represents a very important part of D.C., and actually our country," he said when asked why he was making time to come to the Kennedy Center with so many other things on his plate. "I think it's important to make sure that our country is in good shape and is represented well."

Last month Trump became chair of the Kennedy Center after pushing out billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein. He fired its longtime president, Deborah Rutter, and installed his former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, as interim president.

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Before Monday's board meeting, portraits of Trump, his wife, Melania, Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were hung in the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations. The institution is considered a living memorial to slain former President John F. Kennedy. Other presidents' portraits are not present.

Vance and his wife, who is now a member of the board, attended a recent performance at the Kennedy Center and were booed by the crowd, according to video that circulated on X.

Trump held the Monday meeting on the stage of the center's opera house with Grenell, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and others in attendance.

"You can't have this looking like it does," he said, criticizing Rubenstein's stewardship. "I know the, the person who ... was in charge of it, and he's a good man. I never realized this was in such bad shape. I've been so busy I haven't been able to be here in a long time, and I shouldn't be with what I'm doing. But I thought it was important."

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Trump declined to attend the annual Kennedy Center Honors performances during his first term in office and complained, when announcing plans to shake up the institution's board, about drag performances held there.

Some artists have canceled engagements because of the changes. The musical "Hamilton," which had been slated to stage its third run at the Washington landmark next year, pulled out.

"The recent purge by the Trump Administration of both professional staff and performing arts events at or originally produced by the Kennedy Center flies in the face of everything this national cultural center represents," the show's producer, Jeffrey Seller, said in a statement on X.

Grenell called the decision "a publicity stunt that will backfire" and criticized the show's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

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"The Arts are for everyone - not just for the people who Lin likes and agrees with," Grenell said on X.

On Monday, Trump said he never liked "Hamilton" very much.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Gram Slattery in Washington; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, ConnecticutEditing by Colleen Jenkins and Matthew Lewis)
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned that Iran will suffer dire consequences for further attacks by the Houthis based in Yemen.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" he wrote.

Trump also accused Iran of providing the Houthis with weapons, money and intelligence.

Earlier on Monday, Alexus Grynkewich, the head of operations at the Joint Staff, said at a Pentagon press briefing that the United States struck 30 Houthi targets at multiple locations on Saturday.

More strikes were conducted on Sunday and Monday, and the operation "will continue in the coming days until we achieve the President's objectives," he said.

The Houthi Health Ministry said on Sunday that the U.S. strikes had killed 53 people and injured 98 others since Saturday. 
President Donald Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, suggested in a Monday Fox News appearance that the nations justice system would not keep the Trump administration from fulfilling its mission to deport any immigrants it deems dangerous.

Were not stopping. I dont care what the judges think. I dont care what the left thinks. Were coming, Homan told Fox & Friends host Lawrence B. Jones on Monday.

Lawrence, theyre not going to stop us, he said. I wake up every morning loving my job because I work for the greatest president in the history of my life.

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His comments come amid growing aggression in the Trump administration toward the Constitutions foundational separation of power structures across the federal government.

In recent days, Trump officials have found themselves in hot water with multiple federal judges, as noted by Jones.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg ordered a halt to the effort to deport hundreds of immigrants allegedly affiliated with Venezuelan gangs after Trump invoked a controversial 18th century wartime law over the weekend. But two planes full of the immigrants departed anyway.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the judges order had no lawful basis and was issued after terrorist [Tren de Aragua] aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory.

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Speaking to reporters later on Monday, Homan again defended Trump.

The plane was already over international waters with a plane full of terrorists and significant public safety threats, he said, adding, The president did exactly the right thing.

Honan said 238 Tren de Aragua members along with 21 MS13 gang members were on the flights, according to a statement shared by the White House.

Trumps administration also faced a rebuke from U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin, who wrote there are grounds to believe officials willfully defied his order to give advance notice before deporting a Brown University medical professor, Dr. Rasha Alawieh.

Several other controversial detentions and attempted deportations have cropped up in recent weeks.

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Earlier this month, a Columbia Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, was arrested and whisked 1,000 miles away from the university-owned apartment he shared with his wife despite the fact he held a valid green card. The Trump administrations attempt to deport him for his leadership role in last years pro-Palestine student demonstrations has been stalled in court.

Another green card holder, Fabian Schmidt, is reportedly being detained after a violent interrogation that included being stripped naked and forced into a cold shower, New Hampshire Public Radio reported. Schmidts family told the outlet they are not sure why he is being detained.

The puzzling treatment of a pair of German tourists  chained and detained for weeks  has grabbed the attention of European travelers, according to The New York Times, particularly amid the detention of a U.K. tourist in Washington state.

Related...
U.S. President Donald Trumps foreign policy is chaotic. This may be by accident or else the result of stupidity. But it is also partially by design. In his ghost-written books about business, Trump describes the benefits of keeping the other side off guard with unexpected negotiating tactics. Similarly, beyond the world of business negotiations, Trump believes in the madman theory of foreign policy, in which being less predictable helps him gain concessions because other foreign leaders do not know how credibly to take his threats. In other words, the chaos is part of the policy.

The world has seen this play out over the first eight weeks of Trumps new term in office.

On tariffs, Trump threatened Canada and Mexico, with which he renegotiated a free trade deal during his first term, with a blanket 25 percent tariff. He has now backed down twice in two months on following through, once at the very last moment and once after having briefly imposed the import duties. The uncertainty this has created with regard to the North American business environment has led to lower consumer confidence, declining U.S. stock markets and concerns about a potential recession. Meanwhile, Trump has slowly ratcheted up tariffs on China, threatened the European Union with far-reaching trade restrictions and moved to increase tariffs on metal imports, resulting in counter-tariffs and popular anger targeting U.S. businesses all across the globe.

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Is Trump hoping to use these tariffs to raise revenue or to move manufacturing back into the United States? Or alternatively, does he hope the threat of tariffs will change other countries behavior before he actually has to impose them? Nobody knows. Trump has claimed all three competing rationales at various points, adding to the maelstrom.

To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter.

The uncertainty is not restricted to trade. On the war in Ukraine, Trump opened direct talks with Moscow and directed the U.S. to vote against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia for the invasion. Later that week, Trump appeared to change course and invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House to sign a deal on Ukraines critical minerals. That deal was canceled after the two leaders disastrous Oval Office press conference, leading Trump to suspend military aid and intelligence-sharing that the U.S. has provided to Kyiv since the February 2022 invasion. He then had U.S. negotiators meet with their Ukrainian counterparts in Saudi Arabia, where they agreed on a potential ceasefire deal. As of this writing, military assistance and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has resumed, and Trump is now floating the imposition of hard-hitting sanctions on Russia to get Moscow to go along with the ceasefire.

Foreign leaders cannot just plan for facing Trumps worst possible policies. Rather they must be ready for policies that never stop changing and even reversing.

On Venezuela policy, Trumps special envoy Richard Grenell traveled to Caracas in late January to meet with President Nicolas Maduro, who blatantly stole the countrys presidential election last year and was the target of a maximum pressure campaign seeking regime change during Trumps first term. As a result of Grenells visit, Maduro agreed to accept Venezuelan migrants deported back to the country from the U.S., in exchange for an implicit guarantee that the Trump administration would not reimpose oil sanctions that former President Joe Biden had stopped enforcing as part of his own diplomatic efforts to ensure that last years election would be more free and fair. A few weeks later, however, Trump reversed course, revoking a special license that had allowed Chevron to drill in the country and giving the company just 30 days to wind down operations. Yet, late last week, Maduro began accepting deportation flights again, suggesting another quiet under-the-table deal had been reached. Then over the weekend, Trump deported Venezuelan citizens he accused of being members of Tren de Aragua to El Salvador.

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All of the above flip-flops, which have happened in just the first eight weeks of Trumps term, have led many leaders, governments and analysts to ask where his policies will end up on tariffs, Ukraine, Venezuela and other issues. The most frustrating scenario, and perhaps the most likely one, is that none of these policies will reach a definitive final position.

In such a scenario, policy uncertainty will still reign a year from now. Trump will continue to threaten, implement and withdraw tariffs, with no measures or policies lasting more than a few weeks. He will continue to dance back and forth between Russia and Ukraine, leading his critics to raise questions about his closeness with Russian President Vladimir Putin while never fully abandoning Zelenskyy. He will use tough rhetoric and even keep some hardline policies in place against Venezuelas Maduro to keep the Republican Partys domestic constituencies happy, while maintaining backchannel negotiations and cooperation on deportations to keep the Venezuelan dictatorship believing that a bigger deal might be right around the corner.

To implement this chaotic strategy, Trump has assembled his own Team of Rivals, a term first associated with Abraham Lincolns Civil War-era Cabinet comprising a wide range of antagonistic figures and disparate views. The members of Trumps version similarly push their own agendas within the administration, but they all demonstrate public fealty to him and clean up after whatever mess Trump has left for them with his most recent speech or social media post. As a result, instead of these divisions within both the executive branch and the Republican coalition in Congress acting as a moderating or stabilizing force, Trump turns them into tools to both implement and cover for his policy flip-flops. In other words, no one should expect Secretary of State Marco Rubio or Sen. Lindsay Graham to save them from the madness.

If the chaotic scenario is likely, then leaders outside the U.S. must prepare for it. They cannot just plan for facing Trumps worst possible policies. Rather they must be ready for policies that never stop changing and even reversing.

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One possible response is to stop negotiating with such an unreliable partner and forcibly stop the wheel of chaos. For example, Canada, Mexico, the EU and China could simply implement permanent counter-tariffs regardless of whether Trumps threatened tariffs are in place in any given week. This would end the uncertainty for the markets and make Trump face up to the worst economic consequences of his trade threats. It would take away much of the leverage in negotiations that Trump seeks to create with his tariff weapons and force him onto the defensive. That sort of trade war would also be quite damaging for whichever counterparty implemented the policy, but its a logical move against an erratic opponent.

The second possible response to Trump as an unreliable partner is to begin making other arrangements from which the U.S. is excluded. Mexico and the EU have already negotiated a trade deal. Europe and Ukraine are already beginning to ramp up both their respective defense infrastructures and their security cooperation separate from U.S.-led NATO structures. Venezuela could similarly jumpstart its use of Russias ghost fleet to export its oil, thereby avoiding reliance on U.S. companies and ships. The U.S. can only use weaponized economic interdependence to its advantage if it is offering a stable international system in return. If instead the U.S. is constantly shaking things up and implementing policies that are harmful to its allies, they and other countries will form alternative systems for cooperation.

Still, under either of these potential responses, its a mistake to underestimate the leverage the U.S. still has in the current global system. Trump may be burning through decades of goodwill built up by previous U.S. administrations, but the U.S. remains the worlds dominant economic and military power with unparalleled ability to influence global markets and security arrangements. Countries cannot bypass or recreate the U.S.-backed global order and its institutions at the speed with which Trump is breaking things.

This means the unfortunate consequence of Trumps approach is that he himself may benefit politically in the short term, but at the cost of a loss of U.S. power and influence in the long term. As other countries respond to Trumps chaos, they may be forced to cede on some issues immediately, while they build up alternative alliances and partnerships for the future. Trumps successor will then inherit a country that is far weaker and whose reputation is in tatters. The world will no longer trust a country that elected a madman.

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James Bosworth is the founder of Hxagon, a firm that does political risk analysis and bespoke research in emerging and frontier markets, as well as a global fellow at the Wilson Centers Latin America Program. He has two decades of experience analyzing politics, economics and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The post With Trump, the Chaos Is the Point appeared first on World Politics Review.
As part of one of his final moves in office, Joe Biden issued a wave of pardons  including one for his own son, Hunter Biden, as well as key members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, such as former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney. Now, President Donald Trump is disputing their legitimacy.

In a Truth Social post over the weekend, Trump argued that Bidens pardons are void because they were signed with an autopen rather than by hand  warning that Cheney and others could still face investigation at the highest level. The next day, the president doubled down, mocking Biden with a meme that replaced his official portrait with an autopen mimicking his signature. By Monday, Trump escalated further, claiming Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them.

For the record, its unclear whether Biden actually used an autopen to sign the documents. But even if he did, legal experts say its doubtful the pardons could be rescinded  for that or any other reason.

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So, does Trump have a case? Are these pardons legally valid? Lets break it down.

Whats Trump claiming about Bidens pardons?

The president is claiming that the automated signatures on certain pardons are evidence that they were pushed through without Bidens knowledge  rhetoric that feeds into far-right conspiracies suggesting Biden wasnt truly in charge during his time in the White House. While Trump himself has faced scrutiny over his health and mental fitness as president, conservatives amplified those concerns about Biden to a whole new level as doubts about his age and his fitness for office intensified toward the end of his term.

It also seems to stem from a narrative first pushed by the Oversight Project, an offshoot of the right-wing Heritage Foundation (which is behind Project 2025). Last week, the group questioned the legitimacy of Bidens executive orders, alleging on X that an autopen signature appeared on nearly every document it reviewed.

 WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY 



We gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency.



All used the same autopen signature except for the the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the https://t.co/CC3oJUkNr4pic.twitter.com/mtNrZsALDu  Oversight Project (@OversightPR) March 6, 2025

However, the scope of their review remains unclear. The group shared only three apparent examples  all sourced from the National Archives, which provides digitized versions of documents rather than original copies.

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Meanwhile, a Fox News analysis that randomly examined more than 20 executive orders signed by Biden between 2021 and 2024 found identical signatures on each of them. However, its worth noting that Biden often chose to sign significant pieces of legislation in person, such as the $40 billion Ukraine aid package, which he went so far as to sign during a trip to Seoul.

What are autopens  and which presidents have used them?

Autopens are printer-sized machines equipped with an arm that holds a pen or pencil to replicate signatures with real ink. Though theyve faced recent scrutiny, these devices have been in use for over 60 years. Their predecessor, the 19th-century polygraph  famously used by Thomas Jefferson  allowed two pens to write at once, a tool he reportedly couldnt do without.

Since then, multiple presidents have relied on autopens, including even Trump himself. While he insists he never used one to sign pardons, he admitted his administration used them for letters to young people.

Before that, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Richard Nixon also used the tool. Some were more transparent about their use than others. Lyndon Johnson, for instance, allowed the press to photograph his autopen, which landed on the cover of the National Enquirer in 1968 under the headline: One of the Best Kept Secrets in Washington: The Robot that Sits in for the President.

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Barack Obama became the first known president to sign legislation with an autopen in 2011, when he approved a Patriot Act extension  a move some Republicans questioned as potentially unconstitutional. However, the issue had already been addressed. In 2005, George W. Bushs Office of Legal Counsel ruled that a president need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature for a bill to become law, explicitly allowing autopen use.

But what does the U.S. Constitution say? Article II, Section 2 grants the president exclusive authority to grant clemency with few limitations. And in 2024, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit affirmed that pardons and commutations do not have to be issued in writing at all.

Whats next?

Whether Trump will attempt to revoke Biden-era pardons through executive order remains uncertain. If he does, the issue would likely end up in court.

However, some legal experts believe such a challenge would fail. The argument that the pardon is invalid because it was signed by an autopen fails at the get-go, because theres no requirement that a pardon even be signed, Jay Wexler, a constitutional law professor at Boston University, told NPR.

The post Trump Claims Bidens Pardons Are Void and Vacant appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
President Donald Trump claimed without evidence early Monday that his predecessors pardons for members of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the Capitol are invalid because then-President Joe Biden didnt use a real pen.

The Pardons that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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Trump went on to allege that Biden didnt know about the pardons or approve them and that therefore all the committee members would be subject to investigation at the highest level.

However, the U.S. Constitution makes it clear that the president has unique executive powers to issue pardons and makes no provision for subsequent presidents to rescind them  for issues relating to the choice of pen or anything else.

From left, Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., of the House Jan. 6 committee at a hearing on Oct. 13, 2022.

Jeffrey Crouch, a politics professor at American University and author of the book "The Presidential Pardon Power," said he doubted that Trump's characterization of the pardons as "void" would have any legal effect.

"Bidens pardons are highly unlikely to be revoked somehow because of the apparent use of an autopen," he told NBC News.

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"There are scattered examples throughout history of clemency decisions that were never completed. But the idea that a completed pardon could be revoked is a highly unusual suggestion," Crouch added.

Biden and President Barack Obama both used an autopen device to sign official documents, a practice that is legally binding, according to 2005 guidance from the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department commissioned by President George W. Bush.

"The President need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law," the office said, adding that that includes using an autopen.

The guidance hasn't been challenged in court.

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Obama used an autopen for dozens of pardons in 2016, Crouch said, citing a 2017 article in USA Today.

In a ruling last year involving presidential pardon powers, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said presidents don't have to issue written or signed pardons for them to be implemented.

"The plain language of the Constitution imposes no such limit, broadly providing that the President 'shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.' The constitutional text is thus silent as to any particular form the Presidents clemency act must take to be effective," the ruling said.

"To be sure, as a practical matter, a writingsuch as the clemency warrants President Trump signed for all other pardons and commutations granted throughout his presidencywill generally be the means of proving to a third party that the act has occurred," the ruling added.

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The decision also cited a 1929 memo from the U.S. solicitor general about "whether records of clemency must take a particular form, including whether it must be signed by the President personally. [The solicitor general] opined that no constraints existed, pointing to the lack of any constitutional requirements on point."

Trumps comments about Biden's pardons appear to have been inspired by the Oversight Project, an offshoot of the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank. The group questioned on X last week whether Biden had the mental capacity to order an autopen to be used to add his signature.

It's unclear whether Trump was planning imminent action or an investigation into the Jan. 6 committee members.

A presidential pardon needs to be fully delivered to the recipient, and the president can't pardon crimes related to impeachment  but it isnt clear what legal avenue Trump intends to pursue to undo Biden's orders.

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The White House and a representative for Biden didn't immediately respond to requests for comment Monday morning.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the daily news briefing Monday afternoon that Trump "was raising the point that, did the president even know about these pardons? Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge?"

Biden ordered the pre-emptive pardons in January in one of his final acts in office. He said he took the action to ensure that public figures who had investigated and criticized Trump while he was in office wouldn't face retaliatory action during his new administration.

Biden acknowledged he was weighing such pardons in a Jan. 8 interview with USA Today, and the White House cited exceptional circumstances for granting them in a statement from him after the pardons were signed.

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"I cannot in good conscience do nothing, Biden's statement said. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong  and in fact have done the right thing  and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.

Trump has argued that the committee members are guilty of unspecified "major crimes," writing the phrase in all capital letters in a text message to NBC News after Biden issued the pardons in January.

The panels members were Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who was then a House member; former Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla.; and current Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.

Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci also received pre-emptive pardons from Biden.

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"He's more obsessed with, like, me and Liz Cheney than his freaking golf score. Hey Trump, bring it on, dude," Kinzinger said Monday morning in a video on X. "You weak, whiny, tiny man."

Schiff also addressed Trump's comments, saying n X that "the members of the Jan 6 Committee are all proud of our work."

"Your threats will not intimidate us," he added. "Or silence us."

Biden was a prolific issuer of pardons in his final days in office and set a record for presidential clemency by commuting almost 2,500 sentences, including those of more than 2,000 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses.

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After he started his second term, Trump pardoned 1,500 criminal defendants charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and commuted the sentences of 14 of his supporters, including members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy.

Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night that "I never use" autopen.

"We may use it, as an example, to send some young person a letter. We get thousands and thousands of letters of support for young people, people who arent feeling well, etc. But to sign pardons and all the things that he signed with an autopen? Disgraceful, Trump said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trumps executive order dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion efforts is making waves at international companies in Europe, Asia and beyond  but only on the surface. Quietly, many businesses are standing firm on diversity initiatives.

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Companies from Roche Holding AG to Nissan Motor Co. have backpedaled on DEI policies in the US. But the Swiss drug maker says it has no plans to change its inclusion efforts elsewhere, while the Japanese car maker has left its international websites untouched. Volvo AB is going further: The car company hires based on meritocracy, not quotas, its spokesperson said, adding that positive action schemes such as its tecHER program will continue.

Its what you might call DEI by stealth  an approach that, in various forms, has started to become the new normal for global companies outside the US since President Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20 entitled Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.

For American companies, theres a degree of uncertainty around the directive. While US federal agencies and their suppliers are required to end any form of what Trump calls illegal DEI, such as affirmative action in hiring, the order doesnt definitively say what measures companies are no longer permitted to take. And with robust federal anti-discrimination statutes still in place, its not even clear that the directive is lawful.

Outside of the US, the picture is even more complicated. Companies may wish to avoid unwanted scrutiny from the Trump administration, but complying with the spread of international diversity regulations is non-negotiable.

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In jurisdictions from the UK and the EU to Australia and Hong Kong  where inclusion measures have primarily focused on gender rather than race  companies are legally required to meet targets for board diversity, gender pay gaps, pay transparency and reintegration of employees after long-term leave. Various countries have other requirements too. In Japan, top publicly listed companies must aim to promote women to 30% of director roles by 2030, up from about 16% last year. In the Netherlands, the financial sector is expected to consider accessibility to ensure older people are not cut off from basic services.

Nevertheless, few companies want to put their head above the parapet in the US, especially those with lucrative government contracts to lose. On top of the executive order, the presidents demand that US government agencies identify as many as nine potential civil compliance investigations in the private sector lit a tinderbox. No company wants to be the first to be accused of breaking the law.

More than 15 US companies have already altered language around diversity in their annual reports, while European companies are increasingly avoiding the topic on earnings calls.

Ultimately, people are trying to pivot. Theyre trying to keep up with whats going on but without losing sight of that ultimate goal of inclusive workplaces, said Zamena Ladak, senior vice president for DEI and business development at Assemble HR Consulting, a New Jersey-based talent strategy and leadership development consultancy.

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Bloomberg contacted more than a dozen companies with headquarters around the world that make a significant portion of their revenue in the US about their diversity, equity and inclusion plans. Few issued a public statement. But its clear that boardrooms are under increasing pressure  from lawyers as well as staff  to work out how to tread the DEI tightrope.

Legal Obligations

Supporters argue that DEI strategies are about business survival and economic growth, as well as benefits for individual workers. Companies with more gender diversity are more likely to innovate, according to research published in the journal Innovation: Management, Policy & Practice. However, while many firms say they have recruited without bias for decades, few can boast a representative workforce  in fact, many initiatives have led to even more homogeneity, according to analysis by academics Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev.

Countries where a significant portion of women are economically inactive or underactive are missing a growth opportunity, a particular problem for countries with an aging or shrinking population such as Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and South Korea. In Japan, where a third of the population will be over 65 years old by 2040, the economy is already suffering, while Germany needs an influx of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers a year simply to prevent its labor force from shrinking.

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By helping companies close the gender pay gap and finding other ways to make the workplace more equitable, DEI teams help to keep women working or increase their hours, according to a 2020 report by Mercer Inc.

They can help companies meet their legal obligations too. In the UK, companies responsibilities include avoiding discrimination in hiring and taking reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. Doing so effectively means firms need to educate staff about what discrimination, harassment and victimization  which can be subtle or inadvertent  look like. Having DEI programs helps them comply, said Georgina Calvert-Lee, an employment lawyer at Bellevue Law.

But training on controversial topics like unconscious bias has in some cases already been rebranded. Now, theres less emphasis on this idea that were all biased or terrible people, said Kate Dodd, an employment lawyer at Pinsent Masons and head of the firms Brook Graham diversity and inclusion consultancy. Instead, the focus is on using data to examine why specific minority groups may progress through a firm more slowly or exhibit higher attrition rates.

Sign up for the Equality newsletter for weekly reporting on how gender, race and class are shaping capitalism in America and beyond.

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Many international companies are viewing the DEI retreat in the US through the lens of a four-year presidential term, according to Alexandra Evreinoff, managing director at INvolve, a London-based diversity and inclusion consultancy that has worked with clients such as Boston Consulting Group, HSBC Holdings Plc and Standard Chartered Plc.

Two large European multinational companies that work with the federal government told Bloomberg they wont alter DEI policies unless the executive order is enforced. The move is seen as being in the best interests of customers and staff, according to a person familiar with the matter who did not wish to speak publicly for fear of reprisals.

While Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. wiped references to DEI from its American websites, the Japanese company left its international websites untouched, describing the US changes as part of a global digital restructure after many months of planning. UBS Chief Executive Officer Sergio Ermotti said last month that the Swiss bank was making no changes to its DEI policies  but its sustainability and annual reports, published Monday, no longer refer to DE&I.

And several banks headquartered outside the US, such as HSBC, Deutsche Bank AG, Barclays Plc and Banco Santander SA, have publicly reaffirmed their commitments to DEI and workforce representation targets, even as some Wall Street banks have backpedaled. In its annual report, HSBC described having a workforce that reflects society as a strategic priority. In January, Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing called DEI integral to the company.

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I know what diversity has brought us on the management board at the top reporting level, he said. Thats why we are strong supporters of these programs.

In fashion and retail  sectors where women make up an important part of the consumer base  companies including Germany-based Adidas AG, Hennes & Mauritz AB and Ikea have explicitly retained their DEI focus. Our commitments in this area remain unchanged and are closely connected with our companys purpose, a spokesperson for H&M said.

Some European pharmaceutical companies are pushing on too with a commitment to inclusive clinical trials, according to people familiar with the situation. Their position is grounded in science as well as business: Testing the efficacy and side effects of new products requires women and individuals from underrepresented groups to take part in drug trials.

We need to have a continuous focus on this, Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk A/Ss development chief, said this month. Its also important to include patients of diverse socioeconomic status, he said.

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In other sectors, the outlook is more mixed. Consulting giant McKinsey & Co. sent a carefully crafted memo to staff emphasizing that the company is still focused on inclusion, while noting that it abides by local law  a strong hint that its complying with anti-DEI measures in the US. Deloitte looked ready to drop its diversity policies globally before its partnerships in the UK and Australia said they wouldnt make any changes locally. Meanwhile, Accenture Plc was among the first non-US-headquartered companies in any sector to ditch its global DEI policies. All three have a lot to lose by defying Trump. Their combined revenues as federal government contractors were in excess of $7.8 billion in the fiscal year to Sep. 30, according to Bloomberg data.

Conservative Activism

While companies are now scrambling to find the right language to describe their plans around diversity, equity and inclusion, the presidents crusade cant have come as a total surprise. During his presidential campaign, Trump railed against anti-White racism and illegal DEI measures. A blizzard of conservative activism and lawsuits also raged in the lead-up to the elections.

In 2023, the Supreme Court effectively ended affirmative action concerning race in college admissions, after lawyer and anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum sued Harvard. Even though the ruling didnt extend to businesses, it created a chilling effect around race-related measures in recruiting.

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The Supreme Court is now hearing a discrimination case brought forward by a White woman who claims she was first denied a promotion and then later demoted because she is heterosexual. If successful, the case could pave the way for more discrimination suits from members of majority groups.

In the short term, lawyers are urging global companies with an American presence to hit the pause button on any programs in the US that might benefit specific demographics, according to INvolves Evreinoff.

Global companies are looking for a good balance between the regional approach and the global strategy, said Evreinoff, given the legal requirements they still have to meet abroad.

Even so, in the UK at least, conversations with professionals in DEI-related roles indicate a subtle shift has taken place over the past two years. The country is among the most advanced in terms of DEI development, but a worsening economic outlook has led to something of a pullback.

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A 2024 survey by campaign group Reboot found that about 40% of respondents at financial services firms said budget cuts had hampered DEI efforts.

This is where we see who was really committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and for whom this was a matter of compliance, said Michael Smets, professor of management at Oxford Universitys Said Business School.

Sense of Unease

In the UK, diversity-focused roles in human resources departments, while below a peak in 2020, have remained steady since 2022, according to the job search website Indeed.

But the number of senior roles, particularly chief diversity officer, has fallen off a cliff in EMEA over the last 18 months, according to Raj Tulsiani, CEO of Green Park, a UK-based recruitment firm that specializes in more equitable leadership. And DEI teams have shrunk at many firms, according to Pinsent Masons Dodd.

Right-leaning UK newspapers such as the Daily Mail and the London-based Times have described DEI roles in public organizations such as the police or universities as wasteful spending. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition Conservative party, last month described diversity programs as the real poison of left-wing progressivism.

Given the pace of the retreat in the US, it remains to be seen what the next 12 months will look like for diversity, equity and inclusion around the world. In an interview, conservative activist Robby Starbuck, who has pressured a number of US companies to cancel inclusion programs, called DEI and ESG policies anti-Western and suggested that he has broader ambitions overseas. We pushed this out there and its our responsibility to bring it back in, he told Bloomberg.

Yet the US and other countries may be on a path to diverge further still. The British government has plans to extend mandatory pay gap reporting to ethnic minority workers, while a series of lawsuits over equal pay promises to force companies to consider gender disparity in specific roles, not just across the business. Meanwhile, companies with EU staff are gearing up for pay transparency disclosures from next summer, which will require firms to address any gaps larger than 5%.

Either way, a sense of unease remains pervasive. At one European multinational with a large US presence and a federal contract, theres a rumor doing the rounds that bots are crawling the websites of private companies, searching for DEI buzzwords that might breach the presidents executive orders.

In early February, the company tore down various DEI-related webpages, before reinstating them a few days later, absent some key phrases and terms. Still, the company has no grander plans to change its inclusion strategy.

For a lot of companies outside the US, the focus now is merely repositioning, said INvolves Evreinoff.

It would be complete nonsense to say were scrapping everything thats DEI, she said. Thats not true.

--With assistance from Claudia Cohen, Jennifer Creery, Ashleigh Furlong, Karoline Kan, Naomi Kresge, Rafaela Lindeberg, Sabah Meddings and Isabel Reynolds.

(Adds that UBS reports no longer refer to DE&I. An earlier version corrected the spelling of Evreinoff.)

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A statue at the Gettysburg National Military Park along the Union lines where Pickett's Charge was turned away on July 3, 1863. (Tim Lambert)

While he was preparing for work at the National Energy Technology Laboratory on Feb. 14, Kyle Buchheit opened an email hed received around midnight.

Per OPM instructions, DOE [the Department of Energy] finds that your further employment would not be in the public interest. For this reason, you are being removed from your position.

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It was a total surprise. The Pittsburgh-area research engineer knew President Donald Trump campaigned on cutting the federal workforce, but saw his work, conducting research that helps inform how grants are awarded in promising areas of fossil fuel development, as aligned with the administrations energy goals. And he didnt recognize himself or his colleagues in Trumps description of wasteful bureaucrats.

Im one of the quote unquote good federal employees. I went to work every day in the office, Buchheit said. Im not a bureaucrat. I dont handle money. Our lab doesnt pass any kind of rules, regulations, none of that. We do research. We try to [help the development of] energy technology so electricity is cheap and affordable.

Buchheit was one of hundreds of federal workers in Pennsylvania, and tens of thousands across the country, who have lost their jobs as a result of cost-cutting measures implemented by Trump and overseen by billionaire mega-donor Elon Musk. Mostly, they were probationary workers  meaning they were in their first year or so of employment, and didnt have the job protections of their more senior colleagues.

Before the layoffs, the commonwealth was home to around 75,000 federal workers, not including post office workers or military members, according to data provided by the state Department of Labor and Industry.

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An analysis by the Capital-Star shows they come from all over.

But the landscape is changing rapidly.

In the last week, two federal judges have ruled many of the firings were illegal, and ordered probationary employees to be allowed to return to work. But those rulings left room for future job cuts, and the Trump administration has signaled their intention for even larger action.

Since Valentines Day, the administration has told federal agencies to prepare for even more staff cuts, and a deadline has come and gone for agencies to submit plans for large-scale reductions in force, though none have been made public yet. That puts thousands of federal workers living across the state at risk of losing their jobs, and those plans have not been made public.

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For many of those federal employees, like Buchheit, the blow could be massive.

Im one of the quote unquote good federal employees. I went to work every day in the office. Im not a bureaucrat. I dont handle money. Our lab doesnt pass any kind of rules, regulations, none of that. We do research.

 Kyle Buchheit

For nine years, his life revolved around the NETL lab, the only one of its kind fully owned and operated by the U.S. government. After graduating in 2015, he took a postdoctoral fellowship at the branch in West Virginia. Four years later, he moved to Pennsylvania to work as a private contractor at the Pittsburgh-area location, where he bought a house and started his family. When he got a full-time federal job last year, it was exactly where he wanted to be.

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Theres a running joke that everyone could make more money if they worked in the private sector, Buchheit said. But if I worked in the private sector, my benefit goes to the company. If I work in the government, my benefit goes to the people.

Buchheit comes from a long line of public servants. His grandfather on his mothers side served in the Pacific in World War II. And his paternal grandfather was the postmaster and mayor of a small Missouri town.

In his own way, he felt he was continuing that service to his country.

Its a sentiment shared by other federal workers, who are stung by questions and accusations by Musk and Republican lawmakers over their work ethic.

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A lot of people have bought into the concept of the D.C. bureaucrat, and I think thats a real problem, said Philip Glover, the vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees third district. It covers Pennsylvania and Delaware. He estimates his union, the largest for federal employees in the commonwealth, represents about 30,000 Pennsylvanians.

Philip Glover, national vice president of AFGE District 3, addresses protesters outside of Rep. Scott Perrys office in Harrisburg on Feb. 20 (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal)

Glover said people should realize that federal workers do not conform to a stereotype. They work white collar and blue collar jobs, and have a variety of political views. Nationwide, roughly 85% of the federal workforce lives outside of the nations capital. And about one third are veterans.

Theyd come out and recruit us for these jobs, said Glover, an Army veteran. They came to Fort Bragg to recruit me into the Federal Bureau of Prisons. I was an MP. Now, [they say] Youre not really worth anything.

Both Republican and Democratic areas hit hard

On Feb. 20, Glover joined dozens of people in a field outside Rep. Scott Perrys office in Harrisburg, despite the sub-freezing temperature. They were protesting the termination of federal workers and proposed cuts by Congressional Republicans to federal funding and social safety nets like Medicaid.

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Its crazy whats going on here, Glover said in a speech. This is not running (the) government, and [Perry] is not saying a word about any of it.

Perrys 10th District in southcentral Pennsylvania has the highest proportion of federal workers of any congressional district in the state. Around 3.22% of the workforce is employed by federal agencies  or roughly 13,000 people, according to data compiled by the Congressional Research Office last year, not including post office employees and active duty military members,

The lawmaker, who was involved in efforts to keep Trump in office following his loss in the 2020 election, wasnt at his office during the protest, and did not respond to questions from the Capital-Star. But he has praised Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.

Glover was joined by Mark Cochran, the president of the local AFGE union that represents National Park Service workers at the Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. He is also president of AFGE Council 270, which represents National Park Service employees in the northeast part of the country.

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The staff at the two sites has been hit hard by Musks team and an executive order freezing new hires. First, they learned seasonal workers, who make up about 75 percent of the Gettysburg workforce during the busy tourist months, couldnt be hired back in the spring, according to Cochran. Five probationary workers were also cut.

That means some parts of the Civil War battlefield, one of the most popular tourist sites in the state, and Eisenhower farm will be left to go to nature, which can create hazards for visitors and, ultimately, will take much more time and money to restore than if theyd kept up with the work at their previous pace.

Gettysburg National Military Park (Tim Lambert)

Were working these typically lower-paying jobs, because were passionate about the work that were doing, Cochran said. Working here at Gettysburg, were preserving one of the turning points of our countrys history for future generations. You cant ask for a better job than that, and these folks, they just want to work.

Republicans like Perry represent the three Pennsylvania congressional districts with the highest proportion of federal workers. Thats according to data collected by the Congressional Research Office.

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They include Reps. Rob Bresnahan (R-8th District) and John Joyce (R-13th District). Federal workers make up 2.9% and 2.8% of the total workforce in their districts, respectively.

Neither congressman responded to questions from the Capital-Star about their views on the workforce cuts.

Are you a federal employee in Pennsylvania, or have you been impacted by federal workforce cuts? You can reach out to Ian Karbal by email at ikarbal@penncapital-star.com or by call/text/Signal at 847-946-9191 to share your stories or help inform our future reporting on the subject

According to data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, many of the parts of the state most dependent on federal labor supported Trump in the 2024 election.

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Federal workers made up 6.8% of the workforce in Union County as of last September, more than any other in the commonwealth. Sixty one percent of voters there cast ballots for Trump in 2024.

In Lebanon County, where 64% of voters supported Trump in November, 6.2% of the workforce is employed by the federal government. The federal workforce there is largely employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which runs the Lebanon VA Medical Center, where an undisclosed number of probationary federal workers have already been laid off.

Douglas Etter, a spokesperson for the VA Medical Center said the cuts will have no negative effect on veteran health care, benefits or other services and will allow VA to focus more effectively on its core mission of serving veterans, families, caregivers and survivors.

Monroe County, which had the third highest rate of federal employment at 4.7% of the workforce, went for Trump by less than a single percent in November. The Dept. of Defense is the largest civilian federal employer, and Secretary Pete Hegseth has said hed like to cut the Pentagons budget for nonlethal programs by 8% over each of the next five years, while reprioritizing spending on border security, drones, missile defense and more.

A lot of my co-workers, they voted for Trump, and very proudly voted for Trump, Cochran said. Now theyre seeing their people theyve worked side by side with for years  suddenly theyre not here. And theyre like, Whats going on?

Mark Cochran outside Perrys Harrisburg office on Feb. 20. (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal)

While many of the areas in the state with the highest proportion of federal employees in their workforce are more rural and suburban, cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have tens of thousands of federal workers between them.

Roughly one-third of federal workers in the commonwealth, or over 25,000, lived in Philadelphia County as of September 2024. Thats 3.6% of the countys workforce.

Alex Berman, vice president of a Philadelphia branch of the National Treasury Employees Union, represents thousands of workers on the Philadelphia campus for the Internal Revenue Service. He says that roughly 400 IRS employees in the city have been laid off since Trump took office.

Theyre in shock. Theyre hurting, Berman said. Theyre understandably feeling betrayed. Its hard to sit here and be part of the union and say, Were working on it.

Berman is also an IRS employee, and said the layoffs could result in more people paying more fees and taxes than they should. He estimates 90% of the workers that were cut were responsible for helping people who feel they were taxed more than they owed, or need to set up a payment plan, or other issues after they receive their tax bills.

And, according to Berman, those agents are often recruited as volunteers by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take calls from people impacted by natural disasters.

What happens if there is a terrible hurricane coming this season, or another round of wildfires in another area of California or Texas, and those people need to get their claims heard, filed or claimed quickly? Theres not gonna be many of us, Berman said.

It was brilliantly executed, if the goal was to cause people a lot of stress

For Kyle Buchheit, the Department of Energy researcher, theres hope though. While it hasnt happened yet, hes been told to expect a formal letter reinstating him.

This past Thursday, a federal judge ruled the termination of probationary federal employees, including his, were illegal. Still, the ruling left room for future workforce cuts, and theres the massive reduction plans that Trump has ordered but not yet announced.

Im gonna get my job back, but its not guaranteed Im gonna stay there Buchheit said. RIFs [reductions in force] are next and Im going to keep preparing.

While hes excited to return to work, he plans to keep sending out resumes. Its a big mindset shift from mere weeks ago, when he had hoped to retire from the lab.

A lot of people have bought into the concept of the D.C. bureaucrat, and I think that's a real problem.

 Philip Glover, the vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees third district.

And his wife plans to keep the third job she got at their childs daycare so they can save as much as they can  just in case.

Going back to work will also mean returning to a changed workplace.

Federal workers still on the job in Pennsylvania have struggled with the impact of the layoffs too. Beyond having to make up for a reduced staff, some feel their workplace has become hostile and unpredictable.

Every day I go to work, I feel like I could be fired, said a Department of Energy employee who works at the same lab Buchheit did. She was granted anonymity because of fears of retaliation.

Buchheits colleague was also a probationary employee, and cant see any reason why he was laid off and she wasnt. Both had excellent performance reviews.

Everybody was coming up with these theories, she said. It was brilliantly executed, if the goal was to cause people a lot of stress.

She said the communications her colleagues have received from Musks team  from the early fork in the road buyout offer that called them less productive than private sector workers, to requests they justify their positions by describing what they did that week  are demoralizing and antagonistic.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

And theres the sword of Damocles. So far, her supervisors havent told her anything about what the reduction in force plans might mean for the lab. Its been particularly unnerving because theyve otherwise been quick to respond to new developments as they appear in the news or in their inboxes. Its unclear to her if thats because her bosses dont know or dont want to say.

I took a pay cut to get this job, she said. At a fossil energy lab, you have a lot of people who you might imagine could be making a lot more money working in the oil and gas industry  They actively made a choice not to go cash in because they believed in the mission.

This story was updated at 12:17 p.m. to correct a misspelling of Kyle Buchheits name.
President Donald Trump escalated his mass deportation efforts over the weekend by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to order the removal of virtually any Venezuelan national in the United States who he claims is a member of Tren de Aragua, an international criminal group. As of Sunday evening, more than 100 Venezuelan nationals had been flown to a prison in El Salvador to be held under an executive order invoking the controversial law.

Trumps sudden order drew the executive branch into yet another showdown with the federal judiciary. While the deportation flights were in the air on Saturday, Judge James Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to turn the planes around while legal proceedings continued. The flights instead continued to their destination in El Salvador. The Venezuelans are being held in a local prison there under an agreement between the Trump administration and President Nayib Bukeles government, which the U.S. reportedly is paying $6 million to accept 300 alleged gang members and imprison them for a year.

These developments raised a series of overlapping legal issues. The first and most important question is whether the White House defied a federal court order outright for the first time. The answer appears to be yes. While the administration has had compliance issues (to be charitable) with some judicial orders over the last two months, this is the first time that it has openly refused to comply with one of them.

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In a court filing late on Sunday titled Notice to the Court, the Justice Department said it object[s] to this courts assertion of jurisdiction, including over the presidents exercise of powers vested in him by Article II. While the department stated that it would not deport the five plaintiffs in that particular lawsuit, it also claimed that it will continue to protect the United States using authorities other than the proclamation. Attorney General Pam Bondi took the unusual step of signing the court filing herself, along with the rest of her senior staff.

It is unclear whether this defiance was premeditated or improvised. The news outlet Axios reported on Sunday that unnamed White House personnel had claimed the original plan was to deport them before a lawsuit could be filed and a federal court could intervene. Once the ACLU caught wind of the plan and asked Boasberg to file a temporary restraining order, however, the administration reportedly decided to ignore it on dubious grounds.

Its legal argument for defiance, other than raw power, is that the judges order does not apply once the foreign nationals are in international waters and airspace. There was a discussion about how far the judges ruling can go under the circumstances and over international waters and, on advice of counsel, we proceeded with deporting these thugs, one unnamed senior White House official reportedly told Axios.

That is a Hollywood scriptwriters understanding of jurisdiction and international waters. Boasberg had jurisdiction over the defendants in the ACLU lawsuitthe various Trump administration officials who were on U.S. soil and could accordingly order the flights return. It did not matter whether the actual flights were over the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, or the Sea of Tranquility on the moon.

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Just as troubling is the Trump administrations invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The archaic founding-era law allows the president to make proclamations that allow entire groups of foreign nationals, on a country-by-country basis, to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as alien enemies. The law does not allow the deportation of anyone 13 years old or younger or naturalized U.S. citizens. Beyond that, however, it is exceptionally broad and direct.

In his executive order on Saturday, Trump invoked the law against Venezuelan nationals in general because of the activities of Tren de Aragua, or TdA, a Venezuelan prison gang that acts as an international criminal organization. Trumps order claimed that TdA had close ties with a drug cartel sponsored by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and that members of TdA had infiltrated high offices in the Maduro government.

Among various other drug-related crimes, Trump said in his executive order, TdA has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens, undermining public safety, and supporting the Maduro regimes goal of destabilizing democratic nations in the Americas, including the United States. Those offenses, he said, justified invoking the Alien Enemies Act.

All American schoolchildren have heard of the 1798 law at one point or another. It is better known as the Alien portion of the Alien and Sedition Acts, a series of laws passed by the John Adams administration to address perceived foreign and domestic threats. The Sedition Act made it a federal offense to criticize the federal government. That laws enforcement was widely unpopular and in obvious violation of the First Amendment. The Alien Enemies Act and the associated laws were meant to target immigrants who would be more likely to vote for the rival Democratic-Republican Party by making them easier to remove and harder to naturalize; Adams ultimately did not use its deportation powers before leaving office.

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Among legal scholars, the general consensus is that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional. Justice Joseph Storys influential Commentaries described the laws as ones whose constitutionality has been denied even though they left no permanent traces in the constitutional jurisprudence of the country because the Supreme Court did not get an opportunity to consider them. The Virginia and Kentucky legislatures adopted resolutions drafted, respectively, by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, to denounce the laws as unconstitutional and call for their nullification.

There is a catch to this sweeping authority, however: The Alien Enemies Act cant be invoked during peacetime. Presidents can only lawfully invoke this power whenever there is a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government or when any invasion or predatory incursion is perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States by any foreign nation or government, according to the laws text.

That may pose a problem for Trump on appeal. Americas diplomatic relationship with the Venezuelan government is hardly a warm one. But the United States of America is not at war with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Neither the Venezuelan government nor the U.S. Congress has formally declared war on one another. Nor is there an invasion or predatory incursion by Venezuelan armed forces currently underway or otherwise imminent. Venezuelan troops are not on American soil or deployed near the U.S. border.

Trump nonetheless argued that TdA is effectively a proxy for the Venezuelan government and that it is undertaking hostile actions and conducting irregular warfare against the U.S., both directly and at the direction, clandestine or otherwise, of the Maduro regime in Venezuela. There is some evidence of ties between the two: Chilean authorities implicated TdA members and Maduros government in last years assassination of Ronald Ojeda, a Venezuelan dissident living in exile in Santiago at the time. Venezuelan authorities also maintain informal relationships with powerful prison gangs like TdA to maintain order in some parts of the country.

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At the same time, Trump offered no actual evidence that TdA is waging any sort of military or clandestine campaign against the U.S. itself at Maduros behest. Invoking the Alien Enemies Act to address such a problem would also be an ill-fitting solution. Roughly 334,000 Venezuelans lived in the U.S., as of last September, via Temporary Protected Status. As its name suggests, TPS allows the U.S. government to grant temporary legal status to people from war-torn countries who cant safely return home. Thousands more Venezuelans reside in the U.S. right now on lawful visas. The idea that all or even most of them are part of a foreign invasion or a transnational criminal organization is nonsensical.

The Trump administrations natural rejoinder here might be that Trumps executive order did not go nearly that far. The order itself says that all Venezuelan citizens 14 years of age or older who are members of TdA, are within the United States, and are not actually naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the United States are liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as alien enemies. The administration is not throwing out all Venezuelans, they might argue, just those who are TdA members.

It would not surprise me if many, if not most, of the Venezuelan nationals sent to El Salvador were genuine TdA members. The question is whether they have been given an opportunity to defend themselves from that allegation. The Trump administration has not had to prove, before either an immigration judge or a regular federal judge, that any of the people it has deported are actual members of TdA. For that reason, the orders sweeping nature raises serious due-process concerns under the Fifth Amendment.

I suspect the Trump administration does not really care. It promised mass deportations to its supporters, not deportations only done after due-process hearings and careful forethought on constitutionally solid grounds. The White House is interested in the law only to the extent that it provides a fig leaf for what it wants to do anyway. Everything else can be shuffled into broad invocations of national emergency or executive power.

Even the backlash to these deportation flights was anticipated: Axios quoted unnamed White House officials who seemed to welcome the optics of Democratic lawmakers, federal judges, and media outlets criticizing them for deporting what they described as hardened gang members. The goal, as always, is not to govern competently or govern efficiently, but to govern in whatever way looks best on Fox News each night. Compliance with a federal court order is meaningless next to that higher principle.
Donald Trump has deployed the US navy to the southern border amid a rise in small boat crossings by illegal migrants.

The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, was sent from Virginia on Saturday to shore up security gaps as people smugglers look for routes around the 1,950-mile-long US-Mexican land border.

Although Mr Trump has previously deployed troops along the southern border, it is believed to be the first time he has sent a destroyer to the region and marks a significant increase in the US military presence.

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The Gravely, which sailed from Virginias Naval Weapons Station Yorktown at the weekend, has previously been used to intercept missile attacks by Yemens Houthis in the Red Sea.

US Northern Command said in a statement that the deployment would tackle illegal seaborne migration, at a time when small boat migrant crossings are on the rise as Mr Trump ramps up land border security.

San Diegos coastguard said earlier this month that it had recorded 200 migrant boat encounters near the coast in the previous 90 days.

Migrants return from southern Mexico after abandoning hopes of reaching the US - Matias Delacroix/AP

Jason Hagen, a coastguard captain, told Fox News: The migrants have to go somewhere. The smugglers have to move their operations somewhere. And were starting to see an uptick in the maritime environment.

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He added: Its not just your economic Mexicans looking to come to the United States for work. Its also  bad actors coming from other countries, referring to Chinese and Russian migrants.

Gen Gregory Guillot, who oversees US Northern Command, said in a statement that the Gravelys deployment would protect the United States territorial integrity, sovereignty and security.

Defence officials added that the move would tackle maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration.

The press release added that US Northern Command was filling critical capabilities gaps to support the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection.

Small boat migrant crossings are on the rise - Matias Delacroix/AP

It is unclear specifically what this was referring to, and the Trump administration did not respond to a question about whether the deployment was a response to coastguard staffing shortages.

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The Gravely announcement came a day after US Northern Command announced the formation of a joint task force to lead military efforts on the southern border.

On his first day in office in January, Mr Trump signed an executive order for the command to deliver a plan to seal the borders and maintain the US sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security by repelling human and drug smuggling.

The Gravelys deployment may also have been meant as a warning to the Mexican cartels, which Mr Trump has designated as terrorist organisations and threatened to launch a military strike against.

Ronald Johnson, Mr Trumps pick for Mexican ambassador, said in a confirmation hearing on Thursday that military action against the cartels were on the table.

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One day after a judge blocked the federal government from using wartime powers to quickly expel accused Venezuelan gang members from the country, the Trump administration announced Sunday that it had flown hundreds of alleged members of Tren de Aragua to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador  raising the question of whether the president openly defied a court order.

On Sunday morning, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that, under Trumps directive, the federal government had invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to swiftly deport over 200 Venezuelans accused of being members of TdA.

The new administration has designated the gang as a terrorist organization, and in an executive order issued Friday and released Saturday alleged that it is undertaking hostile actions and conducting irregular warfare against the territory of the United States both directly and at the direction, clandestine or otherwise, of the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

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This crucial step would have never happened under any other U.S. president. President Trump is following through on the promises he made to the American people, said Rubio, adding that President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador had agreed to imprison the Venezuelans.

Rubio, Bukele and the White House announced the deportations hours after a federal judge in Washington D.C. issued a restraining order blocking the Trump executive order using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans for at least two weeks while the case continues.

The wartime legislation grants the president extraordinary powers to detain, deport, or remove non-citizens from countries deemed hostile to the U.S. during times of war or invasion, without going through the normal judicial processes. The law, known for its role in interning Japanese immigrants during World War II, has only been used three times, during times of war. It would allow Trump to arrest, relocate, or deport any men over 14 who are deemed to be from an enemy country. The United States considers Venezuela to be a foreign adversary. Anyone accused of being a member of the gang has no right to challenge the accusation, as the law grants the power to remove them without due process or the opportunity to contest the claim.

The judge was ruling in a case brought by lawyers for five detained Venezuelans, most of whom said theyd been wrongly accused of being Tren de Aragua members. Earlier Saturday, before broadening the scope, the judge issued a restraining order blocking the federal government from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport the five plaintiffs.

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J.A.V. is not and has never been a member of Tren de Aragua, the complaint states about one of the plaintiffs. He was in fact victimized by that group and the group is the reason he cannot return to Venezuela.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has accused several Venezuelans facing deportation of being affiliated with Tren de Aragua without offering public evidence. The criminal and personal history of those it sent to El Salvador on Sunday remains unclear.

Also unclear is whether the federal government defied the judicial order, or whether the flights landed before Judge James Boasberg issued his ruling, which the Trump administration quickly appealed. During a Saturday evening hearing, Boasberg said any deportation flights already in the air should return to the United States, according to several outlets that reported on the hearing.

On Sunday, the Department of Justice said in a court filing that some gang members subject to removal under the Proclamation had already been removed from United States territory under the Proclamation before the issuance of this Courts second order. However, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign wrote that the five Venezuelans at the center of the case in Washington were not deported, and that the federal government would not enforce Trumps executive order citing the Alien Enemies Act in the absence of appellate relief.

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The White House did not acknowledge the judges order in a Sunday morning statement announcing that Trump had invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Tren de Aragua members. But some of the presidents top officials and most prominent defenders were cheering his decision nonetheless.

United States Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the judges order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trumps power and puts the public and law enforcement at risk. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the President had used his core powers to defend Americans from one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth. She linked the murders of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray to members of the gang.

Neither Rubio nor other top officials of the Trump administration clarified the timing of the flights. But Adam Isacson, the director of defense oversight for the Washington Office of Latin America, noted that a flight-tracking database shows at least two flights charted out of Texas by U.S. contractor GlobalX landed in El Salvador after Boasberg issued his order. The video posted by El Salvadors president shows detainees being hauled out of a GlobalX plane.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to Miami Herald questions about whether the deportation flights had taken place before or after the judge issued his ruling. The American Civil Liberties Union, among several groups that brought the case before Judge Boasberg on Saturday, also did not respond to official inquiries about what it knew about the deportation flights, and whether any of its clients were deported.

An Activist Judge

The deportation flights come as the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to limit the authority of lower-court judges to issuing sweeping, nationwide injunctions and restraining orders blocking the presidents agenda, raising questions about the future of checks and balances  a fundamental tenet of American democracy.

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Rubio reposted a social media post from Bukele that said OopsieToo late, with a laughing emoji, citing a news article about the judges order blocking the deportations.

Separately, Bukele confirmed that 238 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States had been immediately transferred to the Terrorist Confinement Center, a mega-prison Bukele built as part of his countrys crackdown on organized crime. He circulated a video showing heavily-armed guards with covered faces forcing cuffed immigrants along as they were moved to the facility. Rubio also reposted the video and thanked Bukele for his assistance and friendship.

The Trump administration has not provided any public evidence linking the deported Venezuelans to gang activity, despite claims that they are part of the TdA. One of the plaintiffs in the case before Judge Boasberg said he was wrongly detained and accused of being a gang member because he had tattoos. In October 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety released a document titled Tren de Aragua  Expansion and US presence, listing tattoos such as stars, crowns, firearms, grenades, trains, dice, roses and predatory animals like tigers and jaguars as potential identifiers. Tattoo artists say that flowers and clocks are common motifs in body art.

Mike Davis, a key legal defender of the president, posted that Trump didnt follow the order because the president followed his constitutional oath and [Judge Boasberg] failed to follow yours.

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An activist judge ordering the president to turn around planes in mid-flight to return foreign terrorists to American soil was the red line, Davis said. Hell. No.

At least one sitting member of Congress, Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas, called for the federal judges impeachment. President Barack Obama appointed Boasberg, a Yale Law School grad and the chief judge of the Washington D.C. District Court, to the federal bench in 2011. He became an associate judge of the District of Columbia Superior Court in 2002.Asked on CNNs State of the Union Sunday if the Trump administration defied a court order, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he wasnt sure due to the timing of the flights.

We will find out whether or not that actually occurred or not. We dont know if that happened that way, Rounds said. I do know that we will follow the law. We expect the executive branch to follow the law.

This wouldnt be the first time the Trump administration openly flouted a judges ruling. The administration has repeatedly denied court orders to release $2 billion in foreign aid. Even after an early March 5-4 Supreme Court ruling, its unclear if the administration has complied with directions to unfreeze payments.

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Last week, Rubio wrote on his X account that 83% of USAID programs were being cut, including 5,200 contracts worth tens of billions of dollars.

Human rights violations at CECOT

In 2023, Bukele opened the maximum-security prison known as CECOT. The initials stand for Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, or Terrorism Confinement Center, with a capacity to hold 40,000 inmates according to the Salvadoran Government.

Civil rights organizations have raised alarms over inhumane conditions at CECOT, the largest mega prison in Latin America, calling them a blatant violation of human rights. Investigative journalists have uncovered evidence that among the tens of thousands arrested by El Salvadors government in recent years, thousands of innocent people have been wrongfully imprisoned.

According to the Associated Press, the U.S. is paying $6 million to harbor alleged Tren de Aragua members, around $20,000 per inmate.

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The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us, said Bukele, adding that the migrants would be kept there for a period of one year and that it was a renewable deal.

We continue advancing in the fight against organized crime. But this time, we are also helping our allies, making our prison system self-sustainable, and obtaining vital intelligence to make our country an even safer place. All in a single action, he said.

Dangerous accusations against an immigrant community

Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, an advocacy group committed to supporting the Venezuelan community that works in alliance with the left-leaning Latino Victory Project, said there isnt concrete evidence that that hundreds of Venezuelans in the United States are Tren de Aragua.

It is unacceptable, inhumane, and extremely dangerous for an entire community to be labeled as potential members of Tren de Aragua under a law where any accusation made against a Venezuelan citizen cannot be challenged in any court, Ferro said.

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She said the vast majority of Venezuelans are not criminals nor came to commit any crimes. Criminals must face the consequences of their actions, but the vast majority of Venezuelans are not criminals and deserve the right to defend themselves, Ferro said. It is essential that we ensure justice is served fairly, without unjustly targeting an entire community based on baseless accusations.

The Maduro regime issued a statement rejecting the U.S. actions as an infamous and unjust law that criminalizes Venezuelan migration, calling it an act that evokes the darkest chapters of human history.

The Alien Enemies Act is an anachronistic law that not only violates fundamental laws but also undermines the international legal order on human rights, the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrants, the Venezuelan government statement read. Venezuela rejects the persecution of our nationals, and we denounce that our compatriots in the U.S. are being subjected to persecution.

Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder & president/CEO of Immigrant Defenders Law Center, condemned the deportation of one of the groups clients to El Salvador without any due process or evidence linking him to the gang Tren de Aragua, and then he disappeared.

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Our client fled Venezuela last year seeking asylum in the United States. He has a strong claim. He was detained at entry because ICE alleged his tattoos are gang related. They are absolutely not, Toczylowski said through X.

She said he is an LGBTQ arts worker in Venezuela and that his tattoos are harmless and personal. But ICE submitted photographs of his tattoos, presenting them as proof of his alleged involvement with Tren de Aragua.

Toczylowski said: Our client came to the U.S. seeking protection, but has spent months in ICE prisons, been falsely accused of being a gang member and today, he has been forcibly transferred  we believe to El Salvador. We are horrified by what might happen to him next.

She said the Trump administrations use of the Alien Enemies Act could lead to deportations based on mere accusations, without evidence or due process.

The accusation could be, as it is for our client, completely baseless. But they would remove them anyway, despite the dangers, despite the lack of due process. What happened today is a dark moment in our history.
DONALD TRUMPS SECOND TERM has been so chaotic that some damaging new policies have slipped by too quickly to be widely noticed. Case in point: Earlier this month, Trump issued an executive order purporting to designate English as the official language of the United States. This move understandably received far less public attention than other more egregious administration actionsbut it is still worth taking a moment to reflect on what it means.

The executive order allows government agencies to decide for themselves whether to offer documents and services in multiple languages, implicitly encouraging them to limit those communications to English alone. It revokes a Clinton-era executive order that required government agencies to assure that their documents and services were accessible to non-English speakers.

In an important sense, Trumps executive order is only symbolic. There are plenty of cases in which the federal government is required by law to offer services or information in multiple languages; this executive order does not affect those cases. It applies only to situations in which the executive branch has discretion. And because any executive order can be revoked by a subsequent executive order, any future president can with the stroke of a pen undo Trumps designation of English as the official language.

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Still, the executive order is a win for the English-only movement, which advocates limiting immigration and bilingual education. And it fits in with Trumps other hostile-to-immigrants policies.

Speaking as an educator with over fifty years of experience as an English-as-a-second language teacher, teacher educator, and evaluator working across the globe, Trumps order is divisive, unnecessary and cruel.

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A White House fact sheet about the order claims that making English the official language promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement. None of this is true. Instead, the order threatens the availability of multilingual resources that families depend on to live productively in the United States. Envision, for example, trying to understand healthcare forms and legal documents, let alone filing taxes, studying for citizenship, or voting without materials in a language you understand.

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Moreover, the United States has always been multilingual, and we have always been a nation of immigrants. In colonial times English-speaking majority lived alongside sizable populations of French, German, and Dutch speakersnot to mention the numerous Native American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Sioux, and Cherokee. Subsequent waves of immigration from around the globe brought speakers of almost every language to our shores. Of the roughly 350 languages spoken in the United States besides English, the most common are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

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The jingoistic call to a supposed English-only tradition contradicts the understanding that undergirded our new country. The Founders grasped the importance of linguistic pluralism and the constitutional principles of liberty and equality. True, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are written in English; but nowhere did the Founders proclaim English as our official language.

The English language does not need federal protection. It indisputably remains the dominant language of the United States. An English-only directivewhich, again, Trumps executive order doesnt quite succeed in beingwould erect even more hurdles to immigrant families already under significant stress as they seek employment and housing, raise their children, help them succeed in school, find transportation, and access services such as health care and legal aid.

WHILE STUDYING FOR MY DOCTORATE in education at Teachers College, Columbia University, I taught English as second language to adult immigrants at LaGuardia Community College in New York City. My students worked hard to master English, and I cant remember one that didnt want to speak English fluently. But many worked multiple jobs and cared for children, causing them to miss classes. And many were not literate in their first languagemaking it extremely difficult to become English-proficient. Adding English proficiency as a prerequisite to civic participation is a gratuitous burden to those who are already struggling to make ends meet.

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And what about the benefits of having a multilingual nation in an increasingly global world? The United States is language-richone in five Americans speak a language other than English. Multilingual individuals are sought after in the workplace. Customer service, health care, business, finance, and hospitality industries need bilingual employees, and these workers earn considerably more than their monolingual counterparts.

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Moreover, English-language learners comprise one of the fastest growing groups in our nations public schools. When I did my doctoral research on English-language learners while working with K-12 teachers, we learned from research and experience that the pathway to English-language proficiency was most often through a childs mother tongue.

Bilingual programs allow students to either maintain their mother tongue as they learn English or use their mother tongue to transition to English. Students who graduate from bilingual programs speaking two languages display more cognitive flexibilitythe brains ability to adapt to new informationthan their monolingual peers. And in places where bilingual programs are not offered or are impractical, it is important that teachers have training and resources to make science, math, and social studies comprehensible to their students, thus allowing them to use their mother tongue to learn content.

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Finally, Trumps executive order conveys the wrongheaded and divisive idea that English is superior to other languages. It may have a chilling effect on students pride in their mother tongue and heritage, and on teachers inclination to celebrate their students languages and cultures. We run the risk of squandering the multilingual resources that our K-12 students represent.

Because Trumps official-English executive order is limited in scope, and because a future president can revoke it, its possible that its effects will be minimal. But to the extent that the executive orders effects will be felt at all, the result wont be greater unity and a unified society, but rather division, confusion, and harm.

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Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango (R) attends the handover ceremony of China-donated relief supplies to Zambian flood victims in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, on March 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

LUSAKA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese enterprises operating in Zambia on Monday donated supplies to support victims of the floods that have affected the country during the 2024/2025 rainy season.

Among the donated items were food supplies such as maize meal, rice, sugar and cooking oil, while non-food items included disinfectants, blankets, mattresses, protective gear and other essentials, valued at about 1.2 million Zambian kwacha (about 42,000 U.S. dollars).

The companies also handed over a cash donation of about 200,000 kwacha (about 7,000 dollars).

Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Zambia Wang Sheng, and officials from the Zambia Chinese Association attended the handover ceremony held at the offices of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit in Lusaka, the country's capital.

In his remarks, Wang said China shares the pain of the flood victims, which prompted the decision to provide relief support, and China stands ready to offer further humanitarian assistance within its capacity.

"With similar flood challenges at home, we in China deeply empathize with the pain and loss suffered by the Zambian people. We are taking action and stand ready to provide more humanitarian assistance within our capacity in a timely manner," he said.

He noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 60 years ago, the two countries have stood by each other and offered support in times of need.

During the COVID-19 and cholera outbreaks, China was among the first countries to assist Zambia in combating the diseases, Wang said, adding that this support reflected the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership announced by the two heads of state and China's commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

He said the donation exemplified the commitment of the Chinese community and businesses in Zambia to fulfilling their social responsibilities, which have always been among their core values.

For her part, Nalumango commended China for its support, saying it would significantly ease the suffering of the victims.

The support is a testament to the cordial relations that have existed between the two countries for the past 60 years, she said.

According to the vice president, the floods have claimed four lives, displaced many people, particularly in Lusaka, and impacted other parts of the country.

Zhang Jian, president of the Zambia Chinese Association, said the donation is part of ongoing efforts by Chinese enterprises to bring hope to those in need in the affected areas and demonstrated the genuine care and compassion of the overseas Chinese community.

The Chinese community in Zambia would continue to fulfill its responsibilities through concrete actions, he said, adding that every donated item reflected their deep concern for the affected people. 

Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango attends the handover ceremony of China-donated relief supplies to Zambian flood victims in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, on March 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  DC News Now has obtained an email that was sent to Voice of America (VOA) employees Sunday night, telling them to cease all work immediately and that they would not be able to enter their places of work.

VOA employees received the email after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to cut funding to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which houses VOA and other news services around the world.

Senate passes Trump-endorsed fix to avert DC budget cuts

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Along with VOA, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Marti, a Spanish-language news service broadcasting in Cuba, are also being cut.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media is the latest agency to be gutted by the Trump administration, which has taken a hacksaw approach to cutting federal spending.

The email sent to VOA employees stated that a formal notice of termination would be issued with an effective date of March 31.

Voice of America director, Michael Abramowitz, told the Associated Press that this is the first time in 83 years the news service is being silenced.

Trump says he was being a little bit sarcastic when he promised to end Ukraine war in 24 hours

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In a statement on Facebook, the National Press Club said the firing of VOAs journalists calls into question the organizations ability to carry out its mission of delivering independent reporting to places where press freedom doesnt exist.

The statement reads in part, This move not only puts VOAs credibility at risk but also undermines Americas long-standing commitment to a free and independent press.

Its not clear yet what President Trumps plans are for the U.S.s global news agency going forward, but its the latest move in the administrations adversarial relationship with many U.S. media outlets.

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(Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration Monday insisted it had not violated a court order by expelling hundreds of alleged members of Venezuelas Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador for imprisonment, even as a federal judge ordered a halt to some deportations.

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The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from US territory, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X. The written order and the Administrations actions do not conflict.

Leavitt asserted that the president has a constitutional authority to conduct foreign affairs and to remove foreign alien terrorists from US soil and repel a declared invasion.

Under an agreement Secretary of State Marco Rubio brokered with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, 238 members of the gang were transferred to a terrorism confinement center over the weekend, Bukele said on X.

The precise timing of the transfers wasnt immediately clear. The US also has not publicly detailed how it identified the Venezuelans as members of the Tren de Aragua gang thats been designated a foreign terrorist organization.

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On Saturday, President Donald Trump moved to accelerate deportations by invoking seldom-used powers under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a statute previously employed to justify the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

The deportations to El Salvador came as US District Judge James Boasberg barred removals under Trumps proclamation for 14 days, allowing time to consider a legal challenge to the move brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward. In proceedings Saturday, Boasberg said any flights carrying people deported under Trumps proclamation would have to be returned midair to the US, according to the Associated Press.

In her post, Leavitt suggested the order was invalid regardless of when the planes took off and landed.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrying foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from US soil, she wrote.

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Trump, asked Sunday aboard Air Force One if the administration violated Boasbergs order, responded, I dont know. You have to speak with the lawyers.

Trump told reporters the deportees are a bad group of, as I say, hombres, justifying his decision to invoke a wartime legal provision by saying the migrants invaded our country and in that sense, this is war.

Trump rooted his proclamation in assertions that many of the organizations members have unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the country.

The president proclamation states Tren de Aragua is engaging in mass illegal migration to the United States in a bid to harm the countrys citizens, undermine public safety and support efforts by Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro to destabilize democratic nations.

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Trump in his second term has moved to ramp up deportations of undocumented migrants and secure US borders in the wake of an election victory driven partly by voter anxiety over illegal immigration and crime. As in Trumps first term, courts across the US have slowed or blocked his ability to fully enact his orders.

Under the Alien Enemies Act the president can detain and remove non-citizens of hostile nations in wartime, powers which have been tapped rarely in US history. Opponents argue the authority cannot be used to target members of a criminal enterprise, rather than a country.

The administration asserted in a court filing that some of the deportations happened before the judges order. The administration also said it wont pursue any more removals under the proclamation unless the court intervenes or removes the restraining order.

Five individuals who were subject to an earlier order blocking their removal are still in the US, the administration said in its filing.

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The Venezuelan government posted on Telegram that the US proclamation infamously and unfairly criminalizes Venezuelan migrants, describing it as recalling humanitys most dark moments.

--With assistance from Hadriana Lowenkron, Derek Wallbank and Stephanie Lai.

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Trump over the weekend invoked a sparsely used eighteenth-century law to carry out mass deportationsand, after outrage, justified doing so because we are in a time of war.

On Saturday, the president used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798untouched since the War of 1812 and the Japanese internment of the 1940sto push the deportation of more than 200 Venezuelans, claiming they were Tren de Aragua gang members. The deportations were carried out despite a court order requiring all planes carrying people deported under the law to remain in the country.

When asked the following day why he invoked wartime powers, Trumps answer was telling.

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Well this is a time of war. Because Biden allowed millions of people, many of them criminals, many of them at the highest level. Other nations emptied their jails into the United States, its an invasion. These are criminals, many many criminals  murderers, drug dealers at the highest level, drug lords. People from mental institutions. Thats an invasion, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, sliding effortlessly into the unfounded, racist rhetoric that has defined his political career.

In that sense this is war. In many respects its more dangerous than war because you know in war they have uniforms, you know who youre shooting at, you know who youre going after, he continued. We have thousands of murderers that Biden in his incompetencehe was grossly incompetentBiden and his people. It looked like we had an autopen for a president, he said, insinuating that Biden was using an automatic signing device for all those last-minute pardons he did rather than signing them under his own power.

Trumps invocation is a doubling down upon his mass-deportation mission, and setting up a crisis by openly defying the courts. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, a fellow authoritarian ruler and Trump ally, mocked the judges order, posting video after video of heavily armed police officers leading the returned migrants to prison.
WASHINGTON (AP)  When Andrew Sullivan thinks of the people his organization has helped resettle in America, one particular story comes to mind: an Afghan man in a wheelchair who was shot through the neck by a member of the Taliban for helping the U.S. during its war in Afghanistan.

I just think ... Could I live with myself if we send that guy back to Afghanistan? said Sullivan, executive director of No One Left Behind. And I thankfully dont have to because he made it to northern Virginia.

The charitable organization of U.S. military veterans, Afghans who once fled their country and volunteers in the U.S. is stepping in to help Afghans like that man in the wheelchair who are at risk of being stranded overseas. Their efforts come after the Trump administration took steps to hinder Afghans who helped Americas war effort in trying to resettle in the U.S.

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No One Left Behind helps Afghans and Iraqis who qualify for the special immigrant visa program, which was set up by Congress in 2009 to help people who are in danger because of their efforts to aid the U.S. during the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.

President Donald Trump in January suspended programs that buy flights for those refugees and cut off aid to the groups that help them resettle in the U.S. Hundreds who were approved for travel to the U.S. had visas but few ways to get here. If they managed to buy a flight, they had little help when they arrived.

The White House and State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the situation for Afghans has become more tenuous in some of the places where many have temporarily settled. Pakistan, having hosted millions of refugees, has in recent years removed Afghans from its country. increased deportations. An agreement that made Albania a waystation for Afghans expires in March, Sullivan said.

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Hovering over all of this is the fear that the Trump administration may announce a travel ban that could cut off all access from Afghanistan. In an executive order signed on Inauguration Day, Trump told key Cabinet members to submit a report within 60 days that identifies countries with vetting so poor that it would warrant a partial or full suspension of travelers from those countries to the U.S.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Monday that the review was ongoing and no list had been finalized.

But groups that work with Afghans are worried.

When funding was suspended, No One Left Behind stepped in. Their goal is to make sure Afghans with State Department visas don't get stuck overseas. Other organizations  many who got their start helping Afghans during the U.S. military's chaotic withdrawal from Kabul in 2021  are doing the same.

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To qualify for this visa, Afghans must prove they worked for the U.S. for at least one year. That means tracking down documentation from former supervisors, who were often affiliated with companies no longer in business. They also undergo extensive vetting and medical checks.

Our view was, OK, weve got to act immediately to try and help these people, said Sullivan. Weve been in kind of an all-out sprint.

The organization has raised money to buy flights and help Afghans when they land. Between February 1 and March 17, the group said it successfully booked flights for 659 Afghans.

It also launched a website where visa holders can share information, giving Sullivan's group a starting point to figure out where they might live in the U.S.

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Sullivan and the organizations ambassadors  Afghans and Iraqis who already have emigrated to the U.S., many through the special immigrant visa program  have gone to Albania and Qatar to help stranded Afghans.

Aqila is one of those ambassadors who went to Albania. The Associated Press is identifying Aqila by her first name because her family in Afghanistan is still at risk.

Aqila said many of the families didnt know what would happen when they arrived in America. Would they be homeless? Abandoned? One man feared hed end up alone in the airport parking lot because his contact in America  a long-haul trucker  couldnt come pick him up. She assured him that someone would be there.

They gave them cards with contact information for attorneys. They printed papers with information about their rights in English, Dari, and Pashto.

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No One Left Behind reached out to family members and friends in the U.S. to help with the transition when they landed in America.

Mohammad Saboor, a father of seven children, worked as an electrician and A/C technician with international and U.S. forces for 17 years. Two months ago, he and his family boarded a plane to Albania in anticipation of soon being able to go to America. They landed in California on March 12, exhausted but safe

The next day he and his family explored their new apartment in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova.

Saboor said he hasnt felt safe in Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in August 2021. He worried that hed be killed as retribution for the nearly two decades hed worked with the U.S. and its allies. He wondered what kind of future his children would have in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

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The family picked the suburb in the hope that the large Afghan population in the Sacramento area would help them get settled and find work. He envisions a bright future in America, where his kids can go to school and eventually give back to the country that took his family in. Arriving in the U.S., he said, gave them a great feeling.

I believe that now we can live in a 100% peaceful environment, he said.

Sullivan said he hopes there will be exceptions for Afghans in the special immigrant visa program if a travel ban is imposed. They've been thoroughly vetted, he said, and earned the right to be here.

These are folks that actually served shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops and diplomats for 20 years, he said.

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Aqila, the Afghan ambassador, said it's stressful to hear stories of what people went through in Afghanistan. But the reward comes when she sees photos of those who have arrived in America.

You can see the hope in their eyes, she said. Its nice to be human. Its nice be kind to each other.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The Trump administration deported hundreds of migrants over the weekend even as a federal judges order temporarily blocked the efforts. President Trump invoked an 18th century wartime declaration to target Venezuelan gang members.

Officials say the deportations continued because the flights were already in the air at the time of the order but now theres debate over whether the president can use this declaration.

These are criminals, said Trump.

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President Trump stands by his decision to deport migrants by invoking the Alien Enemies Act which was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II.

The Trump administration says it deported hundreds of Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador as a federal judges order temporarily blocked the efforts.

Officials say the flights were already in the air at the time of the ruling, but the judge verbally ordered the planes to turn around.

That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres, said Trump.

South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds deferred to the courts.

I dont know about the timing on it. I do know that we will follow the law. We expect the executive branch to follow the law, said Rounds.

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Texas Democrat Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett said using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants is wrong.

We cant trust this administration to actually use a scalpel, but instead they love to use a butcher knife on things, said Crockett.

Attorneys for five Venezuelans deported say theyre concerned theyve been falsely accused of being gang members. In their lawsuit they say once President Trump invokes the act, he could declare anyone a member of the gang and deport them.

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A judge has blocked President Trump from using the wartime Alien Enemies Act. This comes after his administration announced the deportation of hundreds of immigrants, alleging they are members of a Venezuelan gang. President and CEO of Democracy Forward Skye Perryman, who is the plaintiffs' co-counsel in the lawsuit, joins Ana Cabrera to explain more on why the move is "unlawful."
President Trump on Monday vowed to hold Iran responsible for shots fired by the Houthis, after U.S. airstrikes took out multiple leaders from the military group this weekend.

Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN. Any further attack or retaliation by the Houthis will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there. Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which theyve lost control, but they havent lost control, Trump said on Truth Social.

The Houthis are backed by Iran, which Trump warned on Saturday to stop supporting the rebel group, saying he would hold the country fully accountable for the proxy groups actions. When he ordered the airstrikes over the weekend, Trump said the U.S. would use an overwhelming lethal force to take out the group.

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Theyre dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, Intelligence. Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Trump continued Monday.

The presidents statement came just after the U.S. launched new airstrikes Monday in Yemen, Reuters reported, citing the Houthis Al Masirah TV.

National security adviser Mike Waltz confirmed on Sunday that weekend airstrikes took out multiple Houthi leaders and said the difference between these strikes and those during the Biden administration, is, one, going after the Houthi leadership and, two, holding Iran responsible.

Nasr el-Din Amer, a spokesperson for the Houthis, told NBC News that the group plans to retaliate and said they would not stop until the blockade on Gaza is lifted.

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The Trump administration openly defied a court order and deported a Brown University professor and kidney transplant specialist.

Dr. Rasha Alawieh traveled to her native Lebanon to visit relatives last month, and was detained on Thursday upon her return to the U.S. A District Court judge in Massachusetts, Leo Sorokin, ordered the government in a Friday evening ruling to give 48 hours advance notice before deporting Alawieh, but she was put on a flight out of the country the same night anyway.

According to Thomas Brown, an attorney who handles immigration issues for Brown University doctors, Alawieh had a valid H-1B visa, which is granted to skilled foreign citizens in specialty occupations. The doctor had studied and worked in the U.S. for six years prior to her rushed deportation, which took place without any justification and without permitting [her] access to their counsel, according to a Friday legal complaint from her cousin, Yara Chehab.

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Alawiehs lawyers filed a motion Saturday saying that Customs and Border Patrol received actual notice of the courts order and nonetheless thereafter willfully disobeyed the order by sending her out of the United States.

Sorokin then issued a second court order on Sunday saying that there was reason to believe Customs and Border Protection defied his initial ruling on purpose, saying he followed common practice in this district as it has been for years and ordered CBP to respond to serious allegations at a court hearing scheduled for Monday.

These allegations, Judge Sorokin said Sunday in his ruling, are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under oath affidavit filed by an attorney.

This wasnt the only court ruling that the Trump administration openly defied over the weekend. The White House deported hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador, alleging they were gang members, despite a court order to halt the deportations. The planes continued on to San Salvador, where their arrival was made into a propaganda video by El Salvadors president, Nayib Bukele.

Bukele later posted, OopsieToo late, with a tears-of-joy emoji on X while quoting a news article about the court order, taking the Trump administrations lead and blatantly disrespecting the federal judiciary. All of this sets off a constitutional crisis in the United States, as Trumps actions are not likely to be met with punitive articles of impeachment or any other mechanism to enforce a court ruling. The U.S. is now in uncharted territory.


(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump may speak to Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday, as the US pushes for a quick ceasefire to end the war in Ukraine.

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I expect that therell be a call with both presidents this week, Witkoff said on CNNs State of the Union. And were also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians.

Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow last week for talks. But the Russian leader balked at a US appeal for an immediate ceasefire, saying instead that issues still need to be resolved. Ukraine agreed to the terms of the truce deal in a meeting earlier in the week with US officials in Saudi Arabia.

Still, Witkoff said his conversation with Putin was positive, it was a solution-based discussion. He added that he believes Putin accepts the philosophy of President Trump, and that both leaders want the war to end.

Trump really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks and I believe thats the case, Witkoff said.

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US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told ABCs This Week that while Putin will absolutely consider a ceasefire, there are some other things that he would like to see that President Trumps national security team is considering over the coming days.

This is going to be some type of territory for future security guarantees, the future status of Ukraine, he said. We know the components. There is a deal that will be had here.

Ukraine has sought assurances that the US and other allies will protect it in the event of a future Russian attack, but the White House has been reluctant to commit to that.

Trumps push for a ceasefire has been controversial, sparking anger in Kyiv and across Europe that the US may be trying to force Ukraine to capitulate to the Russians. The US president has pressured the Ukrainians with a pause in arms shipments and intelligence sharing.

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Trump, who called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a dictator, has said the Ukrainians are more difficult to deal with than the Russians. And senior US officials have said its necessary to talk to both sides in order to bring peace to the battlefield after three years of war.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had asked Witkoff to convey messages to Trump ahead of a possible phone call and added there was cautious optimism about the prospect of a ceasefire deal, according to the Interfax news agency.

(Updates with Waltz comments from sixth paragraph.)

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The News

US President Donald Trump said he plans to discuss negotiations to end the Ukraine war with Russias Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

The president is hoping to secure Putins support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal already accepted by Kyiv, as speculation mounts that Moscow is playing for time in an effort to seize more territory.

Asked about concessions, Trump said Ukrainian and Russian negotiators had mulled dividing up certain assets, including land and power plants.

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Russias deputy foreign minister made no reference to the proposed truce in remarks Sunday, stressing instead that Russia will seek ironclad guarantees that Ukraine will not be granted NATO membership as part of any deal.

SIGNALS

Ukraine is losing one of its biggest bargaining chips

Sources: BBC, The New York Times

The weekend negotiations came as Ukrainian troops told of a catastrophic withdrawal from Russias Kursk region after a lightning advance by Moscow, taking a major bargaining chip for Kyiv off the table even as the ceasefire talks gained momentum. Kyivs forces, which seized almost 500 square miles of Russian territory in a bold offensive last summer, are clinging to a narrow strip along the border, with one soldier telling the BBC of panic and collapse along the frontline. Putin has said a 30-day truce would let Kyiv regroup, but now seems focused on drawing out talks with Washington while also escalating Moscows offensive, especially in Kursk, The New York Times wrote.

Economic sanctions could spur Russia to negotiate

Sources: Politico, Financial Times

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Russias economy has been crushed under Western sanctions, and Kremlin officials questions over lifting penalties as part of a future peace deal indicate what is the most painful for them, Kyivs top sanctions official told Politico, adding that sanctions relief could help leverage a better outcome for Kyiv. Some investors appear to be interpreting the US-led negotiations as a signal that sanctions could soon be lifted: Surging bets in Russian bonds and the rouble indicate there is definitely some excitement, a fixed-income analyst told the Financial Times.

European officials remain alarmed over Ukraine, regional security

Sources: Reuters, France24, Berkingske

While Russias Vladimir Putin has slightly softened his tone toward a temporary truce, European officials are worried that Moscows conditions for a deal do not indicate a genuine desire for peace. French President Emmanuel Macron called for more united European-US pressure on Russia Saturday to accept the proposed ceasefire deal, but US negotiators still seem more aligned to Moscow than Brussels, Reuters wrote: Trumps national security adviser on Sunday suggested a full retreat by Russian forces in Ukraine was perhaps unrealistic. Former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Monday that lasting peace in Europe may depend on a European nuclear umbrella: It will send a pretty clear signal to Trump that the defense of Europe is serious.
KIGALI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Monday severed its diplomatic relations with Belgium, citing Brussels' "pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions."

"The government of Rwanda today notified the government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately," the Rwandan foreign ministry said in a statement. "Rwanda's decision has been taken after careful consideration of several factors, all linked with Belgium's pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions."

"Belgium has consistently undermined Rwanda, both well before and during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in which Belgium has a deep and violent historical role, especially in acting against Rwanda," the statement said.

Belgium described Kigali's move as "disproportionate" and said it will take similar measures.

"Belgium regrets the decision of Rwanda to cut off diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgium's diplomats persona non grata," Maxime Prevot, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, European affairs and development cooperation of Belgium, said on social media.

"This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue," he said.

"Belgium will take similar measures: the convocation of the Rwandan charge d'affaires a.i., declaring Rwanda's diplomats persona non grata and denouncing our governmental cooperation agreements," Prevot said. 
More than 50 days into the second Trump administration, the highly scrutinized relationship between President Trump and Elon Musk is showing no signs of a real strain.

Trump gave a gaudy show of support for Musk and his company this week by bringing Tesla vehicles to the White House and announcing he was purchasing one for the complex. The president used the exhibition to praise Musk as a patriot and to tout Teslas products, a display that drew outcry from critics.

Musk and his young son, X, have been a near-constant presence on the White House campus, and the billionaire traveled with the president aboard Air Force One last weekend.

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The lovefest has defied predictions from Republicans and Democrats alike, including some in the presidents orbit, that Trump and Musk were doomed to have a messy falling out. Trump, those skeptics argued, would not be able to stand sharing the spotlight with Musk, the worlds richest person.

Sources close to the White House still questioned what would happen once Musks special government employee status expires at the end of May. But the two men have built a strong bond on a mutually beneficial relationship.

He respects Elon, said Sean Spicer, who served as Trumps press secretary during his first term. And Elon respects him.

Trump has historically grown frustrated with those who take up too much of the spotlight, particularly at his expense. His relationships with Steve Bannon and Anthony Fauci soured during his first term as those two garnered more attention.

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Musk has shared the spotlight with Trump for months.

The Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder was a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago during the transition. He has taken on an outsized role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). And he has clashed at times with other Trump supporters, including on X, the social media platform he owns.

Its created an easy target for Democrats, who have sought to force a wedge between the two.

Democrats have mocked Trump by referring to his billionaire adviser as President Musk. Theyve cast the relationship as a case of blatant corruption because of Musks extensive government contracts.

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But aside from the occasional ribbing, Trump has generally praised Musk and embraced their working relationship.

Musk has been part of Cabinet meetings and traveled with Trump on Air Force One. The two sat for a joint interview in February with Fox News host Sean Hannity, who compared the two men to brothers.

Trump has repeatedly touted the work of Musk and DOGE, gleefully highlighting examples of canceled contracts and claims of fraud pushed by the Tesla CEO and his team.

I think Trump genuinely agrees with the DOGE approach, one source close to the White House said. He loves being able to say, These IQ geniuses who went to these great schools are doing this.

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Even when Trump has pushed back on Musk, it has been relatively gentle. Musk sparred with Cabinet officials about shrinking the size of the federal workforce during a meeting last week. It culminated in Trump reiterating Cabinet leaders, not Musk, were in charge of their departments, but the president offered the caveat that Musk would step in if agency heads did not take action.

The most ostentatious display of Trumps support for Musk came this week on the White House driveway.

The president had five Tesla vehicles delivered to the campus, where Trump delivered what was essentially a promotion for Musk and his company at a time when Teslas stock was slumping and its facilities have been targeted with protests and vandalism.

This man has devoted his energy and his life to doing this, and I think hes been treated very unfairly by a very small group of people. And I just want people to know you cant be penalized for being a patriot. And hes a great patriot, Trump said with Musk standing by his side.

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He didnt have to go through this. And we cant let it happen. And aside from that, I happen to love the product, Trump added.

Musk, for his part, has repeatedly declared his affection for Trump.

I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man, Musk posted on X last month.

Musk has reportedly sought to contribute $100 million to Trumps political operation, a massive commitment that underscores his commitment to the president.

The Tesla CEO told Fox Business Network his work with DOGE would not be possible without Trumps support. Musk said he plans to continue his work to slash the size and scope of the government for another year.

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But his status as a special government employee only lasts for 130 days and is set to expire at the end of May. Its unclear what Musks exact role will be after that.

There is still some skepticism that Trump and Musk are built to last.

A CNN poll released this week found 53 percent of voters have a negative opinion of Musk, and roughly 60 percent of voters do not think Musk has the right experience or the right judgment to change how the government works.

One Republican strategist noted that DOGE reversed plans to terminate government leases in Oklahoma after outreach from Republican Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.). The strategist suggested that type of pick-and-choose approach that favors certain lawmakers and districts could cause backlash.

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And there is the question of what happens if Musks special government employee status expires and hes no longer a fixture at the White House.

What happens when hes not there every day? Is the president calling him? said one Republican strategist, who requested anonymity. Thats the real question mark in my eyes, is what happens when hes no longer a special government employee and being active at that level. What does that look like?

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Michelle Bowman to oversee the Federal Reserve's financial regulatory efforts, a move that could lead to looser rules for large banks.

Bowman was appointed by Trump in 2018 to serve on the Fed's governing board. She replaces Michael Barr as the Fed's Vice Chair for Supervision, after Barr stepped down last month to avoid a legal fight that could have ensued had Trump carried out his threat to fire him. Barr, however, stayed on the seven-member Fed board, forcing Trump to pick from one of the existing governors.

Her nomination was welcomed by banking industry lobbying groups, including the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America.

As Vice Chair, Bowman will be the most powerful federal bank regulator, and will coordinate with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on developing bank rules.

The position requires Senate confirmation, though analysts expect she'll easily be confirmed.

Bowman voted against a 2023 proposal by Barr to tighten rules on big banks such as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, in particular to require them to hold more capital in reserve to offset potential losses. The proposed rule attracted fierce opposition from the financial industry, but also from some nonprofit organizations concerned that it could have limited mortgage lending.

Prior to joining the Fed, Bowman was the state bank commissioner in Kanas in 2017-2018, after serving as vice president at a local bank. She also had previous stints in Washington working for Senator Bob Dole, a Kansas Republican, and at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
By Pete Schroeder and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman to the central bank's top regulatory post as vice chair for supervision where she is expected to oversee an agenda of relaxed rule-writing and bank oversight.

A former community banker and frequent critic of overzealous bank regulation, Bowman would replace Michael Barr, who stepped down from the supervision post at the end of February to avert a potential legal dispute with the Trump administration.

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"Our economy has been mismanaged for the past four years, and it is time for a change. Miki has the 'know-how' to get it done. I am confident we will achieve economic heights never before seen in our nations history," Trump, who took office on January 20, wrote on social media.

In a statement, Bowman thanked Trump for the nomination and said she would pursue "a pragmatic approach to supervision and regulation with a transparent and tailored bank regulatory framework that encourages innovation."

If confirmed, Bowman would be responsible for the Fed's extensive bank regulatory portfolio, including supervising and writing rules for many of the nation's largest banks.

Her nomination was quickly met with praise from the banking industry and congressional Republicans, who touted her efforts to resist tougher industry rules.

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"Since joining the Fed, Governor Bowman has been a thoughtful, principled voice for sensible regulatory and monetary policy and someone who understands the important role that banks of all sizes play in our financial system and our economy," Rob Nichols, head of the American Bankers Association, said in a statement.

Bowman was widely seen as a frontrunner to fill the role, in part due to the fact that the Fed's board is currently full, meaning a replacement must be named from existing governors.

Despite little experience with global banks, Bowman would be one of the top bank regulators in the U.S. government and globally, as the Fed oversees the nation's largest and most complex lenders.

COMMUNITY BANKING EXPERIENCE

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A former Kansas banking regulator, Bowman has served on the Fed board since 2018 when Trump nominated her to fill a post specifically reserved for an official with community banking experience. She is expected to have a much lighter regulatory touch than Barr, whose rulemaking projects she has loudly criticized in multiple speeches over the past 18 months.

Bowman voted against Barr's proposal to implement the so-called "Basel III Endgame" rule that would overhaul how big banks gauge their risks, requiring them to hold significantly more capital. She has argued the capital burden should be reduced.

Partly spurred on by Bowman's criticism, big banks lobbied hard to water down that Basel rule, which has since failed to progress due to infighting among regulatory officials on the best path forward.

Bowman has also suggested the Fed should consider ways to make its annual big bank "stress tests" more transparent and predictable for lenders. The Fed recently announced it planned to make several significant changes to the stress tests going forward, and big banks have sued to challenge their legality.

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Before joining the Fed, Bowman served as the state bank commissioner of Kansas for a year and a half, before which she spent several years as vice president of Farmers & Drovers Bank, a Kansas community bank.

Early in her career, she was a congressional staffer, and also held roles in the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh, Pete Schroeder and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Chris Reese, Louise Heavens, Andrea Ricci and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Brown Medicine Dr. Rasha Alawieh will remain in Lebanon, for now, while a federal judge hears arguments to determine whether Donald Trumps administration intentionally defied a court order to halt her deportation.

District Judge Leo Sorokin ordered officials with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to court in Boston Monday to explain why the Ivy League doctor was deported last week, apparently in defiance of his court order.

But the judge canceled the hearing as it was set to begin, after government lawyers argued that border agents had not received notice of last Fridays order until she had already departed the United States. Lawyers for Alawieh also asked to postpone a hearing so new attorneys on the case have more time to prepare.

Rasha Alawieh is a doctor specializing in kidneys. She has been working at Rhode Island Hospital in the kidney transplant team, caring for patients before and after the process. Her lawyers are fighting the deportation and a judge has ordered U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials to explain why she was deported in court Monday morning. (Handout)

The government will have until March 24 to address allegations, and attorneys for Alawieh have until March 31 to respond to the governments motion to dismiss the case, the judge wrote Monday.

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Alawieh was detained at Bostons Logan Airport Thursday after returning from a trip visiting family in Lebanon. CBP officers searched her phone and would not immediately admit her to the U.S., according to court documents.

In court documents defending her removal, government lawyers claimed she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while she was in Lebanon and supported him from a religious perspective.

They also claimed to have discovered sympathetic photos and videos on her phone.

Officers determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined, according to a filing from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady.

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Alawiehs cousin filed a petition Friday evening seeking her release. The document was entered in the federal courts docket in Boston at 6:43 p.m.

At 7:18 p.m., Sorokin ordered that Alawieh shall not be moved outside the District of Massachusetts without providing the Court 48 hours advance notice of the move and the reason therefor.

In a court filing made public Monday, Alawiehs attorney Clare Saunders said she was not able to reach any border patrol agents to relay the order.

I yelled loudly and repeatedly through the office trying to get an officers attention, in case [the officer] or one of his colleagues were simply at the back, in a portion not visible from the front portion of the office. I received no response, she wrote. During the 20 minutes I was waiting at the CBP office, I called the number listed on the handwritten sign approximately [eight] more times.

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She said she pressed an emergency button at a state police kiosk around 7:55 p.m.

Alawieh arrived at the gate for her departure around 7:20 p.m., according to a sworn declaration from CBP official John Wallace.

According to flight records, Alawiehs plane left the gate around 7:43 p.m. and departed for Paris shortly before 8 p.m. Friday. She arrived in Lebanon Sunday morning.

Donald Trump has defended his administrations anti-immigration agenda and vowed to battle court orders blocking deportations (REUTERS)

Alawieh, who specializes in kidney medicine, was reportedly on a valid H-1B visa she acquired from the American consulate in Lebanon, according to Thomas S. Brown, a lawyer who works on immigration and visa applications and cases for doctors attached to Brown Medicine.

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The doctor has studied and worked in the U.S. for six years. She has been working at Rhode Island Hospital for the last year caring for kidney transplant recipients, the transplant divisions medical director Dr. George Bayliss told the Boston Globe.

I am outraged and upset, Bayliss said. The government is acting without regard for the courts.

Lawyers for the doctor filed a notice of apparent violation after Alawieh was put on a flight to Lebanon. They claimed the government had actual notice of this courts order and willfully disobeyed this courts order.

Sorokin ordered the Trump administration to answer their claim in court.

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These allegations are supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under oath affidavit filed by an attorney, Sorokin wrote in court documents. The government shall respond to these serious allegations with a legal and factual response setting forth its version of events.

In addition, the government shall preserve all of the documents bearing on Dr. Alawiehs arrival and removal since the issuance of the visa described in the petition including emails and text messages.

Hilton Beckham, assistant public affairs commissioner for Customs and Border Patrol, said in a statement that arriving aliens bear the burden of establishing admissibility to the U.S.

Our CBP officers adhere to strict protocols to identify and stop threats, using rigorous screening, vetting, strong law enforcement partnerships, and keen inspectional skills to keep threats out of the country. CBP is committed to protecting the United States from national security threats, Beckham said.

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A rally to protest Alawiehs deportation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at Rhode Islands State House lawn.

The actions join an avalanche of legal challenges to the Trump administrations sweeping measures on immigration, including the deportation of a green card holder in New York and his use of the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly remove targets as part of his anti-immigration agenda. Over the weekend, the White House announced hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang had been deported after a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportations.
A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

We Are Crossing The Rubicon

The major news of the weekend was the rapid-fire series of events following President Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act that culminated with the White House chortling over its defiance of a federal court order blocking deportations under the act and ordering outbound flights to return to the United States.

The Trump administrations immediate deportation to El Salvador of Venezuelan nationals claimed to be part of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang is its own saga, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio taunting the federal court, El Salvadors president releasing grim videos of dehumanizing treatment of the detainees, and the White House trumpeting how it ignored a federal judge to create a fait accompli.

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But the big stakes here are not immigration law but the rule of law itself. At the same time the Alien Enemies Act was playing out, the Trump administration apparently deported a professor at Brown Universitys medical school in direct contravention of a federal court blocking her expulsion (more below). Its hard not to see the two cases as related and further evidence that we have arrived  two months to the day after Trumps second inaugural  at the falling-over-the-cliffs-edge moment weve long thought would mark an irreversible-in-the-short-term descent into authoritarianism.

Now, the analytical part of my brain still wants to wait to see if the judges in the two cases Ive mentioned conclude that these were instances of willful denial of their orders. We may know their answers today, in a matter of hours. But we can see from the White Houses preening and posturing that it is eager to embark down this slippery slope.

The Timeline

A couple of differently designed timelines matching up the deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act and the court proceedings in front of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg of Washington, D.C.:

Adam Isacson: Timeline of What Appears to be Defiance of a Judicial Order

WaPo: Deportation flights landed after judge said planes should turn around

Commentary And Analysis: The Alien Enemies Act

Steve Vladeck: 5 Big Questions in the Alien Enemies Act Litigation

Joyce Vance: If presidents can do whatever they want, including putting people on a plane and sending them to prisons in a foreign country with no due process whatsoever, then really, who are we?

Mattathias Schwartz: With Deportations, Trump Steps Closer to Showdown With Judicial Branch

A New Pattern Is Emerging

Two non-citizens with proper paperwork that allows them to be legally in the United States were detained at Bostons Logan Airport late last week while trying to re-enter the country:

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A professor at Brown Universitys medical school who is a Lebanese citizen with a valid U.S. visa was detained and quickly deported despite a court order temporarily blocking her expulsion.

A New Hampshire electrical engineer who is a German national with a green card remains in federal detention in Rhode Island without official explanation for why he was stopped after returning from a visit to Luxembourg.

Worth Watching

In a speech Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche continued to vilify Columbia University, speak publicly about ongoing investigations, and cast vague aspersions about associations with Hamas:

Trump DOJ Leads The Attack On Federal Judges

As the right-wing backlash against court rulings adverse to President Trump gains steam, top Trump DOJ officials are fanning the flames:

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a press release accusing the federal judge who blocked Trumps deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of supporting terrorists: Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans.

DOJ chief of staff Chad Mizelle, who has been moonlighting as acting associate attorney general, raged on social media about the court order to reinstate fired federal workers: We now have an unelected federal judge who has hired more executive branch employees than President Trump. This is a judicial power grab. Plain and simple.

Trump Gives Enemies Speech At DOJ

President Trump said all the quiet parts loudly and proudly in a speech Friday in the Great Hall of the Justice Department, openly and unreservedly politicizing the department that has long prized its independence as a bulwark against political interference.

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The backward-looking parts of the speech were a victory lap for having evaded criminal prosecution. The forward-looking parts of the speech painted targets on perceived foes, threats to his own power, and civil society institutions for federal law enforcement to go after.

Breaking New Ground In Lawlessness

President Trump late Sunday night purported to invalidate Joe Bidens pardons of members of the House Jan. 6 committee.

Trump Targets Yet Another Major Law Firm

On Wednesday, a federal judge blocked as wildly unconstitutional President Trumps executive order targeting the Perkins Coie law firm. On Saturday, the president issued a similar executive order targeting Paul Weiss, a major NYC-based law firm.

Appeals Court Allows Trump To Enforce DEI EOs

In a case out of Maryland, the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court ruling that blocked two of President Trumps executive orders banning DEI while the case was on appeal. Under the ruling, the executive orders will remain in place as the appeal proceeds.

Trump Purports To Shutter VOA

NPRs David Folkenflik on the carnage at Voice of America and other government broadcasters as President Trumps Friday night executive order began to take effect.

The Destruction

President Trumps executive order targeting VOA also purported to dismantle six other federal agencies: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Woodrow Wilson Center Institute of Museum and Library Services United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Minority Business Development Agency

WaPo: Arlington National Cemetery has scrubbed information about prominent Black, Hispanic and female service members and topics such as the Civil War from its website, part of a broader effort across the Defense Department to remove all references to diversity, equity and inclusion from its online presence.

KFF Health News: National Institutes of Health officials have urged scientists to remove all references to mRNA vaccine technology from their grant applications, two researchers said, in a move that signaled the agency might abandon a promising field of medical research.

NIH has taken down a portrait of Anthony Fauci.

The Purges

NNSA : DOGE cuts hit nuclear scientists, bomb engineers and safety experts

Bureau of Reclamation: Nearly 400 agency workers have been cut by the Trump administration.

Doge Watch

ProPublica: Whos Running the DOGE Wrecking Machine: The Worlds Richest Man or a Little-Known Bureaucrat?

Wired: Inside Elon Musks Digital Coup

NYT: Antonio Gracias, a private equity investor who is one of Elon Musks closest confidants, has taken a new role in the Social Security Administration.

Trump II Abroad: The March Of Folly

Ukraine : U.S. withdraws from multinational group investigating responsibility for Russias invasion.

South Africa : Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Ebrahim Rasool, South Africas ambassador to the United States, persona non grata, forcing him to be recalled the day after Breitbart reported comments the envoy had made about Trump, MAGA, and white supremacism.

Gaza: The U.S. and Israel have contacted officials from Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland to discuss using their territories as potential destinations for Palestinians forcibly expelled from Gaza under a possible Trump administration plan.

Quote Of The Day

Lee Bollinger, former longtime president of Columbia University, in the Chronicle of Higher Education:

Were in the midst of an authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government. Its been coming and coming, and not everybody is prepared to read it that way. The characters regarded as people to emulate, like Orban and Putin and so on, all indicate that the strategy is to create an illiberal democracy or an authoritarian democracy or a strongman democracy. Thats what were experiencing. Our problem in part is a failure of imagination. We cannot get ourselves to see how this is going to unfold in its most frightening versions. You neutralize the branches of government; you neutralize the media; you neutralize universities, and youre on your way.

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(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trumps weekend shutdown of the US Agency for Global Media has among its casualties a small  but influential  fund that helps internet users worldwide combat censorship from oppressive regimes.

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The Open Technology Fund, which gets $40 million a year from Congress, has contributed to technologies like the encrypted messaging app Signal, the anonymous browser Tor and an open-source tool built by Psiphon Inc. that helped more than a million Cubans circumvent a social media blackout in 2021.

The grant fund was one of many victims of a Friday night executive order that eliminated to the maximum extent seven government agencies  including the US Agency for Global Media, which funds OTF.

The immediate consequence is that if this holds, over 45 million people will lose access to trusted and secure VPNs, said OTF President Laura Cunningham, referring to virtual private networks that provide proxies to evade efforts by governments to block websites.

That, she said, will embolden dictators and eliminate the US governments ability to reach audiences trapped behind authoritarian firewalls.

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The Open Technology Fund has enjoyed bipartisan support since it grew out of Radio Free Asia in 2011.

Former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, in 2020 called it a lifeline for people living under oppressive regimes. GOP Senator John Curtis of Utah five years ago called it a vital part of helping journalists and democracy activists around the world.

Every once in a while a government program acts exactly as intended, Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee boasted in 2021, calling its anti-censorship tools amazing.

None of those members, all Republicans, responded to requests for comment on Trumps action over the weekend.

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The program also had critics. Saying the OTF was pushing a leftist social agenda, Representative Andrew Ogles introduced a bill in 2023 to defund the project. The effort got only seven Republican co-sponsors and never received a hearing in committee.

Though lesser known than the US Agency for Global Medias flagship Voice of America, the Open Technology Fund often played a crucial role in getting US programming into repressive regimes.

One growing area of concern is China. A report last year for the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission noted that the Chinese Communist Party has begun using artificial intelligence to block images as well as keywords, and that China has partnered with like-minded authoritarian states such as Russia and Iran to control the Internet at an intergovernmental level.

OTF is a nonprofit organization established by Congress that employs about 40 people. Its federal funding is administered through the US Agency for Global Media, which also funds programs like Radio Free Europe and similar networks for Cuban, Chinese and Iranian audiences. USAGM has a budget of almost $900 million and employs about 1,600 full-time equivalent employees.

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Trumps Friday night executive order also all but eliminated the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency.

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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order shuttering the agency that oversees Voice of America  a government-funded, anti-propaganda, international media outlet thats been in operation since World War II.

The order Trump signed Friday calls for the closure of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which manages VOA and other diplomatic news efforts. More than 1,300 of VOAs journalists and other staffers were placed on administrative leave Saturday, according to a Facebook post from VOA Director Michael Abramowitz obtained by The Washington Post.

Kari Lake, the Agency for Global Medias special adviser who once called for the imprisonment of journalists, cheered its demise on social media, saying: Theres a reason its referred to as pound-for-pound the most corrupt agency in Washington DC. Because it is!

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A press release from the agency was even harsher, calling it a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer  a national security risk for this nation  and irretrievably broken.

The Associated Press wire service shared Friday that the agency terminated its contracts with them, and Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

Former television news anchor and failed gubernatorial and Senate candidate Kari Lake speaks in December during America Fest 2024 in Phoenix. JOSH EDELSON via Getty Images

Since 1942, VOA has shared news globally from the American perspective and sought to fight propaganda through the broadcasting of uncensored information to people around the world living under oppressive regimes. On its website, VOA touts itself as the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in nearly 50 languages to an estimated weekly audience of more than 354 million people, and emphasizes that its reporting will always be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.

Its shuttering, the Society for Professional Journalists said Monday, should frighten all Americans who cherish their freedoms.

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This is the first time in its more than 80 years of operations that VOA has gone dark, and that makes this a dark moment in the history of press freedom, SPJ President Emily Bloch said in a statement. By issuing an executive order that closes the USAGM, the Trump administration accomplished in one day what the former Soviet Union and present-day dictators could not in 83 years  the end of fair and accurate reporting into countries that lack press freedom rights.

The European Commission warned to Politico: This decision risks benefiting our common adversaries.

A senior White House official dismissed those concerns in a statement to Fox News, saying, Voice of America has been out of step with America for years. It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda for years now.

VOAs status has long been in question under Trump. He spent his first term complaining about its coverage  something past presidents have also done, VOA said in 2020, but that Trump did with unprecedented intensity and shrillness. Him putting Lake, a former journalist turned failed gubernatorial and Senate candidate, in charge this term stoked more alarm. Then, last week, he insulted a VOA reporter during a question-and-answer session.

Chinese nationalist newspapers and influencers are already loudly celebrating the end of VOA and its sister outlets broadcasts into China, CNN reported. The Global Times, a communist party newspaper, slammed VOA in an editorial Monday as Washingtons carefully crafted propaganda machine thats responsible for almost every malicious falsehood about China.
Editor's note: The article was updated with additional comments from President Donald Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to have a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the morning of March 18 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on March 17.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the plans for a call between the two leaders on March 18, state news agency TASS reported.

The planned call follows U.S.-led negotiations in Saudi Arabia, where Washington proposed a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv accepted the deal during talks in Jeddah on March 11, prompting the U.S. to resume military and intelligence support for Ukraine.

On March 13, Putin said Russia was also willing to accept the ceasefire but demanded guarantees that Ukraine would not mobilize troops, conduct training, or receive military assistance during the truce, making it potentially vulnerable to renewed Russian aggression.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was "very much" looking forward to the call with Putin, adding that "many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains."

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"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier death and it must end NOW," Trump wrote on March 17.

To discuss the proposal, U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow this week, where Putin reportedly signaled openness to the U.S. plan.

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," Trump said.

When asked about potential concessions in the ceasefire talks, Trump said discussions would include territorial matters and power plants.

"I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," Trump added.

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The expected phone call comes as Trump pushes to secure a deal, though European allies and Ukraine warn that a rushed agreement without security guarantees could fail to bring lasting peace.

Read also: Ukraine ceasefire faces battlefield challenges, envoy says

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Donald Trump said that he could announce details of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine as early as Tuesday, when he is due to speak with Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders will speak by phone, officials confirmed, after the US and Russia held behind-the-scenes talks over the weekend.

Ill be speaking to President Putin Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend, the US president told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night.

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Were doing pretty well, I think, with Russia. Well see if we have something to announce by Tuesday.

Putin rejected an early offer of a ceasefire last week, saying that he had questions about the deal and whether it met some of Russias key demands.

When asked on the plane on Sunday night about concessions under consideration, Mr Trump replied: I think well be talking about land... well be talking about power plants.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

The US president was probably referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe and under Russian occupation since 2022.

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Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity.

Moscow also claims full sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions  Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia  none of which is completely controlled by Russian troops.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been under Russian occupation since 2022 - Olga Maltseva/AFP

Mr Trumps comments came after Steve Witkoff, a presidential envoy, held talks with Putin in Moscow last week over plans for a 30-day ceasefire, which were backed by both Washington and Kyiv.

On Sunday, Mr Witkoff told CNN that those talks were positive and solution-based, and the Russian and Ukrainian sides are today a lot closer in those talks.

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Putin has discussed his desire to broker a peace deal with Mr Trump, but was hesitant to back the temporary truce without tabling his own demands.

The US and its G7 allies have threatened to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and hit Moscow with extra sanctions if Putin does not agree to the ceasefire.

There have been few indications to suggest that the Russian president is willing to support the ceasefire agreed between Ukrainian and American officials in Saudi Arabia last week.

European leaders, such as Frances Emmanuel Macron and Britains Sir Keir Starmer, have questioned whether the Kremlin chief is seeking peace or attempting to drag out the negotiations while his army is advancing.

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I think its unfortunate when people make those sorts of assessments, and they dont have, necessarily, first-hand knowledge . . . I saw a constructive effort over a long period of time to discuss the specifics of whats going on in the field, Mr Witkoff said in an apparent rebuttal of the European complaints.

After both Kyiv and Moscow agree to the initial ceasefire plan, technical details on monitoring the contact lines separating both armies still need to be hammered out.

Mr Witkoff said that the negotiations are complex and would cover the main area of confrontation, which is Kursk, a nuclear power plant supplying electricity to Ukraine and access to Black Sea ports.

Theres so many elements to the implementation of a ceasefire here, the envoy added.

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What Im saying is that a ceasefire involves how to get people to not be fighting with each other over a 2,000-kilometre [1,243-mile] border, he also said.

Any ceasefire arrangements will act as the building blocks for a wider peace settlement, including any territory permanently changing hands.

Putin will probably attempt to have a number of his key demands, such as Ukrainian recognition of Russias sovereignty over occupied territories, included in the truce.

His allies have outlined demands such as Ukraines permanent exclusion from the Nato alliance as part of a final settlement.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that the fighting must end before peace talks can start.

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This is a complex, three-year war thats been ongoing along a very long military front, with a lot of complexity to it, Mr Rubio told CBS News.

So no ones claiming that its easy, but I want everyone to understand, heres the plan. Plan A is, get the shooting to stop so that we can move to plan B, phase two, which is to have everybody at a table, maybe with some shuttle diplomacy, to figure out a way to permanently end this war in a way thats enduring and that respects everybodys needs and so forth.

No one is saying that that second part is easy, but we cant get even to that second part until we get past the first part.

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KIGALI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Monday severed its diplomatic relations with Belgium, citing Brussels' "pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions."

"The government of Rwanda today notified the government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately," the Rwandan foreign ministry said in a statement. "Rwanda's decision has been taken after careful consideration of several factors, all linked with Belgium's pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions."

Belgium, describing Kigali's move as "disproportionate," said it will take similar measures. 
President Donald Trump said Jeff Bezos is doing a real job with The Washington Post in what appeared to be praise for the direction the billionaire is taking his newspaper.

The presidents comments came after Bezos last month demanded The Posts opinion pages limit what they cover, the latest in a series of controversial changes brought in by the Amazon tycoon since his 2013 takeover.

Trumps admiration for Bezos emerged when he spoke with Sharyl Attkisson for her Sunday morning show, Full Measure, which airs on local Sinclair stations, and was picked up by CNNs Reliable Sources newsletter.

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Attkisson asked whether the media is treating you better in his second term. He replied the media hasnt changed before switching his focus to tech companies that have cozied up to Trump since his election.

What has changed is, I think, Facebook and Google and a lot of them have become ..., Trump said, without finishing his thought.

I think a guy like Bezos has ... Ive gotten to know him. I think hes trying to do a real job. Jeff Bezos is trying to do a real job with The Washington Post, and that wasnt happening before.

He added, My first time, I had Google against me, I had Facebook against me, I had Instagram, I had everybody against me. The whole world was against me.

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Bezos sparked a newsroom backlash in February after announcing the editorial section would move away from its traditional broad focus and instead concentrate on personal liberties and free markets.

He added that viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.

Weeks later, Post columnist Ruth Marcus reportedly quit the newspaper after a column she wrote criticizing the new vision for the opinion section was spiked.

Last year, The Post ended its tradition of endorsing presidential nominees, which led to an exodus of subscribers.

In January, one of the newspapers cartoonists resigned after an editor rejected her sketch of Bezos and other executives bowing before Trump.

Related...
The Trump administration continues to move the goalposts as backlash mounts against its recent deportation actions.

On Friday, the president invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants, alleging they were all gang members. The following day, a federal judge ordered any planes departing the U.S. on these grounds to return to the country. Still, two planes with Venezuelans were deported to El Salvador. The Trump administration claimed that while the judge sent a verbal order before takeoff, the written order came too late, as the order was electronically filed 45 minutes after the planes left U.S. airspace.

Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended this nonsense position at a press conference on Monday. Does the White House feel the need to reply with a verbal order from this judge? a reporter asked Leavitt.

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As I said, all of the planes subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, U.S. territory before the judges written order.

But what about the verbal order, which of course carries the same legal weight as a written order, and said for the planes to turn around if they were in the air?

Well theres actually questions about whether a verbal order carries the same weight as a  written order, and our lawyers are determined to ask and answer those questions in court.

The White House is offering up petty, measly excuses to justify its complete rebuke of the checks and balances system.


Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart will chat this week about a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin confirmed Monday, per the Associated Press.

The news comes a day after President Donald Trump told reporters that progress was being made on a 30-day cessation in hostilities, despite Putin saying that any such proposal should not merely pause the conflict but "eliminate the original causes of this crisis." Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb. 2022 with a goal of regime change, rejecting its neighbor's right to seek economic and military alliances with rival powers.

Were doing pretty well, I think, with Russia. Well see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday, Ill be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday, Trump told reporters on Sunday.

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Trump, who has insisted that Ukraine cede the rights to its mineral wealth as compensation for U.S. military assistance, said the call with Putin would also include discussion of Ukraine's resources.

Well be talking about land, well be talking about power plants, thats a big question, he said. But I think we have a lot of it already discussed, very much, by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that  dividing up certain assets.
President Donald Trump will talk on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the U.S. president's efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

Trump said that "a lot of work" was done over the weekend and that "we'll see if we have something to announce. Maybe by Tuesday." He said that his administration wants "to see if we can bring that war to an end."

"Maybe we can. Maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," he said, speaking onboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington, D.C., on Sunday night.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Monday that the call had been scheduled.

PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters, watched by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, D.C., U.S., March 16, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

The Trump administration has in recent weeks been pushing Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage on ending the 3-year-old war, high-stakes diplomatic maneuvering that included negotiating a potential 30-day ceasefire with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.

The Kremlin has yet to agree, with Putin saying he was "for it" but also that he sought further security guarantees. Zelenskyy over the weekend accused Putin of "prolonging" the war.

Zelenskyy on Sunday reiterated that sentiment, saying in his nightly address that "Russia stole almost another week -- a week of war that only Russia wants." He said Ukraine would do anything to further diplomacy that would end the war, but that "defense and resilience are paramount"

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"We must remember -- as long as the occupier is on our land, and as long as air raid sirens sound, we must defend Ukraine," Zelenskyy said, according to a translated transcript provided by his office.

PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, D.C., U.S., March 16, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Zelenskyy has long held that a Ukrainian victory against the Russian invasion would include the country taking back the territory captured by Russia during the war. The Kremlin also annexed the Crimean Peninsula after Russia's 2014 invasion.

Putin last week echoed Zelenskyy's words, saying he would seek a total victory in Kursk, the Russian border region captured by Ukraine in a surprise incursion late last summer, by regaining every inch of it.

Asked what sort of concessions the U.S. would be seeking from Moscow and Kyiv to strike a ceasefire agreement, Trump indicated discussions around land and power plants were on the table, as well as "dividing up" assets between the two countries.

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"Well, I think we'll be talking about land. It's a lot of land," he said on Sunday. "It's a lot different than it was before the wars, you know. And we'll be talking about land, we'll be talking about power plants. That's a big question, but I think we have a lot of it already discussed, very much by both sides."

ABC News' Jessica Gorman and Guy Davies contributed to this report.

Trump and Putin to speak Tuesday as Trump seeks end to Ukraine war, Trump says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
When I came home with a black eye after a fight as a kid, my father imparted to me one of those sticky paternal pearls of wisdom that continues to find new relevance beyond its intended purpose.

That afternoon, my dad took me outside, showed me how to keep my guard up and said, Always protect your head and try to land the first shot on the nose. No matter how tough the other guy is, hes gonna tear up long enough for you to do some damage. Fight dirty, fight fast, and get the hell out of there.

My old man was right. Today, the tears are flowing, the damage is coming and the fighting is dirty and fast.

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Like a telegraphed sock in the kisser, a long-anticipated fate  a second Trump administration  has brought with it near universal acquiescence across the spectrum of the political class and throughout two of the three branches of government.

The real story of this era is shaping up, and it will not be about how one man did what he said he would do, repeatedly and in detail. The story will be about how nearly the entirety of the political establishment had hardly any response to any of it. The story will be about how Congress, the first branch of government  not merely in its order of placement in the Constitution, but in its primacy in the minds of its creators, and in its jurisdiction and scope  was subsumed and disposed of by its lesser successor, the executive branch. After all, before the constitutional middle child grew up to swallow its older sibling, President Donald Trump had the foresight to first devour the third branch  the judiciary  for practice (not to mention a little extra just in case insurance).

President Trumps expansion of executive chutzpah on display in the first weeks of the new administration has the hallmarks of a What If? parlor game of hypotheticals so outlandish that we have never even bothered to codify an emergency contingency plan in the event we got here.

In fact, in all of my years in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, I never saw a single serious proposal to secure and ensure the signature constitutional ideal of checks and balances. Thats because we never really thought we needed it. To be fair, one thing no one saw coming was Elon Musk plowing a Cybertuck through the Constitution.

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That seems to have been a mistake. For, as hopeful as any may be for the triumph of the better angels of our nature, they too have their powerful counterparts whose ambitions soar just as high.

Standing at the gates and taking it all in are those leaders, self- and voter-anointed, who seem at most to have only sighs and disapproving head shakes to offer with each new abnormalization of the old norms. They seem stunned, listless, almost goofy.

They seem like the bumbling neighbor next door in a saccharine sitcom who loses his crush to the high school jock.

Well, what can I do about it? She likes him better because hes the Big Man on Campus! Insert downward glance, crestfallen dropped shoulders and audience laugh track.

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This particular group tends to proffer characteristic phrases such as, We have to find ways to work together, or, We dont have to agree on everything to find common ground for common sense solutions, or, In the end, we all want the same thing  to help the American people.

Rest assured, we most certainly do not all want the same things.

Then there is the fidelity to fealty, a practice as ancient as our hominid form itself. We couldnt all have been the first successful hunters. For every carcass brought back to a camp, there had to be armies of sycophants who bent over backward for some prime cuts. This same behavior can be observed with members of Congress when they  grown adults  play dress up and beg to be teachers pet en masse, the kind of classroom politics we all hoped we would one day outgrow and later laugh about at high school reunions.

The first few weeks of this new era (and it has only been a few weeks) have shown that America is ripe for an attempt at dictatorship  and in Trump and Musk, we have in place a dynamic duo to give it a try. Our historic timeline places our development right at the inflection point where other great attempted democratic republics have had their big hiccups from craven men doing craven things.

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Historians and academics have had a field day mapping out the Roman equivalent of our time. I have come to the belief that the first Trump administration was akin to a more successful Catilinarian Conspiracy gone almost right, while this second term looks a little like the end of the Triumvirate. Its too early to tell who will end up becoming Caesar and who will go the way of Pompey the Great: Trump or Musk? Neither had happy endings, nor did the Republic.

Too many memes have chest-thumped accusations about those who stood by and did nothing while centuries of what was believed to be progress toward a more humane, compassionate, accepting, open, and peace-oriented society slowly incinerated in burning heaps of history books. We certainly continuously strayed far afield from those ideals, but for a long time, the old moral arch seemed to be bending excruciatingly slowly in the right direction, ever since about four score ago when it really inverted itself during WWII.

Then, like now, we were witness to a revolution of sorts. This time, it is a Rollover Revolution. A revolution where an entire cultural presupposition about the rule of law and the basic liberties that sparked our revolution of national origin  our founding principles  have been seized with seemingly little outcry from the public or the powerful. It turns out that human nature is no different in America than any place else.

American exceptionalism has yielded to American acceptance.

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We all know where we are sitting now, especially those of us in the cheap seats. Having seen inside the guts of one of those supposed backstops against tyranny for most of the last two decades, I am less comforted than I would like to be by my grandmothers soothing survival axiom, This too shall pass.

Like many others, I am experiencing nearly as paralytic a response as one of those frozen iguanas that plummeted from Florida palms around the birth of our new America last month. In fact, Im not entirely sure Ive actually been conscious through all of this. These days have had all of the markings of a fever dream and have made about as much sense.

Ive spent so much time analyzing how we got here. How the Worlds Greatest Deliberative Body and The Peoples House, could let two men, one a 34-time convicted felon and the other, the worlds richest man, run roughshod over their own power and all of us, especially after all we went through to create our democratic republic. Maybe its just a part of us. Maybe its just a thing that exists in our species.

The framers of the Constitution were so deeply concerned about the potential of those venial things we do that they developed a whole system of checks and balances to keep the whole system together. They knew that, sometimes, even the best and most hopeful things can end up going south in the wrong hands.

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I always thought the point of our form of democracy was that we created a system to prevent someone from just taking over. Throughout my career, I witnessed that politicians egos were too precious to them to let anyone take their power away from them, which is what makes this release of authority by Congress in particular, so stunning.

In the 51st Federalist Paper, our old pal Publius (James Madison on this one) proffered that Ambition must be made to counteract ambition, in explaining the rationale behind the creation of a system of checks and balances. Has the nation ever seen less ambition from any politician than those who have ceded their own offices to a couple of billionaires?

Eighteen essays later, in Federalist 70, Alexander Hamilton, of Broadway fame, in an effort to assure newly-minted Americans that the president would not become a monarch wrote, Perhaps the question now before the public may, in its consequences, afford melancholy proofs of the effects of this despicable frailty, or rather detestable vice, in the human character.

I guess well see if a subordinate Congress and a complicit judiciary and a complacent public  yes, we have some power too  will let perish from the earth the idea of government of the people, by the people, for the people. So far, they are showing plenty of melancholy proofs of the effects of despicable frailty, or rather detestable vise, in the human character.

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If this all feels weird, it should. It feels like lurching between dimensions where time and space dont quite align, like a sci-fi movie without a hero, or even an attempt to restore order to the universe.

Our once shining city on a hill is dimming with a whimper. What can we do about it anyway? Were not the Big Man on Campus. Shucks, I guess thats just the way it goes sometimes, right?

Ray Zaccaro is a Democratic strategist. He previously served as Strategic Adviser and Director of Public Affairs to the AFL-CIO, a Senior Adviser to U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and three Members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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March 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as their countries negotiate a cease-fire to the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin spokesperson confirmed that the two leaders would talk on Tuesday but gave no details.

Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday and wrote about the plans on Truth Social on Monday night.

"Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine," he said. "Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains. Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin."

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Aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Florida, Trump said he thinks "we're doing pretty well" in negotiations with Russia and that "a lot of work's been done over the weekend.

"We'll see if we have something to announce," he said. "Maybe on Tuesday."

Asked what concessions were under discussion, he said power plants and land.

"A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war, as you know," he said Sunday.

Russia began seizing parts of Ukraine in 2014. Since the 2022 invasion, Ukraine has lost control of about of land, according to CNN analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based conflict monitor.

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Putin has made ceding territory a condition of entering into a ceasefire.

The Trump administration has been pushing to swiftly end the three-year-old war, which has attracted criticism for capitulating to Russia and raised concerns in Europe over the future of U.S. support for allied nations and the potential encouragement of Kremlin aggression.

Ukraine last week said it had accepted a 30-day cease-fire deal proposed by the United States. Russia has yet to agree to the deal.

On Thursday, Putin said he agreed in essence with a cease-fire but called for several concessions that undercut the foundation of the proposed agreement, including prohibiting Kyiv from rearming its forces and receiving weaponry from allies, without stating that Moscow would agree to the same principles.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine accused Putin of setting the table to reject the proposal in order to drag out the war.

On Sunday, in his nightly address, Zelensky said Russia "stole almost another week -- a week of war that only Russia wants."

"We will do everything to further intensify diplomacy," he said. "We will do everything to make diplomacy effective. But every day now is about defending our independence, our state and our people. We must remember -- it is the support of our army, all our defense and security forces and our state that determines everything."

U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Sunday in an interview with ABC News without getting into specifics that the deal would see Ukraine give out some territory in exchange for some form of security guarantees.

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"This is going to be some type of territory for future security guarantees," he said.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been involved in the negotiations, told CNN on Sunday that Trump expects a deal "in the coming weeks."

"The president uses the timeframe weeks, and I don't disagree with him. I am really hopeful that we're going to see some real progress here," he said.
President Trump said on Sunday he was being a little bit sarcastic when he pledged to end the war between Ukraine and Russia in 24 hours.

In a Sunday broadcast of Full Measure, Trump was pressed on his campaign promise to end the war in less than a day.

Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that, Trump responded. What I really mean is Id like to get it settled, and I think Ill be successful.

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During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump frequently said he would solve the war in 24 hours if the American people elected him to a second term.

If its not solved, I will have it solved in 24 hours with Zelensky and with Putin, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity nearly two years ago, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

And theres a very easy negotiation to take place. But I dont want to tell you what it is because then I cant use that negotiation; itll never work. But its a very easy negotiation to take place. I will have it solved within one day, a peace between them. Now thats a year and a half. Thats a long time. I cant imagine something not happening, Trump added at the time. The key is the war has to stop now because Ukraine is being obliterated.

Trump has prioritized efforts to negotiate an end to the war since entering the White House nearly two months ago, but the war remains ongoing.

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In the Sunday interview, Trump was asked whether he has been talking to Putin, and whether he has done so in the last days or hours and whether he has done so personally.

Well, I dont want to say it, but we are dealing with him, and I think, I think its going reasonably well, Trump responded.

Its a very complex situation, you know. Its a bloody, terrible war. And I do think its going well, he added.

Trump noted that Ukrainians have agreed to a ceasefire framework and said he was optimistic about Russia agreeing as well.

We have a ceasefire agreement with the Ukrainian group, and we are trying to get that with Russia too. And I think thus far its gone OK. Well know a little bit more on Monday, and thatll be hopefully good, Trump said.

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On what Trumps plan is if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire, Trump said, Bad news for this world because so many people are dying.

But I think, I think hes going to agree. I really do. I think I know him pretty well, and I think hes going to agree, Trump added.

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(Bloomberg) -- Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks global trade. Sign up here.

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President Donald Trump said he would be imposing both broad reciprocal tariffs and additional sector-specific tariffs on April 2.

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Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that in certain cases, both types of levies would be placed on foreign goods imported to the US.

They charge us and we charge them and then in addition to that on autos on steel on aluminum we are going to have additional tariffs, Trump said on Sunday.

The remarks signal that Trump plans to press ahead with a more aggressive tariff regime, despite initial moves roiling financial markets and straining alliances.

Explainer: What Trump Aims to Do With Tariffs, Tariff Threats

Trump has previously said that his administration is preparing what hes dubbed reciprocal tariffs  which would hit imports from each country with a tariff rate determined based on a calculation incorporating its own tariff and non-tariff barriers.

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But the president has also said he wants to prepare key US industries, including automobiles, steel, aluminum, microprocessors, and pharmaceuticals. It hasnt been clear whether those sectoral tariffs would be incorporated into or added on top of the reciprocal tariff regime.

April 2 is a liberating day for our country, Trump said. Were getting back some of the wealth that very, very foolish presidents gave away because they had no clue what they were doing.

Trump has already imposed a 20% tariff rate in China, as well as a 25% levy on steel and aluminum. He also announced a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods, but subsequently offered a one-month extension for goods compliant with the North American trade deal, known as USMCA, negotiated during his first term. Trump has also said Canadian energy and potash, a key fertilizer, would only be hit with a 10% tax.

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President Donald Trump told reporters he will speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

"We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump said.

Ukraine has said it is ready to accept a US proposal for a 30-day cease-fire with Russia.

President Donald Trump said he plans to speak to Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday about ending the Ukraine war.

"We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday, per multiple media reports.

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"A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end," Trump added.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now run over three years since it began in February 2022, with both sides estimated to have lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Kyiv is estimated to have had 80,000 of its troops killed and another 400,000 wounded, while Western analyses say Russia likely has more than 700,000 troops killed and wounded.

Trump has often cited the loss of life as a key reason he's pushing for peace as soon as possible. Describing himself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, he's sought to pull both parties toward a cease-fire agreement  a change from the Biden administration's strategy of trying to starve Moscow into capitulation.

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That effort has introduced new tensions in the US-Ukraine relationship. Earlier this month, the Trump administration paused all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Those were later restored after Ukraine said it was ready to accept a US proposal for an immediate 30-day cease-fire with Russia. Trump had also threatened Putin and Russia with sanctions if they didn't agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine.

"We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump said of the coming negotiations with Putin.

With Ukraine agreeing to the temporary cease-fire terms, the Trump administration must now focus on securing Russia's approval.

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"The ball is now in their court," State Secretary Marco Rubio said last week of Russia.

Moscow has stepped up missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities despite ongoing talks in the last two weeks, prompting fears of a long road toward a peace agreement.

Kyiv and Europe, meanwhile, have repeatedly voiced concerns that the US may try to broker peace terms without direct Ukrainian input.

Both the UK and France have proposed stationing troops in Ukraine to act as a peacekeeping force to oversee the cease-fire.

On Sunday, Russia's deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko told local media in an interview published Monday that his country will not accept having any NATO troops based in Ukraine.

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Ukraine, too, wants to be part of the conversation.

"No decision can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in February, as Trump indicated his team had been speaking with Putin.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
KINSHASA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Talks with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), scheduled for Tuesday in Luanda, the capital of Angola, "have become impracticable," the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group said on Monday.

"Consequently, our organization can no longer continue to participate in the discussions," the M23 said in a statement. 
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said hell speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as the US presses for an end to fighting in Ukraine and European nations rush to bolster their support for Kyiv.

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We are doing pretty well I think with Russia, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. Well see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday, he said, adding that there is a very good chance for a deal.

The Trump administration has pushed for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine amid a flurry of renewed engagement between Washington and Moscow, three years after Russias full-scale invasion. Yet that effort has sparked angst among European leaders who worry Trump may concede too much on Ukraines behalf in a direct exchange with Putin and leave Kyiv without any longer-term security guarantees.

Follow The Big Take daily podcast wherever you listen.

Asked what concessions hed seek from Putin, who has repeatedly brushed aside calls for a quick halt to the fighting, Trump said much of the discussion will be about territory.

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A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war, as you know, he told reporters. Well be talking about land, well be talking about power plants  thats, you know, thats a big question.

Read: Ukraine Allies Agree to Step Up Economic Pressure on Russia

Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets, he added.

Putin has deflected efforts to stop the fighting as his troops, backed by North Korean soldiers, make incremental battlefield gains, including pushing Ukrainian forces back from parts of Russias Kursk region theyd seized in an surprise offensive last year. US envoy Steven Witkoff met with Putin last week but failed to secure a deal to pause the conflict.

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Putin has said hes seeking a more durable agreement, while insisting on a raft of conditions that would be difficult for Kyiv to accept. Russia has previously demanded that Ukraine become a neutral nation, significantly reduce the size of its armed forces and cede territory, starting with the land Russia has already seized in the war.

The European Unions top foreign policy official, Kaja Kallas, said the conditions that Moscow has presented show that they dont really want peace.

Because they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war, she told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. We really need to see that the ball is in Russias court.

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Maximum Pressure

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said concessions need to be made by Russia, because otherwise you will be compromising international law and the UN Charter, which would have global implications.

To be loud and clear, I think the genuine effort by President Trump to really achieve peace here should not be misused by Putin to further weaken Ukraine, she told reporters on Monday.

A bloc of European nations agreed on Saturday to keep tightening restrictions on Russias economy, though it wasnt clear how they would go forward with that more than three years after a slew of US and European sanctions over the war went into effect.

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Read: US Allies Try to Work Out Who the Real Rubio Is at G-7 in Canada

Its really important at this point that we put maximum pressure on Russia, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday following a call with about two dozen other leaders, including the heads of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and several European nations.

European officials also thrashed out plans for a peacekeeping force of more than 10,000 troops for Ukraine, the Sunday Times reported, citing senior government sources. The bulk would likely come from the UK and France, according to the newspaper, which also said that about 35 countries have agreed to supply weapons, logistical and intelligence support to the mission.

But European leaders want to see any force on the ground in Ukraine backed up by US security guarantees in the form of air power, intelligence and border surveillance. Its far from clear whether Trump would be willing to do that. While hes said he could ramp up economic and political pressure on Russia if Putin doesnt come to the table, hes been generally far more critical of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

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--With assistance from Greg Sullivan, Alex Wickham, Michal Kubala, Katharina Rosskopf and Patrick Donahue.

(Updates with comments from Kallas, Finlands foreign minister from ninth paragraph.)

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President Trump said he will be speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday amid the push to end the war with Ukraine.

Were doing pretty well, I think, with Russia, he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening. See if we have something to announce maybe Tuesday.

Trump also said a lot of works been done over the weekend.

We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also confirmed the call between leaders scheduled for Tuesday but refused to give details to not get ahead of events, and the content of conversation is not subject to any prior discussion, The Associated Press reported.

Trump noted that land and power plants are part of the conversation with Russia, mentioning an effort focused on dividing up certain assets.

Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Russia and met with Putin recently in another push to get the country to agree to a ceasefire deal with Ukraine.

The Trump administration met with Russian officials early on, sidelining Ukraine and causing international concern.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky then came to Washington to meet with Trump, but the White House conversation ended with shouting. Zelensky has since sought to repair ties, and the U.S. and Ukraine have agreed to a 30-day ceasefire plan.

Russia has not yet publicly said if it will accept the deal, but Witkoff said his discussions were positive.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, its forces have taken parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the eastern part of the country and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in the southeast, though it does not fully control any of the four, the AP noted.

Putin previously demanded Ukraine pull its troops from the area as part of a suggested peace deal, but Kyiv refused.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump cast the Kennedy Center, one of the nations premier cultural institutions, as being in a state of disrepair, vowing sweeping changes to the iconic venues structure and programming.

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Trump toured the center and spoke at a board meeting, highlighting how he  now the Kennedy Centers chairman  and his allies are moving to reshape a centerpiece of Washingtons art scene after dismissing its prior leadership. Critics have said Trumps moves are politically motivated and aimed at punishing an institution with which he has long had a contentious relationship. His actions have led to backlash, including the hit musical Hamilton scrapping an upcoming run.

I never liked Hamilton very much, Trump said Monday. But we are going to have some really good shows.

He said that instead of the popular show about the American Revolution, the venue would instead be hosting Les Miserables, the hit Broadway musical about the French Revolution. I would say this, come here and watch it and youll see over a period of time, itll improve, he said.

Trump accused the prior leadership of improper spending on the facility and suggested  without offering evidence  that it had not been adequately maintained, poking at David Rubenstein, its former chairman and the largest individual contributor in the Kennedy Centers history.

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Were gonna fix it up, Trump said. Bring it into more modern times, a lot of money has been given to it, and the money has not been properly spent.

Im so surprised, because, you know, I know the person who was in charge of it, and hes a good man, he said, appearing to refer to Rubenstein. I never realized this was in such bad shape.

Rubenstein did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The president said he intended to ask Congress for additional funding to save this structure, without citing specifics.

Renovation Plan

Trump last month purged the institutions board to stock it entirely with individuals aligned with his worldview, part of a broader effort to put his stamp on Washingtons political and cultural organizations. That move has sparked backlash from the art world, with prominent figures including actress Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens canceling planned performances.

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Trump appeared to repeatedly criticize the centers $250 million expansion project, a mixed-use space that was designed for rehearsals, workshops and exhibitions. Trump questioned the big cubes that they have outside that block the view and whether underground space would be utilized.

Maybe we close up some of the work thats been done and built, Trump said. It was done terribly.

The president said he plans to continue holding the Kennedy Center Honors, one of the countrys most high-profile events recognizing performers. Its an event he had skipped during his first term, amid tensions with the arts community and some awardees threatening boycotts if he attended.

Its going to be a much bigger show than it has been, Trump said. It got tired, very tired, very boring, very radical left.

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New Leadership

Trump has justified his takeover as a response to its artistic decisions, claiming its programming was politicized. Trump has said there would be no more drag shows, or other anti-American propaganda  only the best.

Those moves were a jolt to one of the capitals most venerable institutions, which hosts theater, opera, ballet, orchestral and chamber music performances and is the residence for the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.

It has a long legacy of bipartisan governance but the current board is staffed exclusively with Trump allies, including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and second lady Usha Vance.

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A video of the second lady and her husband, Vice President JD Vance, being greeted by boos at an event last week drew condemnation from Ric Grenell, the presidential envoy for special missions, who was tapped as interim executive director.

The Kennedy Center had a $268 million operating budget in 2024, according to a press release in January, with $45 million in federal appropriations.

(Rubenstein is the host of The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations on Bloomberg.).

(Updates with additional Trump remarks)

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RYLSK, Russia  A few miles behind the front line with Ukraine on Monday, there were clear signs of fierce fighting in Russias southwestern Kursk even as the Trump administration touted its efforts to end the three-year war.

On Monday, an NBC News team saw three trucks carrying what appeared to be bodies of Russian soldiers and many more transporting the injured away from the battlefield in the heavily militarized region. Two other trucks hauled a pair of American Bradley Fighting Vehicles  tanklike workhorses used to carry troops into battle  apparently left by retreating Ukrainian forces.

Meanwhile, Russia's Kommersant newspaper also ran a large picture of President Donald Trump, who said late Sunday that negotiators in Washington and Moscow have begun discussing the division of assets between Russia and Ukraine in an effort to end the fighting.

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Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and that they would discuss dividing up certain assets, including land and power plants.

A tank drives through a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine on Saturday.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed by both sides  Ukraine and Russia, Trump said. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance.

Trump said he "very much" looks forward to the call with Putin in a post on Truth Social.

"Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains," Trump wrote Monday evening.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned call between the two leaders during a press briefing Monday but provided no further details.

In the talks expected to get underway Tuesday, Trump will attempt to win Putins support for a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. and Ukraine after their delegates met in Saudi Arabia last week. Putin said they needed to meet crucial demands made by the Kremlin.

The Russian leader and his officials have repeatedly indicated that they want to cement his country's land grabs during the war and stop Kyiv from ever joining NATO.

Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko reiterated those goals, telling the Russian outlet Izvestia that the Kremlin will seek iron-clad security guarantees to ensure Kyivs exclusion from NATO in any peace deal and Ukraines neutrality regarding the bloc.

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Pressure has been mounting on Russia to cede to Trump's demands after Ukraine accepted the ceasefire proposal last week, though Grushko's comments Monday made no reference to it.

Grushko also said that Russia would oppose any troops in Ukraine as part of post-conflict guarantees, including NATO troops, with Britain and France both saying in recent weeks that they are willing to send forces to monitor any ceasefire.

If [those soldiers] appear there, it means that they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict, he added.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels on Monday that the stipulations the Russians have given show that they dont really want peace, actually, because they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war, according to Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with international leaders hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday.

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also told reporters that a significant number of European countries were willing to provide peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as part of a peace deal, according to Reuters.

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The comments came after heavy fighting in Kursk over the weekend as Russian forces continued to slowly take territory in the region where Ukrainian forces have maintained a foothold for the past seven months.

The Ukrainian government sees Kursk as a valuable bargaining chip in any peace talks, but in recent weeks, it has been forced to retreat from parts of the region.

New images shown on Russian government channels over the weekend displayed an intensified military offensive by the country's forces, bolstered by support from North Korean troops and the Trump administration's suspension of military and intelligence assistance to Kyiv.

Even as Trump has attempted to play peacemaker, saying Friday on Truth Social that he had asked the Kremlin not to attack Ukrainian troops in Kursk, Putin has urged his troops on, appearing in military fatigues during a visit to the region last week.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, accused Putin of prolonging the war and ignoring U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy, Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Saturday.

We are ready to provide our partners with all the real information on the situation at the front, in the Kursk region and along our border, he added.

Keir Simmons reported from Rylsk and Astha Rajvanshi from London.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Negotiators working to end the Russia-Ukraine war have already discussed dividing up certain assets, US President Donald Trump said Sunday as he announced he planned to speak to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Trumps comments come after he announced last week that Ukraine had accepted a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire, putting the ball in Russias court as to whether it would accept his proposal to swiftly end the war.

Were doing pretty well, I think, with Russia. Well see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday, Ill be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday, he told reporters on board Air Force One during a flight back to the White House after his weekend at Mar-a-Lago.

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A lot of works been done over the weekend, we want to see if we can bring that war to an end, he said. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance.

Trump said negotiators had already pinpointed certain topics up for discussion.

Well be talking about land. A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war, as you know. Well be talking about land, well be talking about power plants, thats a big question, he added.

But I think we have a lot of it already discussed, very much, by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that  dividing up certain assets.

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The Kremlin spokesperson confirmed that the two leaders would speak Tuesday but did not disclose any further details.

Putins response so far to the Trump-backed ceasefire proposal has been ambiguous. He said that Moscow agreed with the proposal in theory. But he also set out tough conditions and demanded concessions from Kyiv, and repeated his claim that the current Ukrainian government was part of the root cause of the war.

Meetings between American negotiators with representatives from Ukraine and Russia will continue this week. The Kremlin also said last week that US negotiators would travel to Russia for further talks, though it did not share details on the participants.

Russia first started seizing parts of Ukraine in 2014 before launching its full invasion in 2022, triggering the largest land conflict in Europe since World War Two. Since the 2022 invasion, Ukraine has lost control of about 11% of its land, according to CNN analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based conflict monitor.

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Land concessions are among the most sensitive issues left to hammer out. American officials have said Ukraine will likely need to cede territory for the war to end, and Putin has made it a condition of entering into a ceasefire.

But conceding territory has long been a nonstarter for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and some European leaders have voiced concern about appearing to reward Putin for launching his invasion. Russia has also made clear it has no desire to give up the swathes of Ukrainian territory it has occupied.

Trumps willingness to grant Moscow concessions even before talks began and his embrace of Putin have also rattled NATO allies in Europe who are now openly questioning whether decades of US security guarantees towards the continent can be relied upon.

Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN on Sunday that the ongoing talks over Ukraine were productive, but didnt say how the matter of territorial concessions would be resolved.

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Putin accepts the philosophy of President Trump in wanting to see the war come to an end, Witkoff said. He described his meeting last week with Putin as a solution-based discussion, and voiced confidence that a pause in fighting could arrive within weeks.

Putin also said Friday that his country is working at restoring relations with the US, after they were practically reduced to zero, destroyed by the previous American administration.

Overall, the situation is starting to move, he said, referring to relations with the Trump administration. Lets see what comes out of this.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
By Nathan Layne and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and discuss ending the war in Ukraine, after positive talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Moscow.

"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," Trump told reporters on Air Force One during a late flight back to the Washington area from Florida.

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"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," Trump said.

Trump is trying to win Putin's support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week, as both sides continued trading heavy aerial strikes through the weekend and Russia moved closer to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their months-old foothold in the western Russian region of Kursk.

When asked about what concessions are being considered in ceasefire negotiations, Trump said: "We'll be talking about land. We'll be talking about power plants".

"I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets."

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Trump said a lot of work had been done on the issue over the weekend, which the president spent in Florida, where he has a residence. He landed back at Joint Base Andrews, just outside of Washington, in the early hours of Monday morning and returned to the White House.

Trump, who has upended U.S. policy by shifting closer to Moscow, has described Ukraine as being more difficult to work with than Russia. He held an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last month that ended with the Ukrainian leader leaving the White House early.

But Ukraine's acceptance of a proposed ceasefire has put the onus on Russia to cede to Trump's demands and will test the U.S. president's more positive view of Putin, who launched Russia's invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne and Jeff Mason; Editing by Jamie Freed, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Michael Perry)
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping would visit Washington soon, as trade tensions build between the worlds two largest economies.

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Xi will be coming in the not too distant future, Trump said Monday while attending a board meeting at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as he touted a string of recent visits by leaders from India, France, the UK and Ireland.

Trump has ramped up a trade fight with China since returning to office, twice hiking blanket tariffs on imports from the Asian country. The president has called those moves a response to Beijings failure to crack down on the flow of illegal fentanyl and the precursor chemicals used to make it.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported US and Chinese officials were discussing a possible birthday summit in June that would see the two leaders  who both have birthdays in the middle of the month  meet for the first time since Trump returned to the White House. The US president did not detail specific timing for the possible meeting.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Tuesday at a regular briefing in Beijing that she had no information to provide on a potential Trump-Xi meeting.

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Trump also said last month that hed speak with Xi, probably in the next 24 hours, as his initial 10% tariff hike loomed. That tariff deadline passed without any public record of the two men talking.

Chinese and US top leaders typically take turns visiting each others nations, a protocol that puts the onus on Trump to visit Beijing before hosting his counterpart. While Xi traveled to California in late 2023, Joe Biden became the first US president since Jimmy Carter not to visit China while in office.

Discussions between the two countries that would typically set up a leaders meeting are stuck at lower levels, with both sides deadlocked on how to proceed. Beijing said Washington hasnt outlined detailed steps it expects from China on fentanyl to have the tariffs lifted, according to people familiar with the issue. Trumps team rejects that assertion, according to a person familiar with the matter, who said the White House had sent messages to China through diplomatic channels.

Republican Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, is expected to meet this weekend with a senior Chinese leader and representatives of US businesses in China, according to people familiar with the matter. Daines said on social media that one of the issues hed raise is the flow of deadly fentanyl into our country.

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Big Thank You

China has accused Trump of using fentanyl as pretext to raise tariffs. A Foreign Ministry official last week said Washington should offer a big thank you for Beijings work cracking down on drug trafficking instead of slapping levies on imports, and urged the Trump administration to resume talks.

China has implemented retaliatory tariffs, but those measures have been more limited than its response to Trumps trade actions in his first term. After Trump doubled the tariff on Chinese imports to 20% earlier this month, Beijing announced levies as high as 15% on US agricultural goods and banned trade with some defense companies.

Trump has said he is open to talks on reaching a deal, even as he intensifies pressure on Beijing. In any such discussions, the US will want to address more than fentanyl, according to a person familiar with the matter, who said Chinas help creating jobs in the American heartland, ensuring the centrality of the dollar in global trade and Xis support in ending the war in Ukraine would be on the agenda.

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Also in focus will be Beijings implementation of a trade deal struck during Trumps first term, under which China promised to crack down on the theft of US trade secrets and purchase an additional $200 billion in American products. A US review into that agreement is set to wrap on April 1.

While Trump has often praised Xi, their relationship during his first term was derailed after the Covid-19 pandemic hit, a global public health crisis the US leader blamed on China.

The two men last spoke in January, days before the US president was inaugurated for his second term, in a discussion that touched on trade relations, a potential sale of the US operations of ByteDance Ltd.s TikTok app and efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking.

--With assistance from Laura Davison, Philip Glamann, Jenni Marsh and Lucille Liu.

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(Updates with Chinese Foreign Ministry comment.)

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President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak about the war in Ukraine on Tuesday, and suggested the two sides have discussed dividing up certain assets in an effort to end the conflict.

Trump appeared to indicate that the United States will not object to Russia maintaining control of parts of occupied Ukraine seized after Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.

Well be talking about land, well be talking about power plants, the U.S. president told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, when asked what concessions he might ask of his Russian counterpart to achieve a ceasefire. But I think we already have a lot of it discussed by both sides, Ukraine and Russian.

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He added: Were already talking about dividing up certain assets, and theyve been working on that.

The Kremlin confirmed Monday that Putin is slated to speak to Trump, while Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told newspaper Izvestia that his country will demand that ironclad security guarantees barring Ukraine from NATO membership be part of any peace deal.

Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance, he said.

Trump has already ruled out offering Ukraine NATO membership.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday accused Putin of deliberately prolonging negotiations in order to try and seize more territory or capture troops for leverage.

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When he addressed reporters on board Air Force One, Trump was noncommittal about whether or not talks with Putin would result in a ceasefire, but said progress had been made in negotiations over the weekend.

We want to see if we can bring that war to an end, he said. Maybe we can, maybe we cant, but I think we have a very good chance.

Trumps remarks came the same day that his national security advisor, Mike Waltz, suggested in an ABC interview that it is unreasonable to expect to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea and that the Biden administration had pursued a policy of endless warfare.

When asked if Ukraine will be expected to give parts of their territory over to Russia as part of peace deal, national security adviser Mike Waltz says, Are we going to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea?https://t.co/SZelCkIK0S pic.twitter.com/13e6d0Wfkz  This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 16, 2025

The developments come after Putin and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff met in Moscow on Thursday. After their discussions, the Kremlin said was cautious optimism about the prospects for a peace process, while Trump called the discussion good and productive.

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Since taking office, Trump has radically reoriented Americas relationship with Moscow, not only by opening up direct talks with the autocratic Putin, but also by spreading Kremlin-friendly falsehoods about Zelensky, a democratically elected leader who he has called a dictator.

After provoking a contentious blowup in the White House with Zelensky during a state visit, Trump temporarily suspended military aid to and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, both of which have since resumed.

In another move that will go down well in Moscow, the Trump administration informed European allies Monday that the U.S. is withdrawing from a multinational group investigating Russian leaders and their allies for their culpability, according to a report by The New York Times.

On the campaign trail last year, Trump claimed he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

Asked about that assertion on syndicated news show Full Measure by host Sharyl Attkisson, Trump said: I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that. What I really mean is Id like to get it settled and I think Ill be successful.
US President Donald Trump has stated that he plans to speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Tuesday 18 March to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Source: Reuters citing Trump's conversation with journalists aboard Air Force One during a late-night flight to Washington from Florida

Quote from Trump: "I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda doesn't recognise Putin as president  ed.]

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Details: Trump added that he wants to see whether "we can bring that war to an end".

"Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," he said.

Reuters noted that Trump is trying to secure Putin's agreement to a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to last week, while both sides continue to exchange large-scale airstrikes and Russia has come close to pushing Ukrainian forces out of the bridgehead they have held for months in the western part of Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Responding to a question about concessions, Trump said, "We'll be talking about land. We'll be talking about power plants".

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He also added that the United States had "a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides".

"We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," Trump concluded.

Background:

Earlier, US President Donals Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff stated that he believes that Washington will be able to make progress in resolving Russia's war against Ukraine in the coming weeks. He made this statement after visiting Russia and meeting with Putin, during which he discussed the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

The Kremlin stated that "additional signals" had been sent to Trump through Witkoff.

Trump himself stated that Washington had had "good and productive discussions" with Putin on Thursday 13 March. At that time, he said there was "a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end".

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BRUSSELS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Belgium said Monday it "regrets" Rwanda's decision to sever diplomatic ties and expel Belgian diplomats declared persona non grata.

Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the move "disproportionate" and criticized Rwanda for "preferring not to engage in dialogue" in the event of a disagreement, according to a statement posted on social media.

Brussels said it would take reciprocal measures, including summoning the Rwandan charge d'affaires ad interim, declaring Rwanda's diplomats persona non grata, and denouncing governmental cooperation agreements.

Rwanda announced on Monday that it was cutting ties with Belgium, accusing its former colonial ruler of "taking sides" with Kinshasa "long before and during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)."

Rwanda's government has ordered all Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.

Also on Monday, the European Union (EU) announced its sanction upon some of Rwanda's military officials and the head of one mining agency, accusing them of supporting armed fighters in the eastern DRC.

The Rwanda-EU political tension came against the backdrop of mounting conflicts between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels and the DRC military. The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 while Kigali alleges that the DRC military has allied with the Rwandan rebel group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, which is linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. 
Some Trump voters are waking up to the fact that the presidents aggressive anti-immigration politics affects them, too.

Bradley Bartell, a Wisconsin Trump voter, has been second-guessing his support for the MAGA leader since ICE agents deported his Peruvian wife Camila Munoz.

Last month, ICE agents stopped the couple at the airport as they returned home from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico.

Are you an American citizen? the agent asked Munoz.

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The answer was no. Munoz, who had been married to Bartell for two years and was caring for her husbands 12-year-old son as her own, had overstayed her original visa, per USA Today. But the couple felt confident on their flight home since Munoz had applied for her green card, worked on a W-2 contract, and paid her taxes.

Fearing her wedding ring would be taken from her, Munoz took it off and stashed it in a backpack that she handed to Bartell, who shook as he watched the agents take her away.

What the fuck do I do? Bartell told the publication he thought in that moment.

Bartell voted for Donald Trump, believing that the far-right leader would crack down on criminal illegal immigrants, but that hasnt exactly been the case. Instead, Trumps mass deportation policy has expanded to include immigrants whose legal statuses are under review, even if theyre married to U.S. citizens.

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Trump has based his anti-immigrant rhetoric on the falsehood that the people who have entered the U.S. are murderers and rapists, and that they are a drain on the countrys economy and government resources as unemployed migrants struggle to obtain work and housing. In reality, undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens. And in 2022, approximately 4.5 percent of the workforce was undocumented, contributing to some $75.6 billion in total taxes, according to the American Immigration Council.

Overstaying the length of your permitted immigration by expired visa or otherwise is considered an administrative violationnot a criminal one.

But none of that matters under the Trump administration.

Anyone who isnt a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is at riskperiod, Munozs immigration attorney, David Rozas, told USA Today.

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Nora Ahmed, the legal director of the ACLU of Louisiana, warned that non-citizens should assume they could be targeted during travel.

The unfortunate answer is they have to be worried, Ahmed told USA Today. If you are not a citizen of the United States, and you are going through an immigration process, your first thought needs to be: How can this process be weaponized against me?

Some of the other people who have been targeted by the immigration agency have lived in the U.S. for decades. They include a woman in her 50s who has lived in the U.S. for more than 30 years and is married to a U.S. citizen, a woman in her 30s who first came to the states as a teenager and has proof of valid permanent legal residency, a European woman in her 30s engaged to a U.S. citizen, and a woman engaged to a U.S. legal permanent resident and who has lived in the U.S. for nearly a decade, according to interviews and documents obtained by USA Today.

Earlier this month, a Trump supporter in Virginia said he was similarly reconsidering his support for the president after he was racially profiled and interrogated by ICE agents who had their guns drawn.

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, Jensy Machado, a naturalized U.S. citizen, told Telemundo 44.
Fans of The Office will recall when blundering boss Michael Scott dramatically told his colleagues: I declare bankruptcy!

The legal effect of Scotts declaration was the same as Donald Trumps declaration Monday on Truth Social that Joe Bidens pardons of former House Jan. 6 committee members and others are VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT.

Just as the fictional Scotts statement didnt cure his financial woes, Trumps late-night social media statement didnt erase another presidents pardons (and no, Biden purportedly signing the pardon via autopen, as Trump alleged, wouldnt change that). The next president cant undo Trumps pardons of Jan. 6 defendants or anyone else, no matter how much they might disagree with them. Elections have consequences, including the winner gaining the broad power of clemency.

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Now, thats not to say that Trumps words have no effect or dont matter. Quite the contrary. If I were one of the pardoned committee members, I might be especially concerned about the part of Trumps post that said such individuals should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.

But wait  if theres no legal force to Trumps pronouncement, what do they have to worry about?

They have to worry about the reality that the Trump administration isnt doing things solely based on the law. For example, his executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie for its work with Democrats was easily blocked by a federal judge last week, but not before the order caused the firm to suffer what it described as significant harm. And the judge blocking the Perkins Coie order didnt stop the president from issuing a similar order against another firm later in the week. Trumps personal grievances appear to be driving the action, backed by whatever legal arguments government attorneys loyal to him can muster on his behalf.

Of course, if the Trump Justice Department looks for crimes to charge against former committee members like Liz Cheney, and if the DOJ comes up with something, then the defendants would be able to point to their pardons as a defense to the charges. At that point, the government can present whatever arguments it has to a judge, after which the charges would likely be dismissed in the end.

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But thats the thing. It can take a while to get to the end.

Recall that, before Biden issued the pre-emptive pardons, there was discussion about whether people should accept them if they didnt think they did anything wrong. Before the pardons came, I wrote that a more significant consideration might be whether potential recipients wanted to risk time, money and possible incarceration to defend themselves even if theyre innocent.

Trumps social media statement suggests he wants to put the pardon recipients through the legal wringer, notwithstanding the clemency theyve received. Even if no charges come, subjecting people to investigation alone can be damaging enough, let alone for any suspected crimes they cant legally be charged with. Whether charges come or not, Trumps threat supports the notion that Biden had reason to try to protect against them.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In the two short months since he took office, Donald Trump has signed through a blitzkrieg of executive orders on everything from banning paper straws to launching a strategic Bitcoin reserve.

But one edict, aimed at law firm Perkins Coie, has stood out even among his supporters.

The Trump administration has effectively blocked law firm Perkins Coie from working for the US government  including the highly unusual step of removing its lawyers security clearances and banning them from federal buildings.

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The order explicitly targets the Seattle law firm on political terms, accusing Perkins Coie of working for activist donors including George Soros to judicially overturn ... popular laws and for helping to manufacture a false dossier designed to steal an election.

The Trump administrations targeting of Perkins Coie has sparked fierce criticism from across the political spectrum, with opponents viewing the presidents actions as unprecedented.

Donald Trumps executive order explicitly targets Seattle law firm Perkins Coie on political terms - Alex Wong/Getty Images

While US presidents have in the past used their executive power to achieve their own political goals, experts say Trumps executive order goes beyond anything pursued by prior administrations.

In a recent op-ed, the Wall Street Journals editorial board, which has largely supported Trump, said: Trumps decision to use government power to punish firms for representing clients breaks a cornerstone principle of American justice going back to John Adams and the founders.

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The Trump administrations issue with Perkins Coie lies predominantly in its work for Hillary Clintons 2016 electoral campaign, when the firm paid investigators at Fusions GPS, an opposition research firm, $1m (770,000) for the report now known as the Steele dossier.

This 35-page document, written by Christopher Steele, the former head of MI6s Russia desk, alleged Trumps 2016 presidential campaign was supported by Vladimir Putin.

In 2016 while representing failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Perkins Coie hired Fusion GPS, which then manufactured a false dossier designed to steal an election, the executive order against Perkins Coie says.

Christopher Steele, the former head of MI6s Russia desk, alleged Mr Trumps 2016 presidential campaign was supported by Vladimir Putin - Victoria Jones/PA

The Steele dossier alleged that the Kremlin held compromising material on Trump, including evidence that he had engaged in perverted sexual acts at a Moscow hotel. The report claimed Russia also supported Trumps campaign by hacking Democratic Party emails and sending them to Wikileaks.

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An FBI investigation subsequently failed to substantiate any of the allegations contained in the Steele dossier.

Trump dismissed the report as full of made-up, phoney facts. He has also accused Ms Clinton of launching a political witch hunt on the back of the discredited dossier.

Political vengeance

In the past, presidents who faced legal problems  including Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon  stuck to the principle that lawyers have a duty to serve their clients and should therefore be free from reprisals over their work.

However, Trumps order now threatens to smash that consensus to pieces.

Pepper Culpepper, a professor at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, said the executive order against Perkins Coie marked a significant break from US political norms and is more reminiscent of actions taken by Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.

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Before entering office, Trump vowed to take vengeance on his political opponents, including his predecessor Joe Biden. I am your retribution, he told crowds of supporters during the presidential campaign.

He now appears to be acting on his word.

The situation is particularly worrying for law firms, which depend on access to operate.

We have a lot of law firms that were going to be going after because they were very dishonest people, he said in an interview with Fox News this month.

Evan Zoldan, the director of the Legal Institute of the Great Lakes, said: Trump is fairly explicitly targeting Perkins Coie ... for representing clients he does not like and arguing for positions with which he does not agree.

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In a separate action on Feb 25, the Trump administration also put out an official memorandum on the prestigious white-shoe law firm Covington & Burling, taking issue with pro bono work its lawyers carried on criminal probes into Trump, in relation to the Mar-a-Lago documents and the Jan 6 riots.

The memo cancelled security clearances for Peter Koski, Lanny Breuer and other Covington & Burling lawyers who assisted Jack Smith, the former special counsel to the Department of Justice.

Trump has personally called Mr Smith a lamebrain prosecutor and accused him of working for Crooked Joe Biden.

Trump has called Jack Smith, the special counsel to the Department of Justice, a lamebrain prosecutor - Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Trump last week issued a third order targeting Paul Weiss, one of the most profitable law firm in America, calling for the removal of security clearances. The executive order marked another escalation of Trumps fight against law firms that oppose him and his supporters.

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Specifically, it singled out the New York firm for bringing lawsuits against participants in the Jan 6 riots and over links to Mark Pomerantz, a lawyer who led an investigation into Trumps payments of $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels, an adult actress.

Trumps critics say his actions lack any precedent in US political history, and that the president is willing to use tactics far beyond those of former administrations.

Professor Catherine Rogers, of Bocconi University, said Trumps orders were intended to have a chilling effect. They were intentionally drafted to try and scare firms, she said.

Trump has previously made similar allegations against the Biden administration, alleging it had weaponised the US judicial system. He has also accused Biden of forcing woke diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies on private companies and the federal government.

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In explaining some of his retaliatory actions, Trump suggested the Biden administration had let the genie out of the box by using the FBI to pursue political enemies, in a manner similar to a Stalinist Russia horror show.

Normative constraint has gone

In Culpeppers view, Trumps threats go beyond anything seen in US history before, particularly in the extent that they are tied to the presidents own personal vendettas.

The use of legal force by the government is being deployed a little more ruthlessly than it has in the past, he said.

Observers have compared the Trump administrations retaliations to the Bush administrations heavy-handed criticisms of law firms that represented Guantanamo Bay prisoners in 2007.

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These attacks culminated in Charles Cully Stimson, a Bush administration official, naming and shaming the law firms that represented the Guantanamo detainees. Mr Stimson later resigned due to widespread backlash.

After the Bush administrations attacks on lawyers in 2007, New Yorks leading firms put on a defiant show of support for those targeted - Ron Edmonds/AP

Culpepper said George W. Bushs administration showed a clear level of restraint in a way the Trump administration has not. That normative constraint has gone under Trump, he said. Thats the big difference.

Its clear that he and members of his administration arent interested in the norms, Culpepper added. It was a very personalistic exercise in authority from the president that we havent seen before. Hes trying to make his enemies toxic.

Richard Nixons attempt to screw those on his enemies list could be seen as a similar example of retributive action, as could senator Joe McCarthys pursuit of those considered to hold communist sympathies.

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However, Nixon was later forced to resign as president, while McCarthy was censured by the US Senate.

In the case of Trumps orders, the chilling effect induced by his actions has weakened some of that resistance, experts said.

For example, after the Bush administrations attacks on lawyers in 2007, New Yorks leading firms put on a defiant show of support for those targeted.

Now, those same powerhouse law firms are silent. It had been expected that Americas top law firms would show their support for Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling in the form of an amicus briefing. That document is so far yet to materialise.

This itself can be taken as an indication of a chilling effect already at work, says Zoldan.

Shadow of the state

Perkins Coie separately filed a legal challenge to Trumps order, with a spokesman for the law firm declaring it violates core constitutional protections, including the rights to free speech and due process.

A federal judge subsequently issued a temporary block on vast swathes of the order.

However, the chilling effect of Trumps orders also appears to have deterred other law firms from involving themselves in the case. Perkins Coie had initially asked law giant Quinn Emanuel to represent it in court. It later turned to William & Connolly, a relatively small firm with a single office in Washington, after Quinn Emanuel declined.

More generally, businesses seem to be moving towards pre-emptive compliance in their efforts to avoid the Trump administrations wrath, Culpepper said.

He pointed to Facebook owner Mark Zuckerbergs call for a revival of masculine energy in corporate America as an example.

The scrapping of DEI policies by the likes of Amazon, Accenture and Deloitte signals the fact that concerns are widespread  particularly among those reliant on lucrative government contracts.

Trump has said DEI is discriminatory, calling instead for the creation of colourblind and merit-based society.

BlackRocks acquisition of two ports in the Panama Canal from Hong Kong firm CK Hutchison in March suggests some major businesses could also be seeking to appease Americas new commander-in-chief by other means.

Trump had previously criticised Chinese control of the ports, claiming the fees charged to US businesses are a rip-off.

The Trump administrations order shows the states power will be used against you whether youre a firm, or a university, or an individual, Culpepper said.

That shadow of the state is going to be hanging over private companies.

The attack on Perkins Coie risks setting a dangerous precedent as Trumps assault on his enemies continues.

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US President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran would be held responsible for any further attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, threatening "dire" consequences.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he co-founded.

"Iran will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" the US president added.

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Trump ordered massive attacks on Saturday on the Iran-backed Houthis in several Yemeni provinces including Sana'a and the militia's stronghold of Sa'ada in the far north of the war-torn country, to protect US shipping in the region.

At least 53 people have been killed in the airstrikes so far, according to the militia. Senior Houthi figures have fled the capital Sana'a.

According to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Washington will only cease its attacks once the Houthis stop striking shipping.

Since the start of the conflict in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked Israel and international merchant ships in support of its ally, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas.

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In response, Israel, the US and Britain have repeatedly attacked Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Houthis stopped their attacks after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was reached in January.

However, the Yemeni group earlier this week warned it would resume attacks on Israeli ships unless Israel reverses the blocking of aid deliveries into Gaza.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran would be held responsible for any further attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, threatening "dire" consequences.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he co-founded.

"Iran will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" the US president added.

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Trump ordered massive attacks on Saturday on the Iran-backed Houthis in several Yemeni provinces including Sana'a and the militia's stronghold of Sa'ada in the far north of the war-torn country, to protect US shipping in the region.

At least 53 people have been killed in the airstrikes so far, according to the militia. Senior Houthi figures have fled the capital Sana'a.

According to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Washington will only cease its attacks once the Houthis stop striking shipping.

Since the start of the conflict in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked Israel and international merchant ships in support of its ally, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas.

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In response, Israel, the US and Britain have repeatedly attacked Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Houthis stopped their attacks after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was reached in January.

However, the Yemeni group earlier this week warned it would resume attacks on Israeli ships unless Israel reverses the blocking of aid deliveries into Gaza.

Hamas and the Houthis are both part of what Tehran calls the "Axis of Resistance" against Israel.

On Monday, Trump accused Iran of playing "'the innocent victim' of rogue terrorists from which they've lost control."

"But they haven't lost control," he added. "They're dictating every move [and] giving them the weapons."

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The Iranian Foreign Ministry as well as Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) previously rejected similar US warnings and threatened a fierce response.

"Iran will respond consistently to any US aggression," said IRGC commander Hossein Salami. He and Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei both said Iran has no influence over the Houthis, asserting that the Yemeni militia is acting independently.

Meanwhile, the Houthis held a large rally in Sana'a, with Houthi politburo member Mohammed al-Houthi vowing the militia would confront the "terrorism" of the US and its ally Israel.

Participants in the rally called for "death to America and death to Israel."
President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Iran on Monday, declaring that any additional strikes from Yemen's Houthi militants will be seen as a direct attack from Iran and be met with great force.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trumps threats echo his administrations recent efforts to crack down on the militant groups attacks on U.S. warships and assert dominance over Iran. The president announced over the weekend that the U.S. launched a new campaign of airstrikes against multiple targets controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen  the greatest use of military force against foreign adversaries by the administration yet.

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Any further attack or retaliation by the 'Houthis' will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there, Trump wrote.

The Houthis have been targeting military and commercial shipping in the Red Sea for the past two years, effectively shuttering a crucial waterway for global commercial trade.

On Sunday, Mike Waltz, Trumps national security adviser, did not dismiss the possibility of using military coercion against Iran in either retaliation against the countrys backing of the Houthis or its ambitions to become a nuclear power.
(Bloomberg) -- Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks global trade. Sign up here.

Most Read from Bloomberg

President Donald Trumps top trade negotiator is attempting to inject order into sweeping new tariffs expected next month, after previous announcements roiled markets and fueled business uncertainty.

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Through the past two months of tariff chaos  marked by false starts, confusion and presidential threats followed by quick reversals  US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has largely been out of the picture. He was only confirmed to his role in late February, creating a void filled by White House adviser Peter Navarro and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to handle messaging.

Greer  a cool-headed, legal-minded acolyte of Trumps first-term trade adviser Robert Lighthizer  is seeking to wrestle control of a planned April 2 announcement on a litany of new duties, according to people familiar with the deliberations, who requested anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations.

Trump has dubbed that day the big one, with his administration set to impose import taxes on trading partners based on levies and other restrictions they place on US goods. Tariffs on autos, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals are also planned. Its unclear exactly how soon after the announcement all of the duties will take effect.

Trump reiterated his desire for April 2 to mark a wave of new tariffs late Sunday, telling reporters that it will be a a liberating day for our country. Trump said in certain cases both reciprocal and sectoral tariffs will be applied.

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Under Greer, USTR has reinstated parts of a traditional policy process that were missing from prior tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico, China and metals by asking for public comment on the reciprocal duties. That gives the trade office a formal way to receive feedback from businesses and other stakeholders.

Greer plans to take those requests into account when setting up the tariff program, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

The steps comes as the disarray surrounding prior tariff rollouts has inflicted political damage on the White House and left some of the duties open to legal challenges. Some 54% of registered voters disapproved of Trumps handling of the economy, according to an NBC News poll released Sunday.

Trade lawyers believe its risky for Trump to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act backing the North American and China tariffs, which he tied to drug trafficking and migration, as the legal basis for the reciprocal levies. If he does so, the duties could face lawsuits because they dont fit squarely in the laws description of a national emergency. Trump has said the reciprocal levies are intended to rebalance the USs trade deficits with other nations.

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The Trump team is aware of those dynamics and has been assessing the risks and benefits as they develop a strategy for April 2, according to people familiar with the discussions.

One key advantage: the IEEPA is the quickest way to impose tariffs without input from industries or Congress. Trump could use the law to speed implementation of the tariffs, according to one person.

The president participated in a meeting last Friday to discuss options on his tariff plans, according to people familiar with the gathering.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for USTR declined to comment.

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Tariff Talks

Discussions are ongoing about what exactly Trump and his team will announce early next month and final decisions have not been made. Developing levies on hundreds of countries designed to match their tariffs and other trade barriers, including wages and tax regimes, on US exports is a complex endeavor unprecedented in modern American history. Lutnick said earlier this month on Bloomberg Television that some duties can be announced right away and others could come weeks or months later.

One likely outcome is for USTR to create a formula for a single rate for each country based on that nations average tariff level and other measures the Trump team considers discriminatory, according to people familiar with the plans. The rates, though, could be adjusted based on Trumps perception of whether a country has been cooperative or combative, one of the people said.

Theres also a chance some of the duties dont take effect in early April, and would only come after a USTR or Commerce Department probe that could drag on for several months, the people said.

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The discussions are fluid and the strategy could shift over the coming weeks. Some officials and outside advisers see April 2 as a deadline to reset on trade that will refocus the teams energy on bigger challenges, like China.

Trump is undeterred and said he would not back down from his plans, despite market shocks that have caused uneasiness among his team. Trump has announced new tariffs on social media and during impromptu White House news conferences, only to change his plans later with carveouts often previewed on television by Lutnick.

Amid the tumult, Trumps advisers have fought behind the scenes for their priorities.

Even as the presidents team publicly championed the tariffs, some advisers  including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett  have expressed an urgency to move on to tax cuts and regulation rollbacks that investors crave. Other White House advisers have advocated for lower tariffs on Mexico due to its cooperation on stemming illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking at the US southern border, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Earlier: What Trump Aims to Do With Tariffs, Tariff Threats: QuickTake

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has recently become much more involved in listening to the concerns of the business community on tariffs, the people said. Trumps team is not yet worried about the repercussions from tariffs, though Wiles inserting herself more directly into conversations shows she is attuned to the potential risks, according to Trump allies.

Republicans on Capitol Hill have largely gone along with Trumps trade agenda with minimal pushback, just as they acquiesced on most of his Cabinet picks. Yet some are weighing in privately with Trumps team and enlisting business leaders to call the White House, the people said.

You had people in the first Trump White House who fundamentally disagreed with his trade policy. This time you have aides who disagree with the implementation, said Marc Short, Trumps former White House legislative director.

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The power struggles hearken back to Trumps first term, when disagreements over his trade agenda often led to leaks in the press and even spilled into the public. One shouting match involving Navarro and then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin occurred in front of a Chinese delegation.

--With assistance from Eric Martin and Jennifer A. Dlouhy.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
As President Donald Trump often promised during his 2024 presidential campaign, on March 15, 2025, he invoked an obscure 18th-century law called the Alien Enemies Act to justify deporting 137 Venezuelans he says are associated with a Venezuelan gang.

A federal judge swiftly blocked the deportations and ordered the planes carrying Venezuelans heading to El Salvador to return. But the White House said that the court order came too late on a Saturday night, after it had already sent the Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador.

The Justice Department has appealed the federal judges decision and is arguing that the en-route planes carrying the immigrants to El Salvador were outside of the judges jurisdiction.

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Oopsie. Too late, Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, posted on the social media platform X on March 16, in a message that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposted.

Legal analysts were trying to determine where the planes carrying the Venezuelans were shortly before 7 p.m. on March 15, when the judge issued the order stopping their removal, in an attempt to determine if the Trump administration had violated the judges order.

The Alien Enemies Act empowers presidents to apprehend and remove foreign nationals from countries that are at war with the United States. U.S. presidents have issued executive proclamations and invoked this law three times: during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II. All three instances followed Congress declaring war.

Why bother dusting off a 227-year-old law?

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Invoking the Alien Enemies Act could make it far easier for the Trump administration to quickly apprehend, detain and deport immigrants living without legal authorization in the U.S. Thats because the law lets presidents bypass court review of the deportation.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele at his residence at Lake Coatepeque in El Salvador, on Feb. 3, 2025. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool

Repressive origins and populist backlash

The Alien Enemies Act traces back to the late 1700s, when the Federalists, an early political party, controlled Congress. The Federalists wanted strong national government as well as harmonious diplomatic and trade relations with Great Britain.

The Federalists became outraged when the French government began seizing U.S. merchant ships in the Caribbean that were trading with Britain, which France was waging war against at that time.

The opposing Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson, supported France in its fight against Great Britain.

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The Federalists in Congress considered Jeffersons pro-France position to be against U.S. interests. They also were troubled that the Democratic-Republicans were backed by thousands of French and Irish immigrants who had some political clout in big cities such as Philadelphia and New York.

So in 1798, the Federalists tried to quell domestic opposition by passing the Alien and Sedition Acts, a series of controversial laws that banned political dissent by limiting free speech. The laws also made it harder for immigrants to become citizens.

One of these laws was the Alien Enemies Act, which gave presidents broad authority to control or remove noncitizens ages 14 or older if they had ties to foreign enemies during times of a declared war.

The Alien and Sedition Acts elicited a firestorm of criticism soon after they were passed, including from Jefferson and James Madison, who asserted that states have the right and duty to declare some federal laws unconstitutional. The populist backlash against the Alien and Sedition Acts helped propel Jefferson and Democratic-Republicans to victory in the 1800 presidential election. Nearly all of the Alien and Sedition Acts were then either repealed or allowed to expire.

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Only the Alien Enemies Act, a law enacted without an expiration date, survived.

History of the Alien Enemies Act

Madison, the fourth U.S. president, first invoked the Alien Enemies Act during the War of 1812 with Great Britain, which was sparked for several reasons, including trade and territorial control of North America.

Madison invoked the act in 1812 by proclaiming that all subjects of His Britannic Majesty, residing within the United States, have become alien enemies.

But rather than imposing mass deportations, Madisons administration simply required British nationals living in the U.S. to report their age, home address, length of residency and whether they applied for naturalization.

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More than 100 years later, President Woodrow Wilson invoked the Alien Enemies Act during World War I in April 1918.

Wilson used the Alien Enemies Act to impose sweeping restrictions on the residency, work, possessions, speech and activities of foreign nationals from places that the U.S. was at war with  Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. U.S.-born women married to any people born in these places were also deemed enemy aliens.

The U.S. Marshals Service carefully monitored about half a million Germans in the U.S. to make sure they followed Wilsons restrictions.

Another 6,000 German enemy aliens were arrested and sent to internment camps in Georgia and Utah, where they were confined until after an armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany in November 1918.

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Two decades later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt notoriously used the Alien Enemies Act in World War II.

In 1941, Roosevelt authorized special restrictions on German, Italian and Japanese nationals living in the U.S. More than 30,000 of these foreign nationals, including Jewish refugees from Germany, spent the war imprisoned at internment camps because the government considered them potentially dangerous. The U.S. government released these detainees after World War II ended.

The vast majority of the 110,000 Japanese American men, women and children interned during the war were not held under the Alien Enemies Act. The government used a separate executive order during World War II to intern most people of Japanese descent, some of whom were born in the U.S.

Donald Trump speaks about immigration at Montezuma Pass, Ariz., along the U.S.-Mexico border, on Aug. 22, 2024. Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images

Whats very old is new again

Civil liberties and immigrant rights groups pledged to fight Trumps use of the act by filing legal challenges if Trump invoked it.

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The Trump administration wrote in its order that the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua is conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.

The American Civil Liberties Union and another legal nonprofit, Democracy Forward, filed a lawsuit on March 15, the same day the Trump administration announced it was invoking the act.

The Alien Enemies Acts text and history present formidable legal hurdles for the Trump administration proving that Tren de Aragua is at war with the U.S. While the organization is primarily based in Venezuela, Tren de Aragua members in the U.S. have been arrested in Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, Texas and California for crimes including shooting New York police officers.

The 1798 law is clear that an invasion or predatory incursion must be undertaken by a foreign nation or government in order for it to be invoked.

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Yet Congress has not declared war on any country, including Venezuela, in over 80 years, nor has another government launched an invasion against U.S. territory.

And drug cartels are not actual national governments running Latin American countries, so they dont meet the criteria in the Alien Enemies Act.

In the past, Trumps senior advisers have said with no clear evidence that the administration can justly claim that some Latin American governments, such as Mexico and Venezuela, are run by drug cartels that are attacking U.S. security.

Whatever the argument, the tenacious problem that the Trump administration will face is that neither the letter of the law nor historical precedents support peacetime use of the Alien Enemies Act.

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None of these textual and historical realities will matter, however, if the courts ultimately decide that a president  simply saying that the country is being invaded by a foreign nation  is sufficient to legally invoke the act and is not subject to judicial review.

This makes it impossible to automatically dismiss blueprints for using an 18th-century law, however dubious, and it appears the Venezuelan deportations case appears headed for the Supreme Court. If Trump succeeds at invoking the Alien Enemies Act, I believe it would add another chapter to the Alien Enemies Acts sordid history.

This is an updated version of a story originally published on Dec. 11, 2024.

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: Daniel Tichenor, University of Oregon

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Daniel Tichenor 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.
MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia has rejected the possible deployment of NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine, suggesting unarmed observers or a civilian monitoring group sent there to oversee a potential peace deal.

Discussions on peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine remain premature and should only take place after a formal peace agreement has been reached, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko in an interview with Russian daily Izvestia on Sunday.

Grushko emphasized that NATO's involvement in peacekeeping operations is fundamentally contradictory.

"NATO and peacekeeping are entirely incompatible. The real history of the alliance consists of military operations and unprovoked aggression to assert its global and regional dominance," he stated.

He reaffirmed Russia's stance that the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine -- whether under the banner of the EU, NATO, or individual national forces -- would effectively place them in the conflict zone, making them direct participants with all the consequences that entail.

As a possible alternative, he said that an unarmed observer mission or a civilian monitoring group could be considered to oversee certain aspects of a potential peace deal.

"Such mission could ensure compliance with specific provisions and serve as part of a broader guarantee mechanism," he added. 
On Monday, President Donald Trump signaled that he intends to nullify the presidential pardonsissued to those on the House Jan. 6 committee that investigated Trumpexecuted by President Joe Biden because, he said, they were signed via autopen.

The 'Pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen, the President shared on his social media platform Truth Social. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden.

But according to the U.S. Constitution, the President has no such authority to overturn his predecessors pardons, especially not based on the type of signature, legal experts say. The Constitution doesn't even require that the pardon be written, so the idea that the signature is by autopen rather than by handwritten signature seems not relevant to the constitutionality because Article II just says that the President has the power to pardon, says Bernadette Meyler, a Stanford Law School professor and constitutional law expert.

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Autopen is an electronic signature that allows individuals to sign a document without physically being there. The signature mimics a handwritten signature, but is done by a computer. A vast number of statutes and other documents have been signed by autopen, experts say. For instance, former President Barack Obama signed a national security measure via autopen while he was in France. Meyler says that if presidential pardons were to be invalidated because of an autopen signature, that could bring into question other policies that were signed by such measures. When so much is being automated and put online, requiring some literalness in the signature really would be a step backwards," she says.

A 2005 guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) noted that a President does not need to personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law. Rather, the President may sign a bill within the meaning of Article I, Section 7 by directing a subordinate to affix the Presidents signature to such a bill, for example by autopen.

Jeffrey Crouch, a professor at American University, told Axios that pardons are final so long as they are valid.

But aside from criticizing the use of the autopen, Trump also appears to be undermining President Bidens cognitive ability at the time such pardons were issued. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden, Trump wrote on Monday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed this position during a White House briefing on Monday, when she questioned whether Biden knew his signature was on such pardons. When asked if the White House had any evidence to support such a claim, Leavitt responded, You're a reporter, you should find out.

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These concerns were previously flagged by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who called on the DOJ to investigate Bidens actions on March 5. I am demanding the DOJ investigate whether President Bidens cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval, Bailey posted on X.

If Trump were to try to prosecute someone who received a presidential pardon, experts say the case would likely go to courts, where Trumps actions are unlikely to stand. I can't imagine the court saying that it wasn't a valid pardon because of the autopen issue, says Meyler. Biden made statements regarding these pardons, so it would be hard to show that they weren't a decision of the President.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A Texas Senate panel on Monday heard a mix of staunch opposition and measured support for a bill that would require sheriffs to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Sheriffs of Texas counties with more than 100,000 residents would be mandated to request and enter partnerships with ICE  known as 287(g) agreements  under Senate Bill 8, filed by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown.

SB 8  designated a top priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick  would offer some funds for sheriffs of counties with fewer than 1 million residents to partner with ICE for performing limited immigration enforcement but not for the largest Texas counties. Gov. Greg Abbott has also endorsed the idea.

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ICE has three models for 287(g) agreements. Two are for local jails, where officers can be deputized to question inmates about their immigration status or serve administrative warrants. In the field, officers can be permitted to question people about their immigration status through a program the Trump administration has revived after it fell into disuse following allegations it led to racial profiling.

Forty-three Texas law enforcement agencies had 287(g) agreements in place as of early March, all but three of which are for the jail programs, according to ICE.

On Monday, the calculated endorsements of SB 8 came from sheriffs concerned about the strain it could place on their budgets and resources, immigration hardliners who said the bill did not go far enough and at least one representative from a left-leaning advocacy group who said that with modifications it could be legislation the group could let go of their opposition.

Among those who testified before the Senate State Affairs committee was Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne, who also serves as the legislative chair of the Sheriffs Association of Texas.

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Hawthorne said the group supported the bill, but not every member supported making ICE agreements mandatory because many sheriffs already operate under tight budgets and adding more responsibilities costs money.

This could potentially be another budget issue, Hawthorne testified. We think it would be wonderful for the state Legislature to fund the program.

Other sheriffs raised concerns about the staffing impact of sending officers to the ICE training for the program, which means traveling to the East Coast for several weeks. During an exchange about those worries, Schwertner said President Donald Trumps immigration adviser, Tom Homan, is considering shortening the training and holding regional training sessions.

Chris Russo, the president of anti-immigration group Texans for Strong Borders, testified that the 287(g) program is essential to strengthen interior immigration enforcement but that SB 8 should require all Texas law enforcement, not just sheriffs, to enter into the agreements.

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Although we support this bill, the mandate for participation we think should be broadened, Russo said.

Luis Figueroa of Every Texan, a public policy group that advocates for equity, told lawmakers it was problematic to pass costs onto counties and that SB 8 could be strengthened by limiting it to the jail programs and ensuring that any agreements require training. Still, the group was worried about the blurring of jurisdictional lines between local and federal authorities, who have long been solely responsible for immigration enforcement, he said.

Would your organization support the bill with those changes? Schwertner asked Figueroa.

I think we could let it go, Figueroa said. If we could limit this to jails, that would be a very strong improvement to the bill and we'd love to work with you on that.

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Meanwhile, a series of speakers from organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Texas Civil Rights Project blasted the bill as a waste of money and slippery slope into racial profiling.

This is a completely unfunded mandate, said Sarah Cruz of the ACLU of Texas, pointing to Harris County  the states most populous  ending its participation in the program a few years ago after determining money was better spent on bolstering public safety through other initiatives. How much more are we willing to put towards an anti-immigrant agenda than the needs of our communities?

Disclosure: Every Texan 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.
The current FBI headquarters building in Washington, D.C., has been targeted for replacement for years. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

Maryland officials who have fought political and legal battles in their yearslong effort to land the new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt now face a daunting new challenge  geography.

In a speech Friday at the Department of Justice, President Donald Trump (R) said he would stop plans to build the new FBI headquarters in Maryland because its three hours away from the agencys current site at 935 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington.

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In November 2023, the General Services Administration picked Greenbelt in Prince Georges County as the site of the next home for the FBI and its 7,500 employees. The other two choices were in Landover, also in Prince Georges, and Springfield, Virginia.

All three sites are in or on the Capital Beltway. Google Maps show the Greenbelt site to be 10 to 11 miles from the current FBI headquarters as the crow flies, and about 16 miles by car.

They were going to build an FBI headquarters three hours away in Maryland, a liberal state, Trump said. But that has no bearing on what Im about to say. Were going to stop it. Im not going to let that happen.

The distance from the Justice Department, at 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, to Greenbelt is 10.84 miles as the crow flies, or 16.9 miles by car, according to Google Maps. Its a distance of three hours, according to President Donald Trump.

Trump instead called for a new FBI headquarters to be built on its current site, which is in the same block on Pennsylvania Avenue as the Justice Department. The agencies need to be close to work together, a lesson Trump said he learned during his persecution by the two, which in my case worked together for bad purposes.

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The FBI comments came during an hourlong speech, during which Trump accused the administration of former President Joe Biden (D) of using the Justice Department to go after him and his supporters.

While it may have been an aside, Maryland officials took Trumps comments seriously.

The state remains locked in a battle with Virginia representatives, who continue to charge that the process to select the Maryland site was flawed, especially after a federal inspector generals report released last month found fault with the process. However, the report never stated there was a problem with the Greenbelt site.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) and all the Democrats in the states congressional delegation  Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen and Reps. Steny Hoyer, Glenn Ivey, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney and Johnny Olszewski Jr.  said in a joint statement that they plan to keep fighting for the project.

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The FBI needs a new headquarters that meets its mission. The GSA selected Greenbelt for the new, consolidated FBI headquarters based on the fact that it is the best site and it offers the lowest price and the best value to the taxpayers, their statement said.

Whats more, it ensures that the FBI can move to a facility that will finally meet its mission and security needs as soon as possible. We will continue working to bring the headquarters to Maryland, following the final decision that was made to do so in 2023.

Moore, in a separate social media post, said that moving the FBI project out of Maryland is a reckless move that endangers our national security.

The Maryland House on Friday voted 100-36 for House Bill 1078, which would require that the governor include $200 million annually in the stater budget for site redevelopment and to improve transportation infrastructure for the Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters relocation project. The measure was sponsored by Prince Georges Democratic Dels. Nicole Williams, Anne Healey and Ashanti Martinez, whose district includes the Greenbelt site.

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The districts senator, Sen. Alonzo Washington (D), sponsored a companion Senate version of the bill that was referred to that chambers Rules Committee last month.

House Majority Whip Jazz Lewis (D-Prince Georges) said Friday that Trump doesnt have the authority to just stop a project because he says so. Lewis said the federal Administrative Procedure Act would be the main reason to make a change on a project thats based on national security.

When he [Trump] made his announcement, he said what his reasons were. He said he did not want the FBI going to Maryland, a liberal state three hours away, Lewis said Friday evening, after the House floor session in Annapolis.

He doesnt know geography, for one, because Greenbelt is 15 minutes outside the city. Besides the point, his policy change is for partisan reasons, not national security, Lewis said.

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@marylandmatters.org.
Donald Trump chose to threaten Iran Monday morning, warning the country the consequences will be dire if the Houthi movement in Yemen continues its attacks.

Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN. Any further attack or retaliation by the Houthis will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there, Trump said in a long, rambling post on Truth Social.

Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire! Trumps post continued, with the president uncharacteristically signing off with DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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Trumps saber-rattling comes after he ordered airstrikes on Houthi areas on Saturday following the Houthi movements announcement that it would attack Israeli-linked ships passing through the Red Sea on their way to the Suez Canal. That threat came in response to Israel blocking all aid from entering Gaza for more than two weeks.

The Trump administration said that the airstrikes killed multiple Houthi leaders. The deputy head of the Houthi media office, Nasruddin Amer, said that they would retaliate against the U.S. and continue their support for Gaza.

Our position is clear and our demand is simple: lifting the siege on Gaza and saving the people of Gaza from starvation, Amer posted on social media.

Trumps threats toward Iran come two weeks after he sent a letter to Irans leaders offering a path to restart negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program. Trump infamously abandoned the 2018 landmark nuclear deal reached between the U.S., Iran, and five other countries during his first term. Mondays threats will undermine any prospect for talks between the U.S. and Iran, if Trump was even serious about them in the first place, and further increase tensions in an already unstable Middle East.


The Scoop

The Trump administration is considering recognizing Ukraines Crimea region as Russian territory as part of any future agreement to end Moscows war on Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Administration officials have also discussed the possibility of having the US urge the United Nations to do the same, according to both people. Such a request would align the Trump administration with the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long seen Crimea as his nations territory.

The administrations previously unreported openness to those options comes as Trump prepares for a Tuesday call with Putin, with a potential 30-day ceasefire deal on the table. Trump told reporters Sunday evening aboard Air Force One that negotiators had already discussed dividing up certain assets.

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Trump has not formally made any decisions, and the possible Crimea moves are two of a multitude of options being floated as his administration pushes for an end to the war.

The White House declined to comment. In a statement to Semafor after publication of this story, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said that the administration has made no such commitments and we will not negotiate this deal through the media.

Just two weeks ago, both Ukraine and Russia were miles apart on a ceasefire agreement, and we are now closer to a deal thanks to the leadership of President Trump. The goal remains the same: stop the killing and find a peaceful resolution to this conflict, Hughes added.

Know More

Trump administration officials have talked openly about the need for Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia in order to bring the three-year war to an end, and the president himself has said in the past that hes willing to consider Crimea to be part of Russia. But since Trump took office, his advisers havent publicly divulged many specifics about what they might offer to Putin.

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Ukrainians have suffered greatly and their people have suffered greatly, and its hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last week. But thats the only way this is going to end to prevent more suffering.

A push by the US to formally recognize Crimea  which Russia invaded and illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014  as Russian land would likely draw tremendous pushback from Europe as well as from Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly resisted territorial concessions. The US, Ukraine, and much of the international community have recognized Crimea as Ukrainian, despite Russias occupation of the peninsula.

At the same time, security experts have serious doubts about Ukrainian forces ability to retake Crimea through military means. Even Zelenskyy acknowledged last year that the territory could only be restored to Ukraine through diplomacy, something Russia is unlikely to agree to.

Trump first floated the prospect of recognizing Crimea as Russian territory years before Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While running for president in 2016  and subsequently, during his first term  the president repeatedly said hed look at whether the US would move to recognize it.

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The people of Crimea, from what Ive heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were, Trump said during a 2018 interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos. And you have to look at that, also.

Notable

During the presidential campaign, Trump privately said he could end Russias war in Ukraine by pressuring Ukraine to give up some territory , The Washington Post reported last April.

National security advisor Mike Waltz suggested Sunday that its unrealistic for Ukraine to get all of its territory back from Russia: Are we going to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea?

The Trump administration is withdrawing the US from a multinational group investigating those responsible for the Ukraine invasion, The New York Times reported.




The president stood amid the admiring throngs and declared victory.

We have gathered here to congratulate ourselves because  in relations with the United States, with its government  dialogue and respect have prevailed, President Claudia Sheinbaum told the adoring multitudes gathered in the capitals historic central plaza, or Zocalo, in a mega-event organized by her ruling party.

Sheinbaums triumphalist exhortations on March 9 dramatized how she has, to date, successfully walked an extremely precarious tight rope: Appeasing President Trump and postponing enactment of most of his threatened tariffs, while also convincing fellow Mexicans that she wont jettison national sovereignty to avert import duties that could throw the already shaky economy into recession.

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"We will always place respect for our beloved country and our blessed nation above all," Sheinbaum said.

Her scrupulously calibrated responses  she repeatedly stresses the need to keep a cool head on tariff talks  have earned Sheinbaum a reputation as a kind of Trump whisperer, a rare national leader who seems to have figured out how to play the mercurial New Yorker. Her eleventh hour telephone calls with Trump have twice helped stall the imposition of new tariffs.

Thousands of supporters attend a rally as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks at the Zocalo in Mexico City on March 9. The rally was held after President Trump paused suspending tariffs on Mexico a few days earlier. (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Many Mexicans applaud Sheinbaum's handling of a delicate predicament.

It's difficult when you have to negotiate the economic future of your country with someone like Trump, who says one thing today, something else tomorrow," said Laura Mendoza, 36, who runs a shop in the capital selling nutritional goods. She's facing a lot of challenges. We have to give her time. This country's many problems won't be solved in a few months."

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The U.S. president himself has lauded Sheinbaum as a marvelous woman, a stark contrast to his habitual disparagement of other world leaders, notably former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Unlike Trudeau, who blasted Trump and called his import taxes a "dumb idea," Sheinbaum has kept the tone of her public comments direct, but civil, even as Trump denounced an "intolerable alliance" between her government and organized crime. She also has taken action.

Sheinbaum has dispatched troops to the northern border to deter illegal immigration and launched a law-enforcement crackdown that has seen surging arrests of alleged drug kingpins, near-daily takedowns of drug labs and record seizures of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid blamed for tens of thousands of U.S. overdose deaths.

Her administration even handed over 29 purported drug cartel leaders to Washington in a fast-track process that bypassed formal extradition procedures.

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Consigned to the rearview mirror, it would seem, is the "hugs not bullets" approach of her predecessor and mentor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who eschewed direct confrontations with cartels in favor of funding social programs in a mostly futile effort to deter vulnerable youth from joining organized crime  which is among Mexico's largest employers.

Thus far, U.S. law enforcement authorities  who had a strained relationship with President Lopez Obrador  have mostly praised Sheinbaum's cooperation in sometimes touchy operations, including stepped-up secret CIA drone flights over Mexico in apparent search of illicit drug labs.

Apart from racking up international plaudits, Mexico's first woman president appears genuinely popular among many, if not most, Mexicans, despite the inevitable complaints about the countrys seemingly intractable problems  rampant crime, rising prices, deeply ingrained corruption.

Polls have shown Sheinbaum, who took office Oct. 1, with extraordinary approval ratings topping 70%.

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Read more: Dont mess with Mexicos maiz: Constitutional amendment to ban GMO corn seeds

Still, some wonder how much of her popularity is on shaky ground, a potentially short-lived holdover from the enduring affection for Lopez Obrador, who showered aid on needy Mexicans. It was a strategy that, while aiding long-neglected poor and working-class masses and building grassroots political support, has, in the view of critics, hiked deficits and left the country in a parlous economic predicament.

Although the cool head that has bought her time against the threats of Trump is laudable  the sword of Damocles that Trumpism brandishes over our neck has not disappeared, columnist Denise Dresser wrote in Mexicos Reforma newspaper. Behind [Sheinbaums] personal popularity and her party acclaim there are inescapable realities, Dresser continued, citing the countrys economic difficulties and deep divisions about a Sheinbaum-backed judicial reform package that detractors view as a radical step toward one-party hegemony.

In the eyes of many, Sheinbaums sanguine assertions that Mexico will bypass a tariff calamity seem somewhat premature, like the praises she has received worldwide as a leader who knows how to handle Trump.

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"The president says she is confident there will be no more tariffs, but that is an act of faith," wrote columnist Raymundo Riva Palacio in El Financiero. "Trump is indecipherable, even for those closest to him."

To date, skeptics note, Sheinbaum has won no guarantees from the Trump administration, beyond putting off the threat of 25% import taxes on most merchandise shipped to the United States, the destination of more than 80% of Mexicos exports. Nor did Trump exempt Mexico from tariffs on steel and aluminum imports imposed on Wednesday.

Those levies appear to blow a hole in the intricate architecture of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the duty-free trade accord negotiated by the first Trump administration as a "wonderful" (Trump's word) successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump labeled "the worst trade deal ever made."

Unlike Canada, Mexico decided not to impose retaliatory levies on U.S. imports in response to the metal tariffs, preferring to wait until the next tariff deadline, April 2.

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The March 9 downtown rally was originally intended as a forum to unveil slap-back tariffs against U.S. imports, a show of muscle by Mexico. Although Trump paused the tariffs, Sheinbaum opted to go ahead with the rally, calling it a "party."

"What did the president celebrate?" asked Riva Palacio. "A new pause, which doesn't cancel the threat."

Sheinbaum, a former mayor of Mexico City, was the handpicked successor of Lopez Obrador, founder of the Morena party that now dominates Mexican politics. Both are lifelong activists of the left. And both once denounced free-trade as a racket to benefit the rich.

A historical snapshot of Sheinbaum  then a young scientist doing doctoral work at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California  shows her with fellow Mexican students protesting the presence at Stanford of former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, an avid free-trader. The youthful Sheinbum, hair in a headband, defiantly brandishes a placard declaring (in English): "Fair Trade and Democracy Now!!"

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But both Lopez Obrador and Sheinbaum  the old-school, back-slapping pol and the steely, U.S.-educated technocrat  ultimately embraced U.S.-Mexico commerce. And both put ideology aside and turned pragmatic in their machinations to placate Trump, despite his long history of demeaning Mexico and Mexican immigrants.

Read more: California farm groups look to stabilize workforce amid crackdown on illegal immigration

But Sheinbaum also isn't shy about talking back to the Trump administration. When Trump declared that the Gulf of Mexico should be called the Gulf of America, she sarcastically suggested that the United States be renamed Mexican America," citing colonial-era maps with that title.

That sounds beautiful, no? she quipped.

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When asked Friday about recent comments from Ronald Johnson, a former military officer nominated as U.S. ambassador to Mexico, that everything is on the table when it comes to curtailing drug cartels, Sheinbaum scoffed.

She and other officials are deeply concerned about the prospect of unilateral U.S. military strikes against Mexican drug cartels  an idea that Trump has long seemed to embrace.

Even more than tariffs, a U.S. military attack on Mexican soil would likely test Sheinbaum's cool-headed approach.

"We don't agree," Sheinbaum responded when asked about Johnson's militaristic musings. "He said everything is on the table. That's not on the table. Nor on the chair. Nor on the floor. Nor anywhere."

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Special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez Vidal contributed to this report.



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Donald Trump is willing to impose more sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin tomorrow does not go well, the White House has said.

Its something the president has floated, and certainly hes willing to do if necessary, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters.

Ms Leavitt said however that peace in Ukraine was closer than ever before.

We are on the 10th-yard line of peace and weve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment.

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The president is determined to get one done, she added.

Donald Trump said on Sunday that US negotiators had already identified issues to be discussed before the phone call with the Russian leader.

Well be talking about land, he said. A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war Were already talking about that  dividing up certain assets.

Russia has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over Crimea, which it invaded in 2014, and four Ukrainian provinces: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine has insisted it will not give up land not currently occupied by Russian forces nor recognise the annexed territories as Russian.

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The US president also said he would be talking about power plants in what was understood to be a reference to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since 2022.

Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity. It has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russias attacks on energy infrastructure.

Follow the latest developments here

07:08 PM GMT

Todays live coverage has ended

Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a roundup of the days events:

Donald Trump is considering recognising Crimea as Russian territory as part of a peace deal, according to a report

Russia said it has pierced through Ukrainian lines near the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia

The White House said that a peace deal in Ukraine is closer than ever.

Ukraine could be open to the relaxation of Western sanctions on Russia if it leads to a secure and just peace, Kyivs top sanctions official has said.

Donald Trump would be willing to impose more sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin tomorrow does not go well, the White House has said.

07:08 PM GMT

Pictured: Trump raises fist after arriving in Maryland

Donald Trump raises his fist upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Mar 17 - BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP

06:55 PM GMT

Trump considering recognising Crimea as Russian

Donald Trump is considering recognising Crimea as Russian territory as part of a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, according to a report.

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White House officials have also discussed urging the UN to do the same, US news website Semafor reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

The US president is set to hold a phone call with Vladimir Putin tomorrow, and said on Sunday that negotiators had already discussed dividing up certain assets.

The Trump administration has openly talked about the need for Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia, but has not publicly divulged specifics about which areas could be turned over to the Kremlin.

06:14 PM GMT

Russia pierces front line in eastern Ukraine

Russia said it has pierced through Ukrainian lines near the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia and that it was advancing across southern Ukraine.

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Russian forces took the village of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia, according to a statement by the Kremlins defence ministry.

Yuri Podolyaka, one of Russias most influential military bloggers, said Russian forces had also taken the nearby village of Maly Shcherbaky.

Our units have broken through the first line of defence in the Zaporizhzhia direction, he said.

The fresh advance came a day before Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were due to speak on the phone on Tuesday for the first time since the US and Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

Ukraine has been making modest gains in the east in recent weeks but has been forced into a retreat in the Russian region of Kursk.

05:45 PM GMT

White House: Peace in Ukraine is closer than ever

The White House has said that a peace deal in Ukraine is closer than ever.

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Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said, we are on the 10th yard line of peace and weve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment.

The president is determined to get one done, she added.

Ms Leavitt also suggested that Donald Trump would consider putting sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin does not go well tomorrow.

Its something the president has floated, and certainly hes willing to do if necessary, she said.

05:32 PM GMT

Russian spies set fire to Ikea because colours are same as Ukraine flag

Russian agents set fire to a huge Ikea store because the colours are same as Ukraine flag, Lithuanian prosecutors have alleged.

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The Kremlins military intelligence has been accused of orchestrating an arson attack on the shop in Vilnius in May 2024, which will now be tried as an act of terror.

The fire broke out in the store in Lithuanias capital three days before a shopping centre in neighbouring Poland went up in flames.

Authorities there said they suspected it may have been part of a growing Russian sabotage campaign, noting that the Swedish flat-pack furniture chain used the same colours as the Ukrainian flag.

You can read the full story here.

05:16 PM GMT

Italy and Spain not ready to back EUs plan to boost Ukraine aid

Italy and Spain have made clear they are not ready to back a European Union proposal to pledge up to 40 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine this year.

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The proposal, made by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, would effectively double the blocs support for Kyiv after 20 billion euros were given last year.

Italian and Spanish ministers said it was too early to take a definitive position on the proposal. France has also raised questions about the plan, diplomats said.

Jose Manuel Albares, Spains foreign minister, said: Well see how the debate goes, but at this point theres no decision on it.

Antonio Tajani, Italys foreign minister, said the proposal should be discussed after the phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin set to take place tomorrow.

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We are waiting for the Trump-Putin telephone call to see if there will be any steps forward in order to reach a ceasefire, he said.

04:47 PM GMT

Pictured: Russian soldier raises flag in Kursk

A Russian soldier prepares to raise a flag of his unit atop a house in Staraya Sorochina village in Sudzha district in the Kursk region of Russia - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

04:42 PM GMT

Ukraine could be open to relaxing Russia sanctions as part of peace deal

Ukraine could be open to the relaxation of Western sanctions on Russia if it leads to a secure and just peace, Kyivs top sanctions official has said.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Volodymyr Zelenskys commissioner for sanctions policy, told Politico it was simply a matter of time before countries begin easing economic restrictions on Russia, but that this must happen under the right conditions.

He said sanctions should not be a punishment of any kind. Instead, they should have a clear objective, which might be pushing Russia to stop its aggression and to make them make a deal on lasting peace.

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If Russia at some point will come back to more or less normal politics toward its partners and neighbours, most importantly, I dont think that they should be excluded from competitive markets, Mr Vlasiuk added.

03:31 PM GMT

Watch: Russian drones hunt retreating Ukrainian vehicles

Footage shows Russian drones hunting Ukrainian vehicles retreating from Kursk along the R200 highway.

Videos posted on social media show numerous destroyed cars and vans littering the road, which connects Sudzha in Kursk with Sumy in Ukraine.

Credit: Telegram/@Brigada83

03:13 PM GMT

Canada must boost ties with reliable France, Carney says in apparent jibe at Trump

Canada must boost ties with reliable partners like France and the EU, Mark Carney, the new Canadian prime minister, said in an apparent dig at Donald Trump.

With Canadas economy facing crippling US tariffs and Mr Trump continuing to claim he wants to annex his neighbour, Mr Carney said his country and France respected other countries sovereignty and security.

It is more important than ever for Canada to reinforce its ties with reliable allies like France, he said during a joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on his first trip abroad since becoming prime minister on Friday.

I want to ensure that France and the whole of Europe works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries, determined like you to maintain the most positive possible relations with the United States, said Mr Carney.

We both stand for sovereignty and security, demonstrated by our unwavering support for Ukraine under your leadership, the Canadian leader said, two days after both leaders took part in a Saturday morning video conference of countries backing Ukraine organised by Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Macron said that France and Canada were both peaceful powers who would carry on supporting Kyiv and continue to demand clear commitments from Russia towards implementing lasting peace in Ukraine and ensuring the security of the whole of Europe.

After Paris, Mr Carney heads for London, where he once worked as governor of the Bank of England, for talks with Starmer and King Charles.

03:04 PM GMT

Canadian PM invites Zelensky to G7 summit

Canadas prime minister has invited Volodymyr Zelensky to the G7 summit in June, which will be held in Alberta.

Mark Carney, who took office after winning the Liberal Party leadership election this month, invited Mr Zelensky during a conversation with the Ukrainian leader at the weekend, a Canadian government official told the AFP news agency.

Mr Carney said Mr Zelensky had updated me on Ukraines defence and global efforts to secure peace.

Canada strongly supports Ukraines fight for freedom against Russian aggression. Lasting peace in Ukraine means security for us all, he added.

02:51 PM GMT

Pictured: Putin meets president of Tajikistan in Moscow

Vladimir Putin is pictured shaking hands with Emomali Rahmon, Tajikistans president, during a meeting in Moscow.

Russian state media said the two leaders had approved a strategic military partnership and that relations between Russia and Tajikistan were truly allied in nature.

It added that Putin and Mr Rahmon held a video call with the presidents of Belarus and Azerbaijan in which the four leaders agreed to meet in Moscow on May 9 for victory day celebrations, when Russia will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Emomali Rahmon, the president of Tajikistan, during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Mar 17 - YURI KOCHETKOV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Shutterstock

02:10 PM GMT

Downing Street: 30 countries to be involved in coalition of the willing

More than 30 countries could be involved in defending a future peace deal in Ukraine, Downing Street has said.

The plan, led by Britain and France, would see peacekeeping troops deployed from each nation to enforce a future ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Each country would have different capabilities, a No10 spokesman said today.

But this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops and a larger group contributing in other ways, he said.

Were expecting more than 30 countries to be involved.

The US will not send any peacekeepers but the UK says the plan hinges on American support, possibly in the form of air cover.

01:43 PM GMT

Sumy residents tense amid fears of fresh assault

Residents in Sumy, northern Ukraine, are feeling tense after Volodymyr Zelensky revealed Russian troops were amassing at the border.

The situation is really tense, Liza Sherstyuk, an aid worker in the region, told the Telegraph. The enemy forces are right on the border of our region...we are constantly asking people if they want to leave, but as of now, nobody does.

A destroyed Ukrainian T-64BV tank is seen at an area in the Kursk region of Russia after it was taken over by Russian troops - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

01:04 PM GMT

Trump says he will speak to Putin on Tuesday

Donald Trump has said he will speak to Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine on Tuesday and that discussions are already ongoing about dividing up certain assets between the warring parties.

US officials expressed optimism on Sunday that a ceasefire deal could be reached within weeks.

Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One: I think well be talking about land... well be talking about power plants.

I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

The US president is likely referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe and has been under Russian occupation since 2022.

Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity.

Moscow also claims full sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions - Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia - none of which is completely controlled by Russian troops.

12:30 PM GMT

Your views...

12:00 PM GMT

Zelensky holds first call with new Canadian PM

Volodymyr Zelensky has held his first call with Mark Carney, the new prime minister of Canada.

The two leaders discussed how to pile pressure on Russia to end the war, according to a readout from the Ukrainian president.

The Prime Minister made the right points about how we need to step up pressure on Moscow. The shadow fleet, the banking sector, Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

We must impose all-out sanctions on everything that provides Russia with funding for its war. Only then can we force Putin to a just and lasting peace.

I spoke with Canada's Prime Minister @MarkJCarney. It was a good and substantive conversation covering many important topics.



I congratulated him on his assumption of office and thanked Canada for its assistance, particularly for the defense packages and support of our energy pic.twitter.com/53MKpd1ypm  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 16, 2025

11:39 AM GMT

Rubio asked Hungary not to block EU sanctions

Hungary reportedly dropped its opposition to extending EU sanctions against Russia following pressure from Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.

Budapest had initially planned to veto a sanctions renewal, citing Donald Trumps return to the White House.

Mr Rubio reportedly urged Peter Szijjarto to avoid undermining the EU sanctions system, Politico reported.

10:49 AM GMT

Kremlin confirms Trump-Putin phone call

The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will speak on the phone tomorrow.

Mr Trump had said earlier that he planned to speak to Putin on Tuesday and discuss ending the war in Ukraine after what he said had been positive talks between Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, and Putin in Moscow.

Asked about the planned call, a Kremlin spokesman said: Yes, thats how it is. Such a conversation is planned for Tuesday.

10:34 AM GMT

PM cannot dodge the hard questions over Ukraine

The Prime Minister says he will send British soldiers to Ukraine, on a mission that may require them to fight Russian troops, risking confrontation with a nuclear power unlike anything we experienced in the Cold War.

Yet Keir Starmer has been asked few questions about his policy.

The PM says planning for the coalition of the willing is entering the operational phase, when military commanders work out the logistics of deployment. But Ukraine remains a war zone.

The Russian constitution now declares Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia parts of Russia, but Ukraine still controls territory in the last four.

If the war continues, or Putin accepts a truce and then resumes fighting, what is the plan?

09:55 AM GMT

Pictured: Firefighters tackle blaze in Kharkiv

Firefighters put out the fire at a storehouse following a Russian attack in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv - Ukrainian Emergency Service

Russia regularly attacks storehouses in eastern Ukraine - Ukrainian Emergency Service

09:14 AM GMT

Russia claims village in Zaporizhzhia region

Russian forces have taken the village of Stepove, in Ukraines Zaporizhzhia region, according to a statement by the countrys defence ministry.

09:03 AM GMT

Protests against pro-Russian leaders sweep Eastern Europe

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Budapest, Belgrade and Bucharest on Saturday for separate pro-Europe and anti-Russia protests.

At least 50,000 people marched in Hungary to demand an end to Viktor Orbans 15-year rule, while Serbia saw its largest anti-government rally in recent history and thousands in Romania demonstrated in support of the European Union.

In Budapest, Hungarians came out in force against Mr Orban, considered Vladimir Putins closest ally among EU leaders, in favour of the surging pro-Europe opposition Tisza Party, led by Peter Magyar.

08:30 AM GMT

Ukrainian soldier says Kursk withdrawal was catastrophic

UOne soldier told the BBC there was panic and collapse on the frontline in Sudzha, the small but strategically important town in Kursk that Ukraine had been clinging on to.

He told the BBC it was impossible to leave the region during the day given the sheer number of drones flying above.

The movement of men, logistics and equipment had relied on one road, which by March 9 had come under intense fire by Russian forces.

In one minute you can see two to three drones. Thats a lot, he said.

We have all the logistics here on one Sudzha-Sumy highway. And everyone knew that the [Russians] would try to cut it. But this again came as a surprise to our command.

Another soldier said he almost died several time, describing the withdrawl as catastrophic.

08:13 AM GMT

In pictures: Ukrainian soldier treated near Pokrovsk

Medics of the 3rd Operational Assignment Spartan Brigade treat wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a medical stabilization point near the frontline in Pokrovsk - Anadolu

Ukrainian soldiers have been pushing back Russian forces in Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine - Anadolu

07:40 AM GMT

Russia does not want peace, says EUs top diplomat

Conditions demanded by Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine show Moscow does not really want peace, the European Unions foreign policy chief has said.

Those conditions that they have presented - it shows that they dont really want peace, actually, because they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war, Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels.

07:18 AM GMT

Decoding Trumps comments on power plants, assets and land

Donald Trump said he would speak with Vladimir Putin about power plants, assets, and land as part of any ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

The US president is likely referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe and has been under Russian occupation since 2022.

Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity. It has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russias attacks on energy infrastructure.

As for land, Russia has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over Crimea, which it invaded in 2014, and four Ukrainian provinces: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

Russian forces do not occupy the entirety of any of those four provinces, which were annexed illegally by Moscow in 2022.

Ukraine has insisted it will not give up land not currently occupied by Russian forces nor recognise the annexed territories as Russian.

06:51 AM GMT

Rubio: We must stop the shooting before securing real peace

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has said there are two phases to ending the war in Ukraine: implementing a ceasefire and then negotiating a long-term settlement

This is a complex, three-year war thats been ongoing along a very long military front, with a lot of complexity to it, Mr Rubio told CBS News.

So no ones claiming that its easy, but I want everyone to understand, heres the plan. Plan A is, get the shooting to stop so that we can move to Plan B, phase two, which is have everybody at a table, maybe with some shuttle diplomacy, to figure out a way to permanently end this war in a way thats enduring and it respects everybodys needs and so forth.

No one is saying that that second part is easy, but we cant get even to that second part until we get past the first part.

06:36 AM GMT

Drone attack bombards Kyiv

Russia hit Kyiv with a drone attack overnight, Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of the capital said early on Monday.

Mr Klitschko said that Ukrainian air defence units were trying to repel the attack.

Reuters reported that witnesses heard blasts in parts of the city in what sounded like air defence systems in operation.

05:56 AM GMT

Russia demands Ukraines Nato exclusion as part of peace deal

Russia will seek to exclude Ukraine from Nato membership as part of its ironclad guarantees for a peace deal, according to the countrys deputy foreign minister.

In an interview published on Monday with the Russian outlet Izvestia, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that any long-lasting peace treaty with Ukraine must meet Moscows demands.

We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement, Mr Grushko told the outlet.

Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance.

Alexander Grushko - AFP

Read the full story here

05:45 AM GMT

Trump plans to talk to Putin on Tuesday

Donald Trump plans to talk to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in the hope that the Russian leader will agree to a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday, he told reporters while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening.

I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.

05:41 AM GMT

Welcome

We will be bringing you the latest news out of Ukraine-Russia today.

In breaking news this morning, Donald Trump has said he will speak to Putin on Tuesday as he pushes to end the 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.
Why is it so quiet?

We should all be standing on tables and shouting into bullhorns about all the antisemitism thats been popping up lately.

That starts with Donald Trump.

A couple of Trumps pals, Joe Rogan and Ye, have taken steps to normalize hate speech aimed at Jewish people in recent weeks.

Ye, the pop entertainer formerly known as Kanye West, wore a Swastika T-shirt in Los Angeles late last month. It came just a few weeks after he ran a Super Bowl ad that took viewers to his website, which was selling the rags for $20 each.

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Rogan, the wildly popular everyday Joe podcaster, this month has had a couple of Holocaust deniers on his show, Ian Carroll and Darryl Cooper. (Jewish advocacy groups say that Carroll and Cooper downplay the Holocaust; to me, minimizing such an atrocity is the same as pretending its a hoax.)

This is ridiculous.

Isn't Donald Trump pro-Israel?

Its one thing for me, a Black opinion journalist in Arizona, to call out racism in any form or for Jewish nonprofit groups and politicians to issue statements about the dangers of hate speech, but where are all the people with real power? Especially those who benefit from this stuff?

Donald Trump had Ye in the Oval Office to talk about prison reform back in 2018. Ye, wearing a MAGA hat, then shucked, jived, stepped in, fetched it and coon-ed his way into the presidents heart as the two hugged at the Resolute Desk.

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Why hasnt Trump said anything about this? Isnt Trump a big-time pro-Israel guy?

Rogan had Trump on his show, The Joe Rogan Experience, for about three hours in late October, an appearance that several political commentators and Democratic strategists have said was key to Trump defeating Kamala Harris.

Rogan went as far as to endorse Trump just days before the election.

Rogan and Ye are as big as they come

If youre curious about the potential impact, Ye is one of the most successful music artists of all time with 24 Grammy Awards and about 160 million records sold worldwide. His albums were the soundtrack of the Xennial Generation the same way that Elvis Presleys tunes were for Boomers.

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Opinion: If Trump is falling, give him a push

Rogan, meanwhile, owns the new media space. His show has 14.5 million followers on Spotify, nearly 20 million subscribers on YouTube and almost 20 million followers on Instagram. Hes seen as the key to reaching a young white male audience.

As Trump might say, these guys are uuuge.

But Trump isnt saying anything, perhaps for the first time in his life.

I can almost hear the far-right wing of the Republican Party pounding their keyboards to send me angry emails, calling me an opponent of free speech.

Im not. Not even slightly.

Free speech is essential to a free press, and a free press is essential to a functioning democracy.

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Guys like Carroll and Cooper should have all the freedom to say whatever they want, even if they use that freedom to blame Jews for everything they can think of thats wrong with the world.

Ye should have all the freedom he wants to be a hateful bigot.

Rogan should have all the freedom he wants to interview hateful bigots.

We then should have all the freedom we want, and information we need, to shout them down, ignore the content they produce and pressure companies they work with into cutting ties with them. (Also, theres a difference between a journalist or interviewer challenging a public figure for problematic viewpoints and giving these influencers a massive platform to espouse hate and conspiracy theories. Rogan seems to have no sense of where that line is, nor does he seem to care.)

Doesn't Donald Trump think antisemitism is wrong?

But keeping to my point, Im not hearing any of that pushback from the people who count or from the person who counts the most, Donald Trump. And thats my biggest problem.

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That and the reality that I wonder if this isnt an intentional distraction form the dismantling of the Department of Education or the ongoing attempt to gut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Regardless, why is it so quiet with all the antisemitism in the air?

If hatemongers can go after one group, they can go after another. How long before its yours?

As a Black man, I dont want to see Confederate flags on T-shirts, hats or bumper stickers. So, it would be morally and intellectually hypocritical if I didnt take the same stance in defense of others.

I feel a moral obligation to say  loudly  that antisemitism is wrong.

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I just wish Donald Trump felt the same way.

Reach Moore at gmoore@azcentral.com or 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Joe Rogan, Kanye normalize antisemitism. Where is Trump? | Opinion
On his way out the door in January, then-President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned five of his own relatives, along with several former federal officials and the members of the House select committee that investigated the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Or did he?

According to President Donald Trump, those pardons did not really happen. "The 'Pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen," Trump wrote on Truth Social late Sunday night. "In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!"

Contrary to what Trump seems to think, presidents have no authority to override their predecessors' acts of clemency, and the use of an autopen does not render presidential pardons invalid. In other words, Trump's social media rant cannot undo what Biden did, allowing the criminal investigations that the pardons were aimed at blocking. But it does suggest that Trump, despite his intermittent attempts to assure us that he won't use his presidential powers to punish his political opponents in the guise of criminal justice, would like very much to do exactly that.

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Biden's nakedly self-interested pardons, which he said were necessary to protect his relatives and allies from legally baseless, politically motivated investigations by the incoming Trump administration, lent credence to vague claims that the pardon recipients had committed crimes. They also set a dangerous precedent by inviting future presidents to shield their underlings from accountability for breaking the law. They nevertheless fell within Biden's broad constitutional authority to "grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."

Is Trump right that pardons are valid only if they carry the president's manual signature? Not according to the Constitution, which imposes no such requirement.

"Absent a constitutional constraint, the President's ability to commute a sentence is not subject to any further formal limits or requirements," the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit noted last year in Rosemond v. Hudgins, which involved a prisoner who claimed that Trump's remarks during a telephone call qualified as a commutation. That principle, the appeals court said, "resolves the matter of whether a writing is required as part of the President's exercise of the clemency power. The answer is undoubtedly no."

If "a writing" is not required to make a pardon valid, it follows that a manual signature is not required either. The whole debate about exactly which documents Biden may have signed with an autopen is therefore beside the point.

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When a president signs legislation, the process is much more constrained than when he grants clemency, since it involves another branch of government and a constitutionally specified procedure. But even in this context, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel advised in 2002, a manual signature is not required.

"The Constitution provides that a 'Bill' that has passed both Houses of Congress becomes law when the President, having 'approved,' 'shall sign it,'" Principal Deputy Attorney General M. Edward Whelan III noted in a two-page memo to Alberto Gonzales, George W. Bush's second attorney general. "You have asked whether the President will have 'sign[ed]' H.J. Res. 174 when a White House aide, acting at the President's specific direction, affixes the President's signature to H.J. Res. 174. For the reasons that we briefly outline here, we conclude that the answer is yes."

Just as the requirement that the president indicate his disapproval of a bill by "return[ing] it" to "that House in which it shall have originated" does not mean he has to "personally deliver the rejected bill to Congress," Whelan wrote, "we do not believe that the requirement that the president 'sign' a bill in order to manifest his approval of it requires that he personally put pen to paper." Rather, Whelan said, "the word 'sign' is expansive enough to include the meaning of 'cause the bill to bear the President's signature.'"

Three years later, the Office of Legal Counsel reaffirmed that position in a 30-page memo based on a much more detailed analysis. "We conclude that the President need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law," Deputy Assistant Attorney General Howard C. Nielson Jr. wrote. "Rather, the President may sign a bill within the meaning of Article I, Section 7 by directing a subordinate to affix the President's signature to such a bill, for example by autopen."

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After Trump's post about Biden's pardons, a reporter asked him whether he thought the use of an autopen would invalidate other presidential actions by Biden. "It's not my decision," Trump replied. "That would be up to a court. But I would say that they're null and void, because I'm sure that Biden didn't have any idea that it was taking place."

Trump thus seemed to retreat from the claim that he could unilaterally and retroactively "declare" that Biden's decisions are "VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT." And as in his Truth Social post, he conflated the use of an autopen with the question of whether Biden actually approved the pardons.

"The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden," Trump averred on Truth Social. "He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime."

By January 20, according to Trump, Biden was a doddering old man who was so out of it that he did not even understand what was being done in his name. If so, the autopen is a red herring, since Biden's underlings could have simply presented the pardons to him and told him to sign them. But by the same logic, Biden's cognitive decline would cast doubt on the validity of pretty much everything he ostensibly did toward the end of his term.

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If Biden was not responsible for the pardons, who was? Trump thinks the members of the January 6 committee "were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!"

Trump wants to have it both ways. Biden was "crooked," which implies deliberate misconduct. But he also was so senile that he had no idea what was going on, which absolves him of responsibility for the pardons and, presumably, many of the other things that made him "the Worst President in the History of our Country."

The idea that the pardons were instigated by the legislators who investigated the Capitol riot is inconsistent with their publicly voiced concerns about the implications of the clemency that Biden ultimately granted. "As soon as you take a pardon, it looks like you are guilty of something," former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (RIll.) noted two weeks before the pardons. "I am guilty of nothing besides bringing the truth to the American people and, in the process, embarrassing Donald Trump, because, for 187 minutes [during the riot], he sat there and did absolutely nothing and showed how weak and scared he truly was. So, no, I don't want it."

Rep. Adam Schiff (DCalif.), now a senator, took a similar position. "I've been very public about my point of view, which is that it would be the wrong precedent to set," he said. "I don't want to see each president hereafter on their way out the door giving a broad category of pardons to members of their administration.We're all enormously proud of the work that we did. We stand by it. We feel we have the protection of the Speech [or] Debate Cause. My own feeling is, let's just avoid this kind of broad precedent.I'm urging that [Biden] not go down that road."

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Meanwhile, according to Trump, Schiff et al. were working behind the scenes to arrange the pardons they claimed they did not wantpardons that Biden was not otherwise inclined to grant and did not even realize he had granted. And the upshot, Trump says, is that the committee members "should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level."

Investigation for what, exactly? Trump reiterated his demonstrably false claim that the committee members "destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me." Even less plausibly, he has claimed the legislators are guilty of "treason," which is punishable by death or by a prison sentence of at least five years. A person commits that crime when he "ow[es] allegiance to the United States" and "levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere."

As Kinzinger suggested, Trump's real beef with him and his former colleagues is the detailed evidence they presented of his complicity in the assault on the Capitol, which he provoked with his stolen-election fantasy and allowed to play out for hours before intervening. But as Schiff noted, that work is protected from "investigation at the highest level" by the Constitution, which says members of Congress "shall not be questioned in any other Place" for "any Speech or Debate in either House."

The current and former legislators whom Trump wants to investigate do not seem to be quaking in their boots. "I am not afraid of Trump's latest midnight rant that has no basis in reality," Rep. Bennie Thompson (DMiss.), who chaired the January 6 committee, told Axios. When a Trump supporter taunted Kinzinger on X, saying "your pardon is invalid" and "you're going to jail cuck boy," the former congressman replied: "Please! You guys have been threatening this forever! Bring it on, it's getting boring waiting."

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Trump's renewed interest in prosecuting Thompson et al. for nonexistent crimes contradicts what he was saying last December. In a Meet the Press interview, Kristen Welker asked Trump if he expected Kash Patel, his nominee for FBI director, to "launch investigations" of the many "deep state" actors that Patel named as enemies of democracy and the Constitution in his 2023 book Government Gangsters.

Patel's enemies list included 60 former executive branch officials, ranging from Democrats such as Biden and Hillary Clinton to Trump appointees such as former Attorney General Bill Barr and former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone. The list was "not exhaustive," Patel noted. "It does not, for example, include other corrupt actors of the first order such as Congressmen Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell." Nor did it include "the fake news media," which Patel also portrayed as part of the "deep state" conspiracy.

Welker asked Trump if he would "direct" Patel to investigate those alleged criminals. "No," Trump replied. "Not at all. Not at all." Trump said Patel, whom he described as "very fair," is "going to do what he thinks is right."

Patel, for his part, insisted during his confirmation hearing that he was not interested in "retributive actions," despite his promise to "go out and find the conspirators," including journalists as well as public officials. "I have no interest, no desire, and will not, if confirmed, go backwards," Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee. "There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI, should I be confirmed as the FBI director.The only thing that will matter if I'm confirmed as a director of the FBI is a de-weaponized, de-politicized system of law enforcement completely devoted to rigorous obedience to the Constitution and a singular standard of justice."

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Trump nevertheless insists that his enemies, notwithstanding their pardons and the Speech or Debate Clause, "are subject to investigation at the highest level." He not only cannot let go of his many grudges; he cannot stop talking about them, even when there is no realistic way to act on them.

The post In Trump's Revenge Fantasy, Biden Did Not Actually Pardon Members of the January 6 Committee appeared first on Reason.com.
BRUSSELS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday reaffirmed the European Union's (EU) commitment to supporting Syria's recovery and political transition.

Delivering a speech at the 9th Brussels Conference on Syria, von der Leyen emphasized that the path to reconciliation and recovery remains long.

Noting that the EU will increase its financial support for Syrians, she called on international partners to do the same. "Syrians need greater support, whether they are still abroad or they decide to go home," she said.

Kaja Kallas, the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy of the European Commission, expressed concern at a press conference on Monday over the ongoing violence in Syria while emphasizing the possibility of the EU further easing sanctions. 
Donald Trump has only been president for eight weeks yet it feels much longer. Time distortion is a common response to the type of extreme stress and anxiety that he and his administrations policies are causing the American people. During these first two months, many Americans (and people around the world) have likely found themselves saying some version of the following:

Are you kidding me?

WTF!?

Can he do that?

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What about the law?

Why don't the Democrats fight back?

Will I get my Social Security check?

Why is this happening?

I am exhausted.

Please make it stop.

If these words and statements were part of a drinking game, the American people would likely be blind drunk like they were drinking bathtub gin during the Prohibition era.

Many public voices  especially those who are committed to American democracy and the American project  feel the same way. At the Guardian, Arwah Mahdawi writes, Trump has only been president for a couple of weeks and things are already far worse than I had imagined they could beAlmost nobody in the US has escaped the chaos that Trump and Musk have already unleashed in such an incredibly short time.

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Since his return to power Donald Trump has done many things that the respected and establishment voices and the professional centrists deemed to be extremely improbable if not impossible  or had (willfully) failed to imagine. Here are a select few examples:

The Trump administration appears to have engaged in unconstitutional and likely illegal actions such as usurping Congress power over the budget by ordering the government to stop paying trillions of dollars in grants, loans and other financial obligations. Trump also ordered an end to the 14th Amendment and birthright citizenship as part of his mass deportation plan and larger assault on American democracy (the 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law). Trump has also purged independent non-partisan inspector generals and other officials whose responsibility is to ensure that the rule of law and the Constitution are obeyed. The Trump administration is also refusing to fully abide by the courts rulings against it. This too is unconstitutional.

Trumps Cabinet appointees, meanwhile, have been approved with little resistance from Republicans in Congress. Their qualifications are loyalty to Trump and a willingness to do whatever he commands even if it violates the law and the Constitution. Trump has also rapidly taken control of the national security state and its centers of power by putting in place his loyalists.

Trump has basically allied with Vladimir Putin in Russias war of aggression against Ukraine. Trump is also threatening and appears likely to withdraw the United States from NATO.

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Trump is threatening that the United States will occupy Gaza and forcibly remove the Palestinian people. This will be done by force if necessary. Once Gaza has been taken over and emptied of Palestinians, Trump wants to turn the area into a resort area, a type of vacation paradise where, of course, his hotels will be featured attractions.

Donald Trump wants to annex Canada and Greenland  by military force if necessary. Trump is very serious about his new American Manifest Destiny: during a meeting Wednesday in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump again shared his desire to conquer Greenland. Trump has also ordered the United States military to develop plans to seize the Panama Canal.

At The Conversation, political scientists Daniel Drache and Marc D. Froese explain how authoritarian leaders like Trump wear various masks of command. The idea of Trump as a charismatic leader who is uniquely capable of accomplishing impossible things is central to his power and appeal over his MAGA diehards and those other Americans who support him:

Each authoritarian leader is different, bound only by their anti-liberalism, Dark Triad traits and their celebration as the ringleader of a populist circus. In our recent book, Has Populism Won?, we show how charismatic leaders encourage a form of totalitarianism in which blind allegiance creates a feeling of partisan belonging. To carry it off, leaders wear what we call masks of command to rally their followers. In our assessment, leaders who spin webs of lies wear the mask of conspirator-in-chief. The conspirator uses favours, relationships and money to destabilize institutions and erode the norms that stand in the way of autocracy. These politicians play to jaded electorates and captive audiences who reward grandiosity and xenophobia because partisanship fills the void left by an absence of genuine national community. These shamanistic masks have long been a mainstay of populists.

When Trump does the heretofore impossible, he is emotionally training and conditioning the American people to accept a new reality by challenging if not breaking their expectations of what is normal and acceptable in their society and lives. The result is a great amount of collective fear, anxiety and disorientation. As these expectations of what is normal are repeatedly shattered, a type of collective exhaustion and state of learned helplessness sets in.

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The new abnormal and unhealthy reality  what Yale University psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton refers to as malignant normality  will become the norm across American society. As has occurred in other societies whose democracies have collapsed, most Americans will surrender to (or outright support) Trumpism and American fascism once they realize that no one is coming to save them, thus resolving their cognitive dissonance between what they believe reality is and should be versus what reality has now become. The cognitive, intellectual, emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical load of sustaining such extreme cognitive dissonance is too difficult for most people to sustain for a long period of time. The malignant reality that has been created by Trumps repeated shattering of expectations and norms and what is possible in the United States  a country that is imagines itself as the worlds greatest democracy and leader of the free world  is made possible by an assault on rationality and critical thinking.

In a 2024 interview with the International Honor Society in Psychology, social psychologist Sheldon Solomon explains this process in detail:

All these ideas play into the way fascist leaders are, and they render their folks incapable of making rational decisions. The cognitive theory we use is based on Daniel Kahnemans distinction between fast thinking and slow thinking: Fast thinking is our default mental apparatus. It is what we use when we walk around on autopilot, enveloped in our cultural worldview. It operates automatically and effortlessly through heuristic shortcuts. It works quite fast and often useful, however, prone to error. Slow thinking is what we use to solve specific problems. This is our rational, logical, higher order thinking. It requires effort, exercise, education, and self-control. It is genuinely fairly accurate and precise. While slower, it is reliable. Both systems are fundamentally critical and ideally operate in a coordinated fashion. Fascists, however, work to cripple the slow thinking system by essentially lobotomizing their followers intellectually and mangling them emotionally. Fascists operate by disabling the capacity for rational thought. Essentially, when people are frustrated and anxious, maybe because of economic or psychological insecurity, they crave for something or someone to live for. When that happens, they are particularly proneand when I say they, I mean all of usto become devoted to a leader who confidently proclaims that theyre singularly able to rid the world of evil.

Solomon continues, Then, these leaders build a fact-proof screen between their followers and the realities of the world by disabling the capacity and motivation for critical thinking. By doing this, they imprison their followers in the context of what is, ultimately, a warped and malignant worldview. This is how fascist followers become incapable of discerning falsehood and making rational decisions.

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What can be done to slow down and stop Donald Trumps power as a kind of master of the impossible who so easily shatters norms and expectations?

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The Democrats need to become a real opposition party that fully resists Trumps agenda and does not legitimate him and his rule. To accomplish this and maintain public support the Democratic Party needs to develop a compelling story and brand beyond Trump is bad. Trump is a high-dominance leader. When the Democrats are passive and weak they are legitimating and encouraging Trump and his MAGA movements assaults on democracy, a humane society, reality, facts and truth itself.

Civil society organizations need to resist Trump in the courts and across the public sphere. Dozens of lawsuits and other legal actions have been filed against the Trump administration. Although Trump is trying to control the legal system and courts, he is still being slowed down by injunctions and other rulings. Each one of these judgments pierces the appearance of Trump and his administrations ability to act with impunity like a king or dictator.

The American people need to engage in mass protests and other forms of corporeal politics. Autocrats and authoritarians do not care about public opinion and voting and will generally disregard the public will. However, protests and other forms of civil resistance will inspire others by showing that they are not alone and that (restoring) democracy is indeed possible.

The mainstream news media  especially the elite news media  are engaging in anticipatory obedience and surrender to the Trump administration and the MAGA movement. This is normalizing Trumps autocratic rule and enabling his power (both real and perceived) over the impossible. Independent news media outlets, investigative reporters, documentary filmmakers, artists and other creative workers, independent journalists and other social critics will have to fill that void, to the degree possible, by speaking truth to power and going around the gatekeepers and censors.

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At The Guardian, Andy Beckett makes a critical intervention about the paradoxical nature of Trumps power and ability to make his fantasies of eternal power a reality:

Why exactly is Donald Trumps new presidency so disorienting? So far, explanations have tended to focus on its manic pace, contempt for political conventions and blatant subversion of supposedly one of the worlds most robust democracies. But all these elements were also present in his first presidency. Meanwhile, other features of both his terms, such as his cult of personality, scapegoating of immigrants and accusation that liberal elites have caused national decline, are standard practice for hard-right strongmen, and have been for at least a century. Yet still he baffles and wrongfoots people, both opponents and more neutral observers, political professionals and voters, Americans and foreigners. There is an underexplored reason for this. Trumps presidency, and particularly his second term, is a deeply paradoxical project. In some ways, its an epic political fantasy, a promise that every dream of US reactionaries and nationalists can be rapidly fulfilled. But in other ways, its a frightening intrusion of reality  into the rose-tinted picture many liberals still have of how America works and how America relates to the rest of the world. Trump may seem dizzyingly strong now. Yet soon he will be just another incumbent, in an anti-incumbent world. The problem then, for those who dont support him, wont be his dominance of the discourse, which may be slipping, but how much of the American state he controls.

James Browns It's A Man's Man's Man's World is one of Donald Trumps favorite songs. It is a fixture at Trumps rallies. When I hear James Browns iconic song at Trumps rallies I remix the lyrics in my mind as Its Trumps World. Given what is known about Trumps personality and mind, he likely hears the song the same way.

Donald Trump will likely attempt to become president for a third term. He is already signaling this desire. Trumps MAGA Republicans are already discussing a bill to circumvent the Constitution to allow him to do so. Other MAGA Republicans and right-wing propagandists are endorsing a national holiday to honor Donald Trump and his MAGA movement. There are also discussions among Trumps MAGAfied Republicans about putting his face on Mount Rushmore. If the collapse of American democracy continues at its current rapid pace, Donald Trump will likely be given all these things and much more.

A collective failure of imagination by Americas responsible elites  as well as everyday Americans  enabled Trump to win the 2024 election and act as a de facto dictator on day one as he promised. Trump and his MAGA movement and its leaders and visionaries see no real limits on what is possible for them and their revolutionary project to end Americas multiracial pluralistic democracy. Instead of being passive and reacting, the Democrats, the so-called resistance and other Americans who believe in real democracy need to dream big and then do the work to make that dream real. Unfortunately, the Democrats and the mainstream liberals and progressives dreamed too small, their vision was too narrow and limited and the long Trumpocene was the result.
A highly contagious and potentially deadly disease is seeing sharp upticksand that's in addition to the measles outbreak we're dealing with already.

Tuberculosisalso known as consumption and the illness that killed Nicole Kidman's Satine in Moulin Rouge!is surging worldwide, thanks in part to massive cuts to USAID, which treats and prevents tuberculosis in high-risk areas of the world, The New York Times reports.. What exactly is tuberculosis and how worried should you be about it right now? We'll break it down.

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What Is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that typically affects your lungs, but can also mess with your brain, kidneys or spine. Many people have what's called latent tuberculosis, in which you've been infected with the bacteria but are asymptomatic because the infection is dormant in your body. According to Cleveland Clinic, as many as 13 million Americans have latent TB.

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If you have a latent TB and your immune system becomes weakened (like through long COVID, for example), your latent TB may become active, leading you to experience symptoms.

Related: Doctors are Begging People 50+ to Get Vaccine Boosters of These Common Viruses

What Are Tuberculosis Symptoms?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common symptom of an active pulmonary (lung) tuberculosis infection is a bad cough. Active TB infections can include the following symptoms as well:

Chest pain

Chills

Cough lasting more than three weeks

Coughing up blood

Coughing up mucus

Fatigue

Fever

Loss of appetite

Night sweats

Weakness

Weight loss (hence the "consumption" nickname)

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Certain types of tuberculosis can also lead to more severe illnesses, including:

Addison's disease, a chronic adrenal gland condition that's treatable with medication

Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver

Meningitis, inflammation of the living around your brain and spinal cord, which can be deadly

Pott's disease, also called spinal tuberculosis, which can cause your spine to curve

Scrofula, an infection of the lymph nodes in your neck

Related: These Are the Vaccine Side Effects You Should Worry About, According to Infectious Disease Experts

How Does Tuberculosis Spread?

Tuberculosis is a respiratory infection that spreads when an infected individual coughs, laughs, sings, sneezes or speaks. The good news is that the majority of people who inhale tuberculosis bacteria have immune systems strong enough to fight it, so they'll never show symptoms or have an active TB infection.

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The bad news is that not everyone has a great immune system. Whether you have an autoimmune condition, compromised immunity from an illness or chemotherapy or are simply a baby or young child that hasn't developed immunity to certain illnesses yet, you may be at higher risk of an active TB infection.

Related: This Is the Best Arm to Get Vaccines In, According to Infectious Disease Experts

Is Tuberculosis Curable?

Thankfully, tuberculosis is largely curable with proper treatment. It typically requires about four to nine months of medications, including several antibiotics, to cure, per the CDCbut as we all know, access to healthcare, let alone being able to afford it, isn't easy for everyone. That said, once treatment starts, patients usually start to feel a bit better after around three weeks or so.

Actually getting treatment is key: The World Health Organization (WHO) says that for two-thirds of TB patients who don't get appropriate treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal. If someone starts treatment and doesn't complete it, they may develop and spread drug-resistant tuberculosis, NBC News reports, which is, you know, very scary.

Related: Here's What Happens When You Don't Get Some Vaccines Every Year, According to Infectious Disease Experts

How Can I Prevent Tuberculosis?

Some areas of the world have common tuberculosis vaccines. If you can't access one or they aren't offered where you live, frequent handwashing, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, masking and avoiding close contact with others can keep you and others safe. Essentially, using similar methods that you would to prevent COVID-19 can prevent TB.

Related: Here Are the 10 Best Ways To Prevent the Flu

Is There a Tuberculosis Outbreak Right Now?

Tuberculosis rates have been rising worldwide, including in Kansas, which has seen upticks in active TB infections since January 2024, NBC News reports.

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"What happens when we travel overseas? I've known servicemen and -women who come back with multidrug-resistant TB after a tour of duty," Dr. Kenneth Castro, a professor of global health at Emory Universitys Rollins School of Public Health, told NBC News. "I've known of bankers, people from Silicon Valley who work overseas, come back with the disease. The problem with all these infectious diseases is that they know no borders, and neither should our efforts stop at the border."

Up Next:

Related: Im an Infectious Disease Expert, and This Is the #1 Vaccine Myth I Wish Everyone Would Stop Believing'

Sources
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  Tudors Biscuit World made a special exception, opening its doors on Sunday for the first time since Hurricane Michael. All to bring a little extra joy to the community.

The restaurant hosted a special event featuring free photos with the easter bunny, arts and crafts for the kids, and exciting prizes for everyone.

Guests also got to enjoy Tudors full breakfast menu, including their famous biscuits and hearty breakfast options.

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Community celebrates first-ever Glenwood Day

Everyones been looking forward to it. Our staff stayed last night. They stuffed gift bags. And, you know, its just its just fun. Theres no pressure today. Theres not a line wrapped around the building. So todays a fun day to enjoy with your family and time together, Owner Cara Schirtzinger said.

Schirtzinger says the event is all about giving back to the community that supports their small business.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has called on other nations to band together to stop Houthi militants in the Red Sea, after President Donald Trump launched a wave of deadly air strikes on the Iranian-backed group over the weekend.

Gabbard, speaking from Raisina Dialoguean annual security conference in Indiaimplored U.S. partners to get stronger on the Houthis in the vital shipping region that links Europe to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, via the Gulf of Aden. Our country and other countries should not be in a position to reroute commerce going through that area simply because of the threat that exists, Gabbard said.

Trump looks on as military strikes are launched against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, March 15. / White House / via REUTERS

Her demands follow a sudden uptick in long-running hostilities, with the Yemen-based group vowing to target more Israeli-linked ships in the region due to Israels ongoing blockade of Gaza. In response, Trump sanctioned strikes on the Middle-Eastern country, killing at least 32 people on Saturday.

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The raids, which continued into the early hours of Sunday, were mainly centered on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and also wounded 101 people.

Referencing Trumps response, Gabbard told Indian state broadcaster NDTV: We will look to other affected countries, as there are many impacted by this, to similarly take action.

India is one of those nations affected by militant activity in the region. The saga has prompted shipping companies to avoid the area, instead taking longer, costlier routes.

The Houthis, meanwhile, responded to Trumps blitz with a bombardment of their own. The aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its fleet were targeted overnight Sunday, a Houthi spokesperson said Monday.

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Some 18 missiles and a drone peppered the vessels in a two-phase attack over the last 24 hours in retaliation to the continued American aggression against our country, the spokesperson wrote on Telegram.

The earlier ambush didnt even come close to hitting U.S. targets, an official confirmed to ABC News. The militant group, however, said that it had succeeded in thwarting a hostile attack the enemy was preparing to launch against our country. American representatives are yet to comment on the second operation.
UPDATE, March 19, 2025, 5:57 am  The GBI has arrested and charged Scott Kerlin, age 42, of Hiawassee, with misdemeanor obstruction. Kerlin is a volunteer firefighter in Towns County who took photos of the Lewis twins death scene and shared them publicly.

***

HIAWSSEE, Ga. (WJBF)  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is assisting the Towns County Sheriffs Office with a death investigation on Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Georgia.

Hikers found two men dead at the top of Bell Mountain.

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The men were identified as twin brothers, Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis, both 19, of Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia.

On Saturday, March 8, 2025, at about 11:05 a.m., the Towns County 911 Center received notification that two people were found dead at the top of Bell Mountain.

The GBI was requested by the Towns County Sheriffs Office shortly after the discovery.

Both men were found with gunshot wounds.

The preliminary investigation reveals the deaths to be a murder suicide.

A GBI medical examiner has completed the autopsies, but the official ME ruling and results are pending additional forensic tests.

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A GoFundMe has been created by the victims family to help with burial expenses.

Qaadir and Naazir aunt strated the account and made the following statement:

I am the aunt of the twins Qaadir and Naazir that was found deceased on top of Bell Mountain in Georgia. In recents new reports, it was claimed that they took their own lives. My nephews wouldnt do this! They came from a family of love, and twins wanted so much for their future, they had dreams of starting their very own clothing line. Unfortunately Something happened at Bell mountain that ended the lives of 19 year old Qaadir and Naazir, which needs to be further investigated. We need your support to share their story and to help raise the funds for their Funeral/Memorial for the twins. Anything you donate will be appreciated 

The goal was to raise $20,000, at last check over $22,500 had been donated.

This is a developing story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
(FOX40.COM)  Sacramento County Sheriffs Detectives from the Organized Retail Theft Task Force managed an operation on Saturday at Target on Fulton Avenue in Arden-Arcade.

Video above: Lawmakers discuss surge in retail theft.

SCSO said that they saw Xianquing Chen, 45, and Haining He, 31, after they arrived at the store together. In multiple transactions, Chen and He purchased gift cards using a cellular phone-based application.

Chen attempted to use 42 separate banking cards and 32 of them were declined, according to SCSO. Chen continued to be successful at his transaction which made his total $855. Hanning tried to use 47 separate bank cards but 37 of them declined. He still was able to process the transactions with a total of $633.

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SCSO said that the detectives recognized the activity that was done by Chen and He as that is the technique used by other thieves who steal money through unauthorized withdrawals from peoples credit cards and launder the funds for their future use.

California State Capitol to host traditional Haftseen event for Nowruz

Both suspects admitted to using an app on their phones to purchase gift cards with stolen credit card numbers and later detectives learned that the card number they were using was provided by a person who was paying them $250 a day, SCSO said.

SCSO said in a statement that Chen and He are citizens of the Peoples Republic of China, and they have no true source of income or any close relatives in the United States.

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Authorities said that the suspects were both arrested and transported to Sacramento County Main Jail and booked for several felonies. They are ineligible for bail and are scheduled to appear in court on March 18.

Detectives are concerned that Chen and Haining Le have successfully attempted and committed these types of crimes at other retail stores in the area, SCSO said. At this time, the investigation is still ongoing, and detectives ask that if there is anyone with information to contact the Sheriffs Office at 916-874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  Two people have been charged with the chemical endangerment of a child in Morgan County.

On Monday, the Morgan County Sheriffs Office said that deputies executed a search warrant at a home on Bean Road in Hartselle.

Deputies arrested Timothy Paul Stephenson, 54, of Hartselle along with Melissa Ann Sims , 51 of Hartselle.

Both were charged with chemical endangerment of a child.

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According to authorities, Morgan County Sheriff investigators obtained warrants as part of a DHR case involving failed drug screens.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
VINITA, Okla. (KFOR)  According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, two people are facing felony charges regarding a contraband smuggling operation at the Northeast Oklahoma Community Corrections Center.

Kenneth Dean. Image courtesy ODOC.

Officials say the investigation began after the facilitys warden filed a report about a suspected contraband introduction involving an inmate named Kenneth Dean. A backpack filled with items like drugs, tobacco, alcohol and cell phones was taken from Dean.

According to the ODOCs Office of the Inspector General, the investigation led agents to Amanda Carter, who they believe helped dean bring the contraband into the facility.

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LOCAL NEWS: Blue Alert canceled, man suspected of shooting police officer in custody

Carter later admitted to her role during an interview. On January 6, 2025, a probable cause affidavit was submitted, leading to multiple felony warrants for Carters arrest.

Amanda Carter. Image courtesy ODOC.

Carter was arrested on March 12, 2025, at her home. Shes facing the following charges:

Assisting a prisoner to escape (felony)

Conspiracy (felony)

Bringing contraband into a penal institution (felony)

Unlawful use of a communication facility (felony)

Dean is also facing charges, including:

Possession of a cell phone or electronic device in a penal institution

Possession of contraband by an inmate (felony)

Unlawful use of contraband by an inmate (felony)

Unlawful use of a communication facility (felony)

Conspiracy (felony)

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- There are "no guarantees" that the U.S. economy would not face a recession during U.S. President Donald Trump's tenure, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in an interview with NBC on Sunday.

When asked whether he could ensure no recession under the Trump administration, Bessent responded, "There are no guarantees. Who would have predicted COVID?"

Bessent, speaking to NBC's "Meet the Press," noted that the U.S. government is working on robust policies, and there could be some adjustments in the economy.

He also dismissed concerns about a potential recession stemming from such adjustments, saying, "We are going to have a transition, and we are not going to have a crisis."

Recently, U.S. stock markets saw a sharp decline amid uncertainties caused by Trump's frequently changing policies, including tariff threats against major trading partners such as Mexico and Canada. This has led to a significant drop in investor confidence and increased concerns about a possible recession. 
BOSTON (WWLP)  Two small kittens are the only survivors of their litter and are receiving life-saving care from MSPCA-Angell in the hope that they may find loving homes.

Massachusetts The Voice contestant to perform during battle rounds

MSCPA-Angell said that the approximately three-week-old domestic shorthair kittens are among three that were surrendered from an Essex County home on March 7. Two of the kittens littermates had already died before the organization was called in to help, and seven other cats were living in the home, several of which were not spayed or neutered.

Courtesy of MSPCA-Angell.

The kittens were covered in fleas, which caused severe anemiasomething thats a problem for any animal, but its deadly for young cats like these, said Mike Keiley, MSPCA-Angell Vice President of Animal Protection. Their red blood cell counts were critically low.

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The three kittens were brought to the Larson Kelly Community Clinic in Boston and an emergency blood transfusion was immediately performed, but unfortunately, one of the kittens didnt make it.

MSPCA Law Enforcement is working with the owner to provide the remaining kittens with flea and tick treatment and preventative care.

Courtesy of MSCPA-Angell.

This situation highlights the importance of spay/neuter and the problems that arise when resources arent available, Keiley said. Their owner loves these cats but is older and dealing with their own medical issues that, coupled with the challenges of finding affordable spay/neuter, led to this.

These kittens will be spayed and neutered among 200 animals during MSPCA-Angells Giving Day on Thursday. This event is significant to address the backlog of animals in shelter care and prevent an increase in homeless animals in the state.

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The procedures will take place at MSPCA clinics, as well as at collaborating centers such as the Thomas J. OConnor Animal Control and Adoption Center in Springfield.

MSPCA-Angell said the two sick kittens are expected to need about five more weeks of care before they will be available to find new homes. To donate for the kittens cost of care, as well as other animals that may need help, visit mspca.org/givingday.

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.

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Two men from Flint have been charged with murder in Livingston County.

The Livingston County Sheriffs Office reports that Aaron Aydelotte, 27, and Marqwevell Cummings, 24, were arrested on March 14. The two were arraigned the same day in the 53rd District Court.

Aaron Aydelotte (Livingston County Sheriffs Office)

Marqwevell Cummings (Livingston County Sheriffs Office)

The two men are charged with the killing of a 25-year-old Flint man. Both men were given $1 million bonds.

According to court documents, the two have a probable cause conference scheduled for March 25 and an examination hearing on April 1.

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The Sheriffs Office says 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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)Two Springfield residents were arrested on firearm charges last week after police were called to a disturbance on Chestnut Street in Holyoke.

The Holyoke Police Department said that on Wednesday at around 9 p.m., officers were called to 348 Chestnut Street for a disturbance involving a firearm. Upon arrival, the person matching the description of the armed suspect, identified as 25-year-old Raygiovanni Serrano of Springfield, was standing at an open door of a vehicle.

Excitement builds as the 72nd Holyoke Saint Patricks Parade inches closer

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During the investigation, officers dispersed the crowd and learned that the disturbance allegedly began with two juveniles arguing over social media, and adults became involved. They say that Serrano allegedly threatened to shoot a firearm.

Serrano was arrested and charged with threat to commit a crime and assault with a dangerous weapon. He was arraigned in Holyoke District Court on Thursday and released with an electronic monitoring bracelet.

The vehicle was also towed from Chestnut Street and on Thursday officers applied for and were granted a search warrant. Detectives found a semi-automatic firearm and additional ammunition.

The owner of the car, 21-year-old Idaliamarie Orizal of Springfield, went to the Holyoke Police Department to get it back however, she was arrested on the following charges:

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Improper Storage of a Firearm

Carrying a Firearm without a License

Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card

Police located Serrano on Bartlett Street in Springfield and was arrested for a second time for the following:

Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony

Improper Storage of a Firearm

Carrying a Firearm without a License

Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card

Warrant  Probation Violation

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Two Texas universities are being investigated by the Trump administration for engaging with a program that allegedly uses preferential treatment based on race, the U.S. Education Department announced Friday.

Rice University and the University of North Texas in Denton were both on the list of 45 institutions under investigation for working with the PhD Project, an organization helping minority students.

The PhD Project has existed for 31 years and seeks to help underrepresented and minority students access coveted doctoral and leadership programs. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 63.1% of doctoral degrees awarded in 2020-21 were to white students. Black, Asian, Hispanic and Pacific Islander students made up less than 13% of doctoral graduates.

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Texas A&M University withdrew from the PhD Project's annual conference after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened A&M President Mark Welsh's job on X following conservative activist Christian Rufo posting that the conference seemingly was only open to nonwhite and non-Asian scholars, according to a screenshot of the now-closed conference application.

More: Here's why Gov. Abbott threatened Texas A&M president's job, and how the school responded

The conference, set for March 20-21, helps prospective doctoral students understand the steps to take to get a doctorate and provides networking opportunities with professional and college leaders, according to the program's website.

The U.S. Education Department said its Office for Civil Rights initiated the investigations under Title VI after a "Dear Colleague Letter" sent a month earlier said schools receiving federal funding must end "the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities."

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Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin," U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in the news release. "We will not yield on this commitment.

More: This was politics: How UT slashing its DEI programs crushed careers, halted a lifes work

The department also is investigating six universities for race-based scholarships and another for a program exclusive to students of a certain race. Last week, it announced investigations into dozens of universities for alleged antisemitic discrimination while also cutting its staff size in half, leaving nearly 2,000 employees without jobs and shuttering its Texas-based civil rights office

More: More than 60 Texas workers laid off in U.S. Department of Education mass layoffs: records

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Texas Senate Bill 17 outlawed diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, support offices, programs or support staff at public institutions of higher education beginning January 2024. The law has been met with backlash from students and college employees that said it prevented historically underserved students from obtaining needed resources.

ICYMI: One year under SB 17: A timeline of how Texas' anti-DEI law swept through UT, the state

The Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors said on X that the federal investigations are part of the administration's "campaign to end DEI."

"We must work across the state and across public and private institutions to fight back against the growing attack," the organization's post said.

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The University of North Texas, the PhD project and Rice University did not respond to American-Statesman requests for comment.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Rice University, UNT among dozens under Trump investigation for DEI
Air Force meteorologist Captain Robert Miller arrived for his forecasting shift at the weather station on Tinker Air Force Base, a sprawling installation roughly five miles east of downtown Oklahoma City. After analyzing the latest weather maps and charts received via fax from Washington, D.C., Miller predicted that aside from occasional gusts of wind, the base was in for a dull night. It would soon be clear just how far off the mark that prediction was.

Around 9 p.m., weather stations to the west of Tinker began reporting lightning. A half hour later, even Millers crotchety AN-PQ-13 radarwhich had been stripped from a World War IIera B-29 and repurposed as a meteorological instrumentwas picking up thunderstorms that, as he later recalled, looked vicious and were moving very fast.

The airfield had been used as an aircraft depot since WWII, and dozens of airplanes were parked around the jetways and outside the hangars. High winds could toss them around like toys. Scrambling to protect the planes, the 28-year-old Captain Miller pushed his hands through his high and tight, and ordered his backup forecaster to issue a thunderstorm warning to base personnel despite knowing it was likely too late to secure the aircraft.

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Just moments later, a report from Will Rogers Airport, a few miles to the west, stopped the men in their tracks. TORNADO SOUTH ON GROUND MOVING NE! it read.

By 10 p.m., a tornado, illuminated by constant pulses of lightning, tore across Tinker Air Force Base as Miller and his colleague crouched in near panic. Over the roar of the storm, they heard the toppling of vehicles, the snapping of airplane wings, and the crashing of glass as windows in the operations building surrendered to the tornados pressure. Debris fell from the sky like rain.

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The March 20th tornado would go down as the most destructive storm in Oklahoma to date, leaving behind about $10 million in damage ($132 million in todays money) on base, including the obliteration of 17 C-54 transports, 15 P-47 fighters, and two B-29 bombers. Eight people were injured.



The damageas well as the vulnerability the storm had exposedcreated enough consternation among Air Force brass that five generals flew in from D.C. the very next day, hoping to get to the bottom of the failed forecast. Miller and his supervisor, Major Ernest J. Fawbush, explained to this panel of generals that even the best forecasts could not predict when a tornado would strikethat they were an invisible threat until they dropped from the sky. Unwilling to wait around for the next unpredictable tornado strike, Tinkers base commander, Major General Fred Borum, instructed Fawbush and Miller to find a better solution.

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The order was highly unusual. At the time, the United States Weather Bureau still banned the use of the word tornado in public-facing forecasts in an effort to quell public anxiety about the storms. The misguided policy had effectively suppressed all tornado-related research since 1890. Even by the middle of the 20th century, most Americans living in tornado-prone areas relied on their own senses or folk wisdom (the restlessness of farm animals, a greenish-yellow sky) to know when to run for cover.

But Miller and Fawbush were soldiers as well as meteorologists, and they didnt defy orders. They quickly got to work unraveling a mystery that had confounded scientists for centuries. What they found would amount to a revolution in weather forecasting, forever changing how meteorologists predict tornadoes.

Just four days later, the sky would unleash its fury again.

The unique geography of the central United Stateswhere warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cool, dry air from Canadameans that America sees more of these violent storms than any other country in the world.

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Indigenous tribes native to or forcibly removed to the Great Plains were no strangers to tornadoes. The Cheyenne, for instance, called them maxehevovetaso, or big whirlwind. In illustrated calendars, the Kiowa depicted a tornado as the long, violent tail of a horse.

Tornadoes struck the East Coast, too, but with less frequency. In a diary entry dated July 5, 1643, Massachusetts Governor John Winthrop wrote of a wind that lifted up a meetinghouse full of people. But because of their rarity in the Northeast, tornadoes didnt merit much scientific curiosity until the mid-1800s, when settlers charged into the Midwest, where funnel clouds stalked the horizon each spring. Even then, tornadoes were thought to be unforecastable, random bursts of turbulence.

One of the first Americans to challenge this notion was John Park Finley, who worked for the Signal Corps, a branch of the U.S. Army that was tasked with creating the countrys first weather service in 1870. After receiving a degree in science from the University of Michigan, Finley, a broad man with push-broom eyebrows, arrived at the Signal Services school in Arlington, Virginia, in 1877. (In 1863, the Signal Service became the Signal Corps.) There, he took weather observations and telegraphed a report to the Services central weather office in Washington, D.C. Finley was just one of hundreds of servicemen gathering meteorological observations, which were then amalgamated into some of the United States earliest forecasts.

By 1878, the Corps was receiving weather reports from 284 stations and distributing 24-hour forecasts to rural post offices across the country. The reports contained the most detailed information availabletemperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speedbut were rarely accurate. They mainly relied on statistical prediction; in other words, forecasting the future weather by using past data. If certain atmospheric conditions today yielded a thunderstorm, the thinking went, then similar conditions tomorrow would portend another. But without the ability to characterize the atmosphere, early statistical forecasts were little more than educated guesses.

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Two years after he had joined the Corps, Finley was sent to the Great Plains to survey the damage from a recent tornado outbreak. There, the young scientist worked like a crime scene detective, interviewing eyewitnesses, analyzing tree-fall patterns to see which way the wind blew, and inspecting ravaged buildings to establish the sequence of events before, during, and after the tornado. From these observations, Finley was able to establish the general atmospheric conditions that often led to a tornado; namely, that when warm and moist air from the south meets cool and dry air from the north, the marked contrasts of temperature and moisture invariably foretell an atmospheric disturbance of unusual violence, he reported in a Signal Service publication.

It was a start.

john finney photography/Getty Images

Finley would spend the next five years traveling through the Plains states, enlisting a network of tornado reporters who gathered observations during the violent storms. He would pore over hundreds of accounts of tornadic events and reproduce countless weather charts to eventually create a list of six rules for forecasting tornadoes, which he published in Science magazine in 1884and updated in simpler terms for the American Meteorological Journal four years later. Tornadoes need high temperature gradients, he correctly surmised, as well as the presence of a well-defined low-pressure area.

Finley began issuing experimental tornado predictions in the spring of 1884, dividing the eastern two-thirds of the country into districts and advising whether conditions were favorable or not favorable for a tornado to form in each of them. But many of his colleagues questioned the accuracy of these reports, and some critics suggested Finley was too lax in his identification of tornadoes, mistaking derechos, or straight-line winds, for twisters.

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Still, Finley advocated that his forecasts should be used to issue tornado warnings in official releases from the Signal Corps. In 1885, the chief signal officer began allowing a special warning when violent storms, were likely, but explicitly forbade use of the word tornado, fearing it would create pandemonium over forecasts that were still too imprecise to be useful. The concern was that the forecasts were not specific enough to be of value, and the use of the word tornado tended to cause panic, says Russell Schneider, director of the National Weather Services Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma. They might cause people to be overly nervous when the risk wasnt that concentrated near them.

It was a blow for Finley, but things would soon get much worse for the scientist. During the latter half of the 1880s, Congress debated whether the Signal Corps should continue handling weather service, ultimately nesting the agency within the War Department, which showed little interest in Finleys work.

The end of Finleys tornado-forecasting project was spelled out in the 1887 Report of the Chief Signal Officer, which stated: it is believed that the harm done by such a prediction would eventually be greater than that which results from the tornado itself.

After a decade of progress, Finleys belief that meteorologists could and should predict tornadoes was snuffed out.

What Is a Tornado?

Photo illustration by Alyse Markel using Getty Images

Tornadoes are swirling funnel clouds that often form within large thunderstorms when unstable pockets of cool, dry air (blue arrows) and warm, moist air (red arrows) collide. These mighty twisters sweep across the landscape, sometimes for miles, causing catastrophic devastation along their path.



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1 / As large-scale supercell thunderstorms gain energy, columns of warm, moist air, known as updrafts, are drawn upward from Earths surface into the storm.

2 / Strong winds that blow in different directions and speeds at different altitudes within the storm, known as wind shear (white arrows), contribute to the formation of tornadoes within supercell thunderstorms. Wind shear forms a rotating pocket of warm horizontal air that is turned vertical when it comes into contact with a storms updraft. This forms a mesocyclone.

3 / As that warm updraft rises, it smashes into sinking cold air. This temperature difference is thought to cause the funnel to narrow, spin faster, and draw even more air from the ground.

4 / A tornado will typically weaken and dissipate when its surface supply of warm, moist air is used up.

Miller and the 33-year-old Fawbush were young but experienced meteorologists who had both served in WWII. Fawbush was an expert on the Arctic climate of Alaska while the California-born Miller had studied the tropical atmosphere of the South Pacific. The pair surely knew that the project of tornado prediction was fraught with political and scientific difficulties.

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Still, the duo obeyed their orders, working around the clock to identify patterns in the atmospheric conditions that had led to the March 20th tornado as well as an even more destructive twisterthe infamous Woodward, Oklahoma, tornado of 1947an F5 tornado that killed 116 people in the Sooner State.

They studied reams of data and as many accounts of the storms as they could get their hands on. Like Finley before them, they quickly found that the presence of certain weather conditions did seem to foretell tornadic activity.

We listed several weather parameters considered sufficient to result in significant tornadic outbreaks when all were present in a geographic area at the same time, Miller later wrote in a memoir titled The Unfriendly Sky.

Among those parameters, according to Howard Bluestein, a professor of meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, was wind shear, or the way winds change direction and speed with altitude. Fawbush and Miller were probably the first to determine that vertical wind shear is very important for tornado production, he says. The Air Force meteorologists also zeroed in on the significance of the potential atmospheric buoyancy, or the tendency of warm air to rise rapidly into the atmosphere.

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While earlier scientists may have identified the significance of these conditions first, Fawbush and Miller would have the opportunity to test their findings just days after they put them to paper. That, Bluestein says, was luck.

In 1890, a few years after John Park Finley was unceremoniously dismissed from his tornado studies, Congress moved the weather service to the civilian-controlled Agriculture Department and renamed it the U.S. Weather Bureau. Five years later, Willis L. Moore was named its head. A former newspaper reporter, Moore believed that the Corps tornado reporters had long been misclassifying windstorms as tornadoes, arguing that in almost all cases of great disaster there is a pronounced tendency to exaggerate the actual facts, and suggesting that journalists and insurance agents regularly trumped up accounts of violent storms for their own ends. True tornadoes, he said, simply didnt happen all that often.

Soon, other meteorologists were speaking out against efforts in the previous century to predict the storms. Writing in 1899, former weather service director Cleveland Abbe asserted that the proliferation of daily newspapers and telegraph lines had created the illusion among the public that the occurrence and intensity of tornadoes was increasing. The agency had no right to issue numerous erroneous alarms, he said, and that the stoppage of business and the unnecessary fright wouldbe worse than the storms themselves.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma meteorologist J. I. Widmeyer argued that tornado predictions had created chronic anxiety in the state, sending residents fleeing to caves and cellars whenever thunderstorms appeared, where exposure to the dampnessresulted in more deaths than all the tornadoes that had ever occurred. Former weather service chief Mark Harrington assured readers of his popular 1899 book, About the Weather, that the chance of being injured by a tornado was about one in a million.

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It was no surprise, then, that the 1905 regulations of the National Weather Bureau contained the statement, forecasts of tornadoes are banned. The ban was reiterated in subsequent reissuing of the regulations, and during this time, research on tornadoes by the meteorological establishment all but ceased.

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The tornadoes, however, did not.

On March 25, 1948, just five days after the initial storm, Miller and Fawbush were back in the weather station on base, studying the morning weather charts, when they came to a troubling conclusion. Based on the pairs recently transcribed parameters, Miller recalled, central Oklahoma would be in the primary tornado threat area by late afternoon.

The weathermen summoned Major General Borum, who arrived and peered into a radar screen with them as the room crackled with a nervous uncertainty. For the last few days, Borum had also been hard at work, designing a new Tornado Safety Plan for the base; now he wanted to know if it was time to set it into motion. Are you planning to issue a tornado forecast for Tinker? he asked.

What followed, according to Miller, was an uneasy quiet. Both Fawbush and Miller knew that a tornado warning was taboo in the weather businessand that the odds of another tornado hitting Tinker just a few days after the first were less than 1 in 20 million. When Borum suggested a forecast of heavy thunderstorms, the men were relieved. Far better we should take such odds rather than actually issue a tornado forecast and be laughed out of Uncle Sams Air Force, Miller wrote.

The storms, however, continued to grow in intensity. Alarming reports poured in from stations to the bases south and southwest that warned first of growing cumulus clouds, then isolated thunderstorms, and finally a burgeoning squall line. Soon, that squall line appeared on the meteorologists radar. Worse, it was headed straight for base. By the middle of the afternoon, Borum was back in the weather station, asking again: Are you going to issue a tornado forecast for Tinker?

According to Miller, he and Fawbush tried to talk their way out of making such a horrendous decision, highlighting the statistical near impossibility of a second twister and emphasizing that, in fact, no one has ever issued an operational tornado forecast.

Borum was unimpressed. The general, an imposing man known for his unconventional management style, gave orders for Fawbush to type up an alert. You are about to set a precedent, he said.

Over 10,000 Americans were killed by tornadoes during the Weather Bureaus decades-long ban on the word.

Every spring, churning black storms barreled down the middle of the country like a bowling ball spinning toward a set of pins. As authorities watched and did little, Plains states residents turned to the Farmers Almanac and their own observations to predict when the next tornado would strike. Many families had a dedicated weather observer (usually the father) who would keep watch for omens before leading the way to the storm cellar. But this individualized and unscientific approach was no match for the weathers capricious wrath.

In 1925 alone, 794 people died when the country experienced the deadliest tornado outbreak in its history. That year, on the afternoon of March 18, a once-serene Midwestern sky turned sinister when a tornado touched down in Ellington, Missouri, shocking unprepared residents before taking off on a three-and-a-half-hour tour of destruction. The twister, which at times carved a path nearly a mile wide and stirred up winds topping 300 mph, would tear across 219 miles of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, blitzing whole towns and killing hundreds.

Especially tragic storms like the Tri-State Tornado, as it came to be known, as well as the development of meteorological tools like the piloted weather balloon and radiosondes, would inspire bursts of tornado research during the 1920s. But it was WWIIand the proliferation of valuable military infrastructure around the countrythat forced the National Weather Bureau to reconsider its ban.

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In 1938, the agency began allowing the word tornado to be used in weather reports issued only to emergency personnel. During the war, the Bureau once again established a network of volunteer storm spotters near munitions plants, airfields, training camps, and other military posts to warn of oncoming storms.

But when the war ended, the network disbanded and urgency around the task of predicting severe weather faded. By the time Fawbush and Miller glumly typed up their tornado warning on March 25, 1948, they knew issuing such an alert was more than a scientific gambleit could be career suicide.

As Tinker base personnel got to work diverting air traffic and securing aircraft and loose objects, Fawbush and Miller sat alone in the weather station, surveying what seemed to them like a hopeless situation.

I wondered how I would manage as a civilian, perhaps as an elevator operator, Miller wrote. It seemed improbable that anyone would employ, as a weather forecaster, an idiot who issued a tornado forecast for a precise location.

Their forecast had indicated only that the odds were good there would be a tornado within a 20,000- to 30,000-square-mile area. Thats roughly half the state of Iowa, and here the General is making preparations for a tornado thats going to hit the base, Schneider says. They thought their careers were over.

A couple hours later, when nearby Will Rogers Airport reported just a smattering of weak thunderstorms, Miller packed up for the night, leaving a grim Fawbush to go down with the vessel.

That evening in his recliner at home, as he watched the storm roll in, Miller tried to put the whole episode out of his mind. But a radio in another room roared to life with an urgent news bulletin, warning listeners of a destructive tornado near Tinker Field. Sure that it was just a recap of last weeks events, Miller called up the bases weather station to check in.

The line was dead.

I felt a strange unbelieving excitement rising, Miller wrote.

He grabbed his things and raced back to the base. When he arrived, Miller could hardly believe what he found: snapped power lines and truncated telephone poles; emergency crews working to clear debris from the streets and restore power; a jubilant Major Fawbush.

Incredibly, another tornado had struck Tinker Air Force Base. Thanks to Fawbush and Millers warning, this storm caused far less damage, and no one was injured. Remarkably, their forecast had been accurate; the men were instant heroes.

Two years after Miller and Fawbush made their famed forecast, the Weather Bureau effectively ended its moratorium on the word tornado.

In 1951, following years of additional research and successful predictions, Fawbush and Miller were placed at the helm of the Severe Weather Warning Center, a new unit responsible for predicting dangerous conditions at all Air Force sites in the Continental U.S. That year, its 156 tornado warnings were accurate 65 percent of the time. The National Weather Bureau soon adopted the militarys methods in the name of public safety.

The following year, the agency established its own severe weather unit, which would eventually become the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

Essentially, were the national tornado forecasters, says Russell Schneider, who now heads up the center. But all tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings that we issue trace their heritage back to those initial forecasts by Fawbush and Miller in 1948.

Oklahoma Historical Society

Today, predicting tornadoes is even more reliable thanks to the technological advances of the last 75 years, says Howard Bluestein, the University of Oklahoma professor. Scientists today still use a combination of data from satellites, radar, weather balloons, and buoys to make their forecasts, but theyve got a little bit of extra help from supercomputers that can run billions of equations reliably and with breakneck speed.

We now have computer models that can do a reasonably good job at forecasting atmospheric conditions, predicting the same parameters that Fawbush and Miller were looking for, Bluestein explains. But we still cant predict the exact location a tornado will form. The best we can do is say there is a certain likelihood over a certain area.

The Center accomplishes this through probabilistic forecasting, a method that provides a range of possible outcomesdetermined through multiple simulations on the weather model using slightly different data each timeand the probability that each outcome will occur.

Forecasting a tornado, Bluestein explains, is a combination of science and art: using what we know about the science of storms, plus what the models tell us, plus what were seeing with our eyes. For example, tornado watches are issued when conditions are right for a tornado, but warnings are still reserved for actual twister sightings.

Schneider says that for the forecaster, tornadoes still pose a professional and personal challenge, not unlike the ones Fawbush and Miller faced: Tornadoes come together very quicklyin a matter of minutes, on some occasionsand youre forecasting something that is really consequential.

More severe storms, which have the potential to cause a significant amount of damage and imperil lives, can weigh on the meteorologists charged with forecasting them, he explains. These are potentially very humbling forecasts.

At the Storm Prediction Center, where staff work beneath a composite map signed by Miller, the Air Force meteorologists and their landmark forecast loom large.

Were still living in their legacy, Schneider says. Were still working very hard to add to it.

Why the U.S. Is a Tornado Hotbed



Photo illustration by Alyse Markel using Getty Images





The United States, which sees an average of 1,200 twisters each year, is uniquely suited to form destructive tornadoes. Cool, dry air from Canada, propelled by the jet stream, surges over the Rocky Mountains toward regions of low atmospheric pressure in the Great Plains, colliding with pockets of warm, moist air that travel up from the Gulf Coast and warm, dry air from the Southwest. The atmosphere becomes unstable, forming powerful thunderstorms and, often, tornadoes.

Recent research suggests that climate change may be pushing increasingly powerful storms from Tornado Alleywhich spans from Texas to South Dakotasoutheast and into ill-prepared communities.





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By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -U.S. cuts to humanitarian aid are having a crushing impact on people in Myanmar, with violence likely to spiral, Thomas Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar told a press briefing in Geneva on Monday.

Sudden cuts to food and health programs supporting people have made an already grave humanitarian situation worse, as airstrikes and violence by the military junta, which seized power in 2021, increase, Andrews said.

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"The sudden chaotic withdrawal of support - principally by the U.S. government - is already having a crushing impact on the people of Myanmar," he added.

On taking office on January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on all foreign assistance pending reviews of whether aid programs conformed with his America First foreign policy.

Recently announced cuts to the World Food Programme could make current conditions even worse, Andrews stated, warning that famine is imminent in Rakhine State, in the west of the country.

People in Myanmar have also lost access to medical care, with some HIV patients unable to take their medication for the last seven weeks due to largely U.S.-funded health programmes, Andrews explained.

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"This is a catastrophe that is unfolding - it is unnecessary and it is cruel," said Andrews, who shared findings of a newly published U.N. report on the human rights situation in Myanmar with reporters in Geneva.

The U.N. special rapporteur warned that these destabilising conditions will force people into sexual exploitation, human trafficking and will increase the flow of people crossing the Myanmar border into neighbouring Bangladesh or beyond.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021, when the military ousted an elected civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a protest movement that morphed into an armed rebellion against the junta across the Southeast Asian country.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, Editing by Andrey Sychev, Ludwig Burger and Sharon Singleton)
A member of the United States Air Force has been arrested for the murder of a South Dakota woman who went missing last year, authorities said over the weekend. Sahela Sangrait, 21, had been missing almost seven months when a hiker discovered her decomposing remains in early March, according to the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

An ensuing investigation determined Sangrait was killed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, near the western South Dakota town of Box Elder where the woman lived, the sheriff's office said in a statement Saturday. Quinterius Chappelle, an active-duty airman stationed at the base, faces federal charges for second-degree murder in her death.

Chappelle is being held for the U.S. Marshals Service at the Pennington County Jail, booking records show. The U.S. Attorney's Office will prosecute the case, according to sheriff's office.

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CBS News contacted the Ellsworth Air Force Base but did not receive an immediate reply. A spokesperson for the base told The New York Times that Chappelle was an aircraft inspection journeyman assigned to the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, who entered the Air Force in 2019.

Reported missing on Aug. 10, Sangrait was last known to be staying with a friend in Eagle Butte, a city on the Cheyenne River Reservation some 150 miles northeast of the Ellsworth base, according to a missing persons poster. When she left Eagle Butte, Sangrait said she planned to pick up some of her belongings in Box Elder before traveling to California, but the woman became unreachable after that, the poster said.

Sahela Sangrait / Credit: South Dakota Missing Persons/Facebook

The poster identified Sangrait as Native American. In the U.S., Native American women are disproportionately targeted in murders, sexual assaults and other violent acts, on reservations as well as in nearby towns, to the point that the rate at which they go missing or are murdered has been called a national crisis.

There were more than 5,700 reports of missing Native women and girls in 2016, according to the anti-sexual assault organization RAINN, which uses statistics from the National Crime Information Center. The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimated more recently that roughly 4,200 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people remain unsolved. At least several dozen Indigenous woman are currently missing in South Dakota alone, according to the state's missing persons website.

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An airman was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the killing of a woman on an Air Force base last year, authorities said.

Quinterius Chappelle, 24, is accused of killing Sahela Sangrait, 21, whose body was found March 4, months after she disappeared, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office said Saturday on Facebook.

Deputies discovered Sangraits badly decomposed body south of Hill City, near the Pennington County and Custer County line, after a hiker reported finding the remains, the sheriffs office said.

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Chappelle, an active-duty airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in western South Dakota, is accused of killing Sangrait on the base, according to the sheriff's office. She was reported missing on Aug. 10.

It was not immediately clear what the relationship between Chappelle and Sangrait was.

Ellsworth Air Force Base did not immediately respond to a phone call or an email seeking comment Sunday night. The Air Force also did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.

A spokesman for the base told The New York Times that Chappelle was an aircraft inspection journeyman assigned to the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and that he entered the service on April 30, 2019.

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Military officials were working with local law enforcement in the investigation, Ellsworth's commander, Col. Derek Oakley, told the paper.

"We hold airmen accountable for their actions, and if service members are found in violation of military or civilian law, they will be punished," he said, according to the Times.

A missing persons poster shared on Facebook indicated Sangrait was Native American.

She was last known to be staying with a friend in Eagle Butte, about 160 miles northeast of the Air Force base, according to the poster. Sangrait left the friend's house and said she was going to Box Elder, where she was from, to get some belongings before she went on a planned trip to California.

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It is not clear when she traveled to Box Elder, which borders Ellsworth Air Force Base, or whether she made it there at all.

Chappelle is being held in the Pennington County Jail. He was arrested Friday, and no bond has been set, according to jail records.

It was not immediately clear whether Chappelle had legal representation, and a request for information sent to the jail Sunday night was not immediately returned.

The U.S. attorneys office for South Dakota will prosecute the case, according to the sheriffs office. The U.S. attorneys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday night.

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The investigation included the Pennington County Sheriffs Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

"This investigation has been an excellent collaboration of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in our area," the sheriff's office said.

The office asked anyone with information about Sangrait's killing to contact the FBI's Rapid City office.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
March 17 (UPI) -- Fighting between the United States and Iran-backed Houthi militants appeared to intensify on Sunday, after the U.S. military killed more than 50 people in Yemen with airstrikes a day prior.

In a brief online statement, U.S. Central Command said late Sunday: "CENTCOM forces continue operations against Iran-backed Houthis terrorists..."

CENTCOM forces continue operations against Iran-backed Houthi terrorists... pic.twitter.com/zEWykoDKQR U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 17, 2025

It came after the Houthis claimed to have twice attacked a U.S. aircraft carrier in retaliation for the dozens of U.S. airstrikes in Yemen a day before.

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The U.S. military on Saturday had attacked the militant group at the order of President Donald Trump.

On Sunday, Anis al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the Houthi-led Yemen health ministry, said in a statement that 53 people, including five children and two women, were killed in the U.S. attack of 47 airstrikes on Yemen.

Ninety-eight people, including nine children and nine women, were also injured, he said.

The Houthis had vowed to retaliate, and on Sunday claimed they had twice targeted the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the northern Red Sea with drones and missiles in the last 24 hours, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said.

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Saree had earlier said the first strike consisted of 18 ballistic and cruise missiles. It was unclear how many munitions were used in the second.

It was also unclear if any of the Houthi strikes hit the carrier, which was involved in the Saturday attack on Yemen.

The Houthis have maintained a military blockade of the Red Sea trade route, attacking transiting vessels, including U.S. military ships, in response to Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

Though the fighting in the Palestinian enclave has stopped due to a fragile cease-fire, the Houthi military last week said it would resume the blockade of Israeli vessels "until the crossing to the Gaza Strip are reopened and aid, food and medicine are allowed in."

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Earlier this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel was suspending goods and supplies into Gaza on accusations that Hamas, another Iran-backed militia, "steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaa from getting them."

"It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians -- and this we cannot accept," he said, without providing proof.

"We will take further steps if Hamas continues to hold our hostages."
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building pictured on Nov. 25, 2024. The Office for Civil Rights is investigating the University of Alabama at Birmingham for allegedly offering impermissible race-based scholarships and engaging in race-based segregation. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)

The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights (OCR) changed a Friday press release on Monday morning to say that the University of Alabama at Birmingham is under investigation by the OCR for allegedly offering impermissible race-based scholarships and engaging in race-based segregation.

The press release originally said the University of Alabama was under investigation. The release was changed to say UAB at 7:30 a.m. Central Time on Monday.

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No explanation for the change was given. The press office at the department is temporarily closed, according to its outgoing voicemail message on Monday morning. Legal counsel at UAB declined to comment on the investigation Monday morning citing attorney-client privilege, and referred comment to the communications department. UAB said in an email Monday afternoon that the university will work with the Department of Education to ensure compliance.

UAB is committed to providing resources and opportunities for all students regardless of race or other protected classes. We will work with the U.S. Department of Education to address any concerns and ensure compliance, Alicia Rohan, director of public relations, wrote.

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The federal office did not relay a specific allegation or allegations against UAB. A list of undergraduate scholarships offered at UAB does not include any with explicit racial components.

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One scholarship, the Kappa Delta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Memorial Endowed Fund, is run by a National Pan-Hellenic Council whose selection committee is composed of members of UABs Black Alumni Network. The scholarship gives preference to underrepresented students with financial need but does not make the race of an applicant a condition.

UAB is one of seven universities facing the allegations. The federal office also accused 45 other universities of engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.

Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a press release.

Supporters of the programs said they do not engage in preferences but expose people to the diversity of American society.

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Let me also note Im a white man, said Sean Atchison, a University of Alabama student who testified against what became the states ban on publicly-funded DEI programs and divisive concepts in March 2024. Im from south Alabama. Im from the middle of nowhere. Ive never, ever felt oppressed by a DEI program. Ive never felt threatened nor hurt. I feel educated. I feel stronger than ever and more confident in my ability to get a job that will benefit the long term future of this state than ever before.

A group of UABs students and UA professors sued the state of Alabama in January over the new law The plaintiffs  three students enrolled at the UAB; three professors working at the UA and the NAACPs Alabama chapter  allege SB 129, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road and passed last year, violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, describing it as vague, discriminatory, and a barrier to free expression.

This story was updated at 3:17 p.m. to include a statement from UAB.

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- International hedge funds and brokers were seeking to profit from Russia's corporate bonds and the rouble, as talks continue over a possible ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, said a latest report by the Financial Times (FT).

The Kremlin confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night.

"Investors are turning to sanctions-proof bets on Russian bonds and the rouble to wager that Donald Trump's rapprochement with Vladimir Putin will send a wave of capital rushing back into Russia's economy," the report said.

"Hedge funds and brokers have been scoping out how to trade Russian assets that have been shunned by the West but which they believe could rally sharply if Trump relaxes sanctions as part of a deal to broker a ceasefire in Russia's conflict against Ukraine," it said.

The rouble has surged almost a third against the U.S. dollar this year, while investors are looking forward to a possible wider rollback of sanctions on Russia, according to the report. 
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the G7 is planning further steps to pressure Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda; UK foreign secretary quoted by The Guardian

Details: David Lammy said that G7 foreign ministers were able to find "common ground" during a meeting in Canada last week.

Lammy added that a ceasefire proposal is now on the table, that "Ukraine is serious about peace", and that Vladimir Putin needs to decide how to respond.

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"Now it is Putin who stands in the spotlight...My warning to Mr Putin is this  if you are serious, prove it with a full and unconditional ceasefire now," the UK foreign secretary said.

At the same time, Lammy said, Putin does not seem interested in a ceasefire, and therefore, the G7 is considering further action against Russia.

"If Putin does not deliver, and I must tell the house that I currently see no sign yet that he is, the G7 meeting helped us ready the tools to get Russia to negotiate seriously," Lammy stressed.

The UK foreign secretary said that the meeting in Canada focused on "where we can go further to target their energy and defence sectors, further squeeze their oil revenues and use frozen Russian assets".

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Quote David Lammy: "At the same time we will keep up our support to Ukraine  Europeans clearly need to shoulder our share of this responsibility."

Background:

On 14 March, the G7 countries declared their readiness to impose further sanctions against Russia and strengthen support for Ukraine if Russia refuses to accept the ceasefire proposal.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Moscow to "give a clear answer" on the possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying that "Russia does not give the impression of a country that sincerely wants peace".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Russia must now take steps towards peace.

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By Paul Sandle

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain must leverage its strengths to influence how artificial intelligence is deployed around the world, DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis said on Monday, as the AI research firm's owner Google announced upgrades to its offering in the country.

Hassabis, who founded DeepMind in London in 2010 and sold it to Google four years later, said Britain's top universities and talent pool put it at technology's cutting edge.

"It's more important than ever that we are at the forefront of these technologies as a country, both economically but also geopolitically to influence how these technologies end up getting deployed and used around the world," he said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during a White House visit last month that the United States and Britain were working on an economic deal, with advanced tech at its core.

Separately on Monday, Google Cloud rival Oracle announced that it planned to invest $5 billion in Britain over the next five years to meet growing demand for its cloud services.

It said the investment would help the British government deliver on its vision for AI innovation and adoption.

DeepMind's Hassabis also called for the creation of international standards on the use of copyrighted material in the development of AI models.

"The complication is that these models are kind of global, they're used everywhere," he said.

He was speaking at a Google AI event after Google Cloud announced new products, including expanded UK data residency for Google Agentspace, its work productivity tool.

Google also said it would add its Chirp 3 audio generation model, which uses voices with human-like intonation, to its Vertex AI platform on Google Cloud from next week.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Joe Bavier)
(Bloomberg) -- The British government should take immediate steps to determine whats driving an explosion of worker visas, an official watchdog said, highlighting a lack of oversight for a program at the center of the countrys contentious migration debate.

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The Home Office still cant explain why the UK has issued about three times as many skilled worker visas as projected when the the program was created in 2020, the National Audit Office said in a report slated published on Monday. Moreover, sweeping efforts to curb the program were implemented last year with little research into the potential consequences on businesses, the NAO said.

The Home Office and departments must make better use of data to understand the impacts of changes to the skilled worker visa route, improve customer experiences and prevent the exploitation of visa holders, said NAO Comptroller and Auditor General Gareth Davies. Without this understanding, it cannot ensure value for money in managing the visa system.

The NAO called on the government to publish an evaluation of the Skilled Worker route within three months and complete an assessment of what happens to people at the end of their visa period by the close of the year. Ministries should work with other government bodies to better understand how to address skills shortages, the watchdog said.

A Home Office spokesperson said the government had already begun to implement many of the NAOs recommendations, including deeper cooperation between departments.

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Under the Plan for Change, we will go further and publish a White Paper to restore order to our broken immigration system, the spokesperson said. This will link our immigration, skills and visa systems so we can grow our domestic workforce and end the reliance on overseas labour to boost economic growth.

More than 900,000 foreigners have been granted skilled worker visas in the five years since then-Prime Minister Boris Johnsons government created the program. The points-based system was framed as a way for the UK to exercise greater control over its borders after the countrys exit from the European Union.

Arrivals on such visas have been a main contributor to the rise in the UKs net rate of migration, which remains historically high after hitting a record 906,000 in the year to mid-2023. The number of people staying permanently in the country increased by 80% between 2021 and 2024, while the number of dependents entering the UK shot up by 360% between 2021 and 2023.

The surge in migration has proven one of the most vexing issues for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour government has vowed to reduce the flow of newcomers since his election in July. The issue of legal migration has become conflated with anger over a surge in asylum applications from people crossing the English Channel by boat.

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Starmer is facing criticism on the issue from Nigel Farages populist Reform UK, which has advocated reducing net migration to zero. The Conservatives, Johnsons party, have also adopted a harder line on immigration since going into opposition and electing Kemi Badenoch as leader.

The skilled worker route allows companies in certain industries where there is a shortage of workers to sponsor migrants, offering them a job that is tied to that employer. The switch from the EU changed the makeup of arrivals, with most coming from India and Nigeria, as the countrys employers look beyond the continent for doctors, nurses and care workers.

The NAO said changes to the visa route brought in under former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last year were made with limited consultation or without full analysis of potential consequences for different industries and businesses. Those changes included banning care workers from bringing dependents, and raising the minimum salary thresholds which employers must pay to hire migrant workers.

The amendments reduced the use of the visa by sectors including social care, construction and architecture  all industries which are facing a shortage of domestic workers. Bloomberg has seen evidence suggesting that companies across the UK care industry have been illegally charging their workers for the opportunity to enter the country, but since their right to stay in the UK is tied to their continued employment, many feel they cannot complain.

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The NAO said there was widespread evidence of exploitation of migrant workers in the care sector, the NAO said, including trafficking, forced labor or debt bondage, underpayment of wages and inappropriate working hours or conditions. The government was not operating in a joined-up fashion when tackling these issues, the report added.

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(Bloomberg) -- The UK is set to begin trade talks with the Philippines after the Asian nation agreed to lift an import ban on British beef and poultry products.

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Trade Minister Douglas Alexander is due to meet with Philippine Undersecretary Allan Gepty in London on Monday to kick-start a dialog on deepening the two nations trading ties, which are worth some 2.8 billion ($3.6 billion) annually, the UKs Department for Business and Trade said in a statement. They aim to focus on infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture and technology, it said.

The rapprochement comes after the Philippines agreed to drop its import ban on UK beef, which was prompted by the discovery on a British farm last year of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy  also known as mad cow disease. Along with a decision to lift its ban on poultry imports due to a case of bird flu, the move is estimated to be worth 80 million to the UKs meat industry over five years.

Todays talks signify an important new chapter in our trading relationship with the Philippines, one of Asias fastest-growing economies, Alexander said in the statement. Showing that the UK is open for business in Asia is vital for this governments efforts to spur economic growth, he said.

The dialog is the latest in a series of talks started up by the trade department since Labour swept to power last July. While the US remains the UKs largest single-country trading partner, protectionist tariffs levied by President Donald Trump have forced Keir Starmers government to look at broadening relationships further afield with the likes of China, South Korea and Malaysia.

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Britain is also pursuing a post-Brexit reset with the European Union, and is in talks with Trumps administration to agree a new economic deal.

Alexander and Gepty will also discuss proposals for up to 5 billion of financing from UK Export Finance  a government body which helps British exporters  to help supply sustainable public infrastructure in the Philippines.

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LONDON (Reuters) - A "significant number" of countries are willing to provide peacekeeping troops in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

Britain and France have spearheaded efforts to offer a peacekeeping plan for Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump began talks to press for a peace deal with Russia.

More than 30 countries are expected to be involved in the so-called 'coalition of the willing' to support Ukraine, Starmer's spokesperson told reporters.

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"The contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops."

Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea of soldiers from countries belonging to the NATO military alliance being stationed in Ukraine.

Asked if the peacekeeping troops would be allowed to fire back if targeted, the spokesperson said military planning meetings were taking place to go through the details.

Starmer hosted a virtual meeting on Saturday with leaders from Europe and other countries to build support for the coalition before military planners are due to meet in Britain on Thursday to discuss how a truce could be guaranteed.

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Asked about Russian comments that Moscow would not accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine, Starmer's spokesperson said: "It is worth remembering that Russia didn't ask Ukraine when it deployed North Korean troops to the frontline last year."

Britain and France are both continuing to push the United States for security guarantees to deter any future Russian attacks.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, writing by Andrew MacAskill, editing by William James)
A "significant number" of countries are prepared to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached with Russia.

Source: Sky News, as reported by European Pravda

Details: A spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that more than 30 countries are expected to join the coalition of the willing to support Ukraine.

This is more than the 27 leaders who participated in the virtual summit led by Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.

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"The contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops and a larger group contributing in other ways," the spokesperson said.

The leaders of countries participating in the Saturday video conference of the "coalition of the willing" represented Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa also participated in the event.

Background:

Following an online meeting of the coalition of the willing on 15 March, Starmer announced that military officials would gather in the UK on Thursday 20 March to plan how to strengthen a future peace agreement.

Starmer presented plans for a Western peacekeeping force of over 10,000 soldiers for Ukraine during a meeting of the leaders of the coalition of the willing on 15 March.

However, Starmer added that any post-ceasefire plans for Ukraine would need to involve cooperation with the United States.

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has banned Romanian politician Diana Sosoaca, a far-right party leader who has repeatedly made anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian statements, from entering Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda; Security Service of Ukraine

Details: The SSU noted that Sosoaca has written letters to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in which she "praises the Russian full-scale invasion [of Ukraine] and calls for the seizure of our state".

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Quote from the SSU: "Sosoaca questions Ukraine's national sovereignty and internationally recognised borders, particularly in its western and southwestern oblasts. This foreign national also regularly spreads Kremlin narratives during her public speeches in Romania and other EU countries."

More details: The Romanian politician has been banned from entering Ukraine for three years.

For reference: Diana Sosoaca is the leader of the S.O.S. Romania party and is known for numerous controversial statements and actions.

She was expelled from a European Parliament session for shouting over another MP, chanting, "We believe in God!" while holding an icon. She also made a speech filled with fabricated claims about "a million Romanians" in Ukraine supposedly being prevented from speaking or praying.

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Background: Sosoaca recently wrote a letter to Putin complaining about being barred from registering as a candidate for the Romanian presidency and stating that she wants to "reclaim" supposedly Romanian territories that belong to Ukraine.

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Steve Witkoff, Trumps special envoy to the Middle East, emphasized the challenges of implementing a ceasefire in Ukraine, citing the vast scale of the war.

Witkoff paid a visit to Moscow on March 13 for talks on the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine had accepted after a U.S.-Ukrainian meeting in Saudi Arabia on March 11.

"A ceasefire involves how to get people to not be fighting with each other over a 2,000-kilometer border," he said on CBS News "Face the Nation" on March 16, noting the complexity of managing hostilities across such a large area.

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Witkoff pointed to key battlegrounds, including Kursk, and stressed the need to address strategic concerns like control over Ukraines nuclear power infrastructure and access to Black Sea ports.

"There is a nuclear reactor that supplies quite a bit of electricity to the country of Ukraine. Thats got to be dealt with," he said referring to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, adding that Russian objectives in specific regions must also be considered in negotiations.

Europes largest nuclear facility, the Zaporizhzhia plant in Enerhodar, has been under Russian occupation since 2022. Although still controlled by Russian forces, the plant is not currently producing electricity.

Ukraine and its allies have consistently called for Russia to withdraw its troops from the site. Since the occupation began, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from Ukraines power grid due to Russian attacks on the countrys energy infrastructure.

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Comparing the situation to the conflict in Gaza, Witkoff noted the differences in scope. "Gaza is a finite, defined space, as compared to where the battle is being fought in Ukraine, Russia. So this is a much more complicated situation," he said.

Despite these challenges, he insisted that no one is "throwing their hands up in the air" and that all stakeholders, including European partners, remain committed to seeking a resolution.

Read also: Painful for Russia: What new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy mean for Moscow

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Ukraine was fighting for control of the last pocket of territory it holds in Russias Kursk region on Monday night, as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin prepared to announce details of a temporary ceasefire.

Mr Trump and Putin are due to speak on the phone on Tuesday after Washington and Moscow held behind-the-scenes talks over the weekend.

Ukrainian troops have been forced into a hasty retreat from southern Russia after Mr Trump froze weapons and intelligence-sharing, depriving Kyiv of a bargaining chip in peace negotiations.

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On Monday night, the US president was said to be considering recognising Crimea as part of Russia in what would amount to a gift to Putin.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops were hanging on to a final sliver of territory and a few villages in the Kursk region as troops told of a chaotic escape under heavy fire.

Credit: 47th Mechanized Brigade

With the withdrawal almost complete, Mr Trump said: Ill be speaking to President Putin [on] Tuesday. A lot of works been done over the weekend. Were doing pretty well, I think, with Russia. Well see if we have something to announce by Tuesday.

Russia has strengthened its position in future talks to end the war after driving Ukrainian troops back across the border in Kursk.

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On Monday, Moscow also claimed it was now gaining territory in the east of Ukraine after piercing defensive lines.

Putin rejected early offers of a 30-day truce last week, saying he had questions over the agreement and whether it met some of Russias key demands. It led to warnings from Sir Keir Starmer that Putin was playing for time.

When asked on Sunday night about concessions under consideration, Mr Trump replied: I think well be talking about land... well be talking about power plants. I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. Were already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

The US president was likely to have been referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe and under Russian occupation since 2022. Ukraine has urged Russian troops to withdraw from the plant, which is not currently generating electricity.

Mr Trump said that he and Putin would be talking about power plants, a likely reference to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station - AP

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Monday night that we have never been closer to a peace deal.

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David Lammy, the foreign secretary, disclosed on Monday that he had held last-minute talks with JD Vance, the vice-president, at his Washington DC residence on Sunday.

Mr Lammy is due to speak to Kaja Kallas, the European Unions top diplomat, on Tuesday. She is likely to raise her Brussels-led plan to raise 40 billion (33.6 billion) in military support for Ukraine, which is open for non-EU partner states to join.

On Monday she urged caution on Russia offering a peace deal. What we see right now is that Russia doesnt really want peace. And also the understanding around the table is that Russia cant really be trusted, she said.

Ukraines withdrawal from Kursk has sparked renewed fears that Russia could mount an attack on the Ukrainian region of Sumy.

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It is likely that Kyivs forces are deliberately holding the border from defensible positions to prevent a complete collapse, allowing their Russian enemy to follow them freely over the frontier.

The situation is really tense, Liza Sherstyuk, an aid worker in the Sumy region, told The Telegraph. Residents in the city are very anxious, drones are shot down every day. The enemy forces are right on the border of our region... we are constantly asking people if they want to leave but, as of now, nobody does.

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UK-based wealth manager Brooks Macdonald Group has expanded its Scotland operations by hiring three investment professionals from RBC Brewin Dolphin, set to join on 1 July 2025.

Stephen Martin, Alan Riddell, and Vicky Drysdale will join as senior investment managers and head of advisor solutions for Scotland, at Brooks Macdonald, respectively.

The trio have over 25 years of investment management experience.

Martin latterly held the position of head of office and divisional director at RBC Brewin Dolphin in Glasgow, where he managed accounts for Private Clients, Trusts, and Charities.

Riddell was also a divisional director at RBC Brewin Dolphin, catering to a diverse clientele including individuals, families, trusts, pension funds, as well as charities.

Drysdale was a divisional director and headed the intermediary team at RBC Brewin Dolphin.

Brooks Macdonald CEO Andrea Montague said: Brooks Macdonald is delighted to welcome Stephen, Alan, and Vicky in July to our team to build on our long standing and valued relationships with Independent Financial Advisors and clients.

Brooks Macdonald has been serving clients since 1991. It has been publicly traded on AIM since 2005.

Last month, Brooks Macdonald finalised the sale of its international division, Brooks Macdonald Asset Management (International) Limited (BMI), to Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management in a transaction valued up to 50.85m ($65.75m).

Announced in September 2024, the deal comprises an upfront payment of 28m ($36.2m), with an additional 22.85m ($29.5m) dependent on performance over the next two years.

"Brooks Macdonald expands Scotland team with three hires" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.




Ukraine has a new version of its Neptune missile with a longer range.

Kyiv said the new weapon has a reach of over 600 miles and has already been used in combat.

The Neptune began as an anti-ship cruise missile but was later modified for land attack missions.

Ukraine has a new version of its homemade Neptune cruise missile for longer-range attacks, expanding the country's deep-strike arsenal, and it says it has already used the weapon against Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that he received "significant" news on the country's missile program, specifically that the "Long Neptune" had been tested and successfully used in combat.

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"A new Ukrainian missile, an accurate strike. The range is a thousand kilometers (or 620 miles)," Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging platform. "Thank you to our Ukrainian developers, manufacturers, and military. We continue to work to guarantee Ukrainian security."

The Long Neptune missile is a bigger version of Kyiv's R-360 Neptune anti-ship missile, a subsonic truck-launched munition that Ukraine previously modified to strike land targets. It's made by the Ukrainian defense manufacturer Luch Design Bureau.

The new missile has been in the works for some time. Last year, Ukraine's defense minister, Rustem Umerov, said that serial production of Neptune missiles had expanded and that they were being upgraded to strike at longer ranges. The munition could previously hit targets over 200 miles away.

The Neptune R-360 missile in 2021. VoidWanderer / Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine has used Neptune missiles to strike high-value Russian targets, including the cruiser Moskva, once the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, in the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion. The missile has also been used to attack high-end air defense batteries and oil terminals.

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Ukrainska Pravda said sources told the outlet the Long Neptune missile was used late last week to strike an oil refinery in the Russian city of Tuapse, some 300 miles from the front lines. That would mark one of Ukraine's latest strikes targeting Moscow's energy sector as Kyiv looks to deprive its neighbor of critical revenue.

The new missile exceeds the ranges of the ground- and air-launched missiles Ukraine received from its Western partners. The weapon comes as Kyiv's booming defense industry becomes increasingly self-reliant.

The Neptune is part of a growing arsenal of homemade munitions as Ukraine looks to strengthen its deep-strike capabilities with missiles and drones. Kyiv has used its arsenal to hit key Russian airfields, ammunition storage warehouses, and energy facilities.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukraine will have to wait for fresh EU military aid commitments as key details remain unresolved, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday at a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers.

While broad political support exists, she noted that EU defence ministers must also be involved in discussions.

According to diplomats, a decision in principle on the aid is unlikely before Thursday's summit of EU leaders.

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Kallas has proposed sending 20-40 billion ($21.8-43.6 billion) in aid this year, with contributions based on each member state's economic strength.

But to avoid potential vetoes, participation would be voluntary, according to a document seen by dpa.

Hungary, led by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, opposes the aid, calling it futile and prolonging the war. Budapest recently forced the EU to lift sanctions on several Russians.
Key developments on March 17:

Russia claims capture of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine denies

Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims

Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says

Territorial integrity, military size, alliances  FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks

Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law

Seoul, Kyiv discuss transfer of North Korean POWs to South Korea

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Russian forces captured the Ukrainian village of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 17.

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Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn denied the statement.

Stepove, with a pre-war population of 118 people, is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the villages of Pyatykhatky and Mali Shcherbaky in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. All three settlements were under Russian occupation in 2022 and 2023.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its military had taken control of Stepove. However, Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian forces did not lose ground in the Zaporizhzhia sector of the front line.

"This is a method of information warfare  the enemy claims that it is there before it has entered. I do not confirm the information that Russia entered the settlements of Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, or Shcherbaky and took them under control," Voloshyn said.

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"Fierce fighting continues in this area. The enemy is trying to change the configuration of the combat line in its favor. In total, six combat engagements were registered in the Orikhiv sector over the last day. The day before yesterday, there were 19," Voloshyn added.

According to Voloshyn, since March, Russian forces have intensified their assaults in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Since the beginning of spring, there have been over 130 clashes in the Orikhiv sector alone.

The Ukrainian military warned in fall 2024 that Russian forces were ammassing in Zaporizhzhia Oblastin preparation for a southern offensive. Heavy fortifications were constructed around the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia ahead of the possible invasion.

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The area near Stepove was the main axis of Ukraine's southern counteroffensive in 2023, which led to the liberation of the settlement of Robotyne but achieved no major breakthrough.

Read also: Talk about an invasion is everywhere  How Lithuania is preparing for war with Russia

Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims

Ukrainian drones attacked a fuel and energy facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast on March 17, causing a fire, regional governor Igor Babushkin claimed.

"Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including a fuel and energy complex," Babushkin claimed.

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Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had destroyed 13 drones over the oblast. Babushkin reported that fallen debris caused a fire at the facility, and one person was hospitalized.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

Astrakhan Oblast is located in southwestern Russia and borders Kazakhstan. The city of Astrakhan is almost 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russia's energy and military infrastructure to disrupt Moscow's war effort. Overnight on March 14, Ukrainian drones struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, igniting a gasoline storage tank.

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Kyiv has focused on hitting Russian refineries, oil depots, and defense industry sites, aiming to limit Moscow's ability to sustain its full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 17 in his evening address that a Ukrainian long-range drone has successfully completed testing, demonstrating its ability to fly 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles).

"There is good news about long-range drones. Our drone has passed a 3,000-kilometer test," Zelensky said following a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for Ukraines defense and security forces.

Kyiv uses long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields, oil refineries, and logistics hubs.

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During the meeting, participants also discussed a new long-range missile developed by Ukraine, the Long Neptune.

"We can say that we are satisfied with the results of the strikes. But we need to produce more missiles, more drones, and we will be talking about this with our partners this week," Zelensky said.

Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk earlier said that the Ukrainian Navy is the only structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that uses the Long Neptun missiles.

Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo models, featuring turbojet engines as alternatives to cruise missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.

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Read also: China is more likely than the EU to replace Starlink on the Ukrainian battlefield

Territorial integrity, military size, alliances  FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined three key conditions for future negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine in an interview with RBC-Ukraine published on March 17.

"I don't like this definition (red lines). There are fundamental things that are non-negotiable, that cannot be touched upon," Sybiha said when asked what Ukraine's red lines are in potential talks.

Sybiha stressed that Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty are non-negotiable, reaffirming that Kyiv will never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyvoiced this stance back on March 12.

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Despite this, the Trump administration has suggested that Kyiv and Moscow must compromise on a peace deal, calling Ukraine's goal of restoring its pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."

Russian forces currently occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine, where reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations continue to emerge.

According to Sybiha, the second key condition is Ukraine's right to choose its alliances. He emphasized that no country should have a veto over Ukraine's NATO and EU aspirations.

Kyiv officially applied to join NATO in September 2022, and in 2024, the alliance declared Ukraine's path to membership "irreversible," though no formal invitation has been extended.

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Sybiha also underscored that Ukraine's ability to defend itself must remain unrestricted, meaning there can be no restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"Russia must be held accountable. These are all elements of a lasting peace," he said.

On March 13, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was willing to accept a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire but demanded guarantees that Kyiv would halt mobilization, military training, and foreign aid deliveries  conditions that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to renewed aggression.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Putin on March 18 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. While Trump seeks to secure a deal, European allies and Ukraine warn that a rushed agreement without security guarantees may fail to ensure lasting peace.

Read also: Who is to gain more from a ceasefire  Russia or Ukraine?

Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law

President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law allowing Ukraine's Armed Forces to be sent abroad during martial law, according to an official decree published on March 17.

The law aims to enhance defense cooperation with partner nations, particularly by enabling Ukrainian forces to participate in training and receive military equipment, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenkoexplained.

"This will allow us to attract international support to strengthen Ukraine's defense faster and more effectively," Honcharenko posted on Telegram.

The legislation permits Ukrainian military units to be deployed to other countries for national security purposes, including repelling armed aggression, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and exercising the right to self-defense under international law.

The law does not concern the deployment of Ukrainian troops for combat operations on Russian territory.

The decision to send military personnel abroad will be made by the president but requires approval from the Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament. Deployments will be subject to a formal request detailing the mission's objectives, troop numbers, weaponry, and the conditions of their stay abroad.

Zelensky vetoed the bill in January and returned it to parliament with amendments clarifying the decision-making process and ensuring compliance with international law. Lawmakers approved the revised version in late February.

Read also: From drone simulators to civics: Ukraine reforms school curriculum to protect next generation from Russian threat

Seoul, Kyiv discuss transfer of North Korean POWs to South Korea

Ukraine is negotiating with South Korea to hand over two North Korean soldiers taken prisoner by Kyiv, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on March 17.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha discussed the potential transfer of the North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) in a phone call.

Cho noted that under South Korea's Constitution, North Koreans are considered South Korean citizens, but the prisoners must express a desire to relocate.

Up to 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast last fall to counter Ukraine's cross-border incursion launched in August 2024.

Ukrainian troops captured two North Korean soldiers as POWs on Jan. 11.

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported that North Korean forces fighting for Russia had suffered 4,000 casualties, with two-thirds of the losses being soldiers killed.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, attributed the high losses to North Korea's lack of combat experience and its use of human wave attacks with limited equipment.

Note from the author:

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Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has stated that the Ukrainian defence forces have redeployed to more advantageous defence positions in Russia's Kursk Oblast. He denied reports that claimed "thousands of Ukrainian servicemen have been encircled".

Source: Interfax-Ukraine citing Umierov on Fox News

Quote from Umierov: "Our defence forces, we continue to conduct defensive operations and we are keeping a significant number of kilometres of enemy territory under control.

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To preserve some availability of the forces and troops, we have conducted some planned redeployment to more favourable defence lines. But, at this stage, no unit of the defence forces is encircled and statements about thousands of Ukrainian servicemen that are encircled are not correct."

Details: Umierov said similar claims about some Ukrainian servicemen being encircled had been spread during the BRICS summit last autumn, but "the information was not confirmed".

Quote from Umierov: "This is the continuation of propaganda. But we will continue our active defence operations with some offensive actions against the flanks of the enemy's task forces to prevent its invasion to our territory."

Background:

Ukraine's General Staff denied reports that Ukrainian units in Russia's Kursk Oblast are encircled, as Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump had previously claimed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted that Ukraine's defence forces had achieved the Kursk operation's principal objective of drawing Russian soldiers away from the cities of Pokrovsk and Sumy and the Kharkiv front.

Ukraine's General Staff released a map on 16 March showing the complete withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the town of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

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The conscription of a person liable for military service during mobilization is irreversible, Ukraine's Supreme Court ruled on March 17, following a lawsuit by a serviceman who claimed he had been drafted illegally.

The man claimed that the enlistment office's actions were unlawful because he had not undergone a medical examination before going to the military unit. According to the man, he was allegedly unfit for service.

According to Ukrainian law, a conscript must undergo a medical examination before joining the army to determine whether they are fit for military service.

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The court of first instance found the actions of the enlistment office workers during conscription unlawful and ordered the military unit to discharge the conscript from service. The Appeal Court upheld the decision.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that the military unit could not discharge the person liable for military service, as this went beyond the scope of the claim regarding the actions of the enlistment office during the conscription.

According to the Supreme Court, the procedure for calling a person liable for military service during mobilization is irreversible. Recognition of the procedure of conscription as unlawful does not entail the restoration of the person's previous position.

According to the statement, the claimant also violated Article 26 of the Ukrainian Law "On Military Duty and Military Service" by failing to undergo a medical examination

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There have been multiple cases of suspected abuses committed by enlistment officials toward civilians and conscripts since Ukraine started a large-scale mobilization after the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.

Chernivtsi Oblast's police said on Feb. 7 that they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 32-year-old man at a regional military enlistment office.

The incident follows reports on the deaths of conscripts allegedly caused by beatings at military enlistment offices.

In June 2024, the Zhytomyr Oblast military enlistment office launched an investigation after Serhii Kovalchuk, 32, died following his stay at the Zviahel military enlistment office.

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Read also: Attacks on Ukraines draft officers on the rise, fueled by social tension and Russian interference

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(Reuters) - An overnight Ukrainian drone attack targeted energy facilities and other objects in Russia's Astrakhan region, injuring one person and sparking a fire, regional governor said on Monday.

"The situation is under control," Igor Babushkin, the governor of the region in southern Russia said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Babushkin did not say what facility was on fire. He said the injured person was hospitalised.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Jamie Freed)
Ukrainian drones attacked a fuel and energy facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast on March 17, causing a fire, regional governor Igor Babushkin claimed.

"Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including a fuel and energy complex," Babushkin claimed.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had destroyed 13 drones over the oblast. Babushkin reported that fallen debris caused a fire at the facility, and one person was hospitalized.

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The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

Astrakhan Oblast is located in southwestern Russia and borders Kazakhstan. The city of Astrakhan is almost 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russia's energy and military infrastructure to disrupt Moscow's war effort. Overnight on March 14, Ukrainian drones struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, igniting a gasoline storage tank.

Kyiv has focused on hitting Russian refineries, oil depots, and defense industry sites, aiming to limit Moscow's ability to sustain its full-scale invasion.

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Read also: US to withdraw from group investigating Russian leadership for crimes against Ukraine, NYT reports

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Ukrainian marines from a Mykolaiv-based brigade, together with other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, destroyed Russian assault groups in the border area of Sumy Oblast.

Source: video by the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi; a source of Ukrainska Pravda in the brigade

Details: A Ukrainska Pravda source said that the brigade's video shows footage of repulsing Russian assaults on the area between Sverdlikovo (Russias Kursk Oblast) and Novenke (Ukraines Sumy Oblast).

According to the 36th Brigade, as a result of combat actions, the Russians lost 14 men killed and 15 wounded. In addition, four ATVs used by them were destroyed.

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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that an effective mechanism for objective monitoring of the 30-day ceasefire should be ensured, and this should include an "international component".

Source: Sybiha in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "We really need to have an effective mechanism of objective control [over the observance of the ceasefire  ed.]. It should presumably also have an international component. The question here is who can carry out such monitoring because there is definitely a national component; it cannot happen without us, as it is our territory. That is why Ukraine is crucial here in terms of controlling and monitoring the observance of the ceasefire.

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As I have already said, we have already started forming a national team that will develop modalities and algorithms to ensure this process."

Details: Sybiha noted that ceasefire monitoring mechanisms usually operate under the supervision of the UN and OSCE, but given Ukraine's negative experience in 2014-2022, "we need to carefully discuss the possibility and feasibility of implementing such an international component as an element of possible monitoring of the temporary ceasefire".

"Therefore, this is also a subject for discussion with our European counterparts and with the American side, and we are currently conducting these consultations," Sybiha said.

Background:

Following talks in Saudi Arabia on 11 March, Ukraine announced its readiness to introduce a 30-day ceasefire if Russia also adheres to it.

On 13 March, Russian leader Putin said that Russia had agreed with the proposal to end combat actions in Ukraine, but that this should lead to a lasting peace.

Putin said that many questions need to be answered as part of such a ceasefire. In particular, whether Ukraine will continue to mobilise people and receive weapons, how the issues of control and verification will be resolved, and who will determine who has violated what along the 2,000-kilometre front line.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Putin was putting forward additional conditions for a halt to the hostilities, which indicates that he does not want to stop fighting.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Putin on 18 March to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that the agreements alone are not enough to start the 30-day ceasefire. It is also necessary to resolve the issue of monitoring the temporary ceasefire, as Ukraine has already faced Russian provocations during previous such ceasefires, before 2022.

Source: Sybiha in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "It [the agreement on the ceasefire regime  ed.] is a very complicated process in general; in addition to reaching an agreement on the ceasefire... we face such a challenge as control and monitoring over the compliance with the ceasefire.

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Our bad experience of the Minsk process and the ceasefires that were established then, of which there were at least 25, shows that this is indeed a challenge. It shows that we should immediately expect provocations from the Russian side."

Details: Sybiha added that Ukraine had seen more than once that "the Russians do not adhere to their agreements and their practice is to immediately violate these ceasefires".

"Therefore, we really need to have an effective mechanism of objective control," Sybiha said.

He reiterated that Ukraine had already begun to form a national team that would "develop modalities and algorithms to ensure this process".

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Sybiha also emphasised that it was only a temporary ceasefire.

"This is by no means a frozen conflict, but a temporary truce for 30 days, as stated in our joint statement with the US delegation," he concluded.

Sybiha has also said that Russia has not yet provided an official response to the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire to which Ukraine had previously agreed.

Background:

Following talks in Saudi Arabia on 11 March, Ukraine announced its readiness to introduce a 30-day ceasefire if Russia also adheres to it.

On 13 March, Russian leader Putin said that Russia had agreed with the proposal to end combat actions in Ukraine, but that this should lead to a lasting peace.

Putin said that many questions need to be answered as part of such a ceasefire. In particular, whether Ukraine will continue to mobilise people and receive weapons, how the issues of control and verification will be resolved, and who will determine who has violated what along the 2,000-kilometre front line.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Putin was putting forward additional conditions for a halt to the hostilities, which indicates that he does not want to stop fighting.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Putin on 18 March to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that as of now, Russia has not yet provided an official response to the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire to which Ukraine had previously agreed.

Source: Sybiha in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "Let's wait for an official response, because as of today there is none. But we definitely assume that no additional demands should be imposed.

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Ukraine has accepted the proposal of the American side and, accordingly, the Russian side should do the same."

Details: When asked how this response should be formalised, Sybiha said that "there are various official forms of confirmation of the state's position", but "as of today, there are none".

"This confirmation should be provided directly to the American side," he stressed.

He was unable to answer the question about the possible start time of the 30-day ceasefire, saying that it is a "very complicated process" that, in addition to the agreement itself, also includes a number of challenges, including monitoring compliance with the truce.

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Background:

Following talks in Saudi Arabia on 11 March, Ukraine announced its readiness to introduce a 30-day ceasefire if Russia also adheres to it.

On 13 March, Russian leader Putin said that Russia had agreed with the proposal to end combat actions in Ukraine, but that this should lead to a lasting peace.

Putin said that many questions need to be answered as part of such a ceasefire. In particular, whether Ukraine will continue to mobilise people and receive weapons, how the issues of control and verification will be resolved, and who will determine who has violated what along the 2,000-kilometre front line.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Putin was putting forward additional conditions for a halt to the hostilities, which indicates that he does not want to stop fighting.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Putin on 18 March to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 17 in his evening address that a Ukrainian long-range drone has successfully completed testing, demonstrating its ability to fly 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles).

"There is good news about long-range drones. Our drone has passed a 3,000-kilometer test," Zelensky said following a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for Ukraines defense and security forces.

Kyiv uses long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields, oil refineries, and logistics hubs.

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During the meeting, participants also discussed a new long-range missile developed by Ukraine, the Long Neptune.

"We can say that we are satisfied with the results of the strikes. But we need to produce more missiles, more drones, and we will be talking about this with our partners this week," Zelensky said.

Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk earlier said that the Ukrainian Navy is the only structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that uses the Long Neptune missiles.

Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo models, featuring turbojet engines as alternatives to cruise missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.

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Read also: Dont try to build a whole new drone: How one Ukrainian wartime startup got into quantum encryption  and the West

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Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces has posted a video of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast after three years of heavy and bloody battles for the village.

Source: Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces on Telegram

Details: The post noted that the video shared belongs to the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhanska Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Quote: "Bilohorivka is a symbol of the indomitability and strength of airborne troops!

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Once a quiet village in Luhansk Oblast, it has become the battleground for intense and bloody fights since 2022.

Airborne soldiers became the shield to stop the invasion when the enemy stepped onto our land in 2022.

Years 2023, 2024, 2025. Bilohorivka is still holding out  we are defending our land!

What remains of the settlement now is not just the deep wounds of war, but also a symbol of the resilience and bravery of every Ukrainian soldier."

Background:

At the end of February, it was reported that the village of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast, which Ukrainian analysts from DeepState had marked as a complete "grey zone" on their map, remains under the control of Ukraine's defence forces.

On 24 February, DeepState reported that Russian forces had advanced in Bilohorivka. Since 15 February, DeepState's map had marked the settlement as entirely within the "grey zone".

Read also: The battle for the white hills. What's really happening in Bilohorivka, which hardly ever makes the news

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Less than a month into the second Trump administration, the White House began publicly toying with the idea of defying court orders. In the weeks since then, its continued to flirt with the suggestion, not ignoring a judge outright but pushing the boundaries of compliance by searching for loopholes in judicial demands and skirting orders for officials to testify. And now the administration may have taken its biggest step yet toward outright defiancethough, as is typical of the Trump presidency, it has done this in a manner so haphazard and confused that its difficult to untangle what actually happened. But even amid that haze, so much is very clear: Donald Trumps most dangerous tendencieshis hatred of immigrants; his disdain for the legal process; his willingness to push the boundaries of executive authority; and, newly, his appetite for going to war with the courtsare magnifying one another in a uniquely risky way.

The case in question involves Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to accelerate deportations of Venezuelan migrants without going through the normal process mandated by immigration law. The statute, which is almost as old as the country itself, has an unsavory pedigree: It was passed in 1798 along with the notorious Alien and Sedition Acts, part of a crackdown on domestic dissent in the midst of rising hostilities between France and the fledgling United States. Before this weekend, it had been used only three times in the countrys history. On Friday, at a speech at the Justice Departmentitself a bizarre breach of the tradition of purportedly respecting the departments independence from the presidentTrump hinted that he would soon be invoking the statute, this time against migrants whom the administration had deemed to be members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

From here, the timeline becomesperhaps intentionallyconfusing. At some point over the ensuing 24 hours, though it remains unclear exactly when, Trump signed an executive order to that effect. Before that order was even public, the ACLU filed suit in federal court seeking to block the deportation of five Venezuelans who it believed might be removed. (In a sickening twist, several of the plaintiffs say they are seeking asylum in the United States because of persecution by Tren de Aragua.) By 5 p.m. on Saturday, Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia had convened a hearing over Zoom. Things had happened quickly enough that the judge apologized at the beginning of the hearing for his casual appearance; he had departed for a weekend away without packing his judicial robes.

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[Read: ICE isnt delivering the mass deportation Trump wants]

Thanks to the Alien Enemies Acts age and sparse use, many of the legal questions around its invocation are novel, and Boasberg admitted to struggling to make sense of these issues so quickly. The broad authority to rapidly remove noncitizens clearly appealed to Trump, who has always been adept at identifying and exploiting grants of executive power that allow him to put pressure on the weak points of the constitutional order. In an additional twist, the administration announced that it would be using this authority not just to deport supposed members of Tren de Aragua who lack U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, but to send them to a horrific Salvadorean mega-prison established by El Salvadors president, Nayib Bukele, the self-professed coolest dictator in the world.

The problem with this clever scheme, as the ACLU argued during the Saturday-evening hearing, is that the Alien Enemies Act does not actually apply to this situation. The statute provides the president with the authority to detain and quickly remove all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of a hostile nation or government in the event of a declared war against the United States or an invasion or predatory incursion. The United States is, obviously, not at war with Venezuela; Tren de Aragua, against which the executive order is directed, is not a nation or government; and in no reasonable sense is an invasion or incursion taking place. Trump is attempting to get around these many problems by proclaiming Tren de Aragua to be closely aligned with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, to the extent that the gang and the Venezuelan government constitute a hybrid criminal state. Building on several years of unsuccessful right-wing legal efforts to frame migration across the U.S.-Mexico border as an invasion, the executive order likewise frames Tren de Araguas presence within the United States as an invasion or predatory incursion.

These claims range from weak to laughable, and thats before we consider the range of other legal problems raised by Trumps use of the law. The best card the government has to play is the argument that courts simply cant second-guess the presidents assertions here, based on a 1948 case in which the Supreme Court found that it couldnt evaluate President Harry Trumans decision to continue detaining a German citizen under the Alien Enemies Act well after the end of World War II. But the circumstances of that case, Ludecke v. Watkins, were substantially different from the circumstances today. During Saturdays hearing, Judge Boasberg concluded that the ACLU had made a strong argument that the Alien Enemies Act cant be invoked against a gang. At the ACLUs request, the judge not only issued a temporary order barring deportation of the five plaintiffs under the Alien Enemies Act, but also blocked the administration from removing any other Venezuelan migrants from the country on those grounds while litigation continues.

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[Quinta Jurecic: What if the Trump administration defies a court order?]

If the chain of events ended there, this would be a familiar narrative about Trumps hostility to immigration and his penchant for making aggressive arguments in court. But there is another layer to this story that moves it into the territory of potential crisis. While the timeline remains confused, it appears that at least three planes traveled from the U.S. to El Salvador on Saturday evening, two of them departing during the hearing; all three flights arrived in El Salvador (following stopovers in Honduras) after Boasberg issued both oral and written rulings barring the deportations. A White House spokesperson confirmed to The Washington Post that 137 people on the flights had been deported under the Alien Enemies Act.

President Bukele has adopted a posture of smug mockery toward the court: Oopsie  Too late, he posted on X yesterday morning, with a screenshot of a news story about the judges ruling. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared the post. But the Trump administration cant seem to decide what exactly happened and whether or not what happened was a gutsy commitment to presidential power or, instead, a terrible mistake. An Axios story published last night quotes a jumble of anonymous officials apparently at odds with one another: Its the showdown that was always going to happen between the two branches of government, one official said, while another frantically clarified, Very important that people understand we are not actively defying court orders. The administration appears to have settled on the baffling argument that it wasnt actually defying Judge Boasberg, because the order didnt apply to planes that were already in the air and outside U.S. territory. To be clear, that is not how things work.

The judge has called for a hearing at 5 p.m. today, when the government will be required to answer a range of questions posed by the ACLU as to when the flights departed and landed and what happened to the people on them. We should pay close attention to what the Justice Department says in court, where liesunlike quotes to reporters or comments on televisioncan be punished by judicial sanctions. The administration has talked a big game about its willingness to ignore the courts, but in this instance, it may have engineered a legal crisis at least in part by accident. Will it be able to muster the same audacity when standing in front of a judge?

Article originally published at The Atlantic
GENEVA (AP)  Myanmar's people are already feeling the crushing impact" from the sudden, chaotic withdrawal" of U.S. and other humanitarian aid, an independent human rights expert said Monday, calling on the world community to do more.

Tom Andrews, a monitor on rights in Myanmar commissioned by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council, said he would appeal to its 47 member countries to issue a declaration of conscience against this unfolding disaster  a humanitarian crisis  and I will urge them to follow up those words with action.

Action that includes funding vital, life-sustaining programs that are being slashed and burned and jeopardized, he told reporters on Monday, before addressing the council on Wednesday. If the Human Rights Council does not (take action), then who will?"

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Andrews, a former Democratic congressman from the U.S. state of Maine, acknowledged that the specific fallout wasnt clear so far. The American embassy in Myanmar said on its website, in a statement dated Oct. 25, that the U.S. had provided $141 million in humanitarian aid since Oct. 1, 2023.

Andrews said the cut in aid was unnecessary and cruel and ill-timed: A strong movement of national resistance and a weakening of Myanmar's military rulers has raised hopes of its people.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021, triggering widespread popular opposition. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict.

The violence is continuing: An airstrike Friday reportedly killed and injured dozens in a village held by resistance forces.

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Tuberculosis and HIV patients have been missing their medication for weeks; disabled children have been locked out of rehabilitation centers; rights groups have faced cuts in their ability to distribute food and water to people, he said.

"The sudden, chaotic withdrawal of support  support principally by the government of the United States  is already having a crushing impact on the people of Myanmar," Andrews said

The Trump administration and many of its supporters have argued that the United States, the world's single largest humanitarian aid provider, has shouldered too much of the burden for too long.

Andrews alluded to efforts by a chainsaw-wielding Elon Musk through the Department of Government Efficiency to reduce waste and spending in the U.S. government, including at the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID  which has distributed many billions of dollars in foreign aid over the years.

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You have this incredible rhetoric that is based upon nothing except creating headlines," Andrews said, to show how "this entire program is going to be thrown into a wood chipper ... Well, its innocent people who are being tossed into that wood chipper.

We need to take a stand about this, he added.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council told Afghanistans Taliban rulers Monday that peace and prosperity are unattainable until they reverse their bans on women and girls getting an education, being employed and speaking in public.

The U.N.s most powerful body also condemned ongoing terrorist activity in Afghanistan in the strongest terms and called for strengthened efforts to address the countrys dire economic and humanitarian situation.

The council resolution, adopted unanimously by its 15 members, extended the U.N.s political mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA, until March 17, 2026.

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The Taliban seized power in 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew following two decades of war. No country officially recognizes them as Afghanistans government because of their crackdown on women.

Not only are women barred from working, from many public spaces, and being educated beyond the sixth grade, but they must be fully veiled and their voices cannot be heard in public.

The Security Council called for the Taliban to swiftly reverse these policies and practices.

U.N. special envoy Roza Otunbayeva, the head of UNAMA, told the Security Council last week that its up to the Taliban to indicate whether they want Afghanistan to be reintegrated into the international system  and, if so, whether they are willing to take the necessary steps.

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The Talibans chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, posted a statement on his official X account this month saying the dignity, honor and legal rights of women were a priority for the country, in accordance with Islamic law and Afghan culture and traditions. Islamic countries and religious scholars have said that denying women education and work is not part of Islamic law.

Otunbayeva said Afghans increasingly resent the intrusions on their private lives by Taliban officials and fear the countrys further isolation from the rest of the world.

They have indeed welcomed an absence of conflict, and greater stability and freedom of movement, at least for the male population, she said. But this is not a peace in which they can live in dignity with their human rights respected and with confidence in a stable future.

More than half of Afghanistans population  some 23 million people  need humanitarian assistance, a humanitarian crisis caused by decades of conflict, entrenched poverty, climate shocks and large population growth, Otunbayeva said. She said a downturn in funding is having a significant impact.

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In the past month, the U.N. envoy said, more than 200 health facilities have been forced to close, affecting some 1.8 million people, including malnourished children.

On another major issue, the Security Council called on the Taliban to strengthen efforts to combat terrorism, condemning all terrorist activity in Afghanistan and demanding that the country not be used to threaten or attack any other country.

Relations between Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan have become strained since the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which is allied with the Afghan Taliban, have increased attacks on security forces in Pakistan. At the same time, militants from the Afghan chapter of the Islamic State group, which opposes the Taliban, have carried out bombings across Afghanistan.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  On March 14, the City Councils preliminary budget hearing for the FDNY highlighted a significant issue firefighters have been confronted with in New York City.

During the hearing, FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker was asked whether the City Council could take any actions to strengthen the enforcement powers of the FDNY. Although he did not provide specific recommendations for the City Council, Tucker took the opportunity to highlight a persistent issue: drivers parking in front of fire hydrants.

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This has been an absolute disaster in the last few months, said Tucker. We had two people killed in a fire in Brooklyn. A car was in front of a fire hydrant in front of the building. We also had two people killed in the Bronx. A car was parked directly on a fire hydrant.

The fatal fire in Brooklyn that Tucker referenced happened on Feb. 10 in Bay Ridge. A 37-year-old man did not survive. FDNY officials say two cars parked near fire hydrants, slowing the agencys response to the fire.

The fatal fire in the Bronx happened just two days later at a Buddhist temple. Officials again noted that their response to the fire was slowed due to a car blocking a fire hydrant.

Tucker also told the City Council that the FDNY was confronted with a vehicle parked on a fire hydrant during the five-alarm fire in the Bronx on March 14. Six businesses were destroyed and others in the block were boarded up as they were too damaged to operate without extensive safety measures and renovations.

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We ask all New Yorkers to please stop parking in front of fire hydrants, Tucker said. Seconds count. We need to get water on fires fast, and when we have cars parked on hydrants, one, we cannot see the hydrant, and two, you certainly cant attach a hose as quickly and effectively when a car is right next to it.

Tucker noted that criminal summonses may be issued to vehicle owners who park in front of hydrants, adding the owner of the vehicle during the fatal fire at the Buddhist temple was fined $4,000.

During a press conference with the media on Monday, Mayor Eric Adams reiterated that no one should park in front of hydrants. We should never give anyone an excuse for parking on a hydrant, said Adams. 

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Having access to the hydrants allows firefighters to save lives. If you open the door and say you cant find parking, you should be able to park on a hydrant, that is unacceptable. You cannot mark on a hydrant.

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.

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For the first time ever, the Pentagon is set to spend a year without a full congressional budget  a sharp drop in spending that threatens to throttle the militarys work, from weapons programs to training.

The Senate passed a six-month continuing resolution, or temporary spending bill Friday, after Congress failed to reach a budget deal before a midnight deadline. The bill includes an extra $6 billion for the military, but otherwise freezes spending at the last fiscal years levels, or around $825 billion.

Considering Congress didnt pass a supplemental defense bill, as it has in recent years for Ukraine, that amounts to a 10.6% drop in military spending, according to data provided by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

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The massive cut comes at a bizarre moment for Pentagon spending, which is being pushed in multiple directions by multiple parts of the government.

On one side are those pushing to cut, or at least reallocate, parts of that budget. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said he plans to fire 5% to 8% of the civilian workforce and also shift around $50 billion in future funding requests toward his priorities. Add to that the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musks attempt to slash the federal government, which is already identifying cuts to defense spending.

On the other end are officials calling for massive increases to the defense budget. Senate Republicans, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi, want to add $150 billion to the military starting in fiscal 2026 and are in negotiations to do so. The White House, meanwhile, has pledged to surge Americas sluggish shipbuilding industry and build a golden dome missile defense system so ambitious that a general last week likened its goals to the Manhattan Project.

Its pushing on the gas with one foot and the brakes with two feet, said Mackenzie Eaglen, an expert on defense spending at the American Enterprise Institute.

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Temporary spending bills, such as the one passed Friday, usually stunt the militarys growth, halting new programs and production lines. This one is different. In order to limit the damage to the military, the bill allows such flexibility for weapons programs included in the House and Senates proposed defense spending bills, which are now otherwise obsolete.

Congressional aides said these exceptions will help the Pentagon avoid the whiplash involved in these short-term spending bills, which have become a chronic issue as Congress fails to pass budgets on time.

Military leaders were less sanguine.

We are seeing an enormous amount of threats emerging every single year, and it is very hard to get after those threats when you have to wait two to four years to get the budget, said Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, in a Senate hearing last week.

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Appearing alongside him, the vice chief of naval operations argued that the lack of a full budget will further delay maintenance for Americas warships, one-fifth of which are on track to miss their schedules.

Itll certainly be a setback, said Adm. James Kilby.

Stopgap budget bill includes extra funds for military, VA programs

The Trump administration has promised a reindustrialization of America, and in response started slapping tariffs on countries from China to Canada to members of the European Union. Those last two include 25% levies on steel and aluminum, which will likely increase costs for American arms makers and, by extension, the Pentagon.

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That said, analysts who study defense spending said it was still too early to tell how much those costs will grow.

Its unmeasurable at this point, said Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

A massive surge in the militarys budget, like Wicker is calling for, could help limit the issues caused by the continuing resolutions sudden drop in spending, Montgomery argued. But military leaders would need to know how much money is coming and how it will be divided among the services.

Those factors havent yet been decided in Congress, and without answers, the Pentagon is planning its future budgets without knowing how much money it will have or what programs it might need to sacrifice.

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Its pretty devastating, said Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the Air Forces acting head of space acquisition and integration.

The drop in funding is one problem, Purdy said, speaking with reporters last week. But a much bigger one is the stiff rules about how the military can spend its money, forced by temporary spending bills like this one.

The continuing resolution allots more authority than usual to the Pentagon, including the ability to carry over more money from the previous fiscal year without letting it expire. It also allows more flexibility for the administration to move around funds without Congress approval.

But the extent to which that freedom will help is not yet clear, leaving officials like Purdy confused and discouraged.

If were not allowed to move money where we need to move with congressional approvals  were basically just going to run off a cliff on many programs, and were going to be all-stop across the board, he said. Its going to be kind of a disaster.
Former state delegate Dave LaRock, former state senator Amanda Chase and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are vying for the Republican nomination for governor. (Photos courtesy of Dave LaRock, Virginia Senate, and Mechelle Hankerson for the Virginia Mercury)

Monday marked the first day that Virginias gubernatorial candidates could deliver their collection of petition signatures to the states Board of Elections, which officially puts them on the ballot.

With former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger as the Democratic nominee for governor, the Democratic Party of Virginia is reminding voters that Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, once the Republican heir apparent, now has to face challengers in a primary.

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From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. a truck with a billboard signaling that message will circle the block where Virginias Board of Elections sits. Its a way DPVA will highlight what it sees as a messy primary between Earle-Sears and her challengers, former delegate Dave LaRock and former state senator Amanda Chase, according to a DPVA press release.

In recent media interviews, LaRock and Chase have accused Earle-Sears of being a divider, not a uniter, of Republicans. Conservative radio host John Fredericks, where much of the Chase and LaRock discourse has recently played out, has also previously critiqued Earle-Sears for her issues with MAGA.

Short for Trumps Make America Great Again campaign slogan, MAGA has also described a political philosophy and those who subscribe to it. Both on a 2022 Fox News segment and in her 2023 memoir, Earle-Sears had noted loss of support for President Donald Trump.

Fealty to the former and current president has been a key factor in at least one Republican election in Virginia since Trump launched his third campaign for the White House. Former 5th District representative Bob Goods brief endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president haunted him ahead of primaries last summer where Trump-backed John McGuire ousted him as the partys nominee.

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Fredericks and Earle-Sears reconciled in a conversation on his show last month, prior to LaRock and Chase jumping into the race.

In another appearance on his show in late February she noted how her opponents would levy Trump, Trump, Trump at her but that he needs a partner who will work with him to get the job done.

She also referenced her support of pressing Virginia to cooperate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, a priority for Trump.

The matchup between Earle-Sears, Chase and LaRock can also be a litmus test on how Trumpian or right-leaning Republican voters might be in Virginia this year.

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Earle-Sears and Gov. Glenn Youngkin first won their statewide offices in 2021 without cozying up to Trump, though both have since embraced him as the nations leader.

Countering this, Chase has referred to herself as Trump in heels, touted conspiracy theories that supported Trumps false claims that he won the 2020 election, and attended the Jan. 6, 2021 rally in D.C. that ended with violence as a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol.

LaRock is campaigning on his support for Trumps new Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. While DOGE has drawn criticism and praise alike for the widespread slashing of federal jobs, offices and grants, LaRock would like to mirror those efforts at the state level.

While there had been speculation that U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News might jump into a Democratic primary for the governorship and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney switched his gubernatorial campaign to run for lieutenant governor instead, Spanberger will face whoever emerges from the Republican primary later this year.

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The Trump administration is taking advantage of the entanglement of university finances and government funding, seeking to put schools on a short leash tied to their research capabilities.

Columbia has already lost $400 million in grants over what the government calls inaction on antisemitism. Harvard is implementing a hiring freeze due to financial uncertainties in federal policy. And Johns Hopkins University announced Thursday it is letting go of 2,000 workers due to federal aid cuts.

While Republicans cheer these moves and others question why these big universities receive so much financial support in the first place, experts say scientific research relies largely on federal dollars and a lack thereof could lead to schools having to make sweeping changes in funding strategy.

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It is a long-standing relationship. As the federal government is pulling back on investments in those areas, its going to have severe consequences for institutions, said Liz Clark, vice president of policy and research of the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

Most higher education institutions receive federal dollars in the form of student aid and Pell Grants, which President Trump has not yet threatened.

But it is a different story for research institutions, with hundreds of schools receiving federal funds for educational, medical, agricultural and other types of research programs. The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics found in fiscal 2021 colleges received around $49 billion in federal research and development funding.

All of those avenues are under attack as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has taken an axe to various federal agencies and programs.

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At the Education Department, the Institute of Education Sciences saw hundreds of millions of dollars in research contracts canceled.

And, perhaps most dangerously for scientific research, the National Institutes of Health later declared it will only allow schools to cover 15 percent of administrative overhead from its grants, whereas before it was as high as 69 percent at Harvard University.

The moves became more targeted when the federal government announced $400 million would be taken away from Columbia after more than a year of Republicans criticizing the university for its handling of pro-Palestinian protests.

Then the University of Maine lost around $30 million from the United States Department of Agriculture after the states governor got into a public spat with President Trump over transgender athlete policies.

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While the focused actions against Maine and Columbia could face legal challenges, universities may have to deal with the possibility of either bowing down to demands from the administration or prioritizing which research can be done without federal backing.

The Trump administration on Friday laid out multiple changes Columbia would have to make to its policies in order for talks to begin on restoring funding, including changes to protest rules and disciplinary procedures and putting the Middle East, South Asian and African studies departments under academic receiverships for at least five years.

Half of this stuff you cant just do and the other half is insane, Joseph Howley, a professor of classics at Columbia, told The Associated Press. If the federal government can show up and demand a university department be shut down or restructured, then we dont have universities in this country.

Clark said there are questions as to what falls within current law, but that when it comes to immediate budgetary concerns, institutions are going to be making priorities.

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Theyre likely first considering what absolutely must continue, what they would like to continue and what they may not have the resources to continue, she said.

Harvard enacted a hiring freeze that will stay in place until at least the end of the academic year and told leadership in different university schools to scrutinize discretionary and non-salary spending, reassess the scope and timing of capital renewal projects, and conduct a rigorous review of any new multi-year commitments.

Johns Hopkins University said Thursday it is firing 2,000 workers over DOGEs vast cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The cuts may have only begun: The Department of Education on Friday announced investigations into dozens of universities over what they call diversity, equity and inclusion practices. The agency said in its Dear Colleague letter schools that do not comply could lose funding.

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Those outside the schools are questioning why, faced with such devastating cuts, they dont do more to tap into their endowments, which for elite colleges can run into billions of dollars. Harvards, the largest in the nation, is more than $50 billion, larger than most states annual budgets.

An endowment is a set of donations to universities that are invested by the institution to support its mission. The money is typically legally obligated to go to certain aspects of the university and cannot be moved around to other areas, often on the basis of donor preferences or other guidelines.

Endowments are made up of thousands of separate funds. They dont work like a savings account  where you could go to the bank with your ATM card, your debit card, and take out money and spend it on whatever you want. Theyre a collection of funds that are designated for specific purposes, and theyre legally binding purposes, said Steven Bloom, assistant vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education.

Another potential challenge for the schools is the timing of the Trump cuts: Most colleges set their budget for a year in advance starting in the summer.

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Here we are in the middle of their fiscal year, and theyre potentially losing billions of dollars, Bloom said, adding that even institutions that are well resourced, like Harvard or [the Massachusetts Institute of Technology] and others, they dont have hundreds of millions of dollars lying around that they can use to make up for that shortfall.

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"They will invest in Bangladesh very soon," Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said about Chinese solar panel manufacturers. Wen was visiting Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, who has urged Chinese companies to relocate manufacturing plans to Bangladesh as the new government seeks to spur economic growth.

The world's largest solar panel manufacturer, Chinese operator Longi, will establish an office in Bangladesh and invest in production in the country, Wen added. He said top Chinese solar manufacturers visited Bangladesh in December to explore investment opportunities.

Wen noted that since Sheik Hasina's removal in August, Chinese businesses have become the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh. He also highlighted Yunus' upcoming visit to China (his first foreign visit as chief adviser) as the most significant in the countries' 50-year relationship, marking them as "trustworthy and close friends".

Yunus welcomed the announcements as his government seeks to spur economic growth and stability after the raucous change in government last summer. He encouraged Chinese investors to also look at the healthcare sector.

"Bangladesh needs massive investment in healthcare. Chinese hospital chains now have a unique opportunity to build hospitals here," he added.

Last summer, Bangladesh's former authoritarian ruler, Sheikh Hasina, fled the country following the eruption of student protests that evolved into a national movement to oust her. The events led to some instability for foreign companies, particularly those in the textile sector. At the time, some companies changed shipment orders to manufacturing plants in surrounding countries.

However, the establishment of interim leader Muhammad Yunus, a widely respected figure in the country, has allowed for a relatively stable transition of power. Yunus is well-recognised on the international stage for pioneering the use of microfinance to combat poverty, for which he won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

Under Hasina's rule, Bangladesh's relationship with India flourished. She is currently exiled in India, which has created disputes with Bangladesh's new government, particularly after it officially filed for her extradition in February. Analysts say that China is keen to fill this vacuum, which may explain the charm offensive with Yunus.

In terms of drawing in foreign investment, Bangladesh is focused on making it a smoother process. It is currently working on merging its five regional investment promotion agencies into one centre that will help streamline foreign direct investment.
Palestinian flag at the student encampment on the University of Michigan campus. April 26, 2024. Photo by Jon King.

Free Palestine and other pro-Palestinian messages were spraypainted on University of Michigan Provost Laurie McCauleys home over the weekend and Ann Arbor Police are seeking information from the public as they investigate.

Officers arrived on the scene early Sunday morning and saw that an object had been thrown through a bedroom window and the words Free Palestine, Divest, and No Honor in Genocide had been spray painted on the front of the residence. Its believed by Ann Arbor Police that the vandalism took place sometime between 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday morning. No one was injured in the incident.

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Ann Arbor Police and the university have not confirmed the home as the residence of McCauley, but MLive and Detroit News have confirmed it with individuals at the University of Michigan.

Several high-ranking U of M officials have been the victims of vandalism at their homes or places of work since the October 7, 2023 surprise attack by Hamas on Israel that led to 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of about 250 individuals. Israels subsequent war on Hamas in Gaza left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and an estimated $18.5 billion in infrastructure damage before a ceasefire was reached in January.

On the one-year anniversary of the attacks, the home of University President Santa Ono and the home of Erik Lundberg, U of Ms chief investment officer, were spray painted with pro-Palestine sentiments.

Protestors left what authorities called fake corpses wrapped in bloodied sheets at the home of Chair of the University of Michigan Board of Regents Sarah Hubbards Meridian Township home in May, while the group chanted Regent Hubbard, you cant hide; you are funding genocide, demanding divestment from companies who work with Israel.

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University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker has been the target of several incidents of vandalism over the last year with his home and law offices being vandalized.

Acker told the Advance in December that he awoke to the sound of glass shattering and his young daughters running into their parents room in the middle of the night only to realize someone had thrown jars filled with urine through the windows of his Oakland County home. The words Divest and Free Palestine had been spray painted in red on his wifes car along with an upside down triangle which has become associated with Hamas attacks to mark Israeli targets.

I know that Im being targeted because Im Jewish, Acker told the Advance after the December incident at his home. This whole idea that Im somehow responsible, because Im Jewish, for the behavior of a government that I dont necessarily support is, quite frankly, absurd. Its absurd, and its antisemitic.

If anyone has any information about this latest incident, or has surveillance video from the area, they are asked to contact the Ann Arbor Police Department at 734-794-6920, or submit a tip by emailing tips@a2gov.org or through AAPDs silent witness at aapd.a2gov.org/silentwitness.

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PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG)  The University of West Floridas Institute for Human Machine & Cognition research team was awarded a $478,000 grant for the acquisition of advance robotics platforms, according to a UWF news release.

Fairhope is one of two remaining single-tax colonies in the U.S.  what it means

The grant will enable IHMC to buy specialized equipment from the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program of the Office of Naval Research, the release said.

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UWF faculty members Dr. Robert Griffin, Dr. Matt Johnson, and Dr. Hakki Erhan Sevil worked together on the application process. Only 64 grants are reportedly awarded nationwide.

The DURIP program equips universities to perform state-of-the-art research that boosts the nations technological advantage, while ensuring that the future science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce remains second to none Johnson said.

Were looking forward to the next phase of this work, which will allow us to take our state-of-the-art robotic systems out of the lab and into the real world.

This award is a significant milestone for the Intelligent Systems and Robotics program and a reflection of the outstanding collaborative work between UWF and IHMC, said Dr. Brent Venable, director of the ISR program. The continued support from the Office of Naval Research is instrumental in enabling cutting-edge research, and this new equipment will provide our students and faculty with the tools they need to lead in the field of robotics.

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Were proud to contribute to both scientific advancement and the growth of high-tech innovation in our region.

Coffee creamer shipped to Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, among other states, recalled

To learn more about the doctoral program in Intelligent Systems and Robotics at UWF, visit UWFs website.

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A Las Vegas university professor who was killed in a mass shooting at the campus more than a year ago has been named in connection with the Trump administrations new investigation into Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in higher education.

Patricia Navarro-Velez, 39, was one of three people gunned down in December 2023 mass killing on the schools campus. A spokesperson for UNLV confirmed that she had been part of a nonprofit being examined as part of a federal investigation by the Department of Education.

The probe is part of Donald Trumps ongoing efforts to remove DEI programs from educational institutions and within government agencies. The feds had targeted 45 different colleges that had partnered in the PhD Project as part of their investigation.

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Navarro-Velez was named as one of the UNLV educators being looked at for violating Trumps anti-DEI order that was issued in January 2025  more than a year after she was killed  by being part of the program.

UNLV is aware of the federal investigation. Three former UNLV professors were participants in the mentoring program known as the PHD Project, the statement, shared with The Independent said.

Two of them are no longer with UNLV. The third person was Patricia Navarro Velez, a beloved professor who was tragically killed on our campus by a gunman on Dec. 6, 2023.

Patricia Navarro-Velez, a Las Vegas university professor who was killed in a mass shooting at the campus more than a year ago, has been named by federal officials as part of a new investigation into Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in higher education (UNLV)

In accordance with the Nevada System of Higher Education policy, UNLV is committed to and will provide equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, age, color, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran status.

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UNLV added that it could not comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

Prior to her death Navarro-Velez had worked as an assistant professor of accounting and had devoted her career to educating the next generation of accountants, college president Keith Whitfield said at the time.

She had joined UNLV nearly five years before the mass shooting as a professor of accounting, where she primarily focused on teaching accounting information systems.

Navarro-Velez received her PhD in accounting from the University of Central Florida, received her masters from Bowling Green State University and received her bachelors in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico, Ponce.

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The UNLV spokesperson added the professors were involved in the PhD Project, which is an organization that aims in recruiting a broader talent pipeline into doctoral programs, according to its website.

Flowers rest against a UNLV campus sign after a mass shooting in December 2023 left three dead. The university is one of 45 institutions being investigated by the Department of Education over its DEI programs (Getty Images)

On Friday, the Education Department said that the identified schools had violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act by partnering with The PhD Project.

The department alleges that the project limits eligibility based on the race of participants, and therefore, universities involved with the organization are engaging in "race-exclusionary practices."

The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination, said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.

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Prior to this, on February 14, the Office for Civil Rights sent a Dear Colleague Letter to educational institutions receiving federal funding clarifying that, pursuant to federal anti-discrimination law, they must cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline and other programs and activities.

On March 1, the Department released FAQs to anticipate and answer questions that may have arisen in response to the letter.

The Independent has requested comment from the White House on the investigation.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  The Cherokee County School District announced that they are still offline after identifying a network security breach over the weekend.

School officials said the cybersecurity incident impacted portions of the information technology (IT) environment on Saturday, March 15. A leading IT consultant and SC resources are assisting the district with returning online.

I will note that we are very proud of how quickly our IT team has responded to this incident, Superintendent Thomas D. White, Jr. said. They [IT] have essentially been working around the clock over the weekend. And we will continue to work hard to return to a normal state of school operations.

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Officials said the following key issues and restrictions are in effect until Friday, March 21 due to the breach:

School districts network: Students & staff should not attempt to log in or connect to the school districts network until the district sends out a formal notification indicating it is safe to do so

No WiFi/ HotSpots: Students & staff should not try to connect devices to the internet using a mobile HotSpot unless permitted by the IT team or in case of an emergency

Prohibited Applications: Students & staff should not attempt to access or use any of the following devices, applications or programs such as school copiers, printers, online performance development platforms or teacher training

Email accounts: Students & staff can access and use their student district-provided email accounts because they operate on third-party networks

iPads & Computer labs: Students & staff can continue to use iPads and computer labs as usual but are subject to any WiFi and HotSpot restrictions

Cafeteria: Student meal plans will continue to operate although the district may have to manually record transactions

The district said they are working to resolve the issues. Their primary focus is restoring important operations while ensuring the privacy of the districts data.

Officials also mentioned they plan to assess students records impacted by the incident to determine whether any data or personal information was impacted when it is possible to do so.

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and Cherokee County Sheriffs Department are working to determine the cause as well as the extent of the breach.

The cause cannot be determined at this time due to the investigation being in its early stages according to the district. However, officials said they are committed to addressing the issues as soon as possible.

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America's East Asian allies are closely watching Trump's approach to Europe and Ukraine.

Some are readying lucrative deals to try to keep him onside.

At the same time, they're also looking to reduce their own reliance on the US.

Countries in Asia have long been dependent on US military support and weaponry to deter aggression from the likes of China and North Korea.

Now they're watching the rift grow between the US and long-standing allies in Europe over Ukraine, and some are planning lucrative economic deals to curry favor with President Donald Trump.

Trump pressures Ukraine

"The transactional nature of Trump's foreign policy means that the East Asian allies are publicly contemplating how to maintain US involvement and protection against Chinese and North Korean threats," Robert Dover, a professor of Intelligence and International Security at the UK's University of Hull, told Business Insider.

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Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst on the China and Northeast Asia team at Eurasia Group, said that "there is growing concern among US allies in the Indo-Pacific region."

He said this concern is directly related to events in and around Ukraine.

Support for Ukraine has wavered under Trump. To put pressure on the country to reach a cease-fire deal with Russia, the US suspended US military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine, before reinstating them after Kyiv agreed to a 30-day US-backed proposal.

There's also continued discussion over a deal that would give the US access to Ukrainian mineral reserves.

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Trump told reporters over the weekend that he planned to speak directly with Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday about ending the war.

At the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, Chinese government officials threatened Taiwan Xinhua News Agency/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images

Trump's retraction of US support for Ukraine placed its relationship with its European allies under strain, with some boosting their defense spending amid concerns US security guarantees can no longer be counted on.

Meanwhile, US allies in Asia seem to be drawing up their own version of Ukraine's minerals deal in a bid to shore up US military support. They're also urgently making contingency plans should the US abandon its commitments.

Earlier this month, Taiwan's semiconductor giant TSMC announced a $100 billion investment in building five plants in the US, in line with Trump's drive to boost US manufacturing.

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Japan has pledged to invest $1 trillion in US industries, including defense, AI, and energy, while Seoul is also pledging huge investments in the US economy.

"Tokyo and Seoul will also likely increase financial support for US troops in their countries and raise defense spending to preempt future demands from Trump," Chan said.

While both Japan and South Korea have boosted their military spending in recent years, and Australia has sought to strengthen military ties with regional allies, efforts have taken on a new urgency.

The scale of the TSMC deal has drawn criticism in Taiwan, with former President Ma Ying-jeou denouncing it and accusing the government of selling the company to Trump as a "protection fee."

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"This is a major national security crisis," Ma said on Facebook, shortly after the deal was finalized.

He said it will have "a significant negative impact on people's confidence, cross-strait relations and Taiwan's future geopolitical position."

The China threat

Trump has refused to commit to helping defend Taiwan, even as China ramps up its threats to seize control of the island.

At a press briefing earlier this month, China's defense ministry spokesperson, Wu Qian, warned Taiwan that "we will come and get you, sooner or later."

Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir, the commander of US Space Forces Indo-Pacific, said last week that China's military exercises near Taiwan had become so sophisticated it was becoming "difficult to discern an exercise from an invasion."

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But Trump officials have justified their decision to step back from their European commitments by saying the US needs to refocus on the threat posed by China. There also appears to be no groundswell in the Trump administration to scale back its military presence in East Asia.

"Whereas Trump expects European countries to increase defense spending and take on the primary burden for defending their continent from Russian aggression, he does not appear to hold the same expectations for US allies in Asia," Chan said.

Even so, with cracks showing in the US-European alliance that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, countries on the other side of the world are looking ahead.

Japan, which has had a pacifist constitution since World War II, is seeking more military independence, while Australia is discussing new security pacts with its regional allies.

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Dover said that the US's transactional approach could ultimately free some of its traditional allies to "remake trading routes and then politics."

It could also leave them contemplating other forms of defense.

Japanese and South Korean leaders have, in recent years, called for regional allies to consider developing nuclear weapons in response to escalating threats.

Chan said South Korea, and potentially Japan and Taiwan, could "inch toward developing their own nuclear deterrents if Trump signals a weakening of US security support."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The U.S. Armys 3rd Multidomain Task Force unit is standing up its long-range fires battalion over the next year, including readying its Typhon battery for deployment in the Pacific theater  marking the Armys second such missile system to enter the region, according to the units commander.

The Army has two certified and fielded Typhon batteries, also known as Midrange Capability missiles, stationed out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Col. Michael Rose, the 3rd MDTF commander, told reporters in a media roundtable Friday.

The 3rd Multidomain Task Force, or MDTF, headquartered in Hawaii, will officially receive its Typhon battery at JBLM this year, according to Rose.

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The Lockheed Martin-built system, consisting of a vertical launch system that uses the Navys Raytheon-built Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk missiles, can strike targets in the 500- to 2,000-kilometer range. The complete system has a battery operations center, four launchers, prime movers and modified trailers.

Defense News first reported the Armys plan to pursue the midrange missile in September 2020. The Army fielded the capability in less than three years.

The Army deployed its first Typhon missile launcher to the Philippines in 2024 as part of the joint exercise Salaknib, where the 1st MDTF transported it 8,000 miles via a C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft. The system has remained on the island of Luzon.

US, Philippines expand exercise to territorial edges amid tension with China

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Were constantly looking for opportunities to exercise capability like that forward in theater, Rose said. We learn enormous lessons by bringing capability into the theater.

Rose said the Army anticipates the Typhon supporting Operation Pathways, a series of year-round exercises designed to strengthen cooperation with regional allies and deter China.

China criticized the first deployment of the Typhon in 2024, warning it could destabilize the region. Officials have yet to fire the missile system in the Philippines.

When asked if his unit might conduct a live-fire exercise with the Typhon system, Rose said, Were always looking for opportunities to do live-fire with the system. It gives us enormous benefit to be able to do that, so were looking for the opportunity to do that at any time in our campaigning activities to include the next 12 months.

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Meanwhile, the Army is working to field another three batteries to the remaining multidomain task force units between fiscal 2026 and 2028, the services Program Executive Office Missiles & Space, told Defense News. The Army plans to next field a battery to the 2nd MDTF based in Europe in fiscal 2026.

The service is also working to build out its MDTF structure by fiscal 2028.

Established at JBLM around 2018, the Armys first MDTF was experimental, but the service has since made it operational and will ultimately build four more. Multidomain task force units have since participated in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises that have helped inform the Armys Multidomain Operations warfighting concept, which has now evolved into doctrine.

The Armys fourth MDTF, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, will focus on the Pacific theater and is anticipated to be established in full by fiscal 2027. The 5th MDTF will be stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where it will concentrate on regions as determined. It will be operational by fiscal 2028.
(Bloomberg) -- After more than nine months in space, relentless media coverage and a political firestorm, two NASA astronauts who captured the worlds attention for being stuck in orbit will soon be coming home.

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Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are slated to board a SpaceX Dragon capsule and undock from the International Space Station around 1 a.m. New York time on Tuesday and splashdown around 6 p.m.

The famous astronaut pair arrived at the ISS last June on a Boeing Co. craft, with plans to spend roughly a week in space. But that brief trip turned into nearly a year when NASA decided in August that the duo would come home on a rival SpaceX capsule instead, due to technical issues with Boeings Starliner.

Their saga became an international sensation, with some media outlets dubbing them the stranded astronauts  a nod to NASAs reluctance to have them fly home in their original spacecraft. The ordeal put an embarrassing spotlight on Boeings struggling space business as the company was rocked by a series of crises that forced a change in senior leadership.

In parallel, their story has highlighted how dependent NASA has become on SpaceX to keep the agencys major human spaceflight programs up and running.

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And in recent months, President Donald Trump and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk politicized the astronauts plight, with Trump accusing former President Joe Bidens administration of virtually abandoning them and Musk claiming that Bidens team left them in space for political reasons.

NASA and SpaceX representatives wouldnt confirm Musks specific claim during a press conference this month. Steve Stich, NASAs commercial crew program manager, said the agency looked at a range of options and worked with SpaceX to determine the best way to bring the astronauts home.

The dialogue has thrust NASA into a realm of political discourse that the federal agency typically avoids.

I cant think of another decision that was intertwined publicly with politics as much as this one, said Phil McAlister, NASAs former director of commercial space.

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But at last, the long ordeal of Wilmore and Williams is slated to come to an end, now that a replacement crew has reached the space station to relieve them.

After undergoing some standard medical checks, the crew will board a flight to Houston, where they will be reunited with their families. Its been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us, Williams told reporters from the ISS.

A Short Stay

For NASA astronauts, there is always the risk that a routine mission will last longer than planned. The agency has extended the stays of astronauts on the space station for months at a time to accommodate changes in traffic schedules or technical issues.

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We came up prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short, Wilmore said during the in-space press conference. Thats what we do in human spaceflight.

The earliest Dragon spacecraft that Wilmore and Williams could hitch a ride on launched in September, part of a routine six-month mission. But the scheduling reshuffle meant that two different NASA astronauts slated to travel to the ISS were grounded.

Theyre such professionals, but I mean, what a huge disappointment, NASAs former deputy administrator Pam Melroy said of the removed crew.

NASA and the two astronauts have downplayed the idea that they were stranded or in danger, since the agency has had at least one spacecraft docked to the station that could take them home in case of an emergency.

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Relying on SpaceX

While NASA says the astronauts have fared just fine in orbit, the test flight marked another flawed mission for Boeings Starliner. The vehicles first uncrewed test flight to the space station in 2019 ended early due to software malfunctions, and contributed to more than $2 billion in program cost overruns.

Starliners history stands in contrast to rival SpaceXs Crew Dragon, which has been routinely shepherding NASA astronauts to and from the ISS since 2020. SpaceX provided NASA with a backup option that the agency has rarely ever had available in the organizations more than 60-year history.

The two vehicles were developed under NASAs Commercial Crew program to ensure the agency has more than one option for transporting astronauts to the orbiting research laboratory.

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The agency hasnt resolved all of Starliners issues from its test flight, and Boeings commitment to the program is in question, Bloomberg has reported, as Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg looks to prune its portfolio.

NASAs reliance on SpaceX has come into stark focus in recent months. The agency had to delay the astronauts return as SpaceX experienced issues prepping for the replacement mission that needed to fly prior to their departure. Ultimately, SpaceX swapped around Dragon capsules to keep on schedule.

Playing Politics

In the months before their homecoming, Musk has called NASAs decision a political one, claiming that he offered a separate mission to retrieve them but was rebuffed because he was a Trump supporter.

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The astronauts said they had no knowledge of an offer, and NASAs Melroy downplayed the idea that there was one.

An offer to bring the crew home early, it never came to headquarters, Melroy told Bloomberg.

Current NASA managers demurred when asked if Trump or Musks public proclamations factored into any decisions made to hasten the return of the crew.

The presidents interest sure added energy to the conversation, and its great to have a president whos interested in what were doing, Ken Bowersox, NASAs associate administrator for space operations, said in a press conference.

The politicization has served as the final act in a story that has gripped the nation during a dynamic time on Earth. Wilmore and Williams will be coming home after missing holidays, birthdays, and a whirlwind administration change, and theyll be returning to a world where they are much more famous than before they left.

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--With assistance from Julie Johnsson.

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In 1957, Hollywood released The Deadly Mantis, a B-grade monster movie starring a praying mantis of nightmare proportions. Its premise: Melting Arctic ice has released a very hungry, million-year-old megabug, and scientists and the U.S. military will have to stop it.

The rampaging insect menaces Americas Arctic military outposts, part of a critical line of national defense, before heading south and meeting its end in New York City.

Yes, its over-the-top fiction, but the movie holds some truth about the U.S. militarys concerns then and now about the Arctics stability and its role in national security.

A poster advertises The Deadly Mantis, a movie released in 1957, a time when Americans worried about a Russian invasion. The film used military footage to promote the nations radar defenses along the Distant Early Warning line in the Arctic. LMPC via Getty Images

In the late 1940s, Arctic temperatures were warming and the Cold War was heating up. The U.S. military had grown increasingly nervous about a Soviet invasion across the Arctic. It built bases and a line of radar stations. The movie used actual military footage of these polar outposts.

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But officials wondered: What if sodden snow and vanishing ice stalled American men and machines and weakened these northern defenses?

In response to those concerns, the military created the Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research Establishment, a research center dedicated to the science and engineering of all things frozen: glacier runways, the behavior of ice, the physics of snow and the climates of the past.

It was the beginning of the militarys understanding that climate change couldnt be ignored.

Army engineers test the properties of snow on Greenlands ice sheet in 1955, a critical determinant of mobility on the ice and one that changes rapidly with temperature and climate. U.S. Army

As I was writing When the Ice is Gone, my recent book about Greenland, climate science and the U.S. military, I read government documents from the 1950s and 1960s showing how the Pentagon poured support into climate and cold-region research to boost the national defense.

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Initially, military planners recognized threats to their own ability to protect the nation. Over time, the U.S. military would come to see climate change as both a threat in itself and a threat multiplier for national security.

Ice roads, ice cores and bases inside the ice sheet

The militarys snow and ice engineering in the 1950s made it possible for convoys of tracked vehicles to routinely cross Greenlands ice sheet, while planes landed and took off from ice and snow runways.

In 1953, the Army even built a pair of secret surveillance sites inside the ice sheet, both equipped with Air Force radar units looking 24/7 for Soviet missiles and aircraft, but also with weather stations to understand the Arctic climate system.

The public reveal of U.S. military bases somewhere  that remained classified  inside Greenlands ice sheet, in the February 1955 edition of REAL. Paul Bierman collection.

The Army drilled the worlds first deep ice core from a base it built within the Greenland ice sheet, Camp Century. Its goal: to understand how climate had changed in the past so they would know how it might change in the future.

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The military wasnt shy about its climate change research successes. The Armys chief ice scientist, Dr. Henri Bader, spoke on the Voice of America. He promoted ice coring as a way to investigate climates of the past, provide a new understanding of weather, and understand past climatic patterns to gauge and predict the one we are living in today  all strategically important.

In the 1970s, painstaking laboratory work on the Camp Century ice core extracted minuscule amounts of ancient air trapped in tiny bubbles in the ice. Analyses of that gas revealed that levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were lower for tens of thousands of years before the industrial revolution. After 1850, carbon dioxide levels crept up slowly at first and then rapidly accelerated. It was direct evidence that peoples actions, including burning coal and oil, were changing the composition of the atmosphere.

Since 1850, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have spiked and global temperatures have warmed by more than 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 Celsius). The past 10 years have been the hottest since recordkeeping began, with 2024 now holding the record. Climate change is now affecting the entire Earth  but most especially the Arctic, which is warming several times faster than the rest of the planet.

Since 1850, global average temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen together, reflecting human emissions of greenhouse gases. Red bars indicate warmer years; blue bars indicate colder years. NOAA

Seeing climate change as a threat multiplier

For decades, military leaders have been discussing climate change as a threat and a threat multiplier that could worsen instability and mass migration in already fragile regions of the world.

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Climate change can fuel storms, wildfires and rising seas that threaten important military bases. It puts personnel at risk in rising heat and melts sea ice, creating new national security concerns in the Arctic. Climate change can also contribute to instability and conflict when water and food shortages trigger increasing competition for resources, internal and cross-border tensions, or mass migrations.

The military understands that these threats cant be ignored. As Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told a conference in September 2024: Climate resilience is force resilience.

A view of aircraft carriers docked at the sprawling Naval Station Norfolk show how much of the region is within a few feet of sea level. Stocktrek Images via Getty Images

Consider Naval Station Norfolk. Its the largest military port facility in the world and sits just above sea level on Virginias Atlantic coast. Sea level there rose more than 1.5 feet in the last century, and its on track to rise that much again by 2050 as glaciers around the world melt and warming ocean water expands.

High tides already cause delays in repair work, and major storms and their storm surges have damaged expensive equipment. The Navy has built sea walls and worked to restore coastal dunes and marshlands to protect its Virginia properties, but the risks continue to increase.

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Planning for the future, the Navy incorporates scientists projections of sea level rise and increasing hurricane strength to design more resilient facilities. By adapting to climate change, the U.S. Navy will avoid the fate of another famous marine power: the Norse, forced to abandon their flooded Greenland settlements when sea level there rose about 600 years ago.

Norse ruins in Igaliku in southern Greenland, illustrated in the late 1800s while flooded at spring tide by sea level, which had risen since the settlement was abandoned around 1400. Steenstrup, K.J.V., and A. Kornerup. 1881. Expeditionen til Julianehaabs distrikt i 1876. MeddelelseromGrnland

Climate change is costly to ignore

As the impacts of climate change grow in both frequency and magnitude, the costs of inaction are increasing. Most economists agree that its cheaper to act now than deal with the consequences. Yet, in the past 20 years, the political discourse around addressing the cause and effects of climate change has become increasingly politicized and partisan, stymieing effective action.

In my view, the militarys approach to problem-solving and threat reduction has provided a model for civil society to address climate change in two ways: reducing carbon emissions and adapting to inevitable climate change impacts.

The U.S. military emits more planet warming carbon than Sweden and spent more than US$2 billion on energy in 2021. It accounts for more than 70% of energy used by the federal government.

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In that context, its embrace of alternative energy, including solar generation, microgrids and wind power, has made economic and environmental sense. The U.S. military has been moving away from fossil fuels, not because of any political agenda, but because of the cost-savings, reliability and energy independence alternatives provide.

Solar panels generate power on many U.S. military bases. This array at Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, Calif., generates enough power for more than 15,000 homes and has a backup battery system to provide power when the sun isnt shining. Frederic J . Brown/AFP via Getty Images

As sea ice melts and temperatures rise, the polar region has again become a strategic priority. Russia and China are expanding Arctic shipping routes and eyeing critical mineral deposits as they become accessible. The military knows climate change affects national security, which is why it needs to continue to address the threats a changing climate presents, despite the rhetoric out of Washington.

This article has been updated with links to Pete Hegseths comments.

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: Paul Bierman, University of Vermont

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Paul Bierman receives funding from the US National Science Foundation, this work in part supported by grant EAR-2114629.
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Colombias data center market is set for rapid expansion, with upcoming capacity surpassing 200MW - almost four times the current market. More than 98% of rack capacity is concentrated in Bogota, and 60MW of new power capacity is expected by 2025. The report analyzes 23 existing and 12 upcoming data centers across Bogota, Cali, Medellin, and Barranquilla. Major operators include Equinix, EdgeConneX, Cirion Technologies, ODATA, and Scala Data Centers. With a surge in colocation pricing insights, IT load capacity forecasts, and investment trends, this database is an essential resource for investors, enterprises, and IT service providers.

Dublin, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Colombia Existing & Upcoming Data Center Portfolio" database has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Upcoming data center capacity in Colombia is over 200 MW on full build, which is almost 4x the current existing capacity in Colombia. More than 98% of rack capacity is concentrated around Bogota and About 60 MW of new power capacity will be added by 2025.

The Colombia Existing & Upcoming Data Center database product covers the Colombia data center market portfolio analysis, which will provide the following information on the colocation data centers:

Detailed Analysis of 23 existing data centers

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The US Navy is deploying a guided-missile destroyer to police the southern border.

The USS Gravely previously finished a nine-month deployment fighting the Houthis in the Red Sea.

The warship is armed with the long-range Tomahawk, a powerful missile used for striking land targets.

The Navy said on Saturday that the USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer that saw combat in the Red Sea last year, was being sent to the US southern border.

The Arleigh Burke-class warship's presence would help "restore territorial integrity at the US southern border," officials said in a statement.

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"Gravely's sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States' territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, who leads US Northern Command.

The statement provided few details of the Gravely's mission but said its deployment was made under President Donald Trump's executive orders to protect the southern border.

In January, Trump declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border, which he said needed troops to deal with a flood of illegal migration. The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has said he views the border situation as a matter of national security.

As part of its deployment, the Gravely carries a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, a squad of elite operators specializing in maritime missions such as intercepting drug-trafficking ships and fighting pirates.

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Policing the US' southern waters is an unusual task for a destroyer with the Gravely's firepower. Such missions are usually carried out by US border authorities and the Coast Guard.

A warship that saw combat for nine months

Before this new deployment, the Gravely was one of several warships accompanying the Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier for its extended nine-month deployment in the Red Sea.

There, the Gravely spent months shooting down drones and missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. It also carried out long-range strikes on Houthi land targets with its vertically launched Tomahawk missiles  part of a coordinated US-UK effort to preemptively destroy Houthi weapons before they could fire.

Additionally, the destroyer was documented using a "non-kinetic" weapon system to fend off drones.

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This Middle East deployment was notable for the US Navy because of how intense and frequent the fighting grew, which allowed the Ike group to gain valuable active combat experience.

By the end of its twice-extended deployment in June, the carrier group had fired nearly 800 munitions and logged more than 12,000 aircraft sorties.

Now, the US is sending some of that military might to its south. The Gravely is more than 500 feet in length, meaning it's far bigger than any of the typical cutters used by the US Coast Guard.

Washington has two key areas of concern in its southern waters: the Gulf of Mexico, which Trump has renamed the Gulf of America, and the Caribbean Sea on Panama's coast.

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Trump has said he wants to retake control of the Panama Canal, complaining about fees charged to US commercial ships and Chinese influence over the waterway.

Meanwhile, thousands of people attempt to cross the Gulf of Mexico to illegally enter the US every year. The US Coast Guard warns that the journey is often dangerous and can be deadly because smugglers tend to use old, unsafe boats to carry migrants.

The gulf is also a major route for drug smuggling by cartels, which Trump designated as foreign terrorist organizations immediately after he took office.

In a statement to Business Insider on Tuesday, a US Northern Command spokesperson said the Gravely had been deployed to the Gulf of Mexico.

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"Our commitment to the region is unwavering and the deployment of USS Gravely in support of operations is indicative of that," the spokesperson said.

When asked if the warship was deployed to combat drug cartels, they said the Coast Guard detachment on the Gravely would allow it to "allow the ship to interdict illegal drugs or other illegal activity" but declined to provide further details.

In a separate statement to BI, Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot said the Defense Department had "no announcements regarding force posture changes in Panama."

Ullyot added that the Pentagon is "working with Panama on several exercises and events throughout the year," saying the US has a "strong security partnership built on mutual respect and trust" with Panama.

March 18, 2025: This story was updated to reflect responses from Northern Command and the Pentagon.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The U.S. Postal Service has authorized Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency to help eliminate red tape hurting financial and operational performance in a move Democrats decried but some postal workers say could be beneficial.

It also gave concrete figures on previously announced force reductions, saying it expects to eliminate 10,000 jobs through a voluntary early retirement program. Meanwhile, postal workers and community activists this week plan to protest Trump administration expressions of interest in selling the Postal Service to private sector owners.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy informed congressional leaders on Thursday that he signed an agreement with the General Services Administration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to identify further efficiencies and stem billions of dollars in annual losses  including $9.5 billion in the most recent fiscal year. The new review goes beyond steps already taken under DeJoys 3-year-old transformation initiative to make the agency profitable within a decade.

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DOGE is a small office within the Trump administration  not a formally established department  that is working across government to cancel contracts and shrink agencies. DeJoy gave it permission to tackle big challenges related to retirement benefit calculations and investments, which have been a drag on Postal Service finances, and reform the Postal Regulatory Commission.

The Postal Service once faced the immediate threat of insolvency, which would have required a taxpayer bailout.  Our efforts have provided a lifeline to our organization and [a pathway that is] financially sustainable. I ask that you please engage with the Postal Service, our DOGE representatives, and the federal agencies that need . . . to correct for the deficiencies of the past, DeJoy wrote the lawmakers.

DeJoy, who recently announced plans to step down in the near future, said DOGE will complement cost-cutting and revenue-growing initiatives already underway. Since 2021, the Postal Service has cut $3.5 billion in annual transportation and mail processing costs by streamlining delivery networks and facilities, reduced layers of upper management, increased revenue by $5 billion per year over base projections in 2021, and introduced new package products through his turnaround program, called Delivering for America.

DeJoy specifically wants the DOGE team of outside tech specialists to address actuarial mistakes by the Office of Personnel Management and Treasury Department that have led to misallocated pension liabilities, costing the agency tens of billions of dollars, and a new investment strategy for the Postal Services three retirement funds. The funds are currently held in Treasury bonds, missing out on hundreds of millions in annual returns from higher-yielding instruments. Under the law, the Postal Service must self-fund retirement plans, putting it at a major disadvantage compared to private industry, which doesnt face the same financial liabilities.

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Another DOGE target is the services workers compensation program, which has paid out $400 million per year in excessive charges compared to private industry practices, according to DeJoy. The program is managed by the Department of Labor.

DeJoy also singled out burdensome regulatory requirements that hamstring normal business functions, including unfunded mandates imposed by Congress that require the Postal Service to perform activities costing $6 billion to $11 billion per year.

And he escalated a feud with Postal Regulatory Commission, calling it an unnecessary agency that has inflicted more than $50 billion in damage to the Postal Service by administering defective pricing models and decades old bureaucratic processes with an anachronistic view of how a self-funded organization should operate in a competitive environment.

The comments suggest DOGE will look for ways to dismantle or even terminate the PRC, which was created by Congress to approve rate changes for stamps and packages and ensure necessary service levels. The PRC in January questioned the effectiveness of DeJoys Delivering for America initiatives, saying they are negatively impacting service for certain products and rural communities, and that cost savings are overstated.

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Critics, including many postal workers, say the PRC has held back the Postal Service for years because it sets prices based on the actual delivery cost without considering overhead and capital expenditures in buildings, vehicles and technology necessary to maintain service.

The PRC on Thursday struck back at DeJoys characterization of its work.

The Commission follows the law to ensure that USPS provides universal service to all Americans, including those in rural and remote locations, and also safeguards fair competition in package markets by preventing the Postal Service from abusing its monopoly position. The price cap the Postmaster General has complained about for years was established by law, not by the Commission. Once the Commission had the legal authority to change the price cap, the Commission gave USPS significantly more pricing freedom. Combined with the 2022 law passed by Congress, the Postal Service received over $100 billion in financial assistance, it said in a statement.

Priority Mail is one of several mail products offered by the U.S. Postal Service. The price includes tracking and delivery in one to three business days. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The commission also took credit for rapidly approving thousands of specialized service agreements with postal customers in recent years.

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It blamed the Delivering for America overhaul for wasting assistance, losing money, making the Postal Service less efficient and reducing service to rural communities. It said DeJoy has expanded the Postal Services role in the competitive package market at the expense of its traditional role in mail delivery, a strategy which has failed miserably to this point.

On April 1, the Postal Service is scheduled to start phasing out afternoon mail collection at a large number of post offices. The change is designed to improve overall network efficiency but could slow delivery times for people in remote locations.

Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, decried the Postal Service-DOGE partnership.

The only thing worse for the Postal Service than DeJoys Delivering for America plan is turning the service over to Elon Musk and DOGE so they can undermine it, privatize it, and then profit off Americans loss. This capitulation will have catastrophic consequences for all Americans  especially those in rural and hard to reach areas  who rely on the Postal Service every day to deliver mail, medications, ballots, and more. Reliable mail delivery cant just be reserved for MAGA supporters and Tesla owners, he said in a statement.

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The National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents 200,000 delivery personnel, endorsed DOGEs involvement based on the need for structural changes to achieve profitability, which could ultimately lead to workers getting more pay, and initial assurances it doesnt involve job cuts or access to workers records.

These policy changes are needed to improve the Postal Services financial viability, and we welcome anyones help who can influence Congress and the administration to finally enact them, NALC President Brian Renfroe said in a statement.

The American Postal Workers Union, which represents more than 200,000 postal employees and retirees and nearly 2,000 private sector mail workers, blasted the Postal Services invitation to DOGE.

There is no legitimate role for DOGE in the USPS or any other federal agency. The public Postal Service was created by Congress as an independent government agency with robust oversight from the Office of Inspector General, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and the Board of Governors, as well as congressional committees, the union said.

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The moment there is any indication that DOGE is seeking access to personal and private information regarding employees, the APWU is prepared to take immediate legal action. Our collective bargaining agreement is between the APWU and the Postal Service. Any effort by DOGE, or any other entity, to weaken our union rights or target our contractual protections and working conditions, will be met with immediate and sustained resistance by postal workers, it added.

Job cuts

The Postal Service expects an additional 10,000 people will participate in a voluntary early retirement program in the next 30 days, adding to the 30,000 people eliminated since 2021, DeJoy said in the letter. The workforce reductions have saved $2.5 billion in the past three years. The service employs about 640,000 to deliver mail and packages across the United States and its territories.

The Postal Service announced the plan in January during the waning days of the Biden administration but didnt give the size of the labor reduction. Under the retirement incentive negotiated with the American Postal Workers Union, the service will make lump sum payments totaling $15,000 to eligible full-time employees.

Privatization protests

Meanwhile, thousands of postal workers are expected to join other community groups this week to rally against potential Trump administration moves to transfer the Postal Service to the Department of Commerce, break it up and sell it off in pieces, or privatize the entire organization.

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Privatizing the Postal Service could jeopardize guaranteed mail service to every American address, potentially leaving people in less dense areas of the country without deliveries they depend on.

The APWU said it will hold rallies in front of 150 postal facilities across the country to sound the alarm of a potential takeover of the Postal Service.

U.S. Mail is Not for Sale events are planned in Washington, Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and other large cities, according to a union announcement.

The NALC said local branches will conduct rallies on Sunday opposing any Postal Service deconstruction. Although the union supports DOGE efforts to improve Postal Service finances, it opposes privatization.

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Last month, President Donald Trump said his administration is considering transferring management authority for the Postal Service to the Commerce Department. Unions, major mail users and other critics say such a move is illegal. Trumps comments followed a Washington Post report that the president plans to decapitate the Postal Service board of governors and carry out a hostile takeover.

In December, before taking office, Trump suggested he was open to the idea of taking the Postal Service private. The first Trump administration looked into the idea before backing down in the face of congressional opposition. Republicans now control both chambers of Congress and have not shown much interest in challenging any White House policies.

In public comments earlier this month, Trump adviser Musk said he was exploring privatizing the Postal Service.

This is the peoples postal service, emphasis on service, said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. If this administration succeeds in taking over the USPS, it will lead to higher prices and reduced service, especially in rural areas. It belongs to the people on Main Street, it shouldnt be handed over to Wall Street.

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A recent Wells Fargo advisory note said privatization of the Postal Service would most likely take the form of a carve-out for the parcel operation. The new private service would likely raise rates, which would benefit FedEx and UPS. It said the Postal Service needs to raise rates 30% to 140% in order to stabilize finances even if the status quo is maintained.

Whatever the outcome, experts say Musk will have a hard time firing workers and cutting benefits because most postal employees have contracts that are locked in.

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

RELATED READING:

Postal Service to adjust delivery standards for network efficiency

DeJoy announces plan to step down as Postal Service chief

The post US Postal Service invites DOGE to fix structural problems appeared first on FreightWaves.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a Plan A and Plan B from the American side regarding the end of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Source: Rubio in an interview with CBS News

Quote from Rubio: "This is a complex, three-year war that's been ongoing along a very long military front, with a lot of complexity to it.

So no one's claiming that it's easy, but I want everyone to understand, here's the plan. Plan A is, get the shooting to stop so that we can move to Plan B, phase two, which is have everybody at a table, maybe with some shuttle diplomacy, to figure out a way to permanently end this war in a way that's enduring and it respects everybody's needs and so forth."

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"No one is saying that that second part is easy, but we can't get even to that second part until we get past the first part."

Details: Rubio noted that it is difficult to agree on a final end to the war while "they're shooting at each other".

That is why, Rubio added, US President Donald Trump wants a ceasefire.

Quote from Rubio: "That's what we're working on, assuming we can get that done. That won't be easy in and of itself.

We move to the second phase, which is negotiating something more enduring and permanent.

That will be hard. It will involve a lot of hard work, concessions from both sides, but it has to happen. This war cannot continue. The president has been clear about that, and he's doing everything he can to bring it to an end."

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Details: Rubio called the meeting between Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on 13 March "promising".

Background:

Witkoff stated that as part of the ceasefire talks in Ukraine, issues such as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, access to ports and the situation in Russia's Kursk Oblast must be discussed.

Witkoff believes that Washington will be able to make progress in resolving Russia's war against Ukraine in the coming weeks.

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(Bloomberg) -- US military strikes on the Yemen-based Houthi militants will be unrelenting until the group stops shooting at civilian and military vessels in the Red Sea, the Pentagon chief said.

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This campaign is about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence, Pete Hegseth said in an interview on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures, speaking a day after the first strikes on the Houthis since President Donald Trump returned to power. The minute the Houthis say, Well stop shooting at your ships, well stop shooting at your drones, this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting.

Oil prices rose slightly in early trading on Monday, partly because of the strikes, with Brent crude up 0.7% to just over $71 a barrel.

Although the US has been striking at Houthi target for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict, Eurasia analysts Firas Maksad and Gregory Brew said in a note to clients.

On Saturday, Trump said he ordered decisive and powerful action against the Iran-backed Houthis. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said they had choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt.

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The Houthi health ministry said 53 people, including five children and two women, were killed and 98 injured in strikes on the capital, Sanaa, and other provinces.

On Sunday, the Yemeni Armed Forces said it retaliated by launching missile and drone attacks against the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. The statement couldnt be immediately verified.

Trump said attacks on American vessels will not be tolerated.

The Yemeni statement followed a promise by the Houthis ruling political council to counter US aggression, saying its operations would continue until Israel ended a ban on aid entering Gaza.

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Israel stopped aid supplies going into the Palestinian territory around a week ago, saying the move was necessary to pressure Hamas and get it to release more hostages. The Houthis began their maritime attacks in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in late 2023, ostensibly in support of the Palestinians after the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza.

The Houthi attacks rattled shipping markets and pushed up freight rates for vessels traveling between Asia and Europe.

Like Hamas, which is also backed by Iran, the Houthis are designated a terrorist organization by the US.

Hegseth said the latest US strikes were also a warning to Iran.

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Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far too long. They better back off, he said.

White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said the attacks over the weekend were successful.

We hit the Houthi leadership, killing several of their key leaders last night  their infrastructure, the missiles, Waltz said to Fox News on Sunday. We just hit them with overwhelming force and put Iran on notice that enough is enough.

Speaking in a separate appearance on ABC, Waltz said Iranian targets in and around Yemen  including ships near the coast that provide intelligence and trainers  will be on the table, too.

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Regional Escalation

The Eurasia analysts said it was possible the Houthis would opt to target oil-rich Gulf countries again in response to the US attacks. Until a truce in Yemens civil war in 2022, the Houthis were regularly firing missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia and, to a lesser extent, the United Arab Emirates. Those helped push up crude prices.

Read more, from April 2024: Houthis Warn Saudi Arabia of Retaliation If It Backs US Attacks

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Houthis had attacked US naval vessels in the area 174 times over the last 18 months, in addition to disrupting global shipping. Asked if there were any plans for US ground operations in Yemen, Rubio said that looked unlikely.

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Those are military decisions to be made, but Ive heard no talk of ground raids, Rubio said to CBS. I dont think theres a necessity for it right now.

The US, UK and Israel have regularly struck Houthi targets in Yemen, including radar stations and fuel- and missile-storage sites, over the past year. While those have weakened the group and the intensity of its attacks have slowed, its still able to carry out assaults.

The Houthis have repeatedly said their missile and drone strikes in the Red Sea area, and directly against Israel, will stop once the war in Gaza is over.

Hamas, which triggered the conflict by attacking Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel began a ceasefire in mid-January.

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That truce officially ended early this month, without an agreement on how it should be extended and leaving the conflict in limbo, with Hamas still holding hostages. While Israel hasnt restarted a full-on war with Hamas, it says it could be forced to do so if the group doesnt lay down its arm and release all the remaining captives.

--With assistance from Maria Paula Mijares Torres and Sherif Tarek.

(Adds context on oil, Saudi Arabia and comments from Eurasia.)

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The U.S. has privately told European officials that it is pulling back from an international group investigating Russian leaders for the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine, the New York Times reported on March 17, citing undisclosed sources.

The move underscores the foreign policy shift in Washington as the Trump administration seeks to restore ties with Moscow while pushing for a swift peace deal in Ukraine.

The decision is expected to be announced on March 17 in an email to the group's parent organization, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), the New York Times wrote.

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The Hague-based International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is a judicial hub supporting national investigations into the crime of aggression committed by the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow's allies against Ukraine.

While the group is made up of specialists from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic countries, the Biden administration appointed a special prosecutor to support the hub's activities in 2023.

The Trump administration will also reduce the work of the U.S. Justice Department's War Crimes Accountability Team, which was launched in 2022 to investigate Russia for the atrocities it had committed during the full-scale invasion.

Ukraine is investigating more than 150,000 possible war crimes committed by Russia as part of its all-out war, including the summary execution of prisoners and targeted aerial strikes against civilians.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to mend the ties with Moscow in an effort to bring a swift end to the war while adopting a more antagonistic stance toward Ukraine and other partners.

The U.S. has briefly halted military and intelligence support for Kyiv while also cutting key foreign aid supporting programs aimed at the prosecution of Russian war crimes and the restoration of Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

On the international scene, the U.S. has sought to water down joint statements labeling Russia as the aggressor and the "sole obstacle" to peace.

Read also: Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, US hopes for ceasefire within weeks, envoy says

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The United States is withdrawing from a multinational group investigating Russia's crimes following its invasion of Ukraine, including the actions of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Source: European Pravda, citing The New York Times

Details: This concerns the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA), which was established to hold Russia's leadership and its allies in Belarus, North Korea and Iran accountable for aggression that violates the sovereignty of another country and is not conducted in self-defence.

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According to sources familiar with the situation, the US Department of Justice has informed European officials about the US withdrawal from the group.

It is expected that the decision will be announced on 17 March in an email sent to staff and members of the group's parent organisation, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.

The administration of former US President Joe Biden joined the ICPA in 2023. The United States was the only country outside Europe cooperating with the group.

In addition, according to The New York Times, Trump's administration is also scaling back the work of the War Crimes Accountability Team, which was created in 2022 by the then Attorney General Merrick Garland and staffed with experienced prosecutors.

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This group was meant to coordinate the efforts of the US Department of Justice to hold the Russians accountable for the atrocities committed following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Background:

In November 2023, Joe Bidens administration provided US$1 million to support the work of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

In December 2023, the US Department of Justice charged four Russian soldiers for war crimes against an American living in Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion, marking the first such case.

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A coalition of farmers and environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture after the agency removed crucial information from its website. They believe its restoration will help farmers and researchers protect against agricultural collapse.

According to the filing, the USDA scrubbed resources used to inform agricultural planning, including data sets, interactive tools, and information about how to access financial assistance.

The suit states it did this without advance notice, as required under the 1995 Paperwork Reduction Act  focused on protecting timely and equitable access to information collected by or for the federal government to "ensure the greatest possible public benefit."

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According to the USDA, "The Paperwork Reduction Act is a law and must be complied with regardless of the origin or reason for the collection." The suit also alleges the USDA failed to comply with the Freedom of Information Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

"By failing to provide any justification for doing so, USDA took agency action that was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or not in accordance with law, in contravention of the APA," the suit reads.

The Jan. 30 information purge coincided with a funding freeze, "pulling the rug out from underneath grant recipients who have invested significant time, money, and effort implementing practices that help them mitigate and manage the effects of climate change," per the filing.

The agriculture industry is critical to ensuring food security. However, most farmers polled in Bayer's latest Farmer Voice survey report that extreme weather events  supercharged by a warming planet  are leading to significant revenue loss. Three-quarters of respondents say they worry about how rising global temperatures are impacting their farms.

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Peter Lehner, a lawyer for Earthjustice  one of the suit's plaintiffs  spoke to these real-world challenges in a statement to the New York Times, saying: "You can purge a website of the words 'climate change,' but that doesn't mean climate change goes away."

Other plaintiffs of the suit, filed Feb. 24, include the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Environmental Working Group, and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University  on behalf of the Northeast Farming Association of New York, per the Times.

"Right now, because of climate change and because of what farmers are facing in terms of extreme weather events, we need every piece of available information we can get. We don't have access to that; we're not going to make it," said Wes Gillingham, who now raises livestock after a series of floods decimated his vegetable-growing operations.

The suit is requesting for the pages to be restored and for the USDA to follow established regulations before removing or "substantially modifying" climate-related information.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
The United States Department of Agriculture is ending several pandemic-era programs that connected local farmers to food banks and schools.

The USDA is ending the Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program, a program that helps food banks purchase food from local farmers. And some food bank workers told Channel 9s Erika Jackson its affecting their ability to help people.

Tens of thousands of people in Mecklenburg County rely on Nourish Up, a food pantry and delivery service to keep their families fed and healthy.

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Nourish Up is a group working to fight food insecurity and provide healthy options within their food pantries, according to CEO Tina Postel.

We see so many clients who are suffering from diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease. And so if all we have available to feed people are pop-tarts and pastries at the end of the day, were making their underlying health conditions worse, Postel said.

READ: Food pantry sets new record serving families as need grows

Nourish Up served 164,000 people in 2024, a 19% increase from 2023, Postel said.

There are too many families and seniors on fixed incomes that are struggling to pay rent or pay for, you know, their necessary medications or buy groceries and sadly, rent eats first, she said.

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Nourish Up gives each family member it services a box filled with non-perishables alongside fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. Those foods come from donations and partnerships, Postel said.

One of Nourish Ups partners is Second Harvest Food Bank. The USDA LFPA program helped Second Harvest purchase foods from local farmers. Postel said this can affect the quality of food Nourish Up gives out.

Any cuts to that might mean that we have to purchase more, you know, nonperishable food instead of the fresh, healthy stuff, she said.

Nourish Up has never had to turn people away, Postel said. And that is still top priority.

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Thats our goal, is to make sure that everybody has access to food, and so theres no shame in calling us and asking for help, she said.

READ: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to give out food monthly

The USDA also cut the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement, a program that helps connect schools and childcare centers to buy food from farmers. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools told Jackson that it spent more than $500,000 in its current phase of the program. It hopes to continue to the next phase of funding to buy locally grown products.

A USDA spokesperson told Jackson that the two programs were pandemic-era programs and have reached their ends.

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The COVID era is overUSDAs approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward, the spokesperson said in a statement.

The administration said it is still focused on strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious food. But the hope is to focus on more long-term solutions, according to a USDA spokesperson.

Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions in CCC funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact, the spokesperson said.

The USDA said all existing agreements under the programs will be terminated in the next 60 days.

USDA spokesperson:

As a pandemic-era program, LFPA will now be sunsetted at the end of the performance period, marking a return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives. This isnt an abrupt shiftjust last week, USDA released over half a billion in previously obligated funds for LFPA and LFS to fulfill existing commitments and support ongoing local food purchases.

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With 16 robust nutrition programs in place, USDA remains focused on its core mission: strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious food. Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions in CCC funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact. The COVID era is overUSDAs approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward.

WATCH: Food pantry sets new record serving families as need grows




Crews work to secure containment lines on the Mogote Hill Fire near Wagon Mound in mid-March. Wildfire potential will be above normal in most of the state this month, according to a new outlook. (Photo courtesy NM Forestry)

A fast-moving wildfire near Wagon Mound that ignited Friday is now under control, according to a State Forestry spokesperson, and investigators also determined that a utility line was the cause.

The Mogote Hill Fire in Northern New Mexico grew to 21,300 acres, according to dispatch records. Thats a little more than 33 square miles.

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The grass fire ignited a little after noon Friday amid dry conditions and high winds, prompting evacuation orders along a nearby state highway. Multiple state crews responded and made significant progress over the weekend. Precipitation over the wildfire also helped, Forestry spokesperson George Ducker said in an emailed statement.

The threat to a few structures in the area has passed, and evacuation orders are no longer in effect, Ducker said.

Ducker told Source New Mexico said he did not know who owned the utility line that sparked the blaze, and referred the issue for comment to the Mora County Sheriffs Office, which had not responded by publication Monday morning.

Rural electrical co-operatives own most of the utility lines in that area.

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This legislative session, lawmakers are considering House Bill 334, which would remove liability for rural electrical co-ops that spark wildfires as long as theyve submitted wildfire mitigation plans in advance for approval by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

Lawmakers have told Source New Mexico the bill is an attempt to prevent lawsuits from bankrupting small electrical co-operatives that typically have little cash on hand, especially in high wind events during ongoing drought.

At an interim Legislative Finance Committee last summer, Rep. Joe Sanchez (D-Alcalde) said a lawsuit against the Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative, where Sanchez used to work, ultimately had to pay $25 million for its role in the Las Conchas Fire in 2011.

The amount of risk co-ops face from wildfire lawsuits limits the amount of insurance they can secure, he said, and after the Las Conchas Fire, the co-op can only get $2 million to $3 million in coverage.

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Any lawsuit would put the co-ops in bankruptcy, and all thats going to do is drive up costs for poor people in our rural areas, he said at the meeting.

HB334, which Sanchez and four other lawmakers sponsored, is awaiting a hearing at the House Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee. The committees schedule for the last week of the session has not yet been released.
COINBASE SECURES REGISTRATION IN INDIA: Coinbase (COIN) announced Tuesday it has registered with Indias Financial Intelligence Unit , which marks a significant milestone in its international expansion strategy. The company plans to launch its initial retail services later this year, followed by additional investment and products in India thereafter. Were committed to building in markets that believe in the potential of crypto and onchain innovation, said John OLoghlen, Regional Managing Director for APAC at Coinbase. India represents one of the most exciting market opportunities in the world today, and were proud to deepen our investment here in full compliance with local regulations.

Following the report, Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance and its ex-CEO, stated in a post to X: Sorry to disappoint. The WSJ article got the facts wrong. More than 20 people have told me they were asked by the WSJ (and another media), Can you confirm that CZ made some deal for a pardon? They probably asked hundreds of people to have 20 people reach out to me. In essence, they tried hard to make a story to report. Fact: I have had no discussions of a Binance US deal with  well, anyone. No felon would mind a pardon, especially being the only one in US history who was ever sentenced to prison for a single BSA charge. Feels like the article is motivated as an attack on the President and crypto, and the residual forces of the war on crypto from the last administration are still at work. I am always happy to make crypto great everywhere, US and the rest of the world. Its good to see that even WSJ thinks I should be pardoned.

BINANCE FOUNDER DENIES REPORT ON TRUMP TALKS: On Thursday, The Wall Street Journals Rebecca Ballhaus, Patricia Kowsmann, Angus Berwick, Josh Dawsey and Caitlin Ostroff reported that representatives of President crypto exchange Binance, citing people familiar with the matter. Binances billionaire founder, Changpeng Zhao, who served four months in prison after pleading guilty to violating anti-money-laundering requirements, has been pushing for the Trump administration to grant him a pardon, sources added.

As bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies get increasing attention from investors, Wall Street and its traditional banks continue to adjust to the shift. Catch up on this weeks top stories highlighting the intersection of these old guard and new school areas of finance with this recap compiled by The Fly.

Story Continues

Additionally on Tuesday, Mizuho lowered the firms price target on Coinbase to $217 from $280 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm said that since its last model update on February 20, the price of bitcoin has fallen from $98,000 to $79,000 and Coinbase shares are down 30%. While some multiple compression is warranted due to lower multiples across technology, the move in Coinbase shares is overdone, the analyst said. Mizuho believes the stock should trade closer to $217. While it sees some upside from here, it remains Neutral given the longer-term risk of pricing pressure from increased competition across the crypto trading space. Mizuho cited lower market multiples for the target cut.

BIT DIGITAL REPORTS FY24 RESULTS: On Friday, Bit Digital (BTBT) reported FY24 earnings per share of 19c on revenue of $108.1M, which compared to a loss per share of (16c) on revenue of $44.9M last year. The company earned 949.9 bitcoins during 2024, a 37% decrease from the prior year, and treasury holdings of BTC and ETH were 741.9 and 27,623.2, respectively, with a fair market value of approximately $69.3M and $92.1M on December 31, respectively.

The company said, 2024 marked a pivotal shift for Bit Digital. Our business was historically driven by digital asset mining, but the successful launch and rapid expansion of our HPC business fundamentally reshaped our company. This evolution drove over 140% revenue growth, with these new business lines contributing nearly half of total revenue. A defining milestone in this transformation was our acquisition of Enovum Data Centers in October. More than just an infrastructure expansion, Enovum provided us with a proven team, operational expertise, and a scalable platform to develop and operate data centers. It also introduced colocation services as a new business line, further diversifying our revenue streams and strengthening our AI compute capabilities. Bitcoin mining remained a key revenue contributor, generating $58.6M, a 32% increase year-over-year. However, as our HPC business scaled, minings share of total revenue declined to 54% in 2024, and further to 40% in Q424, compared to 98% in 2023. This shift underscores our strategic pivot toward infrastructure-driven revenue streams while maintaining disciplined mining operations.

ANALYSTS UPDATES BITCOIN MINER MODELS: On Thursday, JPMorgan downgraded Cipher Mining (CIFR) to Neutral from Overweight without a price target. The firm updated bitcoin miner price targets and models to reflect the Q4 results and changes in bitcoin price and the network hash rate. The firm now sees less upside potential relative to peers for Cipher Mining shares. Cipher could sign a high performance compute deal at its Barber Lake site, which could drive upside, but deals can take up to nine months to negotiate and finalize, the analyst said.

JPMorgan also lowered the firms price target on Mara Holdings (MARA) to $18 from $23 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares as well as on CleanSpark (CLSK) to $12 from $17 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares and on Riot Platforms (RIOT) to $13 from $16 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares.

Additionally, the firm upgraded IREN (IREN) to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $12, down from $15. JPMorgan named IREN its top pick citing the companys strong mining operations and high performance computing optionality. The shares have been overly punished year-to-date, and offer 70% upside at current levels, which could prove conservative if IREN announces an HPC deal with a name-brand tenant, the analyst said.

HIVE PRICE TARGET LOWERED: Cantor Fitzgerald lowered the firms price target on Hive Digital (HIVE) on Tuesday to $8 from $11 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares. Hive said it mined 89 bitcoin during the month of February, or 3.1 bitcoin per day, a decrease from 102 bitcoin mined in January, and its share of the overall bitcoin network decreased to 0.69% from 0.73% on a peak hash rate basis, the analyst said. Cantor continues to believe that current levels represent an attractive risk/reward, as the firm is confident in Hives ability to execute on its bitcoin mining and AI Cloud targets, which will represent 300% hash rate growth and $100M in annualized run-rate revenue in 2025, respectively.

CRYPTO STOCK PLAYS: Publicly traded companies in the space include Bit Digital, Coinbase, Core Scientific (CORZ), Greenidge Generation (GREE), Mara Holdings, Strategy (MSTR), Riot Platforms, Stronghold Digital Mining (SDIG) and TeraWulf (WULF).

PRICE ACTION: As of time of writing, bitcoin dropped about 6% this week to $83,160 in U.S. dollars, according to CoinDesk.

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Editors Note: This story has been updated to include more information from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Affairs officials announced Monday they will phase out all medical treatments for gender dysphoria, including hormone therapy and any surgical options for transgender veterans.

In a statement, VA Secretary Doug Collins said that VA should not be focused on helping veterans attempt to change their sex and claimed most Americans and veterans would support the decision.

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All eligible veterans  including trans-identified veterans  will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services theyve earned under the law, Collins said. But if veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime.

The move came as outside advocates condemned a decision by Veterans Affairs leaders last week to rescind a policy ensuring health care for transgender and intersex veterans, predicting catastrophic mental and physical health consequences for patients dependent on the services.

LGBTQ+ veterans face more health problems than peers, study finds

[This] decision is a direct attack on the dignity and well-being of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex veterans, one that will have deadly outcomes, said Lindsay Church, executive director of Minority Veterans of America. This decision will force our community to defer or delay care and opt out of VA services altogether.

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This decision will exacerbate our already devastatingly high suicide rates and push more veterans into crisis for no reason other than hate. VA is abandoning those who have served, stripping us of critical health care protections, and sending a clear message that our lives and service to our country do not matter.

On Friday, an internal memo announced the change to VA staff. The withdrawn directive  originally approved in 2018, during President Donald Trumps first term in office  covered both medical care for transgender and intersex veterans as well as dignity in care, requiring that staff avoid using derogatory terms or misgendered language when assessing patients.

It also required data collection on those veterans, in an effort to compile more information on the community.

In a statement with the memo withdrawal, VA leaders said the move was made to conform with a presidential executive order from January requiring agencies to use clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male.

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They noted that many aspects of transgender care  including gender-affirming surgeries and cosmetic reconstruction surgeries  were not authorized under existing department regulations. Officials in President Joe Bidens administration had taken steps towards providing those services, but did not finalize those rules.

Acting Under Secretary for Health Steven Lieberman said in the memo that the department will still adhere to its commitment to provide care to all veterans, including trans-identifying veterans.

In their statement Monday, VA leaders said that the change does not affect VA medical care for eligible veterans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer. They also promised care and treatment to veterans that are compatible with generally accepted standards of medical practice and determined by appropriate health care professionals.

They did not provide specifics of what those limits mean.

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Rachel Branaman, executive director of Modern Military Association of America called the policy rollback a direct assault on the well-being of vulnerable LGBTQ+ veterans, jeopardizing their access to essential care.

Combined with the administrations planned cut of 80,000 VA employees, these actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the nations commitment to those who have served.

Democratic lawmakers said they will look for ways to stop the change. In a statement, House Veterans Affairs Committee ranking member Mark Takano, D-Calif., called the move shameful and cruel and accused the department of politicizing veterans care.

The Veterans Health Administration should be focused on supporting and providing quality healthcare to all our veterans, not furthering Republicans obsessive attacks on the rights, dignity, and existence of the transgender community, he said.

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VA leaders said they will conduct a review of all transgender veteran care and undergo the rulemaking process to revise the medical benefits package as deemed necessary.

Collins said that any money saved from eliminating transgender health care services would be redirected to help severely injured VA beneficiaries  such as paralyzed veterans and amputees  regain their independence. Officials did not provide an estimate on how much funding would be shifted under the plan.

The National Center for Transgender Equality has estimated there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans in America today. VA officials said they believe fewer than 9,000 of the departments 9.1 million veterans enrolled in medical care services are transgender.
With tens of thousands of layoffs underway at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Secretary Doug Collins said Monday during a stop in Nashville his goal in the agency's restructuring is providing better quality patient care while cutting bureaucracy and fixing long wait times.

For years, many VA facilities have struggled to provide high quality care for patients. The Memphis VA Medical Center, for instance, has received low ratings and scrutiny over patient safety issues and wait times.

The VA has been the whipping post for a long time. It's been the thing everybody blames when it doesn't go right. It's been a place that, well, we can't get our service, we can't get this. And then on the other part, we'll just not do anything about it, Collins said. Those days are over.

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The Trump administration is planning an aggressive reorganization at the VA, including cutting up to 80,000 jobs, in an effort to trim the federal workforce by at least 15%.

VA Secretary Doug Collins speaks with members of the media during a visit to the VA Tennessee Valley Health Care System (Nashville Campus) Monday, March 17, 2025.

We will have some changes coming to the VA. Theres going to be some reorganization, Collins said Monday. But first and foremost, that reorganization is not going to be toward anything that takes away from care of our patients and our disability services.

Collins visited the Nashville VA Medical Center on Monday morning alongside U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and U.S. Reps. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport, and Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville. All three members of Congress that represent Nashville were notably absent: U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, and veteran and physician U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Clarksville.

DOGE-led cuts at the VA have already impacted Tennessee. Since January, between 40 and 50 federal employees have been laid off or taken buyouts across Tennessee's VA facilities, including laborers, file clerks, and an interior designer.

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We're going to make sure that the first priority is our veterans, and our veterans are going to be at the forefront of everything we do, Collins said. No benefits and no health care has been cut.  Thats not even on the table.

The VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System provides specialized health care services to more than 146,000 veterans in Middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky and North Georgia. For the first time in 2023, the Tennessee system received a 4-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Collins said health care providers and other roles essential to veterans services are protected from layoffs, and will continue to be. He denounced reports that positions are being randomly cut from the agency as attempts to scare my veterans.

I'm not sure interior designers, laborers and file room clerks who were part of the first layoff that we had are actually affecting an appointment being missed or surgeries being canceled, he said.

VA Secretary Doug Collins speaks with members of the media during a visit to the VA Tennessee Valley Health Care System (Nashville Campus) Monday, March 17, 2025.

He acknowledged long wait times for appointments and issues accessing care have plagued the agency. But, he argued, problems didnt start five weeks ago" when President Donald Trump took office.

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While many veterans have protested cuts  even at Tennessee's state Capitol  and shared concerns that staffing cuts would negatively impact patient services, Collins said infusion of funding and staff has not improved the agency's metrics.

Explain to me how you added tens of billions of dollars  over $100 billion  and added almost 50 to 70,000 people in the last four years, and many of our metrics did not get better, Collins said. How does that happen? Well, it tells me that maybe that's not the answer.

Senator Marsha Blackburn speaks during VA Secretary Doug Collins' visit to the VA Tennessee Valley Health Care System (Nashville Campus) Monday, March 17, 2025.

Blackburn, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, praised Collins' commitment to a "change of culture" at the agency, citing wait times of 30 to 70 days for primary care appointments.

He said restructuring the agency and eliminating positions isnt a new idea, pointing to tens of thousands of VA positions that were eliminated during bureaucracy cuts in the Clinton administration.

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Maybe it's time that we actually look at how we're actually delivering, Collins said. Are the bureaucratic structures that we have at our hospitals, are they doing what they're supposed to be doing to actually help with patient quality?

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.

This story was updated to add a gallery.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: VA Secretary Doug Collins in Nashville: Health care a 'first priority'
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The Trump administration pushed forward into a new phase of the rolling national constitutional crisis over the weekend, reportedly defying two different federal court orders imposing limits on its deportation of immigrants without due process. First, immigrant authorities deported Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown University, despite a judges Friday order halting her removal. Second, authorities deported about 250 Venezuelan migrants, flouting another judges explicit directive to turn around American planes that hadnt yet landed in El Salvador, where the migrants were being sent. The Justice Department claimed that it could not comply with the order barring Alawiehs removal because it arrived too late. But the White House defended its defiance of the order prohibiting deportations of Venezuelans, insisting that the judge had no jurisdiction over the migrantsand that Trump holds absolute, unreviewable constitutional authority to expel noncitizens.

Taken on their own, these claims would be chilling enough. But they were coupled with another novel late-night claim of presidential power: On Monday, Donald Trump purported to reverse President Joe Bidens pardons of Jan. 6 committee members. In a Truth Social post that came just after midnight, Trump claimed the pardons are now VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, asserting the power to undo their clemency because Biden allegedly signed it by Autopen. (It is the official position of the executive branch, unchallenged by the courts, that autopen qualifies as a valid presidential signature.)

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Taken together, these actions and declarations amount to a significant escalation in Trumps transformation of his own presidency into an autocracy or, perhaps more accurately, a monarchy. His Justice Department has taken vague claims of Article II authority to new extremes, ascribing to him an unchecked right to expel immigrants with no semblance of due processand as his defenders have asserted all weekend, to ignore lawful court orders that stand in his way. Meanwhile, Trump himself has made it clear that this extreme and dangerous new vision of executive power does not apply to the presidency, but only his presidency: It is not a set of neutral principles, but an ever-evolving pretext for his own personal whims and cruelties, dressed up in legalese concocted by the conservative legal movement for precisely this purpose.

Its clear by now that when the second Trump administration tests the limits of the law, it prefers to create enough chaos and confusion to cloud the true extent of its lawbreaking. Thats evidently what happened when it raced to expel Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese immigrant who specializes in kidney transplants. Alawieh has a valid visa to work at Brown Medicine, but immigration officers detained her anyway on Thursday and began rapidly preparing for her removal. We still do not know the basis for this deportation.

Alawiehs lawyers asked a court to intervene, and Judge Leo Theodore Sorokin promptly barred her deportation in an order signed Friday. (Many of the relevant court documents are not available to the public.) But agents forced her out of the country anyway. Alawiehs lawyers accused the government of willfully disobeying the courts order, prompting Sorokin to demand an explanation. The Justice Department then averred that it did not notify customs officers at Bostons airport quickly enough to stop Alawiehs placement on a plane to Lebanon. The official explanation, then, is that the administration did not defy Sorokins order, but rather moved too fast for the judicial process to stop the deportation.

The administration provided no such excuse for its deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a prison in El Salvador. Trump purported to expel these individuals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, accusing them (without clear evidence) of belonging to a gang. The American Civil Liberties Union went straight to court on Saturday, and at 6:52 p.m. that day, Judge James Boasberg ordered the administration to halt the deportations. From the bench, Boasberg declared: Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States.  This is something you need to make sure is complied with immediately.

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His order was not complied with. Instead, as the ACLU has shown, migrant flights that were already in the air did not return to the U.S. According to Axios, administration officials debated whether to turn the planes around. They decided not to, on advice of counsel, who reportedly said the order is not applicable because they were already outside U.S. airspace. (That is not a remotely plausible reading of Boasbergs order.) El Salvadors president then tweeted a story about the court order with the comment Oopsie  Too late, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio retweeted. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later contended that the administration did not refuse to comply, but rather that the order had no lawful basis and was issued after the migrants had already been removed from U.S. territory. Again, as the ACLU has pointed out, Boasbergs order expressly applied to migrants already en route to El Salvador. So the White House did, quite clearly, defy the order, on the grounds that it could unilaterally conclude its requirements were not lawful.

If that is sufficient reason to disobey a court ruling, then all judicial rulings are merely advisory, or just suggestions, and the three coequal branches of government have been replaced by an elected monarch. That might sound like an exaggeration, but it aligns with the Justice Departments disturbing filings in this case. DOJ lawyers have argued that Trump does not even need the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to order these deportations: Rather, he has an inherent Article II authority to protect the nation by determining that an immigrant represents a significant risk to the United States and should be summarily removed from this country. DOJ derives this claim to such alleged powers from the presidents authority to repel an invasion and conduct foreign affairs without judicial oversight. Federal courts have no authority to second-guess the executives declaration of an invasion or to hinder his response, government lawyers wrote, including the unilateral expulsion of migrants he personally dislikes. This sweeping power, DOJ has concluded, deprived Boasberg of jurisdiction over the migrants, rendering his orders null and void.

Trumps astonishing claim of authority would render the other two branches of government purely advisory in the entire field of immigration enforcement. Congress decades of extensive legislation detailing which immigrants can be detained and deported, and under what circumstances, would amount to meager recommendations that the president could disregard. Under this construction of executive authority, court orders attempting to enforce those lawsor even bedrock constitutional protectionswould be similarly voluntary. As Steve Vladeck has noted, no Supreme Court precedent remotely backs up this startling theory that Trump has categorically unreviewable power over foreign affairs that includes the right to identify, detain, and deport specific immigrants over judicial objections. The best support comes from a solo 2015 opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas that even Justice Antonin Scalia ridiculed as promoting a presidency more reminiscent of George III than George Washington.

Trump capped off this weekend of lawlessness by announcing, in the early hours of Monday morning, that Bidens preemptive pardons for Jan. 6 committee members are void because they were allegedly signed by autopen. This declaration rejects well-known, long-standing guidance from the Office of Legal Counsel (which the Justice Department has not yet withdrawn), and seems to be based on a conspiracy theory promoted by the Heritage Foundation. The reason these facially absurd autopen claims are so vitally important to the emerging theory of the imperial presidency is that they reveal precisely how cynical Trumps view of boundless presidential power really is. These novel assertions of authority are not statements about presidential powers, but rather statements about Trumps powers, which clearly apply to no other president. And the fact that DOJ lawyers are comfortable standing up before both federal judges and the American people to claim that Trumps constitutional authority is without limitwhereas Bidens was part of some ongoing criminal conspiracy and wholly illusoryshores up the notion that none of these claims attach to the office of the president, but that they inhere in fact in the person of Donald J. Trump.

For those folks who have been waiting to climb the pole and ring the constitutional crisis bell, it would appear we have arrived. Neither Judge Sorokin nor Judge Boasberg believed that he was signing a meaningless order, and both judges demanded compliance that never came. We are long past the point at which courts have any reason to believe Trumps lawyers when they use rhetorical tricks and deliberate misdirection to suggest that judicial orders were ambiguous or that compliance is inadvertently delayed in good faith. We are now at the place, only eight weeks into this presidency, at which judges must decide if they will take the necessary steps to enforce their decisions, including sanctions and contempt, or if they will agree to be made irrelevant. Those are the remaining options. And if the courts surrender now, the people will lose their last line of defense against an administration that wields Article II like a cheat code to subvert democracy.
Martell's attorney requested the court push the trial back two months because she is also representing a suspect in a Chittenden County homicide case right now.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE)  Some people are still struggling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. A disabled veteran whose home was destroyed last September said his mortgage company is after him now because hes behind in his payments.

The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood is off of State Highway 353, about 18 miles east of Greeneville. When he would step on his porch for coffee, he had a spectacular view of the mountains. The view is still there, but his house is not, and he cant get any help to replace it.

Sweetwater City Schools bus driver charged, accused of slamming brakes and threatening student

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The foundation is all thats left of Mooneyhams home. Before the storm last fall, other houses surrounded his property.

I watched the house across the road from me wash away first. I didnt expect it to come no further, said Mooneyham.

The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE) The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE) The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE) The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE) The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE) The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE) The community where Gary Mooneyhams home once stood (WATE)

The now calm Nolichucky River was angry the morning of September 27, as Mooneyham sipped coffee on his back porch.

The Emergency Response guys walked up and said you need to get dressed and come on. I said, what do you mean come on? I aint going nowhere. I said I aint leaving my property. They said, oh, yeah you are. I said, no I aint. He said, dont make me haul you out of here, said Mooneyham.

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Mooneyham left, then returned a few weeks later recording a video.

This is October 19, This is what is left of my property. I mean, everything, everything is gone, said Mooneyham in the video. This whole neighborhood is devastated. It aint no more. Its gone.

Water from the Nolichucky rose nearly 25 feet and sliced a path of destruction through his community.

I never expected anything like this. Nobody else did either, said Mooneyham.

For nearly half a mile, the once tree-lined area along Bill Mauk Road has disappeared the storm took everything with it.

It was woods. There were campsites. The road went right through here, he said.

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Investigation underway after $20,000 in jewelry stolen from Newport Walmart

Bill Mauk Road used to run in front of Mooneyhams home but was washed away. The Bill Mauk bridge over the Nolichucky also disappeared, as did the State Highway 353 bridge. Its now being rebuilt. Mooneyham said 15 homes went down the river last September.

Whats left of Bill Mauk Road (WATE) Bill Mauk Bridge (WATE) Bill Mauk Bridge (WATE) Nolichucky River (WATE)

Mooneyham bought his two-bedroom place in April 2017 using a home loan from the VA. The home was elevated.

The VA does not give mortgages on flood zones, said Mooneyham.

Today, his homeowners insurance company wont cover the loss. Farm Bureau wrote, Water damage is excluded. FEMA cut Mooneyham a check for $46,000, which he used to buy a small camper trailer. However, he was hoping for more from the government.

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I was asking for help on my mortgage and everything because I still owe $85,000 on this patch of dirt right here, said Mooneyham.

Freedom Mortgage has been after him since he stopped his monthly payments.

They want their mortgage payments. They will want their money, but Im not giving it to them because I aint got nothing to give for, said Mooneyham.

Hes behind more than $3,200 in his mortgage and does not plan to make it up.

I told them you come up here and build my house or help me get it back, Ill start paying the mortgage again or go to foreclosure, said Mooneyham.

Mooneyham is a 100 percent disabled Vietnam veteran. He earned two Bronze Stars for Valor and a Purple Heart. His ribbons, like his home, were lost in the flood.

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I would like that mortgage company to have some heart and soul and realize the shape that Im in and help me, said Mooneyham.

TVA campground damaged by Helene opens on time for spring season

He doesnt know how many of his neighbors will want to rebuild, but he does.

I want my home back so I can die in peace. I thought I was going to live and die here, said Mooneyham.

Over the weekend, Mooneyham received a notice from his homeowners insurance company, that his yearly premium of $1,300 is due. He couldnt believe they sent it to him. Mooneyham has applied for assistance from several agencies that he says have helped others rebuild in his hard-hit community.

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Hes hoping FEMAs Financial Housing Assistance Program will come through. The program helps qualified homeowners replace a primary residence that is destroyed. Mooneyham told us, hes not the kind of guy that likes handouts, but in this case, he just wants a fair deal.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A victim suffered critical injuries following an early morning shooting in Denvers West Highland neighborhood.

At 2:30 a.m. Monday, the Denver Police Department posted on X that officers were called to a shooting near 32nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard. The area is near Highland Park, northwest of downtown Denver.

When officers arrived, one victim was located and taken to a local hospital with critical injuries. Police have not provided an update on the victims injuries as of Monday morning.

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Denver police said there is no suspect information at this time, but officers are working to gather more information.

Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has information can contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  One victim has passed away eight months after being set on fire in northwest Oklahoma City, police say.

On July 16, 2024, Oklahoma City Police responded to the area of Western Ave. and Hefner Rd. after receiving reports of people on fire. Upon arrival, officers found 25-year-old Samantha Richardson and another victim with severe burns.

LOCAL NEWS: Two facing charges in ODOC contraband smuggling investigation

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Officials say it looked like Richardson and the other victim were intentionally set on fire by 71-year-old Michael Madison while they were sleeping. He left the scene but returned and was taken into custody.

Michael Madison. Image courtesy Oklahoma County Detention Center.

According to Oklahoma City Police, Madison was originally booked on complaints of Arson and Maiming. Richardson died from her injuries on Thursday, March 13, 2025, and a complaint of First Degree Murder has been added.

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NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  An unidentified man had to get one of his fingers amputated and another one partially amputated after he was bitten multiple times by a Zuni Pueblo man, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Darold Zuniefeathers, 28, and the victim had been hanging out with friends between Dec. 16, 2021, and Dec. 17, 2021, when they decided to buy more cigarettes before the gas station closed, according to court documents.

Investigators said Zuniefeathers instead drove down a side dirt road and began to hit and bite the victim all over his body.

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The bites severely damaged the mans hand to the point it required medical attention, court documents stated.

Zuniefeathers pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in federal court. He faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing

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Vietnam is attempting to stave off potential new duties from the Trump administration by addressing its trade surplus with the U.S., which hit a record high last year.

Officials from Hanoi met with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer at the White House last week, and the American trade czar told Vietnams Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien that Vietnam needs to have stronger solutions to open the market and improve the trade balance in the coming time, according to a report from the ministry.

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Bilateral trade between the U.S. and Vietnam reached nearly $150 billion in 2024, making the U.S. the Southeast Asian nations second-largest export market to China. Vietnam exported $136.6 billion worth of product to the U.S. last year, while it took in just $13.1 billion from American producers. It has the third-largest trade surplus with the U.S. to China and Mexico.

Nguyen told Greer that the country aims to build a harmonious, sustainable, stable, mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship with the U.S., per the ministry, and added that it has no intention of creating any obstacles that could harm workers or the economic and national security of the United States.

The trade leaders discussed how to achieve commensurate economic benefits for the U.S., including the proactive review and removal of trade barriers that hinder American investment and business in Vietnam, while also building effective control mechanisms for trade fraud, including illegal transshipment, originating in the country.

Meanwhile, in Hanoi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper Thursday that the countrys government is addressing current concerns of the U.S. in economic-trade-investment relations, a government website said. It noted that Vietnam is taking a look at existing import tariffs on goods made in the U.S. and encouraging the importation of more American gas, technology and agricultural products.

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PetroVietnam Power, a state-owned liquefied natural gas purveyor, on Friday announced a number of deals brokered between Vietnamese and American corporations, which are said to be worth $4.15 billion, though no details about the individual terms were provided.

The fashion sector has been growing increasingly antsy about the prospect of tariffs on Vietnamese products, as the countrys production market for footwear and apparel has become a natural alternative to China. Vietnam has ascended to become the second-largest sourcing market for apparel and footwear, and American brands are watching with bated breath to see if President Donald Trump will indeed levy reciprocal tariffs against the country.

According to data from the World Trade Organization (WTO), Vietnams average applied Most Favored Nations tariff rate for apparel in 2023 was 19.8 percent. The data shows that, with the exception of China, most other major apparel-exporting countries impose higher tariff rates than the U.S., which imposed an average applied MFN duty rate of 11.7 percent in 2023, Dr. Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, told Sourcing Journal.

In other words, if Trump were to strictly implement the reciprocal tariff, U.S. apparel imports from most leading sourcing destinations, particularly those in Asia, would face a significant increase in tariffs. For Vietnam, the impacts would be deeply felt; footwear (8.8 percent), apparel and accessories (8.2 percent), bedding and furniture (13.2 percent) are among the countrys top exports to the U.S., according to 2023 data from the U.S. Commerce Departments International Trade Administration (ITA).

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Tariffs on Vietnam-made products could also impact U.S. firms doing business in the country. In February, a study by the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham) revealed that the threat of reciprocal tariffs had more than half of 100 firms surveyed, including two-thirds of U.S. manufacturers in Vietnam, afraid that theyd be forced to lay off workers.

A majority (94 percent) of manufacturers said new duties would put significant strain on their businesses as theyd reduce access to the U.S. market. If these tariffs go through, it will be a major setback for our industry. We rely heavily on exports to the U.S., and additional costs will mean reduced competitiveness, one member said.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Crime trends in Odessa are shifting, with a notable drop in violent crime but an increase in drug-related and DWI arrests, according to the Odessa Police Departments 2024 crime report.

We spoke with Police Chief Michael Gerke to get a closer look at the crime statistics, who attributed the changes to enhanced enforcement efforts, increased officer training, and new technology investments. Chief Gerke also discussed the rise in Crimes Against Society, including drug-related offenses and DWIs, and what OPD is doing to address these growing concerns.

The significant drop in violent crime

According to OPDs latest data, Crimes Against Persons, which include homicide, assault, and sexual offenses, dropped by 25% compared to 2023. Chief Gerke credited this reduction to a shift in departmental philosophy and immediate response and intelligence-driven policing.

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A few years ago, we decided we were going to buy into intelligence-led, data-led policing, Gerke explained. Now, when someone comes onto our radar for causing harm, we go after them immediately. If we have a sexual assault case and can find the perpetrator, we dont waittheyre going to jail that night.

This proactive approach, combined with enhanced technology, such as license plate readers, surveillance cameras, and data analysis tools, has allowed officers to target high-crime areas and repeat offenders more effectively.

WATCH: Gerke explains how OPD is using technology and data-driven policing to reduce violent crime:

While violent crime has decreased overall, kidnapping cases have increased significantly, from four cases in 2023 to 13 in 2024. Many of these cases, Gerke confirmed, are linked to domestic disputes rather than stranger abductions.

Property crime is down, but concerns remain

OPD also reported a 6.56% decrease in Crimes Against Property, which includes theft, burglary, and arson. Despite the decline, certain types of property crimes remain persistent issues, particularly vehicle break-ins and firearm thefts.

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We harp on this a lot, but people still leave guns in unlocked cars, Gerke said. We see stolen firearms constantly, and that fuels other crimes. Lock your car doors. Take valuables inside. Small precautions make a big difference.

The rise in drug and DWI arrests

While violent and property crimes are down, drug-related offenses, and DWIs rose by 12.46%. However, Gerke clarified that this increase is not necessarily due to more criminal activity, but rather enhanced enforcement efforts.

These crimes dont get reported to us, we only know about them when we make arrests, he said. The increase means were catching more offenders, taking more drugs off the streets, and getting more impaired drivers off the road.

One major initiative that contributed to these arrests was a joint task force with the Midland Police Department, which shared intelligence and coordinated operations to combat violent crime and drug activity.

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WATCH: Gerke discusses why drug and DWI arrests increased in 2024 and how OPD is tackling these offenses:

That task force was brilliant, Gerke said. When law enforcement agencies work together, share information, and coordinate efforts, it makes a huge impact.

Fighting domestic violence and underreported crimes

Despite successes in reducing crime, OPD continues to struggle with high rates of domestic violence, a category of crime that remains stubbornly difficult to lower.

Ive banged my head against the wall about this one, Gerke admitted. Weve tried several different strategies, but the numbers just wont go down.

He also noted that certain crimes, especially sexual offenses, remain severely underreported, particularly when they involve children or domestic abuse situations.

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To address these issues, OPD has partnered with Crytek, an organization affiliated with the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Department of Justice. This initiative aims to combat domestic violence through improved law enforcement training and victim support services.

WATCH: Gerke on why domestic violence remains a challenge in Odessa and what OPD is doing to address it:

Gerke also urged survivors of sexual and domestic violence to come forward, acknowledging the emotional and psychological barriers to reporting.

We have to understand how difficult it is for a survivor to report these crimes, he said. Even if they later decide they dont want to prosecute, thats okay because our priority should always be the survivors wellness first.

Officer training and expanding the force

To maintain and improve these crime-fighting efforts, OPD continues to invest in officer training and recruitment. The department requires 200 hours of training per officer every two years; far exceeding the Texas Commission on Law Enforcements minimum of 40 hours.

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We train beyond whats required because we believe meaningful training is a must, Gerke said. From firearms and defensive tactics to de-escalation techniques and mental wellness, we cover everything.

Additionally, OPD is actively hiring and training new officers. With 12 recruits currently in the Academy and four more set for the next round, the department aims to maintain a steady influx of trained personnel to keep crime rates low.

Community involvement: Prevention over arrests

While OPD has been aggressive in tackling crime, Gerke emphasized that the ultimate goal is crime prevention, not just arrests.

The best outcome isnt just putting people in jail, he said. The best outcome is preventing crime from happening in the first place. If we can stop an incident before theres a victim, thats a win for everyone.

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Gerke also encouraged Odessa residents to be proactive in their own safety and remain aware of their surroundings.

Lock your doors, secure your valuables, and be mindful when you go out, he advised. Small decisions can prevent big problems.

Looking ahead, OPD plans to expand community outreach efforts to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and residents.

We want more engagement with the community, Gerke said. Lower crime rates arent just because of us, they happen when we work together as a city.

As Odessa continues to see declining crime rates and improved policing strategies, Chief Gerke was quick to shift the credit to the officers working on the ground.

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Look, Im here on camera, but its not me, he said. Its the men and women out there every day, working hard, making sacrifices, and keeping this city safe.

For a look at the full crime statistic report, visit this article: OPD sees decrease in violent crimes, property crimes in 2024

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Property divisions during divorces can often be acrimonious, but for Honeyhline and Jason Heidemann the matter reached a whole new level of import. The couple couldn't decide who should retain ownership of the frozen embryos created with Honeyhline's eggs and Jason's sperm. This dispute has given rise to a novel legal case in Virginia.

A cancer survivor whose chemotherapy left her infertile, Honeyhline Heideman wanted to use the frozen embryos to conceive another child. She argued that ownership of the embryos could be addressed under Virginia's "goods and chattels" statute.

But in a March 7, 2025, opinion letter, Judge Dontae L. Bugg disagreed, dismissing Honeyhline Heidemann's suit and holding that "human embryos are not subject to partition" under Virginia law "as they do not constitute goods or chattels capable of being valued and sold."

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Bugg goes on to suggest that there's no way that two embryos can be divided equally between two people because "the unique nature of each human embryo means that an equal division cannot conveniently be made."

How the Heidemanns Got Here

The Heidemanns used in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in 2015. They conceived one daughter with the embryos that were created, and they cryogenically stored two remaining embryos. An agreement they signed at the time specified that any frozen embryos would be owned jointly but did not say what would happen in the event of divorce.

In 2018, the Heidemanns divorced.

At the time, the Heidemanns addressed the question of the frozen embryos in a Voluntary Separation and Property Settlement Agreement, stipulating that neither party would remove the embryos from storage "pending a court order or further written agreement of the parties" and that Honeyhline and Jason split the cost of storing the embryos.

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In 2019, Honeyhline Heidemann sought her ex-husband's consent to use the embryos to conceive more children. Jason Heidemann said no.

Honeyhline next tried reopening their divorce case and filing a "Motion to Determine Disposition of Cryopreserved Human Embryos." But the court dismissed this, saying it no longer had jurisdiction over the Heidemanns' marital property.

Honeyhline then filed a Complaint for Partition of Personal Property, seeking a court order awarding her ownership of both embryos or, barring that, at least one embryo. Her request fell under the jurisdiction of Virginia's partition law.

This attempt also floundered at first, with a court holding in 2022 that the embryos were neither "goods or chattels" under the definitions supplied by Virginia statute.

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But Honeyhline subsequently filed a motion to reconsider, and the case came before Judge Richard E. Gardiner.

"Although there are two cases involving disposition of cryopreserved embryos, those cases arose in the context of equitable distribution of marital property," Gardiner noted in a 2023 opinion letter. "Here, Ms. Heidemann is asking the court to partition the embryos as goods or chattels, as her request to address the embryos as marital property was denied in May 2020 for lack of jurisdiction."

Are Embryos 'Goods or Chattels'?

Jason Heidemann objected to his wife's motion, arguing that 1) a court couldn't order the embryos be treated differently than the ex-coupled had agreed upon in their earlier legal agreement, 2) allowing his ex-wife to conceive children with the embryos violated his 14th Amendment right to "procreational autonomy," and 3) the embryos were still not "goods or chattels" under Virginia's legal definition of such.

The constitutional argument is the most interesting, but Gardiner found that it was premature. Meanwhile, Gardiner found fault with Jason's other arguments. "Because the disposition of the embryos was not settled in the Agreement, the Agreement cannot be enforced as to the embryos and an order as to their disposition would be consistent with the Agreement," he wrote.

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As to the question of whether embryos could count as goods or chattels, Gardiner pointed to the statute that would later become Virginia's current goods and chattels statutea measure that once referred to the "division of slaves, goods or chattels." It's clear that the statute was not meant to apply only to "real property being partitioned," Gardiner concluded. Rather, it permits "the partition or, in the alternative, the sale, of 'goods or chattels' regardless of whether they are found on real property being partitioned."

Jason Heidemann had also suggested the law couldn't apply because it required an appraisal of the goods or chattels in question. Since it's illegal to buy or sell "human fetal tissue," embryos did not have a market value, he argued. And without a market value, the embryos couldn't be appraised.

But an embryo is not the same thing as "human fetal tissue," Gardiner pointed out in his 2023 letter.

"As there is no prohibition on the sale of human embryos, they may be valued and sold, and thus may be considered 'goods or chattels,'" Gardiner wrote, vacating the earlier court's ruling.

The Current Case

A few months later, Honeyhline Heideman re-filed her partition suit. The question of how to handle the Heidemanns' frozen embryos subsequently came before Judge Dontae L Bugg, who issued his ruling earlier this month.

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Because Gardiner's 2023 ruling was an opinion letter, not an order of the court, it was not legally binding, Bugg pointed out. An opinion letter is merely "a written statement of a judge's reasoning for granting a motion to reconsider a dismissal order," he wrote.

And Bugg decidedly departed from the earlier judge's reasoning:

Insofar as the February 2023 Opinion Letter constitutes non-binding authority, the Court is not persuaded the "goods or chattels" include human embryos. The February 2023 Opinion Letter relies upon an earlier version of Virginia Code  8.01-93 that authorized the partition of slaves to analogize that human embryos can be valued and sold to the extent that the statute is not limited to the partition of land. The Court takes issue with reliance upon a version of the statute that pre-dates passage of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865. For analysis purposes, while partition may be available for personal property not annexed to the land being partitioned, after full review of this matter, the analysis of the Opinion Letter is rejected as it relates to human embryos. The removal of reference to slaves was solely to excise a lawless blight from the Virginia Code, the institution of slavery applicable to fellow citizens, which removal supports the principle that human beings, and by extension the embryos they have created, should not as a matter of legislative policy be subject to partition. The application of Virginia Code  8.01-93 to cryopreserved human embryos is a strained construction never envisioned by the modem General Assembly and would not be in harmony with the context of the statute.

Bugg goes on to suggest that there's no way that two embryos can be divided equally between two people because "the unique nature of each human embryo means that an equal division cannot conveniently be made."

Admittedly, any analysis that likens embryos to slaves is a bit bizarre.

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But Bugg's reasoning here is also unsatisfying. He seems to take offense at the idea that embryos might be subject to laws regarding division of property, and assures us that if it was a mistake to apply that law to human beings it's also a mistake to apply it to entities that could become human beings.

Yet the facts remain that these embryos exist, that something must be done with them, and that the parties that created them can't agree on what that something should be. Feeling that the law shouldn't apply to such matters, or that it's somehow undignified to to describe embryos as "goods," does absolutely nothing to change these facts.

Moving Forward

One thing Bugg's opinion does do a satisfactory job of is describing the murky and divided legal landscape concerning frozen embryos at present.

"Some jurisdictions have characterized cryopreserved embryos as property or a special type of property but have not determined whether embryos could be valued, bought, or sold," he notes:

Other jurisdictions have suggested that embryos are not property, but instead biological human beings that cannot be bought or sold and give rise to parental rights. Other courts have suggested that embryos are not property but may give rise to ownership interests that put embryos in an interim category that entitles them to special respect due to their potential for human life.

The proliferation of IVF is sure to produce an increasing number of cases concerning ownership of or outcomes for frozen embryos. And these cases will collide with an increasing push to define personhood as beginning at fertilization.

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Pretty much the only thing that's clear is we are destined for some difficult and heady arguments on this front.

As for the Heidemanns, Bugg has decided that since "partition in kind is inherently impractical," and since ordering a sale of the embryos "is neither legally sanctioned nor ethically acceptable," the courts can't really do anything to help them. He suggests that perhaps the legislature should address the issue.

More Sex & Tech News

No injunction on Florida social media ban: A federal judge will not block Florida's teen social-media law from taking effect. The ruling, issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, means the state can start enforcing a law that bans anyone under age 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts.

"The law applies narrowly only to social media platforms with addictive features, like push notifications, with 10% or more of daily active users who are younger than 16 and who spend on average two hours or more on the app," WUSF reports. Walker said the platiffsthe tech trade groups NetChoice and CCIAfailed to show that they would be injured by the law.

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"The broader fight by the technology companies against the law continues in federal court in Tallahassee," notes WUSF. "Walker's decision Friday was an interim ruling that focused narrowly on whether he would issue a preliminary injunction in the case."

What makes this ruling especially disappointing is that Walker appeared quite skeptical of the law during a recent hearing, likening the rationale behind it to prior panics over Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, and rap music.

A blow to California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act: A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA), in a case also brought by NetChoice. U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman "agreed that NetChoice was likely to succeed on the merits of its claims that the statute's prohibitions and requirements violate the online companies' expressive rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution," reports the Courthouse News Service.

"Even if the court were to accept that the act advances a compelling state interest in protecting the privacy and well-being of children, the state has not shown that the CAADCA is narrowly tailored to serve that interest," wrote Freeman in her ruling. "The act applies to all online content likely to be accessed by consumers under the age of 18, and imposes significant burdens on the providers of that content."

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"While protecting children online is a goal we all share, California's Speech Code is a trojan horse for censoring constitutionally protected but politically disfavored speech," said NetChoice director of litigation Chris Marachese in a statement.

Texans gonna Texan: A new measure proposed by Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain (RDistrict 128) would ban public employees from listing their pronouns in any work communications or, in the course of their job, using terms that include "sex workers," "pregnant people," "pregnant Texans," or "abortion care."

Ron Wyden on why the Internet still needs Section 230:

Across U.S. politics, it's become fashionable to blame nearly all the internet's ills on one law I co-wrote: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Everyone from President Donald Trump to some of my Democratic colleagues argue that Section 230 has let major tech platforms moderate too much or too little. Trump's Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, has already written about his plans to reinterpret the law himself. Many of these claims give Section 230 too much credit. While it's a cornerstone of internet speech, it's a lesser support compared to the First Amendment, as well as Americans' own choices in what they want to see online. But I'm convinced the law is just as necessary today as when I co-wrote it with Rep. Chris Cox in 1996.

Trump continues Biden-era investigation into Microsoft: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) "is moving ahead with an antitrust probe of Microsoft that was opened in the waning days of the Biden administration," reports Reuters. "The investigation was approved by then FTC chair Lina Khan ahead of her departure" and centers on Microsoft's licensing terms for cloud services and its deal with OpenAI. It looks like the Trump administration is going to continue the tedious, counterproductive antitech antitrust crusade it started in Trump's first term and which was ramped up under Khan.

Encryption attacks abound abroad: Wired reports:

Over the past few months, there has been a surge in government and law enforcement efforts that would effectively undermine encryption, privacy advocates and experts say, with some of the emerging threats being the most "blunt" and aggressive of those in recent memory. Officials in the UK, France, and Sweden have all made moves since the start of 2025 that could undermine or eliminate the protections of end-to-end encryption, adding to a multiyear European Union plan to scan private chats and Indian efforts that could damage encryption.

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Virginia | 2024 (ENB/Reason)

The post Virginia Courts Won't Split Ownership of Divorced Couple's Embryos appeared first on Reason.com.
Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, speaks at a rally on Friday, March 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C, protesting the U.S. Education Departments mass layoffs and President Donald Trumps plans to dismantle the agency. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)

Parents, educators and school officials in Virginia are bracing for the impact of sweeping federal education cuts under President Donald Trumps administration  moves that could reshape the states accountability measures, principal training programs and the cost of key remediation tools.

The administrations decisions have raised pressing questions about whether Virginias schools have the resources to support students adequately. Among the concerns is a proposal to shift certain education offices  such as special education  into other agencies like Health and Human Services.

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I think that the lack of vision here around whats being cut is really problematic for our communities, Virginia PTA President Jenna Alexander said in an interview with The Mercury.

In recent months, the administration has aggressively restructured federal agencies, slashing budgets and eliminating positions  nearly half of the jobs at the U.S. Department of Education. Established in 1979, the department was tasked with ensuring equal educational opportunity and supporting schools, teachers and research to improve learning outcomes.

Scott Brabrand, executive director of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, said his organization is closely monitoring how the job cuts will affect funding for schools across the commonwealth.

What we are monitoring very closely and very concerned about is the continuation of all the Title funds  as well as the IDEA funds that support special education students and students with disabilities, Brabrand said. We are very concerned about the impact on those funds and we need to see those funds maintained.

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Virginia education leaders are particularly raising alarms over how potential funding cuts and the departments dismantling are tied to conservative plans laid out in Project 2025. The proposal, which would shift control of education funding and oversight to states like Virginia, has sparked concern over whether local agencies can handle the workload  especially in areas like special education.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has echoed these concerns, warning that the Virginia Department of Education is not equipped to take on the responsibilities of a dismantled federal education agency  particularly when it comes to special education.

No. I dont believe the Virginia DOE is set up to do that and the Virginia DOE can do that, Kaine said during a March 6 call with reporters.

Amid the uncertainty, a dozen education leaders have urged Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to distribute federal dollars through block grants rather than funding streams with strict spending requirements. They argue that giving states more flexibility would help address issues like rural school funding, achievement gaps, and workforce readiness.

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By reducing federal constraints on funding streams, (state educational agencies) can more effectively address their unique challenges, such as rural school support, achievement gaps, and workforce alignment, the letter to McMahon reads.

But not everyone is convinced. Critics, including Alexander, warn that the plan appears to come with little accountability, making it unclear whether the funds will actually reach the students and schools that need them most.

Thats what all of these (workers) that ultimately got laid off were doing, (which) was making sure that the money was being used as it should be to improve academic performance, Alexander said.

School accountability measure

Virginia high schools are scrambling to administer a career readiness exam after an executive order from Trump effectively suspended the tests. The order, aimed at cutting non-essential travel for Department of Defense civilian employees, has disrupted the administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), a crucial tool for assessing students academic and occupational potential  particularly for those considering military careers.

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Under the states new accountability system, schools must demonstrate how well they prepare students for life after high school. ASVAB results are one of the measures used to determine school accreditation, putting additional pressure on educators to find a solution before spring break and statewide assessments begin.

If we lose an opportunity to to take this with our students, to take this assessment, it also negatively impacts the accountability of and possibly the ratings of a high school, said Shawn DeRose, principal at Annandale High School in Fairfax County and president of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP).

Virginia school leaders are now scrambling to reschedule the exams. Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons assured members of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals last week that the situation is a pause rather than a full cancellation, adding that the Virginia Department of Education is in communication with the federal government about the changes.

She also encouraged principals to contact her directly if they face additional hurdles.

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I think the Virginia Department of Education is doing its due diligence in terms of trying to work with principals and figure this out, said Northumberland County High School Principal Travis Burns.

At Northumberland High, nearly 200 students were scheduled to take the ASVAB. As of Friday, the exam had been rescheduled for Tuesday.

Classroom support

With federal proposals slipping away, Virginia schools may soon have to cover the cost of a critical web-based tool that tracks student progress. The Virginia Visualization and Analytics Solution (VVAAS)  designed to analyze state assessment data, compare students performance across groups, and guide curriculum decisions  could lose state support as funds are redirected to other education expenses.

The General Assembly, following Gov. Glenn Youngkins request, has opted to exclude state funding for VVAAS in the state budget. Lawmakers propose repurposing roughly $5 million  initially provided through pandemic relief funds  toward other public education needs.

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With budget negotiations still ongoing, the outcome could change.

Principalship program

A successful pilot program designed to support new and inexperienced principals in Virginias at-risk schools has ended, leaving supporters scrambling to secure funding for its continuation. With state funding unavailable and no clear federal support in sight, concerns are mounting over how to sustain efforts to build a stronger pipeline of school leaders.

Launched in November 2023, the program paired 12 retired principals with 24 elementary and high school principals to provide mentorship and guidance. The initiative officially ended in February, despite praise for its impact.

It was an extremely successful program, said VASSP Chief Executive Officer Randy Barrack, who hopes it will continue.

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Nationally, 80% of public school principals remained at the same school in 2020-21, while the remaining 20% transferred or left the profession, according to National Center for Education Statistics data. However, principal turnover has accelerated in recent years, particularly after the pandemic, with Fairfax County seeing dozens of departures due to burnout and the pressures of overcoming learning loss, WTOP reported.

The initiative, originally financed using Title II funds, now faces an uncertain future as federal education dollars come under threat.

Krista Barton-Arnold, executive director for Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, highlighted the programs value in supporting new school leaders by connecting them with recently retired principals.

In this year alone, its been funded by Title II, and Title II is on the chopping block with everything thats happening nationally, Barton-Arnold said. So thats one huge impact [for the program].

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Youngkin proposed state funding to keep the program running, but lawmakers did not include it in their budget amendments.

If no funding solution emerges, the mentorship program could be scrapped entirely  leaving Virginias newest school leaders without critical guidance at a time when principal turnover remains high nationally.

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In what is being described as Bloody Saturday, over 1,300 employees at Voice of America were placed on indefinite suspension this weekend after President Donald Trump issued a Friday night edict ordering the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the networks parent agency, to eliminate its workforce and activities not required by law.

With the state-funded broadcaster  which has been seen as a vital part of Americas soft diplomacy  going largely silent after more than 80 years on the air, VOA journalists and executives are sounding off over what they see as a betrayal of the ideals that drove the organization, adding that it will only be celebrated by Americas adversaries.

Two days after Trump bristled at a VOA reporter for asking the Irish prime minister about the presidents proposal to displace all Palestinians from Gaza, the White House released an executive order on Friday night that outright gutted the USAGM, which also oversees Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, as well as other non-profit international media outlets.

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The following morning, while the outlets reporters in Washington were preparing their broadcasts, the entire VOA staff was placed on indefinite administrative leave. While terminating all of the grant programs to USAGM, the White House also released a statement on Saturday justifying the dismantling of VOA, labeling it the Voice of Radical America, claiming taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.

Donald Trump has ordered that the agency that oversees Voice of America be gutted, leaving over 1,300 reporters and employees sidelined. (AP)

The termination notices for the grants were signed by Trump senior adviser Kari Lake, the MAGA firebrand and failed Arizona political candidate he wants to lead the network. NPR reported that it doesnt appear she had the statutory authority to carry out that order. Besides turning to Lake to oversee VOA, Trump has additionally appointed conservative media critic Brent Bozell III to lead the USAGM  who is still waiting to be confirmed by the Senate.

By Sunday night, many of the employees who were placed on leave were officially fired, effective at the end of the month. This included VOAs press freedom reporter Liam Scott, who noted over the weekend that there were currently 10 journalists who worked for USAGM entities and are now imprisoned around the world for doing their jobs, adding: I hope they will not be forgotten. Meanwhile, newscasts across many of the VOA channels were being replaced by music to fill up airtime.

With the presidents effort to shutter Voice of America  which hes long been critical of  seemingly part of his broader mission to debilitate legacy news media, reporters who have now been sidelined by Trumps latest action lamented the death of the vaunted institution. They also warned that these radio stations going dark around the globe were essentially a gift to authoritarian regimes that had long been aggrieved by the outlets reporting. Many of those most angered by VOAs reporting, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban, enjoy friendly relationships with Trump.

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A silencing of VOA will be celebrated by communists, autocrats and ayatollahs whose lies we shed light on, VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb tweeted. What a mission I've been lucky enough to embark on  a mission to grow American influence around the world, not by sharing slanted American propaganda, but by giving them the TRUTH! Why? Because America has the truth on its side.

Sharing a link to a story she had just published, Babb also hoped that it isnt my last report as a VOA journalist. The article has already been taken down and deleted .

Voice of America chief national correspondent Steven Herman, who was placed on paid excused absence last month for social media posts that angered the White House, penned a requiem for the network on his Substack.

The de facto destruction of the Voice of America  is nothing less than a betrayal of the ideals that gave birth to the institution and made it relevant throughout World War II, the Cold War and in the decades after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, he wrote.

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To eliminate these institutions turns our backs on those around the world who have counted on us. It is to surrender a unique platform that no other country can replicate, Herman continued. It was never just about Americas voice  it was about Americas integrity. There will be celebrations in the autocratic halls of power this weekend in Moscow, Minsk, Beijing, Pyongyang and Tehran.

The networks director Michael Abramowitz, meanwhile, said he was deeply saddened that the storied organization was being silenced after 83 years.

VOA needs thoughtful reform, and we have made progress in that regard. But todays action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission, he wrote on LinkedIn. That mission is especially critical today, when Americas adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Steve Capus echoed those sentiments, calling the cancellation of the overseas stations grants a massive gift to America's enemies, who would celebrate the demise of RFE after decades on the air.

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Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker. We've benefitted from strong bipartisan support throughout RFE/RL's storied history, Capus declared. Without us, the nearly 50 million people in closed societies who depend on us for accurate news and information each week won't have access to the truth about America and the world.

If Voice of America is somehow saved, meanwhile, some employees worry that Lake  who previously said she had big plans to transform the network  could revive it as nothing more than a pro-Trump propaganda arm.
A Wisconsin man who voted for President Donald Trump is devastated after his Peruvian wife was detained by Immigration Customs and Enforcement.

Newlyweds Bradley Bartell and Camila Munoz were on their way home after honeymooning in Puerto Rico last month when they were pulled aside by an immigration agent at the airport.

Munoz was in the process of applying for a green card after her original visa expired, USA Today reported. When asked by the agent at the airport whether she was an American citizen, she was taken into custody and is being held in a private immigration facility in Louisiana.

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I knew they were cracking down. I guess I didnt know how it was going down. Bartell, an American citizen, told the outlet:

The couple, who live in the small city of Wisconsin Dells, reasoned that because Munozs green card application was ongoing, she paid all her taxes and does not have a criminal record, they would not be caught up in the Trump administrations sweeping immigration crackdown. She has been in the U.S. since 2019, working legally on a W-2 visa until it expired, according to the outlet.

They know who she is and where she came from, Bartell told the outlet. They need to get the vetting done and not keep these people locked up. It doesnt make any sense.

Bradley Bartell, who voted for Trump, was traveling back from his honeymoon with wife Camila Munoz when she was detained by immigration officials at the airport. She is being held in a facility in Louisiana after overstaying her visa. (Bradley Bartell/Gofundme)

It took Bartell almost a week to track down his wife, and the two have recently spoken on the phone.

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Emotionally, I'm concerned for her, Bartell said. It can't be easy being trapped in a room with 100 other people. They don't have anything in there. It's just so wasteful.

All the money the couple had been saving to buy a new home for their life together has been spent on legal fees, Bartell added, and he has launched a GoFundMe page with a target of $30,000. My wife was detained at the end of our belated honeymoon while we were returning through the airport, Bartell wrote. This money will be used for legal support and the bond money for my wife.

He said that on top of legal fees, bond could run upwards of $10,000.

The Independent has contacted Immigration Customs and Enforcement for comment.

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Overstaying a visa is not considered a criminal offense but is an administrative violation of the law. The Trump White House has characterized all illegal migrants as criminals even though immigration law is considered a civil matter. If an individual is overstaying their visa, they are therefore an illegal immigrant residing in this country, and they are subject to deportation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in January.

Advocates warn that Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents have widened the net in who they are targeting in the Trump administration crackdown. Anyone who isnt a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is at risk, they warn. (Getty Images)

Overstaying a visa can result in a 10-year ban from returning to the U.S. But if the immigrants spouse is a U.S. citizen, it can be lawfully forgiven under a waiver of unlawful presence.

Attorneys and advocates warn that anyone who isnt a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is now at risk under the Trump administration.

ICE is really widening the net in a really chilling way in terms of who they are going after," Jesse Franzblau, senior policy analyst for the National Immigrant Justice Center, told the outlet. People who generally dont fit the profile of who they picked up before are being picked up now.

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It comes as the Trump administration also deported an Ivy League doctor specializing in kidney medicine on a H1-B visa. Rasha Alawieh was deported to Lebanon over the weekend despite a court order ruling that she must stay in Massachusetts for 48 hours.

Over the weekend, the White House announced hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang had been deported after a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportations.
In June, the BianLian cybercriminal group claimed responsibility for an attack on Northern Minerals, an Australian rare earth exploration company. According to the MM-ISAC report, the incident came just hours after the Australian Government ordered China-affiliated investors to divest their shares in Northern Minerals, citing national interest concerns. BianLian, likely based in Russia, specialises in ransomware deployment and data extortion.

One of the most notable attacks in 2024 involved Alamos Gold, a Canada-based mining company, which fell victim to BlackBasta ransomware. BlackBasta, which emerged in 2022, is known for its double extortion tactics, encrypting victims data and threatening to leak it unless a ransom is paid.

Labbe estimates that around 80% of cyberattacks in the mining industry are financially motivated, with criminals seeking ransom payments through extortion tactics. The risk isnt necessarily stealing data: it is bringing down systems and disrupting operations.

And those are just the ones we know about, says Rob Labbe, MM-ISACs CEO and chief information security officer in residence, in an interview with Mining Technology, emphasising that there is a massive under-reporting in cyber incidents.

MM-ISAC, a Canada-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to cybersecurity in the global mining and metals industry, reported a sharp increase in cyber incidents in just one year. In 2024, the number of reported attacks rose to 30, up from ten in 2023, highlighting the sectors growing vulnerability.

According to the new Annual Report 2024 from the Mining and Metals  Information Sharing and Analysis Centre ( MM-ISAC ), released in February, cyberattacks in the mining industry tripled between 2023 and 2024.

As most organisations now recognise, the question isnt if a cyber event will occur, it is when, Pick adds, underlining that in many cases, threat actors thrive on the complexity in architecture that has developed over time.

We face daily attempts, as all companies do. Common attacks range from password spraying and brute forcing to social engineering and phishing/vishing campaigns, Jeff Pick, director of cybersecurity architecture and operations at Freeport-McMoRan, a major US-based mining company, tells Mining Technology.

As mining companies rush to the cloud, cyber threats are on the rise. Over the past decade, while digital transformation has improved efficiency, safety and sustainability at mine sites, it has in the meantime opened the floodgates to cyberattacks. With automation, digitalisation, AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) now embedded in mining operations, the industry is more exposed than ever, making cybersecurity not just a priority, but a necessity.

Story Continues

July saw another major breach when South African mining company Sibanye-Stillwater experienced a cyber incident involving RansomHouse ransomware. The following month, Australian gold mining company Evolution Mining reported an attack on its IT systems. In September, Vancouver-based Hunter Dickinson was also targeted, with BianLian once again claiming responsibility.

Cyber threats have been escalating in the mining industry for years. Back in March 2023, Rio Tinto suffered one of the most significant cyberattacks in the mining industrys history. According to GlobalData, Mining Technologys parent company, the breach resulted in sensitive employee information, including family details and payroll data, being leaked onto the dark web.

Two months later, in May 2023, Fortescue Metals was attacked by a Russian ransomware group, further exposing the industrys vulnerabilities. In December 2023, Anglo American had its email distribution channels compromised, leading to offensive messages and inappropriate graphics being sent to company newsletter subscribers.

Freeport-McMoRan also reported a cyber incident on 11 August 2023. There was limited impact on production, Pick says, explaining that a prominent threat actor deployed low-tech and common tactics, techniques and protocols frequently used in cyber events over the past two years.

AI: threat and opportunity

The rapid digitalisation of the mining industry has led to an exponential increase in data handled by companies, making them prime targets for cyberattacks. According to GlobalDatas Cybersecurity in Mining report released in June 2024: The number of cyberattacks is rising, and so is their complexity. Therefore, all segments of the mining value chain are vulnerable to attack.

As mining operations rely more on AI, robotics, IoT and cloud computing, cybercriminals are leveraging the same technologies to launch more sophisticated and targeted attacks. The emergence of genAI tools such as OpenAIs ChatGPT, has further empowered attackers, allowing them to craft deceptive and highly personalised threats.

AI is making life way easier for cybercriminals, warns Labbe.

Rob Labbe, MM-ISACs CEO and chief information security officer. Credit: MM-ISAC

While AI is driving efficiency and innovation in mining, it is also introducing new security vulnerabilities. Pick from Freeport-McMoRan cautions: The use of AI is starting to yield real dividends. This brings with it potential risks, as the models in use become part of our proprietary information or trade secrets that contribute to our competitive advantage. Risks to manage include data poisoning or exfiltration to competitors.

This paradox highlights the complex cybersecurity challenges in the mining sector, where AI acts as both a tool for innovation and a weapon for cybercriminals.

Another growing concern is AI-driven human error. As Labbe further explains: We will see a lot more AI-driven attacks. We will see a lot more incidents that are enabled by AI to incite human error. So the AI doesn't do the attack, AI is used to convince a person to make a mistake.

Cybersecurity versus innovation: a growing conflict

Beyond direct attacks, cyber threats have a broader impact on the mining sector they hinder technological progress. Among the collateral damage of cyberattacks, one of the biggest challenges for major mining companies is that cybersecurity teams often block innovation, with nearly 40% of projects either delayed, cancelled or having their scope reduced because of cybersecurity concerns. Labbe highlights that while security is vital, current practices often conflict with the need for innovation.

In this industry, if we dont innovate, we die, Labbe stresses, noting that mining companies are significantly underinvesting in cybersecurity compared with other sectors. He adds that rising cyber incidents have led to tighter controls, which are now hindering progress.

Mining companies are overly cost-focused, Labbe underlines, urging the need for a better balance between security and innovation to drive the industry forwards.

Resilience is key to tackling cyber threats

One key takeaway from cyberattacks in the mining industry is the importance of resilience, according to Labbe. The harsh reality is that if a determined attacker targets your company, they will succeed. The idea that we can prevent 100% of cyber incidents is outdated. What matters now is how prepared we are to minimise damage and recover quickly when an attack occurs, he believes.

Freeport is a prime example. Thanks to their resilience-focused approach, they did not lose a single pound of copper production. Contrast that with MGM Casinos, which was attacked by the same group using the same techniques but suffered significant operational disruption. The difference wasnt in the size of the company or how much money they spent on cybersecurity, it was their focus on resilience planning. Same attacker, same techniques, very different outcome, he adds.

This underscores the need for mining companies to prioritise resilience strategies, ensuring that cyber incidents do not disrupt production or compromise operations.

My hope for 2025 is that recognition will improve and that will make a huge difference. What I think will happen in 2025 is we are going to see a bunch more incidents and set a new record  and hopefully we don't hurt anybody, concludes Labbe.

"Cyber threats in mining: the hidden cost of digitalisation" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen publicly thanked the Trump administration after the U.S. Department of Justice and several voting rights groups decided to drop a lawsuit against him over plans to purge voter rolls leading up to the general election.

On Friday, the DOJ announced that it had filed to dismiss the complaint against Allen, who had sought to remove undocumented people from the voting rolls. The lawsuit was first filed in September and involved the DOJ and the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, the League of Women Voters of Alabama and the states NAACP chapter. This was done after Allen claimed to have found 3,000 registered voters in the state that were not American citizens.

No, the US wont be returning the Statue of Liberty to France

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States are required to maintain accurate voting rolls and remove ineligible voters, DOJ Civil Rights Division Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner said in a statement. This Administration supports the efforts of states like Alabama that engage in voting security measures that ensure only citizens are voting in our elections. We are dismissing this case from the prior Administration to permit Alabama the time and space to develop a legal, efficient, and effective process to remove noncitizens from their voting roll and secure the vote for their citizens in upcoming elections.

In his statement, Allen referred to the lawsuit as a Biden-Harris administration lawsuit and thanked President Trumps USDOJ for the action.

President Trump and I hold the same zero-tolerance position on noncitizen voting. We are truly blessed to have leadership restored in the Whitehouse and at the federal level that will respect, uphold, and defend our country against the liberal ideologies that have plagued America for far too long, Allen wrote in his statement.

Citing their reason for dropping the lawsuit, a representative from Campaign Legal Center said in a recent interview that their understanding is that Secretary Allen has no plans to reimplement the process that we sued over.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) has opened an attempted murder investigation out in Waikiki.

Alleged shooter Christopher Lucrisia dead after nearly three day manhunt

The investigation was prompted after gunshots were fired on Kalakaua Avenue just before 10 p.m. Sunday night.

12 things that used to be illegal for women to know about: Hawaii health

A total of three shots were said to be fired just across the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

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No injures were reported.

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8 things to know about the Comstock Act, impacts on Hawaii

No suspects have been identified at this time.

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More information will be given as it becomes available.

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State Superintendent Ryan Walters sits at the head the table during an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting Jan. 28, 2025, at the state Department of Education in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  State Superintendent Ryan Walters has agreed to pay $5,000 and stop using his state social media account for personal reasons, according to a settlement agreement with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission released Monday.

Walters used the account to publish information on social media that tended to advocate for the election of Republican President Donald Trump and the defeat of Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, according to the settlement agreement. The two were running for president.

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Ethics rules prohibit the use of social media maintained in the name of the state officer to advocate for the defeat or election of a candidate for elective office, according to the settlement.

The agreement said there is no evidence or finding that Walters intended to violate any ethics rule.

Superintendent Walters has always committed to following all guidelines and transparency in his political operations, said Grace Kim, a Walters spokesperson.

Walters was also directed to remove his state photo from his personal account, according to the settlement agreement.

Walters and those involved with running the agencys social media account will undergo training concerning ethics rules, the settlement said.

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Walters agreed to pay a $4,000 civil penalty to the states general revenue fund and $1,000 to cover attorney fees and costs to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

Oklahoma Ethics Commission Executive Director Lee Anne Bruce Boone said last week the commission will also pursue Walters in Oklahoma County District Court for alleged violations of campaign finance rules from Walters for State Superintendent 2022 Committee.

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National security adviser Mike Waltz confirmed Sunday that U.S. airstrikes took out multiple Houthi leaders in attacks this weekend.

Asked how the U.S. attacks this weekend differ from strikes under the Biden administration, Waltz said those back-and-forth strikes ultimately proved to be feckless attacks.

This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out, Waltz said in an interview on ABC Newss This Week.

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And the difference here is, one, going after the Houthi leadership and, two, holding Iran responsible, he continued.

Waltz stressed the negative consequences the Houthis have had on global commerce.

It is Iran that has repeatedly funded, resourced, trained and helped the Houthis target not only U.S. warships, but global commerce, and has helped the Houthis shut down two of the worlds most strategic sea lanes, Waltz said, noting nearly three-quarters of global shipping is now diverting around southern Africa, adding to the cost of goods, disrupting global economies, adding to  or shutting off supplies to the United States.

President Trump has found it unacceptable. What we inherited was  was a terrible situation. And this is one of what will be a sustained effort to right that wrong and to reopen global commerce, Waltz added.

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Trump on Saturday ordered a series of airstrikes against the Houthis, a militant group backed by Iran, saying the U.S. would use an overwhelming lethal force to take out the group.

Trump also warned Iran to stop supporting the rebel group and said he would hold the country fully accountable for the proxy groups actions.

The attacks were carried out by Air Force jets and armed drones that took off from the region. A source told The Hill that its the first of an attack lasting many days, if not weeks.

The attacks come as the Houthis vow to continue attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea. The group has targeted the ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, increasing tensions in the region.

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Nasr el-Din Amer, a spokesperson for the Houthis, told NBC News that the group plans to retaliate and said it would not stop until the blockade on Gaza is lifted.

We will respond to the recent escalation with further escalation, he said.

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National security adviser Mike Waltz said Sunday that all options are on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

In an interview on ABC Newss This Week, anchor Martha Raddatz asked the presidents top adviser to elaborate on President Trumps warning to Iran a week ago that they would not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and that something would happen very soon that will solve the problem if there is no peace deal, Raddatz said, referring to nuclear weapons.

So, what is he talking about? Is he talking about a possible strike on the nuclear facilities by Israel, and would the U.S. join in that? Raddatz asked.

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Well, what the president has  repeatedly said is that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, Waltz said.

All options are on the table to ensure it does not have one. And thats all aspects of Irans program. Thats the missiles, the weaponization, the enrichment. They can either hand it over and give it up in a way that is verifiable, or they can face a whole series of other consequences, he continued.

But, either way, we cannot have a world with the ayatollahs with their finger on the nuclear button, he added. We cannot have a situation that would result in an arms race across the Middle East in terms of nuclear proliferation. And President Trump is determined, one way or another.

In 2018, Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement that was brokered during former President Obamas administration and also ordered the U.S.-led strike on Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

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Trump has indicated he is looking to restart negotiations on a fresh nuclear deal with Tehran. Earlier this month, he said he wrote to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying, I hope youre going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, its going to be a terrible thing, according to Trump, who described the letter in an interview on Fox News earlier this month.

The Iranian supreme leader subsequently rejected that push, arguing it would only be a way for Washington to impose new demands and limit Tehrans military capabilities.

Some coercive governments insist on negotiations. Such negotiations arent aimed at solving issues. Their aim is to exert their dominance and impose what they want, Irans supreme leader said in a statement last week. For coercive governments, negotiations are a means to impose new demands. Iran will definitely not fulfill these new demands.

The U.S. and Israel have previously said Iran should not be able to get a nuclear weapon. Tehran has been working on enriching its uranium to levels near capable of a nuclear weapon.

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Iran has said the program is being developed for peaceful purposes, although some of its officials have threatened to develop the atomic bomb if the country is threatened.

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WESTPORT, N.Y. (ABC22/FOX44)  New York State Police arrested a man Saturday that had previously been reported missing in Vermont.

A post from NYSP says that Collen Gardner, 48, of Sheldon, had violated his terms for parole in Vermont and was wanted. Gardner was reportedly seen at the Westport Fish and Game Club March 11, which is where he left his vehicle.

In an update, NYSP wrote that he was considered armed and dangerous.

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Gardner was later spotted in the town of Westport Friday, and officers believed he was near Mountain View Road. After a 24-hour manhunt, police arrested him Saturday, March 15.

Gardner will face several felony charges in NY, according to authorities.

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Funding shortages could cause the closure of 80% of Afghan healthcare facilities supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) by June.

These closures would cut off access to critical medical care for millions, including women, children, the elderly, and displaced populations, the WHO said in a statement released on Monday.

As of March 4, 167 health facilities have already shut down due to lack of funding, leaving 1.6 million people across 25 provinces without essential services, the statement added. If the situation is not addressed, over 220 more facilities could close by June, impacting another 1.8 million Afghans.

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"These closures are not just numbers on a report, they represent mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing lifesaving vaccinations, entire communities left without protection from deadly disease outbreaks," said the head of the WHO in Afghanistan, Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador.

"The consequences will be measured in lives lost."

Afghanistan is already battling multiple health emergencies, including measles, malaria, and polio outbreaks.

Salvador warned that the funding shortfall is not just a financial issue but a humanitarian crisis that could undo years of progress in Afghanistans health system, causing more preventable deaths and lasting damage.

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Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN diplomatic mission in Afghanistan, told the UN Security Council last week that more than 23 million people  over half the countrys population  require international aid.

The United States and the UK are among those to have slashed international aid budgets in recent times.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A 19-year-old from Warrensburg is being charged with possessing child pornography following a tip from a national organization.

Michael Dale Rodd, 19, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on the charges of possession and promotion of child pornography. His arrest on Wednesday came more than a month after detectives got a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Kansas City police investigating homicide near Armour

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The tip regarded child sexual abuse material that was uploaded to Dropbox by an unknown party within the city limits of Warrensburg, Missouri.

Court documents say the owner of that Dropbox account was listed as Michael Dale Rodd. The account was accessed on December 9, 2024, where one child pornographic video was uploaded before Dropbox shut it down.

An investigation revealed that the IP address associated with the upload came back to Warrensburg and that the verification email attached to the Dropbox account was Rodds.

The investigation further showed that in 2023, an account with Rodds email had tried to send child sexual abuse material via Twitter. Detectives learned that the 19-year-old lived within the Warrensburg city limits and had prior interactions with police.

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Detectives served a search warrant to Google for Rodds email address and Dropbox. They ultimately learned the pornographic video was the only thing uploaded, and that Rodd had tried to share it twice before the account was shut down. Nothing else had ever been uploaded, per court documents.

Rodd spoke with detectives on Wednesday, where court documents say he initially denied knowing anything about the Dropbox account. He eventually admitted to owning both the Gmail and Dropbox accounts and described the pornographic video that was uploaded.

According to court documents, Rodd told police he was trying to sell the video because he needed money. Detectives asked where the child sexual abuse material came from, to which Rodd said people would send it to him via Instagram and Mega.

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Rodd told police he needed money due to him being in debt from a car crash in 2023 and had heard selling child sexual abuse material would make him a lot of money, according to those documents.

The 19-year-old was previously convicted of careless driving in 2023 and put on a two-year probation. Hes currently in the Johnson County jail with a $50,000 bond. Court records did not state when his next court appearance will happen.

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By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., on Monday announced a new push to investigate election fraud cases, according to an internal email seen by Reuters, though it was not clear how much power his office will have to do so.

Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney who has echoed Trump's false claims of a stolen 2020 election, told staff he was creating a new office called the Special Unit Election Accountability, and asked for volunteers to staff it.

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"Americans do not have confidence in our election systems," Martin wrote in the email, noting the new section has already opened one investigation. "One of the best ways to restore that confidence is to protect our systems and to demand accountability."

Martin did not explain whether he would have any jurisdiction to pursue election fraud cases beyond the District of Columbia.

He also did not indicate whether he had spoken with the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, which according to department rules must be consulted before a federal prosecutor can open an election fraud case.

A spokesperson for Martin's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The Public Integrity Section has been hit with a wave of resignations, after top Justice Department official Emil Bove pressured its attorneys to dismiss criminal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The two dozen remaining attorneys were informed last week that drastic staffing cuts are yet possible, though no final decision has been announced.

Numerous studies have found election fraud to be extremely rare in the United States. Trump's false claims of fraud in 2020 inspired thousands of supporters to storm the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an unsuccessful attempt to reverse his defeat.

Before joining the Justice Department, Martin advocated for participants in that attack and has admitted to being present on Capitol grounds during the attack itself

As the top federal prosecutor in Washington, Martin has threatened members of Congress with investigations and announced the opening of criminal cases on social media.

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He also forced the ouster of the office's former top criminal prosecutor after she refused to open a criminal probe and freeze the assets of a grant awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency during Democratic President Joe Biden's tenure.

Recently, Trump nominated Martin to serve permanently as the U.S. attorney, though it remains unclear whether he will have ample support in the Republican-controlled Senate.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch in Washington; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Matthew Lewis)
In a few years, your child will get more time to eat lunch at elementary school.

The newly passed initiative proposed by the state superintendent will give kids 20 minutes of seated lunchtime, but it wont go into effect until the 2029-2030 school year.

John Cashill is a Queen Anne Elementary School parent. On Monday morning, he dropped his daughter off with her full lunch bag in hand.

He told KIRO 7 that his daughter only has 5-10 minutes of lunchtime before she rushes out for recess, leaving most of her food behind in her lunchbox.

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We spoke with teachers who say they also want the 20-minute minimum for students. Seattle educator Vaughan Amare tells us hes been pushing for this for years.

We have a portion of kids who would bypass the lunchroom altogether and run directly outside, Amare said.

He said even though giving kids time to finish their lunches would make sure they stay focused in class, there are also some challenges with implementing a new schedule.

I think people have to figure out how to navigate it, I think one of the pieces we are seeing is budgets and how to have staff supervisory time, Amare said.

Some parents are apprehensive as well. Adam Starr has a six-year-old at Queen Anne as well, and he tells us she would have trouble sitting still for that long.

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My youngest daughter is picky. She wouldnt eat for twenty minutes, Starr said.

At a January public hearing, 18 districts opposed the minimum, citing a lack of staffing and money.

The 20-minute minimum wont happen until the 2029-2030 school year, giving schools some time to adjust.

I would hope we could have a health plan, for their physical and mental and social wellbeing, Amare said.

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal did not respond to our requests for a comment about the law.




The judge who tried to block Donald Trumps deportation of 200 alleged Venezuelan gangsters previously spared a Russiagate lawyer from jail.

Judge James Boasberg spared Kevin Clinesmith, the former FBI lawyer, from prison after he was convicted of forgery during the federal investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 election.

Clinesmith pleaded guilty to a felony in August 2020, admitting to doctoring an email that served as support for a Russiagate wiretap of Carter Page, a former campaign official for Mr Trump.

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Prosecutors had said Clinesmith should be jailed.

However, Judge Boasberg sided with Clinesmiths attorney, who argued that probation would be more appropriate as Clinesmith said he was not motivated by political bias.

Appearing sympathetic to the cost the lawyer had paid by standing in the eye of a media hurricane, he instead ordered him to work 400 hours of community service and 12 months probation.

Courts all over the country rely on representations from the government, and expect them to be correct, Judge Boasberg said.

Outrage over deportation block

Judge Boasberg is now under pressure amid mounting outrage over his decision to block the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

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The Department of Justice on Monday asked that Judge Boasberg be kicked off the case, complaining of an inappropriate exercise of jurisdiction.

That development escalates the stakes of the district courts inappropriate exercise of jurisdiction and the risks that the district court may force the government to disclose sensitive national security and operational security concerns or face significant penalties from the court, Drew Ensign, deputy assistant attorney general wrote to the court.

The Government cannotand will notbe forced to answer sensitive questions of national security and foreign relations in a rushed posture without orderly briefing and a showing that these questions are somehow material to a live issue.

Mr Trump insisted on Monday that this is a time of war amid a showdown with Judge Boasberg after invoking the Alien Enemies Act allowing for the mass deportation of migrants.

Judge Boasberg, a US district judge, issued an order at the 11th hour temporarily blocking the deportations but the two planes were already in the air  one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras.

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He verbally ordered the flights to be turned around, but the planes, which were mobilised by Mr Trumps use of the wartime act, continued.

Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff told CNN: [Being] the president of the United States gives the president and the administration, under the constitution, all rights to conduct national security operations in defence of the United States.

That is not something a district judge has any authority whatsoever to interfere with to enjoin to restrict or restrain in any way.

There is not one clause in that law which makes it subject to judicial review, let alone a district court.

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Abhishek Kambli, representing the Justice Department, refused to say how many deportation flights had left the US, despite being pressed by Judge Boasberg.

He also told the court that the administration regarded the judges written order stopping the flights at 7.45pm on Saturday as when it came into force, not his oral instruction earlier in the day.

Thats a heckuva stretch, Judge Boasberg, responded.

Judge Boasbergs ruling that using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify the deportation was illegal was not the first time that the 62-year-old judge has crossed swords with the president over immigration.

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In March 2020, Judge Boasberg urged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release migrants held in detention centres during the Covid pandemic, citing the imminent risk of an outbreak in confinement.

Donald Trump is in a showdown with Judge Boasberg after invoking the Alien Enemies Act - Valerie Plesch

He also enraged conservatives by blocking Arkansas and Kentucky from imposing a work requirement for Medicaid recipients  a programme for poor Americans.

He also previously sided with conservationists when demanding the Army Corps of Engineers carry out an environmental review of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The judge did so again when he backed campaigners wanting to protect the endangered right whale from the threat, which they claimed was posed by the lobster fishing industry.

Judge backed Trumps right to keep tax returns confidential

Judge Boasberg also ruled the Department of Justice should have access to the phone records of Scott Perry, the Republican congressman, as part of its investigation of the Jan 6 storming of the Capitol.

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On the other hand, the judge also previously backed Mr Trump in his right to keep his tax returns confidential and sided with Judicial Watch, the conservative lobby group, when it demanded the release of more than 14,000 emails on Hillary Clintons private server when she was secretary of state.

The judge was educated at Yale and Oxford universities, also earning his legal degree from Yale Law School.

At Yale he was a member of Skull and Bones, an undergraduate secret society whose other alumni include three generations of the Bush family, Prescott, George HW and George W.

It was George W Bush who appointed him to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in 2002.

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He was also a classmate of Brett Kavanaugh, one of Mr Trumps nominees to the Supreme Court. He is considered a feeder judge, whose clerks are frequently posted to perform the same role for Supreme Court justices.

Judge Boasberg is considered one of the most influential judicial figures outside the Supreme Court.

In 2023, he took over from Beryl A Howell, as the chief judge of the Federal District Court in Washington, a post that played a key role in the special counsel investigations into the president.

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Jeff Bezos, the worlds third-richest person and owner of The Washington Post, announced in February 2025 significant changes to the editorial pages of his Pulitzer-Prize winning newspaper.

The editorial section, also called the opinion section, is where editors and contributors with a deep and broad understanding of the latest news offer their analysis of the days issues. This content is distinct from the fact-based news reporting of the outlets everyday journalists.

Both kinds of content serve the public interest. Journalists report news to inform the public, while editors and opinion writers analyze and explain news, putting facts into a larger context to aid understanding.

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At the Post, instead of news editors making independent decisions on what to write and the perspectives they should take, Bezos tweeted, We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. Well cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.

Opinion and analysis in the Post was thus going to limit itself to one particular viewpoint.

As a journalism historian, I analyze how journalism has changed over time. Over the years, the purpose, practices and forms of journalism have evolved.

Bezos decision harks back to an earlier time when editors and owners were the same person, and newspapers offered a specific interpretation of the world, not just a neutral report.

Informed opinions and analysis

While editorial writers and opinion columnists offer their opinions, these views are still expected to be grounded in journalistic principles, building from verifiable facts and comprehensively considering context to offer well-reasoned analysis.

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Many of todays news editors and journalists stake their professional reputations on their obligation to truth, independent of special interests or particular ideologies. They pride themselves on reporting and explaining the news without fear or favor.

After Bezos announcement, editorial page editor and veteran journalist David Shipley resigned from his position. Shipley told his staff he was stepping down after reflection on how I can best move forward in the profession that I love.

Journalists and media critics from across the political spectrum read Bezos editorial policy change as going against the tradition of a paper that long prided itself on editorial independence in the name of public service. Historically, the newspapers opinion section offered a range of views on a variety of issues.

Limiting the newspapers opinion section to a single viewpoint, critics argue, doesnt seem to align with the Posts slogan, Democracy Dies in Darkness, as it stifles public discussion and purposefully turns off some of the lights.

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Former Washington Post editor Marty Baron told the Guardian, If youre trying to advance the cause of democracy, then you allow for public debate, which is what democracy is all about.

Putting all of this in historical context can help illuminate Bezos decision as well as the current state of American media.

A facsimile of a 1765 edition of The Pennsylvania Journal, focused on The Stamp Act, in which the British government imposed direct taxation upon the American Colonies. The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images

Opinionated early American journalism

At the nations founding, the very first newspapers were highly partisan, supporting and receiving much of their funding from particular political parties and government subsidies. Newspapers were small operations where editors, owners, writers and typesetters were usually all the same person.

As the country and its political direction were just forming, these editor-owners felt a public obligation and duty to stake out a clear political position. There were no standards of journalistic neutrality; editor-owners framed news reports, wrote columns and published other peoples opinions based on their own particular viewpoints.

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Editors wrote passionately, using language that suggested the fate of the nation was at stake. They were also principled and willing to criticize their own parties if they thought it warranted. And because they were transparent about their views, readers responded by gravitating to their preferred newspapers. Consequently, the number of newspapers in the U.S. increased from 35 in 1783 to 1,200 by 1833. Historians have thus argued that the early United States was a nation of newspaper readers.

Unlike modern notions of journalistic impartiality, if a newspaper didnt support a political party or remained neutral, it was dismissed by readers as either lacking morals or being too stupid to form an opinion.

As newspapers of the early republic developed from reporting recycled news from other sources to guiding public discussion, the editorial thus emerged as a short opinion essay separate from reports on local speeches or foreign news.

Fact-based journalism and informed analysis

For various reasons, the partisan press gave way to a journalism that attempted wider appeal. By 1900, many news outlets aimed for impartiality and neutrality.

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By the 1920s, most journalists embraced the ideals of objectivity, the notion that journalists should only report facts.

Interestingly, this led to a growth in editorials, opinion columns and news analysis.

Opinion columns written by journalists provided interpretive frameworks for readers to understand the meaning of news events. One such journalist-commentator was Walter Lippmann (1889-1974), a political analyst who wrote a number of influential columns, including a piece infamously viewed as a catalyst for Japanese internment during World War II.

Such content provided journalists a means to show their independence from the powerful. Journalists could commit themselves to truth and verifiable facts while still asserting their independent role to contextualize news, explain its implications and guide the conversations necessary for democracy.

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Research has shown that such opinion-based news content can influence what citizens and media outlets prioritize as important, as well as how policymakers approach certain issues.

Today, especially with the increase in partisan television, radio and internet outlets, there is no shortage of opinion-based news and analysis.

As long as people stay empathetic and open to others with different experiences, this is not inherently bad for democracy. Problems arise, however, when opinionated news outweighs fact-based reporting and people begin to mistrust all reporting they do not agree with, a psychological phenomenon known as confirmation bias.

In todays digital world, everyone can broadcast or publish their opinion, whereas fact-based reporting takes time and resources. While news analysis and thoughtful opinion can generate important social conversations and help citizens understand news, too much opinion that isnt grounded in facts can also lead to a general atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion. This spells trouble for the good-faith understanding, open dialogue and mutual trust so vital to democracy.

Profiting from polarization

Polling data suggests Americans are more divided than ever.

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Perhaps Washington Post owner Bezos is simply responding to the publics documented preference for partisanship over truth or to the profitability of partisan news.

But as a matter of context, there is a difference between the principled partisans of the early republic, the professional analysts of the 20th century, and an owner who demands his media outlets opinions should be limited to his preferences.

When he purchased The Washington Post in 2013, Bezos said the newspaper would not change and that the papers duty will remain to its reader and not to the private interests of its owners.

In this latest move, he has signaled that his private interest is a priority, at least for the editorial section. This limits the perspectives the Post-reading public can encounter and restricts the free marketplace of ideas. So when a Post journalist of 40 years wrote a column opposing Bezos editorial decision, her bosses refused to publish it.

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Apparently, light criticism was not a personal liberty afforded a longtime employee. With her beloved employer not even willing to discuss the column  discussion being the cornerstone of deliberative democracy  the veteran journalist resigned.

In the current media environment, organizations and people who dont participate in news production or share its values can purchase journalistic outlets and alter their standards and practices. As a result, principled journalists may decide to leave rather than compromise their mission of public service.

Ultimately, Bezos is being transparent. It is thus up to the American people to decide on the kind of journalism and pursuit of truth they desire. Its worth noting that tens of thousands of canceled subscriptions have already begun to make that decision clear.

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: Joseph Jones, West Virginia University

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Joseph Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Mar. 17A 34-year-old Wasilla man was shot and killed by a police officer late Sunday after the man fired on the officer's cruiser with a rifle, Alaska State Troopers said.

Troopers said the incident followed a 911 report of a domestic disturbance near Settlers Bay around 10 p.m. As troopers and police responded, the people involved in the disturbance got out of the home and left the area, troopers said.

Wasilla resident Brett George "put on body armor, armed himself with an assault rifle, and left the residence in a vehicle," troopers said in an online update Monday.

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The Wasilla officer initiated a traffic stop on George's vehicle near the residence, troopers said. George briefly stopped but then fled and law enforcement initiated a pursuit, they said.

George got out of his vehicle at the intersection of Knik-Goose Bay Road and Settlers Bay Drive and fired the rifle at the fully marked Wasilla police car, troopers said.

"The Wasilla police officer returned fire, striking George," they said. He was declared dead at the scene. His body was taken to the State Medical Examiner Office.

No law enforcement officer was injured, troopers said.

Multiple people posted first-person accounts of the encounter on social media. It occurred in a busy area that includes a gas station.

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One local resident said he escorted out a semi-truck driver who was trapped behind the incident. Bobby Reid, who lives near Settlers Bay, said he was getting gas when he saw George spin out in a small white sedan.

Reid said in an interview that he couldn't see everything but heard what sounded like at least a dozen shots fired before hearing two additional rounds of gunfire. He said he could see bullets from the later rounds hitting George's car.

Reid said law enforcement was yelling at the driver of a tanker truck behind George's car to get off the road.

Reid, who said he owns a fence company and has a semi in his yard, knew the driver would have a hard time getting turned around. He said he offered to help, then led the semi out through the subdivision.

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"I'm just glad nobody else was hurt," he said.

No troopers fired their weapons, according to agency spokesman Austin McDaniel. Asked about the number of rounds fired by George and the officer, McDaniel said that was part of an ongoing investigation.

The initial domestic disturbance report involved two adult family members inside the home, McDaniel said. George was threatening them with the weapon, he said.

McDaniel said he couldn't immediately provide an exact count of the number of law enforcement officers who responded. He said in an email that any 911 call "where there is an immediate risk of harm" will generate a relatively large response.

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The troopers also activated their Southcentral SWAT Team but the incident was resolved before most of members arrived, McDaniel said.

Once a troopers investigation is complete, the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions will independently review the shooting.
Credit: Social Media/@ana_mihajlovski

Protesters in Serbia who staged one of the countrys biggest-ever rallies claim the authorities used a prohibited, military-grade sonic weapon to disperse peaceful crowds.

Calls were mounting in Belgrade on Monday night for an independent inquiry into claims that security forces deployed the device during the anti-government, anti-corruption demonstration that was held in the capital on Saturday, drawing about 300,000 people.

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Video footage posted on social media showed thousands of people standing in the streets during a 15-minute silence to remember the victims of a railway station roof collapse, which happened in the city of Novi Sad in November.

The tragedy, which claimed the lives of 15 people, sparked months of protests against President Vucic and his nationalist government, shaking his decade-long grip on power.

A protester draped in a Serbian flag faces riot police during the student-led rally in Belgrade - ANDREJ CUKIC/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The railway station disaster has become a lightning rod for much broader issues, including accusations of government corruption and lack of accountability.

In the videos, a deafening, whooshing sound like an approaching train can be heard, panic ensues and the crowd suddenly disperses, with people running to escape the noise.

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Protesters caught up in the alleged attack complained that they had suffered nausea, headaches and sense of disorientation.

We fell over each other

One protester, Dusan Simin, said the noise sounded like a plane was landing from the direction of the presidency building. We couldnt run away from it, we didnt know what to do. People must have instinctively thought something was coming down the street, so they started running to the side and we all fell over each other.

Some security experts said the weapon may have been an American-made long-range acoustic device (LRAD)  a specialised sound-emitting tool capable of delivering high-frequency sound waves over significant distances.

Prolonged exposure to such weapons can cause eardrum ruptures and irreversible hearing damage.

Thousands of protesters took part in the anti-corruption demonstration - Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images

Serbian human rights groups and representatives of the months-long protest movement insisted that the banned acoustic weapon had been used.

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They said they intended to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights as well as Serbian courts.

In an online petition signed by more than half a million people, the opposition Move-Change movement asked the UN, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe for an independent investigation into the use of a sound cannon on March 15 against peaceful protesters in Belgrade.

Howling noise

Earshot, a British NGO that investigates the use of sonic weapons, said it had received 12 videos documenting the alleged use of the device in Belgrade.

Four of these videos contain a sound consistent with the noise produced by a vortex ring gun or vortex cannon, the NGO said.

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As this weapon pushes gas out of its cylinder at speeds of 185mph, its expulsion produces a howling noise which has been compared to a jet engine.

The organisation said it was continuing to investigate the incident and appealed for protesters to send other video clips for analysis.

Protesters said the noise sounded like a plane was landing from the direction of the presidency building - CEN

But the Serbian authorities denied the claims. Aleksandar Vucic, the countrys pro-Moscow, authoritarian president, said the allegation that a sonic device had been used was a wicked lie aimed at destroying Serbia.

He said he would invite the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as Russias Federal Security Service, the FSB, to investigate the claims.

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It is important for history to see how they lied, he said, referring to those who claim the sonic weapon was used.

President Vucic has repeatedly claimed that the anti-government protests are being stoked by Western intelligence agencies, without presenting any proof of such a plot.

Striking a defiant tone on Monday, he wrote on social media that he would not give into Maidan like pressure, referring to the 2014 mass protests in Ukraine that overthrew Viktor Yanukovych, the countrys pro-Kremlin leader.

Vile lies

Dr Helena Ivanov, a Serbian political analyst, told The Telegraph: A lot of people are claiming they have experienced symptoms associated with sonic weapons usage and some experts are also agreeing with that. The government says these are vile lies, but the protests have shown that way too many people no longer trust the government. I think an independent, foreign inquiry is much needed to establish what happened.

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Although fears of violence failed to materialise at the weekend, analysts said a line had been crossed.

The massive turnout confirms that dissatisfaction is immense and that there is no going back to the old ways, Maja Kovacevic, the dean of Belgrades Faculty of Political Science, told the AFP news agency.

Srdjan Cvijic, an analyst from the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, said: Saturdays protest marked the beginning of the end for the regime and represents a major victory for the student movement and the citizens. Despite attempts to deter people from coming to Belgrade through various threats, we witnessed the largest gathering in Serbias history. Fear has changed sides.

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.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt briefed the press and took questions Monday, coming quick on the heels of a weekend effort to deport dozens of Venezuelans.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday that hundreds of members of the Tren de Aragua gang have been deported under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, even as a federal judge ordered the removals to be temporarily stopped.

A federal judge on Saturday preemptively blocked the Trump administrations reported efforts to quickly deport five Venezuelan nationals under the act.

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The briefing was scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT.

Watch the replay above.

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This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

As I wander past the New Orleans-style iron verandahs, cigar shops and organic ice cream parlours on Tampas palm-tree-lined 7th Avenue, I realise Im being followed by a rooster. Like me, he seems to be heading to The Columbia  Floridas oldest Spanish restaurant.

Its a balmy November afternoon, and elderly gents and young people are shooting the breeze while smoking cigars in armchairs on the pavement, but nobody seems phased by my feathered friend. Here in Tampas Ybor City neighbourhood, the rooster is king.

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An official edict states the chickens must be allowed to roam free in honour of the areas original Cuban immigrants, who raised the birds. Along with settlers from Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and elsewhere, these Cubans flocked here in the 1880s and 90s, when this part of Floridas western coast was the cigar-making capital of the world, less than 350 miles from Havana.

More than a hundred years later, Ybors red-brick cigar factories have been reincarnated as shops and restaurants, but the legacy of Tampas immigrant communities is alive and well, not least in its food scene. Although less well known than its Floridian east-coast neighbour Miami, Tampa has, over the past few years, developed a reputation as one of Americas hottest food cities. It now has five Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as 30 others with either Bib Gourmand or Michelin Recommends ratings.

As with so many of Americas great cities, the story of Tampas food tells the story of the city  not least at the huge, 1,500-seater Columbia. Taking up an entire block, it first opened in 1905 to feed the thousands of workers at Ybors cigar factories, serving Spanish classics as well as Cuban specialities. In one of its many, high-ceilinged dining rooms  decorated with the florid, blue and yellow Spanish tiles common across Spain since the 16th century  I tuck into the restaurants famous, crammed-to-the-gills Cuban sandwich. This culinary cross-breed features Spanish ham, Italian salami and spicy, Cuban-style roast pork, as well as swiss cheese, pickle and mustard introduced by the German and Jewish communities. Its all piled up inside a Cuban-style baguette from one of Tampas oldest Cuban bakeries  a local institution called La Segunda.

The Cuban sandwich is a Tampa classic with multicultural ingredients. Photograph by StockFood

To find out more, the next day I head to La Segundas nearby take-out branch  a simple, whitewashed building thats just a five-minute drive from The Columbia. The original shop was opened in 1915 by Spanish immigrant Juan More, whod learned to bake bread while in Cuba. Today, the bakery supplies not just The Columbia but other restaurants across the US South. Inside, the walls are lined with black-and-white photos showing the original owners and bakers, and large glass counters are filled with tantalising-looking pastries and cakes. I join locals queuing for the long Cuban bread sticks before meeting the bakerys fourth-generation owner, Copeland More  the great-grandson of founder Juan.

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Cuban culture is very important to Tampa, Copeland tells me, pristine in a white La Segunda-branded polo shirt. A lot of the food we make represents the cultures of the people who settled here, he continues, with a laid-back Southern accent. The Cuban sandwich is a classic example of one of the main four cultures who settled here in Ybor  Cubans, Italians, Spanish and Germans  and made it what it is today. And its not just the Cuban bread that flies out the door; Copeland points out his popular German chocolate cake, Italian cannolis  piped with creamy, sweet ricotta  and Cuban-style pastries, including guava turnovers (chunky triangles of puff pastry filled with sweet guava paste).

A 10-minute drive from Ybor, the citys immigrant history continues to unfold amid Downtowns steel-and-glass high-rises. Just yards from the Tampa Bay History Center  a museum where 14,000 years of Tampa ancestry is documented  theres an outdoor food court on the waterfront called Sparkman Wharf that perfectly sums up the citys mix of cultures. Its repurposed shipping containers house restaurants that showcase the food of some of the citys most innovative chefs; for example, creative tacos at Gallito Taqueria and Korean-style pork buns at Dang Dude  both the co-creations of Ferrell Alvarez, one of Tampas long-standing star chefs.

To the sounds of 1960s soul, I park myself in smart outdoor seating overlooking the water to feast on local fried shrimps at Edisons Swigamajig, helmed by five-time James Beard Award semifinalist, chef Jeannie Pierola. Its one of many local businesses taking advantage of the wide range of seafood available, thanks to the citys location on the Gulf of Mexico. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, the shrimps are plump and sweet, served with hand-cut fries and a zingy, tamarind tartare sauce.

Its the taste of Italy, meanwhile, that awaits me for dinner at Michelin-starred Rocca, a quarter of an hours drive north of Downtown in the multicultural, recently gentrified Tampa Heights neighbourhood. When Rocca received its Michelin star in May 2023, it was one of the first in Tampa to do so. With industrial-style pillars, high tables and Beyonce tunes on the PA, its surprisingly informal. Dispensing with starched linens and gushing waiters, Rocca feels more like Saturday night in a neighbourhood bar.

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The food, however, is a different story. Im soon tucking into tortello alluovo, a hand-made, ravioli-like pasta filled with a decadently rich mix of spinach and ricotta, while woody maitake mushrooms add just the right level of bite. The emphasis here is on high quality but essentially unfussy food.I worked in some very avant-garde modernist restaurants in New York, says Roccas chef-owner Bryce Bonsack, who comes over to chat at my table, dressed in his chef whites.

Having grown up in Tampa, Bryce spent time at New Yorks Michelin-starred Blanca, where, he tells me, It was all gels and sous vide and hundreds of different foams. It was exciting to learn, especially as a young chef, but it almost made you want to revert to cooking over a fire or something very simple with three ingredients. That sent him on a journey to Italy, in search of its rustic, ingredient-led cuisine.

Timpanos Parm-To-Table experience involves serving pasta in a Grana Padana cheese wheel. Photograph by Timpano Hyde Park

Roccas best-known dish is its mozzarella cart. A waiter positions a trolley alongside my table as if hes about to flambe crepes suzette, and theres a sense of theatre as he stretches pliable mozzarella high above the table like an elastic yo-yo before arranging the warmed cheese on a plate. He then adds dark brown Kumato tomatoes, fresh basil and 10-year-aged balsamic vinegar. The combination of warm, almost meltingly soft mozzarella with the punchy tomatoes and elegantly tangy vinegar makes for unquestionably the best tomato and mozzarella salad Ive ever had.

Rocca belongs to the new generation of restaurants reflecting the citys diverse, multicultural mix. At breakfast the next day I find myself tucking into the Med Morning Yogurt Bowl at Psomi, a hip, white-washed Greek restaurant amid smart, clapperboard bungalows and neatly tended lawns in the leafy Hyde Park area. Its run by self-taught chef and owner Christina Theofilos, a Greek-American born and raised in Tampa. Whats special for me about Tampa is how many cultures are here, and you see it through the food, she tells me. Were seeing more speciality restaurants opening up and chef-driven concepts where the person cooking the food is passionate about it and is trying to share a story with you.

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Back in Ybor that evening, Im off in search of Tampas blossoming cocktail scene, which Ive heard is as good as its food. On 7th Avenue, at Hotel Hayas glamorous Flor Fina bar, young, heavily tattooed lead bartender Natalie Walker mixes me one of her bestsellers  the dos agaves  as I settle into an elegant leather bar stool under a gold-leaf ceiling. Dangerously drinkable, sweet yet subtly sour, its a mix of reposado tequila and mezcal, lemon juice, pear and hibiscus liqueurs with house-infused rosemary honey, Natalie tells me.

The cocktail scene all over the city is huge, says Tampa-raised Natalie. Our entire menu is made by our own bartenders, who know the area and create cocktails with a sense of where we are. Its little surprise, then, that this best-selling cocktail has a Spanish name and Hispanic ingredients. As I savour my last sips, I look out at the street to watch a group of women dressed for a night out. Theyre heading to another bar, but theyre not alone. Hot on their heels, a cockerel is pecking the pavement behind them.

Elevage Soho Kitchen & Bar is the chic restaurant at Tampas food-led Epicurean Hotel. Photograph by Epicurean Hotel

Where to eat in Tampa:

Elevage Soho Kitchen & Bar

The cuisine at Elevage  set within the food-focused Epicurean Hotel  is best described as refined home-cooking. Creatively mixing Cuban, Spanish, Asian and Middle Eastern flavours with traditional Southern classics, the results include grits with smoked gouda, as well as its bestselling, supremely treacly smoked chicken wings  brined for 24 hours before being smoked, fried and tossed in a dry rub. Mains around $36 (29).

Oxford Exchange

As in many US cities, brunch is big in Tampa, not least at this light and airy cafe, set within a stylish mini-mall originally built as the stables for the late-19th-century Tampa Bay Hotel. Look out for refined, organic versions of brunch classics like buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup or avocado toast with soft, whipped goats cheese and spicy pepita crunch. Lunch includes fish tacos, speciality teas and cocktails. Dishes from around $20 (16).

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Edisons Swigamajig, Sparkman Wharf

This upscale reinvention of a classic Florida seafood shack is an offshoot of two other restaurants from star local chef and Tampa native Jeannie Pierola. Its part cocktail bar, part seafood restaurant  the swig in its name a reference to the cocktails; the jig a nod to the weighted jig baits used in fishing. Theres a wide range of locally sourced seafood, including jumbo shrimp and chips with tamarind tartare sauce, and conch fritters served with orange blossom honey and mustard. Dishes around $19 (15).

Timpano

Located in the Hyde Park Village shopping area  Tampas answer to Beverly Hills  this restaurant is another smart address for brunch, with a foliage-filled interior shaded by wicker lamps. Expect US staples like steak and eggs and brunch burgers, as well as more inventive creations such as avocado crostini and French toast made with brioche, served with coffee cannoli cream and cocoa nibs. The menu also features Italian-influenced concoctions such as the slightly odd-sounding but locally popular carbonara benedict, which is more or less as its name suggests  a mound of spaghetti carbonara wedged between the benedicts traditional poached egg and muffin. Brunch dishes around $22 (17).

Published in the USA guide, available with the Jan/Feb 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).



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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A Red Flag (Fire Weather) Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for portions of our area for Monday 11:00 AM through 10:00 PM.

As of Sunday evening northwest portions of the coverage area were included in the warning. Even if your county isnt in the warning, fire weather conditions are still a concern. This map is subject to change and other counties could be added.

Another map that is subject to change is the Arkansas Wildfire Danger with burn bans map. The whole forecast area was in high wildfire danger as of Sunday evening. Fire weather conditions are expected to get worse on Monday. I wouldnt be surprised if more counties issued burn bans for Monday.

All the ingredients are coming together for Monday. We have the drought for some areas along with dry air and gusty winds. This will allow for any fire to grow and spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged in these conditions.

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We have been talking about Monday, but the winds will not decrease until Thursday.

South southwest winds might even be stronger on Tuesday, but the relative humidity is not expected to be as low. This is why we are not in a Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday as of Sunday evening. This could also change, because the models could be making the relative humidity to high.

Our next storm system will move through on Wednesday. Rain chances do not look very promising, however the winds will be very strong. This combination could prolong our fire weather threat through at least Wednesday.

Stay tuned and download our Your Weather Authority app for updates!

Follow us on our social media below for up to date information and stay weather-aware!

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To make sure you are staying up-to-date with the forecast, download the Your Weather Authority app to get updates anywhere at any time.

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25 tornadoes have been confirmed in Missouri and Arkansas as storms ripped through Friday night. The strongest tornado was a high-end EF-4 in Diaz, Arkansas (Jackson County) with winds just shy of EF-5 strength at 190 MPH. The strongest in the Ozarks First viewing area was an EF-4 in Izard County Arkansas just outside Franklin with winds of 170 MPH.

These were the first tornadoes weve seen in Missouri in March while Arkansas saw one tornado in January before this latest outbreak. Nearly 300 tornado warnings were issued in the United States from March 14-16. 54 warnings in Missouri and 39 warnings in Arkansas from March 14 alone.

Personal property was destroyed. Peoples lives have been changed and some have even been taken. Help those in need if you feel inclined to do so. Convoy of Hope will be responding to hard-hit areas in Missouri and Arkansas.

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See the storm tracks, warning paths, and damage done by the storms in the video above.

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For Maria Rising, managing her health felt like chasing a phantom. The 30-year-old Lansing, Mich. consultant has for years battled polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)  a hormonal disorder that can cause weight fluctuations, insulin resistance, and in some cases debilitating pain.

Its like hitting a moving target, Rising said, describing the endless treatments that never quite worked. Then came a glimmer of hope: In January 2024, her gynecologist suggested Zepbound (LLY), one of the GLP-1 medications proving remarkably effective at treating a host of conditions, including managing PCOS symptoms.

The drugs worked so well theyd become victims of their own success  Rising found herself at the back of a very long line.

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I was calling pharmacies. I was calling all over the state. I was like, Ill drive and go get it if you have it. But nobody had it, she said.

When Rising couldnt find Zepbound at any pharmacy, she explored alternatives, in consultation with her doctors, and eventually turned to compounded tirzepatide  an off-brand version of the active ingredient in Zepbound. Rising currently pays $287 a month for her compounded medication, a steep discount compared to the branded drugs nearly $1,000 price tag. Since being on the drug, she has lost 40 pounds and other symptoms have eased.

But that might all change very soon. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced the end ofshortages that have plagued popular weight-loss drugs, like Zepbound and Novo Nordisks (NVO) Wegovy. With branded options now deemed fully available, the agency plans to crack down on compounded GLP-1 medications as soon as this month  a regulatory pivot that could reshape access for patients like Rising overnight.

Soaring demand for weight-loss drugs has turned Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly into the worlds most valuable pharma companies. At the same time, shortages have created a lucrative market for compounders and telehealth companies. But for patients, the situation is far less fortunate. These changes could cut off access to affordable alternatives for thousands of people, including Rising.

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Theres a lot of folks really panicked right now about it. I dont want to go back to having crazy pain every day from PCOS either, Rising said.

The battle for GLP-1 sales

Rising now has few options. She could switch to an expensive branded medication or  what she intends to do  continue her treatment with a customized, clinically necessary compounded version of tirzepatide that meets stricter regulatory standards. But that path is more uncertain.

Recent FDA decisions are reshaping the market for compounded (or off-brand) versions of GLP-1 drugs, which have served as a workaround during supply shortages. The move has also intensified a battle between Big Pharma and compounding pharmacies over control of GLP-1 sales in the U.S.

Compounding involves modifying FDA-approved drugs to meet individual patient needs, such as adjusting dosages, changing administration methods, or removing allergens  the kind of customization Rising is now relying on to access tirzepatide. Typically, the FDA prohibits compounding drugs that are exact copies of commercially available medications. However, when a drug is in shortage, these types of compounded versions are allowed.

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This regulatory loophole has proved lucrative for compounding pharmacies. Olympia Pharmaceuticals, which entered the GLP-1 market just 18 months ago, has seen demand surge by 15-20%. The companys CFO, Joshua Fritzler, said in a February media roundtable that Olympias phones now ring constantly with doctors and patients panicking about where theyll obtain medication when the FDAs new restrictions take effect.

Olympia is a member of the Outsourcing Facilities Association (OFA) trade group that sued the FDA twice over the removal of tirzepatide and then semaglutide (Ozempics active ingredient) from its shortage list. The group argued that the shortages persist and that the FDAs decision will harm patients by limiting access to affordable alternatives.

A judge recently sided with the FDA in the tirzepatide case and the agency has issued a clarification on its policies regarding compounded GLP-1s.

The FDA will begin enforcing rules against outsourcing facilities making compounded tirzepatide on March 19. Smaller pharmacies (503As) are already past their deadline. For compounded semaglutide, 503A pharmacies have until April 22 and 503B facilities have until May 22  or until there is a court decision in the semaglutide case, whichever date comes later.

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Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, and Eli Lilly have both contended that compounded versions of their medications are unsafe.

No one should have to compromise their health due to misinformation and reach for fake or illegitimate knockoff drugs that pose significant safety risks to patients, Novo Nordisk said in a statement when the FDA declared the end of the semaglutide shortage.

Eli Lilly made a similar statement: FDA was also clear that compounders must immediately begin transitioning patients taking compounded tirzepatide knockoffs to FDA-approved tirzepatide medicines.

However, both companies have a big financial interest in limiting the sales of compounded GLP-1s.

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Eli Lillys stock price has climbed more than 50% since the FDA approved Zepbound in November 2023, pushing its market cap above $800 billion. Novo Nordisk has similarly seen its stock rise 86% since Wegovy launched in 2021.

Novo Nordisks U.S. executive vice president, David Moore, recently told investors in February that compounded drugs were cutting into the companys sales more rapidly than expected.

Meanwhile, some compounders have also made a killing with GLP-1s. The millennial-targeted telehealth company Hims & Hers started offering compounded semaglutide last May. The companys total sales grew 69% last year to $1.5 billion.

Now that the FDA has determined the drug shortage for semaglutide has been resolved, we will continue to offer access to personalized treatments as allowed by law to meet patient needs, Hims CEO Andrew Dudum wrote in a post on X in February. Were also closely monitoring potential future shortages.

Whats next for patients and compounders?

Fritzler said GLP-1 medications make up about half of Olympias business by volume, with the company producing tens of thousands of vials each week. Despite this, he emphasized that Olympia will comply with regulations and will not attempt to circumvent the law by creating customized compounded GLP-1s.

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Fritzler told Quartz that he expects that most patients will transition to branded medications, while others might switch to liraglutide  an older and less effective GLP-1 drug that requires daily injections rather than the weekly regimen of newer medications.

For others, the cost and inconvenience has become too overwhelming.

Michelle Pierce, 25, is a patient from Austin who also has relied on a compounded semaglutide to treat her PCOS.

She first tried metformin, a common type 2 diabetes medication, but it wasnt effective for her. Her doctor then recommended a GLP-1 drug, but getting insurance coverage was a challenge, requiring an extensive pre-authorization process and two appeals. Even after approval, the $600 monthly cost for Ozempic was too high, so her doctor suggested compounded semaglutide as a more affordable alternative.

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Now, however, she fears she wont be able to afford treatment moving forward. Instead, she plans to taper off the medication over the next few months, despite concerns that stopping it could affect her insulin levels and carries the risk of regaining weight.

I have great insurance  private Aetna (CVS) insurance  and I still cant get a medication that has changed my life, Pierce said.

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Elon Musk and Sam Altman finally found a common area of agreement  that a trial to settle their differences over the future of ChatGPT creator OpenAI should begin in December.

The proposal came in a joint court filing on Friday from Musk, Altman, OpenAI, and other named defendants, including Microsoft (MSFT). They asked for a two-week trial beginning Dec. 8.

A judge has ultimate discretion over whether to grant the joint request, though the California federal district court judge overseeing this case, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, is likely to agree on a date that both sides want.

The expedited battle is intended to weigh Musks claims that Altman and OpenAI breached various agreements by planning to convert the artificial intelligence startup into a for-profit enterprise. He tried and failed to get a judge to approve an immediate injunction stopping the conversion.

Musk helped co-found OpenAI with Altman in 2015 by donating $45 million to the startup, which Musk claims was contingent on OpenAI remaining a nonprofit organization.

Musk parted ways over disagreements regarding how to move forward with the venture. He started a competing AI company called xAI. Musk alleges that allowing OpenAI to continue pursuing for-profit status would cause "irreparable harm" to Musk, xAI, investors, and the public.

Elon Musk and Sam Altman appearing together in 2015. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)  Michael Kovac via Getty Images

Gonzalez Rogers, the judge overseeing this case, has made it clear she wants at least part of the dispute to go to trial.

Something is going to trial in this case, she told lawyers for Musk, OpenAI, and Microsoft in January.

On March 4, she even proposed an expedited trial for the "fall of 2025." The judge carved out some claims in Musk's lawsuit that likely wont go to trial until 2027 or 2028, including allegations that the defendants violated antitrust laws and that Altman violated laws prohibiting self-dealing.

Musk and Altman both told the judge they were in favor of a trial on the expedited claims in December. But thats where their agreement ends.

The parties disputed which of Musks claims should go forward in the expedited trial and asked the judge to clarify. OpenAI also asked the judge to specify which claims remained open to defendant challenges.

According to Musk, the court should include his claim that OpenAI breached its duties as a charitable trust and its duty to operate in good faith, along with three claims alleging OpenAI entered into and violated a contract with Musk to remain a nonprofit.

According to Musk, Altman also breached laws against unfair competition by communicating a "fund no competitors" edict to OpenAI's current and prospective investors and permitting interlocking board positions between OpenAI and Microsoft.
Israeli police are seeking to keep a well-known Palestinian journalist in detention in Jerusalem on charges related to incitement and support of terrorism, despite an Israeli judge ordering her release on Monday.

Latifeh Abdellatif is a freelance photojournalist whose work has appeared in Reuters, ABC News, BBC, Al Jazeera and TRT, according to her Instagram account biography.

Israeli police said that she was apprehended at her home in the Old City on Sunday by Jerusalem District Police officers on suspicion of incitement and support for terrorism.

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Abdellatifs lawyer and her mother said she was arrested in the street on her way home, by officers arriving in unmarked vehicles.

Abdellatif denies the charges.

In a statement, police pointed to Abdellatifs posting of a video of late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in which he says he wants to die as a martyr.

In these and other posts, it is evident that the suspect praises and glorifies the actions of terrorist organizations, the statement said.

Abdellatif appeared via video link at a magistrates court in Jerusalem on Monday, where a judge denied a police request to detain her for an additional five days in order to continue interrogations and investigation. At one point during the hearing, Abdellatif smiled and made a heart-shaped gesture with her hands.

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The court found that based on her work as a journalist and based on the defense that these posts are part of her professional work, and that the posts are more than six months old, there is no need for keeping her in detention and she doesnt create a danger to the public, Abdellatifs lawyer Nasser Odeh told CNN after the hearing.

Odeh said the judge ordered Abdellatifs release under restrictive conditions.

He said this included 2,000 Israeli shekels ($550) to be paid for bail and another 10,000 shekels as a guarantee that she would show up once called in for investigation.

However, Israeli police immediately appealed the decision, seeking to stop her release.

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The police have requested to freeze the decision of the release until they submit an appeal with the central court. Right now, the release decision has been frozen until the appeal process goes into effect, the lawyer said.

Odeh told CNN that Abdellatif had been interrogated for three hours on Sunday about social media posts that are part of her professional work as a journalist.

Abdellatif pictured with her son in Jerusalem. - Family photo

Targeted for the smallest things

Abdellatif lives and works in Jerusalem. She has in the past reported on the tensions around access to the al-Aqsa mosque compound, monitoring clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers in the Old City.

CNN has witnessed her being harassed by Israeli security forces in the Old City on several occasions in the past, including being physically pushed aside and verbally abused. None of the occasions witnessed by CNN involved Abdellatif doing anything other than quietly standing on the side and using her camera to capture the events.

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Abdellatifs mother told CNN on Monday her daughter is a working single mother to a 7-year-old son and that she has all the beautiful things in her character.

Several of Abdellatifs colleagues described her as professional and dedicated. One said she was very kind and goes out of her way to help everyone, is respectable, and has good manners.

One journalist told CNN that reporters in Jerusalem are more concerned and afraid to cover the news that deals with Palestinian matters because it can easily be brought upon us as an incitement charge.

Another journalist said that Jerusalem-based reporters feel targeted by Israel security after the (October 7 Hamas attacks) for the smallest things.

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None of the journalists wanted to be named for fear of repercussions.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said that since the start of the war in Gaza, an unprecedented number of journalists and media workers have been arrested in what they and their attorneys say is retaliation for their journalism and commentary.

As of March 13, 2025, CPJ had documented a total of 75 arrests of journalists in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. Israel arrested 70; Palestinian authorities arrested five, it said.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned Abdellatifs arrest on Monday. In a statement, the syndicate said Israeli security authorities have arrested and expelled eight journalists from the Old City and al-Aqsa Mosque since the beginning of this month.

CNNs Kara Fox contributed reporting.

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With spring will come warmer temperatures, flora in bloom -- and millions of screaming insects emerging from their resting place beneath the ground.

Three species of cicada that only emerge once every 17 years are gearing up to spring to the surface in droves, when they will plague several regions on the East Coast with swarms of insects that are not visible for the majority of their lifetimes.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Cicadas make sure they are seen and heard during these events. The sounds of millions of singing cicadas will soon fill the air. Cicada nymphs and exoskeletons will litter the ground. Adult cicadas will be seen flying through the air and resting on trees and plants, experts told ABC News. In addition, cicadas are large and very active, said John Cooley, an entomologist at the University of Connecticut.

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What to know about this years periodical cicada emergence:

Brood XIV will emerge this time

Brood XIV, the second-largest periodical cicada brood, last emerged in 2008, Tamra Reall, an entomologist at the University of Missouri, told ABC News.

Since then, the nymphs of those periodical cicadas have been underground feeding on tree root tap and waiting to come out, Reall said.

Brood XIV was first discovered by European colonists in the 1600s, who assumed the swarm of insects was akin to a biblical plague before they realized the pattern of emergence, Cooley said.

Periodical cicadas differ from annual cicadas that emerge every year, the experts said.

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Annual cicadas have a green coloring but periodical cicadas are black and orange, Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an entomologist and associate director at the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University, told ABC News.

In addition, annual cicadas tend to emerge in the dog days of summer -- in July and August -- rather than in the spring, Cooley said.

Those who witness emergences can upload their accounts to Cicada Safari, a citizen science program that tracks cicada events, Cooley said.

When and where to expect a cicada emergence

A large swath of the eastern U.S. -- from Massachusetts down to Mississippi and Georgia -- will start to see cicadas emerge once temperatures begin to warm up, Gangloff-Kaufmann said.

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States like Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and North Carolina can expect to witness the emergence of Brood XIV this year, the experts said.

The emergence will be triggered once the soil temperature about 6 inches below ground reaches 64 degrees -- typically about mid-May to late June, depending on the region, Gangloff-Kaufmann said.

The event typically happens suddenly over days or weeks, Cooley said.

TRENDING STORIES

Why you shouldnt fear (or kill) cicadas

The emergence of cicadas is just like out of a sci-fi movie, Reall said.

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First, holes -- or exit tunnels -- start to appear in the ground, and the nymphs will be seen popping out before they look for something to climb up, whether it be a tree or fence post, Reall said.

Once the nymphs find somewhere to stop on their climbs, they molt and the adult cicada will emerge, Cooley said. The males will begin to sing to garner the females attention, Reall said.

We, as people, can actually observe this magical part of the insect metamorphosis, Reall said.

After the adults are active for a few weeks, the females lay their eggs, the adults die, and the nymphs remain underground until its time for them to emerge again, more than a decade later.

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Its kind of shocking how fast it all disappears, Cooley said.

However, its important to remember that cicadas are not dangerous, Gangloff-Kaufmann said.

Cicadas are not a threat to humans to animals, the experts said, imploring those who encounter them to avoid killing them -- whether by squishing them or spraying them with pesticides. They dont bite, and if your pets ingest them, they will be fine, the experts said.

People tend to be terribly afraid of insects, and these guys are big, but they are harmless, Gangloff-Kaufmann said.

In addition, cicadas are beneficial to tree health because the holes they create can lead to better moisture drainage into the soil and some natural pruning, Reall said.

These are a natural part of the forest, Cooley said.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The White House is defending controversial deportation flights that took place over the weekend.

Roughly 200 immigrants were flown to El Salvador despite a judges order demanding the flights be turned around.

The judge is asking the Trump administration to explain its decision to follow through with the flights.

We removed terrorists, that should be a celebration, said border czar Tom Homan.

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White House border czar Tom Homan told reporters Monday the deportations were legal and necessary to stop a U.S. invasion by foreign gang members.

The president did the right thing. I stand by it. We removed, in under one day, under two hundred dangerous people, said Homan.

The deportations put the Trump administration directly at odds with a court order.

A federal judge ordered the flights to be turned around after rejecting the White Houses use of the Alien Enemies Act, the 18th century wartime law allows deportations without a need to go to court first.

Giving them this wide latitude to just kind of go across and claim anybody is anything, is wrong, said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas.).

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The ACLU says the Alien Enemies Act, which has not been used since Japanese Americans were detained during World War II, is being misused by the Trump administration.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the flights continued because the order came down after leaving the U.S.

She says the administration is wholly confident it will win the case in court.

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The White House is denying that it violated a judges order Saturday to halt the deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, which, if it did occur, would take legal showdowns over the administrations claims of vast presidential power closer to the edge of a constitutional crisis.

The drama surrounds Venezuelan migrants expelled with the rare use of an 18th-century law  the Alien Enemies Act  another controversial decision and one that may represent overreach by President Donald Trump.

US District Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked the deportations to consider the implications of using the act  and said in court that any planes already in the air carrying migrants should return to the US. But the administration announced on Sunday that 250 deportees that it said were affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang were in El Salvadorian custody.

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A carefully worded statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Sunday evening only deepened intrigue over whether officials defied the judge.

The Administration did not refuse to comply with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist (Tren de Aragua) aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory, Leavitt said.

A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil, she added.

A distinction Leavitt made about the judges written order, and the fact she noted the migrants had left US soil but did not say when in the timeline they arrived in El Salvador, seem significant. Her use of the phrase aircraft carrier is confusing, however. And White Houses dont have the power to decree whether court orders are lawful.

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As he flew back to Washington on Sunday night after a weekend in Florida, Trump defended his administrations actions but dodged a question on whether the judges instructions had been followed.

I can tell you this, these were bad people. That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres, he said. But asked whether his government violated court orders he replied: Youd have to speak to the lawyers about that.

The exact timing of Boasbergs orders and how they correspond to the deportation operation is not yet clear. But if the administration defied the judge, it would potentially create the most serious legal quagmire of the administration so far and would fuel fears that an authoritarian presidency could openly defy the rule of law.

Attorneys from the ACLU/Democracy Forward asked Boasberg in an overnight filing into Monday to seek immediate clarification in sworn declarations, about the conduct of officials regarding his orders. They want to know whether flights with migrants took off after the judges written or oral instructions were issued and whether flights subject to them landed or were in the air and whether those expelled were handed to a foreign country after he ordered the temporary halt.

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In a separate case, a judge in Boston will hold a hearing Monday into whether Customs and Border Protection officials willfully disobeyed his order blocking the removal of a Rhode Island doctor, Reuters reported. Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, a Brown University assistant professor and US visa holder was deported to Lebanon after returning from a trip to visit relatives in the country.

Trump is acting now and not waiting for the consequences

The drama points to a trend.

Trump is wielding huge power now. This leaves those who might constrain him  including the courts and his political opponents  to ask questions later, after his actions have wrought almost irrevocable change.

The invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to speed up deportations is a significant step, as it is meant to be limited to use in wartime.

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Meanwhile, a crackdown on student protests highlighted by the arrest of a Palestinian green card holder is being justified on the grounds that his anti-Israel views hurt US foreign policy interests  but critics see an attempt to crush First Amendment rights and dissent in education by a White House untamed by the Constitution.

Trumps sudden shutdown of the taxpayer-funded international radio and television service Voice of America over the weekend, meanwhile, renewed debate over whether he has the power to unilaterally ignore spending authorized in laws passed by Congress and followed his chilling claims on Friday that media outlets that do not promote his MAGA views are corrupt and illegal.

Millions of voters sent Trump to Washington to destroy institutions that they believe do not reflect their culture, values, and material interests. And polls show that among his supporters, Trumps actions are popular.

His mantra is to act fast, since limits on presidential power are mostly retrospective  meaning that Trump can get the desired results before he can be stopped. A government department, for example, can be dismantled beyond repair by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency even if a judge subsequently orders fired workers, programs and funding to be restored.

Deportations to El Salvador trigger legal challenge

The 1798 Alien Enemies Act has resulted in abuses that stained American history. It tarnished the reputation of the second president  John Adams  and was used to justify the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

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The text of the law says that it can be invoked whenever a war is declared between the United States and any foreign nation or government or when an Invasion or predatory incursion is perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States by any foreign nation or government and the president makes a proclamation to that effect.

But the United States is not at war with Venezuela, and while Trump has frequently claimed the country is subject to an invasion by undocumented migrants, criminals and gang members, Congress  not the president  has the constitutional responsibility to declare war. So, the question immediately became whether Trump went beyond the powers of the law and his office with the deportations.

Boasbergs temporary restraining order was meant to create time to allow these critical legal arguments to play out.

South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union Sunday that he didnt know whether the administration had ignored the judges order to block the deportations. But he added: We expect the executive branch to follow the law. We have said in the past that we will follow the law  we are a constitutional republic, and we will follow those laws.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday on X that over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua had been sent to El Salvador to be held in their very good jails at a fair price. The US is paying $6 million for their accommodation.

The timing of the various court orders and the deportations is now at issue.

Boasberg had initially blocked the administration from deporting five individuals who lodged a legal challenge. After a later hearing, he broadened his action to cover all noncitizens in US custody subject to Trumps proclamation. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other top DOJ officials argued in a Sunday filing that some gang members were deported between Boasbergs two orders on Saturday. They said the five initial plaintiffs were not removed. The administration has already appealed the judges moves.

The case is significant beyond the judges instructions.

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International law generally prohibits the deporting of individuals to places where they could face persecution. The brutal, crowded conditions faced by inmates in El Salvador could meet that threshold. And the government of President Nayib Bukele  whom Trump officials frequently praise  stands accused of constitutional and human rights abuses that infringe most understandings of American foreign policy values in recent decades.

Then there are the concerns about why Trump is using the notorious Alien Enemies act at all, given that other mechanisms exist to expel gang members. The administrations lack of transparency about the identities of those it deported could also raise the possibility that undocumented migrants who are not gang members are being deprived of their legal rights, swept up in the purge and sent to a grim fate in El Salvadors custody.

Giving them this wide latitude to just  claim that anybody is anything is wrong, Texas Democratic Rep Jasmine Crockett told Tapper. We do have courts, we do have processes, we do have laws, and we should just go ahead and use those.

But the political benefits for Trump of acting with strongman zeal are obvious and allow him to imply that anyone who questions his actions are siding with vicious criminals who no one wants in the United States.

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Thank you to El Salvador and, in particular, President Bukele, for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to happen to the United States because of incompetent Democrat leadership, the president wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

Free speech concerns raised by detention of green card holder

The administration is also facing questions over the handling of the detention of former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian refugee whose green card was revoked over his involvement in the last years protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

Mahmoud Khalil is seen being arrested on March 8, 2025, in a screengrab from a video recorded by his wife Noor Abdalla. Portions of this video have been obscured by the source. - Noor Abdalla/ACLU

Was Khalil arrested for activities that could legally be categorized as material support for a terrorist organization, or is he being held in infringement of his First Amendment rights as a legal permanent resident of the United States? His supporters say he was targeted purely for speaking up against Israels onslaught against Gaza after the October 7 attacks in 2023.

But Rubio argued on CBS Face the Nation on Sunday that it was very simple to see that Khalil had lied when applying for a green card about his future political activities that included taking part in pro-Hamas events. We never should have allowed him in, in the first place. If he had told us, Im going over there and Im going over there to become the spokesperson and one of the leaders of a movement thats going to turn one of your allegedly elite colleges upside down  people cant even go to school, library buildings being vandalized  we never would have let him in, Rubio said. The secretary of state repeated his contention that Khalils activity ran counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States of America.

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US law states that anyone who endorses or espouses terrorist activities or persuades others to do so is ineligible for a visa to enter the country. But the coming case is likely to partly focus on whether those prohibitions apply to a legal permanent resident already in the United States.

Rubio didnt provide evidence in the interview that Khalil had committed a crime or had materially supported a terrorist group or espoused terrorism. If Khalil was merely voicing support for Hamas in a general sense no matter how vile that might seem to many Americans  he may be regarded to be exercising his right to free speech, which is protected by the Constitution, and which cannot be constrained by the government.

This case has caused deep concern because it raises the possibility that any immigrant who is not a citizen could be arrested and deported if they say things that the president or his government unilaterally decide are contrary to the interests of US foreign policy.

Khalils case is also being litigated in the courts. A federal judge has blocked his deportation, and he remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. Like the matter of the alleged Venezuelan gang members, the case seems destined to end up in the Supreme Court  which will face an unprecedented flurry of cases that will define both this administration and the presidency in future.

All the cases contain this question in one form or the other: Does Trump have the vast authority that hes assigned to himself in the most aggressive attempt to wield power in the history of the modern presidency?

The president isnt waiting for the results. Hes bent on forging deep changes to American governance, values and culture that will be hard for any future president or Congress to reverse.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Devan Cole contributed to this report.

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The News

US President Donald Trump invoked a 1798 law to deport more than 250 Venezuelans to El Salvador despite a court order blocking the removals. It represents the latest front in a looming showdown between the executive and judiciary: Judges have slowed or blocked several Trump initiatives, and the presidents supporters have labeled such moves a judicial power grab.

A White House spokesperson said the 18th-century law, which has only ever been used during wartime, confers broad executive powers and that the courts have no jurisdiction over Trumps foreign policy.

Another Trump official told The Washington Post that the judges ruling came too late for the planes to be turned around. The administration has filed to appeal the ruling.

SIGNALS

A showdown between the executive and judiciary looms

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Kennedy School

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The fight over the 1798 law represents the latest front in the showdown between the US executive and the judiciary. Numerous federal judges have sought to slow or block several of Trumps key initiatives and there are scores of lawsuits moving through courts  while many of these cases are likely to resolve in front of the countrys conservative Supreme Court, judges themselves are increasingly being targeted by the administration and its allies: Trumps aggressive assertions of presidential power, and the speed with which he has imposed his agenda, have put judges on the hot seat, The Wall Street Journal wrote. The judiciary faces a choice between capitulating to Trump (at least on some issues) or risking a constitutional crisis, one legal scholar argued.

Trump looks to ramp up deportations

Sources: Axios, Reuters, The New York Times

US President Donald Trumps immigration stance has already succeeded in driving down border crossings, Axios reported: In February, crossings at the US southern border fell to their lowest level since at least 2000. But other data shows that the Trump administration has deported far fewer people during his first month in office than did his predecessor, Joe Biden. The latest removals could mark the beginning of a larger effort to use the Alien Enemies Act by Trump to speed up migrant deportations, The New York Times wrote: The 1789 law  last invoked during World War II to target people of German, Italian, and Japanese heritage  enables the administration to deport people more rapidly in order to quell an invasion or predatory incursion by an enemy state.
(The Hill)  The White House is going green  dying the fountain on the North Lawn an emerald hue to mark St. Patricks Day.

The swap to a bright green color in the water of the fountain at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. could be seen on Monday during the annual holiday aimed at celebrating Irish culture.

Trump to attend Kennedy Center board meeting after takeover

Giving the fountain a greenified new look is one of the few traditions that President Donald Trump carried over in his first term in office from his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.

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Then-first lady Michelle Obama, inspired by a St. Patricks Day celebration in her home city of Chicago, first arranged for a fountain at the White House to be dyed green in 2009.

Dying the Chicago River green for St. Patricks Day has been a longstanding tradition in the Windy City.

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The White House on Monday pushed back on a French politician who called for the United States to return the Statue of Liberty to France, jabbing the low-level French lawmaker.

Absolutely not, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during the daily briefing about the chances of sending the statue back.

And my advice to that unnamed, low-level French politician would be to remind them that its only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now, Leavitt continued. So, they should be very grateful to our country.

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Raphael Glucksmann, a center-left politician and member of Frances Parliament, had called for the U.S. to return the statue to France on Sunday, saying the U.S. no longer represents the values it championed that prompted France to give the statue.

Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Glucksmann said at a convention. Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty.

We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home, he said.

The Statue of Liberty was gifted to the United States by France to commemorate the relationship between the two countries and Americas fight for freedom and democracy. It was unveiled in New York City in 1886 and has since become one of the countrys leading symbols.

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Famously, Lady Liberty has a plaque of Emma Lazaruss poem The New Colossus.

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! the poem reads in part.

Glucksmann, a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, appeared to be speaking out over the Trump administrations recent moves involving Ukraine as well as its push to slash federal programs in the U.S. and mass deportation agenda, Politico reported.

The second thing were going to say to the Americans is: If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the worlds leading power, then were going to welcome them, he said.

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By Giulio Piovaccari

MILAN (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD (BYDDY) is considering Germany for a possible third assembly plant in Europe, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, after the region's biggest economy and car market opposed EU tariffs on China-made EVs last year.

BYD stock rose 6% in pre-market trading on Monday.

Chinese carmakers are looking to set up manufacturing and assembly plants in Europe as they seek to sell more lower-cost cars in the region to challenge European competitors as demand slows in China, the world's largest car market.

They also want to avoid the import tariffs the EU imposed on China-made EVs last year.

Executive vice-president Stella Li said in an interview earlier this month with Automobilwoche that BYD was considering a third facility to serve the European market in the next two years - in addition to the two it is building in Hungary and Turkey - but she did not say where.

The source said Germany is BYD's top choice, although the matter is being questioned internally because of the country's high labour and energy costs, low productivity and low flexibility. No final decision has been taken yet.

The source declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media.

BYD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company is considering Western Europe for a third plant because it wants to build brand recognition and acceptance among European customers as a local manufacturer, the source said.

But the company is also adhering to a directive from Beijing not to invest in countries that supported the import tariffs, the source said. This means BYD is currently discounting some EU member countries, including Italy and France, because they backed the tariffs, the source added.

Reuters reported in January that Chinese officials and automakers are examining some German factories that are expected to close, particularly Volkswagen sites.

"Pro China"

The Christian Democratic party, which is likely to be in the lead in Germany's next government, has pledged to cut corporate taxes and attract skilled workers, and is particularly keen to support the car sector as the country's biggest revenue-earner.

However, it opposes state subsidies, something Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition frequently relied on during its term, notably when it made available nearly 10 billion euros ($10.8 billion) for an Intel site that has since been delayed by years.

The logo of BYD on display at the Everything Electric exhibition

How "pro-China" individual countries prove to be in the coming years will be decisive, the source said, adding that a final decision on a third plant will also depend on BYD's sales performance in Europe and capacity utilisation at the Hungarian and Turkish plants.
Talks around a potential sale of the U.S. subsidiary of TikTok have intensified ahead of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for the popular social media platform to divest of its Chinese ownership to avoid a nationwide ban.

Vice President JD Vance, who has been tasked by Trump with overseeing his administrations position on the issue, on Friday said he expected a deal could be reached by early next month, although he warned that the paperwork could take slightly longer.

There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise, he told NBC News.

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Earlier this year, TikTok went temporarily dark in the U.S. for about 14 hours in response to a federal ban over national security concerns about the apps ties to China. TikTok restored service to its about 170 million American users after Trump promised to sign an executive order delaying the enforcement of a U.S. law requiring it to divest of its Chinese ownership to continue being available in U.S. app stores.

Trump followed through on his promise, granting TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with the law on his first day in office.

The president, however, has previously said he would be willing to further extend the current April 5 deadline if needed.

Last week, Trump said his administration was considering offers from four different groups without naming the bidders.

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But recent reports by Politico and The Information indicate that Oracle is the leading contender to acquire the U.S. operations of TikTok at the moment. The social media app already has a deal with Oracle to store its U.S. user data.

Politico reported that while the tech company is in advanced discussions with the Trump administration to buy TikTok, questions remain about the role of ByteDance, the platforms Chinese parent company, in the potential deal.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are expected to meet with representatives from Oracle this week to discuss the plan, according to Politico.

Neither the White House nor Oracle has addressed the reports so far.

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Earlier this year, Trump said he would be open to Larry Ellison, Oracles founder and chief technology officer, owning the platform.

Other bidders include startup Perplexity AI and billionaire Frank McCourt, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who has joined forces with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Shark Tank investor Kevin OLeary.

Related...
The Trump administration will not entertain a French politicians request to return the Statue of Liberty to France.

Absolutely not. My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that its only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now, said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a press briefing Monday, likely referencing an American-French allyship during World War II that snuffed out Nazi Germany. They should be grateful.

The statement comes a day after a French member of the European Parliament, Raphael Glucksmann, said at a party convention that America under the Trump administration no longer embodied the spirit of the monument, which France gifted the U.S. in the 1880s to formalize diplomatic ties and enshrine the concept of American independence from Great Britain and the end of slavery.

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Were going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: Give us back the Statue of Liberty, Glucksmann said.

The Department of Health and Human Services has purged thousands of scientists and public health leaders since the beginning of the second Trump administration. It has also slashed research grants across the country, and industry experts warn these moves could hollow out research institutes that rely on these funds for maintenance and daily operations.

If the United States doesnt intend to restore these positions and funds, France, Glucksmann said, would gladly absorb the United States research sector.

Its unclear how France would force the Trump administrations hand. The country cannot take the statue back at its whim because it is the property of the U.S. government. Such a move could also strain diplomatic tensions that French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to soothe with President Donald Trump by brokering a peace deal to end a yearslong war between Russia and Ukraine.
The White House believes that US President Donald Trump is determined to end Russia's war against Ukraine, and the world is now "on the 10th yard line" of peace.

Source: European Pravda; Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, at a briefing on 17 March

Details: Leavitt said, "We are on the 10th yard line of peace, and we have never been closer to a peace deal than we are now in this moment."

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"And the president [Trump  ed.], as you know, is determined to get one done," Leavitt added.

Later, the White House spokeswoman, when asked about the possibility of imposing further sanctions on Russia, said that Trump had "floated [this idea] and certainly is willing to if necessary".

At the same time, Leavitt said that she would not "get ahead" of the US president in announcing specific measures.

Background:

Trump plans to speak with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday 18 March to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Prior to that, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Russia and met with Putin to discuss the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. The Kremlin stated that "additional signals" had been sent to Trump through Witkoff.

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WHITING, Iowa (KCAU)  The story police were given by a woman accused of murder in Whiting doesnt match up with their initial investigation, court documents state.

According to court documents, officials were called to a home on the 16000 block of K42 at around 11:55 a.m. Saturday after a woman called for an ambulance stating, I killed my boyfriend.

Court documents continue on to state that when the Monona County Sheriffs Office arrived at the scene, they discovered the body of Justin Luth, 50, with a fatal stab wound.

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Before her arrest, Veronica Kluge, 46, allegedly told one of the deputies at the scene, Im a murderer now. The court documents also state that in a Post Miranda interview, Veronica told officials that she had been attacked by Luth. She was able to escape from being strangled, but he came after her in their kitchen where she then stabbed him.

3 dead in Lawton Iowa house fire

The documents state that evidence obtained at the scene does not match Kluges story and her lack of injuries or markings on her body also casts doubt on her story.

Kluge was arrested on Saturday and charged with first-degree murder and is being held on a $2 million bond. She is expected to make her initial court appearance on March 25 at 9:30 a.m.

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Luths death is still under investigation and the Momono County Sheriffs Office is receiving aid from the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation.

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WHITING, Iowa  A Whiting woman has been charged with first-degree murder after a person was found dead in a home on Sunday morning.

According to the Monona County Sheriffs Office, at approximately 12:05 a.m. dispatch received a 911 call and deputies were sent to the 16000 block of County Highway K42 in Whiting. Deputies arrived on scene and found an unresponsive male inside the home.

Court documents state that during the 911 call the caller admitted to killing a person.

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Arrest made in alleged stabbing Saturday night, DMPD investigates

According to court documents, the 50-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of a stab wound.

The Iowa Department of Public Safetys Division of Criminal Investigation and the Monona County Sheriffs Office opened a joint investigation into the incident.

54-year-old Veronica Kluge, a resident of the home, was taken into custody and taken to the Monona County Sheriffs Office and interviewed by law enforcement, court documents state.

Kluge has been charged with first-degree murder.

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Max Ebel fled his home in Nazi Germany after he was assaulted for refusing to join the Hitler Youth. Susumu Shimizu, a Japanese immigrant in Peru, helped run a successful family business in Lima. Neither Max nor Susumu had broken any law or posed a threat to the United States. Yet the U.S. government imprisoned these men for years in World War II internment camps.

Their internment was declared permissible under the Alien Enemies Act, a law that allowed the wartime detention and deportation of noncitizens of Japanese, German, and Italian ancestry without any evidence of disloyalty. Over a million U.S. immigrants were affected by the law and had to register as enemy aliens subject to myriad restrictions. As enemy aliens, immigrants like Max could be subject to internment for the duration of the war. And, like Susumu, thousands of Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants and citizens of Latin American countries were forcibly taken from their homes, sent to the United States, and then interned as enemy aliens. They endured indefinite detention in the campsand many were deported into war zones when used in civilian prisoner exchanges.

We knew Max and Susumu and how they suffered. They were our fathers. What happened to them and the other prisoners in U.S. internment camps was a shameful episode in our countrys history. But now we see the U.S. government on the verge of repeating it.

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President Donald Trump just invoked the Alien Enemies Act on March 15without regard to its role in justifying the wrongful internment of Max, Susumu, and thousands of others during World War II. A federal judge temporarily blocked the order, though deportations have already begun. Echoing the laws shameful history, Trump said he would use the law to target Venezuelan immigrants his administration designates as gang members, without any verified evidence or independent review. And his adviser Stephen Miller has proposed building camps to hold these immigrants pending deportation. Trumps border czar appointee Tom Homan has suggested detaining immigrants U.S. citizen-children and deporting them with their parents, another move that would mirror the use of the Alien Enemies Act during World War II.

Read more: What to Know About El Salvadors Mega-Prison After Trump Sent Hundreds of Immigrants There

Legal experts have condemned this proposed invocation of the Alien Enemies Act as illegal. The law allows presidents to use its summary detention and deportation powers only during declared wars or armed attacks by enemy nations. The Alien Enemies Act is a wartime authority, not a tool for presidents to use to address migration or even transnational criminal activity.

Reviving the Alien Enemies Act, however, would be more than a legal violation. It would be a betrayal of American values to target people for detention and deportation without any evidence of misconduct and based principally on where they were born.

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Our fathers have passed away, as have the vast majority of those interned under the Alien Enemies Act during World War II. They cannot speak up against this travesty, but we can and must.

We should not repeat this laws devastating history of violating constitutional and human rights. Congress and past presidents have underscored this in their official apologies to those interned under the Alien Enemies Act and other authorities. As President Bill Clinton wrote when apologizing for the treatment of Japanese Americans, We must learn from the past and dedicate ourselves as a nation to renewing the spirit of equality and our love of freedom.

Now is the time to live up to these valuesthe promise that the United States can learn from its mistakes to form a more perfect union. The promise of due process and equal justice under the law. The promise is that all people are created equal and have certain unalienable rights.

President Trump must stop implementing the Alien Enemies Act. He should instead seek out the stories of former Alien Enemies Act internees and their families, to understand the harms and pain this law has already caused.

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Congress, for its part, should work to repeal the Alien Enemies Act once and for all. We thank Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Ilhan Omar for introducing a repeal bill in Congress. Dozens of groups representing former internees and their families, including our organizations, the German-American Internee Coalition and the Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project, have endorsed that legislation.

We recognize that there is work to be done to solve our immigration challenges. But the only way our leaders should approach the Alien Enemies Act in the modern day is by acknowledging the fundamental injustice of wartime internment and expulsions and by working to repeal the law, not resurrecting it to devastate the lives of other immigrants who call this country home.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Actress Debra Winger recently spoke about her motivation as she joined to protest the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist.

Winger stated that she feels like she has a "debt to pay" regarding aspects of her Jewish upbringing, explaining that she was "brought up with a lot of things that were untrue."

Khalil's bust comes amid reports that he's the leader of the group Columbia United Apartheid Divest, which has been accused of supporting terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

Debra Winger Says She Has 'Debt To Pay' Over Jewish Upbringing

American actress Debra Winger joined protesters at Trump Tower in New York City to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, stating that there was a debt she owed and had to pay. pic.twitter.com/JGgIH4J6jG  Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 14, 2025

Oscar-nominated actress Winger is seemingly displeased over how she was raised as a child.

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Last week, Winger joined a demonstration outside President Donald Trump's Tower in New York City protesting the arrest of anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, where she sounded off about having a "debt to pay" for her Jewish upbringing.

Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia University graduate, was arrested on March 8 by US Immigration officials and faces deportation over his role in anti-Israel protests that broke out in Columbia last year.

"I was brought up Jewish. I was brought up with a lot of things that were untrue," she told Al Jazeera during the protest, per New York Post. "I was brought up with a lot of things that weren't true. I had to unlearn them, and it's taken me a lot of years."

The "Shadowlands" actress then cited an example of her dissatisfaction with her early days, explaining that she disagreed with the idea that Israel is the Jewish homeland.

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"I have a debt to pay. I have a debt for what I grew up with and believed on what the state of Israel has done and what they haven't done and how they're conflating Judaism with Zionism," Winger said of some pro-Israel advocates.

Debra Winger Calls Mahmoud Khalil A 'Political Prisoner'

MEGA

Shortly after his arrest, Khalil was immediately transferred to an immigration detention center in Louisiana but is yet to be charged with any crime.

His arrest is what Trump called the first "of many to come" for students who engage in "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity."

Expressing her dissatisfaction with the situation of things, Winger accused President Trump of running a fascist regime and called Khalil a "political prisoner."

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"[Khalil] was abducted from his home with his eight-months-pregnant wife illegally and taken to an undisclosed location. Does that sound like America?" she said.

"They come for students first. They come to universities, they try to take over universities. Just read some history, every single fascist regime has done this," Winger added. "They start with the educators and the students because that's where the movement is strong."

Mahmoud Khalil Has Been Accused Of Ties With Terrorist Groups

KG/MPI/Capital Pictures / MEGA

Khalil, a Syria-born green card holder, is said to be the leader of Columbia United Apartheid Divest. This group has been accused of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and distributing their propaganda.

Although the legality of his deportation is still being contested in court, Khalil had quickly become the poster boy of President Trump's crackdown on antisemitic college protesters.

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The Columbia University activist saw hundreds of anti-Israel protesters march from Times Square to Columbus Circle in Manhattan on Saturday to demand his freedom, with many of them engaging in heated verbal standoffs with cops.

"Get the f-ck out of Palestine," one of the protesters yelled, per the New York Post. "Does this look like America to anybody? What the f-ck is this?" an Israel supporter responded, referring to the predominantly pro-Palestine crowd.

Mahmoud Khalil's Ex-Classmate Claims He Was Filled With Rage For Israel

Free Mahmoud Khalil. pic.twitter.com/o9AkeXaYyh  Senate Judiciary Democrats  ( now on bsky) (@JudiciaryDems) March 10, 2025

Meanwhile, one of Khalil's ex-classmates has opened up about their experience dealing with him while they both studied at Columbia University.

The former classmate, a Jewish female graduate student, told the New York Post that he was an "insidious" presence in school and was allegedly filled with rage for the Jewish state.

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She explained that she had to drop a course they took together last fall at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs because he made her feel "uncomfortable."

Although she made a formal complaint to the college, it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Mahmoud Khalil's Ex-Classmate Says It Would Have Been Easier If He Was A 'Terrifying-Looking Man'

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

In her chat with the news outlet, Khalil's former classmate spoke about his demeanor, noting that he had a non-threatening presence.

"It would almost be easier if he were some terrifying-looking man who threatened to punch people in the face, but he wasn't," the ex-classmate said. "He was very soft-spoken and careful with his words, which almost made him seem more insidious because it was so intentional  he was never being hyperbolic, he was very clear. He was never joking."

"You know, he wears polos," she continued. "It's not like you meet him and are scared that he's going to beat you up. To me, it was scary how he was so clearly extreme and so unshakeable in his worldview, which is a very scary worldview, in my opinion."
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  Did you know having a doula can lead to shorter labors, fewer interventions and a better birth experience?

As more families seek this support, Hartford HealthCare is expanding its partnership with doulas.

Ann Montefiore, the assistant nurse manager of the Family Birthing Place at Midstate Medical Center, joined Good Morning Connecticut at 9 a.m. to discuss.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Buc-ees, the Texas-based convenience store and gas station with a cult-like following, has delayed the opening of its first Ohio location until next year.

The chain had planned for the first Buckeye State gas station to launch by the end of this year near Dayton in Huber Heights at 8000 State Route 235. However, Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ees general counsel, confirmed to NBC4s Dayton sister station that the upcoming location is now targeting a spring 2026 opening.

Is Shaquille ONeals chicken chain still coming to Columbus?

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Buc-ees Huber Heights gas station was announced as the chains first Ohio location in the summer of 2023 and broke ground last August with plans to employ at least 200 full-time employees. Once completed, the location will be home to 100 gas pumps, 24 electric-car charging stations, and a 74,000-square-foot store with the chains wide-ranging food options, from brisket and beef jerky to beaver nuggets.

Buc-ees Huber Heights gas station was announced as the chains first Ohio location in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Construction came to a halt last November after the chain filed a petition in Clark County, citing an ongoing legal dispute between the city of Huber Heights and the county over who should provide sewer and water services to the future site. County commissioners and the city had been engaged in litigation for more than a year, leading to the locations delay.

Huber Heights Mayor Jeff Gore took to social media in December to announce that a new agreement had been made between city council and the county regarding the water and sewer service to Buc-ees. Approval of the new agreement meant construction resumed later that month.

Construction should resume immediately, the mayor said in his post. [Dayton electric utility AES Ohio] is currently onsite rerouting the power lines to make way for the construction of the building.

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Sushi restaurant opens in former Matt the Millers Tavern

Competition chain Sheetz has already begun rapidly expanding in Ohio, including bulldozing a Max and Ermas restaurant in Dublin to make way for a new location. The gas station also transformed the site of a former Woodys Wing House in Worthington to build a new storefront.

Wawa, another convenience store and gas station chain, broke ground on several Ohio locations last year as part of the companys plan to open 11 stores across the state in 2025. Over the next five to eight years, the company aims to build and open six to 10 stores per year in Ohio, with expectations to open up to 60 stores in the state.

Georgia-based convenience store and gas station chain RaceTrac also made its Ohio debut last year with a location in Findlay. The chain is readying to build another Ohio store in Delaware after the citys planning commission recommended approval in February of the sites final plat.

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By Pratima Desai

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. firms are buying cobalt metal produced in Indonesia by China's Lygend Resources that does not incur the tariffs placed by the Trump administration on imports direct from China, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed extra import tariffs on Chinese goods since taking office in January, as well as placing levies on key trading partner Canada, another key source of cobalt, used in aerospace, for the U.S.

Lygend's cobalt metal production in Indonesia pre-dates the latest tariffs, industry sources say, with cobalt produced by the group in the country first exported to the U.S. last year by traders with U.S. customers.

But the traders shipping its cobalt are using Indonesia's tariff-free status to sell metal more cheaply to U.S. customers facing levies on Chinese and Canadian supply, the sources said.

"U.S. consumers can get cheaper cobalt from Lygend - the metal comes from Indonesia and not China," a cobalt industry source said. "Now there are tariffs on Canadian imports, more U.S. buyers will look to Indonesia."

Lygend did not respond to requests for comment.

Chinese companies dominate cobalt production in Indonesia, where it is a byproduct of nickel.

Though still small, cobalt metal sales had more than doubled by January from first deliveries in November, rising to 121 from 58 metric tons, with a three-month total of 290 tons worth $9.6 million, data from information provider Trade Data Monitor (TDM) showed.

Cobalt shipments to the U.S. directly from China, the world's top producer, fell after U.S. President Trump in his first term imposed a 10% levy on Chinese imports in 2018 and raised it to 25% in 2019.

With the latest 10% hike, U.S. importers would have to pay 35% tariffs on shipments of Chinese-origin cobalt, which is used in electric vehicle batteries and in defense equipment.

Darton Commodities, a specialist supplier of cobalt metal, estimates Indonesia's mined cobalt production totalled 30,920 tons or 11% of global supplies last year, compared with 18,900 tons or 8% respectively in 2023.

Canadian cobalt metal exports last year at more than 1,700 tons amounted to 18% of the total shipped to the U.S., according to TDM, making it the fourth largest source of the metal for U.S. consumers.

Mounting supplies from Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have contributed to global oversupply of cobalt, which pushed prices down to nine-year lows around $10 a lb or $22,000 a metric ton in February.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  One City of Wichita Falls employee recently won the Community Partner of the Year Award, which thanks those in the community for being active advocates and forcing change that helps Sheppard Air Force Base.

The 82nd Mission Support Group awarded Karen Montgomery-Gagne the Community Partner of the Year. Gagne officially received this award on March 7 and will receive special recognition at the city council meeting on Tuesday, March 18.

Commander Colonel John Hollister from the 82nd Mission Support Group praised Gagne for being a critical component of the missions continued success.

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We wanted to take the time to ensure that we were thanking those in the community that help SAFB. Mrs. Montgomery-Gagne has been a constant advocate and force for change to help advance the training missions, Hollister said. Specific instances were taking the lead drafting the grant package for the DEAAG, advancing language to the 4A/4B boards for economic assistance to both DEAAG and BASH weed control. In addition, she is continually in communications with multiple base agencies regarding everything from utilities to obstructions in the local air space.

Gagne is the citys principal planner and has partnered with SAFB, the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee, and the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce on three different grant programs, including the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistant Grant Program.

I feel very honored I have been given the opportunity both professionally and personally to be involved with Sheppard Air Force Base through the ENJJPT program, Gagne said. I have enjoyed working with so many wonderful people at the 82nd while also getting to know all of the incredible people that come through Wichita Falls through ENJJPT. This community is very blessed to have this Air Force installation here locally.

She and her family have been ENJJPT co-sponsors for the Italian delegation since 2013. They welcome new students when they arrive in Wichita Falls, which allows the students to connect locally.

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Director of Development Services Terry Floyd expressed gratitude for Gagne and praised her hard work for SAFB and the entire community.

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Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger is reminding Georgians to be vigilant when it comes to memorial services and care of deceased loved ones.

The reminder comes after a Georgia resident reported a scam to the Sec. of States Office, telling them that their mother was deceived by an imposter posing as a representative of the Veterans Affairs cemetery where her late husband was to be buried.

State officials said the scam artist contacted the grieving widow, falsely claiming a requirement of purchasing an insurance policy to cover her while the burial took place.

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Raffenspergers office said that when the widow hesitated to agree on the phone, the scammer applied high-pressure sales tactics, and she tried to pay them over Zelle. When the payment was flagged and rejected due to a fraud detection, she was then convinced to send $1,200 over PayPal, the Sec. of States Office said.

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After the grieving widows family found out this had happened, they contacted state officials, who began investigating the incident, and the cemetery and funeral home were notified.

Unfortunately, Raffenspergers office said the funeral home confirmed that such scams are alarmingly common.

TRENDING STORIES:

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Now, the issue is under investigation by multiple law enforcement authorities.

This incident occurred before the complainants father had even been laid to rest, highlighting the vulnerability of grieving families to financial predators, Raffenspergers office said.

They provided the following recommendations for recognizing common signs of fraud:

Bogus fees and upselling of services that should be free, such as burial in a VA national cemetery, which includes a gravesite, perpetual care, a government-provided headstone, and more at no cost to eligible families.

Pressure tactics like demanding immediate payment for unfamiliar services.

False claims of unpaid debts on behalf of the deceased without verifiable proof.

Unsolicited offers of help from unverified sources claiming to advocate for your loved ones memorial benefits.

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To avoid becoming a victim of these types of scams, officials say to:

Research funeral homes and check for disciplinary actions before committing to services.

Engage with funeral home/cemetery representatives directly to confirm plans and benefits and avoid unnecessary charges.

Ensure family members are informed of end-of-life decisions and document them properly.

Never sign blank documents or agreements without reviewing charges and fees in full.

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The wife of a man found dead in his northern Minnesota home after he was reported missing is asking for the publics support.

Benjamin Sherwood, 39, was found dead in his home in Mountain Iron on Wednesday, according to the St. Louis County Sheriffs Office. His wife, Jacqueline Sherwood, had reported him missing on Tuesday.

Jacqueline Sherwood told police she had last seen him at their home on the 8800 block of Main Street around 10 a.m., and he had left on foot.

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Benjamin Sherwood had recently sustained an injury to his back and neck after slipping on ice. He also suffered from a prior traumatic brain injury.

In the announcement, the sheriffs office stated that no foul play is suspected in his death.

Jacqueline Sherwood created a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses. The couple have two children, ages 10 and 2, together.

Our family moved to Minnesota just a few years ago and we have no extended family in the area. If you feel you can help in any small way, we would be so incredibly grateful for your generosity, she wrote in the fundraiser.

I want to give Ben the service he deserves, and give our children the chance to say goodbye to their daddy.
Travelers at Dublin Airport were left stunned this morning as a man erupted into a violent outburst after missing his flight, hurling furniture and causing significant damage inside Terminal 1.

Footage circulating online captured the shirtless man, his face partially covered, pacing erratically through the terminal, tossing chairs and tables as bewildered passengers watched.

At one point, he flexed his muscles and bounced in his stride, seemingly unfazed by the attention he was causing at Dublin Airport.

Dublin Airport Passenger Loses It, Tosses Furniture And Kicks Over Equipment

X | @aviationbrk

Dublin Airport later confirmed the incident, stating that the man had been "quickly apprehended" by Airport Police before being arrested by An Garda Siochana.

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"We hope the justice system deals with him appropriately and also that we never see him at Dublin Airport again," the airport stated.

Authorities have not released the suspects name, but confirmed he is in his 20s and is due to appear in court later today.

Shocking Scenes Unfold In Terminal 1

 Dublin Airport Statement: "The passenger arrived intoxicated, missed his flight, and proceeded to damage our airport. He was swiftly arrested and is now due in court. We hope the justice system deals with him appropriatelyand that we never see him at Dublin Airport again." pic.twitter.com/NdqaSvenvD  Antony Ochieng,KE (@Turbinetraveler) March 17, 2025

In another clip shared widely on social media, the man was seen attempting to rip wires from built-in airport equipment in the short-haul flight section, used by budget airlines like Ryanair. He struggled to dislodge a large metal box before sending it crashing to the floor.

His rampage continued as he kicked over a Ryanair baggage weight checker and began tossing chairs and tables attached to a cafe near the gate. Airport furniture was left strewn across the terminal before he was finally detained, his arms restrained behind his back by airport police.

Authorities Arrest The Dublin Airport Passenger

Dublin airport this morning pic.twitter.com/K4efcePuoX  B (@BBaej1957835) March 17, 2025

Gardai confirmed his arrest in a statement to the Irish Mirror, "Gardai arrested a man in connection with incidents of criminal damage in Terminal 1, Dublin Airport, this morning, Monday, 17 March 2025. The man, aged in his 20s, has been charged and is due to appear before Court 2 of the Criminal Courts of Justice Dublin, this morning."

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The outlet added, "The passenger arrived at the airport intoxicated, missed his flight and proceeded to cause significant damage to our airport. The individual was quickly apprehended by Airport Police before being subsequently arrested by An Garda Siochana and is scheduled to appear in court later today. We hope the justice system deals with him appropriately and also that we never see him at Dublin Airport again."

According to the Irish Examiner, the incident occurred around 7:20 AM on Monday. It remains unclear which flight the passenger had missed.

Are Airport Meltdowns On The Rise?

 Incident at Dublin Airport (DUB)

A man in his 20s caused significant damage to Gate 107 in Terminal 1 after reportedly missing his flight this morning (March 17, 2025). He was quickly apprehended by Airport Police before being handed over to An Garda Siochana.#StPatrick pic.twitter.com/pC8Fui2sK7  Antony Ochieng,KE (@Turbinetraveler) March 17, 2025

This isnt the first time an airport meltdown has made headlines in recent months. Just last month, chaos erupted at Santiago International Airport in Chile when Emmanuel Bony, a passenger reportedly seeking assistance to return to Haiti, went on a violent rampage with a hammer.

After security ordered him to leave, Bony returned minutes later, chasing airline workers away before smashing several display screens with a hammer. Terrified passengers recorded the destruction as he shattered a glass sliding door and later broke a row of glass panels inside a restaurant.

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The following day, Bony was arrested by Chilean authorities, who discovered a knife, matches, and flammable liquid in his possession. His residency in Chile was subsequently revoked.

Dublin Incident Highlights Growing Travel Tensions

 Meanwhile at Dublin Airport Im convinced people are losing their minds more rapidly than ever. pic.twitter.com/0UbKcKiulu  Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) March 17, 2025

As travel hubs grow increasingly tense, incidents like these serve as a stark reminder of the pressures and frustrations that can escalate into full-blown chaos.

Authorities at Dublin Airport have assured travelers that the situation is under control, but for those who witnessed the destruction firsthand, it was anything but an ordinary travel day.
William Lucas, who has died aged 102, was the director of Nasas Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the centre responsible for the defective rocket that caused the disaster of 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, killing all seven astronauts on board.

The Space Shuttle programme had begun in 1981 with the launch of Columbia, the first reusable spacecraft to carry humans into space. But by the mid 1980s critics were becoming increasingly vocal, concerned at the huge cost of what was now a fleet of four craft (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis). Faced with arguments that it was all a gigantic waste of money, Nasas response was to ramp up the number of launches.

The 1986 Challenger mission was the 25th, and the launch was watched live by schoolchildren across America because, as a public relations exercise, it involved a teacher going into space for the first time. Christa McAuliffe of Concord, New Hampshire, had beaten more than 11,000 applicants for the role.

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As a PR exercise, the project was a massive hit and some 800 journalists, twice as many as usual, had signed up to be at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 28 1986. Lift-off, originally scheduled for July 1985, had been postponed twice due to bad weather and technical glitches, and both Nasa and the aerospace firm Morton Thiokol, which made the boosters, were determined that there should be no further delays.

US space shuttle Challenger lifts off on January 28 1986, 72 seconds before its explosion - BOB PEARSON

But 73 seconds after lift-off Challenger broke apart, erupting into a fireball of liquid oxygen and hydrogen and raining tons of debris on to the Atlantic Ocean as the crews families, Nasa officials and the nation watched in horror.

The cause of the tragedy soon became clear. A rubber gasket called an O-ring seal had failed to do its job, allowing flames from inside the boosters to burn through a joint and ignite the giant external tank.

When a presidential commission on the accident began its hearings it soon emerged that scientists at both Morton Thiokol, and Nasa had been aware of the dangers of just such a tragedy.

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As early as 1977, a Nasa engineer had described the Morton Thiokol O-ring as unacceptable, but had been ignored. Meanwhile O-ring joint seals had failed on previous Space Shuttle launches, in 1981 and 1984, causing combustible gases to leak, though without catastrophic results.

At Thiokol, Roger Boisjoly, a rocket engineer, developed a theory that air temperature was crucial to how the seals worked. He conducted tests showing that, as the temperature dropped, the O-rings became hard and inflexible, making them liable to fail. However when he tried to present his findings to his managers they were not interested.

On January 27 1986, the day before lift-off, temperatures were unusually cold, plummeting to well below freezing and were forecast to remain so the following day. Boisjoly finally managed to convince his colleagues that they must recommend postponing the flight.

In a conference call with officials at the Marshall Space Flight Center the night before the launch, Thiokol engineers unanimously declined to give their go-ahead, arguing that the mission should be delayed until the temperature rose to 53F or warmer.

The Challenger explosion - Dave Welcher

But the Marshall Centers response was hostile, and during offline discussions the under-pressure Thiokol managers told their engineers that they agreed that the flight was dangerous, but that they had no data to convince Marshall they should scrap it. Re-joining the conference call they gave their go-ahead to launch.

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The presidential commission stopped short of affixing individual blame, but was especially critical of the Marshall Center under Lucas, who had gained a reputation for his autocratic leadership style, concluding that it was pressure from Marshall officials that caused Thiokol to overrule its engineers. Lucas, Boisjoly claimed in an interview before his death in 2012, had his people under him scared to death because he could crush their career in a heartbeat.

Lucas admitted that he had been told about the engineers concerns but thought the issue had been resolved as Thiokol had signed off on the launch. Because he was not in the official chain of command to approve the launch, he said he did not pass on the engineers concerns with those that were, including Jesse Moore, Nasas shuttle chief and the man responsible for giving final approval for lift-off.

Lucas reportedly angered members of the commission with a defiant claim that the decision to launch had been sound and that he had never considered the seals as a threat to flight safety, despite the existence of a Nasa document saying that a failure of the O-rings could result in loss of mission, vehicle and crew.

The commission concluded that the decision to launch Challenger was based on incomplete and sometimes misleading information, a conflict between engineering data and management judgments, and a Nasa management structure that permitted internal flight safety problems to bypass key shuttle managers.

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Days before the commission made its report public, Lucas announced his retirement.

Lucas, centre, testifying at the inquiry into the Challenger disaster in 1986 - Bettmann

The older of two children, William (Bill) Ray Lucas was born in Newbern, Tennessee, on March 1 1922. From Memphis State College he joined the US navy serving as a supply officer in the Caribbean and Pacific during the Second World War.

He went on to take a degree in chemistry and metallurgy, followed by a PhD, at Vanderbilt University and was then hired by Redstone Arsenal, an army base in Huntsville, where he worked on missile research and development under the German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun and helped launch the Marshall Center in 1960.

As an engineer Lucas contributed to the design of Explorer 1, the first US satellite; worked on the Redstone rocket that carried Alan Shepard into space; led the development of the Saturn V propulsion system that launched Apollo astronauts towards the moon; and worked on the design of the space station Skylab.

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As director of the Marshall Center from 1974 he was known for his hard-nosed management style which reportedly included threatening employees caught jogging on lunch breaks with having the time docked from their holiday entitlements.

He remained insistent that he had no regrets about Challenger, observing in a 1992 interview that in the high-risk business that Nasa is in, the only way that you can preclude a flight problem is not fly.

I didnt do anything that I thought was wrong then, he said in a 2020 Netflix documentary, and I didnt do anything that I thought was wrong in retrospect.

Lucas was predeceased by his wife Polly and by a son. Another son and a daughter survive him.

William Lucas, born March 1 1922, died February 10 2025

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FLORENCE, Texas (KXAN)  On a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, Linda Jo Kuc and dozens of her neighbors gathered in a half-circle shape in her driveway. The ambient hum from a nearby compressor station drifted over grassy plains to their lawnchairs. The noise served as industrial background music, but also a reminder of why they were meeting  to find a way to make the noise stop.

Kuc says the compressor station started running last fall. Since then, she says the droning it produces hasnt let up, and at times revs up in its intensity.

24/7. Its like standing next to a jet engine on the tarmac out at ABIA. You cant sleep at night. You cant go out on the back porch. You cant open the windows, Kuc said.

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According to a representative of Matterhorn Express Pipeline, the company that built and operates the station, it has looked into the noise complaints related to the compressor station near the intersection of CR 222 and US Hwy 138, just east of Florence.

Compressor stations are pumping facilities that advance the flow of natural gas. They are usually situated between 50 and 100 miles apart along the length of a natural gas pipeline system and are designed to operate on a nonstop basis.

Just horrifying: Noise from nearby industrial business disrupts east Austin tiny homes

While the station is in Williamson County, the noise its producing is drifting to homes across the county line.

Jan Shamblin has been recording the sound levels from the station through a meter app on her phone. (KXAN Photo/Mercedez Hernandez)

You cant do anything and its just all the time. You cant open windows. You cant be outside, said Jan Shamblin, a Burnet County resident of 30 years.

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Since the noise began, Shamblin and other neighbors started taking videos of the station and measuring the noise with sound meter apps on their phones.

I have some on my phone from last fall that were 114 decibels, Shamblin said.

According the National Institute of Health, thats within the same range as sirens from an emergency vehicle.

Burnet County Sheriffs Office opens case on noise complaints

The Burnet County Sheriffs Office said its watching the Matterhorn Express Pipeline compressor station in Florence after an outpouring of noise complaints along the Williamson and Burnet County line. (KXAN Photo/Mercedez Hernandez)

Neighbors said workers from Matterhorn Express Pipeline visited their property to take sound readings of the noise, which the representative confirmed took place.

However, the company said the sound levels it recorded did not exceed limits set by any local or state ordinances. Anything over 85 decibels is considered a public nuisance, according to state regulations.

Matterhorn Express Pipeline is committed to being a responsible neighbor. Based on recent monitoring conducted, noise levels from the compressor station ranged between 27-62 dBAs from the closest residence north of the station. Our efforts and actions to-date demonstrate our care for the people and communities where we operate while also providing much-needed energy infrastructure, playing a critical role in enhancing Americas energy security. Cody McGregor, Spokesperson for the Matterhorn Express Pipeline.

Damon Beierle is the Burnet County Commissioner for Precinct 2, the precinct closest to the compressor station.

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He said a recent community meeting of residents nearest the pipeline highlighted how severe the noise concerns had become.

Beierle said he also reached out to Matterhorn, but has also been told that levels are not exceeding public nuisance heights.

BACKGROUND: Matterhorn Express Pipeline stretches across Texas

According to Beierle, the Burnet County Sheriffs Office has now opened a case to keep track of noise complaints about the Matterhorn site.

[Matterhorn] said that theyve done on site testing. You know, the neighbors are saying that their on site testing is being done strategically during quiet times, Beierle said.

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Beierle said hes advising residents to report noise no matter the time of day it is taking place.

He said deputies have been instructed to respond to those calls and measure the noise with a sound meter. Beierle said if enough readings are recorded that violate local or state noise ordinances, the company will be issued citations.

At this point, I think they dont think that theyre violating any law. I think theyll be responsive if they have to be, Beierle said.

We reached out to the Williamson County Sheriffs Office to ask if it is aware of these noise complaints and if it has taken action to track reported noise issues.

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WCSO said it did not have any information to provide on the 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 KXAN Austin.
This story was produced as part of Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government. Sunshine Week runs through March 22, 2025.

From arrest reports to meeting minutes, the public has a general right under state and federal law to access records created by government officials by filing something called a records request.

.

It's a critical tool that reporters use all the time. But it's also something any member of the public can take advantage of.

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Here's how you can do so.

What is a public records request?

When you ask for a record created by a government agency, like your local police department or school board, you're making a records request. In general, anyone can make a request at any time for any reason.

Police body camera footage, emails between elected officials, contracts, salary data and court records are just some examples of public records.

State and local agencies in Wisconsin are subject to records requests under state open records law. Federal agencies like the FBI are also subject to records requests under a federal law called the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.

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The underlying idea is that  with few exceptions  public records belong to the public, not to the government agency.

How do I make an public records request?

It's simple  you just ask.

According to Wisconsin statutes, requests can be made in person or over the phone. However, reporters often put their requests in writing because it's easier to track that way.

It's best if you do a little research to figure out if the agency has its own records request process. Government agencies are required to display information on the best way to request their records. State statutes require the notice to include:

Where and when the public can access records, make requests, or obtain copies of records

The costs of obtaining records

The person responsible for maintaining and providing access to public records

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For example, the Milwaukee Police Department's website features the phone number, email, location and times to submit a request for police reports, as well as general pricing guidelines (currently 25 cents per page). It also provides links to sites where records may already be publicly available, such as certain traffic accident reports.

What should I include in my request?

It can be helpful to use a template when crafting your request to ensure it contains all necessary information. The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, an open records advocacy group, features a sample template on its website.

When using a template, you still have to fill in the blanks regarding which records you're searching for.

Remember that you are asking for specific records or documents  not information. So, instead of asking "How much does the mayor make?" try asking for "documents that show the mayor's salary in 2024."

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To get the records you're searching for in a timely manner, make sure you are as specific as possible. Include exact dates or limit your search to certain timeframes if you can.

How long will it take to receive my records request?

Unlike open records laws in other states, Wisconsin doesn't require agencies to respond within a certain amount of time. However, Wisconsin law says responses must be provided "as soon as practicable and without delay."

Some agencies respond to records requests immediately. Others may have a large backlog and say they need weeks or months to fulfill a request. For very large requests, federal agencies sometimes take years to respond. That's why it's best to keep your request as narrow as possible.

More: Public records make journalism possible. Here are 4 stories we couldn't do without them.

Can my records request be denied?

The law states that "the denial of public access generally is contrary to the public interest." However, there are certain circumstances that allow agencies to deny your request.

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Wisconsin's open records law explicitly carves out "exceptional cases" where potential harm caused by disclosing records outweighs the right to access them. Common exceptions include documents containing information about minors or private health information.

Agencies are required to release as much of the records as they can and redact  or black out  the portions of the document that are private. However, they may sometimes deny your entire request.

A records custodian must provide, in writing, justification why your request was denied or redacted. This reasoning should include which part of the law allows them to do so.

I think my records request was improperly denied. Now what?

According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, requesters can challenge a denial by asking a court to order the release of the records through something called an "action for mandamus."

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There are several ways to pursue a mandamus action, including submitting a written request to the district attorney of the county where the record is located or to the state Attorney General.

To get a better sense of how this works, you can see some of the Attorney General's responses to requests for mandamus action on its website.

How much does it cost?

State statutes dictate that you can only be charged the "actual, necessary and direct" costs it takes for a records custodian to:

Make copies of your request;

Mail your request;

Transcribe your request; or

For computer-related costs  for example, if special programming is required to retrieve your request.

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An agency can also charge you if the cost to locate your records exceeds $50. However, this charge should be based on the lowest-paid employee capable of completing the task.

You generally can't be charged for how long it takes staff to redact your records. However, state lawmakers passed an exception last year that allows police to charge requesters for the time it takes to redact body camera footage.

Agencies are allowed to decide whether to provide records for free or at a discounted rate. Reporters often request a fee waiver because the requested information is in the public interest.

More questions about public records?

Check out the Wisconsin Attorney General's open records compliance guide for more detailed information about public records procedure, costs, and exemptions. You can also contact the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Public Investigator team at publicinvestigator@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How to file a Wisconsin open records request, challenge denials
RACINE, Wis. (WFRV)  A Wisconsin man and woman were taken into custody after authorities received a complaint that the man may have violated his sex offender restrictions.

According to the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Paul Shelton was reportedly seen filming children at a local grade school. Investigators confirmed he did not have permission to be on school grounds and was in violation of his sex offender status and bond conditions.

Chicago man convicted of attempted homicide in Fond du Lac, faces up to 80 years in prison

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Authorities executed a search warrant at Sheltons residence on March 13, taking him into custody. His significant other, Dana Kozeluh, was also arrested for bail jumping. Racine County Child Protective Services assisted with placing the couples children.

Shelton faces multiple charges, including failing to update his sex offender information, intentionally photographing a minor without consent, failing to notify a school of his sex offender status, and three counts of misdemeanor bail jumping. His bond was set at $25,000 cash, and he is scheduled to appear in court on March 19.

19, 16, and 13-year-old arrested in connection to Wisconsin shooting

Kozeluh is charged with one count of misdemeanor bail jumping and is set to return to court on June 3.

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No additional details were provided.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
WISCONSIN (WFRV)  As Monday is St. Patricks Day, the Wisconsin State Patrol reminds motorists to celebrate responsibly and avoid impaired driving.

In a social media post, officials urged those planning to drink alcohol to arrange for a designated driver or use a ride service.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers unveil new Granjeros de Wisconsin alternative identity

Remember, buzzed driving is drunk driving, the Wisconsin State Patrol stated. Lets keep our roads safe for everyone.

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Authorities encourage residents to enjoy the holiday safely while keeping Wisconsins roads free from impaired drivers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Spending in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race could ultimately top $100 million, doubling the record-breaking spending from the race for the high court just two years ago, the executive director of an election watchdog group said Monday.

"Right now, we are seeing unprecedented spending," said Nick Ramos, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

With two weeks to go before the April 1 election, the two campaigns and special-interest groups are already closing in on the $51 million national spending record for a court race that the organization tallied in the hard-fought 2023 election, he said. In that race, ideological control of the state Supreme Court flipped from conservative to liberal.

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This year's high-stakes election pits liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford against conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel in a race that will again determine ideological control of the high court.

More: Testy moments, abortion and billionaires. Takeaways from the Wisconsin Supreme Court debate

A key metric to predict the price tag of the upcoming election comes from independent expenditures  spending for or against a candidate without consultation or coordination with the supported candidate.

That figure has increased about 103% from the same point two years ago, said Samantha De Forest-Davis, research director for the watchdog group.

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Specifically, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign has tallied $29.24 million in independent expenditures two weeks out from the election compared with $14.41 million at the equivalent date in 2023, she said. And, unlike two years ago, this year's race did not feature a primary.

"These numbers just continue to increase daily," she said.

Big bucks from Elon Musk, George Soros

The race has featured more than $11 million in spending by Elon Musk, the billionaire and close adviser to President Donald Trump  and a seven-figure counter-initiative by Democratic Party leaders dubbed "The People v Elon Musk."

Ramos said much attention has been focused on Musk because of his spending via America PAC, his super PAC, and a second group, the political nonprofit Building America's Future in addition to his front group calling itself Progress 2028.

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Still, he noted, Musk is not the only ultra-wealthy person directing large sums of money into the race.

On the liberal side, funders have included billionaire investor George Soros, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Milwaukee philanthropist Lynde Uihlein and retired software engineer Gloria Page, the mother of Google co-founder Larry Page.

On the conservative side, donors include ABC Supply owner Diane Hendricks, dubbed the country's wealthiest self-made woman; Elizabeth Uihlein, Uline president and one of the biggest Republican donors in the U.S.; and Joe Ricketts, founder of Ameritrade and an owner of the Chicago Cubs.

"The millionaires and the billionaires are right now hedging their bets and trying to see how we come out of April 1," Ramos said.

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Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.

Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Supreme Court headed for record-smashing spending levels
By Emma-Victoria Farr and Anirban Sen

FRANKFURT/NEW YORK (Reuters) -A consortium including KKR and Warburg Pincus has submitted a non-binding bid for Gerresheimer AG, which makes pens used to inject weight loss drugs like Wegovy, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

The group has submitted a bid at close to 90 euros a share, one of the people said, which would value the company at nearly 3.1 billion euros ($3.37 billion), according to LSEG data, against 2.65 billion euros as of Friday's close.

A takeover is not guaranteed, with a second person adding that any deal is still likely to take several more weeks. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because the process is private.

Spokespeople for KKR and Warburg Pincus declined to comment. Gerresheimer did not respond to requests for comment.

Its shares rose as much as 5.5% after Reuters reported on the bid Monday.

Last month the German medical packaging maker said it was in early-stage discussions with private equity investors over a potential sale of the company.

Gerresheimer said at that time that the interest was informal and on a non-binding basis.

"Such discussions are still in a very preliminary stage. It is not foreseeable at this point in time whether a public takeover offer will actually be made," the company said in a February statement.

The bid interest follows activist investor Ricky Chad Sandler taking a 5.43% stake in Gerresheimer in October 2024.

Last month, Gerresheimer halved its revenue guidance for 2025 on subdued demand in its cosmetics and food and beverage segments.

The company now expects organic revenue growth in the range of 3% to 5% in 2025, down from the previous range of 7% to 10%. It confirmed the guidance for adjusted core profit margin of around 22%.

Bloomberg first reported last week that a consortium of KKR and Warburg Pincus were in talks to acquire Gerresheimer.

(Reporting by Emma-Victoria Farr and Anirban Sen. Editing by Anousha Sakoui and Jan Harvey)
Spending by candidates and outside groups combined will break records again in this year's Wisconsin Supreme Court race. (Getty Images)

Spending in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race could be two times as high as the record-breaking $51 million spent in the last election for a seat on the states highest court, and outside spending is dwarfing what the candidates themselves have raised so far this year.

The race, between Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, will determine whether the Court maintains a 4-3 liberal majority that flipped two years ago or reverts to a conservative majority that was in place for more than a decade previously.

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Were watching money just flood from out of state into Wisconsin, said Nick Ramos, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, in a briefing Monday about campaign finance trends with two weeks to go before Election Day April 1. It would not be crazy to say that this race could be double what the last Supreme Court race was, especially with the trends and especially with the track that were on.

Crawford is ahead in fundraising by the campaigns themselves, raising $7.36 million. Among her donors, 35 have given the maximum Wisconsin allows an individual to donate to a single candidate, $20,000.

Schimels campaign has raised $4.93 million. There are 47 donors who have given him the maximum allowed under Wisconsin law.

The Court race is officially nonpartisan, but over the last couple of decades candidates have divided along partisan as well as ideological lines. Crawfords campaign has received $3 million from the Democratic Party of Wisconsins Political Action Committee (PAC), and the Wisconsin Republican Party PAC has given $1.68 million to Schimels campaign.

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Independent expenditures, however, have so far favored Schimel over Crawford by roughly 3 to 1. Independent expenditures, which explicitly favor or oppose a candidate, are spent by groups outside the campaigns.

Independent groups supporting Crawford have spent $7.79 million on pro-Crawford or anti-Schimel advertising  as much as her campaign has raised so far. But independent groups spending on Schimels behalf is almost three times that: $21.45 million.

With 15 days until Election Day, the independent expenditure total in the 2025 race is more than twice what it was at the same point in the 2023 state Supreme Court contest: $29.24 million compared with $14.4 million.

Credit for the trend goes to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case that unleashed corporate and union spending on campaigns and to a 2015 rewrite of state law that brought on this wild west of campaign spending here in Wisconsin, Ramos said.

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The data also shows the outsized influence of billionaires on state politics, he said. Among the biggest spenders in the race are groups funded by Elon Musk and Richard Uihlein, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reports.

The top two biggest-spending independent groups favoring Schimel are linked to billionaire Musk: America PAC, spending $6.53 million so far, and Building Americas Future, spending $4.54 million, according to the Democracy Campaign.

Three other pro-Schimel organizations have been funded by Uihlein, owner of the office supplies company Uline: Fair Courts America, Americas PAC IEO, and American Principles Project PAC. Another Uihlein organization, Restoration PAC has also contributed to the American Principles Project PAC, according to the Democracy Campaign.

Launched 30 years ago, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign tracks political spending in the state. The nonpartisan organization also promotes campaign finance reform as well as voting rights and access, along with other pro-democracy policies.

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Ramos said voters shouldnt let the immense sums that a few are plowing into the race discourage them from going to the polls or to believe their vote wont matter. At the end of the day, money does not vote, people do, and your power and your voice is that vote, he said.

Early voting starts Tuesday in Wisconsin, and the Democracy Campaign is taking part in campaigns to encourage people to vote early and for folks to just continue to be civically engaged, Ramos added.

The Democracy Campaign also tracks spending on issue ads  advertising that does not include direct messages to vote for or against a candidate, but highlights information that paints candidates in a favorable or unfavorable light.

Issue ad spending is more difficult to track, and donors behind issue ad spending arent required to be disclosed under Wisconsin law. Total issue ad spending data will probably not be available until the summer, said Molly Carmichael, the Democracy Campaigns communications director.

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Phony issue ads flood our airwaves with disinformation and, somehow, have even less reporting requirements than other forms of spending, said Ramos. Its another part of our unregulated, unruly money in politics problems were going to need to clean up.

One set of issue ads in the Court race has come under scrutiny for masquerading as a pro-Crawford campaign while its funded by a conservative group with ties to Musk.

The Facebook and Instagram ads as well as related text messages are labeled as coming from a group called Progress 2028 and are made to look like authentic messages of support for Crawford, the Associated Press reported March 5. But records for the ads showed they were underwritten by a conservative PAC for which Musk is a major contributor, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The ads describe Crawford as a progressive champion, the AP reported, while they focus on hot-button issues and use language that potentially diminishes her standing with moderate or conservative voters.

High court spending dwarfs superintendent race

Spending in the hotly contested race for the office of state superintendent is just a fraction of the money being spent on the state Supreme Court race. That election will choose the person to head the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

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Incumbent Jill Underly has raised $139,495 as of Monday, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Kinser, a former charter school leader and school choice lobbyist, has raised more than double that, $316,316.

As with the high court race, the DPI contest is officially nonpartisan, but each candidate has been favored by one particular political party. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has given Underly $56,118 from its PAC. The Republican Party has given Kinser $2,500.

Kinser has also benefited more from independent expenditures, with $40,518 spent to promote her or oppose Underly. Independent spending in favor of Underly or opposing Kinser has been about half as much, $23,177.

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A Wisconsin man voted for President Donald Trump last fall. Just several months later, his wife was detained by immigration agents while the couple were flying back from their honeymoon.

Bradley Bartell and Camila Munoz met several years ago in Wisconsin, married and were on their way back from honeymooning in Puerto Rico when Munoz was detained. The couple had taken legal steps so she might eventually get U.S. citizenship.

Heres what to know about Munozs case, as well as the latest on legal immigrants who have been detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trumps directive to ramp up deportations.

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More: This Wisconsin man voted for Trump. Now his wife sits in an ICE detention center.

Where in Wisconsin did Bartell and Munoz live?

Bartell and Munoz met in Wisconsin Dells shortly after the pandemic.

Bartell, who grew up in the area, was working maintenance in a factory. Munoz, meanwhile, was a college student studying human resources management in Peru when she was accepted to a work-study program, secured a U.S. visa and got a job at a Dells waterpark in 2019.

Did Camila Munoz have a criminal record?

During the pandemic, Munoz overstayed her visa because she was unable to get home to Peru with flights canceled and borders closed. She stayed in the Dells, working jobs in food service and at a local farm.

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Overstaying a visa is considered an administrative, not criminal, violation of U.S. immigration law, immigration attorneys say. It can result in a bar to returning to the U.S. for up to 10 years, or it can be lawfully forgiven, under a "waiver of unlawful presence," if the immigrant's spouse or immediate relative is a U.S. citizen.

Munoz had submitted a green card application to the government when she was detained. But the U.S. government has broad authority to detain immigrants, even when they have an application in progress with ICE.

"If an individual is overstaying their visa, they are therefore an illegal immigrant residing in this country, and they are subject to deportation," Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, said in a January news conference.

When was Camila Munoz detained by ICE?

Munoz was detained by ICE agents in February while travelling back to Wisconsin with Bartell from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico.

Where is Camila Munoz now?

Munoz is currently in a privately run detention center in Louisiana, where there are nearly 80 other women in her dormitory.

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She appeared in the ICE detention system in nearly a week after being detained. She and her husband keep in touch on 20-cents-a-minute phone calls.

Has detained other people without criminal records?

USA TODAY has confirmed through attorneys, family members and documents that ICE has detained the following people for weeks, none of whom as a criminal record:

A woman in her 50s who has lived in the country more than 30 years and is married to a U.S. citizen

A woman in her 30s with proof of valid permanent legal residency, whose father and siblings are U.S. citizens, and who first came to the U.S. as a teen

A European woman in her 30s engaged to a U.S. citizen who overstayed her visa when she was 21

A woman engaged to a U.S. legal permanent resident, with whom she has lived for nine years.

Additionally, a Hmong American woman who had lived in the Milwaukee area since she was 8 months old was deported to Laos earlier this month.

Should immigrants to the U.S. take precautions before traveling?

Nora Ahmed, legal director of the ACLU of Louisiana, told USA TODAY immigrants in legal limbo of any kind should take precautions if they plan to travel.

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"The unfortunate answer is they have to be worried," she said. "If you are not a citizen of the United States, and you are going through an immigration process, your first thought needs to be: How can this process be weaponized against me?"

David Rozas, an immigration attorney representing Munoz, agreed: Anyone who isnt a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is at risk  period."

What to do if you or someone you know is detained by ICE:

Here is what to do if you are arrested or detained by ICE, according to the American Civil Liberties Union:

Do not give any explanations or make any decisions without a lawyer present.

If you have been arrested by police, you have the right to make a local phone call. The police cannot listen to your call if it is to a lawyer.

If you have been detained by ICE, you have the right to contact your consulate, or have authorities inform the consulate of your detention.

Give your immigration number (A number) to your family to help them locate you. Keep a copy of your immigration documents with someone you trust.

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You can find additional information regarding your rights from the National Immigration Law Center here.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wife of Wisconsin man, who voted for Trump, detained by ICE
CHICAGO  A 21-year-old woman has been charged with attempted murder in connection with a Friday night shooting at a Back of the Yards liquor store that wounded four people.

Chicago police said the shooting happened just before 10:30 p.m. inside Goldmore Food & Liquors in the 1900 block of West 51st Street. Police arrested 21-year-old Angeles Flores of south suburban Riverdale about 90 minutes after the shootout happened.

According to investigators, several people were inside the business when an argument broke out between two groups.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Multiple people injured after argument leads to shootout in South Side liquor store

Angeles Flores

Thats when a woman, later identified as Flores, allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire before a second person, who officers described as a male offender in the same party, grabbed the gun from Flores and fired more shots.

Amid the gunfire, a man in the other group involved returned fire on the alleged shooters.

Police said a 48-year-old man who was shot in his abdomen and a 22-year-old man who was shot in his chest were both taken to the hospital in critical condition. Additionally, a 61-year-old woman who suffered a graze wound to her left elbow and a 46-year-old man who was shot in the left hand were taken to the hospital in good condition.

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3 critically injured in West Humboldt Park shooting

Flores was also shot in her heel and thigh and took herself to the hospital, where she was listed in good condition. She was later taken into custody in connection with the incident, according to CPD.

Its unclear if the second suspected shooter was among the wounded victims.

On Sunday, police announced that Flores has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied building.

Flores will remain jailed following a court hearing on Monday. She is due back in court on Monday, March 24.

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Police have not said whether theyre seeking additional suspects in connection with the shootout.

No real solutions

Meanwhile, residents near where the shooting happened are fed up with repeated gun violence in the area.

Its just a perpetual problem. No real solutions, apparently, are being created, resident Michael Wiatrowski said.

 I dont walk around or ride my bike late at night around here. There are times its just too dangerous to be riding around and walking around by yourself.

Many of my residents are very fearful, very nervous, because they know that more often than not, if you say the wrong thing to someone, theyre going to pull out a weapon on you, Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward) said. And here we saw it play out this weekend.

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 No neighborhood should have to make this part of their normal routine. No neighborhood should say, I cant go out and night because its dark, or I cant walk to the corner store.'

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GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A woman has been charged in connection with a shooting which killed one person in February.

According to Greenville County Sheriffs Office, investigators arrested 23-year-old Cheyenne Alesia Carmel Ramirez for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the February 7 shooting which killed 25-year-old Kylie Summer Rutledge of Greenville.

According to the sheriffs office the shooting took place at Howell Commons Apartments at Howell Circle. Investigators said Rutledge and Ramirez were guests in an apartment which, at the time of the shooting, contained illegal drugs and was associated with drug-related activities.

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Warrants state Ramirez negligently handling a firearm when the shooting happened. Investigators also charged the tenant of the apartment with distributing methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm.

Ramirez was booked into the Greenville County Detention Center, where she remains on a $20,000 bond.

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GEARY COUNTY (KSNT)  State troopers helped rescue a woman who was left trapped inside of her wrecked vehicle overnight on I-70 in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) said in a social media post that one of its troopers was called to help out with a serious rollover crash on I-70 that left one woman severely injured. The KHP reports the exact time of the crash wasnt known at first as no one noticed the wreck until daylight arrived, but it was initially called in around 8 a.m. on March 17 on I-70 just west of where it meets Humboldt Creek Road in Geary County.

(Photo Courtesy/Kansas Highway Patrol)

8 people dead in massive western Kansas I-70 crash involving more than 50 vehicles

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First responders in Geary County found the 65-year-old Virginia driver of a Ford Edge still trapped within the ruined vehicle at the crash site. A Life Star helicopter was called to the area to take the woman to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.

While troopers dont always take the lead on every incident, we are trained and ready to handle events like thisespecially when they occur on highways and interstates. Generally, when something happens on the big roads, troopers take care of it. In this case, KHP stepped in to continue the investigation, building upon the strong work already started by Geary Countys first responders. KHP social media post excerpt

KHP bust driver caught going 119 mph in Douglas County

The KHP said it will interview the driver once she is in stable condition to learn how the crash happened. A crash log filed by the KHP shows the crash occurred around 11:45 p.m. on March 16.

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.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A woman was sentenced last week to life in prison after a two-week jury trial resulted in a Weld County jury convicting her of first-degree murder, among other charges.

The case was against Stacy Rodriguez, 23, who was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree arson, tampering with a deceased human body and two counts of second-degree burglary. It all stems from when Rodriguez and a friend, Hosanna Varela, met Greeley resident Christopher Dickerson at a Greeley bar on Oct. 2, 2021.

2 of 3 fugitives arrested in connection to Aurora armed kidnapping, home invasion

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According to prosecutors, Rodriguez and Varela had gone back to Dickersons home after the bar for a casual gathering. Thats when Rodriguez stabbed Dickerson to death, and set his home on fire.

Rodriguez was sentenced to life in prison for the charge of first-degree murder, and was also given:

32 years for first-degree arson, to run consecutive to life in prison

12 years for tampering with a deceased human body, to run consecutive to life in prison

12 years for each burglary charge, to run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the other sentences

This entire process has been a joke to this defendant, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Pirraglia said in a release. She jokes. She laughs. The jury got to see her true character which is nothing but diabolical and despicable. She is a threat to society and theres no place for her in it.

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In January 2024, Varela pled guilty to first-degree arson, tampering with a deceased human body and accessory to a crime. She was sentenced to 32 years in the Department of Corrections.

I hope this verdict brings some peace. I hope after today you get some closure in this journey, Pirraglia told the victims family during sentencing, and shared in a release. This family gave us the strength to keep going the past three years, and today we got justice for Christopher.

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GEARY COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW)  A crash victim who spent the night alone and injured in the wreckage of her vehicle was found Monday morning.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said it happened on Interstate 70 in Geary County. After sunrise, another driver spotted the rolled-over vehicle and notified authorities. The Kansas Highway Patrol and Geary County first responders headed to the scene.

When first responders arrived, they found a single female occupant still trapped inside the heavily damaged vehicle, the KHP said.

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8 dead after 71-vehicle pileup during dust storm in Kansas

The 65-year-old victim is from Wise, Virginia. First responders called for a medical helicopter to airlift her to a hospital.

A crash victim spent the night in her vehicle next to I-70 in Geary County before someone spotted the wreckage on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy Kansas Highway Patrol)

A Life Star helicopter responds to a crash along I-70 in Geary County on March 17, 2025. (Courtesy KHP)

The woman was conscious and gave the KHP some details of what happened. Troopers say the woman had been driving west on I-70 when her SUV left the road for an unknown reason, traveled into the north ditch and overturned.

The woman is hospitalized with what are believed to be serious injuries.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here.

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Health officials are asking for the publics help in identifying a woman who has been hospitalized for more than a week after being found in a Los Angeles County park.

The unidentified patient was found on March 8 in Edison Trails Park in Monterey Park, the L.A. County Department of Health Services stated in an email Monday.

The patient was taken to L.A. General Medical Center, but hospital staff have been unable to locate any friends or family who can identify her.

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The woman was described by health officials as between 40 and 50 years old, 5 feet tall and weighing 156 pounds. She has black hair and dark brown eyes.

(L.A. County Department of Health Services)

Anyone with information about the patient was asked to contact Senior Clinical Social Worker Dayanira Dia at 323-409-8716 or the L.A. General Medical Center Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253.

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Accounting and consulting firm EY Switzerland has named Daniel Gentsch as its new chairman, effective 1 April 2025.

He will be taking over from Andreas Blumer, who has held the position since 1 January 2021.

After 30 years at EY, Andreas will be focusing on his largest audit client while reducing his workload in preparation for new tasks outside the company, the company said in a statement.

Blumer said: I firmly believe that the partners of EY Switzerland have made an excellent choice in appointing Daniel Gentsch. Thanks to his many years of experience, as well as his extensive skills and in-depth knowledge of our profession, he is well qualified and ideally suited to this challenge, so I am delighted to be passing the baton on to him.

Gentsch has been with EY since 1998, having begun his career in the company's tax advisory department.

He became a partner in Zurich in 2009, where he has provided guidance to multinational companies on international corporate tax law and mergers and acquisitions.

His leadership roles within the company included serving as head of Tax & Legal at EY Switzerland from 2016 to 2022, which placed him on the executive board there.

Currently, Gentsch is the Global International Tax and Transaction Services Deputy leader at EY.

He also leads the tax and law segment at EXPERTsuisse, the Swiss Expert Association for Audit, Tax and Fiduciary.

Gentsch said: I look forward to supporting the dedicated management team in my new role and at the same time remaining close to our customers. My focus is on continually investing in innovation and offering our partners and employees the best development opportunities.

As chairman of EY Switzerland, I will ensure that our clients are supported by the right interdisciplinary teams at EY so that they are in a position to actively shape the future.

In February 2025, EY US collaborated with Zscaler to address challenges in network architecture through cloud-delivered services.

This partnership aims to bolster the security framework of organisations and fortify their infrastructure against cyber threats.

"EY Switzerland appoints new chairman " was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand.




Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on March 17 denounced EU plans to provide Ukraine with an additional 20 billion euros ($22 billion) in aid, a step allegedly on the agenda of a ministerial meeting in Brussels later the same day.

"We won't be dragged into this; we will not allow Hungarian taxpayers' money to be used to finance arms shipments to Ukraine," Szijjarto said on Facebook, insisting instead that Budapest supports peace negotiations.

European leaders have been calling for ramped-up support for Ukraine as the Trump administration's steps cast doubt on its commitment to Kyiv's security.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has been pushing for a swift peace settlement, temporarily cutting off military and intelligence backing for Ukraine to push it to the negotiating table.

"Thanks to President Trump, the hope of peace has never been closer in the past three years, which is why Brussels's intention to make peace negotiations impossible is unacceptable," Szijjarto said.

"In Brussels, the pro-war stance still prevails."

Discussions about a possible 20-billion-euro package first emerged in February, but the assistance tranche was not included in the conclusions of an emergency EU summit on March 6.

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Hungary's leader, Viktor Orban, has consistently obstructed and delayed sanctions against Russia and military support for Kyiv. He has also lauded Trump's reelection, expressing expectations of a quick end to the war.

While the EU recently managed to negotiate a unanimous extension of sanctions against Russia, European leaders grow increasingly concerned by Budapest's efforts to derail unity on Ukraine.

Read also: Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, US hopes for ceasefire within weeks, envoy says

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When it comes to work, we are surrounded, apparently, by those who cannot be bothered. Whether these people are asylum seekers who are not allowed to work, lazy youngsters with made-up illnesses or adults overplaying their disabilities, todays two-minute hate must be directed at them. Actually, every days two-minute hate. A new study by PwC suggests that an entire generation are drifting out of work  almost four in 10 Gen Zers are considering leaving their job and ending up on benefits  citing mental health issues as driving youth worklessness

The public believes that too many live on benefits and that these benefits are too high. That was a Tory position, now it is a Labour one, albeit wrapped up in pretend concern. It is better for people to be at work than out of it. They will function better and be less isolated. Undoubtedly this is true in many cases. But I cannot stomach middle-class types with interesting jobs seeming to despise the generation who were severely impacted by lockdown.

Lockdown meant that my youngest was stuck for a year with no possibility of work and then spent her first year of college literally locked in halls. It was only years later she revealed to me how lonely it had been. And she was one of the lucky ones.

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Some of my friends kids never really went back to school. Having realised that school work could be done in an hour or so a day, they didnt see the point. All the normal socialising they might have done became online only.

These kids also know that a degree is pretty worthless. My eldest two daughters have both worked in pubs alongside those with MAs in hard subjects that, for some obscure reason, everyone now deems pointless. International Relations anyone? Pah!

They know they cannot pay back their loan, will have to live at home forever or pay extortionate rents. Owning their own homes is unlikely for swathes of twentysomethings.

The world, we keep telling them, is going to end soon anyway because of climate change. And Artificial Intelligence will take away many jobs anyway.

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Why oh why, we then wonder, are there such high levels of anxiety and depression in our youth? If the only answer to that is working in an Amazon warehouse, as a Deliveroo driver, or as a social carer on zero-hour contracts, then God help us all.

Most people on benefits are already in work: the actual issue for them is low pay. Living standards are stagnating. Countries that we compete with have higher wages and are more productive. To tackle the labour market a kind of radicalism is needed.

Sure the welfare state, just like the NHS, needs a rethink and Labour are in a position to do it. But there are good ideas and bad ones. Any suggestion that taking money from the poorest and the disabled is fiscally necessary and for their own good stinks to high heaven and the party surely knows it.

There are some things the public does not want to hear but a party with a big majority can afford to tell them. Contrary to popular belief, our benefits system is not particularly generous and where there is fraud it is a pittance compared to the tax avoidance of global corporations.

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Obscuring this view is the focus on skivers with mental conditions that every young person claims to have, from ADHD to OCD to the smorgasbord of dysphorias to dyslexia to social anxiety. Personally, I dont like a lot of these labels, nor do I like the current fashion for calling everyone neurodiverse. They seem to act as a substitute for having a personality.

These people divert attention away from those with genuine, and serious mental health issues. For those people to actually get real help is extremely difficult, due to a lack of trained staff and resources to deal with very unwell people.

Of course, the number of Neets (not in education, employment or training), particularly young males  is worrying, as are generations of workless households.

But I get their frustration. I left school at 16 and worked for eight years, sometimes in boring and thankless jobs. But at least when I went to college at 24 my education was free.

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Why would you do a menial job for no reward these days? And how dare the politicians and commentators who went straight from university into cushy and interesting work, via only an untaxing summer job, lecture the rest of us on the dignity of work?

We need employers willing to take on those with disabilities, poor mental health records and little experience. Its also no good going round shouting resilience to a generation we imprisoned during the pandemic.

Resenting the young is neither new nor interesting. A quote often misattributed to Socrates talks about the youth loving only luxury, having bad manners, chatting instead of exercising and acting like tyrants, not servants in their parents homes. Plus ca change? Too many people still think this of our young people.

Cutting benefits without providing decently paid jobs and proper support to get people into them means cutting off hope.

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That is surely not what Labour were elected to do.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY)  West Virginians have made it through a tough 2025 winter season. West Virginia roads however, have no faired so well, with Transportation Secretary Todd Rumbaugh describing the winter weather as perfect weather for potholes.

Some West Virginia roads may soon see an improvement however as the West Virginia Division of Highways announced Monday that it will begin pothole patching in earnest.

Now that asphalt plants are open around the Mountain State, West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) road crews are embarking on an aggressive campaign to mill and fill potholes, the WVDOH said in a press release.

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National Weather Service seeking damage reports from Sunday storm

Patching will be taking place today in several north central West Virginia counties, including Harrison, Doddridge, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, Barbour and Tucker. You can see a full like of counties and specific roads below.

WV 3, WV 85, and North Fork Road, Boone County

Grassy Fork Road, and Elk River Road, Clay County

US 60, WV 61, Craigs Branch Road, and Indian Creek Road, Kanawha County

Tribble Road, and Poindexter Road, Mason County

US 35, and Poindexter Road, Putnam County

US 60, Cabell County

WV 3, and WV 10, Lincoln County

US 52, Mingo County

US 52, and US 60, Wayne County

US 33, Calhoun County

Middle Fork Road, Jackson County

US 119, Roane County

Smithton Road, and Meathouse Fork Road, Doddridge County

WV 20, WV58, WV 270, WV 279, and Stone Pot Road, Harrison County

US 250, and Sycamore Road, Marion County

WV 100, and various county routes, Monongalia County

US 50, and WV 92, Preston County

US 50, US 250, Quality Lane, and Jerry Run Road, Taylor County

Summit Point Road, Jefferson County

US 250, Barbour County

Mingo Flats Road, and Point Mountain Road, Randolph County

US 219, Tucker County

Smithers Road, Fayette County

The WVDOH did note in the release that inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances may change the patching schedule.

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NEW YORK CITY (PIX11)  Even the weather in Manhattan is a bit Irish.

But the drizzle and humidity didnt dampen New York Citys St. Patricks Day Parade, which kicked off at 11 a.m. and brought a sea of green to Fifth Avenue.

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Bands, bagpipes, and the color green filled Manhattan for hours as groups including the FDNY and Gov. Kathy Hochul followed Grand Marshal Michael Benn through the streets.

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The Parade has not been canceled due to bad weather. That said, the Parade has marched in a variety of meteorologic conditions that have included various examples of inclemency, organizers said.

Take a look at the 264th annual St. Patricks Day Parade in New York City:

Spectators enjoy the St. Patricks Day Parade in New York City. (PIX11 News) Spectators enjoy the St. Patricks Day Parade in New York City. (PIX11 News) The FDNY marches on Fifth Avenue for the St. Patricks Day Parade. (PIX11 News) The St. Patricks Day Parade continued despite rainy weather. (PIX11 News) The St. Patricks Day Parade continued despite rainy weather. (PIX11 News) The St. Patricks Day Parade continued despite rainy weather. (PIX11 News)

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.

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NEW YORK  With American politics on fire, rising Democratic star Jasmine Crockett of Dallas turned her attention to a late entrant into a mayors race 1,400 miles away last week  underscoring the fundraising potential of their shared sorority network that boosted Kamala Harris last year.

New York is symbolic of liberty and freedom and so the last thing that we need is old Donald trying to run the show up in New York, Crockett, a member of the House, said on Instagram Live on Wednesday night, alongside New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. I want to introduce you to my friend who is running to be the next mayor.

Adrienne Adams got into the race last weekend and needs to raise a lot of money fast to be competitive in a crowded field led by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. One lever shes looking to pull ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary is the Divine Nine  a network of historically Black sororities and fraternities that were among Harris staunchest supporters in her White House bid.

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The Divine Nine helped Harris raise money on short notice last summer, bringing in more than $1.5 million just hours after she entered the race on a call titled Win with Black Women. She didnt win, of course, but she ended up leading Donald Trump by 38 points in the city Adrienne Adams is now looking to lead.

Thank you so, so much, my amazing D9 sister, Jasmine! I just want to let you know I wore this color for you, Adams said, clad in red, the signature color of Crocketts Delta Sigma Theta.

Days earlier, more than 40 Black women wearing the signature Alpha Kappa Alpha pink and green to honor Adams sorority affiliation filled the seats at a shopping center in Queens for her kickoff event. If anybody is running, they really better get used to that color, pink and green, state Sen. James Sanders said from the stage.

Entering the race millions of dollars behind her competitors, lacking the name recognition of Cuomo and others running and sharing a last name  though no relation  to embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, Adrienne Adams is hoping this loyal group of more than 2 million Black men and women nationwide will be eager to help elect the first woman as mayor of New York City.

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Her first week of fundraising demonstrates she needs the boost.

Her campaign is reporting having raised $128,000 in less than a week  an impressive total that is nonetheless unlikely to shake up the race as it does not make her eligible for public matching funds that are all but essential to run a successful mayoral campaign. Adrienne Adams next opportunity to qualify for those funds is May 30, just a few weeks before the primary.

Helping Adrienne Adams fundraise is Hasoni Pratts, a fellow Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister volunteering for the campaign. A New York power player, Pratts is a founder of the Higher Heights for America PAC that supports Black women running for office.

They were hugely impactful, especially those AKAs. They showed up for sure," Pratts said of the Divine Nine's early involvement in the mayoral campaign. "They were sending texts around to all of their sorors, saying weve got to help her.



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Born and raised in the predominantly Black, Democratic-vote-rich area of Southeast Queens, Adrienne Adams attended Spelman College, a historically Black school in Atlanta. Four decades later, on the cusp of leaving public office after getting elected twice as council speaker, she decided to run for mayor  kicking off her bid March 8, months after most of her competitors had begun theirs. Shes presenting herself as a humble, drama-free alternative to the scandal-scarred Eric Adams and Cuomo  but one who faces humbling, dramatic challenges of her own.

In addition to the $128,000 raised, she entered the race with just over $200,000 on hand she transferred from a separate account. Leading challengers to Eric Adams have more than 20 times that amount, having already qualified for the citys 8-to-1 matching funds program. City Comptroller Brad Lander led the field with $3.9 million on hand as of last month. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, former Comptroller Scott Stringer and Eric Adams all had more than $3 million in their accounts, and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie reported having nearly $2.5 million.

Cuomo also kicked off his campaign late and with no money, but unlike Adrienne Adams, he has the benefit of near-universal name recognition and a PAC run by a longtime ally that brought in nearly $300,000 in one week.

Despite the delay, a person close to Adrienne Adams campaign who was granted anonymity to discuss internal strategy said she is considering various options to stay competitive with the rest of the field. That could include getting vendors to agree on delayed payments, or even taking a bank loan that could be paid off by public funds  both risky courses if she doesn't end up unlocking matching funds.

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Adrienne Adams isnt only relying on the Divine Nine  as council speaker until the end of 2025, she has power over legislation, land use decisions and negotiating the citys $115 billion budget, so interested parties are likely to donate to her, the person close to Adams campaign said.

One New York City real estate executive, who was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations, said they received a call this month from Attorney General Letitia James, who spoke in support of Adrienne Adams though did not ask for a donation. The person surmised that tactic could hasten the council speakers fundraising momentum.

But for now, the Divine Nine  a network mayoral candidate Michael Blake belongs to and has also tried to tap into  remains critical to Adrienne Adams strategy, even as prior New York City mayoral candidates with similar connections, like Maya Wiley in 2021, failed in their bids.

Adrienne Adams supporters, however, are feeling good, and say everyone is talking about the new candidate.

The word is definitely spreading like wildfire, not even just amongst AKAs, but the D9 in general, said Nupol Kiazolu, a 24-year-old AKA from Brownsville, Brooklyn, who came to Adams kickoff rally. I just got a phone call, and I pulled up.
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11)  Eligibility for half-priced subway discounts should be expanded to include people making under $31,300 per year, elected officials say.

The citys Fair Fares program offers discounted subway and bus fares to New Yorkers making 145% of the federal poverty level, or $22,692 per year for a single person. A family of four would need to make under $46,617 to qualify.

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On Monday, advocates and elected officials are holding a rally at City Hall to say the program should expand to include New Yorkers making up to 200% of the federal poverty level.

The new eligibility would include a single New Yorker making $31,300, a family of two making $42,300 and a family of three making $53,300. This expansion would mean 415,000 more New Yorkers could get the discount, including many who work minimum-wage jobs, according to the MTAs Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee.

Advocates have long called for the 200% eligibility bar. In November, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Borough President Antonio Reynoso joined a rally at City Hall calling for the expansion.

A spokesperson for the Department of Social Services told PIX11 the department would need to review the previous expansion to 145% of the federal poverty line before considering another.

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With the cost of living on the rise, we are committed to helping eligible New Yorkers keep more of their hard-earned money in their pocket when they use public transit to get to where they need to go, said a DSS spokesperson. We will continue to assess the outcomes of this expansion and evaluate the necessity and feasibility of further program expansions through the budget process.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Two parents were charged with child neglect after their two young children were found unattended at a Nashville homeless encampment during Saturdays severe storms.

Officers were called to the encampment along the Cumberland River at Anthes Drive after receiving reports of two children walking around in the rain alone. Upon arrival, officers reportedly found a little girl with a resident of the encampment who had dressed her in warm clothing.

2 facing charges after man found dead under mattress in Warren County

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According to court documents, while officers began looking for the second child, 25-year-old Jaiya Rutland approached them and asked if her child was in the ambulance that had arrived to evaluate the children. She told officers she was their mother and took them to the other side of the camp, where the second child was reportedly found with their father, 42-year-old Earl Alston.

Officers stated in court documents, the children, ages 3 and 4, both did not have jackets or shoes and appeared to be malnourished. They were taken to an area hospital for treatment, and the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services has been notified.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Alston reportedly told officers they left the children to help get incoming water away from the camp. Rutland said she left the children with Alston to get water and that he then left them alone, according to court documents. Alston also reportedly admitted to drinking alcohol and using drugs while the children were left unattended.

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Officers noted this is not the first time Alston and Rutland have left the children unattended.

Court documents describe the camp as butting up against the Cumberland River along steep hills, littered with broken glass, needles and drug paraphernalia. Weather conditions on Saturday were severe, with excessive rain, flooding and high winds.

Alston and Rutland were booked into the Metro jail and charged with two counts of felony child neglect. Their bonds were set at $50,000 each.

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A teenage boy was fatally shot in North Lawndale early Monday morning, according to Chicago police.

Officers were on patrol when they discovered the victim, 13, with a gunshot wound to the head in the 1500 block of South Kildare Avenue around 2:10 a.m., police said. He was unresponsive.

Chicago Fire Department was called to the scene to treat the victim, who was subsequently pronounced on scene via Stroger Hospital, police said. The boys identity was not yet publicly available as of Monday afternoon.

No one is in custody.

Chicago Tribunes Caroline Kubzansky contributed.
Kovitz, a Focus Partners firm, has added Colorado-headquartered Focus network firm Transform Wealth into its fold.

The deal, due to complete in the second quarter of 2025, will see Transform Wealth add approximately $3bn to Kovitz's $32bn in regulatory assets under management.

Based in the Denver area with additional offices in Colorado Springs and Houston, Transform Wealth caters to high-net-worth clients with a suite of wealth management and financial planning services.

Kovitz, headquartered in Chicago, offers investment solutions to individuals, institutions, and private funds and has been a Focus firm since 2016.

Focus said that the deal will unite two like-minded businesses with a shared ethos in active investment management.

Kovitz CEO Mitchell Kovitz and Focus Financial Partners vice chairman said: Were proud to welcome the Transform Wealth team to Kovitz, as they have a long history of prioritising clients and offering financial planning and investment tools that keep pace with evolving client needs.

The merger will see Kovitz welcome Transform Wealth's advisory team, including CEO Nathan Kubik and President David Kubik.

Transform's Mountain West presence is said to complement Kovitz's current geographic reach.

In turn, Transform Wealth will benefit from Kovitz's resources and capabilities, aiming to provide improved services to clients and advisors, added Focus.

Nathan Kubik said: Transform Wealth has always been driven by a deep commitment to putting our clients interests first, delivering financial advice tailored to each individuals needs. Joining Kovitz represents a natural progression in that commitment.

In 2023, Focus Financial Partners finalised an agreement, allowing its partner firm Kovitz Investment Group Partners to add US private real estate fund manager Origin to its portfolio.

"Focus Partners firm Kovitz to add Transform Wealth" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.




YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Reports said a woman who refused to pay a restaurant bill Saturday morning spit in the face of a city police officer.

Gail Randolph, 55, was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on a charge of assault, a fourth-degree felony. She was also given a misdemeanor citation for criminal trespass. She is expected to be arraigned later Monday in municipal court.

Reports said police were called about 10:30 a.m. to a West Federal Street restaurant because a woman, later identified as Randolph, refused to pay a $69 restaurant bill.

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Included in the bill were four beers, two Cokes, fried mushrooms, two mixed drinks, a dessert and a sausage sandwich.

Randolph told police she was not leaving because she had yet to eat, and when police offered her a ride to a nearby soup kitchen, she spit in the face of an officer, reports said.

She was then handcuffed and taken into custody, reports said.

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The government of New Zealand has extended sanctions against Russia for three years, from 17 March 2025 to 17 March 2028.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Quote: "Our sanctions are aligned with those of like-minded countries ... Together we aim to exert pressure on Russia to change course by limiting its ability to finance and equip the war in Ukraine."

Details: The ministry reports that the decision to extend the sanctions was made on 21 February.

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Background:

The Russia Sanctions Act 2022 was unanimously passed by the New Zealand parliament on 9 March 2022. It empowered the Minister of Foreign Affairs to impose sanctions in response to threats to Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity.

In 2023, the governments of Australia and New Zealand extended sanctions against Russia to mark the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In May 2024, New Zealand imposed sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 legal entities providing military support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.

On 24 February 2025, New Zealand announced another extension of sanctions against Russia in support of Ukraine.

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Volodymyr Zelensky has partially mended ties with Donald Trump after the Oval Office bust-up. Ukraine has agreed to a ceasefire proposed by the Trump administration; military aid and intelligence sharing have resumed. Things seem to be heading in the right direction.

Except for one big obstacle: Ukraine remains shut out of any real bargaining over its own future.

And with Russias rejection of the ceasefire deal, the besieged nation needs Trumps full support more than ever. What can Zelensky do to guarantee unequivocal American support?

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The first thing Zelensky should do is to present a public tribute to Trump. He should reiterate that he truly understands  and, more importantly, respects  the American administrations position on the war.

But the most important thing for Zelensky to do is to crack down on corruption in Ukraine.

This would appeal to Trumps instincts: the American president remains fixated on the billions the US has sent to Ukraine. If he is now turning his sights to apparent fraud within the American bureaucracy, imagine his chagrin at funnelling billions into a country long plagued by corruption.

After the Oval Office clash, a senior official briefed the media that the Doges investigation into fraud and abuse of US aid to Ukraine will be accelerated. Zelensky would be wise to act pre-emptively and start cleaning the Ukrainian house in earnest.

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Before brushing this off as a Trump wild goose chase, its worth looking at polling in Ukraine. Survey after survey ranks government corruption as among the countrys top concerns.

According to Transparency International, corruption is second only to Russian military aggression out of all the things the Ukrainian public is worried about. Even data from Ukraines National Agency on Corruption Prevention shows that over 90 per cent of Ukrainians believe corruption is rampant and  importantly  worsening.

At the heart of the issue are the very institutions designed to combat the problem  the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAPO).

Established as a prerequisite for US aid after Russias invasion of Crimea, these agencies served as necessary safeguards in a country where the existing investigative bodies were too politicised to justify continued financial support without stricter oversight.

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For a time they seemed to work. But history is repeating itself: doubts now persist over the influence the presidents office wields over NABU and SAPO.

According to Daria Kaleniuk of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, Zelenskys chief of staff Andriy Yermak has amassed significant control over the states institutions. His consolidation of power was on full display when he led Ukraines negotiating delegation in ceasefire talks with US counterparts.

When was the last time you saw a Presidents chief of staff lead public peace talks? The public has taken notice of the political meddling within supposedly independent institutions: in a recent poll, a majority of respondents (54 per cent) said that anti-corruption agencies are themselves responsible for corruption in Ukraine.

There is a widespread perception that political allies are shielded from investigations while opponents face trumped-up charges. Absurd cases have emerged  ministers and officials charged not for corruption, but for merely executing their official duties.

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A former infrastructure minister, for instance, was prosecuted for deregulating ports; the head of the state gas company was targeted for receiving a prearranged bonus after securing a multi-billion-dollar arbitration payout against Gazprom.

Scrutinising these anti-corruption institutions could expose which cases were quietly set aside. If it generates leads on officials colluding with businessmen to siphon off the state budget, it directly ties back to America  whose aid has not only financed military assistance but also significantly propped up Ukraines day-to-day government spending.

Of course, this carries a risk: any revelations could once again be used to justify withholding US aid. But the alternative is worse. Corruption in Ukraine remains an ongoing diplomatic concern. Failing to act risks appearing complicit with it.

Addressing these issues head-on would signal a commitment to American priorities  and, as Trump might put it, ensure that the American people are not going to be ripped off.

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This may require action against some of Zelenskys closest confidants. But ultimately that is what the fight against corruption demands  and it may be the necessary price for securing peace on much better terms.

Mat Whatley is a British army veteran and former head of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Donetsk, Ukraine. He is now Managing Director of Okapi Train

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President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law allowing Ukraine's Armed Forces to be sent abroad during martial law, according to an official decree published on March 17.

The law aims to enhance defense cooperation with partner nations, particularly by enabling Ukrainian forces to participate in training and receive military equipment, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko explained.

"This will allow us to attract international support to strengthen Ukraine's defense faster and more effectively," Honcharenko posted on Telegram.

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The legislation permits Ukrainian military units to be deployed to other countries for national security purposes, including repelling armed aggression, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and exercising the right to self-defense under international law.

The law does not concern the deployment of Ukrainian troops for combat operations on Russian territory.

The decision to send military personnel abroad will be made by the president but requires approval from the Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament. Deployments will be subject to a formal request detailing the mission's objectives, troop numbers, weaponry, and the conditions of their stay abroad.

Zelensky vetoed the bill in January and returned it to parliament with amendments clarifying the decision-making process and ensuring compliance with international law. Lawmakers approved the revised version in late February.

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Read also: Talk about an invasion is everywhere  How Lithuania is preparing for war with Russia

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have discussed increasing pressure on Russia and the humanitarian aspect of security guarantees for Ukraine during a phone conversation.

Source: Zelenskyy on Telegram

Quote: "I spoke with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney. It was a good and substantive conversation covering many important topics. I congratulated him on his assumption of office and thanked Canada for its assistance, particularly for the defence packages and support of our energy sector.

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The Prime Minister made the right points about how we need to step up pressure on Moscow. The shadow fleet, the banking sector. We must impose all-out sanctions on everything that provides Russia with funding for its war. Only then can we force Putin to a just and lasting peace.

We also discussed the humanitarian aspect of security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes rebuilding our country and supporting the economy after the war ends. We will work on this."

Details: The parties also touched on the Ukrainian issues on the agenda for Canada's G7 presidency and discussed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

"Canada is interested in military-industrial and defence cooperation. Throughout this war, we have gained significant experience in the production of EW systems, long-range missiles, and drones. Ukraine is ready for joint production," Zelenskyy noted.

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Background:

Mark Carney, the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, took the oath of office on Friday 14 March and officially became the countrys Prime Minister following the resignation of Justin Trudeau.

Carney pledged continued support for Ukraine and urged Russia to come to the negotiating table.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine along with the Order of the Gold Star to Ukrainian pilot Oleksii "Moonfish" Mes, who died in an F-16 crash on 26 August 2024 while engaging in combat during a Russian missile attack.

Source: Decree No. 165/2025

Quote: "For personal courage and heroism demonstrated in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for selfless service to the Ukrainian people, I hereby decree:

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To posthumously award the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Gold Star to Colonel Oleksii Serhiiovych Mes."

For reference: Oleksii Mes was one of the first Ukrainian pilots to master flying F-16 fighter jets. In autumn 2023, he trained in Denmark alongside other Ukrainian pilots.

Background:

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a meeting with Defence Minister Rustem Umierov and the newly appointed Chief of the General Staff, Andrii Hnatov.

Source: Zelenskyy on social media

Details: Zelenskyy stated that he discussed the frontline situation and cooperation with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine, defining key tasks.

The defence minister has been tasked with immediately forming a team to coordinate with partners on all aspects of the security system Ukraine needs and to implement decisions made at the military and political level. The team must participate in a relevant military representatives' meeting in London this week.

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The chief of the General Staff has been instructed to accelerate the formation of a corps-level structure within Ukraines defence forces and to conduct an audit of the current needs of combat brigades.

Quote: "Strengthening the army is a constant priority, and there can be no steps back in this regard. Ukraine's defence and security forces, defence industry and multilevel engagement with partners are the foundation of our independence."



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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law allowing units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to be deployed to other countries during martial law.

Source: Ukrainian parliament press service

Details: According to Law No. 4255-IX, during martial law, military formations, units and subunits of the Armed Forces of Ukraine may be sent abroad to ensure national security, repel and deter armed aggression, protect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and exercise the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

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The law was revised based on the presidents proposals, which clarify the procedure for making decisions on deploying Ukrainian forces abroad, detail the conditions of their presence outside Ukraine, and ensure compliance with international law.

Background: On 15 January, parliament passed the law On Amendments to Certain Laws Regarding Specific Issues of the Deployment of Ukrainian Armed Forces Units to Other States During Martial Law. On 30 January, President Zelenskyy vetoed and returned the law to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) with his proposals. On 25 February, parliament adopted the revised version incorporating the presidents amendments.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Argentine President Javier Milei and expressed his condolences over the recent floods that killed 16 people.

Source: Zelenskyy on Telegram

Quote from Zelenskyy: "I had a phone conversation with Argentine President Javier Milei. I have expressed condolences over the recent floods that killed 16 people and left thousands homeless. Ukraine is ready to help Argentina protect lives and provide the necessary aid."

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Details: The Ukrainian president also spoke about the constructive meeting between the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah, during which Ukraine supported the US proposal for an unconditional, complete 30-day ceasefire.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Now we see how Russia is putting forward completely unnecessary conditions and refusing this proposal. Moscow does not want peace but to continue the war. Javier's voice can help bring peace closer. We are counting on him."



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A series of articles published by the Telegraph from November 2021 to February 2023 reported on allegations made by a former employee of Afiniti, Tatiana Spottiswoode to the United States Congress, about the companys founder and CEO, Zia Chishti. Mr Chishti strongly disputes these allegations. Although Mr Chishti sought to do so, Congress did not give him the opportunity to refute the allegations.

Mr Chishti issued libel proceedings against the Telegraph as to one of the articles. The High Court determined that the article had alleged that since being introduced to Ms Spottiswoode by her father when she was thirteen and Mr Chishti was an adult, Mr Chishti groomed Ms Spottiswoode with sexual intent. Mr Chishti further pursued her with inducements and threats, culminating in a brief sexual relationship when they were adults, which on his side was abusive and violent, and which she quickly terminated.

On 17 March 2025 The Telegraph made a statement in open court that it withdraws its earlier position that the above allegations were true and that they were made in the public interest. The Telegraph apologises to Mr Chishti and his family for the harm they have been caused. Finally, The Telegraph has agreed to pay Mr Chishti a substantial sum by way of damages and a contribution to his legal costs.

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With these steps, The Telegraph and Mr Chishti have agreed to end the litigation between them.

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ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard will be absent from the groups upcoming tour plans, citing a health issue as the reason for his newly-announced leave of absence.

The Texas trio announced the news on Saturday (March 15), explaining that Beard would be absent from the groups current Elevation tour due to the need to undergo an unspecified health procedure.

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Shelter Music Group, ZZ Tops management, has announced the bands drummer, Mr. Frank Beard, has temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend a health issue requiring his focus in the near term, a social media post from the band read.

Beard, along with fellow ZZ Top members Billy F Gibbons and Elwood Francis, presently on the Elevation tour since March 5, have engaged fellow Texan and longtime tech member, percussionist and drummer, John Douglas, for the interim.

The post noted that Douglas has maintained a close relationship with Beard and the bandmates, and had even sat in for Beard during a Paris performance in October 2002 when he underwent an emergency appendectomy.

He is looking forward to a speedy recovery, the post concluded.

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ZZ Top launched their Elevation tour in October 2024, and toured throughout the U.S. until November. The trek resumed on March 5, and will see the group performing across the country until April, when they visit Australia and New Zealand. Further North American dates will be held upon their return, though its currently unknown when Beard will resume his place behind the kit.

Beard has been the drummer of ZZ Top since 1969, when he took over from co-founder Dan Mitchell. Alongside vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons, Mitchell and bassist Lanier Greig had founded the band that same year.

Following Griegs replacement by Billy Ethridge, Dusty Hill assumed the role of bassist in 1970, with their lineup remaining unchanged for 51 years until Hills death at 72 in 2021. Elwood Francis has since served as the groups bassist.

The group have not released a studio album since 2012s La Futura, though Gibbons has claimed a new record featuring contributions from the late Hill is in the works.

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Marie Guilland and her husband, David, operated the Guilland House hotel in what was then Union Gap before moving the building to today's Yakima. The hotel remained open for business during the three-week trip between cities.
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Nvidia (NVDA) investors have had an un-Nvidia-like year so far.

Shares of the AI chip darling tanked 10% as investors fret over exposure to China in President Trump's trade war and possible overbuilding of AI infrastructure. The company's cautious first quarter margin outlook did little to ease worries.

The stock is below its key 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving average, a major sign of lost momentum among traders.

"I guess you can call it a healthy consolidation [in Nvidia]," Evercore ISI technical strategist Rich Ross told me on Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid podcast (video above; listen below).

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Ross has been studying market technicals for more than 30 years. In 2024, Institutional Investor ranked Ross No. 1 in his field for the seventh straight year. He was named to Institutional Investor's All-America Research team for the 10th year in a row.

Read more: How does Nvidia make money?

Important technical indicators such as the relative strenth index (RSI) suggest Nvidia's stock is oversold, Ross said. The RSI measures the speed and magnitude of a stock's recent price changes in a bid to estimate overbought or oversold conditions.

Yahoo Finance data shows that Nvidia's present RSI is at 47, below the 63-or-so level reached when the stock hit a record high in early January of this year around CEO Jensen Huang's keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show.

"I think the next move is up in Nvidia," Ross added.

To be sure, there is a catalyst to get Nvidia's stock working up and to the right again.

Huang has it within his power to get the year back on track on March 18 at the company's must-watch annual GTC event and in a financial analyst meeting on the following day. The event is being held in San Jose, Calif.

Huang will have to deliver on several fronts at the event, experts say.

First, he must provide intricate details on how much more powerful Nvidia's next-generation chip Rubin is than the current gold standard in Blackwell.

Two, an update on the total AI addressable market opportunity for Nvidia is important, as investors have worried about AI infrastructure overbuilding.

And three, Huang would be wise to share offsets in the business to its China operations that are likely to be harmed by the Trump administration's trade war.

"While market volatility and China headlines could pressure the stock in the near-term, we still believe fundamentals will eventually prevail with stock below its historical trough 25x price-to-earnings ratio," Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya wrote.
"There are no light or heavy drugs  drug dealers and drug abuse must be eliminated," the government commissioner in charge of efforts to fight drug trafficking said in connection with a recent murder in south-western Hungary's Somogy county.

Laszlo Horvath said in a video broadcast on Facebook that "drugs will kill and can make you a murderer". He said the killer in Fono village "regularly took marijuana and designer drugs, the effect of which is unpredictable."



"The perpetrator is now behind bars, but those selling drugs to people are also murderers and must be prosecuted," the commissioner said.



The 31-year-old suspect in the case assaulted passers-by in the street and an assistant in a shop in Fono on Friday afternoon.



The shop-assistant died on the spot, while the two others were hospitalised with serious injuries. The attacker fled from the site but his car crashed in Siofok, at Lake Balaton, and he was arrested.



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The University of Pecs (SW Hungary) is partnering with tile maker Terran Tetocserep Gyarto and solar panel company Solar-Napelem to develop solar panels that can power greenhouses, the school told MTI.

The partners were awarded HUF 310m in support from the National R+D+I Fund for the two-year project.



Prototypes will be tested in the university's botanical garden.



Arpad Janko, Terran business unit director, told MTI that that testing could start for the first panels as soon as the end of the year and serial production could begin in H2 2026.



Source:

MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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There are staggering numbers in the environmental permit issued by the Csongrad County Government Office in February this year for the BYD plant being built in Szeged.

According to the document, the Chinese car factory will use as much water as a small town of 50,000 people, and will consume even more electricity and natural gas.



The Hungarian government is providing significant funding for the new BYD factory project on the outskirts of Szeged, surrounded by farmland. The factory is expected to start production this year, with land expropriation already underway.



Although construction has been underway for months, the government office of Csongrad-Csanad County only issued the environmental permit for the BYD factory on 10 February 2025. The document obtained by Atlatszo contains staggering figures.



In relation to the plants activities, the total daily water demand of the site is 6,995.79 m3/day, of which the social water demand is 1,694.5 m3/day and the total water demand of the technological plant units is 5,301.29 m3/day.



The volume of water used, based on a planned operating time of 250 days/year and 365 days/year for the workers accommodation and canteen, totals 1,811,381.0 m3/year, of which 486,058.5 m3/year for social water and 1,325,322.5 m3/year for industrial water.



The social, industrial and fire fighting water needs of the plant will be supplied from the utility network operated by Szegedi Vizmu Zrt. through three separate connections (V-1, V-2 and V-3), which will be built on the southern boundary of the site.  the document states.



Using data from the naitonal statistics bureau KSH, the BYD plants water usage would be equal to that of a town of nearly 50,000 people.

In addition to water, the factory will also need electricity: 283.4 million kWh/year according to the environmental permit. This is the equivalent of the energy consumption of a city of nearly 120,000 inhabitants (keep in mind, ony Hungarys six largest cities have more than 120,000 inhabitants).



The government document also states that the Szeged plant will consume 25.7 million m3 of natural gas per year. This is equivalent to the gas consumption of a small town of 31,000 inhabitants, according to KSH data.



Air conditioned battery storage



BYDs Szeged plant will consist of 15 buildings, each with different activities. One of the buildings, for example, will be a battery storage facility of 50,000 square meters and a height of 16 meters, according to the environmental permit.



However, they stress that this will not require any additional water: the battery warehouse will be designed to maintain a constant temperature by air cooling using heat pump technology, which does not require a water supply.



According to the document, the lithium-ion battery packs will be shipped from China by sea and then by road to the factorys battery unloading platform ready for use.



However, testing and disposing of defective batteries will requiere a lot of water: the document describes the process wherein defective batteries are immersed in salt water, thereby producing hazardous waste  exactly how this waste will be disposed of is unclear.



The document only states that the waste will be "transported and recycled by a duly authorised third party, but there is no mention of who and where it will be disposed of.



The document states that the plant will generate approximately 7,153 tonnes of hazardous waste every year, on top of 155,000 tonnes of waste that can be recycled without special treatment.



Huge traffic, lots of waste



Transporting the raw materials, finished cars, and the waste will generate a huge amount of extra traffic in the area. The environmental permit states that The operation of the plant requires the continuous supply of raw materials and the delivery of finished goods.



The plant can be accessed from the east via Gate 5 on the eastern bypass from the M43 motorway. The finished goods are transported by lorries westwards on the main road 5 towards the M43 motorway. A preliminary assessment procedure has been carried out for road 502, which concluded that no significant environmental impact is expected from the activity.



However, it is acknowledged that the north-eastern side of the Liliom housing project is very close to the track of the 502 main road.



Properties in this area could experience levels approaching the hourly limit during adverse weather conditions. The modelling suggests that the longer-term limits will be safely achievable in both areas. This means around 175 instances of trucks driving through the area.



This roads are expected to be reileved later, as tere is a planned railway, which could shoulder around half of the logistics. This, if everything goes according to plan, could be operational in 2027.



A massive project

The plant, which will cover 314 hectares (3.14 million sqm), will have a planned production capacity of 300,000 vehicles per year (280,000 electric and 20,000 plug-in hybrid), according to the permit.



What this number of cars means for the European market can be seen in this article on motor1.com. According to this, 12.9 million new cars will be sold in Europe (including the UK) in 2024. Volkswagen leads the list with 3.4 million cars, followed by manufacturers with more than 1 million sales.



Ford (426,000), Volvo (369,000), Tesla (327,000) and Nissan (307,000) managed to sell close to the 300,000 a year projected by BYD in Szeged. This means that the Chinese giants Hungarian plant is likely to be a significant competitor to European car manufacturers.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Beer manufacturer Sapporo Holdings Ltd needs to be more transparent about its plans to divest some of its substantial real estate holdings, said a board candidate backed by the Japanese company's largest shareholder.

Paul Brough, a former independent director at Toshiba and nominee of Singapore-based 3D Investment Partners, said Sapporo has strong brands but has been plagued with poor results and ineffective capital allocation.

"We need to build transparency with our shareholders," Brough said in an interview on Friday. "We need to tell them where we are with the real estate disposal process."

3D Investment said on Monday that shareholder proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis has backed Brough as an outside director for Sapporo, seconding an earlier recommendation by ISS, another proxy advisory firm.

Sapporo said it opposes Bough's nomination due to a skill overlap with other directors and because his advisory role with 3D Investment makes him "non-independent."

Last month, the company said it has received proposals from more than 10 companies and funds regarding capital injections into its real estate business. Sapporo said it will decide on a plan by the end of this year.

3D, which has increased its stake in Sapporo to more than 19%, according to LSEG data, has been openly critical of the company's management since at least 2022.

Sapporo was previously the target of a takeover bid in 2007 by U.S.-based activist fund Steel Partners, which had urged the company to sell off underperforming units and improve management of its real estate holdings.

The company is due to hold its annual shareholders meeting on March 28. Brough said if he were elected to the board, he would urge the company to use proceeds from real estate sales to consider strategic acquisitions, buyback or special dividends.

(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
Ukraines accession to the European Union would ruin Hungarys economy, the prime minister told public radio on Friday.

"Leaders in Brussels aim to integrate the neighbouring country as a member state within the next one to two years," Viktor Orban told a regular interview with Kossuth radios morning programme.



"Every member state, except Hungary, supports continuing the war because there is still a pro-war majority ruling in Brussels," Orban said, adding that "European leaders have decided that Ukraine must continue fighting the war and will in turn receive a fast-track membership.



"But this will ruin us," he said and emphasised that the consequences of neighbouring Ukraines accession are "far more obvious, direct and fast".



Under the EUs basic charter the integration of a state as a new member must be approved by all member states, the prime minister said, adding that for this reason, "Hungary has a decisive role" in the matter.



Szijjarto: Ukraine's accession to EU before Western Balkans 'impossible'



"It is impossible" that Ukrainse should join the European Union before the Western Balkans states as that would be contrary to a merit-based process, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in a panel discussion of the Budapest Balkans Forum.



Peter Szijjarto told the forum that "while the community is in a terrible state economically as well as regarding security," the region's states have been waiting for accession for 14.5 years on average.



He slammed the "hypocrisy of certain member states, which talk very differently in public from what they say behind closed doors". "When they speak publicly, they are always positive about the enlargement ... but when we come together, the 27 of us behind closed doors, then we who support the enlargement find ourselves in the minority," he said.



"When it comes to the point, when we must talk about real issues rather than propaganda ... then the majority of member states opposes enlargement," he said.



"We mustn't shame and humiliate the countries of the Western Balkans, and misleading them is tantamount to humiliation," Szijjarto said.



Szijjarto highlighted the importance of a merit-based accession process, and said that must be applied to all applicants. "Ukraine is hardly better prepared for accession than the countries of the Western Balkans."



"If we equate merit with whether a country is in war or not, that should be said openly," he added.



The accession of the Western Balkans states would strengthen the bloc significantly, he said, adding that the EU was in dire need of such a boost as the US and China had left it behind in the global economy.



He said the main cause was that the European Commission had failed to take measures to counter protectionist measures from the US in good time. "We have known since November that Donald Trump is the new president of the US ... We knew he wanted to introduce tariffs ... and now we are surprised that exactly that happened."



"Why did the EC not act proactively and set up a coordination platform? We were observing events from the trenches. This is not the right approach," Szijjarto said.



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Renowned filmmaker and director Milind Sulekha Purushottam celebrated the housewarming ceremony of his new home with traditional Buddhist rituals at Swagat Village Society, Neral. Located near the Matheran hill station, this scenic and tranquil place is ideal for relaxation and spiritual rejuvenation. The highlight of the event was the Buddhist prayer ceremony conducted by special guest Bhante Mahanam, who blessed the new home with peace, prosperity, and positive energy. The ceremony was attended by close family members, including father Purushottam Baburao Kamble, mother Sulekha Purushottam Kamble, sister Purva Sachin Mohite, nephew Pawan Sachin Mohite, cousin and renowned filmmaker Avinash Madhavrao Jadhav, and sister-in-law Vijaya Avinash Jadhav.

Expressing his joy on this occasion, Milind Sulekha Purushottam shared, "This house is not just a structure; it symbolizes our journey, our values, and the blessings of our elders. Performing a Buddhist prayer in this serene environment marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with positivity and spirituality." A special thanks was extended to Vinay Kadam and Omkar Gaikwad for their valuable support in organizing the event.

The picturesque setting of Swagat Village Society in Neral enhanced the significance of this ceremony, making it more than just a housewarming eventit became a spiritual and emotional milestone for the family.

(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: A total of 6.54 crore people comprising 1.39 crore households are living in slums across the country and 90.60 lakh houses have been completed/delivered to beneficiaries from slums under PMAY-U till March 3, 2025, the Parliament was informed on Monday.

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, told Rajya Sabha in a reply that the figure on slum households was based on the last Census conducted in 2011.

Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), a total of 118.64 lakh houses have been sanctioned by the Ministry, of which 112.46 lakh have seen start of work on the ground for construction and 90.60 lakh have been completed/delivered to the beneficiaries as on March 3, 2025, he said.

He said the scheme period has been extended up to December 31, 2025 to complete the houses sanctioned without changing the funding pattern and implementation methodology.

The MoS said the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) supplements the efforts of States/UTs by providing Central assistance under PMAY-U since June 25, 2015 to provide pucca houses in urban areas including slums across the country through four verticals - Beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancements (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).

The timeline for completion of projects varies from state to state and generally it takes 12-36 months in different verticals of the scheme and as per Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of respective projects, the MoS said.

MoS Sahu said based on the learning from the experiences of nine years of implementation of PMAY-U, the Ministry has revamped the scheme and launched PMAY-U 2.0 Housing for All Mission with effect from September 1, 2024 for one crore additional eligible beneficiaries.

As on date, 30 states/UTs have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and in principle approval of 6.77 lakh houses has been given to such States/UTs, the MoS said.
Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student at Columbia University who opted to "self-deport" after her visa was revoked, has described the terrifying moment when federal immigration agents first knocked on the door of her varsity apartment.

The immigration agents were searching for Srinivasan, 37, who had recently learned her student visa had been revoked. Srinivasan, an international PhD student from India, did not open the door when the three immigration agents knocked at it, the New York Times reported.

She was not home when the agents showed up again the next night. She packed a few belongings, left her cat behind with a friend and jumped on a flight to Canada at LaGuardia Airport, the report added.

When the agents returned a third time, this past Thursday night, and entered her apartment with a judicial warrant, she was gone.

The atmosphere seemed so volatile and dangerous, Srinivasan told The New York Times in an interview published on Friday, her first public remarks since leaving. So I just made a quick decision.

The Department of State had revoked Srinivasan's visa on March 5. The Department of Homeland Security said it obtained video footage of Srinivasan using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App to self-deport on March 11.

Her visa was revoked for allegedly "advocating for violence and terrorism" and involvement in activities supporting Palestinian militant group Hamas.

She entered the United States on a F-1 student visa as a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Friday. It added that Srinivasan was "involved in activities supporting" Hamas, a terrorist organisation in the US.

Srinivasan, a Fulbright recipient, was caught in the dragnet of President Trumps crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrators through the use of federal immigration powers. She is one of a handful of noncitizens that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has targeted in Columbia in recent days, the NYT reported.

In the week since that first knock at the door, Srinivasan says she has struggled to understand why the State Department abruptly revoked her student visa without explanation, leading Columbia to withdraw her enrollment from the university because her legal status had been terminated.

Since leaving the US last week, Srinivasan says her enrollment has been revoked without explanation from the university and that shes not sure whether she will be able to complete the degree she has been working toward for the past five years.

Having my visa revoked and then losing my student status has upended my life and future  not because of any wrongdoing, but because I exercised my right to free speech, Srinivasan said in a statement to CNN.

Columbia University declined to comment on a request regarding Srinivasans enrollment.

Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, posted surveillance footage on social media that showed Srinivasan lugging a suitcase at LaGuardia as she fled to Canada, the newspaper reported.

Noem celebrated Srinivasan's departure as a self-deportation.

"It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live & study in the United States of America, Noem wrote on X. When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country.

Srinivasans lawyers have vehemently denied those allegations and have accused the Trump administration of revoking her visa for engaging in protected political speech, saying she was denied any meaningful form of due process to challenge the visa revocation.

Noems post on X is not only factually wrong but fundamentally un-American, Naz Ahmad, one of Srinivasans lawyers, said in a statement, adding: For at least a week, DHS has made clear its intent to punish her for her speech, and they have failed in their efforts.

In response to questions, officials with the Homeland Security Department said that when Srinivasan renewed her visa last year, she failed to disclose two court summonses related to protests on Columbias campus.

The department did not say how the summonses made her a terrorist sympathiser. "Im fearful that even the most low-level political speech or just doing what we all do  like shout into the abyss that is social media  can turn into this dystopian nightmare where somebody is calling you a terrorist sympathiser and making you, literally, fear for your life and your safety, Srinivasan said in the interview on Friday.

The Trump administrations targeting of students with visas at a university enveloped in a cultural firestorm opened a new front in the presidents attempts to ramp up deportations and tamp down pro-Palestinian views, the NYT reported.

The president cancelled $400 million in grants to the university after accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students.
Debendra Pradhan, former Union minister and father of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, passed away today at the age of 84 in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid last respects to former Union Minister.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also offered his heartfelt condolences on the passing of Debendra Pradhan.

"I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of former Union Minister Devendra Pradhan. He was a popular public leader and an able parliamentarian. As the State BJP President, he Pradhan made a significant contribution to the development of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Odisha with strong leadership," CM Majhi posted on X in Odia.

"He dedicated his entire life for the development of the state with a spirit of service and determination. With the demise of this veteran personality, the country and the state have lost an eminent public servant. His contribution to the welfare of the people and the development of the state will always be remembered," he added.
A victim in the Vadodara car crash involving a law student said the accused appeared "intoxicated" and was driving recklessly for enjoyment. The crash, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, resulted in one death after the accused rammed into several vehicles. The injured man stated that those responsible will only realize the gravity of their actions when they face strict punishment.

One woman was killed and several others injured when an over-speeding car collided with two-wheelers on March 14 in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Describing the incident, injured victim Vikas Kewalani stated that he, along with his siblings and neighbors, had gone for refreshments. While returning, an over-speeding vehicle collided with them from behind, resulting in one death on the spot and several others injured.

"Two people from my society and I had gone out for refreshment. One of them was Hemali Patel, her husband is in critical condition...we were on our two-wheeler and suddenly, an overspeeding car rammed into our vehicle...when I fell, I was awake, and I saw that the car had hit the other vehicle as well and it flew through the air, husband and wife had suffered serious injuries," Kewalani said, ANI reported.

He further added that the accused looked intoxicated and he was doing over-speeding for enjoyment purposes.

"Such things can't be controlled through just fine...fine is not the solution, they will realise their mistakes only when strict punishment is taken against them...my brother and sister have sustained fractures. I fractured my right-hand elbow...the accused (Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia) looked intoxicated...he was doing it (over-speeding) for enjoyment purposes... Nobody in normal state could do and say such things..." Kewalani added.

A brutal collision between a car and two-wheelers in Gujarat's Vadodara led to the death of one woman, with eight others injured, police said on Saturday.

The accused driver, Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia, is in police custody and denied being intoxicated. Vadodara Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar confirmed that more than three vehicles were involved in the incident, including two Activa scooters and one electric vehicle (EV).

(With ANI inputs)
India has reportedly raised the Khalistani issue with United States Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. She is on a visit to India to attend the think tank Observer Research Foundation's annual Raisina Dialogues and intelligence sharing meeting. Gabbard met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of the event where the issue was taken up.

According to reports, India raised the issue of anti-India activities conducted by the Khalistani organisation SFJ (Sikh For Justice) in America. India also expressed its concerns and asked the US Admin to take strong action against the unlawful organisation. India has reportedly demanded a ban on the SFJ and its listing as a terror entity.

In a post on X, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues which include defence and information sharing, aiming to further deepen the India-US partnership."

In a separate interview with ANI, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said that President Trump has been very clear about his commitment to defeating with threat of Islamist terrorism that has plagued the world, and continues to pose a threat to American people. "We see how it has been impacting people here in India and Bangladesh. Currently, ongoing in Syria, Israel and different countries in the Middle East. This is a threat that PM Modi also takes seriously and one where leaders of our two countries will work together to identify and defeat that threat..." said Gabbard while reacting to a question of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

The US Director of National Intelligence said that both President Trump and PM Modi are looking for a "good solution". "What I see as a great positive is that we have two leaders who have common sense and who are looking for good solutions. This direct dialogue is happening at the very top in both of our countries, but also at the different secretaries and the cabinet members is going to be key to laying down what that path forward really looks like. And I personally am excited because there's keen interest in the private sector here in India and in the United States," she said.

On China, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said, "...What I appreciate about President Trump and his approach and some comments I heard PM Modi make recently is that they are very practical and pragmatic and are looking to strike that balance that will allow us to prevent any conflict...The goal we all share is to achieve peace and ensure stability."
The Budget Session of Parliament will resume on Monday, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha set to meet. Both Houses were adjourned last Wednesday till March 17 on account of Holi.

According to the list of business, the Lok Sabha will reconvene at 11.00 am to take up key legislative matters, including the presentation and discussion of multiple reports from standing committees.

BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh and SP MP Virendra Singh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Defence.

Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor and BJP MP Arun Govil will present the fifth report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs on the 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry of External Affairs for 2025-26.'

Lok Sabha members PC Mohan and Godam Nagesh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will move a motion for the election of two members to the court of the University of Delhi.

The session will also take up the discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26.

The second part of the budget session of Parliament began on March 10 and will continue till April 4.

On March 12, the Upper House of the Parliament was in a massive uproar over the LoP (Rajya Sabha) and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'thokenge' remark.

Kharge's statement came while he was speaking about Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after his remark against the Tamil Nadu government about the issue of the three-language policy. "...I request you (Deputy Chairman) with folded hands to allow me (to speak)...'aapko kya kya thokna hai thik se thokenge, sarkar ko bhi thokenge'....", he said in the Upper House of the Parliament on Tuesday.

BJP strongly opposed Kharge's statement, stating that it was disrespectful to the chair. Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the Congress president should apologise for his statement and expunge his words from the footage of the Parliament proceedings.

"The language used by him and the attack on the Chair is condemnable. He should condemn it and apologize for using this language for the Chair. He should take back his words or it should be expunged," Nadda said.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh also expressed dissatisfaction over Kharge's remark, noting his seniority in the House. Kharge immediately apologised for his remark, clarifying that his remark was not aimed at the chair but towards the government and its policy."I apologize to you (Deputy Chairman), I have not used these words for you. I have said that 'hum sarkar ki policies ko thokenge'. I apologise to you and not to the government..." Kharge said.

Other than the outrage over Mallikarjun Kharge's 'thokenge' remark, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan once again cleared the government's stance on the National Education Policy and replied to DMK's allegations of imposing the Hindi language onto the state.

Pradhan lashed out at the opposition for claiming that the government wants to divide society while using languages and said that the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never use language to do such a "sin."

"There are certain things going on; let me first clarify in my Odia society. Lord Jagganath is everybody. The king of Puri is not a king but a philosopher. He is a living deity to everyone. My king married to the Queen of Kanchi. My mother is from Tamil Nadu. I am the son of a Tamil Nadu lady. Another House yesterday. In my society, mothers and sisters are above everything. If I hurt anybody if any of my words, I beg an apology. PM Modi has always mentioned that Tamil is an ancient language. The Tamil language is nobody's monopoly. We are committed to the Tamil language. Truth is always painful," Pradhan said in the Rajya Sabha.
NEW DELHI: India and New Zealand on Monday inked a pact to institutionalise their defence ties and vowed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged concerns to his Kiwi counterpart Christopher Luxon over certain unlawful elements indulging in anti-India activities in the island nation.

Following talks between Modi and Luxon, the two sides signed six agreements to ramp up cooperation in several areas including education, sports, agriculture and climate change, and decided to prepare a roadmap for cooperation in the defence industry sector. In his media statement, Modi said India and New Zealand support a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, adding "We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism", remarks that came amid growing global concerns over China's expansionist behaviour in the region.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting an Indo-Pacific where sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected, according to a joint statement. Luxon arrived in the national capital on Sunday on a five-day visit primarily to push for deeper economic engagement between the two sides.

Both prime ministers welcomed the launch of negotiations for a "balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial" free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries to achieve deeper economic integration. Within the context of FTA negotiations, Modi and Luxon agreed for discussions between respective authorities on both sides to explore early implementation of cooperation in the digital payments sector.

In the context of the negotiations for the trade deal, the two sides agreed to start discussions on an arrangement facilitating the mobility of professionals and skilled workers, primarily to address the challenge of irregular migration, according to a joint statement. In his remarks, Modi, referring to the 2019 Christchurch terror attack and the 26/11 Mumbai strike, said that terrorism in any form is "unacceptable".

"Strict action is necessary against those guilty of terrorist attacks. We will continue to cooperate together against terrorist, separatist and radical elements," he said. "In this context, we shared our concern about anti-India activities by some illegal elements in New Zealand. We are confident that we will continue to get the cooperation of the New Zealand government against all these illegal elements," he said.

Modi said both sides decided to strengthen and institutionalise defence and security partnership and a roadmap will be prepared for cooperation in the defence industry sector. In his remarks, Luxon said he and Modi discussed a strategic outlook for the Indo-Pacific. "I reiterated our strong commitment to address shared concerns over our respective interests in contributing to a prosperous Indo-Pacific," he said.

On the proposed FTA, Modi said mutual cooperation and investment will be encouraged in areas like dairy, food processing and pharma. Prime Minister Modi also delved into the India-New Zealand defence ties. "We have decided to strengthen and institutionalise our defence and security partnership. Along with joint exercises, training, port visits, a roadmap will be made for mutual cooperation in the defence industry as well," he said.

The agreements signed between the two sides include one on a mutual recognition pact between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India (CBIC) and New Zealand's Customs Service. The joint statement said the defence pact will further strengthen overall defence ties. In the context of maritime security, New Zealand welcomed India joining the Combined Maritimes Forces.

Both Modi and Luxon welcomed advancement in defence ties during the island nation's command of Command Task Force 150. The two leaders also touched upon pressing global challenges. On the situation in the Middle East, Modi and Luxon reaffirmed their firm support for peace and stability in the region.

They reiterated their call for continued negotiations to secure a permanent peace, which includes the release of all hostages and a rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza, the joint statement said. It said the leaders stressed the importance of a negotiated two-State solution, leading to the establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent state of Palestine, and living within secure and mutually recognised borders, side by side in peace and security with Israel.

Modi and Luxon also exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and expressed support for a just and lasting peace based on respect for international law, principles of the UN charter and territorial integrity and sovereignty. "The two leaders reiterated their absolute condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and the use of terrorist proxies in cross-border terrorism," the joint statement mentioned.

It said Modi and Luxon stressed the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, measurable and concrete action against UN-proscribed terrorist organisations and individuals. "They called for disrupting terrorism financing networks and safe havens, dismantling of terror infrastructure, including online, and bringing perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly," it said.
In a big disclosure showing India's diplomatic stature, Polands Deputy Foreign Minister And Secretary Of State Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin not to use nuclear tactical weapons against Ukraine. He said that Europe wants permanent and sustainable peace in the region.

In an interview with CNN-News18, Bartoszewski said, We had a great visit of PM Modi to Warsaw. PM Modi did persuade Putin not to use nuclear tactical weapons. We want permanent peace. We want stable and sustainable peace in Ukraine."

Bartoszewskis statement came a day after PM Modi shared his stand on the Russia-Ukraine war in a podcast with Lex Fridman. PM Modi has said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will only be resolved when both sides join the negotiation table, asserting that there can never be a resolution on the battlefield.

In the podcast, PM Modi said that he urged Russia that war is not the solution while also reminding Ukraine that battlefields do not bring real solutions. "I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike. I can sit with President Putin and say that this is not the time for war. And I can also tell President Zelensky, in a friendly way, that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield," Modi said.

PM Modi further said, "The resolution will only come when both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table. Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties."

The Polish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski is in India for the Raisina Dialogue. He pointed out that the discussions this year are expected to focus on major geopolitical shifts, ongoing conflicts, and economic challenges that are reshaping the international order. "I think this is the main topic of conversation, this change of the global order. New President in the United States, continuous Russian aggression in Ukraine, a new trade war, potentially, potentially changing the world based on international law into a different form. This is a very troublesome time, and definitely, these would be the main topics of discussion." (With agency inputs)
Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time and plans to close down its U.S. business as traffic in U.S. shopping malls fades and competition from online retailers like Amazon, Temu and Shein intensifies.

F21 OpCo, which runs Forever 21 stores, said late Sunday that it will wind down the business in the U.S. under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while determining if it can continue as a business with a partner, or if it will sell some or all of its assets.

While we have evaluated all options to best position the company for the future, we have been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin, Chief Financial Officer Brad Sell said in a statement.

The de minimis tax exemption lets shipments headed to U.S. businesses and consumers valued at less than $800 to enter the country tax free and duty free.

Forever 21 stores in the U.S. will hold liquidation sales and the website will continue to run while operations wind down. The retailer's locations outside of the U.S. are run by other licensees and are not included in the bankruptcy filing. International store locations and websites will continue operating as normal.

Authentic Brands Group owns the international intellectual property associated with the Forever 21 brand and may license the brand to other operators, F21OpCo said.

Jarrod Weber, Global President, Lifestyle at Authentic Brands Group, said the restructuring lets Forever 21 accelerate the modernization of the brands distribution model, setting it up to compete and lead in fast fashion for decades to come. Were building a direct creation-to-shelf model that moves faster.

He added that, We are receiving lots of interest from strong brand operators and digital experts who share our vision and are ready to take the brand to the next level.

Forever 21 first filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019. The following year, it was acquired by a consortium of parties including Authentic Brands Group and mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners. In early January, Forever 21s parent company, Sparc Group, merged with JCPenney to form Catalyst Brands, a new entity that also includes brands like Aeropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, and Nautica.

In 2023, Forever 21 teamed up with Chinese e-commerce player Shein. The partnership allowed Shein to carry Forever 21s items on its platform. It also offered the opportunity to return Shein online orders at a couple hundred physical Forever 21 stores across the U.S.
As the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) escalated its protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, hundreds gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. On Monday, Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), criticized the Muslim body for warning of a "Shaheen Bagh-like protest," calling it an attempt to create division. AIMPLB accused the government of conspiring to seize Waqf properties and staged another demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The protest drew support from eleven opposition parties, including the Congress, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Salman Khurshid also in attendance.

However, AIMPLB's approach has drawn criticism from within the community as well, with Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi accusing the board of being hijacked by political interests rather than focusing on real Muslim issues. Reacting to AIMPLB's stance, Pal told IANS, "They have been opposing this bill from the very beginning. Despite this, we invited the All India Muslim Personal Law Board to present their views before the Joint Parliamentary Committee. Owaisi Sahab was also a member. We listened to everyone for 3-4 hours and recorded the opinions of every stakeholder from different states."

Earlier, AIMPLB member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas had warned, "If the bill is implemented, the entire country will witness a protest like Shaheen Bagh." Notably, Ilyas is the father of former JNU scholar and student activist Umar Khalid, who has been behind bars since September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the "larger conspiracy" case related to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.

Slamming such remarks, Pal asserted that the JPC report was prepared after extensive consultations. "We considered every stakeholder's viewpoint before drafting the report. This law aims to protect Waqf properties from individuals who misuse them and prevent the benefits from reaching poor Muslims, women, and widows. The bill hasn't even been passed yet, and they are already calling for a Shaheen Bagh-like situation. This is a well-planned attempt to divide people, just like during the Article 370 and Triple Talaq debates," he said.

Pal pointed to the positive impact of past government decisions, stating, "Today, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a tourism boom and economic prosperity. Similarly, the abolition of Triple Talaq has given minority women a new sense of security, and they are thankful to PM Modi for this historic decision."

Defending the democratic process behind the bill, he added, "In a democracy, the power to make laws lies with the elected representatives of the people. The government introduced this bill and had the majority to pass it directly in Parliament." "However, instead of rushing it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju proposed referring it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. This was done to ensure that Muslim organisations across the country, including those now protesting, were heard, and a fair and balanced law was created."

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to introduce reforms such as digitization, enhanced audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. While the government argues that it aims to protect Waqf assets and benefit the underprivileged, the opposition and AIMPLB remain firm in their resistance, setting the stage for further confrontations over the bill. (With IANS inputs)
If you want to keep your clothes crisp and professional without spending too much, an iron is essential. Good and inexpensive alternatives are available. The type of iron you need: a cordless iron, a steam iron, or a dry iron. Modern ironing tools featuring such refinements as ceramic soleplates, adjustable-steam settings, and automatic shut-off make short work of wrinkle-removal. For great iron deals on Amazon, look for discounts, combo deals, and seasonal bargains. Armed with this guide, you will be able to choose the best iron for the money from stores, leaving you with a wrinkle-free, smooth wardrobe without bursting your limited budget.

1. Wipro Elato GD203 1200-Watt Heavyweight Dry Iron

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Efficiency is a 1200-watt heavyweight dry iron specially designed for powerful ironing. This iron is meant for toughness and precision, and with its heavy soleplate, it makes the home iron an excellent tool for getting through the toughest creases with the least possible effort.

Major Features:

1200 watts power- Hurry up to heat your iron without delay in ironing.

Heavyweight-Dry ironitates press tough wrinkles with the least amounts of effort.

Durable Soleplate- Provides smooth ironing by even heat distribution.

Heavyweight Build  Might not be ideal for those preferring lightweight irons.

2. Havells Dazzle 1100-Watt Dry Iron

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Havells Dazzle 1100-Watt Dry Iron - A sleek and efficient flatting iron designed for gentle and smooth press-style applications. It has a non-stick soleplate of Greblon imported from Germany, gliding easily over a fabric used for almost laying it to rest on the soleplate while preventing sticking. It applies consistent heat throughout.

Major Features:

1100-Watt Power Output - Quick heating and great ironing efficiency.

Greblon Nonstick Soleplate - Prevents the fabric from sticking and allows for smooth gliding.

German Technology Soleplate - Provides durability and uniform heat distribution.

No steam function - Steam ironing not available for very stubborn wrinkles.

3. Crompton InstaGlide 1000-Watt Dry Iron

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Smooth and flawless ironing is then possible when using the Crompton InstaGlide 1000-Watt Dry Iron as it features an American Heritage Coated Soleplate making it very durable with a non-stick glide. It works on 1000 watts, heats up quickly, and distributes heat equally, making it operationally useful for removing wrinkles.

Major Features:

Output Power of 1000 Watts - Guarantees fast heating for quick and efficient ironing.

American Heritage Coated Soleplate - Delivers smooth gliding without the burning of fabric.

Adjustable Temperature Control - for all fabric types.

Less Wattage (1000W) - Unlike models with higher wattage, warm-up may take longer.

4. Pigeon by Stovekraft Ivory 1000-Watt Dry Iron

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The Pigeon by Stovekraft Ivory 1000-Watt Dry Iron is a lightweight, efficient ironing solution designed for everyday use. Its 1000-watt power output ensures quick heating for smooth and crisp ironing. The non-stick soleplate allows for easy gliding over fabrics, preventing sticking and burning.

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1000-Watt Power Output  Heats up quickly for efficient ironing.

Non-Stick Soleplate  Prevents fabric from sticking and ensures smooth gliding.

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China on Monday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks on Sino-Indian relations, emphasizing dialogue over discord. Beijing said cooperation between the two nations is the only way forward for mutual success.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning acknowledged Modis statement in a media briefing, saying, "China noted Prime Minister Modis recent positive statement on China-India relations and appreciates it."

She highlighted the significance of the meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, in October, stating that it provided strategic direction for improving bilateral ties. "Both sides have earnestly followed through on important common understandings, strengthened exchanges, and achieved positive outcomes," Mao said.

Referring to the historical relationship between the two nations, Mao noted, "In the 2,000-plus years of interactions, the two countries have maintained friendly exchanges and learned from each other, contributing to civilizational achievements and human progress."

Modis comments came during an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, where he said normalcy had returned to the India-China border following discussions with Xi to defuse tensions from the 2020 Ladakh clashes. "Our focus is to ensure that these differences dont turn into disputes. Thats what we actively work toward. Instead of discord, we emphasize dialogue, because only through dialogue can we build a stable, cooperative relationship that serves the best interests of both nations," Modi said.

Mao reiterated Chinas stance on the importance of collaboration, stating that both countries share the responsibility of accelerating development and supporting each others success. "This serves the fundamental interests of over 2.8 billion people, meets regional aspirations, and aligns with the historical trend of the Global South growing stronger, contributing to world peace," she said.

She echoed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis recent comments, emphasizing that China and India should act as partners in mutual growth. "A cooperative pas de deux, a ballet between the dragon and the elephant, is the only choice for both sides," Mao added.

China expressed its readiness to work with India to implement key agreements between the two leaders and strengthen diplomatic ties, particularly as both nations mark the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. "China stands ready to advance bilateral ties on the track of stable and sound development," Mao said.

Modi also underscored the deep historical ties between India and China, highlighting their shared past when they accounted for over 50% of global GDP. "Our cooperation is not only mutually beneficial but also essential for global peace and prosperity," he said.

(With PTI inputs)
With anticipation growing over the return of two U.S. astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months, NASA confirmed on Sunday that they will head back to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, evening (GMT).

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, accompanied by another American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut, after the capsule successfully docked at the ISS early Sunday.

Elon Musk recently shared a video of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore expressing their gratitude to former US President Donald Trump for assisting in their return after spending over nine months stranded in space.

On Monday, Musk posted the clip on social media platform X, captioning it, "Stranded NASA astronauts thank Elon Musk and Trump."

In the 25-second video, Williams can be heard saying, "We are coming back before long, so don't make those plans without me. We'll be back before too long." Wilmore also conveyed his appreciation, stating, "All of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk and obviously respect and admiration for President of the United States Donald Trump. We appreciate them, we appreciate all what they do for us, human spaceflight for our nation, and we're thankful for the positions they are in."

The two astronauts initially embarked on a 10-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. However, due to propulsion issues, the spacecraft was deemed unfit for their return, leaving them on the ISS far longer than expected.

NASA has now confirmed their return is scheduled for Tuesday evening. Williams and Wilmore will travel back to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

.@NASA will provide live coverage of Crew-9s return to Earth from the @Space_Station, beginning with @SpaceX Dragon hatch closure preparations at 10:45pm ET Monday, March 17.



Splashdown is slated for approximately 5:57pm Tuesday, March 18: https://t.co/yABLg20tKX pic.twitter.com/alujSplsHm  NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) March 16, 2025

The SpaceX Crew Dragon's arrival at the ISS is part of NASA's routine crew rotation mission. The Crew-10 Dragon capsule successfully docked at 12:04 a.m. ET on Sunday, roughly 29 hours after launching from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. While initially intended as a standard rotation flight, the mission took on added significance as it enabled Williams and Wilmores long-awaited return.

Former President Donald Trump had earlier addressed the astronauts extended stay during a speech at the Oval Office, stating, "We love you, and we're coming up to get you. You shouldn't have been up there for so long. The most incompetent president in our history allowed this to happen to you, but this president won't let that happen. We're going to get you out. I've authorised Elon because they've been left up there."

Trump also made specific remarks about Sunita Williams, commenting on her appearance in zero gravity. "And I see the woman with the wild haira good, solid head of hair she's got. There's no kidding, no games with her hair. But, you know, there's a danger up there, too. They could face failures, which would be very bad. We've got to get them out. So, I authorised Elon a week ago," he added.

Blaming the previous administration for the delay, Trump stated, "We have two people up there that Biden and Kamala left behind." He further promised to personally welcome the astronauts upon their return, saying, "When they come back, I'll greet them. How about that?"
The Trump administration continued deporting hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador after a federal judges temporary order of halting deportations. The judges ruling, which cited an 18th-century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members, came while flights carrying the immigrants were already in the air, officials confirmed on Sunday.

On Saturday, US District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order blocking deportations, but lawyers informed him that two planes carrying immigrants were already in the air, one bound for El Salvador and the other for Honduras. While Boasberg verbally ordered the planes to turn back, this directive was not included in his written order, and the planes continued their flights.

In a court filing on Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Boasberg's ruling, stated that the immigrants "had already been removed from U.S. territory" when the written order was issued at 7:26 p.m.

Trump's allies were gleeful over the results.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele commented "OopsieToo late" on the social media platform X, above an article about Boasberg's ruling. Bukele, who agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6 million in El Salvadors prisons, had his post recirculated by White House communications director Steven Cheung.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who negotiated an earlier deal with Bukele to house immigrants said, We sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.

(With PTI, AP inputs)
Novuna Business Finance has announced a partnership with the British Business Bank (BBB) to pilot a green asset finance variant of the Banks Growth Guarantee Scheme. The initiative is designed to support smaller businesses in accessing funding for green assets that facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The pilot will focus on financing assets such as electric vehicles (EVs), EV chargers, solar photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, wind turbines, battery storage systems, and biomass. Leveraging the existing infrastructure of the Growth Guarantee Scheme, the programme aims to increase the availability of affordable finance for businesses investing in sustainable technologies.

The launch comes as small businesses place greater emphasis on sustainability. Novuna Business Finance research found that 88% of SMEs consider sustainability more important at the start of 2025 than a year ago. Similarly, the British Business Banks Small Business Finance Markets report highlighted that 53% of smaller businesses are prioritising environmental sustainability over the next year.

Geoff Maleham, Managing Director of Novuna Business Finance, said: We are proud to be working with the British Business Bank as their chosen lender on this innovative pilot. At Novuna Business Finance, sustainability is at the heart of our business, and we are committed to supporting SMEs in their journey towards Net Zero.

The Growth Guarantee Scheme, facilitated by the British Business Bank and delivered through its accredited lenders, provides facilities of up to 2 million to businesses that might otherwise struggle to secure financing. Launched on 1 July 2024, it supports various financial products, including term loans, overdrafts, asset finance, invoice finance, and asset-based lending.

Novuna is a trading name of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC.

"Novuna Business Finance partners with BBB for green asset finance pilot" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand.




By Stephen Culp

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Wall Street stocks ended higher and gold held near $3,000 per ounce on Monday after mixed economic data and ahead of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at ending the Ukraine war.

Over the weekend, U.S. strikes against Yemen's Houthi movement threatened to escalate tensions in the oil-rich Middle East, driving crude prices higher on supply fears.

All three major U.S. stock indexes were in positive territory, with weakness in Tesla, Nvidia and Amazon.com shares holding the Nasdaq's gains in check.

Trump said he would speak with Putin on Tuesday to discuss a potential Russia-Ukraine cease-fire proposal, which could alleviate some geopolitical uncertainty.

"There has been a pretty big selloff, so some sort of a rebound, is to be expected and I think that's part of what we're seeing," said Oliver Pursche, senior vice president at Wealthspire Advisors, in New York. "And the prospect of Russia and Ukraine developing a cease-fire that could end up leading to a more permanent peace, it's positive for markets, not just in the U.S. but globally."

Weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales data was at least partially attributable to cheaper gasoline; a solid rebound in online receipts and an upside surprise in the core measure showed underlying consumer strength.

"We had relatively weaker than expected (retail sales) for February, which would tend to indicate less inflationary pressures that would potentially offset the effect of tariffs," Pursche added.

The U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks are expected to convene for policy meetings this week, but are largely expected to keep to the sidelines until the ramifications of Trump's multi-front tariff war can be further assessed.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 353.44 points, or 0.85%, to 41,841.63, the S&P 500 rose 36.18 points, or 0.64%, to 5,675.12 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 54.58 points, or 0.31%, to 17,808.66.

European shares extended their rally as Germany's debt reform plans helped to boost confidence that Europe's largest economy will increase spending and kick-start growth.

Investors were also focused on the outcome of Ukraine-Russian cease-fire talks, which could translate to lower energy costs for Europe.

European stocks have handily outperformed their global counterparts so far this year.

Europe's broad FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 18.02 points, or 0.83%.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 7.35 points, or 0.88%, to 843.49.
By Ananya Mariam Rajesh

(Reuters) -PepsiCo said on Monday it would buy prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion, expanding into the "healthier soda" category at a time when the company is battling falling demand for its traditional beverages and snacks.

Shares of PepsiCo were up 1.6% in early trading.

Young Americans are increasingly turning to healthier sodas and energy drinks as part of a broader shift to fitness and lifestyle products, with rival Coca-Cola expanding its Simply brand to launch a prebiotic soda called "Simply Pop".

Peers such as Celsius Holdings and Keurig Dr Pepper have also targeted the market by snapping up smaller energy and wellness drink makers.

The Poppi deal boosts PepsiCo's presence in the healthy drinks category at a time when multiple price hikes weigh on demand for its sodas and Lay's snacks, pushing the company to forecast weak annual profit.

Prebiotic sodas have become a top-growing category in the U.S. within the carbonated drinks segment (CSD), powered by a shift in preference to more gut health-focused drinks.

The deal helps in "establishing a foothold in the fast-growing 'modern' soda segment and shoring up a CSD portfolio that has been losing share for years to Coca-Cola and Keurig Dr Pepper," J.P. Morgan analyst Andrea Teixeira said.

Poppi combines prebiotics, fruit juice, and apple cider vinegar to create a low-calorie soda with no more than five grams of sugar per serving, PepsiCo said.

The Austin, Texas-based company's retail sales jumped 122%, year-over-year, in the 12 weeks through February 22 and now holds about a 1% share of the total carbonated soft drinks category, according to BNP Paribas.

Poppi, founded by Stephen and Allison Ellsworth, was initially known as Mother and was rebranded in 2020. The founders appeared on Shark Tank in 2018, and had gained the backing of investor and co-founder of CAVU Consumer Partners Rohan Oza.

The deal with Poppi includes $300 million of anticipated cash tax benefits for a net purchase price of $1.65 billion, PepsiCo said, without disclosing additional terms of the deal.

(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
PepsiCo (PEP) is close to a deal to buy Poppi, a healthier soda brand, for more than $1.5B, Bloombergs Gillian Tan, Deena Shanker, and Crystal Tse report. A deal could be announced as soon as next week, people with knowledge of the matter say. PepsiCo had planned to launch its own functional soda under the brand Soulboost, but decided to halt the effort due to early indicators it wouldnt succeed, the report notes.

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Ping An Property & Casualty (P&C), part of Ping An Insurance Group of China, has joined forces with FAW Hongqi Auto Sales to introduce an insurance service for intelligent driving.

This collaboration aims to provide travel protection for drivers and enhance the intelligent vehicle industry.

Ping An P&C utilises intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) data to analyse risks in various scenarios in collaboration with automakers.

The company has now unveiled what it claims is the industry's first full-scenario solution for intelligent driving.

The service encompasses protection for intelligent driving liability, addressing eight common scenarios in intelligent driving assistance.

These are automated parking; enhanced urban traffic lane cruise control; highway navigation; highway traffic lane cruise control; remote control parking; urban navigation; urban traffic vehicle lane cruise control; and valet parking.

This initiative represents the first intelligent driving protection service launched by Ping An P&C in partnership with FAW Hongqi.

The two companies are jointly exploring insurance models for intelligent driving.

These include establishing a risk database, optimising service processes and enhancing protection solutions to deliver risk coverage for users.

Ping An P&C can customise compensation plans for losses incurred due to power battery failure in FAW Hongqis Hongqi Tiangong 08 all-electric SUV, which can be triggered by low temperatures.

The plan also covers the cost of a replacement vehicle during the repair period.

Ping An P&C also teamed up with Seres Automobile in November 2024 to offer a customised intelligent driving protection service. This encompasses protection needs in various scenarios including automated parking and driving.

Earlier this month, Ping An Group initiated its 2025 Spring Campus Recruitment, offering more than 2,000 positions.

This recruitment drive is powered by the Ping An Talent system, an in-house platform that integrates AI for job matching, interviews and salary negotiations.

"Ping An P&C, FAW Hongqi partner on intelligent driving coverage " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand.




By Klaus Lauer, Elvira Pollina

BERLIN/MILAN (Reuters) -The supervisory board of ProSiebenSat.1 has put on hold a potential deal that could hand U.S. private equity firm General Atlantic a minority stake in the German broadcaster, sources told Reuters on Monday.

General Atlantic is a co-investor in ProSieben's internet units - price comparison website Verivox, perfume e-retailer Flaconi, and online dating platform ParshipMeet Group - which the TV group is looking to sell.

ProSieben said earlier this month it was working on a deal to buy the U.S. firm's minority stakes in ParshipMeet and in NuCom Group, the holding company housing Verivox and Flaconi, using as payment a mandatory convertible bond it would issue.

But ProSiebenSat.1's supervisory board on Sunday did not give the required support to the potential deal with GA and asked for the management to seek a renegotiation under different terms before reassessing it, according to the sources.

ProSiebenSat.1 said in a statement it was still assessing individual aspects of the deal and had "therefore not yet made a decision".

The deal with General Atlantic would make ProSiebenSat.1 the sole owner of the digital assets, removing an obstacle to the proposed sales of Verivox and Flaconi, which General Atlantic has the power to block currently.

A key issue scrutisined by the supervisory board was the terms of a so called "contingent" capital increase, an option allowing the company to issue up to 23.3 million shares, or 10% of its share capital, the sources said.

The contingent capital option would dilute the stakes of ProSieben's existing shareholders, including top investor MFE-MediaForEurope, which holds nearly 30% of ProSieben, just below the threshold that under German laws triggers a mandatory bid.

General Atlantic and MFE declined comment.

MFE, controlled by Italy's Berlusconi family, has secured a 3.4 billion euro financing package to fund a potential takeover of ProSieben, which it could launch later this year under a push to build an ad-funded European broadcaster.

(Reporting by Klaus Lauer and Elvira Pollina; writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by David Evans and Tomasz Janowski)
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has closed a record debt financing for the Cleve Hill solar park in Kent, UK.

The 373MW solar and 150MW battery energy storage system will be the UK's largest solar and battery storage project under construction, with operations expected to commence during 2025.

The project financing - a 218.5m ($282.5m) term loan and a 20m VAT facility - is provided by Lloyds and NatWest.

The financing, the largest of its kind in the UK, was structured in two stages.

Quinbrook managing director and UK regional leader Keith Gains stated: Cleve Hill is a model for the development and financing of future large-scale projects in the UK that can meaningfully support the countrys decarbonisation goals while spurring economic growth and long-term job opportunities for local communities.

The record-breaking financing secured is the latest milestone for this flagship project, and our success here is a testament to the hard work and close collaboration of the Quinbrook and Private Energy Partners teams and our lending partners.

The solar PV term loans were finalised in August 2024, while the battery energy storage system facility will be complete in March 2025.

The project secured the largest award for a UK solar project in Round 4 of the government's 15-year contract for difference auction scheme.

A landmark offtake agreement with Tesco for 65% of the solar generation and a 15-year capacity market agreement for the battery storage system enhance its financial viability.

The capacity market agreement ensures that the project is compensated for maintaining power generation capabilities during high-demand periods, improving grid reliability.

The agreement contributes to total contracted and index-linked revenues exceeding 480m.

Cleve Hill received development consent in May 2020 and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 142,000 tonnes (t) in its first operational year.

It aims to deliver a net biodiversity gain of 67% and is projected to support 2,500 jobs and generate 114m in local socio-economic benefits.

Quinbrook was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright for this financing.

In March 2025, Quinbrook announced the acquisition of the 350MW Mallard Pass solar photovoltaic project in the UK.

"Quinbrook closes financing for Cleve Hill solar park in UK" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - French engine and aircraft equipment maker Safran has offered remedies in an attempt to secure EU antitrust approval for its $1.8 billion bid for Collins Aerospace's flight controls business, an update on the European Commission website showed on Monday.

The EU competition enforcer, which did not provide details in line with its policy, extended its decision deadline on Safran's bid for the U.S. company to April 4 from March 21.

It is now expected to seek feedback from rivals and customers before deciding whether to accept the concession, demand more or open a four-month long investigation.

Safran in December announced the sale of its electromechanical actuation business in North America, which includes its intellectual property, operations assets, staff, and customer agreements for HSTA systems, to U.S. aircraft parts maker Woodward.

It said the deal was related to the Collins acquisition.

The EU antitrust watchdog had in February asked rivals and customers whether the deal would give Safran more market power, a person familiar with the familiar told Reuters.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Henderson Loggie, a Scotland-based independent, owner-managed accountancy firm, has appointed Stephen Dodds as its new tax director.

The appointment is part of the firm's strategy to expand its tax advisory services across Scotland's central belt.

Dodds, a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser, has more than 20 years of experience in tax advisory, having worked with both large and medium-sized firms.

As a law graduate from Glasgow University, his previous roles included a tax lawyer position at a commercial law firm in Scotland.

Henderson Loggie tax head Kimberley Thomson said: Im delighted to welcome such exceptional talent to the firm. With extensive experience in advising owner-managed businesses at all stages of their lifecycle, Stephen was a stand-out candidate and brings a wealth of expertise in areas such as tax-efficient structuring and incentivising management teams.

His deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities facing these businesses in the current regulatory landscape makes him an excellent addition to our team.

Henderson Loggie noted that its tax team registered growth in excess of 150% over the past four years.

Dodds said: I was attracted to Henderson Loggie as a firm with both heritage and a modern outlook. Its vision and values are very well aligned with mine.

Im thrilled to be joining such a successful tax team and to be part of the plans for growth. Im especially looking forward to working closely with owner-managed businesses that are so important to the communities we live and work in across Scotland.

Operating as an independent firm, Henderson Loggie provides an array of services including audit and accountancy, business advice, tax, insolvency, corporate finance, and financial services.

The firm, with offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, also offers specialised services such as forensic accounting and VAT expertise.

"Scotlands Henderson Loggie names new tax director " was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand.




Shuka Minerals, an African-focused mining company, has extended the completion date to 11 June 2025 to acquire Leopard Exploration and Mining and the Kabwe Zinc Mine in Zambia.

The delay is due to the pending final regulatory approval from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The company has received all other necessary approvals and anticipates the remaining one within the revised timeline.

The acquisition, initially set to be completed by 13 March 2025, involves a share and cash transaction for 100% of Leopard Exploration's share capital through a conditional share purchase agreement.

The extension was mutually agreed upon by both parties without any penalties following the delay in receiving CCPC approval. Shuka Minerals' management remains optimistic about the approval and is focused on securing the necessary funding for the cash consideration and working capital.

Shuka Minerals has been engaging with major shareholders, advisers and potential debt funders to secure the required funding.

Discussions have been progressing with finance groups in London and Africa, aiming to source non-dilutive capital at the PLC level.

The board is confident in securing the capital required for the transformative acquisition of the Kabwe Mine.

The Kabwe Mine, with a history of 88 years of operation by Anglo American and Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines, was one of the world's highest-grade zinc and lead mines. It was closed in 1994 due to commodity prices.

The mine holds significant economic importance in Zambia and is considered a transformational asset for Shuka Minerals and its shareholders.

To commence the initial exploration activities at the Kabwe Mine, Shuka Minerals has appointed GeoQuest, a Zambian-based independent geological consultant.

GeoQuest will review historical resource drilling and exploration at the Kabwe Mine and conduct a geophysical survey of the site and its existing Mining Licence.

It will also assess assay results from zinc and lead mineral samples collected during the companys executive site visit in February 2025.

"Shuka Minerals delays Kabwe acquisition pending final approval" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




United Bank for Africa (UBA) has partnered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to boost the finance and accounting sectors.

The collaboration aims to drive mutual growth and development through strategic partnerships.

The 60th president of ICAN, Chief Davidson C S Alaribe, was hosted by UBA in a meeting that focused on exploring various avenues for collaboration.

The discussions included joint training programmes to improve the skills of accounting professionals and UBA staff, as well as initiatives to promote ethical standards, financial literacy, and best practices in the sector.

UBA group managing director/CEO Oliver Alawuba welcomed the ICAN president and his delegation, expressing readiness to support ICAN's drive for excellence.

Alawuba said: We are particularly excited about potential collaboration in the Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP), training initiatives, and other business opportunities that will create a win-win for both organisations.

The meeting also included the proposal to establish a branch of ICAN at the UBA House.

Alaribe said: UBA is not just a financial powerhouse in Nigeria but a global leader with a strong presence across Africa and beyond. ICAN recognises the immense value UBA brings to the table, and we are excited to explore opportunities for collaboration in areas such as capacity building, professional development, and business expansion.

This partnership will undoubtedly benefit our members and the broader financial ecosystem.

Earlier in March 2025, the Ekiti State Governor underscored the importance of ICAN's certification standards in maintaining the credibility and high reputation of the accountancy profession in Nigeria.

His address highlighted the role that ICAN plays in upholding integrity within the industry.

"UBA and ICAN to boost finance and accounting across Africa " was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand.




By Ariane Luthi

ZURICH (Reuters) -UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti's total pay was 14.9 million Swiss francs ($16.9 million) last year, with the bank keeping his remuneration in check as it navigates a tense political debate about how it is regulated.

That compares with the 14.4 million francs for nine months' work in 2023 when Ermotti returned to UBS to oversee the integration of Credit Suisse. Even with the shortened work year, that made him then the best-paid boss among leading European banks.

Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter publicly questioned whether Ermotti's 2023 pay was appropriate, and news of the 2024 compensation package quickly drew criticism as well.

"Nothing learned!" the head of the centrist Green-Liberal party, Juerg Grossen, posted on X in response to Ermotti's salary. "Such wages tear our society apart and ultimately damage Switzerland as an economic and banking centre."

Last year, Ermotti's base salary remained stable, while his variable compensation fell to 12.1 million francs from 12.25 million francs in 2023, the bank said in its annual report.

His total compensation was lower than that of David Layton, the CEO of Swiss private equity firm Partners Group, who received almost 17 million francs last year.

UBS bought its former rival Credit Suisse for just 3 billion francs in a state-engineered deal after the once-powerful institution fell apart in a welter of scandals.

The UBS that emerged from the takeover has a balance sheet bigger than the Swiss economy, stirring concern about what would happen if the enlarged bank failed, and leading to calls to draw up tougher regulations to prevent another meltdown.

Central to that is how much additional capital UBS should hold, and in the annual report the bank criticized what it called an "often ill-informed public debate" in Switzerland about potential risks stemming from its business activities.

The Swiss upper house of parliament backed a motion this month to cap bankers' pay at between 3 and 5 million francs ($3.4 million-$5.7 million).

Still, Jakob Stark, the lawmaker from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, who filed the motion to curb pay in 2023, struck a more moderate tone on Monday, saying it was not aimed at UBS.

"My motion is not aimed at Mr. Ermotti, he's doing a great job," he told Reuters. "If you take 2023 and previous practice as a benchmark, his remuneration for 2024 is acceptable."

UBS said that total fixed and variable compensation for its executive board in 2024 was 143.6 million francs, up from 140.3 million francs a year earlier.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The pay package of UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti came in just above 15 million Swiss francs ($17 million) in 2024, Swiss daily Blick reported, not citing where it obtained the information.

This would be more than the 14.4 million Swiss francs Ermotti received in 2023 for nine months' work after he returned to the company to oversee the integration of Credit Suisse, which UBS bought in March of that year.

That made Ermotti the best-paid boss among leading European banks in 2023.

UBS picked up its former rival for just 3 billion Swiss francs in a state-engineered deal after the once-powerful institution fell apart in a welter of scandals.

UBS declined to comment.

The bank is scheduled to release its 2024 full-year report on Monday, which will include details on Ermotti's remuneration.

($1 = 0.8851 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Oliver Hirt, Christoph Steitz and Dave Graham, Editing by Louise Heavens)
UniCredit has secured the approval of the European Central Bank (ECB) for stake acquisition of up to 29.9% in Germanys Commerzbank.

The Italian banking major believes that this approval highlights its financial strength and regulatory compliance.

However, additional approvals, including from the Germany Federal Cartel Office, are needed before converting the derivative-held shares into physical shares.

The stake increase to 29.9% lies just under the 30% mark that would trigger a mandatory takeover bid under German rules.

UniCredit said that the timeline on a potential combination was likely to extend well beyond the end of 2025 and seeks a constructive dialogue with the new German government once it is established.

The Italian bank's current interest in Commerzbank includes a 9.5% direct stake and 18.5% through derivatives.

In a statement, UniCredit said: As shareholder, we are pleased that our investment has driven some positive change at Commerzbank, which, together with the recent more optimistic view on German macro, has driven a substantial increase in the bank share price.

However, only significant time will reveal if the plan is executable and hence determine whether such price appreciation is justified and sustainable.

Commerzbank, which was state-rescued in 2009, emphasised its strategy and independence, stating that the ECB's decision does not alter UniCredit's role as a shareholder, reported Reuters.

Following unsuccessful efforts by his predecessors to expand UniCredits presence in Germany, CEO Andrea Orcel made a decisive move in September by outbidding competitors in a government sale of Commerzbank shares, effectively doubling the stake he had previously acquired on the market, the news agency said.

Subsequently, he secured the right to own 28% of the bank through derivatives.

Earlier this month, UniCredit completed a 376m acquisition of Aion Bank and Vodeno, following necessary approvals.

Announced in July 2024, this transaction aims to bolster UniCredit's digital banking presence.

Vodeno, a Polish fintech, specialises in banking-as-a-service, while Aion Bank operates as a digital bank with a subscription model.

Both were previously under Warburg Pincus since 2022, collaborating on embedded banking services in Europe.

"UniCredit obtains ECB approval for Commerzbank stake hike " was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.




China has imposed a series of tariffs on some US imports. Nerthuz/iStock, Tyler Le/BI

China's stock market is suddenly surging after a tough time in 2024.

A pro-tech shift from Beijing is spurring confidence in markets.

While economic challenges persist, sources say the government is correcting course.

China looks investible again.

The country's stocks are rallying, countering the notion that investors should avoid the world's second-biggest economy.

Though many on Wall Street have been bearish on China since 2023, its stock market is suddenly looking good relative to flagging US peers.

Just a year ago, investors fled China in droves as they lost faith in its post-pandemic economy, and the exodus quickly back an ongoing problem for Beijing.

Amid fear that China would buckle from deflation, unemployment, or its high debt environment, foreign direct investment last year hit its lowest level since 1992.

The CSI 300 Index, a benchmark of mainland shares, dropped over 45% from a 2021 peak to the end of last year.

But now, while US stock leaders have suffered big declines since mid-February, Chinese large-caps have achieved their best annual start since 2002.

While the S&P 500 is down almost 10% from its February all-time high, the CSI 300 has topped a mid-December high and is up about 5% year-to-date.

The moves are causing analysts to start paying attention.

Citi recently upgraded China stocks to "Overweight," while dropping its view of US stocks to "Neutral." Meanwhile, Bank of America has said that the country will outperform this year, predicting that the previously "unloved" tech stocks will gain ground on sagging US peers.

Pro-tech turnaround

Before this year, many were skeptical about China's tech environment, which was weighed down by disapproval from Beijing officials. Since 2020, many of the nation's leading tech names have been caught in a regulatory "crackdown," making investors hesitant to put money to work.

But the government's changing approach toward the industry has been on full display in the past month, starting with President Xi Jinping's supportive remarks at a top tech symposium in February.

Pro-business undertones continued in this week's "two sessions," a set of concurrent policy meetings that outline the country's economic goals.

Ben Harburg, founder of Core Values Alpha, cited Beijing's recent embrace of its tech sector as one of several catalysts behind his firm's upside thesis.

Eighteen months ago, his company created the CoreValues Alpha Greater China Growth ETF on the idea that investors have become too pessimistic about China's economy and its tech sector.
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Tesla's (TSLA) stock could be in the jump-start zone.

The stock  which has plunged 41% this year  is currently in an "extremely oversold condition" on the charts, Evercore ISI technical strategist Rich Ross told me on Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid podcast (video above; listen below).

Ross has been studying market technicals for more than 30 years. In 2024, Institutional Investor ranked Ross No. 1 in his field for the seventh straight year. He was named to Institutional Investor's All-America Research team for the 10th year in a row.

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In studying Tesla's stock chart, Ross points to several factors in determining a potential oversold bounce in Tesla in the near term.

First, its current relative strength index (RSI) is at 32.

The RSI measures the speed and magnitude of a stock's recent price changes in a bid to estimate overbought or oversold conditions.

When Tesla's stock hit a record high in early December after President Trump's reelection, shares boasted an RSI of 72. The gap between Tesla's current RSI and the level hit at the highs suggests that a lot of bad news on demand has been priced into the stock  and how little in the way of positive news is being factored in.

Meantime, Tesla's stock is trading below its key 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving average  a major sign of lost momentum among traders  and at a noteworthy haircut to its record market cap of more than $1 trillion.

Tesla's market cap at the moment is $804 billion.

Ross explained, "When you take a trillion-dollar company and you give it a 32 RSI and you take 55% out of the market cap, that's extremely oversold condition. I would just say the risk-reward is compelling when you have that technical backdrop in terms of price and momentum at extreme levels."

Despite the charts signaling a bounce in Tesla, the bulls will have to overcome a firm bear narrative at the hands of weak fundamentals.

Tesla sold just 26,677 vehicles in China's market in February, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association. The figure marked an 11.16% drop year over year and a 20% decline from January.

At the same time, Australia's Electric Vehicle Council reported that Tesla's overall sales fell 72% year over year in February.

In the US, prices on used Cybertrucks, Model 3s, Model Ss, Model Ys, and Model Xs continue to drop. Tesla is facing increased EV competition from General Motors (GM) and Ford (F), while some consumers are opting for hybrids.
Australian petroleum exploration and production company Woodside Energy has signed a fourth agreement for long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales into Asia.

The sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with China Resources Gas International is Woodside's first stand-alone long-term sale deal with a Chinese customer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Woodside will supply approximately 600,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of LNG to China Resources over a 15-year period.

Woodside has signed three LNG sale deals to date since the start of 2024.

Woodside executive vice-president and chief commercial officer Mark Abbotsford said: We are very pleased to have launched our relationship with China Resources, the countrys leading gas utility.

The agreement again demonstrates the depth and length of demand for LNG in Asian markets as nations in the region seek to guarantee energy supplies.

This SPA signing also creates opportunities for future global collaboration between the two companies.

China Resources Gas group chairman Yang Ping said: We are delighted to sign our first-long term SPA with Woodside Energy, a leading supplier of LNG globally. Woodside's growing global LNG portfolio and its proven track record as an operator have created a solid foundation for the agreement.

China Resources Gas is principally engaged in downstream city gas distribution business including piped natural gas distribution and natural gas filling stations operation.

Woodsides Australian portfolio features operated and non-operated oil and gas projects throughout Australia.

The companys international portfolio includes assets in the US, Mexico, Africa and the Caribbean, with growth options.

In February, Woodside Energy CEO Meg ONeill emphasised how trade policies and a pro-fossil fuel agenda are driving the companys $1.2bn (A$1.9bn) investment in the Louisiana LNG project.

Also, Woodside Energy is in talks with multiple potential partners to sell stakes in its Louisiana LNG project.

Sources indicate that potential buyers include Tokyo Gas, JERA and MidOcean Energy, backed by Saudi Aramco.

"Woodside signs 15-year LNG supply agreement with China Resources" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




The four-day event offers a range of programming , including "Strategies for Success in an Evolving Marketplace," "Free Trade Zones as Engines of Growth," and "Navigating Trade, Real Estate and Investment Trends in 2025." New this year, WTCA is featuring a Real Estate Summit for attendees with specialized sessions on "World Trade Center Projects in Focus," "Expanding the Real Estate Horizon: Innovation and Resilience in a Changing World," "and "FDI Trends Reshaping Real Estate & Infrastructure."

The association's annual Forum assembles both WTCA members and their global networks, including leaders from business, government, academia, and international organizations. More than 300 attendees from more than 50 countries and territories have confirmed their participation. Currently, represented countries and territories include: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China Mainland, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guyana, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, Vietnam and Yemen.

Global business leaders, policymakers and industry experts to gather for timely discussions on trade, investment and partnership opportunities in one of the world's most dynamic economic regions

Story Continues

"WTCA remains committed to promoting free and fair trade, open markets, and healthy competition  principles that drive investment, prosperity and economic growth," said John E. Drew, Chair, WTCA Board of Directors. "Now more than ever, as businesses navigate shifting global trade policies and economic uncertainty, the annual WTCA Global Business Forum (GBF) provides a vital platform for members and their networks to connect, explore new markets, and gain critical insights. With an active and engaged B2B program supported by a robust matchmaking platform, this year's GBF reinforces our commitment to fostering partnerships and expanding global opportunities."

Demonstrating the strength of the global WTCA network, the Forum facilitates direct business-to-business (B2B) relationships and investment opportunities across industry sectors including agriculture, architecture, banking and financial services, construction and building materials, consumer goods, food and beverage, freight and logistics, health technology, industrial solutions, manufacturing, maritime and energy services, and tourism.

This year's Forum features structured B2B matchmaking sessions, connecting attendees directly with companies and individuals who align with their specific business needs. In partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Internationale) Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur, the GBF B2B matchmaking platform becomes immediately available to attendees upon registration for the event.

Marseille was chosen for this year's event given its role as a critical European hub for trade, innovation, and economic activity. The Mediterranean region connects three continents and plays a vital role in global commerce, boasting strong industries in maritime trade, logistics, energy, tourism, and technology. Hosting the GBF in Marseille provides WTCA members and attending delegates with unparalleled access to this dynamic market, offering opportunities to explore investment prospects and engage with leaders shaping regional and global trade.

"Our region has long been a crossroads of global trade, driving economic growth and fostering international collaboration. Between its strategic location, diverse industries and thriving innovation ecosystem, Marseille is the ideal setting for this year's Forum," said Benoit Vincent, CEO, WTC Marseille Provence. "This event will create new opportunities for investment, trade, and partnership in one of the world's most dynamic economic regions."

Last year's WTCA Global Business Forum was held in Bengaluru, India, bringing together nearly 300 attendees from 36 countries and territories, including 105 WTC businesses. The event marked the debut of the "Global Business Forum" under its new name, formerly known as the WTCA General Assembly, and featured over 300 scheduled B2B meetings and the signing of 12 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between WTCA members in various regions and with some local Indian business partners, strengthening global partnerships and expanding business opportunities worldwide.

For more information about the 2025 WTCA Global Business Forum, please visit wtca.swoogo.com/2025gbf. Also, follow along on social media via #WTCAEvents and #WTCAinMarseille.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)

Chanelle Dimalanta

Phone: +1 212 432 2644

Email: cdimalanta@wtca.org

Violet PR

Kate Traina

Phone: +1 908 967 2117

Email: kate@violetpr.com

About World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)

World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 300 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in nearly 100 countries and territories. As the owner of the "World Trade Center" and "WTC" trademarks, WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for members to use in conjunction with their independently owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its members, the goal of WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe, creating an ecosystem built around commerce, community and connection. To learn more, visit www.wtca.org.

About World Trade Center (WTC) Marseille Provence

Established in 1984, World Trade Center (WTC) Marseille Provence stands out as a genuine emblem of the regional economy, to make it a decisive driver of the region's international dynamics and attractiveness. WTC Marseille Provence has evolved its offer to meet the entrepreneurs' expectations. Located in the heart of the city of Marseille and in the perimeter of Euromediterranee, WTC Marseille Provence proposes exceptional places: business, convention centers and a corporate club, connected to the global World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) network. WTC Marseille Provence is a certified ISO 20121. To learn more, visit www.wtcmp.com/en.

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Luigis Homemade Italian Food, the family-owned favorite beloved by locals and which served generations of Colorado Springs families for almost seven decades, has closed.

After nearly 67 years in business, Luigis Restaurant is closing its doors. We have sold our building and closed the business, said an unsigned written statement from the owners posted late Monday morning to the restaurants Facebook page. We had planned on 2025 being our last year. We had an opportunity, and we took it. Les and I want to enjoy life before we get (too) old to do so.

Married couple Gina Costley and Les Costley co-owned and ran the family business, working at Luigis for more than 30 years. Gina Costleys parents, Leo and Anne Cervetti, opened the restaurant in 1958, in a small building adjacent to their home on East Mill Street. The restaurant quickly outgrew its original location, so in 1966, the family moved the restaurant to 947 S. Tejon St., where it operated ever since.

The Costleys had been working toward closing the restaurant for the last few years, the statement said.

Theres no sinister reason for the closure, the couple said in a similar farewell statement posted to the restaurants website on Monday. Its just a quality of life decision.

Billing itself on its website as one of the oldest continuously family-owned and operated restaurants in Colorado Springs, Luigis  its namesake an homage to Gina Costleys great-grandfather  quickly grew a reputation and following for its recipes, taken from Costleys fathers family.

Luigis dishes were known for their high-quality ingredients, and they changed little in the decades since the restaurants founding. Luigis opened with only a few tables and a small menu of spaghetti, lasagna and pizza, which over the years expanded to include staples like chicken marsala, chicken parmesan, manicotti, ravioli and fettucine. Luigis made its own sauces, meatballs, Italian sausage and several of its pastas.

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It became the place to enjoy a regular dinner, host business events, bring a date or celebrate milestone events. Original customers continued to return over the years  making regular patrons as well of their children and grandchildren.

Customers, many who have been eating at the restaurant for decades, reminisced on social media about their favorite dishes from Luigis, lamented the restaurants closure and wished the Costleys well in their retirement.

Thank you for giving the Springs this gem for so long. I was 13 when I first stepped foot in your establishment. Thirty-six years later, it was like I stepped into a time machine. I will miss being able to have dinner fireside, but I congratulate you on an awesome career. Much love! Gerald V Kahre commented on the Facebook post announcing the closure.

Karen Roderick, who reminisced about having her first date at Luigis with her now husband of more than 33 years, shared the sentiment.

Thank you for your many years of beautiful memories and classic Italian Old World food, Roderick commented on Facebook. We wish you the best in retirement. All things shift, not end. We will remember. ... I make my own manicotti with a crepe based on yours. Pillowy and soft like no other. Blessings. Grazie.

On social media and on their website, the Costleys thanked their customers, Gina Costleys parents and sisters, the couples extended family and their employees for their support over the years.

We look forward to just staying home and relaxing on our deck. We want to spend time with our family and friends.

We have sold our building, but our business is still on the market. Hopefully, one day, Luigis will rise again with new owners who will love it as much as our family has loved it, the Costleys wrote.
When seeking out options for private events in Colorado Springs, there are few choices more clandestine than heading underground.

Urban Egg has rolled out Urban Underground, a new subsurface venue in downtown Colorado Springs that offers private event and dining space for groups with up to 50 people, founder Randy Price said.

Available by reservation only, Urban Underground is located under Urban Egg at 28B S. Tejon St., inside the basement space of the historic Dern Building, built in 1911 on downtowns main strip.

Urban Underground offers a polished space for moderately sized groups day and night, offering dining, a full bar and an upscale lounge complete with TVs, poker and billiards tables, Price said. Urban Underground includes options for full-service buffets or seated meals, as well as bar packages.

This is a great addition to downtown, Price said.

Price said he wanted to utilize the unique space underneath the Dern building, which he also owns. He remodeled the building in late 2023 to early 2024 and moved Urban Egg from its original location on the north side of the building to the south side, where the former Sonterra Innovative Southwest Grill was located before it closed in 2019.

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Wed used this space when Sonterra was there; when we did the remodel for Urban Egg, we wanted to ... transform it. Its 100% unique to the building, so (Urban Underground) wont be offered at other Urban Egg locations, Price said. Its perfect for events like birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, work events, March Madness and Super Bowl parties.

Urban Underground joins other underground or hidden restaurants, bars and event spaces downtown. They include The Rabbit Hole at 101 N. Tejon St.; Bloom Ultra Lounge and Shrunken Head Tiki Bar, both at 114 N. Tejon, essentially underneath Crooked Cue; Bar Thirty 3 at 18 S. Nevada Ave., including a smaller bar in an upstairs lobby and a larger underground cocktail bar; and The Archives Underground Libations, underneath Colorado Craft at 15 S. Tejon.

A popular breakfast and lunchtime eatery that is part of Prices Rocky Mountain Restaurant Group, Urban Egg has three other Colorado Springs locations, three in Denver and locations in Fort Collins, Johnstown and Kansas City, Mo.

People can inquire about Urban Underground online at urbanegg.com/private-events.
Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Ted Tow III asks a question to Assistant Attorney General Jaycey DeHoyos, not pictured, during oral arguments at a Courts in the Community event in May 2023 in Conifer.
If a person was serving a probationary sentence at the time they witnessed a crime, but their probation ended by the time they testified at trial, the defense does not have the right to let jurors hear about that witness's connection to the prosecution, Colorado's second-highest court ruled on Thursday.
A federal judge has concluded that a Colorado Springs paramedic and police officer could not be held liable for their roles in restraining a man in mental health crisis, leading to his death.
Colorado students reported more concern for school safety and bullying incidents in February than the month prior, according to the Safe2Tell.

The hotline received 2,854 reports last month  a 12.3% increase from January. Reports of school safety and staff reports led the majority of the reports with 18.6% of all submissions.

Reports of bullying followed closely with 17.2%, and mental health concerns accounted for 14.9% of all calls, according to report from the statewide program.

Established by the Colorado Assembly in 2017, Safe2Tell Colorado is a harm and violence prevention program that allows students and the community to anonymously report safety concerns. The program then distributes the reports to local law enforcement and school officials.

According to the report, the 2,854 calls led to 1,220 parents notified, 622 counseling referrals and 329 welfare checks.

Month after month, Safe2Tell data gives us valuable insight into what students are experiencing in schools across Colorado, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a Tuesday news release. The increase in reports this month tells us that students continue to rely on Safe2Tell when they see something troubling  and thats exactly what we want. When students speak up, school teams and communities can step in to help, preventing small problems from escalating into bigger crises.

Regarding the school safety reports on staff that made up the majority of calls, the category contains any reports about a teacher or staff member, ranging from inappropriate to allegations of a teacher-student relationship. The reports can even mean a teacher is assigning too much homework contributing to a students depression and anxiety, a spokesperson from the attorney general's office told The Denver Gazette.

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The bullying and mental health reports  that made up for the second and third most common report types  can range from outright behavior to out-of-school activities.

For example, the monthly report said that one of the claims involved a student creating a social media account to cyberbully students and staff. The account was then shut down.

Another example included a student who made physical contact with another student without their consent several times, leading to the student being placed in counseling.

Overall reports through the hotline are up this year compared to the same time period last school year.

Between August and February of last school year, Safe2Tell received 18,049 reports. In the same time period this school year, the program has received 20,736 reports.

The 96.3% of reports received during the current school year were determined to be valid, according to Safe2Tell. Misuse reports were at 1.5% and false reports were 2.2%, showing correct usage of the program.

Each report to Safe2Tell represents a student, parent, or community member who took the time to share a concern, Stacey Jenkins, director of Safe2Tell, said in the release. Thats a powerful reminder that everyone has a role to play in creating safer schools and communities. By speaking up, theyre helping adults intervene and support students who may be struggling.
18th Asian Film Awards ceremony held in Hong Kong

Xinhua) 08:37, March 17, 2025

HONG KONG, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The 18th Asian Film Awards were announced here in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Sunday night.

This year's Asian Film Awards showcased 30 exceptional films from 25 countries or regions, competing for 16 awards. The nominated works were diverse in genre and the competition was intense.

Chinese actress Tang Wei was honored with the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award. Sean Lau, actor from China's Hong Kong, was awarded Best Actor. Action film "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" from China's Hong Kong won two awards including Best Editing and Best Production Design. Chu Wan Pin, composer from China's Hong Kong, was awarded the Best Original Music for the film "the Last Dance."

Japanese actor Koji Yakusho was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Established in 2007, the Asian Film Awards aimed to showcase outstanding Asian films to global audiences. Since 2014, they have been hosted by the Asian Film Awards Academy, jointly founded by international film festivals of Hong Kong, Busan and Tokyo.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Press Release

March 17, 2025 "Unahin ang interes ng bayan" -- Senator Bong Go ranks second in recent OCTA Research senatorial survey Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has once again reaffirmed his strong connection with the Filipino electorate, ranking second in the latest senatorial preference survey conducted by OCTA Research. With 62% of respondents expressing their support, Go took this as both a sign of trust and a challenge to further intensify his service to the nation. "Salamat po sa patuloy na tiwala! Hindi ko po ito ituturing na tagumpay para sa sarili, kundi isang paalala na dapat pang pag-ibayuhin ang aking pagseserbisyo para sa bawat Pilipino," he said. The survey, conducted from February 22 to 28, highlights Go's sustained popularity, particularly among those who have benefited from his advocacy in healthcare, public assistance, and disaster response. His performance in national polls continues to reflect the public's recognition of his hands-on approach to governance. This strong showing was also evident in the latest Pulse Asia senatorial survey conducted from February 20 to 26, where Go climbed to the top spot with 58.1% voter preference. This marked a significant jump from his 2nd to 3rd place ranking in January when he garnered 50.4% support. Beyond the numbers, Go remains focused on his mission to serve. Acknowledging the guidance of former President Rodrigo Duterte, he emphasized that true leadership lies in prioritizing the welfare of the people. "Tulad ng sinabi sa akin ni Tatay Digong: 'Just do what is right. Unahin ang interes ng bayan, unahin ang kapwa Pilipino, at hinding-hindi ka magkakamali d'yan,'" he said. Meanwhile, despite the continued strong showing for his senatorial campaign, Go expressed his grief for the ongoing political turmoil happening caused by the detention of former president Duterte in the International Criminal Court. "Maraming salamat po sa inyong patuloy na suporta at tiwala sa akin. Pero sobrang malungkot ako ngayon dahil sa mga nangyayari sa ating bansa. Para akong nawalan ng isang tatay," Go expressed earlier. During the "Bring PRRD Home" prayer gathering in Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on March 15 and the Araw ng Dabaw commemoration yesterday, March 16, Go expressed deep distress over Duterte's medical condition while in detention abroad. Addressing thousands of supporters, the senator also urged Filipinos to stand together in demanding his return. Senator Go urged "Ito 'yung panahon magkaisa ang Pilipino. Magkaisa tayo para kay Tatay Digong." "Ako naman po, buklatin 'yung katawan ko, Duterte po (ako). Halos wala po akong panahon sa anak ko. Wala akong panahon sa tatay ko. Tatay Digong na po naging tatay ko. From 1998 hanggang 2022. Kahit noong senador na ako, hindi ko siya pinabayaan. Dalawampu't apat na taon 'yan. Araw-araw kami magkasama. At sinabi ko sa kanya, Tatay Digong, hanggang kamatayan mo, hindi kita pababayaan. Lalo na sa medical mo," Senator Go shared. Central to Go's advocacy is the Malasakit Centers initiative, which has become a cornerstone of his public service. These one-stop shops help indigent patients access medical assistance and reduce hospital expenses to the lowest possible cost. As the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, Go institutionalized this program to ensure its sustainability. To date, 167 Malasakit Centers are operational nationwide, providing crucial support to millions of Filipinos. According to the Department of Health (DOH), the program has already extended aid to more than 17 million patients in need. Building on this commitment to accessible healthcare, Go--who serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography--has also been actively pushing for the expansion of Super Health Centers across the country. These centers are designed to decongest major hospitals by offering primary care, consultations, and early disease detection--bringing essential medical services closer to local communities. Further strengthening regional healthcare access, Go principally sponsored and is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act. The law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. As the 2025 elections approach, Go's consistent standing in national surveys underscores the enduring trust Filipinos place in his leadership. With his focus on healthcare, social welfare, and disaster response, he vows to continue prioritizing the needs of the people--true to his guiding principle of "bisyo ang magserbisyo."
The latest gun-control legislation at Colorados Capitol goes after semiautomatic guns like this one. (iStock image)
The first of 12 new I-25 ramp metering traffic signals went into operation at the northbound on-ramp at South Academy Boulevard.
The sun rises over Cherokee Ridge golf course as the snow begins to melt around the Pikes Peak region. (Emily Bejarano/The Gazette)
Facing a shortage of donations and a potential fallout from federal funding cuts, Gods Storehouse Executive Director Karen Harris is keeping the faith.

Our name is Gods Storehouse, she reminded the Register & Bee during an interview at her office Friday morning. The man upstairs has always looked after this ministry.

Harris took to social media Wednesday by issuing a plea for donations after the warehouse manager alerted her that shelves were starting to empty.

Oh, oh my gosh, was her reaction. I guess I just didnt realize.

Although the Danville-based food pantry can order food by the truckload, it takes two to three weeks to arrive.

But we need it now, she said.

Complicating matters is a worry about slicing to a federal program that provides food to the nonprofit.

Although Harris hasnt learned what it would mean through official channels, shes referencing reports that the U.S. Agriculture Department is stopping two programs.

Together, the initiatives provide $1 billion to schools and food banks to buy from local farmers and producers, The Associated Press reported.

The USDA food comes from a program called Feeding Southwest Virginia and goes to clients on food stamps, Medicaid or have income from Social Security.

That amounts to 1,500 families and roughly 3,000 individuals.

We are monitoring potential government funding cuts and their impact on our neighbors receiving food support, Pamela Irvine, CEO and president of Feeding Southwest Virginia, wrote in a statement to the newspaper. While we are still waiting to see what final decisions are made, these cuts could significantly affect our ability to serve our communities.

Last year, Feeding Southwest Virginia distributed more than 1.4 million pounds of food to Gods Storehouse. The value of that was $2.5 million.

The biggest concern for the group is possible cuts to whats known as the Emergency Food Assistance Program, something Irvine called a critical food source.

That makes up about 27% of the food Feeding Southwest Virginia gives out in a year.

Any reduction in funding for TEFAP commodities would directly impact our ability to provide nutritious food to our neighbors, Irvine said. If funding for TEFAP is reduced, these agencies will struggle to meet the demand, creating a ripple effect that will place an even greater negative impact on Feeding Southwest Virginia and our mission to reduce food insecurity in Southwest Virginia.

According to The Associated Press, about $660 million of the $1 billion federal funding expected to be eliminated is through a program called Local Foods for Schools.

Locally, Pittsylvania County Schools doesnt participate in that program, Superintendent Mark Jones told the newspaper Friday.

At Danville Public Schools, officials work directly with the Virginia Department of Education for school nutrition provisions, spokesperson Lanie Hayes said.

At this time, were not aware of any changes to our program, Hayes told the newspaper in a Friday email.

Even with the help from Feeding Southwest Virginia, Gods Storehouse often has to supplement what is received with donations.

Sometimes, its not a great variety, she said of the USDA items received. It varies what we get.

The critical time

The warehouse area has things like popcorn and chips, but those arent sustainable items for people who rely on Gods Storehouse for primary meals.

Harris only remembers one previous time several years ago when the need for donations was as great.

That one summer, the whole row was completely empty, she said of the shelves. We were out of food.

After issuing a cry for help, donations flowed in.

Typically this time of year, our donations do decrease, everybodys given for the holidays, she said. Weve had some pretty busy days in January and February.

If more donations dont come in, Gods Storehouse will reduce what people get. The pantry gives out boxes of pre-packaged items.

Then that means we reduce what goes in the boxes, Harris explained of what happens when donations get low. We have to start kind of rationing out.

Further complicating the stress is the time of the month. Harris is all but certain this coming week is going to be quite busy.

Normally by the third week of the month, food stamps  benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  run out, and residents have to turn to food pantries to keep their cupboards and refrigerators stocked.

In the three days of the week Gods Storehouse is open, theyll easily serve 150-200 people daily.

Last year, on average, 177 people came through a day. So far this year, its up to 188.

Harris attributes that to the overall cost of food and cuts in food stamps after the pandemic.

Just the prices of groceries, she said of the reason more people are coming in. You know, its crazy.

Other worries

Potential tariffs could also mean less food for Gods Storehouse.

Some of the canned items come from other countries. Added tariffs would lead to fewer donations.

For example, if grocery stores are seeing an increase in prices, they are likely to buy fewer of those imported goods. In turn, that means less items donated.

Thats already happening in some respects.

We have seen a decrease in the amount of perishable food donations from grocery stores, Harris explained.

They are not selling as much, so they dont want to purchase as much, she said. Therefore, they dont have as much to give us.

The number of clients could also increase as job losses mount, especially in the federal sector.

Those people arent going to have incomes, so those people are going to be coming to the food pantries, Harris said. Well see an increase in the number of people coming to us.

And potential cuts to food stamps would add even more pressure.

Gods Storehouse, in the past, has received some federal grants, but Harris never budgeted for those dollars since it was so unsure.

The money helped to purchase food to make up for donations.

So Im thinking those might not be as plentiful as the past, the executive director said of the federal money.

Help coming in

When asked if she had a wishlist of items for people to donate, canned vegetables and fruits, peanut butter, rice and pasta tops the list.

Meats are doing OK right now, Harris said, but that wasnt the case a few months go when she had to limit what was given to families.

Following her Facebook plea on Wednesday, donations started to come in. Wilkins and Co., a local real estate firm, sent 15 volunteers to help.

Real estate agents also brought in about 500 pounds of food also.

The Riverview Rotary Club also rallied to collect donations and buy food items to give to Gods Storehouse.

Money has come in, she also said. Weve definitely seen more donations coming in.

In fact, the response always amazes Harris.

We are not rich, but we are so giving, she said of the Danville community. It is unbelievably giving.

So far, clients havent expressed concerns about the possible funding cuts or drop in the nearly empty shelves. If they do, Harris wants them to know they still will get food.

Take what we give you and try to stretch it as far as we can, is the message she will tell them. For people who come in once a month, she encourages them to get their food pantry box first and then go to the grocery store later to supplement it.

Her optimism  she sees the glass as always being half full  is what gets her through stressful times like this, she said.

Again referencing faith, she stays hopeful.

I dont see us shutting our doors, she said of tough times that may be down the road.

There may be a reduction in whats handed out, but the organization thats been around for 37 years is here to stay, she said.

One day at a time, its all we can do, she said.

I do have faith, and I do believe that God will take care of us, she continued. I really do.
GREENSBORO  Guilford County and its partners are possibly months away from staffing a legal support center to be housed in a modified courtroom slated to be named after newly retired Chief District Court Judge Teresa Vincent in Greensboro, who came up with the idea.

The center doesnt officially have a name, and a job description is being drawn up for someone to run it, but the idea is to provide access to the legal system for Guilford County residents without legal representation. The support center would be open at the Greensboro courthouse three days a week with another at the courthouse in High Point open two days a week.

It will promote judicial economy so that people can get their cases moved along more quickly, Vincent said. Down the road we hope we can expand it to have lawyers there who may work pro-bono and answer questions. But thats down the road.

A job listing for what would be a part-time staffing position should go up by the end of March, Vincent said. The doors should open by the end of the year.

The county has partnered with the nonprofit Court Support for Families, which is handling the hiring and is managing the operation with funds from Guilford County.

The center is based upon a similar operation that Vincent learned about from an attorney in Wake County that calls itself a source hub for self-represented litigant. It was pushed there by a judge in Wake County.

The person hired to run the offices here would not provide legal advice but could answer questions and give out, for example, a checklist of items someone needs to bring to court, such as proof of their income, when filing for an increase in child support. That employee, who could be a paralegal but would definitely have a legal background, would basically be helping them navigate the legal system and pass out resource packets on a variety of topics.

Guidance could prevent, for example, people from having their cases thrown out and also reduce hearing delays from not having what they need, Vincent said. It could lesson frustrations and help people know what to expect.

It happens more frequently than you think, Vincent said of paperwork snarling procedures.

Vincent and Guilford County Commissioner Frankie Jones visited the Wake County Legal Support Center in Raleigh more than a year ago.

We thought, well, we need to have one of these in Greensboro, Vincent said.

Guilfords board of commissioners approved money to operate and house centers here at the end of 2024.

Commissioners had an interest but didnt want to take on another full-time employee and executive director. So it took finding the right partner, Vincent said. Now, theres some coverage in both of the countys courthouse with a part-time employee.

The county commissioners said we have the resources and we want to do it, Vincent said.

Seeing the transformation from idea to reality has been a passion project for Vincent, who retired Jan. 1, after 31 years of public service, and is the countys first Black female chief district judge.

Vincents faith talks about helping the least of these and she wants to apply that to the ability of the legal system to change lives regardless of financial ability.

Over the years she has received honors for trying to make the legal system accessible for everyone and given the highest award given in North Carolina courts, the Friend of the Court award. Vincent also received the Elon University Law Schools Womens Law Associations 2013 Outstanding Woman in the Profession Award for her efforts to put an end to domestic violence.

Vincent had not planned to be an attorney. Her mother is a retired registered nurse and her father was a musician and retired public school music teacher who once played for the Godfather of Soul James Brown when he was younger. While both of her parents graduated from N.C. A&T State University, Vincent chose North Carolina Central University, where she planned a career in county management. But she took a constitutional law class and everything changed.

After graduating with her law degree from NCCU, she found herself in front of then-Guilford County District Attorney Jim Kimel for an assistant district attorney position. As part of the interview, Kimel asked what she wanted to be doing in 10 years.

She honestly told him she wanted to be a judge by then, which could have cost her consideration as an assistant district attorney. Kimel would retell the story years later as she indeed received her judicial robe.

By the fact that she risked losing that job by telling the truth let me know she had integrity,  Kimel, who died in 2023, said during the vestiture ceremony. And thats the kind of person I want working in my office.

Vincent was appointed in 2019 to fill the unexpired term of another judge, before successfully running for the seat in 2020. Over the years, she has received 100 percent from Court Watch surveys asking whether judges should be kept on the bench. The surveys asked a variety of questions on judicial behavior, such as whether the judge knows and follows legal precedent and is courteous in the courtroom. She has also received feedback in the least expected places.

She recalls once taking an Uber with her son home from the airport. Out of the blue the driver asked if she was a judge, and a slightly taken aback Vincent said yes. The woman told her that she had once been in Vincents courtroom facing a sentence.

My son is looking at me, like, really?  Vincent recalled of locking eyes with her son, not knowing where the conversation was going. The woman went on to say that the judge now sitting in her vehicle had indeed given her an active sentence. And, she was soon thanking Vincent.

She said, I needed that because that was my rock bottom and I dont think I would have changed if you had not done that,  Vincent recalled.

She hasnt taken Ubers to her home, although she uses the ride-sharing service at other times.

But Vincent hopes for the same I needed that to be said of the support centers. The jurist, who also plans to fill in as an emergency judge in district court where shes needed, is excited to walk by the center to see the countys investment in action, more so than her name fashioned on the wall.

Im more excited that these centers will be in both cities helping people, Vincent said.
Health reforms crusader Bong Go lauds turnover of Super Health Center in Pinan, Zamboanga del Norte, bringing primary care closer to the people

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, lauded the turnover ceremony of a Super Health Center in Pinan, Zamboanga del Norte, on Thursday, March 13.

In a video message, Go reiterated his commitment to improving healthcare access, especially in remote areas. He stressed the need to bring medical services closer to communities to ensure timely and adequate care.

"Alam ko po na isa sa mga hamon ng ating mga residente ay ang pagkakaroon ng access sa mga pangunahing serbisyong pangkalusugan dahil sa layo ng mga pasilidad. Kaya naman patuloy kong isinusulong ang pagtatayo ng mas marami pang Super Health Centers sa buong bansa," he said.

Super Health Centers function as primary healthcare hubs, offering outpatient services, birthing facilities, diagnostic services--including laboratory tests, X-rays, and ultrasound--along with isolation rooms and ambulatory surgical units. These centers also provide specialized care in eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) treatment, oncology, and physical therapy.

Additionally, pharmacy services and telemedicine ensure remote consultations for patients in underserved areas, under PhilHealth's Konsulta program.

Through the collaboration of lawmakers, local government units, and the Department of Health, funding has been secured for over 700 Super Health Centers nationwide, including seven in Zamboanga del Norte.

Aside from pushing for these centers, Go also emphasized the success of the Malasakit Centersone-stop shops designed to ease the financial burden of indigent patients by consolidating medical assistance programs.

Institutionalized through Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored, these centers now number 167 across the country and have assisted over 17 million Filipinos. The Malasakit Centers in Zamboanga del Norte are located at Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital in Dapitan City and the Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center in Dipolog City.

Meanwhile, Go expressed his gratitude to healthcare workers and frontliners, recognizing their dedication and hard work. He assured them of his unwavering support in ensuring quality healthcare services for all.

"Bilang inyong Mr. Malasakit, patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyo sa abot ng aking makakaya dahil ang tangi kong bisyo ay magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo 'yan sa Diyos," he concluded.

With his ongoing healthcare initiatives, Senator Go remains committed to strengthening the country's healthcare system, ensuring that essential medical services reach every Filipino.

"Ilapit natin ang serbisyo sa mga Pilipino lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan ng mga mahihirap. Tandaan natin na ang kalusugan ay katumbas ng buhay ng bawat Pilipino," he ended.
While the subject of trade and tariffs saturates the media, when it comes to dairy and trade, Mexico and Canada account for nearly 40% of U.S. dairy exports. Additionally, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) report the U.S. exports just north of one days production out of every six, which equates to approximately 18% of the total U.S. production being exported. Exports out of the U.S. play a significant role for the U.S. dairy industry.



Exports are fundamental to the health of the U.S. dairy industry said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. Dairy farmers and manufacturers are counting on a swift resolution to this impasse and urge a redoubling of efforts at the negotiating table to find a workable way forward that addresses U.S. national security concerns while also preserving export flows that are vital to supporting American farmers and workers. Were eager to focus on working with the Administration on expanding global opportunities for American dairy products in ways that build on the existing base of sales to our trading partners.

While not as prominent as our neighboring countries, China is another important trade partner for dairy, which has imported between $500 million and $800 million worth of U.S. dairy products in recent years. Combining China with Mexico and Canada, these countries account for more than 51% of U.S. dairy exports, according to USDEC.

Despite recent historical highs, 2024 notched the third year of Chinas reduced imports from the U.S. Dairy shipments from the U.S. to China fell by 9% compared to the previous year. In addition, a drop in Chinese purchasing behavior heightened competition in third markets from suppliers like New Zealand while looking to find alternative markets to China.



While Chinas dairy industry continues to grow and in recent times, has out-produced demand for dairy, paired with population decline for the last three years, China remains an important trade partner for the U.S. China accounted for nearly half of U.S. whey exports in January. Additionally, there is significant room for growth in a country where dairy consumption remains well below the average compared to the rest of the world.

Overall, U.S. dairy exports nearly tripled since the early 2000s, and the United States has become the worlds third-largest dairy product exporter behind New Zealand and the European Union (EU). Continuing to build this bridge for exports is imperative for the future of the U.S. dairy industry.

With more U.S. processing capacity online, our cheese exports are poised for even more global growth, said Greg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. Trade has become an increasingly important outlet for farmers milk. It creates a promising future  and at the same time, it means the future depends on it.
Indian mobile operator Vodafone Idea has selected telecoms equipment vendor Nokia to expand its IP backhaul network, under a three-year agreement.

The agreement will see Nokia deploying its IP/MPLS solutions across multiple telecom circles in India to meet increasing connectivity demands for emerging data-hungry services like AI and immersive gaming.

Nokia's IP/MPLS products include the 7750 SR and 7250 IXR series, to modernise Vodafone Ideas transport network.

According to Nokia, the deployment will help improve Vodafone Ideas core, aggregation and access layers, creating a robust, scalable and future ready network to handle the increasing data traffic.

Vodafone Idea believes the upgrade will enable lower operational costs, faster deployment and seamless scalability for future technologies, ensuring sustainability through reduced Opex and energy-efficient solutions.

Partnering with Nokia truly aligns with our vision to enhance customer experience and support the growth of data traffic in the country, said Jagbir Singh, CTO at Vodafone Idea Limited.

"The state-of-the-art solutions from Nokia and their proven deployment capabilities will enable us to build a future ready transport network.

"This collaboration reinforces our commitment to delivering superior connectivity and services to our customers."

Prashant Malkani, Head of Network Infrastructure at Nokia India said the partnership with Vodafone Idea underscores Nokias commitment to driving digitalisation and supporting Indias telecom growth.

We are delighted to partner with Vodafone Idea to enable the next phase of its network transformation," Malkani said.

"Our innovative IP/MPLS portfolio, in-depth understanding of 4G and 5G requirements and trusted performance across all network domains will ensure a high-performance network that delivers exceptional customer experiences for Vodafone Idea."
Bong Go supports efforts towards pursuing safe and sustainable communities during gathering of barangay leaders of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go extended his commendation to the Liga ng mga Barangay (LNB) Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental for their dedication to fostering safer, more secure, and sustainable communities during their 2025 Convention held on March 14-17 at the Apo View Hotel, Davao City.

Represented by Davao City Councilor Cheche Justol, Senator Go underscored the indispensable role of barangay officials in nation-building, emphasizing their responsibility to implement grassroots governance and ensure that government programs reach the most vulnerable sectors of society.

"Napakahalaga ng inyong papel bilang mga lider ng barangay sa pagtataguyod ng maayos, ligtas, at maunlad na komunidad. Kayo ang unang sumasagot sa pangangailangan ng inyong nasasakupan kaya nararapat lamang na patuloy nating paigtingin ang ating paglilingkod sa kanila," Go expressed in his message.

With the theme, "Building Safe, Secure, and Sustainable Communities," the convention provided a venue for barangay leaders to enhance their governance skills, discuss key policies, and share best practices in local administration.

Senator Go reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening barangay governance through various legislative measures. He highlighted key bills that aim to improve the welfare of barangay officials and ensure better service delivery to communities.

Among these measures is Senate Bill No. 197 or the Magna Carta for Barangays, which seeks to institutionalize benefits for barangay officials, including regular salaries, hazard pay, and other incentives to recognize their crucial role in governance if enacted.

He also cited his authored SBN 2816 which proposes a four-year fixed term for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to enhance leadership continuity and program implementation at the grassroots level.

Additionally, Senator Go emphasized his filed SBN 2838 (Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers), which aims to provide monthly honoraria and other benefits to barangay health workers, acknowledging their vital role in community-based healthcare services.

As a re-electionist senator, Go assured barangay officials that he remains steadfast in his commitment to championing their welfare and strengthening local governance. If given a fresh mandate, he vowed to continue pushing for legislative reforms that will empower barangay leaders and ensure that communities receive the necessary government support.

"Hindi po ako politiko na mangangako sa inyo. Gagawin ko lang po ang aking trabaho. Kung papalarin, sipag, pagmamalasakit, at more serbisyo po ang gagawin ko sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino," he concluded.

Go expressed his gratitude to Liga ng mga Barangay Kabankalan City President Rico Regalia and all barangay officials for their unwavering service and dedication to public welfare.

"Mabuhay ang Liga ng mga Barangay ng Kabankalan City! Mabuhay ang ating mga barangay leaders! Patuloy nating pagsikapan ang isang mas ligtas, maunlad, at matatag, na kinabukasan para sa ating bayan," he concluded.

The convention brought together 136 barangay officials from Kabankalan City to strengthen local governance and enhance their capacity as community leaders.
COMPANY NEWS: Annual awards program recognises top-performing partners driving digital transformation for the Office of the CFO

BlackLine, the intelligent financial data platform that powers the modern Office of the CFO, has announced the winners of its 2024 Global and Regional Partner Awards, celebrating firms that have gone above and beyond in enabling organisations to achieve future-ready finance operations. This years honorees are recognised for their deep expertise, strategic collaboration, and commitment to driving meaningful outcomes for joint customers.

In addition to its annual award categories, BlackLine has introduced two new distinctions, Growth Accelerator and Innovation, to spotlight partners making transformative contributions to customer growth and digital finance innovation.

Our partners play a pivotal role in helping companies modernise their finance and accounting functions, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and compliance, said Michael Otto, SVP of Global Alliances & Channels at BlackLine. This years winners exemplify the highest standards of collaboration, expertise, and impact, helping customers navigate todays challenges while preparing for the future.

2024 BlackLine Partner Award Winners

Global Partners of the Year

BlackLines Global Partner of the Year Award recognises the most outstanding Alliance program partner and BPO program partner who have gone above and beyond to deliver remarkable value, innovation and growth globally. This award celebrates and honors the exceptional performance, dedication, and collaboration of these firms across borders.

Global Consulting Alliance: EY

EY Global BPO Partner: Genpact

EYs continued innovation and excellence for guiding clients on a journey to achieve future-ready financial operations is transforming offices of the CFO worldwide with BlackLine. Genpacts evolution to a digital operations and AI solutions company is driving the next level of success and growth for our mutual global customers.

Global Consulting Alliances

Honouring firms that provide finance transformation leadership, process optimisation, and project execution excellence.

Americas: Deloitte

Deloitte EMEA North: Deloitte

Deloitte EMEA South: Accenture

Accenture EMEA Central: EY

EY APAC: Deloitte

Deloitte Japan: EY

Regional Consulting Alliances

Celebrating partners that deliver finance domain expertise and process transformation at a regional level.

Americas: Clearsulting

Clearsulting EMEA: Clearsulting

Clearsulting APJ: ABeam Consulting

Software & Cloud Partner of the Year

Recognising a partner that enhances BlackLines platform with complementary technology.

Software & Cloud Partner: Kyriba

Solution Providers

Acknowledging firms that provide expert guidance in digital finance transformation from initial implementation through ongoing success.

Americas: Sum Theory

Sum Theory APJ: Tridant Pty Ltd

Mid-Market Segment Partners

Honouring partners that help mid-market organisations streamline accounting processes and scale effectively.

Americas: RSM US LLP

RSM US LLP APJ: Tridant Pty Ltd

Customer Success Partners

Recognising partners that drive outstanding customer adoption and value realisation.

Americas: UHY

UHY EMEA: EY

Innovation Partners (New Category)

Celebrating partners who made the most significant contributions to industry and solution innovation.

Industry Innovation Partner: Deloitte

Deloitte Solution Innovation Partner: EY

Invoice-to-Cash Solution Partners

Recognising partners that enable customers to optimise working capital and accounts receivable operations.

Americas: RSM US LLP

RSM US LLP EMEA: Axys

Axys APJ: Tridant Pty Ltd

Intercompany Solution Partner

Honouring firms that help organisations streamline and automate intercompany operations.

Global: EY

Financial Reporting Analytics Solution Partners

Recognising partners that enable finance teams to drive transparency and automation in financial consolidation.

Americas: Deloitte

Deloitte EMEA: EY

SAP Solution Extension (SolEx) Partners

Celebrating firms that drive value through integrated BlackLine and SAP solutions.

Americas: Accenture

Accenture EMEA: EY

EY APJ: Deloitte

Growth Accelerator Partner (New Category)

Recognising the partner that delivered the most transformative customer growth.

Alliances Growth Accelerator Partner: Deloitte

New/Breakthrough Partner

Celebrating an emerging partner making a significant impact.

EMEA Newcomer Partner: NTT DATA Business Solutions UK

BlackLines Commitment to Partner Collaboration

BlackLines global partner ecosystem includes industry-leading consulting, technology, and outsourcing firms that work alongside BlackLine to transform finance and accounting operations. These strategic partnerships empower customers to accelerate automation, enhance controls, and gain real-time financial insights. For a full list of BlackLine partners or to learn more about becoming one, visit the partner section on BlackLines website.
When it comes to retirement savings, 401(k) and 457(b) plans are both popular options, but they have some key differences. While private employers typically offer 401(k) plans, 457(b) plans are available to employees of state and local governments and tax-exempt organizations under IRS Section 501, excluding churches and church-controlled organizations.

What is a 457 plan?

While a 401(k) is considered a defined contribution retirement account, a 457(b) plan is technically a deferred compensation arrangement, which allows qualifying employees to accrue additional savings on a tax-deferred basis for retirement. Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis, reducing taxable income for the contribution year. Earnings grow tax-deferred, with taxes due upon distribution.

457 plan vs. 401(k)

In operation, both 401(k) and 457(b) accounts function similarly, allowing employees to contribute pre-tax income and grow their savings tax-deferred. This similarity often leads to confusion about the differences between the two plans, especially when employees need to decide how to manage their funds after changing jobs or when entering retirement.

Lets explore these differences using Dr. Alex Garfield as an example. He recently changed jobs and is now grappling with his 457(b) balance.

How do 457 plans work when you change jobs?

Dr. Alex Garfield, formerly the chief medical officer at a South Carolina hospital, accepted an attractive offer from a larger medical system last month. While excited about his new job, hes faced with a complicated decision regarding his 457(b) plan.

Dr. Garfields 457(b) plan is a non-governmental plan, which brings distinct challenges compared to a government-backed plan. Understanding these differences is crucial, as they affect his options.

Key considerations for your 457 plan when changing jobs

When you leave your job, you have several options regarding your 457 plan, but the details depend on whether the plan is governmental or non-governmental. Heres what Dr. Garfield (and you) should know:

Mandatory distribution : Non-governmental 457(b) plans often require mandatory distribution upon separation from service. Now that Dr. Garfield has left his former employer, he may not have the option to leave his money in the plan.

No rollover to IRA : Can you roll over a 457 plan to an IRA (individual retirement account)? It depends. Unlike governmental 457(b) plans, Dr. Garfields non-governmental plan generally cannot be rolled over to an IRA or another qualified retirement plan.

Taxation : The entire balance will likely become taxable income in the year of distribution, which could potentially push Dr. Garfield into a higher tax bracket. This is something to consider carefully, as it could affect his financial situation in the short term.

Distribution schedule: Some plans may allow for a distribution schedule rather than a lump sum payout. If Dr. Garfields plan allows this, it could help him reduce the tax burden by spreading out the income across multiple tax years. ADVERTISEMENT

What you can do if you are in Dr. Garfields shoes

If youre also facing a job change and need to make decisions about your 457(b) plan, here are some actionable steps:

Review plan documents : Carefully examine the 457(b) plan documents to understand the specific rules and options available to you. If necessary, call the plan administrator to confirm the distribution requirements and any flexibility in the timing or method of distribution.

Tax planning : 457 plan distributions can significantly impact your taxes, especially if you face a large payout. A tax professional can help you strategize how to minimize your tax liability. In some cases, it might be possible to spread the income over two tax years to reduce the impact.

Consider timing : Explore options to spread the income over two tax years, although this may be challenging if youve already changed jobs.

Evaluate new employers benefits: Review your new employers retirement savings options. If they offer a 457(b) plan, consider maximizing contributions to make up for any lost tax-deferred savings opportunity.

Unique features of 457(b) plans to keep in mind

In addition to the distribution considerations, you should also keep these unique features of 457(b) plans in mind:

457 plan withdrawal rules : Unlike 401(k) plans, 457(b) plans do not impose a 10 percent penalty for withdrawals before age 59. However, the distribution is still subject to standard income taxes.

Double limit catch-up provision: While this may not apply to your current situation, 457(b) plans offer a special catch-up provision in the three years prior to retirement age (not beginning at age 50 like 401(k) plans). This can allow for significantly higher contributions. In 2025, the catch-up contribution amount is $23,500, which means the maximum income deferral for a qualifying employee is $47,000.

Plan ahead for a smooth transition

Navigating the distribution of a 457(b) plan after changing jobs can be complex, especially for non-governmental plans. While your options may be limited compared to simply rolling over a 401(k) balance to an IRA, careful planning can help optimize the financial outcome.

By working closely with your financial planner and CPA, you can make informed decisions that support your long-term financial health as you embark on this new career chapter.

If youre in a similar position, be sure to review your 457(b) plan details, consult with financial and tax professionals, and explore your new employers retirement benefits. By taking these steps, youll be in a strong position to make the best decision for your retirement future.

Names and locations have been changed in this article to protect the identity of those involved.

Any discussion of taxes is for general information purposes only, does not purport to be complete or cover every situation, and should not be construed as legal, tax, or accounting advice. Clients should confer with their qualified legal, tax, and accounting advisors as appropriate.

Shane Tenny is managing partner, Spaugh Dameron Tenny, LLC, and host of The Prosperous Doc podcast.

Securities, investment advisory and financial planning services offered through qualified Registered Representatives of MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. Supervisory office: 4350 Congress Street, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28209, (704) 557-9600. Spaugh Dameron Tenny is not a subsidiary or affiliate of MML Investors Services, LLC or its affiliated companies. CRN202510-3194816
Press Release

March 17, 2025 Hontiveros: P19.9 B refund by Meralco welcome, but "only a small tranche" of P100-B owed to consumers Senator Risa Hontiveros today welcomed the P19.9 billion refund to consumers ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), but maintained that the amount is "only a small tranche" compared to the estimated P100 billion owed to consumers by the country's largest power utility. "Magandang balita ang refund para sa mga kababayan natin na iniinda ang mataas na singil ng kuryente ngayong summer season. Pero sa totoo lang, katiting lang iyan kumpara sa tinatayang P100 billion na sobrang kinolekta at dapat ibalik ng Meralco sa taumbayan," Hontiveros said. The ERC-ordered refund of P19.9 billion, to be paid across three years, covers charges billed by Meralco in excess of allowable costs to consumers from July 2022 to December 2024. However, Hontiveros said that Meralco's accountabilities to its consumers from 2011 to 2022 have already reached around P100 billion, citing estimates by power industry experts. "While we appreciate the latest refund, it is clearly an inadequate and temporary relief for consumers, who are being overcharged again and again for their power needs. Dapat na nating itama ang mismong sistema, para agarang maibalik sa taumbayan ang sobrang binayad nila sa Meralco, at maiwasan na ang over collections simula't sapul," Hontiveros added. Hontiveros, who is calling for a Senate investigation into Meralco's overcollections, said that various factors have allowed Meralco to overcharge consumers for many years, such as the lack of an effective, fair, and transparent rate reset process by the ERC throughout various lapsed regulatory periods. The ERC, the senator pointed out, has "miserably failed" in implementing performance-based regulation or PBR, the internationally accepted rate-setting methodology, in relation to the reset of Meralco's rates. This, Hontiveros said, has allowed the utility giant to "use grossly unreasonable interim rates for nearly ten years." "Alarmingly, Meralco consumers have not had the benefit of reasonable and just electricity rates since 2011. Rates have not been based on Meralco's actual costs and performance, but on unfair "interim" rates. Kaya tuloy, lagpas sampung taon nang sobrang nangongolekta ang Meralco sa bawat consumer," Hontiveros said. "Dapat nang matigil itong hindi patas at mapang-abusong kalakaran ng Meralco. The latest refund should only be the start of a long process of returning every centavo unjustly taken by Meralco for years, while ERC slept on the job," Hontiveros concluded.
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President Donald Trump on Saturday invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II, granting himself sweeping powers under a centuries-old law to deport people associated with a Venezuelan gang. Hours later, a federal judge halted deportations under Trump's order.

The act is a sweeping wartime authority that allows non-citizens to be deported without being given the opportunity to go before an immigration or federal court judge.

Trump repeatedly hinted during his campaign that he would declare extraordinary powers to confront illegal immigration and laid additional groundwork in a slew of executive orders on Jan. 20.

His proclamation on Saturday identified Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang as an invading force. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, blocked anyone from being deported under Trump's proclamation for two weeks and scheduled a Friday hearing to consider arguments.

What is the Alien Enemies Act?

In 1798, with the U.S. preparing for what it believed would be a war with France, Congress passed a series of laws that increased the federal government's reach. Worried that immigrants could sympathize with the French, the Alien Enemies Act was created to give the president wide powers to imprison and deport non-citizens in time of war.

Since then, the act has been used just three times: during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.

During World War II, with anti-foreigner fears sweeping the country, it was part of the legal rationale for mass internment in the U.S. of people of German, Italian and especially Japanese ancestry. An estimated 120,000 people with Japanese heritage, including those with U.S. citizenship, were incarcerated during the war.

What brought this to a head on a Saturday?

The American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward preemptively sued Trump late Friday in federal court in Washington, D.C., saying five Venezuelan men being held at an immigration detention center in Raymondville, Texas, were at "imminent risk of removal" under the Alien Enemies Act. Boasberg blocked their deportation, prompting an immediate appeal from the Justice Department.

Almost simultaneously, the Trump administration agreed to pay El Salvador $6 million to imprison about 300 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang for one year.

The agreement with El Salvador followed discussions between that country's president, Nayib Bukele, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about housing migrants in El Salvador's notorious prisons. Bukele's government has arrested more than 84,000 people, sometimes without due process, since 2022 in a crackdown on gang violence.

ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt said two flights Saturday may have carried people deported under Trump's proclamation, one to El Salvador and one possibly to Honduras. Boasberg said any such flights would have to be returned midair to the United States.

The US isn't at war, is it?

For years, Trump and his allies have argued that America is facing an "invasion" of people arriving illegally. Arrests on the U.S. border with Mexico topped 2 million a year for two straight years for the first time under President Joe Biden, with many released into the U.S. to pursue asylum. After hitting an all-time monthly high of 250,000 in December 2023, they plunged to less than 8,400 this February  the lowest levels since the 1960s.

The act, Trump said in his inaugural address, would be a key tool in his immigration crackdown.

"By invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil," he said. "As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions."

Critics say Trump is wrongly using the act to target non-state actors, not foreign governments.

"Invoking it in peacetime to bypass conventional immigration law would be a staggering abuse," the Brennan Center for Justice wrote, calling it "at odds with centuries of legislative, presidential, and judicial practice."

"Summary detentions and deportations under the law conflict with contemporary understandings of equal protection and due process," the Brennan Center said.

Does illegal immigration constitute an invasion?

It's a new and untested argument. Trump has warned of the power of Latin American criminal gangs in the U.S., but only a tiny percentage of the people living illegally in the U.S. are criminals.

Trump, in his wartime declaration on Saturday, said Tren de Aragua "is perpetrating, attempting, and threatening an invasion of predatory incursion against the territory of the United States." He said the gang was engaged in "irregular warfare" against the United States at the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation's economy came undone last decade.

Last month, the Trump administration designated Tren de Aragua and seven other Latin American crime organizations as "foreign terrorist organizations," upping pressure on cartels operating in the U.S. and on anyone aiding them.

Congress' research arm said in a report last month officials may use the foreign terrorist designations to argue the gang's activities in the U.S. amount to a limited invasion. "This theory appears to be unprecedented and has not been subject to judicial review," the Congressional Research Service said.

The Venezuelan government has not typically taken its people back from the U.S., except on a few occasions. Over the past few weeks, about 350 people were deported to Venezuela, including some 180 who spent up to 16 days at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

___

Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.
On 16 March Brazils former president(2019-2023) held a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro, seeking to rally support for legislation that proposes pardoning the far-right rioters who stormed the seats of government in Brasilia on 8 January 2023.

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On 16 March 238 alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal organisation, Tren de Aragua (TdA), arrived in El Salvador from the US, and were immediately transferred to the Terrorism Containment Centre (Cecot), a 40,000-capacity mega prison.

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About five kilometers from the White House in Washington, D.C., stands an historic building closely linked to one of Americas most famous presidents: Abraham Lincoln.

The building, known as President Lincoln's Cottage, is where Lincoln spent about one-fourth of his time while in office. And he made some very important decisions while there.

Summertime can get very hot in Washington, D.C. So, President Lincoln used a country house to escape the worst of the heat. Each morning and evening, Lincoln rode between the two houses on horseback, unguarded.

The trip took about thirty minutes.

The large house he rode to was on the grounds of the Soldiers Home. The house stood on much higher ground than the White House, so the wind kept it cooler. It was also quiet -- a place to think.

Lincoln spent much of his time there writing. That work included early versions of what would become one of the most important documents in American history: The Emancipation Proclamation.

The Emancipation Proclamation came during the Civil War in the United States. The proclamation declared people held as slaves in the rebellious states were free.

The Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865. Troops remained at the Soldiers' Home to protect President Lincoln during the war. At first, Lincoln did not welcome the soldiers. He did not think he needed their protection. But he began to enjoy talking to them. In fact, much of what historians know about the president's time at the house is from stories told by those soldiers.

One night in 1864, President Lincoln survived a murder attempt. He was alone and on horseback near the country house when someone shot at him. His tall hat flew off his head. Soldiers found the hat and saw that a bullet had torn through it. The president was not injured in the attack.

After that, the War Department increased protection for Lincoln. But it was not enough to save his life.

Records show that he visited his country house for the last time on April 13, 1865. The next day, John Wilkes Booth, an actor and supporter of the defeated Confederacy, shot President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington.

President Lincolns Cottage opened to the public in 2008.

Im John Russell.

Nancy Steinbach wrote this story for VOA Learning English. John Russell adapted it.
We have come together to stay together: Uddhav

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10:07 Utmost respect for Musk, say stranded astronauts NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, who are to return to earth after being stranded in space for over nine months, expressed gratitude for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump. In the video posted by Musk on X, Sunita Williams said, We are coming back before... Read more >

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09:25 Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Yunus to visit China, meet Xi Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is set to visit China later this month during which he will meet President Xi Jinping, the interim government said on Sunday, in a move expected to bolster Dhaka-Beijing ties.Yunus is set to visit China on March 26 and meet Xi on March 28, the Chief... Read more >

09:15 Trump orders dismantling of Voice of America United States President Donald Trump has ordered the dismantling of the government-funded news agency Voice of America (VOA), accusing it of promoting biased media reports, as reported by Fox News.Voice of America has been out of step with America for years. It serves as the Voice for Radical... Read more >

09:12 Encounter breaks out between security forces, terrorists in Kupwara Image only for representation An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said in Srinagar. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Krumhoora village of Zachaldara following information about the presence of terrorists... Read more >
More than 200 people have been arrested after thousands of demonstrators clashed in an anti-Vietnam war protest outside the United States embassy in London.

The St John Ambulance Brigade said it treated 86 people for injuries. Fifty were taken to hospital including up to 25 police officers.

The trouble followed a big rally in Trafalgar square, when an estimated 10,000 demonstrated against American action in Vietnam and British support for the United States.

The mood at the rally was described as good humoured. The violence broke out when the protesters marched to the US embassy in Grosvenor Square.

The embassy was surrounded by hundreds of police. They stood shoulder to shoulder to cordon off the part of the square closest to the embassy.

Tensions rose as the crowd refused to back off and mounted officers rode at the demonstrators.

The protesters broke through the police ranks onto the lawn of the embassy, tearing up the plastic fence and uprooting parts of a hedge.

During a protracted battle, stones, earth, firecrackers and smoke bombs were thrown.

One officer was treated for a reported serious spinal injury, another for a neck injury.

One officer had his hat knocked off and was struck continuously on the back of the head with a stick from a banner as he clung, head down, to his horses neck.

Earlier the actress Vanessa Redgrave was allowed to enter the embassy with three supporters to deliver a protest.

She had been one of the speakers at the rally in Trafalgar Square.

Labour MP Peter Jackson, has said he will be tabling a private question for answer by the Home Secretary about what he called police violence.

He told The Times newspaper: I was particularly outraged by the violent use of police horses, who charged into the crowd even after they had cleared the street in front of the embassy.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

There was another big anti-Vietnam war demonstration on 27 October 1968. An estimated 25,000 took part in the march and once again trouble flared outside the US embassy in Grosvenor Square.

But security was very tight. There were 1,000 police outside the embassy and officers lined the streets of the march to prevent a repeat of the trouble in March.

The last American troops left Vietnam on 29 March 1973.

The following year there were frequent violations of the peace treaty.

In 1975, fullscale warfare resumed between North and South Vietnam -without American intervention. In 1976 the first elections were held to a National Assembly, finally reuniting North and South.
A massive fire tore through a nightclub in North Macedonias eastern town of Kocani yesterday, killing 51 people and injuring more than 100, authorities said.

The blaze broke out around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at the Pulse nightclub, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters.

He said pyrotechnics caused the roof to catch fire. Videos showed chaos inside the club, with young people running through the smoke as the musicians urged people to escape as quickly as possible.

Officials said the injured have been taken to hospitals around the country, including the capital, Skopje, many with severe burns. The effort was being assisted by multiple volunteer organizations.

Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people have been hospitalized, adding that he had received offers of assistance from neighboring countries, including Albania, Bulgaria and Greece.

All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy, Taravari told reporters, at times looking visibly shaken.

This is the worst tragedy in recent memory to befall the landlocked nation, whose population is less than 2 million.

This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The people and the government will do everything in their power to at least slightly alleviate their pain and help them in these most difficult moments.

Family members gathered in front of hospitals and Kocanis city offices begging authorities for more information.

The club was in an old building that was previously a carpet warehouse and has been running for several years, according to local media MKD.

The fire caused the roof of the single-story building to partially collapse, revealing the charred remains of wooden beams and debris. Police cordoned off the site and sent in evidence gathering teams in an operation also involving state prosecutors.

Toshkovski said authorities would investigate the venues licensing and safety provisions, adding that the government had a moral responsibility to help prosecute anyone responsible. Police have arrested one man already, but he didnt provide details on the persons involvement.

As they awoke to news of the overnight tragedy, the countrys immediate neighbors and leaders from further afield in Europe sent condolences.

The European Unions foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, posted on X that she was deeply saddened and said the 27-nation bloc shares the grief and pain of the people of North Macedonia. North Macedonia is a candidate for EU membership.

Condolences also poured in from politicians across the region, including Albanias Prime Minister Edi Rama, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. Ukraine mourns alongside our (North) Macedonian friends on this sad day, Zelenskyy wrote on X. KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES, SKOPJE,

MDT/AP
An American influencer who sparked outrage after posting a video of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother while in Australia apologized yesterday [Macau time], saying she had acted out of concern for the young animals welfare.

Australian authorities had threatened Sam Jones with deportation after she posted a video on her Instagram account of her running with a wombat joey in her hands from its mother on a roadside at night.

I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me, Jones, who also uses the name Samantha Strable, posted on social media.

The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey, she added.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the video of the young wombat being grabbed was just an outrage.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said his department was investigating whether Jones had breached the terms of her visa before she left the country on Friday.

Theres never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia, Burke said after she left Australia voluntarily.

Burke said he did not expect Jones would apply for an Australian visa again.

The animal appears to be a common wombat, also known as a bare-nosed wombat. It is a protected marsupial found only in Australia.

Montana-based Jones claimed she became extremely concerned when she found the two wombats on a road not moving.

As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didnt get hit, Jones said.

However, as is seen from the video, when I walked up to them, the joey did not move or run off. I was concerned it may have been sick or injured, and made a snap judgement to pick up the joey and see if that was the case, she added.

An unidentified man laughs as he films Jones saying: I caught a baby wombat. They both note the mothers sounds of aggression.

Animal welfare experts said Jones could have harmed the joey by dangling it by its two forelegs.

Jones did not immediately respond to The Associated Presss questions, including where and when the baby wombat was captured. Jones declined to reveal her current whereabouts to the AP. MDT/AP
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai met with representatives of the Educators Association of Macau over the weekend to discuss recommendations for the upcoming Policy Address, emphasizing the need for educational reform in line with national goals.

During the meeting at the Government Headquarters, Chan Hong, president of the Educators Association of Macau, highlighted the recent directive from the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, which aims to transform the nation into a major educational powerhouse by 2035.

Chan urged the Macau government to reassess and enhance its education policies to align with this ambitious framework.

Th association presented four key recommendations tailored to Macaus current educational landscape.

These recommendations included fostering unique school functions to promote diversity, revising the Educational Funds funding assessment, addressing challenges posed by declining birth rates, and fortifying a nationalistic educational foundation.

In addition to these recommendations, other board members voiced concerns regarding the quality and equity of education, land use for educational facilities, and the promotion of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education.

They stressed the need for improved training for science and technology professionals and enhancements to medical services and complementary educational facilities, particularly in Zone A of the new landfills.

Sam expressed gratitude for the ssociations proactive engagement and assured them that their insights would be thoroughly analyzed.

He underscored educations crucial role in societal development, advocating for a student-centered teaching philosophy that prioritizes students mental and physical health.

Sam called for a comprehensive elevation of educational standards in Macau and a collaborative effort to cultivate innovative professionals suited to meet the evolving demands of society. Victoria Chan
China has lashed out at accusations it is endangering maritime safety made by top diplomats from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies in a joint statement, saying the G7 members are filled with arrogance, prejudice and malicious intentions.

Even for Chinas generally overheated diplomatic language, the statement issued Saturday was unusually vitriolic, although it did not threaten any retaliation.

In the Friday statement that sparked the Chinese response, the G7 said, We condemn Chinas illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions that seek unilaterally to alter the status quo in such a way as to risk undermining the stability of regions, including through land reclaimations, and building of outposts, as well as their use for military purpose.

We reaffirm that our basic policies on Taiwan remain unchanged and emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to international security and prosperity, the statement said, referring to the crucial waterway separating China from the self-governing island republic it claims as its own territory.

In the response issued through its embassy in Canada, where the two-day G7 meeting was held in La Malbaie, Quebec, China said the statement repeated the same old rhetoric, ignored facts and Chinas solemn position, grossly interfered in Chinas internal affairs, and blatantly smeared China.

The statements are filled with arrogance, prejudice and malicious intentions to suppress and attack China. China strongly deplores and opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with the Canadian side, the statement said.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, through which passes around $5 trillion in global trade. It has dismissed and occasionally clashed with other countries that claim parts of the sea, especially the Philippines, a U.S. treaty partner.

China is not a member of the G7 but closely follows all comments and references to its international status made by international organizations or in foreign countries, responding to criticism with caustic language.

China has firmly rejected a U.N.-affiliated courts ruling that invalidated most of its claims to the South China Sea and says its claim to Taiwan is non-negotiable, even if China has to use force against the island.

China routinely sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near Taiwan, built military bases on human-made islands in the South China Sea and recently staged surprise live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand for which it gave no advance notice.

Australias aviation authority said it learned of the drills just 30 minutes before they began, not from Beijing but from a pilot flying in the area, and 49 commercial flights were forced to alter their flight paths in response.

The G7 did not mention the drills in its statement.

We share a growing concern at recent, unjustifiable efforts to restrict such freedom and to expand jurisdiction through use of force and other forms of coercion, including across the Taiwan Strait, and in the South China Sea, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea, the G7 said.

China has the worlds largest navy, including three aircraft carriers, with a fourth on the way. It has a base in Sheikhdom of Djibouti in the Horn of Africa and consistently has expanded the range of the force.

CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, TAIPEI, MDT/AP
Chinas top legislator Zhao Leji last week emphasized resolutely combating Taiwan independence separatist activities and curbing interference from external forces.

Zhao, chairman of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks at a symposium in Beijing marking the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of the Anti-Secession Law.

Zhao, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, stressed the importance of unswervingly advancing the cause of national reunification.

Over the past 20 years, especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, the country has further enriched the legal framework for punishing Taiwan independence separatist activities, resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference, while improving systems and policies that contribute to the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, he noted.

These efforts have effectively upheld the one-China principle and made continuous progress in opposing Taiwan independence and promoting reunification, Zhao said.

Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing Chinas complete reunification is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation and a natural requirement for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Zhao added.

Zhao emphasized the need to strengthen confidence and determination in advancing national reunification.

This includes resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity to protect the shared homeland of the Chinese nation, facilitating cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation to jointly foster lasting prosperity of the Chinese nation, and promoting Chinese culture to forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, he stated. Xinhua
The loud whirr of a chainsaw sounds through the forest as a small group of farmers gathers around a tree filled with red seed pods. With one slow stroke, a severed knobby branch hits the ground.

Now it will help the tree grow new fruit, farmer Tari Santoso says with a smile.

Thousands of cocoa farmers across Indonesia like Santoso are working with businesses and other organizations to protect their crops from the bitter impacts of climate change and underinvestment that have pushed cocoa prices to record levels.

Cocoa trees are high maintenance: Grown only near the equator, they require a precise combination of steady temperatures, humidity and sunlight. It takes five years for a tree to start producing the seeds that are processed into cocoa used to make chocolate and other delectable foods.

Climate change raises the risks for farmers: Hotter weather hurts yields and longer rainy seasons trigger the spread of fungus and deadly pests. Increasingly unpredictable weather patterns have made it harder for farmers to deal with those challenges.

So farmers are switching to other crops, further reducing cocoa supplies and pushing prices higher: In 2024, prices nearly tripled, reaching about US$12,000 per ton, driving up chocolate costs and leading some chocolate makers to try growing cocoa in laboratories.

Indonesia is the third-largest producer of cocoa in the world, behind Cote DIvoire and Ghana, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, farmers are joining with businesses and nongovernmental organizations to develop better growing practices and improve their livelihoods.

Sitting in the shade of his forest farm in south Sumatra, 3 miles (5 kilometers) from a national park where Sumatran tigers and rhinos roam, farmer Santoso is working with Indonesian chocolate maker Krakakoa.

After he began working with the company in 2016, Santoso starting using practices that helped his cocoa trees flourish, regularly pruning and grafting new branches onto older trees to promote growth and prevent the spread of disease. He is using organic fertilizer and has adopted agroforestry techniques, integrating other crops and trees such as bananas, dragon fruit, coffee and pepper, into his farm to foster a healthier ecosystem and invest in other income sources.

It wasnt very successful before we met Krakakoa, Santoso said. But then, we received training  things are much better.

Krakakoa has trained more than 1,000 cocoa farmers in Indonesia according to its founder and CEO, Sabrina Mustopo. The company also provides financial support.

Santoso and other farmers in Sumatra said the partnership helped them to form a cooperative provides low-interest loans to farmers, with interest paid back into the cooperative rather than to banks outside of the community.

Cocoa farmers who need bigger loans from government-owned banks also benefit from partnering with businesses, as the guaranteed buyer agreements can provide collateral needed to get loans approved, said Armin Hari, a communications manager at the Cocoa Sustainability Partnership, a forum for public-private collaboration for cocoa development in Indonesia.

Dozens of other businesses, the government and nongovernmental organizations and cooperatives are also working with cocoa farmers to better cope with climate change, benefiting thousands, Hari said. He pointed to a collaboration between Indonesias National Research and Innovation Agency and the local division of international chocolate maker Mars, which have released a new variant of cocoa that produces more pods per tree. VICTORIA MILKO & DITA ALANGKARA, TANJUNG REJO, MDT/AP
A man has been detained for eight days by public security authorities for using AI tools to create and disseminate a false rumor about a celebrity allegedly losing 1 billion yuan gambling in Macau, the authorities reported on Friday.

The rumor, which surfaced on March 10, claimed that a prominent celebrity had lost a staggering amount while gambling in Macao, quickly circulating on online platforms and sparking intense speculation among netizens.

Cybersecurity authorities launched an investigation, which revealed that Xu, a 36-year-old man, had used an AI content-generation app at 10 a.m. on March 10, 2025, to fabricate and publish a post with the title, Top celebrity exposed for losing 1 billion yuan in overseas gambling, triggering a public outcry.

The fabricated post rapidly spread across various online platforms, fueling public discussion and causing related rumors to dominate trending topics.

As a result, the Ministry of Public Securitys cybersecurity department announced that Xu had been placed under an eight-day administrative detention.
A group of House Republicans during the weekend put forward legislation seeking to prevent Chinese students from studying in American schools, as some U.S. lawmakers are targeting China over national security concerns.

Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., introduced the bill that could bar Chinese nationals from receiving visas that allow foreigners to travel to the U.S. to study or participate in exchange visitor programs. Five other Republicans co-sponsored the measure.

By granting Chinese nationals such visas, the U.S. has invited the Chinese Communist Party to spy on our military, steal our intellectual property, and threaten national security, Moore said in a statement.

The measure is unlikely to pass, and it has drawn criticism from organizations and scholars over concerns that hostile policies and rhetoric toward Chinese students could hurt U.S. interests.

No policy should target individuals solely on the basis of their national origin, Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, an association of international educators, said in a statement.

Making international students  the most vetted and tracked nonimmigrants in the United States  a scapegoat for xenophobic and anti-Chinese sentiment is misguided and antithetical to our national interest, Aw said.
Russia and Ukraine traded heavy aerial blows overnight, with both sides Saturday [yesterday, Macau time] reporting more than 100 enemy drones over their respective territories.

The attacks comes less than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss details of the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine.

Putin told a press conference on Thursday that he supported a truce in principle but set out a host of details that need to be clarified before it is agreed. Kyiv has already endorsed the truce proposal, although Ukrainian officials have publicly raised doubts as to whether Moscow will commit to such a deal.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv on Saturday, after virtual talks between Western allies hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelenskyy voiced Ukraines support for the 30-day full ceasefire proposal to discuss a longer-term peace plan, but said Russia would attempt to derail talks with conditions and buts.

Starmer has told allies to keep the pressure on Putin to back a ceasefire in Ukraine, hailing Ukraine as the party of peace. Starmer said Putin will sooner or later have to come to the table.

In a statement earlier on Saturday, Zelenskyy had accused Moscow of building up forces along the border.

The build up of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy. It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war, he said.

However, Zelenskyy stressed that if Russia did not agree with the U.S. proposal there would be specific, harsh and straightforward response from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

He also said that Kyivs troops were maintaining their presence in Russias Kursk region after Trump said Friday that thousands of Ukrainian troops had been surrounded by the Russian military.

The operation of our forces in the designated areas of the Kursk region continues, Zelenskyy said. Our troops continue to hold back Russian and North Korean groupings in the Kursk region. There is no encirclement of our troops.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In the call, they discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

A possible phone call between Putin and Trump to settle outstanding ceasefire issues could be arranged after Witkoff delivers the messages in Washington, Peskov said. There is an understanding on both sides that such a call is needed, Peskov said.

There are certainly some grounds for cautious optimism, Peskov said of the ceasefire proposal. A lot still needs to be done, but the president has shown solidarity with President Trumps position.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he was cautiously optimistic, too. Speaking to reporters at the end of a Group of Seven meeting in Canada, Rubio said Trump administration officials plan to spend the weekend debriefing Witkoff on his session with Putin and on next steps.

The talks with Putin did not appear to secure the immediate agreement for a ceasefire that Rubio had said Americans would press Putin for. But, we certainly feel like were at least some steps closer to ending this war, Rubio said.

Ukraines air force said Saturday that Russia had launched a barrage of 178 drones and two ballistic missiles over the country overnight. The attack was a mixture of Shahed-type drones and imitation drones designed to confuse air defenses. Some 130 drones were shot down, while 38 more failed to reach their targets.

Russia attacked energy facilities, causing significant damage, striking energy infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, Ukraines private energy company DTEK said in a statement on Saturday. Some residents were left without electricity.

The damage is significant. Energy workers are already working on the ground. We are doing everything possible to restore power to homes as soon as possible, the energy firm said.

Falling drone debris in Russias Volgograd region sparked a fire in the Krasnoarmeysky district of the city, close to a Lukoil oil refinery, according to Gov. Andrei Bocharov, who provided no further details. Nearby airports temporarily halted flights, local media outlets reported. No casualties were reported.

The Volgograd refinery has been targeted by Kyivs forces on several occasions since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, most recently in a drone attack on Feb. 15. SAMYA KULLAB, KYIV, MDT/AP
The U.S. State Department over the weekend announced sanctions on an unknown number of current and former Thai officials for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was immediately moving to impose visa restrictions on current and former officials responsible for or complicit in the deportations. No Thai official has been named. The visa restrictions were not explained but can entail a denial of entry to the U.S.

We are committed to combating Chinas efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China, where they are subject to torture and enforced disappearances, Rubio said in a statement.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said it had multiple times clarified with countries that have conveyed their concerns over the safety of the men that China assured that they would be unharmed, and that Thailand would follow up on their well-being.

Thailand has always upheld a long tradition of humanitarianism, particularly in providing assistance to displaced persons from various countries for more than half a century and will continue to do so, the ministry said in a statement.

Thailands ministers of defense and justice said they scheduled a trip to visit the men in China next week. A number of Thai journalists were invited to join them.

In Facebook posts, the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok said 40 Chinese nationals who had been smuggled were repatriated to Xinjiang on a chartered flight and they had all returned home and reunited with their families after more than 10 years.

The Uyghurs are a Turkic, majority Muslim group native to Xinjiang in Chinas far west.

More than 300 Uyghurs fleeing China were detained in 2014 by Thai authorities. By February, 48 Uyghurs remained in Thai detention when authorities prepared to send them back to China despite calls from Thai lawmakers and international officials not to do so.

Rubio has been a longtime critic of Beijing, and he was twice sanctioned by the Chinese government in 2020 over his support for the rights of Uyghurs and people in Hong Kong. MDT/AP
The parents of two boys who died last year after falling through the ice of a retention pond at the Sun Prairie apartment complex where they lived are suing the city and school district and the school bus company that dropped the boys off, claiming they bear some responsibility for the deaths.

Antwon Amos Jr., 6, and Legend Sims, 8, died Jan. 8 and Jan. 6, respectively, after falling through the ice of the city-owned pond behind one of the main buildings at the Wildwood at Main apartment complex on the afternoon of Jan. 5, according to accounts at the time from their family and Sun Prairie and Dane County officials. The boys had just been dropped off by a Kobussen Buses school bus after attending classes at Royal Oaks Elementary School.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges the city of Sun Prairie, Sun Prairie School District and Kobussen knew the area where students were being dropped off was dangerous, and that children had been playing in the pond.

They knew the pond was an open and obvious danger, knew kids were playing in the pond, knew the pond was a dangerous and deadly attractive nuisance, yet failed to take reasonable measures to ensure students, including Antwon Devonte Amos, Jr. and Legend Sims, were safe while in the care of the district, the suit says.

It further alleges that the Sun Prairie Fire and Police departments did not have the proper training and equipment to rescue the boys after they went out onto the thin ice of the pond and fell through.

When police and firefighters arrived on scene, they attempted to reach the boys using a throw rope. When that effort failed, they continued throwing the rope without success, the suit says, and then failed to take any other measures and/or change their rescue tactics to save the boys.

No one met the boys at the bus stop when they were dropped off on Jan. 5, one of the parents attorneys, Robert Gingras, told the Wisconsin State Journal in May. He said the boys mother, Kiana Sims, had planned to meet the boys at the bus stop that day but that she couldnt make it because a person she was having an appointment with arrived late to the appointment.

The suit largely echoes a claim made against the city and district last April. Photos included with that show first responders throwing ropes to the boys partially submerged in the pond, as well as divers trying to reach them. Gingras said Monday that the boys were conscious and breathing for at least eight minutes after the fire and police departments arrived.

Gingras has also alleged that the school district was aware that children had been playing at the pond and that it was a danger and sent an email to parents in mid-December expressing their concern that children were going down to the pond.

In fact, children were getting on the school bus in the morning with their pants wet from being in the pond, he said in May, and in light of those concerns, the city had a duty to put a fence around the pond  which only happened about two weeks after the boys died.

The suit does not ask for a specific amount in damages but notes that under Wisconsin law, parents can recover up to $500,000 for the wrongful death of a child. The claim filed in April by the boys estates and their parents sought more than $700,000 from the city and district for pain and suffering, funeral expenses and other costs related to the boys deaths.

The school district and city declined to comment on the suit and Kobussen did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday. But school district policy in place at the time of the accident says that students in grades kindergarten and up are the responsibility of their parents or caregivers up until the time the student boards the bus for school and then again when he/she gets off the bus on the return trip.

District spokesperson Patti Lux also said in January 2024 that the bus stop where the boys were dropped off was at the corner where the pond is located, but not located in front of the retention pond.

The city installed a 6-foot-high chain-link fence around the retention pond within two weeks of the boys deaths but also has pointed out that there is no ordinance or zoning regulation requiring fencing around the citys bodies of water.

However, the city has installed signage around the ponds to educate the public and warn of hazards, spokesperson Jake King said Monday, and vegetative buffers are being installed around some ponds as natural barriers.

He said the city will continue to follow state Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines on pond design.

Under state law, people making claims against local government, including school districts, must first make them with the governments. If local officials deny them, the claims can be made in lawsuits filed against the government in county circuit court.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 17  Johor Bahru Utara police have opened an investigation into an incident involving a Chinese man who was slapped by a stranger at a mall in Johor Bahru.

The victim alleged that the middle-aged man slapped him twice after the two argued over his identity. The assailant had reportedly suspected that the victim was a Malay-Muslim openly eating during Ramadan.

When the victim refused to show his identification card, an argument ensued before he was slapped. The entire incident was recorded and later shared on social media.

Johor police said the case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code.

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We received a report about the incident on March 16 from a local man, aged 21. Preliminary investigations showed the incident occurred at a mall in Johor Bahru at around 3.45pm, police said in a statement.

The incident likely started when the man questioned the complainant about his religion and then asked for his MyKad, but the latter refused to comply, the statement added.

The case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code. If convicted, the offender faces up to one year in jail, a fine of RM2,000, or both.

The video clip of the incident has since gone viral, sparking a heated debate on moral policing and minority rights.

Malaysia practices a federal system in which each state has full autonomy over Islamic affairs, leading to variations in Shariah laws. However, all states prohibit Muslims who are not fasting from eating or drinking in public during Ramadan.




The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday announced the rescue of three Filipino nationals who were forced to work as scammers while being subjected to abuse in Cambodia.

Last week, the NBI received a video message of the victims asking for the assistance of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and NBI Director Jaime Santiago.

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In a press briefing, Santiago stressed the crucial role of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in the successful rescue operations and in combating transnational crimes.

The victims narrated how they saw a post online offering work as customer service representatives and were contacted by a Filipino HR working inside a casino company. In Tawi-Tawi, they then boarded small boats before being transferred to a fishing boat bound for Sabah, Malaysia, until they reached Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

They were given cellphones where they downloaded social media applications like Signal, Twitter, and Instagram and were ordered by a Filipino supervisor of the company to scam old-aged foreigners through cryptocurrency.

Later, they were brought out of the compound where they were beaten by Chinese individuals.

The rescued Filipinos have since been provided with medical assistance and proper counselling upon arriving in the Philippines.
Repairs to the Norfolk Southern railroad from Newport, Tennessee, through Asheville to Black Mountain are moving along, with the railroad set to reopen at the end of March.

In Old Fort, tracks remain upended. Some are twisted above the ground, feet away from the original path, said Steve Little, mayor of Marion and co-chair of the Western North Carolina Rail Committee.

The Old Fort section of the railroad is still being assessed and Norfolk Southern has not announced when work will begin there, said Heather Garcia, a spokesperson for the company.

Norfolk Southern has confirmed to the North Carolina Department of Transportation that it will be restoring the line through Old Fort, said Jason Orthner, director of NCDOTs Rail Division, at a meeting of the WNC Rail Committee on March 5.

Repairs could be getting closer.

A member of the committee received an email during the meeting from someone looking for lodging for people who would be working on the Old Fort line for nine months, seven days a week, from daylight to dusk.

Orthner said repairs to the line are crucial for moving freight from central North Carolina to western North Carolina and beyond.

The department is really excited to see western North Carolina come back, Orthner said. We want to see the dozens and dozens of customers that are existing that have been waiting for rail service get their service back in place, and the opportunity for future services.

Theres support for the repairs in Washington, too, with U.S. Rep. Tim Moore saying he plans to continue advocating for North Carolinas rebuild post-Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Helene destroyed vital rail infrastructure, disrupting freight transportation and regional commerce, Moore said in a statement Tuesday, March 11. Rebuilding these lines is so critical to keeping supply chains moving, supporting businesses that are working to get back on their feet, and boosting overall long-term economic stability.

Restored hope for passenger rail

More than 20 years after state officials first started exploring the return of passenger rail to western North Carolina, more talk was bubbling up about the possibility throughout 2024.

A Salisbury to Asheville line, which could include stops in Statesville, Hickory, Valdese, Morganton, Marion and Old Fort, was selected for the federal Corridor Identification and Development Program through the Federal Railroad Administration in late 2023. It would likely follow Norfolk Southerns freight line through the area.

In June 2024, North Carolina state Sen. Warren Daniel sent an email to organizers of Waiting for the Train, a Morganton-based organization, that said he felt passenger rail could become a reality for western North Carolina within five to seven years.

When Hurricane Helene upended miles of track throughout the western portion of the state, including Norfolk Southerns line through Old Fort, Little said passenger rail supporters felt a little deflated.

It was sort of like their balloon got punctured,  a little teeny leak, Little said. People werent quite as excited because youre afraid to get too excited if you think that it might not happen.

Slowly, that hope is being renewed.

Orthner said talks with the Federal Railroad Administration have been positive about the western North Carolina corridor.

He said NCDOT expects to present the scope of the project to the federal administration this spring, followed by the budget in the summer. The scope and budget could be approved by the fall.

Moore, who represents NCs 14th Congressional District covering counties along the railroad, has previously voiced support for the return of passenger rail. He said that support still stands.

Western North Carolina has lacked passenger rail service for decades, limiting travel options and economic opportunities for our communities, Moore said in a statement Tuesday, March 11. Expanding rail access would provide a reliable transportation alternative, boost tourism, and better connect our region to the rest of the state. I fully support this effort.

Little said hearing about the talks with the Federal Railroad Administration and Norfolk Southerns dedication to repairing the line in Old Fort was uplifting for the cause.

That puts us back where we were Sept. 26, 2024, when everything was full speed ahead of working toward satisfying various requirements of the rail corridor system, Little said. Getting the money raised and all of the municipalities mobilized and excited, all the way from Asheville to Salisbury.  Its the best news Ive heard since the hurricane brought such destruction to our area.
US aid cuts would harm Africas efforts to counter disease outbreaks and would leave many health systems in the continent in disarray, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Jean Kaseya said.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the African health ministers meeting, Kaseya, said the aid cuts affecting governments and their partners in the non-governmental sector, have shut down or disrupted projects tackling diseases ranging from malaria to AIDS.

To reduce government spending, president Trump ordered the termination of most foreign aid contracts, aiming to cut over 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding.

The reform plans to eliminate approximately $60 billion in global assistance.

Many of the affected programs are in fragile countries that are highly reliant on U.S. aid to support health systems, nutrition programs and stave off starvation.

Kaseya cited the immediate impact in Congo, which is the epicenter of Mpox outbreaks in Africa and where aid cuts and insecurity in the countrys east have contributed to challenges in countering the outbreak.

Aid cuts have also impeded the collection and transportation of vaccine samples in Congo, Kaseya said.

We know this aid cut is a difficult moment for our countries, and it came overnight, he said. Some of them were not prepared for this major aid cut.

Kaseya said the US funding cuts are part of a globally diminishing financial support to address highly contagious diseases such as Ebola.
The Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline will have a huge impact on Africas energy sector, particularly in the countries along its route, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Claver Gatete, said.

Speaking at an experts meeting during the 57th session of the ECA and the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in Addis Ababa, Gatete underscored the projects significance in bolstering energy access and regional cooperation.

He also praised Moroccos renewable energy initiatives, citing the planned submarine power cable linking Morocco and the United Kingdom as a major clean energy project.

Beyond energy, Morocco could play a key role in strengthening Africas agricultural sector through its phosphate production, Gatete said, noting that many African countries face fertilizer shortages.

He also pointed to Moroccos advancements in automotive technology, advocating for collaboration with other African nations to develop electric vehicle manufacturing as part of a broader pan-African industrial strategy.

On Wednesday, Morocco was unanimously elected to chair the 57th session of the ECA and the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The session also confirmed that Morocco will host the next edition in March 2026.
The United States and Israel have reportedly engaged in discussions with Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland about the possibility of resettling displaced Palestinians from Gaza.

The move, which has been widely condemned by Palestinian leaders and international community, seeks to relocate Palestinians who have been severely impacted by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to officials, the US and Israel reached out to these East African nations in an effort to explore alternatives for relocating Gazas Palestinian population, which has been devastated by months of military operations. Sudan has firmly rejected the proposal, while Somalia and Somaliland have denied any such discussions, with Somali officials expressing surprise at the claims.

The proposal reportedly included offering economic incentives, military aid, and diplomatic recognition in exchange for hosting Palestinians. Specifically, the US has considered offering Somaliland international recognition, which remains a significant goal for the breakaway regions government. This move is part of a broader push by president Donald Trump, who previously proposed a US-led takeover of Gaza. His plan, which includes the permanent displacement of Gazas 2 million residents, has drawn widespread accusations of ethnic cleansing.

Experts have warned that forcing Palestinians to leave their homeland would have devastating consequences, particularly for African nations already grappling with their own economic and security challenges. Any forced displacement of Palestinians is a red line that should not be crossed, says Tamer Qarmout from the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. The discussions, however, underscore the ongoing tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict and the complexities of finding a lasting solution.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has confirmed that it has received a formal request from Kenyan authorities for a new financing programme and will engage with the government in the coming period. In a statement issued on Monday March 17, the IMF announced that a ninth review under its current extended fund facility and extended credit facility programmes would not proceed.

While the IMF did not specify the details of the programme being sought, Kenyas Finance Minister John Mbadi previously told Reuters that it would be a new financing programme. The East African nation continues to face significant challenges, requiring ongoing assistance from the IMF to stabilise its economy after a surge in debt-servicing costs, which has resulted from a borrowing spree over the past decade.

The Kenyan government has been seeking fresh financing options following public protests last year, which led to the abandonment of a proposed plan to increase revenue through higher taxes. The continued support of the IMF is seen as crucial to helping the country maintain economic stability and manage its growing debt burden.
Senegals Government announced that former President Macky Sall will be summoned to court following an audit report revealing significant financial irregularities during his time in office. The report, published in February 2025, exposed discrepancies in Senegals treasury, with debt and public deficit figures revised sharply upwards, and a 2023 budget deficit reported at 12.3%, double the previously announced figure. Sall, who served as president from 2012 to 2024, has dismissed the findings as politically motivated.

Government spokesman Moustapha Sarre accused Sall of catastrophic mismanagement, stating that he could be charged with high treason and that legal proceedings against him were inevitable. The investigation follows President Bassirou Diomaye Fayes promise to distance his administration from Salls legacy, including efforts to tackle alleged corruption. Salls tenure was also marked by political violence, with deadly protests between 2021 and 2024 that resulted in the deaths of at least 65 people.

This legal action would be unprecedented in Senegals history, as no former president has faced trial since the countrys independence from France in 1960. The current government has also pledged to abolish an amnesty law, introduced by Sall before leaving office, which has been criticised for shielding individuals involved in violent actions during his administration.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced on Sunday March 16 that it will send a delegation to Angola on Tuesday March 18 for peace talks aimed at resolving the escalating conflict with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the east of the country. The talks, scheduled to begin in the Angolan capital, Luanda, on March 18, were confirmed by Angola last week.

President Felix Tshisekedi, who has previously ruled out direct dialogue with the M23 group, is reportedly reconsidering his stance after a series of defeats and a decline in regional support for Congo. The details of Congos delegation have not been confirmed, as spokesperson Tina Salama stated that it was too early to say who would be included. M23 has acknowledged Angolas invitation but has not yet clarified whether it will participate. The group has made several demands, including a public commitment from President Tshisekedi to negotiate directly with them.

Angola has been working to mediate a lasting ceasefire and reduce tensions between Congo and its neighbour, Rwanda, which is accused of supporting the Tutsi-led M23 rebels. Rwanda denies the allegations. The conflict, which stems from the aftermath of Rwandas 1994 genocide and competition over Congos rich mineral resources, has intensified this year, with M23 capturing new territories, including major cities. Over 7,000 people have been killed since January, and more than 600,000 have been displaced, according to the UN. Angolan President Joao Lourenco has called for an immediate ceasefire to create a peaceful environment for the talks, although fighting reportedly continued on Sunday.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced on Sunday March 16 that its troops had made significant advances in central Khartoum, a statement contested by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

SAF spokesman Nabil Abdalla asserted that the military had achieved considerable success in the capital, claiming that forces from the Al-Shajara area, supported by armored vehicles, had expelled the RSF from several key locations south of central Khartoum, including the Family Club, the Al Mansheiya Bridge, the Nile Towers, and the Sherwani area.

However, the RSF denied the SAFs assertions, with El Basha Tabig, advisor to RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, countering that the RSF had successfully crushed and destroyed the army forces in the Sherwani area, Nile Towers, and Al Mansheiya Bridge. The SAF is currently attempting to encircle RSF forces, which continue to control key sites in central Khartoum, such as the Presidential Palace and military installations in the Al-Mogran area. The army has coordinated efforts through three mobile forces advancing from Omdurman, East Nile, and the outskirts of Gezira state.

The ongoing conflict between the SAF and the RSF, which has raged since mid-April 2023, has devastated Sudan, claiming over 29,000 lives, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project. The violence has also forced over 15 million people to flee their homes, both within Sudan and across borders. On Saturday, RSF Commander Dagalo indicated that the RSF would not vacate central Khartoum, further escalating the conflict as he outlined the groups evolving strategy following the formation of political and military alliances.
Opposition parties across South Africas political spectrum have called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resist bullying from the United States following Washingtons abrupt expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool. The diplomat was declared persona non grata and given just 72 hours to leave American territory after State Secretary Marco Rubio described him as a race-baiting politician who hates America.

The diplomatic crisis marks a new low in deteriorating bilateral relations since President Donald Trumps administration took office. While South Africas International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola advocated measured diplomacy, stating it is not helpful to engage in Twitter diplomacy and calling for face-to-face discussions, opposition voices struck a more defiant tone.

The Economic Freedom Fighters party issued a particularly scathing statement urging Ramaphosa to not allow the country to be bullied by the orange clown occupying the White House. Similarly, the Pan Africanist Congress condemned the American decision as an attack on South African sovereignty and an attempt to dictate domestic policy.

South Africa is not a puppet of the US; we have the right to govern our country without any interference, emphasized PAC Secretary General Apa Pooe.

Trump has repeatedly criticized South Africas controversial land redistribution legislation, which permits government expropriation without compensation under certain circumstances. Last month, his administration cut aid to South Africa, alleging discrimination against the white Afrikaner minorityclaims South African authorities categorically deny.

Rasool, who previously served as ambassador during Barack Obamas presidency from 2010 to 2015, was reappointed in 2024 specifically for his Washington expertise and extensive network. However, the Democratic Alliance, a coalition partner in South Africas government of national unity, has questioned why diplomatic appointments remain controlled by the African National Congress despite its diminished electoral standing.

It is simply not right that the ANC has carte blanche on foreign policy while they are only a 39% party, argued DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp, advocating broader coalition representation in diplomatic efforts.
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Conceptual model. Credit: Alzheimer's & Dementia (2025). DOI: 10.1002/alz.70015

Education has long been associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, but a new study reveals that this protection extends far beyond diplomas and degrees. Co-led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Columbia University, the study investigated how high school contexts, opportunities and outcomes shape midlife cognition even among people with the same completed degrees.

The research, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, expands upon previous research about education's protective effects against late-life cognitive impairment and offers new pathways for dementia prevention strategies.

"When we talk about education, the quality of your high school experience, not just whether you received a diploma or went on to college, shapes your brain health decades later," said lead author Chandra Muller, professor of sociology at UT. "Students who attend better-resourced schools and perform well academically tend to maintain stronger cognitive skills as they age.

"Unfortunately, when we only look at degrees earned, we miss this important part of the story. This means that improving our high schools today could help protect an entire generation from memory and cognition problems as they grow older."

The study used data from surviving members of the High School and Beyond (HS&B:80) cohorta nationally representative and highly diverse sample of more than 27,000 Americans who were high school sophomores or seniors in 1980. This unique dataset allowed researchers to examine how early educational contexts and experiences relate to cognitive functioning four decades later.

Key findings include:

Degree attainment predicts midlife cognitive functioning, but a large portion of that association is accounted for by students' high school academic performance as measured by test scores, grades and course completion.

High school contexts and learning opportunities predict midlife cognition mainly because they play a role in shaping students' academic performance.

Understanding the potential benefits of education for later-life cognitive functioning requires attention to broader schooling processes and to students' academic performance beyond degree attainment.

"What we've discovered is that it's about the entire educational journey," said John Robert Warren, co-lead author and professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota. "Schools differ with respect to their resources and academic environments, and students certainly vary with respect to what they learn and accomplish in school. These inequalities create ripple effects that influence cognitive health decades later."

Other principal investigators include Eric Grodsky, professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as Jennifer Manly and Adam Brickman, professors of neurology at Columbia University. Other collaborators include Koit Hung and Michael J. Culbertson of UT and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, respectively.

More information: Chandra Muller et al, Education and midlife cognitive functioning: Evidence from the High School and Beyond cohort, Alzheimer's & Dementia (2025). DOI: 10.1002/alz.70015 Journal information: Alzheimer's & Dementia
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Sample images of four classes with their subtypes. Credit: Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine Update (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpbup.2025.100181

One of Australia's most common gynecological cancers could be detected sooner and more accurately thanks to a specialized artificial intelligence (AI) model, new research shows.

The study is published in the journal Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine Update.

Researchers from Daffodil International University in Bangladesh, Charles Darwin University, the University of Calgary and Australian Catholic University have developed an AI model which can detect endometrial cancer with 99.26% accuracy.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in Australia and one of the most diagnosed cancers in Australian women, according to the Cancer Council.

The model, called ECgMPL, examines histopathological images, which are microscopic images of tissue used in disease analysis. The model enhances the quality of the images, identifies the most important areas and analyzes the tissue.

The current endometrial accuracy using automated diagnosis is reported to be approximately 78.91% to 80.93%.

Co-author and CDU Lecturer in Information Technology Dr. Asif Karim said the model could enhance clinical processes.

"The proposed ECgMLP model outperforms existing methods by achieving 99.26 percent accuracy, surpassing transfer learning and custom models discussed in the research while being computationally efficient," Dr. Karim said.

"Optimized through ablation studies, self-attention mechanisms, and efficient training, ECgMLP generalizes well across multiple histopathology datasets, thereby making it a robust and clinically applicable solution for endometrial cancer diagnosis."

Co-author and CDU adjunct Associate Professor Niusha Shafiabady, who is also an Associate Professor at Australian Catholic University, said the model also had benefits outside of endometrial cancer diagnosis.

"The same methodology can be applied for fast and accurate early detection and diagnosis of other diseases which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes," Associate Professor Shafiabady said.

"We evaluated the model on several histopathology image datasets. It diagnosed colorectal cancer with 98.57 percent accuracy, breast cancer with 98.20 percent accuracy, and oral cancer with 97.34 percent accuracy. "The core AI model developed through this research can be adopted as the brain of a software system to be used to assist doctors with decision-making in cancer diagnosis."

More information: Md. Alif Sheakh et al, ECgMLP: A novel gated MLP model for enhanced endometrial cancer diagnosis, Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine Update (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpbup.2025.100181
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This March 2025 image from the website of artificial intelligence company Xoltar shows a demonstration of one of their avatars for conducting video calls with a patients. Credit: Xoltar via AP

The next time you're due for a medical exam you may get a call from someone like Ana: a friendly voice that can help you prepare for your appointment and answer any pressing questions you might have.

With her calm, warm demeanor, Ana has been trained to put patients at easelike many nurses across the U.S. But unlike them, she is also available to chat 24-7, in multiple languages, from Hindi to Haitian Creole.

That's because Ana isn't human, but an artificial intelligence program created by Hippocratic AI, one of a number of new companies offering ways to automate time-consuming tasks usually performed by nurses and medical assistants.

It's the most visible sign of AI's inroads into health care, where hundreds of hospitals are using increasingly sophisticated computer programs to monitor patients' vital signs, flag emergency situations and trigger step-by-step action plans for carejobs that were all previously handled by nurses and other health professionals.

Hospitals say AI is helping their nurses work more efficiently while addressing burnout and understaffing. But nursing unions argue that this poorly understood technology is overriding nurses' expertise and degrading the quality of care patients receive.

"Hospitals have been waiting for the moment when they have something that appears to have enough legitimacy to replace nurses," said Michelle Mahon of National Nurses United. "The entire ecosystem is designed to automate, de-skill and ultimately replace caregivers."

Mahon's group, the largest nursing union in the U.S., has helped organize more than 20 demonstrations at hospitals across the country, pushing for the right to have say in how AI can be usedand protection from discipline if nurses decide to disregard automated advice. The group raised new alarms in January when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the incoming health secretary, suggested AI nurses "as good as any doctor" could help deliver care in rural areas. On Friday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who's been nominated to oversee Medicare and Medicaid, said he believes AI can "liberate doctors and nurses from all the paperwork."

Hippocratic AI initially promoted a rate of $9 an hour for its AI assistants, compared with about $40 an hour for a registered nurse. It has since dropped that language, instead touting its services and seeking to assure customers that they have been carefully tested. The company did not grant requests for an interview.

In this photo provided by National Nurses United, Melissa Beebe, foreground, and other nurses hold a rally in San Francisco on April 22, 2024, to highlight safety concerns about using artificial intelligence in health care. Credit: National Nurses United via AP

AI in the hospital can generate false alarms and dangerous advice

Hospitals have been experimenting for years with technology designed to improve care and streamline costs, including sensors, microphones and motion-sensing cameras. Now that data is being linked with electronic medical records and analyzed in an effort to predict medical problems and direct nurses' caresometimes before they've evaluated the patient themselves.

Adam Hart was working in the emergency room at Dignity Health in Henderson, Nevada, when the hospital's computer system flagged a newly arrived patient for sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to infection. Under the hospital's protocol, he was supposed to immediately administer a large dose of IV fluids. But after further examination, Hart determined that he was treating a dialysis patient, or someone with kidney failure. Such patients have to be carefully managed to avoid overloading their kidneys with fluid.

Hart raised his concern with the supervising nurse but was told to just follow the standard protocol. Only after a nearby physician intervened did the patient instead begin to receive a slow infusion of IV fluids.

"You need to keep your thinking cap on that's why you're being paid as a nurse," Hart said. "Turning over our thought processes to these devices is reckless and dangerous."

Hart and other nurses say they understand the goal of AI: to make it easier for nurses to monitor multiple patients and quickly respond to problems. But the reality is often a barrage of false alarms, sometimes erroneously flagging basic bodily functionssuch as a patient having a bowel movementas an emergency.

"You're trying to focus on your work but then you're getting all these distracting alerts that may or may not mean something," said Melissa Beebe, a cancer nurse at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. "It's hard to even tell when it's accurate and when it's not because there are so many false alarms."

This March 2025 image from the website of artificial intelligence company Xoltar, shows two of of their demonstration avatars for conducting video calls with patients. Credit: Xoltar via AP

Can AI help in the hospital?

Even the most sophisticated technology will miss signs that nurses routinely pick up on, such as facial expressions and odors, notes Michelle Collins, dean of Loyola University's College of Nursing. But people aren't perfect either.

"It would be foolish to turn our back on this completely," Collins said. "We should embrace what it can do to augment our care, but we should also be careful it doesn't replace the human element."

More than 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to one estimate, the biggest staffing drop in 40 years. As the U.S. population ages and nurses retire, the U.S. government estimates there will be more than 190,000 new openings for nurses every year through 2032.

Faced with this trend, hospital administrators see AI filling a vital role: not taking over care, but helping nurses and doctors gather information and communicate with patients.

'Sometimes they are talking to a human and sometimes they're not'

At the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences in Little Rock, staffers need to make hundreds of calls every week to prepare patients for surgery. Nurses confirm information about prescriptions, heart conditions and other issueslike sleep apneathat must be carefully reviewed before anesthesia.

The problem: many patients only answer their phones in the evening, usually between dinner and their children's bedtime.

In this photo provided by National Nurses United, nurses hold a rally in San Francisco on April 22, 2024, to highlight safety concerns about using artificial intelligence in health care. Credit: National Nurses United via AP

"So what we need to do is find a way to call several hundred people in a 120-minute windowbut I really don't want to pay my staff overtime to do so," said Dr. Joseph Sanford, who oversees the center's health IT.

Since January, the hospital has used an AI assistant from Qventus to contact patients and health providers, send and receive medical records and summarize their contents for human staffers. Qventus says 115 hospitals are using its technology, which aims to boost hospital earnings through quicker surgical turnarounds, fewer cancellations and reduced burnout.

Each call begins with the program identifying itself as an AI assistant.

"We always want to be fully transparent with our patients that sometimes they are talking to a human and sometimes they're not," Sanford said.

While companies like Qventus are providing an administrative service, other AI developers see a bigger role for their technology.

Israeli startup Xoltar specializes in humanlike avatars that conduct video calls with patients. The company is working with the Mayo Clinic on an AI assistant that teaches patients cognitive techniques for managing chronic pain. The company is also developing an avatar to help smokers quit. In early testing, patients spend about 14 minutes talking to the program, which can pickup on facial expressions, body language and other cues, according to Xoltar.

Nursing experts who study AI say such programs may work for people who are relatively healthy and proactive about their care. But that's not most people in the health system.

"It's the very sick who are taking up the bulk of health care in the U.S. and whether or not chatbots are positioned for those folks is something we really have to consider," said Roschelle Fritz of the University of California Davis School of Nursing.

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on Monday announced an agreement to buy Belgian cell therapy firm EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion, expanding its treatments for cancer.

EsoBiotec's technology helps the immune system attack cancers by genetically modifying cells inside the body via an injection.

It contrasts with the traditional method of removing and modifying cells outside the body before re-administering them.

It has the potential to deliver cell therapy treatment "in just minutes rather than the current process which takes weeks," AstraZeneca said in a statement.

EsoBiotec's platform can be used also to target immune cells that attack the body, AstraZeneca said.

AstraZeneca's latest push into oncology comes after cancer medicine sales helped boost the group's 2024 annual profit, by 18 percent.

"EsoBiotec will accelerate and expand the impact of our recent investments and marks a major step forward in realizing our ambition to harness the full potential of cell therapy," said AstraZeneca executive Susan Galbraith.

"We believe it has the potential to transform cell therapy and will enable us to scale these innovative treatments so that many more patients around the world can access them," she said.

AstraZeneca will pay $425 million up front to the Belgium-based company, plus up to $575 million after specified regulatory milestones are reached.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025.

 2025 AFP
You are here: China

An investigation report released on Sunday concluded that a fatal bus crash in north China's Shanxi Province in 2024 was a production safety incident.

Fourteen people were killed and 37 others injured after a passenger bus crashed into a tunnel wall on the Hohhot-Beihai Expressway in Shanxi on March 19, 2024.

According to the report released by Shanxi provincial department of emergency management, the accident was caused by a combination of driver fatigue, speeding in the tunnel, and the failure to use headlights. Negligence by the involved bus company and regulatory authorities also contributed to the crash, the report determined.

Direct economic losses resulting from this accident were estimated at approximately 15.89 million yuan (about 2.22 million U.S. dollars).

The report suggested that Li Congyong, the legal representative of Jiajun Transport Company, along with several others, be transferred to judicial authorities.

Several other involved enterprises and individuals have also been advised for administrative penalties, according to the report.

A total of 18 people were held accountable by disciplinary inspection and supervisory commissions in Shanxi Province and Henan Province, respectively.

Three of the people held accountable are in Shanxi, while the remaining 15 are in Henan in central China.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Despite being born with malformed limbs and later giving birth to four children, Francisca avoided going to the doctor as much as possible for about two decades.

The 58-year-old Southwest Side resident lacked health insurance, so when she got sick or was in pain she often relied on home remedies. When she had a toothache, she wouldn't go to the dentist.

Nearly two years ago, though, Francisca's situation changed dramatically. She obtained health coverage through a state program that provides taxpayer-funded insurance to immigrants like her who are in the country without legal permission, as well as green card holders who haven't been in the U.S. long enough to qualify for Medicaid, the traditional health care program for the poor.

When she had her first dental cleaning after getting the state-funded coverage, "it felt like a blessing," said Francisca, who asked to be identified by only her first name because of her immigration status.

But in just a few months, Francisca and more than 30,000 other immigrants in Illinois may be uninsured once again as Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed eliminating funding for the program that began in 2022 for noncitizen immigrants aged 42 to 64.

While coverage would continue for noncitizen immigrants 65 and older, cutting the program for the 42-to-64 age group is a significant piece of Pritzker's plan to balance a $55.2 billion state budget proposal. The governor estimates it will save $330 million as costs are rising and growth in income and sales taxes is slowing, developments that continue to strain the state's finances and force difficult decisions to ensure the state lives within its means, Pritzker has said.

The effort to provide state-funded insurance, which began with coverage for those 65 and older during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2020, has become a lightning rod in Springfield as costs far outstripped projections.

Although many immigrants living in Illinois without authorization pay state and federal taxes that support the program and other services for which they are ineligible because of their citizenship status, a recent state audit found that over three years the insurance program for older immigrants cost nearly double what was expected and the program for the younger group cost nearly four times more than anticipated.

Pritzker's proposal, which blindsided many of the programs' supporters in the state legislature, has created some political dissonance for Democrats, particularly for the governor himself, as he angles for national attention as a leading opponent of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and Republican proposals to cut federal Medicaid funding.

A potential 2028 contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, Pritzker wrote in a recent Tribune op-ed opposing Medicaid cuts. "For Illinois families of all backgrounds and across the state, health care isn't an afterthoughtit's a lifeline." He also promised: "Illinois is doing all we can to preserve health care coverage."

As some Democratic lawmakers scramble to find ways to preserve the program, patients and the providers who care for them are bracing for an abrupt end to their health insurance coverage.

"I actually have a bad toothache right now, and I will make sure I go to the dentist soon, before my (coverage) is taken away," Francisca said. "Otherwise it will cost me like $300, and I don't have that much money."

The worry goes beyond her health. Francisca has a rare congenital disorder that has left her limbs either missing or disfigured. She uses a wheelchair and has never been able to work because of her disability. After she separated from her husband five years ago, she became fully reliant on her children.

"She is everything to us," said her daughter Sara, 20, hugging her mother.

Getting insurance coverage from the state "felt like a relief," Francisca said.

"We could go to the doctor knowing that if they found something wrong, we would be able to follow up. We no longer had to choose between going to the doctor, paying for the visit, the medication, or paying for rent and food," Francisca said.

If the program goes away, the responsibility of paying her medical bills will fall back to her children, on top of paying for her other expenses. She has no savings and doesn't qualify for Social Security disability benefits or Medicaid due to her immigration status.

"Sometimes I feel like a burden for them because they have to pay for everything," she said.

Cases like Francisca's illustrate what experts say are the broader consequences of leaving immigrants who are in the country without authorization uninsured.

Immigrants who don't have coverage are less likely to have a steady source of health care outside the emergency room or to have a provider they trust in the U.S., said Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at KFF, a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy organization.

In a survey KFF conducted in 2023, one in five uninsured immigrant adults said their health got worse as a result of skipping or postponing care, she said.

"When an individual doesn't have health insurance coverage, since they're more likely to forgo primary and preventive health care, it's possible that health conditions that are fairly easy to treat can go undetected for a long time and ultimately become more complex and expensive to treat, which can raise the costs of uncompensated care," Pillai said.

"It can also lead to worse economic outcomes due to productivity losses, with immigrants playing a key role, especially in certain professions such as health care, agriculture, transportation."

That's similar to the argument Pritzker made nearly two years ago when he signed a state budget deal that preserved the program.

"We save money when we invest in health care for undocumented immigrants," Pritzker said in June 2023, just a few weeks before his administration closed enrollment for immigrants under 65 to help control the programs' costs.

"Because you know what happens if they don't get health care, basic health care: they end up in an emergency room. We all end up paying for that at a much higher cost than if we have preventative care."

In response to the recent audit, Pritzker's Department of Healthcare and Family Services, which administers the programs, also pointed to the prevalence of untreated chronic conditions and high rates of hospitalization among participants as key factors in driving the cost overruns.

If the program for those under 65 ends, many patients who seek treatment will likely do so through community health centers, which are obligated to continue providing care regardless of insurance coverage or immigration status, Pillai said. And whether or not the state is paying the bill, the community centers will treat those patients and have to absorb the cost, said Ollie Idowu, president and CEO of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association, which represents more than 50 health centers across the state.

While Idowu said he understands the state budget pressures, "for my health centers, it's going to have a severe impact."

About one-third of participants in the program for those under 65 are patients of community health centers, according to the association, and the loss of funding for their care could force centers to lay off employees, reduce or eliminate some services, or close sites.

The governor's proposal also comes as health centers are facing pressure from what they see as inadequate Medicaid reimbursements from the state, possible cuts to federal Medicaid funding, and moves by the pharmaceutical industry to place restrictions on their ability to get drugs through a federal program at steeply discounted rates, which provides another major source of funding.

"At the federal level, there is a nightmare of a storm that is brewing that has the potential to wreak havoc on our health care safety net, and so it's critically important that our lawmakers and policymakers make the strongest possible investments that they can into people and providers to keep our communities healthy and to drive down costs to the health care system," said Cyrus Winnett, the association's chief public affairs officer.

Cook County Health is another provider for many immigrant patients who receive coverage through the program and also could face a major hit if the state stops compensating the county-run system. In 2024, the county health system received $111 million in reimbursements for care provided to about 8,000 patients through the program Pritzker has proposed eliminating, officials said, adding that, regardless of the outcome in Springfield, "Cook County Health will be here to serve all patients in need."

Rush University System for Health also could face a hit if the program ends.

Over four years, starting in 2019, the hospital saw its financial assistance and charity care spending cut nearly in half, with "a substantial portion" attributable to payments from the state immigrant health care programs, said Padraic Stanley, Rush's program manager of community integration, health promotion and disease prevention.

Illinois has long been at the forefront of providing health insurance coverage without regard to immigration status. In 2006, Illinois became the first state to cover children regardless of citizenship, and in 2020 became the first to do so for those 65 and older.

Others followed suit, with 13 other states and Washington, D.C., providing coverage for children and six other states and the nation's capital providing state-funded coverage for some income-eligible adults as of January, according to KFF.

When expanding Illinois' program for the second time in 2022 to extend coverage to those as young as 42, Pritzker declared in a news release that "everyone, regardless of documentation status, deserves access to holistic health care coverage."

Despite backtracking on that issue, Pritzker is unlikely to face significant political consequences either in a bid for a third term next year or in a potential 2028 White House run, said E.J. Fagan, a political science professor at the University of Illinois Chicago.

"Any governor who's served for a long period of time in their home state is going to run into issues that don't look great nationally," Fagan said.

In the more immediate term, it remains unclear whether there will be enough pushback from the Democratic-controlled legislature to change Pritzker's mind on funding the program. Republicans, whose votes aren't needed to pass a budget that takes effect July 1, uniformly oppose providing the state-funded coverage, arguing the resources would be better spent on legal residents of Illinois.

"This administration is committed to doing everything within our means to protect health care for the most vulnerable," Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough wrote in response to questions about the governor's proposal. "This difficult decision was one, among many, that reflect the reality of our situation and unfortunately needed to be made in order to maintain a balanced budget. In this case, we opted to preserve health care coverage for the most vulnerable through" the program for those 65 and older.

"We are happy to engage the General Assembly should they have creative solutions to maintain funding for the program, but we have a responsibility to Illinois taxpayers to maintain a balanced budget," Gough said.

While she appreciates the administration's willingness to listen to other ideas, state Rep. Norma Hernandez, a Melrose Park Democrat who chairs the House Latino Caucus, said those discussions should have begun before Pritzker introduced his proposal last month.

"I'm curious to understand why this specific population is being targeted. Is it because they're being seen as less human?" Hernandez said. "Before making this announcement, there should have been those bigger conversations.  How can we create a pathway to help fund this program, to not only just keep it but to expand it?"

Pritzker's budget plan was based on revenue forecasts that painted a more optimistic picture than the $3.2 billion deficit his administration was projecting as recently as November. But the legislature's bipartisan forecasting arm more recently produced its own estimate for the coming year, anticipating about $737 million less revenue than the governor's plan, before accounting for tax changes that would require legislative approval.

Further clouding the outlook are stock market turmoil and growing recession fears stemming from Trump's use of tariffs against some of the U.S.'s largest trading partners and expansive cuts to the federal workforce.

Nevertheless, Hernandez said she and other supporters of the program are looking for "progressive revenue" options to keep the program going, without offering examples. While funding the program has led to infighting among legislative Democrats in recent years, she said Latino members have worked hard on "educating folks on the reality of  why this program is so important, why this program saves the state money."

Among those working alongside members of the Latino caucus and other supporters to preserve the program is Andrea Kovach, a senior attorney at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and a member of the Healthy Illinois Campaign.

The campaign was a driving force behind creating the programs but is also among those Pritzker administration officials have blamed for providing inaccurate cost estimates that ended up ballooning in recent years.

"Cancer doesn't care what someone's immigration status is. Diabetes doesn't go away because someone has a particular immigration status. So the cost will still be there," Kovach said. "People still age, have accidents and need to treat and manage chronic conditions. The difference is they'll not be diagnosed soon, but at a much later stage and it will be much more costly to the state."

Illinois has "a legacy we should be really proud of, and now is not the time to go backwards," she said.

It's an open question whether supporters would be able to round up enough votes to pass any kind of tax proposal to fund the program, or whether Democratic leaders would allow such a plan to advance. House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, for example, said in a Sun-Times podcast interview earlier this year that "talking about tax increases  would be tone-deaf to what we heard in November" from voters.

While budget negotiations continue in Springfield ahead of the legislature's May 31 budget deadline, the future of health care coverage for Francisca and tens of thousands of other immigrants living in Illinois hangs in the balance.

Also among that group are Maria Esther Morales, 57, and her husband, Adan Rodriguez, 60, of the Pilsen neighborhood.

They have been unable to legalize their status in the country after living in the U.S. for more than 32 years, even with four of their five children being citizens, because federal law would require them to leave the country for 10 years to be eligible.

For decades, they didn't see a dentist. Though they both have diabetes, they avoided the doctor except for the handful of times they ended up in the emergency room.

Three years ago, when Morales and her husband found out they could finally get Medicaid-style coverage from the state, their lives completely changed, Morales said.

"We couldn't believe it; it was the greatest blessing for the two of us and for many other people," Morales said. "We immediately made appointments to get a dental clinic and follow-ups to treat my anemia."

Since getting coverage, neither of them have had to go to the emergency room, she said. They only go to their checkups and follow-up appointments at Alivio Medical Center, a community health center. Morales, who volunteers with a group of cancer patients and survivors, said many people covered by the program are anxious and nervous.

She said she prays lawmakers find a way to keep it.

2025 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Nearly 85% of the 1.7 million adolescents with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, along with half of the nearly 40 million people in the world living with HIV. Although the government in Uganda provides antiretroviral treatment (ART) for free, adherence to the regimen by adolescents aged 1016 is low, increasing the potential for the virus to further spread.

Claire Najjuuko, a doctoral student at Washington University in St. Louis, saw this firsthand while working as a data manager at the International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD) in Uganda, founded by Fred M. Ssewamala, the William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor in the Brown School at WashU.

Now earning a doctorate in WashU's Division of Computational & Data Sciences, Najjuuko, who is co-advised by Ssewamala and Chenyang Lu, the Fullgraf Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering, wanted to use artificial intelligence and data science to help improve adolescent compliance with the treatment in low-resource areas.

Results of the research appear in the journal AIDS.

"I have great interest in machine learning and want to apply it to problems that speak directly to me," she said. "The collaborations between the AI for Health Institute directed by Professor Lu and the International Center for Child Health and Development directed by Professor Fred are particularly enabling this kind of innovative work."

With support from Lu and Ssewamala, Najjuuko set out to develop a machine learning model to predict which adolescents with HIV would be less likely to adhere to antiretroviral therapy. With such knowledge, health care practitioners could implement interventions for those identified as less likely to adhere to the treatment plan.

"The current way the practice is, adolescents go to the clinic every month or two months for medication refills, and a health care practitioner checks how many pills the patient has left compared with what is expected, as well as asking the adolescent questions regarding missed doses to establish if the patient is adhering to the therapy," Najjuuko said. "This project to predict future nonadherence of adolescents can have real impact if implemented in the right way."

To train the model, Najjuuko used data from a six-year cluster-randomized controlled trial from 39 clinics in southern Uganda, a region most heavily impacted by HIV. The Suubi+Adherence dataset included adolescents between the ages of 10 and 16 medically diagnosed with HIV, aware of their status, enrolled in ART at one of the clinics and living within a family. Ultimately, the models analyzed data from 647 patients who had complete data on the outcome at 48 months.

Najjuuko developed a machine learning model to predict nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy by incorporating socio-behavioral and economic factors alongside a patient's adherence history. The model accurately identifies 80% of adolescents at risk of nonadherence while lowering the false alarm rate to 52%, which is 14 percentage points lower than a model based solely on adherence history. By reducing false alarms, this model helps health care providers focus interventions on those who need them most, improving patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary follow-ups and provider fatigue.

Among 50 variables, which included social, interpersonal, family, educational, structural and economic factors, the model found 12 that were most predictive of an individual having poor adherence to ART. Economic factors were highly associated with future nonadherence. Other predictive characteristics were poor adherence history; child poverty; biological relationship to primary caregiver; self-concept; confidence in saving money; discussing sensitive topics with caregivers; household size; and school enrollment.

"Adolescents are the most nonadherent group across the globe," Ssewamala said. "They are moving into independence and don't want to be told what to do. As they move into the dating period, there is a lot of stigma, and they don't want to be associated with HIV."

One factor the team found was associated with adolescents with HIV adhering to the ART therapy was having a savings account.

"The theory is when people own resources, especially when they have a nest egg, they think and behave differently," Ssewamala said. "The future holds promise, so they will take care of themselves so they can live longer. When people are hopeless, they have nothing to lose."

Adhering to the treatment is difficult, Ssewamala said, because the medication must be taken with food or causes nausea. If a person with HIV doesn't have access to food or transportation to get the medication, they are less likely to adhere to the treatment.

Lu said this model could be adapted for deployment in the field to support personalized intervention strategies based on the identified risk factors, highlighting the importance of collaboration.

"This is an excellent example of interdisciplinary research at WashU, combining AI and global health," Lu said. "By leveraging the data that Fred's team gathered from the field and their insights on complex health issues, we apply AI expertise to analyze this data and build tools to enhance health outcomes."

More information: Claire Najjuuko et al, Using machine learning to predict poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy among adolescents living with HIV in low resource settings, AIDS (2025). DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000004163 Journal information: AIDS
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Measles vaccination rates among kindergarten students in the Philadelphia region have been declining since the COVID-19 pandemic, and are now below the so-called herd or community immunity rate needed to keep the highly contagious virus from spreading.

Medical experts say that 95% of a community must be vaccinated against measles to keep the disease from circulating, even at low levels. Vaccination rates among kindergartners in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware Counties had all dipped below that critical threshold by the beginning of the 202324 school year, according to the most recent data available from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

In Montgomery County, 95.2% of kindergartners received two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.

The downward trend began during the pandemic, when families avoided non-urgent medical appointments and were advised to stay home. But vaccination rates have continued to decline amid vaccine misinformation and new access challenges.

"It's a perfect storm," said Leslie Kantor, chair of the department of urban-global public health at Rutgers University. "The effect of that early time in the pandemic, when people were fearful of health-care facilities, combined with increased vaccine hesitancy, skepticism, and disinformation."

Recent outbreaks in Texas and confirmed measles cases in Montgomery County and New Jersey have drawn attention to the importance of having high vaccination rates.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Wednesday said a patient who visited its emergency department was later diagnosed with measles. An outbreak in Philadelphia last year sickened nine people and sent seven to the hospital.

President Donald Trump's administration has been under scrutiny for its response to the Texas outbreak and its messaging on vaccines. Newly appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has referred to vaccines as a personal choice.

The administration on Thursday withdrew its nomination of Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid congressional concern about the Florida doctor's comments skeptical of vaccines.

The CDC recommends children receive their first dose of the measles vaccine between 12 and 15 months, and a second dose at 4 through 6 years. Health officials recommend vaccinations for children as early as six months if they are planning to travel internationally. Measles can cause a fever, coughing, and a raised, red rash. Young children are especially vulnerable to severe illness and death.

The Philadelphia region once boasted exceptionally high measles vaccination ratesin 2019, 97.4% of kindergartners in Philadelphia were vaccinated. Infectious-disease experts say the downward trend is troubling, especially as vaccination rates dip below the critical community vaccination rate. By 2022, measles vaccination among Philadelphia kindergartners had dropped to 92.8%, before rising to 94.5% in 2023.

A drop below the 95% critical community, or herd immunity, rate means outbreaks will become increasingly common, and the number of people who become severely ill or die could grow.

"We're on track for vaccination rates to get worse rather than better," Kantor said.

Contributing factors vary by community

The reasons families have not vaccinated their children vary greatly, experts said.

Transportation and access to primary-care doctors who are accepting new patients can be challenging for some.

In Upper Darby, for example, more than 80 languages are spoken, which means public health workers there must ensure they are making vaccine information available in many languages, said Deanna Dyer, health policy director for Children First, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that advocates for public health and education issues.

The measles vaccine is among the childhood immunizations that are covered for free by health insurance and Medicaid, the government-funded health-care program for low-income families and people with disabilities.

The vaccines are also available at no cost through public health departments. But people who are uninsured or who recently lost Medicaid coverage when states resumed annual renewals after the pandemic may not be aware they can still access free vaccines, Dyer said.

Immigrant families may fear seeking medical care as the federal government ramps up efforts to deport people who are undocumented. Medical facilities used to be considered off-limits to immigration raids but are no longer protected.

Public health educators say that partnering with trusted community leaders can help alleviate some vaccine fears.

In Lenni, a small, middle-income community in central Delaware County, public health outreach workers from Children First encountered political and religious opposition to vaccination.

Some Chester residents told Children First outreach workers that they skipped vaccines because they don't trust medical institutions.

"It's vital to collaborate with trusted community members to be the messengers," Dyer said.

Camden County's experience

In Camden County, local health officials mobilized to increase childhood vaccinations when they realized about two years ago that rates in the area had dropped during the pandemic.

"It was a matter of getting our communities back on schedule," said Caryelle Vilaubi, the director of the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services.

School nurses and health department staff combed through vaccine records at schools and provided low-barrier clinics to ensure students were up to date on their vaccines, sending a mobile van to areas of the county with lower vaccination rates.

At the beginning of the summer, health officials found that 1,798 students in the Camden City School District were missing one or more required vaccines for the coming school year. By last month, that number was down to 75, said Dan Keashen, a spokesperson for the county.

All told, the county conducted 26 vaccine clinics with schools that requested a visit from the van, administering 329 vaccines in two months last summer. About 95% of kindergartners in schools were up to date on all childhood vaccinations for the 202324 school year.

Amid the measles outbreak in West Texas and two local cases unconnected to that outbreakplus three more cases reported in Bergen CountyVilaubi said it is imperative that local health officials strongly recommend vaccinesand ensure that residents know where and how to get one.

"It is a local department's responsibility to not just come out with a clear message that vaccines are important, save lives, and reduce illness, but that they're readily available at pharmacies and at our clinics for people who are un- or underinsured."

2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Co-cultures consisting of neurons that form nerve fibers (pink) and oligodendrocytes that coat these nerve fibers with myelin (white). The cell nuclei are stained blue. Credit: Heppner lab, ChariteUniversitatsmedizin Berlin.

Microglia, the brain's immune cells, usually serve as diligent guardians. They eliminate intruders such as microbes and clear away cellular debrisincluding the plaques typical of Alzheimer's disease. However, as our brains age, microglia also change. While some continue to function effectively, others gradually lose their protective role and start secreting small amounts of inflammatory messengers.

One such messenger is interleukin-12 (IL-12). Through meticulous analyses, research teams led by Professor Frank Heppner, Director of the Department of Neuropathology at ChariteUniversitatsmedizin Berlin, and Professor Nikolaus Rajewsky, Director of the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology at the Max Delbruck Center (MDC-BIMSB), along with additional partners, have identified how IL-12 might trigger and accelerate Alzheimer's dementia. Their study, published in Nature Aging, could pave the way for new combination therapies.

"For decades, Alzheimer's research focused almost exclusively on amyloid-beta and tau deposits, while inflammation was considered a side effect," says Heppner. "Only recently have we begun to recognize that inflammatory processes may be a primary driver of disease progression."

In 2012, Heppner's lab reported in Nature Medicine that blocking IL-12 and IL-23 significantly reduced Alzheimer's-related brain changes in mice. "But we couldn't unravel the underlying mechanism with standard techniques," Heppner explains. He reasoned that single cell analyses might provide more decisive clues, so he asked Rajewsky to collaborate.

Sticky and tangled brain cells

Throughout life, cells refer to their genetic instructions to respond to external stimuli. Researchers use single-cell analyses to observe this process, reconstructing which genes are being read and translated into proteins in thousands of individual cells simultaneously.

These analyses generate massive datasets, which can now be analyzed with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, a major challenge in using single cell sequencing technology is isolating individual cells from a tissue sample without damaging them or causing unintended changes.

"In aging mouse brainsespecially those with Alzheimer's plaquescells are so stuck together and tangled that separating them cleanly is nearly impossible," Rajewsky explains.

His team spent several years perfecting a workaround. Instead of isolating entire cells, they extract cell nuclei from brain tissue and analyze the RNA present in each cell. By cross-referencing with publicly available data, such as the Allen Brain Atlas, they can ensure that their method provides a representative snapshot of all cell populations.

For the present study, they sequenced RNA from over 80,000 cell nuclei and developed specialized workflows to process the data. They also reconstructed communication between cells.

"Our teams repeatedly sat together to try to interpret this highly complex data," Rajewsky says. "This painstaking early optimization was crucialwithout it, we would not have been able to detect these connections."

When interleukin-12 is added to the cell culture, it leads to a significant reduction in nerve fibers (pink) and oligodendrocytes, and thus to a decline in myelin (white). Credit: Heppner lab, ChariteUniversitatsmedizin Berlin

How IL-12 damages the Alzheimer's brain

IL-12, previously known primarily for its role in autoimmune diseases like Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, appears to play a pivotal role in Alzheimer's progression. It damages two key brain cell types: mature oligodendrocytes, which normally produce myelinthe fatty insulating layer around nerve fibers essential for rapid signal transmission; and interneurons, which are particularly important for cognition and memory. IL-12 binding to interneurons causes them to die.

A vicious circle begins: As more microglia produce IL-12, more brain cells sustain damage. Meanwhile, remaining functional microglia become overburdened by the task of clearing the additional cellular debris, and thus fail to remove Alzheimer's plaques.

To verify this mechanism, researchers tested it in mice and in human tissue. When Heppner's team blocked IL-12 in cell cultures and mouse models, they could stem disease-related changes. Electron micrographs of mouse brain tissue taken at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Gottingen also showed how myelin structure and nerve fiber density changed depending on whether the IL-12 signaling pathway was present or absent.

Mass spectrometric analyses (lipidomics) at the University of Zurich confirmed the altered composition of the fat-rich insulating layer. Study of autopsy tissue from Alzheimer's patients provided further confirmation of the resultsthe more advanced the disease, the more IL-12 was present in the tissue. Cell cultures with human oligodendrocytes were also extremely sensitive to IL-12.

Potential combination therapy

"We now have a highly detailed picture of this mechanism, with single-cell technologies serving as a crucial catalyst. The only remaining question is which cell type IL-12 impacts firstoligodendrocytes, interneurons, or both simultaneously," says Heppner, who is also Group Leader in Neuroimmunology at the Deutschen Zentrums fur Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE).

The study has immediate implications as there are already drugs on the market that block IL-12. The researchers hope that clinicians will build on their findings and initiate clinical trials. "If these drugs prove effective, they would be a new arrow in the quiver. Alzheimer's doesn't just have one cause. One axis of the disease is also controlled by the immune system, at least in some patients. Slowing neurodegeneration will require combination therapy," Heppner emphasizes. Such an approach could start early in the disease process, as IL-12 can be measured in blood or cerebrospinal fluid, he adds.

Meanwhile, the teams at Charite and the Max Delbruck Center are exploring a new hypothesis: Could microplastic in the brain drive microglia to produce IL-12?

"Microglia may struggle to process microplastic, triggering inflammatory reactions," Rajewsky suggests. "This could reveal a link between environmental factors and widespread diseases."

While unproven, both teams consider it a compelling and important research direction.
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Being born with a heart defect may be associated with an increased cancer risk for babies and their moms, according to new research published in Circulation.

According to the American Heart Association, the most common birth defects in the U.S. are forms of congenital heart defects (CHD).

They range from structural abnormalities, such as openings between the heart's chambers, to severe malformations, such as the absence of heart chambers or valves. In the U.S., about 12 infants in 1,000 births have a congenital heart defect, according to the Association's 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.

While numerous medical advances have enabled children with heart defects to survive longer than they used to, some research suggests they may be at higher risk of developing other conditions, including cancer.

Researchers analyzed health information about more than 3.5 million live births from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database from 2005 to 2019. They followed all newborns and mothers for cancer diagnoses for an average of 10 years.

"Our research highlights the importance of maternal factors and genetic traits and understanding how they may be connected," said study author June Huh, M.D., Ph.D., professor of cardiology in the department of pediatrics at the Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul, Korea.

The findings show that care for congenital heart defects may benefit from including different health care professionals to provide well-rounded care for families, he said.

The analysis found:

Overall, the incidence of cancer was 66% higher in newborns with congenital heart defects compared to those born without a heart defect.

Specifically, compared to newborns without congenital heart defects, cancer risk was more than double in newborns with congenital defects that involved blood vessels or heart valves and two times higher among those with complex congenital heart disease.

The most common types of cancers that developed among all of the children, both with and without congenital heart defects, were leukemia (21%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (11%).

Mothers who gave birth to newborns with congenital heart defects were 17% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer in the 10-year follow-up period compared to mothers who gave birth to newborns without a congenital heart defect.

Researchers have yet to determine why having a baby with a congenital heart defect is associated with a higher risk for cancer in mothers. Potential factors include the mother's genetic predisposition or a mutation known to contribute to cancer and congenital heart defect risks in newborns.

"The genetic variants inherited from the mother may provide the necessary environment for cancer to develop in congenital heart defect patients, highlighting a possible shared genetic pathway underlying both conditions," Huh said.

American Heart Association volunteer expert Keila N. Lopez, M.D., M.P.H., said the study's finding of a cancer association among mothers of infants with congenital heart defects was surprising.

"This finding needs to be further explored to understand if there are environmental factors affecting genes (epigenetics) or stress-related changes linking congenital heart defects with maternal cancer risk," said Lopez, chair of the Association's Young Hearts Congenital Cardiac Defects Committee and an associate professor of pediatric cardiology at Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"There is some data that suggests stress is related to cancer risk, and having a child with a congenital heart defect can be very stressful. So having studies that investigate and demonstrate all the links between cancer and congenital heart defects will help us understand lifelong risks of not only heart defects but also the development of cancer within families."

The study also emphasizes the importance of follow-up care with a pediatric cardiologist and primary care physicians and the need for lifelong care for ongoing surveillance of those born with congenital heart defects, Lopez said.

Study limitations include the possibility that unknown factors may have biased study results, and some analyses lacked power due to a small number of specific types of congenital heart defects. While the study was from data for people in Korea, Huh said the findings may apply to other populations.

Study details, background and design:

Researchers reviewed health information for more than 3.5 million babies in Korea born with and without congenital heart disease (51.5% boys, 48.5% girls). Of the live births, 72,205 newborns had a congenital heart defect. Mothers (19,310) who had a history of cancer were excluded from the analysis.

The analysis of the nationwide study was conducted using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2019. Called K-NHIS data, the information included individual-level demographics, and all records of diagnosis and health care (including office visits, prescriptions and medical procedures), as well as provided inpatient, outpatient and emergency department visits.

For a cancer diagnosis to be counted in this study, the same International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) cancer code had to appear at least three times within a year in the medical records or result in at least one inpatient hospitalization.

The analysis was performed in 2024.

More information: Risk of Cancer in Newborns With Congenital Heart Disease and Their Mothers: A Nationwide Cohort Study, Circulation (2025). DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.071811 Journal information: Circulation
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In female rodents, researchers found injury to a nerve releases leptin, a hormone that is associated with heightened pain sensitivity. Credit: Neuron (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.01.005

A new study led by University of Calgary professor Dr. Tuan Trang, Ph.D., may help to explain why there are more women experiencing chronic pain than men. In 2019, the Canadian Pain Task Force report found that chronic pain is more common among females of all ages, including children, when compared to males.

"Both males and females develop pain, but each sex develops it through different means," says Trang, a professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and Cumming School of Medicine (CSM). "This study identifies a very unique type of biological process through a specific immune cell that is distinctive to each sex."

The study, published in Neuron, focused on neuropathic pain, which is caused by injury to a nerve or the nervous system. A debilitating symptom of this is allodynia, which is experienced when someone feels pain from a stimulus that does not typically cause pain. This condition can be very hard to treat; for instance, things like a light touch, temperature changes, and clothing against the skin can be agonizing.

The study, conducted in rats and mice, found that in both sexes, pain signals can be communicated by pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels but through different types of immune cells. However, in female rodents, activation of Panx1 releases leptin, a hormone that has been associated with heightened pain sensitivity.

Tuan Trang in his lab at the Cumming School of Medince, University of Calgary. Credit: Riley Brandt, University of Calgary

"Injury to a nerve can be debilitating," says Trang. "We know that a lot of preclinical research has been on male subjects. Consequently, treatments were often developed from a male-based understanding and may not be very effective in females."

Heightened levels of leptin in females experiencing chronic pain have been recorded in studies before. Trang notes that as far back as the 1980s, researchers who were working with human blood samples found that female patients experiencing chronic pain had higher levels of leptin in their blood than those who did not have chronic pain.

"In the clinic, we've known for many years that women are more likely than men to suffer from chronic pain, and it's often hard to know why some people respond to treatment and others don't," says Dr. Lori Montgomery, MD, pain clinician and clinical associate professor at the CSM.

"Both sex and gender are important factors that need a lot more investigation, but this latest research might prove to be one of the ways that we can personalize treatment for patients so that it's more likely to be effective."

The first authors of this paper are Churmy Y. Fan, Ph.D., Brendan B. McAllister, Ph.D., and Sierra Stokes-Heck.

More information: Churmy Y. Fan et al, Divergent sex-specific pannexin-1 mechanisms in microglia and T cells underlie neuropathic pain, Neuron (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.01.005 Journal information: Neuron
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Research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found no differences in in-hospital deaths or hospital admission rates for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) who visited hospital for acute COVID-19 symptoms.

"In our study, we sought to answer the question of whether experiencing homelessness is a risk factor for worse prognosis from COVID-19 illness independent of important clinical variables including age, comorbidities, vaccination status, and substance usei.e., whether clinicians should have a lower threshold for admission or other treatments for patients with COVID-19 based on housing status alone," writes Dr. Siying Shari Li, an emergency medicine physician, University of British Columbia, with co-authors.

The study included data from the Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN) on visits to 50 emergency departments in eight provinces from March 1, 2020, onwards. People experiencing homelessness were identified as "having no fixed address" or from a shelter, and housed people were described as arriving from home or single occupancy.

They did not include residents of institutions, visitors, or people arriving from hotels.

The researchers found no difference in hospital admission rates or death rates between people experiencing homelessness and housed patients. However, the former were less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit or to be intubated.

"[This] raises the question of whether there may have been differential treatment for reasons unrelated to matched clinical characteristics. Future research could explore inequities in health care resource allocation, especially in times of scarcity, as well as interventions targeting transmission among PEH," the researchers conclude.

More information: Siying S. Li et al, Outcomes for people experiencing homelessness with COVID-19 presenting to emergency departments in Canada, compared with housed patients, Canadian Medical Association Journal (2025). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.241282 Journal information: Canadian Medical Association Journal
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Learning on the job for new nurses often means modeling a senior nurse to quickly pick up advanced medical practices and soft skills. Credit: mentarako

First-year nurses often have difficulties while bridging the gap between educational theory and required workplace practice. In the fast-paced medical field, sufficient guidance is hard to come by, so new nurses must actively learn on their feet through modeling senior nurses' actions and techniques. There are several studies on learning from role models, but no specific tools that focus on new nurses' learning progress through this practice.

A new tool, called the Modeling Scale for Novice Nurses, has been developed by Dr. Yayoi Nagano and Professor Yasuko Hosoda at Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Nursing. They conducted a questionnaire on modeling among new nurses in Japan and analyzed the responses of 337 people to create the self-assessment tool made up of four subscales and 21 Likert scale questions.

The findings were published in BMC Nursing.

The subscales (Observation, Imitation, Motivation, Inquiry) and questions focused on the nurses' behavior and growth while learning on the job. Using this tool can help senior nurses understand where to provide more in-depth support for junior nurses.

"If new nurses can use this tool to understand where improvement is necessary, they will be able to learn more efficiently," stated Dr. Nagano.

"As a result, new nurses will be able to work with more confidence and less stress, which should lead to a reduction in staff turnover and an improvement in the quality and safety of patient care."

More information: Yayoi Nagano et al, Development and psychometric testing of the modeling scale for novice nurses: a cross-sectional survey design, BMC Nursing (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s12912-024-02579-4
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

Getting a headache and feeling sick are common side-effects for many medicines. Indulging in risky sexual behavior or pathological gamblingnot so common.

But a BBC investigation has highlighted that some drug treatments for restless leg syndrome and Parkinson's disease can lead to such risky behavior.

More than 150,000 people in the UK live with Parkinson'sa degenerative condition that affects the brain. The main part of their brain that is damaged is the area that produces dopamine, a chemical messenger that regulates movement. Less dopamine in the brain can lead to symptoms such as tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movements and problems with balance.

Another movement disorder is restless legs syndrome (RLS), which affects between 5% and 10% of people in the UK, US and Europe. Twice as many women as men have RLS among those aged over 35.

People with RLS feel they need to uncontrollably move their legs, and may experience a crawling, creeping or tingling sensation in them. Usually, the symptoms are worse at night when dopamine levels tend to be lower. Although the exact cause of RLS is unknown, it has been linked to genes, underlying health conditions, and an imbalance of dopamine.

One of the main treatments for movement disorders is a group of drugs called dopamine-receptor agonists, which include cabergoline, ropinirole, bromocriptine and pramipexole. Dopamine-receptor agonists increase the levels of dopamine in the brain and help regulate movement.

Dopamine is known as the "happy" hormone because it is part of the brain's reward system. When people do something fun or pleasurable, dopamine is released in their brain. But using dopamine-receptor agonist drugs can elevate these feelings, leading to impulsive behavior.

While common side-effects include headaches, feeling sick and sleepiness, these drugs are also linked with the more unusual side-effect of impulse-control disorders. These include risky sexual behavior (hypersexuality), pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, and binge eating. Hypersexuality encompasses behavior such as a stronger-than-usual urge to have sexual activity, or being unable to resist performing a sexual act that may be harmful.

Previous reported cases include a 53-year-old woman taking ropinirole and exhibiting impulsive behavior such as accessing internet pornography, using sex chat rooms, meeting strangers for sexual intercourse, and compulsive shopping. Another case highlighted a 32-year-old man who, after taking ropinirole, started binge eating and gambling compulsively, such that he lost his life savings.

When the drug was first being prescribed in the early 2000s, it was thought that impulse-control disorders were a rare side-effect associated with these drugs. But in 2007, a UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) public assessment report advised that "health care professionals should warn patients that compulsive behavior with dopamine agonists may be dose-related."

Between 6% and 17% of people with RLS who take dopamine agonists develop some form of impulse-control disorder, while up to 20% of people living with Parkinson's may experience impulse control disorders.

But the true figures may be even higher, as many some patients may not associate changes in behavior with their medication, or may be too embarrassed to report it. Case reports show that in most instances, impulsive behavior stops when the drug is stopped.

Lawsuits

There have been several individual and class-action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies including GlaxoSmithKline, which produces ReQuip (ropinirole), and Pfizer, which makes Cabaser (cabergoline). Patients taking action against these companies claimed they were unaware of these impulsive behavior side-effects.

For example, in 2012, a French court ordered GlaxoSmithKline to pay 160,000 in damages to Didier Jambart, after he experienced "devastating-side effects" when taking the firm's Parkinson's drug Requip. And in 2014, an Australian federal court approved a settlement against Pfizer for a class-action lawsuit regarding its Parkinson's drug, Cabaser. 150 patients claimed they did not have warning of potential side-effectsincluding increased gambling, sex addiction and other high-risk activitiesof taking Cabaser.

It is now clearer in the patient information leaflets given with all prescribed medication for movement disorders that impulsive behavior can occur in some patients.

In 2023, the MHRA advised there had been increased reports of pathological gambling with a drug called aripiprazole. This antipsychotic drug, used in the treatment of schizophrenia and mania, partly acts as a dopamine-receptor agonist.

Any drug that increases dopamine levels could theoretically be linked to impulse control disorders, and it is important to keep monitoring patients and their behavior in such cases.

Not everyone will experience side-effects. Before you begin any course of treatment, your doctor or pharmacist should explain the potential side-effectsbut it is also important to read the information leaflet with any medicine. And if you experience any impulsive behaviors with these medicines, speak to your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Beijing ranks first nationally in high-quality development, according to the Beijing High-Quality Development Report released at the sixth Capital High-Quality Development Symposium at Beihang University on March 14, 2025. This solidifies its leading position alongside Shanghai and Shenzhen as top-tier cities.

The sixth Capital High-Quality Development Symposium is held at Beihang University in Beijing on March 14, 2025. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]

The report expanded its research scope for the first time to 318 prefecture-level cities across China, identifying the nation's top 50 cities in high-quality development. Beijing's high-quality development index demonstrated steady growth, rising from 0.71 in 2017 to 0.86 in 2023. This marked a 21.1% increase with an average annual growth rate of 3.25%.

Beijing demonstrates excellence across six dimensions: economy, society, environment, innovation, culture and governance, with a particularly strong performance in economic, innovation and cultural metrics. The top 10 cities are Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, Xiamen, Suzhou and Ningbo.

Jia Pinrong, director of the High-quality Development Research Center at the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, attributed Beijing's leadership to five pillars. These include the deep implementation of high-quality development principles, the transformation of scientific innovation into industrial momentum and the dual-driven growth of high-end precision industries and the digital economy.

Jia also highlighted the role of regional synergy through the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy and the expansion of new quality productive forces. Additionally, he emphasized Beijing's national leadership in green and low-carbon transition practices.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Jia proposed a three-tiered strategy for urban high-quality development. At the micro level, priorities should include advancing core technologies, cultivating talent, upgrading infrastructure, stimulating consumer spending and empowering industry leaders.

For industries, Jia recommended optimizing structures, fostering new quality productive forces and enhancing global supply chain competitiveness. At the city level, efforts should focus on establishing incentive mechanisms, accelerating digital transformation, improving workforce skills and aligning development with green and intelligent trends.

The symposium featured an invited address by Yu Bin, a national committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and director of the Technical Economics Research Center at Tsinghua University. Other keynote speakers included Fan Ying, dean of the School of Economics and Management at Beihang University, and Pan Chong, dean of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Beihang University.

Roundtable discussions at the symposium explored topics including artificial intelligence applications, green new productive forces and environmental, social and governance (ESG) solutions. Scholars proposed integrated technical and managerial strategies for these areas.

Since 2019, the Beijing High-Quality Development Report has provided an annual assessment of Beijing's progress across various dimensions. This year's edition, co-organized by the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and Beihang University, provides a comprehensive benchmark for national urban development.
In the animal kingdom, the rule is, eat or be eaten; in the human kingdom, define or be defined. -Thomas Szasz in The Second Sin, 1974

"I have a file on you."

- MK Narayanan's routine threat to his adversaries as national security adviser (NSA) quoted in Sanjay Baru's book The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh

"One way to ensure that the unique identification (UID) number is used by all government and private agencies is by inserting it into the birth certificate of the infant. Since the birth certificate is the original identity document, it is likely that this number will then persist as the key identifier through the individual's various life events, such as joining school, immunisations, voting etc."

- A confidential document of UIDAI titled 'Creating a unique identity number for every resident in India', leaked by Wikileaks on 13 November 2009

Citing sources, ANI news agency has reported that "Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has called for a discussion with the home secretary, secretary legislative department and CEO UIDAI with the Commission, on the linking of EPIC & Aadhaar. The meeting is scheduled in the election commission on Tuesday, March 18, 2025." A meeting with the secretary, Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) is linked to MHA's national population register (NPR) under Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 framed under the Citizenship Act, 1955. It is linked to the government of India's notification dated 28 January 2009 which constituted the unique identification authority of India (UIDAI).

The fact is the terms of reference of the UIDAI mandated it "take necessary steps to ensure collation of National Population Register (NPR) with UID (as per approved strategy)," to "identify new partner/user agencies," to "issue necessary instructions to agencies that undertake creation of databases (to) enable collation and correlation with UID and its partner databases" and UIDAI "shall own and operate the database."

The 35-page long final report of the 'Extraordinary Commission for Clarifying Cases of Illegal Surveillance, Their Impact on the Electoral Process in the Republic of Poland, and Reforms of Special Services' is extremely relevant for the unfolding illegitimate surveillance of electoral process in India by non-State actors, the donors of the ruling and Opposition parties.

Unlike the legislature of the Republic of India, the legislature of the Republic of Poland assigned the extraordinary Commission the task of clarifying disclosed cases of illegal surveillance using, among other things, spyware software like Pegasus, and violations of the law during the use of operational control by special services, evaluation of the impact of disclosed cases of illegal surveillance on the electoral process and development of legislative initiatives reforming the activities of surveillance agencies. The report was adopted by the legislature in September 2023.

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, surveillance means 'close observation, especially of a suspected person'. So far, the Supreme Court has not had the occasion to examine the most glaring aspect of unlimited-cyber biometric surveillance of judges, soldiers, voters, farmers, legislators, editors, officials and their families, which entails close observation of all the present and future Indians indiscriminately as suspects. In fact, each newborn infant is a suspect. There is a file being created to track and profile him for ever.

The seven-judge Constitution bench of the court has denied itself the opportunity to pronounce the verdict on the constitutionality of biometric-electoral surveillance through UID/Aadhaar database. It is apparent that the extraordinary Commission is more concerned about the unlimited surveillance than the courts and legislatures in India.

A confidential document of UIDAI titled 'Creating a unique identity number for every resident in India', leaked by Wikileaks on 13 November 2009 reveals that "One way to ensure that the unique identification (UID) number is used by all government and private agencies is by inserting it into the birth certificate of the infant. Since the birth certificate is the original identity document, it is likely that this number will then persist as the key identifier through the individual's various life events, such as joining school, immunisations, voting etc. "Notably, there was never an occasion wherein there was an all-party meeting to seek the consent of all the political parties with regard to the merger of UID/Aadhaar and NPR database with "electoral roll database."

Parliament is yet to discuss duplicate voter ID scam

In this backdrop, on 10 March 2025, Harivansh, deputy chairman, Rajya Sabha, observed: "The notices of Tiruchi Siva, Sandosh Kumar P, Vaiko, PP Suneer and P Wilson have demanded discussion over the concerns regarding upcoming delimitation exercise to Southern States. The notices of Saket Gokhale, Sagarika Ghose, Pramod Tiwari and Ajay Makan have demanded discussion over the alleged lapse of the election commission in issuance of multiple duplicate EPIC across the States."

EPIC refers to elector photo identity card (EPIC) numbers.

Deputy chairman, Rajya Sabha, refused to allow discussion saying, "Members may recall the detailed rulings of Rule 267 imparted by the hon. chairman, Rajya Sabha, on 8 December 2022, and 19 December, 2022....The same have been reiterated by the hon. chairman a number of times Since these notices do not conform to the directives imparted by the hon. chairman, the same are declined."

On 10 March 2015, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha, observed: "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 list."

During the zero-hour discussion in the Lok Sabha, the leader of the opposition pointed out that voter lists were being 'twisted' across the country which undermines electoral democracy. When Om Birla, the speaker of the Lok Sabha, asked him whether the government drew out the voter lists the leader of the opposition said that while the government may not be drawing the voter lists, questions are being raised about voter lists across the country.

On 10 March 2025, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee raised the issue of large-scale duplication of EPIC voter identity card numbers across states during zero-hour mention. He informed the Lok Sabha, "The election commission all the time says that they are conducting elections in a transparent and fair manner. It is clear that there had been no transparent elections in the last few years. There had been no fair elections in the last few years, not at all. The election commission has not acted properly, and appropriate proceedings should be brought against the for that reason."

On 10 March 2025, AITC Lok Sabha MP Sougata Ray raised the issue of large-scale duplication of EPIC voter identity card numbers across states during zero-hour mention. He informed the Lok Sabha, "I demand that the total voter list should be thoroughly revised and the election commission should answer to the country why such mistakes have occurred in the voter list.You know that the election commission is under the ministry of law and parliamentary affairs."

He informed the speaker, Lok Sabha, that the election commission is under the government. It implies that it has a role in the preparation of the voter list.

On 11 March 2025, AITC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose from West Bengal raised serious questions - the following questions that the election commission of India cannot ignore: "How many duplicate voter ID cards exist?; If there are changes in the electoral roll, why hasn't a separate roll been published?; Why is there no action despite credible evidence of Aadhaar cards being cloned for fake voter registrations?"

Notably, the West Bengal assembly is the only state legislature which has passed a unanimous resolution against Aadhaar number.

On 11 March 2025, AITC Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad said, "In just three months, Maharashtra saw 40 lakh new voters added ahead of the elections. How is that even possible? EPIC numbers, meant to be unique, are now linked to multiple individuals. Even Aadhaar cards are being cloned! And now, @ECISVEEP wants 90 days to investigate. Does that mean they already know the scale of this fraud? How many fake cards exist? Who is behind this massive electoral malpractice?"

The cloning of Aadhaar number illustrates that Aadhaar number database project is a tried, tested and failed project but parties are yet to demand its abandonment.

Mr Azad referred to the press note dated 7 March 2025 issued by the election commission of India entitled "Commission to address decades long issue of duplicate EPIC numbers within next 3 months."

The note reads: "Electoral Roll updation takes place under DEO & ERO with continuous public and political parties participation India's electoral rolls are the biggest database of electors across the globe with over 99 crore registered electors"As regards the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers, the Commission has already taken cognisance of the matter. Irrespective of an EPIC number, an elector who is linked to the electoral roll of a particular polling station can cast his vote at that polling station only and nowhere else The issue of allotment of duplicate numbers due to incorrect series across states/ UTs could not have been detected as the states/UTs were independently managing the electoral roll databases. The Commission has now decided to resolve this long-pending issue after detailed discussions within the technical teams and concerned CEOs in the next three months by ensuring a unique national EPIC number to the existing electors having a duplicate EPIC number and for future electors as well."

On 11 March 2025, AITC tweeted: "The EPIC number duplication scam is a calculated assault on democracy. Issuing multiple voter IDs with the same number is a direct violation of electoral laws, yet @ECISVEEP has turned a blind eye for years. Why was this massive fraud kept under wraps until Smt. @MamataOfficial exposed it? And how does ECI plan to fix it in three months when it failed to even acknowledge the issue for years? Our MPs confronted the chief election commissioner today, demanding accountability. But when faced with hard questions, all they had were vague, evasive answers. The fight to protect free and fair elections is on, and we won't back down!"

Claiming the EPIC number duplication 'scam' to be the 'biggest electoral fraud' of our times, a ten-member delegation of All India Trinamool Congress MPs met Gyanesh Kumar, the chief election commissioner, on 11 March 2025 and submitted a letter demanding to know: "How many duplicate EPICs exist, and in which states? Will voters with duplicate EPICs be disenfranchised? How is Aadhaar cloning impacting voter registration and electoral rolls?" Aadhaar number seems to be a Trojan horse somewhat like Pegasus which has been probed by the Polish legislature.

On 11 March 2025, the election commission of India (ECI) issued a press note entitled "EC invites Party Presidents and senior leaders for interaction to further strengthen electoral processes within legal framework."

Such verbal articulations does not inspire even an iota of confidence among the parties and the citizens.

On 12 March 2025, AITC parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha, Derek O' Brien referred to 'enough precedents' to demand an open discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the EPIC number duplication issue on the floor of Parliament next week under Rule 176 for three minutes if it has not been allowed under rule 267. He underlined that seven  eight parties are demanding it.

Earlier, on 3 March 2025, Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) of Indian National Congress (Congress) issued a release on the subject of the election commission's complicity in voter list manipulation. It reads: "There are some startling developments on the issue of voter list manipulation that have surfaced. The same voter id number is being used for several voters, both from the same constituency in the same state as well as from other states. This is utterly shocking. A unique voter id for every Indian voter is the fundamental requirement and premise of a clean voter list. Multiple voters having the same voter id number is as bizarre as multiple vehicles bearing the same registration number in the country. It is unheard of in any electoral democracyThe election commission's stoic silence has only lent credence to their complicity in voter list manipulation."

It also stated: "When confronted with proof of same voter id number used by multiple voters, the election commission initially responded claiming that a voter id number may be the same across states, but it is unique to a particular state. Even that turned out to be a blatant lie as there are cases of the same voter id number used by several voters in the same state and in the same constituency. After this was pointed out, there has been pin drop silence. It is elementary knowledge that a person who can legally migrate to any state of the country must have a unique voter id number throughout the country. The election commission cannot feign ignorance or incompetence in this matter. It is a deliberate act of voter list manipulation to aid the ruling party and thwart the idea of free and fair elections. The cover is now blown."

Earlier, on 2 March 2025, the ECI issued a press note entitled "EC clarifies that duplication in EPIC number does not imply duplicate/ fake voters." It reads: "Any case of duplicate EPIC number will be rectified by allotting a unique EPIC number."

Responding to the press note of ECI, on 7 March 2025, EAGLE of the Congress party issued a release on the subject of duplicitous response by the election commission to the issue of duplicate voter ID numbers. It reads: "The election commission of India {ECI} has issued a duplicitous response on the issue of same voter IDs being allotted to multiple voters. The ECI, in its response, hides behind its processes to offer a feeble explanation. Shockingly but not surprisingly, the ECI has been forced to admit that its voter lists are flawed and not trustworthy. The election commission, in a letter issued on 18 September 2008 to chief electoral officers of all states, had said that `voter-IDs are unique'. However, the ECI today says, the issue of duplicate voter-IDs is a "decades long issue ".Was the ECI then all along misrepresenting to the voters of India that the 'voter-IDs were unique'?"

Ramifications of merger of Aadhaar number with voter ID number card

A voter ID card (EPIC) is a photo identity card that is issued by ECI to all individuals who are eligible to vote. It is issued under Section 61(b), Representation of the People Act, 1951; rule 28(2), Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. It serves as identification proof when individuals cast their vote and prevent the impersonation of voters. Rule 28(1), Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 is relevant in this regard. The voter ID card contains the elector's name, age and residence (among other particulars), and must have the elector's photograph affixed to it. It bears the signature of the registration officer, i.e., the electoral registration officer of your constituency. This provision is under rule 2(d), Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The voter's card is prepared in duplicate, and one copy is retained with the registration officer while the other is delivered to the voter. This is required under rule 28(3), Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Under Article 326 of the Constitution of India, one can enroll as a voter if one is an Indian citizen, has attained the age of 18 years and is ordinarily resident of the polling area of the constituency where one wants to be enrolled. Under section 11A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, one can enroll as a voter if one is not disqualified to be enrolled as an elector. The disqualification may happen if one is convicted for an offence or one carries out corrupt practices.

The proponents of the world's biggest citizen identification scheme aim to converge electoral photo identity card (EPIC) numbers of electoral database, the UID/Aadhaar number database called the central identities data repository (CIDR) and the national population register (NPR). In their myopia, political parties in particular and citizens in general have failed to fathom its ramifications for voting by electors in a democracy. A strange situation is emerging where citizens chose a government that was supposed to represent them but their government is undertaking the task of biometrically authenticating whether or not those it represents are, indeed, those who they claim to be.

In a letter dated 7 June 2011, the director general and mission director of UIDAI wrote to the chief election commissioner saying, "The election commission of India (ECI) may also like to leverage Aadhaar infrastructure in cleaning/ updating their existing electoral data base. Aadhaar numbers issued by the UIDAI can also be included in the list of valid proof of identity (POI) and proof of address (POA) documents of the election commission during the polls for identity verification."

The file notings by ECI on the UIDAI's letter reads: "How can Aadhaar number be used as proof of address." The reply from ECI dated 17 June 2011 on the letter from UIDAI sought the following information before taking any further action:

Whether UIDAI has the provision to update the address in the database, whenever there is a change in address, to use Aadhaar number as proof of address?

Whether any process has been defined to use Aadhaar numbers on electoral roll database?

Whether UIDAI can include EPIC numbers in Aadhaar database?

Responding to these question, in its letter dated 11 July 2011, UIDAI wrote, "Aadhaar has the provision to update the demographic or biometric information of the resident in CIDR from time to time to ensure that the CIDR data is up-to date and accurate all the time. The tool is currently under testing and should be widely available shortly." The CIDR stands for central identities data repository of the Aadhaar numbers. Is the 'tool' promised in July 2011 available now? This reply is far from the truth. It further wrote, Aadhaar numbers can be seeded into EPIC and electoral roll databases to clean those databases and also to bring standardisation and uniformity in the election commission's databases across the country. UIDAI does provide necessary technical and financial support under its information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure scheme for integration of Aadhaar number with the database of concerned ministries/ departments to make them UID compliant. However, the process and schemes to use Aadhaar numbers for their applications are to be defined by the concerned departments themselves.

The notification of 28 January 2009 that set up UIDAI, provides the terms of reference (TOR) for its work. There is no reference to the collation of UID number database with electoral database in the TOR. But the TOR does refer to "collation and correlation with UID and its partner databases." If this reference to 'partner database' included electoral database, the UID/ Aadhaar enrolment form never revealed it and took Indian residents for a ride.

UIDAI argued, "Aadhaar database is restricted to the name, date of birth, gender, address, facial image, ten fingerprints and iris of the resident. The data fields are based on the recommendation of the demographic and data field verification committee headed by N Vittal, former chief vigilance commissioner (CVC). Since Aadhaar database contains absolute minimum information of a resident necessary to establish identity, it is not possible to include EPIC numbers in the Aadhaar database. However, the ECI should seed Aadhaar numbers in the electoral database as clarified above."

Prior to this, KM Chandrasekhar, as Cabinet secretary, government of India (GoI), wrote a letter dated 25 April 2011, addressed to VK Bhasin, secretary, legislative department stating, "Aadhaar can be treated as a valid proof of identity (PoI) and proof of address (PoA)."

The election commission, in its letter dated 4 March 2013 to UIDAI on the subject of "Seeding of Aadhaar number in electoral database", had written that "Commission feels that it would be better that EPIC no. is collected at the time of enrollment for Aadhaar and put in the Aadhaar databaseECI has already issued instructions that Aadhaar cards can be used as alternative identity documents at polling stationIt may be mentioned here that ministry of home affairs has also agreed to print EPIC no. on smart card as issued by the registrar general of IndiaUnder the circumstances, it is once again requested that EPIC no. may be made mandatory for enrollment in Aadhaar." In its letter dated 29 October 2012, the ECI had argued that "including EPIC no. as mandatory field in UIDAI database would enable better integration between UIDAI database and electoral database, which will make Aadhaar numbers more useful."

In a letter dated 16 April 2012, RK Singh, the then secretary, ministry of home affairs (MHA) wrote to Dr SY Quraishi, the then chief election commissioner (CEC), with reference to the latter's letter dated 4 April 2012 "regarding inclusion of electoral photo identity card -EPIC number in the Aadhaar database."

The secretary, MHA wrote, "The office of the registrar general and census commissioner, India is in the process of creating the national population register (NPR) in the country. The NPR, when completed, will be a register of all usual residents of the country, which would have the Aadhaar number besides the demographic and biometric data. The government is also considering a proposal to issue resident identity (smart) cards to all usual residents above the age of 18 years. The scheme is already making good progress and is likely to be completed in the next two years."

At that time, the secretary, MHA also wrote, "As a part of the process of creating the NPR, the EPIC number is also being collected. This would enable mapping of the Aadhaar number to the EPIC number right from the beginningOnce the mapping is completed, there could be a lot of synergy between the EPIC and NPR databases." He pointed out that "while the registration under the NPR is mandatory under the provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955, the production of EPIC card during the NPR enrolment and capturing the EPIC number is being done on a voluntary basis from the residents. There are, therefore, gaps in the collection of the numbers. The gap can easily be bridged as the authorities notified for the creation of the NPR are the same as those notified under the electoral law and if necessary instructions are issued by the election commission, they could easily ensure a complete coverage."

It is intriguing how ECI has failed to comprehend the adverse consequences of such convergence. There is nothing in the public domain to suggest that the implications of such a merger have been examined. The then secretary, MHA informed the CEC that there is mutual agreement between the MHA's RGI and ECI that there is a considerable potential to synchronise the two databases and set up a unified platform for future updating of the same and sought CEC's advice to take it forward. Has it been realised that synchronisation of the two databases is happening as per the design of Wipro's document and is beyond the mandate given to UIDAI and RGI?

It may be recalled that one of the earliest documents that refer UIDAI is a 14-page long document titled 'Strategic Vision: Unique Identification of Residents' prepared by Wipro Ltd for the planning commission envisaged the close linkage that the UIDAI's Aadhaar would have with the electoral database. The use of electoral database mentioned in Wipro's document remains on the agenda of the proponents of Aadhaar.

A former special secretary of the R&AW and author of Escape to Nowhere: Story of an Espionage Agent, Amar Bhushan, says, "It's the charter of every intelligence organisation to infiltrate and subvert other intelligence agencies." It has now been revealed that major Rabinder Singh could not be caught red handed because he had been transmitting the information and documents using voice over internet protocol (VoIP) meant for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over IPl networks through his laptops, which had imprints of 23,100 files. Thus, a database of 23, 100 files of R&AW has been transferred to US agencies without putting any remedial mechanism in place. Are our intelligence agencies really so naive that they did not know that data can be transferred with VoIP? Can these agencies be trusted with the data of Indians? Aren't all the data collected by UIDAI being transmitted to foreign countries through companies like L1 Identity Solutions, Accenture and Mongo DB?

The Wikileaked document titled 'Creating a unique identity number for every resident in India' that declared itself to be a 'Confidential- property of UIDAI' states, "The unique ID or UID will be a numeric that is unique across all 1.2 billion residents in India. The UID number will not contain intelligence. In older identity systems, it was customary to load the ID number with information related to the date of birth, as well as the location of the person. However, this makes the number susceptible to fraud and theft, and migration of the resident quickly makes location details out of date. The UID will be a random number."

While the ECI, Cabinet secretary, home secretary and UIDAI have accepted UID/ Aadhaar as 'proof of address', this Wikileaked document reveals that making it a proof of location was not part of its conceptual design. It is a puzzle as to how agencies after agencies started accepting biometric Aadhaar as proof of address.

Like the Indian NSA's threat to his adversaries about having a file on them, having a UID/Aadhaar number automatically creates a file of the Indian residents in question. Even infants are not spared in this scheme of things.

The confidential document reveals that from day one the prime minister wanted to create a file on each of '1.2 billion residents', the division of work between MHA's NPR and UIDAI was merely an attention diversion tactics to outwit political scrutiny. The merger of the electoral database with UID/number debunks UIDAI's claim that UID number 'will not contain intelligence' and 'the location of the person'.

From these disclosures, it appears that the PMO has adopted an adversarial role vis-a-vis Indians and acting beyond their legal mandate to pander to the interests of the commercial czars, non-state actors and foreign intelligence companies.

But the Opposition parties are yet to promise repeal of Aadhaar Act, a mini-Constitution emulating the example of the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978 because in the name of biometric identification, civil death of citizens is being normalised and naturalised as if Article 21 of the Constitution has been abrogated. There is a compelling logic for the parties to resist bulldozing the database project by compelling various government departments and states including the election commission to comply with the dictates from the global ID-cartel. The opposition parties must protect the prime minister who takes "a daily briefing from chiefs of both the intelligence bureau and the research and analysis wing (R&AW) who were told to report to the national security advisor (NSA)" who has a file on his friends and adversaries but he and his officials do not seem to realise that the national security agency of US and its Five Eyes Alliance have a file on them too. The intriguing eagerness to merge electoral photo identity card -EPIC numbers and electoral database, with the Aadhaar biometric database merits attention of all Indians because it appears that the prime minister, his colleagues and senior officials have accepted the fait accompli of all the Indians, including them being subjected to surveillance by imperial powers and their collaborators. Hasn't officialdom and political class been blind to the subversion of national interest through the transfer of citizen's databases to foreign state and non-State actors?

It is apparent that the merger of voter-ID numbers and Aadhaar numbers through amendment in the Aadhaar Act is an exercise in a merger of electoral database and Aadhaar database, which is all set to enable total control and extinguish political and civil rights of present and future generations by rewriting of the political geography of the country with despotic consequences. Is it the case that the merger of Aadhaar database with all existing databases is a scam which is bigger than all the scams of independent India?

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In a landmark development for India's insurance sector, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has granted a certificate of registration to Valueattics Reinsurance, marking the end of General Insurance Corporation of India's (GIC Re) five-decade monopoly in the reinsurance business. This decision, taken during IRDAI's 129th meeting on 12 March 2025, represents a significant shift in India's reinsurance landscape that has been dominated by the public sector since 1972.

Valueattics Reinsurance, backed by Canadian investor Prem Watsa's Fairfax group through FAL Corporation and entrepreneur Kamesh Goyal through Oben Ventures LLP, has received the R2 licence, bringing it one step closer to commencing operations. The company will become operational after meeting the requirement of bringing in the necessary initial capital which is reported to be Rs210 crore.

"This marks a significant step in fostering competition within the reinsurance sector," IRDAI stated in its release. The regulatory approval came during the last board meeting chaired by Debasish Panda, whose term as IRDAI chairman ended that week.

For Prem Watsa and Kamesh Goyal, Valueattics Reinsurance represents a strategic expansion of their insurance footprint in India. The duo are already promoters of Go Digit General Insurance and Go Digit Life Insurance. With the addition of reinsurance to their portfolio, they aim to provide comprehensive insurance solutions.

"There was a longstanding need to have private reinsurance players in India, and becoming India's first private reinsurer marks a significant milestone for us. With this, the Digit group of companies will strive to become a one-stop solution for all insurance needs, allowing us to provide full-spectrum risk coverage," Mr Goyal said in a statement.

While Valueattics will initially operate with a paid-up capital of Rs210 crore, industry experts anticipate future investments to be substantially higher, considering that the promoters have already invested Rs4,400 crore in Go Digit General Insurance and Rs1,400 crore in Go Digit Life Insurance.

Fairfax brings considerable global reinsurance expertise to the table through its multiple subsidiaries engaged in reinsurance worldwide. These include Odyssey Reinsurance in Connecticut, which underwrites treaty and facultative reinsurance and specialty insurance; Allied World Assurance, which offers reinsurance through its subsidiaries and Polish Re which operates in Central and Eastern Europe.

This international experience is expected to enhance Valueattics' capabilities in underwriting large risks while leveraging its balance sheet.

It's worth noting that this isn't the first attempt to establish a private reinsurer in India. In 2016, ITI Reinsurance had received approval from IRDAI but surrendered the license without conducting any business due to operational factors. Later, in December 2018, IRDAI rejected a proposal from Go Digit to acquire ITI Re, which was set up by Sudhir Valia-backed The Investment Trust of India. Before launching Valueattics, Mr Watsa had attempted to acquire ITI Reinsurance, but the deal was rejected by IRDAI over concerns that it amounted to trading licenses, which is not permitted under Indian regulations.

Currently, GIC Re, which has been operating since 1972, enjoys the advantage of first right to refusal and obligatory cession. As of 31 December 2024, obligatory business accounted for 39% of GIC Re's domestic earnings, while 61% was non-obligatory.

In addition to GIC Re, there are 13 foreign reinsurance branches (FRBs) established by global reinsurance companies, including Munich Re, Swiss Re and Lloyd's of London, operating in India.

The same IRDAI meeting also retained the domestic systemically important insurers (D-SIIs) tag for Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), The New India Assurance Company, and GIC Re for 2024-25. D-SIIs are insurers whose distress or failure would result in significant dislocation in the domestic financial system and are subjected to enhanced regulatory supervision.

Additionally, the board reviewed various initiatives, including the proposed insurance e-marketplace Bima Sugam, Indian Risk-Based Capital (RBC) implementation, Risk-Based Supervisory Framework, and the status of Ind AS (IFRS) adoption in insurance companies. The meeting also discussed the State Insurance Plan, which is under active consultation and aims to facilitate localized identification of protection gaps and coverage through a multi-tiered governance model.

The entry of Valueattics Reinsurance into the market represents a watershed moment for India's insurance sector, promising increased competition, innovation and capacity in the reinsurance landscape that has been dominated by a single public-sector entity for nearly five decades.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has ordered an enquiry by the Principal Bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) into the functioning of the NCLT's Chennai Bench after citing irregularities in an order passed by the NCLT in 2022.

The order was passed by a Bench of NCLAT comprising Judicial Member Justice Sharad Kumar Sharma and Technical Member Jatindranath Swain.

"The President, NCLT, is requested to look into the issue and conduct an enquiry, particularly in order to attach fairness to the proceedings of the NCLT so as to repose confidence in the public at large on these major issues," the NCLAT order said.

The order was passed on an appeal filed by Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Limited (ARCIL) challenging an NCLT order dated March 15, 2022.

The appellants counsel, Senior Advocate Om Prakash, submitted that the appeal had become infructuous due to the admission of ARCILs claim.

While dismissing the appeal, the NCLAT raised serious concerns over the NCLTs handling of the case, terming it "dubious."

"The appeal is directed to be dismissed as having rendered infructuous. But this Appellate Tribunal cannot ignore the fact that the manner in which the order of 15.03.2022 has been passed for appears rather dubious," the NCLAT opined.

The NCLAT highlighted several irregularities in the NCLT order:

Unrecorded hearing date

The case, initially heard on January 18, 2022, was marked as part-heard and scheduled for February 15, 2022. However, there was no record of the matter being listed or directed for hearing on March 15, 2022, the date on which the order under challenge was passed.

"It is submitted by the counsel for the appellant that as per the order-sheet drawn up on 15.02.2022, the said matter was not listed nor was directed to be listed on 15.03.2022 by the NCLT. But subsequently the matter is shown to have been taken up for hearing on 15.03.2022, without there being any record of prior fixation of such date for hearing, the date on which the impugned order is shown to have been passed," the NCLAT noted.

Discrepancy in cause list

While the respondents counsel argued that the case was listed on March 15, 2022, as per the cause list, the NCLAT found no evidence of prior fixation of the hearing date.

Questionable basis for order

The NCLAT observed that the NCLTs order of March 15, 2022 appeared to have been passed based on observations and directions made on the same day, which the tribunal found implausible.

"Another remarkable feature, which could be borne out from the impugned order under challenge is that, when the proceedings itself was taken up on 15.03.2022, the observations / directions as observed by NCLT, Chennai on 15.03.2022, has been taken as to be the basis of passing of the impugned order on 15.03.2022 itself, which is not plausible," the NCLAT said.

The NCLT order passed on March 15, 2022 said that it had passed a direction on that day pursuant to which a memo was filed.

"However, the Resolution Plan in respect of the Corporate Debtor had already been approved by this Adjudicating Authority vide Order dated 01.02.2022 passed in 1A 460/2021 in IBA/1099/2019. Based on the direction given by this Adjudicating Authority on 15.03.2022, a memo has been filed by the Applicant and the same is taken on record," the NCLT order said.

However, such a direction and the contents of the memo are not recorded in the order.

In view of the above, the NCLAT requested the President of the NCLT to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter. It emphasised the need to ensure fairness in NCLT proceedings to maintain public confidence in the institution.

The NCLAT also directed the President of the NCLT to submit a report to the Chairperson in New Delhi with a copy to NCLAT for further necessary action.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed penalties of Rs5.10 lakh on JM Financial Products Ltd, a non-banking financial company (NBFC), and Experian Credit Information Company of India Pvt Ltd (Experian India) for non-compliance with the directions issued by the banking regulator. The highest penalty of Rs3.10 lakh has been imposed on JM Financial Products. Experian Credit Information Company is fined Rs2 lakh.

JM Financial Products has been penalised for non-compliance with certain provisions of the direction related to non-banking financial company - systemically important non-deposit-taking companies and deposit-taking companies, RBI Directions, 2016.

RBI's statutory inspection found that JM Financial Products did not disclose a material-related party transaction in its annual report.

Experian India was penalised for non-compliance with some provisions of the Credit Information Companies Regulation Act, 2005 [CIC (R) Act] and the Credit Information Companies Rules, 2006 (CIC Rules).

RBI found that the credit bureau failed to notify credit institutions about discrepancies in credit information within seven days of receiving the requests. Additionally, Experian India did not update or correct the credit information, nor did it inform borrowers about its inability to do so, within the required 30-day period after receiving requests for updates or corrections.

"After considering the reply and oral submissions of both the entities during the personal hearing, RBI concluded that the charges of non-compliance with directions were substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty," RBI says.

In both cases, RBI says the penalties are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and are not intended to be pronounced on the validity of any transaction or agreement they entered into with their customer.
In the past few quarters, a slowing economy has kindled some fresh noise on improving the ease of doing business. Just yesterday, the new chief of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) talked of an optimal level of regulations.

A few days back, there was news that the procedures for corporate mergers may be eased. The claim that the new tax bill would make the law simpler to understand and ease compliance may still be under probation; nevertheless, it holds the government to account, if the experts find it otherwise. A few days back, there was news that the procedures for corporate mergers may be eased. The claim that the new tax bill would make the law simpler to understand and ease compliance may still be under probation; nevertheless, it holds the government to account, if the experts find it otherwise.

Given so much consciousness around this topic, there is reason to be optimistic that at least some changes may be on the anvil. In this background, this article discusses an avoidable hassle for corporate promoters by discussing a live case study.

A major feature of the Indian corporate landscape is the dominance of family-owned companies and conglomerates. These have evolved in a particular trajectory due to the nature of the laws prevalent at different points in time and how the financial system dealt with the corporate sector from a funding perspective.

However, the family enterprises that are in the second and third generation of ownership have come to countenance the challenge of the siblings and cousins who wish to pursue an independent course. Family settlements and family disputes have been on the rise in recent months. However, the family enterprises that are in the second and third generation of ownership have come to countenance the challenge of the siblings and cousins who wish to pursue an independent course. Family settlements and family disputes have been on the rise in recent months.

When a generational shift happens in the families and the need arises to separate, the process is fraught with complications and cost.

A typical family conglomerate may have one or more of the characteristics shown in the picture here.

In this illustration, family A seeks to split from the common holding structure and take direct shareholding control of A Ltd.

If no laws and rules existed, it should be possible to hand over the shares of A Ltd, held currently by A Pvt Ltd, to family A. In turn, family A would relinquish their interest in the group holding company.

At best, a one-page agreement is entered into, so that there is no dispute in the future!

However, that is not possible due to how the taxation law operates, even if the corporate law can be flexed to make it possible in some manner.

Unless a share is swapped in the course of a merger or a demerger, a tax liability would arise. Thus, the preference in the tax law for a particular methodology, believing it to have some sanctity, is the reason for a convoluted process to be adopted to get to the same result.

If the tax law recognised the simple fact that no superior economic value is gained in the process of family A surrendering its interest in the group holding company for obtaining a direct interest in A Ltd, and deferred the applicability of any tax to the time when the shares are actually monetised or some other distinct benefit is obtained, there would be actual ease in accomplishing family settlements.

Does it all sound too bookish and hypothetical? No! A real-life example would substantiate this aspect.

The first part of the story told here may be known to many. The middle part, not so much and the tailpiece is yet to play out fully! The first part of the story told here may be known to many. The middle part, not so much and the tailpiece is yet to play out fully!

The TVS group, predominantly based in the south, had a structure similar to the picture earlier seen.

The family, with many distinct branches, commonly held a clutch of three holding companies: TV Sundaram Iyengar & Sons P Ltd (TVSS), Southern Roadways P Ltd (SRPL) and Sundaram Industries P Ltd (SIPL).

These three entities owned shares in most of the TVS group entities that used the common brand. Many of these are listed entities with significant public shareholding.

The family set about to separate the ownership of the companies across its different branches. The family set about to separate the ownership of the companies across its different branches.

The actual layers involved with regard to one of the branches is shown here. In this case, at the tail end of the ladder is a public listed entity, TVS Electronics Ltd.

The reason for picking this strand as an example for this article will be uncovered as the reader travels further.

The composite scheme of arrangement that the family initiated is not in the public domain as the entities that are publicly listed were not part of the arrangement put through. However, some information has become available over time and it is used to illustrate the process.

The actual process must have been not too different from what is explained here. The picture shown below needs to be seen closely to understand how the investments were segregated.

The three holding companies are shown together as they merged into one, as TVSS. The three holding companies are shown together as they merged into one, as TVSS.

TVS Investments P Ltd (TVSIPL) was the vehicle holding TVS-E and some private entities, earmarked to one branch.

After the merger of the three holding companies, the investments in specific entities were demerged after classifying them as undertakings.

One such was the shareholding in TVSIPL.

Geeyes Family Holding P Ltd (GFHPL) was the SPV designated as the resulting company. The demerger is marked in the dotted red line

The shares in GFHIPL are issued to the family members (green dotted line), removing the layer of TVSS. The shares in GFHIPL are issued to the family members (green dotted line), removing the layer of TVSS.

As an additional step, maybe unique to this case, the structure was further simplified by merging TVSIPL into GFHIPL (violet dotted line). GFHIPLs name was changed to TVSIPL.

The final structure achieved at this point in time is shown here on the right.

Since each vertical was demerged, in every instance all the shareholders of the erstwhile holding company were allotted shares in each such resulting company (SPVs).

It is to be assumed that the family agreement addressed the inter-se exchange among all the members so that the respective family branch got full control of the specific companies.

Despite so much of action around this scheme (mother scheme), it did not cover the last mile. Though the common holding structure was dismantled in the above steps, the shareholding structure was not fully optimised as TVSIPL ended as the holding company for TVS-E, rather than the concerned family members receiving the TVS-E shares directly in their hands.

This is the feature in the other cases as well, with similar family investment companies holding the downstream listed entity. For example, TVS Sundram Fasteners P Ltd, a SPV created under the above process holds Sundram Fasteners Ltd, a listed entity. Trichur Sundaram Santhanam & Family Private Limited became the SPV for Wheels India and so on.

The family that took control of Sundaram Clayton and TVS Motors executed another scheme independently to get rid of the SPV, VS Investments P Ltd. This has been covered in articles published in this column.

The exercise of the TVS family split did not concern any public shareholders and, should any tax or regulatory costs arise later, they have no bearing on the public entities.

The story moves to stage two. Delayering the SPV structure under TVSIPL. The story moves to stage two. Delayering the SPV structure under TVSIPL.

The structure relevant to TVSIPL is zoomed in to exhibit the entities involved.

Besides holdings 59.84% in TVS-E, it also held 98.77% in TVS Capital Funds P Ltd (TVSCFPL), which, in turn, held 100% in TVS Wealth P Ltd (TVSWPL).

For the individual promoters to hold the shares of TVS-E directly, there are further steps to be undertaken which are in no way less complicated than what the main holding company did in stage one.

Therefore, a scheme was initiated to remove the two private companies from the above cluster and move their shares directly to the individuals.

This scheme was initiated with 1 April 2023 as the appointed date. The first part of the scheme involved merging both TVSCFPL and TVSWPL into TVSIPL. At that point in time, the two subsidiaries disappeared from the scene.

In the same instance, under the next part of the scheme, with no change in the appointed date, the businesses that were carried on respectively by TVSCFPL and TVSWPL (that were merged), were demerged as two separate undertakings into two resulting companies set up as SPVs.

After this, the names of the two entities are changed to TVSCFPL and TVSWPL, with their original capital structure. This scheme has been fully implemented by July 2024.

The steps are represented pictorially, above. The two entities, TVSCFPL and TVSWPL merged (blue dotted lines) into TVSIPL.

Once the merger is imagined in the mind, the business undertakings of the two merged companies are demerged (green dotted lines) into the two entities shown in violet colour! Their shares are issued to the ultimate shareholders.

The disappearance of the two entities and their fresh appearance, all at the same moment, is like an illusion that anyone who has watched Jadugar Sarkar perform in the olden days would be nostalgic about! The disappearance of the two entities and their fresh appearance, all at the same moment, is like an illusion that anyone who has watched Jadugar Sarkar perform in the olden days would be nostalgic about!

After this exercise, TVSIPL has only 59.84% shareholding in TVS-E.

Those readers whose credulity has been overly stretched by the idea of companies disappearing for a moment and reappearing afresh as shown in this case may find peace in the short story here. One of its many versions is available in our rich lore!

Kakudmi, a king in one of the earliest yugas, wanted to locate an ideal consort for his daughter, Revati, of unearthly beauty.

Together with his daughter, the king went in his inter-galactic shuttle to consult Brahma. On their arrival at Brahmalok, since the creator was in a short conference, the two were retained in the visitors area.

Admitted to the presence of Brahma, the King laid out his problem. The creator thought for a split second and said there was an eligible groom on earth, but the problem was that in the few minutes the pair spent in Brahmalok, many yugas passed on earth due to the time difference. The girls physical features wouldnt be compatible with a person born in a later yuga.

The non-plussed king and the distressed maiden were comforted by Brahma to return to earth, where a celestial creature would solve their problem.

As the craft landed on earth, a dazzling damsel in a pregnant state received them. She told the princess to enter her womb which she obeyed. And, in a split second, there emerged from her womb, the same Revati with her original beauty but with the physical appearance in tune with the yuga then in operation. As the craft landed on earth, a dazzling damsel in a pregnant state received them. She told the princess to enter her womb which she obeyed. And, in a split second, there emerged from her womb, the same Revati with her original beauty but with the physical appearance in tune with the yuga then in operation.

Along came a man of other worldly looks, with a plough dangling from his shoulder, seeking the hand of Revati.

Balarama and Revati were happily married!

The woman who helped Revati disappear and reappear vanished once the task was accomplished. Exactly like what would happen to TVSIPL, if the readers wait for the second part of this article soon to be published!
CPC delegation visits Panama

Xinhua) 08:39, March 17, 2025

PANAMA CITY, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by Ma Hui, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, visited Panama from Friday to Saturday.

During the visit, Ma met with leaders of Panama's major political parties, and exchanged views with think tank scholars.

Ma said that China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Panamanian political parties and think tanks, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and solidify public support for friendly relations between China and Panama.

Meanwhile, the Panamanian side expressed its willingness to strengthen friendly exchanges between the two countries, build consensus on cooperation, and promote the sustainable development of their friendship.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Photo released on Jan. 1, 2022 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) shows the group photo of the orbiter and Mars. China released on the first day of 2022 a group of new Mars images taken by the Tianwen-1 probe. China's Tianwen-1 mission, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, was launched on July 23, 2020. [Photo/CNSA]

China has invited the global scientific community to participate in its Tianwen-3 Mars exploration mission, according to a statement released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on March 11.

Scheduled for launch around 2028, the Tianwen-3 mission is accepting project proposals from interested institutions until the end of June, with final selections expected by October.

Proposed payloads must align with the mission's core scientific objectives, such as the search for potential traces of life on Mars. CNSA emphasized that selected projects should demonstrate strong innovation in scientific exploration and engineering technology.

While payloads can be included free of charge, foreign partners must independently fund their development and agree to share their data with China. CNSA also encouraged international institutions to collaborate with Chinese payload developers.

The Tianwen-3 mission will consist of a lander, ascender, orbiter and returner. In addition to investigating signs of life, it aims to study the geological features of Mars, its internal structure, atmospheric circulation and escape processes to enhance understanding of the planet's habitability.

CNSA noted that the samples collected by Tianwen-3 are expected to return to Earth around 2030.
The government is rolling out a textile and apparel skills enhancement program across 15 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to tackle youth unemployment.

Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, Principal Secretary for the State Department for TVET, announced that the initiative aims to equip young people with specialized skills and competencies, reducing wastage rates in vocational training.

To achieve this, the department is restructuring TVET curricula into micro-credentials. This new approach will enable trainees to acquire job-ready skills faster, graduate sooner, and either secure employment or launch their own businesses.

Speaking at a consultative forum with principals from the selected institutions, Dr. Muoria confirmed that the pilot program will be implemented at:

Tetu Technical and Vocational College

Kenya Coast National Polytechnic

Kisii National Polytechnic

Belgut Technical Training Institute

Rift Valley National Polytechnic

Sigalagala National Polytechnic

Kibra Technical and Vocational College

Nkabune Technical Training Institute

Nyeri National Polytechnic

Maasai Mara National Polytechnic

Kisumu National Polytechnic

Nairobi National Polytechnic

Tharaka Technical and Vocational College

Karen Technical Training Institute for the Deaf

She explained that these institutions were carefully chosen to ensure equitable access to textile and apparel training nationwide. The pilot phase will assess the programs impact before expanding it further.

Addressing the Skills Gap in the Textile Industry

Dr. Muoria noted that while Kenyas textile and apparel industry offers numerous job opportunities, many young people lack the necessary skills to fill these roles.

To bridge this gap, the State Department for TVET has partnered with Sainath Education Institute to train youth in fashion and design. The program will ensure graduates are well-prepared for employment in textile and apparel companies, including those within Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Beyond student training, the initiative will also upskill TVET trainers in fashion and design, providing them with hands-on experience using modern, state-of-the-art equipment. This will enhance the quality of training, ensuring students receive industry-relevant skills.

Implementation Set to Begin in March

The program is scheduled to launch at the end of March, starting in Nairobi and Mombasa before expanding to other regions.

Additionally, Dr. Muoria revealed that the State Department for TVET is refining the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum to align with industry demands. The revised curriculum will feature core competency units that trainees can complete within six to eight months, fast-tracking their entry into the job market.

By streamlining TVET training, the government aims to enhance graduates employability, empowering them to either secure jobs in the textile sector or venture into entrepreneurship.
Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit of the Anglican Church of Kenya has barred politicians from addressing congregants during church services, reinforcing the churchs commitment to keeping worship spaces free from political influence.

Speaking on Sunday at St. Stephens Cathedral, Ole Sapit emphasized that while politicians are welcome to attend services, they will not be allowed to speak inside the church. Instead, if they wish to address congregants, they must do so outside after the service.

When the time comes for acknowledging all those who have come, we will do that, but I want to give direction that from today henceforth in any Anglican congregation, there will be no opportunity for any political leader to have a speech in the Church, he announced.

He further clarified that their presence will be recognized during services, but they will only be asked to stand and wave to the congregation without making remarks.

If they so wish to address the congregation, it will be done outside the sanctuary. Not only today but in all our dioceses and churches.

The Archbishop also declared an end to public announcements of offertory contributions in Anglican churches, stressing that giving should be a personal act of faith.

We have already declared and we want to declare today that giving in the Anglican Church will not be announced. Just give as God directs you to give. What we give to God, we dont have to tell human beings what we have given Him, he stated.

Several prominent leaders, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, attended the service.
Dr. Joyce Kithure, wife of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, has launched the SaVE Communities Project, an initiative aimed at tackling environmental and community challenges through science and technology.

The projectshort for Science Adding Value to the Environment and the Communitywas officially introduced during her keynote speech at the Pi Day STEM Challenge for Future Innovators event at Daystar University.

Addressing an audience of educators, government officials, and young innovators, Dr. Kithure underscored the vital role of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in shaping Kenyas future.

She emphasized that Pi Day is more than just a mathematical constant; it represents curiosity, discovery, and the limitless potential of STEM.

Today, we gather not just to celebrate science, but to ignite a passion within you, our future innovators, to pursue careers in STEM fields, she said.

Key Focus Areas of SaVE Communities Project

Dr. Kithure outlined the projects primary focus areas, which include: Access to clean water, Environmental pollution, Clean energy solutions, Climate change adaptation, Modern farming innovations, and Value addition for local produce.

While Kenya has made progress in sectors like renewable energy and agriculture, she noted that many communities still struggle with basic needsissues that science and innovation can help solve.

On clean water access, she stressed that while it is a fundamental human right, many regions still face water scarcity. She also raised concerns about rising environmental pollution, which disrupts ecosystems and threatens public health.

Highlighting Kenyas advancements in clean energy, Dr. Kithure acknowledged that electricity access has improved, but many rural and marginalized areas still face challenges. She emphasized the need for climate change adaptation, especially given the countrys reliance on rain-fed agriculture and vulnerable ecosystems.

Boosting Food Security and Economic Growth

Dr. Kithure also discussed the potential of modern farming techniques, particularly in urban areas and institutions like schools and churches, as a means to boost food security and promote sustainability.

She further stressed the importance of value addition for local produce, noting that processing, packaging, and preserving agricultural products can significantly enhance their economic and social benefits.

The challenges our communities face can be solved through collective knowledge and skills within the STEM space, she stated, urging institutions, researchers, and innovators to collaborate on practical solutions.

Driving Kenyas Knowledge-Based Economy

As a Chemistry lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Dr. Kithure highlighted the critical role of STEM education in transforming Kenya into a knowledge-driven economy. She emphasized that STEM is the foundation of innovation, economic growth, and sustainable solutions.

Through the SaVE Communities Project, Dr. Kithure reaffirmed her commitment to mentoring students and fostering innovation. She also called for public-private partnerships, urging individuals, institutions, and policymakers to invest in STEM education and research for long-term impact.

Inspiring Future Innovators

In her closing remarks, Dr. Kithure encouraged students and researchers to develop STEM-driven solutions that can uplift communities. She challenged young innovators to create projects that enhance livelihoods and solve real-world problems.

Your innovations should be geared towards improving livelihoods. The future is bright, and it is yours to shape. Let us innovate, inspire, and ignite change, she said.

A Gathering of STEM Leaders

The event brought together Education Cabinet Secretary, Daystar University leadership, Scientists of Kenya Association (SCOKA) officials, and industry experts. It also featured an exhibition of STEM projects by young innovators, showcasing groundbreaking solutions designed to address community challenges.
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Yemen's Houthi group said it launched a retaliatory attack against the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea on Sunday in response to dozens of U.S. airstrikes on its positions.

"The American enemy launched a blatant aggression against our country with more than 47 air raids targeting Sanaa and seven other governorates," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"In response to the aggression, we carried out a military operation, targeting USS Harry S. Truman and its escorts with a drone and 18 ballistic and cruise missiles," Sarea stated.

The Houthi attack came after the Houthi Supreme Political Council -- the group's highest governing authority -- vowed a "painful" retaliation, framing the American attacks as support for Israel and warning they would "drag the situation to a more severe and painful level."

The spokesperson also confirmed that his group would "continue to impose a naval blockade on the Israeli enemy" in its area of operations, including the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, until the entry of aid into Gaza is permitted.

U.S. warplanes launched extensive airstrikes across northern Yemen on Saturday night, targeting multiple Houthi-controlled locations. According to the latest Houthi estimates on Sunday, the bombardment resulted in at least 53 deaths and 98 injuries.

This is the first U.S. military operation against the Houthi group since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed power in January and redesignated the group as a "foreign terrorist organization."

Trump warned on the social media platform Truth Social on Saturday that if the Houthis do not stop their attacks on the Red Sea shipping, "hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before," claiming the U.S. aerial attacks on the "terrorists' bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom."

The U.S. Central Command said earlier on X platform that the airstrikes were launched from a U.S. aircraft carrier north of the Red Sea.

The U.S. airstrikes came days after the Houthi group announced on Tuesday that it would resume launching attacks against Israeli-linked shipping until the crossings of the Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.

From November 2023 to Jan. 19 this year, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, launched dozens of attacks against Israel-linked ships and Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians who are engulfed in a prolonged conflict with Israel.

The attacks later expanded to include U.S. and British ships after the U.S.-British navy coalition started to intervene and launch strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group.

The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when a Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has defended his decision to skip President William Rutos recent tour of Nairobi County, insisting that his absence had nothing to do with politics.

Speaking at the burial of veteran pilot James Nguyo Gitahi on March 15, 2025, the ODM Secretary General dismissed reports suggesting he deliberately snubbed the Presidents visit. He criticized the media for spreading misleading narratives, clarifying that the agreement between ODM and UDA does not require his attendance at such events.

After signing those documents, I knew some people would claim things that arent in the agreement. One day I woke up to headlines claiming Sifuna has fled from the Presidents Nairobi meeting, he said.

He reiterated that the deal between the two parties does not mandate ODM officials to attend government functions, just as UDA leaders are not expected to show up at ODM meetings.

Nowhere in that agreement does it say the ODM Secretary General must attend meetings with the President. Nowhere does it say that a senator elected on a UDA ticket must be present when Raila Odinga has his meeting, he explained.

Sifuna Calls Out Double Standards

Sifuna accused critics of applying double standards, questioning why UDA officials are not held to the same expectations when they skip Raila Odingas events.

I saw Honorable Raila was in Kiambu for Waiyakis funeral, but I didnt see UDAs Secretary General there because the agreement doesnt address such matters, he stated.

He added that even President Ruto understands this distinction, recalling the Head of States message to Nairobi residents about focusing on their responsibilities.

The President himself knows this. I heard him telling Nairobi people that everyone should do their job. I wont be elected based on how many meetings Ive attended with the President. My work is in the Senate, and Ill do it, while he does his. In 2027, citizens will decide, Sifuna declared.

Sifuna Says His Role Is to Ensure Accountability

The senator described himself as a watchdog, emphasizing that his primary role after signing the ODM-UDA agreement is to ensure compliance with the ten-point agenda outlined in the document.

My job is very simple. I just keep the marking scheme, since there are ten agenda items there. If any Kenyan is abducted by police and hidden somewhere, UDA and its leader William Ruto will have violated the agreement weve registered, he said.

He stressed that his focus remains on government accountability, particularly regarding police conduct and justice for families affected by past protests.

If Kenyas police dont take responsibility and compensate families of those who lost their lives according to the agreement, Ruto and his UDA party will have violated our agreement. Thats my only jobtheres no other work except ensuring they follow what we agreed upon, he stated.
Police have arrested 38 suspects linked to a wave of violent attacks targeting pedestrians and motorists along Thika Highway, Waiyaki Way, and Jogoo Road. The arrests come as part of an intensified security operation aimed at curbing rising crime on these busy Nairobi roads.

Authorities confirmed that the suspects are in custody at various police stations, where they are being processed ahead of their court appearance on Monday.

During the crackdown, officers recovered seven motorcycles believed to have been used in the attacks, along with several mobile phones, which are now being held as evidence.

The suspects will face multiple charges, including robbery with violence, preparation to commit a felony, and obstruction. Police assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that efforts to track down more suspects remain a top priority.

Last week, detectives arrested eight more suspects following President William Rutos tour of Mathare as part of his Nairobi visit. Among them was John Junior Oginga, who allegedly robbed a victim of an Oppo A77S phone worth Ksh28,000. Armed with a knife, Oginga was arrested along Thika Highway and taken to Pangani Police Station.

In a separate raid in Mathare Area 4, officers arrested Jared Nyanza, Darlin Lande, Daniel Okombe, Mike Robert, Elvis Otieno, Reagan Omondi, and Mathenge Gachiri for allegedly stealing mobile phones and valuables from pedestrians.

Police have since increased patrols along these highways and are urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity as they work to restore security in the affected areas.
The recent attacks by Baloch insurgents in Pakistan have exposed terrorism within the country and highlighted the ''lack of preparedness'' of its military, Major General GD Bakshi (Retd) said on Sunday. He criticised Pakistan''s long-standing use of terrorism as a state policy, saying, "Pakistan has shot itself in the foot by making terrorism an instrument of state policy." Speaking with ANI about the recent attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy in Balochistan- just a week after the Jaffar Express hijacking- Major General Bakshi said, "Till now, they were exporting terror. The vultures of terror that they had nurtured for outsiders are now destroying Pakistan itself." He further said that this crisis is Pakistan''s own doing and that foreign countries, including India, cannot intervene in its internal conflicts. "This is the fault of Pakistan, and they have to face the consequences. Foreign countries cannot do anything about this. What can India do?" he said. Major General Dhruv C Katoch (Retd) questioned the preparedness of the Pakistan military in handling the growing insurgency, saying that the army lacks the capability to defend all its territory. "It is about the BLA being able to carry out this attack so soon after the hijacking of the Pakistani train, and the Pakistani military is still figuring out how to react to this... I think they lack the capability to defend every piece of their territory, and there are going to be many attacks in the future that they may not be able to counter," he said. He suggested that Pakistan should make a political settlement with the Baloch people to prevent an escalating conflict that could leave the Pakistani army at a disadvantage. "Their solution lies in coming to a political settlement with the Baloch people, failing which, the battle might surge into a serious confrontation where the Pakistani army might be the loser," he said. On reports of Baloch insurgents killing Pakistani Army personnel, foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdeva accused Pakistan of exploiting Balochistan''s natural resources while neglecting the region''s development. He said that this conflict might get worse in future. "This was expected and will worsen in the future because Pakistan never gave attention to Balochistan and exploited its natural resources, outsourcing its mineral resources and assets to China for warm water ports, thinking of it as a barren land... Pakistan army started suppressing the people there and tormented them while there was already a lack of water and other basic necessities there," Sachdeva said. On Sunday, a terrorist attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy in Balochistan''s Noshki district left five people dead, including three FC personnel and two civilians, Dawn reported. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, which involved an explosion followed by a suicide bombing. Security forces responded quickly, killing four terrorists, including the suicide bomber. This attack comes just days after the BLA hijacked the Jaffar Express, a train en route from Quetta to Peshawar through the strategic Bolan Valley. The train, carrying over 450 passengers, including 200 security personnel, became the center of a high-stakes standoff between Baloch rebels and Pakistani security forces. The BLA claimed to have killed 214 hostages and blamed Pakistan''s "stubbornness" and "avoidance of negotiations" despite a 48-hour ultimatum. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump's plan to impose reciprocal tariffs may only lead to a 3-3.5 per cent decline in Indian exports, and the effect will be negated by higher exports, according to SBI Research released on Monday. "The decline in exports from India to the US could be in the range of 3-3.5 per cent post reciprocal tariffs, if any... which again should be negated through higher export goals across both manufacturing and services fronts, as India has diversified its exports kitty, pitched value addition, exploring alternate areas and works on new routes that transcend from Europe to USA via the Middle-East, redrawing new supply chain algorithms," says the report. India will also get advantage of aluminium and steel tariffs imposed by the US last week. India runs a marginal trade deficit with the USD 13 million in aluminium goods, and USD 406 million in steel goods. While India doesn't figure among top 10 importers of steel products, accounting for just 1 per cent of imports to the US, it is among the top 10 in aluminium imports. However, its share has dipped from 3 to 2.8 per cent between 2018 and 2024. India is countering this by diversifying its exports, adding value to products, and exploring alternative markets. By leveraging new trade routes from Europe to the US via the Middle East, India is looking to strengthen its position in the global supply chain. With rising protectionist measures and evolving supply chain strategies, India is leveraging trade agreements and export diversification to strengthen its position in the global market. Report stated, "India has been talking about free trade agreements with several partners - both bilateral and regional - in a bid to boost export-oriented domestic manufacturing." To strengthen its manufacturing sector and increase exports, India has been actively engaging in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with multiple countries. In the last five years, India has signed 13 FTAs, including with Mauritius, the UAE, and Australia. The country is currently negotiating agreements with the UK, Canada, and the European Union, focusing on areas such as digital trade, services, and sustainable development. The FTA with the UK alone is projected to boost bilateral trade by USD15 billion by 2030. With a growing digital economy, experts believe that digital trade agreements could add USD1 trillion to India's GDP by 2025. Additionally, shifting regional supply chains and geopolitical factors, including the US-China trade war, are shaping India's trade strategies. With ongoing trade negotiations and evolving global economic trends, India's focus on FTAs, digital trade, and export expansion may help it navigate uncertainties and emerge stronger in the global market. (ANI)
BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 17: Himalaya Wellness Company hosted the much-anticipated 3rd edition of the 'Mindful Strides Walkathon' in Mumbai, reinforcing our commitment to mental health and well-being. Following successful events in Bengaluru and Chennai, the walkathon made its way to the vibrant city of Mumbai, promising an inspiring morning of community participation, awareness, and wellness advocacy. The event witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 4,200 registrations, reflecting the growing awareness and enthusiasm for mental well-being initiatives. The 5K walkathon kicked off at R2 Ground Back Side Road and took participants through a meticulously planned route covering some of Mumbai's most iconic locations, including MCA Bandra Club Road, Jio World Convention Centre, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, Bharat Diamond Bourse, and Trident Hotel Bandra Kurla. The course offered a unique blend of urban energy and scenic pathways. Flagged off by KG Umesh, Director HR, Himalaya Wellness, the event brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds, including fitness enthusiasts, corporate professionals, families, and mental health advocates. The walkathon aimed to highlight the crucial link between physical movement and mental well-being, encouraging participants to embrace an active lifestyle while fostering a sense of community support for mental health awareness. Speaking about the initiative, KG Umesh, Director-Human Resources, Himalaya Wellness Company, shared, "Mental well-being is an essential aspect of overall health, and we believe in fostering awareness through community-driven initiatives like the Mindful Strides Walkathon. As our event grows each year, it is heartening to see so many individuals come together to walk for a cause that touches lives across all age groups and professions. Through initiatives like the Mindful Strides Walkathon, Himalaya Wellness Company continues to advocate for a healthier and happier society." Research[i] indicates that regular physical activity can significantly help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, making events like these a valuable step towards holistic well-being. [i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201497/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
SMPL Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 17: Every year, approximately 4,000 to 5,000 Indian students choose Russian universities for their medical education. The primary reasons for this preference include limited MBBS seats in Indian government medical colleges, financial constraints, and a strong determination to practice medicine in India after completing their education abroad. However, beyond these factors, there is an often-overlooked advantage of studying and living in Russia--its world-class education system. Russia has long been recognized as a global leader in medicine, technology, science, and the arts, owing to its robust education system. According to Bloomberg, Russia's higher education system ranks third globally. Despite its cutting-edge technological advancements, Russian universities maintain a disciplined, classical approach to instruction. Furthermore, the Russian government subsidizes education for foreign students by up to 80%, making medical education in Russia more affordable compared to other international destinations. Many public universities even provide free hostel accommodations, further reducing the cost burden for students. Given the historic and strong ties between India and Russia, educational cooperation between the two nations has been gaining momentum. Through joint conferences and inter-governmental collaborations, both countries are working to improve the quality of education for Indian students in Russia. These efforts focus on increasing Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) pass rates, streamlining the admission process, enhancing post-admission student management, and upgrading hostel facilities for Indian students. In a significant step toward strengthening Indo-Russian education ties, a joint meeting was held on February 4, 2025, between MB Patil Education, a leading education consultancy in India, and RACUS, a group of Russian state universities. During the meeting, Manoj B Patil, Director of MB Patil Education, and Avbakar Nutsalov, Director of RACUS, discussed ways to bring premier Russian state universities closer to Indian medical aspirants. The discussions centered around ensuring a transparent admission process, protecting students from fraudulent consultancy practices, improving hostel infrastructure for Indian students, and providing university options with a high FMGE passing ratio. Both organizations have expressed their commitment to addressing the concerns of Indian students and their families regarding the quality, transparency, and safety of education in Russia. With established teams in both India and Russia, MB Patil Education and RACUS are determined to revolutionize the experience of Indian students pursuing MBBS in Russia. Beyond facilitating admissions, the collaboration aims to deepen educational exchange between the two nations, aligning with the long-term objectives set by the governments of India and Russia. This partnership marks a new era of trust and excellence in overseas medical education, ensuring that Indian students receive the best opportunities to achieve their dream of becoming successful medical professionals. (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)
VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 17: Bright Outdoor Media Limited, (BSE - 543831), a leading name in India's out-of-home advertising, has launched three new digital LED billboards in Mumbai in collaboration with its joint venture partner. Adding a total of 1,840 sq. ft. of new OOH advertising space. These new installations are strategically positioned to maximize visibility and engagement at Kalyan Station West: A 12ft x 8ft LED screen now graces one of busiest railway stations in Mumbai region. Positioned to catch the eyes of thousands of daily commuters, this location offers a prime spot for brands to reach a diverse audience. Bandra Station West: Another 16ft x 9ft screen has been installed at Bandra Station West. This location is set to attract local residents, business travellers, and tourists alike, offering significant exposure in a key suburban hub. Eastern Express Highway: Marking a bold step forward, a massive 40ft x 40ft LED screen has been placed along the Eastern Express Highway. Designed to engage evening commuters traveling from Fort, Dadar, and Mulund towards Thane, this installation promises to capture a wide and varied audience. This expansion reinforces Bright Outdoors leadership in digital out-of-home advertising. With the launch of these three new digital LED billboards in Mumbai the company now boasts 35 high-impact LED screens across the city. This significant addition not only broadens its advertising portfolio but also sets new benchmarks in dynamic and eco-friendly advertising. The LED screens deliver vibrant visuals and offer flexible, real-time content updates, enabling brands to communicate engaging messages while maintaining sustainable practices. By carefully selecting high-traffic locations and employing cutting-edge display technology, Bright Outdoor is providing advertisers with unmatched opportunities to connect with consumers in one of India's busiest cities. As Mumbai continues to evolve into a vibrant hub for business and culture, Bright Outdoor Media Limited remains committed to illuminating the cityscape with innovative and effective advertising solutions. Commenting on the development, Dr. Yogesh Lakhani, CMD of Bright Outdoor Media Limited said, "We are extremely proud to announce the launch of three new digital LED installations in Mumbai, marking another significant milestone in our journey. These additions reflect our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence in the digital out-of-home advertising space. By carefully selecting locations that reach diverse audiences, we are providing our clients with even greater opportunities to connect dynamically with consumers. This expansion is more than just an increase in numbers it reinforces our leadership and deep-rooted presence in the DOOH segment. Our strategic partnership with our joint venture partner has been instrumental in making these developments possible, and together, we are setting new benchmarks in the industry. At Bright Outdoor Media, we believe that every new installation strengthens our overall network, allowing us to deliver flexible, real-time advertising solutions that truly resonate with the public. We are excited about the future as we continue to light up Mumbai with innovative, impactful advertising that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our clients and audiences alike." (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)
BusinessWire India New Delhi [India], March 17: In a significant step towards bolstering international trade relations, ASCELA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, Belgium. This partnership, sealed on March 4, 2025, took place during the Belgian Economic Mission to India, which was presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid. The signing was joined by Kristof Waterschoot (Managing Director of Port of Antwerp-Bruges International), Dirk De fauw (President of Port of Antwerp-Bruges International), and Achille Sobry (Regional lead Indian Subcontinent), from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International. The signing ceremony was held at the Belgian Ambassador's Residence in New Delhi, marking a momentous occasion for both organizations. The MoU is aimed at enhancing the collaboration between ASCELA Management Consultancies LLC and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, focusing on the development and growth of the port and logistics sector. With the global logistics industry being a key driver of international trade, this partnership is expected to open new avenues for cooperation in improving port management, logistics efficiency, and trade facilitation. Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid's presence at the event underscored the significance of the MoU and the growing relationship between Belgium and India. As part of the Belgian Economic Mission, the event highlighted Belgium's commitment to fostering stronger trade relations with India. The mission has identified key sectors such as women entrepreneurship, strengthening of defence ties, sustainable infrastructure, astronomy, healthcare, education, green hydrogen and logistics for investment and collaboration between the two nations. Nivesh Chaudhary, Managing Director of ASCELA Management Consultancies, expressed his excitement about the partnership. "It is an honor for us to be part of this momentous occasion and to witness the formalization of this collaboration at such a strategic level. This partnership with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International is a significant step towards advancing infrastructure development, and we are optimistic about the future prospects. The logistics and port infrastructure space is rapidly evolving, and we look forward to exploring the opportunities that will arise from this association," Chaudhary said. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges International highlighted, "This partnership will drive collaboration on key consultancy projects in the Indian maritime sector, leveraging PoABI's global expertise and ASCELA's local insights to enhance port operations, logistics, and supply chain efficiency. The signing of this MoU represents the first step in expanding PoABI's presence in India's port sector." With the logistics sector becoming increasingly critical for global trade, both parties are keen on driving innovation and efficiency in the industry, making the MoU an important milestone for the bilateral relations between the two nations. ASCELA has long been a key player in the infrastructure space in Indian Subcontinent, specializing in consulting and advisory services across logistics, trade, and infrastructure development. Their extensive expertise should play a crucial role in driving the success of this collaboration. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday discussed with Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Maria M Stenergard ways to further strengthen the India-Sweden bilateral trade and investment partnership. "Discussed ways to strengthen India-Sweden bilateral trade & investment partnership further, fostering economic cooperation and opening up new business opportunities in both nations," Piyush Goyal wrote on X, sharing photographs from the meeting. Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada was also present during the meeting. The Swedish minister also met with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, and they discussed deepening their engagement with the European Union. On Tuesday, the Swedish foreign affairs minister will take part in the Raisina Dialogue 2025. She will be part of the session 'The Continent Debates: Europe's Role in the World'. 2023 marked 75 years of diplomatic relations with India, which were established in 1948 and have steadily strengthened over the decades. Regular political engagement, intensifying business ties, and cooperation on global challenges and multilateral issues define the strong India-Sweden partnership. Innovation, Technology, Investment, and R&D collaborations provide the bedrock of this modern relationship. Sweden's major industries include automotive, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, industrial machines, precision equipment, chemical goods, home appliances, mining, forestry, iron and steel. India is the 3rd largest trading partner for Sweden in Asia. The number of Swedish companies with a business presence in India has increased from around 150 to around 260 in the last five years or so, while the number of Indian companies with a business presence has increased from around 50 to 75 over a similar period. There has been a regular exchange of official and business delegations over the last several years. A range of MoUs and bilateral Agreements exist covering sectors including Science and Technology; Healthcare, Sustainable Urban Development, Renewable Energy, Railways; Space, Polar Science, and Defence. There are a number of Joint Working Groups (JWG) established under many of these MoUs. There also exist agreements on avoidance of Double Taxation, Bilateral Investment Protection and Air Services. The Indian Diaspora in Sweden is estimated to be over 60,000, including around 42,000 Indian nationals. Most of them are professionals, predominantly in the IT sector. There is a large number of Indian researchers and students in Sweden. There are an estimated 1,500 Indian students in Sweden. So far, around 18,000 Swedish nationals have been issued OCI cards. (ANI)
PRNewswire Bengaluru (Karnataka) / Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], March 17: GMMCO India, a CK Birla company, today announced the inauguration of its fully operational service and supply hubs at Butibori and Hingna, Nagpur. These integrated facilities feature world-class repair, rebuild, and parts distribution hubs, playing a crucial role in supporting customers across India, with a focus on Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Goa. The facilities were inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India. Spread across 14 acres, the Butibori and Hingna facilities are strategically positioned to provide advanced service infrastructure, comprehensive component and machine rebuilding capabilities, and a high-efficiency parts warehouse--offering a one-stop solution for customer needs. At the launch of the Butibori facility, Chandrasekhar V, Managing Director, GMMCO India, stated: "This is a proud moment for us. Over the last decade, we have been growing at a steady pace, and this expansion is a testament to our commitment to a customer-first approach and operational efficiency. Our vision is to provide the right service to our customers in the shortest possible time, and the Butibori and Hingna facilities will help us achieve this goal." He further added: "The company has enhanced its Machine Rebuild Center (MRC) and Component Rebuild Center (CRC) to strengthen our presence across India. With this expansion, we are reinforcing our role in driving India's infrastructure growth. By enhancing equipment longevity, reducing downtime, and ensuring sustainable development in key sectors like mining, construction, energy, and transportation, we are actively contributing to the nation's economic progress and industrial self-reliance." Facility Highlights: Butibori MRC Facility (10 acres, 1,40,000 sq. ft.) * Hub Warehouse: Manages 30,000+ line items and processes 45,000 transactions per month. * Advanced Digitalized Warehouse Management System (WMS) ensures 24-48 hour parts delivery, enhancing equipment uptime. * Stockyard Capacity: Can hold 100 machines. * Rebuild/Repair Capacity: 150 machines and 750 hydraulic cylinders annually. * Hydraulic Hose Assembly: Capacity to produce 24,000 assemblies per annum. Hingna CRC Facility (4 acres, 74,000 sq. ft.) * Component Rebuild & Testing Facility: * 750 engines and 400 transmissions can be rebuilt/overhauled annually. * NABL-Accredited SOS Lab can test 2,10,000 used oil samples for condition monitoring and preventive maintenance. With 250+ skilled personnel, cutting-edge infrastructure, and seamless integration of service, parts, and rebuild capabilities, the Butibori and Hingna facilities will enhance service response times, reduce repair turnaround, improve parts availability, and enable proactive machine health management. This integrated approach will help customers lower total ownership costs, extend machine life, and ensure projects remain on schedule. About GMMCO Ltd GMMCO, a Rs5000+ crore enterprise and part of the CK Birla Group, has been a trusted partner in the construction, energy, mining, and transportation sectors since 1967. With a legacy of over three decades as an exclusive partner of Caterpillar, GMMCO has grown into one of the top global Caterpillar dealers, delivering world-class products backed by strong product support and project management expertise. The company aspires to surpass the USD 1 billion revenue target by 2028, driven by a highly capable team of 2600+ employees and a deep commitment to technology, innovation, and customer-centric solutions. GMMCO has forged strategic alliances with industry leaders like Schneider Electric and JLG to broaden its product range and unlock new avenues for growth. Strengthening its innovation capabilities, the company has also established GMMCO Technology Services (GTS), specializing in advanced equipment design and mining consultancy through its joint venture with German firm Hauhinco. Recognized as a Great Place to Work for six consecutive years, GMMCO remains dedicated to excellence, innovation, and people-centric growth. This milestone also coincides with Caterpillar's 100-year anniversary, marking a century of engineering excellence, innovation, and service in the heavy equipment industry. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2642636/GMMCO_Nagpur_Inauguration.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2642635/Nitin_G_Chandrasekhar_V.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2642668/Gmmco_CAT_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)
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Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Chen Chuandong speaks during a press conference on the outcome of China's recently concluded "two sessions" in Amman, Jordan, March 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

China will continue to work closely with Jordan to promote common development and contribute to regional and global peace, stability, and development, Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Chen Chuandong said on Sunday.

Chen made the remarks during a press conference held in Amman on the outcome of China's recently concluded "two sessions" -- the annual sessions of the National People's Congress, China's national legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body.

Hailing the "strong complementarity" of both countries in economic structure and calling Jordan a "close partner," Chen said some of China's reform and development policies and measures are consistent with Jordan's modernization drive.

The Chinese ambassador called on Jordan to make use of Chinese exhibitions to promote its products, particularly dates and olive oil, emphasizing the vast opportunities for agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

He stressed that China will uphold global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.

This year, China will continue to offer initiatives and solutions for hot-spot issues, promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and strive for a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, contributing to peace and stability in the Middle East, he said.
VMPL Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], March 17: Deakin University, Australia a global leader in education and research, is proud to announce the Deakin GIFT City Meritorious Scholarships 2025, an initiative aimed at recognising and supporting exceptional students in India. It reinforces Deakin's commitment to fostering academic excellence, innovation, and leadership by offering financial assistance to meritorious students enrolling in the Master of Business Analytics and Master of Cyber Security (Professional) programs at Deakin University's GIFT City campus. Through this, eight outstanding students, four from each program among those who enroll for the July 2025 intake will receive a 25% waiver on tuition fees for the entire duration of their two-year program. These scholarships are awarded to exceptionally high-achieving students, making them a remarkable opportunity for deserving candidates. "At Deakin, we are committed to enhancing access to quality global education for talented Indian students. The Deakin GIFT City Meritorious Scholarships 2025 reflects our dedication to supporting high-achieving individuals in realizing their academic and professional aspirations." "We aim to empower future business leaders and cybersecurity professionals by providing them with Ravneet Pawha, cutting-edge research facilities, and a globally connected academic environment", said Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University Eligibility and selection criteria for scholarships Candidates will be evaluated based on their academic excellence, leadership potential, and co-curricular achievements. The eligibility criteria include - * A minimum of 80% marks in Standard 10, Standard 12, and Undergraduate Studies (or equivalent GPA/CGPA requirements of 3.2/4 or 8.5/10) * Strong performance in aptitude exams (above 85 percentiles for Master of Business Analytics applicants) * Demonstrated achievements in co-curricular and leadership activities Selection process - Applicants will undergo a rigorous selection process, including initial evaluations, virtual interviews, and a final in-person interview round with a distinguished panel comprising experts from academia, industry, and Deakin University. The key timelines for scholarship applications are - * March 31, 2025: Application deadline * April 10, 2025: Shortlisting of candidates via virtual/in-person interviews * April 25, 2025: Final selection round with a panel of industry and academic experts Deakin University's GIFT City campus, India's first international branch campus of a global university, offers a world-class academic environment with an industry-driven learning experience. The Deakin GIFT City Meritorious Scholarships 2025 is a golden opportunity for India's brightest minds to access globally recognised education and take the first step toward a transformative future. Aspiring students are encouraged to apply and showcase their potential for academic and professional excellence. For more details on eligibility and application procedures, please write mail at giftcity-dsm@deakin.edu.au About Deakin University: Established in 1974, Deakin University, Australia ranks among the top 1% universities worldwide and is globally recognised for its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and impactful government and industry engagement. With a strong presence in India for over 30 years, Deakin continues to shape the future of education and research through strategic collaborations and student-focused initiatives. For more information on the Deakin University GIFT City Campus, please visit the Deakin University GIFT City Campus page. (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)
TP Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 17: The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Mumbai conducted the much-anticipated 'Hall of Fame' Awards at TiEcon 2025, a premier event that recognizes exceptional contributions to entrepreneurship, investment, corporate leadership, and public service. This was 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. These prestigious awards honored and recognized outstanding entrepreneurs, investors, investment bankers, corporates and government change agents who have significantly impacted the Indian and global economic ecosystem. High achievers, impactful value creators, marquee individuals and institutions who have brought about positive change through innovation, disrupted the norms and are wealth creators were recognized for these invaluable contributions. The Chief Guest for the TiE Mumbai's Hall of Fame Awards was N. R. Narayana Murthy - Founder, Infosys, who graced the occasion and celebrated the remarkable achievements of innovators and wealth creators. Ranu Vohra, President, TiE Mumbai said, "At TiE Mumbai, we believe in honoring individuals who have set benchmarks in entrepreneurship and have created transformative impact. The Hall of Fame is our way of celebrating these pioneers, who not only build successful businesses but also inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs." Apoorva Sharma, President-Elect, TiE Mumbai and Co-Founder, Venture Catalysts & 100Unicorns, added, "The Hall of Fame awards highlight the essence of entrepreneurship - resilience, innovation, and leadership. We are proud to recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed immensely to the startup and investment ecosystem, driving India's economic growth." Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India said, "At Havas Media Network India, we have always believed in the power of meaningful partnerships that drive real impact. Our long-standing association with TiE reflects our shared commitment to nurturing India's entrepreneurial ecosystem. As a partner, we take pride in supporting initiatives that empower entrepreneurs, foster innovation, and create a lasting impact. Through this collaboration, we continue to champion meaningful brands and industry leaders who are shaping the future and driving economic growth." The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis was honored with the "Exemplary Leadership Award for Infrastructure Development, Investments and Water Conservation in Maharashtra " by N. R. Narayana Murthy. Fadnavis dedicated the award to the citizens of Maharashtra, crediting the work initiated in 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He highlighted Maharashtra's emergence as the top destination for innovation and foreign direct investment, with investments worth Rs1.39 lakh crore pouring in within just nine months. The Chief Minister also proclaimed Maharashtra as India's new startup capital, citing the state's record-breaking startup growth and investment. With infrastructure projects gaining momentum, Maharashtra is well poised for continued economic success. His statement further highlights the state's focus on infrastructure development as a key aspect of good governance. Infrastructure projects like the Coastal Road, Atal Setu, Metro, and Vadhavan projects in Mumbai and the MMR region demonstrate the government's commitment to public welfare and economic growth. About the Awardees This year's Hall of Fame 2025 inductees includes the following illustrious Entrepreneurs, Investors and Achievers of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem - * Exemplary Leadership Award for Infrastructure Development, Investments and Water Conservation in Maharashtra - Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra * Pioneering Unicorn Investor - Suvir Sujan, Co-Founder & Managing Director - Nexus Venture Partners * Catalyst of Startup Ecosystem and Innovation - T. V. Mohandas Pai, Chairman- Aarin Capital * Pioneer in Building India's Investment Ecosystem - Pravin Gandhi, General Partner- Seendfund Venture Fund * Big Bull - Startup Pioneer Investor - Dr. Vijay Kedia, Director- Kedia Securities * Transformative AI Startup in Customer Service - Rezo AI: Manish Gupta - Co-Founder & CEO- Rezo AI * Startup Power Couple - Ganesh Krishnan, Serial Entrepreneur; Promoter of BigBasket, BlueStone, HomeLane, Portea Medical; Author of Mastering Disruption: A Practical Guide to Understanding New-Age Business Models & Meena Ganesh, Chairperson and Co-founder- Portea Medical, Trustee Bahaar Foundation * Resilient Turnaround Company - OYO: Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO- OYO * Igniting the Tech Scene in Mumbai - TEAM * Iconic Institutional Support to Venture Capital Industry and Startup Ecosystem for the Past 25 Years - SIDBI: Shri. Manoj Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director- SIDBI * Excellence in Democratizing Beauty- RENEE Cosmetics: Ashutosh Valani, Co-Founder- RENEE Cosmetics * Mobility & Inclusivity Empowerment Champion- Zypp Electric: Akash Gupta- Co-Founder & CEO- Zypp Electric TiEcon Mumbai is the largest Entrepreneurial conference in the West of India, and it attracts all the key Industry Leaders from Mumbai and India, Startup Founders and Investors. TiEcon sees close to 3000+ people attending the conference. The conference had around 25+ India's leading Unicorns, who spoke on various aspects of their journey, growth & scaling, struggles & conquests, product & engineering stories, technology adoption and pivots that have helped them accelerate their journeys. About TiE 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)
VMPL Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 17: As global demand for skilled healthcare professionals rises, Indian students are increasingly pursuing medical studies abroad. With access to top-tier universities and advanced healthcare programs, students gain invaluable international experience, exposure to diverse healthcare systems, and access to cutting-edge technologies. MetaApply, a leading ed-tech organisation, is at the forefront of assisting students in navigating the complexities of studying medicine overseas. MetaApply offers personalised counselling and expert guidance to help students select the right programs, apply seamlessly, and secure admission to prestigious international universities. Each year, over 20 lakh Indian students take the NEET exams, but with limited seat availability, less than 1.5 lakh secure admission to medical colleges in India. To bridge this gap, MetaApply connects students with top universities across countries such as Ireland, Russia, China, the USA, Georgia, Hungary, and more. Currently, MetaApply is celebrating its first batch of students who have successfully received visas to study MBBS in Georgia. Benefits of studying medical abroad include: 1. High-quality education 2. Globally recognised University 3. Affordable tuition fees 4. Clinical research opportunities 5. Diverse cultural experience How MetaApply will assist students: 1. Premium Counselling: Our team of experts ensures top-tier personalised guidance, offering exceptional value while maintaining competitive pricing. 2. Application Assistance: Our team of experts will make the admission application process easier for students by providing expert advice to make the application outstanding. 3. Documents Legalisation: Ensuring to legalise all the documents to meet the requirements for international use, by officially verifying them personally. 4. Financial Aid: By assisting students to find the best financial aid, whether through scholarships or education loans powered by Metafinance. 5. Visa Guidance: Helping students through filling out the visa application, submitting accurate documents, and preparing for the visa interview. 6. Flight Booking: Through our additional service, MetaFly finds a comfortable flight to their dream study destination, as per their schedule and budget. 7. Accommodation Assistance: Through our additional service, MetaStay eliminates the hassle of finding a comfortable home abroad through our accommodation assistance. 8. Pre-departure Orientation: Our team prepare students before they fly to their dream destination to start a new chapter. The sessions cover tips to settle abroad safely. 9. Mess Assistance - Provides comprehensive mess assistance by helping students with reliable, affordable, and comfortable meal options, ensuring a smooth transition to life overseas. Prashant Sali, CEO - UK and Rest of the World, MetaApply said, "We are committed to helping students navigate their international education journey as easily and confidently as possible. Our goal is to make medical education more accessible, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder their pursuit of a medical career." "Studying medicine abroad not only opens doors to exceptional academic opportunities but also provides students with a unique global perspective that is invaluable in today's interconnected world. We are aiming to partner with top universities of medical" added Mr. Pawan Bhatia, Associate Director - Partnerships, MetaApply. "The demand for globally trained doctors has never been higher, and we're excited to launch our 'Be a Doctor' wing to support aspiring medical professionals. With our proven expertise in study abroad services, we provide comprehensive guidance--from university selection to securing admissions and visas--helping students achieve their dream of becoming world-class medical professionals." Further added Mr Jasmeet Singh, Sales Head, MetaApply. Ms Sakshi Jain, Associate Director - Marketing, MetaApply said "Our marketing strategy focuses on providing every aspiring medical student in India with the knowledge and resources they need to pursue medical education abroad. Through targeted awareness campaigns and expert support, we're ensuring that students have access to top global opportunities with ease." Applications for top medical schools abroad are now open, and with numerous scholarships and financial aid options available, Indian students have more access than ever to these life-changing opportunities. MetaApply is here to help students achieve their career goals, whether they wish to specialise in clinical care, research, or global health policy. A medical degree from a renowned international institution could unlock a successful and impactful career. To know more visit: https://metaapply.io/be-a-doctor/ or reach out at: beadoctor@metaapply.io (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 17: Stone Wood Hotels & Resorts, a rapidly growing hospitality chain known for its boutique and experiential stays, is set to expand significantly in 2025 with the launch of six new properties. As part of its strategic growth plan, the group will introduce three upscale resorts in Jawai, Tadoba, and Coorg, offering premium accommodations that blend luxury with nature. Reflecting on the brand's performance in 2024, Stone Wood Hotels achieved over 8% occupancy year-to-date. With positive market momentum, the group expects to increase its top-line revenue by a minimum of 10% in 2025. The Average Room Rate (ARR) and Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) are projected to rise in tandem with this growth. "At Stone Wood Hotels & Resorts, our commitment to crafting memorable experiences drives every expansion initiative. As we step into 2025 with six new properties, our focus is on elevating guest experiences through premium accommodations that seamlessly blend luxury with nature. We aim to introduce curated stays in offbeat destinations, ensuring travelers enjoy immersive experiences without compromising on comfort. Through an asset-light model, we are poised to expand our footprint while maintaining the personalized service and vibrant hospitality that define our brand," said Shikhar Kumar, Managing Director, Stone Wood Hotels & Resorts. Currently operating 16 properties across six states and 11 cities with over 500 rooms, Stone Wood Hotels has outlined a comprehensive expansion plan. The upcoming six hotels in 2025 will collectively add approximately 400 keys to the group's inventory. While the brand has historically focused on the mid-market segment, it will now enter the upscale category with its premium properties in Jawai, Tadoba, and Coorg. The first upscale hotel is targeted to open by the end of the 2025-26 financial year. Stone Wood Hotels continues to emphasize an asset-light expansion strategy, leveraging lease and revenue-share models to develop its portfolio. This innovative approach allows the group to maintain operational flexibility while enhancing profitability. Investment for the upcoming expansion will be supported through collaborations with investors across India. Having evolved from a single boutique hotel in Goa to a growing hospitality brand with over 15 properties in three years, Stone Wood Hotels has gained investor confidence through rapid ROI and efficient investment models tailored for boutique properties. Service excellence remains a core focus for the group, achieved through consistent staff training programs such as T3 & LDP, along with regular audits and quality checks to ensure exceptional guest experiences. The MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and wedding segments have become significant growth drivers for Stone Wood Hotels. The brand's expansion plans include properties equipped with dedicated event spaces, catering to this booming market. Notably, the Aralea Beach Resort by Stone Wood Premier has witnessed a remarkable 75% business contribution from MICE and wedding clientele. With a long-term vision to operate 50 hotels and over 3,000 rooms by 2030, Stone Wood Hotels & Resorts is committed to providing value-driven hospitality experiences. The brand's strategic growth aligns with evolving traveler preferences, focusing on offbeat locations, immersive experiences, and personalized service. With its exceptional F&B offerings, vibrant party destinations, and guest-centric approach, Stone Wood Hotels continues to strengthen its presence in India's dynamic hospitality landscape. Website: https://www.stonewoodresorts.com/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The minister in a written reply in the Lok Sabha informed that the auto-mode claims are processed within three days.

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has taken several steps to streamline the process of claim settlement.

For auto mode processing of advance claims, the amount limit has been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh.

Further, in addition to illness/hospitalization advances, the advances for housing, education and marriage are also enabled for auto mode processing.

"Now, 60 per cent of advance claims are processed are in auto mode," the minister stated in her written reply.

Member details correction process has been simplified, and members having Aadhaar-verified UANs can make corrections in their IDs themselves, without any EPFO interventions.

"At present, about 96 per cent corrections are being done without any EPF office intervention," stated the minister.

As high as 99.31 per cent claims are now received in online mode, without any requirement to visit the field office.

In 2024-25, as on March 6, 2025, 7.14 crore claims have been filed in online mode.

"In transfer claim submission requests, the need for employer's attestation of Aadhaar-verified UANs has been done away with. Now only 10 per cent transfer claims require member and employer's attestation," the minister stated.

The minister apprised the Parliament that EPFO has also provided de-linking facilities to the members, whose EPF accounts have been erroneously/fraudulently linked by the establishments.

Since its launch on January 18, 2025, more than 55,000 members have de-linked their accounts till the end of February, 2025.

Certain upfront validations have been developed to guide members about eligibility/admissibility of claims so as to ensure that members do not file ineligible claims. (ANI)
VMPL New Delhi [India], March 17: HBF Direct, a leading financial and strategic advisory firm, is scaling its Venture Studio model to drive the growth of SMEs and high-potential startups. With 24 companies already under development, HBF Direct is now focused on accelerating this expansion, targeting Rs10 Cr in growth capital for 2025. To fuel this vision, the company is raising funds through preference shares, from Private Equity investors, a structured and high-growth investment opportunity. Building the Future of SMEsIndia's Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) contribute nearly 30% to the country's GDP but continue to face challenges in securing structured capital, business expansion support, and financial stability. HBF Direct's Venture Studio model addresses these gaps by providing: * Growth Capital - Tailored funding to help SMEs scale efficiently. * Business Development Support - Hands-on operational and financial structuring. * Market Expansion Strategies - Enabling businesses to compete and grow sustainably. By combining investment with strategic expertise, HBF Direct ensures that high-potential SMEs achieve sustainable scalability and profitability. And charge against long term success fees. Why This Fundraise?HBF Direct is raising investment through Private Equity investors in this round before 15 april, where lot of high networth individuals shows the interest which will be deployed towards: * Expanding Investments in Scalable SMEs & Startups * Enhancing Operational Capabilities for Existing Portfolio Companies * Strengthening Business Structuring & Financial Growth Strategies Partner with HBF Direct in Transforming the SME EcosystemWith Rs10 Cr in planned expansion, HBF Direct is set to redefine SME growth through structured funding, business acceleration, and strategic guidance. This fundraise presents a unique opportunity for private equity investors looking for high-value, growth-oriented investments in India's thriving SME landscape. HBF supports entrepreneurs to make brands visible, empowering more women entrepreneurs. (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 17: Rising star Shaan Kambli has just released his latest single, "Sweeter Than Sound," a track that showcases his unique blend of upbeat grooves and a classic live-band feel. Written, sung, and produced by Shaan himself, this song encapsulates what fans have come to love about his work: a rebellious vocal style paired with infectious energy. Known for his fearless experimentation, Shaan's journey from street performer in London to a finalist in prestigious talent hunts--including Nexa Music Labs with A.R. Rahman--highlights his relentless pursuit of authenticity in music. His original work has garnered accolades like the Silver Medal from The Musician's Company of England and notable mentions in global songwriting contests, solidifying his position in the independent music scene. "Sweeter Than Sound" reflects Shaan's artistic mantra: "Outcome must never cage you." This new track weaves stories of destiny and resilience, echoing his belief that life one's spirit must remain free of their circumstances. The energetic nature of the song is further enhanced by Shaan's vocal-driven style, reminiscent of his inspirations, particularly Maroon 5's Adam Levine. Having honed his skills at Berklee College of Music and the London School of Music, where he graduated with honors, Shaan draws from both experience and youthful exuberance. The release of "Sweeter Than Sound" marks a significant moment in his career, following a period of experimenting boldly with his sound. As he reflects on his journey with singing, he admits, "My loudest mistakes during practice have helped me grow the most." With "Sweeter Than Sound," Shaan Kambli continues to establish himself as a vibrant voice in the music industry, merging his past experiences with fearless creativity. Fans can expect this single to resonate deeply, capturing the bitter-sweet essence of fate and destiny. Be sure to give it a listen and witness the evolution of this dynamic artist! ff.shaankambli.com/sts (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.)
Philippines' Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo on Monday said that a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with India is under discussion, and his country is keen to deepen engagement with Indian businesses. Interacting with the FICCI members here in the national capital, the Philippines' Secretary for Foreign Affairs said they are keen on deepening engagements with India in a number of areas: automotive, battery, value-added IT and ITES services, pharmaceuticals, health, and agriculture. In particular, FICCI said in a statement that the Philippines invited India to source nickel from it for battery manufacturing. This was part of the Philippine's strategy to diversify away from its current 98 per cent dependence on Chinese buyers of nickel. The Philippines accounts for 11 per cent of the global production of nickel and will be the world's second-largest producer of nickel in 2023. In his address to Indian business leaders, Secretary Manalo emphasised the strategic importance of developing the Philippines' nickel sector with Indian participation. "The Philippines is the world's largest exporter of nickel ore with exports valued at approximately USD 1.95 billion, chiefly used in lithium-ion battery production," he said. "Currently, nearly 98 per cent of our exports go to China, with Japan importing the remaining 2 per cent. We are quite interested to see India become a player in our nickel sector, not just for export diversification but crucially for processing and development of a value chain. India imports about USD 707 million worth of raw nickel from Russia, Norway, and Japan" Manalo noted, suggesting an opportunity for supply chain realignment. "This represents a natural complementarity between our economies that remains largely unexploited." The Secretary emphasised the need to accelerate negotiations on a bilateral preferential trade agreement (PTA) that has been under preliminary discussion for two years, calling it crucial to diversifying and expanding commercial relations between the two Indo-Pacific economies. Also, Philippines is undertaking major vehicle modernisation programme and invited Indian commercial vehicles to take part in the same, as per the FICCI statement. "We consider India to hold significant untapped potential as a market for Philippine exports," Manalo told the gathering of industry leaders, highlighting an untapped export potential of USD 577 million. "We are keen to transition from these scoping exercises to the actual negotiations of a preferential trade agreement that will certainly help drive growth upward," Manalo added, as per the FICCI statement. India primarily supplies pharmaceuticals, automotive components, and agricultural products to the Philippines, while the Southeast Asian nation exports electronic goods, machinery, and select agricultural commodities. The investment pitch comes as bilateral trade between India and the Philippines reached approximately USD 3.5 billion in 2024, nearly doubling over the past few years. FICCI President, Harsha Vardhan Agarwal noted during the session that India's pharmaceutical industry plays a significant role in the Philippine market, accounting for around 20 per cent of total Indian pharmaceutical exports to the Asian region. "While we continue to be engaged through trade and investment, I'm happy to see that engagement is diversifying into new and strategic sectors," the FICCI President said, highlighting waste management, green mobility, and agriculture technology as promising areas for collaboration alongside the growing defence partnership marked by India's delivery of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines in April 2024. To facilitate increased business engagement, Secretary Manalo highlighted the e-visa system already instituted for Indian travelers and business visitors. "We are meeting even as we speak to see how we can further enhance and improve the visa system specifically for India," he revealed. The Philippine Ambassador to India, Josel Francisco Ignacio elaborated on several visa facilitation measures, including a "fast track" process for legitimate businesses with investments in the Philippines, especially for emergency and business visits. "The e-visa allows you to get multiple entry visas for six months or one year, and we're also trying to streamline that process," the ambassador stated, adding that further improvements would be announced soon. (ANI)
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Bill Gates of the Gates Foundation on Monday at Krishi Bhawan here in the national capital. According to a statement from the agriculture ministry, meaningful discussions were held on various topics related to agriculture and rural development. Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said they discussed in detail many important topics related to agriculture, food security, women's empowerment, technological innovation, and rural development. Expressing gratitude for the Gates Foundation's support and commitment, Chouhan said that there are immense possibilities to further deepen the partnership between India and the Gates Foundation, especially in the fields of digital agriculture, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and climate-friendly agricultural techniques. Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the livelihood mission has become a movement of women's empowerment, which has changed women's lives. At the same time, Bill Gates said that the agricultural research being done in India is excellent and can benefit the rest of the world. During the meeting, Bill Gates praised the agricultural research being done in India and said that the whole world could benefit greatly from this, on which Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that we would be very happy to share our best practices with the world. Chouhan expressed gratitude for the Gates Foundation's significant contributions in partnership with the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, especially during the G20, and for providing technical expertise in digital agriculture and agriculture credit. He also said that the Gates Foundation's efforts in health, agriculture, nutrition, and poverty alleviation are commendable and improving the lives of millions of people. Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, Union Rural Development Secretary Shailesh Singh, officials from both the ministries, ICAR and Hari Menon and Alkesh Advani from Gates Foundation were also present in the meeting. (ANI)
The Chinese phenomenon 'Ne Zha 2' has surpassed the worldwide collection of Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become the fifth highest-grossing movie ever, reported Deadline. According to Maoyan, as quoted by Deadline, the Ne Zha 2 total in China through Sunday is a little over RMB 14.86B. Adding grosses in excess of 31M USD from markets outside China, the global total rises to more than 2.085 billion USD. That places the animated sequel just above Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2.071 billion USD) on the all-time global chart. This record came after it became the highest-grossing animated movie, overtaking Inside Out 2 in global charts. As per Deadline, in China alone, Maoyan is projecting that NZ2 will final at RMB 15.2B (2.1B USD). Ex-China rollout continues in Indonesia on March 21 while several European releases are ahead as well as Japan, as per Deadline. The running global cume for Imax is 155 million USD, making it the sixth biggest Imax release ever. As quoted by Deadline, 151.6 million USD is from China. In the UK, Imax screens gave NZ2 the biggest local-language opening for the format in the market, as per the outlet. Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 recently became the first non-Hollywood movie to cross 2 billion USD worldwide. The film serves as the direct sequel to 2019's Ne Zha and the third film in Enlight Pictures' Fengshen Universe, after 2020's Jiang Ziya. Based on the Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture Of The Gods), the story follows a demon child raised by humans who forms an uneasy alliance with the dragon prince, Ao Bing, in an epic battle to protect their clans. In the aftermath, with their bodies teetering on the edge of destruction, Ne Zha embarks on a quest to obtain an elixir to restore Ao Bing's body, uncovering a dangerous conspiracy in the process. (ANI)
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Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Sunday denied reports claiming Russia had lifted sanctions on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, dismissing the claims as "fake news."

"The sanctions against him have yet to be lifted. These reports are pure fake news," said Maria Zakharova, adding that the restrictions remain in place.

Earlier reports said that Russia had revoked the sanctions following a conversation between Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Rubio was put on Russia's sanctions list targeting U.S. individuals in May 2022, with measures including an entry ban to the country.
'Succession' star Sarah Snook, who is currently starring in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' on Broadway, shared how Taylor Swift helped her to prepare for the role. The production is innovative, requiring Snook to play all 26 characters, including the title character, who trades his soul for eternal youth, reported People. Snook shared how she kept herself fit and healthy while performing such an active role in the show. She revealed that she learned a lesson from Swift's Eras Tour regimen. "No alcohol, no caffeine. Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep. And I do my lines at pace on a treadmill, you know," she said while referring to her regimen, as per the outlet. "I heard that and thought, 'That's a genius idea,'" Snook said of Swift's workout regimen. "I'm gonna do that," reported People. In an interview last year, Swift confirmed that she began a rigorous workout routine six months prior to her first Eras Tour show in March 2023. Her viral routine included singing the full setlist from the tour while running on the treadmill. Swift shared she would run "fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs" to prepare for her three-hour sets. Snook earlier shared that she signed on to star in Dorian Gray, which had a run in London's West End (earning Snook an Olivier Award) before coming to Broadway when her daughter was just six months old, according to People. "My husband has said, if either of us had seen the show, he would have convinced me not to do it," she continued. "He's already got a kid. He knew how hard it was going to be. Ignorance is bliss. You go, 'Oh, this will be fine.' " The actress previously revealed in May 2023 that she welcomed her first baby, a daughter, with husband Dave Lawson in an Instagram post featuring a photo of herself and her newborn watching the finale of her hit HBO series, reported People. (ANI)
Author and wife of actor Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin, recently opened up about the backlash she faced because of her accent. She recalled how she learned to change her accent long before it sparked controversy in 2020 when people questioned the authenticity of her Spanish origins. "Growing up in a way where you have multiple cultural influences on you means that you're never going to be able to fit in. You can try," she said, reported People. ""You can chameleon. You know, people who code-switch we're very good at chameleoning... and you don't even think you're not even thinking about it. It's just normal. It's just natural," she added. During a conversation with the 15-year-old sister of her daughter Carmen Gabriela's friend, the television personality liked the experience of "code-switching" -- or adopting one's accent or mannerisms to fit social norms -- to speaking with an elderly person, reported People. "They say that it's like communication if you ever talk to a really old person who cannot hear, and I'm gonna emphasize, I'm gonna speak slower," she explained. "And you're not even really thinking about it. You just start to do it." She shared, "You know what it's called? Code-switching... I had to learn about it because the whole world was mean to me, and so I had to learn it. It's code-switching," as per the outlet. "Being in the spotlight, as people like to call it. People say, 'Oh, don't you get used to it?' No, you don't get used to it," she said. "You never get used to people being mean. But you take a deep breath, and I think you learn to distance yourself from it, and so, you know, you just try turning down the volume in my head a bit... and I'm not gonna take it personally." The entire conversation about her heritage started in December 2020 when social media users alleged that Hilaria was fabricating her Spanish roots when she was actually born in Boston, Massachusetts, and her birth name is Hilary. "I've seen chatter online questioning my identity and culture. This is something I take very seriously, and for those who are asking -- I'll reiterate my story, as I've done many times before," she wrote at the time, along with a since-deleted, seven-minute video. "I was born in Boston and grew up spending time with my family between Massachusetts and Spain. My parents and sibling live in Spain and I chose to live here, in the U.S.A," according to People. (ANI)
Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh has denied the allegations of ''medical negligence'' levelled by the family of a deceased patient, and said the patient was "possibly battling with a complex neurological condition" and "despite intensive care from specialized medical team" her health deteriorated. The hospital stated that the patient, Manasvi Gupta, received continuous care and monitoring from the multidisciplinary team throughout her treatment, but despite exhaustive medical efforts, her health declined, and she passed away. In a statement issued on March 16, the hospital said, "Ms. Manasvi Gupta was admitted on March 10 due to severe fever and seizures, indicative of a complex neurological condition. Despite intensive care from our specialized medical team, including advanced respiratory and antimicrobial therapies, her medical complications worsened. Throughout her treatment, Ms. Gupta received continuous care and monitoring from our multidisciplinary team, which was equipped with the latest medical technology. All treatment decisions adhered to the highest standards of medical practice." "Despite exhaustive medical efforts, Ms. Gupta''s health declined, and she passed away today on March 16, 2025. We extend our sincere condolences to Ms. Gupta''s family and reaffirm our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of medical care for all our patients," the statement reads. Earlier on Sunday, police stated that a call was received regarding an alleged case of medical negligence by doctors and a dispute with the hospital staff. It was found that the deceased patient, Manasvi, a resident of Tri Nagar in Delhi, was admitted to Fortis Hospital on March 10 with complaints of fever. She remained under treatment but, unfortunately, passed away on Sunday. A complaint has been lodged at Shalimar Bagh police station. As per the complainant''s request, the deceased''s body has been preserved at BJRM Hospital in Jahangirpuri for a post-mortem examination. The post-mortem will be conducted after the constitution of a medical board by the NCT of Delhi. It has also been alleged that despite paying Rs 18 lakh, the patient did not receive adequate treatment. An investigation is underway in the case. (ANI)
The Budget Session of Parliament will resume on Monday, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha set to meet. Both Houses were adjourned last Wednesday till March 17 on account of Holi. According to the list of business, the Lok Sabha will reconvene at 11.00 am to take up key legislative matters, including the presentation and discussion of multiple reports from standing committees. BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh and SP MP Virendra Singh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Defence. Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor and BJP MP Arun Govil will present the fifth report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs on the 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry of External Affairs for 2025-26.' Lok Sabha members PC Mohan and Godam Nagesh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will move a motion for the election of two members to the court of the University of Delhi. The session will also take up the discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26. The second part of the budget session of Parliament began on March 10 and will continue till April 4. On March 12, the Upper House of the Parliament was in a massive uproar over the LoP (Rajya Sabha) and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'thokenge' remark. Kharge's statement came while he was speaking about Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after his remark against the Tamil Nadu government about the issue of the three-language policy. "...I request you (Deputy Chairman) with folded hands to allow me (to speak)...'aapko kya kya thokna hai thik se thokenge, sarkar ko bhi thokenge'....", he said in the Upper House of the Parliament on Tuesday. BJP strongly opposed Kharge's statement, stating that it was disrespectful to the chair. Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the Congress president should apologise for his statement and expunge his words from the footage of the Parliament proceedings. "The language used by him and the attack on the Chair is condemnable. He should condemn it and apologize for using this language for the Chair. He should take back his words or it should be expunged," Nadda said. Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh also expressed dissatisfaction over Kharge's remark, noting his seniority in the House. Kharge immediately apologised for his remark, clarifying that his remark was not aimed at the chair but towards the government and its policy."I apologize to you (Deputy Chairman), I have not used these words for you. I have said that 'hum sarkar ki policies ko thokenge'. I apologise to you and not to the government..." Kharge said. Other than the outrage over Mallikarjun Kharge's 'thokenge' remark, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan once again cleared the government's stance on the National Education Policy and replied to DMK's allegations of imposing the Hindi language onto the state. Pradhan lashed out at the opposition for claiming that the government wants to divide society while using languages and said that the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never use language to do such a "sin." "There are certain things going on; let me first clarify in my Odia society. Lord Jagganath is everybody. The king of Puri is not a king but a philosopher. He is a living deity to everyone. My king married to the Queen of Kanchi. My mother is from Tamil Nadu. I am the son of a Tamil Nadu lady. Another House yesterday. In my society, mothers and sisters are above everything. If I hurt anybody if any of my words, I beg an apology. PM Modi has always mentioned that Tamil is an ancient language. The Tamil language is nobody's monopoly. We are committed to the Tamil language. Truth is always painful," Pradhan said in the Rajya Sabha. (ANI)
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in a podcast with Lex Fridman, BJP leaders highlighted the organisation's influence on their lives, saying that their experiences as volunteers have shaped their inclusive approach. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said that as a volunteer of the Sangh, he has learned valuable lessons that guide his inclusive approach today. "The Prime Minister has said right, he is also a member of the Sangh. He is a preacher, and the Sangh teaches one way of life. As a volunteer of the Sangh, he has learned a lot in his life, and that is why he walks with everyone in the country today..." Shahnawaz Hussain said while speaking to ANI. Meanwhile, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj praised the Prime Minister, calling him the embodiment of the aspirations and dreams of 140 crore Indians. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the human reflection of the aspirations, resolve, and dreams of 140 crore Indians, and that is why the people of India have elected him as the Prime Minister of this country for the third time. I know that under his able leadership, the resolve of a developed India will certainly be brought to fruition," she said. Prime Minister Modi, in his conversation with Lex Fridman, spoke on a wide range of topics, outlining his vision for the country. In the podcast, the Prime Minister said, "I feel fortunate that I learned the essence and values of life from such a sacred organisation like the RSS. I got a life of purpose." PM Modi said that the RSS assigns a purpose to its members and that the organisation puts the nation ahead of everything. He further said, "It always felt nice to attend RSS gatherings as a child. I always had one aim in mind, to be of use to the country. This is what 'Sangh' (RSS) taught me. RSS completes 100 years this year. There is no bigger 'Swayamsevi Sangh' in the world than the RSS... Understanding the RSS is not an easy task; one needs to understand its functioning. It gives its members a purpose of life. It teaches that the nation is everything and that social service is the service of God." Lex Fridman is a research scientist who also hosts his own podcast, "Lex Fridman Podcast." In his podcasts, several personalities from various walks of life have discussed issues ranging from complex niches to other areas of mass understanding. Notable figures include political leaders like US President Donald Trump, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Argentinian Prime Minister Javier Milei, as well as leading personalities in their fields, such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Magnus Carlson, and Yuval Noah Harari. His YouTube page has 4.6 million subscribers with over 82,00,00,000 views. (ANI)
The Commissionerate Police arrested five persons, including a prime accused, and detained one more in connection with two separate murders that occurred during Holi celebrations in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Four individuals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Macheswar murder case. According to DCP Bhubaneswar, Jagmohan Meena, the first murder was reported at the Mancheshwar police station. The victim in this case was Ayushman Pati, who was killed following an altercation with the prime accused, Tanmay Behra. Meena explained, "Yesterday, a murder case was reported in Pancheshwar police station. The victim in this case was Ayushman Pati, who died in this case and the main accused in this case is Tanmay Behra, who had assaulted him." Along with Tanmay Behra, three others have been arrested for providing shelter to him and helping him evade arrest. These include his brothers Padmanav Behra and Prashant Behra, as well as Padmanav's driver, Sameer Kumar. Meena further stated, "The incident happened in this case because of a small argument. There was a hot altercation and later a quarrel between Tanmay Behra and Ayushman Pati. Due to that quarrel, the victim was stabbed by Tanmay Behra which led to his death." As per DCP Meena, the murder resulted from a heated argument during Holi celebrations, and there was no prior enmity between the victim and the accused persons. The altercation escalated quickly, and Tanmay Behra attacked Pati, leading to the tragic incident. The police have expressed confidence that the arrests will help resolve the case quickly. In addition to the Macheswar murder case, a separate investigation has led to the arrest of a prime accused and a minor in the Sahid Nagar murder case. (ANI)
Congress leader and Kanyakumari MP Vijay Vasanth on Monday moved an adjournment motion notice in the lower house, seeking a discussion on the revocation of concession on train ticket fares. He urged that the concession withdrawn on train tickets during the COVID-19 outbreak be restored for senior citizens, students, doctors, mediapersons, and others who are eligible. "I, move the following adjournment motion: That this House do now adjourn to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, namely, the revocation of concession on train ticket fares for senior citizens, students, doctors, media persons, and other eligible categories by the Indian Railways, which has caused undue hardship and distress to these sections of society, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic," the notice read. Stating that the government was under a "moral obligation" to protect the interests of vulnerable sections of society, the Lok Sabha MP said that the decision to withdraw concession on train tickets has resulted in a financial burden on those who are vulnerable and struggling to cope with the pandemic. "Senior citizens, students, and other eligible categories have been availing these concessions for decades, and the sudden withdrawal of these concessions has caused undue hardship and distress," Vasanth added. Moreover, the Lok Sabha MP demanded that adequate compensation be given to those affected by the withdrawal of these concessions. The Budget Session of Parliament will resume on Monday, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha set to meet. Both Houses were adjourned last Wednesday till March 17 on account of Holi. According to the list of business, the Lok Sabha will reconvene at 11.00 am to take up key legislative matters, including the presentation and discussion of multiple reports from standing committees. BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh and SP MP Virendra Singh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Defence. Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor and BJP MP Arun Govil will present the fifth report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs on the 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry of External Affairs for 2025-26.' (ANI)
Amid Vedic chanting, tributes were paid to the head of the erstwhile royal family of Udaipur, the late Arvind Singh Mewar, at Udaipur City Palace, Rajasthan, on Monday. Arvind Singh Mewar, a member of the former Mewar royal family, passed away on Sunday morning at the age of 80. Earlier, Mizoram Governor General VK Singh expressed grief on the demise of Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, the 76th custodian of the House of Mewar. Singh also offered his condolences to the family. Taking to social media X, the Governor wrote, "Deeply saddened by the passing of Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, the 76th custodian of the House of Mewar. Heartfelt condolences to his family, especially his son, Lakshya Raj Mewar, during this difficult time. Om Shanti." Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed his condolences on the demise of Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, the 76th custodian of the House of Mewar. "Received very sad news of the demise of Shri Arvind Singh Mewar, descendant of Maharana Pratap and senior member of the Mewar royal family. Your contribution in keeping Indian culture, tradition and history alive will always be unforgettable. May God grant the holy soul a place in his feet and give strength to the bereaved family and supporters to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti," CM Dhami said. A versatile and multifaceted personality, Shriji was known for his memory and keen interest in technological advancements. Earlier, the Chairman and Managing Trustee of Maharana Mewar Charitable Foundation Udaipur and as a custodian of the rich historical legacy of Mewar, Shriji was actively involved in conserving and promoting the living heritage of the region apart from fostering employment-generating business activities as the Managing Director of the HRH Group of Hotels. In 1984, he was entrusted with the responsibility of the Foundation and City Palace Museum by his revered father. Shriji applied himself with rare devotion and commitment to the enormous task of revitalising the museum and the Foundation. In the decades since, he has raised the bar in heritage conservation and with his foresight and leadership qualities, he has given a new dimension to the legacy of his forefathers by forging the way forward in heritage conservation in India. (ANI)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore has filed an Adjournment Motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the exam paper leaks, including the NEET paper leak, and said that the government must take steps to prevent it. In the adjournment motion, Tagore said, "That this House do now adjourn to discuss a matter of urgent public importa Congress MP Manicka nce, namely the recent spate of exam paper leaks, including the NEET paper leak, which has put the future of 85 lakh children in six states at risk, and the need for the government to take immediate and effective steps to prevent such leaks and ensure the integrity of the examination process." Calling it a "matter of concern," Tagore stated that the issue of exam paper leaks undermines the trust and confidence of students, parents, and the general public in the examination system. "Sir, the issue of exam paper leaks is a matter of grave concern, as it undermines the trust and confidence of students, parents, and the general public in the examination system. According to reports, there have been at least 10 instances of exam paper leaks in the past year alone, affecting over 20 lakh students across the country. The recent NEET paper leak, which affected over 18 lakh students, is a case in point. The leak was reported in several states, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh, and led to widespread protests and demands for a re-examination," he said. Quoting the data of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Congress MP stated that the number of paper leak incidents have been increased in the country and the government must take steps to prevent it. The motion reads, "Furthermore, data from the National Testing Agency (NTA) reveals that there has been a significant increase in the number of exam paper leaks over the past few years. In 2022, there were 5 instances of exam paper leaks, affecting over 10 lakh students. In 2023, this number increased to 7 instances, affecting over 15 lakh students." "This trend is alarming, and it is imperative that the government takes immediate action to address this issue. The government must take steps to prevent exam paper leaks, including strengthening the security measures in place, increasing the penalties for those involved in leaks, and ensuring that those affected by leaks are given fair compensation," it added. The Budget Session of Parliament will resume today with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha set to meet. Both Houses were adjourned last Wednesday till March 17 on account of Holi. According to the list of business, the Lok Sabha will reconvene at 11.00 am to take up key legislative matters, including the presentation and discussion of multiple reports from standing committees. BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh and SP MP Virendra Singh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Defence. Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor and BJP MP Arun Govil will present the fifth report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs on the 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry of External Affairs for 2025-26.' Lok Sabha members PC Mohan and Godam Nagesh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will move a motion for the election of two members to the court of the University of Delhi. The session will also take up the discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26. The second part of the budget session of Parliament began on March 10 and will continue till April 4. On March 12, the Upper House of the Parliament was in a massive uproar over the LoP (Rajya Sabha) and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'thokenge' remark. (ANI)
General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, Champat Rai addressed the issue of appointment of a new Chief Priest of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya after the demise of the Acharya Satyendra Das and said addressing anyone as the Chief Priest would be an "exaggeration" as no one is as learned as Acharya Satyendra Das. "We had asked Acharya Satyendra Das 6 months ago; there is not be any chief priest now. There is no one of Satyendra Das's age and respect; no one else has been Hanumangarhi's Mahant for so long. He had been serving since 1993. He used to take Rs 100 as his monthly salary. Now, everyone is young and new; no one is as learned as him. Now, addressing anyone as the Chief Priest would be an exaggeration," Champat Rai said, addressing the media on Sunday. Earlier on February 12, Acharya Satyendra Das passed away at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences. He was admitted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Neurology ward in SGPGI, Lucknow, in critical condition on February 3 after he suffered a stroke. His last rites were performed at Saryu Ghat in Ayodhya and he was given Jal Samadhi. A large crowd of seers and citizens participated in the last journey of the chief priest of the Ayodhya Ram temple. Following his demise, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences and said that his demise is "extremely sad" and an "irreparable loss" to the spiritual world. "The demise of Acharya Shri Satyendra Kumar Das Ji Maharaj, the supreme devotee of Lord Ram and the chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Shri Ayodhya Dham, is extremely sad and an irreparable loss to the spiritual world. Humble tribute!" CM Yogi posted on X. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Locket Chatterjee hit out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over clash in Birbhum during Holi celebrations and held the West Bengal government responsible for the violence. "Trinamool government is doing politics on caste and religion... It is the responsibility of Mamata Banerjee. She should fix the situation. Banning the internet will not solve this... She (Mamata Banerjee) says that there should be no politics on religion but then why is appeasement being promoted?" Locket Chatterjee told ANI on Sunday. Meanwhile, internet and voice-over-Internet telephony services have been suspended in at least five Gram Panchayat areas of Sainthia town in West Bengal's Birbhum district to prevent the spread of rumours and unlawful activities. The shutdown is in effect from March 14 (Friday) to March 17 (Monday). The prohibitory order, issued by the Principal Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal on March 14, suspending internet and call services, cited concerns over the potential spreading of "rumours for unlawful activities." Police have been deployed in the affected areas following reports of a stone-pelting incident in Birbhum. "Any data related message or class of message to or from any person or class of persons, to or from any telecommunication equipment or class of telecommunication equipment, or relating to any particular subject, brought for transmission by, or transmitted or received by any telecommunication service or telecommunication network under the ambit of Telecommunications Act, 2023, shall temporarily not be transmitted in the interest of maintaining public order and preventing incitement to the commission of any offence," read the order. The order further states that no restriction is being placed on voice calls or SMS. Similarly, no restrictions on newspapers have been placed, adding "hence communication and dissemination of knowledge and information is not stopped in any way." The restrictions apply to Sainthia, Hatora Gram Panchayat (GP), Mathpalsa GP, Harisara GP, Dariyapur GP, and Fulur GP. (ANI)
The Jammu and Kashmir police are also assisting the security forces.

"#Encounter has started at Krumhoora Zachaldara area of #Handwara. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow," Kashmir Zone Police posted on X

Further details are awaited from the incident. (ANI)
A female cheetah along with her two male and female cubs is set to be released in the forest at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, t on Tuesday. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared a post on his official 'X' handle and informed about the development. He stated that during the safari, the tourists will be able to see cheetahs in their natural habitat which will also help in increasing the number of tourists in the region. He also stated that the government is committed to taking wildlife conservation and tourism to new heights. "The population of cheetahs will increase in Kuno! In the Khajuri tourist zone of Kuno National Park, female cheetah Gamini from South Africa will be released in the open forest tomorrow along with her two male and two female cubs. During the safari, tourists will get an opportunity to see cheetahs in their natural habitat, which will definitely increase the number of tourists. The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to take wildlife conservation and tourism to new heights", Mohan Yadav's 'X' post read. Last month, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav had released two adult Cheetahs-Asha and Veera- along with three newborn cheetah cubs into the Kuno National Park on February 4. Veera had given birth to three cubs in a big enclosure situated in the forest, CM Yadav had announced on February 4. Veera is around 5 years old. Hoping for their good health, CM Yadav told ANI, "Today we have released five cheetahs in Kuno, 'Asha', 'Veera', and three cubs of Asha...We hope they will grow healthy." On February 4, the CM expressed joy over the growing cheetah population in the state, describing it as a testament to successful conservation efforts. Project Cheetah was launched to revive the presence of extinct Cheetah in the country. As part of the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the species, 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno National Park--eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023. Since their arrival, the project has faced challenges, with eight adult cheetahs--three females and five males--dying. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Praveen Khandelwal on Monday slammed the opposition, accusing them of looking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's podcast with Lex Fridman from a "political lens" and suggested they look after themselves first. Lauding PM Modi, he said the Prime minister has commenced a new chapter of development, and the opposition is "frustrated" after facing defeats. "The things PM Modi said in his podcast are based on truth. When he was the CM, the then-central government tried to mistreat him... In the last 10 years, PM Modi has begun a new chapter of development...and because of that, the Opposition has had to face defeat. This has made them frustrated. That is why they are looking at PM Modi's podcast with their political lens. But it would be better if they would look after themselves first," Praveen Khandelwal told ANI. Earlier on Sunday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hit out at PM Modi over his remark that 'criticism is the soul of democracy', and alleged that every institution has been "systematically gutted" in the country. "He who is afraid of facing the media in a press conference has found comfort in a foreign podcaster anchored in the rightwing ecosystem. And he has the gall to say that "criticism is the soul of democracy" when he has systematically gutted every institution that is to hold his Government accountable and gone after critics with a vengeance that no one in recent history has matched!" the Congress MP posted on X. Prime Minister Modi, in his conversation with Lex Fridman, spoke on a wide range of topics, opening up on his earlier life and outlining his vision for the country. PM apprised about the efforts made by the state machinery in conducting elections and said that 980 million people registered to vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which exceeds the entire population of North America and European countries. "Anyone who believes in democracy should listen to what I'm about to share with you. There were 980 million registered voters (in the 2024 general elections). Each of those voters had a registered ID and all the necessary details in a vast database. This number is twice the entire population of North America. It even surpasses the total population of the entire European Union," PM Modi said. "Out of the 980 million registered voters, 646 million people ventured out and braved the intense heat of May, determined to cast their votes. Temperatures soared to 40 degrees in some areas, yet they chose to go, and the size of this voter base is double the population of the United States," he added. Highlighting the dedication of people to participate in elections, PM Modi said that remote villages also had polling stations, where helicopters were used to set up polling stations. He said the election authorities set up a polling booth for merely one voter in the Gir Forest, Gujarat. "Even the remotest villages have polling stations. We even use helicopters to transport polling stations. I believe Arunachal Pradesh has the highest altitude polling booth on record. In Gujarat, a polling booth was set up in the Gir Forest for just one voter, who was in the middle of nowhere, but we ensured a polling booth was set up for them," the Prime Minister said. Emphasising the democratic nature of India, PM Modi said there are more than 25,000 registered political parties along with media houses, both broadcast and print, that play a crucial role in upholding democracy. "My country has more than 2,500 registered political parties. This staggering figure, with such a vast array of political parties, has the power to leave the entire world in awe. My country has more than 900 round-the-clock news channels. There are over 5,000 newspapers published daily. They each play a role in upholding democracy in their own way," he said. Speaking on the central government's commitment to the welfare of the people, the Prime Minister said that welfare schemes must reach the "intended beneficiaries", where there is no discrimination based on caste, faith or ideology. He said trust remains the "cornerstone" of his governance model. (ANI)
BJP National Spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla slammed All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) for protesting against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. Poonawalla said that Waqf is an 'excuse' for inciting riots in the country by political parties such as Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, and AIMIM. He further alleged that these parties are constantly trying to incite the Muslim community in the name of Waqf. "Waqf is an excuse; inciting riots in the country, setting fire, running a vote bank shop, this is their only story. Be it organisations like AIMPLB or its political masters supporting it, Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM. They are constantly trying to incite Muslim citizens in the name of Waqf", Shahzad Poonawalla said to ANI on Monday. The BJP National Spokesperson further asked whether the constitution has provided any rights like Waqf to the Jain or the Christian community. He queried why there should be unlimited power to usurp Waqf. "I want to ask whether the Constitution has given rights like Waqf to the Jain community and the Christian community. Why should there be unlimited power to usurp Waqf? Sometimes Parliament, sometimes Maha Kumbh, sometimes it takes over farmers' land and Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM will not say anything on this", he said. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has called for a protest on Monday, March 17, at Delhi's Janta Mantar against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. AIMPLB spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas claimed that the government aims to create divisions between Hindus and Muslims and incite unrest in the country. "There have been continuous protests happening in various places, and press conferences are being held. We were supposed to hold a protest on March 13, but that day is Holi. On that day, the MPs will not be able to attend. Therefore, now we will hold a massive protest at Jantar Mantar on 17th March 2025," Ilyas said. (ANI)
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria expressed grief and paid his respects to head of the erstwhile royal family of Udaipur, the late Arvind Singh Mewar. Kataria said that he and Mewar used to study together and stated that he will be remembered for his efforts to make Udaipur a tourist destination. "Arvind Singh Mewar Ji and I used to study together...He will be remembered for his efforts to make Udaipur a tourist destination. I pay my tributes to him", Kataria said while speaking to ANI on Monday. The last rites of Arvind Singh Mewar were held at the Udaipur palace on Monday where many people gathered to pay tributes to head of the erstwhile royal family of Udaipur. Mewar who was a member of former Mewar royal family passed away at the age of 80 on Sunday. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed grief on the demise of Arvind Singh Mewar and shared a post on his official 'X' handle. "The demise of Shri Arvind Singh Ji Mewar, a senior member of the former royal family of Mewar, is extremely sad. He played an important role in carrying forward the glorious heritage of Mewar. His impressive personality and exemplary character will always remain a source of inspiration for future generations. May God give place to the departed soul in his feet and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this unspeakable sorrow", Sharma wrote in his 'X' post. A versatile and multifaceted individual, Shriji was renowned for his remarkable memory and strong interest in technological advancements. Earlier, the Chairman and Managing Trustee of Maharana Mewar Charitable Foundation Udaipur and as a custodian of the rich historical legacy of Mewar, Shriji was actively involved in conserving and promoting the living heritage of the region apart from fostering employment-generating business activities as the Managing Director of the HRH Group of Hotels. In 1984, he was entrusted with the responsibility of the Foundation and City Palace Museum by his father. Shriji applied himself with rare devotion and commitment to the enormous task of revitalising the museum and the Foundation. In the decades since, he has raised the bar in heritage conservation and with his foresight and leadership qualities, he has given a new dimension to the legacy of his forefathers by forging the way forward in heritage conservation in India. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday paid floral tributes to former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Union Minister late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna on his birth anniversary. Speaking on the occasion, CM Yogi hailed his contribution to the development of the state and said that his ideas still guide them. "Today is the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Union Minister Late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna. He was a senior politician of the country. He made his way through struggles. As the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he made many plans to keep the state on the path of development, which is still a guide for all of us. He passed away on 17 March 1989, but his work is still guiding us today. Today, on the occasion of his birth anniversary, I congratulate all the people of the state and pay my tribute to him..." the Chief Minister told reporters. Taking to X, CM Yogi wrote, "On the occasion of the death anniversary of former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Late Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna ji, I paid tribute to him by offering flowers to his statue in Lucknow today. Apart from being a great freedom fighter, he was a senior politician of the country who had paved his way through struggles. He had immense devotion towards democratic values. The resolutions and action plans he had set for taking Uttar Pradesh forward on the path of development are a guiding light for all of us even today. Salute to his sacred memories!" https://x.com/myogiadityanath/status/1901491499608748085 BJP leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi expressed her gratitude towards the Chief Minister for recongising the contributions of former CM late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna. "I am thankful to CM Yogi ji for not only recognising Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna's contributions but also paying tributes to him on both his birth and death anniversaries...A statue of Bahuguna ji was also installed here," she told ANI. Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna was a Congress leader and was elected as CM of Uttar Pradesh in 1973. (ANI)
In a significant development, a person accused in the grenade attack in Amritsar''s Thakurdwara Temple has been killed in an encounter, said police officials on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Gursidak, son of Jagjit Singh and a resident of Bal village of Amritsar while the second accused Vishal, son of Raju and a resident of Rajasansi, Amritsar, has been absconding from the spot. On Monday morning, the Punjab Police received a specific intelligence about the movement of two accused of the grenade attack in Amritsar in Rajasansi area of the district. Acting on the information, the police team went to nab the accused. When the Station Head Officer (SHO) of Chheharta tried to stop the accused who were on motorcycle, they left the vehicle and opened fire at the police party. During the encounter, head constable Gurpreet Singh was injured while another bullet struck the turban of Inspector Amolak Singh. In an act of self-defence, Inspector Vinod Kumar launched firing and injured the main accused. However, the other accused managed to escape from the spot. The injured constables and the accused were immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital for treatment where Gursidak succumbed to his injuries. An FIR on the incident is being registered at PS Airport. After a grenade was lobbed at Thakurdwara Temple in Khandwala, Amritsar, on the night of March 14, a Forensics Team carried out an investigation and collected samples from the spot. Two motorcycle-borne masked men were captured on CCTV footage lobbing an object, suspected to be an explosive, at the temple after midnight. According to eyewitnesses, the two men were seen lobbing a suspicious object towards the temple. No injuries were reported, and police personnel rushed to the site and initiated an investigation into the incident. BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lashed out at the ruling Aam Aadmi party for what he called a "terrible law and order situation." The Thakur Dwara Temple explosion comes after at least five people were injured after an assailant attacked people with an iron rod in the Golden Temple premises on Friday. The attack took place at Shri Guru Ramdas Sarai which is a lodging facility for pilgrims. (ANI)
The Tamil Nadu police on Monday detained Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tamilisai Soundararajan for protesting against the alleged Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) scam. "They are arresting me from my residence. I won't go separately. I want everyone to come with me," Soundararajan told reporters as she was detained by the police. Heavy police deployment was seen outside her residence in Chennai. Earlier in the day, Soundararajan said that everyone had the right to protest over any issue. Talking about the alleged TASMAC scam, she said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed irregularities worth Rs 1,000 crore in TASMAC. She said that the BJP had planned a peaceful protest regarding the issue. "In a country, everyone has the right to protest against anything. The ED has revealed that there have been Rs 1,000 crore irregularities in TASMAC. And in this regard, we have announced a peaceful agitation. But they have surrounded us. We don't fear such a type of custody. We will fight for the people," she said. Earlier, BJP leader CR Kesavan on Saturday criticised the Chief Minister MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government's budget, calling it "dismal, directionless" and insensitive to the people's needs. He alleged that the budget disregards the people's critical needs while burdening the state with a mounting debt of Rs 9.3 lakh crore, making Tamil Nadu the highest debtor in the country. On Friday, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai launched a scathing attack against state minister V Senthil Balaji, labelling him as the "kingpin" who remains involved in "every single scam." Standing firm on his sources, Annamalai claimed that the TASMAC scam was over a thousand crore rupees while questioning the moral right of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Balaji to continue in his post as the minister. "I have my sources. I believe (the corruption) is over a thousand crore (rupees). Senthil Balaji is involved in every single scam. He is the kingpin. Supreme Court has questioned if he has the moral right to stay a Minister," Annamalai told reporters. Labelling Balaji as the "liquor minister", the BJP leader said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin restored Balaji as the minister as soon as he was released from jail. The TASMAC scam is bigger than the Delhi liquor scam, Annamalai asserted. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Annamalai on Monday lashed out at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government for detaining party leaders, including former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, for protesting against the alleged irregularities in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC), saying that the state government was "trembling with fear". The protest was organised at Chennai TASMAC headquarters. However, the police detained Soundararajan from her residence while placing other BJP leaders in the state including Vinoj P Selvam under house arrest. "We, on behalf of Tamil Nadu BJP, had announced a protest today at the Chennai TASMAC headquarters to protest the DMK government's Rs 1,000 crore TASMAC scam. The DMK government, trembling with fear, has placed senior BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan," Annamalai posted on X. "BJP's State Secretary Vinoj P Selvam and others have been placed under house arrest, preventing them from participating in the protest," he added. His remarks come after the Tamil Nadu police on Monday morning detained Soundararajan for protesting against the alleged TASMAC scam. "They are arresting me from my residence. I won't go separately. I want everyone to come with me," Soundararajan told reporters as she was detained by the police. Heavy police deployment was seen outside her residence in Chennai. Earlier in the day, Soundararajan said that everyone had the right to protest over any issue. Talking about the alleged TASMAC scam, she said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed irregularities worth Rs 1,000 crore in TASMAC. She said that the BJP had planned a peaceful protest regarding the issue. "In a country, everyone has the right to protest against anything. The ED has revealed that there have been Rs 1,000 crore irregularities in TASMAC. And in this regard, we have announced a peaceful agitation. But they have surrounded us. We don't fear such a type of custody. We will fight for the people," she added. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji denied the charges of a scam in TASMAC and stated that the state government would face this legally. "ED have alleged Rs 1000 crores corruption without any basis. Before ED one person made an accusation Rs 1000 crores scam then ED also says same in their statement. People are aware that there are thousands of meanings behind this. Government will face the ED searches on TASMAC legally," the Minister said. The Minister claimed that everything was transparent as far as TASMAC is concerned. (ANI)
"Security forces are doing their job; our security forces will take a breath only after burying the remaining terrorists," Sharma told ANI.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said that whoever is behind the conspiracies to weaken India and Jammu and Kashmir will never succeed. Choudhary also advocated for a peaceful situation in the region.

"The situation should be kept peaceful. Whoever is behind these conspiracies, their conspiracies to weaken India and Jammu and Kashmir will never succeed. The brotherhood of Jammu and Kashmir is strong, and if anyone does anything against the country, it will not be tolerated," the Deputy CM told reporters.

Meanwhile, security forces have started conducting a cordon and search operation in the Krumbhoora area of Zachaldara in the Handwara District.

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Krumhoora-Zachaldara area of Handwara, situated in the Kupwara district of the Kashmir valley on Monday.

The Jammu and Kashmir police are also assisting the security forces.

"Encounter has started at Krumhoora Zachaldara area of #Handwara. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow," Kashmir Zone Police posted on X.

Further details are awaited from the incident. (ANI)
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) began their protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday. While addressing the gathering during the protest AIMPLB member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas stated that it is a peaceful protest and the administration should extend their support to us in it. He said that we have received information regarding buses being stopped for those who were coming to take part in this protest. Ilyas further said that the government should not be afraid and listen to the voice of its people. "People were coming from many districts of UP and Haryana but now we have received information that their buses are being stopped. We believe that this is a very peaceful protest and the administration should support us in this. The government need not be afraid and they should listen to the voice of the people. If there is such a cowardly government that cannot listen to the voice of its people then it has no right to rule", Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi joined the protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Owaisi who was part of the Joint Parliamentary Committe on the Waqf bill has alleged in the JPC report the ruling party's amendments will lead to dissolution of the Waqf Board. A protestor from Muzaffarnagar who had come to participate in the protest said that their rights are being violated and they have come here to protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. "We have come from Muzaffarnagar and have come to take part in the protest against the Waqf Bill. We demand that our rights are being snatched away and we have come to oppose the bill which is going to be passed in the Parliament", he said to ANI on Monday. Another protestor from Muzaffarnagar said that he doesn't oppose the government but if they interfere in the Waqf matter then he is against it. The protestor stated that the Waqf land has been given to them by their ancestors and the government wants to usurp it. "We do not oppose the government, but if the government interferes in the Waqf Bill, we are against it. The Waqf land has been given to us by our ancestors and it is our own land which the government wants to usurp, that is why we are protesting", the protestor said to ANI on Monday. Last month BJP MP and Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagdambika Pal presented the JPC report in the Parliament, after six months of nationwide consultations. (ANI)
Reacting to AIMPLB protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday said that the opposition protesting over the issue has exposed their real face of doing politics over Muslim empowerment. "I have seen that a demonstration is being held at Delhi's Jantar Mantar by AIMPLB...The amendments of the Waqf Board are in the interest of the poor Muslims of this country... A Joint Parliamentary Committee has been formed for this. Discussions have been held in it...The opposition protesting over this has exposed their real face of doing politics over Muslim empowerment," Maurya said. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) began their protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. While addressing the gathering during the protest AIMPLB member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas stated that it is a peaceful protest and the administration should extend their support. He said that we have received information regarding buses being stopped for those who were coming to take part in this protest. "People were coming from many districts of UP and Haryana but now we have received information that their buses are being stopped. We believe that this is a very peaceful protest and the administration should support us in this. The government needs not be afraid and they should listen to the voice of the people. If there is such a cowardly government that cannot listen to the voice of its people, then it has no right to rule," Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi joined the protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Owaisi, who was part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, has alleged in the JPC report that the ruling party's amendments will lead to the dissolution of the Waqf Board. Last month BJP MP and Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagdambika Pal presented the JPC report in the Parliament, after six months of nationwide consultations. (ANI)
BRS MLC K Kavitha on Sunday accused the government of going back on its promises made to women and farmers in Telangana. Speaking outside the Telangana legislative council, Kavitha said, "In the council, this government has replied that they are not going to fulfil the promises they made to the women. The BRS government started a program called 'Kalyan Lakshmi' to support women in getting education. This program is being sabotaged by the government because they promised that they would also give 10 grams of gold along with Rs. 1 lakh. They have replied that they will not give it." Kavitha further expressed frustration about the ongoing plight of farmers in the state, specifically those involved in turmeric and chilli cultivation. She pointed out, "On the other hand, turmeric and chilli farmers are suffering, and the government is not listening to them." Earlier today, Kavitha, accompanied by other party leaders, reached the Telangana Legislative Council on Monday wearing garlands made of red chilies. They protested to demand a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 25,000 per quintal for chilies farmers. The protestors raised concerns that chili, which was cultivated in 4 lakh acres in the last season in Telangana state, has reduced to 2.4 lakh acres this season due to prices. The BRS demanded that the government should fix a support price of Rs. 25,000 for chili and purchase it through Nafed and Markfed. BRS cadres also requested the Spices Board to include chilli in food crop list. Earlier on March 15, BRS MLCs led by K Kavitha held a protest outside the Telangana Legislative Council demanding the central and state governments fix a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 15,000 per quintal for turmeric farmers. The protestors, holding placards and raising slogans, expressed their concerns over the lack of adequate support for turmeric farmers, who have been facing significant economic hardships. K Kavitha while speaking to ANI, raised the issue of suffering of turmeric farmers, saying, "Turmeric farmers have been suffering for quite some time. The minimum support price for turmeric has not been established by the central government and the state government. Farmers across Telangana are suffering." She further pointed out that the Congress government had promised an MSP of Rs 12,000 during the elections, adding, "We are demanding a minimum support price of Rs 15,000 to be given to the Turmeric farmers and this was also a poll promise made by the Congress government that they are going to give Rs 12,000 as MSP." (ANI)
After Delhi Police proposed "anti-eve-teasing" or "Shistachar" squads in all districts of the national capital, BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia on Monday said that this was bound to happen after Rekha Gupta became Chief Minister of Delhi. Chandolia affirmed that women's safety is at the top of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) agenda. The BJP MP further claimed that illegal Rohingya immigrants are responsible for almost "90 per cent" of the incidents that take place in Delhi. "... Women's safety is at the top in the BJP's agenda... The intention of the BJP is strong. I welcome the setting up of an Anti-Romeo Squad on the lines of UP to maintain Delhi's security. This was bound to happen after Rekha Gupta became the CM. Rohingyas are believed to be involved in almost 90% of the incidents that take place in Delhi, and until the Rohingyas are not driven out, small incidents will keep happening in Delhi," Yogendra Chandolia told ANI. In an effort to ensure women's safety in the national capital, Delhi police is set to launch "anti-eve-teasing" or "Shistachar" squads in all districts. According to the circular issued by the Delhi police, each district will have a squad of 15 trained personnel, who apart from responding to such crimes, would also work towards prevention and deterrence. "The District Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCsP) shall identify hotspots and vulnerable areas posing risks to women's safety. A list of such areas identified by the district DCPs should be shared with the DCP of Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC)," the official circular read. The deployment roster will be prepared by Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), Crime Against Women (CAW) Units, and approved by DCP SPUWAC on a weekly basis. The squad should routinely move around in vulnerable areas and conduct drives in at least two vulnerable points every day, including surprise checks on public transport. They should rotate across these points systematically, ensuring complete coverage of all such areas in their jurisdiction over a period of time. The squads will deploy plain-clothed female police officers to identify and deter perpetrators. Suggesting collaboration with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Market Welfare Associations (MWAs), and local volunteers to enhance vigilance and identify more vulnerable spots, the squad will focus on victim protection, ensuring survivors don't face public scrutiny. It is recommended that district DCsP ensure that personnel in these squads remain "sensitive and empathetic." "The squad must focus on enforcing the law, rather than imposing personal or cultural morality on individuals," the circular read. (ANI)
After an accused in the Amritsar temple grenade attack was killed in an encounter with Punjab Police, Amritsar Police Commissioner GPS Bhullar said that they will not let people sitting across the border and Pakistani intelligence agency ISI be successful in their attempts to "disturb" peace in Punjab. Bhullar said that the government and the administration have a zero-tolerance policy towards crime. Speaking to ANI, the police official also stated that till now, it is clear that foreign handlers orchestrated the attack. "We will not let those sitting across the border and ISI be successful in their attempts to disturb peace in Punjab... Things will be more clear when we nab and interrogate the second accused, but, technically, it is clear that this attack was operated by foreign handles... We have zero tolerance towards crime," said Bhullar. Elaborating on the investigation process, the police official stated that they had registered the case soon after the incident and deployed special teams for investigation, following which the accused were identified, and one of them was killed in an encounter today. Bhullar said, "On the attack that was carried out on March 15, a case was registered on it. We had deployed our special police teams on it. Our teams traced the case and identified the accused... When our police team intercepted it, they fired five rounds of bullets on police party, from which one bullet hit head constable Gurpreet Singh while the second one hit the turban of Inspector Amolak Singh. In an act of self-defence, Inspector Vinod Kumar and Amolak Singh launched firing which injured accused. Accused Gursidak who had lobbed (the grenade) died in hospital. During this encounter, the accused fired at police, injuring Head Constable Gurpreet Singh and striking Inspector Amolak Singh''s turban. Meanwhile, (DGP) Director General of Punjab Police took to X to inform about the encounter and stated that Punjab Police is committed to maintain peace and harmony in the state. In a social media post on X, DGP Gaurav Yadav wrote, "Acting on specific intelligence, Commissionerate Police Amritsar decisively tracked down those responsible for the attack on Thakur Dwara Mandir, #Amritsar, on March 15, 2025. An FIR has been registered at PS Chheharta under the Explosive Substances Act, and intelligence-based efforts led to the identification of the accused. Police teams tracked the suspects in #Rajasansi. The accused opened fire, injuring HC Gurpreet Singh and striking Insp. Amolak Singh''s turban. Acting in self-defense, the police party fired back, injuring the accused. He was taken to Civil Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The other accused fled, and efforts are on to arrest him. A fresh FIR is being registered at PS Airport. @PunjabPoliceInd is fully committed to maintain peace and harmony in the state." https://x.com/DGPPunjabPolice/status/1901496833861652510 On Monday morning, the Punjab Police received a specific intelligence about the movement of two accused of the grenade attack in Amritsar in Rajasansi area of the district. Acting on the information, the police team went to nab the accused. When the Station Head Officer (SHO) of Chheharta tried to stop the accused who were on motorcycle, they left the vehicle and opened fire at the police party. During the encounter, head constable Gurpreet Singh was injured while another bullet struck the turban of Inspector Amolak Singh. In an act of self-defence, Inspector Vinod Kumar launched firing and injured the main accused. However, the other accused managed to escape from the spot. The deceased has been identified as Gursidak, son of Jagjit Singh and a resident of Bal village of Amritsar while the second accused Vishal, son of Raju and a resident of Rajasansi, Amritsar, has been absconding from the spot. The injured constables and the accused were immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital for treatment where Gursidak succumbed to his injuries. An FIR on the incident is being registered at PS Airport. Two motorcycle-borne masked men were captured on CCTV footage lobbing an object, suspected to be an explosive, at the temple on the night of March 14. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, at Jantar Mantar, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi on Monday slammed the central government for not paying heed to the objections raised by the opposition, saying that the government was "imposing dictatorship". Extending support to the organisations carrying out "democratic" protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, he said that the government was trying to "impose dictatorship". The Congress leader asked whether the government intended to "loot" the lands that belonged to Waqf and pass it on to their industrialist friends. "The government has to understand that there is a lot of opposition. It's good that organisations are protesting democratically against the dictatorship that the government is trying to impose. Do they want to loot the Waqf lands and give it to your industrialist friends?" Pratapgarhi remarked. Asserting that the central government doesn't listen to the opposition, he said that this is the government that passed many bills after suspending 146 MPs earlier. Questioning the need to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill if the government remains adamant on its stand, Pratapgarhi accused the government of "lying". "What objections has this government heard? They suspended 146 MPs and passed many bills. Why did they form a JPC if they were not going to listen to the opinions of the JPC members? The government is lying," he added. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Rajeev Rai said that it was the responsibility of the government to listen to protestors. "Everyone has the right to protest democratically if they do not like what they want and if there is injustice. It is also the responsibility of the government to listen to them with an open mind and open heart," Rai told ANI. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal attacked the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's (AIMPLB) protest, saying that the protest was just for politics and the act had not even been introduced. He added that a report had only been submitted and the amendment bill had only been brought. Pal also questioned the grounds on which the AIMPLB, AIMIM, and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind have gathered to protest at the Jantar Mantar. Earlier, the AIMPLB began their protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and it was led by member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. He stated that it was a peaceful protest and the administration should cooperate with them. He said that the government should not be afraid and listen to the voice of its people. "People were coming from many districts of UP and Haryana but now we have received information that their buses are being stopped. We believe that this is a very peaceful protest and the administration should support us in this. The government need not be afraid and they should listen to the voice of the people. If there is such a cowardly government that cannot listen to the voice of its people then it has no right to rule", Ilyas said while addressing the protestors. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi joined the protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Owaisi who was part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf bill has alleged that the ruling party's amendments in the JPC report will lead to the dissolution of the Waqf Board. (ANI)
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari reacted to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 and said that they will clarify the situation once the bill comes into the Parliament and doesn't agree with what the BJP wants. "When the JPC was formed on Waqf, we clarified the situation there. When this (bill) comes into Parliament, we will clarify there, too. We do not agree with what the BJP wants", Pramod Tiwari said to ANI on Monday. Other than Pramod Tiwari, Congress MP Manickam Tagore also expressed his views on the AIMPLB protest against the Waqf Bill and stated that Congress opposes the Waqf bill. "Congress party opposes this bill. We are working with INDIA alliance partners to deal with this in Parliament", he said to ANI on Monday. Earlier, the AIMPLB began their protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi under the leadership of Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. As per Ilyas, protestors from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are coming to take part in the protest but they have received news that their busses are being stopped by the administration. He stated that the government should not be feared and listen to the voice of the people. Such a government doesn't have the right to rule and cannot listen to the voice of its people. "People were coming from many districts of UP and Haryana but now we have received information that their buses are being stopped. We believe that this is a very peaceful protest and the administration should support us in this. The government need not be afraid and they should listen to the voice of the people. If there is such a cowardly government that cannot listen to the voice of its people then it has no right to rule", Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has urged all district collectors and public representatives to install fresh drinking water stations and shaded areas in their respective regions to ensure accessibility of drinking water and provide relief from the heat for residents during summer season. CM Yadav also emphasised that he would hold a meeting with all district Collectors soon to discuss the implementation of these measures. "I request all district Collectors, Chairman of the District Panchayat, Mayor and local public representatives to install drinking water stations and shaded areas in their respective wards in the coming days. I will soon hold a meeting with all district Collectors on this. We all should save water, and it should be used for drinking and other purposes," CM Yadav told ANI on Monday. The Chief Minister further highlighted that it was a remarkable day for the Cheetah project on Monday as a female cheetah and its four cubs would be released into the wild at Kuno National Park located in Sheopur district. The CM expressed his hope that this move will boost tourism as well as the economy of the state. "Today is a remarkable day for the forest department and for the Cheetah project. A female Cheetah Gamini and its cubs will be released into the wild and will wander on the land of Madhya Pradesh. It is a matter of good fortune for us that Kuno National Park in Sheopur was selected for the reintroduction of Cheetah. Our Forest department has done remarkable work. This will increase tourism as well as the economy," CM Yadav said. Earlier on Sunday, in a post on X, the chief minister explained that the South African Cheetah Gamini, would be released along with her two male and two female cubs in Khajuri tourism zone of Kuno Park, stressing that it would attract more tourists in the region. "Gamini, a female cheetah from South Africa, will be released into the wild along with her two male and two female cubs in the Khajuri tourism zone of Kuno National Park on Monday. During the safari, tourists will get an opportunity to see cheetahs in their natural habitat, which will increase the number of tourists," CM Yadav said in a post on X. The Madhya Pradesh government is determined to take wildlife conservation and tourism to new heights, he added in the post. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid last respects to former Union Minister Dr Debendra Pradhan who passed away on Monday. Dr Debendra Pradhan, the father of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, passed away at the age of 84 in Delhi. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also expressed his profound condolences on the passing of Debendra Pradhan. "I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of former Union Minister Devendra Pradhan. He was a popular public leader and an able parliamentarian. As the State BJP President, he Pradhan made a significant contribution to the development of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Odisha with strong leadership," CM Majhi posted on X in Odia. "He dedicated his entire life for the development of the state with a spirit of service and determination. With the demise of this veteran personality, the country and the state have lost an eminent public servant. His contribution to the welfare of the people and the development of the state will always be remembered," he added. Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said that his unwavering commitment to public service, leadership, and vision for the state have left an indelible mark. "Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of former Union Minister Shri Debendra Pradhan - a towering leader, a dedicated parliamentarian, and a guiding force behind the BJP's growth in Odisha. His unwavering commitment to public service, leadership, and vision for the state have left an indelible mark. Odisha has lost a true statesman whose contributions will continue to inspire generations," Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo posted on X. "In this moment of profound loss, my deepest condolences to his son, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the entire family. Praying for his noble soul to rest in peace. Om Shanti," he added. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida has expressed his heartfelt condolences over the passing of former Union Minister Debendra Pradhan. "I am deeply saddened and shocked to hear the news of the demise of Dr Devendra Pradhan, father of the Honourable Union Education Minister and former Minister of State for Road Transport and Minister of State for Agriculture. When people were afraid to come to the Bharatiya Janata Party and did not leave their homes, from that time onwards, Dr. Debendra Pradhan got involved in strengthening the Odisha BJP," Parida posted on X in Odia. "Leaving behind his medical profession, he joined the BJP as a grassroots worker from the time of its inception in 1980. He started his political career in Talcher and first took up the responsibility of the Mandal President. Later, he was appointed to various positions, and his contribution in strengthening the BJP in Odisha is unparalleled. In 1998, he was elected as an MP from the Deogarh constituency and served as the Minister of State for Roads and Transport in the cabinet of Vajpayeeji. Later, he was re-elected and also served as the Minister of State for Agriculture," she added. Pradhan was a three-time BJP Odisha unit president from 1988 to 1990, 1990 to 1993 and 1995 to 1997. He also served as Union Minister of State for Surface Transport and Minister of State for Agriculture. (ANI)
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi joined the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's (AIMPLB) protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Owaisi said that their job is to protest because the law is unconstitutional. He added that the law will not save the Waqf property but there are provisions in it which will snatch away the graveyards, khanqahs and the Dargahs from the Muslims. The AIMIM chief also emphasised that if Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan and Nitish Kumar will support the act then the people will remember them. "Our job is to protest because it is unconstitutional. This bill is not for saving Waqf property, not for removing encroachers but for ending Waqf property, for snatching away graveyards, Khanqah, Dargah from Muslims. Their intentions are bad and they want to increase distances in the country. We are saying that we will protest, if Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan, Nitish Kumar support it then the public will remember them for life", he said to the reporters on Monday. Asaduddin Owaisi was also a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee set up to amend the Waqf Amendment Act led by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. Earlier, the AIMPLB began their protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and it was led by member Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. He stated that it is a peaceful protest and the administration should cooperate with them in it. He said that the government should not be afraid and listen to the voice of its people. "People were coming from many districts of UP and Haryana but now we have received information that their buses are being stopped. We believe that this is a very peaceful protest and the administration should support us in this. The government need not be afraid and they should listen to the voice of the people. If there is such a cowardly government that cannot listen to the voice of its people then it has no right to rule", Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said while addressing the gathering. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting on Monday and witnessed the signing of multiple agreements between the two countries. Highlighting the contribution of the Indian community towards economic and social development in New Zealand, PM Modi said that the two countries have decided to work on formulating an agreement to deal with the issue of illegal migration and to ease the mobility of skilled workers "The Indian community residing in New Zealand is contributing positively to the economic and social development. We have decided to work on formulating an agreement to deal with the issue of illegal migration and to ease the mobility of skilled workers," PM Modi said in a joint press conference. Praising Luxon's affection for the Indian community residing in New Zealand, the Prime Minister said that the country was glad to have a "young leader" like him as the chief guest for the Raisina Dialogue. "I welcome PM Luxon and his cabinet to India. PM Luxon is connected to India. We saw how he celebrated Holi recently. His affection towards people of Indian origin living in New Zealand can be witnessed as a community delegation has also accompanied him here. We are happy that a young leader like him is our chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue 2025," PM Modi said. Prior to this, both PM Modi and New Zealand PM held delegation level talks at the Hyderabad House. Luxon had arrived in the city on Sunday on a five-day official visit to India. Earlier this morning the New Zealand PM paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The meeting comes amid a growing push to enhance bilateral ties, with both leaders set to discuss economic cooperation, trade expansion, and regional security. The visit has already seen the announcement of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations. During his visit, Luxon emphasised New Zealand's commitment to deepening ties with India, calling the Indian government "incredibly generous and very welcoming." He highlighted that he has brought the largest-ever delegation of business and community leaders to accompany a New Zealand Prime Minister on a foreign trip, underscoring the importance of strengthening economic and cultural ties. Speaking to reporters, Luxon stressed the immense potential in India-New Zealand relations and how trade expansion would benefit the New Zealand economy. Luxon arrived in New Delhi on Sunday and met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who appreciated his commitment to strengthening India-New Zealand relations. Luxon is set to be the chief guest and keynote speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, India's premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, which will be inaugurated by PM Modi. (ANI)
India has raised issue of anti-India activities conducted by banned Khalistani organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in US during the meeting of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with United States Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, said sources on Monday. Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has been designated as an unlawful association by India. According to sources, India expressed its concerns and asked the US Director of National Intelligence to take strong action against the unlawful organisation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the US DNI Tulsi Gabbard in the national capital on Monday. They discussed key aspects of defence cooperation and intelligence sharing between the two nations. Singh shared details of the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Ms Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues which include defence and information sharing, aiming to further deepen the India-US partnership." Gabbard is visiting India as a part of her multi-nation visit. The Asia leg of Gabbard's trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her. Earlier on Saturday, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with Gabbard, and according to sources, they discussed several facets of the India-US relationship in detail. Her visit to India follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in February this year. During his visit, PM Modi met with Gabbard and called her a "strong votary" of the India-US friendship. Gabbard also called it an "honour" to welcome PM Modi and said she looks forward to continuing to strengthen the US-India friendship. Gabbard is also set to participate in a keynote conversation with Samir Saran, President, ORF. The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue is being co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). PM Modi will inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue today, where the chief guest, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, will deliver the keynote address. The Raisina Dialogue, set to be held in New Delhi from March 17-19, is India's premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. (ANI)
Amid speculations regarding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son joining politics, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday said that there was nothing to discuss since family members of many children have engaged in politics. He said that Nishant, son of Bihar CM and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, was "capable and competent". The Union Minister added that he would welcome Nishant Kumar if he joins politics. "There are many leaders in India whose children, and families have come into politics. If Nitish Kumar's son Nishant wants to come into politics, then what is there to discuss about it, he is capable and competent. If he wants to come (into politics), we will welcome him," Manjhi told ANI. There are speculations in political circles about Nishant Kumar's possible entry into politics, especially after he was seen with the top leadership of the JD(U) during Holi celebrations. The speculations intensified after his poster appeared outside the JD(U) office in Patna, which read, "Bihar ki maang, sun liye Nishant, bahut bahut dhanyawaad (Nishant, thank you very much for listening to the demands of Bihar)." Earlier on Sunday, Manjhi condemned the actions of RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, following the release of a video showing police personnel dancing at his Holi celebration in Patna. Manjhi criticised the behaviour, stating, "They are known for their wrongdoings. Whatever happened during his father's rule, his son is doing the same." He highlighted the potential misuse of power, suggesting that if Tej Pratap Yadav and his family were to gain more influence, similar actions would become commonplace. "The people of Bihar should understand that if they get power, this is what will happen. They will use the officers and policemen in their own way and will threaten to suspend them if they do not obey," Manjhi added, stressing the consequences of unchecked authority. His reaction came after, MLA Tej Pratap Yadav was seen asking a policeman to "dance or be suspended" during a Holi celebration at his official residence in Patna on Friday, March 14. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party came out heavily against the Congress-led Karnataka government over its decision to grant four per cent reservation for minority contractors in tenders, and termed the move "unconstitutional" aimed to send a message to the party's "vote bank". Surya, the BJP MP from Bengaluru South constituency, alleged that the Siddaramaiah government has done this in a "very calculated move" at the behest of Congress party' top leadership. "Reservations solely based on religion are unconstitutional and is not permitted. Despite being fully aware of this legal position the Siddaramaiah government in a very calculated move to appease and send a message to its vote bank has indulged in this constitutional adventure. This is being done at the behest and patronage of the topmost leadership of Congress party, particularly Rahul Gandhi", Tejasvi Surya said in a press conference on Monday. Attacking Congress further, he took a jibe comparing Rahul Gandhi's remarks during the Bharat Jodo Yatra with former PM Manmohan Singh's earlier remarks regarding minorities. "Before the commencement of the Lok Sabha election campaign, Rahul Gandhi went about the whole country and spoke the same strain of thought that earlier PM Manmohan Singh had spoken about the minorities of the country having an exclusive and first right on the counter resources," Tejasvi Surya added. The BJP leader further questioned whether this is the brand of secularism and Constitution for Congress where benefits of minorities are taken away for minorities. He asserted that the BJP will raise this issue in the assembly and Parliament and also challenge it in the courts. "Same strain of thought of Rahul Gandhi reflected in the Karnataka budget. The questions the BJP would like to ask Siddaramaiah are - is this is the brand of secularism that the Constitution of India and Baba Saheb envisaged for the country, where benefits reservations taken away from SC/STs and given to minorities?" Surya said. "You claim to be a champion, a self-proclaimed champion of Ambedkar and the welfare of backward classes. BJP will fight against this move inside of the Assembly and outside of the Assembly. We will raise this issue in Parliament and also fight it in the courts," he added. The Karnataka state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors, official sources said. The decision was taken on March 14 in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Cabinet Hall of the Vidhan Sabha. Official sources added that the amendment will be made after the KTPP act is tabled in the ongoing assembly session. However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has clarified that the state government's decision to provide a four per cent reservation in government contracts is not exclusive to Muslims but extends to "all minority communities and backward classes." (ANI)
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party for criticising the state budget and said that whenever the BJP is losing ground and popularity, they bring out the "Muslim angle" to sustain their livelihood. "If this is a 'halaal' budget and Pakistan budget, then the Union Government also runs a Ministry of Minority Affairs, does that mean Union Government is building a Pakistan within India?... Whenever the BJP is losing ground and popularity, they bring out the Muslim angle to sustain their livelihood. Maharashtra has tripled the Madrassa teachers' salaries. They have given Rs 1000 crore for the Maulana Azad Development Corporation Board. Is that not appeasement?... There is a lot of infighting within the BJP, and to hide that, they are bringing out these things," Kharge told ANI. Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party Karnataka President BY Vijayendra said that the BJP will oppose Congress's Muslim "appeasement politics." "BJP is not against Muslims, but we are against Congress's Muslim appeasement politics... Yesterday, I was watching Dy CM DK Shivakumar. He challenged the BJP to give plump posts to the Muslim community. He had challenged the BJP to give MLC and Rajya Sabha MPs to the Muslim community. I want to remind him that it is the BJP who appointed Dr Abdul Kalam as the President and Najma Heptulla, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Mohammad Arif Khan as the governors of states," Vijayendra said addressing the reporters. "We are very clear about the issue and we will definitely oppose Congress's Muslim appeasement politics... Where is the provision to give 4 per cent reservation in government contracts? Is this constitutional?... We are going to oppose this move," he added. Earlier, the Karnataka unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had strongly criticised the Karnataka government's Budget and called it "Halal Budget" and alleged that it was for "appeasement" of minorities. The BJP highlighted the provisions of the Budget, which "mainly" focus on the welfare of the minorities. Taking to social media post on X, BJP4Karnataka wrote on March 7, "Scam CM @siddaramaiah in Karnataka presents a Halal Budget--appeasement at its peak! Reservation for Muslims in government contracts. Rs 50,000 assistance for Muslim simple marriages. Rs150 crore for infrastructure development of Waqf properties and graveyards. Rs50 lakh for Muslim cultural programs. New ITI college to be set up in Muslim-dominated areas. 50% fee concession for Muslim students under KEA. Residential PU college for Muslim girls in Ullal town. Increase in National & Foreign Scholarships for Muslim students. Expansion of Bengaluru's Haj Bhavan with additional buildings. Self-defense training for Muslim girl students. What about SCs, STs, and OBCs? Absolutely nothing!" The BJP's reaction comes after the state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors. (ANI)
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee held its executive committee meeting on Monday and unanimously decided to reject the resignation of SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami and appeal to him to immediately resume his duties as the President of the Sikh organisation. According to a release, the meeting was held at the sub-office in Sector 5, Chandigarh, under the leadership of Senior Vice President Raghujit Singh Virk. After the meeting, Virk said that following the rejection of Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami's resignation, all executive committee members will visit his residence in Hoshiarpur on Monday itself and request him to immediately take charge of his role as SGPC President. Advocate Dhami announced his resignation from the position on February 17, following the controversial removal of Giani Harpreet Singh from the post of Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar. Virk also shared other decisions made, including the approval of forming a committee of academic scholars to review the Central government's New Education Policy in light of the message delivered by the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj, on the occasion of the Sikh festival Hola Mohalla. He mentioned that this committee will evaluate reforms that are necessary in Centre's New Education Policy concerning Punjab's context, and action will be taken accordingly. This committee will also deliberate on current challenges facing the Gurmukhi language and accordingly, the recommendations will be taken up with the Centre. The SGPC Senior Vice President further mentioned that as per the Jathedar's orders, the SGPC will initiate a vigorous religious campaign which will reach every household. The release mentioned that this campaign will commence this year on April 13, on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Vaisakhi). On its launch, large Amrit Sanchar (initiation) ceremonies will be held at Takhts, where thousands of Sikhs will be initiated into Sikh faith. Virk stated that at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the Amrit Sanchar will be performed using the historical Khanda of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. He added that this year, the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and the 350th Guruship centenary of the tenth master, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, are being commemorated according to Panthic traditions, and this religious campaign will be dedicated to these historic events. (ANI)
Amid speculations regarding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son joining politics, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav said Monday that if the questions are being raised, then the CM should come forward and clarify. Bihar is set to face the assembly elections later this year. "... If questions are being raised, then the CM should come and clarify... If he is coming or not coming into active politics, the CM should answer it. How can we say anything about this? But the law and order situation is very poor, and everyone is feeling unsafe in Bihar," Yadav said. He was asked about posters put up JDU supporters in support of Nishant Kumar, the chief minister's son. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday said that there was nothing to discuss since family members of many children have engaged in politics. He said that Nishant, son of Bihar CM and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, was "capable and competent". The Union Minister added that he would welcome Nishant Kumar if he joins politics. "There are many leaders in India whose children, and families have come into politics. If Nitish Kumar's son Nishant wants to come into politics, then what is there to discuss about it, he is capable and competent. If he wants to come (into politics), we will welcome him," Manjhi told ANI. There are speculations in political circles about Nishant Kumar's possible entry into politics, especially after he was seen with the top leadership of the JD(U) during Holi celebrations. The speculations intensified after his poster appeared outside the JD(U) office in Patna, which read, "Bihar ki maang, sun liye Nishant, bahut bahut dhanyawaad (Nishant, thank you very much for listening to the demands of Bihar)." Earlier on Sunday, Manjhi condemned the actions of RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, following the release of a video showing police personnel dancing at his Holi celebration in Patna. Manjhi criticised the behaviour, stating, "They are known for their wrongdoings. Whatever happened during his father's rule, his son is doing the same." He highlighted the potential misuse of power, suggesting that if Tej Pratap Yadav and his family were to gain more influence, similar actions would become commonplace. "The people of Bihar should understand that if they get power, this is what will happen. They will use the officers and policemen in their own way and will threaten to suspend them if they do not obey," Manjhi added, stressing the consequences of unchecked authority. His reaction came after, MLA Tej Pratap Yadav was seen asking a policeman to "dance or be suspended" during a Holi celebration at his official residence in Patna on Friday, March 14. (ANI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met with a Vietnamese parliamentary delegation during their visit to India in New Delhi on Monday. During the meeting, the Lok Sabha Speaker met with Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Nguyen Duc Hai, and discussed the functioning of India's Parliament, the Budget Session, and the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence. In a post on X, Om Birla said, "Met H.E. Mr. Nguyen Duc Hai, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, and his delegation at Parliament House today. Discussed the functioning of India's Parliament, the Budget Session, and the use of digital technology & AI." https://x.com/ombirlakota/status/1901579623542182131 Noting that parliamentary exchanges play a significant role in strengthening ties between two nations, he added, "Parliamentary exchanges play a crucial role in strengthening the historic and cultural ties between India and Vietnam. The Parliament of India stands ready to share its experience in the use of digital technology and AI with the Vietnamese Parliament." Earlier on Wednesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted that India holds Madagascar in the highest regard as a cherished and reliable friend, as well as a steadfast partner in its journey of progress, said a statement from the Lok Sabha Secretariat. He further emphasized that, in alignment with the "SAGAR" (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, Madagascar stands as a pivotal ally for India within the Indian Ocean region. "This invaluable partnership," he noted, "plays an essential role in fortifying regional stability and nurturing economic prosperity across the region," as per the statement. Birla made these remarks during a bilateral meeting with a parliamentary delegation from Madagascar, led by the President of the National Assembly of Madagascar, H.E. Justin Tokely, at Parliament House today. During the meeting, Birla underscored that the "relationship between India and Madagascar has historically been strong and that the two nations share a centuries-old history of trade, culture, and mutual interaction," the statement said. Guided by the principle of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam,' India has always been at the forefront in offering help to neighboring countries, especially during disasters, he said. Birla mentioned India's proactive role in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) to Madagascar. India has supported various projects to contribute to the prosperity and socio-economic development of Madagascar, which reflects India's commitment to mutually beneficial development, he noted. Birla also mentioned the significant role played by members of the Indian diaspora in Madagascar in strengthening the friendship between the two countries. He also expressed happiness about the first 'Jaipur Foot Camp' organized in Madagascar, where hundreds of differently-abled individuals were provided with artificial limbs, the statement said. Highlighting India's democratic tradition and framework, Birla stated that India is the world's oldest and largest democracy and has a legacy as the 'Mother of Democracy.' In India, even thousands of years ago, democratic institutions made collective decisions for the people, he added. (ANI)
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday hit out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led government, alleging that the government is "giving protection to the criminals". Yadav, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also attacked the government over the law and order situation in the state following the murder of the Assistant Sub-Inspector earlier in the month. "The government is giving protection to the criminals. That is why the morale of the criminals is very high. That ASI, those people who have been charged with the security of the people, if those policemen are not secure, they are being killed, they are being assaulted, not at one place but across Bihar, then who has remained secure here then?", he told ANI "Everyone is feeling insecure under the government led by Nitish Ji," Yadav said. Meanwhile, former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Rabri Devi along with RJD MLAs protested outside the state assembly against the law and order situation in Bihar on Monday and said that "no one is safe" in the state. She further attacked the Nitish Kumar government, while alleging that 22 murders took place during Holi and even senior government officials and police officers are being killed. "If 22 murders happened in 2 days during Holi, then how many might be happening every day? They say there is good governance here, law and order is fine. Where is the law and order fine? If government officials, inspectors and constables are being murdered, then what about the common people?... This is Mangalraj; such things did not happen in Jungle Raj. Inspectors and constables were not murdered, this is happening in Mangalraj, where no one is safe," Rabri Devi said. This comes in the wake of the murder of an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Santosh Kumar Singh, in Bihar's Munger. Earlier, three policemen were suspended following the incident on charges of negligence in discharging their duties, including Mufassil SHO Chandan Kumar, a BCP jawan, and a Dial 112 driver, Munger SP Syed Imran Masood told ANI. ASI Santosh Kumar Singh went to pacify a dispute between two parties on the evening of Holi when he was attacked and lost his life. Based on an investigation report, a recommendation was made to the DIG for action. The DIG issued the suspension order based on the report submitted. On March 15, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rakesh Kumar said that seven people have been identified as accused in the murder of ASI Santosh Kumar Singh, with five already in police custody. DIG Kumar stated that ASI Singh had gone to pacify a dispute between two parties when he was attacked. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries during treatment in Patna. "ASI Santosh Kumar Singh went to pacify a dispute between two parties on Friday evening... He was attacked. He was brought to the hospital, and he lost his life in Patna during treatment... A total of seven people have been identified as accused and five of them have been accused... One of the accused, Guddu Yadav, was injured when police shot at him in self-defence...," the DIG said. He further stated that efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused. (ANI)
Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra on Monday strongly opposed the Karnataka Congress government's policy of Muslim appeasement. He stated that there are poor people in all communities, including Hindus. Speaking to the media today, he asserted that BJP's stance is clear. "If the bill granting 4% reservation for Muslims is introduced in the assembly, BJP will launch a fierce protest both inside and outside the house. We will not allow its implementation," he said. Vijayendra questioned why the government is providing 4% reservation for Muslims in government projects while ignoring the poor among Hindus. Responding to a question, Vijayendra acknowledged that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is a senior leader and recalled Kuvempu's state anthem, which speaks of harmony among all communities. However, he accused the Congress government of sowing the seeds of discord in Karnataka instead of fostering peace. He warned that BJP will strongly oppose this divisive agenda led by CM Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. The BJP leader also raised questions about the inclusion of Jains under Category 2B, asking who else would be included apart from Muslims. He criticized the Congress leaders, accusing them of misleading the public. The Karnataka government has decided to reserve 4% of government contracts for Muslims, a decision approved in a cabinet meeting and set to be introduced in the assembly. BJP has made it clear that they strongly oppose this move. Vijayendra emphasized that BJP is not against Muslims but opposes Congress's vote-bank politics and appeasement policies. He pointed out that Shivakumar recently challenged BJP to nominate more Muslim leaders to the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha. In response, he reminded that it was the BJP government that made APJ Abdul Kalam the President of India, unlike Congress. He also mentioned that under Narendra Modi's leadership, BJP appointed Najma Heptulla as Governor, Justice Abdul Nazeer as Governor, and Mohammad Arif Khan as Governor. He noted that BJP also honoured Ustad Bismillah Khan with the Bharat Ratna, not Congress. The BJP's reaction comes after the state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors, official sources said. The decision was taken on March 14 in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Cabinet Hall of the Vidhan Sabha. Official sources added that the amendment will be made after the KTPP act is tabled in the ongoing assembly session. (ANI)
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Monday clarified that the "bullet for bullet" policy is not aggressive, but rather a self-defence mechanism after the accused in the Amritsar Thakurdwara temple grenade attack was killed in a police encounter. Yadav emphasised that the police aim to work within the law, conduct professional investigations, and punish the accused through the courts. However, when faced with firing, the police will retaliate in self-defence. DGP Gaurav Yadav said, "Our effort is to work within the parameters of law and carry out a professional investigation and get the accused punished through the courts. When we face any firing, then we retaliate in self-defence. Bullet for bullet is not an aggressive policy. It is a policy of self-defence. If police is attacked, police will respond." He also highlighted the issue of heroin and pharmaceutical drugs coming from across the border, which is a significant problem. "Pharmaceutical drugs and synthetic drugs are also a big problem. We have busted few rackets of pharmaceutical drugs. There is a need to bring back the drug-addicted victims in mainstream," he added. The encounter occurred when the Punjab Police received intelligence about the movement of the accused in the Rajasansi area. The police team tracked the suspects, who opened fire, injuring two officers. The police responded in self-defence, injuring the main accused, who later succumbed to his injuries. The second accused is still absconding. Earlier (DGP) Director General of Punjab Police took to X to inform about the encounter. In a social media post on X, DGP Gaurav Yadav wrote, "Acting on specific intelligence, Commissionerate Police Amritsar decisively tracked down those responsible for the attack on Thakur Dwara Mandir, #Amritsar, on March 15, 2025. An FIR has been registered at PS Chheharta under the Explosive Substances Act, and intelligence-based efforts led to the identification of the accused. Police teams tracked the suspects in #Rajasansi. The accused opened fire, injuring HC Gurpreet Singh and striking Insp. Amolak Singh's turban. Acting in self-defense, the police party fired back, injuring the accused. He was taken to Civil Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The other accused fled, and efforts are on to arrest him. A fresh FIR is being registered at PS Airport. @PunjabPoliceInd is fully committed to maintain peace and harmony in the state." Earlier on Monday morning, the Punjab Police received a specific intelligence about the movement of two accused of the grenade attack in Amritsar in Rajasansi area of the district. Acting on the information, the police team went to nab the accused. When the Station Head Officer (SHO) of Chheharta tried to stop the accused who were on motorcycle, they left the vehicle and opened fire at the police party. During the encounter, head constable Gurpreet Singh was injured while another bullet struck the turban of Inspector Amolak Singh. In an act of self-defence, Inspector Vinod Kumar launched firing and injured the main accused. However, the other accused managed to escape from the spot. The deceased has been identified as Gursidak, son of Jagjit Singh and a resident of Bal village of Amritsar while the second accused Vishal, son of Raju and a resident of Rajasansi, Amritsar, has been absconding from the spot. The injured constables and the accused were immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital for treatment where Gursidak succumbed to his injuries. An FIR on the incident is being registered at PS Airport. Two motorcycle-borne masked men were captured on CCTV footage lobbing an object, suspected to be an explosive, at the temple on the night of March 14. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Monday granted the parents of the victim in the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case the liberty to approach the Calcutta High Court, where their plea is already filed. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna allowed the deceased victims' parents to approach the Calcutta High Court, noting that a single judge bench of the High Court is monitoring the case. The top court was hearing a suo moto case in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, which took place at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Senior Advocate Karuna Nundy represented the victims' parents. As per Nundy, the victims' parents today had sought a clarification from the apex court about their case filed before the Calcutta HC, seeking further probe into the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case. After granting the victims' parents liberty to approach the High Court, the CJI Sanjiv Khanna-led bench disposed of their plea filed before it. On January 29, this year, the parents of the victim in Kolkata's RG Kar rape and murder case withdrew their plea before the Supreme Court seeking a fresh investigation into the incident. The victim's parents had filed the (now withdrawn) plea as an Intervention Application (IA) in the suo motu case, which had been registered by the top court in August last year, a few days after the infamous incident took place. In the January 29 hearing, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had asked Karuna Nundy whether the top court should proceed with the case, as a plea regarding similar issues had already been filed before the Calcutta High Court. After considering the submissions made in the affidavit filed before it, the Court had warned the senior counsel to be cautious with her arguments, as there is already a conviction against the sole accused (now convict) Sanjoy Roy in the case. The Court had suggested that Nundy withdraw the plea and file a fresh one, noting that the original plea had been filed by the victim's parents before the trial and the conviction in the cases. Following a brief exchange, the parents withdrew the plea, with the liberty to file a fresh one, as per the top court's order. Today, the top court noted that the Calcutta High Court is monitoring the case. Thus, the Court disposed of the case filed before it. On January 20, this year, the Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court convicted and sentenced Sanjoy Roy to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of the victim in the RG Kar rape and murder case. After the trial court's decision, there has been an uproar, especially among doctors and medical workers, who are calling for Roy to be awarded the death penalty for his gruesome act. There are also calls for reinvestigation into the matter, as concerns have been raised regarding how the investigation was conducted. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt of court notice to the Principal Secretary, Home Department, of the Delhi government for not deciding the remission plea of Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan, a convict in 2002 Nitish Katara murder case. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Principal Secretary to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him and asked him to appear before it through video-conferencing on March 28. The bench issued a contempt notice to the Principal Secretary for failing to decide on granting remission to Sukhdev Yadav despite giving an undertaking to the court. During the hearing, the top court remarked that the government fails to comply with orders unless there is a threat of contempt. "We have seen that without an extension of time, this government will never comply with the orders of this court regarding remission. We are seeing it in every case. Earlier, there was an excuse that the Chief Minister was not available," said Justice Oka. Sukhdev Yadav sought remission after serving a 20-year jail term without remission in the case. The apex court, in its order, stated, "A solemn statement on instructions of the state government was recorded in the order. Now we are informed that the Sentence Review Board (SRB) is to consider the case of the petitioner today. The state government has not shown elementary courtesy in even making an explanation application for a grant of extension of time." "We therefore issue notice to the Principal Secretary of the Home Department of Delhi government calling upon him to show cause why action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 should not be initiated against him. Notice of contempt is made returnable on March 28. We direct the Secretary to remain present through VC," the order added. The counsel appearing for the Delhi government informed the bench that the Sentence Review Board will have a meeting today to decide the case. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Registry of the Delhi High Court to file a progress report on four suo moto revision petitions pending before the High Court in the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots' murder cases. A Bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan also directed the Central and Delhi governments to file Special Leave Pleas against various acquittals in cases, which had earlier been dismissed by the Delhi High Court. The Court listed the matter to be heard next on March 25 this year. The Court was hearing a 2016 plea filed by one S Gurlad Singh Kahlon seeking a probe into 51 murder cases that took place during the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots in Delhi. The Kahlon's plea had prompted the top court to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Justice SN Dhingra for the re-examination of 186 reopened cases in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that took the lives of many. In the last hearing, on February 17, the top court directed that various SLPs slated to be filed be placed before the Chief Justice of India for a direction to tag those SLPs along with the present plea filed by Kahlon. "Considering the fact that this Bench is seized of Writ Petition (Crl.) No.9 of 2016, the SLPs shall be placed before Hon'ble We direct the State of Delhi to ensure that SLPs in aforesaid cases are filed within a maximum period of six weeks from today", the top court had noted in its February 17 order. Today, the Court noted that the Delhi High Court Registry has filed a report as per its February order. However, it also noted that the Registry has not filed a status report on the four suo moto revision petitions, which are yet to be disposed of by the High Court. Thus, it proceeded to direct the High Court Registry to file a progress report in this regard. The petitioner, Kahlon was represented through Senior Advocate HS Phoolka, Advocates Amarjeet Singh Bedi, Gaganmeet Singh Sachdeva and Varun Chugh. (ANI)
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has been actively implementing impactful women-centric schemes to foster self-sufficiency. According to a release, the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana has been launched as part of this effort to provide financial independence to widowed women and ensure they lead a life of dignity and security. The Gujarat government has consistently increased the budget for the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana to provide greater financial support to widowed women. Notably, within just one year, the scheme's budget has been expanded by approximately Rs 700 crore. While the allocation for 2024-25 stood at Rs 2,362.67 crore, it has been raised to Rs 3,015 crore for 2025-26. Furthermore, as of February 2025, a total of Rs 2,164.64 crores has been disbursed to 16.49 lakh widowed women under the scheme, reaffirming the Gujarat government's strong commitment to women's financial empowerment, as stated in the release. One of the beneficiaries from Dang, Devyaniben Padavi, stated, "After my husband passed away in 2021, I came to know about the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana. The monthly assistance of Rs 1,250 has been a great help in managing my household expenses. I am truly grateful to the Department of Women and Child Development for this invaluable help." Other beneficiaries from Patan, Hina Patel and Nikita Prajapati, said that "The Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana has become a ray of hope in our lives. The financial assistance we receive not only helps us manage our household expenses but also ensures our children's education. We are truly grateful to the Gujarat government for this support." The Gujarat government has shown a compassionate and proactive approach by consistently increasing the budget allocation for the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana. From Rs 549.74 crore in 2020-21, the budget has surged nearly 500% to Rs 3,015 crore for 2025-26. Over the past five years, the number of beneficiaries has also witnessed continuous growth, reflecting the government's unwavering commitment to women's financial empowerment. The budget allocation and expenditure under the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana have consistently risen over the years. In the financial year 2020-21, the scheme had a budgetary allocation of Rs 549.74 crore, with an expenditure of Rs1313.38 crore, benefiting 8.16 lakh individuals. The following year, 2021-22, saw an increased allocation of Rs 753.47 crore, while the expenditure stood at Rs 1768.86 crore, covering 11.61 lakh beneficiaries. Further expansion was recorded in 2022-23, with Rs 917.02 crore allocated and Rs 2156.29 crore spent, reaching 13.62 lakh beneficiaries. In 2023-24, the budgetary outlay surged to Rs 1981.76 crore, with an expenditure of Rs 2297.43 crore and 14.97 lakh beneficiaries. For the ongoing financial year 2024-25 (up to February 2025), Rs 2326.67 crore has been allocated, with an expenditure of Rs 2164.64 crore, benefiting 16.49 lakh individuals. In 2019, the Gujarat government increased the monthly financial assistance for widowed women under this scheme to Rs 1,250 and implemented the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system to ensure efficient and transparent disbursement. Previously, the assistance was discontinued once the widow's son attained adulthood (21 years). However, this provision has now been abolished, ensuring lifelong financial support for Ganga Swarupa beneficiaries and reaffirming the government's commitment to their financial security and well-being. Additionally, the annual income limit for rural women increased from Rs 47,000 to Rs 1,20,000, while for urban women, it rose from Rs 68,000 to Rs 1,50,000. As a result, the number of beneficiaries has seen a phenomenal rise--from 1.64 lakh in 2018-19 to 16.49 lakh by February 2025. Through the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana, Gujarat has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring economic security and dignity for widowed women. As the state continues to expand its welfare initiatives, it stands as a shining example of empowerment, equality, and progress for women across India. (ANI)
Dhankar resumed his duties as Chairman of Rajya Sabha this morning as Parliament resumed after a break for Holi festival. Upon his arrival in the House he greeted members with a Namaste.

Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Union Minister JP Nadda and other union ministers Kiren Rijiju, L Murugan, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Ashwini Vaishnaw met with the Vice President.

Other ministers who met with the Vice President and inquired about his health include Ram Nath Thakur, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje and Manohar Lal Khattar.

Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge also met and inquired about the health of Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Dhankhar was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on March 12 after being admitted to the facility on March 9 following complaints of uneasiness and chest pain.

In a statement, AIIMS said, "After receiving necessary care by the medical team at AIIMS, he made a satisfactory recovery and was discharged on March 12. He has been advised to take adequate rest for the next few days."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the national capital and enquired about the health of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Went to AIIMS and enquired about the health of Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji. I pray for his good health and speedy recovery. @VPIndia" (ANI)
According to a release, the operation was conducted in collaboration with the local police.

The apprehended individuals, along with the seized vehicle, have been handed over to Mehenderganj Police Station for further legal proceedings.

"The BSF remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the nation's borders, ensuring national security, and preventing any unlawful cross-border activities. This successful operation highlights the coordinated efforts of BSF Meghalaya and the state police in maintaining vigilance along the Indo-Bangladesh border," the release stated.

Earlier, the BSF Meghalaya intercepted and apprehended four Bangladeshi nationals, including one tout, attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory near the International Border in South Garo Hills,

Acting on specific intelligence regarding illegal crossings in the region, troops from the 200th Battalion BSF swiftly alerted Baghmara MCP and launched an operation.

During the operation, BSF personnel intercepted a Tata Winger vehicle suspected of facilitating the illegal crossing. Upon thorough inspection, four Bangladeshi nationals, including a tout, were apprehended, and the vehicle was seized.

The apprehended individuals, along with the seized vehicle and other recovered items, were handed over at the Baghmara Police Station for further investigation and necessary legal proceedings. (ANI)
The Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, will inaugurate a two-day Orientation Programme for Members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, according to officials. On this occasion, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, will deliver the Key Note Address, and the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Vijender Gupta, will deliver the Welcome Address. The Minister of the Delhi Government, Pravesh Sahib Singh, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Atishi, will also address the Members. Ministers in the Delhi Government and Members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly will attend the inaugural session of the Orientation Programme. Additionally, the Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Mohan Singh Bisht, will deliver a Vote of Thanks. During the two-day Orientation Programme, the Members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly will be briefed on 'How to be an effective Legislator and Do's and Don'ts for Members', 'Legislative and Budgetary Process', 'Executive Accountability through Questions and other Procedural Devices in Legislatures', 'Committee System in Parliament', 'Parliamentary Privileges, Customs, Conventions and Etiquettes' and Information Support to Members & Capacity Building'. The Delhi Assembly's Budget session is scheduled for March 24 to 28, with the Budget presentation on March 25. "Hon'ble Members are informed that the Second Session (Budget Session) of the 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. It further stated that on March 24, government business will be held, and on March 25, the Budget will be presented. On March 26, a general discussion will be held on the Budget, on March 27, consideration and passing of the Budget will be held and on March 28, private members' bill and resolutions. (ANI)
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) held a five-hour meeting on Monday, where legal experts Harish Salve and Justice Ajit Prakash Shah provided insights on the proposal. BJP MP and Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairperson on 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE), PP Chaudhary, told ANI, "In today's meeting, former Solicitor General of India Harish Salve participated, and for three hours, the members interacted with him. The members also interacted with Justice Ajit Prakash Shah for almost two hours. The meeting lasted for five hours, and it was very positive. The members sought clarifications on various issues. They are showing great interest in the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal. The next meeting is scheduled for March 25." The JPC is gathering views and constitutional suggestions from all members, and the government will modify the bill accordingly. PP Chaudhary stated that a website will soon be launched to collect feedback from different stakeholders. Opposition leaders said that the meetings are proceeding smoothly, with discussions and clarifications being addressed by experts. PP Chaudhary earlier told ANI, "We will bring 'One Nation, One Election' for the benefit of the country. Members' doubts are being clarified through discussions with experts. A presentation was made on the upcoming portal, and after necessary corrections, the website for 'One Nation, One Election' will be launched. This platform will allow stakeholders and the public to share their opinions clause-wise. The website will feature the bill in both Hindi and English, enabling people to provide informed feedback after reading the Constitution of India. We want to make full use of technology to understand public sentiment." He emphasized that since political parties are directly affected, it is essential to hear from all sections of society. "We will deliberate through the website and invite expert witnesses. Members have also suggested calling experts periodically to seek their views," he added. Advertisements will be placed in newspapers and electronic media, inviting stakeholders to share their opinions on the proposed framework for 'One Nation, One Election.' These advertisements will feature a QR code for easy access, allowing people to review the bill details before submitting their feedback. Earlier, PP Chaudhary informed that former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Rajendra Menon attended a JPC meeting and addressed questions from members across all parties. "Two experts, former CJI Ranjan Gogoi and former Delhi HC CJ Rajendra Menon, attended the meeting. They gave a presentation, and members from all parties asked questions with great interest. Every member of the JPC is working in the national interest," Chaudhary said. The Constitution Amendment Bill on 'One Nation, One Election,' currently under review by the JPC, proposes aligning the election cycles of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the police to provide round-the-clock security to a transgender individual who is the prime witness in a 2019 murder case. The court passed the order after noting that the accused, who was granted bail, had been violating the conditions and issuing threats to the witness. Justice Ravindra Dudeja issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by Anjali, a transgender person, seeking the cancellation of bail granted to the accused, Shalu. The High Court stated, "Keeping in view the entire facts and circumstances and in particular, the fact that the caller who made the call on 09.03.2025 is being traced, State is directed to file a fresh status report in respect of the complaint made by the petitioner regarding stalking, extension of threat etc., after making further inqpouiry into the threat perception." "" In the meanwhile the IO is directed to provide round the clock security to the petitioner so that no one is able to approach or even threaten the witness and the witness is able to depose freely and fairly before the court," Justice Dudeja ordered. Senior Advocate Manish Vashisht, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the accused, Shalu, had violated the bail conditions. He further submitted that the accused had been continuously stalking, attempting to contact, and threatening the petitioner since being granted bail. He added that on March 9, 2025, the petitioner received a phone call threatening to murder them if they testified against Shalu in court. However, Advocate Kanhaiya Singhal, representing the accused, contended that the petitioner was merely trying to get Shalu's bail canceled on one pretext or another. He further submitted that no direct or indirect threat had been made by Shalu and pointed out that, despite an FIR being registered based on the petitioner's complaint, the Investigating Officer had not deemed it necessary to arrest the accused. The High Court also considered the status report submitted by the DCP, South District regarding the alleged threat call. According to the report, the mobile phone used for the call was found to be switched off upon verification. Further investigation revealed that the phone was activated on March 8, 2025, and registered in the name of a person named Deepanshu, a resident of Sangam Vihar. The Additional Public Prosecutor (APP), under instructions from the Investigating Officer, informed the court that Deepanshu's address had been verified, and he claimed to have handed over the SIM card to a person named Krishna, who is currently untraceable. Efforts are underway to locate him. It was also submitted that a fresh threat assessment request was sent to the DCP Headquarters on March 6, 2025, but the report is still awaited. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by former Gujarat IAS officer Pradeep N Sharma, seeking discharge from charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with alleged illegal land allotments made in 2004-2005. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Prasanna B. Varale ruled that the allegations against Sharma constitute a continuing offence under the PMLA, and the quantum of proceeds of crime involved exceeds the statutory threshold, warranting thorough investigation and judicial scrutiny. Sharma had approached the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court, in March last year, upheld an Ahmedabad PMLA court's decision to reject his discharge application. However, the apex court found no grounds for interference, stating: "It is evident that the appellant has failed to establish any legally sustainable ground warranting interference by this Court at a pre-trial stage. The submissions made in support of the appeal are neither legally tenable nor in the best interest of justice." Sharma, who served as the Collector of Bhuj in May 2003, was booked for offences including cheating, forgery, and corruption. He was accused of misusing a 1997 land revenue policy--intended for allotting fallow lands to private entities--by approving land allotments in violation of regulations. He also allegedly issued a fraudulent certificate to a trust, facilitating wrongful land allotments meant for victims of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Sharma, argued that the alleged offences occurred before the enactment of the PMLA or when the relevant offences were not included under the Act's schedule. He contended that, given the legal framework and ongoing deliberations on the retrospective application of the PMLA, Sharma could not be prosecuted under the Act for alleged predicate offences that predate its enforcement. Opposing the plea, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta contended that Sharma's criminal conduct continued even after the PMLA came into force. He pointed out that the sanction for the illegal land allotment was issued in 2006, and a chargesheet filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code in 2011 confirmed that the total proceeds of crime exceeded Rs1.32 crore, justifying action under the PMLA. After considering the arguments, the Supreme Court rejected Sharma's plea, emphasizing the necessity of a full trial. "A proper trial is necessary to unearth the full extent of the offence, to evaluate the evidence produced by the appellant, to analyze the complete chain of financial transactions, and to determine the veracity of the allegations and the amount of proceeds of crime. The legal framework under the PMLA serves as a crucial mechanism to ensure that individuals involved in laundering proceeds of crime are brought to justice and that economic offences do not go unpunished," the court stated. (ANI)
Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal on Monday assured the residents of Nagpur that the violence is under control and that the situation is now peaceful. Section 144 has been imposed in the area, and the police have directed people not to step out unnecessarily. The violent clashes erupted in Nagpur's Mahal area, where a mob of nearly 1,000 people engaged in large-scale stone-pelting, vandalism, and arson, injuring several police personnel and damaging multiple vehicles and homes. According to the Nagpur Police Commissioner, the incident occurred around 8-8:30 p.m. Speaking to ANI, Nagpur Police Commissioner Dr Ravinder Singal said, "The situation is peaceful right now. A photo was burned, following which people gathered, we requested them, and we even took action in this respect. They had even come to my office to meet me. They were told that an FIR had been lodged based on the names they mentioned and action would be taken against them..." Further, he added, "This (today's violence) incident occurred around 8-8.30 pm. Not many vehicles have been torched. We are taking an assessment of the same. Two vehicles have been torched and stone pelting has occurred...Police are undertaking combing action, and those involved are being identified and arrested...We have imposed Sec 144, and everyone has been told not to step out unnecessarily or take the law into their own hands. Do not believe rumours. Except for this area, the entire city is peaceful..." Tensions broke out in the Mahal area of Nagpur following a dispute between two groups. The Nagpur Police are identifying and arresting those involved. In response to the violence, Nagpur Police have issued prohibitory orders in the city and detained over 20 people. Authorities are analysing CCTV footage and video clips to identify the culprits, and an FIR is being registered. Police have urged residents to maintain calm and cooperate. (ANI)
A meeting was held on Monday at the residence of West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar to discuss the party's strategy for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The meeting was attended by all BJP MPs from the state and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari. Among those present were MPs Raju Bista, Manoj Tigga, Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, Jagannath Sarkar, Khagen Murmu, Jayant Kumar Roy, and Abhijit Gangopadhyay. Speaking to the media, Sukanta Majumdar described the meeting as informal but crucial, as it allowed BJP leaders to deliberate on electoral strategy, key issues, and future plans. "All MPs and the Leader of Opposition participated in the discussion regarding the assembly elections. We exchanged suggestions and strategized on how to ensure the BJP's victory. The Trinamool Congress must be removed from power in 2026, and we are committed to forming a BJP government in West Bengal," he said. He further stated that a detailed organizational meeting would be held soon to finalise the party's future strategy. Commenting on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Majumdar said, "For the first time, Mamata Banerjee is using the word 'Hindu' inside and outside the assembly. Previously, there was no instance where she openly used this term. It is due to the BJP's influence that she now claims to come from a Brahmin family." He challenged anyone to find an old video where Banerjee made such a claim, adding that the rise of BJP and Hindutva is responsible for this shift. Majumdar also spoke about the Waqf Board Amendment Bill, stating that it was never meant for the welfare of the poor. "A separate nation has been created within India through Waqf. The Waqf Board controls more land than Pakistan. Poor Muslims are not benefiting from it, while Trinamool Congress leaders are illegally occupying Waqf properties. This is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. If passed, it will ensure the proper use of Waqf properties," he added. (ANI)
Following the assassination of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abu Qatal in Pakistan, foreign affairs experts have suggested that Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, might face a "similar fate" soon. Speaking with ANI, Robinder Sachdeva said that Abu Qatal's killing indicates that those tracking LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and other terrorists are closing in. "Hafiz Saeed's close aide was killed, which means those who are tracking them have reached quite close. It is said that those who live by the sword die by the sword, and Hafiz Saeed might as well have to face a similar fate. Abu Qatal was involved in a lot of attacks in Kashmir, Rajouri, Poonch, PoK," Sachdeva said. Sachdeva speculated that Saeed might have tightened his security following his nephew's assassination. "Hafiz Saeed's next step might be to increase his security and ask help from the Pakistani army, though they are already protecting him... No one can say who is behind this incident, but this could also have been possibly done by Pakistani authorities to defame India," he added. Commenting on reports of another person being injured in the attack, Major General Dhruv C Katoch (Retd.) suggested that it could be Hafiz Saeed himself. "The other injured person has been admitted to the Pakistan military hospital, and this has created a buzz since Pakistan is very tight-lipped about the identity of the person, and some emerging reports suggest it is Hafiz Saeed," Katoch told ANI. He added that no terrorist is truly safe in Pakistan, even with the Army's protection and that they will eventually be "hunted down." "I don't think it matters whether it is Hafiz Saeed or not, the important point is that he has not been able to sleep comfortably at night... Since he is on the run and on the target list, no terrorist in Pakistan is safe despite the fact that the Pakistani army is giving him all the security... The broader message going out is that they are not safe despite the security and they will be hunted down," he said. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abu Qatal, charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the January 2023 Rajouri attacks, has been shot dead in Pakistan after an assailant opened fire on his vehicle on the Mangla-Jhelum Road, local media reported on Sunday. An armed guard of Qatal was also killed in the attack that took place on Saturday night, as reported by an Islamabad-based outlet, The News International. Qatal was the nephew of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Saeed is wanted in India for numerous rerror-related cases. (ANI)
Global leaders are arriving in New Delhi to participate in the Raisina Dialogue 2025, a key conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. The foreign Ministers of the Slovak Republic, Juraj Blanar; the Philippines, Enrique A. Manalo; and Antigua and Barbuda, EP Chet Greene, have already arrived in the capital. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X, "Welcoming FM Mr. Juraj Blanar of Slovak Republic, FM Enrique A. Manalo of Philippines & FM E.P. Chet Greene of Antigua & Barbuda, as they arrive in New Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue 2025." The Raisina Dialogue, India's premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, will be held in New Delhi from March 17 to 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 10th edition of the event today, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as the chief guest and delivering the keynote address. Representatives from about 125 countries, including ministers, former Heads of State and heads of government, military commanders, captains of industry, technology leaders, academics, journalists, scholars on strategic affairs, experts from leading think tanks, and youth will participate in the Raisina Dialogue. The theme of the 2025 edition is 'Kalachakra - People, Peace and Planet'. Over the course of three days, decision makers and thought leaders of the world will engage each other across conversations in various formats, over six thematic pillars: (i) Politics Interrupted: Shifting Sands and Rising Tides; (ii) Resolving the Green Trilemma: Who, Where, & How; (iii) Digital Planet: Agents, Agencies and Absences; (iv) Militant Mercantilism: Trade, Supply Chains & the Exchange Rate Addiction; (v) The Tiger's Tale: Rewriting Development with a New Plan; and (vi) Investing in Peace: Drivers, Institutions, & Leadership. More than 3,500 participants from about 125 countries will attend the Dialogue in person, and the proceedings will be viewed by millions worldwide on various digital platforms. The conference is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs. A number of institutions, organisations, and individuals are committed to its mission and support this effort. "Every year, leaders in politics, business, media, and civil society converge in New Delhi to discuss the state of the world and explore opportunities for cooperation on a wide range of contemporary matters," the ORF said in a statement. "The Dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia," it added. (ANI)
The United States' airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels have killed atleast 53 people, including five women and two children, and injured nearly 100 others, The Hill reported, quoting the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The airstrikes targeted Yemen's capital, Sanaa, as well as other provinces, including Saada, the rebels' stronghold near the border with Saudi Arabia. In response to the strikes, the Houthis' political bureau has vowed to "meet escalation with escalation." The rebels have also claimed that they targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group with missiles and a drone, but two U.S. officials told The Associated Press they were not tracking anything, as reported by The Hill. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement called for "utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities," while warning of the "grave risks" to the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest nation. On Saturday, Trump announced a "decisive and powerful" military against Houthis, accusing them of piracy, violence and terrorism targeting Americans. "Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform. Trump said the US would use "overwhelming lethal force" against the Houthis while accusing them of 'choking' transportation through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which have affected the trade and commerce and "attacked" the principle of Freedom of Navigation. "The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depend," Trump said. (ANI)
The Vatican has released the first photo of Pope Francis at the chapel in Rome''s Gemelli hospital since his hospitalisation on February 14. In the image, the 88-year-old Pope is seen wearing a stole, a vestment worn while concelebrating Mass. Pope Francis has been battling pneumonia at the hospital in Rome, CNN reported. According to the Vatican, the Pope continued his treatment and did not have any visitors. In the text of his weekly Angelus prayer that was sent in advance to the press, Francis thanked well-wishers for their prayers as he faces what he calls a "period of trial," as reported by CNN. Dozens of children gathered outside the hospital to show their support for the Pope. "I thank you all for your prayers, and I thank those who assist me with such dedication. I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to ''Gemelli'' as a sign of closeness. Thank you, dearest children! The Pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you," Pope Francis said in the text. "Let us continue to pray for peace, especially in the countries wounded by war: tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo," the Pope added. Last week, the Pope sent a telegram expressing his prayers and closeness to those who have experienced deadly flooding in the Argentinian port city of Bahia Blanca as well as the nearby city of Cerri. In his message, Pope Francis expressed his sadness for the natural disaster affecting the region surrounding Bahia Blanca, which, he acknowledged, claimed many lives and caused massive damage. "I offer fervent prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased. I wish to express my spiritual closeness to the entire population, beseeching the Lord to grant comfort to the bereaved and to all those who are suffering in these moments of pain and uncertainty," and prayed the Lord also "sustain with His grace" all those committed to searching for the missing and undertaking "the arduous process of rebuilding the devastated areas." (ANI)
Jerusalem [Israel] March 17 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is working to ensure the supply of eggs in the country for the upcoming Passover holiday, declaring, "supply of eggs for Passover will continue as usual." The average monthly consumption of eggs in Israel is approximately 200 million eggs, a quantity similar to the scope of local production, explained the Ministry. However, during the holiday periods, and especially in preparation for Passover, the demand for eggs increases significantly and reaches approximately 240 million eggs per full month in March and April. In normal years, without fighting, the gap between local production and consumption during peak seasons is bridged through spot imports of approximately 80-100 million eggs per year, with approximately 40 million of these being imported in preparation for Passover. According to daily monitoring conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the gap between local production and demand for Passover currently stands at approximately 25 million eggs. Of this quantity, one million eggs have already entered Israel in the past week, and the rest are expected to enter in the next three weeks. Today, eggs from avian influenza-free areas in the European Union can be imported into Israel, as well as eggs intended for industry from the United States. (ANI/TPS)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (local time) informed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Washinton's decision to use military power against Yemen Houthis rebels. In response, Lavrov emphasised the need for all parties to "immediately" cease the use of force, according to Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "On March 15, Secretary Marco Rubio informed Russia's FM Sergey Lavrov of the US decision to launch a military operation against the Houthi forces. Sergey Lavrov stressed the need for all Parties to immediately cease the use of force," the Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in a post on X. https://x.com/mfa_russia/status/1901190227588206708?s=46 Meanwhile, US airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels have killed atleast 53 people, including five women and two children, and injured nearly 100 others, The Hill reported, quoting the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The airstrikes targeted Yemen's capital, Sanaa, as well as other provinces, including Saada, the rebels' stronghold near the border with Saudi Arabia. In response to the strikes, the Houthis' political bureau has vowed to "meet escalation with escalation." The rebels have also claimed that they targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group with missiles and a drone, but two U.S. officials told The Associated Press they were not tracking anything, as reported by The Hill. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement called for "utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities," while warning of the "grave risks" to the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest nation. On Saturday, Trump announced a "decisive and powerful" military against Houthis, accusing them of piracy, violence and terrorism targeting Americans. "Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform. (ANI)
After Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abu Qatal was shot dead in Pakistan, defence experts have called his killing a major blow to LeT, saying that "when such operatives get killed or injured, someone new takes their place." "This is a very big blow to Lashkar-e-Taiba as it was a perpetrator of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks... Secondly, it is going to create a vacuum in the leadership of LeT, and then operatives like Qatal, which means that the number of people working on the ground is also going down," Defence Expert Hemant Mahajan said. He further noted that targeting enemies of the country would lead to their elimination, reducing fresh recruitment in such organizations. "It is a clear indication that enemies of our country will be targeted in due course and eliminated, ensuring fresh recruitment reduces in such organizations... Middle-level operatives are also not operatives, and this is why violence in Jammu and Kashmir has definitely gone down, and now the attacks of such organizations have become limited to attacking soft targets like women, children, Hindus in the valley or migrant workers." Mahajan emphasized that while new operatives may replace those killed, LeT's overall efficiency will decline. "When such operatives get killed or injured, someone new takes their place, so this will continue, but the efficiency of LeT will be reduced drastically," he said. He highlighted that this was the second major attack on the Pakistani Army in recent days, following the hijacking of a train on Tuesday that resulted in the deaths of several Pakistani soldiers. "A train in Pakistan was hijacked earlier, and a large number of Pakistani soldiers were killed, and now this is a second attack on the Pakistani Army in just two days. The area of Balochistan or that around the China-Pakistan economic corridor is becoming more and more dangerous... China has invested USD 60 billion along this road, and the investment has gone down if it is not safe," he said. He further claimed that China has expressed dissatisfaction with Pakistan's failure to secure the corridor from Baloch attacks. "There have been indications that the Chinese have been unhappy with Pakistan's inability to protect the corridor from the Balochi attack and they have warned that till all these elements are eliminated, China will not put any fresh investments along this corridor," he added. Meanwhile, Defence Expert Praful Bakshi noted that while Qatal's killing is a major development, it does not make a major difference in the larger fight against terrorism. "Even if you kill 10 Hafiz Saeeds, terrorism will not end," he said. "I congratulate the security agencies for this milestone, but we cannot speak of it with laurels. We must not stop here... these terrorists are present in PoK and the adjoining area. Surgical strikes must be done, but until we occupy them, they will come up in 6 weeks again... Killing 200-300 makes no difference," he added. West Asia Strategist Waiel Awwad stated that the selective killing of terrorists, including Qatal, may have been carried out by syndicate criminals who were paid for their services. "Selective killing of most of the people, considered to be terrorists who have been carrying out acts against India, might have been carried by some syndicate criminals and they must be paid... This is a clear indication that law and order in Pakistan is deteriorating and the future and integrity of Pakistan is under threat," he said. He also highlighted the recent terrorist attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy in Balochistan's Noshki district. "The coming report indicates that 8 convoys of Pakistani army has been attacked by BLA, that is considered to be a terrorist army by the Pakistani army. There have been claims of 90 personnel killed, but the reports are yet to be confirmed," he said. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abu Qatal, charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the January 2023 Rajouri attacks, was shot dead in Pakistan after an assailant opened fire on his vehicle on the Mangla-Jhelum Road, local media reported on Sunday. An armed guard of Qatal was also killed in the attack that took place on Saturday night, as reported by an Islamabad-based outlet, The News International. Qatal was the nephew of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Saeed is wanted in India for numerous rerror-related cases. (ANI)
US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces are continuing their intensified operations against Houthi terrorists. The video shared by CENTCOM on X shows military aircraft taking off. While sharing the video on X, US Central Command posted, "CENTCOM forces continue operations against Iran-backed Houthi terrorists." https://x.com/centcom/status/1901428374486089974 The United States' airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels have killed atleast 53 people, including five women and two children, and injured around 100 others, The Hill reported, quoting the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The airstrikes targeted Yemen's capital, Sanaa, as well as other provinces, including Saada, the rebels' stronghold near the border with Saudi Arabia. In response to the strikes, the Houthis' political bureau has vowed to "meet escalation with escalation." On March 15, US President Donald Trump announced that he ordered the US military to launch "decisive and powerful military action" against Houthi terrorists in Yemen. He said that Houthis kept attacking the US, as former US President Joe Biden's response was "weak" against them. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones." "Joe Biden's response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It has been over a year since a U.S. flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk," he added. He stated that Houthi's attack on US vessels will not be tolerated and vowed to use "overwhelming lethal force" until they achieved their objective. "The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends," Trump stated in a post on Truth Social. "Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists' bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World," he added. He warned Houthis to stop attacks or "hell will rain down upon" them like "nothing you have ever seen before." He asked Iran to stop supporting Houthi terrorists. "To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE," Trump posted on Truth Social. "To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it," he added. Since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, the Houthis have launched attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, causing disruptions to global trade. (ANI)
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded at the International Space Station for over nine months, will return to Earth on Tuesday evening, NASA announced in a statement. Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to travel back to Earth alongside Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. NASA will provide live coverage of the agency''s SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 pm EDT on Monday. NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida''s coast for the return of the agency''s Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. In a statement, NASA stated, "NASA will provide live coverage of the agency''s SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT Monday, March 17." "NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida''s coast for the return of the agency''s Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18," it added. According to a NASA statement, the updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility before less-favourable weather conditions are expected later in the week. Mission managers will continue monitoring weather conditions in the area, as Dragon''s undocking relies on several factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return, according to the statement. https://x.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1901422933366456607 SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov docked with International Space Station, Space X CEO Elon Musk announced on Sunday. On Friday, SpaceX and NASA launched a mission to bring back US astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the ISS, where they have been stranded for nine months. The lift-off took place at 7:03 ET on Friday, with a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft on the Crew-10 mission. The launch came after US President Donald Trump urged Elon Musk to rescue the stranded astronauts sooner than NASA had planned. He has repeatedly accused former US President Joe Biden of abandoning them in space. Wilmore and Williams have been stranded on the ISS for nine months after reaching there in June last year. They were supposed to stay there for about a week. The astronauts were transported from Earth to the ISS aboard Boeing''s Starliner spacecraft. However, the spacecraft came back to Earth unmanned in September. This came after NASA and Boeing identified "helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters" on June 6 as Starliner approached the space station. (ANI)
NASA Asronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, who are to return to earth after being stranded in space for over nine months, expressed gratitude for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump. In the video posted by Musk on X, Sunita Williams said, "We are coming back before long, so don''t make those plans without me. We''ll be back before too long." Butch Wilmore said, "All of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk and obviously respect and admiration for our President of the United States Donald Trump. We appreciate them, we appreciate all what they do for us, human spaceflight for our nation, and we''re thankful for the positions they are in." Wilmore and Williams have been stranded on the ISS for nine months after reaching there in June last year. They were supposed to stay there for about a week. The astronauts were transported from Earth to the ISS aboard Boeing''s Starliner spacecraft. However, the spacecraft came back to Earth unmanned in September. This came after Starliner faced "helium leaks" and "issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters" while docking with the ISS, Fox News reported. Their return to Earth is now set for Tuesday evening. Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to travel back alongside Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov docked with the International Space Station on Sunday. Earlier, US President Donald Trump urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to rescue the stranded astronauts sooner than NASA had planned. He has repeatedly accused former US President Joe Biden of "abandoning" them in space. On March 7, Trump said that he has authorised Elon Musk to bring back American astronauts- Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore who have been stranded at the International Space station since June last year. Meanwhile, NASA, in a statement, announced that it will provide live coverage of the agency''s SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT Monday, March 17. "NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida''s coast for the return of the agency''s Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18," it added. According to a NASA statement, the updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility before less-favourable weather conditions are expected later in the week. Mission managers will continue monitoring weather conditions in the area, as Dragon''s undocking relies on several factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return. (ANI)
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has expressed its appreciation for the recent sanctions imposed by the US State Department on Thai officials involved in the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China. In a statement shared on the social media platform X, WUC stated, "The World Uyghur Congress welcomes and thanks the US Department of State for imposing sanctions on Thai officials involved in the deportation of Uyghurs to China. This decisive action sends a strong message that complicity in persecution of Uyghurs will not go unpunished. We urge other governments to follow this example and take concrete measures to protect Uyghur refugees and hold those responsible for their deportation accountable." https://x.com/UyghurCongress/status/1900877513531822360 The US State Department announced on Friday that it would impose sanctions on an undisclosed number of current and former Thai officials involved in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China, despite concerns they could be imprisoned or even executed there. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he has swiftly taken action to enforce visa restrictions on those responsible for the deportations. The deportation of Uyghur refugees from Thailand to China has been a long-standing point of contention for human rights organisations. Human rights organisations have urged countries to adopt policies that protect the rights and safety of Uyghur refugees, ensuring they are not forcibly returned to a country where they face grave human rights abuses. Earlier, Amnesty International had also condemned Thailand's decision to deport Uyghur detainees to China, calling it "unimaginably cruel." Sarah Brooks, Amnesty's China Director, emphasised that returning these Uyghurs to China exposes them to serious human rights violations, including torture, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearance, as seen in Xinjiang. Brooks highlighted that the men had already suffered over a decade of arbitrary detention in Thailand after fleeing repression in China. The Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic group in China's Xinjiang region, face severe persecution, including mass detention in "re-education" camps, forced labour, surveillance, cultural suppression, and torture. According to several media reports, the Chinese government's crackdown aims to eliminate Uyghur identity, religion, and autonomy, leading to widespread human rights violations and international condemnation. (ANI)
As the Raisina Dialogue commences in New Delhi, Polish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski emphasised the significance of the annual conference, calling it a key forum for global discussions on international relations. Marking his third time at the event, he highlighted its unique role in bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and experts from across continents. "First of all, it's my third time at the Raisina, and it's a fantastic conference - the most important international relations conference in Asia, and everybody comes here. Last year, there were 3,000 people here. There's always a Guest of Honour, this year, it's the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Last year, it was the Prime Minister of Greece, before (it was) Giorgia Meloni from Italy. One of the values of this conference is that people come here from all over the world. It's not an Asian conference - it's a global conference," Bartoszewski said in an interview to ANI. "You meet people from Australia to the United States, Europe, and Asia. Of course, many people from India. It's a great venue to exchange views and positions and have a lot of informal talks. One of the beauties of this conference is that we have panels, we have plenary sessions, and then we've got lots of time for 1 to 1 meetings which take place throughout the conference. People book each other and spend half an hour, which so many people, you could never do it anywhere else. It's a fantastic conference," Bartoszewski continued. He pointed out that the discussions this year are expected to focus on major geopolitical shifts, ongoing conflicts, and economic challenges that are reshaping the international order. "I think this is the main topic of conversation, this change of the global order. New President in the United States, continuous Russian aggression in Ukraine, a new trade-war, potentially, potentially changing the world based on international law into a different form. This is very troublesome time, and definitely these would be the main topics of discussion." On the strong European presence at the conference and India's growing engagement with Europe, Bartoszewski underlined the increasing focus on Indo-Pacific relations. "Europe is very interested in India and Asia, and the visit of Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) with all the commissioners over here will approve on this point. I am particularly interested in Indo-Pacific (discussions) since I'm involved in it daily. The future will be much more focused on Asia than we have up till now," he stated. Speaking about India-Poland relations, he described the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Poland as a landmark moment, strengthening ties between the two nations. "We signed a strategic partnership agreement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the visit was phenomenal. He brought with him a very strong team in foreign affairs and security. We're talking about security cooperation, we're talking about military cooperation, we're talking about trade, investments in IT, foods production. India is a good partner, and we have been together since the beginning of 1947, when we formed relations with India. The visit was historic, and the first time in 45 years that the Indian Prime Minister came. It was a success and we are going to build on that. We have a strategic agreement; we have an action plan - we are going to implement it over the next few years." Addressing the topic of Elon Musk's Starlink and its use in Ukraine, Bartoszewski highlighted Poland's financial role in securing access to the service for Ukraine. "It's a lot on his part. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski pointed out that Ukraine didn't get Starlink - we actually paid 200 million dollars for it, and we gave it to Ukraine. We paid for it! So if you pay for something, you expect it to work. Mr. Musk confirmed that Starlink will keep being usable in Ukraine." (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the United States Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard in the national capital on Monday, during which they discussed key aspects of defence cooperation and intelligence sharing between the two nations. Singh shared details of the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Happy to have met the US Director of National Intelligence Ms Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues which include defence and information sharing, aiming to further deepen the India-US partnership." https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/1901537653746516221 Gabbard is visiting India as a part of her multi-nation visit. The Asia leg of Gabbard's trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her. Earlier on Saturday, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with Gabbard, and according to sources, they discussed several facets of the India-US relationship in detail. Her visit to India follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in February this year. During his visit, PM Modi met with Gabbard and called her a "strong votary" of the India-US friendship. Gabbard also called it an "honour" to welcome PM Modi and said she looks forward to continuing to strengthen the US-India friendship. Gabbard is also set to participate in a keynote conversation with Samir Saran, President, ORF. The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue is being co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). PM Modi will inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue today, where the chief guest, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, will deliver the keynote address. The Raisina Dialogue, set to be held in New Delhi from March 17-19, is India's premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. (ANI)
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, a self- declared Hindu American is a staunch Lord Krishna devotee and turns to his teachings in the Bhagavad Gita in the best of times and the worst of times. Krishna's lessons to Arjuna, said the 44-year-old top ranking US official who is currently visiting India, gives her strength, peace, and comfort throughout the day. In an interview with ANI on Monday, Gabbard took time out from a schedule packed with back- to- back meetings to speak about her spiritual practice emphaisisng how her personal relationship with God is the centre of her life. On how her spiritual journey and being Hindu has helped her break all glass ceilings, Gabbard said, "Well, my own personal spiritual practice, my personal relationship with God is the centre of my life and I do my very best every day to live a life that is pleasing to God and what better way to do that and to do my best to be of service to all of God's children. And so in different times of my life, whether serving in war zones in different parts of the world or the challenges that we face now, it is Krishna's teachings to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita that I turn to in the best of times and the worst of times and continuously learn critical lessons from Krishna to Arjuna that give me strength, that give me peace, that give me great comfort through all of the days." She also expressed happiness about being in India and talked about her love for Indian food.Gabbard said, "Let me just say I love so much about India. I always feel at home when I'm here. The people are so welcoming and kind and the food is always delicious. The Dal Makhani and anything with fresh paneer is delicious." Gabbard, known for her exemplary service in the US Army Reserve, has had a distinguished career spanning over two decades. Rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, she has been recognized for her leadership, dedication, and strategic acumen. She arrived in India as a part of her multi-nation visit. It is her first visit to India after assuming office as the US Director of National Intelligence. The Asia leg of Gabbard's trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue. Her visit to India follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in February this year. During his visit, PM Modi met with Gabbard and called her a "strong votary" of the India-US friendship. Gabbard also called it an "honour" to welcome PM Modi and said she looks forward to continuing to strengthen the US-India friendship. As per the official website of Raisina Dialogue, Gabbard will participate in a keynote conversation with Samir Saran, President, ORF. The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, being co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), will commence today. (ANI)
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday reiterated US President Donald Trump's commitment to defeating the threat of Islamist terrorism that she said continues to pose a direct threat to American people. She noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also takes this threat seriously and added that the two leaders will work together to try to identify and defeat that threat. In an interview with ANI, Gabbard said that terrorism has been affecting people in India, Bangladesh, Syria, Israel and different parts of the Middle East. When asked how Trump administration sees the repeated terror attacks on India from Pakistan, Gabbard responded, "President Trump, through his first administration in the presidency, and it continues now, has been very clear about his commitment to defeating this threat of Islamist terrorism that has unfortunately plagued us, and continues to pose a direct threat to the American people." "But, we see how it's been impacting people here in India, in Bangladesh, currently ongoing in Syria, Israel and different countries in the Middle East. So this is a threat that I know Prime Minister Modi also takes seriously and one where the leaders of our two countries will work together to try to identify and defeat that threat," she added. On dismantling of deep-state assets and whether they were involved in regime change matters in India, Tulsi Gabbard said that US intelligence professions were using intelligence-based chat network to conduct a "highly unprofessional and sexually explicit conversation" for an extended period of time. She stated that the action violates the basic professionalism expected from US government employees and the trust that the people of the US need to have in intelligence professionals. "I can tell you to my knowledge, the answer is no. what you are referring to unfortunately was an incident that came to my attention where for an extended period of time we had intelligence professionals who were using an intelligence-based chat network to conduct a highly unprofessional and sexually explicit conversation. This not only violates the basic professionalism that we expect of all of our government employees, but it really violates the specifically around those, the trust that the American people need to have in our intelligence professionals," she said. She expressed her commitment to ensuring that US intelligence community is focused on its core mission of securing nation, seeking out the truth and reporting the truth so that US President Donald Trump can make the best informed decisions. "So, in my role as Director of National Intelligence, this is one area that is my singular priority when it comes to ensuring that our intelligence community is focused on its core mission of securing our country, seeking out the truth and reporting that truth so that our president can make the best informed decisions. So, anything else that distracts away from that, we want to get out of the way, whether it's these inappropriate chat rooms or the more serious threats that we've seen of the weaponization and politicization of our intelligence to undermine really the fabric of our democratic republic," she added. Earlier in February, President Donald Trump had questioned the US government's allocation of USD 21 million for voter turnout in India, calling it a "kickback scheme". He also spoke about the funding of USD 21 million for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh and USD 19 million for biodiversity in Nepal.. (ANI)
India has conveyed its concerns regarding anti-India activities linked to Khalistani elements during discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Addressing the issue, Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar in a special briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs stated, "About Khalistan, this was an issue that came up... We do alert our friends to the activities of anti-India elements in their countries and their abuse of freedom of speech and other democratic freedoms to glorify terrorism and to threaten attacks against our diplomats, our parliament or our events in India. So these were also conveyed. The government of New Zealand has been receptive and has taken our concerns on board in the past as well." India has been vocal about its stance against separatist movements operating from foreign soil. The meeting with Luxon comes at a time when the Indian government has been urging international partners to take stronger action against individuals and groups involved in extremist activities. New Zealand has previously acknowledged such concerns, and India expects continued cooperation in addressing these threats. Meanwhile, India's concerns over Khalistani separatist activities are not limited to New Zealand. Recently, India formally raised the issue with the United Kingdom following a security breach during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to London. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We have conveyed our deep concern to the UK authorities about the breach of security arrangements by UK-based separatist and extremist elements during EAM's visit." Jaiswal further criticised the "license accorded to such forces" and the indifference toward their threats and intimidation tactics. He stressed that India would assess the sincerity of the UK's response based on the actions taken against those responsible. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) later condemned the protests staged by Khalistani elements outside Chatham House, where Jaishankar had been addressing a discussion. The government continues to push for stringent measures against such groups, emphasising that their activities pose a direct threat to India's sovereignty and diplomatic interests. (ANI)
Farmers in SW China's Xizang welcome spring farming

Xinhua) 08:58, March 17, 2025

Farmers participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Codoi Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 16, 2025 shows a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Quxar Town of Lnaze County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

Farmers participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Codoi Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

A drone photo taken on March 16, 2025 shows a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Qangka Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

Farmers participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Quxar Town of Lnaze County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

Farmers participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Codoi Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)

A farmer participates in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Codoi Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

A drone photo taken on March 16, 2025 shows a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Qangka Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)

Farmers participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Codoi Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

Farmers participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Codoi Township, Lhunzhub County of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 16, 2025. Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)

This combo photo shows Tenzin Droma (R) and her fellow villager staying at a temporary shelter after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southwest China's Xizang on January, taken on Jan. 7, 2025 (above); and they participate in a ceremony marking the start of spring farming in Quxar Town of Lnaze County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on March 16, 2025 (below). Ceremonies marking the start of spring farming were held across Xizang on Sunday. The ceremony holds great significance as it marks the beginning of a new year's farming season and serves as a prayer for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It is considered an important ritual in the farming regions of Xizang. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is on an official visit to India from March 16-20, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This marks his first visit to India as Prime Minister, and he's accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials, businesses, media, and members of the Indian diaspora community in New Zealand. Speaking at the special briefing on the official visit of the Prime Minister of New Zealand to India on Monday, the MEA Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar said that Luxon is also the chief guest of the 10th Raisina Dialogue this year and will deliver the keynote address. The visit highlights the strengthening ties between India and New Zealand, with several high-level contacts between the two nations in the past year. "At the invitation of PM Modi, the PM of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, is on an official visit from 16th to 20th March. This is his first visit to India in his current capacity as Prime Minister... He is the chief guest of the 10th Raisina Dialogue this year and will deliver the keynote address later this evening," he said. Notably, Luxon congratulated Modi on his third term as Prime Minister, and the two leaders met on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos in October. "There have been several high-level contacts between India and New Zealand in the past year. PM Luxon telephonically congratulated PM Modi after he won his third term as Prime Minister and PM Modi also met PM Luxon on the margins of the East Asia Summit in Laos in October 2024," he added. The President of India also made a successful visit to New Zealand in August last year, further solidifying the relationship between the two countries. Luxon's visit is expected to deepen the bilateral relationship across all sectors and strengthen people-to-people ties. Earlier in the day, PM Modi and the New Zealand PM held a bilateral meeting at the Hyderabad House in the national capital on Monday. "PM Narendra Modi warmly welcomed PM Christopher Luxon of New Zealand at Hyderabad House today. Extensive discussions on bilateral relationships lie ahead," MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. Luxon had arrived in the city on Sunday on a five-day official visit to India. Earlier this morning, the New Zealand PM paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi in Rajghat. The meeting comes amid a growing push to enhance bilateral ties, with both leaders set to discuss economic cooperation, trade expansion, and regional security. The visit has already seen the announcement of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump has declared that the pardons issued by former President Joe Biden to members of the House Select Committee investigating him are "void, vacant, and of no further force or effect." In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The 'Pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!" He further claimed, "The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime." https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114175908922736427 Trump accused the committee members of destroying and deleting all evidence from their investigation into him and his allies, stating, "Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two-year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level." He further added, "The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!" Earlier on Friday, Trump spoke at the Department of Justice, where he accused the previous administration of turning the DOJ into a "Department of Injustice." He said, "Our predecessor turned the Department of Justice into a Department of Injustice, but I stand before you to declare that those days are over, and they are never coming back. And now, as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of our country, I will insist upon and demand accountability for all the wrongs and abuse that have occurred." Trump criticised investigations into him and his allies, stating, "They persecuted my family, staff and supporters; raided my home, Mar-a-Lago; and did everything within their power to prevent me from becoming the president of the United States." He further claimed, "They spied on my campaign, launched one hoax and disinformation operation after another." Trump also vowed to "clean up" Washington, tackle crime, and address illegal immigration. He said, "We are cleaning up our city, this great capital, we are not going to have crime, we are going to take graffiti down, we have already taken tents down, we are working with administration... PM Modi of India, French President, UK PM, they all came to see me... when they came, I didn't want them to see tension, graffiti, broken barriers... we are going to do that for the city." Last month, Trump announced the termination of all remaining "Biden-era" US attorneys, citing the "politicisation" of the Department of Justice over the past four years. He said the move was necessary to "clean house" and restore faith in the justice system, arguing that a fair system is essential for America's "golden age" to thrive. (ANI)
Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch took to social media platform X to denounce the targeted killing of Shah Jan Baloch, a young trader from Khuzdar, Balochistan. Shah Jan was the brother of Zahid Baloch, a student leader who has allegedly been "disappeared" for 11 years by Pakistani intelligence agencies. https://x.com/MahrangBaloch_/status/1900976975998595517?t=c9yHsQL5A1YoLJFh61tWOQ&s=08 According to Mahrang, Shah Jan had no political affiliations or activist background. He was simply a local businessman and the sole provider for his family. She stressed that his only "crime" was being related to a student leader taken into custody by the state over a decade ago. In her post, Mahrang painted a tragic picture of the persecution faced by Baloch families, particularly those who demand human rights or criticise state actions. She emphasised that the Baloch people not only suffer persecution themselves but also see their loved ones targeted. She described Shah Jan's murder as yet another example of the brutal tactics used by the state to intimidate and suppress dissent. Mahrang's message extended beyond Shah Jan's killing, highlighting a continuous pattern of human rights abuses in Balochistan that have persisted for more than two decades. She stated that the people of Balochistan are living in an ongoing nightmare, where nearly every family has been affected by violence. Despite this, she pointed out, the outside world largely ignores their suffering. She further urged the Baloch people to disregard external criticism or advice on how to resist oppression. The Baloch population in Pakistan has long faced systematic human rights violations, including forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and military operations that disproportionately affect civilians. Their demands for political autonomy, control over their natural resources, and an end to the heavy military presence in the region have been met with severe state repression. Reports of torture, arbitrary detentions, and even the destruction of entire villages continue to emerge despite international condemnation. The ongoing human rights crisis in Balochistan has fueled widespread fear and anger among its people. As they continue their struggle for justice and recognition, Mahrang Baloch's words reflect the growing frustration of a community that has long been silenced, yet refuses to be ignored. (ANI)
The protest, led by members of various health-related organisations, began with a rally from Asfandyar Bukhari District Headquarters Hospital to the deputy commissioner's office.

Dawn reported that the employees gathered at Kachhari Chowk voiced strong opposition to the privatisation of the health sector.

Protest leaders expressed concerns about the impact of the government's decision, accusing the Punjab government of attempting a "financial massacre" of health workers by privatising healthcare services at low costs.

They highlighted that privatisation had already been implemented in several hospitals, labs, and services like radiology, which had negatively affected the quality of healthcare and led to worsening sanitation and security in hospitals.

According to Dawn, the protesters also criticised the private companies running health outlets for their high charges, claiming that patient numbers had significantly dropped at these hospitals due to expensive treatments.

They warned that the government's plan would lead to mass joblessness, as private companies would replace government staff with contract workers and daily wage employees. The protesters warned of a mass sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly on April 7 if their demands were not met.

In Pakistan, medical protests have erupted repeatedly due to issues such as inadequate healthcare funding, poor working conditions, and the shortage of medical staff. Healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics, often protest against low wages, delayed salaries, and unsafe working environments.

The government's failure to address these concerns has led to strikes, boycotts, and demonstrations. Additionally, the public faces issues like the unavailability of essential medicines, overcrowded hospitals, and underfunded health systems. Moreover, Doctors in Pakistan often face salary delays, causing financial distress and affecting their morale and healthcare services delivery. (ANI)
PM Modi was particularly delighted that Luxon, whom he described as a "youthful, dynamic and energetic leader", would be the Chief Guest at the prestigious Raisina Dialogue.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "It is a matter of immense joy to be welcoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Delhi. It is equally gladdening that such a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader will be the Chief Guest at this year's Raisina Dialogue."

Higlighting the earlier bilateral meet, he added, "We had wide-ranging talks earlier today, covering all important sectors relating to India-New Zealand friendship."

Earlier in the day, PM Modi and the New Zealand PM held a bilateral meeting at the Hyderabad House in the national capital on Monday.

"PM Narendra Modi warmly welcomed PM Christopher Luxon of New Zealand at Hyderabad House today. Extensive discussions on bilateral relationships lie ahead," MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties and addressing global challenges during their meeting in New Delhi.

Speaking in a joint press statement, PM Modi highlighted shared concerns over terrorism, citing attacks in both countries. PM Modi emphasized that terrorism is unacceptable in all forms, citing the devastating attacks on Christ Church in 2019 and Mumbai's 26/11 tragedy.

He stressed the need for strict action against terror perpetrators and separatist elements.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism and violent extremism through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms.

Luxon arrived in the city on Sunday on a five-day official visit to India to attend the Raisina Dialogue 2025. Earlier this morning, the New Zealand PM paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi in Rajghat.

The meeting comes amid a growing push to enhance bilateral ties, with both leaders set to discuss economic cooperation, trade expansion, and regional security. The visit has already seen the announcement of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations. (ANI)
The workshop is a key outcome of the 6th Quad Leaders' Summit held in September 2024 and aims to strengthen regional health security through collaboration on governance, surveillance, and emergency response mechanisms.

Senior health officials, technical experts, and policymakers from Quad nations--India, the United States, Japan, and Australia--are participating in the event, along with over 25 delegates from 15 Indo-Pacific countries, including Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Palau, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Representatives from international health organisations are also in attendance.

Highlighting the significance of the initiative, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X: "The Quad- Continuing to serve as a force for good in the region. India is hosting the Quad Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness from 17-19 March 2025. The Workshop brings together Quad partners Australia, Japan and the US, & delegates from 15 countries of the Indo-Pacific to strengthen pandemic responses, enhance resilience, & implement the One Health approach for a safer, healthier Indo-Pacific."

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1901571158396285137

Minister of State for Health, Anupriya Patel, inaugurated the workshop. The event also featured insights from Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Kumar Sood, Secretary (Health) Punya Salila Srivastava, Additional Secretary, MOH&FW V. Hekali Zhimomi, and Additional Secretary (Americas), MEA Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur.

The workshop serves as a platform for participating countries to share experiences in pandemic preparedness, with a focus on governance frameworks, surveillance strategies, and technological innovation in public health, an official press release by the MEA reported.

Panel discussions will address critical areas such as strengthening global health frameworks, enhancing preparedness and resilience, ensuring coordinated pandemic responses, and implementing the One Health approach.

Delegates will also discuss key aspects like risk communication, community engagement, disease surveillance, and capacity building.

The workshop includes practical sessions where participants will engage in group exercises and simulations of pandemic scenarios, including Avian Influenza, Mpox, and Ebola. These exercises will help refine response strategies and improve cross-border coordination.

Delegates will gain firsthand experience of India's public health infrastructure through field visits to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Centre for Vector-Borne Disease Control. These visits will provide insights into India's advanced surveillance systems and emergency response mechanisms, the press release stated.

The Quad Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness marks a significant milestone in regional health collaboration, reinforcing efforts to build a more resilient and coordinated health security framework for the Indo-Pacific. (ANI)
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's positive remarks on China-India relations during a podcast interview and also noted that being partners in mutual success and achieving "Dragon-Elephant Dance" cooperation is the only correct choice for the two countries, Chinese state media reported on Monday. Global Times reported that while adressing a media query on PM Modi's recent remarks on the Lex Fridman podcast, Mao Ning stated that China is willing to work with India to fully implement the consensus reached by their leaders, take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to advance exchanges and cooperation across various fields and levels and promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations. According to the report in the Global Times, Mao said that in the 2,000-year history of China-India interactions, friendly exchanges and mutual learning have been the mainstream, contributing significantly to world civilization and human progress. In October last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Modi on the margins of the BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia. During Sunday's podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman, PM Modi expressed optimism about India's relationship with China, emphasizing the importance of learning from and understanding one another. Despite ongoing border disputes, PM Modi acknowledged the ancient cultural and civilizational ties between the two nations, noting that there's no real history of conflict between them. PM Modi also advocated for healthy competition between the two nations, emphasising that competition should never turn into conflict. Further, PM Modi acknowledged a return to normalcy at the border. The two nations are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020. "It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. And in 2020, the incidents along the border created significant tensions between our countries. However, after my recent meeting with China's President Xi Jinping, we have seen a return to normalcy at the border. We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020. Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return. But, of course, it will take some time since there's been a five-year gap," he said. "Our relationship should remain just as strong in the future. It should continue to grow. Of course, differences are natural. When two neighbouring countries exist, occasional disagreements are bound to happen. Even within a family, not everything is always perfect. But our focus is to ensure that these differences don't turn into disputes," he said. (ANI)
The Bangladesh interim government has expressed deep concern over US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's remarks on an "Islamist caliphate," stating that her comments are both "misleading and damaging" to the country's image and reputation. "We note with deep concern and distress the remarks made by DNI Tulsi Gabbard, in which she alleged "persecution and killing" of religious minorities in Bangladesh and that "the threat of Islamic terrorists" in the country is "rooted" in the "ideology and objective" to "rule and govern with an Islamist caliphate." This statement is both misleading and damaging to the image and reputation of Bangladesh, a nation whose traditional practice of Islam has been famously inclusive and peaceful and that has made remarkable strides in its fight against extremism and terrorism", Bangladesh's interim government said in a statement late on Monday. Gabbard remarked during an interview on an Indian television channel, where she explained the ideology of the "Islamic Caliphate" and how extremist elements have influenced various countries. Condemning Gabbard's statement, the Bangladesh government said her comments were not based on any evidence and unfairly generalised an entire nation. "Gabbard's comments are not based on any evidence or specific allegations. They paint an entire nation with a broad and unjustified brush. Bangladesh, like many countries around the world, has faced challenges of extremism, but it has continuously worked in partnership with the international community, including the US, to address these issues through law enforcement, social reforms, and other counterterrorism efforts", the statement read. The Bangladesh government emphasised that linking the country to the idea of an "Islamist caliphate" undermines the hard work of its citizens, who are committed to peace, stability, and progress. "Bangladesh strongly condemns any efforts to link the country to any form of "Islamist caliphate"." the statement added. The government urged Gabbard and other political leaders to base their statements on "actual knowledge" when discussing sensitive issues, warning that such remarks could reinforce harmful stereotypes. "Political leaders and public figures should base their statements, especially about the most sensitive issues, on actual knowledge and take care not to reinforce harmful stereotypes, to fan fears and potentially even stoke sectarian tensions", the statement said."In support of our shared global efforts to combat extremism and terrorism, the Interim Government of Bangladesh remains committed to engaging in constructive dialogue based on facts and on respect for the sovereignty and security of all nations", the statement added. When ANI asked Gabbard how the Trump administration views repeated terror attacks on India from Pakistan, she responded, "President Trump, through his first administration in the presidency, and it continues now, has been very clear about his commitment to defeating this threat of Islamist terrorism that has unfortunately plagued us, and continues to pose a direct threat to the American people." "But, we see how it's been impacting people here in India, in Bangladesh, currently ongoing in Syria, Israel and different countries in the Middle East. So this is a threat that I know Prime Minister Modi also takes seriously and one where the leaders of our two countries will work together to try to identify and defeat that threat," she added. (ANI)
The White House on Monday dismissed a French politician's call to return the Statue of Liberty, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, "It is only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now." "Not, and my advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that it is only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now. They should be very grateful to our great country," Leavitt said. Meanwhile, on the ongoing conflict between the White House and US judiciary over the deportation of Venezuelan gang members from Tren de Aragua to El Salvador by invoking the Aliens Enemies Act, Leavitt said, "We are wholly confident that we are going to win this case in court." "This Administration acted within the confines of the law again within the president's constitutional authority and under the authority granted to him under the Alien Enemies Act. We are wholly confident that we are going to win this case in court." Leavitt said. On Sunday, the US deported hundreds of Venezuelan gang members after Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the government emergency war powers. However, US District Judge James Boasberg verbally ordered the administration to temporarily halt deportations for 14 days, questioning the government's authority to use the act. He also directed that any planes in the air carrying deportees be returned to the US. Despite this, flights continued to their destination in El Salvador, with the White House arguing that the planes had already left US territory before the judge's written order was issued. "All of the planes subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, US territory before the judge's written order," Karoline Leavitt said. "There are questions over whether a verbal order carries the same weight...as a written order, and our lawyers are determined to ask and answer those questions in court," she added. According to The Hill, Judge Boasberg has scheduled a hearing for Monday evening (local time) to determine whether the administration defied his order. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has appealed Boasberg's ruling, and the case could be on a fast track to the Supreme Court. (ANI)
The White House on Monday (local time) expressed confidence in winning the court battle over the deportation of Venezuelan gang members from Tren de Aragua to El Salvador, despite a court order against it. The administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act to justify the deportations. Addressing a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Donald Trump's administration acted within the confines of the law and remains confident of securing victory in court. "This Administration acted within the confines of the law again within the president's constitutional authority and under the authority granted to him under the Alien Enemies Act. We are wholly confident that we are going to win this case in court." Leavitt said. On Sunday, the US deported hundreds of Venezuelan gang members after Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the government emergency war powers. However, US District Judge James Boasberg verbally ordered the administration to temporarily halt the deportations for 14 days, questioning the administration's authority to invoke the act. He also ordered any planes carrying deportees to return to the US. Despite the ruling, the flights continued to their destination in El Salvador, with the White House arguing that the planes had already left US territory before the judge's written order was issued. "All of the planes subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, U.S. territory before the judge's written order," Karoline Leavitt said. "There are questions over whether a verbal order carries the same weight...as a written order, and our lawyers are determined to ask and answer those questions in court," she added. According to The Hill, Judge Boasberg has scheduled a hearing for Monday evening (local time) to determine whether the administration defied his order. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has appealed Boasberg's ruling, with the case potentially heading to the Supreme Court on a fast track. (ANI)
LYNCHBURG  New to Givens Books & Little Dickens at 2236 Lakeside Drive in Lynchburg, Troublemaker Cafe opened this month, and is serving up approachable, nostalgic and non-pretentious sandwiches and coffees.

Co-owners Jeremy Fogt and Jared Stuart said the cafe offers high-quality food, a community environment and a welcoming atmosphere.

Fogt, owner of Rivermont Pizza, said his connection to the space goes back nearly two decades when he moved to Lynchburg and started working across the street at The News & Advance.

When I moved here in 2006, I would come over here, grab a cup of coffee. So Im familiar with the space for nearly 20 years, he said.

Stuart, on the other hand, has a background that blends education and the service industry.

I worked in the service industry, all in my 20s, late teens, and even into my early 30s, always front of house, like server, bartender, stuff like that, he said.

The two met at a playground with their children and talked a lot about food and business. Their conversations evolved over two years into a plan to create a cafe that would offer something fresh and high quality to the Lynchburg community.

From the outset, Fogt and Stuart were committed to offering premium quality ingredients.

We care about everything, Fogt said. Its down to the bread, the cheese, the meat. There are a lot of businesses that just sell the cheapest thing possible, but you can offer a much better product for not significantly more.

Troublemaker Cafes menu is intentionally pared down, focusing on doing a few things exceptionally well. Menu items include the Lightweight, the cafes take on a turkey sandwich which has turkey, provolone, spinach, apple, mayonnaise, mustard and sprouts on toast as well as the Trustfall, which has sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, spinach, apple and caramelized onion on toast. The menu also has breakfast items like avocado toast, cinnamon toast and peanut butter toast as well as a kids menu with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Our menu is pretty simple, Stuart said. I think you would go to a lot of coffee shops and you can see a huge menu but ours is kind of pared down. We feel like weve got something for everyone in there.

Their coffee is sourced from Heart Roasters based out of Portland, Oregon, a company known for its superior quality.

If youre a coffee nerd, they are at the tip of the pyramid in terms of quality coffees in America. They just do really, really good work, Stuart said.

Stuart and Fogt said they also wanted to create something that fit into the warmth of a bookstore and toy store.

For Fogt, the cafe is also about creating a reason for people to stay in Lynchburg.

The longer I was here, I started meeting people that are talented and a part of my community in a way that I want them to stay a part of my community, he said. I met Jared and after a couple of weeks or months of talking, I was like, Man, I gotta get my arms around him, get him invested in something, keep him here.

One of the ideas behind Troublemaker Cafe is making it a family-friendly environment. Fogt, who became a father during the first year of COVID-19, understands the challenges parents face when trying to find a suitable place to spend time with their children.

Theres only so many places in Lynchburg that are open in the morning, he said. You take your kids somewhere. I have two now, its a whole production to get them dressed, get the shoes on, get in the car. So many things are programmed around mealtime.

Troublemaker Cafe is meant to be an approachable place.

Were trying to be serious without being pretentious, Fogt said.

Stuart said they have a goal of striking a balance between quality and nostalgia.

We found that sweet spot between quality and also a little nostalgia, he said. The ingredients were buying are high quality. Were buying whole meats and slicing them ourselves. Were making all of our sauces and dressings in-house. But then its familiar because you come here, and you can get a peanut butter and jelly like from when you were a kid or you can come in with your kid and get a grilled cheese.

Stuart said throughout the process of this renovation, they have heard a lot of feedback from people, some trepidation, some excitement.

But ultimately, we want to get our arms around everyone. We want to earn trust so that maybe youd be willing to try some food you dont usually try, he said.
TOKYO, Mar 17 (News On Japan) - A single-family home in Yokohama for 3.8 million yen? A two-story 3LDK in Narashino, Chiba, for 9.8 million yen? What makes these properties so cheap? We investigated the reasons behind these bargain-priced homes.

One such property is a single-family home in Atsugi, Kanagawa, with a market value of around 4 million yen. Initially listed at an estimated 1.98 million yen, the price was slashed to half the market value. The reason? A criminal had barricaded himself inside for two days. Despite the stigma, the owner is hopeful it will sell for around 3.8 million yen. The two-story wooden house with a 2LDK layout is priced in the 3-million-yen range. However, the property is in poor condition, with parts of the ceiling missing and visible structural damage.

Another property, a two-story home in Narashino, Chiba, was put up for sale because its owners elderly parents could no longer manage the steep stairs. Initially valued between 10 million and 12 million yen, multiple buyers expressed interest but backed out at the last minute. The house, built 40 years ago, has a floor area of approximately 96 square meters, featuring a 16-tatami-mat living-dining room and a 6-mat Japanese-style room on the first floor. While the interior appears in reasonable condition, a closer inspection of the second floor reveals a noticeable tilt. A battery placed on the floor rolls on its own, highlighting the severity of the uneven foundation.

The primary issue, however, lies outside the house. The property sits on elevated ground, making it subject to local zoning laws that restrict construction near cliffs. In Chiba Prefecture, homes built near cliffs must be set back at least 1.5 times the cliffs height, and those at the bottom must be at least twice that distance away. This home, located right next to a retaining wall, does not meet these criteria, making reconstruction nearly impossible. Despite these challenges, the house was eventually sold for 1 million yen.

In Saitamas Kawaguchi City, another discounted home was a fire-damaged property. The charred walls and ceilings bore marks of the past incident, yet after cleaning, the property was quickly sold for 3.8 million yen, significantly below the 6.8 million yen market price. Similarly, in another area of Saitama, an apartment filled with garbage and linked to a solitary death was cleaned up and listed for 4.8 million yen2 million yen below market value.

Another heavily discounted property in Atsugi, Kanagawa, originally valued at around 4 million to 5 million yen, was listed for half the price. The house, built 49 years ago, had been vacant for nearly 30 years after the original owner purchased it but never moved in. The interior was in disrepair, with a collapsing ceiling and holes likely created by animals. In addition to deterioration, the property faced another major challengeit was a joint-ownership structure known as "rental housing," meaning multiple owners held portions of the building. Any reconstruction required unanimous consent from all co-owners, making redevelopment difficult.

Adding to its troubled history, the house had been the site of a standoff where a criminal barricaded himself for two days. A shattered window suggested forced entry, and a beer bottle left behind raised further questions. Given these conditions, the property was listed at an estimated 980,000 yenless than half the usual price for homes in the area. Despite the challenges, a buyer was quickly found, and the property was later converted into company housing.

In another case, a home in a popular area of Yokohama, normally valued at 8 million yen, was listed for just 3.8 million yen. The house, a two-story 2LDK with 47 square meters of space, had belonged to a man who passed away in a hospital. His daughter, who inherited the property, decided to sell it. While not officially classified as a stigmatized property, it had several issues.

Inside, personal belongings were still scattered throughout the house, including an improvised shower room and a handmade kitchen installed by the previous owner. The most critical issue, however, was structuralthe home was part of a row house, meaning it was physically connected to adjacent properties. Additionally, access to the home required passing through privately owned land, making reconstruction difficult.

The property was eventually sold to a Vietnamese couple for 2.02 million yen. Despite the deteriorated ceiling, the new owners planned to handle repairs themselves. Given Yokohamas high real estate prices, the affordability of such properties attracted buyers, including foreign residents looking for budget-friendly housing options.

Investigating these discounted properties revealed that while each had unique circumstances driving their low prices, many still found buyers drawn by affordability. Even properties with structural issues, legal restrictions, or stigmatized histories could find new owners willing to take on the challenge.

Source: FNN
The process of investing in real estate is about finding the ideal combination of opportunity and value. Bloomsbury Residences, located in Singapores thriving One-North District, promises both. Every feature is designed to appeal to those seeking high returns with low risk and expansion potential.

7 Reasons Why Bloomsbury Residences is a Top Choice for Investors:

1. Prime Location in a Thriving Business Hub

Bloomsbury Residences sits at the middle of One-North known as a hub for innovation and technology. The vibrant neighborhood attracts experts working in industries such as biotech, tech and the digital media. The proximity of investors to employment-generating areas ensures constant renter demand. A property in such a desired location is almost guaranteed to have constant interest and a rising price.

2. Strong Rental Market

Investments are attracted by developments that have high rent prospects. Bloomsbury is a good choice, due to its central position. People working at Fusionopolis, Biopolis, and the nearby corporate zones need high-quality accommodation. As an example, these units will easily generate rents per month from renters looking for convenient and cozy living areas.

3. Vibrant Amenities That Drive Demand

Bloomsbury is a modern development with amenities such as an infinity pool, stylish lounges, as well as fitness centers. These amenities are what make Bloomsbury not just an area to live in and a place to live. Facilities attract renters who will spend more for rent, increasing rent yields for the landlords.

4. Capital Appreciation in a Growing District

One-North is rapidly growing and new opportunities for employment as well as infrastructure and lifestyle alternatives are being offered often. The constant investments boost the value of properties, which benefits those who own the property. Bloomsburys strategically placed investment will ensure an impressive capital appreciation both in longer and short-term time frames. Investors have the confidence that they are holding a treasure.

5. Refined Living Spaces

Bloomsburys homes are carefully made to be appealing to contemporary requirements. The clean layouts, the large windows, and the sophisticated interior features make these homes stand apart. These features are an important attraction for young professionals as well as executives. The willingness of these individuals to sign leases will ensure a secure tenant pool in the many years to come.

6. Comparison with Upper House Condo Singapore

Upper House Condo Singapore also excels with respect to property investment. The strengths of the property are the environment and sustainability. Even though this attracts an affluent group, Bloomsbury offers broader benefits. Its close proximity to schools, transit systems as well as innovation hubs increases the value of long-term rentals and resales. Investors who wanta practical, flexible return on their investment will find Bloomsbury as the most appealing option.

7. Proven Long-Term Investment Value

The experts in real estate frequently recommend buying into districts that have ongoing needs and the potential to grow. Bloomsbury is a perfect fit for all of these requirements and offers unbeatable flexibility. If youre considering leasing out your units, selling them to the market in the future, or even securing a valuable home in Singapore It meets each of these requirements. A solid performance record will guarantee high profits.

Final Wrap-Up

Bloomsbury Residences stands out as an investment opportunity that is lucrative. Set within One-North and boasts the buzzing area, constant renter appeal and growth potential. Top amenities and good designs make it an ideal choice for tenants. In comparison to other developments such as Upper House Condo Singapore, Bloomsburys practicality and versatility attract a wider range of people.

FAQs

1. What makes Bloomsbury Residences ideal for investors?

Its position, rental demand facilities, location, and increasing price of the property are a low-risk high-reward plan.

2. What is the difference between Bloomsbury and Upper House Condo Singapore?

As Upper House focuses on sustainability, Bloomsbury excels with practicality and accessibility to zones of innovation.
This week marks five years since the United States went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. March 13, 2020, was the day the Trump administration declared a national emergency, triggering a cascade of shutdowns that would forever change the economy, the job market, and the way Americans work.

The past five years have seen businesses rise, fall, and transform, while the workforce has undergone a profound shift in expectations, priorities, and stability. Remote work, labor shortages, and automation have all become defining features of the post-pandemic job market. But as the dust settles, many workers are left struggling with job insecuritynot just from traditional layoffs but from a quieter, more insidious trend: silent firing.

The early days of the pandemic saw an unprecedented labor shake-up. Millions of workers were laid off, furloughed, or forced to pivot into new industries. Then, as businesses reopened, something unexpected happened: workers began quitting voluntarily. Dubbed The Great Resignation, this mass exodus saw employees leaving jobs in search of higher pay, better benefits, and work-from-home flexibility.

Employers, struggling to retain talent, responded by offering higher wages and remote optionsbut only for a while. As hiring slowed in 2023 and 2024, companies reversed course, tightening budgets and pulling back on employee-friendly policies. Now, in 2025, the labor market has swung in the opposite direction.

Quiet Quitting gained momentum during the pandemic. People would do the bare minimum or below in an effort to collect an easy paycheck and be fired with severance. But the inverse might be gaining momentum soon. Silent Firing. Companies are making jobs more difficult in the hopes that employees quit so their jobs can be automated, says George Kailas, CEO at Prospero.AI.

Unlike the mass layoffs of 2020, silent firing is more subtle. Employers cut benefits, reduce growth opportunities, increase workloads, and implement stricter return-to-office mandatesall in an effort to push employees out without officially firing them.

The days of abundant job postings and record-breaking wage growth are fading. As hiring slows, companies are exerting more control over employees, reducing job mobility and limiting opportunities for career advancement.

The lack of job mobility is only making matters worse, says Kailas. Employees who are silently pushed out struggle to find new positions in an already tough hiring landscape. And with fewer job postings, companies can hold onto power, keeping wages down and preventing workers from negotiating better opportunities.

Many workers who left jobs during the Great Resignation now find themselves in a difficult position. The flexibility and perks they once enjoyed are disappearing. Companies no longer feel the pressure to compete for talent the way they did in 2021 and 2022.

This shift has been particularly hard on younger workersthose who graduated during or after the pandemic. Many entered a job market filled with high salaries and work-from-home options, only to now find themselves dealing with return-to-office mandates, hiring freezes, and fewer chances to move up.

For many, the pandemic wasnt just an economic crisisit was a personal reckoning. Some workers changed industries, others started businesses, and many re-evaluated what they wanted from their careers.

Stories of people like Thomas Locatell, who turned his woodworking passion into a business during lockdown, or Sonya, a research scientist who left a stable university job for remote work, highlight how deeply the pandemic changed career paths.

For some, the shift was positive. For others, it led to financial insecurity, burnout, and a workforce that is still struggling to find stability.

And that instability isnt going away anytime soon.

As we mark five years since lockdown, the question remains: Is the job market still recovering, or has it permanently changed?

With automation replacing jobs, companies using silent firing to cut costs, and job mobility shrinking, many workers feel trapped in positions they no longer want but cant afford to leave.

So, is silent firing making the job market worse in 2025? The signs point to yes, Kailas warns. By avoiding direct layoffs, companies are quietly eroding career stability, making it harder for workers to move upor even move on. The question is, how long can this unsustainable cycle continue before it breaks?

The pandemic may be over, but its consequences are still reshaping the way we work, hire, and think about job security. Five years later, we are still learning, adapting, and reckoning with the choices made during that time.
Sudan has imposed a complete ban on Kenyan imports in response to Kenyas role in hosting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies, who recently formed a parallel government in Nairobi.

The decision, issued by Sudans Ministry of Trade, halts the entry of Kenyan goods, including essential items like tea, food, and pharmaceuticals, through all ports, airports, and border crossings. This move marks a significant escalation in the diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The RSF, engaged in a brutal civil war with Sudans military since April 2023, signed a charter in Nairobi in last month to establish a government in exile. Sudan views Kenyas hosting of these meetings as a breach of its sovereignty and an act of hostility. Kenyan president William Ruto has faced widespread criticism both at home and abroad for his perceived close ties with the RSF, with Khartoum recalling its ambassador to Nairobi in protest against its involvement in a conspiracy to establish a government for the paramilitary group.

Kenyan businesses, particularly in the tea sector, have expressed concerns over potential financial losses, as contracts and shipments are stranded. Meanwhile, also the African Union (AU) has condemned the formation of the parallel government, emphasizing that such actions risk the fragmentation of Sudan. The AU Peace and Security Council issued a statement rejecting the parallel government and urging all nations to refrain from supporting it. The Council does not recognize the purported parallel government or entity in the Republic of Sudan, reads the statement. The conflict in Sudan has already displaced millions and worsened the countrys humanitarian crisis, with the AU continuing efforts for a peaceful resolution.
South Africa has expressed disappointment following the United States expulsion of its ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, calling the decision regrettable but reaffirming its commitment to maintaining strong diplomatic ties with Washington.

The expulsion, announced by U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio, comes amid escalating tensions over Rasools outspoken criticism of U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Rubio accused Rasool of being a race-baiting politician with disdain for the United States and president Donald Trump, citing remarks Rasool made about Trumps alleged promotion of white supremacy. Rasool, a former anti-apartheid activist and vocal pro-Palestinian advocate, had previously linked U.S. support for Israels actions in Gaza to historical patterns of racial injustice. This criticism, along with South Africas case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, was the core of the dispute, fueling the diplomatic rift, says South African political analyst Sandile Swana.

The official reasons given for Rasools expulsion have been met with resounding criticism both in the U.S. and South Africa. Responding to Rubios words, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) national executive director Nihad Awad said:Your declaration of ambassador Ebrahim Rasool as persona non grata is a racist, Islamophobic, transparent act of retaliation for South Africas opposition to Israels genocide in Gaza. Meanwhile, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) condemned the expulsion, calling it an attack on South Africas sovereignty and a continuation of hostile actions by the Trump administration. Tensions have also flared over South Africas land policy, with Trump accusing the country of discriminating against white farmers. Despite these disputes, President Cyril Ramaphosas office has emphasized that South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with Washington, urging calm and diplomatic decorum as both nations navigate these challenging issues.
Civil society groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are calling for a fresh review of the countrys mining agreement with Chinese companies, citing substantial financial losses and continued imbalances despite a 2024 renegotiation.

The Congo Is Not For Sale coalition (CNPAV) claims that the revised deal, originally signed in 2008 by the then-president Joseph Kabilas government, continues to favor Chinese firms, costing the DRC an estimated $132 million in 2024 alone due to tax exemptions granted to the companies. The controversial Sino-Congolese contract, which gives Chinese companies control over lucrative copper and cobalt mines in exchange for infrastructure projects, was renegotiated in the so-called Sino-Congolese Convention, aiming to address perceived imbalances. However, critics argue that key issues remain unresolved, as the renegotiated contract had reportedly maintained a tax exemption of around $100 million.

The deal promises annual payments for road infrastructure, but these are dependent on fluctuating copper prices, leaving the DRC vulnerable to market volatility. If copper prices fall below $8,000 per tonne, the state will receive less, or even nothing at all, warns the NGO, while with any price increase above $12,000, the DRC will still be entitled to receiving the same $324 million. Furthermore, CNPAV points out that the DRC continues to lose millions due to tax and parafiscal exemptions that shield the Sino-Congolese agreement from the countrys mining tax regime. The group estimates that the DRC could lose up to $7.5 billion over the next 17 years unless these exemptions are addressed. Despite the governments defense of the contract, which includes promises of new infrastructure, activists argue that many Chinese-built projects remain incomplete or subpar.
Libyas Education Minister, Moussa al-Megarief, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following his involvement in a 2021 school textbook shortage, the attorney generals office revealed on Sunday March 16. A Tripoli appeal Court also imposed a fine of 1,000 dinars (around $200) and stripped Megarief of his civil rights for the duration of his sentence, plus an additional year post-release.

The minister, part of Libyas national unity Government, was found guilty of favoritism and mismanagement related to contracts for textbook printing.

The case stems from a significant textbook shortage at the beginning of the 2021 academic year, leaving parents to resort to photocopies for their childrens education despite the governments promise to provide free textbooks in public schools. An investigation into Megariefs handling of the procurement contracts revealed allegations of favoring an undisclosed party, as well as breaching principles of fairness and equality in the process. Initially placed under preventive detention due to suspected negligence, Megarief was later released for lack of evidence but was reinstated as education minister before the trial concluded.

Megarief defended his actions by claiming that the delay was due to efforts to unify Libyas school curriculum across the countrys three regions, which, he said, disrupted payments to suppliers. Despite his conviction, the Education Ministry posted an image of him working on its official Facebook page shortly before the attorney generals announcement, raising questions about the governments stance on the issue.
The Democratic Republic of Congo will dispatch a delegation to Angola on Tuesday for peace talks aimed at resolving the intensifying conflict with Rwanda-backed rebels in the countrys eastern region. This diplomatic development marks a significant policy shift for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who had previously ruled out direct dialogue with the M23 rebel group.

At this stage, we cant say who will make up the delegation, a presidential spokesperson confirmed Sunday, as preparations for the Luanda-hosted negotiations progress. The M23 has acknowledged receipt of Angolas invitation but hasnt confirmed its participation, instead the group issued several demands including asking President Tshisekedi to publicly express commitment to direct negotiations.

Angolas mediation efforts seek to establish a lasting ceasefire and reduce tensions between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, which stands accused of supporting the Tutsi-led rebel group despite Kigalis persistent denials. Angolan President Joao Lourenco urged all parties to cease hostilities from midnight to create favorable conditions for dialogue.

The ceasefire must include all possible hostile actions against the civilian population and the occupation of new positions, Lourenco emphasized in a weekend statement, though fighting appeared to continue Sunday with reported clashes in the Walikale region.

The decades-long conflict, rooted in the spillover of Rwandas 1994 genocide and competition for Congos vast mineral resources, has escalated dramatically this year. M23 forces have captured unprecedented territory, including eastern Congos two largest cities and numerous smaller localities.

The humanitarian toll continues to mount, with government figures indicating at least 7,000 deaths since January, while UN humanitarian agencies report that more than 600,000 people have been displaced since November alone, creating an urgent humanitarian crisis in the already fragile region.
Various aspects of military cooperation between Morocco and Saudi Arabia were reviewed at a meeting that gathered in Riyadh Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, FAR Inspector General and Commander of the South Zone, who is paying a visit to Saudi Arabia, and Lieutenant General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces, the FAR General Staff said in a statement.

During their talks, the two military officials welcomed the excellent ties of friendship and cooperation existing between the two countries Armed Forces and the positive results achieved through their fruitful cooperation.

The FAR Inspector General also visited the headquarters of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, where he was briefed on the missions and modes of coordination and collaboration between all its members in the fight against terrorism and extremism aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid is paying a visit to Saudi Arabia this March 16 through 21 in the instructions of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR.

The visit is part of the strengthening of relations of friendship and cooperation between the Royal Armed Forces and their Saudi counterparts, with a view to consolidating bilateral military cooperation and examining ways of deepening this cooperation to cover areas and issues of common interest.
Photo: El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Trump administration has stepped right up to the line of intentional defiance of a judicial order, perhaps even over it.

We should know in the hours and days ahead whether we have arrived at a legitimate constitutional crossroads  thatll depend on the details  or whether the administration has adopted a posture of semi-intentional, self-serving recklessness toward the courts. Either way, weve got a problem.

On Saturday, federal immigration authorities arrested over 200 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), based on a 1798 law called the Alien Enemies Act. That law gives the president broad authority to deport noncitizens under two circumstances. First, the law applies when there is a declared war between the United States and a foreign country (obviously inapplicable here). Second, the Act allows deportation in the case of an invasion or predatory incursion into the United States by any foreign nation or government.

Two issues jump off the page. First, can the presence of TdA be reasonably considered an invasion or predatory incursion on American soil? Trump formally proclaimed that the gang has unlawfully infiltrated the United States and is conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States. Its a stretch, and I suspect most judges would reject the creative pigeonholing effort, but its not a facially outrageous legal claim.

Second, even if TdAs criminal activity can be taken as an invasion, that conduct must be attributed to a foreign government. To that end, the Trump administration asserts that TdA is closely aligned with, and indeed has infiltrated, the Maduro regime, including its military and law enforcement apparatus. In other words, the argument goes, even if TdA is not the actual Venezuelan government, theyre essentially embedded with the people who run it. Again, feels like a long shot, but not quite ridiculous.

Ordinarily, wed be gearing up for a high-stakes series of weighty legal arguments about what exactly the act means and whether it applies to the facts here  standard courtroom stuff. Indeed, the Trump administration has appealed the ruling by federal District Court Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocking and halting implementation of any deportation effort, pending resolution of the legal issues: Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States however that is accomplished, the judge said from the bench, apparently sensing that the Trump administration might be seeking an end run. Make sure its complied with immediately.

But, it turns out, the deportees are gone, already flown out of the United States and deposited in prison in El Salvador. Heres the pivotal question: Where exactly were the deportees at the moment of the judges order?

The Washington Post has constructed the most complete timeline available so far. It shows that, at the moment the judge gave his order orally from the bench (6:47 p.m. on Saturday), two of three flights were already in the air, and the third was on the ground. When the judges written order hit the docket at 7:26 p.m., the status of all three flights was the same as before: two in the air and one on the ground, though that third flight left ten minutes later at 7:36.

On its face, then, we have two questions. First, why didnt the Trump administration order the two flights that were already in the air to turn around? They certainly could have done this; we have sophisticated communications technology, and planes can be re-routed. Theres a separate question about whether the judges order was binding on a planeload of passengers if it had left the United States and was in non-territorial air. Thats a murky legal question, and could give the Trump administration at least a fig leaf to claim they didnt openly defy a valid court order. Its thin, indeed.

The Trump administration also has implied limply that the court order somehow wasnt official until a written order landed on the docket, 39 minutes after the judges in-court statement. Thats a bogus argument, as anyone knows who has ever appeared before a federal judge. When the judge says it from the bench, thats that.

But the third plane is a problem either way because, according to the Posts analysis, it took off ten minutes after the judges decision was posted on the docket (and 49 minutes after the in-court ruling). Sure looks like open defiance. If and when the judge demands an accounting from the administration, watch for a claim that the lawyers could not practically have communicated the court order exactly contemporaneously with its entry. While its fair to allow a few minutes for transmittal of the courts findings to the appropriate arms of government, 49 minutes is certainly pushing it. Cell phones exist, after all; its not like an order would need to be communicated by a courier on horseback.

We also must call out an alternative (and recurring) Trump administration defense: The judges decision was a baseless legal ruling no matter when the flights took off and therefore the administration was free to ignore it. This rationale is dangerously circular: We think the judge is wrong so we can do whatever we want. The way we decide who is right and wrong is through the courts (including the appeals process) and not by unilateral fiat.

Its a lose-lose situation for the nation. In one scenario, we have open, intentional defiance by the executive branch of a court order. Im typically among the last to claim some situation or other is a constitutional crisis. Too often, that phrase is deployed as a jacked-up substitute for something is happening that I dont like. In my view, we reach a constitutional crisis only when we dont know what to do next. And if the president is blowing off the courts, then our only options are pale ones indeed. A judge can make contempt findings, but why would an administration that already defies court orders care about that? If you could ask the Founders what happens to a president who defied the courts, I suspect theyd point to impeachment as the proper constitutional remedy. But we live in modern reality, and thats not happening.

Even if the Trump administration has not intentionally defied a court order, theyre getting perilously close to the line and theyre reveling in their adjacency to lawlessness. The administration easily could have played it straight, if they cared to do so. Usually litigants in federal courts  particularly the U.S. government  give leeway to a judges decision, or even an impending ruling. A good-faith player would have reasoned, Okay, we have a court hearing coming up on this issue, so lets wait and see what the judge rules and then act accordingly. Instead, the administration had those planes loaded, fueled up, and either waiting on the runway or already airborne by the time the judge ruled, with no intention to wait on official word from the court. The defiance in this scenario isnt quite intentional; its more like intentionally reckless. Its like if I ran through a house blindfolded and holding a burning torch; I might not intend to set anything on fire, but I sure would know that its virtually certain to happen.

The Trump administration is right at the brink of intentional defiance here; the forthcoming details will tell us whether theyve crossed over into willful lawlessness or merely inexcusable recklessness. And this entire scenario is self-imposed. The administration is free to pursue its immigration agenda aggressively and expeditiously, even if that involves pushing the outer boundaries of the law. Instead, theyve chosen at best to play fast and loose and at worse to throw our legal and political system into havoc.

This article will also appear in the free CAFE Brief newsletter. You can find more analysis of law and politics from Elie Honig, Preet Bharara, Joyce Vance, and other CAFE contributors at cafe.com.
Photo: Francis Chung/POLITICO/AP Photo

The last three months have represented a winter of deep discontent for the Democratic Party. Finger-pointing recriminations over responsibility for the 2024 election outcome have not ended. The speed and lawlessness with which the Trump administration has acted in its first two months in power caught the opposition party ill-prepared, particularly in contrast to the GOPs lockstep unity whenever the 47th president insisted on their support and complicity. The Republican whack-a-mole strategy of threatening federal programs, public employees, and immigrants from multiple directions has produced a scattered and divided Democratic response, as reflected in their lack of message discipline during Trumps first big address to Congress and their embarrassing disarray over what to do about an appropriations measure that offered them a rare bit of leverage.

The anger of many rank-and-file Democrats is so palpable that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has canceled a planned tour to promote a new book on antisemitism. And polls are showing a near-collapse in favorability ratings for the Democratic Party, as USA Today reported:

An NBC News poll found 27% of registered voters say they view the party favorably  the lowest favorability rating for Democrats in NBC polls going back to 1990. Only 7% of survey respondents said they said they have a very positive view of the party.

Another poll released by CNN similarly found 29% of voters view Democrats in a positive light, a low in CNNs polling since 1992. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 63% said they have a favorable view of the party.

All these developments will be regularly cited by Republicans who have already been claiming that Trumps extremely narrow presidential win in 2024 (along with an extremely small margin of control for House Republicans) was a world-historical event that has changed politics forever and will give the GOP the kind of consistent dominance unseen in this century. But theres a problem with all this triumphalism, based as it is on Democratic disarray rather than the popularity of the Trump agenda. At present, both polls and history suggest the ragged and divided opposition party will make crucial gains in the 2026 midterms, very likely flipping control of the House and denying Republicans the governing trifecta that makes enacting Trumps agenda possible.

The same NBC News poll cited above as demonstrating the Democratic Partys historically low standing also shows Democrats leading in the 2026 generic congressional ballot by a 48 to 47 percent margin. This is the polling question (typically framed as which party do you want to control the U.S. Congress?) most indicative of the party most likely to win the national House popular vote in the next election. In fact, of the five generic congressional ballot polls in the RealClearPolitics database, Democrats lead in three, are tied with Republicans in another, and trail by just one percent in yet another. The 2024 results and the partys poor morale and manifest divisions are dwarfed by hostility to Trumps governance, which is very likely to intensify as such unpopular policies as high tariffs and deep domestic-spending cuts roll out and sink in.

History is even more emphatic: The presidential party has lost House seats in 20 of the last 22 midterm elections. The average loss is 28 seats. And in the only midterms to defy the pattern, in 1998 and 2002, the president in office at the time (Bill Clinton in the former, George W. Bush in the latter) enjoyed job-approval ratings over 65 percent, which is not going to happen for Donald Trump in any universe we can imagine.

So should we just dismiss the dismal ratings for and unhappiness among Democrats as irrelevant to the sunny destiny that may bring them a comeback, much as the equally demoralized Democrats of 2005 did in reconquering Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008? No, not at all. Democrats may be experiencing a leadership crisis and a messaging crisis that needs resolving before the already-strong and likely-to-grow opposition to the GOP reign of terror can redound to their benefit. These crises need to be resolved if only to keep the focus on the people actually running the country right now. But theres nothing inherently wrong with the Democratic Partys future prospects, particularly if Trump continues to gamble his fragile popularity on wildly controversial actions that betray his own voters and convince even the most placid and tuned-out Americans that something is awry in Washington that got worse then they threw the Democrats out of office.
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while flying to Washington, DC, from Florida, on March 16, 2025, above Virginia. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

In the final hours of his presidency, Joe Biden issued a slate of pardons for the members of the House Select Committee tasked with investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The president defended the unprecedented use of his offices power as a necessity due to the looming threat of prosecution from the then-incoming Trump administration. These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions, Biden explained in a statement at the time.

But early Monday morning, President Donald Trump claimed that the acts of clemency toward former representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and their colleagues are now null and void, citing Bidens alleged use of an autopen, or signing machine, for his signature. Republican groups are promoting analysis that alleges that Biden used the autopen for the pardons, but its not clear if thats the case on the official documentation. There is no legal (or logical) basis for Trumps proclamation, but it does signal that he may take an even more aggressive approach to undermining his predecessors actions than he already has. Heres what we know so far.

What did Trump say?

At 12:35 a.m., Trump posted on TruthSocial, contesting the validity of Bidens preemptive pardons of the January 6 committee members. The Pardons that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!, he wrote.

In the post, Trump returned to a staple of his campaign rhetoric, alleging that Biden was not cognizant of his administrations decisions and that the pardons were likely signed without his knowledge or approval. The president even claimed that some of the committee members themselves were behind the issued pardons.

The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level, he said. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!

The late-night missive was just the latest in Trumps ongoing focus on the autopen and his belief that the Biden administration overused the machine to compensate for an aging president with diminishing faculties. On Friday, Trump wrote, The person who was the real President during the Biden years was the person who controlled the Autopen! In another post, Trump shared a meme featuring the official presidential portraits for the past three presidential terms. In between Trumps two photos was an image of an autopen signing a signature to represent Bidens presidency.

The autopen conspiracy theory has been traveling through right-wing circles. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, shared an analysis that it claimed showed several of Bidens signatures on the pardon documents to be the same.

What is an autopen signature?

An autopen is a mechanical device thats used to replicate a persons signature. According to NPR, the devices origins trace back to the 1800s to a similar patented gadget called a polygraph that duplicated writing, though the device would be classified as a pantograph today. President Thomas Jefferson was said to be an avid user, and several of the devices he owned have survived to the present day and one can be found in the collections at Monticello.

Though autopens are often used by those who often give autographs like celebrities, it has a history of official uses as well. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Harry Truman is believed to be the first to use an autopen in office, while Gerald Fords staffers reportedly used the device to fulfill autograph and photo requests sent to the White House.

Is there anything to Trumps claim?

The short answer is no. In 2005, the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel issued a guidance that a president could use an autopen to sign legislation, stemming from a question from George W. Bushs White House counsel. The President need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Howard Nielson Jr. said at the time.

In 2011, Barack Obama became the first president to use the autopen to sign legislation into a law when he directed staffers to use the device to sign an extension to the Patriot Act while he was overseas in Europe rather than fly the unsigned bill out, as had been done traditionally. The New York Times reported at the time that the White House cited the Bush-era guidance in their decision to use the autopen.

Jeffrey Crouch, an American University professor who specializes in presidential pardons, told Axios that Biden wouldnt be the first to use the device when granting clemency. Other presidents have used an autopen to grant pardons, he said.
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Another German, 25-year-old Lucas Sielaff, was detained at the San Ysidro border crossing on February 14. He had obtained an ESTA and had a been visiting his American fiancee, Lennon Tyler, who lives in Las Vegas. She told reporters that they had traveled to Tijuana to obtain veterinary treatment for her dog. When they attempted to reenter the U.S., Tyler alleges that CBP officers became very aggressive and hostile almost immediately. Sielaff has told reporters that owing to the language barrier, he incorrectly answered a question about where he lived and officers accused him of living in Las Vegas rather than visiting. His ESTA was ultimately canceled, and he was handcuffed and arrested. There was no proof that I overstayed anything, he later told ABC-10 News.

Tyler told the New York Times that at the border crossing, after she tried to get answers about what was happening to her fiancee, she was subjected to a body search by ICE officers and was briefly chained to a bench.

Sielaff said he was held by CBP at the border for two days before being transferred by ICE to the for-profit Otay Mesa Detention Center, where he shared a cell with eight other people. He was held for a total of 16 days before returning to Germany on March 6. Per the Times, Tyler says he was only able to get out because we made ourselves a nuisance:

Dr. Tyler called the immigration authorities daily, she hired lawyers who also called them, she gave news media interviews and she reached out repeatedly to a German Consulate. [Eventually] Mr. Sielaff was allowed voluntary deportation, on a flight that cost him $2,744.

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A 35-year-old Canadian entrepreneur attempted to enter to renew her work permit at the Mexican border and ended up detained for 12 days at two grim ICE facilities.

The details of her case are unusual. Jasmine Mooney, who once starred in a direct-to-video American Pie spinoff and more recently co-founded the American-based Holy Water! brand, said that while she was living in Vancouver, she discovered that her U.S. work permit had expired after three years. She decided to travel to Mexico to attempt to obtain a new permit at a San Ysidro border crossing, at which point her troubles began. The New York Times has a rundown of the complex logistics involved:

Ms. Mooney was applying for a TN visa, which allows professionals from Canada and Mexico to stay temporarily in the United States. She initially applied for one last year for her other marketing job, but she said that it had been rejected because the companys letterhead was missing from her documents.

She said she had successfully reapplied about a month later at the San Ysidro border crossing, but when she tried to return to the United States at the end of November, a U.S. immigration official at the airport in Vancouver revoked her visa. He explained that her application had not been processed properly, she said, and raised concerns over one company that was employing her that sold hemp-based products.

Ms. Mooney said it was not uncommon for people like her who work in Southern California to apply for visas at the San Ysidro border station, so earlier this month, she figured she would try again.

Mooney says that rather than simply denying her entry, ICE agents detained her for unclear reasons, then moved her to an ICE prison in Southern California before transferring her to one in Arizona a few days later. She described bleak conditions at both facilities, describing her conditions to People as inhumane and feeling like a deeply disturbing psychological experiment. She describes being shackled for up to 24 hours in a row, sleeping on a mat with no blanket, having aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days, among other indignities.

Mooney says she was freed without explanation, and is still unsure why she was detained in the first place. She described her ordeal more thoroughly in a first-person article published in The Guardian on Wednesday.
Trust Me I Should Know Where someone with years of hard-won personal experience, and lots of trial and error, shares everything theyve learned. Read more here. Photo: Harry Paris Field

My now-shuttered restaurant, Musi, in Philadelphia, was known for pasta that had no connection to Italy, because working with dough is a universal experience. I wanted to expand the repertoire of what pasta could do, but at the same time, that meant stripping pasta down to its essential components: flour and water (and, okay, sometimes eggs). During pandemic lockdowns, I shifted my pasta operation from my restaurant to my house (and went viral with one foul-mouthed pasta video). I had to retrain my restaurant-chef brain to work in a smaller space, with tools geared for the home kitchen. Here are the most essential tools to produce world-class fresh pasta, whether youre looking to make hand-cut fettuccine, ravioli, or any number of fancy, esoteric shapes at home.

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Nordic Ware Half-Sheet Cover $20 now 5% off $19 You need to have your pasta covered so it doesnt dry out. When you roll out your pasta, you roll it out into sheets. Those sheets get cut into small pieces, whether theyre circles or squares. You need to keep those pasta pieces in a covered environment while theyre waiting to be folded. A half-sheet cover is also nice if you want to store your pasta and your freezer has space for it. $19 at Amazon Buy $19 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Acacia Pasta-Drying Rack $19 This is not something I use regularly  you can also use a hanger. I dont generally dry my pasta, since I usually freeze it. But if you do want to dry pasta, this makes it a lot easier, because it prevents spaghetti or long, hand-cut noodles like pappardelle and fettuccine from sticking together. $19 at Crate and Barrel Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Ziranmer 18-inch Reusable Silicone Piping Bags, 3-Pack $12 $12 You need a pastry bag to pipe in filling for tortellini, agnolotti, ravioli, or any filled pasta. You could use a spoon or your fingertip for tortellini of a certain size, or you might need a decorator tip depending on how small you want to go. But a piping bag makes it so much easier to portion out filling quickly and efficiently. Silicone makes sense for a piping bag because its easier to clean than a typical canvas pastry bag. They are also very useful for filling deviled eggs. I find 18 inches to be the right size because it holds enough filling for just about any project you do at home, and you can always refill it. Anything larger can be a little unwieldy. $12 at Amazon Buy $12 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Fantes Cherry Wood Pasta Board, 28 x 22 $150 $150 A pasta board is not absolutely necessary, but if your space and budget allows for it, then get one. This one lays on top of a counter securely. Even if you work dough in a KitchenAid or machine, youre generally going to need to finish working it by hand. Its nice to have a surface with a texture like wood so that it provides some friction for kneading. $150 at Fantes Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Koizumi Studios Bench Scraper $30 $30 I love this one because it fits in the hand well and its a straightforward tool that does the job. You can use it to scrape your bench of excess flour and little bits of dough that have stuck to the surface  and because its wood, its not going to damage your surface like a metal one might. Ive been using this same one for five years, and it has held up beautifully. $30 at Accoutre Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. KitchenAid Pasta Roller Attachment $90 $90 If you have a KitchenAid, this makes rolling pasta fast, fun, and easy. It pops into the port on the mixer, and it rolls the dough quickly and evenly to different degrees of thickness. You can roll the dough thin enough even for the most delicate tortellini. The only drawback that people mention with this is that you need a KitchenAid stand mixer, but if youre a home cook, having one is game changing. $90 at Amazon Buy $90 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine $95 If you dont have a KitchenAid, youre going to roll your pasta through a hand-crank machine. You need to attach it to a counter or table with a clamp, and you roll your pasta between its two rollers until you get the thinness that you want. You increase the thinness incrementally by turning the knob on the side. The classic is the Atlas 150, but the 180 is just a little bit wider, so it gives your dough more surface area. $95 at Amazon Buy $95 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. King Arthur Straight Rolling Pin $23 $23 If youre making pasta, you need a rolling pin, no matter what pasta machine youre using. You need to roll your dough out to some point of thinness so you can fit into your pasta roller. I like this straight pin, because you want your pasta to be straight and not curved. This one is the right size, and its a general-use rolling pin thats good for anytime youre doing dough work. Wood pins give your dough texture, and the weight of this one is nice  neither too light nor too heavy. $23 at King Arthur Baking Co. Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Hombys Clear Glass Spray Bottle with Silicone Sleeve $10 $10 This is essential if youre making any folded or filled pasta for the same reason you need a cover: The dough shouldnt dry out before its folded or crimped. You also often need to wet the edges of the pasta so that it sticks to itself when its folded. A light spritz with the spray bottle can accomplish either task. $10 at Amazon Buy $10 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. King Arthur Pastry Brush $13 $13 When you are rolling your pasta and you want to flour it to keep sheets from sticking to each other, you might later want to brush that flour off them. When youre filling ravioli or agnolotti, you dont want that extra flour inside your pasta. If youre folding pasta, you dont want that excess flour in the pinch, either. This brush is easy to hold and straightforward to use, and it holds up nicely. $13 at King Arthur Baking Co. Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Ateco 5357 Plain-Edge Round Cutters in Graduated Sizes $15 I use these for ravioli, tortellini, and any pasta shape that has to start with a circle. These round cutters come in 11 sizes, so you can make raviolo al uovo, which is one large ravioli stuffed with a whole, intact egg yolk, down to the tiniest little tortellini. Theyre also useful for stamping out cookies, cutting cake rounds, shaping biscuits before you make them, molding steak tartare (if you want to get fancy), and frying an egg in a perfect circle for homemade sausage-egg McMuffins. $15 at Amazon Buy $15 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Ateco 5 Wheel Stainless Steel Cutter $44 now 5% off $42 I like this pasta bike because it lets you quickly cut your dough into squares or rectangles for when you want to make simple folded shapes like bow ties and tiny Bolognese-style tortellini and sorprese (which look like tortellini but have no filling). Bow ties are my signature shape. The cutter doesnt really allow you to cut sheets of pasta easily into noodles like fettuccine, but it lets you make even, equally sized squares, and its fun to use. $42 at Amazon Buy $42 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Al Marangoun Gnocchi Board $44 $44 Having a good wooden gnocchi board lets you expand your repertoire. If youre making classic gnocchi or cavatelli that you would roll with your thumb, you can roll it against the back of a fork or the front of a box grater, but having a wooden board will make you feel fancier. It also lets you, with its dowels, make garganelli. $44 at QB Cucina Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. La Gondola Double Pasta Cutter Wheel $73 $73 Having a cutter wheel, especially a fluted one, is really special when you want to make agnolotti or caramelle or anything that you want to have a little flair. It lets you crimp edges so you get a better seal on stuffed pastas. If you want fluted edges on bowties, theres no other way to go about it. $73 at Amazon Buy $73 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Burlap & Barrel Cardoz Legacy Masalas From $67 From $67 I love playing with pasta dough, and that often means adding ingredients to see different results. You can add ground spices or herbs through sauces or toppings, but its less frequently seen to color and spice pastas with actual spices. I end up using all the tools in this list more often when I have a fun dough idea I want to try. Something like adding the Floyd Cardoz masalas from Burlap and Barrel makes it all the more interesting when youre making pasta for your family or having friends over and want a conversation piece. From $67 at Burlap and Barrel Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. (re)zip Reusable Zip-Top Storage Bags (10-Cup and 12-Cup) $30 $30 These are to replace plastic wrap (theyre reusable). When you let your dough rest after its made, it needs to be in an airtight container. You could use Tupperware, but using a bag like this allows you to push the air out and away from your dough. You need to store your dough in between rolling out portions, and these bags work for that as well. $30 at Amazon Buy $30 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Ikea 5-Quart Stainless Steel Pot $20 $20 A super-straightforward pot, stainless steel, and a nice size for cooking at home that works on both induction and a gas range. Water boils faster with a lid on the pot, and the lid keeps the water from evaporating. And Ikea makes standard pots for a reasonable price. $20 at Ikea Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Spider $16 $16 You need a strainer for pulling your pasta out of the water. I dont use a colander because when I cook my pasta in a pan with sauce, I want to be able to ladle pasta water from the pot into the pan with the sauce. I also dont want to pour all that pasta water down the drain. I reserve most of my pasta water, not just a few tablespoons like you see chefs cooking on TV doing. Pasta water is the unsung hero of your kitchen. You can use it for sauces, stocks, and even in your cocktails. It gives all of these depth, flavor, and a bit of body, and, since your pasta water should be salted, a little salinity. Once my pasta water is cool, Ill freeze it in small containers to use in other applications. $16 at Amazon Buy $16 at Amazon Buy

Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. Victorinox Santoku 6.7-Inch Knife $49 $49 You need a knife for pasta-making. Its for cutting sheets of pasta as well as noodles such as tagliatelle and fettuccine. This knife is a straightforward, decent knife that does the job without breaking the bank. It can double as your go-to kitchen knife. Theres no reason to use your fancy Japanese steel knife for this because its going to be more expensive and hard to maintain. You dont need a fancy knife for pasta, just something functional, basic, and not trash. $49 at Amazon Buy $49 at Amazon Buy

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An Alabama Education Association representative for the Lee County area has criticized the Lee County Schools' superintendent for his comments on the compliance investigation at South Smiths Station Elementary School.

Following Tuesday's Lee County Board of Education meeting, which saw LCS Superintendent Mike Howard share an update on the compliance investigation, Izaak Standridge with the AEA shared a statement with the Opelika-Auburn News. Standridge is a UniServ Director for District 19, covering Chambers County, Lee County, Auburn City Schools, Lanett City Schools, Opelika City Schools, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Southern Union State Community College and Auburn University.

"Its concerning when there is a conversation insinuating what the outcome of the observation from a consulting firm will be before the report is completed and presented to the school board. There should be no allegations of wrongdoing or any insinuation that the human resources department will be asking teachers to come into the central office to give an account of their actions preemptively," Standridge said.

Howard told the Opelika-Auburn News that an investigation is underway at South Smiths Station Elementary School regarding the alleged use of unapproved materials and curriculum by teachers at the school.

In January, Lee County Schools placed South Smiths Station Elementary School Principal Teresa Phillips on paid administrative leave as an investigation began into compliance issues. Amy Long has been named the interim principal at South while Phillips is on leave. The Lee County Board of Education brought in Bailey Education Group to conduct an investigation into those alleged compliance issues, including an audit of the curriculum

We are out of compliance at South. Under the Alabama Literacy Act and Alabama Numeracy Act, the state board and the state legislation passed certain curriculum that we must use. And in our investigation and our findings, we have quite a bit of teachers not following state approved curriculum, Howard said Tuesday following the meeting.

On Tuesday, Howard said the investigation was expected to be complete by Friday and then he would have a meeting to see the full findings of the investigation. Howard said teachers identified in the investigation will then meet with the human resources department "to determine why they were using curriculum that was not approved."

"In conversation with multiple school board members, we agree that it is important for the results to be presented to them before any additional steps are taken. The Alabama Education Association will continue to support our members throughout this process, and we look forward to a positive outcome for everyone that has been impacted by this unfortunate situation," Standridge said.

In the last two Lee County Board of Education meetings, Howard and the board have received criticism from teachers and members of the community in regard to the investigation, the accusations of compliance issues and the suspension of Phillips.

The latest example of that was at Tuesday's meeting when Amy Skoglund, a third-grade teacher at South Smiths Station Elementary, spoke.

Skoglund said she has wanted to be a teacher since she was in the third grade and that South Smiths used to have a family atmosphere prior to the investigation. She said being a great teacher goes beyond just the curriculum.

"Every school and teacher both has room to grow, but with the treatment we've received this year, you're going to lose amazing teachers," Skoglund said. "This whole fiasco has me questioning everything. Please ask yourselves, what school environment would you want for your child to learn in, or your son and daughter to work at?"

The AEA is the member-driven voice of Alabama's education employees, according to the organization's website. AEA members include teachers, education support professionals, administrators, professors, future teachers and education retirees.

"Public schools are the cornerstone of our community and are worth standing up for. Public school employees are what make our schools so wonderful, and they deserve our upmost respect," Standridge said.

A presentation of the investigation in April

On Monday, Howard spoke with the Opelika-Auburn News and responded to the statement from Standridge.

"We too want a resolution...so that we can repair and correct any issues that may occur and also to thank and show appreciation to those teachers that are doing what they're supposed to do every day," Howard said. "We will work on anyone who's out of compliance or not following any of our board policies or procedures. We'll work on correcting those."

Howard said he has not said teachers will be brought to central office, just that the human resources department and other staff would meet with teachers identified in the investigation. He also said he has commented on what has been found in the investigation because, while he has not yet spoken about Bailey Education Group's investigation, LCS has their own internal investigation that has led to discoveries. There will be a full presentation of the investigation next month.

Howard said they have had investigations from outside entities at four schools in the past, including Smiths Station High School, about issues like compliance, scoring issues and grades. In regard to the issues at South Smiths, he said they were first notified over a year ago that the curriculum was not being followed in accordance with the Alabama Literacy Act and Alabama Numeracy Act.

"This has been around for over a year that we've been working and looking and trying to figure out exactly what areas we were out of compliance with. So this is not anything that just all of a sudden, magically appears in January." Howard said. "We were notified at the end of last year, around November (or) December, that we were in jeopardy of losing funding because of the compliance, and that's what has ramped everything up."

Howard said the findings of the investigation will be presented to the Lee County Board of Education at the next meeting, which is scheduled for April 15 at 4:30 p.m., with a work session set for 4 p.m.

"We're just ready to move on so that we can have school and finish the school year. Because this has taken a lot of time, lot of effort," Howard said. "It's not about people getting into trouble. That's not the thing. I just want people to be compliant and doing what they're hired to do in accordance to board policy and state law. That's all we ask."
The International Energy Agency just threw a bucket of ice water on oil bulls, reporting that crude supply is outpacing demand by 600,000 bpd and slashing its demand outlook for the year. And the IEA isnt alone. The worlds biggest oil traders are also sounding the alarm, turning bearish as overproduction ramps up both inside and outside OPEC.

The industry is over-drilling now, that is clear, Gunvors chairman Torbjorn Tornqvist told Bloomberg in an interview on the sidelines of CERAWeek. We are drilling more inside and outside OPEC than demand growth warrants.

Indeed, production is on the rise. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook that it expected U.S. output this year to gain 400,000 bpd to 13.6 million barrels daily, which would solidify the countrys status as top global producerand a major reason for the weakness in oil prices.

Yet OPEC+ is also producing more, or rather, some members of the group are producing way over their quota. In the latest update from the cartel, Kazakhstan was the main overproducer, with an average daily rate of 1.767 million barrels in February versus a quota of 1.468 million barrels daily. Nigeria also overproduced, although less dramatically, exceeding its ceiling by some 70,000 barrels daily.

Related: Petronas in Talks to Exit Argentinas Vaca Muerta Shale

Meanwhile, on the demand side, it appears that many have concerns related to President Donald Trumps approach to trade policy, namely tariffs. The concerns focus on tariffs hurting demand for crude as they make various goods more expensive. Some tariffs might also have a negative effect on oil and gas industry costs, specifically the steel and aluminum tariffs the Trump administration announced earlier this week. The effect, however, is likely to be modest.

This will not be the case with refining in the United States, where as much as 400,000 bpd in processing capacity is scheduled to be shut down this year. Two refineriesone in Los Angeles and another in Houston are slated for a shutdown in 2025, which would leave more crude available on the market.

According to the chief executive of Vitol, Russell Hardy, the current developments in supply and demand could push oil prices consistently lower, to between $60 and $80 per barrel. Hardy also said that West Texas Intermediate could dip below $60 per barrel at some point, though likely not for long. In fairness, it would not be the first time when overdrilling has led to price dips that have served as a natural correction for excessive production activity and there is no reason the current situation should be an exception to that rule.

Meanwhile, one prominent oil analyst has said that the world has entered the era of peak oil trading. According to Jeff Currie, formerly with Goldman Sachs and currently with Carlyle, the international oil trade peaked in 2017 and has since been on the decline due to the rise in wind and solar electricity that is produced locally.

The share of global energy consumption that came from fossil fuels that crossed borders peaked in 2017, and has since declined by 5%, Currie wrote in a note cited by Bloomberg this week. In it, the analyst noted that while oil is a reliable source of energy, its cross-border trade is increasingly vulnerable to developments such as Trumps tariff push, for example. According to Currie, this vulnerability will serve as motivation for boosting reliance on wind and solar.

JP Morgans latest energy report counters this view, with its author, Michael Cembalest, noting that after $9 trillion globally over the last decade spent on wind, solar, electric vehicles, energy storage, electrified heat and power grids, the renewable transition is still a linear one; the renewable share of final energy consumption is slowly advancing at 0.3%-0.6% per year.

This suggests that while the market balance for oil looks like it is leaning into oversupply, it may not necessarily be an accurate picture. Demand has surprised on the positive side repeatedly, countering estimates, with the most notable recent example from last year, when the EIA had estimated a slump in fuel demand in late spring, but the actual numbers showed a surge to a record high.

Another recent example that teaches to take all forecasts and estimates with a pinch of salt came from none other than the IEAs head himself, who called for more oil and gas investment at CERAWeek, saying, There is a need for oil and gas upstream investments, full stop, four years after he said in the IEAs Road Map to Net Zero that the world needed no more investments in new oil and gas supply because the transition was going to succeed.

It seems, then, that at this point in time, oil prices seem set for an extended period of depression as supply appears to exceed demand consistently and producers have yet to feel enough pain to curb their activity. However, a lot of that comes from forecasts and estimates that may turn out to be inaccurate. This, in turn, would lead to a price correction whose size would depend on just how accurate or inaccurate the forecasts and estimates were.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The highly anticipated $945 million acquisition deal between Carlyle and Energean is reportedly facing serious obstacles. According to statements from Energean and industry insiders, Carlyles offer is encountering unresolved regulatory hurdles in Egypt and Italy. Energean has confirmed that specific approvals in these countries are still pending. The situation jeopardizes the entire deal, as the deadline for its completion is this week, and no extension has been agreed upon so far.

In June 2024, Carlyle reached an agreement with Energean to acquire its assets in Croatia, Egypt, and Italy. The acquisition is a key component of Carlyles plan to establish a Mediterranean-focused oil and gas company, to be led by former BP CEO Tony Hayward. However, analysts warn that the lack of regulatory progress could lead to a complete breakdown of the deal. Energean has already stated that without an extension, the agreement could be terminated, with the final deadline set for March 2025.

Energean reiterated today that, according to the Sale and Purchase Agreement signed on June 19, 2024, and announced in August 2024, the transactions completion is subject to regulatory approvals in Italy and Egypt, along with antitrust approvals in Italy, Egypt, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). These approvals are essential for the deal to proceed, and the lack of progress in securing them remains a major hurdle. Energean also confirmed that it has not reached an agreement with Carlyle to extend the longstop date.

Related: Petronas in Talks to Exit Argentinas Vaca Muerta Shale

Despite these uncertainties, Energean CEO Mathios Rigas has emphasized that the company remains committed to the deal with Carlyle. He stated that, despite the challenges, Energean is determined to see the transaction through. However, Carlyle has yet to respond, and the pressure is mounting.

For Carlyle, acquiring Energeans assets is crucial to its strategy of creating a new Mediterranean-focused energy company. In June 2024, Carlyle outlined its plan to expand into the Eastern Mediterranean gas market, particularly targeting Egypt and European gas demand. According to Carlyle International Energy Partners (CIEP)Carlyles non-U.S. energy investment armthe new company is expected to produce up to 47,000 barrels of oil per day across the three countries. CIEPs Bob Maguire also stated that additional acquisitions are planned in the future. If the deal goes through, Carlyle could significantly expand its presence in the Mediterranean energy market, potentially securing substantial profits.

If the deal collapses, it will have major implications for Energeans strategic direction. Currently, Energean primarily produces offshore natural gas in Israel but has been working to diversify its portfolio by focusing on assets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. CEO Rigas has highlighted the significance of the Carlyle deal, calling it both strategic and highly profitable. He stated in June 2024, Its a great deal for us; were selling assets at three times the price we bought them.

Under the original agreement, Carlyle was set to make a cash payment of $504 million, after which Energean planned to pay a $200 million special dividend and fully repay a $450 million corporate bond. A potential breakdown of the deal could seriously impact Energeans future growth strategy.

By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com

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U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has been effusive in his praise of the oil and gas industry in remarks delivered at CERAWeek by S&P Global conference, telling energy executives they have an ally in Washington who intends to make it easier for them to drill in federal lands and waters.

If someone was sending me revenue, they werent the enemy. They were the customer, Burgum said, adding that the Trump administration welcomes anyone who produces oil and gas on federal lands, harvest timber, mines for critical minerals or graze cattle.

According to Burgum, the value of the countrys abundant natural resources far outweighs its $36 trillion in debt, saying the Trump administration views China winning the artificial intelligence race and Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon as the two existential threats facing the U.S. rather than global warming. Burgum says royalties sent from lease agreements on federal land will help the U.S. pay down its national debt and balance the budget.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the National Energy Dominance Council that is tasked with enhancing Americas energy security and cutting reliance on foreign entities. According to a White House statement, the Biden-Harris Administration dramatically slowed the growth rate of American energy production and development, including by instituting a federal oil leasing moratorium and removing hundreds of million acres from being available for energy production. Trumps White House claims that over the past four years, it is estimated that the U.S. produced over two billion fewer barrels of oil than anticipated by trend (had President Trumps energy policies been kept intact), a vast quantity of lost supply that could have lessened the burden of energy prices on American families.

Related: U.S. Gas Prices Ease On Record Output



For the second time, the Trump administration emphasized the importance of the country lowering its reliance on Chinas critical minerals, noting Chinas recent weaponization of its resources through bans on exporting germanium, gallium, and antimony to the United States. Trump's many "Unleashing American Energy" directives require the Secretary of the Interior to instruct the director of the USGS to "consider updating the survey's list of critical minerals, including for the potential of including uranium." Categorizing uranium as a critical mineral would open up federal funds and fast-track permitting for domestic uranium projects, throwing the domestic uranium sector a lifeline.

However, one of the sections that really stood out in that statement was the importance of the LNG sector to the new administration. As one of his first executive orders, Trump expedited the LNG export license process (achieving licensing times one-sixth as long as those seen during the Biden Administration, which revoked these reforms), reduced the permitting time for drilling on federal lands (increasing permit applications by 300%), fixed the New Source Review (which punished companies for repairing and upgrading coal power plants), and opened up millions of acres for domestic energy development. Trump warned Western Europe as early as 2017 to rely on American natural gas rather than Russian energy.

Trump has repeatedly vowed that hell push shale producers to ramp up oil output, even if it means operators drill themselves out of business. However, its not clear how he intends to accomplish this feat since U.S. oil is produced by independent companies and not a national oil company (NOC). Its more likely that the U.S. natural gas and LNG sector will do most of the heavy lifting in Trumps goal to unleash American energy. Last month, commodity analysts at Standard Chartered noted that that following Scott Bessents nomination as Treasury Secretary, his Manhattan Institute June session where he spoke at a conference entitled Towards a New Supply-Side: The Future of Free Enterprise in the United States was heavily scrutinized as a potential guide to the new administrations energy policy. During that talk, Bessent was asked which version of the late Shinzo Abes three arrows economic plan he would recommend to an incoming President Trump.

A keen admirer of Abe, Bessent put forward the three targets of 3% economic growth, cutting the budget deficit by 3% of GDP by the end of the administration and Three million more oil barrels equivalent a day from U.S. energy production. StanChart pointed out that many commentators were [incorrectly] interpreting Bessents comments to mean he would urge the Trump administration to raise U.S. crude oil production by 3 million barrels per day (mb/d), good for a huge 30% to about 16.5 mb/d by 2028. The analysts claimed that Bessent meant the addition of 3 million per barrels of oil equivalent (mboe/d) to U.S. energy production by 2028, an objective well within the means of U.S. producers.

StanChart has pointed out that U.S. oil and gas output is currently ~40.7 mboe/d. U.S. oil and gas output has grown by an average of about 123 kboe/d per month since 2015, meaning adding 3 mboe/d would take less than 25 months. The commodity experts have noted that 41% of the post-2015 production growth has come from natural gas, 28% from natural gas liquids (NGLs) and just 28% from crude oil. StanChart has predicted that the crude oil element of the next 3 mboe/d increase is likely to be significantly less than 20%, with natural gas likely to be the main instrument for meeting the new administrations energy goals as crude oil output growth becomes increasingly difficult.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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Recruitment intentions have declined, with half of companies freezing recruitment and many reducing planned pay increases or considering redundancies, attributed in part to measures announced in the Autumn 2024 Budget.

The industry body Make UK has downgraded its manufacturing sector forecast for 2025, predicting a contraction of -0.5 percent, and significant drops in production were observed in basic metals and electrical products.

UK manufacturing output fell by one percent in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first decline in a decade, largely due to concerns about a global trade war and rising taxes.

UK manufacturing output fell during the first quarter of the year for the first time in a decade, as fears over a global trade war and rising taxes hit firms.

Output fell one per cent in the first three months of 2025 after a 20 per cent rise in the quarter before, with UK orders dropping seven per cent, according to data from industry body Make UK.

Albeit the sector wide contraction is only minor, the negative balance at the start of a year is an ominous one, said the industry body.

Make UK is now forecasting that the manufacturing sector will contract by -0.5 per cent this year, down from a previous forecast of -0.2 per cent, before growing by one per cent next year.

The hardest hit sectors by the fall in output this quarter have been basic metals, which saw a 50 per cent drop in production, followed by electrical and metal products, which fell 12 per cent.

Recruitment intentions in the sector also dipped, falling from an eight per cent increase to a three per cent decline, with half of companies freezing recruitment.

Much of the dip in employment was attributed to measures announced in the Autumn 2024 Budget, with 41 per cent of firms reducing planned pay increases and a quarter considering redundancies.

Fears over a trade war caused by US president Donald Trump have also shaken international purchasing, with export orders growth falling to just one per cent, down from ten per cent in the previous quarter.

Manufacturers feel like they are currently wading through treacle, facing barriers and increased costs being imposed on them at every turn, said Verity Davidge, policy director at Make UK.

The one light at the end of the tunnel is the prospect of a modern, long term industrial strategy which will enable them to plan for the future with confidence in a supportive policy environment.

Investment activity in the UK manufacturing sector slowed from previous quarters, but still increased five per cent, as a third of firms said they were delaying investment plans, with 15 per cent actually cancelling planned investments.

By City AM

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Ukraine's military leadership is undergoing changes to enhance combat readiness, and drone attacks and battlefield shifts continue amidst diplomatic efforts.

Russia demands Ukraine's neutrality and a freeze on US weapon supplies as conditions for a peace agreement, while Ukraine seeks security guarantees and eventual NATO membership.

President Trump plans to speak with President Putin on March 18 to discuss a cease-fire in Ukraine, with potential negotiations involving land and power plants.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18 as he bids to bring about a cease-fire in the war in Ukraine that has drained both sides of soldiers and resources.

"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," Trump told reporters late on March 16 during a flight back to Washington from his resort in Florida.

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance," Trump said.

When asked about possible concessions that might be required to secure a cease-fire, Trump said that "we'll be talking about land. We'll be talking about power plants."

"I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets."

The Kremlin did not immediately comment.

Trump has made a priority during the first months of his second term in office to bring about a cease-fire agreement in the three-year war in Ukraine.

After holding talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian and US officials announced on March 11 that Kyiv had agreed to a 30-day cease-fire proposal, contingent on Russia's agreement.

Moscow has so far reacted coolly to the idea, with Putin suggesting additional conditions, including a freeze on US weapons supplies to Kyiv.

Meanwhile, a top Russian official said Moscow will insist Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO and remain neutral in any peace deal -- conditions Kyiv has long rejected.

One of the Kremlin's original grievances in justifying its February 2022 invasion continues to be one of Kyiv's central demands: NATO membership.

On March 14, Putin had said any agreement should lead to long-term peace that addresses the "root" reasons for the war -- an apparent reference to NATO expansion and other developments Putin claims have put Russia's security in jeopardy.

In remarks published on March 17, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko told the Russian daily Izvestia that "we will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement."

"Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has often stressed that for Kyiv to accept any peace deal it must come with security guarantees for Ukraine from its Western partners, including eventual NATO membership.

"I have insisted [on Ukraine's membership in] NATO, but you know what the answers have been," he said in February, suggesting that the path to joining the Western military alliance remains obstructed.

On March 16, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a CBS interview that a final peace accord would "involve a lot of hard work, concessions from both Russia and Ukraine," adding that it would be difficult to even start such talks "as long as they're shooting at each other."

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy on March 16 shook up his military leadership, appointing Major General Andriy Hnatov as Ukraine's new chief of the General Staff, replacing Lieutenant-General Anatoliy Barhilevych, as Kyiv looks to speed the pace of reform and reorganization.

"We are consistently changing the armed forces to make them even more combat ready. To achieve it, we are changing the management system and introducing clear standards," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said

The statement said Barhilevych, who was appointed to the post in February 2024, will now serve as inspector general of the Defense Ministry. Barhilevych replaced Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala when he took the post on the General Staff in 2024.

On the battlefield, Russian forces launched what appeared to be a major drone strike on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on March 16 as explosions were heard in various districts.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air-defense units were attempting to knock out the drones and warned residents to stay in shelters.

In the Sumy region, authorities said one person was killed and two injured when explosive devices dropped from a Russian drone and mortar fire hit an apartment building in the Bilopillia community.

In Russia's Kursk region, Russian forces continued their drive to force Ukrainian troops from territory they had captured in a stunning cross-border offensive last August.

Latest estimates put the area under Ukrainian control at about 110 square kilometers, down from a peak of nearly 1,400 square kilometers last year. Fierce battles raged in the region, making it difficult to confirm any claims by either side.

By RFE/RL

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Officials from Alaska plan a visit to Japan and South Korea in search of potential Asian investors in the planned $44-billion Alaska LNG project, which is strongly supported by the Trump Administration.

State firm Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) seeks to advance the Alaska LNG project, designed to deliver North Slope natural gas to Alaskans and export LNG to U.S. allies across the Pacific.

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Day One to unleash Alaskas extraordinary resource potential, which includes prioritize the development of Alaskas LNG potential, including the permitting of all necessary pipeline and export infrastructure related to the Alaska LNG Project, giving due consideration to the economic and national security benefits associated with such development.

The U.S. Administration has been pressing Japan and South Korea to buy more LNG as a way to reduce Americas trade deficit with its Asian allies.

Officials from AGDC and the projects development partner Glenfarne Group will visit allied Asian nations in late March to update industry leaders on Alaska LNG's economic and strategic competitive advantages, and discuss opportunities for participation, AGDC spokesperson Tim Fitzpatrick told Reuters.

Alaskas Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy is looking to coordinate a visit to South Korea to discuss Alaska LNG, diplomatic sources told South Korean Yonhap news agency last week.

Earlier last week, Governor Dunleavy said that Alaska LNG could begin exports by 2030.

Japan and Taiwan have expressed interest in potential investments in the project.

Japanese trading giant Mitsui, which has investments in LNG projects globally, could consider supporting Alaska LNG, Mitsuis chief financial officer Tetsuya Shigeta told Reuters last month.

South Korea and the United States are setting up a working group to discuss Alaska LNG, as well as energy, shipbuilding, tariffs, and non-tariff barriers.

Despite the signals that Asian partners are willing to discuss potential participation in Alaska LNG, Japanese companies are concerned that the costs may be too high considering the cold weather in Alaska and the scale of the pipelines needed to bring the project on stream.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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A consortium of UK-based supermajor BP, Azerbaijans state oil and gas firm SOCAR, and Israeli company NewMed Energy on Monday signed a licensing agreement to explore for natural gas offshore Israel, the Energy Ministry of Israel said.

The deal marks BPs entry into Israel and the first exploration effort outside Azerbaijan for the state company SOCAR.

The three-way consortium was given licenses to explore for natural gas in the so-called Zone I as part of Israels efforts to boost its domestic gas supply and exports to foreign markets.

More licenses are expected to be awarded later this year, the Israeli energy ministry said, adding that it would announce its fifth exploration bidding round during 2025.

The BP-SOCAR-NewMed Energy joint venture bid and won the Zone I acreage in a competitive exploration licensing round back in 2023. Israel held the bid for hydrocarbon exploration over four zones (E, G, H, I) in Israels Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The bid included 20 exploration blocks under the 4th Offshore Bid Round.

SOCAR holds 33.34% of the partnership and is the operator of Zone I, while NewMed Energy and BP have 33.33% each.

The entry of SOCAR and BP is excellent news for the State of Israel. Natural gas is a strategic asset, which strengthens our economic and political position in the world in general and in the Middle East in particular, Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen said.

Israel is working to boost its natural gas production, for the benefit of the local economy as well as for export, the minister added.

Earlier this year, Azerbaijans SOCAR signed an agreement with Union Energy to buy a 10% effective ownership in the Tamar field offshore Israel, one of the largest and most strategically important gas fields in the Mediterranean.

With this step, SOCAR has begun implementing investment in upstream projects in the Mediterranean region, the Azeri company said at the end of January.

Now the state-controlled firm and BP will explore for natural gas offshore Israel, where major fields have been discovered and put into operation in recent years, including Tamar and the giant Leviathan field operated by Chevron.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Chinese refiners booked a 2.1% increase in production over the first two months of the year as holiday travel pulled demand for fuels higher, helped by the start of a new refinery a few months earlier, Reuters has reported, citing Chinas National Bureau of Statistics.

The increase came from state-owned refineries while private operators, the so-called teapots, reduced their run rates in January and February to tackle higher crude oil costs resulting from U.S. sanctions targeting Russian and Iranian crude, of which the teapots are big buyers.

The Shandong Yulong refinery went online last September, ramping up to 90% of capacity at its crude oil processing unit in November, adding 200,000 barrels daily to overall demand for crude from the countrys refining industry. The facilitys second crude processing unit is set for starting this month, the Reuters report noted.

Reduced runs from the teapot sector are likely to keep state-owned and mega-independent plants' runs supported in the coming months even amid the state-owned maintenance season, a Beijing-based analyst with Rystad Energy told Reuters.

Meanwhile, state-owned Chinese refiners are reducing their intake of sanction-burdened Russian barrels while teapots are boosting their. State-owned refining giant China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec, as well as Zhenhua Oil, have suspended purchases of Russian crude oil loading this month, amid concerns over secondary sanctions, trade sources told Reuters this month. PetroChina and CNOOC were still buying Russian oil for March loadings, but at reduced rates, those sources, who remained unnamed, said.

The independent refiners, for their part, boosted purchases of Russias Far East flagship ESPO blend and more February-loading cargoes were delivered to the Shandong and Jiangsu provinces, primarily to teapot refiners, Vortexa has estimated. In January, the independent refiners preferred to reduce runs rather than seek alternative barrels amid uncertainties surrounding ESPO supply.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Ideas to resurrect the Nord Stream gas pipelines from Russia to Germany are the wrong direction of discussion, Germanys outgoing economy and energy minister Robert Habeck said on Monday.

The Ukrainians are still under the aggression of Russia. So I think talking about the potential of Nord Stream 2 or Nord Stream 1, if it's going to be repaired, is completely the wrong direction of discussion, Habeck said in Brussels today, as carried by Reuters.

Gas leaks in each of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea were discovered at the end of September 2022.

Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation after Germany axed the certification process following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia, for its part, shut down Nord Stream 1 indefinitely in early September of 2022, claiming an inability to repair gas turbines because of the Western sanctions.

But speculation has intensified in recent weeks that a revival of the pipelines could be a part of a deal for the end of the war in Ukraine.

In early March, the Financial Times reported that a former spy and close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking talks to revive the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe with the backing of U.S. investors.

The outreach to the Trump Administration regarding Nord Stream is part of backchannel efforts to reach a deal on an end to the war in Ukraine and revive broader economic relations between the U.S. and Russia, according to FTs sources with knowledge of the talks.

In response to the reports, Germanys Economy Ministry early this month said that it is neither willing nor planning to discuss a restart to the pipeline.

Independence from Russian gas is of strategic importance to the German government in terms of security policy and it is sticking to it, the ministry said.

Estonias Foreign Minister Tsahkna, for his part, said The right place for Nord Stream 2 is at the bottom of the sea, in pieces, not on the EUs energy market.

Instead, we are welcoming gas supplies from the United States to the EU, not Russia, the minister added.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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A Saudi official has denied reports that Riyadh is providing logistical support for the U.S. air strikes targeting Yemens Houthis, Reuters reports.

Speaking to the Saudi news network Al-Arabiya, the official denied allegations that Riyadh is providing oil supplies for the ongoing military operations in Yemen. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered military operations in Yemen targeting Houthi sites, whom he described as terrorists. U.S. officials expect the American strikes to continue for days, or possibly weeks.

Since 2023, Yemen's Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked cargo ships passing through the strait of Bab al-Mandab that splits northeast Africa from Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. The Iran-backed rebels have been targeting vessels with connections to Israel and Western countries, forcing dozens of shipping companies to take a 4,000-mile detour around the continent of Africa at significantly higher costs and extra shipping days.

The Red Sea is one of the worlds most densely packed shipping channels and the most significant waterway connecting Europe to Asia and East Africa. About 12% of global trade, including 30% of global container traffic, passes through the Red Sea, meaning that delays there can potentially affect fuel prices as well as the availability of various commodities and electronics.

Dozens of companies halted shipping in the Red Sea and at the Suez Canal. Last year, four of the worlds five largest container-shipping companies, namely Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA, CGM, and MSC, have paused or suspended their services in the Red Sea, the route through which traffic from the Suez Canal must pass.

Unfortunately, resurging attacks coming from notorious piracy hotspots have shipping companies worried about the new route. Last year, Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, warned shipping companies to be on high alert for piracy after vessel seizures in the Gulf of Guinea and off the Somali coast.

Houthi rebels attacked and set ablaze a cargo ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden. A tankers crew was also kidnapped off Equatorial Guinea by pirates. Similarly, the crew of a dry bulk carrier sailing on Somali waters was forced to abandon ship after a missile attack.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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U.S. President Donald Trump will speak to Russia's Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about ending the Ukraine war, with territorial concessions in Ukraine as well as control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant likely to feature in the talks.

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end," Trump told reporters on Air Force One. "Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined a proposal by Trump to acquire approximately 50% of Ukraines rare earth mineral rights. Valued at several trillion dollars, Ukraines mineral reserves include lithium, titanium and graphite which are essential for high-tech industries. The proposal was delivered by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as part of a bid to compensate Washington for assistance to Kyiv. Trump had suggested that Ukraine owed the United States $500 billion worth of resources for its past military support. However, Zelenskyy sought better terms, including U.S. and European security guarantees. Trumps proposal did not include provisions for future assistance, which Zelenskyy deems necessary. Zelenskyys team has developed an offer for a mineral partnership in exchange for security guarantees, which was announced earlier this month.

A ceasefire to the Russia-Ukraine war could be bearish for oil prices if Trump pushes for the removal of sanctions on the Russian energy industry, Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. Geopolitical stability may also "largely extinguish the still simmering 'fear bid' in the oil market." Sanctions by the Biden administration roughly tripled the number of directly sanctioned Russian crude oil tankers, enough to affect around 900,000 barrels per day (bpd). Whereas its highly likely that Russia will try to circumvent the sanctions by employing even more shadow fleet tankers and ship-to-ship transfers, StanChart sees 500,000 bpd of displacements over the next six months.

The EU has floated the idea of resuming purchases of Russian pipeline gas as part of a potential settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war. Backed by Hungarian and German officials, the proposal argues that the move could give both Russia and Europe incentives to maintain a peace deal while stabilizing the continent's energy market.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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U.S. natural gas futures eased to a two-week low on Monday amid record output, negative spot prices at the Waha Hub and forecasts for mild weather. Natural gas at the Waha hub--a regional pricing hub for gas in the Permian Basin in West Texas--sold for near-zero or sub-zero prices for much of 2024, a trend that has continued in the current year. Indeed, prices at the hub spent 164 days in negative territory and hit an all-time low -$7/mmbtu at the end of August, truly historical lows. The Permian Shale boom led to a surge in associated gas production, with output growing more quickly than takeaway capacity. Consequently, Permian gas infrastructure has become saturated in recent years, effectively meaning that producers sometimes have to pay for someone to take their gas so that they can continue to produce something more valuable: crude oil.

Gas inventories, however, remained about 12% below normal levels for this time of year after extreme cold in January and February. U.S. natural gas futures dropped 1.3% to $4.058 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) at 11.15 am ET, putting the contract on track for its lowest close since February 28.

The price decline came despite robust LNG gas flows. Gas flows to U.S. LNG export plants clocked in at 15.6 bcfd, matching last months record. The latest EIA report revealed that U.S. utilities withdrew 62 bcf of gas for the week ending March 7, exceeding forecasts of 50-55 bcf. This further depressed storage, with inventory levels 27% lower than a year ago and 11.9% below the five-year average. Near-record output has, however, continued to cap gains, with output in the Lower 48 states hitting 105.7 bcfd in March, surpassing Februarys record of 105.1 bcfd.

Similarly, European natural gas futures dipped to 41.7/MWh, easing after last weeks 9% rally, as traders weighed ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. However, hopes for a swift resolution to the Ukraine war and potential restoration of Russian gas flows remain dim.



By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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China has already established a strong presence in Central Asia's mining sector, creating a competitive landscape for the US and EU to navigate.

Central Asian nations are open to foreign investment and collaboration to develop their mining sectors and capitalize on their resource potential.

The US and EU are actively pursuing deals in Central Asia to secure critical minerals, recognizing the region's potential as an alternative to traditional suppliers like China.

It is not just the Trump administration that is into hard rocks. The European Union is also a big fan of Central Asian metal.

In their dealings with Central Asian governments, US and EU officials seem fixated on expanding access to the regions abundance of critical minerals.

Over the past few days, top Trump administration officials have courted Kazakhstan. Energy Secretary Chris Wright raised the topic of rare earths during a March 13 meeting with his Kazakh counterpart, Almassadam Satkaliyev, on the sidelines of an energy conference in Houston.

A day earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement following talks with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu stating that the United States looks forward to working with Kazakhstan to deepen economic ties in the energy, telecommunications, and critical minerals sectors.

The growing American interest in critical minerals is matched by the European Union. European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikelak, who began a six-day tour of the five Central States on March 12, is also scouting out potential investments in the mining sector.

An EU statement noted that critical minerals is one of the four main topics for discussion with Central Asian leaders during Sikelaks visit, with the EU aiming to promote best practices, new jobs and economic resilience. The other chief aims of the tour are to improve infrastructure in transport, digital connectivity and water, energy & the climate sectors, enabling an expansion of trade between Central Asia and the EU. During a stop in Uzbekistan, Sikelak is scheduled to tour the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex.

Uzbekistan earlier in March announced a $2.6 billion initiative to develop its mineral and mining sector creating a prime opportunity for US and European investment.

During his recent visit to France, Uzbek leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a $5 million mineral deal, the state-aligned Gazeta.uz outlet reported March 13. As part of the agreement, Frances Geological Service will provide its experience and knowledge for the development of the national geological service in Uzbekistan, the Gazeta.uz report said. Another project involves geological and technical studies of critical minerals.

A lack of supply of rare earths needed to power many of the gadgets deemed indispensable in the 21st century is prompting the US and EU to look to Central Asia as a supply source. A combination of factors makes Central Asia  particularly resource-endowed Kazakhstan but also Uzbekistan and Tajikistan  the most viable alternative to traditional suppliers [especially China], according to an analysis published in late 2024 by the Australia-based Lowy Institute.

But the United States and EU must play catch-up to gain a significant share in the regions mining and minerals sector. China long ago established itself as the regions dominant player.

Chinas own growing internal demand for critical minerals  primarily associated with the rapidly increasing production of microchips and green energy  makes its strategic interest in this sector of Central Asian economies particularly strong, the Lowy Institute analysis stated. In effect, Beijing has already taken the lead, especially in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, where it controls almost all the leases of rare-earth mining.

While few opportunities may exist with current mining operations, the US and EU have an opportunity to capture a major share of future projects.

Central Asian leaders understand that without foreign (financial) capital, know-how and technologies, capitalization on local resource potential is not realistic, said the Lowy Institute analysis. They have also realized that collaborative actions will better enable them to excel in producing [critical minerals], thus securing their place in the global supply chain.

By Eurasianet.org

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LINCOLN  The Nebraska Legislature passed over a resolution Monday after a tumultuous Friday debate that illuminated concerns that it isnt the right time to debate potential raises for lawmakers.

I think we have some other work that needs to get done, said the resolutions introducer, State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair.

Hansen introduced Legislative Resolution 25CA, initially suggesting lawmakers be paid Nebraskas minimum wage, plus insurance benefits. He amended the measure to propose a citizen commission instead, arguing it would be more responsible and palatable to voters to leave salary decisions up to Nebraskans.

If the resolution passes the Legislature, the idea would then go onto the 2026 ballot, and would need voter approval to take effect. If voters pass the measure, the commission would be established in 2028, and the first salary changes would be up for consideration in 2029.

Nebraska offers lawmakers $12,000 per year. The last time Nebraska lawmakers salaries were raised was in 1988. The Nebraska Constitution currently limits their salaries at no more than $1,000 per month, and requires voter approval to change them.

Iowa lawmakers earn more than twice what Nebraska lawmakers are paid and lawmakers in Missouri and Minnesota earn more than three times their Nebraska counterparts, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Like in those other states, Nebraska lawmakers receive per diem payments during session. For Nebraska senators who live within 50 miles of the Capitol, those payments are $55 per day; for those who live farther away, per diem payments are $151 per day, the NCSLs 2024 data said.

The resolution received mixed reviews during its first two hours of debate Friday. Hansen argued the current salary prevents people who work normal jobs from running for the Legislature, which has resulted in most active senators being either retired, wealthy or a representative of a political organization.

Past proposals to raise legislative salaries left a bad impression with Nebraska voters, Hansen said, and he argued proposing a citizen commission instead would garner more support on the ballot. He noted the commission could decide to lower their salaries and could be motivation for senators to do a good job.

Its our responsibility to do our jobs, Hansen said. Its our responsibility to listen to the people.

But opponents said it was inappropriate for lawmakers to even consider a measure that could raise their pay when the Legislature was also considering measures to cut government services and undermine recent successful ballot initiatives voters passed. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln said LR 25CA was indicative of how out of touch some senators have gotten from their constituents.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, who proposed a similar resolution last session that got stuck in committee, opposed LR 25CA, saying she couldnt support a measure to raise lawmaker salaries if the current Legislature cant afford to give resources to Nebraskans who earn less than they do.

Until we right that ship, we dont deserve a raise, Cavanaugh said.

Supporters largely argued that a $12,000 annual salary is prohibitive to qualified candidates who might otherwise run for the Legislature. Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, who proposed a similar measure this session, said hes received emails from Nebraskans complaining about lawmakers trying to raise their pay, and hes told them you get what you pay for.

Some supporters reflected on how difficult holding a full-time job was after they were elected as state senators. Several Democrats said they want more diverse representation in the Legislature, and LR 25CA might be one of the only options to do that.

Something has to change in this place, said Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha.

Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha argued that a higher salary wont magically make lawmakers better, and said resolutions like LR 25CA are part of the reason why public trust in the Legislature is so low. She said money shouldnt be a measure of how hard senators work, noting that most teachers work very hard and still receive low pay.

Conrad said LR 25CA supporters rhetoric was hollow, and speculated that the recommended salary changes from the commission could be used against senators when they seek reelection. The Legislature would still be tasked with voting to support the salary adjustments recommended by the commission.

Sen. Robert Dover of Norfolk, one of a few Republicans who spoke against LR 25CA, called the resolution the right bill at the wrong time. He said the state simply doesnt have the money to support raises, given that it may come at the cost of cuts to services like cancer research and public health departments.

On Monday, Hansen said he believed the opposition to his resolution was mostly related to outside concerns, and those concerns should be addressed before lawmakers revisit the measure. He said he still wants to pass LR 25CA, but it can wait until later this session or even the 2026 session.


By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

KPTV News did a story on how liberal Tesla protesters are upset at liberal rioters for vandalizing and shooting up Tesla stores.

One protestor said, It makes us look like negative people

Another said, There would have been a lot more people if there would have not been that shooting,

After five years of tolerating very overt acts of violence in the name of Leftist politics, they may have deep regrets at the monster they tacitly helped create.

The same liberal protestors invite violence when they wave signs like this.

Read more on KPTV.

 Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).


By William Mackenzie

With all the budget troubles facing Oregon, the Oregon Center for Public Policy wants it to spend more to feed immigrants in the country illegally.

The way things are headed in Oregon there soon wont be any difference between a citizen and someone here illegally except the right to vote. And some even want to change that, based on the 164,781 Multnomah County residents who voted for a 2022 ballot measure that would have allowed people who are not U.S. citizens to vote in county elections. The ballot measure was defeated, but only by a vote of 52.71% to 47.29%.

Voting exclusion based on non-citizen censorship is arbitrary, its unfair and it disproportionately impacts people of color, ACLU Senior Policy Associate Mariana Garcia Medina said after the 2022 vote. It silences the voices of community members. That logic is reflected in the views of todays supporters of giving free food to immigrants in the country illegally.

Right now, some Oregonians face hunger on a daily basis simply because of where they were born, the Oregon Center for Public Policy says, pleading for residents to Tell the Oregon Legislature to pass Food for All Oregonians, SB 611.

The left-leaning think tank, which claims to have a vision of an equitable Oregon, apparently doesnt have a vision of an Oregon that lives within its means.

Undocumented immigrants in the United States are generally ineligible for federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. Only U.S. citizens and certain lawfully present non-citizens may receive SNAP benefits, which currently consume $122.1 billion annually, or 53%, of the Department of Agricultures budget.

The Food for All Oregonians Program would provide nutrition assistance to residents of Oregon who are under 26 years of age or 55 years of age or older and who would qualify for federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits but for their immigration status.

SB 611s sponsors are, of course, almost all Democrats. Its chief sponsors are Sen. Wlnsvey Campos and Rep. Ricki Ruiz. Regular Sponsors are 18 more Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Mark Owens.

The bill would create the Food for All Oregonians Program in the Department of Human Services, require the department to implement the program by January 1, 2027, and mandate that the department conduct statewide outreach, education and engagement to maximize enrollment. The amount of benefits provided to a household participating in the program would be in the same amount provided to a household of equal size that is eligible for SNAP.

As expected, the Oregon Food Bank, a hunger relief organization serving Oregon and S.W. Washington, supports the bill. In written testimony submitted to the Senate Committee on Human Services, which noted the bill is supported by a coalition of more than 165 organizations, Oregon Food Bank argued that many people in the state who work in food production, childcare, healthcare institutions, education, transportation and other critical services throughout the state dont now get feed benefits and that Immigration status shouldnt exclude anyone from being able to feed themselves or their family.

The committee has also received a deluge of supportive testimony from other individuals and organizations.

Some commenters justify their support for the bill by asserting that Washington and California already provide SNAP-equivalent benefits to non-citizens. That is not exactly so.

Washington has a state-funded Food Assistance Program, called FAP, is a state-funded program that provides food assistance to legal immigrants who arent eligible for federal Basic Food benefits solely because of their immigration status., but undocumented immigrants are not eligible. [1]

In California, the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), a state funded program, provides benefits equivalent to SNAP (called CalFresh in CA) to qualified immigrants who are not eligible for CalFresh, but with limitations. Effective October 1, 2025, CFAP will expand to cover persons age 55 or older regardless of their immigration status.

As for Oregon, SB 611 is being put forward as the state is confronting potential federal funding cuts, everybody and their brother seems to want higher spending on schools, affordable housing, transportation and healthcare, Trump tariffs could lead to a trade war that hurts export-heavy Oregon and fears of a national recession are growing.

But what stands out even more in the current debate over the bill? All of its enthusiastic supporters havent the faintest idea what it would cost the state.

But, what the heck. Its only money.

[1] https://shorturl.at/FniRa
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:

Pottery chalice, emblematic of the expansion phase of El Argar (left). (J.A. Soldevilla; ASOME-UAB) and pottery from the El Argar peripheral communities, found in the Cerro de la Campana (Yecla). Credit: @ASOME-UAB

Researchers from the UAB and the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology have identified the economic and political borders separating El Argar, considered to be the first state-society in the Iberian Peninsula, from its La Mancha and Valencia Bronze Age neighbors some 4,000 years ago.

These communities, with less centralized social structures, maintained complex relations with the Argaric culture. The study, based on an innovative analysis of pottery production and circulation, opens the door to identifying similar border dynamics in other European societies contemporary to El Argar, and understanding how the first states were formed in prehistory.

The research, published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, is based on the analysis of the production and circulation of pottery vessels in the northern part of present-day Murcia, a borderland region between El Argar and the Valencian and La Mancha Bronze Age groups (22001550 BCE), in order to reconstruct the interaction dynamics between these groups. This has made it possible to delineate the frontier regions and social relations among these groups.

It represents a pioneering study on prehistoric frontiers. "Any effort to understand the consolidation of the first states in recent prehistory must take into account how political boundaries were created and maintained. Nevertheless, in archaeology, borders have received relatively little attention, even though one of their key structuring concepts, 'archaeological cultures,' implies spatial limits between social, economic and political entities," explains Roberto Risch, lecturer of the Department of Prehistory at the UAB and coordinator of the study.

The analysis has allowed the identification of clear interaction patterns between the core area of El Argar and its neighbors, which demonstrate the existence of socioeconomic and political boundaries. "We have been able to observe active zones of exchange and negotiation, in which power relations and social differences could be traced through the circulation of pottery vessels," explains Adria Moreno Gil, researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology and the Saxony-Anhalt State Heritage Office, Germany, and first author of the study.

The borderlands identified are marked by significant differences in the clay and pottery techniques used in different regions of the Segura river basin. In all the settlements of the southern half, there is a predominance of typical Argaric ceramics made with clay found more than 100 kilometers further south, in the coastal mountains of Murcia and Almeria.

This implies the existence of a distribution network of Argaric ceramics on a regional scale, controlled by the villages of the Argaric core area. Conversely, in the northern part of the study area there is a multiplicity of small pottery productions that used local clay.

Such a marked contrast, researchers point out, must have resulted from significantly different economic systems. While El Argar was able to manufacture large quantities of pottery in the vicinity of very specific clay deposits and circulate them over great distances, the peripheral communities continued with a basically domestic and local-scale production.

"All this led to the consolidation of asymmetrical relations between the groups of southeast Iberia, marked by the pre-eminence of El Argar, not only in the control of strategic resources, such as metals, but also of everyday objects such as pottery. The imposition of borders ultimately served to establish these unequal relations, which developed into a true core-periphery system," concludes Moreno Gil.

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First state structures of El Argar

The study reinforces the interpretation of the Argaric society as a highly integrated and uniform political and economic organization, with circulation networks of raw materials and products much more developed than previously thought. "These results clearly support the hypothesis that the first state structures developed around 1800 BCE in Western Europe," says Risch.

Before the study, it was known that the Argaric culture was an expansive society which, from a relatively small original core area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers, came to control a large region of the southeastern peninsula (about 35,000 square kilometers). However, the specific dynamics of the political, economic and social relations between El Argar and neighboring groups and how these relations materialized in a border area had not been the subject of study until now.

Although the importance of borders for the functioning of states such as El Argar had been recognized, there was no research dedicated to the study of specific borderland spaces.

New methodology for the study of prehistoric civilizations

The researchers applied an innovative methodology based on extensive field survey, the analysis of ceramic materials, including a petrographic study, and spatial modeling using geographic information systems (GIS). This methodological combination has allowed for the mapping of ceramic production and circulation areas with a level of detail unprecedented in the Iberian Peninsula.

"From a methodological standpoint, our study demonstrates that the analysis of ceramics is a key tool for understanding economic exchanges, social relations and the configuration of border spaces between political and economic entities, especially in contexts of complex and unequal dynamics such as this one," says Carla Garrido Garcia, predoctoral researcher at the UAB and co-author of the study.

This methodology could be applied to the study of other cultures contemporary to El Argar, such as the Unetice in Central Europe and the Minoan civilization in Crete, to better understand how they structured and maintained their borders with neighboring groups. These societies, like El Argar, developed complex economic and political systems, the dynamics of which have not yet been fully explored.

More information: Adria Moreno Gil et al, Bronze Age Frontiers and Pottery Circulation: Political and Economic Relations at the Northern Fringes of El Argar, Southeast Iberia, ca. 22001550 BCE, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10816-025-09702-y
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Multi-angle views of the stained teeth of 07TSM11:B. Credit: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s12520-025-02188-5

Research led by Jilin University and Texas A&M University has documented the first known case of cinnabar-stained teeth in antiquity. Analysis of a burial from approximately 2,200 years ago in the Shengjindian Cemetery, Turpan, China, revealed red pigment on a young woman's teeth. Testing confirmed the substance as cinnabar, a mercury sulfide mineral historically used in burial practices, shamanism, and early medicine. Findings suggest long-distance trade connections and significant cultural meaning behind the pigment's use.

Cinnabar has been used across multiple civilizations for thousands of years. It has been found in burial rituals, body painting, religious practices, and alchemy in the Near East, Europe, and Central and South America. In prehistoric China, cinnabar was utilized in tomb decorations, lacquerware, cosmetics, and traditional medicine. Previous cases of cinnabar-stained teeth have never been recorded in any other archaeological contexts.

In the study, "Red princess of the Silk Road: The first-and-only known case of cinnabar-stained teeth in antiquity from the Iron Age Western Regions (202 BCE to 8 CE)," published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, researchers conducted a multidisciplinary analysis to determine the composition of the red pigment found on the teeth of a young female individual buried in the Shengjindian Cemetery.

Shengjindian Cemetery, located in the Turpan Basin of northwest China, contains 31 tombs. This site is associated with the Subeixi culture, with remains dating to between approximately 1000 BCE and 100 BCE.

Grave M11, where the cinnabar-stained teeth were found, contained four individuals, including a young adult woman (aged 20 to 25 years), designated as M11:B. Artifacts recovered from Grave M11 included wooden objects, ceramics, bone combs, leather knife sheaths, leather boots, gold earrings, and string ornaments.

Discoveries from other burials in the Shengjindian Cemetery, such as lacquer belt buckles, silk fabrics, imitation turquoise glass beads, and coal essence, suggest either direct or indirect cultural exchanges with the Central Plains and Mediterranean regions.

Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of cinnabar (mercury sulfide), while X-ray fluorescence analysis ruled out environmental contamination. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy identified proteinaceous compounds, indicating the use of an organic binder to affix the pigment to the teeth.

Analysis indicated that cinnabar was likely intentionally applied to the woman's teeth, rather than resulting from burial contamination. Shamanistic traditions in the region often incorporated red pigments in rituals, and cinnabar was historically associated with spiritual beliefs, including notions of protection and immortality. Other possible explanations based on the evidence suggest that cinnabar's use extended beyond funerary rituals and may have served cosmetic, medicinal, or religious functions.

Uncertainty remains regarding the source of the cinnabar. No natural cinnabar deposits exist in the Turpan Basin, so it would have required an imported source, likely through trade networks. Historical records and archaeological findings show that the Silk Road facilitated the exchange of minerals, and the closest known sources of cinnabar included central China, the Near East, and Europe.

With no parallel cases of cinnabar-stained teeth identified in the archaeological record, further research is needed to provide insight into the unique usage. Genetic analysis of the remains may clarify potential cultural affiliations and mobility patterns of individuals buried in Shengjindian Cemetery.

More information: Sen You et al, Red princess of the Silk Road - the first-and-only known case of cinnabar-stained teeth in antiquity from the Iron Age Western Regions (202BCE  8CE), Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s12520-025-02188-5

 2025 Science X Network
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Polymetallic nodules and an abyssal urchin.

Could lumpy metallic rocks in the deepest, darkest reaches of the ocean be making oxygen in the absence of sunlight?

Some scientists think so, but others have challenged the claim that so-called "dark oxygen" is being produced in the lightless abyss of the seabed.

The discoverydetailed last July in the journal Nature Geosciencecalled into question long-held assumptions about the origins of life on Earth, and sparked intense scientific debate.

The findings were also consequential for mining companies eager to extract the precious metals contained within these polymetallic nodules.

Researchers said that potato-sized nodules could be producing enough electrical current to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen, a process known as electrolysis.

This cast doubt on the long-established view that life was made possible when organisms started producing oxygen via photosynthesis, which requires sunlight, about 2.7 billion years ago.

"Deep-sea discovery calls into question the origins of life," the Scottish Association for Marine Science said in a press release to accompany the publication of the research.

Delicate ecosystem

Environmentalists said the presence of dark oxygen showed just how little is known about life at these extreme depths, and supported their case that deep-sea mining posed unacceptable ecological risks.

Infographic showing the three different types of seabed zones being explored for potential mining.

"Greenpeace has long campaigned to stop deep sea mining from beginning in the Pacific due to the damage it could do to delicate, deep sea ecosystems," the environmental organization said.

"This incredible discovery underlines the urgency of that call".

The discovery was made in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast underwater region of the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Hawaii of growing interest to mining companies.

Scattered on the seafloor four kilometers (2.5 miles) beneath the surface, polymetallic nodules contain manganese, nickel and cobalt, metals used in electric car batteries and other low-carbon technologies.

The research that gave rise to the dark oxygen discovery was partly funded by a Canadian deep-sea mining business, The Metals Company, that wanted to assess the ecological impact of such exploration.

It has sharply criticized the study by marine ecologist Andrew Sweetman and his team as plagued by "methodological flaws".

Michael Clarke, environmental manager at The Metals Company, told AFP that the findings "are more logically attributable to poor scientific technique and shoddy science than a never before observed phenomenon."

Scientific doubts

Sweetman's findings proved explosive, with many in the scientific community expressing reservations or rejecting the conclusions.

Exploration areas licensed by the International Seabed Authority, including to The Metals Company, a Canadian company.

Since July, five academic research papers refuting Sweetman's findings have been submitted for review and publication.

"He did not present clear proof for his observations and hypothesis," said Matthias Haeckel, a biogeochemist at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany.

"Many questions remain after the publication. So, now the scientific community needs to conduct similar experiments etc, and either prove or disprove it."

Olivier Rouxel, a geochemistry researcher at Ifremer, the French national institute for ocean science and technology, told AFP there was "absolutely no consensus on these results".

"Deep-sea sampling is always a challenge," he said, adding it was possible that the oxygen detected was "trapped air bubbles" in the measuring instruments.

He was also skeptical about deep-sea nodules, some tens of millions of years old, still producing enough electrical current when "batteries run out quickly".

"How is it possible to maintain the capacity to generate electrical current in a nodule that is itself extremely slow to form?" he asked.

When contacted by AFP, Sweetman indicated that he was preparing a formal response.

"These types of back and forth are very common with scientific articles and it moves the subject matter forward," he said.

 2025 AFP
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Infographic showing exploration areas licensed by the International Seabed Authority.

After more than a decade of negotiations, a new round of talks to finalize a code to regulate deep-sea mining in international waters begins Monday in Jamaica, with hopes high for adoption this year.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA), an independent body established in 1994 under a UN convention, has been working since 2014 on the new rules for developing mineral resources on the ocean floor.

The huge task has gathered pace, under pressure from corporate concerns eager to cash in on the untapped minerals.

Canada's The Metals Company plans to file the first commercial mining license request in June, through its subsidiary Nori (Nauru Ocean Resources Inc.), which hopes to extract polymetallic nodules from the Pacific.

Here is a look at the proposed rules, and why they have sparked intense debate:

What does this mining code entail?

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ISA must both oversee any exploration or mining of coveted resources (such as cobalt, nickel, or manganese) in international waters, and protect the marine environment.

For activists worried about the protection of hard-to-reach ocean ecosystems, this twin mandate is nonsensical. Some groups, and more and more countries, are asking for a moratorium on seabed mining.

With no consensus, the ISA-led negotiations have continued.

The ISA Council, made up of 36 of the authority's 169 member states, will spend the next two weeks trying to bridge the gaps on finalizing the code.

They are working from a 250-page "consolidated text" already riddled with parenthetical changes, and comments on disagreements.

But then there are dozens of amendments filed by countries, companies and non-governmental organizations.

Emma Wilson of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition told AFP there were "over 2,000 textual elements that are still being discussedand that those debates were "not close to being resolved."

How would seabed mining work?

Any entity wishing to obtain a contract to mine the ocean floor must be sponsored by a specific country.

Those applications for mining licenses would first go through the ISA's legal and technical commission, which NGOs say is too pro-industry and opaque.

The commission would evaluate the financial, technical and environmental aspects of the proposed plans, and then make a recommendation to the ISA Council, the final decision-maker.

But some worry that rules already set by UNCLOS would make it too difficult to reject any favorable recommendations.

The draft code calls for initial contracts lasting 30 years, followed up with extensions of five years at a time.

What about environmental protection?

Potential mining companies must conduct a survey of the possible environmental risks of their activities, but details on these surveys are still up in the air, with negotiators not yet even agreed on how to define the terms.

More and more countries, along with NGOs, highlight that even the idea of surveying potential impact is effectively impossible, given the lack of scientific data about the zones.

And some Pacific states insist that the code explicitly state the need to protect "underwater cultural heritage," but that is under debate.

What about compliance?

The draft text calls for inspections and evaluations for deep-sea mining companies, but how such a system would work is under debate. Some even think such mechanisms are ultimately not all that feasible.

Will there be profit-sharing?

Under UNCLOS, resources on the ocean floor are seen as the "common heritage of mankind."

The mining code under consideration stipulates that each company must pay royalties to the ISA based on the value of the metals. But what percentage should they pay?

A working group has proposed royalties of anywhere from three to 12 percent, while African states believe 40 percent is more just.

 2025 AFP
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Structural and functional characterization of the electron transfer pathway in the Rnf complex. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57375-8

Animals, plants and many other living organisms inhale oxygen to "burn" (oxidize) compounds like sugar into CO 2 and watera process during which the energy-rich molecule ATP is produced. Cells require ATP to power vital reactions. In the early phase of our planet's existence, however, the earth's atmosphere did not yet contain any oxygen.

Nevertheless, studies of ancient bacteria that still occur today in ecosystems without oxygen, e.g., in hot springs at the bottom of the ocean, suggest that a special form of respiration could have existed even then.

These microorganisms "respire" carbon dioxide and hydrogen into acetic acid. The metabolic pathway with which they do so has been known for some time. The question that remained unanswered until now is how they use this process to produce ATP.

The current study, now published in Nature Communications, provides an answer. "We were able to show that the production of acetic acid itself activates a sophisticated mechanism as part of which sodium ions are pumped out of the bacterial cell into the environment," explains Prof. Volker Muller, Chair of Molecular Microbiology and Bioenergetics at Goethe University Frankfurt.

"This reduces the sodium concentration inside the cell, whereby the cell envelope acts like a kind of dam for the ions. Once this dam is opened, the sodium ions flow back into the cell, driving a kind of molecular turbine that generates ATP."

Cell respiration enzyme isolated just a few years ago

A conglomerate of different proteins known as the Rnf complex plays a key role in this process. These proteins are largely embedded inside the membrane surrounding the bacterial cell. "The complex is so sensitive that we were only able to isolate it a few years ago," Muller emphasizes.

When carbon dioxide reacts with hydrogen to form acetic acid, electrons are transferred from the hydrogen to the carbon atom via a series of different intermediate steps, in which the Rnf complex plays a mediating role: it takes up and passes on the electrons.

In the current study, the scientists have now shown what exactly happens during this process. Structural biologist Anuj Kumara Ph.D. student in both Muller's research group as well as that of Dr. Jan Schuller at the University of Marburgused a sophisticated method known as cryo-electron microscopy, as part of which the purified Rnf complex of the Acetobacterium woodii bacterium was "shock-frozen" and then dripped onto a carrier plate.

A thin film of ice is created in the process, which contains millions of Rnf complexes that can be observed using an electron microscope. Since they fall onto the carrier plate differently during the dripping process, it is possible to see different sides of them under the microscope.

"These images can be combined into a three-dimensional one, which gives us a precise insight into the structure of the complexespecially those parts that are essential to the transfer of electrons," Kumar explains. The analysis of images taken at different intervals shows that far from being rigid, the individual components of the complex move back and forth dynamically. This allows the electron carriers to bridge longer distances and pass on their cargo.

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Fundamentally new mechanism

The question remained: How does the flow of electrons drive the outflow of sodium ions? A molecular dynamics simulation by Prof. Dr. Ville Kaila's working group at Stockholm University provided an initial answer to this question. A key role is played by a cluster of iron and sulfur atoms located in the middle of the membrane, which, after picking up an electron, becomes negatively charged.

"The positively charged sodium ions from inside the cell are drawn to this cluster, just like a magnet," explains Jennifer Roth, a doctoral candidate in Muller's research group. "This attraction in turn causes the proteins to shift around the iron-sulfur cluster, much like a rocker switch: they create an opening leading to the outside of the membrane, through which the sodium ions are once again released."

Roth was able to confirm this process by making specific genetic changes to the Rnf proteins. The fact that this fundamentally new mechanism could be elucidated is a testament to the successful cooperation between the three universities. Making the results even more interesting is the microorganisms' ability to absorb CO 2 from their environment during the acetic acid production process.

This ability could potentially be used to remove greenhouse gases from industrial waste emissions, for example. It could help slow down climate change while simultaneously providing valuable starting materials for the chemical industry.

"Once we know how the bacteria generate energy in the process, we may be able to optimize this process in a manner that would allow us to produce even higher-quality end products," is Muller's hope. The findings could also provide starting points for new drugs against pathogens with similar respiratory enzymes.

More information: Anuj Kumar et al, Molecular principles of redox-coupled sodium pumping of the ancient Rnf machinery, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57375-8 Journal information: Nature Communications

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Beluga whales hanging around UM researchers boat. Credit: Emma Ausen.

In the summer of 2020, researchers from the University of Manitoba set up a time-lapse camera overlooking the Churchill River Estuary. The goal of their research was to understand the interactions between beluga whales and marine vessels. However, what they captured was unexpecteda group of bowhead whales, a phenomenon never before documented in the area.

The bowhead whale is the only baleen whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. Two populations are found in Canadian waters: the East Canada-Western Greenland (EC-WG) population, found in northern Hudson Bay to Greenland, and the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort population, found in waters from northwestern Canada to Russia.

Commercial whaling from the 15th to the 19th century severely depleted the EC-WG population. While the population began to recover after commercial whaling ended in 1915, numbers recently seem to have plateaued.

A recently published paper by Veronica Coppolaro and colleagues highlights the first recorded sighting of a group of bowhead whales in the Churchill River Estuary and emphasizes the rarity of the occurrence based on historical data. The paper is published in the journal Polar Biology.

Coppolaro, a Ph. D. candidate, and Emma Ausen, M.Sc., from the University of Manitoba, were conducting a beluga whale monitoring study when the sighting occurred. While reviewing time-lapse photos, Ausen noticed two dark figures in one of the images. Coppolaro recalls Ausen saying, "There's a huge branch, like a log, in the water."

Later, they heard reports from local tour guides of a bowhead whale in the estuary.

"If the dates of the reports match the photos, we may have captured bowhead whales," Ausen remarked. The pair then carefully identified the species in the images and worked to contextualize the observation. The goal of their paper was to determine how common such sightings had been in the past and investigate why bowhead whales might be in the area.

Apart from the summer migration of Western Hudson Bay belugas, no other whale species is known to frequent the Churchill River Estuary.

"The estuary is shallow, less than three meters in most parts of it," Coppolaro explains. "And bowhead whales are bigup to 18 meters long."

Moreover, bowhead whales are typically observed alone when found outside their usual range. "They generally do not travel in groups," Coppolaro emphasizes.

Given the rarity of this sighting, the researchers conducted a review of bowhead whale sightings along the coast of Manitoba, compiling literature, anecdotal accounts, and observations from locals and researchers. They found only ten documented sightings of bowhead whales in the area since 1900, all of them involving single whales.

Why were the whales this far south?

One hypothesis is that the bowheads have moved south due to shifting habitats caused by climate change.

Another possibility is that the EC-WG population is increasing, leading to a gradual expansion of their range due to both climate change and population recovery.

Additionally, the decline in sea ice has led to more orca sightings in Hudson Bay. As a result, bowhead whales could be using the estuary as a refuge to escape predation.

"They could have also been scouting for food," Coppolaro explains. Due to tidal changes, the estuary provides an abundance of food for both baleen and toothed whales.

The whales could be using the warmer and shallower waters of the bay to molt and shed their skin, just like belugas do.

While there are many possible reasons for the bowheads' presence in the estuary, one hypothesis is that the pair spotted in 2020 was a calf and a cow.

What does the future hold?

"Since 2000, there has been an increase in bowhead whale sightings in the estuary," Coppolaro explains. However, increased vessel traffic could impact the whales' presence in the future.

The EC-WG population is designated as "Special Concern" by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). If the estuary becomes a hotspot for these whales, it may require additional management strategies. This could involve establishing limits on vessel size and speed in the estuary.

Coppolaro hopes that the findings of their paper will help raise awareness about shifting habitats and changes in marine ecosystems.

"There's something special about when these animals come throughit's big news in town, shared with everyone. It's part of the wonder of Churchill and the adventure," Ausen observes. "Sometimes, science is simply about discovering more about the world we live in."

More information: Veronica L. M. Coppolaro et al, First documented sighting of a group of bowhead whales outside their typical range in Hudson Bay, Polar Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s00300-025-03353-1
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The Environmental Protection Agency's plan to repeal or weaken more than two dozen regulations could deliver a direct blow to California policies on air and water quality standards, electric vehicle initiatives and efforts to curb planet-harming greenhouse gas emissions.

The changes announced this week are geared toward rolling back trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and hidden taxes on U.S. families, according to President Donald Trump's new EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, who described the action on Wednesday as "the largest deregulatory announcement in U.S. history."

But environmental groups were quick to condemn the plan as an abdication of the EPA's responsibilities to Americans. In climate-conscious California, they say, it could reverse decades of progress.

"This isn't just a step backwardit's a wrecking ball aimed at decades of progress," said Guillermo Ortiz, senior clean vehicles advocate with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "California's leadership on clean energy and environmental justice is now directly under siege by the federal government."

Among the 31 items up for reconsideration is the EPA's long-held conclusion that carbon dioxide emissions endanger human health and welfare, formally known as the " endangerment finding" established in 2009.

California has been aggressive in its efforts to curb CO 2 , including a state law that requires a 40% emissions reduction by 2030 and an 85% reduction by 2045. The state aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2045five years sooner than the federal target set by the Biden administration.

Zeldin referred to the endangerment finding as "the holy grail of the climate change religion."

"We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion," he said.

The EPA's plan also takes aim at the Clean Power Plan, an Obama- and Biden-era policy that seeks to slash emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, and at the mandatory greenhouse gas reporting program that compels approximately 8,000 large greenhouse gas emitters, such as power plants and factories, to report their emissions annually.

California is home to nearly 400 of those reporting facilities, and has made gains in its efforts to reduce emissions in recent years. The state's facilities reported 92.1 million metric tons of CO 2 equivalent emissions in 2023, compared with 116.1 million metric tons a decade before.

Repealing such programsand potentially undermining the endangerment findingwould be akin to "denying the concept of gravity," Ortiz said.

"It's not deregulationit's science denial with a legal brief attached to it," he said.

But the EPA isn't focused only on emissions from large power plants and oil and gas producers. Also on the chopping block are rules that govern vehicle emissions, the largest source of air pollution in the Golden State.

Among other changes, the EPA seeks to terminate the standards surrounding light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that provided the foundation for Biden's electric vehicle mandate, which set a goal for EVs to comprise half the cars sold in the U.S. by 2030.

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Zeldin said the current federal rules impose more than $700 billion in regulatory and compliance costs, and that the EV mandate takes away Americans' ability to select the car of their choice while increasing the cost on all products delivered by trucks.

California has set an even more aggressive target than the federal government on EV adoption, with Gov. Gavin Newsom's mandate banning the sale of gas cars by 2035a move the Trump administration has already set out to block.

"California has been the leading state in advancing the clean transportation industry and market," said John Boesel, president of the clean transportation nonprofit CALSTART.

Boesel noted that the EPA in January already failed to act on a plan known as the Advanced Clean Fleets rule, which would have helped phase out heavy-duty diesel trucks in the state.

But the new changes could create even more hurdles for California's EV transition by potentially compromising federal tax incentives, hindering the expansion of a national charging infrastructure and encouraging fossil fuel production.

"A lot of hard work went into developing the regulations and setting a direction for the future of the United States, and many companies have made major investments in a cleaner transportation future," Boesel said. "Having this kind of regulatory uncertainty will undermine a lot of the investment and possibly discourage innovation."

Mike Stoker, who served as the EPA's top official for California and the Pacific Southwest during the previous Trump administration, downplayed the impact on California, however, saying the Golden State can continue to set higher standards than the federal government.

"As a general matter, most of the states that have been really strong on the environment, like California, are going to exceed whatever the minimum standard is that the EPA is regulating," he said, adding that "these kinds of actions have a much bigger impact on the states that have really opted to go with more the minimum standards."

The goal, he said, is to eliminate rules and regulations that are costly and time-consuming and to ensure that those that remain are backed up by the best possible science.

Stoker also said the deregulation announcement is not taking direct aim at electric vehicles, but rather is geared toward letting consumers dictate the marketplace.

"Their message is they don't want the government to subsidize making electric cars happen before the market really demands it," he said.

But federal rules don't exist in a vacuum, said Ortiz, of the NRDC. The 31 regulatory actions are also occurring alongside job cuts and efforts to curtail California's authority to set tailpipe emissions. What's more, carbon dioxide and other pollutants have no regard for state lines.

"California's climate goals and our air quality progress have been a beacon for the world, and gutting these EPA rules is like punching holes in that lighthouse," Ortiz said. "We're talking about more asthma in Fresno, we're talking about deadlier wildfires, and we're stalling out the EV transition that's been occurring."

The EPA's plan also takes aim at other issues that are popular in California, including environmental justice and air and water quality standards. The agency seeks to terminate its environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion arms, Zeldin said.

Californiahome to some of the worst air quality in the worldhas for decades worked to rectify inequities that have left the state's low-income communities and communities of color disproportionately burdened by pollution, extreme heat, wildfire smoke and other environmental challenges, and experts fear that changes at the federal level could exacerbate those issues.

Indeed, Zeldin said the agency will reconsider toxic air standards that target coal-fired plants, as well as National Ambient Air Quality Standards that regulate six harmful pollutants. Those pollutants include particulate matter 2.5, or sooty material that is released from vehicles, industrial smokestacks and wildfires.

PM 2.5 was among the top air quality concerns in the wake of January's firestorm in Los Angeles. Only a year ago, the Biden administration's EPA tightened the rules around particulate matter in a move it said would prevent thousands of premature deaths.

What's more, some of the state's hard-won gains on water quality could be undone by the EPA's plan to revise the definition of "waters of the United States" as it applies to the federal Clean Water Act of 1972.

The rules govern water quality as well as discharge requirements for farmers, landowners and businesses, which Zeldin said place an undue burden on Americans and drive up the cost of doing business.

Opponents said loosening such guidelines could leave water systems more vulnerable to dangerous pollutants and discharge, especially in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision that limited federal protections for wetlands in favor of property rights.

"We cannot sit idly by while the U.S. Supreme Court, and now the Federal Administration, take calculated steps to compromise the federal Clean Water Act and the protections it has provided for decades," state Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat, said in a statement.

Allen recently introduced legislation that would enshrine into state law the previous federal protections removed by the Supreme Court. The lack of these and other protections could threaten the health and well-being of millions of Californians, he said.

But experts cautioned that the EPA's proposed changes cannot be imposed unilaterally, and said due process must include scientific and legal justification for each decision, as well as listening and responding to public feedback. It is likely that many of the changes will face lengthy legal challenges from opposition groups.

Boesel, of CALSTART, said he remains optimistic that California will continue to make progress on climate change despite the potentially bumpy road ahead. But he underscored that it is important for the EPA to continue to show leadership at a national and global level.

"The United States represents about 5% of the world's population and generates nearly 20% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions," he said. "So the United States really needs to be a global team player and do what it can to avert a climate disaster."

2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

If SpaceX gets its way, the Space Coast will get a lot more rocket rumbles and sonic booms as the company increases Falcon 9 launches and builds out new landing pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.

The Federal Aviation Administration released Friday a 116-page draft environment assessment for the first of those targeting Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 40, where SpaceX wants to increase launches from 50 to 120 per year.

The assessment looks to set up SpaceX to proceed with its plans, although the agency rejected a proposal to build yet another new landing pad at Canaveral because of environmental concerns.

The FAA has partnered with the Air Force, Coast Guard and NASA for the assessment, while NASA is the lead agency for a second assessment expected this spring for KSC's Launch Complex 39-A, where SpaceX wants to increase launches from 20 to 36, including up to five of its larger Falcon Heavy rockets each year.

The construction of a pair of new landing sites on the Space Coast would solve the company's reliance on two landing pads at Canaveral's Launch Complex 13 it will soon lose access to. That space has been set aside by the federal Space Force as the future launch site for two other commercial launch providersPhantom Space and Vaya Spacealthough neither have yet to get a rocket into space.

The Space Force's goal is to have SpaceX and other launch providers maintain landing sites at the same place from which they launch. The Space Force does not intend to renew SpaceX's license to land at LC 13 after it runs out this summer.

For Canaveral, the final design called for a single landing pad despite SpaceX proposals to build two.

The assessment declared those proposals as unacceptable because they were too detrimental to Florida scrub-jay and southeastern beach mouse habitat, overtook too much wetland, or were too much of a flight safety concern for the SpaceX hangar at the site.

The final proposal would be a 400-foot diameter pad and gravel apron while SpaceX would also build a new nitrogen gas line, a 30-foot pedestal for post-landing processing and an area for crane storage, adding about 10 acres of development to the site.

"The FAA has preliminarily concluded that the proposed action would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment," the assessment said.

SpaceX wants to land up to 34 first-stage boosters at the site a year. SpaceX had 12 booster landings at Canaveral's landing zones in 2024 and only six in 2023.

The Canaveral assessment touched on the forthcoming KSC assessment NASA is working on, evaluating a proposed landing zone for Falcon 9 boosters at Launch Complex 39-A. Both evaluations are required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

SpaceX is looking to have up to 20 boosters land back at KSC.

The combined 54 landings is actually the same upper limit in place now for the two existing landing zones.

The FAA said that KSC's draft environmental assessment is expected this spring, but did note that launches from KSC would only land at KSC and launches from Canaveral would only land at Canaveral, which follows an updated policy from the Space Force as more commercial companies are expected to begin launching this decade.

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SpaceX will still have to make droneship landings in the Atlantic.

These two SpaceX requests are separate from two other environmental evaluations underway by the FAA and the Air Force for potential launch and landing operations for its massive SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy rocket, which for now only launches from Texas.

As with all of the reviews, the FAA will still only issue licenses if other factors including safety, risk and financial responsibility are met.

For the Canaveral assessment, the FAA has a public comment period through April 24. A virtual public meeting will be held on April 16, for which people must register to join.

At the end of the public comment period, the FAA can either issue a "Finding of No Significant Impact," known as a FONSI, or push forward with a more rigorous Environmental Impact Statement, which could mean a two-year delay before any construction.

The Air Force has already issued its finding that there is no significant impact, though, in a related document penned by Air Force Co. Marcia Quiqley, the director of Space Force Mission Sustainment.

She said the proposed action would not "result in individual or cumulatively significant impacts to any resources."

That includes minor adverse impacts to air quality, climate, sound, cultural resources, water resources, biological resources, coastal resources, land use and socioeconomics, but SpaceX will be implementing "mitigation efforts" to limit their impact.

She said alternative sites were considered as well but would run afoul of the Space Force's Assured Access to Space program needs, as SpaceX has a major stake in launch national security missions.

"I conclude that implementing the proposed action and the associated mitigation measures will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment," she wrote. "Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required and this FONSI is appropriate."

2025 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Photographer Veikko Kahkonen

Nowadays, it is widely believed that nightlife is at risk: the German concept of "Clubsterben" (the death of clubs) began circulating among nightlife and live music activists in the early 2010s. In the United Kingdom, too, live music venues have been closed in alarming numbers. This phenomenon has been explained by the lockdown measures of the COVID-19 pandemic, gentrification, and "touristification"the process of creating spaces in cities specifically for tourism.

Visiting researcher Giacomo Botta from the University of the Arts Helsinki argues that changes in the status of nightlife and music should be understood through new economic processes and urban capitalism. "Music and nightlife are valuable indicators of 'raw materials' in the form of human labor and atmospheres that are sought after, exploited, and used, regardless of the fragile ecosystems built around them," Botta states.

The study is published in the journal City, Culture and Society.

The rise and fall of Punavuori in Helsinki

From the 1990s onwards, Helsinki's nightlife was concentrated in Punavuori, a district near the city center. Originally, Punavuori was a dilapidated working-class neighborhood with small apartments. Cheap apartments and bars attracted young residents who were fond of urban life. Gradually, one of the main streets in the area, Iso Roobertinkatu, transformed into a lively nightlife hub with numerous clubs and bars.

After 2013, the area began to lose the operators that sustained its nightlife. The same happened in the city center, where in 2020, within just a few months, three major music club operators ceased their activities. The lucrative premises were left to hotel chains and companies renting out workspaces.

Nightlife as a commodity like natural resources

According to a city representative cited in the research, the closures were due to various reasons, from changes in alcohol consumption to neighbors' complaints about noise.

However, Botta argues that the decline of vibrant nightlife is rooted in the way real estate investors first benefit from nightlife culture and then force industry operators out of the area. When the area's nightlife with its clubs and bars thrives, real estate investment companies can maximize their profits by raising rents for operators and the area's urban, young residents. When wealthy residents of the area complain about noise, real estate companies silence the nightlife, or operators are forced to move elsewhere due to excessively high rents.

Botta compares this process to the exploitation of natural resources, extractivism. The value produced by the activity is transferred elsewhere, while the spaces empty out and communities disintegrate.

Kallio in Helsinki also gentrifies

The same process has also occurred in Kallio since the late 2000s. Kallio is another old working-class neighborhood in Helsinki, with many small and cheap apartments. A vibrant cluster of clubs and bars emerged there, just as it did earlier in Punavuori. The neighborhood, associated with the drug trade and deprivation, has gradually gentrified. New residential areas like Kalasatama and Konepaja have emerged and rent levels have risen.

Botta predicts that Kallio will face the same development as Punavuori.

Underground culture as a counterforce

The article sees hope for the continuation of nightlife in nighttime and DIY electronic music events held in occupied or rented buildings, as well as in city parks and outdoor areas. Such events have been organized for several years.

According to Botta, underground parties began as a reaction to the mainstreaming of techno clubs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor parties were organized across Europe, from London and Berlin to Vilnius and Madrid. The laws of economic impact, growth, and profit did not apply to underground parties, so they were able to create tools that might influence future club culture and activate skills and resources to resist the draining effect of large commercial operators.

In Botta's article, DJs speak of the summer of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a liberating time when the commercialism and gatekeeping of live music were temporarily out of play. Events were held outdoors in green areas during Helsinki's bright nights. The curation of music, spontaneity, and randomness fed the core of live music: hanging out, dancing, and enjoying the moment.

"DIY and minimalist solutions offer an antidote to potential exploitation. They keep the commercial and logistical dimensions of events to a minimum," Botta describes.

Cities must react

According to the research, underground nightlife plays a crucial role in promoting alternative, creative, and sustainable practices to save vibrant nightlife. Botta argues that these practices should be recognized and supported, but lasting solutions require broader measures from cities aimed at creating a more equitable and just urban environment.

"Without a larger systemic change, nightlife will continue to suffer. Urban planning measures are not enough; stronger means are needed to combat the exploitation of urban capitalism."

More information: Giacomo Botta, Extracting the night: Cultural extractivism and urban nightlife in Helsinki, City, Culture and Society (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100625

Provided by University of the Arts Helsinki
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Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth, a New Horizons flyby target. A new survey using the Vera Rubin Observatory will look for more objects in this distant part of the solar system. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute, National Optical Astronomy Observatory

Exploration of the outer solar system may be getting a boost from the Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO). When this gigantic telescope opens its eye later in 2025, it begins a decade-long survey of the ever-changing sky. As part of this time-lapse vision of the cosmos, distant objects in the Kuiper Belt will be among its most challenging targets.

A team of planetary scientists led by JJ Kavelaars of Canada's Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Center proposes using VRO for a deep survey of objects along the trajectory of the New Horizons spacecraft. It's currently about 61 astronomical units away from Earth and is the only spacecraft transiting the Kuiper Belt. This "Deep Drilling" micro-survey will use about 30 hours of Rubin time across six 5-hour visits in about a year's time. It will begin in 2026 and should determine orbits for around 700 Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs).

According to Kavelaars, the team needs at least five hours per night on two nights for their survey to succeed. "Getting more nights on the same field (to construct orbital arcs of the detected sources) is likely more valuable than getting deeper," he said. The paper is posted to the arXiv preprint server.

Chances for New Horizons targets

The team's proposal cites previous discoveries of objects in the Kuiper Belt by Kavelaar's colleague Wesley Fraser. In 2024, Fraser and his team reported the detection of 239 trans-Neptunian objects in an article published in The Planetary Science Journal. Their work was part of a New Horizons survey for distant minor bodies. Those detections came via the Hyper Suprime-Cam mosaic imager on the Subaru Telescope.

The Fraser team identified an overabundance of very faint objects at distances greater than 70 AU from the sun. As they are confirmed, this expanded number of objects explains some stellar occultations and other readings made by the Student Dust Counter onboard the New Horizons spacecraft.

The Deep Survey using Rubin should uncover objects for New Horizons to study at a distance. Near-flyby objects will likely be much rarer, according to Kavelaar. "We will be very lucky if one of those turns out to be close enough that we can direct the spacecraft to it," he said, "but we will, at the very least, get a solid sample of objects to observe from New Horizons at longer ranges."

It would be cool if the survey finds another contact binary such as Arrokoth. New Horizons flew past that in 2019. Kavelaar pointed out that of the ~700 sources the Deep Survey uncovers, many will be binaries and contact binaries. Most will likely not be close enough for a flyby or even distant observations by the spacecraft. However, their detection is enough to tell planetary scientists that the Kuiper Belt is more richly populated than current outer solar system population models suggest.

This shows the location of various spacecraft through the solar system. Note the position of New Horizons at about 61 AU and in the inner region of the Kuiper Belt. Credit: NASA

Digging up targets in the Kuiper Belt

The Vera Rubin Observatory's Legacy of Space and Time (LSST) Surveywhich is the primary mission of the observatorywill take a series of 30-second 9.6-square-degree field images using the LSSTCam mounted on the 8.36-m Simonyi Survey Telescope. Those observations will alternate between various filter bands to get full details and a "deep look" at the sky. It will repeat this pace of deep sky imaging for ten years, all from a mountaintop in Chile. Its builders suggest that the results of that survey will provide the largest astronomical movie of all time.

In the team's proposal paper to "piggyback" on the primary observations, it states that, "The currently planned cadence for LSST (see PSTN-056) will enable the discovery of an unprecedented number of small solar system bodies, including Trans Neptunian Objects (TNOs), determining precise orbits and physical properties for factors of many more such bodies than are currently known. Rubin will genuinely transform our knowledge of the solar system."

The 30-hours samples for the micro-survey of the Kuiper Belt should be just enough to determine KBO positions and orbits. That will allow possible observations by New Horizons (if not a flyby) and also with future spacecraft.

"A very exciting possibility is that we will do this very deep search with Rubin and that will confirm the population Fraser reported and characterize its orbital distribution," he said. "Then, using that more detailed information (if no flyby was found in the Rubin search) we could design a success-oriented search to be conducted with the ROMAN observatory when it launches."

More information: JJ Kavelaars et al, An Extremely Deep Rubin Survey to Explore the Extended Kuiper Belt and Identify Objects Observable by New Horizons, arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2503.02765 Wesley C. Fraser et al, Candidate Distant Trans-Neptunian Objects Detected by the New Horizons Subaru TNO Survey, The Planetary Science Journal (2024). DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/ad6f9e Journal information: The Planetary Science Journal , arXiv
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Examples of naturally produced sharp-edged stone specimens (top row, left to right: specimens #1, #5, #4, #7), or cores from which sharp edged stone specimens likely manifested (bottom row, left to right: specimens #13, #20, #15 #24), from the Antarctic peninsula. Details about these specimens are available in the supplementary online materials (Data S1). These specimens and additional specimens can also be seen in figures S1-S28. (Image by Michelle R. Bebber, Metin I. Eren, and Alastair Key). Credit: Archaeometry (2025). DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13075

Sharp stone technology chipped over three million years allowed early humans to exploit animal and plant food resources, which in turn played a large role in increasing human brain size and kick-starting a technological trajectory that continues to this day. But how did the production of stone toolscalled "knapping"start?

Three Cleveland Museum of Natural History researchers have proposed a new hypothesis for the origin of stone technology in human evolution. Associate Curator and the Robert J. and Linnet E. Fritz Endowed Chair of Human Origins Dr. Emma Finestone and Museum research associates Drs. Michelle R. Bebber and Metin I. Eren (both also professors at Kent State University) led a team of 24 scientists to publish the new hypothesis in the journal Archaeometry.

"I don't think it was a 'Eureka!' moment whereby hominins first made a sharp stone flake by intention or by accident and then went to look for something to cut," says Eren. "There is no reason to produce sharp stone tools unless the need to cut is already in place."

The new hypothesis proposes that for a substantial amount of time, before early humans made their own stone tools, they first used and relied on naturally sharp rocks produced via natural geological processes like rocks being knocked together in a stream bed or biological processes like animal trampling of rocks. However, previous research suggested that naturally sharp rocks that could have been used as cutting toolscalled "naturaliths"are rare in nature.

Not so, says the new research. Through fieldwork around the world and an extensive survey of scientific literature, Finestone, Bebber, Eren, and their colleagues show that sharp rocks are endlessly produced in a wide range of settings and thus may occur on the landscape in far greater numbers than archaeologists currently understand or acknowledge.

Examples of naturally produced sharp-edged basalt specimens (bottom row) found near Giant's causeway, Northern Ireland. These specimens appear to have been produced via downward rolling processes as well as coastal action. (Image by Michelle R. Bebber and Metin I. Eren). Credit: Archaeometry (2025). DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13075

"In some cases, sharp rocks are produced by Mother Nature in the hundreds, thousands, or more," says Bebber, who observed one such locality during her fieldwork in Oman. "It is quite astonishing natural knives were likely readily available to our hominin ancestors."

And Finestone's field research in Kenya shows that early hominin food processing sites often occur near naturally occurring sources of stone. "A hominin could have picked up and used a naturally sharp rock to process a carcass or plant material that might have been difficult to access using just their hands and teeth," says Finestone.

Only after using naturally sharp rocks to cut would there have been selective pressure for early humans to start knapping their own stone tools at will. For example, one potential motivation for knapping would be to solve the problem of limited supply and how to acquire sharp stone flakes in contexts where naturaliths were not present. Or perhaps knapping was a way to improve upon mother nature's invention by producing stone flakes with desired characteristics, rather than spend time and energy searching for naturaliths that possessed them.

"This is the most parsimonious hypothesis for the origin of hominin stone technology to date," says Eren. "But parsimony is not necessarily correctarchaeologists now need to test our hypothesis and search for naturalith use by hominins between 3 and 6 million years ago. It is an exciting prospect if hominins are using naturally sharp rocks as knives, then the archaeological record is going to get a whole lot older."

More information: Metin I. Eren et al, What can lithics tell us about hominin technology's 'primordial soup'? An origin of stone knapping via the emulation of Mother Nature, Archaeometry (2025). DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13075 Journal information: Archaeometry
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A male Central Fijian banded iguana, Brachylophus bulabula, from Ovalau Island, Fiji. Credit: USGS

Iguanas have often been spotted rafting around the Caribbean on vegetation and, ages ago, evidently caught a 600-mile ride from Central America to colonize the Galapagos Islands. But for long-distance travel, the Fiji iguanas can't be touched.

A new analysis conducted by biologists at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of San Francisco (USF) suggests that sometime after about 34 million years ago, Fiji iguanas landed on the isolated group of South Pacific islands after voyaging 5,000 miles from the western coast of North Americathe longest known transoceanic dispersal of any terrestrial vertebrate.

Overwater dispersal is the main way newly formed islands get populated by plants and animals, including humans, often leading to the evolution of new species and entirely new ecosystems. Understanding how these colonizations happen has fascinated scientists since the time of Charles Darwin, the originator of the theory of evolution by natural selection.

The new analysis, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that the arrival of the ancestors of the Fiji iguanas coincided with the formation of these volcanic islands.

The estimated time of arrival, 34 million years ago or more recently, is based on the timing of the genetic divergence of the Fiji iguanas, Brachylophus, from their closest relatives, the North American desert iguanas, Dipsosaurus.

Previously, biologists had proposed that Fiji iguanas may have descended from an older lineage that was more widespread around the Pacific but has since died out, leaving Brachylophus as the sole iguanids in the western Pacific Ocean. Another option was that the iguanas hitchhiked from tropical parts of South America and then through Antarctica or even Australia, though there is no genetic or fossil evidence to support this.

The new analysis puts those theories to rest.

"We found that the Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the North American desert iguanas, something that hadn't been figured out before, and that the lineage of Fiji iguanas split from their sister lineage relatively recently, much closer to 30 million years ago, either post-dating or at about the same time that there was volcanic activity that could have produced land," said lead author Simon Scarpetta, a herpetologist and paleontologist who is a former postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley and is now an assistant professor at USF in the Department of Environmental Science.

"That they reached Fiji directly from North America seems crazy," said co-author Jimmy McGuire, UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology and herpetology curator at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology.

"But alternative models involving colonization from adjacent land areas don't really work for the timeframe, since we know that they arrived in Fiji within the last 34 million years or so. This suggests that as soon as land appeared where Fiji now resides, these iguanas may have colonized it. Regardless of the actual timing of dispersal, the event itself was spectacular."

While sailors today can take advantage of favorable winds to reach Fiji from California in about a month, an iguanaor more likely a group of iguanaswould probably have taken much longer to ride flotsam through the doldrums and across the equator to Fiji and Tonga, where this group of iguanas is found.

Luckily, iguanas are large and herbivorous and used to long periods without food and water. And if the flotsam consisted of uprooted trees, the raft itself would have provided food.

"You could imagine some kind of cyclone knocking over trees where there were a bunch of iguanas and maybe their eggs, and then they caught the ocean currents and rafted over," Scarpetta said.

A Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) resting on a coconut palm on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific. The four species of iguanas that inhabit Fiji and Tonga today are descended from ancestors that colonized the island within the past 34 million years, probably by rafting 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from western North America. Credit: Nicholas Hess

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The Fiji iguanas are an outlier

All told, there are over 2,100 species in the suborder Iguania, a large group that also includes animals such as chameleons, anoles, bearded dragons and horned lizards. What most people think of as iguanas are the Western Hemisphere family of lizards, Iguanidae, that include and mostly look like the widespread green iguana of Central and South America that Carl Linnaeus described as Iguana iguana in 1758.

There are 45 species of Iguanidae living in the Caribbean and the tropical, subtropical and desert areas of North, Central and South America. These include the well-known marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands, but also the chuckwallas of the American Southwest.

The Fiji iguanas are an outlier, sitting all alone in the middle of the Pacific. The four species on Fiji and Tonga are listed as endangered, primarily because of habitat loss, predation by invasive rats and exploitation by smugglers feeding the exotic pet trade.

Biologists had speculated, based on a few fossils found in east Asia, that an ancestral population of iguanids, now extinct, lived around the Pacific Rim and somehow made their way to the middle of the Pacific, island-hopping along the way.

They may have journeyed by land and sea from America via the Bering Land Bridge and on through Indonesia and Australia or down along the Pacific coast of the Americas and through Antarctica. Or they could have rafted from South America with the Humboldt Current, gyring into the South Pacific.

Previous genetic analyses of a few genes for iguanid lizards were inconclusive about the relationship of the Fiji iguanas to all the rest. Scarpetta, while a postdoctoral fellow with McGuire a few years ago, embarked on a comprehensive survey of all genera in the Iguania to clarify the family tree of the group.

"Different relationships have been inferred in these various analyses, none with particularly strong support," McGuire said. "So there was still this uncertainty about where Brachylophus really fits within the iguanid phylogeny. Simon's data really nailed this thing."

Scarpetta collected genome-wide sequence DNA from more than 4,000 genes and from tissues of more than 200 iguanian specimens housed in museum collections around the world. As he began comparing these data, one result stood out clearly: The Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the iguanas in the genus Dipsosaurus.

The most widespread of these is the North American desert iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, which is adapted to the searing heat of the deserts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. The other species in the genus is native to Santa Catalina Island in the Sea of Cortez.

"Iguanas and desert iguanas, in particular, are resistant to starvation and dehydration, so my thought process is, if there had to be any group of vertebrate or any group of lizard that really could make an 8,000 kilometer journey across the Pacific on a mass of vegetation, a desert iguana-like ancestor would be the one," Scarpetta said.

The analysis determined that the two lineages, Brachylophus and Dipsosaurus, diverged about 34 million years ago, which doesn't fit with earlier theories of the origin of the Fiji iguanas.

"When you don't really know where Brachylophus fits at the base of the tree, then where they came from can also be almost anywhere," McGuire said.

"So it was much easier to imagine that Brachylophus originated from South America, since we already have marine and land iguanas in the Galapagos that almost certainly dispersed to the islands from the mainland."

With the new analysis, a South American origin can be ruled out. And because the Fiji Islands emerged from the sea also about 34 million years ago, the iguanas may have serendipitously intersected the islands not long after.

Other islands aside from Fiji and Tonga could also have harbored iguanas, Scarpetta noted, but it is the nature of volcanic islands to disappear as readily as they appear. Evidence of other Pacific Island iguanas, if they existed, has probably been lost.

Scarpetta, who has been enamored with salamanders, snakes and lizards since before high school, continues to analyze genome-wide data for Iguanian lizards to learn more about their evolutionary relationships and to infer their movements and interactions through time and space.

Other co-authors of the paper are Robert Fisher of the U.S. Geological Survey in San Diego, Benjamin Karin and Ammon Corl of UC Berkeley, Jone Niukula of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti in Suva and Todd Jackman of Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
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Credit: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique video du CSGS. Martin, ESA Standard Licence

Following its arrival at Pariacabo harbor in Kourou, French Guiana, ESA's Biomass satellite has been rolled out of its shipment container, which kept it protected throughout its two-week voyage from France across the Atlantic Ocean to South America.

Now safely in the cleanroom at Europe's Spaceport, it will be first thoroughly inspected to ensure that it is in good health, but first indications are that "Biomass is in great shape." Over the course of the next weeks, the teams will prepare this cutting-edge Earth-observing satellite for liftoff on a Vega-C rocket at the end of April.

Once in orbit and commissioned, Biomass mission will play a key role in delivering novel information about the state of our forests, how they are changing over time, and advance our knowledge of the carbon cycle.

It is the first satellite to carry a fully polarimetric P-band synthetic aperture radar for interferometric imaging. Thanks to the long wavelength of P-band, around 70 cm, the radar signal can slice through the whole forest layer to measure the biomass, meaning the woody trunks, branches and stems, which is where trees store most of their carbon.
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Iron shackles on the floor of Room 44.15 (photo by B. Redon). Credit: Antiquity (2025). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2025.39

A historian with Laboratoire HiSoMA, Maison de l'Orient et de la Mediterranee Jean Pouilloux, in France, has theorized that iron shackles found at a dig site in Ghozza, Egypt, suggest that at least some of the workers at a gold mine during Egypt's Ptolemaic period were slaves.

In his paper published in the journal Antiquity, Berangere Redon offers background information surrounding gold mining in ancient Egypt and why he believes shackles found at a Ghozza dig site suggest forced labor was used in mining.

As Redon notes, Egypt has a long history of gold mining, with sites spread across the country. In this new effort, he focuses most specifically on the Ptolemaic period, which arose after the country was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Among other things, this period was known for its increase in gold mining, as the valuable metal was needed to fund public works projects and to pursue campaigns across the Mediterranean.

Researchers have been excavating mining sites in the area for many years, starting with Samut North. More recently, efforts have been focused on Ghozza. Researchers working there have discovered that there were two major occupation phases at the mine during the late third century.

The first occupational period was found to resemble a village, with houses, administrative buildings and baths, suggesting workers were paid and lived reasonably pleasant lives.

The second occupational period was not as pleasant. Some workers were paid, as evidenced by markings on pottery shards found at the site. But others were clearly not, as evidenced by heavy iron shackles found two years ago near what was once a storage facility that had also been used to repair metal objects such as shackles and/or manacles.

The team found two sets of them, which strongly suggests they were used at the site to carry out forced labor efforts. Walking while wearing them around the ankles, he notes, would have been slow and exhausting. He also notes that it is not surprising that forced labor was used at the site because mention of it has been made in several historical texts, though it is not clear if shackled workers were prisoners of war, criminals or slaves.

More information: Berangere Redon, Iron shackles from the Ptolemaic gold mines of Ghozza (Egypt, Eastern Desert), Antiquity (2025). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2025.39 Journal information: Antiquity

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Around one in five (over 19%) of India's deaf and hard-of-hearing children were out-of-school in 2014, according to a survey conducted for the Indian Government. A new study calls on the government to address this ongoing educational crisis by recognizing Indian Sign Language (ISL) as an official language; rejecting "oralism," the belief that deaf people can and should communicate exclusively by lipreading and speech; and opening more schools and higher education institutions for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students.

"Many thousands of children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing are missing out on school in India," said Dr. Abhimanyu Sharma, from Cambridge's Faculty of Modern & Medieval Languages & Linguistics, the study's author. "This has a huge impact on their well-being and life chances."

"One of the main reasons for this very high dropout rate is that their schools do not offer education in sign language."

Dr. Sharma's study, published in Language Policy, explains that sign language continues to be 'shunned' in most Indian schools because it is still stigmatized as a visible marker of deafness. But, he argues, the alternative preferred by many schools, "oralism" harms the school attainment of deaf students.

"Outside of India, 'oralism' is widely criticized but the majority of schools in India continue to use it," Dr. Sharma says. "Gesturing is not sign language, sign language is a language in its own right and these children need it."

"When I was in primary school in Patna, one of my fellow students was deaf. Sign language was not taught in our school and it was very difficult for him. I would like to support the charities, teachers and policymakers in India who are working hard to improve education for such students today."

Dr. Sharma acknowledges that the Indian Government has taken important steps to make education more inclusive and welcomes measures such as the establishment of the ISL Research and Training Center in 2015. But, he argues, far more work is needed to ensure that DHH students receive the education which they need and to which they are legally entitled.

Sharma calls for constitutional recognition of ISL as well as recognition of ISL users as a linguistic minority. Being added to India's de facto list of official languages would direct more government financial support to ISL.

"Central and state governments need to open more schools and higher education institutes for deaf and hard-of-hearing students," Sharma also argues.

"In the whole of India, there are only 387 schools for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. The Government urgently needs to open many more specialist schools to support the actual number of deaf and hard-of-hearing children, which has been underestimated."

He points out that deaf and hard-of-hearing people were undercounted in India's last census because of the use of problematic terminology. The 2011 census reported around 5 million deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the country, but in 2016, the National Association of the Deaf estimated that the true figure was closer to 18 million people.

Sharma also highlights the need for more higher education institutions for these students as there are very few special colleges for them, such as the St. Louis Institute for Deaf and Blind (Chennai, Tamil Nadu). He also calls for an increase in the number of interpreter training programs available across Indian universities.

Dr. Sharma advises central and state governments to conduct regular impact assessments of new policy measures to ensure that they are improving inclusion for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

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He also calls on the government to invest in research to support more targeted approaches to teaching and learning for DHH students, and to support public awareness campaigns to tackle biases and negative social attitudes towards deafness.

Dr. Sharma's study examines developments in Indian legislation and policy relating to DHH people since the 1950s. He highlights the fact that parliamentary debates in the Upper House about DHH people declined from 17 in the 1950s, to just seven in the 1990s, before rising to 96 in the 2010s.

India's language policy requires pupils to learn three languages at the secondary stage of schooling. Given the problematic nature of the three-language formula for deaf students, the 1995 Persons with Disabilities Act rescinds this requirement for these learners and decrees that they should learn only one language.

The drawback of the 1995 Act, however, is that it does not mention the use of sign language and does not specify how language learning for such learners will be realized. Dr. Sharma recognizes that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 brought significant improvements but highlights the gap between decrees and implementation.

The 2016 Act decrees that the government and local authorities shall take measures to train and employ teachers who are qualified in sign language and to promote the use of sign language.

"In practice, India does not have enough teachers trained to support deaf and hard-of-hearing students, but I am positive that the country can achieve this," Dr. Sharma said.

More information: India's language policy for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, Language Policy (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10993-025-09729-7
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Susanna Heikkila uses a knitted chessboard pattern and crocheted balls to illustrate the idea of quasiregular mappings, or how the plane curves to cover the form. Credit: Riitta-Leena Inki

A mathematical problem solved by Susanna Heikkila relates to the classification of quasiregularly elliptic 4-manifolds, asking what four-dimensional shapes can be obtained by deforming four-dimensional Euclidean geometry. The article by Heikkila and Pekka Pankka has been published in the Annals of Mathematics journal.

In 1981, the Russian-French mathematician Misha Gromov, winner of the Abel Prize, asked whether the existence of a quasiregular mapping is guaranteed if the target is simply connected, meaning that its fundamental group is trivial and does not constitute an obstruction. The question remained open until 2019 when Prywes provided a four-dimensional counter-example.

"The main result of my doctoral thesis complements the answer to Gromov's question, as the result can be used to classify closed simply connected four-dimensional manifolds for which there is a quasiregular mapping from a Euclidean space," says Postdoctoral Researcher Susanna Heikkila.

Heikkila, whose hobbies include knitting, also illustrates the matter through knitted fabric. The knitting was completed for her public examination, where she wanted to describe her research in laypeople's terms.

The handiwork illustrates the mapping from the plane to a sphere, known as the Alexander map. Heikkila knitted patches of different colors and assembled them into a chessboard pattern with squares of different colors in the corners. Also needed was a ball with differently colored top and bottom hemispheres. When the chess grid is curved around the ball with the colored corners attached to each other, a gap is left between the squares. This sums up the idea of quasiregular mappings: the gaps can be closed by stretching the fabric.

The path to becoming a mathematician

A career in mathematics was not yet clear in Heikkila's mind in general upper secondary school. However, her form teacher, also a teacher of mathematics, recognized her talent and suggested that she should go on to study the subject, which is how Heikkila ended up in Kumpula Campus at the University of Helsinki.

It was only in her second year of study, in a topology course given by Professor Pankka, that Heikkila genuinely started to become interested in mathematics. This began the years of collaboration that have culminated in the accomplished article.

In their work, mathematicians focus on thinking. Susanna Heikkila's preferred way of working is to hatch ideas with pen and paper. When working with others, a blackboard is a must. Credit: Riitta-Leena Inki

It was clear already at the master's stage that Heikkila intended to pursue postgraduate studies, which is why she really put her heart into writing her master's thesis under Pankka's supervision. The effort paid off, as the thesis as such was almost ready for use as the first article for a doctoral thesis.

Heikkila's master's thesis, entitled "Restricted cohomology of quasiregularly elliptic manifolds" won the master's thesis award presented annually by the Academic Association for Mathematics and Natural SciencesMAL and the Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland TEK trade union. The award draws attention to the study of mathematics, physics and computer science, highlighting the significance of these sciences in Finnish society.

"Having a supportive supervisor and colleagues has made research feel meaningful. I also found my spouse in the same field, although we don't talk mathematics at home in the evening," Heikkila says.

At the beginning of 2025, Heikkila began working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Jyvaskyla and is applying for further funding, as she wishes to continue studying the theory of quasiregular mappings and curves.

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Quasiregular elliptic problems

Quasiconformal geometry studies the effect of infinitesimal distortion on the shape of objects. Quasiregular mappings investigate covering questions in quasiconformal geometry. A classic example of such questions is the following result based on the uniformization theorem: the only Riemann surfaces which admit a non-trivial holomorphic mapping from the entire complex plane are a two-dimensional sphere and a two-dimensional torus.

In particular, there are no such mappings for the surfaces of the higher genus. This theorem follows the work of Poincare and Radon on Riemann surfaces from the early 1900s. Today, this outcome is among the basics in textbooks on Riemann surfaces.

What is particularly interesting is that this result of two-dimensional conformal mappings does not change even if what is examined is quasiregular mappings instead of conformal ones. In higher dimensions, conformal and quasiconformal geometry are radically differentiated. The combination of Martio's, Rickman's and Vaisala's result from 1971 with Zorich's theorem from 1968 shows that the only simple connected Riemannian manifolds in higher dimensions, for which there is a conformal mapping from a Euclidian space, are the Euclidean space itself and a sphere of equal dimension.

In contrast, quasiregular mappings can be found from a Euclidean space to several different spaces. Such manifolds are called "quasiregularly elliptic."

In 1981, Gromov asked whether there are closed, simply connected manifolds of higher dimensions that are not quasiregularly elliptic. Fundamentally, Gromov asked whether there is a homological obstruction to quasiregularly elliptic manifolds. The first partial answer to this question was given by Bonk and Heinonen, using a compactness argument based on the de Rham cohomology of differential forms.

Eden Prywes conclusively answered Gromov's question in 2019, demonstrating that the k-th de Rham cohomology of a closed quasiregular elliptic n-manifold is at most the k-th de Rham cohomology of the n-torus. This result leads to the conclusion that closed manifolds with large de Rham cohomology cannot be quasiregularly elliptic.

"The result we prove with Heikkila provides an algebraic answer to Gromov's question. Heuristically, the answer is as follows: for a closed manifold to be quasiregularly elliptic, the intersections of its submanifolds (in homological terms) must be realizable simultaneously in the exterior algebra of a Euclidean space. Formally speaking, this means that there must be an algebra monomorphism from the de Rham cohomology of the closed n-manifold to the exterior algebra of the n-dimensional Euclidean space," says professor Pankka.

This algebraic result can be used to demonstrate that there are closed manifolds having small cohomology that are not quasiregularly elliptic. Combining this result with the construction of branched covering representations by Piergallini and Zuddas as well as the classification of closed 4-manifolds by Donaldson and Freedman provides a classification for closed simply connected quasiregularly elliptic 4-manifolds: they are precisely the manifolds resulting from up to three connected sums of the product of two 2-spheres or the connected sum of up to three two-dimensional projective spaces with either orientation. This concludes the research initiated by Seppo Rickman on closed simply connected quasiregularly elliptic 4-manifolds.

More information: Susanna Heikkila et al, De Rham algebras of closed quasiregularly elliptic manifolds are Euclidean, Annals of Mathematics (2025). DOI: 10.4007/annals.2025.201.2.3
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A school of Ferruaspis is chased by the extinct platypus, Obdurodon. Credit: Alex Boersma

In an Australian first, researchers have described a new species of 15-million-year-old fossilized freshwater fish, Ferruaspis brocksi, that shows preserved stomach contents as well as the pattern of coloration.

The team was led by Australian Museum and UNSW Sydney paleontologist Dr. Matthew McCurry. The work is published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Named after Professor Jochen J. Brocks from the Australian National University, who discovered several of the fossilized species at the Australian Museum's McGraths Flat fossil site near Gulgong, NSW, Ferruaspis brocksi is the first fossil freshwater smelt (order Osmeriformes) to be found in Australia.

Dr. McCurry, the lead author of the paper, said that before this fossil discovery scientists lacked concrete evidence to pinpoint when this group of fish arrived in Australia and how they evolved over time.

"The discovery of the 15 million-year-old freshwater fish fossil offers us an unprecedented opportunity to understand Australia's ancient ecosystems and the evolution of its fish species, specifically the Osmeriformes group during the Miocene epoch, 1115 million years ago," McCurry said.

"Osmeriformes are a diverse group of fish within Australia, which includes species like the Australian grayling and the Australian smelt. But, without fossils, it has been hard for us to tell exactly when the group arrived in Australia and whether they changed at all through time," McCurry continued.

"Not only does this fossil provide a unique snapshot into the environment in which it lived in the Central Tablelands, but also, because its stomach contents are so well preserved, it allows us a glimpse into the behavior of these ancient species. We now know that they fed on a range of invertebrates, but the most common prey was small phantom midge larvae," McCurry said.

"One of the fossils even shows a parasite attached to the tail of the fish. It's a juvenile freshwater mussel called a glochidium. These juvenile mussels attach themselves to the gills or tails of fish to hitch rides up and down streams," McCurry added.

A 15-million-year-old fish fossil with preserved stomach contents. Credit: Salthy Dingo

The species was named Ferruaspis brocksi because it was found encased in iron-rich rock. "Ferru" comes from ferrum (Latin), meaning "iron," and "brocksi" comes from Professor Jochen J. Brocks of Canberra, Australia.

Acknowledging this honor, Professor Brocks said he was thrilled to have this superb specimen named after him.

"Collecting fossils at McGrath Flat is a highlight for me every year. Splitting the rust-red slabs of rock is like opening an ancient book, revealing the creatures that inhabited an Australian oxbow lake some 15 million years ago. This little fish is one of the most beautiful fossils there, and finding the first vertebrate among the abundant plant and insect fossils was a real surprise. Having F. brocksi named after me is a real joy," Professor Brocks said.

Dr. Michael Frese, a researcher from the University of Canberra and CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, said that one of the most exciting aspects of the work was that they could tell the color of the fish.

"The fish was darker on its dorsal surface, lighter in color on its belly and had two lateral stripes running along its side," Dr. Frese said.

"Using a powerful microscope, we were able to see tiny color-producing structures known as melanosomes. Fossilized melanosomes have previously enabled paleontologists to reconstruct the color of feathers, but melanosomes have never been used to reconstruct the color pattern of a long extinct fish species," Dr. Frese said.

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Director and Chief Scientist of the Australian Museum Research Institute, Professor Kris Helgen, said, "Dr. Matt McCurry's work at the McGraths Flat fossil site has been outstanding. This is one of many discoveries made at this site, which continues to play a significant role in advancing our understanding of Australia's evolution during the Miocene era."

The AM's new fossil site, McGraths Flat, is located in the Central Tablelands, NSW near the town of Gulgong. It represents one of only a handful of fossil sites in Australia that can be classified as a Lagerstattea site that contains fossils of exceptional quality with remarkable detail.

"The fossils formed between 11 and 16 million years ago and provide a window into the past. They prove that the area was once a temperate wet rainforest and that life was rich and abundant in the Central Tablelands, NSW," McCurry explained.

More information: The paleobiology of a new osmeriform fish species from Australia, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2025). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2445684 Journal information: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Provided by Australian Museum
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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying NASA's EZIE spacecraft into orbit. Credit: SpaceX

Under the nighttime California sky, NASA's EZIE (Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer) mission launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:43 p.m. PDT on March 14.

Taking off from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Santa Barbara, the EZIE mission's trio of small satellites will fly in a pearls-on-a-string configuration approximately 260 to 370 miles above Earth's surface to map the auroral electrojets, powerful electric currents that flow through our upper atmosphere in the polar regions where auroras glow in the sky.

At approximately 2 a.m. PDT on March 15, the EZIE satellites were successfully deployed. Within the next 10 days, the spacecraft will send signals to verify they are in good health and ready to embark on their 18-month mission.

"NASA has leaned into small missions that can provide compelling science while accepting more risk. EZIE represents excellent science being executed by an excellent team, and it is delivering exactly what NASA is looking for," said Jared Leisner, program executive for EZIE at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The electrojetsand their visible counterparts, the aurorasare generated during solar storms when tremendous amounts of energy get transferred into Earth's upper atmosphere from the solar wind. Each of the EZIE spacecraft will map the electrojets, advancing our understanding of the physics of how Earth interacts with its surrounding space. This understanding will apply not only to our own planet but also to any magnetized planet in our solar system and beyond. The mission will also help scientists create models for predicting space weather to mitigate its disruptive impacts on our society.

"It is truly incredible to see our spacecraft flying and making critical measurements, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the EZIE mission," said Nelli Mosavi-Hoyer, project manager for EZIE at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. "I am very proud of the dedication and hard work of our team. This achievement is a testament to the team's perseverance and expertise, and I look forward to the valuable insights EZIE will bring to our understanding of Earth's electrojets and space weather."

Instead of using propulsion to control their polar orbit, the spacecraft will actively use drag experienced while flying through the upper atmosphere to individually tune their spacing. Each successive spacecraft will fly over the same region 2 to 10 minutes after the former.

"Missions have studied these currents before, but typically either at very large or very small scales," said Larry Kepko, EZIE mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "EZIE will help us understand how these currents form and evolve, at scales we've never probed."

The mission team is also working to distribute magnetometer kits called EZIE-Mag, which are available to teachers, students, and science enthusiasts who want to take their own measurements of the Earth-space electrical current system. EZIE-Mag data will be combined with EZIE measurements made from space to assemble a clear picture of this vast electrical current circuit.

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory leads the mission for NASA. Blue Canyon Technologies in Boulder, Colorado, built the CubeSats, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built the Microwave Electrojet Magnetogram, which will map the electrojets, for each of the three satellites.

More information: For the latest mission updates, follow NASA's EZIE blog.
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A super pressure balloon with the EUSO-2 payload is prepared for launch from Wanaka, New Zealand, during NASAs campaign in 2023. Credit: NASA/Bill Rodman

NASA's Scientific Balloon Program has returned to Wanaka, New Zealand, for two scheduled flights to test and qualify the agency's super pressure balloon technology. These stadium-sized, heavy-lift balloons will travel the Southern Hemisphere's mid-latitudes for planned missions of 100 days or more.

Launch operations are scheduled to begin in late March from Wanaka Airport, NASA's dedicated launch site for mid-latitude, ultra-long-duration balloon missions.

"We are very excited to return to New Zealand for this campaign to officially flight qualify the balloon vehicle for future science investigations," said Gabriel Garde, chief of NASA's Balloon Program Office at the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. "Our dedicated team both in the field and at home has spent years in preparation for this opportunity, and it has been through their hard work, fortitude, and passion that we are back and fully ready for the upcoming campaign."

While the primary flight objective is to test and qualify the super pressure balloon technology, the flights will also host science missions and technology demonstrations. The High-altitude Interferometer Wind Observation (HIWIND), led by High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, will fly as a mission of opportunity on the first flight.

The HIWIND payload will measure neutral wind in the part of Earth's atmosphere called the thermosphere. Understanding these winds will help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere, which can affect communication and navigation systems. The second flight will support several piggyback missions of opportunity, or smaller payloads, including:

Compact Multichannel Imaging Camera (CoMIC), led by University of Massachusetts Lowell, will study and measure how Earth's atmosphere scatters light at high altitudes and will measure airglow, specifically the red and green emissions.

High-altitude Infrasound from Geophysical Sources (HIGS), led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, will measure atmospheric pressure to collect signals of geophysical events on Earth such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. These signals will help NASA as it develops the ability to measure seismic activity on Venus from high-altitude balloons.

Measuring Ocean Acoustics North of Antarctica (MOANA), led by Sandia National Laboratories and the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, aims to capture sound waves in Earth's stratosphere with frequencies below the limit of human hearing.

NASA's Balloon Program Office at the agency's Wallops Flight Facility is leading two technology demonstrations on the flight. The INterim Dynamics Instrumentation for Gondolas (INDIGO) is a data recorder meant to measure the shock of the gondola during the launch, termination, and landing phases of flight. The Sensor Package for Attitude, Rotation, and Relative Observable Winds7 (SPARROW-7), will demonstrate relative wind measurements using an ultrasonic device designed for the balloon float environment that measures wind speed and direction.

NASA's 18.8-million-cubic-foot (532,000-cubic-meter) helium-filled super pressure balloon, when fully inflated, is roughly the size of Forsyth-Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, which has a seating capacity of more than 35,000. The balloon will float at an altitude of around 110,000 feet (33.5 kilometers), more than twice the altitude of a commercial airplane. Its flight path is determined by the speed and direction of wind at its float altitude.

The balloon is a closed system designed to prevent gas release. It offers greater stability at float altitude with minimum altitude fluctuations during the day-to-night cycle compared to a zero pressure balloon. This capability will enable future missions to affordably access the near-space environment for long-duration science and technology research from the Southern Hemisphere's mid-latitudes, including nighttime observations.

The public is encouraged to follow real-time tracking of the balloons' paths as they circle the globe on the agency's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility website. Launch and tracking information will be shared across NASA's social media platforms and the NASA Wallops blog.

NASA's return to Wanaka marks the sixth super pressure balloon campaign held in New Zealand since the agency began balloon operations there in 2015. The launches are conducted in collaboration with the Queenstown Airport Corporation, Queenstown Lake District Council, New Zealand Space Agency, and Airways New Zealand.

"We are especially grateful to our local hosts, partners, and collaborators who have been with us from the beginning and are critical to the success of these missions and this campaign," said Garde.

Provided by NASA
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A study conducted by Penn State entomologists evaluated the effectiveness of various insects in potentially controlling spotted lanternfly populations. Credit: Contributed photo. All Rights Reserved. Pennsylvania State University

Insect predators found in the United States could help keep spotted lanternfly populations in check while potentially reducing reliance on chemical control methods, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Penn State.

Led by entomologists in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and published in Arthropod-Plant Interactions, the study evaluated the effectiveness of various insects in potentially controlling spotted lanternfly populations. The invasive pest, first detected in the United States in 2014, has spread across at least 18 states, causing significant damage to vineyards, orchards and nursery industries.

The study revealed that spined soldier bugsa predatory stink bug native to North America known for preying on various agricultural pestsas well as Carolina and Chinese mantises were particularly effective in feeding upon spotted lanternflies. The findings suggest that conserving and promoting these natural predators could provide sustainable and strategic natural control against this destructive pest, the researchers said.

"Our study shows that several native and naturalized predators can consume spotted lanternflies effectively," said lead researcher and doctoral candidate Anne Johnson, who conducted the study with Kelli Hoover, professor of entomology. "By leveraging natural enemies already in the environment, we hope to develop a sustainable, low-impact approach to managing this invasive species that will complement other control methods."

Johnson noted that current management efforts rely heavily on insecticides, which pose risks of resistance development and unintended harm to beneficial organisms. Biological control, which relies on natural enemies to regulate pest populations, presents a more sustainable alternative for long-term spotted lanternfly management, she said.

In the spotted lanternfly's native range of southeastern Asia, several predators, including parasitic wasps, keep the pest in check. However, importing and releasing new species to the U.S. as a control measure requires numerous environmental impact studiescurrently underway by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and University researchersand regulatory approval. Both can take years, Hoover said.

Other predator species, especially those in the U.S., could offer an extra control layer. However, the researchers wondered if the situation might be more complex than it seems.

"The spotted lanternfly's ability to sequester toxins from its preferred host, the tree of heaven, raises concerns about its vulnerability to predators," Johnson said. "We hypothesized that the spotted lanternfly might harness the tree's bitter-tasting chemical compounds as a defense mechanism that could protect them against predation."

Reductions in average populations  SEM (shown as error bars) L. delicatula in arenas with predators. Lines marked with different letters had significantly different population numbers after one week (p < 0.05) Credit: Arthropod-Plant Interactions (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s11829-025-10138-0

Johnson and Hoover tested 10 generalist predatorsspined soldier bugs, praying mantises, wheel bugs, lady beetles and lacewings. In the experiments, predators were placed in enclosures with either 25 lanternfly nymphs or 10 adults for up to one week.

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Among the tested predators, the spined soldier bugs and two praying mantis species were the most effective at reducing lanternfly populations in controlled settings, regardless of the lanternflies' life stage.

Eight-spined soldier bugs, which hunt and attack prey as a group, consistently consumed all lanternfliesregardless of life stagewithin three to four days. Additionally, the scientists observed that the predators would consume spotted lanternflies regardless of whether they had fed on tree of heaven or alternative host plants.

"These findings are fascinating because they suggest that natural predators could be incorporated into integrated pest management strategies," Johnson said. "By conserving and encouraging populations of these beneficial insects, we may be able to reduce the use of chemical controls."

The study builds on earlier community science initiatives documenting native insects preying on spotted lanternflies. From 2020 to 2022, Johnson invited the public to share photos of birds and insects feeding on spotted lanternflies via Facebook. She received nearly 2,000 reports, giving scientists clues about which predators to evaluate.

While their research is promising, Hoover and Johnson stressed that this is not an end-all solution. They said the next leg of their research will involve field experiments to determine the efficacy of predators against spotted lanternflies in an open system without enclosures.

"While these insects could help keep spotted lanternfly populations in check someday, we recognize that their impact may be limited by consistent presence of sufficient prey and the use of insecticides that can also kill these generalist predators," Hoover said. "Therefore, they should be considered part of a broader integrated pest management strategy rather than a standalone solution."

Johnson said additional management options are outlined in Penn State Extension's Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide, which can be downloaded from the extension website.

Sara Hermann, Tombros Early Career Professor and assistant professor of arthropod ecology and trophic interactions at Penn State, collaborated on the research and co-authored the paper.

More information: Anne E. Johnson et al, Predation of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) by generalist arthropod predators in North America, Arthropod-Plant Interactions (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s11829-025-10138-0
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(a) The systematics of measured (full symbols) B(E3)30+ strength in the Ba-Dy region (red triangle is from the current work). (b) Experimental B(E3)30+ for Gd isotopes are compared with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. Credit: Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.092501

For the first time, scientists have acquired direct evidence of rare, pulsing pear-shaped structures within atomic nuclei of the rare-earth element gadolinium, thanks to new research led by the University of Surrey, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the IFIN-HH research institute in Bucharest, Romania.

The study, published in Physical Review Letters, provides definitive proof of a strong collective "octupole excitation" in the nucleus of gadolinium-150, a long-lived radioactive isotope of this rare-earth element, which is used in applications such as superconductors, nuclear power operations and MRI contrast materials.

The experimental signature is interpreted as the protons and neutrons inside the atomic nucleus vibrating in a coordinated pattern, resulting in a pulsing, asymmetric, pear-shaped structure.

Professor Patrick Regan, NPL professor of Nuclear Metrology at the University of Surrey and co-lead on the study, said, "It's so very cool to be able to 'see' the shapes of these smallest quantum objects. These unique, precision measurements obtained by our collaboration enable a deeper understanding of how the constituent building blocks of matter combine to allow coherent quantum collective structures and shapes to emerge in atomic nuclei.

"Such measurements also provide the most stringent tests of our best current models to explain how hadronic matter interacts at the sub-atomic level."

Using high-precision gamma-ray measurements of emissions from the nucleus of gadolinium-150, the researchers were able to observe the signature fingerprints of these incredibly tiny pear-shaped structures. Atomic nuclei are so small that even the most advanced optical microscopes are unable to detect them, but information on their structure can be obtained by measuring the characteristic (gamma-ray) emissions as they relax.

The findings open a new window into the quantum world, providing what can be described as a "femtoscope"a high-precision "nuclear microscope"that allows scientists to look deep into the subatomic structures that shape our universe.

The results also represent a unique challenge to current theoretical models, which struggle to explain how these shapes can arise from complex interactions of the protons and neutrons which make up the gadolinium-150 nucleus.

Dr. Esra Yuksel, lead theoretician on the paper from the University of Surrey, said, "The published results of these extremely sensitive measurements of quantum decays allow us to stress-test our best current theoretical understanding of how protons and neutrons arrange themselves within the atomic nucleus.

"The resulting octupole collectivelyor 'pear-shaped' signatureis among the largest identified to date. This allowed us to test five different state-of-the-art theoretical models to pinpoint the best one. Our calculations offer valuable insights into the current understanding of how such unusual nuclear shapes form in these fascinating quantum laboratories."

More information: S. Pascu et al, Increasing Octupole Collectivity across the Z=64 Isotopic Chain: B(E3) Values in 150Gd, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.092501 Journal information: Physical Review Letters
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Image of Pallas, the third biggest asteroid in the belt. Credit: ESO/Vernazza et al

Despite their overall similarities, asteroids are usually pretty distinct from one another. Vesta has a very different spectroscopic profile than Psyche, for example. So it might come as no surprise that another of the main asteroidsPallasis in a class all its own except for the 300 or so members of its "family" with similar orbital profiles and spectroscopic lines.

A new paper posted to the arXiv preprint server by researchers who were then Visiting Astronomers at NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawai'i took a look at members of that family in the infrared for the first time and compared them to a particular Near-Earth object that might have a similar make-up.

Pallas has been studied for decades, given its spot as the third biggest asteroid in the asteroid belt, behind Ceres and Vesta. Its 513 km diameter isn't the most unique thing about it, thoughit's the fact that it's blue.

"Blue," in this case, is relative. Like stars, a "blue" asteroid wouldn't necessarily appear blue to the naked eyeit just has spikes at specific spectroscopic frequencies associated with that color of light. Pallas's spectroscopic profile places it firmly in the B-type category, a special version of a C-type carbonaceous asteroid with a blue tintand it only makes up about 4% of the total number of asteroids known to science.

While Pallas has been a well-known example of this rare type of asteroid for some time, there are plenty surrounding it that have not been studied as much. Pallas has a "family" that shares a similar spectrographic profile to its parent, but they have never been studied in detail.

Asteroid families are created when the parent body, in this case, Pallas itself, is hit by another large object, and fragments of that parent body are ejected into space, but only fast enough to fall into orbits slightly away from the parent. Typically, they keep attributes like orbital eccentricity, speed, and, importantly for this study, spectroscopic profile.

A study in 1994 first noted that Pallas had a family, mainly consisting of asteroids smaller than 20 km in diameter. What they lack in overall size, though, they make up in sheer numbersthere are an estimated 300 asteroids in Pallas' family.

Credit: Factoids Media YouTube Channel

The study authors looked at 23 Pallas family members using the near-infrared (NIR) camera on the IRTF and found spectrographic profiles similar primarily to Pallas itself. However, those profiles also don't quite fit into standard categorizations of meteors, which are commonly used to study the compositions of asteroids without actually having to visit them.

The closest fit, according to the study, are CY and CI meteorites, which are known for having undergone both water-based and heat-based transformations at some point in their lifetime. However, some family members more closely mimic CM and CK chondrite meteors, which are mainly impacted by just water.

The study lends credence to the idea that Pallas and its large family of asteroids are made up of hydrated materialsin other words, they contain water. That would explain the "blue" spectra, even if they are not visible to the naked eye. But the authors didn't stop therethey wanted to see if there happened to be a rogue family member much closer to home.

Pallas and its family have a very high orbital inclination of around 35, making it difficult for spacecraft to reach them so far out of the ecliptic's plan. However, a near-Earth asteroid known as (3200) Phaethon has long been thought to be a member of the Pallas family that got knocked off its course and subsequently much closer to Earth.

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Phaethon, whose orbit took it to within about 10 million km of Earth back in 2017, shares much of the spectral profile as the Pallas family. It is notably blue and, according to the study, shares similar spectral profiles to about 10% of the Pallas family asteroids in its size category. That makes a powerful argument for including Phaethon as a rogue member of the family, who was either knocked out of their vicinity by a gravitation tweak or by an impact. But, importantly, it means that we could potentially study the composition of this family of asteroids by sending a mission to it.

Such a mission is already in the works, but it will be a while before it launches. Until then, there are plenty more asteroids, even in the Pallas family, to study with as many spectral wavelengths as we can. As we begin to move out into the solar system, such work will become even more critical.

More information: Prachi Chavan et al, Near-infrared spectroscopic characterization of the Pallas family, arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2503.04524 Journal information: arXiv
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Full spatio-spectral information of the transmitted probe pulse as the pump-to-probe delay is tuned. Credit: Nature Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-025-01640-1

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University have made a discovery that could pave the way for a transformative era in photonic technology. For decades, scientists have theorized the possibility of manipulating the optical properties of light by adding a new dimensiontime. This once-elusive concept has now become a reality thanks to nanophotonics experts from the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Published in Nature Photonics , the team's breakthrough emerged from experiments with nanomaterials known as transparent conducting oxides (TCOs)a special glass capable of changing how light moves through the material at incredible speeds. These compounds are widely found in solar panels and touchscreens and can be shaped as ultra-thin films measuring just 250 nanometers (0.00025 mm), smaller than the wavelength of visible light.

Led by Dr. Marcello Ferrera, Associate Professor of Nanophotonics, of the Heriot-Watt research team, supported by colleagues from Purdue University in the US, managed to "sculpt" the way TCOs react by radiating the material with ultra-fast pulses of light. Remarkably, the resulting temporally engineered layer was able to simultaneously control the direction and energy of individual particles of light, known as photons, a functionality which, up until now, had been unachievable.

The discovery is directly linked to the possibility of processing data at a far greater speed and volume than what is currently available. It is expected to have a transformative impact in several key areas, such as optical computing and AI, integrated quantum technologies, and ultra-fast physics.

"It is difficult to grasp the advances we will experience in our daily lives as a result of this breakthrough," explains Dr. Ferrera.

"By using a nonlinear material to fully exploit optical bandwidth, companies and major organizations can process so much more information. This will hold huge benefits to the likes of data centers and advancing AI technology, among others, and will underpin exciting new technologies we cannot fully understand at this time."

L-R: Dr Wallace Jaffray, a post-doctoral research associate, Dr Marcello Ferrera, associate professor of nanophononics, and Sven Stengel, PhD candidate. Credit: Heriot-Watt University

Commenting further on the potential future uses arising from this research, Dr. Ferrera says, "Society is thirsty for bandwidth. If we are aiming to make a virtual meeting a fully immersive 3D experience, this would demand enormous computational power and processing speed, which only ultra-fast all-optical components can provide. The material properties we are investigating here could increase computational speed by several orders of magnitude, enabling handling much greater volumes of information at a fraction of current energy expenditure.

"What science and technology are trying to do is emulate the human brain but by using electronic hardware. The materials we are working on are the ingredients towards this goal that can lower the energy consumption of these computational units, reducing costs and increasing processing power."

Dr. Wallace Jaffray, a postdoctoral research associate, and Sven Stengel, a doctoral researcher, have been working alongside Dr. Ferrera on cutting-edge research at Heriot-Watt University.

The core of their breakthrough lies in the ability to manipulate TCOs to control the speed at which photons travel. This newfound capacity effectively adds a "fourth dimension," enabling extraordinary light transformations, including amplification, the creation of quantum states, and new forms of light control.

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Dr. Ferrera continues, "Searching for a material that can drastically change under low-energy illumination in an ultra-fast manner has been the quest for the Holy Grail in all-optical technologies since the invention of laser.

"This new class of time-varying media is the biggest leap forward towards the perfect optically controllable material in decades enabling a large variety of novel and exciting effects that scientists all over the world are rushing to attempt. This is a new age in nonlinear optics which targets full light-control without the need of slow electric signals."

Experimental setup. Credit: Nature Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-025-01640-1

Vladimir M. Shalaev, a Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, who assisted in the research says, "These low-index transparent conductors have brought a real revolution within the field of integrated nonlinear optics, allowing for the effective and energy-efficient manipulation of optical signals on unprecedentedly short time scales."

Alexandra Boltasseva, a Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, adds, "Our common research efforts demonstrate that with these materials we can finally use the variable of time for engineering the optical properties of compounds beyond what is currently possible by using standard fabrication processes."

More information: Wallace Jaffray et al, Spatio-spectral optical fission in time-varying subwavelength layers, Nature Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-025-01640-1 Journal information: Nature Photonics
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Every year as part of the city's St. Patrick's Day celebrations, thousands of onlookers clad in green cheer on a boat crew sprinkling orange powder into the Chicago River to turn it a festive shade.

But with the federal government considering sweeping rollbacks to environmental protections, many may wonder: How will the bright green water affect the underwater denizens?

Last year, an extensive scientific study of fish behavior in the Chicago River system led by researchers from the Shedd Aquarium, Purdue University and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant offered a clue. In mid-March, as researchers studied aquatic activity, they found a handful of the over 80 fish they were tracking were in the main branch downtown. On the day of the 2024 St. Patrick's parade, none of the tagged fish rushed to find shelter from their suddenly green surroundings.

"(It) was the first time that we could actually track how individuals behave when the river is dyed green," said Austin Happel, a research biologist at the Shedd. "We didn't see changes in what they were doing that day, or even the next couple of days afterward, so it doesn't seem to be causing them to be agitated."

Since June 2023, the scientists have been following largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappies, walleyes and green sunfish, among others, with tags that ping every minute or so. These signals are picked up by acoustic receivers throughout the "Wild Mile" in the North Branch, Bubbly Creek in the South Branch and by the Riverwalk downtown, letting the scientists know how the fish respond to habitat restoration initiatives, flooding and sewage overflows, as well as seasonal changes.

St. Patrick's Day celebrations in 2024 gave scientists a peek into the tradition's impact on aquatic life, a matter that has concerned environmentalists since its origins in 1962.

That first year, an oil-based Air Force dye kept the water green for nearly a month, which caused an outcry. A vegetable dye has been used ever since. While its ingredients are not public knowledge, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has previously said the dye has no toxic effect.

Green is not the only color the river's main branch has been tinted: It was turned blue in 2016 to celebrate the World Series champion Cubs on the day of the team's victory parade and celebration.

Happel contrasted the unbothered behavior of some of the study's aquatic participants during the river dispersal of dye last year to another event that made the fish they were tracking in Bubbly Creek swim for cover.

When the city of Chicago experiences very heavy rainfall, combined rain and untreated wastewater may overflow from sewage pipes and into local waterways. One such overflow happened during massive rains in early July 2023, a month into the study, and caused fish to swim to other areas where sewage had not depleted oxygen levels.

If they are unable to leave the presence of a contaminant, the toxins can lead to a fish kill, or sudden death in large numbers in a specific area over a short period of time.

"A lot of our fish were moving long distances as if they were looking for a place to hide," Happel said. "So we can contrast those. With the river dyeing, we have yet to see a fish kill associated."

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He hopes some of their tagged subjects will be in the river downtown for the Saturday celebration so the researchers can continue monitoring any possible effects of the dye on aquatic life. It would be ideal if it were the same five fish that were there last time, Happel said, because each fish, like humans, has its own personality and behavioral quirks. But it's unlikely since the scientists can't control where the animals decide to spend their time.

"At least, with the river dyeing, it's always the same event," he said. The same kind and amount of dye offers a baseline for scientists to understand the fish's response. "It's harder with the sewage when, each time, it's a different amount."

Even though vegetable dye may not have a negative impact underwater, environmentalists worry that putting a foreign substance in the river to tint it an unnatural color sends the wrong message about stewardship.

Advocates say the Chicago River is healthier now than it has been in the past 150 years. It is home to all kinds of animals, including migratory birds, beavers and turtles, as well as 80 species of fishup from fewer than 10 in the 1970s. The system has become a natural resource for local businesses and recreation.

Environmental groups question whether dyeing is appropriate for a waterway that, despite a historical reputation for pollution, has come such a long way. Several advocacy nonprofits, including the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter, Friends of the Chicago River and Openlands, have spoken out against the tradition, arguing that the city must rethink how it interacts with the river as a signal to residents.

For instance, in 2023, what began as a joke on social media became a trend that had people dumping Mountain Dew soda in the river to mess with out-of-towners and convince them it was how Chicago dyes the water. Rogue dyers have been a problem, too, with a few cases of unsanctioned dumping of colorants into the North Branch of the river despite the presence of conservation police patrols.

"If you see one person, say, throw a piece of trash down, you're more likely to throw a piece of trash downor you're more likely to care less," Happel said. "While we like to say that the river has bigger issues to tackle before St. Paddy's Day, the general image of dumping stuff  is not the best image of how to care for the environment."

2025 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Top panels: phase-folded plots for planets Barnard b, c, d, and e based on joint fit between MAROON-X Red channel and ESPRESSO radial velocities. Bottom panel: residuals as a function of time for the 4-Planet model. Credit: The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/adb8d5

Barnard's Star is a small, dim star of the type that astronomers call red dwarfs. Consequently, even though it is one of the closest stars to Earth, such that its light takes only six years to get here, it is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. Now, four small planets have been found orbiting the star. Teams in America and Europe achieved this challenging detection by exploiting precision instruments on the world's largest telescopes.

Diminutive Barnard's Star is closer in size to Jupiter than to the sun. Only the three stars that make up the Alpha Centauri system lie closer to us.

The planets newly discovered around Barnard's Star are much too faint to be seen directly, so how were they found? The answer lies in the effect of their gravity on the star. The mutual gravitational attraction keeps the planets in their orbits, but also tugs on the star, moving it in a rhythmic dance that can be detected by sensitive spectrograph instruments. Spectrographs split up the star's light into its component wavelengths. They can be used to measure the star's motion.

A significant challenge for detection, however, is the star's own behavior. Stars are fluid, with the nuclear furnace at their core driving churning motions that generate a magnetic field (just as the churning of Earth's molten core produces Earth's magnetic field). The surfaces of red dwarf stars are rife with magnetic storms. This activity can mimic the signature of a planet when there isn't one there.

The task of finding planets by this method starts with building highly sensitive spectrograph instruments. They are mounted on telescopes large enough to capture sufficient light from the star. The light is then sent to the spectrograph which records the data. The astronomers then observe a star over months or years. After carefully calibrating the resulting data, and accounting for stellar magnetic activity, one can then scrutinize the data for the tiny signals that reveal orbiting planets.

In 2024, a team led by Jonay Gonzalez Hernandez from the Canary Islands Astrophysics Institute reported on four years of monitoring of Barnard's Star with the Espresso spectrograph on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile. They found one definite planet and reported tentative signals that indicated three more planets.

Now, a team led by Ritvik Basant from the University of Chicago in a paper just published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, have added in three years of monitoring with the Maroon-X instrument on the Gemini North telescope. Analyzing their data confirmed the existence of three of the four planets, while combining both the datasets showed that all four planets are real.

Often in science, when detections push the limits of current capabilities, one needs to ponder the reliability of the findings. Are there spurious instrumental effects that the teams haven't accounted for? Hence it is reassuring when independent teams, using different telescopes, instruments and computer codes, arrive at the same conclusions.

The planets form a tightly packed, close-in system, having short orbital periods of between two and seven Earth days (for comparison, our sun's closest planet, Mercury, orbits in 88 days). It is likely they all have masses less than Earth's. They're probably rocky planets, with bare-rock surfaces blasted by their star's radiation. They'll be too hot to hold liquid water, and any atmosphere is likely to have been stripped away.

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The teams looked for longer-period planets, further out in the star's habitable zone, but didn't find any. We don't know much else about the new planets, such as their estimated sizes. The best way of figuring that out would be to watch for transits, when planets pass in front of their star, and then measure how much starlight they block. But the Barnard's Star planets are not orientated in such a way that we see them "edge on" from our perspective. This means that the planets don't transit, making them harder to study.

Nevertheless, the Barnard's Star planets tell us about planetary formation. They'll have formed in a protoplanetary disk of material that swirled around the star when it was young. Particles of dust will have stuck together, and gradually built up into rocks that aggregated into planets. Red dwarfs are the most common type of star, and most of them seem to have planets. Whenever we have sufficient observations of such stars, we find planets, so there are likely to be far more planets in our galaxy than there are stars.

Most of the planets that have been discovered are close to their star, well inside the habitable zone (where liquid water could survive on the planet's surface), but that's largely because their proximity makes them much easier to find. Being closer means that their gravitational tug is bigger, and it means that they have shorter orbital periods (so we don't have to monitor the star for as long). It also increases their likelihood of transiting, and thus of being found in transit surveys.

The European Space Agency's Plato mission, to be launched in 2026, is designed to find planets further from their stars. This should produce many more planets in their habitable zones, and should begin to tell us whether our own solar system, which has no close-in planets, is unusual.

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Credit: Leeloo The First from Pexels

Social media has become a useful tool for companies hoping to boost brand awareness, engagement, and loyalty among consumers. A study published in the International Journal of Business Performance Management has looked at its role in detail and found that many companies are directly interacting with consumers, building stronger brand connections, and gaining a competitive edge.

Radhika Madan, a soft skills trainer in Gurgaon, Haryana and Manmohan Rahul of Sharda University in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, surveyed 350 internet users to help them establish a reliable scale for measuring the effectiveness of brand communication via social media.

They used Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze their survey results and found that social media offers a more direct, cost-effective, and rapid means of reaching a wider customer base when compared with conventional media, such as television, papers and magazines, and even email.

The researchers emphasize that social media platforms allow businesses to undertake ongoing dialogues with consumers, which in turn boosts both brand visibility and loyalty. This is particularly important in hospitality, air travel, banking, telecommunications, and e-commerce.

One aspect of social media's power is the potential to "go viral" when users share information about a brand or product with their networks, and the reach of that message expands quickly across the platform. Going viral can spread a brand message far wider and far more quickly than conventional advertising in many cases.

Of course, the concept of branding itself has evolved alongside the rise of social media. Traditionally, branding referred to creating a distinct identity for a company, highlighting its core values and differentiating it from competitors.

Branding is no longer one-way traffic, the consumers themselves are part of the message and can have two-way, real-time conversations with businesses. This allows consumers to offer instantaneous feedback about products and services and gives businesses the means to respond to that feedback, whether positive or negative, just as quickly and to change their "offering" accordingly, if appropriate.

More information: Radhika Madan et al, The role of social media as a brand communication tool: an exploratory work, International Journal of Business Performance Management (2025). DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2025.144689

Provided by Inderscience
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Credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

In this age of resurgent masculinity, toxic masculinity and a seeming return to more traditional gender roles, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's social psychologist Dr. Orly Bareket maintains that such a retreat actually harms the men who are at the forefront of the charge.

Dr. Bareket, head of the Social Relations Lab, co-authored a perspective in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences recently entitled "Lost Opportunities: How gendered arrangements harm men" with Prof. Susan Fiske of Princeton University.

While the negative consequences of traditional gender roles for women are clearer and more well researched, there has been little research on how these roles limit men, even though they seemingly have much to gain.

Specifically, these gendered arrangements harm men's relationships, careers and health, Dr. Bareket and Prof. Fiske contend.

For example, men are pressured to conform to "real men" standards, prioritizing status and dominance and emotional control. However, such roles vastly increase the stress put on men and have demonstrated negative mental and physical health outcomes.

Men often shun communal roles, they write, perceiving them as too "feminine." However, such roles often enrich life and contribute to a better quality of life. Yet men are "voluntarily" absenting themselves from these central roles.

Hostile and benevolent sexism ruin men's personal and professional relationships with women either through lack of trust or failure to value and partner with women, they argue.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

London was the place where the world's first lab-grown burger was eaten in 2013.

Fast forward 12 years and it remains unlawful to sell such foods for the purpose of human consumption in the U.K. But that could all be about to change.

The Food Standards Agency has announced that it is looking at how it can speed up the approval process for "meat" products that have been grown from animal cells in small chemical plants.

The U.K. food safety watchdog says it plans to develop new regulations by working with experts from high-tech food firms and researchers, with the aim of completing a safety assessment within the next two years.

Earlier this year, lab-grown meat was permitted to be used in dog food in Britain. But considerations around the safety of allowing humans to eat the same are taking longer.

Scarlett Swain, a lecturer in law at Northeastern University, says the watchdog's move paves the way for the U.K. to become the first European country to legalize lab-grown meat for human consumption.

It was first permitted by Singapore in 2020, with Israel and most states in the U.S. following suit. Europe has been less sold on the idea though, with Italy placing a ban on lab-grown meat appearing on supermarket shelves.

Swain is an expert on the topic, having written her Ph.D. on the issue of lab-grown meat and whether it can be patented.

"In terms of regulation, the Food Standards Agency has been looking at it for a long time," says Swain, who teaches on Northeastern's London campus. She says after the stunt of having the world's first lab-grown burger cooked and eaten in London, following research conducted by Maastricht University in the Netherlands, a scientific research hub sprung up in the U.K.

With other countries having legalized first, there is more data available when it comes to considering the safety of eating cultivated meat products, Swain says. "Human beings are already eating it," she points out. "In Singapore, it is an American startup supplying the lab-grown chicken and it has passed all the food standard regulations there."

Uri Weill, assistant professor in biology at Northeastern in London, explains that the process of scientists growing meat starts by taking a biopsy of muscle tissue from an animal like a chicken or cow.

The aim is to isolate stem cells that have the "capacity to proliferate and differentiate into muscle, fat, and other essential components of meat."

"The definition for a stem cell is a cell that has the ability to multiply," says Weill. "And the other very important thing is that it can then turn into other types of cells that are important in building a tissuethe whole organ."

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For those cells to be expanded, he says, they are placed in a bioreactor and fed a liquid that is stocked full of nutrients and a growth factor containing molecules that give the cells what they need "in order to expand significantly."

"Once enough cells have proliferated," he adds, "they are encouraged to differentiate into muscle fibers, fat and connective tissuethe key components of meat. To mimic the texture and structure of traditional meat, these cells can be grown on scaffoldsbiodegradable structures that provide supportor in 3D-printed frameworks."

When those cells are grown to sufficient density, they can be "harvested, processed and formed into final meat products," says Weill.

The idea that humans could bypass traditional methods of farming and focus on growing the desired parts of animals by scientific means goes back almost 100 years in Britain, Swain says.

In 1931, Winston Churchillbefore his days as British prime minister during World War IIpredicted that, with advances in science, humans would eventually "escape the absurdity of growing the whole chicken in order to eat the breast or a wing by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium."

But not all of the world's modern lawmakers are as convinced as Churchill was that chemically produced foods have a place in the human food chain. In the U.S., Alabama and Florida have instituted bans. Rome is against its consumption.

Swain points out that the U.K.'s food regulator has been careful to avoid calling lab-grown products "meat."

"It is interesting reading through the Food Standards Agency's regulationthey're very much focused on calling it 'cellular products,'" she says. "They don't use the word meat because they make it very clear that, at the moment, this wouldn't pass under the definition we have legally of meat.

"But that hasn't been the case in Singapore, Israel or America. In those countries, they have been very clear that you have to clearly label on the package that it was made in a lab, but you can still use the word 'meat.' So whether that changes in the U.K., we will have to see in the next couple of years."

Swain believes there has been some reluctance from authorities to push for legalizing the sale of lab-grown steaks, burgers and other meaty dishes to consumers due to fear of "backlash" from the farming community. There is also a perception from some older quarters of the population, she says, that it is some kind of "Frankenstein" or unnaturally modified food source.

Polling indicates the British population is not entirely convinced about switching over to meat made by scientists rather than reared by farmers. The Food Standards Agency found that somewhere between 16% and 41% of the U.K. population would be willing to try lab-grown meat.

But Swain argues that concerns over the size of continuing subsidies to farms, the environmental impact of agriculture and the falling cost of producing lab-grown meat is forcing lawmakers and regulators to think again. "To produce the lab-grown burger that was eaten in London in 2013, it cost 250,000equivalent to 300,000 U.S. dollars at the time. The same burger would cost around 7.20 ($9.30) today," she adds.

Weill highlights that there are still challenges for those who see lab-grown meat as heralding a shift away from the need for traditional rearing of animals.

The growth-boosting liquid that stem cells are placed in has traditionally used fetal bovine serum from cows as the source of the nutrients. "There is a huge effort now," says Weill, "to make media [the nutrient-rich liquid] that is not sourced from other animals. Otherwise, what you are doing is a little bit like taking a puzzle and rearranging it.

"People are saying, "Yes, this was grown in the lab, but you killed many cows to make the medium to get them to grow." And this is some of the criticism around thisthere are questions around whether it is truly efficient. Are we able to truly reduce the number of animals that need to be killed or not?"

Other questions that need to be answered by the burgeoning lab-grown meat industry, says Weill, focus on its ability to scale up manufacturing while keeping costs down and upholding strict safety standards as production moves from research laboratories and into factories. It is something the U.K.'s Food Standards Agency will be investigating over the next 24 months.

"Scientists are saying now, 'We just made a steakit is amazing. Let's give it a thumbs up and start rolling,'" Weill says.

"But scaling up will require its own research, its own development, its own new patentit is a whole other thing just to be able to scale this up.

"And this is the critical moment where, on one hand, you have got to support it significantly and not hinder it. But on the other hand, you still need to make sure that very important practices in safety and ethics are being kept while this is happening."

This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.
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Heat-impacted refugee camps. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57679-9

People in informal settlements, urban deprived areas, refugee camps, prisons, and war zones can be particularly vulnerable to climate threats and natural hazards. A new study, led by IIASA researchers, explores how policymakers can ease their burden.

Climate change and extreme weather events can act as drivers of migration. However, in some contexts, they can also render people unable to leave despite a desire to do so. In a new study published in Nature Communications, IIASA scientists and their colleagues from other institutions argue that those "trapped populations" require tailored policies to reduce climate risk and either help them adapt in their given location, or ensure that their migration aspirations are met.

"Involuntarily immobile populations are large and varied in their exposure to different threats," explains Lisa Thalheimer, a researcher in the IIASA Migration and Sustainable Development Research Group and lead author of the study. "Cultural and legal barriers, limited access to humanitarian assistance, and other constraints, such as conflict and poverty, make the livelihoods of such populations particularly vulnerable to climate-induced threatsdroughts, heat waves, sea level rise, etc."

In their study, the researchers highlight a number of case studies, reflecting the striking political and legal barriers to migration faced by vulnerable populations. One of the most obvious examples is the involuntary immobility of the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh, living in some of the most densely populated areas in the world while facing high levels of landslide exposure, as well as a high risk of coastal and inland flooding.

In addition, they address the fact that current climate mobility research is largely focused on mobile populations, excluding those unable or unwilling to move. Thus, due to the lack of data, it can be extremely difficult for policymakers to develop policies tailored to the needs of those people. Seeking to address this problem, the scientists drew up a set of comprehensive recommendations that could help policymakers stimulate positive change. Those include:

Conducting a systematic review of affected communities and their ability to adapt, relocate, and mitigate the impact of natural hazards and climate change in their given location;

Establishing a global involuntary immobility support mechanism;

Identifying the key drivers of involuntary immobility that make marginalized populations even more vulnerable to natural hazards and climate change impacts, as well as ensuring their inclusion in data collection processes.

"By focusing on involuntary immobility in climate and disaster risk policies, we gain a deeper understanding of how climate variability, climate change, and extreme weather events impact vulnerable populations. This understanding is critical for developing strategies that reduce disaster risk in various types of communities across various levels of socioeconomic conditions, within mobility contexts," concludes Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a lecturer at Columbia University and another lead author of the study.

This study is a collaborative effort between scientists from IIASA and universities in Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the U.S. including: Columbia University, ETH Zurich, Mississippi State University, Montana State University, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the United Nations University, University of Canterbury, and University of Twente.

It is based on a large group exploratory dialoguea World Cafe event held during the 2023 Managed Retreat Conference at Columbia University, involving 53 participants from policy and research.

More information: Lisa Thalheimer et al, Prioritizing involuntary immobility in climate policy and disaster planning, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57679-9 Journal information: Nature Communications

Provided by International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
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Wolf on agricultural plains in northern Greece. Credit: Seryios Papaioannou, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Wolf populations in Europe increased by nearly 60% in a decade, according to a study led by Cecilia Di Bernardi and Guillaume Chapron at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, published in the open-access journal PLOS Sustainability and Transformation.

Large carnivore populations are declining worldwide. However, in Europe, conservation policies have supported the recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) in recent decades. To understand current trends in their populations, researchers collated data on wolf numbers in 34 countries across Europe. They found that by 2022, at least 21,500 wolves lived in European increase of 58% compared to the estimated population of 12,000 a decade earlier.

In most countries analyzed, wolf populations were increasing, with only three countries reporting declines over the previous decade. The researchers also investigated sources of conflict between humans and wolves, such as livestock deaths. They estimated that in the European Union, wolves killed 56,000 domestic animals per year, out of a total population of 279 million livestock.

Although the risk varied between countries, on average, livestock faced a 0.02% chance of being killed by wolves each year. Compensating farmers for these losses cost European countries 17 million euros annually. Still, wolves can also have positive economic impacts, such as reducing traffic accidents and damage to forestry plantations by controlling wild deer populations. However, there wasn't enough data available to quantify these benefits.

Considering Europe's large human population and the widespread alteration of landscapes for agriculture, industry and urbanization, the rapid recovery of wolves over the last decade highlights their extraordinary adaptability. However, as conservationists transition from saving endangered populations to sustaining a successful recovery, the challenge will be to adapt national and international policies to ensure that humans and wolves can coexist sustainably in the long term, the authors say.

The authors add, "The recovery of wolves across human-dominated landscapes of Europe has been continuing during the past decade, with their population growing to over 21,500 individuals by 2022a 58% increase in a decade. Ongoing and future challenges include damages directly caused by wolves and broader socio-political issues."

More information: Cecilia Di Bernardi et al, Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe, PLOS Sustainability and Transformation (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158 Journal information: PLOS Sustainability and Transformation
An ever-changing array of crafts, art, food, jewelry and much more awaits at Vendors Emporium and Curiosities, Rapid Citys newest shopping experience.

A desire to expand Rapid Citys selection of craft and vendors markets inspired mother and son Jess and Lukas Linn to create Vendors Emporium and Curiosities. The Linns are co-owners of Rapid Citys cat cafe, Coffee and the Cats, 315 B E. St. Patrick St. Vendor Emporium and Curiosities is in an adjoining space thats accessible only through Coffee and the Cats.

We got the opportunity to expand into that space next door. We decided this is something weve always wanted to do, so we might as well do it, Lukas said.

Weve always been interested in the crafty kind of traders market/farmers market scene, and weve also felt like Rapid City doesnt really have enough of that aside from some temporary pop-up events here and there, Lukas said.

The Linns tested the Emporium idea by hosting a winter craft expo in December, then they introduced the Vendors Emporium and Curiosities every weekend since Jan. 31. The emporium is open exclusively from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. For more information, follow Vendors Emporium and Curiosities on Facebook.

At the moment, we have seven booths in our big booth area and 13 of our consignment vendors, Lukas said. Every weekend its growing.

At the moment, we have three bakers, weve got some vintage sellers, weve got quite a bit of jewelry. Weve got a big comic book area. Weve got a lot of paintings from different painters. Weve got some handmade (hand-dyed, hand cut, hand-sewn) leather bags, Lukas said. We have hand-woven rugs by this woman who also does little cocktail coasters.

A candy store with freeze-dried candy is one of the most unique products in the Emporium now, and the Linns welcome as much variety as possible.

We are open to whatever people are interested in selling. Whatever people bring, were willing to sell it, so if somebody wanted to bring in hot dogs, stuff like that, we wouldnt say no, Lukas chuckled. Were really open for anything from crafters to painters to collectors. We want there to be new stuff all the time.

Room for vendors

Vendors Emporium and Curiosities offers multiple options for vendors and entrepreneurs who are looking for space for a day, a weekend or who want to rent month-to-month on a semi-permanent basis.

Rapid Variety is a store within the Emporium that charges vendors a commission and allows them to have as little as a single shelf or as much as several units of space.

The Emporiums Pop Up Shop is a space that can be rented daily on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for one day or an entire weekend. This first-come, first-served space is ideal for creatives who are looking for an alternative to craft shows.

The Sale is an enclosed space with a lockable door that can be rented for one weekend or by the month. The Emporium promotes it as a good space for someone who wants to try out having a retail business. Its also available for people who want to host indoor yard sales, or who want to sell items online and have a safe space for customers to pick up their purchases.

During the Emporiums first two weekends, for example, Lukas said one vendor was a woman who rented space to sell items of hers and her mothers.

Vendors also have the option to rent booth space in the middle of the Emporium.

Lukas said he and his mother display an array of items in the Emporiums front window to give people a glimpse of whats inside, and the Linns regularly post photos and videos of whats for sale to entice shoppers.

One year of Coffee and the Cats in Rapid City

Amid the excitement of opening the Emporium, the Linns are getting ready to celebrate the first anniversary of Coffee and the Cats, Rapid Citys only cat cafe. Lukas, Jess and Lukas sister, Claire, opened Coffee and the Cats on April 29, 2024. By partnering with Humane Society of the Black Hills, the cafe has helped 75 cats get adopted so far, Lukas said.

Four cats at a time play, nap and visit with human guests in the cafes Kitty Cove. The Linns are hoping to reach 100 cat adoptions by the cafes one-year anniversary.

Lukas said the cafes menu is continually changing and evolving, and it includes vegan and gluten-free options.

Were doing new soups every week and every month were featuring different lattes and special drinks. Were doing Irish coffees in March, Lukas said. The tea times are pretty popular. Were looking at evolving some of that and making them more cat-themed.

The cafe continues to introduce special events, too, such as makers space nights for crafters, Tuesday tea times, and a recent performance of The Vagina Monologues on International Womens Day.

Were doing two or more events every month, Lukas said. Were looking at everything we can do get more interest, to bring people in and have them check the place out and enjoy some of our fun extra events.

The Linns hope to host a celebration for the Coffee and the Cats first anniversary. Follow Coffee and the Cats on Facebook for information about events, new menu items and updates on the cats in Kitty Cove.

Weve been doing great, Lukas said. Were coming up with new stuff all the time.
Authorities fully identify gunmen responsible for FGE Tulum headquarters shooting

Tulum, Q.R.  Police are investigating the shoot-up of the FGE facilities in Tulum after armed men opened fire against the building. The targeted attack happened Sunday night that left the front of the building riddled with bullet holes.

Witnesses reported seeing armed men draw high-caliber weapons that were aimed at the front of the building. People in the area ran for cover as the armed gunmen shot at the building.

The 8:00 p.m. attack was against the headquarters of the State Attorney Generals Office (FGE) in the municipality of Tulum. In response to the shooting, authorities launched a search operation to locate those responsible. Although no arrests were made, authorities say they have fully identified the gunmen.

Members of the Municipal Police, National Guard and the FGE cordoned off the area Sunday night to collect ballistic evidence. The attack against police comes amid a growing wave of violence where organized crime groups are vying for control of territory.

Late Sunday night, the FGE (Fiscalia General del Estado) of Quintana Roo released a brief statement saying The Quintana Roo Attorney Generals Office (FGE) reports the opening of an investigation after explosions were reported against the facade of the Social Representations facilities in Tulum.

Those responsible for these acts have been fully identified, and it is working in coordination with security authorities from all three levels of government to arrest them.

The FGE is strengthening its efforts to bring lawbreakers to justice and reiterates its commitment to zero impunity and a frontal fight against corruption.
Police find loaded guns, tactical gear and drones inside home after tenant stops paying rent

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R.  On Sunday, police searched a home in the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto locating weapons, tactical equipment and drones.

The security operation took place inside a rental property in the Leona Vicario neighborhood after the tenant vanished. Members of the Navy, Army, Quintana Roo Police and Investigative Police secured the property while the State Attorney Generals Office (FGE) conducted an investigation.

The search operation took place Sunday afternoon after the owner of the property found loaded firearms hidden in a wall. The homeowner told police the male renter stop paying rent and vanished. When he finally entered the property several weeks later, he found the guns.

Police entered the home on 56th Street around 2:00 p.m. where the homeowner directed them to a hole in the wall. Inside the hole is where the homeowner located several weapons.

During the search, police reportedly located at least four long and short firearms with loaded magazines. Large drones and tactical equipment were also found inside the once-rented property.

Members of the Quintana Roo Police Tactical Group, along with Navy and Army personnel, cordoned off the area while a forensics team gathered evidence.
Interview: Former "economic hitman" unveils how U.S. hunts emerging markets

Xinhua) 09:11, March 17, 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the media before a European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)

Former U.S. "economic hitman" revealed tactics employed by the United States to "economically hunt" emerging market nations.

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- "It started out as an 'economic hunt' ... I have no doubt that in the end (U.S. President Donald) Trump wants to control Ukraine economically, and seize its mineral resources," said a New York Times best-selling author.

Speaking of the potential U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal, John Perkins, an author and former U.S. "economic hitman," revealed tactics employed by the United States to "economically hunt" emerging market nations.

In an interview with Xinhua, Perkins said he was recruited by U.S. intelligence to become an "economic hitman" in the 1960s-1970s. For over a decade, under the guise of chief economist at Charles T. Main Inc., he traveled to numerous emerging markets and developing countries, planning, participating in and witnessing major historical events.

In 2004, Perkins published his semi-autobiographical book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and lifted the veil on America's "economic hitmen."

In his view, these hitmen often disguise themselves as economists, bankers, international financial advisors and executives of multinational corporations and investment funds.

He said they have for years used such tactics as falsifying financial reports, rigging elections, bribery, extortion and even assassination to co-opt, corrupt and control the political and economic elites of emerging market countries.

The mineral agreement the United States pushed Ukraine to sign is the latest example of its "economic hunt" targeting other nations, Perkins said.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not in the picture) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

Speaking of the clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. leaders during Zelensky's late February visit to the White House, Perkins described the incident as a "power play" by Washington.

The clash showed Trump wants to demonstrate to the world that "he can push around countries and their leaders who are not as powerful as the United States," he said.

To this day, Perkins said, U.S. "economic hitmen" remain a covert force operating across the globe.

He explained that their primary mission is to target emerging nations, pushing them to take unmanageable loans from groups like the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and steering contracts to U.S. firms and selected interest groups.

These countries are then forced to divert funds from social services like healthcare and education to pay off loan interest, trapping them in a cycle of debt, Perkins said.

When they're too deep in crisis to recover, the "economic hitmen" step in with unreasonable demands like hosting U.S. military bases, aligning with the United States in UN votes, or selling precious resources at rock-bottom prices, he further explained.

This photo taken on May 22, 2024 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"One of the ways in modern history that empires have been expanded is through putting countries deep into debt," he said.

"In the past, empires primarily expanded through military forces or the threat of military intervention. But in more recent years, there's been a lot more emphasis on doing it through economics. And debt plays a big role in that," Perkins noted.

He told Xinhua that when leaders of emerging markets and developing countries refuse to bow to U.S. interests or reject American-proposed deals, the "economic hitmen" resort to their second tactic -- unleashing "jackals." These operatives, he added, force compliance through brutal means like orchestrating coups, assassinations or even waging wars.

When an emerging market country defaults on its debt and plunges into economic chaos, U.S. "vulture funds" will swoop in to exploit the crisis, Perkins said, noting that this is yet another tactic in America's playbook to economically target emerging markets.

"Vulture funds" are investment funds that buy up defaulted bonds at low prices and pursue high profits through aggressive litigation. They are named for their appetite for distressed debt, much like vultures feeding on carrion.

"Unfortunately, there are still a lot of vulture funds, and they cause a lot of damage around the world," Perkins said. "They are very, very predatory."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Puerto Morelos starts public service to keep streets clean of illegal dumping

Puerto Morelos, Q.R.  The municipality of Puerto Morelos has begun a public service for citizens to help keep streets clean. Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Munoz launched the Report and Improve program where residents can call to have their junk removed.

This program offers citizens another option for disposing of junk and household goods they no longer need, thereby keeping the municipality free of trash, as well as for general public service reports, she said.

We are launching our Report and Improve program so that residents can help us keep our municipality clean and free of trash, as it not only creates a negative image for the destination, but also becomes a potential source of pollution, the Mayor emphasized.

Blanca Merari Tziu explained that the Public Services Secretariat will be responsible for scheduling the transfer of materials, equipment, furniture, and other belongings to the confinement area by calling 998 389 7989. The approximate day and time of the visit will be scheduled to remove the reported furniture for disposal.

During a tour of the Taxista and Puerto Madero neighborhoods, the mayor spoke with residents who expressed their concern about public spaces becoming illegal dumping grounds.

During her tour, the brigade that accompanied authorities cleared a green area containing a mattress, water bottles, wood and other illegally dumped junk.

We work on public policies where citizen participation is crucial to the development and growth of Puerto Morelos, building a prosperous future for the municipality that will improve the quality of life for its citizens and safeguard the environment of our destination, the Mayor added.

Public Services Minister Leonel Salazar Trejo mentioned that on this occasion, a 14-cubic-meter trailer unit and a four-member brigade from the Ministry were deployed.

He explained that citizens are asked to send their message only via WhatsApp, including their name, description of the request, a photo, and the location. Once the report is submitted, the furniture or junk will be removed within two days at the latest. Routes are established throughout the city to optimize time, and the space is also calculated based on what citizens mention they will be throwing away.

At the same time, he noted that in addition to junk removal, the Report and Improve number is used to receive reports of general public services, such as broken streetlights, patching, and other actions.

Finally, he reiterated President Blanca Merari Tzius call to help keep the streets clean and provide a positive image for visitors.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2025. Credit - Roberto SchmidtGetty Images

The Trump Administration is reportedly considering a new travel ban for citizens of up to 43 countriesa potential escalation of Trumps first term travel ban which primarily targeted Muslim-majority countries.

An internal memo, obtained and reviewed first by the New York Times and then by Reuters, suggests that the Trump Administration has included new countries in a draft of a 2.0 travel ban. Per the memo, the countries on the list would be sorted into three different tiers: red, orange, and yellow.

Citizens from the 11 countries in the red category would reportedly be flatly barred from entering the United States. The 11 countries listed include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The Times reported, though, that this list was formed by the State Department a few weeks ago and changes could well be made.

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Citizens from the countries in the orange categorywhich includes Haiti, Russia, and Pakistanwould have their visas heavily restricted. Per the Times' reporting, citizens traveling to the U.S. from these countries would be subjected to mandatory in-person interviews in order to receive a visa. The third category includes countries in the yellow groupmeaning they have 60 days to address concerns from the Administration, or else each country risks being moved up to the other categories. Countries reportedly listed under this category include Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and The Republic of Congo.

The White House has yet to publicly comment on the reported memo. TIME has reached out to the White House for comment.

Mention of a potential new travel ban by the Trump Administration comes shortly after the President was asked during a press briefing on Wednesday, March 12, about what countries might be targeted on his 2.0 list. He shut down the question from the reporter, saying: Wouldnt that be a stupid thing for me to say?

Trump made promises on his campaign trail, stating his intention to restore the travel ban which caught much attention during its initial introduction during his first term. His signing of an Executive Order titled Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats on Jan. 20 only served to reaffirm his intentions.

Heres a look back at the history of Trumps travel ban and what he has shared about his plans moving forward.

Trumps first term travel ban

In January 2017, a week after Trump entered office, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, titled Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United Stateslater referred to as the Muslim travel ban, on account of the fact it largely targeted Muslim-majority nations. The ban barred entry of Syrian refugees and temporarily suspended the entry of individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

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The action triggered chaos at airports and sparked protests across the country. Judges in several states blocked the initial ban soon after it went into place in 2017, claiming that it targeted Muslim countries and discriminated against people for their nationality without justification, violating U.S. immigration law.

Eventually the Supreme Court permitted a rewritten notion in which citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen continued to be subject to the ban. They later upheld the ban in 2018. These countries could potentially be at risk again, should a 2.0 list be finalized.

When former President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, he repealed the ban, calling it a stain on our national conscience and inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all.

[T]hey have separated loved ones, inflicting pain that will ripple for years to come. They are just plain wrong, Biden said in the Executive Order announcing the end to the ban.

Trump promised to reinstate the travel ban during his campaign

While on the campaign trail in 2024, Trump vowed to reinstate his 2017 travel ban several times.

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In July, at a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Trump told the crowd that he would restore the travel ban, suspend refugee admissions, stop the resettlement, and keep the terrorists the hell out of our country and that he would do so on day one of his presidency.

In a later campaign event in Washington, Trump said he would ban people from terrorist infested areas and would seal our borders.

Remember the famous travel ban? We didnt take people from certain areas of the world, Trump said at the event in September 2024. Were not taking them from infested countries.

Trumps Executive Order on vetting countries

Trump did not reintroduce his travel ban on day one as promised, but on the first day of his second term, he did sign the Executive Order titled Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats.

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Within the Executive Order, Trump called for the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries. A deadline of 60 days was given.

If the timeline remains the same, this report is due to the President by next week. Although he may well have already received it.

The Executive Order also called for the report to identify how many people from said countries had entered the United States since Biden was inaugurated as President.

This was just one Executive Order in a slew of recent motions signed by Trump that look to drastically shift and harden the United States immigration and visitation policy.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Do Americans really want urban sprawl?

Posted on 17 March 2025 by Guest Author

This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler

(Image credit: Antonio Huerta)

Growing up in suburban Ohio, I was used to seeing farmland and woods disappear to make room for new subdivisions, strip malls, and big box stores. I didnt usually welcome the changes, but I assumed others did. If people didnt want to live in sprawling suburbs, why did I see this kind of development everywhere I went?

But the situation is more complicated than it seems. Although sprawling development is still a familiar sight across the U.S., many experts in urban planning and housing believe this doesnt occur because of a uniquely American passion for giant parking lots, but as a result of a dysfunctional market. Many people are hungry for denser, more walkable communities, they believe; there just arent enough of them to go around.

The question of what kind of communities Americans prefer has important implications for climate change. Suburban U.S. households have substantially higher emissions than their city-center counterparts, largely due to cars. Building more dense, walkable developments could significantly lower these emissions  assuming enough people would both choose to live in such communities and find suitable housing there.

How single-family zoning limits housing choices

Jonathan Levine, a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan, has been thinking about these issues for decades.

What you thought, that we have sprawl because people want sprawl: That really was the dominant view around the turn of the 21st century, he said.

His 2006 book called this idea into question. Its argument: Zoning has distorted the American real estate market, limiting housing options by making common elements of sprawl the only form of development allowed across much of the nation. In many cities, land-use regulations make it illegal to build town houses, duplexes, apartment buildings, granny flats, and the like  anything other than single-family homes  on around 75% of the land zoned for residential use. In some places, this figure rises above 90%.

Some people say, Americans want big houses on large lots, Levine said. But if it were the case that all Americans wanted big houses on large lots and could afford big houses on large lots, would we need single-family zoning? Absolutely not  The very fact that we enact these zoning regulations in such an exclusionary fashion as we do in the United States is evidence that were defending against something. And that something is the desire of people  not all people; some people  to live closer in, accepting higher densities, maybe more urban living styles, etc.

Nearly two decades later, this position is no longer controversial among his peers, Levine said. Greater awareness of the harmful impacts of land-use regulation, as well as soul-searching in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis, has led to a dramatic shift in opinion.

The [urban] planning profession, the economics profession, and academia are very much focused on the negative effects of zoning that constrain densities to overly low densities, he said. They see it as an impediment to the market providing the kinds of things that people want.

What do surveys say?

As the downsides of sprawl have become increasingly clear in recent decades, advocacy groups have formed to push for alternative forms of development. One of them, the smart growth program at the National Association of Realtors, a trade association for real estate agents, was created in 2000 after agents noted that although their clients increasingly wanted properties in walkable areas, there werent enough available to satisfy the demand.

Walkable communities can come in different forms, offering various housing types and streetscapes. (Image credit: Antonio Huerta)

The term smart growth came about in the mid-90s, roughly, as a reaction to the 40 or 50 years of sprawl development that wed had, said Hugh Morris, who has led the National Association of Realtors program for the past six years. It became clear that there were some negative consequences to that kind of development.

One of the programs goals is to provide information about Americans real estate preferences to help guide decision-making about development and policy. To this end, Morris has surveyed 2,000 people in the nations largest 50 metropolitan regions every two years for the past decade to understand which qualities they look for when deciding where to live, asking about factors ranging from home and yard size to highway access, sidewalks, crime, and school quality.

The results show that the desire for walkability has been increasing steadily, really, since 2015, to the point where it exceeds the desire for single-family/drive-only locations to a degree that is beyond the margin of error, he said. In the 2023 survey, 56% of respondents said that if they were to move, they would accept a smaller yard as a trade-off for a more walkable neighborhood. Asked to choose between a house in a car-dependent area and a town house or apartment offering a shorter commute and walkable shops and restaurants, 53% chose the latter (an 8% increase from 2015).

Not all questionnaires examining Americans housing preferences have reached the same conclusion, however. In a one-question survey on this topic conducted by Pew Research Center in 2023, 53% of 5,079 respondents drawn from across the nation said they would prefer to live in a community with houses that are larger and farther apart with schools, stores, and restaurants several miles away as opposed to one where homes are smaller and closer together with walkable schools, stores, and restaurants. Pew also conducted the same survey in 2021 and 2019, with similar results.

High prices indicate high demand

Michael Rodriguez, the director of research at Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Smart Growth America, believes that asking people to explain their housing preferences in the abstract isnt the most effective way to gauge demand for business-as-usual suburbia versus walkable alternatives.

Everybody wants a little more space in their house; this is not very surprising, he said. Its always a trade-off between space in your home and a commute and job access and amenity access.

Studying the number of different kinds of housing units sold also provides an imperfect gauge of what Americans want, he said. People are buying a lot of homes in the suburbs? Well, we dont build them anything else, he said.

While this statement may be an exaggeration, it highlights a real concern. In a 2023 report, Rodriguez and coauthor Christopher Leinberger wrote that in the nations 35 largest metropolitan areas, walkable neighborhoods accounted for only 1.2% of the land, on average, and that only 11.6% of all non-rental housing was located in those neighborhoods.

Drivable suburban housing takes up by far the largest amount of land in those 35 metros, approximately 90%, and the low-density zoning and NIMBY [Not in My Back Yard] opposition has not allowed the market to produce walkable urban product without years of legal and neighborhood battles, the authors noted.

Walkable neighborhoods account for only a small area of the developed land in the largest American cities. (Image credit: Antonio Huerta)

If survey responses and home sales dont clearly tell us where Americans would most like to live, what can? The answer, according to Rodriguez, is money. His 2023 report showed that, across the country, people are willing to spend significantly more to buy homes and rent apartments and commercial spaces in walkable communities compared to car-dependent alternatives. In the 35 regions studied, 2021 home sale prices were an average of 34% higher in walkable areas, while rents for offices and multifamily housing in the same year were 44% and 41% higher, respectively, on average.

That premium for walkable urbanism is a market indicator that tells us a lot of people really want this thing, but theres not enough of it, he said.

Jonathan Levine, who was not involved with the report, said that he agrees with its general findings.

Theres no good reason why walkable urbanism should cost more than auto-oriented suburbia, especially since walkable neighborhoods use land more efficiently, he wrote in an email. But land-use regulations make it unnecessarily hard to build and expand walkable neighborhoods. As a result, the supply of these neighborhoods stays low, and households who prefer walkable neighborhoods are less likely to find (and afford) one that fits their preferences compared to those who prefer auto-oriented neighborhoods. This points to strong demand for walkable neighborhoods that could be met if regulations didnt make their development so difficult.

Density beyond downtown

It is possible to make car-centric areas more walkable, however, Rodriguez said, offering his own community of Tysons, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C., as proof.

You see whats being built and the change thats happened over the last 10 years  it is night and day.

In recent years, the local government has invested heavily in making the area into what it describes as a 24-hour urban center where people live, work and play by 2050. As a result, land that was formerly devoted to parking lots now houses one of the tallest skyscrapers in the region, Rodriguez said, along with a performing arts venue that hosts traveling Broadway shows. And now we have condos and apartment buildings right off the Metro [subway stop]. Theres a couple new hotels, he said. All that increases amenity, walkability, and gives people an option of somewhere to live near the Metro.

This and similar projects demonstrate that its possible to achieve walkability outside of downtown areas, according to Rodriguez. People want this form of living, and maybe they wont want to be in the city center  thats OK, he said. Increasingly, theres more demand for it in the other areas where they live, in the, quote, suburbs.
This essay has been adapted from the forthcoming book Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at Americas Colleges.

In the era of Donald Trump, many liberals understandably look back with fondness at the time when Republican moderates recognized that racial diversity strengthens institutions.

Such nostalgia can include favorable feelings for three Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices who, over the course of nearly four decades, provided the crucial swing votes to sustain racial affirmative action in higher education. Nixon appointee Lewis F. Powell Jr. did so in the 1978 Bakke decision. Reagan appointee Sandra Day OConnor did so in the 2003 Grutter ruling. And another Reagan appointee, Anthony Kennedy, did so in the 2016 Fisher case.

But what if that view is wrong? Looking back today, after the Supreme Courts 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision, which struck down racial preferences, a very different picture emerges. Many (though not all) colleges have managed to preserve previous levels of racial diversity by adopting new programs to admit more low-income and working-class students of all races.

In light of this emerging evidence, the efforts of moderate Republican-appointed justices to fortify racial preferences takes on a different light. After all, the old admissions regime tended to benefit well-off Black and Hispanic students, and it provided political cover for a larger system of preferences for the mostly white children of alumni, donors, and faculty that is now coming under attack. What if the Republican moderates werent so much champions of racial justice as economic elitists who fulfilled the worst stereotypes of Republicans from that era?

Indeed, in the early discussions of affirmative action in the 1960s, racial preferences were not the favored path of many liberal heroes.

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Martin Luther King Jr., for example, argued that with passage of civil rights laws, affirmative action programs should be aimed at supporting economically disadvantaged people of all races. King proposed a Bill of Rights for the Disadvantaged rather than a Bill of Rights for Black people. He suggested that an economic approach to affirmative action would disproportionately benefit Black people, who suffered the economic legacy of racial discrimination, and that poor white people should also be included as a simple matter of justice. King also predictedaccuratelythat racial preferences would fracture his dream of a multiracial progressive coalition of working-class people.

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In 1974, Kings idea of economic affirmative action was picked up by Justice William O. Douglas, who is largely viewed as one of the Supreme Courts most liberal members. When a low-income white Jewish applicant, Marco DeFunis, challenged racial preferences at the University of Washington Law School, Douglas wrote that admissions boosts should be provided on the basis of class disadvantage, not race.

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Douglas wrote:

A black applicant who pulled himself out of the ghetto into a junior college may thereby demonstrate a level of motivation, perseverance, and ability that would lead a fair-minded admissions committee to conclude that he shows more promise for law study than the son of a rich alumnus who achieved better grades at Harvard. That applicant would be offered admissions not because he is black, but because as an individual he has shown he has the potential, while the Harvard man may have taken less advantage of the vastly superior opportunities offered him.

Douglas did not prevail. A majority of the justices in the case ruled that it was moot because DeFunis had already graduated from law school. But the larger issue did not go away. In 1978, Allan Bakke, who was white and the son of a milkman, filed a lawsuit after being denied admission to the University of California at Davis Medical School, despite having stronger academic credentials than many of the minority students admitted through a racial quota that set aside 16 out of 100 seats.

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The court was split. Four conservatives said the quotas were a violation of the Civil Rights Act. Four liberals backed class-blind racial quotas. When one member of the liberal group, Justice William Brennan, asked Justice Thurgood Marshall whether Marshalls economically privileged Black son deserved a preference, Marshall replied: Damn right. They owe us.

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The swing vote was Lewis Powell Jr., who was looking for a compromise. Powell could have picked up on Douglas approach, but, unsurprisingly, he did not. The two justices were about as far apart on issues of class as imaginable.

Douglas, raised by a struggling single mother, and appointed to his seat in 1939 by Franklin Roosevelt, saw the importance of class inequality in virtually all his jurisprudence. He joined in decisions striking down Californias anti-Okie law that made it a crime to transport a poor individual into the state, providing the right of counsel to indigent criminal defendants, and invalidating poll taxes that required people to pay to exercise their right to vote.

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Powell, by contrast, was born into a prosperous family and attended private schools. As a corporate lawyer, he worked closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and represented tobacco giant Philip Morris. On the Supreme Court, Powell authored a major decision that denied protections to economically disadvantaged children seeking equal educational funding.

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In the Bakke case, Powell took his cue from Harvard University, which argued that racial preferences were justified not as a remedy for Americas history of racial oppression but in order to provide the educational benefits of a diverse student body. Harvard, of course, had an enormous financial self-interest in avoiding Douglas class-based approach to affirmative action. Students admitted under such a plan would need financial aid. Racial preferences were much cheaper. Data later showed that nearly three-quarters of Black and Hispanic students at Harvard were from the richest one-fifth of the Black and Hispanic populations nationally.

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Powell, the former corporate lawyer and decisive vote in Bakke, ultimately diverted the dream of class-based affirmative action that King and Douglas had championed. Powells worldview helped set the tone on the issue for decades to come.

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The American public never agreed with Powells support for racial preferences, and in a series of referenda, including in California in 1996 and Washington in 1998, voters rejected such policies. By 2003, opponents of racial preferences were back in the Supreme Court challenging the use of race at the University of Michigan, and they had good reason to believe that they might prevail. The swing vote on the court, Justice Sandra Day OConnor, had been a skeptic of racial preferences and had authored a 1995 decision saying that institutions needed to try race-neutral alternatives to achieve racial diversity before resorting to racial preferences.

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There was growing evidence that the Douglas-King approach could work to produce high levels of racial diversity, but OConnor voted to preserve racial preferences and said she took Michigan at its word that it would like nothing better than to find a race-neutral admissions formula and will terminate its race-conscious admissions program as soon as practicable. Like Powell, she ignored the massive financial incentive universities had to stretch the truth to claim that class-based affirmative action wouldnt work.

Justice Anthony Kennedy dissented in the Michigan case, believing that OConnor had been too deferential to the university. But when the Supreme Court took up a challenge to racial preferences at the University of Texas at Austin 13 years later, Kennedy would end up rejecting the King-Douglas approach as well.

The Texas case presented the issue of race-neutral alternatives squarely. In the face of a circuit court ruling banning racial preferences in the 1990s, the state Legislature, working with Gov. George W. Bush, had created the Top Ten Percent Plan to admit students from across the state who graduated with the highest grades in their high school classes, coupled with consideration of economic status rather than race. Suddenly, students from poor and working-class high schools that had sent few students to the flagship, UT Austin, had access. The result was higher levels of racial diversity, and much greater socioeconomic diversity, than under the old system of racial preferences.

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Nevertheless, when OConnor gave the green light to use race in admissions in 2003, UT reinstated its racial preferences for a portion of the class, while also retaining the Top Ten Percent Plan. Everything seemed queued up for a victory for class-based affirmative action. But in a 2016 opinion, Kennedy balked. He wrote that Texas Top Ten Percent Plan and enhanced consideration of socioeconomic disadvantage was not a viable alternative in part because the Equal Protection Clause does not force universities to choose between a diverse student body and a reputation for academic excellence.

The elitist subtext of this passage was that programs that relied on recruiting economically disadvantaged students from working-class high schools inherently conflicted with high academic standards. Kennedy provided no evidence for his position, presumably because there was plenty of evidence contradicting it. Justice Samuel Alito noted in his dissent in the case that Top Ten Percent Plan students didnt struggle academically; in fact, they received higher college grades than the African-American and Hispanic students admitted under the race-conscious program.

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In the most recent round of litigation, the 2023 case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, elites finally lost. Harvard trotted out the old argument that if it admitted more low-income and working-class students in order to achieve high levels of racial diversity, the academic caliber of the institution would suffer great harm. As an expert witness in the case, however, I demonstrated, in collaboration with a Duke University economist, that if Harvard increased its preferences for economically disadvantaged students and ended its preferences for the children of alumni and faculty, it could produce almost as much racial diversity as through its use of racial preferences, and mean SAT scores would still be at the 98th percentile.

Harvard also claimed that Black representation would plummet from 14 percent to 6 percent if it couldnt use racial preferences. But when it reported its data in 2024, after the use of race had been banned, the Black share of the student body was not 6 percent but 14 percent, a modest decrease from the previous year. Hispanic representation actually grew from 14 percent to 16 percent, and Asian representation held steady at 37 percent. A decade earlier, around the time the litigation was filed, just 7 percent of Harvard students were the first in their families to attend college. By 2024, under intense public scrutiny from the litigation, that share tripled to 21 percent.

Other institutions, such as Yale and Dartmouth, maintained high levels of racial diversity and reported record levels of socioeconomic diversity.

Paradoxically, a right-wing court decision helped bring universities back full circle to the economic approach to affirmative action backed by Martin Luther King Jr. and William O. Douglas. Justices Powell, OConnor, and Kennedy no longer look like moderate heroes for saving racial preferences, but rather like guardians of privilege. Today, decades later, selective universities are finally opening their doors to meaningful numbers of talented working-class students of all races.
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The Trump administration pushed forward into a new phase of the rolling national constitutional crisis over the weekend, reportedly defying two different federal court orders imposing limits on its deportation of immigrants without due process. First, immigrant authorities deported Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown University, despite a judges Friday order halting her removal. Second, authorities deported about 250 Venezuelan migrants, flouting another judges explicit directive to turn around American planes that hadnt yet landed in El Salvador, where the migrants were being sent. The Justice Department claimed that it could not comply with the order barring Alawiehs removal because it arrived too late. But the White House defended its defiance of the order prohibiting deportations of Venezuelans, insisting that the judge had no jurisdiction over the migrantsand that Trump holds absolute, unreviewable constitutional authority to expel noncitizens.

Taken on their own, these claims would be chilling enough. But they were coupled with another novel late-night claim of presidential power: On Monday, Donald Trump purported to reverse President Joe Bidens pardons of Jan. 6 committee members. In a Truth Social post that came just after midnight, Trump claimed the pardons are now VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, asserting the power to undo their clemency because Biden allegedly signed it by Autopen. (It is the official position of the executive branch, unchallenged by the courts, that autopen qualifies as a valid presidential signature.)

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Taken together, these actions and declarations amount to a significant escalation in Trumps transformation of his own presidency into an autocracy or, perhaps more accurately, a monarchy. His Justice Department has taken vague claims of Article II authority to new extremes, ascribing to him an unchecked right to expel immigrants with no semblance of due processand as his defenders have asserted all weekend, to ignore lawful court orders that stand in his way. Meanwhile, Trump himself has made it clear that this extreme and dangerous new vision of executive power does not apply to the presidency, but only his presidency: It is not a set of neutral principles, but an ever-evolving pretext for his own personal whims and cruelties, dressed up in legalese concocted by the conservative legal movement for precisely this purpose.

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Its clear by now that when the second Trump administration tests the limits of the law, it prefers to create enough chaos and confusion to cloud the true extent of its lawbreaking. Thats evidently what happened when it raced to expel Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese immigrant who specializes in kidney transplants. Alawieh has a valid visa to work at Brown Medicine, but immigration officers detained her anyway on Thursday and began rapidly preparing for her removal. We still do not know the basis for this deportation.

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Alawiehs lawyers asked a court to intervene, and Judge Leo Theodore Sorokin promptly barred her deportation in an order signed Friday. (Many of the relevant court documents are not available to the public.) But agents forced her out of the country anyway. Alawiehs lawyers accused the government of willfully disobeying the courts order, prompting Sorokin to demand an explanation. The Justice Department then averred that it did not notify customs officers at Bostons airport quickly enough to stop Alawiehs placement on a plane to Lebanon. The official explanation, then, is that the administration did not defy Sorokins order, but rather moved too fast for the judicial process to stop the deportation.

Related From Slate A Dangerous New Supreme Court Case Could Open the Door to Prosecutions for DEI Read More

The administration provided no such excuse for its deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a prison in El Salvador. Trump purported to expel these individuals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, accusing them (without clear evidence) of belonging to a gang. The American Civil Liberties Union went straight to court on Saturday, and at 6:52 p.m. that day, Judge James Boasberg ordered the administration to halt the deportations. From the bench, Boasberg declared: Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States.  This is something you need to make sure is complied with immediately.

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His order was not complied with. Instead, as the ACLU has shown, migrant flights that were already in the air did not return to the U.S. According to Axios, administration officials debated whether to turn the planes around. They decided not to, on advice of counsel, who reportedly said the order is not applicable because they were already outside U.S. airspace. (That is not a remotely plausible reading of Boasbergs order.) El Salvadors president then tweeted a story about the court order with the comment Oopsie  Too late, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio retweeted. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later contended that the administration did not refuse to comply, but rather that the order had no lawful basis and was issued after the migrants had already been removed from U.S. territory. Again, as the ACLU has pointed out, Boasbergs order expressly applied to migrants already en route to El Salvador. So the White House did, quite clearly, defy the order, on the grounds that it could unilaterally conclude its requirements were not lawful.

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If that is sufficient reason to disobey a court ruling, then all judicial rulings are merely advisory, or just suggestions, and the three coequal branches of government have been replaced by an elected monarch. That might sound like an exaggeration, but it aligns with the Justice Departments disturbing filings in this case. DOJ lawyers have argued that Trump does not even need the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to order these deportations: Rather, he has an inherent Article II authority to protect the nation by determining that an immigrant represents a significant risk to the United States and should be summarily removed from this country. DOJ derives this claim to such alleged powers from the presidents authority to repel an invasion and conduct foreign affairs without judicial oversight. Federal courts have no authority to second-guess the executives declaration of an invasion or to hinder his response, government lawyers wrote, including the unilateral expulsion of migrants he personally dislikes. This sweeping power, DOJ has concluded, deprived Boasberg of jurisdiction over the migrants, rendering his orders null and void.

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Trumps astonishing claim of authority would render the other two branches of government purely advisory in the entire field of immigration enforcement. Congress decades of extensive legislation detailing which immigrants can be detained and deported, and under what circumstances, would amount to meager recommendations that the president could disregard. Under this construction of executive authority, court orders attempting to enforce those lawsor even bedrock constitutional protectionswould be similarly voluntary. As Steve Vladeck has noted, no Supreme Court precedent remotely backs up this startling theory that Trump has categorically unreviewable power over foreign affairs that includes the right to identify, detain, and deport specific immigrants over judicial objections. The best support comes from a solo 2015 opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas that even Justice Antonin Scalia ridiculed as promoting a presidency more reminiscent of George III than George Washington.

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Trump capped off this weekend of lawlessness by announcing, in the early hours of Monday morning, that Bidens preemptive pardons for Jan. 6 committee members are void because they were allegedly signed by autopen. This declaration rejects well-known, long-standing guidance from the Office of Legal Counsel (which the Justice Department has not yet withdrawn), and seems to be based on a conspiracy theory promoted by the Heritage Foundation. The reason these facially absurd autopen claims are so vitally important to the emerging theory of the imperial presidency is that they reveal precisely how cynical Trumps view of boundless presidential power really is. These novel assertions of authority are not statements about presidential powers, but rather statements about Trumps powers, which clearly apply to no other president. And the fact that DOJ lawyers are comfortable standing up before both federal judges and the American people to claim that Trumps constitutional authority is without limitwhereas Bidens was part of some ongoing criminal conspiracy and wholly illusoryshores up the notion that none of these claims attach to the office of the president, but that they inhere in fact in the person of Donald J. Trump.

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For those folks who have been waiting to climb the pole and ring the constitutional crisis bell, it would appear we have arrived. Neither Judge Sorokin nor Judge Boasberg believed that he was signing a meaningless order, and both judges demanded compliance that never came. We are long past the point at which courts have any reason to believe Trumps lawyers when they use rhetorical tricks and deliberate misdirection to suggest that judicial orders were ambiguous or that compliance is inadvertently delayed in good faith. We are now at the place, only eight weeks into this presidency, at which judges must decide if they will take the necessary steps to enforce their decisions, including sanctions and contempt, or if they will agree to be made irrelevant. Those are the remaining options. And if the courts surrender now, the people will lose their last line of defense against an administration that wields Article II like a cheat code to subvert democracy.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250317/from-soros-darling-to-disgrace-how-saakashvili-fell-out-of-western-elites-grace-1121649215.html

From Soros Darling to Disgrace: How Saakashvili Fell Out of Western Elite's Grace

From Soros Darling to Disgrace: How Saakashvili Fell Out of Western Elite's Grace

Sputnik International

Ex-Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has had his eight-year jail sentence for abuse of power, embezzlement and illegal border crossing extended by four years. This is a stark contrast from his previous status as a longtime favorite of Western globalists. Who backed him?

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world

mikheil saakashvili

george soros

john mccain

georgia

yugoslavia

south ossetia

nato

us

europe

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Lets dive into his connections: Soros & the Rose Revolution Saakashvili led Georgias color revolution in November 2003, becoming Soros chosen one. In 2002, the US tycoon handed him the Open Society Foundations* award. Soros funded the Rustavi-2 TV station and Kmara! (Enough!), a youth group, both of which spearheaded street protests. He also set up training for 1,000 Georgian activists via the Otpor movement that ousted Slobodan Milosevic in the former Yugoslavia, per The Globe and Mail. Between August and October 2003, Soros spent $42 million preparing for regime change, wrote journalist and diplomat Richard W. Carlson in May 2004, citing an ex-Georgian MP. After seizing power, Saakashvili announced the creation of the Capacity Building Fund for "government reforms" together with Soros at Klaus Schwabs World Economic Forum, a key globalist platform. Bush & the Botched Invasion President Bush upped military funding for Georgia and promised NATO entry, emboldening Saakashvili to launch his failed invasion of South Ossetia in August 2008. John McCain & Lobbying US Senator John McCains top foreign-policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was a paid lobbyist for Saakashvili until March 2008, according to The Wall Street Journal, but the now jailed politician denied that. Hillary Clinton & NATO Push In June 2012, Saakashvili hosted then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Tbilisi and thanked her for her "personal leadership on all [Georgian] issues," especially her role in securing NATO integration. However, in 2013 he was voted out.Lobbying No Longer WorksArrested on October 1, 2021, upon returning to Georgia, Saakashvili turned to his former American patrons. According to Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) disclosures, his family paid over $900,000 in 202223 to US lobbying firms to secure his release. Despite this, he remains in prison.*banned in Russia

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230808/georgias-invasion-of-south-ossetia-was-testing-ground-for-nato-proxy-war-1112463934.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250303/zelenskys-lies-exposed-did-palantir-give-trump--vance-the-real-ukraine-intel-1121614879.html

georgia

yugoslavia

south ossetia

russia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60

2025

Ekaterina Blinova

Ekaterina Blinova

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Ekaterina Blinova

mikheil saakashvili, george soros, open society foundations, color revolution in georgia, the rose revolution, invasion of south ossetia, russian-georgian war, saakashvili's prison term extended
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250317/putting-british-or-any-other-nato-peacekeepers-in-ukraine-would-snatch-war-from-the-jaws-of-peace-1121648815.html

Putting British or Any Other NATO 'Peacekeepers' in Ukraine Would Snatch War From the Jaws of Peace

Putting British or Any Other NATO 'Peacekeepers' in Ukraine Would Snatch War From the Jaws of Peace

Sputnik International

Russia's demands for "ironclad" guarantees on Ukraine include a firm rejection of NATO "peacekeeping forces" on Ukrainian soil, no matter the "nameplate" the alliance may try to insert them under, Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko has said. What are the uncertainties Russia faces amid peace talks with the US? We asked a top political risk consultant.

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analysis

alexander grushko

donald trump

barack obama

ukraine

russia

nato

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Any so-called 'ironclad' guarantees for Russia will likely come down to one thing: keeping Ukraine out of NATO. That, along with a promise that Western powers will stop meddling in Ukraines internal affairs, would be the only realistic foundation for any lasting settlement, foreign affairs analyst, political risk consultant and lawyer Adriel Kasonta explained.Now, Trump is pushing for a deal with Russia, not out of goodwill, but because he sees China as the bigger threat, the observer said. "The question is, what happens after him? What stops a future U.S. administration from reversing course once again? If history is anything to go by, Russia has every reason to stay on high alert."NATO Peacekeepers in Ukraine: Tripwire for War With Russia"If we're talking about NATO peacekeeping forces, peacekeeping and NATO are actually incompatible things," Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with Russian media on Sunday."We know the history of NATO, and although they boast very much about being a defensive alliance, the real history of NATO consists of military operations, aggression against unarmed states without justification, just to emphasize once again its hegemony in global and regional affairs," Grushko said.As for the UK, whose government is reportedly prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops of its own to Ukraine "for years," London is just following Washingtons lead, the observer said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240406/declassified-docs-reveal-explicit-nato-pledge-not-to-meddle-in-russias-neighborhood-1117781799.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250316/some-30-officers-from-nato-countries-surrounded-in-kursk-region-1121643590.html

ukraine

russia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60

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Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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would russia ever accept nato peacekeepers in ukraine, what would happen if nato put peacekeepers in ukraine, how would russia react to nato peacekeepers in ukraine
Are you in need of a nurse mare? Do you have a nurse mare available?

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a circular allowing trade transactions between India and the Maldives to be settled in Indian Rupees (INR) and Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR), in addition to the existing Asian Clearing Union (ACU) mechanism. This decision follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the RBI and the Maldives Monetary Authority in November 2024, aimed at promoting the use of local currencies for bilateral trade.

The directive, effective immediately, instructs all Category-I Authorised Dealer (AD) banks to facilitate these transactions in compliance with the Foreign Exchange Management (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023. The move is expected to streamline trade settlements and reduce dependency on third-party currencies.

The circular, issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, directs AD banks to inform their constituents about the changes while ensuring compliance with other applicable regulations.

Reserve Bank of India

Indias Central Bank

Notifications

Asian Clearing Union (ACU) Mechanism  Indo-Maldives trade

RBI/2024-2025/125

A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 22

March 17, 2025

To

All Category-I Authorised Dealer Banks

Madam/ Sir

Asian Clearing Union (ACU) Mechanism  Indo-Maldives trade

Attention of Authorised Dealer Category  I (AD Category-I) banks is invited to Subclause (a)(ii) of Clause (I) of Sub regulation 2 of Regulations 3 of Foreign Exchange Management (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023in terms of which trade transactions between ACU member countries are to be routed through the ACU mechanism or as per the directions issued by the Reserve Bank of India.

2. In the wake of signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between RBI and Maldives Monetary Authority in November 2024 for establishing a framework to promote the use of local currencies i.e., Indian Rupee (INR) and Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) for bilateral transactions, it has been decided that Indias bilateral trade transactions with Maldives may also be settled in INR and/or MVR in addition to the ACU mechanism, as hitherto.

3. The above instructions shall come into force with immediate effect. AD Category-I banks may bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their constituents concerned.

4. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.

Yours faithfully,

(N. Senthil Kumar)

Chief General Manager
As part of a presentation asking fellow Woodland School Board members to send letters to state lawmakers taking a stance against bills to amend last years parents bill of rights, board member Trish Huddleston argued that schools should not provide medical care for students.

Huddleston presented an example letter she wrote at the boards Feb. 27 meeting.

Huddleston said the letter was intended as an individual opinion, not an official statement by the board, but encouraged the other members to send copies as well or use it as a starting point to write their own letters.

The Washington state parents bill of rights is an initiative that was passed into law in 2024. It expands the definition of educational records to include medical and mental health records, and reiterates the previously existing rights of parents to view their students educational records and opt students out of sex education classes.

Huddleston said in a Monday email that she was mainly referring to school-based health centers like the ones that can be found in Seattle when talking about medical care in schools.

Woodland Superintendent Asha Riley also said Monday that the medical care discussed at the meeting does not mean the board and district are against school nurses.

She said the board supports increasing the districts nursing staff; the district has three nurses now and is in the process of hiring a fourth.

Whats in the letter?

The letter addressed Senate Bills 5180 and 5181 and House Bill 1296, which aim to alter the parents bill of rights, though the first bill did not pass a recent cutoff.

The letter also addressed House Bill 5179, which imposes penalties for school districts with policies that are not in compliance with state law on civil rights, discrimination and harassment, and Senate Bill 5123, which expands the list of groups protected against discrimination in schools.

Huddleston said the proposed changes dont align with Woodlands community values.

I cant be more disappointed, she said at the meeting.

The letter did not address specific issues with the bills, but stated that they amounted to unnecessary interference that would reduce families trust and could cause districts to lose federal funding by forcing them to violate the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The act gives parents the right to access students educational records, with some exceptions such as teachers personal notes. It does not specify whether those records have to include medical information.

Board member Tom Guthrie wrote in a March 7 email that he planed to revise the letter to better reflect his own disagreements with the bills and send a copy to each committee that is working on them. Other board members, including Huddleston, did not respond to requests for comment.

Guthrie also praised the letters during the board meeting, saying that they would be a more effective form of advocacy than passing board resolutions, which do not have much legal weight and dont tend to draw attention outside of the district.

Parents rights updates

House Bill 1296 proposes changes to the parents bill of rights to remove student medical records from the list of educational records parents can request, prevent discrimination based on gender identity and clarify some other student and parent rights.

It would also remove a requirement that schools provide parents with prior notification of nonemergency medical services, including those that could cause a financial impact or require follow-up care after school hours.

Huddleston said she cant comprehend why a school would provide medical care that requires follow-up, and added that schools should not be providing medical services to students.

According to the section of the parental bill of rights that would be removed, follow-up care could include monitoring a student for pain or providing medications, medical devices like crutches or emotional support.

Huddleston had other ideas on what follow-up care would include.

I dont think its the role of the school to be doing medical appointments and referring them to abortion clinics and gender facilities and all these things, Huddleston said.

She wrote in a Monday email that nurses should be able to provide necessary medication for students with parental consent, but that this does not include hormones or puberty blockers.

Sonja Bookter, president of the nonprofit School Nurse Organization of Washington, said school nurses do not have the legal authority to provide referrals because they are not prescribing providers, and that she has not seen evidence of any cases like the ones Huddleston described.

Bookter said school nurses are responsible for basic first aid and triage, and help students manage chronic conditions like diabetes or allergies following the orders of licensed healthcare providers, with parental consent. They also coordinate immunizations and mandated vision and hearing screenings.

Some districts in Washington offer medical care outside of school nurses. For instance, according to the King County website, Seattle Public Schools has a partnership with several local health providers to offer free services like asthma care, immunizations, family planning and mental health counseling in schools.

Financial penalties

House Bill 1296 would give the state the option to withhold funds or terminate programs at school districts that are willfully noncompliant with state law on issues including gender inclusivity policies.

Similarly, House Bill 5179 would allow the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to impose penalties on districts that do not comply with state law on discrimination, civil rights, harassment, bullying and curriculum requirements. This can include withholding up to 20% of a districts state funding as a last resort for districts deemed to be willfully noncompliant.

Woodland updated its gender inclusivity procedure in May to state that staff should not withhold information about students gender identity from their parents. This deviates from the model procedure provided by the Washington State School Directors Association, which states that staff should defer to students on whether they want that information shared because it could be dangerous to students with non-supportive parents.

A 2021 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that transgender teens have higher odds of experiencing physical, psychological or sexual abuse than teens who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.

MORE EDUCATION COVERAGE:

Kindergarten, early learning registration open in Kelso Registration for kindergarten, Preschool Pups and Transition to Kindergarten opens Saturday.

Castle Rock graduation rate drops while Kelso, Kalama, Toutle Lake see increases Graduation rates across the county mostly exceeded the state average in 2024, but Castle Rock saw a sharp drop to below 70%.

Longview opens kindergarten registration Monday Registration also opens for the district's free pre-kindergarten program.

Editors note: This story has been updated to update the headline and add information from the school board and district superintendent sent on Monday.
ESET has announced a strategic partnership with Rashi Peripherals in India. This collaboration is set to strengthen ESETs partner ecosystem and expand its presence in the SMB and enterprise segments.

Leveraging Rashi Peripherals 52 branch offices, 721 locations, and an extensive network of over 10,760 channel partners, ESET will expand its footprint across India, providing businesses with broader access to its AI-native, cloud-first solutions. With Indias economy projected to grow between 6.3% and 6.8% in FY 2025-26, ESET remains committed to protecting businesses and enabling secure digital transformation across the country.

Parvinder Walia, President of Asia Pacific & Japan at ESET, said, At ESET, we are focused on expanding our outreach in India. Our partnership with Rashi Peripherals strengthens access to cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, equipping SMBs and enterprises with the protection they need against evolving threats.

Top Breaking News Of The Day

Speaking on the partnership, Keshav Choudhary, Whole Time Director of Rashi Peripherals said, We are thrilled to partner with ESET to bring cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions to businesses across India. At RP Tech, our mission has always been to empower our partners and customers by providing access to the best global technology solutions. With our robust distribution network and deep market reach, we are confident this collaboration will help strengthen cybersecurity for SMBs and enterprises alike, enabling them to stay resilient in the face of evolving digital threats.
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.
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On the fourth floor of the Hall of Justice, the Natrona County District Attorneys office can feel physically, and in some ways, authoritatively, aloof.

Seated across a wooden conference room table that bore the scars of several years of too many coffee mugs without coasters, Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen came across as anything but.

Though a key issue of his home state has been the brain drain of Wyomingites leaving when they graduate or leave for university, Itzen stands apart.

He says that hes been fueled by one key career goal: Remain in Wyoming and find a job that would allow me to do that.

Itzen has served as Natrona Countys district attorney since 2018. Hes been in the DAs office since he graduated from the Creighton University School of Law in Omaha in 2000. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wyoming and has also attended Casper College.

He sat down with the Star-Tribune to answer five questions about his career.

What drove you to begin practicing law?

It was always something that I had an ambition and desire to do. In the third grade, we had to write an essay. What would you like to do when you grew up? And, well, I didnt use the term prosecutor, but it was to help people and and hold folks accountable. I found that third grade essay a few years back, and it kind of seemed to have started at that point and moved forward.

Are there any cases youve tried that feel particularly rewarding to you personally?

Cases where you can help a family whos lost a loved one and may not know the reasons why or what happened to that loved one and going through the trial process and putting that case together so people can see exactly what happened to the loved ones.

Are there any in particular that stand out to you?

You know, our office has tried a lot of important cases throughout the state, I think the Marquez case last summer, yeah, I guess last summer, last fall, was an important case. The victim in that case had gone missing for a month, maybe a little bit over a month, and his family didnt know where he was. No one had heard or seen from him, we ultimately were able to successfully prosecute that case and hold the defendant accountable on the same time, find the body and bring the body back home to his family.

[Editors note: Justin Marquez, who Itzen is referring to, was convicted in March 2024 of second-degree murder in the killing of Ryan Schroeder. Schroeder went missing for more than a month in the summer of 2021, and his body was found with 30 total stab wounds on his front and back.]

Are there any types of cases that are particularly difficult for you to try?

Any crime involving children, I think its tough. Its tough because you know what the kids have gone through. Theyre difficult cases just factually, because children oftentimes dont make great witnesses, and meeting with them and getting them ready to go to trial is always a tough thing to do.

What types of crimes do you feel dont get enough attention around Casper?

You know, I think there are, generally speaking, three very broad categories. We suffer a lot from drug abuse, either at the misdemeanor level or at the felony level. As a result of that, we also see quite a few DUIs and those type of things, you know, and those can have a direct impact upon your community, with crashes and vehicular homicides. In the third category is probably domestic violence. Domestic violence continues to be a problem. Somewhere between a third and a half of all our homicides were domestic violence related. Those are hard, because that cycle of domestic violence continues even after an individual is arrested or prosecuted. The likelihood of seeing the offender and the victim yet again is very high, and those are things that I think the community has to play some role in, too, and its not okay to beat your spouse and do those things. And when people see those, they need to report that and become an active member to help stop that.

And what does becoming an active member to help stop that really entail?

I think when your friends or your colleagues brag or talk about what happened, that we as a society say, No, thats not appropriate. We dont stand for that. We dont tolerate that. It takes employers going, Maybe you dont need a job here no more. It takes people to come to court and go, Heres what my neighbors were saying the night cops came and heres what I saw. And then hopefully we change that behavior.

Earlier on in your career, were there any particular cases that you tried or were otherwise a part of that you feel shaped your outlook as a prosecutor?

You know, as a young prosecutor, you dont get to necessarily try felonies, but what you do get to do is watch them kind of sit in the back of the courtroom and watch the trial. So I got to watch a lot of interesting trials. I watched Dale Wayne Eaton, extremely fascinating trial. I got to participate a little bit in the David Bush trial, pretty fascinating trial as well. And you know, to me, thats part of your your maturation process in growing up. And I had some great teachers that tried those cases, and you know, I kind of learned from them.

[Editors note: Dale Wayne Eaton was convicted of the 1988 murder of Lisa Marie Kimmell in 2004. Kimmells body was found in the North Platte River after being sexually assaulted, stabbed and thrown off the Government Bridge along Highway 220. The case was cold until DNA evidence linked Eaton to the crime in 2002.

David Bush was convicted in 2007 of murdering his wife, Lynn Bush, in 1990. DNA evidence was also used to link Bush to his wifes death after the case had gone cold.]
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.
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.